Last Chapter: Octavian lost his family and arrived at Camp Jupiter.
After crossing the river he walked straight toward the person in the purple toga, he was obviously the leader. As Octavian got closer he noticed that there were two people in purple togas. Of course, now he remembered there were two praetors in each Roman legion. Bad instincts, he thought, they should have taken notice of his presence. That's what he would have done. Octavian cleared his throat causing both praetors to regard his presence.
"Awwww, he's a cute one isn't he?" The female praetor cooed.
"Shut up Emily." The male praetor told the female praetor, Emily. The male praetor analyzed Octavian as if trying to find a sign of weakness in him, but Octavian remained straight faced. "Have you got any letters of recommendation?" The male praetor finally asked. Somehow Octavian knew that this was what his mother had given him before she died. He pulled out the bundle and handed them to the male praetor.
"Wow, these recommendations are really, really good umm…" Emily said looking at him expectantly.
"Octavian. Octavian Beams." He said. Emily's eyes went wide.
"You mean Beams as in Cecilia Beams, former praetor?" She asked.
"Yes." He answered. Emily slapped her hand across her forehead.
"Forgive me, we're being rude. I'm Emily Fields and this is Thomas Riddle but he goes by Tom." Emily explained. Octavian nearly choked on the air he was breathing.
"You live, Lord Voldemort?" He asked
"Shut up if you know what's good for you, kiddo." Tom told him. Octavian officially proclaimed that Tom was now his idol, for he was very macho.
"Tommy!" Emily exclaimed.
"Ok, lets get moving we've got a lot of work to do." Tom said.
Octavian was put in first cohort, this was considered an honor, and he didn't feel that way though. He sighed and looked longingly at the fifth cohort where everyone was happily chattering to each other. Everyone there was included and no one seemed to mind the smell of the horse stables or the fact that the fifth cohort was much less grand then all the other cohorts. He soon realized that if he didn't take advantage of being the new kid he would end up friendless, and seeing everyone in his cohort was tons older than him and all training now he walked toward the fifth cohort barracks where everyone seemed to be his age or younger. Just as he walked out of his first cohort barrack someone slammed into Octavian knocking both to the ground. The other kid jumped right back up and offered his arm to Octavian.
"Sorry 'bout that." He said as he helped Octavian up. Octavian decided to be the brave one and stuck his arm out.
"I'm Octavian Beams, descendant of Apollo, and a new recruit for the first cohort." He said as the other kid took his hand and shook it.
"I'm Jason Grace, Son of Jupiter, Centurion of the fifth," He said pointing towards the fifth cohort barracks. "The first rarely gets recruits your age, so you must be cool."
"Erm… thanks Jason, I was kind of wondering if you would mind showing me around." He asked.
"Oh sure, I've got nothing else to do anyway." He replied. With that Octavian and Jason walked off as Jason pointed towards places and named them. Octavian very quickly learnt where the bathhouse, barracks, training arena and New Rome were.
Very quickly a week had passed, Octavian and Jason where at the training arena cutting training dummies into pieces.
"Hey Octavian, are we friends?" Jason asked.
"Yeah, I think we are, I mean if that's okay with you?" He said.
"Well according to my books we are but you've never told me about your family? Why don't you talk about them? Most new recruits only talk about their family and nothing else."
"Well the other new recruits have a family to talk about." Octavian snapped, immediately regretting his words as he saw Jason's pained face.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to be rude. I don't really have a family either…well unless you count my father. I'm pretty sure I had a sister though. She's probably dead, couldn't have survived this long without making it to camp." Jason said in a sad tone. Jason brushed himself off and left Octavian slashing at another training dummy.
"Octavian, your wanted at the Jupiter temple." Lindsay, a girl in his cohort told him.
"May I ask why?" He asked.
"Just go!" Lindsay snapped.
Octavian ran to the temple. Judging by Lindsay's attitude it was probably something very important, she was usually a patient person. When he got to the temple he saw it was empty, but there was a table in the middle of the temple and on that table a blue teddy bear. Octavian seemed to go into a trance, he walked towards the table unsheathed his knife and sliced the teddy bear open examining its guts.
"Hmmm…. it seems there will be very heavy rainfall tomorrow. What's this? A new camper will be arriving in a little less than three years. Oh… according to this stuffing intestine the camper will play an important part in the camps future…" He suddenly snapped out of his trance and noticed both the praetors' eyes where on him.
"Ugh agh, Hi." He said swallowing nervously.
"That was exceptional Octavian. But unfortunately it is the best we can get at camp." Tom said.
"Oh be quiet Tom! You know he will make a fantastic augur, your just jealous you don't have the skills." Emily replied.
"Whatever." Tom said, " Congratulations Octavian you have been chosen by Apollo to become the Augur of Camp Jupiter. As augur your duties are to examine the stuffing of stuffed animals, reading the future from them. Remember, Everything important must be reported to the Praetors immediately. We also trust you will not misuse your new position of authority."
"Yes, what Tom just said. We will also go have to get you your official Camp Jupiter Tattoo. You have now earned it." Emily finished.
"Senatus Populesque Romanus!" The senators repeated and the handsome tattoo of a lyre and one bar was forever burnt on his wrist. Octavian was proud to already have gotten a tattoo on his first week at camp. Who knew being an augur was such an important job.
After the Senate meeting was over he and Jason went into the cities best Ice Cream bar and placed orders for a Strawberry-Blueberry Ice-cream (for Him) and a Caramel Cookie Dough Ice-cream with chocolate chips, extra whipped cream and chocolate sprinkles for Jason. As they ate the Ice-cream they talked about the new person coming to camp.
"I hope its a guy, I could really use a new friend." Octavian said.
"Well I hope it a really cute girl without cooties," Jason said. " Because only really cute and pretty and nice girls don't have cooties." Jason said matter-o-factly as Octavian nodded in agreement. Jason was so right about the pretty, nice and cute girls not having cooties like a lot of other girls did.
As they talked on and on Octavian felt something he never thought he'd feel anywhere other than around his family; acceptance. But then again maybe this was his new family.