The Ascension
Chapter III
Author's Note- Again, thanks for reviewing. Now we are going to step in to the world of 'The Lightning Thief'. I've written ya'll a pretty long chapter because I am dying to get in to the real 'meat' of the story. I am also not going to be hooking up Percy with Annabeth...cus I really just don't like her. Sorry, Annabeth fans; though I won't bash her either. I think I'm going to set Percy up with an immortal; just not sure who yet. Maybe Calypso? Some Pertemis action maybe? That sounds nice. Perhaps a naughty Athena? No, that just doesn't sound right. Anyhoo, on with the story; cus I'm really looking forward to writing some Harry/Apollo goodness. They are going to be real hot together.
Disclaimer: I Own Nothing. sighs
Percy Jackson would have been the first to admit, he had not had high hopes when he had unexpectedly found himself somehow enrolled in one of the best private schools in the country; Exeter. However, all of his low expectations had been thrown out the proverbial window when he arrived, and on the first day at his new school, met his long lost cousin; Harry. Every school he had ever attended, he had managed to get chunked out of; sometimes quite quickly. This normally occurred in any number of extremely odd and downright bizarre ways. Within the first month of attending Exeter, some vampire-like creature with weird legs had attacked him. He had finally managed to somehow cut the...things head off with an ax. However, two different teachers and seen him; yet unlike every other time something of this nature happened, he go in no trouble whatsoever. Somehow, no one paid the oddities that happened around him any attention...at all. It was a most welcome relief.
Meeting his cousin had definitely been the best part of going to his new school. After getting booted from school to school for so long, Percy had become used to not having any friends. Even the kids that lived around him rarely interacted with him- who wanted to be friends with the freaky Jackson kid anyway,' he supposed they had all thought. His cousin Harry however, apparently had no such qualms. He had even said he was used to it, as strange things were always happening around him too. He didn't doubt it either; as he had seen his cousin come back into class one day covered all over in some kind of gooey green substance, yet he had apparently been the only one who could see it.
He had definitely found Harry to be one of the most laid back and fun guys he had ever met. They both had one specific thing in common, besides their freakishly similar looks of course: Harry hated bullies as badly as he did. Now, normally this might not have meant much. However, in a school that had teachers that were so blind they apparently did not care in the slightest what either of them did, this meant that they could get back at the kids they saw bullying those smaller or weaker than themselves in many interesting and...creative ways. Together, the two cousins had developed a rather fierce reputation as pranksters. Their targets also always happened to be those they saw bullying. He would probably never figure out how Harry managed to pull off some of the tricks he did. It was almost like magic.
He was also doing much better in his studies. Harry had told him he was not alone in his learning problems, and had gotten him copy's of the same specially made texts that he used. He didn't know how he did it, but the books now made sense. His dyslexia that had troubled him all throughout his schooling, was not near as daunting as it used to be. Plus, he now had somebody that understood him to help and encourage him with his studies.
As they began spending more time together away from school, usually at Harry's apartment, he was beginning to feel like this is what it would have been like to have a brother. Even their mom's got along well together. This had led to what Percy counted as one of the world's greatest miracles occurring.
His evil step-father- Smelly Gabe, had apparently followed them one day back to the extremely nice penthouse that Harry and his mom lived in. He had to admit, Harry's mother Rhea was an amazingly kind and cool mom. Gabe had demanded that Sally come back to their apartment and cook him and his friends dinner for their poker night. He had gone on in a tirade about both Sally and Percy, and how ungrateful and worthless they both were. That's when it happened.
He saw Rhea get this look in her eyes. He didn't know exactly how to describe it, but she was somehow just radiating this energy of extreme malice; and it was all directed at Gabe. He noticed it too. He had looked like he was about to say something nasty to her, right up until she started walking towards him. He started to sweat even more than normal and looked as if he were in the presensce of the devil himself. He took one last hate-filled look at his mother and him, before he abruptly fled the penthouse. That's about when the miracle happened.
When Percy looked at his best friend, Harry and his mom looked like they were having some kind of conversation without words. He saw Harry shake his head up and down in an emphatic gesture. Rhea, then gave him a small smile and just nodded her head. That's when Rhea decided to send the two of us out to pick up something from the market that Percy was sure they didn't really need. When they left, he asked Harry if he knew what was going on, and Harry just smiled serenely and wouldn't say a word about it. Percy hated when he did that. Harry would pretend to be hard of hearing on numerous occasions if he didn't want to talk about something, and no amount of cajoling would move him either.
When they got back to the penthouse, his mom had an important question to ask him. She wanted to know if Percy would mind terribly if they moved into a separate guest apartment that was attached to Harry and his mom's penthouse! He didn't even remember that door being there when his mom and Rhea showed it to him, but sure enough; their was a whole other part of the penthouse that was connected through that door that had it's own living room, small kitchen, two bedrooms, and even a sunroom! The best part was that he would never have to see Smelly Gabe again!
Percy would count that day as one of the best in his life. Since they had moved in, his mom had been able to get a better job doing part-time secretarial work, and had even enrolled in NYU to go back and finish her degree. He didn't think he'd ever seen his mother as happy and content as she was now. They had a whole new start in life, and he was now just a few rooms away from his best friend.
There was a noise up ahead that brought Percy out of his thoughts. This was the last day of the school year. They were going to Europe for a few weeks tomorrow with Harry and his mom, and his Aunt Hestia who was over a lot before his mother started her summer program at NYU. Percy liked Harry's Aunt Hestia, there was a warm and welcoming aura around her that just made a person feel right at home. She also insisted Percy call her aunt as well, just like Rhea was now Auntie Rhea. He turned the corner where he thought he heard the disturbance, and what he saw shocked even him!
There was Harry, and he was facing off against some type of massive lion! The thing was bigger than a car too; more along the size of a truck! He could hardly believe it was real. What was even more shocking was Harry. Either his eyes were deceiving him, or he was actually shooting lightning out of his hands!
Harry somehow must have sensed him approach, because his head immediately swiveled in his direction. His eyes widened at seeing Percy standing there. He wasn't the only one who saw him either. The giant evil lion's eyes had narrowed in Percy's direction. The lion then totally surprised them both when it somehow managed to jump all the way over Harry's head and was coming at Percy!
"Perce, watch out!" Harry shouted as flames suddenly shot up in a perfect ring all around Percy.
At first, he thought the flames would hurt him, but when the lion approached the flames shot out away from Percy and seemed to burn hotter in intensity as they surged at the evil lion. The flames were protecting him!
What he saw next shocked him to his core.
When Harry saw the lion coming at Percy, Percy somehow knew it was Harry that immediately made a ring of fire appear around him to protect him. However, he seemed to think it wouldn't hold off the beast for long.
Harry actually ran after the thing and grabbed it by one of its back legs! He then pulled with what appeared to be all his might, and actually dragged the beast back a few feet.
How Harry could possibly have the strength to move that thing, he did not know. He was just glad he did.
At least he was until the moment the beast appeared to lose all interest in Percy as it turned it's massive head at Harry; huge jaws opened wide and looked like it was about to eat Harry up in a single gulp.
Percy was just about to let out a scream as it looked like it was going to eat his best friend. The beast had opened its jaws, and Percy saw a stick that was on the ground suddenly into a solid metal bar that Harry proceeded to shove straight into the center of the lion's mouth.
The beast roared its displeasure as it painfully tried to close its jaws.
The flames around Percy suddenly died out, and Percy ran without thinking to his cousin's side.
Harry had backed up from the lion several feet when he saw Percy at his side. His eyes were actually glowing and looked to be crackling with sparks of power from within when he looked at Percy before looking back at the massive lion and raising both hands into the air. This all happened in a matter of seconds and Percy had to shield his eyes as bright electric lightning again shot out of both of Harry's hands and directly into the thrashing beasts mouth.
Suddenly their was not a sound to be heard as the light faded and Percy again opened his eyes. The smell of ozone was thick in the air compounded by the stench of burnt flesh. Where the massive creature had once been, all that remained was what looked to be a massive lion's pelt laying on the ground right where the beast had been.
"I don't suppose theirs a chance you'd believe you hallucinated all of that is there?" Harry asked him with a somewhat nervous expression on his face.
"Hallucinated! Haluci...," Percy had stuttered out; clearly not knowing exactly what to make of any of this.
Harry ran a hand through his messy black hair.
"Well...it was worth a shot I guess," he said with a somewhat wry grin.
"Guess that cats out of the bag now," he told Percy before he started laughing a touch hysterically.
"Hehe...get it? Cat...cat out of the..." Harry trailed off as Percy had just looked at him like he'd sprouted a second head.
"What the hell was that?" He had finally managed to ask his cousin.
"That would be the Nemean Lion," Harry had told him casually.
"You know...the one that Hercules wrestled," Harry said.
Percy just shot him an incredulous look.
Harry then turned abruptly serious.
"Okay, you have to know. If we talk about this...if I tell you the truth about everything...nothing you knew will ever be the same again. You'll never be able to go back to how things were in your own mind. Everything is about to change for you Percy if I tell you the truth. Are you absolutely sure you want me to tell you? I know this isn't the first time you've seen things like that. It's just, when you acknowledge it; it all becomes real. Everything you thought you knew and believed in is about to change." Harry said.
Percy was quiet for a long moment. He knew whatever he was about to hear would change his life irrevocably. He had never seen his fun-loving and laid back cousin look so serious. Harry was right though. This was not the first time he'd seen supposedly mythical creatures. He'd seen things like this all his life, and had thought himself mental. He had to know; for good or ill, he just had to know the truth.
Harry stood their outwardly calm for Percy's sake trying to steel his nerves. He didn't know how exactly to get his friend to believe what he was going to tell him, but he knew he had to try. He just hoped he didn't hold it against Harry that he hadn't said anything before because he really did not want to lose his best friend. Percy had become like a brother to him. The only brother Harry had ever known was actually Percy's own father, but he was far more like an uncle or even father-figure to Harry than an older brother. He just hoped he didn't hold that against him as well.
"I want...I need...to know, Harry. You're right. That's not the first time I've seen something like that. It's happened all my life." Percy told him.
"Alright, where do I start?" Harry appeared to be asking himself rather than Percy.
"Percy, there is a whole other world out there hidden from mortals, and we're both a part of it. What you would consider both the mythical and the magical worlds are real. Almost everything out of the legends of old is true. There are witches and wizards in the world, just as there are gods and goddesses," Harry said.
"You mean God is real?" Percy asked confusedly.
Harry chuckled a bit.
"I don't know about God with a capitol G, but there are the gods and goddesses of Olympus, as well as other pantheons, out there alive in the world. The metaphysical makes my head hurt." Harry told him with a grin.
"There are also a great many demi-gods in the world. Many times, the gods take human lovers just like they did in the legends, and children are a product of those unions. They're demi-gods," Harry explained.
"You, Percy; are a demi-god." Harry told him with the most serious expression he had ever seen on his friend's face.
Harry was unsure if he phrased it right, he just didn't know how to make it any plainer than that.
"I'm a demi-god?" Percy asked skeptically.
Harry could understand his skepticism to a degree.
"Well, I know my mother is not a goddess; so are you saying my father was a god? Is that how we're related?" Percy asked him.
"Yes, and before you ask; I cannot tell you who he is until he claims you himself. It is forbidden, and even I cannot go against that particular law," he told Percy.
He really wished he could though. Actually, he really wished Psi would just show up and give his son 'the talk' himself.
We don't always get what we want however.
"So are you a demi-god too? Was your dad a god?" Percy asked him.
Harry winced; he was not quite sure how to explain himself without sounding even more crazy than he probably already did.
"I'm not...exactly a demi-god. My mother is a Greek deity, yes. My father though, he is actually the Norse god of Thunder. He was being punished by Odin you see, and was incarnated as a human on earth with no memories of his godly life as Thor. When he was killed when I was a baby, his spirit or essence or...whatever, got sent back to Asgard. Because he thought I was merely a regular demi-god, Odin wiped my dad's memory of me and my mom. He didn't know she was really Rhea, Queen of the Titans." He tried his best to explain to Percy his own complicated situation.
"Your mother...that we live with...is Rhea, Queen of the Titans...the wife of Kronos?" Percy asked him slowly; as if Harry was now somehow touched in the head.
"I wouldn't refer to her as Kronos' wife if I were you...She considers five thousand years cut up in little pieces in Tartarus as the equivalent of a divorce at the least." Harry told him.
"Right...so, what does that make you? A god?" Percy asked him as if he didn't believe a word of it.
"No, I won't be a full god until I'm about fourteen years old. Right now, I'm what you'd call a Transcendent demi-god. I can take on divine form, but I can't stay in it if I wanted to till I've matured," he tried to explain.
He was sure he sounded totally lame.
"Look, I know you probably don't believe me; and I can't really say I blame you. But if that wasn't a mythical monster straight out of the legends that just tried to eat us, along with the other things I know you've seen, then what was it? How can I shoot lightning out of my hands like that or create fire. You know that was no illusion or trick...that thing was trying to kill us. You're my best friend Percy...really, my only friend." Harry finished quietly; silently begging him to believe him.
Harry knew this must all have been a lot for him to take in.
Percy could see how serious he was, and he knew his friend was not prone to flights of fancy.
Harry's words...the need for Percy to believe his best friend was so strong that Percy looked to actually be thinking over everything that Harry had said. That's when Harry had another thought.
"I know!" Harry said triumphantly grinning.
"Know what?" Percy asked more than a bit warily.
When Harry got that look in his eye, it always involved them getting up to mischief of some kind that usually got them in trouble with their mother's.
"Do you trust me?" Harry abruptly asked him; grabbing on to Percy's shoulder.
"Umm." Percy managed to get out warily.
"Good," Harry said; before there was suddenly a blindfold over Percy's eyes.
Then Harry did one of the only things he could think of to prove what he was saying was true. He assumed his divine form, made sure Percy's blindfold was on tight and he couldn't see, and translocated them to the penthouse.
When the golden light of Harry's divine form faded after he brought them back home and transformed back to his mortal form, he vanished the blindfold with a wave of his hand.
Percy was looking around the large family room of the penthouse; shocked to his core by how they suddenly got there.
That's when he noticed the pelt that had been left behind from the Nemean Lion casually thrown over Harry's shoulder.
Harry could tell what Percy was finally beginning to think. Something most likely along the lines of this was all real.
'Well, he had warned him that everything he thought he believed in was about to change.' Harry thought.
Thankfully, the door opened admitting Rhea and Sally who had been shopping for their upcoming vacation.
His mother immediately noticed the Nemean Lion's pelt on his shoulder and Percy's obviously frazzled state, and put two and two together as to what happened. Sally soon did as well.
"He knows?" Rhea asked her son; not that she had any doubt.
"Yeah. I got attacked by the Nemean Lion and Percy must have heard the commotion. It tried to attack him too, but I held it off. Obviously he saw me kill it and had a ton of questions. He said he wouldn't believe he had just been hallucinating...so, I had to tell him the truth," Harry told his mom and Sally.
"Want a new rug Mom?" Harry asked her grinning cheekily to try and lighten the mood.
Rhea merely snorted inelegantly at his ridiculousness.
Sally walked over to her son and gently led him to the sofa.
"Perce, are you alright?" Sally asked him concernedly.
Percy was still somewhat dazed from the information overload, but he was beginning to calm down.
"Harry said I'm a demi-god. That my father is one of the Greek gods? He said he couldn't say who it was because of some law. Is it true Mom? Is all of this real? All these strange creatures that have tried to attack me all my life. I thought I was mental or something; that there was something wrong with me." Percy asked in a pleading tone.
Sally appeared to gather her courage to tell her son what she had dreaded speaking of all of his young life. She knew there was no going back now. Everything was about to change for him. She was just thankful Harry had been there or that beast could have killed her baby.
"Yes, Percy. When I was younger, I met your Father. He was unlike any man I had ever known." She said wistfully.
"He was kind, and caring, and strong. He just had this aura of power and strength about him. He had jet black hair, just like yours. You've got his smile too...and his perfect tan. And his eyes; your eyes are almost exactly the same. I fell in love with him. How could I not?" She asked rhetorically.
"He was so utterly unique." Sally told him and you could just hear the love that she still bore for the god of the sea in her every word.
By this point, with his mom explaining it to him, and confirming what Harry said; especially after everything he had seen today, how could he not believe it. It was true. His mother would never lie about this. His dad was one of the Greek gods.
"Which one? Who is he?" Percy asked his mother.
Sally's eyes widened for a moment, and then they all realized that while they may not be able to tell Percy his father's name; there was absolutely nothing preventing Sally from telling him.
"His name is Poseidon, Darling. He is the god of the seas, and one of the so-called 'Big Three' of the Greek pantheon." Sally explained.
"He's also my son," Rhea said.
"Which makes me very proud to say that you Percy, are my grandchild. I am so pleased that I have gotten the chance to know you, my grandson." Rhea told him with a gentle smile.
"And my big brother...guess what that makes you, huh my fishy little nephew? Yep. That's right, I'm your oh so awesome Uncle!" Harry told him with an extra bright grin.
"So, when do you guys think his new fish tail will come in?" Harry asked them casually; wiggling his eyebrows.
Percy just burst out laughing at Harry's antics at that, making everyone feel calmer and more relaxed, just as he intended.
With the revelation of who he really was, as well as who his newly-formed family really were, Percy seemed to take on their European tour with new eyes. They spent nearly two whole weeks exploring Greece. The amount of anecdotes both Rhea and Hestia had for so many of the ancient monuments and sights they saw really opened his eyes to the concept of immortality. These two women were thousands and thousands of years old, yet they were both two of the kindest and most caring women he had ever met. Harry seemed to listen equally as awed as he was at some of the tales, and Percy was reminded that though all of Harry's family may be millennia-old deities, and he himself very close to immortality; he was still very much the same young boy he had bumped in to on the first day of school a year ago.
Both boys really enjoyed the Grecian beaches. Especially as many of the Europeans had rather different standards of acceptable public beach attire than was common in America. Considering they had both just turned twelve years old and were beginning to enter puberty; Sally, Rhea, and Hestia found great amusement in their constant red faces at all the scandalous attire- or rather lack thereof.
Several days after they arrived in France, which was the first leg of their journey, they received a visitor. Percy and Sally had been shocked to meet the goddess of Magic, Hecate. She had arrived to warn them that all of Magical Europe was on the look out for Harry Potter. Apparently, Albus Dumbledore had been receiving lots of bad press for being the reason Harry Potter had 'disappeared'. It was even being whispered about that they might bring the old man up on charges! Especially as, "somehow" (re. Hecate) photos of an obviously abused and malnourished Savior had found their way into the Daily Prophet. It wasn't their fault they didn't know it was just pictures of a golem. They had somehow managed to keep it quiet for nearly a year when he didn't show up at Hogwarts. That lasted until Lucius Malfoy found out, and started a campaign against the old man for losing 'Britain's Savior.' There was now a continent, and soon to likely be, world-wide hunt for the allusive 'Boy-Who-Lived.'
Percy had mocked Harry for days about that stupid moniker. That was until he actually gave Percy a fish tail like a merman instead of legs. It was never to be mentioned again.
This had prompted Harry to begin using his metamorphmagus ability to make himself look like his divine self. That had taken Percy a few days to get used to. Though after Harry got done with him, he vowed to NEVER call him pretty again. It was one of the reasons he didn't use that form often. Harry actually did feel entirely comfortable in that look, but even without the divine glow, his other self's looks were almost otherworldly. He didn't particularly care for the attention it brought him; that was the issue.
His mother's had told him he just had to get over it though, and he knew they were right. Though he dared Percy to call him pretty one more time!
They never noticed the other divine being that was watching them throughout all of the last week they were in Greece. Ever since they discovered Harry's ancient gift from Apollo, a pair of eyes that shined like the silver of the moon had followed them.
Artemis, goddess of the Moon and the Hunt was on a retrieval mission of sorts for her mother, Leto. She had asked her daughter to pay a visit to a certain temple in Delos where she had buried something long ago. It took the goddess several hours, but after a while, she finally found what she was looking for. It was a treasure box of some sort made out of solid silver and encrusted with beautiful gems that her mother had hidden away. She was highly curious as to what was in the box, but her mother would know if she opened it; she always knew things like that. It was how she was able to keep such close tabs on her twin all these years. There was little the two could do that she would not be privy to.
She was just about to close up the hole she had dug, when she heard voices approaching. Artemis quickly made herself invisible as she had already masked her divine presence. She was shocked as she hadn't sensed anyone around. It was extremely difficult for anyone to sneak up on her! She didn't know how they managed it.
Curiously, she saw two young boys approaching. They both looked very young, perhaps twelve or thirteen years of age. They appeared to be around the same height. One boy had black hair and sea green eyes.
'He was rather handsome for a mortal,' was the completely absurd thought that went through her mind. She didn't know why she even thought that.
The other boy had shaggy light blonde hair...he...he looked rather familiar.
Now that she thought about it, both boys looked familiar. The blonde boy however...he...well.
'No! It couldn't be...could it?' Artemis thought.
She had to know. She had to see if it was at all possible.
They were getting closer.
They came to a stop and sat down on a pair of broken columns. They were looking out to the sea, watching the waves as the moonlight shined brightly on all their surroundings.
Both boys seemed to be just beginning to hit that awkward stage of puberty where a boy's voice begins to crack at various times. Artemis had always been amused by that. The blonde boy began speaking and her immortal heart nearly stopped. Time and age may have changed it. However, she would recognize that distinctly calming melodic voice anywhere.
"It's beautiful from up here, especially in the moonlight; don't you think?" The blonde boy asked his companion.
"Yeah, it is. I know you all explained that whole 'Western Civilization' thing to me before, but personally I don't see how the gods could have borne it. I mean everything we've seen so far of Europe, and Greece especially; it's just so nice," the boy with black hair said to the blonde; shocking Artemis further.
They knew about the gods! That they were real and that they now lived in America. Very few mortals had any idea of that; so how did they know?
"Mom still likes Europe better. It's one of the ways no one noticed when she got Hecate to make her human. She stayed so often in Europe, not seeing her around Olympus was nothing out of the ordinary," the blonde boy said.
The boy's mother was obviously a goddess. They could all assume a human form. Why go to Hecate? Unless...unless you wanted to be made in to a witch!
'Now, who still preferred the Old World to the New?' Artemis thought to herself.
Well, one came to mind in particular, but no. She would never...would she?
"Being here makes me feel more like Perseus, and less like Percy, if that makes any sense," the black haired boy that was apparently named Percy said.
"I know exactly what you mean!" The blonde boy enthused.
"Every day we're here I feel more like Hyakinthos, and less like Harry or Hyacinthus," Hyakinthos said.
At those words, she actually dropped the box she was holding.
It hit the stone several feet away from her, echoing with a large clang and denting it as the soft silver met the hard rock.
"Percy, get behind me!" Hyakinthos instructed his companion.
"Harry, what was that? What's going on?" Percy asked confusedly.
"Percy, I scanned the entire area before we came up here. There was nothing human anywhere around! There is something out here, and it's powerful enough to hide from me. No, Percy. Stay back. Now, I want you to close your eyes. Don't open them until I tell you to, okay?" Hyakinthos told this Percy; much to Artemis's confusion.
She couldn't believe she had dropped the box!
"Are they closed?" He asked.
"Yes, I promise," the other boy told Hyakinthos trustingly.
That's when she became further shocked than she had thought possible.
The blonde began to glow softly. The glow increased until he had transformed completely into the brightly glowing divine light of a god!
The newly revealed deity amazed her still further as small lightning bolts were visibly dancing on the ends of his fingertips.
"Show yourself! I demand it. Reveal yourself or face my wrath!" Hyakinthos said sternly.
Artemis couldn't believe it, but she actually had to stop herself from doing as the boy demanded! It was somewhat similar to when her father was in a similar state. It was like she was in the presence of a higher being.
"Uh, Harry...I think you've probably scared them off; whoever or whatever it was. I know I would have been long gone by now. You're probably doing that lightning thing with your fingers again aren't you? That would scare pretty much anything. I know it terrifies me." Percy told his friend.
Hyakinthos actually snickered a bit, instantly reminding Artemis of her little brother playing tricks, and in a heart beat the glow was gone. In it's place was a different boy. This one looked remarkably similar to his friend. However, he still had the exact same eyes as his blonde persona she had known so long ago.
"You can be so dramatic Harry. And would you keep one appearance for a while at least. It's like hanging out with someone with multiple personality disorder or something...except that you actually turn into a different person." Percy said frustratingly.
Harry just snickered at him again.
"Yeah, and I thought my life was confusing as the son of Poseidon. Your the son of both the Queen of the Titans, the Goddess Hestia, and the Norse Hammer guy," Percy said.
This was almost more than Artemis could handle hearing at that.
"It's Thor, not that hammer guy," Harry said; rolling his eyes.
"Whatever. Oh, here it is. Whatever made the noise," Percy told Harry.
Harry walked over and picked up the silver box Artemis had been sent to retrieve.
She didn't dare make her presence known. Since hearing what she did, she had let her senses out, and sure enough; she sensed both Grandmother Rhea and Aunt Hestia nearby.
She watched as the boys got closer to get a better look at the box. She saw the boy...Harry? Hyakinthos? Whoever he is create two rotating miniature fireballs that looked like the sun as lamps. That was even further confirmation for her that this was her brother's somehow alive mate as that was a signature move for Apollo; his preferred lighting method actually.
The other boy Percy even pointed it out next.
"That's kinda cool. It's like two little suns," he said.
"Yeah, an...an old friend taught me that," Harry said; and Artemis could swear she heard a hint of sadness in his voice.
"Now, let's see what's in this fancy box," Percy said.
The box barely seemed to want to open, but the lid eventually gave way.
Artemis saw Harry's breath catch in his throat when he caught a glimpse of what lay inside.
With shaky hands, he slowly lifted the golden pendant with an intricate design of the sun closer to him. It was attached to a thin golden chain.
Harry sat down on the hard earth quickly as his body was in total shock.
Artemis saw a tear leak out of the corner of the young boy's eyes.
"Harry, what's wrong? What is that?" Percy asked him in a quiet tone.
He had never seen Harry fazed by anything...ANYTHING. And this small ancient necklace made him emotional?
Harry undid the clasp on the pendant, and it opened as if he knew it would. Inside, was an ancient little painting of two extremely good-looking blonde boys as well as two locks of hair. One was like golden wheat glowing in the sun, and the other was like pure spun silver and gold. They were intertwined together with a tiny ribbon. All of it was somehow perfectly preserved.
Harry closed the lid and waved his hand over it placing some type of enchantment over the piece. He then moved his shaggy hair out of the way before placing the chain the pendant was on around his neck.
He just sat there quietly for a moment; seemingly lost in thought.
"If I tell you something, Percy. Do you swear to keep it secret?" Harry asked.
"You're like a brother to me, of course I'll keep anything you want me to secret. We're best friends, remember?" Percy told him seriously but with a smile.
"I swear," Percy told him.
Harry was silent for a bit, before he finally decided if he couldn't trust Percy, he couldn't trust anybody.
"Only my mother's know about this, but...but, this is not my first life. I was alive before, over three thousand years ago," Harry told him.
Percy was shocked, but he didn't say anything. He knew Harry was being truthful.
"Re-incarnation is a fairly common thing. You'll read all about it when we get to Camp and we study the Underworld. You're not supposed to remember your past lives though; no one does. No one except me. I'm not a normal re-incarnation by any means. Not only do I remember every single detail of my past life; I have all of the emotions. For as long as I can remember, it's all come back to me in dreams, except they're not like dreams of another person. It's like it's me. It is like it's me...because it was me. You see, my divine form is identical to my past self; even down to the same birthmark. I AM Hyakinthos. The fates even came to my Mom and told her to name me Hyacinthus!" Harry said; explaining it as best as he could.
Percy was quiet until it seemed like a light bulb went off in his head.
"Wasn't there a Hyakinthos in Greek mythology? Wasn't he like the beloved of Apollo or something?" He asked.
As he said this he looked at the necklace again; the necklace that had the intricate engraving of the sun in gold on the locket.
"It was you; wasn't it?" Percy asked.
"Yes, Perce. It was me. Does it bother you? I mean...Apollo's a boy and all...I mean I like some girls, but him? I...," he trailed off.
Percy was quiet for a minute before he snapped back to the present.
"No, it doesn't bother me. It's just a part of who you are. You can't help who you love anyway. Thank you for telling me about it though, for trusting me." Percy told his best friend smiling.
"Thanks Perce," Harry said relieved.
He had no more secrets left.
"Wait, didn't he kill you though? Plus isn't Apollo the one you said has the most kids at Camp?" Percy asked confusedly.
"No," Harry was very quick to say.
"It wasn't him. It was that damned Wind god; who I vow to make wish he was in Tartarus after the hell I plan on unleashing on that jealous bastard." He said.
"Jealous little prick," Harry muttered.
That had Percy snickering.
"As for the other part...well, I don't know. Apollo always enjoyed life. I can't be jealous, plus I've still got a couple more years of growing up to do. Though I do know this: If he wants me back...well, those had better be his last batch of half-bloods or I'm pretty sure my mother's would cut his bits off." Harry said seriously before wincing in sync with Percy at the prospect.
Having heard more than she thought she could handle for one night, Artemis took one last look at the two boys before she vanished in to thin air. She had a mother to interrogate. She knew now her mother had an ulterior motive for sending her here. She knew they would be here, and obviously wanted her to see them. What was she supposed to do with this information overload. She did know one thing though: those two boys would soon become known and both would be in a great deal of danger for various reasons. Even though it went against her nature, she would try to look out for them. She would have to make damned sure she kept her brother's mate safe at all costs. She would not allow her little brother to go through another three thousand years of heart-ache. Or worse, see him fade because his mate was truly gone. No, that boy would be safe no matter what. Besides, Hyakinthos was one of the few males she had ever greatly cared about. He was one of the sweetest natured beings she had ever met; and he still seemed just the same as always. She'd deal with the thought of Poseidon having another child later. For a male, even a young one, she had to admit that he did seem exceptional.
The summer seemed to fly by, and before they knew it, it was time for the boys to return to school. For the first time in his life, Percy was even looking forward to it. With Harry by his side, he was now able to enjoy school life far more than he ever had previously. Besides, they hadn't been able to prank anyone all summer and were missing their vict...er 'friends'.
There had been surprisingly few monster attacks of late. They didn't see any in Europe, as they tended to be wherever more demi-gods could be found. They were also generally accompanied by either Hestia or Rhea wherever else they went. Although many were not the brightest, most were not foolish enough to even dare get near one of those formidable ladies.
So it was that the boys hugged their mom's good-bye and set off on the short two block walk to school. It didn't take long, and the two boys were walking around the central courtyard of Exeter catching up with some of their more friendly acquaintances. They were heading towards the west side of the campus where their lockers were when Percy saw something out of the corner of his eye. In an out of the way area secluded by several large oak trees he heard a scuffle going on. He bumped his shoulder on Harry's and motioned with his head towards the source of the disturbance.
He saw Harry's eyes light up at the prospect of making mischief and/or wreaking havoc so soon in the year. It had become apparent over the years that James/Thor passed on more than a bit of his marauding spirit to his son. The boys quietly made their way towards the noises they heard. Both boys were instantly enraged at the sight that met their eyes.
What looked to be part of the lacrosse team had what appeared to be a disabled kid pinned against a wall. They saw a pair of crutches tossed to the side, as the four boys harassed the other kid. He looked rather peculiar with shaggy brown hair, a freckled face, and the wispy beginnings of a very early beard. Percy and Harry immediately stepped forward eager to teach these bullies a thing or two. If their was one thing the two friends absolutely agreed on; it was that they both despised bullies.
"Well, Perce; what do have here?" Harry loudly asked rhetorically.
"Well cousin; it looks to me like we have four very stupid boys who just love to be humiliated." Percy said with a completely straight face.
The bullies looked at Harry and Percy with more than a bit of trepidation. They all knew the reputation those two boys had, and they had all seen some of their...handiwork. It was well known that you NEVER wanted to get on their bad side. What was worse, all the teachers seemed to tacitly approve of anything the two did as they never got in any trouble at all.
Finally, one particularly dimwitted bully overcame his momentary fear and stupidly made his way over to Harry. The taller boy got in Harry's face, and he looked like he was about to take a swing at him.
"I'm not scared of you Jameson! You or your little boyfriend there...," that was all the words he managed to get out before Harry had grabbed the idiot boy by the shoulders and slammed the mortal against the brick wall.
Harry glared at the idiot; amazed at his audacity.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk. If you can't say anything nice; you shouldn't speak at all. Don't you boy's agree?" Harry asked the other three boys as he grabbed the taller boy by the neck, and with one hand, lifted him off his feet.
When the idiot began to turn what Harry considered a lovely shade of blue, Harry let him go and threw him on the ground.
Percy was now standing shoulder to shoulder with Harry, the pair made a rather intimidating sight; especially for a pair of twelve year olds.
"You will leave that kid alone, or we will make your lives a living hell! Do you understand me?" Percy demanded of the brats.
Percy by himself could be very intimidating as well. Over the past year his confidence in himself and his own abilities had skyrocketed. He could be scary when he wanted to be.
All four of the bullies were quick to nod their heads in agreement. They didn't want to be on the receiving end of anything the "Terrible Twosome", (as they had been dubbed by their peers), could come up with.
"Leave." Harry said plainly and simply.
Not needing to be told twice; they left. Quickly.
Harry and Percy then walked over to the disabled boy who was getting back on his feet with a wide-eyed look of wonder at the two.
"Thanks!" The boy told them gratefully.
"Your Welcome," Harry and Percy said in unison before looking at each other and grinning.
Whenever they did that, when taken together with their near-identical appearances, it had the tendency to unnerve folks. Hence, they tried to do it as often as possible.
The boy just blinked a touch dazedly at them, as if he had just now noticed their remarkable resemblance to one another; and it confused him greatly.
"What's your name?" Percy asked him curiously.
Harry handed the boy his crutches.
"Thanks," he told Harry.
"And I'm Grover Underwood- new kid. What's your names?" He asked them in return.
"I'm Harry Jameson," Harry said.
"And I'm Percy Jackson," Percy finished.
The boy who was apparently named Grover blinked once...twice...yep they still looked the same.
"You two aren't brother's?" Grover finally asked; confused because A.) there was just supposed to be Percy he was watching over; nobody had mentioned anything about a twin brother & B.) they looked near identical; there was absolutely no way they were NOT related.
Both boys just grinned back at him in the same slightly disturbing manner; he was sure these two caused chaos wherever they went.
"Nope, we're cousins!" They said; once again at the same time. After Percy had learned the full truth, they agreed to keep calling each other cousins as Percy said calling Harry 'Uncle Harry' would just be weird; though Harry did call him 'Little Nephew' sometimes to annoy him.
Grover, it turned out, was in the same grade they were in. They had all the same classes as well. After Grover began to relax, (he was a rather nervous character), the boys both found that they rather liked the eccentric kid. Soon enough, he became a regular fixture as the third member of their little group. He definitely had some rather odd quirks, (who were they to judge though?), but both Harry and Percy liked the boy, and he stuck to them like glue.
The only other thing of note about the beginning of the new school year was their new Latin teacher; a man in a wheel-chair named Mr. Brunner. Besides being a rather awesome teacher, (he had them re-enact battle scenes!) he seemed to take special interest in Percy, and Harry to a degree. He too appeared more than a little confused about the two boys who turned out not to be brothers. When he found out they were 'cousins' through Percy's father, his curiosity skyrocketed.
By the end of the first week of school, the boys had discovered two things. One, their new friend Grover was a Satyr. This was not too terribly surprising as their were satyrs in many schools in order to find and protect untrained demi-gods. The crutches kind of gave it away. The other thing they discovered that was far more note-worthy, was that their Latin teacher Mr. Brunner was in fact Chiron- the immortal centaur that trained heroes and ran Camp Half-Blood. Hestia had confirmed it for them as well. He was there to keep an eye out for Percy, and take him to camp if need be. Harry however, thoroughly confused the centaur.
They decided to just put it out of their minds. If they needed to go to Camp later; so be it. For now though, they planned to just enjoy their year. Plus, it thoroughly amused both Harry and Percy to act as if they knew absolutely nothing about the divine world at all to both Grover and Chiron. They thought it the best prank ever. Especially when they were constantly saying things like the following conversation-
Percy, and Grover were on their way to lunch at their usual spot under a tree in the quad when Harry came running up to them; seemingly out of breath.
"Whoa Harry! What's up Cuz?" Percy asked with barely concealed mirth.
Harry was frantically looking this way and that way; as if terrified something was going to jump out and eat him.
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you Perce," Harry said.
"Unhuh. Try me. You know some of the crazy shit I've been seeing," Percy said; prodding him to tell them.
"Alright, but don't say I didn't warn you. Okay, there was this really tall dude on the street. I swear to you man, he only had one eye!" Harry said wide-eyed.
They both saw Grover's eyes widen in alarm.
'Gotchya,' they both thought.
"What's so scary about a tall guy with an eye-patch? I'm sure it wasn't that scary," Percy said nonchalantly.
"No! Dude, I'm talking about he ONLY has one eye; like in the center of his forehead! He wasn't just tall. He was like giant; Bigger than Shaq tall! He was probably ten feet! And he had this club...it was like a tree trunk or something. It was mumbling something about being hungry, and needing to eat half-blood? Whatever that meant. So, you know I sprayed myself with that spray someone sent us; you know, the stuff that the letter said to spray on if we ever saw some crazy stuff? Well, it worked! The big giant dude looked like he just lost all interest in me and started off across the street...you know; to the pre-school with the babies and stuff next door," Harry said; finally winding down on his tall tale and sitting himself down to a nice lunch.
Percy calmly turned to Grover, who by this point they didn't think it was possible for his eyes to have gotten any bigger. Grover looked as pale as a ghost when he mentioned about the cyclops heading towards the pre-school!
"What do you make of that Grover? Just some crazy inbred or something?" Percy asked their friend as if what they were talking about was the most normal thing in the world.
"Uh...um...I mean...Uh, yeah. That's it. Uh, just some dude from the sideshow. Would you guys excuse me...um...I'll be back in a little bit. Bathroom...right, I've to use the facilities," he said stuttering and stumbling over his words in his haste to think up an excuse...any excuse...to get away.
"Okay. Be careful, man." Harry told him a calm smile.
After Grover got up faster than they had previously thought possible, they watched with barely concealed glee as he made his way to Chiron, AKA.- Mr. Brunner; whose eyes they also saw widen in panic about the loose cyclops. The two then hurried out of their line of sight.
Both Harry and Percy fell over one another laughing so hard at the trouble and panic they were causing the other two to feel. They really shouldn't, they knew that; but, it was just too damn funny. As long as they acted like they didn't even believe what they say they saw themselves, and as long as they made sure to describe beasts that no mortal could possibly see, they always had fun watching the disguised student and teacher. They didn't do it often though. I mean, both boys really liked Grover, so they didn't want the poor satyr getting a nervous condition or having some type of breakdown after all.
If poor Mr. Brunner happened to be getting a few more grey hairs than he had when he arrived; well, it wasn't really their fault they already knew who they were.
And so their school year of grade six went on and they soon left for their wonderful Yule break.
When the boys returned to school after celebrating Yule with their family however, they noticed a distinct difference in both their friend Grover as well as the incognito Chiron. Both were nervous and wary about something, and they started paying extra close attention to Percy in particular.
They soon found out why.
Zeus' Masterbolt had been stolen!
Hestia had explained to them that sometime over the Yule holidays on Olympus, someone had actually stolen the most powerful symbol of divine power. This was serious business. In the wrong hands, the Masterbolt could lay entire nations to waste. It could not have been another deity, as the gods were forbidden from taking each other's symbol's of power. That meant that it almost certainly was a demi-god, as they were able to take them; if they dared to in any case.
Of course Zeus, in his almighty wisdom, had declared it was Poseidon's unclaimed demi-god son, Percy Jackson. Who was no doubt working on his father's orders as a part of Poseidon's plot to take over Olympus. So now Percy was the prime suspect for being the Lightning Thief. That fact that he was unclaimed, supposedly knew nothing of his heritage, and had never even stepped foot on Olympus was entirely besides the point as far as the Chief Dick (Harry's personal nickname for Zeus) was concerned.
This put them all in a very dangerous and unexpected position. They had not planned on either of the boy's gaining the attention of the Olympian Council yet. Especially where Harry was concerned. Until he was fully immortal, they had deemed it as too dangerous to expose him to Zeus. However, they knew their would be nothing any of them could do to stop Harry from doing all in his not inconsiderable power to both support and protect Percy against even Zeus himself. Doing so though, might force him to assume divine form out of self-preservation if near Zeus; which would open up a whole other Asgardian can of worms they were not sure how to deal with. They did know that if Harry went with Percy to Camp Halfblood, his real parentage would have to be revealed. Zeus would have to know that he would be becoming immortal when he was older, or he might no longer be allowed to live with his mother's.
Harry's analytical response had been the work of long hours of thought and strategy- "I guess we'll just have to wing it," he had said as Percy had nodded with him in complete agreement.
For some reason, that did little to calm the nerves of Sally, Rhea, or Hestia.
It was a few weeks from the end of the school year, and Percy, Harry, and Grover were with their other classmates in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. They were in the Greeks and Romans section. Harry knew he would now never be able to live it down when they actually came upon a Renaissance era painting of Apollo and Hyakinthos- in the nude. Percy looked to be almost bouncing up and down in anticipation of the amount of ragging he no doubt planned to inflict upon him. However, Harry swore revenge would be his, and it would be sweet.
Harry had been examining a painting of Paris and Helen when out of the corner of his eye, he saw Mrs. Dodd's, the extremely weird (Harry was beginning to think supernaturally weird) substitute math teacher, leading Percy away from the group and into an empty vaulted gallery. Just as the two were turning the corner, he used his godly sight, and was shocked to see leathery wings on the woman. That was no woman. That was one of the furies!
Hades had sent his monsters after his best friend!
'Oh, hell to the no,' thought Harry.
Harry barreled through students and teachers alike, including Mr. Brunner and Grover who looked to be headed after Percy as well. He paid their yells for him to go back absolutely no attention whatsoever as he continued running after Percy and the Fury.
Harry, using his divine strength, just knocked the locked door off its hinges with his shoulder; distracting both of the room's occupants.
Harry waved his hand over himself; removing the magical concealing mist that shrouded his powers to most monsters and gods alike making him far less noticeable.
When she felt his powers spike, the Fury hissed violently, then removed the rest of the glamour of the so-called math teach.
Percy immediately backed up a few feet coming closer to Harry's side.
"So, which one are you?" Harry asked the Fury.
"Alecto," she growled out.
"Who in the Master's name are you?" Alecto demanded of him.
"I am your Master's brother." Harry said.
She looked like she obviously did not believe him. That was okay with Harry, for she soon would.
"I've got a little message I wish you to relay. You tell my decomposing vindictive older brother that is he ever sends one of his creatures after my nephew again, he'll wish he'd never been born. I will personally send each and every one of you all back to the hole you crawled out of in pieces. Do I make myself perfectly clear!" Harry demanded
"I'm going to enjoy killing you," Alecto told him from the second floor of the gallery she had ascended to; not paying his warning any heed despite the massive amounts of powers she had to be sensing off of him.
She then dived towards Percy from her makeshift perch.
Harry saw a dumbstruck Grover and Chiron , who had up till then been silent as they listened to Harry threaten both Hades and Alecto, toss a certain ink pen to Percy.
Percy had dived out of the way, and had been amazed when the pen he caught, immediately transformed into a bronze sword.
Using his seldom-used paternally inherited ability of flight, Harry launched himself into the air, to the shock of all those present; with the exception of Percy who had long-since declared that as the 'coolest power ever'.
With his hands extended, Harry shot off a furious (pun intended) bolt of lightning at the air-borne hag.
Alecto dived out of the way from the totally unexpected bolt of lightning.
However, as she was not watching where she flew towards, (as long as it was away from that lightning bolt!) she came too close to Percy. This gave Percy the perfect opportunity to use his fancy new sword! Which he proceeded to use to great effect as he sliced Alecto through the gut, where she then proceeded to dissolve into so much golden dust in the wind.
Mr. Brunner (Chiron) and Grover (the Satyr) just stared on in dumbfounded shock as Harry and Percy ran up to each other and proceeded to high-five one another.
"That was awesome Harry!" Percy said.
"I know, right? Not bad with that sword either there, Perce. That was sweet!" Harry told him.
They heard Chiron clear his throat loudly.
Turning towards Grover and Chiron, especially since the cat was now irrevocably out of the bag, the two best friends just looked at him and Grover with matching wide grins full of mischief.
Chiron was sure he felt a migraine coming on. These two boys had known about everything the entire time he had been here...all those rogue monster sightings...all the bizarre references to mythological entities no mortal would know to speak of...they had been pranking him for an entire year! Gods forbid they ever meet the Stoll brother's!
'I really ought to think about retiring,' was Chiron's thought before he even began to question the pair.