HM: Heeeeeeellllllooooo my pointy-eared people! And welcome to another chapter of YAWP!

Percy: *blows kazoo*

HM: I want to thank you guys for following, favoriting, and reviewing this story, not to mention being so patient! I was working on a couple of my other stories, and I'm back to this one! Just one quick thing before we start, let me know if this story is the one you guys want me to focus on, or if I should keep doing what I'm doing and do my other stories too. Without further ado, on with the story!

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VII: There's No Place Like... Wait, Where Am I?!

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Percy was confused. That wasn't something that was new, but right now, he was more confused than ever. He would drift in and out of conciousness and would have fevered dreams of killer barnyard animals. One of the times he regained conciousness, he was in a soft bed, being spoonfed pudding that tasted like buttered popcorn. The blonde girl with curly hair was hovering over him, smirking as she scraped drips off his chin.

When she saw his eyes open, she immediately began interrogating him. "What will happen at the summer solstice?" She asked.

"Wha?" He croaked.

She looked around, seeing if there was anyone that would overhear her, and she bit her lip. "What's going on? What was stolen? We've only got a few weeks!" She demanded.

Percy's head began to spin and his vision got blurry. "I'm sorry..." He mumbled. "I dont..."

There was a knock on the door and the girl jammed the spoon into his mouth, not that it would do any good as he was already passed out.

The next time he woke up, there was no one feeding him pudding. He did see some blonde guy standing in the corner and he could've sworn that he had at least a dozen eyes.

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When the green-eyed wizard finally returned to the land of the living, he found that he had been moved. He was now sitting on a deck chair on a huge porch. He was placed in a position of looking out at a beautiful meadow with rolling green hills in the distance and the breeze smelling like strawberries.

There was a checkered blanket draped over his legs and a pillow behind his head. However, he felt like he got into a fight with a troll and lost. All of his limbs were aching and his mouth felt dry, also, for some reason, he felt empty, like something was missing.

There was a table next to him that held a tall glass of what looked like iced apple juice with a green straw and a parasol sticking through a maraschino cherry. Percy tried to move his limbs and they felt as if he had been carrying all of Professor Snape's cauldrons throughout the entirety of Hogwarts.

His shaking fingers grasped the glass and he nearly dropped it.

"Careful." A somewhat familiar voice said.

Percy looked up and saw Grover leaning against a porch railing, looking like he hadn't slept in ages. He was wearing jeans, converse hi-tops, and a bright orange tee that said 'CAMP HALF-BLOOD' in black lettering in the front.

Again, Percy was confused. The last thing he remembered was him, his mom, and Grover driving along the road, there was a flash and then...

Percy gasped as the memories came flooding back to him.

"You saved my life." Grover said. "I... well, the least I could do... I went back to the hill. I thought you might want these."

Carefully, almost reverently, Grover placed the shoebox Percy had just noticed him carrying on the black-haired boy's lap. Inside said shoebox was a black and white horn with the bottom being jagged due to it being torn off and covered in dried blood. Next to it was something a little more familiar to Percy: his wand.

Percy snatched up his wand and held it against his chest, the empty feeling he had earlier being made full. It was then that he realized the horrible truth, that this wasn't some nightmare, they really were attacked the night before, and his mom... his mom...

Percy's eyes darkened and his brows furrowed in anger. "The Minotaur." He hissed with no small amount of venom coating his voice.

"Um, Percy, it really isn't a good idea-"

"That's what they called him in the myths, isn't it?" Percy interrupted harshly. "The Minotaur. Half man, half bull."

Grover, uncomfortable with the way Percy was staring at him, shifted uncomfortably. "You've been out for two days. How much... do you remember?" He asked.

"Everything." Percy replied in a clipped tone, looking out across the meadow. The scene was picturesque with groves of trees, rolling hills, acres of strawberries spread out under the clear blue sky, the tallest hill adorned with a large pine tree that almost glowed when the sunlight hit it the right way; it was beautiful... it was wrong.

Percy's mind was a whirl of dark thoughts and stormy feelings. His mother was gone, nothing should be beautiful, the entire world should be dark and dreary.

Grover sniffed defeatedly and lowered his head. "I'm sorry. I-I'm a failure. I'm the worst satyr in the world." He wailed. He stomped his foot on the ground so hard the shoe he was wearing came off, revealing it to be filled with styrofoam with a hoof-shaped imprint.

"Oh Styx!" He cursed, thunder rumbling across the blue sky.

Even though he had proof that Grover was a satyr, Percy couldn't bring himself to care, it wouldn't bring his mom back. He was alone, an orphan. He would most likely be sent to live with the bag of meat he called a stepfather, not that he would, he could probably stay with the Malfoys...

Percy glanced at Grover and saw that he looked dejected, almost as if he expected to be hit. Percy sighed and closed his eyes. "It wasn't your fault." He said softly, even though his mind came up with many different reasons why it was, in fact, the satyr's fault.

"Yes, it was. I was supposed to protect you."

"Why? Did someone tell you to protect me?"

"No, but that's my job. I'm a keeper, or, at least, I was..."

"But how could you expect to protect me when I wasn't even in the country? And how were you able to protect me while I was in New York? And, for that matter, why-" He groaned and held a hand to his head in a vain attempt to ward off the sudden dizzy spell accompanied by a headache.

"Don't strain yourself." Grover said. "Here." He grabbed the glass and placed the straw at the green-eyed boy's lips.

Percy took a sip, and immediately recoiled. What he thought what apple juice tasted nothing like it. It was... chocolate chip cookies, liquefied. And not just any cookies, the cookies his mom would always make for him and would send by owl almost every week while he was in Hogwarts. And that wasn't all, he tasted Pumpkin Juice too.

The black-haired wizard downed the entire drink in less than a minute. He was sure that he had just had a warm dink, but when he looked into the glass, he saw that the ice cubes hadn't even melted.

"Was it good?" Inquired Grover.

Percy nodded in response.

"What did it taste like?" He asked wistfully.

Pecry felt a small twinge of guilt when he asked that. "Did you want a taste?" He asked.

The satyr's eyes grew wide and he shook his head vehemently. "No! Nononononononono, I, I just... wondered, is all."

Percy raised an eyebrow at that. "Chocolate chip cookies." He said simply.

Grover sighed. "And how do you feel now?" He asked.

Percy smirked. "Like I could throw that bull-man a hundred yards." He.

"That's good." Grover muttered. "I don't think you should risk drinking anymore of that stuff."

Percy tilted his head in confusion. "How come?"

He didn't answer, and instead took the empty glass gingerly, as if it was about to explode, and set it on the table. "Come on, Chiron and Mr. D are waiting."

Percy slowly raised himself up off the ground and stumbled after the satyr. Grover offered to hold the Minotaur's horn, but Percy declined. When they got to the opposite end of the house, Percy's breath caught in his throat.

Percy saw that the valley reached the water, about a mile away, which was blue and sparkling as the sun's rays reflected on it. Between where he was standing and there, though, he couldn't quite process the sight that met him.

Dotted on the landscape were Ancient Grecian-style buildings (an open-air pavilion, and amphitheater, and a circular arena). All of them looked to be made not too long ago, their marble columns sparkling.

A dozen or so teenagers played volleyball in a nearby sandpit and he could see canoes gliding across a small lake. Kids in bright orange T-shirts were chasing each other around some cabins nestled in the woods, others were at an archery range, while still others were riding... wait, were those Pegasai?!

He was snapped out of his trance by Grover, who led him to a card table, where two men sat across from each other, and the blonde girl who had fed him was leaning next to them on the porch railing.

The one facing Percy was small, but porky. He had a big red nose, watery eyes, and curly hair so black it was almost purple. He looked like a cherub and a house-elf had a baby who turned middle aged in a trailer park. He wore a tiger-pattern Hawaiian shirt and would've fit in at one of Gabe's poker parties, though Percy got the distinct feeling the man in front of him would've out-gambled the sack of meat.

"That's Mr. D," Grover mumbled next to him. "He's the camp director. Be polite. That girl, that's Annabeth Chase. She's just a camper, but she's been here longer than just about everybody. And over there is Chiron..."

He pointed to a guy in a wheelchair who's back was to Percy. He was wearing a tweed jacket, had thinning brown hair, and a scraggly beard.

He turned around and smiled, his eyes crinkling a bit and reminding Percy very much of Dumbledore.

"Ah, good." He smiled. "Now we have four for pinochle."

He offered the wizard a seat to Mr. D's right. He looked Percy up and down with bloodshot eyes and heaved a great sigh. "Oh, I suppose I must say it. Welcome to Camp Half-Blood. There. Now don't expect me to be glad to see you." He spat irritably.

"Thanks..." Percy replied, scooting a bit away. Living with Gabe, he could tell when someone was inebriated. If Mr. D was a stranger to alcohol, Percy was a troll.

"Annabeth?" Chiron called to the blond girl.

She came forwards and Chiron introduced the two. "This young lady here, along with another camper, nursed you back to health, Percy. Annabeth, my dear, why don't you go check on Percy's bunk? We'll be putting him in cabin eleven for now."

"Sure, Chiron." Annabeth replied.

She was around Percy's age, a couple inches taller and with an athletic build. She had a deep tan and curly blond hair, a stereotypical California girl look, but her eyes completely shattered that image. They were a startling gray, reminiscent of storm clouds. They were pretty, but intimidating, like she was analyzing every single aspect of him and how to take him down. She was like a Ravenclaw/Slytherin lovechild.

She glanced at the Minotaur horn, his wand, then back to making eye contact. Whatever Percy thought she was going to say, he was completely surprised with her next words. "You drool when you sleep."

She turned and sprinted down the lawn, her hair flying behind her.

"So," Percy said, changing the subject. "Does anyone want to explain what exactly is going on here?"

Chiron nodded. "Well, first off, let me say that I am glad to see you here alive, Percy. That's always the first test."

"Grover!" Mr. D barked. "Are you playing or not?"

"Yes sir!" Grover trembled as he sat down, though Percy couldn't see why he was so afraid of a pudgy man in a Hawaiian shirt.

"Do you know how to play pinochle?" Mr. D eyed him suspiciously.

"I'm afraid not." Percy said in an even tone.

"I'm afraid not, sir." He told him.

Percy decided to take a page out of Harry's book. "There's no need to call me sir, Mr. D." The Slytherin responded, head held high. It was evident he did not hold the camp director in high esteem.

Mr. D sputtered as Grover looked at Percy in shock and Chiron was stifilng a laugh.

"Chiron." Percy smoothly uttered, turning to the man and completely ignoring the camp director. "What exactly is this place?"

Chiron looked at him sympathetically, like Dumbledore did when he came to the Jackson's home almost three years ago. "Percy." He said softly. "Did your mother tell you nothing?"

"She said..." He tried to remember the exact words that she used. He remembered her sad eyes, looking out to the sea in longing. "She said that she was afraid of sending me here, even though my father wanted her to. She said that once I was here, I couldn't leave. She wanted me to be close to her." He said finally.

"Typical." Mr. D scoffed, still a bit miffed at Percy's earlier words. "That's how they normally get killed. Young man, are you bidding or not?"

"What?"

The camp director rolled his eyes in annoyance and impatiently explained how to bid in pinochle, Percy following along.

"I'm afraid there's too much to tell." Chiron sighed. "I'm afraid our usual orientation film won't be sufficient."

"Then tell me what you think is good and I'll fill in the blanks." Percy said, eager for answers.

"Very well." Chiron said with another sigh. "Well, you know that your friend Grover is a satyr. You know-" Here he pointed at the shoebox in Percy's lap. "that you have killed the Minotaur, which isn't a small feat either lad. What you may not know, is that great powers are at work in your life. Gods- the forces you call the Greek Gods- are very much alive."

Percy was silent as he processed all of this, the pieces slowly fitting themselves together in his mind. A Ravenclaw, he was not, but he was still pretty smart, which was further helped by his housemates in Slytherin, being around those smart people had the effect of increasing his problem-solving skills.

"Oh! A royal marriage! Trick! Trick!" Mr. D cackled as he tallied up his points.

"Mr. D," The timid voice of Grover asked. "if you're not going to eat it, could I have your Diet Coke can?"

"Eh? Oh, alright." He replied flippantly, not really caring.

The satyr took a huge chunk out of the aluminum can and chewed it mournfully.

"Now, when you say the Greek Gods, you're talking about beings like Zeus, Hecate, Apollo, Poseidon. Them, right?" Percy asked finally.

Again, thunder rolled in the clear blue sky.

"Young man," Mr. D said in all seriousness. "I would really be less casual about throwing those names around if I was you."

Percy vaguely waved his hand to show he understood, and fell into silence once more. "But to reiterate my question, that's what you were talking about, right?" He asked.

Chiron nodded and Mr. D snorted. "Bah! Bad enough I'm confined to this miserable job, working with boys who don't even believe." The portly man said.

"Now I never said that-"

Percy was cut off as the man waved his hand and a goblet appeared on the table, as if the sunlight bent and wove the air into glass. The goblet then started to fill itself with red wine.

"I... didn't... believe..." Percy finished, staring at the goblet with wide eyes.

"Mr. D." Chiron warned without looking up. "Your restrictions."

The other man looked at the wine glass with clearly feigned surprise. "Dear me!" He looked up to the sky. "Old habits! Sorry!" He yelled.

Thunder rumbled once more.

He waved his hand again and the wine glass turned into a can of Diet Coke, which he popped the top of after sighing unhappily and turned back to the game.

Percy was still in shock at the clear violation of one of Gamp's five rules of Elemental Transfiguration.

Chiron winked at the stunned boy. "Mr. D offended his father awhile back, took a fancy to a wood nymph who was declared off-limits." He said.

"A wood nymph." Percy repeated in a trance.

"Yes," Mr. D said. "Father loves to punish me. First time, Prohibition. Ghastly! Absolutely horrid ten years! The second time- well, she really was pretty, and I couldn't stay away- the second time, he sent me here. Half-Blood Hill. Summer camp for brats like you. 'Be a better influence,' he told me. "'Work with youths rather than tearing them down.' Ha! Absolutely unfair."

He sounded like a whiny two year-old to Percy.

"And... your father is..." Percy dug.

He scoffed and rolled his eyes. "Di immortales, Chiron. It's like he knows nothing! My father is Zeus of course."

All the pieces fit together and Percy understood. Wine. The skin of a tiger. The satyrs who worked here. The way Grover obeyed Mr. D. "You're Dionysus." He concluded. "The god of wine."

For the umpeenth time, he rolled his eyes. "What do they say these days, Grover? Do the children say, 'Well, duh!'?" He asked.

"Y-yes, Mr. D."

"Then, well, duh! Perseus Jackson. Did you think I was, oh I don't know, Aphrodite perhaps?"

Somewhere far away, Percy could've sworn he heard a yell of indignation.

"You're a god." He said, still not believeing it.

"Yes, child."

"A god. You."

Mr. D looked at him straight on. A purplish fire lit up in his eyes, but whatever he was going to do, he winced and rubbed his forehead as if he had a headache. Deciding not to bother anymore, he turned back to his game. "I believe I win."

"Ah, not quite, Mr. D." Chiron told him, laying his cards down in a straight. He tallied the points and smirked. "I believe the game goes to me."

For a second, Percy thought that Mr. D was going to vaporize the wheelchair-bound man, but he just sighed through his nose, like he was used to getting beaten by him.

He got up, Grover following the motion. "I'm tired." He said finally. "I believe I'll take a nap before the sing-along tonight. But first, Grover, we need to talk, again, about your less-than-perfect performance on this assignment."

Sweat rolled down the satyr's face as he nodded nervously. "Y-yes sir."

Mr. D turned to the green-eyed boy. "Cabin eleven, Percy Jackson. And mind your manners." With that, he swept into the farmhouse, Grover trailing along miserably.

Percy was fuming and glaring daggers in the direction they went, his hand tightening on his wand.

"He'll be okay." Chiron soothed, though he looked a little troubled. "Old Dionysus isn't really mad. He just hates his job. He's been... ah, grounded, I guess you could say, and he can't stand waiting another century before he's allowed to go back to Olympus."

Percy nodded. "Mount Olympus." He muttered. "There's really a palace there?"

"Well now, there is Mount Olympus in Greece. And then there's the home of the gods, the convergence point of their powers, which did indeed used to be on Mount Olympus. It's still called Mount Olympus, out of respect to the old ways, but the palace moves, Percy, just as the gods do." He said.

"And they're here in America." Percy guessed.

"Well, certainly. The gods move with the Heart of the West."

"The what?"

"Come now, Percy. What you call 'Western civilization.' Do you think it is just an abstract concept? No, it's a living force, a collective consciousness that has burned bright for thousands of years. The gods are part of it. You might even say they are the source of it, or at least, they are tied so tightly to it that they couldn't possibly fade, not unless all of Western civilization were obliterated. The fire started in Greece. Then, as you well know, the heart of the fire moved to Rome, and so did the gods. Then Germany, Fance, Spain, for a while. They spent quite a few centuries in England, my point is wherever the flame is, that's where the gods go. Now, it is in America, so here we are." He explained.

Percy knew that this information was something that he was going to have to assimilate on his own, so he fell silent, wondering what his part was in all of this.

"I'm sure you have plenty more questions, but for now, we should get you a bunk in cabin eleven. There will be new friends to meet, and plenty of time for lessons tomorrow. Besides, there will be s'mores at the campfire tonight, and I simply adore chocolate" Chiron said, knocking Percy out of his thoughts.

Then, he did the impossible. He stood up from his wheelchair, but it was odd the way he did it. His blanket fell away from his legs, but his legs didn't move. His waist kept on getting longer and longer. At first, Percy figured he was wearing very long, white velvet underwear, but as he kept rising, taller than an NBA player, he realized that what he was looking at was the front of an animal. A leg came out, long and knobby-kneed with a huge polished hoof. And then another leg, then the hindquarters, until the surely magical container was empty, just a metal shell with a couple of fake human legs attached.

He stared at the centaur as he stretched his legs. "What a relief," He sighed. "I've been cooped up in there for so long, my fetlocks had fallen asleep. Now come, Percy, let's meet the other campers."

Percy and Chiron walked side by side throughout the camp. Percy was taking stock of his surroundings while Chiron explained to him what everything was.

When they passed by the volleyball pit, Percy saw the campers nudge each other,no doubt talking about him. While he was embarrassed by the attention, he refused to make it known, his Slytherin pride trumping over his insecurities.

He looked back at the farmhouse and was better able to study it. It was four stories tall, colored a sky blue with white trim. It almost resembled an upscale seaside resort rather than a farmhouse. He was studying the large brass eagle weather-vane on the roof when something caught his eye. He saw a shadow in the uppermost window where the attic was. Something had moved the curtain for a moment, and Percy got the distinct feeling that he was being watched.

"What's up there?" He asked the centaur.

Chiron looked where he was indicating and his smile faded. "Just the attic." He quickly responded.

"Someone lives up there?" He asked nonchalantly.

"No." He said with finality. "Not a single living thing."

Percy's eyes narrowed at that. He knew that that could mean a variety of things. He was sure that Chiron was truthful when he said that there was nothing living up there, that didn't mean something wasn't. His own grandfather was trying to ressurect himself for Merlin's sake!

"Come along, Percy." Chiron got out in a forced lighthearted tone. "Lot's to see."

They continued walking through the strawberry fields, where campers were picking bushels of the red fruit while a satyr played music on a reed pipe.

Chiron explained that they sold the strawberries to New York restauraunts and Mount Olympus. "It covers our expenses." He said with a wink. "And the strawberries take no effort."

Percy figured since Dionysus himself was in the camp, fruit-bearing plants would blossom more than ordinary farmers'.

They lapsed into silence for awhile, Percy's mind working overtime. He was trying to remember everything he knew about the Greek myths. He suddenly remembered about one particular thing, something the Ancient Greeks believed in wholeheartedly.

"Chiron." He asked suddenly. "If the gods and Olympus are real..."

"Yes, child?"

"Does that mean the Underworld is real too?"

Chiron's expression darkened and that was all Percy needed to know.

"Yes, child." He paused then, choosing his next words carefully. "There is a place spirits go after death. But for now... until we know more... I would urge you to put that out of your mind."

"What do you mean, 'until we know more'?" Percy asked suspisciously.

"Come Percy, let's see the woods."

'If that wasn't avoiding the question, I don't know what is.' Percy thought to himself as he kept pace with the centaur.

As they got closer, it struck Percy just how big the forest was. If she was here, Professor Sprout would have a field day.

"The woods are stocked." Chiron said. "If you would like to try your luck, but go armed."

"Stocked with what?" Percy asked. "Armed with what?"

"You'll see. Capture the Flag is Friday night. Do you have your own sword and shield?" He responded.

"My own- no I don't-"

"No. I don't suppose you do. I think a size five will do. I'll visit the armory later."

Percy was trying to figure out what exactly was going on here, but he figured that the centaur wouldn't give him the answers he needed, so he decided to abandon questioning him, for now.

They passed the archery range, the canoeing lake, the stables (which Chiron seemed to not like), the javelin range, the sing-along amphitheater, and the arena where Chiron said they held sword and spear fights.

Percy took everything in, commiting everything to memory so he could process it later. Chiron pointed out the mess hall, an outdoor pavillion framed in white Grecian columns on a hill overlooking the sea. There were a dozen stone picnic tables neatly placed. Other than that, there were no walls or windows.

If it was in another life, Percy would've questioned the fact that it was completely open and exposed to the elements, but he said nothing. If anything, a pang of nostalgia for the Great Hall at Hogwarts set in.

He was finally led to the cabins, of which there were twelve, lined up in an inversed U nestled in the woods by the lake. Despite being cabins in a summer camp, they looked nothing like each other.

Cabin nine had tiny smokestacks resembling a factory while four had tomato vines growing along the walls and a roof made of real grass. Compared to those two, seven seemed to be made out of solid gold that made it almost impossible to look at in direct sunlight. All of them faced a commons area about the size of a soccer field, dotted with Greek statues, fountains, flower beds, and a couple of basketball hoops (to Percy's delight even though it wasn't Quidditch).

In the center of the field was a huge stone-lined firepit, and even though it was a warm afternoon, the hearth smoldered. Stationed there was a nine year old girl poking the embers with a stick.

Cabins one and two at the end of the field resembled his-and-hers mausoleums, or even Gringott's. Both were big white marble boxes with heavy columns in front. Cabin one was the biggest and bulkiest of the twelve. It's polished brass doors shimmered like a hologram, so that lightning bolts straked across it from any angle you looked.

Cabin two, on the other hand, was somehow a bit more graceful. The columns were garlanded with pomegranates and flowers and the walls were carved in images of peacocks.

"Zeus and Hera?" Percy guessed.

Chiron nodded. "Correct."

"Their cabins look empty." The black-haired wizard observed.

"Several of the cabins are. That's true. No one ever stays in one or two." He responded.

Percy nodded, though that only raised more questions. Twelve gods, twelve cabins. But, why would some be empty? Was it like some kind of patronage or something? He racked his brain, thinking about how it all fit together.

He paused in front of the first cabin on the left, cabin three. Unlike the others, it wasn't high and mighty, but long, low, and solid. The outer walls were of rough grey stone studded with seashells and coral, like they were dragged straight from the bottom of the ocean floor. Drifting to it almost as if in a trance, he peeked inside the open doorway.

"Oh, I wouldn't do that!" Chiron warned, but it was too late.

The scent of salty sea air assaulted his nostrils, reminiscent of the wind on the shores of Montauk. The interior walls glowed like abalone and he was instantly reminded of the Slytherin common room because he felt like he was underwater. If he listened closely, he could almost hear the sound of waves crashing into the shore.

There were six empty bunk beds neatly lined up with silk sheets, but there was no sign anyone had ever been there for awhile. Percy felt waves of sadness and lonliness creep up on him, so much so that he was almost glad when Chiron gently grasped his shoulders and led him away.

"Come along, Percy." He said gently.

Unlike cabins one through three, most of the others were crowded with campers.

Number five was an ugly blood red, as if the paint was splashed on by buckets and fists. The roof was lined with barbed wire and a stuffed wild boar's head hung over the doorway. If Percy was being honest with himself, he could've sworn that the eyes were following him.

Inside were a crowd of mean-looking kids, all of them tough and burly, arm wrestling and with rock music blaring from within. The loudest was a girl about thirteen or fourteen, and she could put trolls to shame.

She wore a size XXXL Camp Half-Blood orange shirt underneath a camoflauge jacket. Her gaze met his form and she gave him an ugly sneer, which he shrugged off and raised his head high. She seemed caught off-guard by this and gave him an even meaner glare, which was met with frigidity.

The Slytherin turned his head towards Chiron, ignoring the now fuming girl and deciding to comment on something that he had previously observed. "We haven't seen any other centaurs." He commented.

Chiron sighed and shook his head. "No." He said sadly. "My kinsmen are a wild and barbaric folk, I'm afraid. You might encounter them in the wilderness, or at major sporting events. But you won't see any here."

"I need to ask, Chiron, are you really..."

"The Chiron from the old tales?" He asked with a smile aimed at the boy. "The trainer of Hercules and all that? Yes Percy, I am."

"But, then, shouldn't you be dead?" He could've kicked himself for his lack of a brain filter, such a Gryffindor move.

Chiron paused, as if the question intrigued him rather than offend him, which Percy initially thought he did. "I honestly don't know about should be." He said finally. "The truth is, I can't be dead. You see, eons ago, the gods granted my wish. I could continue the work I loved. I could be a teacher of heroes for as long as humanity needed me. I gained much from that wish... and I gave up much. But I'm still here, so I can only assume that I'm still needed."

Percy thought about that for a bit. On the one hand, it didn't seem like such a bad thing, but then again, Chiron had to outlive everyone he taught, and from what he was beginning to remember about the Greek stories, not all of the heroes had happy endings. He felt a twinge of sympathy for the centaur, and wondered what would happen if he and Headmaster Dumbledore were to ever meet.

"Oh look," Chiron abruptly said, jolting Percy out of his thoughts. "Annabeth is waiting for us."

Said blonde girl was reading a book in front of the last cabin on the left, number eleven.

When they got to her, she looked up from the book and studied Percy critically, as if he was a puzzle she was just waiting to piece together only to break it apart and repeat the process.

Percy, in turn, was studying her. He gazed at the book she was reading and almost thought he was hallucinating when he saw that the letters were in Greek. Based on the pictures, he figured that she was reading a book on architecture.

"Annabeth," Chiron said, interrupting their mutual examination. "I have masters' archery class at noon. Would you take Percy from here?"

"Yes, sir." She responded, nodding to him respectfully.

"Cabin eleven," Chiron introduced, gesturing to it. "Make yourself at home."

Out of the other cabins, this was the only one Percy figured could've belonged to a summer camp. It was also the most rundown. The brown paint was peeling, the threshold was worn down, and the caduceus over the doorway looked like it had seen better days.

Inside, it was even more pathetic. It was overcrowded and looked like the Red Cross had set up an evacuation center in a school gym.

Since the door was too low for him, Chiron didn't go in, but when the campers saw him, they all stood and bowed in respect.

"Well, then, good luck, Percy." Chiron told him. "I'll see you at dinner."

With that, he turned and trotted away, leaving Percy alone with strangers. He took a deep breath and composed himself. The other kids were staring at him, sizing him up.

"Well?" Annabeth asked impatiently. "Go on."

Percy stepped in and naturally tripped on the way. He cursed silently but composed himself, though that didn't stop some of the kids from snickering. He felt his face heat up as he straightened his back and held his head level.

"Percy Jackson," Annabeth announced. "Meet cabin eleven."

"Regular or undetermined?" Someone asked.

Percy's ears perked up at this new term, maybe it would help him solve the riddle of this place.

"Undetermined." Annabeth responded, causing everyone to groan.

Someone stepped forward, a guy around nineteen. "Now, now, campers. That's what we're all here for. Welcome, Percy. You can have that spot on the floor, right over there."

Percy got a good look at him. He was tall and muscular, with sandy blond hair cut short and a friendly smile. He wore an orange tank top, cutoffs, sandals, and a leather necklace with five different colored clay beads. The only thing marring his appearance was a thick white scar that ran from just under his right eye to his jaw.

"This is Luke." Annabeth introduced. Percy glanced over to her and saw that she was blushing. He filed that away for later, and when she caught him looking, her steely facade returned. "He's your counseler for now."

He raised an eyebrow at that, what exactly did that mean? A question he voiced out.

"You're undetermined. " Luke explained patiently, as if he was used to this. "They don't know what cabin to put you in, so you're here. Cabin eleven takes all newcomers, all vsitors. Naturally, we would. Hermes, our patron, is the god of travelers."

This new bit of information ran itself through Percy's brain. He looked at the patch of floor they gave him and was tempted to put down the Minotaur's horn, but then thought against it as he remembered that Hermes was also the god of thieves. He also felt that he knew Luke from somewhere, but couldn't quite place it.

Another thought also entered his mind. He looked around at the other campers' faces. Some were sullen and suspicious, some grinning stupidly, and others looking like they were just waiting for the opportunity to pick his pockets. He felt his wand begin to slide out of his hand and he leveled a fierce glare at the camper who tried to steal it, the result being him stepping back and feigning innocence.

He remembered something the gods were known for, but refrained from saying anything until he knew for sure. "And how long will I be staying here?" He asked.

"Until you're determined." Luke responded.

"And the time frame for that is..." He trailed off as the campers began to laugh.

"Come on," Annabeth spoke up. "I'll show you the volleyball court."

Not giving him a chance to argue, she grabbed his wrist and led him away from the laughing cabin.

When they were a few feet away, Percy wrenched his hand out of her grip. "Alright, now that we're alone, you're going to answer some questions." He told her.

She only glared at him like he was dumb and he leveled his own glare at her. "Now, for starters, what exactly is this place? I know it's no ordinary summer camp. No ordinary camp would have its own sword and spear arena, not to mention its own armory. On top of that, the Greek theme is pretty much everywhere. I know that the gods are real and all, but isn't this a bit much?"

Annabeth just stood there, refusing to say anything as her jaw clenched.

Percy nearly groaned at the stubborn girl.

She rolled her eyes. "I can't believe I thought you were the one." She said, completely ignoring his question.

"Look, all I know is that I kill some bull guy-"

"Don't talk like that!" She chastised. "Do you know how many kids at this camp wish they'd had your chance?"

"To what? Watch as their mom was killed in front of them and nearly get killed themselves?" He sneered.

"To fight the Minotaur!" She yelled. "What do you think we train for?"

"But why? It's not like we're the kids of the gods or something that they come after us!" He yelled, raising his hands in annoyance.

She fell silent at that and bit her lip.

"Wait, that's it? Oh, Merlin-"

"Well! A newbie!" A husky voice yelled.

Turning in the direction of the yell, he saw the girl from earlier coming towards them, three other girls behind her and all of them wearing camo jackets.

"Clarisse," Annabeth sighed. "Why don't you go polish your spear or something?"

"Sure, Miss Princess," The girl replied. "So I can run you through with it Friday night."

"Erre es korakas!" Annabeth yelled in return. She had yelled 'Go to the crows!' in Greek and Percy got the intention that it was worse than calling someone a Mudblood. He filed it away to use later on. "You don't stand a chance."

"We'll pulverize you," Clarisse said, but her eye twitched and Percy could tell that she wasn't sure that she could follow up with that. "Who's the runt?"

Percy rasied himself high and gazed at her with a calculating look. "Percy Jackson. I'm assuming you're a daughter of Ares?" He asked somewhat coldly.

She seemed to be taken aback by the tone, but recovered. "You got a problem with that?" She sneered.

"No." He replied flippantly. "It explains the bad smell." He shot back with his own sneer.

She growled at that. "We got an initiation ceremony for newbies Prissy."

"It's Percy."

"Whatever. Come on, I'll show you."

"Clarisse-" Annabeth started but was cut off.

"Stay out of it wise girl." Clarisse barked.

Percy, with his head held high, followed. He didn't need Annabeth's help. He would show this girl not to mess with a Slytherin.

He handed the blonde his Minotaur horn and studied his opponent carefully, his wand firmly in his grasp and hidden in his sleeve. The girl grabbed him by the back of his neck and he feigned struggling, looking for the perfect opportunity. She dragged him towards a cinder block building that Percy knew was the bathroom.

He went over the list of spells he knew, ones that wouldn't bring too much attention and that he could pass off as luck. When they entered the bathroom, he thought of the perfect strategy and cast an Aguamenti on the ground, creating a few puddles of water.

She marched him towards the toilets and Percy smirked slightly. It was a little known fact that Percy was very adept with spells that were water based, such as Aguamenti. So much so, that even casting said simple charm, he could, theoretically, manipulate the element itself. He chalked it up to the fact that Slytherin's house element was water, and that he just studied as much as he could. Thus, they were playing right into his hands.

Clarisse's friends were all laughing as she stationed him in front of the toilets. "Yeah, like he's 'Big Three' material," Clarisse scoffed. "Minotaur probably fell over laughing, he was so stupid looking."

Percy's eyes narrowed and he spotted Annabeth looking through her fingers.

Clarisse bent him over on his knees and started pushing his head towards the toilet water. His nose scrunched and he knew that this was the time to put his plan into action.

He suddenly wrenched himself out of the girl's grip and faced her, his wand flicking towards her. He felt a tug in the pit of his stomach and the pipes shuddered.

Before Clarisse could register what happened, water shot out of the toilet and hit her dead on in the face. She stumbled backwards in surprise and slipped on the puddles of water cast by the Aguamenti. Her friends, or, rather, siblings, met a similar fate. Percy flicked his wand again and all the toilets shot water with fire hose pressure towards the four girls, pushing them into a shower stall. Percy chuckled lowly and flicked his wand once more. The showers acted up and streams of water engulfed them, causing them to slip and slide along the wet floor and out of the bathroom like trash.

Not even Annabeth was spared from the deluge. She was dripping wet and was staring at him with wide eyes as he discreetly his his wand in his pocket. He felt the tug on his gut loosen, and the water stopped abruptly.

Surprisingly, he was the only one that was dry. A circle of dry ground was spread around him, like an island in the middle of the ocean.

"How did you..." Annabeth asked, trailing off.

Percy just smirked and ignored her, choosing instead to exit the bathroom in triumph.

Outside, the four children of Ares were sprawled along the ground in a tangle while other campers gathered around to gawk, one of them being Luke.

Clarisse's hair was flattened across her face and her jacket was sopping, the smell of raw sewage wafting from the quartet. When she saw him, she gave him a look of absolute hatred, which didn't faze him in the slightest. "You. Are. DEAD! New boy! You hear me?! Dead!"

Percy only smirked at her. "Wanna gargle on toilet water again Clarisse?" He asked faux sweetly. He leaned forward and gave her a cruel smirk. "I suggest you close your mouth." He made a mental note to thank Pansy for her 'arsehole' lessons when he went back to Hogwarts.

Clarisse's siblings had to hold her back as she started flailing to hit him. They dragged her back to cabin five and Percy added insult to injury by waving merrily at her. He raised an eyebrow at the resulting colorful language and campers had to move out of the way to avoid her flailing limbs.

"Alright, alright. Nothing to see here, go back to your business." Luke called, ushering the crowd away, but not before he gave Percy a look that said they would talk later.

'Never mess with a Slytherin.' He thought to himself, which was when he caught Annabeth staring at him in renewed interest. "What are you thinking?" He asked.

"I'm thinking..." She said. "That I want you on my team for Capture the Flag."

.

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HM: And cut! Well? What do you guys think? Was it worth the wait? Hehehe. Anyways, before we get started on the reader reviews, I wanna address something, or rather, someone. First of all, I have tried to be nice, I've asked you politely to not say rude things or throw around names, but one's patience can only go for so long. In order of your unnecessary comments, I will NOT abandon this story. Not only will I see it through to the end, but I have sequels planned for it. Next, NOT ALL SLYTHERINS ARE EVIL OR BULLIES. Granted, Snape really didn't care about Harry and Draco was a bully, but not every house is perfect. Prime example: the Maurauders. What they did to Snape, while seemingly harmless, was in fact, bullying. Luna's own house bullies her, and Harry was even bullied in his own house during the Triwizard Tournament. There are also plenty of Slytherins who weren't evil. Horace Slughorn. Regulus Black. Narcissa Malfoy, later on. MERLIN. Merlin was a Slytherin, and he wasn't evil, was he?

As for why Percy can be in the air, there is a good explanation for that, but I'm not going to give the answer out right away. But by your thinking, why doesn't Zeus kill him when he's on a Pegasus?

Now, onto the thing that really got me upset. First off, that is a terrible thing to wish on a human being, especially considering the fact that someone in my family DOES in fact have cancer and there is a good chance I could have it too. Second, I didn't forget about his first quest. You don't know how my mind works, you don't know what's going to happen next, so I would reccomend to keep your comments to yourself until you know what is actually going on. And if you don't like it, no one's telling you to read it. So don't read it if you don't want to.

Sorry about that guys. There's been someone who keeps on posting flames and keeps telling me to abandon this story, calling me a piece of crap, a moron, and saying that they hope I get cancer. So, naturally, I had to respond. But anyways, let's move on to better things, like your reviews!

monkeybaby: Thanks, and I will!

Heart of Fire and Ice: I should explain. I'm doing two stories in one. Not only am I doing his first quest, but I'm also following the events of his Second Year.

Guest: Hehehe, you'll just have to find out! ;)

Someone: Yeah I'm pretty much rewriting both TLT and CoS. It's a great endeavour, but I will persevere! And I'm not giving away anything about the pairings just yet.

mysticmoon1331: Thanks! Hope you like this chapter!

Void of Shining Darkness: Hahaha! Thank you so much! I mean, the cover's ok, but I don't know, I kinda want something that's unique to this story. But whateves lol!

Random Ging: Thanks! I'll be sure to keep this one as priority!

Sierra32: Thanks a lot. I love working on this story, but I wanna show some of my other stories some love haha!

Shinny Star: Hehehe I'll never tell!

Fangirling Army: Me thankey you.

Guest2: I'm thinking about focusing on this one until it's got a good amount of chapters and then focusing on some of my other stories, but I wanna hear your guys opinion.

Lukas Le Stelle: Sweet Nayru. *hides*

Guest3: *from under a table* Hehehe, I'm doing two in one. It's a two-for-one special!

Laonasa Enllyn Avery: Thanks! Appreciate the support!

Amelia Loves Anime: Thank you for reading it!

NicercyPercico: Thank you so much! Yeah Lucius was a bit lax for awhile, I guess he had to lay off the firewhiskey haha! Narcissa was a bit awkward, but I'm justifying it as that her husband and son brought someone homw without telling her. And people are going to be hating, but I don't want to stoop down to their level. I just wrote that earlier because of the things that that person said. Thanks for waiting!

Wistim's daughter: Haha, I considered it, but all I can say is, you never know.

Guest3: Here it is!

cutandpaste101: THANKS!

Agent Grayson: You've gotten my creative juices flowing...

Rune Saint: Well, Percy doesn't have the diary right now, but that's not to say he won't get it.

Sachiel Angelo: Yes, Scalsey is very chill.

Guest4: The answer to all questions? Yes and no. Hehe.

Guest5: Thanks!

Guest6: Here's the next chapter!

Guest7: Here!

Guest8: Haha! Thanks!

Somerandomperson: Hehehe. Reasons...

Slytherin of the Sea: First off, I LOVE YOUR PEN NAME! Second, thanks! Haha!

Guest9: Heck yeah they will! Yes Dumbledore was extremely biased towards Gryffindor. And yes, it is the bomb! And Glacier appreciates the love!

inblindingdarkness: Thank you! Man, everyone wants Percy/Draco...

Guest10: Sorry for taking so long! Hope you like the chapter!

Samira Vongola: Here's that update!

aZzura-san: I will NOT be abandoning this story! I swear on the Styx! I will put pairings, but I'm not saying anything yet. He can end up with one person, he can wind up with another, he can wind up with several people if you guys want, but, what's a story without a little mystery? I am gonna be changing a few things. People who need to will die, people who didn't won't. Some people might come back to life, but you guys will have to wait and see! ;) Love the gifts and hugs! Those are my fuel!

WastingMyLifeInTheInternet: Fist off, let me say thank you for reading this story! And tell your friend thank you too! In all honesty, it's a good thing I have the next couple of chapters already written... they just need to be touched up. And if you like the Percy/Draco pairing, you're gonna want to pay close attention to the next portion of the AN. Thanks for the offer for the cover art, and don't worry about just being musically talented! Being musically inclined is just as epic! I am total schist when it comes to drawing, but I love to sing! Be proud of your talent!

Alright! This is for all of you Percy/Draco enthusiasts out there. I was gonna wait to do this, but I think I'll do it now. I'm sending a challenge to you guys. I want you guys to write as many Draco/Percy fics, draw as many fanart, and edits as you want! I'll be looking through them, and if I find a really good one, I'll leave a shoutout in a chapter of this story.

Here's the kicker, not only will you recieve a shoutout, but you'll be able to submit an OC that I will use in this story, AND I'll tell you all of my secrets and plans for this story, including pairings.

So go wild! The contest will be over when I stop writing this series, so keep 'em coming!

Let me know what you guys think! Review, PM, send me a Howler, I wanna know! I hope to hear from you guys soon. Ja ne!