Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter and Percy Jackson.
A.N. There is two charter's death in this chapter and no it's not any of the heroes, but you'll see. Just thought I would warn you.
Chapter 7: Annabeth Gets Bit.
Piper's P.O.V.
For the first few days after Jason left, Harry was in a bad mood, snapping at everyone, yes, even me, and he refused to cook, something I thought was going to kill Percy. I couldn't believe the fight they had. I thought for sure Jason was going to fry him. It was really scary to watch. It's been two weeks now, and we were all still shocked. But at least Harry's snappish mood had faded away since then, though he was still sad and mope; Percy was just happy Harry started doing the cooking again. We all had taken turns doing the cooking when Harry had refused. But when it came to my turn; it had been the first time I had every cooked anything in my whole life, and if I leave it up to Percy it'll be the last time I ever cook anything. Apparently I was not a good cook. What wasn't burnt was only half done, and for the first time in recent history Percy had pushed his plate away without eating.
I had thought once Jason cooled off he would come back; but, no. He didn't. Harry made us stay in the same spot for two days, but Jason never showed and finally on the third day, Harry finally gave in and allowed us to move on: Nico had spotted some Dementors in a town near us when he and Hazel went on a food run. They killed the Dementors and got some stuff, but we decided they could be more in the area and left almost the moment he told us. Now we all knew for sure Jason wasn't coming back. He wouldn't know where to come back to. I figured he was heading back to camp by now.
It went from hot to raining to hot again; we were really running out of food now, the only good thing going for us was between my pendant and Harry's protective charms we have been able to avoid monsters. Everyone else was being sweet and eating less so I would have more to eat. Even Percy. Harry was worried we would run out and I wouldn't have anything to eat. But every time we camped by a town, a few of them would go and get us some more supplies, like food, water and first aid type stuff. And we were slowly building our supplies back up; which was a good thing. But the people who went into town had to be the most careful. Since it meant they left the protection of Harry's charms.
After a while (though we did not voice it out loud) we all began to feel like we were on a long pointless journey. We were yet to discover anymore Hrocrux, or even to open the one we had so it could be killed. We were all getting moody and snapping at each other: And four days after Jason walked out. Harry and Percy almost came to blows for the first time since becoming friends. And it was then, (since Harry had the Horcrux around his neck,) that Annabeth had decided that none of us would wear the Horcrux anymore, and now has it hidden it in one of the bags. Harry had protested at first, but gave in when Annabeth narrowed her eyes at him. She could be kind of scary when she wanted to be.
We past time just sitting around trying to think of a possible location for any of the Horcrux, we were pretty sure Nagini would be next to Voldemort, so she would be the last we tried to get to, but then we still had the cup, and crown thing to find. Harry was also now obsessed with trying to figure out where the Elder Wand could be, he wanted to find it. No matter how many times Nico told him to just drop it, he was more than sure now that was what Voldemort was looking for. After he had a dream the other night of Voldemort killing a woman and two kids; still trying to find out who the blonde thief had been.
We would arrive at a place, talk over plans and ideas, then move to another place the next morning, now knowing staying in one place more than a night was not a good idea. I for one and I'm pretty sure the others felt the same way, wished this was all over and done so we could just go home. I was getting sick of going one place, unpacking stuff, staying one night, then get up and pack the next morning and move on to some place else. I missed my room at Harry's. I missed sneaking into his room at night to make love to him or Harry sneaking into mine. Since being on this quest the only thing we get to do is kiss and snuggle since we shared a tent with everyone else. I was sick of this quest, sick of Horcrux hunting, sick of Gaea, sick of Voldemort, sick of Percy snoring, sick of Annabeth complaining about him drooling, sick of not being able to get some alone time with Harry, sick of Nico being moody; I was just sick of everything and wanted to go home. Have my baby and enjoy raising him with Harry.
I wanted so much for us to be a happy little family. Harry, Kayden and I. For us to one day get married and later a few years down the road give Kayden siblings. Maybe a couple of brothers and sisters, I wouldn't mind a big family. I'm sure Harry would be happy with a few kids. (I know we both would enjoy making them.) But after what I saw in my dagger at the start of our quest. I didn't see how that would be. I hadn't told anyone what I had seen, not even Harry. But at the start of the quest Harry had asked if I thought I would be able to see one of the Horcrux in my dagger, since I sometimes can see things in it. But when I looked in my dagger to try to see a Horcrux, I got a big shock: I had seen a battle, it was at Hogwarts; half the castle was burning and the other half was half gone, all around wizards, monsters and demigods, even the gods were there fighting, along with a few giants. But what really frighten me was when the seen changed. I suddenly saw the inside of the Great Hall. The house tables were gone and bodies were laid out like the fallen had been put in there. I couldn't see anyone's faces, so I don't know who out of our friends and allies get killed during the final battle. All but one. The one Harry sat in the middle of the hall holding, as he rocked back and forth. I can't hear what is said in the dagger, but I knew he was screaming and crying. Because the person he was holding was me. Harry held my lifeless body in his arms. My throat had been ripped out.
I had put my dagger away and hadn't looked into it since. For the next two weeks I had nightmares about it, every time I closed my eyes I saw Harry clenching my lifeless body. I know I had promised to never keep anything from Harry again, after he got ticked off when I had kept Lycaon being after me from him. But I just couldn't bring myself to tell him. It's not that I didn't want to, it's the fact if I did mention it I would have nightmares again. It's not the fact I was afraid of dying: We all die sooner or later. It's the fact I would be leaving behind a brokenhearted Harry, and a new- born son. I wouldn't get the chance to raise my own son. I had to make sure it didn't happen. But how I did not know.
I had put it out of my mind after a while so I could help with the Horcrux hunting, but sometimes the thought of it still entered my mind. And I would have to push it out.
At the moment I was outside, we all was, it was just too hot and stuffy in the tent, we didn't go in there until bedtime. I had my dagger in my hand. I was trying to get up the nerve to look into to it. Hopefully I wouldn't see the last version I had again, and if I thought of nothing but the Horcrux, maybe I would be able to see where one was. Over to my side, Harry, Percy and Annabeth sat talking quietly, not too far from them Nico and Hazel was talking. I took a deep breath then looked into my dagger.
At first nothing, then a boy appeared. He was about sixteen, held a bronze sword in his hand. His black jeans had a hole ripped in the knee, his red T-shirt was also torn across the front, half the word going across the top was gone. So all I saw was Gryff. He also had a black wand sticking out of his front pocket. He had shaggy chocolate-brown hair that was nothing but a big mess all over his head. He stood there looking down at what looked like a giant snake-skin, then turned and looked down at his side as a very familiar lion walked up to him: Marauder.
I held the dagger closer to me and realized the sword in the boy's hand was Harry's sword: Not the Blade of Olympus, but his wand/sword thing. The boy looked up and ran a hand through the front of his hair, the movement uncovered his eyes, and it was almost as if he looked right at me. I looked into his eyes and mine widen. As I watched his eyes turn from a forest green to a very familiar emerald-green; he had Harry's eyes. Oh, my gods I was looking at a sixteen year old Kayden. I dropped the dagger with a shocked gasped.
"Baby," Harry asked, I looked behind me to see all three of them was looking right at me. "You okay? Did you cut yourself?" I shook my head.
"No," I said.
"Did you see something?" Annabeth asked. I nodded and took a breath and then told them what I saw.
"Hope we don't have another war in sixteen years." Percy said frowning. Harry nodded frowning.
"I wish I could see what he looks like." Harry mumbled, but then grinned. "Oh, well, I'll get to see him in four more months." I grinned at him and turned back and looked at my dagger lying on the ground in front of me. I couldn't wait for Kayden to be born. I wanted to see him for real, but I also wasn't looking forward to the birth. Just the thought of all that pain sent chills down my back. Sally had allowed me to be in the room with her and Sirius during Abby's birth. So I would know what except when it was my time to give birth. Sally had been in so much pain she was screaming and yelling; said stuff to Sirius I rather no repeat. Which was pretty shocking, considering Sally never raises her voice to anyone. Not even when Sirius acts like and idiot. Something he does often.
I picked my dagger back up, took a real deep breath and looked into it. Kayden was no longer there. Which was a little disappointing. I wished I knew why he had Harry's sword and why he had just killed a giant snake and looked like he had just been in a battle. But the sixteen year old Kayden never came back into view. I didn't think it was another war like Percy thought. But something was happening, I don't know what. But I got this feeling it wasn't anything good. I shook my head and put my dagger away. That was years away. Right now I need to keep my mind on what was happening this year. Not sixteen from now.
For the next few days I would look into my dagger, but saw nothing, no sixteen year old Kayden and no Horcrux or anything else. We went on with the same old boring things, unpacking, talking about Horcruxes and the Elder wand, eating, go to bed. Then get up eat, pack up and leave. What fun we were having. Well, at least we weren't aruging as much. It wasn't until three days later that I saw something, it was getting late and Harry thought I was looking tired so he made me go in the tent and lay down for a while. But it was too stuffy in the tent and I just couldn't fall asleep, so while everyone else was outside. I got out my dagger to take a look.
As I stared at my dagger another picture appeared. This one of an ally, there was all kinds of boarded up shops and stores, all around them was stone statues. It was weird, the statues looked as if they were screaming or running; some even looked like they were walking out of the stores. Right in the middle of the street was this ugly stone fountain, in the middle had this snake with its head raised up and looking up into the sky, water shooting out of its mouth fell into the water below. What sat in the fountain is what caught my eye. It was a goblet with a of a dagger in the middle. Hufflepuff's cup. And the only thing in the whole picture moving was Inferi. There was another ally, off to the side and a sign hanging near had both the allies names: Diagon Ally and Knockturn Ally.
"HARRY!" I cried, instantly he came running into the tent with his sword drawn, Percy, Nico, Annabeth, and Hazel right behind him. He looked around with a frown.
"Piper, baby, please don't yell like that." Harry said, lowing his sword. "I thought you were being attacked."
"I saw it." I said, holding up my dagger and pointing tapping the blade with my finger. "I saw it!" Harry frowned, walked toward me, sat his sword on the ground next to him as he knelt in front of me. Then very gently took my dagger from my hand. Like he thought I was going to slice myself with it.
"Saw what?" Percy asked, capping Riptide and looking at me like I was crazy.
"The cup." I said. "Hufflepuff's cup." Nico frowned at me.
"Riddle's Horcrux." Nico asked. I looked at Harry.
"Babe, it is in the middle of Diagon Ally." I said. Harry looked up at me.
"What?" He asked. I explained to them what I saw, how the ally was empty but for the Inferi, and stone statues. How all the stores looked as if they had been attacked and then told them about the fountain where the cup was in.
"The status looked scared you said?" Annabeth asked. I nodded, as Harry put my dagger back in the stealth then laid it next to me on the bed.
Percy made a face. "Aunty Elm's Garden Gnome Emporium has moved to Diagon Ally."
"What?" Hazel said, giving him a weird look.
"Medusa." Annabeth and Percy both said. Harry sat down next to me and looked up at them.
"The snake hair lady?" He asked, with a frown.
"The very one." Percy said.
"I'm not good with spelling, but wouldn't Medusa start with M.E.D?" Harry asked.
"Yes." I said. "M.E.D.U.S.A."
"Well, thank you Miss Spelling-Bee." Nico said, "Medusa does not matter, what dose is getting the Horcrux out of the fountain."
"Medusa matters because I bet anything the statues Piper saw were done by her." Percy said. "Her victims, and if there are there, I bet anything Medusa is larking around there somewhere."
Annabeth chewed nervously on the inside of her cheek. "We'll have to be careful where we look. If Medusa starts M.E.D. Then I bet she is who Riddle went to talk to, he probably got her to watch his Horcrux, and it almost seems too easy, two giants and some Inferi, I bet there is also spells or traps of some kind around there."
"Alright, we know where the Horcrux is, let's go get it." Harry said.
"We can't go now." Annabeth said.
"Why not?" Nico demanded.
"For one it's getting dark, too dangerous for us to be running away, and two we need to plan and talk over what to do." Annabeth said.
"Plan." Harry scowled. "Look at how long we planned for the Ministry, that sure did us a lot of good."
"That's different." Annabeth said. "Our Pollyjuice wore off, and we all got separated."
"And there is no need to even bother trying to plan again." Harry said "It's just going to go wrong."
"You don't know that." Annabeth said.
"Plans that involve me always go wrong." Harry told her.
"Our plan for attacking Azkaban worked out pretty good." Nico put in. Harry glared at, "Just saying, but we don't have time to plan. We need to get to Diagon Ally now."
"Yes, we need to go now." Harry echoed. Annabeth shook her head and went to say something, but Percy talked over her.
"We can wait until morning." Percy said. "First thing, once the sun comes up." Harry scowled. I laid my hand on his leg and gave it a squeeze.
"What about Fred and George?" Harry demanded. Percy looked confused.
"Weasley?" He asked. "What do they have to do with anything?"
"Their joke shop is in Diagon Ally." Harry cried. "If it's been attacked and taking over by monsters and crazy women with snake hair, they could be hurt or...worse. They're my friends. I have to know if they're all right."
"Damn," Percy said. "I forgot about their shop."
Harry looked at me. "You didn't see it when you saw the version did you?" He asked. I shook my head.
"Sorry, Babe, I couldn't tell what the shops were." Harry just nodded looking concerned.
"Maybe they closed their shop before the attack happened." Hazel said, hopefully. "Ron told me Mrs. Weasley has tried to get them to close is up until after the war. She was worried about all the people being taken and attacked in Diagon Ally."
Harry sighed and looked down at his feet. I took my hand off his leg and started rubbing his back. "I have to see if they are there. If they are...stone or okay."
"Harry, I know how you feel." Annabeth said. "But we just can't go runny off to Diagon Ally tonight, it's late. And too dark to see to fight." She walked over and knelt in front of Harry. "Look, it's late and our body's are bound to be getting tired...
"Tired from what?" Nico demanded. "We haven't been doing anything." Harry snorted.
"We need to be rested when we fight the a bunch of inferi and Medusa and whatever else might be there. We have to be alert and aware of everything. So we can watch out for traps." Annabeth went on chosing to ignore Nico. "I know Fred and George are good friends of yours, but rushing in and getting killed won't help them."
"Fine." Harry snapped. "You guys get to bed, I'll take first watch."
"Don't fall asleep." Nico said, climbing up on the top bunk across from the bunk I sat on. Hazel took the bunk above me and Annabeth crawled in the one under Nico, Percy frowned at them.
"We're just going to listen to Shorty and go to bed?" He asked.
"It's not because Harry told us to, Percy." Annabeth said. "But if we are leaving first thing in the morning we need to go to bed, so we won't be tired." Percy just shrugged and crawled in behind Annabeth and put his arm around her waist.
I didn't lay down, but picked my dagger back up and pulled it out of the case. I hoped maybe I could see the Weasley twin's shop. I sat there a good five minutes but the dagger never showed me anything. So I put it away. And laid down, but couldn't get comfortable. I tossed and turned for about ten minutes. Kayden kept kicking and moving around in my stomach and no matter how I laid I couldn't get comfortable. Plus it was suddenly getting hot in the tent. I sighed and decided to go keep Harry company. I sat up slipped my shoes on and went outside.
Harry was sitting in front of the tent flap, leaning against the tree that sat right by it: He was rubbing his scar with a thoughtful look on his face. He looked up when he heard me.
"Hey, Fancy Face, shouldn't you be asleep?" He asked. I sat down next to him, and he moved closer and put his arm around me.
"Couldn't fall asleep." I said, then reached up and gave him a kiss. We sat in silence a moment. I put one arm around his back, and snuggled into him, with my head laying on his chest. He put his arm around my shoulder and kissed the top of my head.
"Sorry I've been so crabby lately." Harry suddenly said. I smiled.
"It's okay." I said. "I can understand, but you really need to stop taking everything out on us. We're in this as much as you are."
"I know." Harry said quietly. "And truly am sorry."
"I know, Babe." I said, then looked up at Harry. He grinned down at me and laid his hand on my stomach.
"I can't wait to hold him when he's born." He said. "I hope he looks just like what you said." I smiled remembering the older Kayden. Just like he looked when I saw him as a baby, he was a perfect mix of Harry and I; My cheek bones, Harry's eyes, my hair color, but messy like Harry's, my mouth, and Harry's nose chin and eyes. He was a little taller than Harry is at sixteen, and was built like him. But had my tan colored skin. When he had looked up he had that same look Harry gets on his face right after killing a monster.
"I wonder who he'll act more like me or you." I said. Harry smiled at how active Kayden was being.
"You, I hope." Harry said, then laughed a little. "Last thing we need is a kid that runs off getting in danger and trouble." I smiled, looked up to tell Harry I loved him, but Harry bent his head down and touched his lips to mine. What started out as a sweet kiss soon turned into a deeper more passionate kiss. Harry's hand went under my shirt and my stomach wasn't what he was touching this time. As he deepened the kiss and my arms moved up to around his neck. After a minute or two he pulled back and took his hand out from under my shirt and sighed.
"I wish we had a tent to ourselves." he said, as I laid my head back on his chest. One arm going back around his waist and the other laying on his chest. I nodded in agreement. I would love to be with him right now; alone, doing the things we do when we're alone in a room with just me and him. We sat in silence for a long while, before Harry spoke again.
"Baby, Annabeth was right about one thing." Harry said. "We need our rest. Why don't you go back in the tent and try to get some sleep."
"It's too stuffy in there." I said. "How about I sleep out here like I did a few times before?" Harry was quiet for a moment.
"Okay," He said. "Though the ground probably isn't the ideal place for a pregnant girl to sleep. I guess you can stay out here with me. After all you have before."
"I'll just go get me a blanket." I said. I went back in the tent grabbed the cover off the bunk I had been lying in, then went back outside. Harry grinned up at me as I sat next to him then laid over and put my head in his lap as I covered myself up. His hand started running through my hair.
"Babe, I love you." I said. I reached the arm under me up, and then underneath the back of Harry's leg and wrapped my arm around it. So I was holding on to his leg as I closed my eye.
"I love you too, Baby girl." Harry said. "Forever." I grinned.
"Forever." I said, already falling asleep from Harry's hand running through my hair.
"Piper," Hazel said, shaken my shoulder. I opened my eyes to see her gold eyes look down at me. I looked around confused. I was back in the tent.
"I had Percy carry you in here when he got up to take over the watch." Harry appeared next to Hazel. He ran his hand through my hair and smiled. "I've fixed breakfast if you want to eat before we go."
I nodded, sat up and Harry helped me stand up. Hazel walked back over to the kitchen part and after giving each other a good morning kiss Harry and I followed. We ate Oatmeal and toast. We talked over what to do, before we packed up and Harry and Nico shadow traveled us to an empty ally in London. It was a little after lunch time by then.
"We have to find the Leaky Cauldron and go through there to get to Diagon Ally." Harry explained. He then frowned. "I hope Tom is alright."
"What?" Percy demanded, Harry rolled his eyes.
"Not that Tom, dumby." Harry said. "The barman in the Leaky Cauldron name is Tom. He's an alright bloke. Was nice to me the time I spent the summer staying at the Leaky Cauldron." He took my hand. "Come on I think it's this way."
"Why did you spend a summer staying at the Leaky Cauldron?" Hazel asked, as Harry led us down a street.
"I blow up Aunt Marge." Harry said.
"What?" Annabeth demanded. Harry then told us the story of Marge Dursely, how even though she was not his family, he was still force to call her Aunt and how the last time she had visited she said some things that ticked him off and his magic let loose and blow her up. Accidentally he assured us, but I don't think Percy believed it was an accident.
"I would like to introduce Ripper to Mrs. O'Leary." Percy said, when Harry told us about the dog chasing him up a tree when he was little. Harry snickered as if he was picturing it in his head and we walked around a corner and walked by a movie place. Harry pointed at a sign in the window.
"They're playing your dad." He said. I looked to see a poster of my dad's newest movie. He was playing a cop in an action movie. First movie he's done in a while that take place in present time. Last time I talked to him he had told me he wanted to do something different. Most his movies had been something about Greek Myths. He wanted something new.
"My dad wants to do different movies now." I said. "That's why he chose that movie. I haven't seen it, but my dad said it was good."
"Your dad's a busy guy." Harry said. My dad was pretty busy lately, he was already going over a script for his next movie.
"The Leaky Cauldron is not too far from here." Harry said. He walked a little faster. And just a couple blocks from the movie place, we finally camp upon a bar that had a sign of a witch stirring a cauldron.
"That's it." Harry said. Pointing at it, he then looked at me. I nodded and pulled Annabeth's hat out and slipped it on my head. Then grabbed hold of Harry's arm.
"Remember, we don't know what we'll find behind this door." Annabeth said. "If Riddle has one of his Horcruxes hidden in Diagon Ally, I doubt the bar was able to stay a friendly place for witches and wizards to hang out. So, don't let your guard down, and I'm sure there is also..."
"We know, Annabeth." Nico snapped. "Can we go in now."
Harry nodded, and looked around to make sure no one was watching, then turned back to the door, he grabbed hold of the door handle, and pulling out his sword he slowly opened it up.
"Fancy Face, you stay behind me." He told me before walking in.
When we all walked in, we looked around. The floor was covered in dust, along with the tables, chairs and bar. I sneezed when Nico ran his hand across the bar making dust stir.
It looked as if a battle happened here, tables and chairs was knocked over, glass was broken everywhere. The worse thing in the bar was the stone statue; some were sitting at the tables as if they were still alive and enjoying a night out: Well if it wasn't for the horrified looks on their face. I saw a guy crowding in the corner. Some looked to have tried to run, some had wands pointed at. The piano guy was still sitting behind a piano, as if he was playing, but with a shocked look on his face. It was just awful.
"Tom." Harry said, pointing at a stone guy behind the bar. He had a glass in one hand and a rag in the other, as if he was in the middle of wiping the glass. He stared straight ahead, his mouth open and his wide.
"I didn't really know him all that well, but he did seem like a nice guy." Harry went on. I squeezed his arm in comfort.
"Harry, if you can't handle going into Diagon Ally, you could stay here." Annabeth suggested. "In case you might see someone else you know." Harry shook his head.
"No, I'll be fine." Harry said. After looking around at everyone else, I guess to make sure they weren't anyone he knew. "Doris Crockford,." He pointed to an old stone woman. "She was here when I first found out I was a wizard. Welcomed me back and kept coming over to shake my hand. A bit of a nut, but harmless." He took a deep breath, look one last time around then shook his head.
"Come on, we have to go out the back." Harry motioned for us to follow him toward the back. We walked carefully and kept an eye out, but nothing was around. We all found this strange and didn't let out guard down: After all if there was a trap, it would start the moment we got near the Horcrux or touched it.
Harry led us out the back door, and into a small ally, he pulled out his wand and typed a pattern on the bricks. After a moment they slid apart reveling Diagon Ally, Harry frowned when he saw it. It no longer looked like the place he use to enjoy going to get his Hogwarts stuff. No stone people with scared faces littered the streets, stores and shops were boarded up or windows busted out. The only thing moving was the dead.
"Can we...can we check Fred and George's shop first?" Harry asked.
"Sure." Annabeth said. No one argued, though Nico didn't look happy about it.
I tightened my hold on Harry's arm as we walked forward. He put his sword through an inferius' head that had come up to him. Nico did the same to one that came up to him. But if they didn't pay us any attention we left them alone for now. In case someone was keeping watch from somewhere we didn't want to alert them that we were here, by taking out all the inferi.
"How much further?" Percy asked, slicing an inferius' head off with Riptide.
"It's just right up there." Harry said pointing. We walked on in silence every now and then someone would slice off the head of an inferi, other than them we had not come upon anything else, which didn't put us at ease, no it did the opposite and made us more nervous.
Finally we reached a shop that had a sign that read: WEASLEY'S WIZARD WHEEZES. The moment we got close we knew something had happened here, the front window was busted out. Harry stood in front of the door a good five minutes, before he got up the courage to open the door and walk in. The joke stuff on the shelves had been knocked over, glass and other stuff laid everywhere. Harry took another breath and headed toward the corner, when he got closer he stopped suddenly and stared up at a stone statue standing there. It was of a well built looking man. He had a wand in one hand pointed out, and one arm was thown out in a way that said he was blocking someone.
"Charlie." Harry mumbled. "He...He must have been visiting Fred and George."
"Looks like he was protecting someone." Percy commented. I looked down on the floor and saw a light purple scarf with silver stars all over it. I let go of Harry's hand and picked it up.
"It looks like Charlie was protecting an innocent little girl." I said. The scarf was small couldn't have belonged to a little girl no older than eight or nine. I sighed and sat it on the counter. Then walked back over to Harry took his hand. And it suddenly popped in my head how weird it must have look when I picked up the scarf wearing Annabeth's cap.
Harry began to look around the shop, his grip on my hand tightened as he led me all over the store, but Charlie Weasley was the only stone statue in here. He then led me to the back nothing. Harry sighed.
"I don't see Fred or George." Harry said. "Hopefully they got out." I rubbed his back and kissed his cheek.
"I'm sure they did, babe." I said.
"Well, let's go find the cup and get out of here." Harry said. I could see both anger and sadness in his eye as we walked by Charlie Weasley again. He led us back outside and down the street.
"Knockturn Ally is this way." He explained. "So, the fountain should be some up ahead if Piper saw the sign that...He trialed off as he stopped walking so suddenly I walked into him.
"Harry what..." I trailed off as I looked ahead at the stone statue standing just feet away. It had its back to us and was the largest statue out of all of them around eight feet tall. My heart snuck.
"Please no," Harry whispered, he grabbed my hand again and took off running toward the stone statue. I could barely keep up, he went around the statue and looked up at the wild hair and bearded face.
"Hagrid." Harry whispered. Tears were falling down his face. I wrapped my arms around his waist, as the rest of our friends made it up to us.
"Who's the big guy?" Percy asked. Harry sniffed.
"Hagrid." Harry said. "He worked at Hogwarts, was the...then Care of Magical creatures teacher and...the Grounds Kepper, he... he was my friend. He told me I was a wizard...he...he was my first friend...besides Argus. He took me to my first visit here...he...he bought me Hedwig for my eleventh birthday." Harry wiped his eyes.
"He's the one that had the three-headed dog named Fluffy?" Nico commented. Harry nodded and no longer able to look at him turned away.
"It's not right." Harry said. "Hagrid might have looked scary but he would never hurt anyone. And Charlie, he had family who loved him. Mrs. Weasley must be...she..." Harry couldn't finish and looked down at him feet. Percy reached his arm around Harry and pulled him to a hug. Harry took a deep breath and pulled himself together.
"Okay, let's go find this Horcrux." Harry said. "We need to kill that bastard before any more of my friends..."
Harry dropped my hand he raised his sword, then ran forward and started taking out inferi. I could tell he was angery. He was starting to get reckless. I saw a green light start to form around him, and start to darken to black. Percy rushed forward and grabbed hold of Harry and started whispering something in his ear. After a moment Harry relaxed and stopped fighting Percy off him. Percy said one more thing, then patted Harry on the back before letting go of him. I walked forward and grabbed Harry's hand. He gripped mine tightly. There was suddenly loud laughter and then a woman's voice.
"Hello there." She said, a woman wearing a turban came walking out from the mist of all the statues. She walked up to block our way looked at all of us then her eyes fell on Percy.
"Percy Jackson." She hissed. "You look even more like your daddy then the last time I saw you." We all closed our eyes knowing who she must be. "Still running around with the filth of Athena I see."
"Aunty Elm." Percy mocked. "How was your time in Tartarus?"
"Hide." Harry whispered to me, and once I didn't argue with him. As quietly as I could I ran and got behind a stone wizard with a beard even longer than Dumbeldore's. In fact it went down to his feet. I got my bow ready just in case. I was pretty good with it. I hardly ever miss anything, and my quiver is enchanted to never run out of arrows. I just had to be sure never to grab the arrow with the black and gray hawk feather tied to it. It was one of Harry's feathers and when I say one of his, I mean one of his. His animagus form is a hawk. He tied it around my arrow Apollo had given me with the silver tip. It was to kill Lycaon with and Harry didn't want me to grab it by mistake and shot it at some monster.
"I'm afraid I have to kill your friends, Percy Jackson." Medusa said. "But you...the offer I once gave you still stands. You can be one of my statues in my garden, forever with me.".
Percy made a face, but didn't open his eyes. "No thank you, I like being flash and bone."
Medusa reached up and took the turban from around her head. I closed my eyes tightly, like the other's had theirs. A few minutes passed with no one talking. Then I heard footsteps as Medusa stepped forward, then suddenly I heard a hissing sound. I took the chance and opened my eyes. Her back was to me so I was safe, but that fact she was standing right next to Harry scared me to death. He had raised his hand and covered his eyes. While gripping his sword tighter.
Medusa hissed something, and then to my shock Harry hissed something back to her. Then they just talked back and forth in nothing but snake hisses. Every time Harry hissed Medusa would hiss back sounding madder. Harry must not have said anything friendly. And though our friend's eyes was closed they still had confused looks on their faces. Finally to my great relief Medusa moved away from Harry. She walked around everyone running her mouth off.
Before I knew it a battle started, our friends speared out, and hide behind a stone person. Percy with his eyes closed swung his sword at Medusa, he missed, and it instead sliced off the stone head of some old witch. Nico came forward and tried but with his eyes closed, Medusa easily dodged it, and ran her fingernails across his face. Putting three long scratches down his jaw. And doing a good job ticking him off. Shadows started flying everywhere. Making it hard to see. And the good thing about that is. It also made it hard for Medusa to see.
Harry too had his eyes closed, as he held out a hand and tried to blast Medusa with magic, it passed her, blasting a few stones along with inferi away instead.
My friends were finding it hard to fight someone when they had to keep their eyes closed. I didn't want to come out from behind the statue, not from fear for myself, but Kayden, if I got turned to stone, he would too. Harry sure couldn't handle both of us dying. But I still wanted to help, so I raised my bow and shot an arrow at her, everyone else had hide behind some statues, trying to regroup and come up with a plan. But I missed, and the arrow flew by just inches from one of her snakes. She turned around my way, and I turned around and closed my eyes real tight.
"Well, what do we have here?" Medusa asked. "Another victim to turn to stone." I could hear her footsteps coming closer, and even though I was hidden under Annabeth's cap, my heart still beat real fast and I didn't only close my eyes shut I even put my hand over them, and my back was to her. I even covered my stomach with my other had protectively. Her feet got closer and closer, then Medusa suddenly let out a scream.
"My eyes...my eyes!" She cried. I took a chance to look and felt sick. Harry was in his hawk form, his little hawk eyes closed tightly as he took his beak and pecked out Medusa's eyes. She batted at him and he flew up out of reach. I couldn't tell if she still had her eyes or not, too much blood pouring down her face as Medusa stumbled back, and turned around only to have her head sliced off by Nico's sword. Everyone else came out from behind the statue.
I took Annabeth cap off and joined my friends as Harry landed then turned back to human form. I turned away from him feeling a little sick, he had Medusa's' blood on his face; around his mouth mostly. Percy pointed at his face and he reached up and wiped his mouth off, saw the blood in his hand, then dropped his sword and ran over to the side of one of the shops and started throwing up. When he made it back over to us he had his shirt off and was using it to wipe his face off.
"Water." he choked out. Annabeth got in one of our bags and pulled out a bottle of water and handed it to him. Harry took the top off and turned it up. Then moved the water around in his mouth for a minute, then spit it out. He then poured some on his shirt then wiped his face off. He then took a drink and swallowed.
"That was bloody nasty." Harry made a face. He took another drink.
"What the hell made you think of pecking out her eyes?" Percy asked. He grinned at him.
"Got the idea from Fawkes." He said. Percy frowned.
"Who?"
"Fawkes, Dumbeldore's Phoenix." Harry explained. "That's how I beat the Basilisk in second year. Fawkes pecked out its eyes." When Percy kept giving him a grossed out look Harry scowled. "Look I panicked, okay. She was heading right where Piper's arrow came from. Right where my pregnant girlfriend was. That was all could think to do." He took another drink and made a face.
"That was bloody nasty." Harry repeated.
"Yeah, you said that already." Nico told him. Harry took one last drink and handed the now half-full bottle back to Annabeth, she made sure the top was on tight and then slipped it back in our bag.
"I guess we should try to find that fountain now." Harry said. "But what do we do with that." he pointed at Medusa's head. Which was the only part of Medusa that had not disappeared. Nico snatched Harry's shirt out of his hand tossed it over the head, then knelt down and tied it up.
"I doubt it could turn anyone to stone with the eyes gone, but still we don't need it just lying around." Nico said. "Riddle will know we have been here if someone was to find it. We'll take the head with us and berry it somewhere. That way he might just think she ran off on him or something."
Harry led us on down the street. He took my hand as we walked. He hadn't bothered putting another shirt on, and I couldn't keep my eyes from going to his chest. The scars Greyback once gave him were still there; you just had to look close enough to see them. Whenever I trace them with my finger it sends shivers down Harry's spin. Something I loved to do. I took the hand he wasn't holding and grabbed onto his arm. He smiled a little, but I could see sadness in his eyes. I knew he was thinking about the two friends Medusa had turned to stone.
Finally the fountain had come into view. It looked just like it did in my dagger. And the Hufflepuff cup was shimmering in the bottom. It sat right in the middle of I guess the boarders you would say, between Diagon Ally and Knockturn Ally. I glanced down that way and felt anger as I saw no stone statues. Harry told me once that only dark wizards shop at Knockturn Ally, so I guessed Voldemort's little puppets knew better than to come here where Medusa was.
"There it is." Hazel said. "Should one of us just reach in and grab it."
"No," Nico and Harry both said.
"It could be a trap or something." Nico went on. Harry dropped my hand and stepped up to the fountain and looked it over, typing it with his wand and mumbling things I didn't understand. He then stepped back a little thinking, then stepped back up to it.
"I can't detect any magic or enchantments." Harry said. He paused a moment then stuck his hand in to pull the cup out, but then jerked it back real fast with a shout.
"HARRY!" I cried, as Percy and I ran up to Harry. "What is it." he held out his hand and it was all red and blistering.
"That water is bloody hot!" he cried. Percy frowned, then reached toward the cup. "No don't!" Harry grabbed Percy arm, with his unhurt hand but Percy just gave him a reassure smiled and reached in and pulled the cup out.
"Here you go." he tossed it to Harry, who frowned.
"That was way too easy." He mumbled. He barely got the words out of his mouth when the fountain shook. The stone snake burst apart to reveal a real giant snake that looked like a smaller version of Voldemort's, then the bottom of the fountain burst open and hundreds of the same looking snake came slithering out.
Hazel screamed as a snake dodged at her face, but Nico sliced it with his sword before it could bite her. I ignored the bow on my back and pulled out of my dagger and got to work. Harry as right next to me. Hufflepuff cup in one hand and the Blade of Olympus in the other. And ignoring the in of his hurt hand, he sliced the head off a snake that jumped at me. I then stabbed one that tried to bite him in the back. We grinned at each other then went on stabbing and slicing snakes that just keep crawling out of the fountain.
"Why do all these snakes look like smaller versions of Nagini?" Harry demanded, as he sliced one in half.
"If I had to guess, I would say they're her kids." Annabeth said, she stepped on a small snake, then put her dagger through its head.
"So, these would be poisonous too." Harry said, he dodged a set of snake teeth, then kicked another away from him.
"Inferi." Nico called. I looked down the street the way we had come to see about ten inferi coming our way.
"Shit." Percy said. A snake jumped up and bite his arm, but its teeth shattered the moment it sunk its teeth into his skin. He shook it off, then stuck Riptide in it.
Nico ran forward to battle the inferi and Harry followed. Together they sliced and stabbed the walking dead. As the others fought the snakes. I helped with the snakes rather than fight the dead.
Suddenly I heard a growl behind me and turned to see five wolves. Thankfully I didn't see Lycaon anywhere. But the wolves were bad enough and add the snakes and walking dead dudes. I raised my dagger, though it wasn't going to do any good: I would need something silver. I could go for my silver arrow, but I had only one of them and there were five wolves, plus I had to save that for Lycaon. I backed up as they came closer. I tripped on something and fell on to my butt. One wolf jumped toward me, and I turned somewhat and covered my stomach with my arms protectively; I had the blessings on me, but I still wasn't taking any chances. As I covered my stomach and turned the wolf got closer. It was just inches from my face when Harry suddenly appeared in front of me with a loud pop and sliced the things head of with the Blade Of Olympus. He swung the sword at each wolf killing them. When Harry turned around and headed back toward me, I glanced down at the sword, and remembered the blade was trimmed in silver.
"Baby, you alright?" Harry asked, dropping down in front of me. I nodded.
"Yeah, I'm fine." I said. Harry nodded, but still checked me over for any signs of injuries. He then laid his hand on my stomach. "What about...?"
"Kayden's fine." I said. And as if to prove my point he kicked. Harry grinned a little, gave me a quick kiss, then helped me to my feet. He bent to pick his sword back up when we heard Annabeth let out an awful scream as if she was in pain. We rushed over to her, we got there the same time as Percy. We all knelt by her to see her holding her leg. She was in a pair of jean cut offs, so we could see blood soaking through her sock.
What is, Wise Girl?" Percy demanded, fear in his voice as he moved her hand away to check out her leg, all around us laid dead snakes or pieces of snakes or snake skins, Nico, Hazel, and Harry had taken out the ten infeir that came our way, and so far nothing else had popped up.
"Please tell me you cut your leg on something?" Percy demanded, I saw fear in his eyes and I knew why. If those snakes really were offspring of Voldemort's giant snake Nagini. Then they were poisonous. Nagini almost killed Arthur Weasley, and he had stayed in a magical hospital to recover too, and he still almost died. My eyes widened when Annabeth shook her head.
"No, Seaweed Brian." Annabeth said. She was starting to look pale. "One of the snakes bit me. Before I got the chance to stab it."
A.N. I think I'll leave it there. Hope that chapter was good, and hope how I did the Horcrux and fight and everything was good. And how that got the Horcrux. And how they got it. Sorry about Hagrid and Charlie. But I can't let all the good people live or just kill off people who aren't main charters. It wouldn't be realistic. Sorry the fight with Medusa was short, but there is only some much I could do with a fight where the heroes have their eyes closed. In case it never comes up later. Hagrid had been in Diagon Ally looking something he needed for a lesson. And Charlie had been there to say bye to Fred and George before he went back home. And the rest of the Weasley's are fine. Hope I didn't have them fi the cup too soon, but don't worry, it will still be sometime before they get the last one.
