I just wanna say right off the bat, I AM SO SORRY. I got so busy and had so many family issues that I kinda just completely forgot this existed... oops. So, when everything calmed down enough for me to consider getting back on this, I didn't even remember that it was something I was working on. I know no one wants to hear any excuses and they just want me to finish what I started, but I really haven't been able me to do much of what I want lately and I'm just now starting to get some of that time to myself back. I'm not gonna make any updating promises because I can't be sure I'll be able to keep any, but I will try harder to get chapters out sooner. Thank you to all of you who didn't give up on this story, I'm sorry that I almost inadvertently did.

It's been like 2 years since I last wrote for this story or read any Harry Potter or Percy Jackson, so please help me out if I make any mistakes. I've also been considering just restarting this fic from the beginning (and adding more Nico, because I honestly forgot he even existed until a few of my siblings read and complained about the lack of him. I'd also change quite a bit of it, I just don't like how this started or the direction it's going, and make it more in character/realistic. In other words, more canon, less headcanon). I'd leave this one up, but make a new one and stop updating this one. I'm hoping after 2 years my writing skills have improved from when I was 13-14, so I don't want any inconsistencies between the style before and after the gap of when I stopped writing.

PLEASE let me know what you think about my idea. I think I might need to because I really can't remember where I was going with this fic and I might just need to redo it all. It'll be a little different, maybe some character changes, I don't know but I'm open to suggestions. Tell me what you think?


Percy's POV

Percy regretted ever closing his eyes.

Brief yet intense flashes of pain, terror, guilt, loathing for both others and himself assaulted him, one after the other. It was too much. How did all of these feelings exist within a single person?

Just end it, let it be over. Anything is better than this.

Constant agonizing torment. No respite. He knew if he could've blacked out, he would've. He couldn't even remember why blacking out wasn't an option, but he knew that it wouldn't save him. Couldn't save him. He was screaming, he knew he was. How could anyone not? He couldn't take it. He, slayer of oh so many monsters, Hero of Olympus, conquer of the Titan Kronos, the goddess Gaea. He, Percy Jackson, was giving up.

And suddenly, relief.

Being yanked out of a nightmare was a familiar feeling to Percy. He'd been experiencing it ever since Tartarus. Annabeth always managed to get him awake and aware not long after the screaming started, as long as she didn't wake him with hers first. This time was no different. Well... maybe a little different.

Usually, at Camp, all of the other demigods knew what was going on when they heard the screaming coming from the Poseidon or Athena cabin. They knew either Percy or Annabeth had it handled. Sure, they would throw sympathetic looks towards whichever cabin the cries were coming from, but they weren't ignorant enough to believe there was anything they could do to help. They could be extra nice when (if) the two left their cabin later in the day, they could distract them for fleeting moments, they could try their absolute best to make the two happy. But they knew they couldn't make the nightmares, the memories, go away.

This time, however, they weren't at Camp Half-Blood. They were at 12 Grimmauld Place all the way in London, England. An ocean away from home. Here, the majority of the people were oblivious as to what the screaming coming from downstairs signified. Therefore, when Percy groggily blinked open his eyes, he was met with many more than the one face he was familiar with seeing first thing when waking up, staring back at him. He jerked back, only to jerk forward again when he slammed his head into what he guessed was another, based on the grunt coming from behind him at the impact.

"What-" He twisted his neck to get a view of his girlfriend behind him, glaring and holding a hand against her forehead. He thought he heard a muttered Seaweed Brain from her general direction, but he'd already turned away to face the rest of the people in the room and wasn't entirely certain.

Looking around, he took in the group of people, full of wide eyes, across the room from him and Annabeth. Immediately, he felt himself flush. While he was use to it by now, he still didn't exactly appreciate being the center of attention, which he undoubtedly was at this very moment.

Hesitantly, Mrs. Weasley took a step forward, glancing at her husband out of the corner of her eye, before directing her gaze to the two teenagers on the couch in the old, unused, sitting room inside the manor.

"Are- are you alright dear?" Percy could tell she was fully prepared to rush forward and envelope him in a tight hug the second he informed her of the negative. No matter how nervous she was, her motherly instincts prevented her from leaving a boy under her charge, the same age as her own youngest son, in a miserable state.

When he delayed a satisfactory answer, (what honest excuse could give without revealing everything he didn't want to?) she continued, as if to justify her and everyone else's appearance in the room.

"It's just that… well, we heard a shout coming from this room when everyone was gathering for breakfast, and we all just panicked and rushed here. You see, we just wanted to know that everything is okay. Tensions are high lately and-"

"It's fine Mrs. Weasley. I understand. But I really would rather not talk about it right now, if that's okay with you?" Percy interrupted, she had no obligation to defend her actions. This was the wizards' house, he and Annabeth weren't even supposed to be in this room, so why should she apologize for barging in? If anything, Percy and Annabeth should be apologizing for not only sleeping in the same room, which they were expressly told was not permitted, but also worrying everyone in the house and interrupting the beginning of their day. Regardless, feeling regretful or not, he was not telling every person in the house what he and Annabeth had gone through. Even though he knew the rest of the demigods seemed to have undertaken the challenge based on the events that had transpired the night before.

This time, it was Harry who stepped forward, looking even more anxious than his best friend's mother had in the same position. Instead of addressing Percy or Annabeth, however, he tore his gaze away from the two and trained it on her. "They seem to be okay, Mrs. Weasley. But I'm starving, can we go eat the breakfast you made? It smells amazing!"

"Oh, well I suppose so. There's no reason not to." She decided. "I must insist you join us, though." She said to the two Americans, who were quite relieved the previous subject had been dropped. "Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and I would feel awful should you miss it."

"Of course, Mrs. Weasley. We'd never pass by a chance to eat your cooking." Annabeth informed her with a smile, moving to stand up. "If you give us a minute, we'll just get changed and be down to join you in a minute. Don't wait up, I know you're all hungry. Come on, Percy." With that, she grabbed his hand and yanked him up off the couch, barely giving him enough time to find his balance, before whisking him out of the room and up the stairs.

When they reached the boys' room, she released her hold on his hand and breathed out a sigh of relief. "I didn't know how much longer I was going to last. I had to get out of there."

He understood what she meant. All of the people, so close, all attention directly on them. It was all too familiar to them, and it never meant anything good. While they knew that they were safer in this hidden house than most anywhere else, with so many capable fighters willing to protect them, they couldn't just ignore all instincts and forget about everything that has ever been done to them. If only that was how it worked, everything would be so much easier.

"We still have to go back down in a little bit. We can't miss breakfast after you told them we'd be there." He didn't mean it as an accusation, but he knew it sounded like it the moment it came out.

"I know, Perce. There wasn't anything else I could do without worrying them further or asking more questions we couldn't answer." She seemed slightly hurt that he would think she meant to make their lives difficult, especially when making things harder was usually his thing.

"I didn't mean it like that, Wise Girl" He said as he walked across the room to his bed, grabbing his clothes and starting to get changed out of his nightmare sweat soaked pajamas.

"I know, Seaweed Brain. I'm just a little on edge. You're dream woke me from my own." Now they were headed toward the girls' room for Annabeth to get her own clothes.

For the first time this morning, he really took a good look at her. Normally, he'd realize what was wrong the second he was calmed down enough to think, but the arrival of seemingly every occupant of the house redirected his attention this morning. She was paler than she would be after waking up from a dreamless sleep, which while rare, did happen every now and then. She was also shivering, just barely noticeable, but enough for Percy to instantly flush with guilt over not focusing on the love of his life until she brought it up.

"Oh my gods, Annabeth. I'm so sorry, are you okay?"

She looked up at him from where she was pulling on a pair of jeans. "I'm fine, Percy. It wasn't nearly as bad as it could've been. I didn't mentioned it to make you feel bad."

"I know, but-" As there were leaving the room and about to walk toward the stairs, they saw Harry's head peak over the top one as he came up. He stopped at the first step when he glanced up and noticed them.

"Oh, um… Mrs. Weasley sent me to see if you guys were ok. You've been gone awhile."

"Yeah, sorry, we waited for each other to change. I guess it would've been quicker if we'd split up, huh?" Percy informed him awkwardly.

"Oh, well, okay then. Just come down before the food's gone. Ron being involved does that." Harry said as he spun around to head back downstairs.

"Wait!" Percy called, causing the other boy to jerk back around questioningly. "I just wanted to say thank you for what you did earlier. You know, changing the subject and all."

"Sure. After what I heard last night, I couldn't just stand there and do nothing. Also, I was hoping it could help you forgive me for last night, considering it was me who pushed your friends to tell us in the first place?" He asked.

"Right. Uh, people tend to hold grudges against me, and I'm not a stranger to holding them as well. But something this small isn't reason enough, so I guess it's okay as long as you don't do anything like it again. Letting your curiosity harm yourself is one thing, that's up to you. It's when you hurt others to satisfy it, is where you need to draw the line."

"Got it." And when nothing else was said, Harry turned back around and left, leaving he two demigods alone.

"Well, I guess we should go eat, right?" Annabeth said. There was no avoiding it. No matter how uneasy their stomachs were, they had to at least show up or risk more questions they didn't have any answers for.

"Guess so." He answered, offering her his arm, which she linked with her own. Following the path Harry took on his way to the dining area.


I know it's short, but I didn't want to put too much work into a story I might not be finishing and I wanted to get it out ASAP, so I need everyone to let me know if I should continue, or start over. And if start over, what do you want changed?