Chapter 14 – Albus Dumbledore, the Silver Dueler
Harry walked slowly towards the goddess, looking determined.
Hecate smiled at him. "Harry, you can't ask for another Orb. I'll vaporize you if you do."
"Um…" Harry gulped. Percy didn't know how Hecate could say that with a smile on her face.
"I am giving you the Gold Orb."
Harry's jaw fell open. "Lady Hecate… I have the right to ask you why you are giving me this orb, right?"
Hecate feigned thinking. "I guess that you have."
"Why did I get this Orb?"
"I can't tell you more than what I can tell you. All I can say is that you are destined for greatness and that without this power, defeating Voldemort will be a no-go."
When Harry heard the first sentence, he hadn't looked too happy and looked ready to protest. But Percy could say that the second sentence meant a lot to him. His face had hardened and changed to acceptance. "I accept."
"I knew that, my boy."
She cupped her hands. It took longer than the gold and silver orbs. When she opened it, Percy couldn't help feeling amazed. It was a solid gold sphere, fitting in one of Hecate's hands, but he could feel the amount of sheer power it radiated.
"Come on, take it," said Hecate. She extended her hand. Harry gingerly walked up to her and took it, handling it as if it was burning his hands. He walked away and gave a look at Percy, Annabeth and Nico. Annabeth nodded encouragingly.
He dropped the orb at his feet.
…
Annabeth had not known Harry that much, but she knew him enough to say that the poor guy was terrified. He looked desperately at Percy, Nico and her, and she nodded at him.
He dropped the orb at his feet.
As it shattered, gold mist engulfed him, and sparks flew out of the broken pieces. She tapped her feet, impatient. As he stepped out, the first thing that she noticed was that he didn't look different. At all.
Harry looked at his hands. He looked at them. And then he looked at Hecate. She was smiling.
"Take your wand and try out a spell, Harry."
Harry walked over to his desk and picked up the thin piece of wood that Annabeth had used.
"Wingardium Leviosa!" Harry yelled. A book on his desk – A History of Magic – flew upwards and crashed on the ceiling.
Wait… did his eyes just turn gold –?
"WHA –?" Harry started.
"You need to learn to control your magic, Harry," said Hecate calmly.
"I was better off without this," Harry muttered under his breath.
"Try it again!" Percy exclaimed.
"Lumos," Harry said calmly. His eyes flashed gold. HA! I knew it.
"Harry," Annabeth told him. "When you use magic, your eyes are turning gold."
"What?"
"It's a fact," said Nico. "Your eyes are turning gold."
"Yay! I look much more handsome when I have freaking gold eyes!" Harry said sarcastically.
Hecate flashed a dangerous look at Harry. "That's enough. I am done here." she looked at Harry. "Use it well."
They all shielded their eyes as the goddess took their true form and vanished.
"Well, that was interesting," said Annabeth. She looked at Harry. He was dejectedly trying to levitate a History of Magic without breaking the ceiling. She thought he actually looked kinda cute with gold eyes. Wait, from where, in the gods' name, did that come from? "Harry, goddesses or gods don't give something without reason. They always want something, though they don't tell you what. She gave you the gold orb for a reason."
"For me to defeat Voldemort?" Harry asked, looking at her. "That can be useful."
"Well, that might be. Let's tell Chiron."
…
"So. I can't just get you an admission in Hogwarts. We need to speak with the headmaster, Dumbledore." Harry was pacing Poseidon's cabin, and running his hands through his hair, making it messier than before. Dumbledore would certainly allow, he thought. He has to! He cares about me! Aargh! But we'll have to cook a good story, anyway.
"Nice name," Percy snorted.
"We'll have to speak with him and get an admission for you. Can I Iris-Message him?" Harry asked, acting as if Percy hadn't spoken.
"You sure if he won't get freaked out?" Nico asked doubtfully.
"He can… handle it," said Harry.
Percy gave him a drachma. Harry tossed it in the fountain. "What were we supposed to say...?"
"Oh Iris, goddess of the Rainbow, please accept my offering, show me Albus Dumbledore at Hogwarts."
Harry repeated.
An image appeared, of the person he most idolized. Albus Dumbledore. He was sitting in what looked like a bar and was sipping a tankard of butterbeer.
"Professor Dumbledore!"
Dumbledore turned, and his eyes widened. "Whoa! Harry! What is this? As far as I know, the Floo doesn't work this way!"
Harry raised an eyebrow. "Ah, Professor, this is called an Iris-Message. I need you to give admissions to three students."
…
The guy named Dumbledore gave Harry a questioning look. "Admissions? Why?"
Harry recited the whole story of him being a demigod. Percy gave nods the entire time.
"So, to sum it up, a prophecy was said that your life is in danger unless these three –" he looked at Percy, Annabeth and Nico, "– come to Hogwarts. I will very well allow that, but you need a cover story, right? You can't tell everyone about the existence of the gods."
"We'll cook up one," said Annabeth hurriedly.
"You are?" Dumbledore asked her.
"Annabeth Chase, daughter of Athena. This," she said, looking at Percy, "is Percy Jackson, son of Poseidon. And that," she looked at Nico, "is Nico di Angelo, son of… well… Hermes."
Dumbledore looked at her with a twinkle in his eyes. "You are a bad liar, Miss Chase."
Harry gave a nod in her direction.
"Nico here is a son of Hades. But don't tell anyone that, okay, Principal?"
"I won't tell anything about this whole business to anyone. And Harry, you got a blessing of Hecate, the magic goddess, who we all happen to be descendants of?"
"Yes, professor. We had to take an orb from her which gave us magic –"
Dumbledore looked like he had been struck. "Orb… was it silver in colour?"
Percy nodded confusedly. "Yes, sir, it can be bronze, silver or gold. Bronze gives us magic, which Nico got. Gold gives the ability to channel energy, gives a pictographic memory, and gives the ability to learn magic faster, which Harry got. Annabeth and I got the silver orb, which gives a pictographic memory and magic."
"You have to drop the orb at your feet?" Dumbledore whispered.
"Yes…"
"I never knew. Before my duel with the dark wizard Grindelwald, I had found this silver crystal under my bed, with a message, 'drop at your feet, dueler," I checked it for curses, hexes, everything, but it yielded nothing. I still remember the mist floating around me and myself getting a pictographic memory after that."
"Lady Hecate favoured you," Annabeth told him. "She blessed you with the orb."
"I will do all in my power to protect you, Harry. And Percy Jackson, Annabeth Chase and Nico di Angelo will also come to protect you. I give you my word." Dumbledore went into the headmaster mode and omitted his human one.
"Thank you, professor." Harry waved his hand and cut the message.
…
Harry sat in his cabin with Annabeth. The only difference was that he was on his bed, while Annabeth was sitting on his desk, dissolved in A History of Magic. He thought about Hogwarts, Ron, Hermione, Hecate, the Dursleys, the more human side of Dumbledore, and though he didn't want to admit it, one name was flying around in his mind. Annabeth. He glanced at her. She still was in the book. He inwardly sighed. I know she is cute, but still… I am dumb. Shut up, Potter. He thought about his undid homework. How could he sneak Annabeth, Percy and Nico into Privet Drive? He couldn't let them sleep in the garden (completely and utterly dumb!). Invisibility Cloak? That could work, but when Aunt Petunia came inside his room? Nah. The food was a whole another matter. He barely got food for himself, let alone three others. Gosh, this was getting in his head.
"Annabeth?"
Annabeth looked up. "Huh?"
"I just… was thinking how you would, well, stay in my Aunt and Uncle's house for, like, four weeks."
"Why, wouldn't they allow?" she looked confused, and Harry tried to look anywhere but her eyes.
"Yeah… They don't like me, and well, I am pretty sure they didn't even notice that I was missing for one week. If I tell them that I need some people to stay with me, they would never allow. I don't know what to do."
"I can… bend the mist? To make them believe that only you are there, and no one else."
"That's a nice idea… A true daughter of Athena." Harry smiled at her. Was he imagining, or did she just blush?
…
Annabeth couldn't resist blushing. Oh gods, that smile… Oh, shit.
"Thanks, Harry. Though being humble about our intelligence is a thing for kids of Athena."
Harry cutely raised an eyebrow. "That's… good, I guess." He grinned. "For architecture fanatics like you, Hogwarts will be paradise. You'll also definitely like Hermione."
Wait, am I feeling jealous? Why? She's a friend! "Hermione? Why?" she asked quickly, anxious to receive a response.
"Hermione is my best friend. She's so like you! Bookish like heck. You'll either get along with her or…" He got a dangerous look on his face, in contrast to the grin he had earlier. "become worst enemies."
Annabeth instantly felt calm. "I would not like to think about that," Annabeth murmured. "All your friends, I hope, will be good friends of mine."
"I need to Iris-Message Dumbledore again," said Harry, talking more to himself than to Annabeth. "I need to learn how to increase the quantity of food, and duplicate things… I hope you can live for three weeks…"
"Hmm… Hecate's boon would help in that."
Before Harry could answer, Percy came in. "Nico and I have packed already, Annabeth! You should pack, and Harry should do too!" He got a surprised look. "What were both of you doing here?"
"Just talking about how you guys can live with my spotless family." Harry rolled his eyes.
"Good talking with you, Har," Annabeth said and got up. She could literally feel Harry's eyes on her back. "By the way," she turned back and saw Harry blushing. "Can you lend me this book anytime? It's interesting."
"Obviously," Harry said with a forced smile. He turned to Percy. "How will we get to the airport?"
"Vans," said Percy simply. "Strawberry vans."
Harry made a choking sound. "Strawberry vans?"
"Delphi Strawberry Services." Percy nodded.
"Oh my gods, thank goodness that my friends aren't here. Ron would tease the crap out of me. Come on, I'll ask for permission from dad." Harry told them. He walked out, into his cabin. It might be an understatement if Annabeth said that Harry didn't like the huge Zeus statue in the middle.
"Father, Lord of all," said Harry, bowing. "Can you please let Nico, unclaimed kid, Annabeth, daughter of Athena, and Percy, son of Poseidon to ride in a plane?"
It didn't move. "Thanks, Pops," said Harry dryly.
…
Harry and Annabeth sat together in the flight, while Percy and Nico sat in the other two seats. They both were sleeping, while Annabeth was reading A History of Magic and Harry was practising the Gemino curse, which could help him to duplicate the mattresses and blankets for them to sleep, and which could also help him to increase the food he got. Unsung spells – #1. He had a quill on his lap and was practising the curse. "Gemino! Gemino! GEMINO!" If 'ability to learn spells, curses, hexes and the like faster' meant this, he certainly wasn't amused. "Ugh! Gemino!" The quill multiplied. "Yes! Gemino!" It multiplied again. "Aha!" He leant back in his chair, feeling relaxed. He turned to Annabeth.
"Are you sure that your mist-bending will work?"
"It has to," she said, without looking up.
…
Harry was having mixed feelings as he entered the lawn of Privet Drive. Aunt Petunia at least should notice that I wasn't there for one week, right? At least notice? He couldn't help feeling a tinge of sadness for leaving the happy atmosphere of Camp Half-Blood to come to the dreary, cold atmosphere of Privet Drive. "Do your mist trick, Annabeth," he said as he reached the front door.
He rang the bell. Annabeth snapped her fingers. He heard the sound of hurrying footsteps before Aunt Petunia opened the door. "Good morning – Harry?"
"Hello, Aunt Petunia," said Harry stiffly. As Aunt Petunia look behind him, he could see her eyes becoming glazed. "Aunt!"
"Yes!" she focused on Harry, and the glazed look disappeared. "Harry, where were you? You were supposed to come a week ago! Not that I was worried about you…" she said the last words to convince herself, it seemed to Harry.
"May I come in?" Harry asked.
"Yes, yes," Petunia said hurriedly, moving out of the way.
"Who is it, Petunia?" Harry heard Uncle Vernon's voice. Well, that guy certainly doesn't care about me.
"It's Harry, Vernon!" Petunia yelled back.
"Harry?" Both Vernon and Dudley yelled. "Where was that boy? Tell him to come and see me after he puts his stuff neatly in his bedroom!" Uncle Vernon continued.
"Come on," Harry whispered to Percy, Annabeth and Nico. He walked inside, getting nostalgic feelings (though he didn't like the place). He walked up the stairs, lugging his trunk.
"Nice bedroom," said Nico.
Harry snorted. "You need to see the other bedrooms in this house. Sit here, while I meet Uncle Vernon."
...
I am so, so sorry if you felt like this whole chapter was trash and filled with as-tall-as-Mount-Everest plot holes. From now, the Goblet of Fire officially starts. I feel so happy! BTW, I explored Dumbledore's human side, and Petunia's kinder side a bit. Anyway, did you like the bomb that was the Gold Orb (pretty sure some smart guys/gals figured it out last chapter itself)? Also, Dumbledore got a Silver Orb! And yeah, some dumb crush-y stuff between Harry and Annabeth. Did you like it (this is my first time writing stuff like this - I am anxious to receive encouragement)? Please tell me in the reviews! BTW, I don't know what to do about the Gemino curse and the Statute of Secrecy. If you have ideas, PM me. I'll stop my rant here. REVIEW!
Review answering -
Guest chapter 15 . Nov 27
I love this book!
Thanks!
Guest chapter 2 . Nov 29
A Snape
A Hecate
For the first, I thought Bellatrix was his most sincere lieutenant... Second, yeah.
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Poll counts: 7 for Katie Bell, 4 for Parvati Patil and 2 for Hermione Granger.
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A. To give it remembrance, maybe?
Q. Why did Sally Jackson name her son after a son of Zeus and not a son of Poseidon (Theseus, maybe)?
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PassionBeautyFreedom