A/N: Hey guys ! I'm really sorry for keeping you guys waiting this long for an update . I really hope this was worth the wait and I will try to update weekly once now on . So please do read and review. Tell us what you think and any ideas that you have are always welcome . You have no idea how much your comments keep us going. Now on with the story.
Hermione P.O.V
I was up in the common room waiting for Harry to come back and I was forcing myself to stay awake . But just as my eyes drooped again the portrait swung open and Harry walked in to the common room. All my drowsiness suddenly vanished . I blink my eyes and take a closer look at him . Sorrow . . This and many more emotions akin to it were written on his face .
His eyes lock with mine and he looks tired . Tired of life and everything else that is going on . I give him a small smile and beckon him over to the love seat . He literally drags himself over and plops himself onto the seat .
After a few moments of companionable silence I ask him "What exactly happened back there , Harry ?"
" I was looking for Justin and I went into the library where MacMillan shoves himself in my face and tries to prove his bloody lineage and the Hufflepuffs were running from me as if I was Jack the Ripper ad then I found Nick and Justin petrified . " He says harshly causing me to flinch back at the anger and frustration evident in his voice .
"Harry , don't let them get to you . So what if you're a parslemouth. You're still the same brave , compassionate , thick headed wizard I know . For Merlin's sake I found out I'm the daughter of Poseidon this summer . I went from being a witch to a demigod who has crazy ass powers when it comes to water. Does that change who I was ?"
"No you're still the same 'Mione just a bit more badass."
"See there you have your answer . Being able to talk to snakes doesn't change who you are. Hell it is nothing to be ashamed about . I wish I could talk to snakes . Imagine how cool it would be to order a snake to traumatize Malfoy."I say hoping to cheer him up and it works . A small smile graces his face and we share a hearty laugh together .
"Yeah .That would be quite the sight wouldn't it ? The Snake brat scared of a snake ."
"So where did McGonagall take you ?"
"She took me to Professor Dumbledore's office."
"Oh what did he want ?" I ask curiously . I was growing weary of him and his secretive ways and I was seriously beginning to wonder if he actually cared about his students.
"Nothing all he asked me was is there something I want to tell him" Harry says averting his eyes to the ground.
"And lemme guess you didn't tell him anything" I say knowing Harry and his nature to never trust people easily. A trait that I had begun to admire in him . If this summer and the Greek myths had taught me anything it was that never trust anyone easily . You never know their motives . Luke Castellan proved as much .
"Well technically I didn't want to tell him anything . Sure there were stuff I needed to tell him but nothing I wanted to tell him." He says with a sly , mischievous grin on his face . That grin made all the change in the world to his face and he looked a lot like the his father from the picture I saw in McGonagall's office .
"Smooth Harry . Real Smooth ."
"Always 'Mione." He says with a cheeky grin .
"But promise me if things get worse you will go to a teacher . If not Dumbledore at least tell McGonagall ." I sternly say as I know his tendency to play the lone ranger and that mostly got him into life threatening situations .
"Do I have to ?" He whined . But after noticing the death glare I was shooting him he hastily added "Okay ! Okay ! I promise. "
My glare morphs into something weird when I try in vain to stifle a yawn and Harry chuckles "Someone seems to be sleepy . Very sleepy ."
"Well playing Wizards Chess with Ron is extremely tiring ." I say
"Sure 'Mione " He says with a chuckle that said I don't believe that for one second.
"Hey I am serious . Thinking does consume energy you know " I state in a defensive manner .
"Alright. Alright . Whatever you say 'Mione though I really think that you should go and get some sleep now ." He says as he raises his hands in mock surrender .
"Yeah I really should go before I fall asleep here "After yawning once more I lift my self off the seat with obvious effort and start dragging myself to the Girls Dormitory . Once I reach the top of the stairs Harry calls out "Hey 'Mione , Thanks for staying up for me . I really needed it . "
Too lazy and sleepy to even say a word or even turn around , I just give him a thumbs up and I can hear his chuckle reverberating through out the Common Room before I enter the Girls' Dorm.
TIME SKIP ~~
Third Person P.O.V
The double attack on Justin and Nearly Headless Nick turned what had hitherto been nervousness into real panic. Curiously, it was Nearly Headless Nick's fate that seemed to worry people most. What could possibly do that to a ghost ? People asked each other; what terrible power could harm someone who was already dead ? There was almost a stampede to book seats on the Hogwarts Express so that students could go home for Christmas.
"At this rate, we'll be the only ones left," Ron told Harry and Hermione. "Us, Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle. What a jolly holiday it's going to be."
Crabbe and Goyle, who always did whatever Malfoy did, had signed up to stay over the holidays, too. But Harry was glad that most people were leaving. He was tired of people skirting around him in the corridors, as though he was about to sprout fangs or spit poison; tired of all the muttering, pointing, and hissing as he passed.
Fred and George, however, found all this very funny. They went out of their way to march ahead of Harry down the corridors, shouting, "Make way for the Heir of Slytherin, seriously evil wizard coming through ...
Percy was deeply disapproving of this behavior.
"It is not a laughing matter," he said coldly.
"Oh, get out of the way, Percy," said Fred. "Harry's in a hurry."
"Yeah, he's off to the Chamber of Secrets for a cup of tea with his fanged servant," said George, chortling.
Ginny didn't find it amusing either.
"Oh, don't," she wailed every time Fred asked Harry loudly who he was planning to attack next, or when George pretended to ward Harry off with a large clove of garlic when they met.
Harry didn't mind; it made him feel better that Fred and George, at least, thought the idea of his being Slytherin's heir was quite ludicrous. But their antics seemed to be aggravating Draco Malfoy, who looked increasingly sour each time he saw them at it.
"It's because he's bursting to say it's really him," said Ron knowingly. "You know how he hates anyone beating him at anything, and you're getting all the credit for his dirty work."
"Not for long," said Hermione in a satisfied tone. "The Polyjuice Potion's nearly ready. We'll be getting the truth out of him any day now."
TIME SKIP ~~
Christmas break soon came bringing with it snow and silence . Harry enjoyed the solitude , a welcome break from all the whispering and side eyes .Since him , Hermione , Ron , the twins and Percy were the only Gryffindors staying back , they practically ran the tower . They spent the time playing Exploding Snap till all odd hours , duelling and laughing until their stomachs hurt . Fred and George decided to stay at Hogwarts instead of going to Egypt to meet Bill and Percy stayed only to help the teachers apparently .
Percy never spent any time with them and refused to take part in their childish endeavors .Hermione spent a lot of time talking to Sally and her brother Percy . Sally sent a lot of homely parcels for Hermione . Namely novels and blue food which Hermione loved and enjoyed
TIME SKIP~~
Christmas morning dawned, cold and white. Harry and Ron, the only ones left in their dormitory, were woken very early by Hermione, who burst in, fully dressed and carrying presents for them both.
"Wake up," she said loudly, pulling back the curtains at the window.
"Hermione - you're not supposed to be in here -" said Ron, shielding his eyes against the light.
"Merry Christmas to you, too," said Hermione, throwing him his present. "I've been up for nearly an hour, adding more lacewings to the potion. It's ready."
Harry sat up, suddenly wide awake"Are you sure?"
"Positive," said Hermione, sitting down on the end of Harry's four-poster. "If we're going to do it, I say it should be tonight."
At that moment, Hedwig swooped into the room, carrying a very small package in her beak.
"Hello," said Harry happily as she landed on his bed. "Are you speaking to me again?"
She nibbled his ear in an affectionate sort of way, which was a far better present than the one that she had brought him, which turned out to be from the Dursleys. They had sent Harry a toothpick and a note telling him to find out whether he'd be able to stay at Hogwarts for the summer vacation, too. Hermione found this appalling and barely suppressed the urge to punch something or someone . Particularly the Dursleys.
The rest of Harry's Christmas presents were far more satisfactory. Hagrid had sent him a large tin of treacle fudge. Ron had given him a book called Flying with the Cannons, a book of interesting facts about his favorite Quidditch team, and Hermione had bought him a luxury eagle-feather quill. Harry opened the last present to find a new, hand-knitted sweater from Mrs. Weasley and a large plum cake. He read her card with a fresh surge of guilt, thinking about Mr. Weasley's car (which hadn't been seen since its crash with the Whomping Willow), and the bout of rule-breaking he and Ron were planning next. Sally had given him a sweat shirt and cookies .
No one, not even someone dreading taking Polyjuice Potion later, could fail to enjoy Christmas dinner at Hogwarts.
The Great Hall looked magnificent. Not only were there a dozen frost-covered Christmas trees and thick streamers of holly and mistletoe crisscrossing the ceiling, but enchanted snow was falling, warm and dry, from the ceiling. Dumbledore led them in a few of his favorite carols, Hagrid booming more and more loudly with every goblet of eggnog he consumed.
Percy, who hadn't noticed that Fred had bewitched his prefect badge so that it now read "Pinhead," kept asking them all what they were sniggering at. Harry didn't even care that Draco Malfoy was making loud, snide remarks about his new sweater from the Slytherin table. With a bit of luck, Malfoy would be getting his comeuppance in a few hours' time.
Harry and Ron had barely finished their third helpings of Christmas pudding when Hermione ushered them out of the hall to finalize their plans for the evening.
"We still need a bit of the people you're changing into," said Hermione matter-of-factly, as though she were sending them to the supermarket for laundry detergent. "And obviously, it'll be best if you can get something of Crabbe's and Goyle's; they're Malfoys best friends, he'll tell them anything. And we also need to make sure the real Crabbe and Goyle can't burst in on us while we're interrogating him."
"I've got it all worked out," she went on smoothly, ignoring Harry's and Ron's stupefied faces. She held up two plump chocolate cakes. "I've filled these with a simple Sleeping Draught. All you have to do is make sure Crabbe and Goyle find them. You know how greedy they are, they're bound to eat them. Once they're asleep, pull out a few of their hairs and hide them in a broom closet."
Harry and Ron looked incredulously at each other. Both impressed and terrified at the same time .
"Hermione, I don't think -"
"That could go seriously wrong -"
But Hermione had a steely glint in her eye not unlike the one Professor McGonagall sometimes had.
"The potion will be useless without Crabbe's and Goyle's hair," she said sternly. "You do want to investigate Malfoy, don't you?"
"Oh, all right, all right," said Harry. "But what about you? Whose hair are you ripping out?"
"I've already got mine!" said Hermione brightly, pulling a tiny bottle out of her pocket and showing them the single hair inside it. "Remember Millicent Bulstrode trying to beat me to a pulp because I beat her in the Duelling Club ? She left this on my robes when she was trying to strangle me! And she's gone home for Christmas - so I'll just have to tell the Slytherins I've decided to come back."
Of course Harry remembered . How could he forget ? He had found them in the Hallway the day after where a magical duel escalated into a physical fight . Hermione didn't fire a single blow or hex just dodged them all with style and grace while occasionally taunting her . Hermione looked like a dancing nymph with the way she fought .
He had his doubts as to how smoothly this would go . There were a million things that could go wrong .
But to Harry's and Ron's utter amazement, stage one of the operation went just as smoothly as Hermione had said. They lurked in the deserted entrance hall after Christmas tea, waiting for Crabbe and Goyle who had remained alone at the Slytherin table, shoveling down fourth helpings of trifle. Harry had perched the chocolate cakes on the end of the banisters. When they spotted Crabbe and Goyle coming out of the Great Hall, Harry and Ron hid quickly behind a suit of armor next to the front door.
"How thick can you get?" Ron whispered ecstatically as Crabbe gleefully pointed out the cakes to Goyle and grabbed them. Grinning stupidly, they stuffed the cakes whole into their large mouths. For a moment, both of them chewed greedily, looks of triumph on their faces. Then, without the smallest change of expression, they both keeled over backward onto the floor.
By far the hardest part was hiding them in the closet across the hall. Once they were safely stowed among the buckets and mops, Harry yanked out a couple of the bristles that covered Goyle's forehead and Ron pulled out several of Crabbe's hairs. They also stole their shoes, because their own were far too small for Crabbe- and Goyle-size feet. Then, still stunned at what they had just done, they sprinted up to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom.
They could hardly see for the thick black smoke issuing from the stall in which Hermione was stirring the cauldron. Pulling their robes up over their faces, Harry and Ron knocked softly on the door.
"Hermione?"
They heard the scrape of the lock and Hermione emerged, shiny- faced and looking anxious. Behind her they heard the gloop gloop of the bubbling, glutinous potion. Three glass tumblers stood ready on the toilet seat.
"Did you get them?" Hermione asked breathlessly.
Harry showed her Goyle's hair.
"Good. And I sneaked these spare robes out of the laundry," Hermione said, holding up a small sack. "You'll need bigger sizes once you're Crabbe and Goyle."
The three of them stared into the cauldron. Close up, the potion looked like thick, dark mud, bubbling sluggishly.
"I'm sure I've done everything right," said Hermione, nervously rereading the splotched page of Moste Potente Potions. "It looks like the book says it should ... once we've drunk it, we'll have exactly an hour before we change back into ourselves."
"Now what?" Ron whispered.
"We separate it into three glasses and add the hairs."
Hermione ladled large dollops of the potion into each of the glasses. Then, her hand trembling, she shook Millicent Bulstrode's hair out of its bottle into the first glass.
The potion hissed loudly like a boiling kettle and frothed madly. A second later, it had turned a sick sort of yellow.
"Urgh - essence of Millicent Bulstrode," said Ron, eyeing it with loathing. "Bet it tastes disgusting."
"Add yours, then," said Hermione.
Harry dropped Goyle's hair into the middle glass and Ron put Crabbe's into the last one. Both glasses hissed and frothed: Goyle's turned the khaki color of a booger, Crabbe's a dark, murky brown.
"Hang on," said Harry as Ron and Hermione reached for their glasses. "We'd better not all drink them in here ... Once we turn into Crabbe and Goyle we won't fit. And Millicent Bulstrode's no pixie.
"Good thinking," said Ron, unlocking the door. "We'll take separate stalls."
Careful not to spill a drop of his Polyjuice Potion, Harry slipped into the middle stall.
"Ready?" he called.
"Ready," came Ron's and Hermione's voices.
"One - two - three -"
Pinching his nose, Harry drank the potion down in two large gulps. It tasted like overcooked cabbage.
Immediately, his insides started writhing as though he'd just swallowed live snakes - doubled up, he wondered whether he was going to be sick - then a burning sensation spread rapidly from his stomach to the very ends of his fingers and toes - next, bringing him gasping to all fours, came a horrible melting feeling, as the skin all over his body bubbled like hot wax - and before his eyes, his hands began to grow, the fingers thickened, the nails broadened,the knuckles were bulging like bolts -his shoulders stretched painfully and a prickling on his forehead told him that hair was creeping down toward his eyebrows - his robes ripped as his chest expanded like a barrel bursting its hoops - his feet were agony in shoes four sizes too small
As suddenly as it had started, everything stopped. Harry lay facedown on the stone-cold floor, listening to Myrtle gurgling morosely in the end toilet. With difficulty, he kicked off his shoes and stood up. So this was what it felt like, being Goyle. His large hand trembling, he pulled off his old robes, which were hanging a foot above his ankles, pulled on the spare ones, and laced up Goyle's boatlike shoes. He reached up to brush his hair out of his eyes and met only the short growth of wiry bristles, low on his forehead. Then he realized that his glasses were clouding his eyes because Goyle obviously didn't need them - he took them off and called,
"Are you two okay?" Goyle's low rasp of a voice issued from his mouth.
"Yeah," came the deep grunt of Crabbe from his right.
Harry unlocked his door and stepped in front of the cracked mirror. Goyle stared back at him out of dull, deepset eyes. Harry scratched his ear. So did Goyle.
Ron's door opened. They stared at each other. Except that he looked pale and shocked, Ron was indistinguishable from Crabbe, from the pudding-bowl haircut to the long, gorilla arms.
"This is unbelievable," said Ron, approaching the mirror and prodding Crabbe's flat nose. "Unbelievable. "
"We'd better get going," said Harry, loosening the watch that was cutting into Goyle's thick wrist. "We've still got to find out where the Slytherin common room is. I only hope we can find someone to follow. . ."
Ron, who had been gazing at Harry, said, "You don't know how bizarre it is to see Goyle thinking." He banged on Hermione's door. "C'mon, we need to go -"
A high-pitched voice answered him.
"I - I don't think I'm going to come after all. You go on without me."
"Hermione, we know Millicent Bulstrode's ugly, no one's going to know it's you -"
"No - really - I don't think I'll come. You two hurry up, you re wasting time"
Harry looked at Ron, bewildered.
"That looks more like Goyle," said Ron. "That's how he looks every time a teacher asks him a question."
"Hermione, are you okay?" said Harry through the door. He was worried that something had happened to her .
"Fine - I'm fine - go on -"
Harry looked at his watch. Five of their precious sixty minutes had already passed. He reluctantly decided to leave for the mission.
"We'll meet you back here, all right?" he said.
Harry and Ron opened the door of the bathroom carefully, checked that the coast was clear, and set off.
HERMIONE P.O.V
How in bloody Merlin's name was I supposed to know that the hair I got wasn't Millicent's but a cat's . From the looks of it it looked like her cat .
Damn you Bulstrode ! I kept my temper in check for nothing when all I wanted to do was show her who I really was . Daughter of the Sea God . The control was slipping everytime she hurled a slur at me but I thought it was worth it . Now I'm stuck in a toilet stall with Moaning Myrtle for company as a cat for a whole hour and I didn't even get to pay Millicent back . Just great . Jackson luck as Percy would call it .
"Oooh look what happened ? Old know it all is now a furry little kitty" A shrill voice sounded .Mrytle . Shit . Time was already going so slow and now she knows . This is bad . Real Bad . She hates my guts for no reason . Okay maybe I wasn't the nicest person . I did call her Moaning Mrytle . And I guess that was rude .
I look up at Mrytle and see a glimpse of my terrifying furry face in her eyes . Gosh ! I really did look hideous .
I need to stop her from tattling to every person in this vicinity so I make the best cat apologetic face I can and say "Hey Mrytle , I'm really sorry for calling you moaning Mrytle . "
She looks at me doubtfully , stopping her shrill screeching for once .Sensing an opening I say "I'm really sorry . I will never call you Moaning Mrytle again . Nor will I make fun of you . Just please ".
The only difference second time around was that I meant it . My heart went out to her once I realized that she had died no murdered at such a young age and was unable to be at peace even in death .
I guess she saw that I meant the apology too because she stopped shrieking . I hear a pair of footsteps . SHIT ! The boys were back and I still was a cat . Damnit.
THIRD PERSON P.O.V
Harry checked his face in the cracked mirror. He was back to normal. He put his glasses on as Ron hammered on the door of Hermione's stall.
"Hermione, come out, we've got loads to tell you -"
"Go away!" Hermione and Ron looked at each other.
"What's the matter?" said Ron. "You must be back to normal by now, we are"
But Moaning Myrtle glided suddenly through the stall door. Harry had never seen her looking so happy."Ooooooh, wait till you see," she said. "It's awful-" Guess she was still mad at Hermione.
They heard the lock slide back and Hermione emerged, sobbing, her robes pulled up over her head.
"What's up?" said Ron uncertainly. "Have you still got Millicent's nose or something?"
Hermione let her robes fall and Ron backed into the sink.
Her face was covered in black fur. Her eyes had turned yellow and there were long, pointed ears poking through her hair.
"It was a c-cat hair!" she howled. "M-Millicent Bulstrode must have a cat! And the p-potion isn't supposed to be used for animal transformations!"
"Uh-oh," said Ron.
"You'll be teased something dreadful," said Myrtle happily.
"It's okay, Hermione," said Harry quickly. "We'll take you up to the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey never asks too many questions ...
It took a long time to persuade Hermione to leave the bathroom. Moaning Myrtle sped them on their way with a hearty guffaw. "Wait till everyone finds out you've got a tail!"
TIME SKIP ~~~
Hermione spent two days in the infirmary . She was extremely moody and upset . The boys visited her multiple times a day but she was upset . Harry figured it had something to do with her family and did not push her or snap at her . Instead he spent time soothing her with reassuring words about how beautiful she was and the cat incident changed nothing between them .
He also filled her in on the fact that Malfoy wasn't the heir of Slytherin . The real reason Hermione was upset was because she felt like she let Sally down. She knew Sally was looking forward to spending time with her and Hermione had abruptly told her that she wasn't coming home . Sally may have looked fine but the sadness that flitted over face didn't go unnoticed by Hermione .
Now on bed rest in the Hospital Wing , she couldn't find a way to IM her mom . Her only way of maintaining contact was through telepathy with Percy . Late on Christmas night she gets a bleep feeling in her head . Percy wanted to talk .
"Hey sis ! Wassup , Merry Christmas ."
"Merry Christmas to you too Percy . "
"Thanks for the gift and all ! Seriously , I always wanted a skate board ."
"No problem . Thanks for the set of switch blades and bandanas . Seriously cool."
"Well since mom was already sending you a set of books . I thought why not spice your life up with some bandanas and switch blades and all things mischief ."
"Yeah ...You must be rubbing off on me."
"As if ! You always were mischievous just never got caught is more like it . So What happened ? Mom and I expected you to IM us first thing on Christmas morning "
"Yeah well I was planning to do that but thanks to a little escapade I'm in the infirmary on a hospital bed with no facility to IM"
"Infirmary ? ARE YOU OKAY ? WHAT ON EARTH HAPPENED TO YOU ?"His voice louder even through the telepathic connection.
"Hey chill out bro . Geez . Remember that little side project I told you about ? Yeah ;well long story short , It went horribly wrong and now I'm currently changing from a cat to a human .I've got all my limbs and am still alive and in one piece ."
"What the bloody hell ? You know what , I'm not gonna even pretend to understand . But me and mom are Iris Messaging you now . "
"Percy wait -"
But the line went dead . Damn ! I was in for it now . It was high time I came clean to my mom. But that meant a panicked parent . But my only saving grace was that mom was lenient and the infirmary was empty. A familiar holographic mist forms beside my bed .
I sit up on my hospital bed and look around to make sure no one is around and then say"Hey mom ! Hey Percy!"
"Sweetie Percy told me everything . You don't have to be sorry for anything . I totally understand . Help me in the kitchen once in a while and we'll call it even .But What on Earth happened to you ? Not that you don't look cute or anything but you have cat ears and I seriously doubt they are fake" Mom says . Percy perks up just now noticing my cat ears . God I was in for it now .
Before I could say anything Percy bursts out laughing almost falling off his chair ignoring the scowl mom was sending his way . He was never going to let me live this one down . Thankfully he didn't see my tail . I put my head between my hands waiting for the laughter to stop along with the mortifying humiliation .
After few very long minutes the laughter stops due to lack of air I'm pretty sure .
"'Lanta can you please tell me what happened ?" Mom asks and I lift up my face and look to Percy for help . But he has a smirk plastered on that face of his . It clearly said nope you're on your own sis . He looked like Christmas just got a whole lot more fun.
"See well , long story short : My little side project went slightly wrong and I became a cat and now am transforming back -" I say averting my eyes to the ground .
Percy cuts me off and says "Understatement of the year sis . Basically the little side project isn't so little and innocent ." My head snaps up to glare at him. Mum didn't need to know all that .
"Percy just shut your trap for once "I growled .
Percy is about to bite back when mom shouts "ENOUGH ! "
We both stop glaring at each other and avert our eyes to the ground and she lowers her volume and takes a deep breath to calm herself and says "Will both of you please tell me what on earth is going on ? Lanta go Percy quiet Or so God help me -"
I step in and stop her before she could complete that sentence and take a deep breath and begin my tale"Okay well so this school year was a little crazier than the last one . Everything started off pretty normal except Lockheart who was gaga . Fast forward a few weeks we were walking in a corridor when both Harry and I heard a voice saying kill . Only Harry and I heard it . Next thing we know the caretaker's cat is petrified and there is a writing on the wall in blood that says 'The chamber of Secrets has been opened. Enemies of the heir beware .' "
"What ? How come you didn't tell me any of this ?" Percy and mom both indignantly state at the same time .
"Well because I wasn't sure of anything and I did not want you guys to worry .Now can I please continue with my tale ? " I say. Both of them nod.
I continue on with my tale "Thank you .Legend has it that One of the founders apparently hid a deadly creature in this chamber and that creature can only be called and controlled by his descendants to purge the school of impurity ."
"Impurity ? What does that mean ?" Mom asks me with a dark look in her eyes .
I clarify her doubt "According to the members of his house it means anyone of non magical descent or inferior blood . Anyways so the attacks continued and 2 more students ended up petrified along with a ghost .There was this boy . The blond guy with the pointy nose in Diagon Alley . Malfoy is his name . He was extremely happy about this heir business. Too happy . So Harry , Ron and I decided to brew this potion that helped us shape shift - "
But Percy cuts me off "-This was her borderline illegal , not so innocent Side project"
"Thank you Percy for that unwelcome tidbit of information . So our plan was to shape shift into the members of Draco's house so we could get to know if he was the heir or not . Anyways we finished the potion and I ended up using cat hair instead of the girls's hair and I ended up as a cat ans since the potion wasn't fit for animal transformation . Here I am " I conclude my tale gesturing to my cat ears .
"Okay ...that is a lot to take in . Just give me a second to take it all in . My daughter engages in an off the books , borderline illegal side project . " Mom states when she looks at my worried face .
"And here I thought you were the responsible one ? But I guess even Oz has it's flying monkeys " She says and Percy snorts at that
"What ? Can you two book nerds please speak in English ?" Percy asks
"Mom was saying even responsible kids have their mischievous moments ." I say with a roll of my eyes . Boys will be boys .
"Oh ...okay now I get it . So now what are you gonna do ?" Percy asks with a concerned look in his eyes .He knew I wasn't gonna let the matter rest .
"I really don't know guys . The first step is to figure out who this heir is . If that isn't possible at least what this beast is ." I say coming completely clean to them .
"Okay so what do you know ?" Mom asks me . Going into lets crack this together mode .
"Nothing except the fact the creature has something to do with water ." I say kinda ashamed . I was normally the person who knew stuff but now I know nothing .
"How old did you say this tale was ?" Mom asks a different gleam in her eyes .
"A couple of thousand years or so mom . Why ?" I ask curiously wondering where she was going with this .
"Nothing I was just wondering that you know if this monster of yours has anything to do with water you should go and talk to Jean about it . If anyone would know , she would." She says . That is a great idea . Why didn't I think of that ?
"Yeah ...I should probably talk to her and ask her - " I affirm .
"And you will not make any more of such rash decisions . Like seriously 'lanta , this heir seems kinda dangerous and it does not help that I am halfway across the world from you ." She says going into mommy bear mode .
"Okay...Okay ...I promise . Now can we please talk about something more fun please ? Like how Percy gets called to the Prinicipal's office at least once in 2 days ." I say desperate to change the topic
"Hey ! " Percy says indignantly. Both of us start going back and forth . Like normal twins do especially if one is behaving like a 2 year old .
Sally P.O.V(In Manhattan)
The twins were going back and forth and I shake my head at their incessant bickering and get up to go into the living room to find Poseidon leaning against the book shelf we have with a grin on his face .
This causes butterflies to erupt in my stomach . He looks at me in silence with a look akin to longing . Nope he can't want me if he did he would have said something . He looked as if trying to memorise every feature of my face . I guess even I was doing the same . His smile lines , those eyes and his jet black hair .
He shakes his head as if snapping out of a trance and steps towards me and says "Sally beautiful as always. Merry Christmas ."
"Merry Christmas to you too Poseidon . What brings you here ? Should I call Percy ?-" I unintentionally ramble on but he cuts me off .
"No no let him talk to his sister. I came to see you. If only for a few minutes . How are you doing ?"
"I'm doing great like the writing is going great and Percy managed to not get expelled and I have my daughter with me so life is good I guess . But I really wish you didn't pass on your trouble making genes to both of them " I say remembering the mischievous glint the twins get in their eyes whenever they're upto something . That was all Poseidon .
"My trouble making genes ? Excuse me ? Don't act as if you weren't a trouble maker in your younger days . " He says with a smirk on his face .
"Okay okay . You caught me there . I did enjoy my fair share of mischief back in the day ." I raise my hands in mock surrender .
I sneak a peek into the kitchen to see Percy completely engrossed in the talk with Atalanta .
I look back at Poseidon a silent request evident in my eyes . He shakes his head , hurt seeping into those sea green eyes of his as he softly says "No ...I don't have time right now and it is far too dangerous . I'm not even supposed to be here"
"Then why are you?" I ask before I can catch myself and it came out harsher than I intended as I can see him visibly wince before answering "I just can't help myself when it comes to you and the children . I wanna see you all . But I can't be there as much as I like for you or the kids because of who I am . I'm sorry . I should get going ."
He turns to leave the hurt evident in his eyes and I reach out and take his hand to stop him from going . His hand was still the same . Rough , Coarse with long callous fingers ."No don't leave . Stay . That wasn't what I meant to say . All I meant was that I would like it more if you were there with the kids and spent more time with them ."
He sighs before saying "Yeah ...But you know I can't do that . My brothers will kill them ."
"They deserve to have their father you know . At least try to be there ." I plead with him . His face shows a myriad of emotions . I can see his resolve crumbling .
He just needed one little push . "Please for me " I add . Guess that was the push he needed as his wals come crumbling down and he sighs once before saying "You don't play fair Sally ."
"Never said I did Poseidon ."
"Okay...So how about we all spend New Years' together in London ?"
"You're serious right now because if this is a joke so help me God -"
"Do I look like I'm joking ?" He says hurt and anger flashing in his eyes .
"No just that a minute ago you were saying that you can't and now you're literally offering a family trip to London .." I quickly state not wanting to hurt him more than I already did because hurting him hurts me .
"Yeah so you interested ?"
"Yeah ... I mean I would love to go and spend new Year with you and our family . But what about Atalanta ? What about your brothers ?"
" I'm the God of the Sea . The stormbringer . They wouldn't dare cross me if they know what's good for them . Besides what is life without a little risk .Don't worry about Atalanta . I got that covered . Just keep your stuff packed by the 30 th of December"
"Okay . Thank You " I say meaning it . Guess he really did care .
"No thank you Sally for giving me the most wonderful family ever and making me feel human . If that is possible . Now I really gotta run before my presence is missed ." He says sincerely causing butterflies to go haywire once again in my stomach .
"Bye Poseidon . See you "
"Take care of yourself Sally . By the way did I mention you look beautiful today ?" With that he flashes away . Cheeky bastard .
I go over to the bookshelf reveling in the comforting smell of the sea and take an Austen novel to read and curl up on the couch forgetting completely about the two bickering twins in the kitchen as I realize that I would not change a thing about my family . I love them all including Poseidon .