The next few weeks, the wizards worked harder than they ever had. Karlito and Harry were beginning to develop stark abdomens and muscles. Hermione was getting a taut body. This was due to strenuous exercise that the demigods put them through. Ron skipped out on them, but he would definitely regret it later.
One afternoon, just days before they would haul back to Hogwarts, Karlito and Bean were cleaning off the backside of the house. Ron was supposed to be helping them, but he chose to opt out. Bean gritted her teeth, irritated. "If you have a choice, don't save the boy's life." Karlito chuckled and patted her head. "I don't have a choice. Sure, he can be annoying, but he's our friend, even if barely."
Bean looked at at him sadly. "Karlito..." "Yeah?" "Why do you have to go back to Hogwarts? You can just stay here, or I can go with you-" "Come on, now. I know it seems selfish, but I have to go to school." Karlito leaned down, and looked at Bean. He looked at Ron, who was absorbed in Thalia's... backside.
"Listen, Bean." "Yeah?" "You found this information on your own." "Tell me!" "Settle down! There is a man named Voldemort. He...he killed me and Harry's parents. Now, he wants to finish Harry off. He thinks I'm still in America or something, so-" "Your safe, kinda. But...you want to help Harry kill him."
"Right on the money. You always were a dime." "Yeah, Yeah, don't flatter me. It won't make your situation better. But, I understand now. Just know, I'll be watching you." "Okay, Bean." Karlito went back to cleaning the house, but he could sense the readiness leaking out of Angelina. He hoped she did nothing too brash.
And then there were two. Two days until they went back to school, that is. Karlito and Harry were slapped tired. The demigods were gasping for air every chance they got. Hermione was only slightly breathing bad, but they guessed she used some type of potion. That was the ingenious in her for you.
Bean was getting decreasingly sad, while Ginny was doing the contrary. Bean, with the exception of Ron, was unhappy to see the people go. Ginny liked the others, but life was funnier and simpler when it was just her and Ginny.
Bean was sitting on the bed, watching Karlito pack in his room. "Why do you look so sad?" "No." "Bean..." "No." Karlito sighed and put his hand in his trunk. Karlito finally finished putting stuff up. "I'm done." Bean hopped off of the bed. "Can we eat lunch now?" "Yeah, let's go. Thalia wants us to meet down there anyway." Karlito took his trunk, went downstairs with Bean, and walked right into a surprise. Or, more like a hug.
A girl with medium length brown hair, did into a criss cross that ended just below her shoulder. She gave off a sweet fragrance that touched his nose and went through his brain. It nearly paralyzed him. Karlito noticed every little detail. She was as tall as him, and around the same weight. She had broad but petite shoulders, and a upside down oval face. One 'imperfection' on her face was a freckle that stood out against her skin.
She was hugging the life out of him, so he tapped her back slightly. Still, she refused to let go. A voice muttered from the corner. "Let the poor geezer go." The girl let go and stood back. She was smiling at him so brightly, he wanted her to hug him again. "Um...excuse me. Hello! My name is Piper McLean." Hermione gasped. "You're related to Tristan McLean?" "Yep, he's my dad." Piper didn't sound too enthusiastic, she sounded sad. "Who's Tristan McLean?" Hermione gasped at Angelina. "You don't know?" She then developed heart eyes. "He's the most handsome man on the planet, has been for ten years straight." Bean smiled. "I'm not just interested in looks." Karlito patted her head and leaned down.
"Keep that mentality. Most men are douchebags." She laughed. "Duh!"
A terrible voice arose from the corner. "You think this is terrible? You don't know the half of it!" Annabeth smacked at the corner. A scrawny boy who weighed not 20 pounds more than Bean and Ginny. He had olive eyes and black hair. His attire matched the black theme. "Shut up, Nico." He immediately followed her orders. He looked roughly at the Golden Trio, as if had a personal vendetta against them.
Percy and Ron had just woken up, even though it was after one o'clock. "What's to eat?" Ron asked. Even though he tried to hide it, Rom had gained a few pounds from just eating all day. He slacked off of his work. Even though no one in the group would make fun of him, it was no guarantee that Malfoy or his goons would spare him the easy embarrassment.
There was soon an awkward silence as Jason entered the room. He took one look at Piper, who gave him some type of look, then jetted back up to his room. Percy followed after him. "Come on, bro! I thought we were over this!" Piper giggled a little, then went to talk with Thalia and Annabeth. Annabeth introduced Hermione into the conversation. Bean shrugged and went into the kitchen. "I'll eat some fruit today..."
Percy and Nico followed Karlito and Harry onto the porch. Once they were comfortable and had some iced lemonade, Nico confronted the two boys. "So, your the most famous Harry Potter, savior of the Wizarding World." Harry nodded and blushed. "Um, yeah." Nico looked indifferent, except for a little frown. Did he hate Harry for something?
"You're not as good at hiding your feelings as the others." Karlito noted. Nico frowned. "Hush it. You're not important, since I don't know you." Percy frowned at Nico. "Chill out." Nico waved his hand. "Oh, shut it, Jackson. So, Karlito, why are you volunteering yourself for death at the hands of Voldemort-" Percy wanted to cover up Nico's mouth with his hand, but he was slow.
Karlito looked alerted. "Damnit, Nico!" Percy got up and flipped the chair. Nico wnet from looking cool as a cucumber to following Percy. "I'm sorry! I'm just don't like them!" "So you tell his his future? You tell him he'll die?" Harry and Karlito exchanged looks. Percy ran into the house and closed the door. Nico faltered and tried to open it. He gave a nostalgic look to Karlito, and then went into the house.
Harry and Karlito just looked at each other. "What?"
A couple of hours later, Harry, Karlito, and Jason were sitting at the table, exchanging storied about their pasts. Jason was currently in the middle of telling the two about a time when he defeated a Titan lord with the help of his camp when Hermione thundered downstairs. "Meeting in Annabeth's room at 5 o'clock. Don't be late." She went back upstairs, meanwhile hiding her face.
"What's wrong with her, Harry." Harry gave him a uncharacteristic distant look. "I don't know."
Harry and Karlito made their way up to Annabeth's room at three till five. The main reason the meeting was in her room was because it was the largest. She had won by luck of draw, but Karlito suspected more was going on. Karlito knocked in the door. Harry walked in behind him. They sat ok opposite sides of the room. Piper and Thalia came in. Piper sat a little too close to Karlito, but he didn't complain. She smelled too nice to do that.
Percy and Annabeth came in, followed by a dauntless Nico. Ron came in, then Jason. He sat as far as he could from Piper. Karlito still wondered what was happening in that relationship. Annabeth finally spoke up. "Why did we decided to have a meeting in the first place?" Percy coughed and stood up. "Nico leaked information."
Jason folded over and pretended to be unconscious. Annabeth put her hand on her nose and pinched it. Thalia waved her hand under her nose. "Pee you! Is that...what I think it is? Nico's childish antics?" Nico stabbed the ground with his sword. "Oh, shut up." Piper leaned on Karlito's shoulder. "Everytime we go on an important mission, Nico manages to mess everything up. It used to be Percy, but..."
Karlito nodded and raised his hand. "While we were outside, Nico said something that bothered me." Immediately, the atmosphere changed. Thalia gave an icy look towards Nico. He withered slightly. "Please don't tell me you leaked that information. Anything but that." Harry frowned. "What is that? I thought we said no secrets." "There are no secrets, now. We just told you that stuff about Dumbledore. Now, the real reason we came to Hogwarts was not only to defeat Voldemort, it was also to...prevent Karlito's death."
Hermione gasped. She did that a lot lately. "What do you mean, Prevent? How did you know he was going to die?" Annabeth stood. "At Camp Half Blood, we have a fortune telling person called the Oracle. She gives out the future to people, and she gives prophecies to demigods seeking a mission from Chiron.
"Now, when we were given the mission to come here to kill Voldemort, we weren't supposed to have a prophecy, but someone wanted to get one to just be on the safe side." She gave another look at Nico. "So, we went. The prophecy said this..." She sat back down and pulled out a paper from her Yankees cap.
If one shall assume the right of visiting the Wizarding World
Then he shall roam the lands with a trio of three
That includes two males, and one girl.
They should have a tag along
And sing the brightest of the songs.
Until the Bushy One dies.
His wand, made of elven wool, phoenix, and holly,
Shall fail him when it so decides.
Whether it be when or after Voldemort's death
The boy will definitely lose all of his breath
And be taken away to the promised land for good.
He shall come back when he so feels like it
And he shall die again
But not flesh deep.
A wound so bad, he shall shake for all eternity
Or, shall finish shaking in the name of his best friends.
His friends and he shall answer the call
And determine whether the Wizarding society loves, or falls.
A big war in roughly four years shall see ice this battleground
Will The Bushy One die, or shall he live for at least another round?
And one more prophecy, for those who call themselves half bloods
Will you save him if it meant sacrificing your fellow
Will you save the dying human, or the one that mellows
in his darkest desires.
Finally, Annabeth stopped reading. There was an obtuse silence before Harry and Karlito burst out laughing. The demigods looked at the two as they started kicking and laughing. Piper held Karlito's head as he started hiccuping. Harry was slow to catch his breath.
"What is so funny?" Percy asked. "These never end good. I mean, never." Karlito sat up and changed his face. He went from laughing to a darted looked. His eyebrows flexed and his eyes hardened. "A little prophecy dictating my death? I've had a couple of those in my lifetime. And if you're worried I'll die for real, don't worry."
Hermione frowned. "Why not?"
"You know, Mione. I'm stronger than that. I'm stronger than death."