Chapter 48
Rachel
Hardly anyone was more excited about going to America than Hermione and Ginny, and their excitement spread to Ron and Harry. Mrs Weasley likewise was looking forward to the trip but with some trepidation. I think she feared not knowing all the financial machinations once we got there though I regularly explained to her, along with Hazel, that she didn't need to worry about money. We even prepared her, Mr Weasley and the rest of the Order with survival bags, minus the sword of course as none of them were able to effectively use one, and gently helped with their wardrobes. In the end Jennifer and Annabeth had the aerials surreptitiously measure them and then we went ape shit with the JC Penny, J. Crew and LL. Bean web site on Annabeth's laptop to outfit them. This may seem condescending, but had we not Mr Weasley had planned to wear lederhosen around Disney.
Mr Weasley was ambivalent about the trip until Hermione told him that Epcot was dedicated to teaching how muggles all over the world lived, then he was like a little schoolboy filled with a thousand questions. The most excited one of them all though was, well, me. I just loved the place, I couldn't help it. Mom and dad had taken me all over the world for vacations and learning experiences, but I always wanted to go to Orlando.
The big day came and Dumbledore, Harry and Hazel gathered everyone in the practice area. Dumbledore explained we might experience some disorientation or nausea while Leo and Jennifer connected the Leodis to the Argo III, no one really knew because no one had ever been inside it while it was apparated, if in fact it did, which most of us doubted. Percy explained once connected and at sea we would be free to roam about the ship so long as our partner was with us and our group leader knew where we were going and when we would be back. We had put together the partner and group system so we could rapidly locate everyone and make sure everyone was okay. While there we would have a few group meet ups at particular times in the parks so we wouldn't lose anyone, and planned that a door to the Leodis would be added in Rachel's hotel room temporarily so that everyone could come and go. We worked out a plan to be discrete, but with over a hundred people going it was not possible and so it was decided to simply add the door somewhere hidden near the part entrance. While we were going over all this again, Leo walked in and announced that we were now aboard ship and the extra door beside the exit from the pool area would lead to the ship.
"So Percy, you want to go steer this thing?" He smiled.
"Sure, are we moving?"
"Yeah, it took off the second I hung the door."
We had all been wondering how to get the ship going again and Percy had been sending details of the travel plans with his sacrifices, but honestly no one knew if it would work. Some of us hurried to the bridge but we asked the great mass to wait until we were far enough at sea that the Ministry might not be looking that way before departing the Leodis or Hogwarts. Percy, Leo, Annabeth, myself and Jennifer went to ship though, just to keep an eye on things. I'm honestly not sure why I went, I just felt like I should. Maybe it was guilt about not being able to take the Weasley kids out for lobster as I had promised.
"Lord Poseidon!" Jennifer exclaimed when we got to the bridge and found Percy's father at the controls.
We all knelt of course.
"Please rise. We are pleased with your progress, and Leo, an excellent idea of connecting your home to the two camps. It will make the next round of operations much easier. Percy, how are you?" He smiled.
Poseidon was dressed like a ship's captain, in his late forties with reddish blonde hair and a neatly trimmed beard. Had Jennifer not recognized him, I'm not sure any one other than Percy would.
"I'm good dad. What do you mean by the next round of operations?"
"Oh, that. There are things afoot, plans being made. I told you before, and I will tell your associates now, after this quest, there will be a reckoning, accounts will be settled and all of you will be involved, provided the fates allow you to live through it. But lets not dwell on that, it will develop as it does. I'm more interested in hearing of my son. How are you?"
"Well, uh, you know. I'm good. Great really."
"I see. Your brother told me you had an interesting birthday party. I hate I couldn't be there." He grinned. Oh, and when one of the big three grins two things happen, the room lights up and everyone in it is scared shitless.
"Oh! Well, I didn't do the invitations, but yeah! The big news is"
"That you proposed and Miss Annabeth accepted. We, myself and your mother Miss Chase, are both pleased with this development. Welcome to the family Annabeth." He said as his arms wrapped around both Percy and his bride to be.
"Thank you, uh, your and mom's blessing means so much to us both."
"No it doesn't, or you would have asked your mother before accepting." He laughed. "It is as it should be, your decision, your path to choose. No one else's opinion should ultimately matter to either of you in this regard. Never the less, we are both pleased, and your mother is now a bit more accepting of your living arrangements. The entire pantheon is happy for both of you. Now, Calypso, as to your situation. We are examining possibilities. Aphrodite is touched by your quandary and is following your story with great interest. She speaks to her husband and my brothers often, and of course Leo's father is in your corner as well. You should wait and let the story unfold. Also, stop doing magic without a wand. Dumbledore is convinced that you are Aphrodite, or Athena, or Hecate in disguise. Remember the pact, or come home now until the story unfolds."
"I cannot leave Leo, my heart would die."
"I understand. Give me your wand."
Jennifer did as she was told.
"Your left hand please." Poseidon said, and Jennifer obediently extended it.
Poseidon placed the wand back into her open hand.
"Now it carries the same magic as my son's sword. To the world it will appear to be a pen, or other writing instrument. To the magic community, a wand. And if you are awake and place it down for more than a few seconds, it will reappear."
"Oh cool, so it will always jump back in your pocket." Percy said.
"No, it will reappear in her left hand. No one must ever find out who you are. Do you understand? You will always appear to use a wand. This is critical to the plans unfolding."
"Yes my lord, and, thank you."
"I must go, but I carry one more message. Rachel, although you are not a child of the pantheon, we have heard your sacrificial pleas. Your oath was unfair given Apollo's circumstances, and is under review. This too will be part of the accounting. Now, Percy, Leo, I believe you know how to run the company's ship. Once you are two to three hundred miles away from England it should be safe for your travelers to come out. I have again cleared the seas for you, oh, nice job on the merpeople. That tribe had been missing for sometime. You should be there in a week, but just in case, I would set watches. This time tomorrow you should be far enough from England to use the students as well."
"Uh thanks dad, thanks for everything."
"Enjoy your break Percy, Annabeth. Dark times will come, but you will be safe behind my wall. Oh, and be sure to have Christmas dinner in Colorado. Your mother and I want a full report of the happenings there."
With that, he ran to the rail and dove twenty stories into the river.
"Well. That was interesting." Rachel said.
"Yeah, what problem was he talking about?" Leo asked Rachel.
"Never you mind that. It is for Rachel and the lords and ladies of Olympus to resolve and it sounds as though it will be favorable. Let us mention it no more." Jennifer smiled.
"You seem happy with your news. I told you it would work out!" Annabeth said as she hugged Jennifer.
"Indeed you did, but it does feel, well, I am hopeful at last."
"Told ya baby. Leo's got it covered." He grinned. "But I do have one question for you Percy. What company was he talking about?"
"I have no idea."
"Does this count as another prophecy?" I asked.
"The gods do not choose their words randomly" Jennifer said. "Well unless the words are for quickly written haiku I suppose."
"Okay, Annabeth and I will take the first watch. You guys go tell everyone no topside time until this time tomorrow by orders of my father. Send Jason and Nico to help us out in a while. Then gather up the usual crew and try to figure out what a company means to the gods."
"Uh dude, I can take a watch." Leo said, clearly missing the machine we were riding in.
"Sure, but you still have the trace, after this time tomorrow you can take the bridge the rest of the trip if you want." Percy grinned.
"Uh doesn't Annabeth still have it too?"
"No, she's 18, but in any event we've got an always together deal going on that if I break will make her mad, and that will put our marriage in jeopardy, which will piss off Aphrodite, which will ruin Jennifer's day, and I don't want your girlfriend mad at me. Ever." Percy grinned. "Besides, with Nico and Jason here, we can fight old school style, just slash and hack. Right dear?"
"Well in truth the wand thing has grown on me, and not that it matters, but if it keeps Jennifer from blowing you up, I guess I can give it rest for a day or so. Leo, why don't you relax for once and just enjoy some down time with your girl. She is a wonderful person and gobs of fun to be around!" Annabeth said, with a wink to Jennifer.
We all giggled at this and three of us went below to try to figure out this newest clue. In the end, we had no idea.
Once folks were able to get outside and move about the ship it felt less claustrophobic, although honestly how anyone could feel cooped up with an entire material plain at their disposal was beyond me. As it was cold and damp, and there was no crew to man the games in the casino, other than shooting skeet with wands there was very little to do and folks generally went back to the Leodis after a few hours. After that the week dragged on. We busied ourselves, well the aerials actually, in making fake id's for the students and faculty. They would need them in order to get tickets purchased and used. Money was no problem, thanks to Hazel and her father's generosity. We had already ordered the tickets through Annabeth's laptop, but would need identification to pick them up and use them. Dad has insisted on getting the passes for my immediate circle of friends, as well as rooms for them, but most would be staying in the Leodis at night.
The second night at sea I asked the Weasley kids, as well as Percy, Annabeth, Harry, Hermione, Ginny and Seamus to join me for dinner on the ship rather than in the Leodis dining hall. I wanted them to at least try lobster, crab, clams and the other seafood I had grown up on. Fortunately the aerials provided by Poseidon prepared literally the best seafood ever. Seriously, it amazed even me, and I've had lobster at the finest restaurants in the world. At first none of the Hogwarts crowd would try it, except for Ginny and Harry, and them only at Hermione's insistence that it was what rich people all over the world ate. Ron resided himself to it as well and soon all were enjoying it. Seamus, George and Fred were mainly cracking jokes about their friends and family eating bugs and none of them would dare try it themselves, although they played with it and nibbled at some of the sides. This disappointed me.
"So. There are all sorts of places to dine at Epcot and Disney. But if you want to hang out with me, you better try lobster first. There is nothing a girl hates more than eating while some guy just stares, making fun of what she is having and there is no telling what I might try when we get there. Couscous is not out of the question. Do you three understand?" I said, or more realistically, pronounced. All three had been hitting on me since we met and I had tried to stay friendly but stand offish as I could never be with a guy as the Oracle of Delphi. From what Poseidon said that might be getting ready to change, and if these guys wanted to be first in line to date me, then they better shape up, and grow up, at least a bit. Also, I was also pretty sure that none of them knew what couscous was. It was just the first food with an odd name that came to mind.
Soon all three were regaling the wonders of lobster, then crab, and then fried clams and all the other delicious delicacies the sea provided us. George, Fred and Seamus all flirted with me like little school boys, which was nice but some maturity would have gone a long way. Unfortunately I killed the conversation by asking what they were most looking forward to in America and at Disney. None of them had any idea and none had done any research.
"Come on! None of you have done any research?" Hermione asked, flabbergasted.
"Uh, no, I mean, well what do you suggest?" Ron stumbled to say.
"I suggest you form your own opinions, but I'm looking forward to the Magic Kingdom."
"Oh? Why is that?" I asked her.
"Oh I don't know, it just looked the most interesting to me. I don't watch a lot of cinema so MGM isn't appealing, although Animal Kingdom and Epcot look thrilling!" Hermione said with a twinkle in her eye.
"So there is a kingdom dedicated to magic? I didn't think muggles knew anything about it." Harry said.
"Oh, well in a sense they don't. No, its all about all the stories and fairy tales muggle children are told when they are young. Disney has made movies about nearly all of them, and they are recreated in different ways there. The Magic Kingdom is divided into other areas. Frontier Land about the old American frontier I think is closed now, but there is TomorrowLand, it has Space Mountain, and Cinderella's castle, and Adventureland, that is where Pirates of the Caribbean is, and there is a new area where each of the Princesses has their own domain." I explained.
"So, they don't use magic, but have a Kingdom dedicated to it." Ron said, repeating what Harry said in an apparent attempt to seem engaged in the conversation.
"Yes, well, no, I mean, its all recreated with special effects."
"I see." He said, when it was obvious to all that he didn't see one bit. None of the magicians did. For the rest of dinner Hermione, Annabeth, Percy and myself talked about it, while the magicians just sort of grunted along.
"So this Pirates thing, they don't turn you into Hamsters do they?" Percy giggled.
"No, but I could talk to Reyna and get that arranged, you know, for realism's sake."
"I'll pass." Percy laughed.
The rest of the trip was relaxing. We kept watches but nothing dramatic happened other than the occasional pod of whales and dolphins. We did let the cavalry practice outdoors in real weather just so the calmness of the Leodis environment didn't make them lax in their preparations, and we did some training with everyone but just enough to keep everyone sharp.
Percy and Annabeth decided to make plans for the Friday night capture the flag game, with an eye towards finally beating the Hunters should they appear. To do this they incorporated brooms and spells into their planning and laid it all out on a sandbox mock up of the camp and woods. Oddly enough the adults, the Order and Hogwarts professors, didn't object to the use of students in the game, but perhaps that was because they didn't think Percy and Annabeth were serious when they warned the students repeatedly not to let their guard down or they would be full of arrows fired by the most lethal shooters ever.
Finally on our last night at sea my trip got ruined. The Americans, DA1 and 2, Dumbledore, the professors and the Order were having one last meeting about plans for the next three weeks before we arrived. Hazel chaired it of course and I sat with Ginny, George and Fred. Seamus was across from me making eyes and smiling. He does have a cute smile in a way, sort of endearing.
"Do you agree Rachel?" Hazel asked.
"Oh, I'm sorry, what?" I asked, realizing I had been distracted.
"No worries. I was just saying that Chiron would be in charge at Camp Half Blood, Reyna and Frank at Camp Jupiter, and you would be leading the Disney World quest."
"Sure huh? What? Why me?" I asked, startled. "I'm the oracle, not a half blood. I don't lead quests!"
"Yes, but as it turns out you're the only one that has been there. Don't worry, we'll all help." Hazel grinned.
"What about Piper? She hasn't led a quest!"
"Yes, but she is leading the contingent to Colorado, remember? Nope, it only makes sense! It must be you! All in favor?"
All of the half bloods raised a hand, and most of DA1 and 2 did as well. Most of them giggling at me as they did so.
"Oh alright. But I'll get you back Hazel LeVesque! And Colorado doesn't count! She's visiting her father!" I laughed, after all, how hard could it be?
It turns out that every two hours or so a team leader would call about a missing set of partners and I hardly had any time to spend with my family the whole time there. I'm not really sure how the mist covered for all that, especially when Molly blew up a dinosaur robot on one ride, inspiring George and Fred to commit minor acts of vandalism on their own; having the fireworks spell their name for instance, or disarming the pirates on another ride.
How their mother raised those two without pulling her hair out was beyond me. My mom and dad were actually pretty understanding and proud that their daughter had been selected by her finishing school to supervise the trip. We did have a wonderful dinner the first night, with Seamus, Annabeth and Percy in tow. Mom asked me aside if Percy wasn't the boy I had been so sweet on a couple years earlier and I confirmed that he was, but that he and Annabeth were my best friends and I could not be happier for them. Dad wanted to know what sort of prospects Seamus had and he gingerly stumbled his way through that conversation, saying he was either going to study law enforcement or demolition engineering, the latter being pleasing to my father who was always on site when there was blasting to be done.
With most of the contingent staying in the Leodis, my evenings were more free to hang out with the family, but I'm getting ahead of myself. When we first arrived at the coast Percy, Leo, Jennifer, Dumbledore and Harry took the long boat across the bay and were greeted by Chiron. The door to the Leodis was hung on the outside wall of Poseidon's cabin as it was a large flat spot and there was generally very little traffic there. With that the rest of the crew disembarked and were in awe of the camp. It was of course very rustic compared to Hogwarts, but the kids loved it, especially the climbing wall covered in lava and the practice areas for swords, spears and archery. It had been decided that no magic would be used until capture the flag, if a game were held, and we all expected their would be. We divided the magicians up into eight groups and toured them around the facility, stopping at each cabin. The Romans just sort of hung out during all this, and were antsy to get on their way with Leo and Jennifer so that they could visit their home nightly as well, but Chiron made that wait until after dinner to their disappointment.
The hunters would show, but not for another two weeks. As winter set it it seemed they always made their way to visiting the camp for a week or so, both to recruit and to stay out of the weather for a bit. They already had the tents from Amazon that were in our survival kits, but when at Camp Half Blood stayed at the Artemis cabin as it was otherwise unoccupied.
Dinner was a happy affair with Chiron and the year rounders welcoming the magicians and Romans back. Chiron spoke, as did Dumbledore, about the desire to build the budding relationship between the two communities, with Chiron stressing to the Hogwarts students that our school of magic was much like theirs. No mention was made of the gods except for the cabins and to the inner circle of Professors and DA1. The other students were just told that naming the cabins after the gods was just an easy way to keep the groups separate without just numbering them. We ate outdoors but the air was warm even as snow began to fall around the dining area. As Oracle I sat with Dumbledore and the professors at Chiron's table, but since the professors were there I couldn't really talk to him about what Poseidon had said about me, except in passing when I described the rest of his visit. The part about me was just too private.
"The gods have been planning to make some adjustments since the war, but as of now, no one can say what. That you have no insight tells us that Apollo is not privileged to the plan. We can therefore guess that it is big three, and possibly Hera, Aphrodite and Athena from what you have told me of the previous prophecies and messages you have received, that are controlling what is to happen. That it hasn't happened yet merely means that either the time isn't right, or they haven't completely decided. Either way, I hope you can wrap up activities in Britain by the Spring equinox."
"We'll do our best. We will be horcrux hunting on our return, I know Harry and Hazel have drawings now of most of what he saw. Professor Dumbledore will get first crack at identifying them. Once we know the likely suspects we can try to locate them. After that, Harry just has to kill Voldemort and we should be done."
"Do you think he can do it? From what I understand the Europeans are more gentile in their approach to magic."
"Truthfully, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Neville and Ginny could beat most of the campers here with sword, and with wands they are now pretty much unstoppable. Annabeth, Percy, Frank and Jason have worked them hard, and they have responded. Neville can fight Percy to a draw, well, nearly a draw. So, yes, I think they can kill anything short of a giant or titan."
"I was not aware they had progressed that far. Most impressive. But is he mentally ready?"
"I think so, but its like all soldiers, you never know."
"How do you mean?" McGonagall asked.
"Well, the best way I know to describe it, the army has done all kinds of studies on it, but its just not natural to kill another human being. In Vietnam our helicopters would drop off the troops, and it was noticed that almost without fail the new troops would shoot over the enemy's head, even as the enemy was shooting at them. They had to break themselves of their unwillingness to engage the enemy. This has been a problem for since the beginning of warfare. I was merely asking Rachel if this was something that had been examined in the student's training." Chiron explained.
"No one knows how they might react in combat, but I think Harry would, to defend his friends, stop at nothing." Sirius said, with the rest of the professors concurring.
"From what I've seen, that is true of anyone in that group, DA1 we call them. DA2 is pretty much the same, as is 3. I haven't tracked the others as much, I think we are on DA11 now. Once they finish with the basics Reyna splits them off into different training regimes depending on the group's needs and their skills. Good flyers go airborne or airmobile. Folks strong with spells at long range are placed with the archers for artillery support and then there is Percy and Annabeth's infantry. To get to the front you're going to have to be exceptional at one of the three." I explained to Chiron.
"And the Romans? Are they continuing to work well with us? I noticed they were anxious to leave this afternoon." Chiron asked.
"Oh, yes, they are wonderful. A little homesick I think. Remember they have a year round corps of troops looking to them for leadership, and Reyna faces reelection next spring. I know its been tough on her being away. From what I hear, and from what I've seen of how she and Frank run their part of the training at Hogwarts, they train like maniacs for group combat and I think she is worried her absence might allow her troops to grow soft."
"That is hardly likely with legionnaires. If they weren't disciplined enough, the centurions would step in. As to Harry, perhaps it would be beneficial for Percy and Annabeth to take this group, DA1? To our woods for some more realistic training. " Chiron suggested.
After a wonderful dinner, and campfire, most of us returned to the Leodis to sleep, Annabeth and Percy included since it would be awkward for her to stay at the Poseidon cabin and awkward for him to stay with the Athena children. I stayed with my parents in Orlando thanks to having to just walk down the hall to return to the park. and I noticed Fred and George returned to the park as well, I think to see if their reprogramming of the fireworks display worked.
Jennifer took Leo, Frank, Reyna, Hazel, and Neville on to Camp Jupiter right after dinner, and a door was hung within minutes which Jason would use to visit along with Piper the through out the week, however Piper returned to spend the night with her cabin. Her cabin had fallen without her leadership and there had been some talk of mutiny, but this had been quelled when someone started a rumor that rather than duel, she could now kill with a thought. I'm not really sure why I started that rumor but it just seemed unfair that certain former leaders were using her absence against her.
