Chapter 61
Harry
"Its about time you got here. We thought you would never arrive." a male voice said.
"Really." A girl said, her voice like a teenage brat.
I opened my eyes and was in an all white room, then I realized it was Kings Cross Station, only pristine and made of blinding white marble. I was laying on a bench when I heard the boy and girl speak. I sat up and heard something move underneath me and when I looked I wanted to vomit. It was a blood covered old man, but more like an old fetus. It was gross!
"You can't help it, its dying here. It won't go on." The blond guy said. He was dressed in Greek war garb and carried a Greek sword. He had a white scar on his face and his sword had a bit of blood on the tip. On the back of his arm was a wound, it wasn't too big but it was clear it had been bleeding for some time.
"But, what is it?" I asked.
"Its the part of Tom Riddle that was in you. It cannot be saved. It is an evil now beyond redemption. From here it sinks into the abyss of Tartaurus. Let it trouble you no further." The dark headed girl said. Well, everything about her was dark, her clothes, her eyes, her hair, her demeanor, but her skin was pale white. She held a sword that was of dark black metal which reminded me, she looked like...
"You're Nico's sister." I said. I knew very little about Nico, but I knew he had a sister aside from Hazel that died while on a quest with Percy. This had to be her.
"Bianca Di Angelo, at your service."
"And I'm Luke Castellan. I'm"
"Annabeth's friend. You taught her how to fight."
"Well, as much as anyone did. She's a daughter of Athena, it came pretty naturally to her."
"But why are you here?"
"Well normally they send your parents or some other loved one, but you summoned your folks yesterday with that accursed ring and that takes a lot out of the dead. They are back in Elysium now. We volunteered and Bianca's father was kind enough to agree to send us."
"So this is the afterlife?"
"No, this is a staging area between the world of the living and the world of the dead." Bianca replied.
"So... I'm dead?
"As a door nail." Luke answered.
"The whole deathly hallows, master of death thing failed?"
"No, it worked just fine. My father and Thanatos have a message for you though." Bianca said.
"What's that?"
"There is only one master of death, and you're not it." Bianca replied.
"Its over then. Voldemort, well, he won. No one else can kill him. It might take him forever, but he'll either kill or outlive everyone good in the world of magic."
"Whoa, slow down. No one said that. Because you controlled the Hallows when you were killed, you have a choice. To go on, or to go back. If you go back, you will no longer be the master of death, but you will no longer be a horcrux. When he killed you, he killed that bit of himself inside you. You were the master of death, it wasn't. Thanatos will not allow you to continue as master of death, and Hades will not cause him to serve two masters. Your term as such will be over. Its a one time thing. Oh, and what Leo told you about it being painful? Yeah, its going to hurt." Luke said.
"Or you can go on. You died honorably as a hero should. You led your army to a glorious victory. Your place in Elysium is assured. You could even go for rebirth like Luke and myself. The choice is yours, but you may only choose once. If you go back, the ring and wand will no longer be yours. You came by the cloak naturally and it will continue in your family so long as you wish."
"So, go on, no worries. What about Zeus? He said"
"We know what he said, and you led your army to glory. The dark lord's army is destroyed."
"But, well, Ginny is still there."
"True."
"And I have to kill Voldemort, and I have nothing to kill him with if I cannot use the Elder wand."
"You can use it like any other wand, it just that it will not be as strong as you are on your old one. But, come on, compared to you he's not that good anyway, however, just to be certain, kill him with this. Its name is 'Backbiter' and it is a cursed blade, one that will kill mortals and magical creatures as well, and I believe I'm to give it to you just for that purpose. Hestia destroyed it a couple years ago, but it was returned to me for this meeting. I no longer have need of it, so it must be for you." Luke said as he handed me his sword, apparently relieved to be rid of it.
"I, uh thanks, I need to go back, how do"
"Merely wish it so, but Harry, a favor if you would."
"Tell Annabeth, how should I say it Bianca?"
"Tell her that if she were the daughter of Aphrodite we would already be reborn." Bianca said, her voice revealing an unfathomable teenage impatience.
Leo was right, I was immediately racked with pain, and though I could only crack one eye open at first, even that was hurt. My head rested on a girl's lap, Ginny, no, the skin on her ankle was a soft mocha color. Must be Hazel. Her tears fell on my face as she wept and stroked my hair lovingly. I could feel the sword Luke had given me underneath me, my hand still gripping it. In my other hand I felt the Elder Wand that Dumbledore had given me before the battle, the idea being that as its master it would be the best weapon for me to fight the Dark Lord with, but now I knew it would have been better to just carry my own, which was in my satchel at my side. Still it should work as well as any other wand for me, not great and unbeatable, but acceptable. I verbalized a healing spell in my mind and aimed it at my leg so as to not move the wand more than needed. It did little for the pain, but it did help a bit.
For the moment Voldemort believed me dead and I decided to let him keep believing that for a bit, at least until I could access the situation. It broke my heart to do so as over the communication system Leo built I could hear Ginny weeping, but it seemed the right thing to do. He didn't know I was alive, so he wouldn't see me as a threat now. It was time to wait for the right moment.
Without moving my head I looked around to see who was there. It looked like all the Americans, and DA1, as well as most of the Order, and Dumbledore. Neville was holding the sorting hat, and only two people, he and I, knew what was in it. I saw him staring sadly at me and I winked ever so slightly, which brought a grin and silent understanding between us. He knew his job now and his role in the end game.
Voldemort was joined by a woman I knew to be Bellatrix LeStrange, and his snake. I knew now that we had a way to kill the snake other than basilisk fangs. I don't know how I knew, I just knew Fawlkes had delivered it to Neville for that reason.
"Your army is destroyed Tom. You cannot hope to succeed. Surrender now, there is no cause for any more to die today." Dumbledore said calmly.
"Many of my army will return. You see, I still control the ministry. I under estimated your ability to defend the castle, and over estimated the loyalty of my servants Snape and Draco Malfoy, but my sources tell me that your prophecy predicted that only I could kill Harry Potter, and only Harry Potter can kill me. Look for yourself! Harry Potter is dead! I'm alive! You cannot kill me! You owe your loyalty to me now! I have defeated Death! Harry Potter is dead and I still live!"
"Wittle Hawwee Pottah is dead! Ha ha ha ha haaaaa!" LeStrange cackled.
"Oh shut up bitch!" Hermione said with tears in her eyes as she fired her 9 mm into LeStrange's gut several times, then just for good measure, two shots to her head. LeStrange had a shocked look on her face up until the time her head exploded.
"You dare bring a muggle weapon to fight a witch? You would sully the honor of magic that way you filthy wicked mud blood? Avada Kedava!" Voldemort shouted as a green bolt of light shot from his wand towards Hermione, and I nearly gasped until a white apparition stepped in front and blocked it away with her glowing white sword.
"Why Tom Riddle, did you think you could murder me again? The girls are under my protection. Your magic will not work against those I protect." Myrtle said.
"Didn't you hear me? You cannot kill me!" He shouted in rage.
"No, but we can make you wish you were dead." Percy said calmly, before Ron shouted "HIT 'EM!" and the full force and fury of the Americas, the Order and DA1 hit Voldemort at once.
Voldemort had a protection spell up, but was hit by waves of energy from Leo's fire to Jason's lightning and every thing in between. Several killing curses cast by Sirius, Remus and Mrs Weasley found their mark blowing holes in his protection, and enough stuns hit it to break every tree in the forest as his screen began to collapse.
"Nagini.. attack!" He shouted as he concentrated on his protection and the snake charged at the nearest target, Neville, who thus far had not cast anything. He stood his ground as if at a cricket match as the snake approached, then reared back to bite. Only then did Neville draw forth the sword of Gryffindor and cleanly slice its head off. The snake dissolved into black dust before it hit the ground. The dark clouds of energy poured out but the brilliance of the mass attack on Voldmort overshadowed it. At that moment, Voldemort's mind was shocked by the death of the last horcrux and his protection spell collapsed.
All the energy that had been trying to break through found its mark and Voldemort burned as though in hell on earth. Neville added to the torrent with his energetic curses and stuns and began moving Voldemort around. Piper commanded him to kill himself and it looked like he was considering it. Finally, as everyone else continued to unleash hell upon him, Neville aimed his wand and showed his full might by simply levitating and moved him to a few feet in front of me, while the very best spell casters in the world were trying to blow him apart and hold him where he stood. No way he should have been able to counter that much magical energy, but for Neville it didn't cause him to break a sweat. Hazel cast a protection charm or we might have been burned to a crisp.
"Hold your fire, lets hear what he has to say now." Neville ordered, and everyone looked around wondering if it was a good idea, and whether Neville had any authority to order it. I tapped the wand against her leg to get Hazel's attention and she gasped then looked down at me. I winked and nodded just a bit.
"Do it!" Hazel said, and everyone stopped for the moment. Voldemort, having been propped up by the spells cast against him fell to his knees in agony.
"You see? You cannot kill me, only Potter could." He muttered, his voice shaky from pain.
"Fine by me." I said as I jumped to my feet, every joint and muscle feeling like a tooth ache, and stabbed Voldmort from the back with the sword Luke had given me, driving it through his heart and out his chest, then called down lightning as Jason had taught me just to be sure.
Voldemort glowed from the inside out, like an x-ray when the bolt hit him, then slowly dissolved into black powder. My mind was fading from exhaustion and agony as the crowd rushed forward. I wanted to shout out to Ginny that I lived, but in my agony the repetitiveness of our practice drills kicked in. I pulled my mic to my face and said "DA1, infantry right side, clear," my assigned signal that I was out of enemies to fight, and then I passed out back into Hazel's arms.
I awoke in the Leodis ballroom, hours or days later I did not know, with Ginny asleep in another bed beside me, her leg taped up and elevated and a bottle of Skelegrow on the nightstand. On the other side George, or Fred, lay with a bandaged head, also sound asleep. Neville, Herminone, Ron, Nico, Percy and Annabeth all slept in chairs around the room close by, with most of the Order and Americans stretched out nearby. Annabeth was the first to stir.
"You're awake" she whispered.
"Yeah, what time is it?"
"Not sure, probably three or four. How do you feel?"
"Well, before I was in pain. After I called down the lightning and stabbed him, I was exhausted and in pain. Now I'm a bit rested and hurt everywhere like absolute agony. Am I right in thinking that dissolved him? I thought I saw that."
"Yes, he's gone. Nico reports he will not be back. Dumbledore used an expelliamous spell and took his wand back saying you were no longer its master, then disarmed Piper by surprise and said it wasn't hers either just to be safe. Yours is in your bag here. Will tells me the pain you feel is from the toxins of death still in your system and they have to be flushed out with time. Nothing else will work."
"Dumbledore is right. Nico's father sent that message. And I'm going to destroy the resurrection stone. Thanatos allowed me to come back but I am no longer the master of death, and no one else shall ever be."
"I think Nico has already destroyed it."
"Good."
"Harry, the sword. The one you used, uh, where did you get it?"
"In the area between life and death. It was given to me to kill Voldemort as the Elder Wand was not to be mine any more once I came back."
"Who... who gave it to you?"
"I think you know that already." I whispered.
"Luke. It was his in life. He visited you."
"Yes and" I looked around and saw Nico and Percy waking but they should be fully alert for what came next so I changed the subject, "uh, what happened, after I passed out?"
"Well, as Hazel had turned command over to Frank and Reyna, they organized us while she took care of organizing everything here, getting you, Ginny and any other injuries taken care of and such, and along with the Order we attacked and invaded the Ministry. As soon as we landed Piper did that spell that broadcasts your voice and demanded that the supporters of Voldemort come forth so that they could face justice, and they all surrendered. Of course it was after hours and many had gone home but we think we got most of his followers there as they were waiting for news about the battle. Dumbledore, Jason and Percy didn't get to kill any one there. Shacklebolt is the new acting Minister until he is confirmed as he was the highest in succession that wasn't a Death Eater and his first act was to pardon Sirius. We locked up about 50 there, and about 75 here. There is a lot of investigating going on, some might have been immune to Piper's order, so the aurors are staying busy. All in all a little over 400 died. We had no deaths, but one of the Weasley twins took a jinx to the side of his face and lost an ear, and Ginny's leg was broken. Leo healed the damage but could not regrow bone so as to fuse the broken parts, so she is sedated through the night until its all fixed. She demanded to be beside you, and Molly and Arthur wanted to be near both, well all three of you actually, so we set up an infirmary in here. Oh, and the folks from the Daily Prophet want to do stories on all the Americans as well as you and the student leaders as they are calling DA1 and 2. Percy told them to stick it."
"The Quibbler gets first rights." I smiled.
Nico and Percy were fully awake now, so it was time to finish my story.
"Bianca was there too." I added.
"My sister?" Nico asked as he perked up to listen.
"With Luke?" Annabeth asked. Nico hovered on every word now.
"Yes. They are trying, well waiting, for rebirth and have a message for, well I guess you and Percy."
Annabeth's eyes filled with tears. It was clear Luke was someone very important in her life. "I'm sorry for crying. Luke was.. well he was like my big brother."
"What was the message?" Percy softly asked.
"Um, that if Annabeth was the daughter of Aphrodite they would already be reborn."
I could have swore I saw a tear in Nico's eye as he gave a smile that neither terrified me nor creeped me out, a Di Angelo first. Then he stood, nodded, sheathed his sword over his back and left the ballroom.
Annabeth just smiled at Percy, said "Could you excuse us?" to me, took him by the hand and practically dragged him out the door.
Will came in and offered me unicorn draught and nectar, which helped the pain considerably. It didn't go away, but was at least bearable.
"How long does the pain last?" I asked.
"No idea, I've never returned from the dead, but Percy always seems to be better in a day or so.
It was about then that Lupin, Sirius and Dumbledore arrived to check on us. They had been at the ministry while the aurors had identified the traitors and thanks to Piper ordering them to tell the truth none could claim to be under the effects of a curse.
The next few hours people would wake, congratulate me on living and killing Voldemort, then let me go back to sleep just long enough to be irritated the next time someone woke me. Finally Ginny woke and in the pre-dawn light we whispered, knowing that every ear in the room was eavesdropping even as they pretended to be asleep.
Morning came and with it I felt better. Every joint still hurt to move, but I could walk without screaming. Ginny was completely healed, and George learned his ear would never heal. Ginny and George were guided by their parents and siblings to their rooms in the Leodis to dress for breakfast, and I did the same. At least they gave us a moment for an embrace before we left the ballroom, I was so glad Ginny was alive, and she felt the same. I knew how Annabeth felt when she and Percy weren't together. No, never again would we be apart.
We spent the day recovering. mostly just hanging out by the pond. We visited for hours with all those that we had been training with and thanked everyone over and over. Finally it was dinner time and with it, time to face the world.
We got to the lobby outside the grand dining room of Hogwarts and McGonagall had us line up to go in one or two at a time. Ginny and I were last, behind Percy and Annabeth. In front of them were Leo, Slughorn, Colin and Jennifer. We guessed there was some sort of recognition by the school and that was fine, although we all thought it was a team effort and that Hazel deserved most of the credit for organizing, keeping it organized and relying on the strengths of her team members to get the job done. All the rest of us did really was kill things. As we got to the door we heard Shacklebolt announcing us and stating our parts in the battle. Some, like Nico and Will, had avoided the scene by arriving early.
"Praetor Reyna RamÃrez-Arellano, helped plan our defense, train our students and commanded all of our forces once the battle began up to and including the final attack on the Ministry that freed it, and Neville Longbotton, Holder of the Sword of Gryffindor and the Wand Nightshade, our two most powerful weapons, who flew his broom over enemy held land dropping ordinance and casting spells at the Death Eaters there and killing the Dark Lord's snake, making it possible to rid the world of him by destroying the last Horcrux." after which we heard a huge round of applause.
"Hazel Lavesque and Praetor Frank Zhang, overall commander of the Americans and leader who set up the training for our students. She comes from the very best school of magic instruction with the greatest instructor and more than anyone else worked tirelessly to keep the alliance together through all the difficult months of training. The world of British Magic is forever in her debt. Praetor Zhang helped train our students and develop the strategy to defend Hogwarts and spent months refining it to perfection. His plan resulted in the only magical war in which one side was utterly destroyed and the other suffered no casualties." This was followed by even more applause. Crap. I really just wanted to go back to bed.
Leo, Colin, Jennifer and Slughorn went next, just as Ron and Hermione joined us to the delight of McGonnagal. Shacklebolt announced that they developed and placed the mines around Hogwarts, which more that anything defeated the mass of Voldemort's army. Shacklebolt noted that since his return Slughorn had been the head of Slytherin house so their contribution to the war effort should not be overlooked.
Ron and Hermione were to go next, but I stopped McGonnagal. "No, together. Its been that way for six years. Lets celebrate the end the same way, if you don't mind Percy, Annabeth."
"Of course not. We hate these things anyway." Annabeth smiled and with that she took Percy's arm and went through the door.
"Ron and... oh, I'm sorry. Praetor Ex Officio Percy Jackson and Annabeth Chase. Annabeth trained all of our students in weapons and strategy and for those of you who saw the tape she was the blond blur on the left side that, along with her partner Percy Jackson, and Pontifix Maximus Jason Grace that was announced moments ago, tore through the Dark Lord's army like a hot knife through butter. I... and as a personal note, these two, as much as any other, represent the courage and fortitude of the Americans that have helped us. At least twice Percy nearly died but not only did they not give up, they continued and encouraged our students to do the same. I have never seen before the courage and loyalty these two have taught us. Of course the applause was thunderous, as it should have been.
"Finally, ah, now we have Ron Weasley, Hermione Grainger, Ginevra Weasley, and Harry Potter. Before he could say more the whole of the student body rose as one cheering, but their tables were pushed together and more added along the wall. It looked like the whole of the Wizengamot was there as well, as well as parents from all over. We all grinned and waved, knowing that this was important if Shacklebolt were to be confirmed as Minister, but I knew we all hated it. Geez, it was only dinner. We found our seats, Percy and I ended up beside each other. For that evening it was clear that House seating didn't matter. All the houses were mixed, with the exception of the mass of Slythrin, which simply wasn't there.
Both Shacklebolt and Dumbledore made speeches, none of which I really paid attention, both ladling praise on myself and the Americans when really it was a group effort by many. Shacklebolt had all of DA1, DA2 and the Americans stand, and announced our membership in the Order of Merlin for our actions in both training and defending Hogwarts and on the battlefield. Okay, I admit, that was sort of cool. Then we began to eat. Finally.
"Mr Potter, Mr Jackson, I was wondering if you might assist me." Slughorn said from across the table as he joined us.
"Sure Professor, what is it?" Percy answered on our behalf.
"Well, for obvious reasons the House of Slytherin has taken a beating image wise of late, I was hoping you might assist me in reinforcing that not all who come from the house are ...evil."
"Well, uh, I'll do what I can" I said just as a hush fell over the room. I looked up to see Bob, who was a common enough site on campus even though no one outside of us knew who he was, walking in with Draco and Mrs Malfoy.
"And lets start now" Percy said with a grin, then added as we stood "come on, if we have to put up with all of this he should too."
"Minister Shacklebolt, I would announce Draco Malfoy, of the noble house of Slytherin, without whose unsolicited aid, myself, Mr Potter and Professor Dumbledore most certainly would have died before the battle even began." Percy said as he started to clap.
"Here here!" I shouted and then tried to clap even louder than Percy. "Draco, please, bring your mother and come join our table!"
With that everyone in the room began to applaud and both mother and son looked stunned at the attention.
"We didn't really know when we were to return, but a girl there dressed as a character named Belle was a fan of English Quidditch and recognized me, and said she knew you guys, showed us the American Magic Community Paper about the battle and the ministry so we thought it safe to. We've been tapping on the door a couple hours, kinda forgot about the time change." Draco said quietly. "Percy, Harry, this is my mother. By the way, you were right about that Moroccan place in EPCOT, simply amazing!"
"Hello Mrs Malfoy." Percy said with little emotion.
"I... I understand you maybe able to help us."
"I told Draco I would talk to the gods, and the Ministry, and I will. What they will do, I cannot say. As of now your husband is on an island that is unchartable by mortals or magicians. Only a few of the gods know where it is. We can send people there, but we have no way to bring them back. It will be up to Hermes I imagine if he is to be retrieved. But yes, when the time comes, I will speak on your behalf."
"Thank you. Is this something that is scheduled or?"
"It just happens when the gods want it to. Candidly I expected to see them after last night's battle. With luck it won't be long. Of all of us only Annabeth can go to Olympus whenever she wants, but even she can't visit the throne chamber without permission of Zeus. So we just have to wait."'
And wait we did. Classes started back on the following Monday but attendance was, if not optional, certainly not vigorously enforced. Some of us went on missions with the aurors to round up the magicians that had escaped death at the Battle of Hogwarts as it was being called, Neville, Ron and I all enjoyed that. They were identified by images captured by the numerous cameras Leo had rigged and placed on drones to assist Colin, Slughorn and Reyna with the mines. These and the ones that surrendered we processed by the Ministry and punished according to magical law. Most were low level and those that knew Voldemort's hierarchy, Snape being the greatest of these, were able to discern that the vast majority of his close allies were now dead or on Ogygia.
Percy made an impassioned plea for mercy for Lucious Malfoy before the court, not for anything he had done but for the benefit of his son and wife who had assisted us by telling us of the planned rear guard attack. The Ministry's court left it up to the gods to decide if he should be released, but he would be unable to ever practice magic again.
The Greeks were packed and ready to go, but Chiron told both them and the Romans that it wasn't clear that the quest was over. The gods had stated there would be a reckoning, but that had not occurred. Lacking any other school to go to they simply stayed at Hogwarts, although the Romans went to Camp Jupiter through the Leodis doors every evening to drill their troops. Neville went with them, and a few times Percy and Annabeth as well. Ron and Hermione spent their evenings, or mornings as the time change went, teaching magic to Camp Half Blood, often with Sirius assisting them. From all reports Hecate and Aphrodite cabins were doing well. Now that most of the school was aware of at least their basic background great deference was given them in classes, especially Hazel once it was learned that she had learned magic from Hecate herself. Percy and Annabeth rarely appeared at anything for any reason, taking their meals in their room and only showing up at the dining hall on Monday morning to remind everyone we had training starting again that night.
"But he's dead, what are we training for?" Hermione asked.
"Whatever may come. Do you think you're the best already at everything we or you teach? Lets not loose our focus here people, the world is a dangerous place. You guys have fought a war to save the world once. We have three times now some of us. We don't know when the fourth one will start, but it will sooner rather than later. Training never stops. We've had a nice break after a great victory, but lets not get lazy. Oh Hazel, after dinner could we have a meeting of DA1, the Order and America House?"
"Sure Percy, any reason?"
"Because we are on a quest, and just to make sure that people understand that if you don't use the skills you have, you can become so rusty you could lose them."
"Uh, okay, thats probably a good idea, but can you conduct it? Reyna, Frank and I need to"
"Go to New Rome, yeah, but this will just take a minute, if you three could stay."
"Uh, okay, but we will have to be quick. I can make arrangements for the rest of the week, maybe have Dakota or someone from Ares come teach in our place? Would that work?"
"You're in charge. Exposure to different perspectives couldn't hurt. On the other hand Clarisse might kill them all."
"Good, because, Oh Percy! The fifth cohort is just awful! Just awful!" Hazel said, almost in tears.
"Oh come on, they are in better shape than any of the others. Percy, I'm afraid our absence has let the troops grow lax." Reyna said, her voice filled with shame.
"Let me know if I can help." Percy said.
"A visit this week with Jason and yourself might be a good thing. You two are still held in the highest regard around there. Watch the games, critique them." Reyna replied.
"Gladly. Frank, could you scare me up some Roman armor?" He smiled.
Classes on Monday were a breeze, except for all the other students asking if it were true that we would start training again that night. There was a great deal of excitement about this, especially from those who had fought as archers as they were the last to go through training and wished to improve on their skills. DA1 and 2 were less excited, but it was still nice to be back to doing something. We had taken a two week long break, three including the week before the battle, and it was time to get back at some kind of normal routine.
After dinner, as requested, we met under the oak tree to take advantage of another beautiful spring day in the Leodis. Actually, every day there was a beautiful spring day, but it was still nicer than the cold and snow that was the weather at Hogwarts.
"Okay, we are here on Percy's excellent suggestion that we get back to training. This week Reyna, Frank and myself are already obligated to be at New Rome for the evenings, and with no Romans left, I suggest, well, actually Frank suggested and I agree, that the groups that were working on mass combat organization and movement work on archery with Will instead. I realize most of them are competent archers but I think Will can really help them refine their skills and it would a great way to ease them back into the training routine Next week, we will..."
"Uh, Hazel. I'm sorry, could I interrupt?" Percy sheepishly asked.
"Sure, I mean.. Okay" Hazel said, not used to anyone interrupting a meeting she was chairing in that it had not happened in a long time. Or ever, when she thought of it. It was not the Roman way, and she was, at heart, a Roman.
"Friends, I'm sorry. And Hazel, I, well Annabeth and I, we just love ya, you know that, and we certainly mean no disrespect, but we have to confess we have brought you here under false pretenses. Oh, I think we should get back to training. We have to finish the later groups, then start on Slytherin House. We will be busy the rest of the year. We don't know when the quest will end and that should be our goal now. but that's not why we wanted this group, here, tonight. Annabeth and I , well, we, uh..."
"We've been working on a side project the last couple weeks, ever since the battle, and its time we got you guys involved. We've made a couple trips to New York and San Francisco to get the details worked out and, uh Percy?" Annabeth said.
"Right!" Percy continued. "Its going to be the Spring Equinox in about a month, and that is one of four times the gods can gather if they choose, and well, we're kinda... oh, lets just, here, read these, this will explain it all"
Annabeth opened her survival bag, which we were all still carrying, took out a stack of envelopes and set them on the table in front of her.
"I hope I do this charm right" she smiled nervously, then tapped the stack and the envelopes gently lifted up and slowly drifted down the table, distributing themselves to everyone.
Everyone took one, opened it and digested it for a moment. The guys all grinned, the girls gasped, then Rachel stood and threw her arms around Annabeth screaming and stamping her feet, followed by all the girls, while the guys all shook my hand, patted my back and congratulated me.
Piper took command. "Practice is canceled for the w... for the foreseeable future. Okay, girls, to the study room, we have to pick out dresses and tuxes for the guys. Guys, go... go do whatever guys do when they're waiting for a wedding. Just try not to get killed, especially Percy, and stay out of our way."
"Oh, before we start, I need to announce, the uh, wedding party and who is in it. Uh, all the girls from America and DA1. Folks from the Order and Professors, we would like you to sit with the families. Rachel, Piper, Hazel, Jennifer, Ginny, Hermione and Reyna, will you be my maids of honor?"
"All seven of us?" Hazel asked.
"Eight, with Thalia" Annabeth grinned
"Yeah, because Jason, Frank, Leo, Harry, Ron, Neville, Tyson and Grover are going to be my groomsmen."
"What about Nico and Will?"
"We have a different job already lined up. I don't really want to stand in front of a crowd anyway." Nico smiled with a smiling Will nodding his agreement.
"Oh? Is it the same as mine?" Rachel asked with a smirk.
"Probably." They both grinned.
"You'll be awesome!" Rachel said, and I could have swore I saw a tear in Nico's eye.
"You too." He finally choked out.
"Oh, and Nico, we haven't asked Hazel yet, but since she is your sister it just make sense for her too."
"Whatever it is, I volunteer" Hazel grinned.
The rest of us were confused but so elated over the pending nuptials that our confusion was soon set aside.
"Ron, Ginny, do you think the twins would be ushers for us?"
"Yes, they would be glad to" Molly answered to everyone's laughter.
"Okay, but they may be seating a very eclectic crowd." Percy said. "One wrong move and Zeus will at best never let them fly again."
It was then that we realized who all was to be invited. We got very quiet at that point and realized we were to be part of a wedding bigger, and more private, than the royals had ever contemplated. Most of us worried that Fred and George might prank the wrong god and wind up killed.
