After Percy left, I was left standing awkwardly with Annabeth and Grover. I had never met Grover and Annabeth had always hated me. Well she didn't actually hate me, she hated that her friend Thalia daughter of Zeus had been killed by my father to punish Zeus for breaking their oath while he himself had broken it too by giving birth to me and I had been allowed to live.
After living in the same camp for about four years, she had grudgingly accepted me but we were never friends, just fellow half-bloods from the camp.
"If you want I can take you both to the camp." I offered.
I would have taken them through shadow travel but I was exhausted from using mist like that. If Lou had been doing it, she wouldn't have even broken a sweat, but for me it was exhausting.
I had sent Skotos away, and I have spent a huge amount of energy while using the mist. I could probably shadow travel myself to the camp but I can't risk taking the other two with me. So I will need to take them through mortal means. Or at least somewhat mortal means.
I knelt and placed my hand on the ground. I felt the nearest graves, the bones of forgotten humans buried and scattered. I searched deeper, extending my senses into the Underworld. "Jules-Albert. Let's go."
The ground split. A car, I am not sure which but I think its called a limo came out of it.
A zombie in a ragged nineteenth-century sitting in the driver's seat which could be seen through the open window. Annabeth stepped back. Grover screamed like a kindergartner.
"What is that man?" Grover protested.
"This is my driver," I said.
"Jules-Albert. He is a restless soul, who died in car racing, always looking for another chance to drive. Father assigned him as my driver."
Annabeth stared at me." You have a zombie chauffeur."
I shrugged, a little uncomfortable. "Yeah, father got it for me. It's my first time using it. I prefer to shadow travel, or fly on Skotos to get somewhere. ADHD, you know, can't sit quietly for the whole ride."
"Come, get in" I said and got in on the passenger's side. Reluctantly, they climbed in the back.
Jules-Albert drove us through the highway into Long Island. He stopped at the entrance to the half-blood hill.
I had just entered the camp premises when I heard a deafening shout.
"Harry James Potter" screamed a voice.
I winced. I had forgotten to inform Lou about my little visit to the underworld. Well to my defense I had gone there because I couldn't sleep and I planned to return by the morning. I always did that, leaving at night and returning in the morning. Which was probably another reason that would have worried her. It's my first time I couldn't return on time. Just some inconvenience came in the way which delayed me this time.
Lou was berating me for worrying her and leaving unannounced. I was trying to explain myself. I looked at Chiron for help. But, Chiron just looked at me and said, " the stable is in need of cleaning. " and left.
Annabeth and Grover just laughed at my misfortune. Well I can't expect help from someone whom I have shared just a few sentences with.
Percy arrived the next day at mid-day. Ever since the disastrous end of Luke's quest, no one had been given a quest. So, of course everybody treated them as if they'd won some reality-TV contest. According to camp tradition, a big feast was prepared in their honor, they arrived wearing a laurel then led a procession down to the bonfire, where they burned the burial shrouds their cabins had made for them.
Annabeth's shroud was beautiful—gray silk with embroidered owl.
Being the son of Poseidon, Percy didn't have any cabin mates, so the Ares cabin had volunteered to make his shroud. They'd taken an old bedsheet and painted smiley faces with X'ed-out eyes around the border, and the word LOSER painted really big in the middle.
He seemed to take great satisfaction at burning the shroud.
As Apollo's cabin led the sing-along and passed out s'mores, Percy was surrounded by his old Hermes cabin mates, Annabeth's friends from Athena, and Grover's satyr buddies, who were admiring the brand-new searcher's license he'd received from the Council of Cloven Elders.
The only ones not in a party mood were Clarisse and her cabinmates, whose poisonous looks told me they'd never forgive me for disgracing their dad.
I felt a pang of jealousy. I had never been accepted like this, I was always looked at with suspicious or fearful eyes as if my arrival had marked the end of the world. But here he was, another child of the big three who had been born despite the oath too. But he was accepted so easily. Only Ares' kids didn't and it was only because he disgraced their father. Was this how Annabeth and Luke felt when I arrived at camp perfectly looking, in brand new clothes with no injuries when Thalia had to fight every day for her life and couldn't even get past the camp's borders? I think I can understand their hatred or coldness towards me now.
But, I buried it deep in my mind. If I start thinking about these things I would get bitter and end up just like my previous step brothers did. I didn't want to be a cause for some world war that claimed millions of innocent lives. And I have friends now, Lou and her friends had warmed up somewhat to me after being around them for long. Though I wouldn't really call them my friends. And I have friends at Hogwarts too, Hermione and the twins. They aren't exactly friends like Lou and I are. They don't even know who I really am and they would probably never know. They don't seem to be clear sighted and don't have unbreakable occlumency shields, so even if I told them, mist would have its effect on them. They are fun to be around anyway and I will cherish it till it lasts, which would be seven years if nothing major happened in between which I seriously doubted.
At the end, Dionysus gave his welcome speech to the trio "Yes, yes, so the little brat didn't get himself killed and now he'll have an even bigger head. Well, huzzah for that. In other announcements, there will be no canoe races this Saturday..."
Then we moved back to our cabins.
Next morning started like every other day at the camp. We had our classes, played games and all other things. I don't know why? But I went to meet Percy during the first break. Lou was gossiping with her friends about something. And I didn't have anything to do.
He was sitting at the beach like I guessed. He is the son of Poseidon after all. Where else would he be?
I went up to him and sat there.
"Hey" I said awkwardly.
He looked up toward me and said, "hey."
"So son of Hades huh?" He added.
"You have a problem with that." I replied a little defensively. Was it going to be like with all other demigods? I know most of the demigods had similar lives, but I had seen his life first hand. It was so similar to mine before I got to the underworld. So, I at least wanted to try being friends with him. I can't blame him if he doesn't want to though. I had arrested him and handed him over to the mercy of my father. And he turned out to be innocent all along. He even had his mother taken hostage by my father. I had only gotten angry at him when he was shouldering the fate of the whole world.
"No, no just asking. So what is it like?" He said. He looked sincere too.
Huh? I will admit that I was surprised. If I had been arrested and my mother taken hostage for the crime I didn't commit I would have held a grudge.
"Same as being a child of any other gods I think." I shrugged. "How are you enjoying camp so far?"
"It's good and peaceful. I can see spending my summer here. And you?"
"Well, it's nice I guess, but I think the underworld is better. It's peaceful there too, except if you are in the field of punishment or tartarus of course."
He made a face at that. "You get to live in the underworld? I thought mortals aren't allowed there." He exclaimed.
"Other mortals aren't allowed. I am its prince. Of course I am allowed."
He raised his eyebrows at that. I guess I would be surprised too, if he had claimed to be prince of Atlantis. Technically, we are princes being the son of kings. But gods don't have the best relationship with their mortal child. So, little scepticism is allowed i guess.
"Oh! So, Why live here then? You could stay there forever if you actually preferred it, couldn't you?"
"Well, as you said I am mortal. I can live there longer than others can but not more than six months. It's somewhat the opposite of Persephone, my stepmother. She is bound to the underworld so she can't stay out of it for more than six months whereas I am bound to life. If I stay there longer there I would be like other residents of the underworld, dead." I said. " So here I am. And I have friends here, so it's not like I don't enjoy being here. And i do get to visit there every once in awhile."
"Oh."
We just sat there for a while awkwardly, not knowing what to say. What do you even say when you are in a situation like this?
"How is your mother? Did you get rid of Gabe? You should get rid of him. Your mother doesn't deserve that." I finally said.
"Yes, we.." he began. "Wait a minute! How do you know about him? I don't remember mentioning him to you."
I laughed. He looked so shocked.
"I mentioned it before at the underworld, didn't I? I have been watching you during winter break."
He looked even more confused. "Watching? How? I was at home during the break. I would have noticed if you were there."
"Would you really?". I asked. "Even if I was like this."
I then dissolved into his shadows. I remained there for a few seconds and emerged out again.
He jumped startled. "Whoa! That's so cool." He exclaimed. Then his eyes widened and a look of utter horror appeared in his face. "So you were in my shadow for the entire week! That's.. that's the massive invasion of my privacy. You.. you.." he pointed a finger at me.
I was offended. "Privacy? How is it any different than what Grover and Chiron did? And I wasn't there for the entire week, my clone was. And I wasn't in your shadow. I only entered yours now because it was the nearest. It's not like I followed you to the bathroom. "
His face told me that he thought exactly the same. "Ew, you really thought I would go there with you? And I returned every night. I don't fancy my shadow gaining independence you know. So it was just like you being with Grover the entire day like at school you just couldn't see me. Or more accurately it was like you were being monitored through CCTV. Just I would get memories instead of looking at the video."
He grudgingly accepted my answer. But he still looked angry. I think he is more angry for still being suspected after a proof like that rather than for the privacy now.
I can relate to him. I did get angry at him for accusing Hades, didn't I?
According to my father I had almost been accused instead of him too. But I am being monitored by the gods, so they had to know I was innocent. Only time god's mistrust over me became useful.
"Your father still believed me to be guilty though." He pointed out.
I shrugged. "Father wanted you to be guilty. To be fair, You were the only option that made sense though. Poseidon was the only god of whom nothing had been stolen. Of all gods, only he would have dared or had ambition to do it. Maybe Hermes may have done it. Being god of thieves, It's his nature after all, but he would have done it himself and gods can't take each other's symbol of power."
"So Poseidon was the only option left, If you were innocent it would mean someone else dared to do it, those who would, are in Tartarus, and that's a scary thought."
"Oh! But Kronos did do it. He sent someone to do it for him. Ares caught him but Kronos managed to convince Ares to use it for war though."
"Oh it makes sense I guess. Gods didn't believe you, I take it. And don't go throwing names like that. It makes some kind of connection to god if you do. He will find it easier to contact you even in his state if you go throwing names like that and gods can hear when their names are mentioned, where they may not have otherwise."
He looked pale when I said that. "Poseidon did, but he said not to worry. Said he did stunts like this every now and then. And it's stupid. Can't we say anything without being obliterated"
I shrugged. "Welcome to demigod's life." "And from what I know he does manage to stir up some problems up here once in a while. He enters men's nightmares and breathes evil thoughts. He awakens restless monsters from the depths. Anyway you didn't answer my question." I reminded him.
"Oh, she said she would do something herself, that she would get rid of him and she will try to gain admission in college I think. I will know for sure when a word from her comes, " he said.
"And yours?" He added a little innocently if you ask me.
"She is dead." I replied.
He froze for a while. He opened and closed his mouth a few times but no word came. He didn't look at me with pity though like others would have done. He knows the pain of losing someone too, even if it was temporary for him. "Oh, you said you live in the underworld, don't you? Do you get to visit her?" He asked a little hopefully too which I didn't understand at all. Why would he be hopeful I would get to speak to my mother? I had gotten him in trouble with father.
"No. I am forbidden. We all are forbidden to visit the ones we hold emotional values towards. She is in Elysium. I did go there once, said goodbye and all but If I go there again I am afraid I won't be able to leave ever again. And losing the hope to live while in the underworld is very dangerous especially for a mortal."
"Is it a bad thing though? You get to live with your mother." He looked like he genuinely believed it.
"If I got to live in Elysium I suppose it wouldn't have been bad. It would be great in fact. But I would have to leave my father and friends behind, which I really don't want to do. But I won't be sent there. Father takes his duty seriously. I may have it a little easy but it won't be much different. He will have to provide proper justice as our rule demands. He can't be seen playing favourites. I haven't aged thirteen yet when we demigods are considered adults, so our actions can't be listed under good or bad as long as they don't affect a wide group of people and we haven't gotten a chance to show ourselves as indifferent, good or evil either. None of the place fits for us exactly so we'll just get sent to be reincarnated. I won't even have a memory of her then So it defeats the purpose. And dying for such a selfish reason isn't taken lightly either which I may get pardoned for but anyway the short answer is I can't."
"Oh" he replied.
"I think it's the hardest part of being in charge of death or the son of one in charge. We can have what we wish so easily but as king and prince of death we must value laws of death above all."
" Sometimes It's so tempting though." I added quietly.
He pretended not to have listened me , which I was thankful for. "Oh! You weren't here a few days ago. Were you in the Underworld?" He asked.
"Oh I was at Hogwarts."
"A magic school, my mother was a witch so I have to go to their school." I said seeing confusion in his face.
"Well first gods now witches why not?" He muttered. "Oh so you have magic as well as those shadowy Underworld powers too? That's so unfair."
"You have water powers too." I pointed out.
"Yeah but I need to be in water for that. And there is no-one here to teach me. Everything I did was impulsive."
"I can give you some pointers if you want. Principle behind controlling our powers are quite similar"
"Okay, that would be great.* He said.
"You should watch all movies with water powers in them. You can replicate most of them…"
We spent the rest of the time training together. It was fun to be around him. He was a funny and easy going kind of kid. And just like that I had made another friend at the camp.
I went to the underworld at night like I always did. It's not that bed at Hogwarts or here is bad but after sleeping so long in my huge room at the palace. It feels small and uncomfortable. You can just call me a spoiled prince.
I talked with my father about Kronos too and he said the same thing Poseidon did to Percy.
But I doubt it with the arrival of Percy, son of one of the big three and the awakening of Kronos at the same time couldn't be just a coincidence. And I don't believe in coincidence either. Fates are playing something here.
I said as much to my father. He pursed his lips when I mentioned the Fates.
"We will tighten security at Tartarus." He said.
Finally, thirty first of July came. I received my birthday gifts from Hermione and twins through Lou. For some reason all the letters written to me and the letters written by me are vanishing somewhere. It's been happening ever since the holiday started. Lou was getting her letters, so I informed them about the problem. Ever since, they are contacting me through her.
Hermione had brought me an eagle feather quill, which was charmed to write what i think, so that i wouldn't struggle with spellings due to my dyslexia. Lou had brought a black aviator jacket for me.
There was a small party for me organized by my cabinmates. Just a small cake and a few cokes they had stolen from somewhere. My birthday was the only one among my cabinmates that fell during summer when we all were in camp, so my birthday was celebrated every year. I am not exactly sure if they really want to celebrate my birthday or just have a party. I am grateful nonetheless. It makes me feel belonged. Camp has started to accept me after all this year. I am now treated like any other camp would be treated.
We had just finished eating cake when the ground around us shook. We were all shocked, the camp wasn't supposed to experience anything we didn't want.
We all went outside. A huge group had gathered near the line tree, which marked the entrance of the camp.
Chiron was just behind us.
"What happened? " he asked.
"He appeared here and that earthquake occurred." Someone said.
There was someone unconscious lying on the ground. The little creature on the bed had large, bat-like ears. Its closed eye looked as if it contained the eye the size of a tennis ball.
"He must have tried to enter the camp through spacetime, rather forcefully I would say seeing how the wards reacted."
"But what is he?" Someone asked.
"I haven't seen it before, but it matches the description of house elves found in Hecate's world. They are supposed to be bound to serve a family or a house. For one to appear here is very strange indeed." Chiron said.
"Take him to the infirmary. We will know what he wants when he wakes up."
He woke up next morning when i was in the underworld. Thanks god, i wasn't here. According to Lou and percy, it was crying hysterically. As it turns out he was here to warn great Harry Potter sir about some grave danger at Hogwarts and that I should not go back there.
I hope he really didn't address me like that.
They finally managed to convince him that i wouldn't go to Hogwarts and that he should leave.
It's good that they didn't promise that. It's not like any danger has ever stopped a demigod before. A demigod's life is always dangerous. If we stopped doing things by fearing the dangers, we won't be able to do anything ever.
And I don't know what danger he was talking about either.If it's in Hogwarts it must be related to wizards. Only thing I could think of is some rogue Death Eater wanting revenge for destroying their master. I will think about it when it happens.