Chapter 5
"Lord Kronos... my most sincere apologies..."
"Nothing that cannot be corrected in time," Kronos' deep voice echoed inside Luke's head, the casual dismissal ringing in his ears. "We have been thwarted for a time, make no mistake young Luke, but nothing can stand in our way for much longer. With the Golden Fleece in our grasp, not even my boastful son can stop me."
"True, my lord." Luke hesitated.
"Speak your mind, child. I will never punish you for curiosity. I am no god," his voice rumbled.
Luke nodded. "Should I still approach Percy, my Lord? He hardly even escaped from Hades, and was even offered help by someone in his quest. Is he worth the effort, my Lord?"
"You... make valid arguments," Kronos conceded. "I will think on this. Do nothing to give away your true aegis. You may yet be much more useful inside the camp."
"As you desire, my Lord."
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"She's still trapped inside Hades' Palace."
Percy clenched and unclenched his fists.
He still didn't know where to find Hades' Helm of Darkness or whatever the fuck the God of fucking Underworld wanted.
Grover patted his back.
"Do you think... we should..." Percy looked at Grover's backpack meaningfully, obviously referring to the lighter they had received.
"I dunno, Percy... He is so bloody powerful. He was basically schooling Zeus himself! I don't think it would be wise to attract his attention." Grover chewed on a tin can. "He'll probably want something in return for his help."
"I don't care!" Percy shouted, but then continued in a slightly more calm voice, "I don't care at all. I just want my mom back. Is it too much to ask?"
"Have you asked Chiron?" Annabeth asked as she sat beside Percy.
"Umm... No?"
"Why not?"
"He'll probably say that my mother is as good as dead, and to get over my grief," Percy muttered.
Annabeth nodded. "He'll also likely not allow us another quest so soon. So you're stuck here."
She didn't know what familiar love meant, but she could sympathise just the same.
"You know..." Annabeth started after a long pause in the conversation, "Mr Black never did ask for anything for helping us out."
"He could've forgotten to ask for anything, I don't want to be the one to remind him in any case..." Grover said.
"He seemed like a good person, at least," Annabeth said, "let's just give it a shot. Worst case, we have to do some sort of service for him." She concluded with a shrug. "Doesn't seem like all that difficult of a choice to me."
"You're right!" Percy's face brightened. "Call him Grover! Quickly! We can't afford to waste any more time!"
"Yeah yeah fine." Grover pulled out the lighter with obvious reluctance, still not quite convinced. "Mr Black," he said to the lighter, and the flame turned green.
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Harry was beginning to realise that he really needed a quicker means of transport. Going from one city to the next was becoming quite laborious. And he hadn't found a single city with any sort of hidden magical street or something. Hell, by now, he would be content with a hidden magical barber.
He had successfully sent a piece of paper through his magical wallet. He was just hoping that someone was constantly checking his physical vault in Switzerland, rather than just the amount of money he had.
He paused.
Knowing his luck, his account was probably trillions of dollars now. How would they find one small slip of paper in that heap? Shaking his head, he resolved to look for some other way to send a message.
If only he knew of some shop...
He swore. And then smacked his head a couple of times for good measure.
And made a mental note to ask for portkeys at every shop he was going to visit.
Focusing on his map, he was shocked to see a large green circle a few miles ahead. He tilted the broom slightly and pressed forward.
The ground didn't look any different where the circle pointed, but Harry still decided to err in the side of caution and landed at the very edge of the circle. He walked towards the centre of the circle, cautiously looking around every few steps.
The leaves rustled.
He shot a look when he heard the sound, but couldn't spot anything interesting.
As he kept getting closer, the wind started picking up, swirling around Harry. He drew his wand, using one of his weather magic spells to calm the winds slightly.
A lone tree stood at the center, its leaves swaying in the breeze. As Harry approached it, the whole tree began to move, the trunk rippled as if waves moved underneath it, and the leaves started to contour around making the shape of a woman's face, even as the trunk changed into a woman's body. Soon Harry was looking at one of the most beautiful woman he had seen, if said woman had hair made of leaves and... parts made of wood.
Harry blushed and looked away.
"Don't worry youngling," the leaves rustled to produce a human voice. Somehow, it even managed to sound amused. "Such things as modesty mean nothing to me."
Harry took a deep breath, and turned back, looking squarely in her eyes.
"Good." The branches moved to produce a nod.
It looked like too much effort, Harry commented mentally.
"Now tell me," the tree raised the branch that resembled an eyebrow, "what are you doing in my sanctuary?"
"Nothing much," Harry admitted, "I was just looking around and managed to spot the magic in the area." He shrugged. "Idle curiosity, nothing else."
"Oh you were just 'looking around'? Am I supposed to just accept that?" Her tone didn't suggest any maliciousness, just curiosity.
"Yes." Harry shrugged again, unconcerned.
"You're very different, youngling. Most others who manage to find me either have their demands ready, or are bowing before me for some reason or another."
Harry nodded, but said nothing.
"What are you called?"
"Mr Black."
"Would you like–" The vibration of his zippo interrupted her.
"Excuse me." Harry flicked open the portable floo.
"MR BLACK CAN YOU HEAR ME?!" the voice of Grover screamed from the tiny device.
"Yes I can!" Harry shouted. "Stop shouting!"
"Oh, sorry," Grover said sheepishly.
"Don't worry about it." Harry waved a hand even though Grover couldn't see him. "Just tell me why you called. I'm talking with someone and it's extremely impolite to..."
"Yes, Mr Black. We... as in Percy, Annabeth and me... wanted..."
Harry sighed. "Just spit it out."
"Percy's mother is trapped," Grover started slowly but quickly picked up his pace, "We really need your help to rescue her. She's trapped in Hades' Palace." There was some mumbling on the other side. "Percy says he's ready to give you whatever you want for the help."
"No need." Harry stared at the zippo. "Just let me get back to you. I'll gladly help you for free." He heard three distinct sighing noises from the device. "Be sure to let... Crayon, was it?"
"Chiron."
"Ah, then let Chiron know to expect me. We will talk more when I get back to you. Black out."
The flame turned red. Harry flicked it close.
"Leaving already?" The tree-woman asked.
Harry shrugged. "Couple of kids need some help."
"Are you in the habit of helping random kids?"
"And if I am?" He challenged. "Besides, when I was their age, I prayed for help everyday. Didn't get any. This is my way of giving back, I suppose."
"Very well." The woman eyed him contemplatively. "Go, Mr Black, and seek me when you are able."
"Why?" Harry asked suspiciously.
She laughed. "I tire of being here, and any conversation is a good distraction from the monotony of my existence."
"Ah." Harry nodded and pulled out his bike. The tracking charm on Grover was still active, and he could easily follow it on the Mortis. "See you soon?"
"Indeed." Gaea smirked.
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It took 4 hours of mindless riding for Harry to reach the long island. If he didn't get a fast means of transportation soon, he might just end his vacation and get settled down in a forest somewhere.
Slowly descending from the sky, Harry touched down at the beach and turned his head towards the direction of his tracking charm.
And tilted his head.
A huge part of the island was covered in an overarching dome of protection magic. Not wards, specifically. It was as if magic had been poured into the wardstones and with naught but 'to protect' as the instructions.
He pocketed the bike and started walking towards the obviously magical place, and also, hopefully, the home of Grover and his friends.
Identifying the warning signals his mind received, Harry stopped and called Grover using his Zippo.
"Yes Mr Black?"
"Did you not inform Mr Chiron about my visit?"
"Umm... he... ref-fused, Mr Black."
"Oh? Why?"
"The-the stunt you pulled at Mount Olympus... it... they don't trust you. Even when I tried to explain to Chiron–"
"Stop," Harry interrupted. "I get it. Children are suffering because the adults don't do a damn thing to help them. And they refuse the help of others as well. Seen it too many times kid." He sighed. "Don't worry, let Percy know I'll still help him."
Harry could've easily overpowered the protection, but he decided against it. The protection was, after all, for the safety of kids. So Harry cleared his mind. The meditation techniques of the monks enabled him to remove every thought in his mind completely. As he walked forward, he could sense the protection magic trying to find sentience in his living body, to ascertain his identity and motives, but couldn't find any purchase. Finally, as Harry stepped over the protection line, the magic receded.
He smirked.
Walking across the large camp, he watched the teenagers train and spar, even as some of them started following him with their eyes. He finally approached the forest and followed his spell to the half-goat Grover sitting on the ground and munching on a tin can.
He smiled before using a silencing spell on his shoes and sneaking up behind him. "Boo!"
"EEEAAAAHH!" Grover fell over, his tin can flying over the forest due to his involuntary action.
He turned around to see Harry smiling. "I told you Grover, you don't have to scream, I can hear you quite well."
His racing heart finally managed to settle down. "Oh, Mr Black... Thank you for coming... B-but how did you enter the Camp without permission?"
"You're welcome." Harry smiled mysteriously.
Grover's mind finally caught up with his mouth, and he decided that annoying someone who scold the gods like little kids was a bad idea. So he gulped down his curiosity and stood up.
"Percy is probably near the lake..."
"Oh I'm sure. It's not like he is the son of the Sea God or anything."
Grover managed a weak smile. "Let's go."
"And Annabeth?"
"I have a feeling that you'll be rather hard to miss." Grover shrugged.
"Fair enough."
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As they walked to the lake, they came across the many denizens of Camp Half-blood, some of which were merely curious.
Others... weren't.
"Who's the new fucker with you, goatboy?" Clarisse sharpened her spear as she glared at Harry.
"He-he is..." Grover gulped.
Harry patted his shoulder and turned to the offending voice and its owner. "Mr Black. Not a pleasure to make your acquaintance."
"What was that, punk? I couldn't see you through the piles of shit around you."
Harry chuckled. "Well aren't you the sweetest little camper. Anyway, let's go Grover. We're on a schedule." Saying so, Harry strode forward. Grover hurried behind me.
Clarisse growled. No one ignored her. At least no one with self-preservation skills.
Harry suddenly tilted sideways to evade the spear that had been thrown at his back. He stopped, picked up the spear, and looked back at the girl.
He met her eyes.
And suddenly, Clarisse was petrified. Not unlike a boy who sees a lion lounging on his bed. She knew that she had annoyed the bigger fish.
He looked at all the other kids around the girl, most of them giving him murderous looks. Perhaps they were offended that he didn't have the decency to die by the spear, he wondered.
Again looking at the girl, he raised the spear. She flinched.
Fire surged from his hands, quickly immolating the whole spear, and kept on burning as the celestial bronze ash collected on the ground. Now he saw it.
Fear.
In every one of their eyes.
He smirked, and tossed the burning spear on the ground, and walked away.
Grover stared at the spear, then looked at Mr Black, and quickly started following him.
One of the braver – or stupider – campers warily approached the still burning spear with a bucket of water. The fire didn't seem to be in any mood to die. He splashed the water, and for a moment, the fire stopped, but it sprang out as soon as the water stopped pouring on it. The camper jumped backwards.
"Fuck." Clarisse summarised the situation pretty well.
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"Hey Percy!" Grover called as they approached the lone figure sitting beside the lake staring into its depths.
Percy looked back, and immediately stood up when he spotted Harry. "You came?"
"'Course I did." Harry patted Percy's head. "I keep my promises."
"Well..." Percy shrugged. "That makes you an exception."
Harry didn't seem surprised.
"Anyway, tell me all you can. Who's this Hades guy? Why has he taken your mother?"
"You know how the big guy wanted his lightning bolt?"
"Ye–"
"Mr Black!" came the voice of Annabeth.
"Hey!" Harry waved.
"I thought I'd find you here," she said in a deadpan voice.
Harry smiled sheepishly. "The spear huh?" The Egyptians were rather creative when they made fire based spells.
Annabeth nodded.
"...so anyway, Hades is the god of the Underworld," Percy continued after the interruption. "And he has, well had, something called Helm of Darkness that was stolen from him."
"And he thinks you stole it from him?"
"Unfortunately."
"And so he has taken your mother as ransom." Harry rubbed his stubble.
"Yes." Annabeth looked at him expectedly.
"Fine, so all that is left is to find the helm, yes?" Not waiting for their answer, Harry pulled out his wand and intoned, "Point me Helm of Darkness."
It swerved and pointed towards New York.
"Ah."
Annabeth's analytical mind went into overdrive. "Did... a different god steal it?"
"It's possible," Harry allowed. "It's also possible that it's in a different state or country altogether. This spell just tells the direction, after all."
"Oh?" Annabeth grinned. "Well that's pretty useful."
"How?"
"We can triangulate the location. Two lines only meet at one point, after all."
"Uh..." Harry really didn't care for maths.
"We can use different points – sufficiently apart – to cast the charm, then we'll extend the direction vectors on a map. The point where the vectors cross is our location," she finished triumphantly.
"S-sure." Harry ruffled his hair. "Th-that works, right?"
"Don't worry." Annabeth patted his shoulder. "I'll do all the math. You just need to do your magic."
"Yup. That sounds like a good plan."
"Mr Black." Chiron galloped behind the group.
Harry turned, gave him a look, turned back, and said, "Where do you want the two points to be? Where will you get—"
"Why do you ignore me so, Mr Black?"
"Why do you ignore the kids?"
That seemed to stump him. "When have I ignored my charges?"
"When he told you his mom is trapped in the Underworld?"
Chiron's gaze momentarily found Percy, before it focused again on Harry.
"It is a fool's errand. No one has ever managed to bring their loved ones back from Hades' Place. Do you expect me to send a child into what is most assuredly his certain death?"
"No. I expect you to use your considerable resources and contacts to ask for help. Or you should've at least not stopped them from seeking help. I was not allowed access inside the Camp."
"After your display over at Mount Olympus? Mr D himself denied your entrance."
"Okay, I see your point," Harry conceded. "So, will you let me help the kids, or will you stand in our way?"
"My only wish is to ensure the safety of the campers, especially when they're inside the Camp. I will not stop you, and neither will I accept your presence inside the Camp."
"How will you stop me?"
Chiron's eyes tightened. "By doing whatever is necessary."
"Good." Chiron's eyebrows rose in surprise. "At least you're willing to go to any lengths for their safety. I'd be rather concerned if you just accepted me. Besides," he looked at the trio, "I don't think we'll need another meeting. I will only take..." Harry looked at the Annabeth expectantly.
"Thirty minutes," Annabeth supplied.
"Thirty minutes," Harry nodded, "and then I'll be out of your hair."
Chiron thought through everything. "Thirty minutes, and you'll never enter the camp again."
"No. Thirty minutes, and I'll not enter the Camp again unless it's an emergency. If any one of them are threatened I will not stop at the border due to silly bureaucracy." Harry's eyes bore into Chiron's.
"Okay." Chiron gave a slight nod.
"Okay!" Harry rubbed his hands, instantly changing his posture into a playful one, "let's do some mathamagic!"
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AN: I had a whole plan of Harry fighting through all of the Ares Cabin before Ares himself came to the camp, but it didn't work out. Oh well.
Oh, and Stay Home, Stay Safe.