(After three months of writing, editing, deleting and writer's block, I bring you the final chapter. Enjoy!)
It turned out that Harry had pretty much slept through the morning and woken up in the afternoon. Camp activities continued as usual, except now all the Hephaestus children were occupied with fixing the Big House instead of training or relaxing. Harry had apologized to all of them, expressing sincere remorse about the damage he had caused, but they told him not to worry, wide smiles on their faces, explaining that this gave them a chance to add some "exciting" features they had been thinking of. So he continued strolling.
Hermione, after making sure he was fit to move around, went off to find Annabeth and discuss things that geniuses usually discussed, which were too sophisticated for Harry to understand and frankly, for him to care. Percy was busy sparring with Nico and attempting to teach him how to use a sword properly, although no sword seemed to work well from what Harry could see. Off to another side, Thalia and Bianca were aiming their bows at targets, getting directions from Zoë who was leaning against a crutch.
Seeing all his friends occupied with important tasks and no time to socialize with him, Harry left them to themselves and wandered around with no true aim. Eventually he drifted past the Mess Hall and down to Fireworks Beach. Watching the tides was occupying for a while, but soon proved to be very boring. When his legs grew tired he sat in the sand and mulled over everything that had occurred.
Cedric was dead, Voldemort was alive, Bellatrix was imprisoned in this world, Thalia had become a huntress, Zoë had lost her huntress status, Annabeth had broken up with him, although they'd never really started dating in the first place, Hermione and him were a couple of some sort, his Mother was actually a Greek goddess who had sworn to never have children with mortals, making him a mistake and enemies from this world were working with Death Eaters in his.
Harry let out a deep sigh, "And I found out all of this because I fell off a cliff."
"Interesting how these things happen. Right little brother?" It was Hephaestus, who had appeared out of nowhere like the gods usually did. He was wearing a blue jumpsuit, same as the one a mechanic would wear although it was seared at the sleeves and dirty from grease. Over his shirt pocket there was a dark patch in the form of an anvil.
Around his waist was a black utility belt, tongs, a hammer, screws and things of the sort sticking out from their compartments. In his right hand was a small brown object but upon closer inspection, Harry could see it was actually a mechanical spider.
"Think fast." Hephaestus tossed it to him with a strong amount of force and Harry instinctively reached out, grabbing it before it fell to the ground. Harry coiled at it causing Hephaestus to laugh, "Don't worry, it won't bite."
"What did you mean by 'little brother'?" Harry asked as he stood up, dusting the sand off the pair of jeans Chiron had given him.
"We share the same mother, perhaps I should've called you little step-brother?" Hephaestus smiled lightly, the folds around his eyes crinkling.
"How did you-?" Harry clamped a hand over his mouth but it was too late; the damage had already been done.
"Not to worry," Hephaestus held a hand up, "I'm not so biased against Hera that I would tell Zeus. Even I know how much trouble he would stir up if he knew. I do, however, have some advice to give you."
"Advice?" Harry raised an eyebrow, tossing the spider back and forth between hands, "What kind of advice?"
Hephaestus scratched his beard, "Well, maybe not advice...more like a warning. About Hera."
"Has she done something?" Harry asked, becoming concerned for his deathless mother.
Hephaestus shook his head, "It's not about what she's done, but what she's yet to do. Listen Harry, I bear no ill-will towards you, but you should know that our Mother...she isn't the goddess of family she would have you believe: no, she is far more cruel than any other immortal, save for the Titan of time who swallowed the first Olympians."
"What are you talking about?" Harry's nostrils flared in anger, "She's done nothing but show me kindness."
Hephaestus shook his head, "You don't understand, but it's to be expected; I too thought she was a caring loving mother. Just remember that blood isn't always thicker than water." Hephaestus turned to go.
"Wait." Harry stopped him, "Do you know something about my world? Possibly, a way to get to it? Really, anything at all would be appreciated."
"He doesn't but I do." Apollo appeared beside Hephaestus, wearing a plain yellow t-shirt and black shorts. Around his waist was a belt with a buckle designed as the sun and hooked in-between the belt and his pants was an oddly placed arrow, "Mind heading back bro? Dad's going to notice us talking to him and that could stir up some trouble."
Hephaestus shrugged his shoulders, "I've given him my advice; now it's up to him to use it as he sees fit. So long!" He parted, disappearing in a quick flash of fire.
"He may seem cold," Apollo said once the traces of the fire had disappeared completely, "But he means well. It's just...what with Hera throwing him off Olympus as a baby..."
"They aren't exactly friends." Harry finished for him, catching Apollo's drift.
"Right!" Apollo snapped his fingers, "And then there was an incident where Hephaestus kept her locked in chains...the wounds they have given each other are yet to heal."
"Fair enough." Harry shrugged, "Why are you here though? Did you come to tell me about their history?"
"Actually," Apollo slung his arm around Harry and walked with him, "I came to talk to you about your whole situation. See, pretty much every god that was in the throne room recognized you as Hera's son. I didn't really see it until I took a second look, but now I understand what Artemis was talking about; you have her eyes."
"Where have I heard that before?" Harry muttered under his breath, remembering all the times his instructors and adult around him had made the same comment.
"Hm?"
"Nothing, you were saying?" Harry turned to him, trying to reaffirm Apollo's belief in his listening.
Thankfully, Apollo wasn't one to dwell on the past because he went right back to his conversation, "Yeah, so, everyone knows your Hera's boy and as clueless as Dad is, he'd have to be really dumb not to see it in you. I think he does actually. Which is why all the gods are urging you to leave."
"Leave?"
"Yeah, like, right now." Apollo looked down at his wrist like hes expected a watch to be there.
"But...how?" Harry gave him a look of confusion, "I can't leave! We don't have any way back!"
Holding up two hands, Apollo tried to calm him down, "Whoa there! Listen, maybe if we head down to the Underworld, ask Hades a few questions, I'm sure we could~"
"No!" Harry shouted, interrupting Apollo, "I'm tired of being messed around with by gods and goddesses. I wouldn't have to deal with any of this if I hadn't been brought here in the first place! And now you're all screaming at me to get out when one of you brought me here?!"
"Uh...Harry?" Apollo raised a finger.
"No more questions!" Harry pointed an accusing finger at Apollo, "You can play Hermes role and tell the gods this: If Harry Potter is disturbed one more time, he hereby swears on the River of Styx to~"
"You swear you'll do what." The familiar god's voice could be heard from behind Harry. Slowly, he turned around and lo and behold, there stood the King of the Gods, looking very tall, muscular and intimidating. His eyes, which were usually an electric-blue eyes, were a dark blue, the same as a stormy sea, "Go on." It was there Harry could see a sort of resemblance between Zeus and Poseidon.
Harry stood petrified, unable to break eye contact with him, as well as move. Thankfully, Apollo wasn't under his spell. Grabbing Harry by the shoulders, he pushed him into the arms on an unknown individual.
"Get him away from here!" Apollo yelled, desperation evident in his voice, "I'll hold him back for as long as I can!
Zeus raised an eyebrow, "What kind of rebellious statement~"
That was the last Harry heard before darkness enveloped him. It wasn't a scary darkness, like when he had faced Eris; no, this darkness had a temporary feel. Like a cover over a piano, it could be removed at anytime and it soon was.
Soon enough, Harry could see again and by the looks of it, he was in London. Finding himself seated in a chair, he inspected his closer surroundings and looked at the store front: a cafe. Familiar speech patterns and accents flooded his ears and he looked down.
"I'm back in my world?" Harry stared at his hands which were starting to shake from happiness.
"No." Hermes sat across from him, wearing a blue track suit the same shade as his baby blue eyes, "Although I'm the god of travel, I'm not that good."
Harry felt like crying, but braced himself, holding in the tears, 'Come on now Potter. You didn't think it would be that easy, did you?'
"Cheer up," Hermes told him, sitting up, "Before you can cry about not going home, you should cry about the fact that the King of the Gods has set his eye on you."
"...Is it really that big of a deal?" Harry muttered, not seeing the immediate threat. After all, he'd fought mythical beasts, dark magicians, and a goddess.
"It is!" Hermes slammed his fist down on the table, "The last time someone angered Zeus, he was chained to a rock and had an eagle eat his liver everyday!"
His outburst brought stares from the surrounding tables. Sighing, Hermes waved his hand and they magically returned to their business.
"Look Harry," Hermes leaned forward, "I'm not saying you returning to your world is trivial, it's just that when faced with death, you don't really have the liberty to think..." Hermes sat up straight as he trailed off.
"What is it?" Harry asked, looking around for an unseen enemy.
"He's here." Hermes stood up, "That means Apollo must have...dammit all. Quickly, we've got to~"
"I don't think so." Zeus's voice made Harry's blood run cold as the king appeared from the air. Snapping his fingers, Hermes was sucked away in a flash of lightning, clearly not visible to mortal eye, as everyone carried about with their lives, "Potter, a word with you. Away from all this noise, if you please."
Gulping, Harry followed the Lord of the Heavens, fearing that he would be killed in a world far from his own.
The walk to a secluded courtyard was silent, no sounds except for the shuffling of their feet.
'I wonder what he's thinking?' Harry asked.
"You'll find out soon enough." Zeus spoke, reading his mind, "Have a seat."
Harry was about to ask where when two white chairs appeared in front of him, each across from each other. Separating them was a solid gold table, miniature eagles carved as legs. He sat down in the farther chair, not wanting to insult the god by making him walk. At the same time, Zeus plopped in his seat, crossed his right leg over his left and stared at him.
Harry tried not to squirm under his gaze, but that in itself was another moral crisis. Would his resilience prove to annoy Zeus, as he would believe Harry was showing off? Or would showing weakness make Zeus think he would be easily disposed of?
Just as Harry was about to have a mental breakdown, Zeus broke his thought pattern, "You know Harry..." The god looked up at the sky, "When I first laid eyes on you, I immediately knew you were Hera's son."
Harry kept quiet, 'He did? Then why didn't he~?'
"You're probably wondering, 'Why didn't I say anything?' I'm trying to figure that out myself." Zeus sighed, "I'm sure at Camp Half-Blood, they've educated you on my...adulterous past, am I correct?"
"Y-Yes sir." Harry nodded.
"I haven't always been the most faithful husband, yet Hera was the most faithful wife. Granted, she'd curse any woman I slept with and occasionally punish their children, but she never left me." Zeus placed his hands in his hair, "It wasn't until I laid eyes on you that I felt...heartbroken."
Zeus laughed in irony, "I guess that's how Hera felt, every time she learned of my affairs."
"Do you hate me?" Harry asked the question, curiosity taking over reasoning.
Zeus cracked his knuckles, "I hate you as much as Hera hated Heracles. There was no true argument between them, but he was a sign of my infidelity. A reminder of my betrayal. That is how I see you."
"Was she wrong to do it?" Harry continued questioning his godly stepfather.
"Of course!" Zeus folded his arms, "Just because I cheat doesn't mean she should do the same!"
"Are you going to hurt her because of this?" Harry stood up, defensive when it came to his Mother, "Because I guarantee you wouldn't have allowed her to divorce you, even if she asked."
For a minute, a vein in Zeus's forehead tightened and Harry feared he had crossed a line. But Zeus's amused smile threw Harry off completely, "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were my son instead of Hera's; what with that determination."
Harry sat back down, embarrassed, "I didn't mean~"
"It's fine," Zeus held up a hand, "I would've done the same for my mother eons ago, had my father threatened her in any way. You must remember to maintain your emotions, even in the face of the unbearable."
"I will." Harry nodded.
Zeus got up, walked around the table and placed a hand on Harry's head, "I see danger in your future Harry. In your world as well as this one."
"In my world? Does that mean I eventually return?" Harry couldn't hide the excitement in his voice.
"Not eventually, you're leaving at nightfall." It was Ra and this time he was wearing regular, human atire. A simple yellowm
"Ra? And Zeus? Within five feet of each other?" Harry's rubbed his eyes, unsure if they were deceiving him.
"Don't forget me!" A plump man appeared next to Ra, "I heard you're looking for a way to travel?"
"Iah?" Harry guessed and the man nodded.
"Zeus and I," Ra spoke up, "Have decided to lay off our age-old quarrel in the threat of new danger. Our enemies are joining forces, we'd be smart to do the same."
"And, if Ra has confidence in Iah to get you home, who am I to reject that offer?" Zeus shrugged, "Of course, telling you to suddenly pick up and leave would be rude. Once the clock strikes twelve, he'll come and collect you."
Harry bowed, "You've done so much for me, even though I am a product of betrayal. Thank you sir."
"There's no need for that." Zeus grabbed Harry's shoulder, giving him permission to rise, "You remind me of myself in many ways. I just hope fraternizing with women isn't one of them."
Annabeth and Hermione came to mind and Harry felt his cheeks redden. Zeus laughed, "So you are a little player, aren't you? Well, hopefully that trait leaves you before you're ready to settle down. Otherwise, you'll be in for it when you're older."
Zeus wasted no time sending Harry back to Camp Half-Blood and when he arrived, he was relieved to find the time just 8 o'clock. He'd been placed by the Amphitheater and when he walked in conveniently spotted Hermione. She waved him over, seemingly relaxed, which gave Harry the notion that Hermes hadn't raced back to scream death and murder once Zeus had taken him.
"Where were you?" Hermione asked him, once he was in earshot.
"Searching for a way for us to go home." He took a seat next to her, "Ra's got everything under control. We leave at midnight."
Hermione's mouth dropped open, "How did you~? Never mind, where were you?!"
"I'll tell you once I've gotten everybody, alright?" Harry stood up, "Meet me at~"
"Stay there Harry!" Thalia's voice called from below, "We're coming to ya!" The others were right behind her, all having changed into the stand Camp Uniform, except for Bianca and Thalia, who were Hunters. They wore winter-themed clothing, patched with white and light blue.
"What are you two doing all alone?" Percy teased, sliding into a seat beside Harry, "Huh Wizard? Public Indecency is a serious rule."
"Oh shut up." Harry elbowed him, "We were just talking."
"I'm sure you were." Percy continued the joke.
"As much as I love humor, Harry actually had something important he wanted to share with us." Hermione nodded to Harry, "If you please."
"Right." Harry cleared his throat, "This is going to sound crazy but..." Harry recounted all that had gone on, but had made sure not to reveal that Hera was his mother. The news was already insane, to add to the mix that his mother was the Queen of the Heavens would lead to fainting.
Nico was the first to react, "THERE ARE EGYPTIAN GODS?!"
Bianca clapped her hand over his mouth, "What part of 'keep this a secret' do you not understand?"
"Sorry." Nico gave a muffled apology.
"You're leaving at midnight?" Annabeth looked disheartened, "That's a little soon, don't you think?"
"We have to warn the Wizarding World, Annabeth." Harry readjusted his glasses, "Zeus mentioned something about me being in danger in this world. I'm guessing we'll see each other again."
"Oh definitely." Percy grinned, "Where ever there's danger, I'm sure to be nearby."
"And me!" Nico chipped in.
Zoë's silence reminded Harry of his dream, "Y'know Zoë, we haven't really talked about you losing your powers and I'm sure it's not something you'd like to dwell on~"
"Get to the point." At the mention of her lost powers, Zoë turned hostile.
"Well," Harry continued, "I had a dream where you were with Hermione and I in Hogwarts."
"What?" It was Bianca who asked for clarification.
"In my dream," Harry slowed down, "She had come with us. Zoë was sitting in the Gryffindor common room, wearing our uniform."
"You want me to accompany you?" Zoë looked intrigued, "For what?"
Hermione waved her hands, "You don't have to or anything, but I mean, it's kinda supposed to happen, if Harry saw it in his dreams."
"You should go Zoë." Thalia encouraged her, "Camp Half-Blood would bore you and you're too...old to be integrated in regular society. But over there in Britain, I'm guessing they won't tease you too much for your old accent."
Zoë frowned at Thalia's comment about her age and was about to decline when she saw the look on everyone's face. Hopeful, caring, smiling, happy. They all wanted the best for her. Harry just hoped she could see that.
Zoë sighed, "Fine; I'll go."
"Now we're talking!" Percy held his hand up for a high-five, "Come on Zoë, don't leave me hanging."
She stared at his hand for a few minutes and shook her head. Percy started to look dejected, after being passed down, but Zoë soon cleared up any bad feelings.
"I don't understand what we're supposed to do." Zoë admitted.
Thalia burst out into laughter, "Alright Grandma, first what you do is..." The group turned their focus to the two and Harry drifted to his thoughts.
Voldemort possessing someone...as a demigod. It wasn't an Imperius Curse, that could be destroyed or broken if the victim had enough willpower. For him to merge souls with someone as pure as Cedric...what stopped the death eaters from doing the same? What if, right now they were infiltrating the Ministry, while Harry was sitting comfortably? What if~?
"Honestly Harry, how many times in a day can you lose focus?" Thalia sighed.
"I think he's beaten Percy at this point." Bianca laughed.
"Hey!" Percy faked a scowl.
"It's true." Annabeth made no move to defend him.
"Sorry guys," Harry offered a smile in apology, "I've got a lot on my mind."
"Don't sweat the tough stuff," Thalia advised him, "Cross that bridge when you get there." Harry gave her a blank look and she sighed, "Whatever. Just bring it in big boy."
"Yeah! Group hug everybody!" Nico agreed excitedly.
Harry was squashed to near-death because of the eight person hug, but was thankful for it. They spent the rest of the night joking about Harry's powers and Percy even tired to use his gun, although the recoil hit caused the shotgun to hit him square in the jaw.
When curfew fell and the demigods were ordered to their cabins, Hermione, Harry and Zoë remained. The three moved to the lake, and while the couple sat close and held hands, Zoë kept to herself.
"You don't have to be so far." Hermione said, aiming the comment at Zoë.
"I wouldn't want to impose on the two of you." Zoë shook her hands.
"Nonsense!" Hermione held out her hand, "Come on over here."
Zoë seemed hesitant for a second and Harry was afraid she'd turn down the offer, but after shaking her head, Zoë took Hermione's hand, "Thank you."
"Not a problem. You're our friend Zoë, don't ever think you'll trouble us." Hermione told her.
"That means a lot." Zoë's voice lowered, "Honestly."
Harry heard a familiar whoosh and tilted his head back: it was Iah.
"Time to go kiddies!" The god clapped his hand, "We're not forgetting anything, are we?"
"Cedric." Harry said with a sudden remembrance, "We have to bring his body back. And Bellatrix~"
"Zeus and Ra took care of that." Iah cut him off, "Cedric's body will be transported along with you. I hope you'll have no trouble carrying him."
"No." Harry said firmly, "Not a trouble at all."
"Good." Iah snapped his fingers and a purple door appeared. Yanking it open,there was a white light blocking them from seeing anything else. He stepped aside, "Ladies first."
Zoë and Hermione entered and Harry looked back over his shoulder, staring at the cabins. Murmuring a silent goodbye, he entered as well. Iah smiled in the direction of the Hermes Cabin, "It wasn't Osiris that gave off the presence of death. It was him. Interesting..." With that, Iah closed the door.
WHOA! THE BOOK HAS ENDED?! WHAT? SO MANY UNANSWERED QUESTIONS! WE DIDN'T EVEN GET TO NICO!
*Insert Matrix Meme*
"What if I told you that there is an upcoming sequel?"
HOLD. THE. PHONE. That sequel won't be out for a good 6 months, mainly because of another story I've been promising to release as well as, you know, life. Thank you all for sticking with me through this made-up journey.
I will be doing small edits like punctuation, grammar, etc. I'll post a miniature update when that's all done, so if you're one of those readers that likes everything spic and span, you can go back and enjoy it.
