Chiron's tour of the camp wasn't so bad. In fact, Harry quite enjoyed it. When they passed the volleyball pit, Harry spotted Fred, George, Ron, and Hermione among the orange-shirted campers. Some of them stopped their game to stare at both him and Percy. Some pointed to his scar while others pointed at the horn in the other boy's hand. Harry looked away uncomfortably. Though attention wasn't rare, he still wasn't used to it. Ron and Hermione seemed to notice this and waved, giving him a sympathetic smile. Fred and George, on the other hand, were replacing the volleyball with something other than a volleyball with another pair of twins. There were satyrs as well but all looked older and larger than Grover and Neville, who seemed to be the youngest of the satyrs, and wore orange shirts like the campers but wore no pants. They stared stared at the boys expectantly but Harry had no idea what they wanted. The tour continued and Chiron seem quite glad about giving it. The smile stayed on his face until Percy spoke up. "What's up there?"

Both the centaur and Harry followed his pointing finger and Chiron frowned. "Just the attic."

"Somebody lives there?"

"No, not a single living things," he said.

"Come along, boys," Chiron said, his lighthearted tone now a little forced. "Lots to see."

They headed off but Harry looked at the window near the top. He was curious why Percy asked such a question. After a minute, Chiron called. He hesitated but ran after them. The next area they visited was the strawberry patch where campers harvested them and where a satyr played some pipes. The centaur explained why they did it and how little effort it took. He also explained Mr. D's powers and restrictions. Harry then noticed a countless number of bugs scuttling away from the patch. "How do you get the bugs to leave?"

"Woodland magic," he answered gesturing towards the satyr.

"Grover won't get in too much trouble, will he?", Percy asked Chiron. "I mean ... he was a good protector. Really."

"Neville was, too!", added Harry, "It wasn't his fault he couldn't stop us from going to get the Stone! It was our fault! We froze him!"

Chiron sighed, draping his coat across his back. "Both have big dreams. Quite big indeed. To reach they goal, they must first demonstrate great courage by succeeding as a keeper, finding a new camper and bringing him or her safely to Half-Blood Hill."

"But he did that!", exclaimed Harry and Percy in unison.

"I might agree with you," Chiron said. "But it is not my place to judge. Dionysus and the Council of Cloven Elders must decide. I'm afraid they might not see this assignment as a success. After all, Grover lost you in New York and Neville had the Body-Bind spell placed upon him, preventing him form moving. Then there's the unfortunate ... ah ... fate of your mother, Percy, and the fact that you and your friends almost died, Harry. And the fact that Grover was unconscious when you dragged him over the property line and Neville needed help bringing Harry, Hermione, and Ron here. The council might question whether this shows any courage on Grover's and Neville's part."

Harry frowned. Maybe if Hermione hadn't put the spell on him, Neville wouldn't of gotten in trouble... but then again, they wouldn't of gotten the stone or won the house cup. Harry didn't know what to think but either way, he still felt extremely guilty. From looking at Percy, he was pretty sure the older boy was thinking the same think.

"They'll get second chances, won't they?"

Chiron winced and said in an uneasy voice, "I'm afraid that was Grover's second chance, Percy, but Neville, being as young as he is, might get one. The council was not anxious to give Grover another, either, after what happened the first time, five years ago. Olympus knows, I advised him to wait longer before trying again. He's still so small for his age..."

"How old is he?"

"Oh, twenty-eight."

"What! And he's in sixth grade?"

"Satyrs mature half as fast as humans, Percy, with Neville being the rare exception. Grover has been the equivalent of a middle school student for the past six years."

"That's horrible."

"Quite," Chiron agreed. "At any rate, Grover is a late bloomer, even by satyr standards, and not yet very accomplished at woodland magic. Alas, he was anxious to pursue his dream. Perhaps now he will find some other career..."

"That's not fair," Percy insisted. "What happened the first time? Was it really so bad?"

Chiron looked away quickly, obviously not want to talk about it. "Let's move along, shall we?"

Harry eagerly wanted to let the subject drop but Percy must've loved talking about this stuff because he said, "Does that mean the Underworld is real, too?"

The centaur suddenly had a very Snape like look on his face in seconds and answered, "Yes, child." He paused. "There is a place where spirits go after death. But for now ... until we know more ... I would urge you to put that out of your mind."

"What do you mean, 'until we know more'?"

"Come, children. Let's see the woods."

They headed in that direction and Harry's first thought about the forest was the Forbidden Forest. It definitely was just as dark as the forest and probably held just as many monsters but the trees were so thick and tall, Harry wondered how old they were. Chiron said, "The woods are stocked, if you care to try your luck, but go armed."

"Stocked with monsters?"

He nodded. "Capture the flag is Friday night. Do you have your own sword and shield, children?"

He simply didn't answer and the centaur said something about size. After that, the tour went on. The archery range, the canoeing lake, the stables, the javelin range, the sing-along amphitheater, and the arena where Chiron said they held sword and spear fights. Though some of them sounded dangerous, Harry didn't really care. He's been through worse. Percy probably had a rather normal life so far because he kept asking questions and looking dumbfounded. Chiron showed them the mess hall and then, finally, the cabins. There were twelve cabins in total at the outskirts of the woods, overlooking the lake. They were in the shape of a U and each was unique, no two buildings the exact same, not including the numbers on the buildings. Number nine looked like a mini factory, number four looked like a garden that had somehow been turned into a house with tomato plants surrounding it and grass growing on the roof. Harry was pretty sure that cabin seven was made from sunlight since it was to bright to look at. Chiron said otherwise. They faced a large commons with a court and a number of Greek decorations. In the center of all the cabins was a stone fireplace, a young girl tending to them. The ones at the curved part of the 'U' were cabins one and two. Cabin one was larger, with large, bronze doors. Lightning bolts could be seen streaking across them. Harry didn't think much of it at first but he could've sworn he heard a call coming from the Cabin along with the strange connection he felt with the place.

He shook his head and examined the mini version of Cabin One, except this version had peacocks. "Zeus and Hera?"

"Correct," Chiron said.

"Their cabins look empty."

"Several of the cabins are. That's true. No one ever stays in one or two."

Harry couldn't help but wonder why. When Percy looked into Cabin Three, a beach/sea/ocean themed cabin, Harry was tempted t look into Cabin One but went against it. We went on to the next cabin, Cabin Five. It was a bloody-red color and looked like a war zone. Barbed wires lined the roof and a stuffed boar's head had been put just above the doorway, its beady eyes shining with a weird, angry glow. Harry shuddered. Inside the cabin were big, bulky kids of all ages and genders fighting each other, making the place look even more like a war zone. Though their screams were loud enough to break his eardrums, the rock music that was playing was even louder and Harry covered his ears because of it.

The tour, of course, went on. Percy soon pointed out that Chiron was the only centaur. "No," Chiron said sadly. "My kinsmen are wild and barbaric folks, I'm afraid. You might encounter them in the wilderness, or at major sporting events. But you won't see any here."

Harry was easily reminded of Firenze, the centaur who had helped him though he had risked exile from his herd. Firenze was wild, but not barbaric, unlike the rest of his herd. "You said your name was Chiron. Are you really ..."

He smiled down at Percy. "The Chiron from the stories? Trainer of Hercules and all that? Yes, Percy, I am."

"But, shouldn't you be dead?"

That sounded rather harsh.

Chiron paused. "I honestly don't know about should be. The truth is, I can't be dead. You see, eons ago the gods granted my wish. I could continue the work I loved. I could be a teacher of heroes as long as humanity needed me. I gained much from that wish... and I gave up much. But I'm still here, so I can only assume I'm still needed."

"So you're immortal?", Harry asked.

"Technically speaking, yes. I am immortal."

"Doesn't it ever get boring?"

"No, no," he said. "Horribly depressing, at times, but never boring."

"Why depressing?"

He didn't seem to hear and a forced smile appeared on his face. "Oh, look. Annabeth is waiting for us."

The girl from the house, Annabeth, was at Cabin Eleven, a book in her hands. When we approached, she seemed to be examining the both of them quite closely. Annabeth glanced at Chiron, as if waiting for orders. "Annabeth, I have masters' archery class at noon. Would you take Harry and Percy from here?"

"Yes, sir," she answered dutifully even though from the look of her face, Harry could tell she had better things to do other than babysit two newbies.

Chiron than looked at the boys and gestured towards the cabin. "Cabin Eleven. Make yourselves at home."

Harry peered at the cabin, noticing how old it looked. With the paint peeling and the dust that was evident in the air, it seemed like the Cabin had been there forever. Above the doorway was a winged pole with two snakes coiling around it. The inside was no better. There were so many kids that there weren't enough bunks with sleeping bags spread across the floor. The place was also an absolute mess. All the kids spotted Chiron and bowed as if he was their king.

"Well, then," Chiron said. "Good luck, boys. I'll see you at dinner."

With those last words he galloped away. Harry watched him go but then Annabeth nudged him forward, causing him to almost trip. Some of the kids snickered. He blushed and glanced at Percy who was sprawled across the floor, his face red with embarrassment. He stood up and Annabeth said, "Harry Potter and Percy Jackson, meet Cabin Eleven."

"Regular or undetermined?" somebody asked.

Harry blinked in confusion and thankfully, Annabeth answered for them. "Both are undetermined."

Half of the cabin groaned. The oldest guy, a blonde teen of around nineteen years with a scar across his cheek, stepped forward, the twins glancing over his shoulder with goofy grins. "Now, now, campers. That's what we're here for. Welcome, Percy and Harry. You can have that spot on the floor, right over there, Percy. And you, Harry, can have some fun with the twins," he said, gesturing towards the redheads, "They speak quite highly of you and of that..." He paused, glancing at them. "A toilet seat? Right? Yes, of that toilet seat they tried to send you."

Harry fiddled with fingers, embarrassed. "This is Luke," Annabeth introduced, "He's your counselor for now."

"For now?", asked both Harry and Percy.

"You're undetermined," Luke explained patiently. "They don't know what cabin to put you in, so you're here. Cabin eleven takes all newcomers, all visitors. Naturally, we would. Hermes, our patron, is the god of travelers."

"Makes sense," he quipped, following the twins who showed him an empty spot next to their bunk. Harry thanked them and they simply smirked back.

"How long will I be here?", Percy asked.

"Good question," Luke said. "Until you're determined."

"How long will that take?"

The campers all laughed but he didn't seem to understand. "Come on, boys," Annabeth growled, "I'll show you the volleyball court."

"We've already seen it," said Harry.

She glared and stalked towards the eleven-year old and dragged him and Percy outside, laughs coming from the cabin. Once they had both stumbled around at least a hundred times, she said, "Jackson, you got to do better than that and you, Potter, you better not get attached to those twins. Idiots they are."

Harry frowned. "What are you talking about?", he asked while Percy simply asked, "What?"

She rolled her eyes. "I cannot believe I thought one of you might've been the one."

Harry stared at her in confusion while Percy snapped at Annabeth. "What's your problem? All I know is, I kill some bull guy-"

Just as he was going to lunge at the blonde, he grabbed the back of the older boy's shirt, causing him to glare at Harry. "Don't talk like that!", Annabeth snapped back. "You know how many kids at this camp wish they'd had your chance?"

"To get killed?"

"To fight the Minotaur! What do you think we train for?"

"Look, if the thing I fought really was the Minotaur, the same one in the stories ..."

"Yes."

"Then there's only one."

"Yes."

"And he died, like, a gajillion years ago, right? Theseus killed him in the labyrinth. So ..."

"Monsters don't die, Percy. They can be killed. But they don't die."

"Oh, thanks. That clears it up."

"They don't have souls, like you and me. You can dispel them for a while, maybe even for a whole lifetime if you're lucky. But they are primal forces. Chiron calls them archetypes. Eventually, they reform."

"You mean if I killed one, accidentally, with a sword-"

"The Fur ... I mean, your math teacher. That's right. She's still out there. You just made her very, very mad."

"How did you know about Mrs. Dodds?"

"You talk in your sleep."

"You almost called her something. A Fury? They're Hades' torturers, right?"

"You shouldn't call them by name, even here. We call them the Kindly Ones, if we have to speak of them at all."

"Look, is there anything we can say without it thundering?" Harry hadn't noticed that. Sure enough, lightning and thunder roaring and flashing in the distance. "Why do I have to stay in cabin eleven, anyway? Why is everybody so crowded together? There are plenty of empty bunks right over there."

When Percy pointed to the empty cabins, Annabeth turned pale. "You don't just choose a cabin, Percy. It depends on who your parents are. Or ... your parent."

Silence.

"My parents are James and Lily Potter, who were murdered by Voldemort when I was one. They are both dead and one of them can't be a god," Harry said, causing both of them to look at him as if they forgot he was there. He didn't blame him. He hadn't spoken.

"I'm sorry about your parents, Harry, and your mom, Percy. But that's not what I mean. I'm talking about your other parent. Your dad... And your real godly parent, Harry."

"My dad's dead. I never knew him."

Annabeth sighed, "Your father's not dead, Percy."

"How can you say that? You know him?"

"No, of course not."

"Then how can you say-"

"Because I know you. You wouldn't be here if you weren't one of us. Both of you are."

"You don't know anything about me."

"No?" She asked, raising an eyebrow. "I bet you moved around from school to school. I bet you were kicked out of a lot of them. And you, Harry, have been abused, verbally and physically, by a family member and are treated like a slave."

Harry couldn't speak, clearly dumbfounded. Was it his bruises?

"Diagnosed with dyslexia. Probably ADHD, too."

"Just ADHD," Harry cut in.

She glared at him. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"Taken together, it's almost a sure sign. The letters float off the page when you read, right? That's because your mind is hardwired for ancient Greek. And the ADHD-you're impulsive, can't sit still in the classroom. That's your battle-field reflexes. In a real fight, they'd keep you alive. As for the attention problems, that's because you see too much, Percy, not too little. Your senses are better than a regular mortal's. Of course the teachers want you medicated. Most of them are monsters. They don't want you seeing them for what they are."

"You sound like ... you went through the same thing?"

"Most of the kids here did. If you weren't like us, you couldn't have survived the Minotaur, much less the ambrosia and nectar."

"Ambrosia and nectar."

"The food and drink we were giving you to make you better. That stuff would've killed a normal kid. It would've turned your blood to fire and your bones to sand and you'd be dead. Face it. You're a halfblood."

"I feel so much better," muttered Harry.

"Well! Newbies!"

Harry turned around abruptly to see a big, bulky girl around two years older with stringy brown hair than himself was strutting towards them with three of her supposed siblings. "Clarisse," she sighed, "Why don't you go polish your spear or something?"

"Sure, Miss Princess," the big girl said, sneering. "So I can run you through with it Friday night."

''Go to the crows!", she growled. It took Harry a minute to realize that she'd just cursed a whole other language. "You don't stand a chance!"

"We'll pulverize," she growled, sounding rather confident. Then she turned to both Percy and Harry, her eyes switching between them. "Who're these runts?"

The blonde glanced at them and sighed. "Percy Jackson and Harry Potter, meet Clarisse, daughter of Ares."

"Like... the war god?", Percy asked.

She sneered. "Got a problem with that, runts?"

"No," Harry said in a brave sort of voice. She was like Draco and Dudley and any other bully. Harry knew what to do with them. "It explains your strange need to strangle someone. Have you ever tried to strangle yourself?"

She growled. "We got an initiation ceremony for newbies, Hair. And I think Prissy will be coming along, too."

"It's Harry."

"Percy."

"Whatever. Come one, I'll show you."

Annabeth started to say something but Clarisse cut her off. The blonde had a slightly pained look in her intelligent gray eyes but she stayed quiet anyway. Percy gave her the horn and then they were being dragged away by Miss Iron Fists. They approached a cinder-colored building and Dudley's words had suddenly come true. "They stuff people's heads down the toilet the first day at Stonewall."

They were in the girls bathroom. Harry struggled against Clarisse's strong grip but it was no use. They were all laughing and snickering. "Like they're 'Big Three' material," she laughed as she threw Harry towards her friend who was pushing him towards a toilet. "Yeah, right. Minotaur probably fell over laughing, he was so stupid looking. And this kid? I doubt he could hurt a fly."

Clarisse's friend shoved Harry's small head towards the bowl. Poor Harry used practically all his strength to get an inch away from the rim and the girl above him was smirking with amusement. "Poor little kid," she sneered, "How did he even become famous?"

That got Harry. He didn't care much about his fame but he did care about being insulted. He imagined it was the spoiled brat, Draco, above him, his gray eyes glistening. He felt the sudden urge to punch this lady in the face and the lights seemed to reacting to his anger, flickering on and off, sparks flying everywhere. The next thing he knew, a loud 'ow' sounded from behind him and Clarisse's friend was on the floor, her eyes wide with confusion and anger. The light above them had also turned off. After that? Everyone was soaked with toilet water. How? He had no clue. Harry had been knocked onto the floor as well and when he stumbled out of the toilet stall, he spotted Percy in a circle of dry land, not a single speck of water on him. "What the bloody hell happened?", Harry gaped, wincing at his choice of words. I need to stop copying Ron.

He stayed silent and stared at Harry, looking equally surprised. "What?"

"Wh-", he cut himself off and gestured towards him. "Sparks."

Harry didn't understand and looked at his soaked hands. Even though his eyesight was fogged because of his wet glasses, he could see blueish and orangeish lights flying off of his hands. Eventually they faded but Annabeth and Percy's shock didn't seem to. "How did you...?", she stuttered, looking between both of them.

Harry shook his head and walked out, Percy stumbling behind him and Annabeth. Outside, in a pile of mud, Clarisse and her bullying sisters were sprawled on the floor covered from head to toe in mud and toilet water. If it was even possible, they all looked uglier and smelled even worse. Others were gathering around to gawk and snicker at them. When the brunette noticed them she looked like she'd explode from hatred. "You are both dead, newbies. Deader than dead."

"You want to gargle with toilet water again, Clarisse? Close your mouth."

Harry smiled at Percy as Clarisse was being dragged away and said, "You're not so bad."

"And now you notice?", he snorted, "Do you have to, like, humiliate the world's biggest bully to earn some respect in England?"

He rolled his eyes and laughed. It was nice when he made friends instead of enemies. Then Annabeth cut in. "I want you both on my team for capture flag, idiots or not."