Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or Percy Jackson.
Chapter 23: We battle for our lives.
Percy's P.O.V.
My smile faded when Harry told me I had forgotten to tell him, you couldn't get into the garden in till sunset. untill that moment, I still hadn't remembered, it had been so long since: Thalia, Zoe, and I had went, besides I had only been there once. And we were fighting for our lives than, and plus Annabeth had been kidnapped, I may not had realized how much she met to me yet, but I still had cared deeply for her back than, even if I did think it was just because she was a good friend.
"Ops," I said, grinning back, Harry rolled his eyes at me, but I could tell he wasn't really mad at me, I don't think Harry has ever been mad at me or I mad at him, we've been friends for a little over a year now, and we've never fought or argued. He has become my best friend.
"How did you figure it out?" Annabeth asked, her eyes not on Harry, but looking at who all was with him, we knew he had been at Grimmauld place with Piper, Jason, Leo, his along with his three wizard friends, Ginny, Hermione, and Ron, but he had said; he was only going to take Jason and Leo with him and Piper, the others must have made him bring them, and when the heck did Nico get here, and Luna Lovegood, and who ever the curly brown-haired girl with them.
"We didn't." Harry said. "Aphrodite told Piper." Annabeth's eyes left the brown hair girl and went to Piper.
"You've seen Aphrodite?" She asked. Piper nodded her head, then took off this pendant she wore around her neck, I had just noticed Piper had a lot of jewelry on, the neckless Harry had bought her, her camp neckless, a charm bracelet, and the pendant she held out to Annabeth. There was a smaller pendant in the middle spinning around.
"My mom gave it to me." Piper said. "It warns you if a monster is near by, if the pendant in the middle shows you the egg, that means no monster, but if it shows you the dragon, like it is showing me now, it means a monster is near." Piper frowned and begun to look around. "I hope we don't get attacked again."
"Again?" I asked. "How many times have you been attacked."
"Two," Piper said. "Once by Earth-born, and once by a storm spirit."
"Don't forget Uncle Harry attacking Ares." Leo said, grinning like it was Christmas, and not the day before Halloween.
"You did what?" Annabeth demanded. "You attacked a god? Harry, how could you be so...so..reckless, you're lucky he didn't kill you."
"I didn't attack him." Harry denied. "It was both of us who decided to fight, besides it's over now, and he won, so.."
"What do you mean he won?" I asked, frowning, not liking the thought at all, that Ares the god I disliked the most had beat up my best friend, after this quest I might just go hunt him down, and beat him up. (Again)
"No one won." Piper said. "And you did a good job fighting him."
"Baby," Harry said. "It ended with him having me down on the ground with a sword to my throat, I think that means he won." Piper shivered even though it felt pretty good outside.
"Don't mention that." Piper said. "I didn't like seeing you like that." Harry smiled and put his arm around her.
"Besides, if you remember it really ended, when Nico showed up and put his sword to Ares throat and demanded that he get the hell away from you." Jason said, and after all of us pointed our weapons at him, he ran after threaten this wasn't over."
I barely heard the last part, I was too busy staring at Nico, shocked, I knew he thought a lot about Harry, but I have never known him to act so protective about someone. I looked from Nico to the girl standing next to him, she was pretty for a younger girl, maybe thirteen or fourteen, with curly brown hair, and gold eyes. She was looking around at everyone nervously, like she hadn't been around so many people in a long time. As I watched she bent down and pretended to tye her shoe, but I noticed her pick something up off the ground, like a rock or something, and put it in her pocket, she then looked up saw me looking and her, and her eyes got big, and face turned red, as if she had been caught doing a crime.
"Hello," I said to her, deciding I would be friendly, so she would stop looking so scared. "I'm Percy." I grinned and she looked taken back for a moment before giving me a very small smile, it looked strain, like it had been a very long time since she has smiled at anyone.
"Hi," She said. "I'm Hazel." She reached up and started playing with her neckless, my eyes dropped to the ring hanging from it, and my eyes got big when I saw what kind of ring it was.
"You're a child of Hades." I blurted out, her eyes got wide and she took a step back. Nico glared at me, and Harry grinned.
"Isn't cool." He said. "I have another family member." Hazel looked at him shock all over her face. Her eyes found Nico he gave her a look like: I-told-you-so. And it dawned on me then, why Nico liked Harry so much, he could relate to him, he also had Hades blood in him, so he didn't care or judge Nico for it. Nico saw Harry as a brother.
"But...but..what about the oath?" Annabeth said. Looking Hazel over curiously. "She would have been born before they ended it."
"So was Percy and Jason." Harry said. He glanced at me and Jason. "No offense." We both just waved him off.
"Thalia too." I added. And Harry nodded.
"It doesn't matter anyway." Harry said. "Hazel is family no matter what." I had to grin a little. Harry had just met her, and was already acting as if they grow up together, one of the things I liked best about Harry, he was really a good guy, kind and caring and wouldn't hurt a fly; unless you did something to someone he cared about.
"It's getting pretty late." Piper spoke up. "Maybe we should get going, we're almost there, and it would be pretty bad if we missed the sunset."
"Yes, and as we walk you tell us all about your quest." Annabeth said. "What's happen? What monsters have you run into? And what are you after anyways?"
Harry sighed as Annabeth and I fall in steps by Harry and Piper, me by Harry, and Annabeth by Piper. Well I was by Nico, he was by Harry on our side, Hazel was between them, but a little behind.
"I can't tell you what I'm after, but I'll tell you about our quest." Harry said, and before Annabeth and I could open our mouths, he went on, telling us about the graeae, being attacked by the mighty Python, how to my shock, Piper killed it, about Apollo given Piper her bow, I hadn't noticed it till Harry pointed it out. He then told about fighting Lamia, then being kidnapped by Antaeus, being forced to fight, and then killing him to get away, how they ended up at Hogwarts, and had to battle there, how they were wanted now, and that was about it.
I shook my head when Harry said he worried I would be mad about him killing Antaeus, I smiled and said.
"I've killed him myself." Harry grinned. As we walked on, I begin to tell him about Annabeth and mine quest and the monsters we ran into, but compared to him, we had it easy.
"Harry, tell Annabeth what Clio told you in your dream." Piper spoke up. "Maybe she can help figure out what god did it."
"What god did what?" Annabeth and I asked, at the same time. Harry looked from her to me, then shook his head.
"We have other things to worry about right now." He said. "Maybe after this quest." Piper bit her lip as if she was trying to keep herself from saying something. Annabeth frowned at not being told, and I was worried on what it was.
"Who's Clio?" I asked.
"Muse of History." Annabeth said at once, we had made it into town and was walking around, wondering what we could do to kill the time into sunset.
"Is there a café or something near by?" Harry asked. "I'm getting a little hungry." He pulled a pouch out of his pocket and looked in it, but then frown. "Damn, only demigod and wizard money, no muggle money. Anybody got anything?"
"I got like ten bucks." I said, pulling two fives out of my pocket, and everyone else shook their head no, but Piper snorted.
"That's not going by you something to eat around her, little long everyone else." I frowned, she was right, heck ten dollars barley bought a snake even in New York, California must have been even worse.
"Hey, Nico, is my wallet still in Harry's bag?" Piper asked. Nico who for some reason was carrying Harry's bag, slid it off, and handed it to Piper, who got down and started going through it. She then pulled out a wallet and opened it up, then frowned. "My credit card it gone."
"I didn't take it." Nico cried, as if Piper had a cussed him.
"She didn't say you did, Nico." Harry said. "Just calm down, we know you wouldn't steal anything from us." He got down next to Piper and put his arm around her. "When was the last time you saw it?"
Piper shrugged. "It doesn't matter I guess." She dropped the wallet back in the bag, and handed it to Nico. "I just thought maybe I could get something for us to eat with it."
She stood, and Hermione dug into her pockets, and pulled out some money, but frowned.
"All I got is some pounds." She said. "I don't think I can spend those around here anywhere."
"Don't worry children." A voice said. "I will buy you something." We looked and for the first time noticed we were standing in an out-door café, surrounded by round tables and chairs, the women who had spoken was sitting at the nearest table, she had long black hair, chocolate-brown eyes, and was wearing a black silk dress, with a picture of a peacock feather on the bottom, along with a black silk shawl with black tassel hanging on the bottom and the back of it had a picture of a peacock. She looked right at Harry and gave him a hug grin.
"Mother!" He said, shocked. Hera pointed to the chair next to her.
"Come, have a seat." We just stood there staring at her shocked. "I don't bit." Hera grinned, Piper was the first to move she grabbed Harry's hand and pulled him over to the table, where he sat down next to Hera, and Piper sat next to him. We soon followed, Leo sat on the other side of Hera, and I sat next to him, Annabeth next to me, Nico on the other side next to Piper, Luna next to him, Hazel next to her (Looking very nervous) Jason next to her, then Ginny, Hermione, and Ron. Who were staring at Hera with wide-eyes.
Marauder ran right up to Hera and put his front paws on her lap, and begun to lick her face.
"Stop that!" she snapped, pushing him away. "Control yourself." Marauder laid down at Harry's feet pouting.
"How come you didn't tell me his dad was the Nemean Lion." Harry demanded. I looked at him in surprised, I didn't know that. Hera grinned.
"I didn't think you needed to know." Hera said. "You would have figured out, I gave him to you so he could keep you safe, and you wouldn't have liked that, you're way too independent."
I could tell Harry didn't like it now, he frowned at his mother, then looked down at Marauder who looked back up at him amused.
"Queen Hera, is there something you needed?" Piper asked. She leaned forward, and was trying to be polit to Hera, but Hera looked at her with a frowned.
"Not from you." And by her tone I could tell she didn't like Piper, I guess because she was Harry's girlfriend, or may she didn't trust her, being an Aphrodite kid.
"Hey, don't talk to her that way." Harry demanded, just as a waitress walked over and sat a large pizza in front of us, along with some sodas.
"Oh, I forgot to mention I already ordered for you." Hera said. "I hope pizza is alright, isn't that what kids like now a days."
She reached over and picked up a paper plate and put two slices on it, then sat it in front of Harry, along with one of the two Cherry Cokes, that was sitting there.
"Your Step-father has admitted to me he sent you on a quest." Hera said. "To find the Blade of Olympus, Darling, I must warn you that sword is very dangerous, I...as bad as it pains me, I can not stop you from finding it, but I do warn you, to be careful."
"The Blade of what?" I asked. I looked to Annabeth she shrugged, not knowing, which in its self was shocking.
"The Blade of Olympus." Jason said in awe. We looked at him surprise. "Thalia once told me about it. It's a Myth among children of Zeus, a Myth because none of us has ever seen it. It's a powerful sword made by Zeus himself. He used it in the first Titan war, and the first giant war, then a few hero supposedly used it, then it disappeared around accent times, when the gods were still believed in."
"I've heard about that sword." Hazel spoke up, then turned red when our eyes went to her. "Sorry," She squealed.
"Hazel Levesque." Hera said. "I'm sure you have heard all about the sword from the hero himself, down in the..."
"It doesn't matter how she knows." Nico spoke up, and everyone's eyes went to him. "Go ahead Hazel, tell us what you know." She swallowed.
"Umm, he was tricked, Kratos," Hazel said. "That's the hero who last used the sword. I don't know the full story, but he said, he did a favor for the gods, he didn't say what, but it must have been big because, he was made a god, and then there was some war, and Zeus had told Kratos if he drained all his godly powers into the sword it would make it more powerful, and he would really become invincible, and he would be able to beat their enemies, well, that was all true, he drained all his godly powers and strength into the sword, and took out everyone that was fighting against the gods, but Zeus failed to tell him, he would not be able to get his strength back, and before Kratos even knew what was happening, Zeus took the sword and stabbed him, killing him."
"What?" Harry said. Wide-eyes. "But...but..."
"See, Heracleitus, I do not know what Zeus is really up to." Hera said. "I believe he may be trying to help you out, because he never told you about being able to give the sword your strength and magic, to be more powerful, but I warn you against doing so, if you find the sword, just use it like it is, do not put anything into it." Harry nodded, but I noticed Piper looking thoughtful.
"I wouldn't anyways." Harry said. "I'll need all the strength and magic I have to fight Voldemort, I can't be giving any to a sword, besides, if Kratos godly powers is still in it, it should be strong enough already...but." He stopped talking and also looked thoughtful, I had a feeling whatever he was thinking, Piper was thinking the same thing, for they looked at each other and grinned, like they had just come up with a really good plan.
"I have heard a few unbelievable things from your brother." Hera said, changing the subject. Harry gave her a confused look, then looked questing at Jason, who held his hand up as to say. "She's not talking about me."
"Your brother, not your step-brother, Heracleitus." Hera said. "Ares, he came to me, not even an hour ago, is it true, you were jailed back in July?" Harry choked on the bite of pizza he just took, and Piper had to pat him on the back, then reached him his Soda Pop.
"I take that as a yes." Hera said. "Well, then is it true you attacked your brother, a god. Heracleitus, what have I told you about your temper, you are going to get yourself killed."
"Oh my god." Leo cried out. "Uncle Harry beat Ares' butt, so to get back at him, he titles like a five-year old." Hera glared at him, which shut him up, and she turned back to Harry.
"Tell me, Heracleitus, why was it you were put in jail?" Hera asked. Harry took a drink from his Cherry Coke, before he explained the whole camera man thing, Hera frowned at him. "Now tell me, what made you lose your temper on Ares, why you saw fit to fight your brother."
"Wait." Ron said. "You're telling us, that the one Harry had just fought, is his brother?" Harry scowled. "Blimey, I get in fights with my brothers, but we never tried to kill each other."
"He's not my brother." Harry said. Hera gave him a look. "Fine, Half-brother, and he had it coming, he threaten Piper." Harry took on voice, which I took to suppose to be Ares. "Girl, you better be glad you're a daughter of Aphrodite." I raised my eyebrow at him, as Leo snickered.
"Well, to be fair, she did flip him over her shoulder." Jason put in, Harry glared at him.
"You did what?" I asked, looking at Piper wide-eyed.
"Her again." Hera said. "It all comes down to her, you got jailed because of her, you fought your brother over her, and last winter you died for her ." Piper's face turned red. "Son, I believe it is time you leave her. She is not good for you, she is a bad influence."
"I love her, Mother." Harry said. "And Piper is a good person, she loves, and..and." His eyes flashed and he suddenly jumped. "You have no room to talk about someone, look what you have done, what about Lamia, what about all the other lovers of Zeus you took revenge on, what about his kids you've curse."
"Heracleitus, my past is none of your business." Hera also stood. "And what have I told you about talking to me this way?"
"Piper and I are none of your business." Harry said. "I'll be with who I want to be with. I love her and nothing can stop me from being with her. You can't tell me who I can be with." Hera raised her hand and smacked Harry across the face. He grabbed his cheek and stepped back looking at her wide-eyes. Hera herself looked shocked.
"HEY!" All of us, but Harry cried. Nico even had to grab Piper to stop her from jumping the Queen of Olympus.
"Harry, I'm so sorry," Hera reached for him, and Harry flinched back so bad he bumped into Piper ,who was standing behind him. I guess the smack made him think about the abuse he received at the hands of the Dursley's, Hera must have figured it out too. "I'm not like them, Heracleitus, I just lost my temper." Harry put his hand down, and I saw a hand print on his face.
"Nothing Piper has ever did, caused my life to be cursed." He said.
"What?" Annabeth demanded. "Harry, what do you mean your life is cursed?" He blinked as if trying to stop tears and shook his head, and walked off, he went over to a stone wall a few feet away and sat down, and put his face in his hands. Marauder jumped up looked between Harry and Hera, as if he didn't know who to be faithful to, but in the end ran over to Harry with out another glance to Hera. He put his head on Harry's knee and he begin to pet him.
"Clio," Piper said, Looking over at Harry, "Told him in a dream that an old child of Zeus that had been turned into a god had curse his life, so he would live the same tragic life he did." Piper glared at Hera. "To get back at you for making his life nothing but hell. That's why Harry has had such a sucky life."
"Of course." I said, throwing my hands up. "Like always, the gods can't control themselves and who suffers when they piss someone off? Us their children." Thunder bombed over head. I looked up. "It's true." More thunder.
"Percy, stop." Annabeth warned. For once I listened.
"I better get going." Hera said, and she glanced sadly over at Harry.
"NO!" Piper suddenly cried and grabbed Hera's wist to stop her from going anywhere. Hera gave her a glare.
"Let go of me right now, Piper McLean." Hera said. "Or I might just forget how much my son loves you."
"You can't leave it like this." Piper said. "You and Harry can not leave things like this, go over there and talk to him."
"I am warning you." Hera said. "Mind your own business."
"Harry cares a lot about you." Piper said. "You'll regret it if you don't go over there and make things right." Hera glared and opened her mouth to say something, but then closed it and narrowed her eyes.
"You know something." Hera said. "Something about Heracleitus." Piper let go of her wist and looked down. "Tell me now!" Piper looked toward all of us, then back at Hera.
"Ask Aphrodite." Piper said. "She wouldn't tell me everything, I just know you shouldn't leave things between Harry and you the way they are." Hera looked at Piper for a moment then a small light shined and she was gone, Piper sighed and looked down.
"Piper, whats going on?" Annabeth demanded. "Is something wrong with Harry or is something going to happen to him?" Piper shook her head.
"Please don't make me say." She said, looking as if she was going to cry, she then turned to go over to Harry, but stopped and gasped. I looked over to see Hera with him, she sat next to him on the stone wall and was running her hand through his hair. She said something, he nodded and she smiled, stood and grabbed Harry's arm and stood him up, she then hugged him, and after a moment he hugged her back. And laid his head on her shoulder, it looked like he was crying.
After a moment they pulled apart and Hera said one more thing, kissed his forehead and then vanished in thin air. Harry stood there a moment, before walking back over toward us.
"Everything alright?" Piper asked, as he made it to her. Harry smiled and nodded as he put his arm around her.
"Everything is just fine." Harry said. "Mum said she was sorry for hitting me and promised on the River Styx to never do it again."
"Good," Piper said, looking relived, I really wanted to know what she knew. Was something going to happen to Harry?
I opened my mouth to make her tell us, when Ron suddenly yelped. I turned to see some kind of creature had jumped from the pine tree above our table and was now hanging on to his back. At first we were all too shocked to move. You couldn't blame us, the thing on his back looked as if a Monkey had a kid with a frog, with smooth hairless skin, that was a mottled green, its hands and feet where webbed, with long arms and legs, it's head had two short horns, and some kind and thing in the middle of his forehead was flashing red light. It looked up grinned with sharp pointy teeth, and went to sink its teeth in Ron's shoulder.
That was when Hazel got over her shock and jumped into action, she knocked the thing off his shoulder with the but of her spear, right when it was about to bit, the thing landed on it's back, she then turned her spear around and drove the blade right through its chest. The thing let out a weird noise before lay motionless.
"What the bloody hell is that thing." Ron demanded.
"You mean what was it." Leo added.
"A Clabbert," Luna said, Hermione looked at her in surprised.
"How did you know that." She asked.
"They're in Fantastic Beast and Where to Find them." Luna said. "But I've never got to see one. They leave mostly in the southern American states, but can be found elsewhere, but I don't understand why it would try to bite Ron, they feed on lizards mostly."
"I guess it got tired of lizard." Ron said, looking at his shoulder to make sure it really didn't bite him.
"Maybe it got the two confused." Leo said. "You know Wizard, Lizard." We all looked at him like he was an idiot.
"It's because there is too many of us." Annabeth said. "Us demigods that is, we're sitting ducks, our smell must be real strong, with so many together. Ron and Leo started snickering at that, Annabeth glared at them both.
"We're going to need to split up." Harry said. "After all we all can't go into the garden, the Nymphs might feel threaten by so many."
"That's true." Annabeth said. "But we have to decide who goes with you into the garden, and who stays behind."
"I already know Piper is." Harry said. "And I want Percy, he's been already, so he'll know right where to go, and of course Annabeth, Nico also, and.." He frowned and looked at everyone, Leo and Jason."
"Why them?" Ron demanded, "Why not us?" He pointed and him and Hermione."
"I just need them, Ron." Harry said. "Besides, I don't even know if you or Hermione or Ginny, could even get in the garden, not being from that world, I don't really know how that'll work."
"Harry is right, Ron." Hermione said. "It has to be them." The others nodded their agreement, Ron opened his mouth to argue again, but then another one of them things jumped out of the trees and onto Ginny. She screamed out and batted the thing away, Jason knocked it off, and put his sword right through its head. Just as more came jumping down and landed on all of us.
Annabeth cried out as one pulled on her hair, I knocked it off her with my fist so hard it went flying and hit a tree across the street, Piper knocked one-off Harry and then stabbed it with her dagger, in return he knocked one-off her and stabbed it with his sword, Leo killed two with an axe that had jumped onto Hermione, Luna blasted a few away with her wand, and Hazel took care of some. By the time we had taken all of them out, the sky was getting dark and the sun was getting ready to set.
"We better go." Harry said, twisting his sword back to a wand, and taken Piper's hand. I took Annabeth's.
"You guys be carefull incase more of them things was to come back." I said. "We'll try not to be too long."
"And if we don't come back, you know we've been eaten." Leo said, Hermione glared at him. He opened his arms to her. "How about a hug, Bookworm." She huffed and crossed her arms.
"You be careful." Ginny told Jason, before kissing him. He hugged her, gave her another kiss and walked over to stand by Harry and Piper.
"See you in a bit, Nico." Luna said, and to mine and everyone's shocked, they kissed each other, before pulling apart so Hazel could give Nico a one arm hug. "You two look after each other." They nodded and Nico made his way over to us, I raised my eyebrow at him.
"What!" He demanded. I just shook my head with a smile, and we headed of toward Mount Tam. It took a little bit to get there, but we made it before the sun went down, and we stood waiting for it to set in sheets of flouting fog.
"Why do I smell cough drops?" Leo asked.
"It's the Eucalyptus tress." I said. "Monsters like to chew on the leaves, especially dragons." Annabeth looked at me with her eyebrows raised. "What? it's true." She just shook her head with a smile.
"Who names a mountain Mount Tam anyway?" Harry asked.
"It's short for Mount Tamlpais, it means Mountain of Despair." Piper answered.
"Nice name." He said. I smiled a little, Harry sure could be a smart mouth when he wanted. Something I found amusing, the sun begun to sit.
"Alright, this is it," I said. "Just try to concentrate and follow me." I tighten my grip on Annabeth's hand, and together we stepped into the fog, the others right behind us.
When the fog cleared the road was now dirt. The grass thicker. The sunset made a bloodred slash across the sea. There was only one path directly in front of us, it led to a lush meadow of shadows and flowers. Next to me I heard Piper gasped, as she looked around, Harry too looked awe, I couldn't blame them I felt the same way my first time here. Even with the enormous dragon it was still the most beautiful place I had ever seen.
"It's so beautiful." Piper said, looking around. The grass shimmered with silvery evening light and the flowers were such brilliant colors, they almost glowed in the dark. Harry grinned real big and walked over to a rose-bush and picked a beautiful pinkish-peach rose, Annabeth gasped.
"Harry, I don't think you should do that." Annabeth cried, in an almost whisper, he grinned at her as he handed the rose to Piper.
"Don't worry, Beth, mum said I could." Piper smiled as she took it from. "With the quilt she's feeling for smacking me, I could probably get the moon if I wanted it."
"I think Artemis would have something to say if she gave you the moon." I joked. Harry glared at me.
"Don't be an idiot, you git." He said. "You know what I mean." I smiled at him, I don't know what git, meant, I guess his why of calling me a jerk, maybe, but I always found his way of name calling and swearing funny. I smiled a little wider, it sure was good to have my good buddy back.
Piper kissed him and tuck her rose safely in her quiver with her arrows. And they begun to look around again. Polished black marble led around either side of a five-tory-tall apple tree, glittering with gold apples.
"The apples of immortality." Harry whispered, looking up at them. "Zeus' wedding gift to my mum."
"They small great." Leo said. "And I've never been a big fan of apple." Harry rolled his eyes, but smiled, he looked happy to be in a place that belonged to his mum.
"There's Ladon." Piper whispered. She pointed to the large dragon sleeping at the bottom of the tree. "If we walk quit enough; maybe we can get by without him waken." We nodded and begun to walk down the path as quit as we could, even Marauder. Harry and Nico even covering us some in shadows, so to try not to be seen.
"Where do you think these nymphs are hiding?" Jason asked, in a whisper so low he was barely heard. We didn't get to answer him, shadows in front of him begun to move, and once again I heard that eerie singing, Harry's hand went for his wand, but I stopped him, as four figures shimmered into existence, four young women who looked just like an old friend of mine. Four gorgeous, and dangerous women; the Hesperides, Zoe Nightshade's sisters.
"What is thy doing here." One said. "Who dares to trespass in our garden."
"Your garden?" Harry said, outraged. "This garden belongs to my Mother." All four looked at him. I could tell Harry was neither intimidated by them or in awe of their beauty, like I had been when I first met them. I guess when you have a girlfriend that looks like Piper, everyone else seems normal to you. (Don't tell Harry I said that) I glanced at Annabeth, to see her eyes locked on the nymphs and her hand on her dagger. I had to smile, yep the Nymphs looked normal compared to her beauty too, Annabeth was the most gorgeous female on earth or Olympus.
"Heracleitus Potter," another one amused. "Yes, of course thy would believe that." Marauder begin to grow at her.
"I believe it because it is the truth." Harry said. Piper reached over and laid a hand on his arm to calm him, she then turned to the Nymphs, and spoke in a smooth voice.
"Please, we are here because we need your help." Piper said. "We need information and we were told you might know." The Nymphs looked as if they were going to help, they all four opened their mouths, then paused and tilted their heads as if listening to something, then a look of outraged went through their eyes.
"How dare thy try to charmspeak thee." One said. "You will pay."
"Wait!" I cried. "We just need to ask you a question then we will go." They turned and looked at me for the first time, realized who I was and look beyond ticked.
"Perseus Jackson." They all four cried. "How dare thee come back here!" The last one on the end took a deep breath and shouted.
"Ladon! Wake!" The dragon strried. a hundred heads whipping around, tongues flickering and tasting air. We all, but Piper pulled out our weapons: Harry his sword, Annabeth her dagger, Jason sword, Leo axe, and Nico sword.
"I take it, that's not a good thing." Leo said. No one answered, and Piper yelled.
"Ladon! Sleep!" The dragoon paused, then all hundred head fell back down with a snort, and all hundred heads begin to snore.
"Ladon! Wake!" another yelled the dragon strried, but Piper once again yelled.
"Ladon! Sleep!" In wich his fell back down snoring.
"Stop that!" one nymph said. "Ladon! Wake!"
"Ladon! Sleep!." It went back and forth for about thirty minutes, one nymph would yell for Ladon to wake, only for Piper to turn around and yell for Ladon to sleep. Into Jason stepped in.
"Stop, all of you." Jason said. He then turned to the Nymphs. "Look, we just need to know one thing, you have helped a hero once before find a weapon, will we need to know where another one is." He took a breath. "So, do you all know where the blade of Olympus is?"
"We will not help, thy." One said. "It' too late for you anyway." She pointed behind us, and I suddenly smiled a very, very bad breath. We all turned around to see Ladon a wake and standing over us. We had nowhere to run, the dragon was in front, and the Nymphs blocking the path behind us. He stood up and all hundred mouths hissed, he opened his mouth, Marauder got right in front of Harry and let out a big roar, but before anyone can do anything, Piper ran forward and held out her hands.
"Stop!" She cried. Ladon stopped and didn't move. "That's it, don't move. Nice dragon, you don't want to hurt anyone." Ladon looked at Piper with all hundred eyes, she shook a little, but her voice stayed steady. "That's it, you're a nice dragon." Laden's heads bent and looked closer at Piper. Marauder growled in warning.
"Piper," Harry said, he went to take a step forward, but Nico grabbed his arm. And that was one for the first time I noticed he wasn't wearing black. I know weird time to realize that.
"Piper, come on, Baby," Harry said. "Please, come away from him."
"LADON!" one of the Nymphs yelled. "What are you waiting for? Attack!" And a lot of things happen at once, all one hundred heads went toward Piper mouths wide open.
"NO!" Harry screamed, and ran forward and knocked Piper out-of-the-way, Ladon went for Harry instead, but as one the other heads went for Harry, Nico jumped in front of him and Ladon got him instead, Nico fall to the ground withering in pain. Harry went right to him, and Marauder jumped at Ladon and bit his leg, he smacked him away and Marauder just jumped back up with a big roar,
"Nico," Harry cried. "Why'd you do that, you should have let him get me instead." Nico just looked up at Harry, his eyes had turned a dull grey.
"Harry, don't say that." Piper demanded. He didn't answer he just grabbed his bag Nico had, and poured it out, looking frantically for something, me on the other hand I was mad. Ladon bit Nico, he tried to kill Harry and Piper, he was the reason Zoe died, and now he was turning his eyes on my girlfriend. No way, was he going to get by with any of that.
Ladon dodged at Annabeth, I pushed her out-of-the-way, and punched one of Ladon's heads, his head went flying back, making his others jerk back too. I then stabbed him in the side with Riptide, where the sword stuck, I then used it to climb up on his back, a grabbed wrapped my arms around one of its necks, as it struggled to throw me off, it brought one of its heads around and looked right at me.
"Percy, here!" Harry yelled, he tossed me his sword, I caught it, noticing he had a small vile of some kind of blood in his hand, but didn't think much of it, as one Ladon's head came at me, I brought Harry's sword around and sliced it off. His other heads cried out in pain, as he turned to looked at me.
"Percy," Annabeth cried, she ran forward with her dagger, and as Ladon's eyes were on me, she stabbed it right in the chest, his heads cried out in pain again, and turned toward my girl.
"Annabeth!" Harry cried, he was next to Nico handing the vile of blood to him. "MOVE!" Annabeth didn't argue as Ladon dodged toward her throwing me off his back, she jumped out-of-the-way, and he missed her.
Jason ran forward and while Ladon's mind was still on Annabeth, he sliced one of the heads off. He cried out in pain again.
"That's two and only ninety-eight more to go." I said. I still had Harry's sword in my hand, as I sliced and stabbed at every part I could reach.
Harry was suddenly there and thrust out his hands shadows begin to dance and swirl around him, and after Nico had drunk the vile of blood, he was back on his feet, sword in hand. He helped Harry make the shadows dance, confusing Ladon, as he tried to get at them. Piper and Annabeth was there, Annabeth with her dagger in hand, Piper with her bow and arrows. Now every one of us surround the dragon, we stabbed, sliced, dodged, hit, and shot arrows at him, and in Marauder's case clawing and biting. Ladon begin to weaken. And after a while Leo ran forward.
"I got it!" He cried. "Out of the way!" We all stepped back, and Ladon stepped forward, held out his hands and shot fire out of his palms, the fire hit Ladon and he went up in flames, I could spell the sent of burnt skin as all hundred heads made an awful scream like noise. The fire lighting up the place. The ground shook as Ladon dropped down dead.
"Leo," Harry said. "Do something, don't let him set my mum's garden on fire."
"Umm...sorry, Uncle Harry." Leo said. "There is nothing I can do."
"LEO!" Harry cried. I sighed, I didn't like Hera, not one bit, but this place was too beautiful to see go up in smoke. I stepped forward. And thrust out my hands, in the distance there was a rumble, and the sound of the sea raising, and then a big wave came, and landed on Ladon's burnt corpse, putting it out. When the fire was all gone, there was nothing left but burnt skeleton remains. We had done or more like Leo, had done what other heros not even Hercules could do, he killed the hundred headed Ladon.
"Oh, no you don't" Piper suddenly cried, I looked to see she had a grip on one of the Nymphs with her dagger to her throat. Her sisters went to help her, but Harry picked up Riptide was laying on the ground in Ladon's remains and jumped in front of Piper and held it out, Marauder right next to him growling. The nymphs took one look at the blade and their eyes widen.
"You just stay right where you are." Harry said, she nodded toward Piper. "Tell me where the Blade of Olympus is or you'll have one less sister." They just stared. "I'm really not in the mood, you just almost killed a member of my family, plus my girl and my friends, don't piss me off anymore or I will give Piper the go ahead and.." He made a cutting motion on his throat, we all stared at him shocked.
"What will it be." He asked, when they still didn't answer.
"Fine, I will to thy." One gave in, when Piper brought her blade closer to the other nymphs throat. "The Blade Of Olympus is hidden in another garden, one nowhere near as beautiful as ours, not many have seen it, because it is deep underground, why deep.."
"Just tell me." Harry demanded.
"Thy will find the Blade of Olympus hiding among the pomegranate tress in Persephone's garden." She said.
"It's in the Underworld?" I demanded. She looked at me and nodded. Harry turned to Piper and gave a nod she let go of the nymph, who then ran over to her sisters.
"Look what thy did." She said. "Now who will watch the tree." Harry grinned at her as he pulled his pouch out of his pocket and looked through it for something. "Don't worry, I have a friend who would be great for the job, I get back to camp I'll tell her." They glared at him, then shimmered away pretty much the same way they had come.
"So, Nico." Harry said, pulling two very familiar looking pearls out of his pouch, and haanded one to Piper. "Where is the closet entrance to the underworld?" Nico frown in thought for a moment.
"Los Angeles," He answered. "But Harry I don't know about." He was cut off as Harry and Piper stepped on the pearls and disappeared in the smell of the sea. Marauder growled at the spot.
"What the hell?" Jason cried. "He just lift like that, we can help him!"
"You know how Uncle Harry is." Leo said. "He doesn't want anyone to get hurt for him."
I was so shocked and confused about what just happen the only thing I could think to say was. "He took my sword." I looked down at Harry's sword still in my hand, I don't even think he realized he had mine and not his. Though his was a pretty cool looking sword with an emerald incrusted handle and the Potter family crest covered in the middle of the blade.
"Well, there is no way I'm going to let Harry go into the Underworld alone." Nico said. "So anyone wanting to go, grab someone's hand." Nico then grabbed my arm, then Annabeth's, Leo grab my other arm, and Jason grab Annabeth's. Marauder laid one paw on Nico's foot.
I looked up toward Mount Tam, and a shiver went down my spin, there was clouds up there, dark grey stormy clouds as if a storm was going on up there, just like the last time Atlas had gotten free. But before I could point it out to Annabeth I was taken away in the Shadows.
A.N. Hope this chapter was alright, and the fight with Ladon, and the next will be the last chapter and this story will come to an end, and it probably won't be in Harry's pov either, most the story had been from his P.O.V, but I haven't decided yet who it'll be in. Maybe Piper's of Jason's.