AN: So, this is the last chapter. We've gotten this far, and next we get to explore the Sea of Monsters. Also, before I go farther I want to thank everyone for their reviews, I am beyond happy at how many this story has gotten.
Also, I want to take the time to notice that the nickname Sam has for Melinda, Sea Witch was given to me by HowlnMadHowie, who has actually helped me quite a bit when it comes to inspiration for this story and series in general.
This chapter, actually is a lot longer then I thought it would be but with all the things I wanted to do it just became long. I also apologize for any grammar errors or mistypes, I've read over it but I plan to re-read over it later and fix anything I find then.
On another note, the poll for Melinda's animagus nickname is over. The winner is...Isis. Which I am quite happy with, since it really connects with Melinda's past, present and future in ways.
I think I've just about mentioned everything, so enjoy this chapter. I will get the sequel out as soon as I can, but it might be about a week so I can work on my other stories which I've been neglecting a bit.
The Sea's Daughter: The Lightning Thief.
Chapter 20: Epilogue.
Chiron looked grimly at the two children of Poseidon nymphs pulled into camp, and quickly he knew both were in mortal danger.
"Di Immortals!" Annabeth cried, having run over with the commotion of others who saw as well.
Percy was green, turning gray, and he had blood on his clothes, and hands, but it wasn't his. That much was obvious, and Melinda.
Well, to Annabeth it looked like someone had dumped a bucket of blood on her, almost like in that movie the Stolls would talk about – Carry or something.
"Are they..." she began.
"Alive, but barely," Chiron said, he'd seen enough dead heroes to know a dead one from a near dead one. "Get them to the infirmary. They don't have long."
Annabeth helped two nymphs with Percy and Sam quickly went over to Melinda and basically lifted the bloody girl up bridal style and carried her at a fast walk into the big house.
Chiron met Mr. D inside, the god of wine and madness was looking unusually grim after having seen the state of the Percy and Melinda – not that he'd admit it was concern for the two demigods.
Chiron could already see a group of Apollo children working over both Percy and Melinda.
More seemed to be around Melinda, and both Chiron and Mr. D could tell once they'd gotten her stained crimson shirt off that she'd been run through with a sword.
It wasn't bleeding nearly as much but it was still weeping blood.
"She's not breathing," Chase of Apollo cried out, making everyone stop and look on in shock and wide eyes.
"CPR," another said, and Chiron shifted, his face being even more grim as he watched the demigods work over the daughter of Poseidon.
"The council will not like this," Mr. D muttered, loud enough Chiron would hear but no one else would.
Not that any would bother to care to listen with them being so busy with keeping Percy alive and reviving Melinda.
"If she dies..." Mr. D continues.
Chiron sighed.
"Poseidon will not like it, his own daughter killed within the borders of camp," Chiron said, "but who?"
Mr. D frowned.
"Whoever it was seemed to have quite the rage," he said. "To poison one, but stab another. You know what this means don't you?"
Chiron nodded.
"First blood," he said, looking at Melinda.
"We've got her, she's back," A daughter of Apollo, Sara, Chiron recalled said.
"Chance, go get some of those blood replenishing potions from the storage, and some nectar and ambrosia," Chase ordered to one of his half-brothers.
Everyone was pretty much running around now, working to heal the two hurt campers.
"Do you think it has to do with the Titan Lord? I've heard rumors, and if it was not Hades who orchestrated the theft of my father's bolt..." Mr. D said, trailing off.
Any camper might find it odd or out of character for the camp director to be speaking so wisely and normally about something. Being so serious in other words.
Chiron did not seem surprised.
"I think, only Percy and Melinda know that answer."
Mr. D sighed.
"Well, they're not talking right now."
Chiron took a deep breath, all they could do now was wait. He dreaded having to take the news to the other gods, he already knew Poseidon would be out for blood.
xXx
Melinda saw a lot of white, it was the first thing she did see.
At first she looked around and down at her nude body, which she instantly willed clothes onto – though she didn't miss the about seven inch fresh scar on her stomach.
It was in this ten seconds that she thought she was dead, or so close to death she was back where she'd been when Voldemort had killed her with the killing curse four months prior.
"Foolish girl," a ancient, old voice said from behind her. "You're not dead...at least...not completely. Close...oh so very close."
"Very, very close. We almost thought your thread would break," another familiar voice said as she turned around.
Instead of Kings Cross, she was in a almost cloudy white domain. And behind her – now in front of her – was a few steps which led to a platform which had three throne like rocking chairs in silver, white and gold.
There were many threads, of many colors. Currently they were working with a familiar silvery-green thread, another basket with sea green/blue thread sat beside the basket for her own thread.
"Shame, for a moment there I thought it would. We do enjoy a tragedy from time to time," the last sister muttered in such a kind and eerily sweet voice it was creepy.
"You knew this would happen..."
"Of course we did," Atropos said. "We are The Fates, child. We see all, past, present and a future."
"The future?" she echoed, almost like asking herself instead of them.
"Hmm, to a certain point," Lachesis said. "We also sow the new lives into the world, so of course we have to have a certain future perceptive."
Atropos shot a glare at her sister.
"She does not need this information, sister," the holder of the sheers said.
"Why am I here?"
The three fates looked at her.
"You brought yourself to a place of healing. You nearly died, you might have gone to the same place once before except we intervened."
"Why though, what's so important you needed to speak to me?" she asked, almost bitterly.
"Hold your tongue, child," Atropos said. "We are here simply to give you the chance to ask your questions."
"Back at the fruit stand," Melinda said, after a moment. "You said I could change certain things about peoples destinies or fates."
"Yes, your interference as Mistress of Death in others lives makes things difficult at times," Clotho said. "Sometimes more...if you make the choice."
Melinda's eyes narrowed, again with the choices. What did that mean, what choice was she supposed to make? She shook her head, clearing of everything but her question.
"If that's so than why did...Luke betray us?" she asked, her voice choking on her friends – or could she really still call him a friend – name.
His betrayal cut deep, deeper then any besides Tom's. She laughed bitterly thinking about it. Luke and Tom were alike in some ways, both could charm people, and fool them. She'd never have dreamed he would join the Titans. Never.
"Do you not mean, you?" Lachesis asked, canting her head slightly to the side as she gazed wisely at her. "Why did he betray you? It is what you truly wish to ask, is it not?"
Melinda blinked hard to stop any tears from falling, she wouldn't, couldn't bring herself to cry in front of The Fates.
"It is his fate," Atropos said. "A hero who shall bring to light things long overdue."
Melinda shook her head.
"I mean no disrespect, my ladies, but can we cut the cryptic riddle bullshit?" she asked, not really in the mood for riddles.
She just suffered a near death stab wound, and lost half her bodies blood if how much blood she was covered in was anything to go by – not currently but before she'd passed out.
The three old ladies gave her scolding looks.
"Knowing ones future, or the finer details of ones future, can be dangerous," Clotho said. "You should understand that, Chosen one."
Melinda winced at the reminder of the war, even as small as it was.
"So you can't answer me, even if I asked why it had to be him? Did I do something in a past life to have such rotten luck?"
Lachesis laughed.
"Oh no, not at all child," she said. "We have given you the answers, you just have to figure them out for yourself."
Melinda sighed and groaned at the stabbing pain from her gut. Her hand flew to it and when she pulled it back she saw red blood coating her hand.
"What is this?"
"You're waking up, returning to the world of the living," Atropos said, hardly sparing her a glance.
"We are sorry for your losses child," Lachesis said. "But you understand that all life must come to an end, and sometimes a heroes path is not the path expected of them."
Melinda grimaced and knowing she wouldn't have long she moved on.
"You said I interfere in people's lives, sometimes you'd had to rewrite threads. That means people I am close with, sometimes they don't die when they were originally fated, right?"
"She begins to understand, sister," Clotho said, smiling slightly.
Atropos nodded.
"It is more complicated then that, child, but more or less."
"Then why is Dasha dead, or Remus and Tonks. Fred?" she asked, sadness in her voice.
"It was there times, and it does not work quite like that child," Atropos said, snipping a oddly purple thread. "You must make the choice, you were not there to make the choice. Aware or unaware. You can not always interfere, you can not be in more then one place at a time, can you daughter of Poseidon?"
Melinda tried to understand what she meant but she couldn't, but that could be because of the pain in her gut and head. Her head was pounding.
"I don't understand," she said.
"One day, you will," Clotho said.
Melinda shivered and looking down she realized she was as transparent as a ghost.
"We wish you well, Mistress of Death. You will not die today, but all heroes must die one day," Atropos said.
xXx
Melinda's eyes fluttered open and instantly she felt drained, tired even though she could tell she'd been healed to the best of their abilities.
She could taste the nectar in her mouth, and turned to her right she saw who had been coaxing her to drink.
Sam. The younger boy had a look of worry on his face, but also relief at seeing her awake. She wished she could do more then smile slightly at him.
What some didn't understand was that nectar and ambrosia healed but with the more deadly injuries it took longer and they didn't exactly restore ones energy or strength.
She'd lost a lot of blood, she'd been stabbed near fatally. It would take about a week of nectar, ambrosia and rest for her to be back in top order.
Unless she wanted to burst into flames because she took to much. Other demigods had been stupid enough to do just that. Or so she'd heard anyways.
"It's great to see you're awake," Sam said, smirking. "I thought you'd joined the dead the easy way."
Melinda snorted and turned to her left upon hearing a small sound of someone else waking up and her eyes widened. Percy.
She tried to sit up then as her eyes fell on her brother, Annabeth sitting next to him with a drinking straw in his mouth. Nectar as well, she realized.
She gasped, a strangled cry of pain escaping her as her body protested. The worse pain came from her torso and stomach area. Where she'd been stabbed from her back out the front.
It was such a bad pain she nearly felt her eyes roll into the back of her head. She slumped back against the bed from her attempt but it had gained Percy's attention.
He looked nearly as weak as her, but she supposed poison was a lot easier to heal then blood loss and stab wounds.
"Melinda," he said, and smiled slowly. "I thought you were..."
"Dead?" she asked, blandly. "I'll admit, I thought so too."
"Well you're not," Sam said, almost like he was reminding himself. "Now why don't you tell us what happened?"
Annabeth nodded.
"I agree. Percy, you were green turning gray when the nymphs carried you and Melinda out of the forest. If it weren't for the remaining Apollo children and Chiron's own healing you both would have died. We nearly lost Melinda once, the Apollo cabin barely revived her!"
She blinked back fierce tears as she got louder and louder.
Percy seemed to pale at this, and Melinda ran a hand through her hair. It was then she noticed she'd been given fresh clothes – a black tank top and pajama bottoms, probably thanks to one of the campers still at camp.
She didn't know how long they'd been out, but she felt as if she hadn't rested at all.
"Now, now," Chiron's voice said, drawing both her and Percy's attention to the centaur.
"Melinda and Percy's constitution deserves some of the credit. And the children of Apollo, the year rounders, they have never worked under quite the pressure they were under last night. They deserve most the credit of saving both of you."
Melinda smiled and chuckle lightly, though it jolted her stomach which hurt. It was probably the most tender and sore of her body, which was pretty much a given considering she'd had a four foot long sword shoved through it.
"Remind me to make them a thank you basket full of deserts," she said, half joking.
Chiron chuckled from where he sat at the bottom of the two beds, and in the space in between them. His lower half was magically compacted into the wheelchair, his upper half dressed in a coat and tie. He smiled, but his face looked weary and pale, like he'd been under a great deal of stress.
"How are you both feeling?" he asked. "You've both been out for nearly two days now. If you hadn't woken up by now, I'd have been forced to report to Olympus without your stories."
"Like my insides have been frozen, then microwaved," Percy said, and Melinda slowly reopened her eyes, which she hadn't realized she'd closed.
"Like I haven't slept in three weeks and had a four foot piece of metal shoved through my back," she said, swallowing back bile, for lack of better word.
"Apt descriptions, considering that essentially what happened. Now you must tell me, if you can, exactly what happened."
Between sips of nectar, Melinda and Percy shared looks and told the story. Percy went first, explaining how he'd gone out to train some, to think and met Luke.
How they'd went into the forest to fight some monsters and then sat down and Luke had revealed he was the Lightning Thief.
Melinda found it hard to listen to, and hardly said anything until she came into the story. She told them how she'd gone looking for Percy, worried, and found him with Luke.
She'd stayed hidden, unintentionally eavesdropping on them. What she'd heard and by the end she couldn't keep the few tears from escaping, or her hand from nearly cradling the place Backbiter had exited on her stomach.
The room was quiet for a long time, except for their breathing. Melinda couldn't help but notice the betrayed looks on everyone's faces, even Chiron's.
But Annabeth's was the most deep besides what she assumed hers might look like right now. Percy's was a close second, she nearly forgot Percy considered Luke a friend, even if it wasn't a close friend.
"I can't believe that Luke … he seemed so close to Melinda. I mean, I can believe he would betray us, but to go so far as to...he nearly killed her. I just don't understand, he told me more then once he had really deep feelings for you, Mel," Annabeth said, her voice faltering, and changing between angry, betrayed and uncertain.
Sam's face contorted in anger.
"Yeah, he liked her enough to shove his sword through her back. Coward, attacking when his opponents back was turned," Sam sneered and raged.
Annabeth and Melinda both winced simultaneously.
"This must be reported to Olympus. It's more serious then I feared," Chiron murmured. "I will go at once."
"Luke is out there right now," Percy said. Clinching his fist. "I have to go after him, we can't let him get away."
Chiron shook his head. "No, Percy. The gods-"
"Won't even talk about Kronos," Melinda said, knowing what Percy was getting at. "Zeus won't even humor the idea. Despite the evidence we have."
"I know it is hard for both of you, but we must not rush out for vengeance. You should understand this lesson well Melinda," Chiron said, giving her a look she knew all to well. He then turned to Percy.
"And you Percy, you barely have two months of training experience. You are not ready," he said.
Melinda looked at her annoyed brother and sighed.
"Chiron is right, Percy," she said, finally, groaning slightly at the wave of pain.
Sam was quick to get her glass of nectar from the table beside her and hold it up to her lips.
"He almost killed us, you almost died Lin! He's a traitor, he needs to be stopped before he can come back with more power. Kronos – "
Melinda couldn't help but think of Sirius in that instance and she shook her head, trying to give him a stern look but it came out more like pleading.
"Don't Percy, just think about it. I can't come with you, I can't move far right now," she reasoned. "We wouldn't be able to find him and if we did, what would we do? Kill him, are you truly ready to go that far? This war that is coming, it won't be pretty. You might have to do things you won't want to, don't rush into that."
Sam nodded.
"She's right, kid," Sam said. "Take it from someone born from war, it's messy. Castellan's already waved the flag of blood at us, declaring this won't be a merciful war. He's serious, and it could be any day after the stunt he pulled with both of you."
Annabeth nodded, showing that she also agreed, as did Chiron. He also seemed rather proud of the two older campers if the looks he shot them was anything to go by.
"Percy, I know that it is not in your nature to be restrained. But you must not rush out for vengeance. You aren't ready."
Percy sighed, looking at his hand as if realizing even if he could stand and find Luke, and was willing to permanently stop him, he wouldn't be able to hold a sword for some time. Much less fight.
"Chiron, the prophecy from the Oracle. The one that's been mentioned so often... it's about Kronos isn't? And me or Melinda? Right?" he asked and Melinda felt almost like the wind had been knocked from her.
"We don't know it's about you, but there is less then five percent chance it's about me," Melinda said.
Percy looked at her, and she could see a bit of surprise and betrayal leaking into his eyes.
"You know the prophecy?" he asked and she realized why he had looked upset. He thought she knew more then she'd told him. It hurt a little but she understood.
She shook her head.
"I don't, but I've heard of it just as you have," she said. "I swear, Chiron won't let me see it."
Chiron nodded. "Melinda speaks the truth. Though I believe you both could handle the prophecy...it isn't my place -"
"You've been ordered not to talk to me or Melinda about it, haven't you?" he asked, clearly disappointed.
His eyes were sympathetic, but sad.
"You will be a great hero, child. I will do my best to prepare you, and I know Melinda will as well. But if I'm right about the path ahead of you …"
Thunder boomed overhead, rattling the windows.
"All right! I get it!" Chiron shouted. "Fine!"
He shook his head in frustration.
"The gods have their reasons, Percy. Knowing too much of your future is never a good thing."
"As much as I hate to agree, he is right Percy," Melinda finally said, having trouble keeping her eyes open. "I don't exactly agree that keeping it from you, or us more exact, is the best course of action. Going in blind and all, but until you have more training maybe it is for the best."
"We can't just sit back and wait for Luke to come after us," Percy said, annoyed.
"We will not sit back," Chiron promised. "But you must be careful. Kronos wants you to come unraveled. He wants your life disrupted, your thoughts clouded with fear and anger. Do not give him what he wants. Train patiently. Your time will come."
"Assuming I live that long."
Melinda looked at him in an almost scolding manner.
"Don't think like that, it's not healthy. I used to think that exact thing before and even during the war. It only leads to sleepless night, nightmares and temperamental explosions at those you care about. Staying positive and focusing on what's important is what will save yourself hours of worry and agony."
"Wise words for a Sea Witch," Sam said, low but still loud enough everyone heard him.
"Once again, you should heed your sisters words. But you need to trust me, Percy. You will live, you need to believe that. But first you have to decide the course of action you'll take this coming year. To stay here year round or return home?"
"And Melinda?" Percy asked, glancing over at his sister who smiled.
"I think, once I can actually move, I'll be returning home. At least for a little while. I have some things I should really do. I know this probably isn't the time, but I think you already know what you'll decide Percy. You're not one to be restrained, and staying year round...well it has it's bonuses but we both know you're not one to stay in one place for long."
"I didn't quite understand what you said, it was kind of...cryptic? Or maybe it's just my post death experience brain freeze," Percy said, blinking and Melinda laughed shortly, closing her eyes and finding she was to tired to open them soon after.
"Yeah, I tend to get weird when I'm on my death bed, pun intended," she said.
"There was a pun to that?" Sam asked, confused.
Melinda snorted. To those who knew she was the Mistress of Death, there was a small one. Not exactly the best pun in the world.
Chiron sighed.
"Think what we've said over, Percy, and give me your answer once I return. I must go to Olympus now, and report everything to them. I fear they won't be taking this well, especially your father."
Chiron began to back his chair up and stopped.
"Argus will be here to keep an eye on you," he said. "And Annabeth, they'll be here in two days, so be ready for them."
He nodded once more and rolled out of the room.
"Mel, are you really alright?" Percy said, looking over at his sister.
Melinda tried to open her eyes back up but only got them partly open before closing them again.
"I'm alive," she said.
"Barely," Sam said, shaking his head. "Jeez, Lin. You nearly gave me and Lou a heart attack."
"Hmm..." she mumbled.
"Annabeth, what did Chiron mean about being ready?" she heard Percy mutter.
"I took your advice. Called my dad, we talked and he invited me home. I decided to accept," Annabeth said, and Melinda opened her eyes to see Annabeth was smiling softly. "I'm going home Percy, they'll be here in two days."
"That's great," he said.
"And you?" Annabeth asked.
"I think I'm going to go home as well. After everything...I just need to be elsewhere."
"Everything as in...Luke?" Annabeth asked, her eyes glassing over in grief and hurt and a bit of anger at the son of Hermes name.
Melinda felt a stab of regret, anger and hurt shoot through her heart as well.
"Castellan..." Sam grumbled shaking his head, whatever he had to say he didn't and simply stood.
"Sammy?" Melinda questioned and the boy smirked.
Though some might find interactions between the two more then friendship she'd be the first to laugh in their faces. For one thing Sam was fifteen – not that she cared much for the small age difference - and she didn't see him like that even if she did.
He was like a comrade in arms, a fellow warrior. He knew the pain of war, having lost his older brother to it – a mortal half-brother. And being born into it, and the fact his mother was currently an active part of the military. He understood war better then some of his siblings did.
In the end she supposed he was like another little brother to her. Just much more annoying. Then there was Lou Ellen, who she knew had a small crush on the son of Ares, no matter how annoyed the brown haired daughter of magic got.
"I need to go," he said, finally. "I'm glad you woke up today, otherwise I would have been loosing sleep over your sorry ass."
Melinda snorted, and smiled slightly.
"You're going home this year?" she asked, and he nodded.
"Yeah, my mom's home. I'm hoping for good this time," he said, reaching down for a bag she hadn't notice was beside him. "She should be here in a few hours. Annabeth and Percy will be here, and I'm getting the feeling you three should talk. I wasn't exactly friends with Castellan, but I know you three were."
He turned and began walking from the infirmary.
"Get some rest, Sea Witch and try not to die before next summer," he called back and she chuckled.
"Same to you, Warhead," she quipped back and she heard a short chuckle from him as he disappeared from sight.
Then, there was an awkward silence.
xXx
The gods were in an uproar.
Chiron had arrived to report the happenings to them, and why there seemed to be a disturbance since the day before. His news sent everyone into a frenzy.
The goddesses argued amongst themselves, and some with other gods. Gods grumbled, shouted and argued as well. The only one who wasn't saying much of anything was Hermes, who sat frozen like a statue. His eyes seemingly tortured.
His son, his favorite son, a traitor. Working for Kronos, and from the rage Poseidon was throwing right now his son had truly pissed the wrong god off.
"I will have his head!" Poseidon roared, above everyone else, slamming the butt of his trident on the ground, shaking all of Olympus. "How dare he poison my son, and draw blood from my daughter!"
"Boys a coward, striking from behind," Ares grunted.
"This is not good," Athena said, a thoughtful look in her gray eyes. "Hermes' son has basically declared war. Poisoning one child of the big three, that is one thing. But to draw blood from the other, a near fatal wound at that." She shook her head
Ares grunted.
"First blood. From what Chiron said, a lot of it as well," he said.
Poseidon steamed even more in his throne. No one had seen the sea god this angry in thousands of years.
"And the boy is certain of what he heard," Demeter asked. "Father is returning? The girl heard this as well?"
Zeus glared.
"There is no proof of that, just a traitors words," Zeus said, but they could see a growing suspicion and fear in his eyes.
"We shall prepare, in case Poseidon's children were correct. We must also find Luke Castellan. Even if we can prevent a war, he still needs to be found. Attacking and nearly killing two demigods, children of one of the big three no less...it can not go unpunished," Athena said, and the gods all nodded agreement.
Hermes paled, fearing the worse for his son, yet he also felt guilt. May had once seen a terrible fate for their son, one that drove her crazy. Now it seemed it was coming to pass.
He felt guilt not only for that, for a fate he didn't think he could stop, but because his son had nearly killed his uncles children. His cousins, though he'd never met them – though he'd heard many things about them.
xXx
"I can't believe what's happened," Annabeth finally said.
"The prophecy, I thought it had been completed. I was wrong, now I guess it has," Percy said, clinching his fist and Melinda blinked.
She realized for the first time she never knew what Percy's prophecy had been. She'd never asked and hadn't thought too.
"What was it?" she asked, almost afraid to know the answer.
Percy and Annabeth shared looks and then Percy repeated the prophecy to her. She sighed at the mention of being betrayed by one he called a friend.
"I thought it might have been Ares, because he helped us at first..." he didn't seem to be able to say anymore in his many emotions.
Annabeth was still looking down, and seemed to have clinched her fist so tightly her knuckles were turning white. Melinda thought she could see anger and grief in dark gray eyes – darker then she'd ever seen them before.
"He was never the same after his quest, but this. How could he, he was our friend!" Annabeth finally cried and Melinda sighed.
"It's not the first time something like this has happened," she said.
"What do you mean?" Annabeth asked, calming down slightly. "Aren't you upset. He betrayed us, he literally stabbed you in the back!"
Melinda felt a tear fall from her eye as she tried to blink them back. She raised her hand to wipe the evidence away and nodded.
"I'm beyond upset, Anna, I'm pissed off," she said. "I'm hurt, and feel like someone has taken a blender to sections of my heart. Reopening every past betrayal I've ever endured."
Annabeth blinked and her eyes softened in a understanding way.
"Tom," Percy said, recalling the tale of her second year she'd told him.
Melinda sighed – she seemed to do that a lot as of late.
"One of them. Even my best friends have done small things I once considered a betrayal. Ron, one of my best friends – " Melinda clarified for Annabeth who didn't know as much as Percy about her friends from England. "He thought I cheated to get into the Triwizard Tournament, a competition between different school. Dasha was in it."
She added the last part for Annabeth, as she was pretty sure most the camp knew about it considering Dasha and Cedric had been part of it.
Annabeth nodded.
"It took a while for me to go back to normal with him, to completely trusting him. And in my second year there was Tom," she said.
"Who's Tom?" Annabeth asked, confused.
"He was...I thought my friend. It's a story for another time, but the one I think that you need to here is nearly older then me," she said, thoughts of the betrayal that led to her parents death coming back to mind.
The two younger demigods were listening closely.
"You know my parents are dead, my mother and step-father," Melinda said, looking to Annabeth who nodded. "And that there was a war in the Wizardry World. That I fought in it before coming here."
"Yes," Annabeth said.
"What you don't know was that was prophesied. To make an extremely long story short, before I was born there was a prophecy made about a baby born at the end of July. It could only mean one of two babies. Me or another, a friend of mine, Neville Longbottom."
"It was you, wasn't it?" Annabeth asked, her eyes widened slightly.
Melinda nodded.
"Yes. There was a dark lord, an evil wizard, who was mentioned in the prophesied. He only heard the first part, but it was enough for him to know this child could be the death of him. So he decided to kill the child before it grew up. The wizards name was Voldemort."
"Flight from Death?" Annabeth asked, knowing a little french.
Melinda smiled, and nodded.
"Voldemort feared death, above all else. But he had no problems giving it onto others. He had followers, called Death Eaters. The light side, we had the Order of the Phoenix. Unfortunately around the time of my birth there was suspected a spy in the order. Many things went wrong after that."
Melinda shook her head as she remembered being told this story by Sirius and Remus.
"My parents went into hiding with me, placing our home in Godric's Hallow under a Fidelius charm. Basically this means only my family and the secret keeper, the one to cast the charm, would know where the house was," Melinda explained. "They thought they were safe, and they might have been if they hadn't chosen the wrong person to protect their secret."
Both Annabeth and Percy got growing feelings of despair in their stomachs as if they knew where this story was going.
"You know the stories of the Marauders, Percy. But for Annabeth, the Marauders were my papa, James', group of friends. They were big pranksters in Hogwarts, and even had nicknames for one another. My papa, was Prongs. My godfather, Sirius Black, was Padfoot. Remus Lupin, an honorary uncle to me, was Moony, and finally Peter Pettigrew was Wormtail."
"Strange names," Annabeth said, frowning.
"They'd been friends since their first year at Hogwarts. And stayed close even after Hogwarts, joining the Order of the Phoenix in order to help in the first war. My parents were going to use my godfather, Sirius as the secret keeper," she said, frowning. "They should have but Sirius thought it was too obvious. He was afraid they'd target him and torture the location from him."
"Did they?" Percy asked.
"No," Melinda said, shaking her head. "Sirius decided to play a mass prank I guess. Everyone would assume he was the secret keeper but in reality they'd make Peter the keeper. He'd play decoy and draw everyone away from Peter."
"That's a good plan, it would work if done right," Annabeth mused. "What went wrong?"
Annabeth felt like she would regret asking that.
"The spy in the order, it was someone no one expected. Peter Pettigrew, Wormtail was a weak willed man. He was jealous, and not very brave. When Voldemort came to him he took his chance and became a Death Eater."
"He betrayed his friends?" Percy said, his chest constricting and he was surprised to see Annabeth looked close to tears.
Melinda blinked back tears and nodded.
"When Wormtail became secret keeper he wasted no time going to his master. He told him where my parents were hiding and on Halloween a year after I was born...Voldemort came to our home," Melinda said.
"He killed my father first, he was trying to buy my mom and me some time. She couldn't get out and barricaded herself in my nursery. She didn't have to die, he offered to let her live if she stepped aside but she didn't and he killed her. Next he tried to kill me, with a very dark spell, Avada Kadavra, the killing curse. Instead of killing me it bounced off and destroyed his physical body for thirteen years, and left me with this scar. After that the wizardry world deemed me their savior, the Girl-Who-Lived."
She said most of the finer details for Annabeth who hadn't heard her life story before now, not like Percy had at least.
"What happened to Wormtail?" Annabeth nearly choked out, thinking of how similar it seemed to what Luke had done to them. But at the same time was different.
"He went on to betrayal us even more. My godfather was stricken with grief over my parents deaths, and ran after Wormtail without thinking. The Black family has never been the sanest at times, and the Black blood caught up to him. He confronted Wormtail who screamed out for a street of over a dozen muggles to hear, how he'd betrayed my parents," Melinda began.
"He then cut off one of his fingers and blew up a street of thirteen muggles, killing them and framing Sirius. He hid for the next thirteen years, while Sirius rotted in the Azkaban, the wizard prison for the murder of those muggles and selling out my parents to Voldemort."
"What's the moral of the story?" Percy choked out, and Melinda chortled when Annabeth shot Percy a tearful glare.
"A moral? I guess the point is that sometimes those we care about the most, those we think we can trust, aren't who we think they are. But we have to keep moving forward, and try to move past it or it'll eat us up inside."
Annabeth sniffed, and wiped any evidence of tears from her eyes.
"You both should rest," she said, standing. "I'll be back later."
"Can't I get up and –" Percy began but Annabeth pushed him back down onto his bed with a firm hand on his chest.
"No," she said. "Melinda looks exhausted, and so do you Seaweed Brain."
Melinda had a feeling it wasn't just that, Annabeth had known Luke since she was seven. This betrayal was just to much for the usually cool headed daughter of Athena to take and she needed time to think. Melinda could understand this, and she wouldn't say no to some rest.
"Don't over think things, Annabeth," she muttered, as she sank further down in the soft infirmary bed – surprisingly enough the beds weren't uncomfortable.
Annabeth frowned momentarily but nodded and with one last look at them she turned and left the room.
"I'm sorry, about Luke," Percy said after a moment. "I know you two were close."
Melinda felt her throat close up for a moment as she allowed her heavy eyelids to close.
"I thought we were too," Melinda whispered, loud enough Percy could hear. "Get some sleep, Percy."
Percy looked at his sister and nodded, though he knew she couldn't see that and that she was back in the realm of sleep. Staring up at he ceiling Percy followed her example, closed his eyes and drifted into sleep.
xXx
Poseidon sighed as he stood between the beds of his two children. He knew this wasn't exactly legal, though it wasn't like any of the other gods really enforced or went by the ancient laws of not having contact with their children.
The only one that was truly obeyed was not being able to raise their demigod children themselves.
Looking at them now though, so drained from the last days events tore at him. They had come so close to death and yet...he hadn't noticed.
He'd been in his domain, doing things expected of him as King of the Sea and while he did this his only demigod children were being brought to deaths door.
Especially Melinda, Chiron had told them that the Apollo cabin had to revive Melinda. That she had bleed out so badly that she'd stopped breathing at one point.
Looking at how small and gray his daughter look he could believe it. She looked as if someone had drained half her life's blood.
It infuriated him, and Percy's injuries only added to his fury.
His son had been struck by pit scorpion venom. He couldn't help but wonder if Melinda had saved Percy's life by being there, even if she'd nearly lost her own in the process?
Would the nymphs have been able to save Percy in time without her interference? Maybe but he wasn't sure he'd want to know. They had suffered terrible injuries, Melinda's would probably keep her down for a week or two, depending.
"Lord Poseidon," Chiron said, startling the sea god from his thoughts. "I was just coming to check on them...I didn't expect to see you here as well."
Poseidon looked at his half-brother and sighed. He placed a hand on both his children's foreheads to not only make sure they were truly alive and there, but as a gesture. It was obvious to Chiron the sea god truly loved his children.
"I had to come see them for myself," he said, his hands falling back to his side. "I can't stay long though. You'll take care of them, won't you Chiron?"
"Of course my lord," he replied and Poseidon smiled.
"You know you don't have to call me that, Chiron. Just Poseidon would do fine," he said.
Chiron smiled and nodded.
"I am aware."
"I must go now," Poseidon sighed.
Chiron sighed as the sea god disappeared like an ocean breeze and then looked to the two sleeping demigods. They seemed peaceful, he could only hope the peace would last a while.
xXx
The next two days were rough, bordering on boring for Melinda and Percy. It wasn't until the day Annabeth left for home that Percy was let out of the infirmary and Melinda was able to get up for short amounts of time.
Chiron still wanted to keep her in the infirmary for another day just to be on the safe side.
Her wound had pretty much completely healed and her blood had been restored thanks to potions – in moderation's of course – and nature of blood replacing itself – assuming you didn't loose sixty or so percent of it, she'd never been good with fractions or percentages.
The last few months had been a rollercoaster for her, and something told her it could only get more bumpy and strange from here. She had felt like there was something else she was needed for, like it wasn't over yet for her.
To her regret it seemed she was right. A new chapter of her life, another war, another blow to her heart. She'd always cherished her friends and family, because she'd never had many or any at all growing up. Some had died, some turned against her.
She'd never had one stab her in the back literally though. Part of her couldn't help blame herself, maybe if she'd seen this before, she could have saved Luke. She could have talked to him, reasoned with him. She could wish, but another part of her realized...there was nothing she could have done. It had been too late when she'd met him.
"My mom will be coming to get me next week," Percy said. "Chiron wants me to stay at least that long to make sure I don't need anymore medical care."
Melinda looked at her brother, shaken from her thoughts and nodded. They had just seen Annabeth off, and were still at the big house porch, looking up at Half-Blood hill as sunset.
"Lucky, despite my speedy recovery...Chiron wants me to stay until I can move around for longer then a hour at a time and not grab my stomach in pain."
Percy frowned.
"I don't understand why you don't use the Pearl," he said. "It would help speed up your healing."
"I don't like using the Pearl all the time. I've relied on it a lot in the past, when I had no way to get Nectar or ambrosia or even water. But the Pearl is still dangerous to us in large quantities or being used to often. It also has some addictive qualities. Subtle and barely there, but better safe then sorry," she said.
Percy sighed, nodding.
"I guess I understand."
"Come one, little brother," Melinda said, pushing of the banister she leaned against. "I could really go for some food. What you say we raid the kitchens?"
Percy laughed.
"Sure you're up to it?" he asked.
She scrunched up her face and nodded.
"Just don't poke me in the stomach and we'll be cool," she said and the two walked together towards the kitchens.
Melinda knew though, that this was only the beginning.
