Percy Jackson and the Olympians: the Rosetta Stone

A/N: Sorry for the long wait! I've been working on a Harry Potter FanFiction, but I just felt inspired to write this just now. I do love this story, but as mentioned in previous chapters I can't remember why the Rosetta stone is actually valuable to the half-bloods... But I guess I'll find out as I write! Happy reading.

Chapter 18: Fire!

Annabeth's P.O.V

The crowd slowly dissipated as we entered what seemed to be the main school building, judging by the sign that said 'School Reception' on it. I walked purposefully over to the reception desk where a prim woman was sitting and typing something on her computer. She was wearing a stern black suit, had black glasses perched precariously on her nose, and her hair pulled back into a severe bun that matched her sour expression. Her attire made her look older than she probably was- she couldn't have been more than 25. As we approached her, she saw us and looked us over with her piercing eyes. I took an immediate dislike to the woman

"And who are you, may I ask?" she asked us before we had reached her desk. Her voice was proper, and she articulated the vowels more than I saw strictly necessary, so that 'who' became 'we-hoow' and 'you' turned into 'yoooooo'. Percy let go of my hand and supported his arms on the table.

"I'm Percy Jackson and this is Annabeth Chase," he answered, gesturing to me. "We've come to see a Mr Clearwater." The woman typed something.

"You don't have an appointment. I'm sorry, but I won't be able to let you see the Headmaster." She didn't sound sorry at all. "How does Wednesday in two weeks sound?"

"Listen here, lady," I snarled, accentuating my New York accent just to annoy her, "we've just flown all the way across an ocean to attend your ruddy school during our Christmas vacation, so you will bloody well let us see Mr Clearwater!" I could feel my face becoming redder and redder. Percy looked at me with mock-awe at my outbreak, and I swatted his hand playfully.

"Fine!" the woman snapped, and dialled a speed number on her standard issue office phone.

"Mr Clearwater...? Yes, two young Americans for you sir."

Was it really that obvious? Never!

"Yes, I'll send them in," she finished. "Don't dawdle, children! Move!" She looked back at her computer screen and continued to tap away at her keyboard. We walked into the door behind her desk and knocked.

"Come in!" a muffled voice called from the other side. Percy pushed the heavy door open, trying not to make it creak in the process.

The office was anonymous. It could have been anywhere in the world, in any company, and in any age in time. The walls were lined with leather-bound books, and there was a desk with two wooden chairs in front of it. The only think connecting the office to the 21st century was an iMac in the corner of the desk and a sticky-note pad that a middle aged man was writing on. He looked up.

"Ah! You must be Annabeth Chase and Percy Jackson!" He shook our hands warmly. He invited us to sit on the two wooden chairs.

"So, children," he said to us once we were seated, "you're from Camp Half-Blood." I opened my eyes wide with shock. I saw Percy's jaw drop down with astonishment from the corner of my eye, so he must have been thinking the same thing that I was. Mr Clearwater shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

"I see Chiron didn't tell you about me. I'm a son of Athena, your sibling Annabeth." These facts still wouldn't register. How wrong was it that I had a half-brother 30 or 40 years older than me? I stared and stared at him. Mr Clearwater cleared his throat.

"You'll be put into the lower sixth. I've got you in the lessons..." he shuffled his notes, "Further Advanced Ancient Greek, Chemistry, and for Annabeth Architecture and Percy will take Swimming. I'm sorry about the Chemistry, but it was the only available lesson."

My brain suddenly snapped out its state of incomprehension.

"That's great," I smiled, "but we have a problem."

"Yes?"

"We have nothing to wear?" At this he nodded, as if it was one of the easier things he had had to do today.

"That's fine. Just go to the reception and they'll give you some unmarked uniform."

"Not that woman again," Percy muttered. He obviously disliked her as much as I did.

"I see you didn't take to Miss Brown then? She does take a little getting used to. She is an efficient secretary," he said as way of excuse. We both shrugged, so he continued. "Now, if you don't mind me asking, where is your companion?"

Percy said, "At the house, sir. He wanted to check out English TV!" Mr Clearwater smiled at this.

"Well, I'll see you tomorrow in assembly then."

"Yes sir," Percy and I said in unison.

"Great, well, see you tomorrow!" He showed us to the door.

"Mr Clearwater?" I asked just before he opened it. "Can I ask why you're not on Christmas vacation?"
He shifted his weight uncomfortably again, and drew circles on the parquet with his feet.

"Well, we're a state funded school, but one with strictly Atheist values. A bit like a grammar school, we can do what we like. Within reason of course!" he added hastily. "We like to give our students holidays when they will get the most out of it, and Christmas time in England is notorious for its rain! We work through November, December, and half of January, when we give the student four weeks off to enjoy the snow. Then the same near Easter, and they get a really long summer holiday. We find it makes our students more attentive. And now I really must get on. Goodbye!" he rattled off quickly, and we left the room, bewildered at this somewhat eccentrically queer man.

Once Percy and I had picked up the unmarked school uniform from the ever friendly (or not!) Miss Brown, we returned to our flat. Again, the door was unlocked. This puzzled me, but I dismissed the thought and dumped the bags in the hall. Percy opened the door to the kitchen. A huge waft of smoke came out of the opening. He coughed and hurriedly slammed the door shut.

"What the underworld...?" he asked. I could hear Grover whistling through the wall to the kitchen. It surprised me that the fire alarms hadn't gone off. Did this house even have fire alarms?

"What's he doing?" Percy muttered to himself in frustration. He tried opening the door again, but the smoke was too thick.

"I don't know, Percy, but I'd stay out of there. I'll call his cell and see if he answers it." I dialled Grover's number, and heard a faint ringing sound coming from the kitchen. A scramble of hooves and a clattering of pans followed, and then Grover finally picked up.

"Hello?"