Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or Percy Jackson.
Chapter 17: My girlfriend kills me...Well short of.
Harry P.O.V.
Our ride to Godric Hollow give me a lot of time to think. After witnessing everyone snapping each other's head's off and everything. I might wait longer than I few days before I went Horcrux hunting. I know we really didn't have much time to wait, but I think after witnessing everyone fighting. Even Piper and I, that we all could use a big break. I also think Ginny and Ron should go home for a while. Mrs. Weasley is probably going out of her mind with worry. I know we're still wanted in the wizardry world, but Piper told me the Weasleys were staying at Grimmauld place. So, they shouldn't get caught.
What happened on Olympus with Ares shocked me, but it was good. Ares was no longer an enemy of mine, and one last person or god that can stand in Piper and my way of being together. After everything that's happened the last two months; I have decided the only reason I was fighting was so Piper and I could be together. I was doing this for her. No one else. I cared about my friends and everything, but they don't seem to care enough about me to get along. It hurt when Ron had thrown in my face what they had to do to get to me. Like he was blaming me for their misfortune on the trip and it really did hurt. Right now there is very few of them I can trust to stay my friend and not end up hurting me and Ron is not one of them. Funny enough Nico is one I'm pretty sure will never turn on me and even though I don't really know her, Hazel is another. It's funny because they're the ones people usually don't trust. Percy, Annabeth, Leo, and Hermione are the three I still truly trust. I didn't name Piper on that list not because I don't trust her, she's the one I trust the most, it's because she's more than a friend, she's my life and the reason I was still going to be alive after this war.
I wasn't mad at Piper anymore, no, I understood she was just protecting me. And I knew she didn't blame me for what happened. But her words still stung, they stung because ever since I woke up I had thought the same thing. Maybe it was my fault maybe it wasn't, it didn't matter anymore anyway. I needed the sword and I just wanted to put it all behind me and move on. Talking about it like Hermione thought I should was not going to help anything, it just gave me more bad dream. Something I really didn't need. And not having Piper sleeping next to me the pass two nights made the dreams worse. All I needed to get through this was her.
Since we were flying by magic it wasn't taking us long to get there, in fact we got to England just as the sun was sitting on the next day. We stopped only when we needed to eat or rest. And of course when we needed to use the bathroom. No monsters the first time, but the second time we stopped, Piper had asked if we could stop for something to drink and so she could use the bathroom. While we were there Piper's pendent showed there was a monster somewhere near us. So we hoped on my bike and took off. Neither of us felt like fighting whatever monster it had been. Plus we didn't have time to fight anything, that happen two other times too, we were able to avoid each monster because of Piper's pendent, I was really beginning to love that thing.
Right now we had stopped on the side of the road, and walked a little into the woods, because Piper had started feeling sick from all the flying. She ran into the woods so she could throw up. I was standing by her running my hand through her hair as she washed her mouth out with some mouth wash, I had walked over to the store that was across the street from where we were parked and bought her; along with some toothpaste, a bottle of water and a tooth-brush, so she could brush her teeth. I really hoped she wasn't getting sick. She admitted that she had got a little sick on the ship as well. Piper had just got done and was taking a drink from the bottle water and complaining about it being too cold when we heard a noise coming from behind us, we turned around to look. But we saw nothing.
"What was that?" I asked, hand going to my sword and I grabbed Piper's arm and put her behind me.
"I don't know." Piper answered, her hand went to her dagger. There was suddenly the sound of howls.
"Harry, look." Piper said. I turned and she had moved out from behind me to show me her pendent, which was showing us the dragon side. I reached my arm out in front of Piper, trying to block her.
"Okay, we'll just slowly go over to my bike before something comes out." I said. "Last thing we need is..." I trailed off as the wolf appeared. I got right in front of Piper then. "Got your arrow?"
"Yes," She whispered. As another wolf then another appeared, followed by another, by now they were a total of five. Piper grabbed hold of my arm tightly. But so far it was only wolves. In which I was thankful for. I slowly drew my sword. Since it was trimmed in silver it would work on the wolves. My new sword the Blade of Olympus was a long bronze sword, that had what looked like a long hole in the middle, which had a blue light in it, and little white lightning-blots, the handle had this spiky looking things sticking out of it and the blade was trimmed in silver. So if Piper's arrow didn't do away with Lycaon, I know my sword could.
"Baby," I said. "Do me a favor and stay behind me. I'll try to get us over to my bike so we can take off. Whatever you do, don't use your arrow unless Lycaon appears." Just as I said that two more wolves appeared and they all began to howl. I didn't know if Lycaon was around anywhere or if these were stray wolves. But I really didn't care. No matter what none of them was going to get passed me to my girl.
"Alright." Piper said. "But please be careful." I gave a nod and staying in front of Piper, we moved toward my bike, slowly hoping the wolves didn't attack, but as everyone knows, my luck is not good. One of the wolves dodged at us, I raised my sword and cut its head off. The thing melted, leaving behind only fur and blood.
Another one dodged at me, its claw got my arm, but I twirled around and sliced its leg off then a stabbed it with my sword. Then one came up from behind us and before I could raise my sword Piper cried out.
"Sleep," And the wolf fall asleep. We then moved on to the next. Soon we were down to the last wolf which jumped at Piper. She cried out and I jumped in front of my girl and sliced the wolf in half. I turned to Piper to make sure she was okay, she took one look at all the fur and blood the wolves left behind, and she grabbed her stomach and put her hand over her mouth and ran over to a tree and started getting sick. I frowned we've fought and killed all kinds of monsters, it usually didn't get to Piper.
"Baby, you all right?" I asked, walking over to her, she looked up at me and nodded. She got in her quiver and got out the mouth wash and took a drink, moving it around in her mouth, then she spit it out, then got out her water and took a drink.
"I don't know." Piper said. "I haven't been feeling myself lately, I started getting sick a little over a month after you got dragged into Tartarus. Which is one of the reasons I didn't eat much. I kept it to myself, thinking it was from missing and worrying over you. I've also been moody, crying more than I normally would. I thought it was because you were gone. Some of it was I know. But I don't know if that's all. I'm still feeling sick. You don't think something is wrong with me do you?"
"It's stress, Baby girl." I said, and reached out and pulled her to me. "It's the stress: from the war, me being gone, and one quest after another. That's why I've decided to wait a little while before Horcrux hunting . We really can't afford to wait, but after witnessing everyone taking each other's heads off. I think if we don't.."
"We're going to end up going crazy." Piper said. I nodded and put my arm around her shoulder and led her to my bike. I left out the fact that Nico and I was wanting to do something else before hunting down the pieces of Voldemort's soul. I looked at Piper and sighed. I had yelled at her for keeping something from me and here I was keeping something from her. I decided I should tell her.
"Yeah, and Nico and I have something else to do before going on the hunt." I said. Piper stopped walking and looked up at me with a frown. "I hadn't really gotten to talk to you about that since we... we weren't talking to each other and all. But we want to figure out how he and I can close the Doors of Death. While I was in Tartarus, I saw the doors. One was on the inside and one is on the outside. I...I" I shivered. "I know where the doors are. Those two giants pulled me out of them. And Nico and I just have to figure out how to close them. Without having to go... go back down there. But it's a big possibility that one of us will. And that might have to be me since..."
"No," Piper snapped. "No, you are not planning on going back down there, Harry. I just got you back and you still can't handle what you went through down there. How could you even think of going back. Let someone else do it. It's always you. No, there is no way on earth I'm I going to allow you to go down there."
"Piper, calm down I may not have to." I said. "Nico is going to talk to Hades and then Thanatos, see what has to be done to close them. But they have to be closed or else killing pieces of Voldemort's soul will be useless when they can just come back out of there. Plus they'll be fewer people who should not be alive running around to run into and monsters will have longer before they can reform."
"I don't care." Piper said. "You are not going back down there and that's final. It's always you doing the dangerous stuff, let one of the other so-called heroes do it for a change." She got out from under my arm and started walking toward my bike. I frowned, it's not like I wanted to go back down there. Nico was going to do his best to have to avoid it. He even afford to be the one to go down there. But we haven't decided anything yet. When I made it to Piper she was already on my bike sitting with her arms crossed.
"Piper, baby," I said. "Nico..."
"Let's just drop it for now, okay?" She interrupted. "Let's just go save your mom. We'll talk about it later. I really don't want to get in another big fight with you. Not after the last fight we had." She uncrossed her arms and patted the bike in front of her. Telling me to get on.
I smiled and climbed on the bike in front of her, she wrapped her arms around my waist as I started it. Nico warned me it might be a good idea to keep what we were planning from Piper, but I just couldn't. Not after yelling at her for keeping something from me. But I should have picked a better time to tell her. Lately Piper's been pretty moody, I think I was right about everyone needing a little break. It's been quest after quest. We need rest. I think Nico and I will spend the rest of winter figuring out the doors of death, then by spring start the horcrux hunt. Maybe the ones I want to go will have some rest by then. And since we all wasn't going it shouldn't be so easy to get on each other's nerves. I just wished it was all over. The war and everything, so we could really rest and maybe be happy. For a little while anyway.
"Harry, I think you should take to the air." Piper said. "My pendant is showing they are more monsters around."
"Alright, Love." I said, then flipped the switch on my bike and it started going up. "I'm sorry, Baby, I really didn't mean to start another fight. And I love you."
"I know." Piper said." But let's just forget about it for now. We have Hera to worry about then Enyo and I love you too." I smiled as I felt her give me a kiss between my neck and shoulder, then lay her head on shoulder. It was snowing harder and getting colder. We both will probably end up sick with the flu or worse after this.
We both felt frozen by the time we got there and I landed my bike on the street in front of my once happy home in Godric Hollow; I don't remember those times I was too young, but Piper told me of the dreams she had. And how Hera once even brought Jason to see me. We climbed off the bike and Piper looked up at the house with a frown.
"Oh, Harry," She said. "How did you live through that?"
"My mum Lily protected me." I said, taking her hand and pulling out my wand. "Don't let it get to you. I'm alive and with you now. That's what matters." She nodded and took a deep breath.
"Lumos." I lit the tip of my wand, and led my girl up the path to the front door, which was still blasted off the hinges. Snow was falling through the entryway and when we entered it was just as cold in here if not colder than outside. The only light came from my wand, we couldn't see much since it had gotten dark outside, but we could see some. Stuff had fallen from the walls from the blast off when Voldemort's curse rebounded off me back at him, pictures and broken glass figures were lying everywhere. Piper bent down and picked a little stuff stag up off the floor. She smiled at it as she dusted it off then stuck it in her coat pocket. I smiled a little remembering the stuff toys she said I had played with ,in her dream. I believe my girlfriend just stole one of my old toys.
"I think we should go upstairs." I said. "I have a feeling she's up there."
"Okay," Piper said, and her hand tightened on mine as we went up the stairs. They cracked under our weight, and dust flew up, making Piper sneeze. I just held my wand out. The further up we went the colder it got. And by the time we reached the top Piper was shivering. Down the hall I could see snow coming in from the room that must have been the one I was hit with the killing curse in, that would be the only reason for snow to be falling through, it would be the one where the roof was blasted off.
"Are you going to be okay?" Piper asked. I gave a nod and began walking that way, something told me that was where Hera was. When I got to the door, I paused a moment before walking in. When I finally walked in Hera was the first thing I saw, she was sitting in front of the mirror gripping a stuff hawk in her hands. I frowned. I no longer could see my desires in the mirror, but Hera's little fantasy world she was making. I wanted to blast the thing apart, but my mum was sitting right in front of it and I was afraid pieces of glass would hit her. The last thing I wanted to do was to spill my mum's golden blood.
"Mum." I said, she didn't answer. "Mum, Mother...it's me, Har...Heracleitus." I took a step through the doorway and went to walk toward her, and suddenly found myself blasted up against the wall and fell to the floor.
"Harry," Piper cried. She tried to run to me, but the door slammed shut blocking her out. Piper started pounding on it calling my name, twisting the knob, kicking it. Anything to get it open.
At first I thought maybe Ares did send me into a trap, but then I raised up, rubbing the back of my head, and my mouth dropped when I saw who was standing over me, smiling down at me with an evil grin.
It was me, well a better looking me; he was about Percy's height, well-built, with silky black hair, that lay perfectly on his head, his eyes were not green, but the same chocolate-brown as Hera's. He wore jeans and a dark blue striped dress shirt. He had a sword that looked just like the one my wand turns into. But the most noticeable difference was he had no scar on his forehead.
"So, you're the Harry Potter of this world." He said.
"What?" I asked. Standing, and pulling out my new sword, the Blade of Olympus.
"I came from there." He explained, pointing at the mirror. "Mother's world is coming alive, she is making us human with her godly magic. But everything is the opposite in there. I for one, are not a kind-hearted fool like you. But the down side, Mother is the opposite too, she's kind and sweet and not at all vengeful and everything in that world is perfect." He made a face. "And it makes me sick. I want this world. The one in the middle of a war, and with the vengeful, cruel Hera." His face took on an evil look I would never have. "So, I'm going to do is kill you and take your place."
"Yeah, well, there is one problem with that." I said. "I'm real and you're not. So, why don't you go back to your little make-believe world. So, I can go ahead and destroy it."
The mirror Harry laughed, a loud long cruel laugh. "Oh, but I like it here too much. All the carnage and bloodshed." I frowned, it was like listening to Enyo talk through my mouth. He was a male version of Enyo who looked like me. "I was trained by Ares himself, but what was the use when there is nothing to fight in that world." He swung his sword in his hand and gave me another evil grin. "Ready to die?"
"HARRY!" Piper cried, banging on the door. "Are you okay, what happened." I glanced at the door, then back to the other Harry.
"Your girl?" He asked. "Piper McLean, right. You could have done so much better than her." I frowned at him. "Are you surprised I would say that. Well, like I said. I am your complete opposite. So, my taste in women is different from yours. The first thing I'm going to do when I take your place is dump her." He smirked. "Now her mother. I could go for her." He nodded to the mirror. "Another reason I want to escape that place. Mother has a goddess already picked out for me to marry. Eirene, the goddess of peace. She's one of the six daughters Zeus had with Themis. Three of them were the Fates: Atrope, Clotho, and Lachesis. Then three were known as the Horai, Dike the goddess of justice, Eunomia the goddess of law and order, and Eirene the goddess of peace. They guard the gates of Olympus. Mother thought Eirene and I would be a perfect match. I was to be turned into a god, and stand by Zeus' throne and who better for me to marry than one of the goddesses that guards the gates. She gave Hercules one of her daughter when he became a god. Now she wanted Zeus to give me one of his. But I don't want to marry anyone. I rather be single. Have lots of girls and go around making chaos."
"You're mad." I said. "You could never take my place. My friends, my dad, everyone would know you're not me. Piper would know I would never dump her. They'll know you're not me."
He shrugged. "Ask me if I care?" I narrowed my eyes at him, he grinned again. "You're getting mad. Well, show me what you can do." I thrust my hand out and blasted him with raw magic, he was thrown back and hit the wall and fell to the floor.
"Harry." Piper was banging on the door still. "What's going on? Let me in."
"I'm fine, Babe." I called. "Don't worry." The other Harry got to his feet and came at me with his sword up, and I was able to block it, and he smirked down at me.
"You're right." He said, dropping his sword and went for my side, but I blocked it too. "Nobody would believe you would dump loud mouth out there. So, how about I just kill her too. Then they'll just explain my behavior on the loss of my girlfriend."
"Don't even go there." I said. I spun around and got him in the side. He cried out and back up. Giving me a glare and shadows began to dance around. I guess even in Hera's make-believe world I was still a descendent of Hades.
"Did I hit a nerve?" He asked. "How about we let little Piper in. Let her watch me kill you." I came at him with my sword up, but he blocked it and waved his hand and the door flew open.
"Harry," Piper came running in and gasped as she saw the guy I was fighting.
"Come on in, Darling." The other Harry said. "You can watch as I kill your boyfriend. Then take his place here." He thrust out his hand and hit me with magic, sending me flying back and I hit the wall again and fell to the floor.
"Harry," Piper came running over and dropped down to check on me.
"I'm fine, Baby." I said, sitting up. "Go over there and talk to my mum. Try to get her away from the mirror. I'll keep this guy busy." Piper gave a nod and got up and ran over to Hera and began to talk to her using Charmspeak. Something I knew my mum would not like if she was herself, but if it got her away from the mirror, so I could somehow get this guy back in it. It'd be worth it.
I got up and lifted my sword as he came at me, I blocked the blow to my head, then he dropped his sword going for my side I blocked it also. On and on it went, blocking each others swords. Sometimes blasting each other with magic. Snow was falling down pretty hard, coming through where the nursery had no roof. Making the floor slippery and hard to stand. Shadows danced around and I could hear Piper talking to Hera trying to get her to move away from the mirror, so far it wasn't working. It was like my Mother couldn't even hear her. Any other time I would have told this guy he was lucky to have the sweet and kind Hera, and I would be happy to trade Mothers with him, but now that I was faced with losing her. I decided even with the bad things she did. I liked my Mum the way she was and I didn't want to lose her. Not now, not after everything we've been through. We even killed a giant together. No, I wanted the mother I had, not some make-believe one.
The other Harry tried to come at me and I blocked his sword, he then dropped his sword and came at my side real fast, but I was able to move out-of-the-way, and his blade was just inches from slicing open my gut. I blasted him with some magic and he went flying back, hit a crib, flipped over it onto the floor, where he didn't move. I ran over to Piper and my mum.
"How's it going?" I asked. Piper shook her head.
"She won't move, blink, or anything." She answered. I looked at Hera to see the only movement coming from her was the tears falling down her cheeks.
"Mother." I said. "Mum, can you hear me. It's me Heracleitus, can you hear me?" She didn't answer and I frowned. "Mum." I reached up and shook her shoulder slightly. Still nothing. "We need to break the mirror." I told Piper, she nodded. "But we can't do that until he's back in it or dead or...or whatever happens to people who have been...whatever it was that brought him here." Piper nodded.
"How are you going to do that." She asked. I frowned, but then suddenly shadows came crawling up around me and up to my throat. I gagged as they choked me.
"Harry," Piper cried, as I was lifted into the air by the shadows. I dropped my sword to the ground and grabbed the shadows as I kicked my feet. "Let him down!" I was being choked and couldn't breath.
The other Harry just laughed as the shadows tightened around my neck. I couldn't breath and I could feel my face turning red.
"Let him down!" Piper ran over to him and started hitting him. "Let him down now!"
He just laughed and raised the hand not controlling the shadows and hit Piper across the face, she slipped on the snow on the floor and fell down on her back.
"You shouldn't have done that." I was able to choke out, I then raised one of my hands and the mirror Harry's eyes widened as shadows started to swirl around him, and up to his throat.
"You can't beat me with shadows." He said. "I was trained to use this gift by Hades himself, you..." He trailed off and gagged as I made shadows lift him up off the floor and choked him like he did me. His hands went to the shadows around his throat, making me fall to the floor.
"Yeah, well. I was trained by Nico di' Angelo himself." I said, rubbing my throat as Piper came over to check on me.
"I'm okay," I said, as she hugged me. I checked her face. She had a hand print on it. But she was otherwise fine and gave me a weak smile. I then had to shove her down and cover her as the other Harry somehow got free of the shadows, and sent a blast of magic at us.
"Piper, I got an idea." I said. "You think you can go over to the mirror and move my mother, grab her by the arm or something and jerk her out from in front of the mirror I'll try to blast this guy through."
"Okay, I'll try." Piper said. She went over and pulled on Hera's arm, until she fell into the floor. Piper then grabbed her and moved her away from the mirror. Hera was staring into nothing as if she was still in front of the mirror. And didn't even know Piper had moved her.
With my mind on them the other Harry, the one from the mirror hit me with magic and I hit the wall and fell to the floor. He grinned as he came walking toward me, his sword in his hand. He kicked me over on my back and raised his sword, my eyes widened as it came toward me.
"No!" Piper cried. "I told you to leave him alone."
Piper suddenly jumped in front of me and drove her dagger right through his chest, fake Harry's eyes widened as she gave him a shove with all her might, he slipped on the icy floor and went flying backwards, back where he belonged, right into the mirror. I grabbed Piper's arm and pulled her under me and covered her with my body as the mirror exploded, pieces of glass flying everywhere.
"You alright, baby?" I asked, as I raised up off her.
"Yeah, what about you?" She asked. I nodded and she frowned at my bleeding cheek, where a piece of glass cut me. She looked over at the mirror and her eyes widen.
"Oh, my gods." She said, "I just...I just killed you. Oh, gods." She looked up at me with tears in her eyes. "I... he was trying to kill you."
"No, baby, that wasn't me." I said. Putting my arms around her. "You didn't kill me or anyone. He wasn't real. He didn't belong here." Piper gave a nod and wiped her eyes. But I could still tell she was upset. "My dagger, he took it with him when he went into the mirror." I ran my hand through her hair.
"It's okay, baby." I said. "We'll get you another dagger. I'll have Leo make you one."
I stood, helped Piper up, then rushed over to Hera. She was lying on the floor, staring into nothing. Her cheek was cut from the flying glass. Gold blood ran down her face. I frowned. Was I too late.
"Mum." I asked. "Mum, can you hear me." I shook her shoulder gently. "Mum, please. It's me. It's Heracleitus." Still nothing. "Mum, please. I need you." Nothing, I sat there helpless, my mum must be gone. It must be too late. And we destroyed the mirror, so there is no way to get her back. I sniffed and wiped my eyes.
"Mum, please." I said. "I can't stand to lose another Mother, please. I love you." Piper laid her hand on my shoulder and I turned to her. "I've lost another mother. She's a goddess, I thought I didn't have to worry about losing her."
Piper pulled me to her and I cried, just as I excepted her the way she was I lost her. I lost another mother it wasn't fair.
"This is all Hercules' fault." I mumbled. "If he had never cursed me. She wouldn't be like this. I swear Piper, immortal or not I'm going to kill him."
"Harry," Piper said. I pulled away and went over to my mother. I raised Hera up. I tapped her on the face.
"Come on, Mum." I said. "Please. I can't lose you. I already lost one mother, I can't lose a second one. I love you." I put my arm around Hera's shoulder and laid my hand on her cut and whispered a healing spell. So at least my mother wasn't bleeding. I then pulled her to me to give her one last hug. And I didn't notice how Hera's cheek didn't only heal up, but she also suddenly blinked and looked around then looked at me and her eyes widened.
"Heracleitus?" She asked. I pulled back and looked into my mother's eyes to see them staring back at me. "They saved you...I didn't think." She looked around, saw the broken mirror, and then seemed to realize what happened. "That... That no good...I'll get her for lulling me here. She'll never wake if I have anything to say about it." I stood, then helped my mother to her feet. Hera looked around frowning at where we were. Her eyes fell on Piper, and she looked her over, before they widened, then narrowed. I didn't know what that was about. Piper seemed just as confused by this as I did.
Then I shocked Hera by throwing my arms around her middle and hugging her tightly. It took her a minute but she soon hugged me back. For the first time since I found out about her, Hera really felt like my mother.
A.N. Hope that chapter was all right and you had a good surprise on who Harry had to fight. The next chapter will be Hera's P.O.V, it starts with her thoughts on a few things, and how Gaea lulled her there. then ends with her waking up, It kind of goes with this chapter so I went ahead and posted it too. Hope you like it.