Hey everyone,
Well, here it is! The one chapter I have been working towards since first writing this story. I kind of can't believe that I actually made it to the point that I had been hinting at with both the title of this story as well as the surprise Hera first started hinting at in chapter three, not to mention all of the other hints ever since.
I am so proud,

Venquine1990


Chapter 18
The Opening Night – Part 01

11th of November 1995
Zeus's Cabin, CBH
Harry's POV

I really didn't think I'd ever put these robes on again after deciding that I would not stay in England or that I wanted to start calling America my home, yet here I am. A simple tie, a plain shirt, a pair of plain pants, white socks and ordinary sneakers and finally a long black robe that is void of a lion crest and red trim.
I am yet again wearing my Hogwarts Robes, yet then a pair that is devoid of any House symbol as this time I will be entering a new School and – as Aunt Hera had explained this to Thalia and me before we left Olympus weeks ago – have decided to get myself Sorted alongside all of the Campers that will arrive as new blood.

My sister had definitely been ecstatic to hear that I had wanted a Resorting, yet Hermione had been shocked and confused and told me she thought I would never chose any House over Gryffindor, yet because of weeks of positive upbringing, had I felt bold enough to tell her how I had really grown to feel about the House of the Brave.
The girl had been shocked when I told her how hurt and betrayed I had felt every time my House had turned on me and how none of them had been willing to bravely man up and ask me for my side and had felt personally insulted when I told her how, both in first and fourth, it had been the Lions that had rallied up the Ravens and Badgers.
"It was constantly them, Hermione. I know you know about Lavender and Parvati, but every year has had people like them. Angelina for Fred and George's year, Anthony Dunken for Alicia's year, Collin for Ginny's year, Rosetta Stone for Percy's year. And to make matters worse, don't forget one of Percy's own crimes."

The girl had nodded and I had told her: "This is a new chance for me, Hermione. Not just because this Hogwarts is new, bigger and better than the one in Scotland, but because no one here knows of what the Gryffindors are really like. They will have Mum as their Head of House and while that makes things better, is it not enough.
I'm not saying I'm going to hold the misdeeds of those Gryffindors against these, I'm just saying that now that I can start anew, I'd rather do it in a House where I don't have any past experiences to cloud my judgment. And with the Houses dad and the others added to the roster, I can really try and seize a chance like that."
This had made the girl smile and she says: "You're right, Harry. Just, promise me we'll stay in touch." To which I had happily wrapped my arm around her as I said: "Count on it. And next to that, do you really think Aunt Hera will let me live it down if I embarrass her by ignoring her 1st ever Champion?" Making the girl laugh.

I then shake my head to get my head back into the here and now and think: "Time to prove that, Hero or Demigod, I am the Future Prince of Olympus." And with pride in my step – the kind that would make Draco Malfoy proud – do I walk out of my section of the Zeus' Cabin and join Hermione and Thalia on the Basketball field.
Everyone else is there as well, all of them wearing either highly fancy clothes or newly bought Hogwarts Robes and everyone has a large smile of excited tension on their faces, yet even while I go join everyone in this, do I hear Ethan whispering: "He's faking it." As he passes me from behind to join Nico and Bianca.
These three have, alongside myself, the twins, Hermione and Percy, been keeping an eye on Luke whenever possible and while I can tell that Remus more or less disapproves and that it still bugs Annabeth, had the two of us met a few days after my return to Camp and had we agreed to just disagree on the matter.

And it's not that I don't understand Annabeth's view on the case – or that she doesn't understand the arguments I used to prove my own – the girl had just been the kind of person that wanted to personally view concrete evidence before she would turn on her friends and I had even commended her on this incredible trait.
Yet the longer the time to his Opening Night takes, the more signs I spot in Luke's behavior and – mostly because Thalia and Annabeth have rekindled their friendship and because Hermione has found a lot of common ground with Annabeth and her love for logic – do I really dread the day my suspicions are proven true.
I had confided in Hermione and Thalia with this and the two had split themselves between getting either reacquainted with Camp or getting familiar with it, spending time guarding and watching Luke and spending time with either me, each other or Annabeth, making it so that the latter would have a firm rock to fall back on.

"Not tonight." I suddenly hear someone say and this makes me turn, allowing me to see my sister in all of her electrifying glory. Unlike me does Thalia not wear her robes, but her formal gown is just as amazing. A long black dress with a single shoulder strap, a dark sky blue waistband and a floor length skirt with small slit at the bottom.
The whole dress is layered with star-like glittering diamonds and there is a single blue amethyst tying the front of the strap to her dress. The girl also has soft bluish black eyeliner and dark lipstick on as well as black nail polish with blue studs on the center of her nails. All in all my sister looks gorgeous in a gothic kind of way.

"Dad is so going to electrify anyone who looks your way." I snicker as I help her settle her transparent black bolero over her shoulders, which actually has a skull hidden in the back of the stitching and the girl snickers as she asks: "Why do you think we have this spot of the Basketball field all to ourselves right now?"
Making me laugh loudly before Chiron draws our attention and leads us to the thirteen busses that are waiting for us at the other side of the border, Remus and Argus are already standing, Remus with is wand at the ready and Argus with none of his hundreds of eyes blinking as he slowly turns on his axis multiple times.
I'm quite sure that this strange sight of vigilance is confusing some of the Campers, yet because Remus – who has only been told part of the story – feels concerned that Luke might have ventured out of the border and ordered a beast to attack and distract us, did Argus agree that he could help the creation of Hera stand guard.

Remus himself has been an absolutely fabulous teacher and has done an even better job here than I remember him. He had even called on Bill to add a bit of his own magic to the border wards and it had become clear what kind after the first full moon when Moony had become trapped between two layers of the borders.
The secondary border had been outside of the first, yet it had – like the first – also surrounded the entire camp, giving Moony acres of space to run and chase through the forest without risking the chance of meeting with one of the campers or encountering the guard harpies as those had been banished to the inside of the border.
The harpies, at first, had not been pleased with this and had felt as if they were being restricted from doing their duty, yet as time had passed and as Moony had begun to explore the new area of his home, had the wolf within settled down and a calm looking beast had found himself a small forest cave to sleep the night away.

However, after that first night another couple of problems had arose as the nymphs had spent the night being scared out of their wits, yet after a long hour of contemplation and discussion, had they accepted that Remus would only need them sleeping in different trees for a single night a month, even if the acceptance had been reluctant.
Another problem had been Cabins like Demeter, Ares and Athena, who had all wanted permission to study the werewolf within the sanctity of the Camp and who had almost demanded that the Harpies got the night off on full moon. This demand had been denied by Remus himself as he had been terrified of hurting them if possible.
Annabeth had tried to argue this with the evidence of how brilliant the two borders worked together, yet I had yet again been the one to stand in her way and explained her that her desire for studies shouldn't come at the cost of someone reliving a personal trauma. After this the girl had reluctantly accepted the denied demand.

"Will you stop that." Hermione then whispers at me and I shrug as I say: "What can I say? The year hasn't even begun and already a lot of things are happening." And while the girl reluctantly agrees with me, do I not at all feel bad about this as barely any of the events have actually been bad or similar to our English adventures.
The two of us then split up, me and Thalia taking a simple small cab and Hermione traveling in the passenger seat of a simple regular car, while Remus – who actually has a legitimate Driver's License – rides his own small two-person car. All of the other Campers all have either vans or even busses on which they will ride.
"Makes you wish dad and Uncle Sirius would hurry things along now, doesn't it?" Thalia asks and while I can kind of understand why she calls mum Uncle, do I still nod and say: "Yeah, though I doubt either of them agree on that. I don't think they're planning anything like that until we know that Father Time is asleep again."

And while my sister rolls her eyes at the lame way of referring to our grandfather – a person I despise more than I do uncle Vernon and aunt Marge – do we just calmly sit out the ride, the conversation not going any more dramatic than what we think the new Houses will have as representation and who will go where during the Sorting.
All of it is said with a lot of humor and sarcastic comments, making us break into fits of laughter almost all the time throughout the ride and so we arrive kind of out of breath, yet because I am well aware of who is hosting this Opening Night Party, do I take a deep breath before leaving the cab with a calm and gentle smile.
Thalia follows my example, her visage showing no signs of her earlier hilarity and we politely make sure to be at the front of the huge row of Campers, Percy and Hermione coming to stand behind us to represent Hera and Poseidon – Percy a step behind Hermione – and Nico and Bianca then take their positions as children of Hades.
The other Demigods are quick to spot this and while hurried footsteps sound behind us, does our entire delegation walk into the Empire State Building in perfect Order, with Ethan being halfway down the line to represent the newly formed Nemesis Cabin as well as to prove that of all the lower Demigods he has the highest rank.

We all march past the reception area with polite masks of professional care on our faces, yet the woman at the reception desk seems completely obvious to us proceeding past her and while at first I wonder if this is done by Lady Iris, do I then see that Remus is already standing at the elevators, wand firmly in hand.
"Confundus spell?" I ask the man as an invisible force presses all of the buttons on all of the elevators and Remus nods as he says: "She won't be able to see any groups of more than ten people pass her by for the rest of the evening. I wanted to make it less, but this is a popular place, so the risk of burglars was a little too high to take."
I nod at the man before taking the first elevator that arrives, sending him a happy and excited smile as the doors close. "I really can't wait to learn your kind of magic, little brother." Thalia then tells me and I smile as that had definitely been a growing theme of conversation as more and more Olympus weekends came and went.

We then arrive at the top floor and take our place as we have no doubt that the elevators will allow the Demigods to arrive in the same order as how they came in here and once the last elevator has dropped off the Hypno kids – who all have a glazed look of drowsiness in their eyes – do we start moving towards the new castle.
Argus quickly catches up with us, yet when I realize that Remus isn't with him, do I look back, only to spot him waving at me from further down the delegation line, obviously strong within his role as Champion of Artemis as he is right in front of Luke and the Stoll brothers, making me smile at him before I turn back.
Argus leads us over to where the long winded path to the new castle leads and then takes a stand next to it, reminding me of Argus Filch, the caretaker of English Hogwarts that would always check the students to see if they had the right slips of paper to allow them to go along on Hogsmeade visits and then epiphany hits me.

"Hogsmeade. What are the Gods going to do about weekends like that?" I wonder under my breath and while Thalia looks at me curiously, do I decide not to let it spoil my chances to prove myself and I quickly school my features back under control, which is just in time as two minutes later we turn the final corner to the new facility.
The New Hogwarts – or Divine Hogwarts as Dad told us he wanted to call it – looks just as amazing as the last time we saw it and the patio that was situated next to the Original Stone Circle and the Quidditch Pitch is alive with all kinds of party equipment as well as all of the Gods and Goddesses, who spot us just as we do them.
It takes the Divine group of powerhouses only a few seconds to realize how we are walking and instantly they all respond, moving about and taking a stand in front of the patio, dad all the way on the left with mum and Aunt Hera besides him and Lord Hypno and a few other Minor Gods standing on the far right of the line.

I smile at this and then shout: "Demigods, approach your Divine Creator." And while the Gods show a sign of shock at hearing this, does the entire line split up as – one Divine parent at a time – the Demigods move slightly to the right as they walk and while the Hypno kids sway a little at this, does the formation succeed splendidly.
I send another smile at my fellow students of his amazing new school and while smirking at the faux-angry glare of Hermione, do I then focus on getting over to where mum and dad are waiting, yet when we are in front of them, do we make sure to keep one step in front of them as we wait for the others to form the next formation.
This all had been a little something that all of the Camp Cabin Counselors – even Luke, though he did it reluctantly – had agreed and practiced on with our own cabins and so, as we all stand in front of our fathers and mothers, do all Cabin Counselors bow down, shocking our Divine parents as we speak our lines with perfect unity:

"Greetings, Divine Father/Mother. May the stars bless you on this evening and may our blessings of eternal life and joy reach you with this greeting. We are grateful to your hard work on this project, your offer to us to join you on this evening and your dedication to welcome us to this incredible location of wisdom and power."

The Gods and Goddesses are shocked, yet mum is the first to recover from his shock and he himself bows as he says: "In name of those who know and care for us from across the Pond, do I accept this greeting, speak my honor upon receiving these blessing and utter my desire to see you enjoy yourselves this evening.
In name of Friendship, be welcomed." And as his words wake the other Gods from their shocked stupor, does dad follow his example, bowing and saying: "In name of Thunder and the Air, be welcomed." And Aunt Hera is next as she says: "In name of Family and Bonds of friendship and love, be welcomed."
And one by one do the other gods each utter their own statement, each of them acknowledging their Dominion as they welcome us and with each God or Goddesses that does so, do their kids stand up from their bows and when finally the groggily spoken words of Hypno have been spoken does dad raise his arms and say:

"Mingle, dine, make bonds you have yet to make, ask about whatever comes to mind and, most importantly, have fun." And with that does it feel as if the night has truly begun, making me smile widely at dad before mum hugs me tightly to his person as the sounds of all the other Demigods moving about starts to rise up.
Dad also hugs Thalia and mum says: "You little minx, how did you plan this without us knowing?" And I answer: "We only started planning this last week when we noticed that Mr. D had left for Olympus. When we realized it was to organize this party, did we decide that not all acts of this evening could come one-sided."
The man laughs as he hears this and then I hug dad and whisper: "Luke is planning, yet no one has seen any sign that he is in contact with The Banished One." The man's arms tense, yet his words shock me as he says: "Forget about him. This night is about having fun and being united with the ones you love and care for."

Yet, even though I know that the Master Bolt has lost most of the qualities that Kronos could want to use to regenerate his old form are now part of my own new wand and Thalia's, has this not kept me from worrying about what Luke could be planning as him finding out about this can't happen before we are all properly prepared.
And while I don't voice these thoughts to dad, do they still roam through my mind as I wander through the patio, taking a few bits of food to eat and releasing a small snicker when I read the note at the end of the buffet that says: "Offers are not required. If we're hungry, we'll come join you." Before leaving for a small table.
Finding one, does it take only a minute before Hermione joins me and she asks: "You just can't stop, can you?" And I shake my head at her, making her huff before she says: "Harry, no one has been looking forward to this event more than you. Why can't you just let go of your worries and have fun?" Yet I don't have an answer.

Somewhere else
Unknown POV

I don't know what Potter could want in America, but thanks to Lucius do I at least know that it's not to flee England or to get the American Wizards on his side of the soon-to-be-starting war as the Minister of this country had been shocked to hear that one of the members of the British Ministry had traced Potter's wand here.
Sure, Potter had stopped using his wand about a month or so ago, yet it had not been soon enough for me not to follow his trace to this majestic and gigantic country, yet after the last time he had used it, had it taken me only a few days to spot another sense of magic; one that reeks of Darkness, yet that also feels weaker than it should.
I have been intrigued with the magic that I had been able to feel, yet the direction it had led me to had been most confusing; an old and abandoned music recording studio. The anagram of the studio's name had taken me some time to decode, yet it had been the miniature figure sitting in the O that had really piqued my interest.

"A dark sense of magic, a studio meant for recording songs of Inferi and zombies and a figure that looks like the Devil himself. If I was any less than who I was, I would have fled this scene. However, what better way to prove I have risen even above the meaning of my own name than to enter the one domain I desire to never thread?"
Goes through my mind, making me enter the main lobby with a large smile of personal victory, yet what I see written on a sign there almost turns the sense of victory into a sense of amusement. I pass the sign and then raise an intrigued eyebrow at the next sight that greets me, one that instantly sets my mind to thinking and scheming.
Souls. Hundreds of souls of either kids or grownups, boys or girls and even magical and non-magical creatures such as Veela and Elves, are all in the same large lobby room, some of them seated, others lying across seated locations or their companion's lap and again others walking around certain parts of the room.
"Even if I don't find whatever source of Dark Energy has lured me here, this might just be an opportunity I must either grasp when I can or come back for at earliest convenience." And with that thought do I move over to where a lift is located, only for my movement to be halted by a rough, angry voice asking:

"And where do we think that we're going, Mr. Not-Dead-Yet." This makes me turn to where the voice is coming from and I see a tall man with handsome and elegant features sitting on top of a raised podium and looking straight past all the other souls, his empty eyes that actually remind me of Halloween staring straight at me.
Yet, while I feel I should know this man, do I only feel insulted that someone has dared to try and cross me, let alone stop me from what will assuredly lead me a step closer to my role as Ruler of all Magic and while making sure to let as much of my magical aura seep out of my form as possible, do I tell the handsome brute:
"I, you insolent little insect, am the Lord Voldemort and I am –.""Hold on a sec. Volde – Riddle? Thomas Marvolo Riddle, born December 31st 1926?" The man interrupts me and while I am surprised that he could have found out one of my best kept secrets with that much speed does the man seem to read off a paperboard.

Several times the man looks between me and the board before he suddenly shouts: "YOU FILTHY LITTLE BLIGHT! You were supposed to enter this blasted lobby 52 years ago! What in name of Hades are you still doing with that working set of lungs?" And finally do I get why all of this seems so nastily familiar.
"The Underworld. I have actually stepped foot – while alive – in the Underworld. Great Salazar, I need to get out of here. I'll see about collecting these souls for my very own army once I know how to deal with that blasted Ferry man." Yet while I think this, do I then feel as if I have suddenly been killed when the man shouts:
"YOU MADE SEVEN WHATNOW?" And while the number confuses me as it should be six, do I still take the only magical knowledge of this place that I have – and that is the missing sense of Anti-Apparation wards – and spin on my heel, making sure to have my own Hideout firmly at the front of my mind as I do.

Still, due to the fright that I felt at the man learning of two of my deepest secrets by just hearing me speak and gazing between me and a paperboard, do I still stumble as I land and after regaining my balance do I dash for my private study, throwing up all of the ancient family privacy wards as I slam the door closed behind me.
I then slow down as I reach my desk and while leaning my hands on the visitor's side, do I allow for my thoughts to gather and for my mind – slowly calming – to form plans around the information I have just been able to gather. And finally, after I have successfully calmed my nerves, does another epiphany hit me:
"The Dark, yet weakened magic that I sensed. If I am correct, then there is but one force semi-alive that can let off an aura like that. After all, if memory of my detested childhood serves me correctly, then the Underworld is directly connected to the one place where the Lord of past, present and future is held a prisoner – for now."


There we go!
The party has started, yet trouble is brewing. Voldemort now knows that the Divine exist and other than his plan for the souls in the lobby – which by the way, will fail in later chapters – is he now on the path – to his own destruction. Yet while I won't tell you how that will happen, will I still tell you this: He won't die first.
Also sorry, but I couldn't get the cozy atmosphere of the party itself going as the time jump and the events that happened during it really kept me busy. At first I thought I could just transit from Harry receiving Zeus' advice to him taking it, yet this bit with Voldemort just felt like it would fit better, so I wrote this instead.
Now next chapter will be more or less like this, only then with Harry actually enjoying himself before certain others – aka Hades and Luke – both get messages from their respected others – Charon and Kronos – telling them about what has happened and whether they should take action or just remain calm.
Excited, yet,

Venquine1990
PS. For Rules, check chapter 01
PPS. As always, if you find inconsistencies, grammar or spelling errors, let me know, though please add either the sentence or the paragraph when doing so, thank you.