"And this figure began to drink the unicorn's blood?", came Professor Dumbledore's incredulous voice.

Harry nodded vigorously, "Yes sir. I confess, I got a little mad and threw my hunting knife at it, but the knife just phased through this… wraith. Why was it drinking the unicorn blood, professor?"

Dumbledore looked like he had aged a hundred more years and sighed heavily. He spoke, "Were circumstances different, I would be hesitant to share this information. This would have been because you are too young and need to enjoy your childhood. However, you are a demigod, and by your own admission, demigods don't have the luxury of a 'normal' childhood. I fear that the Dark Lord is not dead. His body may have been destroyed, but I think his spirit is still lingering. It is said that unicorn blood will keep someone on the brink of death, alive"

Harry nodded, "I figured as much about the Dark Lord's survival, Professor. When I was seven, Lord Thanatos visited me in a dream and told me about how You-Know-Who split his soul. One was even residing within me but he managed to extract it before the soul piece settled."

Dumbledore replied, "And you have no idea how relieved I was when it happened. In the worst case scenario, you would have had to die and I did not have sufficient knowledge to look for a safer alternative. Now, I think the first step is flushing out the wraith of the Dark Lord."

Harry had a determined look on his face, "What do you need me to do?"

Dumbledore got up and disappeared into a corner in his office. The boy could hear him rummaging around and a few muttered words. Then the older wizard emerged with a folded cloak in his arms. He said, "I originally planned to give this to you on Christmas Day. This belonged to your father and is a family heirloom. He gave it to me for study, but I was unable to return it because the Dark Lord had attacked. I felt that it is only right that you should have it. For now, we do nothing and just let nature take its course. By the way, do you have any plans for the Christmas holidays?"

Harry gave a single nod, "Yes Professor, a week after the holiday begins, I'll be leaving for Camp Half-Blood. Katie wanted to get her affairs in order and then we could leave together. For the Winter Solstice, myself and a few campers are heading to the Empire State Building where the Olympian pantheon currently resides."

Dumbledore tilted his head curiously, "I actually wondered about why the Greek Gods decided to reside in America."

Harry replied, "From what I was told, the idea of the Greek Gods never faded with the passage of time. The concept of Gods moved to Rome for a while, and they resided there, albeit with different names. There was also a time when they settled in Great Britain for several centuries. It probably explains how Lady Hecate was able to establish the wizarding world. Now the current residence is in the United States and Mount Olympus is above the Empire State Building. Of course, mortals can't see it because Lady Hecate controls the Mist. The Mist is kind of a veil that prevents mortals from seeing monsters or our weapons. For example, if I activated my rings. I would see my bow and quiver, but a mortal will only see two rings."

The headmaster stroked his beard, "This is quite fascinating. Anyway, I bid you farewell for now, and happy holidays."

Harry gave a slight bow and left. He headed straight back to the Gryffindor Common Room. Upon reaching and entering, he headed to a table and pulled out a piece of parchment and quill, ready to confirm his presence for the field trip. He spotted Ron nearby, reading a letter and frowning a little.

Harry spoke up, "Hey Ron! Is it good news?"

The redhead replied, "Just got a letter from Mum and Dad. The two of them and my little sister, Ginny, are leaving to visit our brother, Charlie. He's the second-oldest in the family after Bill, and he is working in Romania as a dragon handler."

Harry grinned, "That's cool!"

Ron continued, "Since no one will be at home, me, Percy and the twins are staying back at Hogwarts. What are you plans Harry?"

"I'll be here for a week because Katie's just settling her affairs. After that, I'll be back at camp and we've got a field trip planned for the Winter Solstice to head to the Empire State Building."

Ron mused, "Sounds fun. I heard that you and Hermione are going to meet up because she and her folks are also planning a trip to America."

"Yeah, she asked me to meet her. By the way, you could also come if you want."

Ron did a double-take, "You sure, mate?"

Harry gestured for him to come closer and Ron obliged, "I kind of wanted to show you two Mount Olympus. Honestly mate, it's the most beautiful place I've ever seen. The décor in the Great Hall here at Hogwarts is pretty much second best after it. I can also introduce you two to Luke and Annabeth. They're my friends from Camp."

Ron excitedly said, "I'll talk to Percy!"

As the redhead rushed out, Harry settled down to complete his letter. Just as he finished it, he had a brainwave. Seizing another piece of parchment, he scrawled, "Dear Fletch, how's things back home? I needed a small favour…"

A week later, on December 14th, Harry, Ron and Katie were on the train heading back to King's Cross Station. Hermione had already left last week in the earlier train with majority of the other students. Ron had somehow managed to convince Percy to let him stay with Harry for a few days. Sirius and Remus were going to meet them at the station, and from there they would catch a flight to New York. Sirius had decided against an International Portkey because he learnt his lesson after the Stolls nicked one from his pocket.

This was pretty much going to be Ron's first flight, and the boy was understandably nervous. Katie soothed, "It'll be fine, Ron. Nothing will happen to you. All that you need to do is not talk loudly in the aircraft. Also, when the flight takes off, you may experience some discomfort in your ears. What you need to do is either yawn or plug your nose and breathe out. It will cause your ears to pop. Also, you need to wear a seatbelt when on the plane, especially while it is taking off and landing."

Eventually, they disembarked the train and went through the barrier back to the main King's Cross Station. Sirius was waiting for the trio outside the barrier and herded them into a rental car. Remus was driving and Harry raised an eyebrow, "I didn't know you could drive Uncle Remus?"

He chuckled, "Lily insisted that we all learn how to drive, and she was pretty decent herself. She was such a speed freak that I used to tease her, saying that she could give Nigel Mansell a run for his money. Your father and I were quick learners. The Rat-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named was not interested. Meanwhile, Sirius crashed his car after five minutes. Took a lot of explaining to Lily's father, may he rest in peace."

Soon enough, they drove to Heathrow Airport and were finally settled into the plane. Eight hours later, Sirius shook Harry and the other two awake. They had finally touched down at New York. He glanced at Ron, who was pretty fascinated by everything and gave him a thumbs up, asking if he was okay.

The redhead murmured to Harry, "Bloody hell! This thing is faster than any broom in the world. If dad knew about this, he would not shut up for days! He's the Head of the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Office."

When they exited the JFK International Airport, Harry spotted a familiar figure waiting for them. He waved frantically and rushed forward, with the other four right on his heels. Harry tackled a blonde-haired girl with grey eyes, in a hug. He cheered, "Beth! Thanks for coming!"

She laughed and hugged him back, "Hey Harry! I told you I'd be there!. There's no way I wouldn't pick up one of my best friends!"

Annabeth then turned to Ron and Katie, "Hi, I'm Annabeth Chase, Daughter of Athena. Nice to meet you two. So you're from Harry's magic school or whatever?"

Katie nodded, "Yep, I'm Katie, one of the newest Hunters and I'm a year older than Harry. That's Ron, who's in the same year as him."

Ron waved at her, "So, where are we headed?"

She gestured to a nearby SUV taxi and everyone clambered in. Annabeth handed the driver a few dollar bills, "Take us to Delphi Strawberry Service, Farm Road 3.141, Long Island, please."

The taxi driver grinned, "You got it, ma'am!"

After a fairly lengthy drive, they finally pulled up on the base of a hill. The driver pulled over and cheerily spoke, "Well… This is as far as we can go. You lot are going to have to go on foot from here."

Remus thanked him and they disembarked and trekked up the hill.

As they entered the camp borders, Harry was a little worried that Ron would have difficulty getting in. Fortunately, the camp wards allowed the redhead to pass through easily, and the same applied for Katie.

A centaur clopped up to the group, "Welcome back, Mr. Potter! I would also like to extend a warm welcome to your two companions. My name is Chiron, and I am the activities director at Camp Half-Blood. Mr. Weasley, you will be bunking in Cabin 11, the Hermes Cabin, for the time-being. Ms Bell, with your status as a Hunter of Artemis, you and Harry will be in Cabin 8, Artemis' Cabin. Mr. Weasley, the cabin system works in such a way that when the Gods claim their children, only then will they go to that particular cabin. Unclaimed demigods generally go to Cabin 11, because one of Hermes' duties is to welcome travellers and newcomers."

The trio nodded and split up, but not before Harry warned Ron to watch out for his things. The demigod explained that the children of Hermes were notorious thieves. If anything of his went missing, all he had to do was ask for Head Counsellor Luke Castellan.

A week passed with not many hair-raising incidents. Harry and Katie trained hard and honed their craft. Meanwhile, Ron developed a healthy rivalry with Malcolm Pace, son of Athena. Malcolm was regarded as one of the camp's best chess players and strategists. Currently, their record stood at eight wins apiece.

It was also worth mentioning that Ron asked the Stoll brothers for a few pranking tips. The two smirked evilly, disappeared into their bunks and came out with a DVD case with the label, 'Home Alone'. All the way in Hogwarts castle, a shiver ran down the spines of the Weasley twins. Fred looked at his brother and mused, "Brother dearest? Is it just me or are we going to get a challenger very soon?"

George dismissed the claim, "Nonsense Freddie, old chum! Nobody is as good as us in pranking, except for our idols, the Marauders. By the way, are you any closer to discerning their identities?"

"Nope! But I have a strong feeling that I'm close."

Before long, Chiron emerged from the Big House in his wheelchair form and gathered Harry, Luke, Annabeth, Silena, Charles Beckendorf, the Stoll brothers, Clarisse and several other campers, along with their backpacks. Ron and Katie were also joining them. They were also going to meet up with Hermione at the Empire State Building. Chiron called out, "Is everyone here? Good! Now remember, I want all of you to be on your best behaviour, because you will be gathering in front of your Godly parents. They will not tolerate any disrespect, so do not offend them at all."

As they all board a minibus, camp security guard Argus waved at them cheerily. Ron whispered to Harry, "Oi mate! Who's that bloke with the eyes all over his face and body?"

Katie also listened in as Harry murmured back, "That's our camp security guard. Think of him as a nicer version of Filch. Ironically, his name is also Argus, and no, I doubt the two of them are related."

After a pleasant drive, a train ride from the Long Island Railroad to Penn Station, and another bus ride, they finally pulled up in front of the Empire State Building, where a familiar bushy-haired figure was waiting for them. When Harry and Ron disembarked, she nearly tackled the two of them in a hug. She squealed, "Harry! Ron! So good to see you! Mum and dad dropped me here 10 minutes ago and told me to have fun with you guys. They are currently in a conference about dental healthcare and said that it may go on for a few days."

Chiron rolled up to her in his wheelchair and shook her hand, "Hello, Ms Granger, I am Chiron, though you may call me Mr. Brunner for the remainder of this excursion. And yes, I am THAT Chiron, the legendary trainer of Achilles, Ajax, Atlanta, Jason and many more heroes."

She curtseyed slightly, "I am truly honoured to meet you."

He gestured to her to join the group, "Come dear child, we should get going soon. The Winter Solstice will soon begin and we mustn't be late."

Chiron led the group to a security guard in front of the elevators. He cleared his throat, "Ahem, Hello there, I am Mr. Brunner, we had an appointment for a 'Special' tour of the Empire State Building."

The guard consulted his book, "Ahh yes. Mr. Brunner and company for the 9AM slot. You are right on time!"

He handed them a key card with the symbol of a woman with a laurel wreath on her head. The guard called after them, "Just remember! Insert the key card in the special slot and press the button that says 600th floor."

As Chiron did so, Hermione was confused, "I thought the Empire State building had 102 floors?"

Luke patiently explained, "These are the Greek Gods, anything is possible with them."

She looked defiant for a second before finally accepting the explanation. Annabeth leaned over and spoke, "You're the resident bookworm, right? Under normal circumstances, you are right, the Empire State Building has 102 floors. However, the Mist separates the Mortal world from the Demigod world. So it is possible for there to be a 600th floor where the Gods of Olympus reside. You're a logical girl right? Look… Sometimes there are things that books and logic cannot explain. Your magic is one of them, and so is the existence of the Gods."

That sent Hermione deep in thought and she kept quiet for the remainder of the elevator trip. Soon, the elevator doors slid open with a pleasant ding. There were audible gasps from Hermione, Ron and Katie. Chiron led the group out after warning them to watch their step.

Truthfully speaking, the warning was redundant, as the narrow stone walkway in the middle of the air practically promised a long and painful drop with a single mis-step. Steadily, everyone walked up a set of white marble steps, winding up the spine of a cloud, into the sky.

Nestled comfortably on the top of the clouds was a decapitated peak of a mountain with its summit covered with snow. Dotting the mountainside were dozens of mansions, enough to make any rich Pureblood green with envy.

There were several roads winding up to the peak, where the largest palace sat imposingly. In short, the whole scene resembled an Ancient Greek city in its full glory. History Channel documentaries about ancient Greek cities could not hold a candle to the sheer majesty before them right now.

The three wizards and witches' jaws were on the floor. Katie gasped, "It's beautiful! I always thought the scene in the Hogwarts Great Hall was the most majestic thing I ever witnessed."

She gestured wildly to the scene before her. "But This! This place blows it completely out of the water!"

The other two could only nod, completely speechless. Harry shed a small tear, "Been here a couple of times and this scene still gets to me."

As the group forged ahead, Harry pointed out several inhabitants to his wizarding companions. He said quietly, "Those are nymphs, those are naiads, and those half-goat beings are called satyrs."

Finally, they entered the largest palace, sitting resplendent in white and silver. Before long, they entered the throne room, which looked 10 times larger than the Hogwarts Great Hall. Massive columns held up a domed ceiling filled with moving constellations. Harry was pretty sure that Professor Sinistra would kill to be in this room, right this very moment. However, the main centrepiece was a set of 13 gigantic thrones placed strategically in a U-shape, with an enormous hearth crackling in the middle. On each of those thrones sat 13 men and women in giant form. The entire group knelt in front of the Gods, though Katie had to jab a gaping Ron in the back of his knees to get him to kneel.

Harry and the group could literally feel the power oozing from the gathered Gods in front of them. Smack dab in the centre of the U, Lord Zeus stood up His voice boomed, "Welcome! Young demigods, to Olympus. We are glad that you have made the trip here. Unfortunately, some our discussions are on the more sensitive. So, someone will be along to give you a tour of our domain."

The son of Artemis could have sworn that Luke's shoulders had slumped in disappointment. Just then, Hades interrupted from his own throne, "One moment, brother. I wish to speak with Harry Potter with regard to his ongoing quest. I sincerely hope that there is an update. Also, bring your wizard friends with you. I am positive that their aid will be vital."

As the rest of the campers split up, Hades got up, with his black flowing robes billowing around him. Then, he shrunk to the size of a regular human and beckoned the quartet to follow him to a corner of the throne room. Once alone, his oily voice spoke up, "Alright Potter, how goes your search for the missing soul?"

Hermione raised her hand slightly, "Forgive me, Lord Hades, but what missing soul?"

He turned to the girl, "I take it you three are familiar with Harry's tussle with the Dark Lord? It seems that the Dark Lord's soul never appeared for judgement. I have been preparing a special place in Tartarus for him."

A wide-eyed Ron blurted, "You-Know-Who is alive! I thought he was destroyed!"

The god snarled, "That wretch cheated death with the creation of soul jars! I pray you all never learn this kind of magic at all. Lady Hecate has forbidden it for a reason. Your friend's first task is to find and catch the Dark Lord's wraith. From there, we go step by step to finding his soul jars and finally bringing Olympian judgement on him. MY judgment on him."

Harry filled him in on what happened in the Forbidden Forest. The elder god stroked his chin, "You have done well to confront that monster for his crime of killing the unicorn. Now, it is your duty to flush out this wraith. Do not fail me."

Just then, his eyes were drawn to Harry's backpack. He gestured to the bag and Harry opened it. The boy rifled through his supplies, and Hades' eyes zeroed in on the invisibility cloak. He said, "I thought it was familiar. It has been millennia since it happened but I remember it like it was yesterday. Tell me, are you three familiar with the Tale of the Deathly Hallows?"

The four nodded, and then it clicked for Katie. She sharply said, "Lord Hades, are you saying that this is the cloak of Invisibility given to the last Peverell? I always thought it was just a story? And how did Harry get his hands on it?"

"I think you will find that many stories sometimes have a grain of truth in them. Believe me, Thanatos spent a century in Tartarus for that stunt. The brat paid for his insolence because he bartered away three of my precious items. He even had the gall to sneak in and cut a piece of fabric from my own robes. Thus, the Cloak of Invisibility was born."

Harry gazed at the cloak in his arms, "I was told that it was a family heirloom."

Hades replied, "Well it seems that you are descended from the last Peverell. Do not bother giving it back to me, it is useless to me now. Keep it, Potter. However, if you can find the other two items, I would like them returned back to me". He scoffed, "Master of Death, my foot!"

After a while, Chiron gathered all the campers, with Luke being the last to arrive. With that, everyone including the three magical students headed back to Camp Half-Blood. Hermione was also told to bunk in the Hermes Cabin with Ron, and given the same explanation. All in all, it was a very adventurous solstice.