Apologies for the delay, but I rewrote this chapter at least four times. Twice was because I forgot to charge my laptop and it died before I could save my progress.
Remus took some Floo powder and called out, "Bones Manor!"
After he disappeared in a sheet of green flame, Harry copied his actions and he also Flooed away. When he finally exited, he found himself standing in the fireplace of a relatively posh living room. Remus helped him out of the fireplace and the first thing he noticed was that the two of them were not alone.
Sirius and a handful of Aurors were standing on the far end of the living room. They were all clustered by the windows and the front door with their wands drawn. Sirius spotted him, "Harry? Oh brilliant! We're in a bit of a pickle, kiddo. Can you help us out?"
One of his Aurors scoffed, "Really Black? This is your backup? Potter is just a kid. What can he do against that thing! Whatever it is."
Sirius' angry retort was cut off by a ear-splitting baying sound that had everyone covering their ears. A moment later, a large black shape flung itself against one of the windows with incredible force. Amazingly, the windows did not break, but the house shook violently from the impact.
Remus grit his teeth, "Damnit! I know Amelia has Unbreakable wards on the windows, but I'm not sure how long it will last."
The Auror who spoke yelled, "I told you, Black, we should have called Cecil Lee!"
Remus snapped, "Lee works for the Werewolf Capture Unit! That thing's not a werewolf! It's bloody daylight you ninny!"
Harry ignored the argument and asked sharply, "Where's everyone?"
Sirius pointed to his left, just as another tremor shook the manor, "I've told the Boss to stay in her study, especially since we're dealing with an unknown enemy. Her niece and five of her friends are all in her bedroom upstairs. Third floor, second door to the right. They're all terrified out of their minds."
Harry immediately raced upstairs, arming himself with his bow and arrows as he bounded up the steps three at a time. He knocked on the door of what he assumed was Susan's bedroom, the frightened squeals inside confirmed their presence. Harry called out, "Susan! It's me, Harry! I'm here to help!"
The door lock clicked and opened quickly. Next thing Harry knew, Susan Bones latched onto his arm and dragged him inside. Inside the room, he saw Hannah Abbott, Penny Haywood, Ernie MacMillan, Diego Caplan and Wayne Hopkins. All of them were up against the wall and cowering in fear. Susan stammered, "Harry? Why-why do you have a bow and arrow?"
He sighed, "Listen, I know how to deal with that thing. I can help."
Hannah whimpered with tears in her eyes, "What do you mean, help? It's a Grim! We're all going to die! I just know it!"
Harry calmly said, "Hannah, it's not a Grim. Listen, I promise I will explain everything, I just need to get rid of it first. That thing is a Hellhound."
Diego stuttered, "A-A what?!"
They all clutched each other tighter when a third tremor shook the house and there was another blood-curdling howl. Then Harry went into battle mode and locked eyes with Susan, "What is the monster's attack pattern?"
She took a deep breath and steeled herself before leading him to her bedroom window, "It's been circling the manor and ramming into it frequently."
Harry looked out and spotted the massive Hellhound pacing around and snarling. The damn thing was bigger than the one he fought at Hogwarts, though a little smaller than Mrs. O'Leary. It then stopped and sniffed in the air. Harry sidled up to the window and placed himself in front of Susan. He said, "Go join the others. I'll handle him."
The Hellhound spotted Harry with his arrow aimed and leaped towards him. However, it couldn't quite reach him, and Harry let an arrow loose. The arrow struck the monster right on its foreleg shoulder, and it howled in pain.
It tried to leap at Harry and still failed to reach him. Harry let fly more arrows and practically turned it into a pincushion. However, the bleeding monster was still standing. He gnashed his teeth, "Tough little bugger, aren't you? Fine… Plan B it is."
He got rid of his bow and arrows and reached for his one earring. Turning it into a hunting knife, Harry climbed onto the ledge. Then he leaped out, earning screams from the girls. With his hunting knife brandished, he landed on the ground, tucking and rolling, before charging the beast. Both opponents raced towards each other, and the Hellhound leaped again. He ducked under the attack and swiped at its left rear paw.
The monster howled again and whirled around. He leaped back and just about managed to avoid its jaws. Harry then stabbed at the muzzle, but the Hellhound reared its head back. The opponents got some distance between them before charging at each other. The Hellhound pounced, and Harry tried to roll under it. Unfortunately, he was a touch too slow and it got a solid chomp on his leg and thrashed him around.
Then, Harry twisted around and broke free from its grip. He manoeuvred so that he landed right under monster's ribcage. He stabbed upwards, aiming for the ribs, but the beast dissolved into shadow and re-appeared further away. Harry swore, "F**king Shadow-Travel! That's just cheating!"
Fortunately, the monster's movements began to slow down and become more sluggish. Harry had a much easier time recovering and dodging attacks. He raced forward and stuck his knife through its ribs, and with a pained howl, it dissolved into dust.
He could hear cheering from inside the manor, but waited outside to make sure that the Hellhound was the only threat. Finally, he slowly hobbled inside, where a white-faced Sirius and Remus hugged him tight. The former bit out, "Don't ever scare us like that again. James and Lily would have haunted us for years if something happened to you."
When they let go, Harry was knocked down by a giant group hug from his Hufflepuff year-mates. When they were hauled off of him, Remus went about bandaging him and feeding him some nectar. Just as Remus finished, Hecate suddenly popped into the living room, startling everyone. Susan was a little taken aback, "Professor Daly? What are you doing here?"
By then, everyone had gathered in the living room. Hecate decided to take the lead, "I had high hopes that this would stay secret for a few more years, but it looks like we have no choice. Everyone… There is something that you all need to know. The Wizarding World is not the only one that is hidden from non-magicals. There exists another hidden society and they are known as demigods. Demigods are the children of one of the Greek Gods and a mortal."
Amelia Bones was gobsmacked, "How did you just Apparate in? I have Anti-Apparition wards up. Also, what do you mean by Gods?"
The disguised goddess nodded, "Indeed. As for your questions-"
Then she transformed into a more regal look, "I am Hecate! Greek Goddess of Magic, the Mist and Crossroads. You think any wards can be a match for the Goddess of Magic!"
As she spoke, she allowed her raw magical power to leak through. That was enough to force everyone on their knees. Amelia gulped and nervously asked, "Lady Hecate… Why show up now?"
She calmed down and spoke, "The demigod world is on the brink of a war. I fear that despite my best efforts, the Wizarding world would get dragged into it. Centuries ago, I created the Wizarding World because I wanted my own sect of followers. For too long, I have been negligent of the Wizarding World and it has had consequences. That is partly my fault because I had been too caught up in my jealousy of the Olympians and their power. I am just a minor Goddess compared to the main Olympian Gods."
Harry sat up with a little help from Hannah, "Lady Hecate… I'm just wondering. How on earth did that monster show up? Do we have another demigod in our midst?"
There was a beat of silence and then she shook her head, "I am afraid not. I cannot sense any Godly blood, other than your own. I suspect that the monster must have wandered in while the wards around this property were down."
At that observation, Madame Bones blushed, "Oh… right… I forgot I did that so that I could allow Susan's friends to enter the property. And what do you mean by Harry Potter having Godly blood?"
Sirius fielded that one, "Back during the war with You-Know-Who and his Death-Eaters. Lily was hit with a curse that rendered her barren. They looked for Fertility Rituals, but they're pretty rare. I tried to help out, but accidentally gave them an ancient Summoning Ritual. They performed it, and happened to summon Artemis, Goddess of the Hunt and the Moon. She helped Lily get pregnant, but the catch was that Artemis is also counted as Harry's mother."
Madam Bones asked, "So Harry is the only demigod wizard?"
Harry shook his head, "There are a few of us in the current generation. However, I know for a fact that the Founders of Hogwarts were also demigods."
Everyone, except for Hecate, Sirius and Remus, stared at him in shock. Harry continued, "Godric Gryffindor was the son of Zeus, king of the Gods and lord of the Sky, Rowena Ravenclaw was the daughter of Athena, Goddess of Wisdom. Helga Hufflepuff is the daughter of Demeter, Goddess of Agriculture and Harvest. Finally, Salazar Slytherin was the son of Hecate."
The adults moved away to talk further, leaving the kids on their own.
Wayne emitted a low whistle, "Damn, bruv!"
Hannah suddenly blurted, "Is that why you're so freaking ripped!"
The teenagers all turned to her in surprise. Then Susan had a Cheshire grin on her face, "Hannah Abbott you little minx! Is there something you care to share?"
Hannah's face turned scarlet, "I-It's not like that! You remember back in Third-Year when Gryffindor were facing Slytherin in Quidditch? Harry came to the hospital wing with a shoulder injury. Chiara and I were volunteering because Tracey Davis was at the game. Madam Pomfrey took off his shirt so that she could treat his shoulder. As Harry's teammate Alicia put it, 'Dang! And Katie gets a piece of prime beef like that? Lucky bitch!'"
Penny giggled, "Sure she did…"
Hannah squawked indignantly and suddenly grabbed the bottom of Harry's T-shirt. He barely had time to meekly protest before she yanked the T-shirt up to reveal a firm-looking six-pack. There was dead silence from the kids and then Justin whistled, "Damn Harry… Way to make us feel inadequate. Are you sure you're not the secret love child of Arnold Schwarzenegger?"
The other two boys sniggered as a Harry rolled his eyes. There was no response from the two girls, because they were staring at him with wide eyes and open mouths. He could have also sworn that she spotted a small thread of drool dribble from the corner of Susan's mouth.
Hannah decided to get her revenge, "Susie… You're drooling… And Penny? Don't you have a boyfriend?"
That got the two girls to snap out of it. Penny Haywood turned up her nose and primly said, "Yes I do, but I can still appreciate a fit body. And considering that I heard that he beat six Slytherins with his bare hands… Hooo!"
She fanned herself, while Susan and Hannah tittered giddily. Diego grinned, "Well they probably deserved the arse-kicking."
Hannah reached over and pat Penny's head condescendingly, "Sure… Keep telling yourself that."
Finally, Penny changed the subject. She asked Harry, "Umm… What was that giant dog thing? You called it a Hellhound"
He explained, "They are monsters that reside in the Underworld. That thing you saw when I attacked it, is called Shadow-Travel. Think of it as an advanced version of Apparition, but the drawback is that it takes a lot of energy. They're not the only danger that demigods have to worry about, there are more. Lots more."
Further explanations were cut short when Hecate returned and cleared her throat, "Mr. Potter. I think it would be best if I explain things. You still have a quest to resume."
He froze and smacked his forehead, "Oh crumbs! I forgot about that! Beth is going to be worried sick!"
Harry hurried towards the fireplace, catching a small piece of ambrosia that Remus tossed at him. He grabbed some Floo powder and called out, "The Big House! Camp Half-Blood!"
When he emerged out of the fireplace, he was back in the familiar environment of the Big House. Chiron happened to be in the room, in his original form. He looked up from a large blueprint and his face lit up when he saw Harry, "Harry! I must say, it is truly wonderful to see you alive and well! I was afraid that something terrible had happened. Annabeth is in her cabin, I'll ask someone to fetch her."
He clopped away and moments later, Annabeth came barrelling in at top speed. Her arms were outstretched and she crashed into him in a massive hug. The girl began crying and babbling, "You absolute dummy! You and Percy will be the death of me someday! Stupid, reckless noble idiots, both of you."
Harry awkwardly pat her back and she finally let go. She huffed, "I finally made my way to Hephaestus and told him what was happening. There's still no sign of Percy. The mountain exploded, and I think it was Percy who did it."
He quipped, "Well… They don't call Poseidon, the Earthshaker, for nothing. Any word on Grover and Tyson?"
She shook her head, "Nothing yet. We just have to hope that they'll be ok."
A few days passed and there was still no sign from Percy. Finally, after two weeks, Chiron had no choice but to host a funeral. Annabeth reluctantly went for it, but Harry staunchly insisted that Percy was going to come back. The ceremony had barely started in the amphitheatre when Fleur Delacour spotted Harry in the distance. He was sprinting like a bat out of Tartarus, and sure enough, there was a familiar figure chasing after him. The older girl squealed loudly, "HE'S HERE! HE'S ALIVE!"
Heads snapped toward the direction that she was pointing, and there were collective gasps. A few Ares campers cursed, but Clarisse gave him a grudging nod of respect. As soon as Percy entered the amphitheatre, nearly everyone mobbed him, clapping his back or hugging him.
Annabeth stormed up to him, screaming, "WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN!?"
She shoved several campers aside and hugged him fiercely. They stayed like that for nearly a minute before realising that she was making a scene. When they broke the hug, she exclaimed, "You Seaweed Brain! I-We thought you were dead! Whatever you did at Mount St. Helens, Harry got caught in the blast radius. He landed in freaking England! Where the Tartarus were you!?"
He sheepishly mumbled, "I er… I got lost."
She yelled, "LOST? You've been missing for two weeks!"
Chiron cantered up, "Annabeth… Perhaps we should move this to a more private setting. The rest of you, back to your normal activities!"
Together, they went back to the Big House. Once inside, Percy gave them a watered-down version of his adventures. According to him, he was marooned on an island for a while and he spent some time recovering before Hephaestus found him and sent him back on a magic raft.
Annabeth had visibly calmed down, but Harry got the impression that that was not the full story. Then Percy dropped a bombshell, "I think I figured out what Hera meant. Talking to Hephaestus, he said something that gave me an idea. Said that the string works, but Theseus had a better guide, Princess Ariadne herself."
Harry quipped, "Mate, I'm not sure if Ariadne is even alive. Also, they don't teach Necromancy at Hogwarts. That'll most likely get you branded as a Dark Lord."
Percy fought down a snicker, "My point is, Ariadne was a mortal. To be precise, she was a clear-sighted mortal. Maybe if I ask my mom for help? Or… Hey Annabeth, you remember I told you about that girl Rachel? Ron's cousin? We could use her help to navigate the maze if mom doesn't agree."
The girl's jaw dropped, "Th-that's crazy!"
However, Chiron looked thoughtful, "It is true about Theseus. Also, Harriet Tubman, daughter of Hermes used many mortals on her Underground Railroad for just this reason. But remember Annabeth, it is your quest and you decide if you need help."
She agonised for a moment before saying, "I need a bit of time to think about this. I'll be back."
After she hurried out of the Big House, it was just Percy, Harry and Chiron. Percy looked a little confused, "Umm… okay… What did I do now?"
Chiron chuckled, "It hardly matters. Annabeth is very territorial about her friends, in case you haven't noticed. She was quite worried about you. And now that you're back, I think she suspects where you were marooned. Don't worry, we won't dwell on your choices. You came back. That is what matters."
Then a thought struck Percy, "What about Grover and Tyson? On the way to the amphitheatre, Harry told me about his adventure."
Chiron nodded gravely, "Indeed… It is troubling that monsters are growing bolder and bolder. As for Grover and Tyson, there is still no word. Juniper is quite distressed. All of her branches are turning yellow. The Council of Cloven Elders have revoked Grover's searcher's licence in absentia. Assuming he comes back alive, they will force him into a shameful exile. Grover and Tyson are very resourceful, however. We can still hope."
Seeing that Percy was about to blame himself, the centaur placated, "Now, now, Grover has his own destiny, and Tyson was brave to follow him. You have your empathy link, so you would know if Grover was in mortal danger. Do not fret."
Then his face grew solemn, "Percy? There is something else. You remember our guest, Chris Rodriguez?"
Percy nodded, "Is he okay?"
Chiron was grim, "I'm afraid he's much worse. He's in the infirmary now, too weak to move. I had to order Clarisse back to her regular schedule, because she was at his bedside constantly. Harry has been relieving her on occasion. Mr. Rodriguez doesn't respond to anything. He won't take food or drink. None of my medicines help. He has simply lost the will to live."
Percy shuddered and even Harry was serious. However, Chiron wasn't done, "Additionally, Quintus has absconded. Happened a week before Harry arrived here. Juniper watched him head into the Labyrinth. It appears you two may have been right about him."
Percy clenched a fist, "I think he's a spy for Luke. Those scorpions came from a ranch run by Geryon, and Geryon has been supplying Kronos' army. It cannot be a coincidence."
Chiron let out a morose sigh, "So many betrayals. I had hoped Quintus would prove a friend. It seems my judgement was bad."
Harry asked, "What about Mrs O'Leary?"
The centaur replied, "She is still in the arena, but will not allow anyone to approach. I did not have the heart to force her into a cage… or destroy her."
Percy mused, "It's kind of odd that Quintus would just leave her."
Chiron shrugged, "As I said, Percy, we seem to have been wrong about him. Now, you should prepare yourself for the morning. You three still have much to do."
The boys left the Big House and headed for the arena. As they stepped inside, the first thing that greeted them was an enormous black furry mound of sadness. However, Mrs. O'Leary soon spotted them and stopped chewing on a dummy's head. With what they hoped was a joyful bark, she bounded towards the duo and began licking them enthusiastically from head to toe. Finally, she retreated, enough for the boys to recover and Percy to give her an extra gigantic dog treat. Then Harry turned into his Animagus form and bounded over to play with her. They chased each other around the arena for a while before Harry turned back.
Then they heard footsteps and turned to see Clarisse walk in with her sword and shield. She grunted, "You're lucky she didn't bite your head off. Came here to practise yesterday. Dog tried to chew me up. Still… she's not going to keep me from practising."
Percy hesitantly called out, "Hey Clarisse? Sorry about Chris. I hope he gets better."
She didn't say anything for a while, but viciously attacked a dummy. She shakily spoke, "Yeah, well. Sometimes things go wrong. Heroes get hurt. They… they die, and those damn monsters just keep coming back."
Finally she looked at them, "Do me a favour. If you find Daedalus, don't trust him. Don't ask him for help. Just kill him. Because anybody who can make something like the Labyrinth, Percy? That person is evil. Plain evil. Practice time is over. From now on, it's for real."
The next morning, Harry glanced at Percy, who looked pretty freaked out. Annabeth soon joined them and she didn't look any better. She breathed, "Had a dream about Nico and Bianca. They are back in the maze again, and I suspect Nico has been talking to Minos again."
Harry grimaced, "That's bad. I don't trust Minos. Especially not after that stunt he tried to pull with Voldemort."
Percy also said, "I had a dream about Luke. He said something about Quintus coming through for them and they have to reach some kind of arena. But that's not the worst part. I believe they managed to find a lone half-blood wandering in the maze."
Annabeth bit her lower lip, "Well… We have to hurry then. Also Percy? I'm still not completely sold on the idea of relying on a mortal. I mean, Rachel practically has no training, so she'll be a liability. Also, I'm worried about your mom. On the other hand, we don't have a choice, so we'll go with your plan."
The next day, after restocking their supplies, they went to the Big House to Floo to the Jackson household. Inside a fairly spacious house in New York, Sally Jackson was just sitting at the dining table with a cup of coffee when her fireplace lit up. Apparently, Sirius managed to convince her to move to a small comfortable house in New York instead of an apartment. It also helped that the house had a fireplace to connect the Floo.
When she saw her son, she hugged Percy tight enough to rival Mrs Weasley. She cheered, "I told them you were all right."
She sat them down at the table and insisted on whipping up a batch of her special blue chocolate-chip cookies. All the while, they filled her in on their quest and its current.
When Percy spoke about Geryon, she pretended to strangle him. She mock complained, "I can't get him to clean his room, but he'll clean a hundred tons of horse manure out of some monster's stables!"
That prompted laughter from Harry and Annabeth. Then Sally let out a breath, "So, you wrecked Alcatraz Island, made Mount St Helens explode and displaced half a million people, but at least you're all safe."
Then she caught the looks on their faces, "So why are you three here? I don't think this is a casual visit, is it?"
Annabeth sullenly said, "Percy has a 'plan'."
Percy took a deep breath and explained his idea. Sally frowned, "It sounds very dangerous. But it might work. For me though, my ability has gradually diminished. When I was younger it was easier. But, yes, I've always been able to see more than was good for me. It's one of the things that caught your father's attention, when we first met. Just be careful. Promise me you'll be safe."
Annabeth said shortly, "We'll try, Mrs Jackson. Keeping your son safe is a big job, though."
She folded her arms and glared out of the kitchen window. Sally glanced at the duo, "What's going on with you two? Have you been fighting?"
There was dead silence, while Harry stayed out of it. She straightened up, "I see. Well, remember, Grover and Tyson are counting on you two."
The trio chorused, "We know."
Then she said, "So… this Rachel girl? Do you know how you can get in touch with her? I'm sure that when you bumped into her, you didn't have a chance to exchange phone numbers."
Harry perked up, "Lucky for us, I got a letter from Ron earlier at camp. Rachel is spending time with the Weasleys for a while. We can Floo to The Burrow and meet up with her."
This time, they Flooed to the Weasley household. The first person to greet them was Mrs Weasley. She promptly greeted them in a patented Molly Weasley squeeze. She told them that the children were all outside, but would be coming back in shortly.
It didn't take long before Ron was the first one in. He greeted Harry with a bro hug and gave Annabeth and Percy high fives. Harry asked, "Hey mate, is Rachel around? We kind of need her help with something."
Just as he finished those words, Ginny entered the house, followed by Rachel. Ron called out, "Oi Ginny! Can we borrow Rachel for a bit?"
The teenager trotted up to them, brushing her hair with a blue plastic hair brush. She stuck out a free hand towards Harry and Annabeth, "Hi! I don't think we've officially met! I'm Rachel Prewitt, though I also go by Rachel Dare. I'm their cousin. You said you needed my help?"
The trio led her away and she said, "So, you two must be Annabeth and Harry, right? Nice to meet you! I guess you two are demigods too? By the way Perce- Can I call you Perce? It would be horribly confusing because my cousin is also called Percy. Anyway, we're not going to be attacked by monsters again, are we? Every time I'm around you, some monster attacks us."
He sheepishly said, "Look, I'm sorry about the band room. I hope they didn't kick you out or anything."
She casually waved him off, "Nah. They asked me a lot of questions about you. I played dumb. Worst case scenario, I could have Obliviated them. I've graduated from Ilvermorny already, so I'm legally allowed to use magic."
Annabeth cut in, "Okay, we're getting off topic! We have a problem and Percy thinks that you can help us."
The redhead blinked and slowly repeated, "You… need my help? MY help? I'm not even trained in the art of warfare, you twit! Heck! If I encountered a monster, I would probably run away screaming."
Percy waved his hands frantically, "Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Don't worry! You won't have to fight! We just need you as a guide."
He filled her in on the mythos of the Labyrinth and the need to find Daedalus. She blankly looked at the three of them before happily chirping, "Ok! I'm in!"
Annabeth was taken aback, "Just like that?"
"Yep! My summer was going to be boring, apart from my visits here to The Burrow. This is the best offer I've had yet. So what do I look for?"
Annabeth explained, "We have to find an entrance to the Labyrinth. There's an entrance at Camp Half-Blood, but I'm not sure if you'll be able to access it. You are technically part of Hecate's community, but will the camp borders allow you through?"
Harry spoke up, "I have a better idea. There's another entrance, which is located at Hogwarts. Specifically in the Chamber of Secrets."
Rachel's head whipped towards him in awe, "The Chamber is real? When I was younger, Aunt Molly used to talk about it and insisted that it was just a rumour."
She scrambled to her feet, "Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go! I always wanted to go to Hogwarts."
Once again, they used the Floo and ended up in the Headmaster's Office. From there, they headed towards the Second-Floor girl's toilet. Myrtle was nowhere to be seen, but the bathroom was still the same as the last time Harry saw it. Rachel pulled a disgusted face, "Ugh! The entrance to this Chamber of Secrets is in a girls' washroom? Was the person who created it, a freaking pervert?!"
Annabeth looked equally disgusted, while Percy was uncomfortable with the topic and wisely decided not to comment. Harry spoke in Parseltongue to activate the sink and one-by-one, they jumped into the yawning hole. Rachel nearly screamed when she saw the snake skin, and then again when she saw the beheaded skeleton of the Basilisk. She stammered, "What the hell is that thing?!"
Harry replied a little too nonchalantly, "A Basilisk. I killed it when I was 12."
Annabeth ignored the sputtering Rachel and approached the life-sized bust of Salazar Slytherin. She pressed a certain spot on the forehead and a faint blue Delta symbol began to brighten. The bust's mouth opened wide enough for a person to crawl through.
Taking a deep breath, Annabeth crawled inside, followed by the others. Sure enough, they were back in the familiar Labyrinth. Rachel gulped, "Whew! Okay… I can do this. I can so do this."
She took a flashlight from Percy and lead the way through the tunnel.
