The first thing that Harry did was head to the Hermes Cabin. He poked his head in and spotted Travis, "Oi! Travis! Any idea where's Luke or Mackenzie?"

He shrugged, "Don't know, I think he should be somewhere around here. Last I heard, Mackenzie had gone to the stables to see the unicorn herd"

"Never mind, I'll ask Silena."

Travis went back to his work and Harry made his way to the Aphrodite Cabin. When he poked his head in, he spotted Silena and a few of her sisters. He beckoned to the dark-haired beauty and she came over. Silena chirped, "Hey Harry, what's up?"

"Hey Sily, I need a big favour. I'm going on a quest with Annabeth, Grover and Jackson. Could you look after Mackenzie for me? I wanted to ask Luke first, but I couldn't find him."

She smiled, "Of course I will, Harry. Take care of yourself!"

As he turned to head to his cabin, he called back, "I will! Thanks Sily! You're the best!"

Soon, he was packed and gave a tearful Mackenzie, who had returned from the stables, a hug. He told her to be good for Silena and that he would be back in 10 days. Harry and Percy also stocked up on American dollars and some golden drachmae. The demigod wizard was also surprised to learn that the camp store also doubled as a Gringotts branch, and took out some Knuts, Sickles and Galleons. A goblin he found there told him that once his account manager Griphook had learned of his demigod status, Gringotts had gotten in touch with Chiron and were able to transfer one of their employees to work in the camp store. The goblin he found there also told him that he loved the place, and often sparred with Clarisse and the Ares kids.

The boys also stocked up on nectar and ambrosia, with Chiron explaining the basics to Percy. Annabeth had her trusty Yankees cap and a bronze knife hidden in her sleeve. Harry had his rings and daggers strapped to his sides and hidden from view. He also sported his new wand holster/shield and his wand was neatly tucked in. Additionally, he had a backpack while held all of their supplies and his Cloak of Invisibility. Grover had a set of reed pipes and wore long baggy trousers to hide his fake feet and a Rasta cap to hide his small horns. Chiron had also handed Percy a ballpoint pen which turned into a sword.

Just as they were about to leave, Luke jogged up. He panted, "Glad I caught up. Wanted to wish you guys luck. Hey Percy, I thought you could use these."

He handed the boy a pair of ordinary sneakers and called out "Maia!". At that command, the shoes sprouted wings and began hovering around.

Annabeth's cheeks turned crimson when Luke came over. Harry took one look at her before his own face broke into an evil grin. This was just too perfect, he had ample ammunition to tease the Daughter of Athena with. Luke told Percy, "Those things really saved my butt during my own quest. Apparently it was a gift from Dad, though if we're being honest I don't have much use for them anymore. It'll look better on you, buddy."

Percy's cheeks flushed in embarrassment, "Hey man, thanks. I'll definitely treasure them."

Luke choked out, "Listen up, a lot of hopes are riding on you, buddy. Just… kill some monsters for me, will you?"

They shook hands, Luke patted Grover on the head, between his horns, hugged a cherry-red Annabeth and gave Harry a bro-hug. After he left, Harry looked at a still blushing Annabeth and sing-songed, "Beth's got a crush!"

That snapped her out of it and she slugged him. Furiously fighting her blush, Annabeth stomped away to a white SUV that was waiting for them out in the rain. Then Harry's face grew serious, "Listen mate, I don't think Luke really thought this gift through. I mean, you're the son of the sea God. The same sea God who is feuding with his brother, the sky God. Now I'm not a son of Athena, but it'd be pretty stupid and suicidal for you to be taking joyrides in the sky."

Percy hesitated for a split second, "Good point… Hey Grover! You want a magic item too?"

The satyr's eyes lit up and he nodded vigorously. Before long, Harry and Percy slipped the shoes on Grover, and the world's first flying satyr was ready for take-off. He shouted, "Maia!" and the shoes sprouted wings again. The ride lasted for a few seconds until Grover lost his balance and his backpack began dragging on the ground, weighing him down. Chiron chuckled, "You just need practice, young satyr."

Eventually, the shoes began to act normal and Grover regained his balance. Soon, all four of them filed into the SUV, with Harry stealing the shotgun seat. With Argus driving, it meant that Percy, Grover and Annabeth were sitting at the back. There was an awkward silence for about a few miles before Percy blurted, "So far, so good. No monsters, I guess we're in the clear."

Annabeth shot him an irritated look, "Don't say that! It's bad luck to talk like that?"

Harry also called out from the front, "Don't jinx it, mate."

Percy faced Annabeth and grumbled, "Why do you hate me so much?"

She shot back, "I don't hate you. It's just… our parents are rivals, so we're not supposed to get along."

Harry snorted, "For someone as smart as you, that's the dumbest excuse, Beth. Also, have you heard the phrase, the sins of the parent are not the sins of the child? Heck! My potions professor once told me that he knew my parents. He and my dad were bitter rivals and both of them loved my mum, Lily. Dad used to prank him a lot, and I'll admit, he was a bit of a bully. I'm pretty much the everyday reminder for that professor, that he didn't get the girl. He could have been petty and taken out his frustration on me. Especially since people used to keep telling me that I look like my dad. Instead, we worked out our differences and he treats me like any other student, what's your excuse, Annabeth?"

The girl had nothing to say. Breaking the awkward silence, Percy asked, "So what was the beef between Athena and Poseidon?"

Annabeth answered him, "There are many reasons why. One time, they competed to be the patron god of what is now called Athens. Your dad created a saltwater spring and my mom created the olive tree. The citizens found her gift more useful."

Soon, the group reached Manhattan and Argus dropped them off at a Greyhound station on the Upper East Side. After Argus left, the quartet decided to wait a little. Just then, Percy noticed a Wanted poster with his name and face on it. He ripped it down and tore it up before anyone could notice. He found the area familiar because it was close to his and his mom's apartment.

Grover interrupted his thoughts, "You want to know why she married him? She did it for your sake. Even though he was smelly, his smell served a purpose. In other words, his smell masked your own, which pretty much hid your demigod scent from most monsters. Without him, you would have been found out long ago. She loved you so much that she put up with him for a long time."

Percy was silent, still contemplating those words. He then thought about his real mission, to save his mom. Chiron had told him that she was not dead, but most likely held hostage by Hades. Then that blasted prophecy repeated itself in his mind,

"You shall go west to face the god who has turned

You shall find what was stolen and see it safely returned

You shall be betrayed by one who calls you a friend

And you shall sacrifice to save what matters most in the end."

Eventually, everyone got bored while waiting and decided to pass the time. Harry fished out his Rubik's Cube, while Percy, Grover and Annabeth played Hacky Sack. Unfortunately, the Hacky Sack game ended prematurely when the apple got too close to Grover's mouth and it disappeared in one mega goat bite. The scene was enough to make the other three burst out laughing as the satyr blushed.

When the bus finally arrived, the quartet lined up to board it. Just then, Grover began sniffing and Harry instantly began twiddling with his rings. Percy whispered, "What is it?"

The goat-man sniffed again and whispered tensely, "I don't know… Maybe it's nothing. I'm probably being paranoid."

They boarded the bus and took seats right at the back. As more people began to board, Annabeth's hand shot out and landed on Percy's knee. The demigods looked up to see an old lady with a crumpled velvet dress, lace gloves and a shapeless hat, enter. Just behind her were two other ladies, who were similarly attired, but with different colour schemes. All three occupied the front row and splayed out their legs in an X shape. They essentially blocked the way to the front.

As if nothing was wrong, the bus pulled out of the station and everyone was on their way. Percy murmured, "She didn't stay dead for long… I thought they would be dispelled for months, years or even lifetimes!"

Annabeth whispered back, "Unfortunately, we're really unlucky."

Grover whimpered, "Di immortales! All three of the Kindly Ones!"

Harry slowly examined the windows, "Escape from the windows is out of question. They're sealed shut. There's no back exit either."

With a little hope in his eyes, Percy whispered, "They won't dare attack with many witnesses around, right?"

Annabeth whispered back, "Hard to say. The Mist might show the mortals completely different."

By then, the bus had reached the Lincoln Tunnel. Harry slowly unzipped his backpack, ready to pull out his Invisibility Cloak. When it plunged into the tunnel, the darkness enveloped the passengers, with the occasional flashing lights.

Just then, one of the Furies got up and declared that they were going to the restroom. The other two also got up, declaring the same thing. With that, they began shuffling down the aisle, heading straight towards them. Annabeth carefully pressed her Yankees baseball cap in Percy's hands. He looked at her questioningly, and she muttered, "They're looking for you, Percy. Turn invisible and go up the aisle and let them pass you. You're the most powerful of us, so we might be of little threat to them."

Percy clearly didn't like the stealth approach because he felt that it was too cowardly. With trembling hands, he slipped the cap on and moved to somewhere in the middle of the bus. He waited with bated breath as the Furies slowly passed him, one-by-one. There was a hairy moment when one of them, who he recognised as his evil math teacher, Mrs Dodds, stopped. She sniffed the air and her eyes turned in his direction.

After a few agonising moments, Mrs Dodds turned away and followed her sisters down the aisle. Percy made it to the front and noticed that they were just leaving the Lincoln Tunnel. He was about to press the emergency stop button when he heard screeching. The Furies finally showed their true form. Their faces were the same, but their bodies were shrivelled into leathery hag bodies, with bat wings and claws replacing their hands and feet. The lead Fury hissed, "Where is it? Where is it?!"

Annabeth yelled back, "We don't know where he is! He's gone!"

The passengers were all screaming and the bus driver was trying to see what the din was all about. Meanwhile, all three Furies pulled out flaming whips, prompting Annabeth and Harry to pull out their own weapons.

Seeing his friends in danger, Percy made an impulsive decision. With the driver still trying to see what the fuss was about, the demigod grabbed the steering wheel and jerked it to the left. On cue, everybody was flung to the right. The driver snapped back into action and tried to wrestle the wheel back. However, Percy was not letting go any time soon.

The bus slammed into the guardrail and ground against it, sending sparks everywhere. Eventually, the wayward bus exited the tunnel and back out into the pouring rain. Unfortunately, it was heading towards the Hudson river, so Percy whacked the emergency brake. The bus did a full 360 degree spin and crashed into a tree. With the vehicle now stationary, the driver staggered out, with the passengers barrelling after him. Meanwhile, the battle between Harry, Grover and Annabeth vs the Furies, was still raging.

Percy doubled back to help the trio and took off the invisibility cap. Mrs Dodds spotted him and sneered, "Perseus Jackson… You have offended the gods! You shall die."

He quipped back, "I liked you better as a math teacher."

She snarled and prepared to pounce. Meanwhile, he fished out the ballpoint pen that Chiron gave him. Percy uncapped it and it transformed into a shimmering double-edged sword.

Mrs Dodds faltered very briefly and hissed, "Submit now, and you will not suffer eternal torment!"

"No thanks."

She cracked her whip and the other two Furies lunged, ready to tear him to pieces. The first one got batted away, while the other one got sliced open. With a shrill scream, the monster dissolved into dust. The first Fury came back for round two, but Percy was ready for her, and she joined her dead sister. Only Mrs Dodds was left, and she was busy wrestling Annabeth, while Harry shot her with arrows. Grover managed to grab her whip and tie her up with it. Just then, the hair on the back of Percy's neck stood up and the atmosphere smelt electric. They scrambled out, but not before Harry snatched up their bags.

They disembarked, not a moment too soon, as the bus exploded. The passengers were all freaking out, and the quartet booked it into a nearby forest before anyone could realise it. As they crashed their way through the trees, they could hear Mrs Dodds screeching in rage and probably calling reinforcements.

As they trudged away, Annabeth laid into Percy for jeopardising the plan and coming back for them. Percy argued back that he couldn't let them die for him. The bickering continued before Harry broke it up and played peacemaker. He grumbled, "Bloody hell, you two are worse than Ron and Hermione! Jackson, thanks for saving our arses, Annabeth, he did the best he could and he didn't even know the bloody plan."

Harry soon found a small clearing, "Let's rest here and heal up for a bit. I'll try and see if I can order some healing potions. They should work on you guys. I could try and brew it myself, but I'm not sure if the ingredients are available out in the wild and I don't know how far we are from the nearest Wizarding district."

He cupped his hands over his mouth and hooted loudly. In 2 minutes, Hedwig came swooping down and handed on his shoulder, nuzzling him. Harry got out a piece of parchment and a quill, and quickly scribbled down an order of half a dozen vials of Wiggenweld potion. He also handed her a few Galleons before she flew off.

Not long afterwards, she came flying back with three other owls. They were all sharing the burden of a fairly large container. He opened it, pocketed a few Sickles and Knuts and brought the crate back. Before handing out the vials, he warned that all potions tasted horrible. With a small countdown, they downed their potions and struggled to not throw up.

Percy screwed up his face, "Dude! That tastes horrible!"

Harry sighed, "I know jackson, but you've got to bear with it for now."

They waited for a few minutes before finally getting a move on again. Grover led the group as he attempted to play a song on his reed pipes. As they walked, Annabeth fell into step next to Percy, "Hey, I appreciate you coming back for us. That was really brave."

He shrugged, "I mean, we are a team, and I would like to consider you guys as my friends."

Harry squeezed his shoulder, "Got that right, mate."

As she gazed up at the evening sky, despite its cloudy nature, Annabeth mused, "In a way, I'm glad we had this quest. This was pretty much my only chance to see the real world. I've been in camp since I was seven and haven't ventured out except for short field trips. I ran away from home when I was seven because my dad and I had a fight. Once I left, I was rescued from a monster attack by Luke and Thalia. Since then, we had to fend for ourselves. Harry was lucky that he had the Hunters of Artemis help raise him since he was a one year old. Even still, he has also been at camp for as long as I have."

Percy had no idea what to say after that. Then Annabeth perked up, "You know, when the Furies were attacking they-"

Unfortunately, she was cut-off by a tuneless note from Grover's reed pipes. Harry stopped him before he could murder three sets of ears, "Grover, how about I lead? I'd hate to let Phoebe and Zoe's tracker lessons go to waste. No offence, mate."

Grover grinned, "None taken, I wasn't sure if I could remember the pathfinder song."

So, with Harry as the lead, the group forged through the forest. After 15 minutes of tripping, swearing and shuffling from the others, Harry spotted some neon lights in the distance. With renewed hope, everyone surged forward. Finally, they came upon a deserted street, with the only landmarks being an abandoned gas station, a tattered billboard and a seemingly ordinary curio shop which also doubled as an eatery.

The sign was lost on all three demigods owing to their dyslexia. Meanwhile, Grover mused, "Aunty Em's Garden Gnome Emporium."

Annabeth and Percy crossed the road without hesitation. Grover fiercely whispered, "Hey! What are you doing!"

The girl justified, "Lights are on inside, we can hit the snack bar."

Percy echoed in agreement, "Snack bar"

Harry was a bit hesitant, because something felt off about this place. As they entered the premises, the first thing that greeted them was a garden full of stone statues. Before they could knock though, Harry whispered, "Wait! Let's just get our story straight!"

Percy was lost, "What do you mean?"

Annabeth piped up, "No, he's right. We're four 11 and 12-year-old kids wandering without adult supervision. That's going to be pretty suspicious, and the last thing we need is police and CPS after us."

Grover murmured, "So, what do we agree on?"

Harry replied, "I'll think of something. Just let me do the talking and get the story straight."

Meanwhile, Grover took in his surroundings, "This looks pretty creepy, guys. That statue there looks like my Uncle Ferdinand."

The quartet entered and an empty room greeted them. However, there was some rustling in the background and Harry could hear a number of faint voices. Then a woman with a black veil stepped out of the doors leading to the kitchens. Her eyes, which was the only visible part of her, sparkled with surprise and delight!

"My, my! I didn't realise that we were going to have customers this late?! Where are your parents?"

Harry stepped forward, "Salaam Alaikum! We were part of a school trip but got separated from our classmates. Our professors told us that if we were ever lost, then we had to go to the nearest shop or restaurant and wait there."

Annabeth nodded, "That's right, and we were really hungry so we stopped here."

The veiled woman gave a gentle laugh, "Oh my dear child, I'm not a Muslim. I actually had an accident which burned my face. That's why I have my veil! Call me Aunty Em, the owner of this little establishment."

Percy blurted, "I'm sorry miss, but do you have company? I thought I heard a pressure cooker."

Harry helpfully said, "I also heard several voices somewhere in the background."

She waved him off, "Oh its nothing, I was expecting some family. However I'm not one to turn away hungry children, come and sit. I'll fix you all something really quick."

Harry gave a short bow, "Thank you, ma'am, and apologies for thinking that you were a Muslim. I saw the burqa and just made an assumption."

Before long, she dished out helpings of double cheeseburgers, milkshakes and French fries. Annabeth smiled politely, "Thank you, Ma'am. This looks wonderful and delicious."

The lady stiffened very slightly, but relaxed almost immediately, "That's quite alright Annabeth. I must say, you have such lovely grey eyes."

Harry's eyes narrowed slightly, but his question was interrupted by Grover. He nervously asked, "Aunty Em? Wh-what's that hissing sound?"

Her eyes widened, "Oh dear! I must had left the pressure cooker on! I'll be right back!"

The hissing and the voices soon stopped or were reduced dramatically. Then, the hostess returned and sat down at a table next to them and watched them eat.

Trying to make casual conversation, Percy asked, "So, you sell garden gnomes?"

Her eyes brightened again, "Oh yes! As well as statues of animals and people! Sometimes I do custom orders and business has been flourishing!"

Harry was the next to ask a question, "Why do they all look terrified though? Is it a personal art style of yours?"

She replied, "Ah! Yes, it was an unfortunate habit of mine, one that I've been trying to break. It's always the face! I started this statue business with my two sisters, but they have since moved on."

Annabeth perked up, "Wait… two sisters?"

Harry also caught on, and one hand crept towards his waist where his daggers were. Aunty Em continued her story, "I was in love once, but one day, my boyfriend and I were found by another. They caused a terrible accident and my face bore the brunt of it. My sisters stayed with me for as long as they could, but eventually they moved on."

Percy looked enthralled by the story, until Annabeth nudged him. She whispered urgently, "Percy, we have to go, our teachers are waiting for us."

Percy didn't move for a bit, it seemed like he was enthralled by the woman. Aunty Em looked at them and pleaded, "Please, dears, I so rarely get children as customers. Before you go, won't you sit for a pose to commemorate the occasion? I might use it as inspiration for my next statue."

Annabeth bounced on her heels nervously, "We appreciate the offer Aunty Em, but we're late enough-"

Percy interrupted her, "Of course we will! It's just a photograph, Annabeth, what's the harm?"

The woman led everyone outside and had them stand among the statues. Harry looked at the late evening sky and mused, "Not much light for a photograph, is it?"

"Oh enough, enough for us to see each other, is it not? Now, smile for me everyone."

Annabeth muttered in Percy's ear, "Percy…"

Meanwhile, alarm bells also rang in Harry's mind that something was definitely wrong.

Then, she reached for her veil, "Hang on a minute, let me get this veil off so that I can see you four better."

The realisation struck all four of them in an instant. Thinking fast, Harry tackled everyone to the ground, ensuring that nobody was looking at the woman. Harry heard a whole bunch of raspy voices hiss, "Arrgh! So close!"

All four of them split up, with Harry taking cover behind a statue of a random man. He twisted his rings and turned them into his bow and arrows immediately. Harry risked a peek at his companions, spotting Grover activating the shoes. Percy was on the floor, looking dazed, but he didn't look up. Annabeth was nowhere to be seen, so he assumed that she had gone invisible.

Aunty Em, better known as Medusa, was slowly advancing towards Percy. She crooned, "Such a handsome face, it would be a shame to destroy it. Stay with me Percy. All you have to do is… look up. Annabeth's mother did this to me! She turned me from a beautiful woman, into this!"

Annabeth screamed out from somewhere, "Percy! Don't listen to her!"

Medusa snarled, "Silence, Athena-spawn!"

She turned back in Percy's direction and spoke sweetly, "You see why I must destroy the girl. She is my enemy's child and I will crush her statue to dust! You on the other hand, need not suffer. Don't be a pawn of the Olympians."

As she monologued, Harry silently flanked her. Eventually, he hid behind a statue of Grover's uncle Ferdinand. That vantage point meant that Medusa had her back to him. He carefully took aim at her head and prepared to fire.

Suddenly, a flying satyr divebombed from the right and nailed the distracted monster. Percy took the chance to scramble away as Grover went for another attack. As the son of Poseidon struggled to get his bearings, Annabeth materialised next to him. She took off her cap and said, "Percy! You need to cut off her head. I'd do it myself, but she has a massive grudge against me because of my mom. Also, you have a sword while I have a knife."

She grabbed a semi-transparent crystal ball and shoved it into his hands. "Look at her through the glass, that will protect you".

She risked a peek through the ball, watching as Harry joined the onslaught, firing arrows. A few nailed the monster on the back, but Harry could hear the snakes warning her to dodge majority of them.

All of this was enough for Percy to draw his sword and begin advancing towards the monster. Just as he got within range, Medusa managed to trip the flying Grover and send him careening into Harry. As she began turning back to him, he lunged and swung his sword at her neck. There was a sickening schlock sound and something thudded on the ground. Annabeth came over, and with her eyes looking up, used the veil to wrap up the head. Finally, everyone looked down to see the wrapped up bundle. Percy struggled to hold in his cheeseburgers. After recovering, he asked, "Why didn't the head evaporate like the rest of the body?"

Harry mused, "Spoil of war, mate. Bloody thing can still turn you into stone though, best not unwrap it."

The quartet double-wrapped the veiled head with two plastic bags and stuffed it into a cardboard box. Percy asked, "So why was she so fixated on me and hated Annabeth?"

Harry stepped in before Annabeth could say anything. He explained, "Medusa was one of your dad's ex-girlfriends. One time, they snuck into a temple of Athena with the help of her sisters. Obviously, Athena did not appreciate the stunt because, let's be honest, it's pretty disrespectful. So she turned her and her sisters into the Gorgon monsters."

Annabeth couldn't stop herself, "That's why she was so sweet to you, you reminded her of him."

Percy shot back, "Oh, so it's my fault?"

Annabeth mockingly imitated him, "It's just a photograph, Annabeth. What's the harm?"

Before they could bicker, Harry jumped in and played peacemaker once again. He snapped, "Oi! Knock it off, both of you!. Now, what do we do with this bloody thing?"

Percy grabbed the box, "I have an idea."

He disappeared with it and returned five minutes later with a delivery slip attached. He asked, "What's the address for Olympus?"

Harry cocked his head, "Umm… Why? Wait… You're not seriously…"

Grover agreed, "They won't like that, they'll think that you're impertinent."

Harry sighed and gave him the address. Percy filled out the slip and placed a few golden drachmae in a pouch, which he placed on top of the box. Annabeth simply raised her hands in an 'I give up' gesture.