Privet Drive, a street in Little Whinging, a small town in the county of Surrey on the outskirts of London, was just like any other street in the town. A perfectly normal, ordinary suburban street with houses lining it where nothing extraordinary ever happened.
Which was why, close to midnight on October 31st 1981, it was strange that something truly extraordinary happened. A man appeared on the street, a tall thin man with a long silver beard which matched his long silver hair stretching out along his backside. He wore large purple robes and had half-moon spectacles perched on a long crooked nose.
His name was Albus Dumbledore, and he was perhaps the greatest and most powerful wizard alive.
As soon as he arrived on the corner of Privet Drive, Dumbledore began rummaging through his pockets, mumbling under his breath as he looked for something. As he did though, he became aware that he was being watched and he glanced up, spotting a tabby cat staring at him.
He chuckled at the sight. "Should have known," he said, shaking his head. Of course she would be here. As much as she respected him and his decisions, Minerva always preferred verifying things for herself. It was one of the reasons why he respected her so much.
Dumbledore continued to rummage around through his many pockets until he found it, pulling it out. The Deluminator. A personal invention of his. He flicked it open, held it up in the air, and clicked it. The nearest street lamp instantly went out, as if had been extinguished. Dumbledore clicked the Deluminator again and the next lamp also flickered into darkness. He clicked it twelve times until the only lights remaining in Privet Drive were those of the eyes of the cat, still staring at him. Dumbledore put the Deluminator away and began walking towards Number 4 Privet Drive where inside dwelled the Dursley family, the last remaining family of one Harry Potter.
Dumbledore sat down on the wall where the cat was perched, not looking at it but instead fastening his gaze towards the horizon, as if awaiting something. He did, however, speak to the cat.
"Fancy seeing you here, Professor McGonagall."
He turned to smile at the cat but it was gone, transformed into the severe-looking woman with square glasses, an emerald cloak, and hair drawn into a tight bun. She looked distinctly ruffled.
"How did you know it was me?" she asked.
"My dear Professor, I've never seen a cat sit so stiffly," Dumbledore replied.
"You'd be stiff if you'd been sitting on a brick wall all day," said Professor McGonagall, stretching a little.
"All day?" Dumbledore questioned, an eyebrow raised. "When you could have been celebrating? I must have passed a dozen feasts and parties on my way here."
Professor McGonagall sniffed angrily at that. "Oh yes, everyone's celebrating, all right," she said impatiently. "You'd think they'd be a bit more careful, but no - even the Muggles have noticed something's going on. It was on their news." She jerked her head back at the Dursleys' dark living-room window. "I heard it. Flocks of owls…shooting stars. Well, they're not completely stupid. They were bound to notice something. Shooting stars down in Kent - I'll bet that was Dedalus Diggle. He never had much sense."
"You can't blame them," said Dumbledore gently. "We've had precious little to celebrate for eleven years."
"I know that," said Professor McGonagall irritably. "But that's no reason to lose our heads. There ar-"
Dumbledore suddenly held up a finger, eyeing something in the darkness. Minerva instantly quieted, reaching into her robes for something. But before she could, Dumbledore relaxed again, a soft smile spreading across the face. "It seems you weren't the only one interested in coming here tonight, Minerva."
Professor McGonagall looked at him questioningly before spotting what he had seen, her eyes widening slightly. If their arrival on Privet Drive would seem a little strange to those that lived there, the appearance of the next visitor would be simply astonishing. He was a tall man with thinning brown hair, bushy eyebrows, and a scruffy beard. Unlike Dumbledore and McGonagall, he wore no cloak but a simple tweed jacket over a turtleneck. But that wasn't what was astonishing about him. It was the fact that his lower half was that of a white stallion.
However, as he stepped into view, he reached behind him and lifted a box-like shape off his back and placed it on the ground, snapping it into place and revealing a wheelchair. He then backed into it, having his hind legs step into the wheelchair. They disappeared inside and he continued to lower himself into the chair that should've been much too small and yet somehow still fit until his entire horse-half had vanished. Then, a set of legs covered in a blanket popped into place, making him appear as any other man in a wheelchair.
"Chiron," Dumbledore greeted. "A pleasure to see you here as well."
"Indeed, Dumbledore," Chiron nodded back, wheeling himself over to the wall. He nodded to Professor McGonagall as he approached. "Minerva."
"Chiron," she nodded back. "Whatever are you doing here? Do you know how careless it was to come here? What would the Muggles think if they saw a centaur walk down the street outside their window?"
"It is close to midnight," he reminded her. "No one is awake at this time. And I could not get here any faster than in my true form."
"And why are you here?" Dumbledore asked. "Both of you should be out enjoying yourselves, especially on a night such as this. Chiron, given how far you traveled you must have passed more feasts and celebrations than I did."
"Oh yes," Chiron nodded. "At least a dozen. I even passed Dionysius's party at the Nine Muses pub. I'm surprised the Muggles aren't aware of us based on that alone. It actually reminded me of some of the parties my cousins threw."
Professor McGonagall visibly suppressed a shudder, all too familiar with the so-called Party Ponies. "Dionysius never knew when stop partying. I can't remember the number of times I had to punish him for the innumerable amount of parties he threw during his time at Hogwarts. And this is precisely my point. People like him are being downright careless, out on the streets in broad daylight, not even dressed in Muggle clothes, swapping rumors." She threw a sharp, sideways glance at Dumbledore here, as though hoping he was going to tell her something, but he didn't, so she went on. "A fine thing it would be if, on the very day You-Know-Who seems to have disappeared at last, the Muggles found out about us all. I suppose he really has gone, Dumbledore?"
As she said this, Chiron leaned in as well, wanting to hear the answer.
"It certainly seems so," said Dumbledore calmly, eyes once more fastened on the horizon. "We have much to be thankful for. Would either of you care for a lemon drop?"
"A what?" Professor McGonagall questioned.
"A lemon drop. They're a kind of Muggle sweet I'm rather fond of."
"No, thank you," said Professor McGonagall coldly, as though she didn't think this was the moment for lemon drops. "As I say, even if You-Know-Who has gone-"
"I wouldn't mind one," Chiron said, interrupting her. "Don't get much time enjoying the delicacy of Muggle sweets."
Dumbledore handed him a small, wrapped lemon drop while Professor McGonagall watched, the frustration growing clearly on her face.
"As I was saying," she continued, fastening a cold glare in Chiron's direction for interrupting her, "even if You-Know-Who has disappeared, it-"
"My dear Professor, surely a sensible person like yourself can call him by his name?" This time Dumbledore interrupted her. "All this 'You-Know-Who' nonsense - for eleven years I have been trying to persuade people to call him by his proper name: Voldemort." Professor McGonagall flinched while Chiron winced and scratched his neck as if developing a sudden itch, but Dumbledore, who was unsticking two lemon drops, seemed not to notice. "It all gets so confusing if we keep saying 'You-Know-Who.' I have never seen any reason to be frightened of saying Voldemort's name."
"I know you haven't," said Professor McGonagall, sounding half exasperated, half admiring. "But you're different. Everyone knows you're the only one You-Know- oh, all right, Voldemort- was frightened of."
"You flatter me," said Dumbledore calmly. "Voldemort had powers I will never have."
"Only because you're too - well - noble to use them."
"It's lucky it's dark. I haven't blushed so much since Madam Pomfrey told me she liked my new earmuffs."
"Really?" Chiron questioned. "We have the same earmuffs and yet she said nothing to me."
Professor McGonagall shot a sharp look at him and he went silent before she turned back to Dumbledore and said, "the owls are nothing next to the rumors that are flying around. You know what they're saying? About why he's disappeared? About what finally stopped him?"
It seemed that Professor McGonagall had reached the point she was most anxious to discuss, the real reason she had been waiting on a cold, hard wall all day, for neither as a cat nor as a woman had she fixed Dumbledore with such a piercing stare as she did now. Chiron himself now fixed a cold stare upon the old wizard, just as interested in his answer as McGonagall was. It was plain that whatever 'everyone' was saying, she was not going to believe it until Dumbledore told her it was true. Dumbledore, however, was choosing another lemon drop and did not answer.
"I have heard similar rumors," Chiron said. "Disturbing ones from owls and ominous ones from some of my brethren. All pertaining to the real reason You-Know-Who has vanished."
"What they're saying," Professor McGonagall pressed on, "is that last night Voldemort turned up in Godric's Hollow. He went to find the Potters. The rumor is that Lily and James Potter are - are - that they're - dead."
Dumbledore bowed his head. Chiron blinked and turned aside. Professor McGonagall gasped.
"Lily and James…I can't believe it…I didn't want to believe it…Oh, Albus…" she muttered. She had watched the two grow up, had been proud of the talent both had shown, had grown closer to them during their time in the Order. They had been so young and so happy together. And now it was all gone.
Dumbledore reached out and patted her on the shoulder. "I know…I know…" he said heavily. He had lived a long time, now a hundred years, and in all that time the grief of losing such dear friends never became easier.
Beside them, Chiron sniffed, dabbing at his eyes with a handkerchief. He too had seen many brave souls go into the beyond at too-young an age. And each one lost was like a knife in the heart, another scar added to an already damaged spirit.
Professor McGonagall's voice trembled as she went on. "That's not all. They're saying he tried to kill the Potter's son, Harry. But he couldn't. He couldn't kill that little boy. No one knows why, or how, but they're saying that when he couldn't kill Harry Potter, Voldemort's power somehow broke - and that's why he's gone."
Dumbledore nodded glumly. Chiron's eyes widened, some of his brethren's words becoming clearer now.
"It's - it's true ?" faltered Professor McGonagall. "After all he's done…all the people he's killed…he couldn't kill a little boy? It's just astounding…of all the things to stop him…but how in the name of heaven did Harry survive?"
"We can only guess," said Dumbledore. "We may never know."
Chiron, however, was watching Dumbledore carefully and saw a slight twitch in the corner of the wizard's eye. He was lying. Chiron said nothing, though. He knew Dumbledore well enough to give him that…for now.
Professor McGonagall pulled out a lace handkerchief and dabbed at her eyes beneath her spectacles. Dumbledore gave a great sniff as he took a golden watch from his pocket and examined it. As watches went, it was rather odd, having twelve hands but no numbers; instead, little planets were moving around the edge. It must have made sense to Dumbledore, though, because he put it back in his pocket and said, "Hagrid's late. I suppose it was he who told you I'd be here, by the way?"
"Yes," said Professor McGonagall.
"He was never that good at keeping secrets," Chiron commented, now also following Dumbledore's gaze to the horizon.
"And I don't suppose you're going to tell me why you're here, of all places?" Professor McGonagall continued.
"I've come to bring Harry to his aunt and uncle. They're the only family he has left now."
Chiron and McGonagall's heads shot up at Dumbeldore's words, looking at him in shock.
"You don't mean - you can't mean the people who live here ?" cried Professor McGonagall, jumping to her feet and pointing at number four. "Dumbledore - you can't. I've been watching them all day. You couldn't find two people who are less like us. And they've got this son - I saw him kicking his mother all the way up the street, screaming for sweets. Harry Potter come and live here!"
"Aye, he should be with his own people," Chiron agreed. "His parents would have wanted him to go to one of their friends. Black or Lupin or the Longbottoms. Anyone but these people."
"It's the best place for him," said Dumbledore firmly. "His aunt and uncle will be able to explain everything to him when he's older. I've written them a letter."
"A letter?" repeated Professor McGonagall faintly, sitting back down on the wall. "Really, Dumbledore, you think you can explain all this in a letter? These people will never understand him! He'll be famous - a legend - I wouldn't be surprised if today was known as Harry Potter day in the future - there will be books written about Harry - every child in our world will know his name!"
"Exactly," said Dumbledore, looking very seriously over the top of his half-moon glasses. "It would be enough to turn any boy's head. Famous before he can walk and talk! Famous for something he won't even remember! Can you see how much better off he'll be, growing up away from all that until he's ready to take it?"
Professor McGonagall opened her mouth, changed her mind, swallowed, and then said, "yes - yes, you're right, of course."
Chiron frowned however. "The others might still be able to keep him out of the public eye and will be better able to help him prepare for the world. These Muggles, however…" he trailed off as Dumbledore fixed him a firm look. It was one Chiron had seen many times over the decades. The two had been friends for so long that they could often tell what the other was thinking based on a look. And Chiron could see what Dumbledore was saying clearly. 'Drop it. We'll discuss it later.'
"But how is the boy getting here, Dumbledore?" McGonagall asked, easing the tension. She eyed his cloak suddenly as though she thought he might be hiding Harry underneath it.
"Hagrid's bringing him," Dumbledore replied, looking back to the horizon.
"You think it - wise - to trust Hagrid with something as important as this?" McGonagall questioned.
"I would trust Hagrid with my life," said Dumbledore.
"As would I," Chiron nodded. "There is no one I would trust other for this than Hagrid."
"I'm not saying his heart isn't in the right place," said Professor McGonagall grudgingly, "but you can't pretend he's not careless. He does tend to - what was that?"
A low rumbling sound had broken the silence around them. It grew steadily louder as they looked up and down the street for some sign of a headlight but as it swelled to a roar, they looked up at the sky - and a huge motorcycle fell out of the air and landed on the road in front of them.
If the motorcycle was huge, it was nothing to the man sitting astride it. He was almost twice as tall as a normal man and at least five times as wide with long tangles of bushy black hair and a beard that hid most of his face. He had hands the size of trash can lids, and his feet in their leather boots were like baby dolphins. In his vast, muscular arms he was holding a bundle of blankets.
"Hagrid," said Dumbledore, sounding relieved. "At last. And where did you get that motorcycle?"
"Borrowed it, Professor Dumbledore, sir," said the giant, climbing carefully off the motorcycle as he spoke. "Young Sirius Black lent it to me. I've got him, sir."
"No problems, were there?"
"No, sir - house was almost destroyed, but I got him out all right before the Muggles started swarmin' around. He fell asleep as we was flyin' over Bristol."
Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall, and Chiron bent forward over the bundle of blankets. Inside, just visible, was a baby boy, fast asleep. Under a tuft of jet-black hair over his forehead they could see a curiously shaped cut, like a bolt of lightning.
"Is that where - ?" whispered Professor McGonagall.
"Yes," said Dumbledore. "He'll have that scar forever."
"Poor child," Chiron murmured.
"Couldn't you do something about it, Dumbledore?" Professor McGonagall asked.
"Even if I could, I wouldn't. Scars can come in handy. I have one myself above my left knee that is a perfect map of the London Underground." Both Chiron and Professor McGonagall gave him a strange look. "Well - give him here, Hagrid - we'd better get this over with."
Dumbledore took Harry in his arms and turned toward the Dursleys' house.
"Could I - could I say good-bye to him, sir?" asked Hagrid. He bent his great, shaggy head over Harry and gave him what must have been a very scratchy, whiskery kiss. Then, suddenly, Hagrid let out a howl like a wounded dog.
"Shhh!" hissed Professor McGonagall, "You'll wake the Muggles!"
"S-s-sorry," sobbed Hagrid, taking out a large, spotted handkerchief and burying his face in it. "But I c-c-can't stand it - Lily an' James dead - an' poor little Harry off ter live with Muggles-"
"Yes, yes, it's all very sad, but get a grip on yourself, Hagrid, or we'll be found," Professor McGonagall whispered, patting Hagrid gingerly on the arm as Dumbledore stepped over the low garden wall and walked to the front door. He laid Harry gently on the doorstep, took a letter out of his cloak, tucked it inside Harry's blankets, and then came back to the other two. For a full minute the four of them stood, or sat in Chiron's case, and looked at the little bundle; Hagrid's shoulders shook, Professor McGonagall blinked furiously, Chiron held his hands together and sighed, and the twinkling light that usually shone from Dumbledore's eyes seemed to have gone out.
"Well," said Dumbledore finally, "that's that. We've no business staying here. We may as well go and join the celebrations."
"Yeah," said Hagrid in a very muffled voice, "I'll be takin' Sirius his bike back. G'night, Professor McGonagall, Chiron, Professor Dumbledore, sir." Wiping his streaming eyes on his jacket sleeve, Hagrid swung himself onto the motorcycle and kicked the engine into life; with a roar it rose into the air and off into the night.
"I shall see you soon, I expect, Professor McGonagall," said Dumbledore, nodding to her. Professor McGonagall blew her nose in reply. "And we shall speak on certain affairs later, Chiron," he continued, nodding at the centaur who nodded solemnly back.
Dumbledore turned and walked back down the street. On the corner he stopped and took out the silver Deluminator. He clicked it once, and twelve balls of light sped back to their street lamps so that Privet Drive glowed suddenly orange and he could make out a tabby cat slinking around the corner at the other end of the street as well as a flash of hooves and a whisk of wind into the trees. He could just see the bundle of blankets on the step of number four. "Good luck, Harry," he murmured. He turned on his heel and with a swish of his cloak, he was gone.
A breeze ruffled the neat hedges of Privet Drive, which lay silent and tidy under the inky sky, the very last place you would expect astonishing things to happen. Harry Potter rolled over inside his blankets without waking up. One small hand closed on the letter beside him and he slept on, not knowing he was special, not knowing he was famous, not knowing he would be woken in a few hours' time by Mrs. Dursley's scream as she opened the front door to put out the milk bottles, nor that he would spend the next few weeks being prodded and pinched by his cousin Dudley…He couldn't know that at this very moment, people meeting in secret all over the country were holding up their glasses and saying in hushed voices: "To Harry Potter - the boy who lived!"
While parties spread throughout the city and country, wizards of all ages celebrating the end of the war, in a small apartment, two people were not celebrating.
"Sally, please, let me do this for you."
But Sally shook her head. "I'm sorry, Neptune, I really am. But the answer is no."
"But why?" Neptune asked her. "I can take care of you, both of you. You'll never want for anything ever again."
"And Amphitrite is ok with this?" Sally asked, giving him a look.
Neptune hesitated, then scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. "Well, not really, no. But she'll come around, I promise."
"Neptune," Sally said, with an eyebrow raised. "You're asking for her to agree to having a woman you had a summer fling with to live with you and her. As well as the baby you had with that woman."
Neptune nodded awkwardly throughout it all. "Ok, when you say it like that, it sounds pretty bad."
"There is no other way to say it. If the roles were reversed, I'd feel the same way. I wouldn't want the woman my husband cheated on me with anywhere near him again."
"Hey now," Neptune held up a finger. "That's unfair. We were not married at the time. In fact, we had separated or taken a break or something, I don't remember. The point is, we were no longer together."
Sally have him another look. "And this gives you the right to go around, hooking up with as many women as you want?"
Neptune frowned at her. "I don't know why you're saying all this, I told you everything when we first met."
"Yes, I remember," Sally nodded. "Me, closing up the candy store for the night when your butt got thrown out of the bar for making a mess, landing right in front of me. And, like the fool I was, I helped you up and sat you down to make you feel better. And then you started talking, rambling on about how your life was over since the love of your life had left you. And I consoled you. And about two months later, you put a baby in me."
Neptune winced at that. "Again, I'm sorry about that. Well, not all of it." He smiled as he looked at the crib in the corner of the room and the sleeping figure inside it.
"Neither am I," Sally agreed, following his gaze. "That was the best summer of my life. I had just lost my uncle, had no future and no idea what to do next. And you came and helping you somehow made me feel better."
"Same," Neptune nodded, smiling as he thought back to all those wonderful memories. Long walks on the beach, swimming together in the ocean, going to bars every other night. Neptune had never felt more free than he had then. His family had always been uptight, wanting him to be an example of their family name. But he wanted to be free, like the oceans he'd always loved, to do what he wanted. To live his life. But, like a good son, he had done everything that had been asked of him, even proposing to Amphitrite. He thought he had checked all the boxes in having a good life. He had finished Hogwarts with flying colors, proposed to a beautiful witch who was also a member of a prominent wizarding family, and was set to take over his father's place as head of the family.
But then, everything had changed. Amphitrite had suddenly come to him, calling off the engagement. She said she could no longer be confined by the rules and the families, running off. He had just stood there, watching her, stunned. He had stayed in a stupor for days, unsure of what to do, just drinking it all away. Until he met Sally Jackson.
Then, everything had changed. She had opened his eyes. She was a Squib, a daughter of a wizard with no magical abilities. So she listened to his problems and told him her own, of her parents dying when she was young and she being forced to live with her uncle who didn't care much for her since she was a Squib. And despite all the money she earned working jobs to make a better future for herself, she had blown it all to help her uncle when he got sick. And then he died, leaving her with no good options for the future.
The two of them had grown close, becoming friends. Then becoming more. And when he was with her, away from his family, Neptune understood why Amphitrite had left. Because away from it all, he finally felt like himself. And so, at the end of the summer, he and Sally said their goodbyes. They both had known it wouldn't last. And he knew he had to find Amphitrite. He knew, more than ever at that moment, that she was the love of his life.
Of course, life didn't work out that way. He eventually did find her but despite his change in self as well, she still didn't want to be with him, choosing to belong to no one. Sadly, he accepted that and decided to work on doing what he loved. So he did, disillusioning himself from his family and working with the wizarding governments to help protect magical sea creatures and cyclopes. He traveled the world, trying to build sanctuaries and create laws to help them. And he might have had a dalliance or two along the way. It was only several months ago that he and Amphitrite had found each other again and this time she did choose to be with him, having never really stopped loving him.
But there were a few other complications along the way. One being the wizarding war that had been raging on for almost a decade between those supporting the Dark Lord Voldemort and his fight for pureblood status above all else and those fighting for equal blood status as well as for the muggles. Neptune's family had chosen to stay neutral throughout it all. But he hadn't. He had deliberated for a while about working in another country for a while until the war ended one way or another. But then something else happened that changed his perspective completely.
Sally gave birth to his son, Perseus Jackson.
And just like that, he couldn't sit idly by any longer. He didn't want his son growing up in a world with Lord Voldemort and his ideals in power. So, Neptune joined the resistance known as the Order of the Phoenix to combat the Dark Lord and his Death Eaters. He fought alongside the great wizard Albus Dumbledore as well as others such as McGonagall, Athena White, the Potters, Alastor Moody, the Kanes, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, the la Rues, the Weasleys, the Longbottoms, Hermes Castellan, the Bones, and the Prewitts. He was even surprised his cousin, Zeus Grace, had joined the fight as well as he had always considered his cousin to be too proud of his heritage to defy Voldemort.
He lost many friends over the last year, but tonight had changed everything. Tonight, Lord Voldemort had been defeated and the war was over at last, leaving him free to begin his life with Amphitrite.
Except, of course, for the other complication of him having had a child with another woman and him wanting to have them live with them.
"I'll keep talking to Amphitrite," Neptune said. "I-I'll make her see that this…" he stopped, rubbing his head.
Sally glanced at him sadly. "I appreciate you trying," she said. "But it's fine. We'll be fine."
"But I won't," he replied. He walked over to the crib and stared down at the sleeping baby, his son. Black hair and sea-green eyes. Only a little over a year old. And the most precious thing in his life.
"The war's over," he said. "I should feel happy…but I don't." He sighed deeply. "Amphitrite and I move around a lot. That's the job, it's a requirement. We head the operations on protecting the creatures of the sea all over the world. And I love my job. I love everything about it. Except…"
"Except you can't bring your son with you," Sally finished for him.
Neptune nodded slowly. "Yeah."
She walked up to him. "You can still see him whenever you visit," she said softly. "And when he's older, maybe he can join you if he wants."
Neptune sighed again and looked over at her. "You can still come with us?" he offered, even though he knew what the answer would be. "Or at least stay with my family. You'll be well-cared for and Perseus will grow up in a rich environment and…" he could already tell he lost her.
"I'm sorry Neptune," she told him gently. "But then I'll just be living it on your terms. My life would be defined by you. If my life is going to mean anything, I have to live it myself, on my terms."
"What if it's what's best for him?" Neptune suggested.
Sally's gaze took on a harder edge. "I'm his mother," she said. "I know what's best for him right now. And if I decide that he should live in a house that stifles all creative freedom, I'll let you know."
Neptune nodded begrudgingly. "That's fair."
Sally nodded back. "I do know what I'm doing. And I'm going to raise him the best way I can."
Neptune smiled. "Then he'll turn out great," he said. He looked down on the sleeping baby and felt a warm feeling spread through him. "Perseus Jackson."
"Percy," Sally corrected. "Percy for short."
"Percy for short," Neptune agreed. He turned back to her. "You know, if you ever need any help, I'll be there. No matter what."
"I know," she replied. "But I don't think I will."
"Yeah," Neptune nodded. "I don't think you will either. Goodbye, Sally."
A few moments later, he apparated back to his home and sighed as he opened the door inside.
"Hey." He turned to see Amphitrite waiting for him, putting down the book she was reading. "How'd it go?"
He looked down as he answered. "You were right," he said simply.
Amphitrite got up and pulled him into a hug. "I know it's hard," she told him. "But you did the right thing."
"Because you won't have your fiancée's old girlfriend living with him?" Neptune asked her.
"No," Amphitrite replied. "Because you two are going in separate directions so it wouldn't make sense to stay together like that."
Neptune raised an eyebrow. "But…?" he pushed.
"But also, yeah I would rather not have my fiancée's one-night stand living with us," she admitted.
"It wasn't a one-night stand," Neptune protested. "We slept together several times…and I'm going to stop talking now before I make things so much worse."
"Good call," Amphitrite said dryly. She sighed and then looked deep into Neptune's eyes. "When you told me that you were having a baby with another woman, I was mad at you, thinking 'how could you have done that to me?' Then I got mad at myself for blaming you since we weren't together at the time. Then I got confused. And sad. And annoyed. And pretty much all the emotions. And then I went to go see Sally. And we talked, for a long time. And at the end we both realized something. That if we stayed in each other's lives, all we'd be doing would be impeaching on the other's life. Neither of us would be comfortable with it. And I know you probably don't see it now, but you will. And you'll know why doing this is the right decision."
Neptune sighed again. He knew she was right. She usually was. Almost always, actually. "Still hurts," he admitted. But then he looked into Amphitrite's eyes and placed a hand on her cheek. "But you make it better." She smiled at him and then kissed him and he started to feel better.
On the other side of the city, Sally cooed at Percy in her arms, rocking him back to sleep after a nightmare. "I know baby, I know," she said. She then looked out the window and saw some fireworks go off in the distance and smiled. The whole wizarding world was celebrating the fall of You-Know-Who. The time for living in fear was over. Now it was just time for living. Sally smiled down at Percy and could almost imagine the person he would grow up to be. What she did know was that for the first time in a long time, the future looked bright.
On the other side of the city, Frederick Chase stared at Alice Longbottom and the small bundle in her arms in complete shock. "Wha-what?" he asked.
Alice sighed. She was not having a good day. In fact, she was having one of the worst days of her life. Her friends, Lily and James Potter, were gone. Killed by Lord Voldemort. And if she stopped for a single second to process that, she would probably break down. The whole wizarding community was celebrating the fact that peace had come at last and yet all Alice could think of was the price that peace had come at. The price of two friends.
Three, now, actually. It wasn't enough that Lily and James were now gone, but several hours ago they had learned of a third body. Athena White, one of the older Aurors and members of the Order, had been found murdered outside her flat. Three Death Eater bodies had been found as well, showing she'd put up a fight. But it hadn't been enough.
Athena had been like a mentor to Alice, helping through her training and advising her throughout the war. She was as tough as they came, an expert duelist and phenomenal spellcaster. She was also there foremost strategist, proving vital when they made moves against the Death Eaters. Next to Moody, Athena had seemed like the most invincible, the one who could never fall. But now she had. And worst of all, she left behind her one-year old daughter Annabeth. And it was up to Alice to see her safely delivered.
There was just one problem with that.
"I can't take her," Frederick said.
Alice stared at him, eyes wide. "What do you mean you can't take her? She's your daughter, isn't she?"
"Well, yeah," Frederick admitted. "But…I'm not suited to be a parent. This is a really bad time for me."
"Oh it's a bad time for you?" Alice asked, eyebrows raised in disbelief. "I just lost three of my closest friends in the span of 24 hours. All I want to do is go home and see my husband and my son and hug them as tight as I can. So, do you think maybe you can take your daughter?"
"Uh…" Frederick stared at the bundle who now stared back with her wide, gray eyes. "I…uh…"
"Bloody hell, what is the problem here?" Alice asked loudly. "It is literally your job to take care of her. Athena is dead. You are her legal guardian. And, most importantly, she's your daughter. So why won't you?"
"I just made Junior Lecturer at the university," Frederick explained. "I'm just too busy with my work right now. I don't know how to take care of her. I wouldn't know how to take of her if she was just a normal baby, much less a…" he hesitated here, practically wilting under Alice's glare.
"Much less a what?" she asked, voice hard as steel.
Frederick sighed. "Look, I'm just a Muggle teacher as you people call me," he said, his arms falling limply beside him. "I have no idea what to do with a child with those kinds of…powers. I never wanted a kid anyway. I'm just not the right person to raise her."
"I agree completely, based on just this one conversation. I don't understand what Athena ever saw in you. Unfortunately, there's nothing much I can do. You are Annabeth's only relative which means she is your responsibility. So I don't care how much work you have and how much of a problem she could be for you, you are going to take her. Or you are going to see my bad side." Alice leaned in closer, causing Frederick to stumble back in surprise and fear. "And you really don't want to see my bad side right now."
They stared at each other for a long minute before Frederick held out his arms. "Alright," he said. "I'll take her."
"Good choice," Alice nodded.
Annabeth squirmed a little as she was handed over and then kicked her legs out as Frederick held her away from him, an uncomfortable look on his face. Alice sighed. She wasn't sure if she'd made the right decision or not. She decided to check up regularly, make sure Annabeth was well taken care of. It was the least she could do for her friend. She sighed as she watched Annabeth wiggle uncomfortably in Frederick's arms before walking away, disapparating when she was far enough away.
She arrived in front of her home just as some more fireworks burst in the sky. She smiled a grim smile. She didn't feel like celebrating today, not after everything. Maybe tomorrow, she would. But not tonight.
As soon as Alice left, Frederick carried Annabeth inside and closed the door, setting her down gently on the floor. He stared at her, unsure of what to do. He wasn't ready for this. He had been excited when Athena told him she was pregnant. They had had a wonderful time together that was destined not to last, but he had cherished every moment. And when he learned she was pregnant, he was happy. But mostly for her. He couldn't be a father. He had no idea what to do, especially one with magical abilities. With Athena, he would have figured it out. But now?
He sighed heavily and slumped down on the floor opposite his daughter. He hadn't seen her much since she was born with the war going on. And each visit had been brief. He and Athena had just been too busy to schedule anything. Now he wished he had tried harder, just so he could know what to do now.
Annabeth got down on her hands and knees and attempted to stand up but then lost her balance, rolling onto her back and wiggling around like a turtle. Frederick laughed in spite of himself and then hurried over, helping her back up. He placed her on her feet and held out her arms so she could keep her balance. She looked at him and giggled and he couldn't help but smile back. Maybe this wouldn't be too hard. And it was what Athena would want.
"I'll try," he said to Annabeth but also to Athena. "I promise I'll try."
Arthur Weasley sat on his couch, looking around at his family. Bill and Charlie chasing each other around the living room on toy broomsticks, little Fred and George cheering them on. Percival doing his best to ignore them as he read on the couch next to Arthur. Ron holding his stuffed bear at Molly's feet while she held baby Ginny gingerly in her arms.
It felt like a miracle, taking in the scene. Despite all the danger and fear out in the world for the last few years, his family had made it out. His family, one considered to be nothing but a pack of blood-traitors to most of the wizarding community, had made it through the war. Or, at least, most of it had. While Arthur's family had made it through, he could see the sadness etched into Molly's face. Her brothers hadn't made it, killed only a few weeks ago, taken out by five Death Eaters.
She was trying to be happy now, he could tell. The war was over, and all her children were happy and alive. But she had still lost people. Arthur could easily picture her face when she received the news, how she had collapsed onto the floor and sobbed in his arms. And all he could do was hold her, wishing he could say something to make her feel better. To take the pain away. But he couldn't.
At least now they knew there would be no more deaths. The war had ended and You-Know-Who was gone. They were finally able to live their lives in peace. Arthur just wasn't sure where to start.
"Win!" Bill cried out, throwing down his broomstick in victory. "I win."
Charlie, right behind him, panted as he came to a stop. "Rematch?" he said.
"Yeah!" Bill agreed, a gleam in his eye.
"Actually, I think it's time for bed," Molly interrupted. "It's getting past your time." She then looked at the clock on the wall and her eyes widened a little. "Way past. All of you, get ready for bed. Now."
"Awww!" they all chorused, making Arthur chuckle.
"Just a few more minutes mum?" Bill asked. "Please?"
"No," Molly said firmly. "Time for bed. Let's go."
"Dad?" Charlie protested, looking at his father.
Arthur looked at him and then up at Molly, wincing a little at her look, and then back at Charlie helplessly. "Sorry son, but your mother's right. It's past your bedtime. Up to bed now, let's go."
They complained all the way up but they did it, Molly pestering them each step up. Arthur smiled as they left. They may out number them, but when it came to her kids Molly was an army by herself. A true force to be reckoned with.
He turned to sit back down when he saw a tuft of red hair on the floor. Ron had fallen asleep on the floor, still clutching his teddy bear. Arthur sighed and moved over to him, gently lifting him off the floor into his arms. "Come on, kiddo," he said softly. "Let's get you up to bed."
He made it up the first couple of flights when he saw Molly leaning against the wall outside of Fred and George's room, looking lost in thought, baby Ginny still in her arms.
"Molly?" he asked carefully, walking up to her. When she didn't reply, he tried again. "Molly?"
She started and saw him coming up. "Oh, sorry. Just…" she nodded at Fred and George's door and seemed to stop. "They…they just remind me of…" she stopped again and sighed, closing her eyes.
Arthur looked at the floor, not sure what to say. He'd never really lost anyone before. Instead, he just walked over to her and pulled her in close, watching both kids in their arms as he did so. "It'll be ok," he whispered to her.
"How can you tell?" she asked. "Everyone's celebrating You-Know-Who's defeat, but how do we know he's really gone? And if he is, how do we know whether or not one of his followers will take his place? I'm just…" she stared at the twins' room and then down at Ginny in her arms.
"I know, honey," Arthur told her. "But it is over. We can finally live in peace now. We don't have to worry about them anymore."
Molly let off a dry chuckle. "I'm not sure what living in peace is like anymore," she said. "All I know is living worried out of my mind that at any moment those Death Eaters are going to burst in and kill us all. Or if another ministry official would drop by to tell me t-that y-y- someone else I love d-di…" She let off a sob at that and covered her mouth with her free hand.
Arthur nodded solemnly. He had the same nightmares, wondering every time he left for work if he would come home to find the Dark Mark above his house, find the absolute worst thing in the world waiting for him.
"But that's the thing," he said to Molly. "Now we can find out. We made it through. And, best of all, they won't have to live through it." He looked down at the sleeping Ron and Ginny. "None of our kids will."
"How can you be sure?" Molly asked.
Arthur shrugged. "I'm not. I just have faith."
Molly stared at him and then down at her children and then let out a long sigh. "Faith." She smiled. "Yeah. I could do with some of that now."
Arthur patted her shoulder. "We're going to be ok. I promise," he said.
Molly looked at him lovingly. Together, they took the kids to their rooms, Ron being last. They stared down at him as he nestled into his crib, still clutching his teddy bear.
"You know that Potter kid who ended the war is said to be about his age," Arthur noted. "You think they might be friends at Hogwarts?"
"Oh Arthur," Molly laughed softly. "Our son friends with the famous Harry Potter? What are the chances of that ever happening?"
In a flat near the heart of the city, the Grangers looked up at the fireworks going off in surprise.
"What's that?" Richard Granger asked, looking out the window.
"Don't know." Janet Granger replied. "It's not a holiday, is it?"
Richard shrugged. "Not to my knowledge. How odd. I also noticed a rather large amount of owls today, flying in broad daylight. Right by my window too. Startled several patients of mine."
"Yes, I noticed them as well," Janet commented. "It really is peculiar, isn't it. Though Hermione loved them."
Richard nodded and then his eyes widened. "Oh, I should probably go check on her, make sure the fireworks didn't wake her up."
"Good idea," Janet said.
Contrary to what they were thinking, Hermione Granger had been up for some time reading a book, learning all the words and their proper sounds. Her eyes were wide as she turned the pages, absorbing as much knowledge as she could. She was so engrossed in it that she didn't noticed when the door opened and her father walked in.
"Hermione Granger!" Richard said suddenly, startling her. "What are you doing? You are fully aware how late it is. Put that down and get back to bed."
"Sorry dad," Hermione muttered, putting her book away and settling back under the covers.
Richard sighed as he looked down at his daughter. At two-years-old, she already showed an aptitude for reading, devouring every book she could get her hands on. And while most of the time he couldn't be more proud of her, it was times like this that made him wish she wasn't so persistent in her pursuit of knowledge.
"Honey, I know reading your books is fascinating, but it has to wait until tomorrow," he said.
"I know," Hermione mumbled, a little upset.
Richard chuckled slightly. "Ah, one day, you and your big love of knowledge is going to change the world."
"Really?" she asked him, eyes wide.
"Really," he nodded. "But that's going to have to wait. So go to sleep now, ok?"
"Ok," Hermione said, rolling over and closing her eyes.
Richard smiled and then silently closed the door as he left. Sometimes that girl astonished him, in all the best ways. He walked back into the main room where he found his wife reading on the couch.
"That looks familiar," he said jokingly.
Janet looked up in confusion. "What?"
He quickly explained what had happened and she sighed and rolled her eyes. "That girl," she said. "When is she not reading?"
"When she's sleeping, hopefully," Richard replied.
"I do get a little worried about her," Janet admitted. "The teacher in her nursery says she doesn't really interact with the other children, preferring to read books the entire time. I'm just worried she'll never make friends if she continues like that."
Richard sighed. "I know. But what can we do? We can't force her to make friends. She'll do what she wants to do. All we can do is try our best to guide her in the right direction and hope she can make the best decision from there."
Janet nodded carefully. "Alright. But I'm still going to talk to her, tell her to at least try to make some friends there."
Richard nodded and then sat down next to her. He had almost started reading his own book when he spotted another owl flying past the window, followed by two more. "Very odd," he said, looking at them. "Why do you think they're behaving like that?"
Janet shrugged. "No idea. They're just silly birds, Richard. It's not like they're actually doing anything important."
"True," Richard nodded, and then went back to his book.
Down the hallway, Hermione stared out the window from her bed, watching with her mouth open in amazement at the owls flying past, looking like the most beautiful creatures she'd ever seen. She decided to start reading about them the next day, but this thought quickly passed as she fell asleep.
So, as you may have surmised at this point, this is no ordinary Percy Jackson/Harry Potter crossover. I've read several crossovers of the two worlds and I was surprised to learn that the parts I enjoyed the most were where the Percy Jackson characters interacted with Hogwarts but not so much the other way round. So, I decided to make this fanfiction of just putting those characters into this world.
It's basically going to follow the same route of the books with some deviations. To those who have read my Riordan/Avengers crossover, you know I stick very closely to canon. For this one…I may not so much. Most things will be the same but there will be some stuff that will differ from the books. You'll see when I start releasing the rest of the story. I'll just say now that Quidditch will no longer be just seven players just because I wanted to add few other players.
Also, with the Avengers story I was able to write in every scene since no one had done that before but with this one, J.K. Rowling has written it all down so I'm a little uncomfortable doing that this time. For scenes with Harry interacting with his friends, a lot of the dialogue will still be there. But, and shout out to great fanfic writer Shiiki for giving me this idea, instead I will also expand on other areas, giving scenes dialogue that didn't have them before. I will also be expanding Ron and Hermione's characters, giving them POV sections as well as Percy and Annabeth and possibly others.
This is one that I am very excited about but also concerned at how to do it right so this might be the one to take the longest to come out. We'll see. Anyway, hope you enjoyed this sneak peek and please tell me what you think.
I also know that there are technically two Percys here with Percy Weasley and Percy Jackson. Some of you might have already noticed how I fixed that by changing Percy Weasley's name to full-length Percival. He just seems like the kind of guy to use his full name.