Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I obviously don't own the idea of Harry Potter or Percy Jackson or any of the money making forms of it.

Summary: An AU HP/PJO crossover fanfiction. This story follows Harry Evans, the demigod son of Lily Evans and his foray into both the wizarding and demigod world's. Harry is not the BWL

A/N: There will be differences to canon in character backstory, family trees, some OC and OOC characters, etc.

Harry came out of unconsciousness to a tapping sensation on several parts of his body. The last thing he remembered was …. Harry shot up suddenly, scaring the fish who seemed to be trying to get his attention. How was he alive? Wait! fish! He must be drowning. But he was breathing, was this magic? Only he couldn't feel any of the sensations in his body that he associated with magic. His dagger was still in his hand, if he was in the afterlife it's an odd thing to come along for the journey. Deciding that he might as well work out what was going on, Harry swam up to the surface, mesmerised by the fact that he was breathing as normally as ever. Dozens of fish were swimming around him, also seemingly acting out of the ordinary.

Harry broke through the surface of the river and started gazing around at his surroundings. The sun was only just rising, and he seemed to have drifted a bit away from where the fight took place last night. The amount of activity in the area surprised him, it must be before 6 am, wait was that the police? And reporters? Just as a police officer made eye contact with him, Harry manipulated the magic in the air to hide him. The officer seemed to freeze, the man had been about to yell something but he had adopted a confused expression before shaking his head and returning to the other police officers. Still a bit baffled, Harry waved goodbye to the fish and clambered out of the river, but instead of being dripping wet, he was completely dry. The amount of odd things that had happened to him in the last few days, Harry decided to just let it be and move on.

Unfortunately, his hat was nowhere to be seen and he should have just run out of the area but something was telling him to stay. His eyes were drawn to the area where he killed the Chimaera, a green stone-like object was sitting atop the grass, flecks of gold and silver in the object were catching the light. It was spherical and only had a diameter of about an inch, he probably shouldn't have even been able to notice it but he could have sworn it was emitting a magical presence. Wrapping himself in more of the magic he darted toward the stone, pocketing it as he continued to run away.

Someone must have seen him last night, and now the police and everyone who sees the news would know that he's in St Louis. He slowed down as he passed an electronics store, some of the TVs in the window were showing the news, and he wanted to know what they were saying. "... spotted a young boy who matches Harry Evans's profile attempting to fight off an unknown assailant in St Louis, Missouri. Lily Evans was not seen …. " Harry walked off again when his mum's smiling face filled the screens, it was too hard to see her right now.

He needed new clothes, he needed food and he had to get to Long Island. Harry ducked into an alleyway and sat down releasing the magic hiding him. That was the longest he'd held up the magic hiding him and he was exhausted once again. The last 12 hours had taken its toll on Harry, and he had no idea where to go from here. Now that the police knew where he was they would surely be checking buses and everything for him. Harry dropped his head into his hands feeling hopeless when a soft, rhythmic clopping began to echo through the alleyway.

Instantly Harry's head shot up and he spied someone approaching from the entrance of the alleyway. Feeling the presence in the air, Harry shaped it around him focusing on making himself appear nondescript. Harry scrutinised the figure as it came closer, something about it felt deceptive and he was on high alert. It was a teenage looking boy, he seemed pretty normal, wearing trousers, a t-shirt and a hat. He had the beginnings of a wispy goatee growing and large expressive eyes, but something about him just seemed wrong. Lowering his eyes Harry noticed the boy was walking awkwardly, he continued to lower his eyes assessing the boy until he stopped.

Harry tapped his ring and jumped up, holding the dagger up in a threatening manner. The boy had hooves, he must be some sort of monster. "If you take one step further I'll turn you into golden dust," Harry tried to threaten.

"Baa–aa," The monster bleated sounding amused. "I'm no monster Harry."

How did it know his name? Could it see through his disguise? It was definitely a monster. "That's what a monster would say," Harry responded smartly.

"Baaa. Monsters are too stupid. I'm a satyr, half goat and half human. We're keepers and my job is to get you to Camp Half-Blood," the boy said.

"Half-blood? I think a monster called me that once," Harry replied.

"You are a half-blood. It means that one of your parents is a God."

"My mum, sh-she told me that we-when… " Harry trailed off looking away from the boy. "She said something about a camp. But she called it Delphi Strawberry." Harry continued after a moment.

"I'm really sorry about your mum Harry," he said solemnly. "The camp she was talking about is Camp Half-Blood; the name we use in the mortal world is the Delphi Strawberry Service and it's in Long Island. It's a camp for people like you and you'll be safe from the monsters there," he explained softly.

Harry looked back at the boy and asked hesitantly, "How can I trust you?"

"I'm here to help you. We heard about you on the news and we checked your records. You fit the profile of a demigod, so I was sent to find you. We satyrs can smell monsters and demigods so we're perfect for finding kids like you who need a safe place to learn how to fight and control their powers," he explained. "Besides, How else are you gonna get all the way to Long Island? I've got a car!"

"You can drive?" Harry blurted out.

"Baaa-aa," he bleated, sounding offended this time, "I am 30 years old, thank you." When Harry continued to look at him disbelievingly he continued, "Satyrs age half as quickly as humans."

At this point, Harry pretty much believed him. If he were a monster, he would be very different from the ones Harry had seen before. Harry followed the satyr out of the alleyway and around the corner to a parked van. The van was grey and had a large symbol and words painted in red on the side. Harry couldn't quite make out the words with his dyslexia, but given there was a large strawberry symbol, he figured it said Delphi Strawberry Service.

"I'm Bran by the way. Bran Mossheart," the satyr said as he opened the sliding door of the van and jumped in. He started opening bags and pulling things out, "No offence but you need new clothes." Harry looked down at his clothes and agreed internally, they were filthy and full of holes. Harry chucked the new clothes on, a pair of trousers and an orange camp half-blood shirt with a winged horse on it. Harry was pretty sure they're called Pegasus.

After he'd put the clothes on, Bran handed him a small, edible looking golden square. "This is called ambrosia, the food of the Gods. It's fatal to eat for normal mortals, but when demigods have it in small amounts it can mend broken bones, heal severe injuries and rejuvenate your energy," Bran explained. "Somehow, you actually don't look injured,like at all," he said in a curious tone. "But you do look tired, so this will help."

"Okay," Harry said, hesitantly taking the offered ambrosia. Hearing that it would kill normal people was scary. Harry knew he was magic, but was he definitely a demigod? Harry's mum had always told him that normal people didn't know about magic and he couldn't tell them about it, so he wasn't sure whether Bran and the people at Camp Half-blood knew about the magical world. Praying to some unknown father, and hoping the man was actually a God Harry popped the golden square in his mouth. The ambrosia melted in his mouth, he couldn't put a finger on the taste but he did know it was the best thing he had ever eaten. "Wow!"

Bran was smiling at him, "I love watching demigods try ambrosia and nectar for the first time. Nectar is similar to ambrosia by the way, it tastes like your favourite drink and it heals you."

"If it's anything like that, I can't wait to try it," Harry replied.

"You'll love it. Anyway, let's go. It's still a long way to Long Island."

"So, the Olympians are Zeus, Hera, Poseidon … Demeter, Ares, Athena, Apollo, Artemis … Hephaestus, Aphrodite … Hermes, and Dionysus? And they all have cabins for their demigod children; even though Zeus, Hera, Poseidon and Artemis don't have demigod kids?" Harry asked, trying to make sure he was taking everything in. Harry and Bran had left St Louis about 10 hours ago and had stopped for food a couple times. When Harry wasn't sleeping he was asking Bran questions about the gods, demigods, camp, anything he could think of really.

"Exactly. Even though Hera and Artemis would never have demigod children and Zeus and Poseidon aren't meant to have any, they would get offended if we didn't have cabins for them. Plus there's the hunters of Artemis who stay in her cabin when they're at camp; that's a group of girls who swear off love and join Artemis, hunting monsters. She gives them a blessing and they're immortal unless they fall in battle," Bran explained as he pulled into a clearing on the outskirts of the city.

They'd made it all the way to Pittsburgh with zero incidents and Harry was hoping the rest of the trip would continue to go that well. Bran sniffed around a bit, "No monsters nearby, but there are some at the edge of my range," he said. Bran had told him all about satyrs, how they could smell monsters and demigods even better than most monsters, and how they could perform their own brand of nature magic. Apparently the Chimaera was something of a legendary monster in Greek mythology, and its tracking skills were basically second to none once it had marked its target's scent. Apparently, the fact that the Chimaera had even gone after Harry meant that he would supposedly become a powerful demigod.

After they parked, Bran began to do some of his nature magic, or woodland magic for protection. It was unique to satyrs and nature spirits, not something demigods could do; the spell Bran was performing would apparently grow the surrounding vegetation and prepare it to hinder any monsters that may come after them. Demigods could manipulate the mist, which was a godly force controlled by the god Hecate that would hide the godly world from the mortals and demigods could manipulate it. Bran was actually impressed that Harry could already manipulate the mist, which was apparently what he'd been doing when they first met and Harry was attempting to hide from him.

After Bran performed his magic they lay down in the back of the van to fall asleep.

Harry was roused from his sleep by Bran, Bran who had one hand covering Harry's mouth and a finger to his own lips. Something was making noise in the distance and judging by Bran tapping his nose now, it was a monster. Bran slowly grabbed what looked like a sword sheath and pulled the strap over his head. They slowly got up, sliding the van door open quietly and creeping out of the van. Now that he was outside, Harry thought he could hear something big trampling the overgrowth, it seemed like Bran's woodland spell helped them out after all. Bran signalled to Harry to follow him away from the van and Harry was inclined to follow his lead.

Harry was the seventh demigod that Bran had guided to camp half-blood and he was sure that the satyr had more experience fighting monsters than himself. They had just hidden behind a fence when a huge figure burst through some of the surrounding trees, a humongous spear in its right hand. It was bigger than any monster he'd seen before, with wild hair and an overgrown beard. When it faced their direction Harry saw a single eye in the middle of its head; another cyclops.

"What's the pl-" Harry started before being cut off by Bran covering his mouth again. Too late! The cyclops' head had immediately whipped toward them.

"Hades!" Bran yelped. "Go left. I'm gonna try to give you an opening, use that dagger of yours and take it," he whispered.

Harry listened and started trying to sneak to the left; the Cyclops walking toward Bran and Harry. The cyclops sniffed the air, "I smell fresh meat," it rumbled. "A tasty demigod and a goat-man. I'll be eating well tonight!" Harry's blood was pumping, the anticipation of the fight was electrifying.

He was directly to the side of the advancing monster when he heard a beautiful song playing. On the other side of the cyclops, Bran was standing up in clear view, and playing his reed pipes. In an instant the Cyclops had turned toward Bran, raising its spear; only it didn't make it all the way to Bran. Grass, branches, plants; everything had started growing wildly towards the monster, holding it back and holding it down. Bran kept playing his pipes, more greenery latching onto the cyclops until the monster had been pulled onto all fours. This was Harry's chance, dagger in hand he sprinted toward the monster slashing up it as he leapt onto its back. Harry raised his dagger, ready to bring it down on the back of the cyclops' head when he heard Bran yell his name. Before he could work out what the warning was about, he felt the monster twist violently, flinging him airborne and everything went back.

Bran had never come across a cyclops quite this big and it was taking all his effort to hold it down. Thank Zeus, Harry was on its back. "HARRY," Bran Yelled. Just as the demigod was about to bring his dagger down on its neck, the cyclops' right arm broke through the vegetation. The movement sent Harry into the air, meanwhile, the cyclops continued its movement, lashing out with the but of its spear and striking Harry. It sent him flying toward the van, and his dagger flying in the other direction.

That was a massive blow to the head and Harry was unconscious at best, possibly worse. Good thing demigods were made of sterner stuff than most. Bran tried to keep playing his pipes, but the Cyclops was advancing until it was close enough to pierce him with his spear. Bran jumped to the side, dodging a thrust, before reaching over his shoulder and unsheathing his sword. The plants and the wound across its back seemed to be making the Cyclops move slower than usual and Bran took the opportunity to get inside its guard and slash at its torso.

"RAAARRGGGHHH!" Yelled the monster as it lashed out at Bran again, swiping toward Bran with his spear. Bran got his sword up just in time, blocking the spear with it but the monster was too strong. Bran was about to lose his feet and then it would be all over, so he rolled under the spear and went to slash the Cyclops in the stomach. As he began to slice into its flesh he was lifted into the air by one of its hands before the other hand crashed into his head and Bran joined Harry in the land of unconsciousness.

His head ached like hell. Or was it like the Underworld? Was that what he was meant to say now? Harry opened his eyes, he was on the floor of a clearing filled with overgrown vegetation. There were ropes binding his legs together and tying his hands behind his back. The Cyclops! No! Where was Bran? What happened after he was knocked out? Harry's dagger was nowhere in sight and he had no idea what to do. He tried to call on his magic, begging the power inside him to release the ropes binding him but it wasn't to be. When he'd just about given up hope; thinking the monster would be back for him after it was done eating Bran or whatever it was doing he realised there was a familiar weight on his hand.

The ring was somehow on his finger and it was all too easy from there to transform it into a dagger and cut through the bindings. He tried to sit up, only to turn his head to the side and throw up his dinner. He couldn't afford to sit around any longer though, the Cyclops would probably be back and soon. Harry looked around the area trying his hardest to focus through the searing headache. He was unsure of what happened, but maybe he could find something that would help him work it out. A sword that could only be Bran's was lying on the floor, picking it up the blade didn't feel right for him so he put it back down, not wanting to lug it around.

It didn't take him too long to find a shallow trail in the dirt, it looked like it could have been made by dragging something, or someone and there were drops of blood every few feet along the path. Harry followed it hesitantly for a couple of minutes until he came to a little building that would certainly look abandoned if not for the light currently emitting from within. "CLANG!" Oh no! While creeping up to the building, Harry had accidentally kicked a rock into a metal sheet. With the crazy hearing the Cyclops had already exhibited it might have heard him.

"Harry? Is that you? I killed the monster but I'm stuck under rubble," Bran's voice rang out from inside the building. Thanking the gods or whoever it was he was meant to thank these days, Harry ran to the door and threw it open. He rushed into the room looking for Bran when he saw the satyr bound and gagged with a trail of blood from his nose lying next to a fire in the middle of the room.

His instincts screamed at him, and he ducked, just barely dodging the spear thrust directly at his head. The monster had been coming directly at him from the right, and now it was looming over him, its spear holding right arm extended over Harry's lowered head. Harry slashed upward, putting as much force as he could muster into his dagger strike and succeeding in slicing the monster's wrist off. "RAAAARRGGHH," the monster screamed in pain. The separated hand disintegrated into golden dust before it even hit the ground, leaving the spear to roll away. Harry knew it wasn't over yet though and he turned back to the monster; the Cyclops was furious.

Just as the Cyclops grabbed him around the throat, Harry stabbed his dagger into its thigh. The dagger slipped from his hand, still embedded in the monster's thigh as he was pulled up out of reach. The Cyclops lifted him above its head, squeezing Harry's throat. It felt like the monster was seconds away from completely crushing his neck. Harry could see Bran's wide eyes staring at him from over the monster's shoulder and he wished Bran was able to help him. When he'd just about given up all hope Harry felt the telltale feeling of magic fill him and he saw Bran slip out of the now loosened ropes binding him. Bran was up in a shot, not pausing to remove his gag, he lifted up the Cyclops' humongous spear and skewered the monster in its back. For a moment Harry felt the Cyclops' hand loosen around his neck, the monster's shock seen in its eye before it exploded into golden dust.

"Ooof," Harry groaned. Unfortunately, when the monster holding you up disintegrated you happen to free fall to the ground.

"Are you alright Harry?" Bran asked. "By the gods, I thought you were a goner at least three times tonight."

Pointing at his neck "Th-throa…" Harry attempted to answer. His throat was in agony, not to mention the sharp searing pain shooting up his back and the pounding headache. Harry thought he heard Bran saying something else to him but the world around him was fading.