Chapter 1
My name is Percy Jackson, and I knew it would be a horrible day when I woke up several feet shorter than I should be, in an odd apartment looking place I didn’t recognize, and and clothes that fit the size I currently was. It really didn’t take a genius that this was some immortal being’s doing.
I felt cold anger seeping into my bones. I had decided to rest at my cabin in camp half-blood after the whole fiasco with Ganymede. Now I was once again in my eleven-year-old body, no idea where on earth I was, because this certainly was not my apartment in New York, and I was pretty sure that something exploded in his anger, if the water seeping into the room was any indicator. I glared around the room, glad that at least I still had riptides comforting presence in my pocket. The room I was in was clearly one of an apartment, though not mine. The walls were plain beige and there were no windows. There were two doors on the other side of the room, one of which I assumed led to a bathroom, seeing as water was seeping in the carpet from under that door.
The bed I woke on was plain, and I wore a camp-half-blood shirt and jeans. I was not wearing that when I fell asleep. I let out a groan. Kidnapped? Again? I took out riptide, grimacing at how different it felt in this smaller body. I uncapped her, and slowly got off the bed. After all, no use in waiting around. Better go explore. I opened the door, and sure enough, it led out to what seemed to be a living room, a dining room and a kitchen. I exited the bedroom, making sure to watch my surroundings carefully. I froze as I saw the figure that sat on the dining room table. I resisted the urge to bang my head on the nearest wall. Yup, this was a god’s doing. There, sitting on the table and staring straight into my soul, was who I would assume to be Hecate until proven otherwise.
“Where am I?” I tried to demand, but of course, I was eleven, and my voice cracked. She snickered, and gestured for me to take the seat in front of her. Ignoring my embarrassment I shrugged and complied.
“Perseus Jackson”
I wanted to hurl. Her voice twisted around my name like a snake, tightening around its prey.
“That’s my name. Where am I, why am I here, what do you want,” I glared at her. I could feel my anger boiling underneath my skin, waiting to overflow. She simply shot me an amused smile.
“You’re in the year 1991, in an apartment in the north sid did England. You’ve been recruited,” she said lightly, pulling out a piece of paper from thin air. It was my recommendation letter. I wanted to scream. It had been a week? And- wait what the hell did she say?
“Wha- 1991? What the fuck?” I nearly shouted in disbelief. I felt my heart drop. I wa sin the past? How was that even possible? Gods can do that? Whenever they want? Could- could things be changed? If so why haven’t they change things for the better, or why were the previous two wars even fought if they could’ve just-
“Stop. This is an offer on behalf of me and Hades. You’d be getting two recommendations, enough for your college. This is your last quest. And no. Gods can’t travel time on a whim. I have permission from the fates,” she said sternly, though there was a hint of softness in her voice. I let out a shuddering breath. What the hell was my life holy shit.
“So, Percy Jackson, do you accept? It’s simple, really, there’s just someone you need to protect. I even got you you’re disguise for you,” she said, waving her hand to gesture at me. I frowned. I was ridiculously weaker when I was younger, how would I protect someone like this? “You’ll be fine, probably.” She insisted. That wasn’t reassuring. “You’re protecting an eleven year old boy, and for that, you need to befriend him. I’ll explain more if you accept the quest.” I sighed. I didn’t want to. I really didn’t. It had barely been a day since I’d gotten back from the whole old age god and Ganymede quest thing. My mind went to Annabeth, and her support. I thought of our dreams to be able to go to college safetly and relax, no monsters, no more quests. I looked back at the goddess, who seemed to already know what my response would be. I sighed. This was a great opportunity, as much as I hated it.
“I’ll do it, now give me more information, and why am I here?”
She smiled, it looked cold and mechanical. “I knew you’d say that. I’ll keep this short. There’s a civilization of wizards and witches. They’re only link to the Greek world is that they have my blessing, yet I am nothing but a myth to most of them” there was a hint of bitterness in her voice. “There was a war against dark wizards and those who practice the darkest magic. The light wizards won but now there’s another war because the remaining dark wizards— Honestly I find that it’s quite silly to ban those magics, as they are some of my favorites, but whatever. This is where hades comes in. The leader of these wizards, Tom Riddle, keeps evading death. It’s truly bothersome, and Hades won’t stop hounding me about it. Also I’d prefer you’d refrain from talking of the future to me, and any other gods. They don’t know you’re here, and I am the Hecate from the past. I’m excited to see why my future self recommended you.” This made me pause. If my memory was correct, she was against the gods during the titan war. Not that she’d know that now, if what she said was true.
“I understand, but I still don’t get why I’m here? Couldn’t I have stayed in my old cabin- oh. Wait. Do you know who my godly parent is?” I asked suddenly. It’s explain why I couldn’t stay in my cabin. And if I was protecting some kid in the past then maybe my moms apartment was occupied so I couldn’t live there…
She tilted her head curiously, “No, I don’t, you’d do well not to tell me. And don’t even think of trying to change anything from your world, also, you’re in London. It’s necessary for your quest. The boy you’ll be protecting is will play a crucial part in the upcoming war. You’re job is to keep him alive,”
Wait what. I hated how familiar that sounded, and also-
“I- why am I in England? Wait so I’m not even in America anymore? What the fuck…” this was distressing. This was incredibly distressing. She did not mention that the wizard people were in England.
“Worry not, you won’t be completely alone,” she said, “There is another demigod at hogwarts at the moment, you’ll find her to be a useful ally in the case there’s anything you must cover for. No one should ever find out about our world otherwise.” I nodded. Every other mix of pantheon seemed to bring extreme chaos, and if the wizards were mid war then they’d be even more distrusting. My “disguise” slowly began making more sense.
“You’ll be receiving all the necessary information, you were seventeen am I correct? I’m sure you can handle yourself. Don’t worry about bills, I have that covered, but I'm not buying you your necessities. Good luck, and safe travels,” and with that, she disappeared into a cloud of smoke. I let out an annoyed huff. How dramatic. At least she didn’t do that annoying true form if-you-see-me-you-die thing that other gods did…
I stood up, deciding to explore the apartment. It was pretty big, my apartment back home was a bit smaller. There was a bedroom, which attached to it was a bathroom, a laundry room, kitchen, living room, hall closet, and a balcony. I’d probably like it if I weren’t here on a quest all alone after having just recently returned from one. And if I weren’t in an entirely different country in an entirely different timeline. Yknow, small stuff. I sighed. What was I even supposed to do it the meantime? I doubt I could practice very well with riptide, I wouldn’t want to cause a ruckus. I frowned. What was this quest anyway? Where and who was the kid? When would extra information arrive? Exhaustion began to settle in. No use thinking about it now. Okay, what do I need non quest related. I peered into the fridge. It was on, but completely bare. There was nothing in it. Same with the pantries. I frowned. I didn’t have any money, and what sort of twelve year old can just go get a job? I didn’t even know how to navigate through this stupid city!
A walk it is then. I opened the door and stepped outside, I zipped up my sweater, not wanting to attract attention with my camp half-blood shirt. Even if regular people didn’t know what it meant, it was still a weird phrase.
I made my way downstairs, only getting lost twice. I let out a sigh of relief as I made it to the office, especially since I saw a couple of newspapers and magazines on a stand near by. Sure enough, there was a small map of the surrounding area inside a magazine. I grimaced at all the fancy names. Hopefully this place was anything like New York...
A few hours later, I collapsed back onto my bed. I had managed to get a job at a local flower shop, Greek genes coming in handy and making it so I could convince the store owner that I was thirteen and not eleven, as I physically was. I’d given her a random story, how my mom was busy working and I wanted to support her. I felt guilty lying, but I had done worse while homeless on the Gaia quest. She’d given me a sandwich, which frankly, wasn’t nearly enough, but she’d pay me on Fridays and it was Thursday, so hopefully everything would turn out fine… I fell into a deep sleep, for the first time in months, I didn’t dream.