Chapter IV: There's a Random Baby on the Beach

Percy was on a beach, which was actually a bit weird. Well not being at the beach, he was a Poseidon’s son after all, and the dreaming was also not a weird thing for a demigod. But for some reason he felt weird in that unknown beach, he had a feeling, a weird one too. He couldn’t explain it. He could feel the waves, he could feel everything about the sea, except where exactly was he. Percy felt someone behind him, he was on top of some rocks, he could almost feel the see on his feet. He turned, there was a weird figure, all black, as he looked more and more, he almost felt like he needed glasses, everything was trembling, like the image was shaking in real time.
On the figure’s arms there was what it looked like a baby blue blanket, something or someone was wrapped in it.

When he tried to get closer to take a better look, suddenly he felt like his thoughts were despairing, his head was empty, he felt light and warm as he heard the sea, now really close to him. He felt a weird comfort, but at the same time he felt like something was wrong. The figure was mumbling something, maybe a song, maybe trying to explain something, and right them Percy realised that he was now wrapped around that blanket in this something’s arms.

The sea got stronger as the figure approached it, Percy felt something on the blanket, like it was getting slowly wet, and then he was on the middle of the sand, the blanket was getting more and more wet as the tiny waves hit him, he looked up again, the figure was still shaking, make him completely dizzy, but for some reason the sea kept fighting him. He saw a mix of blue in front of him, was he looking at someone’s eyes? He wanted to talk, but nothing got out of his lips. The figure seemed to look back, as Percy was able to see a weird light, he could feel the tightness that the figure was trying to pass him, as it was trying to calmed them both.

“Please, she can’t stay” the figure was mumbling and crying “please take her, protect her, please”

A stronger wave got hold of him, the light was stronger behind them and Percy felt everything around him disappear

“Bring them back, you’re all in danger, bring them back Percy”

Percy woke up all sweaty in a jump as someone was shaking him, his heart was beating so fast that he felt like it was beating in his hears. He took a deep breath in the dark, it was also still dark outside, next to him he could see a clock telling him it was 3:53 am. He fell down on the comfy bed again, trying to process what happened “You are all in danger” the voice was now on his head. But he had no idea who was them that he needed to bring back or to where.

The morning came, Harry was in his pjs already semi-awake and alone when Annabeth showed up at the living room, hungry he didn’t bother to wait any longer to go back to his house accompanied by Annabeth. When they got there, there was a note and a table packed with breakfast food.

-Haz and Way, we left for work. In the sofa you can find a bag with new toothbrushes, hygiene things for everybody, and mom got some clothes for Annabeth too. The bathrooms also have full fresh towels. Take care of our guests, will you? I’ll bring pizza for lunch.

R.A.P.

“My mom got you some clothes” Harry mumbled looking at Annabeth, still sleepy “And there’s things for all of you to shower too” he sat down next to her at the table

Annabeth nodded, looking at all the food fully lost on her thoughts. Harry made two plates of pancakes and got some chocolate milk for both of them, he brought the syrup and the chocolate closer to them, pouring some syrup on his own plate.

“Are you ok?” Harry asked after a while “I swear no one poisoned the food, see?” He put a bit of pancake on his mouth

“No-” Annabeth looked at him, and wasn’t able to hold the laugh “It’s not that…” She was now smiling “Normally at camp, we offer a portion of our food to the goods” as she was explaining, Harry was looking at her confused “like at dinner, we have a bonfire and we dropped it there, praying to our parents normally” still confused Harry nodded “They like the smell- not the point, the point is, we didn’t do it last night, and I guess its just a bit weird”

“Well, we have a fireplace, if it helps” Harry pointed to the other side of the room, showing her “I can turn it on for you”

“I just think that if we want Poseidon’s help, we should probably do it” Harry nodded, he still didn’t comprehend it

“But that means you have to pray for your father?” Harry risked asking more about it

“My mother” Annabeth corrected “I’m a daughter of Athena” she explained “We don’t really have a relationship, in most cases, Demigods don’t really like to talk about it”

Harry understood that with that the conversation about her mother was finished. He didn’t blame her, if he was on her shoes, in an unknown place, completely different that what he was used to he would also have trust issues. Especially, he couldn’t really understand what his life would be and look like without his parents. Percy and Grover showed up after like half an hour, Grover explained he could smell the food, and that was enough for both Harry and Annabeth.

Annabeth quickly got the boys attention, ignoring Harry completely, and she started to explain to Percy that they needed to bring back the camp traditions, if they really wanted Poseidon’s help. Harry was quick to turn the fireplace on, Percy got up holding his plate, Annabeth was behind him with hers, Percy dumped half of his pancakes in the fire as he mumbled something to the fire, Annabeth did the same, but nothing happened. Well neither one of them, aside from Harry, actually expected something to happen.

During the next hour everyone took turns showering, Harry was the last to go, making sure he was taking his time to give the trio some time in private to talk, when he got back, Wayne was also there fresh out of the shower, talking with Percy as he was drinking from a mug, that Harry imagined, was filled with coffee.

“So, you all have Gods and Humans as parents, and because of that you are chased by things? Evil things?” Wayne was asking, like he was trying to make sure he was earing correctly “And most of the kids aren’t even claimed by their parents?”

“Well- yeah” Percy affirmed “They have this thing were they only claim kids who prove they are worth it or something”

“And there’s the prophecy too” If looks could kill, Annabeth would have killed both Percy and Grover by now, but she choose to keep her silence.

“That seems fun” Harry joined as he sat down in a couch next to them, Annabeth was hating everything about that, about telling their secrets to two random kids.

“You kinda get used to it, I guess” Percy gave a soft smile, and they both respected that the prophecy wasn’t a conversation to have, not at the moment and maybe not ever.

In the afternoon, they all started walking in the woods, they were trying to find something, anything that would help them get back home. When the trio was a bit behind, Percy explained his dream, Annabeth was thinking about it, and Grover was just confused. They then decided it was better to talk about it later, but the boys both knew that Annabeth wasn’t forgetting it that easily.

For a while they just walked as Harry and Wayne explained how their parents met and basically how they ended up there. No one was weird about Harry having three parents or about Wayne being adopted by two dads, if any of them had any questions they didn’t asked them, which both boys thought it was nice. But maybe, having gods as parents were weird enough for them.

“Maybe we could take you to the beach tomorrow” Harry proposed “but we are going to need a little help from our parents”

Almost all of them were now sitting down around the little lake where Percy and Annabeth came from the day before, besides Percy, he was in his shorts, inside of the lake trying to do something, gods know what.

“You want to tell your parents?” Annabeth asked, as she stopped looking at the blonde boy in the lake to look at Harry

“Unless we can find a better excuse in how you showed up here and have nowhere to go, I’m pretty sure we will have to” Wayne was the one answering, as he was laying down right next to them, his hands were holding his head and he was just looking up, to nowhere

“If someone showed up at camp like we did, Quiron would like some answers too” Grover said “Unless we find a way to leave before that, but even then, we probably own them some explanations before going”

They heard water splashing and when Annabeth looked at Percy again, he was under water. He took a while to come back, but he was completely dry and seemed completely frustrated

“I don’t get it” Percy broke the silence “He brought us here and nothing! There’s nothing here!”

“Percy…” Annabeth tried to say something

“Maybe he was trying to bring you to safety first” They all looked at Wayne that was still looking up, his voice as soft as he could “You know, if you actually have to stay here and find something or whatever, maybe he brought you all to us to find a place to stay or something”

They all got quiet, Percy’s mind was racing so much, his ADHD wasn’t helping at all. He look up at Annabeth, she was already looking at him, asking without words if he was ok. He nodded back, but his mind raced again as he felt someone get near, his eyes quickly looked at the trees

“Dad” Wayne got up and walked to the huge black dog that showed up next to a three

“Sirius” Harry answered the question that stayed in the air “Time for dinner uncle Pads?” the dog nodded in a way

Annabeth’s mouth was slightly opened, she seemed stunned as her hand was getting closer to Sirius’s head, tempted to pet him, but like a she was in a trance or something. She stopped herself shaking slightly her head. And as an answer, Sirius nogged her hand softly, like he was telling her it was fine and that he was friendly

“That’s why I smelled dog” Groover mumbled to himself, his eyes were sparkling, fear or happiness not even, he was sure.