Chapter 3
Blaise and Neville returned to Hogwarts to see the new changes. Professor McGonagall had taken over as Headmistress, Professor Flitwick agreeing to be her deputy headmaster. Professor Snape seemed happier as he was the first Defense teacher to hold the position for two years, he was also happily leaving next year to become a potions researcher. They had a new Transfiguration’s professor, a guy this time. Everyone just about lost it when they found out Sirius Black was their New Transfig teacher. Professor Black thankfully for everyone Including the Headmistress, came along with regular visitations from Remus Lupin. More then a few people from the older years were hoping Professor Lupin would return to the Defense Against the Dark Art’s position next year.
Seventh year turned out to be a massive amount of studying. Blaise and Neville both laughed as Hari and Nico were constantly slipping in and out of the school, they weren’t shy about breaking this rule anymore. Sometimes even taking Blaise or Neville with them. They’d all simply gotten overwhelmed by the sheer amount of work involved.
All the Death Eaters were nearly rounded up near the middle of October, that’s when the trials started with new rules. They’d also noticed the disturbance in the world was getting stronger… something was happening. But no one seemed to be able to tell what it was. Only that even the clueless gods were starting to notice it now or at least trying to narrow down the cause.
Christmas Holidays saw the shift. Blaise and Neville had gone back to camp for holidays, they were starting to feel it too, Reyna had called the full Legion. They’d been there only two days when Jason outright vanished. He’d seemingly just up and vanished between an evening border patrol and his bed.
That moment sent the entire camp into chaos. At first, they were looking in all the shops or in Jupiter’s Temple. When they didn’t find him there, they checked all the temples, still nothing. They started looking for a corpse, but there was no sign of that either. Then they looked for the monster that got in and its trail. They found nothing… absolutely nothing. Jason had simply vanished. They couldn’t even find his take off spot if he’d chosen to fly somewhere.
It was in that moment Blaise knew it had started, whatever it was. Blaise settled into Camp as a full-timer, it startled the others especially when Neville was right there beside him. Blaise took to helping Reyna with her duties, putting the legion at ease, due to his status as a favored Son of Mars.
Hazel who had become a full fledge Member of the Legion in early September also seemed to know something, but she also had a different secret she was trying to hide away. Blaise and Neville were putting their magical training for the most part on hold as they stood with the Legion. Whatever this was, it was going to be big.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hari looked at the newspaper. A Death Eater had escaped trial and was sighted in the states. It was a few days into holidays. So, everyone was a little on edge. Mostly because the desperate and the condemned did stupid and violent things. This one was both.
Nico panicked and was trying to message Jason with the two-way mirrors they shared. Only Jason wasn’t answering. He wasn’t answering for a full day! For a guy who’d answer usually in minutes or called in reply when he had a moment, not answering for a full day … Nico had reason to worry. Especially when Neville and Blaise each confirmed, through the same mirrors, that Jason was missing.
Nico was panicking when the decision was made, even as they moved from Grimmauld place to the Underworld palace. Nico sent Cerberus after Jason, because the gatekeeper to the Underworld wasn’t going to be hurt by some dumb Death Eater. Dante wasn’t quite old enough to differentiate friend from foe without being introduced yet. Max was easily distracted by guarding and doing rounds while Cerberus was gone. Three days. That was how long there was no response from Jason. Nico was only getting whining from Cerberus when he came back empty handed with nothing to show for his searches. Hari stayed curled up with Nico for days, it was concerning as they could tell he was alive, but Nico who had gotten so used to the feel of his soul, couldn’t feel him anywhere.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A school bus with a few dozen kids on board from multiple classes were on a school trip for their good behavior. They were going to the Grand Canyon. All of them were sprawled out taking over a seat each. Some were listening to I-pods or sleeping. Others were leaning over the backs of the seats to talk or across the aisles as they lay on the seats. There were only two adults on the entire bus. The driver of the bus and a five-foot burly Coach by the name of Gleeson Hedge.
In the very back of the bus something shifted. A god’s interference. Not a single one of them recognized the extra that was so artfully slipped into a seat. Juno, the Goddess of Marriage had very strict ideals of what she liked to see around her. Juno purposely ignored the young Son of Hephaestus who would have actually been more to her Champion’s tastes, instead she selected the Daughter of Aphrodite who was a much better choice to be his wife. Regardless of her mother’s origins. Juno played with the two demi-god’s memories, unfortunately having to make this Son of Hephaestus a close friend as he was already friends with this Daughter of Aphrodite. The girl would keep her Champion occupied properly and guide him well. The others got just a broad mist covering so they didn’t think anything of her Champion not belonging.
Everything came into focus for the new transplant. He blinked confused as he looked around him lost, unable to comprehend why something in his jeans pocket was warm. He was looking around confused, ready to reach for it. Only to get distracted.
“Jason, you okay?”
The boy turned unable to remember his own name, but something deep in his brain seemed to understand he should respond to that name… even if the pretty girl with kaleidoscope like eyes was holding his hand, it wasn’t the voice that called to him in his mind. He pulled his hand away from her feeling wrong for holding it in the first place.
At the front of the bus, Coach Hedge stood in the middle of the aisle and shouted “All right, cupcakes, listen up!”
“Stand up, Coach Hedge!” one kid called out. The others giggled as the coach was standing and he was just able to clear the top of the seats with his head.
“I heard that!” The coach scanned the bus for the offender. They would have almost been scared of the buff guy if he wasn’t only up to most of the student’s chests. The coach just about went to thump the kid, only he spotted what the Goddess he’d sensed had dropped off. Trouble. “We’ll arrive in five minutes! Stay with your partner. Don’t lose your worksheet. And if any of you precious little cupcakes causes any trouble on this trip, I will personally send you back to campus the hard way.” Coach Hedge picked up his baseball bat and made the motion of hitting a homerun to prove his point.
In the back of the bus there was some confusion. The kid who seemed sure his name was Jason, looked at the girl next to him. “Can he talk to us that way?” he asked simply not understanding why it bothered him.
She shrugged. “Always does. This is the Wilderness School. ‘Where kids are the animals.’” She said it like it was a joke they’d shared before.
“This is some kind of mistake,” Jason said. “I’m not supposed to be here.”
The boy in front of him turned and laughed. “Yeah, right, Jason. We’ve all been framed! I didn’t run away six times. Piper didn’t steal a BMW.”
The girl blushed making her chocolate brown hair stand out more, even if it looked like it had been attacked by a pair of rabid scissors. “I didn’t steal that car, Leo!”
“Oh, I forgot, Piper. What was your story? You ‘talked’ the dealer into lending it to you?” He raised his eyebrows at Jason like, ‘Can you believe her?’.
Jason was much more interested in Leo. He had curly black hair, a cheerful, babyish face, and a mischievous smile that told you right away this guy should not be trusted around matches or sharp objects. It actually made Jason blush a little as he watched those long, nimble fingers that wouldn’t stop moving. Jason didn’t know why it was so different but so familiar at the same time.
“Anyway,” Leo said, breaking Jason from his thoughts “I hope you’ve got your worksheet, ’cause I used mine for spit wads days ago. Why are you looking at me like that? Somebody draw on my face again?”
“I don’t know you,” Jason said. Not willing to say that he was really interested in knowing him out loud.
Leo gave him a crocodile grin that did something rather embarrassing to Jason’s lower half. “Sure. I’m not your best friend. I’m his evil clone.”
“Leo Valdez!” Coach Hedge yelled from the front much to Jason’s relief as he could feel his face heating up. “Problem back there?”
Leo winked at Jason, maybe he shouldn’t get to know Leo after all if this was going to be the constant reaction as Jason shifted a little uncomfortable. “Watch this.” He turned to the front. “Sorry, Coach! I was having trouble hearing you. Could you use your megaphone, please?”
Coach Hedge grunted like he was pleased to have an excuse. He unclipped the megaphone from his belt and continued giving directions, but his voice came out like Darth Vader’s. The kids cracked up. The coach tried again, but this time the megaphone blared: “The cow says moo!”
The kids howled, and the coach slammed down the megaphone. “Valdez!”
Piper stifled a laugh. “My god, Leo. How did you do that?”
Leo slipped a tiny Phillips head screwdriver from his sleeve. “I’m a special boy.”
Which was exactly when the bus jerked throwing everyone forward. Leo yelped catching the back of the seat he’d been half leaning on, while Jason and Piper’s arms shot forward to keep from mashing their faces into the back of Leo’s seat. Coach Hedge took a tumble down the bus stairs. There was a bit of a panic as everyone righted themselves and Coach Hedge managed to return to the aisle straightening his hat. More then half the bus was picking themselves off the ground having missed bracing themselves.
Piper squeaked as she saw it. She pointed out the window. Jason leaned over her to looked out the window. He strangely felt no fear. Somewhere at the back of his brain told him he should, but he didn’t. “Is that a dog?” Leo asked leaning over the seat in front of him to get a better look. Outside the windows they saw multiple Rottweiler heads looking in the bus, only the heads were about as tall as the bus was. The noses were twitching, sniffing them.
“What’s going on?” Piper asked clinging to Jason, only the dogs growled. Jason actually felt validated when the dogs didn’t like her touching him.
“Everyone, don’t panic. The bus just stalled.” called the driver from the front of the bus.
“What was that ‘thunk’ then?” Came from one of the other kids who wasn’t even concerned now that they’d resettled themselves from the sudden stop.
The bus driver got out. Leo shouted for them to “Wait!” but driver ignored him as they always do. The dogs were still very focused on the three in the back. As they turned to see the other two heads now looking in from the other side of the bus.
The driver came back in. “Looks like the pins on the engine hoist sheered. Our destination isn’t that far off. It’s a five-minute walk. Everyone off so we can get moving or you’re not going to see anything while we wait for a tow and a second bus.”
The class grumbled getting their bags and climbing off the bus. The three heads didn’t pay them any mind as the class it turned out was walking between the dogs to keep going on their field trip. Only two other people were eyeing the dogs. One walked off calmly which did actually distract one of the dogs making them growl.
Piper pushed Jason off the seat attempting to get away from the teeth that were starting to drool down the window. Leo pulled Jason forward before he hit the ground towards the middle of the bus. Only the eyes were following them as they moved up the bus in a clump. Piper was clinging to Jason’s arm at the back as Leo was walking a little too closely to Jason’s front for his comfort, if he stopped suddenly that was going to be awkward for both of them.
The bus was rocked when the dogs moved, which was when they learned it wasn’t three dogs but one three-headed dog. They could see the massive paw print on the top of the bus as it collapsed under the pressure. Now they knew why the bus stopped like that.
“Cerberus?” Piper asked horrified
“Isn’t he the Guy down there’s dog?” Leo squeaked out. Piper nodded “Oh”
The dog was looking at them as they got off the bus. Only Coach Hedge went to attack it with his baseball bat. He could see it after all. The massive dog stepped on the coach as he was shouting insults as one head was growling at him, even drooling on him a little which made the coach stop fighting in pure disgust. All three of them waited for Cerberus to do something. That something was not lay a head on the ground in front of Jason and whine. They could all see it’s tail wagging as if waiting for something, only it barked to get them to do something. They all jumped back. Jason mostly because Leo jumped back into him and Piper dragged him back when she jumped.
They walked around Cerberus both Piper and now Leo clinging to Jason even tighter as the three heads followed them. once they got far enough around the dog, it seemed to follow them. Piper let out a rather pathetic noise. Leo seemed to find it mildly fascinating as he seemed to rapidly get used to this. The clinging to Jason’s arm lessening rapidly much to Jason’s relief and disappointment.
They actually reached a big red stucco complex like a museum, just sitting in the middle of nowhere before someone actually noticed Coach Hedge missing only for him to come running up behind them with an odd gait up to the front of the students. One of the employees of the museum looked behind the trio in the back. “Sorry, no dogs allowed. Unless they’re service animals.”
“Dog?”
They all turned to see what looked like a large Rottweiler with only one head behind them wagging its tail looking very excited. As they watched a service dog vest seemed to appear on it. They all twitched as it also seemed to have a nametag that said ‘Spot’.
“Oh, never mind. Sorry, come on in.”
Jason frowned as he looked at the dog and knew that was Cerberus. It seemed only to be following Jason, not the others even making sure to push between Jason and Piper to walk beside Jason.
“Do you understand what’s going on?” Leo asked
“Not at all” Jason admitted “I don’t know what am I doing here.”
Piper knit her eyebrows. “Jason, are you joking?”
“No! I have no idea—”
“Aw, yeah, he’s joking,” Leo said. “He’s trying to get me back for that shaving cream on the Jell-O thing, aren’t you?” Jason stared at him blankly. Though something similar with a different dessert seemed familiar.
“No, I think he’s serious.” Piper tried to take Jason’s hand again over Cerberus, but he pulled away.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “I don’t—I can’t—”
Piper kept her eyes on Jason, like she couldn’t decide whether to be hurt or worried. “Did you hit your head or something? You really don’t know who we are?”
Jason shrugged helplessly. “It’s worse than that. I don’t know who I am.”
The shock on their faces were pliable, it was enough that Piper really looked hurt as she moved ahead of them but Jason felt nothing truly resembling regret or guilt from it. His hand dropped to rest on Cerberus’s shoulder as if it was comforting and familiar… but not this one… Jason seriously needed to know what was going on.
That’s when the only other student that had reacted to Cerberus threw his arm around Piper. In the kerfuffle Leo got knocked down and Jason pushed aside. Cerberus growled as he was in turn pushed to the side as Jason nearly fell over him but kept his balance by pure muscle memory. Jason felt an instant hatred for this student. Piper was pleading with her eyes for them to save her from her work partner. Jason sort of ignored it as he helped Leo to his feet. Jason almost stumbled as he backed into Cerberus’s rottweiler form. Jason looked startled as the Cerberus was tucked even closer then before. It was odd.
“I hate that guy.” Leo offered Jason his arm, like they should go skipping inside together. “‘I’m Dylan. I’m so cool, I want to date myself, but I can’t figure out how! You want to date me instead? You’re so lucky!’”
“Leo,” Jason said with a smile on his face, “you’re weird.”
“Yeah, you tell me that a lot.” Leo grinned. “But if you don’t remember me, that means I can reuse all my old jokes. Come on!”
“Seriously Leo, can you at least explain what’s happened to me?”
“So, a crash course for the amnesiac,” Leo said, in a helpful tone that made Jason think this was not going to be helpful but it would be cute. In what turned from normal talking into rapid talking, Leo complained about the school, the teachers and the location. “Is it all coming back to you now?”
Jason smiled a little even if none of it meant a thing to him. “No.” Jason glanced apprehensively at the other kids, as if they might suddenly realize he didn’t belong. Leo frowned but it vanished quickly as Cerberus walked beside them like their own private tour guide. Sometimes even nudging them into each other like it was a game. One that had them laughing a little too much.
They walked through the building, stopping here and there for Coach Hedge to lecture them with his megaphone, which alternately made him sound like a Sith Lord or blared out random comments like ‘The pig says oink.’ Leo kept pulling out nuts, bolts, and pipe cleaners from the pockets of his army jacket and putting them together, like he had to keep his hands busy at all times. Jason was too distracted between his thoughts and watching Leo to pay much attention to the exhibits. Impressed that Leo could do all that and still not walk into things, though Jason managed it too.
Jason didn’t remember Piper, nor did he feel any true attachment to her, but the girls tormenting her about being part native were seriously starting to piss him off. He hated people like this. Leo caught his arm before he could act on his impulse to punch them. “Be cool. Piper doesn’t like us fighting her battles. Besides, if those girls found out the truth about her dad, they’d be all bowing down to her and screaming, ‘We’re not worthy!’”
“Why? What about her dad?”
Leo laughed in disbelief. “You’re not kidding? You really don’t remember that Piper’s dad—”
“Look, I wish I did, but I don’t even remember her, much less her dad.”
Leo whistled. “Whatever. We have to talk when we get back to the dorm.”
Jason blushed, as there were other things he wanted to do back at the dorms, that didn’t involve talking. Those thoughts were interrupted as they reached the far end of the exhibit hall, where some big glass doors led out to a terrace. The Grand Canyon spread before them, live and in person. Extending over the edge was a horseshoe-shaped walkway made of glass, so you could see right through it.
“Man,” Leo said. “That’s pretty wicked.”
Jason had to agree. Ignoring the feeling of anxiety about him not belonging, he was awed by the sight in front of him. Jason was perfectly comfortable being above the birds circling in the canyon below. He had no issues looking through the glass under their feet. Leo was a little bit more apprehensive as he fidgeted even worse. The canyon was bigger and wider than you could appreciate from a picture. Five hundred feet down them, a river snaked along the canyon floor, it was easiest to see through the floor. As far as anyone could see in any direction, red and gray ravines cut through the desert like some crazy god had taken a knife to it.
Cerberus barked. He remembered the incident that caused the formation of the Grand Canyon. Ares had taken a sword rather then a knife and dragged it through the rocks all because Athena was a brat in her younger years and said he couldn’t do it; Artemis had egged it on saying that he was also incapable of doing it or making it interesting to look at that wasn’t just squiggly lines or stick figures. Apparently, it was supposed to be a hippocampus, it turned into a really bad seahorse/sea dragon. Ares never lived it down.
Banks of storm clouds had moved overhead while they’d been inside, casting shadows across the cliffs as they seemed to settle on the other side of the canyon. Jason felt a sharp pain between his eyes as he was almost close to something in an almost memory, but also due to some sort of danger approaching. Cerberus actually made him feel safer.
“You alright?” Leo asked. “You’re not going to throw up over the side, are you? ’Cause I should’ve brought my camera.”
Jason grabbed the railing. He was shivering and sweaty, because something was trying to break through the block on his mind. The pain subsided once he stopped trying to remember. “I’m fine,” Jason managed. “Just a headache.”
Thunder rumbled overhead. A cold wind almost knocked him sideways into Cerberus’s side. Cerberus was growling at something else as he was looking through the glass railings. A dark circle of clouds had parked itself near the skywalk seemingly circling the area, but the rest of the sky in every direction was perfectly clear. It wasn’t normal and everyone seemed to understand that, not that they cared one bit about it.
The school group had the place to themselves so it wasn’t that big of a deal when the kids spread out in pairs across the skywalk. Jason and Leo headed to the far end away from most of the crowd. Cerberus was sniffing at something and they’d inadvertently left him behind. They passed a few groups including Piper and Daylen who was flirting really badly with her. Leo didn’t want them too far from Piper just in case, so they kept an eye on her.
Jason finally realized that Cerberus wasn’t with them. He gave a loud whistle. The Rottweiler perked up and came bounding towards them. He actually bowled over a few people, shoved them into the railings and happily knocked Piper and Daylen into the skywalk when he bound over them. Jason crouched down and told Cerberus how much of ‘a good boy he was’ while ruffling his ears and head. Jason felt no fear from Cerberus especially not when Daylen got whacked in the face with his tail. Piper had rolled away to the side giggling at Daylen getting beaten with a tail.
Jason and Leo eventually settled somewhere “Come on,” Leo said. “Dare you to spit over the edge.” Cerberus huffed at them almost like he was raising an eyebrow at them. Leo blinked at the dog, “Okay, maybe not. You saw that right?”
“I saw it.” Jason agreed smiling scratching behind one of Cerberus’s ears. The tail thuds got louder on the glass floor.
They didn’t try very hard on the worksheet as they sat on the sky walk. Jason didn’t have the memories to even begin to do the work. Leo was no help even answering them. He was too busy building a helicopter out of pipe cleaners. Jason was leaning half against the railing and half against Cerberus. The Rottweiler almost seemed like he was taking a nap. Expect he wasn’t as he lifted his head to see what Leo had completed.
“Check it out.” Leo launched the copter. Jason figured it would plummet, but the pipe-cleaner blades actually spun. The little copter made it halfway across the canyon before it lost momentum and spiraled into the void.
“How’d you do that?” Jason asked impressed, he was hit by another wave of mixed-up feeling. He could almost see someone else sitting with them, he thought maybe they would like Leo too.
Leo shrugged. “Would’ve been cooler if I had some rubber bands.”
Jason smiled as he scratched Cerberus’s head. He was comfortable, even as he kept getting distracted by the circling storm cloud that seemed more then it was. Jason not really thinking put his hand into his pocket. He frowned pulling out a gold coin and a little gold compact mirror that as he looked at it had silver lightning crackling across it’s face. He frowned as that had to be a trick of his eyes, as things didn’t work like that but he felt very possessive of this item. Jason knew regardless of carrying this item he was never one to care about his appearance to this extent. He tucked it away in his pocket. The coin was a circle of gold the size of a half-dollar, but thicker and more uneven. Stamped on one side was a picture of a battle-ax. On the other was some guy’s face wreathed in laurels. The inscription said something like ivlivs. That went back into his pocket as well.
Jason looked at the others around them, as Leo seemed to be starting another little project laying on his back with his legs up and crossed at the knee. Most of the other kids were just kids being kids. About fifty feet away, Piper was attempting the worksheet, but Dylan was hitting on her, putting his hand on her shoulder and giving her a blinding white smile. This was the type of guy who would carry a mirror in his pocket for vanity’s sake. Piper kept pushing him away, and when she saw Jason, she gave him a look that said ‘Throttle this guy for me’.
Jason got up from his sitting position. Cerberus followed him. “I’m going to go talk to the coach, can you watch over those two for me?” Jason asked Cerberus then he walked past Piper heading towards Coach Hedge.
Cerberus huffed but slunk off, he unhappily put his head on Leo’s stomach making Leo grunt at the weight. Cerberus was watching Jason and didn’t actually care much for the girl, but this little demi-god under his head was interesting. Cerberus then sat up as he didn’t like the storm spirit getting so close. He might be harassing the female demi-god but Jason was still seemingly protective of them. Cerberus got up and wandered close to the pair he’d flattened earlier. Cerberus caught Leo’s attention then got laughter in response as he bit Daylen’s ass for being an ass. Piper fled laughing towards Leo who was rolling on the ground laughing with glee.
Jason was talking to an agitated Coach Hedge when things started happening. Lightning crackled overhead. The wind picked up with a vengeance. Worksheets flew into the Grand Canyon, and the entire bridge shuddered. Kids screamed, stumbling and grabbing the rails.
Hedge bellowed into his megaphone “Everyone inside! The cow says moo! Off the skywalk!”
“I thought you said this thing was stable!” Jason shouted over the wind.
“Under normal circumstances,” Hedge agreed, “which these aren’t. Come on!”
Jason reaching into his pocket pulling out the gold coin as he ran towards Leo. Leo was almost thrown over the side when the wind caught him. Jason managed to catch him by the back of his coat before he did topple over. Piper was already calmly and clearly funnelling everyone into the museum, something about her voice just made everyone obey her. Once the last student was inside, the doors seemed to lock themselves. Leaving Piper, Daylen, the Coach, Leo, and Jason outside.
Cerberus grew to his proper size, the skywalk seemingly unaffected by his weight. Cerberus caught Leo in midair as a strong wind tried to blast him off again, this time an actual attack from the storm spirit that was the storm cloud.
“Why is The Guardian of the Underworld helping you? None of you are of the Underworld!” Daylen screamed becoming something else
“You’re a ventus,” Jason said, as the word just popped into his head “A storm spirit.”
Dylan’s laugh sounded like a tornado tearing off a roof. “I’m glad I waited, demi-god. Leo and Piper, I’ve known about for weeks. Could’ve killed them at any time. But my mistress said a third was coming—someone special. She’ll reward me greatly for your death!”
Jason fingered the coin in his hand. Almost like he was waiting for something. More storm spirits descended down around Daylen. Dylan raised his hand, arcs of electricity running between his fingers, and blasted Jason in the chest. It threw Jason backwards causing his left shoe to get blasted off. It left him smoking a little. The storm spirits were laughing not realizing exactly what they were facing.
Piper screamed defiantly as Leo reached out in shock then ran to Jason when Cerberus finally put him down. Leo was startled to find Jason getting unsteadily to his feet. Jason’s instincts kicked in a moment later only Jason yelped instead as he was picked up by the back of his jacket. Leo gave a similar yelp as he tried to wiggle to escape from a different head. It wasn’t working. Piper yelled as did Coach Hedge. Cerberus vanished with the two male demi-gods into a wave of darkness. The only thing left of Jason at the Grand Canyon was a half-burnt shoe.
The fight changed as a chariot came speeding towards them. Daylen tried to grab Piper as the sole remaining demi-god, instead ended up with a satyr of a coach. It didn’t work at all. Instead, all Annabeth got when she arrived was a half panicked demi-god who had no idea what was happening and no answers outside of Cerberus kidnapping the other two people she’d been with. Annabeth did not see the half-burnt shoe on the skywalk.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The darkness didn’t last long. Jason and Leo arrived at what seemed to be a really fancy summer camp. They got a good view of the weird Greek infrastructure as they hung by their jackets two stories above the grass. There was a little bit of whining as they were lowered to the ground in front of a goth punk boy. The goth punk boy was reaching up to give Cerberus nose rubs, making sure he got each head equally.
A set of twins stood nearby as did many others. All of the gathered people looking at the Cerberus and the two male Demi-gods in confusion as they shifted their jackets after being released. Leo looking for teeth marks to find none. “So, Angel, which one’s the boyfriend? The Elf or the Pretty Boy?”
“Has to be the pretty boy, can’t see the Angel dating an Elf.”
“I’m not an elf, I’m much too hot for that.” Leo grinned
“You’re right, he’s an imp” The girl that walked up to them stated then looked up at Jason comfortably “you gave us quiet the scare Jason.”
“Who are you?” Jason asked frowning
The goth boy they called Angel looked startled and hurt “You don’t remember me?” came this confused concern, it was a little heartbreaking. Jason’s throat closed up as he felt like he should know more then his did about this boy especially with the seeming deep familiarity he felt just looking at him.
“No, I’m Sorry I don’t know you. I don’t even know who I am”
The girl put a hand on Angel’s shoulder “You don’t remember? What is your last memory?” She asked Jason
“Nothing. I remember nothing. I woke up on the bus with no memories. Is my name really Jason?”
The pair were frowning… The girl reached up to Jason’s level where he bent down slighting so she could reach his head, he didn’t understand the trust he felt with her. She touched his temple and frowned deeper. She looked at Angel. “It’s not his fault… this is a god’s work. I can feel a trace of one of them.” Angel sighed relieved. Though he still looked really depressed.
“Gods aren’t real” Leo stated bluntly
She looked at him, green eyes seeing through him. “Gods are real. You being here proves you have a godly parent. Same as Jason” she stated “Same as all of us.”
“Should we tell the others?” The punk boy asked
“Not yet. Let’s get a handle on this situation first.” The girl said as the Cerberus lowered his head, the girl chuckled, giving a head rub to each of the heads before tossing something to each head. They turned out to be red rubber balls. The giant three-headed dog vanished into the shadows again leaving everyone confused as Cerberus was chewing and drooling over the rubber balls.
“We should take them up to the big house” a blond beach boy said near them. “Chiron is going to want to know about them, and how you know them, Hari.”
Suddenly there was a collective gasp. Angel and the girl looked a little startled but other then a slightest twitch they didn’t react. The rest of the campers backed away their faces bathed in a red light from the blazing holographic image of a fiery hammer over Leo’s head.
“What’d I do?” Leo backed away from them then he glanced up and yelped. “Is my hair on fire?” He ducked, but the symbol followed him, bobbing and weaving so it looked like he was trying to write something in flames with his head.
“Oh, stop it” the girl grabbed his arm. “Relax it will go out in a moment.” Hari then turned to one of the gathered people. “Someone, grab a Hephaestus kid. We got a new one for them to bunk up with.”
“That’s the symbol of Vulcan, isn’t it?” Jason said. There was a strange look going around. Hari and Angel just raised eyebrows at him.
“Vulcan?” Leo demanded. “I don’t even LIKE Star Trek. What are you talking about?”
“Vulcan is the Roman name for Hephaestus,” The girl smacked herself in the face, “the god of blacksmiths and fire.”
The fiery hammer faded, but Leo kept swatting the air like he was afraid it was following him. “The god of what? Who?”
“Will… Could you handle this one? Get him introduced to Cabin Nine. I think you have to go look in on Jake anyway.”
“Sure, Hari.”
“What’s Cabin Nine?” Leo asked. “And I’m not a Vulcan!”
“Come on, Mr. Spock, I’ll explain everything.” Will put a hand on Leo’s shoulder and steered him off toward the cabins.
“I got this one.” Hari said gesturing for Jason to follow. Angel followed sullen.
“You don’t have to be a part of this” This ‘Hari?’ girl said to Angel.
“No… it’s…” The boy slumped
“You could go hunt that Death Eater. We do still need to locate that escapee.” she suggested
The dark look that crossed the boy’s face was startling and sort of terrifying. “Sounds like fun” he vanished in the same smoke as the giant dog. Jason felt himself blush even after the other boy had left. As terrifying as it had been, Jason couldn’t help but find him cute at the same time.
Hari and Jason walked up to the big house on the hill top. Jason was frowning looking around confused. Jason was taking in the camp, seeing the strawberry fields and the training fields… the Fawns running around helping. Jason was seriously confused. “Why do you let the fawns do that?”
“Satyr” the girl replied “Guardians for half-bloods like us. Though they aren’t particularly fond of me and my brother. But that’s what happens when you’re a Child of the Underworld.”
“No, I mean…”
Hari looked at him “Satyr are not monsters, but beings that help protect the camp, they’re grouped in with the nymphs and Dryads. Come on.”
They paused as a palomino Centaur came up to them. “Jason, it is good to see you again.” The centaur said “Grandfather is in the house.”
“Thank you, Firenze” Hari said
Jason nodded frowning “Why do I know a centaur?”
Hari looked at him “He taught you at school. You really don’t remember anything. Is nothing triggering memories?”
“No” Jason said with a frustrated sigh.
They reached the house and Jason was ready to bolt. Hari put a hand on his arm, a simple gesture that he felt meant more then he could imagine, it kept him where he was. “Relax, you’re safe.”
“I am not supposed to be here, I feel like I’m on enemy ground.” Jason was trembling.
“By all rights, you are.” Hari stated “But unfortunately, we don’t have a lot of options right now. You’d be slaughtered if we let you leave.” Jason swallowed suddenly nervous but he watched Hari’s hand retract as if that much touch was uncomfortable for her. It was a touch colder then the air but that was strangely calming.
They entered the house and walked into a side room filled with grape vines and a leopard head that was chewing on something, actually chewing not stuffed that way. They were greeted by a kindly older man in a wheelchair who was playing cards with a man wearing leopard print. “Coming to visit?” Hari asked
“Yes, missed you little Bastards.” The man in leopard print answered not looking up from his cards
The man in the wheel chair looked at Jason and froze. “You …” his eyes flared. “You should be dead.”
Hari raised an eyebrow and looked at him. “I’ll go get Lemonade.” She muttered vanishing from the room, leaving Jason on his own.
“And More sausages for Seymour!” the guy in the leopard print called “You hear me, Haylie!”
“Hari!” She yelled back at him through the house as it was simply a habit.
Jason got introductions, weirded out that a god was in the room playing cards with the Chiron, trainer of heroes. Mostly he was shocked that the leopard head on the wall was ‘alive’ and a minor explanation of that but not to ask more as he really didn’t want to know. Hari showed back up to Seymour the stuffed leopard head sniffing for the sausages. She put the cups down for everyone. Chiron and Dionysus looked at her frowning, then they relaxed as she hopped up to sit on one of the tables, her lemonade in hand. A sausage got tossed to Seymour by the god in the room.
“Where’s Annabeth?” Chiron asked her
“No idea, Spot brought two. Jason was the intended one. The imp came along for the ride. Fire oriented. Normal fire, mind you.” Hari shrugged then leaned forward slightly to rest her elbows on her thighs. “Will’s already introducing him to Cabin nine.”
Chiron frowned as there was something, he knew but they didn’t, he shared the look with Dionysus “Good… this one?” he asked
“This one’s special.”
Chiron looked at Jason “So, Jason,” he said, “would you mind telling me—ah—where you’re from?”
“I wish I knew.” Jason told him the whole story, from waking up on the bus to having Cerberus following him around as a service dog before they were attacked only to be picked up and carried off... He didn’t see any point in hiding the details, and Chiron was a good listener. He didn’t react to the story, other than to nod encouragingly for more. There was some amused snorting about Cerberus’s antics however, mostly from Hari. Dionysus was sniggering as he was tossing sausages to his leopard and sipping his lemonade.
When Jason was done, the old man sipped his lemonade. “I see,” Chiron said. “And you must have questions for me.”
“Only one,” Jason admitted. “What did you mean when you said that I should be dead?”
Chiron studied him with concern. He even looked at Hari who had been listening amused and with similar concerns. Hari smiled “Take off your jacket.” she said
Jason didn’t hesitate and he blinked at the tattoo on the inside of his right forearm. It was darkly etched, impossible to miss: a dozen straight lines like a bar code, and over that an eagle with the letters SPQR. Hari wasn’t surprised.
Chiron took in a sharp breath. Dionysus leaned forward frowning; it wasn’t a good look on him. “They look burned into your skin,” Chiron stated.
“They were,” Jason said. Then he winced as if his head was aching. “I mean … I think so. I don’t remember.”
“They are” Hari confirmed. “I’ve seen it before.”
Jason blinked at her “You know this?” Hari nodded
Chiron started going back and forth with Jason on questions and a lot of confused answers. Seemingly to confirm something Jason didn’t know or understand. Seymour the leopard snarled. Dionysus looked a little confused as if it hurt to think and if he was listening to a badly tuned radio. Chiron waited, and Jason realized what had just happened. The centaur had switched to another language and Jason had understood, automatically answering in the same tongue.
“Quis erat—” Jason faltered, then made a conscious effort to speak English. “What was that?”
“You know Latin,” Chiron observed. “Most demigods recognize a few phrases, of course. It’s in their blood, but not as much as Ancient Greek. None can speak Latin fluently without practice. Well, most can’t.” He purposely looked at Hari who smiled at him.
“I learned it in school. First year in pretty much entirely learning the language. To the point it becomes a second language even if we don’t realize it.”
“You are aware of the young man’s skills?” Chiron asked. Dionysus was all ears… as he wanted the gossip no one would tell him about the Underworld kids.
Hari nodded “We went to school together in the UK… fought together in a small skirmish or two” she shrugged, there was obviously more to it then that “he also happens to also be friends with my boyfriend and god-brother. Also dating Nico when he has his memories.”
Jason didn’t understand “God-brother?” Jason asked looking towards the door where it led to the cabins.
“Not my little brother, though Neville would technically be an older brother if it went like that. You know god-parents the ones you’re supposed to go to if your parents die in an accident, usually close family friends? Neville is the son of my god-parents, his mom and my adoptive mom were best friends in school.” Hari explained
The door burst open. Piper came in with this pissed off Blonde. Which drew this huge man in a duster to the room. Dionysus glared at him turning his lemonade into a deep blood red wine in his anger. Hari glared and the blonde exploded all over them, screaming at Hari as the green-eyed girl was just staring back calmly. “So, Percy’s gone?”
“Yes, and you picked up two of the Demi-gods we were going to pick up but left the other one behind who can’t even fight! We don’t even know what our special package was!?” The girl screamed that turned to sobs as she kept yelling something about a missing shoe and about her boyfriend having gone missing.
Piper tried to grab Jason’s arm looking for comfort only when he backed off from her a wall of fire erupted between them, just for a second but that was enough. “Hands off” Hari growled annoyed. Piper looked stunned then collapsed in a chair gibbering about a storm about what happened including Coach Hedge getting kidnapped.
“So, what’s happened?” the big man asked. He seemed like an asshole already.
“Apparently, Jason here was supposed to be picked up by Annabeth. Cerberus picked him up instead, my brother and I were looking for him for days. The imp ended up coming along too. Seems like it was a good thing if both girls are having meltdowns” Hari explained
“How do you know that?” Dionysus asked having not managed to get anything from the crying girl gibberish.
Hari pointed down to Jason’s lack of a shoe. “Only one shoe, that was the hint that just got screamed at me after all. Not to mention his memory had been wiped and held blank by a god. We’re getting screwed with.” Hari stated then looked at Chiron. “Also, since when has Percy been missing?”
“He’s been missing for three days.” Chiron stated “He simply vanished. His mother hasn’t seen him either. Annabeth has been sick with worry. We don’t know his status, and without you or your brother…”
Hari looked at Piper having her mental breakdown. They watched the shadows creep around her, but not take her from the room. She shook her head “He’s alive, but he’s blocked even to me. This has something to do with the gods. I can go home and check a few things but… this might have to be brought to the Council… does his father know?”
“We wanted to cover our bases first before we brought in the Gods, to keep from causing a war.” Chiron explained “Right?” He looked at Dionysus.
“I know, I’m just getting an update, that’s all. I’ll mention something about looking into which gods are playing tricks, maybe then we can be looking from both sides.”
“Oh, fun” came the sarcastic sigh from the big guy. He then walked out ignoring them all.
Annabeth finally got herself together. She took the freaked-out Piper to go walk around and to inform her how the camp worked, also to get her a weapon. She needed to do something with herself or she’d go insane.
Hari finished her lemonade. “Chiron. I’m going to get some gear for him, and spare clothes.”
“Should he be in cabin 2?” Chiron asked
“No, he’ll stay in Cabin 1. Father knows about him. I also don’t think it will be safe for him in Hestia’s cabin” Hari replied looking at them
“Alright”
“I’ll pick you up later and give you the proper tour if Nico isn’t back by then.” Hari wandered out
“Children of Hades are almost as chaotic as Children of Poseidon.” Chiron stated amused. Jason had an odd feeling he was aware of that fact. Weirdly he was also itching to follow her to find out what chaos she was causing. Out of a need to stop it, limit it, or help. He had a feeling it might have been a combination of all three.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hari walked out of the Big house, she could see a pair of depressed girls wandering around the camp as the Apollo kids were trying to repair a fairly beaten on chariot that was still dripping wet and looked like it had been lit on fire. She could also sense that Rachel has arrived at camp.
Hari located Annabeth just outside the armoury. “Hey Annabeth, sorry about that mess.”
Annabeth looked calmer “It’s fine.” She then turned to the other girl. “This is Hari, head counselor for the Hades cabin. She sleeps in the big black cabin at the top of the horseshoe. Until you’re claimed you’re in the one that looks sort of like… Home.” She smiled wistfully but it described cabin two perfectly.
“I’m Piper.” The other girl said then looked at Hari, seeing that she really stuck out “You’re a Daughter of Hades… that’s why Cerberus…”
“Yeah, Max is too easily distracted, and Dante is still a puppy.”
“There’s more then one?”
“Oh yeah.” Hari stated “There’s few actually. Though my brother and I have ones that can become as powerful as our dad’s, not all of them can.”
“That’s… actually neat.” Piper smiled then looked disappointed “I can say I’m not a Daughter of Hades.”
The two older girls chuckled. “Yeah, we’ll figure it out. Hestia’s cabin is comfortable. It’s better then the Hermes cabin was.”
“Was?”
“All unclaimed or kids who’s parent didn’t have a cabin were stuck in it. To say there was no room was an understatement.” Annabeth explained. “Then Hestia got a cabin and claimed the kids that weren’t Hermes’ out of his cabin.”
“So, Rachel just arrived.” Hari stated as they were looking a little confused on where to go.
Annabeth sighed in relief “Good. I need to talk to her.”
“Hey, why is everyone seemingly panicking?” Hari asked as they walked together, Hari gesturing in the direction Rachel had stopped in.
“Hera.”
Hari raised an eyebrow. “Hera? How? She’s dead, has been over a year.”
“That’s why we’re… with Percy...”
Hari put a hand on her shoulder “We’ll find him. He’s alive. Maybe finding out how Hera came back could lead us directly to him. Let’s go see Rachel first though. She might have more insight.”
“Right”
Hari smiled then they arrived not at the cave but a single shrine Annabeth had created with the statues of The Fallen Zeus and Hera, a last respect, mostly because they hadn’t been allowed to destroy them in a last hurrah but they’d needed to move the cabins to built the new Cabins 1 and 2, so they put them to the side of the Camp using the old cabins to build the shrine.
“Hey Rachel?” Hari called as they saw her standing in front of the honorary but ignored shrine to Hera. At least once a week someone put something on the shrines. No one liked Hera, with the sole exception of Argus.
Rachel and her fly away ginger hair crashed into Annabeth. They ended up talking, Piper being introduced to Rachel, and explaining the oracle thing. Hari frowned as they all looked at her when Hera contacting them came up again. It was so strange.
“Is it really so surprising?” Piper asked
Hari sighed rubbing her forehead “Yes and No. Hera quite literally died, her essence scattered into oblivion. So, she shouldn’t be able to be back to terrorize us… Unless…”
“Unless what?” Annabeth asked desperate for any explanation.
“Oh” Rachel seemed to pick it up.
Hari nodded “There are other god pantheons… she might have managed to be absorbed into one part of one of them. It’s possible she’s separated and has been cultivating that fragment to an assembalance of something that can contact us…”
“This is Hera, the least helpful goddess, and she contacts me, her least favorite demigod.” Annabeth complained
“That says more about what section of her got saved.” Hari muttered
“She tells me I’ll find out what happened to Percy if I go to the Grand Canyon skywalk and look for a guy with one shoe. Instead, I find Piper because someone already grabbed the guy with one shoe, who isn’t Percy and has no memories. It doesn’t make sense. Maybe the gods can get a better idea.” Annabeth sighed
“Who was it?” Rachel asked
“Jason, Nico’s boyfriend. You’ll meet him later.”
“Nico has a boyfriend? Cute!” Rachel said then she seemed to stiffen. They all jolted as Rachel went through something rather horrible as she latched onto Piper, there was green smoke and nothing would separate them as Rachel spoke with a voice not hers or the oracle. They both blacked out it seemed.
“I hate Hera.” Annabeth and Hari both muttered. Rachel came to quickly; then they saw what state Piper was in. “Big House”
Hari didn’t even hesitate to summon a Skeleton to help them carry Piper, they ran to Chiron. This was beyond Hari’s skill and experience…. Well healing experience. What Piper might have suffered… that was normally her.
They arrived at the Big House to see a freaked-out Jason and Chiron looking at them startled. Dionysus had seemingly vanished, probably to report to Hades. The skeleton put Piper on the couch for Chiron to look at as Annabeth ran down the hall for the med kit. Hari stood watching as the skeleton vanished. She was concerned. Rachel explained about everything she knew, Jason explained everything he knew about what just happened about how Seymour had spoken to them in the same voice. They were bantering back and forth between them.
Chiron having finished treating Piper looked at Hari who was frowning, lost in thought. “Hari?” There was no response as she seemed to be very deep in thought. “Aidonea”
Hari’s head whipped up “Huh?”
“What are you thinking?”
“Juno” Hari answered… seemingly in a different language from the look of confusion on the others’ faces. “It’s Juno… with whatever is left of Hera. But... she said ‘Free me, or their king will rise from the earth, and I will be destroyed. You will never retrieve your memory.’ We know Juno has done something, possible she’s also the one that took Percy. We need to know why… but who is this King that will rise for the earth? Kronos is gone…”
“I’m concerned by the timing and how she’s been gathering power for a month.” Chiron stated
“Who knows how long this has been happening. No one’s been looking for Hera. She’s been dead a year…” Hari paused as she had a thought. “That’s what it was…”
“Hari?” Chiron was trying to keep her attention. She drifted easily when she was like this.
“During summer… I got this weird feeling. I think that’s when Hera’s fragment was caught, or maybe strong enough to start becoming something akin to a threat.”
“Hari, I think we need to talk. Annabeth, can you take Jason? Tell him about the Greek and Roman gods.” Chiron stated changing back to English. Annabeth looked confused but did as she was asked. Jason looked back once as Hari followed Chiron through the house.
They reached Chiron’s office where Hari explained everything she knew. Her and Chiron compared notes. Including the fact that they both knew and the oath didn’t affect her. She understood the need for it however so she never said anything about it.
Hari left only to find a ticked off Annabeth and a depressed Jason outside. “So, Cabin 2?” Annabeth asked
“Cabin One.” Hari answered taking over as Jason’s escort. They were heading to the Obsidian building that was the Hades cabin, also the new Cabin one. She smiled sadly at him “Yeah, Come on Jason. Your father doesn’t have a cabin here. So, you’re going to crash with us.” Hari walked Jason over to their cabin and she got him settled. Hari ditched her stuff by her bed, having been carrying her bag around all day. “Nico’s is the one across from me, but the other two beds are free. Pick whichever one you want.”
“It’s a little dark” Jason commented
Hari smiled and laughed “That’s because it’s based on the Underworld domain”
“Oh” Jason looked around sitting down on the bed beside Nico’s. “So, how do you know me? Who is my father?”
Hari sat down on the empty bed across from him “We’ll need to work on your memories slowly, a goddess is interfering with it. But the things you call people or monsters is going to be different. Annabeth is going to ride your ass about that. Don’t take it personal she’s like that when she’s stressed.”
“I noticed; we went to the Hypnos cabin where we learned my memories aren’t suppressed but stolen.”
“Hera always was a bitch.”
“So, you know who am I?”
“I know exactly who and what you are. Chiron and I agreed it might actually be safer for you without your memories here. Which was probably her plan… but why? Never mind, we’ll figure that out later. Anyway, until you have the Camp’s trust Chiron and I agreed not to tell you anything outside of the basics.”
“What can you tell me?” Jason asked desperate.
“The eagle is your father’s symbol. Jupiter. However, his counterpart in the Greek pantheon is gone. Zeus has fallen. You are going to find everything confusing. You know the roman or Latin names for everything where as people here will use the Greek names. But you Must remember to use the Greek terms.”
“Why doesn’t my father have a cabin then?”
“There was no point in keeping it when the new King and Queen took the thrones. Zeus doesn’t need a cabin anymore because by all rights his only child is the lieutenant of Artemis, she’s under allegiance to Artemis so she can’t use it anyway. Happens to be dating a close friend of mine too. You never met Luna. She was doing hunter stuff.”
Jason frowned “Alright. How do you know all this?”
“We spent a year in school together. Which was when you started dating my little brother. My boyfriend is the Son of Mars, him and my god-brother who is a Legacy of Ceres brought you to the school for the year.”
Jason recognized the names from the look on his face but he wasn’t getting anything from them. She smiled sadly. “Can you tell me more?” Jason asked. Hari shook her head. It was too dangerous.
Jason explained about the headaches if he tried to remember too much, they were both a little depressed due to how much his memory was missing. “So, do you know what the scar is from?” He touched his lip
“Nope.” Hari stated “Everyone had ideas, but no one knows. You had it when everyone I know met you.” Hari jumped up off the bed. “Come on Sparky, we can hit the training grounds before dinner.”
“Sparky?” Jason asked confused
“You’re a sky child. Lighting and all that. Sparky”
Jason nodded pulling on armour she’d gotten for him including some clothes. They all fit, which was a little concerning. He pulled on the heavier coat Hari threw at him. Nico had just arrived back at camp in the training field where Hari and Jason were sparring. They’d both needed to blow off steam and Jason needed to try practicing with his sword. Even if it seemed his muscle memory was intact.
They heard a call “Capture the Flag! Cabins!” Hari and Nico waited as Jason looked at them confused. “Will Solace!”
The Hades siblings grinned “Come ON!” They yelled grabbing Jason and shadow travelling to the cabins.
“Grab the Healer!” Hari yelled grinning. Jason not really understanding grabbed the blond that was really cute and tossed him rather nicely onto his shoulder. The smaller blond squeaked in surprise as Jason’s sword was in the other hand not keeping the blond in place.
“Run to the Cabin!” Nico yelled grinning
“We’ll cover you!” Hari called back; they were both quickly summoning the dead to help them. Jason didn’t really understand but ran for the cabin.
Jason saw the other campers converging on him. Clarisse shot lighting from her spear aiming to hit Jason in the chest only to did nothing as Jason pointed his sword at her. The sword absorbed the lightning, then shot it back at her through the sword.
The Stoll brothers screamed “Full Counter!”
Jason was startled but kept running, he didn’t know he could do that. Jason tried to launch out of the way of the blast only he found he was looking down at everyone with nothing under him. He felt the wind around him. He moved and landed on the Hades cabin as everyone was staring. He put Will down. The lecture that came from the healer was enough for everyone to laugh at him. Nico and Hari cheered as they ran over to them looking up as they were on the peak of the roof.
“You two alright?” Nico called up amused
“I think so” Jason called back which then started the lecture from the roof at the Hades siblings.
“Can you guys get down?” Hari asked curious but amused.
“I think so” Jason didn’t sound so confident.
Will glared then jumped and rolled from the roof leaving Jason up there ranting about annoying games without warning and having patients. The entire camp snickered as Hercules now knew Not to call Will’s name again.
Jason used the wind to float down off the roof. “Did you know I could do that?” Jason asked them.
The siblings nodded “We’ve seen you do it a bunch of times.” Nico stated.
“Saved my ass once with it. With your memories you had better control.” Hari stated
That was when the conch blew for dinner. They all filed into the pavilion. The Hephaestus cabin appeared having missed Capture the Flag. Jason felt strange sitting with the Hades siblings as they chatted. Leo smiled at them, Hari giggled when Nico and Jason both blushed. They got mad at her blushing even more.
The siblings gave Jason the drill on how dinner worked and about it being best for Jason to make his offering to Hades or Hestia because he might get in trouble trying to send something to his dad here. Hestia was usually the safest. Dinner was rowdy but nothing unusual.