Solis

Chapter XXXVI

Ron was grinning while he scrolled through the photos on his phone, which they had taken before leaving the express station. Hermione was 

telling him about getting the right angles for phone photos, while Harry sat in the corner, adjusting his hair in an attempt to look good on camera. However, Harry was already quite good-looking—with his unruly hair that wouldn't cooperate with a comb, his green eyes, and his slightly awkward smile. Ron couldn't help but think that as his stomach was churning again for some unknown reason.

Ron set his phone down beside him and retrieved his journal. He popped in his headphones connected to the mini music player and started fiddling with it, trying to switch to a different song.

Suddenly, he had the feeling of being called, hearing his Aunt's voice. Ron paused for a moment, then removed his headphones and got up as the door to his room swung open. It was George and Fred, the twins, and they were waggling their eyebrows mischievously.

"Ready, cousin?" George asked.

"Mum's calling you downstairs," Fred chimed in.

"So, can we give that phone-head thing a shot?"

"And that player-music."

Ron narrowed his eyes on them. "No way, the last time you borrowed my things, you nearly exploded them with your experiments!"

"Aww!"

Then Ginny suddenly popped out just behind the twins, holding Phoebe, who wriggled free and leaped into Ron's arms. "Hi, Phoebe. Good to see you too," Ron greeted her, then turned to the twins. "Is Harry already here?"

"Yup, Ginny was as graceful as ever when she saw Harry," Fred chuckled.

"She said he looked like a prince charming coming to get her—"

"Or a husband—"

 Ginny blushed. "I didn't say that, Mum! The twins!"

"YOU THREE, GET DOWN HERE THIS INSTANT!" Molly shouted from below. "AND BRING RON!"

They all hurried down the stairs to the kitchen, but Ron paused in front of a mirror in the corridor to check his reflection. He was dressed in his favorite track jacket (although he liked all of his yellow jackets), and underneath it, he wore a white long-sleeved shirt.

When Ron reached the downstairs kitchen, he nearly slipped in surprise at the sight of Harry, who was accompanied by Professor Lupin. Last year, Lupin had been their Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, but due to words about him being a werewolf, he had to leave. Harry was dressed in casual muggle attire, wearing a shirt, a dark blue hoodie jacket, and jogger pants. As expected, not much had changed about Harry in the four weeks since they had last seen each other, except for his slightly longer hair at the back of his neck, and his height which had grown a few inches.

Molly was bustling about, preparing tea for the two of them. It was clear that the Weasleys had been informed about what really happened. Molly and Arthur were shocked to hear the news about Sirius, having a hearing in the court and not being sent back to Azkaban. Ron had done his best to explain what had happened, but he had received quite the scolding from his Aunt for his sudden involvement with Sirius Black.

So Remus Lupin had to discuss it with them via a Floo call, which nearly caused his aunt to faint upon hearing the news.

"Ron, take Harry upstairs," Molly said.

"What about the pig? I haven't heard about the pig," Ron asked 

"Pettigrew, not Pig, dear," Molly sighed.

"It's alright, Mrs. Weasley," Remus reassured. "Pettigrew has been caged and is already scheduled for a court appearance this afternoon. I assume, Ron, you've received the time and date for the trial?"

Ron retrieved a piece of parchment from his trouser pocket and showed it to them.

"Sirius mentioned he's planning to be there, but the polices, err—Aurors will be accompanying him just in case," Harry explained.

Mrs. Weasley shook her head with disappointment. "They still don't trust him, do they?"

"The Ministry remains cautious about him, and that's understandable," Remus acknowledged. "Thank you for the tea, Mrs. Weasley, but we've come here to discuss something else, concerning Harry...if that's alright? There's a chance we might win the case, which I hope, but Sirius wishes to take custody of Harry."

"I believe that would be wonderful. I've heard quite a bit about the Dursleys from my children—quite nasty, they say, the poor boy had to live with them," she remarked. "Well, I hope Sirius takes good care of Harry if he wins the case."

"He will," Harry affirmed. "He will win."

Molly offered Harry a reassuring smile. "Of course, he will, dear."

"Would it be alright for Harry to stay here for a while? I have a brief appointment at the Ministry, err, I need to check on Sirius," Remus requested.

"Certainly," Molly replied with a smile as she poured another cup of tea for Remus Lupin, who hadn't noticed he had already finished the previous one. "My husband will be returning home shortly, and he can take the kids there."

"That would be much appreciated," Remus acknowledged sipping in the tea. "Thank you, Mrs. Weasley."

"Just call me Molly, young man." she insisted and looked at Ron and Harry. "Now, the two of you run along. I've got a lot of cooking to do."

"Can we help with anything?" Ron asked.

"Oh, hush. Go and keep Harry company," Molly insisted.

Ron eagerly pulled Harry upstairs, where they were greeted by George, Fred, and Ginny who had been eavesdropping.

"So, it's really true?" Fred inquired. "You actually turned a murderer into a pig."

"That's a splendid idea for our experiments," George added. "What do you say, Fred?"

"Turning someone into a pig...indeed, George. That's a marvelous idea."

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Honestly, they won't even give us a break. Every night, we can hear loud explosions coming from their room."

"Loud explosions?" Harry asked.

"They're working on a joke shop! What was it called again, Gin? Weasley Wizz Wheez or something." Ron chimed in.

"Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes," Ginny corrected with a laugh. "I'm heading back to my room. Harry, I hope Sirius Black wins." She blushes a little.

"Thanks," Harry replied.

"Right." Ginny said before hurrying towards her room.

"Where's Percy?" Harry questioned as they climb the stairs to Ron's room.

"Percy? Oh, he's not here at the moment. His department called him for a meeting, and he'll be back later in the evening." Ron replied enthusiastically, as they reached the redhead's room. 

"Welcome back to my domain," He said.

The room had certainly have some changes, but the wall designs remained. It was messier now, with Phoebe peacefully asleep in Ron's yellow bed. Harry found the room quite bright, but the overall atmosphere was still warm and welcoming. There were dozens books, mostly Greek and few muggle books ones, messily arranged on a shelf in one corner, and a board on the wall covered in notes and schedules.

"What's this?" Harry asked, pointing at the schedules.

"Oh, that's my schedule for cleaning my room and houseworks," Ron explained. "We have an hour, what do you want to do?"

Harry shrugged, "I was just thinking about Sirius...kind of feeling a bit nervous."

"I get that," Ron empathized. "I hope I can stay there until the end of the hearing. I'm only needed to help transform Pettigrew back to his original form." As he patted the bed, signaling for Harry to sit beside him.

"Hey, it's alright," Ron reassured as his bestfriend sat besides him. "You and Remus can handle it."

"Yeah," Harry replied with a smile. "I'm just happy about finally getting away from the Dursleys."

"Yup! No more Dudley!" Ron exclaimed with a grin as he collapsed onto the bed. Phoebe woke up, lifted herself off the bed, and nuzzled Harry's leg instead.

"I've read about Kneazles," Ron continued, "they say they can smell trustworthy people."

"Really?" Harry asked.

"Yeah, just look at her, already warming up to you," Ron pointed out with a chuckle. "Though, I've had some trouble with her, like waking up to find her with a cockroach from the yard in my bed," Ron explained, crunching his face. "She's just a baby! I had to ask Hermione for some tips on raising kittens."

"She's adorable," Harry commented as he lifted the cat.

"Of course, she is," Ron agreed. "Just look at her, all content because she got her favorite biscuits and milk today."

"I think I know someone like that," Harry grinned at the redhead.

Ron raised an eyebrow, curious. "Who?"

"Uh-huh,"

The redhead's face turned a little pink when he realized who Harry was talking about and threw a pillow at him. "Shut up, Harry." Ron huffed.

The two of them just decided to spent their time loudly playing chess, Ron had won three times in a row, and each time, Harry let out a groan of frustration so Ron impatiently teaching Harry the basic techniques. Finally, they were called downstairs, and Ron's heart started pounding.

It was time.

Arthur stood in the fireplace, having a conversation with Molly, both of them appearing quite nervous.

"Harry," Molly addressed him as she noticed them. "Are you ready?"

"Yes," Harry replied.

"If you're not ready, we could just let Remus handle it—" Arthur started to suggest.

"No!" Harry exclaimed, surprising them. "Sorry. I mean, I'm fine, I can do it."

Molly gave him a gentle smile. "Well then."

🔆

Ron's restlessness grew as he waited inside the courtroom for the trial. They were seated in one of the rows of benches that circled the room, near the center where a chair had been placed. Every few seconds, more wizards and witches filed into the room. Some carried files and briefcases, while others had stacks of papers on the benches' tables, which Ron paid little attention to, focusing instead on the mounting tension in the room.

Ron found himself easily distracted, particularly by the owls flying in the ceiling. They walked toward the lift along with the crowd, feeling the weight of curious eyes on them, especially Harry, who nervously fidgeted, trying to flatten his hair to hide the scar on his forehead. Meanwhile, Ron adjusted the sleeve of his jacket and tapped his foot repeatedly on the lift's floor.

Ron had never been inside the Ministry of Magic, and he couldn't help but be amazed by the sheer number of wizards and witches bustling about, many of them rushing so frantically that a few even stumbled into the fireplaces on the right. Ron wondered why Zeus would want to wipe all of them, they all looked innocent and stress.

As everyone filed into the courtroom, the atmosphere became tense. The door opened again, and a man entered along with four Aurors, they were holding a small cage with the pig inside. The room erupted in murmurs, snorts and the sound of parchments being shuffled filled the air, as Sirius Black, held by two of the Aurors, stood in the center of attention in the courtroom. 

"Quiet," the man commanded, his voice ringing out in the now silent room, causing most of them to hush. The other man beside him whispered something into his ear.

"Ah," the man began, "Sirius Black, is it? A Death Eater, the murderer of twelve Muggles, and the Potters twelve years ago. Was putting you in Azkaban not enough to make you give up, eh?"

"I will not give up," Sirius hissed defiantly as he was pushed into a chair. "Once that pig is turned back to its original form, I will secure my own freedom."

"You're fortunate to have been granted a trial," the man clicked his tongue disapprovingly. "Shall we begin?"

The Auror holding the small cage opened it, and the pig squealed loudly as it darted out of the cage. Ron nervously fiddled with his fingers, but Harry nudged him to pay attention. The courtroom fell silent, and the only sounds were the pig's snorts and grunts.

Then, a witch stood up, holding a file case, and addressed the courtroom."As you can see, we have requested the headquarters to transport the pig to be examined by the Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes with reversal squads. We were informed that the cause of Peter Pettigrew's transformation into a pig was one of Zonko's products, and it is reversible, yes. Nevertheless, a thorough examination was conducted, but the pig refused to revert to its original form. So, there is a possibility that it was simply a regular pig that the boy had captured and accused of being Peter Pettigrew."

The courtroom filled with murmurs of agreement, one of them grumbled, "See? It must have been nothing more than the boy's imagination that Peter Pettigrew had been transformed into a pig."

Ron began to rise from his seat, but Remus grabbed his jacket and gently pulled him back down. "Wait until you're called," he whispered. Eventually, Ron's turn came, and he was called forward to approach the pig.

Ron stood in the center of the courtroom, feeling the weight of everyone's eyes on him. Sirius watched him with hope in his eyes, and Ron couldn't help but notice that the man looked a bit tired, as if he hadn't had enough rest and food in the past four weeks due to anxiety. Then again, Sirius had been given a trial for, and this was the moment the man had been anticipating, to tell everyone what really happened.

Azkaban had been a harrowing experience for Sirius, imprisoned for a crime he didn't commit. The profound injustice of it all stirred anger in Ron's heart, and he couldn't help but think that Hecate, the goddess of magic, should be disgusted by the actions of these people.

And Harry needed Sirius, and so did Remus. They all trusted him, so with a shaky hand, the redhead took out his wand and uttered the word, "Turn back."

🔆

Ron had never heard such a loud celebration made by Molly Weasley herself as he woke up to the delicious smell and lively chatter below. It turned out that Molly had prepared a wide array of dishes in the kitchen as a surprise for Sirius, Harry and Remus. They hadn't received any letters from them for two days, but one morning, Otus, his magical owl, dropped a Daily Prophet newspaper onto Ron's bed while he was busy writing in his journal.

The redhead anxiously picked up the newspaper and read the headline: SIRIUS BLACK, NOT REALLY THE MURDERER?

No wonder he tumbled down the stairs, tripping in his excitement until he reached the bottom and eagerly showed them the newspaper. Even though he already knew they had won when he had helped turn Pettigrew back into his human form, witnessing the moment in the court was something else. Pettigrew had even tried to escape in his rat form, but two Aurors was guarding the door. The sound of Sirius's cry of relief—that finally he was free, echoed through the court as Ron was escorted outside to wait with Molly and Arthur.

Ron hurriedly descended down to the stairs, his face lighting up when he spotted Harry in the living room after two days of waiting.

"Hi, Ron," Harry greeted weakly.

Ron looked at Harry with concern. "Harry, what—what happened?"

"I'm not allowed to live with Sirius, I—" But before Harry could finish, Ron swiftly dragged Harry upstairs before Remus appeared in their fireplace, followed by Sirius.

"WHAT!?" Ron shouted in disbelief.

Harry lay back on Ron's bed, the back of his hand on his eyes as he sighed. "Fudge refused to let me live with Sirius, for some reason he wouldn't explain. Sirius was furious, he almost drew his wand to confront Fudge, but Remus managed to stop him and calm him down. Sirius kept muttering about Dumbledore, cursing him under his breath."

"Why would Professor Dumbledore—?" Ron asked.

"Well," Harry said bitterly. "He's got something to do with it."

"Oh, Harry," Ron said sadly as he sat beside him. "I'm sorry. I really am. I thought—well..."

"It's okay," Harry said.

"Are you stupid? It's not okay!" Ron cried out. "For goodness' sake, why does it always seem so unfair when it comes to you."

"I wonder why too,"

The redhead sighed heavily and lay down beside him. They both stared at the ceiling, and Ron shifted his head to look at Harry. "What are you going to do, then?"

"I don't know," Harry replied.

"Is there something we can do?"

"I don't know."

Ron bumped his knee against Harry's and rolled his eyes. "When are you going to go back? The Quidditch World Cup is next week."

"I'm going back to the Dursleys," Harry said grudgingly. 

"Hey, you'll be fine, okay? And look, Sirius is free now. Does he have any plans?"

"Besides having me in his custody? Well, he and Remus wanted to catch up together, and I was supposed to be there with them. But you know what happened."

"Harry—"

"Sirius wanted to see you, you know," Harry interrupted, avoiding Ron's gaze. "We should go downstairs." Just as Harry spoke, a voice called from outside their room, calling them downstairs.

As they went downstairs, they were greeted by Sirius's excited voice, "Margy's boy!" He greeted. "Look at him, Moony. He's grown so much and alive! The last time I saw him, he was still in Margy's stomach, always kicking and moving." Sirius said, causing Ron to blush with embarrassment.

"I was shocked when I saw the news two years ago," Sirius chuckled. "At first, I didn't want to believe it. But then again, who knows what the future holds," he added.

"Have you met... my mum's, I mean, is he—"

"Your father—that nasty Muggle—"

"Sirius," Remus sighed.

"What? The boy needs to know!" Sirius declared

"What is it?" Ron pressed.

"Margy died because she fought in the war bravely. It's not the Muggle's fault," Remus began. "Margy told the Muggle that she was a witch, but when she mentioned the war, the Muggle—your father—ran and never showed up. It must have been a massive shock or he thinks she's mad or something."

"I should have caught that man—because of him, Margaretta is in despair. She's carrying a baby, in the middle of a war, Moony. In a bloody war, while fighting." Sirius exclaimed in frustration and regret.

Ron's gaze fell to the plate in front of him, his head filled with thoughts. He regretted asking. He shouldn't have asked.

"Ron, your mother wouldn't want you to know what happened to her. But remember, she'll always loves you," Remus said gently.

"I-I know, thank you," Ron replied.

Remus continued to smile at him and sharply glanced at Sirius. "Eat up, Sirius."

"Will do, will do. Molly's cooking hasn't changed, still delicious as always." Sirius said nervously, shoving a meat in his mouth.

Aunt Molly then appeared and chuckled at the comment as she placed a large bowl of mashed potatoes on the table. The kitchen buzzed with noise as everyone dug into the delicious dishes Molly had prepared. Sirius and Harry engaged in conversation, as usual the twins was trying their new product experiments and showing it to Remus. 

Molly had to scold the twins once again, and Arthur appeared in the fireplace shortly after, his face lighting up with excitement when he saw Sirius as he happily shook hands with him.

Finally the celebration came to an end, and they began discussing Sirius's plans while resting outside. "I have a place, Grimmauld Place, but it's best to keep it among us. Remus and I will stay there for a while, and Harry—" Sirius turned to look at Harry, "You're always welcome to visit; it's suppose to be our place, renovating it and all."

"Yeah, if only Fudge—"

"We'll do our best to get you out of the Dursleys," Sirius said resolutely. "I promise, Harry."

Harry let out a heavy sigh. "Promise to write me?"

"Always," Sirius assured him with a warm smile, ruffling Harry's unruly hair.

"So..." Ron interjected, glancing at them, "Are you guys going to the Quidditch World Cup too?"

Sirius chuckled, "Of course, we are! It's been a while since I last watched Quidditch, when was it again..." 

Ron and Harry exchanged concerned glances. Sirius had been in Azkaban for twelve years, which meant it had likely been a very long time since he had watched Quidditch, possibly since his Hogwarts days. The three of them chatted for a while outside until Remus appeared, clearing his throat.

"Floo's ready," Remus announced with a smile.

Ron looked at Harry and said, "I'll see you next week...?"

"Yeah," Harry replied with a nod. "About your father—"

"I don't want to talk about him," Ron replied firmly.

"Right," Harry said, understanding the sensitivity of the topic. "Well, if, err, you want someone to talk to..." He left the offer open, ready to lend an ear whenever Ron might need it.

Ron returned to his room and closed the door, overwhelmed by complicated emotions regarding his father. He had been trying to ignore these feelings, but they had started to weigh on him. Additionally, he hadn't thought about the prophecy for a while. As he was about to pick up some clothes from the floor to start cleaning and clear his mind, a face suddenly appeared right next to him, causing Ron to jump in surprise.

"Sorry!" Lou exclaimed.

"Lou! What on Hades—?" Ron exclaimed, still startled by the sudden appearance.

Lou chuckled nervously. "Are you coming back here for the rest of the summer?"

"I'm going to the Quidditch World Cup next week. I thought you guys were coming?"

"Yeah, well... we all are," Lou said. "Nelson was a Quidditch nerd, he's been talking about it for two weeks. I know he's a nerd, but cut us some slack. I'm not that kind of wizard like him."

"Maybe I'll come after the, uh, cup...?"

"Quidditch World Cup always lasts more than five days, dude," Lou replied, "But unfortunately, we can't go."

"What? Why?" Ron asked.

"Ron, haven't you heard anything from my Mom, Hecate? Have you not received anything from her?"

The redhead glanced around and walked towards the door to check if someone was listening outside. He closed it and looked at Hecate. "No, tell me."

"When the Prophecy was revealed, not only did Hecate who stops contacting her children, but the others minor gods as well. Nike, Hypnos, Iris, Tyche...no one. They just stopped. I don't even know how Iris's messaging still works, but I've heard it's been glitching these last few weeks."

"But that's impossible...—" Ron began.

"Unless something bad happened to them," Lou said. "I've had a bad feeling about it ever since. You should come back here to the camp. We need to talk about the Prophecy—go—quest—did—nothing—heard—Chiron—"

"Lou! Hello, Lou?" Ron called out as the mist glitched, his anxiety growing. He continued to call Lou's name.

After a few seconds, the mist suddenly stopped glitching."—so we were thinking not to come to the cup until we know what's happening to them. We need your help."

Ron looked at him with wide eyes.

"Ron?" Lou called out.

"It glitched," 

🔆

Ron had to explain his decision to Molly and Arthur, and there was a great deal of disappointment among the Weasleys when Ron told them that he wouldn't be joining them in the Quidditch World Cup. He had received an urgent message from New York and had to leave immediately, he doesn't know when he'd be able to return (so he didn't mention that) and he had already written Harry and Hermione about the situation.

Aunt Molly kept questioning him, asking if he was really sure about his decision. There was a hint of worry and upset in her voice, and Ron did his best to reassure her, well—more likely reassuring himself.

Ron found himself in a taxi on his way to the camp early in the morning, having had little sleep during the overnight flight, like anyone else on the plane. As he glanced out of the window, he couldn't see the lights of New York City due to the thick, dark clouds. He let out a yelp when he saw lightning, which earned him a funny look from the person sitting next to him who was reading a newspaper.

It was nearly lunchtime when he finally reached the camp. Ron was in such a hurry that he collapsed inside the Apollo cabin, dropping his bag. This surprised his siblings more than it did him. His three new siblings peered down at Ron as he began gruntling on the floor.

"Is he alive?" Yang asked.

"Oh no!" Gracie exclaimed.

"Indeed," Jerry agreed.

Kayla and Austin then burst inside the door, excitedly exclaiming, "We heard Ron came back!" They looked around and jumped in surprise when they spotted Ron just below them.

"Holy juicy harpy mints!" Austin exclaimed, holding his saxaphone, "Ron?"

The redhead stared up at them and let out a tired exhale. "I'm dying. I'm hungry."

Then the sound of a conch being blown rang out, signaling lunchtime, and Kayla chuckled. "You're right on time."

They didn't question Ron's unexpected appearance any further, though they did worry when he continued to shovel meatballs into his mouth. Will advised him to slow down, reminding him that no one was going to take his food. Ron couldn't help it; he was feeling restless, that familiar sensation of needing to do something.

"Are you guys going home after the summer?" one of their siblings asked as everyone nodded.

"I think almost all of us are going home after the summer," Will replied.

"I miss my mom!" Yang said, fiddling with his food.

"Eat your food, Yang," Will scolded.

"I hate meatballs!" 

After lunch, Ron joined Lou and her siblings, and he couldn't help but notice the concern etched in their expression. Lou, in particular, seemed like she hadn't slept in two days. She wore a weary expression, and her usual upbeat personality had dimmed a bit.

"I'm really glad you came," she said. "You've missed what happened these last few days."

"W-what? What happened?" Ron asked.

"Apparently, when we tried to turn our drinks into our favorites, it kept turning into mud. This went on for two weeks," Tamara explained, standing just behind Lou. "That's why we have six water dispensers prepared now, in case something like that happens again. The Hermes campers are on duty to fill them every two days."

"Magic," Lou sighed. "It's weakening."

Ron looked at them with concern. "If it's weakening, what about the magical border...?"

"They're fine. The fleece has its ancient Greek magic in itself, just like the Athena Parthenos. What we need to worry about are the magical mortals and the other magic that Hecate controls, like the mist," Lou explained.

"I think we should talk to Chiron about this... do you think...?" It was the first time Ron saw Tamara looking nervous. Her eyes darted at the sky, trembling slightly. "The weather outside isn't nice today."

"Let's hope it's not something to do with Hecate and the others," Lou said. "I'll call the others. Wait for us in the Big House."

So there they were, gathered in the Rec room together, waiting for the others from Hypnos, Nemesis, and Nike to arrive while Lou was engaged in conversation with a pretty girl, named Freya, from Hebe. Jeffrey, from Iris, was playing a hand coin game with another guy, named Marcos, from Tyche. But instead of letting Marcos see where the coin passes, Jeffrey had the coin teleport to his closed palm, challenging Marcos to guess its location.

Suddenly, the door swung open, and two girls entered, accompanied by Chiron and Tyler.

"Hi," one of the girls greeted. "So, are we all going to die?"

Freya looked at her, her beauty making Ron wonder if he should be in Aphrodite instead. "Don't say that. I still have my dreams to be a rockstar."

The girl, Jaymie, shrugged and took a seat beside Freya, putting her feet on the pingpong table. A nervous satyr hurriedly placed some nachos and cans of coke on the table. "Jaymie, from Nemesis, girl," she introduced herself, winking at Freya.

"Take your foot off the table, Jaymie," the other girl, Mira, from Nike, grumbled. "That's disrespectful!"

"Now, now," Chiron said as three settled on the chairs. Jeffrey and Jaymie had already taken the cans of coke and began opening them, while Freya retrieved some nacho cheese from the table. Tyler struggled to stay awake but eventually dozed off, his head resting on the table. Ron sat beside Lou, fidgeting nervously. There they were, wizards and witches, the offspring of godly parents who had accidentally had a child with magical mortals.

"Now, if I could have your attention, please," Chiron said, raising his voice slightly to get their attention. Meanwhile, Marcos was munching on nachos and playfully flicked a piece at Jaymie's hair.

"Hey, I saw that!" Jaymie exclaimed, retaliating by throwing a piece of nacho back at Marcos.

"Marcos, please stop throwing nachos in Jaymie's hair. Jeffrey, do not drink all the cans of coke. Mira, take out the nachos from your pockets, please, yes, thank you," Chiron sighed at them, trying to restore order, as everyone settled properly in their chairs.

"The magic is weakening, Chiron," Lou began.

"I am aware, Hecate has been... in a rather serious situation."

Everyone in the room glanced at Chiron, concern in their eyes. "How serious?" Ron asked.

"Like—that serious or that serious?" Marcos asked.

"Is there even a difference in what you say?" Freya quipped while eating her nachos.

"I could say both," Chiron replied. "Hecate hasn't been contacting you, Lou?"

Lou shook her head, her expression troubled. "Nope. And I've already tried some ways I used before to contact her, but she's not answering. I have a bad feeling, especially when the Prophecy..." She looked at Ron.

"Hey, I didn't hear this Prophecy stuff," Jaymie commented. 

"Me neither," Mira added. "But if it's about dying, I'm out."

Ron reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a small parchment. "Uh, I tried to write it down so I wouldn't forget it," he said. "Children of—"

"Is that us?" Marcos asked.

"Chosen." Ron added.

"Oh."

The redhead gazed at his parchment, feeling the weight of all the eyes on him. "Shall go seek the justice that has been forgotten—"

"That's what Hecate told you, right? Justice," Lou interjected.

Ron nodded, his expression pensive. "I remember something from when I was a kid. I think— I think demigods like us used to help the gods, but then something happened. They were supposed to—to return something, they looked happy, but then..." His face fell.

Feeling the tension in the room, Chiron spoke up. "We need to hear the rest of the Prophecy before we decide what to do," he said, his expression serious. 

Ron fumbled with the parchment, his hands trembling slightly as he prepared to continue with the rest of the Prophecy. "In the tapestry of fate, he'll find his chance. So beware of the child of slumber's trance,"

"That sounds like someone we should really be aware of," Jeffrey remarked. "Anything else in the Prophecy?"

"Err, with the Olympians' decision, a choice that must be made,"

"Told you we're gonna die," Jaymie said. 

"A sacrifice for the heroes, in his hands, displayed."

"So, someone needs to be sacrificed, and it will only happen if this someone approves of it?" Lou asked, her expression troubled. "That is not good...Chiron, do you happen to know what happened to Hecate?"

"I'm afraid I only know a little about it, and it seems like Zeus hasn't been in the best mood these past few weeks, as you can see from the weather outside today," Chiron explained, causing a collective shiver in the room. "The Summer Solstice has just ended, but I know someone we could ask for information about what's going on at Olympus."

"Mr. D?" Ron asked.

"Indeed, but he has, well, a rather short temper when it comes to this kind of talk," Chiron cautioned.

"Gee," Lou said with a hint of sarcasm. "He hates us..."

"Should he be in danger too? I mean, if Hecate...?" Ron voiced his concern. Mr. D was aware of their existence, and if Zeus found out, he could be in danger.

"Zeus has been suspicious of the other gods as well, but he's more focused on the minor gods. I think we should call him," Chiron suggested. "He's just outside on the deck, drinking his diet coke. I believe he just returned from somewhere. Freya, Jeffrey, could you go get him?" Chiron requested.

Jeffrey grumbled, "If I turn into a grape—"

"No one is going to turn into a grape," Chiron reassured them.

It took almost half an hour to get Mr. D inside. The god of wine settled into a chair, wearing his usual Hawaiian t-shirt and emanating the scent of grapes in the room. He grumbled, "You again?" as he looked at Ron and Lou.

"Don't be surprised, all of us here are magical mortals," Ron explained. Mr. D stared at them in a mixture of horror and disgust.

"I thought you all died," Mr. D said, shaking his head in disbelief.

"Then something really happened up there," Mira said. "Can you tell us what happened?"

"Amathés! You should celebrate what happened. My father has learned about your little hiding, Hecate had given up on all of you. Poor, poor witch. She's been imprisoned with the minor gods," Mr. D remarked. 

"What do you mean?" Lou asked with growing concern. "What do you mean, imprisoned?"

Mr. D raised his diet coke to them dismissively. "Oh, psh. Don't worry, young lady. Zeus is just doing his job."

"You must understand that these people received a Prophecy," Chiron said firmly. "If Hecate has been imprisoned, then it's highly likely that the mist and her magic will be affected."

Mr. D grumbled, "What do I even get in return then, eh? I've been hiding this from Father—"

Chiron interrupted, "Mr. D, if you help us, we shall ensure that you continue to have a quiet place to enjoy your diet coke in peace."

"What do those religious people say nowadays—hallelujah!" Mr. D exclaimed. "Please just do it now."

"Not until you tell us what happened," Chiron insisted.

"Please, Mr. D," Ron pleaded.

"We don't want to die," Mira cried. "It's going to be the end of me."

Mr. D sighed irritably. "Fine. Fine," he relented. "I don't know how it happened, but I suspect Hecate told Zeus about all of you. He got angry and imprisoned her along with the minor gods to throw them in Tartarus—"

"Where did Zeus even imprison them? Can he even do that?" Marcos questioned.

"I don't know, boy. Do you?"

"Mr. D."

"Right, right. Here we go again," Mr. D rolled his eyes. "Father was being foolish. He doesn't know what the consequences will be once he imprisoned Hecate, so perhaps this prophecy, whatever it is, will save her life and all, so blah, blah—that's all I know."

"Thank you, Mr. D," Chiron said.

"Wait, that's not enough!" Ron interjected. "Where did Zeus imprison them?"

"I don't know," Mr. D replied. "Can I go now?"

"Oh no," Lou said anxiously, biting her nails. "This is bad. I've never been in this situation. If Hecate is giving up on us, then you're all going to die, maybe including us too."

"You're going to die," Mr. D agreed with a somewhat cheerful tone. "The gods don't trust all of Hecate's children."

"There must be a way," Chiron declared. "A quest must be given."

"I'm out," Mr. D said dismissively and vanished with a wave of his hand.

"Yes, we need a quest," Freya suggested. "Find Hecate, free them, and we're done!"

"It will not be that easy," Jeffrey cautioned. "If Zeus imprisoned the minor gods, then the major gods favored it. Am I right, Chiron?"

"I'm afraid you are right. Such a decision would not occur without favor from the major gods, and I believe—" Chiron said, "Most of the gods that favor wins,"

"So, a quest then," Jaymie suggested. "Who's going to take the quest?"

Then all of them turned their gaze toward Ron, who was trying to hide in the corner.

"Well, then," Chiron declared. "Ron will undertake the quest."

"What—wait, I-I can't, Mr. Chiron—" Ron stammered anxiously. "I don't even know what to do, I—I don't know, it should be Lou?"

"What, me? I've never heard from Hecate since then, and you're the last one she contacted. You told me she chose you."

"Well, maybe she's wrong—"

"Ron," Lou interrupted firmly, "—my mom wouldn't lie like that; she trusts you."

Ron gripped the hem of his jacket, his face reddening. He had never been on a quest before, and doubts and fears swirled in his mind. What if he failed? What if it was too late? He didn't even know where to start. But If he didn't undertake this quest, not only would they be at risk, but the Weasleys and his friends would be in danger too.

The thought of Zeus discovering that Apollo had a child with a witch worried Ron. If Zeus found out, there was a possibility he might dethrone Apollo, and that would be a devastating outcome. Apollo had gone through a lot when he was turned to a mortal.

However, Chiron's words about the decision not happening without favor left Ron wondering: did Apollo favor this decision, or was he against it?

Ron looked at them, "Fine," he said firmly. "But I'm going alone."

"I respect your decision, Ron. But that will be difficult. You need to take at least two companions with you on your quest," Chiron explained.

"Why would I take companions when I don't even know where to start?" Ron sighed.

"Your companions will not only help you find it, but you also have your fellow campers to assist you here when necessary," Chiron said. "You must choose two companions and no more than that. You are the leader, and the Prophecy has been given to you."

Everyone looked at Ron with hope in their eyes, and he closed his eyes for a moment before standing up.

"I don't think I'll be having them. When should I begin?" he asked.

"You should have got some clues before the Winter Solstice, as that is when the gods hold their annual meeting," Chiron explained. "Remember, you need to find clues about the whereabouts of the minor gods. Think about where Zeus might have imprisoned them."

"It could be somewhere well-hidden or difficult to locate," Marcos pointed out.

"Or in a place that's hard to reach," Jaymie suggested.

Mira nodded thoughtfully. "There might be someone powerful enough to feel her presence, like a relative or something."

"I think I know who," Lou said, leaning forward. "Alabaster Torrington,"

"Who?" Ron asked.

"My brother," Lou began, "he's the strongest demigod of Hecate. He led the demigods in a fight against Olympus before and served Kro—sorry, but he's not allowed in the camp. Unlike me, he can contact Mom and feel her presence almost everyday. Mom told me about it."

"So, where does this Alabaster live?" Ron asked.

"It's in a small town in New York called Keeseville," Lou replied. "Have you heard about Dr. Claymore?"

With a few ideas exchanged and some complains about missing the Quidditch World Cup, the meeting came to an end. 

Ron headed back to his cabin to prepare for his quest tomorrow. Word about it had already spread throughout the camp, and some of his siblings were curious to know more. However, Will shushed them away and gave Ron a gentle look.

"Have you found two companions yet?" Will asked.

"I'm going alone," Ron replied. "I think it's best to keep you all out of it."

Will crossed his arms and frowned at Ron. "I'm not letting you go alone like this. You should have Lou or...Nico?" He hesitated at the end.

"I'm not taking your boyfriend, dummy," Ron grumbled as he checked the flashlight's battery and threw it into his travel backpack. "Besides, I have a few more months before the Winter Solstice, so I have more time to gather clues, or maybe, if I'm lucky, I can free the minor gods from their prisons."

Will exchanged a worried glance with their other siblings. "You can't do this alone, Ron. It's too dangerous." 

"I have to. It's my quest, and I don't want to risk anyone else," Ron said firmly. 

The redhead woke up early in the morning, inspecting his weapons and ensuring his quiver was filled with arrows. He then donned his track jacket, unzipping it to reveal a dark blue tee-shirt with a prominent YOLO (You Only Live Once) logo. After lacing up his sneakers, he arranged his quiver and backpack on his back, making sure they fit comfortably.

Ron then saw his siblings still sleeping, before he slipped outside the cabin, feeling a little anxious, he strode over the hill where Chiron and Lou was waiting.

Lou waved at him and offered an upbeat smile. "Are you sure you're ready?" she asked.

"I am. Do you think that if I find... well, only if I find some clues, you guys might be able to attend the Quidditch World Cup?"

"Maybe. I can't jeopardize my own siblings; Hecate has lost many of her children, and I don't want to upset her," she explained. "But I was considering having them work from the outside, not to chill but to reinforce the barrier between the gods and the wizarding community, the Quidditch World Cup has a hundred thousand wizards and witches from all over the country, and if Zeus were to discover the place one bolt from his lightning would mean the end for all of them," 

Ron gulped, "Well...that's bad..."

Lou chuckled slightly, saying, "We won't let that happen, of course, right, Chiron?" as they both turned to the centaur.

Chiron smiled and nodded. "Indeed. We wish you luck, Ron," he said, handing Ron a pouch filled with golden drachmas and mortal money worth a hundred dollars, just in case.

"Please come back safely," Lou said.

Chiron continued, "Argus is waiting for you below. He'll transport you to New York, and from there, it's up to you to find Alabaster Torrington."

Ron nodded at them, adjusting the straps of his backpack. However, as he was about to take a few steps toward the van, he heard shouts from the hill. He spun around and looked up to see Kayla and Austin. They were carrying bags, Kayla has a quiver on her while Austin has his sax on him and Ron's eyes widened.

"WE'RE COMING!" Kayla shouted.

"WHAT, KAYLA, NO—" Ron began.

His two siblings had already descended the hill, panting slightly. "I forgot to pack yesterday. We were supposed to pack, and I thought we were running late—"

"I am going alone—"

"But when we woke up and realized you weren't in your bed, we hurriedly packed our things. I hope I didn't forget anything—let me check my saxophone," Austin said anxiously, quickly checking his belongings.

"Guys—"

"Where are we headed?" Kayla asked with excitement. "I'd love to wander around New York before I head back to Toronto with Dad."

"We're not here to wander—" 

"If we're going to be in New York, maybe we can find my mom—"

"Guys," Ron started, growing irritated by their chatter.

"Will told us you have a quest, and you're going alone, so we're coming—"

"We're not letting you go alone—"

Ron sighed heavily and stomped his foot. "Fine!" he conceded, "But it's not my fault if you two get hurt—and I definitely don't want that!"

He gruntled before stomping toward the van, and huffing, while his two siblings trailed behind him with excitement.

🔆

Argus brought the van to a stop near the Atlantic Center Mall just in front of the Barclays Center. As the three of them clambered out of the van, but Austin's saxophone accidentally hooked onto the van's door, causing a collision that sent Ron, Kayla, and Austin tumbling to the ground. They let out yelps of surprise, and Argus's hundreds of eyes observed the spectacle with amusement.

Kayla helped them to their feet, as they said thanks to Argus, who nodded in response before closing the van's door and driving away, leaving them to continue on their own.

"I know this place," Austin exclaimed, his eyes fixed on the centerpiece, admiring the eagle emblem and the prominent BARCLAYS CENTER sign against the sleek metal glass background. 

"What's that place?" Ron questioned.

"It's where a lot of basketball games are held, like a huge open arena, but it can also host concerts by popular artists nowadays," Austin explained as they walked around, examining the front of the building.

"Do you think we can go inside?"

"I don't see any special events today," Kayla remarked. "But I think you'd need to buy tickets first to get inside."

"And I think we should cross the road and catch a bus to Central Park," Ron suggested, trying not to get sidetracked. "And we'll need a map of New York, I'm not familiar with some of the places here."

"Leave the map to Kayla," Austin chimed in. "She's been around New York with her Dad plenty of times."

"I've only been around this area," Kayla mentioned. "I've never been to...what was it called again?"

"Keeseville. It's a small town outside Manhattan," Ron clarified.

"Sounds far," 

"Come on," Ron said as they crossed the road to the terminal, doing their best not to draw attention to themselves. The three of them walked along the side road adjacent to the shops in the Terminal Mall, eventually catching a bus. After about half an hour, they made it out of Downtown Brooklyn, heading towards the bridge to the Lower East Side as the bus dropped them off at the nearest stop.

"If we take a taxi, they'll drop us off in Chelsea," Kayla suggested.

"We shouldn't get too close to the Empire State Building," Ron cautioned, his eyes scanning the sky nervously. "If we take a taxi to Chelsea, we can walk to Midtown West and then to Central Park."

"That sounds like a good plan," Austin agreed. "We should hurry."

It took them nearly three hours to reach Central Park, by taking a taxi and a quick walk. They were growing increasingly uneasy because it was unusual for them not to be attacked by monsters. They must be waiting for the right opportunity to attack or deliberately trying to go unnoticed before striking.

Kayla and Ron kept their bows ready as they made their way toward the park, taking a shortcut alongside the pond.

"My dad brought me here once for my birthday. We went skating at Wollman Rink," Kayla began. "I wish I could visit this place with him again. I haven't seen him since last summer."

"Is that why everyone's going back home after this summer?" Ron asked, tilting his head toward her.

"Yeah," she confirmed. "Well, we've been through a lot these past few months."

They continued walking until they reached Wollman Rink, where people were skating, mostly teenagers with few kids. Families gathered along the edge, watching them. A group of people passing by the area paused to observe, some taking pictures, while a few sat on the sidewalk to take a break. It was a scene of typical park activity in the city.

They leaned on the metal fences for a moment, watching the skaters below, their faces visible from above. Then suddenly an old woman then joined the group of teenagers in the corner, who appeared somewhat uneasy at her presence. Ron almost thought the teenagers were being rude when Austin spoke up.

"Is it just me, or that woman isn't wearing anything on her feet?"

"What are you talking about?" Kayla asked, following his gaze down to the rink.

"Don't joke around, Austin," Ron chided, feeling a little bit nervous.

"Hey, I'm telling the truth, look!" Austin exclaimed, pointing at the old woman.

The said old woman had sparse white hair, as if she were experiencing balding, she was wearing a front-snap dress, wandering around the rink without skates or shoes, intentionally bumping into some of the teenagers.

"She seems a bit out of her mind..." Ron commented. "You know what, we should get out of here."

"Y-yeah, you're right," Austin agreed.

"Guys," Kayla started, her gaze fixed on the woman.

"Kayla, come on, let's go," Ron urged, grabbing her arm.

"She's looking at us," Kayla said. The two of them turned to the old woman and Kayla was right. In the middle of the rink, the old woman stood, staring directly at them, her hands behind her back as if she had been watching them while they talked. No one else seemed to have noticed her presence there, as kids and teenagers continued to skate by, oblivious. 

The three of them began backing away cautiously. "W-we should take a bus to Harlem right away," Ron said. As they sprinted toward the path leading out of Wollman Rink, they reached a bridge over the lake. The view was stunning, it could have been a perfect spot for couples or friends on a date if not for their current situation. 

"I think we're in the clear," Austin said, stopping and glancing nervously back at their path. He took out his saxophone and began to tune it, preparing for a monster attack so he could use the instrument to smack them instead.

They continued walking along a path that led deeper into the woods of the park.

"There's a shortcut if we cross another bridge. It will take us just outside the Museum of Natural History, and there's a bus stop there," Kayla explained, glancing at her watch. "It's almost eleven, and I think there should be a bus. We need to make it there."

They hurriedly followed Kayla, taking various paths without clear direction, and eventually, they reached a path that led to stone stairs with a railing. From there, they had a view of the buildings on the other side of the lake.

"We're getting close to the bridge," Kayla whispered.

However, their progress was abruptly halted when Ron stopped both of them. At the end of a wooden bridge, the old woman stood between two posts, staring straight at them. She had her hands behind her back.

"How—?" Austin started.

Ron and Kayla positioned themselves in front of Austin, bows and arrows at the ready.

"Hello, darlings," the old woman greeted them with a smile. "How was your visit to the park?" A few people passing by on the bridge glanced at the three of them with confusion, likely wondering why they had stopped at the entrance of the bridge.

"We need to get to the other end," Kayla whispered urgently.

"Not until we deal with this old woman," Ron replied.

The old woman advanced toward them, her speech more like a hiss as she said, "Please do rate the park, if you may," and she snarled at a boy who happened to pass beside her, as if the boy had stolen something from under her nose. The little boy froze and began crying loudly, while his mother hurriedly dragged him away to the other end of the bridge.

"We do enjoy frightening children," the old woman remarked. "And we've noticed the park has lots of them."

"What should we do?" Austin asked.

Ron scanned their surroundings. "Should we jump into the lake?"

"Go back the way we came?"

"Are there any shortcuts?" He groaned.

The old woman asked, drawing closer to them. "They're repulsive, always whining, craving attention, and they grow up, complaining about everything, and everything, until they get what they want—" Her pale brown eyes began to change, darkening as they widened. Her ears grew longer, resembling those of an elf, and the sockets of her eyes seemed ready to pop out as she bent over. Her skin became thinner and paler, turning almost black. Her white hair darkened and lengthened, becoming a long black mane. Instead of one tongue, she now had four.

"And I'm getting hungry," the transformed creature said, four long tongues darting toward them.

"Austin, Kayla!" Ron shouted, and his two siblings nodded in understanding. Ron and Kayla moved to opposite sides of the monster as Austin blew his saxophone, emitting a piercing sound that caused the monster to shriek loudly. Whatever Austin was doing, it was clearly affecting the creature.

Kayla and Ron continued to attack the monster, firing arrows into its side and neck. They stepped back cautiously, but the creature didn't disintegrate into dust as expected. Instead, it let out another shriek, causing the bridge to shake. The few people on the bridge screamed in panic and rushed toward the ends to get away from the chaos.

"I am a Mormolyce! a spirit dwelling in the Underworld to frighten children and I will not be defeated by foolish demigods now that I am freed!" she bellowed, spread her arms, as her hair grew longer and reaching out towards them. The three siblings ducked to avoid being struck. 

"Mormo? That Mormo?" Kayla asked nervously.

"What?" Ron yelped as a long strand of hair tried to strike his arm.

"There's a ghost story about it! Used to scare kids into going to sleep," Kayla explained. "My grandma once told me about it!"

"GUYS! WE NEED TO GET TO THE SIDE!" Austin shouted urgently from behind them.

"Tell the kids it's true!" Ron exclaimed as the three siblings huddled together.

"How do we even defeat her?"

"Cut the hair?"

"That's a good idea!" Ron agreed. He took out his celestial bronze sword and a strand of hair came striking toward him. He caught it with his hand and swiftly cut it with a single slice. Mormolyce screamed.

"NOT THE HAIR!" she shrieked, scrambling toward them with speed, her tongue ready to strike and her hands sporting long, sharp nails.

The three siblings sprinted in different directions, heading for the bridge to reach its far end. "Why would a spirit from the Underworld be here?" Ron shouted. Based on what he knew from reading Greek books, spirits or demons were supposed to be confined to the Underworld unless they were released with purposes by Hades.

"We will not be able to defeat her if she moves like this," Ron said. 

"Slow her down!" Austin said.

Kayla came to a halt in her run, notched an arrows on her bow, and fired at the monster's legs, causing it to explode into dust as the monster tumbled onto the wooden bridge floor.

She then shouted out for Ron, who rushed past her to decapitate Mormo.

The severed head fell, causing screams from the onlookers, and Ron doesn't know what the mist was creating. Startled, Ron stepped back as Mormo's head rolled and turned to face him. The sight was horrifying; her face wore a sinister smile.

"You will never defeat me," she declared. "Hecate has chosen me as her companion, blessed me..." Her head then rolled back toward her body, and the parts reconnected.

"We need to get out of here," Ron said, slowly backing away with his two siblings. He then pulled out his wand and conjured a mist that enveloped all three of them. With the cover of the mist, they managed to escape the place and reached the bus stop in front of the American Museum of Natural History. A bus had just pulled up, and they hurried inside.

"What was that?" Austin asked, clutching his chest. "Why can't we defeat her?"

"It's Hecate," Ron explained. "Her magic is protecting Mormo." Kayla cursed in Greek as they took seats at the front, just to be safe.

"Where to now?" Austin asked, reaching into his bag to offer them some Oreos that they immediately eat.

Ron nibbled on his Oreos as he gazed out the window. "I don't know, but we have to get out of Manhattan. I really don't want to encounter that monster again."

Kayla pondered for a moment and then asked, "Shouldn't the magic have weakened if Hecate was imprisoned?"

"It seems like Hecate's magic doesn't directly affect those under her influence," Ron clarified. "If her magic had weakened, I should have felt weaker, and we might have been able to defeat that monster."

Kayla absorbed this information. "The monster mentioned she was from the Underworld..."

"Mormo is a spirit," Ron added. "If I remember correctly, she mentioned something about being freed."

The three of them fell into a moment of silence. "So, someone or something freed her?" Austin questioned.

"Or maybe she managed to free herself?" Kayla suggested.

Ron shook his head. "I really don't know. This is hard..."

His siblings exchanged concerned glances, but Kayla held his hand, offering reassurance. "Don't worry, Ron. We're going to get through this together," she said.

As they continued in silence, they found themselves far from Central Park. Austin, who is just sitting next by the window gazed outside and spoke, "Harlem, I go to school at an academy here."

Ron stirred from his seat in the middle, noticing that Kayla had fallen asleep with her head almost resting on the bus chair's arm. "That's nice." Ron said, a hint of regret in his voice. "I'm sorry I had to drag you two into this..."

Austin let out a sigh. "It's not your fault, Ron. We chose to come with you," he replied. "When we heard you had a quest and were going alone, we kind of panicked. Most of our siblings wanted to come with you, you know."

"I know. I'm just... I'm scared," Ron admitted.

Austin reassured him, "Don't be, you're the bravest brother we have. We'll face this together."

"Thanks, Tinny," Ron smiled weakly.

Eventually, they all dozed off, which could be dangerous, but the bus had a lulling effect on them and they were all tired, the three of them only woke up when the bus came to a stop. Austin peered outside again.

"Wha, w-where are we?" Kayla asked sleepily.

"General Grant National Memorial," Austin replied excitedly. "Many jazz musicians visit the place every anniversary!"

Kayla yawned. "Uh, is that even allowed?"

"Duh," Austin replied as they gathered their belongings and prepared to exit the bus. "Oh my gods!" He suddenly exclaimed.

"What is it?" Ron asked, adjusting the strap of his bag.

"Look," Austin said, pointing at the top of the columns. The place had a neoclassical style, reminiscent of ancient Greek architecture. Kayla and Ron followed his gaze, and at the top of the columns, they saw three figures. They were dressed in tuxedos and held flutes and lyres. It was no wonder Austin was excited. There was also a crowd of people below, mostly women around their middle-age, clapping and swaying to the music.

"I don't know what the event is today," Austin remarked, "but that does sound like a good thing to listen."

"Yeah, you're right." Kayla said, her sleepiness removed. A two woman clambered out of the bus too just behind them and strode towards the crow and began swaying with them. 

"Guys..." Ron said, blinking slowly. "We should go...you know..." he said.

Austin excitedly strode towards the crowd followed by Kayla. 

Ron couldn't help but shake his head as he listened to the music. It was soft and melancholic, evoking a sense of longing, as if it was calling for that special person who could provide comfort and warmth, like wrapping you in a warm blanket with a hot chocolate in the middle of winter. He felt his feet moving towards the crowd, joining his two siblings.

Kayla was in tears, swaying to the music as she opened her bag and dropped her belongings on the ground one by one. "I miss Dad," she sobbed.

Ron glanced up at the three men, appearing to be in their twenties. The one in the middle held a lyre, with messy curls of golden hair and pale skin. Just like Kayla, he began to drop his belongings out of his bag. Ron noticed that there were many items on the ground at the feet of the crowd—phones, wallets, clothes, ID cards.

Feeling compelled to do so, Ron dropped his pouch of golden drachmas and money onto the ground.

The two women who had been there earlier squeezed their way to the column, dropped to their knees, and began taking out their belongings from their bags. The man in the middle flashed a dashing smile at them, a glint in his eyes.

"There, there," he said soothingly. "Very good."

That doesn't feel good. 

Ron lost track of time as he swayed to the music, and the sky was gradually darkening. His eyes began to droop as he felt himself dozing off.

WAKE UP.

Suddenly, Ron's eyes snapped open, and he collapsed onto his knees. He looked around in confusion; the entire crowd had their heads bent forward, as if they had fallen asleep while standing. 

Ron felt dizzy, he was surrounded by his belongings scattered on the ground.

"Is no one awake?" a voice asked.

"No," another voice replied gruffly. "Get on with it; the boss is waiting inside." 

Hearing the shuffle, Ron panicked and hastily gathered his belongings into his bag. He then stood up and shook Kayla and Austin's arms, causing them to gasp and fall to their knees.

"What was that?" a voice questioned.

Ron shushed his two siblings urgently.

"What—Ron?"

"Shh," Ron cautioned, placing a finger on his lips. "Grab your things. We're in danger."

"Check it," one voice urged.

"No, you check it," another voice countered.

"Do you want the boss to get mad,"

Their position behind the crowd gave them a window of opportunity to escape towards the street and make a run for it. They had a tense and silent moment before voices reappeared. Kayla and Austin were looking at Ron with wide eyes, and the voices were getting closer.

Ron nodded at them, and the three of them stood up, preparing to make their escape. However, before they could tevem ake a single step, the entire crowd suddenly collapsed to the ground, leaving them as the only ones standing. In front of the fallen crowd on the floor were the two men who had been playing the flute earlier. 

Ron, Kayla, and Austin, realizing how big and imposing the two men were, quickly grabbed their weapons.

"Oh?" a voice spoke from behind the two men. "I not aware that demigods were free to harm mortals now." He said the word in disgust as the two men stepped aside, revealing the man who had been playing the lyre earlier. He was the smallest one of the group. The three of them backed away, ready to defend themselves.

"Who are you, and what did you do to them?" Kayla asked, her arrow pointed at the man.

The man laughed, "Oh, nothing much, just a little sprinkle of hypnosis."

"Are you Hypnos?" Ron questioned.

This question caused the man to burst into loud laughter, with the other two men joining in. "SHUT UP!" the lyre-playing man shouted, silencing the others.

"You foolish demigod! I expected more from humans like you. I am Dolus, the spirit of trickery. You've likely never heard of me, as I've been imprisoned for so long. But now, I am freed, and I'm taking what is supposed to be mine—"

"You mean the phones and stuff from the women?" Austin asked in disbelief, as if that was the most outrageous thing he had ever heard.

Dolus sneered at Austin, saying, "Women are easy to manipulate. In my days, I would simply use my words, and they would kneel before me, tending to my needs, and praising me. 'Oh Dolus, your cunningness will guide us,' they would say. But when that woman became Hades' assistant, all my efforts were reduced to nothing!"

"Deserve," Kayla said. 

Dolus took out his lyre and declared, "And I will do it again and feed you three to my future servants. Begin!"

The two mortals brandished their flutes and started playing, producing a jarring and dissonant sound. Austin shook his head, finding the noise unbearable. It felt like he was the conductor of an orchestra, but the people playing the instruments were beginners who had only practiced for two days and had been thrust onto the stage. Suddenly, the crowd began to stir, slowly standing up and turning to stare at them, their hands moving, ready to strangle.

"Uhm, guys..." Ron began.

"They're mortals," Kayla interjected. "We can't—"

"I have an idea," Austin said, taking out his saxophone. "There's a way to counter this."

"What are we going to do—"

"Give me your best beatbox!" Austin interrupted, tuning his saxophone.

Kayla and Ron exchanged uncertain glances. "Do it!" Austin shouted at them.

So, the two of them started beatboxing, trying to follow Austin's lead. The mortals, their hands now hanging by their sides, blinked in confusion and looked around. Dolus must have noticed this, as he played his lyre even louder, causing the mortals to turn towards him, start swaying, and step forward, their hands moving upward again.

"No!" Austin exclaimed, blowing his sax.

"We—need—to—stop—Dolus!" Ron said between beatboxing as they tried to break Dolus' control over the crowd.

"I'll take on Dolus, sax against lyre. You two take the other two men," Austin declared, his eyes locked on Dolus, who was fuming with anger. "Let's see who will win! I, son of Apollo, will defeat you by his music!"

"On it," Kayla replied as the two of them sprinted toward the two men. Ron drew out his daggers and lunged at one of them. He swiftly knocked one of the men unconscious with a strike to his nose using the hilt of his dagger. Meanwhile, Kayla and the other man were locked in a spinning struggle until she managed to knock him on the forehead, causing both of them to trip and fall to the ground.

"No!" Dolus cried out, seething with rage. "You—you—I will kill all of you!"

Their actions had disrupted Dolus' control over the crowd, and now they faced an enraged and vengeful spirit of trickery. Before Dolus could retaliate, Austin began playing his saxophone louder and louder, its powerful sound causing Dolus' lyre to quiver, with strings snapping one by one.

In a fit of rage, Dolus hurled the lyre aside, and a dense fog began forming around him. He sneered at them, his anger palpable. "Worthless! I was told that I was going to win against the three of you with that object. I was fooled. A deceiver against deceiver!"

Ron, who had just helped Kayla free herself from the man's weight, heard the approaching sound of sirens. Austin, who had put his saxophone on his back, exchanged a glance with Ron, opened his mouth: We need to go.

Ron swiftly drew his bow and notched an arrow. As he aimed at Dolus and declared, "Go back to the Underworld!" He released the arrow, and it struck Dolus in the chest, causing the spirit of trickery to explode into mist. 

The confused women remained in place as Ron, Kayla, and Austin rushed toward another street.

"Taxi! We need to catch a taxi!" Kayla urgently called out.

As they ran, they spotted a taxi approaching. Ron nearly got run over as they reached it, and Kayla quickly flung the door open. They threw their bags inside and jumped into the taxi. "Go, go, go!" they yelled at the driver, who appeared anxious and shocked by their urgency. There was no need for a second prompt as the driver immediately sped away, leaving behind the scene.

"Oh no, oh no, oh no!" Kayla fretted. "What am I gonna do? Is being a criminal a requirement for the Olympics?"

Austin, his hands clutching his own cheeks, added, "Oh no, what if I get kicked out of Harlem?"

Ron, stuck in the middle seat, groaned in frustration. "This is why I told you two not to come!" he exclaimed.