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Chapter Text

Neptune paced around worriedly, his eyes never leaving the infant snoozing in Lily’s arms. Lily hummed tiredly and gently rocked the baby again, who yawned and snuggled further into her chest.

Neptune stopped and looked at her. ‘I… I’m sorry, I didn’t anticipate… this.’

Lily raised an eyebrow. ‘You think I’m not grateful for our child?’ she asked.

‘It’s just… he’s a forbidden child. My brother has broken the oath twice now, a girl and a boy by the same woman, Pluto has already realized and is going to send monsters to the daughter… Jupiter has given the son’s life to Juno to placate her anger.’ Neptune protested.

Lily placed a hand on Neptune’s arm. ‘Then I’ll hide him, we’ll keep him safe until Lupa’s wolves arrive.’ She promised.

The sea god smiled, the first in a few weeks now. Their son opened his eyes and looked at Neptune before outstretching his arms and begging for the god to hold him. Neptune took the infant from Lily’s arms gently and the baby began to play with Neptune’s shirt. Bright green eyes looked up to the sea god as their son yanked on his shirt again, the god gently tried to ease the baby’s hand off but his grip held firm.

‘Unbelievable.’ Neptune sighed. ‘Ten-thousand years old and infinite strength at my side but I can’t pry a five-month-old’s hand off of my shirt.’

Lily and the baby giggled.

Lily got up and placed a gentle kiss on the baby’s forehead, making him gurgle happily, and let go of Neptune. The god’s hold on the infant’s lower body and Lily were the only thing stopping the little one from falling. Lily looked up at Neptune.

‘You were saying about our little Hadrian?’ she asked.

‘How will you hide him? Lupa’s wolves don’t collect demigods until she deems them worthy and knows they aren’t Greek!’ Neptune replied.

Hadrian cast them confused looks and Lily tried to take him back but the infant clung desperately onto Neptune, whining sadly. Neptune looked down at Hadrian pitifully.

‘I suppose when I find the time right I could alert her to Hadrian.’ Neptune mused.

‘Then do that!’ Lily said. ‘I know you can’t interact with Hadrian directly but help indirectly! You’ve been doing it for centuries!’

Neptune sighed. ‘I will try my best Lily. But I have to leave now… I doubt you’ll see me again.’

Lily nodded and rested her head on Neptune’s chest. ‘It was wonderful meeting you, and I can’t thank you enough for bringing Hadrian into my life.’ She whispered.

Neptune smiled and handed Hadrian over to Lily, the infant protested loudly but before Neptune could hear him begin to cry, he vanished. Lily held her sobbing son to her chest and whispered into his hair.

‘Daddy had to leave, but he’ll always be watching over you, I promise.’

Hadrian sniffled sadly and clung onto Lily as if she’d leave him next. Lily felt a lump in her throat form as she held her son closer.

‘I’ll never leave you; I promise Hadrian.’ She muttered. ‘I’d rather die than leave you.’

A few nights later, on Hallowe’en, Lily would prove her point and Pluto would have a new soul in Elysium.

Leaving Hadrian alone.

Chapter Text

Harry knew he was… odd… his aunt and uncle knew he was odd; everyone knew he was odd.

To the world, Harry was nothing but the peculiar orphan who no one seemed to want. And Harry would like to say he was okay with that, but truly, he wasn’t. He hated being alone. He hated being a freak. He hated that his parents were dead.

That was, until the wolves came.

----

It had been a regular day in the Dursley household, Harry had woken up from his slumber in the cupboard under the stairs with his aunt rapping loud enough on the door that Harry was sure one day she’d develop arthritis, she snapped at him to get up and cook breakfast. See, today was his cousin Dudley’s birthday, and when it was Dudley’s birthday, it had to be the most perfect day possible, with all the toys, hours and pennies spent fawning over and spoiling Dudley.

But Harry? Harry did nothing but fade even further into the background.

Harry pushed himself up and placed his ruined glasses onto his face, he’d had them since he was five, when he’d had even more difficulty than usual reading from the teacher’s board. Of course, the words his teacher scribbled down in her unnaturally bad handwriting dancing all over the board never helped Harry when he was trying to learn. The day he’d gotten his glasses had been the day he discovered he was dyslexic; he’d found it fit to mention to the optician about his difficulty reading the board even before his need for glasses and he’d told Harry and Aunt Petunia quickly that Harry was showing signs of Dyslexia. Despite the wonders of the NHS, which provided free healthcare, where Harry had gotten the official diagnosis alongside ADHD, his aunt had moaned about how much it was going to cost her, to which the doctor had cut her off with the fact that healthcare was free in England.

Harry pushed himself out of his cupboard but Dudley, who’d been loudly tromping down the stairs like an elephant, had slammed the door back into Harry’s face, nearly catching Harry’s nose and fingers. Harry muttered a curse under his breath and tried the cupboard again. No Dudley: Good. No puce-faced Uncle Vernon: Very Good. No screaming Aunt Petunia: Equally Good. He tentatively entered the kitchen where Aunt Petunia was standing, her usually bug-wide blue eyes narrow slits.

‘You’re late.’ She said, as if Harry’s obligation to make everyone’s food and end up with none to himself was a normal job. ‘Make our breakfast and try not to burn everything.’

Yes Gordon Ramsay, Harry thought to himself. He turned to the stove and began to effortlessly cook the bacon and eggs; he’d been forced to cook for the Dursleys since he was tall enough to reach the stove. The talent came naturally to him, like he’d been born to do this, which he strongly doubted.

In fifteen minutes, Harry had finished all of the Dursley’s preferred breakfasts, the usual British breakfast of bacon, eggs, baked beans, mushroom, tomato and sausages with tea or coffee for Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia, jam on toast and pure orange juice for Dudley and nothing for Harry. He hadn’t been fortunate enough to sneak anything from the stove for later with Aunt Petunia breathing down his neck for any miniscule mistake.

When Dudley had swamped his meal in record time and left the dirty plate and cup for Harry to clean up, he darted to the pile of presents in front of the fireplace all for him as fast as his stumpy legs could take him. Harry listened in silence as Dudley berated Uncle Vernon for only getting him thirty-six presents when “I had thirty-seven last year! I deserve thirty-eight this year!”, Harry nearly snapped at him that he didn’t deserve anything and he was only a spoilt brat with too much free-time and an unhealthy cling to his parents. Harry just grit his teeth as he placed the dirty dishes into the dishwasher, popped in a cleaner and shut it. He was about to retreat back to his cupboard when Aunt Petunia picked up the phone and shrieked so loudly Dudley nearly dropped his brand-new, fragile, mobile car. Harry turned around quickly as if ready for a fight.

‘Oh Vernon! Mrs Figg has broken her leg!’ Aunt Petunia wailed. ‘She can’t take him!’

Vernon blanched before throwing down his newspaper onto the table, knocking over his coffee. ‘What?!’ he demanded. ‘But today must be perfect for Dudley!’

Harry sighed and went to clean up his uncle’s spilt coffee when the doorbell rung, Aunt Petunia looked at Harry expectantly and the boy turned to answer the door for whoever had rung. When he opened the door, no one was there, Harry was about to close the door when a snarl startled him he looked down to see at least five wolves standing there patiently.

‘Is that Marge?’ Uncle Vernon asked. ‘I wasn’t expecting her until later.’

Harry heard his uncle getting up from his chair and Harry turned to the wolves, panicked. ‘You have to leave!’ he whispered. ‘My uncle will kill me if he finds you!’

The biggest wolf bared their teeth. We take orders from no one! they growled.

Harry blanched. He had to be dreaming. This was just a crazy dream! Like the flying motorbike! Wolves couldn’t talk, it’s just not possible, plausible! Harry’s breathing picked up as he heard Uncle Vernon open the door, Harry scrambled to slam the door but another wolf pounced and pinned Harry down.

‘WHAT THE RUDDY HELL IS THIS!?’ Uncle Vernon bellowed.

Harry saw the wolf on top of him snarl angrily. We are here to collect this boy! the wolf said, hitting Harry’s chest with a strong paw. It is his birthright!

‘Birthright?’ Uncle Vernon blustered. ‘This boy is not half-wolf!’

No, said a third wolf. But he is half-god.

Half-god? Oh yeah, this was a dream.

‘GODS DON’T RUDDY EXIST AND NEITHER DO TALKING WOLVES!’ Uncle Vernon screamed.

Aunt Petunia ran in with Dudley trailing behind her, his aunt screamed as she noticed the wolves ruining her perfect floors. The wolf on top of Harry jumped off of his chest and onto the floor beside him, Harry yelped and scrambled back, away from his aunt and towards the pack of wolves. The biggest one placed a paw protectively in front of Harry.

On the contrary, Vernon Dursley, they said. I am Lupa, the Wolf Goddess, I have raised some of the greatest heroes, and Hadrian here will be coming with us.

Harry pinched himself to make sure he wasn’t dreaming.

Nope, not a dream.

These wolves knew his proper name, they knew his relative’s names and they somehow knew where he lived and just turned up to kidnap Harry claiming it is his birthright as a half-god! He had to be going insane, this doesn’t just happen to people on an everyday basis!

‘Wait? Half-god? How is that possible?’ Harry protested.

Lupa turned to him, her piercing silver eyes gentle. One of your parents fell in love with a god or goddess from Ancient Rome, Hadrian. She explained. My pack and I will take you to a safe-place to train and raise you until you are worthy of joining the Legion.

‘And if I’m never worthy?’ Harry dared to ask.

You needn’t know that unless you don’t prove yourself. Lupa replied.

Aunt Petunia blanched. ‘NO!’ she screamed. ‘You can’t take him! I promised to let him leave until he’s old enough!’

Lupa snarled. Albus Dumbledore’s word does not override that of Hadrian’s father! she said.

‘My dad?’ Harry asked.

Your godly sire child, explained another wolf. Keep quiet or Lupa will consume you, it would be a shame, you are a sweet child.

Consume? Harry thought, panicked.

Don’t panic! the wolf fretted. We can smell fear and fear is a weakness! Lupa does not appreciate fear!

Harry tried to control his fear, he didn’t want to be consumed by talking wolves who know his dad.

Aunt Petunia continued to protest. ‘But what about the-’

The prophecy of the Wizarding World does not concern me, nor does the need of a power-hungry wizard who will use this demigod as a lamb to the wolves! Lupa barked. Now you will let us leave or only Hadrian will be left of this family’s bloodline!

Aunt Petunia understood the threat as she fell quiet and took a step back, her hands placed shakily on Dudley’s shoulders.

Lupa turned to Harry, Come with us child, you are free of the demands of the Dursleys now and forever, if you pass my training, you shall live with the Legion of Camp Jupiter.

Harry nodded silently, getting up and following behind Lupa and her wolves.

----

The trip with Lupa took nearly a month, but Harry enjoyed nearly every minute, the wolves had marvellous stories and their descriptions of this Camp Jupiter place sounded wonderful, it turned out that Lupa’s training place was in fact in California – all the way in America – which Harry found curious. He’d thought that since it was the Roman gods that exist, they’d still live in Rome, Lupa and her pack took Harry to a ruined building, the bricks that remained were charred and mossy, almost like a fire had torn the place to the ground. Harry brushed his fingers against one of the bricks and picked up a large amount of soot and dust. Harry wiped his hand on his trouser leg and Lupa turned to him, her eyes critical.

This is where you will be trained to fight. Lupa explained. Where you will learn to be a part of the Legions.

Harry nodded. ‘How… where do we start…?’

Lupa seemed to smile. You are far too eager, we will start with controlling your patience, testing your limits. You are nothing with only sword-fighting.

Harry sighed heavily. ‘I’m ready.’

Lupa turned her back towards Harry. We will start with exercise. How you can protect yourself with exercise.

‘Swordplay is good ‘n all but your dead without agility.’ Harry replied nearly automatically.

Lupa snarled approvingly. Very good little cub.

Chapter Text

Harry trained with Lupa for months, learning to hone his abilities, soon enough he was approached by Lupa, she sat down beside him and gazed at him with her wise silver eyes.

It is time for you to find the Legion. She started, I do not know who your father is, but you will hopefully find out who he is soon. I hope your father will come forward to claim you as his son or you will discover while on your quest.

‘Can I have like, I dunno, a tip about where the Legion is?’ Harry dared to ask.

Lupa frowned. No, you will find it of your own accord or die trying. However, I do have a gift.

The she-wolf pushed herself up and padded over to a secluded part of the Wolf House, she pulled out something wrapped tightly in what Harry had to guess was aged leather.

Lord Neptune gave me this nearly twelve years ago and said to give it to whoever I deemed the worthiest. At first I thought it would be Jason Grace, but he did not find the weapon comfortable enough to grasp. I am hoping you will be able to wield it. Lupa explained, Harry perked up at mention of the other demigod. Jason. He’d have to keep an ear and eye open for him.

When Lupa nodded, Harry gently began to unwrap the leather encasing the weapon. While he did so, he wondered quietly to himself why Neptune had given it to Lupa and not Vulcan or Minerva – or even Apollo – Harry then concluded Neptune must’ve had one of the many Cyclopes in his underwater forges make this weapon. He peeled away the last of the aged leather and gazed down at the weapon.

It was a simple sword, the blade shiny with Imperial Gold and sharp enough to cut through boulders, the hilt was embedded with various peculiar jewels, woven perfectly between the smooth leather and on the guards.

Harry grabbed the hilt and gently lifted it up. It felt perfect in his grasp, the jewels didn’t bother him at all, the blade was the most ideal weight he could think of, much better than the practice swords Lupa kept hold of, she had once told him they belonged to demigods killed in battle. Harry wondered how they could keep their grasp on such horrible weapons.

How does it feel? Lupa asked.

‘Perfect, I’ve never held a sword that feels so… right… before.’ Harry replied.

Lupa smiled. Good, now that is dealt with, you must go on your way.

Harry nodded and managed to find a sheath buried beneath the leathers that he hadn’t noticed before. He placed the sword in and Lupa nodded approvingly again. Harry gave the Wolf House one last look before he turned and headed down to this mysterious Legion’s camp.

----

Harry travelled across California for nearly three months, halfway through the sky darkening with unstoppable storms from Jupiter, as if the king of the gods didn’t want Harry to arrive at the camp. Later a hurricane ripped through half of California, leaving Harry plenty of room to loot supplies, he managed to get his hands on a hunting knife, lots of food and water, a hiking bag, medical supplies and multiple changes of clothes.

Monster attacks had left Dudley’s enormous clothes as tattered, grimy mess, Harry managed to change into a T-shirt almost perfectly his size and equally snug trousers, he’d grabbed an over-sized jumper in the hopes of keeping himself warm during the storms and violent winds.

Harry seemed to be the only one benefitting from the mass flooding coming through from the Bay Area too, half the monsters who tried to kill him were drowned or killed by the sheer force of a wave crashing over them, the rest were cut down effortlessly by Harry. Oddly, he didn’t seem to get wet while he trudged through the flood waters, which had earnt quite a few envious, shocked and confused glances from Mortals. He quickly discovered that the water energized him much more than any energy drink could, whenever a fresh wave came in, Harry became incredibly hyper-aware of his surroundings, his reflexes seemed to improve further, the worst he’d gotten from a monster attack was a slash across his cheek from a Crocuta, which he’d cut down seconds afterwards with a clean cut through the neck.

Harry staggered on a pathway beside an abandoned roadside, a couple crashed cars and police vehicles parked alongside every-so-often. Harry’s internal radar was pinging like crazy now, as if it was telling him that he was close.

‘You are closer than you think, Hadrian Potter.’ A voice chimed up unexpectedly.

Harry whirled around and drew his sword, cutting through the front cover of a newspaper, Harry swore the picture on the front was moving but the man put it down and let the rain eat away at the paper before he could look any closer.

‘How do you know my full name?’ Harry demanded.

‘Well, I’d hope that a father would know his own son’s full name.’ the man replied, approaching Harry carefully.

Harry tried for his sword but before he could do anything, the man snapped his fingers. The seawater surrounding their feet drained away, churning around them in a miniature dam, the clouds hovering perilously overhead, throwing rain onto them, vanished, allowing the first slithers of sunlight that Harry had seen in weeks. Suddenly and table and two chairs appeared in front of Harry, the man took the seat closer while Harry sat across from him, body tense.

The man sighed happily. ‘I haven’t had the privilege of relaxing for weeks now.’

‘Who are you?’ Harry asked.

‘Neptune, of course.’ The man said.

Harry felt his eyes widen, ‘Neptune? Why – What, are you doing here?’

‘Visiting my son of course.’ He replied easily.

Harry felt all the tension drain away as shock settled heavily on his shoulders. ‘You’re my dad?’

‘Of course, I’d expect you would’ve noticed the resemblance, of course you have Lily’s eyes and face, but you have a lot of me in there too.’ Neptune said, his eyes gentle.

Harry sunk in his chair. ‘Why are you visiting? I thought the gods couldn’t see their kids?’

‘We can, but we’re limited, after this visit I fear my dear brother will only allow a few more.’ Neptune looked up at the churning storm clouds.

‘Why is your brother so upset?’ Harry asked, nearly wishing he’d stayed quiet as Neptune’s eyes darkened.

‘Someone has absconded with his Bolt and I am the accused one. It is why you’ve seen the brunt of my retaliation.’ Neptune gestured hopelessly to the ruins of a neighbourhood. ‘It will only get worse if the Bolt is not returned.’

‘But who would take his Bolt?’ Harry questioned.

‘A fool.’ Neptune replied sternly. ‘No one should ever steal a god’s weapon, especially my brother’s Bolt.’

‘I’m guessing that we’re not saying his name from the fear that one of us is going to get struck by lightning?’ Harry mumbled.

Neptune laughed, startling Harry. ‘Well, yes, I’d rather my son isn’t a pile of electrocuted ashes, but he can’t know you exist until you reach Camp Jupiter.’

‘I’m trying!’ Harry protested. ‘Lupa just wasn’t specific, she basically handed me a sword, said Good luck finding this camp hidden somewhere in California and try not to die, and vanished.’

Neptune laughed again. ‘Oh, you have Lily’s temper. It was quite funny if you could get her going. But yes, Lupa never is specific, she prefers her trainees to be survivalists, reminds me quite strongly of Diana’s style of teaching her Hunters.’

‘Why did you give Lupa this?’ Harry asked, drawing his sword and placing it on the table. ‘Surely you could’ve just given it to me when I knew what I was instead of getting Lupa’s hopes up before I came along!’

Neptune picked up the sword and examined it. ‘It was Lily’s request when she knew who I was. Before she died.’ He muttered sadly. ‘I didn’t want to put you at risk before you even knew how she died but Petunia kept tight-lipped and I knew it was best to involve Lupa, even if I got Jason’s hopes up just to let him down.’

Harry raised a confused eyebrow. ‘What do you mean Aunt Petunia kept tight-lipped? She told me how Mum died.’

‘No, she didn’t. She lied, kept a talent of yours hidden when it should’ve been embraced.’ Neptune said, his features darkening again. ‘Lily wasn’t killed in a car-crash. She died keeping you alive.’

‘A monster?’ Harry asked.

‘I would find it fit to call him a monster. What’s left of him certainly isn’t man.’ Neptune replied bitterly, his thumb gliding across the smooth side of the blade. ‘A wizard, Lord Voldemort, tried to kill you when you were an infant. I personally went to destroy all of his Horcruxes after you brought his physical form to nothing but dust and robes.’

‘A wizard?’ Harry questioned. ‘Well, I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised, my Dad is a god so who says my Mum wasn’t killed by a wizard.’

Neptune smiled. ‘Obviously.’

Harry frowned as his mind replayed his dad’s words. ‘What are Horcruxes?’

‘Dark magic. When a wizard or witch tries to make themselves immortal like us gods. They take the life of an innocent and use unspeakable magic to place a fragment of their soul into an inanimate object. Voldemort managed to make seven.’

‘Seven?’ Harry asked.

Neptune gave Harry a look he couldn’t decipher. ‘Yes, seven, two of them living, breathing creatures. The rest were the usual, a locket, cup, diadem, ring, diary.’

‘Did either of the living Horcruxes die?’ Harry asked, worried his father had murdered just for revenge.

‘Only one, but she was more monster than human.’ Neptune replied. ‘A serpent, cursed by Trivia. She was once a beautiful woman before being turned.’

‘Suppose gods don’t change.’ Harry mumbled.

Neptune gave Harry a fake wounded look before shaking it off. ‘Anyways, you’re looking for Camp Jupiter? It hides away in a maintenance tunnel, part of Oakland Hills.’

‘That’s not far from here.’ Harry mused.

‘It’s actually just across the road.’ Neptune said, jerking his head to a maintenance tunnel in the centre of the road.

‘Huh.’

Neptune smiled. ‘I hope you find yourself settling in at the camp Hadrian.’

Neptune pushed himself up from the chair, handed Harry’s sword back to him, and vanished, alongside the table and chairs, letting the water pool back around Harry’s feet.

‘Yeah, thanks Dad. Appreciate it too.’ Harry huffed, sheathing his sword and crossing to the tunnel.

----

Harry was only three steps away from the tunnel until, ‘Halt!’

He pushed himself up and looked at the newcomers, two kids maybe Harry's age, they wore Roman armor and had weapons sheathed on their back or at their side. Harry froze.

‘So you two are from the camp Lupa sent me to?’ Harry dared to ask.

The kids nodded. ‘You were with Lupa and survived her trials, made it through this weather and managed to survive the whole trek? Yeah, we’ll just have to talk with our augur, Octavian to see if the gods welcome you.’ one said

‘I think I already have one god’s approval.’ Harry replied.

‘You do?’ the second kid asked.

‘Neptune’s.’ Harry said, ‘I just spoke with him actually.’

The two of them shared glances. ‘Neptune.’ The first kid repeated. ‘That’s something.’

‘Would’ve been more impressive if it had been Jupiter but whatever.’ The second mumbled.

‘Be nice Dakota.’ Said the other one.

‘I’m just saying, it’s hard to find someone who likes Neptune.’ Dakota protested.

‘What’s so bad about him?’ Harry asked.

Dakota gestured to the floods around them. ‘He’s the one behind this. I thought he’d tell you that.’

The other kid pinched the bridge of his nose. ‘Why do I get patrol duty with the one demigod always drunk on Kool-Aid?’ he asked himself.

‘Drunk on Kool-Aid?’ Harry echoed, confused.

‘I’m a child of Bacchus!’ Dakota protested again. ‘And no one wants me anywhere near wine! If you really want to be praetor, Jason, at least let me have wine!’

The other kid, Jason, glared at Dakota through his helmet. ‘I’ll be forbidding you from wine, if you’re so uncensored with Kool-Aid, I don’t want you touching wine at all!’

‘Wait a minute, Jason?’ Harry asked, looking at him.

‘Yeah?’ Jason said uncertainly.

‘Lupa mentioned you. You tried with this.’ Harry drew his sword and Jason stiffened.

‘She told you?’ he asked.

Dakota snorted while taking a sip of something from his flask. ‘Couldn’t get a sword, Grace? How are you going to be Praetor if you can’t get a sword!’

‘My spear was a gift from my father!’ Jason snapped.

‘Who is your dad?’ Harry asked.

Jason turned to Harry. ‘I’m the only son of Jupiter in the whole camp.’

Harry looked at Jason blankly. He wondered if he and Jason would argue as badly as their dads were right now.

Dakota sighed loudly, a Kool-Aid moustache on his face from his flask, Harry tried hard not to laugh while Jason gave him a send help look.

‘Look, we have a demigod, or legacy whatever, why don’t we just take him to camp now?’ Dakota turned to him analytically. ‘Which are you, Legacy or Demigod?’

‘Demigod.’ Harry replied, he suddenly felt less eager to say My dad’s Neptune, in front of a child of Jupiter and a son of Bacchus who hates his dad.

‘Do you know who your godly parent is?’ Jason asked kindly.

Harry fiddled with his fingers. ‘Promise not to freak out?’

‘Swear on the Styx.’ Jason replied.

Dakota stayed quiet.

‘Neptune.’ Harry mumbled.

Jason’s brows rose for a second before he fixed his features and turned to glare at Dakota. ‘See, this is why we don’t criticize gods in front of newbies!’

Dakota gave Harry a distasteful look. ‘If your dear old dad told you you’re his son and sent you here, did he explain why he’s done all this?’

‘Yeah, but I don’t think he wants the news getting around.’ Harry replied.

Jason gave Harry a warm smile. ‘Come on, lets get you to camp, out of the storms.’

----

The camp, if Harry could call it that, was possibly more alike to a small Ancient Roman village. He could make out enormous temples, looming overhead as if to instil the power of the gods into the minds of anyone who thought otherwise, Jason winced when he looked at the biggest one.

‘What’s up?’

‘Just… don’t like seeing my dad’s temple. I’ve known about the gods since I was born, but some days I wish I didn’t, that I could go about my life without knowing that my father is the King of the Universe.’ Jason mumbled. ‘And since my dad’s temple has to be the biggest one aside from Mars’ I don’t get that privilege.’

‘What does Neptune’s temple look like?’ Harry asked, curious when Jason suddenly changed the topic.

Harry knew Neptune wasn’t popular, but surely he wasn’t so hated that the Romans didn’t even have a temple for him.

‘Anyways,’ Jason said, ‘we have to get to Jupiter’s temple anyways, it’s where Octavian is and he needs to consult the gods about whether you’re allowed to train at Camp Jupiter.’

‘And if I’m not allowed?’ Harry asked.

‘I don’t know. It’s never happened since I’ve been here.’ Jason replied. ‘But I doubt it’s anything good.’

Harry frowned. ‘With all of the implications, I’d probably be killed or exiled.’

Jason winced again. ‘Yeah, we have quite the obsession with killing, don’t we?’

Harry found himself growing quite fond of Jason.

----

The two of them continued to walk and talk up to Temple Hill, Harry felt a frown grace his features as he watched the temples, there was all the regular temples for the usual gods and goddesses but Harry couldn’t find a single one for Neptune.

Harry could see Jason fiddling awkwardly with the hem of his shirt, as his storm-blue eyes flickered towards a decrepit shed, Harry gave Jason a confused look.

‘Why are you giving me and that shed such weird looks?’ Harry dared to ask.

Jason sighed. ‘Guess you’d find out sooner or later. I’m sure Octavian won’t mind a detour.’

He walked over to the shed, gesturing for Harry to follow behind him. Harry did, keeping his hand on the hilt of his sword. Jason pushed open the door with a loud creak, the door looking ready to fall off. Harry bit back a gasp when he realized that the shed was actually a temple for someone.

‘Who-?’ his voice died in his throat when he noticed a crumbling trident in front of rotting offerings. Oh Dad…

Jason winced from the doorway. ‘Sorry Harry. I wish it was different but Neptune isn’t popular among the Romans at all.’

‘Why?’ Harry asked. ‘What in the world did my dad do to deserve… this!’

He gestured frustratedly towards the dilapidated temple. He felt helpless, seeing the temple in such a horrible state and not being able to do anything about it.

Jason sighed. ‘Look, one of the things I’ve always tried to do since I got here was become Praetor, but it’s not so simple, but I promise that when I do become praetor, I’ll make sure Neptune gets the proper temple he deserves.’

‘It’s not enough! Why? Why, Do they hate him so much he gets a shed for a temple?’ Harry cried.

‘I really wish I knew, Harry. I do, but I’ve only really been here for six-ish years.’ Jason replied.

‘And in all that time you didn’t once wonder why there’s so much… bias that Jupiter has a temple so big you see it the instant you enter Camp Jupiter but my dad, someone equally as important, gets a fucking shed?’

Jason winced again, as if Harry’s words were acidic. ‘I’m sorry Harry, but can we agree, right here, right now, on the Styx, that if I ever become praetor, all the gods will get fair temples, not one will get a shed, not one would get thousands of statues while the other gets rotting offerings.’

‘Agreed.’ Harry said firmly. ‘And if you go back on this promise, the Fates won’t have any time to ruin you for going back. I’d have already done it myself.’

Jason didn’t even seem phased. ‘Do you want me to pledge it now? Right here, in front of you?’

Harry nodded, keeping quiet.

‘I, Jason Grace, son of Jupiter, swear on the River Styx that when I become praetor of Camp Jupiter, that I will supply every Roman god and goddess the fairest treatment possible. As soon as possible.’ Jason said.

Thunder churned overhead and Harry nodded approvingly.

‘Thank you, Jason.’ He said.

Jason smiled weakly. ‘I think Octavian’s waited long enough. Let’s go.’

----

Before leaving, Harry fished out some of his food and his hunting knife, placing them in front of Neptune’s altar.

‘I’m sorry, Dad, for how they’ve treated you like shit. I promise, I’ll be making sure that changes. Both of us do.’ Harry mumbled.

A gentle breeze swooped through the temple, whirling around Harry lovingly before leaving. Harry hoped that was his father, thanking him.

Jason lead Harry to Jupiter’s temple, a towering structure that Harry thought would take decades to have been built. He wondered for the first time since discovering the Roman gods, how long they’d been in America. Lupa had been vague about the topic – granted she was vague about anything that wasn’t training or honing vigilance – but now Harry felt the curiosity eating away at him while they entered the enormous structure.

Don’t, Harry, remember, Curiosity Killed the Cat. He scolded himself.

“Curiosity killed the cat” was possibly Lupa’s favorite phrase. Whenever Harry had asked to many questions, she’d say that phrase until Harry was practically groaning it back to her, then she’d go back to teaching him swordplay, or how to recognize an opponents weaknesses. Harry theorized that Lupa only loved it because of the whole dog-cat rivalry that didn’t seem to pass even wolves. Harry had seen on multiple occasions during his time at the Wolf House a curious cat entering the ruins only to be brutally murdered by the wolves and devoured.

Harry had been almost glad when he realized that old Mrs Figg would never see that, her cat-loving heart would’ve stopped the first time Harry saw it. Then she’d probably whack the wolves on the snouts with the cane Harry saw in her house on occasions.

‘Octavian!’ Jason called.

A boy turned to him, he was probably a year or two older than both of them, he was tall, lanky and pale, with cold blue eyes that Harry swore were going through his very soul. His hair was a short, sandy blonde, Harry thought for a fleeting second that the boy has albinism but corrected himself with the – while little in number – presence of pigments in his skin and hair. In a sheath by his side was a small dagger, and in his left hand, a teddy bear dog that resembled Aunt Marge’s brutish dog Ripper, was clutched tightly enough that Harry was surprised that stuffing wasn’t bursting through the seams. He’d seen Dudley have a weaker grip on teddy bears and somehow managed to send a plastic eye ping-ponging across the room before seemingly hitting Harry.

Octavian regarded Harry warily. ‘Well, you’re a new face.’

‘He’s a new demigod, arrived while Dakota and I were on patrol. Dakota’s gone back to the entryway but I’ve been showing Harry around.’ Jason explained.

‘Harry?’ Octavian said. ‘What a horribly common name.’

Harry pushed his glasses up his nose. ‘It’s actually short for Hadrian, like the emperor.’

‘I know who Hadrian was.’ Octavian said, waving a hand at Harry dismissively. ‘I suppose that’s the only thing we have in common.’

‘What is?’ Harry asked.

‘Well, you’re shockingly dim.’ Octavian remarked.

‘Hey!’ Harry and Jason protested together.

‘I’m named after the emperor Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus. He was called Octavian often. It was his birth name.’ The augur explained slowly, like Harry and Jason were five-year-olds.

‘Wow, thank you for the history lesson no one fucking asked for.’ Harry said, feigning shock.

Octavian scowled. ‘I know why you’re here anyways,’ he said. ‘Looking to see if you have the gods’ approval to train here at Camp Jupiter. I presume you went through Lupa’s trials?’

‘Yes, I did, and I came all the way from England to do those pissing trials.’ Harry replied, growing sick of Octavian’s grating voice.

‘I knew I recognized the accent.’ Octavian mused. ‘Well, what’s left of it anyways.’

Harry gave himself a few minutes to control himself before he dared to speak again. ‘Let’s just get this over with, shall we?’

He gestured towards the altar in front of a towering statue of Jupiter. Just seeing how Jupiter got a statue three times their size while Neptune got a miniature trident that was crumbling to pieces made his blood boil.

Octavian sighed. ‘You know in the old days, we used actual animal entrails, but they make too much mess and no one wants to piss off Jupiter so we use stuffing instead for our prophecies.’

‘Just get it over with.’ Harry grit out.

Jason placed a hand on Harry’s shoulder, obviously trying to help calm him down. Harry grounded himself on the son of Jupiter’s touch.

Octavian raised the stuffed dog and sliced open the fabric stomach, letting the stuffing pour out over the altar. If Harry was Jupiter, he doubted he’d like someone gutting teddy bears onto his altar for "prophetic purposes".

Octavian knelt over the stuffing watching it intently, he hummed, sounding almost disappointed about what he saw. Harry hoped that was a sign that he was allowed to stay at the camp. The augur got up and turned to Harry, his features twitching like he was trying not to sneer.

‘The gods have allowed you to stay at Camp Jupiter until your retirement to New Rome.’ Octavian announced.

‘Good, that wasn’t so hard was it?’ Harry said gently, like a parent praising their child for finally eating some vegetables. ‘See you later, preferably never!’

Harry left Jupiter’s temple before Octavian could retort anything back, Jason following close behind, laughing into his hand. Harry didn’t think he’d seen Jason so happy as of right now.

‘I never thought someone would finally say that to his face.’ Jason said. ‘Deserved though.’

Harry shrugged. ‘That whole gutting the teddy bear and reading the stuffing looked like bullshit.’

‘It does, doesn’t it?’ Jason agreed.

‘We should do a wellness check on the teddy bears he’s gutted.’ Harry suggested.

‘And ban him from every Build-A-Bear in a sixty mile radius.’ Jason added.

Harry smiled and followed on behind Jason as the other demigod lead him through Camp Jupiter, introducing him to his new home.

Chapter Text

A horn blew when dinner finally arrived, just like Jason had forewarned. Harry saw multiple demigods and legacies file out in perfect order, making a knot curl in Harry’s chest.

He’d never been orderly, how was he supposed to figure out that?

‘Come on, Octavian will want to introduce you to everyone.’ Jason said.

Harry’s eyes finally landed on a stone slab around Jason’s neck. ‘What’s that?’ he asked.

Jason looked down at it. ‘Shows I’m on probatio, means I haven’t been accepted as a full member of the legion, should be removed if I do anything fancy or heroic. You’ll get one tonight.’

‘So I have to wear a stone slab until I save someone’s life or something?’ Harry asked.

‘Sucks doesn’t it?’ Jason replied, grinning.

‘Yeah, it does. Why couldn’t it be like a fucking bracelet?’ Harry questioned. ‘Nah mate, just have this huge-ass stone slab so everyone knows you haven’t been the big hero you have to be to get this removed.’

‘Eh, could be worse,’ Jason pulled back the sleeve of his jacket to show tattoos engraved – no, burned – into his forearm. An eagle above of at least half a dozen black stripes. ‘They burn these into your arms when you spend a year here.’

Harry subconsciously raised a hand to his forearm – he didn’t like the concept of someone burning a trident and then a line into his forearm.

‘Who does it?’ he asked.

‘The augur.’ Jason replied. ‘So we have to deal with Octavian once a year.’

‘Fuck!’ Harry complained.

‘Come on slow-coach, the praetors’ll have our heads if we don’t arrive soon.’ Jason said before breaking into a run.

----

They arrived and one of the kids at the head table gave them a disapproving glance. Two of them, one girl and one boy.

The boy, who was giving them the glance, was stocky, with short-cut brown hair and hard grey eyes, his skin was fairly dark and he raised an eyebrow at Jason.

‘The great son of Jupiter, late again.’ He drawled.

‘Apologies, Praetor Kowal, but I was touring our newest demigod.’ Jason replied politely.

Praetor Kowal hummed disapprovingly. ‘Don’t keep this up Grace, you of all of our Legionaries know how important punctuality is.’ He turned to Harry. ‘Who are you?’

‘Uhm, Hadrian Potter, sir, son of Neptune.’ Harry replied, trying to keep the same polite tone Jason had used.

Right as his father’s name left his mouth, the surrounding legionaries muttered anxiously among one another.

‘A son of Neptune, so soon?’

‘Something bad is going to happen.’

‘I still remember what the last one did. And that was a Legacy!’

Harry felt himself flushing with embarrassment and shame. Why was everyone so nervous? Gods, every urge was telling him to flee in self-pity.

The other praetor noticed Harry’s discomfort and stood up. ‘Quiet, please.’ She announced. ‘We are all aware of what happened the last time one of Lord Neptune’s descendants arrived here at Camp Jupiter but we must know by now that not all demigod and legacy are the same just by godly sire or ancestor.’

Harry tucked in closer to Jason, the son of Jupiter pursed his lips and glared at any demigod or legacy who glanced at Harry the wrong way. Praetor Kowal gave Jason his own death-glare and Jason fled towards one of the gathered swarms of legionaries. Harry assumed that they were a Cohort, he wondered which one but stopped when he realized he and the praetor were the only people standing at the front.

He tried hard not to run away or curl into a ball.

The other praetor continued, explaining how they should give Harry a chance despite something she never elaborated on. Harry avoided her gentle eyes; he couldn’t bear it until both Praetors addressed him at the same time.

‘Hadrian Potter, you have visited our augur and he has given you the permission needed to stay at camp, yes?’ asked Praetor Kowal.

‘Yes, sir.’ Harry replied.

The second praetor retrieved something, the probatio tablet, she approached Harry and spoke to him gently.

‘Before we give you the probatio tablet, you must be part of a Cohort,’ she gestured to the different sections of legionaries, Harry could see Jason fiddling with his shirt again as the people in his Cohort looked at him disapprovingly, like even allowing Harry to enter the camp was a detrimental mistake. ‘I was part of the Third Cohort before I became praetor.’

‘I was part of the Second Cohort,’ Praetor Kowal added. ‘You will join a Cohort that will willingly take you.’

Dakota snorted. ‘Like we’d take the son of Neptune.’

‘Dakota, you’re still on probatio.’ countered the kid at the front of the Cohort. ‘You can’t say anything. However, I can as the Centurion of the Fifth Cohort. I, Augustus Asher, Centurion of the Fifth Cohort, accept Hadrian Potter to our ranks.’

Harry turned to the Praetors uncertainly, the female one nodded and placed the probatio tablet over Harry’s head and around his neck, he approached the Cohort, hearing the others suppressed snickers.

‘The Fifth Cohort always takes in the rejects.’ Someone further down said.

Harry rubbed his arm. He wasn’t even here for a day and he was already a reject? Because of his dad? He didn’t know whether to cry or scream out in anger.

Jason shuffled uncomfortably. Harry turned towards him with a confused expression.

‘I hate when people say that.’ he mumbled.

‘Why? Because we’re rejects? I thought the great son of Jupiter would be in the Cohort for the privileged ones.’ Harry said. ‘Did you only join to pity us? To look like a hero?’

‘No! I just don’t want people to treat me like I am treated because my dad is Jupiter!’ Jason protested.

Harry sighed. ‘Sorry mate, I’m just… on edge. Do you even know why everyone hates my dad?’

Jason took a deep breath. ‘I can’t recall, something about a huge earthquake one of Neptune’s Legacies caused.’ He said slowly.

‘So all this hatred because of one fuck up? One legacy caused one earthquake and suddenly it’s Neptune and all of his innocent children and descendants faults?’ Harry demanded, trying to keep his voice low.

One of the other Legionaries turned to Harry. ‘You’d do well to not mention the earthquake Newbie, and don’t even try to re-enact that event.’

‘If everyone keeps treating me like shit for things I haven’t done, then I doubt there’d be much left to stop me.’ Harry grit back.

Jason was giving him a shut up look but Harry ignored it and gave the Legionnaire a hard glare.

The Legionnaire scoffed. ‘You have some guts, kid. I hope that we chose well – it’s time this Cohort got the attention it deserves.’ He said. ‘You and the son of Jupiter have potential.’

Harry kept his arms folded, but he gave the Legionnaire a begrudging nod before turning back to the Praetors. Harry heard Jason whistle lowly under his breath.

‘Impressive, I haven’t seen many people get on Oliver’s good side.’ He muttered.

Suddenly, the whole Cohort stirred to life and they settled down on various tables. Wind spirits whirled past them, leaving plates of food for them to dine on, Harry looked over to the Centurion for the Fifth Cohort, he was on an entirely different table and was chatting idly with another member of the Cohort, until she saw Harry looking. She sneered and turned to the Centurion, Augustus if Harry remembered correctly, and whispered something into his ear that caused him to frown, he started talking back to the girl but Harry had a feeling it was more scolding than chit-chat.

Harry glanced back to Jason, who was halfway through his meal already, he caught Harry looking at him and raised an eyebrow.

‘What’s the staring for?’ he asked.

Harry shrugged. ‘I dunno. It’s just… Lupa told me so many great things about this place but then I finally get here and the best thing that’s happened to me is finally meeting my dad and getting to know you.’

Jason sighed. ‘Y’know, there’s sometimes I wish I’d had the lives of some of the people here, they got to grow up with a loving mortal family most of the time, they got to know their siblings and they didn’t need to worry about their crazy step-dad or step-mom losing her shit when she finds out her husband cheated on her.’

‘I’m guessing your going on about Juno, your crazy step-mother.’ Harry replied.

‘Who else?’ Jason asked dryly.

Harry laughed a little bit.

Jason’s smile fell. ‘I haven’t told anyone else here about this yet, but, I’ve spent my whole life with Lupa or at this camp. I wasn’t raised in New Rome because I had no godly ancestors and my own mom abandoned me at Lupa’s doorstep. All because of Juno.’

Harry kept quiet.

‘The worst part is… I had a sister, and she was the only person in my mortal family who loved me.’ Jason whispered. ‘And I don’t even know if she’s alive anymore.’

‘It could’ve been worse.’ Harry replied, equally as quiet. ‘My aunt and uncle were the people who raised me. My mum died trying to keep me alive because some serial killer wizard wanted me dead, so someone left me in their care. They hated me, I ruined everything they stood for. They didn’t believe in gods or magic, all they cared about was themselves – for everything to be perfectly normal.’

Harry tried not to flinch when Jason put his fork down, his full attention on Harry, when he cast a look over to the son of Jupiter, Jason had concern in his eyes.

‘I never got the freedom of a childhood. And I never will.’ Harry said. ‘I was their slave, not their nephew. My cousin beat me black and blue because I was a Freak, I did everything for them and got nothing back.’

‘Why did you keep doing it?’ Jason asked.

‘They had ways. If I burnt something or refused to cook for them, my aunt would put my hands on the stove, I still have a burn scar.’ Harry held out the palm of his hand to show the lighter skin, Jason sucked in a sharp breath. ‘I fucked up the cooking or did anything magical they’d beat me and throw me into my cupboard.’

‘Your cupboard?’

‘The sorry excuse of my bedroom.’ Harry replied bitterly. ‘I was starved on multiple occasions, Lupa came on my cousin’s birthday, if she hadn’t taken me right there, right then, I don’t want to know what would’ve happened.’

Jason didn’t speak for a long time. ‘I… shit, I don’t even know what to say… how could anyone think about doing that?’

Harry shrugged. ‘I don’t know. The worst part? They lied about how my mum died, claimed she was a drunken slut who’d met my dad at club, gotten herself pregnant with me and killed herself and my dad in a car crash.’

Harry nearly stood back as a stray electric spark shot from Jason’s finger. ‘They don’t deserve to be called humans.’ Jason spat.

Before anything else could be said, everyone was called off to bed.

----

Harry had an odd dream that night, or rather, two odd dreams.

The first one showed a boy, no older than Harry was and nearly identical to Harry. Except the eyes, his were a bright sea-green while Harry’s were just plain green, he was in a cabin with a woman, who Harry guessed was his mum and a faun.

‘We have to get going now!’ the faun fretted. ‘Mrs Jackson they’ve sent one of the worst monsters after Percy.’

Mrs Jackson looked away from the faun and over to Percy. ‘Percy, get in the car. I didn’t plan for it to be so soon but we have to get you to the camp your father wanted you to go to now!’

Percy, obviously confused, looked back and forth between his mum and the faun, ‘Why what’s wrong? What’s happening?’ he asked.

‘Grover can explain on the way but we need to get in the car now!’ Mrs Jackson replied, her eyes bright with fear and sadness.

Harry felt a pang of envy, wondering if this is what his mum would’ve done for him if she’d made it past his first Halloween. Percy and the faun, Grover, were ushered into an old Camaro. A violent storm was happening outside, no doubt Jupiter’s work, and was drenching Percy, Mrs Jackson and Grover to the bones. As they clambered in, Mrs Jackson started the engine and the car whirred to life, as they drove Percy and Grover had a rushed, muffled conversation that Harry couldn’t pick up on. The car kept driving as lightning illuminated the sky overhead, giving Harry just enough lighting to see what monster Grover had been talking about, a Minotaur was charging right towards the Camaro and just before it reached the car, a blinding streak of lightning came crashing down on top of the car, sending it hurtling off the road and driving the Minotaur back with a pained bellow.

After a painful few minutes, they climbed out of the car. Grover was unconscious and moaning the word “food” under his breath while Percy and Mrs Jackson dragged him along. Percy looked over to the ruined car and muttered, ‘So much for not one scratch.’

The Minotaur returned, bellowing loudly while Mrs Jackson lectured him about what to do. The monster charged at them and both Percy and Mrs Jackson dove out the way, the Minotaur continued forward for a few seconds before grinding to a halt. It charged again but Mrs Jackson was too slow, the Minotaur’s meaty fist shot out and grabbed onto Mrs Jackson’s neck, she let out a choked gasp as Percy shouted for her.

She struggled in the Minotaur's hand for a minute, her eyes looking at Percy with a pleading “go” before the Minotaur closed its fist and Mrs Jackson vanished in a cloud of golden smoke.

The last thing Harry heard from that dream was Percy’s pain-filled scream for his mother.

***

The dream dissolved around Harry and he found himself on a hard, stony floor, overlooking a deep pit. An ancient rumbling laugh echoed from beneath, making Harry impulsively step back, he tried to move his hand to his sword but the weapon was gone.

‘Poor young demigod.’ Mused the voice. ‘Perhaps, you can be of use though. Join me, child of the sea, and we can bring an end to the era of Olympus.’

I’d never join you is what Harry would’ve shouted but his voice couldn’t work, the voice let out a deep, bellowing laugh. Startling Harry from his fitful sleep.

***

When Harry woke up, Jason was standing over him, his eyes bright with worry. Before the son of Jupiter could ask, a voice shouted out for them to all wake up, silencing anything Jason could say. Harry pushed himself out of bed, mouthing to Jason that he’d talk about it later. Jason shuffled and turned to the Centurion; Augustus was handing out different jobs for people in the Cohort.

He turned to Harry and Jason, ‘Grace, you’re helping in the Fields of Mars, building trenches for the war games on Wednesday. Newbie, you’re in the Unicorn Fields, taking care of the unicorns so we can harvest their horn shavings.’

‘My name’s Harry.’ Harry protested.

‘I thought it was Hadrian?’ asked another member of the Cohort.

‘I prefer Harry.’ He replied awkwardly.

‘We’ll be calling you Hadrian until you prove yourself.’ Augustus replied harshly.

Harry just sighed and rubbed his arm. ‘Where are the Unicorn Fields anyways?’ he asked.

‘Malorie can show you, she’ll be helping you care for the unicorns today.’ Augustus said, gesturing towards an awkward-looking girl struggling to dress herself. ‘I’m sure you two will get along just fine.’

Some of the others snickered and Jason scowled. ‘Malorie’s not that bad!’

Malorie looked up at the laughing Legionnaires and frowned, her eyes shiny like this was a frequent experience. Harry snatched the bag Augustus held out to him and glowered at him.

‘Piss off Asher.’ Harry replied. ‘Come on Malorie, lets head to the Unicorn Fields.’

Malorie pulled her shirt over her head and hurried on behind Harry, she managed to catch up with him right as he was at the dining pavilion.

‘Why did you do that?’ she asked. ‘Augustus is not someone you want on your bad side.’

‘Like I could give a fuck what these biased assholes think about me.’ Harry replied. ‘I’m only here because it’s my only chance at staying alive. If I could I’d probably be living on the streets.’

‘You don’t have a family?’ Malorie asked.

‘I hate my living Mortal family.’ Harry said shortly. ‘Now are you going to show me the Unicorn Fields or do we have to wander around like headless chickens all day?’

Malorie looked taken aback. ‘Uhm, yeah, come on.’

She lead him over to the greener parts of Camp Jupiter. Harry could see an elephant in a field spraying water over its head, Harry turned to face forward and saw a herd of unicorns frolicking together. He hummed sadly, Harry never thought to himself what it would be like to be an animal often but right now he wondered for a blissful second what it’d be like to be a unicorn. Probably more accepted than his life as a human – or demigod, whatever.

‘Beautiful, aren’t they?’ Malorie asked.

‘Yeah, suppose…’ Harry mumbled.

‘I wonder what their thoughts are like.’ She continued. ‘Maybe you can finally tell me what they think.’

‘Me?’ Harry asked.

‘I’ve heard rumors that children, and sometimes Legacies, of Neptune can understand equestrian animals, like horses and unicorns.’ Malorie replied.

‘Great, as if I need to hear the judgement of even more animals.’ Harry groaned.

Malorie giggled. ‘I think if anything they might like you, Harry.’

Harry froze and gave Malorie a blank stare.

‘What?’ she asked.

‘You…you called me Harry.’ He said dumbly.

Malorie shrugged. ‘I dunno, you just… you’re a kind person, only Jason’s stood up for me before.’

Harry shook his head. ‘Why does everyone dislike you anyways?’

‘I’m a mess when it comes to… anything Roman.’ Malorie confessed. ‘I’m a Legacy of Mercury and everyone expects me to be perfect at everything.’

Harry walked over to the fence and vaulted himself over, the nearest unicorns stopped playing and trotted over to him. They didn’t say anything in his head but they let him stroke their muzzles.

‘So, you’ve known about the gods all your life?’ Harry asked.

Malorie pulled out a brush and handed it to Harry, who took it and began to guide it through the unicorn’s glossy white coat. ‘Yeah,’ she said. ‘You must’ve had someone in your family who told you about who your dad is? I know he couldn’t have been present in your life, Ancient Laws and all.’

‘Actually, it was Neptune who told me about my parentage.’ Harry replied, focusing on the unicorn’s silver mane.

‘Really?’ Malorie asked.

‘Yes, my aunt didn’t know and if she did she wouldn’t have said anything. My mum died when I was a year old too and it’s not like I’m a child of Pluto, I can’t raise the dead.’ Harry answered.

Malorie hummed as she feed the unicorn an apple. The creature took it and begun happily munching away, Harry continued to brush the unicorn’s coat, pleasing it.

‘This beauty’s getting princess treatment.’ Malorie said.

‘How do you know she’s a girl?’ Harry asked.

Malorie pointed down and Harry shrugged in agreement.

The unicorn whinnied, loudly.

‘Yeah, yeah, laugh it up.’ Harry mumbled.

I will! A voice replied, startling Harry so much he dropped the brush. Hey! I was enjoying that!

‘Holy shit…’ Harry mumbled.

Malorie perked up. ‘Oh, is she talking to you?’

Harry looked the unicorn dead in the eye. ‘Is that you talking?’

Well, duh! The voice said. Who did you think it was?

Malorie giggled. ‘It’s quite funny, watching this. From my perspective, it looks like your just talking with a unicorn who isn’t replying.’

‘Have I mentioned how much I hate being special?’ Harry groaned.

The unicorn looked offended. Why? Besides, it’s been ages since one of Neptune’s descendants were here. Hey, Diamond! How long ago was the last time a descendant of Neptune was here?

Another unicorn raised its head. About ninety-nine years ago!

Thanks!

‘Oh fuck me…’ Harry groaned.

The unicorn gave Harry a disgusted look. I’d rather not.

‘Oi! Cheeky little bastard!’ Harry replied.

‘What did she say?’ Malorie asked with a giggle.

‘“I’d rather not.”, little shit, it’s an expression!’ Harry said, giving the unicorn a glare.

She whinnied in a way so similar to a laugh Harry picked up the brush and tossed it to Malorie.

‘What should we say that we give her to the glue factory?’ Harry asked teasingly.

‘Harry!’ Malorie replied, looking as affronted as the unicorn.

‘Joking!’ he said quickly.

----------------

When they finally had some free time, Harry and Malorie decided to look for Jason. They found him sitting outside a coffee shop in New Rome, being hackled by a faun trying to ask for spare change, he was covered in dirt and mud from digging in the Fields of Mars for so long.

‘Fucking hate trench digging.’ Jason complained to them before taking a sip from the Coke he’d bought.

‘Could’ve been worse. I got insulted by a pissing unicorn.’ Harry replied, swirling the coffee in his cup around.

Jason nearly choked on his drink trying not to laugh. ‘How?’ he asked.

‘I said “fuck me” in complaint and the cheeky little bugger said “I’d rather not.”, gods unicorns are so rude.’ Harry said, giving Jason a “can you believe?” look.

Jason shrugged. ‘Turns out unicorns are sassy little shits.’

Harry hummed quietly and took a sip from his coffee, Malorie rolled her eyes. ‘Honestly, unicorns can be sweethearts if you get to know them.’

‘Yeah, except you’re not the one who unicorns can talk telepathically to.’ Harry said, gently pointing his coffee cup to Malorie before taking another sip of his drink. ‘I don’t think that’ll be fun in the next month or year.’

Jason turned to Harry, ‘Oh, yeah you told me that you’d tell me about your dream earlier, do you want to?’ he asked.

Harry looked up from his drink and caught Malorie giving him a curious glance. ‘Fine, sure.’ He said. ‘I can’t figure out the second one and I guess it’d be nice to have your opinions. In one of my dreams, I was standing over a pit, someone – no, something – was laughing and told me to… bring about the end of “the era of Olympus” if I joined them.’

Jason frowned. ‘An enemy of the gods?’ he asked.

‘I don’t know…’ Harry replied.

‘Harry, this dream sounds important. Maybe we should tell the Praetors.’ Malorie said.

‘I guess…’ Harry mumbled. ‘I just didn’t think a dream was important enough to mention to Praetors.’

‘Tomorrow we’ll go to the Praetors about this dream.’ Jason agreed.

Harry shuffled uncomfortably. ‘There’s… one more thing, it’s not about the dreams but more the storms and floods.’ He said.

‘What? You know why Neptune and Jupiter are causing these?’ Malorie asked.

‘Yeah. Dad told me when he visited. But please, don’t tell anyone, he doesn’t want the news getting out.’ Harry added hastily.

‘What’s happened?’ Jason questioned.

‘Someone’s… stolen Jupiter’s Lightning Bolt.’ Harry said quietly.

‘Someone’s what?’ Malorie asked, shooting to her feet.

‘I don’t know how or why but that’s why these storms are happening.’ Harry explained. ‘Jupiter’s blamed my dad for the theft and they’re having their worst fight in… centuries.’

‘I can see why Jupiter doesn’t want the news getting out.’ Jason mused.

‘I suppose, a god’s word is practically law here, we can’t tell the Praetors.’ Malorie muttered.

‘But, we should look for the Bolt, shouldn’t we?’ Harry asked.

‘Knowing my dad, he’s probably sent his best out to find it.’ Jason countered. ‘But… I was offered a quest a while back that might give us some… clues.’

‘You do?’ Malorie asked.

‘Praetor Kowal asked me to go on a quest to deal with a certain… sea monster. I’d say bringing a son of Neptune and a Legacy of Mercury who happens to know something vitally important might be useful for the quest.’ Jason said, finishing his Coke and folding his arms.

‘A sea monster?’ Harry mused. ‘Sounds right down this son of the sea god’s alley.’

Jason grinned. ‘I hoped you might say that.’

‘You haven’t accepted the quest yet?’ Malorie asked. ‘Imagine how much more attention the Fifth Cohort could finally get!’

‘I know. I’ve been pondering the quest a few days before Harry came. If I tell Praetor Kowal that I accept the quest and I’m taking you two with me, we might be able to do a side-tracked investigation.’ Jason answered.

‘Well,’ Harry said. ‘Why don’t we tell Praetor Kowal the good news?’

Chapter Text

Praetor Kowal seemed pleased with Jason’s agreement to go on the quest, however, he didn’t like the idea of Harry and Malorie coming. His demeanour changed quickly when they brought up Harry’s dream.

‘Praetor, please, if Harry’s dream is anything to go by, then we have reasons to believe an enemy of Olympus is rising again!’ Jason insisted.

‘All because of one foggy dream?’ Praetor Kowal countered. ‘Tell me, Hadrian, where even was your dream?’

‘I don’t know sir.’ Harry said politely. ‘All I could properly make out was the bottomless pit in front of me and an ancient voice trying to make me swear loyalty to him.’

For some reason, the mention of the voice earned a reaction from Kowal. ‘An ancient voice in a bottomless pit?’ he mused. ‘Why would he be stirring?’

‘So you have an idea who that voice is!’ Harry said.

Kowal looked up from the desk in front of him. ‘Of course I do!’ he retorted. ‘Anyone who’s read Roman mythology knows who he is!’

Harry frowned; he didn’t remember anything from the Roman’s about an ancient voice in a pit. Maybe some kind of deity? He could see Jason and Malorie wracking their brains to find an answer, Jason seemed to figure out what Kowal was talking about but he stayed silent.

‘Please, Praetor, just let us go on this quest.’ Jason said.

‘I can’t… three probatios?’ Kowal said, gesturing to the tablets.

‘Who would loose these tablets if we do this quest?’ Harry asked.

Kowal shook his head. ‘I can’t, it’s been our camp rules for as long as anyone can remember. Unless a god orders for a probatio to leave on a quest.’ He explained.

‘So you allow Jason to leave for the quest?’ Harry said boldly. ‘Despite him being on probatio and I don’t think Jupiter’s sent a letter saying: “Send Jason on this dangerous quest with people he might not get along with, sincerely, his dad”.’

Harry heard Malorie snort but he focused instead on Kowal, who frowned at Harry, he tried to say something but whatever he wanted to say died in his throat.

Harry nodded. ‘I see it now, you only offered Jason this quest because his dad is Jupiter and you don’t want to anger him.’ He said.

Jason sighed. ‘Fuck’s sake, Kowal. How many times have I said, “don’t offer me quests just because of who my dad is.”?’

Kowal let out a disgruntled noise and Harry looked over to him, sceptical.

‘I personally think the three of them are quite capable.’ A voice chimed up from behind them.

The three of them and Kowal looked over to the doorway and found the other praetor hovering there.

‘Poor Malorie has been trying so hard to prove herself, let her take this quest and besides, Hadrian going on the quest might help slowly rebuild the trust for Lord Neptune’s descendants.’ She said.

Harry managed to give her a small smile, Malorie scrambled into a straight standing position. ‘Praetor Alin.’ Malorie said politely.

Praetor Alin smiled. ‘Malorie, Jason, Hadrian.’ She greeted.

Harry and Jason silently nodded their own greeting.

‘Now, come on Jacob, let the poor kids do the quest. You offered it to Jason and now he’s accepted and has chosen who he wants to accompany him.’ Praetor Alin said, her voice soft like cotton.

Harry took a step back for Praetors Alin and Kowal to continue their conversation, they switched language and began having a fast-paced exchange in Latin, Harry stared hopelessly at the two of them while Jason and Malorie listened intently, but the look on Malorie’s face told Harry that whatever the Praetors were saying was something they shouldn’t be listening to.

After a long few minutes, Praetor Kowal sighed defeatedly and Alin turned away, smiling warmly at the three probatios as if she didn’t get in a heated Latin argument with Kowal.

‘Well, as long as we have the permission of Octavian then we can agree that you three can go on your quest!’ Alin said cheerfully.

Harry tried not to laugh at Kowal’s face. He looked so miserable Harry almost felt certain that he could manage another visit to teddy bear-gutting Octavian and not throttle him.

Alin gave them another smile, ‘We’ll let Octavian question the gods about this quest and if it seems successful then you can have tomorrow to prepare and pack.’ She explained before turning to Harry. ‘Quite special, being chosen for a quest on the first day here.’

‘Yeah, I discovered early that I’m quite special.’ He replied.

Malorie giggled at that comment. ‘I thought you’d told me that you hate being special?’

Harry shrugged. ‘Guess I should suck it up and “learn to embrace it”, even if I sound like some weird-ass spiritual healer or whatever.’

‘Come on, let’s go visit Mr Guts-a-lot in my dear old dad’s temple.’ Jason said.

--------------

Octavian didn’t seem very pleased with Harry and Jason’s so-soon return, he seemed even less pleased with Malorie tailing behind them.

‘Back so soon?’ Octavian drawled.

‘Look mate, we don’t want to deal with you either but it’s because Jason’s taken up a quest and he’s chosen us to help him.’ Harry replied.

‘Three probatios?’ he asked. ‘Surely the praetors realize that you all can’t go.’

‘Praetor Anil’s given us her permission. Now we need to check with what the gods think.’ Jason said.

‘I do wonder how many more teddy bears I’ll be gutting for you two.’ Octavian replied, eyeing Harry and Malorie distastefully. ‘But I cannot ignore looking at the Will of the Gods.’

Harry raised an eyebrow sceptically again. He still felt like Octavian’s stuffing-reading gig was a hoax but he didn’t risk making it vocal in case he did genuinely piss off a god or two by thinking that speaking their will through stuffing was fake. He watched quietly as Octavian tore open a teddy bear elephant with his dagger and let the insides spill onto the altar again.

‘Hmph,’ was the first thing Octavian said. ‘For some reason the gods allow it. Maybe they hope that Neptune’s little brat will die on this quest.’

‘Why you little-!’ Harry started but Malorie held him back.

‘Octavian, can you be nice for like once?’ she asked.

‘Nah, he hasn’t discovered that ability yet.’ Jason whispered back, making Malorie and Harry snort.

Octavian turned around to face Jason. ‘The quest is hunting down and killing the Trojan Sea Monster, I don’t know why you choose now, with Neptune so upset.’

Harry could see a flicker of what looked like fear cross Jason’s face. He chose to speak up for his friend. ‘Octavian, I doubt Neptune would try anything to Jason if it puts me at risk.’

‘How do you know that?’ Octavian queried.

‘My dad’s already proved to me that he actually likes me.’ Harry replied. ‘He told me quite literally that he’d prefer me not as a pile of electrocuted ashes.’

Harry could see the stress leaving Jason’s face as he spoke. Octavian still looked disbelieving but he obviously didn’t have any more questions.

‘So I see, well, when the time comes for your quest, I wish you the best of luck.’ Octavian said, though it sounded less “Best of luck!” and more, “I hope at least one of you die!”.

Jason raised an eyebrow. 'I thought there was more.'

'To leave on this quest, I must relay the prophecy and allow the Senate to accept this quest based on how successful they deem it will be.' Octavian began. 'So, what's the prophecy?' Harry asked.

Octavian cleared his throat theatrically:

"A surprising three, shall leave at eve.

A scorned god's beast, one shall cleave,

But beware Winter's storm, beware her rage,

And one shall discover a secret hidden in their family cage."

Octavian coughed before looking at them skeptically, the three friends looked warily amongst each other.

'We'll go now...' Malorie said shakily.

Octavian waved them off dismissively and returned to gutting his teddy bears at the altar.

----------

‘Still the ray of sunshine I remember him being.’ Harry muttered as they left Jupiter’s temple.

‘Naturally.’ Jason said. ‘Thanks for that, by the way. I was letting some dark thoughts come through…’

Harry bumped Jason’s arm. ‘Hey, don’t worry about it. Besides, I would’ve added that my dad has more things to worry about than a son of Jupiter entering his domain.’

Jason pursed his lips. ‘I suppose.’ He said glumly.

Malorie gave Harry a hopeless look as they headed back to the praetors, Alin asked how the visit to Octavian went and Harry replied with what happened. She frowned at Octavian’s comment about Jason in Neptune’s domain but gave Harry an appreciative grin when he explained his attempt to comfort Jason.

‘Since that’s out the way, you three head on back to your Cohort, get some rest and some fresh clothes.’ Alin said, gesturing for them to go to their Cohort.

The three of them nodded politely and headed back to the Fifth Cohort, Malorie let out and excited noise that startled Harry, he looked at her blankly.

‘What the hell was that for?’ he asked.

‘I’m sorry, it’s just… a quest.’ Malorie said breathlessly. ‘I’ve never been on a quest!’

‘Well, I haven’t either.’ Harry interjected, Jason nodding behind him in agreement. ‘But I don’t go around squealing excitedly about it.’

Malorie shrugged. ‘I’ve never been anywhere further than New Rome and Camp Jupiter, I’ve only seen America on maps.’

Harry folded his arms and leaned against a tree. ‘I’ve never been any further than Surrey in England and California when I was training with Lupa.’

‘You’ve been in England?’

‘Yeah, I was born there. I don’t know exactly where but I was born there.’

‘What was it like?’

‘Shit.’

‘Why?’

Harry could see Jason stiffen, he saw Malorie look at him questioningly, the lightbulb seemed to go off in her head.

‘Oh, this is the same reason why you hate your mortal family, isn’t it.’ She said.

‘Obviously. What did you think?’

Malorie frowned. ‘I’m sorry, I should’ve realized Harry.’

He sighed. ‘Come on Malorie, Jason. Let’s go back to the Cohort.’

---------------

Augustus gave them a serious look when he returned and found Harry, Jason and Malorie talking away happily.

‘What are you all doing here?’ Augustus demanded.

‘We’ve been given free time,’ Malorie explained.

‘From whom?’

‘The praetors.’ Harry said.

Augustus seemed to relax when Harry explained their early return. ‘Finally, another person from our Cohort going on quests.’

Harry raised an eyebrow. ‘How long has it been since your last quest in this Cohort?’

‘The 1980’s. The only Praetor we’ve had from this Cohort, Michael Varus, lost the Legion’s Eagle in Alaska during a quest in trying to fulfil a prophecy.’ Augustus said. ‘It’s why we’ve been despised by everyone else for years!’

‘What prophecy?’ Jason asked, sounding curious.

‘The Prophecy of the Seven.’ Augustus said.

‘I haven’t heard of that prophecy.’ Malorie mused.

‘It’s one of our oldest known prophecies that haven’t been fulfilled. It’s literally engraved on the floor of Jupiter’s temple.’ Augustus explained.

‘How did I never notice that…’ Jason asked himself.

‘I thought you hated being in your dad’s temple?’ Harry replied.

‘Fair.’ Jason confessed. ‘I suppose I just wasn’t paying attention. Lupa would have my neck.’

Harry laughed. ‘Hey, I didn’t notice either, I’m not going to be judging you.’

----------

During dinner, Octavian called for all the Legion’s attention and began to explain that Harry, Jason and Malorie were going on their quest to kill the sea monster. Harry perked up when Octavian mentioned that from his insight into the quest, the sea monster he’d seen had been the same one to torment Troy in the Ancient times. Harry could feel the static radiating from Jason’s body when Octavian slyly explained that Neptune made it, earning Harry quite a few distasteful looks from some fellow campers.

However, everyone from the Fifth Cohort cheered the three of them on happily, obviously glad to see people from their Cohort go on a quest like this one. When dinner came to an end, a few Legionnaires wished them their best luck, Harry decided to call an early night though, the attention felt… wrong.

******

Harry had another odd dream.

He was in an old palace, there was a king loitering on his throne, looking incredibly bored. The large door creaked open, grabbing Harry’s attention, someone walked in, looking exhausted.

‘It’s done.’ The man said tiredly.

‘Hm?’ the king replied, glancing up. ‘Ah! You’ve finished the wall like your brother ordered.’

‘Don’t test your luck, Laomedon.’ The man muttered ‘I’m still a god and I can still make life very difficult for you.’

‘Mhm, well, you’re free to go now.’ Laomedon dismissed.

The god shot up and Harry winced, bad move, mate. He thought.

‘What?’ he demanded. ‘No payment? Nothing? I’ve been forced to build Troy’s walls with nothing but my bare hands and strength and this is your payment?’

‘Be glad I’m even letting you go free.’ Laomedon said coldly.

The god stormed out, almost literally, cursing and Harry could just see his mortal form dissolving as the door swung shut loudly behind him. Harry wondered which god that was and why he’d been working for this king.

****

The dream dissolved and changed to what Harry guessed was Laomedon’s kingdom a few years later. The king looked tired and weary, as if something had been stressing him severely, from the castle’s balcony, Harry could see the kingdom of Troy being laid waste to by a towering monster, its scaly skin was a sickly pale green and blue, amber eyes glared through whatever remained of the walls the god had built and a long, thrashing tail sent seawater spilling over into the kingdom, Harry could hear terrified screams of mortals unlucky enough to be swept into the rushing currents or snapped up by the monster’s jaws. It let out a bellowing roar and vanished into the depths of the ocean.

Harry swallowed. He’d just gotten a glimpse at his father’s monster.

How in the gods’ names were they supposed to slay something like that?

****

When Harry woke up, it was the same routine as before, Augustus was handing out tasks to anyone who wasn’t Harry, Jason or Malorie, Harry supposed they had quest privileges.

When everyone in the Fifth Cohort left, Augustus turned to the three of them, ‘Praetor Anil sent a letter forward to me, you three are leaving at noon for your quest, she wants you three to get packed and learn as much as you can about what you might face, since one of you is brand new to this camp.’ He gave Harry an expectant look. ‘I wish you three the best of luck.’

Jason nodded quietly, right as Augustus left, Jason turned to them. ‘Our best bet is researching the sea monster in New Rome’s library; we have everything possible on mythology in there.’

‘Y’know, Jason, you never strike me as a book guy.’ Harry said.

‘Hey!’ Jason protested, he stayed quiet for a moment before mumbling, ‘You’re right though, I really don’t like reading.’

‘Oh goodie, this’ll be fun!’ Harry replied, making Malorie giggle. ‘Besides, I figured out quite a bit about our sea monster friend in a dream.’

‘Seriously?’ Malorie asked. ‘I wish half my dreams were informative. Most of them are so weird I don’t even want to talk about them.’

‘Lets not then.’ Harry said.

The three of them headed off towards New Rome’s library. Harry had to admit, it was huge, books lined shelves so high Harry thought he’d need flight to reach some of them, there was plenty of Ancient Roman artwork and designs that kept Harry plenty distracted while Jason spoke with the librarian in a hushed voice.

Latin texts were dappled here and there and made Harry uncomfortable, he always sucked with Latin. He turned back towards his friends, Malorie’s eyes seemed to have taken a new sparkle Harry hadn’t seen before, she looked so excited at the towering library.

Jason turned to them as the librarian left. ‘Mythology’s on the fourth aisle, I’ve told the librarian we’re only here for research, not to return or extract anything. Her rules for the three of us are: No food, no lightning, no water, no theft, no earthquakes, no running, no tearing pages or damage to books, no flying and no loud noises.’

‘Basically normal mortal library rules but for those of us with magical godly talents.’ Harry said, wiggling his fingers as if magic sparks would shoot out.

‘I think she said no magic either.’ Jason added.

‘Alright.’ Malorie said cheerfully. ‘I really should’ve brought some notes.’

‘This isn’t a school test, Malorie.’ Harry muttered. ‘It’s research for a quest to hunt down an enormous sea monster my dad made out of spite.’

They headed down to Aisle Four, while mulling over the name Harry couldn’t help but think of a grocery store, he tried not to laugh to himself and somehow managed it. While searching, they ended up discovering that anything related to the gods’ cursing mortals was much higher up.

Harry turned to Jason with a grin. ‘Remember, no flying Mr Prince of the Heavens.’

‘Urgh, don’t remind me.’ Jason said heading for a ladder.

Malorie walked over with a raised eyebrow. ‘Wonder which he was more upset about, the no flying or you calling him the Prince of the Heavens.’

‘Oh, the latter, completely. Do you know how many times he’s told me he really doesn’t like being Jupiter’s son sometimes? I’m only on my second and a half day here!’ Harry replied.

Malorie giggled quietly as Jason pulled a book out from the shelves and climbed down, he held it out for all of them to see – The Beasts of Ancient Rome and Greece. ‘I think we have our book.’ Jason whispered.

--------

It took them a while to find the Trojan Sea Monster, it took Jason and Harry senselessly flipping through pages until Malorie pointed out the glossary at the back both boys had missed.

‘Smartass.’ Harry teasingly whispered as Malorie skimmed through the T section.

She simply smiled back before turning to the page to the one about the Trojan sea monster. She read through the page before turning the book to Harry and Jason.

‘Here, the Trojan Sea Monster was created by Neptune to spite an old Greek king who refused to pay him and Apollo for building the walls for Troy. While Apollo sent a plague, Neptune sent the sea monster and the old king-’

‘-Laomedon.’ Harry finished.

Malorie gave him a surprised look. ‘How did you figure that out?’

‘Dream.’ was Harry’s simple reply.

Jason huffed. ‘Of course you get the dream about the monster.’

Harry laughed while Malorie continued. ‘Laomedon decided to try to sacrifice his daughter to the monster in hopes of pleasing Neptune. Hercules killed the monster and Laomedon’s daughter married someone else later.’

‘Does it mention how Hercules killed it?’ Jason asked.

‘He let himself be swallowed by the sea monster and cut through its neck.’ Malorie said.

Jason blanched; Harry looked over to him reassuringly. ‘I bet we’ll find another way to kill it without anyone being swallowed.’

Jason nodded. ‘Maybe we can do something water-related with you.’

‘Me? Again?’ Harry asked.

‘Children and Legacies of Neptune often have hydrokinesis.’ Malorie said. ‘We’re going to be killing a sea monster, maybe we can keep it away from water, from its element.’

Harry hummed. ‘I suppose your right. It might need to be able to go underwater to breathe so if I have hydrokinesis I could suffocate it.’

Jason perked up. ‘And if it’s out of water it might be weaker!’

Harry patted Jason's shoulder, 'Don't worry, we still have a day or two until we go on this quest, we can plan how to kill this fucker in that time.'

Malorie nodded as Jason scratched at his neck, 'They won't send us entirely unprepared after a sea monster. Especially one this violent!'

--------------

They headed back to the barracks, Augustus was waiting for them and looked up at them skeptically, 'You've done your research, I bet?'

All three of them nodded.

'We've discovered that Hercules killed the monster, we know a weak point of the monster's now!' Malorie started, quite happily.

Augustus seemed unimpressed that Hercules slew the monster. 'Hercules does seem to kill every monster we go after.'

'It's better than nothing,' Harry confessed with a shrug.

'I suppose...' Augustus agreed, he looked at Harry approvingly. 'Y'know, I didn't initially have much faith in you,'

'Gee, thanks.' Harry muttered.

'But, I think Oliver was right, you've got potential, Harry.' Augustus said.

Harry gaped at the Centurion for a solid minute. He was probably one of the few other demigods (or Legacies) who didn't look at Harry like he was the scum of the earth. Not only that but Harry vividly remembered Augustus saying: You'll be called Hadrian until you can prove yourself.

Jason smiled. 'I didn't think you'd call him Harry for a month!' he said, looking at Augustus proudly.

Augustus shrugged. 'Managed to prove you wrong, Grace. Besides, I'm not wrong, Harry here does have some potential.'

Malorie gave Harry an approving thumbs up from Jason's left, the three boys collectively chuckled, Harry pulled Malorie into a side hug.

'Thanks for that Mal,' he said.

Was it just Harry or had Malorie blushed?

Augustus cleared his throat. 'Best you three get your rest. Jason, can we talk for a minute?'

Jason looked at them with a confused expression but he shrugged and followed behind Augustus. Harry and Malorie quickly got changed and headed to bed.

Chapter Text

Terminus and Octavian did in fact tear into them for a lack of punctuality. Harry cut Terminus some slack, unlike Octavian, but it took quite a deal of willpower.

Jason just nodded along with everything Terminus said, which seemed to placate the statue god.

"I don’t believe it. How can anyone be so late." Terminus said. "Do you see me holding the bridge of my nose?"

Harry nearly said no, due to the obvious lack of arms Terminus had, but Malorie gave him a desperate head shake.

Before Harry could even open his mouth Jason said, "Yes, we can Lord Terminus, and we sincerely apologize, we’ll try to be more punctual next time."

Praetor Anil nodded and Terminus felt quiet, but Harry heard mumbles about 'Son of Neptune,' 'Last time was a pure nightmare.' and so on, Harry tried to keep the displeasure to himself.

"Well, we can’t have you three running around with your probatio tablets," Anil said cheerfully.

She walked over to the three of them and took the tablets off. Harry sighed happily; he’d started to get incredibly sick of the tablet around his neck – it had felt like a badge of shame.

Terminus hummed, pursing his stone lips. "Probatios leaving the camp for a quest. This goes against Camp Jupiter’s oldest rules!"

Harry bit the inside of his cheek. He had a feeling that was the best thing for him to do while Terminus was talking – the statue god gave Harry the feeling he didn’t like being interrupted. Praetor Alin somehow kept her patience while Terminus rambled, when he finished, she begun to explain the exception with Harry, Jason, and Malorie’s quest.

"Besides," she added, looking at Octavian. "The gods have approved this quest."

"Likely in the hopes the son of Neptune dies." Octavian finished wryly.

"Again, with this shit?" Harry asked. "Grow the fuck up!"

Octavian gave Harry a distasteful look. "You’re hardly a Roman yourself. Considering you lived in a country we dominated in ancient times."

"There’s the thing Octavian, Ancient Times. Britain doesn’t do things exactly the Ancient Roman way, all we still have is Catholicism, helping us source some words from Latin and teaching us to read and write." Harry said. "And maybe the occasional architecture."

Terminus rolled his stony grey eyes at Octavian’s comment. Jason, Malorie, Alin and even Kowal seemed amused by the reply.

Kowal handed Malorie a stuffed backpack. "Our best suggestion? Look for Lord Aeolus, the god of the winds. He sees everything and might be able to inform you on where the monster’s been sighted last. His palace was last seen somewhere in Colorado."

Malorie threw the bag over her shoulder. "Thank you, Praetor Kowal."

"If you make it back successfully, you won’t need your probatio tablets." Praetor Alin explained, she held up their tablets with a smile. "Best of luck on your quest!"

They said their goodbyes and headed through the tunnel. When they got out, Harry nearly choked on his breath when he noticed the decrepit state of California, rushing winds whipped past their faces, seawater pushed around their ankles, seeping into small cracks.

"Gods, it’s gotten worse…" Jason said.

"It’s been two days." Harry muttered. "How much worse has it gotten?"

Malorie looked around in shock. "This really is serious…"

"I’m worried there’s going to be a war soon." Harry said.

"Maybe we should find our clues faster?" Malorie suggested. She pulled off her pack and shifted through the bag. She pulled out a wad of cash. "We might be able to hail a cab."

Harry and Jason shared an agreeing look. "Best we do." Harry said. "I may be water-resilient, but you definitely aren’t. Neither are our supplies."

The three of them managed to hail a cab. The driver took the money needed to get to Colorado, Harry sat back with a contented sigh.

Jason fiddled with his fingers, "I wish we could talk about… what we’re doing here." He said, before nodding towards the mortal.

The mortal glanced up at them in the rear-view mirror. "What the fuck are you three yapping about?"

"Why do you need to know?" Harry replied.

The Mortal shrugged. "Curiosity?" he replied, looking confused.

Malorie gave Harry and Jason a concerned look. "Pardon me sir, how long is this trip?"

"Nineteen hours? Give or take." the Mortal replied.

"If it’s nineteen hours then I’m having a nap." Harry mumbled. "There’s no way that I can stay put here for nineteen hours."

Harry sighed and tried to get into a comfortable position to sleep in. When he found it, sleep didn’t come easy.

--------------

Jason was the one to wake Harry up.

Harry tried to keep awake but the however many hours of sleep kept his eyes drooping, Malorie had to keep snapping her fingers under Harry’s nose to keep Harry awake.

"Harry, we have like five hours left. The driver’s turned up the music, he can’t hear any of us over his music." Jason said. "This is our best chance to discuss our odds about what might happen."

Harry could barely hear Jason over the ear-splitting tunes of Arctic Monkeys and Linkin Park. He had little doubted the driver couldn’t hear them.

"Any plans on what to do when we get to Aeolus’ palace?" Harry asked.

"Ask him about where we’ll be able to find the Trojan Sea Monster?" Malorie suggested.

"And if Aeolus refuses to help us?" Harry countered.

Jason sighed. "Well, if Aeolus refuses to help, we’re fucked."

Malorie perked up, “Oh! Maybe-”

“Look, I don’t want you guys coming up with another smartass thing that children of Neptune can do.” Harry said. “Can we just… look for Aeolus and just… think about what we can do if he doesn’t help… afterwards?”

“It’s always better to be prepared.” Malorie countered.

Harry sighed and leaned back in his seat. "I guess… I just never really needed to prepare myself for anything."

Jason shook his head. "The more I hear about your shitty relatives, the worse it seems to get."

Malorie nodded, Harry turned away and looked out the window, watching the landscape rush past. Both Jason and Malorie continued to converse about backup plans in case Kowal’s advice didn’t work. Harry’s eyes flickered towards the woods, where a glint of silver caught the sun.

"What in the world?" he muttered.

"What’s up?" Malorie asked.

"Do you see that light?" Harry replied, pointing to the flickering silver dot.

"Maybe it’s Diana’s hunters." Jason suggested. "They go all over America hunting the nastiest monsters."

"Why not the sea monster we’re after?" Harry asked.

“Maybe they’re too focused on another monster.” Jason replied. “I don’t know. The gods work in unexplainable ways.”

Yeah, like having kids with Mortals and then pissing off and not helping the kid. Harry thought bitterly. Why am I fighting for my dad’s honor when he doesn’t care for me?

His own pride, Harry supposed. That was the most likely reason that Harry could find for why he cared so much about his dad’s honor. The campers here proved quickly that the more respected your sire or ancestor is the more they respect you. He was defending himself more than Neptune, trying to prove himself to be more than an earthquake-causing destructive asshole.

So why did Harry have this feeling that’s what Neptune wants him to be?

He sighed, Dad, if you can at least hear me… tell me I’m doing something right.

Nothing.

“Great, just great.” Harry mumbled quietly, neither Jason nor Malorie heard him.

---------

The next few hours were painful planning and the voices of Linkin Park singing Papercut so many times Harry was sure that the lyrics were engraved into his head, and he was sure he didn’t want to listen to another metal song ever again.

The three of them clambered out of the cab, with Malorie idly humming One Step Closer to herself.

“Gods, I don’t want to hear another song for a while.” Jason said. “Seriously, how loud do you need your music?”

“The only ‘music’ I had was my cousin smashing his shit upstairs. Or whatever crappy songs my aunt played on her radio.” Harry replied. “So not very loud. My aunt seemed to prefer Christian Rock more than anything. I really don’t want to deal with Jesus Take the Wheel ever again.”

Malorie snickered. “Smashing his shit?” she echoed. “What do you mean by that?”

Jason rolled his eyes. “Malorie, you have the humor of a five-year-old.”

“Nah, a five-year-old would be more shocked about the swearing.” Harry replied. “And I meant his overpriced toys my aunt would buy in the masses.”

Malorie huffed. “You ruin all my fun Potter.” She said.

“I don’t think I do.” Harry mused. “But, hey, now we’re here, let’s ask the question biting away at our minds. How do we find Aeolus’ palace?”

Jason turned to them, looking confused. “Do you guys seriously not see the huge streaks in the sky?”

Harry glanced up to the sky. There were no streaks at all in the sky. “What are you on about Jason?”

“What are you guys on about?” Jason asked, his expression baffled.

“Maybe we should just follow the streaks only Jason can see?” Malorie suggested.

Jason shook his head. “I still have no clue how you can’t see it but come on.”

They walked on in a stiff silence, Harry felt rather ridiculous, but he had no clue what to say to his friends.

“Hey, Jason? What do these streaks in the sky look like?” Malorie asked.

“I’m not sure of the best way to describe it…” Jason muttered. “They’re kind of orange-y red? I almost seem to know which way they want me to go.”

“You’re acting like they have a sentient brain.” Harry replied.

Jason hummed. “I guess since I’m a son of Jupiter, I’m the only one who can see the streaks?”

Malorie groaned. “When am I going to get anything cool for being a Legacy of Mercury?”

“Who knows, maybe you’ll be unnaturally good at theft.” Harry said cheekily.

Jason laughed as Malorie promptly gave Harry a passionate middle finger, “I hate stealing, I hate that stereotype so much!” Malorie groaned.

“At least the stereotype about your ancestor isn’t so bad everyone thinks you’re going to annihilate half of California if anyone pisses you off to much.” Harry grumbled.

“Or get babied by almost half the Legion because of who my dad is.” Jason added, looking irritated.

“You’ll never let it go, will you?” Harry asked, grinning.

“Of course not.” Jason said. “We’re only on this quest because of Kowal thinking Oh, let’s have Jason lose his probatio tablet by going on a life-threatening quest just because he’s a son of Jupiter and he’ll be fine.”

“Bit of a dick move, I will agree.” Malorie said.

They continued through the forests in silence, the occasional howl of a wolf made Harry impulsively reach for his sword, Harry could feel and hear the crackling electricity dancing around Jason as his nerves got the better of him. Malorie was humming an eerie tune to herself – how it calmed her, Harry had no clue, but it seemed to work. They kept going until they reached a tall mountain.

“The streaks end here.” Jason said.

“So, I’m betting that we have to climb the super tall mountain to find Aeolus.” Harry muttered.

“Well, let’s get climbing then!” Malorie said, far too cheerful for Harry’s liking.

She skipped over to the mountain and began to heave herself up. Harry shuddered and grabbed onto the rocks, wincing at the cold stone underneath his palms.

“Have I mentioned how much I hate heights?” Harry muttered, already feeling his gut writhing with fear.

Jason patted Harry’s shoulder sympathetically right before he started to pull himself up the mountainside, “Do you – huff – think it’s because you’re a child of Neptune?”

“How should I know?” Harry replied.

He pushed himself up, at least two feet up now. Harry tried not to look down. He remembered when Uncle Vernon dangled him out of the tallest back window because Harry had complained about being too short to reach the windows.

His uncle had been arrested after a concerned neighbour noticed and called the cops, but when the officers had come to do a wellness check on both Harry and Dudley, Harry had been hidden away in his cupboard, too terrified to actually speak up. Dudley had loudly proclaimed that Uncle Vernon would never dangle him out of a window, so the officers let him go after a month in a holding cell.

Uncle Vernon had beaten Harry for that, even though it hadn’t been his fault.

Where was Neptune for that? Harry thought to himself bitterly. Probably getting another poor woman pregnant.

Harry kept pushing himself up, Malorie and Jason were far ahead of him, but the memories and Harry’s fear kept getting the better of him, Harry’s hand slipped on a rain-soaked rock, and he lost his balance.

“Harry!” Jason shouted.

Harry tried to swing himself on his arm to grab a different rock, but his fear kept him frozen. His grip on the rock was failing and he didn’t have the courage to grab onto anything with his feet. Harry desperately tried not to look down, but he had to see if he’d survive the fall.

He definitely wouldn’t.

He was at least fifty feet up now.

Harry’s fingers were slipping, and his heart lurched. He didn’t want to die like this. A pancake at the bottom of a cliffside.

He tried to fix his grip, but he was too petrified. His breathing was fast and shaky. His heart pounded painfully loud in his ears as his last finger slid off the smooth rock.

Is this really how I’m going to die? He thought, terrified.

“Harry!” Malorie cried.

He was in a free fall now, Harry jammed his eyes shut, as if not seeing his landing would mollify the pain.

“Jason!” Malorie screamed.

Fuck, had Jason jumped!?

Someone grabbed roughly onto Harry’s waist, and he clung desperately onto the person’s neck. Wind whipped loudly around Harry’s face before he hit the ground, he lurched painfully. Harry whimpered and buried his face into the person’s shoulder.

“Harry?” they asked tentatively.

“Nope. Not looking.” Harry squeaked.

“Okay then, at least look at my face.” They instructed.

Harry desperately shook his head. “Get me out of here.” He whispered brokenly.

“We can’t, remember? It’s our only way to Aeolus’ palace.” Jason’s voice was gentle.

“If you’re flying just… fly me the rest of the way.” He mumbled.

Harry could feel Jason nod, “Okay, come on.”

They lurched again as Jason ascended.

“I’ll see you two at the top.” Malorie said. “Go on, I’ll be fine.”

“No, I’ll get Harry to the top and head back down for you.” Jason replied.

Harry tried to speak but his voice had died after Jason started to fly upwards again.

They stayed there in silence, the wind being their only sound. After what felt like an eternity, Jason’s feet hit hard ground, and he eased Harry onto the oddly flat peak.

Harry tried to open his eyes, and they fortunately obeyed. Jason’s hand was on Harry’s shoulder as he was crouched in front of him, looking concerned. Relief flickered across Jason’s face as Harry looked him up-and-down.

“I’m going to grab Malorie, I’ll be back. Just try not to jump off the peak.” Jason instructed.

“Wouldn’t try it.” Harry croaked jokingly.

Jason smiled. “Well, I’ll take you joking as a good sign.”

Jason gave Harry a tight hug before letting go and taking to the air again.

------------

Jason and Malorie arrived a while later, finding Harry curled up in a ball and fiddling with his fingers, the skin was scratched and bloody. Harry could just barely make out the burn scar on his palm through the blood.

Malorie winced. “We need to get those wrapped up.” She said.

“I guess…” Harry mumbled numbly.

“Why didn’t you mention how bad your fear for heights was?” Malorie asked.

Harry shrugged. “I didn’t want to be a liability.”

“Oh, Harry, no it would’ve been fine. We would’ve found another way up.” Jason said.

“I’m sorry…” he mumbled.

“There’s nothing to be sorry about.” Malorie soothed.

Harry pushed himself up. “I think Aeolus’ palace is over here.” He said bluntly, hoping that his friends would realize the conversation was over.

They realized it and fell quiet.

Jason followed Harry’s gaze and looked over to the bridge of ice and writhing storm clouds. “Well shit, I guess you’re right.”

Harry rolled his eyes. “Come on, before we’re too late.”

He knew Jason and Malorie were glancing nervously at each other, it had become a sixth sense to Harry at this point, to know when people were talking behind his back – first it had been at the Dursleys, then at the school they’d cheaply enrolled Harry into, since Dudley had started all sorts of nasty rumours about Harry, and then Camp Jupiter.

Harry headed up the icy bridge, he didn’t like having to already get off of the comforting ground, but it was for the sake of the quest, so Harry supposed he could suck up his discomfort.

“Are you sure you’re alright with getting off the ground so soon?” Malorie asked.

“I’ll live.” Harry replied curtly.

“If you say so…” Jason murmured, Harry could hear the uncertainty in his voice, however.

The trek up the ice bridge was in silence, again.

They reached the end and headed inside, a cloud spirit at the front desk perked up.

“Oh, are you here for an appointment with Lord Aeolus?” she asked.

“Uhm, yes, actually.” Jason said, sounding, and looking, taken aback.

“Alright, he should be ready in… oh, fifteen minutes?” the spirit said. “I’m Cirrus, by the way.”

“Like the cloud type?” Harry guessed.

He could see it. Cirrus looked as dainty as her namesake, she beamed at him when he said that.

“Oh, you realized! Normally heroes don’t pick up on that.” Cirrus said merrily. “I like you already, son of Neptune.”

Harry gave her a sheepish smile.

“Just imagine Octavian’s heart attack at that.” Malorie whispered to Jason, who snickered.

“Feel free to take a seat, we’ll call you when Aeolus is ready.” Cirrus instructed.

“Thank you, Cirrus.” Jason replied.

She gave them all perfect smiles before heading back to her work.

They all sat down on the soft cloud-like chairs, Malorie picked up a brochure and began to flip through it. Harry went back to fiddling with his injured hands.

“Want to get those patched up while we wait?” Jason offered.

“Sure, thanks.”

Jason grabbed their bag and flipped through the supplies. He pulled out some band-aids and began to carefully wrap them around Harry’s wounds.

“Is that okay?” Jason asked.

“It’s fine,” Harry replied. “Where’d you learn this?”

“A legacy of Apollo showed me.” Jason said. “I used to be quite injury prone, believe it or not.”

Harry raised his eyebrow. “The scar on your lip gave it away quite easily.”

Jason flushed. “I got it when I was two.”

“How?”

“I tried to eat a stapler…”

Harry burst out laughing while Jason blushed. “A fucking stapler, Grace? What are you, a Fawn?”

“Shuddup…” Jason mumbled. “I was a toddler.”

Harry kept laughing, earning an odd look from Cirrus and Malorie, he couldn’t really care though.

Jason gave him a grin. “At least your mind is off what happened on the cliffside.”

Harry’s smile faltered for a minute. “Yeah… I guess.”

“There’s more to why you freaked out than just being a son of Neptune, isn’t there?” Jason asked.

Harry rubbed his arm, the fibres from the band-aids scratching at him painfully. He started to explain what his uncle had done to him when he was five.

Jason scowled. “I reiterate my previous statement about your relatives. A month in a holding cell? That’s just a slap on the fucking wrist!”

“I got nothing good from that month anyways.” Harry added. “Just my aunt and cousin beating the shit out of me. Somewhere along the way my uncle got hammered before he got home. So that was worse.”

Jason shook his head, before anything could be said, Cirrus called for them.

“Lord Aeolus is ready to see you three.”

Chapter Text

Harry liked Aeolus’ palace.

Until he nearly fell into the enormous gaping chasm.

The palace’s roof was supported by towering cloud columns, constantly churning, as if the palace itself was alive. Ugly, winged women were weaving between the columns – Harpies if Harry remembered correctly.

Jason whistled lowly. “Impressive place.”

Cirrus giggled. “Why, it’s the harpies who do all the work!” she gestured to a gaggle of Harpies squawking amongst each other. “Not the most social, but they’re brilliant builders.”

The harpies ruffled their feathers, gave Cirrus some smug looks and returned to their loud conversations. Harry was too focused on what Cirrus had to say to pay attention to his surroundings.

“Whoa, look out!” Jason said, grabbing Harry’s arm roughly.

Harry looked over to what Jason had stopped him from walking onto. A deep chasm was right in front of Harry, his foot was nearly hovering over the edge.

“So, you just have huge ass holes around here?” Harry asked.

Cirrus frowned. “Normally we just fly over them.” She said.

“Yeah, well we can’t fly.” Harry countered.

“Hm, well the Harpies might be able to fix it, but I don’t know if Lord Aeolus can wait for it.” Cirrus mused.

“We don’t really mind…” Harry replied.

Malorie and Jason nodded their agreement as Cirrus called down the nearby Harpies. They grabbed some supplies and began to swiftly work on a bridge for the non-wind spirits amongst them.

“They are fast!” Malorie marvelled.

Cirrus smiled. “Why do you think Aeolus keeps them?”

Harry tentatively placed a foot on the hastily built bridge, pressing his weight onto the wood, there was a precarious creak, but it held firm.

“Feels safe.” Harry said.

“It should be safe, otherwise Aeolus would just pluck them and feed them to the storm spirits.” Cirrus said. “Which is where that chasm would lead too. And besides, even if you survived the spirits, you’d fall to your death.”

Harry stiffened, and with the way Jason and Malorie were looking at him, he’d probably paled badly too. Cirrus let out a quiet ‘eep!’ noise.

“Oh gods, I’m sorry, I really shouldn’t have said that!” she squeaked.

“Yeah, thanks…” Harry muttered, swallowing.

He hadn’t even realized that Jason was behind him until he put his hand on Harry’s shoulder, making the demigod startle and draw Neptune’s gift.

“Holy shit-” Jason yelped. “Okay, note to self: Don’t try to comfort Harry when he’s scared.”

Harry sheathed his sword and gave Jason a weak smile. “Sorry.”

“You know Malorie and I are both here, if you get too scared, come to us.” Jason offered.

Harry nodded.

Jason took the next step onto the bridge; Harry could see him trying to find the weaker parts to kick in so Harry could see them. Harry stuck close to Malorie as she made her way across the bridge.

Harry was quite relieved when they crossed it.

Cirrus floated next to Malorie as Harry and Jason arrived. She gave Harry an apologetic look.

“I’m so sorry dear; I didn’t remember your phobia. I shouldn’t have said anything.” Cirrus said.

“Don’t do it again and we’ll be fine.” Harry replied.

Cirrus lit up, literally, her body had gone from a dark grey to a merry bright white. She nodded quickly before a flicker of realisation danced across her face like lightning. She let out a muffled squeal.

“Come quickly!” Cirrus urged. “Lord Aeolus is waiting!”

Cirrus ushered the three of them along, Jason nearly tripped up as they hurried behind her. They turned a corner and were met face-to-face with a towering set of doors, Cirrus gently opened them and looked through the gap in the doors.

“Lord Aeolus?” Cirrus whispered. “We have two demigods and a Legacy here for you.”

An airy voice replies, “Let them in, I’ve just finished my show!”

Harry and Jason shared an unsure glance, Malorie was tapping her foot on the floor, Harry could see Jason’s eye twitch, like Malorie’s tapping was irritating him. Harry placed a hand on Jason’s shoulder, startling him at the sudden touch.

“You alright?”

“Fine.”

Harry turned to Malorie and shook his head, she paused halfway through another tap, she took the hint and stopped. Cirrus turned to them again.

“Come quickly, before he tires of waiting.” Cirrus said.

“We’re on our way.” Harry replied.

They walked into the throne room – if Harry dared to call it that – it looked like a TV studio, with the meteorology board and all, even a teleprompter and overhanging microphone.

“Lord Aeolus?” Harry asked tentatively.

A man turned to them, Harry nearly recoiled away at the sheer amount of makeup caked onto his face, Jason and Malorie had expressions of muffled surprise on their own faces.

Aeolus looked at Harry and then to Jason before wrinkling his nose in distaste. “You're Neptune and Jupiter’s brats.”

“Uhm yes… we are.” Jason said slowly. “How did you know?”

“Ugh!” Aeolus said dramatically. “Your fathers have been driving me up the wall with all their requests! Jupiter will call me asking me to send a hurricane to New York then Neptune will yell at me: ‘No, you need to destroy Carolina’. So infuriating!”

Harry and Jason glanced between each other hesitantly.

Aeolus turned to them, his eyes dark and stormy. “I swear to everything, if you two brats are here to send a message from either of your father’s I am electrocuting you to dust! I don’t care for the consequences!”

Harry looked desperately to Jason, who shook his head viciously. “No! No, no!” Jason said. “No, we’re here for something entirely different. We’re here to ask for help about where the Trojan Sea Monster was last seen.”

Aeolus looked at Jason sceptically, “The Trojan Sea Monster… I remember Neptune making that beast. Never seen the old guy so pissed.”

Harry rubbed his arm uncomfortably. “Right…”

Malorie turned to him before bowing “Lord Aeolus, please, can you inform us about where the sea monster is?”

Aeolus pondered over it for a while. “Hm… maybe I can do you three a favour if you do me a favour first.”

Gods and their favours. Harry thought. “What do you need, Lord Aeolus?”

“I’ve been bothered by a certain season spirit; she’s been causing far too many hailstorms for our cleanup harpies and aurae to deal with. She’s fucked with my connections so many times my business is starting to struggle,” Aeolus ranted. “I need you three to find what she’s doing!”

“Who is she?” Harry asked.

“Cheimon, the spirit of the Winter!” Aeolus replied.

“Born to Sol and Luna…” Jason said faintly.

“Exactly.” Aeolus confirmed. “Something has her violent. Unlike her usual cold self.”

“I thought she’d stay near the South?” Malorie asked.

“Normally, yes. The South is colder, but since we gods migrated to America, she prefers the North, nearer to Aquilon. Now, for some reason, she’s here, and she isn’t happy.” Aeolus explained.

“I suppose the South here is a lot closer to the Equator,” Harry mused.

“Where Apollo loves to fly his chariot. Four winds, he loves to be the centre of attention.” Aeolus complained.

“We’ll find Cheimon, we promise.” Jason said. “And we’ll try to see why she’s acting the way she is.”

“Good. Now, off you three go, I have to give my updates on the weather for now. Your fathers’ fighting has Olympus desperate to know how things are going.” Aeolus said before ushering them out and calling for some wind servants to fix his makeup.

----------

“He was… something.” Harry muttered as they walked down a hallway. “Could’ve given us a map or something, this place is like the Labyrinth.”

“I couldn’t agree more cousin.” Jason said.

Malorie hummed. “I suppose I can see why he’s upset, whatever Cheimon is doing must be driving him nuts.”

Harry shrugged before changing the topic. “I’ve never seen someone so covered in makeup!”

“He looked like he had enough plastic surgery to give Barbie a heart attack.” Jason added, making the other two laugh.

Harry continued down the hallway, “Do you think they’d mind if we left a mark or sign that we’ve been here?”

“Probably,” Malorie said, “gods are very stingy about their homes being damaged.”

“Fuck…”

Jason shrugged helplessly. “We don’t have anything we can afford to leave behind.” He added.

“So we just take a shot in the dark.” Harry mumbled.

Malorie perked up. “What if we looked for hail?” she suggested.

“Hail?” Jason echoed, looking confused.

“Well, Aeolus said that Cheimon was causing hailstorms.” Malorie said. “So she must’ve left a trail of it!”

“Right, let’s look for a trail of hail then.” Harry said.

“Sounds like our best idea,” Jason confessed. “Better than property damage and pissing off a god.”

--------

Harry discovered Cheimon’s hail trail quickly.

And he nearly made a complete idiot of himself while doing so.

He’d stood on a piece of hail the size of a golf ball and nearly slipped right onto his arse if Malorie hadn’t caught him. She and Jason both laughed and helped Harry up.

“Think we found our trail.” Malorie said.

“Shuddup.” was Harry’s reply.

Jason just shook his head and laughed again. “Come on, maybe if we’re lucky Malorie will slip.”

“Hey!”

That put Harry into a better mood, he even managed to laugh. They continued on behind the long trail of hail, Harry felt a twinge of relief as he stood in the puddles of some of the slowly melting hail, it comforted him in a way water always did.

A wind spirit rushed past them in a flurry of snow, Malorie turned away with a yelp of fear, a strange tugging began in Harry’s gut and the snow suddenly dissipated.

The spirit managed to reform and turned to them, she looked at Harry analytically and let out a stifled yell.

She tried to flee but Jason summoned a gust of wind and slowed her down. “What did you see?”

She shook her head desperately before pointing to Harry. “H- he is bad.” She yelped. “I’ve never seen one of Neptune’s children as dangerous as him!”

Harry’s insides did a funny twist as she pointed a trembling finger to him. “W-w-what do you mean?”

“N-never… son of a sorceress and the sea…” she whispered. “Never-before-seen…”

Son of a sorceress? Harry thought with a lurch. Was my Mum a witch?

Jason and Malorie looked at each other, looking just as confused as Harry felt, the wind Jason was using to keep the spirit back faltered and she shot away from them.

“NO! Wait!” Harry shouted. “Come back!”

The wind spirit was gone before Harry could say any more.

“Fuck!” Harry picked up a piece of hail, startling when it melted before he could do anything. “What did she mean?”

Malorie frowned to herself. “Normally sorceresses, or witches, are people who are either descended from or worship Trivia…”

“My dad told me that Mum was killed by a dark wizard called Voldemort. I guess it might explain why he wanted to kill her.” Harry mumbled.

“Voldemort?” Jason asked. “I heard some rumours that the Underworld gods were pissed with some dark wizard. I never heard his name.”

Harry shoved his hands in his pockets. “We’ll deal with the winter goddess before my mysterious dead mother and her rivalries.” He said bitterly.

Malorie placed a hand on Harry’s shoulder and he flinched involuntarily. She pulled her hand away and gave Harry an apologetic look. She tried to say something but a loud frosty yell echoed through the chamber.

“I don’t care if Aeolus doesn’t want me here!” a female voice screamed.

“Bet that’s our winter goddess?” Jason asked.

Harry and Malorie both nodded.

“Want to see what her hissy fit is about?” Harry said.

Malorie shrugged. “We won’t be able to do anything if we don’t find out what.” She agreed

“No choice but to find out.” Jason concluded.

-----------

The entire chamber was littered in ice, snow and frost. There was a woman in the centre, Harry knew instantly she was behind it with the mist rolling off of her body. The air around them had dropped significantly.

Frosty wings sprouted from her back, keeping her feet far away from the freezing floor, she was covered in what looked like warm bright white and blue robes, her skin was tinted a soft baby blue, like she was frozen in ice for years. Her frame was thin and she looked as cold as she probably felt.

“Lady Cheimon,” Malorie said, bowing.

Cheimon looked at them blankly for a minute before saying in her cold tone, “Demigods who recognise me…” she mused. “Quite the first.”

“Actually, Lady Cheimon,” Malorie began. “I’m a Legacy. One of Mercury’s.”

“Yes…” Cheimon said. “I suppose I can see it. You have his eyes.”

She glanced at all of them. Harry was forced to kneel as Jason hit the back of his leg with his knee, Jason followed suit.

Really? Harry thought.

“I suppose the other two are Neptune and Jupiter’s bastards I’ve heard so much of.” Cheimon said haughtily.

She glided over to Harry and grabbed his face with her freezing hands, he tried not to yell out at the sudden cold. Her icy eyes seemed to stare into his soul.

“Fascinating.” She said. “I never thought Neptune the type to have a child with a witch.”

Harry held her gaze. “M-my m-m-mum w-was m-magic?” he asked through chattering teeth.

Cheimon smirked. “Well yes, I can feel the magic radiating off of you. Not just that of the sea, that of one of Trivia’s favourites.”

Harry could feel Jason push himself up and glance between Harry and Cheimon.

“Harry’s magical?” Jason asked.

Cheimon hummed. “Should be in a magic school, but I can see why Neptune chose to leave him at Camp Jupiter.”

“Magic school?” Malorie echoed.

“O-o-off t-t-topic!” Harry interrupted, still shivering from Cheimon’s touch.

“Oh, did that fucker Aeolus send you?” Cheimon asked, still keeping her grip on Harry’s face.

Harry’s legs gave out the longer Cheimon kept a hold of him. He hit the ground.

“I’m sure we can discuss it without holding Harry’s face.” Jason begun placatingly.

Cheimon gave them a cold smile. “I think the boy can handle it.”

“Lady Cheimon, please…” Malorie seemed to struggle for an answer to her letting go of Harry. “I don’t think Neptune would appreciate you giving his son frostbite.”

Cheimon looked down at Harry and then up to them again. “I suppose he can’t be of much use for me if his face blackens.” She mused.

She removed her hand and plucked an icicle from the ceiling, she morphed it around until it turned into an icy sphere, she grabbed Harry with her other hand and threw him into the sphere.

Jason and Malorie shot into action. “What are you doing?” Jason demanded.

Harry tried to get to his feet and rush to the open hole, if he was small enough to be thrown into it, surely, he was small enough to get himself out, he struggled against the smooth ice and the hole closed in front of him.

Fuck… Harry thought, he knew his eyes were comically wide with fear but he could care less.

“Well, if Aeolus wants to negotiate, why can’t I keep this little one as a souvenir?” Cheimon asked. “He’s the most interesting thing to walk the world since Venus washed up on my sister’s shores.”

“You can’t!” Malorie cried. “If he doesn’t suffocate, he’ll starve – or freeze!”

“Oh, I’ll keep good care of him.” Cheimon said dismissively.

“Harry’s a living person!” Jason protested. “You can’t keep him like a pet!”

“Fuck’s sake stop worrying about me!” Harry yelled, slamming his shoulder against the ice. “Find out what she wants!”

Harry knew Jason was trying to figure out what he was shouting, but the ice must’ve been too thick, Cheimon frowned at him.

“Now, now little demigod. Don’t act like that!” Cheimon scolded.

She snapped her fingers but Harry couldn’t tell what she’d done to him, nothing felt wrong.

She placed the ice sphere onto the floor and patted it gently. “Now, keep quiet.”

“You can’t tell me what to do!” Harry tried to shout back, but no sound came out.

“What the fuck?” he tried again.

Nothing.

Malorie glanced over to him. “What did you do?” she asked, her voice high.

Harry wished he could answer her but Cheimon beat them to it. “Oh, I’ve taken away his voice for now.”

Chapter Text

Harry could see the dawning terror on his friend’s faces. Their outcry was fast but Harry desperately shook his head, trying to convince them to stay quiet.

Malorie gave Cheimon a death glare, “You can't just decide to take away random people’s voices.”

Cheimon shrugged before sneering at them. “Only annoying ones who like to run their mouths.” She said coolly.

I don’t run my mouth! Harry thought.

Cheimon turned to them. “Your mute friend asks about what I’m doing here?” she asked. “Jupiter sent me. He’s pissed with Aeolus siding with Neptune more in their arguments.”

“All of this,” Jason begun slowly, his voice harsher than Harry had ever heard it, “was because my dad wants to spite Aeolus and Neptune?”

Malorie’s fists were clenched, like she was ready to break Cheimon’s pointed nose. “Aeolus is just doing his fucking job!”

Cheimon shrugged. “Don’t take it out on me, bring it up with Jupiter.” She said nonchalantly.

Harry heard Malorie struggle with the next thing to say, Jason looked just about ready to wring Cheimon and Jupiter’s necks, regardless of the outcry he’d cause. Harry could feel a smile pulling at the sides of his face.

Malorie sighed heavily, “If we tell you that you’ve finished your job, will you let Harry go? I’m sure Jupiter will pay you something worth more than him.”

Normally, I’d be offended, Harry thought. But keep talking Malorie.

Cheimon laughed. “You think that paranoid asshole will pay me?” she demanded. “No, initially I wanted some of the storm spirits Typhon made when Jupiter slew him. But this demigod? Definitely worth more.”

“Typhon’s storm spirits?” Jason asked. “What if we got you more of them. Trade those spirits for Harry?”

Cheimon seemed to ponder over the idea. “I wanted two, so double that and you have a deal.”

“Deal. We get you four storm spirits; you give us Harry with his voice back.” Jason said.

Fuck’s sake, make her swear on the Styx! Harry thought.

Malorie seemed confused at the desperate gestures Harry was making. The lightbulb went off easily.

“Swear it on the River Styx.” Malorie said firmly.

The winter goddess sneered. “Smart, Legacy of Mercury.”

After both Cheimon and Harry’s friends swore their deal on the Styx, Jason turned to her.

“Anything you can give us that can actually keep a hold of the storm spirits?” he asked.

Cheimon sighed loudly. “You want something? You’re demigods! Find your own items!” she whined.

Harry looked at Cheimon blankly through the ice sphere, Cheimon looked at him with a distasteful expression. Harry kindly gave her an explicit middle finger.

Cheimon glared at him. “You know, get it over with! This brat is annoying me.” She demanded.

Harry shivered and pulled himself into a ball, his breath steaming against the cold air, he pulled the jacket he had on closer to his body, it wasn’t warm at all but it was better than before.

Please guys, hurry up… Harry thought, shuddering.

--------------

Jason walked away from Cheimon’s hiding chambers, a sinking feeling of fear in his gut. He’d hated seeing Harry curled up into a ball, shivering and trying to keep himself warm.

But then there was the discovery of his mom…

Jason didn’t know why he’d felt a little betrayed about Harry not telling them that his mom was magic. Surely if Harry was magical, surely, he could create some kind of fire – but Jason supposed that went against the whole Son of the Sea God thing.

Jason guessed that Harry himself hadn’t known, Neptune wasn’t in Harry’s life for his entire life, his mom had been killed and by the sounds of his shitty relatives, they never told him about his family and obviously not about any form of magic.

I guess I should be a bit easier on Harry. Jason thought, He’s discovered more about his family and himself in the past four days than any of us have in our lives.

Granted, next to nothing so far in Jason’s life had been a surprise discovery, his fleeting memories of Thalia had stayed ever since the murky face of his mother left him with Lupa. He wasn’t shocked to realize he was the son of Jupiter; he wasn’t surprised with how people treated him. However, Harry Potter coming to Camp Jupiter had probably been one of the more shocking things in Jason’s life.

A son of Neptune – someone like Harry who’d never been seen since the Earthquake, was unexpected. Dakota’s treatment to Harry had upset Jason, it was obvious that Harry had shared that same feeling while standing in front of them, in nothing but obviously looted clothing, completely dry but covered in the dust of killed monsters and Neptune’s sword sheathed at his side. Initially, Jason had felt embarrassed, especially with Dakota laughing at him about not being able to get a simple sword, but the way Harry dealt so effortlessly with Dakota and his harsh words towards Neptune had impressed and worried Jason. It was obvious Harry had dealt with teasing and poor words to his family before Camp Jupiter.

Until Harry came along, Jason distanced himself, he kept to himself and only spent short amounts of time with Malorie or other outcasted members of the Fifth Cohort – like Katniss, the daughter of Victoria who later managed to prove herself in the Fifth, she and Jason still spoke but she obviously made friends with the more well-known, and well-liked, members so she and Jason kept their distance, he’d seen her talking to Augustus the night Harry had been welcomed to the legion, Jason quickly learned that night that Katniss had grown a bit of an ego. In fact, Jason would be lying if he said that seeing acquaintances like Katniss end up like she did didn’t hurt him, all Jason wanted was for people to actually end up with a decent reputation and still be a decent person.

Malorie glanced back to him worriedly. “Hey, are you okay Jason? You’re awfully quiet.”

“Hm?” Jason asked. “Oh, yeah, I’m fine.”

Malorie chuckled quietly. “I never realized just how much Harry keeps our conversations alive.” She said.

“You’re right.” Jason agreed. “I didn’t even realize until we started to head for the spirits.”

Malorie sighed. “I hope Harry’s okay… he must be freezing.”

Jason nodded, he hoped if Harry did have magic, he either knew a spell or it reacted with his situation and kept him alive or simply safe, they couldn’t risk an injury or frostbite.

“I don’t even know where we can find these storm spirits!” Jason exclaimed.

“Maybe it’s down where Cirrus said that pit we crossed leads to?” Malorie suggested.

“Well, then we’d need to find an aurae happy to help us and we still need something to hold the spirits in!” Jason replied.

Malorie stayed quiet, mulling over the idea until she stopped suddenly. “Aeolus!” she said.

“Pardon?”

“Aeolus wants us to get Cheimon out of the way, why not just go back to him, ask for something to hold a storm spirit and where to find where they are.” Malorie explained.

Jason considered it. “I guess it’s our best option, it’s not like Neptune or Jupiter can come and help us right now…” he confessed.

“Then we go to Aeolus?” Malorie asked.

“It’s our best bet.”

--------------

Cirrus wasn’t there when they went to Aeolus’ chambers, Jason supposed that it was because she had to do her job as a receptionist.

Malorie knocked politely on the door and Aeolus called them in, Jason hadn’t thought it possible for Aeolus to lather even more makeup onto his plastic face but there was even more. Jason desperately tried not to recoil away.

Aeolus frowned. “Back again? And where is the son of Neptune? Cirrus told me he was quite agreeable.”

“That’s the problem, Lord Aeolus, Cheimon’s struck up a deal with us and held Harry hostage.” Jason said.

“What kind of deal?” the Lord of the Winds asked.

“She wants four of Typhon’s storm spirits in exchange for Harry and leaving you alone.” Malorie explained.

Aeolus shrieked. “Four of his storm spirits?!”

“Lord Aeolus, think rationally, if you help us get the spirits, then you get your peace and we get our friend. Not only that but it’s obvious Neptune is quite fond of Harry.” Malorie rationalized.

“Absolutely not! She can have anything but Typhon’s storm spirits! Do you know how difficult it is to wrangle all of them here! A nightmare when Jupiter killed him the first time!” Aeolus ranted, growing increasingly agitated.

“Lord Aeolus, please,” Jason begged. “Our friend is dying in an ice sphere and all you can think of is how difficult it was with the spirits? I understand that I can’t know how hard it was – I wasn’t there, and neither was Malorie, but –”

“No!” Aeolus replied sharply. “Find some other way to get your friend back!”

Before he could say anything, something let out a quiet beep. Aeolus pressed something in his ear and listened intently, as the silence between them drew on, Aeolus continued to blanch further.

“Oh, yes… right away…” he said shakily.

The person in his ear must’ve said something because he flinched before turning to them, looking defeated.

“Neptune has just given me a lengthy warning about how if I don’t help you and has given me threats, I can’t ignore.” Aeolus muttered.

He snapped his fingers and a harpy dropped something into his hand, Aeolus held it out for them to see.

“That’s a miniature cage?” Malorie said, confused.

“It grows.” Aeolus explained. “I will have Cumulus escort you to the storm spirits.”

Malorie nodded. “Thank you, Lord Aeolus.” She said.

Aeolus sighed miserably. “It’s not me you should thank. Thank Neptune.”

Jason took the cage and slipped it into Malorie’s backpack, “Good thing Harry didn’t keep a hold of it.”

Malorie laughed. “Suppose.”

Aeolus tapped his earpiece and called on Cumulus.

---------------

Cumulus was a regular wind spirit, like Cirrus she was dressed formally, looking serious about being summoned by Aeolus.

“Cumulus, I need you to lead these two to the storm spirits.” Aeolus ordered.

Cumulus glanced up at him, looking confused. “I thought visitors were forbidden from going down there?”

“It’s our only way to get rid of Cheimon.” Aeolus replied. “And even Neptune is forcing me.”

Cumulus looked surprised. “Neptune?”

“One of his kids is being held by Cheimon, he’s not happy about it.” Aeolus said blandly. “Got all violent when I refused to help.”

Cumulus nodded. “I will escort them to the spirits.”

Cumulus gestured for Jason and Malorie to follow behind them, they followed quietly behind her, Cumulus looked over her shoulder to them.

“Y’know, I never expected a child of Jupiter to be liked by Neptune.” Cumulus confessed.

Jason gave her a half smile. “It’s because I’m… friends with his son, Harry. Cheimon is holding Harry hostage, I bet that’s the only reason Neptune’s helping us.” He explained.

“I suppose you’re right; Neptune is quite protective over his children. The first trial on Olympus was because he wanted Mars to be prosecuted for murdering a son of his.” Cumulus said.

“Didn’t that son try to rape one of Mars’ daughters?” Malorie asked.

“Well, yes…” Cumulus admitted. “But ignoring that, shows just how much he cares for his kids.”

“Suppose.” Jason agreed.

“Anything else about this son of Neptune we should know about?” Cumulus asked.

“He’s a wizard…” Malorie said.

Cumulus looked terrified. “What? But Neptune’s never had a magical child!”

“He hasn’t?” Malorie asked.

“Another aurae had a similar reaction.” Jason observed.

“That’s expected. Have you seen Neptune when he’s angry?” Cumulus said. “And to think he had a kid with a witch...”

“What’s so bad about that?” Malorie demanded, looking affronted for Harry.

“Neptune has a bad enough temper, not to mention how powerful he and his children can get! Imagine mixing that with the magic of a witch!” Cumulus explained dramatically.

Jason sighed. He wanted to feel some kind of pity for Harry but he knew Harry would roll his eyes and tell Jason to stop worrying about him.

-------------

The most coherent thought in Harry’s mind was the cold. It was colder than his body was used to, there was something warm pulsing softly in his gut, like it was trying hard to keep him safe. Cheimon was making a hailstorm in her hands, preparing to send it hurtling down a part of Aeolus’ sky palace.

Harry looked at her weakly, the chills of the air making his too drowsy – black was seeping into his vision while his body throbbed.

I’m going to get something bad if they don’t hurry up… Harry mused.

He glanced down at his hands; they were already fading from a bright red to a muted purplish-blue. Harry pulled his hands closer and blew on them, his breath was a short luxury to himself but it ended quickly as the darkness swallowed his vision and Harry fell into an uneasy sleep.

-------------

The storm spirits den was filled with fast whipping wind, the disembodied wails and bellows of the spirits echoed in their ears – Jason couldn’t see any of them, it was nearly pitch black, dotted with lights from holes in the ceiling above and the air was charged with electricity. Jason was confused, how come the spirits hadn’t just flown skyward?

His question was answered when an electrical storm horse galloped up to one of the holes but a sudden grey shield sent it barrelling back down, Malorie ran forward and grabbed it in the cage. Jason marvelled at how quickly she’d reacted.

“That was pretty fast,” Jason said, the storm spirit thrashing against the bars and letting out bellowing whinnies. “You did great.”

Malorie smiled. “Thanks.”

Cumulus was standing away in the corner, looking slightly scared, Jason supposed that most aurae were terrified of storm spirits, and Jason could hardly blame her, even just looking at the spirit bouncing around in the cage he was sure that he’d be incredibly scared of the monsters living beneath them.

Malorie narrowed her eyes, trying to worm out storm spirits darting around the chamber in the darkness. “Jason, do you think you can find any storm spirits?”

Jason pondered over it, he supposed he could, but it didn’t help that the storm spirits were nearly invisible to his eyes. He managed to pull the wild winds around him to keep him airborne, Malorie handed him the shrunken cage as another storm spirit whirled around and charged at Jason, he opened the cage and jerked backwards as the spirit slammed heavily into the cage, another horse spirit began to race around Jason, thunder rumbling with every pounding hoof beat.

Malorie had her eyes trained on the spirit as it encircled Jason, like it was trying to find his weak point, Jason kept the cage door closed while the two spirits fought not only the cage but each other.

Jason let the winds beneath him slowly, he hit the floor as the storm spirit landed on the ground in front of him, electrical eyes bore into his as grey and black cloud writhed around it. Lightning sparked off the marble floors as it pawed the ground, snorting.

“I don’t think it wants to fight us...” Malorie said slowly.

Jason nodded, not keeping his eyes off the storm spirit, it snorted agitatedly, Jason had to guess that it was more worried about what was going to happen to the spirits they’d already caught. Jason lowered the cage and held his hands up in what he hoped was a placating manner.

“We’re not going to hurt them,” he said to the spirit. “A goddess called Cheimon wants four of them to ensure our friend is safe.”

The spirit shook its head, Jason couldn’t tell if it believed him or not. He hoped it did.

“Will you let us continue?” he asked.

Thankfully, the spirit stood to the side, its ears pinned to the back of its lowered head.

“Thank you.” Malorie told the spirit.

They wrangled two more spirits into the cage before they left, the horse spirit whinnied and vanished in a bolt of lightning, joining the whirlwind of other bellowing spirits.

“Let’s get going.” Jason said.

Cumulus nodded eagerly and escorted them out and back to Aeolus’ chambers. The Lord of the Winds was loudly talking about the weather, mostly what Neptune and Jupiter were doing in their conflict over Jupiter’s missing Bolt.

When he finished, Jason spoke. “Lord Aeolus, we have the spirits.”

“Good,” Aeolus said curtly. “Now go to Cheimon and leave me in peace.”

Jason scowled and gestured for Malorie to follow him. “Aeolus, you still owe is information about the Trojan Sea Monster.”

“Yes, I haven’t forgotten.” He replied. “Just get rid of Cheimon.”

Jason and Malorie rushed from his chambers, Jason kept the shrunken cage close to his chest while they ran. Malorie nearly slipped but Jason managed to right her – they made it to the chamber Cheimon was hiding in.

Jason’s heart dropped when he saw Harry unconscious in the ice sphere. Cheimon looked at them and lit up seeing the spirits thrashing in the cage.

“Oh great! You’ve done what I asked, good, the boy was getting boring.” Cheimon said.

“He’s not a fucking hamster or fish.” Malorie ground out.

“Oh, I could turn him into one.” Cheimon threatened.

“No!” they both cried.

Cheimon snapped her fingers and the cage appeared in her hands while the ice sphere was broken, Harry hit the ground among the shards of ice, Jason ran over to him. Harry was shallowly breathing, interrupted with shudders, Jason felt another sinking sense in his heart noticing blue-ish grey skin on his fingers, he was freezing to the touch.

Malorie rushed to Harry’s side. “Gods… this is bad…” she muttered. “Cheimon, he’s got bad frostbite and hypothermia! Why did you let this happen?”

Cheimon shrugged. “You should’ve got here faster.”

Jason fumed, he placed a hand on Harry’s arm as he shivered, Jason pulled off his jacket and carefully wrapped it around Harry – he doubted it would do anything for Harry’s fingers but Jason was still careful to avoid the affected skin.

Cheimon snapped her fingers and all of them suddenly appeared in Aeolus’ chambers in a whirl of snow. Cheimon must’ve left the palace.

Aeolus shrieked in surprise before realizing who they were and where he was as he scowled. “Cheimon’s gone now.” He observed. “And the child of Neptune is…”

“Has frostbite and hypothermia!” Malorie cried. “Please, just get some medics.”

Aeolus snorted. “I’m not Apollo! I don’t need medics.”

Jason suddenly cursed loudly and Malorie yelped as lightning barely missed her head, out of everyone in the room, Harry was the only one who didn’t react in some way.

“Just… tell us where to find that fucking sea monster!” Jason cried.

Aeolus looked quite eager, he waved his hands desperately as an aurae flew over and handed him a modernized map. He quickly drew something and handed it to Malorie.

“Florida? The Trojan Sea Monster is in Florida?” she asked blankly.

“Yes! Now just get out of here before the son of Jupiter electrocutes my palace to the ground!” Aeolus demanded.

And they both left, Jason carrying Harry’s unconscious body.

----------------

When Harry came around, he was boiling hot with someone else’s jacket on top of him and the warm glow of a fire close by.

“W-what…?” he asked drowsily.

Someone tackled him in a hug. “Harry! Oh gods, you’re awake!”

“J-Jason?” Harry slurred.

Malorie came into view, placing a hand on Jason’s shoulder and gently easing him off of Harry. “Be gentle,” she told him. “He’s still going to be really tired.”

“Right…” Jason said, flushing. “I was just worried, Harry’s been out of it for nearly three days now.”

Three days? Harry thought, his mind as numb as his hands.

Malorie gently placed something to his lips, Harry drunk it without complaint, something scalding hot poured down his throat and Harry lurched up, coughing.

Jason rubbed Harry’s back while Harry shuddered and hacked weakly. “Harry, you’ve got to drink it.” Jason said softly.

“W-w-what i-is it?” he stammered.

Malorie and Jason looked at each other hesitantly before Malorie spoke. “It was hot chocolate.”

Harry just sighed defeatedly and let Malorie give him some more hot chocolate, he leaned back and just tried to get some more sleep.

Harry was right on the brim of sleep when he overheard Malorie and Jason talking by the fire. “I’m worried about Harry,” Malorie said. “We need to get him a doctor.”

“We can’t…” Jason said. “Harry’s barely awake and coherent, he’ll say something we won’t be able to shrug off.”

“We can’t take care of him on our own and going to New Rome means we give up the quest.” Malorie argued.

“We may as well forfeit the quest; Harry might as well be dying right now!” Jason cried.

Harry could just barely see Malorie looking carefully at him, “Regardless, I think it’s too late for his fingers.”

He could see Jason nod defeatedly. “Yeah…”

Harry cracked open his right eye. “W-what’s g-g-going o-on?” he asked.

Malorie walked over to Harry and knelt down beside Harry, “Harry, you know that you’ve got frostbite and hypothermia? It’s why we’re staying here in this cave, until we know what to do and how to help you.”

Harry blinked blankly at them, “C-C-Cheimon?”

Jason nodded solemnly from behind them.

Malorie sighed heavily. “Jason and I hurried as much as we could to get you out of the ice sphere but it must’ve been so much colder than we thought because you’d already passed out and had turned a little blue-grey.”

“H-h-how long?” asked Harry.

“Longest we took was an hour or two.” Jason answered.

An hour or two? Just how cold had that ice sphere been?

Malorie placed a hand on Harry’s shoulder. “Your fingers aren’t going to recover; worst case scenario is that you’ll have to have them amputated.”

Harry looked down at his hands, his fingers were borderline black and the rest of his hands and arms were paler than they’d ever been, he supposed that’s why he couldn’t feel his fingers.

“It was worse yesterday,” Malorie said. “You were almost completely blue and a little while after we got you near the fire, your body blistered a little, then your fingers started to turn black and we knew something wasn’t right.”

Jason looked incredibly apologetic, “I’m so sorry, Harry, I didn’t want this to happen.” He mumbled. “I’ve barely even started and I’m failing this already.”

Malorie and Harry exchanged looks. “J-Jason…” Harry stammered. “Y-y-you d-didn’t p-plan f-f-for C-Cheimon.”

“Nor her taking Harry hostage.” Malorie added. “The only people to blame are Aeolus, your dad, and Cheimon. They’ve let Harry get this bad.”

Jason avoided their gaze completely.

Harry sighed. “N-n-noble b-bastard…”

Malorie managed to laugh at that and Jason’s head snapped up while he looked at Harry, offended.

Harry grinned. “I-I’ll l-l-live, g-gone t-t-through w-worse…”

Jason still looked apologetic but Malorie decided to speak. “Hey, Jason, why don’t you find us another blanket? And maybe some painkillers.” She looked over at Harry sympathetically.

“Yeah,” Jason agreed quietly. “Yeah, I’ll go find something.”

“B-b-bring s-some f-f-food!” Harry called as Jason left.

Malorie hadn’t removed her eyes from Harry’s before she smiled and got up, “I’ll find us some firewood, you, Harry, are to stay put!”

She got up and left the cave, Harry sighed shakily and rested against their makeshift pillow – which was their backpack.

Yeah, because where was I going to go? For a walk? He thought bitterly.

He was barely able to string together a coherent sentence, how was he supposed to walk in this condition? Harry closed his eyes and drifted into an uneasy sleep.

***

“You’re having quite the rough night, huh Harry?” a gentle voice asked.

Harry pushed himself up, using the heel of his palm, from the looks of things, he was in an underwater palace.

“Neptune? I know you’re here.” Harry called.

Neptune appeared in the doorway, looking tired and worried, he floated over to Harry and gently brushed a stray strand of hair from Harry’s face.

“You must hate me,” the sea god said softly. “I don’t blame you.”

Harry scowled. “Yeah, I do hate you! You could’ve warned me about any of the treatment you and I would get but you kept your big fucking mouth shut!”

Neptune flinched but didn’t protest.

“You could’ve helped me during my whole shitty life at the Dursleys but you were too busy cheating on your wife again, weren’t you?” Harry demanded. “Never fucking cared to check on your abused son living in an oppressive home!”

Neptune stayed quiet.

“Why?” Harry begged, his eyes stinging with briming tears. He would not cry in front of Neptune, he would not. “Why did you never care about me? Fucking answer that!”

Neptune pushed himself up, when he spoke, it was tense. “I’ve always cared about you, Harry… I’ve always tried to do the indirect best I could, but Jupiter always has his paranoid eyes on me.”

“That’s not a fucking excuse!” Harry said coldly.

“No, it’s not…” Neptune agreed. “but your life was in danger, even before Tom Riddle. The moment you were born, if Pluto or Jupiter discovered you before you were ready? You would’ve been murdered in a heartbeat.”

Harry froze. “What?”

“I broke an oath the night Lily and I sired you.” Neptune continued. “I had sworn to never have a demigod child ever again, but both Jupiter and I broke it.”

“Jason…” Harry mumbled numbly.

“Yes,” Neptune gave Harry a foreign smile. “Probably the only child of my brother’s that I’ve liked for a very long time.”

Harry didn’t know what else to say.

“I wanted to help you so, so, so much, Harry.” Neptune continued. “I care so dearly for you, but I couldn’t do anything. The laws, my brother and my own cowardice held me back. I’m so sorry.”

Harry blinked viciously, trying to stop the tears from spilling. This, this was the exact thing he’d wanted his parents to say, every single night, every night he was hit, swore at, punched, kicked, starved, burned, isolated, he’d always wished that if even one of his parents were still alive, they’d tell him exactly that. He’d always prayed that they weren’t the drunken sluts his aunt had said they were.

“I should’ve spoken more,” Neptune added. “About the treatment you faced, but I didn’t want you paranoid and I didn’t want to ruin the fragile relationship we’d begun, it seems either way I would’ve fucked up.”

And Harry broke.

Tears begun to flow as Harry sobbed, Neptune seemed taken aback before he tentatively tried to comfort Harry, who clutched childishly onto his father, all of his balled up feeling unravelled into a sobbing mess, all his anger, his sadness, his loneliness and his shock. Harry could feel Neptune was testing the waters, seeing how comfortable Harry was and when Harry burrowed his face further into Neptune’s chest, he pulled Harry into a gentle hug, one hand in Harry’s hair and the other awkwardly on his back.

How long they sat there, Harry didn’t know, nor did he care. This was probably the first time in his life since he’d been born that he’d have someone share so much affection with him, it seemed neither of them knew what to do either. Harry cried until they became feeble hiccoughs, Harry focused on Neptune’s breathing, the tiny ounce of shakiness in it, it was clear he didn’t know what to say at all.

His father swallowed carefully before speaking. “Do you… have another… question?” he asked slowly.

Harry reluctantly pulled away, rubbing at his red-rimmed eyes. “Some aurae in Aeolus’ palace said something about me having magic. Cheimon mentioned it too.”

Neptune sighed. “Lily was a witch, yes, she followed Trivia’s magic, and you’ve indefinitely inherited her ability along with some weakened forms of my powers. I do not know how you will train in it – there is a school back in England, but it would take up too much time for you to train.”

Neptune looked at Harry carefully before he continued, Harry was listening intently.

“And besides, the headmaster and some of his employees are… less… than reliable. The main reason I dealt with Tom Riddle’s horcruxes was so the headmaster couldn’t play you like a puppet on strings,” Neptune suddenly chuckled. “That, and avenging your mother.”

Harry let out a choked laugh of his own. “Thanks… Dad.”

***

When Malorie and Jason returned later that night, Harry was curled up asleep, smiling serenely as a large, pale blue horse guarded him.

Chapter Text

Once Harry was able to keep himself upright, they headed into the Mortal town, the spectral horse stayed close beside them, but it was obvious to all of them that its main priority was keeping an eye on Harry. Jason didn’t talk much while they walked, Malorie was the one trying to look out for anyone to help Harry. The horse kept hitting the floor with its hoof, like it wanted their attention, Mortals paid them little attention, only the occasional wide-eyed kid would point out the horse to their parents, who’d simply nod and keep walking, pulling their kid along. One kid had bravely told them that they liked the horse, to which, Malorie smiled and thanked them, even Jason managed a smile.

Harry could tell that they were getting desperate when Malorie begun to ask for directions to a hospital. The horse was obviously displeased and kept trying to convince Harry and Jason to follow it.

“Mal, let’s just see what the horse wants to show us.” Harry said.

Malorie sighed, defeated, “Why not?”

Jason helped Harry get back on his feet and they followed the horse, it begun to lead them down an alleyway, directing them to a man, who was trying to entertain some little kids and tended to some’s wounds.

The horse trotted over to him and snorted. The man looked up and grinned. “Not seen you for a few years now.” He told it.

The horse shook its head before turning and going back to Harry, who was using Jason as most of his support. The man winced.

“What happened to you?” he asked Harry.

“Will you help us?” Malorie asked.

The man analysed Harry, his gaze hard. “I’ll do my best.”

The kids had dispersed, hiding from the spectral horse cantering around them.

The man snapped his fingers. “By the Fates, stop scaring the kids and keep them entertained.” He told the horse.

It nickered at him before turning to the kids.

Malorie gave the man a half smile. “Apollo?” she asked

He turned to them and winked. “I’m incognito, call me... Fred.” He said.

Harry raised an eyebrow as Jason gently helped sit Harry down on a doorstep, Apollo gently took one of Harry’s hands.

“Y’know, my uncle hasn’t had a kid in a good while.’ Apollo said.

Harry nodded mutely.

Apollo smiled. “Don’t be so quiet, you’re not mute, I know that.”

Harry shrugged while Apollo began to work effortlessly on Harry’s hand. “Don’t want to piss off another god.”

“When did you piss one of us off?” Apollo asked.

“Cheimon, in Aeolus’ palace.” Malorie explained for Harry. “It’s why he’s injured.”

“Cheimon’s always a bit of a bitch,” Apollo said. “But maybe it’s because I’m the god of the sun and she’s the winter goddess.”

Jason nodded. “I can see that.”

Apollo winced. “Holy shit, she must’ve been annoyed, this is pretty nasty.”

“Can you help him though?” Malorie asked.

“I can deal with the hypothermia, and the frostbite.” Apollo said. “That’s child’s play.”

“You can?” Jason said, suddenly animated.

Apollo scoffed. “Obviously, some god of healing I’d be if I couldn’t handle frostbite and hypothermia.”

Harry suddenly looked up, “You said you knew that horse.” He jerked his head to the horse, who was entertaining the kids Apollo had healed earlier.

“Yes, I do, Neptune uses it for messages or guidance – sometimes both.” Apollo replied, “It’s abnormally good at keeping monsters away.”

“Explains why no monsters have attacked us…” Harry mumbled.

Apollo grinned. “Seems so. I’ve heard that witches and wizards call them… patronuses. Some of them have managed to replicate our projections for their own uses, mostly messages though.”

“Mum was a witch,” Harry said faintly. “Do you think I could do that?”

“If you’ve got your mom’s magic, a very happy memory and some damn good motivation then sure kid.” Apollo replied.

“That’d actually be really useful.” Jason added. “Would lower Patrol deaths too.”

“Don’t get your hopes up,” Apollo said. “It’s a complicated spell. For us gods, it’s effortless stuff – the flick of a wrist and it’s there. Some people collapse and stay out of it for a week.”

“Really?” Malorie asked, Harry was suddenly less eager to learn the spell.

Apollo tapped his chin before pointing to Harry, “You’re Lily Evans’ kid, right? Trivia always spoke so fondly of her, best witch of her whole seven years at magic school – I remember that much, even if it wasn’t what caught Neptune’s eye.”

Harry shrugged. “I think my dad’s more about other things than brains.”

“Yeah, that’d be Minerva’s type – if she had one.” Apollo agreed.

Jason raised an eyebrow. “You two seem to be bonding.”

Apollo grinned. “Got to be an improvement from Cheimon.” He said.

The three of them all nodded their agreement. Malorie bravely added, “And Aeolus.”

Harry watched as the blackened skin on his fingers changed slowly back to their normal colour, Apollo let go of Harry’s hands and let him experiment with his healed limbs.

“Anything wrong?” Jason asked.

“Just a bit numb,” Harry replied.

Apollo shrugged. “That’ll happen, might have some nasty pins and needles later, but feeling will totally return to your hands.” The sun god turned around. “I’ve got some mortal kids to help, great seeing you kids though! Good luck on your quest!”

-----------

“Finally,” Harry said. “A god who isn’t annoying.”

“Even Neptune?” Jason asked teasingly.

“Not Neptune.” Harry corrected himself.

Malorie laughed. “Not just ‘cause he’s your dad?”

“More or less because he’s present and trying to be a decent parent. Not just because he’s my dad.” Harry said.

Jason nodded. “Ah yes, the infinite wisdom of Hadrian Potter everyone.”

Harry rolled his eyes, he looked down at his hands and tried to keep moving them. They were still numb like Apollo had said they’d be, and yes, Harry was dreading the pins and needles that were soon to come, but it was better than no fingers at all.

Jason noticed Harry’s experiments with his hands and grinned. “Glad to have your hands back?”

“Definitely.” Harry agreed. “Do you know how hard it was without them?”

“Not really, and I don’t think I’d like to know.” Jason said.

“You’re no fun, Grace.” Harry muttered.

“I am heaps of fun!” Jason replied indignantly.

Malorie laughed. “You both are idiots.” She said.

The two boys exchanged looks of mock offense, before Harry turned to look at her. “How dare you imply such a thing Malorie!” he said dramatically.

“It’s nice to see you’re back to normal, Harry.” Malorie said.

Harry smiled. “Whoever said I was normal?”

Jason nodded. “He’s got a point.”

They continued to walk for a while longer, chatting and joking until Malorie pulled out Aeolus’ map, she unfolded it and ushered them closer, it was a crude map of America, with a hurried circle wound around the state of Florida – Jason had mentioned that was where the Trojan Sea Monster was, granted Harry had still been drugged by the cold and barely understood anything Jason had said, and Harry’s mind had been full of slurred curses for both gods, so his top priority hadn’t been where the sea monster was.

“Looks like we need a ride to Florida.” Malorie concluded.

“Yeah, I suppose, besides, we’ve already wasted a fair bit of time with Aeolus and my frostbite.” Harry agreed.

Malorie squeezed his arm, “Hey, you’ve still got all your fingers, don’t you?”

Harry tentatively moved his fingers, he was starting to regain feeling in them, but it was irritatingly painful, Harry hated pins and needles, it seemed. “I suppose you’re right.” He said with a smile.

Jason, who must’ve walked away while neither of them were looking suddenly called for them. “Hey, guys, look at this!”

Harry and Malorie hesitantly approached him, Jason was looking at a missing persons poster, Harry looked down at it.

HAVE YOU SEEN THIS BOY?

Twelve-year-old Percy Jackson has gone missing after an accident on Long Island Sound while vacationing with his mother, Sally Jackson. The duo’s Prius was found lying upside-down on a road nearby, badly burned with a huge tear in the roof from a lightning strike and a missing door that was likely kicked down, neither mother nor son has been seen since the incident, Percy’s step-father, Gabe Ugliano, is offering a reward for his safe return.

Between the short description and title was a picture of a boy who eerily resembled Harry, though he couldn’t make out much of his features through the grainy works of a cheap printer.

“He looks a lot like you, Harry.” Jason observed.

“Yeah, weird stuff.” Harry agreed.

“You have a missing doppelgänger out in the world,” Malorie said. “I don’t know if I would be scared or impressed.”

“I’m leaning towards scared, Mal.” Harry replied. “but I don’t remember lightning so severe it tears a hole in a car roof.”

“Normally there wouldn’t be much from the lightning,” Jason said. “The car’s body is metal but the rubber tyres weaken the charge significantly – it’s why cars are one of the safest places to be in a thunderstorm.”

Harry and Malorie looked blankly at Jason and then each other, Harry broke out of his stunned stupor first. “Do you know this because you’re a child of Jupiter or…?”

Jason shrugged. “I dunno, just sounded interesting.”

Malorie smiled. “Well, it’s probably ideal you know how much damage you could cause with a lightning strike. You should see him during the War Games, accidently put three kids in the Third Cohort in the Medical Wing for a week with lightning.” She said, jerking a thumb at Jason.

“We still lost that War Game, though.” Jason countered.

Harry laughed, “You and I are going to be a lethal duo if we work together, your lightning and my water? Those snarky bastards wouldn’t know what hit ‘em.” He rested his elbow on Jason’s shoulder and grinned.

“We have a deal, Potter.” Jason said, extending a hand.

Harry merrily shook it.

-------------

They managed to find another cab that Malorie paid for with some extra money from Camp Jupiter. The driver told them that he’d be able to get them as far as Missouri.

“Save some money for when we have to eat.” Harry said, gently elbowing Malorie’s side.

Jason nodded. “We’ve had to give most of our food to Bluey over there.” He jerked a thumb at Harry.

“Hey!”

Malorie managed to giggle only slightly at that. “Jason, you know just as well as I do that Harry needed the food more than us.” She said softly.

Harry nodded and grinned. “I was the priority. You tried to abort the quest because of me.”

“Yeah, well we can thank Apollo that we didn’t.” Jason retorted before his face softened. “I am glad to see that you’re okay now anyways.”

Harry froze, feeling a genuine smile tug harshly at the corners of his lips. He didn’t think he’d felt so touched at a kind comment like that before. He chuckled, though it was more a huff of air than a chuckle. “I’m glad to see you’re not blaming yourself anymore.” He replied – probably a weak reply to Jason’s touching comment but it was the best response he had.

Malorie shook her head exasperatedly. “I don’t know how you two can fuck with each other and then say the sweetest things.”

Jason smiled and rested his arm across Harry’s shoulders. “It’s our priority as cousins.” He proclaimed.

“Especially with our dad’s hating each other.” Harry added.

“I’m going to have to see if this’ll be what I’m like with a child of Apollo.” Malorie said.

“Didn’t Apollo forgive Mercury the instant he made that lyre out of… what was it?” Harry asked, looking at Jason.

“Turtle entrails or something.” He replied.

“It was actually a tortoise shell he used to make the base; it was cow entrails he used to make the strings.” Malorie explained.

“I knew it was some animal’s intestines.” Jason muttered.

Harry laughed. “Did better than me, mate.”

“Also, Mercury gave Apollo the lyre a while after it’s creation to make amends for stealing Apollo’s sacred cattle.” Malorie added.

“Did you just look up like every myth about Mercury that you could find?” Harry asked.

“No…” Malorie said, looking away suspiciously.

Jason raised an eyebrow. “Looks like we’ll have to up our game, Harry.”

“Sadly.” Harry agreed.

Malorie rolled her eyes, “As if we needed any more evidence that you two are dumbasses. It’s not a competition to see who can know more about their godly heritage.”

Jason idly begun to crack his knuckles, “I mean, I’d outdo both of you, there’s so many myths about Jupiter, much more than Mercury, and only a little more than Neptune.”

Harry raised an eyebrow. “Maybe I should just learn the myth of Ulysses.” He said. “It is probably one of the most famous myths with my dad in it.”

“More like infamous myth.” Jason muttered. “Your dad harassed the poor guy so much.”

“Yeah, well… no god’s perfect.” Harry replied.

“You’re only saying this because Neptune’s helped you more in the past week than any of our godly parents do in our lifetimes.” Malorie said.

“Really?” Harry asked, probably looking as surprised as he felt.

He tried to ignore the breakdown he’d had in front of his dad often, not that it really worked.

Jason smiled, although it looked slightly bitter. “Guess Neptune really does like you, doesn’t he?”

“I’m sorry.” Harry mumbled.

Both of his friends suddenly froze, exchanging confused looks. “Harry, what are you sorry about?” Malorie asked.

“I – I just thought you’d be jealous that… that Neptune likes me so much and Mercury and Jupiter barely bat an eye towards you two.” Harry said, the words rushing out of his mouth before he could think about it.

Jason shook his head. “I’ve gotten used to Jupiter’s neglect, it’s not new.”

Malorie nodded. “Mercury is a very busy god, he’s the Herald of Olympus after all, he can’t spare enough time to spend with each of his children and descendants equally.”

“So, you’re not jealous?” Harry asked.

Jason laughed. “If anything, I’m relieved, Neptune and Jupiter hate each other and they’ll normally take it out on each other’s kids. With you around, Neptune probably won’t try anything.” He said.

Harry smiled. “I’m glad I’ve at least got you guys in the shit-pile of misfortune that’s my life.”

“No need to go all poetic on us,” Jason teased. “Did Apollo contaminate your brain with poems?”

Harry smiled and shook his head. “No, no fancy poetry shit is in this thick head of mine.” He said.

“Good. I don’t want you spewing limericks all over the place.” Jason replied.

“I swear that’s one of Apollo’s curses.” Malorie muttered.

“That and donkey ears it seems.” Harry said.

-------------------

They arrived in St. Louis before the driver stopped the car and told them that they were there. Malorie hurriedly thanked the driver and jumped out of the car, Harry could already see the huge, curving Gateway Arch from here, they had to be an hour and a half walk from it by any means.

“I never thought the Gateway Arch would be so tall.” Jason said.

“I didn’t either.” Harry agreed. “Granted I never even saw a picture of the Arch so I always pictured something similar to that one in France.”

“The Arc de Triomphe?” Malorie asked with a laugh.

“It was the only arch I’d ever seen!” Harry protested with a smile.

“You’ve been to France?” Jason asked.

“No, my aunt, uncle and cousin went, but I stayed with our cat-loving neighbour, I only know what it looks like because they framed a picture they took in front of the Arc.” Harry said.

“Sounds like them.” Malorie muttered.

Jason shook his head. “Sorry I asked, dude.”

“It’s fine, besides, I’m away from them now, aren’t I?” Harry replied.

“Suppose,” Jason agreed.

They headed towards the Gateway Arch, it was probably one of the best areas for them to go and see where they were. Harry and Jason continued to laugh and joke while Malorie headed into a shop and bought them a few things to snack on, nothing exactly healthy but it satisfied their hunger. Malorie had even afforded some Coke for them to drink, Harry had finished the can in record time.

“Gods, now Harry’s going to have a sugar rush.” Jason said, feigning terror.

Harry had to admit, he was suddenly quite energetic. He’d never had sugar – that was all for Dudley, so it was his first time around it.

“I should’ve bought the Diet Coke.” Malorie mumbled, swirling her drink around.

“I can handle caffeine,” Harry retorted. “I think I can handle sugar.”

“Yeah, they all say that.” Jason mumbled. “Then the headache comes and they’re out of it for the rest of the day.”

“Sugar rushes are that bad?” Harry asked.

“Yeah, believe me, they are.” Malorie said. “Mom left me alone with a huge bag of Skittles – downed the whole thing, had a sugar rush so bad I was vibrating and then got the worst headache. I was bedridden for two days.”

The two boys both laughed while Malorie flushed and took a sip from her Coke. Harry was trying to keep his newfound energy under control but it was proving difficult, Harry was practically dancing around his friends, Jason had smiled and offered to run with Harry for a bit before darting ahead of them.

Harry easily caught up with Jason, from both Lupa’s training and Dudley’s cruel game of “Harry Hunting”, Harry was quite fast. He practically tackled Jason before stopping.

“Gods of Olympus you’re fast.” Jason marvelled.

Harry grinned. “Suppose so.” He turned around to see Malorie trying to jog after them – she still hadn’t finished her drink and was trying to stop it from fizzing over or spilling. “Let’s head back, poor Mal’s going to worry.”

“Too right.” Jason said before sprinting back to their friend, Harry close on his tail.

Malorie laughed. “Gods, don’t run off on me like that again.” She said.

“Sorry, just trying to keep our energetic Potter here under control.” Jason replied, pointing at Harry.

Harry rolled his eyes before looking up at the Arch. He frowned and stopped. “Hey guys, something’s wrong.” He said, pointing to the Arch.

Jason and Malorie both followed Harry’s gaze before freezing. There was smoke pouring out of the top of the Arch.

“Gods, is it on fire?” Jason cried.

Malorie had hurriedly downed her Coke and they’d all sprinted to the Arch, there was police, ambulance and firemen at the scene as well as news reporters.

“There’s a huge hole in the side.” Harry said. “And it looks like it was melted open.”

“What could’ve caused that?” Malorie asked.

“A monster?” Jason suggested.

“Then that begs the question of what monster could do that.” Harry replied. “Maybe a hydra?”

“Too big, we’d see it and it’d see us.” Malorie countered.

There was a little boy nearby who was pointing at Harry and calling to his mother – saying something about how Harry looked like another boy in the Arch.

“Someone’s in there?” Jason asked, overhearing the boy.

“They’re likely dead, Jason.” Harry replied. “Whatever caused that would’ve been fatal to anyone in it’s way. Especially if they were a demigod like us.”

“We can’t just risk the chance of someone being in there and in danger!” Jason protested.

Harry nodded “You’re right, but how do we get up there? The police have it all taped up, they’re not going to let three kids in.”

Malorie smiled. “Say, Jason, it’s rather windy today, isn’t it?”

Jason looked up before nodding. “Yeah, you’re right.”

“Woah, woah,” Harry begun. “You are not going to fly up there, are you?”

“Not in front of so many people.” Jason agreed. “Come on.”

Harry followed hesitantly behind them as Jason lead them into a secluded alleyway. “They’d still notice you, a flying eleven-year-old? That’s not normal.” Harry said.

“Harry, the Mist will warp their vision, I might look like a seagull or something to them.” Jason replied.

“Still, it’s risky! Especially with so many people! People with, oh, I dunno, phones?” Harry continued.

“The Mist can be surprisingly strong.” Malorie countered. “I’ve heard of it covering some things you’d think would be impossible to cover.”

“Like what?” Harry asked.

“Dragons.” Malorie said. “My grandad said that he saw a dragon flying overhead but Mortals saw an aeroplane. Mortals seeing Jason flying as an airborne seagull isn’t actually far off.”

“I still don’t like this.” Harry muttered.

Jason took Harry’s hand and gently squeezed it. “Harry, I’ll be fine, worst-case scenario, they’ll see me and I’ll fly off. We’ll be fine.” He said. “Besides, there might be someone in there who needs help.”

Harry sighed defeatedly. “There’s no turning you around on this, is there?”

Jason shook his head. “Not really, no.”

Harry let go of his friend’s hand before pulling him into a tight hug. “Just… be safe, Jason.” He instructed.

Jason nodded, “I’ll try to be, promise.” He said.

The wind picked up and Jason was airborne, floating a couple inches off the ground, the winds were moving so fast and it was beginning to make Harry’s eyes water. Before either of them could say any more, Jason was gone.

Chapter Text

Harry reacted quickly, he darted out from the alleyway and ran towards the Arch, sure enough, Jason was hovering there, searching around the hole in the Arch’s side. No one paid him any attention, it was obvious the Mist was working well enough that Jason wasn’t visible to them.

Malorie paced along the edge of the bank of the Mississippi River, watching Jason carefully. A police officer was watching them carefully.

“You two!” he called.

Harry startled and Malorie darted to his side, ready to fight. “Yes?” Harry asked smoothly.

“Were you there when this happened?” the officer pointed to the Arch.

Harry shook his head. “We were a while away when this happened.” He said. “We just saw the smoke and got interested, didn’t we?”

“Yup.” Malorie said quickly.

“Well, you’ve looked at the Arch plenty, now run along.” The officer said.

“Yes sir, we’ll be on our way.” Harry replied.

The officer nodded his approval as Harry and Malorie ran away.

“Well, once Jason gets back, we’ll have to keep going, we stay any longer: we’re suspects.” Malorie said.

“Obviously.” Harry agreed.

Malorie turned to the murky Mississippi, watching the currents churn and throw around litter, she turned to Harry, looking oddly merry. “Maybe we could see how good you are with controlling water?” she said, jerking her thumb at the Mississippi. “It might be important.”

Harry sighed and sat down on the bank, his feet barely grazing the surface of the river, “It’s a little less pleasing to try when there’s so much pollution in the Mississippi.” Harry said.

“I could see that.” Malorie replied with a wince.

Harry outstretched his hand, feeling quite stupid – he didn’t know the first thing about hydrokinesis or how to do it, how would he even feel? Harry closed his eyes, trying to picture the water rising up to his hand, there was a gentle pulling sensation in his gut, Harry thought he could hear a change in the currents themselves, he didn’t dare open his eyes. Instead, he thought about the water taking a shape in his hand, he pictured something relatively simple, the shape of his sheathed sword forming in his mind. Harry felt something tickle the palm of his hand and heard Malorie gasp faintly.

“You’ve done it!” Malorie cried.

Harry startled and the image of his sword vanished, his eyes flew open as he watched water return to the river and saw the current go back to normal. “Did I really do it?”

“It was remarkable, Harry.” Malorie said. “I’d expected the water to raise to your hand, not to take the form of a sword!”

Harry smiled faintly. “Yeah, I suppose you’re not wrong…”

Malorie tightly hugged him as a whipping wind caught their attention. There was the sound of shoes hitting the floor as Jason landed safely behind them.

“Nothing.” Jason reported. “It just smelt like smoke, and fire, and burning metal. No people – aaand what are you two doing?”

Malorie pulled away, looking mortified, Harry just rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. He’d heard that if the people you cared about hugged you, you’d feel something, some kind of happy tingly feeling… Harry hadn’t felt that – or maybe he misunderstood what that person had been talking about, there was two connotations for “care”, and Harry only liked Malorie and Jason, not loved them – in a romantic way.

Harry stood up quickly. “We need to keep going.” He said. “I think we should walk for a while, save money for returning to California.”

Jason looked startled, but he nodded anyways. “You two still didn’t answer me. Why were you hugging?”

Malorie spoke quickly. “Oh, Harry was working on his hydrokinesis and he did really well and I hugged him out of joy.” She rambled.

“Right…” Jason drawled out the word, still looking confused. “How well did you do, Harry?”

“I was alright, I suppose.” He mumbled. “Malorie said I managed to make the water take the shape of a sword – but I don’t know much myself, had my eyes shut ‘n all.”

“Harry,” Jason said. “That’s actually really good, especially for your first time.”

“I guess.” He agreed uncertainly. “I noticed that no one paid you any attention while you were in the air, guess they really did see you as a seagull.”

“Well, maybe not necessarily a seagull,” Jason countered.

Harry shook his head and grinned. “Nope, you’re a seagull now.”

Jason groaned loudly. “Why did I say seagull? Why not drone, or paraglider?”

“Not a clue, but it’s your new nickname now, Gully.” Harry said.

“Absolutely not!” Jason protested.

“There’s no use arguing, Jason.” Malorie interrupted. “Harrys got his heart set on this one.”

“Fuck!”

Harry begun to laugh, bathing in Jason’s displeasure at his new nickname. He wondered if this is really what he’d missed out on, he’d never truly had a proper friend – Dudley made a habit of literally chasing them away from Harry. Malorie seemed quite amused herself.

“I must admit, Gully, I quite like the name.” Malorie said.

“I don’t!” Jason insisted.

“We’re just teasing mate, don’t need to get yourself in a tizzy.” Harry said.

“A what?” Jason asked.

“You don’t know what a tizzy is?” Harry asked.

“No…? Should I?” Jason replied.

“I guess it’s a British thing…” Harry mused. “I just meant you shouldn’t get worked up.”

“Oh,” Jason said. “Sorry…”

“You don’t have to be sorry; you just didn’t know what a word meant.” Harry replied.

Malorie smiled. “British terms are so peculiar.”

Harry grinned. “I suppose they are, aren’t they?”

“Better than being called Gully, I suppose.” Jason mumbled.

“Oh, you’ll always be Gully, that’ll never change.” Harry quipped.

Malorie shrugged before looking at Jason. “He’ll get tired of it soon enough, just give him time.” She said.

“Yeah right, I’m never not going to call him Gully.” Harry replied.

“Do you enjoy making me suffer?” Jason demanded.

--------------------------------

“How close are we to Florida?” Harry asked.

The three of them had gone to a coffee shop near the boarder between Missouri and Tennessee. They hadn’t ordered but instead decided to snack on the food Malorie had bought in St. Louis.

Jason pulled out the map, reading it for a silent second. “We haven’t got that long just need to cross through Tennessee and Georgia.”

“Where is the Trojan Sea Monster? Have we got a city?” Harry said.

“Tampa.” Jason read out, slow.

“Tampa.” Harry echoed.

“I haven’t looked at the map in a while, I can’t remember if he wrote it or circled it.” Malorie said.

“Both, and gods, his handwriting is so swirly...”  Jason marvelled.

Harry took the map from Jason’s hands, sure enough, he’d circled a small part of Florida and had written in the daintiest handwriting: Tampa.

“Shit, my eyes hurt looking at that...” Harry said.

Malorie winced. “Yeah. And I have hardly any dyslexia.”

Jason and Harry looked at each other. “No need to boast.” Jason mumbled.

“I’m not!” Malorie protested. “I’m just – oh, you’re teasing, aren’t you?”

Jason smirked.

“Harry’s better at it.” Malorie replied.

“What?” Jason demanded while Harry started to laugh.

“It’s a talent I spent years perfecting.” Harry said, flicking his hair dramatically.

“Then you’ll have to teach me sometimes.” Jason replied.

“Depends on how much I like you.”

“Asshole.”

Harry suddenly laughed. “Am not!” he protested.

“Boys, let’s not banter and keep going!” Malorie interrupted.

----------------------

Harry was the one who had the brilliant idea to hitch a free ride from some horses. Besides, they still had to get back to California, they couldn’t spend all their money just getting to Florida to fight the sea monster. They were around Shawnee Creek when Malorie excitedly pointed out a herd of wild horses, they’d noticed the three demigods and had trotted over, snorting and whinnying loudly. Most of their voices were loud, excitable jumbles of noise in Harry’s head and he was forced to ask the herd to quieten down, like a teacher scolding a loud classroom.

The herd’s leader nuzzled against Harry’s chest, earning some shocked sounds from a tourist family close by. He gently placed a hand on the horse’s muzzle and stroked the almost wiry and dirty fur.

“Hey big guy, sorry to ask, but do you mind lending some of your herd for us?” Harry asked softly. “We need to get to Florida for a quest, but we promise we’ll do our best to keep them safe.”

The leading mare snorted, her wise dark eyes watching Harry carefully. You will ensure the safety of my herd. She replied. But it would be an honour to help you, son of Neptune.

“Thank you.” Harry said. “When we’re close enough to walk, we can send your herd back.”

Neptune always watches over our herds, the mare replied. He will ensure that those who are borrowed will return safely.

Three horses soon trotted over to them, Harry had never actually gotten a proper look at a horse before, and they were much bigger than he anticipated. The horse who let Harry onto his back was a stocky stallion, with a surprisingly well-maintained cream-coloured coat and a dark brown mane and tail, Harry had even noticed a white sock on his back left leg. Jason ended up on the back of a slightly smaller mare, with a simple grey coat and dirty black mane and tail.

“I’m finally taller than you now, Gully!” Harry proudly proclaimed from the back of the stallion.

“Shut up Potter!” Jason retorted, much to Harry’s amusement.

Malorie ended up on a different stallion’s back, with a simple palomino coat and a faint white star on its head, which had made Harry subconsciously reach for his fading lightning bolt scar and begin to rub it. The stallion had a very light grey mane and tail but was obviously energetic enough for the trip, Harry had a feeling that he would be the first one to start galloping.

“I’ve never actually ridden a horse.” Malorie said.

“You haven’t?” Harry asked. “But you’ve always loved the unicorns in Camp Jupiter.”

 “Yes, well, gathering horn shavings and riding a unicorn are quite different, no?” Malorie replied.

Jason’s mare sidled up next to Harry, “Wait ‘till you see the war elephant.” Jason said.

“We have a war elephant?” Harry asked incredulously.

“Yeah, never personally rode Hannibal myself, but I’ll bet it’s harder than horseback.” Jason answered.

“We have a war elephant called Hannibal?” Harry echoed. “Wasn’t that an emperor?”

“Not really.” Malorie said. “He was a Carthaginian general, like his dad. Also, Ancient Romans had plenty of war elephants in the past, but people ignore that over the myths and emperors like Nero or Julius Caesar.”

“The only good thing that came out of Caesar was a salad.” Harry retorted.

Jason snorted. “You’re such a hopeless case, Potter.”

Harry just sighed and urged his horse onwards gently, the horse nickered placidly and begun to walk, Jason and Malorie’s horses both whinnied loudly and quickly followed on behind Harry.

----------------------------

They rode for hours, managing to make it through Tennessee, the horses were admirably determined to get them to Florida. A few wide-eyed kids watched the three of them through car windows, Malorie had been kind enough to wave at them while they passed and one little boy had been so surprised he fell back from the window.

Harry loved it. Riding across America with the only two people in the who he could call his friends, no Dursleys calling him a freak, no Roman legionaries to judge him for being a son of Neptune, just riding on the back of a powerful horse.

Jason seemed to notice how suddenly cheerful Harry had become since they’d started riding, his military-cut hair had grown only slightly but enough that it could cover the tops of his eyes if he looked in the wrong direction, his electrical eyes were alight but Harry wasn’t sure if he was scared or excited.

“Is this how you feel flying, Jason?” Harry asked.

“If you mean elated? Yes.” He replied. “Terrified? Only slightly.”

Harry laughed. “I meant elated.”

Malorie’s horse galloped alongside Jason’s, her long hair flicking around wildly. “Jason, we can stop if you want.” She offered.

“Sure. We can wait as long as we need to.” Harry added.

The three of them guided the horses to a forest before Jason did an aerial patrol of the area to check for monsters. Harry then found a creek for the horses to drink from, quite easily, he supposed that the ability to find fresh, running water was easier as a son of Neptune.

“Anything?” Malorie asked.

“Not that I could see.” Jason reported. “Should be a good place to camp out.”

Malorie’s stallion lifted his head, water dripping down his chin. What are we talking about?

Harry patted the stallion’s nose. “Nothing for you to worry about. We’re planning on resting here is all.”

The stallion snorted and returned to his drink. Harry turned to his friends.

“We should rest here and keep going. Staying in one place too long is dangerous enough.” Harry said.

Jason nodded. “You’re right.”

They set out camping equipment Malorie had bought while Harry had been unconscious in the cave in Colorado. Harry settled uncomfortably into his sleeping bag, picking at the fabrics and staring at the stars and overhanging tree canopy.

Sleep didn’t come so easily.

-----------------

It was the same nightmare Harry had for as long as he could remember. A woman’s screams – “No! Not my Harry, please not my Harry!” – flashes of green light, the thud of a corpse hitting the floor. And the fatal green light turning to Harry.

***

“Harry!”

He shot to his feet, crying out. Jason’s blurry face came into view, he looked concerned.

“Harry, are you okay? You were tossing and turning a lot.” Jason said.

“Fine. It was just a nightmare.” Harry replied, rubbing his faded scar.

“Some nightmare.” Jason observed. “Do you want to talk about it?”

Harry shrugged, “I can never actually tell what happens during the nightmare.”

“Really?”

“It’s a jumble of weird shit. Bright green light, a woman screaming. Her body hitting the floor.”

Jason blanched.

Harry bit his tongue. “I shouldn’t have said anything...”

“No, no.” Jason insisted. “I might have a... faint idea, of what that’s about.”

“Really? ‘cause I’ve been having this nightmare for, like, seven years.” Harry said.

“Maybe it was the night your mom died? We know that this ‘Voldemort’ guy killed her, maybe that light is some kind of spell?” Jason offered.

“I guess.”

A branch snapped underfoot, one of the horses shot to his hooves with a distressed whinny, Harry couldn’t make out what he was saying. He didn’t much like that.

“What’s the matter, boy?” Harry asked, stroking the stallion’s muzzle.

Something is coming, the stallion whinnied.

“What’s coming?” Harry questioned.

“Something’s coming?” Jason said.

“Get Malorie, we should pack up and get out of here.” Harry ordered.

Jason sprinted over to Malorie and gently shook her awake. Harry grabbed his sleeping bag and hurriedly rolled it up, he could see Jason and Malorie doing the same. Harry climbed onto his horse’s back, gripping the horse’s mane and the hilt of his sword firmly, ready for a monster attack. After his friends packed up and jumped onto their horses’ backs and clutched onto their scraggly manes. Harry leaned down.

“You three get us out of here.” He whispered into his horse’s ear.

The stallion flicked his ear. We’ve got this, Lord.

Harry nodded and leaned down into the horse’s neck as his muscles begun to work viciously as he galloped through the woods, the mare and other stallion tailing behind him as Jason and Malorie held on tightly. The horses cleared felled trunks and rushing streams with ease, the stallion’s mane tickled Harry’s nose.

A low rumbling snarl echoed from the woods, now it was dark, Harry got a creeping fear of the towering, gnarled trees, the leaves only letting tiny silver streams of light hit the floor. Jason and Malorie glanced nervously at Harry and each other, a blur of shadows made Harry startle, glancing nervously between the leering gaps between thick trunks.

Then something leapt out of the woods.

------------------------

Malorie was thrown from her saddle, the monster threw her to the ground as her horse reared up with a terrified, bellowing whinny.

Harry and Jason drew their weapons quickly, Ivlis and Harry’s sword illuminated the beast’s face.

“Holy shit…” Harry muttered, his face paling.

The monster was humanoid, it’s skin leathery and sunken, marred with scabbing wounds, the sounds it made were horrible, choking gurgles. It raised its hand, were lengthened nails gleamed in the moonlight. Hair grew from its head in long, separated, greasy lengths like Golem from Lord of the Rings. Malorie kicked upwards at the creature’s chest with a yelp. It bellowed as it flew through the air and went sprawling onto the floor. It wore nothing but a loincloth around its waist.

Jason hurled Ivlis at the monster, the spear pierced its shoulder and tossed it further backwards. It didn’t disintegrate like normal monsters, just staggered to its feet and yanked out the spear. Its eyes were silver, watery blobs in its sunken face, teeth yellowing and rotting like its body, it’s ribs were incredibly visible.

“It’s like some weird zombie.” Harry exclaimed.

Harry’s stallion snorted uneasily beneath him: the elders of the herd have mentioned these. Inferi, that’s what they’re called.

“Inferi?”

Raised dead. Jason’s mare chimed. I’ve heard they’re repelled by fire.

“It’s worth a shot.” Harry turned to Jason. “Try and start a fire, I’ll hold this fucker off until then.”

Jason nodded and pulled out a box of matches from his bag, Harry jumped off his horse’s saddle and drew his blade, the Inferius lumbered clumsily towards him, moaning and growling, Ivlis still in its decaying hand. Malorie jumped to her feet, drawing her spatha, and approaching the monster from the right. Harry lunged forward quick enough to hopefully catch the Inferius off-guard, it worked, he raised his sword and brought it down onto the monster’s shoulder, slicing the arm holding Ivlis clean off.

It bellowed in agony again, thrashing its remaining arm around as it tried to claw Harry’s face off with those razor-sharp nails, Harry dove underneath it and pried Ivlis out of the monster’s severed hand. A hissing and Jason’s cry of joy told Harry he’d gotten a successful fire going, Malorie grabbed a large enough stick that could pass for a club and handed it to Jason, he placed the match against it and the fire roared to life against the stick.

Harry tossed Ivlis to Jason and he caught it with his free hand, Harry grabbed the stick and jabbed it into the Inferius’ gut, it instantly went up in flames, screeching loud enough for it to echo off the towering trees. Jason threw Ivlis and it went right through the monster’s chest, exactly where a heart should be, the Inferius begun to disintegrate into smouldering ash and when the monster finally died, all that was left was a yellowed skull.

“What. The. Fuck.” Jason said slowly. “Was. That.”

“The horses called it an Inferi, the raised dead.” Harry explained, kicking the ashes. “My best guess, something to do with magic mortals like my mum.”

“People can do that?” Malorie exclaimed. “I sure hope that isn’t normal in the magic world!”

“It probably isn’t.” Harry said. Hopefully isn’t, he thought eerily.

The idea of his mum doing something like this, it terrified him, now he knew even the slightest bit more about her, Harry wasn’t sure if he should be relieved she was dead or not.

“Neptune, he said that my mum was killed by a dark wizard. I going to guess that means that witches and wizards have a sort of in between, if there’s dark wizards, they’ll have light ones and almost indefinitely grey ones.” Harry explained. “Maybe Inferi are the results of dark and grey witches and wizards.”

The horses snorted, like they either agreed with what Harry said or they thought his attempt at explaining was humorous, Harry guessed, and hoped, it was the first.

“We should get going,” Jason said. “Before any more Inferi show up.”

“Agreed,” Harry said.

He hoped onto his stallion’s back and Malorie did the same. The horses got them out of the woods as fast as their legs could carry the three demigods. They emerged on the other side of the forest.

“Any clue where we are?” Harry asked.

Malorie pulled out the map, “Maybe halfway through Alabama or Georgia.”

“Really?” Jason asked.

“It was a big forest.” Malorie confirmed.

“I think we’re in Georgia.” Harry said.

“Why do you think that?” Jason asked.

Harry pointed to a sign that said very obviously, Marietta, Georgia. It had taken Harry’s eyes a while to figure out what the sign had said.

“Oh,” Malorie said.

“That actually makes sense…” Jason said.

“Come on, let’s get going, it’s probably for the best.” Harry muttered.

The horses continued forward, heading for the large city’s outskirts.