*TaruDemigod-fallen asleep on the computer*

Nico- HEY! She's fallen asleep! *rejoices*

Hermione- That's just because she's really tired, and she tried to complete this chapter the fastest she could. *sighs*

Percy- Hm...wonder what she's dreaming about...*brooding expression*

Nico- Hey! *imaginary lightbulb goes over his head (bing!) quickly extinguishes the light because, hullooo he's a son of HADES!* Maybe if we poke her then she'll talk about what she's dreaming about!

Percy- Hey! That's a good idea! *takes out a five foot long pole and two shields* *glances at Nico's raised eyebrows* You really want to take a risk?

Nico- *shrugs* No, I don't!

Hermione- *sweatdrop* Why am I working with these two again?

Percy & Nico- *thumbs up* Because we're AWESOME!

Hermione- Su-re you are...-.-

Percy and Nico take the pole.

*poke poke* *poke*

Me- *screams* I'm a werewolf! I'm a vampire! And I'm a Virgo! *does an invisible peace sign* Virgos rule! Uh? Huh? AAAHHH! DIE CULLEN DIE! TEAM JACOB!

Percy and Nico start laughing their asses off.

Hermione- Twilight? Seriously? *shakes head* Am I the only sane person left in this world?

Percy and Nico poke again.

*poke poke* *poke*

Me- *screams again* AUGH! Spiders! Big, creepy spiders! NO! Bad Aragog Bad! Um...there! Look, there's Hagrid! He's big and juicy and tasty! Eat him and LEAVE ME ALONEEE!!!

Percy and Nico fall down laughing.

Hermione- *sweatdrop* Harry Potter huh...wow, very booksey dreams this girl has...

Percy and Nico poke again.

*poke poke* *poke*

Me- *screams for the third time* AAHHHH! Thalia, will you please freaking stop blasting me with lightning?! I won't tease you for your vertigo again!!!! Or...or...uh, I'll start a new Thalico fanfiction! And you wouldn't want that!

Percy and Nico nearly wet themselves with laughter.

Hermione- Immature...-.-...well, I'll go to the library! Or should I go start SPEW? Hmm...*walks away musing to herself*

Me, suddenly wakes up.

Me- AAAHHHHH! How dare you wake me up!?!? You got a death wish!?!? *battle cry* YOU TWO DEAD! *smack* *pow* *bam* *smash*

(The rest that happens is too violent for the kids over at home so uh...^.^)

(Oh, yeah, and I do NOT own anything!)

Hi there. Jeez, characters are so meannnn T.T So anyway, hullo there! How nice of you to comment! And vote! And *cough cough* fan *cough cough*! So ah, enjoy! I hope this chapter is up to your er expectations...anyway, dear reader omnomnom13 commented that the disclaimers are getting a bit irritating...what do you think? hm? hm? COMMENT THEN! AND VOTE! AND *cough cough* FAN *cough cough*! *waves* I'm feeling a bit crazy right now because it's late night so *waves* I'm out!

Percy POV-

The moment Professor McGonagall said that, all the empty plates and glasses around us filled up as one. Platters and platters of delicious food- roasted chicken, barbecue, vegetables, salads, sandwiches, noodles…rows and rows of food and food and food lined Gryffindor table.

“…cool…”

Many of the students had already started filling their plates and Ron next to me already had his teeth dug in a chicken leg. But I had one more thing to do before eating…

I turned to talk to Annabeth next to me but realized she wasn’t there. I looked around for her and found her next to McGonagall, talking seriously to her.

McGonagall seemed surprised by what Annabeth was saying but nodded and took out her stick from her black robes.

Muttering an incantation under her breath, she swished her stick. Many of the students were also whispering and pointing, probably wondering like me about what was going on.

Then, right in front of the headmistress’s golden seat and table, there came a hearth fire.

Dark orange billowing flames which, however angry they looked, seemed controlled by some sort of invisible barrier.

Finally understanding, I loaded up my plate and walked forward, trying to ignore the staring.

All the other demigods also came up, one by one, putting the pieces together. Annabeth came to stand next to me with her plate and murmured, “I wonder if they’ll accept the offerings, Olympus being closed and all. But then, they can’t really reject them, can they? They’ve always loved the smell…”                                 

I shrugged. We stood in a line and  I took a deep breath as I held some meat in my hand.

Throwing it into the fire, I muttered, “Poseidon.”

I leant forward, hoping to smell the same sea scent I always loved but…yes, the aroma was there but there was also a strange metallic taste to it, almost like it was being oppressed. Finally, there was a forceful push and the scent depleted into nothing.

I leant back, thoroughly confused. “What’s up?” Annabeth asked.

“It’s…not there…its being oppressed,” I said.

Annabeth’s eyebrows burrowed in confusion. “No way…”

The others behind us also looked shocked.

Annabeth threw a grape into the fire. “Athena.” she said.

Nothing.

“Athena!” she exclaimed again, throwing some more fruit.

“This ain’t good.” Thalia shook her head.

We shuffled back to our seats, looking disgruntled. What the heck?

The Hogwarts students were eyeing us with interest and curiosity. I sat back in my place.

“What the heck was that about!?” Ron exclaimed.

“Um…burnt offerings to the gods…” I said but Annabeth sat next to me.

“They like the smell, you see…” Annabeth explained.

“So wait, almighty all-powerful gods like the smell of burning food!?” Harry asked incredulously.

I laughed, “Believe me, that’s exactly what I thought when I was told that…”

Annabeth glared playfully at me, “Yes, you were quite the idiot then. And I don’t think you’ve changed.”

Everybody laughed while I pouted.

“Prissy was such a scrawny little baby when he first came to camp. You sure he changed even a bit?” Clarisse smirked.

“Yeah, Clarisse. Changed your mind didn’t you when you tried to dunk my head in the toilet and you got spewed with the water instead?” I shot back.

Immediately, Clarisse’s smirk was replaced by a scowl.

“Why you little-.”

“Anyway,” Annabeth hastily changed the topic and looked at the wizards who were staring at us with incredulous/curious expressions, “The burnt offerings are for your godly parents, or others. It’s a tradition back from our original roots from Greece you see…the offerings are made in the hearth. Obviously, Hestia, goddess of the hearth, gets a part of each offering…”

The wizard’s expressions turned to one of understanding and soon it was just eating the delicious food while making random comments. In the meantime, Harry told me his story.

I would like to say that seeing as much as I had, I wouldn’t get shocked. But that would just be a lie. Harry’s life was seriously, seriously messed-up, maybe even more than mine. Though there was one thing we shared in common. The loss of our dearest ones, all who died for us.

Urgh. Don’t think about that. Don’t dwell on the past. Only on the future. Though under the circumstances, the future looked pretty bleak. I mean seriously! I’m 16! And there’s so much a 16-year-old can take, much less the entire weight of the world upon you all over again…(both mentally and literally. Gosh, that hurt! How does Atlas carry the sky on his shoulders all the time? Of course him being all immortal and a titan and stuff kinda helps too…)

The desserts soon arrived in the golden plates and I helped myself to a delicious Chocolate Gateau which simply melted in the mouth.

Feeling pleasantly drowsy after the large lunch, and very full too, I leant back on the bench on which I was sitting on. Most of the students were filling out, probably going back to their respective classes, but many were still peeking at us. Gods knows what was so interesting in us.

Harry, Ginny, Hermione and Ron were finally the only ones left with us, along with some other students, in the Great Hall. My other friends came up to Gryffindor table, and soon it was almost like a normal day at camp, only with the wizards around. Somehow, that made it more fun.

Hermione tried a few charms with her stick on a salt shaker on the table. The salt shaker twitched and rose up in the air. We applauded but Hermione was sharing looks with Ron and Harry, like remembering something memorable.         I was left to ponder what that was about, though I didn’t ask.

That’s when Rachel and Grover came up, along with a tall man with blonde hair and startlingly blue eyes. Then my eyes came upon his down-half and I saw the horses hooves. I gasped. A centaur! There was a thin woman trailing behind them, wearing a miffed/tragic expression and a thin shawl with rather large glasses which made her eyes appear bulging.

“Hey, Rachel, Grover, where were you all this time?” Thalia asked curiously.

“Oh, well, Firenze here,” Grover said, pointing at the centaur who bowed slightly to us, “Wanted to show me and Rachel around the school, see. Then Professor Trelawney over there, she’s the divination teacher, uh,” Grover pointed a little doubtfully at the thin woman who’s bulging eyes were eying all of us, “Wanted to, um, talk to Rachel…she’s technically sees the future, some sort of a Seer,” Everyone could catch the doubtful tone in Grover’s voice.

However, Grover’s explanation was cut off when Rachel muttered, “Though the truth is, she’s just an old fraud.”

Everyone caught that and unfortunately, so did Trelawney who glared resentfully and defiantly at Rachel, “I’ve been gifted with the Inner Eye! What’ve you, little ignorant and narrow-minded girl, been gifted with that could match the mystical…er… powers of the Inner Eye!?”

Rachel smiled cheerfully, “I’ve been given the gift and sometimes…um…curse,” Rachel glanced at Nico, “of sight. I can see through the mist. I’ve got the spirit of the Oracle of Delphi, who’s almost as old as the gods themselves. But, of course, Professor Trelawney, my doubts on you would clearly vanish if you predicted some of my friends over here’s,” Rachel gestured towards us, “future? Would you kindly do that?”

Trelawney seemed taken aback for a second before trying to regain her normal mystic attitude, “I…uh…I c-.” she stuttered then finally shrieked resentfully, “The Inner Eye does NOT See upon command!”

“Sure it doesn’t,” Rachel said soothingly, “Well, just too bad. Guess my doubts are sort of valid after all…”

But Rachel was cut off by Trelawney who yelled, looking scared and angry, “W-Wait! I think I do see something!”

She pointed hastily at me, “YOU!”

I jumped. “Wha-?”

“I See something horrible…” Trelawney said, swaying slightly. For a second, I was actually anxious if this lady was telling the truth, “You…you are in very grave danger…I foresee your…death…”

I frowned, What the heck? “You are going to die…by drowning in chilly ice-cold water.”

Silence.

My eye twitched.

 Then there was a snigger from Travis, a muffled sort of giggle from Hermione then Ron let out a bark of laughter. Soon all of us were laughing our heads off while Trelawney yelled frantically over the noise, “No…NO! I was joking! Wait! WAIT!”

Her voice regained its mystic tone though this time it was kind of strained. She pointed a thin, quivering finger at Thalia, “YOU!”

Thalia raised an eyebrow. “You’ll…um…die a miserable death in a plane crash where you’ll be blasted by lightning!”

The laughter became even more pronounced and the old woman looked even more taken aback and indignant.

She pointed at Nico and tried again. “YOU! You’ll die when you fall into a hole! Your eyes show that you have a very bad connection to the earth…and um…” she glanced around and her eyes fell on the Grey Lady who was forlornly drifting in a corridor outside, “…ghosts! They don’t like you!”

Nico gave her a look that clearly said Are-you-out-of-your-mind-lady!? The rest of us were laughing hard.

“Hey, gotta ask you something woman,” I said, “Where in the world were you this morning?”

Trelawney drew herself up to her full height and said in a low, quivering and annoyed voice, “I wasn’t there at breakfast. I was deciding on what to teach for Divination today. I am a professional teacher and am dedicated to my job.”

“Sure, it shows how you add the ultimate irony to your great ‘predictions’ if you can even call them that…” Nico snorted.

“This is…” somebody started from behind. We turned back to see Will Solace who had a very annoyed expression on his face, “…AN INSULT TO MY FATHER!”

Ron started chortling at that, “Your dad’s Apollo isn’t he? God of sun and predictions and such?”

Will raised an angry fist, “AN INSULT I TELL YOU! AN INSULT!”

I laughed. Poor old woman. We were ganging up on her!

“I-I…I um have to get to class!” Trelawney stammered and she quickly hurried off, drawing her cloak around her and throwing Rachel nasty looks, probably for getting her into this mess.

“Uh-oh! Hermione!” Harry suddenly yelped as he looked at his watch, “Um…I think we’re kind of forgetting that we have classes to attend!”

“Oh no!” Hermione shrieked, “We’ve got Transfiguration!”

“McGonagall’s gonna take our hide!” Ron shook his head.

“And I’m in the same class as you too!” Ginny exclaimed.

All of them slung their bags over their shoulders and waved at us.

“We’ll see you guys later then?” Hermione asked.

“Yup,” Annabeth smiled pleasantly. We waved at them as they quickly hurried off, talking amongst each other.

“So then,” I said, swiveling around to look at the centaur Firenze who was standing patiently to the side, watching our talk intently, “You’re a centaur too, Firenze. Do you know Chiron?”

“We centaurs are different from…the Party Ponies…” Firenze wrinkled his face in distaste, “We read the stars and foresee the future, interaction with humans is not taken well, really. I was banished from my herd in the Forbidden Forest because I agreed to teach divination in Hogwarts. The Party Ponies, however, literally live amongst mortals. They aid them and serve them, though, I admit, still maintaining their dignity. We centaurs respect Chiron for teaching heroes for all these millennia but, I’m afraid, also resent him for working for them like a…a common mule. Though atleast he isn’t working under them…”

Firenze held out a hand to me, “You’re Percy Jackson?”

I frowned, “Yes…”

I shook his hand. “Yes,” Firenze said emotionlessly, “It was foretold that we would meet.”

My frown deepened. “What do you-?”

“Tread with precaution, child,” Firenze said warningly, “Great dangers await you. And choices too. All the best.”

And just like that, he walked away.

“It’s okay,” Grover sighed, “Firenze is kind of…indefinite…”

“You think?” I mumbled. Great dangers…psh…he could atleast elaborate, couldn’t he? But no, everything has to be figured out by me only. If only people would actually give me straight answers for once…but no…not happening!

 “So, lets walk around the place, shall we?” I asked.

Harry POV-

“Okay, so that’s Charms, Transfiguration and Potions homework…” Ron gave a moan, “Could this day get any worse?”

“I hope not…” Ginny said darkly.

I knew all of them were thinking about Voldemort. Who wouldn’t after the shocking discovery we made?

 Ginny and Ron were grumbling about all the homework we got to add to their already pending pile and Hermione was reproaching them for not completing the homework on time. But my mind was far, far away.

From Voldemort it went to Nico and his summoning of the dead thing. That still gave me the shudders but then…I wondered if…well, he could even summon ghosts or something.

I remembered the Resurrection Stone which I’d dropped somewhere in the forest. What if…he could…get my parents and maybe Dumbledore, Sirius, Lupin and all those others…could it happen?

We entered the Great Hall and Percy and Annabeth and the others waved us over.

“Hey you,” Percy smiled cheerfully.

I managed a small smile in return but I was still thinking about the summoning of ghosts…

The dinner was splendid like usual but I ate it somewhat absent-mindedly. When it was over, I cornered the demigods in a corner of the courtyard where they were chatting.

Ron, Hermione and Ginny glanced at me questioningly, wondering why I was in such a hurry. I shook my head in a I’ll-tell-you-later motion.

“Hey Nico,” I called.

“Yeah?”

“Um…I wanted to ask you whether you could summon ghosts too?” I asked, rather quickly.

Hermione stared at me with a horrified expression, “Harry, what are you thinking?”

I ignored her and said, “I need you to summon some people who’re…well, dead.”

Nico considered it for a moment and then he nodded. Percy had joined us by then, “Hey, whats going on?”

“I need some food and drinks and a pit dug,” Nico instructed, “We’re going to summon some ghosts.”

Well, then. VOTE, COMMENT *cough cough* FAN *cough cough*. And you better do it. Or *crack knuckles innocently* hint: look up at what happened to Nico & Percy. Tee-hee.