Annabeth POV:

Annabeth sighed as she shook her boyfriend for the sixth time in an attempt to wake him up. She had gotten up forty-five minutes ago at 5 o’clock in the morning to shower, brush her teeth, and get ready for the day.

She had hoped that Percy would have woken up to his alarm, but that was not the case, and she ended up turning it off for her own sanity. Shaking him one more time only to get a mumbled ‘five more minutes’ forced her to bring out the big guns.

Going to the fountain in his cabin, Annabeth made a rainbow.

“Oh, Iris, goddess of the rainbow, please accept my offering. Show me Sally Jackson, Manhattan.”

The rainbow shimmered, and Percy’s mother appeared, holding Percy’s sister, Estelle, in her arms. With practiced ease that only experience could give, the Jackson matriarch immediately put a finger over her lips to shush the Iris message while simultaneously rocking the infant in her arms.

Annabeth smiled and waved as baby Estelle gurgled towards her, grabbing at the shiny light while she waited for the closest person she saw as a mother to finish getting Estelle back to sleep. Once she did, Sally walked out of Estelle’s nursery and into the living room.

She had a tired but loving smile as she addressed the daughter of wisdom and, hopefully, future daughter-in-law.

“Good morning, Annabeth. It’s a bit early even for you, wouldn’t ya say?”

Annabeth laughed as she nodded along.

“It is indeed. I am just glad you're up Sally. We are supposed to be at the Big House in ten minutes to learn more about a mission Lady Hecate gave us, but I can’t get your son up. I’ve tried dumping water on his head three times, but every time, it avoids him. It’s like he has a subconscious forcefield up.”

Poseidon’s former lover just laughed as she moved towards the kitchen. At Annabeth’s confused look, she elaborated.

“He developed that long ago when I was still with Gabe. I don’t think even he knows he does it. You’ll have to devise your own method eventually dear, but this should get him up.”

Sally walked over to the oven, setting the timer on it for five seconds. Then, once the timer hit zero and dinged, Sally yelled out.

“Percy! You’re gonna miss breakfast if you don’t get out here right now!”

Annabeth watched in amazement as her boyfriend, who was dead to the world moments early, leaped out of bed. His eyes were frantic as he searched the cabin until they adjusted, and he saw his girlfriend and mom laughing hysterically.

That is until Annabeth realized her boyfriend was naked from their... activities the previous night. Her face went beet red, like her boyfriend’s, while Sally laughed even harder, getting control of herself just long enough to say goodbye.

“Love you two; let me know when you’re coming by later to talk about this mission. And Percy dear, I had enough of seeing you naked when you were a baby, so come dressed, please.”

With that, the Jackson matriarch swiped her hand through the Iris message, ending the call and leaving two embarrassed teenagers in her wake. Annabeth slapped her hand across her boyfriend’s chest, causing him to laugh as she let out a frustrated groan.

“From now on, you're going to be putting your underwear back on after we have sex. Your mom probably thinks less of me now.”

Percy laughed a bit harder as he wrapped his girlfriend in a hug, kissing the temple of her forehead.

“She could never, Wise Girl. I sleep naked all the time. She might not even suspect anything about our extracurriculars.”

Annabeth chuckled as she pulled away from the hug slightly.

“That’s a big word for you, Seaweed Brain.”

Percy laughed as well, and she took a moment to look into her boyfriend’s eyes, admiring how handsome he was after just waking up, the earlier awkwardness forgotten.

His eyes were dark but awake, his hair was even more unruly than usual, and he had a slight stubble from not shaving in the past two days. Once again, she was reminded why she was attracted to this man as he gave her a goofy smile before leaning down and kissing her on the lips.

“Good Morning, by the way. Had to bring out the big guns, huh?”

She just nodded her head and smirked as she shoved him into the bathroom, laughing at his indignant look as she checked the time.

“Hurry up and brush your teeth. We have five minutes to get to the Big House, or else we’ll be late meeting Lady Hecate.”

The son of Poseidon’s eyes widened in realization as he went over to the sink. At the same time, Annabeth grabbed him some clothes to put on. But, before he could shut the door, Annabeth stopped him.

“Oh, and Percy?”

Her boyfriend took the toothbrush out of his mouth, and Annabeth had to hold back a laugh as he spoke, his voice muffled by the toothpaste.

“Whut?”

“You’re sure your mom didn’t suspect we were... ya know, doing it?”

The son of Poseidon, donning the goofy smile she had grown to love, spit some of the toothpaste out of his mouth before responding.

“I don’t know, Wise Girl, why are you so concerned about this? Mom had to know this was coming eventually; we are eighteen now after all. She also loves you and knows you're not just using me for my body... or are you, and that’s why you're concerned?!?!”

Annabeth laughed at her boyfriend's faux expression as she shut the door, yelling behind her as she did.

“Don’t be ridiculous Seaweed Brain... but you're right. This is what normal teenagers do: have sex, fight monsters, go to magical schools, and save the world. Now hurry up. I don’t want to be late.”

The laugh from the bathroom brought a smile to her face, while Percy’s response had her giggling.

“You’re 100% right, Wise Girl. We are just two incredibly hot and normal teenagers.”

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

By the time the duo arrived at the Big House, it was 6:05, and Chiron was waiting outside. At his inquisitive eyebrow, Annabeth pointed to her boyfriend, who smiled sheepishly. The ancient trainer of heroes rolled his eyes, gesturing them inside. Immediately, Hecate greeted them with an unimpressed stare.

“You two know you will have to wake up and be on time at Hogwarts, right?”

Once again, Annabeth pointed to her boyfriend, giving a guilty-as-charged smile as Chiron exited the Big House, nodding to her and Percy as he did so. Lady Hecate rolled her eyes at Percy’s smile, and Annabeth took the opportunity to analyze her surroundings.

The goddess of magic had made numerous changes to the living room, no doubt in preparation for the ritual that was about to take place. The furniture had vanished, creating a large open space with two large circles marked with various symbols outlined in blue powder on the floor.

A large cauldron in the fireplace had just started boiling over a fire, while several bowls filled with different things, such as hair, feathers, and powder, and a vial filled with a golden liquid sat in front of each circle.

Annabeth was suddenly much more nervous about this ritual, suspecting the golden liquid to be the goddess ichor. Reaching out, she grasped Percy’s hand in her own as the goddess motioned for them to each step in a circle.

Hecate glanced out the window, speaking up as soon as a dawning light could be seen through the window.

“Alright, Apollo is finally up and moving, it seems, so let's get this process started.”

With that, the goddess walked over to the cauldron and summoned two cups to her side. Using a ladle to fill each up about halfway before handing them to the duo, at Annabeth’s raised eyebrow, she elaborated.

“This is a potion that helps open up and create a ‘magical core,’ as the wizards call it. You must drink this before we can begin.”

The duo nodded, and Annabeth cursed her inquisitive nature for sniffing the concoction, which smelled absolutely rancid. A glance at her boyfriend’s puckered and grimaced face told her it tasted no better.

With a sigh, Athena's daughter pinched her nose before chugging the magical potion, cutting the palm of her hand with her nails to stop herself from throwing it back up. Once they were finished, Hecate grabbed the empty cups from their hand, putting them to the side as she continued the ritual.

“Alright, now we begin. Please do not move from the circle until I say, and do not touch each other. Lest you want to find yourself in a world of your own for the next century.”

The two quickly let go of each other's hand and took a step away from one another, causing Annabeth to giggle slightly at their childish actions. Only to jump in surprise when several of the markings outlining their circle exploded into Greek flames.

At that exact moment, Hecate started speaking in a different language. One that Annabeth couldn’t recognize but was positive came before mankind.

The daughter of wisdom glanced down at her feet, noticing the blue powder start to pulse with a mesmerizing teal light. Her attention was returned to the goddess as precisely one item from each bowl was lifted of its own free will to hover over the different spots of Greek fire.

All at once, the items stopped levitating and were consumed by the flames. Immediately, Hecate began chanting anew, feverishly speaking the same line over and over.

Annabeth was about to ask the goddess if everything was alright but stopped herself when she noticed the goddess’s eyes glowing an ethereal light. It eerily reminded her of the Oracle of Delphi when it possessed her friend Rachel.

The daughter of Athena’s attention was then drawn to the Greek fire, and she noticed it turn a dark blue, something she didn’t think was possible. The blue fire began to consume the circles she and Percy were standing in.

As the powder burned faster and faster, so too did Hecate’s chanting, becoming frantic as she repeated the exact same words over and over. Annabeth could see the sun's light rising through a slit in the window just as the ritual reached its climax.

The fire completed burning the rest of the powder, exploding inwards, and Annabeth was hit with what felt like a wall of wind. Then, nothing.

When she woke up, she was surrounded by trees. It was dark, but there was a tinge of red in her vision, almost like a red haze. With a start, she realized she was back in Tartarus, Percy beside her as they fought the Arai. As if it was on cue, one of the monsters swooped down at her, and her instincts kicked in, sidestepping the creature before hitting it in the head with a rock.

Before she even had a chance to wonder how she got a rock, she was blind. The red haze was gone, and so too were the outline of trees and the Arai she and Percy were fighting. She was completely blind and yelled out for Percy, her voice panicked.

She felt his warm and calloused hand wrap around hers before he took off in a sprint and dragged her along with him. As they ran, she started thinking of the worst-case scenarios.

‘What if I’m blind forever?’

‘What if Percy leaves me down here?’

The better part of her mind told her he would never do such a thing, but the cynical part reared its ugly head.

‘I’m dead weight now; I’m useless to him. He has his mom to think about, and I don’t have anyone.’

Before her mind could continue with the unwelcome thoughts, Percy grabbed her. Pulling her to the side as she focused on his ragged breath to try and help calm her thoughts. This man fell into hell with her so she wouldn’t be alone. He wouldn’t leave her just because she was blind.

“Cliff.”

His voice was a welcome presence in her ears, despite how coarse and rough it was from them drinking from The Phlegethon.

Then, a voice surrounded them. “Did you have a nice walk?”

Annabeth gripped onto Percy tighter just as something suddenly grabbed her arm and tried to drag her away. Once again, her instincts kicked in, and she judo-flipped the thing that caught her and put her elbow to its neck.

She felt the creature dissolve beneath her and felt utterly alone, causing her to scream in panic.

“Percy!”

There was no response, and she began to desperately feel around her for his presence, but she could no longer smell the sea that followed him wherever he went. A thousand thoughts ran through her head, each one worse than the last.

‘What if Iapetus decided he wanted to kill Percy for revenge?’

‘What if he was killed by the Arai?’

‘What if he left her as bait?’

The demigoddess let out a sob as she continued to search for the man she loved the most. Her voice hoarse and raw with emotion as she called out once more.

“Percy, why did you leave me?”

That was when her vision suddenly cleared to a horrible sight.

She saw Percy, his eyes glazed, as Riptide lay outside his reach, impaled by Iapetus' spear. The Titan grinned maniacally as he let out a booming laugh.

The daughter of Athena screamed in pain and agony as she saw the love of her life’s corpse. Kicking and struggling to no avail as her beloved’s killer wrapped their arms around her. She tried to fight even harder, but the arms just tightened their hold.

Then, Percy’s voice was in her ear.

“Wake up, Annabeth, Wake up! It’s a dream. It’s not real. Wake up Wise Girl, please. I am right here.”

His voice was panicked, and Annabeth opened her eyes only to be met with a pair of sea-green orbs full of love and concern. Her breathing calmed slightly, and she pulled herself as close as possible to her boyfriend, taking deep breaths as she focused on his scent and calming presence.

At the same time, he rubbed his thumb up and down her back in a soothing manner. With one more final deep breath, she pulled away from his hug only to realize she was in one of the guest rooms in the Big House.

Her attention was drawn back to the son of Poseidon as he captured her lips with his own; they were full of love, and Annabeth felt herself melting into them. After a second, he pulled away, and the goofy smile she had grown to adore was on his face.

“I am right here, Wise Girl, and I’m not going anywhere. We are never getting separated again, remember?”

Athena's daughter just laughed as she kissed him, trying to put all the love she had for the man into that single gesture. After another moment, she pulled away, calmer as the nightmare lost its hold on her.

“So what happened? What did I miss?”

Percy shrugged his shoulders slightly before explaining his side of things.

“Once Hecate finished casting the spell, there was like... a burst of energy that was released and collapsed inward. I saw it hit you, and then you went limp. I tried to get to you, but then that power washed over me as well, and everything went blank.”

Another voice at the door startled the couple.

“That’s because your bodies and minds were put under an extreme amount of stress in less than a second. For most witches and wizards, their magical core is developing over the course of eleven years so their bodies can adjust.”

“Yours both developed in a matter of seconds. As you can imagine, that puts a lot of strain on the mind and body. But I am happy to say it was a success. I can see that you both possess the ability to access the Magic.”

The couple looked at Hecate as the goddess stood in the doorway to the room. The goddess answered their next question before it even left Annabeth’s mouth.

“You were asleep for the past four hours, and it is now noon. I do not have as much time as I would like to teach you everything. So, I will visit you both tomorrow and teach you the basic foundation of using this Magic, along with some tricks I've picked up over the millennia.”

“After that, I will only be able to provide you with the tools necessary to become competent wizards, and you will have to do the rest. I will check back in at the end of the week to provide you with your plane tickets and ensure you both are ready.”

Before the goddess could flash out, Percy’s words stopped her.

“Wait... Did you say plane?”

The goddess laughed slightly, noticing the color drain from Percy’s face.

“I did indeed, and don’t worry too much, son of the sea. Your father was very vocal to Zeus on the consequences should he strike down this plane.”

Satisfied that there were no more questions, the goddess vanished in a flash of light, and it was Annabeth’s turn to comfort her boyfriend. Who was now as white as a sheet at the revelation he would be on a plane in the near future.

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

Harry POV:

Harry’s blood was on fire as he paced up and down Privet Drive. That bloody woman had insulted and disparaged his parents, and in his opinion, she got what she deserved. If anything, he thought she got off easy.

The night's cool air did little to soothe Harry’s anger as he continued walking down the street. It wasn’t until he was at least a mile from his Aunt and Uncle’s house that Vernon’s words struck a chord in his head.

Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

He had used magic outside of school grounds, and he was most certainly going to be expelled for it. The thought of being unable to attend Hogwarts hit him like a ton of bricks, causing the wizard to stop his angry walk and shakily sit down on the sidewalk.

Running a hand through his hair, he tried to figure out what to do next. Only to realize he had absolutely no idea what his options were.

“Where’s Heromine when you need her?”

His mumbled words were only picked up by Hedwig, who hooted in response. Harry smiled at his great snowy owl, stroking her feathers as he tried to come up with some sort of plan.

Only to have his thoughts interrupted by a deep growl emanating from the bushes across the street from his seat on the sidewalk. The wizard was immediately alert, bringing his wand to the ready on pure instinct.

The bushes rustled, and the largest dog Harry had ever seen in his life started to emerge from the hedges. He was petrified and couldn’t think straight as the massive, shaggy black dog approached him.

Hedwig hooted in alarm, breaking Harry out of his stupor to look at his owl in concern. Realizing she was okay, he turned back to face the giant dog, only to notice it had disappeared. Leaving the young wizard wondering if there was even a dog across the street in the first place.

But, before he could even return his wand to his pants pocket, the sound of screeching tires drew his attention further down the street, only to step back in surprise as a triple-decker bus appeared in front of him as if it apparated there.

The sound of doors opening brought his focus to the back of the bus, giving him the feeling of whiplash. A skinny man wearing an outfit similar to that of the Hogwarts Express Ticket Collector hopped out onto the street before pulling out a note card and going into a no-doubt rehearsed speech.

“Welcome to the Knight Bus. Emergency transport for the stranded witch or wizard, my name is Stan Shunpike, and I will be your conductor for this evening.”

The newly named Stan stuffed the note card into one of his jacket pockets before looking Harry up and down.

“Well, let’s not wait for the grass to grow now.”

Harry shook his head in a vain attempt that the physical act would help clear his head mentally. He reached for his bag, only for the malnourished-looking conductor to start getting it himself.

“No, no, no. I’ll get this, and you get in.”

Harry didn’t have a lot of faith in Stan's ability but nodded his head as he climbed on board the Knight Bus. Only to stop at the entryway in shock as he took in the interior, not ever expecting to see a chandelier inside a bus filled with beds. One of which already had a man asleep on it.

The wizard was surprised once again as Stan came up behind him with his first suitcase, breaking him out of his stupor.

“Come on now, we don’t got all day, find you a spot.”

Getting his feet to move, Harry made his way to the front of the bus, finding a sturdy-adjacent-looking bed to sit on just as Stan had finished loading the rest of his things into the bus.

Then, with a tap on the glass, they took off like a bat out of hell. The sudden acceleration caused Harry to fall back onto the bed as the Knight Bus took off at insane speeds, taking corners at what felt like Mach 1 and made Harry regret ever getting on the cursed thing.

He glanced over at the conductor, Stan, who looked wholly unbothered as he stared at Harry. The young wizard wondered how in the world the man was staying securely on his feet as the Knight Bus zipped through Europe. Only to be broken out of his thoughts as he addressed him.

“What did you say your name was again?”

Harry had to stop himself from rolling his eyes. Of course the conductor thought he recognized him. He always forgot that he was practically a hero in the wizarding community.

“I didn’t”

Thankfully, Stan could take a hint and changed subjects.

“Well, whereabouts are you headed?”

Now that, was a question that Harry hadn’t found an answer to yet. Thinking on his feet to get off this bus as soon as possible, he went with the first wizarding place in mind.

“The Leaky Cauldron. That’s in London.”

Harry had to stop himself from face-palming as Stan and the driver laughed at him. Of course they knew where the Leaky Cauldron was. It was one of the three most popular places in the wizarding community.

Then, Harry realized it wasn’t the driver laughing but a shrunken head that spoke to him once it noticed his gaze.

“Hey kid, if you get the pea soup, make sure you eat it before it eats you.”

The head started cackling at its own joke, but before Harry could ask what it meant. He was sent flying across the bus and into the glass separating the driver from the passengers as it suddenly stopped.

Shaking his head as he stood up, Harry looked through the separating glass and over the windshield to see an old woman crossing the street.

“Three, three and a half, two, one and three-quarters.”

Harry glanced at the miniature head for just a second before the bus was off again at lightning speeds, throwing him back onto the bed. He looked at Stan in desperation as to how he managed to not be thrown around the bus like a ragdoll.

Only to get distracted by the conductor’s newspaper, wondering where it had come from. His question about how to handle the Knight Buses' crazy ride was replaced with one about the man screaming like a savage dog on the newspaper's front page.

“Who is that, that man?”

Stan folded the newspaper to see what Harry was talking about, only to look at the young wizard in confusion.

“Who is that? Who is... That is Sirius Black that is. Don’t tell me you've never been hearing of Sirius Black?”

Harry shook his head, causing Stan to lean his head in.

“He’s a murder. Got himself locked up in Azkaban for it he did.”

“How did he escape?”

Harry couldn’t help but correlate Stan to his professors at Hogwarts, as he reacted like they did when he asked a good question.

“Well, that’s the question, isn’t it. He’s the first one that done it!”

Stan leaned in close as he whispered the next part to Harry.

“He was a big supporter of You-Know-Who.”

Stan stood back as the Knight bus continued barreling towards the Leaky Cauldron.

“You know who that is don’t ya.”

Harry nodded his head this time. “Him I’ve heard of.”

A beat of silence passed, and Harry opened his mouth to ask how muggles didn’t see or react to the Knight Bus. Only to get thrown into the divider window once again as the bus came to another sudden and complete stop.

By the time he had gotten his bearings, Stan had already gotten his belongings and was making his way back on the bus. Tom, the bartender, waited for him outside, and Harry felt himself relax after finally stepping foot on solid ground.

“Ah, Mr. Potter. Glad you could make it.”

Harry had to stop himself from laughing as Stan’s eyes widened in realization, just as the Knight Bus took off again. The young wizard went to grab his suitcase along with Hedwig, only for Tom to beat him to it.

With a wave of his wand, Harry’s things disappeared, and he hoped the Leaky Cauldron bartender sent them somewhere safe.

“The Minister would like to see you, Harry. Come, follow me.”

A knot found its way into his stomach, and Harry dreaded meeting the Minister. He had almost forgotten why he was on the Knight Bus to begin with, considering how crazy of a ride it was, but he had used magic outside of school grounds.

That meant that the Minister would probably tell him that he had been expelled from Hogwarts and that he would be going to jail, never allowed to use magic again. In his mind, the only bright side he had left was that he wouldn’t have to live with the Dursleys.

Before he could lament any more on the coming conversation, he arrived in the Minister’s office. Tom gave him a nod as he shut the door, leaving Harry alone with the Minister of Magic.

Who had his head in the fireplace?

“-ery well. In exchange for letting some Americans take the groundskeeper position, dementors shall patrol and guard the grounds around Hogwarts, and that is final, Albus. Now, we must talk later. Harry just walked in.”

With that, the Minister of Magic turned to face him.

“Aha, Harry! Good to see you. I hope everything is well? I’ll tell ya, your use of magic gave us quite the headache, but don’t worry. A team was dispatched immediately, and her memories were wiped. She is now safely back home; no harm done.”

Harry stared at the Minister, not entirely understanding why he was telling him this.

“Does that mean I am expelled from Hogwarts?”

Cornelius Fudge let loose a laugh.

“No, no, heavens no. Merlin knows that times are tricky right now Harry, but we still understand when something is an accident. Now, I should say that you should probably stay here for the weekend until the term starts, though. Wouldn’t want another accident, would we?”

Harry let loose a sigh of relief he didn’t realize he was holding once the Minister confirmed he wasn’t going to lose his safe haven. With this newfound relief came courage, and Harry found himself digging for more information.

“The real reason you want me to stay, Minister, is because of Sirius Black, isn’t it?”

Cornelius Fudge’s face paled drastically for a moment before regaining its normal color and the Minister's happy attitude.

“No, no, no, Harry. While Sirius is a peculiar case, you can believe me when I say the Ministry has everything under control. There isn’t anything you need to worry about. We are just looking to make sure that you are safe.”

“Now, off to bed. Tom can show you to your room, and don’t worry about payment, Harry, I’ll cover this one for you. Oh, and I took the liberty of getting you your school books for this year. They should be waiting for you in your room, Goodnight!”

Understanding the Minister no longer wanted to talk, Harry stood up to take his leave, unwilling to press his desire for information on Sirius Black anymore. Lest the Minister change his mind about him attending Hogwarts.

Harry walked out of the Minister's room and into Tom, who greeted him with a smile.

“I hope all is well, Mr. Potter. Please follow me to your room. Everything is already waiting for you there.”

Harry followed the Leaky Cauldron’s Bartender through a maze of hallways until they arrived at an inconspicuous-looking door. Which Tom opened, gesturing Harry inside.

“Here is your room, Mr. Potter. Just ring the bell if you need anything. I will bring you breakfast at 9 o’clock tomorrow morning if that’s alright with you.”

Harry nodded as he made his way into his room, turning on the light to see as Tom shut the door. He noticed Hedwig in her cage on the dresser and made his way over to her, letting her out before getting ready for bed.

Once he was underneath the covers, he soon drifted off to sleep, exhausted from the day’s events and thankful that he hadn’t been expelled from Hogwarts.

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

Percy POV:

Percy bounced on the balls of his feet as he waited with Annabeth at the door to an inconspicuous apartment in Manhattan. The sound of a baby crying could barely be heard from inside, and Percy was confident that it was his little sister.

With a sigh at the coming conversation, the demigod son of Poseidon knocked on the door. He could feel his girlfriend's comforting presence wrap around his arm just as a woman’s voice called out from the apartment.

“Coming!”

Moments later, the door opened, and Sally Jackson stood in the entryway. Mother to one of the most powerful demigods of the century, and in her arms, the man’s little sister.

The renowned demigod’s face immediately lit up as he hugged his mom and sister before walking inside and shaking Paul’s hand as Annabeth followed in behind him with her own hugs.

“Percy! It’s good to see you. How’ve you been?”

“I’m good, Paul. How are you?”

Paul laughed as he returned to sit in his recliner, muting the TV as he spoke.

“I’m good. Both your mom and I are exhausted from taking care of Estelle, though. Any chance you two are here to watch her so we can go on a date night?”

Percy laughed as he grabbed his little sister from his mother’s arms, smiling at her as the baby reached for his face with her stubby arms and fingers.

“Unfortunately, no. Although, if we have some free time this week, Annabeth and I would love to watch her and give you two a day to yourselves.”

Percy could feel his girlfriend’s nod behind him as he sat down, his attention focused on playing with his sister and making her laugh. With a glance up, Percy could see the happiness in Paul’s and his mom’s eyes at the idea.

He played with his sister a bit longer before setting her down and letting her play with the dozens of toys scattered around the apartment. Tuning back into the conversation that Annabeth and his mom were having while Paul watched the muted TV that was playing a show called ‘Jeopardy.’

“-ink maybe removing the covers would work?”

Sally laughed at his girlfriend's suggestion and sadly shook her head.

“I don’t think so, dear. I tried it a dozen times when he was growing up, to no avail. I‘m pretty sure that he super glues the covers to his hands when he sleeps.”

Annabeth laughed as well, nodding along with Sally’s logic.

“Now that you mention it, I can see it. He is such a blanket hog, and no matter how hard I try, I can never seem to get it back.”

The demigod son of Poseidon glanced over at his stepdad to see if the man had an idea of what the ladies were talking about, only to get a shrug in return, which basically said,

‘I have no clue and try to keep it that way.’

Percy laughed at Paul’s no-doubt expertise on the matter and just waited for a lull in conversation to bring up what he and Annabeth were really here to talk about. He didn’t have to wait long either, and soon they were all in a comfortable silence, watching Estelle play with her toys without a care in the world.

Something Percy was envious of his sister's ability to do, and despite his loath to break the peace, he needed to explain to his mom about the mission he and Annabeth were going on for Lady Hecate.

“So, we actually didn’t stop by just to visit. Annabeth and I have something we wanted to share with you two first.”

Sally glanced at Annabeth, already having an idea of the conversation based on the Iris Message earlier in the day. On the other hand, Paul had no idea what the conversation was about but put forth his best guess.

“You two are pregnant, aren’t you? Congratulations!”

Percy felt himself turn beet red and could see Annabeth doing the same at Paul’s exclamation, and after taking a moment to recuperate, he powered through.

“Actually, no. Annabeth and I were given a mission by the goddess Hecate to travel to England so we could help protect a wizard, and in order to blend in, she blessed us with the ability to use Magic as well.”

The sky rumbled dangerously at his revelation, and Percy rolled his eyes. The demigod didn’t care what Zeus thought. He was going to tell his family the truth, gods be damned.

The silence in the room was deafening, and Percy felt his hand subconsciously reach for Annabeth’s, who grabbed it, giving it a loving squeeze. Estelle was the only sound that could be heard inside the apartment as she played with her toys and talked with herself.

After another moment, Paul seemed to get over the bombshell Percy dropped and made his way to the kitchen, pulling out a bottle of Woodford Reserve whiskey and pouring a glass for everyone.

Paul immediately downed his first glass before filling a second to sip on. His mother took a long drink of hers, and Percy raised his eyebrow at Annabeth as they both tilted their glasses back at the same time.

The son of Poseidon expected the drink to burn the back of his throat. Instead, all he tasted was a chocolaty caramel with a hint of toffee and cinnamon. He glanced at Annabeth and saw she also didn’t react to the liquor, and Percy chalked it up to them drinking directly from a literal river of fire.

If his mom and Paul were shocked at how well they took their first drinks of alcohol, they didn’t let it show. Finally, Sally sat in an unoccupied chair and stared at the duo.

“How long will you be gone?”

Percy shrugged his shoulders, “However long the school year is, which is nine months, I believe.”

Annabeth smacked his arm, and that was when he realized his mistake, as his mom was on the verge of tears. Sometimes, he forgot that he had only been home for three months.

With a pleading look to his girlfriend, Annabeth managed to fix his mistake.

“But from our understanding, we will still be able to Iris Message and come home around the Holidays. This isn’t a quest from the gods, so there isn’t a prophecy. Percy and I are looking at this more as a vacation to an exclusive boarding school rather than a dangerous mission.”

Percy decided he was buying Annabeth her favorite flowers when he got a chance, as his mom's face perked up dramatically with Annabeth’s words.

“That’s... That’s good to hear. Thank you, Annabeth. As long as you’re with him, I know I needn’t worry.”

The room seemed to brighten up after that, and soon, Paul and his mom were asking all sorts of questions. Most of which he had no idea how to answer, but he was content to let Annabeth handle most of the talking as he finished his drink and watched Estelle play with her toys.

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

The next morning, Percy woke up to a familiar pair of lips on his, returning the kiss momentarily before pulling away.

“Good Morning, Wise Girl.”

Annabeth had a triumphant smirk on her face as she spoke.

“Good Morning, Seaweed Brain. I knew I’d come up with a way to wake you up.”

The demigod just laughed as he got out of bed and ready for the training Hecate had prepared for them. Not long after, Percy found himself at the Big House along with Annabeth just as the sun was beginning to rise.

With a flash, Hecate was in the middle of the room, and with a wave of her hand, all the furniture disappeared. In its place were several target dummies, cauldrons, and miscellaneous objects. Percy glanced at his girlfriend with a raised eyebrow, only for the goddess to start talking.

“Right, the first rule of Magic is that everything must be spoken with clear intent and proper wand movement. But, that rule is for mortals, something you two are not. So, your real first rule is to make sure you are always doing the proper wand movement for the spells you learn.”

“Because you both are half-god, your magical cores are significantly stronger. So much so that clear intent in your mind is all you need, and with enough practice, you shouldn’t even need a wand.”

“Mortal wizards, on the other hand, must spend most of their lives training to cast spells non-verbally. But the one thing no witch or wizard can accomplish is casting a spell without proper wand movement.”

“So, if you can master the wand movements, then your cover shall remain intact should you forget the spell's words. Are you ready to begin?”

The duo nodded their heads, and the goddess summoned two sticks to her hands before offering them out to the couple. Percy grabbed his at the same time Annabeth did while Hecate gave instructions on her first lesson.

“Because of your godly heritage, each spell category will require a complete shift in mindset and intent. As such, the goal of today is for you both to perform two basic spells from each category of Magic.”

Percy could practically feel his girlfriend's question burning a hole through her and wasn’t shocked in the least bit when she cut off the goddess before she could continue.

“Lady Hecate, do the mortal wizards also require a shift in mindset?”

Hecate shook her head.

“Yes and no, mortal wizards don’t have to because their Magic effectiveness is powered by wand movements and properly saying the spell. However, certain witches and wizards are better at certain forms of magic because of their mindset. The community just hasn’t figured out how entwined mindset and Magic are.”

“For example, a witch who believes in power or defending the innocent is much stronger with attacking or defensive Magic. On the other hand, a wizard who values practicality over power or strength is much more adept at Transfiguration Magic.”

“So, while a wizard who believes in practicality can still cast an Expelliarmus attacking spell, neither of you could do the same without shifting your mindset. Does that answer your question, Annabeth?”

Out of the corner of his eye, Percy could see his girlfriend bob her head up and down. With that answered, Hecate moved on to the actual practice.

“Now, the first spell I want you to use is Protego, a defensive Magic. We are going to forgo the wand movements for now so you both can get a feel for the Magic, but I expect you to learn them throughout the week.”

Percy nodded his head and began to envision himself surrounded by a dome shield, but before he could ask how they knew it worked, Hecate fired a ball of fire at him. He instinctively reached out to the water nearby to put out the fire but was left dumbstruck as he watched the element wash over him like he was in a clear dome.

A moment later, the fire was gone, leaving Percy staring at his girlfriend like a school kid who had just found the coolest thing in the world.

“Did you see that?!?! It was like I was in an impenetrable fortress. The fire just went all around me like I was in a dome, which I guess I was. Was that Protego, Lady Hecate?”

The goddess nodded with a slight smile on her face while Annabeth returned his enthusiasm.

“That was so cool, Seaweed Brain. I bet you my shield will be bigger though.”

Percy stuck his tongue out at his girlfriend, only to nearly panic as fire completely covered her form without warning. However, a second later, the fire was gone, with Annabeth standing in a perfectly untouched circle.

Hecate started clapping as the duo turned their attention to the goddess.

“Very good. Now, use Expelliarmus into the Accio charm. This will require you to shift mindsets, and I expect it to be much harder than the Protego spell. Expelliarmus is a disarming incantation, while Accio is a summoning charm. I want you to disarm this wand in my hand and then bring the wand to you. Begin!”

Percy immediately flicked his wand and was shocked when a red bolt of light exploded from it and towards the goddess, who took it in stride. He watched in fascination as the wand in her hand exploded up and into the air.

The demigod then imagined the wand coming to him and flicked his wand again, only to frown as the piece of wood landed back into the goddess's hand. Percy saw his girlfriend try to do the same, only for her to have similar results.

Hecate smirked slightly as she spoke.

“I thought I told you to change your mindset depending on the spell. I imagine you wanted the wand to come to you because it disarmed me and gave you power if this was a fight. For the spell to work, you have to want the wand, for the wand, not an ulterior motive.”

The demigods nodded their heads again, and while Percy achieved the same results as before, Annabeth managed to get the wand to lay halfway between them and the goddess.

“Good job, Annabeth. Now, again!”

So, what did you all think? I want to hear your thoughts on the reviews! If you really liked it, consider supporting me in the world of Patrons. That’s where you can get progress updates, early chapter previews, and a vote on the story's direction if I am stuck between two decisions!

You can also follow me on Twitter @Neptunerover. You’ll see when chapters go live, get occasional progress updates, and there are links for everything I’m a part of pinned on my profile!

I also split my time between two Discord Channels. When I’m not writing/working, you can find me on my server or in my room on the Emerald Library server, so be sure to come say hi:

* My Discord: /G5ZPT3fb7R

* Discord Community: /elibrary

Below are the names of some patrons who got to view this update early and help make this story happen. I am eternally grateful for all your support:

Special thanks to: Jojomneal, Swampfox

&

Hari, Aesir21, WhoisMitch, Skyler, Jackson, Shawn

Until Next Time!

Recommended fanfic - Percy Jackson and the world of magic: by imjusttryingtofindmyway

As I said in the first chapter, this story inspired me to write a PJO & Harry Potter Crossover. It’s incredibly well written; unfortunately, they haven’t updated in quite some time, so I would view it as abandoned but still an exciting read!