The Devil's Son

Christmas

Finally the day came, and Hades found himself being swept up in the excitement of the other students. He could go home again, return to the flames and the screams. He was hoping everyone would be too distracted to notice that he wouldn't be getting the train, as he crept over to one of the many classrooms left bare for the holidays. It took him a second to realise he'd need a creature to leave, and was about to summon a house elf when a small rat scrambled over to him. He grinned, catching the rodent and slicing it throat to belly, using it's blood to summon hell-fire. Just as he stepped into the warm blue flame, his vision of the living world, he heard a voice from the door. "Scabbers?"

Ron walked down the corridor, glancing around frantically. Mum would kill him if he lost Scabbers but the rat just kept running off! He knew the train would be going soon, and in a last ditch effort began glancing into each classroom he passed. "Scabbers?" He called out, and flinched at a strange flash of light, but looking in again, saw nothing. He shrugged, and decided to give up. He didn't want to miss the train, and Percy would never let him hear the end of it if he did.

The cold chill welcomed him, and he shivered, missing the heat, but knowing he was close. He strolled along the wet, dark caverns that led to the river Styx, where Charon would be waiting. Soon enough he heard the sound of rushing water, and scrambled through to the docks, where the familiar oak boat gently rocked. The black cloaked figure that had always led him back home was waiting, silent as always. He grinned, knowing he would get no reply and flipping a gold coin into the skeletal hands. He stepped into the boat and it began to move, the darkness of the caves fading away, as they headed closer and closer to the large stone doors that blocked to way to hell. He peered over the edge of the boat, down to the deep pit where mortal souls would fall and enter torment. Of course as the prince of hell, he got to go the comfy way. He shifted, crawling along the walls and through the gap between the doors. "Father!" He shouted, running through the halls until he reached the throne room, where his father and uncles were gathered. Sloth was slumped in his chair, bored, but the rest ran towards him, and he jumped in his father's arms. He understood now, why the mortals had been so emotional upon seeing their family. He truly had missed them.

Abbadon roared as his son jumped into his arms, holding him close. They weren't usually so affectionate, but their time apart had been awful. And it had felt so much longer in hell. He glared at Lucifer as the demon took his son from him. They'd had this argument for too long, his brother claiming he'd become too attached to the human. Hades hadn't been human since they'd brought him to hell, and Luc couldn't deny that. He knew the Demon prince cared for Hade as well, but simply cared for his role first. His other brothers finally finished greeting his son, mostly by trying to maim him in some way, before he ran back, looking at the two demons through narrowed eyes. "Have you guys been fighting again?" Hades always noticed everything, and it was inconvenient at time. "No/Yes." They answered at the same time, glaring at each other, but Hades just rolled his eyes.

They were always arguing, it was what you could expect from Demons. But he hated it when they argued about him. Hades knew his father and his uncles loved him, but he also knew Lucifer was keeping something from him. Normally he wouldn't care, but the last time he'd been sent to the mortal world. Surely it couldn't get any worse than that? His homecoming wasn't too exciting, at least not compared to how his friends had described. Well, apart from Theo. He couldn't help but think of his friend as his family walked away, returning to their work, and he returned to his room. It hadn't changed, the darkened room looking out  across the vast landscape of hell. In between the towering stacks of rocks that those of sloth had been forced to build, the roaring flames and agonised screams rose up, weaving in and out of every crevice. It was strange, but he didn't feel so at home now. It seemed so...... boring! He never thought that would be the word he used, but it was true. He was bored already.