Sword & Wand (Harry Potter Percy Jackson The Mortal Instruments Crossover)

ten

"Hey" says Sally, not that surprised to see me, since this is where I usually come when I'm in New York. And not slaying monsters. There are even times when I spend more time with her than with Percy when he's busy with muggle school. She is however completely confused when it comes to my new friends, a group of muscular, tall people dressed in leather with swords, daggers, bows and all kind of weapon just sticking from everywhere. I can't really blame her.

"Hi" I say. "Is Percy there?" This is not really a 'how've you been' kind of conversation. I get my answer in the middle of the sentence anyway because I catch a glimpse of Mrs. O'Leary down the hall. I come in, leaving Jared with Percy's mom and stepfather to explain the situation. I trip a several times over the furniture on the floor which I can understand only as a result of a hellhound the size of a jeep in the apartment.

I find Percy in the kitchen, sipping lemonade with Nico DiAngelo.

Of course he is. What else did I expect him to be doing? It is his birthday in a few days anyway.

He stands up from his chair as he sees me and I run over the room and hug him tightly, not really leaving him much space to say anything. Now I get the feeling that I didn't see him for a year, that I missed him a lot. What happened in Camp earlier was an absolute nonsense, as if it hadn't been the two of us. Brother and sister. A team.

I know I don't need to say I'm sorry. I don't need to say anything, and neither does he. This is not the first time we both did something we regretted and it's pointless to go over those things. We'd go insane and would probably not be this close. Most of the time that we fight is over something stupid because we both act like the older sibling, even though Percy is older. Insignificantly. So it just turns out to be one of us yelling at the other while the other is trying to calm the first one.

"Hello, Fay" mutters Nico after Percy's and my 'emotional reunion'. Last time I saw him was Percy's birthday party last year.

"Hi" I salute back. Man, my conversations are becoming more interesting every minute. Nico looks pale as always, but he seems to be skinnier than last year. You wouldn't think that was possible, given I could tell every bone in his body by a single glimpse at him even before.

"Is there anything you want?" Percy asks, pointing at the refrigerator with his head. I sit down on a random chair, because Nico has occupied mine. Not that he could know I had a chair here.

"Honestly, I'm kind of thirsty" I say and before Percy can react, Nico hands me his full glass of lemonade. My fingers freeze when they brush the glass and I take them back. Nico smiles with one corner of his lips.

"Sorry about that", he says.

Others join us in the kitchen and it gets really crowded. Three shadowhunters, two demigods, two demi-wizards as Jared and I call ourselves, two entire humans and one hellhound. That's way too much for an apartment. We need a penthouse immediately.

That would actually be really nice.

"Where were we" Nico says in an informative voice despite the form he chose. "Ms. Jackson?"

Sally takes a deep breath and everyone stares at her expecting something big to happen, even though they all have just met.

"Percy" she says, "I give you my blessing."

Nothing magical happens. I wait for any kind of reaction. Percy glances at Nico. He looks more anxious than ever, but he nods. "It's time."

"Wait" I manage, unaware of what just happened. "Time for what?"

"Nico, please explain. I'm tired of all this shadow travel and prophecies".

Hah. He's funny.

Nico begins a story about Typhon, the one thing I know something about, and moves on to his plan to make Percy invincible by swimming in the river Styx, ingenious idea that includes going down to visit Nico's old man, so that Percy stands a chance against Chronos despite the prophecy that I somehow know not a single thing about.