(Again. Couldn't find a meme that relates to this chapter, so here you go. I'd like to apologize sincerely for the three-day break I took 😬 I hope this chapter makes up for it!
Additionally, shoutout to @KinNguyt0 for voting for the Special Edition chapter! He or she is my first vote for this book! Additionally, they voted for the Special Edition chapter; I asked for a comment or vote on the Special Edition chapter because I hated it and wasn't sure whether to remove it or keep it. Because of the vote, I will be keeping it! I know it's just a vote but out of 1K+ reads, I have only gotten one vote, which makes it special. The fact that it's on the Special Edition chapter proves to me that the chapter is worth keeping. Thank you, @KinNguyt0, for showing your support!
Enjoy! :)
For the rest of the day, the only times we saw the trio would be in classes. When we had found them spying on us near the lake, we had sent them off angrily; I'd charmspoken them to forget about our powers and our practice spars, but making them forget about where they were would cause too many questions. Instead, I had them think they were just relaxing by the lake the whole time. We were never there.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione, for a reason I couldn't fathom, seemed to take a lot of interest in our business. I couldn't charmspeak them too much, as per Hecate's warning, because it doesn't work as well on them as it does on mortals. Us demigods needed a people-repellent. To use on annoying students *cough cough* like the three that keep spying on us *cough.* However, it would also be useful for the Slytherin students.
I could see why the Slytherins had a bad reputation. They were raucous, mean, and plain wicked. I had heard that Draco Malfoy, a Slytherin who hadn't come back to Hogwarts this year, was a Death Eater, along with some of his friends. However, most of Slytherin had decided not to repeat 7th year- probably due to the downfall of Tom Riddle- leaving the Slytherin house quite empty compared to the other houses.
I neglected brushing my teeth and went straight to bed; today had been so tiring. Then I thought better of it and got up, heading for the bathroom. I always procrastinated going to sleep; the nightmares were horrifying. And though they were nowhere near as worse as Percy and Annabeth's, it wasn't... in my best interests to relive my worst moments. Jason's death was a recurring factor in my nightmares. If only I had been quicker.
Tell him to come... Tell him... Bring him to me!
I woke up screaming and sweating, but I didn't remember what I saw. Vivid flashes of something... but I didn't recall what. This nightmare was not like the usual ones. Who was talking? What did he want me to do? Who was him? All I remembered of the freaky vision was the audio. What had I seen? I knew it was important but... I just couldn't remember.
Percy and Annabeth seemed to be clinging onto each other more than usual this morning. In fact, Hazel and Frank were too, and Leo looked scared. However, Thalia, Will, Nico, and Reyna looked, well, how they did usually. Thalia nonchalant, Nico tired, Will cheerful, and Reyna alert. It was hard to tell if something was bothering Reyna, but she did not exhibit the same nervous look that all of us, except Thalia, Nico, and Will, had today. She was either hiding it well, or... it was just the Seven.
Turns out my suspicions were correct. Frank, Hazel, Annabeth, and Leo all had the same dream as me... or heard the same dialogue anyway. None of them, similar to me, could remember what had actually happened in their vision. However, Hazel did recall one particularly vivid flash: A huge snake, with glowing red eyes, lunging at her. She shuddered while explaining. Nico, Thalia, Reyna, and Will all had a normal night's sleep; meaning plagued with the usual nightmares. Nothing new.
Percy, however... Percy heard something completely different. Only one word, one mysteriously vague word.
Grandson... Grandson.
He said it was not Kronos. He could just tell. Something in the voice, something in the demeanor... it was not Kronos. So who was this mysterious person penetrating our dreams? A guttural voice, yet smooth and slippery... everyone agreed. It was the same person- or thing- breaking into our nightmares; or creating the nightmares. And it was only the Seven.
No one found the appetite to eat breakfast; even Will was too shaken to coax Nico into eating something. And though we didn't think we'd be able to focus in class today, we still went. We unanimously agreed that we needed to learn as much as we could to defeat the possessed god. Because the person in our dreams- if you could even call them dreams- was undoubtedly Tom Riddle.
"Yes, yes. Calm down, please." McGonagall requested the class. Everyone was in a frenzy, excited for the weekend. It was chaotic. With the dreams, our quest, and all the questions looping through my mind, I could not take it.
"Calm down!" I yelled. The class immediately quieted down, and though it wasn't my purpose, I could see that I had calmed my friends; The charmspeak had ceased the worrying in the demigods' minds. Relief was written all over their faces. McGonagall shot me a grateful look.
"Because to V-V-" She sighed, "You-Know-Who's downfall, due to Harry Potter, there will be..." my mind was reeling, and I could tell that the other demigods' brains were too. Harry Potter? He was the one who defeated, as everyone else called him, 'The Dark Lord?' I sighed. No wonder Harry was insufferable. I directed my attention back to the teacher.
"...the ball will be held on Sunday night."
"Is this the Yule Ball?" An unsuspecting Gryffindor called out.
"No, Liam," McGonagall crossed her arms, "The Yule Ball only occurs during the Triwizard Tournament, which is held every five years. This means it will be held next year, at whichever school is hosting the event. This ball is uniquely celebrating the defeat of... You-Know-Who and is a one-time occasion."
"But Miss," Another Gryffindor raised his hand, "I don't know how to dance."
"Yes, Noah, that is why we will be having optional dance classes on Saturday." She answered. Talk erupted in the classroom. Hermione smiled and elbowed both Harry and Ron next to her.
"You'll be needing to take that," she whispered. McGonagall shushed the classroom.
"That will be all for today. Find your couples quickly! Extra information will be..." I zoned out. Percy and Annabeth would take each other, as would Hazel and Frank. Nico and Will would bring each other too, though Nico probably wouldn't admit it. Reyna and Thalia would most likely skip the event. Leo and I might go alone, as Calypso and Shel weren't here.
"I'm going to get Calypso to come!" Leo informed us excitedly. "McGonagall said I could!" His mischievous grin stretched from ear-to-ear. Scratch that, only I would go alone. Shel still didn't know about my demigod life... adding wizards and witches to that would cause her to think I was crazy. She couldn't see through the Mist; I had checked. It was difficult, dating a mortal. Annabeth nudged me.
"Are you bringing Shel?" The quiet question was accompanied by a small laugh. I jumped.
"Apollo told you!"
"Yeah," she confirmed. I sighed.
"She doesn't know about..." I trailed off, but Annabeth nodded sadly in understanding. "She can't see through the Mist either, so I have no way to prove it to her. Anyway, it might... it might damage our relationship, and I don't want that."
"Piper," Annabeth touched my arm lightly, "if it ruins your relationship, she's probably not the one for you." She said. I nodded; I had thought the same thing myself.
"But still, I can't just go telling random people."
"This isn't a random person. This is someone you know and love." Annabeth reassured me.
"I just..." I shook my head. "I just don't know." I finished. Annabeth offered me a smile. Percy positioned his face on Annabeth's shoulder.
"What are we talking about?"
"Shel," Annabeth told him. He nodded, understanding, and we all stayed silent for a bit.
"Hey, why do you have to tell her?"
"What?" I was confused.
"You don't have to tell her you're a demigod, and these are wizards and witches, for her to come."
"Percy, that'll never work." Annabeth shook her head. "She'll definitely find out. What about the wands?"
"Just tell her that it's special effects! Say it's... wizards-and-witches themed."
"Okay, no." Annabeth cut down his suggestion. "She will find out, you know. I think Shel's intelligent, unlike you, Seaweed Brain." She teased him. Percy clutched his chest and gasped dramatically.
"Oh... my heart! It hurts!" He choked for air. Annabeth rolled her eyes and elbowed him in the ribs. "My ribs hurt too! I'm bleeding all over! I..." Annabeth kissed him in order to shut him up. "My heart... I think I need another kiss to heal it." Annabeth laughed and elbowed him again. "Two kisses! To heal my heart and my ribs!"
"Seaweed Brain, this is getting old," Annabeth told him.
"Three kisses! To heal my ribs and the two punctures in my..." Percy began, but Annabeth rolled her eyes and gave in. She granted him what he had asked.
"Now shut up." She said.
"Gladly," Percy smirked.
"My eyes! My eyes!" Thalia was over-dramatically pretending to faint after seeing Percy and Annabeth's romantic scene. "I need to go wash my eyeballs!" She ran out the door, and after a moment, the rest of the group got up and followed, still talking excitedly about the ball.
(I know. That part was so cliche and kinda weird. But I kinda got a demand to make it so... here it is. Actually, the original idea was a little different, but I altered it to fit Percy's personality.)
Will found his way to me, and whispered, "I know it's a long shot, but try what Percy said. You deserve a break from all the crazy stuff going on lately." He smiled. "Bring Shel."
The next morning, mostly because of all the demigod's encouragement, I had decided to bring Shel. I don't know why I decided to, and I knew it was crazy. But honestly, I really needed that break. We demigods had all heard things in our sleep this night. Even Thalia, Reyna, Will, and Nico.
Percy, this time, heard more than Grandson.
Grandson... Come to me! Join me... Join me, Grandson.
He shuddered while recounting the hazy, broken-up dialogue. The rest of the demigods had heard Riddle telling us to get him to come to him. We still didn't know who the him he was referring to was, but we assumed it was Percy.
Tell him to join me. Tell him to come!
We remembered more and more of our gruesome flashes and visions; especially Hazel. She had seen many visions, some including Harry fighting a noseless gray guy. We all laughed nervously when she described the person Harry was fighting, but she said the vision induced... a sort of strange fear in her. Other flashes in her sleep included snakes, a glowing room full of swirling mist and crystal balls, toiling, clouded dark skies, and... the Olympian throne room.
"Someone was there. Someone was on a throne... but the body was blurred... and I can't recall which throne... it... it's so frustrating!" Hazel slammed her fists on the table, causing other Gryffindors to look over and the plates on the table to jump a bit. "It's like he's purposely removing the important details from my brain!" She looked down sadly. "Which he probably is."
Frank pulled her closer reassuringly, his arm around her waist. He pecked her on the cheek and Hazel smiled a little. I was happy for them, but still cautious of the other students watching us. I looked down and noticed a pile of gems near her feet. I pointed this out to her inconspicuously. Her eyes widened and she quickly willed the jewels away.
"And... I saw the Dark Mark in the sky. I don't know how I knew what it was; I just do. It was a skull with a snake coming out of its mouth..." The more Hazel described, the more I remembered of my own visions.
"I think," I began, keeping back bile, "I think they're memories," I suggested. The group looked at each other, nervous at this new revelation. Annabeth nodded.
"Yes," she confirmed, "That makes sense."
"Ahem!" McGonagall cleared her throat, interrupting our conversation. "Today there will be dance lessons from 5-7 P.M. You may come whenever you want, stay as long as you like, and leave whenever it suits you. You will be learning..."
"Are you going to go?" I asked Leo.
"To the dance lessons? Nah. Calypso will teach me." He replied. "Or better yet, we'll just make up our own dance! The Super McShizzle!"
"I'm sure Calypso would oppose calling it that."
"Why?" He pouted. "That would be an awesome name!"
"But you're the McShizzle. So basically you'd be calling the dance the Super Leo." I explained. He thought about it for a moment.
"Even better!" He proclaimed with a lopsided grin. I chuckled lightly.
"...that is all." McGonagall waved her hand and food appeared. Leo heaped mashed potatoes onto his plate and started to snarf them down. Suddenly, the double doors to the hall creaked open without a warning. Leo looked up.
"Calypso!"