The weeks flew by, and soon it was Christmas break. The Weasley twins had invited me over to the Burrow to spend the break with them. It would be the first time I went over to their house, seeing as I was busy all summer from the quest.
The twins and I boarded the train, finding an empty compartment. I sat on one side by myself while Fred and George sat next to each other. We started planning out pranks for when we got back to school, consisting of putting pink hair dye into Snape's shampoo bottle. If he even uses shampoo. I mean, come on. Have you seen how greasy his hair is?
We were halfway to Platform 9 3/4, and we had just finished planning pranks for the next few months. It was getting hot in the compartment, so I took off my zip up sweatshirt and got a book, seeing as the boys were immersed in their own conversation.
"Maya what happened to your arm?" George pointed to the scars the empousa had left a few weeks before, and I realized you could see them since I was wearing a t shirt.
"Oh those? Nothing really, just my dog jumped on me and accidentally scratched me," I shrugged it off and hid my face in my book. My heart was pounding; if they found out what I was, I would just be putting them in danger.
"I didn't know you had a dog. I thought you were a cat person?" Fred said, exchanging looks with George.
"I am. But my godfather has a dog, and that's who I live with, so it's sort of my dog too, if that makes any sense," I lied. I was really getting nervous now.
"You have a godfather?" George said.
"Doesn't everyone?"
"You said you went to a summer camp in the summer though," Fred said, suspicion lacing his voice.
"I do. My godfather works and lives there," I thought of Chiron at this point. Even though he wasn't technically my godfather, he was as good as. And he did live and work at CHB, so it wasn't a complete lie.
Just then, we pulled into King's Cross, and I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding. I hurriedly put my book away, and pulled my jacket back on. I grabbed my trunk and the twins and I got off the train and met with the Weasley family.
We traveled in Mr. Weasley's Ford Anglia, which had expanded to fit all of us. I sat in between Ginny and Fred, and I mostly talked to Ginny to avoid any more questions from the twins.
A little while later, we arrived in front of a tall house that looked like it could fall over any minute. We walked inside and I immediately felt at home. The house was decorated with warm maroons and oranges, and it was neat and clean, but it actually looked like someone lived here.
"Sorry it's not much," Fred walked up next to me with a small apologetic smile.
"Are you kidding? I love it! It feels like home," I smiled and Fred's face broke into a grin.
Ginny led me up to her room, where I'd be sleeping while I was at the Burrow.
We chatted a bit, and we ended up becoming pretty close.
Christmas break passed by too quickly. Soon, we were on the train back to Hogwarts.
The twins had tried to ask me more questions a few days into break, but I would do my best to avoid them. They hadn't asked for a while, so I'm guessing they took the hint that I didn't want to talk about it.
Then life continued on as normal. Or as normal as it gets for the life of a demigod.
• • • • •
The day's turned into weeks, and the weeks turned into months. Before I knew it, my second year at Hogwarts was over.
I rode Bermuda back to Camp Half Blood, since no one could come pick me up from Kings Cross, considering they lived in New York.
When I arrived, the camp was in pure chaos.
Two Colchis bulls were running rampant around Half Blood Hill, Clarisse and a few other of Ares' kids trying to hold the bulls off. But what worried me most, was that the monsters were past Thalia's tree. Past the border that was supposed to keep monsters out.
I quickly dismounted Bermuda, and she flew off without saying goodbye to get somewhere safe. I touched the charm on my necklace and my sword grew and fell into my hand. I stashed my backpack behind a tree before running off to help Clarisse.
I ran to her side and she nodded towards one of the bulls, an unspoken understanding that I was to distract it, while she tried to kill it. We weren't exactly friends, but I was one of the few campers she got along with.
I ran off to one side of the bull, while Clarisse ran to the other side.
"Hey! Over here!" I called to the bull, spraying water in its face, definitely getting its attention. It roared, pawing at the ground. In the corner of my eye I saw Clarisse walking up behind the bull, holding her spear high above her head. She brought the spear down into the Colchis bull's shoulder, but instead of harming the monster, the spear broke in two with a loud crack. Clarisse was now fighting with a broken spear, but that didn't do anything to dampen her spirits. In fact she seemed even more determined to get rid of this fire breathing pile of metal.
I sprayed the bull with water in the face once more, turning its attention away from Clarisse and to me. It charged, and I dodged out of the way, swinging my sword at the bull's leg, only creating a small gash. I backed away a few steps, but still feeling the heat coming from its metal skin.
I took a moment to take in my surroundings. A few people were running around with their helmets on fire, and a few others were trying to fight the other bull, but to no avail.
I turned my attention back to the bull, who had finally regained its balance since it couldn't change direction when it charged. Steam blew out of its nostrils, and its silver horns gleamed in the sunlight.
The bull opened its mouth, and I could see what was going to happen before it did.
I created a wall of water between the bull and I as quick as I could, as white- hot fire burst out of the bull's metal mouth. The water put the fire out, and I willed the water to turn into a jet of water, straight into the Colchis bull's open mouth.
It cough and spluttered, but only smoke came out of its mouth now. This evened the playing fields a little bit.
I slashed again with my sword, cutting the tip of one of the horns off cleanly. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Percy, Annabeth, and another tall kid who I could've sworn had one eye, climb out of a beaten up taxi.
From my left I heard Clarisse yell, "Border patrol, to me!"
While the bull I was fighting with was distracted, I ran over to aid Clarisse.
On the way, I picked up a shield laying on the ground from one of the campers who's helmet was on fire, and lined up shoulder to shoulder with the others, locking out shields together, creating an ox-hide--and-bronze wall.
What happened next, was a total blur. Annabeth had distracted the bull I was fighting with by turning invisible, but it soon lost interest. Then, I heard Percy yell something to Clarisse, which ended up distracting her, causing her to fly backwards from the bull that broke our wall.
Percy then dragged Clarisse out of the way-much to her dismay- and I ran over to help Percy. Both of the bulls the cornering him and Clarisse.
Percy attempted to slash at one of the Bulls, but it breathed fire at him, and Percy rolled and got his foot caught in a tree root. He managed to slice off the bull's snout by the time I got there, but his ankle was messed up so he couldn't exactly do much.
The bull charged at us, and I held my sword out, ready. I heard Annabeth shout something, and thunder shook the hillside.
Then, the tall dude ran in between me and the bull just as it unleashed a jet of white hot flames.
I backed up a few steps, staring wide eyed at the guy who was surely going to be burnt to a crisp, like when you have bacon in the oven for too long.
But, when the flames cleared, he was standing there, unharmed, even his clothes untouched.
He then punched the bull in the face twice, and it rolled over onto its back, its legs moving feebly in the air.
I looked around at the other campers, most running around on fire, Clarisse had just finished killing the other bull, and a few were laying on the ground wounded.
Clarisse stomped over, yelled at Percy for saving her life, then went to attend to the wounded warriors.
Annabeth explained that the tall guy was named Tyson, and that Percy had met him at school. Oh and also that he's a Cyclopes.
Clarisse came back over, and her and Percy fought a bit more. During their conversation, Clarisse explained to Percy while Annabeth and I listened, that the reason the magical borders were failing, was because Thalia's tree was dying.
It's needles were yellow and falling off. Tears pricked at my eyes; it felt like she was dying all over again.
If only I knew what the summer had in store for us.
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Hey guys! Ok so I messed up a little on the timeline and stuff like the Lightning Thief was supposed to happen and then she goes to her first year at Hogwarts. So sorry about that. But I'm just going to continue it like this, then I'll get back on track once HoO starts. Anyways, hope you like this chapter!
xoxo
Michaela