"So I'll get my cape in like three days?" I asked excitedly as Albus and I were walking down the alleyway. I could picture myself hidden in the dark corners of the alleyway, 'Like batman with powers.'
Dumbledore glanced at me for a second, before turning his head back to look ahead of him as we walked. "It is a robe Perseus, not a... cape," He said with an amused tone.
I nodded as I ignored his less imaginative personality, "Yeah, yeah, mister wizard. Now, what are we doing now?" I asked as my eyes scattered around to observe my surroundings.
I could practically hear Albus' thinking. In fact, I did hear what he was thinking. Or more specifically, what his stomach wanted. The growl of the old wizard's stomach was like the roar of a merciless lion.
"Di Immortales, Dumbledore," I exclaimed as I turned my head in the direction of Albus. Albus gave me an embarrassing look as he patted his stomach, "It seems I am quite the peckish wizard this morning, given that I had my responsibilities at the academy."
I grinned, "Well, I know we just had breakfast-"
"You just had breakfast, Perseus, it is almost time for supper, and I must be getting back to Hogwarts with haste."
There's that word again. Hogwarts. I'm beginning to expect that it isn't just a joke that the average wizard makes.
"Well, despite that, can't be doing work on an empty stomach, now can you, old man," I challenged as I looked around for a place that looked good to eat.
I tuned out Dumbledore's rejections to my idea as I focused on trying to find a good place to eat. I noticed a shop that resembled a casual restaurant, basing off of its name.
I pulled the refusing wizard along with me as I made my way toward the store. A few other wizards looked at the two of us strangely, along with a couple of remarks of; "Dumbledore?", "Who is that with him?", "Is he okay?"
As I stopped in front of the shop, I let go of Albus' robe. I turned my head to look at the weary wizard. I grinned, "C'mon oldie, let's go in." My eyes glanced up at the store sign.
'Olivander's'
"Perseus..." Dumbledore took a deep breath that stopped me, "this isn't a restaurant," he took another deep breath as he calmed himself down, "it's a wand shop."
Oh. Not a restaurant? It's a wand shop? What? I turned my head to look at the shop in a new light. A shadow passed over my face as I gained an almost sinister smirk. My head went over my shoulder as I spoke to Albus.
"Well, when am I going to be getting a wand, sir wizard?" Albus shook his head at my antics, no doubt wondering why I had to enter his life. I chuckled at the thought.
"In due time Perseus, however, I must teach you the art of magic before you acquire the responsibility of a wand."
I watched as Dumbledore began to walk away from the wand shop. I looked at the store one more time before catching up with the old coot.
I had to prove myself before getting a wand, it was almost as if Dumbledore underestimated my abilities, given that he is not provided with current information on what I am.
No doubt that the two of us would be having that conversation anytime soon. "Hey Albus, so I know that this Hogwarts school of yours is some magic academy, right?"
I looked over to see Dumbledore nod in answer. I nodded as well as I continued, "So are there any other magic academies around the world?"
I looked around as I waited for his answer, watching what seemed like regular humans using magic just fascinated me. But, I guess that's what a demigod is like too, anyways.
"There are indeed, however, the two most notable aside from Hogwarts is; Durmstrang Institute and Beauxbatons Academy of Magic, I suppose you could call them rival academies."
I soaked in the new information, if there are multiple magical schools across Europe, are there any in America? "Is there any reason as to why you asked, Perseus?"
I shook my head and stopped as we reached the Leaky Cauldron, "No, not really. Just trying to learn as much as possible so I can get that wand, you know?" I phrased.
Albus chuckled, "Trying is never a nuisance my young pupil." The bell rang as I walked ahead of the old wizard. I smiled as I noticed the feast that sat on the long dining table.
"Where I come from, that saying is phrased more like; you miss all the shots that you don't take," I said amused as I took a chicken leg to the mouth.
Dumbledore sat across from me, before looking side to side. I noticed and was quickly on alert, however... I still ate my food. It came as a surprise to find that no one else was eating the large feast, actually, no one was even there.
Only us two.
Albus turned to me, "I must return to Hogwarts soon, however, since we have no company I feel that we should converse on personal topics."
I knew what he meant but I couldn't help but take a jab at him, "I'm flattered Albus, but you're a little too old for my taste and I swing to left field, not right."
As I was about to take another bite into my drumstick it suddenly flew out of my hand, "Expelliarmus!" A voice called out in front of me. I turned my head in shock toward the amused wizard.
I flinched slightly at the wet sound of my chicken hitting the floor. I pointed at Dumbledore, "Don't mess with a man and his chicken! Or I'll expelli-whatever your mom," I threatened.
I grabbed another piece of chicken, holding it tighter so it wouldn't run away from me. "Anyways, you wanted to talk about what I am, where I came from, etcetera?"
Albus nodded to ease my suspicions, "Yes, I simply found this to be a splendid opportunity given that we have no company." I bit into my chicken, "Alright, hit me. What's your first question?"
"What exactly are you, I can tell that you are not some commoner, nor are you immensely powerless. Essentially, I know that you are powerful... in more ways than just one."
I nodded as I congratulated his sharp eyes, especially for someone so old. I took a sip of some blue coke, "That's easy, I'm a demigod," I said simply, as I smashed a piece of bread into my throat.
Dumbledore raised his eyebrows in surprise, "I am assuming you mean that one of your biological parents is a God, therefore you have godly blood flowing through your veins."
I smiled, he was well informed. I reached into my pocket as I grabbed the cold surface of my ballpoint pen. "Yeah, specifically... Greek God; and on a day to day basis I kill monsters that regular people can't see."
I pulled out Anaklusmos to prove my point, I slid it across the table so it sat in front of Albus' plate. He finished sipping what I assumed was soup before picking up the hidden blade.
I watched amused as he tried to dissect the pen, almost trying to figure out how I could kill a Greek monster with a writing utensil. I noticed the quick flash of defeat blink in his eyes.
He slid the pen back to me, "I cannot seem to figure out how it works." The wrinkles of his skin sharpened, like the waves of the ocean becoming choppier. More wild.
I laughed. "Well, I should have assumed that you English folk don't know how to use a pen. You use a feather or whatever, right?" I smiled crazily at my own joke.
Dumbledore paid no attention to my humor, his eyes still trained on the hidden weapon. I sighed, "Alright," with speed almost too quick for the naked eye, I unsheathed Anaklusmos' hidden form.
I slashed the blade to my right to avoid decapitating my new friend. I could feel the power inside the sword begin to hum as it recognized me.
Zoë's immortal power, huh. Flashbacks atop flashbacks crashed into me like a freight train. I unconsciously lowered my weapon as my mind was elsewhere.
"That's the blade you pulled on me the moment our paths intertwined, correct? A flower blade," Dumbledore's voice knocked me out of my mental prison.
It took me a couple of seconds to get my thoughts aligned, "Yes... yeah, yeah. Sorry about that by the way, I was a little - on edge." I rubbed the side of Anaklusmos' hilt, a habit I adapted over my years with it in my possession.
"No need for apologies; you mentioned that one of your parents is a God - unfortunately, I am not fully educated on Greek mythology so please dive deeper into the topic."
I nodded as I began to think of the easiest explanation to educate him, "Well, my Godly parent is the God of the Sea; Poseidon, and I supposed he is technically one of three kings of the world."
Dumbledore pointed at me, "I am assuming you are implying that Poseidon is the King of the Oceans, Zeus; the skies, and Hades; the Underworld," he finished.
I smiled, "Yeah, however, I'm not a full-blooded God because my mom is actually a mortal... or muggle; as you call them." Dumbledore took another sip of his dish.
"I understand now, and I estimate that I'll understand just how powerful you are as our adventure progresses," Albus said. I nodded to show my agreement and took another sip of my coke.
I set down the beverage onto the wooden table, "I expect you want to know where I came from now, right?" Dumbledore looked up at me over his lunar glasses, kind of like how a librarian would look at you if you were annoying them.
I took his look as him approving my statement. I bit my lip as I dared to edge my mind back to that place. It haunts me to find that whenever I look back on where I came from, the Pit is always the first thing most noticeable.
I noticed I was keeping Albus waiting. I cleared my throat, "I came here from two decades in the future, without the knowledge that I would be sent back in time. I was in a dark place, a place I just escaped from this past week."
My breathing slowed as I began to get lost in my story...
"My friends and I, all demigods had to finish a task we were handed to by fate. An inescapable concept really, however, such is the life of a demigod.
We were all traveling to Rome, not too far from here in England, I guess. Just a group of teenagers, flying across the skies. Doing the impossible.
Our bliss ended soon though, specifically for one of my friends. She was brave, you know? Hard-headed and stubborn. So, so, so smart, but dumb in a way that just makes her likable.
She had to get this thing called the Athena Parthenon, it was supposed to help us save the world, yet, for some reason, only she could get it for us. Only her.
I was busy while she was facing her worst fears, I couldn't help her until it was too late. She was carrying a burden that I could've helped her carry. Yet, at the same time... I couldn't.
You see Albus, it was at that moment that I really couldn't let her go. She was everything that I needed, and knowing that she had been dying, growing weak, cause I wasn't with her... that kills a person. It killed me, hurt me.
It was at that moment that I knew, like, knew for certain that I would do anything for her. Anything. For this girl. For my Wise Girl.
So I did.
She was hanging by this edge, being pulled down by a monster that should die a thousand times. It was like all the weight she had been carrying, all the burdens, were pulling her down into this Hell.
Into the Pit.
I couldn't let her go, Albus, I just couldn't. Watching the strong, independent, hard-headed girl I know look so helpless... it hurt.
I don't know what came over me at that moment. But, I know that I tried to save her. I got too close to the Pit, tried to pull both of us out of it. There's no humor in my body that can cover up my guilt.
Maybe, if I tried a little harder.
We both fell into the Pit. Into Hell. Not the Underworld, but a place further from the Heavens. A prison for tormentors and killers. Savages, and murderers. A prison for monsters.
To cut it short, we knew of one way out, only one way out. But, when we got there, someone had to hold the exit open. There were vile creatures who tried to stop us, but I made sure that she got through.
We had no help. Just the two of us, escaping the ultimate punishment for enemies of the Throne of Olympus. Because of Olympus' war, I was left in the Pit. Damaged, scarred, and ruined.
I changed during my time down there.
I was left in the pit. Abandoned. Lost. Forgotten... All for the war. All for her. All for Olympus.
I felt anger of course, and fear like no other. Being alone in the pit was simply... indescribable.
Time passed differently down there. Sometimes slow. Sometimes fast. But in my case... backward.
My escape? I left with a thousand scars, but not through the doors of death. I found a chamber of serpents. A chamber of secrets.
I remember dragging my bloodied body across the polished stone, before finding my strength again. Listen closely Dumbledore, I was down there for an unknown amount of time.
But, I can guarantee you, that it felt like an eternity."
You all begged for the next chapter, so here you go! I would love your thoughts!
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Happy New Years!
- ANAK