Heroes at Hogwarts

sixty-three | Cabin 3 and beach naps

annabeth

Harry loved Cabin 3, which was probably the only thing he was enjoying right now. 

Annabeth and Percy left him alone in his new home, looking at Tyson's designs, and went to sit by the canoe lake. They hadn't been home in so long, but Camp Half-Blood was still the same place it always had been. Clarisse had even already pelted them with whipped cream. 

No place like home. 

Surely, Harry was thinking the same thing. 

Percy sighed and took her hand in his. "I hate doing this to him." 

"He needs to be here," she promised, "we talked about this." 

"I know." 

Annabeth leaned against his shoulder. "I hate it too, Percy, but he has to figure out how to be a demigod. He chose to come." 

"Did he? I mean, the whole time we pressured him into becoming like us instead of letting him be a wizard. We could have taught him how to be a demigod with a wand..." Percy trailed off, like he knew how ridiculous he sounded. 

Annabeth saw where he was coming from, but Harry had been given the choice. Percy was surprised with his choice, but Annabeth wasn't. He was so much like Percy, unable to step away. She knew he'd come with them, as long as he could protect the wizarding world. 

Percy kissed her forehead. "I love you." 

Annabeth giggled. "I know, Percy. I love you too." 

"You really think we'll be able to let him see them again?" 

"In a year, maybe. I think he'll learn quick." 

Percy pulled the shore of the lake up to wake around their toes. Annabeth kicked off her sandals. He looked miserable, and Annabeth knew there was something else he wanted to talk about that didn't have to do with his brother. 

"What is it?" 

Percy cracked a smile. "You always know." 

"I know you." She moved and set a hand on his chest. His other hand rested on the small of her back. 

"I...can we go talk to Chiron?" 

They hadn't gone to see their mentor just yet, which Annabeth felt a little guilty about. At the same time, she wanted Percy to be able to tell her whatever it was without an audience. She also just wanted to be alone with him a little longer. 

She sighed and stood anyway. "Let's get over there before dinner, then." 

***

Annabeth stared at the spot where Percy had just been. Across the table, Chiron's tail flicked nervously. 

Annabeth jumped up. "Percy!" She shouted as the door to the big house slammed shut. The two he'd left in the rec room could hear the door bounce back off the frame and then slam again. "Percy!" 

"Annabeth, let him go." Chiron put a hand out to stop her from chasing him. 

Because I'm a son of Tartarus. 

I'm a son of Tartarus. 

Son of Tartarus. 

"He's..." her voice broke. Percy couldn't have been a son of Tartarus, not in the way he was the son of Poseidon. 

In her mind, everything clicked. His mood swings after the abduction. He'd wanted to leave her to protect her, too. He'd thought he would hurt her. Harry and Luke were hiding something- they must have known.