Chapter Twenty-Four: Calypso's Infamous McDonald's Expedition
Piper's P.O.V.

As soon as I got my stuff onto the train, I was sure to snag the very last compartment in the back. There, I waited for Nico and Leo. They had woken up late and were among the last to get on the carriages for Hogsmeade.

I unsheathed Katoptris and looked into it. I hadn't done this in a while, but something told me that it was time.

The Great Hall appeared first in the blade. But instead of the five tables that usually sat there, there were many individual desks lined up in rows. I saw myself, looking to my right at Harry who sat two rows across from me. I saw myself shift my head and then at he same moment he collapsed to the ground screaming.

As if that scene wasn't confusing enough, it showed me Harry again. He and Hermione pulled a large piece of fabric over them, like a cloak. Instantly, they disappeared. As if they were pulling a green screen over them. But that wasn't what intrigued me the most. It was actually Annabeth, who was halfway down the corridor behind them with her Yankee's Cap in hand.

Next, I saw the pegasi. Blackjack and his friends, lined up on the edge of the forbidden forest. And I was climbing onto Porkpie, which was not only odd but I had a golden chain hanging on my neck....

Annabeth, Nico, and I were in a room. With planets hanging from the ceiling.... I continued to stare at the reflection of the planets, until Ron, Ginny, and Luna came in.

Then there was my own face looking back at me. My own reflection in the knife.... I continued to ponder on everything I had just seen until Leo and Nico came running into the compartment.

"Nobody... woke... us up," Leo panted sitting down across from me.

"It's not my fault I sleep like the dead," Nico shrugged, sliding the compartment door shut. They both broke into laughter.

"Good one man!" said Leo.

I looked at them and cracked a smile, "You guys are terrible."

"You bet we are," said Leo.

We talked and laughed until the train took off for London, gradually shaking and flying past the horizon. That's when I got to business.

"I looked in Katoptris for the first time in months," I said, unsheathing the dagger once more.

"Katoptris?" questioned Nico.

"My dagger, it used to belong to Helen. It can show the future."

He and Leo shared a look real quick, "And?"

"I'm not sure whether if it was near future or not. I mean, it was a little hard to tell but I can tell it was sometime in the next two months at least. Before school ends...."

"What did it show exactly though?"

I told them of Harry in the Great Hall falling to the floor, Annabeth with her Yankees cap, the Pegasi, and the room full of planets. Leo looked a little impressed; while Nico chose not to say anything at all, keeping his face neutral.

"Do you have any ideas on what any of it means?" I finally asked them.

"No clue," Nico shrugged.

"Me neither, you should ask Annabeth," said Leo.

"Who isn't here and is unavailable to talk to until we get back next week."

"Oh," Leo said. "Right."

I leaned back against my seat in the compartment, watching the landscape roll by once again as I did the other two times I had traveled on the Hogwarts Express. If I remembered correctly, we now only had a little under an hour before we made it to King's Cross.

Once we got there, we were going to shadow travel. None of us had much luggage and it was far better than the portkey we tried last time, so it wasn't that hard to think out. I was excited that I was going to see Jason again. I could tell that Leo and Nico were happy to go back to Camp too. Not just by the looks on their faces (for Nico, it was actually quite scary) but by the atmosphere.

More time passed by and soon enough I could tell that the train was starting to slow. I felt so close to Camp already... even though it was all the way across the Atlantic Ocean. At least I wasn't trapped in Scotland anymore.

"Are you two ready?" Nico asked, after we watched the last few wizards exit the platform.

"Yep," I said, looking over at Leo.

"Let's do this." The son of Hephaestus nodded.

I watched everything go dark before my eyes, and I could only feel my small bag of luggage press hardly press against me. But when I opened my eyes, there was sunlight. I was finally back home again.

* * *

The week passed by quickly. My cabin welcoming me back again and introducing myself to the new Aphrodite campers.... Spending as much time as Chiron allowed with Jason.... That pretty much defined my week.

On the other hand, Leo seemed to be going crazy. Well, he was already crazy seeing as he's Leo. But he's been leaving the Camp with Calypso almost daily. Everytime they came back I had to listen to them talk about what they had done.

"She didn't even know what a McDonalds was!" Leo said amazed, "Man, there's so much stuff to do and not enough time."

I would've suggested for him to skip another week of school, but Hogwarts being in the state it is in now... that would draw too much suspicion. I was talking to Jason again when this came up.

"I'm actually kind of worried for him," Jason said. It was one of our last days together, and we had gotten permission from Chiron to skip all of our training after lunch. He's literally the best centaur ever.

"I am too," I told Jason. "As soon as he comes back with the love of his life to volunteer to go on a quest."

"He didn't have to volunteer, though."

"Neither did I," I said, putting my hand in his. "And some says I wish I never did. But it was like something came over me, telling me to volunteer. Like I was needed for the quest."

We were both silent for a few seconds before Jason suggested that we go to the Climbing Wall.

"Are you suggesting a race, Grace?" I said, jumping up from where we were both sitting on the edge of the Strawberry Field.

"I think I am, McLean." We both laugh.

"Race you there," I say, "and no flying."

"No charmspeak."

"Deal."

Me: I do not own any of the characters. All characters either belong to Rick Riordan or J.K. Rowling.
Voldemort: Only I, can live forever.
Zeus: *snorts* Oh, really?
Hades: Tom Marvolo Riddle?!! You were expected in the Underworld fourteen years ago!
Harry: O.O What in Merlin is going on?
Nico: Let's just say, you really do not want to know.
Harry: I'm pretty sure I do.
Zeus: GET LOST POTTER!
Harry: Who are you?
Me: Harry, get out of here now or I swear, you won't live for the Halfblood Prince.
Harry: *looks at me weirdly* Alright?? *walks off*
Nico: Wait! Where did Riddle go?
Voldemort: You'll never find me! *disapparates*
Hades: *sighs* *appears in front of him* You can't run from the Lord of Death.
Voldemort: Well death hasn't met me yet. And it never will.
Me: He obviously hasn't read the Deathly Hallows.

Disclaimer adapted from an entry of @Alana5and5Alyssa.

10/4/15