Percy POV

We waited for Nico to come back until sunset.

Draco, Hermione and Annabeth had used a series of complex spells to turn the stick drawing of Will into a small carving, slicing it right out of the earth. Frank, Jason and I had busied ourselves getting the pyre ready. We carefully placed Will on top of it, his shroud being worked on by everyone not helping us and supervised by Annabeth and Hermione.

"It's ready." Ginny said, bringing us the golden material, bows and arrows snaking around the edge, entertwined with medical tape and bandages.

"Wow, it's really good."

Jason and I wrapped the son of Apollo's body in it.

"Should we wait for Nico?" Piper asked.

"No, it would just upset him. Does Will have his drachmas?" Hazel asked.

Frank dug in his pockets and pulled out a rather large bag of coins. "He does now."

The son of Mars tucked the bag into the dead body's hand.

We all stood back and I looked to Leo. "Light it."

Soon, a golden flame stretched to the sky, blazing as we each took turns speaking about Will. Annabeth gave a beautiful eulugy that she and the girls had written together. Draco just waved a hand when we looked to him, as did Neville and the other wizards. The Hunters simply watched quietly.

"I didn't know him much, but he seemed nice. I will miss the brother I never got to spend time with." Emmy didn't bother wiping away the tears on her face.

"Will, you were more helpful than you knew. You will be missed by all." Jason said.

"You always patched me up when stuff went wrong, you were the nicest guy at camp. Thank you for showing me the ropes when I first showed up." Leo murmured.

Frank was too choked up to say anything, so I decided to finish it up. "Will Solace, you will be dearly missed. If you aren't in Elysium right now I will personally come kick some sense into Hades. Rest in Peace, hero of Olympus."

We stood in silence as the flames continued to roar, a vigil for one who deserved it.

"I love you, Will." A quiet voice said from behind us.

Nico walked up to the fire, ignoring the eyes on him. "I love you so much and I'm sorry I couldn't tell you that before this. I was scared, I didn't think you'd return the favor. Ti voglio bene, il sole. E mi ricorderò di te." He tossed something into the flames that made them flare a dark red before returning to their regular color, then stepped back and stood with us in silence.

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"What now?" Ginny asked quietly when the flames finally burned low.

"We go to bed and worry about everything else tomorrow." Annabeth answered firmly, her arm wrapped around my waist and mine around her shoulders.

"I don't want to face all those people." Hazel said quietly.

We looked to the castle, where lights were still on and curious noses were pressed against thick glass.

"We don't have to." I announced. "We're going to walk right past them and go to the Room of Requirement."

"And how do you propose we do that?" Thalia asked.

"Follow my lead."

I marched up to the castle, the group of about forty demigods behind me.

The doors opened as we neared them and students flooded out.

"What were those things?"

"What happened to Will?"

"Who are you new people?"

"Why are they with you?" This was asked with pointing fingers at the demiwizards.

I pushed through the crowd, the look on my face probably helping as I set my expression in an irritated, unwilling to speak appearance.

Suddenly McGonagall was in front of me. "We're spending the night in the room of Requirement." I told her, not accepting no for an answer.

She nodded and stepped aside.

We passed the last of the people in the entrance hall and began the trek up to the Room of Requirement.

I turned to look at our group.

The Hunters were looking at the magnificent architecture. They kept their voices respectfully quiet. Neville had Luna under one arm and a blank-eyed Ginny under the other. Hermione walked along beside them.

Each of the couples among us demigods had their arms around each other. Nico and Reyna walked together, talking quietly. The Romans Reyna had brought with her and the teens from Camp Halfblood followed quietly, Malcolm also eyeing the architecture.

Draco's face had taken on the blank look he got whenever he was trying to process something or he was in denial. Emmy shook under his protective arm and I smiled slightly. Even though they probably didn't know it, both were blushing a little.

Clarisse walked behind them, scowling at everything and wiping away tears when she thought no one was looking.

We reached the right hall and Hermione moved forward, taking the job of actually opening the room.

After the door had appeared, we filed in.

The room was filled with sleeping bags and hammocks. There was a section that had been corded off and had silver bags and things, which the Hunters headed directly for.

The rest of us each picked our own places.

"If you guys hear anyone having a nightmare, wake them. Don't ask any questions, don't bug them, just wake them up, give them a hug and then leave them alone."

I received nods all around and responded with one of my own. "Goodnight everyone."

"Goodnight, Percy."

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I was shaken awake at around 2 AM. Luna was kneeling next to me.

"Was I freaking out?" I whispered. 

"No, there's someone at the door and I wanted someone else awake when I went to answer it."

"Why not wake Neville?"

She looked over to him. "I didn't have the heart. You, on the other hand, looked rather uncomfortable. I assume you would soon have had a bad dream."

I nodded. "I'll sit here and listen."

Luna nodded and moved stealthily between the sleeping teens to answer the door. "Yes?"

"We want to talk to Hermione and Ginny." Harry said confidently.

"They're sleeping. And I doubt they'd want to talk to you anyway."

She started to close the door, but a hand stopped her. I couldn't see whose it was, since I was against the wall that the door was in.

"Why are you hanging out with them, Luna? You saw today, they're dangerous!" Harry hissed.

"We're all dangerous, Harry." Luna said with an air of irritation.

"Luna, what's happened to you?" Ron asked quietly.

"Nothing." She closed the door. This time no one tried to stop her.

"That was interesting." I commented quietly.

"He's so nosy sometimes." Luna returned to her sleeping bag. "Sleep well, Percy."

"You too, night, Luna."

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Harry POV

I stared at the closed door, miffed. Luna never acted like this, even when she was actually irritated with people.

"They did something to her, I'm sure of it." I said to Ron. 

"And we're going to find out what."

[A/N RIP Will. What do you think Nico threw into the fire? And what part of Erebus do you think he would go to? Erebus is the original name for the Underworld, as far as I know. It's also the name of a primordial, but that's not what I'm referring to]