Percy's pov:

"So you guys are demigods? Greek gods are real?"

The group of six collectively nodded. They had told Ron after persuasion from Hermione that he was loyal and could be trusted.

"And you," Ron said, looking over at Draco, "are an undercover half-god, and that's why you've been such a prick?"

"Well, I've been a prick because Harry's a prick, but otherwise, spot on Weasley," Draco replied, slightly uncomfortable sharing his long-guarded secret with the best friend of the boy who'd grown to be his enemy.

We spent the next two minutes in silence, then Nico started fidgeting with a little statue. The movement was contagious and very soon, Thalia was tapping out a beat on the wall of the compartment, Draco was tapping his foot to an entirely different beat, Annabeth had pulled out her laptop, and I fell asleep on her shoulder.

I woke up when the train screeched to a halt. I blinked the sleep out of my eyes and looked around. Everyone looked as confused as I felt.

"What's going on?" I asked.

"The train's stopped," Draco replied.

"Thanks, Captain Obvious, we couldn't have seen that ourselv-" I was cut off by Nico's yelp as the window he'd been resting his head on started frosting over.

A look of horror flashed across the three wizards' faces. I looked to them for explanation and saw the others do the same.

"What's going on, guys?" Nico asked.

"Dementors," Ron said, shivering at the word.
"They're magical creatures, they feed off of your happiness. They can make you relive your worst memories," Hermione explained. "They're probably being used to find the missing Death Eaters."

Perseus Jackson

I whipped my head around.

"Who said that?"

The cabin lights flickered and a feeling of hopelessness washed over me. I saw a shadow outside the cabin window. A skeletal hand creeped through the crack in the door.

I reached out to hold Annabeth's hand but I couldn't find it. My heartbeat filled my ears as I turned to find her and all of a sudden I was back in Tartarus, slashing at the Arai once again, the feeling of despair only growing.

I tasted iron on my tongue, coughed it out and didn't look down to see the blood splatter on the ground. I swung my sword again and froze.

"Percy? Percy where are you?"

Annabeth was walking along the edge of the cliff, lost and afraid.

"Annabeth!" I screamed, running towards her, slicing at an Arai who got close. I could feel new cuts open on my body but I had to get to Annabeth, I had to-

"Percy?"

It wasn't Annabeth's voice this time, it was soft and accented.

"Percy, wake up, it isn't real."

My eyes opened slowly and Ron and Hermione's faces come into focus. Hermione looked furious.

"I'm going to go talk to the conductor, Headmistress McGonagall would never allow dementors onto a train full of students."

I watched her storm out of the cabin.

"You alright, mate?" The red haired boy - Ron - asked.

I nodded, not feeling quite ready to speak. I looked at the other demigods. Annabeth and Nico looked as shaken as I'd felt. Thalia had tears in her eyes. I wondered what they'd seen.

Ron reached out a hand to me and I took it, letting him pull me up from where I had been curled up on the floor.

We sat down, and soon Hermione walked back in. The train started moving again and we all sat in silence. I held Annabeth's hand. It was still trembling. I had an idea of what she'd seen, and by the way she was clutching my hand, it was clear she had seen what I had. Tartarus.

I brought our intertwined fingers together and kissed the back of her hand. "I won't let you go. I promise." She smiled gratefully and we continued the journey in silence.

I have nothing to say for myself, please accept my sincerest apologies, or don't, that's cool too, I um...it's been like half a year hasn't it. Whoops

-Ayden