Demigods At Hogwarts (pjo/hoo/hp crossover)

Chapter 48 || Parents, Parents, Parents

ANNABETH JACKSON

I walked into the little baby nursery at 6 AM, where Zoë was yelling. I sighed, picking her up in a small bundle.

"Sh, sh, sh, sh, shhh..." I rocked her back and forth and she slowly stopped.

I held her against my chest and refilled the diaper machine as she suckled.

"Alright," I pried her off, "I'm gonna interrupt your little breakfast break."

I put a pacifier in her mouth for her to suck on and pressed the button on the diaper machine. I pressed the "slow" button, as I was afraid the machine might do something bad to her if it went too fast. It slowly changed her diaper and I spritzed some air freshener in the air. The bad diaper fell into the trash can and the machine wiped her butt with toilet paper before powdering it so it was like a snow ball. Zoë got wrapped and pushed out onto the soft tray, where I picked her up.

"Who's a good girl?" I cooed and took the pacifier out of her mouth, letting her suckle milk again.

I walked into the little door that connected the nursery to the suite and found Percy brushing his teeth, his hair dripping slightly.

"Hey," he mumbled with a mouth full of toothpaste.

"Hey," I said, rocking back and forth, "Being a mom is fun."

"Being a dad is fun," he turned, white foam bubbling along his lips, "She laughs at me. And I'm not sure whether it's because she sees how stupid I am or that I'm actually funny."

"Can't it be both?" I laughed and Zoë gave out a little wail as she was bumped away from my chest, "Oopsie, baby."

I put her closer and she began to suckle again.

"I'll take it while you take a shower, if you'd like," Percy said.

"After she's done eating, yes."

I waited another minute before handing Percy the bundle.

"Just make sure she doesn't die. Let her suck on the pacifier and hand her her toy."

"Okay," Percy put the little pacifier in her mouth and began to dress, carefully watching Zoë.

I took my shower, headed out to dry my hair and brush my teeth, putting on makeup to cover up my dark circles from last night--well, the delivery process--and changing into some comfortable sweatpants and a sweatshirt.

"We're the sweatpants club," Percy laughed, "We're always wearing it."

I scooped Zoë up in my arms.

"We've gotta go to class," I whispered, kissing her soft forehead, "Are you ready to meet all the other students in the Great Hall for the first time?"

Zoë didn't respond, she just sucked on her little pacifier.

"Get the stroller, will you?" I called over to Percy.

"Got it," he wheeled over her stroller.

I placed her inside, putting a blanket over her and hanging the mobile over it, as well as putting her little baby stuffed animal inside. We walked out of the suite and into the Great Hall, where it was loud and bustling.

"WAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Zoë yelled when her ears picked up the sound.

Everyone stopped and stared at us. I sighed, taking her out of the stroller and rocking her a little bit, moving her mobile slightly and putting her pacifier back in her mouth. She calmed down and I put some noise-cancelling ultra soft earmuffs over her ears. I gave everyone a thumbs up and everyone began to talk again. I wheeled Zoë over and rolled down her hamper shield so she could rest a little while we ate.

"Zoë's been getting a lot of attention," Thalia laughed as we ate.

"Yep," I dug into the English Breakfast, "Mmm! This is good! Even the beans!"

We were just finishing when someone burst through the doors. Percy and I turned to see Sally walking briskly towards us, arms crossed.

"Oh shit..." Percy started but I slapped him, "Sh! We have a baby!"

"You," she pulled Percy's collar until he was up, "You waited for so long! A couple months without a letter! Not a letter that you spent three months indulging delights in Paris or that you have a child! DO YOU NOT KNOW HOW BIG OF A DEAL THAT IS FOR ME AS A MOTHER TO NOT KNOW THAT NOW I HAVE A GRANDDAUGHER AND THAT ESTELLE NOW HAS A NIECE?!"

"Mom, why didn't you just send a howler--ow! Don't pull that tight!"

"You piss me off, Percy," Sally sighed, letting go, "But I'm so proud of you."

She hugged both of us.

"Thanks, Sally."

"Call me Mom, now, dear," Sally smiled, "You're part of the family."

Suddenly, Poseidon was walking through the halls.

"I heard Athena saw the baby and now she's flaunting about it to everyone so now I need to meet it before she starts yapping about more stuff."

He then realized everyone was staring at him.

"Uh..."

"P-P-P-Poseidon?!" a student chirped.

"You have to call him Lord Poseidon!" her friend slapped her arm, "Now he's going to flay you!"

Poseidon laughed.

"No, I'm not going to harm you. Now if you said that to my brother, Zeus, he'd blast you to pieces. Can I see her?"

"Yes, can I see her?" Sally asked and they stared at each other.

"Oh... uh..." Poseidon blushed, "Sally."

"Poseidon..." Sally blushed.

"I'm feeling uncomfortable," Paul raised his hand playfully.

"Parents, can you try not to be so embarrassing?" Percy joked.

Poseidon chuckled and slowly lifted off the blinds.

"Aw..." he sighed, "She's got... gray eyes... Oh! But they're tinted sea-green! Yes!"

Sally kneeled over the baby.

"Aw... she's almost like Estelle when she first came home from the hospital... so little and soft... just like Percy when he was a baby--"

"Stop..." Percy rubbed his neck sheepishly.

"What? I can't think about one of the best moments of my life?" Sally raised an eyebrow before continuing to gently tickle Zoë's belly.

Zoë was cackling at this point, her little giggles filling the air. Estelle walked forward.

"Can I try?" she asked hopefully, her eyes round and pleading.

"If you are careful," Sally gave her a look, "This is a brand new fragile life. It's a big deal."

Estelle slowly walked to the little stroller, where the baby stared at her with huge eyes, filled with curiosity. Estelle touched her nose and Sally flinched a little, scared it would bother the baby. Instead, Zoë just giggled again, reaching out a hand three times as little as Estelle's hand. Estelle smiled and did it again. Zoë laughed. Peeves floated over.

"Don't get distracted by the little thing! You're all two minutes late for class!"