Adele Black: The End

I Can Still Make the Whole Place Shimmer

Adele Black: The End

I Can Still Make the Whole Place Shimmer

"Grip it tighter," I said as the young camper in front of me learned how to use a sword for the very first time. "That way you won't drop it out your hand."

It had been approximately one year since I finished the prophecy, and in that year there had been tons of developments that weren't in my Five Year Plan.

I had accepted the job with Themis, which lead to me moving back to New York. I got a little apartment in America's version of Diagon Alley in order to be extra protected. It hurt to leave all my friends and family in London behind, but I had missed my family. I did see them occasionally, of course, but not to the same extent that I used to. But I wasn't completely alone in my apartment, because I had Achilles.

I also had Fred.

After a few serious discussions, Fred decided that he would be moving with me to America. Weasley's Wizard Wheezes had branched out. I felt guilty at first that he had left London— he had left his family— because I was going back to New York, but Fred reassured me that I had nothing to worry about. Fred saw his family often, and would often make it his mission to go to all of Ginny's Quidditch games. He saw George quite often too. We had connected our fireplace to the Floo Network, thus making it much easier.

That was another thing: fireplaces and fire didn't bother me as much anymore. If anything, it was because of the fact that I saw the lava climbing wall pretty often at camp. Camp reminded me of all the good things fire brought: warmth, camp fire sing-alongs, the lava climbing wall, fireworks over the lake at Camp Half-Blood and roasting marshmallows to make s'mores.

"Like this?" The young camper, a daughter of Hermes, asked me. I stepped away from her and looked her over.

"Yeah, just like that," I said. "Now, everybody show me your best defensive stance!"

There was a flurry of movement as the young demi-gods, all mostly new campers, stood in defensive positions. I held back a grimace: there was certainly some work that needed to be done.

"Alright, I'm going to come around and give everybody some suggestions, so stay in your position as best as you can. If you can't, that's okay, I understand— ADHD can be a pain," I said with a smile at the end. I didn't want them to be scared of me just yet.

After correcting 3 campers' positions, I saw Piper McLean rush over to me. "Adele! Chiron's calling a meeting with the counselors in the Big House."

I groaned. "Alright," I said, turning to the young campers, "that's it for today. Nico di Angelo is probably going to be taking over your lesson tomorrow, because I have to work. Do me a favor and tell him that Adele said he's a corn on the cob, alright?"

The campers nodded and dispersed. I jogged up the hill and met Piper up there. "Any idea what the meeting's about?" I asked her.

She shook her head. "No clue, but a special guest is here."

"I wonder who that could be," I remarked.

The two of us talked about random things as we made our way to the Big House. During the past year or so, I found that Piper was somebody I could rely on at camp. Despite the fact that she was barely 17 and I was 20, the age difference didn't hinder much in our friendship. She was intelligent and knew how to fight. I knew I could count on her to watch my back in Capture the Flag, just like she knew I would watch hers.

"Hey, Chiron, what's up?" I asked as Piper and I walked into the Big House.

"Oh, not much. Mr. D keeps losing at poker, but what else is new?" Chiron shrugged with a smile. "Anyways, everybody's already here. Come on in."