Chaos Rising |BOOK 2| Harry Potter x PJO |Alexandra Marine|

PIPER McLEAN

Leo burst the door open and led us all into the rec room.

"Ladies, we're back!" he yelled to the table, where Chiron and Ariana sat with an eyebrow raised each, contemplating their life decisions to send us on the quest.

"I'm sorry about him," Calypso said, smiling sympathetically at the centaur.

"It's okay," Chiron squeaked, still looking at Leo like he was wearing a grapefruit costume.

Little did he know that he was in for a greater shock.

"Was the quest successful?" Chiron asked me as I sat down.

I cleared my throat. "One might say so."

"Sorry, what is that supposed to mean?" the Aphrodite Cabin Counsellor asked.

"Well," Leo said, reaching into his belt and taking out a smal phial which had been filled with golden liquid. "We got the cure."

The ping-pong board burst into cheers. The Cabin Nine counsellor pounded Leo on the back appreciatively. "I knew you could do it!"

Only Ariana remained quiet. She waited for the cheer to die down, then raised her eyebrow at Leo. "But?"

"But..." Leo hesitated, "we had to give Circe a few.... benefits."

"Now we're talking," Ariana smiled. "Typical immortal move. What did you offer?"

"We offered to give her Voldemort and Tartarus' souls so she could make them into animals....." Calypso said.

"Alright," Ariana nodded. "What else?"

"What do you mean 'what else'?" Chiron asked.

"Clearly there is something else you need to tell us," Ariana said.

"Right," I addded hastily, "she wants to take part in the war."

Chiron nodded for a moment until he realized what those words meant. His eyes went wide as tennis balls and he started to tap the floor. "You mean, she's here?!"

I swallowed. "Yeah."

The boys began to hastily hide under the table. The girls were way too much in shock to understand what to do. Chiron leaped over the table and trotted out the door, bow and arrow at the ready.

"You're serious?!" Ariana asked, pulling us outside.

"We didn't have much choice!" Calypso protested.

Outside the camp borders stood Festus and next to him, Circe, wearing her most evil smirk any villain ever had.

Chiron ran outside the camp enterance with a red face, his face frowning with anger. "What do you want?"

Ari and I joined the centaur. "Piper," Circe said, "tell the centaur I don't like talking to men."

Chiron huffed. "Piper, ask her what she wants."

"Circe," Ari said, "what do you want?" Her gray eyes sparkled. "You're not one for leaving your island. What made you change your mind?"

Circe grinned. "Well, I have my orders."

"I know, from Tartarus," Chiron growled.

"Shut up, uncultured horse," Circe snarled back at Chiron. "You don't know who you're talking to."

"A fork tongued-lizard witch?" said Chiron.

Ari's mouth twitched a bit upwards, and she bit her lip. "Alright," she half-laughed. "Circe, if you could expand on who gave you these orders."