The Distance Between Us

Wizards and Wanton Soup

12 Grimmauld Place, London, England

"Let me get this straight." Sirius said, wiping his face in his hands before looking up at Dumbledore. "You thought they were dead, so you left them there and took Harry to Privet Drive, and when you came back to reassess the damage, Lily and Percy were gone. They resurfaced years later when your friend Chiron the centaur was speaking of a young boy named Percy Jackson at his camp for demigods, and you realized after looking at pictures that he was actually Percy Potter. You didn't do anything about it, because Percy's a squib, but you did realize that meant Harry was also a demigod. You didn't tell him, because Hogwarts is just as safe as Chiron's camp, but the monsters don't really start attacking until you know who you are." He arched his eyebrows at Dumbledore, who nodded, and grinned a little but when he realized he'd just said what took Dumbledore half an hour to explain in under a minute.

"But now monsters under the employ of Lord Voldemort are attacking Hogwarts and we need strong fighters to assist in warding them off, as our magic will do almost nothing to protect us." Dumbledore finished.

Harry hadn't spoken throughout all of this. He only sat, lips pursed and eyes trained on a stain on the tabletop as though it were the most interesting thing he'd ever seen.

"Bloody hell." Ron mumbled, staring at Harry.

"Ronald Weasley!" Mrs. Weasley shouted, glaring at her son from where she sat a little bit further down the table. Ron quickly apologized.

"As much as I hate to admit it," Hermione said, tugging at a strand of her bushy hair. "I think that Ron's use of expletives was a proper reaction to what we just learned. I mean, not only are the Greek gods real, and those of other pantheons as well, but Harry is one of their children. It's a lot to take in." They all stared aghast Hermione for a good 30 seconds.

"Either way," Dumbledore said effectively drawing attention away from Hermione's shocking statement and back towards the matter at hand. "I think it will be good if Harry came with me to collect his brother. That way they can have a few moments together before Percy and his friends are mobbed by the rest of you."

"Hey!" George says from the end of the table wear he sat next to his twin Fred. They looked down the table at the rest of the Order, wearing matching scowls.

"We would never do that." Fred said.

"Yeah! Who do you think we are?" Mrs. Weasley hits them both lightly on the back of the head.

"Yeah, alright. We get it."

"That's ok with me." Harry said, in reference to Dumbledore's suggestion that Harry accompany him to get his brother. "I'll come, but where exactly is this camp?"

"It's in Long Island, New York. We can't apparate directly there, though, so I figured we might stop in the city and get something to eat." Dumbledore answered, stroking his beard thoughtfully. "I've been meaning to try the muggle Chinese food if that's alright with you."

"Yeah, I'm good with that." Harry responded. Growing up with the Dursleys, his mother's sister's family, he had never been allowed many things that would cost the Dursleys any extra money. This meant that he grew up eating whatever was left after the rest ate and wearing Dudley's, his cousin's, old clothes after he grew out of them.

"Ok. I'll be back to pick you up tomorrow around 2:00 PM. Be ready to leave as soon as I get here." And with that he apparated straight out of the dining room and to wherever headmasters of magical schools spend their summer months.

The Next Day Around 8:00 A.M. Eastern Standard Time

Harry was sure he had never seen anything quite as large as Manhattan, New York, New York. Or heard anything as loud. It was quite... overwhelming, as Harry had never really even been into London for an extended period of time. Surely, though, it wasn't this insanely filled with people.