Partners in Crime || PJOxHP || Marauders' Era

A New Chess Piece

That afternoon was one of the happiest Jessica'd ever spent at camp, which maybe goes to show, you never know when your world is about to be rocked to pieces.

Grover announced that he'd be able to spend the rest of the summer with them before resuming his quest for Pan. His bosses at the Council of Cloven Elders were so impressed that he hadn't gotten himself killed and had cleared the way for future searchers, that they granted him a two-month furlough and a new set of reed pipes. 

The only bad news: Grover insisted on playing those pipes all afternoon long, and his musical skills hadn't improved much. He played "YMCA," and the strawberry plants started going crazy, wrapping around Jessica's feet like they were trying to strangle her. 

Grover told Percy he could dissolve the empathy link between them, now that they were face to face, but Percy told him he'd just as soon keep it if that was okay with him. He put down his reed pipes and stared at Percy. "But, if I get in trouble again, you'll be in danger, Percy! You could die!"

"If you get in trouble again, I want to know about it. And I'll come help you again, G-man. I wouldn't have it any other way."

In the end he agreed not to break the link. He went back to playing "YMCA" for the strawberry plants. Jessica didn't need an empathy link with the plants to know how they felt about it. 

"But who sent that Iris Message?" Jessica asked Grover.

"Not... not me?" Grover replied. "I couldn't even-"

Jessica sighed. "Maybe some things are better when they remain a mystery, huh?"

That's when Blaze dropped a letter into her palm. Jessica tore it open- it was probably from Hogwarts, anyway, she realized. "Dear Jessica-" her eyes scanned through the letter. She gasped. That wasn't possible- it had just been a dream... She read through the letter again.

"What happened?" Percy asked, just back from a phone call with his mom.

Jessica couldn't reply to him. Annabeth frowned. She took the letter from Jessica and began to read, "Dear Jessica, 

Your friend Marlene McKinnon's house was attacked by the Dark Lord. She and her father have escaped from the attack safely. Her mother's last memorial takes place next month. You must attend it- she will need your support. 21 August.

Yours lovingly,

Euphemia Potter."

Annabeth put down the letter. "Oh, Percy," she muttered. She enveloped Jessica in a hug that she could not return. Jessica's blood was frozen. The Dark Lord had tried to kill her friend. Percy joined too, hugging his best friend. "It's okay, dude."

Jessica almost broke down, but she straightened up. "It's okay," she muttered. "At least nothing happened to Marlene."

Annabeth nodded sympathetically. "If you need anything, Jess-"

"No, I'm fine," Jessica said. She pulled herself together. "Wanna climb the wall together?"

"Sounds lovely," Percy grinned. "And, oh, before we forget-"

Annabeth grinned. "Yeah," she said. She pulled a few old looking cards from her pocket and handed it to Jessica. They were photographs- there was Jessica, seated on an Athena cabinmate's shoulder, yelling in joy. And then there was Jessica, in between Annabeth and Percy, standing with hands over each other's shoulders, wearing laurel wreaths. They were all laughing in motion. Tyson stood behind the three, but his eyes were blurred out, thanks to the Mist. There was one more photograph of the three standing next to Chiron, who was sitting on a wheelchair- Clarisse was there too, photobombing the picture by lunging at Annabeth and starting a wrestling match with her for no reason at all.