American Royalty III

Part 37: Arrival at Camp Half Bood

A few months later

Harry stood on a grassy hill, the crisp morning breeze ruffling his hair. Ginny appeared beside him, looking around curiously. They both had apparated to the location marked on the wedding invitation, but aside from the hill, the valley stretching below them, and a lone farmhouse in the distance, there was nothing remarkable about the place.

"Are we sure this is it?" Ginny asked, squinting into the distance.

Harry glanced at the invite in his hand and double-checked the address. "This has to be it," he muttered, though he sounded more like he was trying to convince himself.

A loud crack sounded behind them, and Harry turned to see Ron and Hermione materialize a few feet away.

"I thought we'd be walking into a wedding tent or something," Ron said, scratching his head as he surveyed the area.

"Maybe we're early," Hermione said, though her brow furrowed as she scanned the surroundings.

Before Harry could respond, another crack echoed across the hill, and Jamie and Draco arrived. Jamie grinned as she took in the quiet landscape.

"Did we get pranked? Are we in the right place?" Jamie joked, nudging Draco, who rolled his eyes.

As if on cue, more apparation pops signaled the arrival of Bill, Fleur, Charlie, and George. Luna and Neville arrived moments later, Luna twirling in place, clearly unbothered by the strange emptiness of the area.

"It's so quiet," Neville remarked.

"That's what worries me," George added, though his tone was more amused than serious.

Before anyone could add more speculation, two figures appeared, walking up the hill toward them. Harry immediately recognized Jason and Leo.

Jason, dressed casually in jeans and a purple Camp Half-Blood T-shirt, raised a hand in greeting. Leo followed closely, wearing his usual cargo pants and a slightly too-big T-shirt with grease stains that looked permanent. Both of them grinned as they approached.

"Hey! Welcome!" Jason said warmly, clapping Harry on the shoulder and nodding at the others.

"Glad you could all make it," Leo added, rubbing his hands together in excitement. But then his eyes went wide, and he smacked his forehead. "Oh my gods, I almost forgot!" He turned to the group and raised his voice dramatically.

"I, Leo Valdez, hereby grant Harry Potter, Ginny Weasley, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, Bill Weasley, Charlie Weasley, Fleur Weasley, George Weasley, Luna Lovegood, Neville Longbottom, Jamie Scalewik, and Draco Malfoy permission to enter Camp Half-Blood!"

The air shimmered around them, and a golden glow spread over the valley. The farmhouse disappeared, replaced by an expanse of vibrant strawberry fields, cabins of every shape and size, and the glittering lake beyond. Camp Half-Blood stretched out before them in all its magical glory.

The wizards exchanged wide-eyed glances as the transformation completed.

"Well, that was unexpected," Ron muttered, earning a chuckle from Hermione.

Leo smirked. "Now that the formalities are out of the way, let's get you settled in."

Jason and Leo led the group down the hill toward the Big House, pointing out the landmarks of the camp as they went. They entered the Big House, where Jason showed everyone to their assigned rooms.

"This is where you'll be staying," Jason explained. "Get comfy—this is going to be a fun couple of days."

Once everyone dropped off their things, Jason and Leo led them back outside and down to the porch, where two figures were waiting.

"Ah, our esteemed guests," Chiron said, his tone warm and inviting. The centaur stepped forward, nodding at the wizards with a kind smile.

"Welcome to Camp Half-Blood," he said. "It's an honor to have you all here."

Next to him, Mr. D stood with a glass of wine in hand, looking as unimpressed as ever. "Just don't break anything," he muttered before wandering back into the house.

"Don't mind him," Leo said with a grin. "He's just grumpy. Actually he's always like that. Dont take it personally,"

With that, they set off on a tour of the camp, Jason pointing out the cabins, the climbing wall, and the training grounds while Leo cracked jokes along the way.

As they passed the pavilion, Charlie glanced around and asked, "Where are the happy couples, anyway?"

Leo paused, scratching his chin in thought. "Oh, they're probably down at the beach."

Curious, the group followed Leo and Jason down a sandy path until they reached the shoreline. A crowd of demigods had gathered, all facing the ocean. The wizards exchanged confused glances.

"What's going on?" Ron asked, craning his neck to see.

Jason laughed. "You'll see. Just wait a minute."

The group joined the demigods, spotting their familiar friends among the crowd. Annabeth, Connor, Piper, Valerie, Frank, Hazel, Clarisse, Thalia and Reyna greeted them warmly.

"Where's Percy and Kit?" Harry asked.

Annabeth smirked and pointed out to the water. "Out there. You're just in time. This is the last wave."

The wizards followed her gaze and spotted two figures sitting on their boards, waiting for the next wave. Percy and Kit appeared to be arguing—though from their playful gestures, it was more of a debate. Finally, they played a round of rock-paper-scissors, which Kit won.

She paddled into position, catching a wave as it built. The wizards watched in awe as Kit expertly maneuvered her board, executing sharp turns before launching into an aerial spin. She dropped back into the wave, riding the barrel with perfect precision before shooting out the other side.

The crowd erupted into applause, with Connor and Annabeth holding up scoreboards that both read 10.

Kit grinned as she paddled back to shore, Percy following close behind.

"Show-off," Percy teased, splashing her as they waded out of the water.

"You're just mad because I beat you," Kit shot back, her tone light and teasing.

The wizards joined in the applause, unable to hide their amazement. Harry turned to Ginny and grinned. "This wedding is already shaping up to be unforgettable."