Born in Between (Percy Jackson/Harry Potter)

Chapter 4 - Demigod Dreams

That night at the hotel, I had one of those special demigod dreams the other campers always talked about. I might've had some before, but I wouldn't have remembered it. Dreams always seemed distant to me, and I'd always forget them in an hour. This one however, stuck.

In this dream, I didn't have a body. I was the camera, as I liked to call it. The dream started with a young girl, about seven I'm guessing, sitting on her knees under a tree. She wore a simple, black dress, and was skinny, but not bony. Her back was straight, and she sat with perfect posture. Her head was down, and her long hair fell in her face, her hands curled up in fists in her lap.

Another girl walked over. She had on black sweater with a long, black skirt. Her red hair was tied up in ponytails with little black bows, and had a strip of freckles across her face. She was cute, in a sort of Gothic way. I recognized her immediately from the pictures, as my mom's god-sister Lorie. 

She sat down next to the other girl, without the proper stuck up posture expected in a skirt. Instead she brought her knees up to her chest and sat back against the tree.

"Are you okay?" Lorie asked. "The adults are all looking for you."

Without moving her head, the girl spoke, her face still hidden. "He left me a letter."

I was shocked at how grown up and broken this little girl sounded. Despite the high pitch, she had the tone of a guilty man on death row. Somehow though, she sounded strangely familiar. 

"It said.... That he wasn't really my father."

The realization hit me, and I immediately felt stupid for not seeing it before. They were at a funeral. The girl's dad.. well, who she thought was her dad, must've been the one being mourned. 

Lorie scooted closer. "Who cares? He loved you, and you loved him, so-"

"He's lying!" The girl stood up and finally her hair parted showing her face. Her eyes were dark, and tinged red, with tears streaming down her face. I recognized the look in her eyes, even if it was a little softer. She was my mom. Suddenly, everything took a darker tone. 

"He was my dad, I know it!" She screamed. "He was always talking about how much he and mom loved each other, and how much he loved me, and.. and... there's no way he's not related to me!"

"Vicki, calm-"

"NO! Everyday, he told me how important blood and love was, and how family is precious. Dad always said that he'd never let anyone hurt me, and now... now he pulls something like this?! Why?! All this time, I've been lied to, and kept in the dark. "

Lorie stood up and leaned down slightly to meet her face to face. Her cheeks were now a bright red. "You should be happy! You remember your mom, and now you find out that you have two dads-"

"He's not my dad! My dad is-"

"All I've ever had was just my dad. I knew from the start that I'd never meet my mom, never have any memories to cling to. People have always looked at me like a baby, thinking I was a poor little girl who's mom walked out on her, never knowing the truth! Having trouble in school, teachers always pay special attention to me and try to be my friend. The adults all around me, looking at me like I'm a sad dog on the animal cruelty PSA, treating me like I'm going to cry. Always giving me their pity, I hate it! You're so selfish, wanting more. You already have everything planned for you, money waiting in a bank, photos to give you comfort, and books you can ACTUALLY READ! Even now, you have a my house, waiting for you to move in. Just stop! You have so much already, why.... WHY DO STILL KEEP GETTING MORE?!?!"

"SHUT UP!" My mom... er.. Vicki, screamed. "I HATE YOU! I can't stand the thought of having to live with you. My dad is DEAD, why are you telling me this? You still have your dad, you have friends, people are lining up to be your friend. I always sit in the corner alone drawing, with my one friend, while you're surrounded by people, and you still think I have more than you? Dad was one of my only friends, and now he's gone. My only friend is a boy, so I can't sleepover at his house. I can't talk to him about girl stuff, like dresses or ponies, but you... I hate you! I HATE you, GO AWAY!! Why do you even talk to me, why!?"