The Blessings of Hecate [Abandoned]

Time Turners and TARDISes

Chapter Twenty-Nine: Time Turners and TARDISes
Leo's P.O.V.

"And I thought he said he was going to catch up."

After about two minutes of waiting, Percy finally came bounding down the path out of the castle. In his hand he held a scrap of parchment that I recognized as Hecate's note. Despite what we were about to do, I felt some relief that Percy had at least managed to remember to go back for it. If another student or Professor had found it an managed to decipher it that would not look good on our part.

"Sorry!" Percy called. "I kind of got stuck talking with Harry for a minute. When we get out of this one we're going to have to choice but to fill him it."

"We've made it this far," Piper said. "It doesn't really matter if the prophecy is fulfilled, right?"

"The prophecy..." Annabeth pondered.

"What about it?" Nico asked.

"We haven't actually talked about the last lines, have we? All year we've been putting it off until the right time. But if we really are about to plunge into this headfirst...."

I felt sort of stupid standing there, but it had been a while since I had last heard the prophecy. I honestly couldn't remember the lines Annabeth was referring to. "I'm sorry, but what were the last lines again?"

Piper sighed, "The last few lines are more ominous side. As if that wasn't bad enough they probably have a double meaning, which is also the worst kind of prophecy you can get."

"'A set destruction, or your own. The five must choose one to succumb,'" Annabeth supplied.

"Sounds like we're all screwed," said Nico. "Now, are we going to do this or not?"

"Yeah," Piper said. "Despite the fact that we do have all the time in the world, we probably need to get going." She pulled the necklace out of Hecate's package once more, and put it on careful not to accidentally turn it. "I think it should work if we all join hands. That way nobody gets left behind."

I ended up holding hands with Piper and Percy(Did you know it's actually very awkward to hold his hand unless you're Annabeth? Who knew?) before Piper took a shaky breath. "Here goes nothing. You guys help me count."

We watched as Piper turned the hourglass over fifteen times. Once she had attained fifteen, everything happened at once. The terrain surrounding us dissolved into a blur darkness. Now, I have shadow traveled before but this was a little less dark and creepy and a little more violent. I reached the point where I felt as if my stomach was completely turned inside out... and then everything came to a halt. Once again my feet were on solid ground and I found that we were still standing at the base of the forest. Yet now, the sun hung low in the sky, just on the verge of setting.

With my life, I should know now that anything is possible. I died only a few months ago before coming back. And somehow the universe still finds ways to impress me. Here I was, Leo Valdez, and I had just traveled back in time fifteen hours. Who said you need a TARDIS to time travel? You know, come to think of it maybe I could figure out how to replicate the necklace's time magic and- Whoa, one problem at a time Leo. I still need to live through this one.

"I think I'm going to be sick..." Piper muttered.

Even though I thought I felt queasy, Piper appeared to have gotten the worst of it. Since she had actually been the one to wear the necklace, she got the worst blow. Her breathing was ragged and unsteady, her eyes slightly dilated.

"Piper," Annabeth reassured, "just pull through it. We have a quest to carry out, I know you can do this."

"I-I'm okay," Piper looked up. "Now what are we doing standing around? We need to start tailing them to the Ministry." Piper pointed somewhere above me. I turned around and saw six thestrals flying in the distance. Even though they were nearly out of sight, it was clear that each one was carrying a single person.