Falling - Percy Jackson At Hogwarts Two

Present

Hermione

"What are we going to do?" I asked the group of students in front of me. We were gathered in the boy's dormitories, away from the teachers prying eyes.

"It's obvious isn't it?" Harry stated, "We're going to take back Hogwarts and find the Horcrux."

"But no one has seen it for centuries and Hogwarts is so well guarded now, no one could get through its defenses," Dean rebutted.

"We did," Harry replied, "and if we can so can the Order."

"Of course," Hermione thought, "we can get Aberforth to contact the remaining members and return Hogwarts back to what it was...but Voldemort will know every move we do. He will no doubt attack Hogwarts, especially with everyone opposing him in one place as well as Harry. Get rid of any opposing forces all in one go."

"Even if he finds out we would only have one Horcrux left to destroy. The battle though, not again. I don't think anyone is ready," Harry replied.

"They never are," Frank spoke up, "Every fight or battle I've been in it has never been prepared, never ready for it. How can one prepare for the deaths? The blood...they can't. But maybe they shouldn't try to be."

"What do you mean?" Ron asked.

Frank sighed, "If we know that there is a battle ahead of us, one filled with deaths that can't be avoided, then maybe we should enjoy the present and what we have while we still can. If I can remember the quote was, 'live in the present, remember the past and fear not the future for it doesn't exist and never shall. There is only now.'"

"Who said that?" I questioned, trying to remember it. The quote was familiar to me.

"Christopher Paolini, Annabeth quoted him from time to time..." Frank whispered.

"And right now we are going to get the Order into Hogwarts," Harry concluded, "come on, we're going to the Room of requirement."

Hazel grimly smiled, "not all of us should go."

"You're right...Frank, you and Ron stay here. If anything happens you can still find and destroy the Horcux. Hermione, Hazel and I will go, isn't it better or luckier to go in threes?" Harry answered.

"Supposedly, but luck is never on our side," Frank replied sadly.

"Well it is now, it has to be for this to work," Ron remarked.

"Stay safe," Frank pleaded, "out of sight."

"Of course," I replied, "see you all soon."

"Goodbye," we all chorused.

Thalia

The cold air was starting to get to my bones, the chill running through my skin like an insect. The empire state building was to the left of me, standing proud and tall, above that was Olympus. The home of the gods.

"Thalia," the gentle voice of the goddess said, "He's not coming."

"Just wait, he will," I replied determined that he would arrive. He had to.

"Some people...they just can't take the horrors of war, the scars it leaves," Artemis told me.

"But, this is Percy. It's not like he hasn't been through it before. This isn't the first time," I commented.

"Because it's not his first time, because he has witnessed so much that is why he may not want to fight. He doesn't want to see that again. Men are...different to us. Most keep all of their emotions inside until they explode, or break. In Percy's case, he is recovering from the broken stage," Artemis tried to reason with me.

I shut my eyes, to will away the tears, "so that's it then. He won't join us. He won't fight with us because of how much of a gods damn coward he is. Well then be it, if we all die then he can live the regret, we don't mean anything to him so now his problems don't mean anything to me."

"Thalia-" Artemis started.

"We're leaving," I finalized. No more going back from him, not until he goes back and finds himself.

Percy

The shadows surrounding me encage my silhouette, hiding it from her eyes. My cousin's lightning blue eyes. Only a few meters away she stood, but she could not see me. Only I could see her, hear her. She's right, I am a coward.

They don't need a coward, they need a warrior.

"I'm sorry, Thalia," I whispered as she turned around to vanish from my sight, "I'm sorry I can't be who you need me to be."

We both walk away, neither of us looking back. The past is over, now is the present and soon, no one will remember me for I will not be worth remembering.