Harry Potter The Prince Of Underworld

Chapter 13

After Percy left, I was left standing awkwardly with Annabeth and Grover. I had never met Grover and Annabeth had always hated me. Well she didn't actually hate me, she hated that her friend Thalia daughter of Zeus had been killed by my father to punish Zeus for breaking their oath while he himself had broken it too by giving birth to me and I had been allowed to live.

After living in the same camp for about four years, she had grudgingly accepted me but we were never friends, just fellow half-bloods from the camp.

"If you want I can take you both to the camp." I offered.

I would have taken them through shadow travel but I was exhausted from using mist like that. If Lou had been doing it, she wouldn't have even broken a sweat, but for me it was exhausting.

I had sent Skotos away, and I have spent a huge amount of energy while using the mist. I could probably shadow travel myself to the camp but I can't risk taking the other two with me. So I will need to take them through mortal means. Or at least somewhat mortal means.

I knelt and placed my hand on the ground. I felt the nearest graves, the bones of forgotten humans buried and scattered. I searched deeper, extending my senses into the Underworld. "Jules-Albert. Let’s go."

The ground split. A car, I am not sure which but I think its called a limo came out of it.

 A zombie in a ragged nineteenth-century sitting in the driver's seat which could be seen through the open window. Annabeth stepped back. Grover screamed like a kindergartner.

"What is that man?" Grover protested.

"This is my driver," I said.

 "Jules-Albert. He is a restless soul, who died in car racing, always looking for another chance to drive. Father assigned him as my driver." 

Annabeth stared at me." You have a zombie chauffeur."

 I shrugged, a little uncomfortable. "Yeah, father got it for me. It's my first time using it. I prefer to shadow travel, or fly on Skotos to get somewhere. ADHD, you know, can't sit quietly for the whole ride."

"Come, get in" I said and got in on the passenger’s side. Reluctantly, they climbed in the back.

Jules-Albert drove us through the highway into Long Island. He stopped at the entrance to the half-blood hill. 

I had just entered the camp premises when I heard a deafening shout.

"Harry James Potter" screamed a voice.

I winced. I had forgotten to inform Lou about my little visit to the underworld. Well to my defense I had gone there because I couldn't sleep and I planned to return by the morning. I always did that, leaving at night and returning in the morning. Which was probably another reason that would have worried her. It's my first time I couldn't return on time. Just some inconvenience came in the way which delayed me this time.

Lou was berating me for worrying her and leaving unannounced. I was trying to explain myself. I looked at Chiron for help. But, Chiron just looked at me and said, " the stable is in need of cleaning. " and left. 

Annabeth and Grover just laughed at my misfortune. Well I can't expect help from someone whom I have shared just a few sentences with.

Percy arrived the next day at mid-day. Ever since the disastrous end of Luke's quest, no one had been given a quest. So, of course everybody treated them as if they'd won some reality-TV contest. According to camp tradition, a big feast  was prepared in their honor, they arrived wearing a laurel then led a procession down to the bonfire, where they burned the burial shrouds their cabins had made for them.