Half-Bloods and Hogwarts...

Chapter 20

Harry's POV:

Nico is throwing a fit. Something about birth rights, whatever that's supposed to mean. When Percy asks about the singing I'm caught off guard. Why would we need to know how to sing to get into the Underworld? I guess at this point nothing should surprise me, but I do jump when the most awful noise I've ever heard in my life starts coming out of Ron's mouth, a garbling, tuneless wail.  "Stop! STOP! Please I beg you to STOP!!!" Percy screams, clutching his ears. Hermione grabs her want, "silenceo!" Ron is immediately silenced.

"What was that!?!" I yelp.

"I think Ronald was trying to sing." Hermione rolls her eyes.

"Well, at least now we know the he cant sing." Percy shudders. The best part of Ron's little stunt is that Nico is frozen is shock, "I didn't know it was possible for anyone to be that bad of a singer." He breathes in wonder. Ron tries to make an indignant sound but the spell is still in effect. Laughing I ask, "Where to next?"

"I'm going home, Central Park New York." Percy smiles. Grabbing his arm, trusting the others to argue out their own rides, we apperate away.

Just like I thought the others appear a moment later . Nico leads us towards a pile of rocks grumbling about how Charon is going to be in so much trouble when he gets to the Underworld. Upon hearing this Percy starts to chuckle, "Because your father has heeded you so well in the past."

"By its my RIGHT!" Nico looks like he's about to go off again, so Percy quickly throws his hands into the air.

"Ok, ok! Your right! I was just teasing! Geeze, you  need to loosen up." Everyone sighs in relief when Nico loosens up. That boy is scary, even though he isn't at full power.

"We need music. And as redhead so kindly pointed out, none of us can sing. Now what?"

"Well, we could use magic." Hermione says in a duh voice.

"Yeah, go ahead, do your abrakadabraness. Just don't get us in trouble." Percy smirks. Moments later the rocks crack open.

"Lady's first." I grin at Hermione, she then motions for Nico to go first. He does so willingly. Percy then hesitantly follows. The air in the tunnel smells dark, like the deep underground. I don't want to go. Its the highway to hell. But my friends are waiting for me, Percy is depending on me, so is his girlfriend. Countless people make the ultimate sacrifice for me, I can do this one little thing for a friend in need. Slowly I step into the dark tunnel.

Percy's POV:

To go back to the Underworld, after everything, is terrifying. I've not told anyone but I still get nightmares about Tartarus. I still wake up in a cold sweat. Since we came back I've not been able to ride an elevator. When Nico dives down the tunnel I know that this is my only chance to save Annabeth. So I have to go. An I know she would do the same for me.

The darkness swallows me. The tunnel is shrinking, my breath comes faster. I can almost smell the sulfur, see the red glow. I grab the wall the steady myself. The sharp rock cuts my hand. I pull back, stumble, and fall to the ground. When I land the ground so like the one down there that I'm certain that we've accidentally taken a path to Tartarus. But this time Annabeth isn't here to save me. And I need Annabeth. I'm shaking, sweating. I'm about to pass out from stress and fear when a voice cuts through my growing panic, "Whoa, Percy, calm down. Your alright." Nico crouches down. "Its just the Underworld. We aren't going to go anywhere near that cursed pit, ok? Breath." My starts breath comes slower. I stop shaking, "Alright?" Nico asks.

"Yeah, sorry about that." I mutter sheepishly. Nico pulls me up.

"Don't worry about it." He spins around and continues down the tunnel. But the walls don't seem so close, the darkness so oppressive. Still, I pull out Riptide and let its glow guide me. Only then do the wizards show up. I can understand why they're apprehensiveness. Its good they didn't see my panic attack. I motion for them to follow. They pull out they're wands and mutter another spell. The tip of the wands light up the tunnel even more. I know I'm among friends.  They wont let me fall. I see Hermione grab Ron's hand and am reminded of my first trip to the Underworld, when Annabeth held my hand on Charon's ferry. I can wait to find her.

The tunnel doesn't seem so long this time. Before I know it we're by the banks of the River Styx. Lets hope I was right about Nico.

A/N 

I'm so sorry for not updating! If this chapter seems lame I'm sorry but I wanted to show a PTSD Percy, because lets face it, no-one would be the same after Tartarus. I also wanted to show a more caring side of Nico so if he seemed slightly out of character, sorry. I've got like 2 more weeks of school and then summer!!! Probably only 3 or 4 more chapters, depending on a few things. Well, there you go, bye bye random strangers!