Harry Potter and the Lost Half-Bloods. *1*

Jason

Something good finally happens to me, only to be ruined a few minutes later
JASON: Piper McClean could dance circles around me.

I told her that perhaps dancing was another ability of hers. She laughed, then proceeded to use her voice control--did I mention how much I hated that gift?

"Dance," she commanded. "Dance well."

I danced beside her, much better than I had before.

"Wow," I exclaimed. "You basically have a cheat code for anything. Reckon you could raise a dead body? You know, just look at it and shout: live!"

"That was such a Percy-Jackson-esque  question. You two are seriously a scary duo."

I laughed.

"Add Leo into the mix, we're basically walking hell."

As we continued to dance the full extent of Piper's ability kicked in. She could seriously have people do whatever she wanted. She could go down a very, very dark path if she wanted to. A gift like that could drive somebody to mad power.

But as she danced, I couldn't help but notice the look in her eye. She was overwhelmed. I think having this ability overwhelmed her ever more. She was far too independent to be pleased with having an ability to control people. I felt as though each time she used her ability it was a bit of an internal conflict for her. Mind control was about more than making people do the chicken dance, after all.

"Can we talk?" Piper blurted out.

I nodded.

She grabbed my arm in a way that meant she was escorting me. Honestly, I didn't mind.

We sat down by the punch bowl. The Weasley twins were stumbling around it, loudly shouting to the people they knew around them.

"Heya, Harry--*belch*--Potter!" Fred shouted. "Dancing with our ickle sissy, eh?"

"Watch where you put those hands, Potter! We ought to change your name to Handsy Potter, the boy who *belch* gripped!" George added.

Harry flipped them off. Ginny shouted back some words that were a bit too impressive for my swearing vocabulary.

"Grace," Piper began. "I'm going to say this right now: I don't have a clue what our real lives are like. I don't know who's with who or who's our friend or who's our enemy or, look. I just don't want to complicate things by telling you about my vision."

"Your vision?" I asked.

She nodded.

"Yes, that would be what I meant when I said the words: my vision. Sorry, that was rude."

I laughed, uneasily.

"Go ahead, tell me about your vision."

***

Piper and I walked around the school grounds as she described her vision to me.

"It started with you and I sitting on a bench in a camp of some sort. You--uh, you sort of kissed me. But that is not a relevant point."

I felt myself blushing.

"Of course, go on."

"So in my vision, we felt that something was off. You and I went off to investigate and we ran into Frank, Hazel, and Leo, who were also checking out the scene. We spotted a goddess of some sort. She had Percy and Annabeth pinned to the ground, going on about her plan to get all of us there. Long story short, the goddess captured the seven of us. I don't think Nico and Will were meant to be included, but they were in the distance and I think they may have heard the ruckus."