heyyy y'all i'm back for your yearly update lmao

with the moon and the stars up above

Everything felt as if it were covered by a thick layer of fog, heavy and oppressive. It made her vision blurry, and she couldn't breathe for the density of it. She didn't feel the hand on her shoulder, guiding her back into the carriage, and she barely registered the jolt as they took to the sky again. Her gaze remained focused on the stars above her, the constellation that was all that remained of her sister.

"-ari. Zari," Dimly, Lady Artemis' voice penetrated the haze in her mind. "Azari."

Wresting her eyes away, the goddess' face swam into view. "My lady?" she managed. The sound came out croaky and cracked, and the unexpectedness of it caused tears to spring forth – or perhaps that was just the catalyst.

"Azari, the Winter Solstice meeting is about to begin. I will need you by my side, to provide your version of events, that the demigods will confirm when they reach the Council. I need you to hold on, for just a while longer." Artemis' voice was soft but firm, and Zari found herself following the command instinctively.

"I failed them both, my lady," she whispered, shivering, and she wasn't sure if it was because of the wind as they soared through the sky. She wrapped her arms around her body. Artemis' face, young as it was, softened.

"You did not fail them, my huntress," she murmured. "Bianca and Zoë were aware of the risks when they agreed to the quest."

"Bianca wasn't," she said, "not truly. She hadn't even been in our company a week. She didn't know. And Zoë – I should have protected them, it should have been me, I should have done something –"

"If you blame yourself for every death in our party, it will be a long eternity," Artemis replied, her grip on the reins tightening. "The Fates willed it, Zari, and once the Fates have cut that cord, there is naught you nor any other could have done. It was their time."

"That doesn't mean I have to like it, my lady," Zari said dully, holding herself tighter. Artemis looked away, her eyes focused on some point Zari couldn't see.

"No," the goddess responded eventually. "No, it does not."

Silence prevailed for the duration of the rest of the journey. Gut hollow, Zari watched as the moon seemed to follow them, like a faithful dog bounding after its master. Zoë had been living long before the existence of mankind. She had watched the gods and titan's endless quarrels, seen the triumphs and failures of humans, witnessed the evolution of civilisations, and then their falls. She had survived every war in existence. So why was it fair that she be snuffed out now, before this war has even truly broken out? For there was no doubt in Zari's mind that this would become an all-out war between the gods and titans once again.

That being said, how would the Hunt cope with a new lieutenant? Zoë had held that position for such a long time, that none who could remember what the Hunt was like without her. None of them would know how to react to this change in management. If only one Hunter was to have survived this quest, she knew they would have expected it to be Zoë. Brave, stubborn, technologically incompetent Zoë. Would they blame her for not doing more? It was a silly notion, but it came unbidden anyway. But, really, was it so silly? Zoë had years of experience, and was well-loved by everyone. It made sense that they would prefer to have Zoë home, rather than herself. Pressing her lips together firmly, Zari willed the thought away.

She hoped Sophie didn't blame her.

Zari spent the remainder of the trip counting the stars in a futile attempt to keep her mind clear. Olympus appeared unexpectedly, like Hogwarts did when you passed through the intruder-repellent wards. It loomed above them bright and glittering, and Zari had never felt a more foreboding pit in her stomach. The sleigh landed smoothly on a platform that protruded from the mountain, its path leading inwards and upwards towards the palace. Zari clambered out after Artemis, breath caught in her throat. The goddess' silvery glow shined brighter her, more similar to a star more than the moon, in truth.

Zari stroked the deer's head as she walked in front of her, and she nuzzled her cold nose into the palm of her hand. Attendants rushed forwards to disengage the animal from the sleigh. The gentle, silvery doe brought forth some feeling of longing that she immediately quashed. There was time enough for that later, she remembered. She still needed to have words with Artemis and, perhaps – Zari swallowed at the thought –, Zeus about returning to the wizarding world.

The doe bumped her nose into Zari one last time, now released from her reins, before working up into a trot and leaping into the sky, no doubt headed for what she supposed was the godly equivalent of stables. Zari watched her go almost sadly, and turned towards Olympus.

Artemis beckoned, and Zari hurried towards her, her tension ratcheting skywards at the thought of being in a room with numerous divinely powerful beings who may or may not have some unknown grudge against her because of her power or her so-called destiny. The gods seemed to have a thing against prophecies, at the moment.

"You will need to change," the lady said as they began their ascent to the palace. Zari was sure that Artemis didn't usually take the stairs, but rather used her godly version of apparation, so she assumed there was a lecture forthcoming. Zari glanced down at her torn and blood and sweat-stained clothes. She felt rather in need of a bath.

"That might be prudent," she admitted. Unfortunately, there was no time for a bath. A cleaning charm would have to do. "Would you prefer me in my hunter's garb or something a little less, um, threatening, perhaps?"

Lady Artemis regarded her for a moment, and Zari sometimes wondered if she forgot that despite the treatment of her family, she had been raised to act a lady, with the knowledge of all the airs and graces of high society. She knew that even her appearance – especially her appearance – could be used to manipulate and influence her company.

"Hunter's uniform," the goddess responded eventually, a small smile creeping over her face. "It would be best to reinforce the impression of your loyalty to me, particularly with the matters we will be discussing. And, I presume, the one you will bring before us when this matter is resolved." Zari looked to the side, unsurprised that her lady goddess knew of her request to return to the place she had sworn to never enter again.

"Yes, my lady," she replied, and a quick mental incantation mended the tattered remains of her uniform while another left her body feeling scrubbed raw. She didn't often like to use magic for hygiene, because it left the recipient feeling sensitive and unnaturally prickly, like the sensation one experiences when hearing nails scraped along a chalkboard.

"We will enter together," Lady Artemis continued briskly, her increased pace the only indication of her hurry. "You will stand in Zoë's place."

Zari stopped dead.

Lady Artemis turned back, one perfect auburn eyebrow raised. "Azari?"

"I can't – I can't take Zoë's place," she said, bile creeping up her throat at the very thought. "It's not right – it's not fair."

"I take it this means you do not wish to accept my offer as Lieutenant of the Hunt?" the lunar goddess asked. Zari almost choked, her head swimming.

"Your offer –? No, my lady. I couldn't." Zari gripped the rail beside her. Her, take Zoë's place? She wasn't right for the position, surely. There were girls who were older, more experienced, more – obedient.

"I see," Lady Artemis replied. "And has this to do with the situation in the Wizarding World, or your guilt over Zoë and Bianca's deaths?" Zari flinched. "Or, perhaps, is it your own belief in your incompetence?"

Zari blinked. "All of them, I suppose," she answered reluctantly. Unexpectedly, Artemis smiled. She turned around and continued upwards, and Zari took the stairs by twos to catch up.

"I would have allowed the first reason as an acceptable excuse for denial, and perhaps the third as well, if that was all. But the second, combined with the other two, is merely a denial of your own skill and belief in yourself," Artemis said firmly as they climbed. They were nearing the top now, and once they entered the palace, this conversation couldn't be continued. "Therefore, for now, you will stand in as Lieutenant until another girl accepts the position until your return from the Wizarding War, after which we shall revisit the topic, and you will be allowed to reconsider your stance on the matter."

Bloody hell.

"Are you sure, my lady?" Zari replied.

"Certainly," Artemis affirmed. "There are few more worthy of the position."

"I – okay, then. Thank you, my lady," Zari said, feeling rather shell shocked at the sudden turn of events. Her chest glowed warmly at the faith Lady Artemis displayed in her abilities, but there was still a sting of guilt; she felt as though she were betraying Zoë by even entertaining the thought.

"Now, as I was saying," Artemis continued, and Zari let out a shaky breath, "you will enter as the Lieutenant and will act as such during this meeting. You will stand beside my throne, and you will have a certain amount of input. I am sure you know the courtesies you will need to display to the other gods," she added, throwing Zari a look.

"Yes, my lady," she said.

"Good," replied the goddess staunchly as they reached the top of the staircase. In front of them stood a set of large white marble doors, ten metres high and half as wide, with glimmering golden handles. As she grasped one, Artemis turned back, smiling sadly. "And Zari?" she said. "I'm so proud of you."

With that she pushed open the door, growing taller until she was five metres tall, at an equal height of the congregated deities inside, leaving Zari to follow quickly, blinking back tears. The warm glow in her chest burned brighter than ever.

Artemis was the last of the Twelve to arrive. Once she entered, a sudden hush fell over the room, and Zari got the impression that the gods weren't silent often. It was unnerving, and Zari's magic reared up with a vengeance in response to her tension. It burned, begging to be released, for what could be more dangerous than a room packed to the brim of immortal beings with an almost limitless power? The first to break the hush was, as expected, Apollo.

"Little sister," he cheered with all of his usual cockiness but Zari saw something like relief glittering in his golden, godly eyes as he approached them. The gods erupted into conversation again, and they were forgotten.

"Apollo," Artemis replied, rolling her eyes, but without the accompanying annoyance that usually clung to her voice when she spoke her twin's name.

"And little Zari," Apollo continued joyfully, "You didn't die! Congratulations!" Instantly, any fondness she felt for the god vanished as the reminder of Bianca and Zoë came forth again.

"Lord Apollo," she said hollowly, bowing. She straightened, keeping her eyes downcast. The god frowned.

"Why so glum, sugar plum?" he asked, and Artemis hissed at him.

"Stop flirting with my Lieutenant," she said coldly. Zari clenched her fists, her fingernails digging into her palms. Her magic, alive and twisting, reared up, begging to be released. She watched as realisation hit Apollo, and he seemed to deflate as he took in his sister's words.

"Oh," he said, intelligently. Artemis rolled her eyes again.

"Zari," a familiar voice called, and her head snapped up to where Grover was standing, looking a little damp, next to a sphere of water in which Bessie swam happily. She glanced at Artemis for permission, whose nod and look told her be quick, the meeting will begin soon.

"Grover," she called back, and carefully began picking her way through the crowd. It wouldn't do to step on someone's inconveniently sandaled toes and get incinerated on the spot. Rather counter-productive, that. "You made it," she smiled when she reached him.

"So did you," he replied, beaming. But then his grin faltered. "What about Percy? And Thalia and Annabeth?"

"All safe," she promised, her throat clogging up. "But Zoë…" she trailed off, unable to force the words past her teeth.

Grover's face fell. "Oh," he said, looking devastated. "I'm really sorry," he said awkwardly. Zari shook her head forcefully.

"It's okay," she said, "It was Atlas. He – uh. He got her."

If possible, Grover's face became even more solemn. He opened his mouth to respond, but an authoritative voice boomed over his words. "This meeting is now in session," Zeus thundered, "Take your places."

Zari flashed him what she hoped was a convincing smile. "I'll talk to you after this lot is done, yeah?" she whispered, and hurried to stand behind and to the right of Lady Artemis' throne at his nod. On her way, she caught Aphrodite's eye, and quickly looked away, feeling oddly exposed.

Zeus began the meeting with the expected pomp and circumstance, and Zari only half-listened as she waited tensely. Surely Percy and Thalia should be here by now? To distract herself, she tried to figure out which god was which. Aphrodite, she knew, looking like Sophie once again, and sat on a pale pink throne that Zari was sure smelled of roses. Carvings of doves fluttered around the seat, weaving in and out of each other gracefully. The movement was mesmerising.

Ares was obvious, seated on his chrome throne and, gods, the cushion was made of human skin. Bile rose in her throat, and she quickly looked away, casting her eyes to the next deity. The god with flames flickering in his whiskers she assumed was Hephaestus, his face misshapen and lumpy. Apollo had his sunglasses on and his earphones in, so Zari wasn't even entirely sure he was awake. Hera was seated beside Zeus in a peacock feather dress, and Poseidon was wearing sandals, a Hawaiian shirt, and cargo shorts, his trident protruding from the cup holder in the arm of his throne. Zeus was very business-like with his neatly trimmed grey beard and his pinstripe suit. Demeter sat like a highborn lady, perfectly poised and snobbish, with long blonde hair and green robes. Her simple beige throne was seated on a patch of bright green grass, stalks of wheat and other grains swaying around her ankles in some non-existent breeze.

Zari was so preoccupied with her thoughts that she almost didn't notice when Lady Artemis rose and stood in the centre of the room, clearly expecting Zari to follow.

"No doubt some of you are surprised at my being here tonight," she began, "as only a few hours ago I was being held captive on Mount Othrys by the titan Atlas. However, as you should also be aware, there was a team of my hunters and demigods granted a quest to retrieve myself and another demigod by the name of Annabeth Chase, daughter of Athena."

Athena, Zari saw, was paying very close attention.

"As I was not privy to the majority of the quest," Artemis continued, "my acting Lieutenant Azari will provide you with the details of the Titans and the information they discovered," she nodded at Zari, who took a step forward, determined not to let her nervousness show.

It was very discomforting to have all the god's attentions focused on her.

"We were granted the quest by Chiron," she started, "director of Camp Half-Blood, after a game of Capture the Flag, because the Oracle of Delphi had, um, emerged from the attic, and spoke a prophecy to Zoë Nightshade and I.

"Six shall go west to the goddess in chains," she recited. "One shall be lost in the land without rain. The bane of Olympus shows the trail, campers and hunters combined prevail. The Titan's curse one must withstand, and one shall perish by a parent's hand." Her voice cracked on the word perish. "Overall, the prophecy was fairly self-explanatory. We were to take four hunters and two campers, those being myself, Zoë, Bianca di Angelo, and Phoebe, as well as Grover Underwood, satyr, and Thalia Grace, daughter of Zeus. However, Phoebe fell ill, and could not come with us, and we ended up travelling with Percy Jackson, son of Poseidon, as our final member." She took a deep breath and continued.

"The bane of Olympus turned out to be Bess – ah, the Ophiotaurus. The one who was lost in the land without rain was Bianca di Angelo, who passed in Lord Hephaestus' desert junkyard. The Titan's curse was Atlas' burden of the sky, withstood by Percy Jackson. He took on a burden almost any other mortal, and many immortals, would have crumbled under. Annabeth Chase, too, I believe, bore this burden for a time, until Lady Artemis rescued her," she added, throwing a glance at Athena, who looked dignified, but the small smile tugging at the corner of her mouth betrayed her pride. Lord Poseidon, too, looked fiercely proud when she met his eyes.

"This afternoon, we sent Grover and Bessie back to Camp Half-Blood, so that we could ensure that the Ophiotaurus was safe from Titan hands, and well, they obviously made it here safely," she said, throwing Grover a small glance. She seemed to become more confident with every sentence. "We then entered the Garden of Hesperides, and made our way past Ladon to the mountain. Zoë was bitten, but the wound wasn't fatal. Upon the mountain, we were confronted by Atlas, with a small legion of dracaenae and Luke Castellan, son of Hermes. They carried a golden sarcophagus. This sarcophagus," she said, raising her chin, "contained Kronos." The gods erupted into roars, several standing abruptly. Demeter's hand slipped from its position on her throne.

"Silence," Poseidon bellowed, and slowly the gods simmered down. "Continue," the god of the seas encouraged Zari once there was relative quiet again.

"The sarcophagus contained Kronos," Zari repeated, "and he's growing stronger. Luke said something – he implied that if Thalia didn't kill the Ophiotaurus, they had another way to bring the titan back to full strength. After that, not much else was said. The battle began, and Percy and I were fighting Atlas, while Thalia ran for Luke. Zoë freed Lady Artemis, and Percy offered to hold the weight of the sky for her. Atlas hit Zoë, and she didn't get up again. Lady Artemis forced Atlas onto Percy who laid the burden of the sky back onto the Titan. Luke – Luke fell off the mountain," she said, her eyes meeting Hermes'. He looked distraught. "We're fairly certain he's dead, but we don't know anything for sure," she concluded.

"Once," Zari paused, taking a deep breath. Her throat was dry and crackly. "Once the battle finished, we discovered that Zoë – Atlas' blow was killing her. She lasted only a few moments longer. She was the one who perished by a parent's hand." The last sentence was said quietly, and her voice shook.

"Thank you," Athena said, when it became clear none of the other gods were going to say anything. Zari nodded jerkily, and made to step behind Lady Artemis again.

"Hold on," Ares interrupted, "are we supposed to believe that you and that punk Jackson took on Atlas and survived?"

"With all due respect, Lord Ares," Zari said, "I am considered an extremely powerful witch, and Percy is an exceptional swordsman. I do recall that he bested yourself in battle when he was only twelve."

Ares reddened in rage as he spluttered out a few incoherent phrases. Several of the other gods hid smirks.

"Very well," Zeus said. "It is undeniable. The Titans are rising and raising their armies again. I," he said arrogantly, "believe a vote of action is in order. All those in favour of remaining passive?" he called. Not a single hand was raised. Zeus called again, "All those in favour of taking action against the Titans?" This time, every godly hand was in the air immediately.

"So be it," Zeus said grimly. "Poseidon, you have permission to unleash your full rage upon the Princess Andromeda. Artemis, Apollo, you will hunt down the most deadly of monsters that will support Kronos and return them to Tartarus. Athena, you will personally check on all the imprisoned Titans and provide a full report on who has escaped and who poses the most threat against us. I will inform Hades of the circumstances. Grover Underwood, step forward and tell us of your journey with the Ophiotaurus."

Grover nodded quickly, his hooves clacking on the marble floor as took Zari's place. He began speaking quickly, and Zari tuned him out, in order to finally contemplate how she was to ask Lady Artemis and Zeus to grant her leave to hunt down Voldemort. Perhaps she ought to speak to Hades as well? Voldemort survived the killing curse – mayhaps he knew why. It should have been impossible. She was startled out of her thoughts, and Grover out of his report, by the looks of it, by the Council Room's doors banging open.

Standing in the doorway looking flushed and roughed up, stood Percy, Thalia, and Annabeth Chase.

"Percy," Grover exclaimed, and at a nod of allowance from Zeus, trotted over to the trio. "You made it! Annabeth, are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Grover," the blonde girl smiled, and Zari wondered if Percy knew he looked so smitten every time he glanced at her. Thalia was obviously aware, if the smirk she wore was any indication.

"Percy, you have to convince them not to do it," Grover continued, and Zari started. What had she missed? Percy frowned as well.

"Heroes," Lady Artemis called, as she stepped down from her throne, shrinking to human size again. Zari remained where she was. Apollo sat in the throne on her other side, and he leaned down to whisper when the other god's attention was focused on Lady Artemis, pulling out one enormous earphone out of his ear.

"Best ask soon," he whispered, "This lot won't want to talk about much else when they're done here."

Zari nodded. "Is there a way I can speak to Lord Hades?" she whispered, throwing caution to the wind (very Gryffindor-like, Zari, a voice in her head muttered. She promptly told it to shut up) and Apollo's hand slipped on the arm of his throne.

"Gods, girl," he whispered, "what for?"

"Later," she murmured when she noticed Demeter looking towards them suspiciously. Mystified, Apollo straightened again, and Zari tuned back into the conversation.

"I will not have them punished," Artemis was saying. "I will have them rewarded. If we destroy heroes who do us a great favour, then we are no better than the Titans. If this is Olympian justice, I will have none of it."

They want to kill Percy and Thalia, Zari realised with shock. Because of that godsforsaken prophecy!

"Calm down, sis. Jeez, you need to lighten up," Apollo said lazily.

"Don't call me sis," Artemis retaliated. "I will reward them."

"Well," Zeus conceded. "Perhaps. The monster, at least, we can agree, needs to be destroyed." He indicated one heavy hand to Bessie and Zari's stomach dropped as all the gods nodded.

"Bessie?" Percy exclaimed. "You want to kill Bessie?"

Poseidon frowned. "I'm not sure why you've called the Ophiotaurus Bessie," he said.

"It's a perfectly good cow name," Zari defended, and Percy nodded vigorously beside her.

"Dad, he's just a sea creature," Percy appealed. "A really nice sea creature. You can't destroy him."

"Percy," Poseidon sighed, and oh, Zari knew that sound, the sound of an exasperated parent about to deny their child something. "You must understand, the creature's power is enormous. If it were to be stolen or –"

"Then keep him here at Olympus," Percy said, looking Zeus right in the eye. "Controlling prophecies never works, isn't that right? Bessie is innocent. Killing something like that is as wrong as – as Kronos eating his kids for something they might do. It's wrong!"

Zari didn't allow her smile to cross her face. Perhaps Percy Jackson wasn't as much as a Gryffindor as she thought – that was a decidedly Slytherin tactic, even if his goal was very moral. It worked, too, because now both Zeus and Poseidon looked rather uncomfortable. Were they now to kill this creature for the same reason they fought the Titans? And, in doing that, admitting that Olympus wasn't safe enough to keep the Ophiotaurus protected? There was no way they could kill Bessie without coming across as incredibly cruel and hypocritical. But then again, they were gods. What did they care what others thought of them?

Still, Zeus fought. "And what of the risk? Kronos knows full well, if one of you were to sacrifice the beast's entrails, you would have the power to destroy us. Can we truly let that possibility remain?" He looked at Thalia. "You, my daughter, will turn sixteen on the morrow, as the prophecy says."

"You have to trust them," Annabeth insisted, "Sir, you have to trust them."

"Trust a hero?" Zeus said sceptically, scowling.

"Annabeth is right," Artemis said, "which is why I must first give a reward. Due to circumstances, I may need a stand-in lieutenant. But first, Father, if I could speak to you." As Artemis whispered to Zeus, Apollo leaned down again.

"Why do you want to talk to the big, bad, lord of the dead?" he asked, thankfully having the sense to keep his voice low.

"Voldemort should have died that night," she murmured back. "The killing curse is unstoppable. Why didn't he? If the curse rebounded and hit him, how is he still alive?"

Behind his sunglasses, Zari thought that Apollo's eyes widened. "That," he murmured, "is a very good point." He looked over at Zeus thoughtfully. "Father has to talk with him about Kronos soon. When you ask about your quest, request safe passage and an audience with Hades as well."

"Won't that seem like I'm asking too much?" she responded softly, very aware of all the listening ears in the room. Apollo winked.

"Not if you word it right."

Zari shook her head incredulously. "Alright, but you're the one sending me on this quest, so if I require support I'm holding you personally responsible."

Apollo didn't reply, because Artemis chose that moment to turn and announce, "I will have a new lieutenant, if she will accept it."

Percy, Zari noted, looked rather panicked, his gaze flicking between Annabeth and the goddess with an expression nothing short of terrified.

"Thalia Grace, daughter of Zeus, will you join the Hunt?"

Stunned silence resounded through the room, and Percy sagged with relief.

"I will," Thalia said firmly.

"And will you," Artemis continued, "accept the position of lieutenant, for a time?"

"I will," Thalia repeated.

Zari smiled.

When Thalia had completed her oath, she moved to stand beside Zari. "Congratulations," she whispered to the demigod. "Welcome to the Hunt." Thalia smiled back, and Zari was suddenly aware that physically, Thalia was only a few hours younger than her. She was so young.

"Now," Zeus said, "if that is the last of these matters, I must go and make Hades aware of these events." He stood, stretching to his full godly height. Zari got the impression he wasn't one to shrink himself down to human size often.

"Not quite, Father," Apollo interrupted. Zeus raised an eyebrow, sitting back down. Apollo gestured her to the centre of the room, where she had stood not so long ago. Zeus turned his stormy gaze on her, and she could feel the pure power emanating off him. She was certain he was doing it on purpose. Nevertheless, she strode out as confidently as she could manage, feeling the inquisitive gazes of the rest of the room, godly and mortal alike, weighing on her back.

"Lord Zeus," she addressed him, "Lady Artemis. My lady, I would like to request permission to return to magical Britain in order to stop the war that has broken out, and take a hunter with me. You are aware, I believe, of the prophecy that pertains to me?"

Lady Artemis nodded, but Zeus waved a hand. "A prophecy?" he asked. Zari nodded.

"Yes, my lord," she replied. "There is a prophecy about a child that will defeat the dark wizard who is currently decimating the UK. He will, I believe, turn to the rest of the world if he is not stopped, and he can inflict greater damage than you can imagine."

"This is all very well," Zeus said impatiently, "but what has that to do with me?"

"I would like to request to accompany you on your trip to Lord Hades, in order to ask him a few questions, if he will allow an audience with me," she replied. Percy, Grover, and Annabeth all let out gasps of shock, along with several of the gods. Demeter even shrieked, though Zari suspected it was due to rage rather than surprise. Her dislike of the god of the dead was legendary.

Zeus' eyebrow rose steadily higher. "That," he said slowly, "is an odd request. What questions can you have for my brother that we twelve cannot answer?"

"The dark wizard – Voldemort, or Tom Riddle, – attacked my brother and I when I was a child. He cast one of the Unforgivable Curses at me," she answered, swallowing. Even acknowledging the family she'd had before the Hunt was odd, particularly in front of a room full of gods and demigods. "He cast the killing curse. It's unstoppable. If it hits, you die. No allowances. Except I didn't die, and neither did he. The curse rebounded, and it hit him, and he didn't die," she stressed the point. "All it did was incapacitate him for a decade or so. And now he's back, and the world is losing the war against him. The prophecy states that I am the only one who can defeat him, but I need to know if he can die before I kill him."

Zeus frowned. "Perhaps the curse was just faulty," he suggested. Zari shook her head.

"No," she insisted. "The Unforgivables are all or nothing. Either it works, or you don't fire a spell at all. Besides, he'd already cast it hundreds, if not thousands, of times before. Why would it fail now?"

Zeus considered her for a moment, and Zari met his gaze head-on, refusing to bow down. Finally, the god nodded slowly. "Very well," he said, contemplating. "I shall take you to Hades. Recite this prophecy for me."

Zari almost collapsed in relief. "Thank you, my lord," she said, clearing her throat. "The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches... born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies... and the Dark Lord will mark them as his equal, but they will have power the Dark Lord knows not... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives... the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies..."

Again, Zeus frowned, but it was not him who spoke. "How do you know you're the one the prophecy talks about?" Ares sneered. "You said he attacked you and your brother. It's probably him."

Zari regarded him coldly. "That is what the rest of the world believed for a quarter of a century, yes," she said stiffly. "Michael, however, was not marked as his equal. I was. Michael's mark was caused by a piece of falling rubble. My mark is the scar that remains from the impact of the killing curse."

"Enough," Zeus interrupted, with the same tone Michael used to have when he disparaged, 'Who cares?' "Apollo, you are certain that she is the one?"

"Yes," Apollo confirmed. "Unofficially, I'm the one sending her on this quest. She thought her brother was the Chosen One, too."

"The Chosen One," Zari repeated, appalled. "Is that what they're calling him now? Blimey, like the 'Boy Who Lived' wasn't bad enough. Not real creative, though, are they?"

Lady Artemis spoke up. "Given all this, I think it would be prudent of me to allow your request. You will, I presume, be taking Sophie?"

Zari's eyes flickered sideways. The knowing look in Aphrodite's eyes made her flush. "Yes, my lady, if she accepts. Thank you."

"I can help," Percy interrupted, and Zari almost smiled. Poseidon straightened minutely, his shoulders tenser than they were a minute ago.

"Me too," Annabeth chimed in. "You helped save me, let us help you." Beside them, Grover was nodding in fervent agreement.

"You possibly could," she admitted. "But you possibly couldn't. You don't know that world. You'll more likely end up dead than anything else, with no magic."

"I have powers," Percy insisted, steadfast.

"Not the right type," she replied. "Besides, I have a feeling you guys are going to be pretty stuck with this war. You don't need to be worrying about mine."

"You're taking Sophie," Grover said, in a last-ditch attempt, but she can see that their hearts weren't really in it anymore, now that she'd reminded them of their own problems.

"Sophie has a few years more experience than you," Zari said. "But thank you, for offering. I'll be back to help out here too, though, don't worry about that. I'm not going to leave you guys completely defenceless." She grinned at them, and they returned it widely.

"If you're quite done," Zeus said impatiently, stepping down from his throne. His height lessened until he was fairly human-sized. "We have somewhere to be." He extended his arm towards Zari, who looked at it cautiously.

"You'll take me there safely, and get me out?" she confirmed. Zeus huffed.

"Yes, yes," he agreed, rolling his eyes. Zari smiled at the others as she took his arm.

"Thank you," she said to Artemis and Apollo, and then disappeared with a flash of searing golden light and a boom of thunder.

When they rematerialised, their surroundings were much bleaker. They were standing in a long hallway, with a door visible at one end, and pitch darkness at the other. From there, she could faintly make out the screams of damned. Well, she supposed, it was hell, after all.

The walls, while still marble, were black, and the floor was stone. There were faces in the pathway, screaming silently in eternal torment, and Zari could hardly step without planting her foot in a mouth or on a forehead. Zeus, unperturbed, continued onwards, towards the black cast iron door.

"Hades," he boomed, and the whole underworld seemed to tremble from the force of his voice. He pushed open the doors, which slid silently, and strode into the adjoining chamber.

"Brother," a silky smooth voice responded from one of the two thrones placed in the very centre of the room. One of them was made entirely of twisting vines and flowers, bright and beautiful against this dank background. This could only be Persephone's. The other, Hades' throne, was, as expected, black, but the back was made of human bones and, Zari blinked, had a skeletal hand attached to the armrest as a cup holder. The man seated on the throne was slightly more intimidating.

Hades had sleek black hair that looked rather like Severus Snape had discovered shampoo, and piercing black eyes that seemed to judge her very soul. He lounged casually on his seat, looking for all the world as comfortable as if he were sitting on a leather lounge. Objectively, he was handsome, with sharp cheekbones and tight black clothes clinging to his skin, his cloak swept out majestically. But the darkness radiating from him seemed to drain his beauty, leaving him looking skeletal and unnerving. His aura seemed to be pure misery and terror, and Zari steeled herself against it, her magic rebelling the very presence of this god.

Hades quirked an eyebrow when he saw her. "You've brought company, Zeus," he said, amused. "Who…" he trailed off, suddenly sitting up straight. His eyes widened in what was almost shock. "Azari Potter," he breathed. When he focused on her, he frowned slightly, looking mildly perplexed.

"You know who I am?" she asked. "Well, that makes things slightly easier."

"You can talk to the girl later," Zeus said, clearly displeased – with what, Zari didn't know. He seemed like the type to just generally be displeased all the time. Perhaps it was just being in the presence of his brother. "We have bigger issues."

"Oh, is that the reason for this unseasonal visit?" Hades asked mockingly, shifting his focus back onto his brother. "I suppose you've finally listened to reason and decided to do something about Father, then?"

"Measures are being taken," Zeus said stiffly. "A group of hunters and demigods completed a quest and returned her. Atlas made a bid for freedom, and Kronos is gaining strength." Zeus continued on, summarising the decisions and tasks of the Council in light of the new events. Finally, Hades sat back, stroking his chin.

"Well, it's a start," he said, and Zeus blustered.

"Make no mistake, brother, we shall be keeping an eye on you," the venom in the lightning god's tone was impossible not to notice. Zari struggled to keep her face impassive, but her surprise was palpable.

"Oh, surprise, surprise," Hades scorned. "You don't trust me. It's not as if I were stuck in Father's roiling gut, too, you know? You weren't even in there. You don't know the horror of indigestion. But oh, it's Hades that can't be trusted, because he's lord of the dead so he obviously wants this war. Do you know how backed up I am, Zeus? I've got souls waiting from the seventies to be let in! Charon has been at me and at me for a pay raise for a three millennium! I have had to construct new pathways, new eternal torments, new everything! All because you lot won't stop killing and dying!" Zeus, furious, rumbled, and dust sprinkled down on their heads as the building shook from the combined rage of two of the Big Three.

"Er, Lord Hades," Zari broke in, and both gods turned their violent gazes on her. "That's truly horrible, I know, but, not really the point at the moment. Kronos is rising."

Hades sighed heavily, and the fight seemed to drain from his body. "Yes, I suppose you're right," he said. "Have you said all you came to say, brother?" he asked, sagging back into his throne.

"I have," Zeus replied, still seething. "But the girl hasn't."

"Oh?" the god of the underworld inquired. "Please, do sit," he gestured at the plush cushioned chair that had just appeared behind her. Only one. Glancing between the two gods, Zari did as she was bid. "Would you like something to eat?" he asked, and a platter of fruit appeared before her.

Zari smiled. "No, thank you," she said. "I've got a while before I'd like to be stuck down here for eternity."

Hades shrugged. "It was worth a shot. Go now, Zeus, I'll return the girl when she asks," he said, and Zeus scowled. "Gods above," Hades muttered. "I swear on the River Styx not to harm the girl, and to deliver her home when she requests, safely. Is that sufficient?"

Taken aback, Zari considered Hades for a moment. She had a feeling the god already knew why she was here, and did not particularly want his brother here for the conversation. Gods, she knew, could get around River Styx promises fairly easily. Still, the promise itself was heavy in implication, even if the consequences of breaking it wouldn't be overly severe. She nodded as Zeus. "Thank you, Lord Zeus, for delivering me this far."

"I'll not take the blame, girl, if you don't get home safely," he said curtly, and disappeared.

"Charming," she said, her eyebrow raised as she stared at the spot where Zeus vanished.

"Don't take it personally," Hades smirked, "I think you'll find he's not fond of anyone beyond his children."

"Well, he's got rather a lot of them," Zari muttered. Hades threw his head back in laughter.

"True enough," he chuckled, and, oddly, his menacing aura receded.

She cleared her throat, and tried to ignore the clenching in her stomach. "Lord Hades, I wanted to ask you a few questions about Voldemort."

"Voldemort?"

"Tom Riddle," she corrected. Hades' face cleared, and then became pinched.

"Ah, Tom Riddle Jr.," he muttered. "Having a bit of trouble with him. What do you want to know?"

"Why isn't he dead?" she asked bluntly. "Why aren't I?"

Hades sighed. "Him, I can explain. You…I'm not sure about you. You'll have to figure that one out yourself."

Figure it out herself? If the god of the dead doesn't know why she didn't die, how on earth is she supposed to get it right? Zari's finger tapped the wooden armrest. How long had it been since she'd slept? During the quest, for certain. Before the Hoover Dam, at least. Gods, was that only yesterday morning? She was sure it was past dawn by now, up in the mortal world.

"Have you heard of Horcruxes, Azari?" Hades asked, shifting in his seat. His eyes kept flickering to her shoulder. She shook her head. "No? Nasty pieces of magic. A Horcrux is, in its essentials, part of a soul. When one commits murder, their soul is split. But Horcruxes are a dark, dark magic. They're made when the murderer takes it one step farther, and completes a very gruesome ritual. I'll spare you the details; I do believe it involves cannibalism." Zari stomach churned. "When one has a Horcrux, if the piece of soul inside their body is killed, the other piece lives on, deposited in a container somewhere, and so they don't truly die."

"So Tom's made a Horcrux, then? He achieved his immortality goal?" she said, nauseated. "Gods, that's horrific."

Hades inclined his head. "Quite so."

Zari frowned as a sudden thought struck her, and despite herself, a little glimmer of hope bloomed. "Hold on, though, does that mean he's mortal now? If the other half of his soul died in 1981, that is."

"That would be the case," Hades replied, "if he had only made one."

For a beat, everything was silent. Zari couldn't even hear the tortured souls anymore. "You mean he made more than one?" she breathed in horror.

Hades nodded. "He made seven."

"Seven," she choked. "Of course he made bloody seven. And to kill him, I have to hunt down, what, six more of these, including the one in his body?"

Finally, the god smiled. "No, actually. Only five. Do you remember Tom Riddle's diary?"

"The one that possessed Ginny Weasley and opened the Chamber of Secrets, letting loose a basilisk on the school?" she said, trying to regain her footing. "But I destroyed that."

"Exactly," the god replied smugly.

"Oh," Zari said, and a smile spread across her face despite herself, "brilliant. Is that the only way to destroy them, via basilisk venom?"

"There are a few ways. Fiendfyre, for one." Hades rubbed his face, suddenly looking much more tired than she thought a god could be. "Horcruxes are difficult to destroy, being such dark magic. I don't even know if a god has the right power to do it."

"Gods," she murmured. "Okay, well, basilisk venom, I can get some of that. It's still in Hogwarts, in the Chamber of Secrets. No one else can access it, I'm the only parselmouth alive, except for Voldemort, and I hardly think he's going to go looking for it."

Abruptly, Hades stood, and began pacing the room. "But you have to find them first, Azari. They could be anything, anywhere. They could be an old sock in the bottom of a dump or Big Ben itself. You're going to have to identify them, something that has a soul that shouldn't, or an extra –" he stopped suddenly, his chilling gaze focused on her right shoulder once more.

"Do you know," he said quietly, "that in the entire time you have been in this room, I have thought there is something quite off with you?"

"Gee," she said, "thanks."

"You don't understand. You are more than you, but not by much. It's as though there's someone else in this room with us, as though you're someone else, but not wholly." He dragged his eyes up from her shoulder and met her stare head-on. "Almost as if you have two souls."

Zari stood, pushing the chair back with a screech with her sudden movement. "Please tell me you aren't saying what I think you might be."

"There is another soul fragment inside your body, Azari Potter, and it does not belong there."

"Oh, bloody, buggering fuck," she sighed, sitting back down heavily. "I suppose I'll be joining you down here sooner than I thought," she said. "How did it get there?"

"I would assume that Voldemort had completed the ritual for the Horcrux and was intending to use yours or your brother's death as the catalyst for the split," Hades mused. "It does seem rather symbolic. The one who was thought to bring his demise would bring his eternal life. But although his attack on you failed, he still murdered someone – himself. So the soul fragment that split fled into the nearest living creature, which, clearly, was you."

"That," said Zari, "is distressing. So, that's what neither can live while the other survives means, then. We both die." She leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees and cradling her head in her hands. So she wasn't supposed to survive this bloody war. The irony, that she had the one thing Voldemort craved but didn't have, but would have to give it up in order to defeat him.

"Not necessarily," Hades said slowly. She looked up at him cautiously. "I'm the god of the underworld. I'm not Thanatos, but I do have some sway over life, death, and souls. There is a chance I can remove it from you, and if I can't, perhaps Thanatos can. That would be exceptionally more dangerous, however."

Zari looked at him suspiciously. "I thought you said gods couldn't destroy Horcruxes."

"I said I wasn't sure if we had the power to," he glared at her. "And I wouldn't be destroying it, I would be transferring it to a new container, so you can destroy it. Of course, there is a certain risk to it. You might not survive."

"Sounds painful," she said.

"It will be," he replied steadily.

"But the prophecy – I can't die from anyone's hand other than his, so really –"

"Prophecies aren't absolute," Hades replied. "They change and morph and twist as new factors are introduced, which is why they aren't usually so heavily relied upon. And the new version isn't always spoken by the same Seer – there could be a new prophecy spoken by an isolated Transylvanian Seer that no one has ever heard, and the only person who'd ever know was Apollo."

"I spoke to Lord Apollo," she countered, "and he was certain it was the one we originally heard." Hades inclined his head.

"That may be," he said, "but prophecies can also be interpreted differently. Zari, if you died from this, it wouldn't be the actual process that kills you – it would be the piece of Riddle's soul rebelling, fighting to save himself at all costs. Horcruxes don't require living containers, and it could exist just fine in your reanimated corpse and potentially absorb some of the powers you possess to boot."

Zari took a deep breath, weighing her options. If I do this, the only upside is that I get rid of one fragment. The cons are that I could die, Voldemort could possess my corpse and take control of my power, and potentially rule the world forever. The other option is that I don't remove it yet, and I walk around with a piece of him inside me for gods only know how long until I can defeat the rest of him.

Hades was watching her intently as she deliberated. Finally, she said, "If I destroy every other soul fragment, including the one in his body, until the only one left is inside me, will that make it harder to destroy?"

"I don't know," he replied simply, and he sagged in his throne. He seemed older, more tired than she'd ever seen a god. She supposed gods didn't really encounter unfamiliar situations much anymore. "This is all new, child."

Zari huffed. "I guess that's that, then. I'll hunt down Voldemort, and if I'm not dead by the time I get to the main event, I'll come back and we can have a little exorcism."

Hades' grin was threatening in the dim light, his teeth glinting. "Wonderful," he said. "Where do you want to be deposited?"

Zari took a step back. "Deposited?"

"Where do you want to be transported? Delivered? Taken? I did promise to see you safely home."

"Oh," Zari shook her head, "Camp Half-Blood, I guess."

Hades rose from his throne, and a misty darkness swirled around his fingers. She ignored the hammering in her heart. "Good luck, Azari," he bode, and snapped his fingers.

The last thing Zari saw as she was encompassed in a thick, heavy darkness was Hades' impassive face.