Dawn and Dusk: Pre-Series In which Autere does damage control, a percy jackson and the olympians fanfic

A/N: This is actually the last chapter of pre-series. I had originally planned on 18 chapters but then I realized there isn't much happening between this chapter and start of LT. At least not enough to warrant an entire chapter for it. Originally this chapter was meant to show what happened after Solstice with Luna... but Autere breezed in.

Chapter 17: In which Autere does damage control

31st December, 2005, hours until change of the year

Autere strode through the halls of Underworld. While the matter she needed to discuss with Hades was not urgent quite yet, it was still of utmost importance. Especially considering the temper tantrum Zeus was throwing for all mortals to see. From gossip, Autere knew that Zeus was currently suspecting Poseidon and Hades equally, thus enraging both but with Poseidon's temper being visibly as volatile as Zeus's, it was him that the Lord of the Sky was focusing on currently. Hades in the other hand…

"And just what do you think you are doing here, Cursed One?" The King of the Underworld asked quietly but menacingly.

"That title I haven't heard in a while… not since 20's when Apollo kept reminding me of it constantly." Autere remarked, coming to stop in front of Hades who was sitting on his throne, for all appearances visibly brooding. "What purpose do you wish to convey by using it?"

"I wish for you to begone! You never bring good news. Not when you actually walk into a room rather than just appearing."

Ah, that was true. Usually things Autere needed to tell weren't… so impactful so she preferred to fade to the background and only speak when she felt like. And when she had something of import to tell, she wanted to have people to brace for the news.

"So you don't want to know the location of your Helm?" Autere gave an arch look at him and crossed her arms.

"…Of course you know it went missing." Hades sighed, slumping in his seat.

"Yes. Mainly because one of my protégés came home day after Solstice with the Helm adorning her hair… as a hairband. She hasn't taken it off since and is very cagey about where she got it. I wouldn't be surprised if she was bound by an oath."

"By protégé you mean one of the children living in your house." They had talked about them before. Autere liked to watch after the two because of reasons of her own. And if she liked to talk about them anonymously as well… sue her.

"Yes. Luna is a good kid. And I'd like if you didn't harm her." Autere waved her hand and an image shimmered to the view next to her. Of three kids sitting on a porch and snacking on roasted chestnuts in carton cones. Hades narrowed his eyes at them.

"Yes, I can see the Helm on her…" He looked at the two boys then. "Clay Gavin… He's her brother, isn't he?"

"Yes."

"Does that mean the girl is Thalassa as well?" The God of Dead questioned remembering how the demigod had referred the thief as sister when the woman had appeared to fetch him from Olympus.

"Yes. As Luna is mortal and thus not at the Camp, it gives leeway for her to conduct her heists." Autere bit her lip as she knew what the next question would be.

"The last boy… He is Poseidon's." A flat statement.

In the image Sally appeared on the porch, giving the kids glasses of glogg. Percy gave a bright smile to the woman while Luna and Clay thanked her politely.

"Yes…"

"Of course." Hades sighed. "Naturally neither of them could keep it in their pants after forcing me to take the Oath with them. After Zeus tried to take last of my children from me…"

Autere wanted to leave the room now. As Hades was her friend, he knew about Henry as well… Her mere presence was an unpleasant reminder of what he'd lost.

"The boy is in New York. Sooner or later Zeus will find out about him. And take it as a proof that Poseidon is behind the theft." Hades continued.

"And it won't even matter that currently Percy is completely unaware of his heritage." Autere agreed. Hades shot her a piercing gaze.

"Is this one of the things you simply just know?"

"One of them, yes.

"How old is the sea spawn?"

"Twelve."

"So in four years the Great Prophecy will come true."

"Three and half and not necessarily." Autere hedged. "Anything can happen in the meanwhile… Nothing says that Percy is the Hero for sure…"

"You brought him to my attention when you didn't do that even about Thalia. You know me and my anger. You knew how angry I was to Zeus and how I'd take it out on her and you didn't even try. You who have protected and watched over half-bloods and chosen champions in all pantheons that are still active." Hades leant forward in his throne, one hand on the arm rest like he was about to spring up and start circling Autere like a predator cat. Autere just barely contained her flinch at the accusation.

"I… I knew there was no stopping you… Zeus was the first to violate the Oath, misfortune would have fallen on Thalia anyways due that. And I'm not stupid enough to think I'd actually be able to stop you by force or by words when you are truly angered."

"But there was something else as well." Hades got on his feet and regally stepped down the stairs leading up to his throne. "Something that made you decide she was an acceptable sacrifice."

This time Autere did flinch visibly. Sacrifice. How she hated that word.

"Tell me." Hades was right in front of her now but Autere refused to look at him.

"Her death… And Zeus's interference on it ensured protection on the Camp." She said with small voice. "That I knew and weighted an acceptable and preferable outcome."

"Oh, Tired One…" And she was tucked against the Lord of the Underworld's frame. Hades knew. He knew that Autere hated when demigods died and she had to deem it an acceptable loss. Sometimes she could bend and delay the Fates when it came to her favourites but not always. And Thalia had definitely been one of her favourites. Otherwise she wouldn't have let her and her companions stay in House of Dusk.

"I think we need a plan." Hades mused. Autere just nodded mutely against his chest.

Once the holidays were over, students of Yancy Academy were greeted by new math's teacher Mrs. Dodds. Most of the students didn't like her, Percy and Luna among them. And Mrs. Dodds didn't like them either.

(Deep in the Underworld, Autere sighed in relief that the status quo would hopefully be kept long enough for the things go on as she knew they should. She wasn't entirely sure how Hades had instructed Alecto but apparently it was sufficient enough to keep up suspicion on the parts of the children yet not enough for Alecto to go actively after them.)

When Nancy Bobofit, Mrs. Dodds apparent favourite, tried to pick on Percy and Luna and Grover once more – The three had somewhat been delegated to appropriate targets with the math teacher's arrival – Luna had retaliated. Hard. Next morning the bully was found duct-taped to the ceiling of her own dorm room and wasn't found until lunchtime when teachers began wondering where the girl might be.

Luna was not caught. Officially. Nancy had not seen who the culprit was (the perks of having the Helm in her possession) but the way Percy grinned at her and Grover glared at her, they had some idea. And if Grover had an idea, then Mr. Brunner had it also even if he could not act on it.

("She used the Helm for pranking…" Hades groaned.

"For revenge." Autere corrected.

"Shouldn't you rest already? It's been long two years for you."

"Not until Solstice. I want to see this through.")

Luna sighed. The Helm felt heavy on her head. Sometimes if was so light she forgot its presence and sometime it felt like she needed to bow in shame and guilt for daring the bear it.

"Heavy weights the crown…" She muttered as she browsed the library for books on Greek Mythology. Something to help her drill information on Percy's head. Something easy to digest and to be made rhymes and mnemonics of. The boy needed to be prepared. Maybe he'd get answers spoonfed by Annabeth but it would be good if he wasn't a total newbie when arriving to the camp.

The years of dismissive school teachers had left their marks on the boy and made him reluctant to receive any instruction from anyone else. The only exceptions to this rule where Luna and Mr. Brunner but even then it was uphill battle.

"I don't get the point…" Was the most common complaint from Percy.

"You don't need to. But if there's even one subject that you can find yourself enjoying… I'll be happy." Luna replied. They'd gone through many subjects and topics aside from Mythology during the past months and thus far only marine biology had seemed to catch any interest. Not a surprise there but depressingly predictable choice.

Idly, Luna wished that she'd have time to pull a couple heists before the events of the first book truly kicked up.

I was worried about Luna. I could see that the titans were as well, especially Autere. She knew something of what Luna was hiding. I had an inkling as to what it was related to given the events that took place in December but I had no proof and Luna wasn't talking. Anytime I tried to ask anything about where she'd gone during Solstice, she'd just shake her head with guilt and apology in her eyes. Many times I saw her opening her mouth as if to say something when I hadn't asked anything but then she closed it again and rubbed her throat with a grimace. Not in actual pain but… phantom sensation I suppose. A warning what would happen were she to tell anything to anyone.

So I told her not to worry about telling me and enjoy her last semester in Yancy. It was all I could do really. Unless Luna found some loophole through which to tell me what exactly was going on, I couldn't do anything to actually help.

Not that I would have much chances. As soon as I arrived back to Camp, I was accosted by my cabinmates, other campers and then ordered to Big House where I faced an interrogation courtesy of Mr. D. Very lazy and only partly serious interrogation. That was Mr. D for you, doing only as much as he had to and then dropping it as soon as possible. I was almost disappointed that it was over so soon and I had to return to face the rest of the Camp and their incessant questions. Almost.

At least Chiron wasn't there. He would've evoked 'I'm so disappointed in you' card that made even the toughest Ares kids to fold.

But routine in camplife was found again and I got swept along with everything. Before I even noticed, it was the end of February and my 15th birthday.

And Thalassa's first heist of the year. Given the reports and rumours about the event, I could only suppose that she was venting her frustrations on guards and property. While it was nothing serious, some concussions and bruises had been freely given. I dearly wished she'd tone it down for her next heist. Even if her behavior was ironically appropriate given the stone she was fetching: Strength of Wrath. A carnelian that would grant a boost in strength or endurance for the wearer. Ares's stone naturally.

"Clay, are you alright?" Luke took a seat next to me by campfire. Singalong was ways ahead but with the lull in activities in preparation for it, I'd taken a moment for myself. Until the son of Hermes approached me.

"I'm fine." I grunted, only barely keeping my voice level and hands steady as I forced myself not to pummel the boy. If I acted now, it would spell nothing good for Luna. Or me.

But I knew… I just knew that Luna's weird behavior had something to do with Luke and Ares. If for nothing else, then for the timing alone.

"You don't seem fine."

Alright then… If Luke really wanted to know.

"I'm worried for Luna."

"Because of her recent heist?"

"No… Because something strange is going on and it's stressing her out." I carefully did not glance at Luke to see his reaction but I could definitely feel the older boy tensing next to me. "And she is not talking about it to me which in turn worries me."

"I see… Could it be some troubles at school then?"

"Maybe." I agreed. "She has complained about her new math teacher who apparently hates her and couple of other students who are her friends."

"That's probably it then."

"Yeah, but it's times like these when I wish to be by her side and support her. With me being a demigod though…"

"Better stay away…"

"Yes."

Our conversation dried up soon as other campers arrived to the campfire and Lee began strumming the first notes with his guitar. I let out a sigh and leant back. The music washed over me and no one bothered me for not singing. I wasn't on the mood to participating in camp songs.

Was I mean if I wished that Alecto would already attack Percy and thus kickstart the events of Lightning Thief?

"Clay, do you have anything to sing?" Lou Ellen nudged me from my right. Of course she wouldn't let me brood in peace.

"Aa…" I hummed an affirmative. "It's a shitty translation though… And bloody depressing…"

"Sing it, sing it…" Campers clapped their hands in rhythm as they chanted encouragement. It had become a norm whenever someone hemmed and hawed about solo singing. Especially if they were anyway decent singers. Like I was. Especially after my public claiming.

"Fine…" I groaned theatrically and coughed a bit…

"We sat on the pier, listened to accordion play… Waves were hitting the shore…
What I dreamt about, can't really remember… But I know how happy I was…
Sure thing is that my dreams so old… never had the chance to come true…
Oh, how I long to see my friend again… Fate had us part our ways…

"Sons of Eagle without wings… rocked by the storms of wide world…
So far behind us are days of our youth… No way to get them back…
Songs of wind, only those I can hear… Nothing more beautiful do I know…

"Quiet accordion, only memories… plays to the table of lonely man…
I wouldn't be here sitting down… if I weren't a stranger…
Friend, come and join me for moment… even when you are unknown…
Once these sails of mine and darkened… once they white were…

"My friend, listen as my companion… as if the waves roll by…
In the night like ships we meet… until we glide away again…
Perhaps to someone I may tell… shattered dreams of mine…
Far didn't wings carry after all… of wounded eagle young…

A/N: So I was bored and wrote up some song lyrics again... Translated an old favourite song of mine actually. The song's name is Kotkan poikii ilman siipii by Juha Vainio and you can search it from youtube if you want to hear the melody. It's quite melancholic yet somewhat appropriate way to end this fic.

Replies to anon reviews:

-Tsuki:
Indeed. The differences between books and movies are very confusing. Thank you and you're welcome! Hope to see you reading the sequel fic as well once I get around writing it!