The sunlight filtered through the curtains, casting a faint glow in the room. The smell of herbs and tea floated in the air.
In one of the beds lay a boy with black hair, suffering from serious wounds. He murmured unintelligible words every now and then.
"Aaahhrgh, it hurts so much."
I tried to open my eyes several times, but they felt very heavy. I managed to open them with some effort, and the first thing I saw wasn't the familiar white beds, not even the... no, wait, yes, it was that.
"Where am I?" I murmured, feeling a strong pain in my head. "Did I die? No, if I had, my head wouldn't hurt so much."
'I wonder who rescued me? If I remember correctly, I was about to die when...'
'Shessh~ my head hurts a lot; I can't clearly remember what happened.'
After thinking a bit, I proceeded to look at the state of my body and found myself wrapped in bandages. A feeling of confusion overtook me. My memories were fragmented; visions of dark shadows. Soon, I remembered everything.
"Ahem!"
Suddenly, I heard a gentle cough beside me. As I turned my head, I saw an old man sitting in a carved wooden chair, holding a steaming cup of tea in one hand and some strange-looking snacks in the other.
"Oh! It seems you've awakened, young friend. Would you like to enjoy a lemon drop? They are muggle sweets, quite tasty if I may say."
"Uh... A what?" I lost focus for a moment and responded unconsciously.
"A lemon drop," he said seriously as he popped one into his mouth.
"No, thank you... but... tell me, are you the one who saved my life?"
The old man just nodded slightly, his eyes shining with deep wisdom.
"I am Albus Dumbledore. You should know me from the admission letter that reached your hands," he replied with a kind smile that lit up his wrinkled face. "And you, dear friend, have had quite an intense experience."
I felt like I knew this old man from somewhere; he seemed very familiar.
When I heard his name, I quickly recognized where from. I not only knew about him from the Harry Potter books, but just a few days earlier, I had received a letter mentioning his identity: an old man who seemed kind to both humans and animals: Albus Dumbledore.
Of course, thinking of him this way would be a complete mistake. He was the headmaster of the school of magic and wizardry, the most powerful white wizard of the century.
Among the other titles attributed to him, no one would dare to underestimate him.
From what little I remembered about the Harry Potter stories, this old man had been a key figure in the fight against dark forces.
"I see, the headmaster of the school of magic and wizardry, right? Thank you very much for saving me...". Although I felt very nervous after knowing who this character was, I managed to thank him correctly; after all, he had saved my life, and it would be very rude not to do so.
"Indeed, Mr. Jackson. But for now, the most important thing is that you are well," he said as he leaned forward. "I found you in a critical state after facing a Fury. Your bravery was remarkable."
When I heard my name, I felt a bit tense. But hearing his opinion about me made me feel a little depressed.
"Bravery? I was just trying not to die in the attempt; besides, I was forced at all times," I murmured, remembering the dark shadow I had faced, the same one that had haunted the heroes of my favorite stories.
At first, when I found out that I was in Rick Riordan's world, I imagined myself as one of those great heroes who fought valiantly.
But after yesterday's battle, I realized that I was afraid... The first thing I did when facing it wasn't to fight; I simply ran away with all my might.
Dumbledore nodded in approval.
"Young wizard. Remember this: courage is not the absence of fear, but the decision to move forward despite it." As he spoke, he dipped one of the candies in the tea and ate it with delight while he continued.
"There's nothing shameful in fleeing from an opponent you cannot defeat. What matters is that, in the end, you fought to protect what is important to you; every great hero starts by taking the first step. And you, my friend, have already taken that step by facing your fears."
Hearing his words, I looked out the window towards the horizon, where the sun was beginning to rise, tinting the sky with golden and orange hues.
I felt a mix of fear and excitement bubbling inside me.
"Thank you."
"Hmm? I don't know what you mean," he said playfully, winking at me. "But after this incident, you need to realize that you are something special."
"Well, that monster called me..." Leo hesitated a bit before saying it.
"Demigod... right? But you shouldn't be afraid; you're not alone in this. There's much more at stake than you realize."
"More at stake? What do you mean?" I asked, feeling anxiety start to take hold of me.
Dumbledore leaned back in his chair and gazed out the window for a moment before answering. "What you faced was not just a simple monster. It was a Fury, a servant of Hades. Your life has been intertwined with forces much greater than you believed."
"That sounds... terrifying," I admitted, trying to process his words.
Leo nodded in affirmation but quickly asked with concern:
"What happened to the monster? And what about the others? Are they okay?" recalling the orphanage and the friends he had left behind.
"As one of Hades' most ardent servants, these creatures can come and go from the Underworld. As for the people in the orphanage... you don't have to worry. They are all safe."
"They're safe," Dumbledore assured. "The Mist took care of protecting their memories. They won't remember what happened that night."
"Ah, right. The Mist is a force controlled by a god; its main function is to make 'mortals' unable to see mythical things clearly, so instead, they see things their minds can comprehend."
"That's a relief," I murmured softly.
When Dumbledore finished his monologue, he had a slightly dry mouth.
He took another cup of tea, and silence fell for a while. In the end, I was the one who couldn't help but break it.
"What do you mean by... me being a demigod...?"
"You are a demigod, Leo. Son of a god and a mortal."
I nodded. Although I knew a lot about the subject, it's always better to understand this world and how it differs from the previous one.
"Well. To begin with, you need to know what gods are..." What followed was a talk I was already familiar with.
Thanks to it, Leo could conclude that he was definitely in the lore described in the world created by Rick Riordan.
And this, furthermore, was a kind of fusion between two worlds: his and the books written by J.K. Rowling.
Although he still did not know if there was anyone named Percy Jackson, if there really was, he would be a year younger than him. That is, in two years, in 1993, the plot of "The Lost Lightning of Zeus" would begin.
However, after learning all this, Leo still had a strange feeling, as if not everything was as simple as it seemed. As if some piece was missing from the puzzle.
For that reason, his top priority now was to grow stronger, enough to be able to choose his destiny or, at least, prevent it from being in someone else's hands.
A few minutes passed; he assumed Dumbledore was waiting for him to say something. So, after lifting his head, the old man continued his talk, this time with a more serious expression.
"Normally, all these 'beings' tend to roam in the West, where the Blaze: Olympus is located."
"The gods, although powerful, have many restrictions that prevent them from using all their power. That's why they often have children to help them carry out certain... errands."
"I don't know why you're here, but those monsters won't stop until they hunt you down."
Leo understood what Dumbledore meant, but it was something he had been expecting ever since he thought he had been reborn in the Percy Jackson books. Moreover, there was something only he knew: they were looking for him not because of his identity — or at least not just because of that — but undoubtedly because of the mysterious pendant he had obtained during his rebirth.
Despite his desire to directly ask Dumbledore about its origin, he knew that being reckless wouldn't lead to anything good; he always felt that Dumbledore was hiding something from him.
"I just want you to know that you have nothing to worry about. You'll be safe at Hogwarts. Classes will begin in a month; remember to go to Platform Nine and Three-Quarters. I'm looking forward to seeing which house you'll be sorted into, Mr. Jackson."
After saying these words, he stood up and before leaving through the door, he remembered something and turned to look at Leo.
"I left you a potion from Madam Pomfrey on the table, a very nice lady. She's the school nurse; you'll meet her later... Drink it, and you'll recover faster."
"I'll see you at Hogwarts, Mr. Jackson."
When he finished speaking, he vanished in a wave of fire. Leo was somewhat surprised and let out a sigh of relief; the pressure of being in front of Albus Dumbledore was no simple matter.
Besides, he remembered that Dumbledore could read minds, so during the entire conversation he hadn't dared to look him in the eyes. He calmed himself and then furrowed his brow again.
Although he was still in considerable pain, he contemplated the thick potion that was bubbling and had a dark green color. He thought a little pain was nothing he couldn't handle...
---
September 1st.
It was a cold morning, and a young man at the train station known as King's Cross was staring at a wall with doubts.
This young man, of course, was Leo. After recovering and leaving the hospital, he didn't know where to go for a while. He didn't go to the orphanage, as that could endanger them, so he sent a letter explaining not to worry and that he was fine.
Although Dumbledore had explained to him during their conversation that as long as he didn't use his magic they shouldn't be able to find him, he decided not to take that risk.
As for his luggage, it seemed Dumbledore had worked his magic: aside from the wand and a backpack with some clothes that were on the table when he woke up, the rest had been sent ahead to Hogwarts.
Regarding how he spent this month... no, he didn't live under a bridge. With some money, he rented a small shared apartment and survived on hamburgers.
This month wasn't as unproductive as it seemed; when he recovered and was discharged, he realized his body felt slightly different...
Overall, his physique had undergone a radical change. His skin felt like steel, hard to damage, and he felt stronger and more agile. His reflexes were on another level, and his recovery ability had also accelerated.
Leo remembered the blow he had landed on Fury before losing consciousness. Upon checking his pendant, he noticed the panel had changed.
Demigod Physique (Semi-Awake) changed to:
==> Demigod Physique (Awake).
Although Poseidon was not a god known for his strength, he was still one of the three greats. Leo estimated that as his body grew over the years, he would only become stronger and stronger.
Undoubtedly, this was a pleasant surprise; he finally had some strength to rely on in this world.
However, he didn't let a momentary joy carry him away and soon began to train. In his free time, he visited the local library and read several books about swordsmanship. He chose a wooden stick with an appropriate weight and practiced whenever he had the chance.
Now, a month later, he found himself sear ching for Platform Nine and Three-Quarters.
After waiting for a while, he finally figured out where to go, thanks to a lady walking by complaining about the "muggles."
"... full of muggles, of course," she murmured.
Leo looked closely and saw the woman, who was heading towards four red-haired boys, some of whom had freckles on their faces. Each was pushing a trunk with their luggage, very different from Leo, who carried empty hands.
He remembered who they were: according to his memories, they should be the Weasley family.
He silently stood nearby to listen to what they were saying. Suddenly, he heard a sound behind him. When he turned around, he came across a small boy wearing glasses.
It seemed he wasn't the only one wanting to listen. So, in a tacit understanding, they decided not to say anything and listen attentively.
"And now, what's the platform number?" asked the mother.
"Nine and three-quarters!" answered a little girl beside the woman.
"Mum, can't I go...?"
"You're not old enough, Ginny. Now stay still. Alright, Percy, you go first."
She pointed to the one who seemed to be the oldest. To the astonished looks of Leo and the dark-haired boy, Percy bumped into the wall and... Well, no; he simply walked through it as if it were a mirage.
Then, one by one, in order from oldest to youngest, the boys passed through. Leo, who already knew how to enter quickly, decided to ask.
"Excuse me, ma'am, do you mind if I go first?"
"Huh? You mean to enter?"
He simply nodded.
"So where's your luggage, dear? Did it get lost or something? Maybe I can help."
"It's nothing like that; my stuff is already on the train. The rest I carry here," I said while showing my small backpack.
"Then it's like this. Well, don't worry; you just have to go straight between those two signs. Take care," the lady explained kindly.
I nodded and walked slowly towards the wall. I hesitated a bit before extending my arm; after feeling that nothing strange was happening, I just walked through the barrier and quickly entered.
---
Not long after Leo passed, a very similar conversation occurred.
"Excuse me."
"Hello, dear. First year at Hogwarts too? No? Ron is new as well," said the mother, pointing to the youngest of her sons. He was tall, skinny, and freckled, with large hands and feet and a long nose.
"Yes," replied the dark-haired boy. "The thing is... I don't know how...".
"How to get to the platform?" the mother asked kindly.
The boy nodded his head.
"Don't worry; did you see what the other boy did?" He nodded again.
"Well... The only thing you have to do is go straight toward the barrier between those two platforms and walk through. If you're scared, it's better to go in with a run."
"Um... Okay."
He pushed his cart and headed toward the barrier. He started walking and then ran, just as he was about to collide with the apparent solid wall.
Ready for the impact... However, he didn't feel like he had hit anything.
He kept moving forward and, when he opened his eyes, he found himself in front of a scarlet steam locomotive waiting on a crowded platform.
Above his head, a sign announced:
"Hogwarts Express, 11 AM."
He looked around in awe, and when he turned back, he saw a metal sign that read:
"Platform Nine and Three-Quarters."
'I've finally arrived... Hogwarts!'