"I don't know what's wrong. Something's wrong, I- I just don't know what," Percy said, gazing back at the lake.

"Probably just need some sleep. Even half gods need to rest at some point." Ron said.

"Yeah."

Harry, Ron, and Percy walked back towards the camp, away from the lake.

~~~

Percy groggily woke up in his sleeping bag. He stared up at the light blue sky.

He needed to Iris Message Annabeth about what happened last night. The only times his powers didn't work was when there was strong opposing forces controlling him.

He rubbed his eyes, before rolling over onto his stomach and reaching for his bag to grab a drachma.

Percy willed the water inside his water bottle to come out as a mist.

Nothing happened.

Percy closed his eyes, and waited for the familiar tug in his gut that came along with bending water.

He waited.

No tug.

Percy swore and chucked the drachma.

Sitting up, he grabbed his wand, and went to cast a rainbow. It was then Percy realized two things: A) he never paid attention in class and B) he didn't know the latin word for rainbow.

Percy groaned. Sure, he could make up a fake spell to breathe underwater, but when he actually needed a real one, none came to mind.

"Percy is everything alright?" Percy whipped around to see Hermione staring at him.

Percy shook his head in frustration. "I need to Iris Message Annabeth."

Hermione hesitantly nodded. "Okay."

Seconds of silence passed. "I can't use my powers."

Another few seconds. "Okay." Hermione walked closer to Percy and offered him her hand.

Percy stared at the outreached hand. "Okay? That's it? Hermione- I, I can't..."

"I know. And we'll figure it out. But Percy, until then, you're still an incredibly powerful demigod. We'll figure this out. We will." Hermione comforted.

Percy let out a shaky breath, as tears lay on the brim of his eyes.

Then his face hardened, and he felt himself settle back into post- giant war Percy. Anger boiled inside of chest, as he suddenly hated everything that his life had become, and everyone that played a part in it.

It wasn't fair that after everything he had done, this is what he got.

He felt himself drift away from what he knew to be true.

Inwardly fighting with himself, Percy pushed those thoughts away, and grabbed Hermione's hand; offering a small smile in return.

"I'll create the rainbow for you," Hermione said.

Percy nodded, slowly walking over to where he threw the drachma. Bending down, he picked it up, and jogged back towards Hermione.

Hermione muttered a spell, and with a wave of her wand, a rainbow formed.

Percy took a deep breath. "Oh Fleecy, do me a solid: Show me Annabeth Chase at Hogwarts." Percy tossed in the drachma.

The coin fell through the rainbow and bounced onto the ground.

Percy and Hermione stared.

"Did you...say it right?" Hermione asked cautiously.

Percy nodded. Picking up the coin, he recited it again; this time adding please in front of "show me".

The rainbow flickered as the drachma fell to the ground. The rainbow disappeared.

"...Maybe she's busy?"

"Something's wrong."

Hermione looked over worriedly at Percy.

Percy felt dread spread throughout his body. He felt a sinking feeling in his chest. Something was wrong. Very wrong. He picked up the coin.

"Percy?"

Percy shook his head. "First my powers, then Iris Messaging doesn't work. Iris she- if this doesn't work, it means she can't be contacted." Percy looked from the drachma in his hand, to Hermione's worried face. "Something's wrong on Olympus. That's the only explanation."

"And your powers?"

Percy twisted the ring on his finger. "I don't know."

~~~

Harry and Ron walked through the forest gathering firewood.

"Remind me again on why we didn't wake Percy up and make him come out with us?"

Ron laughed, picking up a small log. "He had a rough night and needs to rest."

Harry picked up a branch and continued walking with Ron. "We all did. I felt Voldemort inside my head."

"We all swam in the bloody lake Harry. You're not special."

Harry and Ron laughed.

They picked up a few more sticks.

~~~

Percy and Hermione sat in front of the nearly smoldered fire.

"I wonder..."

Percy looked up. "What?"

"You said that monsters were attracted to your scent. And the stronger the demigod, the stronger the scent, right?"

Percy nodded.

"What if- what if without your powers, your scent lessened? Which is why less monsters have attacked you. I mean by now, you would have fought them like ten times."

Percy sat thinking. "I mean, yeah, I guess it's possible. To be honest, I don't really know how it all works."

"Maybe this was a blessing in disguise- maybe it'll help with the quest."

Percy chuckled dryly. "Messed up way to help." Percy picked up a rock, "And besides," He threw the stone, "How would they have even disappeared? It makes no sense." Percy picked up and chucked another stone into the forest.

Hermione hummed in agreement.

Percy continued picking up small rocks and throwing them into the forest. "What if this was meant to happen?"

Hermione turned to look at him. "How do you mean?"

"The prophecy. The last line says: one will lose what the other will gain."

"Maybe."

"You don't think so?" Percy asked. "If anything, it's the only thing that would make sense."

Hermione fiddled with a pebble. "Okay. So say that's what the line refers to. Then who gains your powers? It doesn't even explain how you lost them, or how they gained them in the first place."

"Yeah, I guess." Percy threw another stone.

"And if that's the case, then the other line- into realm of darkness one will fall- would that refer to what happened last night? I mean, it was dark when you fell into the lake."

Percy shook his head. "No, cause Harry fell too. The prophecy says one, not two." Percy began to twist his ring. Annabeth would know what it meant, he thought.

Hermione groaned in frustration. "This is ridiculous," Hermione said as she got up.

"Where're you going?" Percy asked, getting up to follow.

Hermione looked Percy in the eyes. "I just- I need some time to work through this."

Percy nodded, knowing all too well the signs of someone wanting to be alone. "I'll be here when you get back."

Hermione smiled and nodded. She then walked towards the edge of their campsite, into the forest.

Percy plopped down onto the ground.

Picking up another rock, he skipped it against the dirt floor into the forest.