If you want to read ahead by 20+ chapters you could take a visit on my patreon Or check it out.
http://patreon.com/SageOf016
--------
With Percy, in the quiet corner of the room with the Fates...
"W-what are you three doing here?" Percy asked, his voice barely a whisper. The old, familiar fear of inescapable death, of crushing prophecy, and of a destiny he could not control rattled around inside his head like loose stones.
"We came to you to warn you, Perseus," the Fate in the middle spoke, her voice dry and ancient.
"Your actions here, in this time, have impacted the weave of destiny more than you know," the Fate on the right added, her eyes unblinking.
"Your mere presence in this specific time is... breaking destiny, thread by thread," the third Fate, on the left, finished.
Percy's eyes narrowed, a flicker of defiance sparking within his fear. "But I did not do anything! I have been careful!"
"You are leading in the tournament," the middle Fate stated simply, as if it was a crime.
"And if all goes according to the current, altered plan, you will win this tournament by the end of the night," the right Fate continued.
"That outcome... cannot happen," the left Fate declared, her voice devoid of any emotion.
"It is Harry Potter's destiny to win this particular contest. It always has been, from the beginning," the middle Fate stated.
Percy's eyes went wide with shock and disbelief. "W-what?! But... why?! He is just a kid!"
"Harry Potter is a child of destiny-" the middle Fate began.
"-Much like you once were," the right Fate interjected smoothly.
"Only his true journey, his great burden, is only just beginning. And it properly begins tonight... You have no choice in this matter, Perseus. He must be the one to touch the Triwizard Cup first. Not you. Do you understand the gravity of this?" the left Fate concluded, her gaze piercing.
Percy looked at them, three pairs of ancient, knowing eyes looking right at him, staring deep into his very soul, seeing all his fears and doubts. Slowly, feeling the weight of their words, the demigod nodded, his shoulders slumping slightly. "I... I understand."
And then, suddenly, just like that, as if they were never really there at all, they were gone. No puff of smoke, no fading away, no sound, nothing. They were simply... gone. Vanished.
Percy turned and walked back towards the others, his steps feeling heavy, like he was wading through thick mud. He turned his gaze towards Harry.
The boy was smiling and laughing, completely oblivious, as Sirius, still in his dog form, affectionately rubbed his big head up against Harry's side.
Percy knew Harry was important, of course. He was the Boy-Who-Lived. Voldemort himself had made him important, marked him out.
But to think that Harry had a destiny on the same monumental, world-altering level as Percy himself once did?
The demigod could never have imagined a mortal, even a wizard, having to carry the same kind of crushing burden that he had once borne. He looked at the boy, so carefree and happy in that moment.
Destiny was lurking right around the corner, ready to bite him hard... and Harry had absolutely no idea it was coming.
Percy walked back to where Fleur was standing with Hecate, his head still spinning with the terrifying knowledge he had just acquired.
"Percy? Percy, is everything alright?" the French veela asked, her voice laced with genuine concern as she saw his pale face and distracted expression.
Percy looked at her, trying to force a reassuring smile, but it probably looked more like a grimace. "Y-yeah... yeah, everything is fine... I guess."
"Well, this certainly has been a most... wonderful experience," Pierre Delacour snorted, his earlier disapproval still evident.
"Fleur, my dear, we will have to go now. Our allotted time is almost up. But please know, we will all be cheering for you with all our hearts tonight."
"But papa! I 'ave not gone flying with horsey yet!" Gabby whined, her lower lip trembling.
"Oh, hush now, my dear," Apolline Delacour said gently, rubbing her youngest daughter's soft blonde hair. "I am sure Percy and your sister need all the time they can get now for preparing properly for tonight's very important task."
"Do you really 'ave to leave zo zoon?" Fleur asked, sneaking a quick, worried peak at Percy, who was still zoned out, staring at the floor. "We-we 'ave not even really spoken properly about... you know... about Percy and I."
"We will, my darling, I promise you," Pierre said, his gaze also shifting to the distracted boy who, just moments before, had been as cheerful as a bird, but now was unable to even look up from the floor. "I find I have a great deal more to discuss with this... interesting young man in the future."
The Delacour family then left, Fleur walking them out to the main hall. This left Percy and Hecate alone for a moment. The goddess of magic immediately whirled on Percy, her eyes sharp and demanding. "What did those old crones say to you?"
"I-I 'ave to throw the last task," Percy gulped, his voice barely audible. "Harry... Harry is the one who 'as to win. It is... it is his destiny, they said."
Hecate looked over at Harry, who was now happily chatting with Mrs. Weasley, a worried frown creasing her usually smooth brow. She then turned back to Percy. "Did they say he has to win? Those exact words, Percy? Think carefully."
Percy paused, replaying their words in his mind. "Yes, they... wait," he stopped, his eyes widening slightly. "No... no, they did not say 'win', actually. They said 'he had to be the first one to touch the Triwizard Cup'... whatever that means."
"That means," Hecate said immediately, her mind clearly working at lightning speed, striking a dramatic thinker's pose, one hand on her hip, the other stroking her chin, "that they are giving us a chance! A loophole!" She snapped her fingers.
"The Fates are not nearly as neutral or impartial as everyone in the universe believes them to be, nephew. They choose sides. They always have, and they always will. Why else do you possibly think that old fool Zeus still has his head attached to his shoulders after all the incredibly stupid, infuriating stunts he has pulled over the millennia?"
Percy raised an eyebrow, a glimmer of hope sparking within him. "So... so you think they might 'ave been trying to give me a clue? A way around it?"
Hecate nodded decisively. "Yes, I am almost certain of it. They said he has to touch the cup first, meaning that particular part of his destiny is probably inevitable, unchangeable. But... they never said anything at all about you being unable to be there with him when he does it. If you both touch the cup at the very exact same time... then technically, his destiny will still be fulfilled. He will have touched it. All you have to do, Percy, is make absolutely sure you are there, right beside him, when that moment happens."
Percy nodded slowly, the idea taking root. "Yeah... yeah, I think I can probably manage that. It will be tricky, but possible. But... what if I do not make it in time? What if, just by some horrible chance, I get held up in the maze and he reaches it before I do?"
--------
Guys new fic is up: demigod x gamer. You can check it out from my profile or from the author note below.
If you want to read ahead by 20+ chapters you could take a visit on my patreon Or check it out.
http://patreon.com/SageOf016