The Demigod King; Book 2

"Opposites Attract"

Nico POV

He collapsed onto the grass field. His friends burst from the shadows of a tree in the field, all in the ring formation except for the spot where Nico had collapsed. Will ran over to the son of Hades. A patch of dead grass spread from his body where he'd fallen.

Will tipped nectar into Nico's mouth. The son of Hades drank it greedily until he was steady enough to stand again. 

"So how do we do this?" Harry asked, pulling out his wand.

"Let's start with something simple," Piper suggested. 

Annabeth bit her lip. "What if...Jason, try flying, and maybe one of the wizards can shoot a Levitating Charm at you? I don't know if that will even do anything, but..." she shrugged. "Might as well try."

Hermione stepped forward and raised her wand. 

Jason jumped off the ground and hovered a few feet up, his hands splayed out like a flying Jesus.

"Wingardium Leviosa!" Hermione said, swishing a flicking her wand with expertise. They all waited expectantly, but nothing happened. Jason continued to hover normally. Hermione frowned and lowered her wand, looking disappointed.

Ron tried, but still nothing extraordinary happened.

The demigods and wizards looked at each other helplessly.

"I guess we were wrong," Leo said. 

Harry stepped forward, raising his wand. "Let me try," he offered. He pointed his wand at Jason, narrowed his eyes with concentration, and said, "Wingardium Leviosa!"

Jason shot up into the air with incredible speed, whooping with joy. "Whoa!" He yelled, now fifty feet above the ground. "Guys, this is crazy!" He floated back down, landing gently on the grass.

"What happened?" Annabeth asked, running over to him.

"It was so weird," Jason replied, staring at his arms. "Like, normally when I fly, it's not really flying, it's just..." he struggled for words. "It's like I'm riding the winds, floating on air currents. But that was effortless like I was literally just flying. It took no energy at all, it was easy like snapping my fingers."

Hermione beamed. "With the normal charm, all it does is make objects float, no more than a few feet high. But coupled with your powers..."

"It accentuated them," Frank guessed. "Wow. Wait, but why did it only work for Harry?"

"I've been asking myself that for years," Ron mumbled.

Harry shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe let's try to see if we can do it with other people's powers?"

Leo jumped forward. "Ooh, me! I want to try!"

Ron lifted his wand. "Lovely. What's your power again?"

"Fire," Leo said excitedly, lighting balls of fire in his palms.

A mischevious grin stretched across Ron's face. He pointed his wand at Leo and yelled, "Confringo!"

Nothing happened. "Oh, come on!" Ron snapped frustratedly.

This time, Hermione tried the spell.

Leo's body burst into flame. "WOAH!" He yelled, flapping his flaming arms. "Yo guys, that wasn't me!"

Hermione cocked her head at Leo and flicked her wand. Blue flames shot from Leo's hands, striking a tree and sending it toppling to the ground.

"Oh my gods!" Leo yelled.

"What the bloody hell was that?" Ron asked Hermione in shock.

"Bluebell flames charm," she replied, shrugging. "Wasn't expecting that."

"So is this like a spell that only I'm not getting?" Ron asked in frustration.

Annabeth shook her head. "I don't think so. I have a theory. Harry, can you cast some sort of Transfiguration spell at Frank?"

Harry shrugged and waved his wand.

Frank looked down at his still-human-body.

Annabeth nodded. "That's what I thought. I think that the reason this is only working with some people is because they're forming a sort of...I don't know, partnership. I think it's a specific pairing thing. Like, Hermione is very tactical while Leo is more...free. And Jason is very confident where Harry is less sure."

"Thanks?" Harry said, scratching his neck uncomfortably.

"I think what Annabeth means to say is that these pairings have a reason," Hazel summed up.

Ron nodded. "Right, so I'm chaotic good. Do we have a lawful evil here?"

Everyone stared at Nico.

"What?" He snapped.

Leo shrugged. "I mean, you are chaotic."

Nico uncrossed his arms and glared at him. "And you're calling me evil?"

"Leo just means that you're the closest to Ron's opposite," Will said.

Nico's shoulders relaxed. "Oh, cool. Thanks."

"Hey!" Ron protested.

Hazel rolled her eyes. "Anyway, you two would probably work best, if this opposites attract pairing is what's going."

Nico looked between Ron and Hazel. "Oh hell no," he said. "I am not partnering with a mortal. No way."

"Come on, Nico, we aren't going to get anywhere if we don't work together."

"What is this, 1940s war propaganda? Are we selling bonds right now?" Nico snapped.

Harry ignored him. "Look, Nico, I thought our quest proved that wizards can help. We can get along."

"Fine," Nico growled. "Shoot me. Don't you have a killing spell or something? Let's try that, since I'm evil now."

Ron looked scandalized. "I can't do the Avada Kedavra! It'll split my soul!"

Nico shrugged. "My soul hasn't been intact for years and I'm fine."

Ron raised his eyebrows at Nico.

"What about deprimo? The ground shattering spell?" Harry suggested.

Ron looked intrigued. He raised his wand and gestured to Nico. 

Nico sighed and held out his hand to the ground. "Okay, on three. 1, 2, 3!" Nico thrust upward with his hand at the same time that Ron yelled, "deprimo!"

The dirt blasted upwards, creating a massive explosion that knocked everyone off their feet and sent earth rocketing around fifty feet into the air.

Ron laughed in glee. "Did you guys see that?" He cried triumphantly.

Annabeth smirked. "I think we've found the perfect pairing."

Nico groaned. "I don't need a mortal's help to be powerful," he insisted.

"Nico," Will scolded.

Nico rolled his eyes. He held out his hand to Ron. "Fine. Partners?"

Ron nodded and shook Nico's hand. The demigod's grip must have been particularly firm because Ron winced in pain.

"Okay, let's try some other spells," Frank said, clapping his hands.

"I don't think you'll get that chance," an eons-old voice boomed.

The demigods spun around to see a figure approaching them. It was Percy, but it wasn't. He was dressed in black leather, twin swords strapped to his back. Black smoke trailed behind him, seeming to hiss from his body. The black veins and eyes blazed dark as ever. 

Percy cracked his knuckles, flashing a sadistic grin at the demigods. "Bring it," he hissed.