riordanverse · demigods · camp half-blood · ensemble cast · holiday setting · friendship · magic · adventure · surprise visit · percy jackson
Snow falls in thick, silent flakes, blanketing the winding driveway of a white Victorian farmhouse. The house stands alone, surrounded by ginkgo and oak trees, their bare branches etched in white. Blue shingles peek through the snow; dead bushes line the foundation. Most curtains are drawn, but a light glows from a top window and a larger one overlooking the front. A minivan rolls to a stop, crunching the fresh snow. The door opens, and Percy steps out, breath misting. "Well, here we are," he says, eyes fixed on the house. One by one, the others emerge—Hazel, hand in Frank's, marveling at the scene; Annabeth, analyzing the architecture; Leo, bouncing under a striped scarf; Jason, patting his head; Piper, laughing; Nico, last, stuffing hands in his pockets, nose and cheeks flushed red. T…