I don't own Percy Jackson, Kane Chronicles or Harry Potter.

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I grimaced as Leo finished winding the strap around my wrist. I had spent the past hour and a half lying in sickbay as Leo fixed me up as best as possible.

After so much Ambrosia and Nectar that I had started to smoke, hundreds of scars and faint bruises now covered my skin, not to mention a light rash. Yeah, that was the result of an hour and a half.

However, I was no longer covered in thousands - even millions - of constantly painful wounds that never allowed me a single moment of comfort, so I consider it a victory. The infection was retreating, as well, and had decided to take residence in my ankle, which Leo had decided to leave until last to deal with for reasons he hadn't shared. For some reason, whenever he looked at it, his gaze became so sad that I couldn't bear to ask why.

Currently, he was focused on my wrist. Somehow, Leo had managed to slide the bone shard through my skin and back in place to where it was supposed to be. And yes, it was excruciating for me to endure. But Leo only had to finish strapping up my wrist, and then he could focus on my most serious injury.

The son of Hephaestus wrapped the strap firmly around my wrist and my hand a few more times, pressing the splint (a scrap piece of Celestial Bronze) firmly but not painfully against my wrist. He fastened the strap and stepped back.

"How does it feel?" he asked anxiously. I understood his concern. As a demigod fighting a war, I needed to be able to use all of my limbs. Otherwise, people could - would - die.

I tested my wrist hesitantly. I couldn't move it too much because of the splint, but I waved my hand around and flexed my fingers. It ached a bit, but other than that, it felt fine. Leo had done an excellent job.

"It's fine," I said. "A bit sore, but fine. You did well."

The door to the sickbay opened, and in came Hazel, followed by Ginny.

'How are you feeling?" Wise Girl asked as she pecked me on the cheek. I smiled at her.

"A bit sore, but that's to be expected, honestly," I said. My ankle is the last thing that needs to be fixed."

"Good," came Reyna's voice, and we all turned to see her walk in through the door. Her brown eyes were stern, but underneath, I could see her concern. "Because we will all need to be functioning at 110%, very soon."

Leo shook his head. "It's not that simple. Reyna," he said, his voice tense. "Harry's ankle... the bone has already begun the healing process."

"But that's good, right?" asked Hazel. Ginny, however, gasped in shock, and her hands flew to her mouth in horror.

Leo shook his head. "The bone is sticking out of Harry's ankle," he explained grimly," which means that it has healed in the wrong place. I can't...."

Here, Leo took a deep breath, his voice becoming shaky. Slowly, the truth dawned on me - a lump formed in my throat.

"I can't fix it," said Leo quietly, his hands trembling as he gripped the side of my bed. "I'm sorry, Harry. There's just no way to re-break the ankle in exactly the right place that the healing progress is undone." He turned to me with a mournful gaze, and I hated the look of misery on his usually cheerful face.

"You'll have to amputate it," I said quietly, the weight of it settling on my shoulders, heavier than the Sky. Leo gave a quiet nod.

I looked out the window, refusing to meet anyone's eyes. Ginny took my hand, her fingers trembling as she clutched at me, trying to give me the support that she so desperately needed herself.

"Harry," she whispered, her voice croaky. "I'm so sorry."

I took a deep, shuddering breath, then turned back to Leo, who was trembling. His hands were white as they gripped the edge of my bed.

"What about a prosthetic?" I asked, my voice suddenly hoarse. I furiously tried to swallow the lump in my throat, but I was there to stay.

Leo swallowed. "I still have some leftover Celestial Bronze from the repairs we had to do last month, and I can create a prosthetic... but I won't be able to create a full foot. You'll have to settle with a peg."

I took a deep breath and tried to calm myself. My mind was racing at a thousand miles an hour. This wasn't a choice that I could make. I wasn't being given two options to choose from. This was a sacrifice that I had to make.

I had considered the possibility during the ride through the Doors of Death, but now that I was facing it, it seemed so much more real.

"Okay," I breathed in, then out, releasing the breath slowly. "Okay."

I turned to look at Leo. "How long until the prosthetic is ready?"

Leo gulped. "I won't be able to start until I have the measurements, and I can't get the measurements until the foot has been removed and the stump sealed over... I could have it ready by the end of the day, maybe?"

I trembled slightly as I nodded. Ginny gripped my hand tightly, and I clung to her for dear life.

I didn't want to admit it, but I was scared.

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My eyes fluttered open as light streamed through the window, and I quickly became aware of the beautiful redhead sitting next to me, her hand clutching mine as she rested her head on my shoulder. She was fast asleep.

On my left sat Leo, fast asleep in his chair. I didn't doubt that he would have a very sore back when he woke up.

The rest of the Seven, Nico, Coach Hedge and Reyna, sat in chairs around my bed, all fast asleep. It seemed that after Ginny had spelled me to sleep for the amputation, everyone had sat down around me as emotional support.

It made me wonder how long I had been asleep.

Wait... the amputation!

Hesitantly, I pushed myself up on my elbow to look down at my foot. My jeans were rolled up to my knee, revealing the prosthetic to full view.

My foot was cut off at the top of the shin, about ten centimetres below the knee. The stump was smoothly sealed-over in Celestial Bronze, and from the very centre of the stump protruded a peg leg.

It was 30 centimetres long and shaped like a very thin square prism. Each side was 1 centimetre in width, and it ended in a sharp point. Overall, it was a deadly but simple design.

Letting go of Ginny's hand, I sat up slowly and hesitantly moved my leg. I felt no pain. Slowly, I slid my legs over the side of my bed, letting them hang down to rest on the floor.

Taking a deep breath, I slowly pushed myself to my feet. Instantly, I felt a searing pain in my leg, where flesh met metal. I hissed in pain and stumbled. Immediately, Jason was awake and stepping forward to support me.

"I'm fine, I'm fine," I muttered, balancing on my right foot. Jason led me back to the bed, and I leaned against him as I sat back down.

"Take it easy," He soothed. "Rest."

"I don't have time to rest!" I protested. "We're neck-deep in war, in case you haven't noticed!"

"I know, Harry," Jason said earnestly. "I know. But you need to wait until Leo wakes up so he can give it a once-over and make sure everything fits. If it's too tight or too loose, then you won't be able to walk properly, much less run."

His gaze softened at my stubborn expression. "We can walk to the window and back. How's that?"

"Fine," I grumbled and reluctantly let Jason pull me to my feet. Bracing myself for the pain, I took one painful step forward, hissing as the wound seared. Jason supported me as I limped over to the window and looked out at the view.

Trees swayed in the breeze, and the sun beamed down on the hillside. It was peaceful, and I could've stayed there for hours, looking out at the view. It was the stark opposite of Tartarus - quiet, soothing, safe.

"It's the Acheron, you know," I said.

"Huh?" asked Jason.

"The river," I explained. "It's the mortal side of the River Acheron. The River of Pain."

Jason was silent. "What was it like down there?" he asked softly.

A shudder ran through my body, and I closed my eyes as images ran through my mind. Arachne, Kelli, the arai, Nyx, and the Doors of Death. My terrible nightmare and the endless trek across the blistering wasteland.

"..arry? Harry? You okay?"

I was snapped out of my flashback as Jason gently shook my shoulders. I turned to him with a haunted look in my eyes.

"It was horrible, Jason," I said softly. "I was absolutely horrible. It was hot and dark, and there were times when I didn't think that I would make it out alive. Every step was painful, and at first, I couldn't even breathe without hurting. Everything down there was designed to hurt and kill."

Jason was silent. "I'm sorry," he said quietly. "You shouldn't have had to go through that."

I said nothing in response. What could I say to that? It was true. I shouldn't have had to. But since when had the Fates cared about should?

I was brought out of my thoughts by the searing pain in my shin. I glanced down to see that where the skin met metal was slightly inflamed, and I cursed in Ancient Greek. Jason was right; I should have taken it easy.

Jason glanced down at my peg leg. Gently, he tugged on my hand, and I allowed him to guide me back to the bed. Gently, I sat down on the soft mattress, and Jason sat down next to me.

Wearily, I rested my head on his shoulder. Jason's arm wrapped around me, and I found comfort in the warm embrace. Jason and I had never gotten the chance to truly bond as cousins, but I promised myself that after the war, that would change.

"Harry?"

Ginny's soft voice snapped me out of my thoughts, and I turned around to see my girlfriend waking up from her slumber.

"Wise Girl," I whispered, and Ginny suddenly sat ram-rod straight.

"Harry!" she gasped, taking no effort to keep her voice down, and the others woke up with a start as she ran around the bed and flew into my arms.

Ginny cuddled in my lap as I held her tightly, breathing in the scent of her hair. It was miraculous, the emotions that she could inspire in me.

I kissed Ginny's forehead affectionately, but our moment was interrupted by Leo, who pushed her aside and knelt to examine my peg leg.

"How does it fit? Does it hurt? It's going to feel sore for a few days, so be careful. Does it feel too tight or too loose?"

Leo fired off questions before I could even begin to answer them, and all the while, Reyna watched with amusement twinkling in her eyes.

I groaned and looked at Jason for help, but he was staring at Leo as though he had never seen him before.

I rolled my eyes and tried to fight off the impending headache. It would be a long day.

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Hi guys! This chappie was a bit short, and I'm not sure how well I did, especially with the reactions to Harry's amputation. I always knew that Leo would design Harry's prosthetic, and so that kind of translated into him being the medic, though that's obviously more Piper of Hazel's kind of role.