Harry raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “A camp on Long Isnd? In the middle of winter?”

  Daphne leaned in, a grin pying on her lips. “Sounds like it’s not your typical camp, huh?”

  Luna nodded, her face lighting up. “It’s called Camp Half-Blood. I’ve read a lot about it—supposedly a pce for demigods, those who are half-mortal and half-god. It’s quieter this time of year, which means fewer eyes on us. And I have a feeling we might fit right in.”

  Harry ughed, clearly up for the adventure. “Alright, then. Camp Half-Blood it is. Let’s see what these demigods are made of.”

  With that, they paid their bill and headed out, their breaths visible in the cold night air. As they approached the sleek car waiting outside, Daphepped forward, pg her hand on its hood.

  “Where did that car e from?” Luna asks

  “Hasn’t always been here?” Daphne asks

  “Daph, I do not think that that is our car.” Harry states

  They all froze, eyeing the unfamiliar car with suspi. It was sleek, bck, and had a faint shimmer to it that hi something magical, as though it were cloaked in subtle entments.

  Luna narrowed her eyes, stepping closer but keeping a cautious distance. “It’s definitely not ours. I mean, its not like we could even turn it on.” As she touched the hood the car unlocked.

  The doors unlocked with a soft click as Luna’s hand brushed the hood, the car seemingly responding to her touch. The trio exged wary gnces, caught between curiosity and caution.

  Daphilted her head, smirking slightly. “So, it’s not ours, but it clearly wants us to get in.”

  Harry, still eyeing the car skeptically, muttered, “Cars don’t just open up on their own for strangers, especially ohat seem… ented. This is just like the Weasley’s car all ain isnt it.”

  Luna ughed, a mischievous sparkle in her eye. “Exactly! A self-driving, possibly magical car appearing out of nowhere? This is practically an invitation.”

  Daphne opehe passenger door, iing the interior with cautious excitement. “It even has that ‘new car’ smell. If this isn’t meant for us, someone’s got a strange way of leaving gifts.”

  As soon as they settled in, the car’s engine hummed to life, and a voice filled the , calm and clear. “Wele. Destination: Camp Half-Blood, Long Isimated arrival time: 30 minutes.”

  Daphne gave a nervous ugh, gng over at Luna. “Are we even sure we’re in a car? This feels like being inside a genie’s bottle or... a possessed pumpkin coach.”

  Harry leaned forward, tapping one of the fshing symbols on the dashboard. Instantly, the car’s interihts ged to a deep, shimmering green. “This is ridiculous,” he said, barely hiding his apprehension. “It’s like a cross between a haunted house and the Knight Bus.”

  “Is it… casting an illusion?” Luna mused, watg as the mist formed ghostly shapes around them. “Or are we the illusion?”

  They could barely make out the city outside anymore; it seemed distorted, stretched, as though they were somehow slipping out of the physical world itself. Snowfkes melted mid-air as they he car, and every streetlight they passed seemed to flicker and dim. Harry gnced out the window and did a double-take—he could have sworn he saw a giant eye staring at them from the alleyway.

  “Alright, I’m calling it,” Harry said, pulling his head ba quickly. “This is the straransportation I’ve ever taken. Including the Portkeys.”

  As if in respohe radio crackled again. “Hold tight,” the voitoned, “arrival immi.”

  Luna just grinned, leaning back as the car veered toward a barely visible road leading into a dense forest.

  With a sudden, violent jolt, the car came to a screeg halt at the edge of a forest, sending all three of them tumbling out onto the cold, damp ground. The doors had somehow swung open mid-stop, practically throwing them out before smming shut and promptly disappearing in a cloud of mist, leaving no trace that it had ever been there.

  Luna scrambled to her feet, her eyes narrowing as she activated her sight, searg the mist for even the fairace of the car. Yet all she found was ay void, as if whatever magic had fueled the strange vehicle defied even her most potent abilities.

  “Okay, what iual hell was that?” she demanded, a mix of frustration and disbelief edging her voice. "I've seen ented things, hauhings—but that car? It was something else."

  “Yeah, why did we immediately think that the car was ours that is weird.” Daphates

  Daphne’s observation made them all pause, a strange utling in as they realized the car had somehow subtly influehem, coaxing them to accept its presehout question. Luna shook her head, disturbed by the thought.

  “You’re right,” Luna muttered, crossing her arms. “It was like… the idea that it was ours was just there. Like it wanted us to believe that.”

  Harry frowned, gng around the misty forest. “Cars doly e with mind-altering magic as a standard feature. Honey, does yht give you anything at all?”

  “The only response I get is Fast Travel.” Luna states

  “Fast Travel?” Harry repeated, baffled. “Like… in a game?”

  Luna sighed, clearly frustrated. “That’s all it’s giving me. Nin, no traagic—just ‘Fast Travel.’ And it’s gohout a single residual trace.”

  Daphne rubbed her temples, trying to process it. “So, a magical car that throws us out into the woods and doesn’t want us knowing anything about it. That’s… f.”

  As they started to dust themselves off, a voice spoke up from the mist, clear and steady, carrying a hint of authority.

  “Who are you, and why have you crossed into our forest?”

  The trio froze, turning slowly to see a taur standing tall, his powerful frame silhouetted against the haze. His stern expression was only underscored by the dozen or so young archers surrounding them, eae aiming a nocked arrow at the three newers. Teens and preteens, all with a steady, practiced stance, held their bows, eyes sharp and unyielding.

  Luna held up her hands slowly, gng at Harry and Daphne. "Uh, hi there… Friendly travelers, actually. And we’re as surprised to be here as you are to see us."

  The taur’s gaze remained unfling. “Strangers do not simply appear in these woods. Speak truthfully, or face sequences.” The tension in the clearing thied, each young archer drawing back slightly, ready to release at any sign of threat.

  “Chiron?” Luna asks

  “You appear to have me at a disadvantage, you are aware of who I am yet I do not know who you are?” Chiron states as the archers loosen their draws a little.

  Luna took a deep breath, deg it was better to be straightforward. “We’re not here to hurt anyone,” she said, keeping her voice even. “I’m Luna, and these are my panions, Harry son of Thanatos and Daphne. We… didn’t mean to cause trouble. We just kind of—ended up here.”