NOVEL NEXT Chapter 43: CH 43
Harry was smiling widely as they left the Sun god's temple. That was the fourth god he'd gotten to hug. Hestia's hugs felt warm and protective. Artie's felt like wild open country, thick forests, and the clean air of nature. Poseidon's hug, brief though it was, smelt like the sea and the wild, overwhelming sensation of pure freedom. Apollo, on the other hand, had felt hot and bright, and he felt as if all his wounds would heal.
He wondered if Miss Zoë would ever let him hug her, he wondered if hugs from mortals had a feeling associated with them as well.
"I will have a small chat with Chiron and see if I can bring you to camp this afternoon," Hestia said, interrupting Harry's internal debate on the merits and demerits of hugs from the various gods.
"Okay, Hestia," Harry said. Part of him was looking forward to the trip, and part of him was dreading it. Hestia had said that demigods weren't allowed to leave the camp, and he didn't like the thought of being locked up somewhere. He wanted to be able to just walk out when adults got too bad.
"Are you sure they won't try and keep me there?" Harry asked as they walked the roads of Olympus back to Helios' temple. "I mean, they may know of a way to keep me from traveling by fire."
Hestia smiled gently and supportively at him, then patted his shoulder. He immediately felt better – Hestia's unique skills at work, no doubt. "Don't worry, Harry. As long as you have my favor, you will always be able to travel through fire."
Harry looked at her. "Promise?"
Her smiled widened. "I promise," she replied.
The boy nodded in acceptance. He trusted Hestia. "Thanks, Hestia." The centaur replied in a calm voice. "It was but a minor thing, Lady Hestia. It is my utmost pleasure to show around someone who has caught your eye."
"Harry?" Hestia said, looking at the boy who was still looking up at the tall centaur. "This is Chiron. Chiron, this is Harry Potter."
"Hello, young Harry," Chiron greeted warmly.
Harry smiled abashedly at having stared, and offered his hand. "Hello Mister Chiron. Thanks for letting me look around."
Chiron chuckled, clasping the offered hand. "Just 'Chiron' will do, young one. And as I said to Lady Hestia, it's my pleasure."
"I have talked with Chiron, and there is no problem with you getting a tour of the camp," the Goddess of the Home told her young charge.
Harry just nodded, feeling rather nervous all of a sudden. It felt like the first day at school, and he wondered how the other demigods would react to him. Would they be nice to him? Would they be like the kids in school, and be nasty?
Hestia smiled in a comforting manner, and guided him to the hearth. Subconsciously, he stepped closer to her, as if trying to hide in her shadow. Maybe this wasn't a good idea, after all. But then again, it was Hestia who wanted him to visit, and she wouldn't steer him wrong, would she?
The by now familiar warmth of the fire enveloped him, taking from the hearth in Helios' Temple to a large bonfire that was burning in the middle of a courtyard, about the size of a soccer field, dotted with greek statues, fountains, flower beds, and a couple of basketball hoops.
Around the commons area stood, in a U shape, twelve cabins.
Harry ignored the classic greek architecture – that looked brand-spanking new – and focused instead on the solitary figure waiting for them.
After all, said waiting figure was an actual centaur! He wasn't as tall as the gods in their godly forms, but to a young boy, Chiron definitely was tall. And mythical. No matter how many times he had read about centaurs, seeing one in the actual flesh was a completely different thing.
"Chiron," Hestia greeted kindly, stepping up to the Teacher of Heroes, and clasping his hand warmly. "Thank you for allowing this." The one built by the water was probably Mister Poseidon's. Most of them were obvious, he thought – the bright neon-pink one was definitely Miss Aphrodite's.
"There's still no cabin for you, Hestia," he noted sadly.
Said goddess just smiled at him. "I have told you before, Harry, I do not need one. I do appreciate the thought, though."
Harry looked up at Chiron. "Hestia wanted me to have other hobbies; she thinks I spend too much time with Artie and her Hunters."
Chiron gaped, for the lack of a better word, at the young boy in front of him. "I am assuming you are referring to Lady Artemis?" Harry nodded enthusiastically. "Artie's awesome. So's Miss Zoë."
"Lad, you are a far braver man than most to dare call the Goddess of the Hunt such a name," Chiron said, shaking his head softly. "You may want to be careful about who hears you do so, in case it gets back to her."
Harry frowned, not understanding the warning. Chiron, realizing this, explained, "I doubt Lady Artemis would be pleased if she knew."
Harry grinned. "I always call her Artie. She doesn't mind, Mister Chiron."
Chiron blinked in astonishment, before shaking his head again, as if trying to clear it. "Just 'Chiron' will do, lad," he repeated, gratefully grabbing the lifeline thrown to him and trying to change the subject. He looked at Hestia, as if trying to confirm what he had just been told. The Goddess of the Home smiled serenely, and merely nodded in confirmation. "Well… yes..." Chiron went on, now blatantly changing the subject. " These are the various cabins for the Olympians," he explained, rather needlessly in Harry's opinion.
The young boy smiled at the fire in the center, always happy to have one nearby. The fire itself seemed to dance at the boy's attention.
Harry then shifted his gaze to the various cabins. He could make out the majority of their owners, just from the sight of them. The large, ostentatious, bank-like one was probably Mister Zeus', and the slightly smaller one standing right next to it would probably be Miss Hera's. The presence didn't change, but there seemed to be an underlying current of something. Something that didn't bode well for a certain Sun God. "I hope you're not mad or anything, Artie. I don't like it when you get mad." He grinned, and immediately said, "no, I won't let you turn me into a girl without a chance to turn back if I don't like it."
The presence of Artie seemed to sulk for a moment, before turning disapproving again. Harry grinned. "I won't try and look at your cabin, don't worry." He turned back to wards Chiron and Hestia, and walked away. He waved over his shoulder. "Bye Artie."
Harry crossed his arms, and pouted. "Neither does Miss Hera, and she has one," he replied on a 'so there' tone that seemed ingrained in small children. Hestia just laughed, and patted his shoulder.
🔱This novele is available in pdf format with more than 600 chapters if you want you can visit our store...🔱
🔱https://magicpages.tiendup.com/🔱