NOVEL NEXT Chapter 16: CH 16
screaming in anger, and Harry curled in on himself, curling into a fetal position with his head protected by his arms.
More voices shouted, either at the first or at him, Harry didn't know. Loud voices were dangerous, and Harry was in a full-blown panic attack, flashing back to when Vernon yelled and shouted and screamed and threw things at him and left him in his cupboard without food.
Loud voices wove together into a fabric that blanketed Harry with fear and despair, and he curled tighter.
In his panic, he wished for Hestia's warm arms, where he felt safe and protected. Then he remembered… Hestia was a goddess. And he was a mortal.
And mortals could pray to goddesses.
As the voices waved their anger around him, Harry wished for Hestia. Hestia, they're going to kill me. Please help me. Please please please please please…
But Hestia didn't come. And Harry remembered her saying she was in California helping with a forest fire. And maybe she was too far away for her to hear him. He was going to die here with these angry voices…
Artie is a goddess too, he realized.
His curled-up position tightened when a particularly hard shout shook the floor in anger beneath him. Artie, they're going to kill me. Please help me. Please. Please. Please.
No Artie either. Maybe these voices were too scary for her. Or Maybe it was because he was a boy and didn't let her change him into a girl.
"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS!?"A new voice boomed through the room, and Harry whimpered. That one had been perfectly understandable, even with him tuning out the shouting and screaming. Suddenly, the room was completely quiet, even the floor had stopped shaking with the anger released by the other voices.
"I find you all shouting and screaming at each other and at a young mortal boy?" the new voice was calming down, but had an undercurrent of extreme anger. Harry wanted to whimper. There were mutters by the other voices, but nothing loud. " You should all feel ashamed," the new voice said, and Harry could hear it nearing him. It sounded somewhat familiar. Harry just nodded.
"That's not very nice of her," Hestia said, her voice somewhat tight.
"Did I do wrong? I prayed to you but then I remembered you were in California and thought you couldn't hear me so I tried praying to Artie but she ignored me," he managed to get out in a single breath.
"Harry?" the voice said, gently, right next to him. Harry wished he could curl in tighter. A soft hand touched his back. "Harry, it's Hestia," the voice said. It sounded somewhat like Hestia, but louder, stronger, more adult.
He took the risk, and looked between his arms. The new woman was tall. Very tall. And had fire for eyes. And when he looked closer, she looked what he imagined Hestia's mother would look like.
She smiled tightly, and shrunk down. "Hestia," he whispered.
She hugged him. He was safe now. Something inside released, like a tight iron band that had been around his chest. "I didn't think you'd come," he whispered, feeling tears leak from his eyes. A sob escaped him.
A voice said something. "You will all remain silent, I am extremely vexed with you," Hestia spoke to whoever had said something, and it sounded like her old voice, her grown-up voice.
"I was in California, helping with a fire," Hestia told him, and she was back to being gentle. He didn't care. He was warm and safe now. "It took me a few minutes before I could get away. I'm sorry you had to go through that."
Harry shook his head. "You came," he whispered. "You really came."
Her arms tightened, and Harry bit back a wince. "Of course I came when I heard you pray that desperately," she said. "I'm glad you did."
"I prayed to Artie too, but she didn't come," Harry whispered, afraid that she'd take it badly that he tried a different goddess as well.
"You prayed to Artie and she ignored you?" Hestia asked, her voice suddenly taking on a dangerous undertone. There seemed to be whispers from the other voices, but they stopped suddenly. He imagined Hestia had glared at them. CH 17
Harry risked a look. The man was blond, had blue eyes, and looked… nice, Harry
supposed. He looked like a god one could ask for a favor, a god who wouldn't hurt people; Not unless they deserved it, at least.
The man, Apollo, Harry corrected, put a hand on his hurting side. "Ouch, that looks painful, kiddo. Let the handsome God of the Sun heal you up," the god said. Harry felt his side relax. "There you go, as good as new."
Harry swallowed. "Thank you, sir," he whispered, not sure how to address the god that had healed him. He didn't recall if this particular god's voice had been one of the multitude that had been yelling and screaming earlier.
"No, Harry. No, you did nothing wrong. You didn't know I could hear you, and you were afraid for your life," Hestia reassured him, but the last part was said rather angrily. He tried to move but his side flared in pain.
"Harry, are you in pain?"
"My side," he whispered. "One of the soldiers hit me."
Her hand reached for his side and a pleasant warmth spread through his body. The pain lessened. He heard Hestia take a deep breath. "I can heal minor wounds as Goddess of the Home," she said. "But you have two broken ribs. I'll ask someone to heal you."
Harry whimpered and tried to curl deeper into her embrace. "Don't worry," she said with a teasing tone. "Apollo is many things, but he is an excellent healer." She leaned closer. "He is the God of Healing, after all," she said. Harry just nodded.
"Apollo? If you would?" she asked.
"Of course, Aunt Hestia," one of the other voices said. There were some grumbles.
"I believe I asked for you to remain quiet," Hestia said on a gentle tone. A gentle tone with a steel undercurrent. Harry thought she sounded awesome. Hestia could quiet this bundle of angry people with just her voice. Awesome was the most appropriate word.
"Hey there, kiddo," the masculine voice said, sounding very close. "Don't worry, I'll have you fixed up in no time."
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