NOVEL NEXT Chapter 8: CH 8
"Oh," Harry said. "I never felt it before. It was nice."
Her smile widened just a bit and she hugged him again. He looked like he could use another hug; she usually wasn't very demonstrative, but if ever a boy needed a hug, Harry was the one.
Tentatively, he brought his arms up and hugged her back. "Is this right?" he asked.
"Yes, it is," Hestia confirmed, before breaking the hug. "I have some work to do – gods are always busy I'm afraid," she joked slightly. "You should get some rest. I'll see you again tomorrow."
"Ok, Hestia. Have a good night!" he said.
"You too, Harry," Hestia returned, before walking to the fire and disappearing.
She did indeed have work to do. Emerging from the fire of a brazier near a temple, she walked towards it. As always mindful of others, she knocked politely and waited for permission to enter.
"Aunt Hestia!" the god owning the temple said happily. He was handsome, dressed in a postal worker's uniform, and his hands and arms blurred with speed as they started and distributed packages. Hermes, the God of Messengers, Travelers, and Thieves, was as busy as he always was.
"Hello, Hermes," Hestia said, bestowing her usual smile on her nephew. "How are you?" "Busy as always," Hermes replied with a roguish grin. "What can I do for you, Aunt Hestia?" Hestia sat in one of the visitor's chairs, facing the every-busy god as he sorted and processed mail. "I have need of your services, Hermes."
The god grinned at her. "An address and postage suffice, Aunt Hestia. I appreciate you coming here in person to send a package, but it's not needed, really."
Hestia smiled back. "I'm afraid I need your otherservices, Hermes. Hypothetically, how would a god go about cursing a pair or mortals? Without falling foul of the Non-Interference Law, that is."
Hermes startled, dropped the three packages that were in mid-air, caught the first two before they were halfway down, juggled them up, caught the third one before it would hit the floor, and managed to get all three on to a table. " You, Aunt Hestia? Want to curse a mortal?"
"Hypothetically," Hestia said, smiling faintly.
"Hypothetically," Hermes replied. "It would depend on the reason."
Hestia stood up, and paced. Hermes frowned; Hestia was the kindest, gentlest, and sweetest among them. Whoever had angered her would face the full wrath of Olympus if it came down to it. He considered telling her to so 'just go for it', as Zeus would likely look the other way for her.
"Hypothetically, say I have met the acquaintance of a young mortal who was abused by his… caregivers," Hestia said.
"Hypothetically, it would then depend on whether this your mortal is fully mortal or a demigod," Hermes said. Aunt Hestia tends the fire at camp. Maybe one of the demigods talked to her? "If your mortal acquaintance is fully mortal, you'd have to be subtle. If he's a demigod, then the mortals taking care of him are already involved with us, and you have more leeway."
"Hypothetically," Hestia answered, looking at him. "This mortal would be a demigod."
Hermes swallowed. Definitely someone at camp, then. It must be especially bad for her to react like this. "How bad is it?" he asked.
Hestia was silent for a few moments. "Hypothetically?" she asked. Will this stay between us?
"Hypothetically," Hermes confirmed. Yes, Aunt Hestia. In full confidence.
"There may have been a mention of this seven-year-old demigod being abandoned on the streets of New York by himself," the young-looking goddess said. "And this seven-year-old was uniquely suited to survive by eating out of dumpsters as he was used to eating food that tastes funny after scraping the fuzz off."
Hermes blinked, and felt the familiar surge of rage that came whenever someone did something he found unforgivable. As God of Thieves, he could condone a lot of things, but harming a child was one of those things that crossed the line.
The God of Thieves stood up. "I would recommend that you curse their situation or their possessions, not them directly. Cursing a mortal directly may draw the attention of the Big Guy, and while I think he would more than likely look the other way for you, let's not test Hestia gave him a tolerating look, before teleporting out. She preferred traveling by fire, but in a pinch, like any god, she could teleport anywhere at will.
Arriving in a nondescript road in Surrey, England, Hestia made sure she was hidden from mortal eyes. Approaching the driveway of number 4, she looked at the house.
She lifted on hand. "I, Hestia, Curse you to never feel at home. You will be forever denied rest, searching the world in vain for peace and security that will be forever out of your grasp; forever denied that which you denied Harry Potter."
that theory. Cursing a situation or a possession doesn't draw attention at all. Just another use of Godly Power."
Hestia swallowed, her plan had suddenly become a lot more tangible. Before she could say anything further, Hermes approached. "Would you prefer if I did it, Aunt Hestia?" She smiled at him, and placed her hand on his arm. "No, thank you, Hermes. This is something I feel I need to do myself. It goes directly against my domains, after all." Hermes nodded. "A demigod's life is never easy," he said. "But some have it harder than others."
Hestia sighed. "From what he said, his mortal parents died in an accident. He was then left with his aunt and uncle, who used the situation to spread lies about the boy's parents. They kept him confined to a cupboard, and fed him… well, hardly anything from what I can gather." She swallowed. "I gave him a hug when I left. He asked what it was that I did with my arms."
Hermes felt another pang of rage surge through his body. "Damn. That hits right where it hurts," he muttered.
"Language, please," Hestia said softly. "Although I agree with the sentiment."
They fell silent for a few minutes, each lost in thought. Finally, Hermes looked up. "You may want to leave directly from here and come back here when you're done. Just in case."
Hestia dipped her head in gratitude. "Thanks, Hermes."
"No problem, Aunt Hestia. Anytime you feel like breaking the rules, I'm your guy," Hermes said, grinning, although there was little humor in it. Then, she had taken him shopping for more clothes, soap, and various other necessities.
That was when Harry explained how he had gotten that loaf of bread she had caught him eating that first evening.
Apologizing to the merchant was difficult, but the fact that the man didn't seem that upset made him feel a lot better. Hestia had explained that there were various capricious gods around that would just take things that struck their fancy, so the merchant was likely used to it.
She snapped her fingers, then went on.
"I, Hestia, Curse you to never be warm. Fire and heat will never quell the chill in your bones. You will search the world in vain for warmth and comfort that will be forever out of your grasp; forever denied that which you denied Harry Potter."
She snapped her fingers a second time. She could feel her two curses already settling on the two adults in the house. By morning, they would be cold, and they would no longer feel safe or secure in their own home. Her curses would drive them to be ever restless, ever searching, but never finding. If their personalities weren't rock solid, her curses may even drive them to madness.
It wasn't as bad as some of her family had done to mortals in the past, but it was enough.
She vanished as quietly and as unseen as she had appeared. She would have to do something nice for Hermes.
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