NOVEL NEXT Chapter 33: CH 33
"Hello, Harry," the kind goddess greeted back. Looking at the books and notes on the table, her smile turned pleased. "Working on your maths?" Harry nodded. "It's boring, though."
"Sometimes we have to do things we don't like doing," the Goddess of the Home said, gently. "Think of it like doing the dishes."
"I prefer doing dishes to doing maths," Harry pouted.
Hestia laughed softly. "I think very few people would argue with you, Harry," she answered. The goddess started to sit down and looked around the kitchen as she did so. She froze halfway down, then stood up again.
"Harry?" she asked, her voice deceptively soft. Harry froze; he didn't like that tone directed at him.
"Yes, Hestia?" he asked, confused and concerned.
"Why is there a bottle of amaretto on the kitchen counter, and why is it not full?" she asked, pointing to said bottle. "I do believe I explained that I preferred you did not drink."
Harry smiled, and went to his refrigerator. "Because I've been cooking!" he said, pulling the door to the appliance open. Hestia, at his shoulder, peered inside.
On the bottom shelf stood half a dozen individually-sized containers of tiramisu. "I made desserts!" he finished, pointing to said containers.
Hestia eyeballed them for a moment, then looked at him. "While that dessert does indeed often contain alcohol like rum or amaretto, it can be made without it," she stated.
Harry took out a serving, and held it out. "It wouldn't be tiramisu without it," he protested softly. "Will you try one?" Hestia sighed softly, and accepted. "Do you know why I requested you do not drink?" he asked.
Harry shrugged. "Because I'm 'too young'?" he asked in return, placing obvious quotes. Hestia's lips twitched. "No, Harry. I'm from ancient Greece. All of us gods are. In our time, water was tainted, so alcohol was added to make it safe. Usually, fives measures of water to two measures of alcohol – mostly wine. No, Harry, the reason I asked you to stop drinking is because these days, alcohol is drank in a pure form. Drinking alcohol without diluting it leads to alcoholism. That is why I asked you not to drink."
"Oh," Harry said. "So if I put it in water, it'd be ok?"
Hestia sighed. "I would still prefer it if you didn't," she replied, conjuring a small spoon and trying some of the treat she was holding. Her eyes widened. She looked at the dessert. "Harry?" she asked, her voice low again.
"Yes, Hestia?" Harry replied, worried he'd done something wrong.
"Did you add ambrosia to this?" she asked.
Harry offered a tentative smile. "Just a pinch. I grated it really fine, until it's a powder, then sprinkled some in to enhance the flavor. It works brilliantly." Now that he thought about it, it had been several months since he first added ambrosia to the cookies he made for Zoë, and he never did get around to tell Hestia about his invention.
Hestia ate some more tiramisu. "Yes," she said, "It does work well." She drew a breath, then released it. " Two things. First of all, I am extremely proud of you for figuring that out. Ambrosia is both an ingredient and a condiment, and can be used either way. I am very proud of you for figuring out the alternative use for it."
"Thanks, Hestia!" Harry said, smiling widely.
The goddess in question went on. "Second, please refrain from using it often. It isn't a problem for us gods, but as I explained before, there is only so much ambrosia a demigod can tolerate each day. It is the reason why most of the recipes I have given you do not include it. You may, inadvertently, go over the daily safe limit for a demigod. Especially as you grow older, and may need ambrosia or nectar to heal. Ingesting additional ambrosia, even in small quantities, may trigger an adverse reaction."
"Oh," Harry said, suddenly feeling a lot less proud of himself.
"Don't worry, Harry. Using ambrosia as a condiment isn't likely to trigger reactions, but the possibility exists. I simply ask that you be careful." She smiled at him. "And as I said, I am extremely proud of you for figuring out that ambrosia is a seasoning as well as an ingredient."
Harry just offered her a tiny smile. Harry shook his head. "I don't think they are. I love cooking and baking, and they love eating what I make."
Hestia smiled softly, and patted his shoulder. "I'll just make sure."
"Speaking of Zoë and Artie," Harry said, "I probably won't be home for the next week or so."
Hestia had finished her treat, and was now focused on the young boy. "Are you going on a trip?" she asked, her lips twitching into a teasing smile. "I didn't think Artie or Zoë would go for a vacation with boys."
"Now, back to liquor. Using it in cooking is fine. I simply wish for you to be careful with it. Alcohol did a lot of good back in the day, but it did a lot of bad, too. Like ambrosia, now that I think about it. Please be careful."
The young boy relaxed. " Thanks, Hestia."
"Now, you seemed to have made more dessert than you can handle by yourself," the goddess teased. "Are you cooking for someone else?" Harry suddenly nodded enthusiastically. "Artie and Miss Zoë love my cooking, so I sometimes bring them something when I go for training. I only brought cookies for Miss Zoë that first time, but Artie's pouting made me bring something for her, too, the next time I made something."
Hestia burst out laughing. "I could see my niece pout at not getting desserts," the Goddess of the Home said, still snickering. "I would wager she wasn't very gracious about it, either."
Harry shook his head. "She guilted Miss Zoë into giving her some. That's why I started making things for both of them."
Hestia smiled and patting his arm. "I am glad to see that you get along with both of them, and that you have found the joys of cooking for others."
Harry nodded again. "I love it when they enjoy the things I make," he said.
Hestia gave him a very pleased smile, when turned a little less sunny when she thought of something. "Although I do think I will have a small chat with my niece and her lieutenant, just to make sure they're not taking advantage of you." He started to walk to the hearth, then suddenly remembered the tiramisu he'd made. Taking two individual portions from his refrigerator, he carried them through the fire to the Hunters' camp.
As usual, when he arrived through the fire, he found the Hunters startling, and more than a few bows were put away when they realized it was him. Except for Phoebe, she kept her bow out for a bit longer, just to make sure he had seen it.
Harry shook his head. "Miss Zoë has said that she has taught me a lot in the last couple of months, and it's time for me to show that I was paying attention. So, she's taking me to a forest for a week, and I have to show her that I can survive. She'll be with me, but I'll need to pitch the tent, find water, make a fire, and find food all on my own. I'll have the standard pack used by Artie's Hunters, so I'll have all the equipment I need, but I'll still need to find .