The evening sun was slanting through the wide windows of Black Mansion when the wards shimmered faintly—someone powerful was approaching. Harry, who had been reading quietly in the study while Teddy played with his Occamies, stood immediately. He already knew who it was; that silvery thread of divine presence was unmistakable.
The doors opened, and Artemis stepped through, clad in her huntress garb—silver tunic, bow slung across her shoulder, moonlight lingering in her hair as though it followed her. But she was not alone. Behind her walked a girl Harry knew all too well—Thalia Grace.
"Harry!" Thalia waved, her face bright, her step light as though she carried no burdens.
Harry blinked. "Thalia?"
But before she could rush forward, Harry's eyes darted to Artemis. "What did you do?"
Artemis lifted her chin, calm as always. "I offered her a place in my Hunt. She accepted."
Harry's jaw tightened. "She's thirteen. Thirteen, Artemis. Do you even realize what this means?"
Thalia frowned, clearly caught between the two of them. "It means I get to fight monsters with the best archers in the world instead of sitting in Camp Half-Blood, counting the days. I wanted this."
Harry turned sharply back to Artemis. "You froze her at that age. Forever thirteen. Do you know how reckless that is? You took away her choice to grow, to live, to… mature into who she might be."
Artemis's silver eyes glowed faintly. "You mistake me. I did not force her. I never force. She chose, and her choice was not just for herself. It is for Olympus too. The prophecy—"
Harry cut her off, voice sharper than steel. "Don't. Don't you dare bring prophecy into this."
Artemis's brows furrowed, but Harry pressed on, his voice trembling with anger. "Do you know what prophecy did to me? My entire life was chained to words someone else spoke before I was born. I lost friends. I lost family. Don't use that cursed excuse to justify stealing her future."
The room was silent except for Teddy's distant laughter in the next room. Thalia shifted, uncomfortable, before saying quietly, "Harry, I… I don't regret it. I really don't. Camp Half-Blood was… fine. But here? With the Hunt? I get to travel, I get to fight, I get to matter. I'm not stuck in one cabin waiting for monsters to break the wards. I'm part of something bigger now."
Harry looked at her—at her youthful face, her eyes blazing with conviction—and felt his heart sink. She was convinced. She was happy. But was that happiness born of choice or of desperation for belonging?
"Thalia," he said softly, crouching a little so he was level with her. "Do you truly understand what you gave up? You'll never grow older. You'll never see what it feels like to be eighteen, or twenty, or thirty. No family, no children, no life outside the Hunt."
Thalia hesitated just a moment—just long enough for Artemis to step closer and answer for her.
"She has found her family, Harry. The Hunt is her life now. She chose freely, and I honor that."
Harry turned his gaze back to Artemis, his eyes burning with frustration. "And you're proud of it, aren't you? Another soldier bound to your moonlight army."
For the first time, a flicker of hurt crossed Artemis's face. "You think me so cruel?" she asked quietly. "You think I take joy in binding children? No. But better to offer her a path of strength and purpose than to let her wander into doom. The prophecy is not a toy to dismiss."
Harry clenched his fists, his voice low. "I don't care about your prophecy. I care about her."
The tension was thick as steel drawn in the air. Artemis's hunters who lingered at the edge of the room said nothing, their eyes shifting between their mistress and the wizard.
Finally, Thalia broke the silence with a grin. "You know, Harry, you sound like an old man."
Harry blinked. "What?"
"You're scolding me like I don't know what I'm doing. But I do. I made my choice. And if it's forever, then so be it. Forever thirteen, forever strong, forever fighting by Lady Artemis's side. Better that than dying tomorrow because a monster decided I was easy prey."
Harry stared at her, at the stubborn tilt of her chin, at the spark of defiance that reminded him so much of himself at that age. And for the first time, he realized that no matter how much he hated it, Thalia wasn't his to protect.
Artemis's gaze softened slightly, almost imperceptibly. "She has her reasons, Harry. Just as you had yours when you picked up your wand against Voldemort."
Harry swallowed hard, the weight of memory pressing against him. "And I lost nearly everything because of it."
Artemis said nothing more.
Harry exhaled slowly and nodded. "Fine. If this is truly what you want, Thalia, I won't fight you. But don't expect me to like it. Don't expect me to be happy about it."
Thalia stepped forward and hugged him suddenly, her small arms wrapping tight around his middle. "I'll be fine, Harry. You'll see."
Harry hugged her back, his eyes closing for a moment. "I hope so, Thalia. I really hope so."
The Black Mansion's backyard was alive with laughter again. Teddy toddled through the grass with boundless energy, his hair flickering from jet black to electric blue as his excitement rose. His tiny fists clapped together as he shouted, "Talia! Talia back!"
Thalia laughed, kneeling to scoop him into her arms. "That's right, squirt. I'm back."
Harry stood at the porch with a faint smile tugging at his lips, watching the scene. For days, Teddy had been feeling down because he missed traveling. Now, seeing the way Teddy's face glowed at Thalia's return almost eased Harry's earlier frustrations with Artemis. Almost.
"Alright, champ," Thalia said, setting Teddy down. "Wanna see something cool?"
"Yes! Saber! Saber!" Teddy squealed, stomping his feet with glee.
Harry chuckled and with a flick of his wand transfigured a large block of stone into the hulking form of a lion-headed chimera, smoke curling from its jaws. The creature growled low, pawing the ground, its wings stretching wide.
Teddy gasped, his eyes wide. "Rawr!"
Thalia grinned, igniting her lightning saber. The blade hummed and sparked to life, crackling with raw energy. She twirled it deftly, lightning sparking off its edge. "See this, Teddy? Hydra-slayer right here."
Teddy giggled, pointing with both hands. "Hydwa! Hydwa story!"
Harry raised a brow. "Hydra slayer?"
Thalia smirked and began circling the chimera. "While we were on the hunt, Artemis sent us after a real hydra. Not a training dummy like this—an actual nine-headed nightmare. Slimy, smelly, and meaner than Clarisse on a bad day."
Teddy gasped theatrically. "Scawy!"
"Oh, it was scary," Thalia admitted, lunging forward and slashing at the chimera's wing. The crackle of her saber seared through it, leaving a glowing scar. "Every time we cut off a head, two more grew back. But that's where teamwork comes in."
Harry leaned on the porch railing, arms crossed, watching closely. He was glad Thalia wasn't filling Teddy's head with only glamor. She was teaching him about the truth of monsters—and the need for allies.
"So how did you win?" Harry asked, curious.
Thalia swung around and struck the chimera's flank with a powerful arc. "Artemis told me to focus on the middle head. That's the true one. So while the other hunters kept it busy, I went for the kill."
Teddy clapped, hair turning bright gold. "Talia win! Talia win!"
Thalia deactivated her saber and crouched beside Teddy, tapping his nose. "That's right, squirt. But remember—never fight a monster alone. Even heroes need friends."
Harry smiled faintly, though he caught the flicker of Artemis's influence in Thalia's words. Still, the joy radiating from Teddy was undeniable. His godson wasn't just entertained—he was learning.
"Alright," Harry said, straightening. "One more round before bed. Teddy, do you want to pick the monster?"
Teddy jumped up and down, his hair flashing neon pink in excitement. "Dwagooon! Big dwagooon!"
Thalia's grin widened. "You heard the boss."
Harry sighed good-naturedly and flicked his wand again. The chimera dissolved, replaced by the towering serpentine body of a dragon, scales gleaming emerald in the twilight. Teddy squealed in pure delight as Thalia ignited her saber once more, her eyes gleaming with determination.
And so the yard filled with the crackle of lightning, the roar of transfigured beasts, and the laughter of a boy who, despite all the chaos of gods, Titans, and prophecies, was just happy to have his sister-figure back.
With Thalia staying for a few days under Artemis's leave, the halls echoed with laughter and warmth. Andromeda, always delighted to have more company, cooked meals that even Harry admitted rivaled Hogwarts feasts. Much of it was thanks to Hestia's influence—her recipes and small tricks had improved Andromeda's craft, making every dinner an event Teddy and Thalia eagerly anticipated.
They went out together like a real family: to the cinema where Andromeda still marveled at Muggle films, to the nearby park where Teddy ran after artificial bubbles, and even to a small harvest festival, where the smell of roasted chestnuts and candied apples filled the air. Thalia, for all her fierce energy, was still a girl who loved laughter and sweets.
But in quiet moments, her sharp blue eyes kept straying to Harry, curiosity etched on her young face. One evening, after Teddy had finally dozed off on the sofa clutching his stuffed Occamy, Thalia sat beside Harry on the porch swing. The crickets sang outside, and the night breeze carried the scent of Andromeda's herbs.
"Harry," she began, voice hesitant, "can I ask you something… personal?"
Harry raised a brow. "That sounds dangerous coming from you. Go on."
Thalia chewed her lip, gripping the edge of the swing. "What's going on between you and Artemis?"
Harry froze. Of all the questions she could've asked, this was the one he dreaded most. "That's… complicated," he said carefully.
"Complicated?" Thalia's eyes narrowed. "She's a virgin goddess. Sworn off men. I've been in the Hunt long enough to hear her vow repeated a hundred times. And yet…" She trailed off, her gaze sharp. "And yet she's chasing you."
Harry sighed and leaned back. "I don't understand it either, Thalia. She's—" he rubbed his temples, "—she's Artemis. She's supposed to hate men. And if word ever got out that she… well, that she was spending time with me like this, every Olympian would come for my head. They'd see me as a threat, or worse, as someone who tempted her to break her vow. That could start a war I don't want to imagine."
Thalia looked troubled, kicking the porch lightly. "So you do know she likes you."
Harry gave a humorless laugh. "It's hard not to notice when a goddess of the Hunt keeps turning up at your door, glaring at the other goddesses who come around. But what do you want me to say, Thalia? I never asked for this."
The young huntress tilted her head, thoughtful. "She's… different around you. Softer. Happier. But you're right—it's dangerous. If Zeus ever found out…"
Harry glanced at her, his voice low. "Zeus isn't the one who scares me. It's the whispers. One rumor about Artemis breaking her vow, and Olympus will tear itself apart trying to decide what to do. And I'll be caught in the middle."
For a moment, silence fell between them, broken only by Teddy's soft snores from inside the house.
Thalia finally muttered, "I don't know if it's fair. You didn't ask for her attention, but you'll be the one paying the price if it comes to light."
Harry gave a weary smile. "Welcome to my life, Thalia. Prophecies, wars, gods—I've always been the scapegoat." He nudged her lightly. "That's why I was angry she let you join the Hunt. I don't want you tangled in messes like this."
Thalia's gaze softened, but her chin lifted stubbornly. "I'm already tangled, Harry. I swore my oath. And… I'm happy with it. But I'll keep your secret. Whatever Artemis feels, whatever you feel—I won't breathe a word."
Harry looked at her with quiet gratitude. "Thank you. That means more than you know."
As the night deepened, Harry's thoughts churned. Artemis's pursuit wasn't just strange—it was dangerous. And if the wrong Olympian found out, the peaceful days they were enjoying would shatter in an instant.
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