The Black Mansion had not felt this excited in a long time.
Lights glowed warmly in every hallway. The fireplace crackled with cheerful intensity, as if it too was waiting. The long dining table had been cleared, replaced with trays of snacks, pastries, and steaming mugs of cocoa and tea. Kreacher darted back and forth, muttering to himself while straightening things that were already straight.
"Master Teddy will be hungry," Kreacher insisted. "Children always are. Kreacher prepared six kinds of snacks. And soup. And dessert. And emergency dessert."
Harry stood near the front door, arms folded, posture relaxed but eyes alert. He felt it—faint, familiar, like a tug behind his ribs.
The portkey.
Percy bounced on his heels near the stairs, unable to stay still.
"He's coming, right?" Percy asked for the third time. "Like, right now-right now?"
"Yes," Harry replied calmly. "The watch activates automatically at sunset."
Sally smiled from the sofa, where she sat beside Hermione and the Grangers. Little Rose slept peacefully in Hermione's arms, tiny fingers curled into her blanket.
Hermione glanced toward the door.
"I still can't believe he went alone," she said.
Harry smiled faintly. "So did Percy, once."
Percy puffed up. "I was much older."
"I heard you cried when you saw the strawberry fields," Sally reminded him.
"That was not true."
Andromeda emerged from the kitchen, wiping her hands on a cloth.
"Everyone, please don't overwhelm him the second he arrives," she said firmly. "He's had a long day."
The words were barely out of her mouth when Harry straightened.
"There."
A shimmer rippled through the air just outside the front door.
The next second—
POP.
Teddy appeared on the stone path, landing slightly off-balance. He stumbled, blinked, swayed once—
Then the front door flew open.
"Teddy!" Hermione exclaimed.
Teddy's disorientation vanished instantly.
"Aunt Hermione!" he shouted, eyes lighting up.
He rushed forward just as Hermione knelt, carefully shifting Rose in her arms.
Teddy stopped short, suddenly very serious.
"Can I…?"
Hermione smiled and gently transferred Rose into his arms.
Teddy cradled her as if she were made of glass, one small hand supporting her back, the other cupping her head just like Harry had taught him.
"I missed you," Teddy whispered.
Rose stirred, her tiny fingers curling around Teddy's thumb.
Teddy froze.
"She grabbed me," he breathed. "She still remembers me."
Harry felt his chest tighten.
Percy leaned over Teddy's shoulder, grinning.
"So, champion. How was Camp Half-Blood?"
Teddy looked up, eyes shining.
"It was amazing."
That was all it took.
Everyone laughed, voices overlapping.
"Alright," Harry said gently, "inside before Kreacher has a heart attack."
"Kreacher is already stressed," Creature declared. "Master Teddy must eat immediately."
They ushered Teddy inside, the mansion swallowing him back into warmth and light.
The living room filled quickly, everyone trying to speak at once.
"What cabin did you stay in?"
"Did you meet Chiron?"
"Any monsters?"
"Did you hear any funny story about Percy?"
"Did you make friends?"
Teddy laughed, turning in circles.
"Wait! Wait! I'll tell everything!"
Andromeda raised a finger.
"After you eat."
Emma Granger nodded approvingly.
"And perhaps a bath first. Camp Half-Blood dirt is… all over you."
Teddy hesitated, clearly torn between storytelling and obedience.
Harry knelt in front of him.
"Bath first. Stories later. Deal?"
Teddy sighed dramatically.
"Okay… but don't forget. I have lots to say."
"Trust me," Percy said, slinging an arm around him. "No one here is going anywhere."
Teddy handed Rose back to Hermione with great care.
"I'll be fast."
He sprinted upstairs, backpack bouncing against his back.
Harry watched him go, relief washing through him.
Andromeda disappeared into the kitchen, already planning.
Kreacher followed, rattling off snack inventories.
Sally leaned closer to Harry.
"He looked happy," she said softly.
Harry nodded. "That's all I wanted."
Hermione smiled, rocking Rose gently.
"You did the right thing, Harry."
Harry hoped so.
Because as laughter echoed upstairs and water began running, Harry felt it again—faint, distant.
The world watching.
Not tonight, he told himself.
Tonight was for stories.
For warmth.
For a child coming home after his first day away.
The front door closed quietly behind them all, sealing the night in comfort.
Teddy burst out of the bathroom like a small whirlwind.
He was already dressed in his comfortable clothes—soft trousers, a loose T-shirt—but his hair was still damp, sticking out in unruly tufts as water droplets clung stubbornly to the blue strands. He skidded to a halt in the living room, eyes bright, cheeks flushed, clearly vibrating with excitement.
"Wait—WAIT," Teddy declared, holding up both hands. "No one talk. I talk."
Harry chuckled and lifted his hand. A gentle warming charm washed over Teddy, soft and careful, drying his hair without a hint of heat. The damp strands settled neatly, curling just a little at the ends.
"There," Harry said. "Much better."
Teddy nodded solemnly, then climbed onto the couch, sitting cross-legged like a storyteller taking his throne.
"I will tell everything," he announced seriously. "From the beginning. And you can't interrupt."
Percy raised both hands in surrender.
"Scout's honor."
Andromeda folded her arms, smiling fondly.
"Go on, then."
Teddy took a deep breath.
"Okay. So. First thing—I didn't see any monster."
Harry relaxed slightly.
"I saw a nymph," Teddy continued. "She was going to take a bath. And she screamed when she saw me."
Sally blinked. "She screamed?"
"She was happy-screaming," Teddy clarified quickly. "Not scared-screaming. She picked me up like this—" he mimed being lifted off the ground "—and said I was cute. I told her I'm almost seven."
Hermione laughed softly.
"Then," Teddy went on, warming to the story, "Cassie came running. She yelled my name really loud."
"And she hugged me. A lot. And met Annabeth too."
Percy's head snapped up.
"Annabeth?"
Teddy nodded vigorously.
"Yeah! Everyone there knows her."
He leaned forward, lowering his voice dramatically.
"And everyone there says she's your girlfriend."
For half a second, the room was silent.
Then Percy turned red.
"What—NO—"
Laughter exploded.
Sally covered her mouth, laughing openly. Hermione grinned, Andromeda shook her head in amusement, even Mr. Granger chuckled. Kreacher sniffed loudly and muttered something about "young masters growing fast."
Percy buried his face in his hands.
"She is not—"
"They all say it," Teddy insisted innocently. "Even the Hermes kids."
Harry smirked. "Sounds like camp consensus."
Percy groaned.
Teddy continued before Percy could recover.
"So I walked around. There are cabins. Lots of cabins. Some are empty now because it's not summer. Percy said camp is full only in summer."
"That's true," Percy muttered.
"And," Teddy said proudly, "I'm in Hermes cabin."
Harry tilted his head.
"How do you feel about that?"
Teddy shrugged.
"They're nice. They said it's okay if I don't have a god parent. They said Hermes cabin is for everyone who doesn't fit yet."
Hermione's smile softened.
"They shared snacks with me," Teddy added. "And one kid showed me how to climb the wall. I didn't break it."
Harry's eyebrow twitched.
"Good."
Percy leaned forward.
"Anyone bother you?"
Teddy shook his head firmly.
"No. But I heard Ares cabin usually bullies new kids."
Harry stiffened slightly.
"But they didn't bully me," Teddy continued quickly. "They were friendly. One of them even said my hair was cool."
That made Harry relax again.
"I met Chiron," Teddy said next, eyes shining. "He's really tall. And nice. And he knows you."
Harry smiled faintly.
"That sounds like him."
"And Lord Dionysus," Teddy finished. "He was grumpy. But he said I'm 'less annoying than expected.'"
Dionysus' words translated perfectly.
The room laughed again.
Teddy leaned back, sighing happily.
"I like it there," he said simply. "I want to go again tomorrow."
Harry looked at his son—really looked at him.
Not a child burdened with destiny.
Just a boy who had found a place where he belonged.
"You can," Harry said softly. "If you want."
Teddy beamed.
"I do!"
Andromeda reached out, ruffling Teddy's hair.
"Then we'll pack your bag properly tonight."
Kreacher nodded firmly.
"Kreacher will add extra snacks."
Sally smiled at Harry.
"You did good."
Harry didn't answer right away. He simply watched Teddy laugh with Percy, watched Hermione adjust Rose in her arms, watched the room filled with warmth and life.
Dionysus did not like Olympus on days like this.
He had been pulled from Camp Half-Blood without warning, dragged from his half-finished attempt at enjoying a very non-alcoholic drink, and deposited at the steps of the council chamber with nothing but irritation and suspicion to keep him company.
This better not be about the kid, he thought as he trudged inside.
The moment the doors closed behind him, he knew he was wrong.
Every throne was occupied.
Zeus sat at the head, posture rigid, lightning faintly crawling across his knuckles. Poseidon was already there, trident resting against his throne, saltwater dripping steadily onto the marble floor. Athena stood beside her seat rather than sitting, arms folded. Ares leaned against a pillar, arms crossed, eyes sharp and predatory. Apollo lounged with forced ease. Artemis was silent. Hera's expression was unreadable.
This was not a casual meeting.
Dionysus took his place slowly.
"Well," he drawled, "this already feels like one of those meetings where someone dies at the end."
No one laughed.
Poseidon rose first.
"The sea is no longer merely unstable," he said, voice echoing through the chamber. "It is active."
A projection formed in the air—rolling oceans, red marks blooming across the map like wounds.
"Leviathans," Poseidon continued. "Megalodons. Ancient krakens. Creatures that should not exist anymore are surfacing across every major ocean."
Zeus' gaze darkened.
"And your armies?"
"Engaged," Poseidon replied. "My son Triton leads them. We are containing the damage—for now."
Athena spoke next.
"These creatures are not attacking randomly. Their movements suggest… disturbance. Like the sea itself is reacting to something."
Dionysus frowned.
Great, he thought. It's that kind of day.
As the discussion continued—strategy, containment, divine patrols—Dionysus felt the weight of something unsaid pressing against his ribs.
If I don't say it now, he realized, it'll explode later.
He cleared his throat loudly.
"Before we continue," Dionysus said, standing, "there is something you should all know."
Several heads turned sharply.
Zeus narrowed his eyes. "This better be relevant."
"It is," Dionysus replied flatly. "A child named Teddy Black arrived at Camp Half-Blood today."
The chamber went silent.
Not the thoughtful kind.
The dangerous kind.
Zeus' expression shifted instantly.
"Teddy Black?" he repeated slowly.
Ares straightened.
Poseidon's grip tightened on his trident.
Athena's eyes sharpened.
"That name again," Zeus said coldly. "Explain."
Dionysus did not enjoy this part—but he did it anyway.
"He arrived alone. Entered through the wards without resistance. Stayed the day. Left this evening. He will return tomorrow."
Zeus rose to his feet.
"That child has no Olympian bloodline," he said sharply. "No divine claim. What right does he have to set foot in my camp?"
Dionysus met his gaze without flinching.
"Ever since the Sword of Twilight bonded with him," Dionysus said evenly, "the boy's physical strength has increased beyond mortal limits. He cannot live among normal humans without risk. Camp Half-Blood is the safest place for him."
A murmur rippled through the chamber.
Zeus' jaw clenched.
"You let a weapon-bonded child walk into our camp without approval?"
"He is six," Dionysus snapped back. "Almost seven. And he did not threaten anyone."
"That is not the point," Zeus thundered. "Power without allegiance is chaos."
Apollo shifted uncomfortably.
Artemis' eyes flicked toward Zeus—cold.
Athena spoke carefully.
"Did the child show aggression?"
"No," Dionysus replied. "None. He was… happy."
That word landed strangely in the chamber.
Zeus' fingers curled.
"And Harry Potter?" he asked.
Dionysus hesitated only a fraction of a second.
"Approved it."
The tension spiked.
Ares smiled faintly.
Zeus exhaled slowly, reigning himself in.
"I will ask questions later," Zeus said finally. "This meeting concerns the sea."
He sat back down.
But his gaze lingered—calculating.
The goddesses exchanged glances.
Hera said nothing, but her posture stiffened.
Athena's expression darkened slightly.
Artemis looked away.
They had not known.
Not this.
Dionysus resumed his seat, heart heavy.
I should have waited, he thought.
But it was too late now.
The name Teddy Black had been spoken in Olympus.
And once spoken, it would not be forgotten.
As the council returned to the crisis of the sea, Athena leaned subtly toward Artemis and murmured, barely audible:
"We need to speak with Harry."
Artemis nodded once.
"In person."
Hera's voice followed, low and firm.
"Without anyone knowing."
The decision passed between them silently, dangerously.
Dionysus watched them from the corner of his eye.
So it begins, he thought grimly.
Far below Olympus, in a warm mansion filled with laughter, a child slept peacefully—unaware that his name had just shifted the balance of the world.
And the sea roared on.
Author's Note:
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