Tet and Hestia weren't content just watching everything unfold through the shimmering screen anymore—so, with matching grins, the two gods entered the game to see things up close. Moments later, they were sitting comfortably on top of Hogwarts' highest tower, the cool breeze rustling their hair as they enjoyed an elaborate little picnic Hestia had prepared. A red-and-white checkered blanket was spread beneath them, and beside a woven basket lay perfectly stacked burgers, crispy fries, and a vibrant fruit platter that glistened under the warm sunlight.
Hestia sat cross-legged with a cheerful smile, popping a piece of fruit into her mouth while watching the chaos below. Down near the forest, Ron Weasley was frantically running for his life, screaming as several massive acromantulas scuttled after him. From the ground, Professor McGonagall's sharp voice carried upward as she barked orders: "Focus, Mr. Weasley!"
Hestia giggled softly, shaking her head. "You're right, Tet," she said between bites of her burger, her warm eyes sparkling. "Watching from inside is so much better. It's gorgeous here, and the air's so fresh and clean." She inhaled deeply and exhaled in bliss. "I can hardly believe this isn't real."
Tet, lounging lazily beside her with his hands behind his head, gave her a smug little grin. "I know, right? But also, Hestia…" He turned his head slightly, one brow raised in mock curiosity. "I love spending time with you, but… where do the other Olympians think you are right now?"
Hestia paused mid-bite, cheeks puffed slightly before she swallowed, her expression shifting into a sly little smile. "Oh, I doubt they'd even notice my absence," she said with a playful wave of her hand. "But, just in case, I left a clone behind." She smiled brightly, leaning closer to Tet. "Thanks for teaching me how to make constructs. They're super useful."
Tet smirked knowingly, a teasing glint in his mismatched eyes. "For skipping out on work, you mean."
Hestia nodded enthusiastically and said. "Yes! For skippi—" She stopped herself abruptly, cheeks turning a faint pink. "I-I mean, no! I'm not skipping out on work! I'm… I'm just taking a break! Yes, that's it."
Tet chuckled, leaning back and stretching out on the blanket with a lazy grin. "Sure. Let's call it that. Anyway, let's see how this goes…"
While the two had been talking, the scene below had shifted. Ron, who had been trembling with fear earlier, now stood firm under McGonagall's sharp instructions. His wand hand still shook slightly, but his eyes burned with determination. He'd started to take down the acromantulas one by one, relying on a clever combination of first-year spells and basic casts.
Tet's playful smirk softened into quiet admiration as he noticed something deeper. He realized that McGonagall wasn't just helping Ron survive—she was pushing him. She was deliberately guiding him to face his fear of spiders while at the same time sharpening his battlefield instincts.
And it was working. With each spider Ron defeated, his stance steadied, his breathing slowed, and his confidence grew. Step by step, spell by spell, the terrified boy was starting to look just a little bit brave.
Once Ron had finally defeated the quota of acromantulas, panting and drenched in sweat, Professor McGonagall swiftly stepped in to handle the rest. With a precise flick of her wand and a sharp, commanding motion, she transfigured one of the remaining massive spiders into a barrel of lantern oil. Without missing a beat, she spun her wand in a fluid motion and murmured a spell—instantly causing the barrel to explode in a blazing fireball. Flames roared outward, engulfing the remaining acromantulas in a searing wave of destruction.
Ron stumbled back slightly, shielding his face from the sudden heat. His wide eyes shimmered with awe as he lowered his arm, staring at the scorched clearing. "That… that was wicked, Professor!" he breathed, his voice still trembling from adrenaline.
McGonagall's stern expression softened ever so slightly into a subtle, proud smirk. Adjusting her square glasses with a calm hand, she turned to him and said, "Would you like to learn it, Mr. Weasley?" Her sharp green eyes locked onto his, a rare glint of challenge flickering in them. "I had originally planned to merely teach you a high-level spell as we agreed… but after observing you today, I've noticed something." She paused, assessing him like a hawk before continuing in a firm, measured tone. "You may not be as naturally talented as Potter… nor as intelligent as Granger… but you, Mr. Weasley, possess natural battle instincts."
Ron blinked at her, almost stunned into silence, his chest rising and falling as he caught his breath.
McGonagall stepped closer, her voice lowering slightly as she continued, "Not to mention before Professor Ambrosius gave you a replacement, you were still able to force halfway decent spells through that broken wand of yours. That takes skill, Mr. Weasley."
Ron glanced down at his new wand, his fingers curling around it as he held it a little tighter, his expression softening. Professor Ambrosius had noticed the state of his wand after his first class with her and, with Dumbledore's permission, had personally taken him to Ollivanders to get a replacement—at her own expense. A shiver ran through him as he thought about what could have happened today if he'd still been stuck with the broken one.
McGonagall's voice broke through his thoughts, sharp yet steady. "Instead of teaching you a single spell, I am willing to teach you how to properly use Transfiguration in battle—against other witches and wizards." Her gaze hardened, her tone serious and deliberate. "I won't lie to you, Mr. Weasley… it will be difficult to become proficient at it, and even harder to master. But… it will be well worth the effort." She tilted her head slightly, her piercing green eyes meeting his. "Do you want to learn?"
Ron didn't hesitate. His jaw set, and he nodded enthusiastically, determination lighting up his freckled face. "Yes, Professor!"
For a brief moment, McGonagall's expression softened again. The faintest trace of a proud smile tugged at her lips before she straightened, regaining her usual composure. "Very well. Lessons begin now. Wand at the ready."
Ron quickly adjusted his grip on his wand, planting his feet firmly as he slipped into a ready stance, his nerves mixing with growing excitement. McGonagall raised her wand and began to instruct him step by step, her sharp voice cutting through the air as she demonstrated techniques and corrected his movements with precision.
Tet sat watching Ron train with McGonagall when he smirked and said, "That boy will be a monster if he gets that skill set down." With a content sigh, he shifted and gently laid his head down in Hestia's lap.
Hestia blinked in surprise for just a moment before a soft giggle escaped her lips. Her warm fingers instinctively slid into his hair, gently massaging his scalp as she murmured with a sweet smile, "You know… you're the only one I'd let do this."
Tet tilted his head slightly, his mismatched eyes gazing up at her curiously. "I heard… back in the day, Apollo and Poseidon both competed for your hand in marriage," he said, his voice laced with mild amusement. "But you turned them down… so why are you willing to date me?"
Hestia paused for a moment, her soft expression melting into a tender smile as she looked down at him. "Because unlike those two, you didn't just declare your intentions to marry me and assume my acceptance as a given," she said, her voice gentle and sincere. "You became my friend first. Then, only when you were certain I had mutual affection for you, you asked me out. You… always make time for me, Tet. You make every day fun." Her voice lowered slightly, becoming almost a whisper. "And finally, the biggest reason of all… unlike them, I know you won't cheat on me."
Tet blinked at her, eyebrows raised slightly. "And how do you know that?"
"Because, Tet," Hestia said softly, leaning forward just enough for her eyes to meet his, "you're not that kind of person."
For a moment, Tet just stared at her, then a small, warm smile tugged at his lips. "I suppose not," he admitted quietly. "Besides… I honestly didn't really care much about romance before I met you."
Hestia's smile widened, her cheeks tinting faintly pink. "It was the same for me," she confessed softly, her hand brushing gently through his hair.
Before the moment could linger, however, a sudden disturbance caught their attention. From the nearby lake, the giant squid's enormous tentacles suddenly shot high into the sky, creating a ripple of splashes across the water. On the lakeshore stood Dumbledore and Harry, Harry clutching a broomstick in hand, his posture tense with anticipation.
Tet sat up slightly, his sharp grin returning as he pointed lazily. "Oh, look. The next test is starting."
Hestia's eyes sparkled with interest, but then her thoughts drifted elsewhere as she casually said, "We should go back to that pirate world later and get some ingredients for dinner."
Tet turned to her with a raised brow, visibly confused. "…We can get fish back home, you know."
"Yes, but there we can get giant fish," Hestia said with an excited little bounce in her tone, clasping her hands together. "I saw a massive eel there that looked absolutely delicious!"
Tet chuckled softly, his lips curling into a sly grin. "Alright, dear," he said, shaking his head with mock exasperation. "But if you see any weird-looking fruits, tell me."
Hestia blinked, tilting her head slightly. "Why? Are they good?"
Tet immediately burst into laughter, leaning back as his shoulders shook. "No. No, they are not good," he said between chuckles, clearly amused by the thought.
Tet's grin widened mischievously as he laid back down and got comfortable. He focused on the lakeshore below. "Anyway… let's see what Dumbledore has Harry doing."
On the lakeshore, Dumbledore stood with his hands clasped behind his back, his half-moon spectacles glinting under the soft light as he addressed Harry with a calm, steady tone.
"Now, Harry, my boy… your task is simple," Dumbledore said, his eyes twinkling with both warmth and challenge. "You must reach Hogwarts within two minutes while dodging the giant squid's tentacles." He stroked his long silver beard thoughtfully before adding, "Are you ready?"
Harry, his expression tense but determined, mounted his broom and nodded.
"On your mark… get set… GO!"
At once, Harry shot forward speeding across the sky, leaning low on his broomstick to cut through the air. Dumbledore began softly counting under his breath, stroking his beard as his sharp blue eyes followed Harry's trajectory.
"Three… two…—"
WHAM!
A massive tentacle shot out of the lake, swatting Harry straight out of the air like a pebble. With a startled yelp, Harry went tumbling, landing in a heap on the ground just a few feet away from Dumbledore. Groaning, he pushed himself upright, rubbing his shoulder.
Dumbledore glanced down at him, his expression mild but his tone gently amused. "Don't fly straight through, Harry." He gestured toward the writhing tentacles with his cane. "This is a game of intelligence, not speed."
Harry caught his breath, cheeks flushing, and nodded firmly. "Right… got it, Professor."
Mounting his broom once more, he launched into the air — this time with far more caution. He climbed higher and began weaving carefully between the giant squid's enormous tentacles, dodging with tight, controlled maneuvers. Beads of sweat began forming along his brow, but determination burned in his eyes.
Just as he thought he was home free, disaster struck. A massive tentacle coiled tightly around him, yanking him off his broom before violently hurling him across the lake.
"AHHHH!"
Harry bounced off the lake's surface like a skipping stone — once, twice, three times, four, five — before he finally slammed into the opposite shore with a painful thud.
Dumbledore winced slightly, muttering with a faint chuckle, "It's a very good thing we cannot sustain lasting damage here, Harry… because if we could, I daresay you'd have many broken bones at best."
Harry groaned but pushed himself back to his feet, wiping water from his face as he limped toward his broom. "Third time's the charm…" he muttered under his breath, gripping the handle tightly.
This time, he took a different approach. Flying low, almost skimming across the lake's surface, Harry advanced slowly and deliberately. His green eyes flicked sharply from tentacle to tentacle, watching for any sudden movements. Each time one lashed toward him, he reacted instantly, pulling up just high enough to avoid it before dropping back down to maintain speed and control.
For a few tense moments, it seemed to be working. But then…
The giant squid grew frustrated.
With an audible splash, its massive tentacles suddenly retracted into the depths, vanishing beneath the lake's surface.
Harry's brows furrowed, instincts flaring. "That's not good…"
Trusting his gut, he leaned forward hard and kicked his broom into a burst of speed, making a beeline for Hogwarts.
He was right to be cautious.
An instant later, every single one of the squid's colossal tentacles erupted from the lake all at once, surging after him with terrifying speed. Harry's heart pounded in his chest, but he didn't panic. Instead, he wove through them with lightning reflexes, rolling, ducking, and twisting out of reach each time one threatened to smash him from the sky.
"Come on… come on…!" he muttered through clenched teeth, every muscle in his body tensed with effort.
At the very last second, just as three tentacles lunged simultaneously, Harry dove sharply, then pulled up in a tight spiral and landed gracefully on the roof of Hogwarts' boathouse.
Instantly, the enormous tentacles halted their advance, withdrawing slowly back into the lake's depths. One, however, slid gently toward the shore where Dumbledore stood waiting. Without a hint of fear, the old wizard calmly stepped onto it, allowing the squid to lift him effortlessly and set him down beside Harry on the boathouse roof.
Dumbledore gave him a proud, approving smile, his eyes sparkling behind his spectacles. "Well done, Harry." He reached into his robes and produced his wand, raising it slowly. "As promised, I will now teach you a high-level spell."
Harry's breath caught slightly, leaning forward with wide, eager eyes.
"It's called the Patronus Charm," Dumbledore said softly, his voice carrying a weight of importance. "Here's how it's done…"
Then Tet slowly raised himself from Hestia's lap, stretching a little before letting out a low, exaggerated groan and saying with mild annoyance, "The Patronus Charm? Come on… you have other spells, Dumbledore. He was going to learn that one next year anyway."
Tet leaned back slightly, resting one hand behind his head while a sly, mischievous glint flashed in his eyes. A smirk tugged at his lips as he added with a playful tone, "Oh well… I guess I'll just have to give Harry something far more interesting later."
With a casual flick of his fingers, a plush recliner materialized beside him. Tet dropped into it with an effortless grace, lounging back and getting comfy. Then turning his gaze toward Hestia his expression softened and he opened his arms in a wordless invitation.
Hestia's eyes sparkled as a warm smile spread across her face. Without hesitation, she hopped lightly into his lap, nestling against him as though it were the most natural thing in the world. Tet's arms instinctively wrapped around her slender frame, holding her close as she leaned back against his chest, her cheeks faintly flushed from the intimate closeness.
"My turn to be spoiled, huh?" she teased softly, her voice carrying a playful lilt as she tilted her head up to glance at him. "Don't mind if I do."
Tet chuckled under his breath, resting his chin gently atop her head while his fingers idly traced soothing circles along her arm. With the two of them settled comfortably, they turned their attention back toward the distance, ready to watch the third test unfold together.