The light of Olympus shone brighter than any sun.
Auron stood before the thrones of the gods, his silver eyes steady but wary, a sleeping Harry Potter cradled carefully in his arms.
All twelve Olympians watched. The air shimmered with divine energy so thick even the baby stirred uneasily in his sleep.
Artemis stood at Auron's side, her silver bow slung across her back, her jaw set in quiet defiance.
Zeus leaned forward on his throne, thunderclouds churning behind him. "My daughter, explain. Why does this child stand in our hall with a mortal infant in his arms and why has he been allowed to dwell among your Hunt?"
Auron shifted slightly, trying not to wake the baby. "Because I saved him, Lord Zeus. And I will continue to protect him."
Zeus's gaze narrowed. "That is not the question I asked."
Before Artemis could respond, Apollo lazily strummed his lyre. "Honestly, Father, isn't this kind of wholesome? Look at him divine babysitter vibes. Kid's glowing, baby's not screaming. It's like one of those mortal storybooks The Huntress and Her Half-God Grandkid."
"Silence, Apollo," Artemis hissed.
But even she couldn't fully hide her faint smile.
Hermes smirked. "You've got to admit, this is new. Auron's the first male allowed to stay with the Hunt without being turned into a jackalope."
"I can still fix that," Artemis said sharply, but there was no real venom in it.
Athena leaned forward, studying Auron with clinical precision. "The question remains. What is he? His essence confuses my sight. He is born of Olympus, yet not divine. His thread on the Loom exists yet the Fates cannot weave it."
A murmur passed through the chamber. Even Hades looked intrigued.
"Not divine," he repeated slowly, "and yet not mortal. Curious indeed."
"Perhaps," Poseidon said with a half-smile, "the boy is proof that the cosmos has a sense of humor."
Zeus frowned, eyes flickering with thunder. "Do not jest, brother. His existence strains old law."
Auron took a steady breath. "If I may speak, my lord I was born through your daughter's will, not mortal sin. I serve her Hunt faithfully. If my presence offends Olympus, I will leave."
Artemis turned sharply toward him. "You will not."
Her voice cut through the hall like moonlight through mist. "You are my son, Auron. You were born under my moon, by my will. The Hunt accepts you because I do. If Olympus questions that, then it questions me."
A hush fell.
Even Zeus looked slightly taken aback by her conviction.
Then Apollo whistled. "Wow. Didn't think anyone but Father could make a speech sound like a thunderclap."
Zeus shot him a glare. "Do you want to be struck by one?"
At that moment, Harry made a soft sound a hiccup that echoed across the chamber.
Every god looked toward the infant.
Hermes leaned closer, squinting. "He's… glowing?"
A faint silver shimmer flickered across Harry's skin, as though reflecting the moonlight above.
Artemis's eyes softened. "He carries my blessing now. I touched his brow when Auron brought him to me. The child's spirit is… quiet. Gentle."
Athena's gaze sharpened. "And yet tied to a prophecy already forming in the mortal world."
Artemis's tone cooled. "Then he will not face it alone."
Zeus exhaled, sparks dimming from his beard. "Very well. The child may remain under Artemis's supervision."
His gaze shifted to Auron. "As for you… your existence already confounds Olympus. We will not forbid your place among the Hunt for the laws that might judge you do not exist."
"So… I'm allowed to stay?" Auron asked carefully.
"For now," Zeus said, leaning back. "But if you start another divine mystery, boy, I expect you to explain it first."
Hermes snickered. "Translation: welcome to the family."
Zeus's glare silenced him instantly.
As the council adjourned, Artemis placed a hand on Auron's shoulder. "You did well."
"I just told the truth," he said.
"That's often the most dangerous thing to say before Olympus," she replied with a faint smirk.
Harry cooed softly, tugging at the silver thread of her cloak.
Apollo, passing by, grinned. "So… when's the Hunt's next mission? Diaper duty?"
Auron groaned. "Please don't start."
Phoebe, from the back, murmured dryly, "We'll need stronger wards if the child stays. And more cloth."
Zoë Nightshade smiled faintly. "The Hunt gains its strangest recruit yet."
High above, far beyond Olympus's sight, ROB chuckled to himself as he peered through the threads of fate.
"Well, would you look at that," he mused, conjuring a celestial sippy cup of starlight. "Olympus didn't explode. Yet."
He smirked. "Let's see how our moon-born boy handles divine daycare."