Night had fallen by the time Harry and Artemis arrived at 12 Grimmauld Place, the ancestral home of the Black family. Cloaked under powerful enchantments, the house appeared wedged like an unwelcome thought between two quiet Muggle homes. With a whispered password, the ancient doorway groaned open for its master.
Artemis stepped inside cautiously, her silver eyes adjusting to the dim, flickering candlelight. The scent of lavender polish and faint traces of ash lingered in the air. She glanced around with curiosity and surprise.
"This place… it feels heavy," she murmured.
Harry stepped in behind her, shutting the door with a soft click. "Yeah," he said, slipping off his jacket. "It's got a long history. Not all of it good."
Despite the mansion's grim beginnings, it looked immaculately preserved. The silver candelabras gleamed, the grandfather clock in the hall ticked proudly, and the portraits—while still full of attitude—were less shrieky than before.
"Kreacher has been keeping it spotless," Harry added, motioning toward the clean marble banister. "He's back in America now, watching over Teddy and helping Andromeda. But this place… he takes pride in it."
Artemis nodded, walking slowly through the entrance hall and peering up the winding stairs. "It's… beautiful in a somber way. Like something that endured grief but refused to fall."
Harry smiled faintly. "You could say that about most of us."
They made their way into the drawing room, where a fire had automatically crackled to life in the hearth. Shadows danced across the walls, revealing old spellwork and Black family heirlooms tucked in tall glass cases.
As Harry sat down on the green velvet sofa, Artemis lowered herself into the armchair opposite, folding one leg over the other. Her gaze studied him in that careful, calculating way of hers—goddess of the hunt, still and unblinking.
"So," she said finally, "how are you… really?"
Harry blinked at the question. "You mean, after getting punched by Hermione's dad?"
Artemis smirked. "Well, yes. But more than that. I know a hero's life isn't as simple as saving the world and then relaxing. Especially for someone like you."
Harry exhaled, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees. "It's… strange. Most of my life was spent running, hiding, fighting. Now that I've survived, I'm just trying to find out who I am when I'm not 'The Boy Who Lived.'"
Artemis tilted her head. "And have you figured it out?"
He gave her a crooked smile. "Not really. I've tried a few things—college, magical expiriments, taking care of Teddy. But I'm not looking for some epic destiny anymore. I just want peace. Quiet. A life I choose for myself."
A comfortable silence settled between them. The fire crackled. From somewhere upstairs, the old floorboards creaked as though the house was listening.
Artemis eventually broke the quiet. "Tell me about your relationships."
Harry laughed, surprised. "That's a question I didn't expect from you."
She leaned back, arms folded. "I'm curious. You're surrounded by women who clearly care for you. Athena, Aphrodite… Hestia dotes on you like an aunt, and even I… well, we're close. But I never heard about anyone you truly loved."
He looked into the fire for a long moment before answering.
"There were two girls," he said finally. "Cho Chang and Ginny Weasley."
Artemis nodded. "The names sound familiar. Hogwarts girls?"
"Yeah. Cho was my first crush. But we were both grieving… her boyfriend was murdered before I met her. We tried to make it work, but it just didn't click."
"And the other?" Artemis asked.
"Ginny… Ginny was Ron's sister. Brave, smart, funny. We had a thing in my sixth year. But after the war…" Harry paused. "Everything changed. She wanted a celebrity life—Quidditch, parties, fame. I was too broken. Too angry. I couldn't give her what she needed."
Artemis nodded slowly. "So now…?"
"I'm not looking," Harry said honestly. "I don't want someone to fix me or expect me to be a hero. I've had enough of being someone else's symbol."
Artemis looked at him, long and deep, her expression unreadable. Then she softened. "That's wise. Most mortals your age still chase fantasies, even after pain."
Harry chuckled. "Maybe I'm just old on the inside."
"No," she said quietly. "You're simply… honest. It's why we all trust you."
He turned to look at her. "Including you?"
"I wouldn't be sitting here if I didn't."
They exchanged a look—brief, but meaningful.
Then the fire let out a loud pop, and Harry sat up straighter. "Anyway, what about you? Have you ever… you know… been in love?"
Artemis smirked again. "Me? I swore off men a long time ago. But I've had bonds. Strong ones. Sisters, warriors, immortals who fought beside me for centuries."
"And yet, you still hang around me," Harry teased.
"Don't let it go to your head," she said with a smirk. "You're useful. And… interesting."
"Flattery from Artemis. I'll take it."
Just then, there was a small sound at the window. A paper owl—folded with crisp magical creases—fluttered against the glass. Harry stood, opened it, and took the note.
"The Circo de Umbra arrives in Prague in two days," it read. "Watch the stars. The axis of time shifts again. —A"
Harry folded the message with a frown. "Looks like we're leaving soon."
Artemis stood too. "Then we should rest. You need your strength."
Harry nodded. "You can have the guest room down the hall. Don't mind the portrait of Phineas Nigellus. He likes to insult people when they sleep."
"I'll put an arrow through him if he does."
"I'd actually like to see that."
As they ascended the stairs, Harry glanced back at her.
"Thanks… for checking on me."
Artemis gave him a rare, genuine smile. "Always."
And with that, Grimmauld Place fell silent again—two immortals sharing the space once haunted by war and secrets. But for the first time in a long time, the darkness felt less heavy.
The day had finally come. The sun was just beginning to rise when Harry stood at the edge of the magical seal he'd placed around the Grimmauld place. Artemis arrived first, in a forest-green cloak with silver moon embroidery, bow slung across her back, quiver full. A nod passed between them—no words were necessary. Minutes later, Athena and Aphrodite arrived in shimmering bursts of light.
Athena was dressed for war. Her armor gleamed under the morning sun—golden, precise, practical. A sword hung from her side, and her eyes were sharp with anticipation. Aphrodite, on the other hand, looked nothing like the goddess of love from old myths. She wore a fitted leather coat over a flowing rose-colored tunic, and two jeweled daggers were tucked into her boots. Even beauty had come prepared for battle.
"You're late," Artemis said curtly.
Aphrodite rolled her eyes. "Forgive me, dear sister, I had to choose an outfit that said both 'divine elegance' and 'I'll rip your throat out if you mess with me.' It took time."
"Enough," Athena said. "Do you have the portkey, Harry?"
Harry held up a simple silver pocket watch. "It activates in ten seconds. Everyone, grab on."
All four touched the portkey just as the world twisted, pulling them into a vortex of spinning light and air.
They landed hard, tumbling onto cobblestone in a narrow alley just outside the Prague city center. They groaned, brushing themselves off. The alley was enchanted—silent despite the nearby bustling crowd.
"Well, that was not graceful," Aphrodite muttered, standing up and adjusting her coat.
Harry smirked. "You three looked like falling stars."
Artemis glared at him. "Be glad you're charming."
He led them down the alley until they reached the foot of an enormous white elephant—not a statue, but a real, living creature covered in golden paint and magical sigils, its tusks adorned with lanterns that glowed with captured starlight. The elephant knelt, lowering a platform built onto its back.
"Visitors for Circo de Umbra?" a halfling asked, perched on the elephant's shoulder. He wore a patchwork tuxedo and a top hat too large for his head.
Harry nodded. "Lord Black."
The halfling's demeanor changed instantly. "Ah, welcome, Lord Black. Your presence is expected. Please enjoy the performance."
They climbed onto the elephant's platform. As it rose, a thrill shot through the goddesses. Aphrodite leaned closer to Harry. "I could get used to this."
"Lower your auras," Harry whispered. "You shine like bonfires."
The three goddesses concentrated, dimming their divine presence. Mortals nearby no longer stared.
The tent of Circo de Umbra was not just a tent—it was a coliseum-sized structure of layered velvet and enchanted silk, each flap humming with protective wards. Inside, the air buzzed with exotic spices, perfumes, and magical energy.
A phoenix soared overhead, trailing embers in its wake. Thunderbirds performed aerial spins alongside trained dragons. Unicorns galloped through floating rings of water, while mermaids sang in hovering orbs of enchanted glass.
Dozens of stalls lined the perimeter. Vendors shouted in dozens of languages. One dwarf sold weapons forged from dying stars. A goblin polished a monocle that let the user see through illusions. Veela performed sensual dances in a glowing circle, attracting a crowd that threw enchanted roses at their feet.
Artemis was awestruck. She stopped in front of a weapon vendor displaying celestial bronze spears with lunar inscriptions. "I want three of those."
Athena was absorbed by a bookstall, muttering titles aloud. "Codex of Astral Conjunctions... Arcane Treatises on Leyline Entanglements..." Her eyes sparkled.
Aphrodite had vanished momentarily but returned carrying a box of shimmering candies and several perfume vials. "Divine delight and fragrance. This place understands me."
Harry didn't smile, but he was clearly enjoying their reactions. He led them through the main corridor to the outer ring of tents.
"What now?" Artemis asked.
Harry lifted his hand and tapped the signet ring on his finger. It gleamed with dark magic—the seal of the House of Black. "This gets us access to the inner stalls. That's where we ask the right questions."
The hidden market was not labeled. They passed beneath a black velvet curtain behind a dragon handler's tent and emerged into an eerie corridor dimly lit by floating orbs.
Here, the merchandise was darker: cursed amulets, bottled banshee screams, venom harvested from basilisks. There were fewer people. Fewer voices. The air was colder.
They found a vendor selling obsidian runes and cursed bones. Harry stepped forward.
"We're looking for something rare. Ancient. Something that shouldn't exist."
The vendor narrowed his eyes. "Many things should not exist, Lord Black. What flavor of danger are you shopping for today?"
Harry met his gaze. "The Bone of Crius."
The vendor didn't blink. "You should leave. That name invites death."
"So we're on the right track," Artemis said coldly.
The vendor hesitated. "You didn't hear it from me... but rumor someone from the Crimson Ring is also asking about it. They are nomads who sell memories, time relics, and the nightmares of dead gods."
Athena spoke, her voice steely. "Where do we find them?"
"Tonight. East quadrant. Ask for the Whispering Tent."
Harry nodded. "Thank you."
As they left the vendor, the four of them understood: they were close. The circus was more than a spectacle. Somewhere within its endless corridors and dream-like illusions, the Bone of Crius was waiting.
Harry's eyes darted from one wonder to another, but his mind never drifted far from the mission.
"Athena, Aphrodite, keep close," he murmured.
"I'm not letting a circus full of magical beasts distract me from the bone of a Titan," Artemis added, hand resting near her silver dagger. "But I admit... it is impressive."
Athena adjusted the satchel she carried, eyes gleaming as she passed a booth displaying tomes older than most cities. "The craftsmanship of this place—it's not just magic. It's devine."
"Remind me to buy some of those Veela-made rose perfumes," Aphrodite whispered to no one in particular, watching a flock of Veela dance in synchronized rhythm upon a mirrored stage, their movement creating ripples of soundless music.
Then, just as they were approaching a tent marked Enchanted Trinkets a cloaked figure stepped from the shadows of a dragon-skin tapestry. His hood obscured most of his features, but a confident smirk was visible under his nose.
"Harry Potter," the man said calmly, his voice low and silken.
Harry stopped. The goddesses immediately flanked him, hands subtly resting on weapons.
The man chuckled. "No need for hostility. If I meant you harm, I wouldn't have greeted you."
"And you are?" Harry asked, narrowing his eyes.
"They call me... Green Goblin."
Harry raised an eyebrow. "You're not a goblin."
"No," the stranger agreed, pulling back his hood just slightly to reveal a sharp-jawed, fair-skinned man with piercing gray eyes. "Just a name. And names mean very little here. What matters is information. Which I have."
"Information about what?" Artemis asked sharply.
The man's eyes twinkled. "The Bone of Crius."
Harry felt a chill crawl up his spine. "You know about it?"
"More than most," the Green Goblin said. "Which is why I'm talking to you now. Because you shouldn't be wandering around clueless when the bone may already be out of reach."
"Explain," Athena ordered.
The man didn't flinch at her tone. "Someone in this circus—someone who operates the true Hidden Market—offered one million gold Galleons for the Bone of Crius. And that offer did not go unanswered. The best thief alive took the contract. Rumor has it... the job was successful."
Harry's jaw clenched. "And?"
The man nodded. "And expected to be handed over here, tonight."
"Who hired the thief?" Harry asked.
The man hesitated, then slowly exhaled. "I don't know his name. But I know what he's after."
Harry crossed his arms. "Do tell."
The Green Goblin's smirk vanished. "The client is said to have discovered a long-forgotten ritual. One that allows the bearer absorb the essence of what it once belonged to. Not memories. Power."
Athena stepped forward, her expression stern. "You're telling us someone plans to gain the powers of a Titan?"
The man nodded gravely.
"Impossible," Artemis said. "Such rituals would've been destroyed by the Olympians centuries ago."
"Not all," the Green Goblin said. "Some fragments survived. Rituals hidden in darker corners of the world. Some even protected by gods who turned their backs on Olympus."
Aphrodite paled. "If this person succeeds..."
"They won't just be powerful," Harry finished. "They'll be unstoppable. With control over constellations, time... maybe even the heavens themselves."
The Green Goblin looked around, then stepped closer. "That's why I came to you. You're the only one here who can stop it."
"Why help us?" Athena asked.
"Because I hate unbalanced power," he replied. "And because I owe a debt. To someone who fought against the Titans once. That's all I'll say."
Harry's gaze remained locked on him. "Where will the exchange happen?"
"I don't know the exact tent," the man said. "But it will happen after the Veela performance at midnight. The thief will hand over the bone in secret to the buyer in one of the shadow pavilions in the southern section of the circus. That's all I've got."
"And we're supposed to believe you?" Artemis narrowed her eyes.
The Green Goblin smirked. "You've got no better leads."
Before anyone could respond, he stepped back into the shadows and vanished, as if swallowed by the very fabric of the tent.
Harry turned to the goddesses. "We've got a few hours."
"I say we split up," Athena suggested. "We search the southern quadrant. Every shadowed tent, every corner. We need to find that thief before the exchange."
"And when we do?" Aphrodite asked. "We fight?"
"We stop them," Harry said firmly. "Without alerting the entire circus, if possible."
"I'll make sure to bring my quietest arrows," Artemis said, gripping her bow.
They turned away from the center of the circus, heading into the veiled shadows of the southern edge—where the circus of wonders became a bazaar of secrets.
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