Harry Potter and Percy Jackson Dark Waters - CH 5

"Because adults yell and scream and throw stuff at me," Harry answered before he realized what he was saying. "Adults are bad. They never believe you, and trust other people so they always think you're bad when you're not."

Hestia looked sad at his explanation. "Not all adults are like that," she offered.

Harry shrugged. "Maybe you've got a good Mom and Dad, Hestia, but I just have Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon, and they hate me. And all the adults talk to them first so they all hate me, too. So please don't tell an adult!"

Hestia was smiling again, but it was sad now. "I promise," she said, again. "Can you tell me more about your Aunt and Uncle? How did you come to live with them?"

Harry sighed. "My parents were drunks that died in a car crash," the young boy explained. "Aunt Petunia said so. I was dumped with her

and Uncle Vernon because nobody else would have me. They didn't want me, but had to take me. I didn't like it with them, they were always yelling and screaming and threw me in my cupboard if something went wrong."

"Your… cupboard?" Hestia asked.

Harry nodded. "It's where I slept. My cupboard under the stairs."

Suddenly, the kind and sweet Hestia looked really reallydangerous, with glowing eyes filled with fire and her hair turning the same red as the flames in the fireplace, but it only lasted for a moment and she looked normal again. It happened so quick that Harry just assumed it had been a trick of the light from the fireplace.

It was difficult to get through, and Harry swallowed deeply. His chest felt like it was filled with ice.

"They made me do all the cooking and gardening and car washing and stuff, and I only

got a bit to eat when they were done," Harry pushed on. "And then there was this big trip for Uncle Vernon's company and they couldn't leave me behind like they normally do when they go on vacation. So we came here, to New York. Aunt Petunia kept me locked up in the hotel room, though."

Hestia's sad look remained, but she was now seated closer to him than he remembered. He ignored her closing in, and went back to his explanation. "Something must have gone wrong on this meeting Uncle Vernon was supposed to have with one of his larger customers, because he came back really furious. I hid, because Uncle Vernon always blames me if something goes wrong."

"That's sensible," Hestia said, her voice somehow soothing, and the big block of ice that sat in Harry's chest seemed to start melting.

"He didn't yell at me, though," he told her.

"That's good," Hestia answered.

Harry shook his head. "He always yells at me. It scared me that he didn't. And then, on the last day, right as we were leaving, he offered to buy my passport from me for a hundred dollars."

Hestia blinked. "He did what?" she asked, as if making sure.

"He gave me a hundred dollars, took my passport, and left with Aunt Petunia and Dudley to the airport. They left me in New York and went back to England."

There it was again – Hestia looked dangerous, but it lasted for just a moment. He blinked and stared at her, just to make sure. Hestia looked confused at his close scrutiny, but kept that same smile on her lips.

"I had a hundred dollars, so I could do things I'd never done before. Like eat a hot dog. they're great, by the way! Have you ever had a hot dog, Hestia?"

Hestia nodded. "I have, in fact, had a hot dog, yes," she confirmed, then leaned in, as if handing him another secret. "And more than one, too. Don't tell anyone, though." she put her finger to her lips.

"I promise," Harry promised. If they were keeping secrets for each other, that meant that they couldn't betray each other, right? Could this even mean that Hestia… that Hestia would be his first ever friend? He pushed the hopeful feeling down. He'd had hope for a friend before. It never worked out.

"Then what happened?" Hestia asked. "You were left in New York with a hundred dollars, and got yourself a hot dog."

"Bought a second one," Harry said, laughing. Hestia laughed as well, and the chest full of ice vanished. He just felt so comfortable around her.

"And then I had to find a place to sleep. My money didn't last long," Harry told her. "And even with sauerkraut, I couldn't live on hot dogs alone. Luckily, New York has a lost of dumpsters. And dumpsters have food that people throw away."

"You ate out of a dumpster?" Hestia asked, aghast.

Harry just shrugged. "People throw away perfectly good food. Something it tastes a little funny, but that's all. I don't like the fuzz that sometimes grows on it so I scrape those bits off."

Hestia definitely wasn't smiling now. The look on her face could only be described as 'shocked'.

"It's not that bad," he hurried to reassure her. "Aunt Petunia said it never hurt anybody. It just tastes a little funny."

Hestia stopped him. "Harry, I want you to forget everything that… that woman has ever told you. Eating moldy food is not good, and yes, it can hurt you."

Harry looked puzzled. "But then… then I'll have even more trouble finding food," he muttered, looking at the partially eaten loaf of bread on the end table.

Hestia smiled at him. It was a nice, reassuring, smile. "I am a goddess, Harry," she reminded him. "I can conjure enough food for you with no problem."

"Really?" he asked, surprised.

"Really," Hestia replied in reassurance.

"Best goddess ever," Harry declared in awe.

Hestia flushed slightly, and looked away. "I'm really not. Can you tell me the rest of the story? Or would you like to eat first?"

Harry glanced at the bread. He'd eaten quite a bit of it and wasn't that hungry anymore. "So I spent the next couple of weeks in new York," he said. "The last couple of days there were only empty dumpsters, I guess trash day had come and I couldn't find much food. But then I found this really big building in the middle of Manhattan."

"The Empire State building," Hestia said. "It's the building we're above."

Harry nodded. "I just get these feelings sometimes," he explained. "And now I got the feeling to lean against the building and wait. So I waited. Until I got the feeling to go in. There was just one guard and he was talking with someone. I sat down in the lobby and hid behind a magazine. When the guard went with the guy to the elevators, I watched them and waited."

Harry stopped, and looked at Hestia. "Do you ever get feelings like that, Hestia?"

She smiled at him. "Sometimes, yes," she answered him.

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