Hey everyone,
WOW! This feels just so unreal. When I started this, I just wanted to make a bit of a tribute to both the Percy Jackson franchise and to DZ2, who had inspired me to create Venquine's Mind and – for a short while – have my own forum for where people could post their own challenges for story ideas; that last one no longer exists.
But now, after this chapter, we'll actually have to say goodbye to what seems like everyone's favorite story – even though Rituals is my own favorite – and, I don't know how I feel about that. What I do know is that this will probably be a VERY lengthy final chapter as there will be multiple topics addressed and endings covered.
Hope you enjoy,

Venquine1990

Chapter 23
Mothers Always Know

31st of October 1995
Hogwarts Grounds
Harry's POV

"A war that lasted no longer than a couple of months and still had a final battle with more losses than any battle fought during the last war. If I weren't the son of the King of the Gods, I would actually start to wonder if fusing the two worlds together through Championing certain students under the Gods is really a good idea.
Still, if we fuse together, we can use our united forces, skills and specialized powers to prevent things like this from ever happening again. And at least this time round all those who died will get the honor they deserve, whether they died in the last battle, this war or the last. My adopted parents finally get recognized for the heroes they are."

A hand suddenly grabbing mine and squeezing it takes me from the way that I am gazing out of the window of the old school bus that Lord Apollo created for those who had wanted to go to Hogwarts to take part in the ceremony and when I look away from the window, I see one of my best friends Nico look at me as he says:
"They're at peace now." Something that, while he has been saying it a lot of times to a lot of people over the last few months, still gives me that confident sense of reassurance and I answer his advice with a grateful, agreeing nod to which he smiles back at me, his counseling of my grief having improved our bond as friends.
Nico, if only because he lost his sister Bianca in the fight, has been visiting his father more and more often, using his Shadow-Kinesis ability to travel from the dark forests around the Long Island Sound to a back alley near DOA Recording Studios and passing Charon with a nod of respect shared between the two of them.

Then we reach the huge grounds of British Hogwarts and there I see something that hadn't been there in the three days after the huge battle as that had been when everyone from Camp Half-Blood had left, Minerva McGonagall assuring us that she, the other Heads and Lady Athena – who decided to stay – would have things under control.
The entire boundary line that keeps the grounds from the Forbidden Forest is covered in grave stones and this makes new tears well in my eyes as I can barely believe so many people have died, but then Hermione gasps and says: "Harry, I – I can see their names. Lily and James, I mean." And this shocks the tears out of my eyes.
The bus then lands quite close to some of the grave stones and Lord Apollo leads us out of the bus, all of us moving back in the same formation we moved in when we approached American Hogwarts on the first of September and Professor McGonagall and Lady Athena are standing next to our bus, clearly having awaited us.

Yet just by looking at the once stern woman do I again see how horrible the fight of two months ago is still affecting everyone here as she is still leaning on a new walking stick, her left leg having been bitten off by a werewolf who had actually been untransformed, thus making it so that she suffered horrible pain, but didn't get turned.
Others who had been horribly injured had been Travis Stoll and my sister as she had been attacked by those who wanted revenge for their fallen leaders and she had been injured taking them down, Snape and Neville, who had been left in a coma to help them heal, George and even my parents and Lady Hera had been injured.
And the deaths had been no less depressing; Charlie Weasley had fought against three Demigods, yet been murdered by a Killing Curse in the back. Tonks and a man named Scrimegeour had died trying to protect each other. And Will Solace had been the worst as he had died trying to heal up poor Bianca, leading to her dying of her injuries.
But then I shake my head as I know those are but a few of the deaths that had come up in the fight as Demigods of all Cabins had been killed, most of them by Death Eaters and Dementors, but some even by their own former Cabin Mates and those who had been Kissed had been taken in by the Ministry to be put to rest respectively.

"Welcome back, all of you. Thank you for accepting our invitation." Professor McGonagall says and I nod as I ask: "Professor, are – are those really –." And the woman nods before she says: "Lady Athena, while helping us grieve our losses, made us realize we never really took that chance at the end of the First War."
This makes Annabeth and a few of her siblings smile at the woman and I too nod at her with the words: "Thank you, My Lady." Making the ethereal woman smile at me before we all move into the castle, me keeping my eyes on the graves of Lily and James Potter all the way until I pass through the huge front doors.

We move into the Great Hall and unlike all the years previous, where the whole Hall was filled with festive looking decorations, does the Hall now remind me to how it looked at the end of last year, when Dumbledore draped the entire hall in black to honor Cedric and his death, a thought that again makes me look back outside.
The students and teachers are all there, many of them accompanied by parents of the students and partners and family members of the teachers and all of them are wearing either black or darker versions of their House colors, yet instead of creating a gloomy atmosphere, does this make the whole thing more honorable.
"This is what I always wanted. For – for them and – for myself." I think to myself and then Lady Athena says: "Young Thalia, I am very sorry, but the students were very demanding that you open tonight's ceremony with a speech." Yet my sister, who is dressed in dark silver, says: "No offense, My Lady, I was expecting as much."

And with that the girl moves away from us and between two of the aisles over to the Owl Stand, yet unlike usual are the candles on top of the feather's edges unlit and I look at Nico, who nods before snapping his fingers, causing for small flames of hellfire to ignite on the Owl Stand as well as the candles floating above us.
This shocks everyone, but then Thalia says: "Thank you, Nico and thank you everyone. We have seen the graves outside and we are eternally grateful for all the effort you partook in to get all this done, both the signs of honor to those lost as well as the decorations of this brilliant hall tonight. We are truly grateful for it all."
This makes those around us smile widely and Thalia goes on as she says: "This war can be viewed in many different ways. For those in England it didn't start until the 24th of June, yet it started with the horrifying death of Cedric Diggory. Yet for those in America, it started at the Winter Solstice, perhaps even before then.

However, even if you believe that the war didn't start until the fight that ended it all, that fight still makes it a war as only in war can so many honorable lives be lost and so many others be hurt. Albus Dumbledore, Will Solace, Charlie Weasley and Bianca Di Angelo are but a few of the brave heroes who died in battle."
This makes many of those around me lower their heads in pain, but then Thalia goes on and says: "However, they are not hurt or truly dead. They have all been honored by Lord Hades to Elysium, which is a true Nirvana where every house has Hecate's enchantments on them to design them to each of their truest desires.
Nico, Bianca's brother, has been visiting Nirvana various times since that horrible fight and he has seen each of them move past the fact that they are now in his father's domain and happily gaze at screens that allow them to continue watch over us. They have found their lost loved ones, yet they are still guarding over us as well."

This takes away the pain of loss that had started to hang around the Great Hall and then Thalia says: "This war was meant for two purposes. Lord Voldemort wanted to further the divide between Pureblood and Muggleborn and Luke hated the distance between the Gods and Demigods and tried to see Olympus destroyed.
Yet their desires, their horrifying desires for war and death, caused something even the Gods never expected; it allowed for the Magical World of England and the Divine World of America to meet, join forces and become allies. Voldemort and Luke and Kronos desired ultimate separation, yet instead they brought true forces together.
And where there is loss, there is hope. Where there is pain, there is care. Where one loses the light, another can give it back to him. What I am trying to say is; Hogwarts, you opened your doors to us when we needed it to fight Luke and Kronos, now we open our borders to you for if you desire new powers and classes."

And this seems to shock the entire Hall before father moves over and says: "As of this day, Hogwarts will be officially under the care, protection and guardianship of Lady Hecate along with all other great magical locations in England and the Four Houses of Hogwarts will officially be Championed by several of my fellow Olympians.
Slytherin will officially fall under my brother Hades and my son Ares, Ravenclaw will have Artemis and Athena, Hufflepuff will have Apollo and Hera and I, along with Poseidon will take Gryffindor under our wing. Thanks to this, all teachers will be welcomed at our school and all students can transfer to our school if they so desire.
However, please note that, if you come, you will be sorted in a House of the God that fits your personality best and not the House you have here. And finally, Professor Hagrid, we leave you several chariots with flying horses and Pegasus to care for so that, whenever one of your students feel like coming to Camp Half-blood, they can."

And while this leaves the whole hall shocked, does father say: "This is not meant as us saying that we believe our school better than Hogwarts, it is us reaching out a hand of union and care to all those who, in both this and the war of the seventies, lost someone dear to them. You have lost more than we did and we only want to help."
And to this do I start to softly applaud and instantly my sister and friends follow my lead, the twins inspiring their family to follow them and me and the other students and their parents all start to follow this, making dad, who was obviously trying to hide his growing nervousness, smile at me with a slight hint of gratitude before he says:

"Now, I will leave you with one last statement that I hope will inspire you all with the belief that, where there is death, there is life. As just this morning, Apollo had my beloved partner Sirius checked out as he has been feeling ill for some time now. Ladies and Gentlemen, I am proud to announce that my Siri – is pregnant."
And this stops me mid-clap as this is something I could have never expected, even with the fact that I have been staying with them at Divine Hogwarts ever since we returned home and the fact that mum's illness, morning sessions of throwing up and the crazy ways that his temper would ignite had been worrying me for some time.

Everyone else seems just as shocked and then many heads turn to Lady Hera, who is actually smiling as she says: "There is no need for any of you to worry. I am well aware of how Zeus feels for Sirius and have grown the same levels of affection for him in a sisterly fashion. And Zeus is definitely a very caring lover to us both.
Because of this, while I know they will in time come to miss their friends and whatnot, have I made a decision I want to make official here and now, with permission of Lady McGonagall, of course." The woman nods and Lady Hera says: "As of today, all those who are of Sirius, Harry or Thalia's lines will be born – immortal.
They will be known as either immortal heroes or even Gods and Goddesses and – if it ever becomes necessary or possible – they will take over from my husband, myself, our brothers, sisters, sons and daughters. All hail the future Olympians." And this statement makes Thalia and me share absolutely flabbergasted looks.

Six months later
22nd of April 1996
Sirius' POV

"I have never been so grateful to be close to the Gods. Thank you, Hera, Apollo." I pant, feeling tired but not even half as exhausted as I felt when I gave birth to my beloved son Harry and the boy asks: "How are you feeling?" And I joke: "I will probably be warming your dad's bed by tomorrow night at the latest, pup."
And while his face turns red, does he glare at me, making me laugh, yet my lungs are still raw from screaming as the pain was only depleted so much and my brother in law Poseidon enchants some water my way as he says: "You really need to learn your own limits, you know?" Making me smirk at him as I ask:
"Are the others here too?" And Apollo answers: "Neville woke from his coma just this morning, but the Healers at St. Mungos are not letting him up just yet and I don't blame them. Minerva, Remus, the Weasleys, some of your old teachers and of course Father and Thalia are outside all waiting for you to let them in."

This makes me smile widely and Hera moves over and says: "I already had them checked with Apollo while you were trying to rest and have blessed them; they will be the God of Ancient Magic and Goddess of New Magic. Congratulations, mama Sirius." And this makes me reach out my tired arms with the silent pledge: "Gimme, gimme, gimme."
The woman softly laughs and then hands me my beautiful new son and daughter and while I gaze upon their utter cuteness, do I say: "Harry, please go get our family and tell the rest the good news." And Harry, who has moved closer to look at his new siblings, nods at me before he moves out of the room with Hera and Apollo.
And just a few minutes later he, Thalia, Zeus and Hera return, all of them having proud and excited smiles on their faces and, like a bolt of lightning, Zeus is by my side, his large beard almost covering my daughter and I snap: "Hey, she doesn't need to visit Hades just yet, you know." Making him instantly back off.

I then quickly look over my baby girl and Hera laughs as she says: "And you thought he had overworking self-protection issues while pregnant. He's going to be even worse on them now. You better watch yourself, dear." Yet I care nothing for her smart remark as I softly whisper: "Aren't they just gorgeous?"
And everyone smiles as they see two sweet little infants, both of them black haired, yet one slightly paler than the other, thanks to my years in Azkaban and on the run, while the other's facial structure is just slightly more refined and I whisper: "She has my horrid tan and he has my ancestral looks." To which Zeus lovingly says:
"They're beautiful, lovely." And everyone around me nods before suddenly my little man scrunches up his face and starts to wail and instantly I get evidence that he is Zeus' son as his voice sounds like a thunderstorm, making all those around me scream in shock and slap hands on their ears as I use magic to vanish my hospital gown.
I then move the crying little one to my breast and instantly the boy stops wailing as he slaps his wrinkled little lips over my nipple, relieving me of what had felt as a heavy pressure for a good three months and, if only to play it safe, do I gently motion my little girl to my other nipple, the girl letting out a soft cry as she too starts to suck.

"Great Olympus, did I cry like that?" Harry asks as he uses a finger to unplug his ears and I say: "Actually, you were more like your little sister here. It drove Lily and James up the wall as they constantly had me and Remus over, just because our ears were more sensitive to your soft crying and we picked it up better."
"If that kid is going to grow up to have Sirius' boisterous nature as a teenager – then I'm quitting my job at Divine Hogwarts, just so you know." Remus then tells me as he sticks his head through the door and Apollo asks: "Wait, that wail made it through my privacy spells?" And my werewolf friend nods as Hera mutters: "Olympus save us all."

Four years later
31st of December 1999
Harry's POV

"WAKE UP, BIG BROTHER! THE NEW YEAR IS ABOUT TO START! THE NEW YEAR IS ABOUT TO START! WAKE UP! WAKE UP! WAKE UP!" Sounds through our family temple, the Silencing spells we tried casting on both our own bedrooms and those of my younger brother once again proving useless and I think:
"I am going to kill mother for having that loud, boisterous brat." Before I groan as the little shot of lightning – as we have started to call Dylan ever since he learned to walk at age 1 and 3 months – burst through my door and as he lunges at my bedded form, I groan: "You know, bedroom doors are there for a reason."

"Doors, smorsh. Who cares for them? It's New Year! It's a new millennium!" To which I groan and say: "No, it will be a new millennium in – DYLAN REGULUS BLACK, IF YOU DON'T GET BACK IN BED AND LET ME SLEEP FOR ANOTHER FOUR HOURS I WILL SHOW YOU ARES' PRACTICE RESULTS!"
The boy yelps as – for the first time in a long while – I actually outdo him with my screaming and then a female voice asks: "What is with all – Dylan, how many times does mother have to tell you? Never wake big brother before sunrise.""But it is sunrise. I convinced Uncle Apollo to trick Aunt Artemis to shorten her night."
Here I hit myself on the head as my eyes are still on the clock, which read 2:39 AM and I say: "One, Uncle Apollo doesn't have a death wish. Two, Aunt Athena would never fall for any of his convincing tricks. Three, GET OUT OF MY BED THIS INSTANT AND LET ME SLEEP!" And instantly the two yelp and scurry out.

I groan as Dylan actually slams the door hard enough to make the four posts of my bed tremble and I think: "Why did father think it a good idea to have him go to Hogwarts Primary? The kid is more around Ares than I am and I'm his bloody apprentice." And with that do I push one of my pillows over my head and groan.
"You're starting to finally surpass him in vocal power, kiddo. Guess your old man's powers are kicking in." A voice then tells me and I say: "Mother, get back to bed. I'm exhausted, I know you are too and you're pregnant to boot. And honestly, I hope you have another kid like me or Nathalie, cause I don't think I can survive another Dylan."
At this my mother laughs as he goes to lie down and says: "Your father is sleeping with Hera tonight and I do feel cranky so if you don't mind –." Yet while I know that, at age 19 I should be way too old for this, do I happily pull up my blanket and let my mum, who is now three months pregnant, cuddle up against me.

"It's been almost five years, you know?" I suddenly ask and the man yawns as he asks: "Five years since what?" And I answer: "Since father saved our lives." Making the man smile as he says: "You should start preparing something special then. I would help, but you know I can't keep a secret from your father to save my life."
At this I laugh as it is definitely true and had been proven in the first year that my parents had been back together and to make things even worse – or funnier for me – had he been even worse with trying this whenever Hera was around for whatever reason and mother softly slaps me before he pulls me close against him and says:
"Go sleep, pup. I know for a fact that Ares went crazy on you yesterday." And this turns my snickering into a tired sigh as mother is definitely right in that; Uncle Ares had gone crazy with his training yesterday and had forced me to skip lunch and would have made me skip dinner, had it not been for father intervening.
And then, with mother cuddling me close against his form, with the strong scent of oaken bark and hot tea, which I have long since come to recognize as mother's natural musk, starting to covering me and my blankets, do I fall back asleep, but not before recasting the locking charms and adding two more to my closed door.

Half a year later
12th of August 2000
Harry's POV

"Congratulations father." I happily tell my father, yet the man seems confused, even if mother and the others seem to understand and mother says: "Yes indeed, congratulations, my courageous bolt of thunder." This makes father look at him and I sit down at the breakfast table as he asks: "Ehm thanks, but – what for?"
And I answer: "You don't remember? Today is the five year anniversary of when you came back into mother and my life. The five year anniversary of when all of our lives changed for the better." The man looks shocked, but then laughs his booming laugh before he says: "Leave it to my son to consider that a day of celebration."

"You don't?" Thalia asks and father says: "I am definitely happy to remember today and I am grateful that you remember it to be today, but I don't think it needs to be celebrated or anything." To which I calmly answer: "Heh, then I guess I will have to cancel my appointment with the Olympians." And Father asks: "That was you?"
I nod and he asks: "Why did you call that meeting anyway? Not even your Aunt Hera seems to want to tell me." To which I smile and say: "That is because Aunt Hera is the only one who knows what I have planned to thank you for your actions all those years ago. I told her my plan and asked her to take care of the rest."
"Why did you do that?" Father asks and mother answers: "Because if he had told me, you would have found out and then it would stop being a surprise." Before he turns and asks: "Am I right, Jamie?" And a black haired baby of 2 months old happily gurgles as mum helps him over to his chest to drink and father sighs as he says:
"You really didn't have to do this." And I say: "I know and I probably won't do it anymore after this, but I felt this year was special as it was my Fifth year at Hogwarts that you influenced the most and it is now five years ago." At which the man sighs and smiles as he says: "Okay, but only this year, understood?" And I nod.

An hour later
Olympian Court
Harry's POV

I have prepared for this for some time now and feel glad that I left most of the public preparation to Aunt Hera as I probably would have worried about more than just father's response going wrong if I hadn't left them to someone as competent and capable as her, yet still I feel like father's approval can make or break this whole thing.
I have made sure to have the finest robes made, the style reminiscent of Ancient Greece and yet not really revealing as that is just not acceptable in the upcoming situation and have a circlet embedded with all kinds of rich gem stones – a gift from Nico when he heard what I had planned – wrapped around my forehead, pushing back my fringe.

Then, as I can hear the excited and curious voices fill the Olympian Court Room, do I enter the room myself, barely intimidated by the fact that they are in their god-sized forms and as I enter the room, does my own size increase thanks to the blessing Aunt Hera gave myself, Thalia, Dylan and Nathalie little under five years ago.
I then bow before my father and this instantly draws everyone's attention and silences them as I say: "Father. Lord Zeus, I come before you today with a plan of action that I wish to partake in as a way to express my gratitude for this very day as it is now five years ago that you returned to my life and enriched it beyond my imagination."
This makes many of the Gods share shocked and excited glances and then father says: "Please speak, my son." And I say: "With the blessing of Lady Hera, will I from now on take on the role of Harrison, God of Lost and Orphaned children. And to prove my worth, I will use the next year to travel the world in search of them all."

This shocks everyone bar Aunt Hera and I smile at father as I say: "I already have permission from the American President of the MACUSA to use the magical section of National Park to create my own camp – like Camp Half-Blood – and here all of my Champions will be send by Pegasus, Saters and House-Elves alike.
And to make things even better do I hereby request Lord Poseidon to enchant the Pensive in my study room at home into a Looking Glass that will allow me to remain home while also providing me with the means to keep an eye over my future children. I also already have William's word that he will enchant the park with wards.

I have my plans, father, all I need is your approval." And while father looks shocked, does Aunt Hera start to softly clap and instantly Uncle Hermes follows her much more enthusiastically and the other Gods and Goddesses follow, shocking father from his stupor and he actually gets teary eyed before he mutters: "Go, my son, go with my pride."
And with a huge smile on my face, do I nod, make another bow and then turn around and leave the room, using a bit of God magic to change my official robes into a traveling set of cloths and as I shrink down to my usual size, do I reach out and take a huge traveling bag from behind one of the pillars stacked against the walls.
I then return to my normal size and look over to the pillar on the other side of the large doors and mum walks over, a huge smile on his face as he says: "Stay safe, pup. And please, take this with you." And to my shock does he give me the Two-way mirror he told me about years ago, making me ask: "How did you know." And the man answers:

"Mothers always know."

And there we go!
That is the end of A Divine Hogwarts and yes, I do have plans to make Harry's journey as he becomes the God of Lost and Orphaned kids be like a sequel to this story; A Divine Year. However, unlike The Moving of the Light, A Divine Year won't be coming right after this for the very reason; I didn't plan on this AT ALL!
I planned on the meeting between Hogwarts and Divine Hogwarts, but even that didn't go as I had planned and after that the epilogue took a life of its own with only the injured, the dead and the names of the two kids being part of what I had planned. Why didn't I cover things taking place at Divine Hogwarts?
No idea,

Venquine1990
PS. For Rules, check chapter 01.