203A/N: Due to popular demand, I have written an epilogue.
Disclaimer: I own nothing you recognise.
Chapter 53: Epilogue.
5 Years Later.
Harry stood on the lookout of Olympus, his gaze roaming across Greece. It never failed to calm his nerves, being on the lookout.
Around him, laying scattered on the floor like they had been for the last five years were the pieces of Zeus' shattered throne. He never had the heart to remove them and hadn't the skill to repair the throne either.
Nor did the Goblins, nor anyone else alive.
Harry gave a sigh as he looked out to the Golden City, Olympus. It was still abandoned.
He'd never found the gods like he had told Hades he would, before sending the errant god back to the underworld to his Ebony Throne. A part of Harry felt bad for the god, he'd lost his wife and didn't even know what happened to her.
His gaze fell on the wizarding tents set up in the open plazas on the ground level of Olympus. They'd been studying Olympus since he'd claimed it in the wake of what the Prophet had called the Spirit War.
Harry had never liked that name, but since he hadn't come up with a better one, there was nothing to be done.
The scent of lavender entered his nostrils and a bright smile crossed his face as he turned to see Fleur having ascended the steps and joined him on the lookout, a baby in her arms.
''Arry? Why are you still so focussed on this throne? We 'ave an entire city to study.' She asked, smiling as she offered the baby to him. Fleur kissed its silver hair as she passed it into his eager arms.
Harry cooed at the baby in his arms for a few moments before looking back to Fleur and kissing her lips. He pulled away, bouncing the baby girl in his arms in a gentle rhythm.
'I told Hades I would search for his kin, that I would find Persephone. As much as I would like to ignore my words to him that day, they won't leave my mind. It's as if my magic is forcing me to hold to my word.' Harry sighed again before looking down to the tiny creature in his arms.
'How is Holly this morning? I hope I didn't wake the two of you as I left?' he asked, and Fleur gave him a warm smile.
'Non 'Arry. We slept right through you clomping around the 'ouse at five in the morning to come 'ere. As always.' She smirked and Harry returned the expression.
'Good, I would hate to wake you from your beauty sleep, not that you need it.' He grinned and she rolled her eyes at him.
''Arry, we've been married for two years now and now we 'ave a child. I refuse to allow you to start telling what does 'ermione call them? Dad jokes?' Fleur narrowed her eyes and Harry beamed at her, holding his daughter close to his chest.
'I wasn't even thinking of sinking so low as to tell dad jokes. At least not until Holly is old enough to be ashamed of me for telling them.' He grinned at her suspicious glare before he turned away from his wife and moved over to the other thrones in the lookout.
'It's okay Holly my love, we'll let your mummy stay over there and be mean. We'll just have a look at all of Greece from here.' Harry cooed to Holly who reached out to hold his nose, her emerald eyes locked on his.
Fleur joined Harry and Holly staring out over the countryside below, a sombre expression on her face.
''Arry, what is wrong? I've felt it for the last few weeks, I was waiting for you to talk to me on your own, but…' she trailed off and Harry kissed Holly's hair.
'Fleur, I'm missing something.' He admitted, absently playing with Holly as he struggled to put his feelings into words.
'Even with the Goblins firmly behind us, the Veela along with them.' Harry added before a small chuckle escaped him.
'Heck, even the British wizarding world accepted, no, demanded for me to be their King once my having Excalibur and defeating Hades become public knowledge.' He paused, still unable to accept those nuggets of information, even after five years.
He turned and smiled at the silent Veela bodyguards who trailed behind Fleur almost wherever she went. His smile faded as he turned back to look out over Olympus.
'Sirius and Dominique are doing well as my proxy's in Camelot. I could never handle sitting in that place all the time, or the politicians for that matter.' He added and Fleur scoffed.
'No 'Arry, I don't think the politicians would survive long if you took up court in Camelot with them. You 'ave no patience for the political games they play.' She agreed then stepped closer to him.
''Arry, what is it that's bothering you?'
Harry held Holly tighter to his chest, kissing her silver hair before giving a smile to Fleur.
'It's-'
His words were cut off by someone clearing their throat behind them.
Harry and Fleur turned to see Remus, catching his breath on the stairs. He noted the werewolf was careful not to stand on the lookout itself, as everybody else did, even the Veela bodyguards silently refused to stand on the lookout.
Which meant in the last five years, only Harry, Fleur and Holly had been on the lookout.
'Harry, my team has found something that I'm sure you two will want to see.' Remus said as he caught his breath, a hand on the railing beside him to keep him upright.
'Of course Remus, we'll be right there.'
Twenty minutes later, the four approached the crypts of Olympus. Behind them, a crowd of bodyguards and researchers followed.
'Remus, can you explain to me why Olympus would need a crypt? It is a city of the god's; they don't die and so why do they need crypts for?' Harry asked and Remus chuckled.
'Harry, if they don't die, where are they?' the werewolf asked, and Harry shook his head.
'It's not that simple Remus. When people die, they go to the underworld. According to Hades, when gods die, they come here.' Harry argued only for Remus to raise his eyebrows.
'What?' Harry asked.
'You just answered the question your majesty.' Remus smirked and Harry scowled.
'You just said, "When gods die, they come here." That means they need somewhere to be buried or interred or whatever.' Remus finished and Harry huffed.
''E has you there my love.' Fleur added with a sweet smile as Harry scowled at her.
Remus stopped the group, gesturing to a large door. It was a mural, depicting a scene Harry was unfamiliar with. His interest raised, he met Fleur's eyes and she took a sleeping Holly from his arms and cooed at her, leaving Harry to examine the door.
On the door Harry saw twelve figures, someone carved them to appear frightening. The largest of the figures held a one-handed scythe, a sickle, in one hand that looked familiar to Harry. The image triggered something in his memories but what it was, he didn't know.
Around the twelve frightening figures stood another twelve figures, but Harry recognised these by the items they were holding. The second group of twelve were the gods who ruled Olympus, led by Zeus and his wife Hera.
Harry recognised other gods on the mural in a group further away from the main groups, signifying their presence in the event, but not their direct involvement.
Without conscious thought, Harry reached out to touch the carved image of Zeus. The detail carved into the marble was exquisite. The image of Zeus bore a great beard and his signature lightning bolt which Harry had inherited.
At his touch, the door opened. At first it shook the entire wall, dislodging thousands of years of dust which settled on the otherwise pristine marble floor.
'Harry, I only meant for you to see the door. I've been trying to open it for weeks.' Remus said, his mouth agape as the door gave way, allowing entrance to the crypt.
Harry gave a slight grin and turned back to the crypt.
'Shall we?' he asked and without waiting for a response, entered.
The small crowd followed behind him and the only sounds Harry heard were gasps of wonder as they moved into a glowing room. Much like the rest of Olympus, the room glowed with a radiance that Harry still didn't understand.
He entered the crypt itself to see it was a long room, about ten metres wide and about fifty long.
Harry moved with slow steps through the crypt, peering at the sarcophagus' lining the walls. On each sarcophagus, a carved face showed the occupant. He wracked his brain for depictions of the gods throughout history and even with his occlumency, many of the face on the sarcophagus' were unknown to him.
The further into the crypt he went, he recognised more of the faces.
Ares, god of war. Hermes, god of travel. Hephaestus, smith of the gods. Hera, Queen of the gods.
Their carved images stared out from their sarcophagus' watching the crypt for all of time.
But Harry's attention was drawn to the end of the long room where a pedestal stood, holding a beautiful woman who Harry recognised as Persephone, Hades' wife. The one that Hades had broken out of the underworld to find.
A sarcophagus lay open on a table behind her, shielded by her pedestal.
As Harry approached, he reached out a hand in horror.
Embedded in Persephone's chest was a sickle.
A/N: Yes, this is geared up to get a sequel. Though this sequel might take a long time to happen, depending on other projects. I hope this tied of any loose ends that I'd left and had always planned on resolving in the sequel. (To be honest, I think it was just me being lazy.)
Also, totally hit the 200k words which I was so close to hitting before, huzzah!
I am astounded by the response I've gotten from this fic and the support you guys, my readers, have given me. I really appreciate it. Thanks again!