A Matter of Circumstance

Chapter 16 ~ Aphrodite Intervenes


Aphrodite walked quickly through Mount Olympus, heading for Eros’ abode. She needed an update on the Snape situation. Her lazy son better have done something to fix it or his ass was as good as fried. She wasn’t making an idle threat when she said she would inform Zeus.

“Eros!” she called by way of announcement.

A rather sore Eros sat up on his duvet. Eris had put him through the paces after they left earth, taking out her frustration at the mortal wizard on the god. But Eros was a bit twisted anyway. Being dominated by the goddess was ambrosia as far as he was concerned. He yawned as his mother entered.

“Sleeping again,” Aphrodite said to him with a scowl.

Eros rubbed his eyes and stood up, scratching his ass and wincing a little. His buttocks were still sore, thanks to Eris.

“A god’s got to sleep sometimes, Mother,” he said, stretching.

”You’ve better been doing more than sleeping, Eros. Have you stopped the marriage yet?” the goddess asked, her hands on her hips.

”It’s pretty much a wash. Now I’m just waiting for the witch to confess her infidelity to her intended and the blowout that follows should do the trick,” Eros said.

“Confess? She’s going to tell him the baby isn’t his?” Aphrodite asked Eros with wide eyes.

”Yep,” the blonde god replied, nodding, “And Snape’s going to be there to make sure nothing happens.”

”Wait a minute,” Aphrodite said to her son incredulously, “You are going to have that witch tell that wizard she’s been lying to him with her lover present? Eros, that’s a recipe for disaster! Whose idea was this?”

Eros didn’t say anything at first.

Aphrodite zapped him in the chest.

”Ow!” Eros yelled, crossing his chest with his arms, “That hurt, Mother!”

”It will be worse if you don’t tell me who’s behind this scenario,” she spat at him.

Eros muttered something.

“What?” Aphrodite demanded.

“Eris,” the god said.

Aphrodite turned several shades of color.

”Eris? Eros, are you insane? Eris makes a bad situation worse…don’t you know that? I can’t believe you!” Aphrodite said, plopping down on his duvet and pinching her nose in exasperation.

“Well, I needed to put some strife and discord in the mix, Mother. That’s Eris’ specialty,” Eros said, “And she’s done an admirable job. Snape’s even willing to take some responsibility for the child, for a little while.”

Aphrodite shook her head and sighed.

”Those two wizards are going to hurt each other, Eros. That redhead isn’t wrapped too tight,” the goddess said.

”Yeah, but he’s cheating too,” Eros replied, “That evens the playing field.”

”It doesn’t Eros. Humans aren’t logical when great emotion is involved. Damn it. What are we going to do about this?” she muttered to herself, then looked at her son, “When are they going to talk?”

”I think today sometime,” the god replied, “The witch said as soon as possible.”

Aphrodite stood up and started pacing, Eros watching her. He didn’t understand what the big deal was. It was all going to work out.

“I need to go see the Fates and find out what they’re up to concerning this,” the goddess said suddenly, “I don’t want you and Eris to do anything else, understand me? I’m taking over now.”

This suited Eros just fine.

”All right,” he responded.

”Be sure to tell Eris as well,” Aphrodite said angrily.

She headed out the door.

”Eris. Really. My son is an idiot,” she said under her breath, heading for Olympus’ lower levels.

She walked down a long staircase, the surrounding becoming gloomier and gloomier as she descended, the white marble walls graying and cobwebs becoming apparent. The clean burning sconces turned into spluttering torches that blackened the walls and ceilings. Finally she came to a large iron door and pushed it open.

Aphrodite entered a large stone room, in the center of which sat a huge bubbling cauldron. Against one wall was an enormous loom containing countless threads. Some were carefully weaved together and others were snarled horribly.

Clotho, Lachesis and Atropos were cackling and circling around the cauldron, chanting.

Thrice the brinded cat hath mew'd.
Thrice and once, the hedge-pig whin'd.
Harpier cries:—'tis time! 'tis time!
Round about the caldron go;
In the poison'd entrails throw.—

Aphrodite cleared her throat.

”Ah, excuse me…” she said loudly.

All the goddesses spun toward the sound of Aphrodite’s voice.

“Can’t you see we’re in the middle of chanting?” Clothos said, frowning.

Aphrodite snorted.

“You’ve been chanting that old rhyme for centuries. Macbeth’s dead in case you didn’t know,” the goddess said, irritation in her voice. Anyway, I’ve come to consult the loom. I want to know the outcome of an upcoming situation.

“What is it?” Atropos asked, groping her way over to the loom.

”It involves Severus Snape,” Aphrodite said.

All three goddess let out an angry hiss.

”Oh that situation. I can tell you that since we’ve just sealed the fate of that mortal. He’s going to kill the witch’s intended when he tries to murder her. She’s going to die too,” Lachesis said with an evil cackle.

“What? Why? Why have you given them such a horrible fate?” Aphrodite asked them, horrified.

”Because that bitch Eris is involved and took our eye,” Clothos said, “So this is payback.”

”But this is a matter of Love. You can’t interfere in love!” the goddess exclaimed.

”It will be a ‘Crime of Passion’ and that falls under ‘Love,’ Atropos said with an evil smirk, “Such a fate is to be expected whenever Eris is involved. And it’s already weaved into the loom, so there! Since you are the Goddess of Love, you have to let fate run its course. You can’t interfere.”

Aphrodite fumed. It was true…she couldn’t do anything.

“Blame Eris,” Clothos said as the goddesses returned to the cauldron and started circling it again.

Aphrodite knew better than to try and sway the Fates. The bards of old were correct in their estimation of the goddesses. Fate was cruel. There would be no changing their minds, even if the eye was returned to them.

Aphrodite left them to their chanting. Even Zeus wouldn’t interfere with his daughters’ decision. What was she going to do?

She thought and thought hard as she arrived in the main level of Olympus. Now, what was most likely going to happen was the communication between the couple would be what set off Ron. The way he was going to be told. Most likely, the witch was going to take the direct approach…which would be like lighting a fuse leading to a great explosion.

Aphrodite suddenly stopped walking.

Communication. Hm.

Suddenly she clapped her hands together and Hermes zoomed up the corridor immediately. He fluttered in front of the goddess, a bored expression on his face.

”What message can I take for you, Aphrodite?” the tiny god asked her.

Aphrodite gave him a smile.

”I don’t need you in the capacity of a messenger, Hermes…but in that of a god,” she replied.

”A god?” the god repeated, looking interested.

Hermes hadn’t used his god powers in ages.

”What do you need me to do?” he asked Aphrodite curiously.

”I need your power to influence a communication for the better,” the goddess said, “Come with me to my rooms and I’ll tell you all about it.”

Now Hermes smiled. Aphrodite was notorious for rewarding gods that helped her in a very pleasant manner. Hermes was tiny, but Aphrodite could adjust her size to suit her needs. If Hermes agreed to help her, he could count on spending a very pleasant time with the goddess.

”All right,” he said, winging his way before her.

He hadn’t been laid in centuries.

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A/N: Sorry for the short chapter. Not doing too good today but I wanted to put something up. Thanks for reading.