a/n: Hello to everyone! I'm so sorry for this late update. Thank you for those kind reviews. I'll try my best to be grammatically correct because I'm trying my hand on really strict English writing (college entrance examination practice). It's ok to accept some correction so that I can be a better writer, in ideas and in grammar.

Thank you for those who reviewed again and do enjoy this chapter. I dedicate this chapter to the greatest contributor of this story that you'll soon see in the future chapters.

CHAPTER 21: HANGING GARDENS

"Will you stop following me?" Jeanne shouted, stopping and waving her luggage in a peculiar way.

Christopher backed. "Talking to me, huh?" he asked back after looking around and seeing that nobody's around. "Jeanne Shou. Try to remember that we live in the same neighborhood."

Jeanne started a tantrum because of the fact that she embarrassed herself in front of that guy. They were standing on the bus stop.

"Oh, Jeanne, back from your dorm school?" the conductor asked as the bus stopped in front of them.

Jeanne smiled. "Smith, I'm here for a vacation."

"It seems like tha', young lady," the driver said, giving a salute. "Is there something going on between you and dear ol' Chris?"

The girl raised an eyebrow as Smith carried their luggage inside. "I don't even know him," she said, waving a hand.

"Don't mind her, Mr. Smith," Christopher said, smiling. "We're just having a little LQ."

"Huh? You…!" Jeanne said as she started to advance towards Christopher. However, inertia got the better of them and she went straight towards his arms.

And also his lips.

"Hey, stop the bus, June," Smith said, hitting the metal pole with a coin. "There are newcomers."

Three people stepped up on the bus, carrying small luggage. There was a girl with black hair, a little blond boy, and…

"Miss Evans?" the two chorused, Jeanne almost jumping out of Christopher's arms.

"Well, hello to the two of you," she said, beaming.

"But… what are you doing here?" Christopher asked. "You don't live in our place, right?"

"What am I doing here? I am… well… umm…" Lily turned to the small boy and it winked at her.

Danicia placed her hands on the boy's shoulders and said, "We're having an Easter vacation with our friend."

"I haven't seen him before, have you?" Jeanne whispered to Christopher from the corner of her lips. "What is his name?"

"Name? Uh…" it's Dancia's turn to stammer.

"Rhoe! Yes, Rhoe, right," Lily repeated nervously.

The three seated at the back, where the lovebirds were, sitting and not talking to each other. Danicia started to munch on peanuts when she accidentally choked due to a commotion.

"Hey!" they heard a bump on the glass window. "Don't come anywhere near me!" they heard Jeanne shriek in a small voice.

"They are really the Axis Powers and Allied Forces of the love matches," Eros said in a sad voice.

"Don't you think they're too brutal with each other?" Lily asked the god. She was looking across the road and she saw a pinkish billboard with a cute girl in a blue dress.

"That, my dear, is a way of showing affection," he replied. "Well, that's an explanation on Jeanne's side of the story." he poked Danicia's side and said, "We're here. Let's go down."

They bade the two goodbyes. Eros knocked at the wall after seeing that there's no one looking around. Actually, he's knocking on a wall with a billboard named "Aphrodite Scents… Let them fall in love," complete with its pinkish background.

Lily looked at the face on the billboard. "Dani, look!" she said, pointing at the model.

"It's Aphrodite! I can't believe it!"

"You won't actually believe it," Eros replied.

"But it doesn't look like that a while ago!" the redhead exclaimed. "It was…"

"Yes, none other than me," the woman on the billboard answered. "So, how was the trip?"

"Boring," her son replied. "Can we now go on?" he asked. "We need to rest and we need to plan for the mission."

"Of course, my dear," the goddess replied. "Now, tell me what's the password."

Eros looked around as though he forgot what the password is. "Stupid god," his mother said, blowing her hair away. "I told you about it earlier."

Lily looked around them. "Thankfully, no one's around. But it's cold out here!" her mind exclaimed. As she looked at the billboard again, she saw Aphrodite's gesture towards something. She looked closely. As small as a 5 point font size was a text. She approached the text and read it closely. "Endless Story," she read.

"Always and forever," the goddess smiled. She waved her white scarf and it became a door. "Go inside, waste no time."

The two girls dragged their bags inside the scarf-turned-door. Lily almost had a heart attack.

"Like the house?" Eros asked, turning back to his god form. "This is an exact replica of my mother's suite up there, on Mt. Olympus," he said, pointing up nowhere.

"It's…" Lily thought of something to say.

"Everything around here is cute!" Danicia said.

True to what the latter stated, the room can be defined as cute. The walls were painted soft pink; the furniture were varnished and lined with gold; the lights were produced by chandeliers with a hundred crystals; the floor was soft and fluffy that it could be used as a bed.

"This is a house only for the richest of the rich!" Lily said, dropping her luggage.

"No, Lily. This house is only fit for Gods," Eros said smartly. He floated to another room and the two immediately followed, removing their shoes because they were embarrassed to step on the fluffy carpet.

"Wait, Eros! Where are you going?" the two panted. They were walking in an almost non-ending corridor lighted with a thousand candles and reflected more by the crystal chandeliers.

In front of them were large doors etched with gold. "I can smell lunch!" Danicia said delightfully. Before she was able to touch the golden knocker, the doors opened.

Eros appeared before them in a chef outfit. "Bonjour Mademoiselle Lily, Mademoiselle Danicia. Lunch is served!" he said enthusiastically in a French accent. The room was as large as the receiving room with the same setting. However, Lily's jaw dropped when she saw a very long table that could seat fifty persons or more! Aside from that, it was obvious that the room was also for parties because of individual round tables that were table skirted and adorned with flowers.

"Thank you, Chef Eros," the Lily said as she was helped into a seat. The table was set for three. The two plates were on the other side, and the third on the farthest end of the table.

"Aren't you going to eat?" Lily asked Eros as she helped herself on the stew.

Eros shook his head as he sat beside Danicia. "Dears, I just got a dose of ambrosia. Just help yourselves!"

"But who's sitting there?" Lily said, using her fork to point at the farthest end of the table.

"I invited someone to help us," Eros said. "A muggle, actually."

"Why?" the two asked.

"My mother feels we should really celebrate Easter," Eros said with a wink. Their conversation was blocked with a knock on the door.

"Oh, here she is! Girls, remember to greet her in the normal way," Eros reminded.

The door opened by itself and in came an elderly woman wearing heavy accessories that she looked like a display mannequin in an accessories store.

"Oh, Mrs. Tails!" Eros greeted. Lily and Danicia did not realize that he already transformed to his child form.

"Good day, child," the woman greeted. "And to the two wonderful ladies here," she added upon seeing Lily and Danicia.

"Please help yourself with the food, Mrs. Tails. My mother hasn't arrived yet from work," Eros said in a gentle manner. He helped Mrs. Tails sit down on the farthest side of the table. The two continued to eat.

"Eros, what's up with you? Do we really need that much help?" Lily whispered as she munched on the salad.

"It's my mother's fault," Eros said. "By the way, if you want to refer to me, you have to call me Rhoe."

"Rhoe?" they chorused.

"That's the name you gave me earlier, you dumb brains! So that's how you would call me."

"Got it," Lily replied with a wink.

After few minutes of silence and clunking of spoons and forks, the queen came at last. It was signaled by the echoing sounds of heels walking on the corridor behind the door.

"Good afternoon!" Aphrodite said, her arms spread and glittering – literally. She was wearing a supposed-to-be-muggle look: a long pink gown of glittery fabric. Mrs. Tails' jaw dropped.

"Mother!" Eros shouted, running towards the goddess.

"Good afternoon…"

"Madam Aimes," Aphrodite said, shaking the old woman's hand. "Have you eaten? Did you enjoy our food?"

"I'm full, Madam. Your food is superb," Mrs. Tails replied.

"Have you met my son's friends?" she then continued, going to Lily and Danicia. "This is Miss Lily Evans and Ms. Danicia Stacey. They're here for the party."

"Party?" Lily blurted out, confused.

"Yes, Lily, dear, the party," Aphrodite said, looking at her with a wink. "Mrs. Tails can be of great help, she knows everything about this town."

Mrs. Tails blushed. "Madam, I only know almost everything."

"Well, that should suffice. Please follow me to the parlor. Girls, you can now proceed to your rooms. You will be surprised," she said with a wink once again.

"Lily, Dani, let's go. I will take you to your room," Eros said, pulling Lily's hand.

"Thank heavens. I thought you will just let us get lost in this really big house," Lily said sarcastically.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Oh, Mrs. Tails, you're great!" Aphrodite said, chuckling.

Mrs. Tails blushed again. 'Thank you, madam. Should I also make some arrangements with the catering?"

"No, I'll do the catering. I cook, you know?" the goddess said with a wink. "Maybe you could also assist me with the decorations."

"I will be happy to do that," Mrs. Tails replied.

"But your principal job for this party, Mrs. Tails, is to invite some respectable people in your community and I want someone to sing!"

"Sing?" the old woman repeated.

Aphrodite stood up and pranced around the room while talking. "Yes, I want the greatest singers of this town to sing in my party. My friends love music and they would certainly love it when someone sings in the party."

Mrs. Tails frowned, thinking about Aphrodite's idea. "Aha! Madam Aimes, I know now!"

"Oh, really?" the goddess said in a sly smile, turning around with full grace.

Mrs. Tails nodded. "You are so lucky, Madam Aimes, that they're here for the holidays."

"They? Who are they?"

"Ms. Jeanne Shou and Mr. Christopher Summerwind!" she exclaimed, her heavy accessories banging and producing such noise in pair of her excitement.

"Aye! Thank you very much, Mrs. Tails!" Aphrodite said, embracing the old woman. Behind her, she was smiling. "Bull's eye," she whispered.

"I want to see the two of them tomorrow," the goddess replied. "Meanwhile, my office is calling me. I have to go."

She clapped her hands and a maid entered. "Take her outside. Mrs. Tails, I want to see the two of them tomorrow. I'll pay any price for them if they are fit to sing in my party."

"I'll make sure, madam," Mrs. Tails replied before closing the door behind her.

"Crap, they're calling me again," Aphrodite said, looking at her now glowing necklace. "Naia Ai," she called out and her necklace became her beloved wand. "Let's go back to Mt. Olympus."

"Madam!" one of the assistants said as she appeared on her queen platform.

"Yes, Karen?" Aphrodite asked her. "What's the matter?"

"The crystals are in a trance today, my dear goddess," she said, holding up a hologram figure of the two large fishbowls. The crystals inside acted like gas molecules under fire.

"I just hope this will turn out fine," the goddess replied as she stood up.

She was interrupted by the alarming red light that signaled emergency. "My dear goddess, one of them said, running towards her platform. "The Dianca!"

"What's with the Dianca?" Aphrodite said in a tone unlike hers.

"It has been administered in a host!" the woman said.

"Rowanna, do something to stop this, even in a little time. Every second counts when it comes to the Dianca," she said.

"Arde, the crystals, please," she then told the next assistant.

"Yes, dear goddess," she replied. In a minute, she found herself in her different dimension, the jumping crystals in front of her.

"Hearts of humans, destined to fall in love, find truth and find your devotion. To be together in passion and compassion. To stay and to endure the pain together, to create a crystal that will shine forever," she chanted once again.

The voice over started its clearance check once again. While this was happening, Aphrodite looked at the crystals with worry. "Whoever you are, please be there to help me. Please be there to stop the Dianca… Please…" she pleaded.

The new pair-up jumped out of the bowl and hovered in front of the goddess. The other one was tainted. "What happened to you?" she asked the crystal, hugging it. She returned to her queen platform.

"Arde, who is it?" she asked as the crystals settled themselves on the scroll as ink. "Helena Franco and Vladimir Mabosse."

Aphrodite gasped and sighed with relief. "Thank the Fates! Thank the almighty Zeus!" she shouted with delight, looking above. She took Arde's hand and started to waltz with her.

"Dear goddess!" Rowanna shouted. "We have to stop the Dianca! Now!"

"Oh, right," she said, regaining her composure. "Call my son, now!"

"Aye," the assistant said.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"This is from whom?" Angelo, one of Matthew's friends, asked. He was eyeing the Easter chocolate eggs with delight.

"It's from Helena," Matthew replied, looking at the card enclosed in the tray. It was designed with red and black lace. In short, it was creepy.

"She was really shot by Cupid's arrow," a guy with blond hair said as he turned around.

Matthew shook his head. "This woman is desperate, Vlad," he said.

"Can I have some of these chocolates?" Angelo replied.

"I would love to give you some but Helena instructed in the letter that the chocolates are only for me," Matthew said sadly.

"Oh well, we should not spoil the princess," Vladimir replied. "Angelo, you have a mountain of chocolates over there," he said, pointing to his friend's bed that was overflowing with chocolate.

The other boys sniggered. "Angelo's got a fan club!" some of them shouted.

"Guess I'll just have to keep this," Matthew said, putting his chocolates inside his bedside cabinet.

"I can't understand women," Vladimir said, looking at the chocolates wrapped with lustrous packages. "It's not Valentine's Day. Why are they giving too much?"

"Vlad, it's because they want to show off what they can do," Angelo said, starting on some of the Ostrich egg chocolates.

"But they are all shaped like eggs! I'd rather have hard-boiled eggs than chocolates."

"Huh? You are such a freak!" Angelo replied.

"Stop arguing, you people," Matthew replied. "You enjoy the holidays. Don't spoil the holidays with your skirmishes!"

"Fine. By the way, I have to go for a moment," Vladimir said. He put one of his hands inside his pocket.

"Bye, Vlad," the others greeted. He greeted back with a small wave before closing the door.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"I'll be there, mother," Eros replied.

"You can use one of the other arrows temporarily, just to restrain the use of the Dianca," Aphrodite instructed.

"Lily, should I use the red, the pink, or the green?" Eros asked, his face forming a sly smile as he mentioned the last arrow.

"I think it's better if you use the pink," Lily replied. "But if we want to be sure, let's try the red."

"Then I will use the red," Eros said, taking his red arrow. "Infatuation." He tested his bow by pulling and releasing the string.

"I think I should go now," he told the two. "Enjoy your stay!"

"Thank you," Danicia replied. "Lily, let's go!" she said excitedly.

Eros sighed as he saw the two young women disappear at the turn of the corridor. "I can't believe it! I should have been resting!" he complained aloud.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Helena was looking at the window of the Ravenclaw common room with a smile on her lips. Surely, her plan would not fail.

Lira approached her, carrying a bottle of butterbeer. "Hello, Ms. Franco," she greeted. "You look so happy today."

"Do I?" she asked obviously. "Ah, it's because I would surely get back the things I own after the Easter holidays."

"Good for you," Lira replied as she sipped some of the liquid.

Helena stood up and excused herself, saying that she would just take a walk before the curfew. She was walking along the corridor, still happy with her achievement. She did not notice that the end of the staircase where she was climbing on already moved.

Her feet were going nowhere now.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

What happened earlier…

"Uno, dos, tres," Eros counted, before using his arrow to hit the stable staircase. With that shot, the staircase started to move towards its next exit point.

"I think I should wait for his prince charming to arrive," Eros said, sitting down, camouflaged, with the other winged statues on the castle pillars.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

So now…

"Somebody help me! Please!" Helena shouted, her vocal chords tearing themselves.

From afar, Vladimir was walking slowly, looking at the paintings that were clearly celebrating. Easter bunnies that were out of place (in art and in location) started to hop around them.

"Help! Someone! Anyone!" a voice shouted. Vladimir's ears picked it up. "Where did that come from?" he asked an old queen in one of the paintings.

"I don't know, dear," she sadly replied before continuing on her tea.

Vladimir sensed the urgency of the need so he started to run towards the source of the voice.

"Where are you?" he shouted back.

"Help! Help me! I'm here!" the voice shouted back.

"Tell me where you are!" Vladimir responded. He already heard the signal for the students to go back to their rooms but this woman – whoever she is – needs his help. The lights started to dim. The candles started to blow themselves off.

"Damn!" he muttered. He took his wand and whispered to it, "Lumos."

Helena, on the other hand, was holding for her dear life. She looked below and shouted, fearful that she might die. If you really fall from that high staircase down to the marble floor without any magic or anything to stop your terminal velocity, you'll surely die. Unfortunately for the stupid girl, she forgot her wand and she still hasn't studied wandless magic. Or maybe she doesn't study at all.

"I'm here! At the staircase beside the… beside the…" she looked around, trying to squint in the darkness for any landmark until she spotted a very remarkable one, "Beside the statue of the giant marble angel!" she shouted. "Help! I can't hold on anymore!"

Eros watched in delight. "Prince charming, prince charming, where art thou, my prince charming," he said in a girlish voice.

He raised an eyebrow when he heard a voice from one of the paintings. "I need to tell someone about this," a man in a Spartan setting painting said as he sprinted.

"Oh no, you don't," Eros whispered.

He took his green arrow and shot the man. The arrow turned after it hit its target and went through a gypsy dancer in the next painting. The two looked at each other and the man sprinted to the next painting, jumped to the woman, and dragged her towards a large rock on the background of the landscape painting below.

"Phew, good riddance," he said, wiping sweat on his forehead. "Now, for the real thing." He took another arrow, colored pink. "Let's see if there are any other nuisances around," he said with flourish.

Vladimir spotted the giant angel with glimmering eyes. It automatically lit its torch, illuminating the spot where Helena was holding on.

"Helena!" Vladimir exclaimed, running towards her. He saw that the staircase started to move and if it continues, Helena would be crushed (good for her!). Aside from that, her palms were getting sweaty. Her hands were slipping from the marble staircase.

"Hold me hand," Vladimir said. Helena obeyed, but her sweaty palms slipped from his grasp.

"Helena!" Vladimir shouted. Helena's shouts were echoing. "What am I going to do?" he told himself, pounding the floor.

"Tut tut," Eros said, shaking his head. "I thought we are in a magical world.

Vladimir took his wand and said, "Levitate!"

Helena was wrapped in a white mist and was slowly lifted up to the stairs, now stable. As she landed, she hugged the boy tight.

"Thank you," she said, tears falling down from her eyes. Vladimir felt her body shake, trauma perhaps.

Eros positioned himself like the legendary arrow emperor and shot the arrow of infatuation (the red one). It hit Helena first, making her faint. Then the arrow went through Vladimir's chest.

"Helena? Helena, wake up!" Vladimir said.

"Ah, taking a little walk, children?" a voice interrupted.

Vladimir looked up at the figure and its hard bun. "Professor McGonagall!" he exclaimed. "Helena was almost falling from the…"

"I guess the two of you should explain in the Hospital Wing… before detention," she added. She was surveying the girl's scratches and small cuts.

"I think I can't do anything for that," Eros said. "I can't seem to see a pair-up for that old woman… not in the next twenty years or so."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Oh, enter, please," Aphrodite said. She was sipping a cup of tea at her azotea. The view was inexplicable. It was impossible for the little town to have that kind of scenery: a beach.

Lily and Danicia opened the door. "This is so unbelievable, Aphrodite," Lily said.

"Really? I just feel like I want to see the beach," she explained. "Want to change the view?" she asked. She waved her hand and the scenery slowly diminished to a white background. Another wave and they saw a view of an ancient city of stone. It gave them a feeling that they were on top of a high building. The two girls looked down.

"Is this the Hanging Gardens of Babylon?" Lily asked, frowning. She looked down from the balcony and saw that they were on top of an ancient building where vines climbed at.

"You know a lot of history. Created by love," Aphrodite said with grace and passion. "What was his name?"

"Nebuchadnezzar," Lily answered.

"Ah, he was one of the greatest love pair-ups I've ever had. When I say it was one of the greatest pair-ups, it means that I was personally involved in the story," she chuckled. "I even pretended as a slave of the queen and…"

"You mean this should be one of the greatest pair-ups?" Danicia asked.

"I don't know. Maybe. I hope so," Aphrodite answered. "Oh, they're here!" she exclaimed happily. She conjured more teacups and cookies.

There was a knock on the door. "It's us, Madam Aimes. The people sent by Mrs. Tails," a girl's voice said.

"Oh, you may enter," Aphrodite said, sitting down. She also signaled Lily and Danicia to sit down.

"Good morning," Jeanne greeted. Christopher closed the door behind him.

"Miss Evans?" the two of the chorused.

Double a/n: thanks to the first reviewer of this chapter and also the one who corrected my tense inconsistency and all other mistakes. I got them arranged now (well, I think not all of them). Anyway, thanks to caramel boost! You really boosted me up!

A/n: At last! Another chapter finished! I'm so sorry for the late updates. I thought I'll have the time to update this summer but I'm wrong. I have to memorize a lot of stuff for some supplementary classes, etc. etc. etc.

Anyway, I just hope you enjoyed this chapter…

Tell me what you feel and click the "GO" button at the left side below.

Thank you very much!