Hey everyone,
I seem to owe you all an apology. I put the whole thing with Ron, Binns and Ronaldo to actually pull them OUT of the story for a chapter or two, then write a chapter of what they have been doing while Harry studies under Athena and then, maybe, cause another confrontation between the three. But the whole history lesson seems to have sparked more interest with you all than I thought or even expected.
Anyway, this chapter is going to be dedicated to Athena and Harry and the lessons that she will teach him. However, I figured out a way to make sure she could stick around until June. The skills she wants to teach Harry – will be taught through indirect lessons. In other words Harry will get to do things that, on the long term, will teach him how to do these things and gain the abilities that Athena wants him to have to name him as one of her own.
I like it,

Venquine1990
Shout-Out To:
Kaito(guest)
Jostanos
Wishfull-Star
Navyangel85
Kirsty21
Radiant Arabian Nights
Yaw613
WhiteElfElder

Chapter 26
Chess and Logic

10th of February 1992
Charms Classroom
Harry's POV

Lady Athena actually didn't even let me touch the chess set during our History lesson as she told me to watch her play and that she would expect me to repeat the entire game, step for step, in our next class. I wasn't entirely sure why she would want to do this, but while the whole thing with Ronald and his ancestor was definitely interesting, did I focus on the ethereal woman who, could become my third mother – my first being my birth mother, Hera, and my second being Lily Potter.
I noticed halfway through the game that Lady Athena halted her hand every time she would grab a piece, but looking up a few times made me know this wasn't because she was thinking ahead. It was for her to make sure that I was indeed focused on the piece she was holding and moving. Because of this did our gazes meet a few times, but we both instantly looked down after, her grinning and me feeling slightly embarrassed.
She actually got the chance to play the same game another time before the class ended and after we packed up and left, did I notice that neither Granger nor Ronald were really interested in us. They even fell behind on the way to Charms to talk with one of Ron's brother. And while the two have been nothing but boring annoyances, can I not help but feel for him a little.

"There is more to the story I mentioned than what I told the class, Herodus. I'm just not allowed to speak of it while here at Hogwarts. Though those two are definitely inquisitive enough they will find out for themselves, which means we won't have them bother our classes. Yes, I did it both to get them off our backs and give them something useful to do." Lady Athena told me, making me smile before we entered the Charms classroom.
"Greetings, Professor Flitwick. I hope you won't mind, but for this class and his next, Herodus will have to focus on my lessons. I just want him doing it here as part of his Godly training. And I mean training by all Olympians, not just myself. I hope you will accept." The Goddess tells the tiny professor, who nods excitedly and replies:
"Of course, milady. Would you be opposed to me checking up from time to time. I would love to know what the Goddess of Wisdom teaches the adopted son of my former favorite student." This makes the both of us smile at the smaller man and Lady Athena says: "I understand completely, professor. And remember, the truest knowledge is that our memories keep our love for those lost to Hades alive within our heads and minds."

And while this makes the Head of Ravenclaw tear up, do I also hear others among me mutter words of agreement and amazement over how great Lady Athena is. The Goddess then does the same to a set of desks as she did in History class and yet this time she makes me take the seat that makes me have my back to Professor Flitwick. I grimace at the man over this, but the man shakes his head at me, making me smile at him before I turn back.

"Go ahead, Herodus. Redo my game. Prove me you paid attention." Lady Athena orders me and I nod, looking down at the chess board in front of me and moving my hand towards it. I move one piece at a time, yet as I do, is my mind not focused on my hand or the board in front of me; it envisions the way that the pieces were moved back in History. Yet halfway through, do I hesitate as I remember her moving several pieces, but I can't quite remember which piece she moved first.
I take a deep breath and move my hand from a black rook to a black knight and back a few times before deciding to take a risk and grabbing the rook. "Stop." Lady Athena states and I grimace as I ask: "You did the knight first, didn't you?" The Goddess nods and says: "Indeed. Drop the rook and go on. You're doing great so far." This renews my confidence and I do as told.
I do, after a few more moves, feel Professor Flitwick coming up on my right, but I ignore it, only spotting him conjuring a seat of his own from the corner of my eye but not really registering it. And after a dozen more moves do I put a piece in front of the king and mutter: "Checkmate." Making both Professor Flitwick and Lady Athena smile at me.

"Well done, Herodus. Eight out of ten." Her words startle me and she says: "No, I did not take two points for your mistake between the rook and the knight. You actually, somehow subconsciously, switched from the game I played to another about four moved before you checkmated the king. I just didn't say anything, because I could already see that the strategy would work.
Now, can you tell me why I asked you to do this and why I consider the fact that you created your own game to be a good thing?" This makes me turn from the goddess back to the chessboard, which seems to have reset itself back to the starting position. "The – the repeating – to train my mind. To make sure I would be able to remember anything, no matter how complicated. And the other thing, because you're not just the Goddess of wisdom, but also of Strategy." I mutter my answer.
The Goddess smiles, but then says: "True, but I also have another reason. I explained it to Professor Flitwick previously. Tell me, what does that say to you?" And this time I strongly answer: "That this isn't just for your skills, it's for skills that your family wants to teach me as well. My guesses would be either father or Lord Ares." At which the Goddess answers:

"Two out of three. It is to help you once you learn from my siblings as well as our joined parents and it's for Ares, who will be later on. Be proud of yourself, Herodus. You are truly proving to have a good mind." She then looks down at the board, which moves to the side of the desk and a notebook and pen appear on the desk.
This both startles and intrigues me and Lady Athena says: "No pupil of mine will work with old-fashioned writing equipment. You may use quills and ink for your essays for other classes if you wish to do so, but you will use either a pen or pencil for my classes. Now, I want you to write down every step I made in my game as well as two other things. One, how you could have changed the game after choosing the rook first and two, what made you change the game at the end."
This makes me gulp as that sounds like a lot of work and the goddess smirks as she says: "You have a free period after this. Get to work, Herodus." And while I finally focus on my surroundings and hear Seamus snickering from the table beside me, do I sigh and take the pen, bending down over the open notebook and switching my gaze between it and the chessboard to my left.
Yet because I have been using the quill and ink for the last several months, do I actually catch myself wanting to dip my pen into an ink pot that isn't there, but luckily enough does Lady Athena ignore this and does Professor Flitwick tell both Seamus and Ernie, who is sitting on my other side, to focus on their own tables and tasks when they spot this.

Yet then the class ends and I realize I am only just nearing the end of the first bit of the task set ahead of me. "Come Herodus, let us move onto something else that is important. A place where you can study." Lady Athena tells me as the bell rings to signal the end of the class and I nod at her, grateful for the fact that she is both strict and caring in her teaching.
We start to move through the castle and I actually find myself moving over to a small alcove in the hallway leading to the grounds that lead to the Herbology greenhouses. "Very good. Inside, but with a good place for you to sit and put down your writing equipment and yet with easy access to the outside so you can get a breath of fresh air when you need it." Lady Athena mutters.
At this I can't help but think: "Inside, like wives of old used to be like while their husbands worked and yet outside and in a window, which allows me a constant view over my father's domain." And while I really hope that I didn't insult my mother with my thoughts, do I take my seat. And as I write, do I actually feel as if someone runs a hand through my hair. "Wait your turn." I hear Lady Athena say and this shocks me, but it also makes me continue writing with a large smile on my face.

Sneaky, sneaky, Hera.
Okay, so this chapter didn't have all that much happen, but that is kind of the point. This chapter was meant to prove that, because Lady Athena's lessons are all about training Harry's mind, it will be a while before he is smart and has the kind of mind and memory that she wants him to have, thus giving her a reason to stay all the way until the exams.
And speaking of, that actually gave me and idea for a future chapter. Though that idea, if I go with it, also means that this part of the story might finish sometime soon, in the next month or two, three at max. And that, like I mentioned at the start of the chapter, means that Ron and Hermione might not be out of the story for as long as I had originally planned. And for those who think I am downgrading Athena, I'M NOT!
I have plans,

Venquine1990