a/n: a message of thanks…

detergent567 – dude! Thanks for the review. I am happy that you like it

skye – merci!

Amethyst-lilly-rider – I'm so sorry if that's confusing. Oh well, I'll try to make everything clear from now on.

Melissa – well, I'm happy that you suggested your name. Seriously, there is a vacant space in the list of characters. I think it might be good for me to have your name there as long as you'll continue reviewing.

BTW, Psyche is not, well, included in Greek Mythology. She's in Roman mythology but I cannot find a suitable counterpart for her so I decided to include her. No offense to the romantic love story of Cupid and Psyche.

CHAPTER 6: THE ARRIVAL OF THE PEST

"Lily, we've got a problem," Eros said in an emergency meeting.

Lily rolled her eyes. "Not again," she said.

"I told you that the Eternal Bond will be full of suffering," Eros said. "But now, Erida's around, she'll make this suffering a hell!"

"Erida?" Lily shouted.

"That stinking goddess of discord. I've heard that Psyche and she got a fight and she wanted revenge. She's a damn troublemaker but this case is different," Eros replied.

"So, what are we going to do?" Lily asked.

"Try to get the two together. As in bind them," Eros suggested. "Anyway, I have saved one last record for you."

"Who?" Lily asked.

"James Potter," Eros said in a final tone.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"What?" Psyche shouted over the table. "Are you crazy, dear Eros?" she asked.

"I'm quite serious, Psyche. You'll never know what could happen if Erida knows everything," Eros said in assurance.

"But the fact that you're doing the wrong pairing…"

"Ms. Evans will realize everything. I know it. I'm the God of Love, remember?" Eros boasted.

"I don't know, Eros," Psyche said uneasily. "It will be a hard time for Lily."

"At least we could get the first piece," Eros insisted.

There was a knock at the door and Hermes appeared. "Goddess Aphrodite is calling you," he said.

"Yeah, right. Is Iris in a vacation? Normally, mother uses that git," Eros asked.

Hermes stiffened. "It's just a favor. She went to the other side of the world to deliver a message. Since I was the one found by the corridor, I was the one informed," he said.

Psyche sighed as she shook her head. "Go on, Eros. Maybe it's important."

"Stupid git," Eros murmured. He followed Hermes to the place where his mother could be.

"I was about to warn you about assigning Erida as a matchmaker," Hermes said, scratching his chin. "She could end up a whole village into a stampede. I've heard that she caused a large mayhem in the in an anniversary show! Gave a lot of money trouble on the company."

"I know, Hermes," Eros said. "I don't know what she did to my mother to make her agree on matchmaking the other Hogwarts pairs. It's like putting a relationship to fire!"

They ended up in a greenhouse where Aphrodite was, tending to her orchids. "Eros, Eros," she said cheerfully.

"What is it, Mother?" Eros asked with a sour face.

"Why the face, my dear God? I'm here because I'm really impressed that you are able to get one crystal of love for me," Aphrodite said cheerfully. Actually, the flowers that she tended were not flowers but small crystals surrounded by glowing sheets of, well, petals.

"Well, those were the first," Eros said.

"Their crystal is very beautiful, actually. How about the other pair-ups?"

"You gave them to Erida," Eros said sourly.

"I did? Oh, no!" Aphrodite exclaimed, her golden aura turning to red. "Did I?"

"Mother, we even argued about this. You told Erida that she is free to pair-up the other Hogwarts couples," Eros reminded.

"This is insane!" Aphrodite shouted. "Hermes, call Erida immediately!"

Hermes looked harassed. "As you wish, dear goddess."

Moments later, Erida arrived on her black horse. "My dear Aphrodite. What made you bring me here?"

"Give me the Hogwarts records," Aphrodite said.

"What? You just promised by the river Styx that you will assign me on this project," Erida said simply.

Aphrodite gulped at the mention of the river Styx. Hermes ruffled his hair with this. Eros frowned.

"So, if there are no other matters to discuss, I have a stampede… a thing to do, I mean. Goodbye!" she greeted before Hermes could hold her horse's rein, the only thing that could a stop her from disappearing. She vanished out of thin air.

"This is not happening!" Aphrodite shouted shrilly, causing the whole Mt. Olympus to shake.

"Don't worry, mother. I've got the last record. And I'll use it," Eros said assertively.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"So, what about us?" Kristanna asked Sirius.

"Well, if you're really sure, we could…" Sirius started.

"Siri!" a shrill voice shouted from the end of the corridor. A blondie with curls jumped and embraced Sirius tight that he ran out of breath.

"Who is that?" Kristanna asked Sirius.

The girl wriggled free from Sirius and faced Kristanna. "I am," she started, showing a dark blue crystal with the Black family crest on a ring, "Sirius' fiancée."

Kristanna looked at Sirius indignantly. "What is she talking about, Sirius Black?"

"We were engaged since we're ten years old!" she squealed.

Kristanna opened her mouth to argue about this. Sirius, knowing that Kristanna's dark words can cut a body in half, dragged the girl out of the scene.

"Auriga, what are you doing here? I thought you're in Beauxbatons," Sirius said.

"Mother made me go here so that I'll meet my fiancé," she said in a childish tone. "Besides," she continued, placing her cheek on Sirius' shoulder, "I missed you so much. Gosh, we have never seen each other for seven years!"

"Auriga, I ran away from home," Sirius said.

"So?"

"Don't you understand?" Sirius said in an annoyed tone.

"Ah! You mean you want to marry me ASAP because you ran away from home! I'll tell my mother about this," Auriga replied enthusiastically. The flirt went away to write to her parents so Sirius slipped away from her grasp to go near Kristanna.

"Kris, I can explain. Auriga's just…" Sirius started. But there was a loud slap on the face. Sirius found himself on the ground, other students staring at the scene.

"We're just a day old, Sirius Black," Kristanna reminded, slightly hopping away because of her ankle.

James tried to hide his laughter. "Hey, Padfoot, what happened to your dream girl? It's a record, man. Being busted after a day."

"Shut up, Prongs," Sirius said, standing up. He wiped the blood that trickled down his mouth. Kristanna's slap made his head turn around!

Lily watched the scene from a window and contacted Eros. "What shall I do now?" she cried out.

"That is part of the Eternal Bond, Lily," Eros said, looking sorry. "That makes the bonds tighter. But we also have to help them stay in the bond for Erida could destroy that," he reminded.

"But how about Kris?" Lily asked in alarm.

"She'll be okay," Eros assured. "So, do you want to move to your next pair-up? That will speed things up. You can also assist Kristanna's relationship while doing this."

"I can't remember the name that you mentioned," Lily said, narrowing her eyes and trying to think of the name Eros mentioned earlier.

"Well, he is also a Hogwarts student," Eros said. "You'll pair him up with Lira Aguerre."

"I have heard f her but I don't exactly know her," Lily said.

"You'll pair her up with James Potter," Eros said.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The whole night, Lily thought about her new pair-up that will also signal her release from the Olympian gods.

Her mind talked about this new project of hers. "Duh! I think Lira is not deserving for James Potter," one side of her brain said.

"Hey, what do I care about Potter's lovelife, anyway?" Lily muttered in reply.

"You're jealous. That's what," he brain replied.

"Cut it out," she replied, burying herself under her pillow.

There was a knock on the window and Lily saw Kristanna. The girl went inside the window and landed off her broom. There was something shiny in her cheeks; it was obvious that she came from crying. It was also noticeable that she was dripping wet.

"What were you doing? Talking to your imaginary friend?" she managed to ask jokingly.

Lily raised an eyebrow. "What happened to you?"

"I just want to drown myself," the brunette said, smiling slightly. She pointed her wand to herself and she became dry again.

"You're having a hard time," Lily said. Knowing Kristanna, she was certain that a small emotional problem could make her drink poison in public, or stab herself several times to give a horrid image of death in the face of those who hurt her.

"Don't mind about that. After ages, you've got a letter from Raven," Kristanna said.

Lily took the letter. It was rather like a package than a letter. She opened the package and a small mirror-like pendant fell from it.

Hearing your voice would rather be better than writing and writing. That tires me so much. Maybe it's better if we talk like this. I bought this from Hogsmeade last week. Pretty useful but you can conceal yourself if you want to.

Raven

Kristanna merely rolled her eyes and went to her four-poster bed to change clothes. Lily held the shining thing.

"Raven?" she called to the mirror.

There was a pop, and she sensed there was something.

"Hello, Green Apple," the voice replied.

"Raven? Is that you?" Lily asked further.

"Yes, yes," the voice replied. "Before anything, I would like to ask; why didn't you go to the meeting place?"

"Did not go?" Lily asked, her short happiness ebbing away. "You're the one who did not go."

"But I did go, I never saw anyone in the place," Raven said.

Lily did not want to be angry at that time. "Anyway. I think we're not meant to meet by that time. How about the next Hogsmeade weekend?"

"Uhm… okay. But try to go on the right time, okay?" Raven replied.

"At least we agreed on a date," Lily said. "So, we'll meet next time. But I have to go for now," she excused.

"Goodnight," Raven said.

"Goodnight," Lily replied, smiling a little. She placed the pendant in her side table drawer.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Today, we are sorting a new exchange student from Beauxbatons," Dumbledore said, making all the Hogwarts students quiet. "Miss Auriga Centauri," he said, pointing his hand to the great doors.

Auriga entered the hall strutting like a peacock. She went in front and introduced herself, though she was not asked.

"Good evening everyone," she said. "I am Auriga Centauri, a member of a pureblood family," she boasted.

"What is she…?" Lily started. She stopped as she came to stare at Kristanna. She was holding her knife as though she was longing to throw it at the blondie's face.

Auriga stopped for a moment, hearing some bad murmurs from the other Houses and some small cheers from the Slytherins.

"Anyway, you can call me Aura, as you wish. The real reason why I am here is because of my fiancé, Sirius Black." Everyone turned to Sirius, who immediately hid behind James. Auriga caught sight of this and waved excitedly to Sirius. "I love you, Sirius!"

Kristanna shot a death glare towards Sirius and then she flung her knife towards Auriga. The girl squealed and ducked and the knife directly went to…

a/n: thanks for everyone so please review. I hope those who added me in their favorite and alert list review (is the grammar right?). I appreciate all of you and I really loved the way you reviewed.

Always,

Gumiho