"You cheeky little—why didn't you tell me you're going here?" a petite woman, wrapped in a bluish garment, embroidered with gold and silver waves and a shell with golden laurel across her neck, has rushed towards Harry and crushed him in a hug, a suffocating one. "If I didn't smell him, I wouldn't know." she said while pouting.
"Aunt Brit... can't breathe." Harry said as he tried to wriggle out of Britannia's hug. "Wow, that rhymes." said someone from the corner. The shadows congregated and thickened, and his Uncle Nico came out a few seconds later.
Britannia paid him no heed as she let go of Harry. "Hey, Shelly, Father's calling me back. You take good care of Harry. I'll be back when I'm done." he said before turning around and melting in the shadows again. Britannia mimicked Nico, which caused Harry to laugh. "That lad, he's scrawnier than you. I take that back. You're both the same. There's no need for you to smile cheekily like that."
If anyone sees the duo, they might think that they are brothers and sisters, as they often laugh, banter, and joke around. She's one of Harry's favorites. She spoiled him more than anyone else in his family. She's a sister anyone would trade the world to have, and Harry felt blessed to have her. But Harry also knew that, setting aside her lovely demeanor, she could also be someone you wouldn't want to cross paths with, especially on her bad side. She is a peaceful, protective, and loving goddess. One can easily get along with her, but one should not be easily fooled. Aside from being the goddess of commerce, handicrafts, and the arts, she's also a war goddess.
His father told him tales of her during wartime. Wearing a Corinthian helmet, holding a silver trident in her right hand and a hoplite shield on the other, accompanied by her proud and magnificent lion as she charged, with her sea horse-drawn chariot, towards her enemies as she laid waste to them, and many have fallen on her hands. The Romans have glorified her by building temples and statues around Great Britain, symbolizing their faith and naval prowess. Often times, she would be depicted seated on a globe above waves holding a silver trident with a spiked shield propped beside her and a lion lying at her feet, with tall-masted ships in the background. The respect they gave her is above all.
Harry was brought out of his stupor when she slapped him at the back of his head, causing him to stumble forward, which took him quite an effort to hold his footing.
"I always forgot how weak you were. I told him to have you trained my way and not his, but he wouldn't listen, always telling me that I would just... Hey, where are you going?" she shouted as she ran after him and jumped on his back as she reached him.
"See? I easily caught up with you. Those legs of yours should... Okay, okay... I would not mention the training... Geez, you're both the same, such a weakling." she said playfully as she jumped in front of the escaping Harry to stop him from leaving her temple. Harry fell for her antics once while training with her, and that one day was one of his most painful, hellish, and unforgettable memories that he would not want to experience again. He would rather face his mom's anger than that.
"So, why exactly are you here?" Britannia asked as she waved her hand, and they were now sitting in one of her rooms in her palace below her temple, freshly baked blue cookies resting on top of the table in front of them. He immediately grabbed one and ate it, the cookies melting in his mouth and reminding him of their home back in New York.
"I arrived here a few days ago-" he started, but was cut off by her grumblings. "I know, and it took you 'a few' days to remember and find me. It's okay. I'm okay." she said, and he just smiled at her sheepishly since he actually didn't know how to respond to that. "Go on, continue." she said as she held her cup of tea and drank.
"So, as I was saying, I arrived here a few days ago-" he restarted, but was cut off again. "I already know that I'm no longer your number one. You don't have to say it over and over again in front of me." she said, and she acted, wiping some stray tears from her eyes. Harry opened his mouth to retort but thought otherwise. He should have learned. It was not the first time it happened to him when talking to her.
"I am currently staying with my godfather." he started again. As he looked at her, she looked at him, shocked. "Now, you ignore me." she said. Harry is getting frustrated by how things are. Britannia, on the other hand, seems to be enjoying Harry's reaction, as she giggles and rubs his hair affectionately. "Go on, I'm listening." she said, and Harry continued with his story.
"Apparently, the house was supposedly a headquarters or something and is heavily protected. The residents also said that it was cast and created by one of the most powerful wizards alive, and I just walked straight at it and knocked on their doorstep and screamed 'Sirius' before barging in." he said, exasperated. He didn't even know that there were such things. Although it was proven that he is indeed THE Harry Potter, as one of the red-headed kids in the house said, always emphasizing 'THE', he still needs to be checked by one or two of their members coming the day after.
"Hmmm. Wizards... They're troublesome bunch. They may not be powerful, but the ingenuity of their usage of the Mist is truly commendable. I fear some might use some veritaserum." she said, but Harry interjected. "A what?" he asked.
"Ve-ri-ta-serum." she said slowly, and when Harry nodded, she continued, "It's some kind of truth potion. They might also try Legilimency... it's a wizarding way of reading one's mind if you'll ask... or in the worst case, torture you to try to get some information out of you. They are, after all, in a war." Britannia said seriously, which caused Harry to pale. Seeing his nervous expression, Britannia could not help but laugh out loud, and only then Harry realized that she was playing with him again, but after a while, Harry was able to calm his mind.
"Oh, relax, you worry rat. Do you think your father would easily let you go, alone, without safety measures?" she said fondly at him. "You are safe, as long as I am here. I will make it so... Besides, those potions and spells have so little to no effect on you at all." she said as she tried to grab a cookie but failed as Harry moved it away from her.
"Wait, 'Alone?'" he suddenly recalled as he looked wide-eyed at the goddess. "Oops... Am I not supposed to say that?" As she said those words, a loud crackle of thunder could be heard, and he could only imagine the image of his mother and father rolling their eyes at her. Although Harry knew that she deliberately did that, he still cannot believe that his mom agreed. He can now experience how to live on his own, just like his parents did in their younger days.
"Anyway, shoo. Out. I no longer need you. I will call you when I'll need you again." Britannia said she waved her hand, and he was back again to his original place. Harry laughs internally. He can almost hear his father and mother nagging at her again for spoiling me too much.
"Sirius, let's go back. I'm done." he said as he walked towards him. Sirius stared at him, bewildered. "You only went there less than a minute ago, and you're telling me you're done with your business?" he said.
Harry could only nod his head, and he did not elaborate further. "By the way, Harry, who lives in that shabby place?" Sirius asked. Harry halted his steps for a few seconds before grinning widely while catching up with him.
He thought, 'See? Uncle Nico and Father have already told you. You have a 'shabby' place.' Harry is fast enough and able to feel the presence of the incoming water that burst out from the nozzle of a faucet a few meters away from them. He easily dodged it by ducking. Unfortunately, Sirius failed to notice it, causing him to be drenched. Harry looked back and stuck his tongue out as she saw Britannia rolling her eyes at him before disappearing.