Ok so I know someone warned me not to put so many characters in a story, but I'm going to risk it, especially because most are going to be backround characters anyway.
This is going to be one of only two Harry Potter/Dragon Age crossovers that I do. Hope you enjoy it.
BTW I do not own Harry Potter or Dragon Age.
Escape
The building shook and dust fell from the ceiling. The wards were taking a beating, but they were holding steady, for now. Harry stood on the third floor balcony of Potter Manor looking out over the army that was knocking to come in. in a moment of melancholy he remembered how it had come to this.
When Harry was almost eighteen he had ended a violent war by defeating the Dark Lord Voldemort. They had thought that that was the end of it. The Weasleys had gone back to the Burrow to mourn Fred. Harry had taken a number of people to his newly discovered home, Potter Manor, including Hermione, who still had to fetch her parents, Luna, Neville, Susan and Hannah, who had no home at that time, Blaize Zabini, Daphne Greengrass and Tracy Davis, who helped them during the final battle and got disowned because of it, Kevin Entwhistle, Padma and Parvati.
Alas the war was not as over as it seemed. A few Death Eaters were still at large and as revenge for the death of their lord they burned down the Burrow with the Weasleys trapped inside. Only Bill and Charlie survived due to not being home at the time. Bill had been at Gringotts with Fleur and Charlie had been at the Welsh dragons preserve looking for a job a little closer to home. After the attack Bill left for France to live with his wife's family and Charlie went back to the Romanian dragon preserve.
The attack had the public crying out for the death sentence for the monsters responsible, but no one knew who they were. Harry had gathered those who lived with him as well as his Godfather Sirius Black, his 'uncle' Remus Lupin, his 'aunt' Dora (never call her by full first name) and his other aunt 'Hestia'. Sirius had almost died at the end of Harry's fifth year, but had been saved by Remus, and Remus had almost been killed during the final battle, but Sirius returned the favour.
In total they numbered just sixteen people, but they were Potter's Regiment. Harry swore that they would hunt down the surviving Death Eaters and avenge the Weasleys. Over the next year they had done just that, using an old church as a base, they all slept in the hall at night on bunks, except for Remus, who would sleep alone in a separate room during the week of the full moon.
The Death Eaters got desperate. They sent a coven of vampires to kill them. Remus was in his room when they came and bit everyone. They intended to drain everyone dry, but before they could Remus burst out of his room and used his inhuman strength and speed to start fighting them off. Unfortunately the poison was already in their veins and each one of them died before waking up feeling cold. Harry had jumped up and leapt into the fight, peeling the enemy off of Remus and soon everyone was fighting. They destroyed the vampires, but they were forever changed.
They used their new advantage and eradicated the remaining Death Eaters. At first they were celebrated by the magical world, but then, somehow, it was discovered that they were vampires. Suddenly they were hated and hunted. Sirius made Teddy, Remus and Dora's son, his heir to the Black family titles and fortune. Thankfully it seemed that Remus had some Potter blood in him, He was descended from one of Harry's great-great-great-great-great aunts or something, so Harry made Teddy the heir to the Potter family titles and fortune too. The rest had done similar things with their distant relatives, and then, as a whole, they retreated to Potter Manor.
For a nearly a year they had hidden there, but the hunt went on. The magical world had convinced themselves that Harry and his followers were evil, murdering monsters that needed to be killed to protect their children and so here they were. The wards were holding, but Harry knew that they wouldn't hold much longer, that was why Hermione was working on their escape.
She had been researching in the library ever since their return, with some help from their friends of course, and had found an escape for them, a way to leave this world behind, and find their place in a new one. She was now dedicated to getting them all safely away from the angry mobs. That was one of the many things he loved about Hermione, she was a dedicated person.
That was another thing that happened in the last two years, he'd fallen in love with not one, but two women, and the extraordinary thing, they both loved him back. It had started out innocent enough. Hermione was mourning the death of the love of her life, he, the death of his. They had held each other a cried. They would comfort each other and soon Harry began to feel something for her.
Harry had also spent a lot of time with Luna, consoling her after they learned that her father had died in Azkaban. They had grown closer and he had developed feelings for her too. He had been freaked and worried at how they would react if they knew that he loved them both, but they had said that he needed all the love that he could get and decided to share him. It was something that had become a trend it seemed. Susan and Hannah got with Neville, Daphne and Tracy with Blaize and Padma and Parvati with Kevin. Dora had already been with Remus, while Hestia hooked up with Sirius.
There was a sound like thunder and the house shook again. Harry looked up and saw the strain on the wards. He swept around and entered the house. There was no one on the top floor anymore. They were all down in the grand hall where Hermione would do the ritual that would create a portal to another world. They had gathered their things and anything of value that they could take with them. Harry made his way down the dark staircases and hurried along to the grand hall. He opened the doors and slipped inside, closing the doors behind him. He strode over and gave each of his mates a kiss on the cheek. Hermione was standing at the edge of a chalk circle filled with runes occasionally muttering under her breath.
"How much longer Mione?" he whispered. She glanced at him and noted that he looked worried.
"Not much," she answered, "a couple of minute's tops. How long will the wards hold out?" there was another rumble and dust fell from the rafters above them.
"A couple of minute's tops." He echoed back to her, before going to check on the rest of his coven, for a coven they now were.
Just as there was an almighty clash from above, signalling that the wards had fallen, Hermione gave a cry of delight. In the middle of the circle a dark purple, swirling portal had opened. A cheer rose through his friends that stopped when they heard the battle cries from outside. They were getting closer, almost at the house. Harry motioned for them to go through. Soon it was just him and his mates. They stood next to the portal while he stood a few strides away, looking towards the doors as he heard the battering as they tried to break in.
"Come on Harry," called Hermione, "The portal will close soon."
"Harry, there's nothing left for us here." Luna's voice had long since lost its dreamy quality. She had lost a lot of the hope that she had had in abundance while at school. Harry nodded and stepped up to the portal. Hermione and Luna passed through and Harry took one last look around. They may not know where they're going, but it had to be better than what they were leaving behind. He stepped into the portal just as it began to close. The portal disappeared with a slight gust of wind, disturbing the chalk on the ground and leaving behind no evidence of the ritual.
When Harry emerged from the portal he was glad to see his coven setting up camp as it was dark. Harry observed where they had come out. It was a clearing in a forest, the trees tall and old. The ground was solid enough for camp and there was the faint smell of salt on the air, obviously they weren't far from the sea. They could see the silhouette of a castle in the distance.
Soon there was a big, blazing fire. They didn't really need the warmth and the only one who actually needed to eat was Remus, the others could hunt animals on the road and drink their blood. The fire was more to keep the big, dangerous animals away.
One by one they sat down around the fire. It took a while for it to sink in that they were free and slowly small smiles crept up on their faces, some with a hint of sadness because they would miss those who they had left behind. Eventually Harry cleared his throat and they all turned to look at him.
"Tomorrow morning we're going to head for that castle and we're going to find out where exactly we are. Then we're going to find a nice place to settle down." his voice was commanding and the others nodded their immediate acceptance, "I know that with our heightened senses we could make it to that castle tonight, but while we do not require sleep, we do require rest. We're all tired and some of us have been pushing ourselves until they're ready to drop," he looked pointedly at Hermione, "So we are going to split in half, eight of us sleep, eight of us on watch, then swap over after a few hours, understand," They all nodded again, "Good. Then I want Hermione, Luna, Neville, Susan, Hannah, Sirius and Hestia on watch with me first, the rest of you go rest up. We'll wake you in a few hours for your turn on watch." Everybody set off to do what they were told and Harry headed off to his designated watch post.
It had been a couple of hours when he heard a rustling getting louder. Harry stood up and jumped into the nearest tree and then jumped from tree to tree to get a bird's eye view on what was making the racket, though with his hearing, whatever it was might be very quiet. Looking down he saw it was a man, just an ordinary man, though he did have a sword and a dagger strapped to his back. He was getting closer to the camp. Harry gave two short whistles that sounded like a bird. He followed the man who froze as soon as he happened upon their camp and found himself surrounded and outnumbered with his only way out the way he had come, but before he could leave Harry cut off his only exit when he dropped out of the trees.
"Good evening sir," he said jovially, "explain why you're trespassing in our camp, or my friends might decide that you are a danger to their newly gained safety." Harry didn't mean what he implied, but he wasn't above bluffing in order to protect his coven.
"I was on my way to castle Cousland in Highever," His voice was deep, wise and experienced. He wasn't scared off them and Harry could tell that this man was a warrior.
"Why travel at night?" Harry asked, curious, "Where we're from night is a time for sleep, is it not the same here."
"It is, but time is of the essence," he explained, "I have to recruit six people into the Grey Wardens for our fight against the Darkspawn. Travelling at night ensures that I will make it to each recruit. I have received reports from Grey Warden scouts so I know exactly who I am looking for." The coven all shared the same look of shock.
"Grey Wardens? Darkspawn? Recruits? What the hell have we escaped into? Who are you?" Harry demanded.
"I am the commander of the Grey Wardens here in Ferelden," he brought himself up to full height in pride as he spoke, "I am Duncan."
So tell me what you think, please.
