Hi everyone ! Here is my second chapter!

Thank you all for your support and reviews! Every time I get one I feel giddy as a five year old girl meeting a real unicorn X3

By the way, a lot of you have asked why I didn't publish everything I had written already, since I said last chapter that I had written 7 chapters. When I say I have written them, I don't mean that they're ready to publish immediately. I still need to reread them, correct them, check if I didn't completely forget one of my characters, verify the accuracy of my infos (when I write I do it by memory from what I remember of the books, but there are so many characters in ASOIF that I need to check in case I mistook one for another, or something of the sort), and that takes time. Since I do have a life, and these chapters are quite long (around 10 000 words each) I need around a week to do it. It may be less, when I'm not too busy like this week, and it might be more. So here, you guys have your answer ^^

Chapter 2: Winterfell

Previously:

The legs were not the worst of it, Bran also had three broken ribs, including one almost piercing his lungs, but that was far from the chaos of his shattered spine. But Harry kept going. It was like a puzzle, watching how it was before, turning something, no, not like this, the other way, no, not this way either, ah, yes, like that, perfect. Next bit of bone, yes, like this, no. When Harry was finally finished he opened his eyes just as the magic feeding the bubble of silence and his legs gave out. He crashed on the ground, asleep from magical exhaustion.

Harry was woken by the distinctive sound of a laughing child, high and happy. He turned on his bed and saw Bran, sitting on a chair, his faced being licked by his still unnamed wolf.

- "Hey, Bran."

- "Harry!"

- "How long have I been asleep?"

- "Since yesterday morning, I think. I woke up just two hours ago, and they told me you had healed me. I remember the sound of my legs being crushed under me, but now…" the boy was looking at his legs with awe.

- "Can you walk?"

- "Yes!" Bran stood up to show Harry. He was a bit shaking, but he walked without trouble.

- "It hurts a bit still, Maester Luwin says you just left a few scratches and bruises to remind me of how stupid I had been."

- "I certainly didn't do it on purpose, but if you're happy, I'm happy." Harry answered with a tired grin.

- "What happened to you? They said you fell asleep and no one could wake you up."

- "I used a lot of power to heal you. Just like when you do a lot in one day and then you have to sleep a lot afterwards," Harry tried to explain.

- "Well, just the same, everyone was worried. You should have seen Mother, she was the most concerned, I think. She kept asking Maester Luwin why he couldn't help you, and what had happened to you. Oh, I should tell the others that you woke up."

As Harry sat in his bed, yawning, feeling his depleted magical core, he heard Bran shouting happily outside. Winterfell felt a lot fuller than it had been the last time he had been here. He wondered why that was. Certainly all these people could not have come only to check on Bran, since the little boy had just fallen two days ago. It was not as if they could apparate as he could.

Jon was the first one in the room.

- "Harry!"

- "Hey, Jon, how are you?"

- "How… What… You saved Bran's life, Harry!" Jon said. "You're the greatest healer I've ever heard of!"

- "Thank you. I know a few tricks. Will you help me stand? I fear my room will be soon invaded and I would rather be on my feet to greet them."

- "Certainly not. You have been asleep for more than 24 hours, you have to stay put. And I think Lady Stark might behead me if I hurt her son's savior."

Harry pouted, turned to Night, and patted the bed so that the pup would jump beside him.

Arya entered the room with something resembling a battle cry. Behind her followed her Lord Father, her Lady Mother and the rest of her siblings.

- "Hawwy!" little Rickon exclaimed, jumping on the bed, his wolf now bigger than he was right beside him.

- "Hello, Rickon. Hello, My Lady, My Lord, Arya, Sansa, Robb."

He nodded to them in turn as he spoke their name.

- "None of that, now, Harry," Lady Stark said. "You have saved my son from a terrible fate, and me from madness, I fear. You will call me Catlyn."

- "Very well, Lady Catlyn."

- "Harry, in the name of all the Starks, and all the North, thank you for what you did for my son. Without you…" Eddard started, at a loss for words.

- "I was there, and all is well, please speak no more of it," Harry answered. "Uh, if I may ask, why are there so many people in Winterfell?"

Even through the closed window he could hear numerous people in the courtyard bellow.

- "The King has come to visit, with all his retinue, and the Queen an the princes and princess as well."

- "Oh, I see," Harry answered, and he didn't really see. Why would the King come to Winterfell?

- "How are you, Harry?" Lady Catlyn asked.

- "Well, thank you. I was not ill, simply tired. I should have told you this might happen. Bran's spine had been badly broken and I have needed a lot of power to heal him. It will take a few days until I am completely recovered, but I should be able to walk in an hour or so."

Harry's belly apparently decided that this was a good time to remind them all that he had not eaten in more than a day. Lady Stark immediately ordered a servant to bring a full meal at once. The servant scurried away, leaving the room still full of people.

- "Where have you been, Harry?" Arya asked suddenly.

- "I was in Skagos when your father called me here. I have sadly not encountered any unicorns. But I have been beyond the Wall, too."

- "How did you come so fast from Skagos?" Lady Catlyn asked, cutting Bran who was probably about to ask about the Wall.

- "I can travel instantly from a place to another, it is one of my gifts. I can only go where I have already been, however, except if I use a device such as the one Lord Stark used to call me here. "

- "You arrived barely clothed, not even with a cloak on," Ned said.

- "I left my things at my camp. It is protected so that no one will find it, so it can wait a few days until I can go back."

- "You can bring animals with you when you travel like that?" Bran asked. He was always the one to note such things.

- "I can even travel with a few people, when I'm fully rested. It is not particularly pleasant, but it does go very fast."

- "What other power do you have?" Arya asked.

Harry grinned.

- "That's a secret!"

- "Oh, you can make people invisible!" The little girl exclaimed.

- "And how do you know, young lady?" Lady Catlyn asked, but even though she tried she seemed more awed and amused than angry.

- "I turned Arya invisible during a game of hide and seek," Harry answered with a smile. It was not technically totally true, but who cared?

- "Hey, that's cheating!" Bran exclaimed, making everyone laugh. After they had calmed down, Ned spoke.

- "Children, you should leave Harry to rest for now. When he is able to walk on his own, you can ask him all the questions you want."

As Ned finished and the children obeyed grudgingly a servant appeared with Harry's meal. Ned and Catlyn stayed with him as he tore through the dinner, famished.

- "Harry, I fear the King will want to speak with you. He heard of Bran's fall and saw him before I called you. Needless to say he thought Bran would… Bran would die, and now Bran is jumping around with scratches on his knees, and someone must have heard the servants talk, because the King knows it was you."

Harry shrugged.

- "What do you think he will say?"

- "I… I knew the King very well when we were younger, but now… Now I cannot say. He is often in his cups, and even when he is not he isn't the man I knew. I believe he will thank you, but he will probably also question you on how you did what you did."

- "I see. What do you think I should say?"

- "It is your choice. Maybe…" Ned started, seeming immensely sad. "Maybe it would be better if you were not to tell him that you can do other things than heal. A healer, however supreme his powers, is no threat to any man."

Harry nodded.

- "And if he asks how I came to be in Winterfell?"

- "Coincidences happen. You came back from travelling after six months, stayed in Wintertown until now, and I called on you because I knew of your healing."

- "Very well, then I shall say that and no more. But… what about where I am from?"

- "What do you usually say?"

- "Well, not much, really. Mostly I say I'm from the South, because not many smallfolk in these parts have ever heard a southern accent. But that wouldn't work in front of the King."

As Harry's accent was nothing at all like the southern one, no.

- "You can say you are from Skagos. Yes, that will go well. You can be a small Lord's son from Skagos, maybe a nephew of the Magnar."

- "Well, certainly nobody could doubt it, as nobody ever goes to or from Skagos," Harry nodded. And I do know the island well, as I have spent the last two months exploring it to find unicorns. And everyone already believes Skagos full of magic anyway."

- "Yes. I don't like lying to Robert, not one bit, but the Queen… she would feel threatened by you, even as I know that you would not want to hurt her."

- "I thank you for your trust. I am used to lying because of necessity, but I do not think I will ever like it."

Ned nodded and departed the room, but his wife lingered a moment more.

- "Harry, I… I have been harsh with you, but I was wrong, and I see it now. When my Lord husband called, you could have stayed where you were but instead you came and saved Bran from a terrible fate. I thank you. As long as I live you will have a friend in me."

- "Thank you, Lady Catelyn. I understand why you might have been suspicious of me. My Lady, I have an offer to give you. I know a secret of your Lord Husband's. It is not a secret he gave me, but one I learned by accident, and I had thought to take it to my grave. It is not mine to give. However, I know for certain that if you knew it you would feel much happier, and I believe you should know."

- "My Lord Husband does not keep secrets from me."

- "This one he has kept, for his sake, for yours and because of an oath he made a long time ago. But I know a spell that would permit me to give this secret to you but make sure at the same time that you never appear to know it, never tell it by mistake."

Catelyn looked at Harry, wondering what was this secret he was talking about.

Finally, she asked.

- "Could this hurt my Lord Husband in any way?"

- "No." Harry said firmly.

- "And you are sure that I would be happier knowing it?"

- "Yes." Harry said as firmly.

- "Then I want to know."

- "I cannot perform the spells required today. Tomorrow my powers will be strengthened and I shall tell you."

- "Very well. I shall see you tomorrow, then."

She left as well, and Harry was left alone with Night.

Three hours later, as Harry was reading a book sent by Maester Luwin, a servant came with a summon from the King. Harry was well enough to walk unaided now, although he couldn't have performed the simplest spell even if his life depended on it.

The King awaited him in Winterfell's Great Hall, seated on a wooden throne, Lord Stark not far from him, and his Queen by his side.

Harry walked forth and knelt as he had learned to do since he had appeared in the Seven Kingdoms.

- "So you are the one who healed young Bran, are you?" The King asked.

- "Yes, your Grace", Harry said, rising to stand on his feet.

- "What's your name, boy?"

- "I am Harry Potter, your Grace."

- "Ned told me you're from Skagos. He says it is a magical land."

- "We pray to the Old Gods, Your Grace, and they grant us some gifts in return."

- "I saw the boy before you healed him, boy. He was nearer to the Stranger than to life! He would never have walked again."

- "I met Bran six moons ago, Your Grace, he is a valiant boy, and has been my friend. The Gods must have wanted him to live and to walk again, to place me in his path as they did."

- "Well, you are certainly a better healer than anything I have ever seen. You have saved my friend's son. Speak, and you shall receive any reward."

- "Your Grace, I thank you for your kindness, but I do not desire any reward."

- "Your actions will not go without reward. You shall go south with us, and have a place at court."

Harry had no desire to go to court, but he had no particular reason to refuse either. And, anyway, Arya, Sansa, Bran and Lord Stark were going south too, apparently. Bran had told him so when he had asked why the King was there a few hours before. From what he had gathered it was a dangerous place, and Lord Stark wasn't going happily. The Starks were his friends, and he would help them if he could. Going south would help doing that.

- "Thank you, Your Grace, it is very kind of you."

He bowed again.

- "Robert, the boy is just some kind of trickster," the blond Queen said. "You cannot really wish to…"

- "Shush, you woman!" The Kind exclaimed, his cup of red wine spilling half its content on the dais. "I will do as I want!".

- "But he just saved a simple b…"

- "You will not speak another word, My Lady!" This time the King was red with rage. "He has saved my friend's son. I would not see Ned grieving for his son anymore than I would see mine dead. This boy deserves this and more! Yes! Boy, you're not to inherit your Lord's seat, are you?"

- "No, Your Grace, I am not. I am but an extended nephew."

- "Let it be said, from now until the end of time, that you shall rule upon Harrenhall and the lands it stands on. Thus, I, Robert Baratheon, declare in front of Gods and Men."

Harry bowed again, not quite sure what to do now.

After the proper courtesies had been paid, Harry retired.

He found Lord Stark a bit later, after he had washed his face with cold water to shake the shock of the meeting.

- "Surely, he spoke because he was in his cups, and angry at her Grace, and he will take it back in the morrow." Harry said when he saw the Lord.

- "Oh, no. He will not. Once he has spoken Robert will not change his mind, even if it is only because of misplaced pride."

- "But we lied, I am not the nephew of the Magnar of Skagos."

- "No, you are not, but you are Lord of Harrenhall, Gods have mercy."

- "Is it a bad place?"

Harry had heard the name, but he had no idea where or what it was. He only knew that it was a lot more than he had ever wanted. Him, rule over people?

- "It has a bad history, but no. It is in the Riverlands, and if built again it is the greatest fortress ever erected. But it was destroyed by dragonfire."

- "But…"

- "You are the Lord of Harrenhall, Harry, better get used to it quickly."

- "Very well, then, My Lord."

- "I am not your Lord anymore, and you must not address me so. You can call other Lords of the Riverlands "My Lord", and you must call the Lord of the Riverlands thus, but others you must call by their name.

- "Very well, then, Lord Stark." Harry grinned. "I feel as if I was back to my first days here."

- "Good. Do not loose that brightness inside you."

Harry went to sleep that night tired and wondering what awaited him south. He wondered if it would be a bit like England, but he thought it wouldn't. Even if the weather was the same, too much would be different.

In the morning he found Jon training alone in the courtyard.

- "Hey, Jon."

- "My Lord of Harrenhall," Jon answered, bowing with a mocking smirk.

- "Call me that again, and I'll make you one of my knights, and then you will have to do whatever I say", Harry answered back.

- "Okay, Okay, no need to bite. So, I hope you have not come to train at sword fighting."

Harry grimaced. He was very bad, sword in hand. It was a good thing he didn't need one to defend himself.

- "Actually, no. I was wondering where everyone is."

- "Well, they spent the night at the high table listening to the King bellow about how he had needed a new Lord of Harrenhall anyway since the death of Lady Whent, and the Queen answer that he could have taken anyone but you. For once, I'm quite happy I wasn't with them."

Harry nodded, understanding that Jon would have listened to a hundred Kings argue with a thousand Queens if he could have been a Stark and sat beside his Father, even if he would never say so.

- "So, Sansa is going to marry Joffrey?" Harry asked.

- "Apparently. She is quite taken with him but… I don't know, I don't trust him much."

- "He seems like a little tyrant, you mean. Yes, I noticed, and I've only been in the same room as him once. I can't imagine how Sansa can be blind to it."

- "She thinks she is in love."

- "She is 13."

- "Some girls have been wed not much later than that."

- "I think it's wrong. And I think anyone should be free to choose who they marry."

Jon looked at him with the face that said, "You're speaking of your strange off-world ideas again." Harry answer with a grin.

They took their breakfast in the kitchens, the servants already running around to bring food to this Lord or that one.

After some time Harry went back to his room to read a bit. An hour or so later someone knocked on his door.

It was Lady Stark, and Harry knew at once why she was there.

- "Come in, Lady Catelyn, please."

After he closed the door Harry cast the best anti-listening wards he knew. Nobody could hear what he had to say.

- "I have cast spells that will forbid entrance to this room. No one can hear us but us. Now, this is simple." Harry took the piece of parchment he had written on the day before and showed it to the Lady.

- "I swear not to divulge by any means, voluntary or not, what Harry James Potter will tell me between the moment I first read the words on this parchment and the moment I sign it." Lady Stark read.

- "This is an enchanted parchment, and you will have to sign with your blood. I will heal you after this is done, you will not even have a mark. This will literally forbid you from divulging what you know, for any reason. You will not be able to go against it. Do you swear to sign it after I have told you the secret?"

- "If it is as you told me yesterday, and it is for my protection that Ned didn't tell me, then yes, I swear."

Harry nodded and sat on the bed.

- "I told you I found out by mistake. I have a spell that helps me find anyone I want, as long as I have his or her name. It works on you, it works on your husband, and it works on your children. But it doesn't work on Jon Snow. The only reason I have ever known for this spell not to work is because I was given a false name. So I used another of my spells to find out Jon's real name."

Catelyn was wondering where this was going. She had not expected this to be about Jon. The Bastard; the proof of her husband's unfaithfulness. Had his mother called him something else? Why should she care?

- "And?" She asked brusquely.

But Harry's voice was calm when he spoke again.

- "Jon Targaryen."

There was a pause, as if the world had stilled for a second.

- "What?"

- "At first, I have wondered. How could this be? Then I remembered what your Lord husband said about the time he went to find his sister, Lyanna. He found her in a bed of blood. How could that be? The history books are all quite clear, she was in the Tower of Joy, prisoner, maybe, but why harm her? Nobody entered the room but her guards. And why would they die to protect a woman from her brother? Except that she was Lyanna Stark no more, or Jon would have been a bastard. She was Lyanna Targaryen, then, and she gave birth and died, her son in her arms. But by that time Tywin Lannister had killed the Targaryen babes, and what do you think King Robert would have done to the child who had been the death of his love? The Targaryen child. So Eddard Stark came back with a bastard, and nobody ever spoke of it again."

And Catelyn understood, now, why Ned would never speak of the mother, not tell her even her name, or if he had loved her. Jon Snow had no mother, and Jon Targaryen was the last of his line, and dead if anyone ever learned his real name. Robert might kill Ned over this, would call him traitor. And Jon was his nephew, the son of his beloved sister, and Ned could never have done what Tywin Lannister had ordered. No, not her Ned, never.

And suddenly a happiness she had lost for what seemed like forever came back. Her Ned. Her honorable, loved and loving husband.

- "And now, you must sign the paper," Harry said, giving Lady Stark a small blade. He pricked her thumb and he directed her to the paper. When her print was firmly imprinted on the parchment, he healed her hand.

- "Now, try to speak of it."

Catelyn opened her mouth, but no sound came out.

- "Very well," Harry said. "This has worked. As long as this paper is not destroyed, the spell will stay on. I will keep the paper for safekeeping; I have spells that will make it indestructible by any accident. The secret will stay safe."

As he said those last words Harry let go of the protections on the room.

- "Thank you, Harry. Thank you."

Harry nodded and let her go.

Ned was in his study when Catelyn came in.

- "Ned, if you are not busy, I would speak to you."

- "Yes?"

- "It is about Jon Snow."

Ned refrained from groaning, but it was very hard.

- "Catlyn, I…" Ned started, but his wife cut him off.

- "Please hear me out, and then you will speak." When Ned nodded, Cat spoke again. "Bran's fall has made me realize that even our children are not immortal, that we are not immortal ourselves. So, I was thinking that, if you still wanted it, and if he was last in line of succession after all our children, even the girls, then you could make Jon a Stark."

Ned was so speechless he thought he might fall off his feet. What? That was the last thing he had ever imagined Cat might say. She had always hated Jon, or at least refused to have any unnecessary contact with him.

- "Really?" he dared to asked, wondering if this was some kind of waking dream.

- "Yes. You might make it a condition of your accepting the title of Hand of the King. After all, only a King can legitimize a bastard."

Ned kissed her, loving her more than he had ever loved her, if that was even possible. Perhaps he would not have to send Jon to the Wall.

When they separated, Catelyn spoke again.

- "He can also stay in Winterfell while you are in the south. From now on I swear to treat him as my own son."

And Ned kissed her again, because he had no word to say how happy he was.

- "What are you doing?"

Harry turned, saw no one, and then saw him, the Queen's brother, not the knight, the other one… Tyrion?

For a second Harry thought of stunning the man, making him forget, throwing his cigarette away and waking him again. Then he thought better of it and refrained.

- "I am smoking tobacco."

- "You are a very strange man."

- "Or maybe everyone else is strange and I am normal," Harry answered with a smirk.

- "Maybe, but I don't think so," answered Tyrion after some time.

Harry grinned.

- "If I approach, will your wolf bite me?"

- "I don't know, depends if he likes you. I'm afraid I'm not as talented a master as the Starks are. He obeys me half the time, and half of those he gets my orders wrong."

Tyrion frowned.

- "Isn't that dangerous?"

- "It's certainly more interesting. But I don't think he would bite you. Night, this is Tyrion Lannister, and you should not bite him. It's bad manners, you see."

- "If he really does obey you only half the time, you've not enhanced my chances much."

Harry laughed.

- "Don't worry, I'll protect you. The last time Night bit me he didn't quite like the taste."

Night howled and ran into Harry's legs, pushing him as a human friend would. Then he turned towards Tyrion, walked towards him and licked his hand.

Tyrion laughed.

- "Well, I'll take my chances, then," he said, walking to Harry. The wolf walked away happily to chase after his own tail.

- "So, what can I do for you, My Lord of Lannister?"

- "A conversation away from stupid people will do nicely," Tyrion answered with a shrug. "So, Lord of Harrenhal, hm?"

- "Well, I believe I was as surprised as every one else, the King included, I would think. At least this morning."

- "What do you intend to do with it?"

- "I have never been south of Winterfell, did you know? So I believe I shall have to see my seat, first, and decide afterwards. According to Lord Stark it is a ruin."

- "That it is. Quite a big one. You will need coin to build it back up."

- "Hm…"

- You do not seem overly worried. And as I don't believe you to be stupid either, it must mean that you have already planned things."

- "Well, I have some ideas, certainly. Tell me, is there a city near Harrenhall?"

- "No, not exactly near. Just some peasants, I believe."

- "Good, very good. Then I know exactly what I shall do."

- "I cannot imagine what it would be. Certainly, you don't mean to repair it?"

- "Why not?"

- "Well, it would cost you more gold than you have probably ever seen in your life, for a first."

- "Hm… And what other reason would there be?"

- "Some say it is cursed."

- "It's a ruin and probably quite the gloomy sight, but cursed? Well, if it is, I will just have to lift the curse."

- "Just that?" Tyrion asked, amused.

- "By the way," Harry asked, "you wouldn't happen to have any idea as to what I could use as a sigil, would you?"

- "It is tradition that the houses of Harrenhall use some black. You might have a black wolf."

- "Oh? Wouldn't it be crossing the Starks?"

- "Not if you ask them first. And you do have a direwolf. You could use green, too, it is the color of your eyes, and it goes well with black."

- "So a black wolf on a green field? Yes, that might do it."

- "What about words? Do you have any?"

- "Yes. My father's words. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death."

- "Well, that will go very well at Harrenhall, I believe. Almost as depressing as the Stark's words."

- "I don't know. At least it has some truth to it. Do you "Hear yourself roar" often?"

Tyrion laughed.

- "You know, you are a better companion than I have had in years. May I ask a question?"

- "Yes, of course. I may also refuse to answer; depending on it's content."

Tyrion nodded.

- "All my life I have met men and women who see me and think first "dwarf", "halfman". I have come to know the exact look on a man's face as he thinks such thoughts. Even a man who accepts me as I am will always see a dwarf first. I have watched you, since the first time we saw each other. You wear your emotions on your face, or close enough for me to read them quite easily. However, I have never seen such a thought as the one I speak of in your mind. Why is that?"

- "Hm… I believe it's a difference in mentality. Where I come from we decide the valor of a man not depending upon his blood or his physical strength but depending on his… powers, shall we say."

- "Such as those you used to heal young Bran?"

- "Yes. One of my teachers, a very strict man, was quite a few inches smaller than you, I believe. Nobody I know, at least no adult, had ever treated him any differently from any other man of his station. He was very gifted, very talented and had a knack for learning and teaching. I respected him very much. I met him when I was one ant ten, and I believe that after my second class with him his size stopped to matter entirely." To lighten the mood a bit, Harry added. "And there is also the fact that in a sword fight against you I would probably loose."

Tyrion laughed.

- "You cannot possibly be that bad."

- "Oh, and worse. Until six moons ago I had used a sword only once in my life, and that was to kill a snake. Granted, it was a big snake, but it was no sword fighting all the same."

- "You know, I would wager Casterly Rock itself that you have more powers than you say you do. Sadly, I promised myself I would go to the Wall, and shall not ride with you south and have time to find out."

- "Do you want to go for yourself, or do you want to be able to tell the story to others later?"

- "I could hardly care less about others."

- "I see. Do you think that you would be missed if you disappeared for a few hours? "

- "No, no, I don't."

- "Will you swear that whatever I show you in the next few hours, you will not speak of it, or at least not in relation to me?"

- "I swear it," Tyrion said.

Harry whistled twice and Night came running from wherever he had gone to.

- "So the wolf can obey," Tyrion said.

- "He is not obeying, he is following. This is the signal I use when I leave a place for another. I'm coming back in a few hours, do you want to come, Night?"

The wolf sent him a look obviously meaning something like "What do you think, you idiot?" Harry grinned, grasped Night in one arm and grabbed Tyrion's shoulder in his other.

There was an intense squeezing feeling, and they were there.

Tyrion fell when they arrived, but Harry remembered is first apparitions and let him be.

- "The dizziness will stop in a minute. Afterwards, you can open your eyes and appreciate my fast way of traveling".

Tyrion stopped heaving on the ice-cold floor, wondering why he felt warm instead of cold, even as he felt snowflakes hitting his skin softly.

And then the dizziness was gone, just as Harry had said, and he looked.

- "Where are we? He asked. How is this possible?"

- "We are on top of the Wall. I can appear to any place I have ever been to before. I will bring us back to Winterfell when you have had enough of the Wall."

Night was walking west and Harry spelled him invisible so that he wouldn't encounter a shocked Black Brother. They spent a very long time gazing at the lands beyond the Wall, then to the south, where the snow dwindled and green and grey appeared.

After a while, Tyrion spoke again.

- "Where were you when Bran fell?"

- "In Skagos. I had given an enchanted object to Lord Stark to call me in case of emergency. It was one, he called and I came."

- "I do not know what is stranger or more wonderful, this view, this wall, or these powers you have."

- "Well, from my viewpoint, the Wall is more interesting, my powers more useful, but that's just me."

Tyrion smiled.

- "you are older than you look, are you not?"

- "Not by much. How old do you say I am?"

- "Six and ten?"

- "Really? That young? Wow… well, I'm supposed to look seven and ten, and I am actually 24."

- "What does that mean, you are supposed to look seven and ten but are 24?"

- "It's very complicated."

- "We have time, apparently, since we can just cross 500 leagues in the blink of an eye."

- "I'm not from Skagos."

- "No, really?" Tyrion asked, and obviously he had guessed that.

- "How did you know?

- "Well, if the Skagosi really all had the same powers as you, they would rule over Westeros. So either you are an exception, which you cannot be since you said you came from a society where people are judged by this power you use, or you come from somewhere else."

- "Okay. Uh, it's a bit complicated. I come from somewhere very different."

- "Another continent?"

- "No… Another universe."

Tyrion looked at him, then sent his eyes back to roam across the snowy landscape.

- "So, in my universe there are wizards, who have the same powers I do. But, by accident, I collected certain objects that reacted to my magic and… changed me, when I was seven and ten. Since then I have not aged. Afterwards there was a War, it was horrible, between non magicals and magicals, my friends died one after the other. In the end, I needed it to stop, I had no one left, so I departed my universe and came here. Or was sent here. It's a bit fuzzy."

- "And how did you come to meet Lord Stark?"

- "He found me sleeping in the snow, a few feet away from the direwolves pups. I was fine, my magic protected me from the cold, but I needed to sleep because of the trip here. So he found me, took me back to Winterfell and took care of me. I stayed for a few weeks, and when I left I gave him an object to call me if he needed to."

- "I see. So what you said to the King about Gods sending you here, it is complete bullshit."

- "Well… It's complicated."

Tyrion stared at him.

- "Come on, Potter, you already told me you come from another universe, what could be more complicated than that?"

- "In my universe, we don't have the same Gods as you, we don't have any god, really, at least the wizards. But the objects I gathered, the ones I told you about, well, they were created by Death, and so by gathering them I became something called the Master of Death."

- "What does it mean?"

- "I'm not quite sure. I don't age since then, and I don't really… die, either."

- "You don't what?" Tyrion asked, shocked.

- "I can't be killed, apparently, and since I don't age…"

- "But what happens if someone cuts your head off?"

- "I don't know, exactly. I would assume that my body grows back, or that I need to reattach my head. I'm not quite sure. I've never tried it. If at all possible, I would like to keep it that way. I still feel pain."

- "I fear Kings Landing is not quite ready for you, Harry Potter."

- "I'm not sure I'm ready either, so it's alright."

- "Tell me, why are you telling me all this? I would assume that you would rather keep it a secret."

- "You seem a very clever man, Tyrion, and you know more of this culture than I do. I've been here for only six moons, not nearly enough to grasp even the major concepts. You seem like a good friend to have. Plus, if you ever betray me, I can just disappear, or erase your memory of me. If worse comes to worst, I can erase the memory of everybody at court and get on with my life in the free cities." Harry looked at the darkening horizon. "And I don't think anyone would believe you anyway. Powers like mine, you have to see them to believe in them. Your sister doesn't believe in my healing powers even after she saw Bran."

- "I think you are the first man I met who told me his secrets and who then talked pleasantly about me betraying them."

Harry shrugged.

- "I would rather we be friends, but I wouldn't kill someone because he betrayed a few secrets. Oh, by the way, do you want to fly?"

Tyrion looked at him like he was mad. Harry shrugged, put his hand in his pouch and took out his broom.

- "Why do you… how do you…?" Tyrion asked, looking at the small pouch out of which Harry had taken a broom taller than he was. "Oh, never mind."

Harry grinned, jumped on his broom and fell away towards the lands beyond the wall. Tyrion screamed at him, probably scared for him. After some moments Harry came back up, flying upwards to the top of the Wall and stopping just beside Tyrion again.

- "Do you want to come? You can't fly alone, I'm afraid, it only works for wizards, but you can fly with me."

- "I would rather not die falling from a floating stick," Tyrion said, but his gaze was fixed on the broom.

Harry gestured to his feet.

- "Try to get your feet off the ground."

Tyrion tried and looked, astonished, at his feet. Nothing had changed, but he was completely stuck on the ground.

- "This is a sticking charm. It's quite useful. I will put one on you so that you can't fall off of the broom."

Tyrion slowly nodded, still looking at his feet. Harry unstuck them and came to park his broom low enough for Tyrion to mount behind him, his knees touching the ground. Once Tyrion was on the broom, Harry sent a warming spell, a weak bubble head spell so that they could still talk to each other in the cold wind but also feel some of the wind in their hair, and the sticking charm he had promised Tyrion.

- "Why is it warmer?"

- "It's a spell. Once we go fast, I don't want you to freeze to death."

- "What about your wolf?"

- "I turned Night invisible earlier. He can sense that I'm not far, and he has a permanent spell to slow himself down if he falls from a high place, so even if he fell off the wall he would be all right."

- "You really think of everything."

- "Night is the clumsiest animal I have ever seen. Two moons ago he chased his shadow off a bridge. I had to go get him in a half frozen river. Stupid little beast." Harry said with fondness.

And Harry took off into the sky. When Tyrion didn't appear too afraid after they went straight for a while, he started turning and diving a bit. Then, since Tyrion appeared more excited than frightened, Harry dived until the ground seemed like a wall and the Wall appeared to be the ground. Tyrion was shrieking in his ears, and Harry was laughing his head off. He got some altitude back, then did it again. Then he did a few loops and went towards the Lands beyond the Wall, flying over forests and frozen lakes.

- "I think it's time to go back," Harry said. "We've been flying for an hour or so."

- "If we take as much time to fly back, someone might be looking for me."

Harry grinned, flew down in the middle of a clearing and landed softly. He jumped off and helped Tyrion to do the same after turning off the spells.

- "Hold my arm." Harry said, and that was the only notice Tyrion had before they were back on the wall, exactly on the spot they had been before.

Harry sensed Night immediately, although he was quite invisible, and made him visible again, just in front of Tyrion.

- "Wow. You weren't lying when you said you had made him invisible."

- "Nope. So, are we going back?"

- "Yes, let's."

- "Oh, do you mind if we go to Skagos first? I need to pick up my things, and I forgot to do it until now."

Tyrion laughed.

- "Yes, why not go to Skagos on our magic way to Winterfell."

Harry apparated the three of them inside his camp. It was, truth be said, not much of a camp.

- "You don't even have a fire." Tyrion said.

- "You should look inside the tent before you criticize."

Tyrion looked at the tent as if saying "you call that a tent?" but kept quiet and went in, Harry walking in right after him, Night beside him.

- "How is this possible?" Tyrion asked.

- "It's magic."

- "But… " Tyrion went outside, then back inside, then outside again, and came back in.

- "It's cool, uh?"

- "Do you always travel like this?"

- "Yes. There is a kitchen, three bedrooms, a parlor. One of the rooms is Night's, when he doesn't sleep with me."

- "And you call this camping?"

- "Well, technically, we are in a tent. "

- "Can you replicate this? You could sell this and be the richest man in the seven kingdoms."

Harry grinned.

- "I'm already the richest man in the Seven Kingdoms, Tyrion. I don't need to sell tents for it."

Tyrion looked at him, frowning.

- "What do you mean?"

Harry grinned, pointed to the table of the living room, concentrated and poof, a pile of golden dragons appeared.

- "Wha… Where do these come from?"

- "I just made them, it's magic. I can tell the difference immediately between a real dragon and a magic one, but since I'm the only one, well…"

- "But what happens if someone melts these?"

- "The same thing that happens if someone melts a golden dragon. It will still be fake magical gold, but in a different shape. Even an expert couldn't tell the difference between this gold and any other gold. You have to be a wizard to sense it."

- "So, in essence, you have as much gold as you want."

- "Yes, just as if I had an infinite mine and no one but me could access it. It's quite useful when you travel."

- "Harry, you are aware that the gold you just made could feed an entire village for ten years?"

- "Well, no, not really."

- "What?"

- "I mean, I know that bread is cheap if you have gold. But if everyone had gold, bred would cost much more. It's not because there is more money in an economy that the people eat better."

- "Well, yes, of course, but still."

Harry went out of the tent, put his hand to it and spoke his password.

- "Go away."

The tent started to unfasten itself from the ground, sorting itself. Harry inspected the camp to check if he hadn't forgotten anything.

- "Why did you just speak High Valyrian?" Tyrion asked.

- "That's the language I spoke in my home land. I'm not quite sure how that's possible. When I arrived I couldn't speak a word of the common tongue, but I have a spell for learning languages, so that was resolved quite quickly."

- "Harry, you do realize that you are the most powerful person I have ever met, don't you? And my brother in law is the King."

- "Uh, thanks, I guess."

- "What I mean, is… what do you intend to do with all your riches and powers?"

- " I'm not quite sure. I would like to find out if there are other wizards somewhere, but I do have time. Since I'm apparently Lord of Harrenhall now, I've decided to do that for now."

- "And what are you going to do?"

- "Well, first I'm building the castle back up. I should be able to do it in a few days, but since that would probably not go well with the "don't show off" thing, I will probably put illusions on the castle to make it seam like people are working there and it's slowly improving during the next year, and then tadaa. Still, I want to do that quickly, so maybe while we are on the road. "

Harry wanted to fix Harrenhall in a few days. Tyrion refrained from snorting. For all his powers, and they were certainly quite incredible, Harry was also extremely nice and a bit naïve. It was very interesting, and the kind of person Tyrion would like to call a friend.

- "And then?"

- "Well, I'm not sure, but being a Lord and all, I will have subjects, right?"

- "Yes. Harrenhall is the biggest domain of the Riverlands. His Majesty was quite… generous."

- "He just wanted to annoy your sister, I'm sure. Still, he gave it to me, and according to Lord Stark he won't take it back. So, that means these people are my people. I will try to improve their lives as much as I can."

- "And you can quite a lot, as I see it."

Harry grinned.

- "I'm done here, let's go back to Winterfell, shall we?"

Tyrion nodded and Night walked to them. Harry grasped them both and apparated to his room.

- "Where are we?" Tyrion asked, looking at the books scattered everywhere and the large bed in the middle of the chamber.

- "It's my bedroom, I thought it best, it has protections so that no one comes in when I'm not there. This way nobody can see us appear out of nowhere."

- "Yes, good idea indeed."

- "So, what do you think, will you go North to the Wall, or are you riding south with us?"

- "Will you bring me back to the Wall again?"

- "If you wish. I'm sure we will have some time on the road."

- "This is the strangest thing, thinking that you can go anywhere whenever you like, in an instant."

- "Well, not quite anywhere. I can only go where I have been before. But it is useful, certainly."

- "I would like you to take me with you when you build Harrenhall back up. I would like to see such splendor."

Harry smiled.

- "If you're not too busy doing other things, then yeah, no problem. Now, I think the best thing is for me to put you under an invisibility spell until we are away from my room."

Tyrion nodded and they went outside, Night a few feet behind them.

Harry turned the spell off when they reached the courtyard, where it wouldn't be strange for them to be together. Night saw his brother and went immediately to Ghost, who just watched him with his head held up.

- "Hey, Jon. Why are you not in the yard?"

Jon smiled at Harry and shrugged.

- "Apparently a Prince must only be beaten up by trueborn swords." Jon said, and then he blushed when he saw Tyrion and bowed a bit. "Lord Tyrion."

- "You're Ned Stark's bastard, aren't you?" Jon reddened a bit but nodded, lips tight. But Tyrion spoke again. "Sorry if I offended you, but you must not forget what you are, for certainly your enemies will never forget it. Make it your strength, and they will never be able to use it as a weakness."

- "What do you know about being a bastard?" Jon asked, sullen.

- "Dwarves are all bastards in their father's eyes," Tyrion said, a bit sadly.

- "Then your father is the bastard," Harry answered to Tyrion, and he turned to Jon. "And you, stop wallowing, whatever your name is, what matters is what you do with it. Bastard or no bastard, you're my friend, and you will do great things."

Tyrion smirked.

- "I feel Harry here is right, Jon. I believe in the end it will be Harry's friends that do great things, and no matter who is what other than that."

Jon sent the dwarf a strange look, and then watched Harry for a bit.

- "You are really a strange person, Harry," Jon said.

- "That is exactly what I said!" Tyrion exclaimed. Harry groaned as his two friends laughed together. Maester Luwin suddenly interrupted them.

- "Jon, Lord and Lady Stark would like to see you in Lord Stark's study."

Jon raised an eyebrow. His father often spoke to him, but any planned meeting with Lady Stark was always a bad thing, he knew. But he went anyway, knowing already what they would say. He couldn't go south, and he couldn't stay here with only Lady Stark. He had decided, he wanted to go to the Wall. He would have preferred to stay with his father, and Arya, Sansa, Bran, Robb, baby Rickon, and Harry, who was the best friend he had ever had after Robb. But he couldn't. And even though what Harry had said of the Wall didn't seem particularly inviting, he had to go somewhere, didn't he?

They were waiting for him. Jon tried not to meet Lady Stark's gaze, he already knew what he would find there, only scorn and hate.

- "Jon, I have spoken to the King this morning," Lord Stark said, startling Jon, who didn't see what his father could have said to the King that concerned him. "He has agreed to legitimate you, as long as you do not stand to inherit anything before your brothers and sisters."

Jon had dreamed to hear such a thing for so long that he thought for a second that he was dreaming again.

- "But…" he said, looking at Lady Stark. He would have thought he would see rage, there, but there was only sadness, and something else, something that had never been for him, only for her own children.

- "Jon," Catelyn said. "When I thought I had lost Bran, I realized how stupid I had been. You are as much Ned's child are any of my children. None of us is immortal, and you deserve a name. I would never wish any of my children dead, but if this atrocity ever came to pass, I would gladly see the Stark name in your hands."

It was more than Jon had ever hoped for. He had dreamed of it when he was a child, but… it was so very different to hear it spoken in truth, after he had given up this dream for so long.

- "My Lady, I…"

- "I hope you will forgive me one day, Jon, for what I have done to you all these years. And I know you will carry the name of your ancestors with all the honor of a Stark."

And slowly, she took him in her arms, as she had taken her children when they had been hurt. They stayed like this for a long time, Ned Stark watching them.

- "I cannot say how happy I am, as a father and a husband, how proud and glad you make me both… Jon Stark."

- "Jon Stark," Jon said, and it was alien to his mouth, so very different from his name. But it was his name, now. His real, true, name.

And suddenly a wide grin appeared on his lips.

- "Do my brothers and sisters know?" Jon asked, so happy he wanted to howl at the sky and jump and scream and tell everybody he had ever known.

- "We thought we would leave the surprise to you", Lady Catlyn said, laughing with him now. "Go, tell them."

Jon grinned again, bowed quickly and left, trying not to run. He found Harry and Tyrion where he had left them.

Harry saw his grin and laughed.

- "Jon Stark?" he asked.

- "How could you possibly know?" Jon asked, laughing again.

- "I have my ways," Harry answered. They laughed together, and Tyrion joined in. He had seen the way Harry had grinned like a fool after Jon had left, and had guessed that whatever was happening was of his doing. And now Jon the bastard was a Stark, and even if he would always have difficulties because of his birth, he was a Snow no more.

Tyrion had understood something, watching Harry. He was the kind of person who would help his friends however he could. And he had no doubt Harry would never tell Jon what he had done. Or how he had done it, for that matter. But it didn't matter. Tyrion was happy for Jon, and for Harry, and somehow, he had the feeling that things would be all right, because he was Harry's friend too, and Harry would help him as he helps his friends, as he had helped little Bran without asking for anything in return, and as he had helped Jon Stark.

- "Now, come, let's go tell the others," Harry said, pointing down where Robb and Prince Joffrey were fighting.

They went down the stairs, and found Arya watching the fight.

- "Jon, why are you grinning like a fool? That's Harry's thing," the little pest said, and Harry grinned at her. She was really one of his favorite Starks. Well, after Jon, now, of course.

- "Arya… Father made me a Stark."

Arya fell off the ladder she was sitting on, stood up again, and jumped to her brother's neck with a scream of happiness so high that nobody could have ignored it in all of Winterfell.

Jon laughed with her, turning around so her feet would fly.

- "Arya, what is it? Jon?" Bran asked, now standing beside Harry. Robb had also stopped fighting, and him, the prince and Theon Greyjoy had come forth.

- "The King has… agreed to… make me…" Jon started, out of breath. "a Stark."

- "And you think that gives you the right to interrupt my time of training, Bastard?" Joffrey asked, sneering at Jon.

Tyrion was about to say something, but Harry beat him to it.

- "My Prince, I must apologize for my friend, he obviously had no idea who he was interrupting. Please, come, I have something interesting to tell you."

Tyrion watched with curiosity Harry lead Joffrey a few meters from the group, with his guard dog Clegane following them.

- "Of course I'm after the girls in the order of succession, but that does not matter," Jon said, distracting Tyrion. He saw that all the Starks wore happy grins, and that this was obviously a loving family. He wondered what it would be like to grow up like that, loved and loving. He would never know it. Only Theon Greyjoy appeared dismayed, but he covered it quite well.

And then Harry came back, alone. Tyrion sent him a look and Harry smirked.

- "Your nephew will not pester anyone for a while," he whispered.

- "You did not hurt him, did you?"

- "Oh, no, don't worry. I just scared him a little bit."

Tyrion swallowed. The look on Harry's face was amused and contented, and a bit cruel, too. However, he knew Joffrey had deserved it. In the two weeks they had been at Winterfell, he had already beaten two servants half to death, raped three others, and ordered a page whipped for "stealing" a fruit. The boy was a tyrant, and if he ever became king…

He just hopped that whatever he had done did not fall back on Harry.

At the feast that night it was announced that Ned Stark had accepted the title of Hand of the King, and just after that that King Robert had made Jon Snow a Stark, last in order of succession, but still a Stark. People whispered, but Tyrion noticed that Joffrey did not. He was watching his plate and not speaking much to anyone.

For the first time Jon was seated at the high table, right beside Harry in fact, and a few seats from Tyrion. The two black haired boys spoke together all night. After a while Tyrion heard Sansa and Joffrey talking.

Joffrey did not know what had happened to him. He had insulted his dog earlier, and suddenly he had felt sad and tired. Then he had punished a servant who wasn't unfastening his belt fast enough, and he had felt fearful and hurt. And then he had taken Myrcella and Tommen's dolls, telling them how stupid they were to still play with such things, and he had felt angry at himself, scared, and even hated himself for a while. He didn't know what was happening. But now he was speaking to Sansa, and every time he told her a compliment, he felt happy inside, a light he had never felt burning in his chest. When he smiled at her or told her how nice she looked, she blushed, and he felt a pride and a new happiness. He kept talking to her all night, and after a while he felt so happy, enjoying himself, talking to her about the red keep, and King's Landing, and all the good things of the capital, he didn't think he had ever been this happy in his life. And after all, maybe what was happening wasn't so bad.

Tyrion watched his nephew and wondered what Harry could have done to the boy. He was grinning, talking about things, and seemed genuinely happy, not by hurting someone, but by making someone else happy. He found Harry alone later, one of the "tobacco" things in his mouth outside, the air clearly warmer around him.

- "Tell me, what did you do to Joffrey?"

- "He did seem to really enjoy himself tonight, didn't he?" Harry answered with a smirk.

- "Please tell me you didn't interchange him with someone else."

Harry laughed.

- "I did much better, I think. Joffrey was a little shit because he had never felt bad about anything he ever did, and had never really felt what he did either."

- "Well, he is a Prince."

- "Yes. So I cursed him so that he feels whatever he makes the people around him feel. If he insults you, he hurts. And if he makes you happy, he is happy."

Tyrion's eyes widened.

- "That is… the best thing anyone could ever have done for him, and for the Kingdom."

Harry grinned.

- "Why, thanks. But it will wear off eventually. Do you know he's not Robert's son?"

It was said so calmly, Tyrion had to stare at the boy.

- "What?"

- "Oh, yes, Joffrey isn't a Baratheon. I'm not absolutely sure who his real father is, but his name is "Joffrey Waters", technically. Tommen and Myrcella, too."

- "How… how could you ever be sure of that?"

Harry grinned, picked a small branch on the floor, put it on his hand and spoke.

- "Point me Tyrion Lannister."

The branch turned once and pointed to Tyrion.

- "It only works with the real name of a person. Look. Point me Jon Snow."

The branch started to turn around and didn't stop.

- "Since Jon's name has been changed now, his real name is Jon Stark. Point me Jon Stark." The branch turned again, but stopped to point inside the room. "Now, if I do this. Point me Joffrey Baratheon." The branch started to turn around, and didn't stop. "Point me Joffrey Waters." This time, the branch stopped, pointing inside the room again. "It doesn't matter what everyone thinks your name is, this will only point to the real name. If there are two people with the same name, it will point the nearest one, or you can add characteristics, or titles. This is where it becomes a bit confusing. If I say "Point me the Prince", for example, it will point to the nearest person everyone considers a Prince, because titles are not real, they depend on what everyone thinks of you, while names are real, they're part of you. They can be changed, but you have to decide to change them, as Jon did, and be aware of the change. If there was a decree saying 'Joffrey Waters is now Joffrey Baratheon', then that would be his name, but of course there couldn't be."

- "And you have not told anyone of this?"

Tyrion knew, of course, the only man whose son Joffrey could be, if he was no Baratheon. But that would be the ruin of his family, and even if he didn't much like his sister or his nephew, he couldn't let them get slaughtered.

- "I have learned enough of the Seven Kingdoms to know there would be a War if it was learned. That's why I erased Bran's memory of him seeing your brother and sister in bed together, and of your brother pushing him off the tower. And that's why I planted the idea into your brother and sister that Bran was no threat and would never remember.

Tyrion's eyes widened. His brother? Jaime wouldn't… But Jaime loved Cersei, and… If they were discovered together… Yes, he might have done it.

- "But don't you want revenge? Or justice? I would have thought you…"

- "I like the Starks, but I am not one of them," Harry said. "I despise war, and I will do anything I can to prevent it from happening. Bran was hurt, but he is okay now, and I shall protect the Starks so that nothing bad happens to them again. But I am not honorable, not as you Westerosi imagine honor. In my land honor is very different from what it is here, and lying is part of a wizard's life. Where I come from there are no privileges. Every child learns to read and write, and the King has no power. Instead there are elected officials who rule over the people with their agreement. The title Lord still exists, but it is a remnant of another era. I was from a noble family, but I had no more right than any rich man. So I don't believe in a right to rule passed down from father to son and could not care less who Joffrey's real father is."

- "These are such strange concepts, I cannot imagine them."

- "It is very different indeed. In the country I come from any child can dream of becoming the ruler and then be elected to become this ruler, if he is clever and charismatic enough for it."

- "But is it really better?"

- "Yes, on most parts. But it could not be done in a few years. Maybe in a hundred, it could be possible. But even then, it is not quite perfect. Well, I shall try and see how it goes in Harrenhall."

- "You are speaking of a revolution," Tyrion said.

- "Oh, no, nothing like that. But tell me, as a Lord, can I order children to come to a school if I built one?"

- "Yes, of course. But why?"

- "Once your people are educated, they can understand themselves better. After only twenty years, every adult will be able to read and write, and count. Some can learn how to create better instruments to farm the land."

- "Like what?"

Harry smiled.

- "Well, you will have to see, won't you? How many children between six and twelve do you think there are in my domain?"

- "Somewhere around two thousand?"

- "Do you think people would agree to send them if I offered a free meal at midday for any that come? And maybe clothes, too."

Tyrion laughed.

- "Of course. But how on earth could you ever do that? Even with all the gold in the world, you would have to raise taxes to have enough food."

Harry simply grinned at him.

- "Lord Stark, may I talk to you?"

The guards had let him enter, this time, as he was now a "Lord". Harry had knocked anyway and stuck his head inside the study.

- "Yes, Harry, come in. What is it?"

- "I had a question… It's a bit complicated."

- "Well, sit, and speak freely."

Harry sat and sent the strongest privacy wards he had around the study.

- "So, I was wondering what you intended to do with Jon."

Ned frowned.

- "I do not know, Harry. Although he is a Stark, now, it probably will not be possible to have him become one Rob's bannermen. And what could be the reason to take him at court with us? But even if he stays here, he will always be in his brother's shadow, and that is not what I wish for him."

- "Well… I was thinking of something, but please don't take offense if you think I'm being presumptuous. I will need a guard at Harrenhall, apparently, that is what Lords do. So, I was thinking, he could come south with us, and in a year or two, when he becomes a Knight, he can become the captain of my guard, or something of the sort. I'm not quite sure what kind of work titles there are, but well. I wanted to ask him, but I thought of putting the idea to you first, and here I am. Of course, he would still be free to refuse or to quit my service if he wanted, and I've never even had a guard or anything, but…"

- "Harry, you are rambling," Ned interrupted with a smile. Harry blushed. "What you propose is certainly a very good option for Jon, and if he so desires, I would be happy to see him become a Knight of Harrenhall."

- "Thank you, I shall ask him if he will consider it, then. Oh, that reminds me, I wanted to ask you something else, but I completely forgot."

Ned nodded, looking at the boy.

- "So, I need a sigil, and since I do have a direwolf, I was wondering if it would bother you if I used a wolf as my sigil. It would be black on a green field, so there would be no way of ever mistaking one for the other."

- "I would feel honored that you used a wolf, Harry. I am quite sure that you will do it proud. And have you chosen words too?"

- "Yes, they are my father's words. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death."

- "It is certainly appropriate for Harrenhall," Ned answered. "Yes."

- "I was thinking… I mean, you know, I'm not really a Lord of the Seven Kingdoms to begin with, and I feel quite bad about the treachery, because if I had not been highborn his Grace would not have made me Lord in the first place…"

- "Harry, you are as highborn as anyone I have ever known. Certainly, you are a bit strange, but I am sure you will be a good Lord. Do not worry about it."

- "Thank you, Lord Stark. I will go and ask Jon, then."

Harry found Jon exiting Maester Luwin's tower after his lessons.

- "Jon, can I talk to you?"

- "Of course", Jon said, following Harry to his room.

- "So, I was thinking… " Harry began, then he blushed and sat down on his bed. "Well, you're my friend, and I didn't want to leave you here, and I know that what I told you of the Wall didn't quite motivate you to go there as you once wished. So, I thought… you know, I am Lord of Harrenhall, now. Apparently I have men in the south, but I don't know any of them. So, I thought you could become a Knight, and then you would be captain of my guard, or something of the sort."

Jon was watching him, now, and Harry blushed again.

- "Harry, do you have any idea what you are offering?"

Harry bit his lips but looked up at Jon's serious face.

- "Well, not really. I know I'm no knight, and you're much better at leading men and all those things. Tyrion says I have something like four thousand men at arms, and I have not the first idea what to do with them. You have been taught alongside Robb, you know as much of leading as he does. You can teach me and lead my men and protect my lands against bad people and stuff."

Jon suddenly laughed, and Harry answered by pouting.

- "If you don't want to, you don't need to laugh at me," Harry said, a bit sadly.

Jon immediately stopped laughing.

- "Oh, Harry! I'm not laughing because I don't want what you're offering me! It's just… you know exactly what you are offering, and at the same time not at all. You understand the honor you're granting me, but you think nothing of it, and at the same time you have absolutely no idea what I will be doing. It's quite funny, really. But of course, Harry! Of course I want to become a Knight and captain of your guard!

- Really? Wow, that's great! I uh… I've asked your father if it was alright, I didn't want you to know if he was about to say no, but he said that if you wanted it then it was okay.

- Wow… I'm going to be a knight!

- And I won't have to learn how to rule an army!

The two boys looked at each other, grinning like fools.

End of chapter 2!

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Ferz