Chapter 2- The Shards Revealed

It turned out that Harry was lucky enough to catch the back-end of the ride to the Institute of War's academy. While the journey could take up to a week, there was only a couple of hours left before it arrived. As the wagon slowly trundled across the lands, Harry could not help but wonder what it looked like.

According to Ashley, there were no windows or anything like that, because the Institute preferred to keep the locations of their key things (such as the academy), secret. All this sounded slightly fishy to Harry, but there was nothing he could do about it. Harry probed and asked about the general landscape and culture of Runeterra, so that he could fit in, while avoiding discussion about Earth in general.

He wasn't proud of what had happened, and the memories were still fresh and painful. Many had been left behind, but even more were killed, so there wasn't too much guilt about abandonment. But it would come, given the kind of luck Harry had. It seemed to him that Runeterra was a curious mix of all things imaginable, a melting pot of sorts that would never have formed on Earth.

For one, there was technology. While neither Alissa nor Ashley found it odd that some places were using "Hex-Tech Capacitors" (whatever they were), and others far from having access to electricity, it seemed to Harry that much could be done to even out the disparity between the rich and the poor. In that sense, Runeterra was relatable to Earth.

The twins were kind and understanding of Harry's predicament, explaining concepts and things as best as they could, never really teasing him for not knowing anything. For that, Harry was fully grateful, and truly appreciated what they were doing for him. It was rare that one found people as caring as they were.

The ceiling abruptly opened some hours in, revealing another room on top, and a couple of bags were lowered in by rope. Apparently, as Harry soon discovered, this was how they got their meals. An hour or so later, and the door would open again, allowing for trash and other waste products to be disposed of.

Looking around the room for the first time, having been so engrossed in the conversation, Harry realized that there was just one bed, and that the toilet was public, as were the showers. Upon noting this, Alissa giggled slightly, saying that it was a shame that Harry could not have come earlier. Ashley and Harry both blushed at that, realizing what she implied, but he managed a rueful grin back.

Perhaps the lonely nights that he had become so used to spending would change sometime soon, Harry reflected, tasting the sweet and sour food in the container. However, given that he still couldn't really differentiate between Ashley and Alissa thus far, a relationship with either one of them could lead to some potential awkwardness.

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A/N: Well, I guess this is the best thing you're going to get, but this weird line thing above signifies a scene break.

Finally, the wagon ground to a halt. The ceiling opened, once again, and a ladder dropped down. Ever the courteous gentleman, Harry gestured for the twins to head on up. Surprisingly, they had brought no possessions with them, and Harry followed them up, admiring the view from below. Although they were both wearing pants under their robes, he had to admit that they both had very curvaceous asses. By the time he reached the higher floor of the wagon, he had to adjust his jeans so that his semi-boner wouldn't show.

The room above was similar to the one below, decorated in a drab and Spartan style. However, it did have a doorway leading out, and following Alissa's lead, they three of them exited the wagon, hopping off of the massive beast- looking almost like a minotaur, but larger and dumber, and looked around them.

Similar wagons were stationed around a large yard, with a menacing stone building fairly close to where they were. Given its size, they couldn't quite see around them, but there were large mountains in the distance. Ashley thought she could identify the mountain range it was part of, but couldn't quite be sure.

"So, what's up with all the other carriages? I thought we were the only ones coming here to train as Summoners," Harry inquired curiously looking at the others standing around the carriages that they had exited. Some appeared to have amphibious beasts pulling them, with odd gills that flared every so often on the lizard-like creatures attached to the wagons.

"Well, there's a wagon for each region of Runeterra- those we've told you about. Like I've said, we're from House Buvelle of Demacia, although the others would probably be from other regions- Noxus, Ionia, Zaun, Bandle City, you name it," Ashley explained, pointing at each cart as she named the locations.

Alissa nodded in agreement, sliding up to Harry and standing closer to him. He caught a whiff of her aroma, a sweet perfume, and resisted the temptation to act on his primal urges. He was barely twenty-one, yet he still hadn't had a serious relationship in his life yet. Although there were women who had caught his eye, the chemistry had never really worked out with anyone before.

Once all the people and other creatures settled down, a cloaked man spun out of the shadows, earning many a gasp from the attending audience.

"I am Herod, the principal of the Academy of the Institute of War. I see that you have all passed the most rudimentary tests, although a great many of you have died. We'll see how many Summoner's we'll make of you by the end of your training. Head inside the building, and you will receive further instruction," and with that, Herod disappeared into the shadows.

"Rather like Zed," Ashley commented, and Alissa led the trio forwards, ahead of the other groups, and pushed the dark doors that marked the entrance to the Academy open. The magnificent hall that lay behind was strangely similar to that of Hogwarts, although this one seemed to be slightly larger. On the center table lay a large sheet of paper, with a set of instructions on it.

Apparently, the Sumoners-in-training were to get to know each other, before registering and settling in. Harry stuck with the twins, meeting up with the other thirty or so who had made it through alive. Harry noted that there were a disproportionately large number of girls- perhaps two or three for every guy that was there. Perhaps it was simply that the male gender was more impulsive, and couldn't pass the test, or that they weren't as adept at magic. For whatever reason, there just seemed to be many fine-looking women that Harry couldn't resist taking a second glance at.

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It turned out that every person had several of their own private rooms. Given the size of the structure, it wasn't surprising that the thousand or so residents had plenty of space to spare. Since nobody really had any possessions, and registration was merely giving a name and then being given a room in return, Harry found himself wandering around, moving from room to room, gradually losing his way until he was utterly lost.

Most of the rooms in the place looked identical, with the same black stone ceilings, walls, and floors. Furniture was sparse, and it was impossible to tell where to go. Even the corridors lacked distinguishing features. Finally, Harry found himself back at the large hall where he had entered, and was surprised to see that most everybody had already assembled there.

Principal Archmage Lead-Summoner Herod was there, looking very unimpressed at Harry. He meekly slipped into the crowd beside Ashley, or Alissa, before Herod with many titles began to speak.

"Each of you should find your schedules in your hands- because it is your first week here, we will be having five minutes of extra break between classes in order to find your classrooms. If you have any questions, don't bother me, but rather older Summoners in training," Herod spoke, eyeing each student carefully.

Eventually, it became clear that he wasn't going to say anything more, so everyone began to look down at their fiendishly complicated schedules, trying to figure them out.

"It says here I'm to take a class on Runes. What's that?" Harry asked, but Ashley and Alissa just shrugged. He guessed that this experience was just as bewildering for them as it was for him. Looking down, he saw classes like Lore of Runeterra, Champion Spells, the Meta, and other confusing names that didn't really offer much information on anything. It also appeared that they would be diving classes by region- so the Demacians (Harry, Ashley and Alissa), would always be together, but they would taking classes with others as well. In a sense, that reminded Harry of Houses in Hogwarts, although there seemed to be a great many more here, with less students.

Gradually, the Summoners in training realized that they had no classes due today, although there was something that indicated for them to buy necessary materials. This was supposed to be in Heimer Alley, and so after asking numerous elder Summoners in training, some who didn't even know themselves, the group of first year Summoners in training arrived.

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All in all, the school supplies that Harry got were surprisingly standard. Ink, quills, parchment, books, all of it was familiar. But then he started to see that there was more for him to get, and looking around, he had no idea what a "Table of Masteries" was, or what exactly a "Mana Manipulator" could be. It seemed that nobody really had an idea of what they were, and since there was no shopkeeper- just items haphazardly placed in rows and aisles, it was only until a nice chap named Doran came along that all the items were acquired.

Finally, there was only one thing left to get- a Shard. This, Alissa and Ashley both explained to him, was a method of focusing power, in order to use it and channel it. They both had their own already, and they showed it to him. They were both around same size and shape as his wand, although they were translucent and beautifully colored. In a sense, they would be the equivalent of a wand here.

Choosing a shard was similar to going to Ollivander's, and Harry found himself trying Shard after Shard, to no avail (it was self-service, and Harry didn't really know which type would fit him). Finally, he came across a blue, red and yellow colored Shard. The moment he picked it up, a strange energy coursed through him, binding him to the Shard. Harry nodded, realizing that this was his, and he put it in his robes for safekeeping.

Rather amused by Harry, the trio left Heimer Alley, as their duties were done for the day. Alissa sidled up to Harry, leaning oddly close to him. Once again, he breathed in her aroma, noticing that she must have somehow taken it in again, before realizing that her scent was a way to differentiate between her and Ashley. But then, now that he didn't really have a valid reason to not go out with either of them, who did he pick?

He was fairly sure they were both attracted to him, by the way they hovered around him and payed attention to his every word, and yet, after contemplation, the two of them were really quite different in terms of personality. Alissa was more straightforward, yet more bubbly and cheerful. Ashley was still chipper than most, but somehow managed to appear intellectual at the same time. In his mind, there wasn't really a way to make a decision between the two blondes.

A small pat on his shoulder drew Harry back to reality.

"Hey, want to stay in my room tonight, for a while?", Alissa asked, her ever present smile radiant as always.

"Sure, let me just drop off my stuff in my room first," Harry said, not quite sure what she was insinuating. How did people court each other here? It was a rather awkward question to bring up, but when Alissa walked away, Harry asked Ashley about it.

"Well… if you're asking about Alissa, she's an exception. She asks everybody into her rooms, which is usually considered a rather private and intimate thing to do. However, if you do *hem*, if you do go all the way… that would be a rather big thing. Essentially, only married people have sex, if that makes sense. Of course, that's not always the case, especially with the occasional harem, " Ashley explained, kind of dancing around the topic but addressing it at the same time.

Harry nodded, wishing that rules on chastity could be laxer. This harem concept seemed interesting as well. It would be a lofty dream, a goal he would never achieve, he knew, but it sounded like every man's wet dream. Seeing that it actually existed here, then, made him wish he had spent more time on being charming and whatever it was that attracted females.

Drumming his fingers, Harry stood before Alissa's door, before finally opening it.

A/N: Feel free to comment on my grammar or whatever if you feel the urge to. I'm pretty satisfied with this so far, but it could obviously be better. Thanks for all the feedback so far (remember, more is better)!