Hi again.
So here's the longer AN I mentioned last chapter.
Both fandoms I'm crossing have multiple interpretations. I feel the need to make it clear now that I'm not going to be using a lot of the changes the movies have made (this applies more to Narnia than to Harry Potter). However, especially for Narnia, some of the stylistic elements from the more recent movies and the BBC TV series will be incorporated. Mostly in the case of the Narnian creatures (which I feel they did an excellent job CGing) the more recent movie is the best analogue for what I want the non-human Narnians to look like (although the dryads are totally different because they sucked but whatever).
I'd also like to take this opportunity to thank the people who put this story on alert, added it to favourites, put it in their archives, read it and especially the people who reviewed the prologue. I wasn't expecting that much of a response.
I'm hoping to update as regularly as I can, although that will depend entirely on college and real life. I am sorry for the long wait, but that seems to be life right now.
Disclaimer: Narnia belongs to the estate of C.S Lewis. Harry Potter belongs to J.K Rowling. Various original characters are mine.
Harry wasn't sure what woke him. It might have been the light breeze tugging at his clothes, it might have been the distant sound of water, it might have been the feeling of being watched. Or it might have been the comically loud whispers coming from right above him.
He opened his eyes with a start to find, not his dark and cramped cupboard, but sunlight filtering through trees and everything around him green and alive. There were also three pairs of eyes staring at him, and none of them were human.
"It's awake" Harry stared at the stag who had just spoken. Animals weren't supposed to talk.
"Are you well?" A young man who looked human until Harry spotted the horns emerging from his curly blond hair and his furry ears. When Harry sat up he saw that the young man had the legs of a goat.
"Yes, thank you" Harry said nervously.
"Would you be a Son of Adam?" The man-goat said.
"I-I don't know what that is" Harry bit his lip.
"Are you human?" The stag asked, Harry's wide eyes returned to the imposing creature.
"Yes" Harry said.
The stag and the creature retreated a bit to talk to the third strange creature, a man with the lower body of a horse. If he strained a bit Harry could hear their conversation.
"We should take him to Cair Paravel" the man-goat said.
"Can we be sure he is not a spy?" The man-horse said, looking suspiciously at Harry.
"He said he was human and he does not have the countenance of a Black Dwarf. Besides, one of such small stature could only be a human calf. I agree with Lironus, he should be taken to Cair Paravel and shown to Their Majesties" the stag said.
"Redane," the man-goat turned to the man-horse, "would you bear the human to Cair Paravel? I would ask you Ruservus," the man-goat nodded to the stag, "but it has been my study that humans seem to require something to hold on to when they ride and you have only your antlers." For a stag's antlers are his pride and joy and he will not suffer them to be touched by human or Beast.
"Is that an order Lironus?" Harry cringed at the man-horse's tone.
"Must I make it one? Would you not bear him for less?" The man-goat sounded far nicer Harry decided.
"Centaurs do not bear riders, something you well know!" The man-horse's voice raised in anger, front hooves pawing agitatedly at the ground.
"Another human has arrived in Narnia and you would not allow us to proceed with all speed to Cair Paravel because of your pride?" The stag admonished, the man-horse quieted and bowed his head.
"He will not be much of a burden to bear" the man-horse said quietly, trotting around the other two to approach Harry carefully.
Wary of the large hooves Harry scrambled to his feet and gazed up at the creature. It was far taller than Uncle Vernon and Harry had to crane his head right back to look at its face.
"Human foal, I am Redane the centaur and I would bear you to Cair Paravel" the centaur bent down as far as he could go and Harry watched him with fearful eyes.
"Okay" Harry squeaked. He had no idea who these creatures were or where they were taking him but Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia always got angry if he was even a little bit slow at going somewhere they wanted him to, so it was best if he just went with these strange people. "Um. How do I get on you?"
Redane hid his grimace as he sank down to the ground and allowed the human foal to climb on gracelessly, little flailing feet kicking him in the ribs several times during the process, and cling to the back of his tunic. He levered himself back up onto his hooves and turned to Lironus and Ruservus.
"To Cair Paravel" Lironus declared, breaking into the springing run all fauns had. Ruservus roared and lept after him, moving easily through the trees. He moved off a little slower, conscious of the human on his back and how difficult it seemed for humans to stay on a horse. Although he hadn't seen it personally the Horses had mentioned just how much Their Majesties fell off the first few times they tried to ride, and Their Majesties were rather bigger than this human foal.
Harry had never been on a horse, or a centaur, before and it couldn't be said that he learnt much about horsemanship during the intervening three and a half hour journey. Just that it was very bumpy and hurt after a while. About an hour in, when his legs really started to hurt from straddling Redane's back, he discovered he could sit more comfortably with his legs folded. That had the added advantage of keeping him wedged between the strap holding Redane's swords on and the centaur's torso.
The mix of walking and jogging had eaten up the miles between Beruna and Cair Paravel without leaving any of them exhausted. Negotiating their way through the forests had been easy enough but as they approached the castle they hit the broad, treeless road leading up to it. The Moles had spent weeks ensuring easy access by carefully digging up and replanting trees to clear a path.
"Hold on tight little human" Redane warned Harry, who clutched even tighter at the tunic in front of him as the centaur sped up into a gallop. The gait was bumpier than before but more like the plastic rocking horse in the play area than the jolting rhythm it had been before.
Lironus and Ruservus were running full pelt to keep up with the centaur as they headed into the city and towards the castle, earth changing abruptly into flagstone streets. Narnians dodged out of the way of the three charging towards the castle, understanding that it must be an errand of great importance for such a hasty entrance. They slowed as they reached the castle proper and Harry's face nearly slammed into Redane's back, too busy gaping at his surroundings and the strange creatures they had passed on the way in. Outside a large pair of double doors they came to a complete stop and Redane once again went to the ground to allow Harry to slide off of him.
Harry's legs buckled the moment his feet hit the ground and he found himself sitting down unexpectedly. He had to scramble backwards to avoid being stepped on as Redane heaved himself to his hooves again. His legs, which had been going numb, were now prickling uncomfortably as he tried to stand and nearly fell over again, stumbling into Ruservus' leg and clinging to it for stability.
"Sorry," Harry said, looking up at the stag.
"No apology necessary" Ruservus said.
Presently another faun came trotting around a corner from another courtyard looking curious.
"Lironus, your patrol was supposed to be out for a day more. What has brought you back so soon?"
"We found something that their Majesties should see in the woods near Beruna and returned immediately" Lironus said. Redane, realising that he had been blocking Harry from view, moved back so that the newcomer could see Harry. The faun gasped.
"Aslan's mane, another Son of Adam! Their Majesties will certainly want to meet him. I shall take you to them."
"Many thanks Tumnus." Lironus said.
As they headed off around the castle to the gardens Harry began to worry. He knew that the Queen of England was a woman, Uncle Vernon made everyone watch her make a speech at Christmas, so what would the Majesties of a country of strange creatures be? Would it want to eat him?
It was a truly beautiful summer day, so beautiful that the Pevensies had decided to take a late lunch out into the gardens. They'd been going over some new trade agreements sent over from Archenland inside and the room had just gotten too stuffy. A party from Archenland would be journeying to Cair Paravel in a couple of weeks to ratify the new agreements and all four siblings wanted to understand what they were getting into. Not that King Lune would try and get something past them, he was one of the few adults who had taken them seriously when they had first ascended to the throne.
Lucy was the first to look up and see Tumnus coming into the garden followed by a Stag, another faun and a centaur. The sheen of sweat on the newcomers didn't bode well, if they'd had to hurry back here then they couldn't be bringing good news. Although it had been four years since the defeat of the Witch little pockets of her supporters still popped up from time to time. She nudged Edmund, who was sitting closest to her on the blanket, and a moment later they were all focused on the approaching creatures.
"Your majesties," Tumnus gave a small bow, "a patrol sent out to the west have found something interesting near Beruna." He produced Harry from where the small boy had been hiding behind Redane. "Another Son of Adam has entered Narnia." Harry wouldn't meet the Pevensies' eyes but he felt them watching him, the little hairs on the back of his neck prickling uncomfortably. He focused on his socked feet, wiggling his toes and shifting a little.
"He's so small," Lucy breathed, "he must be far younger than we were when Aslan brought us here."
It was Susan who acted first, moving forward so she could kneel in front of the little boy. Harry looked up at her warily and she smiled back at him.
"Hallo, what's your name?" Susan asked gently.
"Harry," he mumbled, "Harry Potter." She noticed that he was twisting his fingers in the hem of what must be his school jumper.
"It's nice to meet you Harry, I'm Susan. These are my brothers, Peter and Edmund, and my sister Lucy," Harry glanced quickly at the two young men and the other girl, surprised at their welcoming smiles, and gave a shy wave. "Do you remember where you came from, before you were here?" Susan continued.
"My cupboard," Harry said quietly, looking back down at his feet.
Susan's shock plastered itself all over her face but she kept quiet, Peter and Edmund's grins dropped and they looked grim but Lucy let out a little gasp and clapped a hand over her mouth. The house in Finchley probably seemed smaller because it was a vague memory but none of them had had to live in a cupboard. Harry looked up and saw the expressions on the Pevensies' faces, his eyes widened in terror and he froze.
As shocked as she was by Harry's little revelation Susan noticed the little boy's terror and went with practicality.
"Well you're in Narnia now, and just in time for a very late lunch too."
"Really?" Harry looked at Susan in wonderment.
"Really, we were out here having a late lunch anyway."
With that settled they retreated back to the large blanket, Lucy asked Tumnus to join them but the faun begged off this particular late lunch since he had already eaten. Once Harry had been given a plate all four siblings began filling it with bits of every dish set out, sandwiches and fruit and cold meat and little cakes. They had all been midway through food themselves so they resumed eating and talking.
After a few tentative nibbles to see whether any of them really did mind him eating their food and finding only encouraging smiles Harry took a real mouthful. He wasn't entirely sure what was in the sandwich but somehow it was the best thing he had ever tasted, he demolished the rest of it and set about the rest of what had been put on his plate.
Well that's the end of Chapter 1. I'm pretty happy with it although I did think the general premise sounded a bit like a bad joke, y'know 'A Stag, a faun, a centaur and a little boy walk into a castle'. Actually, to be honest, I really wanted to title the chapter that but then I realised that was dumb.
Hopefully the next chapter will be up sooner.
Ciao