Author's Note: So it's come to my attention not everyone is familiar with the Elder Scrolls. I've put up some basic info in this chapter as well as on my profile. If you really need a detailed explanation, check out the elderscrolls wiki. There's a full page on the Deadric Princes...numerous actually.
I've already written Other Legacy chapter 5 its just that I need it beta'd before uploading.
Anyways, hope you enjoy and constructive criticism is always appreciated.
Chapter 2: Heart of Order
As they appeared right outside her family wards, Daphne decided that it would take some getting used to the sensation of apparating. A slight scowl marred her porcelain features. "Your first time apparating?"
She turned to look at Harry and continued to scowl. "You didn't mention how uncomfortable it feels," she said accusingly. He simply shrugged his shoulders and said, "It takes some getting used to and from what I understand side-along apparition is far more uncomfortable than simply going by yourself."
"I'll keep that in mind," she muttered. She looked down at her delicate hands and flexed her fingers. The ambient magic of Oblivion coursing through her, renewing her strength. Together, they had found the Sigil Stone, a creation of the Deadra used to provide energy to numerous powerful artifacts, and drained it of its power. She was stronger, most certainly, but it still wasn't anywhere near the power she once wielded.
"How many more fragments of Oblivion are out there," she asked him. Harry turned towards her and a slight frown formed on his lips. "I doubt there are many. I've only been able to search for them since I began in Hogwarts and since then I've only ever found three, including this one."
"You don't think are very many in world, do you?" She asked.
His mouth twisted. "No. What little remains of that brat of Akatosh's rampage is probably floating between the voids of various planes of existence. I've long come to the conclusion that very little actually fell onto this world."
Daphne looked at him quizzically and asked, "Is there no way to obtain those fragments in those dimensional gaps."
"As it stands right now, no," He said while shaking his head. "Unless you somehow possess the ability to tear through the fabric of reality to reach them."
She rolled her eyes. If she was already that powerful, she would hardly feel the need to hunt down relics of their old home and absorb their natural power. "I'd best get inside. I don't want the house-elves to notice us. That would be lead to an inquisition from daddy."
It didn't escape her, the way his eyes twinkled in amusement at the way she addressed her father. There was no reason she couldn't be affectionate with her family so she refused to be embarrassed over her choice in diction.
He nodded his head and said, "I will see you tomorrow at the train station then. Take care to stay out of trouble until then, Nocturnal."
She smiled up at him mischievously. "I'm not the one abusing my power right and left, now am I?" She said cheekily and earning a twitch at the lips from him. "Good night dearest brother," she said before drawing on her magic and disappearing into the night.
Harry watched as Daphne seemed to melt right into the shadows of the night. A small smile played on his lips as he analyzed the magic she just used. Shadow Magic was a very obscure and poorly understood branch of the arcane. Even he, with all his genius, did not fully understand its mechanics. Of course, that was simply due to the lack of information on his part, rather than his understanding capabilities.
As Harry turned and walked down the road that led away from Greengrass Manor, he once again marveled at the difference between the current world and its past incarnation. Mortals had made advancements that were unheard of in the old world. No to mention the sheer size of their population. A single world populated with billions of lives. By the time their old world had come to an end, he estimated there approximate less than five hundred million mortals running around on the dirt ball of a planet.
The Deadra obviously had a bigger impact on the mortal realm than he realized.
On that thought, he stopped walking and began to ponder on the lack of Deadra in this new world. He had read through numerous works and scholarly findings and nowhere did this world hold any record of the Deadra.
Harry shook his head.
It would do no good to dwell on the past. His efforts were best suited to concentration on more pressing issues. With that, he spun on his heel and apparated home.
As the sensation of great pressure being applied to all sides dissipated, Harry looked around his room. It was the same as he left.
"H-Harry," a hesitant voice called out.
At first, he froze and went wide eyed however, he quickly schooled his expression and turned around. The look on his mother's face was clear and easy to read. Absolute shock and apprehension, openly written on her expression. However, when he took notice of her eyes that were a mirror to his own, he could see small amount of desperation in those moist emeralds.
He noted how her hands shook as she reached out for him and the desperation quickly mixed with fear. "B-Baby, where have you been and…Merlin…when did you learn to apparate?" Her sheer confusion and erratic state of mind was quite obvious as her magic latched on to him in what he could only call a mother's anxiety.
Not even batting an eyelash, he swiftly whipped out his wand and, before she could process what was happening, he whispered, "Obliviate."
The soft white glow of the memory charm seeped into her body and he saw it take hold as her eyes glazed over. Then, with practiced ease, he used his legilemancy to send a mental command for her to return to her bedroom and go to sleep without waking up his father.
Not even a shred of guilt wormed its way into his mind as he watched her turn around and softly walk down the hall, back to her bed. He continued to wait at his door even as she turned the hall and he could only hear the soft patter of her footsteps. Only when he was sure that he heard the soft click of his parents' bedroom door close, did he closed his own door with a sigh.
The one thing that had carried over from his tenure as Jyggalag, aside from his higher than average magical power, was his incredible intellect and mind. His comprehensive capabilities were well beyond that of any mortal. Consequentially, he was also a master of the mind arts. He undoubtedly, was the single most accomplished Occulumens and Legilimens in the world. And he had been using that power for years to alter his parents' perception of reality. There was a strong spell on them that they would ignore him for the most part and leave him to his own devices.
Harry was no fool. He was entirely mortal now and he knew what that entailed.
Deadra, by nature, lacked souls. Ergo, their spectrum of emotions were equivalent to those of a squirrel. The more powerful Deadra may appear to express more complex emotions than baseless desire and anger, but it was nothing more than a sham. They were a cruel and heartless race that thrived on instinct and instinct alone.
Mortals, or rather humans, were the opposite. Souls, were a thing of pure desire based off the truths of love, joy, compassion and hope. As well as darker truths such as hate, rage, malice and fear. Such was their nature. He had discerned this years ago as a Lord of Oblivion. In his role of Prince of Order and Logical Deduction, he had taken account of all things including souls. And he knew all too well, that as a Deadra, he would never feel them thus, never be able to fully understand them. It was ironic really, that now that he was finally capable of feeling emotions, he no longer held the capacity to fully and completely comprehend them.
Though, there were times, when the Prince in him rode strongest, he contemplated killing off his family to relive himself of that burden and the obvious weakness they represented. However, he never actually fully committed to those plans. Try as he might, he was no longer a Deadra Lord in full. He possessed the body and soul of a human.
It would be illogical and a complete waste of time to try and instill the entire mindset of Jyggalag. He was Harry Potter now. And he would put all his effort into making this new identity, this new form, as great as his old one.
Harry walked over and laid himself down on his mattress and pressed his wand to his temple. He really didn't understand why the rest of the Magical World, insisted on falling asleep the normal way. It was much more efficient to cast a sleeping charm on yourself and skip the wasted minutes it took to actually fall asleep.
"Iris, sweetheart, are you all ready? Are you sure you have everything packed? What about your-"
"I'm fine mom, sheesh," Iris said while attempting to back away from her mother's fussing. "Leave her alone Lils, we already double checked her belongings last night as well as this morning." James said to his wife.
Lily Potter was a near mess. Her eyes brimmed with unshed tears and she looked torn between pride and sorrow. Her daughter was finally going to Hogwarts after all these years. "You'd best get in the train now sweetie," James said. "Any minute now, families will pouring onto the platform."
Lily and James had decided to get to Platform Nine and Three Quarters early on to avoid being gaped at like as if they were at a bloody zoo. Right now, there were only a few families on the platform and most of them were far too occupied with their own departing children to pay any attention to the Girl-Who-Lived.
As James carried Iris's trunk onto the train Lily, pulled her daughter aside into a tight hug. 'Remember Iris," Lily said caringly. "There are people at Hogwarts who would attempt to befriend you for your fame alone, so be careful to who you talk to."
Iris nodded her head in understanding.
Lily knew her daughter was quite mature for age and possessed a sensible head on her shoulders. "If you ever run into trouble head straight to Professor McGonagall or Professor Flitwick. And even if he doesn't act like it, Severus will also provide you with any help if you need it, okay?" At one point in time, Lily would have told her daughter to also seek aid from Dumbledore but, the Headmaster had been a sore spot for years now. That old man liked to meddle far too much for her liking.
"Got it mom," Iris said as she returned her hug. After she pulled away, James pulled Iris into his own arms and said, "Pretty much what your mom said, kid. And make sure to write at least once a week. If you don't, your mother will end up storming the castle due to her overactive imagination."
Iris laughed in her father's embrace, even as her mother whacked him on the back of his head. Pulling back, but not before gently kissing Iris on the head, James said, "I know you'll make us proud Iris. Just remember to do your best. That's all that really matters."
Smiling up warmly at them, Lily's tears finally spilled over when her daughter, "I love you dad, love mum." Grabbing her daughter once more, Lily squeezed tightly. "Oh, I love you too, my baby." Lily finally let go, when James gently nudged her.
"Bye," Iris waved happily as she disappeared into the train.
Lily entwined her arms around her husbands and buried her face into his shoulder. "Oh relax, Lils. It's not like it's the end of the world. This time tomorrow we'll be reading a letter saying how amazing Hogwarts is. How spectacular the view from the lake is, how creepy the Baron looks during the fast and what house the Hat put her in. Probably even who snores the loudest in her dorm."
She smacked James on the arm playfully, his lighthearted banter somewhat dispelling the somber mood that had settled on her. "The house is going to be so quiet now," she said as they walked over to the barrier into the muggle world.
"I'm sure it'll back to its regular level when Sirius comes over for a visit." James said with amusement clearly written in his voice.
'How is he, by the way?" Lily asked.
"Not happy at the moment." James sighed "He was called in early this morning by Amelia. There was a high profile string of murders in Paris last night."
"Paris?" Lily asked skeptically. "What does that have to do with him?"
"One of the victims was a visiting British wizard. Six bodies found in total. The DMLE sent Sirius over as it's going to be a joint investigation between our Aurors and the French."
"Did he tell you when he was coming back?"
"No, it sounds to me like it's going to be one of those investigations that lead nowhere."
Lily sighed. "So all the kids are gone and out of the house."
"We could always have another," James whispered suggestively in her ear. Lily smiled up at him coyly. "Sure, but you're going to have to carry it around for nine months."
"Never mind then," he said sharply, turning about face. And causing lily to laugh at him.
Just as they were about to walk through the barrier, James came to an abrupt halt, causing lily to nearly trip as she was still holding on to his arm. "James, watch what you're-" Lily, never finished her sentence because when she looked up at his face, she caught notice of the heavy frown that was on his face.
"James," she said worriedly. "James, what is it?"
"Is-is that Harry…over there?" He said.
Lily followed his gaze over to where he was looking and was met with the sight of her son standing a fair distance away with another family. Lily had to blink a few times as something swept through her mind. Her son.
Why did those words sound so foreign to her?
She followed James as he quickly strode over to where Harry was speaking with the other family. Upon closer inspection, she realized that it was the Greengrass family he was talking with. Since when did Harry know the Greengrasses? Lily only knew of them by.
Michael Greengrass, was a highly respect member of the Wizengamot. She remembered him being a few years older than her during Hogwarts. He was quite noticeable with his strong features, dark blonde hair and sparkling blue eyes. His wife on the other hand, was the complete opposite of him. Lily soundly remembered Catarina Greengrass as they had been in the same year. However, as she was in Ravenclaw and Lily herself was a Gryffindor, they rarely spoke.
Catarina was what one would describe as a true Grecian beauty. Lightly tanned skin, waves of rich sable hair that rolled down to her waist and delicate features that would put Aphrodite to shame, she was considered to be one of the most beautiful women in all of Magical Europe. She remembered a few years ago, where a magazine had done an article on a property owned by the Greengrass family on the French Riviera. Half the time, the piece had spoken about the beauty of the Lady rather than the actual place.
And her daughters were just as beautiful as she was. One of them was obviously the elder. She had blonde hair except her hair was brighter than her father's yet, just as luscious as her mother's. The younger daughter looked to be a miniature clone of her mother.
As they neared the Greengrass family, Michael took notice of them and inclined his head in greeting. "Lord and Lady Potter, a very good morning to the both of you." James shook his hand and lily had to hide the small blush that crept up her cheeks when Michael pressed his lips to her hand. It wasn't her fault the man was ridiculously handsome and used to be the fantasy of every girl back in Hogwarts!
"Lord Greengrass, it's good to see you again. I don't think we've spoken since the Wizengamot congregation back in early June." James formally. Neither Lily nor he were particularly good at pulling off the pureblood routine.
"Yes, it has been quite been quite some time since we last spoke, hasn't it?" Michael said in his deep voice. "I believe your daughter is about to enter Hogwarts this year, no?"
"Yes," James said, somewhat warily. "We're somewhat worried for her but what parent wouldn't worry for their child?"
"I can entirely understand," Catarina said, taking both Lily and James by surprise. Women rarely spoke in front of their husbands in pureblood society. "Our own youngest is about to depart but, oh! Where are my manners? These are my daughters. My eldest Daphne and my youngest Astoria."
As both girls curtsied, Lily smiled at them and said, "A pleasure to meet you both. You have beautiful daughters, Lady Greengrass." Catarina gave a genuine smile and said, "Please, call me Catarina and thank you. A mother's pride are her children."
With the formal ice now broken, Lily visibly relaxed and returned Catarina's smile. She was beginning to like this woman. "And how proud you must be," Catarina said as she gestured towards Harry. "With a brilliant son like yours I'd be showing him off to all my friends."
Here, both Lily and James froze. Brilliant son…Lily was beginning to feel something unpleasant wash through her. When she finally looked over to the young man that was part of their group, Lily nearly fell into shock.
For what seemed to be the first time, Lily Potter was seeing her son. He had all the strong features of his father, except, his face wasn't partially concealed behind thick round glasses. His pulsing emerald green eyes were shining with unmarred intelligence. Also unlike his father, Harry's hair was neatly swept back, with a single strand curving loosely over his forehead. But what really captured Lily's attention, was sheer void of expression on his face.
'That's not how a child is supposed to look at his mother,' Lily thought as her heart seemed to clench.
"I believe," her son said in a mechanical voice. "We'd best be going."
"Wait, Harry!" James blurted out as Harry tuned to leave. Her son turned back around and looked at his father with that same blank look. "Why weren't you there to see Iris off?"
There was a moment of silence and Lily swore she saw the elder Greengrass daughter role her eyes. "Why would I need to see her off?" Harry said.
His question surprised both of them and Lily frowned as James said, "Harry, she's your sister! She's going to Hogwarts for nearly a whole year!"
"Am I not also going?"
James opened his mouth but quickly he shut it as he realized just how stupid he was sounding and went red in embarrassment. Why would Harry have to see Iris off? He's be seeing every day for the next nine months.
Lily, for her part, was wondering when Harry had gotten so tall. He was nearly as tall as her now. Perhaps a centimeter or two shy of her own height. It was strange. Neither she nor James were that tall when they were Harry's…
Lily's eyes widened as dread and panic slammed into her heart.
This was Harry. Her Harry. Her son. Of course she knew how old he was! Of course she knew when his birthday was!
'So why…why can't I ever remember celebrating it!' She screamed inside her mind.
She dug her nails painfully into the palms of her hands and bit her lip. The youngest girl, Astoria said, "We'd better hurry before the train fills up."
"You're right," Michael said. "It's going to get crowded really fast."
"Ohh, do look after your sister for me, won't you Daphne?" Catarina said as she embraced her youngest. "Of course mother," Daphne said as she walked over to her father. Michael gently pushed a strand of hair behind Daphne's hair and kissed her brow. "Have a wonderful year darling."
"Thank you father," she responded.
As Astoria moved out of her mother's arms and into her father's, Catarina walked over to Harry and embraced him warmly.
Ache swept through Lily as her insides twisted and churned at the scene before. The way Catarina was embracing Harry, her Harry, one would think she was embracing her own son. "Thank you for always looking after Daphne, dear. You have no idea what it means to us that she has such a wonderful friend with her best interests at heart." As she stepped back, Catarina pressed her lips to his cheek.
Lily could feel blood pool in her as she bit down even harder on her lips. She could slowly feel her magic becoming more erratic and wild. It wanted to tear into this woman who dared to be so familiar with her son. Lily was on the verge of lashing out when something stopped her cold and shattered her heart.
It was small…but it was there.
The palest of smiles adorned Harry's thin lips as he gazed at Catarina with just the faintest hint of fondness.
When?
When was the last time Harry had smiled at her? When was the last time had she embraced her son? Why couldn't she remember kissing Harry when he had set off for Hogwarts?
Lily acted on instinct and moved to grab Harry in desperation. However, as if sensing her intent, he spun around to face her and together, twin pair of eyes locked with each one another. As wet, naked emeralds peered into hard glittering ones, she felt herself lose all form of control. Something alien seemed to wash over her and she couldn't move her body.
"Come on Harry, let's get going," Astoria said as she gripped Harry's hand.
'No...don't go...stay with me my baby...stay with mommy,' Lily was wailing inside of her mind.
Lily could only watch in horror as her son walked away with the Greengrass sisters. That should be Iris holding his hand instead of Astoria. That should be her, instead of Daphne, walking arm in arm with him.
Slowly, Harry turned around and looked back at her. Lily felt hope and she could feel her strength in her legs again. Yet, just as she took a step forward, that feeling came back. That weight on her shoulders returned. She felt like crying in desperation as her son's eyes seemed to lose their color and dimmed. His features remained impassive and cold.
And then he walked away.
Lily wanted to scream as the tears freely fell from her eyes.
'Don't go baby…please don't go…..come back to me…..Harry, please….'
Author's Note: As a self professed momma's boy, those last few lines were tough on my ticker. Anyways, this was more of a background drop. Next chapter will set up characters , plotline and all that other wonderful crap.
Anyone out there with experience as a beta? Not just this story but my Naruto ones as well need a bit of touch up. Contact me if interested.
NEX is out! Peace!