Title: Zora Scales and Wizard Magic

Rating: T

Character(s): Harry Potter / OC!Zora

Summary: Harry Potter was introduced to the wizarding world around the same time a young Zora found himself lost. Voldemort is on the return and Ganondorf is steadily winning after the Hero disappears in the Temple of Time. Harry just wishes he can help his injured friend get home, no matter how many years are passed.

Disclaimer: Not Yaoi. This is a friendship fic. Just in case no one got the memo, I own no one but my character Topa. As well as any other OCs. Mostly because I needed characters of other Hyrulian citizens and had to give them names and personalities also... Actually, I'm claiming all rights of Topa. You guys can adopt anyone else. Just let me know please?

Warnings: The tone is a little dark and may be a bit depressing. Sorry again, but Ganondorf is running amuck through Hyrule. No worries though! This should be the darkest it'll ever be! And then we'll catch up with Harry and see what happened from last chapter.

xXx Chapter Three: Sufferers of Strife xXx

Top Scaled Rumado and Middle Scale Utamaka rarely did patrols together. Their rank determined the areas of Lake Hyrule or the Zora Domain that they were assigned to.

Thus they only patrolled together when they were off shift. They had a son to look for, after all.

The mother Zora held her bracelet of seashells to her heart as she waited for her partner to arrive. The underwater tunnel between the lake and domain was where her son was last seen entering. It was believed that one tunnel was a straight path between the areas. She was determined to find out just how false that was.

Little Topa, the only surviving child of his winter brood, was the prided child of the lake. It was a good omen for young Zoras to be found hidden well, and the singular patch of seaweed he had been found in was a pleasant surprise. Honestly, Rumado and Utamaka were not planning to attend the search, but just before the day ended, they had entered to find friends and congratulate everyone who was successful. Then they had the urge to look at the patch of seaweed on the old Water Temple. They had not known what they had found for a few seconds, but they had found Topa.

"Utamaka?" The mother Zora looked pained as she drew her eyes away from the last gift her son had given her. Her seashell bracelet, and the matching anklet on Rumado's left ankle. She hugged her chosen partner and didn't say anything for a moment. He simply held her, his staff supporting her waving fins as they floated from the slight current from the tunnel.

"It's been almost two years, Rumado." She fought her tears. "He was supposed to be beyond the time of dying." She added as she hugged him tighter.

Baby Zoras were delicate. Accidents happened far too easily, and it was even easier for them to succumb to sudden temperature changes. They grew fast though, so after six months when they were one foot long, they were considered strong enough to survive without fear. Topa had been the only one of his season to reach that stage.

"I know. With the Dark King Ganondorf in the lands, there doesn't seem to be any chance for the young to survive." Rumado said quietly. The cold hard truth had always spurred his partner to find her strength. He hoped she would again.

"Rumado, our Topa was strong. If he lives, he would have returned to us by now." The Zora mother finished brokenly. Romado tightened his hug, slightly relieved by her resolve.

"Do you give up?" She immediately shook her head.

"Never." She said with quiet determination. Satisfied, Romado released her and smiled at her in reassurance. She led the way in the tunnel, hands carefully mapping their progress. The tunnel widened after the initial entrance, and the parents determined that there must have been another small entrance somewhere in the large connection between the lake and domain of the Zoras.

They wished for a flameless light, not for the first time.

X

Tired and hungry, the couple entered the Zoras Domain. They had not found any sign of a smaller entrance; they never had.

"Greetings, you two."

"Mikou." Romado greeted. Utamaka said nothing, though she did offer a small smile. Mikou offered a small pouch of snacks. "Thank you, my friend." The slightly larger Zora nodded.

"No thanks necessary. Everyone is hoping you never give up. There are no children, and with the Dark King, it looks like there will never be again. Your Topa is the only young one whose death is unaccounted for. We've lost only a handful of Zoras in our first struggle, but it was a handful too many. We all offer our prayers for the Goddesses to aid you." Mikou looked taken aback at Utamaka's negative shake of her head fin.

"No, pray to the Goddesses that the Dark King is removed from his corrupt throne instead." She said with unusual venom. "It is that monster of a man's fault for this entire plague that spreads across our waters and lands." She declared as she held her bracelet to her heart again. "It was the day of that Dark King's appearance that our Topa..." She looked to struggle between being anger or sad.

"What have you heard of Link?" Romado suddenly asked. The other Zora looked blank.

"Link?"

"Yes. That little boy who journeyed with only the company of a Kokiri Forest Fairy and his wits. Have you heard word of him?"

"Ah, the fairy child who retrieved Princess Ruto. No. I've heard he disappeared the night our Princess Zelda went missing."

"Why ask of that boy?" Utamaka wondered.

"There's a blessing of the goddess in that human child. A bright fire in his spirit. I believe the boy was planning to confront the Dark King."

"What?"

"Absurd." Utamaka said. "He was only a child!" Her spirit seemed to wilt. "A child all alone." She added with a sad expression. "If he was to perish, no one would no."

"I hear our Princess Ruto gave him the Zora's Sapphire." Mikou said. The Zora couple looked at him in disbelief. "Really." He added.

"Either our princess is experiencing a silly crush, or he really can help." Romado said to add to his point.

"It's been years though, hasn't it?" Mikou asked his patrol partner. Romado glanced at Utamaka and nodded solemnly.

A horn sounded from atop the waterfall. There was an intruder in the domain of the Zoras. Every armed body tightened their grip on their weapon and Utamaka berated herself for leaving her own weapon at the lake.

A deep laugh echoed throughout the cavern. Every Zora recognized it.

"Utamaka, go back." Romado said as he moved in front of her and pressured her back to the tunnel.

"No, I can help!"

"You are without a weapon! Do not argue this!"

"Hello, my Zora friends." The Dark King greeted as he showed himself.

"Go!" Romado said at his partner. She looked torn, but at Romado's voice all the other armed Zoras had rushed the intruder of their domain, so there was nothing she could do. As he said, she didn't have a weapon.

"Utamaka, Princess Ruto had left to the lake earlier. Do not let her come to harm. She is our princess, and our last child." Mikou said. Utamaka nodded, her resolve found. She kissed her partner, hugged their friend, and swam as fast as he could through the tunnel.

Her tears mixed with the water, unseen in the darkness.

X

Princess Ruto knew there was something wrong. The waters were agitated, even without the wind blowing or the currents too strong. The Water Temple itself was steadily closing its power into itself, sucking it from the waters of the lake and into one of its rooms. Ruto slid into the water from where she was sunning on the temple platform where ceremonies and speeches were conducted.

"Should I go in?" She wondered, thinking back to her first trip without an escort into Lord Jabu-Jabu's. Not that trips were often made into their guardian. Unable to shake off the growing sense of unease, she screamed loudly when she was suddenly snagged from behind.

"Princess!" Ruto struggled. "Princess, it is I!" Ruto looked.

"M-Middle Scale Utamaka?" The Zora nodded and Ruto sighed in relief. Then she noticed the armor and weapon the older Zora was wearing. "What is going on?" She asked.

"The Dark King Ganondorf has invaded the Domain. We must hide you. Come." Ruto had never been pulled along before, aside from the boy she would marry when they grew older, but she understood the urgency.

"What are we going to do?"

"You head into the Temple. I will gather supplies so we may stay for a few days. We will see what has become of our Domain then." Ruto nodded.

"I'm in your hands." She said. She will cooperate this time. This was much dangerous than simply getting lost in Lord Jabu-Jabu. She recognized she was unreasonable than. She will not be like that now.

"I will take care of you." The older Zora said in reply, gently stroking her head fin. Ruto blinked, remembering that this was Utamaka; this was a mother. She offered a smile for encouragement and they quickly entered the temple.

"Where to?" Ruto asked.

"This way." There were few monsters, bugs really, that resided in the temple. Utamaka disposed of them only if they came after them. Soon, she stopped at a door and took out a key ring. One key fit, and Ruto was ushered in. The room was clean, with a few pots for food and water as decoration. Utamaka inspected the walls and the ceiling before allowing the Princess to enter away from the door. "You stay here, Princess. I will return with more comforts for you shortly."

"Of course. I will not move." A set of keys was handed over, a copy to what the older Zora was already holding. She watched with worry as Utamaka ran out of the room and out of the temple. Ruto sat in the room quietly for a few minutes, but after a few more minutes, grew worried.

She reminded herself that she gave her word she would remain. She reminded herself that Utamaka was a skilled warrior.

A part of her recalled that no Zoras have been in serious war for a long time, and Ganondorf was a king from a warning land.

A deep chilling laugh echoed throughout the temple, and Ruto clutched the keys to herself tightly. The door was locked.

"The door is locked. The door is locked." She chanted as she backed away from the door.

The door unlocked.

X

Princess Zelda did not exist.

"Sheik, come here boy and give us a hand." Impa said in her soothing low voice. The small blond boy with red eyes obeyed quietly and took a hold of the bags of rice and turnips, one in each hand, and walked carefully up the steps of the Kakariko Village entrance. He wandered quickly to the house he and Impa shared and set the bags just inside the door before heading back to the wagon again.

"What a quiet lad." One man remarked as he took another bag of vegetables and repeated his trip.

"That's going to the Fernson's, Sheik!" Impa called as she distributed her own bags to another residence's home. Sheik said nothing, but he did pause for a moment to recall where the Fernson's were. He continued.

Princess Zelda did not exist.

It took only ten minutes for the wagon to be emptied of food. Most of the men and older boys, and woman built like Impa, had helped. The villagers all paid for their food and the farmer set the next date for foods and what they'd be. The mayor noted it down for the message board.

"Come along, Sheik. Time for training." Impa said with a pat on the boy's shoulder. Sheik nodded and followed. They walked to a clearing near the river, below the rise of the village. It was quiet. Sheik kind of liked it.

Princess Zelda did not exist.

Impa watched the quiet child for a moment before sitting down. She waited for the child to notice her actions before gesturing for compliance.

"It's okay, Sheik. We'll just meditate for a few moments. Let yourself relax, and let your emotions free." She always told him this, more so with meditation. Sheik knew what she was waiting for, hoping for, but he didn't want to. Not yet.

Princess Zelda did not exist. She hasn't for almost two years now. Without her, the hope of Hyrule was steadily fading. Without the royal family, the Knights were lost and disbanded if they hadn't died in that first wave of rebellion against the Dark King Ganondorf. Without Princess Zelda, darkness and despair grew faster under the Dark King's rule.

Princess Zelda did not exist, but if she did, it would have been her birthday today. She would have spent it with her father, and her dear Impa. There would have been a picnic in the garden and a small simple cake made of extra sweet vanilla. There would have been an afternoon of listening to her father play his lyre, and Zelda would have sung her favorite songs. She would have been able to coerce Impa to teaching her a little magic trick.

Princess Zelda did not exist, so Sheik cried on this day instead.

"Take a deep breath." Impa said quietly. Sheik gasped as he did so. "Hold it." He did so, his frame trembling as he fought hiccups. "And release slowly." Sheik let out a sob as he tried to do so. The two repeated this a few times until Impa simple pulled the little child into her lap and held him as he cried.

Princess Zelda did not exist. Sheik did.

Princess Zelda no longer had a future. Sheik never had a history.

Princess Zelda had a glorious and loving past. Sheik could only look forward to hate and darkness surrounding the cold and cruel rule of the man who tainted Hyrule.

Impa rubbed Skeik's back slowly, frowning at the bones she felt through the course cloth. Sheik slowly stopped trembling and after a moment more, returned to his previous position in front of the Sheikah. Impa simply watched her charge for a moment before leaning back on her hands and facing the skies.

"Well, now that you feel a little better, listen up." Sheik said nothing, his red eyes staring at the other Sheikah, eyelids still pink from tears. "There's a trail I want you to follow along the river. A set of clues, really. You'll follow them and reach your next clue. I'm timing you. Any more than ten minutes, and you're not getting the prize at the end." Sheik perked up at the word prize. "Understand?"

Princess Zelda did not exist. Sheik did.

Sheik nodded. Impa sighed. That was probably the best she would be getting. She idly wondered about the other quiet child dressed in green with a fairy in his hat. Perhaps that was why Sheik was like this? She hoped so. She knew a lot, but how to deal with the mental trauma and scarring of a loved one was not one of those things.

"Use anything you can. Go." Impa said as she handed over the first clue. Sheik read it.

[Jump the first three stones, then under the tree to your left.]

Sheik looked up and no longer saw Impa. He looked at the ground, saw only small rocks, and then the river. There was a trail of stones. There were more stones closer to the bridge. Sheik headed to them.

It took Sheik almost nine and a half minutes to reach the chest that was waiting at the place he started at. Panting only a little from running down the river, he opened the chest with a light kick of his boot. He gasped at the prize inside.

A low note rang softly in the clear trail. Impa took her fingers from her mouth as Sheik spotted her sitting on a high rock at the other side of the river.

"Well? Pick it up and get over here. Find that note." And she played it again. Sheik picked up the lyre of gold carefully. It seemed to shine with a light from within, and Sheik wondered...

Princess Zelda did not exist, but when she did and her mother was alive, this was the instrument the Queen adored. The King had a similar instrument in honor of her, but the Queen's Lyre, the fabled Goddess Harp, had been left behind when the Gerudo Assault forced the castle to scatter.

Sheik strummed the strings lights, and any sadness in his heart faded quietly. Sheik quickly jumped across the river and took an eager seat next to Impa. The woman stopped whistling rose an eyebrow.

"Well? I'm waiting for that note." Sheik startled, but easily plucked one of the strings just enough to make the note last. It was just the tone Impa was first whistling. "Very good, now this."

Princess Zelda was gone. She had lost everything.

Sheik was here now. He had much to look forward to. Things like peace. The return of Link, the Hero of Time. War may not be something to look forward for, but Sheik was going to train for it. He was not a princess. He may not be a Sheikah either, but Impa was; He was going to learn and grow stronger from her.

"That was the Minuet of Forest. I'll show you the temple in a few months. It'll be dangerous now that Ganondorf is nearly done overriding each Sage Temple." Sheik took a breath to ask a question, and Impa waited. The boy settled for a confused and slightly accusing expression.

Princess Zelda was gone, and her country was being systematically destroyed.

Sheik was here now. He didn't want to do nothing.

"You need training, boy. Even I would have problems with the monsters set up in each temple. You can help, yes," Impa said with a meaningful glance to his right hand. Sheik didn't twitch. "But you're not strong enough. Don't go against me on this." She warned. Sheik held her gaze for a moment before he nodded. Impa sighed.

The two stayed in the clearing for an hour more before heading back to the village.

Princess Zelda was gone.

Sheik reminded himself of this as he headed to his room to get ready for bed that night. His windows were shut with curtains pulled and there was only a single small candle to offer light. There were no personal belongings in the room. Only a standard bed, a night stand, a chest of three drawers and a stool in front of a mirror. Sheik took off the wrappings around his head that covered most of his hair. He took off his shoes and gloves and the rest of his clothes before simply sitting on the stool.

A blond boy with red eyes and slightly tanned skin looked through the other side of the mirror. Sheik stared for a long time before standing up. He traced his side carefully.

Princess Zelda did not exist, but when she did, she was gleeful of the slight curves of her waist. It was a symbol of her flexibility. It was the flexibility she earned through the years of sneaking around the castle and running atop the secrets on her roof.

Sheik did not have those curves. He noticed the difference in flexibility, no matter what Impa said. He placed a hand between his flat breasts.

Princess Zelda did not exist, but she was undeniably female. She did not have the breasts of a woman, but she did have small soft breasts that had started appearing just a month before the Gerudo King requested an audience with her father.

He gently touched the skin just near his crotch. It was still soft, and in a great experience of confused emotions, there was still the sign of femininity between his legs.

Princess Zelda did not exist. Sheik reminded himself of Impa's warning words as they first fled to the village closest to the castle. Before Impa cast the spell to get rid of Princess Zelda for her protection, she warned and made him acknowledge that Princess Zelda would disappear. Princess Zelda did not exist. Sheik did. Sheik existed. Sheik was here. Not Zelda.

No longer Zelda.

Sheik ran a brush through his long hair, having had it in a messy bun all day under the wrapping over his head. He carefully wrapped the hair into a binding that would keep it untangled through the night. He did not dress for a long time as he stared at his reflection, remembering, and ignoring the growing cold of the night.

Princess Zelda did not exist. Sheik was not Zelda.

Except Sheik wasn't a boy either. And he could never call himself a girl.

"Dear Goddesses, give me strength. Watch over our beloved Hyrule and please let us remain for our Hero of Time to return." Sheik said softly with a hoarse voice, his hands clutched together near his throat in prayer.

Princess Zelda did not exist. Sheik did. Hyrule did. Not Zelda.

Red eyes cried quietly as they stared at the mirror.

'I don't exist, yet I do. Who am I?'

X

The mountain shook. It wasn't a very big shake, but it was pretty strong to the Gorons. The little ones were quickly rounded up and placed in a secure section, many of the oldest ones protesting the treatment and demanding to be allowed to help.

"Stay here." Darunia insisted. With the attention of the tribe patriarch on them, the children settled obediently. The older ones still grumbled, but they didn't argue.

"Big brother..." One of the gorons said as Darunia headed to the entrance. "What of... What of our little sisters?" Darunia stilled as the gorons he selected came close and waited for orders. He looked at the concerned goron, Jyro.

"Collect them and hide them in the deepest part of their side of the mountain."

"But they are so much closer to the top where the Temple is." Jyro argued, still clearly worried.

"Yes, they are, so keep them in the deepest part of their cavern. Away from the top. Stay with them. Protect him." Darunia finished with a low warning tone. Jyro nodded quickly.

"With my life!" The other ran and Darunia faced the ten gorons.

"Brothers! We are going to the Fire Temple!" Darunia announced without preamble. There was a cheer of loud confidence and he quickly led the way. As soon as the sun hit their bodies, they all curled up and rolled uphill. It was considerably harder to work against gravity than with it, but it was still faster and easier than running up the mountain.

They all quickly surpassed Jyro as he ran up the trail. Jyro continued to run.

Goron sisters were a bit different than goron brothers. It was easy to spot a brother. They stood out and didn't try too hard with camouflage. Sisters, they became one with the mountain. They could stand in front of you, watching you, and you would never know. They were much quieter than brother gorons.

Much much quieter.

Jyro slowed down, only halfway between the Goron City of his brothers and the Temple entrance at the mountain's crater. He knew Goron Village of his sisters was halfway between the city and the crater, but he'd never actually been there before.

The feeling of being watched made him hope he was close.

"Little sister?" He called. Goron sisters were brown and grey. They did not have the eyes of jewels like the common amethyst. They had eyes of black, like coal, or the rare and beautiful clear eyes of diamond. It made it much harder to find them by their eyes. And when they curled up into a ball, they disappeared as they became a boulder the way no goron brother was able to do.

-Rumble rumble rumble-

Jyro looked uphill. A small form was rolling down and he quickly felt relived. He caught the young goron as it tried to bounce over him. It was too small to do so successfully.

"Little sister?" Jyro asked. The young goron uncurled and purple eyes looked back at him.

"Big brother? Brother!" The small goron boy fell forward to hug him. "I was scared! The mountains shook and big sister sent me away and the mountain shook again and I was pushed out of my trail and-"

"Who are you?" Jyro asked, confused. The last group of goron boys was delivered three years ago. There wasn't expected to be another meeting between genders for at least two more years.

"Big sister said I am to remain unnamed until big brother Darunia has named me. Though, my sisters sometimes call me the heir." Jyro's brain felt like it had crumbled to dust.

'Darunia now has a son! This is big brother Darunia's son! Why is he alone!?'

"Little brother, think carefully, what trail did you come from? Big brother Darunia has sent me to help protect our sisters." The little goron looked up the trail he came from.

"…I forget." Jyro refrained from sighing. Goron children were a bit simple and dull when no bigger than three feet tall. It had been a while since the other goron boys in the city had been so simple, Jyro had nearly forgotten.

"Well, let's start walking and see if you recognize anything."

"Okay brother!"

"My name in Jyro." Jyro introduced when he realized he hadn't yet.

"Okay brother Jyro!" The little goron continued with easy acceptance. The two walked. The feeling of being watched never really went away though. After a few minutes, the mountain shook again from deep inside the earth. Jyro lifted the goron heir into his arms and hunched down over him. The shaking continued for many long seconds, and he could feel dust and a few rocks fall on him. Thankfully the little goron remained quiet.

"That shaking was longer than normal." Jyro noted as he cautiously uncurled. "AH!" He startled and quickly curled up again before opened up again. A goron sister was standing in front of him, watching the summit top calmly. "Sister, you startled me." Jyro said.

"Sister Gohe!" The goron heir greeted cheerfully. Jyro stood up and let the smaller goron run to the female. She did nothing to greet him back, still watching the top of the mountain, but the little goron simply grabbed onto of her hands – smaller but not any weaker than goron brothers' hands – and hung off of it. Jyro faltered, unused to the stoicism of goron sisters.

"Sister Gohe, I am Jyro." The mountain rumbled lightly.

"I know. Follow me, brother. You say Big Brother Darunia has sent you to aid us?"

"Yes."

"We need much help." She said softly. She brought the small goron higher and clapped her hands over his head. The goron giggled in glee and promptly tried to get free and he hung by his head. "We have lost all of our baby sisters." Jyro felt saddened, even more so that the goron boy in front of him seemed unaware.

"Should he be brought to the city?" Gohe shook her head, her dark brown hair shifting the small pebbles and stones that decorated it.

"He should stay with us. I will lead you inside." She let the goron boy claim freedom, but he promptly climbed over her shoulder and hugged her head.

"Now you get free!" He dared. Gohe simply plucked him off of her and dropped him onto Jyro's head. The boy giggled and hugged the older goron's head as before. "You get free, brother Jyro!" Jyro tried to pick him off like he saw his sister do, but the boy did not let go. He tugged the boy's legs and arms and the little goron heir only giggled mischievously.

"By the Goddesses, you are stuck there, aren't you?" Jyro teased.

"Yes!" The boy continued to play until Gohe said it was time for a secret and Jyro found the boy's hands over his eyes. He then realized why it seemed no one could recall where the Goron Village was. Goron sisters were always the ones to initiate contact. He did not argue. Gohe led him through a series of turns and steps and the goron heir was then lifted off his head.

He expected the village to be like the rumors; beautiful and covered in jewels with specks of sunlight directed by mirrors and other reflective surfaces for lighting. Goron sisters loved to make statues, and they would often make stone replicas of plants in intricate detail. Being so close to the mountain, they had an easier time with forging as well, though their love for beauty made them experts in jewelry rather than weaponry.

Statues were littered in broken rubble everywhere, and jewel and glass lay shattered in piles. Many entrances to halls and tunnels were cracked or collapsed. He saw a group of goron crying quietly by one of the tunnels, and suddenly realized that they were mourning.

That had been a nursery.

The Goron Village of Goron Sisters was nearly completely destroyed.

Gohe put a hand on his shoulder and led him to the Big Sister Deatti. On the way she plucked the heir from where he was quietly following between them and dropped him into the arms of a passing goron. The boy giggled and rambled off obliviously as the other sister walked away. Gohe took a few more turns before stopping behind another larger sister who was directing a couple more with instructions. As soon as the conversation ended, they were given attention and Jyro reminded himself to not fidget.

"Brother." The Matron of the Goron village greeted. Her eyes were clear crystal, and Jyro could see she was a perfect match for Darunia. Their postures were similar, and their power was obvious. Their hair and tattoos were nearly mirror copies as well, though Deatti had the blackest hair he'd ever seen on a goron. Most hair was brown or red, or the white of old age. Jyro wondered if the tattoos of a Big Brother or Big Sister meant anything; he'd never heard that it did.

"Big Sister."

"I fear for us, Brother. We had fourteen children, and you held our fifteenth and only boy." His Big Sister started without preamble. She led him down a trail that was cracked and splintering and Jyro could tell the deeper parts of the Village were worse off. "Our sisters were never as numerous as you, our brothers. We do not know if the Dark King's attack injured any of you, but aside from our baby sisters, we have also lost ten of our other sisters, three who had been carrying." Gorons did not often cry, but Jyro felt he was.

"Big Brother Darunia has brought a team with him to discover what exactly happened in our mountain." Jyro suddenly pushed himself away from the two goron sisters as Big Sister Deatti stepped into his space with the air of anger and annoyance.

"You were a fool to let him! We need our Brothers here with us! We lost our future generation! We are mourning, Little Brother, and we need our family!" Jyro cringed and held his hands out in front of him.

"I understand. I do." He tried to stay calm.

Goron Sisters were not a gender of violence. Legends say, however, that if they so desired, they could overpower and outsmart goron brothers without effort. They preferred to be left alone to their peace and creation of beauty in immortal stone and metals and gems.

It was for the best. They also had legendary tempers.

"I suppose it cannot be helped." Deatti murmured, her crystal eyes darkening in shadow of thought. She glanced to the ceiling of glass that glittered dimly with poorly circulated light. "Gohe, bring our brother back. Brother, you will be gather help for us, as many as can be spared. You can see the damage we have suffered. Remember which tools may be needed. Gohe will be leading the way back."

"What will you be doing, Big Sister?" Gohe asked. Jyro was glad, because he was wondering the same thing. He was just a little scared to ask. The Matron's grin only made him worry.

"I'll be fetching our Big Brother and reminding him just how he should be prioritizing." Jyro didn't dare mention how he had been the one to ask Darunia about what to do with the rest of their sisters, and that he had been tasked to help them by himself. That would most likely anger his Big Sister.

The two followed Deatti to the entrance and Jyro worried for his Big Brother. Deatti was grabbing arm guards and a helmet. As well as a large axe. She blinked into the sunlight before nodding to the two gorons.

Then she just disappeared.

A small shift of dirt floating in the air marked where she was, and Jyro had a feeling he had blinked in the wrong second.

"Close your eyes, brother." Gohe reminded him. He shut his eyes tight, near flinching when he felt Gohe's hand touch his shoulder to guide him.

'Why was I so worried about my sisters?' He wondered. 'I shouldn't have been the only one. Why does no one think about their wrath of indignity for being seen as second priority?'

X

"Oh!" Saria gasped in surprise as her fairy fluttered in front of her. "What is it Pilo?" She asked in a whisper as her guardian gestured for her to turn around quickly.

"There's darkness in these trees." Her fairy whispered back, his voice tinkling in low tones. "We should head back."

"But, I just want to see if Link is coming back yet."

"Saria, you know you shouldn't walk so close to the Kokiri forest exit. The Great Deku Tree may be dead, and the Deku Sapling may be young, but you know the rules. Don't tempt the fates of the Goddesses, please." He pleaded, tugging at her collar.

"Pilo..." Saria loved her fairy guardian, her bright friend, even if he was a coward at times and over protective at others. This time though, he seemed legitimately worried. Looking longingly across the bridge, Saria sighed. "Okay."

"Aaaoooooooouuuu!"

"Saria! Run!" Pilo yelled before hiding in her sleeve. Saria cupped his warm lump to her as she ran. The howl of the Wolfos was really close. Too close for comfort.

"Ahh!" She screamed as a dark form cut her off.

"Aaaooouuuuuu!" With another scream stuck in her throat, Saria pushed off the tree next to her to quickly change directions.

"They shouldn't be this close to the village!" Pilo observed. "Something is wrong! Saria, you shouldn't go to the village yet! Head to the old Temple!" Saria fought a whimper as two more Wolfos joined the chase after her.

"But that's so far away!" She complained. She continued to head adjacent to the safety of her village though, toward her secret place. Pilo fluttered out of her sleeve and stayed alongside her.

"Head there, quickly! I'll be back!" Fear caught her breath as Saria glanced at her friend with wide betrayed eyes.

"What!? Pilo no-" The fairly darted away and Saria felt tears threaten to blur her precarious vision in the darkening path. "Pilo don't leave me!"

"I'll get help!" Pilo's words echoed almost unheard under the snarls and determined growls of the Wolfos hunting her.

"PILO!" Saria screamed before gasping in greater fear as she tripped slightly over a rock. The slight stumble was all the Wolfos needed before pouncing. Saria screamed.

There was a flash of green light, and Saria found herself sitting in the platform of the Forest Temple.

"What?" She gasped, trembling. With shaky breaths, she stood up and looked around her. The Temple looked normal. She rubbed her arms, to warm up before checking herself for injuries. She had none. Sitting in the sun, Saria tried to relax. She pulled out her ocarina – thank the Goddesses it was alright – and played slowly to calm down.

In the forest, a pack of hungry Wolfos sniffed at the remains of their hunt, a broken barrette, before bounding away. The headband was buried by the leaves in their sloppy running, and minutes later a small group of brave Kokiri and their guardians arrived following a lone fairy.

"Saria!" Pilo called. He darted upwards, looking for a sign that the green haired girl had climbed a tree, but there was nothing. The group spread out slightly, no use singling themselves out to be picked off, and Mido stepped just against the wooden barrette. But it felt like a stick to him, so he didn't look down, and the underside was facing up, so it was as brown as the leaves anyway.

"Maybe she got away?" He asked, hoping. "You said she was heading to the temple, right?"

"Right." Pilo agreed, flashing in agitation.

"Then let's go to the Temple." Mido declared. After a moment – the Temple was Saria's secret place. The only place she could get away and be alone – Pilo agreed. They passed through Lost Woods, and slunk carefully passed any other monsters, and Pilo saw a familiar green figure sitting on her seat.

"Saria!" Pilo yelled out. Saria looked up in surprise and spared Milo a glance before Pilo flew into her and made her hug him back.

"Pilo, I'm glad you're okay! Mido! Everyone!" The rest of the Kokiri ran up the steps and Saria found herself pulled into a group hug. She smiled and laughed and hugged everyone back.

"We were worried!"

"You had Wolfos after you!"

"How did you get away?" Saria enjoyed the attention and answered simply,

"I ran. I'm the fastest runner in the village. You think a pack of Wolfos could get me?" She asked them. They looked relieved and as a slow group, they made their way home.

That night though, she cradled Pilo to her cheek and cried. And Pilo cried too, because he knew it was true.

Saria did not need a fairy anymore. She was no longer a Kokiri. What she was, they did not know, but she had died and Pilo could no longer feel her connection and neither could she.

"Don't tell anyone, Pilo. Please."

"I won't. I still love you. I'll always love you. You're my Kokiri child, and I'm your fairy. Always. Even if the goddesses themselves take you from Hyrule before me, I'll follow you. I'll follow you forever." And with that, his light dimmed, and they cried.

X

Princess Ruto knew many things, and she knew there were more things she did not know. She knew she had died. She did not know why she was still on Hyrule; on the Temple platform sitting in the sun as if she had decided to rest. The water of the lake was steadily draining, and she could not see Utamaka. On her hip, held by her fins, the key of the temple room still sat in place.

There was a large monster, one made of slimy water, that had unlocked the door to her room. She remembered it jerking in surprise when it's single floating eyeball spotted her and a small clink of metal falling down. Then Ruto was pushed down.

It was invasive, realizing that the water around you was all around you; that it was sentient. Ruto had screamed, angry and scared, and she had been smashed against the floor. Then the ceiling, then the floor and the wall and...

Ruto patted her scales and fins, and her chest and her throat.

She had broken her arms trying to guard herself, and her legs as she tried to curl into herself. Her fins had been torn and ripped in the most painful way she ever knew as the shards of broken pottery dragged along her broken and beaten body.

The monster was ruthless. It threw her everywhere, and she could do nothing to fight back.

How did she live? How was she healed?

Trembling slightly, Ruto dove back into the water. It made her panic, but her reasoning told her the monster was not water. It was thicker, like slime. It was not water. Utamaka was in danger, if she headed to the room Ruto had been in.

'That I died in.'

The thought almost made her pause. She did die, she recognized. It was a fact earlier. Now it was a true fact... There was no way she could have survived. If Utamaka had saved her, had brought her back to the surface and healed her, she would not be as perfectly health as she was now. There was a possibility for a pink fairy having been around, but the odds of that were slim. Pink fairies did not often like being underwater.

"But if I died, how am I alive?" She wondered, carefully peaking into the room she had sworn not to leave. The monster was gone. After a full body shutter, she stepped inside and locked the door. Stepping further in, she saw another key on the floor. It made her breath catch.

"Oh no! Utamaka!" She prepared to unlock herself and search for the Middle Scale warrior before remember a thought.

The small sound of a clink of metal as that single eyeball rolled forward and looked straight at her.

The monster had a key. And now it didn't. Ruto snatched the key and put it away under her fin just as the door began to unlock again. Breathing slightly erratically, Ruto pressed herself against the wall close to the door, since the room was round and empty – how did the pots replace themselves?- and thus it was futile to try to hide behind something.

Middle Scale Utamaka entered and swiftly locked the door behind herself. She glanced at Ruto in surprise, because she was still leaning flat against the wall, but soon dropped everything on the floor. It gave a heavy thwump that would have been discerning it the older Zora didn't rub her shoulders.

"This should last us a few days." She said before kicking a pole up to her hands and presenting it to the Princess. "And, Princess, I know it's unusual and probably out of my place, but I hope I can teach you a little bit of combat. Just in case I'm not here to help protect you."

'I died anyway, why start now?' She thought before putting on a smile. "That's a wonderful idea. Thank you." She said instead as she took the pole. Utamaka smiled softly at her, and Ruto swore that she would tell no one of her death.

She was still here. She was still the Princess of her kingdom, and she will fight to save them even if she could not be saved herself.

X

"Get out!" Darunia ordered. "Retreat! Head back to the City!" The dragon in front of the group roared loud enough to shake the mountain, and Darunia blocked a shot of spraying lava with his own back as he tried to give his brothers time to get away.

It stung, though. The lava hurt and burned more than lava should. Lava was warm and comforting, getting gentler as a goron aged.

This lava burned, and it got hotter the longer it sat on Darunia's back before suddenly cooling and hardening. Darunia could not remember the last time lava had hurt him so.

"Big Brother!"

"Go!" He shouted just before the dragon shook the mountain again and dropped a boulder at the entrance. Darunia was trapped, and alone. With a snarl, the dragon sunk into the lava and the mountain stilled. Panting and aching in a way he hadn't done in a long long time, Darunia leaned against the boulder at the entrance to catch his breath.

Darunia was not young. In fact, he was very old. He still had his strength and muscles, as well as he health, so he continued to rule his brothers happily. Now, however, he wondered if it would be better to pass on his title and duties.

Breath recovered, Darunia glanced at the lava pool again before turning his back to it to move the boulder in his way. He had just thrown it behind himself when a white-hot pair of fangs snagged him by the hips and raised him in the air.

He was screaming, he knew he was, but all he could hear was the sound of unbelievable pain echoing in his mind. Then everything turned black.

And he was sitting outside of the temple, in the volcano, on the temple platform.

He stared at the wall of the volcano for a long time before blinking and standing up. Turning to the outside entrance, he paused.

Big Sister Deatti was watching him. Her armor was glinting in the lava heat and her weapon, an axe, was resting on the ground. Her posture had always been strong in front of him, and she was so much younger than him, but now...

He walked up to her.

"Dear Deatti." He greeted, softly, as he stepped off the bridge between the exit and the platform. She took a step back. She was trembling.

"You fool." She said in a scratchy voice. He stopped walking closer. "You fool! Why!? Why did you have to go alone! We could have gone together! You know I wouldn't have slowed you down! You know I'm not weak! I can fight! I learned to fight for you! Why, why couldn't you just wait-!" Her trembling increased, and she let the handle of her axe fall to the ground. Darunia stepped up to her and placed his hands on her shoulders. She made a small whimper, and now he was worried.

Deatti prided herself in her battle skills. She held great honor with her weapon and her attitude. To let her weapon fall on the ground, and to let out the sound of what she calls weakness...

He took off her helmet, and she looked at him.

Her crystal eyes were glittering, and a single tear started a trail down her cheek before the heat of the volcano dried it up. He rubbed at the corner of her eye and brought her into a hug. She did not hug him back.

"I am sorry for not seeking your help." He said. "I believed it best to let you stay with our sisters and rebuild."

"No, that is not what you should be apologizing for."

"That what is it that makes you cry?" She glared at him and pushed him away. Deatti picked up her weapon and headed to the exit outside. He followed, once again confused.

Deatti always made him feel like this. One moment, he would be responding to her easily, and he would feel better knowing he wasn't annoying her or making her upset. Then she'd get upset anyway and seem to be bothered about something entirely off topic to what was happening.

Years after they first met, he still felt he couldn't understand her.

"Do you have any idea what you have done, Darunia?" She asked him as they traveled down the mountain.

"I fought the dragon that has taken residence in our mountain."

"You died, you fool." Deatti hissed at him. He looked himself over. He was unharmed and he felt just fine. "You died, in the Fire Temple, and the Goddesses have chosen you for their fight against the Dark King. When the time comes, you will be called upon, and you will never return to us."

"How do you know?"

"You arrived on the platform in a beam of golden light, completely injured, and dead. When the light left, you were healed and awake. I know for a fact, that using the platforms does not produce a golden light. It will be white, yellow, blue, red, or any other shade, but gold is the color for the powers of the Goddesses." She took a deep breath. "You will leave us, soon or not, you will leave us because you cannot stay."

"I am sorry." Deatti stopped walking, and Darunia placed his hand on her shoulder again. She did not shrug him off. "I am."

"I know... I've given you an heir. He does not yet have a name, but he is brave and strong. Will you accept him?"

"Yes." He said, because he could no longer wait for another heir to have a chance. The last one she offered to him was fifty years ago.

"What will you name him?" She asked. It was informal, because a ceremony should be taking place to announce this to their brothers and sisters, but that can happen after repairs were finished and mourning rites completed.

Darunia thought of the brave little boy in green who was strong enough to protect all gorons from starvation – or gluttony, whichever term was still correct – who stood against a foe no doubt many times his strength and size and prevailed. The wandering little boy who had only a fairy as a traveling companion, and who was determined to bring rightness to the world.

"I will name him, Link." He decided. "For the last Link I met, was a worthy brother and a more worthy friend and a most valuable warrior. My heir shall be called Link in his honor."

In these dark times, Darunia recognized, they needed all the strength they could get.

X x X

Harry woke with a gasp as he flailed on his back and reached his hand out. He clutched a familiar palm as he did so and felt his panicked heart slow as he realized he was still breathing and Topa had grabbed him.

"Mr. Potter!" A familiar woman voice called out as Harry panted in worry and tried to remember why his side stung. The hand in his tightened in grip and Harry tried sitting up. Larger hands gently held him down.

"Potter! Stay still you brat!" A familiar snarky tone demanded. Harry blinked blearily at the large white and tall black figures swimming in his vision. He groaned as his head pounded harshly and he tried to open his eyes but the dim firelight felt harsh. He clenched his eyes as tight as he could given his headache.

"Mdm Puppy? Fesser Sevs?" Harry slurred. There was a snort and soft thump before Harry dragged his free hand to his face. He idly noted that his stomach had one of his daggers hissing an argument on him. Something about birds and strangers.

"Easy Harry." Poppy soothed as Harry shaded his eyes and tried to look around. He didn't feel as nauseas as before but he did not feel okay. He was still in the chamber and he didn't know where Precious was or how Poppy and Severus got into the Secret of Slytherin. The tiny gaps between his fingers didn't do much to ease the pain in his gaze so he just closed them again.

"Where's Precious?" He asked. "Topa?" Topa's hand tightened and Harry heard the Zora give a low whistle.

"Who are Precious and Topa?" Severus asked with a tone that expressed his lack of either amusement or patience. Topa's grip flinched and Harry forced himself to ignore the pain from his sensitive eyes to look at Severus.

~Do not harm the heir.~ The daggers warned. They hissed louder when one of them was picked up, and Harry heard the adults shift away quickly.

"Damn you, brat! Put that away this instant!" Severus barked, so Harry supposed Topa had picked it up.

"It's okay." He murmured to the group. He was not looking forward to playing mediator. Topa didn't reply, but the dagger was rested back on his stomach and Harry felt the familiar touches of the Zora's questing fingertips on his temple and around his eyes. He heard the boy sniffle lightly before he just held both hands in his. "I'm okay."

"Harry, you were poisoned!" Topa cried. Harry felt Topa's breath when he leaned his forehead on their hands. "You were supposed to be okay! You weren't supposed to get hurt. You're not allowed to die!"

"Topa..." Harry let the Zora cry for a moment, ignoring the drops of tears dripping between their hands. "Topa, what happened?" The other boy sniffled before curling closer and talking quietly. Harry hoped Severus and Poppy could be trusted as much as he allowed himself to trust them.

"You passed out. I tried to wake you up, but this birdsong echoed in the chamber and I passed out myself before I could think to check it out. When I awoke, there were unfamiliar dry hands on me, wrapping my wounds. I tried to click around, and startled when I didn't recognize the two. I became defensive and grabbed the daggers to get them away. They said they were Poppy and Severus, and I recognized them as the humans you trusted, but I realized that I did not trust them myself." Topa sounded sorry at that admission, but Harry didn't blame him. He would have been suspicious too.

"How did you get in here?" Harry asked the adults. Topa smoothed at the tense muscles above his eyes. Harry let his eyes stay closed, so he couldn't see their expression.

"I was brought by Fawkes." Poppy answered gently. The familiar song of a haunting melody echoed in the chamber. Harry remembered Fawkes, the phoenix. He wasn't sure what he thought about the creature of infallible goodness. "When I finally was able to start examining you, I asked him to bring Severus so I could get the potions you needed and the bandages I needed to wrap on you both. It took a few trips." Harry could feel Topa tense even as the Zora's dry skin pet him.

"Did you tell anyone about Topa?"

"No. As soon as we dubbed you both stable, Fawkes refused to bring us out." Harry tried to open his eyes again. The light still hurt, and his eyes teared, but he could bear it. Severus looked as disgruntled as he was in class. Harry rubbed the side of his head Topa was not. "Does your head hurt, Harry?" The man asked, sounding odd.

"No, just my eyes." Topa made a small whimper of fear, but Harry just grabbed his hands and squeezed once in reassurance before letting them both continue to massage his pain. "It hurts to look at light."

"Light sensitivity?" Poppy scooted closer and Harry made Topa let her have room. She was a nurse, after all. "You didn't seem to have any injuries other than a small bump on your temple. That was taken care of, and there wasn't anything else." The woman waved her wand and Harry flinched at the burst of color. He didn't see the result. "Hm..." She sounded disbelieving.

"Is that a good sound or a bad one?" Topa asked with hesitation.

"Harry, can you make out the candlestick holder over the Basilisk?" She pointed to where Precious was curled in on itself, head hidden in the many coils of its body. Harry wondered what it was, but obediently found the light the woman was asking about.

"It's a cup, yes?" It was a little hard to tell with the candle sitting on it.

"Severus, do you still have his glasses?"

"Yes."

"Harry, please put them on and look again." Harry did and had to take them off as the blur that expounded his headache. "What did you see?"

"It was blurry." Harry said rubbing his eyes. Topa seemed to know and had quickly pulled his hands away. Harry gave a breathy chuckle at the reversal of their old roles.

"Severus," Poppy started, sounding amazed. "Before you arrived, I had found a residue of a magical healing agent on the boys' wounds. I couldn't tell what it was other than that it was helpful. I assumed it was from the pool here, but..." Harry followed Poppy's gaze to Fawkes, who was watching them all.

"Phoenix tears." Severus breathed.

~Little Heir? I did not mean to...~ Precious mumbled, whining.

~Unworthy!~

~Fallen and useless.~ The daggers proclaimed. Fawkes sung a sad song, and Precious shifted closer into itself.

~I will not harm the residences. I will never harm my Little Heir. ~ The great snake promised. Harry felt worried. He tried to get up, only to have the humans try to keep him down again. The snakes on his stomach hissed warnings, but Harry just held them to calm them and pushed Poppy and Severus's hands away.

"I'm fine now." He said, wondering if Fawkes cried on him and Topa and healed them. His eyes, without glasses, were seeing better than ever. They weren't dead. They were both fine, but Precious... "Let me up!" He demanded when Poppy and Severus did not get the hint.

"You will not get be getting up, young man!" Poppy declared. "You are much too sensitive for having your eyes healed and you still have traces of poison in both of your systems! You will not be moving any more than absolutely necessary and even less than that!"

"Let him up." Topa countered. "He has to check something."

"And what do you absolutely have to check that can't wait?" Severus asked lowly. Harry could see Topa's ear fins held back like an angry cat, but he was let up anyway. Topa helped steady him.

~Precious?~ He asked.

~Little Heir?~ The snake did not move.

"Harry no!" Poppy whispered harshly when she realized where Harry was trying to walk. Topa was clicking in his static-y way as they slowly walked forward, so he was quick to face Poppy and glare at her direction. "Harry, leave the Basilisk alone." Fawkes sung a song, and Precious curled tighter into itself.

"Fawkes, stop it!" Harry snapped at the bird. It was a very pretty song, but it was obviously hurting Precious. Fawkes obeyed. ~Precious, look at me.~

~Do not harm the heir.~ The daggers repeated.

~I cannot look at you, Little Heir. You did not look into my cursed eyes before, but with you and the others with you so close, I should not risk it. I've have failed you, Little Heir. I deserve nothing less than punishment. I deserve my hunger and the pain your firebird brings... I am not worthy, Little Heir, to be of service to you.~ The great snake rumbled. Either that or its stomach was hungry enough to growl.

~Harm of the heir brings death to you.~ The daggers claimed. Harry resisted the urge to smack the one in his hand. He could poison himself easily.

~Stop that, all of you. Precious, we know you're hungry, and I'm sorry for that. Did you used to hunt before with your Master? Or did he bring food for you?~

~Little Heir is too kind. I have behaved unforgivably.~ Precious moaned with a shudder.

~Harm of the heir brings-~

~We get it! Stop that!~ Harry snapped. ~Precious, if you could repent, what would you have to do?~ He asked.

~I would give my life to you. My magic and power will be yours for the rest of your life.~ Harry blinked. That seemed just a little extreme.

~Does that require you to die?~ He checked.

~Yes.~

~Is there anything you can do that will let you live?~

~No.~ Precious and the pair of daggers all said. Harry sighed. It wasn't really Precious' fault if it attacked. It was starved, and though Harry would be immune, anything else was free game. That Precious hadn't eaten any of the victims it petrified was admirable considering. Harry tried to let himself believe that this was what Precious wanted. It wasn't offering any other option, and he was sure the daggers believed it an honor to uphold their mantra.

~What will you have me do?~ Harry asked, resigned.

~Open your fangs and drink my blood.~ Harry felt nauseated at the thought.

~Er...~

~An honor, heir.~ The daggers added.

~I won't die?~ Harry asked, wondering if he could somehow get everyone out when the snakes realize he wasn't really the heir of Slytherin; that there was no such person.

~Your blood is ready.~ The daggers said.

~Your magic is ready.~ Precious said.

~What will it do to me?~ Harry asked, not really wanting to do anything without knowing. Plus, it was snake blood. Ew...

~You are the heir. You will become the Master. Your blood and magic will be renewed of purification and you will be forever protected. I will it. You allow it. It shall be done.~ Precious said. ~My shame shall become honor.~ Harry supposed that would be a good reason to die... He just wasn't sure if he'd survive. It sounded painful to change one's blood and magic.

~Will it hurt?~

~Very. You are stronger, though. Your one of water shall be sufficient protection in your moment of weakness with us in his hands.~ The daggers said. ~His devotion to you is worthy and enough for where we are. Tell him to keep the instructors of Hogwarts away from you. They will interfere.~ Harry grimaced. He tightened his grip on Topa's hand and the Zora tightened back in reassurance, even though he probably had no idea what was just said.

~Fetch us, future Master.~ The dagger on the ground demanded. Precious slowly uncurled to get ready to poise its fangs above Harry.

"Harry, back away from the Basilisk now." Severus ordered cautiously. Harry walked towards the other daggers and picked it up before walking back to Precious. "Harry Potter." Severus tried to say sternly.

"Topa, I'm about to do something painful. I need you to keep the adults away. Please, don't kill them, but be ready." Harry said quietly.

"I trust you." Topa said before clicking lowly and accepting the two daggers presented to him.

"Professor, Madame, please don't make Topa do anything to you." Harry gave the adults fair warning before looking up to the peak of Precious' curled body. ~I'm ready Precious, and thank you.~ After all, it was about to kill itself. Harry opened his mouth to take a breath, and then Precious showed its large crested head and bared its fangs. With a quick motion, Precious stabbed its own neck, and thick blood welled up and through the wound. Precious carefully moved forward and poised a fang over Harry's head, and Harry prepared himself to swallow the small rivulet of blood about to fall into his mouth.

It burned. It burned and tasted unusually sweet before Harry vaguely realized that he was screaming and gasping and clutching at his chest. He couldn't tell what Topa was doing, or his trusted adults, but then he felt relief in a surrounding coolness.

And that was it.

X

Topa glared at the adults in front of him, a dagger aimed at each of them. They had their wands out in turn, but one snake on each dagger was rubbing his wrist in a comforting way – he hoped – so he wasn't too worried. He could see everything clearly, even though it was with his ears and in a colorless picture. It was enough to tell that the giant snake had severed a major blood vein very close to its heart. It was dead within seconds, falling to the side away from him and Harry.

He could see Harry was changing, slightly but still. He could feel in the air that there was more than just subtle differences in his brother that was evolving. Harry's aura was growing, and Topa had a feeling it was Harry's magic that was getting stronger. He was relieved, because being stronger was better than weakening, but Harry was in so much pain.

It hurt him to know there was nothing he could do to help.

"Do not come closer!" Topa demanded, all snakes on the daggers hissing in agreement.

"Boy, you don't want to risk Harry's health. Let us help him." The man, Severus, said.

"No. Harry said to keep you away. Stay back." Topa ordered, tightening his grip on the daggers. He could see that Harry's changes were settling. His pulse was slowing to a calmer rate and his aura, his magic, was done shifting around his body. Topa wanted to get Harry away. His brother was probably better off with the older magic users, but they would notice the changes and probably not like it.

Topa needed to give Harry time to decide what to do.

The firebird, Fawkes, began trilling soothingly in the background, the sound echoing eerily in the large area. It was giving Topa's black and white sight a fuzzy appearance. It was worrying. And the older magic users were gathering their magics into their sticks. Topa bit off a snarl, a bad habit from the merpeople, and snatched Harry by the waist and into the water.

"Harry!"

"Bring him back!"

Topa darted towards the tunnel Harry had used to get into the chamber, glad that they had been on the correct side of the pool. He couldn't snag Harry's staff, regrettably, but the flashes of white slowly passing through the water meant he didn't have time anyway. Topa ducked behind the first bend, which was further than he thought, and took a deep breath.

Harry's necklace could only help him so much. It was better than what Topa had given him last year, but it wasn't like the gillyweed in how effective Harry could use it to breathe underwater. Tope carefully shifted the water in his gills and pushed the air into Harry's mouth and nose slowly. The necklace helped him hold his breath better, and Topa quickly headed towards the entrance of the secret tunnel.

Topa wondered if it would have been safer for them if the Great Squid had gotten curious instead.

'So much for a safe year for him.' He thought bitterly. 'We both nearly died. The adults saw me. Harry...' Topa clicked into Harry again, checking carefully for ailments. 'Harry is different somehow.' The daggers in his hold wrapped around his wrist as he pulled the water towards him to swim faster. It made carrying Harry easier. Topa darted over the merpeople city, ignoring the patrols that saw him, and swam as fast as he could to their hidden shore. A few times Topa carefully pushed more air into his brother, but he wasn't sure how useful it was. Harry didn't seem hurt, but he wasn't wakening either.

"Topa. What has happened?" A merman, CoralPoint asked. Topa recognized him and figured it was BlueLine who was with him.

"Harry and I were attacked by a great snake. The professor and nurse called it a Basilisk. The snake did something to change him."

"Is he poisoned!?" BlueLine asked, clearly worried.

"I don't think so. I think the snake gave Harry blood to drink. It killed itself by doing so. Harry's magic has changed, and he didn't want the adults to do anything so I brought him here." Topa replied before breathing more air into his brother.

"Topa, bring him to Healer LightScale. Let her check him."

"No! Harry said to keep all adults away!" Topa argued before swimming faster. He couldn't outswim the merpeople, but he was getting faster every day. The two didn't argue after that, but Topa knew CoralPoint had swam off to fetch Healer LightScale anyway. Soon, Topa broke the surface of the water at their secret shore. Harry started breathing normally without prompt, and Topa nearly staggered under his wet weight as he carried him to the grass.

"Topa, allow me to help." BlueLine asked. Topa didn't want her there, or anyone at the moment, but he knew he didn't want to set Harry down yet. The daggers hissed comfortingly from his wrists.

"Can you get the blanket and towel out from the shelf?" Topa asked her as he gestured to the hidden shelf.

"Of course." She complied, spreading the blanket out easily and waiting for Topa to put Harry down on it before offering the towel. Topa dried his friend quickly, constantly clicking at him to monitor him.

Nothing was changing, and Harry still wasn't waking up.

"Harry, wake up." Topa said quietly. He ran his fingers of one hand through the damp hair of Harry's head and held his other hand close to his chest for the comforting humming of the dagger snakes hissing. The daggers hissed threateningly as BlueLine dragged herself close, but Topa just pressed them close to his chest. The snakes calmed slightly, rightly figuring that the mermaid was friendly.

"What happened to Harry?" Healer LightScale asked as soon as she stepped onto the shore.

BlueLine quickly dragged herself closer to her and explained what she could to the older mermaid as a few more merpeople came ashore to see what happened for themselves. The crowd murmured worriedly for a few minutes before they quieted.

"King DarkTip!" One whispered sharply, and Topa knew everyone had just saluted.

"Rise Topa, you are in the presence of our oldest and wisest." DarkTip said gently. Topa pet Harry again before doing as told. He was not a merperson, but he was a part of their community. He'd heard a few stories of this mermaid.

"Young Topa." A strained voice greeted. Topa gave a short trill to study this mermaid, and was startled by how small she was. She could have passed as a frail girl if her hair wasn't braided as long as DarkTip's body length and her fins weren't the longest and most delicate fins he'd ever seen. She raised her arms for help out of the water, even though she was already being carried out by DarkTip. Topa quickly pulled off the daggers and stepped forward to raise her higher to avoid damaging her fins. "Thank you. Now, allow me to study our human friend Harry Potter." Topa clicked to avoid stepping on any other mermaids. DarkTip made himself comfortable near Harry's feet.

"Where would you like to be?" Topa asked as he stood next to Harry's head. The frail and small mermaid hummed with a raspy sound before pointing to Harry's right.

"There should be just fine." Topa carefully set her down, trying not to have her rest on her own fins or hair. "Yes, yes, here is fine." She murmured. Topa sat back at Harry's head and snagged the daggers back up. They rubbed against him comfortingly. He clicked and whistled for a few moments to study what the oldest mermaid was doing, but she was just holding a hand just over Harry's skin and her hair was being pressed along the length of his body.

A damp hand touched Topa's shoulder and he focused on UnderWave, who was seated just behind him.

"Calm, Topa. Our ClearView will tell us what is happening soon." He said quietly. After a few more quiet minutes, ClearView leaned back and simply picked up Harry's hand to hold.

"Our friend Harry Potter will be just fine. His magic has changed, and thus his inner soul has evolved into a much more powerful form. His life had been injured and scarred over, but it is slowly healing. A curse upon him is in the process of reversing, thus he sleeps. He is in a healing sleep, and will awake shortly. All will be well." ClearView declared, and many merpeople breathed a sigh of relief.

Harry hadn't met all the merpeople in the lake, but he knew a majority of them. Topa's curiosity and interaction with the underwater village wouldn't allow him to remain ignorant. He was a friend more than a celebrity, and they all had been worried at the sudden news of his injuries.

UnderWave pulled Topa close for a hug and nuzzled him in the shoulder with a soft growling sound. Topa leaned into it with relief.

X

Harry was back in the castle an hour later. It was past curfew, the spar from before their adventure having been after dinner. He stopped in the hall after closing the great doors of the entrance. He remembered that Poppy and Severus had been down the Chamber of Secrets and probably believed that Harry was dead or dying. He supposed it would be good of him to let them know he was fine now. He took out his wand and set it on the ground to spin.

If he saw Poppy first, she would check his health and probably never let him out of the Hospital Wing. If he saw Severus first, the man will probably also check his health before locking him in the dungeons to never leave his sight again...

Unfortunately, Harry knew he couldn't just pretend the incident in the Chamber never happened either. But which one would let him say anything without making him feel like a child or an incompetent brat?

His wand spun. It hit the wall. He spun it again. It hit the door. He spun it again.

"Is it really so hard to decide who you want to see first?" A deep voice asked. Harry jumped. Severus stood in his hall with arms crossed and expression dark in the dim candlelight. Harry gulped. His wand was pointing to the man.

"Honestly, yeah." Harry said as calmly as he could as he bent to pick up his wand without breaking eye contact.

"It that because you trust us equally, or because you don't trust us at all?" A hurt voice asked from behind him. Harry jumped to see Poppy in the other hall. A part of him wanted to point out to them that it wasn't fair if they guilt trip him. Another part recognized that he was already feeling guilty.

They were both obviously worried, Severus in his annoyed way and Poppy in her hesitation to come closer.

"Well, I just didn't know who would let me explain first." Harry answered. "And I didn't know where would be better to do the explaining." He glanced at his shoes before looking at both adults, who had stepped closer.

"Do you know exactly what happened, dear?" Poppy asked.

"No everything, but most." He admit.

"We should go to your wing." Severus told the nurse. Harry was surprised by how hurt he felt with how the man wasn't looking at him. Poppy seemed scared to look away.

"Of course. Harry?" She asked as she offered her hand. There was a moment's pause where Harry was reminded of how little he showed his trust to these two people. There was trust, more so than any of other teachers, but nowhere near as much as the merpeople and daggers and definitely nowhere near Topa. He wasn't the one who brought them to the Chamber of Secrets; Fawkes was. He had Topa keep them away from him with daggers without so much as a warning – it hadn't even occurred to Harry to talk to them before allowing Precious to redeem itself.

Except he did trust them. He didn't worry about what others thought when he smiled at them and they smiled at him. They knew how much he disliked his aunt and uncle, and as far as he knew they weren't doing anything to interfere. He didn't want them to, and they respected that. He knew where they slept, what tea they liked best and they were people to him rather than just teachers. They were friends, kind of like Ron and Hermione.

Harry put his hand in Poppy's and followed the two to the hospital wing.

X

Harry hated the hospital wing. 'From now on, I'm going to Sev's dungeon.' He promised himself. Poppy was pale and seemed to be sweating as she frantically waved her wand with spell after spell. Severus himself didn't look to happy with the readings of her charms.

"So, did Fawkes bring you two out after Topa took me away?" He asked. Again.

"Just a moment Harry," Severus murmured, his void deep and quiet. Soothing. Unwarranted.

"I'm not dying!" Harry finally snapped. "Stop that! I was already looked at and I'm not dying or poisoned or sick or feeling sore or tired! I'm fine!"

"Harry, please," Poppy raised her wand again and Harry snatched it out of her hand quicker than he'd ever grabbed anything. Her hand remained poised before the adults froze. Harry had the wand just under his thigh as he glowered at the two, all weight deceptively to one side so his hand could grab Severus's wand if he decided to start casting on him instead.

"I'm fine. Do you want to know what happened or not?" He tried to say slowly and calmly. It only worked a little. The two looked at each other for advice, and Harry pointed to the chairs beside the bed he was on. "Sit." They did. He offered Poppy her wand back and she accepted it quickly. Harry then remembered that the wand maker said something about wands being an extension of a wizard and that snapping them was considered one of the worst punishments that could happen. He guessed taking them was also pretty bad. Whoops. "Sorry, but I don't like being ignored or treated like I don't know anything."

"No, I'm sorry for not listening." Poppy said. "It's just, Harry, your blood and your magic is-"

"Fine. Everything is fine. ClearView said that my magic and my blood has been gifted and renewed so I'm technically the new Slytherin of the castle and stronger then the founder was at my age. She said that it'll take a few days for everything to settle but that the only thing that I will be suffering from would be fatigue or hunger as my body adjusts. She mentioned that if I ever achieve an animal form it'll be a creature of multiple parts. I wasn't sure what she meant, but she said I'll know if it happens."

"Did she mention anything about poison?" Severus asked after Poppy's few attempts to interject before Harry continued.

"No, why?"

"Your blood is poisoned, Harry."

"Oh, well, I did drink Precious's blood from its fang, I suppose some poison could have been added."

"Harry, you've been poisoned." Poppy said with a strained tone.

"And I feel fine." He said simply. "Are my organs shutting down or my nerves paralyzing me?"

"...No."

"Look, I'm all healed." Harry spread his arms. "Did you find any injuries from before you could finish healing me? Even Precious's first bite it gone." He raised the side of his shirt to prove it. "My eyesight is even a little better." He added as he flicked his gaze over and through his frames with a small frown. "Huh. I need new glasses."

"Harry, I do wish you weren't so uncaring about your health." Severus said as he gently took off the glasses and cast a few more spells at Harry's direction. He spelled the glasses and offered them back.

"I'm fine." He repeated. "Oh, thanks." The glasses no longer looked blurry.

"No more adventures for the rest of the year, understood?" Severus asked sternly. Harry thought he sounded very much like a father.

"Understood. No promises though."

X

Harry woke late the next morning, feeling extremely sore, heavy, and very hungry. He gave a little whimper as he sluggishly covered his head with his blanket, blearily realizing he was shivering. He could feel a high pitched scream from the foot of his bed, but it sounded muffled and far away. He shivered harder even though he could tell he was sweating and he concentrated on breathing. His breath was warm, and the blankets were too, so he drifted off quickly.

He woke up after what seemed a little while, but he still didn't feel well. He vaguely wondered what the rules were for students that felt ill but couldn't make it to the infirmary. Then he remembered house elves.

"Zinny?" He asked as loud as he could, which wasn't very loud. He moaned and poked his head out of his blankets again. "Zinny?" He croaked out. He thought it sounded louder, but then he could hear the whistle/scream that was ringing in is ears. Maybe it wasn't in his ears? "Zinny?" He tried louder, making himself cough as his forehead pulsed. Nothing happened. Deciding not to care, Harry covered his head again and slept.

While he slept, a panicked old house elf was worrying herself as she tried to get into the room of the little elfling who was asking for her. He was ill! He wanted help! He was calling her!

And there was dark magic in that same room that her own feeble magic was unable to protect her from.

"Oh, little elfling." She fretted from the door, unable to open the door for the pressure behind it. She gave a terrified squeak when she noticed the boy was no longer calling her. "Zinny get helps! Zinny know your Sevs and Puppy!" She called through the door. She snapped through the magic trails of the castle and appeared in the dungeon. She hurried to the door of the dark potion man's office, except she realized he wasn't in it. She pulled her ears in worry. "Oohh!" She moaned.

"What is Old Zinny doing? This not her floor." A voice asked from the door. Another house elf opened it and peered at her.

"Where is the fesser Sevs!?" She demanded the younger elf. "Student in danger! He hurts! Elf cannot get in! He need help!" The younger elf looked startled and waved her to follow him. Through another magic house elf trail, he led her to a classroom. Through the tunnel the two went unnoticed in the classroom until Zinny came out behind the desk. The younger elf glanced at the wizard in worry before nodding to Zinny for luck and waiting in hiding.

"I don't want any disturbances." Professor Snape warned the class. The students set to work in reasonable silence, whispering or talking softly to their partners as they started. Snape narrowed his eyes at the spot Harry should be working, but wasn't. He refused to mention anything though, he did have an image to keep. Sitting in his seat with a motion that no doubt had something to do with his rumor of being a vampire, he prepared to start grading the homework his students turned in so they could be returned by the end of class. Then a leathering hand tapped his leg. He glanced down to see a visibly worried house elf at his side, wringing its fingers in a painful looking way.

The house elves of the school were not seen. Snape knew it was a symbol of pride to be able to work without being spotted by the many eyes in the school. That a house elf was here, in front of him, while he was conducting class... He stood up and headed to his back room to wait.

The house elf and a younger one appeared quickly.

"Fesser Sevs, you must help Harry!" The older one said with a squeaky voice. "Dark magic! Very dark magic will not let me in! Harry need help! He ask for help! He in trouble!" It said insistently. Severus swore before quickly flooing the headmaster.

"Headmaster!" He called. "Headmaster!" A low melody was his only warning before Fawkes flew through the fire and snagged him by the shoulders. In an unfortunately familiar manner, Severus found himself fire warped to an unfamiliar common room that obviously belonged to the Gryffindors. Fawkes disappeared in another flash of fire so Severus drew his wand and bounded up the stair two steps at a time. He'd wonder how the bird knew where to bring him later. "Harry!" He called as he turned the knob to the door that would have been the boy's year. The knob turned, but the door didn't budge. "Harry!"

In his room, as Harry slept, black smoke leaked from his trunk as pained screaming echoed through the room. Unseen, a certain black diary oozed ink out of pages as the cover glowed red.

Harry would have to throw away the rest of the old clothes passed down to him from Dudley, but the wood of the trunk would later be easily cleaned off. Now, however, the red glowing covers of the diary burned with released power that was nearing the point of combustion ever so slowly. The smoke leaked out, and a face with red eyes and a screaming mouth suffered slowly.

x

On a certain floor upstairs, the Headmaster of Hogwarts was following quickly after a couple of worried house elves.

"Here, Headmasser Dublydore." The two pointed. The wall was smoking from the edges of the floor. "The come an' go room will not let us in. It is dark magic! Dark magic in our school!" Dumbledore readied his wand and deliberately walked three times past the wall.

'I must see what is wrong. I must see what is wrong. I must see what is wrong.' He thought with a grim expression. The wall did not change. "No. Hogwarts, please, tell me what is wrong!" He asked the castle with a hand to the brick wall. The castle pulsed a small feeling of cold magic to him, and it had no other emotion to it the way a Headmaster was normally able to feel. "No... Should we leave? Are we in danger?" A smaller pulse as more smoke streamed through. Dumbledore thought vaguely he could hear screaming from the other side. He prayed it wasn't any students.

'Stay, please.' The castle seemed to say. It was not worried. It was not scared. It was determined, and seemed tired. The three house elves at his feet whimpered worriedly as they pulled their ears and wrung at their fingers.

"Hogwarts doesn't seem to be worried." He told them. "It has everything under control, but it feels strained." The elves perked up.

"We help!"

"We give magic!"

"We don't spend!" The ran off and Dumbledore supposed they knew how to control certain magical functions the castle showed off. He wondered why they didn't disappear, but thought perhaps that was also on the castle.

Then Fawkes appeared in a flash of fire and grabbed him by the robes and fire flashing him to a familiar common room. Severus was casting spells at a door with Madame Pomfrey nearby with many potions in a basket. Poppy explained that Harry was trapped behind the door with dark magic in the room, and then Minerva arrived by Fawkes.

"What is going on!?" She demanded. Dumbledore repeated all he knew as he tried to help his Potions Professor open the door to Harry.

x

In the Gringotts bank, an alarm was being sounded. One of the vaults was emitting extremely dark degrees of magic, and the bank was not sure what it was. They were, however, prepared for a backlash. All available warders were being summoned and made to prepare as the oldest and wisest of their ranks planned as quickly as they could with as little as they knew.

There were minimum tellers at the front, and only one guard at each of the doors. Word was being sent to the goblin king and reinforcement for the yet-to-be-determined procedure was already on its way. Records were being moved or secured as well and the dragons were shifted to a more reliable part of the vault keep to avoid a goblin being eaten as their numbers grew.

"We'll use this one." One goblin councilor said as he pointed to the page in his book. "Dchi Toph Emirdrt, our space of no room ward will be the strongest box type of ward without a way to allow an opening from the inside. It also takes care of whatever intruders may be inside by destroying the air supply inside and killing any fire that may be occurring as well."

"That is a good one. We can use that as the first level ward. Our second level should be a reinforcement to keep it strong."

"Can the Dchi Toph Emirdrt be used as a level one? I've only heard of those wards as a level three for their size." Another goblin brought up.

"We'll make it work. This vault is surrounded by nearly all sides by other customers. We will not risk our reputation by using anything else. We cannot enter for the pressure of the magic that is building behind that door, so we should prepare for the worst possibility."

X

An old house elf watched with unblinking eyes as his burden slowly burnt. He could see the magic pour out and he enjoyed the way smoke was growing in a cloud of black above the locket. The burden of his master's last wish was being fulfilled.

His mistress was screaming in front of him, her portrait ever angry. She knew what this locket was. She knew what it was not supposed to do.

"Kreacher! Kreacher you save it! Save our Dark Lord's soul!" She demanded, her face a shade of red. The locket screamed and writhed in torture, and Kreacher watched closely, not wanting to blink at all. He was going to remember this. He was savoring this sight. This locket had killed his master Regulus! He beloved master Regulus! He was not going to save this locket of burden. His mistress may order him all she liked, but she was not alive. Her orders had no magic. He will never be harmed for disobeying her either physically or magically.

She was giving him nothing by remaining his mistress.

He was starving, only letting himself live day after day because of his beloved master Regulus's last wish. And that wish was coming true. He didn't know how. He hoped it will finish, that nothing will interrupt. So he watched, refusing to blink. Wanting to know that it was done.

The smoke slowly faded. A grin slowly grew. The portrait screamed as loud as ever, and Kreacher felt content.

X

In a place unknown and dark, a ring glinted. It was a small glint, dim and faded, and tinted a soft red as glowing red eyes flashed its poor light on it. No one could see it, for no one lived near it. Smoke drifted into the sky, but no one was around to worry. A faded scream echoed in the air, but no one could hear.

The poisoned blood of a Basilisk was the strongest purifier there could be, if you could live through it. Unwillingly given, you have no chance of survival. Begged to be taken, you will take place as king of serpents.

Soul magic, itself, was affected by this process. Mortal bodies connected to the soul of a renewed king were sought after to also be purified. If found unworthy, they were destroyed.

In another unknown place, a specter slept and rested to recover its strength. Without a physical body, he was unaffected. Voldemort's soul was so mutilated and fragmented, he had no idea his horcruxes were in the process of being destroyed.

X

Harry woke up again. He felt heavy and sore, but it was vaguely pleasant. Slowly stretching, Harry relaxed in his bed. He was starving, but that was fine. He knew where food was, so he could take care of that as soon as he freshened up. He still felt a little tired, but the sun was obviously up and he would probably be getting in trouble for missing his classes. He thought he heard his name from the common room, but he had to pee. Whoever it was would understand. The ringing in his ears was still there, so maybe a shower would help that.

Shuffling to the bathroom, Harry peed and then striped to take his shower. The ringing in his ears stopped as he stood under the spray, and he felt his muscles relax. He didn't see the black crusted on his forehead or the corners of his eyes and mouth rinse away and disappear in the drain.

He felt light, and happy. His worries faded to a reasonable level and he looked forward to finishing his day so he could see Topa. The Zora would probably be worried about him.

Harry felt fine. He was ready to finish the school year.

So long as Lockhart didn't perform anymore monkey tricks. The fool.

Soon dressed and ready to find Poppy to tell her he hadn't felt good, maybe get a slip for his teachers, Harry dressed and completely missed the mess of the once possessed diary in the bottom corner of his trunk. It smelt of strong ink, so Harry wondered in any of his bottles spilled over, but he figured he could double check cleaning spells in the library and worry about it later. He opened his door and stopped short at the sight of most of the staff in his common room.

'Uh oh.' He thought. He hoped Poppy and Severus hadn't said anything about Topa.

"Little Harry!" A familiar voice called out before Harry found Zinny on his waist. "Zinny was scared she was! You call her and she can't come in and she worried, and you okay! Thanking goodness!" Harry returned her hug easily as he watched all the adults quickly make their way to him.

"Um, hello. I'm not in trouble for missing class, am I? I swear I just didn't feel good." Poppy's eyes glinted and Harry prepared for her to mention his poisonous blood or something to that effect.

She just checked him in silence and handed him a vial without a word. And it hurt.

Harry spent the rest of the year avoiding Poppy and Severus. When he had to be with them, he stayed distantly polite, and never said anything more than necessary. A week before the term ended, Harry knocked on the Headmaster's door. The gargoyle didn't even wait for him to give the password. He just leapt aside smoothly.

"Harry, my boy! What brings you to my office?"

"I was wondering, if... Professor Snape said I could change houses so I was wondering, can I?" The headmaster looked at him for a long time.

"Are you unhappy in your house, Harry? Is there something going on?"

"Well, not exactly. I just feel, different. The hat said I could be Slytherin, but I had decided to go to Gryffindor. Now, I just wonder if I feel better with the Slytherins."

"You know that Professor Snape is the Head of House to Slytherin, Harry?" Harry looked at his hands.

"Yes sir." That was the one point he wasn't so sure about changing to Slytherin. Severus didn't like him anymore, and Snape publicly hated him. And the man knew about him and Topa. "Honestly, I like Professor Snape. I, used to trust him a lot. I think I made him angry at me though." Harry admit, fighting the hurt that was making tears come to his eyes. Fawkes cooed at him from the perch to his side and Harry cleared his throat. "But, I still trust him. I do." He said as he glanced at the old wizard in front of him. He couldn't tell what kind of expression he was wearing. It didn't look like he believed him.

"Very well Harry. Let me call all the heads of house and we can do so." Dumbledore conceded before kneeling in front of the fireplace and flooing the four heads of house. The four teachers were soon in the room, as Harry had chosen a time after the normal classes to arrive, and there were a few minutes of arguing and denial before Harry repeated his reason and he was given the Hat. Harry glanced at Professor Snape – Severus – and put on the hat. It was strange to notice how much better it fit than last school year. It was still pretty big, but it didn't engulf his head.

"What's this? Harry Potter, I've sorted you to Gryffindor. Ah, you are feeling distant. Hm… Given the circumstances, I think this would have happened no matter which house you had chosen." The hat admit. Harry felt his shoulder slump. "However, if all houses agree, a resorting is no problem for me because you can still get your new beginning. Now, let me see. Your courage has been proven many times. Oh dear-"

"Ouch." Harry pushed the hat aside and felt a handle not unlike his daggers resting on his head. He pulled the hat off and grasped the hilt of what could only be a sword. The teachers all gasped when he pulled out the shiny blade. Harry scowled at it before scowling at the hat.

"So sorry Harry Potter. Looks like you're the heir of Gryffindor. Good Godric left that with me to pass down when his heir after certain requirements were met, and you have exceeded them." The hat would have shrugged if it could.

"Does that mean he can't be resorted?" McGonnagal asked, looking worried for Harry. He may be leaving her house, but she always wanted what was best for all her students.

"Not at all. That sword is an heirloom, nothing else binding about it. Put me back on your head, Harry Potter, I hadn't finished determining your place." Harry did. "Let me see. You have much loyalty to your friends, but you are not an open person. Those you trust must prove why you can trust them. You do study a lot, but it is not for knowledge. You search for what you need, and you excel at it, but you do not expand on it... Well, I suppose it's still best for SLYTHERIN!" The hat declared. Harry caught McGonnagal glaring at Snape, but he could not tell Snape's thoughts.

"Severus, you best be fair to Mister Potter." She was saying.

"I think I have been a teacher long enough to know how to behave." He replied.

"The horror stories I hear about your behavior makes me think otherwise."

"Thank you, Headmaster." Harry interjected before he could see his new and former head of house start fighting. Professor Snape's eyes were narrowed just slightly enough to tell he was getting angry.

"Of course, my boy. I hope you feel more comfortable with your new dorm mates and in school."

"Thank you." Harry repeated as he handed over the sorting hat.

"Harry, my house or not, you will always be welcome to ask for my help. You know how to find me." Professor McGonnagal said to him.

"Thank you, Professor. I'll remember that."

"Same with me, Mister Potter." Professor Sprout said.

"And me too." Flitwick added. Harry gave them all a small smile before looking up at his new head of house. The man was watching him carefully. Harry didn't know why.

"Are you mad at me too?" He had to ask. Snape's eyes remained on his and Harry allowed himself to pretend that the rest of the teachers weren't behind him.

"And why would I be angry with you?" Harry tried to stand straighter, and Snape didn't fidget.

"Madame Pomfrey is." He said quietly. "I'm really sorry. I am."

"Potter, she's not angry at you. In fact, she's quiet worried for you. You haven't been talking to her." The 'or me' went unsaid. Harry swallowed.

"But..." He glanced at the other adults who looked suitably confused and worried.

"Harry, we like that you trust us." Harry looked back into Severus's eyes. He looked a little more relaxed, and Harry let himself relax too. He called him Harry. "We thought you didn't anymore, but we couldn't think of why, so we were giving you room. I'm sorry that we chose the wrong course of action." He said gently, well as gently as Severus was capable of, before opening his arms in offer. Harry hugged him readily.

"I'm glad you're not mad." He muttered.

"Welcome to Slytherin, Harry."

"Thanks, Severus." He muttered in a quieter tone. The rest of the office stared in shock as Dumbledore smiled with glittering eyes.

"I'm glad you look like you'll do well, my boy. Now, about moving you..."

xXx TBC xXx

HK: Sorry, couldn't think of anything else to explore in the dark and dangerous times during Link's seven year sleep. I was originally not going to continue the rest of Harry's year and just start from next year where what happened was treated like a bad memory, but then I had an idea, and it wouldn't have been easily explained in flashback. The results from this idea will take more than five chapters to get to though.

Anyway, like always, I'm hoping I inspire others to start a Zora focused / Harry Potter crossover. Also, I've realized my summary is a little weak. Help?

Posted: 14Apr13