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Harry Potter

The Magi

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The Rock

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ooOoOoo

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For the last two days, Harry worked during the day making sure his assigned cabins were clean for the customers, as well as the bathrooms and passageways. During the evenings, he was in the Captain's cabin with Jalyla, learning to read and write, as well as learning astronomy … a necessity for his new life as a sailor on a ship.

The hard part was writing with a quill and ink. He kept getting the ink on his hands, which caused him to smear it on the paper. Jalyla would just laugh and hand him another sheet of paper to write on.

The morning of the third day, Harry stood beside Jalyla as the ship approached the massive asteroid that was turned into a port. Giant docks extended out into space for the ships to dock, which had dozens of different types of ships docked to it. Two hours before, they had passed through the Rock of Bral's picket line as Jalyla called them and were now approaching their docking position on what she called the A level of docks.

"Harry, pay attention," Jalyla ordered as she shouted out, "All hands prepare to dock. Helm, back one third on power and port turn by two points. Up bow by one degree. Pull in the flippers."

Harry watched as the ship turned to port and the bow rose up as the ship slowed down again.

"All stop. Throw out the lines," Jalyla shouted out.

As the bow of the ship came in between the two piers, a pair of the sailors threw two ropes out to the dock hands to starboard. One man quickly started pulling the rope towards him while the other jumped in a small dingy that was quickly pulled away from them and to the main dock.

Harry watched as the small boat floated across the open space like it was sitting on water. He was about to ask how it did that when it came to a stop with a blue flare around the bottom of the boat.

"Cool," Harry said as the man stood up and threw the rope up to the main dock.

The rope the man passed up was quickly threaded through a pulley system.

Jalyla looked around the ship to see if they were cleared before they were pulled into the gravity plane of the port and then shouted out once more, "Winch us in."

The Blackwood gave a lurch as the ship started forward towards the dock. When the ship was almost to the concourse, the winch stopped pulling the ship and then the ship was going sideways to the pier where a gangway was lowered in place as three more lines were tossed to the dock workers.

"Shut the helm down and get Morick out of the chair so he can get some sleep," Jalyla shouted out and then said, "Come on, Harry. Let me show you what we need to do before we can go into town."

"Ok," Harry replied and picked up the book that Jalyla gave him to hold, they headed for the gangway where a tall man was coming up the gangplank with four dwarves behind him.

"Jalyla, how I hope you had fair sailing this last trip," the man said as he took Jalyla's left hand and kissed it.

"Crowder, it's good to see you as well. We had a good trip. A fast trip with no problems and much profit for both of us," Jalyla replied as she pulled her hand back.

"Who's the boy?" Crowder asked as he looked at Harry.

"A friend's son. This is Harry, he was orphaned and I was asked to take care of him. He's our new cabin boy. Now to business, we have a full cargo hold and ten passengers that wish to disembark," Jalyla replied.

"Hello, lad. The names Crowder, if you need anything let me know and I'll help you out," the man said as he offered his hand.

Harry looked at the hand and then replied as he shook it, "Thank you, Sir."

"Crowder, he's too young to be going to the places you would suggest. Now here's a list of our passengers, and this is our cargo manifest for the delivery to the Rock," Jalyla said as she handed the man two scrolls.

"Thank you," Crowder said and passed the scrolls back to one of his guards as Jalyla handed him a small sack.

"Our docking fees," Jalyla said as she dropped the sack of gold into Crowder's hand.

"Thank you, again," Crowder replied and then said, "Everything seems in order. Have a nice day, Captain. Nice meeting you, Harry," he added as he turned and walked down the gangplank.

Harry stood next to Jalyla, the book open on a keg in front of him with a quill in his hand as the first passenger came up to them. The man was wearing leather armor with a longsword on his left hip. He had blue eyes and his dark auburn hair was tied into a ponytail, and a silver earring dangled from his left ear. On his back was a large pack that seemed very heavy to Harry,

"Mister Koalo, I hope you had a pleasant time on the ship," Jalyla asked as she offered her hand.

He shook her hand as he replied, "It was a pleasant trip. I am… happy to be home," releasing her hand he looked down at Harry and said, "Remember what I told you. Keep your weapons sharp and your eyes sharper," as he handed Harry a small pouch, "this is for keeping my room clean for me."

Harry blushed and took the bag as he replied, "Thank you, Sir. I will do everything you told me. Enjoy your vacation with your family."

"I will," Koalo replied as he ruffled Harry's hair and turned to walk down the gangplank.

Harry smiled and then checked off the man's name from the book showing he had disembarked from the ship. Over the next twenty minutes the remaining nine passengers left the ship to head into town or find transport to somewhere else. Harry happily checked them off along with pallets of cargo that was called out as they were lifted out of the cargo hold. When finished, he handed the book to Jalyla and gave her another hug as she requested.

"Ever since that bet, I have been giving lots of hugs," Harry said as he released Jalyla.

"I don't mind. Hugs are nice," Jalyla replied with a smirk, and then said, "Come on scamp, I'll take you into town and we'll get you some more clothes and some books to read."

"Really?" Harry asked as he followed Jalyla

"Really," she replied as they reached the stairs.

"Cool," Harry said as he followed Jalyla down the stairs to the command deck where he entered his cabin and put his bag of writing supplies on the small desk.

Harry noticed the pouch with writing on it he leaned over and saw it said pay pouch. Picking up the pouch, he looked inside and saw gold, silver and copper coins. With a smile, he tucked it in his pocket and walked out of his small room just as Jalyla came out of hers.

"Ready to go?" Jalyla asked as she came to a stop next to Harry and held out her left hand.

"Yes, Ma'am," Harry replied as he took her left hand in his.

"Then let's get going. Now if anything happens, I want you to stay behind me," Jalyla ordered as the climbed the stairs to the main deck and walked off the ship.

Harry's head developed a constant jerking motion as he tried to take in everything as they walked away from the ship. He saw several of the crew that he had become friends with going into the bars or other buildings. One of the deck hands had his arms around two women that barely had any clothes on. When the man whispered something into the woman on his left, she giggled and then smiled at Harry giving him a wink when she cupped her breast. Harry's face was bright red as he felt his arm being tugged and he looked up at Jalyla.

"Ignore them Harry, you're much too young to be thinking of those types of females," Jalyla said as she led him into a bakery.

Harry's nose was twitching as he took in the scent of fresh baked breads, cookies and pies.

"Captain Silvermoon, a pleasure to see you again. Two sticky buns?" a heavyset woman asked from behind the counter.

"Yes, two please," Jalyla asked and then looked at Harry and said, "Harry, I know the crew teased you about woman like the one Mister Hornshell had his arms around. When you're older you may indulge yourself…"

"But they said it was so much fun and then when they explained it. That I'd have to get naked with them to become a man, I cannot stop turning red about thinki…"

"I know Harry, and I will talk with the crew about not teasing you. You have plenty of time to be a child before you have to become a man, please wait, for my sake," Jalyla replied.

"Here you go Captain, two sticky buns that will be two copper please," the woman said as she held out two buns covered in honey and nuts.

"Thank you, Jacklia," Jalyla replied as she placed two copper coins on the counter and took the first bun and handed it to Harry.

Harry looked at the long piece of bread that looked like a miniature loaf of French bread. Biting the end like Jalyla just did he quickly tore the end off. It tasted like a cinnamon roll that he had to make his aunt a few times but better.

"This is good," Harry said as he took another bite.

"Glad you like it. Jacklia, I have six barrels of the northern flour you wanted on the ship. My crew said they'd deliver it around five for you," Jalyla said.

"Tell your crew thank you for me. I was getting low on Northern flour," Jacklia replied as the door opened and small family came in.

"We'll see you later. Come, Harry, let's get you some more clothes," Jalyla said as they walked out of the store eating their bread.

Harry spent the day with his captain. They bought a full wardrobe that consisted of enough clothes to last two weeks, along with a trunk to put them in. They also bought dozens of books, from Astronomy, to Navigation, to how to write correctly; along with paper and parchment, ink, quills and several blank journals for him to write in before they headed back to the ship. They stopped at an inn for dinner. Harry was dead tired when they reached the ship. He just set his bags to the side and collapsed on his bed. Later Jalyla checked on him, and tucked him under the blankets.

The next morning found Harry wide-awake and waiting for the Captain to come out of her cabin. He had already eaten and put everything away where it was supposed to be and was sitting reading one of his new books when he heard a cough. Looking up, he smiled at Jalyla.

"Ready to go find a cargo?" she asked.

"Yes, Captain," Harry replied, as he closed his book.

"Get your cloak and let's go. I heard a rumor yesterday that one of the blacksmiths had a cargo that needed to be delivered to Greyhawk," she said as Harry grabbed his cloak and skipped it on.

"Ready to go, Ma'am," Harry replied in his squeaky voice.

"Then let's get going," she replied and they headed upstairs and off the ship.

Harry was looking around like he did the day before as they headed into a new section of the town. He watched as a squad of guards came pass them dragging a dozen men and women in chains. Behind them was a wagon pulled by a horse. Several barrels were tied to the side of the wagon. One had a spigot on it while the other had some type of tool in them the remaining two had buckets that were coated in a white substance hanging from them.

"Shit shovelers," Jalyla said as she waited for the wagon to go pass.

"What?" Harry asked as they started walking again.

"Those were drunks that were picked up by the guard. They were sentenced to a day of cleaning out the cesspits. When they finish cleaning out the pits, they toss in lime from the other buckets to help fight the smell. Then the waste is taken away to the farms where it's dumped in compost piles," Jalyla replied as they walked up to a house and she knocked.

The door was opened by a giant of a man wearing leathers. Harry noticed that the man's arms were as big as around as his waist! The man's clothes seemed burned in spots, too.

"Captain Silvermoon, welcome to our home," the man said.

"Hello, Horian, I've heard you have a cargo needing delivery," Jalyla replied.

"Aye, I do. Come in and talk with the wife about the contract. I have a job to finish for the council," Horian said as he stepped to the side.

"Can Harry watch you, while I talk with Nila?" she asked.

Horian looked down at Harry and smiled at the young boy, "You want to watch me work?"

Harry looked at Jalyla and asked, "What does he work at?"

"Harry, Horian is a blacksmith. Do you know what that means?" she asked.

Harry shook his head no as he replied, "No, Ma'am."

"That means he takes metal and turns it into something else. I think you would like it, just follow his directions because you can get hurt if you fool around," she replied.

"I won't," Harry said, as he turned to Horian and asked, "Can I watch?"

"Can you, you can even try your hand at swinging a small hammer," Horian replied with a laugh and stepped outside and said, "Come along, lad," as he started walking across the street to the blacksmith.

Harry spent an hour watching the blacksmith named Horian working on a sword, while Jalyla talked with the owner's wife on a cargo she was supposed to pick up. He was ecstatic when the blacksmith allowed him to swing a smaller hammer on a piece of heated metal alongside the blacksmith's son who was banging away on a chunk of metal that he said he was going to turn into a dagger.

Horian watched Harry work and then stepped over to anvil, "Let me help you there Harry," he said as the tired boy stepped to the side. Taking the metal in the prongs he stuck it in the fire pit and pumped the bellows a few times to heat the metal.

"We need it hotter first, and I know what to make for you," Horian said as he pulled the strip of metal out and laid it on the anvil.

Harry watched as the man took over and turned the piece of metal into a U and when he dipped it into the barrel of water steam burst forth.

"Harry I turned your piece of metal into a horseshoe, you hang it above your door for good luck. Make sure the open part is turned up, so it fills with luck, okay?" He pulled the horseshoe out and checked it. Seeing it was cool enough to handle he laid it on a piece of cloth and then handed the horseshoe to Harry

"Ok, Sir, I will," Harry said as he held the cooled piece of metal.

"Here are some nails for you," he said as he handed six nails to the boy.

"Thank you," Harry replied with a beaming smile.

"Welcome, now go get a drink of water and I think your Captain is coming out of the house now," Horian said as he looked across the street.

Harry grabbed a drink from a water skin and then ran across the road to Jalyla with a smile on his face.

"Did you have fun?" she asked Harry.

"Yes, look what I made with Mr. Horian's help," Harry replied as he held up the horseshoe.

"I see, we'll put it above your door," Jalyla said as they headed deeper into town.

Harry followed Jalyla around town for the next four hours. By dark they had their new cargo, so they headed back to the ship for dinner. Two days later, the Blackwood left the Rock with a full cargo and a child that was growing up. Over the next four years Harry learned his trade and worked himself up from cabin boy to assistant cook/purser of the ship. Several of the meals he had learned while slaving for his Uncle and Aunt were very popular with the crew and passengers. Especially lasagna, once he found away to make the noodles for the meal. The ship was attacked several times, but quickly ran the pirates off or captured their ships with the overwhelming firepower of the Blackwood's ballistae. The ships captured earned him a share of the spoils as Jalyla called it. He now had a magical trunk that Jalyla said was like a bag of holding and he had over a hundred books inside that he had taken as his share of plunder or bought in book stores in the various ports they had gone to. Not having to hide his intelligence, he now spoke and wrote the following languages: Mountain Dwarf, Elvish, Common as well as English that he taught to Jalyla, Gruff and Barlow. He was learning how to fight with a short sword or long dagger as the dwarves called it as well as his dagger.

One day on a new cargo run to the Rock, which happened to be his birthday of arrival; he was standing watch on the main deck, when his eyes caught something out in the distance. Pulling out his telescope he extended it, and found the item that caught his attention.

"Oh, fuck!" he said.

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Languages

Italics (Greyhawk Common)

Italics/Underline (Elvish)

Normal (English)
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First Edited By Futurist

Final Edit By TeNderLoin

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