Chapter 4 Like Father, Like Son
The reds and oranges of late autumn splashed against an azure sky one cool, crisp morning as the seasons changed from summer to fall. Thomas Clifford Begley, a Gryffindor boy, joined Daniel in practicing riding broomsticks at the Quidditch pitch before team practice.
Many times, as a youngster, Daniel rode a toy broomstick; always only inches from the ground. His people never used brooms as other wizards did, nor did they apparate or disparate as a means of travel. For centuries, the Romani tied their identity and their livelihood to their horses. But since his father had been a wizard, a Gadjo, he had taught Daniel how to fly.
For the first time, Daniel felt a burst of utter joy as he took off high over the field and swooped with breath-taking speed down to the field again.. The late October wind blew through his robes. He had never experienced such a delightful feeling. The broom was faster than the fastest horse he had ever ridden.
Wild with joy, he raced several other boys around the field in a mock Quidditch formation. With some regret, he realized that the Quidditch teacher and coach, Madam Morgan, was whistling for them to return to the ground so that the real team from Gryffindor could take the field. Ron had met up with him just as they crossed the green pitch. From the sidelines, Ron and Daniel watched as the teams took to the air and looped around the field. One of the Beaters waved as he zoomed by them at full speed just barely missing Ron's head."
"Show-off!" Ron shrieked after him, happily. They watched, as two boys carried the case with the Quidditch balls onto the field behind Madam Morgan.
Ron was instructing Daniel non-stop on the positions and functions of each player. "Those two over there," he pointed, "are chasers and those are the beaters. They try to keep the bludgers off the Chasers and the Seeker." Suddenly, Madam Morgan shrieked, "Boys, be careful!" The warning came to late. One of the boys who had been carrying the very ancient case holding the Quidditch balls stumbled. He dropped his end and the lid opened. The bludgers remained chained to the case, but the small compartment that held the Snitch had come open and in an instant the tiny golden-winged ball had flown out.
Daniel's eyes tracked it immediately and in an instant, he reached out and grasped it in one hand. "Hold on, here's the Snitch- I think you call it. It was about to get away from you." He handed the shiny small ball to Madam Morgan who stood staring at him with her mouth gaping wide.
A boy older and in his fourth year, wearing scarlet red Gryffindor robes dropped gracefully top the ground near Daniel. "You caught the Snitch! You caught it and you weren't even on a broom!"
Daniel didn't understand all the fuss. He had simply reached out and plucked it from the air. It had been barely free of its' case. Other team members now dropped to the ground speechless with wonder.
Ron smiled exuberantly "Your dad won't have been the youngest Seeker at Hogwart's anymore, Daniel. I think he's been replace," Ron spoke off to the side and almost in a whisper.
It's a wonderful feeling to fly, he thought, ignoring Ron's remark.
The Captain and Keeper of the Gryffindor team, Albert Scott Finnegan immediately insisted on giving Daniel a tryout. After receiving rushed basic instructions, he let Daniel practiced with the team.
They worked until the sun began to set and almost missed the evening meal. Daniel tired, but joyful, finally set down and handed the Golden Snitch over to Albert Finnegan. He'd caught it every time.
"Our next game is in a month, Potter, " Finnegan grinned. "Rest up and be ready to play. You just passed the tryouts." The tall boy and other team members; Jerald Jenkins and Porter Finley, both fifth years (the oldest students at Hogwarts) and Betty Hood a third year all chatting excitedly, set off for the castle.
Ron joined him and they followed the other Gryffindors, "That was something. 'Gonna send an owl to dad tonight! Your just like your dad. My dad's told me stories you know. Professor Potter was one of the greatest Seekers Hogwarts has ever had. Wait 'til Vee hears bout this!"
Together Ron and Daniel headed up the lawn from the pitch. "Ron would you do something for me?" Daniel was walking slowly.
"Yeah what?" Ron was so happy he was almost skipping.
"Would you not talk about Harry. All I ever hear now is how great he is. I mean I know he's a great man. I've just listened to it until I'm about fed up. I just want people to talk to me and not like he's standing right behind me. It's a little like having two shadows." He hesitated, but spoke firmly, " I'm not Harry Potter you know."
"Oh right," Ron nodded, fearful that he had offended, "see what you mean. Been treated differently ourselves often enough with dad and mum in the Ministry of Magic. Specially, mum being Minister of Magic, and best friends with your father and HEROS. Understand completely."
Ron continued, "Hard living up to parents and what they've accomplished, hey? Like mum, she's so perfect," he shook his head and sighed heavily. "Gosh, mum loves rules you know. Don't think she ever broke one in her life. Course, Vicks does a better job. Always gets top marks, never does anything wrong." He rattled on as they walked. "Still it will be good to see you in a game. First of the season between Gryffindor and Hufflepuff. Possible to keep the school cup maybe."
Daniel smiled to himself and relaxed. Ron wasn't offended and was talking his ear off as usual. For the first time in days, he suddenly felt happy. He was going to play Quidditch and fly on a broom.
They walked back up to the castle chatting lightly about Quidditch and the players. Ron was a fountain of information.
As they talked about Quidditch and Daniel tried to persuade Ron to tryout for the team. "Why not? You seem to love it. It would be fun to be on the team together."
"Oh it would, yeah," Ron frowned. "Tell the truth, I don't know how good I'd be. Like to watch it alright, but it's another thing to actually do it, you know." Daniel was sure there was something that Ron wasn't telling him.
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Daniel was looking forward to dinner and wasn't upset at all about the detention he was to serve after. Professor McGonagall decided that he would be spending the evening with Snape cleaning out cauldrons.
Veronica, joined them and was as excited as Ron to hear about Daniel being on the Gryffindor Quidditch team. "I'm not surprised at all," she said, helping herself to potatoes and peas.
"You aren't?" Ron, mumbled, gnawing away at corn on the cob. "How very bright of you to know, Vicky, since he told us he hadn't even played Quidditch before."
Once again, Daniel noticed that Ron using another variation of Veronica's name. Today it was Vicky. Veronica didn't seem to notice.
"Oh, 'like father, like son'," she exclaimed. Daniel bristled at this until Ron leaned over and whispered to Veronica about his earlier discussion with Daniel.
"Oh, sorry, Danny. I do understand." She looked anxiously at him.
"Not a problem," Daniel reassured her and relaxed. His mind wandered off. He knew about Harry's Quidditch reputation, although not as much of it as Ron and Veronica seemed to know. He felt himself getting mildly angry thinking about how he would have to compete with his father's reputation once again. It didn't seem like he was ever going to escape it.
"Vicks, why don't you tryout for the team. Dan seems to think I could, but, you know…" he mumbled and looked at her cross the table. They nodded at one another. Clearly they knew something he did not.
"I might," she changed the subject quickly. She returned to a book she was reading and was talking to him, "Danny. It's really, really interesting that your mother is a Gypsy witch. They are some of the most venerated witches in history." Veronica helped herself to a biscuit. "There are loads of legends about magic that Gypsies can do." Obviously her book covered the subject.
"Even old Dumbledore probably didn't know about it. I've read about him, you know," Veronica glanced up. " Dumbledore is one of the greatest wizards in the world. Retired now. My mum is rewriting the book, Hogwarts; a History. It'll be Hogwarts: A History Revisited. I've read the older version and there's just no new information in it at all. I mean it really is important to keep up to-date. The last five hundred years is missing for goodness sake!"
Daniel continued to eat. He remembered the large book that Veronica had been reading on the train to Hogwarts.
Ron interrupted, "You'll find out that Veronica is always reading. Our house has more books in it than the library at Hogwarts. She and mum could rewrite the whole Hogwarts; A History , Revisited by themselves. Well actually, that's almost what they are doing, leastways mum is."
"As if you don't read, Ron Hermes Podius Weasley," she sneered at him. "Most of those books are yours!" She turned from him. "Ron thinks it'll make him look too smart."
Dan laughed and repeated, "'Hermes Podius'" as Ron choked. It was the first time Daniel had found something funny about outside wizards. He sobered a little and addressed Veronica, "By the way Veronica, our people call themselves Roma or Romani. It's a more respectful term."
She nodded looking worried that perhaps she had wrong-footed him again. "I found some very interesting books on the Roma," she said and nodded to see if she had gotten it right, "especially about Roma women. The most famous seers and gifted fortune-tellers in history have been Roma women."
"It's the custom among my people that the women are fortune-tellers. The men are more skilled in raising horses," Daniel explained. "They are called Sfirnari."
For an hour, long past their dinner they sat and talked. Ron and Veronica seemed spell-bound as Daniel described his tribe and their culture.
"Well, good supper," Ron commented. Throwing down his napkin he nodded to Daniel. "I'm going down to see Hagrid before it get's to late," Ron muttered. "Mum and dad says we should visit him regular. Not that it's a problem. Really a character, you know. You have plenty of time before your detention if you want to come."
"Did you know that Hagrid is our godfather," Veronica said. She was gathering her things.
"Want to go with Dan and me, then?" Ron asked Veronica.
"Oh, yes," she nodded. "It's always fun when he's come to visit. Danny, you should know that Hagrid tends to like monsters as pets. He tried to raise a dragon once," she said.
"I've heard," Daniel said. When his father had told the story told at the campfire, it kept everyone entertained for hours. They chatted as they strolled down through the wet evening grass towards the little hut at the edge of the Forbidden Forest.
Daniel agreed to join the two. He liked Hagrid. He lived the kind of life Daniel understood. He worked in the forest and tended to animals. Hagrid's attitude expressed a barebones honesty; something Daniel sensed about the big man. Daniel believed Hagrid could be trusted.
Nightfall came earlier and the twilight's pink clouds foretold a rainy evening. Knocking on the door, they could hear Hagrid's muffled voice. Normally, it would be booming through the open windows on a late summer's evening. Tonight, the windows were closed and the wood smoke from a fire assailed their noses. They stood waiting at the big wooden door unable to make out the words spoken or the identity of the visitor.
"Come in, come in." He said, opening the door at their knock. He let them into the dim candle-lit room. Ron and Veronica weren't aware of anyone else in the room. It appeared empty. Daniel noticed the wet footprints that darkened the wooden floor and trailed off into a shadowy corner. He held himself in check, not entering the room.
"Who were you talking to Hagrid?" Ron asked. "We heard you outside."
Hagrid turned to the corner. His visitor sat in the shadows and did not rise when they entered. "Daniel, Ron and Veronica this is a friend of mine." Hagrid nodded to the figure in shadow. "It's alright Verillieon, these are my godchildren and Harry's son, Daniel Potter."
The shadow leaned into the flickering firelight. He was willowy thin, small and dressed in strange iridescent robes that reflected the shimmer of the candlelight. If one looked at it directly the robe, the color would shift dramatically before the eyes.
The man's pale golden, long hair flowed around his heart-shaped pale face, draped to his chest. His rather long elegant ears made it clear that he was an elf, a Wood Glen elf.
Daniel acted first. He sensed the presence and had carefully not moved or spoken. He'd never seen an elf but knew they had seen him many times and been near him many times. The old men and women of 'his family' taught Daniel how to address an elf. Bending to one knee with head bowed, exposing his neck, he said very softly, " May you always find peace in the wood land, an arrow for your enemy and a friend in me."
The elf's stern expression softened at the words and the gesture. "And may thou always have a safe journey." He bowed slowly. "Thee is Senseve," he said with the most melodious, rippling, calming voice Daniel had ever heard. It resembled the rustling of leaves in a tree and whispered past his ears so that he was sure the others had not overheard. "Hagrid has said, thee is also Rom."
"I am, as yet, not an Adept. I am Rom." Daniel nodded and stood, his head remaining bowed in a polite show of humility. If ever there were a High Senseve, it was the Wood Glen Elves. Their capabilities extended far beyond his own.
"Lift thy eyes then, boy." The elf, motioned with his long slender fingers curling up fluidly under Daniel's chin. He gestured with such grace that one needed to watch carefully to see any motion at all. Daniel looked up into pale, gray eyes sparkling from the pallid face. The elf smiled gently, and said, "Thee does still have the smell of the wood, on you, boy."
Daniel immediately felt transported back into the woods, in the twilight of the day, watching the sun set and listening as the birds quieted. From the camp, he smelled the wood smoke and dinner cooking. Someone played a guitar and laughed. The tempo of the guitar picked up and he could feel his feet wanting to dance. The first star glittered in the scarlet-indigo sky. A horse neighed gently in the meadow.
"I will leave thee now Hagrid, so that thee can enjoy thy company." His gray eyes remained on Daniel for a moment. Daniel gasped and awoke as if from a dream. The elf moved through the shadows near the wall and disappeared out the open door without waiting for a word from Hagrid.
Daniel wanted to call him back. The elf had transported him effortlessly into a waking dream. Daniel realized that he was holding his breath looking at the door where the elf had disappeared. There was a faint, diffused golden light that seemed to drift from the path where he had walked and the fragrance of new-mown meadow grass drifting over them.
Hagrid moved to the fire and placed kettle on to warm. "Come on then, 'ave a seat. We'll 'ave some tea."
"Hagrid," Ron began, just then coming out of his shock. "That was an elf!"
Hagrid chuckled, "Caught on did ya?"
Veronica remained quiet and sat shivering at the table with excitement. Daniel realized she was bursting with questions.
"An elf," Ron said stunned, sitting down at the table. " Hagrid, how'd you ever make friends with one?"
"Known Verillieon for a long time. You might say he is a warden of this forest." Hagrid sat out a mug for each of them and began slicing some of his own fruitcake. "Noticed you knew the right thing to say, Daniel. Met an elf yerself, then?"
"Never saw one Hagrid, but I know they've been around," Daniel answered accepting the fruitcake politely and took a bite. He found it difficult to form words around the mass of cake that seemed to be growing as he chewed. He was still awed by what the elf had done.
"Don't doubt it," Hagrid said nodding. "You bein' in the forest and travelin' and all.
'magine your people know all about elves ."
Veronica couldn't contain herself. " He was wonderful, wasn't he!" she gasped, her face flushed with pink and her eyes gleamed. "I've heard stories, of course, but I never ever thought to see one. He was so beautiful and, and… he was like melted butter! Just… gorgeous!"
Hagrid chuckled looking at her.
"Not like house elves at all are they?" Ron grumbled suddenly, frowning at his sister.
"Nah, not like a house elf, not the same thing. I mean I think they're from the same race." Hagrid pondered for a moment. "But jus' looking' at 'em you can see that they're different as night and day," Hagrid said. " No, Verillieon's people are what you might call grand, maybe even a little majestic."
Veronica nodded eagerly.
Hagrid went on more seriously, "They are quite deadly too. No mistaken that. Very skilled with the bow and arrow. But mostly if they're left alone they are peaceful people. You don't want to never make one your enemy. Nope, that'd be bad." He nodded seriously over his tea.
Daniel added, finally swallowing the last bite of cake. "They are kushti leha'irden leshya'e. ." Daniel stopped, realizing that he was speaking in his own language. They all stared at him. "Sorry. It means… well it's hard to translate, but it means a very a fine deer- footed spirit." Daniel shrugged at the looks he was getting from all of them. "Well you saw him. I would guess that he could be standing next to you in the forest and you'd never know it."
Hagrid nodded in agreement, "Tha's pure poetry, it is, Danny. They do 'ave a magic that very few understand, but, they don't tolerate humans at all. They tend to think of humans as… low life, crude even." Hagrid sighed and said, "Sometimes, I think they gotta point."
"Why was he here?" Veronica asked still gazing at the door.
"Ah, jus' a friendly visit." Hagrid stood up and emptied out his cold mug of tea. He tried to appear casual. Daniel looked at his face and knew he was hiding something.
The visit indicated something more than just a casual meeting. Wood glen Elves did not 'visit' people, Daniel knew. If anything, a person would want to avoid contact since it might mean almost certain death. Daniel also knew there were few elves left in the world and they avoided humans at all costs. They thought of men as violent and self-destructive. Elves, although beautiful to look at, were among the most deadly of non-human creatures in the woods. Daniel didn't say anything and Veronica and Ron accepted Hagrid's explanation. He was slightly amused at how Hagrid always seemed to embellish these creatures' finer attributes.
Hagrid talked a little more about elves to satisfy Veronica's questions. "I guess you could call them guardians or stewards of the forest. They keep an eye out for things, know the trails in the forest and such. Very useful creatures they are." He sat about pouring more tea.
"I've never seen one Hagrid," Daniel said. " But I've been told that it's always wise to leave them alone if you ever come upon one."
"Probably a good thing Dan'l. They're not the friendliest of creatures. Still they are interesting. 'Specially in their tribes. Amazing to watch a bunch of 'em. Anyway… ," he went on. "Verillieon is a friend of yer father's." His face blushed suddenly and Daniel noticed and was also surprised at the news.
"Why don't they like humans, Hagrid?" Veronica asked.
"Humans are arrogant. They ruin the forest and hunt the animals without good cause," he answered. "It's always been the nature of humans to think they own everything and can do what they want with it. Tend to ignore other creatures. Elves aren't the only ones that resent that kind of thinking."
The little troop looked at the shadows a little more nervously. "They kill?" Ron asked, "How do they kill? With their bow and arrow?"
"Uh, perhaps I shouldn't say. Very unpleasant." Hagrid frowned. "Don't worry 'bout it. You're safe. Verillieon'll know y' now. He'll let the others know and they'll never harm you." He got up and collected their empty cups.
As if changing the subject Hagrid commented, " By the way Dan'l, I already heard that you got on the Quidditch team. Bless me, but it takes me back it does." They talked about Quidditch and Hagrid told them stories about how Harry and Ron had played on the Griffindor team.
Later, they talked about the Christmas Carnivale. Hagrid grinned, "Oh yeah, looking' forward to that an' all. 'Eard tell there's nothing' like it in the world and it's jus' for Hogwarts' students." He nodded at Danny. "Why they'd be comin' from all over the world to see it if they could. Gonna do it right on the lake I 'eard."
"What are they going to do, Hagrid?" Ron asked.
"Not to tell yer." Hagrid shook his head. "Why it'll be a surprise to all of us. Course there's a few things they want me to do, I guess. Had a talk with Harry- Headmaster- to you'uns o'course. There's a pile o'work involved what with getting all the shopkeepers and all involved and havin' the animals and such."
They couldn't get Hagrid to explain any further and decided it was getting late. Together they climbed the slope to the castle, their wands lit and stuck out before them to light the way.
Daniel glanced back at Hagrid's hut and felt a sense of loneliness. He wished he could sit beside a fire and look up at the stars all night.
Ron walked beside him, "So you have detention tonight with Snape?"
"Yes," Daniel nodded.
Ron shook his head sympathetically, "From what I can tell it doesn't look like he's warmed up at all over the years. My dad said he used to scare everybody to death. I can see it, scares me a bit," Ron said and leaned over, "I heard he used to be a Death Eater."
"Ron!" Veronica nudged him with her elbow. "He also was awarded the Order of Merlin First Class. They don't give those to everyone you know, especially not Death Eaters. Anyway, I hope all goes well."
"Best get it over with Dan," they said together.
"Goodnight." Daniel was tired but happy. He headed for the dungeons.