Disclaimer: I can honestly say that after looking at my poor bank balance I do not own any of the characters that you see and recognise here from either Harry Potter or The Labyrinth, I am just having a little fun with them all

Chapter Three – Story Time

The next morning Jareth gave orders for breakfast to be taken to Harry, along with some of his own clothes that he had shrunk down for him. Once the child was fed and clothed he was to be brought to Jareth's office.

While this happened Jareth began to go through the Potter file in a little more detail, a file that also included a copy of the Will for James and Lily Potter and what he saw angered him greatly and made him even more determined to adopt Harry and keep him safe Underground.

Soon he heard a timid knock on his office door and after calling out "Enter", Harry slipped in dressed in the black trousers and white button down shirt he had been given. Jareth noticed he had left off the waistcoat, but he wasn't too surprised at this.

Giving a small smile he put down the file he had been reading about the properties belonging to the Potter estate and said, "Good morning little one, I trust you slept well?"

Harry returned his smile with one of his own and happily replied, "Oh yes Sir, thank you, and thank you for breakfast and the clothes. I promise I'll work really hard to pay for them."

Jareth gave a small frown and indicated Harry should come forward and sit in the chair in front of his desk while saying, "Harry you do not need to pay me for the food or clothing, and you do not need to call me Sir. There are times when you will have to use certain titles to address me but for now simply calling me Jareth will be fine."

Harry sat down and gave a nod of understanding, "Yes Si…um Jareth."

"Now Harry, there is much that we must discuss this morning but if you feel like it is too much then I want you to let me know and we can take a break or if you are struggling to understand anything then you can ask as many questions as you want until you do understand. I also want you to be completely honest with me, I know you have not been treated well while you lived with your relatives so you do not need to hide anything from me, do you understand little one?"

Harry's head had started to lower and he was once again staring at his lap while his face was flushed red but he nodded and quietly replied, "I Understand."

"Good," Jareth replied before moving himself and his chair around to the same side of his desk as Harry, "Then we can begin; now the first thing we need to discuss is how we intend to have you remain here with me.

I am the King of the Goblins Harry and one of my duties is to grant what is called a Wish Away. When a human makes a wish that the Goblins would come and take someone away, I must and go and grant that wish.

The one taken is brought here to my castle as you were last night. The wisher is then given the chance to run through the Labyrinth that leads here to obtain back the one they wished away. Many choose not to make the run and as such the magic of the wish means that I have to turn that person into a creature of my kingdom.

Do you understand everything so far little one?" Jareth paused and waited until the young boy had given a nod of his head that he did, "Good, if I am going too fast or if you do not understand anything I am telling you I want you to let me know little one, we will be going over a lot of information and I don't want you to struggle with any of it."

Harry again nodded his head and quietly asked, "My cousin didn't want to try and get me back did he? Does this mean I have to be turned into a creature?"

Internally Jareth gave a sigh, it was so much easier when he just did the transformation straight away and didn't have to spend time with the wish away. "Normally yes Harry I would turn you into a creature, but it would cause problems if I did that, you see you are a very special boy."

Harry shook his head in denial, "I'm sorry Jareth, but you have that wrong, I'm not special I'm just a freak my Aunt and Uncle have told me so."

Jareth frowned, "What have your relatives told you about your parents and about you?

Harry gave a shrug, "my mum and dad died in a car crash and that they had to take me in. They said that I was lucky to be alive and a freak of nature because I had survived when I should be dead so had to be grateful for them being so nice and giving me somewhere to live and food and clothes but I have to pay them back for it by doing chores and being a good boy, but I wasn't very good at it." He bushed red ad looked down at his lap, "I kept failing to do my chores properly or I took too long so I am a bad boy and a freak and that's why I have to sleep in the cupboard under the stairs, and only get to eat some bread and a glass of water once a day because I'm not good enough for anything better."

Jareth had to swallow back the sudden fury he felt at hearing all of this, he knew he needed to hear this and for the boy to tell it so that there could be no embarrassment over having suffered it all in the future.

However, for the first time in centuries Jareth was glad for his job, seeing the dreadful backgrounds that some of the children he took came from had made him an expert at not only swallowing his anger back but hiding it as well; while he had seen worse then what Harry said, to hear such things happening to someone considered such a hero was unthinkable.

Keeping his voice even Jareth asked, "Was it your Aunt and Uncle that told you and your cousin the story of the Labyrinth?"

Harry shook his head, "No I was never told or allowed to listen to any stories." He shrugged his shoulders "I guess they may have told it to Dudley, but I don't think so as they hate anything to do with magic and fairy stories."

Jareth was confused, "Then how did you know the story of the Greek Goddess little one?"

Harry gave a small smile, "Oh I heard the one of the woman and the fruit at school from a teacher; I love story time at school."

Jareth couldn't help the small smile at the sight of the young boys enthusiasm for stories, "You like stories?"

Harry nodded his head several times with a large smile, "Yes it's great because I can close my eyes and pretend that I am in the story too"

"Very well then, I will tell you a story, but I need you to keep your eyes open and concentrate and remember little one this is all true, everything I am about to tell you is the truth, though it will seem unbelievable it will be the truth."

Harry looked a bit unsure but still nodded his head in understanding before pushing himself back into the chair a little more, making himself a little more comfortable to sit and hear a story.

"Many, many years ago four people, two men and two women came together in great friendship and together they founded a school. They named their school Hogwarts, but it was not an ordinary school as you have attended, this was a school for special people that had a gift as they did; it was a school of magic.

For a long time they ran the school and all was good and safe for them and their students, but as is the way of nature, bad things began to happen. The non-magical people of the land began to fear those with magic, and in their fear they would fight and hurt the magical people.

This caused a lot of arguments between the four friends, two wanted to try and talk to the non-magical people, try to get them to understand that there was nothing for them to fear, one wanted to hide the whole magical world and having nothing more to do with any of the non-magical people, including the magical children born to the non-magical, they wanted to just leave them to themselves and allow only those that were magical and already knew of the school to continue having this knowledge, but one wanted to combine the two ideas, to hide the magical world, ensuring it is protected from the non-magical people that wished them harm but to continue to allow the children born to non-magical people to attend, to talk to them and their parents and show them that they have nothing to fear."

Jareth stood and picked up the goblet of water from is desk and taking a few sips returned to his seat before continuing, "Soon the first two friends realised that the idea to hide was necessary as people were not just being hurt now but had started to be killed for being magical, but they could not face leaving the magical children born to non-magical parents to face the chance of being harmed, and so they created a book that when a child with magic is born their name would show in it so that they could find them and help them and their parents by bringing them into the secret of the magical world. But still it was not enough for their final friend.

He still argued that they should go even further into hiding, eventually seeing that they others would not listen, he decided to leave. Though it pained them all greatly because though they argued they were still friends, they respected his decision and soon he was gone. They did not know this but eventually their friend made his way here to one of the Underground Kingdoms, but I shall tell you that story another time."

Harry's eyes were wide with fascination as he listened intently to what he was being told; Jareth took the moment to once again take a few sips of water, "For a long time peace settled on the magical world. There were times when one magical person would try to take over and tell everyone else what to do and this would often lead to battles where a great many people died. Again this is the way of nature, for you to know how happy and peaceful things are there must be times of storms that disrupt and disturb everything.

It was in the 1940's that a new wizard entered the school that would end up causing yet more battles in years to come. His mother died when he was born, and the father did not want him and so he was placed in an orphanage, do you know what an orphanage is Harry?"

Jareth paused and Harry quickly nodded "Yes Jareth, my aunt and uncle told me they nearly put me in one and that I could still go to one if I was really bad. They told me what one was so I would know just how lucky I am that they let me stay with them."

Jareth frowned, "that is not something you need think ever again little one, but we will discuss that later. Now this little boy grew up in an orphanage before going to Hogwarts. He learned all about magic but he did not use it for the nicest reasons, he liked to use it to make people do what he wanted, often he would use his magic to hurt people.

When he left school he was soon using nastier and nastier spells and rituals, they were distorting not just his magic but his soul as well. He began to talking about how the wizarding world should rule over the non-magical people, that those without magic, as well as any magical creature that was not human were lower than witches and wizards and should be made into slaves.

There were people that thought as he did, and they began to follow him. He changed his name from Tom Riddle to Lord Voldemort. Because of this he made the people who thought the same, the ones who called themselves 'pure-bloods' that he was the same as them, but he wasn't.

His mother was a witch, but his father was a non-magical person, this means that to the 'pure-blood' followers he had he would have only been a 'half-blood' and as such should be classed as one of the lower class of people. But he hid this from them and so they followed him.

Soon they began to have fights and battles with people who believed differently, people who thought that everyone was equal."

Harry sat up a little straighter and said, "It's like with the four friends again isn't it?"

Jareth smiled at the young man, "Yes Harry that is exactly right, it is similar to what the four friends did but on a much bigger scale as now it included all of the people from the magical world.

Now this is where your parents come into the story." Harry's eyes grew even wider and an eager look came over him to hear this, his relatives had never spoken about his parents unless it was to say how bad they were for getting themselves killed as they did.

"Your father was from a fully magical back ground and would have been considered a pure-blood but he did not follow the Evil wizard, he was one of the people that believed everyone should be equal. Your mother was considered to be a non-magical born witch, In the magical world the term used is 'Muggle-born' but this is not a nice way to call a non-magical person and we do not use the word Underground.

As your mother had no magical parents she was considered to be of the lowest class a human magical person could be to Voldemort and his followers.

Because your father is a pure-blood and your mother is a non-magical born, when you were born you are considered to be a half-blood magical."

Jareth let that sink in to the child's mind while he had some more water. Harry blinked his eyes in astonishment a few times before quietly asking, "I have magic but I'm like Voldemort, does this mean I will be bad like him?"

Jareth shook his head, "No little one. Your blood does not define who you are, only your thoughts and actions can do that. Now your parents stood against Voldemort and for this they were targeted by him. It was during this time that a prophecy was made."

Harry suddenly looked unsure and confused at this, guessing what had confused him Jareth explained, "This is when a person can see the future but most of the time when they try to describe it out loud it comes out in a riddle that can be hard to understand."

The confusion cleared on Harry's face so carried on, "Now as I say a prophecy was made and some believe it relates to Voldemort. It told that a person would be born that could stop him; Voldemort thought that this meant you."

Again the confusion was back on Harry's face, "But why would he think it means me?" He asked.

Jareth decided that it was highly unlikely that Harry would understand the Prophecy if he told it to him now, and he was already going to be told a lot of information during the course of the day, "It relates to how the prophecy can be translated and understood, however we have a lot to go over today so I think it best that we leave that topic for another day ok?"

Harry looked like he wanted to ask about but nodded his head, "OK."

A part of Jareth was pleased at how obedient Harry was, however he also knew that it was possibly due not to him being a ruler but to how his relatives had treated him that had stopped Harry from asking any more questions.

Pushing these feeling away, Jareth returned to the story, "Because he thought the Prophecy was about you, Voldemort decided that he needed to get rid of you and so he attacked your home on Halloween."

A look of understanding and horror started to appear in Harry's eyes, "Yes little one," Jareth said softly, "It was in this attack that both of your parents died, they died fighting Voldemort to protect you."

Tears had now filled Harry's eyes and started to fall, he was again looking at his lap and the tears were falling onto his knees, leaving little spots of dampness. Jareth placed a hand on the shoulder closest to him and gave him a few moments of silence before saying in the same soft voice, "Your parents loved you very much little one."

Harry nodded his head to show he had heard but still he kept his head down as the tears still fell. After a few minutes of silence had passed, and Jareth had taken the time to drain the last of the water in his goblet, Jareth broke the silence, "Harry, there is much we still have to go over but for now I think it best of you take a break, go for a walk outside or have something to eat. I will send a goblin to you in a couple of hours and we can continue our talk then ok?"

Harry still hadn't looked up but nodded his head and stood, he was about to leave the room when he stopped and quietly sad, "Thank you for telling me about my parents." With that he quickly ducked out of the room.

Jareth gave a sigh before moving back behind his desk and carrying on with some of his paperwork, including dealing with the matter of Albus Dumbledore.

He had another look through the file on the wizard before drafting a letter to him and then adding it to the tray that would take the letter to the Director of the Bank and the only one who dealt with all correspondence Aboveground on behalf of the King.

xxxx

It was actually two and a half hours later when Harry found himself being led once more back into Jareth's office, this time instead of the two chairs in front of his desk, there was now a two seater sofa with a small coffee table holding two goblets and a pitcher of water, as well as a small plate of cakes just off to the side.

Jareth stood from behind his desk and with a small smile greeted Harry with what was now a set term of endearment for him, "Hello little one, I thought we might be more comfortable like this while we finish our talk." He moved over to the sofa, indicating Harry to join him.

He sat and Harry sat next to him, "If at any time you feel hungry or thirsty help yourself ok?" he said indicating now to the water and cakes.

Harry nodded his head, "Yes Jareth."

Jareth poured them both a goblet of water before sitting back, "Now, you know some of the history of the magical world Aboveground and why your parents were killed which resulted in you being incorrectly placed with your non-magical relatives."

Seeing the look of surprise of Harry's face Jareth answered the unasked question, "Yes little one you were never meant to go to them should anything have happened to your parents. Unfortunately another wizard, who I suspect has his own plans interfered and placed you there."

Anger started to show in Harry's eyes, "however now that you are here, things are going to change, and that is what I wish to talk to you about this afternoon. As I mentioned this morning the law states that if a wisher does not run the Labyrinth then the one wished away is to be turned into a goblin or a creature of the Labyrinth, but you are special Harry, a child of a prophecy that has been deemed one of the rare ones that must be upheld which is why once I knew who you were I went to the Council of the Underground to seek their advice."

Curiosity had now replaced the anger in Harry's eyes and he was once again entranced by what he was being told.

"I told you the history of the magical world Aboveground this morning, so I think it only fitting that I start our talk this afternoon with a little history of where you now are."

Jareth conjured a Crystal and after flicking it through his fingers a few times, handed it to Harry, "Look into the Crystal little one."

Harry took the small globe and looking into it found an image at its centre that seemed to change and rotate between different lands, some beautiful but some harsh and almost desolate looking.

"Long ago, many more years than both the magical and non-magical people can remember in either written or spoken history there was once a strong bridge between the world Aboveground and the Kingdoms of the Underground. Passage between the two was simple and regular for all both magical and non-magical people, much like going to visit a family member or going shopping.

Overtime the two worlds drifted apart and the bridge between them decayed and disappeared, as such only those with any magic can now travel between the two worlds.

The Underground itself is split up into different Kingdoms, some are ruled over by a member of the species that the Kingdom is of, but most are like this one and are ruled by a member of the Fae.

It is the King or Queen of each Kingdom that makes up the Council of the Underground. It is the council that makes all of the laws and helps resolve any problems that occur between the Kingdoms."

Harry nodded his head in understanding, "A bit like the government, I've heard Uncle Vernon go on about the government, he would say that they were making all the wrong laws because they were the wrong government and that he if he ran it all, he would make the right laws to help the people that deserved to be helped and not all the ones that are useless and don't know how to do an honest day's work."

Jareth gave a brief nod, "A good example considering you have spent the first five years of your life in Aboveground. Now I am the ruler of this Kingdom and as such a member of the council I can, if necessary call for emergency meetings of the council to seek their advice which I needed to do for your special case.

You see little one, if I turned you into a goblin or a creature of the Labyrinth, you would lose you magic as a wizard, and this would mean that the prophecy could not be completed. I went to the council to see if there was a way that we could work around the law so that I did not have to change you. The only way we could think off would be for me to adopt you as my Heir and son."

Harry's eyes went wide with shock, he swallowed a few times before managing to get out, "You want to adopt me?"

Jareth gave Harry a full smile, "If you are not disagreeable to the idea yes little one I would like to adopt you."

Harry couldn't believe he was hearing this, for the last couple of years he had spent many nights wishing that some long lost relative would turn up and take him away from his Aunt and Uncle or that some kind stranger would be lonely and want a little boy around to help and now he was being offered just that.

He nodded his head so fast Jareth was worried he would make himself dizzy, "Of course I would love to be your son."

"Well I am happy to hear this little one but unlike Aboveground this is not an easy process, it is not simply signing a few pieces of paper that then state you are my son, it is a little bit more complicated down here Underground."

Harry gave a shrug, unable to lose the smile that now stretched across his face, "I don't mind, if you tell me what I have to do then I will do it."

Jareth couldn't help be amused at the enthusiastic attitude Harry had to do whatever he needed to, "Calm yourself little one, the matter is complicated but the ritual itself is not. First you must understand and then I will teach you the ritual. Now if there is anything that you do not understand or are unsure about at any time do not hesitate to ask me"

Harry just nodded his head again; "Yes Jareth" before sitting up straighter in what he obviously thought was a pose that showed he was trying to be more attentive.

"The first thing is that I need you to remember is that not only am I member of the Fae but I am also the King of the Goblins, this mean that there are three types of magic involved; your human magic, my Fae magic and the Magic of the Kingdom, Goblin magic." Jareth began explaining; "Now the Fae and Goblin magic are both in my blood and so will not cause a problem. The problem will be making sure that you do not lose your human magic. For you to not only become my son but my Heir you have to become a member of my species."

Harry couldn't stop himself blurting out, "I have to become a fairy?"

Jareth immediately frowned, not at the fact he had been interrupted but at what Harry had said and couldn't stop himself from growling, "I am not a bloody Fairy." He hated the way many mortals had lost the true stories and merged the myths that likened the Fae with Fairies, normally any human that tried to call him such were dumped straight into the centre of the Bog of Eternal Stench and made to swim their way out. He had to force back the urge to do this to Harry.

"The Fae are not Fairies. We are beings with powerful magic and do not rely on mortals believing in us to exist. We are also not six inches high with sparkly wings on our backs, at least not by choice." He began explaining in voice that was not a neutral as he had hoped as it still held some of his irritation.

"The Fae are a graceful people that are thought to be cousins to the Elves. And before you ask, the Elves are not like the ones you may have heard about in stories at school either. They are neither small nor mischievous and they are defiantly not cute with little red hats, they are an ancient and incredibly powerful race; to insult an Elf is most likely the last thing you will ever do.

A long time ago for reasons unknown to those outside of their race, the Elves decided to leave the plane of existence for both Above- and Underground, very few remained to 'keep an eye' on things. Those that did stay reside within the Kingdom of the Dragons and travel throughout all of the other Kingdoms periodically.

The High Lord, the one who is the head of and in charge of the council is an Elf, as well as the one in charge of both the other Elves; it is the High Lord that will be coming here to conduct the ritual that will make us father and son."

Harry's eyes were still wide as he heard all of this before asking "I'm going to be a cousin to an Elf?"

Jareth couldn't stop the small laugh that escaped, erasing the irritation he had been feeling, "No little one, at least not as far as I am aware."

The wonder in Harry's eyes deflated a little at this but not by much, "Now," Jareth continued, "The ritual we will be completing in two days' time would under normal conditions make you a full member of the Fae; however changes have been made to ensure that you will only become half-Fae.

This will be enough to make you my son and Heir but will also make sure that your human magic remains intact as you will also be half-human.

Once you are my Son and Heir, I will train you as best as I can to help you learn and control your Fae and Goblin magic, but your human magic I will not be able to help with, that is something we will need to look at when you are older.

Now you have learned a lot of information and we will need to go over the ritual together so that you know what you must do, but for now I think we both need a change of scenery, come I will show you some of the castle that is to be your home."

They both rose and Jareth led the young boy out of his office and gave him a proper tour of the castle which finished with the dining room they would use on a daily basis where the evening meal for them was just being served.

Once they were done Jareth showed Harry to a suite that was just down the hall from his own, "Now little one if you are to be my son and Heir then you need to have a room that reflects your new status, a guest room will not do. As such I have had the goblins preparing this one for you but if you do not like it we can always find one that is better for you?"

He opened the door and Harry was again wide eyed with awe, the first room was as big as the Dursley's living room and had a comfortable looking sofa with a matching armchair next to it set before a fire that was burning merrily. Underneath the window that looked out onto the gardens at the back of the castle was a desk with a solid oak bookcase next to it, there were already some books on it but plenty of room for many more.

To the left there were two doors, one led to a modest sized bathroom, and the other was to the bedroom, which was as big as the living room. It held a big four poster bed with deep blue drapes; on either side were bedside tables that held small but what would be bright lamps. On the left wall was a door that lead into the bathroom as well, while against the wall opposite another large window that looked out onto the same back gardens stood a large wardrobe with a matching set of drawers next to it, both stood empty but Jareth had plans to call in a tailor and have them filled with a new wardrobe for Harry.

Harry was once again wide eyed in wonder, "Th…this is for me?"

Outwardly Jareth smiled at him, inwardly he was cursing the Dursley's, "You are to be a prince of this Kingdom, as such you should have rooms to match that status. The wardrobe and drawers are empty but tomorrow I will have a tailor come and make sure they are filled for you."

Harry looked at the man that was soon to be his new father and launched himself at him, throwing his arms around Jareth's waist and burying his head into him, "Thank you, thank you, thank you so much" Jareth folded his arms around the small boy and returned the hug he was being given.

After staying like this for a few moments Jareth finally pulled Harry back a little, "Now I think that after the late night last night and tomorrow is going to be very busy I think that it best you have an early night."

Harry just nodded his head before picking up the same pyjamas Jareth had made for him the previous night and disappearing into the bathroom. While he was in there Jareth summoned a Goblin and gave it orders to summon a tailor for first thing in the morning.

Harry returned just as it was hurrying out and Jareth spent the next ten minutes putting him to bed before heading back to his office to finish his own work and begin preparations for the next two days.

xxxx

A/N Once again a big thank you to the lovely response I have gotten for this fic. Quite a big chapter today, I did try to break it down and split it into two but honestly I just couldn't find a point where it worked and still allowed it all to flow so I decided to keep it all together and just have a big chapter instead

Keep writing and have fun

V.