You know who owns what?
JK Rowling, Harry Potter, yadda blah snore!
But enough about that…

[..\|/..]

Exiled Faeries

The first thing one needs to remember, when approaching a large group of Exiles, is that respect is earned, not given. You're not owed anything and you shouldn't feel obliged to offer information for free, unless you've done something silly; so if you've heard rumors of Faeries in an area you have interest in, tread carefully and try not to do silly things!

Unless you find something wrong with the area, don't try to fix broken things; some Faeries like broken things!

You mean like how we took care of the revenant, but Shepherd didn't want the boat fixed, James?
Yeah, Vera!

If you find something that's been corrupted by Dark forces, either try dealing with it yourself, if you can, or make contact with the Faeries in the area, as they're probably set against it, before going for reinforcements.

No one likes unexpected guests, after all! Unless they're me and James, that is!
James and I, Vera.
Bugger your English words! マイシャーマン戯ける
STOP DEFACING MY NOTES!

Remember, Faeries are our friends and are willing to help us, so long as we're willing to help them back! A unified front against the Dark equals a happy world!

彼らはバグを食べなければならないのですか?
VERA!

(A series of tic-tac-toe games, winged stick figures, and paw prints are scattered across these notes)

-From Shaman James Stormcaller's notebooks
Taken at Walnut Manor, 1989-90
Donated to Hogwarts School, August 2003

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Chapter 7:
The Mystery of James Stormcaller

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[..|..]

Beneath a hill topped with an ancient beech there lived a Goblin.

It would cause anything from dismissive amusement to outright rage amongst his kin, Melfina the Landlady mused, if they ever saw where one of their best bankers made his retirement home; since ancient times, the vitriolic creatures generally made their homes amongst the deep bones of the world, in caverns no other beings could survive in, content with their hoarding of the planet's precious metals and jewels and creating masterworks of jewelry and armaments.

Only in the past two thousand years did their race arrive on the surface of the world, becoming quickly embroiled in its glories and horrors as they realized the sheer riches that could be had; funnily enough, from the Landlady's perspective, they were now the premier bankers in Europe and Western Asia, their numbers dwindled from the vast hordes of the past that so terrorized the world, the greedy, malicious people greatly underestimating their opponent's ability to adapt and respond to new threats.

The lesson, to never underestimate the humans, was something taught to all young Fae, whether Seelie or Unseelie; that lesson was an old one, dearly bought in blood and fire, and was part of the reason Mel was sitting at Vileclaw's table, sipping tea and watching her friend as he mulled over what she'd just told him.

The Goblins underestimated the humans, and were forced to guard their treasures, or face genocide; Faerie underestimated the humans…

The Landlady of the Exiles took a big gulp of the bitter stoneroot tea, reminding herself of why she'd left the Grand Courts. There were things worse than death, and staying in the Realm of Twilight was one of them. But back to Vileclaw's house.

Well, if Landlady was being honest with herself, mansion was a more accurate depiction of the Goblin's redoubt; a square stone door, etched with powerful Runes, opened to a warm, welcoming foyer, the roots of the beech winding around the hardened mud of the walls, which were painted to emulate the colors of the sky, red-orange near the floor shifting to white blue at the ceiling's apex. Speaking of the ceiling, Melfina was rather thankful she only had to duck a little to walk through the halls, though that had more to do with her insistence that the cranky stump-face make his home available to visitors; not that he complained much, as Vileclaw was an unusual Goblin in that he hated low ceilings and dark places, hence the warm honey tones of the living roots winding though the expansive halls, which were filled with weapons, jewels, reams of parchment, clay and stone tablets, and all the detritus of the Curse-Breaker-turned-accountant's long, full life.

The result was an organized, confusing mess that only made sense to the wizened, world-wise Goblin; glancing at a window, another heretical idea to his race, Melfina spotted a star-sapphire the size of her fist resting on a dog-eared edition of Isaac Newton's Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica, a sample of Saguaro cactus, potted in the skull of a grindylow, basking innocently in the Sun next to them.

Mel was going to miss him when he died, though Lisa would probably dance with joy; some of the books and tablets in the old Goblin's collection were one-of-a-kind, priceless artifacts, and Mel's oldest friend was such a knowledge fiend.

"A Druid," Vileclaw flatly stated, breaking his contemplative silence, yellow eyes rising to Melfina's face as she nodded, "That would make sense… Though it doesn't explain how the lad knows enough of the subject to make… Yavanna, yes?"

Nodding again, Melfina fiddled with one of her ear studs as she replied, "S'what he named it; as for the knowledge involved, well," she shrugged, "he has a kitsune. Though the Grand Courts've been at odds with them for millennia, I, personally, have respect for the fur-balls; they're as practiced with elemental magic as we Faeries are with illusions."

Gesturing his assent, as the old Goblin no doubt knew this already, Vileclaw countered, "I've lived in Britain for nearly 100 years, lassie, and done work all throughout this world, as ye well know; no kitsune or Druid could do that, not 'less they were older, better trained,"

"What're ye saying, Vile?" cut in Melfina, raising her eyebrow, "That the kid's, what, a natural Sorcerer?"

Scoffing, Vileclaw breathed in the fumes of his tea and curtly replied, "Dunno what I think, Mel, save the kid's got talent; there's also somethin' he ain't tellin' ye."

Huffing herself, Melfina went back to regarding that star-sapphire; it was such a soothing shade of blue… "Whatever he's not telling me, Lisa should be able to sous it out of him."

"Aye. Iffin she doesn't frighten the lad to death."

"Pfft, fie, Vile! She's not that scary!"

"Not that scary, the Exiled Unseelie says! Woman's glare could melt diamonds, were it magical!" Melfina opened her mouth to retort, but Vileclaw snarled, "An' ye know damn well, Landlady, 'ow yer Librarian gets with mysteries."

Blinking, it took Mel a moment to realize she was left gaping like a trout out of water, because the stupid stump-faced Goblin was bloody right! Lisanna was merciless when there was a mystery to solve, doubly so when it was a potential threat to the Manor; the revenant was only one example. She'd warded the upper two floors of the Manor's Library against intruders, though Mel helped, but no one could enter without the Librarian's knowledge and permission…

That, and Mel's fellow Scribe was more martially minded than herself, so the fact young James was able to cross their outer wards with ease would probably make Lisa a little violently curious…

… 'I'm such an airy-fairy.'

"GottagoVile,seeyalater!" the old Faerie cried, bolting out the front door and making for the West Wing as fast as her wings could carry her.

Seated at his kitchen table, Vileclaw rolled his eyes and heaved himself to his feet; limping over to his foyer, the aged Goblin slammed his door shut with a grumbled, "Ruddy scatter-brained at times, these Faeries."

[..|..]

While living with the Dursleys, James rarely had time to himself. Between chores, cooking and the occasional lecture, private time wasn't so much a privilege as a rare commodity for the boy. His friendship with Jean and the discovery of his magic changed things in this respect: books became James' way of rebelling against his Uncle's insistence that he do worse than Dudley in classes, and his magic allowed the young boy to complete his duties around the house much faster than without.

Combining books on housekeeping, gardening and cooking with what he was learning, in regards to magic, helped James with this endeavor; as such, the local library became his home away from home, his fortress of knowledge, where he'd learned so much about the world and its history.

Compared to the small and sparse public library, twenty minutes' walk from Privet Drive, Walnut Manor's equivalent was like comparing Buckingham Palace to a mud-thatch hut.

Stepping though the door after Breech, an excitedly vibrating Vera on his shoulder, James welcomed the familiar scent of old pages, alongside the pleasant smell of finished wood and the vague memory of a pungent incense, a whiff of flowering plants drifting through a partially opened window. Quickly, he looked around, grinning at what he saw.

Unlike the wood floor of the hallway outside, the floor here was white marble, dark blue carpets making four squares, within which reading tables were placed, only some of which had chairs, though all were the same color: a dark walnut that seemed to glow in the light; and such light! Each wall had three arched stained glass windows, rising nearly to the rope-molding that bordered the cream-colored ceiling, bathing the library floor in warm multicolored light. Four pillars, fashioned and painted to look like trees, their branches and leaves splaying partway across the ceiling, stood at the center of the squares, an iron band around each sporting two scones, each of which held a dull blue crystal.

And the books! The walls were covered, from floor to ceiling, in bookshelves of the same walnut as the furniture, each section eight shelves high; an endless kaleidoscope of books sat neatly in residence, some ancient, some newer-looking, thousands and thousands of books! Directly across from where James entered, a wrought-iron staircase went both up and down, peaking the young boy's excitement; a multi-level library, filled with books that, no doubt, were mostly on magic!

No-one was on this level, so James turned in place, his kitsune familiar grinning at everything she could see; letting his Sense ability stretch out a bit, James felt the sheer power flowing through the walls here, along with the intent behind it: protecting the treasures within from any who would wish them harm, preventing thieves from taking even a single book, even a shield that could spring into place around the whole tower- this library really was a fortress!

Landing on a nearby table after looking warily around, Breech grinned up at James, who'd moved to the center of the room and was admiring the painted ceiling with a bright smile; quietly, she said, "Pretty cool, huh?"

"It's amazing!" breathed James, Vera giving a quiet 'yip!' of agreement; smiling at the Triplets, as Snapper sat on the table's edge and Louie hovered next to his sister, he added, still quietly, "Was it like this when you all arrived?"

"Hem," a harsh throat cleared, in the direction of the staircase, just out of James' sight, making Vera squeak and his Faerie friends pale in fear; nervously, he looked at the source.

This Fae was taller than Landlady by a few inches, and much scarier to look at: wearing a black, sleeveless halter dress that stopped at her sock-clad knees, exposing her toned, wiry arms, rust-red skin tattooed with blocky patterns and highlighting her slender, hourglass figure; arms folded beneath her breasts, black tips on her clawed fingers, a diamond hole in the dress exposing a hint of cleavage, simple dragonfly broach in the middle of her throat…

Her face was the scariest, set as it was in a scowl that would send even his Uncle Vernon running; like Landlady Melfina, she had thin lips, but her chin was more pointed, her cheekbones and jaw more pronounced, ears longer, though the gold hoops piercing them were nice. The Fae's blue-black hair was short, stopping just above her jawline and in a brutal cropped hairstyle that reminded James of some of his worse female teachers; her eyes were the worst, though, the shining pyrite-yellow orbs in narrowed slits regarding the boy like he was a beetle she'd caught in the breadbox.

Then James saw her wings, as the four appendages jittered behind her: a deep copper fading to a sunny yellow at the tips, the young Shaman realized what this Faerie's physique was based on, 'A wasp. I'd better be careful here, don't wanna get stung.'

She spoke, then, in a harsh, cold voice, "To answer your question, human, there were books strewn all over the floor, cracks in the wood, and the staircase was rusty from rain. It took me decades putting that mess to rights, so," her voice, somehow, became even more menacing, making all present gulp as the temperature in the room dropped, "unless you are feeling suicidal, don't. Harm. My. Books."

Nodding swiftly, James disclaimed such a notion as fast as he could, "O-Of course I won't! This, erm, it really is a lovely library, and you've done good work," seeing as her glare abated a couple notches, James ventured carefully with a small smile, "Librarian Lisanna of the Walnut Court, I presume?"

Lisanna gave a swift, curt nod before ordering the Triplets, "I wish to speak to the boy and fox alone. Buzz off, you three."

"Erm… yes, Librarian," replied Breech unsteadily, rising up on her wings as Louie added, to James and Vera, "We'll wait at your place."

Nodding, James watched the three Faeries leave with a worried heart; once they were gone, he turned back to the Librarian, whose face had softened somewhat, sharp eyes flicking between Shaman and kitsune. 'Don't be scared,' he reminded himself of Bree's warnings, 'She may have been Unseelie, but she won't hurt Vera. I'll be fine.' Clearing his throat, James introduced himself, "James Stormcaller, ma'am, and this is Vera, my Bonded familiar," he gestured to his shoulder with a smile, Vera giving a wary nod as her Shaman introduced her.

"Hmph," the tall Faerie grunted, staring right at Vera for a moment longer before speaking to James again in that cold voice of hers, "Boy, I am not just the Librarian; I am also this Court's expert on magical artifice and phenomena. When you were brought here, Melfina bade me examine you and the items on your person, which I carefully did."

"You didn't touch the rattle, did you?" hissed Vera suspiciously, making James glance at her reproachfully; he really didn't want to get this Faerie mad.

But she just snorted, "Of course not, kitsune; no, it was a cursory examination of the magics at play in the tools your Bonded carries…" Lisanna turned her seemingly-permanent glare back to James, her next words shocking him to the core, "…as well as your physical beings, in case any detrimental effects lingered from the Nature magic you brought into this world, Harry James Potter."

James actually took a step back while Vera stiffened; across their Bond, he felt her fear as the young kitsune drew on her magic, preparing to flee. Reaching up and touching his Vera's face, hoping she'd stay calm just a bit longer, the boy fearfully asked the hard-faced Faerie, "How do you know me?"

Eyes rolling in exasperation, the Librarian snapped the fingers of her right hand, a book zipping from a bookshelf to her hand with a soft slap! James blinked at the action; he barely felt her use magic! Then the Faerie held out the book, roughly, showing boy and kitsune the cover: The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts. 'What the…?'

Lisanna's cold voice broke through James' confusion, "Do you truly think yourself anonymous amongst magical creatures, wizard? When nearly every one of your kind knows your name?"

Looking between the book and the Faerie, James just felt more confused, which was reflected through his Bond; Vera didn't know about this, and Khepri hadn't said anything either! "I-I'm sorry, ma'am, but I really have no idea what you're on about!"

The Fae blinked, before her gaze hardened again, "Explain. Now."

Gulping, James wished Landlady was there; she seemed a lot nicer than the Librarian. Still, he replied politely, "I didn't even know there was a magical world until I came here…" his frustration, at the entire situation, from being abandoned to becoming a Shaman to meeting a horde of suspicious Faeries, bubbled to the surface, though he managed to keep his voice down, "I didn't know Faeries were real, or Griffons, I still don't know much about what a kitsune even is, sorry Vera," he added to his Bonded through angry tears.

"S'okay, James," she soothed, nuzzling his shoulder, "I don't know much about the Mundane world either, so we'll have to learn from each other!"

Smiling thankfully at her, James turned a frown on the now-confused Faerie, "All I know about magic, I learned through trial-and-error, on my own, or from the River Yew-"

"You spoke to the River Yew?" hissed Lisanna, setting the book on the nearest table and looking at the pair with surprise, "You can hear her?"

Nodding, and wondering why she was so surprised, James answered, "Well, yeah! I can hear most trees; most don't talk much, just happy to be alive, though the Forest of Dean likes to Listen to the Winds and the tidings they carry. The River Yew is different, though,"

Waving a clawed hand though the air, Lisanna interrupted him, "I ruddy know the River Yew's different; the point I'm making is, even if you're a Druid, you shouldn't be able to hear her Speak! Those stones were altered back when the Roman Legions overran this land, so even if they captured a Druid, the barbaric fiends couldn't tap into the land's magic," as she took a breath, James thought, 'That's what she meant! The Gates were broken so the Romans couldn't use them!' The Librarian finished, "Therefore, either you're lying or this kitsune is teaching you things she shouldn't," and glared at Vera.

Before Vera could retort, James snapped at the Fae, "I'm not lying and Vera isn't to blame! I called out to her at the circle, that's how we met!" his Bonded nodded, glaring at the Faerie herself.

Lisanna's brows slammed together right before she snarled, "Explain!"

"Why should we?" put in Vera, matching James' own thoughts, "You're not very nice, even for a Faerie!"

The Librarian made a noise like a teakettle, yellow eyes glowing dangerously and wings buzzing in agitation; gripping his staff a little tighter, James felt Vera tensing, though the young Shaman realized something: they were in this Faerie's seat of power, her magic rippling through every grain of wood and pane of glass. Escaping or fighting her would be difficult; 'Maybe we can get out the window before she tries anything…'

Before anyone could do anything, however, a loud, authoritative voice boomed from below, shaking the Manor and making Shaman, Faerie and Spirit-Fox pale in fear, "SCRIBE LISANNA! GET YOUR SKINNY ARSE DOWN HERE NOW!"

Mumbling, "Aw, shite," the Scribe in question rose on humming wings and flew down the stairs without a second glance at boy or fox, who were both shaking in the wake of Landlady's command.

Letting out a relieved sigh, James glanced at Vera, who looked just as happy to have the intense Faerie out of their sight, "Wow, that was close! I'd just wished Landlady was here, too."

His foxy sister nodded, "Me too. I think the Librarian's curious, but doesn't know how to ask the right questions," she hopped off James' shoulder and bounded over to the book on the table, "She said you're in here, James; why d'ya think that is?"

Smiling at her change in gears, the boy walked over to the book, which Vera was now sniffing suspiciously, "Probably has something to do with that Dark servant my parents fought," resting his staff against the table, James pulled out a chair and settled into it, Vera hopping onto his lap after pushing the book closer with a tail, "Thanks. Let's see…"

Opening the book carefully, remembering the Fae's warning against harming her tomes, James found the table of contents and began looking for his name; but it wasn't there! Just stuff about the 'Grindelwald Conflict, 1914-1945' and 'Britain's Blood War, 1969-1981'; Vera asked, "What do those numbers mean, James?"

"Those are years, Vera," James told her, "It's 1989 now… and I was born in 1980, so let's read about how that Blood War ended; I was a baby when my parents died, after all," his foxy sister yipped in agreement as James turned to the appropriate page, marked in the table as Godric's Hollow, 1981

His parents… James knew they were his, from the man's circle-lensed glasses and messy hair, and the woman's fair face; both of them were smiling and waving in an oval picture, a baby held in his mother's arms… with messy black hair, just like his own. The caption read: Last photo of The Potter Family, James, Lily and Harry, taken together on Easter, 1981, six months before the war's end.

He wasn't too surprised at the picture moving (magic was fairly amazing, all things considered), as his dad waved again and his mom smiled and tickled baby Harry's chin; not that James noticed much, drinking in the sight of his parents, for the first time ever…

Vera nuzzling his face brought him back; he was silently crying, though, thankfully, his tears landed on Vera and not on the book. He didn't want that Faerie mad at him.

"It's okay, James," whispered Vera, rubbing her face against his cheek as he held her tightly, "I'll always be here, protecting you. Promise."

Sniffing, James gave her a quick, tight hug; Vera might not have known him long, but she sure knew how to help him feel better.

A light buzzing above his head heralded the Triplet's return, along with Breech's squeaky voice, "Huh. Your name's actually Harry Potter, then?"

"Was," James thickly replied, wiping his eyes and looking at the opposite page, where a sketch of what an artist though he'd look like at eleven held pride of place; grimacing a moment at the well-dressed and confidently smiling (bordering on arrogance, it was) doppelganger, James smiled and elaborated to Louie, who'd landed on the table, "Harry Potter grew up in a boot cupboard and lived in fear of his relatives; James Stormcaller's who I am now, a Shaman that'll set things right, and drive the darkness from the world."

Vera nodded vigorously, "Yep! We're gonna help everyone get along and make sure it stays that way!"

Snapper landed on the book's right side while Bree hovered above it, rubbing her chin thoughtfully; after staring at James and Vera appraisingly, he spoke thoughtfully, "So… not only were you Harry Potter, you're a Shaman too?" at the duo's affirming nods, the Faerie's lips quirked in humor, "Cool."

[..|..]

There were few amongst the residents of Walnut Manor and its surrounding lands who could catch Lisanna the Librarian off guard, and, of those few, she feared only one.

Melfina the Landlady. Youngest Court Scribe in Unseelie history. The Fae who'd led the Exiles to this place, who'd been instrumental in sealing the revenant, who'd taken over the Seelie tree sprites after their Scribe was killed by the filthy thing and organized them into making these lands somewhere worth living.

Lisanna's oldest friend. Her only friend, as even the other Scribes in the Realm of Twilight hadn't taken kindly to her insatiable thirst for knowledge and coarse personality. Melfina, despite serving a different Knight, kept the Librarian's temper in check, was there for her when no one else was… even her own Knight, who'd spat in her face when Lisanna told her of Melfina's exile and her own desire to leave the Realm, not wanting to be parted with her friend forever.

The Librarian never regretted what she'd said in response to her former liege's insulting gesture, or gouging the bitch's eyes out before fleeing, taking most of the Knight's books and servants with her.

But as scary as the Winter Queen's disapproval had been, as frustrating as the revenant's rot was to contain over the centuries, and as hard as it was to keep her new Court well-fed and happy, Lisanna hadn't been afraid; Exile though she was, her Unseelie training was deeply engraved into her person, and the Winter Horde knew no fear in the face of hardship.

No, only Melfina deserved her fear. Mainly because, beautiful her sister in all but brood may be, she was utterly terrifying when angered. Like now.

Seafoam eyes seeming like the daunting walls of the Crystalline Citadel, auburn hair whirling in an invisible wind, bismuth wings vibrating with barely-contained upset-ness, Lisanna felt like she was two inches tall before her friend, and she didn't even know why her sister was so angry!

Oh, and Cookie was there too; the only remaining Seelie Scribe, he was the only male Faerie Lisanna knew who had pink hair. Where Melfina was their leader and Lisanna the enforcer, Cookie was their counselor, the Arbiter of the Walnut Court… though he spent most of his time in the kitchens, as there was rarely any reason for him to break up arguments with everyone getting along under Landlady's guidance, so he was more commonly known as Chef to the younger generations.

Only an inch shorter than Mel, Cook offset the other two Scribe's appearance with his fair face and skin, grey-black moth wings always folded against his back; unlike most of the Faeries here, he wasn't a tree sprite, but a field-tender, a type of Faerie that aided the growing of crops in fertile land. As such, Cookie, who always wore a plain blue robe wherever he went, was of a much more patient disposition than his cousins, though one wouldn't know it, looking into his steel-grey eyes; there was a calculating coldness there that both Lisa and Mel, over time, came to respect.

Just because he looked soft didn't mean he couldn't be dangerous. Taking a careful step toward her still-fuming sister, Lisanna remembered a moment, mere months after their Exile, where Cookie reduced her to tears with a single, coldly-delivered sentence. While she wasn't afraid of him, she respected such ability from a Summer Faerie.

"Mel, could you please tell me why you're angry?" the Librarian carefully ventured, adding with a small smile, "Before you burn a hole in my nice, freshly polished floors?"

Around a dangerous hiss, Melfina growled, "You were going to attack him, a mere boy-"

Indignantly, Lisanna retorted, "He's keeping knowledge from us-"

Sighing, Cook snapped his fingers, activating a silencing spell on the (thankfully empty) ground floor of the Library, right as Mt. Melfina erupted, "IN. MY. HOUSE!"

A tiny sprinkling of dust fell from the ceiling, making the Librarian shiver; she'd just dusted, which meant a small amount of plaster had been obliterated by Landlady's burning roar. All the same, she assuaged her sister's concerns quickly, lest such obliteration be visited on her person, "I wasn't going to hurt him! Stick him and the fox to the ceiling and ask them questions, maybe-"

Cookie broke in before Melfina exploded again, which looked likely, his voice calm as a Spring breeze, "If Mr. Lupin was holding something from you, would you do the same thing, Lisanna?"

Oof. Cookie only used her full name when he was angry. Not good, "Err… no, Cookie. But-but Lupin's an adult wizard, not-"

"Not an orphaned, lost boy who danced and sang away the revenant's rot," Cook calmly overrode Lisa's objections, making the wasp-winged Fae wilt in shame, "On top of that, he's Harry Potter, which puts you doubly in the wrong."

Lisanna was surprised Mel's head didn't twist off, so fast did Landlady turn on Chef, "Excuse me?! Harry Potter?!"

Shrugging, the male Scribe blithely pointed out, "He has the scar; Rafiq confirmed it when he cleaned the lad up. Also, Asha looked through his belongings, and he has something called a 'Library card' with his name on it. Sadly, that's all the evidence I have."

"The scar was caused by Dark Magic, Mel, and he all but confirmed our suspicions when I confronted him regarding that fake name of his," the Librarian eagerly added, feeling the winds of this argument shift in her favor, "The glasses, the hair, the scar, it all fits!"

Frowning severely, the Landlady crossed her arms and mused aloud, "…He didn't lie to me, though. He is from the Muddy world, his uncle did abandon him, and, from what we've all seen, he has no idea what he is to the wand-wavers, didn't even know they existed till he met the fox! GAH!" Throwing her hands into the air, Melfina started pacing, wings jittering in fury as she asked Lisanna, "What'd that book Remus brought us, the one about the war, say? Dumbledore, right? He hid the boy?"

Blinking, Lisanna remembered that was what the book said, along with the Sorcerer's assurance that the Boy-Who-Lived was safe and learning of magic and the Wizarding World's traditions; realization struck her like a ringing bell as she whispered in shock, "He… did. And never checked on him. Winter's fat, saggy rump, the old fart probably doesn't even know the kid's out here!"

Their male companion paled, however, "Or does he? He is a Sorcerer, after all- oh, wait," he slapped his forehead, grinning, "I forgot, we're Faeries; old Bumbles couldn't find us if he tried," that observation lightened the mood a bit; though James, or Harry rather, was able to get through their wards, learned wizards were another matter. After the first six attempts by the Ministry to retake the Manor and its grounds, Lisanna'd added an illusion spell that would turn around anyone who approached Walnut Manor's surrounding forest while holding a wand; Remus was the only exception, as the Werewolf's father once did business with Vileclaw, so the lad had an in on getting room and board for the winter. That he was politer than the other humans was a happy plus, in the Librarian's eyes.

Waving her hands in the air, Melfina still wasn't totally calmed, "Even if the wand-wavers can't find us, that doesn't stop the biggest problem we have here: Harry friggin' Potter is in our house, and he knows bugger-all about himself, to say nothing of the rest of the world!"

"We're in a library, Mel, dear," Cookie observed, though he stopped talking when Lisanna stiffened in horror, "Something wrong, Lisa?"

"I left that book on the war on the table; he's probably read it, by now," she whispered, chiding herself internally for making such a stupid error; her sister's unimpressed head shake and Cookie's face-palm was just salt in the wound.

Then the boy's voice came from the stairs, "Err, excuse me, Ms. Librarian?" All three Scribes turned to find the object of their conversation halfway down the stairs and looking at them with interest; to Cookie, he said, "Oh! You must be Sir Cookie, the Chef. Thanks for the meals, they're delicious!" A foxy yip! of agreement followed his statement, though the creature was out of sight at the moment.

"Well met, lad, and I'm glad you like our cooking," said Scribe greeted the boy warmly as only a Seelie could, "How do you find the Manor?"

"It's wonderful! I love what you three have done with the place," the Boy-Who-Lived walked the rest of the way down the stairs, looking about the ground floor with interest, that kitsune at his heels and the Triplets alighting on the railing, "I, err, have a question, though, about that book you left out," he addressed Lisanna warily, holding said book carefully in his arms.

Who huffed and spoke apologetically, "I'm sorry for scaring you, earlier; when there's a mystery about, I can get… carried away; feel free to browse my library to your heart's content, while you're with us. Anyway, what's your question?"

"Well," he glanced down at his kistune, who nodded, while Lisanna's fellow Scribes looked on with interest, "It's more like… three questions," at her impatient gesture, the lad took a deep breath and asked rapid-fire, "Why do they call that Dark guy You-Know-Who, 'cause I don't know who, why's the book say I defeated him, when it was my parents that did it, and where can I find this Dumbledore guy?"

Melfina interjected carefully, "Before we answer any of those questions, why do you want to find Dumbledore?"

James jerked a thumb at Vera, who'd bristled at every mention of the Sorcerer's name, and replied angrily, "Because that book says he's the one who hid me; therefore, Vera here's gonna drop a lake on his head, right after I ask if he knew my relatives made me sleep in a boot cupboard."

The meeting sort of dissolved after that, mostly because Lisanna didn't want Melfina breaking anything in her library, but also because what Cookie had to say about young James' treatment, before arriving at the Forest of Dean, wasn't language meant for the ears of youngsters; luckily for everyone involved, most of the mysteries surrounding James Stormcaller (once everything'd been explained, Lisa understood why he changed his name) were answered before dinner was served.

'A Shaman,' the Librarian thought that night as she lit the glow-stones in their braziers, bathing her library in soft blue-white light (and activating a ward that would wake her if someone entered her domain), before flying to the third floor, the scroll repository and Lisanna's sleeping quarters, with a humored frown on her face, 'The Boy-Who-Lived, savior of Magical Britain, is a friggin' Shaman, and an Exiled Court is putting him up after his last living relatives abandoned him. What a coup! The Winter Queen would never believe such a tale, even if the Playwright himself wrote it!'

Despite her disbelief and chagrin over the situation, Lisanna found herself making a list on what the boy would need to learn… at least until Remus returned at the end of October; intelligent though she most certainly was, the Librarian knew most beings learned more readily from their own kind.

To wit, she'd dug up as many scrolls on Druidism she could find in her private stores, as well as crafting (Mel'd told her of the boy's staff and the issues he might run into with it), Herbology (there were far too many dangerous plants in the Magical World!), and a few magical theory texts to get young James a good grounding in actual magic studies, rather than going off his instincts.

It was a wonder, in all three Court Scribe's unvoiced opinion, that the boy hadn't blown himself up before now!

Blowing out her candle after getting ready for bed and slipping under the covers, a sudden thought occurred to Lisanna, as she reviewed the events of this most interesting day; leaping to her feet, she ran to the east-facing window of the circular tower she was in.

Flinging the shutter wide, the Librarian screamed into the starry night, "HEY, MELFINA!"

A moment later, her sister's tired voice hollered back from across the Manor, "What?!"

Taking a deep breath, a mischievous smile splitting her face, Lisa yelled, "IMAGINE FUDGY-FUDGE'S HIDEOUS MUG WHEN HE FINDS OUT THE BOY-WHO-LIVED GOT RAISED BY KITSUNES, GRIFFONS, FAERIES AND A WEREWOLF!" and waited for the inevitable reply with her ear-splitting grin of pointed teeth.

Silence reigned over the Manor for a moment…

Then the sound of squeaky peals of laughter filled the air as the entire population of the Walnut Court began laughing uproariously at the prospect of such a glorious prank! She could even make out Cookie's snorting guffaws and Melfina's high-pitched cackling in the raucous!

Leaping though the air with her own peal of laughter, Lisanna fell into her bed with her grin still in place; finally, after all these years, things were looking up for the Walnut Court!

[..|..]

In his room, a book on magical plants open on his stomach, James looked up at the Librarian's yelling and resulting Manor-wide humor; smirking, he glanced at a dozing Vera, head laid over his heart, "Wonder who this Fudge guy is?"

"Dunno either," yawned Vera, smacking her chops, "but he probably deserves all the pranks he's got coming his way, James."

Marking his page with a handy feather, James placed the book on his nightstand (his nightstand! He had his own apartment! Take that, Dudders!) and put his glasses on the cover; yawning himself, he snuggled up to Vera, "No doubt. Wizards are weird… Night, Vera."

Tails wiggling against his arms, his foxy friend licked his chin, "Night James."

Both Shaman and kitsune had the same thought, as they drifted off to sleep: everything was turning out for the best, and they couldn't be happier!

[..|..]

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A/N:

And we've introduced most of the characters to be involved in Walnut Manor! Still to come: the gardens, the griffons, a Selkie named Shepherd and his Merrow friends, and the showdown with the revenant!

Oh, and a look at what old Dumbles has been up to! DUN DUN DUNNNN!

I had fun with the historic entry this time; that, and my youngest insisted on it, after I explained Vera to her.

Reviewer response time!

ghostcrab311: omg I cannot STAND IT when people make Harry suddenly perfect at everything! Life doesn't work that way! I'm glad you liked it though! Thanks for reviewing!

Katzztar: Holy moly, you're getting way ahead of where I'm at in this story. I'm not giving anything away regarding Hogwarts and James' relationships with those three; though you are accurate in your estimations, they would get along, if they knew of each other at this point! Neville wouldn't be able to shut up and Luna would just die with happiness lol! Thanks for reading and reviewing!

Madra uzemaki: I'm happy to say, your worries are unfounded; I only do this in my spare time (I'm not getting paid, after all!), while most of my time is either spent with my daughters or helping my dad out when I'm not at work. Thank you for your concern, though, and for reviewing!

Valrew165: Patience, please. Remus stays during the winter, and we still have a few things to get through before we arrive at that meeting! Thanks for reviewing!

And thanks to theawesomest5, Mfoto, Charlie0925 and bluepillfanfic for also reviewing, as well as all the wonderful people who've favorited and followed, or even read and got a smile!

Till next time,

~Baked