Disclaimer: See chapter one. Reviews are welcomed, flames aren't.
A/N: Special thanks to loralee1's story "Goblin Conspiracy" for the idea of a goblin healing ritual. If you haven't read it, it's very good. –GF
Chapter 7: There Really Is a Dragon
"It's hard to see them and not touch them, Kiddo, isn't it?" Lampie asked as he pulled Harry into his lap. Harry just buried his face into Lampie's shirt and allowed himself to cry and to be comforted. He had learned in his short time with Lampie that the older man really cared for him and didn't think it was bad to cry.
Neither of them noticed Lord Peter quietly talking to the portrait or the curious looks given them. All Harry knew was his need for a loving parental unit was being realized in the form of a lonely lighthouse keeper.
0o0o0o0
Far away in a dark forest in Albania, a green dragon was searching for something. Pausing for a moment, Elliott looked up into the evening sky and crooned. His time with Harry was running out.
0o0o0o0
Harry was upset. Elliott hadn't shown when he was ready for the ritual. And Elliott had promised!
"He'll be here when you wake up, kiddo. Elliott won't leave without saying good-bye. He's probably working on your get well present," Lampie said, brushing aside Harry's bangs as the boy laid on a small hospital cot. The goblin healer was finishing up last minute details for the ritual.
"Now young sir. Take this sleeping potion. It would be best for you to sleep through the procedure," said the goblin healer, holding out a vial.
Lampie agreed with the healers that it would be best if Harry could sleep through it all. The goblins had explained that the ritual, at best, was very painful even for adults. They had to scale down most of it for someone so young. They were very concerned that someone so young should be filled with so much Dark Magic.
As Harry drifted off, the healer gave Lampie a toothy smile, "His age, innocence and purity will be a bonus in over coming the darkness. Have faith in our ritual."
Lampie sighed and allowed himself to be escorted out of the room.
He was met by Lord Peter, Pamela and Ellen. Much had happened since that stormy night. All he wanted right now was to walk into Pamela's arms and bury his face in her neck for reassurance. How could one little boy who he had only known for such a short time become so important to him?
Time inched by, minute by slow minute. . .
While Ellen started to list all the things she'd need to finish Harry's recovery, Lampie nervously paced back and forth. She started writing a health plan that stretched years into the future. First they would have to start the boy on potions to regrow and strengthen his bones.
Pamela was writing in her case files trying to ignore everyone. She was muttering things about sending a copy of her findings to the muggle child services for the arrest of the Dursleys. Never mind what promises she made Mrs. Dursley, they were going down! Lampie paused a moment in his pacing to peer over her shoulder. He took a deep breath of her perfume. "I want to be there when they are arrested. I want to know what kind of people would abuse an innocent child," he said softly into her ear. Startled, she straightened. He noted that she was debating whether to yell or smirk evilly.
Lord Peter was the quietest of them all. He was working on a brief for the Wizgenmot. He shuffled papers and reports silently except for the sound of his pen scratching on parchment. From time to time, he would glance up, check the time before returning to his task.
0o0o0o0
Far away, in a dark forest in Albania, a green dragon found what he was searching for -- the remains of what once was a centaur. The poor creature was unrecognizable and appeared to be on its last dregs of magical energy. Soon the being that had possessed it would be looking for a new host.
Elliott looked up into the evening sky and crooned. Time wasn't on his side. His task of finding Harry a new family was complete. Soon Harry would not need him anymore now that he had a guardian who would love and protect him.
He grumbled a bit as his thoughts went to those in the magical world who only saw the boy for what they could gain by using him and not the boy himself. 'Well,' he snorted, 'he fixed that.' And that stupid prophecy? It would be completed tonight. When the link to darkness was destroyed, Elliott would make sure that the evil one won't be coming back.
A loud screech echoed through the forest breaking into Elliott's musings, as the creature collapses in its death throes. Elliott could feel the ritual and the dark magic rebounding as the links to Harry were dissolved one by one.
As the soul of the one once known as Tom Riddle or to his followers Lord Voldemort escaped from its host body, a blast of dragon flame erupted. Unable to hold on to his form, the soul called to its followers and bits of soul that had anchored it to the human plane. Elliott didn't let up.
The Dark Lord's followers clutched their arms in pain and fought the madness as they felt their magic being sucked away. They wanted to live! Being weak and without form, Tom Riddle lost the battle. He was nowhere near ready to regain what he had lost that night in Godic's Hollow. What strength he had managed to retain just couldn't stand up to the onslaught of Elliott's dragon fire. Seven bits of soul, known as Horcruxes, exploded as Tom battled to stay alive. His followers fought to regain their lives as well. They won as their dark mark faded into nothingness.
When Elliott's flame died away, only a pile of ash and burnt grass remained. Dusting his paws, Elliott leaned down and blew playfully. He snorted with laughter as the ashes scattered across the meadow.
In the Hall of Mystery where prophesies were recorded and kept, one small globe flared and died. It's prophesy had been fulfilled.
'The power the Dark Lord knew not' waddled away, humming cheerfully to himself, flicking his tail as he went.
0o0o0o0
The healer came to the waiting area. The adults waiting stood with anxious hearts.
"The young human, Harry, has come out of the ritual whole. The dark taint has been cleansed. The blocks and links to his magic have been severed. There was a bit of something in the back of the curse scar but that seems to have been dealt with. He will be a very remarkable wizard when he comes into his full inheritance. Train him well."
"Can I see him?" asked Lampie.
"And you are?"
"His guardian, Peter Taylor. Harry has no living relatives." Lampie refused to call the Dursleys anything remotely related to Harry. They lost that right long ago.
Harry looked so frail and tiny in the hospital cot against the white sheets. Lampie's heart tore at the sight when they went in to see him.
Lampie sat on the edge of the bed, running his hand through Harry's hair. The boy seemed to lean into the touch. It tore at his heart to know that this beautiful child had been so deprived of so much.
Ellen sat on the other side, running her wand over the boy. "He should sleep most of the night. From the looks of things, his magic is snapping back into place. Most of his magic up to this time has been focused on just staying alive. The Healers were right. The dark magic and blocks are gone. If you'll excuse me, I need to speak to the goblin healers. To set up a solid health plan for Harry," Ellen smiled as she gave Lampie's shoulder a squeeze. "He'll be just fine."
Pamela sniffed, dabbing her hankie to her eyes as she stood behind Lampie. "He looks so small lying there. I could just kill those Dursley, and that idiot that placed Harry with them. I could just scream."
"That won't be necessary. Between your reports and mine, the muggle authorities will see to it that they get what's coming to them, all of them," came Lord Peter's voice from the foot of the cot. "If you will excuse me, I have work to do. Good Day."
0o0o0o0
Several days later, Harry and Lampie returned to the Lighthouse. Elliott, the second night after the ritual, came to see Harry, who had just awakened from his ordeal. The boy was very pleased to see his green friend. Elliott stayed close by but out of the goblins way. Many believed, including Lord Peter, that Elliott was just an imaginary friend and nothing of real consequence. Harry and Elliott both got a huge chuckle over that, especially when Elliott would do something silly like making faces or when a healer would reach for something, move it out just out of their way.
At the Lighthouse, Harry was shown to his room. His parents were waiting for him. Lampie had kept them informed of his progress and they were anxious to see him again.
As Lampie was settling Harry in that night, Lord Peter walked in. "Hello Lampie. Lord Harry. I have the paperwork ready. Lord James. Lady Lily."
"What paperwork?" James asked. Both James and Lily looked curiously from their portrait.
"Well. As you know, Lampie only had temporary custody of Lord Harry. Ms Smythe and myself managed to get the paperwork for permanent guardianship as well as adoption papers for Lord Harry. It was decided that Mr. Peter Taylor a.k.a. Lampie to be Harry's official guardian."
Harry gasped. "You mean it? I don't have to go back to the Dursley's? Ever?"
Lord Peter sat by Lampie and smiled. "No. Not ever. As soon as Mr. Taylor signs the papers."
"Will I still be Harry Potter or Harry Taylor?"
"Well, if I might suggest that you take a new name but keep your birth name intact. There are still people looking for you because of your scar and what happened. Some with good intent and some not so good."
"Can I be Elliott? Well can I have Elliott in my name? He saved me from the Dursley," Harry asked. Seeing the skeptical looks, he was given, he exclaimed, He did too!"
"I can't see why not," Lord Peter smiled down, humoring the boy. "How about Elliott Harold James Potter Taylor. Your name will still come up in the Hogwarts roll as Harry Potter as that's your birth name, as this is a muggle adoption, not a blood one."
"There's a difference?"
"Well, yes, Lord Harry. If it was a blood adoption you would forego your Potter inheritance and we cannot have that, now can we?"
"Nuh uh," Harry agreed. Looking over at Lampie, he looked hesitant. "Do you really want to adopt me, Lampie? I mean, no one has ever wanted me afore. I won't be a burden, I promise. I'll do my chores 'n everythin'."
Lampie hushed Harry by drawing him into his arms. "Don't make promises you can't keep, kiddo. I've already talked it over with your parents and Lord Peter. Of course, I want you. After all, this is your room."
Just before Lord Peter left, Harry snuck out of bed. Two frantic men finally found him standing at the edge of the cliff over looking the sea. Harry was looking up into the eyes of a green dragon.
Lord Peter gasped as Elliott was staring at something on his finger. Then the dragon gave a huge sneeze almost blowing Harry off his feet. Laughing the pair hugged.
"That has to be the most illogical excuse for a dragon and a magical dragon at that," Lord Peter said in awe, watching the dragon launched himself into the night sky.
"That's Elliott," Lampie said as the dragon disappeared behind a darkened cloud. "He's a product of accidental and wish magic. His sole purpose it to help children in need." Pulling Harry closer, he placed an arm around the barrister's shoulder, steering them back into the Lighthouse. "Let me tell you about another boy he helped. . . ."
0o0o0o0
A/N: The epilogue will explain Dumbledore's reaction and any other questions you might have. I'm still not sure about a sequel, though. Maybe a one-shot or a two shot for general purpose sake. Who knows. Right now, I have other stories I want to write. I've got the first chapter of a Narnia/HP crossover that looks interesting almost written. Also, I want to do a Pirates/HP one as well.
Someone asked me on a different story, what's a flame? A flame in my opinion is a rude, spiteful, and often times hurtful review that offers no positive, constructive criticism to a story. Most times, the person who sends the flame won't use their names as they like to be anonymous. This site have rules about flames, you can find them in the extras, if you can get it to work.
Also, there is a difference to a flame and honest constructive criticism. You can not like a story and still offer tips on how to fix the story or tell the author what you really don't about their story in hopes that the author will fix their story. A flame is down right mean-spirited and can be very childish in their hatred of the story.
I hope that helps.
Until next time which will be the last time for this story. --GF