Summery: Xanatos is in Britten on business when he stumbles across a silent green-eyed boy. Intrigued by the unusual boy he sends his aide, Owen to the boy's house. There, Owen is forced by magic into becoming a new daddy to the boy who lived. Harry, with his new father, goes to America where he will experience adventure and healing with some extraordinary new friends.
Rated: T (for now).
Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with Gargoyles; all belong to whoever came up with the idea and their affiliates, just borrowing for personal amusement, no money being made. I also don't own Harry Potter, which belongs to J.K Rowling and her affiliates, again for personal amusement and not for profit.
Authors Note: Hey folks! I know, it's been a long time coming, but here is the next installment. (By the way, who else is missing the nice dark grey background and white words?) anyhoo, I thought long and hard about how I wanted this fic to go. I know some of you won't be happy, but I felt this is the path is should take.
It's not my best chappie *fidgets nervously* but I hope you all like it just the same. Don't worry, you will enjoy the next chappies.
Author Note 2: Here's the stat's so far.
HP X Magus 3
HP X Goliath 28
HP X Oberon 19
Oberon/Harry/Goliath 7
Magus/Harry/Goliath 1
HP X Kai (Ishimura clan) 2
HP X Yami (Ishimura clan) 3
HP X Brooklyn 2
HP X Lexington 1
HP X Coyote 1
Note: i will not be messing with my established couples which are:
Hudson X Mcgonagal
Xanatos X Fox
Owen/Puck X ?
I am still going through tallies and the winning pairing will be announced at the end of July.
Chapter 7: The Letter
8 months later…
Harry mused over how some things never seemed to change, even if changes were the thing that never did. 2 months after his god father, Uncle David had been sent to jail, a week before he was due to be released, Harry's silent pleas to keep his new gargoyle friends and his father with him under the castle walls that had become a home were finally set aside by Goliath.
It had happened after Uncle David had ordered Owen to hire a man who had the same hard life about him, though less hatred as Demona, had kidnapped a couple of the clan, including Bronx who had become his unofficial guardian. His father had attempted to keep him away by sending him to an art show with one of Uncle David's various enforcers. The art show had been interesting, but Harry had sensed something was up in the castle, that bit of him that had warned him when his uncle Vernon was particularly murderous and deep in his cups. Harry had slipped his babysitters leash and arrived home in time to witness as Goliath roared at the helicopter that carried the unconscious gargoyles in metal nets away. He to had been struck with an electrified metal net and had slammed into the courtyard were Hudson and Broadway also lay unconscious. Harry had not been happy, and one look at his father, who stood there looking displeased at the events that didn't go to whatever plan he and Uncle David made and Harry knew. He knew that his human family had hired the man (who he would later learn was named Macbeth) to get rid of the gargoyles, and that his father had lied about trying to live peacefully with his friends. The fact that he had yet again betrayed Harry's trust, even after he had forgiven both men for their actions from the first time, had hurt Harry deeply. When Goliath had retrieved his captured comrades thanks to Bronx, Goliath had only stuck around long enough for Harry to grab a few things and for Goliath to collect the Grimorum Aconorium, the magic book that had lead the gargoyles into Harry's life. He had tried not to look at his fathers stricken countenance as he allowed himself to be carried away in Goliaths arms. Harry had cried for days at the loss of his family and the gargoyles had comforted him and reassured him that he was one of them, a child of the clan, that they would always care for him. Broadway, Lexington and Brooklyn even called him bro or brother since they were to young to be considered his fathers which was the way of the clans for all children to call the adults mothers and fathers. He was not their rookery brother, but they still treated him as such.
Goliath had not insisted that Harry call him father, as the only adult male that also wasn't an elder, understanding that Harry still looked at Owen as his Father despite said man's betrayal. Hudson was an elder in the clan, and as such had become to old to father hatchlings of his own, even if there was more then one female in the world left.
His new status in life was what had Harry now musing.
It seemed he would just get used to one life, and then something dire happens to cause him to change families and homes. First his parents died in that car crash when he was 1 though he didn't remember, then Harry was rescued from the Dursley's though he was grateful for it, and just when he begins to relax his guard, his father and godfather betray him again and now he was living in an old clock tower above the police station. Harry was wondering how long it would take before he was torn from his new family by fate?
Then there was the secret's he kept from the clan. He was always careful about revealing his differences to the others, afraid of how they would react, afraid that his freakishness would be the catalyst of what drove him from his latest home. Even in the 11 months that he had been a child of the clan, he was careful to bath and change cloths only during the daylight hours when he snuck from the tower and used the small rec centre across the street that didn't mind. Harry never removed the headscarf from his head after sunset. The others didn't question him about it, respecting his privacy. Goliath didn't like him leaving the clock tower during the daylight hours, but there was only a small bathroom and no bathing facilities, which gargoyles never seemed to need. Harry knew that this was just yet another nail in his freak coffin. His insistence at using the rec centre and not taking off his head scarf just added up to the other odd things.
Like when Lexington had been lured by the pack, his godfather's girlfriend Fox ran. He had gone with him and Goliath because he was curious about the women. (This had been while he was still at the castle).
The Pack had attacked Goliath and Lexington, though they were careful not to lay a hand on him. Harry had been so upset at seeing his friends being hurt that he had barreled into the fray and while crouched over Goliaths head protectively, had closed his eyes and…
Well, the Pack were now in jail sporting identically colored blue hair and the bruises and broken bones from all five of them being tossed 50 ft in the air some distance away. Even now, Harry didn't know how it had happened. Goliath had been barely conscious and had not realized what Harry had done. Neither had Lexington who was also unconscious. His father didn't know either, though he wondered if he suspected it, despite the fact he was no longer living with him. Owen may have allowed his son to remain with the Gargoyles, but that didn't mean that the man had other methods for paying his boy a visit, as Harry had discovered periodically over the past months. Despite the visits, even if they were in his fathers true form, he had refused anything more then a stiff formality worthy of his fathers Owen form. He had bit back the guilt at the look of resigned pain on his fathers face, and the white haired male only told him that he would continue to check on him and hoped that the boy would come to forgive him.
Harry knew that his freakishness was not a widely accepted concept as evidenced by the Dursley's. He knew that his father was different, though Harry felt that his difference was not like his Father's. Harry didn't precisely know why, it just felt that way. His father had made mention of something called mortals magic. His father believed that he, Harry, had this mortal's magic, but had made no more explanations.
It had made him cringe and want to vehemently deny such a claim. But his father had thought it was brief moments of what he called Harry's Truth Sight, when he had drawn him that first time as both his persona's was an example of some mortal power. He had also mentioned seeing something called shields and wards around himself and his previous home, and that one of these wards had been what made him Harry's father and given Harry his ears and hair, though nothing else, including his fathers own abilities. His father seemed all right with those bits, and was always watchful for any more displays of magic. Harry had been careful and not shown himself to be anything more.
The clan was even less aware of his freakishness, though he was sure Bronx suspected something. Bronx couldn't talk either though, so he felt safe with the gargoyle dog. After that incident with the Pack, Goliath barely went anywhere without him, and when he couldn't be with the leader, he was with one of the other gargoyles. Harry's new nocturnal habits had forced his father to reconsider his schooling after Harry put his foot down on he matter. He was instead taught by Lexington about computers and he was taught online a couple of hours every evening. With his monstrous ability to absorb information, he had enrolled himself in an online high school equivalency test. Despite his inability to directly communicate through the written word, he had discovered recently that the comforting faceless interactions of the Internet had given him a way to communicate enough with others for the first time outside of drawing. He didn't mainly through his written assignments though, and was limited to such. It to had been boring, though the reactions of his father and Uncle David when he visited him in jail when they had found out that he was a high school graduate at the age of 10 had been highly amusing and worth the boredom. He had shrugged it off. He wasn't bothered about schooling again though uncle David had made noises about enrolling him in University when he got out during his time at the castle.
Now though, Harry was learning through the Gargoyles.
His thoughts yet again turned to the kidnapping that had ended his final, fragile trust in his father and Uncle David and the source of his musings. The man, Macbeth had only wanted to lure Demona. Apparently the two had a history. He even claimed to have named her. 'Things change always' he mused mentally, 'even when it would seem it never will.'
Ooo ooo ooo
Harry sighed as he perused his latest book in the dark silence of the small library that Goliath had discovered beside the clock tower. Goliath had taken it upon himself to make sure he was educated by using the library, despite Harry's online educational pursuits that he continued through the rec centres small computer lab. Goliath taught him about the time the gargoyles had come from, clan history, and culture. Hudson was teaching him the ways of the warrior and appreciation for modern human TV programming. Harry was taught how to fight and wield a sword, as well as tracking and reading ones environment. His brothers had taken it upon themselves to make sure that he was educated in the important stuff as they called it. Playing video games, building and taking apart machines with Lexington, cooking with Broadway (though this was something he was already familiar with) and forced the portly gargoyle to find more exotic foods and cooking methods with which to teach him. Brooklyn taught him his 'cool' lessons. Proper lingoes like 'dude' and when to use them (despite the fact that he couldn't speak) how to ride a motorcycle, though these lessons had ended when some two-bit gang destroyed the motorbike during the fracas with Demona. She returned briefly (apparently having survived the drop) and tricked Brooklyn into making Goliath vulnerable to a mind-controlling spell. Harry had nearly revealed himself when he had touched the zombie like Goliath and a jolt of green energy had jumped from his fingertips and been absorbed by the gargoyle leaders lavender skin. Goliath had blinked, his vision cleared, and the clan breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that the spell had been perhaps temporary. None of them had seen what had happened, though Harry had noticed that Hudson would watch him with a keen thoughtful expression at times.
Harry kicked the bricks behind his heels, his feet dangling above the clueless streets and the cops and their prisoners going in and out about their business. Harry had even spotted the lady Detective's bright red car at times along with her red haired partner.
Yes, it had been an interesting year. He looked down at the silver pocket watch that Lexington had built and given him for his first Christmas with the clan. Though gargoyles didn't normally celebrate human holidays, Goliath had stated his desire to give Harry normal experiences that a human child would have, as well as being taught the ways of being a gargoyle. Hudson had given him a large broad sword that made everyone else wonder where he had gotten it in the first place. The sword was nearly as tall as he was and he could barely lift it at first. Hudson had laughed and told him that he would grow into it. In the meanwhile he was to keep it on his person at all times which was a little awkward for Goliath who Harry often curled up in his burly arms as goliath read to him for a change, or if he just wanted to nap.
Right now the sword's pommel stuck up through his long hair, the blade tip resting diagonally along his back so he could comfortably sit. The flaps of his slightly to large black leather jacket flapped in the wind. Brooklyn had rescued it from some nameless crook during his patrol, was another gift. Harry of course, nearly drowned in it, but with some safety pins filched from the police station, he had rolled up the sleeves and pinned them in place. He didn't realize that it made him look all the more adorable, and was still blissfully unaware of the fact as people he encountered at the rec centre coo'd over his cuteness.
Harry was waiting for sunset, having gotten up early as usual for his mourning bathing at the rec centre. He almost couldn't believe that it had been a year since his he had left the Dursleys and England behind. At just around midnight, or lunchtime for Harry and the other Gargoyles, he would be 11 years old. He had decided that today, as much as he was nervous and frightened at the prospect, fearful of their rejection, he would reveal his ears.
He was just fortunate his father was not around for his birthday. Uncle Xanatos had an unexpected business trip come up and Owen would be busy helping his uncle. The despairing father figure had sighed at his son's reaction, and given him a deep red sketchbook with a set of pencils before disappearing in a ball of jade green sparkly mist.
He stood up and fidgeted nervously as he gave his clan room to burst from their stone sleep, stone fragments falling harmlessly to the ground below. How people had not noticed yet was mind boggling to Harry. The others greeted Harry as they all went inside. Broadway hoisted Harry up onto a large shoulder as Harry grinned despite his nervousness. He was glad that his new family wasn't aware that it was his birthday. Harry had never cared for such things, having never celebrated it at the Dursley's. He only knew that July 31st was his birthday, and only because of his aunt cursing that specific day he had been born. The only birthday he had ever celebrated had been with Uncle David and his father.
Whether or not it didn't occur to them to ask, or gargoyles did not celebrate such a thing, he had not bothered to ask with his usual pictures. Harry spent an enjoyable evening cooking with Broadway and watching another human late night movie, this one a comedy that had Hudson chuckling and stroking his beard. Brooklyn and Lexington had left to go see a western at a movie theatre. Harry had declined accompanying his brothers since Broadway had dragged him to it already. He was content as he crawled into Goliaths lap, resting his back against the gargoyles broad chest as he drew while Goliath read his latest literary find. Paper wasn't hard to come by, being in a city, and whether it was a pile of scrap paper or a filched wad of copy paper from the supply closet that Harry occasionally borrowed from, with out being caught by Manhattans finest, didn't matter to the green eyed boy. He was drawing Hudson pointing at the TV, laughing in a frozen moment of mirth when something grey and feathery sailed through the clock tower entrance and directly towards Harry.
The feathery something turned out to be a rather exhausted looking great horned owl that perched regally and hooted down at the clan from his perch on a clock gear directly over Harry's head. The owl gave irritated hoots down at the lot of them, not looking disturbed at the Gargoyles appearance in the slightest, more like he was irritated over trying to find the clock tower in the first place.
Harry didn't know how he guessed this, but he shrugged it off as the Gargoyles stared up at the annoyed Owl.
"Well," said Broadway, "there's something your don't see everyday."
"Och, it be a fine bird," said Hudson appreciatively, "in the old days it wasn't uncommon for a gargoyle to have an owl companion. I had almost given up hope that there was even any in this forsaken to bright city."
Hudson held out an arm and gave a strange sibilant whistle.
The owl preened at the old gargoyles words and flew down to perch on the gargoyles arm.
Hudson stroked its chest feathers with a knuckle. "Ye be a fine proud beastie…what have we here then?" Hudson mused as he spotted the letter attached to the bird's leg. He was able to read the name on the envelope.
"Well now, this is a night for oddities. Harry lad, come here a moment." Harry slid off of Goliaths lap and approached the elder curiously. The others gathered around as well. The owl stuck out his leg directly in front of Harry's face, hooting imperiously to relieve him of his burden. Almost numbly Harry removed the letter. It was made of a type of parchment and sealed with a deep red wax seal of a shield with a lion, badger, snake and raven surrounding a letter H in the middle. He turned it over and stared at he dark green inked address.
Mr. Harry Potter
Manhattan, NY, USA
Clock tower above NYPD, precinct 12.
There was no return address. Harry felt as if his breathing had stopped. It had been over a year since he had the last name Potter; he had thought his father had it legally changed to Burnett. Harry swallowed thickly as he broke the seal and read the letter.
Dear Mr. Potter,
This letter is to inform you of your acceptance into Hogwarts, School of witchcraft and Wizardry. This acceptance being enacted through pre-arranged admittance through your magical guardian. You will be expected to show with all your perquisite supplies on September 1st and shall be sorted into your house. You will be expected to adhere to the rules of both the school and your house rules upon completion of sorting.
Included is a list of the necessary supplies and a ticket for the Hogwarts train leaving from Platform 9 ¾ at 11:00am from Kings Cross Train station in London Brittan. Enclosed as well is the location of a near by Port key that will transport you from Manhattan to Diagon Ally were you will be expected to make your way to Kings cross from this location. Should you have any special requirements or are impeded from attendance, then return a letter by this Owl.
Congratulations again,
Professor McGonagall, Deputy Head Mistress.
Ooo ooo ooo
A/N: I hope you enjoyed that. It isn't the most pleasurable of chappies, but it's holding. On a side note, I decided to cancel the competition for this story since I already have two going for other stories and I am having a hard time keeping track. As for making the decision I did with the story to just have a few remembering moments of Harry's and hit him with the letter, I wanted to start him off with his Howarts years and see how the gargoyles interact with it. I already know who I am going to have go with Harry his first year.
