Hey, it's been a while since I've posted anything. Now, I know a few people are a bit upset with me, I do have a reason why this hasn't come out sooner.
As most of you know, the last time I posted had been after I had gotten out of a coma. With that chapter, I only had to finish up a paragraph or two. With this one, I had to continue the story with nothing to work off of other than my old notes. However, after getting out of the coma, I had realized that I lost most of the original plot I had laying around inside my head. Sure, I had written notes, but there were so many ideas and twists that I had planned that I just didn't know how I was going to string them together. Because, honestly, there is way too much going on in this story.
I wanted a royal Harry, and a creature Harry, and a harem, and a yaoi, and super powerful, and…do you get where I'm going with this? Too much to figure out where everything goes. So, I had to come up with a whole new plot that somehow fits everything I had planned.
Well, I think I managed it. Although, if this story ever gets finished, it will most likely be ridiculously epic in length.
Anyways, don't expect regular updates, or even relatively quick ones. I have a lot going on, between school, work, family problems, etc…so, the next chapter could be a while. All I can ask is that you enjoy what I have to offer, and give me some criticism so I can try and fix any mistakes that I may have.
So, without further ado, please enjoy the story!
The very first thing Harry did after leaving the bank was to check his list and see what things he could mark off. Honestly, the only things he could mark off his list was the armor and weapons, the book on Wizengamut rulings, the date of the next Hunter exam, and a traveling bag with an expanded space on the inside of it. What he did have, that wasn't written down on the list, was the money bag and debit card for easy access to his vaults. They would make it much easier to withdraw money without having to come back to Diagon Alley.
Looking at his list, Harry decided that the best place to start would be a bookshop because the majority of the items he needed were books. Information was power, after all, and currently, Harry was so far behind where he needed to be that books seemed to be the most important. Not to mention, they took up the majority of his list.
So, Harry went into the nearest bookshop which so happened to be named Flourish and Blotts. It was a cheery place, with a brightly-colored storefront and plenty of witches and wizards hurrying in and out the doors. As soon as he walked in, Harry rushed over to the nearest bookshelf and eagerly began to read through the titles.
He saw such things like Maintaining Your Wand: A Wizard's Guide to Wand Care and A Wizarding Encyclopedia for the Muggle in You.
That last one seemed kind of offensive to Harry, but he figured that it was probably written by a pureblood wizard, and passed it by. Soon enough, Harry realized that all of the books were not organized in any particular order, and prepared himself for a long stay in the store.
Sure enough, it wasn't until hours had passed that Harry managed to exit the bookstore, his satchel filled with tomes of all sorts of subjects. Luckily, Harry had been able to find all of the books he had been looking for, so they were crossed off his list.
Re-reading his list, Harry realized that he should have prioritized his shopping and decided that the next thing he should purchase should be wizard robes. They needed to be tailored to him, so it would obviously take more time for them to be stitched together once the seamstress had gotten his measurements. There didn't appear to be a non-wizarding clothing store on the Alley, so he would have to go into London in order to purchase them.
His next task decided, Harry walked into a store named Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. Inside, to put it plainly, was a madhouse. Witches were bustling back and forth through the store while bolts of fabric and strips of measuring tape whizzed around. Before Harry could fully get his bearings, a harried-looking witch dressed similarly to a few others in the store approached him with a quill poised over a bit of parchment.
"Hi, my name is Christine. Welcome to our store. Can I help you with anything?"
Harry nodded and replied, "Yes, I need to pick up a full wizarding set of robes, with these crests embroidered on them, as well as a set of Wizengamut robes." He flashed her his badge and his rings.
Christine's eyes widened, the quill in her hand shaking, and she started to hyperventilate. Harry was honestly concerned for her health, and just when he was about to ask what was wrong, she suddenly screamed.
"MADAM MALKIN! We have a code red! I repeat, we have a CODE RED!"
All of a sudden, movement in the shop froze to a complete halt. The floating measuring tapes and bolts of fabric were suspended in mid-air, the witches working too distracted to direst them. Even the shoppers froze to a standstill while the other store helpers turned to look at him in unison. Their eyes gained a glint that sent shivers down Harry's spine, and in the back of the store, a red curtain parted as a witch hurried through.
She was maybe sixty years old, with short, graying hair and horn-rimmed glasses. She was short, and a bit chubby, but definitely not overweight. She approached Harry and Christine, pursed her red painted lips, and spoke.
"Okay Christine, what's the situation?"
"This girl is a code red! Not only does she need a full wardrobe, but Wizengamut robes as well, and look! She has multiple crests!" Christine spoke rapidly, trying her best to state everything as clearly and quickly as possible.
Apparently, the situation was desperate enough for Malkin's face to become even more pinched, and she spoke once more.
"I see…very well then, I'll see to this one…personally. Alright everyone, get back to work! The situation is under control."
After Malkin finished speaking, the pace in the shop picked back up again. Harry, confused as to why clothing was such a big deal, just went along with it and followed Malkin back through the curtain she had come through.
The curtains magically sealed up behind him as soon as he finished stepping through, but Harry was too busy admiring his surroundings to pay much attention. The room was circular and draped in beautiful fabrics, some of them shimmering due to the amount of magic inside of them. A round stool stood in the middle of the room, more fabric draping over it. Harry was encouraged to stand on the stool and remove most of his clothing so that Madam Malkin could get accurate measurements.
Harry then realized the predicament. This woman probably thought he was a girl, and even more worrisome, Harry had features that would probably alarm her. So, he sucked in a breath, and spoke out the problem.
"Well, Madam, there's a few problems I think you should be aware of."
"Surely it can't be too bad, child. What is the matter?"
"Well, for one, I'm a boy, not a girl," Harry spit out nervously.
"Oh…I see. Why, child, are you dressed as a girl? Not that I'm complaining, you really suit that dress."
And so, Harry spilled most of his story to the woman, Stripe curling around his shoulders comfortingly. He left out the parts about his creature inheritance, but explained about how he came from an abusive family and only just realized his position in magical society. Madam Malkin looked at him in sorrow, sniffling a little bit, as she took in his story. By the end of it, she was dabbing her eyes with a handkerchief.
"You poor, poor dear. Yes, I can see where you're coming from. Those muggles are just horrible wastes of space! Good on you, child, for escaping while you could. However, one so young shouldn't have to face such things. Sometimes, I wonder about the world we live in," she left off bitterly.
"Anyways, your gender shouldn't be any reason for you to be reluctant to shed your garments, is there something else I should be aware of?"
Harry winced. Malkin had hit the nail right on the head. She noticed his wince, then moved in to comfort him.
"Oh honey, I assure you, I'm a professional. Whatever it is, I'm sure it can't be too bad."
Sucking in his nerves for the second time, Harry explained the second, bigger problem to her.
"Madam, I'm afraid, it is a big problem. You see, I'm not exactly human."
She paused, a thoughtful look crossing her face. "Well, you can't be a werewolf, because the full moon wasn't that long ago and you would be looking much more haggard. It can't be a vampire either, as its daylight, and your hair is dark, so you can't be a veela. Why, child, what are you, if you don't mind me asking?"
Harry was relieved that she didn't seem prejudiced against creatures, and hurried on to explain.
"I am a hybrid between a High Fae and an Earth Sprite. The inheritance gave me some…inhuman features."
"A High Fae and an Earth Sprite," she mused. "Well, I can't say that I've heard of Sprites before, but the High Fae sounds familiar…"
That's when Harry lowered his hood and Madam Malkin got a good look at his face. Other than the overly large eyes set in a beautiful, feminine face, the thing that caught her attention was the diadem resting on his head.
"You…you…High Fae…royalty…" Malkin seemed to sway a little on the spot, her face paling.
You see, every witch and wizard knew of the creature ruling body. Although they hadn't been a major player in politics for several years, stories of them were passed down among family members. Stories of beautiful beings with wings that would sweep in briefly, only to disappear just as quick.
Speaking of wings, Madam Malkin steadied herself and glanced at his cloak that was still fastened around his shoulders.
"Your cloak…?" she whispered.
Encouraged by the fact that Malkin had yet to show any negative responses, even if she was looking a little pale, Harry undid the clasp around his throat and let the wings spring free as it fluttered to the ground. Malkin gasped, her hands shakily covering her mouth in surprise.
Soon, however, Malkin got her bearings and swept into a deep curtsy, bowing her head low.
"Oh, I'm so sorry for my rudeness! I just…I got caught up with…please forgive me."
Harry lightly touched her arms and encouraged her to stand up.
"No, no, it's okay. Really, please don't do that. You didn't know, and to be honest, even I'm still not used to it yet."
That's when Madam Malkin realized that the boy standing in front of her wasn't just a baby monarch, but an abused child as well who had just taken his first baby steps into a culture he knew nothing about. So, stiffening her spine, Malkin allowed herself to straighten.
"Again, I apologize, but you must understand. I can't just ignore your standing, as you are literally a major player in the political fields now. However, what has me curious is why you have not been announced yet? The current Fae monarchs would have surely been excited to present a new Heir, as it has been a long time since one has stepped up."
"Well, you see," started Harry nervously. "I haven't announced myself just yet to them. I mean, the goblins know now, but I'm going to wait a week to let them know that I exist."
Harry then went on to explain his reasoning to Malkin, who was listening carefully. Afterwards, she nodded grudgingly.
"Yes, I can see your point. However," at this, she gave him a stern glance. "You will not go around hiding yourself like a fugitive after the announcement has been released. They will not be able to get to you, and you should not be afraid to show the world who you really are."
Harry agreed, and then the two of them went down to business.
Malkin said, "Well, we've wasted enough time chatting, let's start on your robes. Please take off your dress."
Harry slid off his dress and tights, but then blushed in embarrassment. He forgot that he was still wearing girl's panties. For the record, Malkin didn't say anything about them, but based on the small upturn of her lips, he assumed she was amused.
The measuring tape got to work, winding around different parts of his body while Madam Malkin stood off to the side to take notes. After a few minutes, the tape measure rolled itself up, and Malkin started speaking again.
"Now that we have your measurements, we can get started on the robes for you. First off, I was wondering what kind of robes you would like to wear. More specifically, would you like male or female robes?"
Harry's immediate response was to say male, but he paused for a second and thought about it. Everyone who might come looking for him would be expecting to find a decidedly male Harry, not a female. Not only that, but girls were always underestimated. Harry really wanted to wear male clothes, but he knew that it was probably better that he wear female clothes instead. And besides, they made pants and whatnot for girls, too. So that meant he didn't have to go around in dresses. Although, he had gotten used to wearing them recently, and girl panties were really comfortable…
"Female, I think. It will make it harder for people to find me, and girls are always underestimated in a fight."
Malkin smirked at that, and made a note on her parchment.
"Alright, I can do that. Now, what fabrics would you like? I have some plain cotton robes that I sell to most people, but I have a feeling you'll lean more towards my selection of more expensive fabrics like Acromentula silk."
She waved her wand, and several bolts of fabric flowed from cabinets scattered across the room. Malkin arranged them in a circle around Harry and had him touch each one of them. Most, Harry immediately rejected. Like Malkin predicted, Harry did take a liking to Acromantula silk and ordered all of his robes in that fabric.
"Now, we need to decide what color to use on your robes. I think greens would be the best choice, although some chocolates and maybe a few blacks would look good as well. You should also get a silver or two…"
Harry just let Madam Malkin do the color choices, and they ended up deciding on three green robes, three in black, two silver, one brown, and another two in teal, to match his wings.
"Alright, now we need to decide on the cut of your robes. We could do a traditional wizard's cut, but I think that with your body type and your inheritance, we should go with a robe that is closer to the traditional cut for your species."
Harry had no idea what that would look like, so Malkin swished her wand and summoned a picture of a robe her shop had sewed years back. The upper half was a corset, and strapless as well. At the waist, the robe flowed out in horizontal layers with slits up the sides of the legs to the waist for movement. The layers were in pieces, the ends shaped like leaves, and draped all the way to the floor. Separate to the robe were two sleeves that strapped around the bicep and gradually became wider until they resembled formal kimono sleeves. There were tassles attached to the bottom portion of both sleeves as well. A set of leggings were to be worn under the robe, as well as a pair of thigh high leather boots.
Honestly, with the corset and the layered bottom half, the robe reminded Harry of the set of armor that he took from his vault. Thinking hard, Harry chose that one, deciding to follow Malkin's earlier advice and be proud of what race he was.
Malkin smiled, complimented him on her choice, and made a note of it down on her parchment.
"Alright then, I'll get to work on those right away. Because of the fabric, the amount of clothing I need to make, and the number of customers we have, it will probably take me a few hours to get them stitched together. Why don't you finish your shopping then come back later this afternoon. I should be finished right before closing. You can then check my work for quality and pay me when you retrieve them."
Harry agreed and pulled his clothes back on, Stripe winding back on his shoulders as he had been resting on the pile of clothes while Harry was getting measured. Waving back to Madam Malkin, Harry left the shop and went on to buy the next few things on his list.
Late that afternoon, Harry could be seen walking back to Madam Malkin's shop to pick up his clothes. Everything else on the list had been bought and paid for, and all he had to do was pick up the robes she had promised him.
Walking inside, Harry noticed an immediate difference from earlier that afternoon. The store wasn't crowded at all, and only had one or two shoppers who were browsing around the pre-made off-the-rack robes for sale. One of the sales girls noticed him, and obviously remembering him from earlier, presumably went to fetch Malkin from her back room.
The woman walked out, obviously exhausted, but looking pleased with herself as several boxes floated in the air after her. As soon as she stopped in front of him, she swished her wand and robes started coming out of the boxes.
"Dear, it took me a while, and I almost didn't make it in time, but they are finished and I think you'll like the result."
Indeed, Harry was exceptionally pleased with her as all of the robes were absolutely gorgeous. Malkin even made it a point to style his red Wizengamut robe the same as his other robes, as if to mark him as different from everyone else who would be sitting in the courtrooms with him.
Thanking her again, Harry packed up the robes and left to make one last stop before the Alley closed down: Ollivander's.
Harry knew that although he was younger than the standard age to receive a wand, Ollivander would sell to him anyways because his magic had prematurely matured due to his early inheritance.
Walking inside, Harry felt an immediate pressure in the air. More magic than Harry had felt in his entire life was concentrated in this room. Suddenly, Harry felt a tap on his shoulder and jumped around to face whoever touched him.
It was an old man, presumably Ollivander, with sagging, wrinkly skin and white eyes set into a pale face. Harry would have thought the man was blind, but with the way his gaze had narrowed onto the boy, that conclusion was highly unlikely. After a minute of staring, Ollivander finally spoke.
"In all my years of wandmaking, I have only come across one of your station maybe once before, ant that person was not as young as you are, Mr. Potter."
Harry gulped nervously; Ollivander had a presence about him, one that spoke of knowledge that he was as of yet unaware of.
"I wasn't expecting to see you for another few years, but with this inheritance, well, it's best to start off as early as possible. I remember both of your parents' wands, but in your case, that won't help you here. A wand is a wizard's focus, and you need something that can handle a stronger, wilder magic. Even a staff, though strong enough to conduct your magic, won't be able to fully adapt to you. No, you need a natural focus; something living."
Harry hadn't yet dared to speak. He was so new to sensing magic that the atmosphere was overwhelming him. It felt like he was in a room with too little oxygen. All of a sudden though, Harry noticed that the magic in the room lowered dramatically, and it finally felt like he could breathe again. Sending a questioning look to Ollivander, the man continued speaking.
"There you go, boy. I almost forgot just how sensitive the Fae can be to magic, and I imagine that this room wasn't very comfortable. However, in order to properly attune a focus to you, I need to make sure your magic isn't acting out by trying to push away outside influences. I just put a temporary magic dampening bubble around you."
Harry nodded t show he understood, and the man took that as a sign to continue.
"Now. What was I saying earlier? Ah, yes, you need a living focus in order to properly direct your wild magic. Now, while normally you should have gotten a familiar to help regulate your magic, those have to appear before you naturally and cannot be bought. They must be attuned to you and not the average witch or wizard. So, instead of a beast, and considering the Earth Sprite magic I can feel inside you, we will go with a plant."
Ollivander then shuffled to the back of the store, only to return moments later with some sort of crystal ball.
"This will help pick out the natural strands of magic from your core and give me an idea of what will attune to you best. Just hold the ball in your hands, direct some magic into it, and it will turn a variety of colors based on what it senses from your core."
He then handed the ball to Harry who then held it in both hands before closing his eyes and directing some magic towards it. When he opened his eyes, he saw the clear glass turn a forest green, then a shimmering silver, a bright, glowing gold, a smoky purple, and finally, an electric yellow.
Ollivander took note of the colors, mumbling under his breath. He then walked back into the very back of the shop and returned with five wooden boxes, each no larger than a few inches on all sides.
"The colors are picky, and have given me a difficult challenge. The green shows an exceptional affinity for the earth and plants, entirely expected, but the type of green also alludes to a hidden ability with animals. The silver shows that you have a shy nature, but as it shimmers, it means that you are not shy out of fear, but shy with a desire to draw people to yourself and care for them, like a mother."
This caused Harry to blush, especially after he remembered the talk he had with the goblin director earlier about his ability to bear children.
"The gold shows nobility, but as it's glowing, shows that you are not stuck in traditions, but rather, one for the people. You will be a strong person who will stand up for those who have been wronged, and build up an empire from the ashes of what once existed. The purple stands for poison, but the smoky effect means that you are a poison to your enemies, willing to hunt in the shadows to find who has wronged you and bring them to justice. And lastly, the yellow shows that you are a sunny person, always willing to smile and infect everyone around you with happiness. Although, this goes in reverse too, as if you are sad, the others will follow you. The electric feel of the yellow means that you have a bit of a mischievous personality as well."
Harry was amazed, it seemed like the ball knew even more about him than he himself did! He never knew that he was noble, and still doubted it even now.
"Anyways, these five plants seem to be the most attuned to you, so why don't you come over and look at them."
Harry slowly approached the counter, where Ollivander had arranged the boxes in a neat row. The first one had a little tree inside sprouting from a small, brown sack that was tied to a cord. It looked like it was designed to carry around your neck. When he reached out to touch it, the little branches wrapped around his fingers and tugged on his magic. Harry felt a tiny sucking sensation, but the magic didn't seem to flow very smoothly.
"Ah, the Womping Willow tree. Truly a fierce, courageus tree. Although it's a fighter and a defender, it's not much of a mother, so probably not a good fit."
Harry then pried his hand from the tree and went for the next box. This one, like most of the others, was also in a little brown sack. However, it looked like a little bush instead with tiny purple berries. This one grabbed is fingers as well and sucked, but his magic didn't want to flow into it, so it retreated, wilting a little in disappointment.
"This is a magical Japanese Beautyberry Bush. It's definitely a mothering bush, but also a very poisonous plant. It seems as though this one isn't a fit either.
Harry tried the third and the fourth plants as well, but with no success. It wasn't until the fifth box that anything remarkable happened.
Unlike the others, this plant wasn't in a little sack. It appeared to be some sort of vine that twisted around itself and formed a circle wide enough to fit around his bicep. It had little roots wiggling around and stretching for him, as if to take root. There were tiny little star-shaped silver flowers blooming on it, and in the center of each was a little teal colored berry.
"Lastly, we have a rare magical Stella Vine, or star vine. It is known for being extremely friendly towards its owners, but deadly to any enemies. However, what makes this vine so special is that it produces Stella berries, which are an extremely rare curative that help with many different medical problems from cuts to diseases. However, the plant is extremely rare, as it became nearly extinct due to over use."
Harry reached his fingers towards the vine, and as soon as the tiny little roots took hold, he was lost. Never had his magic sung so sweetly in his veins, nor had he ever felt such comfort from any being since Stripe. He could literally feel the plant's presence in the back of his mind now, happily introducing its essence to Harry's core.
Ollivander smiled, happy to have obviously found a perfect match for the boy in front of him. What he hadn't mentioned to Harry was that there was another color in the ball before he had opened his eyes. That color was red, bloody red. It meant that a great destiny awaited Harry, but it would be a long one, filled with strife. The vine was known for choosing owners who were chosen by fate to become great in the future.
As he looked on, watching as Harry slid the vine to rest on his bicep, Ollivander only hoped that Harry would be able to survive what would come for him.
