A/N Finally we get to Harry's return. There is a lot of information and not everything will be explained in this chapter.

Standing under the blazing sun in the middle of an ancient abandoned city stood a taller and more muscular Harry Potter. The man that stood there was very different from the scrawny uncertain boy who had arrived in this age two years before. The last time that he had been here was when he had emerged from the gateway that now stood before him. The twin columns, similar to the pair in Hogwarts, rose into the air. Motionless he studied them. His emerald green eyes were much harder than they were when he had left Hogwarts, they held a tinge of coldness in them now. Not a heartless cold, but one of someone who had seen an experienced much suffering. With his mind focused on images far away, the young man almost didn't hear the sound of approaching feet. With reluctance he turned away to face the oncoming person.

Harry was not surprised to find a very tall, red haired man standing before him. "We will miss you Harry," the man said to Harry. His gray-blue eyes were piercing. Few people could hold his gaze, Harry being one of the few. The man, almost six foot seven was powerfully built. He wore a red coat embroidered with golden dragons. If his height, nor bright coat did not catch a person's attention then the sword on his hip would. The sword in itself was not odd, the fact that it was a Heron marked blade was. It was strapped to his side and his hand rested on it easily. Anyone who knew what the mark meant or could see how at ease he was with the sword would know that the man knew how to use it.

"It was... an interesting journey, Rand," Harry replied, extending his right hand to the man. In the heat both their sleeves were rolled up. Their two hands met and the dragons engraved onto their forearms shone in the midday sun. The red and gold scales of each dragon glittered brightly. When he had received them on the day he arrived, Harry had almost thought them alive. He and Rand had one on each forearm. The markings were unique to them. To him they were the fulfilment of the prophecy that he had heard just weeks before receiving them. Twice marked the Dragon, the words echoed in his mind almost each time he studied the markings. Looking at them now, he could not help but feel satisfied. He had found the power. Nearly from the day he disappeared his life changed. He was forced to exercise, while being taught to fight. Above all else, he learned to control the One Power, the force that turned the Wheel of Time.

Harry wore a simple black uniform with no decorations on it except for two golden dragons that were pinned onto his collar on top of a patch of seven banded colours. The dragon pins were a unique reference to the dragons engraved on his arms. Anyone else wearing that uniform only had a single dragon. A silver sword would be in the place of the second dragon. The seven striped badge indicated his rank, this however was unique only to him. Any other man only had a single band of colour.

Rand laughed at Harry's downplaying of the events of the past years. Fighting in the greatest war the world had seen in thousands of years had been more than just interesting. Turning around, Rand beckoned another man in a black uniform, like Harry's, towards him. The man held a long box in his arms. A few years ago Harry would have guessed that it held a broom. There were no brooms in this place nor were there any other means of flying. The sight of the box made him all the more eager to step through the gateway that was behind him.

The man reached Rand and gave a slight bow of his head at both of them, "My Lords," the man said, opening the box reverently. Inside was an elegant blade. The bright light made the sword seem like it was on fire. It was curved slightly and reminded Harry somewhat of an eastern martial arts sword, the names of which he could never remember. What caught Harry's eye, however, was the Heron mark engraved on its side. It was a sword like Rand's, one wielded only by a true blade master. They were rare and few were reckless enough to wear one unless they had earned the right to it. Someone might pick a fight in order to get their hands on the sword. As a result you had to be willing to back up your claim to the title.

"I am not worthy to have a sword like this," Harry said eyeing the mark with reverence.

"Few deserve the title more than you do, Harry," Rand said with quiet authority. "A panel of blade masters conferred and we agreed unanimously that you deserve to be raised."

"But..." the protest from Harry was cut-off.

"No buts, Harry, this was decided weeks ago. We only just found a Heron marked sword to give to you." The tall man paused, his eyes bright. "You are able to give Lan a good fight, that is enough in the books of most."

There was little to argue, it was true. Harry was one of the few people who could survive a duel against Lan for any length of time. Rand himself could barely last longer than Harry. Besting Lan was another matter, but no one that he knew had managed that. Lan had been born with a sword in his hand. From the day that he could hold one he had been trained by some of the finest weapon masters.

There was little to no use in arguing. Rand had made a decision and there was nothing to be done to change it. With that realisation, the fight drained out of Harry. Slowly Harry's steady hand reached out towards the sword before removing it. There had been a strange viewing about him with a Heron marked sword, but he had never understood its meaning. With the blade out of the box the man scurried of quickly, his duty fulfilled.

The sword now held firmly in his hand, Harry cleared his mind. His body began to move, flowing effortlessly into a few, well-practised forms to feel the weight and balance of the blade. The sword was wrought by the One Power. It was lighter but much stronger than the one on his own hip. Rising up onto the balls of his feet he pivoted smoothly bringing the edge around in a perfect arc. Even though he was moving rapidly his movements were precise. Coming to rest he returned his gaze to Rand. "Thank you for this honour," Harry said, meaning it. To be judged worthy of the title meant more than the title itself to him.

"You might not need it where you are going, Harry. Especially from what you have told me of your world," Rand turned slightly and stared at the gateway. "But perhaps it will save your life one day, or that of a loved one," Rand said the last part with a slight grin. Ginny's name had come up a few too many times for Harry to deny that he had feelings for her. He still loved her, or so at least he thought. Yet, two years apart meant that little was certain anymore. A cold fear gripped him often and images of Ginny moving on haunted regularly.

"I hope that it will never come to that," Harry sighed as more images of Ginny flashed through his mind. "I will treasure it, though."

Rand merely nodded slowly. Noises came from around a corner. Harry stood straighter, if that was even possible. His powerfully built body was always upright and his movements were as graceful as a leopard stalking its prey. The source of the noise came into view, a man and a woman arguing. The woman was small and she wore a dark blue dress. Her dark hair hung about her shoulders and her penetrating gaze was fixed on the tall man. She was not really the source of the noise. The disturbance came from the angry protests of Lan, who was walking beside her. Even though he was not bonded to her anymore, as he was married and bonded to Nynaeve, he still cared for the woman.

"Will you not reconsider, Moiraine?" Lan asked. His voice was hard and held an edge to it. Much like Harry's own voice at times, or so he had been told.

"No, Lan. My time here is at an end. I have done that which was required and now I wish to accompany Harry to learn of his world," the small woman replied in a very calm voice. She had been having this argument for days now and Harry was still amazed at how calm she remained. Only Harry knew the real reason for her leaving.

"Moiraine Sedai," Harry greeted her formally with a slight bow when she reached them. He might be her superior when it came to rank, but she was still a woman whom he respected.

"Harry Sedai," she replied just as formally with a curtsy. The honorific added in place of Potter still felt strange to him. The title to him belonged only to woman. It had, however, been used by both men and women who could channel in previous ages.

Being a man that could wield the One Power he was part of the Black Tower. Moiraine, a woman who could channel, was part of the White Tower. Together they were all called Aes Sedai. Though until a few months ago only the women had been called Aes Sedai, the men having been known as Asha'man. The name had instilled to much fear in people. So it was decided to call them Aes Sedai as well.

Like the two halves of the One Power, the White Tower and the Black Tower worked together and against each other. Constant friction ensured that balance and order was maintained.

"Are you ready to go?" Harry asked Moiraine. She did not have any luggage with her, which confused him.

She glared at him like he was an idiot. "I assume that I will be needing new clothes once we get to this place you call home. Especially considering what you wore when I first met you."

A few years ago he would have blushed at a comment like that. Now he just stared at her with his eyes narrowed slightly, considering his reply. "That would be correct," he agreed at last, knowing that she was right. In fact, they would be needing a lot more than just clothes when they arrived back in England.

"So are we going or not?" She said impatiently. Lan looked like he wanted to protest, but like the man he was, he remained quiet. The tall man knew when it was worth arguing and when not. Moiraine had made up her mind and few things on earth could make her change it.

"Farewell, Rand," Harry said turning to face the red haired man. An unspoken message of support passed between them. With a final nod he shifted his attention to Lan. "Thank you for all your teaching and wise words. I will miss our practise bouts," Harry said to the man whose temples were growing gray and whose eyes wore years of suffering.

"May the Light shine upon your journey and your prophecies," Lan said. "Harry Sedai," he bowed low to the ground before turning to Moiraine. "Take care of yourself, Moiraine." Harry could hear the concern and care in his voice. They had known each other for years and he had thought her dead. Now he was losing her again.

"Take care of that wife of yours," Moiraine whispered softly placing a gentle hand on his arm. "If she loves you half as much as you do her then..." she stopped it was rare for her to be lost for words. "Good-bye al'Lan Mandragoran," she said before turning to Harry. "Open the gateway," the demand was clear yet it seemed as if she was not in control of herself.

With a confused shake of his head he faced the gateway. Taking a deep breath he reached towards saidin the male half of the One Power. The rush of saidin through him made him feel truly alive. The world around him grew sharper and the colours more vivid. The faint breathing of those around him grew louder. Reaching out with weaves of the One Power, he touched the gateway. It began to glow and vibrate, just the way it had in Hogwarts. It had taken months of studying in the Tower libraries to learn how to use it, and even then he had to figure most if it out himself from the scraps of knowledge that he could uncover.

The familiar tug to his chest told him that he had succeeded. Without thought he gripped Moiraine's arm with his free hand. The other still held his new sword. Slowly they walked towards the trembling gateway. Touching the surface, he began to shiver and his eyes closed instinctively. Her arm, which was pressed against his palm, shook as well. He could feel her body, like his, turn to ice for fraction of a second before it passed.

When the vibrations stopped and all that he could feel was Moiraine's warm arm, he opened his eyes. Relief washed over him, he was back in the familiar room again. The four chandeliers still hung burning constantly. Without needing to turn, he knew that the gateway was the same through which he had stepped two years ago. Inhaling the damp and stagnant air he grinned, it was Hogwarts. He had done it. He felt like jumping into the air and shouting, but refrained. To hold onto saidin meant that he had to be within a void, separate from emotions. Even though he could feel everything, his body almost felt detached.

Moiraine was standing next to him studying first the walls and then Harry. "Well?" She asked. Her dark eyes watching him for any sign of success. Releasing his hold on saidin, light and warmth returned to his eyes.

"This is the place. Now we just need to find out if all is as it should be outside this room," he replied, smiling genuinely, before releasing her arm from his grip.

His first action was to undo his belt so that he could move the scabbard from his hip to his back. Removing the old sword from its scabbard he placed it carefully in a corner where he would be able to retrieve it later. Next to go were pins from his collar and the seven striped badges. He placed them in his pocket. The Heron marked blade replaced the old one in the scabbard that was now firmly attached to his back. Seizing saidin again, it vanished from sight. Only direct contact would allow someone to know that it was there. A few more weaves made feeling it even more difficult.

Satisfied that everything was as it should be, he turned away from Moiraine and faced the empty room. Weaving a different set flows a gash formed in the air in front of them, it spiralled slightly before snapping into a rectangular shape. Without a backwards glance they stepped through the hole that had been formed in the air. They emerged in a dark abandoned alleyway. It was still early in the morning, the same time as it was when they left the other age. The side street hidden from the sun by tall buildings remained shrouded in shadows and was still rather cold.

Harry was about to walk out before a tiny hand stopped him. "Aren't you forgetting something," she said. Harry made no audible reply. The only reaction came in the form of the air warping around him. His hair changed from black to a deep shade of red, similar to Rand's. His green eyes turned to gray and the now almost non-existent scar vanished. There was no need to hide his glasses since he did not wear them anymore. Lan's wife, an Aes Sedai, had discovered a new form of healing that had healed his eyesight.

Moiraine checked him over before nodding her approval. Lastly, Harry, tied off the weave and inverted it, effectively hiding it from view to any who would be able to see them. He was sure that no one alive would currently be able to see the flows, but oddities occurred, so they should not be discounted. With his appearance changed he let go of the One Power.

Satisfied that everything was in place, they exited the alleyway and headed straight towards Gringotts. It was the first place that he wanted to visit because it was the most likely place for news of him to spread. If he could fool the goblins with his disguise then he would get past most people. He hoped that the goblins still valued their clients' secrets, however, as he would have to reveal himself to gain access to his vault. He did not want to reveal himself, but he required Galleons so that he could buy supplies for Moiraine and himself.

Preparing her for the journey paid off as she gave only a slight start at the goblin guards in front of the bank. Her eyes were wide, but the goblins paid them little heed. There was little threat in two people. They also made no move towards him. He almost sighed in relief. They had not noticed his sword nor his disguise. He had been confident, but he had never been sure what goblins were able to see or not, as Gringotts was supposed to be the most secure location known.

Crossing the vast hall they reached a counter where Harry quickly managed to obtain a new key for his vault by means of a blood sample. His numerous demands for secrecy were taken in stride by the goblin clerk. The only visible reaction was that he seemed affronted that Harry had even deemed it necessary to ask. Harry shook his head slightly, little surprised him anymore, as he had enough experience with strange cultures and their customs.

While he was waiting for his key, Moiraine by his side was studying the bankers intently as they scurried about. Her keen mind was already sorting and filing useful information about them. While she was looking around, the clerk returned handing Harry a new vault key.

Feeling more confident, Harry followed the goblin towards a waiting cart that would take him down to his vault. Moiraine, unsure of what lay ahead, followed a little more uneasily than Harry. The journey as usual was fast and he revelled in the feeling. Moiraine, unlike him, did not enjoy the pace set by the goblin. Her pale complexion proved her dislike.

"You okay?" Harry asked Moiraine when they finally reached his vault. The grin on his face belied his concerns. The carts within Gringotts had a nasty habit of travelling rapidly and turning randomly. Doing so made it all the more difficult to locate vaults by oneself.

"I am perfectly fine," she said, straightening herself. Her eyes blazed and she stared at him. She made as if she had the appearance of someone half dead because that was what she wanted. Harry chuckled before stepping into his vault to remove a bagful of coins. The vault seemed much larger and fuller than he remembered, with a confused frown he closed the vault. He had some other business to attend to with the goblins.

Moiraine gave an almost imperceptible grimace when they climbed back onto the cart. She had hoped for a few minutes more to regain her balance. The ascent was rapid, but to her credit she appeared much better at the end of the second journey. "I would like to see a manager please," Harry asked the goblin who had shown him to his vault. With a nod the clerk led him to a small office. Being early in the morning on what appeared to be a weekend, the bank was oddly quiet, allowing him to walk straight in without an appointment.

An hour later, he and Moiraine finally left the bank. "First stop, Madame Malkin's," Harry said' quickly leading her across the small square to the store. They received a few odd glares, but most people were in too much of a hurry to comment or stare. Entering the store he was greeted with the musty smell of age. Some of the clothes inside had to be rather old.

The Aes Sedai was not impressed with the quality of cloth with which the robes were made of. The smell alone had been enough to make her agitated. Being of a noble family she was used to having the finest materials. To her these seemed second or even third rate. "Do you really expect me to wear these?" she said heatedly holding up an old coat. To her credit, her voice had remained quiet, at least. The faint goosebumps on his skin made him believe that she had channelled to form a small privacy ward around them as an added precaution.

"This is what everyone wears, including the lords and ladies," Harry said throwing a few pairs of what had been fashionable robes at her. Things evolved slowly in the Wizarding world, so he assumed that they were still proper to wear. Two years would not have changed that much, surely. "Go try them on in there," Harry said ushering her into an abandoned dressing room. She looked agitated and fingered the cloth rapidly before she complied and entered. Watching her close the door, he sighed before running his hands through his hair.

While she was inside, he collected a number of robes including a new set for Hogwarts. He had grown a lot taller and his previous scrawny body was a distant memory. Like Moiraine, he had also grown used to fineries. Going back to second hand clothes from his cousin, even though they might fit now, was not an option.

Trying on the robes he was finally satisfied with the right size. With that in mind he scoured the store piling up a large amount of clothes. He liked to be clean and neat these days; the slobbish, untidy Harry was long gone. Discipline and hard work changed a man.

The Aes Sedai finally enlightened him with her presence again. Her dark eyes did not seem pleased, but she managed to determine her proper size. "May I help you, dear?" Madame Malkin said at last from her chair in the corner where she had been asleep.

"I think we can manage," Harry answered slowly in as friendly a voice as he could manage. Only a tinge of coldness touched it. She shrugged and settled back down again. A few minutes later he had to wake her again so that he could pay. Madame Malkin's eyes bulged at the large quantity of clothes and she eagerly worked out the bill. Fishing in his Gringotts bag, he pulled out the necessary Galleons and paid her.

Before leaving the store, they changed into some of their new clothes with the permission of the owner. Moiraine seemed a little perturbed about asking this woman for permission to do something so mundane. Aes Sedai rarely needed to ask for anything, they just did what they wanted because that was always for the best – an arrogance that nearly cost the Aes Sedai dearly during the war that he had just fought in.

"Time to get some wands," Harry said as soon as they stepped out of the store, his hands filled with bags of clothes. The sun was shining down on them now and the air was considerably warmer. It felt like the last sun of the summer. That made him wonder what the date was.

"Do we really need those stupid ter'angreals?" Moiraine asked again. This topic had been debated heatedly over the last few days.

"They are called wands. And yes we do. People do not go about performing wandless magic here. We will draw a lot of unwanted attention. Like I said, all you have to do is hold it while you perform your weaves." She still did not look pleased, but she followed him down the next street towards Ollivander's. Harry was in charge. She had demanded to come and therefore she had to obey. With Harry being of higher rank, she would have had to take his orders in any case.

They reached the shop and entered. The place was just as he remembered it. Piles of boxes containing wands were stacked from floor to ceiling. The smell of freshly carved and oiled wood hung in the air. "Ah, here to get a wand?" Mr Ollivander said when he emerged from the back, looking as bubbly and joyful as he could manage, which was even less than Harry could manage these days.

"Two wands," Moiraine said, playing her part as the mother. Ollivander nodded thoughtfully but said nothing. A mother and a seventeen year old boy requiring wands was rare event indeed. Most wizards only ever owned one wand and they got that when they first started at Hogwarts.

Finding wands for the two of them was tricky. Harry went through countless wands. In the end, Harry faked a few sparks with a unicorn and holly wand, trying his best to imitate what had happened last time. Moiraine, catching on to what Harry had done, did the same shortly afterwards with a dragon heartstring and maple wand.

"Excellent, excellent," Ollivander said, looking disgruntled but pleased all the same that he had managed to find them wands. Harry could see his confused expression as he determined what the wands would cost. "That would be 14 Galleons, 7 for each," he said deep in thought. Harry handed him the money and turned to leave. When they were almost at the door he heard the man mutter, "Interesting, I had the boy down as phoenix core. Interesting." Harry left the store behind Moiraine wondering how the man knew what he did.

"What was that he muttered?" she asked once they were outside. The mood in the streets still seemed oddly quiet, but the amount of people around was increasing. Though Harry had been sure that it had been more lively before he left.

"He is very good with finding wands that fit people. He told me once that a wand chooses the wizard." Harry paused, his watchful eyes glancing up and down the street for any signs of a threat. "I think he saw something odd, even if he could not explain it."

"Hungry?" Harry asked her suddenly.

She gave him a quick look before replying, "I could do with a good meal." They began to walk, both of them gliding along gracefully, towards a new restaurant called the Windswept Broom. The name had caught Harry's eye earlier and he was determined to see the inside. "I hope the food is better than the cloth," she grumbled, as they continued further down the street.

"I am sure that we will find it satisfactory," Harry answered, with a name like that he was sure that he would. His grey eyes kept roving about, resting for a fraction of a second on each person, studying them for any sign of a threat. Death Eaters were known to be overt but that was no reason not to be cautious. The familiar weight of a sword on his back was comforting, though he would have preferred it on his hip where his hand could rest on the hilt.

Entering the restaurant Harry found them an empty table in a secluded corner. There was little light shining on the table and it offered both of them a clear view of the other patrons. Brooms decorated the walls along with countless posters and jerseys of the various Quidditch teams. Scanning the walls he paused at a particular jersey. It was a Gryffindor jersey and it had his name on it. Underneath was a photo of him with snitch in hand. Forcing himself to look away, he studied the rest of the place. It was nearly empty with only two other tables occupied. By the haggard look of the two wizards sitting there, they had been working all night. They had the appearance of Ministry workers, perhaps they were Aurors, or maybe just overworked staff.

"Interesting place this. Very different from a tavern, but yet similar in some aspects," she spoke while they sat waiting for someone to serve them. He did not pay attention to Moiraine as she continued to talk, he was too busy reliving his days flying at Hogwarts. The memories were so vivid that he could almost feel the air rushing through his hair, the fluttering wings of the snitch the moment before he grasped it, the sensation of knowing that he had won the game for Gryffindor.

"Hi, I am Ginny and I will be serving you today," Harry bit back a curse as his head spun up to see if he heard correctly. He almost cursed again. Harry looked away quickly, his heart pounding in his chest. Why had he reacted like that?

"Hi, dear," Moiraine said ensuring that Ginny was watching her and not focusing on Harry's pale face before it gave him away. "What was it that you wanted... two butterbeers for now, thank you."

"Two butterbeers," Ginny repeated before looking back at Harry who by this time had managed to regain some of his composure. A little bit of colour tinged his cheeks as he ducked his head and pointedly tried not to look at her.

"Yes, thank you," he said in a hoarse voice. She turned and he was sure that he heard her giggle softly when she was a few tables away. "Light!" Harry muttered throwing up a privacy ward. "Did you see her coming?" he felt angry but it came out exasperated. Ginny had been a few feet from him. She was the last person he expected to have bumped into. Considering the name of the place it did not surprise him to see her working here. Strange, the war must have calmed a bit if her mother had allowed her to work.

"Of course, but how was I supposed to know that she was your Ginny," she shrugged, but the slight gleam in her eye told him that even if she had not known she had suspected at least. "There must be hundreds of girls that look like her," she added in her defence. Her voice was far too casual, she had known of course.

"She is powerful in the Power," Moiraine added thoughtfully, "Just like you suspected."

"She is something, isn't she?" Harry said dreamily, unknowingly staring at Ginny who was busy behind the counter. Her brown eyes lifted and locked onto his gray. Immediately she blushed before turning away. His own cheeks burned again. "It is awfully hot in here," Harry said, tugging at the collar of his new robes.

"If you say so," Moiraine replied sarcastically. "She is the only one that I noticed today that could channel," she added when Harry did not reply. He nodded to the comment, but continued to study her. "Leave the poor girl. If you keep studying her like that she will be bound to drop something."

Harry blinked and glared at Moiraine, "You're right," he sighed, thinking about how she had reacted when she was younger. His feelings were suddenly knotted in confusion. What was he supposed to do? The plan was not to tell anyone who he was, but seeing Ginny made him want to do only one thing. He wanted to – , no needed to – hold her in his arms. The desire burned deep within him. An unquenchable fire raged, that demanded to be put out, and only the fiery red-haired girl could do that. How was he supposed to be with her without revealing himself? His head began to throb as hundreds of scenarios spiralled through his mind.

When she walked towards them he studied her from the corner of his eyes. The way she moved enticed him. He could not remember her being so curvy. He shook his head, he had been gone for two years, of course the girl he knew had developed into a young woman – a beautiful, attractive, sexy woman. Just thinking about the way she looked now made his throat go dry. She was almost of age by now. The colour of her hair had deepened and it contained even more shades of red than before. It was still long, but slightly shorter than she had worn it previously. He wanted to smile, instead he focused intently on the opposite wall making as if he was studying a broom. The broom was however not what he was seeing. She came closer. From the corner of his vision he could tell that her hair suited her well.

"Here you go," she said politely, placing the first drink in front of Moiraine. While she was handling his drink he noticed the slight quiver in her hand. The contents almost spilled onto the table before she managed to get it down.

"Thank you, dear," Moiraine said. Harry had told her to refrain from using the word 'child.' People would take offense and he could hear her voice strain slightly when she said 'dear.' Knowing Ginny even better, he was sure that she would have gone into a towering rage at being called a child.

Harry and Moiraine placed their orders and Ginny left them to inform the kitchen. A fresh unopened newspaper was stuck into a small rack by the door. Noticing it for the first time Harry got to his feet to retrieve it. Scanning it quickly while he walked he found what he was looking for, the date. "August 30th," he muttered under his breath as he sat down again. He looked slightly worried at seeing that date.

"That means?" she asked. Moiraine understood how the calendar worked, but not the significance of the 30th.

"It means that school starts in two days. It means that we have to get hold of Dumbledore today so that I can enrol at Hogwarts," Harry said in a harsh voice.

"No need to take that tone with me," Moiraine said back firmly. Had he not outranked her in the Tower she would have given him a good tongue-lashing for his outburst. Referring to him as Harry was already difficult for her. However, she did not need an excuse to teach him a few lessons in manners. Harry had the decency to look ashamed about his rudeness.

A few minutes later Ginny returned with two plates of food. "I hope that you enjoy these," she added politely again. This time Harry noticed the strain in her voice. She was not as completely in control as he had first thought. Her trembling hands seemed to be the least of her problems around him. He glanced up and straight into her soft brown eyes. They were studying him. They seemed lost, but a small glimmer of light was beginning to shine within their depths.

"Thank you, Ginny," Harry said earnestly. The desire to just grab her and kiss her was building rapidly inside him. His exterior remained calm, however. He had to remain distant, he could not interfere with their lives till it was all done. Voldemort came first.

She blushed slightly again, averting her eyes to study the salt and pepper shakers. "Um..." she bit her lip nervously. "I do not recognise you. Are you a Hogwarts student?"

"No," Harry said, glancing at Moiraine who was doing an admirable job of not laughing. A few dimples were forming on her cheeks, however. Fighting down his feelings for Ginny and his frustrations at Moiraine, he explained. "We have just moved back to England and we are going to the Headmaster today, to see if I can still enrol at Hogwarts." She smiled. It was a genuine smile, though a tinge of sadness creased her eyes when she managed to face him again.

It mirrored his to some degree. He had lost even more than just Ginny over the past two years. "I hope to be seeing you there, then," she said hurriedly before almost running off, she stopped and turned back. "Professor Dumbledore, the Headmaster, is a good man. I am sure that he will allow you to... you know, come to Hogwarts," she added before scurrying away.

Moiraine laughed at last. "Ta'veren and the ones they love!" she said after a few bites of her food. Harry looked at her, confused. "You are Ta'veren. You weave the pattern around you and Ginny is bound to you. She is drawn to you just like you are drawn to her. The poor girl is horribly confused at the moment." She said all this like it was the most basic of observations. He ran a hand through his hair, studying Ginny just before she left the room. What was she thinking, he wondered? With a quiet sigh he began to eat.

"Explain," Harry said curtly after a few bites. He was growing agitated. "I have little want or patience for your riddles." It came out harsher than he would have liked. Just seeing Ginny was throwing him off-balance.

"She still loves Harry, but now she has developed an interest in you. A strange red-haired boy. Her feelings for you are confused by her attraction to you. Simple," she said taking another bite. "This pie is delicious," she added. Great, that made even less sense than before to him

Harry just sat there, silent, playing with his food idly and only taking a few bites. His attention kept being drawn to Ginny moving about behind the bar. Could Moiraine be right, was Ginny still in love with him?

"You will have to teach her," Harry said eventually, referring to Ginny's ability to channel the One Power.

"I know," she added softly, her dark eyes studying him.

The conversation lulled, allowing him to think. Being ta'veren would explain Ron's attitude towards him those few weeks before he left. A side affect of being ta'veren was that people tended to say things that they never would have dreamed of saying, had his presence not influenced them. Countless times before, he had seen people spill their deepest feelings or darkest secrets to Rand, all just because he was there. Ta'veren also increased the probability of an events occurrence, good or bad. Miracles combined with strange deaths, but always there was a balance.

Even before Ginny started dating Harry, Ron was inclined towards being an overprotective brother. He also had a hard time keeping his opinions to himself. When these attributes were combined with being in the proximity of a ta'veren, like Harry, those attributes were multiplied. If Ginny were also a ta'veren - which she might be, considering that she has the rare ability to embrace saidar in this world - then their combined effect would have left Ron with no chance to fight its power. There was just no way to know for sure, the effects of ta'veren were random and unpredictable.

They sat in silence again while he finished eating. Removing more than enough Galleons from his bag, he left her a tip that was more than the meal itself before leaving.

Diagon Alley was getting crowded. Most of the late weekend risers were out and about by now. He did not recognise anybody. He supposed that most students would have bought their supplies already. A flash of red hair caught his attention as a large group of Weasleys approached them. It took all of his willpower not to stare or greet them. Ginny came running out of the restaurant beaming, almost brushing him as she passed, in her hand were the Galleons he had left her. She noticed him as she passed and her famous Weasley blush graced her face. Harry's face stretched into a faint smile before he turned away.

Seizing saidin, he began to eavesdrop on the conversation that was developing behind him.

"Who was that guy you were staring at?" Ron muttered. So, he was still the playing protective brother. "He was smiling at you."

"A new student coming to Hogwarts and his mother. They left me a good tip," Ginny replied quickly trying to divert her brother's questions.

"Blimey," Ron muttered, presumably she had shown him the Galleons. That amount was more than a year's allowance. Probably more than she would have earned in a few weeks working at the Leaky Cauldron. "Probably trying to get into your..."

Harry could picture Ginny wand in hand when the sound of something swishing through the air reached him. "Don't finish that, Ron," her voice sounded threatening. Ron did not utter another word, but her brother could not help his chuckles.

Their conversation continued for a while. Ron had calmed down and even sounded as if he had matured since Harry had left. He must have listened intently, while Ginny described her meeting with Harry in the Windswept Broom, as Ron asked some interesting questions.

"So you finally giving up on Harry," her mother's voice came. It sounded resigned, as if she wanted Ginny to move on but at the same time mourned at the idea.

"I just met him, mother," she added hastily. The reply was too quick for someone who had nothing to hide. Harry almost smiled, even though Mrs Weasley's words pained him. A little part of him, the jealous part, had hoped that she had not moved on. Seeing her unhappy was even worse.

"Finished listening to her professing her love for you, Harry," Moiraine added. Letting go of the power, he tried to retort, but she was right. He should not be eavesdropping. Letting go of the One Power was never pleasant. The world seemed so mundane without it. He had to let go eventually, saidin was too addictive. Holding onto it for too long could lead to death. Even though he could channel for hours, the years had taught him to use it as little as possible. As life giving as it appeared, the One Power was too powerful for any man or woman to hold onto for too long.

To his horror he blushed because of his silence. "Better not call me Harry anymore, someone might overhear," he finally managed to say, changing the subject. Embarrassed and with red cheeks, he still managed to keep his head up, back straight, and his gaze level, continuously studying his surroundings.

She nodded, "Okay, Rand Damodred." The name had been chosen because it would be easy to remember. Rand was a name they both knew well and Damodred was Moiraine's last name. Acting as her son, it made sense for him to use it.

"I am done listening," Harry finally admitted to her.

Without looking back, they disappeared into the same narrow alley that they had used to when they arrived. Weaving a gateway Harry and Moiraine stepped out into a small clearing behind a line of trees hiding it from view. A large iron gate could be seen through the scattered bushes, the entrance to Hogwarts.

"Ready," Harry said growing slightly frustrated with the bags that he was still carrying. He had thought about stowing them, but they added to the appearance of being new to the area and desperate, since they arrived at short notice. Anything that would aid the process helped.

"Of course, Rand," she replied, looking her usual serene self. Her ageless face was turned to the enormous structure of Hogwarts. Gesturing for her to lead, he followed her up out of the clearing towards the path that led up to the school.

Glossary

Taken from the glossary of Robert Jordan's books. If there are any items that you would like to be explained more, let me know.

Aes Sedai (EYEZ seh-DEYE): Wielders of the One Power. Widely distrusted and feared. At the same time few rulers are without an Aes Sedai advisor, even where such a connection must be kept secret. After years of channelling the One Power, Aes Sedai take on an ageless quality.

Ajah (AH-jah): Societies among the Aes Sedai, seven in number and designated by colours: Blue, Red, White, Green, Brown, Yellow and Gray. All the Aes Sedai, except the Amyrlin Seat, belong to one. Each follows a specific philosophy.

Amyrlin Seat (AHM-ehr-lin SEAT): Leader of the Aes Sedai, elected for life.

Angreal (anh-gree-AHL): Objects that allow anyone capable of channelling to handle a greater amount of the Power than is safe or even possible unaided. Some were made for use by women, others for men. Sa'angreal are like angreal, but allow even more to be channelled.

Channel (verb): To control the flow of the One Power.

Five Powers: There are threads to the One Power, named according to the sorts of things that can be done using them – Earth, Air, Fire, Water and Spirit – which are called the Five Powers. A wielder of the Power will have a greater strength with one, or possibly two, but rarely more. Spirit is equal in men and women. Men generally have greater ability with Earth and Fire, while women are more adept at Water and Air.

One Power: The power drawn from the True Source. The vast majority of people are unable to channel the One Power. A very small number can be taught, and an even tinier number have the ability inborn. These few need to be taught; eventually they will channel if they want to or not, often without realising what they are doing. This inborn ability usually manifests itself in late adolescence or early adulthood. If control if not taught or self-learned, death is certain.

ta'veren (tah-VEER-ehn): A person around whom the Wheel of Time weaves.

ter'angreal (TEER-ahn-GREE-ahl): Unlike angreal, each ter'angreal was made to do a particular thing. Some require channelling, while others may be used by anyone.

True Source: The driving force of the universe, which turns the Wheel of Time. Divided into the male half (saidin) and the female half (saidar), which work at the same time with and against each other. Only a man can draw on saidin, only a woman on saidar.

Wheel of Time, the: Time is a wheel with seven spokes, each spoke an Age. As the Wheel turns, Ages come and go, each leaving memories that fade to legend, then to myth, and are forgotten by the time that Age comes again. The Pattern of Age is slightly different each time an Age comes, and each time it is subject to greater change.

I hope that things are not too confusing. Harry's past and more will be revealed slowly as the rest of the story develops, so please be patient.

Please review. I am still busy editing the story, so if something is severely lacking in your opinion please let me know. And reviews are just great.