A/N – Finally Aurora's arc gets limited a bit and soon Hogwarts come so fun, joy, studying and trying to build power base for Harry and not get murdered in a very violent manner.

o-0-o

Oberon was an ancient even by Fae standards. He was one of the first Sidhe to be formed, his memory was of the time when the humans barely mastered the knowledge of making iron weapons and founded first civilizations. He was a being as ancient and powerful as any of the Queens and they needed to listen to him as he was their peer and could pose a threat to them.

Last five centuries he spent licking his wounds after the scuffle with Mab and Titania when he was caught in one's bed with another. He winced at the memory, the burns and frostbite weren't the most pleasant of things to recover from.

He pushed those memories aside and put on his helmet, a beautiful piece of metal formed to resemble a silver head of a deer with massive silver antlers. With that done he gave a brief look his plate armor and seeing nothing out of place he nodded at the Sidhe standing on guard and the doors opened.

He strolled forward, into the throne room of Titania, the beings filling the room looking at him in awe and shock. For all people cared and knew he was dead, yet here he was in all of the glory of a ruler. Magic flowing around him and rolling off him in waves that filled the room with new energy and life.

"My Lady," he said, stopping in front of the double thrones. One of which was his. "I have returned."

"So have I heard," Titania coldly said, her eyes raging inferno of emotions. "I hoped you would have died."

"I didn't," Oberon said and allowed himself a warm, gentle smile. "And I want to claim my rightful place, at your side as the King of Summer and reclaim the Mantle I cast aside when you banished me."

Titania regarded him coldly and the vegetation around her started to wither and die. "My Lord, you have betrayed me in the past. Why should I believe you won't do it again?"

"Because the world is changing and they are rising," Oberon said and looked at the gathered crowd. "You all see the signs that the Fomor are coming, yet none of you dared to mention it to your queen." He shook his head. "The Summer grew soft and vain. I doubt there are fifty nobles that could accompany me on a hunt. Most of you would waste your time polishing your gear and comparing who has the more beautiful mount." He then looked at Titania, his eyes cold. "And you did nothing, My Lady?"

"I needed to oppose the Winter," Titania said and then added as an afterthought. "And the vampires."

"You are a fool!" Oberon roared, making everybody back away from him. "If the hosts were as strong as they ought to be, we wouldn't have this discussion. The Winter plays us as they want to. The Wyldfae do what they want to do. The Red Court doesn't know what fear is. Tell me, what can we do when the Fomor will come? Beg our cousins for help?" He shook his head and snorted before crossing the remaining space between him and the empty throne. "I believe it is a time for a change," he said as he sat down.

First nothing happened, but then after a second a sun exploded around his form. His silver and steel gray armor changed, a pattern of green and gold imprinting itself as he changed as well. His skin gained new shine, eyes burned with more power and energy, energy he didn't feel for few centuries entered his body.

"The time has cometh for a new age," he said and looked at Titania, a faint smile on his lips. "I think that Mother has a different idea about me taking my rightful throne."

"Indeed..., Oberon," Titania said and placed her hand on his. "I am willing to forget the past, if you help me lead the Court into the future."

Oberon smiled and removed helmet off his head, a diadem of fire and emeralds appearing in his golden hair. Then he leaned towards her and kissed her chastely on her cheek. "As you wish, Titania," he whispered and glanced at the creatures of the Court. "Do they really want our leadership?"

"I believe they want," Titania said and smirked. "After all, it was you who just attacked Copan and came out victorious and in a glory of a great warrior."

o-0-o

Harry bit his teeth into the meat of hare Aurora somehow managed to find in the mountains of snow and hissed a bit when he realized how hot it was. But it was good and he was hungry. He tore off a big chunk and swallowed before looking at Aurora. "I didn't know that hunting dinner was one of your tasks," he said jokingly.

"Normally I would have found something bigger, but I was in a hurry," Aurora said and smiled. "Being with you, naked or even partially. Is more pleasant than the snows and ice outside."

Harry nodded, hungrily eating the meat and then digging into the bones which crunched as they shattered and revealed the marrow. He sucked it out and looked around. He devoured more food than he could at Hogwarts and wouldn't mind even more.

"You are a Sidhe now," Aurora said and he looked at her. "We can burn some of our magic to silence hunger. But then we are more hungry, much more hungry than normally. I'm more surprised that you were so hungry as to eat marrow."

Harry blushed and then looked at the bones which had signs of his teeth on them. "How?"

"Hare bones are quite fragile and you gained some strength," Aurora said with a smile. "And again, magic. You wanted to crush the bones." Harry nodded at her. "Your magic acted upon your wish. Much of the magic we do is based on wishes and instincts. Humans lack the clarity of mind and purpose to use the magic the way we can. So the magic you were taught uses symbols, incantation and other aids to help you focus."

"So what would have happened if I tried to cast the same spells thinking what I want to achieve?"

"For you?" Aurora asked and Harry nodded. "Well, as far as I understand the magic. It would work the same way, maybe even better than with the gestures. For a human? Either it wouldn't work or it would work. But normally it wouldn't work."

"Interesting," Harry said as he cleaned his hands and leaned against the wall. "So," he grinned. "I'm very curious about your past and what being the handmaid of my sister means."

Aurora slipped to his side and kissed him on the cheek. "Handmaid is a name for a Sidhe that is her companion and lover," she said and ruffled Harry's hair, making him glare. "That was the original meaning of the title. Now it means an agent, a warrior and often an assassin. How to explain it. The court is a murky place, place where interests of many factions collide and often Sarissa needs someone to act in her name in a manner she cannot."

"And there you come," Harry muttered.

"Yes," Aurora said and sighed. "I did some horrid things in her name, well, they were better things than those that could have happened if I didn't act." Then a dark, unpleasant grimace appeared on her face. "The fact that it was Sarissa who saved me from your second sister put me in debt to her. Being a handmaid gives me an opportunity to have revenge and make Maeve's followers pay in blood."

"What did she do?" Harry asked as he wrapped his hand against Aurora's side. "I won't judge you," he whispered into her ear.

"Herself?" Aurora asked and he nodded. "Nothing, because the Mantle restricts her. Her servants on the other hand didn't have such limitations." Aurora sighed and then leaned against him. "Tell me, what could make me want to murder Maeve or at least help in making sure she stays dead?" Aurora asked quietly.

Harry's eyes widened as he felt a terrible feeling in his gut grow. He looked at Aurora and she nodded. "Did they..."

"Raped me?" she finished for him, venom flying with her voice. "Yes," she said and grimaced. "My father serves Maeve, so I was forced into her service because of family links. Then I failed to kill a vampire that annoyed Maeve and she decided that her thugs need to have fun."

Harry hugged her and smiled faintly when she rested her head against his shoulder. "I'm sorry," he murmured, kissing her as his eyes darkened and a desire to kill his sister appeared in his mind.

"It's fine, Harry," Aurora murmured, gently kissing him. "Your sister helped me deal with it and being her handmaid and oft lover helped me." Aurora smiled more warmly, the venom gone from her voice as her hand sneaked under his shirt. "I don't want you to dwell on the past. I can tell you have some awful memories on your own and moving forth will help you."

"If you wish," Harry said as he curled his hands, his knuckles becoming white. Then he took a deep breath and pushed out the anger. "I like you and I don't want to see you suffer," he murmured and laid a gentle kiss on Aurora's cheek. "What my sister did makes me angry and I honestly won't care much if she dies."

"That's nice of you," Aurora smiled and rubbed his back, smiling impishly. "I hope that you are willing to talk about how I see our relationship look."

Harry smiled and gave her a look. "I'm willing to listen to what you have to say," he said and then kissed her. "Once that's done however, I wouldn't mind some fun."

Aurora hummed quietly and gently scratched his back. "Yes, we will need the fun. So, how to say it. Sidhe aren't creatures of a single lover and for most of the time we need to have different partners."

"Are you suggesting you will be cheating on me?" Harry asked as he shifted, the gaze of his eyes grew darker, less friendly and more ruthless, and the temperature in the cave changed. It became much colder and more oppressive as well.

Aurora shuddered from cold and wrapped herself in a blanket before looking at him. "I don't mean that love," she said and sighed uncomfortably. "Well, I mean it, but more that you and I no matter what we will do, we will have an urge to flirt with others or just sleep with them." She looked into Harry's eyes and then smiled. "Tell me, when you were at Hogwarts. Did you not flirt or make out with any other girl even if you did it with that Katie?"

Harry averted his gaze from Aurora's eyes and flushed. The words she sat stung him and were true, even if he didn't want to admit it.

"See?" She asked and kissed him on the cheek. "If we are together the urges should get weaker as we will sate ourselves. But we still will get them, just weaker and I don't want you to feel ashamed of this." She smirked and kissed him on the lips. "As long as I know that you want me first and love me, I won't greatly care with whom you spend a night or two."

"And at the same time you will be sleeping with everything that can jump into your bed?" Harry asked coldly. "I can see what you want and that I don't like. You want to sleep around with everything that fancies you and catches your attention."

Aurora recoiled and moved away from Harry. "Are you accusing me that I will lie and cheat on you?"

Harry smiled and shrugged. "You said moments before that Sidhe aren't the most faithful." His smile grew colder. "You want to limit with whom I sleep, yet you want to have no restrains?" He hissed.

Aurora moved away from him, the distance between them not only being a physical barrier. It was something more, something deeper and more pronounced. "Harry, I'm sorry for what I said," she said and he arched an eyebrow in question. "I don't want to cheat on you." She sighed and Harry could see her cold mask slip away. "Just last two or three years… I got used to finding lovers wherever I want, for however I long and Sarissa didn't care as long as I didn't reveal any secrets to them."

"My sister might not mind that," Harry said and allowed himself a smile. "But I will be very unhappy if you keep doing it." He paused and considered his words. "The rules you set for me are fair and I won't mind them." He allowed himself a grin. "If you also play by them and you stay honest with me and don't move behind my back. I have enough of that at Hogwarts, where some people pretend to be my friends, but do whatever pleases them and not me."

Aurora looked at him and let out a sigh. "Fine," she said and glared at him. "I don't like you forcing me to play by the rules."

"You like me too much not to agree to it," Harry said and grinned. "I can feel the way you think and feel about me."

Aurora smiled and moved closer to him. "Yes, it is true," she whispered and kissed him. "I want you and love you." A grin split her face. "And I don't want to lose the benefits that come with it."

"What benefits?" Harry asked with a frown. "My standing at the court isn't that high and so far Mab didn't acknowledge my existence to the Winter at large. So technically I have no power, even if I am her son."

Aurora snorted and playfully punched Harry in the shoulder. "Tell me, is Mab known for being careless and not planning everything? Do you really think she intends to have you with no formal power? Yes, the main power passed down the female line, but a powerful and loyal agent is still useful."

Harry arched an eyebrow in question and then realized that there perhaps was some truth to it. "So, why didn't I get any power until now?"

"Because there was no significant date where magic would be easy to wield," Aurora said and bit her lower lip in concentration. "Mab can use magic in the Nevernever however she wishes to. Whenever she wishes to. But, but crafting such a thing as a Mantle or simply giving you the power you need is a thing that is an exhausting thing. Even for the being that is as powerful as Mab. She will do it when the stars and planets are aligned or when some other good event happens. Like your birthday."

Harry's eyes widened as he started to calculate things in his mind. "It's not that far away," he said. "I know that she can screw the time however she wants, but it is like four or five weeks away."

"She did screw with time," Aurora said with a grimace. "I didn't realize it until you reminded me that the Queens can, but we are less than a week away. Which changes a bit our plans."

"Why?" Harry asked with a frown.

"Because we can't fool around as much here as I would desire to," Aurora said with a heavy sigh. "We need to be back in Tor in two or three days. Not in two or three weeks like I assumed originally."

"Ow," Harry said and kissed her. "What do we do?"

"Depends if you want fun or studying," Aurora said and smiled when she saw hunger in his eyes. "I think you want the fun."

"I won't mind it."

Aurora grinned and kissed him on the cheek. "You loved that game we played last time?" she whispered into Harry's ear and a shudder passed down his spine when he noticed she became more seductive.

"Y...yes," he said, shuddering and then he smiled. "It allowed me to relax and learn something. Probably the first time when I'm not forced to learn, but can however I need or want."

"Well, you could have said me earlier that me naked makes you so motivated and focused," she said with a purr. "Then I would have an ample opportunity to show you more of it."

Harry glanced at her, unsure if she said this in jest or was she more serious.

"Harry, you know that I don't have issues with being nude," Aurora said and kissed him on the cheek. "I want more making out with you than answer your question. One question and we strip of our pants and shirts?"

Harry smiled and looked at his girlfriend and lover and nodded. "I like it, besides. The sooner we are in Tor, the sooner we can sleep in the bed and have fun in more comfy place."

o-0-o

Leanansidhe's eyes flickered with amusement as she observed certain son of Mab and his lover, the two were interesting and quite an important element of the puzzle. An element of the puzzle not many major players knew about and even if knew about, factored into their existing plans.

Those two facts made Lea giddy with excitement at the idea of plots and schemes she could orchestrate and cause several annoying beings to have an unfortunate end. They didn't know that a major player was entering and once they knew it would be too late for them to do much about him other than react and that was exactly what Lea wanted.

If they reacted, not acted on their own, they would only make mistakes and hurried decisions, ones that were based oft on emotions, not on the cold analysis of facts and data. Lea felt Sarissa approach and only smirked. "Your brother is an interesting being. I know that Aurora can twist words as well as any Sidhe, yet he reads her like an open book."

"Heritage and family rubs off on him," Sarissa said casually, yet the sudden wariness in the movements wasn't missed by Lea. "He's also smart and she's in love with him. That tends to make harder to twist the truth."

"I remember quite vividly that Mab could dance around any subject, even when with her lover," Lea said and smiled. "Love can make you go wild, but it usually works both ways and shouldn't matter here."

"Aunt," Sarissa asked with a smile. "What are you suggesting?"

"That Harry's father is quite obvious once you know for what to look,"Lea said and smiled coldly. "It is a matter of time before someone puts the pieces together and figures out that perhaps it is a good time to visit Delphi."

"From what I know only Lara Raith so far guessed it. I think that the Merlin knows it, but he is a clever bastard and hides his secrets well."

"And she ensured that the only one that could tell the Reds anything more is in coma and lacking memory," Lea said before turning to look at her apprentice. "Tell me, what can you tell me about Harry?"

"He's lacking education, but that is being fixed and he has some significant magical potential."

"That potential will make his and our enemies wonder what exactly impregnated Mab," Lea said and grimaced. "I think it would be prudent to have a talk with Hades. He should be able to put an end to the rumors and gossips on Olympus and that should stop them for a moment."

"Not Summer. They have guessed that his father is Greek and they got that from the Erlking. Before you go on rampage and try to strike the Erlking," Sarissa said and Lea looked at her. "He was forced to do it by Titania herself. You don't say no to a Queen, especially not to a Queen you owe favors to." Then the younger Sidhe allowed herself a smile. "Do you know that Oberon, the King of Summer returned?"

Lea looked as if a thunder struck her, but then she quickly recovered and focused her gaze on Sarissa. "Oberon? One that at one point slept with Titania and Mab at the same time?"

"And was burned and frozen alive when his lovers found out who's the other girl in his bed?" Sarissa asked and Lea nodded, giggling as if she remembered some fond memory. "Yes, the same one. I saw him in the Wild Hunt and he seemed more powerful than he ought to be."

"He is as old as the Winter and Summer, he's not as old as the Mothers. But he is of the age of Titania and Mab. The older Sidhe gets, the more power they can muster and have finer control over their existing. And when was the time he was chased by Titania and Mab?"

"Some five or four centuries ago."

"Closer to five than to four," Lea said and then smiled. "He had five centuries to do things we don't even know about. And considering he was thought dead by everybody, he wanted this period of seclusion. And why would a deity or a Sidhe want to be forgotten?"

"To plan and prepare for something," Sarissa said and nodded to herself. "He seemed to have some greater purpose coming now."

"It might be connected to Harry and Mab's plans. There is that fifth Mantle, the sibling of one used by Oberon and it lacks the owner."

"If he claims the Summer Mantle there is no imbalance and when Harry gets the Mantle on his birthday he will be more powerful if the Summer Mantle was without its proper holder."

"The imbalance wouldn't be that significant," Lea said and pointed at the ceiling. "The problem is there. Lloyd Slate is a slab of ice and acquiring new Knight is going to take time. He is most stubborn individual and coercing him to take the Mantle will take time and effort."

"Didn't you warn Dresden not to come to the Stone Table?" Sarissa asked as she analyzed Lea. "I quite vividly remember watching you, when Mab and Titania were preparing to fight during that mess with Slate, take Dresden to the Stone Table and warn him against getting anywhere close to it."

"And I would still warn him against it," Lea said with a scoff. "As a godmother, yes, I want him as far away from it as I can manage. As a loyal servant of the Winter Court, I want him as close to it as I can. The list of beings we can give the Mantle of the Winter Knight is short. His mother would have taken it if she wasn't dead. His grandfather, probably would agree. Morgan, maybe. The rest... I don't trust to do anything good."

"There are humans and changelings to use, too."

Lea let out a sigh and looked pointedly at the ceiling. "Tell me, what did we get from Slate? Several nobles wanting his head, few daughters of their raped and a rabid beast that was defeated by a young wizard that lacked in skill." She shook her head angrily. "Maeve can have her beasts. I want a tool that has a mind and conscience and knows how to use both."

Sarissa nodded and glanced at the thing Lea was watching before smiling and leaving. "My Lady, I will allow you to enjoy yourself."

o-0-o

Harry sat on the floor of the cave only in his underwear and looked at Aurora with a cocky smirk. "Bring on the question, love," he said and grinned. "I want you more naked."

Aurora smiled and eyed his naked torso. "Well, your love life is more interesting than I assumed it to be." She chuckled and sipped some of the mead they didn't manage to finish yet. "So, that Katie Bell and you. She sounds very interesting and I wouldn't mind hearing more about her and what you did with her."

"I told you," Harry said with a smirk. "We touched and kissed each other after the matches to help us relax and enjoy each other."

"Ooh," Aurora purred and leaned closer to Harry. "Tell me you did something more than touch her through that thick robe you need to wear at that school of yours."

"We did," Harry said and blushed. "She's fit and has a toned body I quite enjoyed touching and she plays as the Chaser. A position that requires a lot of physical fitness and agility as you toss around a heavy ball and dodge two balls keen on murdering you."

Aurora let out a happy, mewling noise and kissed Harry on the cheek as she trailed her hand down his chest. "She's a person I want to meet," she whispered into Harry's ear and didn't protest when his hands started to pull down her pants. "She's desirable, strong and seems smart and a person that might be fun in bed as well."

Harry flushed as he managed to pull down Aurora's pants and started to work on her shirt. Her hands slipping all over his body and exploring everything she wanted to touch didn't help him much. And her kissing and pressing herself against him helped even less. "You should be able to," he managed to say as he gasped for breath. "Once we are at Hogwarts... I'll introduce you two."

"You better do it," Aurora said and pressed herself against his body. A lustful, happy moan getting out of his mouth. "Or your life will be hell."

Harry moaned and rolled on, getting Aurora underneath and letting him enjoy some kind of power and dominance over her. "Aurora, I can also make your life hell," he said with a chuckle. "As you said, I have power, just need to claim it."

Aurora's eyes shone like two stars and she drove her knee into Harry's crotch. "Don't get cocky," she muttered soothingly into his ear as she rubbed his back. "Now, just enjoy the time when we are away from the court."

o-0-o

The moment they returned to Arctis Tor they were summoned by Mab and after barely cleaning themselves and getting into more comfortable and practical clothes they followed a silent noble that took them to top of the main spire of the fortress. There amidts a collection of ice sculptures, victims of Mab's ire and crucified form of Lloyd Slate they found Mab, Sarissa and Leanansidhe waiting for them.

"Who's she?" Harry asked in a whisper as he looked at Leanansidhe.

"Leanansidhe, Sidhe famous for sending inspiration on human artists and then murdering them," Aurora said and added after a moment. "She's also an advisor, an ally and an old friend of your mother." Then Aurora's eyes swept across the space around. "They're only lacking Maeve to have all the movers and shakers of the Winter."

"Who won't be joining us today," Mab said as she finally noticed their presence. "Your sister is not welcomed in this fortress and I don't have a desire to see her sabotage the plans I made and put in motion. Besides, her fate is sealed and the new Lady was already chosen."

Harry winced at the hostility and coldness in Mab's voice. It felt as if she didn't care about Maeve and wanted her dead. He also had his reasons to see his sister dead, but Mab's hostility was rolling off her in waves.

"Yes," Mab said coldly. "She will die. The question is only when and how. However for now she doesn't matter. Harry, how many Mantles each court has?"

"Four, Mother, Queen, Lady, Knight," Harry said without thinking.

"It has five," Leanansidhe said as she gracefully moved forward, nimbly navigating between the frozen beings and trees. "The three for the Queens, one for the Knight and one for the Prince or King of the Court." She stopped behind Harry and placed her hands on his shoulders. "The last one wasn't used for over five centuries because Oberon, holder of it for the Summer, had been cast out of his court. Now he is back and he took the Mantle."

Harry swallowed and looked at Lea and then at Mab. "And you want me to take the Mantle for the Winter."

"On your birthday to be exact at the midnight of that day," Mab said and looked at Lea. "It will be the moment when the magic is the easiest to channel for you and for me to pass upon you. And it is your fifteenth birthday, for many cultures you would be an adult now, a thing that further makes this even more fortunate time."

"Also, the stars are aligned and the raid we launched at the vampires acquired what we lacked," Lea added. "A sacrificial altar bathed in so much blood of the innocent slain by the vampires. Their blood screams for vengeance against the vampires and anything will trigger the dormant power."

"Nothing works as well as a blood of innocents," Mab said and Harry looked at her. "White Christ? He was innocent, yet his death did so much. As I said. Blood or death of an innocent being has power." She smiled and looked at Lea. "Do you think he needs to know anything more?"

"No."

o-0-o

Harry cuddled in his bed against Aurora and sighed. "What can I expect from the Mantle?"

"It's a forgotten one," Aurora said and looked at him. "I looked through what I could find and there is really not much about it. It will boost your magic, physical prowess and change you physically. Beyond that not much should happen, which is good."

"Why?"

"Because the Mantles for the Queens warp the way they see the world. Or try to." Aurora smiled faintly and kissed him. "I like you the way you are and don't want to see you changed. The Mantle might affect your instincts, but I don't think it is that powerful as that of one of the Queens."

"It's all complicated," Harry said and sighed. "I wish I could have my early life, without all of the Unseelie and Seelie mess. Even at Hogwarts it could be tough, now I feel like it is a lot worse at times and at others better."

"Can you do something?" Aurora asked and he looked up. "Stop whining and think about the benefits. The change. I understand, it is shocking, but you need to deal with it and accept it."

Harry shook his head and the moment it rested against Aurora's shoulder he fell asleep.

o-0-o

When the day of his birthday came it passed extremely ordinary for Harry as outside of a large party which allowed him to meet and greet upper echelons of the Sidhe nobility. Most of which was excited about the chance to finally see him and test him in one way or another. A thing that made Aurora roll her eyes in amusement at their attempts as many were so crude it was plain and obvious it was a test.

But then the midnight came and a loud chime of the bell broke the silence. "It's the time," Aurora said as she grasped him by his elbow and gently guided out of the massive hall. "You need to change and then there is the sacrifice."

Harry nodded and stripped out of his clothes before putting on loose robes of a priest. They were made out of rough wool and were easy to remove. He looked at his bare chest and then he glanced at the scabbard of the knife held by Aurora. "The sacrificial dagger?"

"An athame to be precise," she said as she slid the blade out of its scabbard. It was made out of some dark, glassy stone and had rough edges. "Almost as old as Winter."

Harry gently grasped the blade and shuddered as he felt how much raw power was hidden in the simple weapon. It was old, the leather grip was worn out and the blade seemed dull, but it had the power nothing he ever touched has.

"Come," Aurora said as she looked at the sky visible through the ceiling. "We need to hurry."

They jogged through the corridors of the fortress and then up the slope of a nearby mountains where hundreds of nobles gathered. Torches marked out a path that led to the summit, around which clouds swirled and magic flowed.

The gazes of nobles they passed were feral. They no longer were the beautiful and graceful, they were ferocious and predatory. Showing the true nature of the Unseliee as the predators and hunters. Some seemed ready to pounce, the hunger and rage in their eyes barely controlled by the presence of their liege.

"That's how many of us look," Aurora said, whispering into Harry's ear. "More predatory, more dangerous and more inhuman than normally."

Harry nodded and then he approached the steps carved in the slope. They were weathered and showed signs of wear and tear, the water, the ice and the wind slowly damaging them over the eons. The pair of trolls standing there on guard moved aside and he passed, starting to climb the several dozens of steps that led to the summit.

He could already make out the shapes of nine pillars of stone, each of them covered in swirling and changing pattern of runes and sigils. The power contained within them was colder, more primal than Mab's and much older. A lightning streaked across the skies and his eyes widened when he saw something, someone in a black robe with a good pulled over the head stood between two of the pillars.

Something about whatever it was was unnatural. The power around it was pushing Harry away and it felt alien in a way. Cold and distant. All of Winter power was cold, but it wasn't distant, he needed a thought and it was at his disposal. Here he couldn't reach for his powers, as if something was blocking them.

"Yes," the hooded being said, it's voice raspy and old, yet oddly feminine. "I am stopping your powers."

"How?!" Harry asked with a hiss as he pulled on what magic he could and sent forth a blast of ice and cold.

The being didn't even move and the spell didn't even reach it. "I thought that Mab taught you more respect," the being tsked and then Harry was liften by some invisible force and flung forth. "To be attacked in the place I made. The fortress I built."

Harry gulped and tried to free himself when he felt a bony hand grasp him by the neck and drag him closer. He tried to kick away, using his magic to enhance the power of his strikes. All he got for all his troubles was an angry gesture and his legs were frozen in place.

"Much better," the being said and Harry could swear he saw a smile under the heavy hood. "You're stubborn and foolhardy. A lot like your mother. Yet you have more of your father's intelligence. Good."

Harry gasped for breath and then his eyes widened as he realized who or rather what was holding him.

"Yes, it is me," the being said and laughed. "The Mantles come from me and since this one wasn't used for last few centuries I decided to see who's the foolish one wanting to claim it. Oberon is close to my age and he has the knowledge and power. You are a youngling, one that lacks the power and wisdom."

Harry gulped and grimaced when the fingers dug into his throat. He could still breath, if only barely. He slowly moved his own hands, trying to grasp the fingers holding him and then bend them away.

"I don't want to see you killed," the being said and chuckled. "I want to test you. Tell me, young one, will you serve the Winter or will you pursue your own agenda? Or maybe that of your father."

Harry gasped before he managed to find the words he wanted to say. "I will serve the Winter," he said and swallowed. "It is the place that accepted me and gave me a sense of belonging."

The being smiled and then tightened the grip on his neck, almost choking him. "I will be watching you. You make a mistake and I will be the first one to snap your neck the moment you betray the Winter."

Then the being, one Harry realized was Mother Winter, was gone and he dropped to the ground. Breathing heavily and trying to regain his composure. After a moment he got up and climbed the remaining steps leading to the altar.

The altar was a large stone table engraved with glyphs and covered in rust red coloration of old blood. At three of the four cardinal directions stood Mab, Sarissa and Lea. All of them stone faced and silent. Their bodies didn't move, only their eyes flickered to Harry when he came to the altar.

"We may begin," Mab said, breaking the silence. "Bring the offering," she snapped at the pair of Sidhe standing behind her.

They rushed forward, a bound and tied creature between them. After a moment Harry realized it was a Red Court vampire. They placed the creature on the altar and tied it, its struggles and attempts to break free ignored by them.

"Do you wish to ascent and claim the Mantle of the Prince?" Mab asked, her eyes focused on Harry.

"I do," Harry said and gulped as he guessed what would come next.

"Make the sacrifice and with the blood of the offering the power will come," Mab said and then looked at the vampire. "May the blood of the vampire appease the victims of the Red Court."

Harry approached the altar, his hand gripping the athame. With the other he gripped the head of the creature and yanked its head back, fully exposing the neck. Then he brought down the knife and the moment it pierced the skin and blood gushed out a flood of power hit Harry.

It was burning him, yet at the same time he felt as if some deep chill settled in his bones and muscles. It was the power of the Mantle, pouring into his body and transforming him. His muscles became tougher, stronger and grew in size as his bones lengthened and changed. Becoming more resilient and at the same time lighter, giving him the raw power and the agility a true Sidhe needed.

Some changes were more pronounced and obvious, his pitch black hair grew in length and changed in color, becoming a mix of silver and black while his eyes gained a colder, darker glean to them. No longer they were shining emeralds filled with joy and happiness. Now they were cold and calculating. The joy and happiness was still there, but it was hidden and what most people now see were two balls of green ice.

Harry let out a scream of anguish and pain and drove the blade to the hilt into the neck of the struggling vampire. The blood coated his fingers, yet he didn't care about it as more power rushed into him and he roared. The grip of the knife slipping out of his fingers before he crashed against the table and passed out.

o-0-o

A/N – For those worrying what happened in the material world, it will be the focus of the next chapter. Generally the next chapter should bring back to speed Sirius, Hogwarts, the Senior Council and their plotting, maybe the Knights will do some carving and probably Dresden as he causes havoc wherever he is and attracts said havoc.

And now we have a mad butterfly effect going everywhere, combined with the Red Court being in a state of shock which can lead to interesting actions. More importantly the Fae courts as a whole are gaining massive amounts of power, Oberon can go – Nope, you're dead – and unless he is facing a god, that thing is just dead.

Harry has the potential for that, but now is loads of power and loads of magic, but no finer control and knowledge. But a sufficiently powerful crude spell will work as well as something subtler that closes a single vein in the brain. It's just a matter of how much can they last and what will they be able to beat.

Reviews:

Ferocious Nightfury – what is dark and what is light is complicated in Dresden. Are Unseelie evil? Kinda, are they dark? Nope, no, nein, niet, nie and so on. They guard the Outer Gates and keep the violence between powers civilized.

They are cold, ruthless, predatory, extremely dangerous and even lethal, but aren't inherently evil. They come across as evil due to what they do and how they do it. But compared to what the Black and Red Courts or even Fomor do, they're cute and friendly.

They're a force of Order and do everything to keep that Order existing, even if it means doing some horrid things. They're not that far away from the God-Emperor from 40k when it comes to their willingness to do stuff.

CynicArchon – as long as it is sibling murder directly or indirectly their other sibling it is fratricide. Well, as long as it is proved that they were behind it. For example, I lure my brother under a hanging piece of masonry and someone 'accidentally' drops it onto his head and gets away. Did I do anything? *whistles and smiles innocently*

Uzushiogakure – it will get worse when Harry comes there. In the Nevernever attacking him is not a question of if it fail, but how soon it fails and how badly Mab will retaliate. In Hogwarts the amount of paths of attack, of choices and options grows. From Potion Making accidents, through old and tested poisoning, to good old lover in bed slicing his neck open when he is dazed by pleasure.