Chapter 10:
Harry felt like he couldn't breathe. From the left, from the right, from everywhere around him he was fenced in. He was suffocating under the immense pressure of the past three days: the vows, the preparations, the practice, the clothes. If he wasn't being poked and prodded by a multitude of tailors, the goldsmiths were hounding him. Or if he wasn't being forced to recite vows again and again, he was being made to walk down the centre of the throne room, and if even a single step was wrong, he had to start all over again.
It was just one thing after another, and it had all happened so fast Harry had hardly had time to think on it - he just did it.
But the stress of the past few days was catching up to him, and he needed to escape, or suffer a mental breakdown. So, with that in mind, he sneaked out.
When he was left to his own devices for five minutes, Harry quickly pocketed the overly creased piece of vellum containing the vows he had to memorise, and tiptoed out of his room and down the hall. When no one seemed to be coming, he made a dash for the doors and creaked them open.
The guards on the other side turned to stare at him.
Harry raised a finger to his lips and looked at them pleadingly. Exchanging glances, they slowly turned their heads back to face the front, and he slipped out the doors and made a dash for the end of the long hall. If he could manage to get as far as possible from the tower before his next torturer showed up, then he might be able to snatch a few hours for himself.
He wasn't a moment too soon. He'd just leapt off the last stair and dashed into a side-hall when the royal tailor and her group of underlings rounded a different corner and headed for the stairs.
Harry waited for them to pass, and then continued on his way. There was one place he could go where he knew no one would look for him - Meldir's apartment.
Harry hadn't seen Meldir, nor Taswa, since that fateful day in his rooms; he'd simply been too busy. But, eventually they'd relaxed more around him, and while they were jumpy and still overly polite, they had made an effort to try and treat him the same as before.
Harry desperately needed that at the moment. He needed to be around people his own age to talk and laugh with and simply relax. What he wouldn't give for Ron and Hermione at the moment!
It took him well over an hour to get down to the third section of the palace as, as soon as Harry was discovered MIA, every royal guard had been deployed to find him and bring him back. No doubt his grandparents would be furious with him, but Harry was beyond caring by this point. He'd had quite enough of their silly, stuffy formalities, and it's not like it would kill them to let him off for a few hours. He had his vows down pat, his clothes were ready and it was only the tailor's obsessiveness with perfection that made her keep coming back to alter them, and he was also pretty sure by this point that he could navigate the throne room in his sleep.
So, really, didn't he deserve some peace and quiet for the last half of the day?
With that in mind, Harry found himself knocking on Meldir's apartment door, having successfully found it after a few wrong turns and some helpful directions.
Eruahna opened the door.
"Araëmel!" She said in surprise.
Harry had only ever come over accompanied by Taswa, so this was a first.
"Hello," replied Harry with a crooked grin. "Is Meldir in?"
Eruahna blinked and then smiled back, opening the door wider. "Yes, yes he is. Please come in."
Harry stepped in with relief. The emotion spread through him quickly, and increased after the door was shut behind him. He was safe now - the guards wouldn't think to look for him in an apartment belonging to the lower echelons of the Houses.
"Please be seated," murmured Eruahna, "I'll go fetch my brother."
Harry nodded and collapsed gratefully onto their couch. Eruahna disappeared though an open arch and he eventually heard her footsteps go up what sounded like stairs before disappearing. He wondered how many levels the apartments had, and how big they were.
He didn't wait long before he heard two sets of footsteps growing closer, and Harry twisted his head, ears cocked, just in time to watch Meldir and his sister come back into the main sitting room.
"A-araëmel," greeted Meldir nervously.
Harry sighed and tried to give him a reassuring smile. "Hey, Meldir. I hope you don't mind, but I've come over."
Eruahna glanced between them with a frown and then quietly stepped away, turned, and retreated into the kitchen. Meldir watched after her, before turning back to Harry, eyes wide and chewing his lip anxiously.
"Should you be here right now?" He asked.
Harry shrugged. "Technically, no. I sort of escaped." At Meldir's horrified look, he quickly added, "Sorry."
"B-but...they'll be so angry," moaned the other boy.
Harry's fingers plucked at his pant leg and he let out a great sigh. He really wanted to bury his head in his hands and groan, but thought that might be a bit excessive.
"So what?" He replied, mumbling. "Let them be angry. Do you know how stressful it's been? I've been constantly hounded from sun up to sun down."
Harry heard Meldir slowly cross the room and sit down opposite him. Harry lifted his head and shot his friend a weak smile. Meldir's mouth moved in what was probably supposed to be a return smile, but ended up looking more like a grimace.
"But it's your duty."
Harry ducked his head and scowled heavily. "Don't be like that. They're just being ridiculous by now with all the preparations. They haven't given me a moment of peace, so I decided to take matters into my own hands and escape."
Meldir stared at him. "But...what about the crowning?"
Harry shrugged, suppressing a shudder. "I've learned my vows backwards and forwards, and I've walked down the damn throne room so many times I could do it in my sleep. It's driving me nuts!"
There was a crash to Harry's right and both boys whipped their heads around to stare. Meldir jumped to his feet.
"Eruahna!"
Eruahna stood in the archway, her hands still outstretched where she'd been holding the small tray of drinks. The tray now lay at her feet, the spilt liquid steadily spreading across the polished stone and lapping at the edges of her dress. She stared blankly in Harry's direction.
"Sister, what's wrong! What happened?" Cried Meldir, hurrying forward to grasp her hands.
Eruahna seemed to shake herself mentally and she blinked down at her younger brother.
"Oh," she breathed. "Oh, dear. Whoops. It must have slipped. Silly me, I'll just...go get some more…" trailing off, she tugged her hands away and turned around, about to head back to the kitchen, except that Meldir grabbed her sleeve and demanded quite harshly,
"What's wrong?"
She turned her head and, with a quick, almost indiscernible glance at Harry, smiled tremulously at Meldir. "It's nothing. I just...thought I misheard something. But I think I was just hearing things. I'm sorry. I'll just clean this up, shall I?"
Harry had an inkling of what might have caused Eruahna's shock. If she'd overheard him ranting about the preparations for the crowning, then she had probably (rightly) guessed who he was and was now trying to convince herself she had heard wrongly. He wasn't sure what would be worse - leaving her to her delusions for the time being, or telling her outright he was exactly who she thought he was.
When Eruahna bent to try and clean up her spill, Harry belatedly realised that she couldn't perform magic (because she was blue-eyed), so he stood up quickly, determined to help, and offered to do it for her. This was, perhaps, not the best thing to do, as she choked and refused vehemently. Harry exchanged glances with Meldir.
Meldir had magic, so Harry asked him, "Why don't you do it then?"
Meldir shrugged uncomfortably and replied, "I don't really know much magic. Right now I'm focusing on my physical skills, and…" He trailed off, a flush staining his cheeks.
Harry frowned. "And what?"
"We don't have enough money or prestige to be able to afford having me learn two different things at once."
Harry's mouth formed an 'O' shape, "Oh." Then he glanced sternly at Eruahna and insisted vehemently that he be allowed to take care of it.
This time Meldir protested with a horrified, "But you can't! Please don't!"
Harry simply rolled his eyes, and, utilising his elementary knowledge of elvish magic, extended a single finger to draw in the air, much to both elves' protests. He made the basic circular shape, going anti-clockwise to indicate a dispelling technique, and inscribed the rune for 'vanish' in the centre. It took him a bit longer than it would have had he simply used a vanishing charm with his wand, but that was only because he was new to the magic and his hand movements weren't all that steady.
Besides, he'd been told that when he became more proficient, and his mental control increased, he would only have to indicate the circle for such simple spells, and his mental concentration would do the rest.
He directed the magic at the mess of liquid and shattered glass on the floor, and in an instant it had disappeared. Then he used several tendrils of air to pick up the tray on the floor, and sent it floating gently into Eruahna's hands.
Meldir sighed after he was done and put his head in his hands. "I can't believe you did that."
Harry shot him a look. "It's not a big deal. It was much quicker and easier that way."
"But…" muttered Meldir pathetically.
Harry turned back around and sat down resolutely, effectively ending that argument.
"I'll...I'll just go get some more drinks," murmured Eruahna.
Meldir heaved a sigh and came shuffling back over. He collapsed down into his seat and put a hand over his eyes. Then, he let out a half-laugh, half-snigger.
"You're impossible, you know that?" Laughed Meldir, having clearly cracked.
Harry raised his eyebrows in concern.
"I mean, you act nothing like you should! You call me friend, never flaunt anything, and even demean yourself by cleaning up other people's messes."
Harry coughed and said challengingly, "Is that a problem?"
Meldir uncovered his eyes and shook his head with a laugh. "No. No, I think I've finally accepted that it's not. You're never going to do what's expected of you, are you?"
Harry found his mouth stretched in a wide grin. Finally! "You got that right! I live to rebel. No one tells me how I'm supposed to act."
And while that hadn't necessarily been true several years ago, after having lived through as much as he had, Harry had developed a healthy disrespect for authority and an equally stubborn will to defy. After being slandered from every direction, he no longer really cared what people thought or said about him - except for those important to him. Their opinion was the only one which mattered.
"I'm really beginning to see that," replied Meldir. Then he cleared his throat, reached up to scratch one ear, which twitched rather violently, and said with a nervous laugh, "So, you're, uh, rebelling against their Majesties, huh?"
Harry nodded. "Yeah. Well, kind of. I mean, I respect them, but they're very controlling, and sometimes I just sort of have to take matters into my own hands. I won't disappoint them, though."
He paused and bit his lip, a few well hidden insecurities rising to the surface. "...I think…"
Meldir shot him a sympathetic look. "Don't worry, you said so yourself, you'll be fine."
Harry frowned. "But what if I suddenly forget everything because I'm too nervous?"
"You won't," said Meldir fiercely. "You'll be perfect, I know it! You have everything memorised, you said, so you'll do everything just like you've done before."
Harry quirked a smile. Well, at least one person believed in him wholly and without reservation. Even Quenah was nervous that he was going to mess up somehow.'
"Thanks, Mel. I guess you're right. And I'm pretty sure I do have everything memorised. Every word."
"See."
Harry laughed softly, and that was when Eruahna rejoined them. She shot Harry a questioning look, but smiled lightly and placed her tray with fresh drinks on the small table and sat down.
She passed out the glasses and took one for herself. Then she asked, "So, why have you joined us this afternoon, Araëmel?"
Harry grinning impishly over his glass and, keeping an eye on Meldir to watch for his reaction, said cheerfully, "Just escaping the evil machinations of my tyrannic grandparents."
Meldir choked on his drink. And then he kept choking until Eruahna, startled, slapped him hard on the back.
Gasping for breath, Meldir stared at Harry in shock. Harry grinned.
"Y-you-!" Gasped Meldir.
"Me," replied Harry happily, having too much fun to stop.
"You just…"
"Mmhm."
"This doesn't leave the room! Ever!"
Harry laughed and agreed for Meldir's peace of mind. And perhaps for the safety of his own skin as well.
"I don't understand," said Eruahna, glancing between the two of them in confusion. "You have horrible grandparents?"
Meldir made a funny choking noise and his sister's hand automatically went to slap him, but he managed to duck in time.
"Don't say that," he moaned.
Eruahna frowned.
Harry chuckled. "They're not horrible, just a bit controlling." Which was sort of an understatement, but he didn't want to send Meldir into another spastic fit.
"Oh."
Harry smiled at her her confusion. Even confused, she still managed to look stunningly beautiful - then again, so did most elves he'd seen. He wondered what she was always doing around the apartment, and not out with friends or learning some sort of art or trade. For that matter, where were Meldir's parents? Harry hadn't seen hide nor hair of them. Meldir hadn't even mentioned them. He had never really asked, as he didn't want to seem prying.
He turned back to his friend and tried to divert their conversation onto other things for the time being.
"So, how's Taswa?"
"Ah, she's fine. Still a bit shaken."
Harry sighed and ran through his hair, catching his right ear and scraping it lightly. "Oh. I guess she…"
"Don't worry. She's just had to work so hard to get where she is, and I think she's terrified of losing it all by doing the slightest thing wrong," Meldir explained gently.
Harry supposed that would explain a few things. Taswa didn't have a House after all. She was all but the equivalent of a peasant, except that he knew that her father was fairly well off.
"Well, I'd never let that happen to her. She's my friend...and I protect my friends," he said seriously.
Meldir shifted in his seat, staring past Harry for a moment. Then his eyes darted back and he smiled crookedly. "Thanks. I...just, thanks."
Eruahna placed a gentle hand on her brother's shoulder when he looked away again.
Harry nodded solemnly, though he was slightly confused. What else had Meldir expected him to say? "Of course. I mean, that's what friends are for, right?"
Meldir shook his head quickly. "No, I meant...thanks for being my friend. That day I bumped into you, and with the way I acted...I'm really surprised you picked me, really."
Harry blinked in surprise. He worked his mouth uselessly for a few seconds before he found the right words. "What on earth are you talking about? You were the first person to treat me normally. You don't know how much that meant to me." He paused and grinned sheepishly, remembering something. "Then again, I hadn't yet realised my skin was gone, you know, but still...the other people seemed more stuck up, and you were so frank and you were concerned about me later when I was upset, and you came after me and talked to me. You're a really good guy."
Meldir stared at him in shock. Eruahna let out a soft, "Oh my," and busied herself quickly with her drink.
Suddenly, Meldir barked a laugh. He started laughing so hard he had to put his glass down until his laughter subsided, and when it did, he leaned forward and grinned at Harry.
"Yeah, truth be told, I would have done that for anyone if they'd let me, but it just happened to be you and...well, it kind of makes me laugh to know that the reason why everyone else shuns me is the reason you picked me."
Harry frowned, glancing at Eruahna in confusion, hoping she could shed some light on the situation. She ducked her head with a small smile and let her brother explain.
"What I guess I mean," said Meldir, "is that no one wanted to associate with me because I had 'horrible manners' and 'low breeding'. I mean, except Taswa of course. So, it's just really funny that of all people, you picked me because I acted the way I did with you."
Harry finally got where Meldir was coming from. Harry, being the Prince, should have been the least likely person to want to associate with Meldir for the same reasons that none of the other Elwý of higher standing wanted to, but instead it was those very qualities that drew Harry to him - and if Meldir's classmates had any idea, they'd probably drop dead from shock. Either that or fall over themselves to befriend Meldir as well.
Harry started to snigger, his eyes lighting up at the internal joke.
Meldir started to laugh again as well, and this time it was Eruahna who was left out of the loop. She looked on in indulgent confusion and eventually sighed and collected their glasses to return to the kitchen, leaving them to their laughing fit.
Eventually, Harry's laughter petered out and he doubled over gasping.
"Y-you know," he managed to get out, "if you want me to, after this stupid crowning coronation thing, I can rub it in their faces for you."
Meldir straightened, a thoughtful look on his face. "That would be nice," he said wistfully.
"Okay, I'll do it."
"But you probably shouldn't," Meldir amended. "It'd just cause tension within the Houses, and you might make enemies."
Harry raised an eyebrow, then he smirked and stuck his nose in the air in a fair imitation of Draco Malfoy and his etiquette teacher, and sneered, "But I'm the Prince. I can do what I want."
Meldir started to snicker again, which almost covered up the gasp Eruahna let out and the thump she made when she collapsed against the archway, clutching the stone in a death-grip.
Meldir quickly stopped laughing, his eyes wide. "Sis," he said weakly. "Don't panic."
"Are you all right?" Harry added in concern. Eruahna looked rather pale.
"P-prince," she stuttered.
Harry sighed and stood up, figuring he ought to clear things up and make proper introductions - after all, that's what his etiquette teacher said he should do.
"I apologise for the deception," he began softly, feeling rather proud of himself for not only using proper words, but also for the way he was managing to handle himself - the Demon-Witch From Hell would be proud. "Allow me to introduce myself properly. Araëmel o'Caladharan."
Eruahna's legs gave out from underneath her and she began to slump to the floor. Harry didn't think, he simply did; he wrapped a pillow of air around her and caught her before she could completely collapse. Motioning with his hand, and feeling the strain of such a heavy burden, but determined not to show it, he floated her gently over to the couch and set her down carefully. She stared at him in shock.
"Wow," said Meldir, impressed, "I couldn't lift a whole person. Neat."
Harry shot him a wry smile. "I've been practising. Grandmother says that I can't show any weakness, nor be outdone by others." He snorted.
"No pressure," added Meldir dryly.
Harry snorted again.
"Sis, you okay?" Asked Meldir, bending down to peer into his sister's blank gaze.
She blinked at him and worked her mouth silently, finally managing, "I-I don't understand…what…?"
"You know, me and Taswa had the same reaction when we found out, but don't worry. It's fine. Araëmel's my friend."
"And," Harry added quickly, "nothing's going to happen, so there's no need to panic."
"Araëmel...aryón?" She whispered, staring at him.
Harry smiled weakly and nodded. "Yes."
"Oh," she said. "Oh."
Harry and Meldir exchanged glances.
"Oh," she repeated for a third time.
"I think I broke her," observed Harry worriedly, but not without a smidgen of amusement. Eruahna's reaction was much different from any of the others so far.
Meldir let out a short laugh, which he quickly choked back. "Come on, sister, snap out of it."
"I…"
"Should I leave?" Harry asked uncertainly.
"No, no," Meldir hastened to assure him. "You'd just have to go back then, won't you? Stay. She'll be fine in a moment, once she's absorbed all the information properly."
Harry chewed his lip and shrugged. Then he sat down again. He glanced at Eruahna and found her eyes still fixed unblinkingly on him - he looked away hurriedly.
"Umm...are you sure?"
Meldir glanced at his sister again and shrugged, remarking dryly, "Well, actually, no. But she can't stay like this forever, can she?"
Slowly, Eruahna's head turned to stare at her brother. Then her expression darkened and her arm flashed up in a blur of movement, cuffing Meldir around the head.
"How dare you be so rude! Use polite language - polite!"
Harry quickly clamped a hand over his mouth to suppress the laughter that bubbled out at Meldir's wounded expression.
"It's okay," he said amusedly. "I don't mind. In fact, I prefer normal language...it's easier."
Eruahna turned her head to stare at him again and Harry fidgeted.
"Eruahna, that hurt! You don't need to get violent, you know…" Meldir pouted. His hand was rubbing the side of his head gingerly.
"You were rude to his Highness," replied Eruahna automatically though she was still staring at Harry. Then she suddenly blinked and glanced down at her hand, staring at the slightly reddened skin.
"Eruahna…" Harry ventured quietly. Her head jerked up and she stared at him again with wide blue eyes. "It's okay. It's really okay. You don't have to act like this. Just pretend I'm the same Araëmel from before. I'm still the same me. So what if I'm Prince Araëmel? To be honest, the concept is still new to me - I grew up thinking I was just some human wizard named Harry Potter. And...I would really like it if you would be my friend instead of my subject." Harry finished off what was seeming to become a well-used speech with a soft inhale and waited.
"I…"
Eruahna looked so lost, Harry felt guilty. He should really stop acting like being the Prince didn't mean anything...because it obviously did. To the Elwý the royal family was taken so much more seriously than he felt comfortable with, but trying to laugh it off only seemed to cause more problems. He needed to take his position a bit more seriously and prevent this sort of emotional turmoil in his friends.
"Araëmel? Why don't we go up to my room and let my sister be for a while. I'm sure she'd rather be alone to think about what you said," offered Meldir rather generously.
Eruahna's eyes flicked to her brother and her lips quirked up slightly.
Harry agreed instantly. He wanted to see Meldir's room, and he didn't want to cause more undue stress to Eruahna - she was such a nice person, he couldn't help but like her immensely.
Meldir's room was on the second floor of their apartment. The small set of stairs was set in one corner, rounded in a spiral, just like a normal human castle, though they were adorned with far wider windows than any human ones would be. It made the staircase light and airy. Harry rounded the last bend and stepped onto the second floor. It was much like the first in that there was a large open space with what looked like three arches, all with carved wooden doorways. Meldir veered towards the far left-most room, his friend following.
"Well, this is my room," said Meldir, a light stain of pink across his checks as he ducked his head. "It's nothing like you're used to, I'm sure, but…" He pushed open the door, which swung soundlessly open.
Harry stepped inside, looked around, and instantly liked it.
The room was indeed small. There was a bed big enough for a single person pushed up against one corner carved out of white wood with light blue sheets. A desk sat against a wall opposite the bed and near the door. A few books and pieces of vellum were strewn across it. Two shelves held a couple more books. There was a trunk at the foot of the bed, no doubt for Meldir's clothes, and his sword was hung up on the wall, one of the few decorations.
It was small, but cosy, and the single window let in plenty of light.
"I like it," Harry told his friend, smiling. He would have given anything for a room like this not too long ago.
Meldir shot him an incredulous expression. "You're joking."
"Nope."
Meldir collapsed on his bed and stared at Harry, sweeping an arm out around him. "What's there to like? I don't own much. It's tiny compared to yours. Your room is...well...this can hardly compare."
Harry walked over to the window and peered out at the view. It wasn't much of one, which was to be expected, all considered, but it could have been worse. He turned around after a few moments and frowned at Meldir.
"It's not the size that counts you know. Besides, the room I have now...it's kind of surreal I think. Sometimes I wake up and wonder what I'm doing in it, cause it's much too grand. It's weird…" He trailed off, thinking of the kinds of rooms he was used to. Images of Ron's bright orange monstrosity of a room came to mind, and the Gryffindor dormitories. He refused to think of the cupboard under the stairs - that hadn't been a room, more like a prison.
"You're the Prince, remember?" Said Meldir dubiously, as if he wasn't sure about Harry's current mental state.
"Well, yeah." Harry rolled his eyes. "But like I told you before, I had no clue until just recently, so...it's still a bit odd."
"You don't like your room?"
Harry blinked, startled at the thought. Did he not like it? He thought he did like it, since it was his room for a change, but...he had to admit that it sometimes made him a little uncomfortable to be in such a big, opulent room.
"No…" he eventually said, "no, I like it. It's mine, so I don't really care what it looks like. It could be small or big or fancy or not, but I think the most important thing is that it's mine, you know?" He glanced around him, wrapping a knuckle on the soft white stone of Meldir's walls. "I mean, you like your room right? Cause it's yours?"
Meldir was nodding thoughtfully. "Yeah, I get you."
"I guess it's my first room too. My first real room," Harry added with a small, pleased smile.
Meldir glanced at him side-ways. "What are you talking about?"
Harry settled back against the wall and hooked his thumbs through the wide leather belt he was wearing. He shrugged. "Well, I don't really consider the Dursley house - that's my Aunt's house, by the way - to be my home, not really. They never treated me like real family and the only reason I even got a room was 'cause they were scared the wizards would find out they weren't-" He cut off suddenly, realising what he was saying and swallowed thickly. He gave a nervous laugh and muttered, "You know what? Never mind, forget it. Let's talk about something else."
But Meldir was gazing at him with wide eyes. Harry had revealed too much. Had he wanted to? Wanted to talk about it to someone? But all his friends back home already knew, so he could talk about it to them whenever he wanted...so why let it slip out now?
"What are you talking about?" Meldir whispered warily.
Harry bit his lip and turned his head away. "I said never mind. It's not important, I was just…making stuff up."
Meldir's gaze hardened and set his jaw. "You didn't sound like you were making it up."
"Just drop it!" Snapped Harry.
"No!" Shouted Meldir, then he sucked in a breath in surprise and glanced at his open door. No doubt Eruahna had heard that, even with the subtle magic in the walls of the castle which were supposed to sound proof rooms.
Meldir turned hesitant eyes towards Harry again and said waveringly, "You said I was your...your friend, didn't you? Why are you hiding something? You don't trust me?"
The guilt ate away at Harry's consciousness. Meldir was perfectly correct of course - after all the convincing he had gone through to gain the other elf's friendship, and this is how he repaid that trust?
Harry slid down the wall and drew up his knees, hiding his head between them and squashing his ears rather uncomfortably. There was a shifting noise and slight vibrations from Meldir's footsteps and then he was kneeling down next to Harry and touching his shoulder hesitantly.
"Look, I promise not to judge or anything...I don't know what this is all about but...I'm a good listener, remember?"
Harry cracked a small smile from between his knees, knowing which incident Meldir was referring to. His head popped up.
"Yeah, you are. I dunno why I'm making such a big deal out of it either. I guess the talk of rooms just got me thinking about it...I never really minded before. I'm getting spoilt."
Meldir laughed, his grin wide. "I don't think you can get any more spoiled, your Highness."
Harry wrinkled his nose and shot his friend a dirty look. "Yeah, thanks."
"No problem. Come on, let's sit on my bed. There's enough room and it's a lot more comfortable than sitting on the floor."
Harry allowed Meldir to help him up though he could have done it just as easily on his own. He fell back on the bed with a sigh and stared at the ceiling. To his surprise, he discovered that the stone had a pattern carved into it. It was very interesting.
"So, let's talk," Meldir began the conversation.
Harry took a deep breath. "Okay. I'll explain. Just...don't freak out, okay?"
"Is it really that bad?"
Harry turned his head to peer up at the other boy. "Well, no, not really, not to me at least. Like I said, I don't know why I'm getting so worked up over it, because I really don't care anymore."
"Then don't worry, I won't freak out."
Famous last words, Harry soon discovered.
"Well, you know I was talking about how I'd never had a real room before because at my aunt's house they only gave me my cousin's second bedroom because they were afraid that my wizarding friends would find out they were...that my 'room' was the cupboard under the stairs."
Harry watched Meldir warily for his reaction. To his initial surprise, Meldir only blinked and frowned in puzzlement, asking what a 'cupboard under the stairs' was. Harry supposed that the palace didn't really have supply closets under the marble staircases dotting the building. It was only after Harry had explained the relative size of his cupboard that Meldir began to have fits.
"WHAT?" Bellowed the young Elwý.
"I thought you said you weren't going to freak out!" Harry tried to negotiate.
"A CUPBOARD?" Roared Meldir, going red in the face. "How DARE they? That's a crime worthy of execution!"
Harry wisely didn't inform his friend that his relatives had also worked him like a slave - although he was mildly interested as to what kinds of colours an elf's face turned when they were that angry.
Instead, he said, "Uh, I wouldn't go that far really…"
"CUPBOARD!" Exclaimed Meldir, hand pounding on his mattress for emphasis. Strands of his hair began to flutter about strangely and his eyes were glowing much brighter than usual.
Harry sat up and edged away slightly. Over Meldir's incoherent raging, he also heard light footsteps hurrying up the stairs, and soon Eruahna's worried face was peering through the doorway.
"What's going on!" She cried.
"Nothing!" Harry tried to say, but Meldir's exclamations drowned him out.
"He lived in a cupboard! A cupboard! They made him live in a cupboard! They-"
Eruahna clutched onto the door frame, looking about as pale as she had not minutes earlier.
"What?" She gasped.
"Seriously, it's not a big deal!" Harry tried to interrupt.
"A cupboard! A small cupboard with a cot! Not even worthy of a slave!" Meldir wailed.
"You said you wouldn't freak out!" Harry tried to reason, grabbing one of Mel's flailing arms. A harsh breeze tugged at his skin and the ends of his sleeves where he grasped his friend.
Meldir turned to him, eyes bright and demanded, "Have you told their Majesties? Has this injustice been dealt with? Have they been punished?"
"What?" Gasped Harry, letting go abruptly and edging so far back his back was pressed against the wall. "No! That's awful, punished? Of course not!"
"But they committed treason!"
"My uncle and cousin have no idea who I am," Harry pointed out sensibly.
Meldir's expression only darkened and he all but snarled, "But your aunt did! The Princess should have known better!"
Harry stared in fascination at Meldir's face. His green eyes were now glowing brightly and his hair seemed to have a life of its own. Surprisingly, whatever force was blowing around the other elf wasn't touching Harry at all - he couldn't feel a thing. Meldir looked a right sight - almost scary - and it was a side of the boy Harry had never seen before.
"I agree," spoke Eruahna, face stony, "this is unacceptable...though, are you sure Meldir? A cupboard? Is that even possible? Surely that's an exaggeration…?"
Two sets of intense eyes stared at Harry and he groaned, running a hand through his hair.
"Yes, I'm sure it was a cupboard, it was just rather big for a cupboard. I wouldn't be able to fit in it now though. Not very well. But stop fussing, they moved me into Dudley's second bedroom after I turned eleven."
Meldir spluttered.
Harry continued. "There are people who are far more unfortunate. You know, they could have left me in an orphanage, and then what? Or I could have ended up on the streets. At least they kept me. And it wasn't as bad as you're probably imagining-" Harry paused and bit his lip at the lie. It had actually been worse than they were imagining - but even then, he didn't count that as being the worst that could have happened to him. If they hadn't have kept him, then the death eaters might have been able to get to him. The house was protected against attacks like that.
"Look," he said peaceably, holding up both hands to stall any more arguments from the siblings, "it's my prerogative whether I tell anyone...and it's really in the past. They don't treat me like that now-" Another lie, "-and there's no use crying over spilt milk. And seriously Meldir, what happened to not freaking out?"
Meldir blinked and seemed to realise that he'd broken his promise. He blushed furiously and ducked his head, the tips of his ears a bright red.
"Ummm, sorry."
"I do not think this behaviour is excusable," Eruahna said softly from the doorway where she was still standing. She looked at Harry seriously as she spoke, which made Harry want to squirm.
"Think of it this way," he ventured, "at least I'm humble and not some spoilt little brat always demanding his own way and getting it. And I'll never look down on anyone for their station in life." He could tell his argument was reaching them, so he continued more passionately. "I've seen what privilege can do to people - it's not pretty. They're insufferable. I'm not saying that all people with power are like that, but it's more than likely I might have turned out differently if I'd been treated like a Prince from the start. And I don't want to be that person, so in a way, I'm kind of grateful."
Eruahna's eyes had softened and Meldir was fiddling with his hands, now completely silent.
"Please don't say anything," Harry begged. "I don't want to bring any trouble to the human world. My aunt's happy - and I don't think I'll ever go back to her, so there's no use making a fuss about it when I'll probably only see her a few more times in my life."
"If that is your Highness's desire, then I cannot oppose it...but know that I believe there should be retribution," stated Eruahna formally.
Harry inclined his head, grateful. He turned to Meldir and waited for his response.
"I…" Meldir looked up. He was biting his lip. "I...It just makes me so mad...but...I guess I can't really do anything about it can I?"
Harry let his head fall back against the wall with a relieved sigh.
"Thanks Meldir."
"You promise you'll never go back to them?" Meldir asked pleadingly.
Harry shifted. "I can't make any promises, Meldir. I might have to at one point - but at this rate it doesn't look like that's going to happen anyway."
Meldir's jaw clenched and he looked ready to argue, strands of his hair picking up in an invisible breeze again, but at Harry's level look, he slumped his shoulders and sighed.
"Okay."
The conversation turned to more pleasant things after that - though only slightly. This time Eruahna joined in, sitting down in Meldir's desk chair and adding in a hesitant word here and there. Harry finally asked after Meldir's family, feeling it only fair after what he'd just revealed, and got some surprising answers in return.
As it turned out, Meldir's parents weren't in the capital. In order to maintain their status as a family with a House, both had to take care of the land they'd managed to acquire in some remote region of Elwýn. So, in order to give Meldir all the opportunities they could, they'd sent their son and daughter to the Palace. Harry was saddened to learn that Eruahna had had to give up her pursuit of music in order to accommodate her little brother - but, as she informed him with a smile, as a blue-eyed elf, she had less chance of going anywhere with her life than Meldir, who was not only green-eyed, but born with exceptionally strong magical potential. It was because of this magical potential that Meldir had been allowed to enter into training with Melcacrist - the only problem being that his family didn't have the money to allow for him to take magic lessons at the same time.
So, first came physical fighting, and if he was lucky he would go directly to the army. After serving in the army for a century, Meldir would have earned enough prestige and money to be able to apprentice himself to a magic master and learn the art. Meldir's parents were hoping that with his strong talents he would be able to combine them well enough to be considered for a position as a royal guard - one of the highest honours.
Harry, by this point very dazed and shocked by his friend's situation, didn't waste a second in promising him a place as a royal guard - that is, he added teasingly, he could get up to par. Before he left, he had one last idea, and asked Meldir if he wouldn't mind Harry tutoring him in magic basics.
Meldir had almost fainted from shock. Harry took this as a yes, and at least three hours after he arrived, he finally said his farewells.
He left Meldir's feeling more high strung than he had in coming, but for completely different reasons. Inside his mind stewed over what Meldir had told him, and the painful emotions it had brought up. He wandered up through the high vaulted corridors, past rushing elves, all frantically preparing for the next days events, where he eventually ran into a group of the royal guard searching the lower levels of the First Palace.
After that, Harry didn't have much time to think, because he was promptly hauled before their illustrious Majesties and dumped on a couch to explain himself.
So the first thing he said was, "I can explain."
The Queen stared at him with a hardened expression as the guards behind him respectfully retreated and shut the door, leaving poor Harry alone with two angry Monarchs and no shield.
"Then you had best start explaining."
Harry shuddered. His grandmother's voice was cold and hard - not an ounce of the usual warmth permeated it, something he hadn't noticed was there until it was missing...and now that it was, he wanted to hide under a rock and never come out.
He looked away from them both, staring at the floor instead.
"Look at us when you speak, you are Crown Prince, you do not talk to floors," said the harsh voice of his grandfather.
Harry winced and slowly raised his head again. He wished he could talk to the floor though, because looking at the two pairs of angry, glowing green eyes made sweat break out. He thought he'd become used to the Elwý and their looks, but apparently they were still alien enough to send shivers running down his spine - or maybe that was just his grandparents, he couldn't quite tell.
"I-" he began, had to swallow to clear his dry throat, then continued, "I needed some time to myself before tomorrow. Just to, uh, think and relax."
"So you abandoned you duties for your own selfish needs."
Harry sucked in a breath, hurt.
"No!" He said sharply. "I mean, I did leave, but it's not like it would have mattered much if I'd have stayed and kept practising! There's only so much you can practise before it becomes redundant."
The Queen hissed - actually hissed, like a cat - and Harry shrank back in shock.
"Do not speak to me in those tones."
"You keep practising because it is your duty to be your absolute best," the King added sternly.
"I'll be fine," Harry mumbled. "I promise. I've memorised the vows perfectly and I know exactly what I'm doing. We've been doing it for three days straight now…" he held up two fingers and pinched them together, "and I'm this close to having a break down, trust me. I needed some alone time."
The Queen's features merely became pinched and the King's brow creased dangerously.
Harry groaned, wondering how he could get through to them. It was like they didn't even care about him at all - all they cared about was their precious Prince and as long as he acted like a prince, they would treat him well...but the moment he stepped out of line…
He gulped in deep breaths of air, trying to prevent the prickling of tears that threatened at the corners of his eyes. It wasn't fair. Why could everyone else have loving families? Why was Harry stuck with a family that never seemed to care about him?
The King was saying something, so Harry tried to focus.
"...your duty comes before all else - you live for the people, not for yourself. Do you understand?"
The burning of tears increased.
"Yes," he half mumbled, half gasped. "But...but what if all that stress had made me so nervous I messed up tomorrow?"
There was silence and Harry stopped staring at the space between his grandparent's heads long enough to glance at their faces. Neither looked the least bit sympathetic.
"It is your duty as Prince to be able to deal with stress. I am very disappointed. You acted childishly and selfishly," bit out his grandmother.
Harry stared at her incredulously for a few moments, tears suddenly forgotten.
"I am a child!" He cried, for once actually eager to admit it.
Usually the wizarding world treated him like nothing but a child, dismissing his words and actions as the selfish delusions of a petulant child. And yet now it seemed he was in the opposite situation - the Elwý expected him to suddenly be far more grown up than he actually was. Especially to the long-lived Elwý he had barely even begun existing...and yet they expected him to act like he had centuries of wisdom beneath his belt?
He noticed his words had seemed to shock his grandparents and he added viciously, "I'm fifteen years old. No, sixteen now, forgot my birthday. What do you honestly expect?"
The tears were back and they burned even more fiercely.
"Sixteen," repeated the Queen to herself.
Harry took a deep breath and clutched at the sofa fabric beneath his fingers. He really needed to get a hold of himself. It was ridiculous that he was having some sort of meltdown over this. He should just gracefully accept his grandparents words, then go back to his room to stew and throw a few pillows at the walls. Not sit here like a child and start crying.
It was pathetic.
He took another shuddered breath.
Finally his grandfather spoke. "You may be only sixteen, but you should be trying harder."
Harry choked back a hysterical laugh. "Try harder? Try harder? Do you even know how hard I've been trying? I've never tried so hard in my life before!" The tears actually started to fall now and Harry didn't bother to stop them. While he was at it, he might as well have a good scream too. "All I've been trying to do is try as hard as I can so you'll be pleased with me! But you barely even look at me sideways unless I do something wrong and then you get mad!" He reached up and scrubbed his face, the wetness becoming annoying. He missed the slight flash of emotion that crossed his grandmother's face as he did so. "A-and it's like you don't even care about me, so I wonder why I should even t-try because you'll never l-like me...and I still can't believe that...that I'm some sort of prince, it just doesn't seem real. I don't want to be a prince...I just want a...a f-family, a-and…"
Harry was pretty sure he was just sprouting nonsensical gibberish by this point. He had dropped his head a while ago and was blubbering at his hands. Which is why he never noticed his grandfather until the elf was sitting next to him and placing a soft hand on his shoulder.
Harry almost jumped, and his crying stopped abruptly for a few moments.
"W-what?" He stuttered.
"Araëmel…"
Harry stiffened, sure he was going to be reprimanded now. After all, breaking down and crying like that was hardly suitable behaviour for a prince.
"Maybe I'm not cut out for this," he whispered. "Maybe you should just disown me and have another heir instead. Send me back to the wizards - my friends like me at least."
His grandfather's hand tightened on his shoulder.
"Araëmel," he said it more sternly this time, "we have been trying. It can take decades or even centuries for a conception. We are still not sure how you were conceived so young and so quickly. Perhaps some wizard magic, or pure coincidence-"
Harry looked up in shock. His sight was a bit blurry and he blinked rapidly to clear it.
"You mean Aunt Petunia is really, really old?"
His grandfather frowned, "You are referring to Taswafáne?"
Harry nodded.
"Yes, she is five centuries old. There was a three century gap between her and Indilaira."
Harry's eyes widened. "Oh."
Movement out of the corner of his eye caught his attention and he turned his head just in time to see the Queen sit on his other side. A warm breath of air brushed past his face and then seized it, pulling it gently towards her, until her own hands were caressing his cheeks. Harry held still in surprise.
"You are our little miracle child," she murmured, studying his face. "When we found out you were alive, we rejoiced. We knew we could stop trying for an heir - Elwýn would be in safe hands."
Harry stared at her, revelling in the touch of her fingers on his face, touching him like she actually cared. Then her words registered and he wanted to cry all over again. She had said it herself - she only cared because he was important as the Prince, no other reason.
He pulled away, turning his head. "See? That's all you care about. You don't care about me."
"I just said-"
"No, you just said you cared that I could be there as an heir, not as a grandson."
Harry tried to pull away further, even get up to leave, but his grandfather's hand tightened unbearably, and the air suddenly seemed like molasses. He couldn't have moved even had he wanted to.
The Queen seized his face again and turned it until he was gazing into her eerie eyes.
"We do care," she said harshly.
Then he could move again, the King's hand released his shoulder, and he was suddenly pulled against his grandmother, whose delicate hands reached around his back and hugged him for the first time.
He froze, unsure.
"You are doing well. Your words have shamed me, but you must understand we do only what we think is best for this country. Being a ruler means sacrificing personal wants for the sake of your people. But this does not mean we do not love you. You are all we have left of our daughter. You are our hope. If we have been pushing you, it is because we know you have the potential to be great."
This time, when the tears spilled over, they weren't because of anger or sadness.
A third hand joined the two on his back and rubbed small circles there soothingly. His grandfather's voice took over, "Araëmel, abandon these insecurities you have. We forgive your childishness, for we see that you are still young, and you have centuries to learn what you need to, there is no need to rush. We have been overeager. You have been doing so well and have made us proud - and you will make your people proud tomorrow as well. You say you do not want to be Prince, but you have been chosen. You were born into this family and your blood and heritage is an important part of who you are. You were born to rule, just like Allàwhta was born to rule. You cannot change that. But you are strong; of mind, magic, and body. If what our researchers have uncovered is true, as Harry Potter you were already doing great things, so do not begin to doubt yourself now."
Harry, who had been listening quietly, a welling of unfamiliar emotions building in his chest, almost pulled out of his grandmother's embrace in shock. Instead, he raised his head and slowly extracted himself, turning to look at his grandfather with wide-eyes.
"You know about Harry Potter?"
His grandfather smiled. "Yes. We know some. That you are the humans' hero, and that they all look up to you."
Harry didn't have the heart to tell him that they preferred to call him insane now and use him as a scapegoat.
"And it is only natural. You were born for greatness, and even as a human, you shined above them all," continued his grandmother.
Harry blushed, feeling a bit uncomfortable at all the praise. Surely they were going a bit overboard now. He was just Harry - just one person. He wasn't a god.
But he was a prince.
"I'm sorry," he finally said to fill the silence. "I promise I won't do something like that again...at least not without telling someone. I just...I was overwhelmed."
"Understandable, child," murmured the Queen, stroking a cheek.
Harry leaned into the touch, heart swelling. They really did care. He had a family now - grandparents who loved him. He had to try his best from now on and make them proud. And he had to go back and destroy Voldemort once and for all and fulfil his promises to the wizarding world at the same time.
"Yeah," he breathed in agreement. He was definitely overwhelmed.
But if he had family there to support him, he was sure he could do it regardless.
"I'm going to do everything perfectly tomorrow, I promise," he stated resolutely.
"I am sure you will," smiled the Queen.
"Although your dancing leaves much to be desired, young one," said the King.
Harry stared at him. Had the elf just made a joke?
"It's not that bad," he protested.
"It is quite bad," replied his grandfather.
Harry winced.
"You have time to perfect it," encouraged his grandmother.
That was the scary thing. He did have time - lots of it. He shuddered.
His thoughts began to stray, thinking over the past few minutes and what had just happened. It was strange to think that his grandparents weren't the horrible monsters that his Aunt Petunia had been making them out to be, but then again, they had banished their first born daughter.
Harry bit his lip, wondering if it was safe to ask. His grandmother must have sensed the question hovering on the tip of his tongue, because she reached up and stroked back a few strands of hair and asked, "What is it?"
Harry stared at his hands as he spoke, not wanting to witness any anger that might develop over his question. "Why did you banish Aunt Taswafáne? She really hates you, you know. And me too I guess. She hates anything magical."
The Queen drew in a sharp breath and her hand retreated abruptly. The King sighed. Before they could answer, Harry quickly added, "And I have a few memories of Mum and Dad. Mum didn't want to go back to Elwýn at all. She said...she said once that there would be no more crowns in our family. Why did they hate it here so much?"
Harry had an idea of course. The way Elwý society was run left much to be desired - but he still couldn't understand why his parents had run. And his Aunt as well. If they'd stuck around, maybe they could have changed things and made it a better place to live. Maybe...maybe that way Voldemort would never have reached them. He could have grown up surrounded by family.
...And have never met his friends. Hermione and Ron, and Ginny and Neville and Luna. Remus and Sirius. He didn't think he could give them up. So maybe it was all for the best.
But that still didn't give him any answers.
"We give you much leeway, young one," said his grandfather almost fondly.
Harry turned to look at him warily, asking silently for an explanation. After that comment he was slightly afraid of opening his mouth again and maybe getting himself in trouble.
"For the liberties you have taken with us, we would have punished Indilaira quite severely."
Harry sucked in a breath. W-what?
"Indeed," murmured the Queen, "and it is that which drove her away from us. We did not realise what we had lost until she was gone. We will not make the same mistake. We have learned from the past." She reached out and grasped Harry's chin again, looking him in the eye. "I am Queen, but I am also a mother, and recently a grandmother. Before I did not realise the difference. I do now." Harry thought that maybe her eyes looked sad as she watched him. "You wish to know why we banished the only daughter we have left? Because she wished it. She could never be heir and neither could any children of hers. If she is happier banished then it is the least we can do."
And it made perfect sense. As Harry gazed into the eyes of his grandmother the Queen, he realised that no matter what she appeared to be on the outside, on the inside she was still very much human - or, rather, Elwý. The front she put up as a ruler buried her feelings so deeply she really appeared to be the cold-hearted Queen everyone thought she was. But the loss of her child had shattered that facade and now she gazed at Harry with actual emotion.
He turned to look at his grandfather. The elf's mouth was turned down slightly in a sad smile. Harry knew he felt the same way.
"I'm sorry," he whispered, feeling overwhelmed by the raw emotion the revelations had uncovered in him.
"It is not your fault, Araëmel," said the elf softly.
Harry looked between them both, at their sad, drawn eyes, and suddenly made a promise to himself - and them. "I promise I won't leave you. No matter what. Mum may be gone, but you still have me."
The Queen chuckled. "Thank you, my young Prince."
Harry felt a childish delight and love well up in him and he smiled shyly at them both.
"You will have to forgive us if we do not show emotion well," remarked the King.
Harry didn't need to be told, he already knew they were trying their best - and that he should too.
"Don't worry. In return, I'll try to be better."
"Then perhaps you ought to return to your room and finish preparing for tomorrow?" Suggested his grandmother, though the tone of her voice implied it was more of an order.
So Harry nodded abruptly, reaching up to wipe any residue of tears from his face. He stood up and turned to face them, trying to look serious, but he only received a raised eyebrow from the King.
Harry merely straightened his rumpled clothes and intoned solemnly, "Yes, your Majesty."
The Queen smiled her cat-like smile.
AN: Well, it's a little late, I admit, but I got it done and edited! And I've written more than half of the next chapter as well. Yes, that's right, the ceremony/ball is up next! I'm having a lot of fun trying to think up vows and make it seem very official :P
Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter because I really enjoyed writing it. I got to explore the relationship between Harry and his Grandparents as well as the reasons why Lily and Petunia left and why they were so estranged. And of course, I'm a sucker for soppy bonding scenes, so that's what you got. XD And then I simply couldn't resist adding in a bit of discovery for poor Eruahna and Meldir. How do you like the interaction there so far? Good? Meldir and Eruahna are fun to write. In any case, I hope answered a fair amount of questions with this chapter.
A thank you to everyone who reviewed...and a special thank you to those that wished me a happy birthday or asked after exams! I hope everyone else's exams went well (those of you that had them, which I'm guessing are the majority of readers) because I'm hoping mine did. I think I even managed to reply to a few reviews, though I'm not sure. It's hard when I'm so busy.
But for now I've got the summer ahead of me to write. Hopefully I can finish the next chapter soon-ish. I've hit a slight stumbling block and am trying to figure out how to play out this next scene, but once I've figured that out, it should be smooth sailing. :D Though, just a small warning, I will be VERY busy this summer, so don't expect really frequent updates. I will try to write as much as possible though.
For now, though, enjoy! And reivew please, tell me what you think so far? I'd be much obliged. XP
xoxRia