Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, I am just playing in the sandbox of my imagination for a few minutes. I leave ownership and all the stress related to it to J.K. Rowling.

AN: I need to apologize to everyone. I had the next couple chapters written for this story and for Nature of Magic as well, and stored on a flash drive along with a good amount of my school work from the last few years. Then like the almost brilliant person I am, I left the drive in the computer lab up on campus. Needless to say it was not turned in, and I was unable to find it. So I have had to re-write the chapters for both stories. I'd blame genetics, but we all know that would be a lie.

-DCM-

Daphne slowly regained consciousness to the sound of voices. Her mother and father were talking softly while in her room. She remembered vaguely having dinner. Then something had struck her in the forehead and caused her head to snap back. It was then that she remembered being angry. Angry and determined. It was with embarrassment that she remembered she had grabbed her silver knife and attacked the roast goose they were having for dinner, after that things went blank.

"Two days Cygnus, I'm starting to get worried. What in Merlin's name has come over her? Banishing her knife through the table and into the floor? Tipsy still can't get it out!"

"I'm not sure love, I suspect that she is now somehow connected to Harry, and I think it has something to do with the crystal he gave her." Daphne had to strain to hear what her parents were saying. Their whispering was quiet, but growing in volume as the conversation continued.

"And her hair? The blue star shape on her forehead? Where did those come from? What is going on with her?"

"I don't know love. We'll talk to her when she wakes and see if she can give us any answers. If not, then maybe we should call in your friend, Healer Tonks, and see if she can make heads or tails of what is going on."

With that her parents quietly left the room. Daphne knew she was sharing a connection with her Harry, and they were sharing experiences and thoughts. She reached up and wrapped her hand around the crystal and felt the cold inside flair briefly in response to her touch. She hoped that Harry woke soon so she could get some answers to give to her parents.

-DCM-

Consciousness came to Harry slowly. His first coherent thought was that his head hurt, and he was a bit sore through his legs and back. His second thought was that he was surrounded by something very soft. Harry reached his hand out and felt that he was laying on fur of some kind. It was soft and comforting, but not too warm. He slowly opened his eyes and looked around at what he could see. He was in a room that bespoke wealth without being opulent and flashy. He was laying on a bed made of a very dark wood. The other furniture that he could see, a night stand, and a wardrobe, were made of the same dark wood. Harry could feel the sunlight that was coming through a set of glass doors in front of him.

He slowly sat up and took a look around the rest of the room. It was quite large. His aunt and uncles house could easily fit inside this room. Looking down at the foot of his bed, Harry saw a large set of double doors. On either side of the doors stood one of the ape guards he had seen by the pool. Both were looking at him expressionlessly. One was shorter than the other, but extremely broad through the chest. The other wasn't as broad, and while big, wasn't as big as the first guard Harry had seen by the pool.

The taller of the two guards nodded to Harry and opened one of the doors and slipped soundlessly out. Harry wondered if he was in trouble or perhaps a prisoner. He remembered the tall human welcoming him to the Heart, and he remembered hugging the man and being hugged in return, but then everything went dark in his memories. Harry must have passed out or fainted right after that. He didn't remember being put to bed.

It only took a moment before the door opened again and the guard returned. Following directly after the guard was the dwarf that Harry remembered from right after the fight by the pool.

"Laddie! You bein awake!" The dwarf smiled and came over towards Harry. "Let me be checkin you jus a bit before you be off causin any more mischief." With this he put his hand on Harry's forehead and closed his eyes while whispering in an unknown language under his breath.

The door opened again and another dwarf, this one female walked in carrying a covered tray. From the smells that accompanied her, Harry guessed it was a tray of food. Harry made eye contact with her and immediately felt love and compassion radiating from her.

Another moment passed and the male dwarf stopped his chanting and was now peering closely at Harry's head. "Tis bein a beauty of a battle scar ye have thar on your head youngin'" The dwarf said to Harry. "The venom of the shraylik seems to have cleansed another curse ye had on ya, and with the loam healin I gave ya, they both seem to be healin right well. The magic in the loam has scar-marked where the stinger got ya, but is quite fetching if'n ya ask me."

"Can I ask a question?"

"Sure laddie, ask away."

"Who are you and where am I?"

Harry's question surprised the dwarf just a bit, and there was a moment of silence. "Ock, lad, I do be sorry, I dinna introduce meself. I be known as Braelik, and this lovely lass here be me bride, Anya." Anya had come to the bed and gently set the tray of food down next to Harry.

"Pleased to meet you Braelik, Anya. My name is Harry." Harry held out his hand towards Braelik, who gently took it in his rough and calloused hand and shook it.

"As to where you be, you be in the Heart, the Citadel of the Wyvern." Anya spoke for the first time.

"Wyvern?" Harry looked a bit nervous.

"Aye" Anya smiled at him, making him feel much better. "Think of them as bein Ancient Dragons, but with a wee bit more intelligence than the modern dragons." She paused for a moment looking at her husband. "Well, most o the time, at any rate…"

Braelik looked a little embarrassed, but smiled at Anya's joke. "Lord Conrac and Lady Lonel will be here in jus a moment to talk to ya, and they be a wantin to answer any and all questions ye be a havin. So's for now, eat up laddie."

Anya set the tray of food down in front of Harry and removed the cover. On the tray was a bowl of a thick hearty stew and some warm fresh bread. The smells alone made Harry's mouth water and he stomach gave a loud growl in anticipation. Harry reached down and took the spoon on the tray and without hesitation took a large scoop of the stew and put it in his mouth. Harry's eyes closed as the flavor of the food overcame him for a brief moment.

"You be likin it lad?" Anya asked him. Harry merely nodded and took another bite.

Anya ruffled his hair and then with the briefest of hesitation leaned over and kissed his forehead. "Good, eat up. There is more if you are still hungry."

She then noticed that Harry had frozen and was staring at her with very wide eyes. She started to get worried at his expression. She also noticed that there were tears starting to form in his eyes. "What be tha matter child?"

Harry's gaze dropped to his lap, his food momentarily forgotten.

"Lad?" Braelik was also becoming concerned.

When Harry spoke, it was with barely a whisper. "I…I've never been kissed by an adult before…" With these words Anya's heart went out fully to the child. She had been hesitant before for fear of becoming too attached to him. But with his soft spoken words, Anya's motherly instincts kicked in and he found himself wrapped in a warm hug and being kissed on his head again.

"Thar be plenty o kisses for ya here child." After a minute, she reluctantly let him go. "Now be eatin up. Twil be a long day o talkin, and then you still have a welcoming feast to be havin tonight. The others be most anxious to be meetin you, and welcomin you home."

Harry smiled and dug into his food, his fears and concerns momentarily forgotten.