When Ginny had been told by Master Shaw that she was going to see the cheesemakers, she had assumed that this was a euphemism for something. Instead, she was lead by the man through the still chaotic streets of Stormwind to a large shop near the city entrance that smelled strongly of cheese, and had a sign of an enormous wheel of cheddar at the entrance.

"You're serious?" Ginny said, pausing under the sign and looking incredulously up at the cloaked man beside her. "A cheese shop? Please. Why don't you take me to the docks and stick me on some boat for Northrend. I know how to fire a canon and fight a ship. Even if I'm just a deckhand I'd be of better use there than helping with moldy cheeses."

"You're here because you'd be wasted as another sailor or soldier," Shaw said, pushing Ginny forward. "I see potential in you. Potential I will not let lie idle."

Reluctantly, Ginny let herself be lead inside of the cheese shop. The interior was brightly decorated with paintings of cows, cheese, milk, and smiling farmers and their families. There were stacks of cheese wheels and trays of slices, from foul smelling bits of gooey stuff to wheels bigger than Ginny was tall.

"Ah, Master Shaw, what can we do for you today?" a smiling woman behind the counter said, waving to Ginny's escort. She looked to be about middle age, with a bit of fat on her and rounded cheeks that had dimples in them. Her dirty blonde hair was in a loose bun, and she wore a clean apron over a plain dress.

"I've found a new apprentice for Elling. One how needs a home, and looking after," Shaw stated "I'm to busy for that myself, and being a bachelor, not the proper guardian for a young lady anyway."

Ginny made a rude noise. "I'm hardly a lady. I'm a bloody pirate! I can drink a dwarf under the table, make an elf courtesan blush, and slit a man's throat before he notices all before I eat my hard tack."

The woman sighed heavily. "Another one of your projects, Mat? You know Elling and I are retired. We're cheese merchants now."

Shaw folded his arms over his chest and raised an eyebrow. "Oh, is that so, Elaine? So I should have someone else monitor our contacts in the Scarlets?"

Elaine sniffed and shook her head. "If I thought you had someone who was halfway competent I'd say yes, but if you sent anyone else the Scarlet's would tear them apart." She glanced down at Ginny, who was tapping her foot with a bored expression on her face. "Well dearie, if you're going to be with us you're going to need some new clothes. Wandering about with the royal sigile on your chest is simply the wrong way to get attention for a young lady."

"What makes you think I damn well want to stay here?" Ginny demanded. "I should go back to my ship and set sail for Northrend. Or better yet, find where the Captain is berthing and join her. She's taken perfectly good care of me so far, and I have no desire to turn into some lubber merchy getting fat on cheese."

"You sure she's suited for us?" Elaine said, cocking her head to one side. "She hardly seems the type."

"She's the one who sweet talked Vanessa Vancleef into sailing into Stormwind Harbor ahead of the Scourge attack. If she can survive a pirate crew at her tender age, she'll fit right in with the Fingers," Shaw said. He turned to Ginny. "I've work to do now. Mind Elaine and Elling. You've got a good foundation, but it's time you learned subtlety. Not everything is bravado and blazing guns."

With that, Shaw turned and left, leaving Elaine and Ginny alone. Ginny waited a minute until Shaw was well gone, then smirked at the merchant. "Well, I suppose I'll be leaving as well. I'll write from Northrend. That should be more fun than this. Ta-ta."

Turning on her heel, Ginny reached for the door handle, only to hear a loud thunk. She paused, eyeing the knife that had sprung from the door frame, between two of her fingers.

"I'm afraid you'll be staying with us, dearie," Elaine said, not having moved from behind the counter. "Now be a dear and bring me back my knife. I need to slice the rest of this wheel."

Gingerly, Ginny moved her hand away, then pried the knife out of the wood. It was rather sharp, though it appeared to be an ordinary knife for cutting cheese. She turned it flicked it at Elaine, aiming for the headboard behind her and hoping to scare the merchant. To her shock, Elaine snatched the knife out of the air with one hand. Ginny didn't even see her other hand hurle another knife, which snagged onto Ginny's borrowed shirt and smacked into the door, pinning Ginny by the fabric. The knife Ginny had thrown was soon back in the door frame, pinning Ginny's pant leg.

"That was very rude," Elaine said, shaking her head. "Now, are you going to behave yourself, or do I need to call my husband?"

Slowly, Ginny shook her head. "No. I believe I can behave myself."

Elaine gave her sparkling grin. "Excellent! Now bring those back over here and help me slice this wheel up. I'll have Ben go out and get some clothes for you while we wait."

Ben turned out to be Elaine's son, a man of about 25 who was unusually muscled and graceful for the son of a cheese merchant. He glided about with a dancer's grace, which was odd considering his broad shoulders and large frame. He returned an hour later with several dresses for Ginny, handing them over to his mother.

"One of the pirates huh?" Ben asked as he passed Ginny by. "Nice work with the Scourge. Only got a few of the little ones myself. Heard you helped bag a dragon and some abominations."

"What's a cheese maker doing fighting Scourge?" Ginny asked, frowning at the dresses. She hadn't worn a dress since...best not to think about the Other Time.

Ben laughed. "Girl, if you think I'm just a cheese maker you're either as blind as bat or as dumb as an orc. Open your eyes, or you won't last long here."

Ginny fumed when Elaine made her go change into the dress, but when she paused to examine herself in the hall mirror, she twirled about slightly, holding her skirts. The dress was plain brown work clothes with a white smock, but Ginny had to admit it felt sort of nice to be back in simple clothes. Almost like things were back to normal.

"Things will never be normal again. You're Gin the Red now. Not the stupid little girl who cried for her mum for months," Ginny growled to herself. She forced herself to turn away and headed back out to the shop.

That night, she met Elling Trias, Elain's husband and Ben's father. He was a fierce looking man with an eyepatch and a number of scars, but his ready laugh and slight gut ruined that impression. He clapped Ginny on the back and laughed at her insistence that she wasn't a merchant, she was a pirate.

"Well perhaps you've come to the right place. Though we'll have to see if you're worthy of old Mat's estime."

For three days, Ginny minded the shop, having to smile at customers and prepare trays of cheese for sale. It grated on her, but every time she thought of running away or sneaking off, she saw Elaine watching her and noticed that the woman always had knives near at hand. Gritting her teeth, Ginny made herself perform the inane tasks, and tried not to enjoy the semblance of a normal life too much.

All that changed, however, when Elling and Ben woke her up just as the cathedral bells chimed midnight.

"Get up," Elling, tossing a bundle at Ginny's head. She jerked awake and managed to snatch it out of their air, her knife in her hands as she fumbled for a pistol that wasn't there. "Get dressed in that."

"Are we being boarded?" Ginny managed, looking around wildly. Except she wasn't on a ship, so that was a dumb question.

"No. We're doing the boarding," Ben said, his smile glinging white in the dim illumination of the streetlamps through the window.

Ginny realized that both he and Elling were dressed in dark leather, with long black cloaks with cowls on them. She glanced at the bundle in her hands and found it was similar clothes, along with two pistols and a long dagger.

"Time to see if Shaw was right," Elling growled. "You've two minutes to be ready." He and Ben stepped out of Ginny's room, closing the door behind them.

It took Ginny only a minute to slip out of her nightgown and change into the leathers. It was soft and supple, easy to move in and the color of dark shadows. The cloak was made of mageweave, and would help Ginny when she slipped into the darkness, making her even harder to detect. She pulled on a belt, crapping the pistols and dagger into it, then slipping he knife into the padded boots. On a whim, she grabbed a red shirt, using the dagger to cut a red bandana from it, which she tied around her face. She stepped out into the hall, where Ben and Elling were waiting.

To her surprise, she found Ben's dagger at her throat as he swore, only for his father to put a hand on his arm. "She came in with Vancleef, Ben. Relax."

"Sorry," Ben muttered, sliding his dagger back into his belt. "It's just, you know. Thought she was one of them."

"I am one of the Defias," Ginny said, lowering her own knife from near Ben's gut. He started when he saw, then laughed.

"Didn't even see you pull that. Very nice," Ben said. "Maybe you're cut out for this after all."

"I didn't, Ginny said, flipping the knife over to show the rune engraved on the hilt. "Glub'thok did this for me. Comes right into my hand with a flip of the wrist."

Ben bent to study the rune, nodding approvingly. "By the Light, I'd pay a pretty sum for a knife like that."

"Time enough for that later," Elling said. "Come. We must be away."

Instead of leaving though one of the doors, Elling and Ben showed Ginny a trap door hidden in a storage room, which lead down into the sewers. Ginny didn't make a face at the smell: it was no worse than the bilges. They crept along silently for a few minutes, until they came out from a storm drain below the Valley of Heroes. There was a boat waiting, and they quickly and quietly rowed across the lake, where Elling stopped them.

"New girl, here's your first test. Get past those soldiers without being seen," the cheesemaker whispered, pointed to two guards at the gate. They were both alert and watchful, with lanterns held in their hands as they peered out into the night.

Ginny didn't reply, instead slipping into the shadows. She carefully snuck up behind the guards, then whispered a quiet spell she'd learned from Fred and George in another life. There was a wet, messy farting noise from one of the bushes and a putrid stench.

"What's that? Who goes there!" the guards drew swords and advanced on the bushes, casting about with their lanterns and probing with their swords. Ginny slunk past them, hiding in the shadow of a tree some distance from the gate. A moment later, Elias and Ben appeared beside her, startling Ginny.

"Not bad. The fart was a nice touch," Ben observed.

"Something I picked up. How did you find me?" Ginny demanded. "I was careful not to be seen by anyone or anything."

"We've done this more than once. You might be able to sneak by a half blind pair of guards, but it takes an inordinate amount of skill to get by Elias Trigg," the old cheesemaker said. "Now come on. We've far to go before daybreak."

The two men set a hard pace, and Ginny found herself puffing to keep up. She wasn't exactly out of shape, but jogging over rough country in the dark wasn't something a pirate trained for. She could spend hours aloft or haul line with the best of them, but hadn't spent much time ashore for hiking. The two let Ginny take a few breaks to catch her breath. They said nothing, which only irritated her further and made her press on all the harder. By an hour before dawn, they'd made their way to a small house near some fields south and east of Stormwind.

"This is a hideout for some of the more prominent remaining members of the Defias Brotherhood. These two escaped the Deadmines purge, but we've tracked them down and are putting an end to them," Elias explained.

"Hey, I'm a member of the Defias!" Ginny hissed, glaring at the two men. "What makes you think I'm going to help you murder them?"

Ben shrugged. "You can decide how to handle the targets. Know that they're murdering thieves who don't hold to any ideals but getting rich and killing. All we need is for them to stop though. End their operations here and bring in their thugs. You can do that by killing them, or finding another way. Up to you."

Ginny thought about that, then nodded. "Fine. But why are you two here?"

"In case something goes wrong, we pull your cheddar out of the fire," Elias explained.

"Babysitters. Lovely," Ginny grumbled. "Fine. I'll handle this. You two stay here and out of my way."

Ginny slipped her scarlet bandana back on and slunk around to an open window, where she listened for a few moments. After concentrating, she was able to hear low voices.

"I'm telling you Surena, it was her! Vancleef's daughter. She's joined up with Wynn," a male voice said.

"That doesn't matter, Morgan," a female voice, probably Surena, replied. "Vancleef is dead. His brat is nothing. We've heard rumors of them raising the banner in Booty Bay for a long time and that didn't change nothin' for us."

"Some of the old hands want to go join her. I think we should. This is a chance to really make the changes we want. Besides, Wynn doesn't see so bad. It wasn't him who sold us out after all."

"Yeah, only his nobles. But either way, we can't leave. We've got a good thing going here. With a new war on there will be even more traffic, which means more gold for us, and less guards to stop us."

"But we could mean something again! Be more than just petty thieves."

"Morgan, do you want to mean something, or be rich? Because-"

With one smooth motion, Ginny stood and aimed a knife at the female voice, then threw. She was satisfied when there was a shriek of pain as Ginny sprang threw the window with her dagger and pistol drawn. She pointed the pistol at the man who had to be Morgan, while Surena say in a chair clutching the dagger that was in her shoulder as blood spilled down her dress.

"Well?" Ginny said casually. "Do answer that question, Morgan. I'm dying to know. Or rather, she is. And maybe you."

"Who are you?" Morgan said, standing and knocking his chair over. He reached for a weapon but Ginny cocked the hammer of her flintlock back and shook her head.

"Ah ah ah. No weapons, or you get a new hole in your head. Now, answer the question."

Morgan swallowed, looking down at the bleeding Surena, who had gone pale and was trying to staunch the flow of blood with her hand. "Um, to mean something. We should rejoin Vanessa."

Ginny smiled and nodded, then pointed her pistol up at the ceiling. "Good answer. The captain's going to need more hands now that she's a lady. Go and round up your boys and girls. Let them know that the Brotherhood is back in business, and if they're smart, they'll all show up at the Stormwind docks tomorrow, hats in hand, and ask to join Vanessa on her cruise. You savvy?"

"Um, yes," Morgan said, nodding quicky. He made to move for the door, but Ginny stepped in his way, putting the barrel of her pistol in his chest.

"You run from me, you betray the Brotherhood, I'll find you. The Brotherhood is a blood oath bound fellowship. You break that oath, there is a price to pay. As Surena here is about to find out."

Morgan swallowed and nodded rapidly, and Ginny stepped aside. Morgan grabbed his cloak and ran out the door. Ginny turned to Surena, smiling sweetly. "I suggest you stop casting that spell. Otherwise you'll find that I have other poisons besides the one on the blade making your tongue all thick."

The woman stopped her muttering and went still, glaring at Ginny. "You have no right, I'm Surena Caledon, supervisor for the Brotherhood and-"

Ginny flipped her pistol over and struck Surena smartly on the head with the butt. The woman's eyes rolled back in her head, and she slumped forward in her chair, still bleeding. Ginny put a hand to her neck, feeling a pulse. She smiled and whistled loudly. "You can come out now boys."

Ripping a bit of fabric from Surena's dress, Ginny yanked her knife out and tied the makeshift bandage on to slow the flow of blood.

"Nice work," Elias observed, coming in through the open door. Ben was nowhere to be seen, but Ginny had a feeling he was tailing Morgan. "You've dealt with the problem, and secured us both a prisoner and potential recruits from the meatgrinder. Shaw was right about you I think."

"Thanks. Does this mean I don't have to keep selling stupid cheeses?" Ginny demanded. "Because I'd rather just hop on the ship to Northrend with Morgan and the rest of the crew."

Elias chuckled and shook his head. "Oh no, you're too good to waste as ghoul bait. No little Finger, I've got a lot to teach you. This job was easy. A training exercise. Elaine and I have a lot to teach you yet. But enough of that for now. Time to head on home. You can have the day off to rest, but tomorrow, you'll be back in the shop. It's time you learned what a cover identity is."

Ginny sighed, but nodded, cleaning her knife and holstering her weapons. At least it was better than dying of Plague. Probably.

\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

Instead of heading back through Zangarmarsh, the group quickly made their way to Shattrath city. The city lay within the edge of Terokkar forest, but bordered the mountains as well. It was heavily fortified, with large walls and glowing crystals glyphs. It was clear though that the city had been recently rebuilt, and the rubble and detritus of the time the city had been destroyed by the Horde could still be seen.

"Behold, Shattrath City," Vindicator Maraad said as they made their way down a twisting canyon. "Once the capital of my people, and again a citadel of the Light."

"I can feel the Song from here," Harry said, closing his eyes and letting the soothing melody wash over him. "It feels as though there are many Naaru there though, not just one."

"Indeed," Maraad agreed. "There are three Naaru that make Shattrath their home. Of them, their leader, A'dal, is the most powerful. It is the wisdom of A'dal that we seek."

The gates of the city were guarded on the right by a draenei vindicator upon her war elekk, and upon the left by an elf magister with an arcane golem. Maraad frowned at the elf, but said nothing, nodding and greeting the vindicator.

"Much has changed in my absence, it seems," Maraad said quietly to the draenei gate guard, nodding to the elf who looked on with an impassive expression.

"Indeed. The blood elves have repented, and M'uru has reignited the Sunwell. The Prophet himself has offered the hand of friendship to their people," the guard answered.

Maraad turned, eyeing the blood elf. Finally, he nodded to himself and bowed. "May the light embrace you. Forgive my earlier rudeness."

The elf nodded stoically. "There is nothing to forgive. My brethren and I have much to atone for. Enter, and be welcome."

Impa eyed the elf distastefully as she rode past, but the other Vindicators murmured greetings or nodded, as did Harry.

"Not as if saying they are sorry makes up for everything," Impa muttered as they rode through the city.

"I know elves killed your parents," Harry said gently. "But Mylra talked about how Kael'thas and his followers were defeated in the Netherstorm. These elves are different. We shouldn't judge an entire race based upon the actions of a few. If we all did that, how would the eredar reflect upon the draenei?"

Impa grunted her response, her face hardening. Harry didn't press the issue though, turning to Ron as he rode Sharpbeak along the ground.

"Sure I can't convince you to return to the Exodar with us?" Harry asked for the second time.

Ron shook his head. "Nay. Ye'll always be me best mate Harry, and if'in ya ever need me ye've but to call, but me home is wit the Wildhammer now. I miss the Burrow and me family aye, but I've a family here now too. Perhaps one day I can visit ye though, or mayhaps ye can come to the Aerie one day."

"I'd like that," Harry said, smiling and nodding.

They made their way through Shattrath together, following Maraad's lead. The city was still in the process of rebuilding, and work gangs were everywhere. To Harry's surprise, he saw not just elves and draenei, but orcs, humans, and the other races of Azeroth. The only race he saw no sign of were the Forsaken. The Naaru did not tolerate such abominations in their holy city, and Harry was not sorry for it.

Most of the buildings were damaged in some way, and Harry saw arcane golems clearing the street alongside eleks and orcish workgangs. It was good to see the cooperation between the races as they worked to restore Shattrath to order.

"What are they thinking, letting elves and orcs in here," Impa grumbled. "They're the ones that destroyed Shattrath in the first place."

"'But for those that walk in the Light, all shall be forgiven. Bury the sins of your past, repenting and walking the Path of the Light, and you shall be made new in the Light,'" Harry quoted from the ancient Naaru scriptures.

Impa rolled her eyes. "You really think orcs and elves can walk in the Light?"

"All can walk in the Light," Harry said firmly. "Look at me. I'm an orphan from another world, and I've learned the ways of the light."

"Yes, but you're not an elf or an orc," Impa shot back. Then she sighed, shaking her head. "Sorry. I'm no anchorite or vindicator, Harry. I revere the Naaru, but the Light and I, we're not as close as you are. I just can't bring myself to forgive those who murdered my parents so easily."

Harry considered this as they approached the large temple at the center of Shattrath. "I can understand that. I don't know that I could ever forgive Voldemort."

"Huh," Ron said, rubbing his chin.

"What?" Harry asked.

Ron shrugged. "It's just...I didn't even flinch at the name. Voldemort. Just doesn't seem so scary when I've seen giant elementals and demons and such."

The conversation ended as they dismounted at the base of the temple complex. The main temple of Shattrath was one of the few buildings in the city that had been completely repaired, with new stone and glyphs added in such a way that it was hard to see where the original structure was and were the new began. It was built as an enormous dome with an open roof at the top, from which a pillar of light rose up into the torn sky. Here, even Ron and Impa could clearly hear the song of the Naaru, bold and sweet as it filled the air with light.

Leaving their mounts, the party trekked up the ramp to the upper level of the temple. There were many ancorites in the robes of the Sha'tari, but they were not all draenei. Many elves also wore priestly garments, and their eyes glowed not with the virulent green of the fel, but glowed with a warm golden light. There were also a few members of other races making their way to the temple, mostly humans and dwarves who shared the Faith.

At the top, two priests bearing censors passed incense over the party.

"Enter, and be welcome, child of the Light," the elf priest said, passing a hand in blessing over Harry's head. He nodded his thanks, bowing his head and saying a short prayer as he made his way into the temple.

Behind him, Ron and Impa were told; "Walk in the Light, and be welcome, children of the Spirits."

They both murmured their agreement and thanks, inclining their heads and making their way forward. Though they did not serve the Light directly, those who spoke with the spirits were recognized as champions of good as well.

Inside the Temple, Harry began to weep silently, so overwhelming was the presence of the Naara. He stepped to the side and knelt in reverence, along with many of the temple visitors. The sense of joy, peace, and love overwhelmed Harry, and he closed his eyes and gave thanks to the Naaru and the Light for all the things he valued in life.

Ron and Impa were not quite as affected, though they stayed reverently silent, waiting as Harry and the Vindicators finished their prayers and thanksgiving.

"It is not wrong to pray to the Light," Nobundu said softly as he and Mylra joined the two young shamans. "For what are the Naaru but a different kind of spirit? A more holy and otherworldly kind perhaps, but great spirits nonetheless. Would that all the spirits were so benevolent."

"Maybe, but it isn't for me," Ron said with a shrug. "I like a power I know I can tame instead of one I have to submit to."

After paying their respects, the group made their way into the inner sanctum of the temple. Inside, a choir was singing hymns of the light as petitioners knelt and prayed before the altar. Above the inner sanctum floated A'dal, the chief Naaru of the temple. It was massive, towering a good 50 feet above the floor it hovered over, and it's crystalline shards glowed with a warm light that filled the temple chamber. Around the edges, elves and draenei in plate stood guard in glowing plate, keeping a silent watch upon the faithful.

As Harry approached the altar, he felt the gaze of the Naaru upon him, and his heart leapt for joy. The song swelled within his heart, and for a moment he was once more overcome and had to kneel, basking in the radiant light.

Arise, child of Light. Come before me, that I might see your face.

Harry stood, coming before the elder Naaru. The gaze of the Naaru fell upon Harry and he smiled, blinking away tears.

You have grown much, young warrior. O'ros told us of your arrival upon this world, and of the visions of Valen. Now, however, I fear you must face your first great foe, and perhaps the mightiest.

"I'll do whatever you ask," Harry managed to say. "With the Light, I can face anything."

You have a good heart, Harry. But this is not a task to be undertaken lightly. You must journey back to Azeroth, and face the darkness that would engulf both this world, and the world of your birth. By saving this world, you may yet kindle hope for the other.

"What darkness must I fight?" Harry asked, reaching for the sword at this side.

He who was once a champion of Light: Arthas. The Fallen King must be stopped, his unholy hordes disbanded.

"You want...you want to to fight the Lich King?" Harry asked, a small doubt creeping into his heart despite the overwhelming presence of the light.

Not directly. You must go to aid other champions of light, and to learn from them. We send you now to one of the Light's most favored sons: Tirion Fordring. While it is not your destiny to slay the Kinslayer, you must learn how to face the undead, and the Lich King, and help to ensure his demise. You are yet young, but it is with the Crusade that you will find your true strength. It is in Northrend that you will reclaim that which was taken, and purify it to serve the light once more.

"I'll do it," Harry vowed.

"And I shall aide you," Maraad said, coming to stand beside Harry and resting a hand on his shoulder. "You will not face this alone, Harry Potter."

"I as well!" Impa said, coming forward defiantly. "Harry will not face this evil without me."

It is good that your friends wish to stand beside you, Harry Potter. Go, now. A way has been prepared for you. Return to the Exodar, and join those who march against the darkness in the north.

Harry nodded, turning away. He hesitated, looking to Ron and Mylra. "What about them? Should Ron come too?" he asked, glancing back at A'dal.

The young keeper of flame has another path to walk. Go now, Harry Potter, and carry with you the blessing of the Naaru. Call upon us, and we shall aide you in the hour of your need.

A golden glyph appeared on Harry's forehead, and his eyes glowed yellow.

Be at peace, young one. Though you shall walk through the valley of the Shadow of Death, you shall fear no evil, for the Light is with you.

A portal opened in an alcove before Harry, showing the inner sanctum of the Exodar where O'ros slowly rotated. Swallowing, he pressed forward, Maraad and Impa half a step behind him.