AN: I re-wrote this chapter like 15 times. I removed entire sections and rewrote things to the point that I am throwing in the towel and saying this is the final chapter till after christmas. I need a small break from the tale. We are now 25 chapters long folks. This is the longest story I have ever written. I wish you all a fantastic Yule/Christmas/Holiday/Hanukkah/every other holiday out there! Please let me know what you think as always. I love you guys.

Emmy Falcon

Q&A: None this chapter as a christmas gift to myself lol. Also expect a new side story or two coming soon for the holiday spirit. I might just post it on Christmas Day!

Chapter 25

Harry slowly came to as he tried to take a careful gulp of air. His chest was sore where his core rested and it felt like a pressure was crushing his lungs. Carefully he sat up and felt a small hand lay down on his shoulder. A voice that was only vaguely familiar whispered in his ear, "Don't sit up. Let me go get Anute."

He heard shuffling and dared not open his eyes as pain made itself known behind his eyes. He groaned and rolled onto his side as he heard the door open once more and a soft trickle of laughter sounded before a warm hand laid across his forehead he knew it was Anute by the soft musky scent.

"Careful now Harry you're still recovering. You used up a lot of magical power when you healed your little siren friend."

Harry groaned again and opened his eyes carefully to look into the yellow gold eyes of his phyrinchyl, "What happened?"

The first gentle voice whispered behind him as the bed caved in slightly from the sirens weight, "You used up to much magic when you healed me. Your core is healing. Also when you tried to channel Justin's magic it tore at your core and tried to consume it."

Charz laughed from over in the corner, "You should have seen you Djinn friend's face when he realised he had almost killed you. He is in the living room with the other four Djinn, Teddy, Kitsunes, and a siren whom I do not know."

Harry blinked over at the gargoyle, "Why are there so many people?"

A small trickle of laughter, "The Djinn's I believe wish to apologize to you, I was under the impression the kitsunes are your friends."

Harry nodded before carefully sitting up and resting his face in his hands, "I will speak to them now then."

The demon growled darkly, "You will do no such thing. You are not to leave this bed till you are fully healed."

The wizard groaned again before looking up and resting his back against the headboard. "Can they come in here and speak with me then?"

Anute and Charz glanced at each other before the gargoyle finally nodded from where he was leaning against the wall next to the door, "I will bring in Teddy first shall I?"

The man stepped out of the room and Harry could just hear his rumbling voice giving orders. The siren next to him was carefully carding fingers through Harry's thick black hair caringly. Finally the wizard turned to look at him, "Why are you here still?"

The siren smiled, "That can be explained later for now rest and handle your guests. But know that I will remain here. I owe you a debt I cannot repay easily. I am Jami."

Harry smiled, "Well met then, Jami. But you owe me nothing. I chose to help you, and not for a o favor."

Wide golden eyes regarded him and not a word was spoken till a bright cheerful voice called out his name. Harry turned just as a blue haired blur clambered onto the bed and into his lap. Harry sighed happily and wrapped his arms tightly around the toddler breathing in the scent of wolf and cinnamon. The once blue hair faded to a deep black and Teddy looked up, "You ok?"

Harry nodded, "Yes pup, I'm ok."

He held the boy close to him as a second person entered the room. Looking up Harry smiled at the twins and Justin who had a guilty look set on his face. The wizard patted the bed and the three fell into it The kitsunes sniffing at him carefully to check for injury while Justin grabbed his hand carefully murmuring his apologies.

Harry slowly removed his hand and gently stroked the bald scalp of his Djinn friend, "It is fine you did not know it would hurt me. I asked you to. It was worth the risk. Don't put this on yourself."

The djinn nodded and his friends whispered their get wells before being ushered out the door by a gloomy Charz. Harry knew he was just trying to keep Harry from getting overwhelmed and it was appreciated. Holding Teddy close he heard them talking softly before the siren behind him tapped his shoulder gently, "The Djinn will want to enter next."

Sure enough four more Djinn entered the room next. Harry only recognized three. The Djinn with the four elemental patterns stepped forward first giving a low bow before he spoke, "I am Tyren, I am in charge of Djinn who injured you, we wish to extend our most sincere apologies. We had no right to attack you after you were deemed neutral."

Harry raised a brow, "What does that mean exactly?"

The Djinn gave a wicked grin, "You have not formally declared your allegiance with Djinn or any other race. That makes you neutral by our standards. We cannot attack you without you declaring your allies or enemies. My friends and I wish to express our apologies appropriately."

The two Djinn from the earlier fight stepped forward giving stiff bows. You could see they clearly did not want to be here. They each held out a strange box the size of their palm. Harry glanced and tilted his head before glancing at Charz. The gargoyle stood straighter and approached the two Djinn and snatched the gifts before looking at them carefully and depositing them in Harry's lap carefully.

Harry smiled and nodded, "Thank you for your apology.I hope we can get to know each other in the future."

The two backed out and Anute rushed them out of the room before turning to Harry, "Well done with having Charz take them for you. It showed them that you do detour to a protector. Makes you a harder target."

Harry nodded before looking down at the gifts and smiled tugging them open a single gem fell from each both a deep blue. He was guessing sapphires. Smiling he tucked them back in the boxes and turned to Anute, "How many more people are out there?"

Charz grinned, "Just the unknown siren, who I think is here for the one who is still sitting behind you."

Jami grinned and nodded, "It is most likely my brother. He will want to keep a close eye on me now that Dynaris is dead."

Harry frowned, "That was the other siren with you. I had thought you were related."

Jami shook his head, "We were but only second cousins. We were not that close. I was only there because he claimed the Djinn attacked some more of us. I kind of saw red."

Harry nodded before leaning back and shifting to get more comfortable he held Teddy close to him, the boy was being oddly quiet and his hair was a deep silver in color with acid green streaks. It was a strange combination and not one he ever saw on Harry before. Hugging the boy gently he gave a nod to Charz who walked back into the other room only to return with the Siren in question. It amazed Harry now that he saw a true brother of Jami how similar they looked. The same deep blue hair that flowed like water over thin shoulders. While moon pale skin glowed in the soft lighting of his room.

The man stepped forward and gave a low bow, "I am Terrence, you saved my brother's life I am forever in your debt. Ask anything of me and it will be done."

the wizard blinked and rubbed the back of his head, "I don't require anything. I was just helping a fellow student in need. Really."

Jami grinned and slowly moved off the bed and walked over to his brother, thats when Harry noticed it. There along the line of the Siren's spine was a deep black stripe from the base of his neck to where it disappeared below the edge of his pants. He could make out strange white runes etched into the black surface, runes he could read. "Your back."

The siren turned and gave a sad smile, "it was there when I woke up. I do not know what it means."

Harry slowly situated Teddy better on the bed before standing, the pain in his chest had lessened to the point that he could move. Taking a step forward he gestured the siren to turn around before running a hand down the runes, watching as they glowed the same eerie silver that his soul stones. He gazed at the runes before a soft voice whispered in his mind, like a thought long passed, the living soul bound to death master's hand and there at the base of the runes was the mark of the Hallows.

Taking a deep breath Harry ran a hand through his hair as he sat back down on his bed, "What time is it?" anything to distract him from the runes. What had he done.

Charz grinned, "Late you may return to classes in the morning. For tonight you have been ordered bed rest by Anute."

Green eyes turned to stare into yellow gold and he whined, "Oh come on, its magical exhaustion not near death!"

Anute growled, "Sleep tonight, i will bring you dinner and care for Teddy. If you do not then I shall bind you to the bed and force you."

Harry raised his hands and scooted further into the bed, "Ok ok resting" he lays down slowly, "See resting."

Charz and the two sirens looked ready to start laughing, mouths drawn to a thin line. The jackal demon however was looking at Harry like he knew the wizard was up to something. Sighing he slowly reached forward and picked up the sleeping child before shooing the others from the room.

Slowly the first siren left followed by Anute and his charge then Jami stood and began to leave the room only to stop and be dragged backwards by an unseen force. Golden eyes looked around wide with fear. Harry frowned, "Are you ok?"

Jami nodded and stood before walking toward the door again only for the same thing to happen. He yelped and through a hand up to his throat as if something pressed against it. his cry had alerted his brother and Charz who came back into the room. Harry caught sight of the Hallow's mark glowing brightly when the siren stood before it faded once more to the bright silver of the rest of the runes.

"I can't leave the room. Why can't I leave the room?" his voice was pitched higher as his fear was known.

Harry raised a hand and gestured for the other two to leave before he stood and walked over to the panicking siren, "You need to calm down. There is nothing wrong, it is my fault you can't leave."

Jami's golden eyes turned on him, "What did you do!"

The wizard winced, "That is a very long tale to answer a question that I honestly have no answer to."

"What!"

Harry sighed and slowly reached forward placing a hand on the siren the eerie silver glow picking up when he did so. Enough now that the siren now saw. Harry took a deep breath before saying softly, "I don't think I saved your life."

AN: I was so tempted to leave it here but I am not that cruel...yet….

Jami looked at him intently, "Then what did you do. My heart beats I can feel it!"

Green eyes looked down at the floor, "I think we should sit down. We have a lot to talk about."

Harry led the siren to his bed and they both sat down before Harry let his magic flex outward toward the room. Before looking into the curious golden eyes, "I have you ever heard the Tale of Three Brothers?"

"The wizarding fairy tale? I've heard it once or twice."

The wizard nodded, "It's not a fairytale. Everything in the tale is true, Death did bestow three peverell brothers with gifts. A Resurrection Stone, An Invisibility Cloak, and The Elder Wand."

The siren's fingers where threading through his blue hair anxiously, "What does that have to do with this scenario."

Harry winced, "These three items, when they are together with a single owner they become what is known as the Hallows. If the items find the wielder an efficient master they sort of do something."

"That explains nothing."

"I don't know how to explain it! All three items are in my possession, they deemed me worthy and bestowed upon me a very specific title and all the powers that come with it."

The siren glared before dropping the pieces of his hair, "Spit it out."

Harry sighed before looking into the golden eyes, "I am the Master of Death, and I did something to you that I cannot reverse because I don't know what I did. When I was named this, he told me nothing. I have no idea to even begin to understand what has been done to me, and now to you."

Golden eyes closed, "So when you healed me." he broke off.

"When I healed you, I did something, and I don't know what."

"Then why did you."

Harry ran a finger through his black mane, "I couldn't let you die. Something in me said I could help you and I reacted. I saw the soul of your cousin leave his body and noticed how close you were to death as well. I latched my magic onto your soul to anchor it while I healed you."

Golden eyes slowly lightening to a dangerous white glow, "You did what."

"I'm sorry, I was just trying to help."

The white glow faded and a sigh left the slim throat, "I know. It's just a lot to take in. Am I stuck with you till we figure this out?"

Harry nodded, "It would seem so. I don't want to, but now I have to trust you. With not only my life but everyone's I live with. You can't tell anyone what I have told you tonight."

Jami nodded, "I don't think I can disobey you anyways."

"That's not what I wanted to hear."

The siren let out a small laugh, "I won't lie to you if you don't lie to me. Am I even alive?"

Harry shrugged, "You still have a soul, that much I can tell. I did not want to mention this to the others but the symbols on your back, they glow the same color as my necromancy soul stones and you have the Hallows symbol carved into the base."

"Am I a soul stone?"

Harry blinked, "I don't know. That's not possible is it?"

Jami shrugged, "I wouldn't know. I failed out of necromancy. We sirens are built more for elemental and lust magic."

"It still surprises me there is an entire branch of magic for sex."

The siren let out a soft hearty laugh, "Maybe one day I can show you the benefits of such art?"

A blush bloomed across the wizards face and Jami's laugh increased as he took in the now very red faced wizard.