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Chapter 18 - Reunited
Before Harry can do or say anything, Tula and Garth are pulling him back, their armor summoned back in place and weapons held aloft.
"GET BACK!" Garth roars with more vehemence in his voice than Harry's ever heard. He sweeps his patterned staff in an arc over the ground, creating a small push of magic to force the photographers and journalists back several steps.
Where Garth and Tula have jumped straight into action, Harry has become all twitching muscles and sweaty palms. His heart thumps frantically in his chest, and somewhere in the back of his mind, he registers his emotional state begin to affect Egg. Through the bond, he feels the Leviathan's previous calm devolve into fear, and ultimately, panic. Between his own emotions, and now Egg's, it's all he can do not to let the hysteria take him over.
Garth's attempt to give them some space has the complete opposite effect that he wants it to. The crowd before them hesitates for a brief moment before pushing forward again, as ravenous for information as the Trench had been for food. They shove aside the students and families simply trying to board the train, so shameless that Harry even spots one of them nearly trample over the top of a toddler gripping tight to his mother. Every one of them is shouting questions, most of them with quick-quotes quills and pads floating over their shoulders, and furiously scratching down their notes.
Tula lifts a greatsword nearly as tall as she is high into the air, her face fiery and determined. It's not a face that Harry has seen in all the time she has spent training with him. She always looks casual and unbothered, but not now. But still, the reporters continue shouting their questions, unperturbed by Garth and Tula's show of force. Their eyes hold a combination of fear and awe, but the threat of being cut down isn't enough to combat their need for answers. Somehow, the reporters seem to think that despite Tula and Garth brandishing weapons deadly enough to cut them all down, their quills and words will protect them.
Harry grabs his two guards and spins them around so they're face to face. "Don't attack!" he yells over the commotion, though his voice comes out shaky and nervous. "They're reporters!" Both Tula and Garth face Harry with resolute, unwavering expressions, but faced with the desperate panic written all over Harry's, the weapons vanish from their grip.
"Harry Potter—Rita Skeeter from the Daily Prophet," one of them manages to squeeze in behind Harry and yell into his ear. "What can you tell us about reports that you are in fact the son of the King of Atlantis? Has Atlantis risen again? What does this mean for the wizarding world?" The words barely register above the commotion.
She's a heavy-jawed woman with a head of tight, blonde curls, so neat they're doubtless locked in place by magic. Her eyes are doggedly determined behind bejeweled glasses, and her two-inch nails dig sharply into Harry's shoulder as her quick-quotes quill float around in front of his face. Despite that her nails would never manage to pierce his Atlantean skin, her touch is still obvious and unwelcome. Harry considers trying to twist away, but short of violently knocking over everyone nearby with an enhanced strength that he's not at all used to, there's very little he can do.
"Hands off!" Tula shouts, bringing up a freshly summoned short dagger to cut the floating notepad clean in two. Simultaneously quick and gentle, she pushes Harry aside and proceeds to shove Rita's shoulder with a perfectly controlled strength to get Harry out of her clutches. Garth, a step behind, sweeps out his arms to keep the crowd from pushing forward. Together, the two guards force their way ahead, Harry wedged between them while they part the crowd with a combination of magic, muscle, and sheer determination.
"So much for a secret…" Tula growls, using an arm snaked behind Harry's back to urge him towards the Hogwarts Express.
It's becoming so much more difficult to even breathe, a part of Harry wonders if someone on the platform has hit him with a breathless curse. Egg's panic has completely blended with his own now, and it's nearly impossible to tell where his own mind ends and Egg's begins. It makes the sensation doubly as powerful as it should be, enough to have his mind fuzzy and logical thoughts inconsistent.
But Harry can barely manage to make a coherent thought. The roar of the crowd is downright thunderous, reverberating off the clear glass roof and the walls, and every bit of it directed towards him. The fame of being the Boy-Who-Lived has always earned him sympathetic smiles and lingering stares, but not even in his wildest nightmares could it match anything like this.
The explosive shock, awe, and sheer chaos caused by the crowd is unlike anything Harry had seen or even heard of before—not even another wizarding celebrity like Celetina Warbeck would be treated like this. People love her and her music, but it's hard to imagine she would be so swarmed by journalists when simply trying to board a train. Sirius was absolutely right: he's possibly more famous than anyone else right now—the people's first link to Atlantis in millenia.
And it's my duty to introduce them to Atlantis…
Harry's thoughts race as his growing panic nearly makes way into a cold sweat. His fists clench, and he dry swallows as he struggles to organize his thoughts. It's all wrong. This is not how it was meant to go at all—he was supposed to have time. Any possible plans have gone straight out the window; there is no chance he can use Arthur as the go between, and there is no chance of a slow introduction to the wizarding world. He has no choice but to start the introduction to Atlantis, and start now.
Show them your strength…
Vulko's previous words to Harry before the Battle of Gotham sound in Harry's mind clear as a bell. They cut straight through his panic, allowing Harry to finally grasp control of any sort of logical thought. Vulko had meant for his words to be a reminder of who Harry had to be to get the Council on his side, but now they serve as a reminder of who Harry has to be for everyone. He's an Atlantean Prince, not some damsel in distress.
Being huddled and protected by his two guards is not the ideal way to introduce a nation like Atlantis. He's here as a Prince, the official envoy of Atlantis. Atlantis is strong and dignified. He has to be an image of strength, not of weakness. Already the photographers must have countless images of Harry crouched between his guards, so it's going to take something they genuinely find amazing to replace that for a more desirable front page picture.
Harry takes a deep breath in an effort to calm himself further at the thought of what he's about to do. In the back of his mind, he urges Aegeus to calm, though before he's really thought it, he knows it barely works. He'll have to go see him as soon as he can.
"Stop," Harry orders suddenly, standing as straight and tall as he can manage in the crowd. His guards either don't hear him over the commotion or feel that their royal mandate to keep him safe takes precedence over his own orders. Either way, Harry won't be denied. He pulls himself easily from their grip and surrounds himself with his magic, just the way Garth had taught. Like them, he uses it don himself in his royal golden-scaled armor, and the Trident of Poseidon rises from nothingness into his grip.
For the briefest of moments the crowd quietens even as the flashing of cameras continues. It's just the opening he needs to get out. He's still shorter than most of the adults on the platform and can't fully see his target, but all he needs is the general direction of the Hogwarts Express. Luckily, the bright red engine is easy to see beyond the hoard of people, and it makes it easier to plan his landing. He doesn't need to fully crouch down in order to jump over the crowd. More of a hop is likely all that'll be needed.
"This way," Harry orders, and before either of his guards can move to stop him, he's soaring high over the crowd. He twists in the air until his feet land on the back carriage of the Express with a resounding metallic clang. Tula and Garth join him just moments later, landing with a spectacular level of skill and quiet.
The crowd below lets out a chorus of gasps and exclamations. Cameras are still flashing, but from here, he can see just how busy the actual platform is. It's utterly teeming with people, more than any other year, and all of them are shoving each other aside to get a good look at the Prince.
Harry's about to turn away and drop to the platform on the back of the carriage when he sees a familiar grouping of red hair pushing their way through the crowd. It's Percy who sees him, his head poking out above the sea of heads like the periscope on a submarine. He points straight at Harry when he makes eye contact, his normally severe and pointed expression replaced by genuine excitement. He leans down low, and a second later, Ron's head pokes up as he jumps high to see over the crowd.
For just a moment they lock eyes, and Harry gives him an awkward smile and a small wave. It's hard to read the look on Ron's face. He looks caught between a myriad of emotions, confusion and amazement chief amongst them. Not that Harry can blame him. It's one thing to read a story about his best friend being the Prince of Atlantis and another to see him standing on the back carriage of the Hogwarts Express donned in golden armor and grasping a Trident.
He wants to go say something, but a proper greeting will have to wait. As positive an event this could turn out to be, Harry's not exactly prepared to make some grand speech introducing Atlantis. That said, he's going to have to come up with something—and soon. Now, though, it'd be too easy for him to say something that he shouldn't. It might hurt his chances at getting things done right. All it would take is for one reporter to get one whiff of a negative feeling or word, and their ensuing publication could sour any potential merge between the surface wizarding world and Atlantis.
It almost feels like a failing to be needing to call his father so soon after leaving Atlantis, but with this development there's not really any choice. A flash of disappointment sparks through him, but annoyance rears its head as he wonders how their leverage over the situation slipped out of hand. After one more glance at the roaring crowd, Harry drops down onto the back of the carriage and steps inside, Tula and Garth flanking him so close they're practically on top of him.
Going to the back carriages was a tactical choice. Instead of compartments for students, the last few carriages are filled with storage and service areas and should be free of any students—perfect for a private conversation with his father.
"Lock the door," Harry orders, summoning his communication orb in nearly the same way it takes to control his Trident and armor. Out his peripheral vision, he sees Tula wave a hand in front of the door and watches as the familiar shimmer of magic blocks anyone from getting in behind them. His breath hitches as the orb materializes, and his hand twitches slightly. He takes another deep, calming breath.
"Dad, are you there?" Harry asks quietly into the orb. "I have a problem."
For a moment, the orb remains cloudy inside, almost like a remembrall with nothing forgotten. But then an image begins to form inside, and slowly, color begins to appear inside the clear orb, morphing until it shows a foggy, ethereal image of Arthur's face. His expression is set into a frown.
"Harry? I'm in the middle of a Council meeting. Can it-"
"It can't wait," Harry cuts him off with a shaky voice. "We got swarmed before I even got on the train. They know who I am."
Arthur curses under his breath and pinches the bridge of his nose. His voice becomes silent as he turns away and mouths orders, presumably at the Councilors. He turns back to Harry with a look that is simultaneously both exasperated and serious. The image of his face shifts until a smaller version of it moves to the side to make room for Mera's as well.
"Tell us what happened."
"The situation could definitely be worse, but you're right; the longer you leave it, the more time you give them to develop a negative view," Arthur says. "All this really means is that it's stripped you of any time you had to make plans."
Harry shakes his head. "Maybe, but what am I supposed to go out there and tell them? They'll be expecting answers about Atlantis, and it's too early to tell them anything! How can I tell them about Atlantis, and then say they can't visit or know too much because we're at war with Orm and it could put them in danger?" Frustration bleeds through his words as he struggles to think of a solution. He has to admit there's a tiny bit of relief, though, that Arthur and Mera seem less flustered than him.
"Delicately," Mera answers without hesitation. "You have a good point, though. Your words will have to be chosen carefully, lest they get turned against us and what we're trying to accomplish."
"Then what —"
"Harry, it's us! Open up!" comes a muffled voice from the front of the carriage followed by a consistent, loud thumping on the door. As guilty as it feels, considering he hasn't seen his friends since last term, Harry curses when he hears their voices. He'd know Hermione's voice anywhere, and there's no doubt that it's Ron with her. Honestly, he's probably the one banging on the door.
"Sorry, looks like my friends have caught up with me," Harry says. "Should I get rid of them for a bit?"
"That's up to you. If you trust them, so do we," Arthur says with a one-shouldered shrug.
That comment alone makes Harry smile. After the fight they've just had, it is nice to get reassured about his father's trust in him. Lately, it felt like every time they talked, they butted heads. It's a relief to see and hear that , while they were upset with each other, it hasn't genuinely harmed their relationship.
In any case, inviting Ron and Hermione inside is actually a good opportunity to introduce his own two personal worlds together. Ideally, it would get done in person, but just the idea that he can introduce his oldest and best friends to the family that he'd never thought he'd have… there's no way he can turn them away.
"Let them in, Garth." The second he opens the door, the racket of the students can be heard in the hallways beyond, doing everything that they can to reach Harry in the final carriage.
"Just the first two!" Harry is forced to call out as Ron and Hermione get pushed inside by everyone behind them. They land in a bundle of flailing limbs while Garth brute forces the door closed behind them. Like Tula did for the back door, he places a magical barrier to prevent more from coming inside. Without any standing orders they position themselves by each door, just in case their barriers fail and the crowd beyond gets the chance to stream inside.
"Blimey, Harry, do you know what we had to do to get to the front of that chaos?" Ron groans, pointing back at the door they'd come through as he slowly lifts himself from the floor. "Bloody savages!" he shouts in the direction of the door. His disgruntled face morphs into one of amazement when he turns to fully get eyes on Harry.
"Merlin's beard… is that really you?"
Harry laughs and looks down at himself, poking his golden armor around the ribs. "Yeah, I think so. Why? Does something seem different?"
Ron squints and looks Harry up and down before shaking his head. "Can't see anything different. I'm still better looking, so nothing too out of the ordinary." Ron finishes with a false, cocky smirk and bumps his shoulder with him.
Both Ron and Hermione's reaction are exactly in line with what Harry expected. Where Ron is all laughs and taking nothing too seriously, Hermione is up on her feet and waving a finger in his face.
"How could you not tell us?" she shouts. "Prince of Atlantis? I want to know everything!"
Harry knows her well enough to know that she's not actually accusing him of keeping it a secret. What she's really saying is more along the lines of 'I can't believe this has happened.' Truth be told, it still seems ridiculous to Harry, and he's been in Atlantis for the entire summer.
Harry laughs at the expected reaction, and for the first time since arriving on the platform, Egg's panicked mood finally starts to abate. As it subsides, Harry can even detect a little curiosity underneath like Egg is trying to figure out what's going on.
Now that they know, it's hard to fathom the idea that he ever considered not telling them. True, Harry is annoyed that the decision was taken out of his hands — it's not that he had decided to keep anything a secret, but it was just the principle of having a choice—but Ron and Hermione are just as much family as Arthur and Mera, and in the end he'd have no doubt decided to tell them anyway. The idea of ultimately keeping too much of himself hidden away from them was laughable.
"Harry, I know you haven't seen your friends for a while, but the Councilors are waiting for us right now."
"Right, sorry Dad," Harry says, "Ron, Hermione, this is my—"
Before Harry can even hold the orb up for Ron and Hermione to see, Hermione is launching at him, wrapping her arms around his back. Over her shoulder Tula grasps the dagger in her hand, but quickly backs down with the understanding that it's a hug rather than an attack. This time, actually remembering what could happen should he squeeze too hard, Harry gently puts an arm around Hermione's shoulders.
"Then it's true," she says, and lets him go so she can look into his eyes. "Aquaman is really your father?"
Harry doesn't answer directly, instead holding up the communication orb before his friends. "Guys, I'd like you to meet my parents… This is my father, King Arthur of Atlantis, and Queen Mera, my stepmother. Dad, Mer… Mum, this is Ron and Hermione."
What follows can be described as nothing other than an awkward silence. Ron and Hermione both look as though Harry has tossed them out into the middle of a freeway in rush hour. Even Hermione, who has never really struggled for something to say, seems completely uncertain. Harry stands between them and awkwardly glances between the two and the orb while waiting for one of them to respond. Ron is the one to most eloquently vocalize his thoughts, as always.
"Do we bow or...?" he whispers to Hermione. Harry can't help the laugh that escapes his lips, and apparently, neither can Arthur. Ron flushes in embarrassment. Through his bond, Harry can feel Egg's longing to be with him —likely from the merriment he's feeling.
"I don't think that'll be necessary," Mera says with a warm smile. "Harry thinks of you as family."
"Absolutely," Arthur agrees. "It's not every friend who'll help you face down a Cerberus or an army of giant spiders."
For a moment, Ron opens his mouth like he's going to speak, but snaps it shut just as quickly. He even lowers his face slightly and shuffles his feet in a rare display of bashfulness. It's certainly not a typical reaction for him. Self-conscious and doubtful of his own self worth sometimes, sure, but never outright nervous. It, admittedly, puts Harry a little off kilter.
Then again, being raised in a magical family, Ron is likely to be awed by anything related to Atlantis, let alone it's King and Queen. Sirius reiterated time and again the significance of Atlantis to the wizarding world, and so far, that declaration is proving absolutely correct. If he's honest with himself, Harry was a little worried that it might extend to himself —being an Atlantean Prince—but so far Ron still seems to be treating him as he always has.
"I can't even begin to say what an honor it is to meet you," Hermione eventually says. Like Ron, she has the look of someone who wants to say more. Unlike him, though, she can't seem to help herself, even if it comes out in a small voice that lacks her usual confidence. "I have so many questions…"
Inside the orb, the ghostly visage of Arthur shakes his head. "The honor is ours. The way Harry tells it, you've been there through all the most trying and dangerous times in his life. Without the two of you, I would never have had the chance to meet my son."
Harry coughs and looks away to hide the blush creeping up his face, but standing right in front of them it's impossible to hide the embarrassment from his friends. Still, it's not like Arthur said anything untrue. Ron and Hermione have been keeping Harry alive since first year, and he knows they deserve to be recognized for it.
"Your majesty," Hermione begins slowly, clearly unsure of what to call someone of their title. "Harry's our best friend—and he's saved us just as many times…"
"It's true," Ron adds. "He saved my little sister from a basilisk in our second year, too."
Especially now that he's back with them, the idea that he ever thought he could stay in Atlantis indefinitely with only quick visits to see Ron and Hermione on the surface seems ridiculous. Their bond runs too deep. Nobody could ever go through as much as they have together without them becoming like family. Honestly, he hadn't even realized that he'd spoken about Ron and Hermione all that much throughout the summer, but clearly he missed them more than he thought. By now, Egg's previous panic has completely disappeared, replaced with the contentment he'd had when Harry was with him but ever so slightly touched by the desire to be with him. That never really went away.
"I can see why Harry cares so much about you," Mera says. "With friends like you, I know now more than ever that he will be able to complete his task."
"…His task?" Hermione asks, but now Harry's turning the orb back around in his hands to face his parents himself. It's not that he doesn't want his friends to know what he has to do, more just that Mera's words are a reminder of where they are and the circumstances outside the carriage. It's a problem that needs a solution, and it needs one now.
"About that—I still don't know how to handle things from here. What should I say? There's hundreds of people out there waiting to see if I'm going to come out. Atlanteans aren't meant to cower before adversity..."
Arthur's nodding along with his words, but as much as he clearly agrees, he also doesn't seem to have the solution. Although uncertain about the situation ahead, he does seem worried about Harry as well—a thought Harry can't help but have a little guilty pleasure at.
"I know it's not an easy thing we're trying to accomplish, but you're not alone. You have help here in Poseidonis, and I know that there would be people willing to help you on the surface," Mera says logically. "Just take a deep breath and think about your next move. There's nothing that dictates you have to make any announcements from where you are."
"Poseidonis…" Hermione mouths silently at Ron behind the orb, but he can only shrug. Harry does his level best to ignore her. Any questions she has can wait until after he has a solid plan in place. Doubtless, it's going to be something that will bother her immeasurably. Already, Harry can see a thick vein forming on her forehead.
After following Mera's advice and taking a long, steady breath, Harry nods slowly. The start of an idea lodges in his head. "Dad, do you think you could spare Seneschal Kae for a day? He's the only one I know that has studied the surface enough to help me prepare."
Harry wishes he could think of more resources right now, but having Seneschal Kae here for the time being would still help. He is, after all, Atlantis' preeminent expert on all things surfacer. More than that, he's spent years studying diplomacy, so there's nobody better placed than him to help Harry in this endeavor.
For a moment, Arthur remains quiet. "I suppose a day won't hurt. He's been helping me prepare for an announcement at the United Nations, but you need him sooner." Harry let out a breath in relief. Anything the Seneschal had to offer would help.
Finally, Hermione can't take it any more and all her thoughts come spilling out her mouth. "You're announcing Atlantis to the world, aren't you! You to the wizarding world, and the King and Queen to the muggle world?"
Before Harry can even confirm her suspicions, she's continuing. Her curls shook as she nearly bounced on her toes in excitement and eagerness to help.
"I think you should speak to Professor Dumbledore first. You have to remember that he's the Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards, so he must know all the key figures in all the wizarding nations throughout the world. Nobody can connect you to as many people as he can—and you have the added benefit of knowing him already."
Apparently, it doesn't matter that he's now a bona fide Prince of Atlantis; Hermione is still the one with all the good ideas. Mera is absolutely right—with friends like her and Ron, there's no way he'll fail in his task. He grins at the thought. Thanks to Hermione, the inkling of the idea he has turns into a more solid plan. He feels immeasurable relief at the thought of not doing this alone.
"Dad, could you send Seneschal Kae to Hogwarts? If I can get a hold of Captain Konal before he leaves London, we might be able to get to Hogwarts a few hours before the Hogwarts Express," Harry says.
It would be exactly the breathing room he needs to get a handle on the situation. Plus, with both Seneschal Kae and Dumbledore there at the same time, the chances of him saying something to jeopardize the successful unification of the wizarding world and Atlantis are that much slimmer. It's the best hope he has.
"I'll send him immediately. Sorry to cut this short, but we really need to get back to the Council. We need to make as many preparations as possible before we announce ourselves," Arthur says quickly with an apologetic look on his face despite the fact that it's not really his fault they have to leave. Mera seems less so, but her steadfast confidence in him feels supportive. "Let us know how things go with your headmaster and Seneschal Kae."
"Understood. Talk to you later," Harry says, and with that, Arthur and Mera's faces disappear from the orb, leaving Harry staring at Ron and Hermione. It feels a little odd, being alone with them, or mostly alone, though both Garth and Tula seem content not to interfere in their reunion. In reality, it shouldn't feel so uncomfortable. Harry's only been gone for the summer like them, but with everything that happened, it feels like a whole lot longer.
"So, hi," he says after a long and awkward silence. "How was your summer?"
Ron actually snickers and lets out a short laugh, but Hermione visibly blanches. "How was our summer?" she says. "Are you joking right now?"
"Kind of, yeah. Why, not funny?"
Ron shrugs. "Crazy is more accurate. Bloody hell, mate—you're the bloody Prince of Atlantis! You know what the means, right? I don't normally care about any of that pureblood drivel some people go on with, but—"
"I know," Harry cuts him off before Ron gets the chance to compare Harry to some sort of magical deity. "Sirius told me."
"Wait, Sirius knows?" Hermione asks, poking Harry in the chest, her brown eyes fiery and full of accusation.
Harry swallows down the guilt he knows is coming. This is the one part of reuniting with Ron and Hermione that he wasn't looking forward to. They'd have no doubt been sending Harry letters all summer, and not only did he not get any opportunity to answer, but he's been keeping the greatest secret in the world from them. The second they found out the truth, they'd have to be more than a little miffed that Harry didn't tell them himself.
"Uhh, yeah… he's in Poseidonis right now."
The way Hermione flinches slightly at his answer has Harry's heart feeling heavy in his chest, and it's not just from Egg.
"Honestly, I wanted to tell you every day I was there. My summer was so chaotic that I barely had a moment to think. The only reason that Dumbledore wanted Sirius to come was because—"
"So, Dumbledore did know!" Hermione exclaims, though it seems to be more to Ron than to Harry.
"I'm sorry. He only found out by chance. When Dad came to the Dursley's—"
"You don't need to apologize, mate," Ron says, reaching out to grab him by the shoulder. "At least now we know why all our letters kept coming back. Dumbledore swore up and down that you were fine, but he wouldn't tell us what was going on."
"I know, I wanted to tell you guys, but things got complicated and—"
Now it's Hermione's turn to cut him off. "Harry, we're not mad. I'm just so jealous that Sirius is down there getting to experience all that knowledge! When we get to Hogwarts, I want to know everything!"
Harry is actually a little taken aback. As excited as he's been about seeing them again, there was definitely more than a small part of him dreading the look of betrayal he thought he'd find on their faces that he didn't tell them. More than that, he was sure they would be angry that he completely ignored them all summer, no matter the reason he did it. It's a little stunning to find out that they're not even mad.
"So, you're not angry at me?"
Ron raises an eyebrow. "Bloody hell, mate, you were in a battle! I think we got the message that you were a little too busy to be sending letters."
The surprises just keep on coming. Tula raises an eyebrow across the room at Garth, but true to form, he remains impassive at the news.
"Gods below… how did you know about that?" Harry asks.
Instead of answering, Hermione reaches into her back pocket and pulls out a magically shrunken edition of the Daily Prophet, unfolding it until it's full sized. "How did you think people already knew you were the Prince of Atlantis? There's pictures of you after the battle, taken by a wizard photographer based in Gotham. You're with Aquaman, and then the muggle news reported him being the King of Atlantis…"
"But how did they know it was me? Why would some random American wizard recognize me?" Harry asks.
"Well, he didn't, but Atlantis still existing is internationalwizarding news. As soon as the Prophet got their hands on the photos, they recognized you, and they visited your aunt and uncle to confirm."
Of course. The bloody Dursley's. Damn them.
"Dad says that the Ministry's been in chaos all morning. They're clamoring for any information they can get their hands on. Apparently, Fudge is worried you might drag those… whatever the hell it was that attacked Gotham, to the wizarding world," Ron adds.
"The Trench," Garth supplies helpfully from his self-stationed spot.
Ron turns his head to the side so that Garth is in his peripheral vision. "Uhh, right," he says, before taking a step so close to Harry that he can whisper in his ear. "By the way, who's—"
"My name is Garth, and this is Tula," Garth says with a small bow, formal as ever. "We serve as Harry's Royal Guard."
Harry can't help his eye roll or the exasperated sigh that passes his lips. "Garth, we talked about this…"
Garth purses his lips into a tight, white line. "I mean, we are his friends," he says, but it sounds robotic and uncomfortable. It would be easy to take offense at that, but Harry knows that he means none. Garth is simply more comfortable playing his role as Royal Guard than he is at acting casual and in any way less than completely serious.
"Way to go, Garth," Tula teases sarcastically. "Sounded completely sincere."
Garth huffs indignantly, but otherwise doesn't say a word.
"…Royal Guard," Hermione says, doubt creeping into her tone. "But you're so…"
"Young?" Tula asks. "I suppose. In Atlantis, we value skill and ability more than we do age." She turns to Harry. "This is going to come up often?"
Harry nods and shoots her an apologetic smile. "Sorry."
"Prince Harry, should we not contact Captain Konal before he leaves for Hogwarts?" Garth interrupts.
"Yes, of course," Harry says, raising the communication orb again. Just talking to Ron and Hermione after so long apart—and with everything he has to actually tell them—it's easy to forget the predicament he's in. They're still in the back carriage of the Hogwarts Express while the crowd beyond remain desperate for answers he's not yet prepared to give.
Captain Konal answers his orb right away, his face swirling out of the mist inside. He dips his head in greeting and raises a hand to his chest in salute. In person, Captain Konal is tall and with wide shoulders, and his black armor is lined with red, signifying his rank within the Atlantean Fleet. His hair is black and cropped short, and he has a thick scar covering his right eye—a remnant of past battles.
"Prince Harry, I tried to reach you before… Aegeus—Egg—became quite distressed. Is everything well?" He seems worried, though he falters slightly at Aegeus's nickname. Harry hears a sharp cry, and from his mental connection, he knows it's Egg. Somehow—though he isn't really sure how to describe the feeling—he knows it's because someone who decidedly is not Harry dared to call him by his special name. He can't help the slight twinge of satisfaction at that realization, but it quickly morphs into guilt when the Captain's words register.
Probably felt my anxiety from them knowing who I am.
"Things haven't progressed exactly the way we expected them to," Harry says slowly. "Are you and your men still waiting in the Thames?"
"We are, my Prince," he answers. "I had some of my soldiers go into the city to acquire some surfacer clothing. I don't anticipate that we'll need them, but if we need to blend in with the surfacers during our mission at Hogwarts, then I'd like to be as prepared as possible."
Given the circumstances, they more than likely will need them. If the wizarding world is due to find out even a little about the the Kingdom of Atlantis, there's no real reason that the squadron of Drift soldiers due to stay in the Black Lake will need to stay hidden. Every plan they've had for the year has already changed.
But the Hogwarts Express is just minutes away from leaving, and there's no time to get into all that. "Okay," Harry says simply. "We're on our way to you. Plans have changed, and we need to get to Hogwarts as soon as possible. We'll be there as soon as we can."
With a swish of his hand, the communication orb disappears, earning a small gasp from Hermione. "You can do wandless magic! Harry Potter, when we get to Hogwarts, we are sitting down, and I am getting the answers to all my questions!"
"Yeah," Ron agrees. "I wanna know who this Egg is…"
That's enough to paint a smile onto Harry's face. "I mean, I could tell you… but I'd really rather show you," he says. "What do you think about taking an alternate route to Hogwarts this year? I promise it'll go better than it did in second year…"
As expected, Ron beams while Hermione looks a little reluctant, probably not at all helped by the mention of his and Ron's escapades in the Ford Anglia.
"We should really stay here… what if they take a roll call and we aren't there?"
In Harry's experience, there's only ever been two things that can properly make Hermione want to break the rules. Number one is that she'd do anything to help her friends, even if it goes against what she should be doing. Second is her desire to learn more, and right now, Harry is in a better position than anyone else on the planet to exploit those two weaknesses.
"C'mon, Hermione," Harry pleads. "I just want to share the Atlantean experience with you… I'm going to have to share it with everyone, eventually. I just want to share it with my friends first."
Hermione frowns, but there's an obvious edge of a growing smile. There was zero subtlety in any of Harry's words, so there's no doubt she knows she's being manipulated. Her knowledge of that fact won't stop it happening, though. She finally sighs and gives up trying to hide her excitement.
"Fine, you win. You said the River Thames? I'll get us a cab."
"Are you sure I won't get seasick?" Hermione asks, the blood rushing from her face at the thought of it. "And what about the muggles? Won't they see it?"
Harry laughs away her concerns as they approach the Atlantean craft that's going to take them to Hogwarts. The other ships Harry had been in over the summer were crafts meant only for a few people and only for travel purposes. This one is meant to comfortably house up to twenty-five Atlanteans for a prolonged period of time, so in reality, it more resembles a large, luxury yacht than a simple transport.
Which, of course, means that Hermione has a point. Now that it's floating on the surface of the River Thames, it should realistically be completely visible by any passing muggles. But then, magic is often able to take the realistic and render it meaningless. A quick disillusionment and muggle repelling charm—which Garth refers to as a surfacer repelling spell—and there's no worry at all on that front.
"You worry too much, Hermione," Ron chastises. "This is wicked."
"I said I wanted to give you guys the Atlantean experience," Harry says, holding his hands up to present the ship floating in front of them. "And yes, Hermione, it's safe. You really think that a civilization that's existed at the bottom of the ocean for thousands of years would make a vehicle that would make you seasick?"
She still looks a little doubtful, but her curiosity is doubtless going to outweigh her reluctance. "How many thousands of years? Magical historians have never really agreed on when—"
Hermione lets out an undignified shriek when Ron pushes her into the entrance of the ship behind Tula. "We don't have all day to argue history, you know."
The second Harry's inside, he feels the happy pulse through both the Clear and his bond with his beast. His head immediately turns left in the direction of Egg. He's sitting on Captain Konal's shoulder, still needing the comfort of another living being, even if Harry wasn't the one there with him and even if Captain Konal wasn't his preferred person. The Leviathan lets out a sort of happy screech upon setting eyes on him, launching off the Captain's shoulder to land on Garth's head nearby — who nearly stumbles from the sudden weight—where he jumps again to Harry's shoulder.
"Ahh, buddy, it's great to see you, too," Harry laughs as Egg twists about his shoulders to settle into his usual place. He pushes his face into Harry's forehead and rubs his neck along his cheek. He happily snuffles into his hair as Harry scratched behind his head fins.
"Merlin's balls!" Ron shouts. "You have a bloody dragon?"
"Well, he's a Leviathan… but pretty much," Harry says. "Atlanteans have the ability to bond with certain beasts, and Egg here chose me."
Hermione, though just as surprised to see Egg on Harry's shoulder as Ron, is definitely more preoccupied by the inside of the ship. To her—like it had for Harry at the start of the summer—everything must seem alien and foreign. Everything glows with bioluminescence, and the surfaces are smooth and rounded, not like any vehicle that could be found on the surface.
The ship itself, or at least the area of the ship that they're currently in, is more like a comfortable living room than anything else. It's big enough to hold the entire Drift squad that's come along for the mission —with room to spare. Including the bedrooms on the lower decks, it's like one big shared house for them to use. Even now, they sit on cushioned seats around the room, watching Harry enter with Ron and Hermione. Harry can see the curiosity in their eyes, as though Ron and Hermione are a completely alien species to them.
"Prince Harry," Captain Konal greets. "Is everything in order? You said the plan has changed?"
Harry nods seriously. "As it turns out, my identity wasn't quite as secret as we previously believed. We need to make it to Hogwarts. Seneschal Kae is meeting us there to give us time to prepare a response."
"On your feet, Drift! You heard the Prince, all hands on deck!" the Captain shouts. At his word, the soldiers are up and moving to other areas of the ship, some to the Bridge at the bow, and others towards the magically powered engine at the stern. Harry stops the Captain before he can leave the room.
"Seneschal Kae is a little further from Hogwarts than we are, Captain," he says. "Stick to the oceans as much as possible. My friends here have never truly seen the beauty the oceans have to offer…"
Captain Konal smiles and dips his head respectfully. "Of course, my Prince. I'll give them something to look at."
As soon as the soldiers are all out of the room, Ron's back to staring at Egg as though as he's caught somewhere between fear and amazement. His mouth opens and closes several times, but he remains completely tongue-tied. Even dragons on the surface don't glow like Egg, nor do they have fins. Having a brother that's spent years working in dragon reserves on the surface has Ron believing he knows as much about them as anyone, and in the wizarding world, that might be true. But not in Atlantis.
"One thing I realized when I got to Atlantis was that I had to forget everything I thought I knew," Harry tells him, reaching up to scratch at the scales on the Leviathan's neck who loudly trills in response. "Egg won't hurt you."
Ron lifts an eyebrow, and it's obvious he wants to come and get a closer look. "How can you be so sure? Charlie told me once that even the most placid dragons are unpredictable. Just the other day he nearly lost an arm getting too close to a Swedish short-snout. What about Norbert? You remember he bit me, right?"
With a gentle hum, the ship begins to submerge, causing Hermione to let out another tiny squeak. Slowly, she moves towards the mostly transparent magical barrier designed to keep out the water and cold. The ship lurches forward, but the filth of the city river means that there's nothing to see through the barrier—yet.
"Charlie doesn't have a magical bond with the dragons at the reserve," Harry explains simply. With the ship now moving, though, Ron's likely only half-listening. He had an ear out for Harry, but his eyes were set on the water around them —not that there was much to see yet, still. "Egg wouldn't hurt anybody that I wouldn't. Besides, even if that weren't true, I can always tell what he's going to do." Even now, Harry could only feel Egg's happiness at them being together.
Ron turns away from the barrier and back towards Harry, his face still showing his skepticism. "I dunno… Charlie's been working with dragons for a long time."
"Just watch," Harry says. There's an easy way to prove his point, so Harry reaches his arm out towards Ron and urges the Leviathan forward with the bond. There's no hesitation as Egg scampers forward on the arm, careful with his claws, as he uses it as a jumping point to launch himself over to Ron's shoulder.
Ron yelps and waves his arms around like he's walked through a spiderweb, nearly tripping and falling onto his face. For a moment, Harry can feel Egg's panic, but he isn't panicking so much as feeling slightly amused, so Egg quickly calms—though he stays tightly grasped to Ron's shoulder. Harry darts forward to catch and hold him steady. "He won't hurt you! Trust me, if he was at all threatened by you, he'd have made it obvious as soon as he saw you."
"Bloody hell, Harry!" Ron groans, "Warn a bloke next time!" By now he's balanced, and with barely any help from Harry, he settles Egg on his shoulder. The weight clearly isn't what he's used to, but Egg doesn't seem too bothered.
Behind Ron, Tula giggles softly into her hand, earning a glare from Garth.
"So, you've really domesticated a dragon?" Hermione asks, giving Harry a critical eye. "I thought their baser nature made it impossible."
Harry shrugs as he keeps an eye on Egg and Ron. "I wouldn't call Egg domesticated, exactly, it's more just that the magical bond we have means that if I like and trust someone, so does he." Really, it was more to it than that, but that was the best way he could explain it in simple terms to someone who would never bond to a beast.
"That's nothing," Tula adds. "You should see the King's Kraken."
Hermione's eyes widen and she shakes her head. "A Kraken—because of course they exist. Any other incredible and mystifying things you have to tell us?"
Harry laughs and Egg screeches, the best he can do for an attempt at a roar at his age. "Only a Kingdom full."
Hermione huffs and looks back towards the barrier as it sped through the narrow canals of the Thames at a speed only an Atlantean could navigate. Ron, on the other hand, is laughing and petting Egg as the Leviathan crawls up and down his arms and over the top of his head like it's a big game—which, at that age, it probably is. Apparently, Egg himself was all that it took to allay Ron's fears, and the happier Egg was, the happier Harry was.
"Are we moving as fast as it looks like we are?" Hermione asks. "I mean, it's hard to see through the water in the Thames, but I haven't felt us turn, and I haven't felt us rock back and forth even once…"
Garth joins Hermione near the barrier to the outside. "Actually, I've always found that these crafts move a whole lot faster than they appear. We've made several turns. By now, I'd say we're out of the city and into the bay."
Hermione makes a small choking noise that is very uncharacteristic. "That's impossible! We've only just left!" She moves closer to the barrier, as though seeing further will change the facts.
Harry places a comforting arm over her shoulders. "You might find yourself saying that a lot," he laughs. "But at least with you here I'm not the newbie anymore."
Hermione huffs and shoots him a deadpan look. "You're enjoying this far too much… but I have a feeling you were just as bad—probably worse because you were actually in Atlantis."
Before Harry gets the chance to answer, Tula starts to laugh, hands clutched at her stomach. "Don't deny it! You should've seen his face on that first day in Poseidonis!"
Harry pouts. "In my defense, you did shoot me an hour after meeting me."
It only makes her laugh harder. Surprisingly, even Garth manages a small smile. "You were a bit shocked," he adds.
"Wait, they shot you? With one of those muggle guns?" Ron asks, ignoring Egg who's teething gently at his right ear. Even at such a young age, he knows not to hurt Ron. It certainly helps that Ron is Harry's best friend, and thus, someone Egg also doesn't want to hurt. The action does make Harry take a mental note to look into getting a bone or something for him.
Tula shakes her head. "Those primitive things that launch little pieces of metal? No. Our weapons shoot out beams of energized plasma."
"And you were fine…" Hermione deduces. Logical, since Harry doesn't have a smoking hole in his chest. "But how? I know you're the son of Aquaman, as insane as that is, but I've also known you for years, and you don't have any superpowers."
Harry shrugs with one shoulder. "I didn't, but my Atlantean genes were dormant until going into the depths of the oceans. I'm… different now." He feels a little awkward saying it, because he still feels like Harry, but it's true.
"Well, I for one did see that jump you did on Platform Nine and Three Quarters. So how strong are you now? Can you like, lift cars and buses and stuff now?" Ron asks. "And breathe underwater?"
Harry shrugs again. "Among other things."
"Wicked," Ron grins. "Bloody Malfoy won't dare say a word against you, now."
Gods below…
He should probably be ecstatic at the idea of a Malfoy too afraid of him to be a hassle, but all it does is remind him that it's not just reporters and ministry officials who are going to know that Harry is now a Prince. People that he's known since first year could end up treating him like a completely different person. Not just people in other houses, either—Gryffindors like Seamus, Dean, and Neville. How are they going to react? Prince or not, he's still Harry.
Suddenly, all of the excitement and joy he's been feeling from reuniting with his friends turns to ash, or more accurately, anxiety. With a loud screech, Egg jumps from Ron's shoulder and right back onto Harry's, affectionately poking his cheeks with a scaly nose and soft, mewling cry. He's too young to understand what's really going on, but he's doing all he can to bring comfort.
"All the superpowers in the world aren't going to help me this afternoon," Harry says. He gets the distinct impression that none of the four of them envy what he has to do.
Captain Konal has them arriving at Hogwarts at record speed, even after taking a more scenic route for Ron and Hermione's benefit —though he's not sure they were able to see much. They were liberal with their ooh's and ahh's along the way, but without Atlantean vision to cut through the darkness, no doubt they couldn't totally appreciate the ocean's true beauty.
The ship comes to a stop on the edge of the Black Lake, allowing Harry to step right out over the water and onto the shore. Egg still being on his shoulders might end up posing a problem, but right now the comfort of having him there is far outweighing any possible detriments. He can feel Egg's unwillingness to be parted so quickly, too.
"How did Professor Dumbledore know we were coming?" Hermione asks, stepping off the ship behind him and pointing out the elderly headmaster waiting at the edge of the trees nearby.
Harry shrugs, careful not to unbalance Egg. "How does he ever know anything?"
"Looks like Seneschal Kae beat us here," Tula comments, nodding towards the one man Atlantean craft sitting idle further up the shore. "He made good time." Garth, professional as always, follows right behind Harry as he scans the grounds.
Good. If both he and Dumbledore are already here, then they can get started. The more Harry has time to prepare a statement, the better.
But it's not Seneschal Kae that steps out of the treeline behind Dumbledore.
It's Vulko.
Notes
Sorry this took so long, again. I got a bit carried away with gaming at the end of last year, and its taken me a little bit to get back into the writing habit. Also, it probably didn't help that this is not just the longest chapter of this fic, but the longest chapter I've ever written.
A huge thanks to the people on my discord who helped whip this chapter into shape - you know who you are :)
Anyway, hope you all like it!
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