Disclaimer: I do not own any characters you may recognize, they are either real people, or property of J. K. Rowling, or George RR Martin.
AN: Quick response to questions and thoughts.
First taking the Black, in the North taking the Black is an honorable thing to do, especially for Bastards. As Harry spent a good amount of his life in the North, and being a Bastard, he sees this as his best option. In addition his best friend is taking the Black so he wants to, and remember that Jon's older half sister(Not that he knows), the daughter of Elia and Rhaegar is alive among the Free Folk(see chapter 2)
Second Harry being a Bastard; why was Jon Snow considered a Bastard, couldn't Ned have just claimed he was an orphan that he adopted, no as his blood Ned wanted everyone to know this, but not let anyone think that it was his sister's child as they would ask more questions, primarily who was the father. James was understood to be a traveling knight of low birth, Lily was known to be the heiress of the Vale(Since Jon Arryn's first two wives had no children, and she was the second born of Jasper Arryn, Jon's father), this would have made Harry a Bastard even if his parents were known and seen as a huge disgrace to the Vale. Jon did this to protect Harry and give him greater chance at being successful, again look at why Ned did the same thing with Jon Snow.
Third Jon Arryn seeming very weak; two responses, first at this point Jon Arryn is 71 years old, the third oldest of the Lords of the Great Houses after Hoster who is 81, and Tywin who is 72, and unlike the other two he is managing the realm,full of people like Peytr Baelish who hate him, without help since Robert(50) is a fool. Second point, the books and TV show do not really depict Jon Arryn well, as in the TV Show he is dead before the first episode is over, thus I am making his character more as I see it, he having a hateful wife, being a twice widower, having lost his family members, he is just tired of fighting anymore.
30 Days Later, Early Rhaen, Winterfell
"Greetings Stranger, what is your purpose in seeking entrance to the Fortress of Winterfell," A guard asked as Harry rode up to the gate of Winterfell.
"I come seeking an audience with the Warden of the North, for a possible position of teaching his younger sons and his daughters the arts of swordsmanship," Harry said calmly.
"Very well, I shall tell Lord Stark, though he has made it clear that only his former squire can have that position, and so it is unlikely you will get the position," The guard said with a sneer.
"One moment please, you are rather new to Winterfell am I correct, been here less than a year," Harry asked causing the guard to pause.
"Why do you ask visitor?" The guard asked cautiously and a second man walked over seeing the guard stop mid stride and turn back to Harry.
"Guard, what is the problem?" The man said, and upon hearing the man's voice Harry immediately recognized him.
"Ser Jory, I seek an audience with the Warden of the North, might I gain entry to the Fort?" Harry asked with a smile as the man's eyes went wide.
"Harry, you have returned, guard open the bloody gate, this man has lived here in Winterfell almost more of his life then not, and go tell Lord Stark and his family that Harry has returned." Jory said with a smile.
"Of course Captain," the guard said quickly opening the gate before walking away.
"Captain, huh, when did that happen, when I left your father was still the captain of the guard," Harry said after getting off his horse and pulling the other man into a hug.
"My father decided that he was getting too old and so returned to our family home, and I took his spot, at my uncle's request, since I did so well in the knight's tourney," Jory said with a smile as he led Harry into the main courtyard where the Starks were at.
"Harry, I am pleasantly surprised to see you, when Timothy told me that you had returned, I had my doubts, why didn't you send us word?" Ned asked with a smile seeing Harry.
"Well Hedwig was here, and Fawkes is in Essos so how could I?" Harry said with a smile.
"There is always something called a Raven, you know," Rob said with a smile before pulling Harry into a hug.
"Oh, yeah, I forgot about that," Harry said sheepishly.
"Well no matter, I am glad you are back, Theon, could you please take Harry's Horse and take her to the stables?" Catelyn said calling Theon who glared at her and the other Starks.
"Of course, Lady Stark," Theon said coldly.
"Iron born, I can take care of putting Spirit in a stable, why don't you go back to whatever you were doing?" Harry said glaring at Theon.
"Fine then, bastard," Theon said storming off.
"What is wrong with him?" Harry asked confused.
"His father refused to even see him when we were at the Tourney and so he has not been happy since, blaming it on mother and father," Arya said with a smile.
"Well that is not your fault, the Iron born have always been a pain in the ass, well I am sure you all want to here about where I have been the past year, so I will tell you, but how about I first go put Spirit away and see the wolves, how are they doing by the way?" Harry asked calmly.
"Jon, why don't you go with Harry to put away his Spirit and make sure he doesn't take too long, and then we will all meet in the dining hall, I will also call Vayon, Jeyne, Rodrick,and Maester Luwin, as I am sure they will all be interested to hear about your adventure, Jory you are more than welcome to join as well," Ned said calmly to the disappointment of his younger children, who wanted to hear Harry's stories immediately.
"But father," Arya started.
"Arya, I agree with your father, this way will also allow Harry to answer any questions we may have all at once so he doesn't have to keep repeating the story again and again," Catelyn said sternly.
"Of course mother," Arya said sadly as Harry and Jon walked towards the Stables.
"So Harry, have you kept up on your swordsmanship since the tourney, or have you been too busy withe the whores in Kings Landing?" Jon asked as they approached the Stables.
"Oh, you know, I am sure I could still put you on the ground," Harry said as Hullen came out of the stables looking at the ground and running into them.
"Forgive me my lords, oh Harry, I was not aware you had returned, and brought Spirit back, will you allow me to breed her now that you are back?" Hullen asked recognizing Harry and the horse.
"Hullen, did you manage to get any new horses, I told you you could breed her only if you find a Stallion I feel is worthy of her, which I did, but he is a few thousand miles away," Harry said calmly.
"Really, where is the Stallion, I have not gotten any new stallions, but if you know of one I can help him breed her," Hullen said excitedly.
"Last I knew he was in Vaes Dothrak, but he well may be in the Dothraki Sea by now, I am not sure to be honest, I left him with my Kha," Harry said calmly.
"You spent time in Vaes Dothrak and used a Dothraki horse, I understand now why that would be one that you would want to breed her, please tell me more," Hullen said pleadingly.
"Why don't you join with us in the dining hall where I will tell my tale and then we can talk more later about horses, I doubt Lord Stark would object," Harry said looking at Jon who simply shrugged.
"Of course, forgive me, my Lords," Hullen said before quickly making his way towards the dining hall.
"Was any of what you just said true?" Jon asked doubtfully.
"All of it to be honest, but I think you can wait until we get to the dining hall as well, so how have the wolves been during my absence?" Harry asked as he led Spirit into one of the Stalls and began to remove her saddle, pulling things out of the saddle bags and from her side and placing them on the ground.
"Well, we have had to separate them,because your wolf kept attacking the other males, and Arya's kept attacking the other two females, and we didn't have a clue on what to do with them so now each of them have their own kennel," Jon said calmly.
"Did it ever occur to you that they may be trying to decide rank in the pack, it seems like Grim may be trying to make it evident that he is the Alpha Male, and Nimeria may be trying to make herself the Alpha female, tomorrow I think we should clear the courtyard and let all seven of them out and let them settle their differences," Harry said as he moved his long sword to his back and put his Arakh on his his along with his whip before picking up a few of the bags that he had pulled out from his saddle bags and moved towards the exit of the stable after closing the stall.
"Fine but you are in charge of making sure none of them kill any of the others, ready to face your jury?" Jon asked calmly.
"Sure, let's go," Harry said as Jon lead him to the dining hall where the other Starks all were sitting alongside Rodrick, Jory, Hullen, Vayon, Jayne, and an older balding man.
"Ser Hadrian, when Jory told me you were back I slightly doubted it but here you are," Rodrick said with a smile.
"Indeed, I am back, slightly shocked that Winterfell did not collapse while I was away, I mean with you being in charge, I shouldn't be too surprised," Harry said with a grin.
"Of course, so Hadrian last we saw you was nearly a year ago, so what has happened in the time since we went separate ways?" Ned asked calmly.
"Well short story, I left with Lord Varys and met one of his friends in Pentos. That friend then introduced me to two of his guests, the exiled Targaryens, I then went with them for a time as the daughter was given to a Dothraki Khal as his Khalessi. I learned much from the Dothraki, before I was exiled from their midst for a space of two years for using a steel weapon in their capital where using any steel is forbidden, even in protection of a Khal. I then returned to Westeros with the recently deceased Exiled Targaryen Prince and claimed the bounty that King Robert placed on his head and spent a few months in Kings Landing working with the Gold Cloaks and Kingsguard, while spending time with my father before returning here, as I was never officially released from Lord Stark's service and Jon and I made a deal to take the Black together upon his 20th name day," Harry said reflecting on the previous year.
"Well, I surely want more details, as that seems like a lot to have taken place in ten months," Robb said calmly before Fawkes flew in through the window and landed in front of Harry with a letter in his talons.
"Well let me see what this is about first before I answer any questions," Harry said slowly as he removed the letter from Fawkes.
"Beloved,
I hope this letter reaches you well and safely. I simply wanted to inform you of some events that have transpired since your departure from us. First and most upsetting is that apparently the sword which the Cart King pushed into Khaleesi was slightly poisoned and it killed the child which she bare in her womb, and so she gave birth to a dead child, a month after you left which was quite early as well. Second but on a slightly brighter note, I suppose, Vitihho requested myself and Illsnadi to come into his tent about three months after your departure, and while I refused Illsnadi said she could not refused as it went against the Dothraki way to turn away one's Ko, or Khal's summoning. Needless to say she got pregnant with Vitihho's child and while I remain in Vaes Dothrak, she has went with him to lead you Kha, and so I remain here alone. Not too much more to inform you of, the Man of Westeros whom you hate is still alive and gaining supporters in the Khalassar but with Khal Drogo still Khal I doubt he will gain much support.
Your Kolessi,
Doreah.
"Might I inquire what the letter was about?" Catelyn asked seeing Harry's eyes show his emotions of anger, sadness, betrayal, and worry.
"In the first days among the Dothraki I killed one of their lower lords and so took over his position, including his women. When I was exiled I appointed a rider from my group to hold my position until such a time as I return, and the two women I was with were to remain in Vaes Dothrak until my return, however the rider took one of them and got her pregnant. Also Jorah Mormont is among the Dothraki that I was among and he is gaining influence," Harry said cautiously.
"Wait, you were around the filth, that was exiled from Westeros but did not kill him, he has a kill on sight order," Ned said coldly.
"If he is seen on the shores of Westeros, in Essos he does not have that, sadly. However I did emasculate him on the orders of the Khal because he tried to kill the Khaleesi, who is the Targaryen Exile, on the order of the 'True King'," Harry said coldly.
"So you did not kill him, well you mentioned you collected the bounty of the Exiled Prince why don't you explain how you killed him?" Ned said calmly.
"Well actually the Khal did most of the work, the exiled prince pulled a sword and pressed the blade into her stomach slightly, and so I pulled my own blade and shattered his, which caused me to be exiled, but since the exile kept saying how he needed his crown the Khal melted gold and crowned the Prince with the molten gold. He lived until I got to Pentos as a vegetable, unable to do anything," Harry said smiling at the memory.
"What was the reward for the bounty, if I might ask?" Jory asked interested in the thought.
"40,000 Gold Dragons or a Lordship, I have not decided which I would rather have though," Harry said sheepishly.
"What, you could become a Lord or get that much money, how are you still not sure?" Robb asked in shock.
"Well, if I take the Black I won't be able to be a Lord, but I also will not need the money so…" Harry said with a smile.
"You never do normal do you Harry?" Vayon said with a grin.
"No, I guess not," Harry said with a laugh before he continued to answer the questions as they were ask of him about his adventures.
