Author's Note: As ever I hope that you enjoy this chapter.


The Tent

Kirkwall Alienage

Free Marches Thedas

Merrill awoke slowly at first, simply snuggling into the sheets of her bed. It didn't permeate her mind just then that she couldn't remember the last time she had slept in such a comfortable bed. In her sleep fogged state she even absently thought to herself that it was a good thing the ambient magical energy of mages killed fleas in their hair and clothing, as she would have hated to infect such a wonderful bed with them.

What eventually brought her fully back to consciousness, and made her cognizant of her different surroundings, was her sudden notion that she smelled bacon.

Bacon was a fine food, something which took time to cut, preserve and then prepare in due time. Not something she could afford often, not off the small pittance of money she made helping the elves around Kirkwall. Nor was it something anyone in the alienage prepared with any regularity.

So it was, that she properly awoke, to the nose twitching aroma of cooking pig meat. She lay there, still, momentarily wary of her unfamiliar environment despite her comfort. Thankfully, Merrill was fairly intelligent and had a good memory, so she didn't arise screaming in alarm and hurling fireballs about as a certain semi-possessed apostate she had once known was prone to doing.

The events of the day before, which had so utterly shifted her world came flooding back to her. She had awoken the day before quite secure in her belief that it was a morning like many before, and many to come. Instead she'd found out strange mages were in the city, and that she should meet them.

Then had come the shock of learning the precariousness of her own position within Kirkwall, when the Seekers had departed with two people who had allowed, through their own diligent efforts, for her comfortable little world to remain sane.

It was strange, she thought to herself. Even Hawke, who had been so good to her, even when she challenged her beliefs, had not come to accept her as quickly as these two strangers. Her plight had been mentioned and they had offered to help. A strange thing in this world.

Stranger still was that she found herself trusting them so readily. She was not some cynical and jaded warrior like Fenris, but she was not so naive as she sometimes appeared. She was well aware what dangers existed out there waiting to prey upon someone like her. They were many, and varied, some in the form of monsters, beasts and miscreants of all kinds. Others, the more dangerous ones, sidling up and smiling, pretending kindness when they meant only harm. And yet she knew, somehow, in her heart that these two, whom she had barely met, could be trusted. That they truly wished to aid her in her time of need.

And so it was that she relaxed again enjoying the smells and sounds for a time before finally opening her eyes, to stare up at the fabric of the tent they inhabited. The tent was a wonder, and she had spent many hours the night before, trying to figure out how such a thing was possible. To no avail.

She had been surprised to learn, through tentative and roundabout questioning that no, Harry and Hermione did not share a bed. Though she had gotten the distinct impression they might not mind to. Which confused her, in her experience those that wished to at their age, did. So what was stopping them?

She had been astonished when Hermione had shrunk the bed in that room and shifted it aside with her magic, with just a few negligent flicks of her "wand". Soon enough another had been secured from their storage room and added to the space so the girls might bunk together.

Merrill, questioning her possibly infringing on Hermione's space, had found out then that Hermione had once shared a dormitory with other witches her age. Witches, it still boggled her mind that their people used the local term for a maleficar for their female mages. But this brought her also to the realization that Hermione, and presumably Harry, had been formally educated in magic, somewhere. Somewhere called Hogwarts. She'd need to ask what such a place was like. Judging by her discussions with them it did not sound like it was their world's version of the Circle of magi. Though she had to wonder what warts of a hog had to do with anything…

She rolled over at some tentative sounds off to her side and blinked seeing Hermione getting dressed. Had she thought about it, in sharing a room with her female host this sort of thing was likely inevitable.

Hermione, was mostly nude, wearing only a pair of very delicate underthings which she could have sworn were made of a fine black lace. Her skin was pale and unlike most of her companions largely unmarred, except for two places. The first she spotted as the young woman bent to pull her strange pants of blue material up to button at her shapely waist, ugly cruel words which had been carve into her forearm. Though she could not read the letters in this light.

And the second she had spotted as the girl pulled a comfortable looking shirt over her head. A dark, but mercifully shallow scar carving across her torso from left shoulder to right hip, like she'd almost been laid open by a sword.

It was then that Hermione looked up and spotted her watching. "Oh, good morning Merrill…" The brunette greeted the young woman brushing some damp hair aside. Had she bathed? When, and better yet, where? Had she gone out into the city and used one of the public bath houses? If she had, she was mildly jealous, elves never got to use such places, and only entered as staff who cleaned up after everyone.

"Have a good sleep?" Hermione asked.

Merrill nodded, smiling. "Mythal yes, this bed is so comfortable." She hoped she'd never need to go back to one like that in her old home…It was odd, despite everything she would miss the place.

She got up and stretched languidly, widening Hermione's eyes. Merrill had headed to bed before her companion the night before, though not by much. And had slid under the covers before Hermione had entered, swiftly falling asleep.

Merrill slept in the nude. When she could. Kirkwall mercifully never getting that cold. After so long among the Dalish, where privacy was at a minimum and where bathing was out in whatever nearby water source was close by. Sleeping, in clothing, in her own home away from prying eyes, was not something she could easily get used to.

She hadn't thought anything of doing so, despite her companion, and now worried that had been a mistake. She waited to see what Hermione was going to say. The woman noticed her patient look and pinked before explaining. "Sorry, just wasn't expecting you to sleep like that, shouldn't make such a big deal of it. One of my dormitory mates in school did after all, and most of the others in vary degrees of being half dressed. I was just caught off guard…" She considered her looking at her more directly if only for a moment. "It'll be fine, I'm sure. I'll just make sure Harry knows not to wander in without warning…"

Merrill pinked at that notion. "Oh creator's yes, that would be embarrassing…"

Merrill was not an elven youngling, but she had never laid with another. Of any gender. And she was not used to the notion of a male especially seeing her in such a state. It didn't help that Harry, was a handsome male, though she was hesitant to admit it, was spoken for. Such a thing would be very, VERY bad.

She turned to hurriedly collect her clothes from the table at the foot of the bed, and began pulling them on. It was then that Hermione first made a comment about her appearance. And it was not about something she had been expecting. "You have scars, more than I have…" She noted curiously, as Merrill pulled on her chainmail over her more comfortable underthings.

Merrill blinked, then furrowed her brow, nobody really spoke of scars, not even Isabella. It wasn't shame, just acknowledgement that everyone had them. An irony then that she had made note of the ones on Hermione. She wondered why they had stuck with her?

Then Hermione smiled. "I suppose I shouldn't be surprised, life here doesn't strike me as favouring the delicate. And you certainly seemed to have lived an exciting life so far."

Merrill nodded understanding. "Yes, well you fight as much as I've had to and you pick up a few scrapes." She agreed.

Hermione nodded, then tilted her head at her and pointed a finger at her hands, or rather her forearms. "You have many cuts on your hands, and forearms. From your blood magic I assume?"

Merrill nodded shortly, it was the cost of her work. The scars were thin thankfully, but they certainly were visible. She was thankful they were most often covered by her bracers and gloves. She was not a vain sort, but they still made her sad some days.

"If you want we can see if we can do anything to reduce them." her new roommate offered.

Merrill blinked in surprise at her, and Hermione explained. "There are medicines we possess which will reduce or remove scaring, I'm not certain how much good they'll do on those scars from your blood magic. But some of the other stuff should be fixable."

She tilted her head curiously at her, "Is that why you still have those scars? Blood magic?'

Hermione shook her head, seemingly unperturbed by the fact Merrill had seen them. "No, the one on my chest is from a black curse I was hit with when I was younger. It cannot be removed, too much taint from black magic in it despite my efforts to remove it. The other on my forearm, no. I keep that one to remember what petty hatreds do to people."

There was a story there, but she wasn't going to ask just then. Somethings had held her attention. "Curses? Someone cursed you? I'm so sorry, what does it do?"

Hermione sighed ruefully as she pulled on an over shirt of some variety. "Had it been cast properly, it would have exploded my organs inside my chest and killed me instantly. Even being miscast it could have killed me, but the healers managed to counter it and prevent too much permanent damage…"

"You were very lucky then," Merrill said, though she was curious about this notion of countering a curse. Even a miscast one.

"Yes, very." Hermione agreed. Then smiled, "Now come, enough of that, if you want us to see about healing some scars let us know, but let's hurry on, we have breakfast and then we need to say our goodbyes before we leave. The ship leaves an hour before noon."

Merrill pulled on her green tunic and secured her belt around her waist, then picked up her staff from beside the bed. "Excellent, I look forward to it, it smells wonderful!"

The pair entered the main living space of the tent to find Harry toiling over the stove, to Merrill's surprise with no magic to be seen. Somehow despite how casually these two used magic in their daily lives, Harry worked using simple mundane tools, some of them familiar. Some of them not. He looked up as they entered. "Hello my ladies…" He said making a casual half bow before returning to his work, eyes dancing. "I have here some food for you. You want some before we head out? Or should I put it in stasis for later?"

Hermione shook her head. "No, we have plenty of time, and besides I don't know about Merrill, but I'm hungry." She said smiling sashaying over to her boyfriend and kissing him lightly on the cheek. Which only served to confuse Merrill more.

"Oh yes, I'm hungry too!" Merrill assure him, moving hopefully towards the table. Juno, peaked out under the edge of it to look at Harry and whined.

He sighed theatrically, then nodded to Juno before turning his attention to the cupboard where Crookshanks had found a perch. "Yes, Juno you can have some. And I suppose you want some too your imperiousness?"

The cat managed to look more smug than any being had a right to, and Merrill gave it a suspicious look before settling herself at the table. "Good, the food will be served presently." Harry muttered before flicking his wand at the cabinet next to him, and it seemed that while he preferred to keep magic out of actual food preparation, he had no compunction against it for serving as some plates soared out of it and came to rest on the counter nearby.

It was, without a doubt, the best breakfast Merrill had ever enjoyed. And she was amused to note he had indeed made enough food to give the dog and cat their fill as well as the more conventional eating companions.

It was partway through that they were interrupted, just as Hermione was complimenting the cook. "This is as good as ever Harry, thank you, I—" She stopped as the sound of a familiar raised voice reached them.

"Merrill, are you in there?"

She smiled and got to her feet, shouting over her shoulder before darting for the door. "Yes, Aveline, I'm coming!"

Harry and Hermione chuckled as they watched Merrill lead a very startled looking Aveline through the tent to the table. "Come sit, have bacon, it's fantastic!" Merrill demanded.

Aveline looked startled at the food on the table in front of her, before returning to looking at the large space around her. "Er—no thanks I just ate…" She muttered before zeroing her eyes back on Harry and Hermione. "Uhm, I'm sorry I'd just come to say goodbye to Merrill. I hope I didn't interrupt too badly?"

Harry waved his hand idly and Hermione answered. "Not at all, if you need we can leave while you say goodbye?"

"No, no. I was just hoping to walk you all down to the docks…" Aveline noted.

"That's very kind of you Aveline. Thank you." Merrill demurred, happily.

Harry began cleaning up the dishes a bit later floating them over to a strange mechanical looking compartment set into the space below the counter sorting them into slots within it before closing it. Merrill, resolved to ask about that at some point.

It was then that Aveline noted the object nestled in the corner. "I take it then that you are taking everything with you?" she asked nodding to the Eluvian.

Merrill nodded seriously. "Yes, it will be nice to have one handy just in case. Though I do wonder how we will keep it safe, we can't carry the tent on our backs whenever we're not in it can we?"

Harry shrugged. "We could, it'd be a bit of a hassle but we could. Won't need to though. We post wards around the tent whenever we pitch it."

Again Merrill had to stifle the need to immediately barrage him with questions. Wards…creators, wards were an art lost since Arlathan in all but the most primitive senses. She could, herself barricade a door with arcane enchantments, and enough power. But true wards…that Harry mentioned using them to protect their little dwelling as normally as anything excited her beyond belief.

"You put magic on your tent?" Aveline asked, she hadn't felt anything coming in…And wasn't that dangerous?

"Of course, mostly mild stuff, this is an inhabited area. All of it's intent based. Redirecting people who mean harm, that sort of things generally. One or two shielding wards. Nothing offensive, nothing that someone might trigger on accident." He agreed. "Hermione's generally the one who sets them up. I can't seem to resist making them have hilarious side effects on those who try to get in without permission."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Turning them green and furry wasn't funny. It just made them look like the Grinch who stole christmas."

Harry laughed. "That was funny! The Grinch is hilarious."

"Only if you've only ever seen the cartoon version. There was something sinister about the version in the live action." She grumbled, though the two others at the table could tell she wasn't really upset with him.

"Well, for my part I am happy I don't have any furry green people wandering Kirkwall. It'd only be a short while before some…enterprising individual got it into their heads to skin someone for their new magical pelt." Aveline noted seriously.

The others stared at her for a moment. "You know…that's pretty gross right?" Harry ventured.

Aveline shrugged philosophically. It might have appealed to her sense of humour had she been joking. This was Kirkwall after all.


The Gallows

Kirkwall, Free Marches

Thedas

"No lady, that's called elf root? You sure you know your way around potions?" The apothecary asked worriedly. The lass across from him, aside from her strange clothing, seemed nice enough. It'd be a shame if she blew herself up. But she'd just referred to it as mint after tasting one of the leaves. She'd made sure it was safe first at least. Not everyone who thought they should get into potion making did that, and ended up dead.

"No, I get that, but the place I'm from uses different names for things, I was just trying to figure out if they were the same plant, or at least a similar one." She explained patiently.

He nodded, somewhat relieved. "Ah, well we call them elf root, magical plant it is, got a nice connection with magic. Chewing it is nice for your breath true, but mashed up in a poultice it makes a good curative when applied by a mage." He assured her.

She nodded. "It's also used in a salve to treat dog bites, can be used in an advanced elixir of euphoria as well as a number of healing draughts. But I'm curious. What is this purple variety you have, I admit we don't have this type back home. I'm curious what it's used for."

The apothecary nodded, pleased he'd found someone who apparently knew the craft, albeit under foreign names. "That's royal elf root, it's not terribly common near Kirkwall, though it is in Seheron and in the lands south of the Waking sea. Its properties are virtually identical to that of normal elf root or as you called it, mint? However it is about ten times more potent. So it is usable in those potions you mentioned. Though I admit I've never heard of that euphoria elixir before…" He shook his head. He'd have fun figuring that out on his own. "Actually Royal Elf Root might be too strong for something like that. You see it already induces mild euphoria in those who chew it. Strengthening the effect via brewing might cause more extreme effects such as manic behaviour."

She nodded, duly warned. "How about this plant, it looks a lot like something we call…"

Harry shook his head, smiling fondly as he watched Hermione talk potions and ingredients with the apothecary. They were waiting for the ship's crew to prepare for boarding, so they had some spare time.

She always had been better than he at potions, when he didn't have superior instructions at least. And that had held true after school as well. If they were to brew any replacement potions here they'd need to know the local flora and fauna's properties.

Merrill was sitting next to him as they watched her. "I haven't been to the gallows lately…" She admitted cautiously. "Not since the battle against Knight Commander Meredith…"

He looked sideways at her curiously. "It's nice to see things are mostly returned to normal here." She admitted. "Well except for the main courtyard of course."

Harry nodded, the main courtyard of the fortress was undergoing repairs. But some of the detritus of a battle remained. Such as large sections of large bronze statues…and that creepy red crystal thing in the middle of the place…

Speaking of which. "Who was Knight Commander Meredith?" He asked.

She pointed to said creepy glowing red crystalline form. "That was her, she was the Knight Commander of the local garrison of Templars. She became increasingly paranoid as time went on, we later found out it was because she had made the mistake of fiddling with red lyrium. You can see what it does to you." She said pointedly looking at the object in the centre of the large space.

He grimaced. "Note to self, never touch red lyrium. Whatever that is."

Merrill laughed. "Red lyrium is that material she's now made of. Normal lyrium is blue, and when dissolved in a solution can vastly boost your magical reserves for a spell, though nobody is clear exactly how it does so. It doesn't empower our connection to the Fade…It's actually more trouble than it's worth generally."

"Oh?" He asked, curious about this material. The normal stuff, not the red stuff that apparently turned you crazy then turned you into a tortured red statue.

"Extended exposure to lyrium, particularly the red kind damages your mind. The Dwarves are resistant to that effect which is good because they're the only people who mine deeply enough to find it generally. Over time it…well it destroys who you are, old Templars, who consume it in such a way as to allow them to actually negate magic are almost universally insane or have utterly lost their memories. It provides power, but at a cost."

He nodded understanding. It might be a useful emergency use material in a last stand fight, but not something people should be using casually.

Hermione was wandering over to them looking pleased with herself. "I've got everything we need I think. At least for what I recognized in that lot. What have you two been talking about while I was gone?"

Harry pointed at the creepy crystal commander as he now thought of it. "If anyone offers you something called red lyrium turn them down." He said sternly, and she followed his gaze and winced.

"Duly noted, care to fill me in?" She requested. "We can walk down to the dock while we talk."

Merrill told Hermione what she'd just told Harry, Hermione voicing aloud the same conclusion that he'd reached, that it was a substance of last resort. Merrill agreed.

The ship they were to catch, The Storm Rider. Was actually about the size of what the old British Imperial Navy would have recognized as a 4th rate ship of the line. A frigate. Except for the fact it mounted absolutely no cannon. Instead mounting a number of bolt throwers on the railings, and two large ballista near her bow.

She was a garish vessel, which in the future they'd learn didn't necessarily mean it was a civilian ship. Orlesian ships of the line were if anything even more heavily decorated and much more well armed. A large stylize golden lion mask decorated the bow, and the sails. A blue strip running the length of the ship around her belt.

The Storm rider was clearly a vessel belonging to a well funded shipping and transportation concern. It was well cared for, and it's crew well appointed.

They found the line for boarding the ship was short. Only a few couples, a merchant or two and someone who had to be a jester or travelling minstrel, but which they'd later learn was actually an Adventurer. Something which was actually a legitimate occupation for young Lords in Orlais.

When they finally reached the base of the ramp to the ship, they came face to face, or rather face to mask with one of the ship's armsmen. An Orlesian soldier in the employ of this shipping concern, wearing a navy blue uniform under silver armour. The man's face completely obscured by the silver masked helmet.

"You are the group which reserved the section in the primary hold yes?" He asked in a thick accent, eyeing Merrill inscrutably from behind his mask.

"Yes, that is the deck two above the bilge correct?" Hermione confirmed.

He nodded, "Yes, good thinking on your part to request that deck, the lower two…are not so pleasant." He assured her. He checked his sheet. "You payed ten sovereigns in advance, to reserve the spot, your final fee, comes to thirty sovereigns for all three of you, twenty now, counting the down payment, and ten more when you arrive. Do you have your funds?"

Harry nodded and handed across ten more galleons, which the Orlesian peered at curiously. "They're actually somewhat bigger than sovereigns. You may check the authenticity if you wish, you won't offend me…" He offered.

The guard considered him, then looked back up to the deck where the Captain was watching. He shouted a question to the man in Orlesian, or french as Harry still thought of it. And the Captain shouted back. The guard shrugged and turned to consider him. "The Captain says your gold was good when he had it checked for the down payment, he will trust your gold is just as good now. Though he'll have words with you if it isn't."

Harry nodded, that was fair. "That's acceptable."

The guard bowed shortly at the waist and stepped aside. "Then welcome aboard madams and monsieur." He said graciously. In days to come Harry would learn that that particular guard was very polite as he'd used a proper honorific for Merrill as well. Not all would.

They trudged their way up the ramp and were guided by a crewman in a simple blue striped shirt down to the space they'd reserved, near the bow on the deck just below the outside. The crew quarters were the deck below their's and the other passenger berth were at the other end of the deck they'd selected. Cargo sat either in between them and those berths or in the next two decks below them. This was actually encouraging, most of the housing was high enough up that should the ship be holed below the waterline they'd have time to get off.

They made it to their quiet cordoned off section of the hold and pitched their tent once the crewman had left. Hermione departed with Merrill to return to the upper deck for departure, entrusting Harry, against her better judgement to see about the protections.

Merrill and Hermione returned to the deck just in time to see the ramp retracted and secured by the crew and they asked permission to find a section of rail to stand and watch them put out to sea. Once granted they watched the shore crew release the moorings and enjoyed the morning sun as the ship started out across the harbour. Merrill looked back along the side of the ship towards the majority of Kirkwall. "It's hard to believe I'm finally headed back to the south. I've called this place home for so long…"

Hermione gave her a quick one armed hug around the shoulders. She'd undeniably seen it that morning upon the girl getting out of bed, but every time she embraced Merrill it was brought home just how slight a female elf's figure was.

"Well, maybe someday you'll see it again. We're very glad to have you along." Hermione noted firmly.

"Yes, we certainly are." Harry agreed surprising them as he took up a spot along the railing beside them. "We are very grateful Merrill."

The little elf blushed under their gratitude. "Your welcome. I'm glad you've agreed to have me. Do you know how long we'll be at sea?" She asked.

Harry nodded, smiling, he was coming to like Merrill's whiplash changes of topic. It kept him on his toes. "Yes, three days is the best estimate, thankfully the wind is with us, at least that's what the crewman I asked said. And the distance between here and Jader is relatively small.

"Good, I'm already feeling a bit queasy." Merrill admitted quietly.

Hermione handed her a small vial from her purse, and the elf looked at it curiously. "It's a draught to reduce nausea, it should do you for a few hours, then we'll head to the tent. Being what it is you won't feel the rocking so much. But first, do you know if elves react differently to potions than humans do?"

"No, in fact potions seem to affect all races the same, even Qunari. However the same can't be said of poisons." The elf explained.

Hermione handed the draught over. "Let me know if you feel ill or off at all."

Merrill nodded in relief and downed the draught. Before pulling a face. "Ugh. What is it about potions that they all have to taste awful?"

Harry barked a short laugh. "All potions taste bad, don't know what it is, but they do. As true here as it is back home it seems."

The ship passed beneath the great chains which held the ship nets which would hold out besieging navies and out onto the open sea. "It really is vast isn't it?" Merrill noted. "I remember being struck by that last time."

"I always feel like that too when I see the ocean." Hermione agreed. Then looked to Harry, "You mentioned you set the wards. What have we got this time."

He smiled thinly. "I decided to prove I can be mature when I want to be. Nothing too out there this time. A little more than we applied in the alienage. An actual repulsion field for anyone not authorized, nothing too strong just enough to knock them off their feet. An alert ward to let us know when someone is looking for us."

She nodded acceptance, then squeezed his hand in thanks. "Alright, well unless you two want to stay out here and watch the sea for a while why don't we head back inside. We can get a spot of lunch and generally relax."

Merrill took one last breath of sea air before nodding. "I'd like to go back to the tent. It's more comfortable in there."

"Then that is what we shall do." Harry agreed. "After you ladies," he said affecting a slightly pompous air.

The girls giggled and shook their heads at his antics. Soon enough they were headed below.


A day later

Somewhere deep in the Arbor Wilds

South of Orlais, Thedas

Prongs could feel it, this one was open, all it would take is a little nudge. Most of the mirrors he had found over the last day and a half had been sealed even against spirits. This one, it felt different. More, and less, open at the same time. Any more physical than he would have a hard time passing through it. And so as he stood in the middle of a sleeping temple, hidden deep in the forest, hovering just above the surface of a mirror smooth pool of water, he prepared to make his leap. The force that drew him onward to his goal was stronger here. It would lead him to his goal eventually he was sure.

And so he paced forward until his nose touched the mirror and found it indeed was not sealed against him. He felt satisfaction, the small echo of James Potter within him was happy and he pressed on. And as the mirror rippled slightly at his passage, one of the elves slumbering, almost as the dead here, twitched in his sleep.

Unfortunately he did not find himself anywhere he recognized as he stepped through however, even if the pull of his destination was stronger than ever before.

He was pretty sure this wasn't earth. Though it certainly wasn't that other place as far as he could tell either. It was a lot more…green, than either place if he was being honest. And…well it was upside down where he was at that moment. How he knew he was upside down he couldn't say, but he was.

He looked around trying to determine his path and stopped as his eyes fell on a small figure sitting on a rock not far away from himself. It was small, almost like a house elf or a child, and white. Round, with fat little formless limbs, and a big misshapen head. An open mouth and two blank staring eyes looked at him curiously. It tilted its head at him, clearly curious, and he did the same. Then the creatures head tilted a little further to the side, before snapping back upright and rattling back and forth on its neck before stilling. It repeated this process twice more before it got to its feet. At which point it resumed the pattern.

He shook his head, no this was not Earth, he decided. But the pull was directing him to his left, he'd head that way and hopefully find a way somewhere more sensible…

Yeah, like that was ever going to happen with a Potter riding around inside him.


Waking Sea

Nearing Jader

Thedas

Merrill peered at the curious space with a perplexed look on her face as she tried to make sense of what she was seeing. It was a box, sort of, set into the cupboard counter beside the sink. Which she was uncertain about enough as it was, it was metal. With these weird racks that held the various detritus after a meal…and, there were these strange…arms which spun like those on a windmill. Except what they were doing in there she had no idea. All she knew was this, after a meal, which was always fantastic! The dirty plates would go in there, and…the door would close, then it'd make noise…Not a lot of noise, but it sorta sounded like a growling badger was trapped in there, being sprayed with water…not a happy state to find yourself in. You never wanted to trap a badger then provide the only way out through yourself by opening the way….But there was no badger. Thank the creators for that!

And when it was over, the dishes came out clean. The…whatever it was, had a clear purpose. It cleaned dishes. But how, that was the question, when probing it with her magic, it appeared absolutely normal. Save for the fact it cleaned dishes apparently on its own. Maybe it had a demon in it? Maybe that was why Harry and Hermione weren't unduly afraid of such things? They'd trapped all theirs in boxes and made them do the dishes?

"Have you figured it out yet?" An amused voice asked from behind her.

She whirled around almost tripping to find Hermione standing there sipping from a cup, with an amused expression on her face.

Merrill huffed. "No, I haven't. Will you tell me, I think my brain is melting, I was thinking you trapped badgers and demons in there and forced them to do your dishes a minute ago…"

Hermione smiled in merriment. "Well no, we don't do that. And I'll tell you right now, it's not magic…" She paused then wobbled her head noncommittally, "Well that's not entirely true, there are runes worked into the fibre cables…er, ropes. Which protect what powers it from magic. Otherwise there's nothing magical about it at all."

Merrill frowned. "This is more of that…tek-no-leggy right?"

Hermione quirked a small smile at her. "Technology, and yes it is. Actually there's a number of things in the tent which are technology instead of magic…I suppose I'd better finally explain it a little right?"

Merrill nodded hopefully. And Hermione nodded leaning against the table and putting down her cup behind her spot. She hummed considering where to begin. "Why is a crossbow better than a long bow, at least for certain tasks?"

Merrill considered. "It fires a more powerful shot over shorter range?" She speculated.

Hermione conceded the point. "Yes, how I'd put it however is this. Someone studied what kind of shots, what kind of bows and how they were used made them deadly over short range and designed something which would do that better all the time. Now, what if someone made a crossbow which didn't require you to plant it, yank the string back by hand and then fire? What if there was one which…"

"You mean like Bianca?" Merrill interrupted enthusiastically.

Hermione blinked in consternation. "Bianca?"

"Varric's Crossbow" Merrill reported happily. "It's artifice made by a friend of his. That's all he'll tell us about it. It has four arms, and fires very quickly compared to most crossbows, it even has a box of bolts built into it." Merrill explained.

Hermione smiled then nodded. "Yes, artifice, that's close to what I'm talking about. Let me put it like this. Technologically speaking that crossbow, Bianca, is more advanced than a normal crossbow. It requires more artifice to create and produces better results. All things people build to reach beyond our natural limits are in one form or another technology. A hammer is very basic technology. Varric's crossbow is more advanced technology. A boat with sails is technologically superior to a boat powered by oars. It's a machine, a device which performs a task… Am I making sense."

Merrill nodded, "I think so. If I understand right, a crane is a piece of technology."

"Yes!" Hermione cheered. "It is. Can you think of any other examples."

Merrill considered and nodded. "The lifts from Hightown, to Lowtown, to Darktown, to the docks…What about, what about potions? Or grenades?"

Hermione blinked surprised by the large jump forward in logic. "Um…potions could be considered technology I suppose, though we tend to leave magic out of that definition. I guess you could say they are magical technology, where as those other things are mundane technology. As for a grenade…Yes, that is technology, and a good example of the terrible things it can be used for. I didn't know that people had grenades here?"

Merrill nodded. "Antivans use them, so do Dwarves, explosive potions or lyrium agitators mostly. The Qunari use some, though nobody knows how it works…"

Hermione nodded thoughtfully. "Well, that's a good example I suppose yes. Now back to the dish washer, simply put it uses water moved at pressure, like from a pump…er—if you have those?"

Merrill nodded. "Not many places do, but Kirkwall had a few thanks to the Dwarves."

Hermione nodded. "Good, simply put, the dishwasher pumps in water from a tank…usually, and uses gears to spin the nozzle of the pump. The water is forced out hard enough in a spinning motion to push the filth off the plates with the help of soap. That's all."

Merrill nodded, and looked at the machine. "Why use this instead of magic?"

Hermione smiled, it was a good question. "Well, we actually know some people who use magic to do it. A straight cleaning spell actually eats away the dishes a bit over time. Even faster than normal cleaning would. Using magic to enchant scrubbing tools…" Like she'd seen Mrs Weasley do for years. "to clean for you requires you to constantly funnel magic to the enchantments to ensure it works, and even then you need to keep an eye on it. Magic is magic after all." She'd seen Ron get chased out of the house by a rogue scrubbing brush once when Mrs Weasley was distracted.

"The thing about machines, especially simple machines, is this. They are predictable, and they don't need you to watch them to work necessarily. That dishwasher, will do it's job if we're here, if we're in the living room, or even if we're up on deck…"

Merrill seemed to consider that. "Where does it get the water from again?"

Hermione shook her head at the sudden change in topic, glad that Merrill seemed to have accepted what she'd said. "The hoses which are enchanted to pump the water, draw from a tank concealed in a pocket under the tent floor. The tank conjures the water as it empties so we never run out. The used water is vanished by a hose which catches it."

Merrill blinked at her. "I was wondering why you were wasting water on dishes…and on the toilet…and the sink…" She paused and her eyes widened. "Does the bath work like that?"

Hermione nodded slowly, and Merrill threw up her arms. "You mean I could have had a bath…everyday if I'd wanted to and I'd never have run out?"

She nodded again, wondering where this was going. "I was holding off, that bath looks wonderful, but I didn't want to use up your water too fast!" Merrill exclaimed then started towards the bathroom, shedding her belt and then her tunic as she went. Hermione hurried after her picking them up as she followed along. "I am going to take a bath!" Declared Merrill happily as she entered the bathroom and started tugging on the chainmail. Then paused. "Is a hot one possible? Please tell me it's possible!"

Hermione just chuckled nodding, closing the door behind her, before moving deeper into the room and depositing the elf's things on the counter next to the sink. "Yes it's possible Merrill, I'll show you how."

Merrill smiled brightly then started pulling at her clothes again, soon standing in a towel while the large tub filled.

Hermione smiled as the elf bounced almost anticipatory as the basin filled. It was a large tub though it was going to take a while. This model of wizarding tent came with a large pool like bath because those who went on expeditions often liked to relax together in the hot water after a long days work.

Finally it was full of lightly steaming water and Merrill, wiggling like a happy puppy now dipped a toe in, shivered then sunk slowly into the water sighing. Hermione smiled at her, "Enjoying it are you?"

The elf nodded blissfully. "The city has public bath houses, but elves are not allowed to use them…" She noted sadly. Then smiled, chuckling. "I've had more cold showers at the little stall in the alienage than I care to remember. I only recall having a warm bath once, when I was sick with chills…The Keeper helped me have one in the small bath tub the clan carried with us as opposed to the river. It is, despite being how sick I was at the time, a good memory. This one will be even better!"

Hermione nodded smiling in understanding. "Yes, nothing quite like a hot bath after a long day. I can tell you I enjoy my showers…" She indicated a nozzle overhead. "In the morning, something about being in this tent all the time, or on the ship…it makes me sore you know?"

Merrill nodded, then opened her eyes to watch Hermione shifting slightly, "You could jump in too you know?" She offered. "The bath houses always had a many people in the pool at one time!" She urged when she saw Hermione's uncertain look. "And besides, you've seen me without my things before…I don't mind. Just…so long as you're okay with it too."

Hermione pondered, then nodded and moved to the door, double checking the lock. She knew Harry wouldn't peek, but she wanted to be sure the door was sealed right anyways. "Harry I'm having a bath with Merrill, so don't worry I haven't gotten lost." She called, chuckling at the little joke. Harry had once gotten worried when he couldn't find her once on the Horcrux hunt whilst she was in the bathroom, it became something of a running joke between them.

There was a pause. "Er—okay! Enjoy yourselves?" He called back from somewhere uncertainly. Hermione was glad that they'd put up silencing wards around the tent. They'd heard one too many people getting sick over the side on the deck above and had made some modifications to the wards. People would no doubt have reacted oddly to that conversation.

She nodded in satisfaction then turned back to eye Merrill speculatively. "Sorry, just had to mess with his head little."

Merrill nodded easily, then paused before speaking "I've been meaning ask you about wards."

Hermione eased as the topic changed. "Sure, what about them?"

"How widely used are they in your world?

The brunette shifted, "Widely enough, at least in the wizarding world. Most families have a basic set to keep away normal people and to keep out thieves."

Merrill nodded, "The old elves used to be able to make proper wards I'm told…But we lost the knowledge how to do the same…I wish I could do magic like you can, but…maybe I'll pick up a few things that my magic can do too in time?"

Hermione made positive sounds while she thought. She had wondered about that, magic here and back home were very similar. She'd been surprised to learn that most mages never used a spell that required a verbal incantation…They specialized in unspoken magic. Willing their mana to do what they wanted instinctively. Just how different were she and Merrill? Tests would need to be done…

The inner book worm in her squealed in anticipation. Now then, about that bath.


It was that same evening, as they sat down to a supper which was, as ever, prepared by Harry, that Merrill decided to push a little. She had spent the last four days in these two's company and despite her surety that she could trust them, she knew very little about them as people. She knew they were from another world, that they were magicals as they liked to call themselves, that Hermione certainly went to school with many other young mages. And that they had a machine which cleaned dishes for them…

She poked at her meal idly, once she had eaten her fill, pondering her first question. It took a while, Merrill was well aware she had trouble interacting with others at times, and she didn't want to offend them, but had managed to find a good point at which to start.

"Would you two mind telling me a little about…well yourselves?" She asked uncertainly, causing her dinner companions to pause in their eating. They shared a look, which she couldn't decipher.

Finally Harry nodded, "I suppose so, after all you've told us quite a lot about yourself, and we've held off long enough despite how we're traveling together." He admitted. "What would you like to know?"

"Everything!" Merrill, blurted before blushing. She indeed found her companions fascinating, but that had been a little enthusiastic. "I mean…Could you tell me where you are from? How you two met? I know you both lived outside that city you mentioned…London was it?" She wouldn't soon forget first hearing about a city that large.

Harry nodded, then glanced at Hermione. "Well, for my part I was born in a little town a long ways from London. It was called Godric's Hollow. But I grew up in a little neighbourhood in a city greater London swallowed up. It was called Little Whinging, in Surrey."

Hermione took over here. "I grew up further into London, in a neighbourhood called Belsize Park. I was born in one of the hospitals in London."

"Hospital?" Merrill asked, unfamiliar with the word.

"A large building dedicated specifically to healing," Hermione explained patiently. "It can tend to several hundred if not thousands of sick, wounded or merely pregnant people. Doctors, which are mundane healers and nurses who assist them staff the places."

Merrill nodded, it sounded like Ander's clinic writ large. An interesting notion. Especially as they did their healing without magic it sounded like. "They sound like sad places…well, aside from the births."

Hermione shrugged. "They can be. But mundane medicine back home is a lot more advanced than here. They save more people than they lose, and pretty much anyone who is having a child goes there. They're very good at what they do generally, despite being perpetually underfunded or staffed."

Merrill nodded. "And how did you two meet?"

Hermione considered that, "To explain that we'll need to tell you a bit about some other things, if you don't mind a minor tangent…" Merrill shook her head, indicating she was okay with that.

Hermione smiled and then began, pushing her finished meal away from herself. "For my part I'm what the wizarding world back home calls a 'Muggleborn' which is to say I was born to non-magical parents. Now, you have to understand back home the magical world and the mundane one are kept separate. To the extent most mundane people you meet don't even know that magic really exists. So I was quite surprised when a letter showed up from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, followed soon after by a visit from a professor."

She paused waiting to see if there were any pressing questions, so far there were not. "The professor set about proving to my somewhat skeptical parents that magic was indeed real, and then took me to the magical market place concealed in London, known as Diagon Alley. There I got my spell books, and my first wand. And got my first taste of the wizarding world."

"Harry's story is similar," Hermione explained, sparing Harry from recounting his youth prior to that point. "His visit was somewhat more exciting than mine so I'll let him tell you about it."

He shrugged. "Perhaps another time in more detail, that conversation includes stuff that would take hours to explain and would basically require my entire life story. In answer to your other question however me and Hermione met each other on the train to Hogwarts."

"A train is a machine which carries large numbers of people across a large distance." Hermione explained seeing Merrill's confusion. "It was a fairly poor first impression I made. I was particularly bossy as a child,"

Harry shrugged. "It's not like I did any better, I hung out with Ron Weasley for Merlin's sake. And had very little idea of how to make friends at that point."

She nodded conceding the point. "We weren't friends right away. That came later."

Merrill was silent for a moment as she pondered what they had said. "So Hogwarts, is not like a Circle Tower then?"

Hermione shook her head. "Not at all. It's a school a place where children are taught magic yes, but no, there were no guards, and besides dangerous and black spells their were no restrictions on the magic taught."

Merrill sighed, "It actually sounds rather nice." Hermione nodded in agreement. Finally the elf came back to her questions. "You and harry became friend's later, how?"

Harry chuckled darkly, and Hermione explained. "He saved my life. Ron Weasley, who we mentioned earlier, was not a very nice young man, though we didn't lose his company for a while. He said something which made me cry, and I fled to hide in a bathroom."

Her male companion nodded, "Which would have been fine, in theory, if not for the fact some utter bastard…sorry Hermione, let a Troll into the school. A troll, which I gather you've never heard of judging by your expression, is a ten foot tall mountain of muscle, horrible smells, and club wielding bad attitude." He drawled a bit amused. "We were warned so I dragged Ron to help me make sure Hermione got to safety. Unfortunately for her, the Troll found her. She says I saved her life but I almost got her killed too. We sealed the Troll into a room not realizing it was the girl's bathroom which she was hiding in, if she hadn't screamed we wouldn't have known."

She swatted his shoulder, "You still saved my life, the troll nearly had me, you jumped on it's back and shoved your wand up its nose while Ron called it names. Admittedly he eventually thought to try some magic to stop it, but considering you were being swung around by the thing at that point, dropping it's club on it's head could have gone really badly…"

Harry shrugged. "He had to try something. The troll was knocked out, and I found out later had it's brain fried by my wand. Hermione was safe, and we've been friends ever since."

Merrill marvelled at them. Such a beast would not be an easy foe. "Mythal, that sounds very frightening. Was school normally like that for you?"

Harry barked a laugh. "Yes, more than anyone wished. But it wasn't an everyday occurrence by any stretch."

The elf shook her head. Then sighed, "What was the school like normally?"

Hermione took over again. "The school is divided into houses, based on four personality types. Gryffindor, where I and Harry were sent was the home for the brave and daring. Hufflepuff was for the hard working and the particularly loyal. Ravenclaw for the well read. And Slytherin for the cunning and ambitious. Of course nobody was just one of those things and could honestly have been sorted several places, but each of us had one house we were part of. From there it was divided into year groups. With seven years in total. We were in first year when that incident with the Troll happened."

"Strange, it almost sounds like noble houses in one of the major cities." Merrill mused.

Hermione nodded. "It certainly bears similarities, and the wizarding world in Britain was certainly heavily biased towards old notions of nobility and class. There was competition between the houses. We had our own colours, banners, Quidditch team and separate dormitories. Gryffindor favoured red and gold and had the symbol of a lion, Hufflepuff, black and yellow and a badger. Ravenclaw, blue and silver an eagle. Slytherin Green and Silver, favouring a snake."

Merrill frowned. "The heraldry doesn't make sense…Why a lion and not a Gryphon for your house? Why an eagle for a place called Ravenclaw?"

Harry snorted in amusement. "Much in the wizarding world doesn't make sense Merrill, it's better to ignore the nonsense and try to make things more sensible in the future. Trying to change something traditional would only get you trampled under foot there."

She nodded understanding. Their world had its problems too it seemed. She had no idea how true that was just then. However another question was bothering her. "You mentioned that the mundane and magical worlds are separate. How? Surely that would be incredibly difficult?"

Hermione nodded. "Yes, the ministry of magic has entire departments solely dedicated to concealing our existence from mundane people, even going so far as to erase their memories after accidents involving magic."

"They erase their memories? That's horrible!" Merrill yelped.

Again the other girl nodded. "I tend to agree, but considering how the last time the mundane world became widely aware of the magical one they tried to burn us all at the stake, or kill us in other horrifying fashions…No, the world isn't ready for us to be among them just yet, so we're working to change things so one day we might live together again. In the meantime they tell stories about us in the past thinking us nothing but fanciful stories for children."

"That must make it hard for people like you Hermione…" Merrill ventured.

Hermione nodded. "To one degree or another. Some magical people look down on those born to mundane parents, and my parents didn't know what my life was truly like for years. Still I like to think I get to benefit from both worlds, and not just one."

Merrill nodded, then smiled, thinking of some of the fanciful stories Varric told on a regular basis. She wondered if they had any story tellers as good as him. "Is story telling common on Earth?" She asked wrapping her mind around the notion that Harry and Hermione's people called their entire world Dirt.

Hermione nodded. "Yes, very. Hearing stories in one fashion or another is perhaps one of the most common pastimes people indulge in. Stories told by others, books, newspapers, plays, movies, comics, video games… The list goes on, but people love their stories."

Merrill giggled. "I'm sorry, I just didn't understand most of that. I got that your people like stories though."

Harry smiled and explained for his girlfriend. "Well you know about story telling and books of course, I know that much. Newspapers are small booklets full of the latest news from elsewhere. Don't know if you have plays…"

Merrill nodded hurriedly. "The minstrels occasionally do them at the Hanged Man. And Master Ilen sometimes helped the children of the clan act out stories."

Harry nodded. "Movies are…complicated, think of them as a way to watch moving pictures which tell a story, sometimes it's recording of people, other times it's drawn images or a combination of both. We'll need to show you one some time. Comics are entirely made up of pictures in order to tell a story. And video games…well they're like movies except you direct the story as you want. I really can't explain it better than that without a lot more explanation which you probably won't get right away…"

Hermione nodded, then pressed on. "Actually, there are many famous stories told all over the world. We really should show you a movie someday…Maybe once we've gotten you more used to the weirdness that goes on around us."

Merrill nodded, she had no idea what they were talking about, but it sounded interesting.

Harry leaned back against Hermione and her next question came to her. "Will you please tell me what is going on with you two?" She pleaded, "I'm so confused…Hermione says you're not her consort, or her betrothed…"

Harry smiled. "We're dating, which I suppose is similar to saying that we're courting. Though a lot less formal." He admitted.

Hermione snorted. "We've been dating for years Harry, we just didn't realize it. We only recently made it official. We're still getting used to the notion we could be more…"

Merrill's mouth opened in an oh shape. "So that is why you are not…er—sharing a bed is it? Things must be different where you come from…"

Harry nodded, then shrugged "Yes and no. We're still considered reasonably young, many people live to somewhere between eighty and a hundred these days. Magical people tend to live to around one-fifty, some strong ones to two or three hundred. We're early days yet. As to sharing a bed. Well few people in the nation we come from wait until marriage to sleep with someone they love, though me and Hermione are going slow in that regard. Just caution on our parts. Many people don't marry until around our age."

Merrill nodded, comparing that to her knowledge of Thedas. "What about marriage, how does it work in your world?"

Hermione laughed, playing with Harry's hair. "Depends on the area, and whether you're magical or not. Great Britain tends towards marriage in your twenties or thirties to whomever you love. Some places limit it to just male and female pairs, others don't. Some places allow multiple marriages, some arrange marriages ahead of time. A lot of people don't bother with the ceremonies and just live together with the person they're close with."

She paused then dipped her chin in concession. "It's more complex in the wizarding world. Heirs and arranged marriages. Harry is the heir of a few noble houses though he has no one to arrange matters for him, so he can do whatever he wants. Some marry for love, some for money, others for power."

Merrill sighed wistfully. "As Keeper's first, and future Keeper for our clan I would not have been allowed a formal marriage, most Keeper's take mates they believe will produce a magically strong child, and then move on. So nobody paid me much mind in the clan. Then in Kirkwall most of the Elves were afraid or overly respectful of me…Isabella said she'd help me find someone now I wasn't a Keeper…But she had to leave."

Hermione smiled at her. "I'm certain there is someone out there for you Merrill, we'll help you find someone if we can." She promised.

She smiled wanly back. It was a nice dream, seeing her and Harry there, so comfortable and happy together…it made her wish she had something like that.

Maybe some day.


Author's Note: Hope you all enjoyed that! As noted in previous chapter's notes, PM notifications are not currently working on FF. As a result should you wish to see any replies to reviews I might send you'll need to check the site periodically.