Trail of Secrets
Chapter 19
Harry walked down a slight slope, lights coming on from strips in the walls, revealing the sleek metal that made them up.
Reaching a door with runes carved in a circle in the center, he placed his hands on the crisscrossing X in the center. The star-shaped pattern flared as a small prick tested his blood.
The doors slid open with a hiss, lights far above him clicking on to reveal a large room made of smooth metal. Rectangular recesses lined the walls in an unbroken square, wrapping around all the way to the ceiling that was hidden in darkness.
Runic lines ran across the floor and up the walls slithering inside and out of the recesses to continue upwards.
Releasing Martha Johansson's brain to float beside him, Harry moved into a circle in the center of the room. With a flick of his hands, the runes flared, holographic screens coming to life at head height to wrap all the way around him.
His fingers danced along the screens.
The floor in front of him bubbled and sank, turning into a pit.
With a few more gestures, runic lines slithered along the pit walls, forming a spiral pattern at the bottom. Between each spiral was a line of runes. These lines ran up the side of the pit, specific ones intersecting in shining with a golden light.
Kneeling down beside Martha's jar, Harry curled his fingers, a pack of cotton swabs floated towards him.
With his other hand, he vanished the top of Martha's jar.
Tearing open the cotton swabs, he slid one along the ridges of her brain.
Martha whimpered at the action.
"I know sweetheart, but I promise this will make you better."
Standing to his feet, he laid the cotton swab on the table along with the pack.
After restoring the top of Martha's jar, he gently carried her down into the pit, setting her outside the center of the rings.
Stepping out of the pit, he began gesturing with his hand, a log of wood six feet long floated towards him, as well as a large jar of wet mud.
A long table rose up before him, the wood settled atop it along with the jar.
He glanced at the pit, his eyes focusing on Martha's jar, "I hope this works, no little girl deserves a lifelike the one you're living."
Stretching his hands over the log, Harry focused his power.
Pale white energy flowed from his hands, wrapping around the log and spinning at a rapid rate.
As the energy spun, it formed the log into a humanoid shape, reminiscent of a store manikin.
Stopping the flow of energy once the shape was right. He raised his hand willing the mud to float out of the large jar.
With his other hand, he guided it along the curves of the body. Once it was smooth, outlining the feminine curves of the wooden manikin, he lowered his hands.
A metal square rose out of the floor, a scalpel glistening on it.
Picking up the scalpel, he spent the next two hours carving curved runes into the mud.
A flare of heat from his hands baked the mud hard except in the center of the chest.
Picking up the cotton swab, Harry placed it in the center of the manikin's chest, hardening the mud to keep it in place with a bit of power.
With a force of will, he floated the manikin into the pit, lining its head up with Martha Johansson's jar.
Slapping his hands together, he dropped into a cross-legged position. A line of runes flowed up from the pit, forming into the floor just before his crossed legs.
Placing his left hand on the runes, he placed his right on top of his left.
Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath slowly exhaling.
His body shone with a white aura that danced like flames before he pushed the energy into the runes.
The energy snaked through the runes like they were fuel.
The pit blazed like the sun as the energy filled the runes.
Ancient words of power burst past Harry's lips, ringing on the air.
A heaviness settled into the room, pushing down on his shoulders.
The manikin and jar floated out of the pit, contained in a bubble of white energy.
As he watched, the manikin fell to pieces and the pull on his energy became stronger.
The manikin pieces reformed becoming a skeleton.
Sweat began to run down his forehead as nerves and blood vessels grew over the skeleton. His body shook as organs and muscle next appeared, attaching to the nerves and blood vessels.
Exhaustion filled his body as skin grew over the organs, muscle, nerves, and blood vessels.
The top of the head unscrewed, Martha Johansson's brain floated out of her jar, the fluid she had lived in for so long becoming a sphere around it.
The sphere floated forward transforming into blood around the brain as it drew close to the head.
The blood flowed into the top of the skull before the brain settled into place.
The top of the head reattached, and long honey colored hair sprouted from the scalp.
Harry closed his eyes as other hair began to appear on the body.
With a flick of his hand, a white sheet flew from one of the recesses to hover in the air waiting for the energy to disperse.
As the glow faded, Harry flicked his fingers to the side, willing the blanket to cover her form.
Opening his eyes, he raised his hands from the runes, finding an X shaped rune encircled by smaller runes burned into his palm from the force of the magic. As he watched, the wound healed, and dead skin flaked away.
Shaking his head, he rose to his feet.
The pit sealed shut as if it had never been there, and a bed grew out of the floor in its place.
Once Martha was settled, Harry fell backwards, falling into a chair that grew from the floor and conform to his body. Slowly, his eyes drifted closed.
–XX –
Lily Potter strode down the ramp into her son's lab, her dark gown hugging her form and highlighting her curves with each movement. Her dark auburn hair flowed down her back in a braid, and her blue eyes scanned the room. Her senses tingled at the recent expenditure of power in the air.
Movement caught her attention.
A young girl sat up on the bed holding a sheet to her chest while staring at her slender soft hand in wonder, tears glistening in her blue eyes. Her honey colored hair fell forward, hiding her face.
"Hello?"
In an instant a pink dome exploded from the girl, expanding to cover the bed she was sitting on and a chair a short distance away, her eyes narrowed, now glowing the same color as the dome, "Who are you?"
Marveling at the girl's power, Lily slowly raised her hands, "Easy, my son called me here, I was just surprised to find you here as well."
Martha glanced at the figure in the chair, "He restored my body. Not one that I took possession of, my body." She glanced at the jar, "he freed me from my prison." Tears ran down her pale cheeks, "I thought I was going to be there forever."
Lily took a deep breath, breathing in the power in the room. She staggered backwards at its potency, there was a hint of sympathetic magic, but most of it was pure life energy. Just how powerful had her son become.
"Do you mind lowering the barrier? I would like to check on my son?"
Martha stared at her for a long moment, "Hurt him, and you will regret it."
"Deal."
The barrier shrank until it covered just Martha and her bed.
Lily moved towards the chair, gasping as she moved around it. She dropped to her knees, running a hand down her son's cheek.
He was leaner than when she'd last seen him, his hair was now a blood colored red, but the most noticeable change was his skin, it was the palest white she had ever seen.
"Harry, what happened to you?"
The changes to his bone structure was so great that if she wouldn't have the ability to sense souls, she wouldn't recognize her son.
He started at her words, his eyes opening to reveal a bright emerald green.
His lips curved as he saw her, "Mom, it's good to see you, it's been a while."
Lily's hand dropped from his face to grip his hand, "And who's fault is that, you should've come to visit more."
Harry exhaled, running a hand through his hair.
Lily relaxed at the familiar gesture a soft smile on her face, he had gotten that from his father.
"I know it's no excuse, but life just got away from me."
He reached out with his senses, "I see I'm not the only one that has changed."
Lily's soft smile curved into a smirk, "I have taken the mantle of the Morrigan."
Harry raised an eyebrow in surprise, "impressive."
Lily backed away as he slowly lifted himself from his chair.
"Your father has taken the mantle of Cernunnos."
Harry began moving his hands through the air, "I have missed a lot." He turned his attention to Martha, "Hang on sweetie, your bed is about to move." Her bed zoomed across the floor like it was on a track, stopping three feet away from his left side.
Holographic screens flared to life in a half circle around him.
Metal flowed up from the floor, forming a cylinder with a glass top.
Pressing a hand to his chest, he pulled out what little remained of the energy absorbed in Herpo's home.
A hole opened up in the glass and Harry willed the energy inside.
Lily pushed close to her son, scanning the information flowing across the holographic screen. "It appears you've absorbed a strange mixture of cosmic energy," she glanced at him, "I wonder if that explains your changes."
"I don't think so," he turned away from the screen, staring into her eyes, "when I contacted you and dad, I expected you both to be here."
Lily cocked her head to the side, "Am I not good enough?"
Harry shook his head, "It's not that, I have something to show you and I wanted you both here."
"Um," Martha began, "I'm sorry to interrupt."
Mother and son turned to stare at her, causing her to blush.
"But, could I have some clothes?"
Harry rubbed the back of his neck, and embarrassed look on his face, "Oh, I'm sorry."
With a flick of his hand, the sheets covering her body wrapped around her, changing and conforming to her body.
Lily stretched forth her hand, causing Harry to look at her, "what, you're a guy you have no idea what a woman would find stylish."
Harry nodded, backing away and letting his mother take over the transformation.
The cloth glowed tightening around the legs.
As it faded, Martha was in a pair of skinny jeans, and a red T-shirt.
Amazed, Martha pulled her shirt away from her body, "You even got my bra and underwear right."
"Practice my dear, years of practice."
Swinging her legs off the bed, Martha jumped to the floor, wincing as her bare feet touched the smooth metal.
"Sorry dear, someone," Lily glanced at Harry, "didn't provide enough material for a complete outfit."
"It's fine," Martha said softly, wiggling her toes against the cool floor, "it's been so long since I felt anything, it's kind of nice."
She glanced at the two of them, "Do you mind if I go outside?"
Harry nodded, "of course, you're not a prisoner, just stay close to the entrance."
Martha nodded, making her way towards the exit, passing James Potter as he entered the lab.
Harry took in his father, it had been a long time since he'd seen either of his parents, and they had changed a lot.
His father was now six feet tall. Thick muscle was half hidden by leather clothes. His dark hair was still messy, his hazel eyes still twinkled with a bit of mischievousness. Two horns grew out of the side of his head.
Tribal tattoos moved like serpents down his arms.
James moved forward, taking in his son, 6'1" paper white skin, blood red hair, and emerald eyes. "It looks like your mother and I are not the only ones that have changed. How did this happen?"
"When I went to rescue Martha…"
James raised an eyebrow.
"The girl that just left, I absorbed a strange combination of cosmic energy. After that, my skin changed, and my connection to the Aether became stronger."
Lily moved over to her husband as Harry continued.
"But that's not why are called you here."
"What is it son, you're usually not the type to keep secrets?"
Opening his jacket, green tendrils flowed out of its inner pocket pulling and re-enlarging the mirror he had taken from Herpo's tower.
"What's this," Lily asked, staring at the mirror as the green energy around it faded away.
Harry glanced at the holographic screens as the sensors in the lab scanned the object, "According to my scans, it's solidified dimensional energy."
Lily and James moved to stand in front of it. Both of them were surprised at the reflections that stared back.
Lily stared at the 5'8" pale skinned black-haired woman that stared back at her, her dark eyes containing a hint of excitement.
James stared at the man before him, taking in the blood colored hair and horns that formed a crown on his head. Red eyes stared into his hazel, but the thing that drew his attention most was the tribal tattoos that slithered along his arms. This man also had them on his face, lines going from his brow across his eyes and down his cheeks.
James turned away, "Alright I give, who are they?"
"I was hoping you could tell me, when I stared into the mirror in Herpo's tower, they appeared with my reflection as you see me now. I felt a connection to them, so I brought it here to get answers."
Lily and James turned back to the mirror, each touching the reflection before them.
Golden light filled the room washing over the three.
When it faded, Harry hadn't physically changed, but he now had full access to the powers of the Aether. The origin of which was now inside him.
"What happened?"
"We can explain."
Harry turned, finding his parents had taken on the forms of the people reflected in the mirror.
"Mom? Dad?"
The crimson haired horned man inclined his head, "yes, I am James Potter, but before that I was Cernunnos," he looked at his hands, "it appears after so long I am again."
The dark-haired woman stepped forward, her dark eyes shining with love, "I am Lily Potter, but I have returned to being death of the endless, or at least a small fragment of her."
Harry fell backwards, falling into a formfitting chair that grew up from the floor, "Explain please."
"In a multi-verse different from this one," Lily began, "desire, despair, delight, destruction, dream, death, and destiny exist to watch over and keep balance. To do that we follow rules, never attack another one of the endless, which is what we called ourselves, and never take on a mortal lover."
Harry raised an eyebrow.
His mother's lips quirked upwards, "eventually one of us was going to break the rules."
"Desire was first, he fell in love with a Mayan woman," she shook her head, "an evil creature that used desires love for her to increase her power. The aspects got together, we all agreed to cast her into oblivion."
"Desired didn't like that, he swore revenge on all of us vanishing into the shadows."
"Years later, destruction fell in love with a woman. They had children, since the woman destruction fell in love with only cared about taking care of her children, we let them be. Unfortunately, desire struck, killing all but one of the children."
"This started a war between destruction and desire, but the ancient laws forbid us from spilling each other's blood, so the rest of us could not interfere. Their domains stayed stable, so we watched, hoping their rage at one another would eventually wear out."
Harry leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees, his eyes wide.
"More years passed, one day every one hundred years, the aspects of the endless become mortal."
Cernunnos step forward, "It just so happens, on the day death became mortal, I was due to die, in this universe, some gods were powered by faith, I was one of them, and faith in me had ran out."
Lily continued, "Over the years, I had become fascinated by mortal life and the people I reaped, so I decided to spend my one day as a mortal close to Cernunnos, getting to know him before I took him to his eternal rest. Besides, what better protection then a god, even if it was a weakened one?"
"It was in this time that desire struck. Using his powers, desire made your father and myself be overcome with lust."
Harry raised his hand, "I don't need details."
A smile stretched across his mother's face.
"Anyway, after the coupling…"
"That's one thing to call it."
His mother raised an eyebrow.
"Sorry, go on."
"Soon after the coupling, I discovered I was pregnant, knowing the danger you would be in, your father and I hatched a plan for your protection."
Cernunnos picked up the story, "Being the personification of death, your mother has a connection throughout the multi-verse and beyond with all death. She planted the idea of having demigod heirs into Arawn's head."
"Once the heirs were conceived, your mother used her power to split herself. Transferring her pregnant essence along with myself into the bloodline of Arawn's heirs. It was supposed to be simple we would be reborn once the brother's bloodline united sometime in the future, we never expected the bloodline to become so diverse."
Cernunnos made a fist, "It helped in the end, I was reborn with greater power than I had ever had before," he smiled at Harry, "you are now free of the rules of the bloodline having ascended to your power from mortal beginnings."
Harry leaned back in his chair, he had known his family had a lot of secrets, but he never expected something like this. "So, what happens now?"
Lily licked her lips, "Soon, I need to return back to my own multi-verse."
"I will be going with her," Cernunnos put in, "hopefully the way I have ascended to power will change the other gods once I return."
Harry inclined his head, "That's good, you may need to take TírnanÓg with you."
Lily and Cernunnos cocked their heads to the side, "Why?"
"Herpo's manipulations have damaged the membrane between worlds, I have no idea what's going to happen when those tears finally open." He pushed himself to his feet, "We can talk more about that later, I need to take Martha home."
Lily and Cernunnos shared a look, "We will discuss it."
Nodding, Harry strode from the room.
–XX –
Martha moved around the woods reveling in the feeling of grass between her toes and the cold air sweeping through her hair. She stared up at the moon, big and bright.
The hooting of owls filtered into her ears, and the tension in her shoulders relaxed. She spread her arms wide, spinning in a slow circle.
It had been so long since she had seen anything with her own eyes, and this time it was her own eyes, not the eyes of a borrowed body.
Golden light exploded from the tunnel leading to Harry's lab.
She turned towards the tunnel, wondering if she should go down and check. He did restore her body after all, she shook her head, he had his parents with him, they were far more powerful than her.
A few minutes later, Harry emerged from the tunnel, his hands tucked into his blazer pockets, his bright green eyes locked onto her, "Are you ready to go home?"
Green energy flared out from his feet, forming a sphere of energy around them.
With a force of will, Harry lifted the sphere into the air.
As they drifted above the trees, Martha cleared her throat, "There's something you need to know."
Harry glanced at her.
"Shortly after a man named Lucius Malfoy kidnapped me, he took me to Herpo, Herpo asked me about an old acquaintance of mine codenamed Zero. I don't know why their looking for him, but Herpo used magic to drain my powers into an amulet. We used to have a psychic connection, so I don't know if he can use that to find him or not."
"Have your powers returned?"
Martha's eyes flashed pink.
"Alright then, what are Zero's abilities and his real name?"
"His real name is Kenji Uedo and his powers are to control and transform biological matter."
They began drifting downwards, Martha looked around to find the sphere descending into the Xavier grounds.
"Thank you for the information, I'll look into it."
The sphere around him faded away.
Martha looked towards the double doors leading into the Xavier Institute, "Are you coming inside?"
Harry shook his head, "No with the changes I've been through, I need some time to myself before I interact with the rest of the world."
Martha nodded.
Stepping forward, she wrapped her arms around him burying her face in his chest, "Thank you for everything."
Slowly, Harry wrapped his arms around her, "You're welcome."
After a moment they pulled apart.
Setting his hands on her shoulders, Harry stared into her eyes, "Become strong, live life, and be a credit to your people."
Turning, Harry launched himself into the air.
Martha watched him go promising herself to do just that.
When he finally faded from sight, she turned walking towards the Xavier Institute. A grin spread across her face, man, the others were going to be surprised when they saw her.
