Heroes of Magic and Might
Chapter 41 – Going forward
…
"You wanted to see me."
It felt odd saying those words. So many times she'd walked through that door, looked at the man behind the desk, calmly addressed his summons.
It was all different now. For starters, the man behind the desk wasn't really behind the desk, he'd pulled the chair off to the side and put his feet up while he stared at something in the corner.
"Co!" she said, trying to get his attention.
"Hm?" he said distractedly, looking over his shoulder.
"You called for me?" she said.
"Hm, yes I did," he said, continuing to be somewhere else while his body sat in the chair.
Minerva found this mildly annoying. Marching across the room she attempted to discern what had his attention so focused, seeing only the door to his private lavatory. Though on closer inspection, she realized someone had changed the door handle. The office had always had its ostentation, but a golden doorknob to the lavvy, that was just decadent.
"It's a funny old world, isn't it Minerva?" he said.
"I suppose it is," she'd had similar thoughts throughout her life, though she hadn't the faintest idea why he would think so. She wasn't sure she wanted to know either.
"Hm, yes, funny old world," he mumbled, then seemed to come back to himself. "You've been a great help to me Minerva. I know we've had our little rough patches, but the integration of Hogwarts has gone more smoothly than I could have ever hoped, and I owe a great deal of that to you I think."
"You are too kind." She may have accepted the new paradigm, that didn't mean she wanted to be thanked for it.
"Still, so much to do. So much we're going to need," he said. "Plans, plans, plans."
"Your babbling," Dumbledore used to do it too, his mind would wander, and his mouth would just go along for the ride.
Co smiled, "Avoiding the topic at hand actually," the blue man said. "There's someone you need to meet. As my second, I think it appropriate for you to know, though I would ask you not to spread it around. I am not my own man. There is another whom I serve."
Minerva blinked, "Truly?" She'd never considered the charismatic conqueror was serving another's interest, he seemed altogether too good to be serving someone else.
But he nodded, "Yes. And it is time for you to meet him."
Hopping up from his chair he approached the door, stroked the gold doorknob once clockwise then turned. The door opened, revealing a wall of psychedelic light. "This is a small two-way portal. It will take us to my masters citadel."
McGonagall stared at the offered hand with a look typically reserved for venomous serpents. Reluctantly, she took it.
… Build me a home
"They really are dreadful."
"Yeah, yeah, keep talking sassafras."
So his horses hadn't improved much. It's not like he'd had the time to work on them, had he.
The arrival of the lizardmen had officially ended the battle. Those still left alive of the enemy force had fled in a disorganized mass, including the last Ashe, riding away before Rosebud could get to her.
As for Harry, he'd slept for three days, the overexertion being less severe than the last time, he recovered quickly once he was up again, and good thing too. There was so much to do.
It had already been agreed they were moving, likewise it had been agreed they couldn't just leave mountains of corpses for the flies, though they'd already gotten a good start.
Fire would have been the preferred method of disposal, but there was a necromancer in the group and with all that fodder lying around she was practically giddy. She'd begged, pleaded, given him the big eyes till he broke.
Her fodder was now neatly stacked in the back of the wagon, transfigured into small, easily stackable blocks of wood. Next to them two larges slabs of stone, the walls, shrunk down and lightened. Nothing of value had been left behind.
That's not to say nothing had been left behind, and not all the corpses had been converted. Under the vampire's direction, two huge pits were dug and turned into mass grave mounds then surrounded in markers she covered in odd symbols.
"I'm trying to grow ghosts," she'd explained.
It would be a mild challenge for her going back to see if she'd succeeded. His last act, once the walls were removed and the witches had shrunk their tower, which was apparently an in-built feature, was to collapse the cliffs on either side, blocking the way.
He didn't know if the Ashe would continue coming after him, but he saw no reason to take chances. If they were willing to send an entire army, what else might they be willing to do? And on that note.
"I still don't understand it. I get Lyraka's mom was someone important, but a whole army just to bring me back. It just doesn't make sense."
"I guess there's a good reason no one likes these Ashe," said the vampire who was only passingly familiar with them, a very quick pass.
"Still," there had to be more to it. But since he had no way to further inquire, he put it out of his mind. "How much farther is it?"
"We should reach the swamp by nightfall."
The wizard groaned, "Yeah, the swamp."
Hamma had offered the hospitality of his village. As its new chieftain this was something he could do. Being in no position to decline they'd of course said yes. Realizing that meant they were heading for a stinking, murky swamp had dampened the enthusiasm.
Rosebud tittered at his expression. "There's a freshwater lake about a mile and a half from their village. I figure we can set up there."
"Now that I can get behind." He'd always like living on a lake. "Build a nice little home on the lake. I already promised Gabby I'd build her a new forge."
"Of course you'll build me my own crypt, won't you."
"Is that what I'll do?"
"Yes, you will."
Her certainty made him laugh, "I guess that's that. A crypt indeed. Deep and dank, with black velvet drapes and little tables with black doilies and vases full of black roses."
"Home sweet home," she sighed, cuddling up to his arm.
"Home," Harry mused. What a strange idea. "So, we're doing it then. We're settling down."
"Don't you want to?"
Did he? "You know, there was a time when 'home' was all I ever wanted. Now—I just—I don't know anymore. For the past couple months 'home' has been wherever I decided to sleep for the night. I just—I don't know."
The vampire smiled at him, a good smile, no teeth. "I've been on the run for a long time. If there's one thing I've learned, trouble will find you if it wants to find you, no matter where you are. 'You' found me after all."
"Are you calling me trouble?"
Impishly the vampire leaned in and placed a gentle kiss on his cheek, "Yes."
"Well, I spose I can't argue with that," he chuckled.
"No, you can't," she agreed, nuzzling back into his arm. "Don't worry about it too much. If you get bored, I'm sure something will come along. It's a big crazy world."
That it was, Harry thought, and I've barely started seeing it.
