Harry Potter and the Order of Mercaba

by SeraphimBlue

Disclaimer: Harry Potter and all the characters of his universe are owned by J.K. Rowling. I hold no claim over anyone here, except for my original characters and the Order of Mercaba, which is my own creation.

Chapter 17

"… it is important to remember to center yourself and maintain balance. An armed foe coming directly at you can do more than just hit you with their strike. If you are not centered, they can overpower your center of balance and send you flying backward. To counter this, you lower your center of gravity by bending your knees slightly and angling your body so that you are not facing them but instead, looking at them partially from the side."

Harry nodded and shifted his stance as his brother and sister looked on with their mother. Master Nuada had been training him at grandmother's home for a few weeks now and Harry could already feel a difference in how his body moved.

"Good… good. Now… do as your grandmother taught you and draw up energy from the earth beneath your feet. Let it flow into your magic, blend with it, strengthen it, and allow it to make your body more dense. This will give your strikes more power and make it harder for an enemy to harm you. In time, you can learn enough control to make it so that your skin is like wood or stone… or even metal. Blades will not harm you. Magic will bounce off your skin."

Harry frowned at that.

"How is that possible? I've been reading books on different types of magic and no one has even mentioned anything like that before."

Nuada looked at his young squire and smiled.

"Let me guess… were they human books?"

Harry nodded and Nuada laughed.

"Human magic knows nothing when it comes to real protection. They have a limited view of the world around them and it stifles their creativity and control. Have you ever seen your grandmother fight?"

Harry thought for a moment and nodded.

"Once… I think. It was when I was very young. We had only been here a short while and someone came after my dad, but grandmother stepped in to protect him."

Nuada smiled.

"Good… and what happened?"

Harry tried to remember.

"This woman from another kingdom attacked her over and over again… but grandmother just laughed at her spells and called them… the buzzing of a pesky fly… I think."

Nuada laughed.

"I can see her saying that. Anything else? Was she injured any?"

Harry shook his head.

"No… the magic just bounced… off… her… skin."

Harry's eyes widened in understanding.

"Elven magic is stronger than Human. It doesn't have the same weaknesses, so it's able to do things that Human magic cant. Elven magic… elven blood... so wait… grandmother made me part elven… which is why I'm being taught her magic, right?"

Nuada smiled and nodded.

"Correct. You have an excellent mind for someone your age, young Harry. You will make a fine student."

Nuada sighed then.

"It's just too bad that your family must be returning to the Human realm so soon. Still… I can come visit and you can return for lessons periodically. We have years to get you fully trained, so have no fear."

Harry nodded and looked over at his family as his father joined them.

"Yeah… dad says we have to go back. We've been gone a long time and his boss is getting angry. Dad's gone back a few times to help out but always came back here. The director allowed that but not any longer. Dad has to go back to work full time. If he loses his job, we lose a lot of magical connections that we can't get anywhere else."

Nuada nodded.

"Truth. Still… I will come visit you… from time to time… and you will return every summer to visit your grandmother and we can continue our lessons."

Harry smiled and nodded.

"Yeah… dad said he's going to move us closer to another Gate, which will make it easier to return… safer too. I'll be able to come back on my own… maybe. The new Gate connects to the one in… oh what was it called… Samilhand Courtyard?"

Nuada nodded.

"Correct… and guess where I live.."

Harry's eyes widened and he smiled.

"Samilhand Courtyard?"

Nuada nodded, smiling. Harry grinned and impulsively launched himself at his teacher, giving him a hug.

"Thank you for helping me… I appreciate it."

Nuada hugged him back and smiled.

"You're very welcome. Now… show me you understood what I taught you. Draw your magic up into your body and defend my attack."

Harry nodded and took a few steps back. Planting his feet and adjusting his stance, he reached out toward the earth beneath him and pulled the energy up into his body. Letting it flow up into him, filling himself slowly with the strong sturdiness that is Earth… Harry felt himself growing stronger. A cool, dusky sensation filled his stomach, making him feel like he'd had a big meal.

He could feel himself linked to the ground like a tether and when he was ready, he nodded.

"Over time you will be able to do that much faster or even stay linked all the time. I myself am constantly linked to Earth, Air and Water every minute of the day. Now… first stance."

Harry shifted his hips and focused his magic. A silvery shield appeared around him like a bubble.

"Good… good. You will learn how to control the size and shape of your shield as well. Over time you will learn how to bring it down next to your skin… similar to your armor."

Harry nodded and took a calming breath. He nodded again as his shield shrank by six inches. Nuada grinned and summoned a practice sword made of wood.

"Summon your sword and ready your magic."

Harry summoned the wooden sword Nuada had given him and felt it appear in his hand. In time, he would be allowed to move up to metal and enchanted swords… once they were all sure he wouldn't accidentally cut himself to death.

Adjusting his grip, he called upon his magic and felt his hands begin to glow. Ready he nodded again.

"Good… now… attack formation… three."

Harry launched himself forward with an upswing of his sword, trying to disarm his attacker. Nuada blocked it, smiling, and moved to attack, swinging at Harry's side. Seeing the blade moving toward him, Harry shifted his body and twisted his wrists to angle his own sword in defense… blocking the attack.

"Good… now faster."

Harry continued through the rest of the third pattern, his blows easily defended by his Master, until finally after a few minutes he was on the ground with Nuada's sword against his throat.

"… and you're dead. Not bad… but you can do better. You've improved a great deal though. I am proud."

He pulled Harry to his feet and ruffled his hair. Harry smiled and nodded.

"I'm getting better… but I know it will be years before I'm anywhere as good as you."

Nuada laughed and nodded.

"Ah… but you have to also remember that I'm… many years older than you."

Harry smirked.

"Hundreds?"

Nuada grinned.

"Older…"

Harry's eyes widened.

"Thousands?"

Nuada just grinned and returned his sword to where he summoned it from.

"Perhaps… you should ask your grandmother how old she is… sometime."

Harry laughed.

"Yeah… not going to happen. I know better than to do that. Grandmother is very old… like God or Goddess type old."

Nuada looked at Harry's eyes and nodded. Could he already know? Does he know her secret… that she is actually a Goddess?

"Perhaps you're right… and to think, her blood flows through your veins."

Harry smiled nodding.

"Yeah… her actual blood and not just a saying like how you have the blood of your relatives because they're your family. I have her blood inside me."

Harry grinned.

"Sometimes I can feel it… like golden fire just under my skin… strong and wild, but beautiful… just like grandmother."

He looked up at Nuada and leaned in closer.

"I get these… dreams sometimes. I've seen grandmother when she was young. She was the most beautiful woman I've ever seen and she had everyone in love with her. She flew out over a battlefield as a raven and transformed in front of them… and they all stopped. Her hair was long and black, with streaks of blood red in it… flowing in the wind. Her eyes were dark and powerful and no one could look away. One word from her… and everything stopped."

Harry smiled, shivering.

"It was scary… but I knew she wasn't bad. She was there to stop the fighting… no, not stop… control the fighting. She took control of everything because it was her right… and they stopped."

Nuada nodded.

"Aye… that they did. She is the Mistress of Battles and that war would have killed so many of us if she hadn't stepped in."

Harry's eyes widened.

"Wait… that actually happened?"

Nuada nodded.

"Yes… it did… many, many years ago. I think you might want to have a chat with her about this. It seems that some of her memories might have transferred to you along with her blood and power."

Harry nodded and looked up as his grandmother entered.

"I'll do that… thank you."

Nuada nodded and smiled.

"I must be going… but I will see you again in a couple of months. Remember to exercise and maintain your training. Until next we meet."

Harry smiled and bowed.

"Until next we meet."

Nuada nodded and vanished in a burst of silver light. Harry smirked at the flashy exit then walked over and hugged his grandmother.

"What's this… such warmth from my precious darling."

Harry smiled into her stomach and sighed.

"I love you grandmother."

Morrigan grinned and bent down to kiss the top of his head.

"I love you too darling."

Harry looked up at her and grinned.

"I'm going to miss you while I'm gone… but I'll be back soon, every summer and holidays… but I will never truly leave you."

Morrigan nodded.

"I will miss you as well, but you will always be here… in my heart. We share the same blood, you and I, and I will always be a part of you. It makes me feel happy to know that I will see you again soon."

Harry grinned and nodded.

"Yeah… and maybe soon you can start teaching Evan and Maria more magic too."

Morrigan looked over at her other grandchildren and nodded. They were much slower with learning to touch their magic than Harry.

"Perhaps… we shall see."

Harry looked up into her eyes and as she watched, his eyes shifted to match hers… momentarily becoming a deep amethyst before going back to emerald green. His magic was becoming so strong for someone his age and it was staggering to watch sometimes.

"You've become… so much like me. It almost makes me think that I am your mother instead of grandmother…"

Harry giggled and hugged her again. Morrigan caressed his hair… so long and black now with a few strands of… blood red. It cascaded down to mid back and would soon need to be either cut or perhaps braided.

"So strong and handsome… in a few years, the girls are going to be so in love with you."

Harry blushed and laughed.

"I don't know… you might be wrong. Willow's girls think I'm a smelly boy little better than the hounds that guard the caravans."

Morrigan snorted.

"Willow has a very closed minded view of the world and apparently had instilled that viewpoint in her daughters. No matter… the human girls will adore you when you get older."

Harry shrugged. He liked girls but besides being fun to play with… he really didn't care much. He knew when he got older that would all change… but for now, he at least knew that unlike other boys… he knew that girls were okay to play with instead of being gross.

"Harry… it's time to go."

Harry looked over at his dad and nodded. Standing on his toes, he gave his grandmother a kiss on the cheek and hugged her.

"Bye grandmother. See you in a few months."

Morrigan smiled and kissed his head.

"Until next we meet… my little darling."

Harry nodded.

"Until next we meet."

Smiling he ran over to his family and they headed toward the Gate. He watched his mother go through first with his sister, then his father went with his brother. Looking back at his grandmother he waved then stepped through…

Elva Hill

Harry stepped out of the Gate and felt it close behind him. Turning his head, he saw a natural archway pushed up into a rocky outcropping on the side of a great mountain. It was barely visible to those without magic, but to those like Harry… it was a beautiful carved marble arch.

"Come along now… we have a bit of a walk to the car and then we can drive home."

Harry looked at his father and nodded. This would be the first time he'd seen his new home… and the first time of being in the human realm for his brother and sister. They were looking about in wonder at the non magical trees and plants.

"Where is the house?"

Alex smiled and blushed a little. He knew the reaction he would get from some of his family at their new home.

"We'll have to drive west a bit to get to the main city then head to the west side to get to where our home is. We live in Parklands on the west side of a city called Cockermouth…"

Alisa snorted and shook her head.

"Really now… and who chose our new location?"

Alex grinned.

"Roman… of course. You know he couldn't resist when he was looking for cities near the Gate. I've been there and trust me, the house he picked out is lovely. We're quite a bit further north than we were before though."

Alisa raised an eyebrow at that subtle phrase.

"How far north?"

Alex winced at her tone.

"Well… we're just a bit further north than… Isle of Man."

Alisa sighed and rolled her eyes.

"Fine… it's fine… and does the Director know how much further from London his people are now?"

Alex nodded.

"Yes… he knows and actually it's not going to be a problem. He had to move the facility a year and a half back. There was an invasion that destroyed three floors. It happened that weekend I was gone."

Alisa glared at her husband and frowned… then took a deep breath as she rubbed her pregnant belly.

"We will talk later… at home. Where is the new facility?"

Alex sighed.

"It's in Sunderland, near Newcastle upon Tyne… so only a couple hours away… more or less."

Nodding Alisa shook her head and saw their car up ahead in the distance. It was so strange to see it again, after so many years living in fairyland.

"It will be good to be back to normal…"

Living in the elven realm hadn't been bad… but she'd missed so much of her daily life. She missed shopping, cooking on her kitchen, talking to her friends. She missed working.

"Did we lose anyone?"

Alex nodded.

"We lost Teresa in shipping, Daniel, Xavier and Gemma in security and… we lost Renee."

Alisa stopped and stared at her husband in shock.

"No! No… please say you're kidding."

Alex shook his head.

"She was caught in the middle of it all. Roman managed to get her out, but her injuries were too bad and she passed in his arms."

Harry listened as his parents talked and felt sad. He had only met Aunt Renee once a few years ago… but she was fun and full of life. She loved his Uncle Roman so much… and now she was gone.

"Is Uncle Roman okay?"

Alex looked over at his eldest and nodded.

"He's fine, Harry. He misses her… we all do… but he had a few good years with her and he's at peace."

Harry nodded as they made it to the car. He helped his dad get Evan and Maria into the back seat then started loading things into the trunk.

"I'll have to make sure Uncle Roman is okay. Don't want him going dark."

He'd been having these… dreams, visions… whatever they were and in some of them, he'd seen his Uncle Roman. He looked sad, dark, empty. He was fighting a horde of monsters and right in the middle of fighting… he just stopped, brought his gun up to his head… and pulled the trigger.

Harry winced remembering the dream.

"No… not going to let that happen."

Harry shook his head and climbed in next to his siblings.

"Ready to go."

Alex nodded and they pulled out of the parking area and headed back home. As they drove, Harry looked out the window and began to make a list of people he needed to warn or help.

"So many people to talk to… and I have no idea who many of them even are."

Harry sighed and watched the trees fly by as images passed through his mind. An older man who could change into a big black dog; a girl with hair that constantly changed colors; a scarred man with one leg who jumped at shadows; a girl with beautiful long blond hair and ice blue eyes… and another boy, one who he couldn't see too well, that had a flaming bird as a pet...