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A Stranger in a Strange Land
I fell through the portal and onto the green and brown ground getting a particular hard root right into my wand and jewels. I grunt at the painful feeling of just laying on the ground for a few moments before standing up and looking around.
The area I landed in looked quite nice with natural beauty at least but that didn't help me so I continued looking around while carefully stepping a few steps forward. I send out a Homenum Revelio and I detect a large procession in front of me at about five hundred meters or so. But first I found a person all on his own behind me so time to find out when I am.
I sneak up on what I find out is a very dirty man standing doing his business against a tree, and not the daily one or it is that one if you have such a need for, well rubbing one out. I cough politely and he squeaks before dragging a very used trouser over his... business partner. I refuse to use any more of my time on this wanker literally. I with lightning reflexes send a chain of a Langlock, Muffilato, Incarcerous, and a Legilimens looking through his less recent memories.
Though that wasn't much only that this guy was a part of a lower class in this land called a smallfolk and that we were in the Westerlands near Nunn's Deep and after that the Golden Tooth or something like that. I shook my head at this information because it meant that I was in the wrong universe most likely because this definitely wasn't late 1980s Britain for sure, and I could feel the magic being very weak at least here so it probably wasn't on Earth.
That was at least my reasoning for my current predicament I decided that meeting the large procession somewhere behind me was the next step in whatever it was I was doing.
I sent an Obliviate and sent the guy into a tree knocking him out before turning around and Apparating back to where I emerged only ten minutes ago. I trudged out of the small forested clearing to a very small road in comparison to a modern one but what I guessed was a quite large one considering the clothes and status of the road maintenance.
After a few minutes where I ruffled my hair a bit before conjuring a sword sheath with only a pummel sticking out of it. This way if this was something like the Middle Ages or early Renaissance I could say it was for protection or more modern for some say that I was... cosplaying? Or something along those lines at least. I was quite impressed by my genius almost missing the fact that two men on horses with very colorful liveries were just coming around a turn in the road a hundred meters or so to my left.
They quickly spotted and trotted up to me with slightly tensed muscles but otherwise totally relaxed expressions. "Ahh, a hedge knight on his way to the Prince's tourney? Or maybe a lost maester from one of the neighboring keeps?" The one on the right asked curiously in both a joking and slightly mocking manner.
I quickly realized that I didn't have enough information yet about this strange land and should just guess. "I am a hedge knight of course on my way to honor the prince" I exclaim splendidly feeling like fucking Lockhart but bearing with it for now. "Where is your armor then. Or do you come from warmer areas" The other guard? or maybe scout? I look at him weirdly before noticing that I am wearing one of my dragonhide coats.
"I uhh... yes come from warmer regions, like ehh... you know what I don't even care anymore," I say to myself before obliviating them both and throwing a Legilimens at the one and then other scouts. This was definitely the smarter move I realized now in hindsight finally getting much-needed information for whatever it is I am working towards.
This is the Westerlands like I already knew but these colorful fellas were for example from another kingdom in Westeros called the Riverlands. Westeros... haven't I heard that name before? Maybe? It definitely meant something in my previous life but what exactly? A book? No, maybe a movie? Ahh yes, now I have it! It's that Tv-show that had a shit ending but why would I be somewhere that had the same place name?
I sent out another Homenum Revelio and found the entourage of Lord Tully whoever that was, was about two hundred meters away from where what I now knew was scouts had come earlier. Alright since these guys are scouts it probably is suspicious if they didn't have any memories of me before reporting on me to this Lord Tully.
I flick my wrist making my wand pop out of its holster on my left forearm. Because while I can do a lot of spells wand-less I want a strong hand especially now that I'm doing the mind arts or else I could make these guys vegetables which really wouldn't help my case of being a lost hedge knight.
I finished the mind-altering on the first guy and sent him back to his Lord with a small Confundus before turning to the second one and doing the same though without sending him back to this Lord Tully.
It was time to meet one of the biggest people politically at least in this land. A thing that was gnawing at my mind though was the name Lannister because I swear I had heard that before too like the Tv-show. Maybe, aha that was probably from that show which could mean that the Tv-show and this world were closer connected than I thought.
But these thoughts had to be put on pause for now because I could just see the scout coming back around the corner with four more guards gradually appearing behind him again before eventually half the entourage of Lord Tully had appeared stopping in front of me with the rest of it stretching around the curve in the road.
A heavy-looking coach was slowly wheeling forward with the help of four exhausted horses looking ready to drop down any moment now. In front of the carriage, there were two men were trotting towards me on one black and one palfrey-colored horse. The two men did look quite similar so I guessed the two auburn-haired gentlemen were the Lord and his apparently disgraced younger brother 'the Blackfish'.
They were being shadowed by six guards on lightly colored horses wearing blue and mud-brown gambeson with a detail of a silver-colored trout with a small amount of mail along the arms, legs, and almost unprotected neck with the mail and a leather coif covering it and a sword sheath on their left hip silently following the two noblemen.
The one I now knew was Lord Hoster Tully was a slightly shorter man than average with a receding hairline courtesy of old age, sharp blue eyes, and a red-auburn coloring to his hair with a magnificent full auburn beard in a very well-groomed state showing his status in this land of almost nonexistent body care and hygiene for those not apart of the nobility. He was wearing something that wasn't far away from the wizarding world's travel coats though in a slightly lower quality material and black nobleman boots.
His younger brother meanwhile was a very handsome man maturely with a full head of auburn hair, a scruffy beard of the same coloring, and warm blue eyes contrasting his older brother's more cold and calculating ones. Brynden Tully was wearing plate armor instead of the mail of his guards though with the same motif on a surcoat except that the trout was black instead of silver.
The Blackfish as people call him was tall and lean with laughing lines covering his face. While Lord looked well on his way to forty the Blackfish was in maybe the late twenties to early thirties.
Making them sandwich me age-wise with my 34 years of age. I still had my full unruly jet black hair, shining emerald eyes, though with a small beard covering my chin and around the mouth. I wouldn't say I had a particularly athletic body but it was still a runner's build though considering my height of 5 foot 9 inches I didn't have the ideal runner's build at least on the Olympic stage or running competitions generally.
I was wearing my dragon coat and dragon boots with black trousers. Though without my spectacles from my youth because the strength I needed on those gradually descended until I could feasibly pay for a laser eye surgery fixing my vision, though I still had small difficulties reading for long periods of time it was definitely bearable, better than my school years that's for sure.
While I hadn't been the most diligent student, being the 'Savior of Wizard-kind' or whatever kind of title those toadies in the ministry tried to throw at me came with benefits so it hadn't been very hard at all to hire a couple of tutors after a few years of mulling around after Hogwarts and the Battle of Hogwarts more specifically.
The Tully brothers had finally arrived and I bowed my head in greeting to them both. Hoster began sounding a little tired but mostly irritated for some reason "So who are you supposed to be then? I didn't think we had to begin with these introductions yet" Lord Tully says to his brother who looked mightily amused at his elder brother's irritation and exhaustion.
"Well I would say a hedge knight though a poor one at that with no mount or armor, looks more like a lost little bandit, to be honest," Brynden Tully says ignoring me. I don't take any offense to this and I am actually quite relieved that I for once met someone who didn't know of me or being an oblivious muggle.
Hoster's eyes hardened at his younger brother's joking manner before sighing tiredly "Well welcome you can walk and eat with my Men at Arms if you are a hedge knight like my brother believes or go on your merry way" Lord Tully says before turning around and quietly saying some words to one of the guards flanking him with the guard shouting out orders right after to set up camp here.
I was a little lost looking for a place where I was supposed to go, though the Blackfish thankfully came in for the rescue and nudged his head backward while looking at me making me follow the strongly built man.
After I caught up to him he started "So I know you're not a hedge knight that's clear are you a disgraced minor noble? Or maybe a maester who is adrift?" Tully asks in his joking manner, but I noticed that his real question was 'Who the fuck are you? And why are you here?' This unfortunately wasn't my amazing detective skills though, and rather a silent Legilimens to the back while I was catching up to him.
"Well I'm not actually a hedge knight it was only a cover you see. Hi, Lord Harry Potter at your service" I say enthusiastically smiling all the while like a bloody loon. I feel sick at my Hufflepuff enthusiasm but this is a new start for me from that drab and boring hellhole that was the 2010s on Earth.
The charade was apparently convincing enough and the Blackfish lit up at his apparent successful deduction completely confident for some reason that all my lies were in the light now and that I wasn't still lying, what a fool. I manage to keep myself shake my head in disappointment at the level of immediate trust this guy has.
"Well how lovely, I am as you may know Ser Brynden more famously or infamously known as 'the Blackfish' the horror of every elder noble brother for my lack of respect to my Lord, or something along those lines at least," Ser Brynden says dramatically this time completely trusting that he has met a true and trustworthy riding companion to Lannisport.
I won't let him think any differently and I continue the game of words and false masks "Well I, unfortunately, don't have an infamous epithet or backstory for me, my friend I am unfortunately only a lowly noble's son from the Reach" I say with a slightly apologetic tone.
"Ahh from the Reach how fascinating! I haven't met one from those lands since the war! Oh yes I fought with Jason Lannister and Ormund Baratheon may the Seven watch over them, I was even witnessing the defeat of Maelys 'the Monstrous'" Brynden looked off into the distance with a satisfactory grin on his face at the good memories he had from a war? I really couldn't understand that but I guess war is still glorified here in Westeros.
"Well I'm going to have to leave you here, unfortunately, your sleeping quarters are in the middle of the ring of tents once they are finally erected beside the stewards, the Tully's won't let even a minor noble sleep with the men at arms now would we" Brynden points to the tents and campsite being set up and I see that the sun ever so slowly setting to our east.
I decided to go with his suggestion and went around asking where the stewards were going to be sleeping before sending an invisible Erectus at one of the tents once I knew no one was watching. I stepped into the tent and conjured a modest bed, nightstand, and a dresser in the small space I was given I decided to not enchant the tent to increase my living space in case anyone walked in unannounced.
The tutors had really increased my magical prowess saying that I had an unheard level of natural affinity for magic considering my childhood and environment growing up. My reason for creating this portal that had sent me here wasn't a noble mission to the past to gain justice for my parents or wizard kind during Voldemort's two wars. It was rather of boredom and a desire to see how soundly I could defeat Voldemort with the experience of a thirty-year-old and the tutoring of some of the best in their respective fields of magic.
But I was instead sent to this world with glaring similarities to a Tv-show from my previous life, a backwater civilization, and society, with intrigue and war around every corner based in the High Medieval Age and a neighboring continent of Renaissance-like cultures.
This actually reminded me of a game called Crusader Kings II, to be honest especially the time period. As I stated earlier I was bored out of my mind before summoning the portal and I heard about computer games and how enrapturing they were so I decided to check a couple of them out and the game was on a sale so I bought it with a few other games as well, not that I was broke though I have really never wanted for more money since my time at the Dursley's to be completely honest, now I had something to work for an honest and stable living, well maybe not honest but at least stable living for me and my eventual family.
I was as people said enraptured by them but eventually, my previous amazement faded and I stopped playing it, but doing it in real life(or whatever reality this was) actually sounded quite fun but first I needed to get to this tourney and do something not quite sure yet though...
We were now a good eight hours away from Goldmeadow a vassal of Lord Willem of Oxcross situated near the River Road the last keep and resting place before Lannisport and the tourney being held there. I hadn't had a lot of contact with the Tully family besides Brynden but I had at least introduced myself to them all. Minisa Whent the wife of Lord Tully, Catelyn Tully the eldest daughter of Lord Tully at age 11, Lord Tully's other daughter Lysa at age 9, and then the heir of the Riverlands and Lord Hoster's youngest child Edmure at merely three years of age.
Minisa was a polite but apparently quite strong-willed Lady Paramount assisting her husband in most situations when she isn't watching over her children which is apparently quite uncommon because while they had wet nurses, septa's, and septons' assisting with the parenting and childhood education Minisa and sometimes Brynden did their work for them.
Catelyn was a dutiful, well-mannered, and pious girl who would probably become quite beautiful at least according to Brynden. And while she had been exceptionally polite and courteous as they called it here, she hadn't perfected her emotional masks and I could see both disdain and coldness whenever she interacted with me which was admittedly quite a few instances not that had any problems with that to be completely honest.
Lysa was everything her older sister was just worse at everything except her mask which was picture perfect most of them when she wasn't near the ward of the Tully's a Petyr Baelish basically just a Baron(but still being called a Lord) of a small stone tower on the tip of the eastern reaches of Westeros.
Petyr apparently thought we had much in common because of our shared status as low nobility in almost the highest reaches of society on this continent. I saw promise in him though and it would be fun to maybe squire him or whatever it was these Westerosi called it once he was a couple of years older and having an apprentice, because while wizards and especially powerful ones could become at least 150 to 160 years old I needed someone to carry my legacy nonetheless.
Edmure wasn't really anything to talk about considering that he was only three years old as of yet, but I'm sure he would be an interesting character in the future.
We slowly made our way out of the forest surrounding the River Road, the surrounding landscape opening up with a picturesque sight meeting us. On our right and left I could see high mountain ranges on either side. The open area extended in a half-circle meeting with the mountains and gradually flowing into heavily forested areas. In front of us was the unruly ocean of the Sunset Sea being the definition of beautiful and dangerous at the same time.
In between us and the ocean though was the infamous mountain fortress of the main Lannister branch Casterly Rock. It was truly a humbling and intimidating sight to behold and then to its side was the sprawling walled city of Lannisport. With high and mighty walls red-tiled roofs and bustling harbor on the far side.
It was even more busy than usual if Brynden was correct with the tourney grounds getting set up in front of our eyes in the shadow of the wall outside and beside the crossroads of the River Road, Goldroad, and Oceanroad all meeting in that exact spot in front of the strong castle gate at least the central gate because I could see two others on the northern and southern sides too with connections to the River Road and Oceanroad respectively but I was almost completely focused on the main gate of Lannisport
Almost so occupied that I didn't notice that the Tully entourage had still been throttling along the winding River Road. I quickly sped up to catch the big blue coach trundling along the road.
I walked up to the small but lavishly decorated oak table where one of the officials of the tourney sat at a desk covered in small unruly piles of papers with a familiar inkpot and quill on the corner of the desk bringing both good and bad memories.
I coughed and the scribe or whoever he was jumping up from his seat startled me before spotting me and deflating before tiredly in a monotonous tone saying "So Ser, what is it that you are going to sign up for: the melee, jousting, or archery contest? Or maybe everyone?" I thought it over one final time before answering.
"The melee my good man, I heard the winnings are at 1000 gold dragons for the winner!" The scribe looked a little more awake at my jolly tone and smiles in a fake bureaucratic manner while writing something down on a paper "And what is your name Ser?" The scribe looks up from the small paper expectantly. "Ser Harry Potter" I reply confidently. "Just Ser Harry Potter?" The scribe raises an eyebrow questioningly. I nod confidently again and it thankfully works this time and the scribe backs off, silently admits defeat, and writes in something more on the small document.
"There you are, you will be expected in the second qualifier round tomorrow" I thank the toady and walk back to the manse where Brynden had given me a temporary bedroom for my things until the end of the tourney which is a week and a half away. This is why I needed to sign up for this melee, so I could actually have some capital to work within my quest of life or something chivalrous like that.
I walk to a local armorer with my small purse of loaned coins from Brynden tied securely to my waist on the opposite side of my sword sheath. He welcomes me heartily and takes in my order and gets a small boy to write it down on a paper. I order a hard leather gambeson with a surcoat covered in a motif of a snake and the Black family raven in black and white colors. I order a coif and some shin guards for my legs and greaves for my arms, before walking out into the street again after having dropped half of the payment in the armorer's hand while leaving the small shop.
This tourney was going to be a new experience and probably quite interesting.
My opponent looked quite good actually at least from the state of his armor. He wore a light mail with a few steel plates in critical areas like above the heart, ribs, and lungs. The armor looked to be scratched from previous use and with an intimidating two feet long spear he looked quite formidable.
I just caught his name when they announced it and this Lord Ormond Yronwood was apparently quite a descent with the spear especially coming from Dorne and that. The tip of the spear and my sword were blunted, but I knew that blunt force trauma was as much of a killer as a stab. I would of course be quite intimidated by this if I had been playing clean because of my very limited with the Sword of Gryffindor which I had continued to train with after the Battle of Hogwarts though I don't think I had become too good at it to be completely real.
But as I mentioned I wasn't playing clean because I had a few aces up my sleeve so to speak. I stretched my arms in a showy way making the Dornish Lord look at me with annoyance and grit his teeth at the disrespect.
The fight started at the sound of a bell being rung and the Dornish Lord sprang forward quick as one of the snakes living there, I had been learning my history you see. He tried to stick me in the gut but I moved to the side and sent an invisible and wandless Glacius at the feet of my opponent tripping him up and letting me get an easy win.
I continued this cycle of sending small charms and invisible jinxes to trip up or otherwise put the opponent at a disadvantage before snatching up the win quickly and effectively.
I raced through the qualifiers and then first rounds before eventually now ending up at the final for the melee.
This of course wasn't done in a day and it had been five days since the tourney started with jousting on the odd days and melee on the others. And the final three days were going to be used for the archery contest.
The final was six finalists in a free for all, my opponents were Ser Harlan Grandison, Lord Qarlton Chelsted, Lord Franklyn Fowler, a Volantene man named Baethon, and Prince Oberyn Martell.
Most of them were quite old at over forty namedays except Baethon, me, and Oberyn. Baethon I believe was about thirty like me, while Oberyn had just turned eighteen recently.
Everybody was called up one by one and we went to each corner of the hexagon-shaped melee arena. An official held a small bell ready to ring it once we were supposed to start.
There was a much greater number of audience members here for the finals in comparison to earlier rounds. I could see our host Lord Lannister sit in the King's booth where the royal family except the queen and newborn son were gathered.
In the booth beside them on the right were the Baratheon's Lord Paramount Steffon Baratheon his wife Cassana and their two sons Robert and Stannis.
On the other side of the royal booth was the Tyrell entourage with Lord Mace Tyrell, and his sister Lady Mina.
I heard the bell ring breaking me from my thoughts, I still stood for a little bit before examining the three of the contestants who had engaged each other on the other side while the last two were coming for me from opposite sides.
I see that it is Prince Oberyn on my right and Baethon on my left so I decided to get the easiest out first. Baethon was actually taken out with just a bit of magic, throwing a very week sticking spell to the sole of his shoe making him trip up. With me jumping in like usual and resting my sword at his neck sending him out before turning back around to Prince Oberyn.
I just used my passive Legilimens to find out his next move and then countering it as soon as he does it. Oberyn looks like he is having the time of his life swinging his metal-cored spear around in circles trying to get a hit on me while I try to break him from the offensive he was unleashing on me.
I didn't need to do that apparently because the sole survivor from the other three-way fight had made his way over to us with a slight limp from a hard strike to his leg probably. Oberyn and I turn simultaneously and strike him down from his left and right, the other opponent Lord Qarlton Chelsted falling to the ground knocked out.
This time it is I who is on the offensive and the defensive side of Oberyn's spear-wielding probably needed a little more work because after four strikes he is hit in the leg before I train my blade at his sweaty neck.
End of Chapter
This is a 'rewrite' of an earlier story of mine but I have decided to take this story differently with a few similarities here and there and a heavy story trope to not follow usual HP/ASOIAF or AGoT fanfic tropes. I hope those coming from my previous story can enjoy this one too:) Or else I'm gonna be sad:(
For everyone else finding this without any previous interactions with me and my stories welcome, and thank you for coming. I hope the story is interesting.
For those wondering how I'm going to limit Harry's power, you'll find out in the next chapter.
Have anyone played CKII or the sequel CKIII, I have been playing them for about 5 years now and it's really fun!
Check out my other story on this profile Brother of Zeus, if you want to, of course, I would appreciate it.
Next: The Game of What?
Thank you for reading!