It's been 5 years since I last posted but I never stopped writing. I've focused on long form fiction but nothing ever ended up ready for publication, thus my silence. Thank you to Pax Humana for being a wonderful friend and, once again, serving as a sounding board and editor/beta for this.
Edit: 2021-01-03 - Minor edits
Sailors Winterfell
By: Cloud Zen
Harry walked along the wide dirt path, taking in the sights and sounds around him. Trees, fields, rivers, streams, farms, he breathed in the nature around him, loving every second. Having walked for several days, passing a castle two days back and deciding to head north to a major crossroads, Harry made good time, remaining intent on seeing as much of the world as he could before having to move on.
A large structure, made of pale stone, three stories tall and sprawling across the landscape, came into view. Seeing a large host surrounding it, several hundred by his first guess, making a ruckus as they broke down tents, Harry opted to pass through. He much preferred a smaller numbered company as it gave him the opportunity to converse and hear stories. Just as he was moving past the building, a young girl with well cared for auburn hair and dressed in clearly expensive blue silks exited the building. Trailing behind the girl, a wolf somehow managed to elegantly trot.
Harry blinked. That was no wolf. That was a direwolf!
In the back of his mind, a memory of a giant of a man with a fondness for misunderstood beasties came forth. If he hadn't been so distracted, moving forward to meet the creature, Harry might have laughed at the long forgotten memory. Still, it brought a smile to his face.
As he approached, the young girl neared a riverbank, where another young girl, younger than the first with dark brown hair and dirty clothes, was trying to brush out the fur on another direwolf. The younger girl was struggling to restrain the creature. It was clearly not enjoying the rough treatment. Before the two girls could talk, Harry cleared his throat.
Immediately, the two direwolves turned to look at him, as did their companions. Without giving anyone a chance to say anything, the two wolves promptly loped over to greet him, panting happily with tails wagging furiously.
Harry couldn't help but laugh as the two, one impeccably clean and the other a muddy mess, pounced, knocking him on his back, and began licking his face.
After the direwolves had their fill of Harry, they moved off him, letting him sit up to see two confused young girls.
Seconds later, the younger's face transformed from frustration to displeasure. "Nymeria! Bad wolf! Get back here!" she shouted.
Instead of obeying, Nymeria stayed at Harry's side, sitting on her haunches, tongue lolling out of her mouth as she happily panted. Looking between the two, Harry smiled.
"You know, she's just emulating you."
The younger girl started at Harry's voice, as if he'd slipped up behind and surprised her. "And who are you to know what my wolf thinks?"
"Simply a traveler with a lot of experience," he explained. "I must say, it's been a long time since I last saw a direwolf." Reaching up, he began petting both wolves on the head between their ears, causing their eyes to close and lean into his hands. After a few moments, Harry stopped, causing both to whine while he stood. The two direwolves remained seated at his feet.
The older girl looked unsettled by the way her four legged companion was behaving but Harry could see her trying to present a facade of composure. "Could you perhaps introduce yourself and explain why Lady and Nymeria are so affectionate with you?"
"Young lady," Harry paused, clearly waiting for an introduction.
Picking up on his intent, the older girl answered. "I am Sansa Stark, oldest daughter of Eddard Stark, Lord of Winterfell and Warden of the North, betrothed of Joffrey Baratheon, Prince of the Seven Kingdoms and Heir to the Iron Throne. This is my sister, Arya." The younger girl, Arya, appeared irritated by the lackluster introduction her sister had given for her.
"Ladies, my name is Harry Potter. As I said, I am simply a traveler with a lot of experience. All manner of creatures seem to like me but the more dangerous they are, the more affectionate they are with me. Given that direwolves are," Harry paused as if struggling to find the right word, "exceptionally protective of their pack, they certainly fall into that category."
Sansa, interest piqued by Harry's declaration, asked, "Could you tell us about direwolves? We know admittedly little about them."
Giving the girls a fond smile, Harry nodded. "Shall we head back first?"
At Sansa's nod, Harry turned to retrace his steps, Nymeria and Lady falling in step.
After a few minutes, Arya grumbled, just loud enough for Harry to hear. "Nymeria's never that well behaved."
Harry called over his shoulder. "Remember what I said, she's just trying to be like you. Direwolves are special like that. When you bond with one, they become an extension of you, taking on your traits, both the good and the bad. If Nymeria doesn't listen to you, it's because you don't like to listen, either."
Sansa couldn't resist gloating. "See, I told you. You need to be more ladylike just like Septa Mordane says."
"If Septa Mordane had her way, I'd never do anything except wear stupid dresses and do needlework."
"You could do with more of both!"
Laughter cut the two arguing sisters off. Only then did they notice that they were nearing the pale stone building. "It's good to see you both have some fight in you, otherwise I'd feel sorry for these two. Direwolves that bond with the timid often become too meek to even protect themselves. You could hold a knife to their throat and they'd let you slit it without so much as an inkling of resistance."
"How do you know all of this?" Arya asked. "Direwolves haven't been seen south of the Wall in hundreds of years."
"And yet there are two right here," Harry teased. At Arya's flushed face, he continued. "I've befriended many creatures during my life and travels. Direwolves are but one kind."
"You didn't answer my question. Have you been north of the Wall?"
Before Harry could answer, two men in armor approached the trio. One wore white enameled scales, the other a deep, forest green steel plate. The younger of the two, wearing the plate, spoke, "And what do we have here? Wolves? What are they doing in camp?"
"Those aren't wolves," the elder declared. "Those are direwolves." The younger's eyes widened.
"What are they doing in camp?" he asked, drawing his sword, causing Lady and Nymeria to back up, positioning themselves between Sansa, Arya, and the two knights. A pair of subtle growls slipped from their throats.
Harry interjected, "Protecting their pack, if I were to guess."
The two knights looked startled to realize Harry was standing there, in between them and the direwolves. As the two took Harry in, his eyes suddenly narrowed. In the blink of an eye, he vanished only to appear standing between Sansa and a third knight, an older man wearing mail but giving off an aura that disquieted Harry.
"I'd thank you to back away from the young ladies." Harry's voice brooked no disobedience. "Right now, these girls and their companions are under my protection." The three knights tensed, readying for a fight.
"And just whose protection is that?" a young boy haughtily asked as he approached. Harry noted his curly blonde hair and green eyes but, beyond that, one look told Harry everything he needed to know. The smug arrogance hidden behind a thin veil of politeness, the monster hiding behind the oily words, the self entitlement that clung to his mother's skirts.
That Sansa looked relieved to see the boy was more disturbing than the boy himself.
"Right now, I see no reason to trust any one of you all." Harry's words made the two girls behind him gasp. "You have three men with drawn swords and an arrogant little shit ordering them about."
The boy snarled before he shouted, "Kill him!" just as Sansa screamed "No!"
Light flooded the field.
When everyone managed to blink the spots out of their eyes, Harry stood standing, a large staff in his hands, the three knights face down on the ground around him, and two snarling direwolves that dwarfed the nearby horses to the point that one or two bites would be all it took to devour the large beasts of burden. The blonde boy sat on his butt, terror in his eyes, the smell of urine permeating the air around him. Sansa and Arya gazed in awe at Lady and Nymeria, now nearly ten times the size they were moments ago. Silence covered the entire camp.
"I don't take well to threats," Harry stated.
When nobody moved, Harry began to relax. He lowered his staff, causing Lady and Nymeria to quickly shrink back to their previous size.
"Sansa, Arya, come here." The two girls hesitantly made their way to his side. "Explain." Harry quickly learned the sniveling little brat was apparently Sansa's betrothed. "Yeah, I'm going to say I don't like this. You two are going to be in trouble if this keeps up."
With a quick wave of his staff, glints of light draped themselves over the two girls and their direwolves.
"There we go," muttered a self-satisfied Harry. "You two should be fine now. Remember, if direwolves have chosen you, that means you're pack. Fight for justice, fight for love, and use my gifts well. The power will guide and teach you. Trust it and each other."
Kneeling down, he began petting the two direwolves. "As for you two, watch out for them, protect them. They are pack and pack protects pack, even from themselves." At that, Lady and Nymeria began panting happily, Sanda and Arya could almost swear they heard their companions agreeing with Harry.
Without another word, Harry walked off, leaving the two scared girls behind.
~~~oOo~~~
Four hours later, Ned Stark found himself listening to the Queen rant about his daughters and their pets. Joffrey was ranting about the man that dared to threaten him who had disappeared, leaving no trail to be followed. Ned's friend and king, Robert, couldn't care less about the whole damned thing.
When Joffrey made a move to strike Arya for an insult, everyone was suddenly shoved from the tent.
Picking himself up off the ground, Ned looked back at the tent, only to see it in tatters. In its place stood two direwolves, bigger than any animal he had ever seen, easily measuring 15 feet at the withers. Atop them stood two girls, one per. A moment later he realized they were his daughters.
The two monstrous creatures, who somehow also looked exceptionally graceful and, dare he say, pretty, loomed over Joffrey, their growls causing the very ground to rumble.
What were his daughters saying? Something about love and justice? And what was a sailor suit? Just what were his daughters wearing?
Ned wasn't sure what it all meant but he couldn't help but think Sansa's betrothal to Joffrey wasn't going to last much longer, one way or another.