Sensing Magic
by Teddylonglong
Please refer to chapter 1 for my disclaimer and warnings. Thank you.
Misty's mother Anastasia was the healer on the Isle of Elves. She was a very strict woman, however, still possessed Misty's kindness. At first, Harry was slightly afraid of her; however, he soon became used to the elf, who seemed to be outright happy to accommodate them and treated him and Lucy like members of the family.
On the first day, Misty and Cicero showed them the island and introduced them to many elves, among them Cicero's parents and siblings. Teddy's cousins Ana and Nihil were enthusiastic to meet Teddy, Harry and Lucy and convinced Misty and Cicero to allow them to go to the playground together with many other children.
"Harry, are you all right without Cicero or me?" Misty asked in a soft voice, causing Harry to nod, happily.
The elves at Hogwarts had been the first beings – apart from Severus – who had ever shown him kindness, at least as far as he could remember, so why would he not be all right with them? "We'll be fine," he replied in a firm voice.
"Teddy is with Harry and Lucy." The smallest elf present sounded indignant.
"Thank you, Teddy," Harry replied, feeling even more reassured.
"Very well, we shall pick you up on the playground in about two hours. We have an appointment to introduce you to the elder elves."
Harry nodded in understanding, feeling very much cared for. With Teddy and Lucy, who both constantly remained on either side of him, he followed the children onto the playground, which was not only huge and better equipped than any playground he had seen so far but also beautiful, as it was on the shore of the shallow sea surrounding the island. He thoroughly enjoyed himself, glad that none of the elf children seemed to mind that he looked different from everyone else. He was almost disappointed, when Misty and Cicero came to pick them up.
"Was everyone nice to you?" Misty asked, while they walked across the island.
"Yes. Everyone was very friendly." Harry smiled, feeling very much welcomed on the Isle of Elves. "I like the Isle of Elves."
"Me too." Teddy grinned, broadly.
=Don't they have any other doggies here?= She sounded almost disappointed.
'I will change into my doggy form to play with you later on,' Harry quickly promised, before he translated Lucy's question, causing Misty to cast Cicero a doubtful look.
"I am not sure. We'll have to ask my mother or Bandhu. He is one of the elder elves and knows everything."
"Dad, will we meet him now?"
Teddy's apparent excitement was contagious, although Harry felt very self-conscious about meeting the elder elves. 'What if they demand that I leave the Isle of Elves, because I don't belong here?' he thought, horrified.
'Oh well, then Misty or Cicero will simply pop Lucy and me back to Hogwarts,' a small voice from the back of his mind reassured him.
However, Bandhu was as welcoming as any of the other elves had been. He patiently listened, when Misty explained that he had undergone the elves' schooling at Hogwarts and was as familiar with the elves' culture as the elves children at the school. She informed him that he was blind due to abuse by his former human guardians and that it was due to him that she, Cicero and Teddy were able to work in the human world as free elves.
"Cicero and I are Harry's guardians on the Isle of Elves, and our son Teddy is bonded to him. Harry is also a natural healer. Even in the human world, they are very rare, and there appears to only be one in about two or three hundred years." To Harry's surprise, Misty sounded extremely proud of him, and Bandhu nodded in apparent appreciation.
Finally, the elder elf turned to Harry. "What are your thoughts about elves and their relationship to humans?"
Harry let out a deep sigh, quickly pondering how to respond. "All the elves, whom I have met so far, are very friendly and nice. Misty, Cicero and Teddy are like family to me. In the future, I want to improve the rights of elves, goblins and other species in the human world. It is not right that humans enslave elves to have them work for them, and I will try what I can to remedy that."
Bandhu stepped over to Harry and held out a small, wrinkled hand. "Agreed, young man. The elder elves will support you as much as we can. You're welcome to visit the Isle of Elves and study elven knowledge whenever you wish. The library of the elves is huge, and I will personally teach you should you wish so."
"Yes please," Harry replied, enthusiastically. From the conversations between Misty, Cicero and other elves, he knew that the elves practically worshipped the three elder elves, and apparently, Bandhu was the most influential of them. "Thank you very much for your offer. Excuse me, sir, will Teddy be allowed to study with me? He is bonded to me as a friend and will most likely do everything together with me in the future."
"Harry!" Cicero lightly scolded him; however, Bandhu grinned, broadly. "I already understood that young Teddy and your dog are very close to you and will support you in your endeavour." He remained pensive for a moment, before he continued, "I will try to come up with a ritual to help with your vision; however, I am not sure if it will work. Misty, please ask Anastasia to come to see me as soon as possible."
Instead of a reply, Misty bowed deeply. "Thank you for your time, Bandhu," she said in a soft voice, before she instructed them to say their good-byes and follow her outside.
Harry was just about to leave the room, when Bandhu called him back. "Harry, welcome to the Isle of Elves. I shall contact you, when I have news concerning one or the other matter."
"Excuse me, sir," Harry replied, when a sudden thought crossed his mind. "Do the elves perhaps have a way to give a spirit a solid body?"
"Is it a human spirit?" Bandhu asked, sharply.
"Yes sir."
"I shall contact you." Unfortunately, neither Lucy nor Teddy had turned around with him, so that he did not see the elf's expression; however, his tone appeared neutral, so that Harry was not afraid of having asked something wrong.
HP
"Harry, what was that?" Cicero asked in apparent disbelief, once they stepped outside.
Harry let out a deep sigh, before he told Misty and Cicero everything about Marvolo.
"The spirit of the Dark Lord?" Shock was clearly written in the elf's face. "Does Professor Snape about this?"
Harry shook his head. "No," he admitted in a barely audible voice. "I didn't dare tell anyone about it. I mean… it's not exactly normal for people to have mind friends, is it?"
"Not really, although that is only a minor point in this case."
"You are the first to whom I've spoken about him. He's my mind friend though, and I'd like to help him. He doesn't feel evil, even if I know that he did bad things in the past."
Misty and Cicero looked at each other, and Harry had the impression as if they were conducting a silent conversation, before Cicero spoke again.
"Very well. We will speak about it with Professor Snape after our return to Hogwarts. If anyone can help the spirit, it will be Bandhu; however, we cannot invite the Dark Lord to the Isle of Elves. We will not be able to vouch for him or become his guardians. So, even if Bandhu came up with a solution, we would have to conduct it at Hogwarts or some other place in the human world."
Harry nodded in understanding. "Thank you, Cicero."
HP
While Harry, Lucy and Teddy thoroughly enjoyed themselves playing with the children on the Isle of Elves and occasionally exploring the island under Misty's and Cicero's guidance, Anastasia, Bandhu and the two other elder elves busied themselves developing a ritual that would hopefully heal Harry's eyes.
To Harry's disappointment, they had not finished their research by the time Misty and Cicero had to return to Hogwarts. When Teddy suggested that he, Harry and Lucy could simply remain on the Isle of Elves for the time being and was supported by Anastasia, Misty pointed out that Harry's adoptive parents would have returned from their honeymoon and might have plans for Harry.
"Harry is also supposed to take his Potions OWL at the end of the holidays and needs to study," Cicero added in a strict voice.
"Then Bandhu and I will visit Hogwarts, when we're ready, and either perform the ritual in the human world or simply take Harry back here," Anastasia decided.
"Thank you, Granny Anastasia," Harry replied, gratefully.
The older healer, who was Teddy's grandmother, had become very close to the trio of Teddy, Lucy and Harry, and he felt as if the elf was his own grandmother, too. 'I'm going to miss her, when we return to Hogwarts,' he thought and happily accepted, when Anastasia invited him to visit her at any time even without Misty and Cicero.
"Just write to me, and I'll pick you up, with or without Teddy and Lucy, as you wish. Misty told me that she has been teaching you Healing for a year now, and I'd like to teach you as well. Considering that you're a natural healer, you might not need it in the future; however, I share Misty's belief that it would still be good for you to have some knowledge in the field."
Harry profusely thanked her, before he enquired how it would be possible to write letters to the Isle of Elves.
"Harry, you know Patty, the post elf, don't you? She takes all letters to and from the Isle of Elves twice a week."
Harry marvelled at Misty's explanation. "Oh, I didn't know that. Then we can easily remain in contact with our friends, too?"
"That's cool. Harry, we must write to Ana and Nihil, too." Teddy excitedly jumped up and down on both feet, causing Harry to inwardly grin, while Lucy lightly growled in apparent annoyance at the small elf's behaviour.
'Hey, don't be so grumpy. Teddy is still small,' Harry thought to her, only to add, 'You're the best,' as he gently played with her floppy ears.
HP
Back at Hogwarts, Harry quickly became used to the normal routine, which was even more pleasant than before due to the fact that Regina was now living together with Severus and him, giving Harry the feeling that he had a real family for himself. He could not recall having felt so happy and comforted ever before. 'I have a human family, an elf family and two familiars who are like siblings. What else could I wish for?' he sometimes thought, thinking that he was the happiest boy in the world.
However, by the end of the holidays, he should realise that happiness had no limits.
Two days after his tenth birthday, Harry and the twins had to take their Potions OWL. As Severus had behaved like what Regina jokingly called a slave driver and had made his students assistants and his son practise and study every day during the holidays except for very rare occasions such as Harry's birthday, all three of them found both the written as well as the practical part of the exam fairly easy.
"Now, Messrs. Weasley, I do not wish to see you for a week," Severus informed the twins, when the three children relaxed over a huge ice cream in the Prince quarters after the exam. "Your mother will be happy to have you at home for a week. Harry, you will spend the week on the Isle of Elves together with Teddy and Lucy."
"Professor…"
"… We'd still like to come to Hogwarts…"
"… and use the Potions classroom during the week…"
"… as we have some project we want to work on…"
"… instead of degnoming the garden at home."
Severus quirked an eyebrow in silent question, while Harry inwardly jubliated with joy. 'We're allowed to spend another week on the Isle of Elves?' he thought to Teddy and instantly felt the elf's excitement through the link, before he even received his response. Apparently, Misty had informed her son a few minutes ago. Completely engrossed in his silent conversation with Teddy, Lucy and Misty, he did not follow Severus' and the twins' discussion but mentally readied himself to be picked up by Anastasia first thing the following morning.
'Perhaps, she and Bandhu finished the ritual to possibly heal my eyes,' he thought, as he absentmindedly devoured his ice cream.
HP
During the first three days on the Isle of Elves, Harry, Teddy and Lucy were allowed to spend the whole day on the playground together with the other children – much to their delight. While being at Hogwarts, their only recreation had been flying; however, as much as Harry, Teddy and Lucy loved to fly, playing on the playground together with other children was just a different kind of pleasure.
On the fourth and fifth day, they spent much time with Bandhu, who told them many things about the elves, the Isle of Elves and elven history – details, which Harry and Lucy had never been taught during their classes with Barney. Teddy was not even old enough to attend the elves classes at Hogwarts, although he was always together with Harry, even during his tutoring with Miranda or the Potions classes with Severus and the twins. 'I hope that he'll be allowed to attend Hogwarts with me instead of the elves classes,' Harry thought, as he felt his friend's excitement listening to Bandhu. The elder elf even showed them the library, which was much larger than the library at Hogwarts.
'That's amazing,' Harry thought, as Lucy slowly showed him every detail of the enormous room. 'I didn't know that elves wrote so many books.'
'I want to write a book, when I'm big,' Teddy thought to him, causing Harry to smile.
'Let's study much and write one together,' he thought back, feeling enthusiastic at the idea.
Harry's enthusiasm even intensified, when Bandhu informed him that he and Anastasia had finished a ritual, which they wanted to try out the following morning. "We do not know if it will work. Perhaps, you will still not be able to see afterwards, but we will try it out if you wish for us to do so."
"Yes please," Harry replied, feeling extremely happy that Bandhu and his surrogate elf grandmother had taken so much time to search for a cure for him.
HP
They had just finished eating breakfast in the morning, when Bandhu came to Anastasia's house. Aware that Harry had at least some background in the area of Healing, much more as usual for his age, he shortly explained about the ritual, which they were going to perform.
"Now, as we neither know if it will work nor if it will hurt, we wish for you to lie on the sofa and sleep," Anastasia told him in a voice that did not allow contradiction.
'At least, Lucy is allowed to cuddle with me,' he thought, before he succumbed to the sleeping spell that his surrogate grandmother cast at him.
When his mind returned to awareness, he only heard light double snores coming from Lucy and Teddy; however, to his extreme disappointment, he could not see anything.
"Harry?" Anastasia's voice suddenly penetrated his ears.
"Yes. I still can't see anything," he added in a small voice, uncertain if it was all right to complain.
"I know. I am sorry, sweetie, but the ritual did not work. Bandhu and I will have to continue our research."
Harry let out a deep sigh of disappointment. "Thank you for trying anyway. As long as Lucy and Teddy show me my surroundings, I'm fine."
"Well, then I suggest that the three of you spend the rest of the day on the playground, as I will have to take you back to Hogwarts tomorrow morning."
Trying to keep the frustration out of his voice, Harry gently woke up Lucy and Teddy, and the trio headed out to the playground to enjoy their last day on the Isle of Elves as much as possible.
HP
During breakfast the following morning, Bandhu came to visit Harry. He profusely apologized for being unsuccessful in the attempt of mending Harry's eyes.
"There is nothing to apologize for," Harry replied in a firm voice. "Thank you so very much for trying. I really appreciate it."
"On a different note, together with the other elder elves, we have considered the other matter you brought to my attention. I will tell you more shortly, however, we believe that we might be able to help your friend on Samhain."
"Thank you so much." 'I didn't even think that they'd do anything about it,' he thought in surprise. 'Oh well, I didn't tell him that it was the Dark Lord's spirit.'
"Misty and Cicero informed me about the identity of your mind friend," Bandhu continued, causing Harry to listen in shock. "Nevertheless, we have a place on the Isle of Elves, where we will be able to proceed with the ritual. The question is how to get his spirit here. Please ask him if he was willing to allow me to capture him in an orb and bring him here for the ritual."
"I'll do that," Harry promised, sincerely. While the question if he would be allowed to come and watch pressed itself to the front of his mind, he knew better than to ask but merely profusely thanked the elder elf, who then took his leave, promising to contact Harry soon.
A few minutes later, Anastasia instructed the three of them to get ready to return to Hogwarts. "I'll see you next summer at the latest," she reassured them, apparently realising that they were reluctant to leave what had quickly become their favourite place in the world.
HP
Back at home, Teddy spent the rest of Sunday with his parents in the elves quarters, while Lucy caught up on some sleep cuddled close to Harry. Harry sat in the living room of their quarters and told Regina and Severus everything about their stay on the Isle of Elves.
"Oh no, I am so sorry." Regina was the first to comment upon hearing about the failed ritual.
"Perhaps, it will work the next time. I'm sure that the elves won't give up trying to find a way to heal you."
His adoptive parents' voices were laced with apparent concern but so soothing that tears welled in Harry's eyes.
"Thank you," he said, smiling.
"Not everything is bad right now though. Today, we have some good news to share with you." Regina seemed happy, as she continued, "Sometime in spring next year, you're going to become a big brother."
Harry's mind screamed in excitement. "A big brother? Does that mean that you're going to have a baby?"
"Exactly." Severus confirmed in apparent amusement. "Don't get your hopes up though, son. Human babies don't grow as fast as elves. You won't be able to play with your small sibling like with Teddy, at least not for some time."
"I know that," Harry replied, indignantly. "Still, I'm happy about it. Do you know what it's going to be?"
"A monkey."
"Sev!" Regina lightly scolded her husband. "No Harry, we don't know yet. Does it matter?"
Harry shook his head. "No, of course not." He quickly pondered if he should tell his parents about the other ritual Bandhu was planning, however, decided against it – unaware of the consequences that would result from his secrecy.
tbc...
Thank you so very much for the kind reviews for the previous chapter. I appreciate it very much, and my muse really needs the feedback. Thank you.