Title: The Lyrium Ghost

By: Aina Song

Fandom(s): Harry Potter/ Dragon Age II

Genre: Yaoi

Rating: PG-15

Warning(s): Crossover; AU; OOC; Language; Excess Blood; Mentions of Character Death; Flashback(s) to Death Scene; DA2 Direct Quotes and Spoilers.

Pairing(s): Anders/Harry x Fenris

Reviews: Yes, please!

Author's Note: Standard Disclaimer. This story was not written for money. Italics = thought, messages, the Fade.

Teaser: When Harry's magic unlocks a lifetime of hidden memories, he decides to take matters into his own hands to settle a number of wrongs – both recent, and long-ago.

Chapter Eight - Kid

Lucius seemed unable to hide a brief flicker of pain as he nodded. "Yes, of course. You know I would not deny you this."

"What do you need me to do?" Draco immediately asked of Era'harel.

"Simply stand with me," he instructed, patiently urging the younger blond to his feet and drawing him to the center of the room. "Close your eyes. Try to keep your core open and unafraid when you feel my magic."

Nodding, Draco let his eyelids fall. 'Harel waited a moment, before lifting his hands to hover at either side of the blond's head. He poured his magic forth, letting it gently coat Draco's form in a pale white glow. The blond visibly flinched for a moment, but then relaxed with a slow breath as the magic's glow began to take strength. Soon it lifted up in great white flames that would have worried 'Harel immensely if he did not know the taste and feel of his own magic so intimately; he waved Lucius and Severus back when they stood in alarm.

Only when the flames turned red hot did the tables turn, and Era'harel found himself turning to the other two for guidance. Lucius Malfoy seemed to be fighting the tears brimming his silver eyes. "His Veela is awakening. You did it."

"Now we need only wait," Snape somberly reminded, "to see how it will respond."

Draco stood in the midst of the ruby and crimson flames for several long minutes, open eyes glaring white and staring blindly toward the ceiling. The delay seemed endless, approaching unbearable as they each began to worry toward the outcome. At last, the flames flew apart and faded in the air, and the young Malfoy heir collapsed to his knees. Severus gripped Era'harel's wrist when the young mage would have stepped closer, indicating that it would not yet be safe to touch him.

They each tensed when a tender whimper escaped Draco's lips. But then the blond youth lifted his head, smiling in haunted wonder through the tears glistening down his cheeks.

"Luna…"

Lucius and Severus froze to either side of Era'harel, whose face broke into a bemused grin. His wrist was released, and he approached the blond, unable to hold back a soft chuckle as Draco looked up at him, eyes still glazed over in wonder. "To see her would mean returning to Hogwarts," he reminded, watching as his new friend's expression fell slightly. "Shall I deliver the news to her in your stead?"

Draco brightened immediately, nodding. He accepted 'Harel's hand, pulling himself to his feet again. His eyes finally began to clear, and some sense of reality nearly dimmed his wonder. "She's a year behind me. I'll have to wait even longer…"

"Courtship begins with correspondence," Lucius offered from across the room, instantly cheering his son.

A subtle crack announced Kreacher's sudden return to the drawing room. The aged house elf bowed low, one knobby fist worrying at the shoulder pin of his toga-like pillowcase. "Mage Lord…"

Era'harel turned all his attention upon the loyal elf. "Yes? What is it?"

"Mistress despairs," he reported, in sullen urgency. "Mage Lord's gift of privacies being disturbed. Dumblies being looking for secretses."

Severus frowned. "I'd thought you planned to strengthen your wards around Grimmauld after we left."

"I did," 'Harel smirked. "And I have. They are now impenetrable. Passersby will barely acknowledge the townhouse is there at all, and anyone with more than a vague curiosity will find themselves distracted by thoughts to be elsewhere. That the esteemed Headmaster has been making enough of an attempt to bring Kreacher to me is evidence, not of his power, but of his bull-headed persistence."

"Is there anything remaining there that we need be concerned about?" Lucius wondered.

Era'harel shook his head. "Dumbledore is searching for Harry Potter, and possibly evidence to use against me. He will find neither."

"What will you do?"

He conjured parchment and a quill into his hands. After quickly penning a note, he folded it over and passed it to the house elf. "Go to Gringotts and give this Grapple. Then you may return and assure Madame Black that she and her home remain safe, no matter the Headmaster's tantrums."

Kreacher nodded quickly before disappearing again.

"And it isn't even noon," he muttered ruefully, causing his guests to smirk or chuckle in surprise. Straightening to his feet, he motioned the others to follow him out of the drawing room and into his personal study.

True to his good nature, he would hear no more questions about Dumbledore, instead herding young Draco to his desk and sitting him down before scrolls of fresh parchment, an eagle quill and ink of fine quality. Soon Lucius and even Severus could not seem to resist joining in the humor as the Malfoy heir happily immersed himself in the task of writing his first letter to his mate.

~o~

Hogwarts welcomed Era'harel upon her grounds as happily as the night before. He released a small chuckle as her magic whispered across his cheek in a warm caress. "Hello, Mother," he teased in greeting, and her magic seemed to thrill in response. "I come with a purpose. The Headmaster is out, distracted by his own greed. Will you let your child into his office?"

There was another brush of warmth across his cheek, before the world swirled seamlessly around him, and he found his request granted. The portraits of former headmasters and headmistresses all buzzed and whispered in alarm. Upon the shelves of one wall, several trinkets and gadgets paused briefly before whirring in agitation. And, resting upon his proud perch, one brilliantly plumaged phoenix lifted his head from under his wing and blinked open a pair of eyes yellow as the sun.

'Harel smirked at the legendary bird, bringing a finger to his lips. With very little thought, the painted headpersons became frozen within their portrait frames. He let loose a thread of his raw magic, breaking all of Dumbledore's treasured tracking devices and collapsing the surveillance charms that would have alerted the old man to another's presence in his office.

His carefree tampering was interrupted by a soft knock at the door. Since the magic of Hogwarts did not seem alarmed at the interruption, he gave in to his curiosity. Era'harel's mouth tugged in a soft smile in greeting. "Good afternoon."

Luna Lovegood calmly returned his gaze with luminous silvery eyes. "Hello, Harry Potter."

Giving a fond chuckle, he took her hand and gently tugged her into the office with him. She stepped easily into his arms, and he gave her brow a brotherly kiss before releasing her. "You always could see more than the rest of them."

"I felt a very warm sensation blossom behind my lungs this morning," she announced in that wispy manner of hers. "And there were whispers in my ear that you would know why."

Nodding, as ever knowing better than to question her intuition, he kept both her hands in his as he explained. "A young veela's magic finally deemed him safe enough to reveal his true mate. But I truly believe he would not try to force you to bond with him. And he was genuinely upset to realize that he would have to wait another year to court you in person."

She tilted her head toward one shoulder. Pulling her hands free, she snapped loose one of her many charm bracelets from her wrist. This one was a black braided leather cord, with tiny silver star charms to either side of a delicate crescent moon. It was one of her less colorful, less abstract, trinkets – but no less suited her delicate beauty. She pressed it into his palm, its purpose clear.

"Hogwarts sent me to tell you that there is something dark and sickly within her room of hidden things. Tell Draco Malfoy I await his letter." Luna wispily requested as she let herself out through the door.

'Harel chuckled to himself as he tucked it carefully within an inside pocket of his robes near his chest before turning again to the phoenix. Fawkes cocked his head to the side, now watching him curiously. But then his yellow eyes grew piercingly sad, and the bird gave out a mournful trill.

"Ah," Era'harel stopped short before the bird's perch. "Mother?"

The feel of the castle's magic brushed up against him once more.

"I would like to speak with this majestic bird. If you would keep me aware while I slip into the Fade?"

His surroundings seemed to blur, the office sifting away like sand…

~o~

Dark doe-eyes stared in equal parts shock and curiosity. "R-returning? But the hurt… Fire in the water, songs of danger, tempting and hollow…" A gasp, "Why are you here?"

Era'harel blinked, struggling to wrap his mind around the evidence before him. "… Cole?"

The young spirit ceased its nervous twisting of its hands and cocked its head. "Yes? You know me? I know you. Moonbeams dancing, cajoling, soothing the sunburst's blistering burn…"

Well. He had never quite heard himself described in such a way before, but he couldn't say he did not like it. "You were, are, Fawkes this whole time? Why didn't you tell me when last we met?"

The spirit tugged at the strands of its tawny hair. "Memories… Waking, dreaming, doubting, believing… Disconnected…"

'Harel felt he was beginning to understand this one's strange speech behaviors. "You don't remember being a part of the Fade while awake?"

"Yes. No! Y-yes? Singing, lulling, drifting, pulling, calling me home…"

That was enough confirmation for him. "And now you are Dumbledore's familiar?"

"Not his. Never his."

He felt his brow quirk in surprise. "No?"

"Truest Four… Protect the magic, give back to the Maker, shield His gift from the fear…"

"The Founders," he breathed in sudden comprehension. "You let yourself become a part of Hogwarts. To 'protect the magic,' as you say."

The timid spirit offered a wavering smile, quickly ducking its head down. It worried at the frayed cuffs of its rags, seeming unable to cease its nervous fidgeting. Era'harel felt every sympathy for the poor creature. This must have been the longest direct interaction with its true self it had received in many ages. Understandable, that it would feel awkward or uncertain, after so long alone in a wasting dreamscape.

Eyes widening, the reborn mage knew a moment of inspiration. "Cole… Would you like to see the dwarf again?"

The spirit drew in another sharp breath, and seemed to be fighting an urge to step much closer. But in the next moment, its eyes grew very crestfallen, indeed. "C-can't keep him with me… Sun rises, eyes yellow, singing fades into whispers, deep in the shadows, out of reach… can't reach…"

"I'd much like to try to help that. You trusted me to give him your message. Will you trust me, now?"

Those doe-like eyes grew wide and seemed almost to hold a sea of tears within their depths. "Scion of the Black City…"

Era'harel paused. Kreacher had called him that, but he had assumed it was a matter of history having been twisted and confused into vague legend. But to hear a spirit of the Fade agree… "Why do you call me that, Cole?"

"She touched you with her blessing."

" 'She?' Do you mean Magic?"

"Magic's mother."

'Harel's throat tightened, as something he had long ago believed rose up again in new hope within his heart. "A-Andraste?"

"Crying, dying, all around… weeping and weeping without a sound… Children lost all to fright…. wading, fading into the night."

"I knew it," he breathed, shaking his head. "Cole… Why did Justice save us? Why did you safeguard F- … our amulet? Do you believe this to be Andraste's plan? Can you tell me what She wanted?"

The timid spirit answered only with a mournful shake of its head.

"All right," he sighed. Stepping closer, he gently placed his hands to its shoulders, soothing, "Cole. It's all right. It was likely far too long ago that you knew, if ever you did. Let's not let that distract us now. I ask again; will you trust me try to help you? Like you helped me?"

Cole nodded, its very demeanor that of a child in awe.

~o~

Era'harel returned to the Golden Hall within that very hour. His three guests cried out and each leapt to their feet in alarm at seeing the all-too-familiar phoenix perched upon his raised arm. He lifted his other hand in a stalling motion, before wands could be drawn. "He is not loyal to Dumbledore. He was charged by the Founders to safeguard and encourage the growth of magic at Hogwarts. And, as I am their heir, that grants his loyalty to me."

"And you know this, how?" Severus softly demanded, stance tense.

"He told me," 'Harel told them. "Phoenixes never lie. That, and Hogwarts herself confirmed it."

Slowly, the three began to relax, seeming to trust in his word, if in nothing else. For that, the young mage was very grateful. Draco stepped slowly forward, his mouth tugging in a hesitant smile. "You can understand him now? Snakes, and now phoenixes?"

'Harel chuckled. "Not in that sense, no. Just Fawkes. I highly doubt it would be the same, were I to be fortunate enough to encounter another phoenix."

The blond seemed to take him at his word. He lifted his hand in hopeful invitation. Fawkes trilled and fluttered forth to land carefully on the young aristocrat's wrist. Draco beamed in such obvious surprise at having been accepted by so pure a creature, letting out a small laugh as the bird's beak nuzzled his hair. Fawkes bemused them further, lighting into the air and soaring in excited circles around Severus and Lucius until they too each lifted a wrist and received the same treatment.

"Well," Era'harel declared as the bird finally returned to his arm and shimmied up to perch upon his shoulder. "That appears to have settled your doubts, yes? Oh, and Draco?"

"Harry?"

"Your mate wished me to inform you she eagerly awaits your letter." The three others stared as he reached into his robes and tossed the charm to his blond friend, relying upon Draco's seeker hands to catch the delicate trinket. "She felt your awakening this morning, and was clearly receptive. In her way."

Draco looked at the braided leather in his palm for a long moment, before gingerly tying it around his own wrist. He brought out his wand once more, pointing its tip at the bracelet and waving it in slow circles. 'Harel recognized the feel of the strengthening and protection magic sinking into the leather and its silver charms. He wholly approved.

Leaving the three to amuse themselves with this new bit of information, 'Harel sought privacy in another room, locking the door. "Kreacher."

A muted crack answered his summons.

"Please go to Gringotts, and bring the goblin Abrasion back with you if he consents to a meeting."

The burly goblin appeared moments later, taking a long look around to be certain they were alone before letting his glamour fall. "Something wrong, Blondie?" Varric wondered.

Era'harel said nothing, keeping his gaze upon Fawkes as the bird left his shoulder and floated forth to hover in the air between them. With a triumphant trill, the phoenix burst into a brilliant display of fire and light. 'Harel lowered his arm from shielding his eyes as the flare faded, witnessing Varric froze in the act of doing the same. The dwarf was far less prepared than he for the sight of the young man in torn clothing looking between them with frightened but hopeful doe eyes under a messy fringe of dandelion blond hair.

"… "K-Kid?"