Chapter 3: Elsa's Royal Demesne
Harry looked out the window of his room at Arendelle Palace. It was sinking in at a whole new level he personally knew royalty. Knowing your friend is a Crown Princess is one thing. Seeing the palace she calls home and the lands around it? That was something else entirely. He could see the old harbor along with the houses and stretches of land winding up the mountains in the distance.
He was surprised how much color there was in land this far north. He also found the Capital of Arendelle to be breathtaking with the way it looked. The city around the palace was a delightful mix of old and new. All of the new buildings went with the old architecture style and color scheme the best they could.
Harry was pleasantly surprised the palace wasn't drafty when he thought about it. He always figured places like this would be. Hogwarts could be a bit very drafty at times. Then again given Elsa's family history with magic, it might be her ancestors cheated a little when it came to their home.
He turned from his window and once more took in how large his room was. It really was the size of a dorm room at school or maybe even a little bigger. However, unlike at Hogwarts, this room was all his alone. "No wonder she considered the dorm rooms at Hogwarts 'not that big'," Harry said to himself with a bit of a chuckle as he remembered her saying that back in first year.
Right as his chuckle ended, there was a knock on the door. "Lord Potter, are you decent?" a woman asked from the other side.
"Yeah," Harry answered as the door opened and a maid entered the room.
"Do you wish to join the princesses for breakfast, or eat in your room?" the maid asked.
Harry blushed a little as he replied, "Ummm… I'll join them." It was weird being asked where he wanted to eat his meal, not to mention he was asked by a genuine Palace Maid.
"Follow me then, if you will Lord Potter. I'll take you to where they usually have their breakfast," she replied with a smile.
Harry followed without much fuss. He knew he was really lucky to have a maid who spoke English really well. Elsa arranged for it to help him feel more at ease while staying here.
Harry whistled in awe as they walked the grand halls to where he would have breakfast. The maid leading him smiled as she said, "I never get tired of walking these halls while working here."
"I can believe it. This place is amazing!" Harry said. "Hogwarts is cool and all, but it doesn't really have the warmth and feel of this place."
Arendelle Palace had brightly lit halls with deep colors. In fact, some of the darker places he had seen here, would be considered brightly lit at Hogwarts. There were several paintings hung on the walls in places here as well. These portraits didn't move and instead seemed more regal for it. Seeing the portrait of the fat lady drunk more than a few times really kind of ruined the whole regal thing when it came to portraits at Hogwarts.
There were a lot of beautifully designed windows letting in plenty of sunlight during the day in the palace. At night, the many chandeliers lit the place up with a warmth you would be hard pressed to find in Hogwarts. Harry got to see that first hand last night.
Harry also liked all of the rugs and carpets on the floors. Hogwarts mostly had stone floors outside of the common rooms and dorms. There were plenty of chairs and benches scattered throughout the palace halls for sitting. It really would be tough going back to Hogwarts once this summer ended. That would be a first for Harry. Usually he was all too eager to return to Hogwarts after summer break.
Harry was brought out of his musings when he heard the sound of laughter coming from their destination. "Good Morning, Harry!" Anna called excitedly from where she was sitting next to Elsa at their table.
Elsa gave Harry a warm smile as she more calmly said, "Good Morning, Harry. Did you sleep well last night?"
Harry sat down across from her and nodded. "It took a bit to get used to the room and bed, but I slept really well. I now know what you meant when you said the rooms at Hogwarts weren't that big." Elsa and Anna both giggled to this.
It wasn't long before a couple of servants entered the room. One of them started pouring glasses of water for each of them. The other started taking their orders. Harry felt like he was actually eating in a restaurant of some kind instead of a home, even if that home was a palace.
Once the orders had been placed, Harry spoke again. "I like Hogwarts, but already I feel your palace is more warm and homey."
"Hogwarts is impressive in its own way. But I do find myself missing Arendelle Palace a good bit while I'm there," Elsa admitted as she took a sip of her apple juice.
"I still can't wait to see it!" Anna said with a bright smile. She then gave Elsa puppy dog eyes as she asked, "Are you sure you won't tell me how I'll be sorted into a house?"
"I'm sorry Anna, but no," Elsa replied sincerely. Harry could tell it wasn't easy for Elsa to not give in to her sister's pleading. "I can say you will be put into a house and I can even tell you what the different houses are like... again... But how you get sorted is something you'll just have to wait and find out for yourself."
Anna gave an exaggerated sigh. "I guess that will do…" She then instantly perked up and asked, "What House do you think I'll end up in?"
Elsa gave it a thoughtful look before answering. "Either Gryffindor or Hufflepuff. Most likely Hufflepuff, I believe. I don't see you ending up in Slytherin. I also don't see you in Ravenclaw, even if I would love for that to be the case."
Harry curiously asked, "Why do you think Hufflepuff?" Anna nodded in agreement with his question.
Elsa smiled as she said, "Well Anna is the best little sister in the world." She then looked to Anna as she said, "You love Arendelle just as much as I do. You work hard, even if you don't like your lessons. You're smart, but you don't love studying. Nor have you completed Accounting class." Elsa gave a laugh to the last bit.
Anna gave a frustrated sigh, "I hate it… It's sooo boring… I know it's important and all, but we have people who take care of that! Heck, we have an entire staff specifically for that alone. There's even a large branch of the government for that stuff regarding Arendelle."
"And that's why you won't be in Ravenclaw. You don't absolutely love studying regardless of if the subject is boring or not," Elsa said with a smile.
"How would she fit in Gryffindor?" Harry asked next.
Elsa gave a bit of a mischievous smile as she said, "She is brave, but also rather reckless at times in her scheming." Elsa laughed as Anna playfully pouted and stuck her tongue out at the older sister. Harry gave a laugh at the interaction.
"Whatever the case may be. I can't tell you how glad I am I get to share Hogwarts with you," Elsa said with a loving smile to her younger sister. Anna returned the smile.
"I'm glad you don't have to worry about trying to hide such an amazing part of yourself anymore. I now feel as if nothing will separate us again," Anna replied. Elsa smiled warmly and gave her younger sister a quick hug.
It was interesting to see how the Arendelle sisters interacted with each other compared to the Weasley family's kids. Elsa and Anna seemed to know exactly where to draw the line and not to take things personally or be offended by the other's teasing. They also seemed to give as good to each other as they got and then follow up with a very heartwarming sisterly moment. It was also really something to realize these two girls were real life princesses.
Harry would easily admit he really liked seeing this side of Elsa. He had only seen hints of her sisterly side before now. That was usually when she was around Luna at Hogwarts. Elsa was different as a big sister around Anna though. In truth, Harry probably just liked seeing more of Elsa period.
[-] [-] [-]
Once Elsa departed after breakfast, Harry was left with Anna as company. He felt a little awkward about this. He didn't know her anywhere near as much as he did Elsa. He liked Anna, but she was obviously very different from Hermione and Elsa. Those two girls were usually calm, even if they had their moments. Anna was really friendly and could run around at 100 miles per hour if she wanted, and probably still have more than enough energy for the rest of the day. That's the feeling Harry got from her at least.
Despite Harry feeling anxious, it seemed Anna had no such problem. She gave him a smile and said, "How about I give you a tour of the some of the grounds? Elsa will be busy with classes until later this afternoon. She almost always has lunch with me, but that's usually quick. She won't really be free again until late this afternoon or early evening."
Harry nodded to this and asked, "Don't you have classes as well?"
Anna shook her head, "Not again until Monday. Since I have yet to go to Hogwarts, I actually get a little bit of a summer break." She then sighed and added, "I guess next summer I'll more or less have her same schedule."
She brightened up again and smiled as she cheerfully concluded with, "Oh well! I also get to go to a magic school for most of the year."
Harry then realized it was in fact Saturday. "Does Elsa usually have classes on Saturday?"
"She does, but usually not as many as the rest of the week. She has Sunday off. Actually, earlier this summer she had a couple Saturdays off too, but not today because of her recent trip," Anna answered as she led the way.
Harry frowned feeling as if this was somehow his fault. Maybe she would have arrived back earlier and had today off if it wasn't for his sudden request. Anna looked over her shoulder and said, "She's always extra busy after her trips. It makes up for the lost time."
Harry felt relieved hearing this. The last thing he wanted was to burden a real-life Princess. "Thanks for telling me that," he sighed in relief. Anna nodded and gave him a pleasant smile similar to Elsa's when she was trying to make him feel at ease. It worked with the younger sister as well.
They walked outside to the sounds of birds chirping and insects buzzing. The garden here had lots of plants everywhere. Not too far in front of them was a gazebo lightly covered in vines with colorful flowers on the roof. There were several bushes around the area with pathways winding between them.
Harry looked over the garden while Anna stood not too far away in a grassy section. "I have to admit it. I didn't think someplace north like this would have so much color," Harry said earning a giggle from Anna.
"Arendelle is a beautiful and magical land," she answered as she placed a hand on the ground. After a moment, she grinned to herself. It seemed as if she could feel the magic in the land itself to Harry. As she grinned, she added, "Plus, it is summer. Winter can be really cold at times, but late spring to about the middle of fall is always nice."
Harry looked around a moment longer before Anna said, "Ready to continue your tour of the grounds?" Harry nodded and followed the younger princess once more.
Anna showed Harry more of their gardens and even a pool area that seemed to serve as a greenhouse of sorts as well. The place had changing rooms and a small bar for serving drinks and food. There was even a hot tub along with lounging chairs and a couple of benches.
"We have our own pool because it would cause too much of a ruckus if we went to public pools and such. The more I've thought about it. The more I've come to understand our lives probably wouldn't be too much different, even if Father and Mother didn't try their best to keep us out of the public eye. Being royalty already would mean we had to limit what we could do in public," Anna said as Harry looked around the pool area more.
He liked it. He'd never really been able to look around a pool before. He did have swimming lessons, but that's because there was a deal and Vernon rarely passed up such things. Apart from the lessons, he never got to go on pool trips. The Dursleys had of course gone to pools a lot, but again "Harry's freakiness" would've probably turned the water purple and caused normal decent folk trouble.
Harry was smiling as he looked over the area. He probably had something that could count as a swim suit. Maybe he would try asking if he could swim while he was here.
Anna noticed his smile and in what was probably typical Anna fashion, teased him a little bit. "Hmmm? Are you imagining my sister in a bikini?" Her mischievous smile grew into something the Cheshire cat would applaud as she noticed Harry's cheeks turn a bright red.
She giggled in a manner reminiscent of Elsa, but girlier as she added in a sing song voice, "I guess you are now." Harry just blushed as he knew his mind was going to have a field day with his dreams that night. Though he did really like the idea of seeing Elsa in a swimsuit.
He quickly recovered and grew calmer. Thankfully he was used to playful Arendelle princesses, since Elsa had that side as well. He smiled to Anna and said, "Be that as it may. I would like to swim. I've only been to a pool for swimming lessons when I was much younger, despite the Dursleys going a few times each summer."
Anna wasn't giggling anymore. She had a smile that didn't fully reach her eyes for a couple of seconds. Harry could tell there was something on her mind similar to Elsa when they were shopping before flying here. Anna's features weren't as well schooled as her sister's though, so he was able to pick this out easier with her. Anna's smile did eventually turn genuine again as she said, "We can definitely do so with Elsa this summer."
Harry might have made sure she didn't mention his reaction to her earlier teasing, but there was a part of him that partly trusted Anna to an extent already. Maybe it was because she was related to Elsa, or maybe it was how honest Anna seemed in general. It could also be he thought she wasn't the type to be mean like that. She knew where to draw the line, even if she had to first figure out everyone's line so she could draw it. Maybe it was the fact she too was a princess and just had that natural quality found in many rulers.
"We can even have a couple of the staff open the bar. One person can usually run it alone so they'll switch shifts every so often. It is seen as a bonus getting to work this bar when we're using the pool. They can make anything and know a lot of really good non-alcoholic drinks for us, since we aren't supposed to have grown-up drinks yet," Anna explained.
After their stop at the pool, the two continued to tour the grounds. Anna was a good tour guide. She pointed out extra things like where she and Elsa had a camp out in one of the gardens years ago. She even took Harry to some good viewpoints on the grounds.
Harry looked out over the sea and mountains through one of the old guard towers' windows. It was nice feeling the sea breeze and hearing the water along with the seagulls and other birds. He looked to Anna as the wind picked up and blew her hair around a little. The white blonde streak caught his attention.
"What do you think about the blonde streak? Does it bother you?" he couldn't help but ask.
Anna had a bit of fond smile gracing her lips as she said, "It used to at first, though I didn't know where it came from at the time." She giggled, "I used to think it happened because of a dream I had where the rock trolls kissed me there. I guess it was partly true."
She grew more serious and said, "It does bother me a little bit still, but only because it reminds me of that night. I was foolish then and it really hurt Elsa when it all happened. I've mostly gotten over that, but it is still something I'm not proud of."
She started to smile again and said, "After a while, I came to actually like it. I know it is weird, but it's a reminder that part of Elsa is always with me. When she first went to Hogwarts, I would actually twirl it when I was sad or feeling lonely. It always made me feel a little better, even though I didn't know why at the time. Now, I also like the look it gives my hair and I don't have to do anything to color it."
Anna smiled wider as she took in a deep breath of the sea air. "Come on. It's about time for lunch," she said as she led the way back to the main part of the palace.
[-] [-] [-]
Lunch had been a short but wonderful affair, just like Anna said it would be. Elsa ate with them and they talked a little before she went back to her classes. Anna retired to her room wanting to get ready for Hogwarts again.
Harry soon discovered the younger princess was already making plans from everything she had heard about the magical school. Her plans were all top secret and only founding members of the Elsanna Exploration Society were allowed to see them at this time. This meant only Anna and Elsa could see them, but Elsa wasn't likely to look. It was also something Anna mostly did for fun.
After spending a little time in his room, it was getting to be late afternoon and Harry was looking around the palace interior again. At least the parts he was allowed to visit. He wasn't really too limited, but he kept out of parts used for business purposes only at this time.
There was still much to see of the palace, even after Anna's tour. He was walking close to an open door when he heard Elsa's voice speaking. However, he couldn't make out a single word. She was speaking in her native language.
If he was to guess, he would say it sounded Norwegian, but not exactly the same to him. He would also say it sounded beautiful. Most likely, though he wouldn't admit it yet, the language sounded nice to him because Elsa was speaking it.
He intended to just pass by the open door without interrupting, but soon he heard Elsa call to him. "Harry! There you are." She turned to the person she was talking to and said something quick to them. The other person gave a smile and a bow before walking away.
"How has your day in Arendelle been so far? Anna wasn't too much of a bother, was she? I love her, but she can be too much at times," Elsa asked him happily with only a bit of concern in her voice.
"It's been amazing! Anna showed me around a lot and even took me to one of the gardens. I've never seen so much color in one place before. It was nice," he answered.
"Doesn't your Aunt garden?" Elsa asked looking at him with her deep blue eyes. They could be very entrancing when looked at closely.
Harry might have felt a little heat on his cheeks or not, he wasn't sure, before he answered. "She does, but Aunt Petunia isn't really very fond of colorful plants. She finds them messy and distracting from the perfectly cultivated rows."
Harry gave a sigh, "The Dursleys were always about making everything uniform and perfectly 'acceptable' without standing out too much. That's why we never got along. I was too different for them."
Elsa frowned. "From what you've told me and written in letters, it sounds like it has to be something more than just that. I think you should report them."
Harry frowned to this. "Would anyone believe me over them?"
"They should at least investigate. But I'm not familiar with Britain's ways regarding such things," Elsa said with a frown. She wished she knew more about British laws. She knew plenty, but not in the things that would help Harry the most.
Harry shook his head. "It would be more trouble than its worth. There's also those protections Dumbledore told us about, even if I'm not sure there as important as he claims they are. There are places like this. I'm pretty sure there are many ways to keep from being tracked by Death Eaters as well."
Harry frowned at it all. He really didn't think the protections Dumbledore mentioned were worth the mess the Dursleys gave him. While he was sure there was more that could be done than leaving him people who hate wizards and witches, he didn't know what it could be. He was just sure there had to be a better option though.
Harry sighed and then gave Elsa a warm smile as he said, "I've been feeling better talking to you about it. I'm glad we made that deal after the chamber. It made my time with them more bearable this year. It helped me remember Hogwarts isn't just a dream and I do have good friends who care about me, even if they're in a different house."
Elsa gave a giggle, "I do try not to go back on my word." Her blue eyes looked at him as she asked, "Have you thought about talking to anyone else about these things?"
Harry nodded. "I have thought about it. I don't think I'm ready. Ron wouldn't know what to do. He's always been surrounded by a family that loves him. Neville probably wouldn't either. He has his grandmother and uncle. She can be stern, but it is obvious she loves and cares for him. Despite that one incident he mentioned in first year, his uncle seems like a pretty likable guy. Hermione would probably overreact. As you know, she does care deeply for her friends, but she gets carried away about different things and will get heavily involved."
Elsa liked being the one he confided in, but knew there were things she wouldn't understand. She thought maybe she would try to encourage Harry to talk to Luna about things. Luna lost her mother, so it might be good for her too. Elsa gave a resigned sigh, "You're probably right, but it would probably help you to talk to others as well."
Harry was in thought on the matter. He felt Elsa place a hand on his arm as she smiled and said, "Come. Let's go somewhere nice and not dwell on that too much for now. What Garden did Anna take you to?"
"The one with the Gazebo near the pool?" he answered a little unsure. He wasn't sure if it had a proper name. It seemed Elsa knew which one he was talking about and had a destination in mind as she led the way.
[-] [-] [-]
They took their time walking through the palace together. They eventually came to a set of doors. The doors were rich dark colored wood with small windows at the top and lead outside. Elsa smiled as she looked back at Harry before opening the doors.
As the doors opened, Harry was greeted to a beautiful sight. There was a large roofless stone structure on the right side. The stone pillars had intricately cut designs of women in beautiful flowing dresses. The stones which made up the roofless top had a beautiful ribbon pattern running across the center and floral designs on the top and bottom of the horizontal stone. There were again overgrown vines and flowers on the structure without being too wild or too maintained looking.
In front of them, there were many well cared for shrubs, trees and flowering bushes. There were beautiful stone walkways weaving in and out of sight and through grassy areas. Harry could even make out some beautiful garden art here and there as well. He hoped they would get a close up look during this impromptu walk with Elsa.
He followed Elsa as she walked to the stone structure with the slightest happy skip to her step. "This is actually my favorite garden on our grounds. I love them all, but this one really stands out to me for some reason. Anna and I would play in this garden a lot when we were younger along with the one you mentioned earlier. That's her favorite garden."
Elsa giggled as she walked around a fountain inside the structure and said, "It was her favorite because it was close to the pool. When we would play during the summer and got too hot, we would run and jump into the pool, even while wearing our clothes a couple of times. Mom got mad at us and told us in the future to use the changing rooms first. After that, we each kept at least one swimsuit there to change into all summer long. Anna said it was too much of a hassle to go and get them from our rooms first. I actually agreed with her on that."
Harry gave a chuckle. He was already seeing Anna as his second favorite princess. He walked up next to Elsa and looked at the fountain closer. It was pretty nice, but in a simple way. It was also deep and it looked like there were fish in the large bottom pool.
"It doesn't get too cold for the fish?" he asked.
Elsa shook her head and sat on the edge. "Not really. Ice will form on the top, but…" She pointed into a corner where there was a contraption of some kind. "That keeps the water oxygenated and warm enough under the ice. The gardeners will also carefully crack the ice when it isn't too cold out here."
Harry and Elsa stayed there for a little while listening to the fountain and watching the fish. They also enjoyed the surrounding area's sounds as birds were singing and bugs were buzzing while flying by. Harry could understand why Elsa liked this garden so much. It was beautiful and serene, kind of like her.
Elsa stood up and beckoned for Harry to follow her again. "I want to show you some of the different garden statues here." Harry was happy about this. He really wanted to see them. It was quite atmospheric given the sun seemed to be catching the area with just the right amount of light.
As the two walked, Elsa pointed out some of the different sculptures. There was one with a large cat and a cuddling cub. A little further there was one with two bear cubs playing on a tree while a third licked honey from its paw at the base. Next, there was a statue of a fairy queen. The fairy queen was beautiful and elegant with an enchanting smile. She sat on a lily pad with her wings spread out behind her.
Harry found one statue he particularly liked. It was of a knight wearing leather armor with a sword and shield on his back. He was standing tall and strong with a spy glass in hand to his side. Harry wished he had looked that way when he faced the Basilisk instead of being in his dirty and torn school robes. Then he would have at least looked the part of a hero in front of Elsa while they battled Riddle and the snake.
As Harry thought on this, he made up his mind on something. He wanted to learn how to actually use a sword and fight. Well at least get some tips and maybe a good recommendation on a workout routine. He didn't want to be a burden in the future. The way Elsa fought and acted during the battle was awe inspiring for him. He also wanted to be worthy of the enchanted blindfold he pulled from the sorting hat which he still had in his possession.
They moved on once again.
[-] [-] [-]
"Ahhh…" Elsa said with a nostalgic smile as they came to a different statue. "This one was always my favorite." She leaned in closer to the statute. It depicted a Queen or Princess dressed for battle in armor that looked functional and still somehow beautiful and feminine. Right next to the Queen was a Knight with a grim face wearing armor as well.
"This one's my favorite because of the story mom always told me about it." Elsa pointed to the Queen and said, "This was Queen Rianna." She then pointed to the knight and said, "He was, as depicted in the statute, Lord Nikolas. He was in love with Rianna and wanted to prove his love to her."
Elsa got a little more comfortable and Harry did as well. She then continued, "Arendelle was invaded by a force from the East. Our forces did what we could to hold them off, but eventually the invaders managed to take the opposite side of Arendelle and started working their way further inland. Lord Nikolas fought bravely with his forces claiming his victories would be in Rianna's name. He vowed to ask her to wed him once he was victorious and proven."
Elsa gave sigh. "He wasn't. He ended up having to retreat with his men and spoke with the Queen herself. He was depressed he had failed to push them back. Also because of his actions the invaders decided to go straight for the palace. They were high off the morale of their win against him."
The Crown Princess gave a small smile as she said, "Queen Rianna in the end chose to march into battle and lead the forces herself. With the knowledge and insight Lord Nikolas gained facing them, the two worked together and managed to push the forces back. They also worked to make sure all of the invaders were dead, captured or forced to fully retreat."
"When they were finally successful, Arendelle celebrated the victory. Lord Nikolas was glad the land was safe once again, but he was saddened he wasn't able to protect it himself. He felt unworthy of ever loving Queen Rianna as more than just her vassal. She noticed his sullen mood and spoke to him about it," Elsa's smile grew a little here.
"She asked him, 'Good Sir, what dampens your spirits? We just successfully repelled a massive invasion force.' He looked to her and said, 'Yes, your Majesty we did and I am glad for this, but I failed on my own. I wasn't able to prove my worth.' She then looked him in the eyes and asked, 'Why did you retreat?' He looked to her confused but answered, 'We were outnumbered and I knew their forces would only grow if we tried to hold them out any longer.' She still looked at him and asked, 'Why didn't you stand your ground to continue to prove your worth?'
"He had a grim face as he said to her, 'My pride and feelings of love aren't worth the lives it would have cost. Neither would be standing proud in front of you, my Queen, over such a costly and foolish victory, if it were to have succeeded in the end.' He knew he was damning himself to be forever known as a coward. Or so he thought. However, Queen Rianna had smiled as she spoke."
Elsa cleared her throat and spoke in her 'Queen' voice, "You chose to save the lives of your men when there was no other option and placed their safety over your own desires. Your actions caused the invaders to focus on attacking the palace instead of destroying the homes of our people and building their forces' strength further. You did not stand in front of me as a victor, nor a foolish Lord who lost his people."
The storytelling princess dropped her voice back to normal as she continued, "He felt as if it was over for him. Instead the Queen smiled once more and held her gaze on him. 'No, Sir Nikolas. You instead stood beside me and together we ensured Arendelle's victory. The Queens of Arendelle have never been ones to sit on the sidelines and let those they love do all of the work for them. We would feel as if we had failed our people and the land if we did.' Lord Nikolas had looked stunned when he heard her words."
Elsa smiled fondly at the figures as she seemed to be ending the tale. "The Queen spoke to him more intimately and said, 'You have proven yourself far worthier than any others when you chose what was best for the Kingdom and its people over your pride and personal desires. If I were to choose a King, I would want one who was strong, brave, smart and humble enough to help the land before himself.' After that, Lord Nikolas professed his love to her. Queen Rianna happily accepted his feelings and later Lord Nikolas became King Nikolas. The two ruled Arendelle and together brought about prosperity and strength to the land. The invaders did try again years later, but this time they never set foot inside Arendelle, even if the battle was still bloody."
Harry was impressed hearing the story. The fact it was true, made it even more interesting and amazing. "Seems strong women have always run in the royal family," he thought to himself with a smile. "I can see why you like this statue so much," he said to Elsa as he looked at the two figures closer.
Harry wanted to be more like Nikolas now than the knight he saw earlier in the garden. He wanted to be strong, brave, and smart. "I'll just have to make sure I don't hesitate as much to admit my love," he thought to himself. Harry was thinking how to get stronger and improve himself, that way he would be ready when the time came. If it ever did come.
He got an idea. "While I'm here, can I study some as well? I do kind of need to catch up since I didn't think to do so the last two summers. I know three weeks won't be enough, but maybe it will give me a start."
Elsa nodded, "I can ask the tutors if they can spare the time."
"Good. I'd also like to learn how to fight as well, or at least how to get strong enough to start learning to fight," Harry said.
Elsa gave him an encouraging look as she said, "That sounds like a good idea. We both know you will have a lot ahead of you. There is no better way for you to survive the next wizarding war then learning to fight as well."
Harry held a grim face close to matching the statue's as he nodded. "After this year, it is clearer than ever he will return and come after me. I need to get ready for when that happens."
Elsa grasped one of his hands in her own. "I'll do what I can to help when that time comes as well." The two were more determined than before to meet the future head on.
As they shared their determination, they heard a voice call to them. "There you two are! I should have known Elsa would bring you here."
Elsa stood up and smiled, "Anna. What did you want?"
Anna smiled as she said, "It's about time to eat. Mom and Dad are eager to meet Harry."
Harry gulped nervously. He really hoped he survived dinner with the King and Queen of Arendelle. More importantly… "I hope I survive dinner with Elsa's mom and dad…" He thought to himself. They were the same people, but putting it that way seemed more terrifying to Harry.
"Yeah… I think I have a long way to go before I have Sir Nikolas' bravery…" he thought as he did his best to walk. His legs seemed to have decided they were perfectly happy with not moving, thank you very much. He really hoped this wouldn't end up being his last night in Arendelle. He really hoped he didn't make too much of a fool of himself at dinner.
Elsa seemed to sense something was amiss with Harry. She grabbed his hand and smiled to him as she gave it a light squeeze. Harry smiled back to her and felt more at ease. It was amazing how such a simple gesture could really help a person out.
"Maybe… Maybe… I'll only half disappoint them," Harry thought as Anna led the way inside and Elsa held his hand. He was still nervous about eating dinner with Elsa's parents, but he resigned to this fate. He could only avoid them if he left all together, but that meant he wouldn't get to spend the rest of summer with Elsa. Some things were worth the risk, and he counted this as one of those instances.
A/N: I originally had the dinner here as well, but the chapter felt too long like that. Now I just have to figure out what to do so the next chapter doesn't feel too long… I swear I'm aiming to have them back at Hogwarts by the seventh chapter at the latest. I seem to drag out the summer too much in this series, even if a lot happens during it.