Chapter Two: Through the Veil
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, or its affiliated characters, places, or things. JK Rowling and affiliated companies own Harry Potter. I do not own Dragon Age, its affiliated characters, places, or things. Bioware and EA own those things. This plot is mine, however, and sadly for me, I can't/won't make money off this. Such is life.
A/N: Okay, I just want to stress that this idea would not leave me alone. So, I wrote it in a couple of weeks, so there is some choppiness to it. I know that lyrium kills whoever consumes it in its pure form. However, the seven people trapped in the lyrium are not eating it. Will there be side effects? Maybe. You will just have to wait and see. If anyone wants to be a beta for any of my stories PM me.
Hawke Estate
Kirkwall
10:33 Hero 3rd of Firstfall
Iris was lying there in bed, trying not to think about the pain in her chest. She knew it had to be a heart attack, but she wasn't going to do anything to stop it. Iris figured a hundred and twenty-six years of life was good enough. She had spent a good fifty years living with Merrill. Iris tried to fight back the tears that were coming at the thought of Merrill. Even though it had been twenty years since her death just thinking about her brought the pain back full force.
"Is everything okay, Gran?"
Iris turned to look at the young man sitting next to her. Tristan was the youngest of her great-grandchildren. It was a small miracle that they found a way for Merrill to have a child with Carver so that the Hawke line could continue. Iris chuckled at the thought of a child. Most people would be happy to have more than one, but not all at once. They had triplets: two boys, one girl. Tristan was the youngest grandson of their oldest son Michael. "Just pain Tristan, and before you say anything, no, don't use magic. I think it is my time."
"You cannot say that Gran." Tristan protested. "There so much, I still want to learn from you."
Iris chuckled at this. "Tristan, I have been alive for a hundred and twenty-six years. I think it is time. I have taught you all I could as my father taught me. Just remember to be that which is best in you. Not that which is most base."
"Yes, Gran," Tristan said as he took her hand. "Just close your eyes and rest."
Iris just nodded her head and closed her eyes. In the darkness, she could hear the hum of lyrium. Usually, this would be a bad thing, but she thought this was a sign she was soon to leave this world. It had been a long time since the memories of living as Harry Potter had returned to her. Up until that point, she had always held the thought that Dumbledore was just a misguided spirit. Now Iris knew she was wrong on two fronts. The first of which was the idea that she was playing a game. Know they all knew who they once were. Well, she the only one of them left alive. The first of them to go was Verric, then Isabela, Neria, Leliana, Vasa, and Josephine. Of all of them, she was jealous of Vasa and Josephine. The two of them died on the same day. She would be with them soon enough for this pain and frustration to fade. The second and most irritating part was that Iris thought Dumbledore was a spirit or a demon. The man in retrospect was manipulative for sure, but he was neither a demon or a spirit. She didn't know what the old man was hiding from her, but she had delt so much crazy shit in her life that she knew he had to be hiding something.
Another sharp pain hit her in the chest again. There were more important things to focus on right now. Iris turned over in her bed once more. Maybe she would fall asleep before death took her. Iris knew she was going to see the Maker again, but the idea of death was still scary. Iris knew if she was right Merrill would be there waiting for her. Whether that was on the other side of the Fade, or within the Fade, Iris didn't care. All she wanted was to be in Merrill right now. She took a shallow breath and exhaled. At that moment, her vision was filled with a bright blue light.
When the light faded, Iris looked around. Iris looked around to see where she was. Like she had thought she was in the Fade. There were still floating chunks of earth sitting in the air around her, and large chunks of lyrium sitting around her. She could see no one else standing around her. For a few moments, she was worried. That ended of course when Merrill came running around one of those floating rocks. Iris started running towards her. It was as they drew closer together that Merrill looked younger. She looked to be the same age as the day they met. Iris didn't even want to think about how she looked. Iris was just glad that her body felt right. She didn't know what it felt like to be Harry Potter anymore.
"Oh, it is so good to see you again, Iris," Merrill said threw her arms around Iris. Iris through her arms around Merrill's waist. "How old were you?" Merrill asked as she rested her head on Iris' shoulder.
"I was a hundred and twenty-six. Two of our great-grandchildren are expecting children at the moment." Iris said as she just swayed there in the spot. She was just enjoying the embrace at the moment. The sound of heavy footsteps made her look off to her left. Verric was standing there with a smile on his. "What do you want Verric?" Iris asked as she looked down at her friend.
"Nothing, just glad to see you again," Verric said as he walked up and stood in front of her.
It wasn't long after this that they were joined by the others. Isabela was the first to do anything. The fact that it was putting Iris and Merrill in a bone-crushing hug was something a little odd. She never showed them that much affection. They were followed by in order: Vasa, Josephine, Neria, and lastly Leliana. Having all the heroes gathered around once again made her feel at home. There was just one 'person' that was missing.
"Where is the Maker?" Iris asked.
"He is around the corner, waiting for us?" Merrill said softly.
"Around the corner, waiting for all of us," Isabela said to point to where they had come from. "Come you to love birds."
"You just need someone pirate," Iris said with a smile as she took Merrill's hand. "Come on, Merrell we have 'Someone' to meet."
All seven started walking down the pathway in the Fade. As Iris walked down the pathway, she thought back on the two lives, she had led. Harry Potter was a good young man, but compared to Iris Hawke, he seemed more timid. Yes, they were both 'good' people, but Harry was in Iris' opinion too reliant on Dumbledore. It's not like she taught Harry was incapable of doing anything. She just thought he was also dependent upon someone who wasn't teaching her anything. If he wanted to help her, then he should have been teaching Harry since the bull shit that happened in her second year. Sure, she relied on Malcolm Hawke to teach her, but he at least taught her how to use magic, defend herself, and what it meant to be the right person. Dumbledore would just say a few things to lift her spirits and then send her back to the Dursleys. She didn't know what the man was thinking about while he did this, but she was going to find out now that she had lived a longer life than him. Iris could only believe that the man had put some magic around the house to protect her from Voldemort's followers. Iris just started laughing at these thoughts.
"What's so funny Iris?" Verric asked.
"I was thinking about what Dumbledore has done, and possibly why he did it. The thoughts are rather sad." Iris said with a sombre smile on her face. "If I am right, I will let him know my displeasure."
"Will you be doing that with or without your staff?" Verric asked with a smile.
"I don't know yet," Iris said as they came walking around the corner. Standing there in his business suit was the Maker/God. What amazed her a little more was standing beside him was a woman with long red hair. It was an excellent flowing form compared to what Iris thought it would look like. She also had a beautiful way almost supermodel in shape. "Wow, I see why he likes her."
"That's what I said, but he said it is more than that," Neria said with a smile on her face.
"Yes, it was more than that." The Maker said with a smile. "With all of you back here now I might as well let your souls take your 'original' form." With that he snapped his fingers Iris turned back into Harry Potter. Even though he had been a male initially, it felt bizarre being back in this form. She looked back over at Merrill. What she saw stunned her. Instead of Merrill, she was looking at Daphne Greengrass. She'd known for years this is who she'd be looking at, but it was still a little shocking to see it. It's not that she was talking wrong about Daphne, but Merrill had been the one she'd been in love with for years. Seeing Merrill's black hair replaced with sandy-blonde hair was a bit off-putting. The fact that the eyes didn't change was a good thing. Well, they did change in tone. They had gone from dark green to a light green tone. It was thinking about that that made Iris turn her attention to the way she felt now. She felt very odd right now. The sound of the Maker's voice pulled her out of the self-inspection. "So, how does this feel?"
"Very odd." Neria (Susan) said as she felt her ears. "My ears still feel like elven ears."
"Yeah." Daphne and Vasa (Tracey) said as one.
Harry looked over at Verric and Isabela. He found instead of Verric he was looking at Neville, and Hermione was standing where Isabela once stood. It was Verric that spoke for the two of them. "It's nice to be tall again, but I feel very out of balance."
"Yeah, you said it." Hermione was trying to walk like Isabela. She stumbled with each step through. "Wow, I thought pulling this off would be easy."
The Maker chuckled. "Well Ms Granger, in this form your souls are familiar with the way they used to move. So, you walking that way does not feel 'right'."
"Interesting," Hermione said as she leaned on Neville.
"Well, now that everyone is here, let us talk about what I have done." The Maker waited for everyone to be looking at him. "Ok, the first thing you should know is that I have reunited both universes. Thedas, yes that is the name of the planet, and Earth now shares the same orbit around the Sun. Thedas is in the L4 Lagrange Point. From the point a view of Thedas, the Earth is in the L5 Point of Thedas."
"Wow," Hermine said, looking more than a little stunned. "Are they in communication?"
The Maker nodded his head. "Yes, Thedas is in the twenty-second century compared to Earth. Since your minds are more on Thedas Calendar mindset the time is 14:20 Space. They are two centuries ahead of the Earth in space travel."
"So, they have colonised other planets?" Hermione asked, sounding more than a little shocked.
The Maker just smiled. "I am not going to tell you everything within reason. Now second, all seven of you are in the same place a muggle hospital in London. You are being protected by mages from Thedas, and soldiers in some of your cases. Dumbledore was trying to 'free' all of you, but that was ended two weeks ago. Almost all of your parents are there saved for yours. Neville your grandmother has been there every day. Tracey's mum has been checking in on you Daphne. Lastly, you all get to keep three traits of the lives you just lived."
"Does that include being elven?" Tracey asked. The Maker just nodded. "Sweet."
"With that said, this means you will be a Thedas elf, not a house-elf." The Maker looked sad for a moment, but he then looked serious. "What you do as that is up to you, but I am not doing this so you can be malicious to others."
"Understood," Hermione said.
Iris thought back to how Hermione acted as Isabela and thought it would be hard for her to do this. It was at this moment that Iris realised she wasn't calling herself Harry. This made a particular question come to her mind. "Your Grace I know I'm the only one who chose the opposite sex between the three of us." Iris pointed between herself, Susan, and Tracey as she said this. "Does that include gender?"
The maker nodded their head. "Yes, Iris it does. You have lived as both genders, so I can see where you are torn between them." Iris just nodded her head. "Now, I will give time to think about your choices." With that, the Maker walked over to Andraste.
Iris started thinking back to her life, wondering what parts of it she wanted to keep. She knew her healthy body build for sure. Sure, she was fit to because of quidditch training and the amount of food she got at school, but it was still slightly below where she wanted it to be. If Daphne, Tracey, and Susan were going to keep their elven traits, maybe there were some traits from her life as Iris she could possess. The hair was the same colour, and it was a little unruly as well. Maybe having one of her eyes be the grey eyes of the Hawkes would be acceptable. The only thing her mind kept coming back to was gender. She knew as Harry she wasn't that bad looking, but Iris couldn't see herself going back to being a boy. If Dumbledore had been coming there to get her out of the lyrium. Then this situation had to be messing with his plans. Trying to think of something else Iris thought about her hand-eye coordination. She dropped that because Harry's was just as good, he just lacked experience. It took a lot of hand-eye coordination to catch a snitch. The next thought made her chuckle a little. She didn't think the Maker would 'keep' Hawke's wealth around just to hand it off to her. As Harry money wasn't an issue. Iris would wager she was more wealthy. So, money was a stupid question. Iris could really come up with anything other than what she had initially thought of. If she had been a male Hawke, she might have said his physical strength, but he couldn't do that here. Iris thought she and Harry were the same strength, so it was pointless to ask that question. Harry was stupid rich; she didn't need to ask for money.
Before she could say anything, Verric stepped forward. "Maker, could I ask if Bianca will be reborn on Earth?"
The Maker nods their head as they walked towards them. "Yes, you can."
"Well, I take by the way you answered she was." The Maker nodded his head. "The first thing I'd like to keep is my muscle memory. I'll need it as Neville that's for sure." Everyone chuckled a little. "The second thing I'd like to keep is my hand-eye coordination. Lastly, I'd like for Bianca to have her memories restored to her. I know it is not a trait I have, but I cannot think of another one of mine."
The Maker closed his eyes for a few moments before looking back at Neville. "Okay Neville that is done. Would you go back now or wait until everyone has made their decisions?"
Neville thought for a few moments. "I'll go back now. I'll protect everyone else from Dumbledore's meddling." Neville looked over at Daphne. "Daphne if Astoria is there, I will protect her."
Daphne looked at Neville and smiled. "Thank you, Neville. I just wish you had Bianca."
Neville laughed deeply at that thought. "I don't think the Hospital will let a loaded crossbow inside."
The Maker laughed a little at this. "Good guess Neville." With that, the maker waved his hand, and Neville was surrounded by bright blue light. Within seconds he was gone. The Maker then looked at the rest of them. "So, do you all need more time?"
Everyone looked at each other. Iris felt ready, but she didn't want to leave without Daphne. "I think I'll be waiting."
"You figure I'm not ready?" Daphne asked.
"I guess that you aren't, but I also don't want to leave before Hermione. I want to avoid that lecture."
"Smart man." The bookworm said with a smile on her face. Everyone laughed as Iris rubbed the back of her head. 'I have one of my decisions down, though.' Harry thought, with a smile on his face.
XoXoXoXoX
July 29th 1994 9:50 AM
Hospital
London
Augusta Longbottom was sitting there watching a mediwitch and what the muggles call a nurse looking over the things monitoring Neville. It had been four weeks since shed found Neville encased in this crystal. Had it not been a call from St. Mungo's, she would have tried to blast the crystal off of him. Augusta didn't want to believe the mediwitch was talking about until a spirit showed up. She originally wanted to call her a ghost, but she swore her name was Compassion. Compassion told Augusta that Neville would need to be moved to a muggle hospital. She wanted to object, but the mediwitch said that where the other seven children were being moved to. Augusta was shocked that this had happened to other children. The spirit told that it was within Neville's best interest to move to the hospital. She asked the mediwitch if this where he'd be sent if she got him to St. Mungo's.
"Ma'am that is the only place that can keep track of how he is doing. There are new people with magical technology from a new planet that orbits the Sun with us."
"What are you talking about?" Augusta demanded.
"Ma'am I don't believe it myself, but a bunch of new magic users came flying in on special ships today. The talked to the muggle government are in communication with them. So, our Ministry is talking openly with the Prime Minister now."
"What?" Augusta asked, completely stunned.
"I don't know what to tell you, ma'am. If you want, we can move him to one of the rooms being set up for them." The mediwitch said calmly.
Augusta was ashamed with herself now that it had taken the mediwitch an hour to convince her to do it. Thinking about this made Augusta believe about the other children this had happened to. There was one that was being flown in from France. Other than that, Augusta didn't know anything about the poor girl. Augusta had been shocked that almost all of them came from the UK. Neville was now in a room sitting next to one holding Daphne Greengrass. Augusta was worried about that one. The only one to come and see her was her little sister Astoria. There was a part of Augusta that worried about those girls. What kind of parent would abandon their child to an unknown location, and another to an unknown fate? It was almost like Mr, and Mrs Greengrass didn't care about their children.
"I know I've never talked to them, but maybe I should talk to them," Augusta said softly to herself.
As Augusta stood up, a loud cracking sound filled the room. Augusta looked to the hospital bed. The mediwitch and the nurse were stepping away from the ground. This blue steam was coming up from the centre part of the crystal. This line started making its way around the crystal as this happened. There were small chunks of crystal falling to the floor. Two of the mages walked up to the crystal. Augusta walked up to see what was going on more clearly. There was about an inch gap in the crystal now. It was on both the mid-point on the side and the top. This light coming from it was fading now, and this soft coughing sound was coming from within.
"Can someone lift the lyrium off me?" Neville sound more than a little sassy. The other two from Thedas, the mediwitch, and the nurse rushed up to the bedside. The six of the slowly lifted the crystal off of Neville. Once the crystal had given the space to do so, Neville sat up. He stretched out his arms and then rubbed his shoulder. "Okay note to self: Never get wrapped in lyrium again."
"Neville are you alright?" Augusta said as she rushed forward.
Once she was beside the bed, Neville noticed her. "Hey, Gran. Don't worry, I'm okay. I just lived a very… interesting life." Neville said this with a smile.
Augusta just stood there stunned. This was one of the things she'd been told, but she just didn't believe it. "You must be joking Neville," Augusta said softly.
Neville shook his head. "Wish I was Gran." Neville looked around the room. "Who is from Thedas?"
The four mages lifted their hands once the crystal was placed on the floor. The old woman amongst them said. "What was your name, young man?"
"Varric Tethras, former viscount of Kirkwall. Also, a good storyteller if you ask me." Neville said this with a smile on his face. "Now someone please tell me if Bianca is still here."
"That depends on what you are talking about." The older wizard said sternly.
Neville laughed at this. "That is something we were talking about."
"You know how the others are doing?" Augusta asked Neville more than a little shocked.
"Of course, the Maker gave us parting gifts for doing what we've done. I don't know what the others have made, but I made certain changes to my physique." Neville said this with a smile on his face as a mediwitch checked his well-being.
"What has changed about you, Mr Longbottom?" The mediwitch asked more than a little worried.
"Just how nimble I am." Neville laughed at this time. "I don't think I'll be able to compete with Harry for being Seeker, but I am not going to trip over myself with every other step now."
"That is a bold statement, young man," Augusta said sternly.
"It may be bold, but it is true. I don't think I am flawless now, but I do think my flaw is less prolific." Neville said with a smile.
Augusta was sitting there in silence wondering why Neville was talking like this. Never in his life was he this… sure of himself. What kind of life had Neville lived during the four weeks encased in that crystal prison? Had he been a cocky young man like Draco Malfoy? Augusta hoped this was not the case. "Neville, I raised you better than this," Augusta said with a stern look on her face.
Neville nodded his head. "You did Gran, but my life as Varric was a little bit more… flamboyant. I won't say I was arrogant, but I was definitely cocky. I was more than a bit… roguish Gran. I was also a famous author. I wrote both fiction and historical books." A smile went across his face as he said this. "To be honest, I was more of a behind the scenes kind of guy. I didn't like to be the centre of attention. The only time that changed was when I was Viscount of Kirkwall. I only held that job for the ten years until Lady Hawke returned."
Augusta just sat there in silence. 'Was he really a war hero?' Augusta thought to herself. The IDEA of Neville being in a war was a bit off-putting. The boy didn't have the skillset, much less the coordination, to be of much use in ancient warfare. "Neville surely you are joking?" Augusta asked.
Neville just smirked and shook his head. "Sadly, Gran, I am not. I have years of combat experience now, along with the mental baggage that goes along with it. Now I am not as jumpy as I used to be, but I'd still love to do anything else other than going to the Deep Roads. I will also do everything in my power to fight Blood Magic. Trust me, Gran I now know why Mum and Dad did what they did, but I have my own reasons for being this way. That aside is there any way you guys can do all of this in another room. I promised a friend I'd look after her sister. Oh, and the last question is Dumbledore here?"
"I can assure you, Mr Longbottom, that Professor Dumbledore is not her. I must also say that you need to stay here until we…" the mediwitch started to say.
"No, ma'am I don't think you HAVE to do anything. I'm fine, it's my friend's little sister who isn't fine. All I need is some medicine due to my lyrium exposure, and be sent home on my merry bloody way."
"Mr Longbottom, Neville." Augusta and the Mediwitch said as one.
"What? It is true. Look ladies I know you mean well, but I made Daphne a promise that I would be looking after Astoria. Her parents are arseholes, and I will be damned if I let her father anywhere near the poor girl." The conviction in his voice made everyone stand still. "Now we can either continue this examination in Daphne's room, or you just wait until she wakes up, and I return. One way or another, I am willing to be examined. I just don't want to put this action on hold."
"I'm sorry, Mr Longbottom." The mediwitch said as she raised her wand. She didn't get the chance to cast a spell, though. Neville's hands moved in a blur. One second, they were by his side the next second, they were beside her hands. The soft sound of wooding hitting the floor grabbed everyone's attention. Lying there, infront of the bed was the witch's wand. The witch looked from the wand to Neville with this shocked look on her face. "How did you…"
"Like I told you I have years of experience doing things like this. I don't want to hurt anyone. I just want to protect a young girl from her abusive parents. Now if you don't mind, I'd like to take this examination into her room. If there is anything that needs me to lose my clothes, then we will do that here. If it doesn't though then I say we take it to that room. Because I don't want an angry Daphne cursing me into next week."
The mediwitch just rubbed her hand as she stared at the nurse. "Mr Longbottom, Ms Greengrass is fine there are guards from Thedas there looking after her sister. I think IF her parents show up, they wouldn't be able to hurt her."
"I can understand that ma'am, but I still have my obligation to uphold. You may think of me as fourteen-year-old, but you fail to see that I have an additional seventy-five years on top of that. My conscience will not let this stand."
Augusta was amazed at the determination Neville had at doing this. Never in all her years had she seen him do something like this. At this moment he was like his father. Stubborn like his father, but still his father. "All right Neville, we'll do this, but if they find anything wrong with you, we are coming back to this room."
"Ma'am we don't know what he was exposed to. This could have made him ill. Given him some form of cancer." The nurse said swiftly.
"Then do whatever you need to do to check for that. Until then, I will be in the room with Ms Greengrass." Augusta said sternly. Augusta turned to look at Neville. "Neville, you just wait till they clear you." With that, Augusta stood up and walked towards the door. 'What could these parents be doing to this poor girl? It has to be something bad for Neville to act like this.' Augusta tried to keep her thoughts from going dark, but as she drew closer to the door, her mind drew up some horrible situations that no child should live through.
XoXoXoXoX
The Fade
Harry stood there, thinking about how clear his mind was right now. He was getting better at thinking of himself as Harry. Harry was trying to think about all the choices. His mind was a little bit more clear on what he wanted. Yet Harry still didn't know if it was possible. Sure, the Maker made both universe one again, but would he be willing to change entirely leave Iris' body? Harry looked over at his friends. Daphne looked more than a little worried at the moment. Harry knew that Daphne was concerned about how her parents were treating Astoria. The poor girl was cursed from birth. Because of this, her parents didn't think too highly of her. Iona Greengrass wasn't as bad as her husband, but the fact that a mother would sit there and LET a man beat her daughter didn't sit well with Harry. Joseph Greengrass, in his opinion, was just a bastard. Daphne knew he beat her sister, and on occasion her, but she suspected him of a lot worse. She had no proof, but the way her father looked at Astoria sometimes made Daphne's skin crawl.
Shaking his head of these thoughts, Harry's gaze turned towards the others. Hermione looked determined about something. Harry wondered if that was Hermione Granger determined or Isabela determined. Those were two different forms of determined. Hermione wouldn't even think of breaking a strict rule, Isabela didn't mind offing people if it meant solving a problem. Of the two methods, the one that scared her the most was Hermione's way. Isabela's was more direct and in your face. Hermione's was well thought out and time-consuming. If she wanted you taken care of, it could be taken care of quickly, or take her time about it. Last time she did something like that she had spent months helping out Hagrid with that case for Buckbeak, and when that failed, she used a time-turner to save his life.
A glance to his left showed Susan, the Hero of Fereldon, standing there with her arm thrown around the shoulder of Ginny Weasley (Leliana). The two of them looked rather stoic. If it hadn't been for that healing potion with dragon's blood, Harry didn't think Neria would have lived as long as she did. Iris would have loved to honestly know how Neria found out that dragon's blood would help clean her body of the Taint. She wouldn't divulge to a non-Warden what the other components were though. It wouldn't surprise her though that at least one of the pieces was elf root.
Tracey and Fleur were sitting on a stone to the left of everyone else. The former Inquisitor was seated in the lap of the French half-Vela. Given what she had learned about Vela Iris was kind of glad they were in the Fade where such abilities didn't do too much. The two of them had talked for years now about what they would do when they returned to their 'normal' lives. They were both going to the World Cup, and definitely wanted to see it together. When it came up, that was all they could talk about in private, but after seventy-six years of living Iris had utterly forgotten about the matter until now. All that aside, he couldn't tell what the two of them would choose. Tracey could ask for the Anchor and the Key. She didn't know what from her life as Josephine that Fleur could possibly want. In both lives, she was beautiful. Maybe her diplomatic skills?
"Harry, are you listening?" Daphne asked.
Harry shook his head. "Sorry love no I wasn't."
"Honestly, given him five minutes back as Harry and he goes right back to slacker," Hermione said with a smile on her face.
"Oi! I was thinking about what options we all had." Iris said sharply.
"In all seriousness, what do you think about us going in the order we died?" Tracey asked.
Harry thought about that for a minute. That wasn't too bad of a decision. That gave them an order in which to decide, and it kept them from fighting over who went next. Harry nodded his head with a smile. "I like that idea. Alright, Hermione, you are up."
Hermione just nodded her head and stepped forward. "Alright, I've made my decision."
The Maker smiled and stepped forward. "Alright Ms Granger, what is your decision?"
"I would like to keep Isabela's muscle memory, her strength, and hand-eye coordination." Hermione looked back at her friend. "I know Neville did the same thing, but we have two different skill sets."
Everyone nodded as Hermione was surrounded by a bright blue light and vanished. The Maker looked between everyone else. "Are the rest of you ready?"
Everyone looked at each other and nodded. The next one to step forward was Susan. "Maker I think my best choices will be to stay elven, keep Neria's tattoo, and I'll keep her voice as well."
"I'm not complaining love, but why those things?" Ginny asked with a smile.
"The tattoo because in my mind it's cool, the voice because it is a little more sultry than this one, and I'd feel weird at this point if I wasn't an elf," Susan said as she was being wrapped around by blue light.
"You minx," Ginny said as Susan vanished. Ginny then stepped forward. "Maker I will keep my skill to play musical instruments, my singing voice, and lastly my muscle memory."
"As you wish." The Maker said and with a wave of his hand. With that, Ginny was surrounded by blue light and vanished. "Is anyone surprised that the rogues of the group kept their muscle memory?" Everyone shook their heads. "Okay, so I am not alone in that, good. So, who's next?"
Tracey got off Fleur's lap stepped forward with a smile on her face. "That would be me." She looked back at her love. "Don't worry, I am not keeping something goofy." With a saucy laugh, she looked back at the Maker. "I will stay elven, I'll keep her hair colour, and I will keep the tattoo."
"Really with 'e hair Tracey? From what you told me your hair is beautiful." Fleur complained.
As the blue light wrapped around her Tracey said: "Yeah, but I keep dying my hair."
"Oh." Was all Fleur could say as Tracey vanished. Fleur then walked forward and said with a soft smile. "I will keep this short, your grace. I would like to keep my handwriting style, keep her dexterity, and her food habits."
As the blue light enveloped, Fleur Daphne asked. "Preparing to live in the UK?" All Fleur had the time to do was nod. When she was gone, Daphne looked at Harry. Iris didn't honestly know what Daphne was thinking. Still, after being together for nearly a century, they could almost read each other like a book. They stared at each for a minute before they both nodded. Iris knew that whatever she chose now Daphne was behind it. "All right Maker I will stay elven, keep the tattoo, and I'd like for all of us to know elven."
The Maker laughed. "You are not selfish, are you?"
As she turned blue, Daphne said: "Not on the last one."
Harry felt the weight of his choice fall on his shoulders now. Thinking about it made things even worse, though. On the one had the mages from Earth were expecting Harry Potter to come out of the lyrium. On the other hand, the people of Thedas wanted Iris Hawke to come out of that same crystal cocoon. If he came out as one over the other, it would seem like Harry favoured one world over the next, and that wasn't true. Sure, his early life on Earth sucked, but that didn't make him hate the world. If anything, it was almost a warm-up to his life as Hawke. Granted, no one was trying to kill him then, but his uncle wouldn't have shed a tear if he died.
On the other hand, there was Thedas. She had spent many years there nice and happy. Sure, walking around like she was going to caught by Templars or Clerics for the first part of her life, but that changed after the Blight… kind of. Sure, for about two years, she still had to hide from Templars, but she; Carver; and their mother managed to get back into high society. She didn't honestly know if Vernon and Dudley's treatment of Harry prepared her for the foes that she would have later on life. Right now, it felt that way, though.
Then there was Dumbledore and Voldemort. He couldn't really think of these two as separate entities anymore. Sure, they were different people, but they acted off one other. It was almost like they fed off one other's actions. Voldemort would find a way to come back from the dead, and Dumbledore would leave Harry breadcrumbs to follow to solve the problem. When the memories of Harry Potter returned to her Iris Hawke hated Dumbledore. She thought that Dumbledore was using Harry as an instrument. Dumbledore may have been using Harry as an instrument, but Voldemort was attempting to break it. Harry didn't know who he hated more at this point. All he did know is that unless Dumbledore came clean, Harry wouldn't trust him.
Just thinking about that made an idea bubble in Harry's head. If he returned as a female, he would derail Dumbledore's plan. Sure, he didn't know what it was, but he thought if he changed one major thing Dumbledore would be thrown for a loop. Iris didn't want him to have a chance at controlling her life anymore. Iris just smiled at how fast she went back to identifying as her former life. The idea that she would now be older than Dumbledore did help her lean in this direction.
"Can my request be odd?" Iris asked.
The Maker just smiled. "There are limitations Mr Potter, but ask, and we will see."
Iris just nodded back at him. She had to have a way where everyone would know who she was on Earth that was easy. Almost everyone in the magical world would know here by the scar. Iris Hawk was a little harder. "Okay then my first request is to keep Iris' gender, the second I'd like to have one of my eyes be grey, and lastly I'd like my body to be of the hight and weight it should have been."
"You mean healthy weight, right?" Andraste asked with a smile.
"Yes, ma'am," Iris said with a smile. The Maker just laughed and waved at Iris dismissively. At that moment Iris felt as if she was going through the Floo Network in the wrong direction. The one thing that had Iris really worried was that unlike the Floo Network the speed seemed to increase the closer Iris got to the ground. She was actually able to see the hospital after about ten seconds of falling, but the sight didn't last long. Iris couldn't even count the amount of time that had passed between seeing the hospital and hearing the loud cracking sound. Looking around, Iris could see that there was lyrium surrounding her, and the weight on her chest was overwhelming. "Um, can someone get this lyrium off of me?" Iris just laid there thinking about the high-pitched voice. It sounds like a gentler tone of voice than Iris remembered having on Thedas. The sound of the lyrium being moved grabbed her attention. It didn't take long to remove the pressure on her chest. It wasn't long after that, that her eyes were filled with light. Once the crystal was completely clear of her, Iris said: "Ah I can breathe."
"Harry, are you, all right? You sound different." a familiar voice came off from the right.
Iris looked off to the right to see Aunt Petunia standing right next to the bed she was lying on. Even though Iris couldn't see Petunia's face, the woman actually sounded worried about something. "Yes, I am Aunt Petunia. Did you bring my glasses?"
"Of course, I did." Iris could hear Petunia messing around with her purse. Within a few seconds Iris could feel a familiar pair of glasses in her hand. It wasn't long after that that Iris felt her glasses be placed in her hand.
"Thanks." Iris put her glasses on and looked around the room. Standing infront of her trying to listen to her heartbeat was standing there looking a little shocked. "What's wrong ma'am?" Iris asked with a smile.
"I think you've got a tumour or something on your chest sir." The nurse said, sounding a little worried.
Iris just shook her head. "Oh, it's no tumour," Iris said this chuckling. "My gender has changed."
"What?" Aunt Petunia asked, sounding more than a little shocked.
Iris just looked at Petunia. The woman looked more than a little worried. "The Maker, or God, changed my gender at my request. I just lived a life as a woman for a hundred and twenty-six years."
"So, what they said is true?" a gruff voice came off from the back of the room.
Looking behind Petunia, Iris saw that the walrus was there as well. He didn't look too pleased about what she just said. "Yes, Uncle Vernon, I am now a young woman. So, you won't have to worry about me knocking someone up."
"B… how did this happen?" Vernon asked 'nicely'. Iris thought that he was this nice because of the company.
Iris could see the nurse checking her out primarily. It didn't take her long to hear the chanting of a spell off to her right. Looking in that direction, Iris finally noticed the mediwizard. "You are a girl now, Mr Potter."
Iris nodded her head. "Of course, as I said: I asked for this. I had lived for a hundred a twenty-six years as a woman, sir." Iris shook her head at having to repeat herself about this. She should have known this would happen. Iris turned her gaze back to Vernon. "Uncle Vernon the Maker or God let me keep the gender I lived as for what is now a majority of my life. In this world, I may still be a minor, but that doesn't take away the century of life I lived on Thedas."
"So, what the others are saying is… true," Vernon said, sounding more than a little worried.
Iris had to bite back a laugh. The look on Vernon's face was one of real horror at this point. 'I guess the idea of actually being held accountable for his actions scares him.' Iris thought as she cleared her throat. "Yes, sir. To be honest sir, I think all of this was supposed to happen." Iris hoped he was buying this because she didn't think she was supposed to tell anyone that they should have lived these lives first.
"That is scary in some way." A voice of to her left said. Iris turned her gaze to look in one of the corners of the room. Standing next to a piece of lyrium was a mage with the emblem of Aequitarian on his left shoulder.
"Easy for you to say. Being in the Makers presence is intimidating really. He wasn't trying to scare us, but I couldn't help but feeling it a little. That being said, he was not really threatening us. It was more the realisation that I was dealing with the Maker than being in his presence."
"I can understand that." The Aequitarian said with a sombre look on his face.
A soft cough off to her left made Iris look off that way once more. Standing next to another piece of lyrium was a young man in a business suit that looked like it came out of one a sci-fi movie. The looked well pressed. There was a blue glow coming from the white-coated thing sitting on his right ear. As Iris was checking his outfit out, she noticed a signet ring on his left hand. The crest on the ring was familiar to her: the Hawke family crest. Iris looked back at the young man. "I take it you are a member of the Hawke family?"
The young man nodded his head. "Yes, your ladyship. I just came here to make sure that you really are my ancestor Iris Hawke." While he sounded kind, the look on his face carried this look of condescension.
"Of course," Iris said calmly. If he was anything like Malfoy, she knew how to deal with people like him now. "What is your name Lord Hawke?"
"Graviel Hawke ma'am." The young man said with pride.
"Well, Sir Hawke, you seem to be worried about something," Iris said this as the nurse listened to her heart.
"I am worried that you are not my ancestor. I know you were encased in lyrium, but I'd like some more proof than that." He bent down to pick something up." The man patted a large suitcase resting on the wall. "I have brought three mages staffs to choose from. One of them will be your old staff if you were Lady Iris Hawke."
The nurse and the mediwitch looked at him like he was fowl beast. "Sir, that can wait till we, and the doctors are sure she/he is in a healthy state of being."
"Of course, ma'am. If that will be in a few days, I'll understand." Graviel said with a smile.
The nurse and mediwitch asked everyone but the family to leave the room. Once everyone had left the room, the mediwitch cast a spell at Iris' chest and then at her lower region. The look on her face was one of shock. This had to be the spell she cast earlier to check her gender. "You weren't joking Ms Potter, you're a girl."
Iris smiled. "Of course, the last thing I'd want to do is lie to you. You are checking on my health and well-being."
"Well, there are other tests we are going to have to do if that is the case." The nurse said with a concerned look on her face. She turned and looked at Vernon. "Mr Dursley, I will have to ask you to leave. There are certain things I will need her to do that I don't think you want to see."
Iris raised an eyebrow. "You want to check me for breast cancer?"
The nurse looked at her and nodded her head. "Yes, ma'am. You just… changed gender over a month at best, or a few minutes at worst. I think the doctor will want to see this."
"If that is what they want, I will do anything to ease your minds." With that said, Vernon left the room.