Chapter 35

Harry looks up at Daphne when she sheepishly sits down next to him at breakfast the next morning. Last night she'd managed to lose Hufflepuff 100 points when she made it back to the Dorm, 1 point for every minute she was late.

"How did you get on last night?"

"We got on well, Airmed was a little hard to talk to because of how little she knows of the modern world, magical and mundane. She's also given me some instruction on using redirection rather than straight up concealment. It's apparently what she did to her own domain. The downside of her technique is that anyone looking for the place I'm redirecting to will see my thoughts."

Harry thinks for a moment, "Is that really a downside? I mean, if you redirected people to a specific tree, or a point in the mist 6 paces to your left, are there any wand users that could find them?"

Daphne shakes her head, "Probably not…" she trails off as Professor McGonagall leads a sobbing Hagrid into the hall and over to the top table. Once the large man is seated, the professor takes her customary seat next to the headmasters empty throne.

"Excuse me Daphne, I need to give Professor McGonagall a note."

Harry walks up to the top table, the velum note clearly in his hand, "Professor, my mother asked me to give this to you as a family emergency has come up and she's in a place that is inaccessible to post owls."

Professor McGonagall looks down at him and then glances at his forehead, "I see." Scanning the note, she nods, "I will need to speak to your head of house, but the change of venue shouldn't be a problem. I'll write a note to excuse your lateness."

"Thank you professor."

Returning to the table he sits back down and reaches for some bread, "What else did you talk about last night?"

Daphne laughs, "Me, I didn't talk about much more than that. However, Airmed got into a conversation with the local Apothecary and I seriously wish I had parchment and ink. I think almost half the inn stopped talking to listen to those two talk shop."

They both look up as Susan comes in and slumps down on the other side of the table. Following her comes Hannah and Tracey, both with confused expressions on their faces.

Frowning, Daphne asks, "Are you ok Susan?"

Susan nods, "Yeah, but my magic aches. I didn't even know it was possible for magic to feel like that."

Harry frowns, "Did it ache before you went to bed last night?"

Susan shakes her head, "No, I think I felt stronger than I did before."

"I think I'll ask Airmed to have a look at you next time I see her. If she hasn't by the time we practice tonight, I want you to contact me if you feel any pain."

"Um, how exactly would I do that?"

"Ok, I know what tonight's lesson is going to be then."

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Albus looks around his office in a panic, he'd hoped to have a few days to relax and get caught up on all the school paperwork now that the Ministry and ICW were closed for the new year. However, he got back from the solstice session at the Ministry to find that the first line of defence against nosy students has disappeared. Now he not only has to erect a defence that will stop nosy students from wandering into the more dangerous traps, he also has to finish the final resting place for Nicholas's stone before the fidelius charm breaks and puts him in bed for a week.

Found it, Albus lifts one of the books on his shelf and pulls out a small copper key from where it was barely visible under the spine of the book. Marching out of his office, leaving the innocuous note from Professor McGonagall, that would inform him about a meeting with Mrs Danann about scheduling time for mundane classes during the school day. Shortly after he leaves, a house elf deposits a second note informing him that due to a change in venue he should meet Sprout and McGonagall at the History classroom at 10 if he wants to join them.

Several minutes later, Albus makes it to the lowest level in the school and walks to the end of a corridor with an unused storage room on the lefthand side. On the wall is one of Hogwarts numerous crests. Lifting up the key, he slots it into an almost invisible hole in the centre of the crest and turns it once anticlockwise. Then he waits while the wards judge him. When the wall on the right melts away, revealing a gentle slope heading deeper under the castle, he removes the key and walks through the portal before it closes again.

Lighting the way ahead with his wand, the slope goes around in a spiral until it opens up into a large vault that covers the entirety of the castles footprint 100' under the rock the castle is built on. Here is over a thousand years of treasures and supplies stored by the founders and headmasters. From the esoteric to the mundane, one thing is common amongst nearly all of the magical books and artifacts. They are dangerous. From books that will boil the eyes of anyone of the wrong bloodline, to jewellery that will slowly syphon a persons magic away from them until they die. Near the entrance is a Mirror that is comparatively mild compared to the other stuff that can be found, but no less dangerous due to its insidious nature. The mirror of desire, as you stare into it, it weaves a subtle enchantment that suggests that what you see can be gained from the mirror. Fortunately for Albus, it requires eye contact with the glass for the artifact to work, as well as sufficient magic to prime the illusionary magic. The enchantment is also short lived, wearing off in at most a week after being affected by it.

As he looks around, he spies a silvery grey bundle that he put down here many years ago due to a sense of guilt. As he picks it up, tears roll down his cheeks. If he'd been quicker with his investigations, or he'd been less driven by the myth associated with the cloak, maybe Harry would have grown up with one of his parents. Reflexively he jiggles his left hand, a habit he's picked up over the last few months as he's adjusted to the intrusive nature of the vault keys. The rhythmic clattering of them in his fist is soothing as he regards the cloak. Harry is still alive, and this is his birth-right, so it would be cruel and selfish for him to keep it. Putting it down, he draws his wand and shrinks it to pocket size before placing it in one of the pocket in his robes.

It's just gone 10 when he returns to his office with the mirror and a clockwork golem. Seeing the second note from his Deputy, he quickly scans both of them before running for the History classroom.

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Professors McGonagall and Sprout are waiting for Harry when his class come out of History at 10.

"Mr P…Danann, we will be ready to leave whenever you are. Miss Bones, would you be able to give this note to Caretaker Filch and this one to the Healer taking your potions lessons. They explain that Mr Danann is going to be late, and will make his own way to the lesson."

Harry nods and thinks for a moment, "Professors, would you mind if Miss Greengrass transported one of you? Only it would be good practice for her."

McGonagall looks at Sprout, who shrugs, "Miss Bones, the notes please?" After adjusting the notes, she hands them back, "Very well, off with the rest of you. You don't want to miss the carriages."

Once they're alone, Harry looks at Daphne, "Daphne, can you take Professor Sprout, as she's done a similar journey before. You will want to completely un-occlude your magic before you get to my place, as my mother is there, unshielded."

Professor Sprout looks at Harry, "Mr Danann, whatever do you mean?"

Harry looks her in the eyes, "Professor, everyone that learns Celtic magic also learns to conceal their magic from detection. This is what allows my mother and I to live in the mundane and magical communities."

Both professors look at him sceptically, so he looks at Daphne, "I'm sorry to ask this, but could you drop your concealment now?"

Daphne grimaces before she nods, as she does both professors feel the slightest tickling pressure from her passive magic. McGonagall's eyes widen, "Only the most powerful witches and wizards have an aura you can feel."

Harry smiles cheerfully, "Well, I hope that both of you can produce one. As it will make the meeting far more comfortable if you can. Professor McGonagall, take my hand, and do not let go until we reach our destination. If you let go, you will be lost probably forever."

McGonagall looks to Professor Sprout for confirmation, only to find they've already gone. Firming her face, she transforms into a cat and jumps onto Harry's shoulder. Just because she's a Gryffindor doesn't mean she can't be smart about it.

Harry just laughs and pulls her down into his arms before mist surrounds them.

As they exit the mist, Pomona staggers under the pressure of magic in Harry's domain. Daphne, on the other hand, just squares her shoulders and stand with a determined expression on her face.

"How are you just standing there?"

Daphne takes a deep breath, "It's not easy. It's like I've just picked up Grangers bookbag, one for each shoulder. Morgana's over there, and it will get worse as we get closer." She points at the rocky hill a few hundred yards away.

"Goddess, this will be like first year all over again, when we had etiquette classes on the 7th floor followed by potions in the dungeons."

Daphne can't help it, she giggles at the use of the word goddess. At that point Harry arrives holding a cat, who's ears immediately lay back on it's head as it lies flat in his arms and hisses.

Thundering around the hill, the Cerberus comes bounding over to the group carrying it's ball in one mouth and a dead rabbit in the other two. When it arrives it gives a muffled bark, and play bows with it's tail wagging. Then it spots the cat in Harry's arms and drops the rabbits and ball, to bark excitedly at Professor McGonagall. Harry sighs before picking up the ball with a wandless levitation spell and waving it in front of all three heads. Once they're all tracking the ball, he launches it to the other side of his domain. Once the Cerberus has disappeared from sight, Harry puts Professor McGonagall on the floor where she turns back into Professor McGonagall.

"You have a Cerberus?"

Harry nods, "I rescued him from a tiny room where he only just had space to pace from one side to the other. He was showing clear signs of stress, and his hind legs were starting to lose muscle mass. So I brought him here, and he seems to like it."

Professor McGonagall shares a glance with Professor Sprout before pushing herself painfully up off of the floor, "Well, lead on Mr Potter, sorry Mr Danann."

Harry looks skyward and sends a brief prayer to Danu for strength, "It's just behind that hill over there." Bending down, he picks up both rabbits by their ears and starts walking at an indolent pace towards the cottage.

Both professors are glad that they left the extra half an hour by the time they reach the cottage. The Cerberus has been back three times for Harry to throw the ball. Once they arrive, Daphne is only faring a little better than the professors are, as Harry has had to let out some of his own magic in order to stay comfortable.

Turning at the door, Harry nods formally, "Be welcome in my home for the duration of your meeting."

As he opens the door so that they can enter, Airmed walks out and bows to Harry, "My apologies for entering your home without leave, I sought to aid my grandmother, your mother, with her burden. I seek leave to stay by my grandmother's side while she tends to your new sister."

Harry's smile threatens to break his face, as he embraces Airmed, "Airmed, you are my family, there is no need to ask for forgiveness or permission as it has already been given. My home is your home, my family is your family."

"My thanks Uncle, my spear will be ready if the need arises, and my skills will tend those of your household that are injured protecting me."

Harry laughs, "I will leave the professors in your care, as Daphne and I have a potions class to get to." Taking Daphne's hand, they both fade into mist.

As the two of them enter the cottage, they pause when they see The Morrigan tending to an unconscious woman. Professor McGonagall coughs lightly, "Who. Who do we have the honour of… May I ask who you are?"

Morgana smiles, "I'm Dr Morgana Danann."

"But Dr Danann is much shorter, and doesn't have tattoo's."

"Ah, I understand the confusion. That is merely a glamour that I use, much like your transformation into a cat. It serves to distance myself from the demands of my magic as well as allowing me to live in the mortal world. I'm afraid that I cannot occlude my magic, as my new daughter needs the constant infusion if she is to survive. However, if you are willing, Airmed has a technique that will allow her to shield you from my presence."

Professor Sprout is shameless in saying, "Oh goddess, please."

Morgana and Airmed both chuckle as Airmed weaves the mist around the two so that Morgana's magic passes around them. This time McGonagall can't help herself, "Goddess…"

Whatever she's about to say is forestalled as both Morgana and Airmed both say "Yes?"

"What!?"

Airmed shakes her head, "A word of advice for both of you. My grandmother is The Morrigan, and her magic is unrestrained. Be careful of what you say, as she will not be able to treat hyperbole and exaggeration as turns of phrase. Grandmother, what's Dora's name?"

"Nymphadora Tonks."

"Dora told me that she used the phrase 'I'll do anything' when she asked The Morrigan to teach her. She is now one of my grandmothers battle crows."

Professor Sprout licks her suddenly dry lips while Professor McGonagall instead asks, "May I use my wand to provide seating and refreshments."

Morgana smiles, "Go ahead."

With a twirl of her wand, McGonagall produces 4 comfortable chairs and a table with 4 goblets of water on it.

Morgana walks over and examines each thing with interest, "This is a good use of illusions. Are you able to create other permanent foods and drinks, or only water?"

McGonagall shakes her head, "It's impossible to create food or any beverages other than water with transfiguration or conjuration. It goes against gamps law, same as it's impossible to create true life with magic."

"Hardly impossible, very difficult certainly. However, I know for a fact that Titania and other higher fae can create permanent food and drink. I myself am capable of doing so, and Harry created the rabbits that you've seen outside. Though both of us rely on our domains for this, I know of one person that created 365 different species of herbs with only her own magic. It is still the greatest working of magic I have ever witnessed, including the arm of flesh her brother created for one of our kings. What is true though, is that something that is achievable for most accomplished practitioners in one style of magic could be horrendously complicated for practitioners of another style. Norse magic was a fine example of this, as it was incredibly precise and required very little magic to achieve great results. However, it was virtually impossible to do anything in less than a couple of minutes. Our own magic is more like physical skills, where you learn the techniques and then apply them as you need to. It gave us great power and ability to produce solutions on the fly, but it ultimately couldn't match the ease and versatility of Roman magic. Anyway, enough of the history lessons, as I believe that you both have classes you need to teach later."