Chapter three: The next step in life
HogwartsSeptemberFirst 1991
Sitting at the head table Albus watched as Charlous Potter was sorted into Gryffindor. The only great thing about the boy was how huge his ego is. The boy wasn't smart enough to notice that I am manipulating him and that he is just a pawn in my game. He will be easy to mold him to the point where he can be tossed to the side once his use runs out. Now what to do with the two elder potters?
Ever since the roster of the school year was given to the teaches the name of the son they left on those muggle's doorstep was on there. Currently they are looking for their missing son but Minerva called the brat's name but no one came forward. Feeling like a headache was coming on from the effort to keep the wool over the eyes of the elder potters and keep them going along with his plans is going to be annoying. 'The boy must have gave most of his magic to his brother to help him defeat Voldemort. When I tested him he didn't have much magic at the time so I thought he was a squib.' That was the story Albus will feed the Potters.
Albus noticed the looks he was getting from the potters and he gave them a look saying they will talk about it after dinner. After the senile old man act he does with every year to fool the child was done he made his way up to his office where he waited for the potters. Not a moment too soon James and Lily came into his office and once the door was closed Lily started to go off. "How the hell can a supposed squib be on the roster of students who are all fully magical wizards and witches?!" Dumbledore to his credit was very calm and he exuding a calming aura. "My dear Harry must have gave his brother nearly all his magic making him registered by the spell I casted as a squib." Albus pulled out three devices "These are what I use to monitor Harry. The first is a tracking device, the second one is to see how safe he is, and thirdly this one monitor's his life." Dumbledore explained as his hand hovers over each device.
The tracking and threat monitors were not working. The only thing that was working was the life monitor which showed the potters that their son is alive. At this point James spoke up in a deceptively calm tone "Dumbledore you lost my son and our only comfort is that he is still alive. Lily was right about leaving him on that doorstep was a mistake." "James my boy I will help find your wayward son but it was for the greater good that he was left there. You didn't have enough time to focus on training Charlous and raising Harry." Hearing Dumbledore's words soothing the irate parents. "I will start immediately to look for him and you two have classes to teach tomorrow so I would advise you to go to bed." With that Dumbledore managed to keep the wool over the potters eyes and dismissed them from his office. 'Where the hell is our son/ that brat even at?!' Was the thought going through all three of them at the moment.
Back on Nirn
Haraldor was reflecting on the pass eight years since he started his apprenticeship and combat training. He was well trained in politics, strategy, and a few schools of magic. He remembers when he was eleven years old Vilkas, Farkas, and himself snuck out to take out a bandit camp.
Flashback
An eleven year old Haraldor with a good amount of muscleson him and long dark raven hair that is always unkempt. He was wearing a suit of light steel chain mail armor with two steel battle axes strapped to his belt. He was waiting near the front gate of whiterun for his two shield brothers.'Come on where are you two we need to not be caught.' Haraldor was thinking impatiently waiting for Vilkas and Farkas to show up.
A few minutes later he heard the sound of someone in armor stumbling. He turns around to see Vilkas and Farkas walking towards him. "Took you long enough a horker on land is faster than you two." Haraldor took a jab at them.
"Well at least I can use a great sword or any two handed weapons without getting worn out." Farkas retorted to Haraldor's jab. "Well I am glad to have a level head out of all of us. Haraldor is a mage as well but I still have a more level head." Vilkas took a jab at both of them. "Well at least me and Farkas don't hide behind a shield. Also careful I forged our weapons and armor plus I enchanted it." Haraldor snipes back.
"Now we are here to prove that we are no longer welps but true warriors! I have found information about a bandit camp at Halted Stream camp. We can beat those thieving milk drinkers. We might have not asked for permission but it is better to do it and ask for forgiveness than to not have permission and do it anyway." Haraldor started motivating the two other boys. They snuck their way out the city gate and headed towards Halted Stream camp.
When they got close enough they stopped and waited for Haraldor to scout the place out. A few hours later Haraldor had something to report " I saw that there are two ways we can get in. One is through the front gate but it is heavily guarded and it barred on the other side. The second option is down a pit fall trap they use to kill mammoths but we would have to be careful to not stab our selves. The pit fall may lead into the mine that is inside the camp." After the report Vilkas mulled over the information. "I think that the best option is to go through the trap because we don't have a way to bust down the gate and still have enough energy to fight all the bandits inside the camp. Is there any arguments with this plan?" Vilkas logically said to the two of them. "No arguments from both of us brother." Farkas and Haraldor replied.
Before the battle Farkas and Vilkas found Haraldor kneeling in front of a rock with an amulet of Talos in hand praying. "Oh mighty Talos give us strength to win the battle ahead and if we do fall help guide us to shor's halls in soverenguard. For we can feast with our ancestors and the heroes of old. I pray almighty Talos that you hear one of your children's call for help." With that Haraldor stood up and secured his amulet. He turns to the twins and gives them a nod and walked towards the camp.
They carefully made their way down into the pit of spikes. Once they reached the bottom of the pit and walked up to the door leading inside of the camp. It was surprisingly unlocked so they made their way inside and walked through a tunnel until they found themselves in a cavern. They could see butchered mammoth parts all over the cavern and three bandits working on butchering a fresh one while they saw who looks to be the leader looking over a book of some kind.
One of the bandits who looked to be a mage judging by his clothes noticed the three boys and raised the alarm: "Well it looks like they don't want us here." Farkas joked as they ready their weapons for the fight. With a mighty roar all three boys charged yelling "Victory or Sovereinguard!" Clashing steel against steel.
The first thing Haraldor did was throw one of his axes at the mage and it nailed the guy in his head killing him. Vilkas was fighting two bandits at the time blocking one with his shield and taking a swipe at the other with his sword. Farkas charged straight towards the leader who was an orc with a great sword. They were clashing their weapons against each other's causing sparks to fly. Vilkas killed one of the bandits he was facing and had all his attention to the last one. Haraldor retrieved his axe and saw more bandits coming in to the cavern so he charged at them looking like a hurricane on steel and sparks. He was using a destruction spell that he had been working on that didn't require hands and it was just flowing out his mouth. He was living up to his name of Storm Breath. Farkas was still clashing blades with the leader "You are good boy but no good enough!" With that the leader managed to cut Farkas on his face and putting him on his back foot. Vilkas cut the head of the bandit he was fighting and saw that his brother needed help and that Haraldor was doing good on his own for the moment. Vilkas charged at the leader causing the leader to now be on his back foot. Haraldor killed the last bandit that was trying to reinforce the others he was tired and drained by the spell he used. He was now sporting several gashes on his arms chest and his backside and one on his face. He looked to see how the others were doing and saw they were fine and that they were working together and defeated the leader.
It turned out that the camp wasn't that big and that there was only about seven bandits counting the leader in this camp. Despite the low number they were glad that they proved to themselves and to others that they were no longer welps. They set to looting what they could and they put their loot in saddle bags of three horses that were in the camp. "Hey Haraldor I found something that you might like." Was the call of Farkas pointing to a book that the leader was looking over. Haraldor took the book and it was a spell tome about transmuting metals. Haraldor was happy about this find and he was reading it all the way back to Whiterun.
End flashback
Haraldor chuckled remembering their first adventure together and the thorough chewing out they got upon returning. Right now he's wearing clothes appropriate for smithing work standing at six feet tall with a very toned body with some scars showing. He was tan from all the years he worked the sky forge under the tutelage of Eorlund Grey-Mane.
Now he was awaiting his master to give him his final task that would complete his apprenticeship. "I have been watching you grow into a great smith and a great fighter over the last eight years. But now your final task is to create a steel dagger within five hours." With that Haraldor started by transmuting the necessary ore into a more pure form and putting them in the smelter. Once he did that Haraldor worked on tanning the needed leather for this project. Letting the leather finish the process Haraldor returned to the smelter and pulled out the red hot ingot and began to work it into shape. Once in the right shape he quenched the blade and there was no warping or any cracks in it. He tested if the steel was hard by running a file over it and it was good. Haraldor cleaned the blade up and proceeded to make the safety and the handle of the blade. He made the safety out of silver and made intricate designs in it. One of them being the symbol of Talos. He fitted the safety and the handle made of a stag's horn and cut some leather strips and wrapped it around the handle for a better grip. Once done he secured it all by capping it off. He then spent the remaining time getting an edge on the blade.
Eorlund called time once the five hours was done and Haraldor presented the blade he had made. Eorlund was silent and had a stoney expression on his face. "You have crafted a great blade Haraldor and you have passed my test. Haraldor Storm-breath I Eorlund Gray-Mane grant you the title of a master smith and I conclude our apprenticeship. With this I only have one last thing for you." Eorlund said after a while and he grabbed a wooden box. "May this serve as a reminder of how far you have come." Handing the box over Haraldor opens it to find his first ever blade that he had made. "Thank you Eorlund for everything. " Haraldor told the great smith.
With that he made his way to Jorrvaskr. Farkas and Vilkas joined the inner circle two years ago and Haraldor decided the offer then. He found out that the inner circle were werewolves by putting clues together and confronting the twins about it. Heading into the hall he found Vilkas and Farkas sitting at a table in the corner of the hall. Walking up to them Haraldor said "How are my brothers in all but blood doing?" Then he quietly added "how fair's the beast blood today?" As he sits down with them. "Everything is fine with us even that little problem we went on a hunt last night to calm it." Vilkas answered. "So you are now a master smith huh. Can I ask you for a new sword mine is dull and is chipped everywhere." Farkas joked earning a punch from Haraldor. "Ah I am going to miss this guys. I am leaving for the college tomorrow and I don't know how long it will be before I can come back to visit you again." Haraldor said solemnly as he drank a tankard of mead. "Well brother we are happy for you and just remember to write to us from time to time." Vilkas said. Haraldor nodded and made his way up to dragon's reach to pack the last things he needed to pack.
The next day was a dreary rainy day as Haraldor made his way to the carriage that will take him to winterhold. He saw all his friends standing there waiting for him and they all said their goodbyes and the last one was Farengar. "I have watched you grow over these fourteen years into a fine young man. I still remember the small one year old babe that was left on the doorstep of dragons reach all those years ago. Now look at you a fifteen year old young man off to winterhold to expand your knowledge and make your mark on the world. I am glad to be considered as your father and I am proud to call you my son." With that emotional goodbye the two hugged each otherand Haraldor made his way onto the carriage with his belongings and waved them goodbye. He was on his next step of his life.
An: Hey two updates back to back! Now I know that this is probably very long but I had fun writing it. I wanted to have a nice transition of Harry growing up. I also slipped in some Dumbledore action in here. I hope that you enjoyed this chapter and just know that sometimes I can not update for a while. Anyways please favorite and follow it helps you keep up to date with my crazy self and if you want to ask me something send me a PM because I do check my inbox and if I see a comment I like I would PM you. Thanks tootles!!!!!