Standard Disclaimer: I own nothing in regards to Harry Potter or Game of Thrones. All properties therein are those of their creators. I am only a writer working on my skills with worlds and characters that I love.

Note: I am sorry for how long this took to update. I started hot with this work, but then conflicts arose with my course schedule at the university and eventually I ended up thinking up ideas for other stories that wouldn't leave my mind until I wrote them down. Needless to say, I'm here now, so it should be a fun ride to continue.

Note: None of my stories are abandoned or discontinued. It just might take me some time to come back to them occasionally. My attention does tend to wander sometimes.

Chapter Three - A King's Demand

Harry, his family, and the Starks were waiting patiently in the courtyard of Winterfell, watching the royal party ride through the gates. Knowing the wasteful man Robert was, and the diva that was his wife, it shouldn't have been surprising that they nearly had the population of a small town traveling behind them, but it somehow was. Eddard seemed set to have a traveling circus camped outside his walls for the duration of this visit.

The king and queen themselves were proceeded by a group of five kings-guard and near twenty support knights, Jaime Lannister amongst them, who set themselves up in two respectful lines along the entryway before what had to be the largest carriage the Northerners had ever seen trundled past the palisade to enter the structure. None could avoid notice of how much it leaned to one side as it skittered across the stones to a stop before the waiting group.

As the door was opened and a step stool placed before it, Harry took note of Jaime looking his way nervously. The man had been immensely grateful that he and his sister had been freed from their curse, but he'd never completely gotten over what he and Cersei had done while under its thrall. Nor had he forgiven himself. Harry only had time to offer the man a warm smile of reassurance as the old lion Tywin rode up beside him before the opening was filled completely and a massive man made his way out into the cold.

Robert Baratheon, king of the Seven Kingdoms, had really let himself go… and he'd been overweight when last the two great lords had seen him. He stood tall at six foot four, had the shoulders of a man that had once been quite strong, but stooped with the weight of a gut bursting from years of excess and vices. His face was ruddy and red behind a great black beard, but his eyes still held a gleam of intelligence.

"Ned!" He rushed forward and embraced the Lord of the North as his queen stepped sedately down to follow him. "Cat!" Robert swept the stoic lady of Winterfell into his arms and unceremoniously smooched a large kiss on her cheek before setting her down and greeting her children one by one. Then he came to the wizard.

"Lannister." He stood tall, regal, and tried his best to stare down a man that couldn't care less about him.

"Fat-ass." Harry replied easily, earning a heel stomp from his wife.

Robert's eyes narrowed a tad at that. "I could have you killed for that disrespect."

"You could try, but then I imagine we'd finally get to see what my fiendfyre could do to your country."

Internally Cersei was ringing her hands at what she perceived as her husband directly threatening the ruler of their lands. But then the big man burst out into laughter and clapped her man happily on the shoulder.

"That's what I like about you, wizard!" He bellowed loud enough to wake the dead before speaking more softly. "No one else has the power or backbone to actually challenge me anymore. I need that."

"You need a diet."

"Now you sound like one of the maesters."

"Some of them know their shit. Not many, but some."

"Bah, what's the point of being king if I can't enjoy myself. Now introduce me to this family of yours."

Introducing his wife was straightforward enough, the king had already met her on several occasions. No, the big introductions were for his children. "Neville eh, you have your mother's fine features, so I'm sorry you got your father's hair. Hahahaha." He laughed once more before saying, "I'm told you're handy with a spear. Any chance you'd be willing to spar with my eldest and Ned's lad Robb later?"

Neville, well schooled by his mother, bowed politely and replied, "It would be an honor, your grace."

"Good lad." Robert clapped the boy's shoulder and moved on down the line. "There's no hiding who you are. That hair says it all. You'd be Lysander then." No response was given as the remark was clearly rhetorical and he carried on a second later. "I'm told you're a fine hand on horseback. Any chance of seeing you compete in the tourneys when you're older?"

Lysander looked to his father, who nodded, and said, "I'm afraid not, your grace. My father believes that it isn't wise to advertise the ways you know to kill in case they are needed later."

For a moment the king looked disappointed, but then his expression cleared up and he said, "Well I can't fault him for that. Honestly his reputation alone has forestalled more than one interested party from invading over the years. Part of that is the mystery of what he would do to the first ones that landed on our shores. It's a blessing to know that we'll have a warrior of your caliber shall the need arrive in the future. I hope to see you in the yard tomorrow as well."

"I'll be there, your grace."

"Good." The king moved back over to Ned, leaving Harry once more glad that his daughter had elected to stay inside. He could only imagine how the old stag would have reacted to a Targaryen at his arrival procession.

By that point the rest of the royal party had entered, and as Robert engaged Ned in conversation once more the wizard found himself examining them. Queen Lysa Baratheon, formerly Tully, sister of Catelyn Stark, had her sister's complexion, but none of her inherent beauty. In comparison she was quite plain. Her hair was a lank dull auburn and her nose ended in a bit of a hook.

Her children were a different story. The eldest at fifteen, Princess Elizabeth, sat regal, beautiful, and tall atop a battle charger of all things. She had her father's height, the strong build of a trained fighter, and a hearty mane of coal black hair. At her hip was a two handed battle axe and on her person was a set of hardened leather armor.

Feeling a strange itch on his neck, Harry looked back and took notice of the wide-eyed and clearly besotted stare on Neville's face as he beheld her. Well that was interesting. Maybe it was time to have a talk with Robert. He wasn't thrilled with the Baratheon family, but Harry had long ago decided he'd let his children court and marry who they chose. A quick look in his eyes revealed exactly who he wanted to choose here and now.

The second eldest at thirteen, Edmund, was a different story. As the eldest male he was the heir to throne, and while Tywin had assured him that the lad was studious, and a natural born engineer, he wasn't the warrior that his father had been. Apparently he took no interest in the practice yards, instead seeking out the solace and knowledge of the Red Keep's library. Although, in Harry's opinion that might be just what the kingdom needed. A builder to repair the damage done by Robert when he took the throne.

Finally, prince Richard, the youngest at only one year old, and held in the arms of a nursemaid at the queens immediate right. The hair was all his mother's, but what could be seen of his youthful features met none of the characteristics of the parents. Tywin had had some unsettling theories about that, especially because of the queen's fondness for a particular person that just now came riding behind the procession.

Turning to his wife Harry whispered, "Why is Petyr Baelish here?"

Eyeing the man with thinly veiled contempt, Cersei replied, "I don't know. By all rights he should be in King's Landing seeing to his duties as the master of coin. His presence here is troubling to say the least… perhaps he's come along to limit the king's spending on his travels?"

"Hm." Thinking about it for a moment he said, "Tell the servants to keep an eye on him. Just in case."

Any reply she might have made was interrupted by the gruff tones of the king declaring, "Wizard, get over here. We're going to the crypt." Cersei gave her husband a shooing gesture that promised she'd do as he asked, and as the gathered crowd started making their way into the warmth of the castle itself, Harry followed the men into the depths of the earth.

The Stark family crypt was impressive in its own way. Stone walls and floor, intricately placed and formed to create individual cairns and arches. Ensconced torches that lit the place with a familiar glow. But most impressive of all, statues built to lifelike proportions and carved by those who had known the faces of the fallen. Lyanna's was so intricate that it felt as if she could have been standing right there looking down on them all and no one would have been surprised.

Of course Robert stared at that statue and waxed poetic about how he'd loved the Stark girl and nothing could fill the hole that was left in his heart after her passing. It took everything the wizard had to keep from gagging. He and Ned both knew exactly how little Lyanna had thought of the man she'd been betrothed to.

Coming out of his self-imposed pity party, Robert turned to address the others. "Jon's gone, men, and he was probably the last man I trusted in King's Landing. I need you. Both of you."

Harry actually laughed at that and it was all Ned could do to keep his oldest friend from blowing up at that disrespect.

"Robert, what do you mean exactly? Your small council is already filled."

The king waved that off. "Tywin's getting old. It's about time the old lion retired. You can take his place, Ned. I certainly like you more than I ever did him."

"And me?" Harry had calmed right down at the mention of basically firing his father-in-law. It had been a rocky start for them both to be sure, but he could honestly say that if nothing else, he respected the former patriarch, and he couldn't deny how effective he was at his job, or how devoted he was to the continuation of his family.

"My court wizard."

Harry stared the man down, and the intensity of his gaze was almost enough to make the king take a step back. Almost. "I think I made it clear to you several years ago that I am not a conjurer of cheap tricks. I don't pull rabbits out of hats or make things disappear."

"No, but you represent power incarnate. If that power is at my side then the realm sees it. The world sees it too. I wasn't kidding before when I said invasions have been thwarted on your reputation alone. There are still those in the kingdom that call me Usurper. Being seen as a bastion of power would help to quell them if only a bit. Long enough for my son to take the throne at least."

"And why would I ever agree to something as outrageous as this? I'm the Warden of the West, the ruler of Lannisport, and the Lord of Casterly Rock. I have responsibilities."

A cruel smirk crossed the king's face at those words. "I thought you might say that." He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a rolled document before tossing it to the former Englishman. "Read this."

Harry did, and then promptly levitated the king into the air and engulfed his right fist in flame. "Give me a goddamned reason!"

Not at all comfortable with the way the air itself seemed to be crushing him, Robert wheezed, "Already gave orders… If I'm killed… They'll soon follow."

"Monster!" Harry dropped the fat lard on his ass and promptly sent a great geyser of flame into the hallway behind him in his frustration.

"Harry-" Eddard tried to address his friend, to ask what was wrong, but he was interrupted by the man himself shoving the document into his hands.

"He tracked them down, Ned. He's having them followed by assassins."

"What!" The Lord of the North quickly read over the information and then it was his turn to glare at his confused friend. "How could you do this?"

"What? Ned, they killed Lyanna."

"No they did not. They were children!"

"They were Dragons. They should have been smothered in their sleep."

"Ragh!" Flame once more lit corridor before Harry turned around and lifted his king by the collar over his head (not bad considering how much he weighed.). "You're allowed to have your own opinions, but if you say children of any sort should be smothered in my presence again you will not like what happens. Oh I won't kill you, but I will make your life a living hell. Imagine trying to whore around without a cock!" He dropped the man once more on his ass and moved off to the side, visibly trying to calm down.

"We had a deal, Robert. I swore fealty to the realm, and in return you swore not to hunt those kids and leave my Rhaenys alone."

"Well I'm altering the deal now. I need your visibility."

"Well that's all you'll get. I'll go to King's Landing. My son can take over Lannisport for a while with with his mother and grandfather to offer advice, but I will not perform magic at your commands."

"That's some show of loyalty there." Robert said sarcastically.

"Loyalty is reserved for people that have enough honor to keep their word."

Deciding he was done with the uptight wizard, the king turned to his best friend. "Ned?"

Visibly torn, Eddard gave his answer. "I had already assumed this was a reason for you coming here, Robert. And with all my heart I planned to refuse you. But now… I can't trust this realm to your judgement alone anymore. I too will go South, if only to keep you from making any bigger of a mess for us all."

"Ugh." Robert was not pleased by all the disrespect, but in the end he was getting what he wanted so he didn't really feel like complaining too much. Besides, he had other things to discuss this night. Looking back at the statue of his stolen love, he said, "Had she lived, we'd be family now, Ned. It's about time that happened. I have a daughter in need of a good husband. You have a son of marrying age. We'll unite our houses." He said it with surety, knowing that his old friend would not deny him. So it was with great shock that he saw the negative turning of his head.

"I am sorry, Robert. But I have already arranged Robb's marriage. Lord Lannister and I signed the paperwork earlier today in fact. He is spoken for."

"Lord Lannister…" The king's eyes flared, "You're marrying your heir to that Targaryen bitch-" He was suspended in the air once more, his tirade muted.

"Think very carefully about the next words out of your mouth. Harry threatened. "And know that I am willing to go to war for my daughter." He released the king and approached him, "That being said, I might offer a solution to your marriage issue. My eldest has taken an interest in your daughter. His thoughts betrayed him easily. Would you consider a betrothal to my Neville for her?"

Robert's first instinct was laugh out loud. This man had just assaulted him, twice, and he was talking about marrying his daughter into his family? But then he actually thought about it. A grandchild with this man's blood flowing in its veins… "Your son is magical?"

"I've taught him a few things."

"Why not everything?"

Harry gestured to his tattoos, "Because what it took to get me this powerful…. is a pain I would not wish on my greatest enemy. But rest assured, the odds are good any child of his would share in the magical bloodline."

The king didn't even have to think. "Done."

"Good. Anything else or can I go? I have a couple of family members to greet that I haven't seen in a long time."

Robert waved him off, "Fine, fine, go. We've talked about everything we need to for now. But I expect you in the train when we march back to the Red Keep."

"Don't worry your fat ass too much. Unlike one person in this room, I keep to my word." So saying, Harry took his leave.

"Ned-"

"No, Robert. You've done enough. I… I can't be here with you right now. Lyanna would be ashamed of what has happened in her presence. Leveraging the lives of children…" Then it was Eddards turn to take his leave.

So in the end, all that remained was a lone king in the deeps, wondering why the other two could simply not see the right of things as he did.

Next Time:

-A meeting of Lannisters

-A Winterfell Wedding

Note: In regards to how easily Robert takes being manhandled by Harry, he's willing to put up with a lot to keep his power on his side. (and even more to get that power in his bloodline). Additionally, he's pretty used to that kind of thing from Harry by that point.