Unraveled
Chapter Thirty-Three: The Willow and the Pond
Sirius sat down on the ground as he looked upwards. The stars looked different in Avalon than they did in the outside world. Remus surprised him. "Hello," he greeted.
Sirius recovered and tried to smile, but failed. "It's a wonderful evening, isn't it?"
Remus nodded, but said, "I thought you'd be with Fiona. Why aren't you with her?"
"Because there was nothing I could do for her. I couldn't save her mother. I don't know if I could do what Thalia did. That was such a drastic plan she made. Perhaps, Lady Desdemona is right. Maybe, she should stay in Avalon with her."
Remus shook his head. "Do you want my advice? I am Fiona's godfather after all. And I'm pretty sure that Severus and Nell would agree with what am I about say," he said solemnly. Sirius nodded.
"Fiona is your daughter. You want what's best for her, but you want her to be happy, too. I think she's wise enough to make a good decision. You can't just give up. I know that she loves you. However, you have to give her everything that she needs, and that includes her grandmother. I think that Lady Desdemona has suffered more than you have, even if she caused most of it herself. Although, I think I know what Fiona's choice is already."
"What do you think it is?" asked Sirius.
"If you have to ask, then you don't know her as well as I do," he replied with a smile. "Avalon has done a lot for you and me. It gave you Thalia and Fiona. It gave me the chance to live a normal life. I can't wait until the next full moon. I haven't looked forward to one since we were in Hogwarts running around loose with Prongs." Remus smiled. "And look."
He rolled up his sleeve to show Sirius where the bite mark was on his right arm. There was supposed to be a scar, but it had vanished. "I didn't believe it myself until I changed clothes. I didn't think much of it, but remember how the mists surrounded us?" he asked. Sirius nodded. "I felt this force that surrounded me and warm me up."
"I'm happy for you, Remus," said Sirius with a smile. "I didn't think it would be as simple as coming here."
"However, I think you owe more to Avalon than I do. I think that Thalia would have simply asked you to do your best. She did her best for Fiona."
Sirius stood up. "I suppose I should go back to the quarters. I don't think I want to hear any thing from Lady Desdemona about abandoning my daughter in her hour of need."
"Another thing, you should try to see things from her point of view. You have to learn to get along with her. You know what they say, 'When you marry someone, you marry their entire family.'"
"Moony, Thalia's parents aren't normal people. I have no idea how they made something as wonderful as her. Good night."
Sirius walked back to the suite, leaving Remus with a smile.
*
Sirius walked back into the suite. He touched the knob and it the door automatically opened. The room was dark, except for a dim blaze in the fireplace. He noticed the two sleeping teenagers sitting in the sofa. It was an unexpected sight for him.
Harry was holding Fiona tightly as they slept. His arms were wrapped around her waist in a possessive, yet protective manner. Fiona slept peacefully with Harry's face buried in her hair. It would have been an adorable sight, but Fiona was only wearing a thin nightgown. Harry was fully dressed, but this didn't easy Sirius at all. He was holding her in a way that Sirius didn't like.
Holding his temper, Sirius went over to the pair and gently shook Fiona until she woke up. Fiona woke up and blinked at him. "Daddy?" she whispered.
"Why don't you sleep in your bed?" he asked. Harry woke up when he heard Sirius' voice. He felt extremely nervous because of the way Sirius was looking at him. Sirius' ice blue eyes narrowed at him in a murderous glare. "Harry, I think that you should get back to your quarters."
Harry nodded. Fiona rubbed her eyes; she was too tired to say anything. She was feeling cold again. Sirius walked up to her and kissed her good night. "Go to bed." She was too tired to argue so she made her way back to her room.
Harry made his way to the door, but Sirius stopped him. "Harry. There's something I want to tell you."
"Nothing happened. I swear. Where were you? You left her alone and she needed someone with her."
"That's not what I was about to say."
"I love her. And I already told her that. Um…and I just told you right now," said Harry uncomfortably, averting his gaze away from Sirius.
"Yes. I've noticed. However, I was going to tell you my terms for dating my daughter. This just so that things won't be so strange later on. You will be going to Hogwarts. I'm not sure I want Fiona to go there, so I'm trying to decide what to do for her schooling. I can, however, control her dating. Because I'm your guardian I can control your dating as well," explained Sirius in a tone that Harry had never heard before.
"What are you driving at?" he asked.
"Her birthday is March 15th. That's about six months away," replied Sirius.
Harry still didn't understand what Sirius was trying to tell him. "I don't understand," he whispered.
"You can date her then, but not before. I would rather not see anymore scenes like the one I just saw, innocent or otherwise, before then, do you understand?"
Harry looked utterly surprised. He gulped and nodded. "And you do understand that even if I allow you to date her, that doesn't necessarily mean she'll agree to. You cannot use my approval as a way to make her. Further rules will come later on when you can date her," continued Sirius. "I have yet to devise them."
"I understand," said Harry with a firmer nod than before.
"Go to bed, Harry," said Sirius as he turned to go to sleep. Harry stopped at the door and turned again, "Thanks Sirius."
"Good night, Harry."
"Good night." The door closed behind him. Sirius smiled to himself. One good turn deserved another. He wouldn't have had Thalia without the help of James and Lily. He figured he should help out their son in something that mattered so much to him. Sirius finally decided to go to sleep.
*
Fiona woke up the next morning without any pain. She remembered vaguely being held as she slept by Harry, but she couldn't remember getting back to her own bed. She climbed out of it and set her feet on the cold floor. She shuddered slightly. What other mysteries will unravel themselves today, she pondered?
She got ready for the day slowly and walked into the living room to find her father having a leisurely breakfast. Somehow, it suited him. For the first time, she could see that her father was a man of good breeding. He looked up at her and stood up. It was customary for a gentleman to stand up whenever a female entered the room. But why was he being so formal?
"Good morning, Dad," she greeted with a smile.
He smiled at her as she took a seat. "Good morning, Fiona. I'm sure you know who Lady Desdemona is, don't you?" he asked.
"Mom's mom," replied Fiona; she was very reluctant to call her grandmother. She remembered the way Sirius and Lady Desdemona talked to each other. She was lucid enough to remember that much. "I don't know if I like her. I respect her, but I'm not sure if I like her."
"Good assessment," said Sirius calmly, not wanting to influence her decision. "Your grandmother thinks you should be educated here in Avalon."
Fiona looked outside for a moment. Breakfast was served in the balcony that morning. She wondered where everyone else was. It was strange to feel totally alone with her father. Most of the time, there was someone else nearby, mostly Nell. She remembered mornings like this with her mother. She liked having breakfast with her father alone.
"She used to say, 'Magic is everywhere. You just have to know where to look.' She used to say that all the time. I loved fairy tales when I was little. I used to ask if there was real magic in the world," whispered Fiona. She took a glance at the scenery around her. It was like sitting in one of her favorite fairy tales.
"I never heard her say that before, but it's true," agreed Sirius.
"What do you want me to do, Dad?" asked Fiona. He stared at her for a moment. She had given him the chance to make the decision for her, but he shook his head. He had to trust her; he had had to have more faith in her than he had in Thalia.
"You have to decide for yourself, but I think you should talk to your grandmother first," said Sirius. It wasn't a suggestion.
"Do I have to?"
"Yes. She's the only grandparent you really have. Voldemort is practically a walking corpus, so he doesn't count," he replied. His tone was firm.
"Okay. Fine. I'll meet with her. But she'd better not say anything I don't like."
"First of all, I know that you were raised to treat your elders with respect. Second, she's got a lot of power. Your grandmother is not to be trifled with," cautioned Sirius, but he did admire the little spitfire he had created.
"I'll win through emotional blackmail," said Fiona.
Sirius started laughing. "Yes, you're very good at that, but I don't think that will work on your grandmother"
Lady Desdemona watched this scene with her mirror. She had to admire her son-in-law just a little bit for showing Fiona her options without forcing her into his side. Lady Desdemona didn't like him much. He was the one who had abandoned her daughter. She was never going to forgive him for that.
By ten in the morning, Fiona came to the quarters of Lady Desdemona, instead of the first room that they had drunk tea in. It was too early for tea, and she had already eaten breakfast. "Good morning, Fiona," greeted Lady Desdemona.
"Good morning, Lady Desdemona."
"You already know who am I. Perhaps, you should call me something less formal," suggested Lady Desdemona.
"What should I call you?"
"I am your grandmother. You may call me that."
"I don't think so."
Lady Desdemona smiled at her willfulness. She decided to talk about other matters. "Avalon is a place of great power. As I have explained before, all power converges upon this isle. Your grandfather would do anything to access it."
"I'd like to know what you saw in him. My dad isn't that horrible," said Fiona. She knew how her grandmother felt. She never thought that she'd meet such a woman. She was so upper class, so was her grandfather. "How did you become the high priestess?" she asked.
"I sold my soul and body to the devil himself. Your grandfather is much older than me. I was only seventeen when your mother was born. Your mother was twenty when you came. I was also married to your grandfather. I was his official consort, but I was nothing more than a vassal for his heir. I did what I did because the high priestess at the time saw that my destiny was to bring the end of Voldemort. None of us understood what that meant at the time. Are you familiar with the story of the Titians in Greek Mythology?"
"Um…I think so. They were the gods before the ones of Olympus. I've heard of them."
"Do you know the story of how Zeus became the head of the gods?"
"I can't remember it correctly, but I think it had something to do with the god, Coronus. He consumed his children to prevent them from killing him and taking power, but his wife, Gaia, protected Zeus who was the youngest of the children. Later on Zeus came back and conquered Coronus. He killed him and cut his belly open to free the other children."
"Very good. That is what we are dealing with. Your grandfather is like a Titian. My earth magic happens to be the strongest in the world."
"You're like Gaia. Or Mother Earth," whispered Fiona.
"Your mother still lingers like the air around us. She's waiting for the final battle. Only then can she leave this plane of existence completely. You have been chosen by Avalon as our champion."
"What?"
"You belong to Avalon. My family has been around since before Merlin's time. Our family," replied Lady Desdemona.
"Let me ask you one other question: do you regret at all what my mother had to go through?"
Lady Desdemona sighed inwardly. "Of course, I do. I had to watch from here. I saw the constant terror she was in. All I could do was pray for her."
"That's not good enough. You're the most powerful witch in the world. I can't believe you'd do this to your own family. You can't feign ignorance."
"Your grandfather ripped your mother from my arms just after she was born. I think he was relieved that she was a girl. At least, she couldn't make a bid for his power. Eventually, he saw that she could used as tool. The ceremony that bound your grandfather and me together had a curse attached to it. I am bound to this isle by Avalon's will and his," said Lady Desdemona as she turned her back and pulled down the side of her dress to show the Dark Mark.
Fiona gasped. It looked like it had been branded into her skin. Her grandfather thought of her grandmother as nothing more than an animal. She was nothing more than cattle. "But, why am I the one that Avalon has chosen? What kind of Goddess do you have? She plays with her worshippers as if they were pawns."
"I cannot explain it myself. Only the Goddess knows what she knows," said Lady Desdemona.
"I won't do it. I won't fight him," refused Fiona as she crossed her arms over her chest. "I don't give a damn what Avalon has to say about it."
"I suppose it would be a bad time to tell you that I would like you to have your magical education here with me. I would rather not have you with the Merlinians," whispered Lady Desdemona.
"Why? Because most of me is? I really don't care about magic. I was raised non magic by my mother. If she saw no need for it, then I don't. I am being pulled into three different worlds: non magic, Merlinian, and Avalonian. I am proud of my heritage and up bringing. I'm just ashamed of most of my relatives, especially the ones on my mother's side."
"So, you've made a choice, then?"
"I would rather stay with my father because he is a great man. No one else loves me more than he does. I'll go with him, even if it incurs your wrath," said Fiona bravely. "My mother raised me against the odds before. I'm used to it."
"I see," whispered Lady Desdemona. She had had a feeling this would be the outcome, but she also knew that Sirius didn't have a plan.
"But…is there a way I could come back here?" she asked with reluctance. She felt like she had to give something to her grandmother. She could feel that she wasn't an evil villain like her grandfather.
"You will always be welcome here, my child," whispered Lady Desdemona with a smile. "There is another matter I wish to discuss."
"What?"
"Harry Potter."
Fiona noticeable stiffened up in a different manner. She remembered the conversation she had had with him last night. She knew so much more about him now. The very thought of him made her insides warm and bubbly. At the same time, she felt a sort of fear. Like the rush one got from a roller coaster just before a big drop. "Um…yes?"
"He loves you very much. I've never experience that myself, but I have seen it many times. I know that you are still deciding how you feel. However, I must warn you that unlike most people, you and him are bound together. It is the will of Avalon," said Lady Desdemona.
Fiona sighed. She couldn't believe that Avalon was so powerful as all that. "But, I don't want to be," she whispered. "I don't want to be bound to anyone, especially to Harry. I want to choose on my own. It has to be my choice, not Avalon's."
"Good. Fight the will of Avalon. I'm just telling you what I know will happen. You are two halves of a whole. I did not say you had to fight your grandfather. That will not be your task."
"Then what does this have to do with Harry? I know that everyone thinks he's destined to face off with Voldemort."
"He is. His sword is waiting for him to come and be claimed," Lady Desdemona informed her.
"There's something that belongs to him here? But, he's a Merlinian," said Fiona. "There isn't a speck of Avalonian magic in him."
"How do you know that?" asked Lady Desdemona musingly.
Fiona shook her head and shrugged. "I'm not sure. I can just tell. I didn't say anything to anyone else about it. I didn't want to sound stupid."
"You are correct. You've always managed to surprise me. Even as a child, you were very precocious. There were times when you confounded your mother. I found it most amusing."
"You know?" asked Fiona, amazed.
"Yes, I remember you as a baby. You used to smile at strangers. You were also a trying child. Your mother had to cover her face with a pillow in another room to prevent herself from screaming in frustration. She always wanted to appear to be calm and in control by not yelling at you."
"I had no idea. She just used to scare me by not yelling like most parents. Most of the time, I just wanted her to yell, instead she just looked disappoint. It was worse."
"Fiona, Harry Potter is someone who loves you deeply. You mustn't push him away. I have had to live with so many regrets in my life. So, did your mother. I don't want you to feel any regrets. You must not do that. I want you to live and be happy. I want that for my granddaughter. That is my wish." Her voice sounded so clear.
"I don't know how I really feel."
"Then listen to what your heart tells you."
Fiona couldn't say anything. All words were lost to her at that moment. Lady Desdemona looked as majestic as ever, but she seemed more at peace. She cupped Fiona's chin again. "Live without regrets," she said softly as she kissed her on the forehead. "My sweet child."
Meanwhile the boys were practicing their swordplay again with wooden swords. The swords clashed again and again. Harry blocked Draco. Draco countered again. They moved back and forth with the intent of defeating the other. Ryu Ran and Professor Dumbledore watched the boys. Harry managed to disarm Draco in a matter of minutes.
"Do you think he is prepared?" asked Ryu Ran to his grandfather.
"Not yet. He still has a lot of things to do. Some more growing to do."
"Time is running out. Lady Desdemona has seen the various attacks, Grandfather. The world as we know it is under siege. The attacks are getting bolder. Voldemort knows you're not there, Grandfather."
"I suspected as much, but I need to be here for Harry. He will require my guidance," said Professor Dumbledore. "I have been working on this for years now, Ryu. I have been waiting for the day when he will be ready. He is our champion."
Harry and Draco weren't listening to the odd conversation that they were having. Draco picked up his sword and they began to duel again. He was amazed at Harry's progress. He was a natural when it came to swordplay.
Sirius came outside with Remus and the Weasleys. "You boys should stop doing that before someone gets hurt," said Mrs. Weasley with some concern.
"It's all right, Mrs. Weasley. I won't get hurt by the Ferret," assured Harry. He smiled at her.
"Ferret? Potter, I could knock you down, if I wanted to."
"Yeah, right."
"I don't want either of you to get hurt," said Mrs. Weasley. She liked to mother everyone. And everyone did include Draco Malfoy. However, judging by the gags of her sons, she may have gone too far.
"Hello everyone," said Fiona as she arrived with Lady Desdemona behind her. Harry smiled again, but Draco poked him with the wooden sword from behind. "Ow!" He swiveled to glare at him, but he was looking at the sky. "Bloody Ferret," muttered Harry.
"Fiona has something to say," said Lady Desdemona.
"Um…I've been thinking. Okay, I'm not used to talking in front of this many people at once," stalled Fiona. She sighed. "Let me just say that I am not sure if I want to go back to Hogwarts, but I know that I don't want to stay in Avalon on a permanent basis with my grandmother. I would rather stay with my father."
Sirius betrayed a look of astonishment. She smiled at him. "I suppose only Black has some control over her," said Snape who had appeared just after Fiona had made her announcement. "What happens now?"
"We wait," said Lady Desdemona.
*
Much later in the afternoon, Fiona was allowed to wander around for a bit. Lady Desdemona allowed her to do so, even though Sirius was against it. He allowed her to go after Lady Desdemona's assurances that she was perfectly. She wore her cloak as she went exploring by herself. She wanted to feel out the isle for herself.
Harry went looking for her around sundown because he was worried about her. He was elated that she had decided to stay with Sirius. That meant she'd be with him, too. He remembered what Sirius had said about dating her. The next six months were going to be devoted to him trying to win her over. He saw her standing near the unkempt glade that they visited their first day in Avalon. She wore a burgundy cloak that was like the one in one of his first dreams.
"Fiona," he said softly. She turned and looked at him.
"Hello," said Fiona.
"It's almost sundown. You don't want to be here alone at night," said Harry.
"Thanks," she whispered with a smile. "I was wondering about that voice you heard earlier. I wonder where it really came from."
"I'd rather not go looking for a voice that I only heard. Let's go back," said Harry.
"What's over there?" asked Fiona as she looked at the glade.
"I don't know. I don't think we're supposed to be there. Look that willow blocks our way, so we shouldn't go there," replied Harry.
"Since when have you been afraid of breaking a few rules? And Lady Desdemona said we could go anywhere we wanted," pointed out Fiona.
"There's nothing there," insisted Harry. She took his hand, catching him by surprise. "Just come with me. I didn't want to go there alone, but I don't know where Draco went."
The mention of Draco was enough for him to go with her. "Let's go take a look," he said. She was still holding his hand. She stopped when she got to the willow. She didn't know why, but she took Harry's hand and pressed against the tree. "I think that this is what's talking to you. I can see something around this tree. It wasn't speaking to me," she explained.
Harry froze where he was because he could hear the voice again. It was so clear this time. "I have been waiting for you, Milord," said the voice. Fiona couldn't hear the voice, but she could tell that Harry did. She kept his hand pressed up against the tree trunk.
The glade lit up with an eerie glow. The light was coming from behind the tree. Fiona dropped Harry's hand. He closed his eyes. There was something strange coming over him. She didn't know what was happening to him. What did she do to him? "Harry? Harry? Snap out of it!" shouted Fiona.
The willow tree split in half at that moment. He walked through with Fiona following behind him. The tree closed up again behind her. Fiona whirled around. How were they going to get back out? "Harry? Harry? Are you okay?" she whispered frantically.
She finally looked around. The glade wasn't really a glade at all. It was a large pond. The light was coming from the pond. There were no other creatures in this place. Fiona could feel the reason why. There was something there that was extremely powerful and dangerous. She took a hold of Harry's arm. The fear was coursing through her veins. "Let's get out of here. This was a bad idea. Harry, can you hear me?" she pleaded. He shook her hand away.
Harry walked forward and waded into the pond. There were water lilies on the water. Harry scooped one of them up in his hand. He was performing actions that were naturally programmed into him. He placed the water lily in front of him, allowing it to float in the water.
Fiona clutched her crystal tightly, wondering if she could snap him out of it. If not, then she would have to trigger the crystal again and get help. She wondered if she should follow him, but as soon as she walked towards the edge of the pond, something blocked her. She cursed herself. She had Avalon's magic in her, but she still hadn't mastered air magic to allow herself to phase through the barrier.
Something else happened that knocked Fiona off her feet completely. The ground started to shake. Harry stood still in the water, trapped in the trance. "HARRY!" screamed Fiona. Something had emerged out of the water. She was on the ground breathing deeply as she looked at what it was.
It was a great stone with a sword in it. Fiona was on her feet again as she watched Harry. He stood there in a daze. His hand reached out for the handle of the sword. The air pulsated, sending shocks that reverberated throughout the isle. Fiona struggled against them as she moved herself forward. "Oh my God," she gasped as Harry pulled the sword out of the stone with ease. She walked towards the pond and this time it allowed her to pass through.
Fiona waded in the water to him. Harry whirled around with the sword. It came up to her just inches away from her face. She stood still and held her breath.
*
Lady Desdemona knew what was happening without looking into her mirror. The shockwaves signaled a significant release of earth magic. That could have meant only one thing: the sword was no longer dormant. Gwendolyn came phasing in as soon as the shockwaves had started. Lady Desdemona held up her hand to prevent her from speaking.
"Gather everyone together, Gwendolyn. It's time for me to explain our plans to defeat Voldemort," ordered Lady Desdemona.
Gwendolyn hissed a breath through her teeth because she had been meaning to say something to her. "Milady, about your granddaughter. You will be putting her in danger," she finally said.
Lady Desdemona looked at her with mild shock. "I know that Gwendolyn. Don't you think I know that? I'll be damn if I have to sacrifice another one of my relatives to that monster, but we have no choice. This is the only way. The sword being reawakened is more dangerous," she whispered. "But this is the will of Avalon. I would defy it to protect my granddaughter."
"Then why?"
"It is not up to me. The decision to defeat him will be theirs," whispered Lady Desdemona. "I wanted her to stay her with me away from all of that. I wanted to protect her, but she chose her father instead. He cannot protect from him."
"Then why the sword? Why are we risking repeating what happened before? More people could die," said Gwendolyn.
"We do not know that for certain. That is why water magic is unstable at times. The future can be changed by one thing. You are still a student, Gwendolyn. The last time the sword was active, Camelot unwisely cut its ties with the Lady of the Lake, siding with Merlin. Foolish beings," she explained as she rubbed the bridge of her nose, between her eyes.
"But are you willing to gamble with the lives of those children?" asked Gwendolyn.
"Just go and get everyone gathered," ordered Lady Desdemona again. Gwendolyn turned on her heel and left without bowing to her. Lady Desdemona watched the dim light in the distance.
Gwendolyn arrived a couple of minutes later with all of the guests, except for Harry and Fiona. Sirius was the first one to speak up, "Where is my daughter, you corrupted hag?" he demanded. "And my godson."
Gwendolyn gave a fearful gasp. "Merlinian, the children are outside. I suggest you pay better attention first before accusing me of doing anything to either of them," replied Lady Desdemona with an icy tone as she glared daggers at him.
"Your family squabbles aside," stepped in Snape. "Where are the children?" Not that he actually cared about Harry.
"They have gone to meet with Merlin," replied Lady Desdemona.
*
Fiona didn't step back away from Harry. He had the sword pointed directly at her face. He was still in a trance. She had to break it. How was she supposed to do that? "Harry, please stop," she whispered. "Please."
He couldn't hear her. She carefully stepped away from the blade and walked up to him. She thought about it. Suddenly, the sword fell from his hand with a loud clunk. His eyes were no longer glazed as he stepped back. He gazed at the sword on the ground and then looked at Fiona. She had a petrified look on her face as she stayed rooted to one spot. She held up her hand to reach out for him. "Harry…are you okay?" she whispered.
"I don't know," he muttered. "What's going on?"
"You were in a trance. I shouldn't have asked you to come with me. I'm sorry," she whispered as she stepped forward. "This is all my fault."
"What is this sword doing here?"
Fiona looked stunned. "You don't remember. You walked in here and walked up to the pond. That stone," she pointed to it, "came out of the water. The sword was in it. You pulled it out."
"What?!" exclaimed Harry.
"Harry…I think that the sword's not just any sword. It's—"
"Don't say it," he interrupted. "Let's put it back and get out of here. We've done enough."
Fiona nodded. It was best that they got out of there, but she didn't completely agree with him. Harry picked up the sword and waded back into the pond. However, the willow tree parted again. Harry stopped.
"I see you've found your sword," said Lady Desdemona as she entered with everyone else. She had materialized them there. The rest of them seemed stunned at the moment. The stars in the sky illuminated the scene. Harry stood in the water holding the sword.
"This isn't my sword. It was just here," he explained.
"Nay, it is your sword. Yours to wield alone," said Lady Desdemona.
"Excalibur," whispered Professor Dumbledore. "The Sword of the King." His eyes were twinkling as he looked at the stunned looks around him. "The sword is yours Harry as part of your mother's heritage."
"My mum's relatives were Muggles," said Harry as he shook his head. "I'm putting it back."
No one made a move to stop him, but Fiona suddenly spoke up, "No. Don't put it back."
Harry stopped. He stood still again. He really didn't like where this was going. He didn't like what it all meant. "Come, Milord," said Lady Desdemona as she swept into an elegant bow. His hand gripped the handle tighter. Fiona was standing in the water. Her feet were getting numb from the cold. "This was all your idea, so I'll go along," muttered Harry as he looked at her. "Get your feet out of the water already."
She nodded and waded out of the water. Sirius came to both of them. He looked at Harry for a moment. He was holding the most powerful wizarding weapon ever forged. "Harry, wrap it in this," he said as he took off his cloak. "It's sharp."
"Let's return to the castle so I can explain everything," said Lady Desdemona as she sent them back.
Harry didn't unwrap the sword and no one wanted to see it. He was extremely tense as he looked around.
"Now, let's all get comfortable, shall we? This will take a lot of explaining," said Lady Desdemona. "Harry just put the sword on the table." She had called him by his first name because he didn't seem like he would listen otherwise.
He gently placed it on the table. It was a large circular one, unlike the rectangular one that they had eaten their meals on before. "Yes, the sword is Excalibur," said Lady Desdemona.
"Only one person could have been able to pull the sword out of the stone: it's rightful owner. The sword was forged here by Merlin many centuries ago. He had plans for the sword to be given only to the rightful person. That person was Arthur Pendragon. However, there were other factors that we never predicted. Water magic is unreliable in those matters. You all know the story of Camelot, so I won't go into those details, but there is something that most Merlinians don't know. The sword was what destroyed the kingdom. It is tied with its master, and when the High King decided he would rather die than continue, the sword did what his heart asked," said Lady Desdemona. She looked around the room.
"At the core of all of us is weakness. We are still human after all. Everything was destroyed because of a large release of Earth Magic. Merlin was the only one who survived. He surrendered when Morgaine Le Faye caught up with him. He saw the horror and the devastation. He was using a wand to teach people how to use magic, so Avalon decided to make that into his prison. The stone that the sword was drawn out of originally was transported here by Lady Morgaine and placed into the pond. Merlin's wish was to be the guard for the sword until another came to claim it. He was allowed to do so."
"What does that have to do with me?" asked Harry. He knew what she meant exactly, but he was hoping she'd say otherwise.
"You are the king of the Merlinians. That was what the sword was made for. It isn't your Merlinian blood that grants your power; it's the blood of your mother. Voldemort learned that a long time ago. He murdered your grandparents and parents. Non-magics are a threat to him because of you. You have the power to rule not only over the Merlinians, but the non-magics as well. You are the one destined to defeat Voldemort."
Harry's hands clutched into fists on the table. His face was paler. He unrolled one of his fists and reached up and touched his scar. He was breathing deeply. "He is your ruler. All you of you are to show him due respect. Fiona, you are his equal, so it is not required from you," said Lady Desdemona. "You must get used to this, Harry."
Harry stood up at Lady Desdemona's last statement. "I don't care. I don't want to be king. I'll fight Voldemort, but I'll do it on my own terms!" he flared. He stormed out of the room. Fiona looked at Draco, then at her father. The sword sat on the table right in front of where Harry was sitting.
"This is a shock. Who would have thought that Harry was the High King? Is he the reincarnation of Arthur Pendragon?" asked Percy.
"Nay. Merlin said that the mistake will not be repeated. Harry was destined from birth. Voldemort's rise to power was the sign that the next golden age was coming. I remember Lady Lily well. She was a very kind woman. Alas, she is not here to comfort her son," said Lady Desdemona.
"You knew Lily?" asked Remus.
"Yes. Of course, I watched her with my mirror. I had to protect her and keep her alive from that distance, but I couldn't. Avalon wouldn't allow for it," she replied.
"Fiona, you and Harry hold the key to ending this. The crystal is only part of the weapon. Like Cronus, Voldemort can only be permanently sealed by someone of his own blood. He was recreated with his father's bones and now it will take his daughter's blood to seal him. Harry is to duel with him using Excalibur. The wizards of the world are too disperse. Their schools worry about sharing secrets with each other. Excalibur is needed as a symbol to unite everyone, if not…all will be lost. The sword has chosen its king. You will need each other to survive," continued Lady Desdemona.
Fiona couldn't bring herself to say anything. "So, that's why you ordered Harry here as well? You knew this didn't you?" Sirius said out loud as he questioned Professor Dumbledore.
"It was important to keep him safe. Otherwise, he should have been better prepared," replied Professor Dumbledore.
"We had the king in our house during the summer," mumbled Percy. "All this time."
"Everyone please be quiet," said Fiona quietly.
Everyone was stunned. "Did any of you bother to actually listen to what he said earlier? No, I suppose not," she went on as she stood up. "Draco, come with me."
Draco stood up. He didn't want to go with her, the conversation was getting interesting, but he didn't like that look on her face. He could tell that she was pissed, so he followed her. The last thing he wanted to do in the world was talk to Harry Potter. "I can't believe he's supposed to be my king," he muttered.
"I don't think it really matters. He doesn't want to be one anyway. I'm worried about him," said Fiona.
"Then, why did you drag me with you?"
"Because you have a way of getting through to me and everyone else with your delicate handling," replied Fiona sarcastically
"I'll do my best to agitate a response out of him for you," drawled Draco lazily with a smirk.
They found him standing outside by himself. He was staring off into space. Fiona stood still for a moment just to watch him. "Oh Merlin, help us. Our king is a moron," said Draco out loud, eliciting a response from Harry.
"You…" started Harry.
"Draco, don't say that," snapped Fiona as she glared at him.
"Hey, I'm just saying what most of the world will say. He's fifteen years old. We're screwed," continued Draco.
"Shut up, Malfoy," said Harry in a threatening tone.
"As you wish, Milord," said Draco as he swept into an elegant bow. Harry felt like he was thrown for a loop. Something inside him didn't like the thought of anyone doing that, especially Malfoy.
"Stop that!" shouted Harry.
"What's wrong? You'd better get used to it, Potter," said Draco.
"Both of you, just stop. Sheesh, why do you have to aggravate him like that Draco? And Harry, why don't you just get used to Draco? His attitude is part of his charm," said Fiona. "Harry, why are you so angry?"
Harry couldn't answer her because he had no idea why he was so angry. He had spent a lot of time in the wizarding world trying to get people to stop staring at him just because he was Harry Potter. He looked straight at Fiona. He could see himself in her eyes. It was the only time he could see who he really was. Everything else around him ceased to exist, even Draco.
He remembered that Draco had said he wasn't good enough for her. He needed her by his side, even if he wasn't a king. He reached out for her and grabbed on. "Hey! Potter, what the Hell are you doing?!" exclaimed Draco.
Fiona didn't say anything. He'd held her when she needed someone to hold her. Now he needed something to hold on to, so she allowed him to do so. The world felt like it was enclosing upon them, ready to consume them.
AN: Took very long to write this chapter. Due in part to my sheer laziness. ^^ And lots of other lovely distractions other than school. This chapter opens up towards the next arch. Making this probably the shortest arc.
Disclaimer: Nope. Nan-uh. Iie. No. I don't know Harry Potter.