Child of Prophecy
Chapter 2 - Potter Manor and the Crazy Elves
DISCLAIMER: I do not own the copyrights to the Harry Potter series. I use the series' characters to create my own FanFiction stories not associated with the main series created by J.K Rowling and her publishers/associates in any way. Additionally my story has some mature themes not intended for children. Reader discretion is advised. Enjoy reading and don't forget to review!
Harry and Garuda were gliding through the sky above, the storm clouds drifting away slowly as they reached their destination. The dawn was breaking and the sun was casting a warm glow over the horizon, illuminating the manor from the east. As they flew through the puffy white clouds drenching Harry and Garuda on the way down, waking them up and refreshing them, Harry couldn't believe his eyes.
Harry gripped the neck feathers of Garuda and sat up a little straighter to look down at the magnificent manor that was shining off in the distance. They flew around and passed the mountain ranges where Garuda lived, a clutch of Hebridean Blacks nested, and a herd of Griffins roamed. Garuda landed down off the beaten path that leads into a giant forest filled to the brim with all sorts of magical creatures.
"Harry… Welcome to Potter Manor!" Garuda said with flair as he came to a stop down by the large iron gates to the manor grounds.
"Wow…", Harry said awestruck and dumbly climbing down from the back of the large Thunderbird, "My family lives here?"
Garuda hesitated for a moment but decided to break the news anyway, "Lived Harry… The Potter family is nearing extinction. About a century ago there was a massacre of the Potter family by a deranged Potter from the side branch who wanted the headship. He killed all but the main family who resided here. Now that your parents and grandparents are gone… You are the last remaining Potter. You must keep their legacy alive and bring The Noble and Most Ancient House of Potter back to its former glory."
"Wow… That's a lot to live up to…" Harry said looking down at his feet dejectedly.
"That may be but you won't have to do it alone. I will be with you every step of the way." Garuda said, trying to comfort his familiar.
Harry looked up at his feathered friend and gave a cheesy grin saying, "Thanks Garuda. That means a lot to me."
The duo looked back at the iron gates locked together with a large crest in the center and Harry couldn't help but worry if they would let him in.
"How do we get the gates to unlock Garuda?" Harry asked.
All of a sudden they heard a series of soft popping sounds as a row of four strange little creatures dressed in suits and dresses made of red and black acromantula silk appeared. They all looked wearily at Harry as one strode forward and looked to Garuda.
"Garuda, this be Master James and Mistress Lily's youngling?" asked the curious house elf.
Garuda couldn't communicate with anyone but Harry so he simply bobbed his head before telling Harry about house elves, "This Harry is a house elf. They are very powerful magical creatures that live to serve wizard kind in a symbiotic relationship."
"Live to serve? What does symbiotic mean exactly, Garuda?" Harry asked, looking a little worried.
"Symbiotic means the relationship is beneficial for both you and the elves." Garuda explained calmly.
"So there not slaves?" Harry asked unsure about having elves not wanting to enslave anything like he was at his relatives house.
"No Master Harry. We's not be slaves. We's be liking working for and serving you's." said the one that came up to him and gave a ninety degree bow.
"Thank you… I'm sorry I don't know your name. I'm Harry… but you already knew that. What's your name?" Harry said, asking the elf for his name.
Some of the elves looked on in wonder and awe at their new master for showing them kindness. One elf even broke down in tears hugging herself and bawling her tennis ball shaped eyes out.
Harry looked worried he had said something wrong to upset them but before he could apologize again the elf closest to him spoke up, "Master Fleamont and Mistress Euphemia be's kind Masters Harry but not all Masters be kind to us elves. Almost no one's thanks us elves."
Harry didn't know what to say to that thinking some people must treat them like slaves and how he didn't like that. Right then and there Harry vowed to treat all magical beings with fairness no matter what.
"Well I don't know about other people but I will always treat you as equals. I would rather have you be my friends than servants." Harry said with resolve and a cheesy grin.
Before Harry knew it he was being hugged and led around in circles by a group of ecstatic elves. When the elves broke apart the first elf came up to him and put Harry's hand on his forehead forging a house elf bond. Soon all the elves had done it and now Harry was bonded with four loyal friends who would go to the ends of the earth for him.
"Master Harry I's be your personal elf and head Potter elf, Trickster. I's be Master Fleamont's personal elf before he died." The elf now identified as Trickster said a little dejectedly.
Another elf stepped forward, this one wearing a dress and curtseyed saying, "I's be Mimsey Master Harry. I's be cooking and cleaning for you's."
A third elf came forward, the only other elf wearing a dress and curtseyed saying, "I's be Barnby Master Harry. I's be looking after the animals in the forest, mountains, stables, and owlery. I's also be medic elf."
The final elf, this one wearing a suit, came forward and bowed at the waist saying, "I's be Digsby Master Harry. I's be looking after the grounds, gardens, and greenhouses."
Harry looked at all his new friends and smiled a huge grin at each of them before nodding and looking up at his new manor. The iron gates opened automatically as they walked towards them glowing eerily as they recognized his potter blood. As Harry walked through the gate he got all woozy after passing through the primary ward line. He dropped down to one knee and started gulping down air greedily.
"What was that?" Harry asked through each breath, "It feels like all my energy is gone."
Trickster and Digsby tried to help Harry to his feet but cringed back as if hit when Digsby put his hand on Harry's back. Harry cried out and crawled forward on his hands and knees trying to get away from his elves. Harry still had fresh welts on his back from his Uncle Vernon's lashing the night before and was still in slight pain.
The elves look horrified that they might have hurt their master but Barnby jumped into action and scanned Harry for injuries with a wave of her hands. Barnby gasped in shock at what she discovered ailing Harry. Harry still hadn't eaten in nearly three days so he started fading in and out on the ground listening to the squeaky shouting of Barnby ordering the other elves to prepare for treatment.
Harry heard a ghastly screeching and felt liquid running down his face and over his eyelid. He put his hand to his forehead and looked at it. Harry's hand was covered in a mixture of some kind of black ichor and what could only be blood. Harry fell down on his stomach and faded to the sound of elves chanting in some language he didn't understand, and panicked warbling from Garuda who was calling for him in the back of his mind.
When Harry woke up he felt all groggy. He opened his eyes, blinking them rapidly to hydrate them. He didn't know where he was or what had happened to him but he figured he fell asleep doing his chores. Harry sat up and looked around and immediately remembered what happened. He looked out the window and figured it was sometime in the afternoon based on the sun and light.
Harry got up from the bed stark naked and stretched out his back by leaning backwards with his hand on his waist. Harry realized his back was perfectly fine and totally healed and thought about how he loved magic already.
Harry looked around the room and saw a large desk with a comfortable office chair in front of it against the wall opposite the bed. On the left of the desk there was a picture frame hanging over a door of a couple holding a baby. Through that door was a tiny hall that led to a large walk-in closet filled with someone's things. When he came back out of the closet he noticed a door on the wall to the left of the bed and decided to check that one next.
Harry walked through a large oak door into what must have been the most luxurious bathroom in the world. There were marble walls lined with an intricate gold pattern and amazing tile floors. On one side there was a huge bathtub that looked to be the size of a hot tug with ornate gold faucets and handles. There was also a glass doored stand up shower with an overhead rain faucet. He looked at a huge marble countertop with his and hers sinks and large cabinets beneath them lined with shelves filled with stuff as well.
Harry walked back into the bedroom and gave the whole room a once over noting different things that signified someone was living in the room. The whole room in its entirety was the size of the whole first floor of Privet Drive. If his Aunt Petunia could see this room she would be super jealous.
Barnby popped into the room and gave Harry a good fright as he was completely starkers. Harry climbed back into bed and covered himself with the sheets. Harry saw Barnby and remembered she took care of the animals and was the medical elf. He looked at her endearingly and said with emotion, "Thank you Barnby for healing me. How long was I out?"
"Thank Mother Magic you's be okay Master Harry. You's gave us elves a good scare. Barnby said as she visibly relaxed.
Harry nodded his head with a smile and continued, "Well I have you and the others to thank for that don't I. How long have I been out? It looks like it's only been a couple of hours."
Barnby hesitated for a moment but replied anyway, "No Master Harry not hours, three days. Barnby had to put you in stasis Master Harry so Barnby could heal you's."
"I was out cold for three days?" Harry looked off completely shocked.
Barnby nodded her head and started waving her hands over his chest and head. She then started chanting in that same language which he realized was probably elvish before she nodded and stood back.
"You's be in good health now Master Harry. You's still be underfed but we's can fix that." Barnby reported.
"What is stasis? How many of my injuries did you fix?" Harry asked his mind getting worked up and filling with burning questions like the day before.
"Stasis is like frozen in time Master Harry." Barnby explained.
"You's had a lot of injuries Master Harry. We elves be very worried for you. Barnby be vanishing and regrowing you's bones. Applying salves to you's bruises and scars and giving you's nutritional potion to keep you's alive." Barnby said teary eyed.
"Wow… That's a lot to take in…" Harry said a little worried.
Harry looked down at Barnby and saw that she was about to cry so he tried to comfort her with words, "Hey now there's no reason to cry. I'm all better now. I feel loads better than I did before."
"Barnby be really scared for you's Master Harry. There also be a nasty piece of soul fragment lodged in your scar with dark wizard magic. Us elves had to perform an exorcism to banish it to the afterlife after you passed the ward line." Barnby explained.
"You banished a piece of my soul?" Harry asked, completely befuddled by that statement.
The elf looked appalled and shook her head so fast her ears were slapping her in the face and on the back of the head.
"No Master Harry we would never. There be someone else's soul fragment lodged in between you's scar and you's skull. It was attempting to possess you's so we's get rid of it." Barnby panicked.
"Oh…" Harry replied, still completely befuddled by all the magic, "Do you know who's soul it was or how it got there."
Barnby shook her head still and sniffled about it before Harry put a hand on her shoulder and said, "That's okay Barnby I'm sure it doesn't matter anymore."
Barnby visibly relaxed and then called for Mimsey to take over from there. Mimsey popped in with a tray filled to the brim with different kinds of food. There was a bowl of delicious looking stew that was still steaming hot and half a buttered loaf of bread next to it presumably for dunking. There was also a bundle of grapes and cherries followed by some slices of different kinds of cheese. Finally there was a goblet filled to the brim with what looked like orange juice.
"Here you go Master Harry. Mimsey be preparing a big breakfast for you's. Mimsey didn't know what you like so I's be making Master Fleamont's favourites." Mimsey said, putting the tray down on Harry's desk.
"You's be needing anything else Master Harry?" Mimsey asked, fussing over Harry all motherly and such.
"Some clothes would be nice right about now Mimsey? What happened to my clothes from earlier?" Harry asked
"Those clothes be vanished when Barnby started healing you's Master Harry. You can pick something out from Master Fleamont and Mistress Euphemia's closet and Mimsey can be's shrinking it down to fit you's."
Harry got up covering himself with the sheet and walked into the closet looking around at the clothes. He picked out a dark red T-shirt and a nice pair of dark blue jeans. He found what looked like a leather jacket and matching pair of boots with a cool looking dark purple fade bound into the leather. Harry then picked out some socks and underwear and walked back out into the bedroom.
"Can you shrink these so they will fit me please Mimsey?" Harry asked, holding a pile of clothes bigger than he was.
"Mimsey snapped her fingers and Harry was all of a sudden wearing the outfit he had chosen and it fit perfectly. Also the sheet was back on the bed and the bed was made. She gestured for him to sit down and eat and asked if he needed anything else while she was here.
"No thank you Mimsey, this is perfect." Harry replied, drooling over the food.
"Be sures to eat it all Master Harry you's be a growing boy. Mimsey be coming back for the tray later." Mimsey said, popping away.
Harry then sat down at his desk and ate his food with gusto, savoring each and every bite of the delicious meal. He would wager he ate more food in this one meal then he had ever eaten at the Dursleys. He started with the grapes and cherries before digging into his bowl of stew. After taking a sip from the goblet and finding it delicately sweet and tasting nothing like orange juice he decided to ask Mimsey what it was later on.
After he finished eating the tray and dishes magically disappeared Trickster popped into the room and bowed to Harry asking, "Master Harry would you's be liking a tour of the manor and grounds?"
Harry looked up at Trickster and nodded his head and they made their way out of the bedroom.
"Trickster, who were Fleamont and Euphemia? We're they my parents?" Harry asked his elf.
"No Master Harry Master Fleamont and Mistress Euphemia were you's grandparents. That be their bedroom before they died." Trickster explained
Harry looked thoughtfully down at the floor before gently murmuring, "You knew my grandparents?"
Trickster nodded before continuing, "Yes Master Harry. You's father was Master James and you's mother was Mistress Lily. They be visiting every now and then. This be where you's father born and raised."
"Did you like working for my grandparents?" Harry asked the head elf.
"Oh yes! They's be wonderful master and mistress. Always so kind to us elves they were." Trickster replied, leading Harry to a large set of double doors crafted out of oak.
They started the tour at the front doors which opened into a large hall with a grand staircase that led up to the second floor and the hall from which they came. Off to the right of the center hall was a sitting room for entertaining guests. It had a comfy furniture set and glass coffee table with coasters and magazines. A large red brick fireplace with no firewood mantle, however, there was an ornate urn with what looked like ashes on the fireplace mantle. There was also a crystalline alcohol set in the corner of the room with different color booze in them.
One of the walls was just a semicircle glass dome that had an amazing view of the outdoor gardens and patio with a door off to the side that led out there. There is a stone table and outdoor furniture set. There was also a large circular fire pit surrounded by big lazy boys presumably for roasting marshmallows and telling ghost stories. All of the patio was covered with a screen dome for ensuring insects can't get in.
"This is the informal sitting room and garden patio, Master Harry. Master Fleamont often met family friends here for informal business." Trickster informed him.
"This be the fireplace that is connected to the floo network for instantaneous travel." Trickster said pointing to the fireplace.
"What is the floo network Trickster? I've never heard of that before." Harry said, looking at the fireplace rather sheepishly.
"The floo network is a form of wizard travel Master Harry. You grab a handful of floo powder and toss it at you's feet saying where you's want to go very very clearly. Then you's teleport to the fireplace on the other side." Trickster explain
"We's can be doing that later after I's be showing you's the ward stone that allow the floo to be turned on and off." Trickster said continuing with the tour.
Trickster then led Harry back through the door and through another door to a small kitchen area for housing said marshmallows and so the elves can make guests something to eat while you talk with them. Trickster then led Harry back into the grand hall and down a hall off to the right on the first floor that opened into a big ornate dining room with fancy place settings down a huge table that could easily seat thirty to forty people. There were also three large golden chandeliers hanging down from above with candle sticks instead of lightbulbs.
"This be the formal dining room, Master Harry. Mistress Euphemia often held clubs and conventions that we served here. Mistress Euphemia was part of the St. Mungo's and Hogwarts board of directors. That be the wizard hospital and school of magic." Trickster explained as they walked back into the hall and further down to another door.
The next door led the wizard and elf to a modern open kitchen with brand new appliances covered in weird symbols. There was also an informal dining table off to the side that only fit a normal sized family. There were nice white cupboards and light gray crystallized stone cut granite countertops. There was also a lot of natural light coming from the windows and another patio door behind the dining table.
"This be the informal dining room and kitchen Master Harry. This be where we serving you breakfast from now on." Trickster continued.
Harry was completely awestruck at how awesome his house was. It was hard to think just a little while ago he was a slave with no friends being beaten every single day. Now he was super rich and living in his family's manor with all these super nice things. He didn't realize it yet but his arm was starting to bruise from where he pinched it so much. Harry still couldn't believe he was dreaming or that magic was real.
Trickster led Harry through the hall and they turned left presumably at the back of the first floor and through an adjacent hall and another large set of double oak doors. They walked through the doors and out of the manor into the back garden with flowers of all kinds and even vegetables. There was also a large plant that didn't look like something he'd ever seen before.
Harry started walking toward the wildly moving plant mesmerized by the way the leaves swung. It was almost as if they were alive. He started inching closer and closer to it before Trickster grabbed him by the hand and yanked him backward eliciting a yelp of surprise, snapping him out of his daze.
"Don't get so close to that plant Master Harry! That be venomous tentacula they are very poisonous. They might attack you!" Trickster warned and Harry gulped.
"Why would my grandparents keep something so dangerous?" Harry asked.
"Venomous Tentacula leaves be very rare and expensive. They's be used in various poisons and potion making. Farming them was one of Mistress Euphemia's more dangerous pastimes." explained Trickster sneering distastefully at the flailing vines.
"Okay then I'll stay away from the plants until I know which ones are poisonous and which ones aren't!" Harry joked good naturedly.
"Wise choice Master Harry." Trickster nodded, continuing back on the safe path away from poisonous man eating plants.
Harry followed Trickster pass row after row of different plants and flowers until they exited the greenhouse at the other end coming out to a large field with three large hoops on pillars made of metal.
"Over there be the broom shed and over there be the quidditch pitch Master Harry. The broom shed has you's father's racing old racing brooms and quidditch gear inside. You's father was amazing quidditch player." Trickster explained
Harry interrupted Trickster and asked another question burning in his mind, "What's quidditch Trickster? Is that some kind of game?"
"Quidditch be the favorite wizard sport Master Harry. You's fly on brooms to try and put a ball called a quaffle through one of those hoops. You's also have to dodge a crazy ball called a bludger. They's be trying to attack the other players. Another player be trying to catch the golden snitch. The snitch be super tiny, super fast ball that flies away." Trickster explained.
"That sounds dangerous!" Harry exclaimed.
"Oh you's be loving it Master Harry. All Potters be good flyers and be instinctively good at Quidditch." Trickster said, waving off Harry's concerns.
Trickster then showed Harry around the grounds to a massive pool and large lake nearby that had an aquatic ecosystem in it filled with some rare breeds of aquatic magical animals and even a kelpie. They then checked out the stables which housed a bunch of different breeds of magical horse like thestrals and abraxans. That was followed up by the owlery where a bunch of different kinds of birds were being raised and trained. They walked in on Barnby training a young hawk and walked right out so as not to disturb them.
They made their way back through the greenhouses and back through the large double oak doors and down the other side of the hall yet to be explored. They came across a bunch of different rooms like an armory filled to the brim with different weapons and suits of armor and even some battle robes that Trickster had to explain to Harry. On one of the walls was a mantle for the wands of previous potters.
Harry especially freaked out when he learned that he was wearing a jacket and boots made from the hide of a Hebridean Black dragon. Trickster told Harry there was a clutch of Hebridean Blacks in the caverns of the mountain range off toward the southwest of the manor grounds.
Trickster also led Harry through his grandmother's potion storage and fully outfitted potions lab completely with a runic circle and cauldron big enough to fit a person in. As well as his grandfather's dueling and training room outfitted with some normal weights, dumbbells, and exercise machines.
Next came a giant ballroom that was empty except for some rectangular tables against the walls with cloth over them. The real shocker was when Harry looked up at the roof and saw an amazing display of the sky and sun setting outside all over the stone rafters. The room also had a stage and backstage room filled with stacks of chairs and some old boxes filled with things for storage.
"This be the grand ballroom Master Harry. Master Fleamont and Mistress Euphemia used to hold formal functions here but the room hasn't seen much use as of late." Trickster said, looking at the room a little sad they didn't use it much.
Trickster then led Harry back to the grand hall and back up the grand staircase to the rooms on the right, "This be Master James' old bedroom and the other one be Master Sirius Black's old bedroom."
Harry gave a slight pause about being in his fathers childhood bedroom and thought about whether or not he would rather sleep in there or in his grandparents room which was a bit bigger. He couldn't decide so he just continued on with the tour. After a look at Sirius Black's old room, whoever that was, and a look at a nice bathroom that resembled the one in his grandparents bedroom, Trickster led Harry off to the left side of the top floor.
Trickster showed Harry his grandfather's study which looked grandiose even though it was a bit smaller than the other rooms. It had one window on the back wall overlooking the office, big enough for a bird of prey to fly through. There was a large wooden desk with its own crystalline alcohol set and a big perch for said bird of prey. There was also another fireplace presumably connected to the floo network. Off to one side there was a large stone brick wall that had a huge vault door made of some kind of metal with what Harry now knew to be the Potter Family Crest engraved on it.
Trickster then had Harry prick his finger and place a drop of blood on the centerpiece of the Potter crest and then the vault door would open according to his magic. Inside the vault there was a treasure trove of goods ranging from all kinds of gems, precious metals, and expensive jewelry to books filled with knowledge of obscure magical arts. The centerpiece of the room however were pedestals. One held a large red tome which Trickster explained was the Potter family grimoire filled with the Potter family magic. The other was the manor's primary ward stone. Another drop of blood and Harry felt knowledge of the wards and their control transferred over to him.
There were some guest bedrooms and a couple bathrooms down a hall that led to another spiral staircase to the third floor. The entire third floor of the manor housed row after row and shelf after shelf of every book on magic imaginable. Harry saw a few tables and chairs for reading and some empty portraits overhead. The rest of the third floor was just sections of books. There was a section for everything; transfigurations, charms, potions, herbology, astronomy, history, ancient runes, arithmancy, magical bestiaries, offensive and defensive battle magic, mind magics, healing, alchemy, divination, dark magic, soul magic, blood magic, ritual magic, wizarding law, wizard culture and etiquette. Goblin culture and etiquette. Absolutely everything there is!
"Well at least we know I'll never need another book for as long as I live. Eh Trickster?" Harry joked half heartedly.
"You's can find any book you's need Master Harry with that book and quill on the stand over there." Trickster said, pointing to an open book and quill, "Just write the title or topic and a list will appear. Then circle the book and it will appear on the table next to it.
"That's neat!" Harry exclaimed looking around and seeing another door off to the side.
"Hey Trickster, what's behind that last door over there?" Harry asked and pointed toward a door hidden off down near the corner of the library, "You haven't shown me what's behind that one.
"Master Harry before you go through that door I's must explain wizarding portraits." Trickster explained nervously.
"Okay…" Harry said a little worried by the elf's demeanor when speaking about wizarding portraits.
"Master Harry, a wizard portrait is a piece of soul magic that houses the essence of a person's soul before they pass on to the next life… In that room you's be finding portraits of you's ancestors that can think, talk, and teach you's…" Trickster explained and then trailed off.
"...And? Come on Trickster don't leave me hanging" Harry said putting his hand on Trickster shoulder to comfort him
Trickster nodded taking a big breath and continued on, "And most importantly you's be finding portraits of you's grandparents. You's be able to talk to Trickster's previous Master's. You's closest relatives, Master Harry Potter sir."
Harry's jaw fell open in a look of complete and utter shock and he just stood there staring at the poor elf before turning around and bolting towards the door.
Author's Note: Hey guys! Thanks for reading another chapter! I know this chapter may seem a little annoying and not have a lot of content but I believe a story should fill in the setting properly so there is enough backstory to the beginning of the story. The next chapter will have more content and a time skip or two so we can get to Hogwarts. In the next chapter Harry speaks to his grandparents and learns about what it means to be a Potter.
Remember that good reviews encourage me to keep writing and bad reviews discourage me from writing so please think of others and my feelings before reviewing.
