Oh my god, it's been a long time since I updated this story. I apologize for that, it took me forever to write everything I wanted.
So let me welcome you back to Reminiscing a Life Lived and I hope you enjoy the chapter
Harry stumbled a little until he could find his footing again. If there was one thing Harry was going to forever hate, it was magical transportation. Excluding flying brooms of course, Harry would never speak heresy about brooms. Looking around, Harry that Cyrus had apparated them to a small area that looked similar to Kings Cross Station. The only difference was that this area was far emptier and the only other people around were magicals who were lining up by what looked to be lift.
"So where are we?" Harry said picking up a briefcase with his initials on it.
"We're at Kings Cross Station. Just a small area built off the main area and hidden by magic," Cyrus said waving his hand in an 'of course' manner.
"This area serves as a landing zone for magicals to get to their real destination," Isabella chimed in.
"And where is the real destination?" Harry asked entering the elevator.
"You'll see~" Astoria grinned.
Harry just rolled his eyes but was looking out of the chain-link lift curious about what was going to happen. As soon as the gate closed the lift dropped. For a brief second, Harry thought the lift was in a free fall but found that no one else was in a panic. Soon enough the rushing stone walls that surrounded the lift gave way to an open-air cavern. Large crystals that lined the ceiling glowed golden light throughout the cavern.
Below there was quite a bustle of people boarding and exiting trains. Steam trains that ranged from gold to bronze shined brilliantly.
"This is amazing," Harry said with quiet awe.
"A cool thing about this place is that dwarves run this and other train stations in the magical world," Daphne informed preparing to start a lecture. Astoria stopped it by pretending to be jostled into her. With an annoyed grunt, Daphne pushed Astoria away but refrained from saying anything by a glance from Isabella. Harry chuckled a little before he turned back to the trains.
As soon as the lift landed with a soft poof, Harry was out of the door and next to a train. Harry ended up standing in front of a silver steam engine. With a wide grin, Harry looked over the steam train trying to take in all the details.
"A fan of trains, kid?" A low grumbly voice said next to Harry. Harry jumped as he turned to see a dwarf. The dwarf stood about as tall as Harry's chest. While his wrinkled face and white hair gave Harry the impression that the dwarf was ancient. A sharp glint in the dwarf's eyes made Harry feel that he could be taken down any second without a sweat.
"I've always thought trains were amazing and being able to see one up close is something I don't get to do often." Harry smiled as he turned back to train. "The craftsmanship of this train is also spectacular. The engraving is a beautiful design that also hides a rune scheme."
"You have some sharp eyes kid, most never see the runes," The dwarf said nodding his head.
"I got lucky, I couldn't tell you the meaning of any of these runes. I just recognize their shape and maybe remember their names. They show up a lot in the Quibbler's rune puzzles. Actually, I was wondering. Many of these runes were engraved as if they were part of the design. Does that mean that this design is just a special rune made of little ones?"
The dwarf was beaming as he looked up towards Harry. A deep laugh escaped him as he patted Harry on the arm.
"I don't think I've ever met someone as young as you realize what we've done for these trains." The dwarf stood tall as he waved an arm to other trains. "Every train here has its own special design. These girls could have a mountain fall on them and come out unscathed and in mint working condition."
"That is truly amazing. How do you power these designs? Just through ambient magic? Or do you charge them up yourselves? Have these runic designs ever been applied to other mediums? Such as cloth and thread?"
"A mix, when it can the designs draws upon the ambient magic. This is normally enough since the stations and rails travel along ley lines for the most part. But in those rare emergencies, magic can be poured into the design to give it power." The dwarf paused for a little to stroke his beard. "And I believe some other craftsmen have succeeded in doing such things. I hear it's trickier but possible."
Harry grinned at the information before turning back towards the train.
"Harry! We need to board now!" Astoria shouted from down the train.
"Coming!" Harry replied giving a wave. Turning to the old dwarf, Harry bowed his head. "Thank you for taking your time to talk to me, sir. I appreciate this."
"You're going to go far kid, I can already tell." The old dwarf said with a grin. "Have a safe trip."
"Thank you sir, have a good day!" Harry turned and jogged towards where the Greengrass family waited. He gave one last wave to the dwarf as he boarded the train.
"Sir? Who was that?" A voice said from behind the old dwarf. Turning to face the voice, the old dwarf found a far less wrinkly dwarf with auburn hair looking at him.
"Just a promising kid with great respect to fine craftsmanship," the old dwarf began to amble away. "Come, we got work to do, best not be standing around."
"Yes, sir." The younger one saluted before following along.
000
Unlike the cramp compartments of the Hogwarts Express. This train, the Silver Bullet, had very spacious private rooms for families and groups to ride in. Harry and Isabella had pulled out their embroidery work to practice as they waited for the train to depart. Daphne was reading a book about offensive magic while Astoria was writing in a journal. Cyrus ended up just taking a nap in a corner.
Harry did not realize that the train even started moving until he looked out the window and saw clusters of crystals blurring past them. In a few seconds, the train was engulfed by blue light. No not blue light. It was traveling through water. It was still dark but the train gave off a faint light that briefly illuminated the surrounding. Harry stood from his seat to stand by the window to watch a pod of dolphins swim by while getting corralled by merpeople. One of the younger-looking merpeople gave Harry a wave, who returned it. The pod eventually turned away from the train and into the darkness.
"That was something you definitely don't see often," Daphne said from her seat. "Speaking of things you normally don't see, who was that dwarf you were talking to?"
Harry tilted his head as he looked at her.
"Is it rare to talk to a dwarf or something? Also, I dunno, I was just admiring the train and its engravings when he walked up to me. He was knowledgeable about the runes on the train so maybe someone important," Harry said as he looked up towards the ceiling.
"Runes? On the train? Where?" Daphne asked as her eyes sparkled.
"They are hidden throughout the engraving. The only way I even recognized them was because of Luna walking me through her runic puzzles."
"Dwarves are master craftsmen. To pull off such an engraving is a master's work for sure," Isabella said with a nod.
"I couldn't imagine how one would one go about such a thing. The placement of runes can be just as important as the runes themselves. To work them in between the design must be difficult," Daphne muttered as she pulled out a notebook and began to write.
Harry raised an eyebrow, "Have you considered that every line and rune are actually connected serving to create a design that is both beautiful and powerful?"
Daphne, Astoria, Isabella, and Cyrus, who was feigning sleep, all froze at the thought. Astoria looked as if her brain was melting. For Daphne, it was as if everything she had been taught was a lie and her world was crumbling down around her. Isabella also seemed to be having a crisis as she started to mutter to herself. A finger drew rune shapes in the air as she did. Cyrus took the idea rather calmly compared to the rest.
"I have to say, I have never thought such a thing was possible. It probably works in a manner similar to magical circles," Cyrus said as he scratched his beard.
"Magical circles?" Harry asked leaning forward.
Cyrus grinned, "An ancient way to manipulate magic. It was the primary way to use magic before people turned to foci. These days magical circles are only used for a handful of rituals, if that. It's something that fell out of favor but I am sure there are some things a magical circle would be better than just a foci."
"Do you think there are any texts that I could read later in either the Freydia library? Or even in the Greengrass library?"
"You want to learn about magical circles? Why? As dad said, most of the things they could do are better off just using a foci and a spell." Astoria said looking at Harry.
"Cyrus said that it might be similar to what the dwarves did so I want to see if I could learn something to help me with creating my own runic designs. That and well, you see all kinds of magic circles in comics and stuff, and trying to live out a childhood fantasy would be cool." Harry rubbed the back of his neck while giving an awkward laugh.
"You're such a child, Harry." Astoria laughed while prodding Harry with her shoe.
The family laughed as Harry blushed lightly but was laughing along with them. So the rest of their journey was spent enjoying the time together.
000
A bitter cold breeze bit against Harry's face as he tried to cover it with his scarf. Taking pity on Harry and her other freezing children, Isabella casted a warming spell on them. The effects were instant as they relaxed. Cyrus was ahead of them busy giving an elderly couple hugs.
"Mom, dad, you both look well!" Cyrus said with jolly.
Harry recognized them from some of the portraits that hung around the Greengrass home. Elek and Iona Greengrass, Cyrus's father and mother.
Daphne and Astoria were by their grandparent's side in seconds giving them hugs. Isabella stood by Harry's side giving him a smile. Once Daphne and Astoria stepped away, Isabella walked up and gave her in-laws hugs and kisses. Cyrus took Isabella's place beside Harry and put a hand on his shoulder.
"Mom, dad, let me introduce Harry Potter to the both of you," Cyrus said beaming.
"So this is the young man that's been learning the family traditions. How come you haven't just adopted the boy, dear?" Iona said giving Harry a hug. Harry returned the hug after a second while blushing. As Iona pulled away, she smiled at the blushing boy. "What a cute young man you are. Daphne certainly made a good choice with you."
Daphne squeaked and blushed hard while Astoria giggled and ribbed her.
Elek took Iona's place and looked at Harry for a few long moments. Harry shifted his weight around until Elek spoke.
"You remind of Fleamont."
At the mention of Harry's grandfather, Harry's attention focused on Elek. Elek looked every bit his age in that moment as his wrinkled face sagged and his bald head shined in the winter sun. Even the pristine white beard seemed to become a heavy weight pulling down his head.
"You knew my grandfather?" Harry asked looking up to Elek with wide eyes.
Elek nodded, "We were business partners back in the day. A brilliant person and a good friend. Let's return home and I'll tell you some stories about him."
Harry beamed as he nodded his head. Elek, gave a solemn smile as he placed a hand on his shoulder.
Elek let go to unclip a large drinking horn that sat on his hip. Holding it out the family placed their and on it. A golden boar engraving glowed on the horn before the family disappeared in a swirl.
When they came out of it, only Harry stumbled around until Elek and Cyrus grabbed his shoulders to steady him. When Harry could stand on his own, he looked around with wide eyes. If Diagon Alley was like stepping back into Victorian England then stepping into the Freydia Clan's land was stepping right back into an ancient nordic village. Longhouses lined worn dirt paths. There were some odd buildings between the longhouses such as log cabins, halfway submerged houses (turf houses according to Daphne), some modern homes, and other buildings like stores.
In the distance, a large hall sat upon the hill and overlooked the rest of the clan. There was only one thing that stood taller than the hall and it was the large stave church that towered everything else. It was comparable to skyscrapers, though Harry thought the church had far more charm to it than those glass boxes.
Iona lead the family through the rustic city waving to people they passed on the streets. Harry hung back from the family to just appreciate the place. Owls fluttered around the roofs. Cats the size of large dogs stalked through the snow. Foxes slinked through the shadows. Harry even spotted a few bears with kids and adults riding them.
As they were walking through the park, something running through the bushes caught Harry's eye. Stepping away and searching through a bush, Harry found the thing he was looking for. A strange rabbit with the wings and tails of a pheasant.
"Oh a skvader, nice find Harry," Isabella said looking over Harry's shoulder. Harry jumped a little but turned to Isabella smiling like a loon.
"Are skvaders common?"
"Yes, they are pretty common. When I was growing up I used to have a couple as pets. They can be very cuddly," Isabella said trying to reach out for the skvaders. The two just hopped away before taking flight and disappearing into a pine tree. "Must have been wild ones," Isabella said placing a hand on her cheek.
Harry tried to see if he could spot the skvaders in the tree but gave up to rejoin the Greengrass family. The walk did not take much longer until they stood in front of a rather large longhouse compared to the others surrounding it. Upon entering, Harry was surprised at how modern the house looked.
"Never judge the book by its cover, especially when magic is involved." Iona chuckled as unlatched her cloak. "The Freydia Family is well versed in creating powerful protective wards on longhouses, which is why they are still the preferred homes. Of course, the insides are just expanded and built with a more modern feel in mind. There are a few old longhouses that still have the same charms and build as the first families to live there."
Smiling at the info, Harry was about to begin wandering the house when Astoria latched onto him.
"It's time for a house tour!"
With that Astoria began to drag Harry throughout the house's many rooms with Daphne trailing behind.
000
Harry's feet were a little sore and his stomach was growling after touring the longhouse. With the space expansion charms, the longhouse seemed to be as nearly as big as a castle. By the end of the tour, Astoria and Daphne were dragging their own feet. Daphne's stomach would not stop growling, much to her annoyance.
As they entered the dining hall, Harry saw that the Greengrass adults were joined by another elderly couple. Upon seeing the new couple, Daphne and Astoria rushed forwards and wrapped them in hugs.
"Afi, abuela!" Astoria and Daphne cheered as they hugged the unknown elderly couple.
"Oh, mis neitas, how you've both grown so much," abuela said hugging Daphne and Astoria.
"Sara, you squeezing the life out of them," afi said with a chuckle, "let me have a turn."
Sara let go of her granddaughters and moved toward Harry. She had looked him over once before grinning and pulling him into a hug. Harry blushed as he returned the hug.
"Welcome to the family, Harry." Sara gave Harry one last squeeze before turning to where her husband was busy hugging Daphne and Astoria. "Einar, dear, come and greet your new grandson."
"You're jumping ahead too many steps," Einar said releasing his granddaughters.
"You have yet to see them together. They're practically married already, Afi." Astoria giggled as Daphne blushed red.
"Too soon, Daphne is still my young valkyrie. She needs no man yet." Einar walked up to Harry crossing his arms. "What makes you good enough for my granddaughter?"
Harry stared back up at Einar, both stood unflinching.
"I believe it's up to Daphne to decide if I'm good enough for her. But if you want proof, maybe I should go out a destroy a few more dementors for both her and Astoria."
Einar furrowed his white brows as he looked at Harry.
"You, a young boy, destroyed some of the most heinous monsters in the world?" Einar's voice carried much disbelief in them.
"Do not doubt him, father, what he says is true. Harry was able to summon a patronus powerful even to vaporize the dementors leaving only their cloak behind." Isabella said speaking up.
As Einar looked into Isabella's eyes he wilted down and stepped back. Harry looked over and saw a dangerous glint of magic just resting hidden by Isabella's calm mask.
"Good job mi vida," Sara said as she poked Einar's arm, "already stepping in the paddies. Come let's sit for dinner, you kids look starved. Are you sure you're feeding them enough mi hija?"
Isabella sighed before leading Sara towards the table saying that she was making sure they were well feed.
Einar nodded his head towards Harry, a look of apology and acceptance on his face as he took a seat next to his wife. Harry nodded back as he took a seat next to Daphne. Iona and Elek took seats next to Harry. Cyrus took a seat next to Einar and that left Astoria to seat at the head of the table.
Astoria looked smug for a brief second before a plop of mashed potatoes hit her nose. While she glared at Harry, he was currently talking to Iona. Not that Astoria was convinced that it was not him. In fact, the faint look of suppressed laughter that Harry had convinced Astoria that it was him.
Daphne could not help but sigh as she realized that sitting between Harry and Astoria was probably not the best idea. That idea was later reinforced when Harry's hair began to glow purple after he bit into a piece of steak. Or when Astoria's eyes turned into snail stalks as she ate some stew.
Sara and Elek were highly amused by the pranks while Einar and Iona both shared a long look of suffering. Cyrus was quietly chuckling to himself as Isabella tried to dispel the pranks. Her failure to gave Cyrus plenty of material to tease his wife much to her consternation.
Daphne smacked the two upside the back of their heads dispelling the pranks. Isabella faced palmed at the simple reversal while Cyrus laughed away.
Harry found himself smiling at experiencing a meal that reminded him of sitting at Gryffindor's table and just enjoying eating together. There was only a slight break in that joyous mood when Isabella asked to take Harry to see the Elder. Einar looked strained as he gave permission but was quick to lighten up when Astoria began to talk about Harry's quidditch matches.
000
Harry was silent as he followed Isabella through the town. His mind was racing as he wondered about where Isabella was taking him. All he knew was that the place he was going to was where the Elder, with a clear capital letter, lived.
So when Isabella stopped in front of what looked to be a rundown shack Harry was caught off guard. The mischievous smirk that Isabella had made Harry gulp as she pushed open the door.
Bones, lots of bones. From skulls to horns, to femurs, Harry thought there were hundreds of bones just hanging or lining the wall. Dried herbs hung from the ceiling in bundles. There were a few spots throughout the room where a large dug-in fire pit sat. Groups of cloaked figures sat around these pits and were staring at Harry. Harry noticed that more than a few carried looks of anger and loathing.
"Why have you brought an outsider to our sacred space?" A stern voice demanded. Harry focused on the tall, regal, elderly lady that stood before Isabella. Her cold blue eyes glared at the
"I am taking him to meet with the Elder," Isabella said keeping her voice steady and firm.
"You would waste the Elder's time, and ours by extension, with frivolous pursuits? I see you haven't changed in that regard."
As the rest of the hall began to mutter, Harry shifted from foot to foot. He could feel the eyes on him, judging him. Their whispers were not that discreet either. The hair of Harry's neck bristled at some of the words about Isabella being said. Not that she seemed to care or pay attention to as she argued with the other lady.
A loud thud of wood against wood echoed throughout the hall. Everyone fell silent immediately. Harry saw that everyone but Isabella, the woman that stopped them, and himself had kneeled down.
"Must I teach you proper respect, Harpa?" A scratchy voice said causing the women that stopped them to step to the side and kneel down like the others.
An extremely small and elderly woman now stood at the front of the hall. She carried a staff that stood thrice as tall as her. Harry barely noticed as Isabella kneeled before the elder and said something. Probably in the old Norse if Harry was to guess. Not that he could pay attention to that. Not when the elder's magic seemed to surround him.
It was not a malicious prodding. Just one of curiosity and inquisitiveness. Without a word shared, Harry began to approach the elder. He could hear Isabella's harsh whispers and feel Harpa's cold glare on him. But he did not let that stop him. Harry kept walking until he stood before the elderly lady. Even as he looked down at her he felt it was the other way around.
The elder's white glassy eyes seemed to stare straight into Harry's soul.
"My poor child, to have face death and triumph not once but many times; your fate is a messy one. Come closer dear, my vision is not what it once used to be."
Harry knelt down on one knee before the elder. He could feel the gentle touch of her magic against his as she reached out and cupped his face. Closing his eyes, Harry found himself standing atop a frozen mountain overlooking a vast ocean. A lone figure stood before him. Platinum blond hair shined in the light as light blue eyes glowed with power. The witch towered over him carrying the same staff as the elder did. Though the staff was a head shorter than the women before him.
Blinking rapidly, Harry found himself back in the hall staring into the elder's white glassy eyes that carried a hint of blue.
"You will do great things young one. Nay, you have already done great things and will still continue to do more. I only wish that I will be there to witness them." The elder gently pinched Harry's cheeks before moving away. Slamming the butt of her staff into the ground, magic the elder's magic washed over the hall. Many of those kneeling started to shiver uncontrollably. "Magic is a force that is forever changing, those who are unable to change with it will find themselves devoured by it."
The elder motioned for Harry to stand.
"Return to your duties as I talk to this young man. Do. Not. Disturb. Us." With that, the elder ambled towards the back room of the hall. Harry walked after her, she could feel the stares on his back. The lady who argued with Isabella moved to stand until an oppressive wave of magic forced all but Harry to prostrate themselves on the floor.
The elder simply sniffed in disapproval before walking through the door. As Harry followed after her, he felt his hands shake from the sheer amount of magic that the elder commanded.
000
The elder and Harry were seated in a well-cushioned room. Between the two was a small fire pit filled with charcoal and ashes. The faint smell of fire and herbs lingered in the room as Harry drank some tea he was given. The elder had not said a word as she drank from her own cup.
The two continued to drink in comfortable silence until the elder set down her cup.
"Forgive me young one, my body and magic are not what they used to be. To be throwing around magic like a small child's tantrum is quite draining," the elder said leaning back onto a cushion.
"I'm sorry-"
"Do not apologize for the actions of others young man. You are not responsible for the poor behavior of my apprentices and students. They must face the consequences of their own actions." The elder raised a boney hand towards a shelf. Trays and baskets full of bones, herbs, sticks, stones, and dice floated toward them.
Harry leaned forward and watched as the elder messed around with the different materials. Eventually, the elder picked up a handful of stones. Each was unique and smooth of any markings but all carried a magical weight that Harry could feel.
"What are you doing?"
"That is a question I wish to know as well," the elder said before cackling a little. "Are you in need of your future being read? Do you need your body strengthened? Do you need your magic cleansed? So many options, so little time."
Harry jumped back as the fire pit in front of them ignited. A tower of flames separated the two as Harry watched the elder's image warp from the heat. Harry could see the elder's eyes widen as a wide grin crossed her face.
"You are special young Potter, it has been a long time since I received a divine sign." The elder tossed the stones she was holding into the fire. "A purification ritual, not only of your body, mind, and magic, but of your souls as well."
"My souls?"
"A dark soul lingers on you, feeding off of you. A sacrifice once protected you, but you gave some of it up to protect another."
Harry's eyes widened before he spat, "Voldemort!"
"Why are you so sure it is him?" the elder asked with narrowed eyes.
"I see him in my nightmares a lot," Harry said turning away. His fist clenched around his robes as Harry gritted his teeth.
"I am sorry that monster haunts you so my child. I hope I can free you from his grasp." The elder's eyes were full of sorrow when Harry looked back into them. "Reach into the fire my child and retrieve a stone."
Reaching into the fire, Harry felt not the searing heat of the flames but a warm tickling sensation. It reminded him of a warm breeze as his hand grasped a stone. Pulling out the stone, Harry found the image of a salamander etched into the stone outlined by an orange glow of magic.
"A salamander?"
"Symbols of immortality, rebirth, and a being of fire. Hold that charm close to your heart."
Even without prompting, Harry's hand was already bringing the charm close to him. Fire danced out of the pit and encircled him. The flames rose high into the air, surrounding Harry in nothing but flames. Yet Harry sat unperturbed by the fire. Even as the flames slowly began to engulf him, Harry sat still, unmoving, and uncaring.
000
As his eyes snapped open taking in the near blinding white open field that Harry stood in, Harry felt a strange peace settle over him. A small crackle of fire caught Harry's attention. Slowly turning around, Harry found a bluebell flame floating in the air.
Then the bluebell blinked causing Harry to jump back. A ghostly laugh tinkled around Harry as the ball of fire twirled in the air while bouncing.
"A will-o-wisp?" Harry said as he reached out a hand to it. The wisp leaned into Harry's hand like a cat before jumping away and disappearing into the air. Harry's head whipped around to find the wisp floating some ways behind him.
With tentative steps, Harry followed the will-o-wisp. The wisp lead Harry to the top of a hill. At the bottom was a winding creek that gurgled, but that was not what caught Harry's attention. No, it was the couple that stood at the bank. Shimmering red hair and a mess of black hair that looked exactly like Harry's.
Tentative steps broke into an all-out sprint as Harry barreled down the hill. The couple turned around, looking just as Harry had seen them in the Mirror of Erised. Harry crashed into the two of them with a tight hug.
"Whoa! Easy there son, I don't fancy taking a bath in the creek right now," James said laughing loudly as he hugged Harry.
"Harry! Oh how grown-up you are!" Lily said as she wrapped the Potter men in a tight hug as well.
"Mum, Dad, I…I…" Harry said choking on his words.
"There there my dear, you don't have to say anything. We know," Lily said as she lovingly petted Harry's hair. "You are growing up to be such a fine young man and we both couldn't be prouder.
"Harry, my son, you are everything we hoped you be and far more. I just wish we were there with you." James said wiping a tear.
Harry squeezed his parents tight for a long minute before finally pulling away.
"Why? How are you here?"
James and Lily's loving smiles changed into scowls of fury.
"Voldemort!" They both spat.
"Voldemort did some heinous dark magic, somehow split his soul and a fragment of it was lodged in you," James said.
"It would not have been an issue, in fact, you could have probably lived your whole life without noticing it if the protection we gave to you never weakened." Lily tucked a strand of Harry's hair behind his ear. "Somehow you gave up a fraction of our protection to you to Astoria. That saved her life and we are proud of you for doing that. But by doing so Voldemort's soul was able to escape its prison and began to attack you."
"Where is it now? Do I have to kill it?" Harry whispered the last part, the fear and sorrow clear to his parents.
"No son, the ritual has cleansed you of it. There, on the other side of the bank, that rock-looking thing. That's it." James pointed towards a wrinkly shivering rock. Harry could hear faint whimpers coming from it.
"Why is it over there?"
"It has crossed over to the next step of life," James said in a solemn tone.
"And soon we shall as well," Lily said tearing up a little.
Harry pulled his parents into a tight hug.
"I… We just reunited. Not yet, just a little more. I don't want you to leave again." Harry's voice cracked as Lily and James began to tear up and hold Harry close to them.
"We already waited as long as we could son. This was the last thing keeping us here." James's voice cracked as well.
"You found your family son. Isabella and Cyrus have our blessing to adopt you. Not that they need it, they've been wonderful parents." Lily said trying to smile.
"Astoria is a joy, I am glad you found a little sister. And your many friends. I am glad you are surrounded by such great people."
"We both couldn't be happier that you have Daphne. It warms our souls knowing you will be in loving hands with her."
"We love you, Harry." James and Lily say together as they both pull away from Harry.
Wiping his tears, Harry took a step back, "I love you too, mum, dad. I'll keep making you proud."
"We know you will cause we already are." With their final words, James and Lily turned around and took a step towards the creek.
A bridge shimmered into existence as Lily and James, hand in hand, slowly crossed it. Harry watched from his spot on the bank. Tempted to run after them, but knowing if he did he would never be able to return to Daphne and everyone else. Once they were over the bridge, Harry could not help but grin as Lily and James ran over to Voldemort's soul fragment and began to kick it.
Echos of 'This is for my son!' reached Harry as the other side of the bank and the creek was blanketed in fog until Harry could not see it anymore. The wisp appeared next to Harry drawing his attention away from the fog. Giving the wisp a grin, Harry turned back only to see himself surrounded by an open field once more. With a sigh, Harry reached up to will-o-wisp which curled up in his palm.
Closing his eyes, Harry whispered one last thing, "Thank you."
000
The elder watched as the fire began to die down. She raised an eyebrow when she spotted an orange and black salamander sitting on Harry's head. When the fire finally gave way to ashes, the elder waved a hand causing the ashes to fly into a bowl. An ancient chant danced from the elder's lips as she poured a crystal-clear liquid into the bowl of ash. The second the liquid touched the ashes the mixture turned orange.
The elder watched as Harry's eyes opened. While his eyes were still green, there was now an orange glow to them that reminded the elder of a flickering flame.
"How do you feel?" The elder asked patting for Harry to sit next to her.
"I feel lighter. As if there's nothing weighing me down anymore," Harry said before looking at his hand realizing the stone was gone.
Harry almost jumped out of his skin when he felt something warm curled on top of his head. Keeping his head still, Harry slowly reached up and grabbed the small creature that was on it. Cupping his hands, Harry found a small salamander curled up in it. The small slimy creature was warm as it settled in to nap in his hands.
"To be blessed with a familiar, you're certainly a special child." The elder said as she motioned for Harry to lean in close. She waved her hand and caused Harry's shirt to vanish. The elder frowned, "You're far thinner than you should be."
"I didn't have the best childhood…" Harry admitted looking away. The salamander burst into flames, a faint rumbling noise coming from it. Harry though seemed not to pay it or its fire any attention.
The elder sighed softly to herself, "Come closer child, while the cleanse is complete, there is a little more left of the ritual."
Harry said nothing as he scooted closer. He held the salamander up in a silent question. The elder simply waved away the question as she dipped her fingers into her bowel. Harry sat awkwardly holding his flaming familiar as the elder began to paint on him. She sang a quiet chant that Harry could just barely make out some words.
Greek, she was chanting an Ancient Greek hymn. Harry listened to the rhythmic chant as the painted marks began to glow. Brighter and brighter the marks grew until they suddenly darkened and began to flake off.
"What was that about?" Harry asked brushing off some of the flaked paint.
"To ground your magic back to your soul, body, and mind once more. The cleansing ritual you've undergone subjected your body, mind, magic, and soul to, let's say, a divine kind of magic. Nothing harmful, but you would have needed a long amount of time for your body to recover without the grounding ritual to realign everything," the elder said handing Harry a wet towel to clean himself with.
Nodding his thanks, Harry wiped himself down with one hand as he held his salamander in the other.
"Young Potter, would you be interested in learning the more mystical side of magic?"
Harry froze, the elder's question catching him off guard. He placed the salamander back onto his head as he resummoned his shirt back on. The elder smiled to herself as Harry sat taller.
"Why are you offering it to me? Don't you have many students and apprentices to teach?" Harry asked with furrowed brows.
"While I do indeed have many willing to learn from me, they will never truly learn what I wish to teach them. There is some knowledge, some experiences, that can't be passed down. Yet, before me, a young child who has done great things and has that experience and knowledge. I would be a fool not to be interested in teaching you." The elder passed before she summoned a small necklace with a crystal tooth on it. "The more mystical side of magic is not for everyone, no amount of hard work can prepare one for it. You must have the aptitude for this kind of magic, if you do not have it there is only so much you can learn."
"And I have this aptitude?" Harry said getting a nod from the elder. He sat silent for a moment before asking, "What is it that you plan on teaching me?"
"Everything I know." The elder stood up with the help of her staff. "When I was your age, I was guided by my mentor down this road of magic. Now I wish to do the same with you. You already have a deep understanding and connection with your magic. I wish to show you what you can truly do with it."
Silence hung heavy as Harry stared at the elder, not as the old lady but as the tall woman who he saw standing at the cliff edge. Even just sitting before her was teaching Harry how to better manipulate his magic to sense more with it.
"I accept," Harry said as the salamander in his hair began to croon out a joyful song.
"Then my disciple, let me properly introduce myself. I am Gala Freydia, The Storm Bringer." Gala gave a slight bow.
Harry moved to kneel, keeping his head steady for the salamander. "I am Harry Potter, Destroyer of Dementors."
"Well met young Harry," Gala said smiling at the boy, "I want to teach you today about using your magic to speak and listen."
Harry blinked before he realized the translating charm had been stripped clean from him. Yet he could still understand Elder Gala but at the same time. It was only now that he could hear that she spoke a different language even if he understood it as English.
"It takes some practice to use your magic to automatically translate like this, but I believe you shall have it down by tonight."
Harry said nothing as he shifted himself ready to learn. His eagerness made Gala pinch his cheeks before beginning to lecture him.
000
Einor could not stop himself from smacking his head against the table at dinner. Gala returned to the Greengrass Longhouse with Isabella and Harry. The large goat she rode back on was dining on feed in the corner of the room.
Sara was busy trying to stop Einor and prevent Isabella from joining him. Cyrus sat with a proud and smug smile while his pockets were several galleons heavier. Elek and Iona were slightly confused but seemed to take in stride as they softly talked to Gala. Gala was unfazed by Einor's behavior, though Harry found her smirking at him once in a while. Daphne and Astoria were trying to drill Harry about everything that happened, though he kept diverting the question. A soft chirping noise echoed from the fireplace that warmed the dining room. Harry's salamander, now named Caia, was curled up in the logs that crackled in the fire.
"A student not even of the family? The clan is going to throw a fit about this," Einor grumbled refusing to lift his head off the table.
"The clan can whine about it all they like, if they are so eager to throw a fuss I just simply leave," Gala said buttering a piece of bread. "Clan politics are a pain, I'm not evolving myself with that mess."
Sara laughed loudly at Einor's defeated groan.
"You're more than welcome to stay at our home or one of our smaller properties, Elder," Cyrus offered.
"That sounds tempting to do when summer rolls around." Gala smiled to herself, "I have not had a proper vacation in many years. I'm already looking forward to this."
"Elder, please, the clan will riot at the thought of you going overseas."
"The clan can survive without me or my influence. Any who argues otherwise is being an overly sensitive skvader that needs a reality check."
Einor and Gala have a long stare-down before Einor relented again and hid his face on the table. Harry, Daphne, and Astoria began to chatter excitedly about Harry becoming an apprentice of Elder Gala. More like the Greengrass sisters trading ideas about what Harry could learn while Harry just smiled and nodded. Dinner was an entertaining affair for sure.
000
The cold winter air nipped at Harry's face as he stood by his open bedroom window. Lost in thought, Harry stared up at the band of stars that made up the milky way.
"You're going to catch a cold if you keep the window open." A familiar voice said causing Harry to smile and turn around.
"Maybe the Ice Queen can save me from such a terrible fate then?" Harry teased Daphne causing her to scoff and poke Harry on the nose.
"In your dreams," Daphne said standing close to Harry by the window.
"You won't even nurse me if I get sick?"
Daphne gave Harry a blank stare, "With how much you end up in the infirmary wing, I wouldn't have time for anything else if I did."
"Touche, Daph, Touche." Harry said bumping their shoulders.
Rolling her eyes, Daphne didn't say anything as they observed the night sky together.
Daphne turned to Harry, her brow was furrowed as she looked at Harry with concerned eyes.
"You were being cagey about your time with the Elder. Is everything okay?" Daphne asked.
"Yeah, everything's alright." Harry paused before he took Daphne's hand in his and gave it a gentle squeeze. "I… I met my parents."
Daphne's eyes widen but she stayed silent.
"I don't know how. But for a brief time, I was able to hug them. They told me how proud of me they were. How happy they were for me. They were glad I found role models in Isabella and Cyrus. A sister in Astoria. A…" Harry said no more as he squeezed Daphne's hand again.
"Does it hurt seeing what could have been?" Daphne asked as Harry's eyes teared up.
"Yes, but at the same time, I feel content knowing they approve of everything now."
The two ended up standing in silence holding each other's hands. Harry gently dabbed his eyes dry while Daphne rubbed the back of his hand with her thumb.
"Ah, I almost forgot, my parents, they said they gave their blessing for Isabella and Cyrus to adopt me," Harry said before bumping shoulders with Daphne, "What'cha think about that? We could be siblings."
Harry could not stop his laugh when he saw Daphne's nose scrunch up in disgust.
"I'd rather not end up dating my brother. Thank you very much. You can just join the family by marrying me instead."
"Is that a proposal I hear?" Harry said with a teasing smile.
"Only when a ring becomes involved," Daphne teased back. The two laughed together before they went back to looking across the Freydia clan compound.
Eventually, Harry's attention was drawn toward the edge of the clan's land. Pointing at the dark buildings at the edge of the compound, Harry asked, "Why is it so dark over there?"
"Cause it's abandoned," Daphne said with longing eyes, "Afi spoke of how the clan was packed full and bustling with activity all throughout the day and night when he was a child. Cause of the wars, so many lives were lost. Everyone now just lives in the center of the clan. Only the Elder lives on the edge near a cliff."
"I bet it would have been an amazing sight to see this place in its heyday," Harry said resting his head on Daphne's shoulder.
"Yeah, I wonder if I get to live long enough to see it return one day." Daphne rested her own head against his.
"Do you plan on moving here once you can?"
Daphne was silent for a moment before answering, "No, I love this place, but it isn't my home. Just a nice vacation home. I want something more like the Greengrass estate I think. What about you? What's your dream home?"
Harry's brow furrowed as he tried to think of an answer.
"I… I don't know. I just wanted to be surrounded by people I loved. I wouldn't mind having a home like the Greengrass estate though. I love that place. Just somewhere quiet and plenty of nature and I think I'd be happy."
"Oh yeah? You want to become a hermit and live in a hut in the woods?" Daphne teased.
"I don't think I'd go that far," Harry said laughing, "But can you imagine having a little cottage near a lake in a forest? That would be lovely I think."
Daphne hummed in agreement. The two continued to spitball random dream home ideas. Some were instantly shot down while others took them on tangents about how they would design the house. Harry forgot when they eventually fell asleep but he could not stop the blush on his face when he woke up with Daphne cuddling into his back.
000
On his bed, Harry was reading a book on runes Elder Gala gave him after their lessons. Caia rested on his head while Hedwig was roosting on a stand nearby. Only the sound of ticking from the clocks, the rustle of the pages, and the crackle of the hearth could be heard in the room. Broken by the occasional chirp from Caia or Hedwig.
That ambiance was broken by a knock on Harry's door.
"It's open," Harry said setting down his book and sitting upright.
Letting themselves in, Harry was surprised to see it was Isabella with a worried look on her face.
"Are you free right now Harry?"
Harry simply nodded his head and set Caia down into a small bowl of smoldering coals on the bedside table. He moved to sit on the edge of the bed.
"Is everything alright, mom?" Harry said hesitating slightly on the last word. Isabella gave him a smile as she sat on the bed next to him.
"Harry, dear, are you happy with taking all these lessons?"
The question caught Harry off guard and he had to take a moment to think about it.
"Yes, I'm enjoying all the lessons," Harry said with a fond smile. Though it turned into a confused frown when looked back up to Isabella. "Why do you ask?"
"I guess, I'm just a little worried that we were taking your vacation away and forcing you to do something you don't like. I know that we offered to teach you to make you feel a part of the family. But I don't want you to feel obligated to have to take all these lessons. Especially on a trip out of the country. I'd hope it be more interesting than just sitting and listening to lectures." Isabella played with the creases of her dress unable to look at Harry.
Harry said nothing for a moment before he scooted closer to Isabella and surprised her with a hug.
"Thank you for caring," Harry said softly, "It… It means a lot that you asked. I've never felt forced to do anything. All the lessons I've gotten, I've fully enjoyed them. They make me feel like I belong."
Isabella moved so she can hug Harry back.
"That's the thing, I want you to know that even without your lessons that you feel like you belong." Isabella's voice was on the edge of raspy. As if she was close to tears.
Tears welled up in Harry's eyes, "I'm learning that a little more every day."
Isabella let herself tear up as she held Harry close.
"You were denied a childhood and I wish I could somehow give that back to you."
"You don't have anything to give back to me. Just allowing me into the family was all I ever wanted."
The two continued to hold each other for a little bit before parting. As they dried their tears, Harry stood and walked over to a trunk to pull out his work-in-progress embroidery. Holding it up, Harry asked her a silent question. Isabella gave Harry a fond smile as she patted the bed beside her. The two quietly talked as they worked on the embroidery together.
000
As Harry stood at a cliff overlooking a fjord. Cyrus stood next to him. Above them, the aurora borealis danced in a mesmerizing way. Below was a river that was so still that it looked like a mirror.
Cyrus wore a haunted look as he stared across the landscape.
Harry did not say anything as he took a seat in the snow. Cyrus moved to sit on the edge of the cliff.
"This used to be my favorite spot to visit when I was young. My brother, sisters, and I always made it a point to visit here whenever we visited." Cyrus looked like he aged decades as he slumped over.
Harry wasn't sure what to say instead simply moved so that he could sit next to Cyrus.
After a moment, Cyrus sighed.
"I'm sorry Harry, I didn't bring you up here to brood." Cyrus scratched his beard. "I believe Isabella talked to you already, but I wanted to know if you're enjoying your vacation?"
"I am," Harry said giving Cyrus a smile, "I'd always dreamed of being able to travel. To be able to actually see this… Thank you for including me."
"You deserve this and far more son," Cyrus said giving Harry a pat on the shoulder. "You brought much needed life to the family too. Over the years, I feel like we were slowly pulling away from each other. Your presence made us come back together. For that, I'm thankful."
"I didn't do much, you were the ones that allowed me into your home," Harry said blushing.
"One day, you will look back and see what I mean." Cyrus shook his head with a smile. "In the future, if you ever want to do something, do feel free to share. Otherwise the girls will hog all the time."
Harry chuckled a little but nodded in agreement. The two continued to watch the dancing night sky. As they talked through the night, Harry was glad to be able to spend some time with Cyrus. It definitely became a good time as Cryus began to teach Harry how to sing some sea shanties he learned.
000
New Years eve
"Come on Harry, Daphne!" Astoria said jumping about.
Harry snickered to himself when he saw Daphne just roll her eyes.
"I swear she is worse than fenrir pup. I don't know how she has so much energy."
"Come on Daphne, today is a festival! Weren't you looking forward to today?"
Daphne sighed as she took Harry's hand in her own.
"I'm excited to spend the day with you and my family. It's Astoria who's excited for the festival."
"Uh huh, says the girl who wasn't detailing her plans about visiting all of the game and food stalls to me last night." Harry smirked as Daphne flushed red while Astoria giggled in the background.
"I have no idea what you mean," Daphne said crossing her arm and pouting.
Harry rolled his eyes as he grabbed Daphne's hand and began pulling her to the nearest snack vendor. Astoria followed along, and the three were soon snacking on fairy floss. As the three wandered the plaza where the Freydia clan was holding the festival they came across many different performances. There was some old folk tale song and dance. There were many small places for singers and dancers to put on more modern performances. Upon stumbling onto one such place, a rock band was performing. Harry pulled Daphne to dance with him much to her embarrassment. Astoria eventually joined them in dancing as well.
Continuing to wander around, the three eventually found an area where small individual rituals were being conducted. Harry saw that Elder Gala was free and lead the Greengrass sister to go see her.
"Merry new years, Harry," Gala said as she gestured for the teens to take a seat before her. Harry could hear a lot of grumbling from behind him but ignored them.
"Merry new years, elder," Harry said causing Gala to smile.
"I've seen you've been practicing the magic tongue." The elder waved a hand and a stand and kettle flew to sit above the fire. "I shall prepare us a tea. One to promote good health and luck for the new year."
Daphne and Astoria bowed their heads as they said their thanks. On the other hand, Harry stood up and moved to sit next to Gala.
"May I help you prepare this?" Harry asked as he watched her shaking hands.
Gala sighed as she put down the herbs she was holding.
"I would be most thankful, my motor skills are not what they used to be," Gala said as she began to list out instructions to Harry.
Daphne and Astoria watched in silence as Harry ground and minced the herbs for the tea. As the tea was stooping, Gala began to recount stories of her youth as they waited. Tales of fighting off giants, trolls, and even dwarves entranced the teens.
As her stories came to the end, Gala poured a cup for all four of them. Raising her cup, Gala chanted briefly before taking a sip from her cup. The teens quickly followed along. As a warm comforting feeling ran over them Gala bade the teens farewell to enjoy the rest of the festival.
Astoria eventually left Daphne and Harry and went to explore by herself.
The sky was getting dark as Harry and Daphne played at the different game stalls. Some stalls were simple, almost muggle rip-offs, like dunk the dwarf or moving basketball hoops. There was a netting a flying sea horse game with prizes based on colored stickers. Daphne won a wriggling octopus hat much to her chagrin and Harry's amusement. Though she wore it through the night, sometimes making Harry wear it.
Other games were a bit more wizardry. Harry was fond of dart the snitches, and having excellent hand-eye coordination. It helped that the snitches were much slower than normal too. Daphne preferred the snow bowling booth. Harry shivered as he watched Daphne bowl those poor snow golems over with a gleam in her eyes.
There were a number of hidden booths that were racing creatures. Harry and Daphne found one that were racing nifflers. They were allowed to watch but the stall was not letting kids place bets.
Though Harry and Daphne set up their own bets between themselves; the loser buying food. It was a very put out Daphne that ended up buying skewers to snack on. Harry could not help the smug look he had at nearly always betting on the right niffler.
An announcement broke the festive ambiance announcing the fireworks were soon. Harry and Daphne, along with most of the festival goers, made their way to the center of the plaza that had been magically expanded to hold the whole clan.
As they found a spot to stand, animated fireworks filled the sky. Vikings fought off dragons before exploding. Whales swam across the sky with a large serpent, Jormungandr according to Daphne. As more fireworks exploded, images of man running amongst deer appeared. That was followed by dog and cat animations just doing cute things.
The fireworks ended with one final colorful explosion.
Harry was ready to go but found the rest of the crowd was still waiting. Daphne gave him a coy smile as a bright flash of light caught everyone's attention.
On a tall stage overlooking the crowd, Elder Gala stood before an unlit bonfire. As she raised her staff into the air, a large column of fire erupted behind her. A wave of heat washed over the crowd causing many to cheer. As the fire settled down back to normal, a group of Gala's students began a low chant. Their wands moved through the air in synch.
As Gala waved her staff over the crowd, Harry felt her magic wash over the crowd. To Harry, it was like a gentle hug.
The apprentices stopped their chanting as Gala began hers. It was like a thundering whisper, Harry couldn't quite make out what was being said but could hear clearly still.
Raising her staff once more, the fire roared towards the sky. Upon reaching the stars, the fire exploded into a drizzle of embers that rained upon the crowd. Yet no one screamed or flinched away as they let the embers land on them.
As one landed on Harry, he could feel his own magic soar. Any fatigue or tiredness was instantly gone. Looking over to Daphne, Harry noted that she looked wide awake now too.
As the last of the embers fell, Elder Gala and the stage disappeared. The crowd began to disperse as well.
Looking around, Harry found Astoria standing to the side far away from the crowd and probably where the magic was casted.
"Why is Tori over there?" Harry asked causing Daphne to look over with a sad smile.
"Elder Gala has tried to break the curse on Astoria before. It only caused more harm than good in the end. The elder said it was something about the rituals and how they work by stimulating a person's magic." Daphne winced as she squeezed Harry's hand. "We tried it once, it left Astoria in a comma for a week and weak for months."
"That…" Harry said only to find no other words.
"The elder, after trying many more things to wake or cure Astoria, ended up locking herself away. She said, 'To cause more harm than good means I have lost touch with my magic. I will be secluding myself from now till I am ready.' Besides her closest students, this is the first time the clan has seen the elder in public."
"Wait, you're telling me she only left her seclusion for me?" Harry asked with an incredulous look.
Daphne simply nodded before she started to walk to where Astoria was now talking to her parents. Letting the conversation drop, Harry followed along.
Letting himself smile, Harry had to say he was glad that this was now his family.
So was the wait worth it?
Hopefully, it doesn't take another year to write the next chapter. I doubt it, but I never know. A lot has happened between this and the last chapter.
I am curious how to everyone feels about this holiday trip. Especially since I took Harry and family outside of Britain. I guess this could be a teaser of where I want to take this story in the future, lots of Harry and Daphne traveling the world and exploring. Of course, I still want to cover Hogwarts first.
I hope y'all have a good day!
PK OUT!