A/N Some parts of this story will be getting a bit risky to have at this rating. However, a friend of mine had expressed interest in making an R- rated version of my story. Mainly using what I write, only elaborating a tad bit more. It will be under Blood Fire in a week or so.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Harry stared at the elf before him for only a moment longer. He stood and gave a gracious bow as she curtsied. Her eyes were set on the floor. Harry took his moment to examine her. He had never heard of Alina and figured her name was most likely changed. However, he did not recognize her either.
She had the tanner skin of a northeastern elf, though it had to have been paled by a form of magic. Her hair was dark and was gently crinkled, as if it had been in braids for years. Her eyes were a deep amber and Harry found that they were quite an enticing almond shape, strongly reminding him of Ginny's.
Her frame was a bit stockier than a normal elf's, with feminine curves. She had arm muscles, as her thin sleeved dress revealed. Harry thought that she must have leg muscles as well. Her hands looked"€ and smelled"€ as though they had been rubbed with different softening oils many times in the last twenty hours.
"It is a pleasure to meet you, Princess Alina," Harry said quietly after a moment. She stood up from her curtsy, gaze still on the floor. "Princess?" She looked up slowly.
"Your Highness," she whispered softly.
"Would you give me the pleasure of walking you to your rooms?" he asked, voice friendly and light. She nodded. "Before we depart, I would like to introduce you to two of my good friends. Ron Weasley and Neville Longbottom. They will be a common site around here, long after our school holiday. I daresay you'll need to get used to seeing humans around"€ and treating them as elves."
When Alina didn't say anything, Harry figured she accepted his words. He gently touched her back and led her from the room.
"You don't remember me?" she asked quietly. Harry looked at her for a long while.
"No," Harry said.
"You remember Meena and Rigru, right?" she asked, naming the two most powerful street rats across the Elvin Realm. They each led a separate clan of Vidi (street rats, slang term) but both clans were in Aquadira.
"Of course," Harry said, furrowing his brow.
"My cousin is in Meena's clan," Alina said. "He lives with Rigru's as his messenger for Meena. I visited him, long ago. You were here no more than a year then. I was nine, back then."
"Litri?" he asked after a moment. "You're the little tan girl?" She blushed.
"That was long, long ago. A year after that, my father became very lucky in a gamble and won Ricton Mountain. We've lived there ever since."
Harry nodded. Ricatone was also a relation of the new princess.
"I'm sorry, Your Highness," she said softly. "To have brought it up. We have both changed greatly since that day we met. We are no longer those children. Your station is much too high for me to bring up such things."
"Don't be silly, Princess," Harry said. They had reached her rooms. He opened the door and led her to the bed. "Yes, our stations have changed and so have our personalities. But I still have the same heart. I often sneak away to see Meena and Rigru. I even see Goyin once in a while."
"You love the red-haired girl that left," Alina said suddenly. Her hand flew to her mouth. "I'm so sorry, Highness, it's not my place to say!"
"You're right," Harry said softly. He cursed himself as a tear streaked down his cheek. "You're Zemnin, aren't you?" (Zemnin is a Seer)
"Of sorts," she said quietly. "I sense things, not see them. And you know more than anyone that a Zemnin cannot truly predict the future. We only see one way the future may turn out. And different Zemnin see or feel different things. The same one may often see more than one version of the future."
Harry nodded. "I know," he said. Alina sighed.
"Your Highness. I would greatly appreciate some time alone, if you'll allow," she said.
"As you wish, Princess. And please, call me Laohan at the least."
"Until a later time, Laohan," Alina said softly. Harry nodded and left quickly. He trudged back to his room at a much slower pace. He cast an invisibility charm on himself as he saw Hermione and Luna leave Ginny's room. He silently walked in.
"You forgot to take the charm off," Ginny said quietly from her bed. Harry grimly removed it.
"Are... you alright?" he asked hesitantly. She nodded, though her eyes were glistening. "Gods, Gin. How are we going to do this?"
Ginny began crying quietly. Soon, Harry had her wrapped in his arms as she sobbed. He kissed the top of her hair. He fingers left white marks on her arms as she pulled back. Silently, he kissed her. He tasted salt water on his lips, and was startled when he realized his own tears were mixing with Ginny's.
"Harry... we can't... can't do this. It's... it's just..." But the tears began falling again and Ginny couldn't talk anymore. Harry pulled her to him once again.
"Ginny... Gods, I love you so much," he whispered softly. Her felt Ginny's small hands grasp his tunic tightly and felt her pulled herself closer to him. They sat that way for a long, long while.
Harry sighed heavily as he pulled on his robes for dinner. It had been three days since Princess Alina had arrived. He spent a lot of time talking to her, and she always brought up Ginny. He remembered their last conversation, naught but ten minutes ago.
"Laohan, Ginny loves you," she said. "You love her. It is wrong, to deny that love."
"I can't do anything about it," Harry whispered, looking away from her piercing young eyes.
"That's not true, Laohan. You know it's not. Maybe you just are too afraid to do it. But if that's true, than what does that say of you? Are you ready to take on Xarr Dimukai or Tom Riddle, at that, if you cannot brave saving true love?"
'What did she mean?!' Harry thought desperately. He and Ginny had not spoken much at all since the morning he had held her to him. They acted as if everything was good and well during meals and training but never opened the door that adjoined their rooms.
Suddenly, Harry saw a purple light and, standing before him, was the Keeper of the Ring.
"Keeper?" Harry said, eyes level, yet curious. He prayed she could not tell how hard his heart was pounding.
"Do you remember my warning, Prince Laohan?" she asked in her magical voice. "You must not let this world crumble. Traditions are the undoing of so many cultures. Just because something has always been, does not mean it must always be."
Harry stared openly as she vanished. He sat down shakily and ran trembling fingers through his hair. Abruptly he stood and walked to Ginny's door. He had to do a few important things before Comet Blood was destroyed the next afternoon.
Ginny appeared with Princess Alina and Ricatone that night at dinner. Princess Alina looked mystical in her heavily embroidered emerald green dress. Ricatone also looked elegant, though in a practical way. Her dress was dark red, the top looking like a tunic with funnel sleeves and a long flowing skirt, under which she wore breeches, the skirt being able to be easily removed.
Ginny, on the other hand, had a dark purple cloak on, pulled around her so no one could see what she was wearing. Her red hair was pulled into a tight bun, a few ringlets escaping and some framing her face.
Harry met her eyes and held her gaze for a moment, before returning to his conversation with Sirius and Remus. Ginny silently sat down across from Harry, between Hermione and a young elf named Rifi, who was quite against humans and was always miffed when they 'had the nerve' to sit by him.
Soon, dinner began. After everyone had finished, Harry stood up and silence descended. There were many more elves than usual, due to the large group that had steadily flowed in for the next afternoon 's adventures. Harry's friends were strongly reminded of Dumbledore.
"There are a few matters that must be addressed. Firstly, Comet Blood will be destroyed tomorrow afternoon, when Ka is at her three quarter mark. Jai (dispatch/group) One will be led by Ricatone. Jai Two will be led by Atonics and Jai Three by Kilala. Jai Four, I will lead." Immediately Frali jumped up, protesting.
"You cannot help! You are our prince, an elf of importance that is to represent us!" Frali yelled. Harry held up his hand.
"It is true, I am supposed to represent you, but for me to do that, I feel I must use my abilities. I will lead Jai Four tomorrow afternoon, when we destroy Comet Blood. End of story. You will all find a list of who is in what Jai, outside of the Announcement Balcony. Please look at it before to morrow to know your assigned Jai."
"What else is there?" prompted Inzuri. Harry took a deep breath.
"This next matter is one that many of you will protest against. Princess Alina, please rise." Princess Alina stood up, eyes knowing. "I received a visit from the Keeper of the Ring earlier today, before dinner. She made me see that there is something I have waited far, far too long to do.
"Princess Alina, Litri, I cannot marry you."
"PRINCE LAOHAN!" cried an old elf named Zabuyil.
"Zabuyil, I do not want to hear it. I cannot, and more importantly, will not marry Litri, or Alina as you have wrongly named her," Harry said, his voice so calm it shook with power and frustration.
"Tradition demands it of you," Zabuyil yelled, voice twisted in fury. Harry felt his own temper rising, but carefully pushed it down. Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through his scar. He flinched slightly, before ignoring the pain, wondering what was going on back home.
"Tradition," Harry said, voice becoming a bit heated, taking on a hissing note. "Is what is destroying the elves. Our kind cares too much for things that have been done in the past. Just because something has always been, does not mean it must always be."
"It is a dishonor to all elves!" Zabuyil cried, throwing his hands into the air. Magic released from them.
"Control your magic!" Harry yelled.
"True love," Dumbledore said peacefully. "Cannot be found where it does not truly exist. Nor can it be hidden where it does." His eyes had moved from Zabuyil and caught Ginny's for a split second.
"My grandfather is right," Harry said, choosing to ignore the glance he had pointedly given Ginny. "I will not marry Litri. Now then, Litri, I was wondering if you would like a position on the Council? As you are aware, there is one open." Litri smiled.
"I would love to, thank you. Now, your highness, if you'll excuse me, I wish to go see my cousin. He should be down at the Skipping Stone," Litri said, naming the local pub.
"Go right ahead, and give Goyin my greetings." Litri stood up and moved her hands to her head. There, she removed the thin gold chain with the five pendant drops that had rested on top of her head, her marking as Princess of the Elves.
"Until a later time, Prince Laohan." Giving a bow, Litri left the room. Harry took a deep breath and nodded his head after her, slowly releasing the air he had taken in. Smirking slightly, he sat down and began to eat. After a moment, Ron did the same. Slowly, the rest of the table began moving.
Harry caught Ginny's eye and she grinned at him, smirking through their mind connection. Promptly, she returned to her conversation with Neville and Luna, slowly taking a sip of the ale in her goblet.
That night, Harry knocked softly on the door to Ginny's room. "Come in," he heard her call softly. He did so.
"Ginny," he said. He silently slipped into the med with her. A sigh escaped his lips. "I can't believe that that's done with. I feel like a huge weight has been lifted off of my chest."
"Me too," Ginny said, smirking. "Only I think I'd like a weight back there. Maybe your body?" Harry flushed slightly.
"You're a little vixen, you know that, right?"
"I've been told that upon a few occasions," she said in a bored, dismissing tone. Harry kissed the top of her hair as she leaned into his chest. "Harry, you're going to kill Voldemort." Harry pulled away.
"What?"
"And either must die at the hands of the other, for neither can live while the other survives," Ginny quoted quietly. Harry blinked.
"How did you know that?" he asked. Ginny furrowed her brows.
"Don't you remember telling us?" she asked, confused. Harry shook his head. "Back at Grimmauld Place? The night Luna and Neville arrived." Harry's eyes widened. How on earth could he have forgotten. (hey, I don't think he did tell them. That's why this is here. Pay attention.) The memory flooded back to him.
Harry silently led the confused looking group into his and Ron's room. There, he sat them down and repeated the prophecy, word for word, as he had gone over it in his head many times since he'd first heard it.
"So?"
"Well, I mean, wow," Hermione managed, voice weak.
"It's definitely you?" asked Neville. Harry looked at him oddly.
"It could have been you, actually." Everyone gasped and Neville shook a bit. "But when Voldemort tried to kill me, he marked me as his equal, therefore, it has to be me."
Silence descended on the occupants of the room.
'How odd,' Harry thought. 'I didn't remember that at all. Come to think of it, the others haven't said anything else about it. Not since that night. Ginny's the first.'
"You will survive, you're too powerful not to," she said matter-of- factly. Harry sighed heavily.
"This is one reason I was hesitant for our world to know of my Elvish blood," Harry said. "I am not immortal in that I cannot be killed. There is a line of humans who live for a long, long time. Not immortal, not elves, just humans, given a gift by the elves. They are the Kamudi. They have the exact same luxuries as elves. They can die in combat, they can die from plagues. They can't, however, die of old age."
Ginny was silent. "What do you mean?"
"Like the Kamudi, elves cannot die of old age- although because I have human blood, I will die of old eventually, if not snuffed before the age of ten thousand." He felt Ginny stiffen.
"What does this have to do with anything?" demanded Ginny, scared, trying to hide it behind irritation.
"I can kill the Dimukai off. I know that for a fact. But Voldemort is very different from the Dimukai. He is crueler. Even Xarr, leader of the Dimukai, is not as cruel as Tom. No elf could ever possibly be, because by nature we are gentle and pure. But by choice we are wicked and skilled.
"Voldemort knows swordsmanship. You know that. He knows the basics of martial arts and will surely be working to master it, now that he is allied to the Dimukai, as I know he is. Everyone has always had an illusion when it comes to me and power. I can be defeated. If I do, somehow, come out the victor in my battle with Tom, I will not have come by it easily. This is my greatest challenge.
"The wrath that is Tom Marvalo Riddle is not something I can yet defeat."
"But you will," Ginny said, a moment later. "You have the power of the elves, a power he knows not." Suddenly, an image filled Harry's mind. A door that would not open. He was back in the Department of mysteries.
'Was this the power that Grandfather spoke of? Was it my Elvin powers?' Harry wondered, stroking Ginny's hair. 'But he did not know... didn't know I was his grandson. So that wasn't it. But what... Mertiku, I haven't thought about that door in ages.' But as Harry remained stroking Ginny's hair, he wondered whether that was a good thing.
Sighing in frustration, Harry closed his eyes, loving the comfort Ginny's small frame gave him.
Harry nodded to Ricatone. She signaled her group forward and stood in the middle of the rune Harry had drawn. They stood in a circle, facing each other, arms length apart. Silently, Harry cast a wary eye towards the sky. You could see a dark object hurtling steadily towards the planet.
Harry signaled to Kilala and Atonics. Kilala led her group to one end of the rune and Atonics led his to the other. A moment later, Harry led his group"€ the Council of the Elves"€ around the entire rune. He glanced at the palace doors, where his human friends and grandfather stood gathered. Ginny gave him words of encouragement through their mental connection. He cast her a smile.
He began to chant, "Laycuro maginan recrit o le bre. Laycuro maginan recrit o le bre." Slowly he began to rise into the sky, arms outstretched palms facing their neighbors', as the Council did the same. As small blue orbs began to form between their palms, the other three groups inside the Council began to chant as well, rising up to them.
The orbs grew bigger, forming also within the small her groups. Harry concentrated his power, calling to all the orbs. They flew up above Ricatone's group, joining together and forming one giant blue orb. Tuning out the rest of the world, Harry slowed his chanting while the others kept up their beginning pace, all their eyes closed, bodies unmoving, save their lips.
Harry rose slightly above the others. He moved his hands slanted up in front of him. His fingers tensed, then his voice rang out loudly over the others. "Laycuro maginan recrit o le bre!" His eyes snapped open, emerald flashing silver as the blue orb shot off, an invisible wind whipping back Harry's lengthened hair and his ceremonial robes.
They all tensed, watching the blue orb slam into Comet Blood minutes later. Blue and silver sparks erupted as the comet broke into little pieces, then dissolved. All of the elves but Harry had lowered down slowly as the orb approached the comet. Now, Harry shot downward, as though he had lost control.
Hermione let out a strangled cry and Ron and Neville rushed forward. Luna and Ginny just seemed frozen. Dumbledore was reassuring Sirius, Remus, May, and Melody, who had all blanched, going deathly pale.
They all relaxed when Harry's eyes opened again, having closed when falling, and he threw his arms to the side, clench his hands into fists. He hovered a foot above the ground. Carefully, he righted himself and grinned at Ron. Ron glared and punched his shoulder.
"If you ever scare me shitless like that again I'll kill you," Ron snarled.
"Than get in line, Weasley," Sirius called, walking over with Harry's other friends. Many of the elves tensed, hands on weapons.
"Relax," Harry commanded. "Let us continue on to the celebrations." The elves cast wary eyes at the humans as they passed.
"Pleasure being in your company," Remus called jovially. "Stupid gits," he added dryly. "No offense, Laohan." Harry rolled his eyes and punched Remus lightly on the shoulder.
"I'll ask you to please refrain from calling me that name," he said.
"Of course," Remus said courteously, being the only one besides Dumbledore to catch the hidden meaning in his words, having so often wished himself that he was someone else.
"Now, what you don't know," Harry said. "Is that there is a gallant ball tonight, which all of you will attend. Now, I understand that you'd rather not, but you're going to."
Ron was glaring at Harry with a great deal of irritation. Neville was staring, mouth open. Ginny cast a sympathetic look at Luna and Hermione. Hermione knew of Ron's horrid dancing skills, as he had told them about the reasons behind not dancing with Padma at the Yule Ball. Neville was always stepping on Ginny's feet, though she knew Luna wouldn't mind.
Harry sighed heavily as he finished pulled off his robes. Just as he was about to pull on jeans for his last hour of solitude before the ball, Ginny opened the door connecting their rooms. Harry felt a blush threaten to rise on his cheeks. He successfully managed to force it down.
"Hello, Harry," she said coyly, grinning as his predicament. He was holding a pair of jeans, wearing naught but a pair of blue boxers.
"Ginny, I'm in the middle of getting changed," Harry managed.
"I realize that," Ginny said, still smirking.
"Ginny..." Harry was silenced with her lips. He groaned as she pushed him back onto the bed. When Harry finally got enough self-control to tear apart their lips, he glared at her. "You do realize that we have all the time in the world, correct?"
"Yes," she panted. "But you're still mine." Harry sighed.
"Not now, not yet," he said. Ginny sighed dramatically.
"Than put on your pants." Harry obeyed, his stomach untwisting. Immediately after the jeans were done up, Ginny attacked him fiercely. Harry moaned with pleasure as she licked over his stomach. Moments later, her lips recaptured his.
Ginny's talented lips worked over Harry's. He let his hands run down the expanse of her body. Before she could react, Harry flipped them so he was hovering above her. She giggled and ran her hands lightly over his chest. Harry was suddenly very grateful he was in control, making it easier to hide his reaction to her fingers on his chest.
Suddenly, a knock interrupted them. Ginny gasped, staring wide-eyed at Harry. He swore softly and got off of her. "Your room, now," Harry said hoarsely. She quickly scuttled away, shutting her door soundlessly. "Come in!" Harry called, grabbing a shirt.
"Harry?" It was Ron. Harry felt his blood run cold at what his best friend had almost seen. Suddenly, Harry felt a bit sinful. And a bit thrilled. He shook himself.
"Yeah, mate?"
"I think I'm in love with Hermione," Ron said, sounding amazed. Harry snorted.
"Aren't you the brilliant one," Harry said irritably. Ron didn't even notice.
"I... God, Harry, I DO love her," Ron said, slumping onto Harry's bed. Harry shook his head, ridding himself of the image of Ginny and pulled his shirt on.
"Ron," Harry said patiently, resigned to having to talk to his friend about a matter completely obvious to him. "You're dating her. You've loved Hermione since she first asked us about Trevor."
"I have not," Ron snapped. "But... Harry I just want to be with her forever. Wholly." A blush quickly engulfed Ron's entire face. Harry felt a small twinge himself and laughed.
"Look, I'm not going to pretend this isn't weird to talk about because, quite frankly, it is," Harry said. "However, if you are trying to tell me you want to have sex with Hermione...."
"Yeah," he muttered, looking away. Harry smiled wider. But quite suddenly it vanished.
"Ron, just make sure she's ready," Harry said quietly.
"She... she brought it up," Ron muttered. "Today, just before she went to go get ready. She told me she loved me and when I was ready, she was. And then she bloody left!"
"Listen mate, make sure she thinks it's special, all right?" Harry said. "It's her first time. Girls like romance, where boys just simply like sex." Ron shot him a suspicious look.
"You seem well informed on this," Ron said. Harry looked away.
"I've lived five year longer than you," Harry said, bringing up a subject he wasn't very fond of. He was, in fact, more mature than his friends. "I'm not innocent." Ron snorted.
"I kind of knew that already," Ron said. Harry rolled his eyes.
"I hate you sometimes."
"I'm off then, cheers mate." Ron walked out and as soon as he left, Ginny burst in.
"Hermione just told me! She and Ron are... EW!" Ginny flung herself on Harry's bed. "I was going to come back in here to snog, but I don't really want to anymore." Harry laughed.
"Funny, me neither." But as he said this, Harry pulled Ginny into his arms and laid down on his bed. She sighed contentedly and snuggled closer to him.
Harry quickly straightened his robes. Running a hand through his once again lengthened hair, he bit his lip. Something in his stomach signaled to foreboding. And it wasn't the fact that he'd have to make his friends sit the whole time of the ball, as they didn't know the Elvish dances. Something felt... off.
Sighing, he left the room and waited patiently in the hallway. Ron and Neville emerged from their respective suites within moment of each other about ten minutes later. "These robes are bloody hard to get on," Ron grumbled. Harry laughed. He had left the two of them to figure out the Elvish ball robes for themselves, knowing from experience it was easier than helping them.
They simply glared at him until he stopped. (sorry if this sounds kind of odd and crappy at the moment, I just read a horribly written story and I feel a might on the dumb side)
When Harry finally quieted down, Ron and Neville relaxed, walking over to him. "How long do you reckon the girls will be?" asked Neville, absently picking at his collar.
"Probably another hour or so," Ron grumbled.
"Shut-up, Ronald," Hermione snapped. She was scowling at her boyfriend, hands on her hips. Ron swallowed hard, whether out of fear or amazement Harry could not be sure. Hermione looked stunning in a pale yellow silk dress. It hugged her small frame tightly until it flowed out at the waist. The neckline was under her shoulders, with strands of yellow silk hanging off the "strap." "Well?!"
"Umm, er, you..." Ron gulped. Hermione sighed in exasperation and walked over, still looking mad.
Hearing a giggle from Neville's door, they turned to see Luna. Her dress was Ravenclaw blue. The bodice tied up the front with a pearly white cord and heavily embroidered with white thread. The skirt billowed like Snape's robes, only blue and silk. Her arms had matching blue silk wound around them like toe shoe's ties, all of this in place of sleeves, as her dress had none, amplifying her small bit of cleavage.
"It's not funny Luna!" Hermione cried. "They're not only insulting us but rather all females. These demented males seem to be under the impression that girls worry too much about looks and take an excruciating amount of time to get ready!" Luna giggled a bit more before replying.
"It's quite funny," she said, a giggling fit taking over again.
"Luna!" Hermione said, exasperation clearly evident. "I cannot believe this. Women must unite in this need to-"
"Can it, Quill," Harry said." She rounded on him, and Harry's friends flinched.
"Can't manage to stay out of trouble without me, can you?" came Ginny's voice. "All of these couples ganging up on you?" Harry silently thanked her to coming at that moment and turned to her. He felt himself warm at the site of her.
"You look exquisite, little sister," Ron said, kissing her cheek. Harry was inclined to agree.
Ginny's dress was a shimmering silver silk. It was a simple dress, with a tight bodice and a flowing skirt and funnel sleeves, but she looked radiant in it. Her hair was lazily pinned up, curls escaping every which way, falling in her eyes and along her neck. A thin silver chain ran down her neck and under her dress and a pearly tear drop in a deep blue hung right above her breasts.
"Come on," Harry said, not trusting himself to say anything else. The others followed behind him. He was silent, as Ron and Neville's boots clunked on the ground and the girls' heels clinked softly. Harry was struck by how different he seemed to be from his friends now"€ if only in small ways.
"How exactly do they dance here?" asked Ron nervously. Neville also looked quite frightened. Harry sighed heavily.
"I'm afraid you won't be able to dance much. Elves are very... particular about dancing. The proper way of dancing here is rather boring, but you get used to it," Harry said. "It's all marches and other such things, memorized by all children at the age of five. Folk dancing is really something, but you'll never see that at one of these balls. I'll start dancing lessons straight away. Tomorrow will be your first."
"You keep giving me a reason to glare at you," Ron muttered darkly. Harry smiled, loving the familiarity of these moments with his best friend.
"Now listen carefully," Harry cautioned. "You'll be announced when you walk in. Go at a steady pace down the stairs. Bow like this-" Harry demonstrated by bowing, left hand behind his back, right hand before his face, first two fingers pointed out. "To Atonics, Kilala, Ricatone, and the Council. Then, disperse. Or wait a moment for me."
They stopped before another set of grand doors and Harry motioned them through. Timidly, Hermione walked through the dark red curtains that were now in front of them. Harry smiled, hearing the announcer, a friend of his named Frandi, announce her.
"Hermione Granger of Corio, member of his Highness's army, best friend to his Highness, and honored guest." Ron gulped and went next.
"Ronald Weasley of the Burrow, member of his Highness's army, best friend to his Highness, and honored guest, known to be courting Hermione Granger."
Ginny caught Harry's eye and he grinned evilly.
"Neville Longbottom of Picketpost, member of his Highness's army and honored guest, known to be courting Luna Lovegood." Luna smiled distantly, going after her boyfriend.
"Luna Lovegoood of Bluemoss, member of his Highness's army and honored guest." Ginny pecked Harry's lips before slipping out of his view.
"Virginia Weasley of the Burrow, member of his Highness's army, confidant of his Highness, and honored guest."
Harry waited a few moments, readying himself. He removed a silver ring with many loops and twists and an emerald in the center that, after he had placed it on his head, fell just above the center of his two eyebrows. Changing his stance, he walked swiftly up to the curtain and stepped through.
Silence fell immediately on the entire room. The walls were a swirl of marble and silver stone. Deep red, deep purple, and gold material hung randomly throughout the room. Some twisted on the ceiling, occasionally dipping low enough to be just out of one's reach. Harry saw, with a great deal of unease, his friend looking at him as though he were a stranger.
And with chin-length hair topped with a ringlet, he truly felt like a different person. 'Because you are,' Harry reminded himself bitterly. 'You are Prince Laohan of the Elves, destined to defeat the Dimukai and rule the Elvin Realm. Not to forget killing Voldemort in between.' For the first time since he had discovered the truth behind his heritage, Harry felt like Prince Laohan. He was no longer Harry Potter, and he longed desperately for his old self, in place of the regal prince he was.
"His royal Highness Laohan Anitan, Prince of the Elves, Jistone of the Elves, Prongs. Known in the Wizarding Realm as Harry Potter, the Boy- Who-Lived. Thought to be the Wolf to the elves."
Silently, Harry walked down the stairs, letting the age-old sensation of hundreds of eyes on him roll off. As everyone in the room bowed, Harry felt something inside him cave. Walking swiftly towards his friends, Harry once again felt odd.
No, something was not right.
THIS IS NOT A CLIFHANGER, NOTHING HORRID WILL HAPPEN IMMEDIATELY IN THE FOLLOWING CHAPTER! Love you all!
A/N I DID IT! The extra week delay from my apology was my fault. I forgot to do a whole buncha crap for the D man. Anyhoo, my sister caught something from her friend AJ who got back from Africa a week ago, and I think I'm coming down with it. The nest chapter may be a while, but I'll try and hurry.