A/N: I'm sorry for the delay, school has been ridiculously busy. Here is the update...do people read this thing anyways?
Chapter 3:
Harry looked around him excitedly; it was a world so different from his own. He took special notice to the ground, because of the grass Severus had told his so many times. It was even livelier than Severus had managed to describe, and he had refused to believe in such things! A strange feeling such as he never experienced before filled his heart; at first he was alarmed, but soon realized that he enjoyed it. Harry bent down to the ground, and whispered to the grass, "So are you 'blue,' or are you 'green?'"
"The grass is green, and it cannot answer you." A voice answered.
Harry was rather annoyed at being so rudely interrupted, but he raised his head with a smile, "Thank you."
The boy nodded gravely. He had short, brown hair and a pair of round, brown eyes. Judging from his clothes he was no more than a peasant boy, but Harry reached to measure him anyhow. And he was startled, almost afraid to realize that the boy is a very, very powerful mage, so powerful that even Harry could not measure exactly how strong he was. As far as he knew, he could be more powerful than he was. He better be someone important, thought Harry, master would be in trouble if a mere child of the other place is so full of magic. When he got up from the ground and called Floke to him, he realized that the other boy was staring at him – he was measuring Harry as well. Harry smirked, blocking his Sight here and there, letting him know that he was of some power, but nothing out of the ordinary. He was relieved to see the boy put up his haughty face again; apparently Harry was of no big interest to him. If I could block his Sight, thought Harry, then perhaps I am more powerful after all.
The boy yawned lazily and spoke, "I'm Kerr. Who are you? You are not one of the natives of the kingdom."
Harry shook his head, "I'm Harry; I come from the Village of Althea, that is, if three is still a village left."
Kerr raised one of his eyebrows, "A new attack? Is the Dark Lord moving against us again?"
Harry shrugged, "That is not something we ordinary peasants can understand."
The boy snorted but did not speak. As of an afterward thought, though, he hastened to ask, "Do you have kin in the kingdom that you can turn to?"
Harry made sure that his face looked grave, "Nay, no one."
"Well then you can travel with me, and when we reach the capital I shall find you a helter," the boy said decidedly.
Nobles, thought Harry, now quite sure of the boy's identity, not even bothered to ask me for my opinions first about my own fate. He bowed and replied, "You are most kind, sir."
Kerr was obvious quite happy to hear Harry call him sir; he put up a much friendlier air afterwards.
Harry sat silently as Kerr led the way. The other boy surely knew this land. Thus he left the work of finding the way to Kerr and absorbed himself in the sceneries around. The green little hills with trees that were even greener; some little creatures, (flowers or birds, Harry decided) were dancing in between, and Harry could hear the sound of a little creek singing.
Soon they were at the edge of a small village. Kerr walked to the best inn without a thought when Harry spoke, "Hmmm, Kerr, that seems like the best er…what do you call it here…oh, inn in this place…"
Kerr waved his hand carelessly, "Do not trouble yourself about the money."
Idiotic boy. Harry bit his lips while trying to come up with a warning without making it too obvious that he knew things a peasant boy should not. Harry had never lodged in an inn before, but surely this would be common sense. "Well, I was just thinking…of course it's just at my place, things might be different here…but my father was an innkeeper too…and we folks don't feel easy when little peasant children go live in the bet inn in town."
Kerr stared at his hard, Harry blinked back innocently. Finally Kerr said, "Let's find a lesser one then." Harry blushed as would be expected of a peasant boy being addressed by one of his superior. Severus, I did learn your lessons well.
When they managed to settle down, Harry looked at the room in delight while Kerr gasped in disgust, "Roaches! And Mice too! This is the first time I had to live in such rooms."
"Oh, so those cute little creatures are roaches and mice? Mind you, which is which, are those hairy ones mice or are those shiny ones with hells?"
Kerr looked at him in disbelief, "But I thought you were an innkeeper's son."
Harry went slightly pink, "Well, where we live is so cold that we don't see much living things." Then he let his eyes water and hung his head, just to make sure that even that insensitive boy would detect the improperness of reminding Harry of his homeland again, in case he decided to ask his what kind of things did live there (Harry was never a good zoology student).
Harry lay open-eyed on his bed and looked out at the moon; he could tell that the other boy was fast asleep in the other room. It was a beautiful night; Harry turned so he could take a better look - when a dark figure jumped into the room before his very eyes. Harry did not make a sound, this was getting very interesting.
The stranger seemed startled to find a pair of intense green eyes staring at him; however he soon resumed self-control and asked coolly, "You do not mind my turning on the light now, do you?"
Harry smiled, "Light all the candles if you wish, just that a lighted room in the middle of the night is rather suspicious."
The stranger studied his and almost chuckled, "You are most kind, but I am not what you think I am." With that he lighted the candles gracefully.
Harry winced at the sudden brightness of the room and peered at the intruder. He was a stout, middle aged man, with streaked brown hair and a hard, weathered face. His clothes were of the finest fabric but were now worn in many places; Harry raised one of his eyebrows.
"Do not be afeard," he said with a crisp smile, "I am only here to look for a person." As he spoke, Kerr jumped into the room, sword at hand, "Disarm this instant or regret your choice forever!" he shouted.
The man frowned, "Is that how you greet your uncle?"
Kerr almost jumped at the voice and the next second he was giving the man a big hug, "Uncle…how, how come?"
Thales' face was clouded, "Bad tidings are rising, my nephew, and you are needed."
Kerr blushed and murmured rather embarrassedly, "Right, I was about to return." Remembering Harry, he turned and said, "It's just, I promised him that I'd take him to the capital."
Thales looked at Harry, his eyes thoughtful, "I'll see that he is taken care of. And you have no time to lose; the carriage is ready; leave, now."
Thales did not take his eyes off his nephew until he left, then he turn to study Harry again. Harry met his eyes and waited. Finally Thales said, "I would have loved to find out who you are and what were you doing with my nephew, but the tidings are bad, and I have no time for such trivial things. Here are twenty galleons, and I trust that you can manage your way to the capital if you still wish to go." With that, he put on his cloak and left the room.
Harry thought things over: Kerr and that stranger were surely of some importance in the kingdom, and the twenty galleons wouldn't hurt, either. For now, anything can wait until tomorrow. He relaxed on his bed, and was ready to resume his sleep when his room was intruded a second time. Harry looked up and saw a man in plain peasant clothes. Although he had on the plainest garment possible, Harry took him as what he was at first glance: one of Master's servants. He sat up on his bed and raised one of his eyebrows in silent question.
The man simply handed him the letter and left as noiselessly as he came. Harry's hand trembled as he opened the black wax, the message was simple:
Bring back the Mirror of Awena.
After making sure he did not miss anything, he folded the note in an experienced way, murmured a word, and let the dust fell from his hand.