Miss Moony would like to dedicate this chapter to ficfan for being the first reviewer.
Miss Moony would also like to thank Jessi Malfoy, Hana, Jane Silver and EvilAngel and Sandra Cloudpole (three times) for reviewing.
To Jane Silver: Actually, Harry did tell Briar his name, or rather, he told Daja and Tris, and they told Briar; that was in one of the "Harry" sections. And Harry is awake most of the time, he just hasn't opened his eyes. Sorry if I didn't make that clear.
To Hana: Wait and see.
To riss: You never cease to confuse me; "kyu"? What's that mean. And thanks for the explanation.
To EvilAngel: I was thinking about doing something like that, but I'm not quite sure what it'd be about, so, if at all, it won't be coming anytime soon.
------- I solemnly swear that I'm up to no good -------
Chapter 6
Green… Grey… Mist… Fog… Cloud… Mountains… Caves… Padfoot… Sirius… "He must really like you, Harry. Imagine having to live off rats."… Pain…
The sunlight glinted in green-grey eyes, sparkling with life, and images of dead grey ones filled his head.
Briar found himself surrounded by darkness. A shrill scream pierced the air and he shuddered. He heard dripping water and, peering around cautiously, discovered that he was standing on a pier.
Dark, pearly water lapped against the dock in a sinister manner and, leaning closer, Briar was sure he could see faces in the water. They were pale shadows, like ghosts.
Suddenly, a large waved roared into life and crashed over the pier, bringing sounds and images with it.
… A red-haired, green-eyed woman screamed, clutching a small child in her arms…
… A blonde teenager smiled, her eyes bugging out slightly, and said, "We're coming with you, Harry."…
Briar realised with a jolt that he had somehow entered Harry's mind; not his soul, but his very essence. These were Harry's memories.
… "Come on, mate. Gin and Luna have something planned for breakfast. Don't want to miss it, do you?"…
… A face, scaled and predatory, smiled maliciously, "Prepare to die, Potter."…
… The same face, leveling a short stick at his chest. "And now you face me like a man… Straight-backed and proud, the way your father died."…
'Harry… Harry…' he said fearfully.
Briar backed up, wide-eyed, only to find himself trapped. Four translucent green barriers in Harry's mind had sprung up around him, and he was surrounded by haunting memories that weren't his own.
'Briar… Briar…' Someone was calling him. He felt a hand cuff his head, and he woke from his stupor.
He could feel something inside his head… something that didn't belong to him… or Voldemort…
Harry… Harry… It called out to him. And he closed it off in mental barriers without a second thought.
'What happened?' Rosethorn asked Briar.
He looked between her and Harry in shock before saying shakily, 'I… I'm not quite sure.'
Rosethorn raised an eyebrow.
'I… I mean… he just opened his eyes… and then… I was inside his head,' Briar said. 'I don't know how or why… I just… was…'
He trailed off rather pathetically and looked back at Harry. 'Alright, I'm coming,' he said eventually, preparing to leave the room.
That was, before Harry's eyes started to focus and he squinted blearily and asked, almost fearfully, 'Who are you?'
Briar and Rosethorn looked at him in shock. Rosethorn, however, seeing him squinting, reached for the pair of spectacles that were lying on top of a stack of parchment on the floor.
'Here,' she said, placing them on Harry's face and receiving a weary 'thank-you' in reply.
Briar finally managed to stop gaping at Harry's sudden grasp on reality and he answered the question. 'I'm Briar Moss, Green Mage, and this is my teacher, Dedicate Rosethorn of Winding Circle Temple.'
Harry blinked. 'Excuse me if I sound impertinent, but where exactly is Winding Circle Temple and what's a Green Mage?'
Briar's astonishment clearly showed in his expression, because Harry bit his lip. Rosethorn, however, seemed to be taking this much more calmly.
'Winding Circle is where you are now. At Discipline Cottage in the Temple City, in Emelan… near Summersea, if you want to be precise. And a Green Mage is an ambient Mage whose powers relate to plants, Harry,' she said.
Harry nodded, before asking hesitantly, 'Like- like Neville?'
Rosethorn frowned. 'I might actually be able to answer that if you'll tell me who Neville is.'
Harry looked vaguely surprised. 'I'm sorry,' he said, 'I just assumed that – well, since you obviously know who I am without me having to tell you – and, well, most of the people who know who I am know who my friends are, too… even though I've never hear of Emelan or Winding Circle… And – I don't know what Mages are, exactly – but you obviously have some kind of magic.'
'You don't know what a Mage is?' Briar asked in disbelief, just as Rosethorn asked, 'You've never heard of Emelan?'
Harry chewed on his lip anxiously, thinking, before opting for a fairly safe, 'Should I?'
Rosethorn just shook her head in defeat. 'Come on out, then – both of you – and you can help Briar and me with the weeding. I'll introduce you to the others when Sandry and Pasco drop by for dinner.'
Harry nodded and got to his feet unsteadily, and Briar followed suit.
Harry wasn't quite sure what had happened. All he could remember was seeing the once-malevolent crimson eyes of Lord Voldemort boring into his own ones in shock as the life drained from them and after that there had just been darkness…
He supposed that the backlash from the spell he'd used must have blasted a hole in the time-space continuum, splintering his wand in the process and blasting him through, as he couldn't remember ever hearing that there were any Temple Cities still standing… And, if he wasn't mistaken, "Mage" was one of the old names for a wizard. He hadn't, however, ever heard anything about wizards whose powers related to only one element of the world.
He sighed, following the taller boy – whose voice reminded him of Ron – Briar – into the garden.
