Hello, dear readers. I'm still alive! I have to apologize for not updating this thing, in so long. My life has been rather hectic, of late, and work's crazy, as it always is, from spring, until late autumn.
I'm just glad I didn't tell anyone I'd update once a month, or something like that. Mad respect, to those who do, and can actually stand, and deliver!
I've also been battling some writer's block, and lack of motivation, and this chapter reflects that. Even so, it is massive, and while it's certainly not my best work, I hope it isn't horrible. There's quite a bit of world building, and talking. Some action, and there's a thing that happens, I know many of you have been waiting for. A couple of things, actually.
Thanks to all, who have reviewed, followed, and put my story in their favourites. You humble me, and I shall endeavour to prove worthy of your precious time. :-)
XVIII
James shook his head at his best friend in wonder, then turned his attention to the map they'd been poring over. He couldn't quite focus on it, however. Would Sirius ever learn, not to tease Lily? She put up with it from him, her husband, but her patience for Padfoot was... well... none.
"Sirius, you think you're ever going to grow up?" a woman said in an annoyed tone.
There was a bark of laughter. "Oh, come on, Amelia! She loves me!"
Amelia Bones shook her head. "Perhaps, but that doesn't mean she likes you. I'd not be surprised if she doesn't bring you anything, actually. You've probably had enough, as it is."
A look of pure horror grazed Sirius' face at that. "No! Don't say things like that, 'Melia!"
He quickly turned in his seat, and was about to yell something at Lily, again, but the words died on his tongue, when he saw his friend standing in front of a unusually large elf. She stared at him for a while, before she backed away a step, and dropped the mugs onto the floor.
After barely a moment's hesitation, she approached the elf again, and tentatively reached out, and brushed her fingers along his cheek. Sirius saw the elf say something, which caused Lily to bring her hand to her mouth in shock.
"Oi! Prongs, do you know the big fellow?"
James looked up and saw his wife, and the big guy. "No, can't say that I do. What's going on?"
Sirius stood up, meaning to go and back up his friend, if she was in trouble, when he noted a pair of women he'd honestly never thought he'd see again.
"Oh, Merlin," he swore.
"What?" Amelia asked, and stood up, at the same time as James did.
"Nymphadora?" Amelia asked, and stared at the rookie Auror.
"Mhmm," Sirius confirmed. "She-Whose-Name-Must-Never-Be-Spoken-Tonks. And look, my crazy cousin is here, too."
A growl escaped Amelia's lips. "Bellatrix," the former head of the DMLE seethed, and reached for her sword, but Sirius stopped her.
"Wait. Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the blonde, Fleur Delacour?"
James frowned. "As in daughter of Jean-Luc Delacour?"
Amelia studied her for a moment, before nodding. "Yes, you're right, Sirius. I've met her several times, when I've been to see my colleague across the Channel. There's no mistaking her. She is a Veela, after all," Amelia said, and turned to Sirius, but the man was staring at the group again, his eyes focused on the big man, or so Amelia thought. Sirius' face had lost most of its colour by that time.
"I know that bird," he said weakly.
"The owl?" James said. "What about it?"
"She," Sirius corrected his friend. "Her name's Hedwig, and she's..."
Fervently hoping he was wrong, Sirius decided to throw all caution to the wind. He stepped onto his stool, and shouted at the top of his lungs. "Harry!" Much to his dismay, the large elf immediately turned his head their way.
"Padfoot!"
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Lily brought her hand to her mouth in a state of shock. This elven man had called her Mum. She wanted to scoff at the notion, but his eyes... And that scar. It looked exactly like Sirius had described it, and it was in the correct place. She simply stared at him for a long while, until she heard Sirius call.
"Harry!"
The elf turned his head toward her friend's voice. The recognition in his eyes, and the smile that followed, had Lily almost fainting.
"Padfoot!"
The elf stepped around her, and marched toward Sirius, who was rushing towards them with all haste. The two men eventually met, and threw their arms around each other. Their embrace was long, and intimate.
Lily felt a hand on her shoulder, and turned to find a young woman with pink, spiky hair looking at her in concern. "Mrs. Potter, are you alright?"
Lily stared at the woman incredulously. 'Was she alright?' What kind of question was that? She had just met someone who claimed to be the son she hadn't seen for almost twenty years, and he looked like an elf on steroids.
Someone clicked their tongue in irritation. "Nymphadora, just how do you suppose she would be alright?"
"Oui," another said. "That was a silly question, Tonks."
Lily turned her head, and regarded the other two women. A very beautiful raven haired woman, she could have sworn she knew from somewhere, and a blonde, whose beauty simply could not be natural. A Veela, perhaps?"
"Hey, I'm just trying to help," the girl - Tonks said. "You two were just standing there."
The raven haired one sighed. "Nym-"
"Auntie Bella, I swear, if you don't stop using the name I'll shove my rapier so far up your arse, you'll need a pair of orcs to yank it out!" Tonks growled.
Before Bella could give her niece an answer, Harry and Sirius broke apart, and the pair turned towards the four women.
"Nymmie!" Sirius exclaimed, and marched straight up to his cousin, and brought her in for a massive hug. "I missed you, girlie."
Nym laughed at Sirius, and lightly slapped him on the shoulder when they broke apart. "It's Tonks, you git. You best remember it, this time."
Harry looked on with a smile. He had always enjoyed watching Sirius interact with his younger cousin. They had an easy camaraderie, that wasn't too different from what he himself shared with his Metamorph friend. Aside from being in love, of course.
Sirius then made his way over to Fleur, grabbed her hand, and lightly kissed her knuckles. "Now, aren't you a vision, Miss Delacour!"
Fleur giggled. "Enchantée, monsieur," she said, and did a little curtsy.
And finally, Sirius turned his gaze upon his least favourite person in the world, aside from Peter Pettigrew. He stared at her, his eyes frosty. Then, after staring at her for a while, he dismissed her, and turned his eyes back to Harry.
"Interesting company you're keeping, Harry. You didn't go Dark on me, did you?"
Harry shook his head, then eyed his father, and Amelia, who were making their way over. "Perhaps we should go sit down, Sirius. I ordered food, and it should be here soon, and we've been on our feet all day."
"Good idea, Harry," Sirius said, and waved for James and Amelia to return to their seats.
"Harry?" someone said in a small voice. Harry turned toward the voice, and gazed upon his mother, who was standing behind him, biting her lip in indecision. He smiled at her, his eyes radiating kindness, and warmth.
"Hello, Mum. Not exactly the way I pictured us meeting, back when I thought about such things, but... here we are."
Lily rushed forward then, and threw her arms around her son, giving him a hug that would have shamed any Molly Weasley hug. She began crying into his chest, her body racked with sobs.
"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry for leaving you, Harry."
Harry put his hands on her shoulders and eased her away a bit. "It's not like you decided to go on a vacation, and leave me behind. You died, Mum. Nothing you could have done about that, I reckon."
He put his arm around her shoulders and turned her around. "Come on, let's go sit down, OK?"
Mother and son made their way over to the table, with Harry's companions trailing behind them. Fortunately, the table was rather large, and the affixed benches were easily large enough to accommodate all of them. Harry eased his mother onto the bench, and turned his eyes to his father, who was staring at him intensely.
"Dad."
Feeling somewhat less overwhelmed than his wife, James grinned at his son, and gave him a quick hug, and a clap on the shoulder. "Son."
Once they were done, Harry turned to Amelia and extended his hand, which the former head of the DMLE grasped firmly, and shook it once. "It's good to see you, Madame Bones. It's been a while."
"That it has, Mr. Potter. I'd like to extend a late apology for that farce of a trial, back when you were about to enter your fifth year. It should never have gone that far. And please, it's Amelia."
Harry shrugged. "Not your fault, Madame- Amelia. I'm guessing the Umbitch (a growl could be heard from Bella at the mention of the Toad), had Fudge's ear, and played him into it. And his own cowardice, of course. I don't much care any more. I've no desire to dwell upon the past too much. Besides, as I recall, you were rather vocal in your support of me."
"Well, I asked around, and Minerva, for one, was adamant you would most certainly never do something like a Patronus without proper cause."
Harry smiled fondly at the mention of his lover's name. "Yeah. She always did try and do right by me, even if it didn't always look like it."
Amelia sat down and Harry motioned for Bella, Fleur and Tonks to do the same. Harry was about to round the table, and sit next to Amelia, when he felt a hand grab his own. He looked down, and saw a pleading look on his mother's face.
"Sit next to your Mum, Harry," Nym said, and smiled. "I'll sit next to Bonesy."
Amelia grumbled something about insubordination, as the young Metamorph took her seat, while Bella sat down next to Harry, and Fleur at the end, opposite Nym. And Hedwig, of course, who found herself on her human's shoulder. Harry felt his mother lace her fingers with his, and grasp his hand tightly, her own hand shaking a little bit.
"OK, so what's the story with crazy over there," Sirius began, and pointed at Bella, but he was unprepared for Harry's frigid look.
"That's enough, Sirius."
"But Harry, she's an insane bitch!"
"She was," Harry agreed. "She's better now. Do you remember what you tasked Gringotts with, a while before you... left."
Sirius frowned in thought. "Sure. I asked them to go over the Black vaults, and get rid of any Dark artefacts, and examine any legal documents in there. And try to find any marriage contracts."
"Right. It just so happens, that they did find Bellatrix' contract to Lestrange, and discovered it was charmed all to hell with a pair of compulsion charms, put in place by Cygnus, and Tom Riddle. They bound her to them, Sirius," Harry said, his voice dripping with disgust.
A shocked silence followed Harry's words. Sirius went deathly pale, as his mind connected the dots, and he understood what it meant.
"Bella, I-"
"Don't," Bella said, and raised a hand. "It's over and done with. Andie and Harry got me through it, and I'd like to leave it in the past, where it belongs."
Sirius was silent for a while, before he nodded. "Well, if that's the case, then you can absolutely not apologize for sending me through the Veil. We're starting over."
Bella smiled happily at her cousin. "I'd like that, Siri."
"So, if Gringotts found Bella's contract, then they must have found Narcissa's," Sirius continued, and eyed Harry.
"They did. I annulled it," Harry said with a grin. "And I reinstated Andie into the house of Black."
Sirius lifted a brow. "But why would... Oh, Tonks. I'm so sorry, luv," he said, and put a hand on Nym's shoulder.
"It's fine, Padfoot," she said with a sad smile. "Perhaps Dad's here, somewhere."
"Perhaps," Sirius said with a nod. "I haven't seen him, but it's a big place."
A panic descended upon Sirius then, and he leaned over to Harry. "Did you select a successor to the headship of House Black, Harry? Because if you didn't, the little Malfoy shit, stands to take it all."
Harry grinned at his godfather. "Don't worry, Sirius. The headship's in good, tinkering hands. Hell, he's even a pureblood. A distant cousin of yours, actually. I don't think some people will be happy, though, given his hobbies."
Sirius tilted his head to the side, and gave Harry a questioning look. "A pureblood?"
Then, there was a snort to his right. Sirius turned to look at James, who was starting to laugh, while looking at his son with pride. "I suppose there's a little Marauder in you, eh, Harry?"
"Just a bit," Harry said with a grin.
Then Amelia got it, and began chuckling evilly. "Oh, Walburga's certain to have a fit, once she learns of this." Amelia gave Bellatrix a look that told her that, yes, her family was indeed there.
"Oh, yes," Bella agreed with a sadistic glee. "And my father... can you imagine it!?"
"What's gotten into you lot," Lily, who had never shown any interest in wizarding politics, and was just as lost as Sirius, asked, and leaned over to look her son in the eye.
Then, it seemed as if a lightbulb had been lit in Padfoot's brain, and he turned a disbelieving eye onto Harry. "You didn't..."
"Of course I did," Harry confirmed with a slightly smug smile. "It was the Maraudiest thing to do."
Sirius stared at Harry for a moment longer, before he let out a roar of laughter, which lasted long enough for it to become a wheeze. "Arthur Weasley, as Head of House Black! Who would have thunk it!"
And now Lily understood. "Oh, god. You're right, Harry. That's bound to have upset some people," she said with a raised brow.
"How did Cissy take those news, Harry?" Sirius asked when he'd mustered himself.
"She very much approved, actually. Had I not done it without her knowledge, I'm certain she would have suggested it."
"Wait, what?" Sirius was crestfallen.
"Yeah. She's on my side, Sirius," Harry said with a smile.
Before they could go any further, Þórir appeared with the food Harry had ordered, and a large pitcher of ale. He put the food down, and poured the ale into the four mugs, and took it back with him when he left, telling them the gold Harry had paid with, would have them drink for a week, without paying.
The weary travellers dug into their meal with a ravenous appetite, and the three girls discovered the ale was extremely good, if quite strong. Harry, however didn't drink, and simply ate his food.
"You don't like the ale, Harry?" his mother asked, as she watched him eat.
"Well, I suppose I could drink, but it won't affect me in any way, so perhaps one of you should drink it."
"What do ya mean, Hero?" Nym asked. Her eyes had a teasing glint in them, and it was clear she was feeling the effects of the ale already.
"I can't get drunk, Nym. I tried, after I told your mum, and the others about my... condition. My body is too powerful, it seems. It purges the alcohol too quickly, for it to have any effect."
"Ooooh! Poor baby," Nym said with a pout, and reached for Harry's mug. "That sucks! But hey! That means there's more for me!"
James cleared his throat, and gave his son a level look. "I think it would be best if you would tell us what's been going on since Dumbledore died, Harry. Clearly, there's quite a lot we don't know about."
Harry sighed. Again, with that damned story. He really should have had presentation boards created for this. "So, a month after Dumbledore died, Fawkes came to me..."
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Narcissa flushed the toilet, made her way over to the sink, and reached for her toothbrush. She squeezed a liberal amount of paste onto the brush, and began working her teeth. (Who would have thought she would actually prefer the Muggle way of cleaning her teeth?) When she heard the upstairs toilet flush as well, she was quite thankful that Andie's house did, in fact have two bathrooms. No need to wait.
Narcissa finished brushing, and eyed herself critically in the mirror, and reached for her wand to freshen the glamour she had put on, when she had finished her morning shower. Once that was done, she made her way over to the kitchen, and her sister joined her momentarily.
"I'd almost forgotten, how much I hate this part of the whole experience, Cissy," Andie said with a groan, and reached for an apple. "It seems you're just as bad as me."
"I'm probably worse, Andie," Cissy replied with a sigh. "But it's worth it all, in the end."
"That it is," Andie agreed. "You're ready?"
"Yes, I am. I've gone over the texts a few times, with Hermione, and the Wizengamot cannot deny the motion. Our case is solid. If you're willing."
"Of course I am," Andie replied firmly.
It was five weeks after the supposed death of Harry, the last of the Potters. In accordance with custom, and out of respect for the deceased, the Wizengamot waited for at least one month, before debating any application for the empty seat.
A pair of applications had been put forth, by David Owen, and Charles Thewlis, respectively. While Narcissa was hesitant to call either of them blood supremacists, both were extremely conservative, and would fight anything she and Hermione wanted to do.
She had suspected Owen and Thewlis would put up their names for consideration. They had been circling the Wizengamot for years, after all. She had gone on the prowl at once, hunting for anything that might be useful to hold over their heads. She had come up empty. It seemed Selwyn had chosen wisely.
Fortune had favoured them, however, and with a certain new development, an avenue had opened up for them, and they had decided to seize it. It was a bit heavy handed, for Narcissa's liking, but it was the best option, going forward.
The sisters Apparated to Diagon Alley, and made their way into the Ministry, and went straight to the Potter office. They found Hermione in there, reading the relevant texts, for the hundredth time.
"Hermione, it's going to be fine," Narcissa reassured her. "The opposition has no legal recourse."
Hermione nodded. "I know. I'm just nervous. I read when I'm nervous."
"Don't be," Andie said with a smile. "You've done wonderfully, so far. I don't see why you shouldn't keep it up!"
"Let's go see Augusta, then," Hermione said, and led the two witches out of her office, and down the hall to the office of the Chief Warlock. Hermione knocked on the door.
"Enter!"
The three witches did, and Hermione closed the door behind them. Augusta finished with whatever she had been reading, and clasped her hands together atop of her desk.
"Ah, good to see you three," she greeted them fondly. "So, what can I help you with?"
Hermione cleared her throat nervously, and handed Augusta a parchment, which outlined their plan to deal with the opposition's play. The Longbottom matriarch accepted the parchment with a raised eyebrow, and began reading. Soon, her other brow rose as well, and eventually, they almost disappeared, beneath her hair.
"Surely, you jest!" she gasped, and stared at Andromeda, and Narcissa.
"No, we do not," Andie said with a beatific smile. She looked radiant. "It is indeed what has happened."
"We will not deny it's quite fortuitous, though it wasn't planned," Narcissa added.
Augusta eyed them for a moment longer, then handed Hermione the parchment again. "I can't see anything wrong with it, and I will allow it. Now, usually, I would ask you to send a copy of this parchment to all the other Wizengamot members, but it's not strictly required, and I daresay it will be more effective, to spring it on them in open session. Not to mention much safer."
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Augusta thumped her gavel a few times, and the assembly quieted down. "Today, we have before us applications to replace the Potter seat, put forth by David Owen, of Minor House Owen, and Charles Thewlis of Minor House Thewlis. Mr. Selwyn, I believe you offered to plead their case."
Selwyn rose from his seat, and descended onto the floor. "Indeed, I did, Chief Warlock. I shall try and be brief. Most of us know, or at least have heard of both men, and know they are men who are very much in tune with our most celebrated traditions."
He began pacing, and kept going. "While neither House has been recognized as Ancient yet, both Mr. Owen, and Mr. Thewlis have been heavily involved in politics for a long time. They know the Wizengamot like the back of their hands, and I believe either one to be a very good candidate for the newly available seat, Chief Warlock. I do not think this needs any further debate, short of deciding which one of these fine men takes their rightful place among us."
When Selwyn had retaken his seat, Chief Warlock Augusta thumped her gavel again. "All those in favour of Mr. Owen to replace Mr. Potter, light the green button in front of you. All those in favour of Mr. Thewlis, do the same with the red button."
It was a quick vote, and heavily in Owen's favour, as Narcissa had predicted.
"The Chief Warlock acknowledges the vote, and congratulates Mr. Owen on his success. However, as tradition dictates, the floor is now open to any who would contest the new appointment."
Hermione rose from her seat.
"The Chief Warlock recognizes Miss Granger, the Potter proxy. Miss. Granger, the floor is yours."
"Thank you, Chief Warlock," Hermione said, and made her way down.
Selwyn barely managed to fight down a sneer. The Muggle bitch. She wanted to embarrass herself in front of the Wizengamot? By all means. It would save him the need to discredit her, himself.
Hermione made a show of leafing through the parchments in her hands, while pacing a few times across the floor. "I have a motion I would like to put across the floor."
Selwyn suddenly became nervous. He had assumed the girl would moan and cry, but she was calm and composed, and now, she had a motion?
"I would like to ask the Wizengamot's permission to establish a regency for House Potter, with Andromeda Black as acting regent."
You could have heard a pin drop, following Hermione's announcement. Then all hell broke loose. There was shouting and cursing, and things almost descended into total chaos, before Augusta managed to bring things under control.
Selwyn rose from his chair, his gaze utterly livid. "On what grounds, do you expect us to pass such a ridiculous motion?" the man asked, his voice thick with disdain.
Hermione calmly met his gaze, and the man could see his defeat in her eyes, even before she spoke.
"Ms. Andromeda Black is carrying Harry Potter's child, and as such, the Potter seat cannot be vacated, thus making my request for regency perfectly reasonable, and in fact, preferable. Further, if something was to happen to Andromeda, before her child is born, her sister Narcissa is willing to act in her stead, on the grounds that she is also thick with Harry Potter's child. Should you wish to have it verified, I have here in my hand, the pregnancy test, and blood work, performed by Saint Mungo's, two days ago."
Silence, shock and disbelief was Hermione's only answer...
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"And then we went through the veil, and ended up in this world," Nym said, and poured herself some more of the ale.
There was a brief silence that followed Nym's words, and Harry could tell his parents, godfather, as well as Amelia were in a bit of a shock.
"Well, that was quite a tale," Amelia said, and took a drink from her mug.
"Yes, it was," Lily said, before she turned an annoyed look onto her son. "There will be no more of such foolish behaviour, Harry. Do you understand?"
James nodded. "I'm with your mother there, son."
Sirius shared a look with both his cousins, and grinned, when he saw both of them roll their eyes.
"You might want to save your breath, Prongs, Lils," Padfoot said. "If I know Harry, and I kind of do, he's already doing it over here, too."
"Really?" Lily asked icily. "And what, pray tell, have you been doing, son of mine?"
Harry was feeling a little uncomfortable. "Nothing much, Mum."
"Oh, come off it, Hero," Nym said with a grin. "Rescuing slaves, killing mercenaries, slavers, and sea monsters isn't 'nothing'."
"Oui, Harry," Fleur said, and smiled her lovely smile. "You should be proud of what you have accomplished."
"Oh, Fleur, please, do tell me more," Lily said, and gave her son a glare. Fleur did as she was told, and launched into the story of their adventures, since coming to this world.
At the end, Sirius clasped his hands together, and smiled wistfully. "Oh, how sweet! You became friends with a little princess! Isn't he precious, James?"
Harry simply shook his head, and turned his gaze upon each of his lovers, in turn. "None of you realized it, huh."
"Realized what, Harry?" Bella asked.
"I doubt there exists a young girl by the name of Asha, among the Dark Elves. And if there is, she wasn't with us."
"So, if she wasn't Asha, then who was she?" Nym asked curiously.
Harry ran a hand through his longish hair. He'd need to cut it soon. "I'd wager all my gold on the possibility that Asha, is actually Shala, Queen of the Dark Elves."
"What makes you say that, Harry?" Nym asked.
"I don't really know, Nym. Just a feeling, I guess. And that guy has been making me wonder," Harry replied, and pointed to a hooded person, sitting in the far corner of the balcony, watching them with far too much interest.
As soon as the person in the hood realized their mark had made them, they quietly slipped away, in a manner which told Harry that, whoever that person was, they had done this very often.
"That's a Shadow, Harry," Lily informed him with a frown.
"A what?"
"They're agents of the Dark Elf crown. Assassins, spies, that sort of thing," James supplied, and took a drink from his mug. "If it's not Shala, then, at the very least, her sister Shana has enough interest in you to send one of them here, to keep an eye on you."
Nym let out a monstrous yawn, and slumped onto her arms, on the table, before raising her head up again. "Can we finish this tomorrow, and go to bed now? I want to sleep!"
Harry nodded his accord. Sleep sounded absolutely brilliant. "Yeah, I think that's a great idea."
They stood up as one, and grouped their mugs and dishes at one end of the table. Lily then took her son's hands in her own, and leaned up and gave him a kiss on the cheek.
"Your father and I, as well as Sirius and Amelia, have been staying at a friend's house for a couple of days now. Our business in the Keep is done, so we'll be heading home tomorrow. What are your plans?"
"Well, we were planning on going to the College and ask if they've heard of any Gate, or a Veil. I suppose it depends on what we learn there."
Sirius snorted. "I can save you a trip, Harry. Those hacks don't know anything about those things. I've already been. It was the first thing I did when I reached this place, and I left with more questions, instead of answers."
Lily nodded at her friend, then turned to her son again. "I would very much like it, if you four would come and stay at our home for a few days. You need to rest, and our villa is only a day's ride to the east."
Harry glanced over at his companions, who all gave him a firm nod. Apparently, they all felt he should spend some time with his parents. If Harry was honest with himself, it wasn't as if he didn't want to spend time with them. In fact, there were very few things he desired more.
It was just, he felt very strongly that he needed to return home as soon as possible. It was a feeling that had been growing steadily stronger, ever since they came to this place, but especially over the last week, or so. But, his mother had a point; they did need a rest. And of course, there was the whole Horcrux mess to deal with.
"Alright." He gave his mother a smile. "I'm looking forward to it, Mum."
Then Amelia suddenly stepped forward, and gave Harry a tight hug. "I wanted to thank you for bringing me news of my Susie. It's a weight of my shoulders, to know she's alright."
Harry smiled. "Madame Longbottom won't let anything happen to either her, or Hannah."
"Less talk, more sleep!" Nym groaned, and let herself crash into Harry, who simply picked her up, and held her in his arms. She rested her head against his shoulder, and fell asleep, almost instantly.
"Nym?" Harry said, and nudged her head gently with his shoulder, but she didn't respond. "Well, I suppose it really is time for bed, then. Should we meet here, in the morning"?
"Sure, Harry. That sounds good," James said, and clasped his son on the shoulder.
And with that, Harry turned around, his Nym cradled safely in his arms, and the other two following in his wake. Lily, James and Amelia went to get their things, while Sirius stood and watched his godson make his way inside.
Something wasn't sitting quite right with Sirius. There was just something about the way Harry interacted with those three women that had him wondering. The way he kept referring to Tonks as 'Nym', for example.
Everyone knew the little she-devil hated her name, and all things resembling it, but it seemed she preferred Harry used that abbreviation of her name, for some reason. Well, he'd keep his suspicions to himself, until he could talk to her in private. No sense in bothering everyone, yet.
"Padfoot? Something wrong?" James asked, as he and the others came upon him again.
Sirius shook his head, and took his coat off James's hands. "No, I'm fine, Prongs. It's just a bit overwhelming to see Harry again, and how much he's changed," Sirius said, hoping it would be enough for his friend.
"So, he's different, then? Aside from the obvious," Lily asked, as the group descended the stairs, and quit the inn.
"Very," Sirius confirmed. "The Harry I got to know was a brooding, somewhat reserved young man, who carried the weight of the world on his shoulders, and it showed."
"Not to mention how polarized our world was, when Harry was involved," Amelia supplied. "It's a wonder he didn't crack."
"I agree," Sirius said. "He had Hermione to keep him sane, Lils."
"A great friend, that one," Lily commented.
"The very best," Sirius said with a smile. "I actually thought they might get together, eventually."
"Oh, well. No use wondering about the past. Especially now, since he's stuck here," James said, and clasped his friend on the shoulder.
Amelia sent Sirius a look, which he returned with a raised brow. James and Lily obviously didn't know their son, and while Amelia herself didn't know him at all, he was quite clearly an extremely resourceful young man.
She remembered when Dumbledore had told her how Harry had led his friends into the very bowels of the Ministry, of all places. Then he had led a fight, where they held their own against several adult wizards, two of whom were Malfoy, and Bellatrix herself. Two of Riddle's best fighters, no less.
"Have you not listened to anything you've heard about your boy, since Sirius came here? Or that story from earlier?" Amelia asked, a little incredulously.
"Pardon?" Lily said.
"What Amelia's trying to say, is that Harry's not staying here, Lily," Sirius said, and gave his friend a sad smile. "He's made up his mind to return, and that's what he'll do, no matter what. I don't know why he's so focused on it, since Riddle should be mortal at the moment, but that's how it is."
"Sirius, don't you think someone would have found the way back by now, if there was indeed one, to be found?" James asked.
Sirius simply shook his head. "None of them were your son, James, and the word impossible does not apply to one Harry Potter," Sirius concluded, and led the group down the street.
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After having brought Nym to one of the rooms he had rented, and Nym to bed, Harry asked Bella and Fleur how they wanted to split the group. Bella told Harry he'd best stay with Tonks.
"I think we need to tread carefully, Harry. Your parents didn't notice anything off with us, and neither did Amelia. Sirius probably suspects something. At least about you and my niece. He was always an observant little shit," she said.
"What are you talking about?" Harry asked.
"She's wondering how your godfather and parents will feel, when they find out you're involved with all of us, mon amour," Fleur informed him.
"With me," Bella said with a startling bitterness.
"I'm still not following," Harry insisted, feeling a bit lost.
"Don't be thick, Harry," Bella chided him. "I'm ten years older than your parents, and I was that thing's right had man. Do you honestly think they'll simply accept me?"
"Why not? All the others did," Harry said.
"Did they?" Bella returned. "I don't know, and neither do you. And even if that's true, your parents don't have the perspective Hermione has, for instance. We could tell them everything that's happened between us, ever since that night you brought me to Nymphadora's, but it won't have the same impact."
"I'm not embarrassed, Bella," Harry said, and took her hands in his. "You know how I feel about you."
Bella sighed. "Will you do this for me, Harry? Please? I would really like to establish some kind of relationship with your parents, before we spring this on them."
Harry turned his attention onto Fleur, who gave him a sad smile. "I think I'm with Bellatrix on this, Harry. We really should try and ease them into it. I know you didn't think about this, when you basically announced to the world, your involvement with Bellatrix and her sisters, but none of those other people, were your parents."
Harry was silent. They were right. Meeting him was probably exciting enough, for now. But this got him thinking about something else. How would everyone, back home, react to the recent development between him and Fleur? Or him and Nym? This was headache inducing.
He nodded. "Alright." He gave Bella a kiss. "But, always remember I love you, and will never be ashamed of doing so. And the same goes for you, Fleur."
Fleur smiled, and gave him a toe curling kiss. "He does know how to speak to a lady, non?" she said teasingly, and grinned at Bella.
"That he does, Fleur, that he does."
Harry started rubbing his chin, deep in thought. Bella's mention of age, had raised a different issue. He had stumbled over it, when he first saw his mother.
"Don't they look young, to you?" Harry asked Bella, and Fleur. "My parent's, I mean. I have a picture, back at Privet Drive, that was taken when I was just over a year old. They haven't changed a bit."
"That is strange, I agree," Bella said.
"I guess we should ask them," Fleur said. "But later. Time for bed, now."
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The Shadow swiftly made his way back to the elven quarter. He stopped by the gate of the ambassador's mansion, and was quickly granted entry. Once inside, he was told the Queen, and her sister could be found in the Queen's chambers. The elf soon found himself outside the door. He raised his fist, and knocked.
"Enter!" came the ambassador's voice.
The Shadow did as was commanded. The sisters were seated by the fire, enjoying a cup of herbal tea. The spy knelt.
"What have you to report, Shadow?" ambassador Shana asked.
"I learned little of consequence, other than the young man's identity, mistress. He appears to be the son of James and Lily Potter."
Shana sent her sister a glance, and noticed she wasn't surprised. "You knew who he was?"
Shala nodded. "I was fairly certain he was. Potter's not a very common name, after all, but it is good to have it confirmed. This may aid the cause of us elves, going forward."
Shana nodded thoughtfully. The Potters were greatly respected for their tireless efforts in helping non humans. More than once, they had discovered plots to disrupt the peace, and begin a war. How curious that their son, who had, according to her sister, come here from the other world, very recently, had done the same. She turned her eyes on her servant, again.
"Anything more?"
"There's one other thing. Mr. Potter seems to have deduced the real identity of the Queen, mistress."
To Shana's surprise, her sister merely smiled. "Of course he did. Did you learn more?"
"I regret to inform you that I was discovered, before I could glean anything further."
Shala waved the servant away, and turned her eyes onto the fire. Once he was gone, Shana clicked her tongue in annoyance.
"Useless. I swear, they become worse by the year."
Shala laughed at her sister's mood. "I'm somewhat surprised your little spy managed to learn that much, actually. Harry has very keen senses. I'd wager he made his tail, the moment we sent him out."
Shala scoffed at herself. "He might even have heard me, when I asked you to send out your spy. Probably means Harry didn't mind him, and by extension, me getting to know him better."
"Harry, is it? Earlier, it was always 'that boy'," Shana commented. "Surely you were only pulling a prank on poor old Kalas. You don't actually mean to try and get your hooks into him? He's at least three centuries younger than you! And he's human!" she finished incredulously.
"What of it?" Shala asked heatedly. "You've not seen the real Harry! The young man, who went alone against twelve men, to save a group of strangers, in world not his own. A young lad, who risked his own life, to save that of more than a hundred, and slew a sea monster, most thought was but legend."
"By the gods, you're smitten with him!" Shana exclaimed in apparent disbelief. "Shala, the infamous dark elf, who has spurned the advances of the mightiest of our warriors, for years and years, has had her heart stolen by a human boy," she mocked her sister.
"And what of you, older sister? Why have you not managed to find yourself a man? No one biddable enough for you to order around?" Shala asked, spitefully.
It was a low blow, which she regretted instantly, when she saw the look of hurt on Shana's face. The Queen knew very well, that her sister preferred the company of other women. While Shala certainly didn't mind, and felt life was too short, to deny yourself love, society wasn't as accepting.
"Oh, I am sorry, Shana," Shala said in a low voice. "I went too far."
Shana took a few calming breaths, and nodded, eventually. "We both did, sister. Is the boy truly that impressive?"
With a sigh, Shala nodded. "He is. But it's not so much his heroics, but what drives him, that has drawn me to him."
"And what's that?" Shana asked, and poured her sister another cup of tea.
"Kindness. Pure, unadulterated kindness. The need to help others, to ease their pain." She became thoughtful. "But he's also reckless, and his sense of self preservation is almost absent."
"Sounds unhealthy, to me," Shala said, and took a drink.
"Yes, and likely to bring him to an early grave," the Queen said. "So to speak."
"So, what do you intend to do, Shala?"
"Nothing, for now. We have other matters to attend to, don't we? The summit... Is everything ready?"
"As much as we can be, I suppose. Oh, I forgot to tell you, the Light Elf delegation arrived yesterday. Prince Oric was among them."
Queen Shala groaned in annoyance. Prince Oric. The most pretentious, overbearing, self-centred moron, she'd ever had the misfortune of meeting. Why on earth had her cousins from across the sea, sent him with the delegation? The damned idiot was viable to wreck the whole thing. He also happened to be in love with her.
Shana laughed when she saw her sister's grimace. How she delighted in the way Shala couldn't even begin to hide her dislike of the prince. "Oh, come now! He's not that bad!"
Shala rolled her eyes. "Shana, I love you, but I really don't think you're qualified to tell me which man is worth my time."
That made Shana laugh. In any case, it was true. "His sister's not bad looking..."
The sisters shared a look, then burst out laughing. Things were becoming silly, a sure sign, it was time for bed.
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"Oh! My aching head," Nym groaned, as she sat up in the bed.
Harry, who had been awake for some time, merely grinned at her. "Serves you right, for drinking so much, Nym."
She stared at him, with a hurt expression. "Where's your sense of compassion, you heartless monster? Can't you see the love of your life is in hellish agony?"
"A hell of her own making," Bellatrix remarked, as she and Fleur entered the room, and both grinned at the young Metamorph.
"Chérie, you'll remember to be more responsible, in the future, non?" Fleur said, and sat down on the bed, next to Nym.
"Aaah! Some friends you lot are..." Nym grumbled, and set about getting dressed.
Once everyone was ready, they made their way down to the common room, and found Harry's parents, as well as Sirius and Amelia waiting for them.
"Morning, all," Harry greeted them.
Lily approached Harry, hugged him tightly, and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Morning, love," she said with a smile.
"Oi! Nymmie! You have a little too much to drink last night, mate?" Sirius asked with a smug grin.
"Shut it, you menace," his pink haired cousin growled. "You're not looking so hot, yourself, actually."
"Oh, he's not suffering from crapulence," Amelia said. "This is what he usually looks like. Like a vagrant, dressed in proper clothes."
Sirius wasn't offended, however. "You like the way I look, 'Melia, just admit it. I'm ruggedly handsome." Sirius finished with a puffed chest.
Amelia scoffed, and pointed at Harry, who was watching the exchange with an amused look. As was Hedwig, who was perched on his shoulder, as always. "Your godson is ruggedly handsome. You just look like a bum."
Now, that had James laughing out loud. "Oh, Padfoot, you lost that one. Badly. Now, I'd really want to get going, if you don't mind. I'd like to get home, before dark."
The group marched as one, toward the east gate. Lily walked with Harry, holding his hand. She felt this aching need to be with her son, as much as possible. She had finally met him, and he was an impressive man, to be sure. The things he had achieved, and how he had turned out, made her extremely proud.
Eventually, they came upon the stables. James and Sirius went inside, and returned, leading seven horses. One, for each of them. Harry looked around, and noted the uncertain looks of both Bellatrix and Nym.
"I bought four horses this morning, Harry, for you and your friends. We have a carriage, but it's back at the villa, unfortunately. I expect none of you know how to ride, though, so we'll take it slow."
"I know how to ride, Monsieur Potter," Fleur informed them, and accepted the reins of a bay gelding. She put a boot into the left stirrup, and settled herself comfortably in the saddle, once she had mounted.
"Well, that's a surprise," James said. "Wizards are usually too lazy, to do anything but Apparate."
"Harry? You want to try?" his father asked, and held out to him, the reins of a black stallion.
Lily wasn't exactly impressed, knowing her husband was pulling a prank on his son. "James, I don't think Harry should be riding a horse that's not been gelded. It might be too spirited for a beginner," she said, annoyed.
"Your mother's right, mon- Harry," Fleur said. "Perhaps we should switch?"
James simply raised a brow at his son. Was he not up for the challenge? Hedwig bumped her human in the head with her own, encouraging him to respond. Harry shrugged, and accepted the reins. He approached the horse carefully, and began speaking to it in a low voice, which the others couldn't hear.
The horse responded, and sniffed Harry's hand, making soft blowing noises, and began nibbling on his fingers. It appeared James' son was reaching the horse well. Harry gently brought the reins over the head of the horse, and noted Fleur had made her way over.
"Since you're right handed, Harry, you may find it easier, or more comfortable, to mount your horse from the left. The next step is to have a hold on your reins. Hold them like so, and maintain a slight contact with the bit."
Harry put the reins into his hand the right way, and pulled on them, but Fleur stopped him. "Not so strongly, Harry, he'll go backwards. Ease up a little. Now grab the front of the saddle, the pommel, with your right hand, put your left foot in the stirrup, and mount."
Hedwig moved to Nym's shoulder as Harry did as Fleur instructed, and while the horse moved a little bit, he did fine. His mother then approached. "I need to adjust the length of your stirrup leathers, they're a bit long, Harry."
Once that was ready, Fleur gave Harry a few instructions on how to get the horse moving, and how to communicate with the reins, then told him to try. Harry gently nudged the horses flanks with his heels, and the animal began walking slowly.
Harry turned it this way and that, allowing himself to feel the horse move, how he swayed a bit in the saddle, and the movements of the horse's muscles. Pretty soon, Harry spurred the horse on further, and off they went, at a gallop, along the road, leaving behind them a cloud of dust, with Hedwig taking flight, to follow them.
"Typical," Nym muttered, and turned her attention to her grey mare, who was nibbling on her sleeve.
"What?" Lily asked.
Bella gave her unknowing mother in law a grin. "Harry's never been on horseback, as far as I know, and he's riding like he's done nothing else, his entire life. His instincts are incredible."
Lily smiled at Bellatrix. "Well, he has that from James. Sirius told us about Harry being able to fly, like a veteran, the first time he hopped on a broom. I was always more methodical, in my approach to things. A little bookish, I suppose."
Nym nodded. "I guess you found it pretty ironic when he turned out to still have his magic, when you came here, instead of yourself," she said, and pointed to James' spellbook, which was secured to the saddle.
Lily laughed at that. "Well, yes, I did." Lily rested her hand on the pommel of her blade. "I learned the sword, instead. I'm not half bad, to be honest."
"One of the finest, this side of the ocean, Tonks!" James yelled, as he and Sirius scanned the road for Harry, who was nowhere to be seen.
"Alright, everyone, let's get going," Amelia said, and approached her former rookie, and set about telling her what to do.
Hoping she could steal a few moments, alone with Harry, Fleur spurred on he mount. "I'll go and see if I can't find him," she said, and set off, before anyone could say otherwise.
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Harry was feeling utterly euphoric, as he sped along the road, on the animal's powerful legs. He relished in the freedom, and the very gratifying connection he felt with the horse, who he had named Storm.
After a while, he realized he'd gone much farther down the road, than he had planned. He pulled gently on the reins, and Storm stopped. He looked around, and saw the immediate area was very flat, and he could see the road stretch for miles, and miles.
To the north, he spied villas, farms and fields. Hills, and the occasional mountain and waterfall, and of course the accompanying rivers. To the south, there were long, sandy beaches, that stretched on, and on, dotted with the occasional cliff. The place was truly beautiful. Hedwig then came swooping down, and interrupted his musings.
"Hello, Hedwig. Do you suppose we should wait here, for the others?"
Yes, that might be prudent, Harry.
"Alright, Harry said. He dismounted, and led Storm a ways off the road, and sat down in the grass, looking over the ocean, which was a few miles away. He closed his eyes, and felt the southern breeze caress his face. He'd been sitting like that for a while, when a song floated his way, on the wind.
"Do you hear that, Hedwig?" he asked his winged friend.
Yes, I do. I know you're going to investigate, but be careful. There's no knowing what we could find.
Harry assured her he would, and rose to his feet. He grabbed Storm's reins, and set off toward the sea, and the voice. After a while, Storm became restless, and Harry felt it might not be such a bright idea, to bring him any further, so he found a small tree, and tied his reins there. Once that was done, he reached into the Bag, pulled out his sword, and buckled it on. Better safe, than sorry.
Harry moved on, and the song was becoming louder, and more vibrant. He was beginning to make out words, but it was a language he'd never heard before, and certainly didn't understand. He found one of the rivers that wound their way toward the ocean, and he decided to follow it. Looking at it, as he went, he thought he could hear laughter in the water, but decided it was a trick of the mind.
The land around the river slowly began to rise, and eventually formed into a stretch of coastal cliffs. After untold years, the river had forged herself a path through the columnar igneous rock, on her way to the ocean.
Harry entered the ravine, and the song's power became magnified, as it bounced of the rock, and its otherworldly beauty was similarly emboldened. Harry could hear the waves crash onto the shore. He rounded a bend in the ravine, and emerged in a small, enclosed cove.
Harry looked around, and marvelled at the beauty of the place. The occasional tree grew out of the sheer cliffs which were covered with vegetation, and the warm, azure blue ocean crashed against the rocks at the water's edge. How nice it would be to sit there, on the sand, watching the sunset, with Fleur. Harry knew she would love that place.
At last, Harry's eyes found the source of the song, and he could only stare. They were females, he noted, six of them. They weren't regular women, but some sort of hybrids, between a bird, and a beautiful human woman. The lower part of their bodies was that of a bird of prey, the taloned feet covered in scales, and the powerful thighs, in feathers.
The upper part of the torso was that of a woman, and protected by scales, similar to the ones that covered their feet, but softer. And they had wings, that nature had seen fit to merge with their arms, but had still given them hands. They sang, in full voice, and Harry had to admit, the song was very pretty, enticing, and he felt it brush against his mind. It wasn't even remotely strong enough to influence him, but it was there. Then, one of them noticed him.
"Sisters!" she exclaimed. "A guest has arrived, at our humble abode!"
As one, the women stopped singing, and turned their attention to the new arrival. Oh, how marvellous! A human! It had been a fairly long while, since one had graced them with their presence. Men... They were such easy prey, and fine eating.
One of the women, a dark haired beauty, broke off from the group, and hopped from the rock she'd been resting on. With one beat of her wings, she closed the distance between herself, and Harry, who remained calm, yet cautious. Hedwig gave a long hoot, and ruffled her wings angrily.
"Have no fear, young one," the woman said in a voice that could only be described as hauntingly beautiful, and reminded Harry of Fleur's other half. "I will do you no harm, I assure you. I am Parthenope. How are you called?"
Parthenope? Now, where had Harry heard that name before? Harry's mind travelled back to one of Gryffindor's lessons. Wasn't Parthenope the name of the siren that tried and failed to seduce Odysseus? Hadn't she killed herself?
"Your name, young one?" Parthenope urged him.
"Harry. My name's Harry."
"Haaarrryyy." The siren let the name roll enticingly of her tongue. "Nothing more, sweet thing?"
The other five sirens, who had been watching the interplay with interest, decided they too, wanted to approach the man, who looked decidedly ravishing. Quickly, they joined their sister on the shore, and slowly began forming a semi circle around their prey, singing in a barely audible voice. Harry frowned, and backed a step.
"Do not mind my sisters, my lovely," Parthenope told him. "Their names are Ligeia, Aglaopheme, Peisinoe, Thelxiepeia and Leucosia. They are quite lovely, are they not?" she asked, and gestured to them with a winged arm.
"Well, yes, they are," Harry confirmed. "For a flock of birds. So. What do you plan for me? I think you'll find me even less agreeable, than Odysseus, siren."
An expression of shock, replaced with an ugly sneer found its way onto the faces of the sirens, as they realized their prey was, in fact, not enthralled. How could that be?
"You know, I think there was a time, when you lot killed yourselves, when you failed to entice a man. Wasn't there?" Harry asked, and unsheathed his sword.
"Foolish human!" Parthenope hissed. "Don't you think it unlikely we would be so torn up by that, when there are more than enough of you fools, for us to feast on?"
Harry shrugged. "I don't know. You seem fairly unhappy, to me. Well, I suppose you'll be happy to see me leave, then."
Ligeia shrieked at him, before speaking, her voice haughty and proud. "Such a fool, you were, to come here alone, mortal. You'll be a feast, fit for queens."
"Il n'est pas seul!" came a shout, from the mouth of the ravine. "He's not alone!"
Harry turned his head, and watched Her casually stroll toward them. Her movements were utterly sensual, and drew his eye, like a magnet. She hadn't truly transformed, but her eyes were completely black. Without any regard for the sirens, she moved past them, put a hand behind Harry's head, and brought him in for a kiss.
"What am I going to do with you, beloved?" She asked, once her lips disentangled themselves from Harry's. "Whenever I take my eye of you, you find yourself in some spot of bother."
Harry merely grinned. "What can I say? It's a gift."
She let her head fall back, and her lovely laughter echoed around the cove. "Indeed, mon imbécile chéri."
Then she turned to the flock of sirens, who looked very put out by the way the pair had so completely ignored them. "And you, ugly ducklings? Am I right in assuming you meant to eat, that which belongs to me?"
Parthenope shot Her an vile look. "You can deny your nature, all you want, freak. We embrace ourselves, with pride."
She cocked an eyebrow, and laughed a cold, emotionless laugh. "And that's what caused you to flee the Old World. Now fly along, before I fry the feathers of your connasse." She looked over to Harry, who was keeping a close eye on the sirens.
"Legend, or history, depending on how you look at it, always assumes the sirens evolved into us, the Veela. And it's true, we are descendants of these ugly hussies. And of course, as these things work, both groups existed, for a while. But you see, the sirens knew their time was up. We are so much more adaptable, than they are. Because we don't look like that," She said in disgust, and pointed at the sirens, who seemed to have lost all their appetite.
She continued. "We are far more powerful, and we don't eat people."
"What did you mean by The Old World?" Harry asked, and maintained a vigilant eye on the sirens, who were slowly retreating. Eventually, he sheathed his sword.
She turned to Harry, her demeanour completely serious. "It's not my place to tell you, mon amour."
And with that Fleur took a deep breath, and her eyes turned back to their usual blue. She leaned in for Harry to embrace her. "How do you think maman will react, when I tell her I've met actual sirens?" she asked, and gazed into his eyes.
Harry smiled at her. "Envious, would be my guess. After what you've told me of her, this would be the kind of thing she'd enjoy."
Fleur chuckled. "Oui, Harry. You're right."
"How'd you find me?" Harry asked, and turned around to leave.
Fleur pointed to the river. "A helpful little Naiad told me."
"A nymph?" Harry asked sceptically.
Fleur gave him a funny look. "Is that any less probable, than finding a siren, of all things?"
"I suppose not," Harry conceded.
The pair of them quickly travelled the ravine, and found both their horses where they'd left them. They mounted, and found the road, just as their group arrived. Lily smiled at her son, while Bellatrix, and Nym were a little annoyed.
"Something happened, didn't it?" Nym asked when Harry and Fleur had rejoined the group.
"What makes you say that?" Harry asked innocently.
"You have that look," Bellatrix informed her lover.
Harry laughed at that, and relayed the story of what happened.
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"Whew!" Sirius blew a raspberry. "Sirens! I knew they were around, but I've never met one."
"Be glad, you ass," Amelia told him. "You'd be a goner in five seconds."
"She has you there, Padfoot," James said with a chuckle. He turned to his son. "You really weren't affected, Harry?"
"No. The Allure doesn't affect me. Can barely feel it."
"He's really strong, Mr. Potter," Fleur said, with barely restrained pride.
After that, conversation was minimal, as the group was moving at a rather brisk pace. It was early in the afternoon, but they still had a ways to go, before they reached the Potter villa, and James had reiterated his desire to reach home, before dark.
A couple of hours, before they would reach home, Harry spotted a sign, pointing to a large villa, nestled into the foothills of one of the mountains to the north. Bellatrix noted it as well. It read: Black
Harry, and Bella stopped by the sign, and Lily gave them a firm nod, and meant to stop as well, but Harry motioned for her and the rest to move on. Bella stared at the sign, with obvious anger. Harry put a hand on her shoulder.
"Are you alright?"
"Would you be?" she asked coldly.
"Probably not," Harry answered, and squeezed her shoulder gently.
Bella put her heels into her horses flanks, and got going again. "Don't worry, Harry. I won't seek them out, but if they come after me, or any of my precious people, I'll hold nothing back. They'll feel the full brunt of my wrath."
Harry simply nodded. "As well they should."
Once Harry and Bella had caught up to the group again, Sirius' face was unusually... serious. "You'll meet them soon enough, Bellatrix. They haven't changed much, that lot. Controlling, scheming, their fingers in everyone's pie. The usual."
"I reckoned they hadn't," Bella said. "Is your brother here?"
"Yes, he's here," Sirius confirmed. "Well, not 'here' here. He lives in the north east. Wanted a fresh start, and nothing to do with any of them. I wrote him, once, and he wrote back and welcomed me to this place, and asked me to leave him alone."
"A fresh start," Bella mused. "Quite a lot of that happening, lately."
They reached the Potter villa, around sundown. It wasn't as far away from the road, as the Black's was, but far enough, that there was a measure of privacy. Harry let his eyes roam over the exterior as they rode north, along the cyprus tree- lined pathway to the villa. It looked Roman; the large house was built in a U shape, around a large courtyard, and the roof was tiled with red clay, and the walls were white. In the middle of the courtyard, there was a large fountain.
Harry sniffed the air, and turned his head to the east, the barest scent of sulphur on the light breeze. Ah, so the island was volcanic. Captain Eivör had failed to mention that. Once the group had made their way into the courtyard, a pair of workers came rushing out of the house, to take care of their horses.
"Harry, I'm afraid we don't have an owlery, but I'm sure your owl can find a nice tree to settle in," Lily said, and gave Hedwig a smile. Hedwig didn't move an inch, and merely glared at the redhead.
Nym snorted. "Yeah, that's not happening, Lily. That bird goes where Harry goes. She owns him, you see. At least, he seems to do as she tells him."
"So, is anyone hungry?" James asked, and Harry could hear his father's stomach grumble.
"Yeah, famished!" Nym exclaimed happily.
Lily laughed at the young woman's exuberance. "Let's get you settled in, and then, we can eat. I've been watching you lot walk about, and I can tell you're sore. There's a hot spring, in the hills behind the villa, about a fifteen minute walk. I suggest we go have a dip, before we go to bed."
"A grand idea, Lils!" Sirius said, and put a hand across Amelia's shoulders. "Won't that be fun, Amelia?"
"Behave!" the former head of the DMLE growled, though she didn't remove Sirius' arm. The pair drifted away, toward the main villa, speaking in low voices.
James said something to a worker, who darted off at once. Then he turned to his wife. "Do you mind showing them to their rooms? I'd like to put our things away."
"Of course, love," Lily answered with a smile.
Lily led the group toward the guest wing, which held six rooms, all fully furnished. She assigned Bella, Fleur, and Nym to their rooms. Harry looked at his mum, a clear question in his eyes. Where was his room?
"You're my son. You are staying at the main villa, Harry, with us, your parents."
She turned back to the threesome. "Dinner will be served in half an hour," Lily informed them. "If you take off your armours, and dirty clothes and leave them out in the hallway, the maids will take care of them for you."
Lily gave them a nod, before she set off toward the main house. Harry shrugged, reached into the Bag, and retrieved what he needed to freshen up, and then left the Bag with his lovers, and hurried after his mother, who showed him to his room. It was a simple, spacious room, with a bed, and a dresser, and a mirror on one wall. There was a back door, that led to the garden, and the one window offered a view of the same garden.
"Here we are, Harry," she said. "Your father and I are at the end of the hall, and Sirius and Amelia are next to us. I'll see you at dinner."
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Dinner was a fairly straight forward affair, and it was clear to Harry, that everyone's mind was already on the hot springs, and what it would do to their aching muscles. They finished eating, and the Potters led them through a back door, and onto a well worn path, that led into the hills, below a fairly tall mountain. Hedwig flew on ahead, disappearing into the darkness.
They had been walking for a while, when Nym noted Harry was looking a bit troubled. She grabbed his hand, and slowed him down a bit, to allow the rest of the group to get ahead a little.
"What is it, Harry?"
"They're going to see, Nym."
"See what?" Nym asked. Then she understood. Harry had told his parents in very roughly terms, about what had happened after Sirius had 'left'. No details. Harry's quite numerous scars would raise all sorts of questions.
"Oh, Sweetie," she said with a sad smile. "They were bound to discover them, one day. What does it matter if it's now, or later? It won't be any easier. In fact, I'd bet it'll only become harder, the longer you put off talking about what's happened to you."
Harry nodded, after a while. "You're right. I'm just a bit tired of always shocking people."
Nym smiled her impish smile at that. "That won't ever stop, Wonder Boy, I promise you that. You're always going to be who you are, and that involves putting yourself in harm's way for others, and getting hurt, and doing the impossible."
"Hey, you two!" Sirius yelled. "Get a move on!"
"Relax, you git! My friend and I are having an adult conversation!" Nym yelled right back.
"Is that so?" Fleur asked. "I thought there had to be an adult present, for it to be an 'adult' conversation."
"Don't worry Fleur," Harry said. "I'm sure I'll get there, eventually. Not so sure about Nym, though. That ship may already have sailed."
"Oi!" Nym growled, and hit Harry in the arm who feigned being grievously hurt.
"Is it always like this?" Lily asked Bella and Fleur, while eyeing Harry and Nym messing about.
"With those two? Yes," Bella informed Lily. "Like two peas in a pod."
No one noticed Sirius frown at the sight of his godson and cousin playing around. He really needed to have a conversation with her and find out what was happening between them.
The hot spring was a large, steaming hot natural pool. According to James, someone had, at some point redirected a large stream of cold water into, which made a section of it great for bathing and relaxing.
There were no actual dressing rooms, but a pair of large boulders served just as well. Each person had brought with them a pair of towels; one for the bath, and one for drying themselves, afterwards. Harry followed his father, and Sirius, and the older men disrobed quickly, and wrapped their lower torso with the towels.
"Come on, Harry!" Sirius said jovially. "Not shy, are you?"
Harry just forced a grin, and waved them off. "No. Go on, I'll be right there."
Meanwhile, the five women were busy removing their own clothes. Lily kept stealing glances at her three guests, and had to admit to be feeling more than a little self conscious. Oh, she knew her body was absolutely fine. Her training kept her in top shape, and since Amelia arrived, and showed an aptitude for the sword, they often trained together, and Lily had never felt better.
But looking at Bellatrix, and Fleur, and not to mention, Tonks, who could practically become whatever she wanted to be (within reason), she honestly had to wonder how some women seemed to have it all. They were absolutely, and utterly gorgeous. She stole a glance at Amelia, and noted her friend was probably feeling the same. Lily felt a little vindicated, at that.
The women appeared from around the boulder, and quickly entered the water, and Bella let out a long, drawn out moan. "Finally! I've dreamt about a bath for so long!"
"As have I," Fleur said, and sighed blissfully.
"I'm glad," Lily said, and leaned back, against the bank. "A woman should always have access to a proper bath."
"Too right!" Tonks growled, and her hair kept cycling between every colour of the rainbow.
Then James, and Sirius came wading toward them. James sat down next to his wife, while Sirius made himself comfortable, with Amelia.
"Where's Harry?" Bella asked.
"Right here," came Harry's voice, as he came from around the boulder, the towel wrapped low, around his waist. He tried to look casual, as he approached the water, but he could feel his parent's eyes on him. He made his way over to the steps that had been hewn into the rock, knowing it would reveal his back to them, and sure enough, he heard his mother gasp.
Harry entered the pool, and slowly approached the group. "Not pretty, is it?"
Lily felt ill. "Harry, what-"
"A lot has happened, Mum. You don't fight a war on your own, for almost a year, without getting hurt."
"Harry, some of those wounds would have been fatal," Sirius said, and glared at his godson.
"Yeah, well. I have a good friend, who patched me up, a couple of times," Harry said, and gave Nym a bright smile.
"On your own?" James queried. "You mean to say, that you actually took on Voldemort's forces, on your own? That wasn't just some kind of phrase?"
"No. I was given the tools to fight him, to search for and find the Horcruxes. I couldn't bring myself to expose my friends and loved ones to their evil. So, I took it upon myself. And I'm glad I did, dad. Werewolves, vampires. Dementors. They wouldn't have survived."
"And they let you?" Lily asked incredulously.
"We couldn't find him," Nym supplied. "He was never seen in Wizarding Britain, except when he was fighting against Riddle."
Amelia turned a surprised glance at her former Auror. "You couldn't find him? But his wand? The trace? Simply delay the deactivation..."
"He didn't have it," Nym said. "He did most of his fighting, using just the armbraces he wears."
"It's ridiculously easy to elude wizards, who are looking for you, Amelia," Harry said. "Stay away from most magical places, and they won't find you. I mean, London is a big city. As is Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow. Easy to disappear. I almost exclusively stayed at Muggle hotels, whenever I didn't feel like spending the night at the Stronghold."
"But you healed his back!" Lily almost screamed at Nym. "You should have stopped him! Tied him down, if you had to!" Lily was shaking with emotion.
James looked like he was about to say something, as well, when Sirius put a hand on his shoulder, and stopped him. "We'll talk about it some other time, everyone. We're all tired. Let's all just have a good soak, relax, and go to bed."
It was sound advice, and everyone agreed. They spent nearly an hour in the pool, before going back. When they reached the villa, Sirius took Nym aside, and told her he needed to talk to her, when the others had fallen asleep. Nym took one look at her cousin's fierce eyes, and agreed immediately.
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Lily sat against the headboard of her marriage bed, feeling extremely troubled. Her son. Her baby boy, looked like some of the most hardened veterans of the Adventurer's guild. Or a soldier, who'd seen a dozen campaigns. How could that have happened?
"Lils?"
"What's happened to our son, James... Who fights a war on his own? Who is that reckless? I need answers!"
James pulled his wife to him, and hugged her close. He wasn't any happier than her, but Lily had always been so much more emotional, than him.
"We do need answers, I agree, but we won't get them by forcing anyone," James said. "I think we just need to be patient, and Harry and the others will tell us, when they're ready."
"Patience has never been my strong suit, James," Lily said, and turned away from her husband, to go to sleep.
Some time later, Lily woke up, with a start. She blinked her eyes a few times, and stared at the ceiling. She lay there for a few moments, but realized she wouldn't be getting any more sleep that night. She threw on a robe, and quit the room, and made her way to the garden.
She walked barefoot on the grass, and the feeling soothed her. She took a deep breath, taking in the scents of all the different kinds of flowers and herbs Eyrún grew in that amazing garden. Eventually, she had wandered to the part of the garden, that was next to the sleeping quarters. She stopped cold, when she heard a woman's voice come from her son's room. Bellatrix?
She stealthily crept up the stairs that led to Harry's room, and stole a peak through the window. Harry was asleep, but Bellatrix was sitting on the bed, his head cradled in her lap, and she ran her fingers through his hair. Lily noted her son's face was pallid, and sickly looking.
"Shhh, my love," she said in a gentle voice. "Everything's alright. I'm here, and I'm not going anywhere. Neither is Nymphadora, or Fleur. We're all fine, darling. We'll never leave you. We love you. Don't you know? You're stuck with us, and no one," and with that, she turned her head, and stared right at Lily, "is going to take us away from you."
She gently removed Harry's head from her lap, and walked over to the door, and out onto the small balcony. "Look after him, Hedwig," Bella whispered, and closed the door. "We need to talk, Lily. Go wake your husband. I'll fetch Fleur, and we'll go see my cousin, and niece."
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In another part of the garden, sitting at a table, two cousins were starting a conversation.
"Alright, Sirius. I'm here. What did you want to talk about?" Nym asked, but in truth, she knew exactly what this conversation would be about.
"Are you and Harry together?" Sirius asked, without delay.
"Yes," she answered honestly.
Taken slightly aback by Nym's lack of denial, Sirius crossed his arms. "Really? I always thought you and Moony had something."
Nym was starting to really regret, not going into more detail earlier, when they'd gone over the years since Sirius had been away.
"We did, Sirius. We were married, actually. Then he died."
Sirius was gobsmacked. "You and Remus married? Wait. Moony is dead?"
Nym sighed. "Yes. A Dementor got her hands on him, and sucked out his soul. I asked Bella to ease his suffering."
Sirius was silent for a moment, before nodding. "He would have preferred that." He suddenly grinned. "So, you married old Wolfie, eh?"
Nym smiled. "Yeah, I did, and we had a wonderful year together, as a married couple, despite everything."
They sat together in silence, before Sirius decided to keep going. "How did you and my godson become a thing?"
"Do you remember, back when Harry first came to Headquarters?"
"Sure. He was a broody mess, angry with his friends, and wanted to be alone. Couldn't blame him, really. Ron and Hermione kind of ditched him."
"Yeah, they did. Anyway, I had been stationed at Privet Drive a few times, and developed this slight crush on Harry, and it only got worse, when he was finally allowed to come to Grimmauld. And over the years, it turned into love, Sirius. Apparently, Remus had always known, that Harry was in my heart."
"And Moony was fine with that?" Sirius asked, baffled.
"Oh, I loved Remus, too, and had accepted that nothing would ever happen, between Harry and me. However, a couple of days after Remus died, I found a letter he'd left for me, where he told my to follow my heart, and allow myself to seek Harry out."
"And what, you just told him you were in love with him, and boom, you're a couple?" Sirius asked, doubtfully.
"Well, to start with, he shared my crush, so there were already mutual feelings around. The thing is, Harry's love life is a little complicated," Nym said, and her hair turned dark grey.
"Complicated?" Sirius asked. "How?"
Nym took a deep breath. "Harry's involved with six women, and the seventh hasn't revealed herself, yet."
Sirius stared open mouthed at his cousin. "Seven women, Tonks? Do you know how bonkers that sounds?"
Nym scoffed. "Of course I do. But if you think this is weird, just wait until I tell you who the rest of the women are."
A sly smile wormed its way onto Sirius' face. "Let me guess. Ginny, Hermione, and maybe those three Chasers. Johnson, Spinnet, and Bell."
Nym tilted her head. "That's not a bad guess, actually. In a different story, that might have worked out... But no, it's none of those. Harry has a penchant for... older women."
The grin still in place, Sirius leaned forward. "Older women? Who are they, then?"
"Why were you in my son's bedroom, Bellatrix?" Lily's voice came floating on the breeze, then, to Sirius and Tonks.
"Whenever Harry has a particularly trying day, in regards to his emotions, he tends to have nightmares. It has been a pair of very strenuous days, in that regard," Bellatrix answered.
Sirius gave Nym a look, and his cousin simply nodded. Sirius stared at her, crestfallen. Harry and Bellatrix? Surely not. It was impossible. It was...
"I know how you feel, Sirius," Nym said sympathetically.
"Harry is incredibly strong, Mrs. Potter," Sirius and Nym, heard Fleur say. "But in some ways, he is very broken, and needs all the love we can give him."
The group finally came upon the two cousins. Sirius stood from his chair, and walked over to Bellatrix. He simply stared at her in a way, that told Bella he knew about her relationship with his godson.
"I love him, Sirius. More than anything. I would gladly give my life for his, as I know he would, for me."
James was confused. His wife hadn't told him anything about what was happening, but merely woken him up, and told him to come along. Bellatrix was in love with his son?
"How did that happen?" he asked the older witch.
Bellatrix smiled wistfully. "Harry broke the compulsions placed upon me, thereby rescuing me from my captors. However, in order for my mind to withstand the ordeal, he placed a compulsion of his own, on me. It helped me heal, but I never told him just how deep the connection actually went."
"Explain," Sirius demanded.
Bella's eyes twinkled. "I couldn't read his mind, or anything like that, but I could feel what he felt, and I learned very soon, that Harry was the polar opposite of Riddle, in every respect. Kind, honest, and selfless. Brave, strong, nurturing. I began falling in love with him, almost immediately."
Bella frowned, then. "There was more. He felt broken. Full of loneliness and suffering. Fear. Desperation."
"Fear of what?" Lily asked softly.
"Of being abandoned, Lily," Bella said, and sighed deeply. "Fear of losing everyone. It's the biggest reason why he tried to fight that war by himself. He needed to know his loved ones would be there, once it was done."
"Bloody Dursleys," Sirius muttered darkly.
"My sister has a lot to answer for, it seems," Lily said coldly, and clenched her fists in anger.
Her husband wrapped his arms around her, from behind, and kissed her hair. "There's nothing we can do about that now, Lils. All we can do, is give Harry our love, and be there for him."
"Oui," Fleur said in agreement. "That's what mon amour needs."
Sirius eyed the French beauty, and arched an eyebrow Nym's way, then looked over to his friends, who were staring at Fleur. "So, what's this about Harry, and his Harem of Seven Witches?" he asked.
"Pardon?" Lily asked incredulously.
"Apparenly, Harry will love seven women, whose love will aid him in weathering the coming storm," Nym informed her Lily and James.
"Yes, that's right," Bella said with a nod, and picked up the thread. "A centaur told us about this foretelling, but Cissy, and Andie were wary of the words 'the coming storm'. What's coming?"
Sirius had stumbled over Bella's mentioning of her sisters, and decided to ask, although, he did so, in a somewhat roundabout manner. "Has Harry found all seven women?"
Bella smiled, then. "He had found three, when my sisters and I were given the foretelling. We were told, that aside from us three, he would be approached by the Owl, Chameleon, Swallow, and the Cat."
"Wait, wait, wait a bloody minute!" Sirius growled. "Did I hear you right? Harry's involved with not only you, Bella, but all three Black sisters?"
"Yes," Bella said simply.
"And me," Nym said. "I'm obviously the Chameleon."
"Aussi bien que moi," Fleur confirmed. "The Swallow."
Harry's parents were in a state of shock. It seemed that, no matter where they looked, in regards to their son, it was always something spectacular. Normal simply wasn't a factor in any conversation, regarding Harry.
"That makes five," they heard Sirius confirm. "Who are the other two?"
Nym grinned at her cousin. "The Owl hasn't been found, yet, but the Cat was discovered very soon after Harry destroyed the Horcrux in the Diadem. He found both at Hogwarts, actually."
Lily was racking her brain, but could only come up with one person, who would fit the cat metaphor. A person, whose Animagus form was a cat, as well as her Patronus. It was preposterous, but then again, this was Harry, they were talking about.
"Minerva?" she whispered, more to herself, than anything.
"What?" Sirius asked, wide eyed. "Don't be daft, Lily."
"Yeah, that does sound unlikely, even with everything we've learned," James agreed.
"And yet, your wife has the right of it, James," Bella said with a smile.
Sirius gawped at his cousin, then began rubbing his temples. "I'm getting a headache..."
"Do you have any idea, who the Owl is?" Lily asked, after a while.
"No, we don't," Nym told Lily. "But I have a feeling we'll find her here, somewhere."
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A raven flew on swift wings through the air, a small disk grasped in its beak. It had been travelling for a while, not stopping. The Mistress had told it to move as fast as it could. The place the target was dwelling in, came into view, and the animal beat its wings faster.
It swooped in through the right window, and landed on the desk. It dropped the disk on top of it, and was about to leave, when a movement on top of the headboard caught its eye. It turned its head, and stared, and the snowy white owl stared right back. The stare went on for a little while, before the raven dipped its head in reverence, and left.
Hedwig made her way over to the desk, and examined the disk. A summons. She returned to her vigil of Harry, her eyes intent on the disk. She would learn in the morning, what it was.
Harry woke up, some time later, feeling rather well rested. He rose from the bed, and stretched his muscles. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and simply listened to the world around him. He could hear all the animals he expected; mice, birds, and a few others. He reined in his senses, and turned to his friend, who had moved to the desk.
"Good morning, Hedwig," he said, and gave her a smile. "How are you?"
Fine, Harry. Came the message. This came for you, in the night.
Harry looked at what she was referring to, and approached the table to examine it. It was a golden disk, engraved with a pair of wings, that were slightly raised from the surface. He picked it up, and turned it this way and that, until he figured out how to use it. He grasped the edge, with one hand, while the fingers of the other took hold of the wings.
Harry gasped in pain, and mostly surprise, as a needle of some kind pricked his palm, and a drop of blood fell onto the disk. "Well, that was stupid," he growled, annoyed with himself. He brought the disk to his nose, but could only smell gold, and sweet, irony smell of blood. No poison, at least. Then the disk began glowing, and a voice recording echoed through the room.
The Lady requests your presence. Travel to Starling Cliffs, as soon as you're able. The disk only grants you safe passage in the Land of the Celestials, so come alone.
With the message done, the disk stopped glowing. Harry put it down onto the desk, and stared at it for a while. Was he going to comply with this? He quickly got dressed, in his khaki shirt and pants, this time. He put the disk into his pocket, and made his way to the door, and Hedwig landed on his shoulder, as usual.
He walked down the corridor, to the dining hall, but found no one. He grabbed an apple, and pulled out his pocket knife, and began eating it, as he made his way to the back of the house, where he heard some commotion.
His lovers, were training, and were pretty engrossed in their work. James was giving Bellatrix some pointers on her staff, while Sirius had Fleur's bow in his hand, obviously offering her some sage advice, strange as it sounded. Tonks and Amelia were sparring, off to the side, and Harry's eyes lingered for a while, and he could tell Nym's form was growing better by the day. And finally, his mother was by herself, battering a dummy with a training sword.
Noting a rack, full of wooden swords, Harry went and fetched one, before walking to his mother. "Fancy a spar, mum?"
Without breaking stride, Lily twirled in a circle, and swiped her sword at Harry, who leaned back, and allowed the sword to almost graze his neck, before he did a quick thrust, with his own weapon, forcing his mother to parry.
Lily grinned, rushed forward, and attacked her son with a ferocity, that came as a surprise to the boy, initially. They advanced and retreated, ducked and dived. Slashed and struck, thrust and parried. It went on for a while, but inevitably, Lily gained the upper hand. As fast and strong as Harry was, he simply couldn't compete with his mother's vastly superior experience. Eventually, Lily performed some kind of manoeuvre Harry had never seen, and onto his back he fell, only to find the tip of his mother's sword at his throat.
"I yield," Harry said, and rolled his weapon away.
Lily smiled at her son, and offered him her hand up, which he accepted with his thanks. "This was a great spar, Harry," Lily told him, and looked around. "And it seems they all enjoyed it."
Harry let his eyes wander around the yard, and found all the others had stopped what they had been doing, in order to watch them fight.
"How is he?" James asked his wife, and approached her with a grin.
Lily eyed her son up and down with a critical eye. "Unpolished, and too reliant on his speed. Honestly, though? He knows all the basics, down to the last detail. All he really needs, is more practice, and experience."
Sirius nodded. "Alright, Harry! Say, why don't we all sit down for a pot of tea, since Harry's up?"
A little while later, everyone was sitting at a large table in the garden, enjoying a helping of herbal tea. They were chatting lightly about everything, and nothing, but eventually, Fleur noticed Harry wasn't taking part, or very little, at least.
"Mon amour, is something wrong?" she asked, and put a hand on his thigh.
"Someone sent this to me, last night," Harry informed her, and put the disk on the table.
"What is it?" Fleur asked, and took it in her hand, to show her future mother in law. "Lily?"
Lily took one look at it, and her eyes widened in surprise. "That's a summons by the Celestials, Fleur." She turned her attention to Harry.
"What does it say?"
Harry shrugged. "It says 'the Lady' has requested my presence, and to head out for Starling Cliffs, as soon as I'm able. And I was to come alone."
James frowned on the disk, and looked alarmed. "I have no idea, who that 'Lady' person is, Harry, but you have to leave for the city as soon as possible."
Harry groaned. "Do I have to?"
"Yes," Amelia told him. "Even the most hardened criminals go, when summoned by the Celestials."
"Alright," Harry said. "I suppose I should leave tomorrow, then."
"Yes, I think you must, Harry," Amelia said. "There's just over a month, until the gathering."
"Right," James confirmed. "It's almost five hundred miles, to Starling Cliffs, along the Main Road. Storm is a very fit horse, so going between thirty and forty miles, per day, is reasonable. That's thirteen days, each way, give or take. Assuming everything goes smoothly."
"Agreed," Lily said. "That's too long."
"Couldn't he charter a ship?" Amelia asked. "Take a ship, up to Raven's Ridge, and ride from there?"
"It would save him almost a week," Sirius said with a nod. "Still, almost no ships are welcome in Celestial waters. Eivör, and Bjarni are the only ones, I can think of, at the top of my head. And with Bjarni dead, and Eivör probably out of the Keep, by now, I don't see it as an option."
"Well, he could cut through the Highlands," James pondered, with his chin in his hand. "It's not the safest route, but it does shave off a few days."
Lily didn't look pleased, but nodded. "It should."
"What can I expect up there?" Harry asked his parents.
Lily frowned. "Dire wolves, Dire bears, and cave trolls, among other things. Some people have even said there are dragons up there, but that's just nonsense."
"It's not a nice place, Harry," Lily continued. "We've been up there a few times, in our work for the Adventurer's Guild. There is a path, and if you stick to it, you should be alright."
"Fat chance of that," Nym muttered darkly.
Harry looked at his lovers. "What's wrong?"
"It's becoming annoying, how often we're forced apart, Harry," Bellatrix said with a sigh. "How are we supposed to help you, if we're never there?"
Harry, despite still thinking his parents were in the dark, regarding his relationship with Bella, marched over to her, and kissed her passionately.
"You're always helping me, Bella," he assured her, when the kiss broke. He smiled at Fleur, and Nym. "You all are, simply by being in here," he finished, and tapped his breast with his palm.
Fleur smiled a ravishing smile, and felt her heart miss a beat. He was just so... "Tu es une telle chérie... You're such a sweetheart," the Veela said.
Nym was actually blushing. Who said things like that? "Oi, Mr. Cheese! Try to be a little original, eh?"
Then, both women walked over to him, and he embraced them tightly. It never ceased to amaze the two, just how incredibly comforting it was, to be held in his embrace. Nym sought out Fleur's eyes, and the other woman looked searchingly into the Metamorph's own.
Nym raised a brow, and then Fleur understood. Yes, she was most certainly interested in doing that. After spending so much time around Nymphadora, she had begun to feel an undeniable attraction to her friend. An attraction that was quite clearly felt by the other woman, as well. But there was something more building, there was no denying that. And with Harry as a catalyst, there was no doubt in Fleur's mind, that she and Nym could have a very intense romance, if they allowed it.
It wasn't uncommon for Veela to take a female lover, since most Veela were bisexual. After all, women were so much more resistant to the Allure. Not that Nym was immune, but her threshold was quite a bit higher, than any man Fleur knew, aside from Harry, and her own father.
Of course, She was also very interested in claiming Nym, and the thoughts, and wicked images Fleur sometimes had, when she was looking at Nym, could only come from Her. Not to mention what almost always happened, when she was looking at Harry...
When the three broke apart the embrace, Nym leaned up. "Come to my room, after sundown, Stud. I'm sure I can give you a reason to hurry back home," she whispered.
Harry struggled to keep a straight face, and mostly succeeded, despite noticing the scalding heat in Fleur's eyes, as she stepped back, and then rejoined Sirius, for further training with the bow.
"Well, aren't you lucky," Bella mumbled to herself, knowing full well that Harry's eyes would catch it. "I just hope they won't wear you out so much, that you can't leave, tomorrow."
"Oi!" Sirius growled. "What are you two whispering about?"
Bella glared at her cousin. "Never you mind, you menace!"
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After some more time of planning, and more training, Harry decided it was time for bed. He went to his room, and Hedwig leapt of his shoulder, and onto the headboard. She cooed at him, and tucked her head under her wing.
The message had said he was to come alone, but he knew Hedwig would never allow him to leave, without her. "Wise, my friend," Harry said. "Get some rest. We'll get up early in the morning."
Harry quit the room, and made his way over to the guest wing. While he was walking over there, he kept wondering, just how much rest he, himself was going to get, that night. He arrived at Nym's door, and knocked.
"Come in, lover boy," came Nym's husky voice.
Harry entered the room, and was struck speechless. Nym and Fleur were lying on the bed, naked as the day they were born. Harry stared at the perfection before him, and couldn't move an inch.
"Close the door, Chérie," Fleur said with a smile.
That jolted Harry out of his reverie, and he did indeed close the door. "What did I do, to deserve something like this?" he asked, and walked over to the bed.
"Wadda ya mean, Hero?" Nym asked, with a grin. "We can't spend a night with our man, just because?"
The two women rose from the bed, and Fleur pulled Harry in for a steaming kiss, while she unbuttoned his shirt. Nym pulled it off, and began tracing his shoulders, and neck with small, wet kisses, while Fleur kept ravishing his mouth.
They broke apart, and there was a quick second, where Fleur's eyes flashed black, and Harry could feel Nym's trembling hands grasp his shoulders, and hear her moan. "I hope you're as strong as you seem, darling. Because, once these two are done, I'm having my fill," She said, and latched onto his lips.
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It was just before dawn, and Harry was dressed in his armour, all packed, and ready to go. He made his way over to the stable, saddled Storm, and was about to mount, when someone stepped into the stable.
"Leaving, without saying goodbye?" the person said softly.
Harry turned around. "Mum."
"I knew you would do this," she said, and walked up to him. "You're just like your father. Play it tough, but when it comes to goodbyes, you can't handle them. You start crying like a baby," she said, her voice trembling, a little bit.
"I'll be fine, Mum," Harry said, and embraced his mother. "I'm not helpless, you know."
"Just promise me you'll be careful, Sweetheart. I just found you, again. I can't lose you."
Harry released her. "No chance of that happening, Mum. I'll be back, before you know it."
With that, Harry led his horse from the stable, mounted, and set off, with Hedwig soaring above. Lily heard James come up behind her, and felt a hand on her shoulder. Not James, but Sirius.
"They really are alike, he and James," Lily said.
"Not that much, Lils. He's much more like you, than Prongs," Sirius said. "Back when I met him, during his fourth year, I thought the same, but I quickly found out the truth. He may look like his father, but everything else, is you."
"Really?" Lily turned around, and looked at Sirius, who nodded.
"Yes, without a doubt. What he did for Bella and Cissy, for example. James wouldn't have, nor I. You would have, though."
Lily sighed. "Will he be alright?"
Sirius grinned. "Of course! Harry's a man of his word. And he has three beautiful women, to return home to. No man would ever let something stop him from coming back."
Lily laughed at her friend. Sirius could be infuriating, a lot of the time, but often, he knew just what to say, to lift her spirits.
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Harry was making good time, and saw the Black estate, some distance ahead. The path he was to take, diverged off the Main Road, about a mile from the path up to the Black villa. When Harry went by the gate, he stopped again, to stare up at the estate. He just knew he would meet those degenerates at the gathering. There would be reckoning, he promised himself.
Harry quickly set off, again, and soon he found the path, that would take him into the Highlands. It wound up a narrow valley, next to a large river. Harry eyed the sky, then the river, and became annoyed. The island was very warm, and not a single mountain he had seen thus far, had any snow in them. Or glaciers. That left only one thing, that could have made those rivers. Rain. And for the rivers to be as many as they obviously were, and that large, Thule was clearly very wet.
Harry eventually ascended the valley, and onto the plateau. To the east, he could see two large mountains his father had mentioned.
"Sometimes, Harry, the first part of the path can be a little hard to follow. If that happens, just remember to keep a pair of two large mountains you can see, as soon as you leave the valley, to your right."
Following his father's advice, Harry made sure to keep the mountains to the east, for the first day, which went without incident. That first night, he slept like a baby, knowing Hedwig was watching over him, ever vigilant. And he dreamt, as he often did, of his lovers. They were everything to him. Life without them, was meaningless.
He needed to get back home. With each passing day, he felt a greater need to find a way. His heart felt as if it was missing a few pieces. It ached for Andie, Cissy, and Minerva.
He rose before dawn, and set out, once again. The terrain became rougher, and almost completely bare. A barren, volcanic desert. Lava fields. Harry was a little surprised, that the it was all so bare, considering how wet these highlands were. Then, as he travelled on, his mind wandered back to his Herbology classes.
While most of her classes were spent, covering the flora that could be found in the Wizarding world, there was something Madame Sprout had thumped into their heads, again, and again. There were three things, almost all plants needed, in order to grow, and thrive. Mundane, or magical. Proper, nutritious soil, water, and sunlight.
Now, the highlands were obviously rich in both water, as well as sunlight. The problem was the soil. There hardly was any, and what little there was, wasn't dense enough to retain any water, so the only growth Harry could see, was moss.
It wasn't until the night of the third day, that Harry encountered another living being, aside from Hedwig. He had just managed to light his fire, beneath a large rock formation, when he smelled something on the wind, and then he heard a howl, followed by a few more. Wolves. In numbers, it seemed. Great.
Storm was becoming restless, and Harry could practically smell the fear, which increased, when the next batch of howls pierced the darkness. The black stallion reared, and broke the leather strap Harry had used to tie him to a nearby rock, and bolted into the night.
Cursing, Harry reached for his Bag, and extracted a bow he'd taken from his parent's armoury, and buckled on the quiver. He pulled a few times on the string, and while it wasn't quite as good as the bow he'd given Fleur, it was very well crafted. He nocked an arrow.
Then Harry saw the wolves approach. Seven, large beasts, coming in from all directions. They were clearly dire wolves. Looking at them, Harry thought they had to weigh at least half a ton, if not more. The beasts slowly approached, their eyes glowing in the moonlight, spittle dripping from their fangs.
He quickly let fly, catching one of the wolves in the chest. Harry was forced to drop the bow, and roll out of the way, as the rest of the beasts attacked as one. He came out of the roll, drew his sword, and managed to thrust it into another wolf.
A wolf came up behind him, and jumped onto his back, and Harry reached back, to grab it by the scruff of the neck, before it bit his head off. Quick as a flash, he turned in a semi circle, and felt the impact, as another jumped him, only to injure its own pack member.
Unable to handle the impact, Harry allowed himself to fall forwards, his sword swiping at the wolf waiting to attack him, and it retreated, along with the wolves that were still alive. Four of them. Hedwig swooped down then, and one of the wolves was distracted by her, which afforded Harry the chance to leap at it, and sever its head from its body.
Only three, now. The beasts circled him slowly, before one of them stopped, and let out a howl, and the other two followed it, as it fled. Harry cautiously approached each of the fallen animals, and found they were all dead, except the one that had been injured by its companion. Harry reached down, and cut its throat, and finished it. No need to let it suffer any more, than it needed to.
Hedwig left for a hunt, while Harry made his way over to his camp, and put out the fire, knowing very well, that he wasn't going to get any sleep that night. Once he had retrieved his bow, and that one arrow, he sat down by his bedroll, and set about cleaning his sword. Then, a few minutes later, he heard someone approach, and whoever it was, was leading two horses.
"Ho, there, traveller!" came a woman's voice.
A young woman stepped around the rocks, leading Storm, and her own horse, presumably, by the reins, and they followed her, without hesitation. She was slender, almost delicate, Harry thought. She had long, straight black hair, and she wore a fur lined, sleeveless leather jerkin, that barely covered half her thighs, a pair of leather arm braces, as well as a pair of leather, laced up sandals.
"Ho, yourself," Harry said, and stood up. "I see you've brought my horse. You have my thanks."
She smiled kindly. "Think nothing of it, young man."
Young man? She looked to be his age, and she was calling him a young man? The woman looked around, and surveyed the carnage, and to Harry's surprise, she smiled. She looked satisfied.
"You did well, against a fierce enemy," she said, and turned to look at him. "Now it is I who owes you thanks."
Harry wasn't following. "For what?"
"For removing a few of those... perversions from the world," she replied coldly. "They are unnatural, and do not belong anywhere, except the deepest pits of Tartarus."
"Unnatural? How so?"
"They were created by a wicked god, once, to fiddle with the natural order of things. Revenge, it was. Wolves, while predatory, aren't supposed to be mindless killing machines."
"Yeah," Harry agreed. "I thought it was strange. Wolves do not attack humans, unless directly provoked."
"Indeed."
"Who are you, by the way?" Harry asked suddenly, and bent down to pick up his sword, and cleaning rag.
The unknown woman looked crestfallen. "I beg your pardon, for my rudeness. I am Artemis."
Harry stared. "As in daughter of Zeus, and Leto? Twin sister of Apollo?"
"Yes."
Harry didn't really know how to react, to such news. But, it wasn't any stranger than some of what had happened, after coming to that place. "Riiight. I'm Harry. So... Nothing fun happening on Mt. Olympus?"
Artemis scoffed at that. "I never stay there. I don't much like my fellow gods. They're lazy and complacent."
Harry just shrugged, not having an answer to something like that. "Well, anyway my name's Harry. Could I ask you, what you're doing here?"
Artemis tied the horses to the same rock Harry had tied Storm to, earlier. Then she removed her own bedroll from her saddle and placed it on the ground. She sat down on it, snapped her fingers, and lit the fire. She motioned for Harry to sit down, opposite her.
"A few days ago, a rumour reached my ears, that a dragon might be roaming these skies, Harry, and I set out to investigate. So far, I've been unable to discover anything conclusive."
"I've heard that rumour, and I don't think there's anything to it. I mean, wouldn't people have seen it, by now?"
Artemis agreed. "Normally, I would agree with you, but I can ill afford, not to investigate. A dragon can cause massive damage, not to mention end countless lives. Some dragons have the ability to hide very effectively, and cover extremely long distances, very quickly."
"Yeah, that's true," Harry said. "But where would we go next, to look for it?"
Artemis gave him a strange look. "We?"
Harry nodded. "Yes. If there's a monster, that may threaten this place, then I'll do my part, in dealing with it."
Before Artemis could answer, Hedwig returned, and swooped down, to land on her human's shoulder. Artemis stared at the snowy white owl, for a moment, very surprised. Now, wasn't this interesting. And he didn't even seem to know... Well, it wasn't her business. In any case...
"I thank you for your offer, Harry, and gladly accept. If nothing else, I could use the company. I so rarely meet anyone interesting."
Harry was a little embarrassed. "I'm not that interesting."
"Oh? And why do you say that, Harry?" she asked in a flirty voice, and gazed into his eyes, her own a warm brown.
"I don't know... Don't want to sound full of myself?"
Artemis leaned her head back, and laughed. "Good answer. Now, where are you from, if you don't mind my asking."
"Britain."
"Ah. And how did you find yourself here? I mean, how did you die?"
Harry was slightly taken aback. She certainly didn't hold back. "I didn't die, exactly. I came here through a... Gate, with some friends. We arrived here, on the western continent, but no Gate was in sight, and no one I've spoken with, has heard of one."
Artemis gazed into the fire. The lad hadn't died. He shouldn't be there, strictly speaking. And none of his companions, either. This presented her with an opportunity to pay him back for his help. While she wasn't allowed to directly aid him, because of the rules, set by her father, she could hint at something, and make him find the Gate on this side, by himself.
"This place," Harry began. "It's a little strange. I mean, there are things here. Things people in my world believe to be legends. Sirens, for example. Nymphs. Elves. Orcs. Dwarves. Could you tell me where I am, exactly?"
Artemis was silent, a while longer, then answered. "The Otherworld. A part of it, called Tír na nÓg."
Harry simply nodded, having already suspected her answer. Well it didn't matter, in the end. He wasn't staying, after all.
"I think it's time we went to bed, Harry," Artemis remarked, sensing he wasn't in a very talkative mood, any more.
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The following morning, Harry and Artemis set out, with the Goddess of the Hunt in the lead, since she knew the area much better than Harry did. There was a mountainous area to the north east of that part of the highlands, that was known to have a number of large caves. The area was rich in precious metals, and there was a small mine in operation there, and a small settlement, inhabited by orcs and humans. It was the last place, Artemis had planned, to look at.
Two days later, they came upon the village. What was left of it. It was nothing, but smouldering ruins, bodies strewn about, some burned beyond recognition. Even the stone had melted completely, in some places, and even some of the sand, had turned to glass. Artemis eyed it all grimly. There was no doubt, regarding the validity of the dragon rumour, any more. No mortal could create fire that hot.
"You think it's in the mountains?" Harry asked, and bent down, to pick up a piece of melted rock. The familiar pain lanced through his head, and he fell to his knees, as he was afforded a front row seat, to the showing of the carnage, through the eyes of the dragon. And yes, in the end, Harry did indeed, discover the beast had gone to the mountains.
"Harry, are you alright?" Artemis asked, in alarm, and helped him to his feet.
Harry nodded, and fought to catch his breath. "I will be." He pointed north. "It's in a cave, high in those mountains. Only question is, how good are you at climbing, because the only way to reach the lair, is by scaling a near vertical cliff face."
The goddess stared. "How do you know this?"
"A vision," Harry said, and pointed to his temple. He walked over to a small boulder, and sat down. "I'm hunting three pieces of a madman's soul, that I accidentally sent here, when we thought I'd destroyed them, back in my own world. They seem to have come here, and latched onto living beings."
"Horcruxes?" the goddess asked, her gaze furious.
Harry tilted his head to the left. "Yeah, that's right."
"Tell me how you sent them here," Artemis demanded, and Harry related the story, of how he removed the Horcruxes from the diadem, cup, and locket. Artemis listened to all of it with rampant interest.
"That should have worked, Harry. Well, the good news is, that you don't have one in you, any longer."
"Then why am I still seeing things?"
"Not sure, but travelling through the In Between, should have ripped it out of you."
Harry rubbed his temples, trying to ease his headache. "Then, if we go by that logic, the other soul pieces, shouldn't have survived, either."
"Correct, Harry," Artemis confirmed. "That's something I need to discover. I have my suspicions. Do you know the whereabouts of the other two Horcruxes?"
"I know who one of them has taken. It has possessed a pirate, who goes by the name Aðalsteinn. He captains the Dreadnought, which could be anywhere. Don't know about the third one."
"Hmmm. I guess I'll have my brother, Hermes keep an eye out. He's always running about, and the little bugger, is fast."
Harry got up, and popped his neck. "You ready to take on the dragon? We should go after it, while it's still in the cave. We don't want it getting loose."
Hedwig gave an alarmed hoot, which made Harry wince. He raised his arm, and she jumped onto it, and stared at him.
Harry, this is foolish.
"I know."
Even with a goddess at your side, a dragon is a formidable foe. Are you sure you're ready for it?
"I don't know, Hedwig. All I know, is that I will not allow it to destroy another village, or kill any more people. We have an opportunity, now, to do something about it."
Hedwig stared at her human for a while longer, her steely gaze unrelenting. Leave the Bag here, and take the shield with you. It should be strong enough, and the charms powerful enough, to withstand a blast of its fire. Please be careful, Harry. I am powerless, against such a foe.
When the owl had given her human his orders, she turned her attention to the goddess, who was watching all of it, with a bemused smile. He really didn't know...
If something happens to my Harry, I will hunt you down, no matter where you go. The highest mountain, the deepest sea, I will find you.
Artemis sobered up, immediately, and gave Hedwig a nod. The owl was right. She did have an obligation, to look after the boy. Especially, since he had no idea, just what awaited them. She had a fairly good idea, what kind of dragon could cause such destruction, and they were really rather impressive.
Artemis watched as the human boy dropped his pack onto the ground. Then, he unclasped the cape from his shoulders, and stuffed it into the bag. After rummaging around in it for a moment, he brought out a harness, which he buckled on, before reaching into the bag once again. What he brought out next, was a large kite shield, engraved with a lion.
Harry reached back with the shield, and with practised ease, latched it into the fasteners. Then he slid his sword into the small baldric, and he was set to go. Artemis simply gave him a nod, and off they went.
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Artemis scaled the cliff expertly, her lithe and strong body moving quickly, and gracefully along. She stole a glance down, to her right, and saw Harry was keeping up with her, which surprised her. After all, he was much bigger than her, and heavier. And he was carrying that shield and sword on his back. How strong was he?
After a while, they came upon the big ledge, where the cave was, and they crept up to the entrance, each one taking cover on either side of the opening. Harry closed his eyes, Listened, and could indeed hear the beast. He caught Artemis' eyes, and she nodded. Harry unsheathed his sword, and brought his shield to bear, while the goddess nocked an arrow, which began glowing with a ghostly light.
The duo etched down the corridor, closer to the lair. Dried blood caked the floor, and walls, and the occasional limb could be seen. Harry could feel small vibrations in the rock, beneath their feet. He stopped suddenly, and raised a fist, and Listened, again. The damned animal was waking up!
"Run!" Harry yelled, and darted forward, the goddess, hot on his heels. Neither of them wanted to be caught in the hallway, if the dragon decided to try and fry them. They eventually reached the main chamber of the lair, and just managed to duck out of the corridor, as a giant blast of fire came roaring their way.
Harry came out of his roll, and immediately had to duck, as the dragon's tail came swinging. Harry's keen eyes saw some kind of liquid drip from the tip of the tail, which looked like it might not be very healthy.
"Harry, this is a Giant Red Irontail!" Artemis yelled, from the other side of the chamber, as she ran, and fired her arrows at the massive dragon. "Do not let the tip touch you! It's poisonous!"
Artemis running, and shooting her arrows, afforded Harry the briefest of moments, to explore the dragon. It was absolutely massive, and made the Ironbelly look like a child's toy. It was covered in thick, red scales, that looked completely impenetrable.
Protruding from its nose, were small spiky horns, but it had two massive ones curve out of its forehead, protecting the eyes.
Harry charged the huge reptile, cursing at how spacious the cave was, because the beast could move around completely unhindered. Harry's sharp eyes noted the tiny spaces, between the scales, and he thrust his sword, but failed to hit, and with a loud 'clang', his sword bounced off the scales.
Harry back away quickly, and readied himself, as the monster wheeled around, it's yellow eyes glaring at the pesky little fly, that tried to harm it. Harry saw it take a deep breath, and knew it was about to release a blast of fire.
Harry ran to the side, his shield and sword held at the ready. The dragon let loose the flame, and Harry was barely managing to keep ahead of it. He heard Artemis shout something, and a an arrow came flying, and a blinding flash flared up, and forced the beast to abruptly stop moving, and close its eyes. Harry and Artemis met, behind the dragon, their breaths laboured.
"Ideas?" Harry asked, and wiped his brow.
"Dragons have a weak spot, where the legs meet the torso, but good luck getting at them," Artemis said, and then pushed Harry away, and jumped back, as the tail of the beast came crashing down, between them.
"Our best bet, is the eyes, Harry!" Artemis yelled, and let loose an arrow, but it struck one of the large horns, and bounced off harmlessly to the side.
"How the fuck, am I supposed to do anything with that!" Harry thundered. "I'm not fifteen feet tall!"
Artemis could certainly understand Harry's foul mood. She ducked a swipe of the dragon's tail, the poison narrowly missing her. She let loose an arrow, and it tore through a wing, causing the dragon to roar in pain, and rear slightly, on its hind leg, but it honestly didn't really have an effect. After all, its wingspan had to be almost hundred feet. A tiny hole wouldn't do anything.
A howl of pain erupted from the dragon, and Artemis saw Harry roll, from beneath it, his sword covered in red blood.
"I managed to thrust my sword up, into it's foot," Harry informed her, and she noticed the beast was favouring the left, front foot. It wasn't attacking, at that moment, for some reason, but merely watching the two warily.
"Good work!" she said with a grin. "It won't make that mistake, again, though. The Reds are very intelligent."
"You want to retreat?" Harry asked.
"No," Artemis said, with conviction. "We finish it, right here."
Harry grinned. Scoring that hit, on the dragon, had raised his spirits, again. "Got it."
Artemis saw a strange gleam form in his eyes. Oh, no. That couldn't be good. A look like that, meant he was about to do something foolish, she was certain. "What are you planning?"
Harry simply gave her an even larger grin. "Just ready an arrow."
And then ge ran toward the beast, his shield brandished in front. The dragon took a deep breath, and released a stream of flame, which Harry caught with his shield. Artemis didn't immediately catch on, but then she figured it out.
Harry was moving to the side, and the beast was following slowly, and eventually, she had a good target; its left eye. She took a deep breath, and released her arrow, and it struck true. The beast wailed in pain, and the flames stopped.
Harry didn't waste any time, and rushed in, but was forced to move to the side, when the beast, half mad with pain, blindly rushed toward the corridor, trying to escape. Artemis stepped into its way, and released an arrow, but missed, and had to roll out of the way.
"Oh, no you don't!" Harry snarled dropped the red hot shield, and rushed after it, leaving Artemis behind.
She watched as both the beast, and Harry went of the edge. She hated, just how weak she was, in this form. She ran toward the shield, and picked it up, and was about to run outside, when, a creature exploded into existence, in a ball of fire, right in front of her.
"You?" she asked, curiously, before the creature latched onto her, and exploded, out of existence.
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The dragon was almost out of the corridor, by then, Harry fast on its heals. The pair emerged from the hole, and the dragon ran off the edge. Harry ran after it, sheathed his sword, and managed to grab onto the tail, just above the tip.
Harry held onto the tail, with all his strength, as they plummeted toward the ground. The dragon was still screaming from the pain, and obviously quite disoriented. Even so, it had enough presence of mind, to steady itself, and even out. And it began climbing, to a higher altitude, into the clouds.
As soon as that happened, Harry began making his way along the tail. He glanced down, and couldn't believe how fast they were going; the world went by in a blur, far below. Thankfully, they were moving to the north west, so that was a plus. The beast turned its head, and saw Harry was clinging to its tail, and that was when things went crazy.
The dragon began bucking, twisting and turning, trying to shake Harry off. Fortunately, Harry was strong enough, to hold on. He moved forward, incessantly, while wondering just how he was getting out of that mess.
Harry finally found himself, on the dragon's back. He glanced forward, and saw a very mountainous area, ahead. He thought he saw something, and his eyes widened. Some distance away, there was a city, cut into the cliffs, of the highest peak. Starling Cliffs. And the beast was heading straight for it.
"Not on your life," Harry muttered. He racked his brain, for what to do, and eventually, landed on an idea. It would lead to his death, but if it was a choice between his life, and that of perhaps countless others, it wasn't even a choice.
Harry quickly made his way toward the head of the dragon, and stood up, his superior balance helped him stay upright. He leaned over, and saw the arrow, sticking out of the dragon's eye. Harry tightened his grip on the sword, took a deep breath, and slammed the flat of his blade onto the arrow, and drove it in.
The beast reared its head, but Harry was ready for it, already moving, to its other eye. He reversed his grip, and thrust his weapon into the unhurt eye, as deep as he could. The beast thrashed around, for a moment, before it went completely slack, and began falling.
Harry let go of his blade, and watched as the beast fell. It was so much heavier than him, and fell much faster, but its momentum, would carry it into the upper levels of the city. Harry just hoped they had seen the beast, and taken appropriate measures, and evacuated.
He turned around in the air, not wanting to see the earth moving up to meet him. The faces of his lovers flashed through his mind, their smiles lightening his heart. They'd be pissed, he knew, but also proud, he thought.
He heard the dragon plummet into the city, far below, and knew it was mere seconds before he met his end. Then, agony, the like of which Harry had never experienced before, erupted between his shoulder blades. He felt something stretching his skin, and he felt his skin tear, and whatever was bursting out of his body, somehow tore through both the chain mail, as well as the leather armour.
Two black, feathery wings unfolded, on each side of Harry's body, and some foreign instinct kicked in. He turned around in the air, just managing to arch gracefully, and turn in a circle, before he landed on some sort of large dais, just behind where the great red dragon lay, dead.
Harry made his way over to the dragon, and pulled his sword out of its eye, and turned around, only to find a group of four guards approaching, two males and two females. They were tall, and all had wings, sticking out of their backs. Celestials.
"And that, ladies, and gentlemen, is how you kill a dragon," Harry said with a grin, trying to sound non threatening.
The guards approached warily, their faces stony. Harry felt the tension in the air, and their heartbeats were thundering. He raised his left hand slowly, and bent down, to lay his sword down. He rose again, both his hands raised, this time, palms forward.
"Hver ert þú?" one of them asked.
"Pardon?" Harry didn't understand.
"Segðu til nafns!" another demanded.
"I don't understand you," Harry said, and shrugged his shoulders.
Before they got any further into that exchange, Harry heard the beating of very familiar wings, and closed his eyes. Hedwig was angry. She had a certain way, that she flew in, whenever she was angry, or unhappy.
He turned his head, toward his friend, who came swooping down with a loud bark. She attacked him with ferocity, that Harry had never seen, before. The guards merely stared.
You idiot! You almost died! I hate you, you selfish git! How could you do that!
Her attack wound down, and Harry reached for her, to take her in his arms. "I'm sorry I worried you, Hedwig. You know how it goes, with me. Do you honestly want me to change?"
No, Hedwig admitted, and jumped up to his shoulder, and bumped his head affectionately, with her own. She most certainly did not want him to change.
You've grown wings, Harry, Hedwig informed him, rather helpfully. They're beautiful.
Harry 'hmmmmed' at that. "Thank you, Hedwig. Though, I must say, it feels weird," Harry said, and stretched them out as far as he could.
I cannot wait, to go flying with you, Harry, Hedwig said, and Harry could have sworn, she was purring out the words. Things were becoming stranger, by the minute.
"You know, we really need, to have a discussion about this new thing, we have got going on here, Hed."
Don't worry, Harry. All will be revealed, shortly, Hedwig said mysteriously.
Harry looked around, and learned, to his relief, that there were no bodies in the vicinity, and that the dragon's fall, had only damaged the dais, they were standing on, and the immediate area. Then he noticed the guards had gotten over their surprise, and were training their weapons on him, again. One of them males, reached into a small pouch on the back of his belt, and brought out a pair of shackles. Suddenly, there was a sound of a large door being opened.
"Úlfur! Í hvíldarstöðu!"
Harry saw the guards instantly comply with the order. He turned around, and saw an elderly gentleman, sans wings, making his way to them.
"Farið, og aðstoðið hina, Úlfur."
The guards saluted him, and quickly went to assist the other groups, who were already starting to work through the debris. Efficient people, these Celestials. The old man walked up to Harry, and stuck out his hand, which Harry grabbed.
"Sigurður, is my name. It's good to meet you, Mr. Potter."
Harry arched a brow. "Do we know each other?"
The old man smiled softly. "No, we do not, but I know almost all there is to know about you, courtesy of my Lady."
"Okayyy. And just who is this Lady of yours?"
"Follow," Sigurður said, and strode toward the door, whence he came, with some speed. Harry picked up his weapon, and did indeed, follow.
"When you meet the Lady, carry yourself with pride, and strength. Do not bow, or show her any sign of submission. She abhors such things." The old man glanced at Harry, with a grin. "You've earned her respect. No mean feat, that."
Harry felt a little embarrassed, but simply nodded, and followed the old man. They had been walking for a few minutes, when they came upon large, gilded double doors, which had been decorated with two large felines.
"She's waiting, Mr. Potter," Sigurður said, and opened one of the doors, and Harry stepped in.
Harry found himself in a large room, which was surprisingly plain, considering the extravagant door. Harry continued to examine the room. It had two long, horizontal windows, up by ceiling, and a few torches were burning, and there was a fire in the hearth.
There was a single table, and two chairs, close to the fireplace. The only other piece of furniture, was a finely carved wooden throne. Harry's nostrils flared, as he took in three different scents. Two felines, and a woman. Harry's hand inched toward his sword.
Do not worry, Harry, Hedwig said, and squeezed his shoulder with her talons. Everything's going to be fine.
"She speaks true, Harry," came a woman's voice. "I mean you no harm." She stepped out, from behind the throne. She was a tall, powerfully built woman, whose beauty was beyond words. Her blonde hair was done in two large braids, and held in place by a golden circlet. It fit her fair skin perfectly. She was wearing a long, blue gown, with golden trim, and a large stole, made from black fur. Wolf, Harry thought, judging from the scent.
She was wearing a viking longsword on her hip, and her walking around the throne, drew Harry's attention to the shield, that was leaning against it. He recognized it instantly. His hand left his weapon, and he stared at the woman. A pair of large Lynx' flanked her, and watched him, with interest.
"You? You're the woman I see, in my Patronus?"
The woman smiled in satisfaction. "Yes, I am. My name is Freyja, daughter of Njörður. In some places, I'm also known as 'The Lady of the Light."
Another goddess. Well, wasn't he popular. "Would you mind, telling me, just what the hell's going on?"
Freyja made her way over to the table, sat down, and offered Harry, to do the same. He did, mindful, of not leaning back, against his wings.
"When Tom Riddle first split his soul, and created the first Horcrux, he set in motion a chain of events, the end of which I've been trying to prevent from coming to fruition. He created you, Harry, and you, my champion, have been most capable. A true Champion of the Light."
Harry arched an eyebrow. "I'm your 'champion'?" he asked, his voice doubtful. "Your champion was a scrawny, eleven year old kid?"
Freyja merely chuckled. "I had to train you, Harry. Make certain you were ready. I kept an eye on you, of course."
Harry frowned at that admission. "So you knew, about my treatment, at the Dursley's."
Freyja sighed sadly at that. "I did. I would have preferred, that you would have had a happy childhood, but the truth is, that Privet Drive, was the safest place for you. And once you started Hogwarts, I had a pair of agents looking out for you."
Harry was surprised. "A pair of agents?"
The goddess smiled at him. "Who, do you think, sent Fawkes down, into the Chamber of Secrets, Harry? Who sent him to kidnapp you? Or sent him into your dreams?"
"That was you?" Harry asked numbly.
"Indeed. But there was another agent. One who has always been with you, even if you've only known her, since your first trip, to Diagon Alley. She kept an eye on you, when you were little. And when the time was right, she let herself be caught, and brought to Eylops."
Hedwig's claws were becoming painful, as they dug into Harry's shoulder.
Freyja rose from her chair, walked over to Harry, and took Hedwig from his shoulder, and gazed into her eyes.
"Daughter, I think it's time you revealed your true self, to Harry."
The silence stretched on, for a few moments, while the goddess, and Hedwig stared at each other. "Be brave, sweetheart," Freyja said. "He's the very best of men, as you well know. He will love you. You know he will."
Hedwig turned her head, to look at Harry for a moment, before she turned again, to the Goddess, and with a low hoot, she jumped onto the floor, and just stood there. Then, a dim glow, began to form around her, which quickly became a blinding light, and Harry had to shield his eyes. He heard someone take a deep breath. And the light began dying down.
Harry lowered his hand, away from his eyes, and what he saw, took his breath away. In front of him, stood a tall, dark haired woman, who had a pair of massive wings, folded at her back. If Harry was to guess, they were even bigger than his.
She was wearing some kind of ornate, steel armour, that only covered her large chest, and upper abdomen. It was held in place by a pair of linen straps, that were tied to her necklace, which bore a brilliant emerald. Around her waist, she wore a sash, that covered both her front and rear.
She also wore a pair of polished steel arm braces, that matched the chest piece, as well as the greaves she wore, and sabatons. And lastly, in her left hand, she held a large spear, that was covered with the same markings, as her armour.
His emerald eyes found her amber ones, and he knew. This was her. His Hedwig. Her eyes began misting over, and she dropped her spear. She ran to her Harry, and threw his arms around him, sobbing.
Finally! Harry! Harry! I've wanted to do this for so long. How I ached to do it, whenever those people, that called themselves your family,mistreated you.
Harry eased her away, a little bit, and kissed her forehead. "It's alright, Hedwig," he said, and brought her in, for another hug.
"So, how did this happen?" Harry asked the goddess, who was watching the interplay, with a smile.
"Now, that's a long story..."
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Here's chapter eighteen, then. A bit long, perhaps, and light on the action. A lot happened, though.
Lily: google Sophia by June Jenssen. Should be a green eyed redhead, wielding a sword.
Freyja: Freya by IrenHorrors. A woman, with her two cats, and a shield.
And lastly, Hedwig: Nicole by Krysdecker. My god, that angel is gorgeous!
