Disclaimer: inspiration for this came from the ideas of other people mostly J.K.
Notes: so I've decided to start this story during the middle of my other work 'A study in scarlet' never a wise idea but I needed a change in pace. the two are related so if people are confused then reading that story will hopefully clear things up, I'm keeping past details mostly free from the core plot of this story so its readable but it takes place quite far down the line from even 'S in S' and people that have been reading the other my find out things form this story that aren't in that. this I hope will also explain some things that are in 'S in S' in a way better written than the other.
This is going to be a short work, only three chapters but if it all falls into place then things shouldn't need to be longer.
For a current summery: Harry beat Riddle bout 15 years ago, and has been a Auour for much of the time since, was married to Ginny, where they had a daughter named Mary. For more on this read 'S in S' set only 5 years away from HBP. Anyway reviews of any demeanour are welcome and I hope you enjoy
So there he was, looking down on paradise,
It was a hot day, but looking down with piercing green eyes overshadowed by messy black hair a man was wearing a thick cotton shirt and a worn pair of jeans, seemed unaffected by the weather, indeed with a patchy brown overcoat that was messily hanging of the thin shoulders. He seemed oblivious to all. He wore some green tinted, silver rimmed round glasses. But the most striking appearance of this man came from a short, odd shaped halberd loosely bound with a long purple bandage and was strapped to the mans back, hanging down near to a tattooed hand.
Harry didn't normally like having a partner, hell it had been 6 years before he even took an apprentice, and other than her only Ron, Amy or Tonks could join him without his fear of them coming to harm, still looking down on the rolling steep lush fields hitting the cliff and the cascading, shining sea in the early morning sun, andbetween that and slightly to his left, the pretty picturesque village, with its red roofs and white marbled walls, sitting quietly. Harry wished he could show some one this Heaven, perhaps Mary, she just termed 10 and she would probably be old enough to remember this, Ginny although that was impossible, she would of liked to walk through the streets and down to the market with its stalls, and trade.
But the market was silent and deserted, and gazing at the view Harry now marvelled at how nature could cover up the darkest of secrets, the was no noise bar the wind, even the sound of the sea seemed to of hit a barrier before it could reach Harry's ears. No birds, cattle or…people.
Some thing had happened and the village's people had run or disappeared completely. Quite why Harry had been called out to the little island of Isola di Motecristo, off the coast of Italy. To the wizard village of St Amn Hester, he was unsure. This little community had no problems, and seemed it's export was as the best site in the wizarding world for statues; the local marble and artisans had even made the British ministry's fountain, destroyed by Tom's and Dumbledore's dual.
The was nothing that could explain this display of an abandoned valley. Until a Professor Presbury and some hefty local legends, were taken into account.
The young, many said brilliant Presbury was 'the' archaeologist of the English Wizarding Archaeological circle, founded in 1018; he was in his early 20's and was considered an expert on, myths, and ancient runes. Harry's only sighting of the man was dimly remembered as Hermione excitedly pointing Presbury out at a ball, two years ago, he'd been tall, stocky, well tanned with thick black hair, he was clean shaven and instead of dancing seemed to spend most of the ball trying to raise money for his next exploit to Italy. An exploit that would lead him here to this village, and the legend of the Basilisks pearl.
Harry groaned, this was the reason he felt he was here; the Italian ministry took few chances and when 'Basilisks' were mentioned they sent for the only kid in the last two decades to have killed one. The beast in question was, if it did ever exist, long dead. Killed by the local St Amn, but one of the eyes was supposed to have survived, and had the resemblance of a giant pearl, quite what other properties the eye held were a mystery indeed none had found any trace of the eye, none bar Presbury, he had new methods in finding lost treasure, methods similar to Harry, Runes inscribed on the body, acting as a conduct for magical power, while the Rune tattoo on Harry's left hand gave him a rife ability in ocumancy and Legilimency, Presbury with the marks that were supposedly on his arms, could feel sources of magical energy.
The man had sent an owl to the Archaeological circle saying he had found a potent amulet that belonged to the St Amn Hester, and that the locals were growing uneasy to as he put it a 'perseverance of truth' he made no mention of the eye by name but was getting close to the pearl, if it wasn't for 'unfounded interruptions, against his judgment.'
Harry personally was under the belief that what ever happened was the result of a wayward professor biting off more than he could manage, instead of locals but as he stood there enjoying the warm sun on his face, making sense of his thoughts, something ran out of the village down a pathway, Harry squinted peering forward as he tried to make out what the little black and white shape had been then he noted the thing veered against the wind, and was making a fast and powerful move towards him.
'Merlin I'm an idiot' thought Harry standing only a little way down from the crest of the hill as he was, he stood out like a purple brown Christmas tree, he doubted that if he waved his wand around shooting off fireworks and yelling, I'm right here, he might stand out more. As the thing got closer Harry made out the shape as that of a strange horse, strange because where the neck of the horse should of been grew into the torso of a man, Harry didn't relax at the sight, it might not of been the first time Harry had met a centaur but it was the first time he had seen one made of marble, and the hefty stone broadsword in its hands coupled with its stony purposeful manor marked it as not wanting to idly chat about the good weather.
In seconds Harry un-slung the short halberd from his back, kicked out his right foot to gain some steadiness on the steep hillside and was in a fighting stance ready to meet it.
A few seconds latter and it got closer, a lot closer and bigger, Harry in his time at Hogwarts had the unusual record of being the student to see the most of the centaur population, but in all his time there none were this big, or he reflected made of stone. Harry came up to about half its height. When it reached him the statue reared up on too 'its' hind legs the stone muscles moving and working in an unnatural manner Harry compared with things that were very much alive, this was considered in a instant before Harry jumped, darting back to avoid the flailing hooves.
Then came the sword.
It flew down vertically with the statue putting all its unnatural strength to the blow, it would of cleanly divided Harry down the centre but Harry was still faster.
He dived to the right, in an odd barrel role through the air, his weapon flashing in the sunlight as he twirled round.
The short halberd, ending with three broad sharp equally sized blades two sticking out from the sides the last continuing up to end the spear in the large shape of an Oak leaf. The blades them self's were a strange greenish hue, Mithril according to the armoury Harry had brought it from and downright unbreakable. This was the replacement Harry had used since his old sword had gone to its rightful owner and although it was larger and unwieldy compared to his sword it served him well.
But when Harry landed and with both arms swung the halberd against the flank of the centaur, it became next to useless, it might of made a dent in the side Harry couldn't tell, but he staggered back as his hands felt the shock of hitting a hard stone statue. The black and white beast cantered round as though the blow was air.
Swinging its sword up from the ground Harry tried to parry, but might as well stood in front of an oncoming train. Forces at work behind the sword sent him reeling backwards though the air.
Harry wasn't sure quite what happened, he was dizzy and quickly working out that this was not going to be as simple as all that. But he swung himself round again in mid air, with skills born over a decade of being thrown about, to land dextrously on his feet.
The halberd held low, now felling like a dead weight in his num hands.
The jump or closer to fling Harry had just gone through sent him clear of the statue and back higher up the hill.
The Auour looked at the statue, and for the first time could make out the dark marks on the pure light marble, they were runes, black and imprinted like burns, twisting, splitting and consuming the frame, of the creature. He even recognised some of the marks, he'd seen some of those symbols crop up in his own research.
Harry realised he was panting, and his worn face contorted in to a reckless grin.
Now this case was interesting…
The centaur readied its self, mussels again flexing,
Harry noted with some annoyance that the original sculpture of the statue was clearly a romantic. No living creature Harry had yet seen had that many perfect muscles, even Dudley as a boxing champion was clearly outdone.
The centaur kicked up the ground with its front hoove, wanting to charge.
Harry might have been fairly dazed but he knew he needed to pull some trick out of the hat, the beast was solid, and his last bout with it convinced him most spells and curses would probably bounce right off it. What would work? Then Harry had inspiration, the Cursed Charm of Nox, sota on lone from his friend Remus, and had worked grate on the Wrath horse of the Winchester Moors, four months ago.
That was a horse, and this was a stone horse-man.
Still worth the chance.
The centaur, its stone gaze turning into a silent snarl charged, a billow of dirt in its wake.
Harry saw it coming, and fished for the talisman in a coat pocket, the other assorted trinkets and wards in them clinking as his hand desperately searched.
He found it, and pulled out the thin copper bracelet with a single gold coin, a horse's head was emblazed with loving detail into the gold but someone with a darker intent had cut into the image to make the mark of a divide rune.
Harry had the coin in the palm of his hand as clasped it back tightly to the staff of the halberd, glad he was regaining the felling in his hands, mostly it hurt, but at least he knew they were still attached.
Now he just needed one good swing.
The centaur was next to Harry in moments with the simple intent to just keep galloping.
Harry darted to the left, and was met with the white marble blade sweeping across.
Harry ducked, the blade rustling his hair as it passed, aiming to take the head off his thin shoulders.
The centaur continued the gallop forward; Harry clear of its blade caught it open.
He twisted round in a circle to gain more momentum behind the blow then brought the blade's slicing down across the statues back, the wasn't much noise just a grazing sound, but with a green flash Harry's weapon cut through without resistance.
For a moment Harry wondered if he had actually cut anything then the still animated centaur fell clean in half.
The human half fell to the ground as the horse marched blindly on. Harry with a sense of relief stood up strait, only to fling himself out the way of the marble sword, having fallen the downed man had propped himself up, and with its other arm throne the broadsword as though it were light as a feather. It missed but Harry's right arm was cut and the now muddy, coat was torn in the arm.
Harry enraged looked up from the wound, at the now crawling figure. He marched towards it and with a swift, deft blow, decapitated it.
The figure in front of him collapsed immobile, with no sign of life. Harry pushed the gasses up his sunburned nose and speared the Halberd into the ground leaning on it for a few peaceful seconds surveying his work. Before the sound off approaching hooves reminded him the horse end was unaccounted for…
The headless body of the steed slammed into the Auour like a cannon ball.
Harry went flying 20 feet down the slope, the wind knocked out of him, bones snapping like twigs, the crash back with the ground sent up grass, dirt and stones as the force left him rolling down the steep field till a small rocky outcrop broke his descent. The side of his head slamming into the stone with enough power to break his glasses.
The was a dull ringing in his ears as Harry looked up the pain in his right arm told him it was dislocated, and with a burning flash of agony he found some of the ribs on that side broken.
The chalky brown dust sent up by the blow was all-round him, covering his landing in a impenetrable cloud and the loss of his glasses left his vision blurred. He couldn't see the infernal horse but in the haze of pain he tried lifting his left arm, it worked and he felt the inside of his coat for his holstered wand. Harry didn't know how much help it would be against that stone monstrosity but he first needed to help himself.
With a agonising pull of his left hand he wrenched the right arm's bone back into its socket,
With some use of his right arm Harry now waved his wand mumbling "episkeyazo" to fix the ribs it worked, sort of.
His chest felt hot, and it was painful to breath. Once again light-headed he tried to remember why he was on the ground as he sat up.
The wind blew the dust cloud away towards the sea.
Harry forcefully remembered why he was hurt so badly when a shape loomed suddenly over him.
He rolled to the left as the hooves came slamming down on the rocks where a moment ago his head had been.
Harry lying on his side raised the wand at the creature, he could only see a blur without his glasses but it was so big he couldn't miss, two flashes of green 'Expelliarmus' spell's seemed to just bounce off it but Harry yelled a Reductor Curse that struck the headless mass in one of its front legs the was a second when the Horse came back down with the full weight on its leg before the was a cracking sound and the leg broke.
The heavy statue now itself lost its balance, and with its weight slid down the steep hill its three legs at odd angles as it tried to right its self, it was to no avail and Harry could make out the horse gaining speed and then rolling the last fifty feet until it few off the edge of the cliff into the unforgiving water.
Harry couldn't make out any sort of splash, but for him it was out of sight and out of mind.
Stiffly he stood up, looking around for the remains of his glasses. The was a sudden shock as he found figure standing next to him, he swivelled round wand raised. But with out his glasses he could only make out the blurred form of a small girl.
He stood there surprised at his sudden acquaintance, she was still and for a horrible moment Harry wandered if she was made of stone too. But the figure had burning red hair reminding Harry of his own kid, indeed she was the same height, but long experience had taught him not to lower his wand. He found his voice and broke the silence.
"Hello"
No response…
Harry was about to blast first and ask further questions later when she knelt down and lifted something up from the ground, he blinked as she presented it to him with something that looked like a smile, he took the item.
His glasses, and somehow in one piece. He murmured thanks and put them on to take a clear look at is companion.
Nothing, she wasn't there. Harry again raised his wand casting his restored sight around in a vain attempt to see where shed gone, but still no girl. Smiling slightly Harry admitted to himself that this was going to be a long day.
Not wanting to attract any more attention from what might be lurking in the village he cast a disillusionment charm on himself the spell didn't make a person invisible, but it would be extremely difficult to see as he blended in with what he standing in front of. And from this distance near impossible.
Then crouching low he went to retrieve the halberd that was still stuck solidly in the ground. To his relief Harry also found the Nox charm scattered next to it, he didn't want to tell Remus he'd lost yet another of his items. Pocketing this and quickly wrapping up and re-slinging the halberd, Harry glanced at the torso of the headless statue nearby and noted that the black marks were gone, as though never realy there, to leave a white marble and very broken statue.
Harry made his way down surprisingly quickly bounding gracefully in his sheltered state heading for the silent village