Chapter Nine.
The dawn was far too soon in coming for all within Castle Blackwood.
Callian awoke to the wheezing rasps of Arcturus Black, the familiar warmth of Faenir curled up in his lap along with an aching back after spending the night in the chair beside the man's bed. His groan alerted the dozing Keeky who was immediately at his side. "Can Keeky be of service, Master?"
Callian frowned at the House-elf, he was not used to having one of the helpful creatures at his beck and call and thought that it would take some time before he was used to it.
"I am fine, thank you Keeky." He frowned harder at the small squeak of surprise from the House-Elf before he asked after his grandfather's condition.
Keeky shot the man upon the bed a look of concern, "Lord Black is resting better, Master. He awoke a little while ago, Keeky was able to feed him some broth, but Lord Black is still very weak."
Callian just gave a slight nod of his head in response before waking the dozing dragon and setting him about his shoulders before he pushed himself from his chair, "I'll be in the Great Hall, please come find me if there are any changes."
Keeky once more let out a small startled squeak at the courteous request but Callian could only shake his head at the strange actions of his new House-Elf, but the audible rumble of his stomach had him soon making his way through the Castle towards the great hall as he sought out breakfast.
He had just taken a seat when he was joined by a rather tired looking Harry, his friend said nothing as he pulled several platters of food towards him.
Filling two mugs full of a strong tea he slowly slid one across the table towards Harry, his friend accepted it with a grunt of thanks and Callian shot him a grim smile.
"Late night?" he asked with grim amusement.
Harry merely turned bleary eyes towards him as he took a sip of his tea. "Couldn't sleep. Too much going on up here to switch off." he said as he tapped his temple.
Callian's smile faltered, but Harry was having none of it.
"Look, about last night...I am sorry for leaving you there like that. I was upset at first, but I realised that it's not something that you can just drop into a conversation."
Callian snorted at that, "That would have been something wouldn't it, Hi my name is Callian and my bastard of a father betrayed your parents to the Dark Lord."
That earned a dark chuckle for Harry, Callian for his part leaned toward his friend. "For what it is worth, I am sorry."
Harry stared at him for a long moment before he nodded once and as if nothing had happened the two of them were soon bantering friendly, Harry even seemed to become giddy with excitement when Callian told him of his plan to visit the alley.
Once they had finished with their breakfast Callian left Faenir behind as he led Harry towards one of the four great towers of the Castle, stepping out of one of the fixed portal circles they found themselves staring at a short corridor lined with suits of armour almost exactly like the one they had seen enchanted upon the solstice.
Harry hesitated at the sight of the eerily still figures, each armed with a monstrous two-handed blade they held point down in their gauntleted hands. Callian shot him a reassuring smile as he urge his friend onwards.
"Do not be afraid, they are merely decorative." Reaching out Callian gave the nearest armoured breastplate a sharp tap, the resulting hollow ring finally got the raven-haired boy moving but he stayed close to Callian's heels as they headed towards the lone door at the end of the corridor.
As they neared Callian's eyes traced the familiar wardings etched into the stone frame, the door itself however all but glowed to his Arcane sight. Embedded with another physical warding like the one that sat upon the great doors of the Castle, this one seemed even more potent.
Despite his words to Harry, Callian was able to trace fine filaments of power back to the suits of armour that lined the corridor, he knew that should the wards be breached the suits of armour would be animated to deal with any would-be thieves or uninvited guests.
"Prepare yourself." Callian warned.
Bringing his right hand up he placed it against the door and sent his power outwards, the door gave a soft click as it swung open with only the lightest touch.
Stepping into the room Callian had to laugh at the gobsmacked look upon Harry's face as they found a room completely empty except a portal circle etched upon the floor.
"What?!" Harry demanded. "I thought we were going to your grandfather's workshop?"
Callian just smiled as he stepped into the circle. "We are, and believe me this is the short route. Grandfather can be a little paranoid when it comes to his private projects."
Once Harry had joined him within the circle, Callian sent out thin threads of power that quickly activated the circle and in a flash of purple light, the two disappeared from Castle Blackwood.
Dim twilight greeted them as they appeared atop a large stone platform littered with a thick blanket of snow, before them rose a tower of weathered grey stone standing tall and proud like some grim, silent sentinel.
Its great height loomed over them but the tower itself was dwarfed by the mountain range the touched the very clouds themselves.
Callian watched Harry with a small smile as his friend looked around them in wonder as it was clear they were no longer in the Blackwood Forests.
"Where are we?" Harry asked with a shiver as his breath plumed in a great cloud only to be snatched away by the wind, the cold was biting and seemed almost intent on freezing them solid where they stood.
Callian quickly wrapped them in a weave of warm air and grinned as Harry let out a sigh of relief, where ever they had ended up was far, far colder than the east of Britain.
"We're currently in the Jotunheim Mountains of Norway."
Callian laughed as Harry's jaw dropped open in shock.
Harry said nothing but Callian could tell that his friend wanted answers, leading his friend towards the dark stone doors Callian began to explain.
"I told you of my grandfathers past. With his first apprentices and those who turned against him."
Harry nodded as they walked. "Loxias, right? That's what Hermione called one of them."
Callian nodded as he continued his tale. "Fearing others turning against him, my grandfather decided to hide his more potent artefacts far away from where anyone could get their hands on them. Over the centuries it became a place where he could conduct his research in peace without risk to anyone else if things get a bit…chaotic."
Harry snorted. "You mean in case it blows up. For some reason that reminds me of someone else I know."
Callian could not help the laugh that bubbled up; during the few months they had spent together a few of his own more experimental weaves had resulted in some pretty interesting outcomes. He was sure that some of the third year boys still had hair missing from his latest experimenting, which had gotten him a long lecture from Penny on the appropriate methods and locales for testing spells. He was just lucky that he had not been dragged before Flitwick for it.
Reaching the great stone doors Callian instructed Harry to stand back as he wove a thin line of power that he used to prick his finger, the thin needle of magic was so fine he barely felt it as a drop of blood bloomed upon the tip of the digit.
Placing his finger against the doors he stepped back to watch as the blood seemed drawn into the stone; a long moment of silence fell over them, the only sound the whistle of the wind as it tried its hardest to pierce the spell of warmth that lay over them.
Eventually, Callian felt a pulse of power sweep over them and he knew that the wards had allowed him to pass as the heavy doors opened with the grating grind of stone on stone, he quickly led Harry into the warmth of the interior and wasted no time in hurrying up the winding stairs towards where he could sense his grandfather's familiar presence.
Along the way they passed through several floors littered with items of all sorts, some looked completely mundane while others looked like the imaginings of a madman. One, in particular, looked like the brainchild of some eldritch abomination with its dark curving metal reaching out like grasping hands covered in strange glimmering glyphs that seemed to wriggle and writhe when his eyes slipped over them.
After giving Harry a warning not to touch anything they eventually reached the upper portions of the tower, stepping out of the stairway they found themselves in a corridor lined with small arches that revealed store rooms piled high with all the odds and ends a Wizard could need for their experiments.
Leading Harry to the end of the corridor they stepped into opened into a large workroom lined with tables littered with tomes, equipment and various odds and ends that Callian could only guess at.
Denevan seemed to sense their approach as he rose from where he was carefully etching the last few sigils into the larger array at his feet.
"Ah, welcome my boys. You did not happen to bring any food with you, did you? ...I seem to have forgotten about breakfast." He said distractedly as he turned back to study the arcane symbols upon the floor.
Callian could only shake his head, it was not the first and would definitely not be the last time that his grandfather had forgone food or even sleep when it came to his passion for uncovering the secret wonders of magic.
Eventually, Denevan turned back to them. "Hmm, never mind. Well if you are ready Harry, we can begin."
Harry seemed momentarily startled as he stared between the two of them but followed the older wizard directions as he stepped into the heart of the spell array.
Callian stepped back as he watched his grandfather begin to direct his magic in such swift and complex weaves that he could hardly tell one from another.
The sigils at their feet glowed with a pale hue and Callian's eyes widened as he began to get a sense of Harry that his own magical sight had never revealed before.
He watched as his grandfather twisted the weaves with such deft skill they seemed to dance before them, every probing thread that reached out to Harry revealed some new detail to them.
Denevan stared at the complex web of magic that he was commanding, the boy before him was a bright mass of magic and each twist of the weaves revealed some new facet to the boy.
The deeper he drove the web of magic the more he could see, he watched as with each pulse of Harry's Reservoir his power flowed through his body, filling every fibre of his being. He could see the multitude of cuts, scrapes and abrasions that he had suffered in his short life, feel the sense of hunger when the boy had been denied food by his relatives. The detections spells revealed in fine detail the history of the boy's body and magic, but he put that from his mind as he drove the weaves deeper still.
He watched the boy shudder and smiled grimly as he caught the whisper of, "Blackwoods and bloody cobwebs!"
"Relax Harry, I need to search deeper but we should soon have answers."
The boy nodded and tried to as he suggested, once he was sure that Harry would not try to instinctively fight him he continued with his spellsweaving.
Suddenly as if a curtain had been pulled back the truth of Harry Potter was revealed, there was no more resistance to his weave as he stared at the blazing core of Harry's soul.
But what he saw would have made a lesser wizard lose their nerve, it even caused him to pause in his work. Behind him, he heard Callian's sharp intake of breath and he sensed the boy's fear before it was ruthlessly squashed under the boy's mental shields.
Ignoring his grandson for the time being he stared at the pale white flame of Harry's soul and the mass of oily blackness that clung to it like a cancer, he drove his spell deeper still until all he could see was the foreign entity and the light of the boy's soul.
He watched in horror as the black mass extended another oily tendril that tried to find an anchor in Harry's soul only for it to be rebuffed by a flash of golden light. Denevan recognised the taste of that magic immediately, hells it had been as familiar to him as his own daughters.
"Lily..." He breathed, staring in awe at the fine cage of golden filaments so thin that they were nearly invisible as they lay wrapped around harry's soul.
Even knowing that they were there he still found it difficult to sense them, but he knew just what they meant as another oily black tendril was rebuffed with a flash of golden light.
Lily had long been studying the forbidden arts of Soul Magic, if the Ministry had found out just what she had been learning not even her marriage into nobility would have saved her from Azkaban. He, however, had little care for the ministry and their ridiculous rules and had done his best to aid her as much as he could during her apprenticeship but the girl had a true talent for the art, far more than he had and had been able to make more inroads into the field than anyone living.
It seemed that her talent for Soul Magic had paid off as she had seemingly sacrificed her own life to become a literal shield for her son, ever protecting him from the vile Magic that sought to claim the boy.
Hesitantly he reached out, extending a thread of power towards the last remnants of Lily Evans.
He watched as that golden cage moved to intercept his probing thread, its touch was like liquid fire searing into his mind. In an instant, his mental shields were bombarded with a torrent of arcane force that nearly made him lose his concentration, but almost immediately the attack cut off as he felt the cage of Magic about Harry's soul seemed to buck and heave in confusion before it wrapped about Denevans probe.
It clung to his spell thread like a drowning man clings to driftwood as a voice he had not heard in a decade slip into his mind, its words little more than a pleading whisper.
"Master! Please, please Save my Son, please...I can't last much longer."
It seemed even that momentary distraction allowed the foreign magic clinging to Harry to extend itself, spreading further and in turn causing the faint golden light to diminish.
"Mum!"
Harry's cry shattered his focus entirely and Denevan was left reeling as he was bodily thrown across the room s his spells collapsed in a great cascade of magical energies.
Callian instinctively conjured a shield about himself as the room was thrown into chaos as wild surges of arcane power exploded outward from where the detection weaves had been cast, yet he still had to close his eyes against the bright flare of spell-light.
Blinking rapidly he desperately rubbed at his eyes to try and restore his vision, it was several long heartbeats before he got a look at the room.
Where the sigils had been drawn onto the floor of the tower only black scorch marks remained, the detritus that had littered the room looked as if it had been thrown against the walls with some force as even the heavy work tables had been tossed aside leaving only clear space about Harry who stood staring in mute horror at the carnage about him.
Callian caught his friend's wild-eyed gaze and Harry cried out in a panic. "This wasn't me this time!"
Callian just nodded his head as he called back. "I know, grandfathers spell collapsed when he lost control of the weave. Help me find him."
It did not take long before they found Denevan unconscious but thankfully very much alive, as he lay pinned beneath one of the heavy tables.
Calling Harry to him he managed to lift the table enough for Harry to drag the man free, Denevan groaned slightly at the rough treatment and after a few even rougher shakes from Callian, the man opened his eyes with a hiss of pain.
"Damn, I feel like I have been run over by a Dragon."
Callian sighed in relief as his grandfather sat up with a wince. Harry was quick to jump on the man, however, his hands grabbed at the man's robes desperately with tears in his eyes.
"Was that her?! Was that my mother?!"
Denevan reached out to grasp the boy's shoulder as he pushed him gently away. "I do not know for certain, but if Lily did what I believe she did then I think your mother is not as gone as we believed."
Harry fell back onto the cold stone floor of the tower as he stared at nothing in particular. "That's the first time I've heard her voice..." He whispered, and Callian wondered just what his friend was thinking at that moment.
He had never expected to hear a dead woman's voice when he had brought his friend here today, he felt so far out of his depth that he was unsure of the best course of action.
Denevan, however, seemed not so nonplussed and with an effort they managed to get him on his feet and from there Denevan was able to take them home in a flash of purple light.
Upon their return Callian immediately called for help, he had expected one of his grandfather's Apprentices to come to their aid but was surprised when the small form of Keeky appeared with a pop of displaced air.
The small House-Elf had wasted no time in levitating his grandfather despite the man's protests as Callian instructed her to take him to his chambers, they had found Amerytha en route and neither he, Harry or Denevan could stop the wince at her look of cold displeasure.
However, that all changed when they informed her of what they had discovered in Denevan's tower, Amerytha stumbled and nearly fell when she heard that news that some part of Lily Potter was still very much alive as it battled some malignant entity within Harry.
Callian raced to her side and took her arm to support her as he directed her towards a nearby chair, she was silent for several seconds as her mind raced with the news.
They left the two of them soon after when it was clear that no one was sure of how to proceed, Keeky had assured him that his grandfather would be fine and that he just needed rest and popped away to resume her care of Arcturus.
Callian called out to Harry but his friend was too preoccupied to hear him as he walked away without a backwards glance, Callian could only watch him disappear around a corner and soon found himself alone in the hallway.
Unsure if he should follow Harry, he eventually found himself returning to his chambers, taking a seat upon his bed he found himself replaying everything that had happened within the Tower.
While he knew that Harry's thoughts alongside his families own were fixated upon the discovery of some remnant of Lily potter still lingering, he found his own thoughts dwelling upon the ever reaching blackness that clung to Harry's soul.
He distinctly recalled the feel of it, its nauseating foulness that seemed to linger like poison upon his mind, and he was reminded of blazing red eyes glaring hatefully at the world as they were brought towards a trolls maw.
As he sat there slowly everything clicked into place and he knew for a certainty that while a fragment of Lily potter remained so too did a piece of Lord Voldemort.
Several hours passed without sight or sound of any of his family, he could not blame them as he himself was still trying to process everything that they had seen and learned. To his surprise, a knock sounded on his door and it was pushed open only for a foul stench to waft into his room, standing Callian could only smile as he saw the broad shoulders and wild grey beard and hair of Ironmane.
The dwarf stomped into his room without an invitation as he grinned toothily at him, "What yeh doin' still sittin' boy! I've been told yeh and yer friend wanted to go to the Alley, yer Da asked me to escort yeh as he's still lookin' greener than grass."
Callian could only smile at the surly dwarf, he had missed his friend's brusque, no-nonsense manner during his time at Hogwarts.
"I can't say I am surprised, last I saw of him my Dagün was barely able to speak, let alone walk. I was hoping Tyrna would be able to sober him up."
Ironmane let out a cackle at that. "Aye, normally she would. But I think the lass is tryin' to prove a point."
Slipping his boots on Callian allowed himself to be guided from the room, soon they found Harry in one of the smaller libraries amidst a large collection of tomes that Callian recognised as being of a more esoteric nature.
He truly wondered if his friend could even understand the barest fractions of the lore those tomes held, he knew Harry well enough to know that he was floundering and desperate for some answer to the multitude of questions he no doubt possessed.
Ironmane however did not seem inclined to let Harry work out his problems, and instead called loudly for the young wizard to stop moping and get a cloak as he had been told to escort them to Diagon Alley.
Harry could only stare in mute shock until the grizzled dwarf threatened to throw him over his shoulder which soon had the boy scampering off in search of a thick winter cloak.
Callian could only laugh when Harry returned and fell into step beside him while shooting nervous glances at the dwarf as Ironmane led them out of the castle, they found Amerytha and Tyrna waiting for them within the building housing the portals.
His mother gave them a bright smile but he could see the painful questions burning behind her eyes, eventually, she turned to look at Harry her smile dropping somewhat. "How are you, Harry?" She asked with concern clear upon her face.
Harry was silent as he stared resolutely ahead, and things quickly became awkward between them. Eventually, Harry spoke, his voice quiet and full of a mass of emotion that Callian could only guess at.
"That was the first time I heard my mothers voice...It's like-"
Harry cut himself off as he swallowed audibly to try and keep down the sudden swell of emotion. Callian watched as Harry slowly raised his eyes to look at his mother.
"It's like I can feel her now, at the back of my mind keeping me safe from that other dark presence."
Amerytha sucked in her breath at Harry's words and moved forward to embrace the boy. Callian watched as Harry tensed before he buried his face into his mother's shoulder, but not before he saw the glimmer of tears lining his eyes.
His heart went out to his friend, he could not fathom what harry must be feeling just now. He could not imagine a life without his family and the thought alone was enough to send a creeping shiver running down his spine, for Harry to have had a glimpse of what he had lost and to remain just out of reach was a torture that no child should have to endure.
No one said a thing as they watched Harry desperately cling to Amerytha, eventually Harry pulled away and Callian caught the whispered words of his mother.
"If you want to stay here today, we can stay home. We do not have to go to the Alley if you do not feel up for it."
Harry stepped back and quickly wiped at his eyes with the hem of his cloak, his voice carried a huskiness to it but no one would blame him. "No, it's better if I get out and take my mind off things, if I sit still I am likely to go crazy."
Amerytha merely nodded and with one last searching look ushered them all into the portal circle that would take them to the Alley.
They arrived in a small chamber very similar to the one they had taken used in Kingscross, the portal circle still faintly glowing at their feet as the magic fueling it faded away. Harry looked around him as he tried to reach out with his Magic just as he had atop the tower of Castle Blackwood.
At first, nothing happened and he forced himself to relax as he cleared his mind of all thought as he simultaneously pushed outwards with his Magic.
It was slow, ever so slow but eventually he began to feel the steady ebb and flow of Magic about him, looking at those with him he saw them in an entirely different way.
Amerytha blazed so brightly he was amazed that he had never seen it before, she seemed to be nearly as strong as Denevan had appeared the previous evening and once again he could see the tight control she maintained about her power.
Not even a single delicate thread of power slipped past the confines of her body, moving his head he watched as his friend seemed to blaze brightly in his own right. While not as strong as his mother he was still filled with a monumental amount of power, the main difference he could see however was the slight ebb and flow of Magic that surrounded Callian as his friend had yet to achieve the same control of his power as Amerytha.
Looking at his own hand he nearly jumped in shock as the Magic blazed wildly about him without any of the refined control that the others displayed, sudden motion made him look up as both Callian and Amerytha turned to look at him as they sensed his probing magic.
Callian smiled brightly as he stepped towards him. "When did you manage to do this?" He asked with a laugh.
Harry felt Callian deftly reach out with his own power and poke and prod at his questing threads.
"Last night, it happened when I was talking with Lord Blackwood. I just felt something shift when I let my mind relax, although this is the first time I am doing it on purpose."
He felt Callian's Magic retreat as Amerytha smiled proudly at him as she motioned towards the door. "Word of advice Harry, pull back your senses back until you are seeing just beyond the borders of your body. Diagon Alley is nearly as old as Hogwarts and believe me you do not want to be hit with the full scope of Magic out there. Even for those of us accustomed to it, it can still be overwhelming."
Harry nodded and tried to do what Amerytha had suggested, it took a few minutes but eventually, he managed to pull his senses back. Stepping out of the room holding the portal circle they found themselves standing in a rather busy storefront, behind the large wooden counter sat one of Denevans apprentices clad in their customary grey robes but it was the monumental amount of enchanted items that glowed to even his reduced sight. The air seemed to almost hum with the amount of Magic in such a small space that he could only stare in awe. Callian just offered him a grin in return of his unspoken question. "What did you think my grandfather did with all the enchanted items we made during the Gathering?"
Harry could only shake his head as he turned to stare out of the large display window, he could see the crowded streets of Diagon Alley as people did their last-minute shopping as they enjoyed the many stalls that had been set up selling hot food and cups of steaming drinks.
A smile slowly spread across his face they stepped into the street, the noise of the crowd, the smells of the food stalls and the garlands of holly and mistletoe that had been strung across the wide avenue speckled with the glimmer of fairy light lightened his heart more than he thought possible.
It was not long before he was pulling Callian into the crowd to explore the sights and sounds of this truly magical place with Amerytha and the Dwarves following after them.
They spent a good few hours exploring the Alley while Tyrna and Amerytha took a seat within one of the small stands that had popped up, each with a steaming mug of hot chocolate in their hands.
Eventually, Harry and Callian returned to the adults where they then made their way towards the Dwarven quarter of the Alley, this turned out to be a large square lined with towering buildings three or four stories tall with stout stone walls on the ground floor and looming timber-framed buildings sat atop them. He could not help but notice that these did not have the haphazard construction of the rest of the Alley, everything seemed designed to last a lifetime or more.
As he looked on in awe he watched as several broad-shouldered dwarfs stumbled across one of many stout bridges that connected a web of terraces that ran about the buildings.
Harry gaped in open-mouthed shock, he could see a few Magi here and there but mostly those thronging the streets were dwarfs out celebrating around huge roaring bonfires while roasting pigs turned on spits above the flames.
"It's like a city within a city..."
Callian laughed at his side. "You have no idea how right you are. If you think this is big then I can not wait to show you knockturn, that place goes on forever."
Harry turned to stare at him in shock.
"How is this possible?" He asked, stupefied as he tried to take everything in.
Callian ushered him onwards, as he explained. "Space expansion charms mostly, but I know there are a few places that were warded so Muggles left them alone as London expanded and Diagon Alley and the rest were just built up around them."
Ironmane grunted at Callian's words. "I doubt if even those fools in the Ministry know just how far some of the Alleys go. Yer more right than yeh know when yeh said city, lad."
Harry just nodded dumbly as he continued to turn his head every which way, he had never expected any of this when he had first come to the Alley but with every passing day, he discovered more and more of the wonders of the Magical world.
The afternoon disappeared in a blur as Callian led him into some of his favourite haunts within the Dwarven quarter, it seemed that the Blackwoods' were well known to many there as Callian and himself by association were greeted warmly by a host of merchants and tradesmen as they tried to sell their wares.
Harry found himself the proud owner of a luxuriously soft fur-lined cloak that Amerytha had brought him after seeing his longing looks, he had thanked the woman profusely and had tried to repay her but she had just smiled and waved away his proffered money with a whispered "Merry Christmas".
It was late in the afternoon when they finally returned to the Castle, the black mood that had hung over them all had faded as they had spent several hours exploring the wonders of Diagon Alley and its neighbouring areas.
The thought of some fragment of his mother suffering to protect him still lingered and it pained him beyond words to be unable to help her but for now, he would just enjoy the moment and spend time with these few who he was coming to hold quite dear to his heart.
Christmas day dawned cold and clear and Callian opened the heavy drapes of his room to see a thick carpet of snow laying across the grounds of his home, he smiled as he realised his grandfather must have been playing with weather Magic again.
Quickly he donned a house robe to cover his nightclothes and Faenir jumped up to wrap himself about his neck before they hurried from the room in search of his family, he rattled on Harry's door in passing causing the boy to poke his head out with a grin before the two of them hurried along.
Leading Harry to the family solar he felt his heart jump with joy at the pile of presents that lay beneath a large tree in one corner of the room, he could already see his mother and grandfather sitting with cups of steaming tea waiting for them.
He wasted no time in diving for the pile of presents after a giddy "Merry Christmas."
His grandfather laughed as he to joined him in digging through the wrapped parcels with just as much enthusiasm, Harry seemed to hesitate as he neared and looked longingly at the pile of presents but Callian did not hesitate as he threw a paper-wrapped parcel towards him.
"Dig in Harry, there are loads with your name on them."
Harry stared in awe at the large soft bundle that he held in his hands.
"I have presents?" He blurted in surprise as he looked up in time to catch another one with his face, Callian could only laugh as he offered a quick apology before digging in once more.
Amerytha laughed from her chair as she delicately took one from her father. "Tyrna came by earlier and said that she and your Dagün will be here soon with more presents.
Callian just let out a whoop of delight before he resumed his mad rampage through his gifts, the flurry of shredded paper was like a blizzard as it fell to land upon the thick carpet of the room. Everyone laughed as Faenir waded through the mess like a shark in the water, the only sign of his passing was the dragons tail waving in the air.
He eyed the large collection of gifts he had been given by fellow students and he saw his grandfather taking note of the names of said students, what the old man planned to do with his list he had no idea.
Soon each of them had a small collection of presents before them, Callian and Denevan each had a small stack of books, scrolls and papers in their pile and even Harry had gained a few new tomes. Callian idly noted his friend leafing through a compendium of defensive Magics that his mother had gotten him, thoughts of his mother soon had him looking at her and trying to catch her eye.
It did not take long and his mother picked up a rolled scroll from the table beside her.
Her voice held an uncertain edge to it as she nervously turned the scroll in her hands. "Normally we tend to save our presents for each other until these two," She waved a hand in his and Denevan's direction. "Have gotten what we call the Present Frenzy out of their system." Callian just grinned at Harry as his friend shot him an amused look, but was soon pulled back to the moment as his mother continued.
"We all thought that this year that can wait. We thought that the first gift we would give would be for you and you alone."
Harry looked taken aback as Amerytha offered him a watery smile as she held out the scroll in shaking hands.
Slowly, Harry reached up and plucked the scroll from her fingers, he seemed unsure but looking at Callian's wide grin and Denevan's encouraging nod quickly flicked open the wax seal bearing the Blackwood crest.
Callian watched as Harry slowly unrolled the scroll and carefully read the title of the parchment. "Writ of Fosterage. Wha-What is it this?!"
Amerytha slowly stood up from her chair as she moved towards Harry, a storm of emotions glinting in her eyes.
"It means that should you wish it you will become a ward of House Blackwood, raised alongside Callian as one of our own."
Callian took over as he heard the tremble in his mother's voice. "I promised you that you would never have to go back to those Muggles, if you want you will have a home here. A family should you wish it."
Harry looked up with tears streaming down his face as he held the parchment roll as if it was the most fragile thing in the world. "I- I did not-"
Words failed him as Harry threw himself at Amerytha, holding her tightly as he cried softly into her shoulder.
Callian smiled at his friend, his own eyes wet with unshed tears. "I take it that you accept then?" he asked after a moment.
Harry pulled away as he wiped at his eyes with the sleeve of his pyjamas. "My whole life I thought that there must be someone out there, some lost family member who would come and take me away from the Dursleys, someone...anyone that would come and save me and now I have that in you..."
He trailed off as Amerytha wrapped an arm about his shoulders and for the first time Callian watched as Harry did not pull away.
"Technically we are related, cousins somewhere along the Black family line but it still counts right?" Callian asked with a grin.
Denevan just laughed at Harry's gobsmacked expression. "Most purebloods do no count ties that far back, but when have we ever done anything that those inbred fools consider proper?" He asked rhetorically as he leaned down to pull another present from beside the chair he had been sitting in only a short while earlier, this one was a small wooden box that he offered to Harry with a wide smile.
Harry took the small box and pulled the lid from it without a thought, inside sat a thick journal of aged leather with an iron clasp holding the journal closed.
"This my dear boy is my last gift to you. It is your mothers work journal, I have never been able to get the thing open as Lily seems to have placed a blood ward upon the clasp and I fear that forcing it may have been rather explosive. I believe that you will have much better luck in getting it open and I hope it holds some of the answers to the secrets of your scar."
Harry eagerly reached for the clasp and seemed to struggle with the fastening but it refused to budge, he shot a questioning look at Denevan who merely raised an eyebrow in return.
Callian could almost see the gears turning in Harry's mind before his face lit up as he put the pieces together, putting the book down Harry drew his wand and dragged the tip across his finger with a whispered cutting charm.
A small bead of blood appeared as Harry pressed the digit to the clasp causing it to spring open with a hiss of dispelled Magic, they all clambered around as Harry opened the journal to reveal the small elegant script of Lily Potter.
Harry trailed his fingers over the words upon the page a faint smile upon his lips and Callian gently nudged his friend's shoulder with his own. "Merry Christmas Harry.
Soon they were joined by Belor, Tyrna and Ironmane and it was a much more sedate morning of gift-giving. Both he and Harry had worked together at his insistence to make gifts for everyone, his friend had jumped on the idea and helped him carefully etch the delicate sigils and arrays needed for their gifts.
He watched with bated breath as his family each pulled out a long Rectangular box, setting them upright on the table he instructed them to unfasten the small clasps and lift the lid free.
To their amazement each small platform that remained on the table revealed an illusion of a memory that Callian had placed within, it had taken his several dozen attempts to get right and he had to beg Hagrid to make several dozen more of the wooden platforms just in case.
That had cost him a few coins but in the end, he was happy with the results. For each memory, he had chosen a moment where he was with each of them but the one that garnered the best reaction was of him, Harry and his mother sitting in the School kitchens just eating and laughing and enjoying each others company.
He had Harry help him with that one and taken from the perspective of both of their minds had given the image clarity that was missing in the other images.
He could feel his grandfather probing at the Magics that made up the enchantments and felt inordinately pleased when Denevan gave a proud smile in his direction.
They spent the rest of the day just enjoying each others company, Keeky even managed to coax Arcturus from his sickbed for some fresh air and to join in the festive cheer. It was one of the few times Callian had ever seen the man without a scowl upon his face, and he had spent a few hours just talking to the man about everything that he could think of.
The old man even seemed to approve of Harry's fostering and had gladly told tales of his friendship with Charlus and Dorea Potter much to Harry's delight, all too soon the day came to an end and each of them retired to their own chambers and a night of peaceful sleep awaited them all.
As with all things no peace can last forever, as several days later Callian was awoken by harsh sobbing as Keeky appeared within his bed chambers with a loud crack.
Quickly throwing off his thick duvet he hurried to the House-Elf's side, kneeling he gently placed his hands upon her shoulders as she broke down in heart-wrenching sobs.
Callian knew in his heart that Keeky would only appear before him should the worst have come to pass, he gently picked her up surprised at her lightness as he cradled her in his arms like a small babe.
He left his room with a determined step, doors throwing themselves open at his approach as he made his way to his grandfather's deathbed.
Why he came here alone he could not say but some part of him needed to see the man one last time, as they neared the room Keeky's sobs reached new levels as her piercing cries echoed in the halls.
He could hear his family waking up and stumbling from their beds but he ignored them as he approached the closed door of Arcturus' chambers, the door opened slowly at his command and he stepped into the apartment with uncertain steps. He carefully made his way across the room until he stood before the door of the bed-chamber, he found himself hugging Keeky to his chest as he willed the door to open.
There before him lay the cold, unmoving body of Lord Arcturus Black.
The man looked peaceful in death, none of the agonising pain lingered upon his features now that he had passed beyond the confines of life. Callian could not help but note the ashen hue of the man's face and gently reached out to place his hand upon his grandfather's cold face.
He found himself blinking away tears as he stared at the man. "We were never as close as we could have been...as we should have been. But I promise you I will not let out family fall into ruin."
His voice was a hoarse whisper as he slowly reached down to pull the sheet over his grandfather still form, at his side, Keeky's sobs had faded away now that she had gotten some manner of control of herself.
"Master?" Came her squeaky voice made hoarse by her wailing.
When she had his attention she pulled a thick envelope from her stained rags. "Master Black asked Keeky to give you this, Master Black said it was his last wishes and holds the signet of House Black"
Callian hesitantly took the envelope from the Elf's small hands and set the small creature down as he made to open it, just then the door slammed open as Denevan stormed into the room a small orb of light dancing in the air above his head and his mother close behind.
His mother gasped as she saw the covered form upon the bed and immediately moved to his side but Callian ignored her as he pulled another sealed letter meant for Denevan and one for himself.
With a trembling hand gave his grandfather his letter before opening his own, the Signet ring of House Black lay nestled within the folds of the envelope and he found his eyes tearing up as he tipped it into his hand.
It lay heavy within his palm and seemed to echo with the faint traces of enchantments, but for once he found himself unable to focus his mind to study them.
His eyes blurred as they roamed over the words on the page, and it took him several attempts before he was able to make sense of what was written there.
Callian,
These will be my last words to you and I wish to leave you with a reminder of the man that I once was instead of this frail and broken cripple.
I have many regrets in this life, but the single greatest one to me now that my end draws near is I never got to see the man that you will become. I have kept my distance from you to ensure that you and your family would not be targeted by those seeking to take what belongs to our House.
You are the last hope for House Black, our name is one of the oldest in Britain yet our family has fallen far from the glory we once knew.
I have instructed Denevan to act as regent until you come of age, your grandfather's reputation and power will do much to protect you but I warn you to take care. Many will seek to target you for their own agendas both good or ill in the coming years, and I can only hope that you will have the strength and wisdom to navigate the treacherous waters you will now find yourself in.
When time permits seek out the other holdings of House Black, you are the last trueborn son of our family and the Signet will act as key to the family wards. Gather what resources you can from them and keep your friends and family close, they are both your greatest weakness and greatest strength.
I truly wish you the best of luck for the future and hope you succeed where so many of our House have failed.
Remember our words Callian; Always Pure.
It has nothing to with our Blood, I only realise that now that when I have no way to make things better for our family.
Always be pure in your convictions, if you strive for something do so with a singular, pure focus and you will achieve what few others have down in life.
You are my hope for the future.
Toujours Pur.
Lord Arcturus Black.
Callian stared at the words for what felt like an age before his mother slowly pulled the letter from his fingers, a soft voice calling his name pulled him from his tumultuous thoughts and he looked up to see Harry's ashen face staring at him from the doorway.
His friend's eyes would dart towards the covered form on the bed and he seemed to hesitate between rushing to his side or staying outside of the room, Callian let himself be ushered towards the doorway by his mother while his grandfather dealt with Arcturus' remains.
He felt a shudder pass through him at the thought.
This was not the first time he had seen death so close and with a grim certainty he knew it would not be the last, he remembered the first time he had seen the injured and dead Warriors of his fathers hold that had been carried back to Kar Zurent from their skirmishes in the deep dark that lay beneath the world. He had been summoned to act as an assistant for his grandfather and his Apprentices as they had desperately sought to heal the injured and dying, he could still hear the scream in his nightmares of the Dwarven warriors as they called for their wives and mothers.
It was then he knew that the hatred he held for the Goblin race took root, he had seen the horrific and mutilated remains of those that had not made it back after an expedition was sent to reclaim the dead and knew then that the Greenskin filth were undeserving of mercy or forgiveness.
Once they stepped out into the hallway Harry slowly strode forward until he blocked their path, Callian could clearly see the look of concern upon his friends face.
"Are you alright, Cal?" Harry's voice was held a disquieted tremor as he stared up at him and Callian could only shake his head.
His mother squeezed him to her side with a desperate strength and yet he did not pull away, in that moment he found himself more vulnerable than he had thought he would ever be over the passing of his Great-Grandfather.
At the back of his mind he felt the bond he shared with Faenir and found the dragon's presence quiet and dim as his familiar was out hunting in the forest, he felt only the vaguest of sensations from Faenir yet he clung to them in the hopes of distracting his racing mind.
Distantly he could sense Faenir hurrying back now that the dragon had sensed his own emotional state, and felt his faithful friends comforting presence grow stronger with each passing second.
They retired to the family solar and Callian found himself barely paying attention as his mother quickly stoked the fire, and before he knew it he found a cup of hot tea being pressed into his hands by a still sobbing Keeky.
Gently he reached out and ran his hand over the House-Elf's bald scalp in the same manner that he had seen Arcturus do, slowly Keeky's sobs faded away as she turned her red and puffy gaze towards him.
"Keeky is sorry Master, Keeky could not save Lord Black!" Callian watched as Keeky bowed her head as she closed her eyes to try and stem the flood of tears, she had taken to knotting up her rags in one small fist as she bit the knuckle of her other hand hard enough to draw blood to try and stop the wailing he knew threatened to burst free.
Amerytha gently rubbed the House-Elf's back as she muttered nonsense words to try and offer some small comfort to the creature, despite his own turbulent emotions Callian acted on instinct and with barely a thought he weaved a spell into being that had the cup floating from his hands as he leant towards Keeky.
The Elf tensed as if expecting a blow but Callian merely lifted her chin until she was staring up into his eyes.
"You are not to blame for my Grandfather's passing." His words were little more than a whisper but they seemed to echo in the quiet of the night, he held her gaze for several long heartbeats until she eventually gave a minute bob of her head.
He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up to see Harry standing behind him, his friend gave a gentle squeeze of his hand and as the boy sent him a questioning look to which Callian merely nodded his head in return.
"I'll be fine. I just need some time to process everything... We were never close but I still cared for him after a fashion."
Harry merely nodded his head as he took a seat in one of the empty armchairs before the fire, Callian watched as his friend sat staring at the flames before he leaned forward and asked. "Are you alright?"
Harry offered him an uncertain grimace but eventually, he returned to staring at the flames. "That is the first time I have seen a dead body before."
Callian could only nod at his friend, it was never an easy thing to be confronted by death but like all things the more you are exposed to it the easier it becomes.
He said as much to Harry causing the room to fall as they were each lost in their own thoughts.
Amerytha stared at the two boys before her, she could not help the heartache as she watched another sliver of their childhood wither and die before her eyes. She yearned to shield them both from the horrors of the world but another part of her, the part that had been raised by one of the most powerful Magi in living memory and been tutored by the very same dwarves that had a hand in raising her son knew that they were stronger for it.
She could not help but marvel at the maturity both boys displayed, and while she felt that they could both do with easing up their studies and just being children for a little bit longer she knew in her heart that these two would not be given an ordinary life.
She had spoken with several of their other teachers at the school and had been amazed at just how much more advanced they were, it seemed that even their friends Hermione and Adria were steadily advancing with Callian's aid.
It had been another reason for her to talk to them both about accepting the Vassalage, while young and new to the Magical world they were so much more than the rest of their year mates. Never had she imagined the potential they displayed during the Gathering, they were mere children yet already they blazed with power and that would only grow as they aged and learned to use their Magic.
Eventually, she managed to coax them back to their beds but not before Callian had shown Keeky to the servants quarters, the last time that they had been used had been when Selvy had still been with them and they were far from liveable but keeky had seemed to swell with pleasure at the sight of so much dust and had gone into a cleaning frenzy much to their bemusement. She had assumed that this was how the young House-Elf dealt with her grief but had no way of knowing for certain, with the House-Elf taken care of she managed to get them back to their beds before she returned to aid her father.
She found Denevan carefully weaving stasis spells over the covered form upon the bed, he barely paid her any attention as he studied the papers in his hand.
Once he was finished he held them out to her as his eyes stared down at the body upon the bed, his eyes held a hard glint to them and his words came out like a glacial wind that sent a shiver down his spine. "We have work to do."
