So, while working on the fifth chapter of Another Fine Mess..., I got to thinking, it didn't quite feel right. It almost felt like an also-ran of Parva Sub Ingenti in some ways. So, I decided to revisit my other GATE crossover idea. Originally, it was meant to answer my 'Harry Mercury' challenge, but as awesome as a Harry raised by Rory Mercury would be, I decided to do something else. The main thing that carried over from that story is the pairing, a threeway pairing of Harry/Lelei/Myuute (that's the Siren girl, in case you don't know), and Harry's approximate age.

This idea does owe a little to Split-Girl's In Which Harry Ditches Everybody! Welcome to Ancient Culture Chop Suey, in that it features a Harry who has been to Hogwarts, but has come to Falmart partway through his schooling. Unlike Split-Girl's work, this story has a post-Book 5 Harry ending up accidentally in Falmart...and ending up, eventually, at Coda Village, albeit not before rescuing Myuute from her canon fate. This Harry actually has incentive to go back home, even if it's to stop Voldemort from killing his friends, which is going to provide some angst here.

As with Another Fine Mess..., Rory is going to be written somewhat differently in this story to Parva Sub Ingenti, as more of a maternal/big sister figure, one who shows her age a bit more often, but without sacrificing what makes Rory Mercury so awesome. Another Fine Mess... may still get published, though, so don't worry. However, I think this one might appeal to people a little more...


WORLDS APART

CHAPTER 1:

REFUGE

Happenstance and coincidence are two of the most surprisingly powerful forces in the cosmos, even if they do pretty much happen at random. Many ascribe such things to fate, but often, it is just sheer serendipity or ill fortune, depending. Sometimes they can change lives, and even worlds.

On the world of Mondas, in the continent of Falmart, there was a village by the name of Coda, its populace 600 strong. Of these 600, two of the most notable citizens were mages, living a little away from the village, in a house next to a waterfall, a house with a vast library. They kept to themselves for the most part, and were well-respected by the other villagers, for the most part.

The senior mage, Cato El Athelstan, was a sage of considerable renown and an alumnus of the famous academy of Rondel, the great magic academic city of Falmart. Short and wizened, the old man was nonetheless still a formidable mage. His only fault was that he was something of a pervert, though thankfully, he never gave any such attention to his young apprentice.

Lelei La Lalena was 15, rather slender and petite, her cute features frequently stoic and almost expressionless. Her hair and eyes were blue, and she was formerly of the Rurudo nomads before her talent, and that of her stepsister, was recognised. She was ridiculously intelligent, with her ability to learn enhanced by blessings from Elange and La, the deities of knowledge and learning.

Lelei, although a diligent student, was far from a morning person, and resembled a revenant as she shuffled out of the house to fetch some water from a nearby well. However, she was startled to find a pair of people climbing out of the nearby river, albeit with considerable difficulty. One seemed to be a boy her age or a little older, his black hair messy. The other, to her astonishment, was a young Siren girl of the same age, her green hair actually a mass of feathers, feathers that also covered her limbs, as well as a pair of bird-like legs.

Lelei hesitated only for a moment, before she used her staff to levitate the two out of the water. Magic wasn't to be used in trivial situations, but it could be used to save lives, of course. She went over to them. "Are you two okay?"

The Siren grimaced. "Fantastic," she said, a little irritably. She looked up at Lelei with light brown eyes. "Hey, where are we, anyway?"

"You are on the outskirts of Coda Village," Lelei said.

"Coda? Oh, that's a relief! Looks like his little trick took us further than I thought. That, or the river took us quite a way away," the Siren said, getting to her feet. "Sorry to drop in on you like this, but this guy just managed to save us both from this bandit group that's been causing a bit of trouble near Italica. He doesn't speak the local language, which is weird, but I think he understood I was as much a prisoner as he was. He's definitely a mage, though. Used some spell or something to teleport to that river."

"You were with a bandit gang?" Lelei asked, tensing ever so slightly.

"Not by choice. Those bastards kidnapped me a few weeks ago when I was travelling to Italica to find work at the Formal household, or at least somewhere in Italica," the Siren said. "I'm Myuute Luna Sires, by the way. You?"

"Lelei La Lalena, student of the sage Cato El Athelstan," Lelei said. She decided that Myuute was not that much of a danger, if only because bandits were unlikely to stage such an elaborate infiltration. She was still wary, if only because Sirens were masters of spiritual magic, especially wind-based magic. She found her attention going to the boy, who had gotten to his feet, and was peering at Lelei curiously using glasses which were broken. Noticing this, he scowled, took them off, and used what looked like a wand to repair them. His eyes were emerald, and Lelei noticed a scar on his forehead, in the shape of a lightning bolt. His clothes were curious, a mixture of robes and clothes with a finer weave than she had ever seen before. "And this is?"

"His name's the only thing I got out of him. I think he calls himself Harry Potter. I think the language is the one they use in Elbe, or not unlike it. You know it?"

Lelei nodded. Even before she was chosen as a student, Lelei was told by her parents to learn as many languages as possible. This was an offshoot of their time as nomads, where they needed to learn languages to speak and trade with, and the tongue of Elbe was one she was somewhat familiar with. So she tried it. "Hello. Can you understand me?"

His eyes widened comically. "Yes, I can!" His accent was a little strange, not quite as harsh or guttural as most speakers of that tongue were, but it was perfectly understandable. "Sorry, I've been trying to make myself understood to this bird girl for a long time. She called herself Mute or something."

"Myuute," Lelei clarified. "Her name is Myuute Luna Sires, and she is a Siren. I am Lelei La Lalena. She said your name was Harry Potter, am I correct?"

"Yes, that's right. You…don't know that name?"

Lelei frowned slightly. "Should I? Are you famous?"

"Well, yes, but…I've got the feeling I'm not in Kansas anymore."

"Kansas?"

He shook his head. "Sorry, it's a joke. So…where am I, exactly?"

"Coda Village."

"Not…London? Britain?"

"I don't know those names."

"Of course you don't," Harry said quietly, an edge of despair in his tone. "…Of course you don't. Can you tell Myuute…thanks for helping us escape? She used some sort of wind magic to buy us time to escape when they were trying to kill us."

Lelei nodded, and she said to the Siren, "Harry wishes to thank you for helping him escape."

"He's more than welcome, though to be honest, he did more than I did. I owe him a pretty major debt," Myuute said. "Without him, I would've been stuck with those bandits. Hell, a few were even thinking of turning me into their plaything. Does…does he want me to…redress that debt with my body?"

Lelei translated that to Harry. Distasteful as it was, sexual favours were a not uncommon way for women to settle debts. Harry, upon hearing that, looked shocked, embarrassed and affronted. "What? No, no no! I mean, she's a pretty girl, and so are you, but…we don't do that where we come from…well, not that I know of! No, no…anyway, I'm not even 16 yet. What's wrong with her?"

"My apologies, but some women use sexual favours to settle debts, and some people demand them of people whom they have helped," Lelei explained, actually astonished that Harry complimented her looks as well, but hiding it. "I understand your disgust. I despise the practise myself, and I am sure Myuute is relieved. But she owes you a debt for helping her out. To offer herself like that to you, she clearly feels she owes you much for saving her. Given what the bandits could have done to her, she was lucky that you helped her." She then relayed a translation to Myuute, who sighed with relief, though she preened at being called pretty.

"Listen…this is probably going to sound insane," Harry said. "But I come from another world, I'm sure of it. I thought I might've gone back in time or something, but, well…magic isn't hidden here, right?"

"Of course it isn't. Is it hidden where you come from?" The very idea was alien to Lelei, but she found herself curious. Then again, if one had to describe her ground state of being, it was intense curiosity, one that showed itself more in her manner than on her face. Then again, he mentioned coming from another world. Had the Gate on Alnus Hill opened?

"Yes. You…don't seem surprised that I come from another world."

"No. Has the Gate on Alnus Hill opened up?"

As Harry looked puzzled, not understanding the question, Myuute said, "I heard you mention Alnus. We were nowhere near there. He quite literally dropped out of thin air."

"He claims to be from another world, Myuute. I am merely clarifying something, as the Gate is the only known place that opens up onto another world," Lelei said.

Harry frowned. "Sorry, did you say something about a Gate on Alnus Hill? As in, a gateway to another world?"

"Yes, I did. I don't know whether it opens up on your world, though. It is said to open once every several centuries. The last time was about a thousand years before," Lelei explained to Harry.

He stared at her in shock. "And…there's no way to open it myself? Or another way to another world?"

"If there is, I don't know it. I'm sorry. I doubt that they would even know anything in Rondel, and they have one of the largest libraries in the world," Lelei said apologetically.

Harry seemed like he was beginning to panic, his eyes wide, his breath hastening. "I'm…stranded? Marooned?"

Lelei was not the most emotionally expressive of people, but she was by his side in an instant, gently embracing him. "We'll do what we can, Harry," she said, as soothingly as she could. Myuute joined what had now become a group hug. "If we can find a way to send you home, we'll try."

"Thanks…but I don't know…how long…they'll think I'm dead, Lelei. For all I know, Voldemort's already gone and killed them, and…and…" He began weeping quietly.

"Voldemort?"

"A warlock who killed my parents," Harry explained. "There was an arch with a veil on it. I fell through it trying to save my godfather. And then…" He fell silent. And Lelei's heart went out to him. Because if his tale was true, he had been stranded, and a warlock was on the rampage whence he came…


Cato El Athelstan looked at the young wizard after hearing his story, courtesy of Lelei. "Well, if this boy's story is true, then he's in a pickle and no mistake," he remarked solemnly. "I don't know of any place in our world that matches the places he speaks of, and the only portal into this world, at least that's two-way, is the Gate on Alnus Hill. There are occasional rumours of people suddenly appearing in Falmart, but we've given them little credence. Maybe there is something else known to the mages of Rondel. I know that Mimoza was researching the Gate on the request of Rory Mercury."

"Does that mean the Apostle of Emroy might actually know something herself?" Myuute asked.

"Perhaps, though I was sure the Gate was opened by other gods," Cato said, as Lelei translated for Harry. "I don't think Emroy has a hand in the matter, though the same could not be said for the likes of Hardy."

"Sorry, I'm confused," Harry said to Lelei as he heard her translation. "Apostle? Emroy? Hardy?"

"Apostles are demigods empowered by the gods to do their will in this world," Lelei explained. "Rory Mercury is the oldest known Apostle, and is the oracle and high priestess of Emroy, the god of war, insanity and calamity. Despite her patron deity, she is actually quite friendly to most people, and should she come here to Coda, she would help you if she can, I am sure. Hardy is the goddess of death." To Cato, she asked, "Master, would Lady Mercury be in the area?"

"Rumour has it that she is," Cato said. "She has apparently been spotted crossing the Dumas Mountains a few days ago. You know how she likes to stop by Coda when she's in the area to speak to the locals, especially the children. That being said, warn this young man that an Apostle is not one to be trifled with. Lady Mercury is fairly tolerant and easy-going, but she may decide to send him to her master if she takes umbrage. Still, I'm sure she would be willing to listen, and to divulge any information she knows. One thing about Rory Mercury is that she is a lover of novelty. He might pique her interest."

"Is that a good thing?" Myuute asked apprehensively as Lelei spoke to Harry. "I mean, there is a reason she's infamous as Rory the Reaper. She's rumoured to have killed more people than even the Flame Dragon."

"As I said, she's generally tolerant and easy-going, and as it stands, she may be Harry's best hope of getting home..."

CHAPTER 1 ANNOTATIONS:

So, an unusual beginning, told mostly from the POV of Lelei. Plus, Myuute got rescued from the bandits. I wondered how she ended up with them. Obviously, Myuute is being based more on her appearance in the anime rather than the manga, where she looks a bit older.

No numbered annotations this time.