Two Months After Arriving

Harry hurt, not enough to complain, just enough to stop quick movement. This was his least favourite drill, his best but the one he hated the most. Vern and Sirius have him fighting five opponents and Harry can only use a sword, no shield. Harry is good there's no question about it, however fighting five different people, with different weapons is a bit too hard. He doesn't do badly, he normally ends up taking three down, then gets beaten by the other two.

This time however is shaping up to be different, he already knocked out three of his opponents in record time, now all that's left is the last two and they just have swords, like him, unlike Harry however they're not comfortable without a shield.

The bigger one told the smaller one to move behind Harry while he keeps him occupied. It's a good strategy, except Harry expects it. When the big one charges Harry sidesteps and deflects the blow, responding with a left to right slash at his torso, it's blocked. Harry takes two quick steps back. The big guy took three, enough distance to get some good speed on a charge. Harry notices him looking over his shoulder, guessing that his other opponent is there he decides to take a chance. Harry turned to face him, stood slightly angled to allow for a quick spin or side steps. Harry feints left, the magic that he's unknowing producing in battle sharpening his senses detects his first opponent charging, right behind him in fact. Harry spins right, sees both his opponents strike true, on each other. Big guy getting hit in the head, hard, he drops, knocked out. Smaller guy getting hit in the ribs, he staggers back a few steps. Harry charges, he's quick, always has been now though, he closes the ten odd paces between then in a few short seconds and starts to unload. Right to left, left to right, overhand, kicks and thrusts. The first few horizontal slashes are blocked, the overhand is deflected, the kick was unexpected. It connected hard to his right leg, the thrust landed hard against his chest followed up by a quick overhand to end the fight. Harry wins. He's battered and bruised, with a broken nose, however he won. That's all that really matters at this point. There was some groans, some applause and a lot of cheering, the cheering mainly coming from Sirius.

When Vern walked to greet Harry after his match, he was smiling. When he got to Harry he congratulated him on a well fought match, encouraging him to keep practicing. That's when he sighed, saying, "You two are going to have to keep your magic to a complete minimum, only using it in your own home. The Hand of the King is going to be coming through, there's also a chance that Prince Oberyn will come out to meet him with a company of men. The crown has recently seen fit to return the remains of Princess Elia and her children, Rhaenys and Aegon Targaryen. Princess Elia was Oberyn's elder sister." Harry pauses for a moment before replying, "Didn't the rebellion end a good while ago? Shouldn't they have been returned long ago?" Vern just nods saying that they should have.

Three hours later, just before dinner

Harry and Sirius are sitting at the table in their small home waiting for the dinner Sirius was making to be ready. Harry glances at Sirius and asks, "You heard about the guest we'll be having soon?" Sirius nods, replying, "Yeah, poor showing from the crown, not returning the bodies when Dorne bent the knee. Not surprised though, not with the stories about the King. What do you reckon after dinner we finish making the training room under the house?" Harry nods, gestures at the small kitchen, saying that dinner smells ready. Sirius gets up and serves it out, chicken, potatoes, some carrots, corn and onion. Nothing fancy but filling food. After dinner, about thirty minutes later, Harry and Sirius walk to the small area that has been made to be a stairway to the basement they were making. Sirius opens the door to the stairs and says, "Let's get to work then kid." Harry smiles and nods

When they get down the stairs and see the open wall Harry says, "You take the left side I'll take right?" Sirius grins and nods then they get to work making an area to train their swords skill, magic and exercise. If you were in their house at this moment you'd hear shouted words like excavo and reprehendo metallum. Meanwhile in the basement you'd see large sections of the wall on the right and left side of the room hitting the floor, then vanishing with a simple Evanesco. It took an hour of digging and vanishing to get a well sized room but they had done it.

Sirius looks at Harry and says, "You know kid, this rooms pretty big but if we could put some expansion charms around it'd be a lot bigger. Plus if we make it bigger we might be able to add in different rooms. Before we decide if we'll do that though, we have to make sure this place won't collapse on us, so it's time for you to learn a few new charms. The first one is 'Firmamentum' it's a Latin veriant of support, it will allow for walls to be supported even when it should be physically impossible. The next and, in my opinion, one of the most useful is 'Induro' It's a spell that can strengthen walls, doors and the like. The wand motion for 'Firmamentum' is an X motion followed by a sharp jab towards the wall or door you wish to support. The wand motion for 'Induro' is simply a sharp upwards slash, it's better to cast it directly in front of the wall you wish to enhance. Got that Harry? That's good because you're going to do all the walls except the left side, I'll watch you to see if you're doing it right and don't worry, we'll write some spells into a book later."

One hour and thirty minutes later

Harry breathes a sigh of relief, so does Sirius for that matter. Harry successfully made their new chamber safe. All that they need to do is get wood planks or stone around the walls to carve runes into, wood or stones on the floor, again to carve runes into, then they'd be set. Harry looks excited, this is the biggest thing he's ever made after all.

Sirius looks at Harry and grins, saying, "Well kid you did good, hard work though innit? I remember your mum complaining about how Flitwick wanted her to dig out and create a bunker for her to make spells in. mainly so she didn't damage your dad 'accidently' happened a lot oddly enough. Then again, it was bloody useful in the war, she could dig a trap faster than you could say 'Snitch'." Harry and Sirius laugh before Sirius says, "Right, you better get to bed, those spells took it out of you. I'll conjure and anchor some dummies for you to beat on tomorrow, then the day after, we'll practice some combat centric magic okay?" Harry nods, yawns and says goodnight to Sirius and heads to bed.

Sirius is impressed, those spells should have left Harry unconscious after two, even Flitwick had to take an hour every three spells after all. Harry is truly more powerful than people give him credit for, quick learner too. Sirius is true to his word, he conjures three dummies and sets them in the corner, before heading upstairs himself.

When he gets to the family room/dinner room he silently walks to Harry's room and sees him sleeping like a log. Sirius quietly makes his way to his own room and pulls out a black and red leather tome, it has some type of etching on it that's too hard to make out in the dark of his room, though he doesn't need to see it to know what it is. Two swords crossed with a wand in the middle with wolves beside them and a stag above them. The tome that Lily bought him for his birthday in seventh year, the tome he hadn't thought about in years. That is, until he found it in the pocket of his robes, the same ones he was wearing that day. He takes a quill and three ink pots to the table and prepares them for a long night of work.

When he's ready he points his wand and says 'Transcribe Memoria' and the quill starts to move, starting with his charms knowledge.

Jon Arryn, All Roads Lead to Dorne

Jon was unbelievably happy, he was finally out of the cesspit known as King's Landing. Temporary it may be, at least he could smell fresh air again, didn't have to deal with Lannisters or Robert's temper tantrums and rants about 'Dragonspawn'. 'Honestly that man is annoying, I have no idea where I went wrong with him. At least Ned's a good lad and an even better Lord. I should have tried to put Ned on the throne, at least he'd pay attention to the realm and not the whores.'

They'd been on the road for a week now, their goal, Sunspear, their cargo, the bodies of the deceased Princess Elia, Prince Aegon and Princess Rhaenys. With him were five hundred men, Baratheon and Arryn soldiers, why there were so many, mainly a show of strength and the fact that Jon was the Hand of the King. He does pretty much run the realm after all.

They haven't encountered any difficulties so far, then again they weren't very far from the capital. It's Dorne they'll have to be careful in, Robert's reign isn't so well received there after all. Why would it? He allowed a Princess of Dorne to be killed then rewarded the man who ordered it. Just thinking about it makes Jon feel ill, the sick glee that was in Robert's eye when he realised who they were. Horrifying. That's the first moment he saw Eddard 'The Quiet Wolf' Stark truly furious. Ned still doesn't write to Robert regularly, to Jon every two weeks. Be it with his reports, updates on his children's progress, asking for advice on some problems or trade and sometimes just wishing Jon to come up and have a chat or visit to see Ned's own kids, he is Ned's father in all but blood after all.

This journey is going to take at least three more weeks, with the size of Jon's party, the need to stop and restock it may take even longer. Annoying but nothing anyone can do about it. 'At least I get some peace and quiet for a change, smell the air and feel young again, travelling so far. Although I'm sure the Dornish are going to be mighty annoyed that I didn't simply take a ship and go over land back to the Keep.'

Doran Martell The Water Gardens, Sunspear, Dorne

Doran is amused. He's currently watching his brother stomp around like a caged animal. Oberyn is furious. His brother is allowing Jon Arryn, the right hand of the Usurper to simply RIDE here as opposed to taking a ship, which would get their late sister, niece and nephew back home to be put to rest.

Doran looks at Oberyn and says, "Brother, stop your pacing, Jon Arryn will be here within two moons. We can finally put our sweet sister to rest." Oberyn glares at Doran and snaps, "He'd be here within the fucking moon, brother, if you didn't allow him to ride with a fucking convoy from King's bloody Landing." Doran looks at Oberyn sighs and replies, "You are, of course, right brother. You cannot blame the Lord Hand however, how long did it take you until you ran out of the capital because of the smell? I didn't allow Jon Arryn to ride here, I insisted upon it. Now before you interrupt like you want to, let me explain. Lord Arryn was one of two people to speak out on the crimes against our family, the other was Eddard Stark, unlike Eddard however, Jon couldn't simply not speak to Robert the Whoremonger. Not as his Hand, and the next option was far less than ideal, Tywin Lannister. I am fine with Jon Arryn riding here with our sister, we get her back and he gets out of the capital. Gets to enjoy himself. Now why don't you go and enjoy yourself with Ellaria, you're getting too worked up here."

Oberyn just grunts and walks off to find his paramour.

Doran sighs and takes a sip of wine, it's sweet. He looks down at the letter in his hand, the first one from Jon Arrynn he sighs again. He's annoyed because Jon is being completely honest, if he were trying to worm his way out of something he did then Doran could understand, be angry, but he's not. Jon Arryn truly thought Elia and her children were returned here, and that makes him hate Robert Baratheon and Tywin Lannister ever more.

An Overlook

Death feels stronger. No that's wrong, Magic feels stronger and it's empowering Death, as is the cycle.

As Death is looking on it strikes the being as odd, that his two new little Wizards are hiding their skills. After all, if that elder man, Jon, saw he could grant them whatever they want. He's the right Hand of the King after all.

As Death's many facing shifts once more, Death is reminded of something. The small Wizard and a strange scar, one touched by Him. Well Death has nothing but time, when the small one goes to sleep Death's long lost counterpart, Magic, shall inspect it. After all, who knows Magic like a God?

They are, Death decides, delightfully resourceful. Far more than those pesky Dragon Lords at least. These ones don't seem to wish for immortality, just peace and a home. Although, it seems that they shall stay. Making friends and the like, that's what mortals do right? Death has long since forgot, he also doesn't really care. No one, after all, likes Death, the end of everything, the one inevitable. Well except for his followers, they're just weird. Fairly annoying too, after all Death has to do paperwork, and that's just cruel.

Death does truly miss the old days however, even the power hungry Sorcerers, they made the day interesting at least. The days where men fought each other to survive, not that they really stopped, they just changed their reasons. Not those Northerners however, they kept their reasons, survival, always survival. It seems however, that the realm of man shall change and change soon, Wizards, Wizards always make it more interesting.

Words W/O A/N: 2487

A/N: A faster chapter out, will probably pick up a little in terms of what happens for a bit or the next chapter will be a bit more slow. Most of the spells will be of my own creation, with English to Latin translator. Got a few ideas for other stories but am hesitant to post because I have two up and 'Do Over' will most likely be stalled until this is half complete or fully complete. Do you think I should have a 'One/Two-Shot' bin?