See first chapter for disclaimers/warnings/summaries. Link to TBDH Forum is in my profile. This chapter was betaed by the wonderful brissygirl to provide a smoother reading experience. All remaining mistakes are my own.

This chapter is posted early and dedicated to projectjay(I hope your week improves!) and to haruilikeyou(happy belated bday).

Character list is mentioned at the bottom, see A/N's.

RECAP: Harry and Co have split up with the respective members of the Deveraine Circle and are exploring the Hunt together in small groups. After an incident in Gheyo territory, away from the noise, the crowd and Wikhn, Harry and Theo are able to have a an important conversation about their future, present worries and Voldemort. Once the seriousness is over, Theo is happy to distract Harry until the introductions are about to begin, when Harry asks for some time to be alone. Harry and the Merrow, Alec, meet up for the second time and Harry learns a few disturbing things about the proud, vain water elemental. Alec casts a shape shifting spell on Harry to protect him from a Merrow Official known as Advisor Kalen and then removes it moments before Theo activates the portal to bring Harry to the entrance for their formal introduction into the Hunt. The portal catches Harry unawares...

THE BETA'S HUNTING ADVENTURES (CHARLIE AND THEO)

By the time Loren and Okahn decided to be more serious than they already were, Charlie was excused when the messenger boy came back with a message, requesting his presence for Theo. Apparently, his Alpha had tried to summon him and received the message that he was currently indisposed and come searching for him, personally.

Charlie had quickly excused himself then, glad for the interruption and purposefully ignoring Aracle's knowing smirk. He'd gathered his things, dressing quickly and hurried out to the exit to meet his Alpha, lounging outside in the front waiting room.

"Theo."

The brunet turned, gold eyes warming considerably at the sight of Charlie and his still-damp hair. "Charlie, I'm sorry for the interruption. I could have left this at the desk, but I figured it would be of more use if I made sure to tell you what it was." He held up a small plaque of wood, hanging from a leather-like cord, with familiar symbol on it—the Nott Circle crest.

"It's fine—oh." Charlie accepted the token, turning it over in his hand. He'd seen Aracle with one, this was what the Rhyeo had used to pay for everything.

"It slipped my mind earlier, I honestly didn't think about it, until after I gave Harry his own." Theo held out his hand.

Charlie handed it back, then held his wrist out, waiting while Theo quickly tied it on. He was pleasantly surprised to see the plaque shrink even smaller, the bracelet becoming more discrete and subtle. He had been wondering just how currency was handled in this realm and it was a detail he hadn't felt comfortable asking anyone else as yet. Theo would most likely gift him the appropriate explanation if asked and Charlie made a mental note to do so—when they were away from public view. "It's fine. Aracle has been taking care of things."

"Has he? I owe him then, do remind me to repay him for it." Theo smiled, warmly. The Deveraines were friends as far as their social status was concerned, but he was a pureblood and he was definitely Slytherin and Slytherins did not like being indebted for any sort of reason, no matter the relationship. His golden gaze flickered back to where Charlie had come from and his look softened at once. "It looks like you spent a lovely morning in a lovely place. Were the hot springs nice?"

"Very," Charlie allowed, starting towards the exit. "We arrived some time back. I was there for a little while. It's very nice. Never had the opportunity before."

"You haven't tried sunbathing yet," Theo teased. "You'll likely enjoy it almost as much."

Charlie half-smiled. "Probably. It was very nice. I think Harry would like it."

"I'm glad. I'm sure we can bring Harry here at some point or another," Theo fell into step beside him as if it were perfectly natural, their strides adjusting accordingly for their different heights. "If he isn't interested, then I'd be more than happy to accompany you any time that you'd like, if you wish to enjoy them on your own."

The redhead blinked. He hadn't been expecting that at all. A happy feeling bubbled up inside of him. "You know about the…?" He tried to say, unsure of how to phrase Aracle's mention of the animosity between the water and fire elements.

Theo's golden eyes lightened. "Earth element." He said, quietly. "The earth element is powerful and it is always close to the fire element. It is something of the natural order of things. The water and air elements are together. Storm belongs to the water and air and the shadow element rests between the fire and earth." He shrugged. "It's not as complicated as it sounds, but it might take some figuring to understand all the reasons for it."

"It fits," Charlie said, after a moment. "Water and air together, that would make a storm, wouldn't it? And fire and earth, there'd be shadows and smoke and all that."

Theo winked. "Precisely."

Charlie smiled, pleased with himself for figuring that out. "Are they neutral then? The Storm and Shadow or are they like the others?"

Theo chuckled. "The Merrow—the water types—are the only ones that are vocal about their displeasure of a disliked element, in your case, the fire element. The other elements play well together. The Shadow element has some stigma surrounding it, as legend suggests that it holds a close second to death magic, but a shadow is a shadow, there is very little spirit involved, or so I have been told."

"and the Storm?" Charlie had to double-check. He was thinking of Ilsa and Greta.

"The Storm element is picky only in the fact that they prefer to choose, they don't like to be chosen," Theo explained. "In the example of my charming mentor, Greta chose Ilsa. It wasn't the other way around. Storms are notoriously difficult to court because of that. Earth types are the easiest, we're calm and open, we'll give you the benefit of doubt."

"And fire is difficult because we may or may not be short-tempered?" Charlie guessed. "Or we—why?" He gave up on guessing and looked to Theo, expectantly. This was too important to be guessing about.

Theo hummed in thought. "Well, the fire types do tend to be a little more temperamental, but mostly it's your sense of courage and vanity."

"Vanity?" Charlie blinked.

Theo's lips twitched. "Yes, vanity. Fire types are very vain, present company excluded of course," the lips twitched into a definite smirk. "The triple or quad-colored hair is usually a dead giveaway and it is almost always red, indicative of the type of flame they wield. As for the true vanity, it may not be the kind of you're thinking of, but allow me to put it this way. Of all the career choices in the world, you chose to be a dragon tamer."

Charlie opened his mouth to speak and then blushed. He was quiet for another moment, thinking it through, then shook his head. There was precious little he could say to that, there were plenty of other options he'd had laid out for, him, but dragon taming had been his passion. "This is complicated, isn't it?"

"Only if you think it must be," Theo chuckled. "For what it's worth, I see you as more than your element."

"…thanks." Charlie stepped closer, his blue-eyed gaze flickering over some of the passersby. He'd noticed a few dismissive looks towards Theo, who tended to give off the impression of being small and quiet, in spite of his Alpha status. He wondered if something was off. His shoulders prickled slightly, but his wings felt perfectly fine so he ignored the first stirrings of unease. "What about the other types?"

"Hmmm, well, Air is proud," Theo said, after some thought. "They have very high standards of loyalty and justice. They have the ability to manipulate air—one of the very substances required for life—much like the Merrow and water, so they have a right to be proud about it, but they're also very independent. For Air types to settle into a Circle with other elements, it means there's something of great significance there for them. Air Circles tend to travel a great deal and only keep to their own element—especially since if there's more than one Air element in a Circle, they'd want to live up there." Theo gestured up to the sky. "On a clear day, you could see straight up in the Arieal City, it's very different from down here and you know without a doubt, that if you are not an Air element, things will be difficult."

Charlie nodded, thinking back to a certain dour Potions Master and their small Circle. Harry had mentioned that they were all Air types and he could sort of see how that would work with them. A frown registered for a moment. "So what about the water—the Merrow? They're just—what?" He'd been trying and failing to picture the elusive water elemental side of dragel culture and so far, his mind drew an absolute blank. He definitely wanted to know more, especially if it seemed that they were doomed to dislike each other on principle alone.

Theo chuckled. "Merrow are difficult." He allowed. "And they probably have all rights and reasons to be as they are. For all of the elements, they are all three, they are proud, vain and powerful. They are the only element to have a completely different society from the rest of us. Even the Air types, though they live aboveground, it's the same as the Fire types who prefer to reside in the volcanic regions and the Earth types who prefer to live in the hollows of the valleys. It's partially instinct and partially other things. One does not simply wake up one day and decide they hate the rest of the world, yes?"

Charlie nodded, subtly baring his fangs when one unfriendly gaze lingered on Theo a little longer than he liked. He frowned inwardly and shifted closer yet again, ignoring the fact that their hands occasionally brushed as they walked. He hadn't noticed this before, either because Aracle had been very skillful in keeping his attention focused elsewhere or perhaps, simply because it was Theo. "Where are we headed?"

"Hmm? Oh. I was actually heading back towards the stadium. Bahn and the others have a special box, because of their social status and they've included us in the seating arrangements and I have had enough to walking about for the time being. Ilsa tells me that introductions are slated within the hour, I thought I might—ah, sorry. That was rather presumptuous of me. Did you have anywhere else you wanted to explore?"

Charlie frowned. That was too obvious to ignore. "I'm not sure. If I do?"

"Then expect to be summoned sometime soon," Theo didn't twitch when one of Charlie's large, warm hands came to rest on his shoulder. "My portals are rather quick and decisive, so beware of the fact that it will pull you through and bring you directly to my side with very little else. I'll likely give you a ten second warning of sorts, but I can't manage anything beyond that. It has been some time since I have had to cast so many portals in such close quarters in our present circumstance. Normally, it wouldn't be a problem, but right now and shortly, there will be quite a few portals opening and closing all over the place. I'll have to be quick about it to keep things from being scrambled. An interrupted portal is not a good thing. It is dangerous on many levels, but it does take an extraordinarily strong individual to break a 'portal, which sometimes helps to minimize the destructive effects. If you are ever pulled into a portal, please for the love of Merlin, do not fight it. Allow it to take you where you will and then fight when you emerge from it or prepare to 'port yourself back to your original location."

"Ah," Charlie nodded in understanding. He gently squeezed the thin shoulder beneath his hand. Theo was more lean muscle than trimmed bulk and he found himself worrying faintly for his Alpha. They should probably find something to eat before things grew complicated. "Did you explain this to Harry?"

Charlie knew that they'd been speaking between each other, with the occasional transfer of knowledge for even the most trivial of things, but sometimes it was hard to tell when they were all on the same page. Harry had a knack for finding trouble or rather, being found by trouble, which usually led to a significant amount of chaos.

Theo paused. "…yes. He's in a clear place for a portal and Shadow is with him. Told me to ah, what was it—yes, to go and mingle."

Charlie bit back a smile. He could see Harry saying that. He could also understand that Theo's mild temper could most likely be a result of the conversation that had led up to that. "How is he? Having fun?" He thought of the cute Nytura returning to Harry's side. Having something of a pet and a guardian rolled into one had made Harry smile after that horrible dinner meeting with Dumbledore where he'd discovered just how irresistible the brunet could be.

This time, Theo turned enough to give him a quick look, golden eyes flickering meaningfully over the redhead. "He is not quite fine, but he should be alright. He asked for some time to himself."

"…you disagree?" Charlie prompted. This reminded him of conversations with his prickly sibling, Percy. The most uptight member of their family had always been perfect Percy, but Charlie had understood his younger brother's need for things to happen a certain way. Talking with Percy had always required a great deal of patience and a healthy dose of verbal sparring, because Percy could never quite speak his mind in the way that the rest of them did.

Theo snorted. "He is more than welcome to do as he pleases so as long as he is alright. I do not intend to smother him."

"Smother?" Charlie tried to keep the incredulity from his voice. "I doubt you could, if you tried." Theo seemed to take the greatest care in being sure that Harry was definitely independent. He frowned. Something was missing from this conversation and he didn't like feeling so uninformed. "Did something happen?"

"I am not entirely sure. He did not say." Theo half-scowled. "He had something of a panic attack. Dahlia's King, the dark Fae, Wikhn? He 'ported me into the Gheyo section and took me up to a nightclub where Harry was agitated enough to nearly bring his wings out—indoors. His full wings, Charlie, not the ones from his Halfling form."

Charlie's frown deepened. "Do you think it's that spell?" He certainly hoped not. He didn't want to start disliking Merrow simply on account of one bad encounter, but Weasley loyalty sometimes demanded illogical things and he'd grown up knowing and understanding that.

"I don't know," Theo admitted. "I don't really know that much about Merrow spellwork. It's almost as ancient and unknown as the Shadow element's magic. There can be all sorts of side effects."

"Then why exactly is Harry not here with us?" Charlie wanted to know. "That doesn't sound safe." He now found himself wondering if there was any way to speed up the process of Harry's healing and recovery. The mute Healer, Quinn, had explained a bit more of the seals during that meeting and he'd also mentioned requesting a Spellweaver to see about unraveling some of Harry's trickier seals. The sooner Harry was back in control of his magic and his body—directly tied to his magic—the happier Charlie would be.

Theo wrinkled his nose. "The first day of your first Hunt is the most important," he said, quietly. "Everything you do and how you react, is probably how the rest of the Hunt will be. I do not exactly give any credit to superstition, but for a Submissive to have a successful Hunt, then it is best if the Alpha and the Beta are as far away from them as possible."

"What?" Charlie stared at him, pulling Theo to a stop.

Theo twisted, faintly, beneath the hand resting on his shoulder. "Keep walking," he murmured, the smile on his face somewhat static. "I said, that for-"

"I heard what you said," Charlie began to move again, aware now of the fact that there definitely are people watching them. He's started to wonder what else is happening that he doesn't know about. "I wasn't sure if you meant it. Did you tell Harry that?"

"Harry would never agree to that," Theo said, quietly. "He would spend ninety-five percent of his time worrying whether we were alright, if we were having fun and feeling guilty as to whether he should be with us instead of having fun with new friends in a new place for reasons he's never had to consider before."

Charlie blinked. That was eerily accurate to some degree. Harry was a strong and independent individual, but sometimes he could think himself into the most depressing situations possible. He'd often heard tales from Hermione and Ron as well as the occasional conversation from his parents about the famous Harry Potter. Theo was mostly right, Harry was always trying to be considerate in some way or another—even at the expense of himself. He gave a small huff and dropped the hand from Theo's shoulder, squaring his own posture as he—Theo stopped dead in the middle of the path with something of an exasperated sigh leaving his lips.

"Would you kindly stop glaring at everyone? It is setting them on edge. I am quite fine, contrary to my outward appearance, I assure you. If I were not, you would most certainly be the first to know."

"Wha-what?" Charlie found himself being led aside from the open walkway and pulled into a small alcove where he was immediately pushed up against the wall, a hint of mischief visible in the clear golden eyes that focused solely on him. "I'm not—there's-" he tried to protest and stopped, because while Theo did have him pinned to the wall, he was also quite calm and composed.

"Yes, there are people looking at us, because neither of us are wearing our marks out loud, so to speak and they can't place our status or rank. This makes them uneasy because neither of us are also properly managing our auras, which does not really need to be stifled, but it is currently speaking for us. No, you are not imagining anything. Yes, I am not exactly being myself right now and no, there really isn't much you can do about it, but I thank you for acknowledging it." Theo stood before him, one slender hand splayed out on Charlie's broad chest.

There was a pause and Charlie waited a beat. Whatever else Theo wanted to say, he was sure to finish in a moment or two, if given the right opportunity.

"You probably are not aware of it, but when you feel protective towards any particular Bonded, as a fire type, you tend to be possessive and territorial. Namely, you noticed I was not feeling as—cheerful—as before, so you adopted a slightly more protective and aggressive stance. Your dragel senses heightened in response to subconscious cues and the appropriate action you decided on, was glaring." Theo patted his chest, lightly. "Better?"

Charlie took a slow breath and relaxed as the tension began to leave him. "You looked like—I mean, I wasn't trying to-"

"It is quite fine. You do not have to explain your natural instincts. You are what you are and I am what I am." Theo sighed, softly. He turned away from the small, slightly shadowed corner he'd taken to almost pin Charlie to the wall. He turned his back to his Beta, granting some degree of privacy, while his own sharp eyes surveyed the passersby. "I apologize if I worried you. That was not my intention in the least. I only meant to drop off the charm and see how you fared. About the portal, will that be enough time?"

"Ten seconds?" Charlie mused. He backtracked quickly through the conversation and made a quick mental check in his head. Yes, this definitely felt like a conversation with Percy. He shook his head, faintly, hoping Theo wasn't reading that as his answer. Now that he was dressed and out of the hot springs, it was unlikely that he'd be doing anything that he couldn't simply leave until later. He hadn't made any definite plans, but it would be no hardship to wander about on his own. For the most part, everyone he'd encountered so far had been friendly enough. "That should be fine. Sorry about that. I didn't—are you sure you're alright?"

"Quite fine," Theo murmured. "Thank you for your concern."

Charlie resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Theo was being a bit more formal than usual and he could pick up on the subtle hints that perhaps there were eyes and ears present in which Theo did not feel like being completely forthright with in his present state. He took pity on his Alpha and easily changed the subject. He'd have to ask about Harry a little bit later or maybe when they were walking again. "What should I expect in terms of a portal?"

Theo blinked. A small smile flashed briefly over his face. "A large golden light—much like the one Ilsa used to bring us here—and the same sort of feeling from when I 'ported us over from the guesthouse this morning. There will likely be a warning of some sort."

"What kind of warning?"

"It depends on what's available when I cast the portal. Sometimes a public announcement involved, so that there aren't any hurt feelings if you disappear in the middle of a serious conversation." His lips twitched, faintly. "It says something to the effect of what kind of 'portal it is, who is requesting it and from which Circle. It's really nothing to worry over. Though if there were any other places you wanted to visit beforehand, now would be a wonderful time to do so."

Charlie gave a slight shrug. "I wasn't headed anywhere in particular. Aracle and the others will be—busy—for a little while." He mentally winced at the last glare that Loren had sent his way.

"Busy?" Theo's brow wrinkled into a knot and then his lips twitched as the hidden meaning clicked. "Ah. I see. Don't worry too much about that," he tipped his head forward, posture relaxed as he made to enter the flow of bustling folks once more. "The Hot Springs likely brought your natural instincts to the forefront, just be aware of your reactions to heat. Even the sun right now will likely make you feel a bit drowsy, since you have not been exposed to it for prolonged periods of time with your instincts riding so close to the surface." He frowned. "We should probably check again to see if there is any way to expedite the process of mentor reassignment for you and Harry."

"I'm sure you'll think of something," Charlie offered, falling into step beside Theo once more. He could read between the lines of Theo's wording and realized that his Alpha had probably exhausted all current legal options and currently sought a more immediate solution via Slytherin talents. He smiled to himself and relaxed.

They walked in near silence for a moment, Charlie content to follow Theo's halfway deliberate path through the crowds. After several minutes, he took note of Theo's newly tense shoulders and sharper gaze than before. Theo was quite aware of his surroundings and projecting an image of forced calm that matched his neutral expression. It made him edgy to be aware of it and unable to do anything to ease it but, Charlie made a conscious effort to keep his burgeoning protective instincts to himself. Now he could see why distance would help, at least on a first day of a hunt, while Aracle and the others had been helpful in distracting him, he'd been able to enjoy their company once he could determine that both Theo and Harry were fine, via the tangible bonds between them all.

Now, he could sense Theo's carefully masked agitation and Harry's frustration that turned into curiosity. Looking for something distracting made his stomach rumble and Charlie sniffed the air, tracing the heavenly scents of fried and baked goods to their origins. There were rows of street vendors along the left side of the walkway, conveniently placed to accommodate lines and the circular architecture.

His blue-eyed gaze settled on one dish that seemed interesting and simple to eat. It smelled delicious, once he singled out the scent, reminding him of some of the fried treats he'd shared with his dragon tamer friends on the reserve. He missed them, a little. On the reserve they were all family, the dragons included. The mix of their cultures and cuisines had been a strong influence on his present personality and willingness to try new things. He smiled to himself, realizing that his moment of instinct would likely have been a field day for some of their behavioral specialists on the reserve. On his own, he was fascinated just the same to realize that he'd been reacting with vaguely dragon-like instincts, as one would when noticing their preferred partner was under the weather.

Charlie pushed the interesting thoughts away to focus on the present moment. He could figure that filling his stomach before the big entrance ceremony was probably a good thing. There didn't seem like there would be a designated mealtime at any point in the day and he didn't want to slow anyone down if the afternoon activities picked up. The other Betas had simply dived right into the fun aspects of the Hunt, with the occasional drink and probably a secret Pepper-Up stash, if he was honest. His stomach rumbled again. "Theo?" He waited for the faint thrum of acknowledgement between them. "Want to share one of those?" He pointed, stopping to join the line.

Theo paused a half-step ahead, turning back. Golden eyes flickered quickly over the line, over Charlie, then off into the distance, before he shuffled back and came to stand beside his Beta. He didn't say anything and they stood in silence as the line moved along. When their turn came to order, Theo tipped his head forward and Charlie bit back a smile.

"Two of those, please," he pointed to the sauce covered dumplings in round white ceramic plates. They looked appetizing enough, if the delicious smell was anything to judge it by.

"Anything to drink?" The vendor grabbed two cartons from the back of the stall and scooped out fresh portions. He dribbled a ladleful of sauce over each helping, then pushed it across to the receiving counter.

Charlie hesitated. He didn't see anything that looked vaguely familiar there and he didn't really want to chance a new drink on top of new food. He looked to Theo, invitingly.

Theo's lips twitched into a familiar smirk. "One lemon-ginger infusion and a bloodroot cocktail with orange spice."

The Vendor paused for a moment. He opened his mouth to speak, then shut it when Theo held up his own wrist with the corded bracelet bearing the wooden plaque. A minute later, he slid two tall glass drinks across the counter and turned to the next one in line.

Theo paused long enough for the charm to be scanned for the necessary currency exchange, then grabbed the drinks and made his way out from the clustered crowd. Charlie followed behind, balancing the two plates of dumplings. He was surprised that they were actual dishes and not something disposable, but he guessed that magic was involved in some way or another and made a mental note to watch what Theo did with it.

They walked until Theo stopped at an open area where several large hunks of pitch black rock were scattered about under a cloth ceiling that provided a measure of shade. Stepping out from the shadow cast by the towering stadium, there was bright sun and warm wind to provide a pleasant atmosphere. A few couples were enjoying the space, seated on the rocks, feeding each other and laughing between themselves.

Charlie found himself perking up by the simple fact that he was outdoors and the natural warmth washing over him. A very quiet chirr of appreciation slipped past his lips before he remembered that there were others present. Theo didn't seem to notice, but Charlie was sure that he had. By mutual unspoken agreement, they situated themselves along a large chunk of volcanic rock and traded with each other. Charlie perched higher up, while Theo settled himself along a smooth ridge where his feet could rest on the floor.

"The lemon ginger compliments the Saijako," Theo murmured, gesturing towards the dumplings. "As does the bloodroot." He added, at Charlie's skeptical look. "Bloodroot is a fermented herbal brew that is spiked with a healer's pure blood. You customize it by a specific fruit essence that is usually ground and rolled into powdered spice balls. It is actually quite good." Theo held up his glass in explanation. "You have to be of age to drink it or Bonded."

Charlie looked from his pale, lemonade-like drink to Theo's vibrant red cocktail, growing steadily darker by the minute. He could make out a handful of tiny dark fizzing balls beneath the thick, white foam with a slice of orange resting atop it. "You can Bond if you're underage?" He took a cautious sip of his own drink. It made him smile, as the sweet and tangy flavors of lemon and ginger energized him at once.

"Good?" Theo checked.

The redhead nodded. "It's different," he looked at the plate of sauce covered dumplings and frowned. He hadn't seen any utensils and he wasn't exactly keen on eating with his hands and—Theo held up a pair of joined silver chopsticks. Charlie blinked. He reached for them and took hold of one side, when Theo shook his head at relinquishing both. He then pulled it aside and watched as they snapped apart. He then watched as Theo muttered "Shoksaneh" and stabbed the fancy serving of dumplings with the pointed end.

After two dumplings, Theo took a sip of his drink and leaned back against the rock. Some of the tension visibly left him when he glanced up and watched Charlie's first taste of Saijako. He held up his drink, one eyebrow raised in silent prompt.

Charlie shook his head. "It's-"

"Try it," Theo prompted. He turned the glass to the side. "You may have to drink it in the future and it is one of the nicer brews. It tastes like sweet cranberry sauce with a touch of orange. The foam is bitter. Take a small sip and swirl it in your mouth before you swallow. It burns then sours. Expect it."

Another moment passed and Charlie balanced his plate on one knee, before leaning forward to take an experimental sip from the proffered glass. He sat back, carefully, a second later, before vigorously stabbing two dumplings and stuffing his mouth. He'd much rather firewhiskey any day of the week than that devilish concoction.

A faint smirk danced over Theo's face before he settled back himself, turning to face his Beta. "It's not that bad, though it does come rather close to the boundaries of an acquired taste."

Charlie took a large swallow of his infused water and shook his head. "Do you need one this early in the day?" He threw back. Theo knew his drinks, it seemed, because his description was spot on.

Theo exhaled, loudly, then took a long swallow. "It helps to balance your humors, or so they tell you. It actually tempers an aura, for earth types. It might settle you, as you are a fire type, Air types should avoid it, Water types can choose for their own. They can generally drink anything and it won't affect them. I need this at the moment because I am trying not to deliberately offend anyone today, a wild aura might cause a negative reaction."

"I see," Charlie watched him for a moment, then popped another dumpling in his mouth. It was a nice thing with a taste he couldn't quite place as yet.

"Underage Bonded occurs when there is a soulscream," Theo said, quietly. "It literally pulls your Intended from wherever they are, regardless of realm, as long as they are compatible in magic, temperament and soul, directly to your side. Sometimes they are not of legal age—sixteen, but they are often of bonding age, as in over ten. This only occurs in pureblood dragels though. A ten year old dragel is considered more than able to independently decide for themselves and while they may Bond, they remain untouched until they are sixteen. This is usually rather rare though, most of the time they are either fourteen or fifteen and just settling into their rank when they come of age. But, for the sake of your sensibilities, allow me to remind you that a ten year old dragel is quite different from a ten year old human. Do keep that in mind."

"That's…different." Charlie allowed, after a moment. "Is it-?"

"It's quite different from whatever it is you're thinking," Theo said, quietly. "You'll think of it in human and wizard terms, because that's how you were raised and it's all you've ever known. I should probably warn you that you might see some. It is consensual on both parties and the Circles of both the Intended and the courting are heavily involved until the Intended is of age. It's actually rather beautiful sometimes, because they grow up in a specific environment and while they are spared some things, they learn many others. They often have the strongest magic, sometimes even more so than the Submissive."

Charlie hummed thoughtfully and speared another dumpling. He wondered if Harry had met anyone as yet and then he had another thought. "You said Harry was in the Gheyo section? What was he doing there?"

Theo rolled his eyes. "Dahlia and Dyshoka have decided to publicly announce their Intended status."

Blue eyes grew wide. "Really? Isn't that a bit—different?" He'd met the female Beta during the dinner beach party at Bahn's. Dyshoka was calm, collected and pretty, with a decent sense of humor and a good height. They'd played well in the last game on the sandy beach. He had been surprised to see that she was introduced with Dahlia, but he hadn't thought anything of it.

"Different how?" Theo wanted to know. "They've been together for a while. It's actually quite common for a Gheyo to take a Beta or the other way around, until they are officially bonded. Their personalities complement each other."

"Betas and Gheyos?" Charlie repeated. He frowned. He wasn't sure of that. So far, he didn't really like any of the Gheyos he'd seen or met and they all seemed too standoffish and rough around the edges.

"You'd have to see them fight to understand, probably," Theo guessed, eyeing him. "It's different when you see them in motion. A Beta tends to have a milder personality than any other Bonded. An Alpha can't help holding some sort of authority, a Pareya would be too protective and the Submissive might be the same. A fellow Gheyo is only acceptable when they have a working dynamic between them and beyond that, well, it doesn't leave much, now does it?" Theo surveyed Charlie's half-empty plate of dumplings and passed his half-eaten plate over in silent invitation.

The redhead paused in mid-bite, then swallowed the remainder of the dumpling. "Thanks." He accepted the plate. "Harry, was it just a panic attack or something else?"

"His empathy," Theo cradled his drink closer to his chest. "I think that's what triggered it, but I cannot be sure. There's been more of them than I thought. So many people, Charlie, they've all tried to control him and contain him. They've used him and abused him even if it was only in the way they treated his honest intent and natural integrity. I do not want to take him back there."

"To wher—oh." Charlie sat in silence catching up to Theo's newest change in topic. He finished up his plate of dumplings and then stacked it under Theo's and started on those. He'd already come to terms with the fact that it might be quite some time before he would see the Wizarding World again, much less his parents and siblings. It did not sit well with him, but he understood what was involved and knew which things held a higher priority—Harry, for one. "Why?"

"Can you feel the power that's here?" Theo glanced at him, sideways. "Can you feel it, really feel it?"

Charlie quivered. He could feel the weight in Theo's voice, an Alpha's authority that did not demand anything from him, but rather, expected it instead. He also knew exactly what Theo meant. Nevarah was a place filled with strong individuals, just a few of them would be invaluable in the fight against Voldemort. He'd also seen the loyalty within a Bonded circle, just watching Bahn and his own. In spite of their differences—no, despite their differences—they were strong and protective towards each other. They would always support and care for their own. "Would it help?"

"Depends on Harry," Theo said. "But it likely would. That kind of power would be invaluable. What the Wizarding World lacks is someone who can legitimately take charge and move forward with a set plan of action. Those in power abuse it and those intelligent enough to think through possible skirmishes are not interested in involving themselves in what appears to be a pointless fight. They see no reason to risk their life even if it is threatened." Theo smiled, faintly. It was the kind of predatory smile that somehow fit him perfectly.

A low growl rumbled through his throat and Charlie gave one dumpling a particularly vicious jab. "I don't like how it feels like we're pushing everything back to Harry. This is not something he should have had pushed onto his shoulders because no one else had the courage to stand up for it."

"We're not," Theo said, firmly. "But he seems to think that it's the only option he has. If that is what he honestly wishes, then I will do my best to make sure he is well-surrounded and protected by those who would care for him. I will not stop him. This is first and foremost for his wellbeing before all else. A Submissive craves a full Circle and all that comes with it. You saw Harry relax just a bit since you joined us, yes?"

Charlie inclined his head. There was some sense in that. Harry was stubborn and his sense of justice and loyalty would make it too difficult for him to sit still or stand back if he knew that he could help. Suddenly, the idea of allowing Harry to hunt and grow their Circle before returning to the Wizarding World, made perfect sense. "How exactly does hunting work though? Can we help and if not, what exactly are we supposed to do in the meantime?"

"It depends," Theo allowed. "We can help to support him later on, the first stages of courting can only be done by Harry and the Intended. Later on, if he decides to formally introduce us, then we can take it as a sign that they are both serious. If we disagree, we can speak up about it. We have the right to reject any proposal that is harmful or obviously mismatched in a way that would be detrimental to our entire Circle. Harry will listen to us first, because the addition of new Bonded is always to improve the original Bonded. He will be extremely sensitive to whether we are receptive to his choices or not. Bahn mentioned something to Ilsa who spoke of it in passing. If it is what I think it is, then he should find himself drawn to certain people after a certain amount of time. Instinct and magic should take care of the rest. Remember what was said about the different types of initiation? Heartcry, soulcry and soulscream?"

Charlie nodded. He continued to munch contemplatively on the fried dumplings. "So basically, we have to wait?"

"Don't look like that," Theo chided. "You know why we aren't there, don't you? An Alpha hovering around a Submissive usually means that said Submissive is off-limits. The same for a Beta. Potential suitors would never approach a Submissive in the company of their Alpha or Beta, unless they'd been courting for some time. It is considered to be quite rude otherwise."

"What if-?" Charlie stabbed at another dumpling. What if Harry picks the wrong one? Is what he wanted to say, but he didn't finish that sentence, because he did have faith in Harry, even if he was worried for the green-eyed brunet. In spite of the innocent air that Harry drew around him, it masked the reality of some of the darker truths, such as the war and pain he'd both witnessed and participated in.

"I prefer to think that Harry's excellent judge of character and surprising luck would protect him." Theo took a long swallow of his drink. "It worries me when I can see those that he's surrounded himself with and then how he distances himself from them. Then, I wish..."

"Then you wish you were nearer." Charlie guessed. Now the earlier mention of smothering made sense. He didn't really blame Theo.

Theo offered him a wry smile. "Something like that."

"Harry doesn't know that, does he?" Charlie could already picture the expression that would be on Harry's face if he knew. He had a feeling their moment where they'd all split off into different groups wouldn't have been so smooth, if that was the case.

"If he knew, he would never be able to relax." Theo said, quietly.

"Ah," Charlie polished off the last dumpling and reached out to set the empty plates on a flat spot on the rock. He'd been able to relax and enjoy some of his morning because he could read the shared bonds between them all that Harry was curious and happy, while Theo was amused and reserved.

"Trace the bottom." Theo interrupted, waving at the plate with one hand.

"What?"

"The plates, put these on top," Theo handed over his silver chopstick. "And then, trace a finger along the edge like so." He demonstrated. "And it will vanish itself right back to where it belongs."

Charlie did so and then smiled, a moment later when it was true. "So, if there's someone…?" He let the question trail off. It would probably help the Hunt if this could happen in pairs or something. While he wasn't one to simply chase after an interested party, he'd never had any trouble making his interest known. It would probably be faster with two anyway.

"You're more than welcome to befriend whoever you like," Theo said, quickly. "And if you think you've found someone that would be a good fit for us, then you would have to formally introduce them to Harry. If they are compatible, then well done, if not and you still desire more than their immediate company, then Harry might be convinced to make an exception, though it is rare that you would actually pursue someone if he was not receptive to them. The same would be true for him, he is not likely to pick someone we will dislike unless there is a significant reason and I doubt that he would ever do so willingly, if he knew we disapproved."

The redhead relaxed at that, understanding what wasn't spelled out for him. This was Harry's time to shine and their turn to trust him. He could manage that. In the meantime, they could enjoy themselves and, as Aracle had put it, see about increasing their Circle's overall social status by befriending friends in high places, if they were so inclined. He could show the right kind of interest without worrying about other things. It was one thing to be friendly and enjoy himself, while entirely another to seek out a potential companion for his Harry.

Charlie reclined on the warm rock, wriggling for a moment to be sure that the warmth from the heated rock could reach his shoulders, before the realization dawned. His eyes were halfway closed before he twisted to the side to look at Theo. His Alpha was now decidedly more relaxed than before, but still on guard. The bond between them pulsed with something that he could vaguely identify as self-satisfaction. He huffed, as Theo changed seats, settling so that he could lean back and rest his head on Charlie's stomach.

Slytherin. The thought rolled around in Charlie's head and settled. As if on cue, Theo turned just enough to show a lazy smirk. Very much a Slytherin. He closed his eyes and decided to take a nap. Theo had managed to skillfully avoid speaking directly of whatever was on his mind while answering questions and sharing information that was useful to know as well as updating him on Harry. Perhaps he needed time to think things through. He'd worn an expression of deep concentration a few times throughout their conversation and Charlie knew the best remedy for a tumultuous mind was silence or as close to it as one could find.

For his part, he would give his Alpha that much. If Theo needed anything, he would speak up. For now, they were resting in companionable silence, with Theo still sipping his strange drink. Charlie felt himself growing somewhat lazy under the sun's warmth and he was comfortable enough, his shoulders weren't bothering him, so he allowed himself the moment of luxury.

He would nap.

Charlie made a sound of disagreement when something poked him sharply in the side. He wanted it to stop when the jab was repeated before he'd even had a chance to recover from the second. He was vaguely aware of something that sounded suspiciously like a laugh from beside him, before the poke repeated itself for a third time, a little less viciously than the previous times. One blue eye opened, accompanied by a baleful glare only to receive an apologetic caress of Theo's fingers in his hair.

"I wouldn't have interrupted, but it would probably be best if you made your way to the stadium without me." Theo's voice, while perfectly calm and composed, had a new edge to it that woke Charlie up straightaway.

"Theo?" He moved from drowsy to perfectly alert in a matter of seconds.

"It's nothing to worry about. I'm sure you didn't want to sleep your entire day away. If you'd like to save me the headache of a portal, then make your way to the upper levels through that archway over there to the right, near the blue pillar. Ask one of the scheduling attendants for any of the Deveraines or Ilsa Gorgens. They should direct you to the appropriate area. I'll be right behind you."

Charlie slowly rolled upward to a sitting position. He stretched, hearing a few soft cracks and pops. A yawn was stifled behind one hand and then he swung his feet over the edge and slid off to stand. Theo's gaze had yet to settle, but Charlie recognized that tactic at once, the twins had used it whenever they spotted a new target for their pranks. It was a way of looking at something without directly staring at it.

"Theodore? Theodore Gorgens?" An incredulous voice exclaimed. "Stars, I don't believe it."

Both Alpha and Beta turned as one to see a heavily ornamented young man scurrying across the stone walkway, hands outstretched. Theo was already standing and summoned a smile to his face that had Charlie taking an instinctive step backwards.

The moment the newcomer was close enough, he reached out to clasp Theo's elbows, curious eyes roving over Theo's form. "Oh it is you. I thought that was your scent." The young man flashed a smile, all charm and curiousness. "Don't you remember me?" He asked, as an afterthought, when the greeting was not immediately returned. "We had flight lessons together. I was the clumsy one. We spent many afternoons together. Yanek Doursen, now Yanek Calamaris of the Calamaris Circle. It is a pleasure to see you again and in apparent good health."

Theo stared at him a moment longer, then brightened as he made the remembered connection. "Nose-dive Yanek?" He repeated the childhood nickname. "With the—the red?" He waved a hand behind him.

"I dyed it." Yanek grinned. "Too many blond jokes." A thick mane of curled blond hair bobbed around his shoulders. "So, what do you think?"

"You're a Submissive," Theo said, flatly. "I did not think—I mean, I did not expect that."

"I knew it would happen." Yanek waved a hand. "Same way I knew you'd be an Alpha. Saw that one coming miles and miles away. Oho, is that one of yours?" Yanek's interested gaze flickered deliberately over Charlie's tall figure. "He's quite good-looking."

"He is and I agree. That's just one of the reasons I keep him around," Theo subtly shifted forward, making no move to introduce his Beta. "Are you here alone?"

"What? Me? Of course not, I've come with my Pareya, they refuse to let me out of their sight," he pointed towards three older men approaching with various expressions on their faces. "Whoops. Probably shouldn't have run off that fast, but I had to be sure that it was you, I mean, I haven't see you in years."

"Indeed. It's been much too long." Theo allowed. He turned faintly, when Charlie rested a hand on his shoulder. "Hmm?"

"I think I'll grab something else to eat—catch up with you later?" Charlie suggested. He could clearly read the vibes rolling off of his Alpha and their shared bond hummed with worry and anxiety. Theo did not want to introduce him to the newcomer and Charlie had a feeling it might be best if he excused himself from whatever political dance was about to take place. He'd never cared for this sort of posturing anyway and Harry would probably appreciate a tasty treat from wherever Theo was sure to 'port him.

"That will work," Theo allowed.

A surge of gratefulness saturated the Alpha-Beta bond and Charlie bit back the smile that wanted to surface. "If you'll excuse me then," he inclined his head and backed away from the small group, turning swiftly on his heel and heading in the direction Theo had mentioned earlier. He'd buy something from the stalls once he was out of sight. Yanek left a disconcerting feeling that Charlie did not want to deal with. He'd learned to read intent years ago, all dragon tamers did and he did not like what it meant.

No wonder he drank that bloodroot. Charlie shook his head, amused. Theo was looking out for all of them, while still keeping himself together. He knew he'd run into them or maybe he was avoiding them earlier until he could—huh. Interesting. Charlie was caught up in his thoughts and completely distracted when he rounded the corner and smacked into something shorter, very warm and quite soft. There was a muffled grunt and then an accompanying thump as both he and the stranger were knocked off their feet and onto their rumps without ceremony.

"Ow." Came a girl's disgruntled voice. "That hurt. By Arielle's untidy mane—why don't you watch where you're going? I understand that it is the first day of the Hunt and all, but a little common courtesy never hurt anyone. Didn't your mother ever tell you to be careful when running about out of doors?" The little tirade was interrupted by the sounds of the young woman moving to stand on her own feet and brushing off a silken bathrobe, with a huff.

Charlie scrambled to his feet, a blush starting up along the back of his neck when he caught sight of who he'd knocked over. "I'm terribly sorry, I was only-er-"

She was a whole head and shoulders shorter than him, probably even shorter than Theo, and her hair, thick and black, fell past her knees almost to her ankles. She was barefoot and dressed in a fitted, silken bathrobe, showing off generous curves and a petite waist, while fire-colored gems hung from ear lobes, with a matching necklace bearing a gemstone of the same hue. She reached up with one hand to toss her unbound hair over one shoulder and Charlie realized that her hair wasn't black, but rather, such a dark shade of red, that it appeared black unless the light caught it in movement. Her eyes, a bright, vivid orange, now fixed their gaze on him as she pantomimed shutting his mouth with one hand.

Vanity… Theo's earlier words echoed in his head.

Charlie stared at her for a moment, then shut his mouth, fangs and teeth clicking together, aware that he was staring rather rudely. He remembered, belatedly, what Aracle had said about insults, fire types and territories, as well as how to excuse his non-existent mentor if the situation called for it. He hoped the situation wouldn't call for it. There was something that screamed of power and authority around this short dragel and he did not want to test any of it.

He did not need to pull on his special talents to tell that this young lady had a fierce, wild taste to her magic that wasn't twined around her as most other wizarding folk, but rather woven through her, much as he'd been noticing about nearly every dragel since the arrival in Nevearah. While some were close to Harry's level—and that was Harry's level while he was sealed—the most notable ones had been Ilsa and Shayla.

"What is your name?" Her voice was stiff and formal.

"Charles Weasley," he heard himself say.

She leaned forward and took a faint sniff. "You are bonded? To whom?"

"The Nott Circle." Charlie swallowed. "I am very sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"Never heard of it. Who is your mentor?"

Charlie winced. Two fingers, Aracle had said, and now, he curled one hand into the necessary position, two fingers sticking out as he touched them to the left side of his chest. "My mentor has not yet found it necessary to teach me."

The orange eyes narrowed, meaningfully. "Really? Imagine that." She frowned. "You're not from here, are you?"

"…pardon?"

"You didn't bow." The young woman sighed, turning her attention to long, scarlet-lacquered fingernails. "Any Nevarean native, when giving that traditional line, would know to bow and they would likely adjust it according to my status." She frowned. "You didn't. Where are you from? Which realm? I promise I will not hold it against you—much."

Charlie hesitated. He tried not to flinch when those bright orange eyes rose to meet his own when he took a breath too long to answer. "The wizarding world, actually." He forced a smile, hoping it didn't appear quite as unhappy as he felt. He was not ashamed of where he'd come from, but he had a feeling that this conversation was headed down the worst possible turn it could take.

Dark eyebrows arched upwards. "The wizarding world?" She repeated, incredulous. "That's rather—rather strange." She allowed, at last. "Very strange. I don't think we've had any from the wizarding world for quite some time. When did you arrive? It couldn't have been very long, you're too new."

"This past week?" Charlie frowned. "Not very long at all."

"…I see. No time to register for a new mentor then or are you waiting to be assigned?"

"I haven't registered yet."

"Curious. Very, very curious." She murmured, then made a spinning motion with one hand. "Turn."

"…pardon?"

"Turn around. I want to see you," she sighed. "Your hair, specifically. It's hard to tell when I can only see your face and you don't have any bangs. I just want to see your hair. Nothing else."

"Er," Charlie said, intelligently. He could honestly say this was the first time he'd ever received such a request. He hadn't been prepared for this at all, but he had experience with making decisions on the fly.

She sighed. "Allow me to assume that you have never been in the company of other fire types?"

"Briefly." Charlie admitted.

"It shows," she inspected her fingernails. "I mean you no harm nor will I behave in any manner that will tempt the boundaries of propriety." She made the twirling motion with her finger again. "It certainly won't be costing you anything. Hurry up, neither of us have all day to spend standing about."

Blue eyes narrowed faintly and Charlie resisted the urge to cross his arms. "Why?"

"Oho. So you aren't as dense as you look," the girl cocked her head to the side, then held out her hand, palm facing downward in a gesture reminiscent of Bhindi's highborn snobbery. "They call me Ebony. Sometimes I prefer Eby. Sometimes not. You?"

"…Charlie."

"Charles. Charlie. Fitting. Now we are no longer strangers," She waited until he took her hand and held it firmly, not shaking until after a huff, he lightly touched his lips to the tanned skin, before releasing it. Orange eyes glittered with amusement and she drew out an elaborate fan from the folds of her silken dressing gown. "Now that we are acquainted, I hope you can grant my request. There isn't anything out of the ordinary about it. I was asking, because I am currently free at the moment. I haven't taken a student for mentoring because I haven't had the time." Her expression turned serious. "I also have yet to discover someone who does not make me wish to immediately strangle them within five minutes of meeting." She sniffed. "My flames are a bit too fickle for most."

There was another pause between them, this one a little less awkward than before. After a moment, Charlie slowly turned in place. He squashed down the feelings of mild curiosity and self-consciousness. When he stopped, standing tall before her once more, her lips were pursed in thought and her brows were tightly knit together.

"How old are you?"

"Excuse me?"

"Sorry. I don't mean to start this as such a mess, but this has been a very busy day and I haven't had the energy to keep everything straight," she sighed and snapped open her fan. It shielded the lower half of her face and bore a pretty image of a water garden with vivid blues, reds and greens, with a golden accents. The wood was lacquered in a shiny black, with a tasseled cord meant for her wrist. "Have you any previous prospects?"

"For what?"

"A mentor," she said, matter-of-factly, as if it ought to be obvious.

"You?" He exclaimed, unable to keep the surprise from showing. Surely she was too young-!

The delicate fan lowered to show her smirk. "You really are amusing," she murmured. "Yes. Me. You. I like your magic. It's different and your hair—which is usually reflective of the type of flame that our kind wields—is lovely. Quite lovely. I think there is much we could learn from each other and I would be open to proposing a mentorship, if you are agreeable to accepting my teaching."

Shock, surprise and then uncertainty registered for Charlie in rapid succession. Shock that he'd apparently quite literally stumbled over a prospective mentor, surprise that the one asking, was a rather petite young lady—definitely not Theo's Ilsa, if that was a mentored standard—and uncertainty as to whether that was all it took to secure a mentor. He honestly had not considered the possibly of a mentor beyond asking Theo to register him for one and assuming there was a screening process of some sort involved. "I—we don't really know each other and I would really like to make an informed decision-"

"Am I your first?" Her fan snapped shut and was quickly tucked inside her left sleeve. "Arielle, I am making a bungle of it then, aren't I?" She sighed as if the conversation had completely exhausted her. "There is no excuse I could possibly give for that, because such remains inexcusable, however, I suppose I should give you some time to think about it. Be warned that I will know if you are not deciding for yourself, but allowing someone else to decide for you. That is unacceptable. A mentorship is solely between the mentor and the mentee. It is your choice to accept, just as it is mine to offer. It is also your right to refuse as it is for me to withdraw my proposal. You may take some time to think about it. I shall find you after the official opening ceremony, so you need not worry of when we will meet again. You may decide then. I understand it is a significant decision, but I think you will find that we will make a good match. There is much I can teach you and I am open to the same from you. A mentorship is an exchange of mutual care, trust and knowledge between a mentor and their mentee." Her smile warmed, lighting up her face in a new way. "I should also mention that I am not as young as I might look and if you are wizard-born as well as wizard-raised, then you may be tempted to take me at face value." She bowed formally. "Please do not. That would be far too disappointing. Now then, I look forward to our paths crossing, Charles Weasley of the Nott Circle."

A bell chimed in the distance and Ebony sighed. "Ach. It seems I have less time than I originally thought. They are always calling for me, aren't they?" She wiggled her fingers in an approximation of a wave. "I will always have time for you, should you accept. Rest assured that you would be of high priority among my responsibilities, all of which I maintain with all earnestness. Take care and enjoy the entrance ceremonies. It's supposed to be quite fun this Hunt or so I am told."

Charlie didn't have a chance to answer, because she raised a hand above her head and ignited a blood red flame. "Temptrificus Saurenth!" A bright medallion of yellow-orange-gold flared to life beneath their feet. Charlie scrambled backwards, even as the answering portal hummed into existence above Ebony's head. The two glimmering, floating medallions projected a blinding light, forming a literal pillar of flame, before it all vanished, taking her with it.

He stood, in disbelief, a few seconds longer, before the rest of him caught up to what had just happened. Charlie slowly tangled a hand in his hair and pulled hard enough to reassure himself that he hadn't imagined anything that had just happened. He found himself smiling as his feet began to move once more.

He'd never seen a fire transportation portal before. It was fiercer and showier than he'd expected. Theo's portals were simple and efficient, just like his element. The ground might rumble beneath your feet or something might make you sneeze, but that was it. He wondered, briefly, how difficult it was to cast his own. Theo had shown both him and Harry about casting portals, but he'd asked them to be careful not to try it on their own unless there was an emergency.

Apparently, like apparating, it took significant effort, time, focus and practice. Ilsa had seemed instrumental in Theo's upbringing and he could see that as the same sort of relationship he'd had with his mother. The charming Molly Weasley had always been the sort of friendly witch that every good mother wished to be.

Charlie hummed to himself, continuing on down the pathway he'd started. He was not in too much of a hurry to return to the Wizarding World, not when he'd heard Theo's concerns about Harry. He could definitely agree that there were powerful connections that could be made here, which would most certainly be invaluable if brought over into the Wizarding World. He just hoped that things could hold together long enough for that to happen.

On the bright side though, Charlie smiled, he might have just found himself a mentor.

Huh. Imagine that…

NEVARAH : MID-PORTAL - (HARRY)

The portal burned.

Harry wasn't sure why. He was fairly certain that none of Theo's magic had ever caused him such discomfort before and he'd never traveled by any others, save for Aracle's Portgas. He shivered to himself, wishing he'd had time to grab his robes. Theo wouldn't be happy about losing such an expensive set first thing on the first day. Harry scowled, feeling and seeing his magic visibly sparking off of him as he traveled through a whirling tube of golden light.

He was vaguely aware of Shadow perched on his shoulder, claws scrambling for purchase on bare skin, leaving thin, lines of welted redness behind. A flurry of high-pitched squeaks let Harry know that the young Nytura was not happy about something. For a moment, he thought it was the portal, before Shadow suddenly shrieked loudly and dug sharp claws into Harry's left shoulder, producing rivulets of bright red blood.

The pain did not register. Harry was only suddenly aware that it had felt as if the ground had been yanked out from beneath his feet, with darkness enveloping him and swiftly closing in on his frantic breaths, with the sole intent to stifle and suffocate. He'd never experienced a portal like this before.

So this is Ergen…alone… The thought registered as he hugged his arms to himself, realizing that the portal was probably sensitive to the fact that he was not an earth elemental and not accompanied by one either. He was pretty sure he didn't like it. This was almost unbearable.

It felt like rough sandpaper skimming along his entire body and unable to take it, Harry lashed out, magic flowing out, tearing, shredding and ripping at the discomfort that threatened to swallow him whole. He was vaguely aware of Shadow's plaintive wails as he thrashed out, feeling a dull ache from the wounds in his shoulder.

The darkness around him began to crack, showing glowing golden lines, the color of Theo's elemental magic, before everything turned a dazzling glowy white-gold. Magic snapped back into him like a boomerang flung out with purpose and dutifully returning to its master. He realized, wearily, that it probably wasn't the best course of action when the now golden transportation tube disintegrated, leaving him freefalling in midair.

Shadow's final shriek was swallowed up in the rushing air as Harry felt tiny trails of fire slashed up his left side as the panicking Nytura slipped through his fingers, vanishing with the last tendrils of golden magic. "Shadow!" Harry tried to yell, but his voice was snatched from him as he continued to plummet.

The sheer height registered when Harry realized that he was falling faster than he'd ever been—without his trusty Firebolt anywhere at hand and apparently without any witnesses as far as he could tell. His arms and legs windmilled for a few moments, trying to slow his descent. There were puffs of white—clouds—liberally sprinkled around him and he was suddenly aware of how cold it was. Icy pinpricks stabbed at him all over and Harry's teeth chattered as he frantically reached out with his magic, searching desperately for something to grab.

Instinct told him to use his wings, but when he pulled on them, only one side emerged and it twisted horribly and painfully in the rushing wind. Harry grit his teeth, working to focus on pulling it back in as he tried to think of what he could cast. A hovering charm wouldn't work on him, he hadn't seen any brooms at all in Nevarah so far and he doubted a cushioning charm would be of much help.

He tried to cast the familiar magic anyway, summoning his energy and drawing it tightly around him like a cloak. There had to be someone who was close enough to help or at least something that he could use to slow his descent.

Why me? The irritated thought scrolled through his head as he yanked on the channels for his Bonded, forcing the mental screams through them. Theo! Charlie!

He felt panic return almost immediately from both of them and then a muted, forced calm from Theo, as his Alpha tried to reach out to him and a frantic thread of worry from Charlie's side. Harry sucked in another breath, preparing for another mental scream when a fading sound drew his attention.

A sharp whistle overhead, caught his ear and Harry turned in time to see someone falling straight for him. They were hurtling through the air, arms at their sides, clear eyes zeroed in on his form. Harry barely had a moment's notice to brace for the impact when arms and legs wrapped tightly around him, followed by the audible snap of leathery wings.

"Easy there, little one," a soothing, male voice crooned into his ear. The arms, while holding him close, were absolutely impersonal in spite of the fact that they grasped bare skin and impossibly gentle for a maneuver that seemed as if it should have hurt more. "Easy. I won't drop you, I swear it on my mother's name, you have my word."

Harry shivered, clutching at the soft fabric smooshed against his face. He could smell the barely-there scent of steel—reminiscent of Theo—and something a little spicier, a little sharper, almost like aftershave. His rescuer radiated a very obvious thrum of magic that washed over him with strong feelings of protection and calm.

Wild, raw magic calmed in response, almost at once, greedily pulling in the feelings of deep contentment and safety, only serving to bewilder him as Harry slowed his short breaths into steadier ones. For a moment, he felt as if he'd been forced out of his body and then brought back in.

"You gave me quite a fright there," the fellow continued, sounding a little more relieved now, as he settled into a rocking rhythm, wings moving easily in tandem with his body. "Are you alright? Did you have a wing cramp? You shouldn't be flying alone if you're not an Air type you know. It's not good. The ground is closer than it appears and someone of your size wouldn't have a large enough wingspan for an emergency catchall."

"Accident," Harry managed. "Portal. I-I did not expect this to—it was an-" He couldn't suppress the tremors that rippled through him as he felt their descent slow even more. "Thank you."

"Portal?" Puzzlement was plain in the man's voice as he shifted his grip. "Touch down in two," he warned. Muscles along his broad shoulders rippled in time with the rhythmic, steady beats of his wings. A second later, Harry felt himself being eased down onto cool, solid ground.

It brought a fresh wave of relief as he recalled the sensation of the ground falling out from beneath his feet and forced back the urge to vomit. He was stronger than this, he had to be, he always had been-! The heaving in his stomach roiled about, but settled as if quelled almost by sheer will.

His hands, however, remained stubbornly fisted in his rescuer's shirt and Harry ignored the indulgent chuckle when the fellow didn't try to pry them loose, but rather knelt beside him to allow the contact and brought his wings forward to grant them some shadowed privacy.

"Hey, easy there, little one. You didn't answer me. Are you alright or should I call for a Healer?" One arm curved protectively around him, the other placed two fingers at the base of his neck to check for a pulse, after feathering across his forehead to check for a temperature. "You should be fine, very thoroughly terrified, but fine. Take slow breaths—or deep ones. I forget. Either should help though. Just don't panic. Do not panic. You are perfectly fine. Everything is alright. I had more than enough time to grab you and I definitely wasn't about to ignore you after that little scream." He patted Harry's head and after another moment passed, began to shift to sit comfortably on the stone floor. "What's your name? Is there someone I can call for you?"

"Harry," came the answer as Harry slowly came back to himself. He wondered if he had screamed or if his rescuer had heard his cry for Shadow. He leaned into the touch of those large soothing fingers patting his head in a distinctive rhythm. It was vaguely familiar and niggled at the back of his mind as if it were something he ought to remember straight away.

Harry bit his lip, mentally continuing the process of gathering himself together and working to be sure he could compose himself. He'd been through worse, this was nothing. It had to be nothing, he reminded himself. It was one thing to fall off his broom in midair and another to be knocked off because of a bludger. It was something else entirely to find himself freefalling from out of nowhere and knowing that no brooms were involved and close at hand and that no spells he knew would help in time. He shivered again.

"Shh. Easy, Harry." His rescuer soothed. "That's it. Good lad. Scared yourself pretty badly, didn't you? What do you mean by a—wait a moment, did you mean that you cracked a portal open? A real-live summoning portal? In mid-transit? Arielle-!" There was a mixture of shock, surprise and awe all rolled into the last words. "You hardly look as if you could…"

"Accident," Harry managed. His shoulders hurt like that time Dudley and his gang had caught him before he could escape the community playground. He'd never returned there after that horrible day. It felt as if something had been twisted in the wrong direction—again. Harry finally opened his eyes and all thoughts of pain were put on hold as he looked up to see a vaguely familiar face, minus the glasses. His mouth spoke before his mind could catch up to it. "…Dad?"

"Pardon?" His rescuer blinked. "Ah, no. Sorry. Lewis." He cracked a grin that was painfully familiar. "Lewis Perevell from the Noble house of Perevell and the respected High Nobles of the Air Clans." Someone whistled in the distance and Lewis cringed. "Oops. I wasn't supposed to break formation." He winked. "But I thought you could use the help. Hold on a moment," he leaned away from Harry and pursed his lips, giving a shrill set of whistles that carried easily through the air.

Harry winced at the sound, wondering if the fall had somehow jarred something lose in his head. He'd never encountered a real doppelganger before, at least not one that resembled either of his late parents. The shrill whistles made him want to cover his ears and he made a sound of distress in his throat, before he could successfully conquer the instinctive urge.

Lewis didn't seem to hear it, because he turned back to face him, a wide smile of warmth on his friendly face. "Sorry about that. Sometimes I forget to temper some of that for those of us who aren't air-types. It's terribly rude of me, but I hope you don't mind." Lewis said, cheerfully. "I was making sure it was alright to help you settle. Someone else will take my place. How are you feeling now? Will you be alright? Do you have anyone you can call or something—is that blood?" Disbelief colored his voice.

Harry blinked at him confusion and wariness. He did not know why that name sounded familiar as yet and Lewis didn't seem inclined to give him a moment to speak. The ache in his shoulder let him know that Shadow had much longer claws that he'd let on and that if it hurt that badly, he probably was bleeding.

Two whistles in the distance had Lewis rolling his eyes. He gently pulled Harry's hands free from his shirt and held them as he rose to his feet. He squinted up at the sky, seeing something that Harry couldn't, before he pursed his lips and whistled back up again. "I swear, my Mum has a voice that can raise the dead," he snarked. "Looks like a few scratches and some minor wounds, nothing too serious. You'll probably heal from it all before the afternoon is over."

Harry ignored that for the time being. He was used to dealing with pain and this was nothing to fret over. He subconsciously nudged his magic towards the physical discomfort, instinctively knowing that it would help in some way or another. "Where am I?" Harry let the supporting hands pull him all the way up. He found himself now standing in the middle of a tastefully decorated patio of sorts—floating in mid-air. His grip on Lewis tightened at once.

"My traveling apartment, my apologies." Lewis winced. "I generally do keep the garden better maintained than its current state, so please excuse it for the moment. I am currently traveling alone for the sake of my sanity and that of my Circle." He frowned when Harry remained silent, a hint of suspicion showing on his face, his tight grip growing even stronger. "Have you never seen one before?" Harry gave a jerk of his head. "Us Air folk miss our city too much when we venture down for the Hunt, so we bring little bits of floating rocks down to the lower altitudes and we build things on them." Lewis tugged one hand free to gesture around him. A note of concern crept into his voice as he looked at Harry, a slightly puzzled look on his face. "What did you say your name was?"

"Harry," came the quiet answer. "Harry Potter." Harry resisted the urge to mention the strong resemblance. It was embarrassing enough to have called his rescuer 'dad' and Harry had no intention of adding to that. He was now cataloguing the differences as quickly as he could, noting that Lewis had much lighter hair and brighter eyes, with a friendly air, not the fondness he'd seen in the Mirror of Erised. A sharp pain lanced through his shoulder and Harry winced, doubling over, all other thoughts fleeing in the midst of instant pain.

"Harry?" Lewis's worried voice was accompanied by the warming brush of magic from before. "You're healing fast. That was much quicker than I was expecting for marks that deep. It probably took quite a bit from you. Maybe you'd better sit down and-" Lewis froze, his hand crackling with healing energy frozen when it hovered over Harry's healing shoulder, a look of complete horror on his face. "Forgive me for asking, but where exactly did you acquire that seal?"

"Seal?" Harry choked out. His magic could handle the small wounds and scratches, but he'd done something to his wings and they now flared out behind him in distinct agitation. "Ow. Wings. Ow." He bit his lip hard enough to draw blood.

"Easy, it's most likely a wing cramp of some sort. When you stress them like this, it'll hurt like hell, but it won't kill you." Lewis's voice was brisk and efficient. "You appear to have dislocated your shoulder. I can help if you like—hey, hey, easy! Harry. Please, Harry—Harry! Let me help you."

Harry grabbed his own arms, hugging himself as the searing pain in his shoulders translated to his wings. He gritted his teeth against the feeling and stubbornly pushed it away. He could still feel Theo's worry and Charlie's panic at the same time that he connected the dots for the man standing across from him and his first appointment with the handsome Healer Quinn.

"Harry," Lewis's voice was soft and gentle. "Listen to my voice. I am a trained Medic, I can help. Please let me help you. If you fight my magic, this will only hurt instead of help."

The sound of distress that leaves his lips is not the answer Harry wanted to give, but he is not actively fighting Lewis, not when it hurts so much.

A wash of familiar, cool magic sank into him, enveloping his aching figure from head to toe, leaving a distinct echo of heartache behind. Harry trembled. He remembered that touch, that feel—in the graveyard with Voldemort when his parents' spirits had come forth from the wand.

Magic that felt just like his Mum and Dad.

And then he remembered.

A/N: So-Charlie and Theo get to talk about important stuff, Charlie has met a potential mentor, Harry was powerful enough to shatter a portal, Shadow is alright and Harry's mystery rescuer is someone a lot closer than he'd ever imagined. WHEW! What a busy read. ;) I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I'm posting early and STILL working on review replies, but almost caught up. Welcome to all the new readers and lurkers and thank you to all the familiar readers and reviewers. Your encouragement keeps me writing this delightfully epic tale.

on a RL note: I'm doing alright, work is keeping me busy now, but I can't complain.

Also, some shameless self-promotion, a NEW SNIPPET SIDE STORY with Quinn and Harry was posted, to tide over you HarryxQuinn shippers. ;) It's titled TBDH Quinn - My Eyes On You and it's a touch more smexy compared to the fluffier one with hugs and cuddles.

REVIEW RESPONSES are in the FORUM. Copy and paste to get there, click on the appropriate chapter number and scroll down to find your review and my reply. Replace the (heresadot) with actual dots as FF eats all urls, but the live link is on my profile.

forum(heresadot)fanfiction(heresadot)net/forum/The re_Be_Dragons_Harry_Forum/108964/

STATE OF CHARACTERS:

Theo-(with Charlie)

Charlie-(with Theo)

Harry-(rescued by new character, Lewis Peverell)

Deveraine Circle members-(Bahn, Bhindi, Delani, Okahn, Takar, etc. Busy socializing)

Deveraine Children: (Dahlia, with Dyshoka Kalzik), (Ariki with Blaise) (Soula with Shayla, air clan heiress) (Lorelei-on her own)

~Scion

The Noble House of Peverell…oh Merlin!