Chapter Three – Adventures A Plenty

After departing the Faery Kingdom, Harry had spent the following 11 years exploring the human world, finding it much different to his home. Much dirtier and darker in nature. The world of the humans was far less tolerant of anything that differed from their norm. The Catholic church had a stranglehold on religion over the majority of Europe, and any sort of magical ability was seen as the work of the devil, and something to be hated and vilified.

This world view of his passion deeply saddened Harry, as in his travels he had come across countless suffering individuals and families, many of which could benefit greatly from any number of the potions, elixirs, and decoctions he has studied over his lifetime; however, due to the view on magic being what it was, it led to what he believed to be the unnecessary suffering of millions. Not all held these views thankfully, and Harry was able to spread some joy and comfort along his way. More than once he had come across a young magical, and using his power of emotion and his silver tongue, he managed to prevent them from repressing their talents out of fear and hate for their own magic, subsequently turning them into an Obscurus. A terrible, self-destructive, and irreversible fate he would not wish on any of his enemies should he have any.

It was the month before his twelfth birthday, he would be 110 this year after 11 years away from home, and he had just arrived from a six-month jaunt in France. He was currently traversing one of the many mountainous regions of Scotland when he came upon a most curious sight. In the town square of a small, remote village of magicals named Hogsmeade, stood two men and two women, with the men arguing rather heatedly.

"You are kidding yourselves, all of you, if you think we will not be easier to hunt if the church finds out that there is a mass gathering of magicals, not to mention if they hear that it is a school that we are planning!" exclaimed the man on Harry's right. The man was of about average height and build, sporting a black, close-cut goatee and shoulder-length black hair, neatly tied back at the base of his skull. Wearing what looked to be velvet emerald green robes, the man was the picture-perfect example of nobility, with a sword on his hip. The gentleman he was arguing with was a taller man, with stocky shoulders, long red hair and grizzly beard, and burgundy robes. He too carried a sword on his hip, but it looked to be far more decorative than that of the other man's.

Both ladies stood watching the spectacle and by the looks on their faces, Harry would assume that this was not a new argument between the men. One woman decked in deep blue robes, with straight black hair and a satchel across her back, the other a shorter more petite figure, with straw-yellow hair that was cropped short just below her chin.

As Harry drew nearer to the group, the shorter of the two women seemed to notice him first and offered him a courteous smile. "Hello dearie, are you hear to learn the art of magic from us? We have just started spreading the idea of a school, so we were not expecting anyone to come quite so soon?" she offered.

Returning her smile, he replied as the others in the group stop to listen as well. "No madam, I was just passing through town when I heard the commotion, but what is this about a school?" he questioned.

"Well my young friend," boomed the tall redhead, "my compatriots and I were thinking of starting a school for those magically inclined individuals, but we cannot seem to agree on a few things…"

"Indeed," cut in the other man, "these three seem to be under the foolish impression, that it would be a good idea to open our new school to all children and families that show the beginning signs of our great talent, rather than to keep our secret more closely guarded, offering tutorship only to those with established lines of magical families," he finished. "Our apologies, my name is Salazar Slytherin. The dolt next to me is Godric Gryffindor, the lovely ladies with us are Helga Hufflepuff – in the yellow dress, and in the blue – we have Rowena Ravenclaw." Salazar introduced.

"A pleasure, my name is Harrison Merlin Potter." Looking back and forth between the now identified Godric and Salazar, he asked "So Master Slytherin, why is it that you believe it necessary to exclude those of lest established heritage from coming to your proposed school to learn how to harness our gifts? And is the school to be in this small town, or do you have another location in mind to build?"

Looking at his companions Salazar gestured down the main thoroughfare and out over the plains lining the mountains north of Hogsmeade, "We were thinking of building the school away from the town, to provide more ample space, and to avoid any potential mishaps for the children." At this Harry could see the others nod in agreement. "For your first question, I worry that if we were to start spreading word further of a magical school, outside of the already established families, it could lead to non-magicals finding out about us. If that were to happen, it would endanger all of us; we are already persecuted by the church, and many have suffered at the hands of a riled mob for even the whisper of strangeness… my sister and mother were victims of just such a fate while I was away on some misguided idea of adventure in my youth." He finished.

"I see," Harry replied, saddened to hear of the fate of this man's family, as it was surely not the first time that he had seen or heard of such poor fated individuals. "I have seen many of these cases in my travels as well, and you have my deepest sympathies for your mother and sister Master Slytherin; but if I may offer a counter question, what do you suggest would happen to those of the lesser known magical lines, who are forced to hide and suppress their magic for fear of discovery, to become Obscurials and outcasts; what is to be done with them?"

Speaking up for the first time, "What do you know of Obscurials Master Potter?" asked Rowena, her interest now peaked by the seemingly young boy of 11 or 12 years.

"Quite a lot actually madam. In my travels these past 11 years, I have seen many poor children who had succumbed to being an Obscurus and lashed out at those around them for having to suppress their nature. And before that I have spent many more decades studying magic and a litany of other subjects relating to the mystical, mythical, and the otherwise misunderstood." Harry finished.

Helga looked on quizzically as she digested what she had just heard from the boy in front of her, "Master Potter, did you just say that you have spent decades in study?" at his nod she continued, "might I ask as to how old you are?"

Smiling nonchalantly, he answered "I age a bit differently to most madam. I was born in the Night Court of the Faeries, and for every nine years of your lifetime, I only age one year; I have just recently celebrated my twelfth birthday, putting me around 108 of your years."

"You jest!" gasped Godric, clearly as shocked as the rest at the claims being made by the boy in front of them, as there was no way he could be older than them while looking so young.

"Not at all, have any of you been to the Night or Light Courts?"

"No," Rowena replied, "it is forbidden for any non-Faery to travel to your realm after the dark warlock Morgoth tried to invade the Light Court over 300 years ago and failed. Since Queen Mab passed the Fay Accords after that, stating that all humans are forbidden from traveling freely to the Faery realms unless specifically invited."

"Yes, that does sound like something my mother would do…" Harry thought aloud, again shocking his audience with that juicy bit of news. "Well then, to explain a bit more, I am not like the vampires or phoenixes you may have come across before in any of your travels; you see, I was born from a phoenix egg, presented to my mother, Queen Mab, upon her ascension to the throne of the Night Court and I am the only one of my kind, so we are still learning as I grow. One of the things that we have discovered though, like I mentioned earlier, is that I age much slower than other species; and that I age physically one year, for every nine of yours. So, you see, I have spent the past 104 years studying magic, swordplay, and many other fields."

The party of four were all stumped now, as not only were they meeting someone of a never-before-seen magical species, but one who was a prince to one of, if not the most supremely magical beings ever to walk the earth, Queen Mab. They had all spent their own lives dedicated to the study and mastery of their arts, and had all come across some form of historical texts depicting the rise of Queen Mab, and how she was known far and wide to cause mass terror in those not of the Night Court. "So, if you are with the Night Court, does that mean you are here to stop us from opening a school?" asked the now worried Helga. She had heard of the stories of what was done to those by the Night and Light Courts as a result of them endangering the existence of the magical realms and wished not to ever experience them firsthand.

"Oh, not to worry, I am not here on behalf of my mother. No, I was simply traveling while I came across this town. I decided 11 years ago, that it was finally time for me to get out and see the world – to gain the knowledge and experience I feel would benefit me to learn before I take up the throne when my mother steps down. She has already express that I am to be her heir after all." Harry said soothingly, projecting a feeling of calm towards the group.

Motioning to his friends, Godric requested a private moment to speak with them away from Harry. "So what do you think, if he really is what he says he is, then he could be a most valuable resource as we establish our school? Heck! He probably knows more magic than any of us!" he whispered feverishly.

"I agree" said Rowena, the researcher that she was, "I propose we bring him on board."

"Seems like a sound idea," Helga followed.

Taking a few seconds to consider, Salazar nodded as well, and turning as a group spoke up so that Harry would hear them once again. "How would you like to join us Master Potter? You could be a vital part of helping to train the next generations of our kind. Helping all those that it might take you many years to reach otherwise if traveling alone?"

"A grand idea! However, my condition would be that we do not deny those of lesser magical families." He could see this was a sore point for Salazar and quickly pressed on, "I will however, concede that we need to be careful about how we go about our task, so might I propose that we make the school hidden to all those not capable of magic, and press upon those non-magical parentages, that they will either need to swear a binding oath of silence about their child, or that they can move to another town, of our making, to house them until the end of their child's time as students with us?"

Salazar was once again silent, critically thinking of Harry's proposal and the possible ramifications of it. Finally, after about a few minutes of leaving the others waiting on bated breath, he relented. "That is a fair compromise for now. Thank you, Master Potter."

"Please, you can all call me Harry, or Merlin if you desire, only Dobby calls me Master Potter."

"And you may also address us by our first names Harry. Who is Dobby?" perked up Helga.

"Ah, forgive me, Dobby!" called Harry, quickly followed by a small pop. "Friends, may I introduce you all to my companion, Dobby. Dobby these are my new acquaintances, Rowena Ravenclaw, Helga Hufflepuff, Salazar Slytherin, and Godric Gryffindor." Harry introduced them. "We will be staying with them for the foreseeable future to start a magical school. Feel free to pop in on us anytime you wish."

"Yes, Great Master Harry Potter Sir. But I wills not be washing their dirty undies Sir, only yours." The elf glared at the group before him before popping away again, leaving behind a chuckling Godric, and heavily blushing Helga and Rowena.

"I say, what an odd fellow!" sniggered Salazar

"Yes, he is most uncouth," said the disapproving tone of Rowena.

"Please forgive him my ladies, good Sirs. Dobby is a bit eccentric, but he is very loyal to me and is fiercely protective in his own ways. He meant no harm I can assure you." Assuaged Harry.

#

Following their first meeting, the quintet planned for the next few weeks on a layout and design for a school to be erected, as well as a small town for any potential non-magical families who might want to travel to be close with their children as they learn. They each lived in rooms they had purchased from the local tavern, the Hog's Head, as their plans took form in the shape of a set of blueprints to what was quickly becoming a magnificent castle.

As ground was broken at the bottom of a valley west of Hogsmeade, large slabs of sandstone and limestone were carefully cut, shaped, and smoothed to form the layout of the castle grounds. This is a process that usually took master mason's weeks to complete; however, with the aid of magic from the combined efforts of Harry, Godric, and Salazar, it only took a few days. They used the trees from the surrounding forest to create the supports, risers, and pins to help support the immense structure that was quickly taking form.

As the men worked to build the foundations for there future home, Helga and Rowena elected to come up with an answer for the monumental task of locating, and trying to convince magical children to join them there in Scotland, from all over the globe if possible. Using her superior knowledge in herbology and the magic of the earth itself, Helga was able to create a book, its cover made of a dry and leathery moss, with pages made from the trees of what they learned was called the Black Forest neighboring the castle grounds to the east. The magics imbued into the pages themselves by both Rowena and Helga connect the book to the interconnecting ley lines running below the castle, allowing it to sense the magical signatures of all of those on earth.

The creation of the book took a good few tries to achieve, as the first few times they had tried to use it, it was immediately burnt to a crisp as it overloaded to the confusion of both witches. It was not until their fifth attempt that Rowena was able to identify the cause of the problem as Harry being in such proximity to the book and through it, his connection to the magic of the world; being so strong that the book was unable to handle the overwhelming flow of power. From there, she was able to refine the runes they had been carving into the spine of the book to limit its intake of power, and list the names of all magical people on earth as well as their power levels by an increasing factor of three. This scale became the Merlinian Scale, as a jest towards the one who kept on burning the book out, with Harry being the Prime Merlinian, as he was the strongest magical being they had come across to their knowledge so far. In the case of the to witches, it showed Rowena and Helga's power levels as that of 3375 mels and 3374 mels respectively, and Harry's level being that of over eight million mels.

Suffice it to say, Harry was none too thrilled with their naming their new measuring standard after him.

#

The year was 990 A.D., and the school was finally finished; it had taken them another two years of exhausting construction to finally complete. Out of a twisted sense of humor they had decided to name it Hogwarts, after the nearby town of Hogsmeade, and they could not be prouder of their joint accomplishments.

In the time since Rowena and Helga had created the now dubbed Magical Catalog of Souls, they each took control of portions of the castle, directing Harry, Godric, and Salazar on how they thought certain parts of the castle should be optimized for learning, convenience and ease of navigation. As promised to Salazar, Harry had devised the idea of using a ward stone to inscribe protections that could be linked to the school, that would ultimately protect those under the wards so long as there was power flowing through the ward stone from the ley lines below. Among the hundreds of schemes inscribed upon the ward stone were those designed to repel any non-magicals who wondered too close, or showing them a dilapidated and crumbling ruin more trouble than it was worth to explore; wards to prevent rape, torture, or other vile acts within its walls; and wards that prevented anything overly dark from entering, be it animate or inanimate just to name a few.

Upon the founding of Hogwarts, there was a turnout of about 34 families that came to see the creation of the school, and astoundingly, six of those families were mostly non-magical, with only the children having developed the gift and thus invited by the group to attend. When it came to classes, they each decided to keep all students in the same one class for now until they started getting more people to attend, and they would each take a day being the ones to teach, with the students having one day off a week for rest and relaxation.

Salazar, being the resident potions master and magical creatures' expert would take up those subjects. Helga took charge of herbology and worked closely with Salazar to show how the subjects could work hand in hand, as well as runes studies. Rowena would focus more on arithmancy, astronomy, and spell creation after they had reached the required standards. Godric would focus on Charms, and transfiguration. And finally, Harry, who the families had started to refer to as Merlin, after learning about the magical scale, would concentrate his teaching efforts on magical, as well as mythical lore, alchemy, and physical exercise.

And so began an era of growth and understanding that would span the next 90 years, marking many key events in history of their budding magical society, including the rise in reputations for the five teachers and cementing them as the world's premier magical authority with Merlin as the de facto leader. Sadly, the good times could not last forever, as a dark cloud crested the horizon. A cloud in the form of a prophecy.


Author's Note:

Hey guys, thank you again for reading my story! Please enjoy, and remember, any constructive criticism is welcome.

Until the next chapter.