Pain. It was the first thing Harry felt, as he clawed his way back to consciousness. A sharp, biting sensation that covered his entire body, as if he had been swarmed by a nest of rapier wasps. For a moment, the huntsmen-in-training considered simply leaving his eyes closed and returning to sleep, if only to escape the searing pain. He pushed the thought away, however. Chances were someone would eventually force him awake, and that would be far more unpleasant.
"Fuck me." The first words out of Harry's mouth after he had cracked his eyes, were a curse, but honestly, he felt justified in that. It wasn't everyday he awoke to find Draco Malfoy leaning over him with a look of concern.
"You know, one would think you might show a bit more gratitude to the man who just saved you a week in the infirmary." Harry groaned at the sardonic comment and curl of pale lips, pushing himself up slightly to look around. They were still in the ravine where The twelve students had clashed with the three ancient Grimm. It had changed significantly from their arrival, however; Now, rubble was scattered haphazardly around, and the ruins which had been standing on the cliffside had crumbled almost entirely. He couldn't find any of the other students in their near vicinity either, but Draco didn't look worried, so he doubted they were too badly injured.
"What are you doing?" He asked brusquely, more to take his mind off the possible fates of Ruby, Hermione, or any of the others who had been with them. Draco frowned as he tried to push up more, shoving Harry back down with a solid palm.
"My semblance. Now sit still." Not wanting to interfere with an ability he knew nothing about, Harry nodded and froze, clenching his muscles tightly. His discipline was tested a moment later, however, when the pain still lingering sharpened suddenly. Where before it had been like a bad sunburn, he suddenly felt as if the entire front of his body had been plunged into a furnace, every inch a blazing torch. It lasted just a moment, but still he was forced to clench his teeth, biting the inside of his cheek. Any less and he would have cried out in pain. The feeling disappeared however, and the original pain along with it, leaving Harry feeling fresh as a newly-born babe. It was at that moment as well, that he realised his clothes were in tatters, excepting the trench coat he had treated for exposure to Dust effects. Before he had a chance to comment on that, however, a small, dark object slammed into his chest, leaving him breathless.
"Harry!" Instinctively, the lion-faunus's arms went around the small girl who was now practically sitting in his lap, hugging him tightly. A moment later, his brain caught up enough to recognize the red hair and cloak, designating her as Ruby. "Are you okay? You're not hurt are you?"
"No Ruby. I am fine." Harry chuckled as he answered, amused at her actions. The tiny huntress-in-training shifted to stare up at him, and his laughter turned into a small smile as he saw the worry in her silver eyes. It had been a long time since someone looked at him like that, and the sight warmed his heart.
"Harry! Ruby!" The ravenette looked up to see the other nine students running up to them, with a variety of expressions. They ranged anywhere from relief to disinterest-feigned by Blake- though Ruby's sister Yang had an oddly strangled look on her face. In an instant, Ruby had shot up from her position, blushing a furious red as she glanced between the blonde and Yang. Right, his clothes. Chances were the older girl wouldn't want to see her little sister clinging to a guy who was practically shirtless.
"Hey guys," He said nonchalantly, trying his best to to show his own embarrassment. True, Harry had far more experience in such matters, but still. There was something utterly adorable and innocent about Ruby that made him feel self-conscious. Then again, Yang's face had turned from strangled to glaring furiously, and Harry was starting to wonder if he shouldn't be making a break for it. "You guys all right? What took so long?"
"We had to lead the others down." Answered Hermione, looking at him with her own measure of concern. She didn't appear to be in too bad shape for herself, just a few scrapes and bruises that would likely disappear in a matter of hours thanks to her aura. The others, as well, were in similar shape. "Are feeling alright?" Harry rolled his eyes at the question. Why did people keep asking that?
"Fine." He said, rolling his shoulders as an example and standing up. "Why shouldn't I be?" The question, understandably confused, was met with expressions of shock by everyone except Draco, who was busy dusting himself off as he rose.
"You were like a fried pancake!" The orange-haired girl, whose name Harry didn't quite remember, cried out suddenly, giving him a blinding smile that was completely at odds with her statement. The dark-haired boy beside her nodded solemnly.
"Your injured state left quite a bit to be desired." Harry raised an eyebrow at the pair, looking between them. Somehow, the image made little sense, but, remembering his own lives and the strange people he had met throughout their courses, decided to let it go. Instead, he turned to Luna for a more coherent answer; and what a strange statement that was to say.
"You were burnt." The silvery-haired girl replied, blue eyes glimmering with amusement. Whatever that attack was lit the sky better than a fireworks display and you were right in the middle of it." Harry frowned at the explanation, looking down at himself. He appeared perfectly normal, if a bit pink in certain areas.
"Your friend stayed to heal you." Came another voice, and Harry's eyes snapped up to look at the speaker. She was another red-head, taller and more mature than Ruby, and he had to stifle a shudder as he was reminded of another girl, flashes of smoky eyes and a feral grin slipping through his mind. He shook the thoughts away, however, focusing on the unfamiliar green of her eyes.
"Right," he said, glancing back at Draco, who who cocked an eyebrow at him challengingly. "I don't think we were introduced." Harry said finally, looking around and including most of the group in the statement. A few of their eyes widened at the sudden shift in topic.
"Er, I'm Pyrrha." The unknown redhead answered first, smiling shyly. "It was an honour to fight with you."
"I'm Nora, and this is Renny!" The ginger yelled, grabbing her friend in a headlock as she gave the group a bright smile. "But most people just call him Ren."
"Weiss Schnee." Harry's eyebrows shot up as he noticed that the white-haired heiress was indeed in the group, glaring at him haughtily. The lion-faunus winced at the sight. He should probably apologize at some point.
"Blake," was his old friend's only contribution, though Harry caught the slightest quirk of her lips as he eyes slid over him.
"I'm, uh, Jaune. Jaune arc." The sunshine blond who had been hiding at the back of the group quietly offered, rubbing the back of his neck. "That was pretty cool what you did back there." The entire group chuckled at the comment, and Harry gave the kid a nod in rest of the group, including all the Hogwarts alumni, Ruby, Luna, and Yang, all introduced themselves quickly.
"So what now?" Blake asked, looking to raven-haired boy smiled at her cheeky way of talking to him without seeming to familiar, and he could see that her own eyes shone with humor.
"Now," He said, looking around at the destruction around them. "Now we get the hell out of here."
XXX
"Draco Malfoy, Hermione Granger, Harry Potter, and Luna Branwen. The four of you retrieved the black rook pieces. From this day forward, You will be known as… Team HLHD(Heliod), led by Harry Potter." The announcement from Ozpin was met with a round of applause, but Ruby ignored that, not waiting to rocket on stage and hug Harry-who was thankfully clad in non-destroyed clothes once again- squealing with joy.
"Oh my Dust, Harry! You're a leader too!" She yelled excitedly. It was amazing. Ozpin had made her team leader, and now Harry was too! Of course, it was only right that her new friend get the job. He was too strong not to.
"Yeah, Ruby, I'm leader. Now could you let go of me before your sisters strangle me with their eyes?"The tiny huntress-in-training paused, glancing back to where her team was. They had followed her, and Yang's eyes were indeed glowing their angry red, an sure sign that she was about to punch something really hard. A quick look also confirmed that Luna didn't appear happy either, though her eyes were once again hidden by that ugly visor now that they were back among the crowds.
"Oh. Right." She said letting Harry go like he was a poisonous snake and backing away as her face started glowing bright red. She had no idea why she was acting so clingy, it was just… Well, Harry was big and strong, like her dad and uncle, and every time she went near him, she felt safe. Not to mention, he was her first friend here at Beacon, and she wanted to make sure she didn't lose him. Thankfully, The Huntsman-in-training didn't seem to mind or notice her reactions, smiled softly and reaching up a hand to ruffle her hair.
"Don't worry about it, little one. It's understandable to be excited. I just prefer having my head where it is." Ruby nodded vigorously to this. She liked it where it was too.
"Hey there, folks," Ruby jumped as Yang practically appeared right next to her, giving Harry a rather strained smile. "Glad to see you guys made it. And congratulations on being leader." The ravenette smiled and nodded at her, but Ruby could see the laughter in his green eyes as Yang threw an arm around Ruby and drew her protectively closer.
"The same to you." He said politely, before glancing at a clock on a nearby wall. "Well, I would love to stay and chat, but it looks like we're all exhausted." He gave the entirety of team RWBY a nod, before walking past them with his own team following closely behind. Ruby was disappointed, at first, before she took a close look at the clock herself.
"Holy chocolate chips, it's almost midnight!"
XXX
"Ozpin!" The headmaster looked up from his desk to observe as Glynda Goodwitch came storming into his office, matronly wrath unsettling the very stones in her wake. Unconsciously, he grimaced at the sight. It was not often he saw his deputy in such a tizzy. WIthout thought he dropped a hand down to hang loosely by his side, and the expression eased as he felt a wet nose poking at it. At least one of his admittedly few friends wasn't angry.
"Yes Glynda. Has something upset you?" The steel-haired man leaned back in his seat as he asked his question, looking over his glasses at the blond in an attempt at instilling some sort of calm. It didn't work, and she slammed her hands down onto the desk with surprising strength, cracking it.
"You know damn well what I'm angry about Ozpin. What are you thinking with these team assignments." For a short second the man merely watched his deputy, taking a short sip of coffee. Only once he had finished swallowing did his expression change, a light quirking of his lips.
"I would have thought that was self-explanatory. The pairs who claimed matching relics formed a team." His smile, it appeared, only angered the woman more, for her eyes narrowed, and she straightened, back going stiff as an iron.
"That is not what I meant. My concern, headmaster, is your choices for leadership. Three of them, specifically." Ozpin's lips almost quirked again, but he managed to hold the expression down. It would not do to anger the woman too much; he had seen the kind of things she could do with that riding crop, and bore no desire to be subject to them.
"Am I to assume you mean Ms. Rose, and Misters Arc and Potter?" After all, they were the only oddities in his selections this year. Still, Ozpin was distracted momentarily from Glynda's short nod as the fur clad head which had started to rub against his hands paused, a slight brushing telling him a pair of ears were perking. How interesting.
"Exactly." Glynda bit out, still glaring at the utterly nonchalant Headmaster. "Need I explain my issues, or are you going to act all mysterious about it like always?" Ozpin smiled. He knew, of course, that his demeanor had long been a source of exasperation for many people, especially those who worked closely with him. Regardless, he gestured to the empty seat on the deputy's side of the desk, one eyebrow raising in challenge.
"Please." Was his only response, but with greatly apparent reluctance, the blonde woman sat, though her green eyes remained angry and trained directly on his own.
"Where do I even begin?" She started, finally looking away to glance down at his desk. By small chance, the three particular cases she was questioning were spread out on his desk already, though most would simply call it preparedness. After knowing someone as long as he had been friends with Glynda, one learned to expect certain actions. Neither Ms. Rose or Mr. Arc are near enough experienced in combat to even be here at Beacon, let alone ready for a leadership position. Rose, I let slide when you first recruited her because of her family and evident skill, but Mr. Arc… if I didn't know better I'd say he's barely held a weapon before, let alone trained with it." Ozpin nodded along, but deep within his mind he was almost laughing. Her complaints were almost word-for-word how he had imagined them.
"And Mr. Potter?" He asked, despite knowing how she would answer.
"Do I need to say it?" Glynda asked disdainfully, sparing a few seconds of glaring at the picture of the dark-haired , Ozpin's attention was drawn away by the shifting fur against his hand, but he managed to offer a stern nod and earning a heavy sigh. "The man is a well-known member of the White Fang. I find it quite disconcerting that you would allow one of the terrorists we have been fighting nearly nonstop for years almost complete access to the school." Despite having expected her words, Ozpin couldn't stop his lips from twisting into a grimace. She was right. It was a gamble on his part, as was the acceptance of young Miss Belladonna-whom Glynda was quite unaware of- but one which he had happily taken.
"Mr. Potter left the organization well over three years ago, and in quite a spectacular fashion, I might add. The reports indicated that none of the White Fang strikeforce escaped that day."
"SO he is a murderer as well?" Glynda riposted sharply, and Ozpin cocked an eyebrow at her in response.
"I seem to recall both of us having taken similar action in the past."
"They are meant to be better than us!" Finally, Glynda cracked, jumping up once again and slamming the desk as she yelled, rage blazing in her eye. The splits in the stone widened from the force, and Ozpin glanced at them listlessly. He would need to get those fixed. Perhaps if this conversation went as planned, he could ask Glynda herself to clean up her mess.
"Two hundred and thirteen." He said quietly, cold green eyes returning to rest upon Glynda.
"What?" She asked, anger turning to confusion.
"Two hundred and thirteen. That is how many lives Mr. Potter saved when he brought that building down, in exchange for ten of the most vicious and bloodthirsty criminals to ever walk through Vale's streets. If that is not better, Glynda, then I don't know what is." The blonde woman was stunned, gaping at him with wide eyes. As he waited for the words to process, Ozpin took a sip of his coffee, while the other hand grasped a tuft of soft fur lightly, drawing his fingers through it.
"You are right." Glynda, regaining her balance finally said, lowering herself quietly into the seat once again. "But that does not change the matters of Ruby Rose and Jaune Arc."
"It does not." Ozpin admitted, sitting back in his chair. He had not even realized how tense he was. "But it was Ms Rose's plan which defeated the Nevermore, just as Potter gave the commands against the Arachne, when everyone around them froze."
"Not to mention her silver eyes." Glynda's voice was hard, but there was a hint of defeat in them, and Ozpin found it sufficient to simply hum in response. "And Arc?" For once, Ozpin allowed the smile to slip onto his face without resistance, a quiet but proud thing.
"Why, Glynda, I do think you just answered yourself." The deputy's eyes narrowed in confusion, her brow furrowing, before a spark of recognition seemed to flash within them, and they widened.
"You cannot mean-? But his records stated he was from here in Vale!"
"Mmm, so they did." Was Ozpin's, answer, and he took another sip to hide the widening of his smile as annoyance appeared on Glynda's face. "But then, I have long since stopped listening to falsified records." One, two,- The Headmaster's patience was rewarded when, as the meaning of his words finally reached her brain, Glynda gasped, rocking back so hard the chair she sat in nearly fell over.
"So he's a fraud!" Ozpin quirked an eyebrow at the turn of phrase, even though it was technically true. It was surprising, however, to hear such coming from Glynda. 'I knew it!"
"I prefer to say a young man with great potential and both the courage and strength of will to achieve it." At his words, still perfectly calm, Glynda returned to glaring at him, prompting yet another tiny smile to be hidden behind the mug of coffee.
"Ozpin, I have known you for a long time. Not once, however, have I ever thought you would be so callous as to throw an untrained and unprepared child into danger's way." Ozpin noted instantly the change in her demeanor. Rather than the fiery anger of a few minutes previous, Glynda was now still as carved ice, and her frigid tones immediately narrowed the headmaster's eyes. Slowly, he lowered his coffee back down to the desk, careful not to place it upon one of the cracks, before folding his hands and leaning upon the piece of furniture, meeting the chips of green eyes which were her eyes steadfastly.
"Mr. Arc survived the initiation," The words were quiet, but beneath them lay a core of steel, as Ozpin donned the persona he very rarely showed to anyone. It was no longer the face of a Headmaster of Beacon he wore now, but that of the single greatest Huntsman to ever stand beneath Vale's banner. It was the voice of a commander he spoke with, one which had given orders that shaped the face of the kingdoms. And it was the eyes of a soldier with which he looked upon his subordinate, one whose hands were bathed with the blood of thousands-both Grimm and human- and whose heart had been tempered in the fires of war for the great majority of his life. He was no longer Ozpin, but the Emerald Wizard, whose name was feared and revered even in the heartlands of Grimm. "And it was his actions which saved team JNPR against the Deathstalker. It is true, the boy is unskilled. More than that, he is here riding on the fumes of dreams and desire, with little idea of what he is to face. But I assure you, Glynda, that there is more at work here than you know. And that boy, who right now may seem nothing more than a clueless fool too far in over his head, will quite likely be one of the greatest legends to walk on Remnant's soil."
For a long moment, there was utter silence except for the ever-present tick-tock of the clocktower. Even The creature under his desk, normally not one to sit still, seemed frozen by his words. Then, just as Ozpin feared he had perhaps spoken too heavily, Glynda's lips cracked open. "This is another one of your fairy tales, isn't it?" There was a tremor to her voice that had not been present before, and Ozpin had to force himself not to wince. He had not meant to scare her.
"Of a sort." He answered, internally cursing himself. She was close, but not quite. It was enough, however, and the blonde woman nodded shortly, standing.
"Very well then. I… have things to attend to." She turned and stalked away, though Ozpin noticed a slight shake to her step, albeit one most experienced Huntsmen would miss. Dammit, he had forgotten the effect he once had on people. There was more than one reason he had abandoned any semblance of military responsibility at the end of the last war for a peaceful life of teaching.
It was only after the door to his office swung shut that Ozpin realized he had forgotten to ask Glynda to fix the desk.
XXX
Alright, here we are! I know, I know, it's been far too long since I last updated this, but I was sort of suffering a large case of writer's block, and it only just seems to have broken. For now, however, I hope you enjoyed this new chapter of HLHD!
SO, a few random comments real quick. One, this will be the first story of mine to ever break the 100-review barrier! Make it count, please. And two, for anyone still wondering who Harry will be paired with; get some glasses, because you're blind as a bat. And I wonder what exactly was hiding under the Headmaster's desk?(There was a little clue, but not much. Kudos to anyone who figures it out);P Also, I apologize if Glynda seemed a bit OOC. I tried to write her more how I would imagine McGonagall(and Ozpin like Dumbledore) at the ages they would respectively be. It seemed a fairly close parallel, but if anyone feel I failed, please explain why. Anything to make my writing better.
So, i think that's it. Don't forget to Review(Please, please Review!) And I will see you all later!