Chapter 8
They were in the vortex.
Harry had left the specifics of how the CIA would find them up to Marie. From what he'd gathered when he'd been in the control room she had left particularly obvious vortex spores that could easily be followed by anyone with a passable understanding of temporal mechanics.
Marie had informed him she had paused within the vortex beneath a vortex fold which would obscure them from anyone with a simplistic understanding of the vortex but would enable them to be found by the CIA, as they wished.
He was taking the time, which might be interrupted to go through his books that he had retrieved from the moon where he had encountered Iris Wildthyme amongst other things.
Marie had deposited them in a pile in her somewhat empty library.
Organising them and also moving them around the room utilising his psychic abilities gave him time to consider, to think and to muse on events.
His brother had already regenerated. He had not really considered this when he had spent time with him and his travelling companions.
His brother would always be his brother.
The Doctor.
A book that he was attempting to float through the air dropped onto the floor with a thud. Concentration was the key.
He had decided not to come into physical contact with whoever the CIA sent to meet him.
"The CIA are a bit wiley, you need to be a bit careful of them. Our fellow Time Lords aren't bound by the rules of the Capitol." The Corsair had said in explaining to him about the CIA.
Harry knew something of the Celestial Intervention Agency. They had removed certain texts from the Archives on Gallifrey that he would very much like to read.
Exhaling he directed his concentration at the book and it floated once again into the air and onto the shelf.
Then as he was preparing to take a seat and read a few pages from one of his newly shelved books he heard Marie begin to ring her cloisters to alert him.
-/
Entering the control room he went directly to the console. "How many Marie?"
"Two TARDISes Type 46 and Type 50," she paused. "They are approaching our position."
Harry nodded. "Ready time torpedoes," he said as he moved around the console. He had no intention of firing them, but he wanted the CIA to be aware that he could fire on them.
Around the column data began to appear displaying the positions of the two TARDISes approaching.
"TARDISes have halted on their approach." Marie reported with some satisfaction. "Communication coming from Type 50 TARDIS."
Harry moved around to the communications panel, his hand hovering over it. "No." He finally said. "Transmit the location of our meeting location to the Type 50 and dematerialise."
"Yes Harry."
-/
Their meeting location was an asteroid with a weaker than Gallifrey-normal gravity field, but it had oxygen courtesy of a mining operation that had been present here several centuries ago. It also had very narrow vortex approach vectors making it difficult to materialise here without precise control of a TARDIS.
Or at least that was what he'd gathered as he'd watched Marie materialise here. She had located this meeting place as somewhere they couldn't be surprised while they were here.
Harry stood outside Marie waiting, he had already seen the CIA's TARDIS attempt to land twice.
"Was this location too difficult to land on Marie?" He asked. "Without someone as skilled as you?"
She inclined her head. "It is a difficult approach, though not outside the abilities of a skilled Time Lord."
Harry turned his attention back to the space where the Type 50 had attempted to land twice before. From the dust the materialisation process was generating he guessed that the operator of the vessel had disengaged several of the TARDIS's safety interlocks in order to achieve a materialisation.
The TARDIS fully materialised as what appeared to be one of the cabinets from within the Panopticon. Unassuming, yet it made him yearn for home.
A moment later a Time Lord stepped out of the TARDIS. He was wearing black robes of a Time Lord who worked for one of the many agencies within the Capitol. Nothing suggested that he was part of the CIA.
"Harry Potter," he said in greeting. "I am Narvinectralonum."
"Narvinectralonum." Harry repeated. "The Corsair indicated that-" He was cut off.
"Just Narvin will do." He continued. "Coordinator Vansell thought that given his association with your brother it would be more fitting for another to interact with you."
Harry nodded. "The Corsair said he would pass on my wishes."
Narvin nodded slightly. "We also acknowledge the mistake regarding your..." he trailed off looking to Marie. "TARDIS," he paused. "When your TARDIS was encountered it was uncontrolled and an unknown factor. The actions were in the pursuit of the protection of Gallifrey."
Harry nodded. "I understand. Protection of Gallifrey is something I also wish to assist in."
Narvin looked at him. "Yes," he paused. "I believe you do. Yet you do not wish to be a complete part of the CIA?"
Harry opened his mouth to speak. Narvin waved it away. "This is understandable given your contact with the Corsair and your brother's renegade status."
"The High Council declared all of those who departed renegades." Harry countered. "They had not done anything really warranting that declaration."
"Politics young Harry Potter are the play things of the High Council." Was all he said by way of an explanation.
He removed a hypercube from his pocket and made to walk over to him and Marie. Harry held out his had to stop Narvin and concentrated. The cube lifted out of Narvin's hand and hovered over to him. Harry allowed it to hover in front of him. "Is it safe?" He asked.
"It is-" Narvin started.
Marie walked up and looked at it. "It is safe." She looked at Narvin for a moment.
"It contains clearance codes for the transduction barriers. You will be granted access to any where on Gallifrey as an associate of the CIA." Narvin explained.
"Good. Thank you Narvin." Relief present in his voice. "That is welcome."
Narvin smiled briefly. "Unlike the Corsair I see you value our planet."
"Of course. I value our planet, my house, my Chapter..." He was going to say his study. But that, with his meeting with Marie had shifted. He could conduct his own research away from Gallifrey, or now with his association with the CIA, on Gallifrey.
"I understand. I think our association will prove useful Harry Potter." Narvin said.
"Narvin, I have something for you and the CIA." Harry said and turned to Marie and nodded. There was a flash as she produced two black cubes, larger than the hypercube. Dimensionally transcendental.
"TARDIS memory banks?" Narvin asked in surprise as Harry floated both into his waiting hands.
"We encountered two TARDIS, not piloted by Time Lords." He said as he explained the moon, or rather what remained following their visit.
Narvin did not seem as surprised as he had immediately been. "The CIA have been aware of that location for some time. It seems you have done us a service. Although the CIA has not been as direct as you have been Harry Potter."
Harry frowned. "It was an isolated incident, an accident if you will."
Narvin looked at him carefully. "If that is an accident Harry Potter I will be most interested when you do something deliberately."
Harry didn't say anything.
"In the hypercube is also something we would like you to look into."
"Oh?" Harry looked at him. "I did not think I would be called to action so quickly."
Narvin smiled. "It is not urgent." Harry shared a smile with him. "Some experiments in the Third Zone, they know the Time Lords are interested. We'd like fresh eyes on it."
Harry looked at him. "And we are unlikely to cause them suspicion?"
"You are an eager historian Harry Potter." Narvin countered. "The Third Zone is a hub of several planets. You would find it interesting to visit." He paused. "Kartz and Reimer are two scientists there that we have some interest in."
"Temporal experiments I presume?" Harry asked surprising Narvin again.
"You are familiar with the area?" He asked and then smiled. "Of course you are, you studied other races' cultural time travel at the academy." He watched Harry.
Harry nodded. "Disappointingly I was only able to access excerpts of Gustous R Thripsted's work concerning the genetic politics in that area. They have some knowledge of Time Lords and biodata if I recall."
"Just an excerpt?" Narvin asked.
"The Academy was in the process of acquiring new texts, his work was one of them when I was at the Academy. I had some time between classes and chose to peruse their list."
"I see. I presume you intend to return to Gallifrey soon?" Narvin asked.
Harry nodded.
"I would suggest you seek out the text." He paused and looked past him to Marie. "I would also suggest that your TARDIS land somewhere outside the Capitol."
Harry looked at Narvin curiously.
"Your status within the CIA is secure, however there are active elements who may wish to take advantage of your TARDIS."
"Marie can take care of herself." Harry said, forgetting that he was attempting to keep Marie's status secret.
"Marie?" Narvin looked curiously at her. "Interesting. I am sure she can."
"But I am aware that having a TARDIS fire weapons within the Capitol would not be desirable. I will take the advice under advisement Narvin. Thank you." Harry paused. "When I go to the Third Zone how should I contact you with any information that I might acquire?"
"Forward thinking. Good." Narvin praised. "We have a secure storage facility at Bonjax's bar. Or you may approach our offices on Gallifrey, there is information about a secure passage in the hypercube."
"Considerate." Harry mused as he turned to go. "I will return to Gallifrey, then continue on to the Third Zone."
Narvin nodded. "Very good Harry Potter."
Harry turned and sensed Narvin watching him enter Marie's dimensions.
"Double check the hypercube Marie." He said continuing to hover it inside the the control room until he felt Marie's internal forcefields take it. "Dematerialise us and put us on a slow course to Gallifrey."
"Yes Harry." Harry watched the time rotors move as Marie dematerialised from the asteroid. "The hypercube contains no illicit elements."
"Good." Harry said taking it over to his table next to the where he kept his kettle and his remaining tea.
Mentally triggering the hypercube and unfolding it he found what Narvin indicated. Codes for passing the transduction barriers along with other identification allowing him to pass throughout the Capitol, to other areas he had previously not been able to access. The there was some, though not a great deal of information concerning the Third Zone.
"We are approaching Gallifrey Harry." Marie said, almost softly.
Harry picked up the codes and walked over to the console. "Here's the codes Marie." He said placing the codes on one of the entry panels.
"Codes accepted." She said simply.
Harry stepped around the coordinate entry panel. "I'm keying in coordinates for my family house. The House of Lungbarrow, the grounds will accept you and it is far from the Capitol. There will be of no concern there. Kithriarch Ordinal General Quences will make sure you are safe."
"My safety is of no concern Harry," she said without any tone.
"Rubbish." Harry countered as he finished entering the coordinates and pulled the dematierialisation controls.
-/ - \\-
Ordinal General Quences looked up from his study. The house had felt it before he'd heard it. A time capsule was materialising in the grounds of the house. Something no Time Lord would consider doing, unless they were of his house. It was a great offence to materialise a time capsule even inside the grounds of a house. Within the house it was cause for expulsion from the Capitol.
Pulling on his outdoor robes he strode outside where the sounds of materialisation were just finishing and in the gardens stood...what looked like a woman. She wore simple clothing like that of a military though its themes were still aligned with Gallifrey. She had red hair and a hard expression. Every other sense he had told him she was not a woman but a complex space-time event.
A TARDIS.
His senses were confirmed when she parted her arms, a bright light coming from between them and a Time Lord strode out of her internal dimensions.
"Ordinal General Quences!" He exclaimed. "I hope we have not disturbed you."
-/
Quences leaned back into his chair and glanced out the window as he considered what Harry Potter had told him.
He had received word from Harry Potter's associate; his friend Savar. An individual some had cautioned him from associating with. But he had not. Savar was a useful inspiration and motivator to Harry Potter, while also making him aware of the dangers of the universe and the misdirected pursuit's costs.
Quences knew that Harry had discovered something, and that something was related to the lock down in the Capitol.
But this. A TARDIS from another universe. It...she was stood in the gardens, her chameleon circuit activated hiding her within the garden. Though he knew he could concentrate to see her.
Young Harry Potter had confided in him the agreement he had made for his association with the CIA. A seeker of knowledge, Harry Potter. Other Time Lords might have sought much more from the agreement such as his. Not Harry Potter. It was interesting to have one such noble an individual as he, and good, to have a Time Lord from the Prydonian Chapter who cared for Gallifrey as Harry did.
"You should not share your agreement with the CIA with many others." Quences finally saice.
Harry nodded. "I thought only to tell you as Marie would remain here. They said there might still be some interested in her..." He trailed off. Quences had realised in Harry's story that this TARDIS carried some scars of her previous engagement. Something the young Time Lord had already faced and would likely need to continue.
"I admit it is a curious state Harry, this TARDIS. But her connection to you guarantees her safety here within the grounds of the house."
Harry nodded. "I've told her to activate her HADS for one of the mountains if there's anything of concern. No weapons." He added.
Quences nodded. Weapons. Very few TARDISes required weapons. This TARDIS of Harry's, Marie sounded far more heavily equipped than a time station.
"I can show you inside if you would like." The young cousin offered. It was a tempting offer. One that he would refuse. His place was on Gallifrey and his connection with the house.
Quences said as much to Harry Potter.
Harry nodded. "I would like to return to the Capitol, to my chambers they are..." Harry trailed off.
"Your chambers are as you left them. Many an Academy graduate disappears shortly after their experience with the Untempered Schism, if their chambers were so quickly emptied we would have all chambers and no students." He paused, then added. "Unless they are declared renegades of course."
"Of course. My brother and the others," he said. "My brother 'the Doctor' has already regenerated."
This information surprised Quences, though not as much as it seemed to have dismayed Harry Potter.
"You have been gone for a time Harry, some Time Lords regenerate in that many spans." He said.
Harry looked at him. "I still have much to research on subject of regeneration. The ancients knew far more than we know." He exhaled in an annoyed tone that made Quences smile.
Harry Potter had not lost his drive for knowledge, even though he had access to a TARDIS, one more powerful than any he could immediately consider. Yet he still strived to understand the being of a Time Lord; regeneration and their history.
Quences rose from his seat, signalling to Harry that if they continued to talk they would do so into the night. "Before you leave for the Capitol I would make a suggestion Harry Potter."
"Yes Quences?" He asked looking at him.
"You should change into your robes, lest you arouse suspicion." Quences said with a slight nod to Harry Potter's manner of dress. It was a practical outfit of clothing, worn for travel and the practicalities of being away from Gallifrey.
Harry smiled. "Yes, thank you Quences, I hadn't even thought."
-/
Within Marie Harry finished dressing in the robes that he had been wearing when he had first encountered Marie and stood, his satchel slung over his shoulder by the console.
"Are you alright Marie? Being here?"
There was a brief moment and then Marie appeared in the scanner. "It is...different. This Gallifrey."
"From the one you knew?" Harry asked but didn't continue. He had suppressed the memories that had assaulted him in his dreams. Marie's memories and experiences. The Gallifrey she had known seemed like a shadow of this, his Gallifrey.
"And you will be alright while I'm in the Capitol?" Harry asked. "Quences has said you're guaranteed safety here in the grounds and the house. None of the other cousins will disturb you."
"The gardens have responded to me. The house has extended its welcome." Marie replied obscurely.
Harry knew the house responded in a way that was like a TARDIS although not. The houses of Gallifrey were ancient structures, like the Capitol itself. They protected their families and the Kithriarch had a connection to their house that was different to a TARDIS and pilot.
Harry nodded and existed the control room.
-/
The unchanging Capitol was a comfort to him, being back here, the return to it, this space, this environment, he felt home.
His first thought was to go to his chambers, but instead he found his feet leading him to the statues of the founders of Gallifrey.
He nodded and greeted some other Time Lords as he walked.
While Quences noted his time spent away from Gallifrey to other Time Lords the time he had been away was the briefest blip. To some of these Time Lords a century was only a 'short time'.
Stood beneath the statues of the six founders he looked up at them. Each had left Gallifrey to explore the universe, each had returned, and then departed again.
Each had lost something in their times away from Gallifrey, yet each had brought so much to it also.
After some time stood looking at them he felt a Time Lord approach him. "Lord Harry, you have returned to Gallifrey." Savar sounded neutral in his observation. "I hope you have not seen anything that caused you to come rushing back?" He enquired, now a tone of concern in his voice.
Harry turned to the older Time Lord and shook his head. "I wished to return." Harry said simply.
"Each of these Time Lords did also. Ventured out into the universe and returned, some remained." Savar gestured at Rassilon. "Some were lost." He gestured at Omega. "And some lost their way and disappeared into the universe. Their stories less well remembered by the Time Lords."
Harry wanted to say that he didn't want to get lost. "I have returned," he paused "Though may not remain." He finally admitted, but then added. "But Gallifrey, not the universe at large will always be my home."
Savar smiled gently. "That is good Harry. Some Time Lords make the mistake, sometimes gravely of thinking they can survive wholly and without reserve in the wider universe, with its terrors, wonders and breadth." Although soft Savar's words were spoken from his hearts of the darkness that he had born witness to.
"The wider universe is a complicated wonderful expanse. I have been daunted by its size and complexity that I had not considered from here." Harry said contemplating the statues and paused a slight sigh. "May it have been far simpler to stay here and pursue what I had considered; my studies, my readings, my...Time Lord life."
"And now?" Savar asked curiously.
"Now?" Harry turned to his the elder Time Lord, his friend. "I am not sure."
Savar chuckled. "Surety like destiny are concepts the non-time active species consider and think they possess. We Time Lords do not have that luxury." He smiled. "Lord Potter." He said by way of departure as he wandered off leaving Harry contemplating the founders of Gallifrey.
Harry left the statues after a short while, a time that he could have calculated right down to the smallest indicia, but did not. He walked slowly, though with purpose, the stride of a Time Lord in the Capitol to his chambers.
The door had not been touched, his chambers as he had left them.
Sitting down at his desk, though it was bereft of his writing implements, those he had mostly taken with him.
The room felt...Harry wasn't sure. It missed the feeling that he had within Marie, within a TARDIS.
But here on Gallifrey there was another feeling of being home of having returned somewhere that he knew would always be here, always remain, it was the centre, the planet he was connected to, as all Time Lords were, like their connection to the vortex, to time. Gallifrey too shared that connection.
Harry knew how long he sat, enjoying the different sort of peace that he found in the quiet of his rooms. It was different to the peace, the gentle hum of Marie's interior dimensions. Here there was the ebb of the Capitol and its Gallifreyan surrounds.
After some time though he found himself restless. Not something he was accustomed to, not in this way, that he felt he had a task to complete, a visitation to process.
A purpose to his revisiting Gallifrey.
-/
The Archivist had been informed of his visitation of the Archives and the texts had already been set aside.
Harry wondered if the Archivist was a member of the Celestial Intervention Agency.
The Corsair had suggested that there were agents of the CIA in unlikely places. Though Harry had taken this to be suggestive of other Time Lords, perhaps renegades working with the CIA.
Perhaps other Time Lords like himself and the Corsair?
Genetic Politics Beyond the Third Zone by Gustous R Thripsted was a text he had sought out originally out of curiosity. So very few texts had been written about the Time Lords by other members of other societies. Time active or other wise.
He found every text that was written about the Time Lords, or even their ancient Gallifreyan ancestors was a fascinating read. It informed his studies, how other societies, other species viewed their history. Especially non-time active species, their timelines were far less impressionable by temporal manipulation. It meant there was often information of Gallifrey's history written, trapped within the history of another species entirely.
Discovering this was difficult but oh so very enlightening.
Along with Gustous R Thripsted's work was a lengthy journal by parametricist G.V. Santori. Harry had not heard of Santori's work, but parametricists were widely regarded and sought after around the universe for their high work which required high analytical skills. The journal appeared to be missing some content pages. But was more general work on the Third Zone and their efforts to construct a massive space station within the Third Zone to further their scientific researches.
That in itself was something to be valued, progressing a society's scientific development was a good process for a society.
However the pursuit of time travel was not something that should be entered into by species unaware of the consequences of becoming a time-active species and what might occur.
For all the Navarino's frivolity with time travel their scientists acknowledged the dangers. From what Harry understood the High Council did not interfere with the Navarino's excursions into time travel because of their frivolous nature. They did not attempt anything further than 'temporal tourism'. It was something to be appreciated, a species which developed time travel simply for leisure, it had not pursued it further than that.
The final text appeared to be a transcript from a media interview with Head of Projects Joinson Dastari. Looking through this the interviewer's notes seemed to suggest Joinson Dastari had been raised nearby to Dronid or Minyos.
Which was interesting Harry thought to himself, these were two planets that were as rich as they were unknown to many Gallifreyans, but which their history was closely linked.
Gustous R Thripsted's work also mentioned Dronid, however Thripsted also correctly noted the name of the Gallifreyan colony world as Drornid. But did not note how it had become to be known as Dronid. It was something that was of a minor concern to Harry. Names of colony planets changed like many things that withstood history's whims, Harry remembered his mother telling him and his brother about "Grimm's Law" - the Law of Consonantal Shift which explained a similar occurrence.
Drornid's history more so than its name he did find fascinating. It was one of the few Gallifreyan colonies that had made an attempt to challenge the High Council, several mega spans after it had been settled.
There had also been suggestions that Varnax's Crystals had been involved there as well, though that information was almost completely unsourced, but it had been relevant enough to be noted by the High Council.
Harry's tutors had stated that Varnax was a threat that had passed and any remnant was gone to the winds of time.
But nothing was ever 'lost' Harry thought to himself as he sat and relaxed into reading and studying these texts and journals that he had been left by the CIA.
To lose himself in the text was something he had not had the chance to do for some time. Not on Gallifrey, here surrounded by these ancient texts. Even though these texts that had been published on engineered and spun fibres, they still had a physicality to it that computer-based texts lacked. A history. It was why so many texts held on Gallifrey were such as these ones. Computers were fallible, but texts had their own timelines, their own essential temporal existence.
Of course, there were other reasons for texts to exist, the devious nature of their Gallifreyan forbears made texts an excellent target for keys, locks and the occasional tool of assassination.
Harry recalled an essay written, by whom he couldn't quite recall which discussed the process of encoded block transfer written into the text of a book, designed to form a computational maze around the reader, one that was lethal. It was just a theoretical construct, but one that could potentially be deadly if the being was advanced enough to process block transfer in their mind.
Harry shook his head, shaking himself out of thought, he could not spend his time on Gallifrey wondering how one might be assassinated via a book.
Collecting up his books he departed the Archives, intending to head for his chambers, but as he approached the doors Harry found himself with little desire to stop. To sit within its walls and study the texts further held little pull for him.
Instead he found himself walking towards the transmats.
Before he had quite considered, quite processed with his conscious mind he keyed in the transmat for Mount Solitude.
It was only, as twilight made its way across the sky, as the orange slowly mused its way and surrendered itself to night that Harry found himself smiling again.
Watching in the distance as the Cadonwood trees' pollen drifted through the approaching night he exhaled, relaxed to be on Gallifrey, to enjoy its night and the view of the universe it afforded. To be properly home.
-/ - \\-
Harry woke, slowly, stretching, smelling the remains of a fire, he sat up in bed, enjoying the morning's light come into the cabin.
Late the previous night he'd watched the stars come to full visibility as night emerged and Pazithi Gallifreya became visible. He caught the first glimpse of Karn in the night sky and pondered on Polarfrey, the icy gas giant he had visited with his mother and father early in his youth. His brother wondering whether they could skate across its surface. He recalled wondering if Rassilon and Omega had passed Polarfrey on their way out of Gallifrey's system, had Kasterborous the Fibster passed the Gallifreyan skies when Apeiron, Pandak or Eutenoyar ventured out into the universe?
His brother had responded by asking if they could visit Karn one day, with the 'creepy' sisters and their magical flame.
He had taken time, once he had moved from gazing outside at the night's sky to within the cabin to meditate. To meditate on everything that he had encountered thus far, what he had experienced, what he had dreamt, what he had seen within the dreams, those leaked thoughts, memories and the other from Marie, from everything. He took the time away from her, away from everything that had happened to sort thing his thoughts, now that he was under Gallifrey's open skies with nothing but the Transduction Barriers guarding over him. Not even the Watchtower saw this far, it was far more concerned with the Capitol.
Then he practiced with his telekinetic ability, here on Gallifrey he felt more confident, or perhaps just more relaxed. Like the Eye of Orion with its high bombardment of positive ions, Gallifrey's rich Artron energy atmosphere helped him relax and grip his telekinetic abilities with more attention.
Arising and returning the hut to its previous state before he had arrived Harry found himself greatly relaxed and rejuvenated. The return to Gallifrey and his stay here high up on Mount Solitude had allowed him to regain some mental equilibrium something he had found himself lacking, especially in his unprepared, though still considered departure from Gallifrey.
Standing outside the hut he looked around, it was a brilliant day, the sunlight was bursting down through a few wisps of clouds and Harry for a moment basked in its feeling on his face.
He allowed his gaze to drift around until he found himself looking at the Cadonwood trees that formed a small forest at a short distance from the base on the mountain. He had walked through there several times in the past. He knew he could not know every element of it. He loved the smell, the sight of the flutterwings and the bracken underfoot.
But it was its distance from where he was that he found himself studying and calculating.
Here, on Gallifrey, Harry wondered as he collected his thoughts, tightening connections in his mind as he brought forth the recollections, the memories of his first encounter with the Corsair, the tele-psychic transference that occurred.
Harry could feel the calculations forming in his mind, the abilities, squeezing through his body as he concentrated; just enough as he focused on his destination.
Then, Harry felt himself shoved, psychically, yet by his own design, and it was then that he realised he was stood, though bent over breathing and sweating heavily in the forest, Cadonwood trees around him, bracken beneath his feet and Mount Solitude looking down at him.
Harry laughed a laugh of relief, of astonishment, and of a new found talent as he sank to his knees, feeling the soft leaves and branches beneath his hands and exhaled, breathing in slowly smelling the ground and the trees around him as surprised flutterwings danced around him, a new interloper into their world.
-/ - \\-
Harry returned to the House of Lungbarrow by transmat, while he had tested his new abilities, he did not wish to tax them. He felt elated, light on his feet, yet he also found that having a direction, a mission, it led to some determination in his being. Ordinal General Quences met him in the grounds as he approached the house.
"Harry Potter," he said by way of greeting. "You discovered what was required within the Capitol."
Harry nodded in affirmation. "I spent the night on Mount Solitude," he continued. The Ordinal General said nothing, just waiting for him to speak. "I needed..." Harry trailed off. "I wanted to relax and meditate away from distractions."
"And you have Harry." Quences had an ability to see what others did not, as Kithriarch he understood each of the cousins of the house.
They turned, walking back along the path towards where Marie had landed.
Around her it seemed like the gardens had responded and embraced her.
Quences remarked on this. "They have not been in bloom for a long time," he remarked. "Something a capable housekeeper should have attended to instead of..." He trailed off.
Harry considered asking of Satthaltrope, he had known her disloyalty to the House of Lungbarrow had been something of a discussion when he'd departed Gallifrey. But he didn't feel it was his place to ask the Kithriarch about it at this time.
"Marie. Everything has been well?" Harry asked her.
She blinked and looked to him. "This is a calm place. The grounds and the House have accepted my arrival." She looked to Kithriarch Ordinal General Quences, Harry felt mild telepathic contact pass in her gaze, but it was too faint to consider.
Harry did not ask Quences again if he wished to view within Marie's internal dimensions instead he departed, knowing that he could return to Gallifrey. To return home.
-/ - \\-
A/N:
Sorry for the delay with this chapter my Xmas break from writing extended rather longer than I intended.
Harry's now able to return to Gallifrey and has some direction in his life. He's not one to follow in his brother's footsteps of aimless wandering.
Thanks for reading.