Author's Note: A big thank you to all who followed and favourited and reviewed and read.
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or the Inheritance Cycle.
Word count: 4341
IN THIS EDIT I CHANGED MY MIND AND DECIDE HARRY USES A FALSE IDENTITY WHEN HE MEETS ANGELA.
Ron knew when Harry failed to turn up for dessert that Something was up. Exchanging an anxious look with Hermione, he turned to Neville and asked "Neville, have you seen Harry around?"
"No Ron. I haven't seen him all evening."
Normally they wouldn't worry. Despite Harry's propensity for trouble, they had reasonable trust in Hogwarts to keep him away from trouble for one evening. Of course, recent events have proved it was rather hard to keep the Boy Who Lived away when there was something fishy going on.
"He wants to skip dinner, that's nothing to worry about." Ron said, trying to reassure Hermione and himself as well.
"Why would he do that? You can't say to nothing to worry about, not after what he has been obsessing over all day!"
Seeing both of them looking rather distressed, Neville leaned over and asked, "Is everything okay, Hermione?"
"Yes it's all fine, Neville."
"Where's Harry anyway? Should we be worried?"
"I don't know, maybe he just isn't hungry tonight." Ron shrugged.
Dinner was almost over when the doors to the great hall burst open and the whole hall turned and gaped at a extremely agitated Hagrid, half running half striding upto the High Table, where Dumbledore and the staff had stopped eating and was staring riveted at the approaching gamekeeper. Even more startling and ominous was the fact that the wizards from the Ministry that were involved in the looking after the dragons used in the First Task had come in, trying to keep up with Hagrid's gigantic steps. Among them was Charlie Weasley.
Ron had stood up, eyes wide open, uneasiness and bewilderment rising like a tide in him. Hermione had gotten up too and Charlie Weasley had left the entourage and was making his way towards the Gryffindor table.
"What's going on?" Neville demanded. "You two got some idea what the hell is happening?"
"Blimey, Charlie!" Ron asked anxiously "Why are you in the castle? Is everything ok?"
"Yes" he said shortly. "You will know soon enough, I just wanted to make sure you three were okay before I write to mum and dad."
Up at the table Hagrid was talking with the greatest urgency to Dumbledore.
"Charlie what's happening why are the dragon keepers here-"
"Students, order!" called out Dumbledore.
"What's going on" someone yelled out.
"I have been informed of an incident that happened an hour ago involving the dragons from the Tri Wizard Tournament. The matter hasn't been resolved yet nor has been completely looked into." He paused as the panicked whispers and murmurs broke out, "All prefects will lead their respective houses to their dormitories now. Students from Durmstrang and Beauxbatons will be accommodated in the castle as it's not safe to go outside."
There was a great scraping noise as students leapt to their feet, clearly alarmed at the news.
"Charlie, for the love of god-"
"They are gone" Charlie muttered in an undertone. "The dragons, they just started acting crazy all of a sudden and attacked us and then they were gone. Without a damn trace."
Hermione clapped her hands to her mouth, horrified. Ron looked sick.
"Oh my god! Are you okay? Is anyone hurt?"Neville exclaimed, listening closely.
"Don't worry about us." Charlie brushed him off. "Look you lot better get back to your tower now, and for Christ's sake stay together, I know you three always got an eye for trouble-" he stopped short. "Wait where's Harry?"
Ron looked panic-stricken at Charlie. Before he could answer they were swept out in the tide of students making a beeline for the door.
Outside the great hall the Minister for Magic had arrived, looking harassed and wild eyed.
"Dumbledore!" he cried. "I can't believe it, this is a bloody disaster! I got half the sodding department of Law Enforcement here going nuts about rogue dragons attacking-"
"Not here, Cornelius!" McGonagall snapped "We are going to convene at the headmaster's office now. The heads of Durmstrang and Beauxbatons will be joining us there along with the heads of the Houses as well as you."
A tall imposing looking black wizard was behind the minister, calming down an extremely distraught and smoking dragonkeeper; more stern faced looked wizards followed the minister to Dumbledore's office.
"Jesus!" Seamus, who was nearby hissed. "They got the place swarming with aurors."
By now it had had become painstakingly clear that Harry had something to do with the inexplicable disappearance of the dragons. Ron and Hermione knew that they must reveal what they knew to someone.
"Mr. Weasley and Miss Granger" McGonagall stormed as they reached the top of the stairs. "You two should be in the Gryffindor tower by now."
"Professor McGonagall, please, we have something important to tell you."
Both of them looked at each other, and then Ron took a deep breath and started.
They were seated in the office now, Dumbledore, McGonagall, Ron and Hermione. Dumbledore's expression was uncharacteristically cold and stern.
"Well I must commend you for letting us know what had transpired at this crucial moment."
Ron reddened "Professor we didn't realise–"
"Albus there's no way they could've known that Harry would actually act out his intentions. Personally, I know how impulsive and foolhardy Potter is but I could've never, in a million years, expected this of the boy."McGonagall interjected, cutting him short.
There was a silence.
Cornelius came in and huffed "Dumbledore I got to run; I have to meet the Muggle minister and update him on the events and explain why half the country is going to have a curfew. Daily prophet's going to have a field day, Merlin's beard." He groaned. "I heard you have banned that Skeeter woman from the grounds."
Dumbledore slowly nodded. "Good, last thing we want is her on the case. We gotta keep a tight lid on this one. It's best that people learn of this from the ministry rather than from a sensationalized gossip rag."
He went out, leaving Ron and Hermione with Dumbledore and McGonagall.
"Come on now you two" said a white lipped McGonagall. "You best be in your beds now."
"Mr. Weasley and Miss Granger." said Dumbledore as they got up to leave. "This time I expect both of you to come forward as soon as possible if you happen to chance upon any information with regards to the disappearances."
"Also, in the light of the new events, there are going to drastic changes in the school. I would advise you two to keep your heads down and try your utmost to avoid any trouble." He added gravely while both of them flushed and nodded.
"For now Hogwarts is in lockdown and will remain so for an indefinite period of time."
It took Harry a couple of hours to reach Urubaen. Guided by the images placed in his head by the final act of Gwenwah, he couldn't miss the city. Before he left their bodies, he had conjured white daffodils to lay beside each of them; he knew it was futile to make graves for them, they were just too huge.
Atop his Firebolt and concealed from sight under his invisibly cloak he observed the capitol of Alagaesia, although he didn't know it at the time. Harry supposed it was beautiful, with its tall spire like buildings and emerald towers. His sneaking suspicion that he had been transported into an era far older than the one he had lived in England was right, no cars no tall buildings, no indication of a modern age greeted his sight.
Lost in the new alien place, Harry started the only way he had left to him; by stealing whatever he could, which turned out to be surprisingly easy. His invisibility cloak guaranteed no one was able to witness him in his illegal sprees around the city. Although he felt about the same enthusiasm about stealing as Ron felt about keeping spiders as pets, he knew he had no other choice.
A week passed and the rumours and various tidings had begun to pour in (Harry knew how responsible he was in uncorking the entire chain of events). The four dragon corpses on Mount Marma (whose name Harry later found out) were enough to send the populace into seventh circles of amazement, the rumours of the new rider and his victories against the Urgals and imperial forces were catapulting the people into hysterics.
Harry knew it won't be long before he finally heard some solid, reliable news of the rider preferably near Urubaen. All he had to do then was fly out on his Firebolt and head to the place and find him. After that- he must find a way to persuade him to take him to the elves. So far it seemed quite simple in Harry mind but he knew it would be far more difficult and dangerous.
Harry by now had managed to get his hands on a cauldron and an alembic; pitifully poor though he was in potions he was finding it indispensable, especially here. On the edge of the city, he found a tiny little shop that looked like it might have what he wanted.
"Good morning stranger, I am Angela, proprietor of this apothecary." These words greeted him as soon as he entered the shop. He found out "Angela", a short woman, standing behind a wooden counter, looking brightly at him.
"Hullo. Good morning, I am Dudley Dursely." he replied politely, keeping his identity hidden. "I need some stuff for …um…. Well could you get me ash hopper jelly, blisterwort, blue dartwing, blue mountain flower, butterfly wing, aconite, antimony, moondew and …er… eye of newt."
"And what exactly would you be doing with that caboodle?" Angela didn't offer him a chance to reply. She spoke with alacrity and warmth that felt pleasant to Harry. "Well I don't have any eyes of newts with me or any aconite…hmm… here's what I'll do. I will give you some charred skeever hide and eye of sabre cats. I believe that will do finely."
"Well if you say so."
Harry looked around the store and noticed it wore a deserted look. There were boxes and bags that were piled up and most shelves looked empty.
Harry turned to Angela to find her gazing serenely at him.
"So, can I get them now?"
"Sure you can. But I don't think you are asking the correct question here."
"What do you mean?"Harry questioned, feeling puzzled." Don't you have them here?"
"Of course I do. I'd be a very poor herbologist if I didn't have even those items." She replied. "You ask if you can get those things. Yes, certainly you can. But how are you going to get them? It's my duty to provide you them. But how?
Harry chuckled, cottoning on "Ah! Alright I understand now. Ahem. Would you please bring me the ingredients I mentioned to you? Thank you."
"Now that's more like it. Apt and concise. A lot of trouble in Alagaesia could be avoided if people knew to articulate the exact things they wanted without rambling off in long winded irrelevant conversations." She rummaged through her shelves and brought him his ingredients and started stuffing them in a bag. "But then, that's a crime I am guilty of myself."
Harry smiled at her politely.
"So that was a very expedient and astute list of items you want to purchase. You aren't unfamiliar with what you're doing unlike most people are. I can spot an actual practitioner when I see one. So what are you, a potioneer? Or something more , maybe a mage?
Harry calculated the risks of revealing such vital information. There wasn't any way to tell if Angela was trustworthy, but as he decided, there was no harm in telling her.
"Yeah I am a wizard. With a very meager knowledge of potions I am afraid."
"Oh, I am sure you are fine in it. By the way Dudley Dursely had you ever had your future read out for you?"
"You mean like use divination to find out what's in my future?" he asked."No…I..um…have a rather bad history with clairvoyance so I prefer to stay away from it, I am sorry."
"No problem." Angela replied cheerfully "Anyway you should know people who tend to refuse to have their future read usually are the ones to die a gruesome death."
Harry didn't know how to reply to that so he tried to look as apologetic as he could and smiled sheepishly at her.
"Well you have caught me in a rather bad time, besides, I was just packing up my paltry belongings to leave actually. Where did u say you were from, Gil-ead? Not from Carvahal are you? Your face is plain enough, (not that you aren't good-looking, dear) but those eyes…" she said peering into Harry's brilliant emerald pupils… "Now those are something I would willingly kill for…" She smiled broadly. "And I'm not even your bloodthirsty type like most of the charming inhabitants of our equally charming capitol are."
He grinned and said "Thank you, everybody says I have my mother's eyes." ,feeling a tad wistful at the memory of his previous life.
"Is your family from one of those northern villages?" Angela prodded him in a rather nosy fashion.
"Yeah…up from north, I was born in a village." Harry lamely lied.
"You don't have an accent."
Harry was one step ahead of her this time though. "I travel a lot with my uncle so I pick up and loose accents like our sow catches fleas."
"Hmm, interesting. Well, I threw in a couple of stuff. Ginseng roots, powdered bee wings; they strengthen most health fortifying potions if added after every half hour and left in the last rays of the evening but I am sure you know that already."
"Yeah I do," Lied Harry "look I don't think I have enough gold to pay you for the extra stuff so-"
Oh she waved her hand with an air of great magnanimity "You don't need to pay for these. Consider them a special offer, wizard to wizard." she winked roguishly.
Harry laughed out loud, his laughter filling the store. It felt pleasant there in the cool semi darkness of the shop. Although Angela was supposed to leave she looked in no hurry to depart, and Harry was grateful for company.
"So what makes you want to abandon this charming place?"
"I fear the city doesn't take to me anymore. Alagaesia, outside the environs of this city has all of a sudden become very interesting if you know what I mean." She answered him, looking meaningful and confidential.
Harry nodded knowledgably.
"So I thought to myself, why suffer the rudeness and meanness of such a lovely place and deny myself the great adventures that await me outside? Sure I may be a woman and as a societal rule we women must be confined to the boundaries of our houses but I am afraid I am not a subscriber to those notions."
"Most definitely not." Returned Harry.
She smiled "Well on a serious note it's no secret that great events are transpiring, Dudley, that may greatly change our fates and fortunes to come; rumours are pouring in from the country side about the new rider-"
Harry's insides jumped at the mention of the rider.
"-the discovery of the dragon corpses, our beloved king mobilizing his troops again, the distant rumble of war on the horizon, secret plots by the Varden, treason by Surda, raids on ships and what not. And here I am cooped up in this little hole." She huffed." People may think of me as an oddball with an unhealthy obsession for cats but they fail to see that's there's more to me than meets the eye. Believe me Dudley Dursely when I say I take a rather keen interest in the fate of this land."
"What else have you heard of this rider?" he asked keeping his voice impassive and disinterested.
"Apparently there was a massacre in Yazuac and Urgals and imperial troops were neck deep in the entire matter of course. The entire city was slaughtered and the mayor did his best to squash the news but the cat's already out of the bag now." She lowered her voice dramatically, "There were reports of a blue dragon and a rider who was involved in the fray in Yazuac. And the four dead dragons on Marma hill, they say they each are the size of a castle with scales made of pure gold and diamonds. Of course it's all rot, as if a dragon would deck itself in jewelry. But don't let that make you the doubt the authenticity of the real story."
Harry's heart beat loudly, but he kept his expressions in check. "So this rider, it's a man isn't he?" he queried her, "Young by the sounds of it. Where is he from? Did they see where he went to?"
Angela shrugged, looking regretful that she wasn't able to provide him with more detailed answers.
"All I have heard is that the rider attacked the marauders in Yazuac, it's unknown whether he was successful in driving them off or not. Or if he is dead. But I don't think he is. The king wouldn't want the new rider to be dead. He would want him before his throne, beaten, paying obeisance to him on his knees. As for where he disappeared to?, the question is on everybody's lips but alas, nobody knows the answer to it."
Harry insides danced conga at the unexpected help he had received. Although it didn't yield him the location or got him anywhere closer really, it was the first solid proof of the rider's existence.
"The return of the riders, eh. That would quite be something." Harry remarked, feeling a chill up his spine as he realized what momentous importance it held for the land.
"Aye don't we all wish to see that?"
A very large cat walked in not unlike Crookshanks and perched atop a pile of books and stared intently at Harry.
Angela was still talking about the riders when she stopped in mid sentence, gazing at the werecat with her brow furrowed and then back at her Harry, this time with a queer look.
Harry immediately felt unnerved; before he had known it, he felt a wary telepathic contact in his mind but it wasn't a dragon this time. Before he could probe it further, it immediately cut off contact with him. Angela was still staring at him strangely. His instincts were shooting off telling him something was wrong.
"Er well Angela it was nice meeting someone interesting like you...I better not delay you anymore. Have a safe journey." With this he backed off towards the door, smiling.
Angela didn't smile at him but kept looking at him with the same expression of intense puzzlement and suspicion.
Harry hurried outside the door before Angela could question him, but apparently there was more trouble awaiting him up ahead. A crowd had gathered outside in the market square and Harry could see imperial troops in thick of it. He heard a rustle close behind him and turned to find Angela had followed him out.
"What's going on now?" asked Harry.
"I am as unaware as you are, Dudley." Angela replied, squinting in the sunlight at the commotion.
Imperial troops were dragging out a woman in the middle of the market; the woman was desperately trying to fight back her arms flailing and twitching her arms and legs. When the struggle got too heated the captain ordered her captor to stop and he walked up to her; and kicked her squarely in her face, eliciting shocked cries from the watching crowd. The woman dropped to the ground holding her face obviously in pain; Harry could see the blood spurting out of between her fingers from her nose.
"By the decree of King Galbatorix, all practitioners of magic that hasn't been registered in the Royal Mandate for the Regulation and Experimentation of the Arcane Arts will be considered lawbreakers and will be prosecuted." He bellowed.
"Stop!" Harry looked around to see Angela pale with fury, electricity crackling in her eyes.
"Leave her alone!" she said loudly striding up to the lieutenant who looked upon her with a sneer on his lips.
"Get your grubby paws off that woman." she ordered the soldier holding the woman in a thick voice.
"Why? You want to take her place instead, do you?"
She looked steadily in his eyes. She said coolly "You have no right treat her like this. If she is really in breach of your beloved king's order then take her to a court. Allow her the chance to fight for her innocence."
The lieutenant grinned clearly relishing the spectacle that was unfolding in front of him. He leered at Angela.
"Sure we could take her down to the tribunals …haha… perhaps you could accompany us there too. My soldiers could do with a bit of female companionship."
"No thanks, you have your rabid king to do that for you. I am sure he is good enough company for your soldiers."
The captain looked coldly at her "We don't have a detractor, do we? You would do well to take a more respectful tone when speaking about the High King."
She laughed derisively. "You know well enough what I think of your king. You don't scare me enough to stop me from speaking my mind."
The captain apparently had enough of Angela by now. He nodded to the troops and they advanced on her, unsheathing their swords.
Harry didn't exactly know what he was doing when he pulled put his wand and aimed it at the soldier closest to Angela and calmly uttered, "Stupefy". He didn't even understand why he felt obligated to help her except that his instincts screamed at him to aid her.
The spell hit the unsuspecting soldier square in his chest and blasted him a dozen feet away in the stalls. Angela looked at him with an amazed expression while the troops gaped at him.
Harry stared back at them for a split second before raising his wand again and stunning the dumbstruck captain.
Chaos reigned in the scene. Angela had started unleashing her brand of magic on them. Troops were yelling as they clashed into each other in confusion while the people fared no better, all of them eager to get away from the two.
"This way!" he roared over the hue and cry. He could see a column of new troops approaching them from the far corner. Angela grabbed the woman and both made their way through the crowd towards him.
Harry shoved his hands inside his robes to search for his invisibility cloak while he kept shooting stunners at the approaching soldiers. Angela was supporting the woman while muttering spells under her breath. Purplish light flashed and several troopers bent over howling, their bones sticking out of their tattered flesh.
They ran. When they reached the main gate, they found the guardsmen had already been alerted of commotion at the market. The woman extricated from Angela's grip and ran into the crowd, disappearing from view. Behind them, the troops were closing in on them in force. Angela looked grim as she unsheathed her dagger; her humongous cat had appeared out of nowhere and was now snarling by her side. Harry grabbed both of them.
"What in the tarnation-"
He swung his invisibility cloak over her and all three of them vanished from view.
"What in the name of the devil are you doing Dudley?"
It's an invisibility cloak. They can't see us under it." Harry explained briefly. "And tell your cat to stop clawing me."
It's not a cat, it's a werecat. And tell him that yourself."
Harry then realized that it was the werecat's presence he had felt in the shop.
"I hope you realize how many explanations you owe me." Angela hissed at him.
The troops were now yelling at one another in shock. They kept gaping at the spot where Harry and Angela had vanished; swinging their swords over the place in the hopes they would hit them.
By this time Harry, Angela (and her werecat) had managed to snuck out under the noses of a very confused guard as he tried to explain to his incredulous company how they disappeared into the thin air without a sign. They receded and Harry could still hear the noise and disturbance they had created in the market.
"Quite a lot of soldiers you killed today. You don't seem the coldblooded killing type yet here you are, I must admit you are full surprises, aren't you" Angela mused.
"What? No god, I didn't killed them. I just stunned them, that's all." Harry responded looking shocked.
"Oh." Harry could tell she was slightly disappointed at hearing this.
"We aren't out of trouble yet," cautioned Harry. "Keep up your guard "
Horns were blaring out in various parts of the city now, dull clangs of distant gates being shut reached them.
"They are boxing us in." Harry said tersely .
Angela glanced at Harry's face tensely under the cloak. "We have to hold our ground. There's no other way out."
Harry shot back "Yes there is," Once again he raised his wand and exclaimed, "ACCIO FIREBOLT!"
Moments later Harry could see it hurtling towards him like a loyal servant rushing to its master. He couldn't help grinning at Angela's dumbstruck expression, and feeling a rush of pride as the sleek broomstick came to a halt before them.
"C'mon!" he said mounting it.
Angela didn't need to be asked a second time. She grabbed her werecat and sat herself behind Harry and clutched him as they rose off the ground into the sky, hidden from the gaze of the city under their cloak.