Disclaimer: Characters – not mine. Setting – not mine. Money? – Not by a long shot. Why am I doing this? – cause its fun dagnabit (This is a word where I come from)
A/N: Thanks for the Reviews and story alerts!! I will try to do you proud
Warning: This story is a slash story. Im sorry if this offends people. I don't want to misslead people however. M/M. Nothing graphic, but it will be a romance between two men.
On with the show
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Chapter 3: All it takes is Faith and Trust
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A fairy. He was a fairy. A Fairy!! With fairy wings and everything. Couldn't have been a bird's wings. Or angel wings. No. Fairy wings. Maybe he was imagining things. A dream perhaps? Dreams do happen and Harry was notorious for having crazy dreams. Then again...
"Ron?"
"Yea?"
"There are wings sticking out of my back aren't there."
"Yep."
"Not a dream?...Ouch!" Harry rubbed his arm from where Ron had pinched him.
"No dream."
"Ah, well then...."
They both continued to stare at Harry's reflection in the bathroom for a while.
"Want me to go get Hermione?" Ron asked, but he didn't take his eyes off the wings.
"Might be a good idea."
"Oh. Ok," Ron turned and started heading towards the door. He paused and turned back, "I'll be right back. Don't go anywhere."
"Oh, no worries about that happening." And with that Ron left the dorm room with the same dazed look in his eyes. Harry didn't blame him. Not in the least. He would be shocked too if he saw his friend with wings sticking out of their back.
He had wings. Wings! How had he not felt this in the night!? These were huge...okay bit of an exaggeration, but still very big wings sticking out of his back. He may be a heavy sleeper, but it seemed to push beyond ridiculous that he had slept peacefully while this occurred. Here was the proof though, staring right back at him in the mirror.
So he was a magical creature. He couldn't call it a theory any longer. Not just any magical creature. A fairy apparently. Harry almost wished he had turned into that giant wombat. He stared at the newest addition to his body, really taking them in for the first time that morning.
They looked like the typical pixie wings, or at least what Harry considered to be typical. Almost like a butterfly's wings except just a little bit smaller in width and not nearly as colorful. In fact they were almost clear if it wasn't for the iridescent shine and the milky white scrolling pattern that curved and spiraled all throughout. They were really quite stunning if only they weren't sticking out of his back. Any one else's back and he could have possibly complimented them. On his own, however, they seemed so foreign that he had a hard time accepting them as real. He guessed from what he could see that they went about a four feet tall, with the tops reaching about a foot or so past his head and the bottom grazing the backs of his knees. Every once in a while there would be a slight movement to them and Harry would feel a flutter of muscles in his back.
Harry the Fairy. 'Oh no no no no no no! No rhyming like that. I can just hear the songs Peeves and everyone else would make up if he found this out. Crap. The funny songs practically write themselves!' Harry was so engrossed with his internal monologue about all the terrible things that could be contained in a song entitled Harry the Fairy that he did not hear Ron return with Hermione.
"Honestly Ronald, what is so important that you drag me up hear with no explanation at all and keep shushing me any time I......ask." Hermione finished her rant lamely as she was finally pulled into the bathroom.
"Oh ....my goodness....Harry...They're....They're....Wow!"
Harry sighed and turned from the mirror to face his friends. "Hermione..."
"They are just stunning Harry!"
"Not the assessment I needed right now. What am I?"
Hermione was still openly staring at the wings. "I couldn't say for certain...but you look like a fae."
"Fae?" Harry quickly tried to delve into his care of magical creatures knowledge, "I thought fae were like elves?"
"Well, they can be. There are many types of fae. Really, fae is a general term that applies to magical humanoid creatures that are larger than their pixie or fairy cousin."
"So I am not a fairy?"
"No you are much too large."
Harry the Fae. Didn't rhyme. He could live with that. Not nearly as bad a song. Just hope others would see it that way too.
"So what type of fae am I?" Harry said as he walked back into the room to grab a shirt. With Hermione in the room it was getting a little embarrassing to walk around half clothed. He looked at it a second wondering just how he was going to accomplish this task.
"Oh honestly," Hermione said with a huff. She grabbed the oversized shirt and whipped out her wand. After charming a hole in the back she waved her wand again and the shirt disappeared from her hand and reappeared on Harry. "Thanks!"
"What would you do without me?" Hermione said with a self satisfied grin.
"Walk around naked apparently."
"Thank you Ronald. Now, back to your question Harry. I will go down to the library and get what books I can. I am sure the library has several books on fae creatures. Can you boys stay up here till I get back?"
"No I thought I would parade my new wings around the Great Hall" Harry said with a grin. He was just happy he wasn't Harry the Fairy anymore and that he was properly clothed.
"Don't get smart mister! I will be back."
"Hey why don't you go with her Ron?"
"You sure?"
"Yea sure, Hermione may need help carrying the books."
"Kay. We will be back in a minute mate."
And with that the two departed and Harry gave a small smile. He knew they wanted some more alone time. Just the two of them. While they had been ultra supportive of Harry this past week it did not change the fact that they would often go on strolls in the afternoons by themselves or would sit off to the side in the common room. It was their right. They were in love or quickly getting there. Harry was not even about to begrudge them that. In fact he felt quite happy in his friend's happiness together. It just stung a little bit to realize that the close friendship of the trio was changing drastically because they were growing up. Harry also had a feeling that there would be more and more "couple time" in the near future which meant Harry would be on his own. Part of him didn't want it to change, but he knew all to well that changed happened whether you wanted it or not. The flutter of his back muscles as his wings moved again was a physical reminder of that lesson. So like with all the obstacles that Harry had faced he decided that these two changes—his relationship with his friends and his brand new appearance—were things that he could easily take on and still be happy. He had a feeling he could accept his friends' relationship making him the third wheel more than he could accept the fact that he now had wings. Harry the Fairy. 'No! Harry the Fae!' He thought frantically.
Well, now what was he going to do while he waited on the lovebirds? He walked back into the dorm room and passed by the personal wall mirror that Neville kept by his bed. It was a talking mirror and it and Harry had a love/hate relationship. Basically, it loved to say how terrible Harry looked and Harry hated the fact that it gave its opinions without being asked. Anytime a person even walked by the mirror it would shout back its advice or appraisal of their looks. He had a feeling it was charmed my Nev's grandmother to be exceedingly harsh. Harry already knew he was scruffy and skinny, he did not need a mirror shouting it at him whenever he passed by. Harry stuck his tongue out at it when he walked.
"Nice wings." It called.
"Oh, shut up!"
Harry wandered back onto his bed and sat down, careful to not sit on his new wings. They seemed to know what they were doing however, since they move on their own accord when he sat, causing another weird sensation to go through Harry's back. That was definitely going to take some getting use to. He thought again of his current predicament. This was by far not the worst magical creature that he could have received an inheritance from, but it did present itself with some very unique problems. What would people say when he saw these wings? It wasn't like they were small enough to hide under clothing. And what if this wasn't the last of his changes? Maybe he wasn't a fae, but a giant bug! Next he would get antennae. Harry pushed that thought out though since Hermione's ever present 'Humanoid, your inheritance will be from a humanoid creature' was playing in his head. Maybe he could put a notice-me-not spell on them all the time. But that wouldn't work. Eventually he would mess up and someone would see.
Oh wait, what if his other dorm mates decided to come back up here for one reason or another? He can't be seen with these wings! Harry dived for his trunk and threw on his father's invisibility cloak, making sure that wings and all were hidden. He felt a rather abrupt and bigger sensation in his back this time and realized his wings had laid down flat against his back. Well that was handy. Now if he could only control it.
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Ron and Hermione returned a while later to what looked like an empty dorm room.
"Harry?"
"Man," Ron said, "I really hope he wasn't serious about parading around in the Great Hall."
"Of course I wasn't!" Harry said as he threw off the cloak, "What kind of a prat do you think I am? And please don't answer that." He finished to a smirking red head. "So what have you two found?"
"Well I have several books here to pick from so just grab one and start reading." Hermione stated as she herself picked up a rather impressively large tome and sat down in the chair by Ron's bed. Just how Harry wanted to spend his Saturday: reading. Oh well, at least they would hopefully find out what kind of fae he was. So the reluctantly winged young man picked up another large book, 'I swear Hermione only looks at books if they weigh more than two stones!' and sat back down on his bed to read. Ron also looked less than enthused but he too picked up a book and began to read.
The trio read in silence for several minutes. Or maybe several hours. Quite possibly ages and ages. Whichever felt right. Harry had no clue what exactly he was looking for. All he knew was that he had wings and had shrunk a little bit. Oh and he got hyper every once in a while. That didn't seem to fit any of these fae creatures. Some of them were very interesting however. One, called a Torremel, was a sprite being that could breathe fire. Why couldn't he have gotten that gene, huh? Let's just see those Slytherins mess up his potions if he could literally blow smoke up their...
"What about a Fintab?" Ron questioned. He was looking quite tired of reading. Reading was not a hobby of Ron's. Eating, yes, but no reading. Speaking of eating they missed breakfast and if this kept up they would miss lunch. "And I'm hungry."
"First things first Ron," Hermione said. She was in her element and would not be deterred by a hungry Weasley. "What is a Fintab?"
"Ok ok. Ahem," Ron looked back at his page, "'A Fintab is a magical creature of small, slight human size that possesses wings much like their fairy counterpart. They live in marshy areas and tend to be quite reclusive. They are carnivorous and—"
"Stop right there Ron."
"What's wrong Hermione?"
"That's already not Harry."
"What do you mean? A Fintab has wings, Harry's got wings. Suppose to be small human size—that's Harry all over—"
"Thanks Ron"
"Anytime mate. So why can't Harry be a Fintab?"
Hermione did not answer Ron's question directly, instead she turned back to Harry, "When was the last time you ate meat?"
"Err, I dunno. Why?"
"I have been observing you at every meal since we found out about your creature inheritance and I can tell you that if you ever did try to eat meat you looked as if you were going to be sick. All you eat are fruits, raw vegetables, and breads...and sweets. I think you've turned into a vegetarian Harry."
Harry had almost forgotten that Hermione was keeping tabs on him. Almost. "Okay, so I am a vegetarian now. What other things do we need to look for? Cause honestly I have just been looking for creatures with wings and nothing else."
"Yea me too."
Hermione let out one of her better martyred sighs, "You two are terrible. Honestly, it is all very obvious. Harry has been experiencing these things for a week."
"Tell us anyway. Just for the hell of it."
"Language Ronald! Alright, fine, I'll tell you. First off, like I said I believe Harry is a vegetarian now. Second, we are looking for a creature with high energy since Harry seems to experience times of hyperactivity. We are also looking for his specific wing pattern. Each creature with wings has a specific type of wing. Think of it as a fingerprint. Also, possibly a creature whose transformation into maturity is brought about by other factors and not by birthday. This last part is just speculation, but I also think he may be an earth-type fae as well."
"Why is that?"
"Your coloring." Hermione said dismissively, but Harry had the impression that wasn't the only reason she thought he was an earth-type fae. He let it drop though.
"That about it?"
"Yes Ron, those are the general things that we are looking for."
"Great! Now how about some food."
"Do you only think of your stomach Ron?"
"What kind of question is that to ask?"
"So I should ask Dobby to bring us some sandwiches then?" Harry knew the answer to that question. Whenever Ron was hungry his stomach may not be the only thing on his mind, but it takes up a large chunk.
A few minutes later and the three of them found themselves with a tray full of sandwiches and a pitcher of pumpkin juice. Harry was sure to ask for a bowl of fruit for himself. If Hermione was right, and when is Hermione ever not right, then that would be all he would eat. Dobby's reaction to Harry's new appearance had been quite amusing. If it were at all possible his saucer-sized eyes had grown even bigger when he first popped in front of Harry. The little elf seemed awed by his wings and was quick to swear to silence. Harry took him for his word. Dobby really was a very loyal friend. A little over exuberant at times, especially when trying to save someone's life, but he wouldn't tell a soul.
With food in their stomachs and a better understanding of what they were looking for, at least in Harry and Ron's case, they began again on their reading which was a lot easier this time around. Harry was able to skip entire sections of some books because they did not fit one of his characteristics. He did find some more very interesting creatures. One had the power to control lightning, another could talk with animals—although considering his ability to talk to snakes already he didn't think he would want that—and several had shape shifting abilities. He wondered what different abilities he may have. They slipped back into comfortable silence with the sounds of pages turning and Ron's chewing keeping them company. This silence kept up for about an hour and a half more until...
"Aha!" Hermione said triumphantly, "I think I might have found it!" She had gone through three large books but maybe this was it. Several things matched up.
"Well? What am I? Anything good?" Harry asked. Breathe fire, breathe fire, please let him be able to breathe fire....
"You, our dear Mr. Potter, are a Diligarian. ...Possibly. "
"Well what does that possibly mean?"
Hermione looked back down and read from the book.
"'The Diligarians were the largest earth-type fairy race. Said to be very ancient and rare, they possessed the wings of a fairy, but were equal to slightly sub average human height. A possible link between fairies and their fae cousins. It is unclear as to their preferred area of living, but generally they possibly preferred dryer, woodsier locations and had a great connection with nature and wildlife. Because of this closeness with nature they were said to be vegetarians....'"
"Umm Hermione, I don't mean to interrupt," Harry said sheepishly, "But why is all of this in past tense?"
"I am getting to that it is at the end of the article. 'Diligarians were shy creatures but they would still interact with witches, wizards and muggles if they did not feel threatened. In fact despite there shyness the Diligarians were written to be quite passionate, energetic, and seductive in nature.'" At this last part Harry's eyes went wide and he began to blush violently, but he kept his mouth shut. Hermione continued, "'This is where their name derived from. From the Latin for "lover" it was written throughout historical logs that these creatures were considered the most beautiful and loving of all the fae creatures and it was regarded an esteemed honor to be the mate of a Diligarian....'"
"Mate!" Harry squeaked.
"Don't interrupt Harry. 'Little else is known about the Diligarian aside from their appearance. Their large iridescent wings had a scrolling pattern all throughout and were fully functioning. The same scroll pattern was also present on the skin of the Diligarian making them very distinguishable. Though it could just be a poetic indulgence it was also often expressed that these creatures also possessed jewel-tone eyes. The last Diligarian was seen two and a half hundred years ago. They are thought to possibly be extinct.'"
Hermione finished her reading and looked up from her book expecting praise for her find. What she got was Harry looking like he had been hit with a bludger and a highly skeptical looking Ron.
"I don't think Harry is a ...a whatchacallit Hermione."
"A Diligarian. And why not?"
"Well he may have the wings and be a vegetarian but I don't think the other stuff fits."
"Actually a lot of it fits. You are just too clueless to notice." Hermione said. "For one, Harry is shy, but ever since he came back to Hogwarts this year he has been acting playful. That's what those bouts of hyperactivity were. I will also point out again, though I shouldn't have to, that a fairy's wings are highly distinguishable and unique from one race to the next. Plus there is Harry's eyes..."
"But they all died out didn't they? One hasn't been seen in hundreds of years. Plus everyone says I have my mom's eyes. She apparently wasn't a ..."
"Diligarian"
"Yea, that. She was muggle born."
"Well your mom's eye color could just have been a clue that she was a carrier of the gene. Magical creatures didn't only mate with magical individuals Harry. These genes have been in your family for who knows how long. The fact that there are not any others now doesn't mean anything."
Harry really wished Hermione would stop saying "mate". Sure, he and Ron called each other mates sometimes, but that was a term for friend. He knew that the way Hermione was using the word mate had absolutely nothing to do with just being friends with a person. He held out his hand and received the book Hermione had gotten the information from. There was a picture right next to the small article. It was a drawing but Harry immediately recognized the wings. The only difference was the color of the spiraling pattern. The picture depicted a blue swirl. Was it still the same? This Diligarian also had bright blue eyes that seemed to sparkle and a swirling pattern all over its skin. It looked like a giant black tattoo. Harry looked at the spine of the book. An Encyclopedia of Ancient Magical Creatures.
"I still don't know if I am a Diligarian, Hermione. This picture shows a blue pattern on the wings and I don't have all those skin markings."
"It may not be a full inheritance. You could be only half Diligarian and this is what it looks like. Until I am able to get much more information about them I would tentatively say we have found our fairy."
"Okay," Ron said as he put down his own heavy book. He was just glad that it sounded like they were finally done reading. "So how do you get more information?"
"Well this is all our library had. I could write to the Ministry Library and request some older books that would possibly have more information."
"Can you do that?"
"Of course!
"Wait a minute Hermione." Harry knew this was a good idea. They needed more information about Diligarians; especially if he was one. But he did not want the ministry to know. "If you write to them requesting all these books about Diligarians or magical creatures then they may get suspicious. They know us and they would know something was up."
"I'll be requesting other books along with those we need. If they even exist. I have wanted to borrow from their library for a while. Ours has a terrible selection in some areas of study. But you know Harry that you will have to register your creature inheritance with the ministry. Like it or not, you being a fairy."
"Wait, what happened to fae?" Harry asked as he finally registered that Hermione had gone back to using the term fairy.
"Weren't you listening? The very first line said you were a fairy, a big fairy, but if you are a Diligarian then you are a fairy nonetheless." Hermione had a faint smile to her lips. Had she thought of it? God, he hoped not, cause...
"Hey!" Ron said with a large grin on his face. He looked like one of the twins. Not good. "Harry the Fairy! It rhymes!"
Fantastic. Bloody fantastic.
"Harry the Fairy, Oh what will he do," Ron began to sing, "Harry the Fairy, Oh please don't be blue!"
Ron threw his arm around Harry's shoulder—being mindful of the wings—and continued to sing. Making up any lyrics he could. Hermione, who at first just looked amused, had finally started laughing out loud, finally giving into her childish side. She even began to join in.
"Harry our Fairy, so pretty and fair, Oh Harry our Fairy, um...please say you'll be there!"
Harry retained his sour mood for only a minute or so. He tried really hard to keep a displeasing look on his face while his friends sang to him. This was not funny. Being a fairy was terrible, serious business. Wasn't it? Yes, right awful. But try as he might his friend's infectious laughter was soon getting the better of him and he found himself finally smiling. Oh why not, can't change it anyways right? Ron was on a roll.
Harry the Fairy, please don't fly away, Oh Harry the Fairy Hagrid wants you to stay..."
At this Hermione stopped laughing and gave Ron and odd look. She then shifted her gaze to Harry. He knew that look. It was the "Of course!" look. This could be trouble. Ron seemed to sense something too.
"Hermione, I was kidding with the song. I don't think we should tell Hagrid about Harry. We all know how well he can keep a secret from first year. Plus, Hagrid doesn't like cute creatures. Only scary beasts."
"I'm a scary beast."
"Sure you are Harry." Ron said as he rolled his eyes.
"I wasn't thinking about that," Hermione interrupted, "I was thinking about the flying part!"
Harry abandoned all thoughts of scary beasts at the moment. "Huh?"
"Your wings are not just decoration Harry. Your wings are fully functional. You should be able to fly."
The room got silent. This seemed to be an epiphany between the three. A moment when things fall into place and the world opens up and makes more sense. This wasn't a cosmic, life changing epiphany by any stretch. In fact, some could argue that it shouldn't have been this grand of a revelation. Anyone who looked at Harry's wings would immediately say, "Well duh, of course he could fly." But as it was, Hermione's statement brought the whole thing to a standstill. Only one thing to do.
"Alright," Harry said, "Room of Requirement. We have got to try this."
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Harry absolutely loved the Room of Requirement. Part of his affinity stemmed from the many hours he spent there fifth and sixth years teaching the DA. The other part was that the room never ceased to amaze him. No matter what you needed, the room provided. Today they had a large open room, about the size that it was when the DA met there, except that the ceiling seemed to go on forever. It had several stacked, high arches along all of the walls with tall windows that let in light and large pillars that stretched and stretched all the way to the ceiling. Other than that it was the castles neutral brown.
"This is amazing," Harry said in awe as he shrugged off his invisibility cloak.
"Yes this will do nicely. Alright, Harry, let's get you flying." Hermione was in full business mode.
"Alright....um...how?"
Hermione looked at his wings for a few minutes. "How much are you able to move them?"
"All the moving they've done has been on their own. I didn't think I could control them."
"That's silly, of course you can control them. They are apart of you aren't they?"
Harry just shrugged his shoulders. Hermione just kept going.
"What were you doing when they moved?"
"Well, one or two times they just fluttered on their own and another when I was sitting down..."
"Wait how did they move when you sat down? What were you thinking?"
"I was thinking how much a pain it was going to be to try to sit with wings and I wished they'd move."
"And they did?"
"Well...yea."
"Okay Harry, we are going to do some visualization."
"I thought we were trying to get Harry to fly?"
"We are! He just has to get his wings working first. Alright Harry I want you to close your eyes and think about your wings moving."
Harry did as she instructed. He thought about his wings fluttering like they did in the dorm room earlier. Sure enough he felt that same odd sensation run through his back.
"Great! Now lets move on."
This went on for quite a while. Hermione would give Harry some movement to think about and Harry would try to get his wings to do it. Ron for his part tried to keep quite. Towards the beginning he tried talking to Harry about all the cool things they could do once he learned how to fly. Hermione quickly put a stop to this claiming Harry needed to concentrate.
"I think we can try flying now."
Alright! This was what Harry had been waiting for. He knew all the stuff Hermione made him do would help out tremendously, but Harry loved flying and the idea that he could do it without a broom was exciting. Maybe being Harry the Fairy wasn't so bad after all. Harry closed his eyes and pictures himself flying. Nothing happened. Okay. No big deal. He tried thinking of himself soaring around the room. Still nothing. Not even a flutter.
"They're broke." He said at last.
"They are not broke. What are you thinking about?"
"Flying. Like around the room"
"Hey," Ron interjected, "Maybe he has to think about something else, like when you cast a potronus charm?"
Hermione got a strange look on her face. Harry rather thought she looked like she was going to be sick. Quite the opposite though. The next second she burst out laughing; doubling over from the shear force of the laughter and—were those tears? Harry was lost and one look at Ron said they were in the same boat. Finally curiosity won out and Ron had to know—
"Hermione, what in the world is so funny?"
"Think of a happy thought!" Hermione said in between chuckles.
"Um, what?"
"Oh come on! I know Ron won't know but you have to know Harry! 'Soon you'll zoom all around the room? All it takes is faith and trust and a little bit of pixie dust?'"
"Pixie dust? What does this have to do with pixie dust?"
"Oh Honestly! Peter Pan! The movie!?"
"Never seen it."
"Yea me neither."
"Well I know you haven't Ron, but Harry, you were raised muggle. This was and still is a very popular children's movie."
"Like my relatives let me watch movies? Come on; just tell us what's so funny? What's the movie about?"
"Well the part I was laughing at was at the beginning. Three children want to fly and are told by Peter pan—who I guess would be a type of nymph—that they need to think happy thoughts in order to fly. That and pixie dust from Tinkerbelle."
"Who is Tinkerbelle?"
"Peter Pan's fairy friend."
"Hey that makes Harry our Tinkerbelle!"
"Thanks Ron"
"Anytime...Tinkerbelle."
"Argh! Okay moving on. I have wings so I do not need to think happy thoughts nor do I need pixie dust—whatever that is."
"Well, maybe not a happy thought. But try thinking of different things. Maybe something else will trigger it."
So Harry tried it again. He thought of flying around the room again. Again nothing. Taking off from the ground with the greatest of ease. Nope. He even thought some happy thoughts—though he would never tell Hermione or Ron that he did. Still no go. This wasn't working. And Harry had run out of things to think about. He wondered what his wings even looked like when he was flying. He realized that while he was imagining himself flying, he did not have his wings moving. He was just floating in the air. What would his wings look like when he flied? He began to zone out, his head in the clouds, when—
"You're doing it!"
Clouds gone. Harry found himself falling about six feet back to the ground.
WHUMP!
"Oh I'm sorry Harry!" Hermione said as she and Ron rushed over to help him up, "But you did it! You flew! What were you thinking about?"
"Clouds" Harry mumbled. "I was thinking about what it would even look like to fly and then I spaced out." He had quite soundly landed on his bottom and really hurt his pride in the process.
"Hmmm interesting." Hermione seemed to think for a minutes. Okay, not seemed to think. Of course Hermione was thinking. "Try thinking about what it looks like to fly rather than actually flying. This time keep your eyes open."
'Easy enough,' thought Harry, and by that it means he didn't think it was at all that easy but he would give it a shot. He thought about what would happen to his wings if he would fly. His mind provided a quick image of his wings fluttering very fast. His mind began to zone again and he felt a floating sensation. Wait, why were the walls moving? He was flying!
"Alright! Your doing it mate!" Ron was jumping up and down from the ground below. "Try flying around the room!"
Harry considered it for a minute and then pushed forward with his body like he did when he was on a broom. Luck was on his side because it appeared the mechanics of moving while flying with wings were the same as riding a broom. Lean left, lean right, point up and down; who knew? He was still going slow, but he was flying. Without a broom! Harry flew around for a few minutes before he pointed himself back to the ground and landed by Ron. Well, maybe not land. More like fell, but it was a graceful fall.
WHUMP!
"Ha! We'll have to work on your landing Tinkerbelle." Ron said as he helped Harry from the floor.
"Don't call be that you big git!" Harry punched Ron in the arm. It wasn't a hard punch though. He knew that Ron wasn't trying to be mean. He was just being a prat.
"Hey, someone has to keep you from having a big head! It's a tough job but someone has to do it."
"Oh yes. I'm so sure."
"Okay you two enough silliness. There is one other thing I want Harry to try."
"What's up 'mione?"
"I think you may be able to hide your wings."
"Seriously?! I don't have to hide under a cloak?"
"Nope. Try thinking about your wings going into your back."
"Uhhhhh...."
"Just try it."
Okay, thinking about the wings going back into his back. Getting smaller and smaller and....oh, ewww what was that feeling? That can stop now, thanks.
"Alright, they are in Harry. Good job!"
"Good job my left shoe! I'm never doing that again. Felt too weird." In fact it still felt weird. Harry felt this odd pressure in the middle of his back. Almost as though the wings had been packed into too small a space. Chances are this was the truth.
"Well, you're going to have to get use to it. It's not like you can keep your wings hidden forever." Hermione was too logical. Didn't mean he couldn't fight her logic though.
"I can try."
"No you can't. Now unfurl your wings again."
Harry thought about arguing. For about half a second, but, he had accepted the fact long ago that one did not argue with Hermione. She was scary sometimes. Best not to see scary Hermione.
While hiding his wings felt like a weird, gross pulling sensation the exact opposite was true when his wings opened back up. The rush of sensation when his wings finally did pop back out was so intense that he stumbled and fell to one knee.
"You okay?"
"Yea...that was just...different. Gonna take some getting use to." Harry got up and flexed his wings. Different was an understatement. It felt....really....really good. Harry reasoned it was a balance to the fact that pulling them in was quite possibly the worse thing ever.
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A few minutes and some hidden wings later, the trio left the room of requirement. Hermione had mended the back of Harry's shirt so that he didn't have to go around with a gaping hole showing off his back. He didn't know how he was going to work around his clothing getting in the way if he unfurled his wings, but then again how often was he going to go around needing to do that? Nope. This needed to be hidden. No one needed to know.
"Well now what?" He asked his two friends.
"We eat!" Ron said enthusiastically.
"We tell Dumbledore." Hermione replied.
Guess who won?
They actually met Dumbledore outside his office.
"Well, this is a pleasant surprise. What brings you three to visit me on this fine Saturday afternoon?" Harry had a feeling that Dumbledore wasn't surprised at all. His twinkling eyes gave him away.
"Professor," Hermione replied politely, "we need to talk to you in private."
"Of course Ms. Granger! Follow me to my office for tea."
Ron was immediately placated. Dumbledore always had the best biscuits with his tea.
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"Well, what seems to be the problem?" Dumbledore asked. They all had their tea and Ron had quite a few sweets still on his plate. Ron looked at Hermione who looked at Harry. Ah, this was his job. Harry turned to the man whom he had come to regard as a grandfather figure.
"Well, sir, I have a creature inheritance."
If anything Dumbledore's blue eyes twinkled even more. "Really? And what might that be?"
"I have the sneaking suspicion that you already know sir. Why do you need me to tell you?"
Dumbledore chuckled, "Sometimes the best thing in an awkward situation is to simply talk about it as if it were normal and besides, I have only a suspicion. I could be wrong."
Harry very much doubted that. "Alright. I am a Diligarian." There he said it. Normal. All normal.
"Splendid!"
"...That's it?"
"Oh, not at all."
"Of course not."
"Harry—"
Dumbledore chuckled, "It is perfectly alright Ms. Granger. No, Harry, that is not all it. I am afraid my dear boy that you will have to register this inheritance with the ministry. Much like it is with Animaguses, the ministry must have record of such things. You understand."
"But I don't want this to be public record."
"I understand your trepidation towards this whole affair and your want for privacy, but I am afraid there is no alternative my boy. If you were to conceal your inheritance and the ministry were still to find out the consequences would not be pleasant."
"They wouldn't send me to Azkaban for not telling them I'm a fairy would they sir?"
Dumbledore laughed again. He was enjoying himself a little too much in Harry's opinion. "No, but there could be a possibility of a loss of any and all inherited property and title and the snapping of your wand. In short you would lose the right to be called a Potter. This may be a strict punishment but considering the fact that magical creatures have abilities normal witches and wizards do not, the laws have been established to both protect the creature and the average wizarding public. They wanted the consequences to be severe enough to detour any unknown inheritances."
Well, it wasn't Azkaban, but Dumbledore was right. Harry most certainly did not want any of those things to happen to him.
"It will not be as bad as you think." Professor Dumbledore continued, "Besides there are many within the castle walls that will stand by you and protect you."
Harry sighed. "I understand Professor. I don't like it, but I understand. How do I register with the ministry?"
"I actually have within my possession a copy of the necessary paperwork."
"Wait," Ron interrupted. He was still eating biscuits. "You keep around copies of magical inheritance registration forms?"
"Actually, yes I do Mr. Weasley. I have a vast array of ministry documentation papers at the ready. Who knows when something like this could pop up? Always best to be prepared."
Dumbledore got up from his desk at that point at went to a back room. He returned several minutes later with a scroll of parchment and an empty vial.
"You must simply write your name, parentage, the magical creature you have received inheritance from and the date."
Harry began to write but stopped halfway through. "Professor, we aren't entirely sure if I am a Diligarian. It was just the closest thing that matched and there was very little information."
"If you don't mind my asking, Harry, but could you show me your wings."
He wasn't about to tell Professor Dumbledore no. Part of his mind still thought maybe the older man knew how to fix this. Did Harry want it to be fixed? Yes, he still did. Flying might be wonderful, but he wanted to be normal for once. So with a spell to the back of his shirt he stood back and displayed his wings. The same intense shock of sensation shot through him. He stumbled a bit but this time remained standing.
"Quite beautiful." Professor Dumbledore said as he gazed at Harry and his new wings.
Harry felt himself blush, though he wasn't sure why. He was just talking about his wings. Then again, Harry had never had about his person described in such a way. "Well, Professor? What am I?"
"Oh you are most certainly a Diligarian, Harry."
"I knew it!" Hermione exclaimed. "Oh, sorry Professor."
"Again, quite alright Ms. Granger. I am actually quite impressed that..."
The conversation continued as Harry finished writing out his statement to the ministry. His wings were still out, but he didn't care. He wasn't keen on feeling them pull back in anytime soon. He moved his wings back and sat down. He missed Dumbledore watching him out of the corner of his eye giving a small smile. 'The boy has already mastered his wings somewhat,' the old wizard thought, 'I knew he would be able to handle this.'
Oblivious to this Harry had finished writing. He hoped he had everything written out properly. It just seemed too short.
I, Harry James Potter, son of Lillian and James Potter,
Have received a Diligarian creature inheritance
On September 12, 1998.
Must be right. Now all that's left is, "Um, Professor," Harry interrupted their conversation as politely as possible. "What's the vial for?"
"Ah, that is for a sample of your blood so that the ministry can confirm your claim of inheritance and have it on record."
Harry didn't like having to give blood. Never had actually, but ever since his fourth year and the third task Harry went out of his way to not have blood drawn. However, this wasn't some terrible dooms day scheme by a homicidal maniac out to destroy the world. This was a law and he wanted to stay a Potter and keep his wand; so he closed his eyed and stuck his arm out to Professor Dumbledore. Luckily, Dumbledore once again had inside knowledge it seemed, because he used Harry's upper arm to draw the blood, not his forearm. He lifted up Harry's sleeve and placed the tip of his wand against the arm. 'Hmm that doesn't feel too bad.' Harry thought, 'Kind of like those shots that we use to get in primary school back in Surry.' The small vial was filled half way before Dumbledore healed Harry's arm and folded the parchment with the vial inside. With a tap of his wand, Dumbledore made both items disappear with the customary magical poof!
"Well, lady and gentlemen, I am sure you are most anxious to get on with your evening and I thank you for a most enjoyable tea. Harry, if you need anything else you know you may always come and talk to me."
"I know Professor." Harry replied. He tried not to make a face in front of Dumbledore, but it was really hard when he was pulling his wings back in to hide. "And thank you."
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There is a saying, "It is always calmest before the storm." It is not used to reference weather anymore, but more the fact that just before everything goes completely crazy the world calms and everything seems okay. This was Harry's Sunday. The calm. He knew that as soon as the ministry processed his paperwork and blood that he would be inundated with reaction to his inheritance. If the paper had access the information, and he suspected they did, then Rita Skeater would not let this go by without at least, oh, ten articles in the Daily Prophet at least. He knew his whole world was about to turn upside down. That's why he spent most of the day in the common room with his friends. He and Ron played a few games of wizarding chess, they ate sweets, and when Ron and Hermione went off on a walk together Harry worked on his homework. A normal day. Harry would miss them.
As the day drew to a close Harry decided he needed a pick-me-up and had snuck back to the room of requirement for a bit more flying. It came a little bit easier this time and Harry flew around the room for quite a while. The rush of flying with his wings was even better than a broom and Harry quickly discovered how to go fast, really fast. He wondered if he could beat his Firebolt with these wings. This was the only upside in Harry's opinion. He always loved flying. It was the only time he was ever graceful. On the ground he always found himself tripping over his own two feet. After he was done flying he stayed for a little longer he landed...well, fell again and laid down on the cool stone ground to think about the future.
The wizarding world was supposed to be very accepting of creature inheritances. Heck, Malfoy was a Veela apparently and Harry hadn't even known it. It was just a normal occurrence that no one felt bothered to talk about. However if the reaction is anything like how the student body acted when this whole deal first started then Harry knew the wizarding world would not let his own inheritance go with a nod, a "That's nice." and move on. Add to the fact that a Diligarian had not been seen in a hundred years and Harry groaned at the thought. They would probably want him to go to St. Mungo's for tests or something. Maybe even put him in a zoo! Did the wizarding world have zoos? It didn't matter. His life would be turned into a zoo when this broke out. Harry stood up and pulled his wings back in—this time he had no qualms about making a face while they went back in—and mended his shirt. He had to get back to the common room since it was getting close to curfew. The last thing he needed was to be caught by Professor Snape...Severus...out after hours. He knew it would be the potions professor that would catch him because it was always the potions professor that caught him when he was breaking rules.
When he finally made it back to the common room it was nearly empty; only a few were still up and about doing homework. Harry headed up to his dorm room to get ready for bed. He guessed he would have to work up his back muscles, or flying muscles, or whatever muscles directed these wings, because he was quite tired and his back was a little sore.
"Hey mate," he was greeted by Ron, "You ok?"
"Yea, just tired." Harry said quietly. Dean and Seamus were still downstairs working on a transfiguration essay, but Neville was already asleep.
"Well, you got a package from someone. Dunno who, but it's on your bed."
"Thanks" Harry mumbled as he walked over to see what it was. It was fairly large and wrapped in nondescript brown paper. Harry opened it up. A book. A very, very old book by the looks of it. Harry turned it over to see the title and gasped.
"What is it Harry?" Ron asked as he came over.
"Take a look."
Ron took the book and turned it to read My life with a Diligarian by Lord Thomas McTorning.
"Oh wow! I bet this has loads of information! I wonder how old it is. Who's it from?"
Harry took back the book and flipped through it carefully. Sure enough, a small card fell from between the pages. Harry immediately recognized the scrawled, loopy handwriting.
Always be prepared.
"Well?"
"I think Professor Dumbledore."
"Well this will come in handy. We'll show it to Hermione in the morning." Ron had never been this enthusiastic for a book and Harry knew it was to help make him feel better about the whole situation.
"Sounds good." Harry smiled, but it was cut short by a yawn. Bed was most definitely in order. He changed into his pajamas and climbed into bed. He wasn't alone. He had friends. Professor Dumbledore, Ron, Hermione, these people would never treat him differently. 'Severus won't treat you differently either," his inner voice spoke, "he has been one of the only ones who has never given you special treatment or buy into the whole Boy-Who-Lived crap.' Let the world think what it will. Harry had great friends who would still see him as 'Just Harry.'
"Night Ron"
"Goodnight Tinkerbelle"
"I'll Tinkerbelle you!" Harry said as he threw his pillow at a snickering Ron.
Great friends indeed.
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