AN- All conversations in italics are in Elvish.

PHOENIX and DRAGON: Through the World Gate

Chapter 7

Harry woke to the sound of nearby voices and slowly opened his eyes, closing them immediately when the early morning light streaming through the eastern windows of the Healing Hall hit them. His entire body ached, and his head felt different. The slight feeling of wrongness that he had always known was gone, to be replaced with a sense of comfort – as if someone were standing behind him with a reassuring hand on his shoulder, there to help if he needed them. It was an odd feeling, but one he felt he could get used to. Memories of the previous night slowly filtered back into his mind and his eyes snapped opened suddenly in shock.

"Harry? Are you awake?"

Harry rolled quickly to see a sleepy looking Gavin in the bed next to him. "Gavin! Did it really happen? Did it work?"

Gavin stared at the other boy, a wide smile on his lips. "You have ears like mine now, and your eyes changed too!" Harry reached up and felt his ear, finding it delicately pointed instead of round. A wide grin flashed across his face before he was surprised by an unfamiliar elf sitting down between the beds.

"I understand you two had an interesting evening," High Priest Dylluan commented. "I'd be interested in hearing about it if you would be so kind as to tell me?" He was quite interested in finding out how two children just a few months past their fourth year, had managed to complete such a powerful ritual.

Both Gavin and Harry squirmed a bit under his calm gaze. Gavin knew that what they'd done was dangerous and forbidden and he expected the priest to be displeased with them, Harry just expected to be punished so he cringed back when the elf reached towards him unexpectedly.

Dylluan stopped his hand just short of Harry's shoulder, which he'd intended to pat encouragingly, and moved it slowly to stroke his cheek instead. "No-one here will harm you child," he said in a soothing tone of voice. "You have done something unexpected, but no-one is angry with you. Can you tell me what happened?" Harry and Gavin exchanged looks, and then Gavin slowly explained what had happened at the Serpent stone. He attempted to tell about the strange dream afterwards, but found he was unable to talk about it except in the vaguest of terms. Harry also found he could not speak about the time they'd spent with the Lord and Lady, except to say they had chosen the Way they would follow, and then woke up in the Healing Hall.

Awel eventually intervened when the boys started to tire and insisted both eat breakfast, but then despite their protests that they felt fine, he made them drink an awful tasting potion so they would sleep again. He promised they would be able to leave when they woke next.

Representatives from the nearby Ashwood and Lindenwood Groves had entered the Oakwood Grove soon after dawn, demanding an explanation for what had caused the previous nights disturbance. Soon after, a group of Centaurs had arrived, followed by some goblins. The star gazers had been satisfied by a retelling of what had occurred and left soon after, relieved that the boy's new status was not something that would directly affect their people, but troubled by what their presence could mean for the future. The last war between the forces of Light and Dark was not far from their memories, and none on the side of Light desired another conflict.

Once again, the Council chamber was filled with argument, only this time it was about where Harry would stay, not about sending him back; the leaders of the Council were having to insist that Harry and Gavin would remain in Oakwood, and would not be sent to another Grove for training by those who considered themselves more qualified to do so.

The High Priests of the neighboring Groves, which were both much larger than Oakwood, then insisted on visiting the boys in the Healing Hall, intent on convincing them to agree to training under their guidance.

"No, absolutely not!" Awel thundered, slapping the table to draw everyone's attention. "The boys are not to be bothered. They are sleeping, and will not be disturbed by this nonsense!"

Myrddin stood as well, his eyes hard and a frown on his face. "Gavin is my grandson and as Harry is now his twin, by blood as well as by magic, he is also my grandson. Neither one will be going anywhere!"

A clamor broke out as everyone attempted to make their views known at the same time, and thus, nobody's was heard.

Meanwhile, Harry and Gavin had awoken, and taking Awel at his word they quietly left the Healing Hall and returned to Myrddin's house, intent on finding out what changes their ritual had made to their bodies.

"Harry, what's wrong," Gavin asked quietly as he saw the troubled expression on Harry's face. "I think you look good!"

They were both standing in front of a full length mirror in Myrddin's bedroom, examining their new appearances. Gavin had found several small differences; his ears were slightly less pointed, and his eyes were a bit darker green, but it was Harry who had truly been transformed. Harry had grown nearly five inches and now stood even with Gavin, and while he was still a bit underweight, it was not so much as before. In addition, his ears were pointed, his face was a bit more slender, and his eyes now had the gold rim around the iris like Gavin's, making them nearly identical in appearance. Strangest to Harry however, was his smooth and unscarred forehead.

"It's Harry, that's what's wrong," Harry said quietly. Gavin looked confused. Harry was Harry, wasn't he? After all, that was his name.

"I mean, I've changed. I don't feel like Harry anymore… Harry lived with the Dursleys and I'm never going back there. I want to leave everything that happened to me there…well…there, even my old name," Harry explained haltingly. "Can I get a new name?"

"I think so, since you're my brother now you would have a new last name, so we could give you a new first name too!" Gavin said, his eyes sparkling with excitement. "Grandfather has a book of names we can look at!"

Several hours later, Myrddin and Awel returned to the Healing Hall to find the boys gone, and immediately started searching for them. A quick location spell however, sent them to his house.

"I thought you were supposed to stay in the Healing Hall," Myrddin said sternly when they finally found the boys in Gavin's bedroom with several books open on the bed. He was worn out from many hours worth of argument and a bit short tempered.

Both boys ducked their heads guiltily, knowing that Awel had not meant them to take his words so literally; he would have wanted them to wait for him to release them before leaving. "No, Grandfather," Gavin said, putting an innocent expression on his face. "Healer Awel said we could leave when we woke up, and nobody was around when we woke up so we just came home."

Awel sighed, knowing that they could not be punished for leaving the Healing Hall since he had indeed said they could leave when they awoke, and ran a quick diagnostic on both boys and cautioned them to take it easy for a few days before quietly leaving.

"Can I ask you something sir?" Harry asked Myrddin softly, his eyes downcast, ready for disappointment in case he was refused. "Could I have a new name?"

Myrddin was surprised at Harry's request, but took time to think about it before replying. Names were very important to the elves; they were a part of a person's magic, a part of their very essence. Even in marriage an Elvin woman kept her name, simply adding her husband's name and clan to hers. Sometimes however, a person changed so drastically, due to a traumatic experience usually, that their previous name no longer fit them and they chose a new one.

"You no longer feel like Harry?" Myrddin asked slowly, having an idea why the boy was asking. "You feel you have changed that much?"

Harry looked up, encouraged that Myrddin hadn't rejected the idea immediately. "Yes sir. Gavin and I have found one I think will be good. It feels right somehow."

The entire village was gathered in the sacred circle, waiting quietly in the pre-dawn darkness. Myrddin and Etain stepped forward, bringing Harry to stand between them in front of the High Priest.

"Hail ye Gods and Goddesses, Kinsmen and guests. Here stands before you a child, soon to be one with the Oakwood Clan," Dylluan declared clearly. "We gather today to bless this child as he begins a new life in our world. We gather today to name this child that he may begin anew and leave his old life behind. To call a thing by name is to give it power, and so today we shall give this child a gift. We will welcome him into our hearts and lives and bless him with a name of his own."

Dylluan lifted a silver chalice high, just as the sun broke the horizon and the first rays of the rising sun reflected off the cup towards those gathered. "We ask the Dark Lord and Bright Lady for protection for this child." He turned and faced to the south and raised the cup once more. "We ask the Spirits of Nature for protection for this child." He turned again and faced west, again raising the cup. "We ask the Ancestors for protection for this child." He turned finally and raised the cup facing north. "We ask the Shinning Ones for protection for this child."

Turning to face Harry, he placed a drop of the water on Harry's forehead and began the next part of the naming ceremony. "We call for the blessings of the Lord of the Hunt, and the Lady Mother," he said as he tipped a few drops of blessed water onto the ground. "We call for the blessings of the Spirits of Nature," he continued, letting several more drops fall. "We call for the blessings of the Ancestors," he said, adding a few more drops. "We call for the blessings of the Shinning Ones." More drops fell to hit the earth, sealing the sacrifice.

Myrddin turned Harry to face him and carefully drew a rune of protection on Harry's forehead with fragrant oil, reciting the next part so all could hear. "May the gods keep this child pure and perfect, and let anything that is negative stay far beyond his world."

Etain stepped forward, acting as an unnamed child's mother would normally, and touched a drop of milk and honey to Harry's lips, saying the next lines as she did so. "May you always have good fortune, may you always have good health, may you always be joyful, and may you always have love in your heart."

Dylluan waited until Etain stepped back and then continued. "In the sight of the Lord and the Lady, you are now to be known to the gods and to us as Gwydion Aneirin Crochenydd ab Emrys, perthyn i Ysgawen a Dar. This is your name, and it is powerful. Bear your name with honor, and may the gods bless you on this and every day. From this day forth you are a part of Oakwood Clan." Dylluan carefully slipped a silver chain over Gwydion's head. On the chain was a small silver oak leaf, of the same type as the sacred tree growing in the altar, the symbol of his new clan. "This I declare before the Well, the Tree, and the Fire."

"Welcome, Gwydion Aneirin Crochenydd ab Emrys, to our clan and to our hearts. We ask the Gods to watch over you, and we wish your family love and light," all those gathered responded with smiles on their faces.

As the final part of the naming ceremony, the cup of blessed water was passed clockwise around the circle, Myrddin and Etain walking with it, Gwydion and Gavin close by their side. As each of the gathered took a sip, they raised the cup in honor of their new clan member, saying simply: "I honor you, Gwydion Aneirin Crochenydd ab Emrys! Blessings upon you on this day!"

Gwydion Aneirin Crochenydd ab Emrys, Harry James Potter no longer, was so happy his heart felt too big for his chest. It was real, he had a family at last – he was home.

AN – The last part of Harry's new name is basically a description of his new family: "Crochenydd" is Potter, "ab Emrys" is the son of Emrys and "perthyn i Ysgawen a Dar" means roughly, "belonging to" or "of the" Elder and Oak.

Again, apologies to anyone who actually speaks the language I'm likely screwing totally up!