Chapter 2

The Elven realm did not exist within the bounds of the human world. A wizard would say that it was in a separate dimension. However, Elves did not use this word. For them, the passing from realm to realm was as simple as walking through a doorway. There were many realms, but the Elves only left their own to hunt in the forests of the human realm or to visit with those in the Realm of El.

There was no word for Death in the Elven tongue. Elves did not age the way humans did. They did not get old or sick. But, after living many, many years, they crossed into the Summerland in the Realm of El; and once there, they could not return. However, on the edge of that realm, there was a place where those in both worlds could meet and talk.

They could be injured or killed, however. Because of the healing abilities of the women, most elves survived their injuries. However, on the rare occasion that an elf was killed, the soul moved out of the body and into the Summerland. This was also the place where human souls went after death. In the English tongue, they called it Heaven. Humans, even Wizards, did not know how to travel between realms, and so, unlike the Elves, they had no way to communicate with those who had crossed over.

There was no word for Theft in the Elven tongue. They owned very little. Their only belongings were the clothes on their backs and another set stored in a cave for special occasions, their amulets—which were valuable only to the one who wore them, the tools they carried in pouches on their belts, and their weapons—which never left their sides. They slept under animal skins wrapped in their cloaks or animal furs, bathed in the river, and cooked on open fires. They ate fruits, nuts, wild vegetables, and meat. They drank goat's milk and water.

Meals were shared among the Elves. Food that had been gathered, or meat that had been dried after a hunt, was stored in a large cave. Animal skins and furs were also stored to be used for shelter and clothing. At night, each family took some from the caves and strung the skins between trees to protect them from the night rains and early morning mists. Children were wrapped in furs and laid on beds of soft skins. After being dried in the sun and swept clean by those who had used them, they were returned to the cave the next morning.

During the day, women watched their young children, gathered food, prepared meals, and made clothing and amulets. Men and older boys hunted, made tools and weapons, and, when needed, dug for metals and gems from nearby caves for swords and amulets.

Every morning after breakfast, women, girls, and small children went to the river to bathe. Every evening before supper, the men and older boys did the same. Supper was a time for sharing gossip and hearing news. After supper, they were entertained with music or storytelling.

This was the world Harry Potter had come to live in.

Harry thoroughly enjoyed his first day in this new environment, until bedtime. That is when he began to miss his mother. Mithrael paced back and forth, holding the baby against him, trying to sooth him with his words. Nothing seemed to work. Finally, Mithrael began to sing a lullaby he had heard when he was a child.

He did not remember all the words, so he had to hum much of it, but his soft tenor voice soon soothed the young child, and before long he was asleep. Mithrael was determined to learn the words from Elsbeth tomorrow.

After breakfast the next morning, Elsbeth took Harry down to the river to bathe with the women and other children. The river was shallow, so he could stand in the water. He had a great deal of fun splashing the other children. But the others were not used to such behavior and hid behind their mothers. Harry tried to go after them, but Elsbeth stopped him by pointing out the animals on the bank that had come to watch the women and children bathe.

After the bath, the younger children were allowed to remain naked, drying themselves in the morning sun. They played together near where the women were working. Harry could not yet understand their language, but that did not stop him from joining them in their games. Now that he was not splashing them with water, the other children accepted him.

Princess Elsbeth, Queen Thespa, and some of the other women worked diligently to make Harry some nappies, a small tunic, a pair of trousers, a pair of soft deerskin shoes, and a dark forest-green cloak. The trousers would only be worn during cool weather. Nappies, made of soft animal skin, which were waterproof, would be worn under the tunic. They had two leather drawstrings, which could be tied at the sides. Wet and dirty nappies would be washed in the river throughout the day and hung on branches to dry in the sun.

Harry adjusted quickly to his new life, until it was time to sleep. At night, he wanted his room, his bed, and his mummy. Sleeping outside on the ground was not a concept he could grasp, and that is when he remembered that he should be at home with his parents. He missed Mummy and Daddy; he missed Uncle Sirius and Uncle Remus. He missed Prongs, his stag plushy that he slept with at night. He missed the way Mummy read to him, then rocked him and sang to him. He missed the one bottle he was still allowed to drink at night before going to bed, even though Mummy said he was too big for it. He missed the way Daddy tossed him up in the air, then caught him and blew kisses on his belly.

And then Mithrael would cuddle him close and sing while he paced back and forth, and Harry would fall asleep. Sometimes, during the night, he would wake up screaming from a nightmare.

One such nightmare occurred on the night of the full moon.

"What is it, little one?" Mithrael asked, picking him up and cuddling him close.

"Mon'ter!" Harry sobbed. "Mon'ter hurt Mummy!"

"There are no monsters here, Harry," Mithrael said. "No monsters can come into our world." Mithrael waved his hand over the boy's head and whispered, "Forget, my son. Forget and sleep," and Harry forgot about the monster. He forgot what happened the night he lost his parents. And it would be a long time before he remembered it again.

The next morning, after his bath, Mithrael dressed him in his tunic, trousers, and boots.

"We are going hunting today, Harry. Would you like that?"

Harry nodded. "Hunt wabbit?" he asked. Mithrael had brought home rabbits the night before, and they had eaten them for supper.

"No, today we are going to hunt something bigger than a rabbit," he said, slipping the cloak around Harry's shoulders and tying it at the throat. "We are going to the human realm, and it is cold there, so you have to wear your hood up," he said, pulling the hood over Harry's head.

"Are you ready?" he asked, putting on his own cloak and picking up his bow.

Harry nodded, and Mithrael picked the child up in his arms and carried him to the portal.

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Remus Lupin awoke in the woods behind his cottage the morning after the full moon cold, naked, and sore. It had been a rough night. For the first time in many years, the wolf had wandered the forest alone. James and Peter were dead; Sirius was in Azkaban. He was the last Marauder.

He opened his eyes, and then jumped in surprise. An elf stood over him, holding out his robes. Slowly, Remus sat up and took the garment. Elves were dangerous creatures, so his eyes did not move from the figure as he slipped on his clothes. When he was dressed, the elf let out a shrill whistle and a little giggling ball of energy ran out from behind a tree and threw himself in Remus's arms.

"Unca Mooey!"

"Harry?" Remus wrapped his arms around the boy and held him tightly. "Oh, Harry," he whispered. "Oh, God, it's good to see you!" He held the boy out for a moment to take a better look. The child was dressed just like the elf. "Where have you been?" he asked.

The boy pointed to the elf. "Wif Miffel."

"Miffel?"

The elf laughed. "I am Mithrael son of Lothair. Come. I will help you to your house."

Harry climbed off Remus's lap, and Mithrael leaned down, placed one of Remus's arms across his shoulders, and pulled him up.

"Me help!" Harry said, taking Remus's other arm and trying to put it over his own shoulder. The boy was too short for the man's arm to reach. Laughing, Remus gently placed a hand on top of his head.

"Thank you, Harry. This will help me keep my balance."

Once in the house, Remus sat on the couch and Mithrael went to get a bowl of water from the kitchen. Harry sat beside Remus and Mithrael sat on the coffee table in front of them. He took a pouch from his belt, which was full of herbs, and bathed Remus's wounds, then placed the herbs on top of them, and wrapped them with gauze. "This will help you heal faster," he said. "Do you have potions I can get for you?"

"Yes, I left them on the table in the kitchen," he said. Mithrael went to retrieve the potions, and Remus looked down at Harry and noticed the scar on his forehead. He gently brushed the child's hair away from it for a better look.

"It was the green death curse," the elf said, returning to the room and giving the potions to Remus. "It struck Harry's forehead, then rebounded and struck the Dark Wizard."

"You were there?" Remus asked, surprised.

"I was not in the house, but from the woods I saw it in my mind," he answered. "We had been watching both houses. We did not know which one he would choose."

"Both houses?" Remus asked, confused.

"Yes. The Potter House and the Longbottom House. Either boy could have been the child of the prophecy, but we did not know which until the Dark Wizard marked this one."

Remus frowned. "There was a prophecy?"

"Two," Mithrael answered. "One in your world and one in mine. The Long Bearded Wizard heard one prophecy. It was overheard by one of the Dark Wizard's followers. That is why both families were in hiding. Only those in my world know of the other prophecy."

"Do you know the prophecy that Albus heard?"

"Yes. Shall I tell you?"

Remus nodded.

"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Wizard approaches. Born as the 7th month dies; born to parents who have thrice defied him. And the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power that the Dark Lord knows not. And either must die at the hands of the other, for neither can live while the other survives. The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the 7th month dies.'"

Remus paled and looked down at the boy who had fallen asleep beside him. "Oh, Harry," he whispered, running his fingers through the child's dark hair. He looked up at Mithrael. "And the other?"

Mithrael smiled. "I cannot tell a non-elf the other prophecy. However, I can assure you that it is a much happier one. It deals with a great work that Harry will do after he permanently vanquishes the Dark Wizard. However, I have now told you too much, and I ask that you not reveal it to others. I spoke to relieve you of your worry."

Remus smiled, relieved. "You have my word," he said.

"You may, however, tell your friend, Sirius Black."

Remus frowned. "He's in Azkaban."

The elf looked surprised. "Why?'

"Because he betrayed James and Lily. He was their secret keeper. And he killed Peter and 13 other people."

Mithrael shook his head. "You are wrong. Sirius Black did not betray his friends. Peter Pettigrew betrayed them."