Chapter 7

1 September 1991

Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, Order of Merlin First Class, Grand Sorcerer, Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards, and Headmaster of Hogswart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, waited almost a year before placing Mrs. Figg, a member of the Order of Phoenix, into the muggle neighborhood near the Dursley family residence. The Dursleys were Harry Potter's aunt and uncle and the owners of the doorstep on which Albus had placed the child the night after his parents were murdered.

It was another 3 months before Mrs. Figg was able to approach Petunia Dursley outside her house and engage her in a conversation about her family. Harry had been in the Elven realm for over a year when Albus finally realized that the Dursleys did not have their nephew. Quietly, he sent people to search for the boy, but no one was able to turn up any evidence of where the child might be. He sent owls to the boy, hoping they could find him, but all owls returned with their messages undelivered.

After years of searching, Albus finally admitted to himself that the child must be dead. Yet, hope still lingered, and on the night of September 1, 1991, Albus searched the faces of the first year students while they waited to be sorted hoping to see a black-haired, green-eyed child with a lightening bold scar on his forehead. Sadly, he was disappointed.

Finally, the last child was sorted, but before Professor McGonagall could remove the sorting hat and stool, the doors to the great hall opened. As the staff and students sat in stunned silence, twelve Elven guards entered the great hall and lined up in the middle aisle between the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff tables. The doors opened again and a dark-haired boy, between two adult elves, walked between the guards to stand before Dumbledore at the head table. Dumbledore stood, waiting for an explanation.

The boy had long, black hair, reaching almost to his waist. He was clothed in a tunic and trousers of white silk. A gold belt was around his waist, and around his head was a gold band with a large ruby on the front. All the elves, including the boy, were fully armed with bows, arrows, and swords.

The young boy bowed to the headmaster, and then said, "Headmaster Dumbledore, I am Prince Sethrael son of Mithrael of the Elven Realm. This is my mother, Princess Elsbeth and my father, Lord Mithrael son of Lothair." His parents nodded to the headmaster as they were introduced. "My parents wished for me to attend this school, and though I did not receive a letter, I believe that my tuition has been paid."

Albus bowed to the royal family. "Princess Elsbeth, Lord Mithrael, Prince Sethrael, I am honored to meet you. We have not had the honor of having anyone from the Elven realm attend our school before, and to my knowledge, none has applied here. I'm afraid there must be some mistake."

"My tuition was paid under my Wizarding name," the prince answered. "Harry James Potter."

Gasps of shock rippled across the room. Dumbledore did not even try to hide his own astonishment. The feeling of relief that Harry was alive was overwhelming. Placing his hand over his heart, he weakly sat down in his chair. "Harry?" he whispered.

Suddenly sounds of loud popping filled the Great Hall. Harry turned and saw that one-hundred house elves had appeared in the room, kneeling with tears streaming down their faces.

He turned to his mother, who would one day be Queen of the Elven Realm, thinking that they were here to honor her.

She smiled at him. "They are here for you, my son."

As all in the Great Hall watched in confused silence, Harry turned back to the house elves and slowly walked toward a large group of them that had assembled between the guards. "Do not bow to me, my brothers. Please rise."

When the house elves did not move, he knelt before them and placed his forehead on the floor. "If you bow to me, then I must bow to you," he said. "For we are brothers and therefore equal by the Laws of El."

"But you are the Child of Prophecy," one elf said

"Yes," said Harry, still kneeling. "Which means that soon we will live again as one people."

The old elf, which had spoken before stood, and soon the other elves followed his example. When they were all standing, Harry rose and nodded respectfully to them. The elves popped out of the Great Hall. He turned and went back to the head table.

By now, Albus had regained his composure and was again standing. His eyes twinkled at what he had just observed.

"How did you come to be in the Elven Realm?" he asked.

"When I was a baby, my father found me sleeping on a doorstep in a non-magical village," he said, and all those in the Great Hall gasped in horror. Albus, had he been a normal Wizard, would have blushed. "So he took me to the Elven Realm, and he and my mother adopted me."

"But . . . you are a Wizard," Albus said, confused.

"Yes, but I am also an Elf. The blood of both my fathers and both my mothers run through my veins."

Albus frowned. "Perhaps we should speak more about this in my office," he said.

"May I be sorted and enjoy the feast first?"

Albus forced himself to smile, but there was no twinkle in his eye. "Yes, of course. And we'll have two places set at the head table for your parents. Please, Minerva, let Harry be sorted."

Harry sat down on the stool and the professor placed the sorting hat on his head. After a moment, the hat shouted, "GRIFFINDOR!" The Griffindor table whistled and applauded loudly. A pair or redheaded twins were dancing and shouting, "We've got Prince Harry! We've got Prince Harry!" With a large grin, Harry ran to his parents, gave each of them a hug, and then went to the Griffindor table while his parents sat down on either side of Albus Dumbledore.

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Harry found himself sitting near the end of the long table beside a red-haired boy his age. Across from him was a bushy-haired girl.

The girl extended her arm across the table to shake his hand. "I'm Hermione Granger," she said. "It's very nice to meet you."

"I am Harry Potter, and it is nice to meet you, too."

"Ron Weasley," said the boy beside him, shaking Harry's hand also. "Have you lived with the Elves all this time, then?"

"Yes, I have been in the Elven Realm since the day after my first parents were killed by the Dark Wizard."

"Are you excited about attending Hogwarts?" Hermione asked.

Harry nodded and swallowed the bit of chicken he'd just taken a bite of. "Yes, my godfathers have both told me that their time at Hogwarts was the happiest time of their lives. I can't imagine anything being better than home, but I can't wait to find out."

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After the feast, Albus met with Harry and his Elven parents in his office. Harry sat between his mother and father. Each held one of his hands as if they all dreaded the time when they would be separated.

"I don't understand how it was you found Harry," Albus said to the parents. "He was supposed to be with his aunt and uncle who live in Surrey. That's quite a distance from any forest."

"Yes, it is," Mithrael said. "I had to walk a long distance through many villages to get to him."

"But what did you want with him? Why did you take him?"

"We wanted nothing from Sethrael except to give him our love," Elsbeth said. "And to give him a good home and family and teach him our ways."

"But, what I don't understand is why? Why Harry? How did you know where he was?"

"I was watching his house the night the Dark Wizard killed his parents," Mithrael said. "I followed the shape-shifter witch to where you were taking him the next morning. I saw her watch the house of the non-magical people all that day. I saw what kind of people they were, as did she. I was there when you laid him on the doorstep."

"And then you just took him?"

"Yes."

Dumbledore shook his head. "But that is kidnapping. It is a crime in our world. You cannot just take a child."

"You did."

"Yes, but—"

"You had the half-giant take the child from his godfather."

"But his godfather was—"

"Innocent."

"Yes, but—"

"You didn't know that at the time."

"No, I didn't, which is why—"

"You should have gotten more information before placing a child with people who did not want him."

Albus sighed. This was not going as he had intended. "Harry has a godfather in this world," he said. "By all rights, he should be Harry's legal guardian and should have the final say about where Harry lives." There, that should do it, he thought smugly. It would be easier to convince Sirius that Harry was safer with his aunt and uncle.

"You are correct," Mithrael said. "Because Sirius Black was appointed Harry's godfather by his parents, as his legal guardian, it was necessary for us to have his permission to adopt him as our son. Sirius Black is still one of Harry's godfathers in this world and in ours. Remus Lupin is the other. Both are his legal guardians in this world. They are whom you should contact in our place. They have permission to make decisions and handle all emergencies, and they know how to contact us."

Albus looked surprised. "They knew where Harry was? Sirius gave you permission?"

"Yes," Mithrael said. "They attended our wedding and Harry's adoption ceremony. But for our son's safety, they were obliged to keep it secret. They were not allowed to tell anyone that they had been to our realm, had seen Harry, or knew where he was."

"I see," Albus said thoughtfully, then smiled. "Well, we can arrange for Harry to get some robes and his books—"

"Uncle Sirius and Uncle Remus got them for me. They're in my trunk," Harry said.

"And your wand?"

"I've got that, too. And a snowy owl named Hedwig. I think I have everything."

Albus nodded. "Very well, then. If there's nothing else, Harry, you should get to bed. Classes start in the morning."

Harry stood up and hugged each of his parents. "I'll see you at winter break," he said, trying to fight back tears. His mother nodded, wiping at her own tears.

"We are proud of you, Son," Mithrael said softly as he smoothed the boy's hair. "Remember what we have taught you. And if you need anything, contact Sirius and Remus." He smiled. "Winter break is not that far away."

Harry nodded, and then sighed. "It seems like forever, Daka." He turned and hurried out of the headmaster's office.

He found the professor who had placed the sorting hat on his head waiting for him outside the Headmaster's office. "Harry, I'm Professor McGonagall," she said. "I'm your Head of House. I'll escort you to Griffindor Tower."

"Thank you, Professor."

"You know, I taught both of your parents, and I knew you when you were a baby."

Harry smiled. "I know. My father told me all about you."

Minerva frowned. "Your father?"

"Yes, my first father—the one who was killed by the Dark Wizard. He told me about your being his Head of House. He thinks very highly of you. You were his favorite professor."

She shook her head. "I'm afraid I'm a little confused, Harry. I don't understand how you can remember something that was said when you were still a baby."

"Oh, no, Professor. I am remembering from when I talked to my parents this past summer. My Elven father takes my godfathers and me to the Realm of El every . . . um . . . 6 months, and we visit with my first parents. We meet on my birthday and on my first mother's birthday because they are exactly 6 months a part."

"The Realm of El?" she asked.

"Yes, it's like . . . " He thought for a moment. "In the Human Realm, it has other names. I believe many people call it Heaven. It is where people live who have crossed over into the Summerland, I mean Heaven. Some of them have crossed because they have died, like my first parents."

"And you can visit them?" she asked as if she didn't really believe him.

"Oh, yes. Elves can cross into that realm, but no more often than every 6 months. If one goes more often, he longs to stay there and longs for the people who live there."

She nodded politely.

"You should talk with my godfather Remus Lupin about it," he said. "He and Uncle Sirius go with us each time. It has made them happier to be able to speak with my first parents once again."

"I will do that," she said with raised brows.

They stopped in front of a portrait of a very plump lady in a pink dress. "This is the entrance to your common room," said Professor McGonagall. "The password is courage."

The door opened and Harry and his professor walked into a large empty parlor. The fire had almost died, leaving just the glowing embers. "Your room is up that staircase," she said pointing. "On the door, it will say First Year Boys. Your trunk has already been placed at the foot of your bed. The other boys are probably asleep by now, so go in as quietly as you can."

"Thank you, Professor McGonagall," he said, and climbed the stairs to the dormitories.