Chapter 2
Harry felt an odd sensation overcome him as the fairy touched him. He felt like he was everywhere and nowhere at the same time. The universe seemed to collide right in front of his eyes in a flash of colors, engulfing him in brightness and warmth that reached deep inside him. He felt at peace. Then the feeling was over and his feet touched the ground again. He looked around, startled by the lack of all he experienced during his extremely short trip, and promptly fell into a daze filled with wonder.
They were transported into a forest, but it was unlike any other he had seen in his life. The trees and the occasional bush seemed to pulse with life, almost appearing as if the wind was playing games with them. The leaves were all colored in brilliant shades of green, and the sky twinkled with so many stars it nearly seemed unreal. But that was not what caught young Harry's attention. Right there, in, around and at the base of the trunks of the trees were what looked like a million tiny fairies, and they all glowed with different colors. It filled the forest with a soft, radiant glow that felt very welcoming.
The fairies were celebrating something, of that Harry was certain. There were many circle-like shapes drawn on the ground, with the fairies dancing around them. Harry recognized the shape as the one his new friend was trying to draw in the air earlier in the night. Didn't she say it was a ritual?
He was brought out of his musing by her flying into his vision, hands on hips and an annoyed expression on her face. She pointed to the left and then proceeded to fly in that direction. He looked after her, confused for a few seconds before he shrugged and followed her, his possessions still in his hands.
She led him away from the fairy village and he felt strangely disappointed. He kept glancing back, until it disappeared from his vision completely, and with a sigh, committed himself to walking. After a while he found that the forest still amazed him, even with the lack of the little creatures flying around. It was the most peaceful, magical forest he had ever been in, although that wasn't saying much, since the only other one he had visited, was the Forbidden forest. Still, the atmosphere felt almost fresh as they walked further away from where they first appeared.
A few minutes into the walk, Harry realized he was exhausted. The last couple of weeks had worn him out completely. Combined with tonight's event, the fatigue practically tore at him. Just as he was about to ask if they planned on walking for much longer, he heard voices. The sounds were coming from up ahead and his companion was speeding towards them now. He couldn't help but let excitement come above the tiredness and he rushed to keep up with her fluttering wings. It sounded like people!
As the trees slowly decreased Harry began to see hints of them in the distance. He picked up speed, eager to see where the fairy was taking him and almost smashed into her small frame when she stopped in the middle of the path. Confused, he was about to ask why she stopped when she held a finger to her lips and, very slowly, flew to the edge of the clearing where the humans were. Harry went behind her, and they both observed as the people there gathered into a circle, standing hand in hand. He saw that they were all dressed in various interesting white clothes, with some green or brown mixed in. There also seemed to be leaves and tiny branches entwined into their attires. Strangely enough, instead of looking like savages, the effect was surprisingly mystic-like.
Then he saw that strange circle-like pattern carved into the ground again and he realized was about to witness a ritual take place. The pattern was combined with a variety of symbols that vaguely looked like some of the ones Hermione was studying about in her Ancient Runes class. On the inside of the circle there were six smaller ones that were connected with each other, creating a hexagon shape with a six-pointed star in it. In the smaller hexagon created by the star, a large rune was engraved right in the middle. The circles surrounded flower petals of some kind, a slice of apple, a piece of raw meat, a burning candle, a bowl filled with water; and another bowl that remained empty.
Harry wondered for a moment for what purpose the last one was, when his train of thought was cut off by their chanting; they appeared to be witches and wizards. He recognized some of the words and soon realized that the chanting was in Latin. He crouched by the tree he was standing behind and gripped the wood as he gazed intently at the proceedings. He could feel the magic in the air now, slowly gaining in power as the chanting continued.
It was like every resident of the forest went quiet before the heavy magic, which cloaked the air of the small clearing. Harry felt the suspense practically pouring out of the woods, the leaves fluttering in the wind as everything stilled, waiting for something to happen. The feeling was so powerful, that even Harry was holding his breath, as the magic rose and twirled around the chanting people. He watched as they released hands, and one by one dribbled seven drops of blood into the empty bowl. When the last person let the final drop of blood fall, they made a circle again, uttering one final sentence; and in that moment, the magic centered into the rune in the middle of the ritual circle. The whole design shone with a bright blue, highlighting the dark night with its rays of pure power, and soon extended to the six smaller circles, which all caught fire.
Harry's eyes widened and he almost let out a shout, surprised by the abrupt explosion of flames. He was already halfway up, ready to warn the linked group and help them put out the flames, when they smiled and let out a triumphant yell. The young man crouched again, confused. Why are they celebrating? The clearing will burn away if they don't stop the flames soon! But then he saw why; the flames were not moving out of the circles at all. It was like they were confined. He watched as the six fires ate away at the offerings until they were nothing but ashes. And so the fires stopped.
The people started dancing around the design, which had since stopped glowing, much like the fairies danced around theirs. Harry observed the children, for they were a part of this gathering too, as they twirled round in circles, around and around each other, the adults grabbing hands as they, too, danced with one another.
In that moment Harry felt their happiness like it was in the air around him, and wanted to join them. He stood up and started slowly walking forward, not noticing that his friend was trying to stop him by pulling on his sleeve. He went toward them, captivated by their dancing. It wasn't long till one of them noticed him and stopped, making others stop too in confusion. Soon everyone had their eyes turned to him and a female stepped toward him, anger flashing in her eyes. Harry suddenly didn't feel so welcome anymore.
"What are you doing here, human?" she hissed at him as she advanced toward him, only to stop. She looked him over carefully and then her eyes widened and she took a step back, her hand going to her back.
"You're a wizard!" she said, malice now clear in her voice as she pulled a short sword from her back where it was resting. Harry felt panic rise in him as she pointed her weapon at him, and he reached towards the back of his pants in search of his wand, only to remember that he had to leave it in the trunk when he went to the Dursleys. He started shaking, sure that this was his end, when he was saved yet again by his flying friend. The fairy flew to the angry woman and started squeaking in her ear. Harry was not sure why she tried, because he could not understand a thing she said, so the woman shouldn't be able to either. However, to his surprise, she lowered her weapon, the dangerous look in her eyes subsiding as the fairy talked.
He observed her as she listened to his friend and he saw, for the first time, that she wasn't a human at all. Her eyes glowed a bright blue and her red hair did not look ruffled at all, even with all her dancing. Her face was the most beautiful he had ever seen, and even the delicate complexion of Fleur Delacour couldn't compare. What made her inhuman were not those features though, but her ears; they curved into a point. 'She's an elf!' he thought to himself.
The elf pinned him with a gaze and walked toward him, her form more relaxed now. She lifted her right arm and he lifted his in reflex, sure that she expected a handshake, only to have his offered hand ignored. Instead she touched his forehead, but not where his scar was. No, she touched the center of his brow and drew a triangle softly.
"You're welcome here. For now." Was all she said before she lowered her arm and turned her back to him, walking back towards her people, who had all observed the exchange. That's when Harry noticed that she was not the only elf in the group. In fact, there were no humans there at all.
He felt overwhelmed. In all the classes he attended, and all the books he had read, it was always said that the elves had left the Wizarding population, and no one knew where they had disappeared to. Not one human had seen them since their departure over a thousand years ago, when Merlin first appeared on the scene.
So why did Harry see a whole group of them? He wondered briefly if he was dreaming, but it felt all too real. He stood there and watched the group slowly leave the clearing. It seemed like the celebration was over. He looked around the forest then, musing on what to do now, when his tiny friend made an appearance again, pulling his sleeve in the direction to where the elves had gone to.
Deciding to trust her, since so far nothing happened to him under her guidance, he grasped his trunk firmly, tucking his other belongings under his arm, and followed her yet again. This time the walk was much shorter; within a few minutes, they had arrived. Harry was once again struck still, a whole Elven village revealed before his eyes. It was even more beautiful than the Fairy community he'd had the honor of seeing.
The village he stepped into was built entirely from wood and leaves. There were no glass windows or concrete to be seen. The beauty of it lay in the designs on the doors of the houses, and the gorgeous glow of multicolored torches. It seemed like the creatures of this forest enjoyed the colors of the rainbow.
He was led to a fountain, which lay in the center of the village. The fairy turned, flying above his shoulder to indicate they were at their destination. Six elven statues were placed around the center of the fountain, each one holding a vase above their stone heads from which water poured in a steady stream, out and down over them and into the pool below them. Even the statues looked beautiful. He absently thought that elves were really good artists.
Admiring the fountain, Harry's attention soon turned to a tall individual, their long black hair whipping around as they turned to observe Harry as he approached. The fairy flew toward the person, saying something to them in an excited tone of voice. The male, Harry realized subconsciously, fixed his grey eyes onto Harry's green ones, and offered a smile. Relieved he didn't have to go through another dangerous situation, the wizard grinned back.
The elf stepped forward and grasped the young man's arm, his right reaching toward his forehead, repeating the mark the female had drawn before. Harry felt tingles over his whole body. It was a pleasant feeling of recognition, and he got a sense of belonging as the stranger moved away from him. He vaguely remembered feeling a small spark before with the woman, but nothing like this. It felt like a blessing.
"Welcome to the Forest of Phalen. I am called Arian." The man said, his voice deep and commanding, and Harry had a feeling that he was talking to a leader. He straightened his back a bit, intimidated by Arian now.
"Thank you, Sir. My name is Harry." He replied with a slight tremble in his voice, ending the sentence in an odd way, cutting himself off before he could say Potter. For some reason, Harry was unable to give his last name, unsure as to why. Arian studied him, no doubt noticing the abrupt ending, giving an off-side smile as he turned back to the fountain.
"No need to call me by that human title." The elf told him as he bent and ran his fingers through the water, watching it ripple as he did. Harry looked at his back, confused.
"What else am I supposed to call you then?" he asked nervously, shuffling his feet.
"Arian, of course. It is, after all, my name. What would you call me by?" was the straightforward reply the wizard got. The man had looked over his shoulder as he said it, his gaze holding curiosity and amusement. That baffled Harry; he didn't find this situation entertaining at all.
"By your surname?" He asked hesitantly. Arian turned his gaze back to the water and drew random patterns on the surface.
"You humans, with your titles and second names. We do not use those here. Why do you think you were stopped by magic before you could tell me your surname, young Harry? I do not need it, and neither do you." He straightened and motioned with a hand for the wizard to join him. Harry slowly did, and was rewarded with a small nod of acknowledgment, before the elf focused on the masterpiece before them again. The young man turned his attention to his fairy friend, who was now playing in the fountain water, as he waited for Arian to speak again.
"I was told by Oriole that you have no home to return to and wish to learn of our ways. Is that true?" Arian asked young Harry, as he clasped his hands behind his back and tilted his head a bit, still looking at the water gliding down the sculptures.
"I'm sorry, but who is Oriole?" Harry asked, turning his eyes to look at the black-haired man. Arian met his gaze and let out a laugh when the fairy flew in front of the green-eyed wizard, her small hands waving in the air, her lips twisting into a frown.
"She is!" he said amusedly, watching the little fairy nod her head in agreement as she put her hands on her hips. Harry put his palms up in a defensive position, and he let out a laugh of his own.
"I'm sorry, Oriole, but I did not know, and I can't understand what you are saying when you speak. Please, forgive me?" Harry said to the annoyed fairy, who looked him over and sighed. She smacked his nose, which did not really hurt him although he would never tell her that, and then she nodded her head and sat on his shoulder. Arian was still smiling in amusement, but he quickly covered it up when Oriole turned her gaze to him. He waved a hand at the edge of the fountain pool, and the few water droplets that were there, were pushed back into it. With the edge now dry, he sat down.
Harry looked at him, dumbfounded, looking from the man's hands, which were now resting in his lap, to the edge and back again, trying to figure out what had just happened.
"How did you do that?" he asked, his shock and curiosity overcoming his control of his tongue. Realizing how rude that sounded, he grimaced and mumbled an apology, only to be cut off.
"It's fine, young Harry. But I am confused. What did I do that astonished you so?" said Arian as he crossed his legs, looking up curiously at the wizard. Harry let go of his trunk and pointed at the dry surface of the fountain edge, not caring if it was rude.
"That! With the puddles! You just moved your hand and it relocated into the water. Don't you need a wand for that?" he questioned the elf, who had a look of surprise on his face, only for it to change into one of understanding. Arian lifted his hand and raised it above the water. With a twitch of his fingers, the water rose until it formed a long spear of some kind. Harry looked on with astonishment as, what he heard was impossible, started happening in front of his eyes. The silver-eyed man did not take his gaze off of the wizard as he played with the water like it was nothing.
"You see, Harry the wizard, we do not depend on those sticks your authorities make you bond with. We harvest our magic without any conduits while we are very little, so wielding it like this means no strain to us at all," he said, the water changing shape as he spoke. It looked like a flower at first, then a ball, and after that it changed into a water sculpture of a little bird. Harry's eyes shone a brilliant green as he observed the transformations with the fascination of a child. The black-haired man observed the boy's reaction with approval.
"Now that I think of it, you never answered my question," he mused, freezing the sculpture and placing it into Harry's hands. Snapping out of his daze, the young man looked to Arian, and tried to think of the question he had been asked. Seeing the troubled look on the youths face, the elf smiled.
"Is it true that you have no home to return to, and wish to learn of our ways?" he repeated, turning towards Harry slightly, and rested his head on the palm of his hand. In that moment, the wizard saw that the man in front of him was extremely beautiful. He didn't have time to take notice of it before, but like his fellow red-headed elf, his face practically shone with beauty. Feeling slightly uncomfortable now, Harry looked away and cleared his throat.
"Well?" Arian questioned, amused yet again, and the green-eyed boy had a distinct feeling that the man knew what Harry had been thinking. Eager to change the elf's train of thought, he replied.
"Yes, it's true. I… I like what I have seen of your ways so far. It is all absolutely stunning. Would you, please, let me learn?" he asked, realizing that what he said was completely true. The whole forest fascinated him, and he wished he could stay here. It was so wonderful and overwhelming, with its flickering stars, multiple colored fairies, beautiful green leaves and interesting trunks, that for a few hours, Harry forgot all about his problems at home, or ex-home now; at school, with the Order and with Sirius' death, and that was all that mattered.
The silver-eyed man smiled at him, uncrossed his legs and pushed himself to his feet. He reached out with his right hand again and traced out the triangular symbol. Harry was quickly becoming accustomed to it being drawn on his brow, for he had a feeling he would be getting that done here quite a lot. What happened next though, shocked him.
Arian placed both of his hands on his cheeks and leaned forward. Harry panicked a little and shut his eyes tight, trying to get away from what looked to be a kiss, only to feel a forehead touch his own. Startled, he opened his eyelids, and was greeted by flickering silver pools.
"You are welcome amongst us for however long you wish to stay." The elf spoke softly, almost tenderly, and in that moment, magic surged through the young wizard's being. He felt connected to every living creature in the forest, felt their heartbeats and breathing. The feeling diminished into a dull throb in the back of his mind after a few seconds more, but it was still there. Arian moved away from him then, and Harry could only blink. This was the third time he felt a powerful rush of magic flow over him that night, yet he still could not get used to it.
"What just happened?" he questioned, still feeling overwhelmed. He was breathing hard and his pupils were dilated. He absently wondered if this was what a drug trip felt like.
"The forest recognized my words and gave you its blessing. You are now not only welcomed in our village, but in the whole forest. Be honored, for you are most likely the first human to ever be accepted by it. You must be special." The elf replied, his eyes still holding a spark in them as he spoke. He then turned, and started walking down a road that led to the eastern part of the village. He looked over his shoulder when he didn't hear Harry's footsteps behind him.
"Come now, young Harry, you need your rest. I shall offer you my spare bedroom for you to sleep in while you stay here." He called to the wizard, his steps not slowing. With a jolt, the boy quickly ran to catch up with the tall man, absentmindedly remembering to take his things with him. He was led into one of the beautiful houses that he had been fascinated with before. After removing his shoes, he walked behind Arian until he stopped before a door with a tree engraved into it. The elf turned to him and opened it, gesturing for Harry to go in.
"Have a good night, young one. Oriole, come." Arian said and waited for the fairy, who was waving excitedly to Harry, to land on his shoulder before he closed the door and left. The boy was startled for a second, having completely forgotten about his new little friend, but shrugged it off quickly, feeling much too tired to think about it for very long. He opened his trunk and changed into his pajamas, before crawling into the warm-looking bed. Within minutes he was asleep, his dreams filled with rainbow colored skies, fluttering wings and dancing elves.
A/N: Hello all! I'd just like to thank all of you that like this story so far and those that reviewed. It's really amazing and I hope that you have enjoyed this chapter as well. I would also like to say that I have a reason for any character I've created (as in, the ones you can't recognize from Harry Potter since those from HP are obviously not mine in any way) and that they will hopefully not overtake the story in any way. Harry is the main character in this fanfic. Thank you again :D
