Ok, next potential story is the Potter files, a nice little Dresden Files Harry Potter cross over. It will NOT be Harry Potter in the Dresden Universe, instead it is simply Harry Potter raised by Harry Dresden. Follows the books by the way, not the tv series. Once again if you have ANY questions, requests, ect. or wish to try your hand at one of my stories than feel free to contact me so i can at least put you on my alerts list.
RRR- Read- review-repeat
The Potter Files
Sitting in his office, Harry Dresden sat. Looking at the phone. Wishing it would ring… He'd been doing that a lot lately. Well, rent was due, he needed food on the table for him and mister, his pet cat, though it would look more like a baby saber tooth tiger if you asked him, and of course for a wizard to work he needs the proper materials.
Oh, did I forget to mention that?
Meet Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden- not that you'll get the words from his mouth- wizard by trade and magic. Standing at six feet some inches he was thin, brown haired, and quick to anger. Look him up in the yellow pages if your ever in Chicago, he's the only one listed under Wizard.
Actually that was a new development. Truth be told he had just gotten started up after finishing his three year trial period under another investigator, Nick Christian, so he could start his own practice. Technically he was a privet investigator, but he happened to deal with the paranormal world.
Not that it really mattered. After the first month of nonstop crank calls and curious people who thought it was a joke, the phone had stopped ringing. He had had two job's since he had started up. One were some drunk thought he heard a werewolf, in the middle of the new moon, and another from a Chicago PD officer he had had a run in with a little less than a year ago. Surprisingly that had been the real deal, even if she didn't believe it one hundred percent.
Karin Murphy, an up and coming officer in the Chicago PD. She had seen Harry in action a while back, while working for Nick at Ragged Angle Investigator's. Well she knew something was going on with her newest case and it reminded her of the night she decided to try and take on a full grown troll. She calls in Dresden, who does his thing, finds the perp, saves the girl, only for said girl to pop him in the face for being a chauvinist pig. After that, and the passenger side door of the Blue Beetle, he managed take out the offending fairy and tell Murphy what happened.
I hear they have her under investigation now.
Yup, that's him, Harry Dresden: getting beat up by five nothing blond cops for saving their lives and possibly getting them fired from Chicago's best.
Looking at the clock on the wall, glad that it's still working, he decides to call it a day. No need to turn off the coffee machine, he hadn't been able to buy coffee in a week, and none of the lights work anymore, so he just leaves, heading straight past the elevator and to the stairwell.
Yeah, magic and technology don't mix together real good. He doesn't understand why, but magic tends to short circuit anything made before World War II. Hence he drives a beaten up Blue Beatle… well, mostly blue. It's just the passenger side door and trunk hood… and the driver side fender… It was still mostly blue.
Also hence why he was a little wary on taking the elevator down to the ground level when he had two perfectly fine legs that he didn't broken.
Reaching the bottom he's stopped by the mailman, on his way up to deliver to the building, surprised when he actually saw he had something. Two something's even.
Grabbing them he looks at the first piece he see's it's from his mechanic, Mike… apparently the Beetle's gunna need to go back into the shop to replace the door that was just fitted onto it: there was a recall and apparently he can get him a newer one for free.
Shaking his head he doesn't even want to think of the problems that could possible come from this. With his luck he would be fighting a vampire and the door would blow up… wouldn't matter that there's nothing to blow up either- just would.
Looking at the second piece he's surprised to see that it's a letter from a kid over in Europe. Nick had signed the two of them up for some sort of pen pal program with kids around the world but that was like… wow, only two months ago!
Opening it he reads through the letter. From some little snot in England, that was named Harry too, and was entering his second year… 'So that would make him what, seven? Six? Hell if I know how old they start over there. Lives with Uncle and Aunt and cousin, doesn't really like it there either. Wants to know what I do for a living…'
Oh, that was just hilarious. They had him listed as a Privet Investigator. No way they would have let Harry Dresden the Wizard write to little kids, but Harry the Privet Eye?
Well, he wouldn't lie to the blighter. He'd tell him all about being a wizard. Probably be pretty funny while he's doing it… especially if he drank those last two bottles of Mac's finest while he did it…
It was month later that he got the response from the kid. He had been right, writing to the kid while drinking Mac's micro brew had done the trick. Plus he had gotten a couple of gig's since then. Ms. Copper, who was now with S.I.- special Investigation's- had called him in to help them out for a big pay out, and Mac himself had needed Harry's help finding something.
That last one was simply because he was good like that. Give him a sample of a person or thing and he could find it.
Best of all though was that the beetle had stayed in once piece the whole time.
Opening the letter Harry skimmed through it before letting it fall to the floor. "How the hell does stuff like this happen to me?" he yelled to his office… his very empty office.
Picking the letter back up he reads through it again. Well… that was interesting. Apparently the kid had been told magic wasn't real, just as Harry had suspected, but that since he read the letter he remembered a few things he had done. Shrinking shirts, turning a teachers wig blue, regrowing a full head of hair overnight… 'Wait… the wind picked him up?' he asked himself, looking at the letter as if it were a viper.
Sighing he put his head in his hands. He just wasn't in position to deal with this shit. Not when he had-
"Dresden!" yelled the tall, stocky German man, as he stood in Harry's office door, unseen by the younger man.
Looking up Harry blinked, wondering what part of his mental breakdown Morgan had entered during. Morgan was Harry's… well, parole officer really. You see about nine years past Harry's mentor and guardian decided to go all… evil. Yeah, didn't end well for anyone involved, especially not the two who had died as a result. Harry on the other had was put under the Doom of Damocles. If he breaks any of the Laws of Magic he get's his head cut off… literally. Morgan was here to be witness, judge, jury, and executioner. And he really didn't like Harry. Not that there was any love lost between the two.
Surprisingly Harry was glad to see the man.
"Morgan!" he said with a false joviality, "Just the man I was hoping to see. How's work been?"
Looking at Harry suspiciously he tells the taller man, deadpanned, "I executed three warlock's in New York City and was reminded of you." Suddenly it became very hard to smile. Hearing about three people, probably kids who didn't know better, getting their heads cut off was not something he could just smile at.
Dropping the pretenses Harry grabbed the letter and motioned for Morgan to take it.
Patiently he watched as the man read through it, wishing the Warder would show some sort of emotion on his old face. Pocketing the letter he stared at Dresden.
"Boy, I know your dumb, but you told a child about magic? If it were up to me you'd be locked up somewhere real tight for that kind of stupidity." He said, plopping a large brown golf bag down off his shoulder.
"What was I supposed to do, lie to a kid. I am what I am!" he yelled back at the Warder, eyeing the golf bag sitting on the ground in front of his desk, no doubt where he kept the silver sword of his station, the one he used to execute three people with oh so recently.
"Lying would be a good start." Was the reply, swinging the gold bag back his shoulder after stretching out the muscle underneath the strap, "Personally I think you should stay away from little kids as much as possible. Not that it matters now, lock the place up and get what you need from your home. Meet back with me at McAnally's in two hours."
Harry just stared at the man's back for a second before he responded, making the man stop in his track's, "Get what I need, what's that supposed to mean?"
Turning around Morgan stared at Harry dangerously, "It means you revealed the world of magic to a six year old child who seems to be coming into his magic much too early and are now going to take responsibility for what you started. Now lock up, pack, and meet me at McAnally's Pub in two hours or suffer the consequences."
"But that's something for the Warders and the White Council to do!" he yelled back, making the brown haired German man smile in turn.
"As much as it burn's me to say it: You are a member of the White Council. Since you started this you shall be the representative going with me, while I shall inform him of the Laws of Magic. After that I could care less." Turning around he began to walk out of the door, stopping briefly to inform Harry, "Oh, and I shall be informing the Council of your action's at their next meeting."
Alone in his office Dresden turned and kicked his chair, knocking it over, "Fucking Morgan!" and he went about locking up, wondering how he was going to keep Bob quiet the entire trip.
Harry Potter was a very special child. He himself had only realized this himself two weeks earlier.
His school had participated in a pen pal program with adults all around the world. The man who had been picked as his pen pal, Harry Dresden, had been listed as a Privet Eye when Harry had picked him at the end of June. It's not that wanted to be a Privet Eye or anything… but it seemed like it would be interesting to hear about... and his name was Harry too, there was that.
When he got the letter back though it had been so different. Harry had said he had become an Investigator so he could open his own practice, but instead of dealing with regular cases he dealt with those that were magical in nature. After that he had gone on to talk about the different things he could do and a few story's about meetings with magical being's.
Magical… All his short life he could remember his uncle telling him that there was no such thing as magic, that the only people who believed in magic were crazies and freaks… well his uncle called him a freak nearly all the time, so it wasn't that strange in his mind to believe in magic.
And then he started thinking… about the different freakish things he had done to gain his uncles ire… and it made sense. Magic was real.
Not that he was going to tell his uncle that he knew, thank you very much, but still, now he knew why he was different from everyone else. Idly, as he worked on aunt Petunia's rose garden, he wondered what other thing's he could do with magic. Harry had written about controlling the wind's to pick stuff up and throw it around and being able to set stuff on fire or doing rituals to find people and creating circles to protect himself with.
While he was doing this though he was blissfully unaware of his aunt cleaning through his cupboard, making sure he didn't steal any of Dudley's toy's or crayon's and coming across a single letter from the school's pen pal program.
Walking back into the house an hour later Harry was hot and sweaty from the August sun and dirty from the de-weeding. As he began to walk up the stairs though he felt his aunt grab his ear dragging him towards his 'room.' "Boy, you will go to your cupboard right now and stay there until your uncle and I decide you can come out!" and with a final push she sent him into his cramped living space. Locking the door behind her and shutting the blinder's on the front of it.
Sighing Harry resigned himself to his punishment, though for what he hadn't a clue. Reaching under his mattress he went to grab his letter from Harry, planning on holding onto it as he dreamt of magic and a new life full of wonder…
It was gone, he realized after a second or two. He had left it under the mattress, right at the top right corner, and now it was gone. Eye's widening he realized why he was being punished.
Hours flew by and Harry heard his uncle walk into the house and head straight into the kitchen for dinner. Another hour went by and he patiently waited for his aunt or uncle to come get him so he could take care of the dishes like he did every night.
Then the banging started on the wall right next to his door.
It was nearly six at night when Morgan and Harry stepped out of the portal to the Nevernever into a Warder safe house in central Surrey.
The Nevernever is… well, it's the world right next to our own, demon's, fairy's, and everything in between, you can find them in the Nevernever. It's Wonderland on crack, Peter Pan's Never Land is a cheap knock off. In fact combine both of those and add Narnia to the mix and you still don't even come close to what the Nevernever really is.
It's a world between worlds. A spiritual representation of our own world at point's, and a place where the law's of Physic's are rendered moot at others. It's there that you will find the Fairy Court's, the two ruling entities amongst the fey, earth bound spirits, ghost, and if you go far enough in demon's and Ghouls too. Yup, a genuine Nasty Wonderland of Doom.
It was also the place where Harry's Crazy Fairy Godmother lived, though thankfully they got through without incident.
An hour later the two of them found themselves stepping out of an old beat up pick up truck from around the Jurassic period. Harry, in canvas duster, cowboy boot's, a pair of worn blue jeans, and flannel shirt from way back when. Morgan on the other hand couldn't have been bothered to change into a pair of civvies, instead opting for robes and the gray Cloak of the Warder's, his silver sword, which would cut through magical enchantments and protection's, strapped at his side.
Looking back at the writing he had scribbled down after smooth talking a local school representative over the phone he confirmed it, "Number Four, Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey… Little Whinging? Who wants to live in a place called Whinging?" he asked his stony faced partner who kept his eye's peeled as if expecting an ambush… Probably expecting Dresden to be the one setting it up.
"Enough Warlock, let's go up there and talk to the boy so we can leave. I'm assuming that you'll need to be escorted back to Chicago after all."
"You're the one who pulled me all the way to bloody England!" Harry snapped back, walking forward and knocking on the door. Absently he noted that someone had just started hammering something when they walked up. A few seconds later, after the noise stopped, a large beefy man opened the door, staring at the two of them nastily.
"Well?" he asked them, a sneer on his face, "I'm busy right now, what is it you need? If your trying to sell me something I don't want it!"
Harry just smiled, noting that the man's tone seemed to have bothered his Warder buddy a wee bit.
"Excuse me, we are looking for a child who lives here, Harry Potter." Said Morgan, clearly hoping to get this done and over with.
Looking past the large man he could clearly see he had been nailing a two by four to keep a small closet under the stairs shut. Something wasn't right here.
"Harry Potter, there is no Harry Potter here and there never has been!" he yelled, practically spitting in Morgan's face.
Harry looked at the man sharply, "You are a Mr. Dursly, yes?"
"And what of it you vagrant. Who are you? What business do you think you have in my home?!" Ok, now Harry was getting upset, not only was he getting spit on too, but the first letter he had from Harry clearly stated he lived with his family: The Dursly's.
"Well, my name is Harry Dresden. Your nephew, Harry Potter wrote to me through his school's pen pal pro-"
"There is no Harry Potter here! Now if you two freaks would kindly leave!"
"We aren't going anywhere until we get some answer's buddy!" yelled Harry, staring down at the man.
"I'll have you arrested for trespassing!"
"Dresden…" said Morgan calmly, not even getting a hint of Harry's attention, "DRESDEN!" he barked finally.
Snapping his head at the shorter stockier man, "WHAT!" he barked back. Then he heard the yells.
And just as fast as the banging started it ended. Cursing under his breath he heard his uncle groan as he stood up, opening the front door.
From where he was he couldn't hear everything, though he did hear his uncle yell his name several times, declaring that there was no Harry Potter living there.
Slowly fear clenched his heart, making him wonder what was going on, why someone would be looking for him. Was it the cop's? No, uncle Vernon would have handed him over in an instant if it were something like that… Someone looking for him, a friend maybe? Perhaps it was…
His thoughts were interrupted though when one of the men barked out the name Dresden. 'Harry Dresden? No, but if it is then maybe I… I can escape.' And so he started to yell, calling out the man's name.
It was an awkward moment as the three men stood there, listening to the child's cries for help. Narrowing his eyes Harry lifted his hand, releasing the energy he kept stored in the single silver ring on his finger, knocking the large man in front of him to the ground. If he had weighed less he probably would have been sent flying. The ring was designed to absorb excess kinetic energy that he released as he moved, as it was it packed quite a punch.
Stepping over the groaning man, and through the threshold to the home, he went straight for the sound and felt bile rising in his throat. It was coming from the closet that the man had been boarding up. With three long strides he was standing over the door, tearing the piece of wood away, glad there wasn't even a full nail in there.
Bending down he opened the small door, noting that the screams had turned into sobs. Staring back at him, under a messy lot of black hair, were two emerald green eye's with tears flowing freely from the sides, a large smile on the boy's face.
"I knew it, I knew it was you!" he muttered, leaping into Harry's arm's, "As soon as I heard them say your name I knew you had come here!" and then broke down, crying unabashedly.
Absently he noted that Morgan had the boy's uncle held face first against the wall with some sort of spell while his arms stuck together in the small of his back in a most painful fashion. Clearly he had broken through the homes threshold in order to do magic in here The Warder himself was out of sight, looking through the residence for any other hostiles.
A threshold is a… well a natural magic that protects a person's home from magical nastiness. For a wizard like Harry and Morgan it would normally mean leaving magic at the door unless, like the warder had done, breaking through it.
Coming back to himself he patted the boy's head, making him look up at him, "Hey, wanna see some magic at work?" he asked the kid, pointing over at Vernon.
"Are you going to kill him?" the boy asked, a slight gleam in his eye.
"NO!" he barked at the boy, feeling sorry for his tone as soon as he said it, watching as the young boy bowed his head and murmured an apology, "Hey, Hey, I'm sorry for that. But there are some things you just don't do with magic. Killing people is one of those things." He explained, making the child look up at him once more.
"Are you going to punish him at least?" he asked, looking hopeful.
Dreading the response he would get he asked Harry, "Did he hit you a lot?"
Blinking up at Dresden he saw the boy roll his shoulder's before wiping the tears away from face, "Nu uh. He only ever hit me when I broke something or did… magic…"
Internally Harry wished Morgan wasn't here, that he could kill this man. Beating a child when they did magic, absurd.
Out of the corner of his eye he saw Morgan walk from another room into the kitchen and put Harry down to go talk to him.
The old warder was tense, his eye's were like rock's, "Well, what'd you find?" he asked, genuinely curious.
"Two other's, a woman who I had to knock out and a boy who was so glued to his T.V. that I simply locked him in his room."
The two stood there in silence for a second, regarding one another, two similar yet completely different trains of thought, "Morgan…" Harry started quietly, "do the Warders or the Council have a contingency plan for things like this?" moving in closer he whispered to the man, "A child this young, coming into his magic, he needs training or else he could do some serious damage to himself and the people around him. I know that the council deals with the use of magic and all, but this…"
Morgan stared at the man in front of him for a second, almost wishing he dared to look into his soul, "Aye," he said at last, "there are things set up for these instances. I will need to make a few phone calls to the local Warders before we can take him, but this shouldn't be too much of a problem. I will warn you though Dresden, everything is not as it seems." He looked entirely too grim for Harry's comfort.
"What do you mean Morgan?" he asked tensly, grabbing the man's muscular arm before he could turn to make those phone calls.
"Tell me, have you ever heard of Evocationist?" the man asked, jogging something Harry's memory, an incomplete knowledge.
"It's a group signed to the Accords." He said, though that was all he truly knew of it.
"Aye, a group that uses almost only evocation. They have the potential to become Wizards, like you and I, though they don't because of their own natural talents in evocation. They are so tight nit and secretive that they have blocked out all other forms of magic from their society save their own. Where a wizard like you and I must rely on our own belief of magic to create it they have made it so that there is only one way to do their magic."
The taller man looked down at Morgan in confusion, "How?" he asked, "I'm not an expert on the why's and how's of magic, but that shouldn't be possible."
"Because, Dresden, they force their society to believe that how they do magic is the only way to do magic, and since all the older generation's believe it to be true so do the younger generation's. It's the same way we do magic but on a larger controlled scale." And with that he pulled away, heading to the phone to call the local Warder office and get things into motion.
Absently Harry sat on one of the chairs, thinking about what he had been told.
Magic required belief to be used, the more you believed in magic the stronger it could be, within reason. The most important part of magic though was the fact that it was never the same for any two people. Just because your master did thing's one way didn't mean that it needed to be done that way. Just because one person used Latin to summon do spells with didn't mean another person couldn't use ancient Egyption or Sumerian.
But this group, Evocationist, had such a strong control over their own people though that magic was… linear! That's not what magic is meant to be… And this child. Morgan didn't say it aloud but was implied, that he is supposed to be one of these people.
But if they could take him away… then someone could start training him and he wouldn't be stuck in such a society… 'or even better, he could learn both ways of using magic.' He thought to himself optimistically. Not that it really mattered right now.
As Morgan continued talking in a hushed voice he walked back into the hallway where he had left Harry, shocked by what he saw. The boy was sitting there against the wall, holding the two by four that had Vernon had started to nail into the door, gripping onto it tightly while looking at Vernon angrily.
Walking over to him he put one of his hands on the boy's, feeling it shake under his own.
"I want to…" he murmured, to the older man, gripping the wood even tighter, "I know it's wrong but I want to." Here his voice started shaking, his eyes watering but no tears falling, "I wanna make him hurt like he made me hurt, I want him to know what I had to go through… I… I…"
Awkwardly he pulled the child into an embrace. Though his watery eyes stayed fixed onto Vernon's vulnerable body.
"I know Harry…" he whispered to the boy, "I know what it's like. He was your guardian, he was supposed to watch over you and take care of you, but he betrayed you… But that's not how to go through with it. Trust me, I know from experience. Whether with magic or that board in your hand you can't take your revenge that way."
"But it would be so easy…" the green eyed boy whispered back, "He's there and helpless against me… I could do it!" this last was so quiet that Harry had to strain to hear it.
"Yes, you could." The older man said back, "And it would be easy to do, but we are only truly strong by not doing what's easy and doing what's right."
Looking up at the older brown haired man the raven haired child asked, "But shouldn't he be punished for what he did? I KNOW what he did to me was wrong, but I could never tell anyone. I tried telling the school councilor once and when she came over here they distracted her and put some of Dudley's toy's in the guest room. They spread rumors around the neighborhood saying I was a disturbed child so no one listens to me. I'm only six and I know better. But him," he spat the word at Vernon, both figuratively and literally, "he's forty and doesn't seem to know."
Not for the first time in his life Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden was at a loss. He couldn't just lie to the kid, not after all of this, but what was going to happen the fat man? "I… I don't know what's going to happen to him Harry. From what Morgan, that's the other guy who came here with me, from what he told me the wizards like me have something set up that will take you out of here… but as for punishing your uncle and aunt I don't know."
The raven haired boy almost jumped for joy when he heard that- he would be leaving Privet Drive. But before he could he looked towards the older man and asked him another hard question, "What's going to happen to me Harry?"
Heart clenching the older man responded, "I don't know kid… I don't know." It tore him to pieces seeing the look on the boy's face.
"But I wanna stay with you!" he said frantically. "You were the one to tell me about magic in the first place, you're the one who came and rescued me!"
"Listen kid," he said gently, "I can understand wanting to stay with me, but I'm only twenty four, and I'm not exactly the most well off man in the world. Hell, I'll be honest kid, I'm downright poor. Besides, I'm not exactly the best liked person amongst the wizards."
"But you came and saved me!" the young boy said desperately, clinging onto Harry all the tighter.
"Look, I'll try and keep in touch, but it's not up to me in the end. They will probably call the Council together to see who will take care of you."
"The Council?" the child asked, trying not to think about being away from Harry.
Looking down at the kid he rubbed the mop of messy hair, wondering how he managed to make it all grow back like he said, "Yup, the White Council. They're the ones who are in charge of the wizards and enforce the Seven Laws of Magic."
"What are the law's of magic?" he asked, looking at Harry hungrily. It wasn't a surprise, really, that a child who had never had an adult to answer his questions would look at someone like Harry in such a way.
Smiling at the look he told the boy, "Alright, listen up, and listen good, because these seven little rules, which aren't all that hard to follow or slip up on, are going to rule your use of magic for the your life. Number one: Thou shalt not kill by use of magic. Means don't use magic with intent to kill or if there is a chance it could kill someone. Number two: Thou shalt not transform other's. changing people into things can and will hurt their minds. Now the next two are pretty close together. Number three: Thou shalt not invade the mind of others. Number Four: Thou shalt not enthrall another. These are biggies, right up there with the killing thing. People's minds are sacred things, and to break into someone elses mind is a terrible thing. And in addition to that it can be addicting, you know what that means?"
Nodding his head little Harry answered, "Means you need and want to keep doing something, even if it's bad for you."
Smiling he went on, "Right, and bad it is. The more you try to do it the more it affects you, making you… different. Also the council means that any kind of mind magic, reading minds, making people do things against their will by controlling their minds, planting suggestions in their minds to get them to do or not do things, they all fall under the same thing… a person who's mind has been tampered with loses a lot. Their freewill, the reassurance that it won't happen again or that they didn't do something while they were being influenced, and sometimes they lose their minds altogether."
Frowning, the young boy looked up at him, "Then why would people want to do that to others?" he asked, "Hurting people like that, I mean."
Harry hesitated hear, not knowing what to say, "Well… sometimes they don't know any better, and sometimes they think that it's alright to do something even if it hurts others."
"People are crazy." He said, leaning against Harry's chest, "What are the other rules? That's only four."
Smiling he patted the boys head, "Number five: Thou shalt not reach beyond the boarders of life."
"Necromancy…" said the child from his spot on Harry's lap, explaining after feeling pull back and look at him, "I read it in a kids book about an old sorcerer who would bring back the dead to fight his foe's. And in the Lord of the Ring's books, they call Sauron a necromancer too. The Dursly's didn't like it when I read either of those. The first because it had a bunch of stories about magical people and things, the second because Dudley wouldn't have been able to read through a dozen pages before needing to start over again."
Dresden laughed a little at hearing this, "You sure your six kid?" he asked, getting a beaming smile from the young lad who replied in the positive.
"Yup, going on seven July thirty first!"
"Hehe, well, yes, necromancy is what that Law prohibits. Calling, binding, and exploiting dead against their will. There are some ways to ask the dead for help, but you cannot force them. Met a man who was real good at talking to and listening to the dead, though personally I think he's hoping to make money off it."
"Money's good." The boy yawned, making the American chuckle.
"Yes, money is very good. Ok, next is number six: Thou shalt not swim against the Current of Time. Basiclly, you cannot go back in time, if you do you could create a paradox."
"What's a paradox?"
"A paradox… well, it's doing something that is supposedly impossible. Don't worry though, as long as you don't try and change the past it should be all good. Supposedly a paradox would destroy all of reality, but I actually doubt it, I mean after several thousand years we're still here, yet in order for their to be a law about it means someone had to have done it."
"Like when the teacher had to rule only to use pencil's and Dudley used color pencil's. The next time they were going over the rules they made sure to mention to use regular pencil's only."
"Right in one. Lastly is number seven: Thou shalt not seek beyond the Outer Gates. This one you probably won't understand for a while, but in a world right next to our own there is another world, called the Nevernever. There's a lot there too, and it's real dangerous. But when a person need's to make a get hold of a creature, whether it's a Fairy or a… something else, you call them from the Nevernever. But beyond the Nevernever is something we call the Outside. In that realm are creatures called the Outsiders. They are demon's of the highest caliber, resistant to magic and hard to kill by any other means. They are so dangerous that there is a Law to prevent Wizards from calling on them."
"Whoa." Said Harry, practically asleep in Dresden's arms. Not that the older man cared… it just felt right. He couldn't imagine this child being shipped off to a complete stranger to take care of him, but who was he to question?
Sitting there he didn't see Morgan standing in the door way where he had been since near the beginning of the conversation, having plowed his way through red tape in no time.
It was half an hour later when the warder base had called the house back and the three had been on their way. When Harry had mentioned Vernon to Morgan he was informed, "We have a man on the way to take care of this." And Harry left it at that.
So with Little Harry sleeping on his lap, the duster thrown over him as a blanket, they made their way back to the warder base in the area where they were able to put the child to rest.
It was after doing so that Harry walked into the kitchen of the small house they had taken control of, seeing Morgan deep in thought at the kitchen table. Oddly enough entering the kitchen triggered the random thought of, 'Mister is going to kill me when I get home.' Referring to what may or may not have been a cat or baby lynx.
"Tell me Dresden," said Morgan from across the table, "Why do you care about the boy?" Harry couldn't help but feel the look that the old warder was giving him.
Harry stared back at the man though, looking just as hard, before finally replying. "Because, I know what it's like to be betrayed. I'll never forget the day that Justin turned on me… I'll never forget what happened back then, just like Harry will never forget what's been happening in his life. There is a lot in our lives, Harry and mine that is, that are quite similar you know?"
"Like what?"
Sitting down he tried to explain it to the man, "We were both betrayed by our guardians, we both came into our magic early, both Harry's… From what he wrote me I know that he lost both of his parents, unlike me though he never knew either one of them though. In a way we both lived in our own little orphanages, lives that we HATED." Unbidden came memories of his father and living in the orphanage for those four years afterwards.
"Hmm." Was the only thing to come from Morgan though for several minutes as they both sat there, remembering their youths, for better or worse.
"The lad is smart." He said at last, fixing the taller man with a look, "I heard enough of the conversation to pick up on that. I can't say I was able to read Tolkien's at his age. With the right teacher he could go far." Nodding his head Harry looked up at the warder, asking him.
"What's going to happen to him Morgan? You know about this… program for the kid's, what does it entail?"
Sitting up straight the man responded wryly, "Well now, can't refuse the big bad wizard of the White Council no, can I?" smirking when he heard Dresden mumbling something about signing checks, "The senior council with gather together and they will hear our testimony's, and then they will have the lad go off with the Ancient Mai to be tested, in order to make sure he has actually come into his magic. After that they will reconvene without us and debate about the issue. There are several protocols they need be followed and the original agreement has some things in it that they will no doubt argue over. After that they will give Harry to his new guardian and mentor."
"Just seems so cold." Dresden said flatly, getting a nod of agreement from the older man that actually surprised him. Pushing on he asked Morgan another question that had been bothering him, "You mentioned it earlier, about those Evocationist." He said, seeing a scowl form on the older man's face, "What else can you tell me about them?"
"Aye, that lot… No good can come from them, mark my words. Warlocks and destroyers of faith they are. Lucky us it's the Senior Council that'll have to deal with them. As a standard procedure whenever dealing with people from those roots we meet with their representatives of the Accords. Likely, since he's one of theirs no doubt, they will meet to inform them and give them the opportunity to take action before they do so themselves. If they do take interest it will be out of our hands completely, if not then it will be in our hands completely. Simple as that."
Harry's brow creased as he heard that, though since it was from Morgan he was taking it with a grain of salt. "How are they Warlock's Morgan? Is their magic truly that evil?"
Gravely the man nodded his head, "They legalized several forms of mind magic, actively using some of it on non magial folk without care. They have whole branches of magic dedicated with ways to kill and maim and torture. They teach their students how to transfigure things as a form of self defense, not even warning the students about the dangers of transforming a person. The only Law they don't break on a regular basis is the seventh law, and that's because they specialize so much they probably can't summon Outsiders. It may be against their laws to enthrall, kill or raise the dead, but they do not make it a point to get rid of such undesirables!"
Seeing how passionate Morgan was about these… things, he went to ask again, "What about their magic, what about their brand of Evocation?"
Here he saw Morgan smirking at him, something that scared him quite frankly, "Ah, now I see, you want to use these dark arts for yourself!"
"What?! No!" but his protest was cut short by the older Warder, who was internally smirking at the man's flustered expression.
"Don't deny it warlock, but the truth is you can't! Only they can learn it. They are a breed apart from us true wizards."
"A breed apart?" he asked sullenly.
"Aye, They are born with a natural flair for evocation. The wizard who Harry studies under is going to find the boy to be an excellent student in that field. It was a thousand years ago that they started standardizing their magic. Four of their greatest created a school, where they taught the students how to do magic, focusing on evocation for the most part. Since those four were the greatest the students did magic just as those four did, and so on and so forth. All Evocationist use wands to do their special brand of magic."
"So will Harry be able to learn both ways?" Dresden asked.
Morgan hesitated hear, "Aye." He said reluctantly, "It could be possible. It requires belief, as I said, so long as he believes their brand of magic is possible and that he can do it too, then he should be able to do both theirs and our brands of magic… A truly frightening possibility."
"Why Morgan?" he asked, leaning forward to look at the man intently, "What makes it so special?"
"Because, Dresden!" he said with a slightly raised voice, "Where our brand of evocation is strong and fast theirs is all the faster, if not stronger. A wave of a wand and a single word can stun a man, make them drop their weapon's, or even kill them. With time all they need to do is wave a stick to kill a man… and they teach it to children at the age of eleven! That's how I knew he was one of them, Harry, he's too young to have come into his magic yet, by any of our standards, yet by theirs it is the perfect timing. Can you imagine it Harry, if that boy were to learn both ways, a Wizard that can send out spells of pure energy with the greatest of ease from one hand while summoning the winds or fire to distract others or protect himself with the other, who wouldn't be limited by which elements or skills he is better with, but by what he reads in a book and at the same time being able to wield the great powers we ourselves are taught?"
They stopped talking their that night… there was nothing else to say
For the first day they sat in the little house in central Surrey, waiting for the summons from the Senior Council that never came, though only Big Harry had really expected it to come. They sat there, introducing Little Harry, as the warders around the base had decided to call them, to the world of magic, telling the boy about the Sight and soulgazing and the power of a person's name, and the different people who came in and out of the house.
Warders, wizards, lower level spell casters. That was something Little Harry had a hard time understanding, "If they can all do magic then why aren't they all wizards?"
The truth was that the large difference between power and skill levels. Wizards were the strongest and most skilled, generally speaking, though they were closely followed by Sorcerers and Sorceresses. Weaker in terms of raw power, usually, and generally they didn't have the broad range of skills a true wizard had. After them came witches, a name used for both male and females. A witch was someone who did not have a skill in evocation, making them good for thaumaturgy.
Thaumaturgy is the more ritualized version of magic, drawing circles or power, going through long cleansing processes, voodoo, making amulets and trinkets, that kind of stuff. To put it simply, do on the small scale to effect the large scale. Where evocation was quick and dirty, thaumaturgy is slow and dirty. Also with rituals like that one doesn't need to rely on their own strength alone, there are a number of alternative sources where power to fuel such spells can be drawn.
Second last were Magicians, as they were called, these are the people who only had a small bit of skill with evocation, a burst of fire maybe, or a bright light. A really skilled magician would be pushing his skills by trying to command electricity to stun someone, as if from a tazer.
The last group were those simply called practitioners. These are the masses, the people who had a magical talent. Maybe they could brew potions, were alright at making circles, or were an alright enchanter. Hell, Harry had met practitioners who were better than he was at potion brewing.
The other big difference between a wizard and all the others, though, was the ability to open the Third Eye, allowing a person to see the truth of the world around them… or hear it, or smell it, of taste or feel, and the ability to Soulgaze to see into the soul of another, to know them as well, and in some cases better, than they know themselves. They were both very powerful, personal, and used wrong, dangerous.
These were two of the abilities that were required for a man or woman to become a wizard. Truth be told, if you could achieve both of those you most likely had both the will (Third eye) and raw magical power (Soulgaze) to become a wizard. Not to say of course that only wizards had these, but only a true wizard had both… usually.
Big Harry had even offered to Soulgaze with Little Harry to show him, though the latter refused, saying he could wait. Dresden actually thought for the best afterwards, realizing that if he shared something so personal with the boy and then had to leave him… perhaps the kid was smarter than he was after all, lord knows Morgan had been saying it.
They had also taken the day, supposedly by orders of the Council, to test Harry's academic abilities. Math, writing, reading, music, drawing, logic, problem solving skills. And truth be told they were amazed.
Sure, he wasn't a genius, but the kid could add and subtract numbers into the triple digits and knew decimals, was able to write all of his letters and most of his words right, even though he was a bit sloppy. Far better though was his ability to draw, which would come in handy with his training, and was both very logical and could figure out how to solve a problem that Harry knew from experience (as in having suffered through) would have some high school students stumped. As for his reading abilities, they already knew he was reading on a high school level, and were not disappointed when the kid had been able to read back whatever they asked of him, almost perfectly. (Morgan had thrown in some Latin that both Harry's struggled on.)
It was also, near the end of the day, when Harry saw the warders bring in two individuals, black bags over their heads, and lock them in the confines of the basement. Dresden hadn't been going to mention what it was, though the old commander for the Warders had no such problems.
"Those are Warlocks boy." As if it answered everything, which in truth it did if you knew what a warlock was.
"What's a warlock sir?" Harry asked innocently, making Morgan glare at the boy's older counter part.
Looking back down at the boy he explained, "Tell me, Dresden told you of the laws of magic?" getting a nod he went on, "Warlock is the name we give to those who break the Law's. It's the Warders job to enforce the Laws and, when needed, take care of warlocks."
Scrunching his brow a little, Harry looked up at the man, "How do you take care of them?" he asked confusedly.
Big Harry would have stopped the conversation right then if he had the choice, but technically speaking, this was why they came to speak to Harry in the first place. "Decapitation." The man said bluntly, pulling free his silver sword to show the boy. Furrowing his brow in concentration the boy thought of what the word meant. Dresden could tell when he remembered, because he paled and became a sickly green before running from the room.
"Nice going, num nut's!" Harry yelled at the Warder, who actually looked surprised at the reaction.
It was nearly four on the second day when they received the summons from the Senior Council, an informal hearing they were told. Dresden knew it would be a deciding moment for the young boy at his side and felt more helpless than ever before.
After the drive into Greater London, in the same beaten up pickup truck, they entered the lobby of a swanky downtown hotel, getting quite a surprise after they entered.
"Hoss! What have you been getting yourself into now?" asked a man from behind them, with a strong American southern accent.
Hearing this Big Harry turned quickly, placing his young ward behind him instinctively, "Ebenezer?" he asked, almost not believing his eye's? Running up to the man he gave him a quick hug, dragging Little Harry along with. Remembering when he had first met the man he placed the boy in front of him, putting a deadly serious face on, "Harry, this is Wizard Ebenezer McCoy. Wizard McCoy, this is Harry, a young practitioner who will be meeting with the Council soon."
Any smile that may have been on the old Scottish man from Missouri's face left then, "That ain't funny, hoss, and you know it! Three years I had to put this city slicker," he stage whispered to the young child in front of him, bending down to do so, "three years and still not a lick of respect." Then, putting out a hand he introduced himself with a small smile on his old face, "Hello boy, as you heard my name is Ebenezer, su'pleasure to meet you."
"Harry Potter sir." He said, shaking the offered hand.
The man's smile grew, "Ah, boy, never give your name to someone. There are people, and creatures, that if they know your name they can and will use it against you."
Harry's eyes went wide at hearing this, remembering it as something the adults had mentioned to him but he hadn't remembered. "How can they use my name?" he asked, wonderingly. He had heard big Harry say his name before though…
Standing up he looked down at the kid, "Well, when your name is uttered from your own lips it reflects on who you truly are, and when a person can say your name perfectly right they can gain some semblance of control over you. Never give out a middle name unless you absolutely must and if you can use a nick name for your first name."
Harry nodded, thinking this over. He was Harold James Potter… so Harry Potter wasn't his true name…
While he was thinking about this though the older two had started talking. "Hoss, what have you done now?" questioned McCoy, looking at his former student.
"What I had to sir. When the kid wrote back to me, telling me about the magic he had done… well I couldn't do nothing."
"Ya, Hoss, and nothing you didn't do." He replied, "Any why couldn't yur something been to hand it off to Morgan? He's a big boy now!"
Harry looked down at the top of Harry's head, smiling when he saw the boy wasn't listening to their conversation, "It was my first reaction, and then Morgan decided that the big bad 'warlock' that he's been hounding for the past eight years is wizard enough to represent the council."
The southern man just laughed at this, walking with them as they entered a small conference room, not giving Dresden a chance to ask why he was here. Sitting at the table were six men and women who would be handing Little Harry his fate.
First on the Harry's left as they walked in was Aleron LaFortier, a skeletally thin Frenchmen, one of Harry's biggest "supporters" on the council. After Harry had been handed over to the Warders he had pushed for immediate execution.
Next to him was a large burly Russian man, with near solid white hair and a body of a man in his late thirties. Dresden hadn't had too much interaction with the man, though he was the source on vampire information. The fact that he voted not to cut Harry's head off took him far in that book.
Next was the single creepiest person, male or female, the tall man had ever met in his life: Ancient Mai. He wasn't sure she was a hundred percent human, but to short Asian lady, with her granite colored hair and rheumy eyes could make the hardest of Warders flinch. Her vote: off with his head.
In the center of the table, and in the tallest chair, was the head of the council, The Merlin, Arthur Langtry. Harry hater number one and the man to first move for execution, even if his lap dog LaFortier was the hardest to push. An old brit, he had been around since before the British empire, when the states had been thirteen penny pinching colonies.
Next to the Merlin was the only 'true' American wizard, as he liked to put it: Listens-to-Wind… I kid you not. He was an old native American shaman from when the Europeans settled down in north America. Nice guy, if a little strange, and he voted for Harry so that was good.
Next to him was Martha Liberty, an African American wizard with legs to kill for, standing just over Harry's six' six". She was in the middle ground, being more conservative than some like Listens-to-Wind but far less so than the Ancient Mai or the Merlin. In fact it was her that was able to suggest the Doom of Damocles over death for Harry, which had been nice… Yeah, not dying is nice…
Last was the Gatekeeper, covered in long black clothe that only left his eye's revealed… not much was known about him, though he was pretty much neutral in all instances of council business, save where he is the deciding vote. Harry wondered why the man he voted for him to keep his head… not that he was complaining of course.
The last thing he noticed, besides the sitting council members, was that there were no chairs for anyone else. Yup, typical council.
The Merlin was the first to speak, "Well, now that we're finally all here, let us begin the proceedings. Warder Commander Donald Morgan, your testimony please."
Stepping forward, ignoring Big Harry's whispers of 'Donald?' he proceeded to talk, "Aye, at around thirteen hundred hours, Central Standard Time, I paid a visit to the office of one Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden, performing a bimonthly check on him under the clause of the Doom of Damocles and as is one of the jobs given to me by the White Council. When I arrived Wizard Dresden showed me a letter he had received from the child in question two days past, after having told the child of his own wizarding skills."
After saying this he pulled free said letter, which he had confiscated from Harry before meeting him at McAnally, and handed it to the nearest Council member, the Gatekeeper. For some reason Harry didn't like the smile that crossed the face of some of the members, "The letter written indicates that the child had been performing accidental acts of Evocation magic for the past few years. Wizard Dresden and I proceeded through the Nevernever to a regulated exit point in central Surrey and then, after finding the boy's home address from the local school, to the residence, Number Four Privet Drive in the town of Little Whinging. There, after speaking to the boy's uncle and subduing him, I proceeded to check the home for any other potential threats."
"And were there any?" asked the Merlin, looking as bored as he sounded.
"Aye, a female whom I subdued temporarily."
"What was the state of the boy's living condition Donald?" asked LaFortier this time.
"Despicable. From what I saw in my inspection of the house there were four bedrooms, one belonging to the aunt and uncle, one for his cousin, a guest room, and a second bedroom for the cousin."
Martha Liberty asked here, her brow creased, "Where then did the boy sleep? Was it the guest room?"
"No ma'am, from what I could tell he slept in the cupboard under the stairs." Suddenly they didn't all seem so bored, "Furthermore, upon arrival we heard the sound of hammering, and when we entered the home there were signs that indicated that the uncle was boarding up the door to the cupboard under the stairs."
"Where was the child to sleep then?" asked the Merlin, already knowing the answer and having a dark look about his eye's.
"He was still inside the closet when the man had started boarding it up." The room was quiet for a second as they all digested that, "Upon ensuring the child safety I called the local Warder safe house and initiating the council's procedure for aiding young practitioners. Said procedure was created to help those who are in abusive or inattentive homes while still underage." Glancing sideways at Dresden he continued, "Though the last time it was used it was to ensure the proper transfer of guardianship from one Justin DuMorne to Ebenezer McCoy."
Harry swallowed, not knowing what to say, he hadn't known that. Not being able to think of anything to say he was quiet, letting the Merlin carry on.
"If there are no more question's than may we finish with this: What other signs of abuse were present?"
"In that matter, as well as the update on the child's current education, I shall defer to Wizard Dresden, as he has spent more time with the child." And then, chest and head held high, he stepped back.
Suddenly Harry was aware of the seven sets of eyes all on him… no, make that nine, Morgan and Ebenezer were looking at him too. He was a little disparaged to see the smile that had crept onto the skull like face of LaFortier was still there, possibly even larger.
"Very well, commander, thank you for your help." Said the British wizard with a hard face, "Wizard Dresden, same question."
Licking his lips he swallowed once more, stepping forward, mentally reminding himself that it wasn't a time for wise talk.
"Sir, one what other signs of abuse there were? Um… Harry, I mean the child in question is small, even for his age. If you lift up his shirt you can clearly see his ribs and he should have more meat on his bones. The one time that I raised my voice he flinched, indicating that he's been yelled at and beaten before." He stopped here at a gesture from the Ancient Mai.
"Wizard, you claim that these, indicated, something. Where do you, a twenty four year old male with no children of your own, draw such a conclusion?"
Standing up straighter he looked at the woman, not quite meeting her eye's. Harry may not be a lot of things, but professional is one thing he most certainly is, "Ma'am, with all due respect, I have spent the last three years working for an investigative office, Ragged Angle Investigators, that specializing in missing, kidnapped, and run away children. I've seen a lot of children who had been abused in a lot of different ways. Is that all or did you have some other concerns?" he asked coldly.
"That is all, carry on."
And so he did, "Further is the fact that the boy told me that his uncle had hit him before, mentioning that he did so whenever he did accidental magic." He stopped here, letting what he said sink in, glad to know he had produced more than a few grumbles among those present.
The Merlin raised his hand, bringing silence to the room. "Ancient Mai, when you take the child for test's Joseph will also perform a basic check up." Getting a nod in response from both the Mai and Listens-to-Wind he went on, "What of his cognitive abilities?" and so Harry told them of the results from the test's he and Morgan had given him the day prior.
When the Merlin went to dismiss him though the French man made him move,
"Wizard Dresden, if I may?" asked LaFortier.
"Yes?" already knew where this would be going.
"Tell me, what prompted you to inform a child of the world of magic? What was the precedent that you used to judge whether a six year old child could be trusted with such knowledge?"
Well, they say that the truth will set you free, "Because, Council member, it is not in my nature to lie to people, particularly children."
"So, are we to believe, that you think that breeches of information on the White Council are acceptable, just because you don't feel like lying?" Ok, so they were wrong, lying set's you free.
"Knowledge of Magic is not a breech in information. Had I told him of the going on's of the Council it may be true, but he is both a child and magical in nature himself. As such he had a right-"
"Wrong Wizard!" the man yelled, looking down on Harry, even while sitting, "He has yet to be proven as magical, you are just going off the basis that he thinks he did magic. Furthermore he would only have a right to know of this council if he were to be apprenticed to a wizard."
"Ah, quiet you!" bellowed the large Russian man, his voice slightly cracking, "The White Council is in place to inform of, enforce, and argue over the Laws of Magic and our kinds placement in the world. No where does it say we are meant to keep ourselves secreted away from everyone!"
"That is not the point! HE," here he pointed a boney finger at Dresden, "is a threat to the Council and must be silenced!"
"Enough Aleron." Came a quiet voice from the Merlin. "This is not why we are gathered here today."
The man was about to retort when he saw who it was talking. "Yes sir." Though the glare he was shooting Harry promised more later.
"You may step down Wizard Dresden. Let the child come forth."
Walking back he gave the child a small push forward, knowing he couldn't be enjoying this.
"Please state your name." said Arthur, looking down at a form that needed to be filled out.
"Harry." Was all he said in a small voice.
"Your full name." a tick of annoyance entering his voice. When the child said nothing he looked up at him, "Well?"
Looking up at the man worriedly he put up a hand an ran back to his older counterpart, whispering in his ear, making the man laugh. Walking back Dresden went with him.
"Sorry sir, Ebenezer told the kid about true names and he doesn't want to say his out loud." This made the old brit raise an eyebrow, though he motioned for him to continue. In a flat, monotone, voice he said "Harold James Potter."
"Thank you Wizard Dresden. Now Harold, can you please tell us about your life with the Dursly's?"
And so he did, starting by telling them about the different chores he would have to do, and then about his cousin, his 'room,' and the times he would try and tell someone and the beatings he would get. Then he moved on to speak of his 'magic,' about the wind and the wig and regrowing his hair. The he spoke of writing to Big Harry and realizing what he could do.
After all was said and done he was more than a little flustered, his eyes watering slightly.
"Thank you Harold. We will have a short break, where Joseph and Mai will examine Harold for both signs of magic and to check on his health." And with that two of the council stood, walking towards the Harry's.
"Come, these members of the council will talk amongst themselves and after we are done you two can be together again.
Soon the three went off together and Dresden was walking out the door, noticing that Donald and Ebenezer had stayed behind.
Outside the door he stopped and tried to Listen, a useful skill he had discovered. Truth be told he wasn't even sure it was a magical ability, but he could concentrate and hear things that others couldn't… but this time he had nothing, 'Probably have the room warded against eavesdroppers.'
Idly he also noted the complete lack of security.
It was nearly an hour later when the young raven haired boy was returned to Harry, who patted him down making wisecracks at the kid.
"Still in once piece, eh? I've heard stories about that old woman, you know, Hansel and Gretel, the Wizard of Oz." getting a few laughs from the kid he asked what happened.
"She put a blind fold over my head and had me hold onto this ice cold ring, asking me to tell her things, like what I like to do, or more about the Dursly's. After that was done she told me it was to try and make me feel intense emotion's. Then she made me drink this really sweet water that made me really tired, telling me to think about magic, what I want to learn to do and what I think I'll be able to do."
"And what about Listens-to-window's, the old healer guy." The little nick-name made Harry laugh.
"He just looked over me, giving me another thing to drink and then pulled out this little wood drum on a stick and waved it over me a few times, speaking too quiet for me to hear." For the remainder of the time, until they were called back in, Harry told Harry about Listens-to-Wind's pet baby raccoon, Little Brother, which had been in his 'medicine bag' the entire time they were talking during the meeting.
Walking back in he noted that only the Gatekeeper and Listens-to-Wind didn't look angry or frazzled, even Morgan had his jaw tightened while McCoy looked red faced.
'No good can come of this.' He thought to himself silently.
"Harry, please come forward." Said the Merlin, looking like he would rather be anywhere else than there. Instantly both younger and older walked up, "Harold, step forward."Rubbing the back of his head the elder of the two took a couple steps back.
"Harold James Potter. You were brought here due to the poor state of your living conditions with your family. Being found both magical and having had the abuse of your home recognized by a representative the extended White Council we have hereby chosen to remove you from your home on number Four Privet Drive in Little Whinging, Surrey, and place your with a guardian that has been preselected due to the nature of the Endangered Apprentice Rule, created by this body. Wizard Dresden, please step forward."
Doing so Harry looked up at the head of his order, ice clenching his gut, feeling as if something important were about to occur, "Wizard Dresden… I do not like you. Since you will not lie then neither will I. If I had my choice you would not be a part of the White Council, now or ever. I. Do. Not. Trust. You! As it is you shall receive compensation for your act as guardian in the sum of sixty thousand dollars for each six month you are his guardian, up until he is either eighteen or he has become a full wizard of the White Council." Taking breath here the Merlin was interrupted by the Elder Harry.
"Sir, with all due respect, what the fuck are you talking about?" this drew every eye in the room, even Little Harry's.
"Wizard Dresden," started Martha Liberty, "Are you trying to say…" she cut off hear, being cowed from the laughter of the large Russian man, a small chuckle coming from the stoic Gatekeeper.
"Wizard Dresden!" said the Merlin, yelling over the noise his fellow wizard was making, though the man quieted down after that, "I am talking about your Guardianship over one Harold James Potter, your new apprentice."
"Apprentice?" he asked in disbelief, noticing the radiant smile on the child's face.
"Indeed, I may not like it, but with the recommendation of Warder Commander Morgan and your own teacher, one Ebenezer McCoy we of the Senior Council have convened and do hereby lift the Doom of Damocles from your head. You are very lucky, Dresden. If it had been anyone else other than a man who had wished to swing the sword himself I doubt it would have happened for another decade or two, at least! Now, if you will take your apprentice and leave, this body has things we must discuss still."
Grabbing his ward, who was as giddy as a kid in a candy shop, he left, followed by Morgan.
As soon as the door was closed and the ward had reset itself the eyes of the council turned to McCoy.
"Well Blackstaff? Is it done?" asked the Ancient Mai, looking down at the standing man.
"It is, ma'am. The records have all been moved around and Harry Potter has been entrusted as a Ward of the White Council. Furthermore I have contacted the Evocationist's, as was your wish, and have set up a date for the Council to meet with them."
This time the Merlin spoke, "And what, Eben, do you plan to do about that despicable family the boy was staying with." Any could see the anger in the man's eyes.
"Fear not Arthur, you and I both feel about those types. I can assure you, you'll be able to read about it on the front page of the Guardian when it happens."
The smile that crept across the man's face could have melted steel or frozen air.