Disclaimer: I do not own anything recognised as belonging to other people.
The first thing I noticed when I awoke a second time was that I was in a different room; a room I vaguely recognised as a hospital room; probably St Mungo's. I sat up and looked around me, noticing in the process a vibrant deep blue shield of magic moulded against the walls the room I was in. Another glance around and I noticed a string with a sign next to it saying: 'Pull for Assistance'.
I pulled it and, moments later, a medi-witch entered the room. She beamed at me with relief and so much warmth I was almost physically sick for even considering the concept of warmth directed at me.
"Hello dear. I see you're awake. If you would wait but a moment and I'll get medi-wizard Shamus in here to explain everything to you."
The medi-witch scurried out the door to find this 'Shamus' person. Once she was out of sight I lost interest in her and what she was doing.
A mirror I could see through the half-open bathroom door caught my eye.
I cocked my head to the side and climbed out of the bed so I could approach the frost-coated mirror.
I lifted a white hand as I reached it and wiped away the ice.
Shards of curious green ice stared back at me from a blue-shadowed white childish face surrounded by wind-swept raven's wing black locks and eyelashes, the pale ash grey Cupid's bow lips parted slightly in soft wonderment…
I wondered for some time who this beautiful creature could possibly be until my gaze landed on the palest pink zigzag scar on the being's forehead and realised…he was me…
"Astonishing, isn't it?" I turned sharply, falling into a low fighting stance I vaguely recollected but my body remembered. The culprit lounged against the doorjamb of the bathroom door behind me. The wizard continued on without seemingly noticing my reaction.
"Total alteration of pigmentation and blood type, lowered body temperature, mutated liver, lungs, heart and digestive system, suffers heat exhaustion at above 10ºC and, of course, minor visual alterations." The medi-wizard paused and watched me for a moment, just long enough for me to get a vague understanding of how much I had changed.
I blinked slowly. "Then I am obviously no longer human, correct?" The wizard nodded an affirmative. "Then what am I?"
The wizard sighed. "Do you want to come in and sit down? This may take a while since there are several things we need to sort out."
Once I was back on the bed and the wizard had settled into a visitor's chair, I took the time to study the man.
Shamus Holmes, as he introduced himself, was an average sized, average weighing man of middle years and of very average, almost nondescript, appearance. He had unremarkable dark brown hair in an average cut at average length, murky, unmemorable blue eyes and the kind of face one forgets as soon as you look away. Indeed, the only memorable thing about the man was that there was nothing truly outstanding about the man's appearance.
He reminded me of a badger and, for some reason; I liked the average little man.
"Now, Mister Potter, you asked what you are. That is not an easy question to answer, but I shall do my best to answer your questions. First off, you are what is often called either an apparition or an elemental fey; that is, a being created one of three ways. The first is by the spirit of a living sentient being continuing after death and surviving by sheer force of will. The second is through various rituals performed by a witch or wizard which will alter the entire physical and magical make-up of that person until they become an elemental best suited to them. The third, which I believe is the way you became what you are, is when a child or adolescent, both muggle and wizarding folk alike, feels something so strongly that they subconsciously call an existing elemental to themselves. After that, it would be up to the elemental whether or not to 'adopt' the child and turn them into the same type of elemental as them. As you can guess, you have become an ice elemental. Ice elementals are among the most well known, but rarest of the elementals because they are both the most beautiful and the most powerful."
I stared at the ceiling, absorbing the information as it came while watching the play of shades in the blue shield.
"It is…unfortunate that the ministry keeps any elementals they come across in containment in the Department of Mysteries."
My head snapped around to stare at Shamus, fear shattering my numb calmness. He saw my look and smiled reassuringly. "However, it is a pity that most humans die before the transformation is complete."
I looked at his face for a moment before his meaning became clear. He thought that it was cruel to lock someone up for their entire life without a good reason and was saying that he would help me fake my own death to avoid imprisonment.
I nodded my understanding. "Unfortunate." I agreed. "Would you be willing to contact Gringotts for me and have them send someone to help me settle my finances? ...Just in case."
Shamus smiled. "Just in case." He agreed.
The medi-wizard left and I turned my attention back to the shifting shades of blue above my head.
(space)
It felt like mere moments, but was probably several hours later, that Shamus escorted a pair of goblins into my ward before leaving the three of us to hash out the details.
The goblins stared for a minute or so before the one in crimson velvet introduced himself as Snapjaw, my Finance manager, and the other was introduced as Snogglebeak, my Estates Manager.
"Now, Mr Potter," Snapjaw began, "The first order of business is the Will of Sirius Black, I assume Dumbledore, as your designated stand in at the reading, has filled you in on your inheritances, so-"
"Incorrect." I broke in impatiently.
"Pardon?" Snapjaw inquired, his eyebrows creasing with some unnamed emotion.
"I have not had any contact with anyone bar my relatives since the beginning of the summer holidays up until I was brought here sometime recently, and even that contact was sparse at best."
The two goblins shared a look. Something was up.
This time it was Snogglebeak who spoke. "Mr Potter, have you ever, at any time, received even a single letter from Gringotts."
"No."
The two goblins spoke agitatedly to one another in gobbledygook for some time, looking through several papers from both their briefcases and comparing notes. It must have been five or so minutes later that I was once again addressed.
"Can you tell us, Mr Potter, is this your handwriting?" I was shown a piece of parchment. The writing was from a young hand, but clearly legible. I knew that handwriting.
I handed the goblins back the parchment. "No. My own handwriting is not half as neat as that one. That handwriting belongs to one Ronald Weasely."
It was hard to tell with the goblins' craggy faces, but I could have sworn their faces were murderous. I vaguely recalled something about crossing a goblin.
Don't.
I waved my hand. "I'm sure the both of you can cause enough problems for the guilty in my place, but first, I want this Will in place before someone from the Order gets here and causes trouble for me."
The two goblins nodded reluctantly. Various amounts of money were left for the Weasely family as a whole, Hermione Granger, Remus Lupin and the Order of the Phoenix. Remus received a house in Liverpool, Weasley's Wizarding Wheezers was granted a further hundred thousand Galleons for experimentation and opening in other locations, Hogwarts and St Mungos received the largest donations given in the last century, Severus Snape received two Galleons and a copy of an old book on Potions from the Potter Vault for putting up with a job that put him with the things he hated most, 24/7: Children. Lastly, the rather substantial left overs were left to the unknown older half-brother I had never knew,-
"What should my new name be?" I enquired of the goblins, honestly having no idea what name I should give myself. "Something Frost." I murmured to myself.
The two goblins consulted one another for a few moments before agreeing on one.
"Vashti would suit you well, Mr Potter." Snogglebeak put forward, Snapjaw nodding in agreement.
"Vashti." I murmured, rolling my tongue around the unfamiliar word. "Vashti Frost." I liked it. But still I frowned.
"I need a middle name." I pondered a moment. "Something to remember Sirius by. For remembrance, as reminder…"
The goblins conferred again before they once again settled on a few potential names. "Obsidian? Ebony? Sable? Shade?-"
A name caught my interest. "Sable?" I wondered. "Sable." I decided.
I smiled and nodded at the beaming goblins.
And so started many signings of documents.
Three hours later, Harry James Potter died and Vashti Sable Frost flickered into existence.
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