Disclaimer: See Chapter 1. Reviews are welcomed, flames aren't.
Chapter 13: Full Circle
As the last strains of the song died, Harry, still in bardic mode, looked over at the girl and smiled. " I trust you're feeling better now, milady?"
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Jareth was livid at his son. The boy was going to ruin everything with his cheek. This is not like him. What role is he playing at?
"I DON'T FRICKIN' BELIEVE IT!" Sirius stood. Anger, disbelief and murder marred his face. "THAT TRAITOR! I GONNA MURDER HIM!"
Jareth looked over at the screen and saw the red head boy trying a spell on an old obese rat sleeping on his lap. Closing his eyes for a moment as he remembered the time lines. Damn. The mutt could ruin everything.
Moving faster then the wizard, Jareth pinned Sirius to wall and through clenched teeth, hissed, "If you wish to return to your quaint little cell in Azkaban, I can arrange it. I will not have the time lines disrupted any more then they already are. The rat stays where he is."
Sirius growled a bit then whimpered as the fae magic washed over him. He was no match for the enraged Goblin King. Baring his neck in submission, the mutt tried to appease the blonde fae.
Jareth for his part, eased his choke hold but didn't step back. "Remember, I freed you and you took an oath. What I gave I can take away. The time lines although do not have to be exact but they have to be followed as closely as possible. The Harry of old and the Harry of now are two different persons and yet the same. The old Harry wasn't as powerful as this one as he was stunted and abused by everyone including the wizards. I allowed his powers to grow and I could take them away. Remember, wizard mutt. Harry was given more in this time-line for a reason."
"But it hurts to see that rat so near to Harry," Sirius whined.
"And do you want a little cheese with that whine?" Cory asked, coming up to stand by his uncle. "Do you not think it hurts us as well? He is ours now and to give him to those parasites to be used as their weapon is more painful than you can imagine. Release him Jareth. They are almost to that school."
Jareth stepped back, allowing the wizard to sag against the wall rubbing his sore neck.
Sarah was sitting on the couch, tears running down her face as her mate pulled her into his lap. "He's so young," she whispered. "They are going to do terrible things to him. I just know it."
"Shh. My Love," Jareth comforted her. "He'll be fine. The wizards can't keep the goblins out no matter what kind of wards they put up. They play in the shadows and will watch him closely."
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Sirius grumbled softly under his breath. It wasn't fair. The rat fink was too close to his pup and he couldn't do anything about it. When he gave his oath to Jareth, he would've done anything to get out of that hell-hole. These years with Harry had been bitter sweet in many ways. First to see James in Harry had been very painful at times. Secondly, he had fallen in love with a woman that was so much like Lily they could've been sisters and lastly, worst of all, he couldn't tell anyone including Moony about all of this. It hurt that his former friend and Marauder thought that he had betrayed James and Lily.
He looked over at Sarah being comforted by Jareth and felt empty. He needed a drink, several in fact, but he couldn't, not until Harry was sorted. He just hoped that the boy didn't end up in Slytherin, but that would mess things up too much. Jareth would not allow that to happen.
'I wonder if Jareth knew the Founders? Nyahh. I just don't want to go there.'
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Harry was playing his guitar when he heard his father's voice above the music. "This masquerade is over. You will do what must be done." Harry shivered slightly at the sternness of his father's voice. 'He didn't sound very happy,' he sighed. 'Damn. I was having fun, being wild and crazy.'
Putting his guitar away, Harry remembered his nightmares about his old life. In them, he remembered being very young, frightened and very clueless. He remembered being in awe of the wizards and magic. He remembered being friends with a girl and a boy and wondered if it was these two in front of him. If so, he needed to move very carefully and get to know them. His father is right, the events must play out as close to the time lines as possible, but there is no way he could be that timid, neglected child as before. He was too well loved and trained. 'This is going to be the performance of my life. Why me?' he sighed.
'Well, I guess I need to ditch the costume and make up soon,' he mused. 'It didn't work as well as I hoped. Oh well. It was fun while it lasted. I wonder if I could still act up a bit at the sorting? I did promise Snuffles some laughs, after all. Guess not. The ghost buster bit would've been funny. Maybe when Father isn't watching so close.'
The rest of the trip was spent discussing the upcoming school year, quidditch and pranks with Ron while Hermione sat with her nose buried in a book.
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A loud voice was calling for first years as everyone stepped off the train. Harry, Ron and Hermione made their way to a very large black haired man that was calling for all first years.
He led them to a fleet of small boats. The ride across the dark lake was uneventful until a huge tentacle rose from the black waters and waved, causing several loud ear piercing shrieks from the young soon to be students.
Harry had been forewarned by Sirius about the ride and wasn't really too impressed with the awe and splendor as the castle came into view. Granted it was cleaner and more splendid then the Castle Beyond the Goblin City, but then there aren't that many goblins and chickens here. Plus the castle wasn't surrounded by a magical maze either.
'Oh well. It's going to be home for the next ten months. Lucky me. Well, time to play my part as the Boy-Who-Lived.' Harry melted into the background. He had to remove the make up and wig. With care, he removed the make with a small kit he had secreted in his robes from the train. He hid the kit and red wig in his robes but left on the cross shaped scar. Being in the back had some advantage as he was still small for his age.
Walking into the Great Hall behind a stern faced witch that had introduced herself as Professor McGonagall, Harry put on his glasses. Harry Potter had finally arrived at Hogwarts. It is show-time!
The sorting seemed to go on forever. Sirius had told him about the Hat. The song had been interesting, though.
"Potter, Harry!"
'About bloody time!' Harry walked to the stool. Voices were commenting on the cheek scar as he sat down. He heard comments about wasn't the scar supposed to be a lightning-shaped scar on his forehead? Harry smirked as the hat came down on his head.
'Ah young Harry Potter, or rather Prince Garion.'
'Sh. No one is suppose to know that.'
'Cunning. Charm. Ambition. Acting skills. Intelligence. Courage. Loyalty. And what do I see? Ancient teachings and Bardic Skills? I haven't seen your like since the Founders. Now where should I place you? You would do well in all houses especially in Slytherin. You would great things there. Hm. I see you've been sorted before.'
'Well. I can't disrupt the time lines as you well know. You know as well as I that I was Wished Away.'
'Indeed. And you are correct. However, when the time lines are satisfied, you can be resorted, if you wish. ' "GRYFFINDOR!"
Standing, Harry reached up and peeled off the cheek scar as it had served its purpose as he placed the hat on the stool. Smiling, with a bit sleigh of hand, he pulled out a red rose, "'Th' hast spoken right, 'tis true. The wheel is come full circle, I am here.' For you Professor."
Stepping back from her, he bowed slightly, then he turned to face the Head Table. Raising one hand, he did a sweeping theatrical bow amidst the cheering from the Gryffindor table.
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The quote is from "King Lear," Act 5, scene 3. For those that thought we over did it a bit on Harry, both the Frau and I had raised gifted sons. Oh the stories we could tell you that would curl your toes, however, we both know that a neglected, abused and malnourished child would be stunted in all aspects of his personality. We felt that Harry being raised by the Fae, they would give him love and would bring out his hidden potential. Also, he was raised with a theatrical background and this would explain his ability to take on so many different roles at the drop of a hat, literally.
Until next time. – GF and The Frau