Disclaimer is in chapter 1. So apparently Tenhawk has resumed posting fanfiction on one of his own sites ( t . evancurrie . ca ) and on patre on (username tenhawk).
Fifteen minutes later, Harry and Hermione were huffing like they were dying while Xander cheerfully ignored their death glares.
"I don't know why you're glaring at me," He said, grinning. "Walking was your idea, Hermione."
"You could… at least have… the decency of looking… tired."
Xander shrugged, "I've never really been all that decent."
The walking path they were one was quite scenic, Xander had to give the area that much, though thus far he wasn't really seeing much of anything that might indicate Potter Keep being near by.
"Do we have any idea what we're looking for?" He asked idly as they rested at the crest of a hill, looking in all directions.
As best he could see there were a few farms in the area, small towns… hamlets, really, if that. No ancient castle or keep or whatever though.
"We'll need to find the ward line," Hermione said, straightening up. "Harry should be able to get through, I think."
"You think?" Xander glanced sharply at her.
"I'm sorry, do you know much about ancient family wards?" She asked archly.
"Yeah, I know not to mess with them if I don't know what I'm doing. Which I don't."
Hermione rolled her eyes, "It has to be around here somewhere."
"If it's warded off we might walk right past and never see a thing," Xander sighed, turning in place as he looked around the vistas laid out at his feet. "I remember a story a friend told me, about an entire mountain valley just popping out of nowhere, thousands of hectars of land that wasn't on any map until the wards failed. We'll stumble into it like this."
Hermione huffed at him, but had no real counter to that. Harry just looked around wearily.
"So it's a waste of time?"
Xander shrugged, "I mean… You're literally the Potter, right? The wards should know you… Let's have another look at that book."
They stepped off the path a bit, both to let others pass and to get some privacy as the again got out the Potter Tome and started plotting the coordinates more directly. After a moment, Xander stood up and turned slowly before stopping.
"I think it's over there," He gestured. "Hermione?"
The bushy haired teen finished her third check of the numbers, before finally nodding in agreement.
"Yeah. A few kilometers to the wardline, I think."
"Alright, let's go."
The three teens grabbed their packs and started walking again, it being much easier this time since they were already at the crest and now it was all downhill. They followed the path as far as they could before it turned away from the direction they wanted to go, then after checking for anyone looking they started off the path and cross country.
The trio felt the wards before they got close, a powerful shiver that could be felt in their bones as they approached.
"Ok, I'm calling this," Xander said after a bit, shaking his head. "We're not going any closer. That does not feel safe."
Hermione nodded, shivering beside him.
"What do you mean?" Harry asked, looking at them in confusion, "It feels… warm, welcoming."
The pair of them stared at him for a moment, incredulous at that statement, until Hermione spoke first.
"It must be because you're a Potter, Harry. I feel like I'm being warned off."
Xander nodded firmly, "No question. I don't feel safe getting any closer."
Harry looked disappointed, "What do we do then?"
"We don't do anything," Xander said flately. "This is your party, buddy."
That seemed to actually scare Harry, as he looked around himself, more than a little lost.
"But… How? What do I do?"
Xander just shrugged, "I dunno."
Hermione snorted, "So useful. Harry, just try to walk up to the wards and… knock?"
"On what?"
"I mean…" She sighed, rolling her eyes, "Make a gesture of intent. Ask to be allowed in."
Harry look at her askance, like she was a little nuts, but after a moment he sighed and slumped since he had no better plan. Warily he started walking toward the welcoming feeling, trying to find the source while Xander and Hermione watched from behind him.
"Is this really a good idea?" Xander asked out of the corner of his mouth.
"It'll be fine, it's Harry."
Xander looked at her incredulously, "Did you seriously just Jinx him?"
"Honestly Xander, there's not such thing as…"
A yelp from Harry cut her off and they both looked up sharply to see what happened, only to find no sign of Harry anywhere around. Xander started rushing in the last direction they'd seen him, only for the forbidding feeling to suddenly ramp up so high he nearly dropped to his knees.
"Harry! Xander!" Hermione yelled. "What…"
"I'm ok!" Harry's voice came out of nowhere. "Just hold on a second!"
Harry looked around with some wonder, eyes wide as he took in the scenic vista he was now in the middle of.
The small hamlet towns and farms were gone, instead there were rolling hills and forest that all seemed to center around a tower on a hill in the distance.
That must be it, Harry thought as he looked around before calling back out, "I can see the tower! Just wait there, I'll see if I can find a way to let you through the wards…"
"Master Harry?"
Harry spun around, confused, and found himself staring at a House Elf he didn't know.
"Uh… maybe?" He said uncertaintly. "Who are you?"
"I is Dippy, Master Harry," the Efl told him. "You is not supposed to be here?"
"I'm not?"
The elf shook it's head, "No yous not. The wards are still closed down, you shoulds be at the gate."
Harry blinked, "Um, where is the gate?"
The elf stared at him blankly for a moment before slapping itself repeatedly.
"Dippy is bad elf, stupid elf!"
"Wait, stop! Don't hurt yourself!" Harry blurted. "Can you show me the gate?"
The elf looked reluctant, but nodded after a moment, "This way."
"Hold on… I have friends with me, can we get them through the wards?" Harry asked, looking back to where he could see Xander and Hermione staring blankly around like he wasn't even there.
Dippy scowled, looking in their direction, "Dippy can brings them in, but the wards not like them until they're keyed. You musts do that quickly."
"Please."
The elf nodded before blinking out, taking the hands of the two startled teens, and then physically dragging them in through the ward.
"Whoa! That's weird," Xander blurted as he stumbled past the wardline, shaking himself as he looked around.
Hermione was shivering, but seemed to be recovering quickly.
"Still feels dangerous," Xander said, grimacing, "but not like it's going to swat me anymore."
"Uh… Dippy here says we need to go to the gate."
Xander looked at the elf for a moment, causing Dippy to wring its hands under the gaze, then he just nodded and smiled.
"Alright little guy, thanks for the help through the wards. How do we get to gate?"
"This ways, master Potter, Master Potter's friends!"
The three exchanged glances, then shrugged in near unison before they began stomping off after the little elf.
The Gate was… very Wizarding, Xander decided as he looked over the impressive metal work.
They'd been lead down the hill and through a path in the woods that finally led them to the old stone wall and wrought iron gate.
"Well… cool," Xander said.
"Very helpful," Hermione snarked at him, though she was too fascinated by the gate and the book that had appeared as Harry approached it to put any heat into it.
Harry was looking through the book, for his part, only mildly confused.
"It looks like a ledger or a guestbook?" He said, looking around with a shrug.
"Master must put his guests name in the book," Dippy explained, producing a quill and an inkpot for him.
"Brilliant," Harry said, accepting them and quickly scrawling a pair of names in the book.
It was like a light switch being flipped for Hermione and Xander, the oppressive weight they'd been feeling vanished instantly and suddenly they had a sensation of a welcoming warmth flow through them.
"Whoa." Xander breathed out. "That's better than a hot shower."
"Shush, you," Hermione rolled her eyes, "but it is close."
The gate silently swung open to admit them, and the three found themselves looking up a winding road that led to the tower on the hill ahead.
"I guess we go up?" Harry said.
"Lead the way, mate," Xander grinned. "follow the yellow brick road and all that."
Hermione and Harry just stared at him.
"If he calls me Dorothy, I'm cursing him," Harry said dryly.
"Oh please, you're obviously the cowardly lion."
"Cowardly?" Harry hissed dangerous.
"Well the show didn't have a stupidly reckless lion, now did it?"
"Just… don't," Hermione said, putting a hand on Harry's shoulder. "Trust me. Just don't."
Xander cackled as Harry slumped and began making his way up the hill with Hermione at his side, letting them get ahead a bit before he began to follow.
The tower at the top of the hill was a more impressive sight when they got up close.
"Holy crap, I didn't think they made that big back then," Xander breathed out, staring.
Hermione just nodded, looking a little numb.
The tower was no skyscraper, of course, but the base was far larger than any of them had expected from the distance, and it definitely went up at least a couple hundred feet above them.
The three teens made their way around, quickly finding the main door, or what appeared to be such. It too was massive, several times their height and almost as wide. Hermione gasped and pulled the boys back as she pointed over their heads.
"Those look like holes for a portcullis," She said, "Be careful. We'd be skewered if they dropped while we were under there."
"There is no worry, Missy," Dippy said cheerfully, popping from out of nowhere to appear by their side. "The Keepsy knows you're friends now."
Harry had a dreamy look on his face as he looked around at the property that belonged to his family. He ignored Hermione and Xander as they looked around, instead walking up to the door. He reached out for the handle, his hand wrapping around it as he started to pull.
"NO! Master Harry! Don't ope-"
The door suddenly slammed open, throwing Harry back violently as he felt something hammer into him and the world seemed to vanish.
