CHAPTER 11:

THE SORCERESS' APPRENTICE

Harry looked at the collapsible stave that Medea had created for him. It was like her own, but able to collapse into something like a baton he could keep on his person. Handy…and more powerful than his old wand. She was even creating battle clothes he could wear under his normal clothes that would help boost his magic and endurance.

It had been a few days since Medea's revelations about Sakura. Dividing time between preparing for the Grail War, preparing the ritual that would free Sakura and wipe out Zouken, and training was a bit hard. Still, Medea agreed to see if Harry could use her own magecraft.

Flying was surprisingly easy, and Medea felt that, given time (which she admittedly may not have), she could even teach Rin to use an equivalent using modern magecraft. Okay, there were female Magi who used broomsticks to travel even in this world, but to fly freely was another matter. Still, Harry enjoyed the sensation of flying freely, without a broom, though he had to be careful to avoid draining his reserves.

Now came another test. "The main reason I am considering this," Medea said as they stood in the garden of the Tohsaka Manor, Rin watching on with a jealous look, "is that you come from a world where the use of High-Speed Divine Words still exists to a degree. While it is still possible for you to use spells without incantations, it takes more concentration. The magecraft of this world only uses incantations as a sort of self-hypnosis to help you channel your magic properly, like a mnemonic. However, back in my time, words had power. The neighbours won't be able to see anything between the Bounded Fields and your…Notice Me Not spell, was it?"

Harry nodded. "As long as things don't get too flashy, it should be fine."

"Hmm. I have a variety of spells. I can freeze space enough to restrain even a Servant." Medea waved a hand, transforming a rather messy hedge into a mannequin…one that resembled Jason, Harry realised. "Atlas!" she snapped, and a dome of eerie light appeared around the mannequin. "In that area, space is frozen. You could speak and breathe, and that's about it," Medea said, dismissing the dome. "And then, there is my most potent offensive move, the Rain of Light. At full power, it can annihilate a Servant." With a gesture, a magenta magic circle appeared in front of her, and with another barked command in Ancient Greek, a violet beam of energy blasted from the circle and annihilated the mannequin of Jason.

Rin's eyes were wide in awe, shock, and envy. "That's the power of High-Speed Divine Words," she murmured.

"Indeed. Impressed, Rin?"

"I'd be lying if I said otherwise," Rin said, walking over to the remains of the mannequin. "High-speed, high-power thaumaturgy…I mean, I have enchanted gems that can emulate the same effect as your space-freezing spell, but this…and you were holding back, weren't you?"

"Of course. I needed to destroy a mannequin, not a Servant. I have enough reserves to make it through perhaps one fight with another Servant if I go all out, but I would need Harry to give me a recharge," Medea said. "Also, many Servants have a resistance to magic. Well, unless it was healing or enhancing."

Rin shook her head, jealous, and yet awed. "So who are you, exactly?" she asked, walking over to Medea. "A Greek sorceress…that narrows down the field considerably. Circe, Medea, Thrace, Agamede…"

"Does it matter?" Medea said. "Your brother has seen my life and my actions for himself, and he trusts me. In any case, you are potentially an enemy Master. I believe that you would ensure that your siblings were spared, but you're still a Magus at heart, a pragmatist."

"So are you," Rin said. "All Servants desire the Grail, or at least they want something fervently enough to be summoned as Servants. What do you want the Grail for?"

"Bluntly? A second chance, Rin, not that that's any of your business. You know I come from the Age of the Gods. They meddled too much in my life, and those of others. I want to live my life on my own terms. That doesn't mean I want to rule the world or cause havoc. I'd prefer a quiet, happy life. Oh, I'd continue with magecraft research, but I also want a peaceful life. I am helping your sister because Harry asked me to. And…she reminds me a little of myself, of being discarded. Betrayed by those she loved. Though at least you make reparations." Medea sighed. "I cannot make my own unless I used the Grail, and even then…even if I went back, tried to change things, the Gods would merely find some other way to destroy my life and happiness. No, best to find it here if I can."

Rin, however, was looking at Medea, gears turning in her head, until she said, quietly, "Medea of Colchis. That's who you are."

"So you figured it out? I believe I've gone soft given how much I've let slip," Medea remarked. "Still, at least you didn't say 'Witch of Betrayal'."

"Oh, don't get me wrong, I'll be keeping an eye on you, even when I get my Servant," Rin said, peering at Medea suspiciously. "I don't trust you, and I think Harry's a fool for doing so. But if you can help Sakura…"

"I will. More for Harry's sake than your own. Besides, why would I hurt you? You're intelligent and amusing, and frankly, I miss having conversations about magecraft with a halfway intelligent girl. And you don't know all of my trump cards, Rin, any more than I know every branch of Jewelcraft you have used. In any case, I can render you unconscious faster than you can say…oh, what's that gauche magic word modern stage magicians use? Alakazam?"

"Nobody ever uses that anymore," Harry muttered. "And play nice, ladies. Don't get into a catfight. Between my sister and a woman who hasn't had a good track record when it comes to men and relationships, that wouldn't be hot."

The pair of female Magi blushed. "Do you need to be so vulgar?" Medea demanded.

"Not really. I just like speaking my mind. Rin, I think Medea wants to genuinely redeem herself. I won't let her hurt you if I can help it. Medea, please don't threaten my sister. I don't want to have to use a Command Seal. Leaving aside the fact that they're precious, it's too much like the Imperius for my liking," Harry said. "But I will to help her. And I can work around your Noble Phantasm."

"Perish the thought," Medea said. "Besides, your mana supply is prodigious. I don't even need to Astralize to conserve energy if I don't wish to. Given your attitude towards me so far, I wouldn't want to waste that." She looked at Rin. "So, you see, while you may not be able to trust my character, trust my pragmatism. Harry holds you in considerable regard, and I would prefer our relationship to remain a cordial one at the least. With him, I stand a better chance at winning the Grail War. If you are still chosen as a Master, then we can be in alliance until the final stages. I will follow Harry's directives. And if you are not chosen as a Master…then you'll have me protecting you."

Rin stared at Medea, before she pinched the bridge of her nose in irritation. "Sadly, I trust you more than Kirei. That damned fake priest is getting smugger by the day. Plus…I don't think I would have liked having someone ditch me for a younger model."

"Oh, you're young yet. You can still experience that dubious pleasure. Actually, I'm surprised you haven't got a boyfriend yet," Medea said. "Or do you have exacting standards?"

"They think she's untouchable, given her grades and her looks," Harry said. "Sakura and ourselves are the closest thing to friends she has. A few don't like her. I mean, what's with Issei's problem with you?"

"I don't know," Rin said. "And most of the boys either leer like Shinji, or just keep their distance like Shirou. Anyway, Shirou has Sakura, and I don't want to break her heart…"

Learning how to use some of Medea's magic was, frankly, hard. True, it was because Harry was using magic from the Age of the Gods rather than magecraft, though it helped that the magic of the world he grew up in was not dissimilar to it. But memorising new ways of casting spells was still difficult. What was more, Medea was a hard taskmaster. Not as brutal a teacher as Snape, but she reminded him a little of McGonagall in her strict, no-nonsense nature while teaching.

Still, within a few days, he had managed to find a way to replicate Atlas for a brief period, and more to the point, use a blast of Rain of Light. Unlike Medea, who could use it multiple times depending on her mana reserves, Harry could only use it at full power (in other words, powerful enough to kill a Servant) once, before he had to rest for a few minutes at the very least. Any more frequently, and he risked burning through his reserves, and drying up the flow of mana between himself and Medea. Still, it was enough to make Rin even more jealous. Flying was another matter: while still mana-intensive, it was a slow drain rather than an immediate drop.

Still, Medea, Harry, and Rin agreed that Harry would support Medea in the field using his normal magic. Apparition was useful for evasion and escape, as well as rapid attacks that were hard to predict. And Harry's magic was still effective against Masters: if need be, he could try to use the Imperius, though he preferred to use other techniques than the Unforgivables. A test on a willing Medea showed that the Imperius would have only a brief effect on a Servant, even one without Magic Resistance as a skill, making its utility in that situation dubious.

And it wasn't as if Harry was the only one who benefited from Medea's work. Rin and Medea eventually decided to collaborate, the former learning much about Jewelcraft from the Age of the Gods from Medea. This boosted Rin's ability to craft the Jewel Sword, and she was confident that she may have a working prototype not long after the Grail War, assuming she survived it. Medea herself refused to work on it directly: Zelretch had given the Tohsakas this task as a form of centuries-long homework, and while learning from others the skills needed to craft it was allowed, having others craft it outright wasn't. Besides, Medea didn't know that much about Kaleidoscope, or indeed any of the True Magics, beyond the basic theories.

Still, Harry would look back, and think that, despite the tension, despite the dread, they were good times. During the day, while he was working at the library, he'd have entire mental conversations with Medea, and not just about magecraft or the upcoming conflict. Little by little, the barriers between them were coming down. Harry appreciated talking to someone who didn't hold him in awe, who could point out his mistakes bluntly, and who wasn't blood-related like Rin. Medea appreciated talking to someone who, while wary of her, nonetheless spoke to her like she was a normal human being, and not a Servant or an evil witch, and someone who shared her disdain for many people and deities within Greek myth. Plus, they could make each other laugh.

Harry also discussed things with Taiga. Although the English teacher tried to flirt with him, Harry gently let her down, but asked her to ask her grandfather to keep an eye on things within Fuyuki. Mostly for odd foreigners. Just because the Grail War was meant to be secret didn't mean someone wouldn't slip up. He was particularly concerned about Lancer's Master, as well as whomever the von Einzberns sent.

On weekends, Harry took Medea out of the house. While they would both deny that these were dates to their dying breath at the time, Harry knew that Medea was touched by the gesture. They had known each other for maybe a few weeks now, and already, though they were leery about it, they had become close. You couldn't call what they had love yet. A friendship, yes, a quick friendship, but a genuine one all the same. There was affection there between two people who weren't quite sure what love was, at least of the romantic kind, especially after being jilted by the nearest they had to lovers.

But it was also their brokenness that prevented them from making further moves. They had both been burned, and considered themselves 'once bitten, twice shy'. They were afraid, particularly Medea, of what would happen if they actually fell in love again. Especially with the Grail War right around the corner: one or the other could die, and there was no guarantee that, even if they were the victors, they could remain together.

Still, despite this, they were growing fond of each other. And things would come to a head, shortly before the Grail War began in earnest…

CHAPTER 11 ANNOTATIONS:

Harry and Medea are growing closer…but Rin knows who she is. Oh, and Harry can use some of Medea's magecraft. I deliberately ensured that he can only use a limited amount: Medea is used to using these spells, whereas Harry isn't. But if push comes to shove, he can still be a force to be reckoned with.

Review-answering time! lord Martiya: I did not know that, but as Medea uses Greek words for her attacks, and her legend is part of Greek myth (not to mention she is a descendant of a Greek deity, namely Helios), I think we can safely lump this in under the MST3K Mantra.

Guest (regarding Kirei's ability to purge Crest Worms): Part of the problem is that I'm not as familiar with Heaven's Feel as with the other routes. Besides, neither Harry nor Rin would trust Kirei enough for such a task in this story.

Thunder Dragon: I didn't copy your rant consciously. I just voiced a number of the complaints people have about Shirou.

trackff: There's a number of reasons for me not putting out all the chapters so quickly. The first is that I want to maximise my views. The second and third reasons are to do with this website. The Document Manager uploading system played up recently, and so did the reviews. Because of the former, I couldn't upload new chapters. Because of the latter, I couldn't read and answer any new reviews. Keeping you guys in suspense is, I admit, something of a factor.

No numbered annotations this time.