Chapter 9- A Godparent's visit
Silandra stood and stretched, her vertebrae popping as they slid back into the correct place. She was in her quarters at the College finishing the last of the logistics for the upcoming visit from the Hogwarts students. She gathered the legion's reports of the securing of Saarthal and the letter from the jarl of Winterhold cataloguing the security measure being put in place around the revitalised city. She put them into a neat pile and walked over to the door, pulling her furred hood up against the perpetual chill and walking down the stairs.
In the hall of elements Brelyna was lecturing to a group of five younger students all eleven years old in the arts of Alteration, across the Hall Onmund was demonstrating basic wards to another group of the same age. She smiled at the scene, proud that her plan to expand the college was working. Hogwarts had been the key for her to implement the thoughts of getting younger students to be permitted into the college, something she had been pressing for, for years, now Winterhold was possibly the best school in the north and certainly one of the few in the empire that offered a thorough education.
They taught reading, writing, the beginning of the bardic arts, all the schools of magic, archery, hunting, survival skills, alchemy, the more thief oriented skills, smithing, weapons work and the warrior arts. It had begun four years ago but she had managed to lower the application age to elven after holding the example of Hogwarts up to the many naysayers she had encountered. The college had been repaired and expanded, towers and halls added to enlarge living and working spaces, the midden cleared out to add more space, the Arcanum had been enlarged much to Urag's delight and the hall of the Elements had become a central area for classes as well as gatherings and feasts for the populous.
The entire population was almost two hundred all told with classes divided by year and towers that they lived in: Attainment, Countenance, Assurance, Conviction and Tenacity. But there was none of the silly infighting she had read about in Hogwarts, The halls were merely for ease of communication and scheduling. She continued outside and smiled, proud of what she saw.
The courtyard had been changed, cleaned and swept of snow it had been transformed with statues and benches, warm amber lanterns filled the once gloomy and cold courtyard with a comforting light and the liberal use of runes warded and heated the area, making it a nice place to sit and converse. She strode past the statue of the mage to the midden entrance which had been widened and fitted with stairs, which she wandered down. Passing through the ice clad halls and poking her head into the various training areas.
Sweating and soot streaked students toiled at forges under the eye of Thorald Grey-mane, the heat from the forges was used to heat the baths just above them, Serana stood in front of a collection of older students and demonstrated the correct care and harvesting techniques for deathbell in the garden alchemy lab as she taught both subjects, and Necromancy in another classroom. Her mere presence aiding in the acclimatisation of mortals with a Vampire. Beyond that several of the older members of the companions drove a group of fifteen year olds through a series of drills using swords.
In a room filled with climbing equipment and dummies covered in bells Karliah worked with a class of fourteen year olds in the art of pickpocketing and she smiled, many of the guilds and even the legion had begun recruiting straight from her college, there was talk of teachers migrating up from Cyrodiil and beyond in a desire to teach at this school, which had become renowned for its tolerance towards the races of Tameriel.
She grinned to herself, the whole idea behind this was to end the hostilities among the many races by promoting understanding. People who had been taught how to make a healing potion by a vampire, how to swing a sword by a werewolf, how to smith by a Nord and to heal by an Argonian would be more open, Nords who understood magic would fear it less, Altmer living and sharing their days with imperials would make friendships.
It was a long goal but one she was determined to see through so Aralas could live in a safer world. Finally she reached the locked door that only she held the key to, she shot a complex spell at the door and then used a mundane key on it. Swinging the ancient oak door inwards and entering the cleaned and improved room.
"Hello Auger" she called and a small blue light appeared
"hello Arch-mage, how are you?" it asked curiously.
She smiled and sat down in one of the chairs, lighting a candle with a flick of her fingers "really well, the preparations for the visit are progressing nicely, Have you any thoughts on it?" she asked and the orb seemed to hum to itself, flickering and pulsing as it puzzled the question.
"Allies and family will be among the delegation." He muttered "potential students and potential family among them as well. Some may find their current place of learning does not allow them liberty to grow others may find their true home here. we will see in two years" it answered finally.
She sighed, knowing that he had actually spouted a prophesy, touched by Azura as he was "I see. Thank you Auger, now how is that family of Saber cats you were last telling me about?"
Sirius Black shifted in his conjured chair at the back of the classroom where he sat with the other chaperons, including Molly Weasely, Kingsely Shacklebolt, Hestia jones, Dianna Abbot and several other parents who had volunteered for the job. He watched as the young boy at the front of the class who was flanked by two other children lectured about the world they would be traveling too, but in all honesty he wasn't listening. His mind was drifting back to the conversation he had, had with Dumbledore just before.
Sirius sat down across from Dumbledore, a confused expression on his face "Why do you want me to be a chaperone for this field trip, you know that I will probably be a terrible influence on those kids" he asked, a smirk growing as he though more about what kind of mayhem he could throw around.
"Yes Sirius, by this is important, this has something to do with your godson." Dumbledore's voice was soft but Sirius felt like a lightning bolt had blasted through him, his heart ached and the familiar guilt poked its head up from where it had been sleeping.
"Why did you bring that up? They're all dead because of me." He snarled at the headmaster who sat unperturbed
"maybe not" the ancient wizard said before holding out a folded sheet of paper to the younger man.
Sirius took it and unfolded it. Staring at the spider web of black ink that covered it, reading through the names until he reached the last one and gasped, the paper beginning to shake in his hand. "Is this accurate?" he whispered, afraid to hope but feeling a sliver of it appearing.
Dumbledore nodded "as much as it can be, I have not confirmed it with his adopted mother but I am fairy certain that our young Mr. Stillglade is indeed Harry Potter, your godson. This is why I want you to be a chaperone, it will give you a chance to meet with his mother, see where he grew up and hopefully get some answers."
Sirius looked down at the paper with its names again, tears beginning to run down his cheeks. "I'll do it" he told the headmaster, his voice thick with emotion.
"Good, they are holding their orientation today at eleven in the transfiguration class, I assume you know where it is?" Sirius nodded and stood, carefully folding the parchment and placing it in an inner pocket.
Turning and heading for the door, his hand was on the knob when Dumbledore spoke again. "Sirius, please don't confront the boy yet, he has a great deal on his mind at the moment, speak with his mother first, and I beg of you, don't do anything rash."
Sirius turned back to the aged Headmaster, his face sad "I was rash before, and it lost me my brother and my godson. I won't make a mistake this time and lose my hope of finding him again." He replied sadly before opening the door and descending the stairs.
Now he stared hard at the young elf and tried to see something of his best friends in the boy. He found that once he had grown accustomed to the general angularity of the boy's face, that he could see little things, certain mannerisms, like the way the boy gnawed on his lower lip like Lily had, or the way his hands moved that looked like James.
Most of these were swallowed by his elven characteristics and he wondered if he was just pressing them on the boy because he wanted it to be true, but these small things gave him hope, something he hadn't had in eleven long years.
He mentally returned to the classroom and watched as Aralas gestured to a picture of a large furred creature with three eyes and monstrous teeth "This is a frost troll and they are native to the province of Skyrim. We shouldn't encounter any but there is a chance that once may have wandered near Saarthal or Winterhold in between patrols. If you see one, turn and run as fast as you can, get back to the group as fast as possible. They are not to be approached and they can regenerate from whatever you throw at them."
He said this simply, as if it were a perfectly normal thing for a monster to heal itself and the class shivered at his description of an encounter between a troll and the city guards. Many had gone pale at the scene he painted, and all of them determined to never stray from the group.
"Why can't we were our own robes?" demanded Ron as he stared at the green and leather novice robes he had been given.
"Because the temperature in Winterhold is well beyond what our robes are designed to handle, now stop complaining and put them on!" Aralas snapped at the obstinate redhead who obeyed but complained loudly and bitterly about having to wear "snake colours" as he called them.
Eventually they all assembled in the great hall, the students all in the novice robes that had been lent to them for the duration of the trip. The Chaperones were in heavy winter robes and everyone had a bag filled with their toiletries, sleepwear and whatever was on the list they had been issued for the visit.
Professor Dumbledore entered and looked over the party, smiling genially. "Well, it is time for you all to embark on this magnificent adventure" he told them all and the students quieted "I don't need to remind you all of how privileged you are to experience this and I do not need to remind you that you all represent our school and out society. I urge you all to not take risks and to be ambassadors to the College of Winterhold" he told them all his eyes twinkling merrily. He pulled out his watch and nodded "Your portal should be arriving soon, good luck all of you" he told them all and they all settled down to wait.
About five minutes later and large sphere of purple and blue swirled into existence and a tall female elf with golden skin dressed in black and red short robes stepped out. She looked over them with her hard golden eyes and nodded. "I am Faralda. I will be transporting you to Winterhold from where you will enter the college. Please do not stray from your designated groups. Now please form into your groups and head through the portal." She said in a calm and powerful voice.
The students were in shock, it was one thing to see Aralas, he was their age, and had quickly fallen under the category of uninteresting. But this she elf was six feet tall and her skin looked like it had been gilded, they fell into their house groups with their accompanying two chaperones and were directed through the sphere of energy.
Sirius held his breath as he passed through the sphere, it felt like walking through a fine curtain of water, only he was dry when he emerged through to the other side. He opened his eyes and gasped in amazement. He was standing with the Gryffindor students on a large open patch of snow in front of a pair of large gates, the sun shone brightly down and made the snow covered mountains nearby shine like they were made of silver.
The air was cold and their breath hung in front of them, many of the students shivered and pulled their hoods up, now grateful for the warm robes "oh my goodness" Molly breathed in awe and he nodded in agreement. Several guards in white armour and with conical helmets gestured them over to the side. "No Lollygaggin'" one of them called.
"Move over so the next batch can come through" another commanded and the stunned Gryffindors obeyed, the other groups came through and Faralda followed last. "Right thank you for making that easy" she told them, "Now it is time for you all to enter the college." She told them, striding through the shallow snow up to the gate. "I am Faralda of the College, open the gates!" she called and the heavy wooden doors swept open.
Sirius led the group after Faralda and stared openly at the town before him. The buildings were sturdy and designed like Viking long houses, decorative dragon heads adorned the gables and residents watched them from their porches and from the sides of the road as they passed. A young man with shoulder length dark red hair and a short beard of a similar colour stood at the doors of a large hall, he wore fine clothes and had a silver circlet with three blue gems.
"Greetings visitors, I and Kyr, Son of Kraldar, Jarl of Winterhold and I welcome you to my hold." He told them and Faralda bowed from the waist, gesturing for the Terrans to do the same. There was some mutterings and a small yelp as someone was hit upside the head, but they all bowed and he inclined his head to them. "Good, now I believe that you have a college to enter. I shall see you at the welcome feast tonight" he told them a smile hiding in his short beard.
The groups straightened and followed Faralda onward. Their first sight of the college took their breath away. It rose defiant and impressive on a pinnacle of stone that held it a good three hundred meters the cold and ice filled sea that surrounded it. A narrow stone bridge spanned the gap, it had obviously been rebuilt, portions of newer stone faintly visible where it joined with the older materiel, with tow circular landing in between spans.
The college itself had six massive tower that rose high and proud with one of them being even taller and lined with glowing blue stained glass and an eye sigil near the top. Encircling the pinnacle a tall wall rose half the height of the towers, giving it an air of strength and invulnerability. It was made of solemn grey stone and sat impassible on its perch a high cold wind blew around them, carrying snow on its freezing breath and chilling them.
"Welcome to the College of Winterhold" Faralda announced to them smiling at their awestruck faces. "not too long ago it was traditional for applicants to be tested before they were allowed to enter the collage, but now you must demonstrate your skills to be allowed to leave at the end of term" she told them smiling.
Hermione raised her hand "what if you are unable to pass?" she asked curiously and Faralda smiled "You can leave for the term when you pass, until then you remain in the college, if you are still unable by the start of the new term you repeat the year" she explained and several of the students looked at each other in horror at the idea of never leaving school if you failed.
Faralda seemed unconcerned by their expression and turned to the bridge again, leading them across. They followed her in silence, several of the girls looking green as the studiously ignored the drop in either side. Faralda stopped at several points on the bridge to cast a light spell on wells filled with some kind of icy looking blue liquid.
Behind him Sirius could hear Hermione muttering to someone "I read that the current Arch-mage rebuild the college, even using magic to reinforce the pinnacle the college sits on so it could support the weight of the new buildings. The lighting of the wells on the bridge refers to the pursuit on knowledge for each student entering the college." Sirius thought about it and realised that it made sense, but he was still wondering what had happened to this college to require such extensive repairs.
The entered the central courtyard and Sirius felt rather awestruck. The chill wind died out and the air grew warmer until it was merely cool, not biting cold. "Welcome guests!" a voice cried and they saw their reception. A short woman in hooded blue grey robes trimmed with fur stood at the head of a contingent of robe and armour clad beings they were all kinds from humans to walking cats and lizards, to elves with dark blue and grey skin. Some had armour and weapons others wore robes with only a few earing staffs.
Sirius fought to not stare, but his eyes were caught by the small woman in the front. Her skin was the same tint as Aralas' and her amber eyes had the same sharp gaze, he felt like he had seen her before somewhere, then he met her amber eyes and felt like he had be hit with a shocking jinx his nerve endings were tingling with some kind of energy and he almost gasped, almost unable to pull himself from her deep eyes.
"I am Silandra Dovahkiin Stillglade, Arch-mage of this college. I and my fellow teachers greet you to this place of learning." She told them all, her voice warm and friendly with a slight hint of command.
Sirius stepped forward and performed a full bow "Thank you Arch-mage for allowing this opportunity" he replied, still staring into her eyes and giving his best roguish grin.
Her cheeks darkened slightly before she nodded "Wonderful, Come we will show your where you will be staying. Before we give you your tour" She told them and led them to one of the towers. "This is the hall of Tenacity, it has the least amount of students so you will all be staying here for the duration of your visit" she told them.
It took around half an hour to get everyone sorted. The tower was very tall and the floors were actually balconies that surrounded a well that held a glowing blue pillar of light that reach all the way to the ceiling. It also turned out that the light was some form of lift, Aralas demonstrated by hopping into it and getting off at each floor. Unfortunately it only worked one way so they had to take the stairs down. The rooms were small, with one bed and a small desk, a wardrobe a bookshelf and a nightstand.
The beds were narrow and were covered in a deep green comforter and the rooms had no doors, the arranged it so they were divided by gender rather than house, with several floors allotted to them. Afterwards they were divided back into their house groups and assigned to an instructor who would show them around the collage. Sirius Molly and the Gryffindors were assigned to a stunning woman with snow white skin, black hair and glowing orange eyes who introduced herself as Serana Volkihar, Mistress of Alchemy.
Aralas had smiled at her and given her a hug when no one but Sirius had been watching. She had smiled at him and whispered something before pushing him back to the group who was still unpacking. Sirius wondered what their relationship was, they appeared to be close, but he decided to put it on the list he was preparing for when he met Aralas's mother. He had to admit the college was very beautiful. It was clear that it had once been an austere and gloomy place, but now it had been transformed amber lanterns lit the halls and rooms, tapestries and rugs covered the floors and fireplaces burned in many of the rooms to ward off the perpetual chill.
The lower portions of the College were carve from ice clad stone but the classrooms themselves were warm, but filled with an odd assortment of materials. There was a bit of an uproar from molly when they found the bathing room, which contained several pools of water at varying temperatures and was used by both sexes, but Sirius managed to calm her down by proposing a schedule to keep the boys and girls separate.
By late afternoon they were all hungry and a little footsore, a loud gong sounded and they followed Serana from the upper towers where they taught Astronomy, which was apparently very important to the Nirnians, even dictating your skills, depending on what sign you were born under, or what ingredients would work on you.
They followed Serana into the large tower directly opposite the bridge, she called it the hall of the elements. Large curved tables had been set up in concentric rings around the room and it was beginning to fill with other robe clad individuals, there were several youngsters their age of varying races and the children found themselves seated with them near the center of the circular room, under the eyes on the older students, with the teacher sitting on the outside ring of the large circular room.
Sirius looked from where he had been placed near the outer ring and noticed that he was sitting near the Arch-mage. Her hood had been pulled down revealing her long pointed ears and he realised with a flash that she was Aralas's mother. Her ears were long and reached an elegant point, far cry from her son's oversized ears, which apparently meant he still had some growing to do. Her eyes were exotic and slanted, her nose was thin and her face had the same angularity as Aralas but in a much more refined manner.
The door opened and the Jarl strode in accompanied by several retainers. The jarl sat down on Silandra's other side and his followers sat down in the second ring. Once everyone was seated Silandra stood, all eyes swivelled to her and the talking died out. The Hogwarts students looked at each other nervously but sat very still and watched her like everyone else.
"Welcome All!" she called, her voice seemed to boom slightly, filling the space easily. "This welcome feast is in honour of our visitors from Earth. They are here to experience Nirnian culture and magic, I expect each and every one of you to follow the rules of hospitality and treat our guest with respect due to a fellow student. Students of Hogwarts I expect you all to show curtesy and respect to your trainers and teacher as well as a respect for our customs, whilst you are here." She told them all and the Winterhold students nodded, some puffing up their chests in pride. Whilst the Hogwarts students seemed to run a gambit of emotion ranging from disbelief, to agreement to pride in the case of a few.
"Now then, we shall pay our respects to the Aedra and begin this excellent meal." She held out her arms over the halls and spoke "Blessed be the divines who gave their power to create Nirn and blessed be our patron Magnus, without whom we would not have knowledge of the Arcane."
The whole hall bowed their heads "So mote it be" the Nirnians murmured and Silandra sat down, smiling to herself and beginning the feat by reaching for a large steak.
Around him Sirius saw Serana sit back in her chair sipping from a large stone goblet, the space in front of her empty, while several spots down from him the armoured bunch were eating a rather rare collection of meat, drinking from large tankards and laughing.
"Here" Silandra told him, pressing a similar tankard into his hand and motioning fro him to take some food.
He sipped the gold liquid inside and realised it was mead "you serve alcohol in a school?" he asked her and she looked at him nonplussed
"of course we do, what else would we drink?" she asked him and he shrugged
"Juice, water, tea." He answered and she looked at him like he as stupid
"most of those are rather dangerous to drink or don't last long enough. Don't worry the young ones have watered down cider, they'll be fine" she told him and Sirius grinned, this trip was beginning to look up.
"Arch-mage I was wondering if I could speak to you at all in private sometime this week" he requested and Silandra smiled at him
"of course, I have an empty slot at lunch tomorrow. Would that suffice?" she asked and Sirius nodded smiling.
"Wonderful, now then. Tell me about your education in Hogwarts" she prodded and Sirius laughed, launching into his rather sordid past as a member of the Marauders.
Later that night after they had retired, Sirius sat on his bed and thought about what he had seen today. Silandra turned out to be just as mischievous as him, regaling him with tales of the pranks se had pulled with Serana on the various denizens of the province. He smiled as he changed into his pajamas and curled up under the covers. It had been a good day.
A/N I have returned. I want to give a large thanks to Hermes6034 and Mystborn for pulling me out of my funk and helping me find my muse again. Hopefully this is a permanent return. Thank you each and every one of you for your support and well wishes, they all contributed to my recovery of my spark. Now let us ride into the unknown once more.
Safe travels, Trojan Seeress