Chapter 8: We're off to see the Warlock
Summary: Harry and Sirius head to Camelot, make a few friends and attempt to get a drink.

Edit: So I was doing some reformatting, and this chapter is the former eighth and ninth chapters.

Ron and Hermione bid Harry farewell at Kings Cross station, grinning and wishing him a good holiday.

Harry and Padfoot walked calmly down the road - well, Harry was calm. But Sirius was pretending to be a dog, so that was to be expected.

Harry walked quickly, moving behind an empty looking building. "All right, Sirius. We're landing pretty far from Camelot so we can grab some horses. If you transform right when we get there, it shouldn't be seen. You remember the plan?" Harry took his muggle jacket off, revealing his travel-clothes he had left Camelot in.

Sirius nodded and wagged his tail. Harry grabbed hold of his godfathers fur in one hand, gripped his shoulder bag and they disappeared in a flash of white light.

The two landed hard on a wooden bridge. A quickly-turned-human Sirius groaned and muttered, "You didn't mention that the landing hurt so much!"

Harry looked around. Past the bridge was a crowded village surrounded by a dense forest. Sirius dragged him up, motioning for Harry to get out of the way. Harry moved to the side of the bridge, just as a horse galloped by, it's rider nodding to them as he passed.

Harry looked to Sirius. "Best place to get horses and find out where we've landed."

Sirius nodded, "It's going to be nice to be able to show my face somewhere without people freaking out."

Harry grinned. "Tell me about it."

The village, fortunately, had stables in it despite it's surroundings. Harry and Sirius entered the stable, and both winced as the smell hit them. "This makes me feel even more bad for Merlin," Harry said, "He has to muck these things out on a regular basis."

Sirius scrunched his nose, and was about to speak when a man approached them. "What are you doing here?" He asked, shortly but not rudely.

"Sorry, my friend! We were hoping to purchase some of these beautiful beasts." Harry said, elbowing Sirius so he could speak.

"You wanna buy them? I'm sorry, but these horses won't come cheap. They're the tamest we've had in a while..."

Sirius cut in at this, "Money is no object." He pulled out a sack of galleons and sickles.

The man nodded. "Perhaps... ten gold pieces for the both of them, then?"

Harry, who had gotten an idea of the money system last time around, scoffed. "They can't be that wonderful. We'll give you three."

The man frowned. "five and three silver."

Sirius looked at Harry, who nodded. "Deal." He said. The man didn't even twitch at the Gringotts markings on the coins. Apparently gold was gold, silver was silver, and it didn't matter. Oh, or it might have been Sirius putting a notice-me-not charm on them. Either one.

Harry and Sirius were led to two brown stallions, and given saddles and gear for them.

"Sirius, how much horseback riding have you done?" Harry asked as he took his reigns.

"I rode a bit summer after fifth year, which is also when your father and I learned fencing. All in all, they can't be too different." Sirius said cockily, putting his foot in the stirrup and attempting to get up.

Harry sighed as his godfather fell to the ground. From his position, Sirius could see a shop with a sign on it, saying 'Makers of Fine Staffs' on it.

"Harry, look!" He pointed to it. "Can't be too close to Camelot, if there's a staff maker here."

Harry nodded in agreement. Seeing an old man step out of the shop with a staff in hand, they approached him. "Excuse me," Harry said kindly. "Where are we?"

The man looked at them strangely. "You're in Moyta, on the edge of Mercia. How do you not know where you are?"

Harry shrugged apologetically. "We may or may not have travelled through time. You make staffs?" He said, motioning to the one in the man's hand. He really didn't think anyone would be able to take that statement seriously, and if they joked about it, it was securing the idea that they hadn't. At least, that's what Harry thought.

"Aye." He said proudly. "Even made one for Alator of the Catha himself."

Harry nodded. He had never seen one of these, but that was to be expected, where he had visited magic was banned. "What are they used for?"

The man looked at him strangely. "They amplify magic, of course."

Sirius nodded. "Kind of like a wand, then." Harry stepped on his foot to tell him to shut up, but Sirius ignored him.

"A wand? What is that?" The man said.

Harry cut in, "Nothing, it's just a smaller magic tool that is used where we live." Didn't Sirius realize that wands probably didn't exist yet?

"Interesting." The man said. "It is not often we get travellers here who have magic, and are not searching for a staff maker or another service of a sorcerer. What is this wand of yours?"

Sirius whipped his wand out proudly, "This is my wand. Here," He allowed gold and red sparks to fly out of his wand.

"That is intriguing. Would you like to come into my shop?" Sirius looked at Harry, who shrugged to show he was fine either way, and stepped inside, Harry tying the horses to a bar just outside.

While Sirius explained way too much about wands to the man for Harry's comfort, Harry busied himself looking at the staffs around the room. He picked one up, grinning when the gem at the top turned an unnatural purple. It looked like staffs worked for him, while wands didn't for whatever reason. If he wasn't going to Camelot, he might buy one.

"See, wands are made of different woods, and it has a core inside. Mine's the hair from the mane of a unicorn..."

Harry cut in before Sirius could do more damage, "I apologize, but we really must be leaving."

Sirius and the man frowned, but stopped talking.

"Where are you headed, so I may give you directions?" The man asked.

Harry winced. "Ah, we're actually headed to Camelot." At the man's darkening expression, Harry hastily added, "We're meeting Emrys there." The man's face lit.

"You know Emrys? You actually know him?"

Harry nodded weakly. 'This is really not the best way to integrate Sirius into medieval times. He'll get ideas.' Harry thought worriedly, but said, "I may have accidentally magicked myself to Camelot, and he got me out of a spot of trouble." There. Not giving any secrets away.

The man gaped. "What are your names?"

"My name is Draco, and this is Sirius."

"Draco, Sirius, could you pass on my regards to Emrys? Tell him, that if he ever finds himself near Moyta, he will be welcomed. Please tell him that the Olivander family will support him no matter what."

Harry looked at Sirius, who looked back at him with a hint of a smile on his face. "We'll do that." Sirius said. "Now which way to Camelot?" His voice choked as he finished, desperately trying not to laugh.

Olivander walked outside with them and headed them off to the south. Once they were out of hearing range, Sirius leaned on his horse, laughing. Harry joined him, and gasped out, "I... cannot believe that you just... introduced the Olivander's to wands."

Sirius gasped for breath, face buried in his horses mane. After a minute, they collected themselves and set off towards Camelot, breaking into laughter every five minutes.

They rode slowly, Harry using the time to explain everything about Camelot to Sirius. When they weren't talking, Sirius had an awful habit of humming 'We're off to See the Wizard.' Where Sirius even picked up the song, Harry didn't know, but it was very annoying.

At nightfall, Harry grabbed his shrunken trunk, placing it on the ground next to Sirius's.

"This isn't going to work." Harry said. "There's no way they'd believe we've got trunks. How would we carry them?"

Sirius nodded, "We'll just have to..." He stuck his tongue out in concentration, poked the trunk, and it turned into a large saddlebag, the items inside wiggling disturbingly as they rearranged themselves. "Transfigure them."

Harry nodded. "Could you do mine, too? My magic is a bit... unpredictable when it comes to transfiguration." Sirius nodded, and Harry's trunk also turned to a saddlebag.

Sirius frowned, "There is one thing, though. If I'm meant to be your guard, I'm going to have to get used to wielding a sword. I don't think they'll believe me otherwise."

Harry shook his head. "No, remember? I 'rescued' you from the evil Sorcerer Marvolo, knowing you were loyal to my father, Lord James."

Sirius nodded, "I still can't believe you used that." He said laughingly.

"Hey, it's best to lie with the truth." He said, holding his hands up in defence. "But I did learn a thing or three from Arthur. I could make sure you at least know some things."

Sirius nodded. They sat in silence for a bit, until he spoke up again, fiddling with some leaves. "Harry, I know some people would give you trouble about this, this whole thing. I want you to know, I think coming here with you is one of the best things I've done. You're a great kid, and even if your transfigurations a little wonky -"

"Wonky?" Harry said, mock-disturbed.

"Olivander said it, don't blame me!" Sirius said defensively.

"Right..." Harry said, a smile forming on his face. "Thank you, though, Sirius. I'm really glad I could bring you here."

Sirius smiled, then threw little bits of leaf at him. "Now enough of that, we need to sleep!"

Harry sighed as Sirius brought out a bright green sleeping bag, zipping it up once he snuggled in with a teddy bear. He took out his own bedroll and went to sleep, charming the fire to burn safely throughout the night.

"Har- Draco can we go, please?" Sirius begged for the hundredth time.

"It's a tavern. Why in the world do you want to go to a tavern so badly?"

"It's a tavern." Sirius said, as if that was an answer. "Come on, I'll even allow you to have a drink! It won't be anywhere near as good as firewhiskey, but we have to try!"

Harry sighed. "Fine, but as long as you promise to make your sleeping bag respectable."

Sirius nodded, wide eyed. "Of course, Harry! Let's go!"

"Wait!" Harry said, making Sirius freeze. "The teddy bear, too."

Sirius pouted. "Fine." He said whiningly, and Harry was reminded strongly of a spoilt child. He kicked his horse, and they were soon racing down the steep hill to the small town.

They soon realized they wouldn't be getting a drink any time soon. By the time they reached the tavern door, a man came flying out of it. "Tough luck, mate." Said Sirius, and ran gleefully in.

"Sirius!" Harry yelled, pulling out his sword and following him. It seemed the lack of a Dark Lord to worry about made Sirius go completely insane.

"Arthur? Merlin?" Harry yelled over the fight, astonished as he noticed his friends in the centre of the fight.

"Draco!" Arthur yelled, and punched a man in the face.

Merlin grinned over, and then flashed some plates into an approaching man. "Oh what the heck."

Harry charged into a man who was about to attack Arthur, checking quickly to make sure Sirius was okay. To keep their story intact, Harry yelled, "Sirius! You're not fully recovered! What are you doing?" And quickly punched his 'guard's opponent.

"Ow." he shook his hand. Arthur taught him sword fighting, not hand-to-hand combat. Seeing Merlin throw a bench into two men magically, Harry followed suit and soon they had overtaken them, but not before a man took a sword to the side for Arthur.

"His name's Gwaine." Merlin informed Harry. "Good to see you again, Draco."

"He saved my life," Arthur said. "We need to get him to Gaius. Draco, you have inexplicable timing, as always."

"That's… Draco." Sirius said, only pausing slightly at the name. He breathed deeply after, to cover it up.

"Oh, this is my fathers guard, Sirius. He was captured by the sorcerer Marvolo ten years ago, and I only now was able to save him in a series of events."

"Good to meet you, Sir Sirius." Arthur said formally, shaking Sirius's hand. Sirius sent a discreet grin at Harry, which only Merlin seemed to catch.

"And you. If Draco's descriptions are right, you'll be Prince Arthur." Sirius said.

"Indeed. We need to get Gwaine to Gaius, though. Do you two have horses?"

They nodded, and Arthur went off to deal with whomever had started the brawl.

"If this man bothers you again, send word to Camelot. There'll be soldiers here within a day."

"But how can you promise a thing like that?" A large lady asked.

Arthur replied, "Because I'm the Prince, Arthur. Yah!"

Sirius muttered to Harry, "He sure knows how to make an exit, I'll give him that much."

Merlin, who had gotten stuck with Gwaine on his horse, snickered at that, but stopped abruptly when the unconscious man almost fell off. "That's only because he stalls long enough to come up with one. Once, it took twenty minutes."

Arthur glared from the front of the procession, "I can hear you all, you know."

Harry chuckled. "So how have things been?"

Merlin paused. "Well... the usual. Magical threats to multiple people, including Arthur, Morgana and the whole of Camelot."

Harry frowned, "What happened?"

Merlin gave him a long glance, which had come to mean 'I'll tell you the whole story later' and said, "Morgouse, this evil sorceress, cast a spell on Morgana that made the whole of Camelot fall asleep. Eventually we lifted the curse, but..."

Arthur tightened his jaw, and Harry mouthed 'later' to Merlin. Obviously it was a touchy subject.

"Then there was a peace treaty..."

Harry tilted his head, "That doesn't sound so bad." Merlin shook his head, concealing a grin.

"You don't want to know. Then the dragon escaped and attacked Camelot..." He trailed off. "We had to find a Dragonlord, but... he didn't make it. Arthur 'killed' it in the end." There was the look again. Merlin was going to be spending a lot of time in Harry's rooms, he expected. "Then," Merlin said, "There was Cedric, the evil manservant that stole my job!" Merlin yelled the last bit at Arthur, who winced.

Harry winced as well, the reminder of Cedric wasn't welcome. He had spent a good amount of time forgetting that happened, and he sat bowed on his horse.

Sirius shook his head at Merlin, asking him not to pry, but he didn't get it. "What's wrong, Draco?" Merlin asked. Harry had an idea, "Before I left, and picked up Sirius, I had a... manservant named Cedric," He paused, making sure Arthur was listening. There was no reason he couldn't help his friend out a bit, "He, he was killed by Marvolo, because he was my servant. We were on our way here and we never would have made it if it weren't for him. He tortured him, but it bought us time... It's funny how you don't know what you have until it's gone. He was a really good friend."

Merlin, Sirius and Arthur looked at him oddly, all for completely different reasons. But Merlin was very sure, for the rest of the ride to Camelot that he didn't bring up anyone dying, or the name Cedric.

Bringing Sirius to Camelot was an idea that grew steadily less ideal as time wore on. Harry didn't know how they did it, but Sirius occupied the rooms next to Harry's, he could come and badger him at any time of day.

"Harry, I'm thinking of hiring a guard."

"You are my guard, and it's Draco."

"See, they actually expect me to guard you, and if I hired a guard, I could do... other things."

"Lord Draco."

"Draco, can I decorate my rooms?"

Harry looked at him. "Why in the world would you do that?"

"See, there's no colour, and it's absolutely devoid of chocolate fountains! Oh, and can I transfigure the mattress into a proper one? It's all itchy."

Harry groaned.

Harry was sitting at his desk, writing up a new spell book that he could leave for Morgana and Merlin, when Sirius walked in again, actually knocking for once.

"Harry?"

"Yes, Sirius." Harry said exasperatedly.

"I may or may not have completely destroyed the palace Kitchens. Did you know they have absolutely no candy here? It's horrible!"

"Sirius! Did they know it was you?" Harry asked, concerned.

"No, they didn't see me."

"Good. But please, next time you need food you can ask a servant or Merlin."

Sirius pouted, and in lack of a witty comeback, painted Harry's hair green with a flick of his wand.

Merlin walked in suddenly, "Hey Harry I – wow. How did you do that?"

Sirius grinned. "Here, I'll show you!"

"Do you think we could get owls?"

Harry turned to the doorway where Sirius stood for the fourth time that day, exasperated. "We are literally right next to each other. Why do you want an owl?"

"But Draco, owls are messenger birds! And it gets so lonely here."

"We've been here two days."

"Harry?" Sirius said. "There's a tournament coming up. Can I compete?"

Harry glared. "You'resupposed to be recovering from ten years in an evil prison!"

Sirius grinned, "I'm already recovered!"

"But they don't know that! Go visit Gwaine or something."

Sirius grinned. "Great, we'll go to the tavern!"

Harry fell onto his bed, "What have I done?"

Chapter Word Count: 2874

Thanks to Chronusnox and AmazingBouncingFerrets for helping me so much with this, and of course:

Thank you all for reading!

SH