Chapter 2: Welcome to Winterfell - Part 1
Hariel Lily Potter was lucky. Well, it was only in her early-twenties that she realized it. If someone had dared to utter such nonsense to her face when she was younger she would have cursed him with every jinx in her repertoire. Orphaned at one year old because of a crazy psychopath and a stupid prophecy, living her childhood as a maid for two of the fattest people she ever had the misfortune to meet and a screaming clean freak banshee, and then when she thought that her life had changed for the better, said crazy psychopath was in fact not dead and tried to kill her every single year, and she didn't even wanted to talk about his minions who thought that her corpse would make a lovely gift for their master. And then there was the war, in which she was hunted with her friends, while chasing for dark magical items. After the war, there was still death eaters who succeeded to escape, and let's say they weren't please with her for defeating their lord, and if it wasn't them, then there was some wannabe dark lords who thought that killing her would cement their reign, without thinking that killing a teenage girl wasn't an incredible feat. And so she had to train, and well the Girl-Who-Lived, turned into the Woman-Who-Vainquish, becoming an auror to protect the innocent and capture the big bad death eater? It was the symbol that magical Britain needed after a war like this. And while Hariel had thought multiple times to just tell them to fuck off, change identity and live in another country, she couldn't because she undesirable number one, with more people who wanted to kill her than people she had actually talk to. And it was during her training, while trying not to vomit her organs, that she realized how lucky she was...and also how smart Tom Riddle actually was, but this was the story for another time. She had never realized in the war, but the auror were surprisingly competent, or at least the cursus was supposed to make them be, and the new one created monsters (thanks you very much, but I still hate you Mad-eye), and she had been incredibly lucky that one, most death eaters were snobby pureblood, so job like auror were beneath them, only for brute with no brain. And she had been lucky because all her adventure had ended mostly well in retrospection when she compared her abilities versus those of her enemies. Hariel also counted herself fortunate because of her friends, having Hermione Granger aka Brightest Witch of her Generation, had saved her multiples times, and having Ron Weasley and his family helping her more than necessary despite their own difficulties had been a great help. The Weasley family for all people had mocked them, were a force to be reckoned with, Bill was a curse breaker, one of the few humans accepted by Gringott, which proved his talent. Charlie tamed dragon, did she need to say more? Fred and George were ingenious, knew how to defuse a situation with laugh, and could think outside of the box like no one can. Percy, for all his fault, was in his heart loyal to his family, and it was only after the war that Hariel realized how alike he was with Ron. Both thrived for attention, Ron may have thought that with his good grades and prefect badge Percy would have attention, but it wasn't always the case despite their parents' efforts, having good grades and being prefect was a given, and with troublemakers such as the twins born just after, Percy became the good kid, who didn't caused problem and thus didn't need as much attention. And despite the fact that Percy turned his back on his family, he tried to help during the war and had at multiples time proved himself to be a changed man. Ron was smart, not book smart like Hermione, and definitely not socially smart, but he was a great strategist, he was brave and compassionate, he may have been petty but he always came back to his sense and tried to do good. Hariel hated when people criticized him for leaving Hermione and she in the forest during the Horcruxes hunt, like they could talk when they were the one ready to turn them in, Ron was the most loyal friend, insecure, but fiercely loyal, for god sake, at twelve he had stole a car to go to Hogwarts with her when he could have just go to the train and wait until he arrived Hogwarts to alert the professors that she was still blocked at King Cross. And then there was Ginny, brave Ginny, who knew some mean spell and was one of the most vicious duelist Hariel had met.
Well, she must correct, had been lucky, now transported into another world, Hariel fiercely missed her friends, she never had an adventure without one of the member of the Golden trio, even when she was auror, and later Head of the British Auror, Ron was always with her in every one her missions. If she knew that being Headmistress of Hogwarts involved discovering that dimensional traveling existed, she would have run away faster than if she was faced with an Avada Kedavra, the only bright spot, was that the incident happened during the summer school reserved only for the fifth year and older, thus only less than thirty sans the professors were here. The first few days Hariel had barely slept, between searching the cause of the phenomenon, trying to find a way to reverse it, comforting the students, finding another source of food, she had barely gave a thought of the people inhabiting the world. She had sent Robin Mateus, the professor of defense to do some reckon, but after confirming that they seemed pretty harmless, having only medieval weapon, she had focused on the bigger problems. For the first days, she had to make every professor and the students sleep inside the Great Hall as she couldn't let them scatter around if there was an attack, the lessons were also annulled until Hariel could find if there was a threat. She ordered some professors to guard the students while she, Neville and Mateus had searched the school with the help of the house-elves. It was on the sixth day that they found a empty room reeking of dark magic, the wizard or witch must have known Hogwarts well as the room was near one of the secret passages and in one of the only corridor which didn't have a portrait. The good news was that it was human magic which had transported them in another world, and so they could possibly reverse it, the bad news was that the culprit had high chance to be in this world too, and this lead to two options which she didn't like, one he had already escape as the Marauder's map couldn't detect an intruder and gallivanting god knows where and plotting, two, one of the students or member of the faculty was the culprit, and this would be the worst case possible. She exchange a quick glance with Neville, only he, Teddy, Victoire, Hagrid and Fitzwicki could be crossed from the suspect list, if they had been imperiused the curse should have been lifted by now and they would have said something, even if they still were, Hariel would have detected something wrong. So the next day, she announced that Hogwarts was secured enough and students could return to their dorms, only telling those she trusted her suspicions.
Ned Stark was with his wife when he learnt that his son had decided to climb the mysterious castle when he had been expressively told not to, and when the second messenger came running, he felt his blood run cold, and his premonition came true when they learnt that had succeeded in getting himself IN the Castle. Catelyn fearful gasp wake him up from his daze, and he barked at his men to get ready, he wouldn't lose another member in his family like this. They were already on the road when Jory ride to them with their unharmed son on his horse. Ned never felt so mad and so relieved at the same time, and his wife seemed to share his feeling, and as soon as she confirmed Bran was unharmed she slapped him across the face, before pulling him in another hug. Ned gripped his shoulder, and gave him a look which promised a long conversation as soon as they got home. Coming back and seeing his children on the courtyard waiting for them was heartwarming, and he hoped that Bran understood how his brash actions had worried his family and that in the future he would think more before acting. He waited a few minutes while Jory debriefed him of his encounter with the wizard, before pulling his son into his office, followed by his wife.
- « Well, what do you have to say for yourself. »
- « I'm sorry father, I wasn't thinking. »
- « Yes you weren't. » retorted Catelyn sharply.
- « Jory told me what happened, but I want to hear it from you. »
- « Father! The Castle it is a school for wizard, Hogwarts! When I saw the plaque I thought it was a joke, but they have ghosts and talking and moving painting! They even have wands! And I am one of them! »
Ned shocked on the last sentence.
- « You are a what? » repeated Catelyn
- « A wizard, well they just said I was magical and that they weren't sure if I had the same magic, but I have magic, I could be the first wizard knight! And they are from another world, the hat told me so. »
- « The hat told you so. » Ned repeated slowly, trying to make sense in what his son just babbled.
- « Yes! It is the Sorting Hat, he looks like a ratty hat, but it can speak in your head! »
- « Bran, sweetheart, did you fall on your head, did they made you eat something? » asked Catelyn which echoed perfectly Ned's sentiments.
- « No, really, you can meet them. Ask Jory, they changed a rock into a dog, Jory still had it! » swore Bran, frustration clear in his voice.
Ned had seen the dog, and if it wasn't for Jory's testimony, he would have believed it to be a perfectly normal dog.
- « We believe you son, it is just a lot to take in. You should go to your siblings now, I'm sure they have a lot of questions, but I count on your discretion, this stay in the family. »
- « And don't you think we forgot about your punishment young man! »
They waited a few moment until they couldn't hear his steps, before the husband and wife sighed at the same time.
- « Will you meet them? » asked his wife, distrust obvious on her feature.
- « Yes, we should at least try to avoid bloodshed, they can transform a rock into a dog, what say they can't change human into rock, or worse. And their castle seems indestructible, they are dangerous, they wouldn't need trick to harm us, they could have just taken Bran. »
Ned sighed, he was a second born, it wasn't supposed to be his problems, and as he writed a letter to invite the wizard to Winterfell, his thoughts drifted away, if Bran had magic, than what stopped Jon from having it too, the one who possessed the blood of two ancient bloodlines, the fire of the dragons and the ice of the North.
Hariel prepared herself for the meeting with Lord Stark, if possible she would have preferred to meet the man later, but it seemed that their King was the belligerent kind as he was coming with an army, and if what she had gleaned from the villagers were true, the man had King Robert's ear, win him would be the same as winning the King. Also, if the discussion were a success, it would allow her students to go out a bit and feel less trapped, the war had made her realize the importance of morale, and she remembered when she was going crazy when she was copped into 12 Grimmauld Place while death eaters were waiting outside to kill her. And the resources were beginning to lack, the greenhouses had also been transported, but were mainly used to cultivate legumes and fruits, but it wouldn't suffice, meat was also a problem as animals were becoming scarcer as it get colder, and she wanted to find out if this world had similar plants to their own and could be used in potions. So many thing to get down and so little time.
When she arrived at the gate accompanied with Teddy and Neville, the same man from yesterday was waiting with his men. All three of us were equipped with special portekey to escape if the meeting was a failure. Winterfell was only thirty minutes by horse, and the carriage they had prepared for them was quite comfortable compared to her expectations, but she would take a broom over it any day, and it was with no regret she jumped out of the carriage followed by her godson and her friend. Winterfell reminded her of medieval castle, all focused on practicality and no aesthetic, Hariel didn't expected so many armed men, they were definitely combat ready, she didn't doubt Hogwarts Castle, but avoiding needless war was never the wrong choice. At the center of the courtyard was Lord Stark and his wife, no children in sight, good choice.
- « My Lady » the man greeted, he gestured at a man to come, presenting a plate of bread and salt. Was she supposed to eat it? Throw it?
- « Lord Stark, Lady Stark, thanks you for meeting us. My name is Hariel Potter, this is my good friend, Neville Longbottom, and my godson Edward Lupin. » she curtsied.
There was a moment of silent as they stared curiously at each other, Hariel sensed tension running high and felt like she had missed something.
- « Won't you accept your guest right? » ask Lady Stark.
- « Guest right? Forgive me my lady, but I do not understand. » Hariel was genuinely puzzled, and looked questioningly at Neville, who seemed just as lost as her.
- « It is a custom in Westeros, when a guest eat the food and drinks the drink off a host's table beneath the host's roof, guest right is invoked, this means that neither the guest nor the host can harm the other for the length of the guest's stay. » explained an old man on the side.
Hariel smiled gratefully, and bite in one of the bread and ate a pinch of salt, signing her companion to do the same. Guest right must have been taken pretty seriously as the Northeners seemed less tensed after.
- « Forgive us for our ignorance, it seems we have more divergence than I had anticipated. Thanks you… » she trailed off
- « Maester Luwin. »
- « Thanks you Maester Luwin. »
Ned didn't know what to think of his guests, everything about them were strange and puzzling, Jory had warned him that the leader was a young female, and while he knew some ladies who ruled their house, it was only when their husband were dead and they had no sons, but it didn't seemed to be the case of Hariel Potter who leaded effortlessly her group. Their clothes were also different from everything he had seen, it seemed too thin for the weather but they appeared perfectly at ease. Furthermore, they didn't know guest right, and used words he didn't know, godson, what was it supposed to be? Everything about them screamed foreign, and he didn't find it hard to believed that they were from another universe altogether. Ned leaded them to his office, keeping only Jory and Rodrick as his guards.
- « Jory told me you wanted to rent our land, even if I was inclined to do so, my fellow lords and King Robert wouldn't accept it. »
- « It's natural, and so I wanted to demonstrate my good faith by an act of good will. I heard that this world's season can last years right? And the North's winter is particularly harsh. My friend, Neville, know the spell necessary to create a greenhouse if given the right material. And as you can see, our cloak are thin, but we charmed them with warming charm and we can do the same for you and your people. We could also propose some cure if our metabolism is the same. »
- « We already have some greenhouse, but the materials aren't cheap. »
- « Neville only need the structure, cheap glass aren't a problem, and he can even apply the charm in a normal room if the plants doesn't need much sunlight. »
It was too good to be true, and the North, even if they never failed to survive the winter, needed it. It had so much possibilities. The two of them bargained for more than two hours before finding a suitable ending which satisfied both, but they were stuck on how to convince the fellow lord and especially Robert.
- « My friend harbor magic, it reminds him too much of the Targaryen and what it cost him. »
- « We only arrived recently and are quite ignorant of your history, could you tell us what happened? »
After listening to his tale, Lady Hariel was pensive, her emerald eyes sharper than ever, contrasting with her youthful face.
- « How important would you say your sister is to King Robert? » she asked after a long time
- « She was, is, everything, he didn't knew her that well, but she was what he wanted the most in life, and now that she is dead, Robert seemed to have sanctified her. »
- « And if he could have the chance to talk to her again, do you think it would satisfy her? Or would he be even less able to let go? »
Suspicions began to creep into his mind, did she wanted to trick his friend, play the cruelest and most unforgivable trick that Robert could ever suffer and expected him to sit still, or did she have the capacity to talk the dead, reanimate them?
- « Why do you ask? »
- « Hariel, are you sure? » interrupt Lord Neville, worry clear in his voice. Lady Hariel gave him a nod, before answering.
- « Some wizards have the capacity to revive dead, most of the time it is only flaming skeletons, but there are also medium which allows spirit to talk through them, I can summon a spirit for a short period of time. »
Catelyn gasped shocked, Maester Luwin could barely contained his excitement, but Ned felt dread, so much power, it was considered until then in the realm of the impossible, in the realm of the Gods, and now, this woman, only a bit older than his eldest sons, had this power in her hand
- « But it is dangerous, there was a man who lost his fiancée, and he summoned her spirit, only one time he thought, but then it was once a week, once every two day, once a day, and then she was there every day. But she was a mere shadow of herself, she didn't talk, didn't answer, the man despaired trying to push her to react, to smile, and in a few months, he killed himself, deciding that he would be better off dead to finally talk to her fiancée. »
- « And you want me to put my friend in this situation? » and Ned could only feel dread, as Robert, if he knew that he could see Lyanna, would give up his throne, and would without a doubt follow the same end as the man in Lady Hariel's tale.
- « Of course not, if I summoned Lady Lyanna she would be the same as when she was alive, but it is not healthy for a man to live in the past, and I would rather not break your friend. We could always try to find another mean to convince the King. »
- « We could just say it is a one time only summoning? With a time limit. » proposed Lord Neville. - « It could work. » Ned hated the idea to trick his friend, but it could be the only time his friend could find closure, and it would be the best bet to appease his friends, otherwise it would end in blood, and the more he learnt about the abilities of the woman in front of him, the more he believed it would be theirs.
Well, I was incredibly inspired, as usual please signal me if there is typo and don't forget to leave reviews.
I'll go in the next chapter in Maester Luwin's excitement, it will be fun. Also how do you the big player of the game of thrones will react in face of Hariel & co, like Varys, Tywin, Olenna etc etc
Thanks for those who reviewed and pointed at my typo!