Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter either. It belongs to its creator J.K. Rowling and probably Warner Bros. too. I'm not too sure about that. This piece of literature is simply the work of a humble fan. I also credit Jim Butcher for various themes, subjects, or references that I may use.
Author Notes: This is a Harry Potter crossover with the Dresden Files the book series. All my knowledge of the Dresden Files comes from the books. I've never seen the TV series. For the timeline that will be stated later. Thanks to the folks at DLP for help with editing.
Awaken Sleeper.
Chapter Nine: Parable of the Prodigal – Part Two
by: Water Mage
Time seemed to grind to a halt as Harry's last words hung in the air like the echoing resonance of a gong. Tension so powerful and almost tangible appeared in a sudden force taking those witnessed to the meeting by surprise. Talos and Elaine's eyes widened as the full weight and meaning of Harry's words sank in.
"You two know each other?" asked Elaine, shocked.
Harry nodded curtly, not taking his stare from those glittering green eyes. "She went by a different name last we met… Dawn here, sorry Aurora," he drawled, his lips twisting into a harsh smirk. "Oh! Aurora is Latin for Dawn… I see now. Cute."
"But how do you know each other?" demanded Elaine, her shock turning into suspicion, as she trained her gaze on the Summer Lady.
"We shagged," stated Harry bluntly, interrupting Aurora who had opened her mouth to answer.
Aurora turned those feline eyes on him, her expression warmer than the reproachful stare Talos trained at him for speaking ill of his lady. Harry ignored Summer's Lord Marshall, focusing his ire on the woman before him. He ran through the events in his mind, racking his thoughts for all details, picking apart their conversations, and weighing his responses. Trickery was a faes modus operandi and their default setting. It was one fairytale trait the muggles got right. Nothing pinged against his radar. They hadn't had a conversation where a bargain was struck whether directly or indirectly. He was sure of it.
She closed her eyes for a moment, and then looked at him concerned. "I can see you are angry, Harry."
"What gave you that idea?" he shot back caustically.
Talos drew himself up staring down at Harry with eyes that were eerily empty, earlier warmth gone. "You will watch your tongue in the presence of the Lady of Summer."
"She has heard and felt my tongue do more than you can imagine," Harry snapped, turning his rising anger on the Lord Marshall.
"Peace, Talos," muttered Aurora, laying a hand on the taller Sidhe's arm. "Leave us for a moment. I much desire to speak with him alone." She looked at Elaine too when she said this.
No. That wasn't going to work for him.
"Elaine stays," said Harry.
He had no desire to be alone with her. Who knows what glamour the faerie might work on him or what other method she could employ to snare him, if that was her game. He wasn't sure what angle she was trying to play. Elaine looked surprised at his request, but Aurora merely nodded her head agreeing to his appeal.
Talos of course didn't leave without giving Harry a disapproving frown that he responded in turn by glaring coldly . He was in no mood to deal with some faerie lord who had a beef with him because he was breaking protocol by being too familiar with the Summer Lady.
"You have questions," said Aurora, sighing.
Her rose red lips, penetrating green eyes, and snowy white hair were an exotic contrast to her human seeming and Harry had to begrudgingly admit that this form appealed more to him. He mentally slapped himself and blinked hard. Veela charm was a dangerous ability, but it lacked the subtle influence that Sidhe radiance exuded upon the psyche. She wasn't pushing any faerie glamour on him to make him feel this way. It was her natural beauty and that worried him. What would happen if she did throw glamour at him?
"Why?" was what Harry started off with without further detail. It wasn't needed.
Aurora lifted her chin haughtily. "I need not answer myself to you. Know that I do this because I feel you deserve some truths and to build bridges between you and I."
Bridges? What was she talking about? He knew there was some ulterior motive for summoning him here to the Nevernever. Could this be the answer?
"I first learned of you from Elaine," began Aurora, nodding to Elaine who listened with a neutral expression. "Weeks ago she came here, speaking of a wizard who may have told of her existence to the White Council. You know of the event?"
Harry nodded slowly. How could he forget? It wasn't everyday the White Council came blazing into town. It wasn't everyday he even spoke to a member, especially someone a part of the Senior Council. The stern, judging gaze of Martha Liberty wouldn't leave his memory anytime soon. Elaine had literally vanished right as the Council came walking into the bar. She must have come back here and suspecting the worse spilled her guts to the Faerie Queen. Was Elaine really that terrified of the Council that she had instantly gone running to her masters for protection? Merlin's Might. What awful deed could she have committed to warrant such fear? She had to have broken one of the Seven Laws, that was obvious, but which one, or ones.
Harry tipped his head slightly in acknowledgement. "I remember. So what? You decided to do a little reconnaissance, looking to take me out for blabbing? What are you queen, assassin, and spy all rolled into one?"
"I'm not above stepping into the shoes of others if it's knowledge that I seek to gain," she responded coolly.
A raised eyebrow lifted at her remark, and Harry replied with a tiny smirk. "If I recall we didn't do much talking."
Aurora laughed, light and melodiously. It was like the sound of twinkling bells and just as pleasant. "No," she answered, eerie green eyes surprisingly alight with humor. "We didn't, did we?" She smiled, warmly. "I didn't gain the knowledge I sought after. You proved quite a distraction."
Well if she was trying to fan his ego, she was doing a good job of it. "Why didn't I see you again? The next day…" He trailed off, a memory striking him like a sledgehammer. He spun around, turning a narrowed eye stare on Elaine. "You! I met you the next day. Was that tracking spell excuse a lie? Are you her secret spy?"
"I told you the truth, I swear," replied Elaine, frowning. She jerked her head at Aurora. "I had no idea you two even knew each other."
Aurora folded her hands in front of her, still looking picture perfect and every bit as serene as someone of her station would be. Harry considered Elaine's words and he believed her. She had looked every bit as stunned as he when Aurora had appeared. So that meant…
"The next day Elaine and I soulgazed," he muttered thoughtfully, thinking aloud. He watched her next expression to see if he was right. "I didn't see you again because you knew from Elaine that I hadn't sold her out." One look into her gentle eyes was all the confirmation he needed to know that he was right. "So what's this all about then? Why am I even here?"
"I saw something in you then, and now I know without doubt that you are someone worth having close," she said silkily.
Harry chanced a glance at Elaine and he knew at a glance that she hadn't told his secret. He needed to keep the fact that he was from another world a secret till he got a grasp of what he was stepping into, magically speaking of course. What did she know exactly?
Aurora waved a dismissive hand at Elaine. "Your friend has not betrayed you. I truly don't know what you are, but it's something…different, powerful. Like the power of Summer that fills my body, a power unlike any I've felt before hovers within you."
Harry kept his face carefully blank, showing neither surprise nor confusion. He was going to play all his cards close to his chest as much as possible. Did she speak the truth? Elaine had once commented on her skin tingling when he had touched her, but could Aurora, with the power of Summer, see the true well of his magic that differed from the wizards of this world. That might pose a problem. If she could see it then so could others.
"Your point?" asked Harry with an edge to his voice.
Elaine laid a warning hand on his arm and he held his tongue. Right. It might be best to not make the ruler of this domain too mad. Who knows what power she had over this realm that was neither wholly of earth or the world beyond. Although Aurora didn't appear too bothered by his caustic manner. He was beginning to doubt anything fazed her, but he knew that was untrue. Elaine looked genuinely worried when she dropped her hand on his forearm. It wasn't an, oh God, stop being rude face, it was more along the lines of do you have a death wish face.
"What you are is something more than a common wizard," stated Aurora, looking as if she was appraising him under a microscope. "The very air of the Nevernever around you hums like those connected to its lands, a trait that no wizard besides the Gatekeeper can lay claim to."
Harry crossed his arms and got right to the point. "So what do you want? If it's my magic then you aren't getting it."
"I was offering more of an alliance."
Go to hell was instantly on his lips. Did she really think he was going to agree to her proposition? He opened his mouth and then just as quickly closed it. Harry paused and eyed the gathered Sidhe congregated in this hall like wooden glade. These people weren't human. But they were powerful. They had kept Elaine hidden from the most powerful wizarding body on Earth for years. He wasn't interested in becoming a minion of the Summer Court, but the truth was he did need allies. Elaine was teaching him the ways of magic in this world, but he needed other connections. Connections that had access to knowledge not so common or widely known, knowledge that could help him find a way home.
Aurora stepped closer and he was instantly hit with the fragrance of fresh flowers and something sweet. He narrowed his eyes. "If you really want me to consider this then stop pushing glamour on me."
"I'm doing no such thing," Aurora denied, cocking her head. "You have my word."
Right. He was never that trustworthy. "What would an 'alliance' between us consist of?"
"I will come to your aide and you shall come to mine if I ever want for it."
Harry weighed her words. He chanced a glance at Elaine to gage her reaction to the proposal. The older woman's face was blank. He didn't know what to make of it. Or maybe he did. It was unwise to make a deal with the fae. The Summer Knight had warned him of it before he even stepped forth into the Nevernever, but why did he feel like this deal wasn't the worse thing that could happen. It was something that Aurora said. She didn't know what to make of his power. He was unlike any wizard ever encountered. That was his trump card.
"Say I consider an alliance," began Harry slowly, matching her judging gaze. "there would have to be some conditions. I won't kill for you, you can't have my soul or anyone I care about, and you're not getting any of my unborn children. I'll scratch your back and you scratch mine. Pull something I'm not fine with and we call the whole deal off."
"Your terms are tolerable," she consented with a nod. "I have a stipulation of my own. If you agree to our alliance, I would ask that you duel one of my champions before all of my court. I want to see if you are indeed someone I can call on for a task."
Harry smirked at her. "It will also have the effect of your court seeing how powerful I am."
Aurora laughed softly. "I see that you have some inkling of court politics."
He looked around the glade again taking in the surreal scenery and inhuman creatures that moved with animal like grace, as they mingled amongst each other, their bodies practically glowing under the light above. These Sidhe were beautiful, deadly, exotic, and soulless. No matter how human they acted or appeared, they simply weren't. He found his stare falling on Aurora. Her pale hair fell in soft waves, a shade lighter than the cream dress she wore like an angel, and her cat like eyes were impossible not to fall into. He made a decision. No matter how powerful an alley she might make, she would not be one to trust outright.
"I think an alliance would be very beneficial," said Harry, watching as her eyes shined with a pleased glint. "I accept."
In the end it wasn't about trust. It was about power.
"Excellent," she smiled widely, clapping her hands. "I'm glad that you agree. In a few minutes we shall make it official."
She turned and walked away. For the first time Harry noticed a raised dais and on it sat a throne made entirely of twisting wood that gleamed and shone like bronze. At the throne was four handmaidens garbed in azure silk sashes and their long hair was twisted back in identical thick braids. As Aurora sat down they each fell to their knees into a sitting position at both sides of the throne.
Elaine stepped beside him, her long bangs falling into her eyes and shadowing their emotion. "You have no idea what your getting into, Harry."
"I have some idea," he said, shrugging. "Boy has power and manipulative girl wants power on her side. Boy wants girl's resources on his side. If girl screws boy over then boy will unleash power. Sounds about right, huh?"
She shook her head, and her eyes flashed with irritation. "Don't do that. Don't make light of it. The Winter Court will ruthlessly stab you in the heart and have no care. The Summer Court will smile and be friendly, and that smile will never drop as they take a knife and stab you in the back."
Harry raised an eyebrow. "I'm a big boy, Elaine. You should know better than anyone that I can more than handle myself. Or are you the only one allowed to bargain with the fae?"
"It's more than a bargain," snapped Elaine with a sudden anger that startled him. "It's a debt. That only builds with the passing of time."
Harry froze surprised at the emotion pouring off her. "Are you ever going to tell me about it?"
Elaine's anger seemed to collapse in on itself suddenly, her shoulders slumping heavily. She ran a hand through her hair looking vaguely pale and sick at the thought of confessing. For a second Harry was going to take back his request, but stopped as the woman peered at him speculatively, wheels of thought turning in her thoughtful stare.
"I-I think I will tell you," she said slowly, as if testing the words on her tongue.
Without notice a single trumpet sang out with a clear ringing note. The fanfare caught the attention of the court and all conversation stilled as the trumpet blower signaled the convening of the gathering. All eyes were drawn to the throne where Aurora sat with a golden scepter, inlaid with glittering diamonds, and topped with a large ruby. Was it the same scepter that Rodger had stolen and tried to steal? He pushed the question to the back of his mind. There were more important matters that deserved precedence.
"All hail the glorious dawn, Aurora, Lady of Summer," the trumpeter announced. "May the light of summer shine its smile upon us all."
The faeries as one tipped their heads in reverence and respect. Harry didn't bother. Elaine didn't either, so he didn't feel too alone. The nobles watched with rapt attention as Aurora rose from her throne, her regal bearing enough to quell all into silence.
"May I present my new ally, Wizard Harry Potter. Please come forward," said Aurora, smiling warmly. She held out her hand to him.
No need to put him on the spot or anything. Harry stepped forward to a smattering of applause from the watching nobles. He could feel dozens of eyes on him, sharp as a falcon's, as he parted the crowd. He stepped up to her dais but didn't climb up. Aurora extended her hand and Harry took it, and she began to descend the dais.
"Lord Talos, come forth at thy lady's call," she commanded.
The Lord Marshall stepped out from the crowd that parted like the sea before him. Instead of the elaborate robes and tunics the other male Sidhe wore, the faerie lord was clothed in a dark gold mail and he carried a sword at his side. It was a rapier, long, thin, and straight-bladed. His white hair fell forward as he snapped his arms to his side and executed a stiff bow before the Summer Lady.
"My wizard ally has agreed to please me in a display of skill," said Aurora. "What better way to settle this matter than a duel between my new ally, Wizard Potter, and my champion, Lord Talos. They shall go until first blood, and we will see who is the better fighter: wizard or sidhe?"
They turned their heads simultaneously to scrutinize the other. He almost missed it, but he could detect the disesteem Talos had for him behind those feline like eyes, that were the color of the thunder streaking across the sky. Someone was obviously still sore from their conversation earlier. And sure enough the Faerie lord didn't fail Harry's assessment.
"My lady," spoke up Talos, respectfully. "I beg your pardon, but I must say that perhaps it would be a truer test of ability if we were to fight a Lion's Crowning. It would surely provide better pleasure than simply seeing my blade become tipped scarlet as I claim victory."
Harry froze at the thinly veiled insult, and slowly turned toward him. "You obviously don't know my record."
"Then you would find a Lion's Crowning sufficient, wizard?" asked Talos, his rich tone just as stoic as his facial expression.
"Pretend I don't know what you're talking about," replied Harry, staring at him with narrowed eyes. The cool disdain of the lord was rubbing him the wrong way. "What is a Lion's Crowning and will it let me kick your ass up and down these woods?"
A myriad of chortles sounded behind them from the crowd of watching Sidhe. Harry smirked as the Lord Marshall visibly looked mildly annoyed at the echoing chuckles, breaking his detached calm that he up till then radiated.
"A Lion's Crowning is a battle to submission," answered Aurora. If she disapproved of Talos she didn't show it. "Victory is claimed by an opponent yielding or until they are unfit to fight."
Harry grinned savagely at Talos. "So get him to say uncle or beat him till he can't stand. I think I like the sound of that."
"Do you agree to the Lion's Crowning?" asked Aurora to Harry, who nodded. "Your choice of weapons?"
Harry twirled his wand between his fingers. "He can choose whatever he wants. All I need is my magic."
Talos placed a hand on the curving hilt of his rapier. "Dawn Bringer is more than a match for a wizard with a stick."
"Bigger than the stick shoved up your ass," muttered Harry non-too quietly.
Talos shook his head mildly disappointed with himself. "I think I will enjoy this far too much."
"There will be plenty of time to settle your animosity once we begin," chided Aurora, her smile fading as she grew serious. "Now retire and prepare yourselves. We shall have a Lion's Crowning this day."
The very air thrummed with anticipation and it was impossible to ignore the excited chattering that erupted, filling the woods. Elaine appeared at his side and tugging at his arm dragged him off to a secluded spot beside a sculpture of a praying maiden.
"A Lion's Crowning?" Elaine said baffled, "We haven't even been here an hour and already your throwing down with the Lord Marshall!"
Harry's eyes widened and he swore. "Do you think I should have waited at least two hours?"
"You're impossible," sighed Elaine, rolling her eyes.
Harry crossed his arms and asked seriously, "So what am I getting myself into? "
"I've seen him duel before, but only briefly. I know he's fast," warned Elaine, frowning. "He tends to favor fire magic and uses quite a bit of earth magic too from what I remember."
He nodded as he surveyed the area. There were quite a few boulders and statues within the glade which would be perfect for transfiguring or charming into animation. The clearing was longer than wide and filled with watchers, so apparation would have to be precise or he could easily wind up splinched inside a person or object.
"Harry," said Elaine, gaining his attention. She gazed across the clearing at Lord Talos. "Be careful. He's not Lord Marshall for nothing. And when it's over I promise I'll tell you everything."
Harry smiled slowly. "In the films the woman usually offers to sleep with –" He laughed at her glowering stare and backed track. "Okay, okay. Just kidding. Now don't go reneging either. I'm holding you to that promise."
"You seem to be dealing well with this," she noted, regarding him disbelievingly.
Harry snorted. She didn't know him as well as she thought. "Once you've had the Dark Lord come literally flying at you 100 feet above ground, everything else becomes cake."
He looked across the distance and met Talos' imperturbable stare as servants fused about him, readying his blade and checking his armor. It was almost hard to fathom that this was the same kind and smiling Sidhe whom he met earlier. That just goes to show that no faerie was what they seemed. A few heated words between them and already the Faerie lord was out for blood. Well, Harry wasn't going down easy. If this bastard wanted a fight then he was going to give him one.
A bell tolled somewhere in the distance and the air grew thick with anxious anticipation from the crowd. Elaine gave him a small nod, her lips twisted in a grim frown. If he didn't know any better he would think that Elaine was worried. No way. That would mean the ice queen had a heart.
Harry joined Talos in the center of the clearing. Aurora sat upon her throne with her handmaidens at her side, and before her dais were a trio of knights. Their swords weren't drawn but their shields were out and ready to protect their mistress should any harm try and come her way. A tall faerie girl with mauve hair that fell perfectly down her back gestured for them to face her.
"Greetings one and all!" said the faerie girl loudly, so that everyone watching could hear. "This Lion's Crowning shall be fought till one opponent submits or if it's impossible for an opponent to continue fighting. Magic is allowed and no restrictions have been placed on weapons. No interference shall be tolerated and only her highness, the Summer Lady, may interfere or call the duel to an end once it's begun." She turned toward the duelers and said curtly, "Before we begin the oath must be spoken. The oath is sacred and is a promise witnessed by all before you and the lands of Faerie itself. To break the oath is to lose ones standing within all eyes, and forevermore will both courts shun thee, and distrust shall always be cursed to your name. Now enter into the oath."
The stars above visibly brightened as a sudden wind surged through the woods. Harry inhaled sharply as the breeze touched his face, hot and tingly with the feeling of a soothing caress. The wind wasn't alone. Carried along its back was the distant sound of roaring lions. Starting as a dim echo in the back of his mind, the noise gradually grew louder with each beat of his heart. Within the roars was a whispering message that told of never-ending courage, strength, and unyielding pride. Whatever this oath was it wasn't malevolent. This was magic as old as the power that saved him as a baby.
The words appeared on the tip of his tongue, and he and Lord Talos recited the oath simultaneously:
"We duel beneath the gods watchful stares,
And the moon weeps in happiness or despair.
An eye for an eye, blood for blood,
Our swords shall cross till the standing two become one.
I pledge to fight thee till thou falls,
As the stars are my witness,
may the true Lion be crowned before all."
A crack of thunder sounded throughout the land, breaking the surreal moment as the oath finished, witnessed by the Nevernever itself. The faerie girl stepped out of the way and from the ground came a shining light that traced a perimeter of the hall, like a flame following a trail of gasoline. The entire court and Aurora's dais stood just on the other side of the line that met back on itself and shot into the air. Violet light shimmered into a large shield that looked almost like glass but reflected the light all wrong. It surrounded them like a giant shoebox, keeping them in and protecting those watching on the outside.
Talos unsheathed his sword and his body moved with a liquid grace as he settled into a dueling stance. "I will make your defeat swift, I promise."
A slow smile spread across the wizard's face. "Forgive me if I just don't just don't get on all fours for you." He drew his wand. "Nice sword. What Frenchman did you buy it from? Couldn't go for anything manlier?"
Pre fight banter had a purpose. Part amusement and part distraction. A taunt could sometimes force an opponent to react sloppily. Talos seemed like a prideful and perfect noble, always composed, traits that was blindingly obvious about him and would be the easiest to exploit. He didn't outwardly react accept for a slight clenching of his jaw. Harry kept the teasing small on his face, but watched the Sidhe carefully. His eyes snapped to the sudden movement of Talos' right shoulder tensing. The faerie lunged forward with his sword. At the last second he feinted and went high. The sword passed through air as Harry twisted and disapparated with a sharp crack.
Talos recovered his balance quickly as Harry appeared less than half a dozen meters away. He swished his sword and fixed Harry with a shrewd look that quickly replaced his surprise. "You have a trick or two up your sleeve ay, wizard?"
"You haven't seen nothing yet," smirked Harry, brandishing his wand.
"I'm afraid that I'm inclined to say so as well," said Talos, unperturbed.
The Sidhe raised his sword in the air. He twirled it twice and then brought it forward with a quick thrust, spinning the blade like a windmill. Fire roared to life in a twisting cyclone that lay on its side. Harry jabbed his wand at a statue beside him as the blaze raced forward. The kneeling angel sprang to life and crossed the distance in two long strides. It stepped in the path of the blast, wings and arms outstretched like a true warrior of heaven. Fire splattered harmlessly against the stone guardian. Harry swung his wand wide and the statue rocketed forward through the stream of fire. The blast cut off as Talos did a neat cartwheel out of the way landing on a knee, while the statue slammed into the ground throwing up dirt and stone.
Talos lifted his sword and with a snarling yell slammed it tip first into the ground. Harry stumbled as the ground quaked and thick vines shot up from below. The brown and green tendrils grabbed Harry and wrapped tightly around his midsection before he could dodge. He bit his lip fighting back a pained yell as the plants curled tighter, crushing his ribs painfully. Harry slammed his wand down against winding vines that curled further up his body. There was a brief flash of light and a sizzling hiss, as the vines rapidly blackened losing life. Harry jerked away from its decaying strands.
He hadn't expected that one. Harry didn't give the Lord Marshall time to attack again. He grabbed his wand with two hands and jade lightning jumped from its tip, leaping the distance between them in a brilliant flash of light. Talos didn't have enough time to maneuver and the lightning slammed into him, knocking his sword from his hand as he hit the ground in a smoldering heap. Manipulating lightning in such a way was technically a dark curse, but who was here from the Wizengamot to judge him?
"You've already had enough?" mocked Harry, striding forward toward where the faerie lord lay. "You wrote all those checks with your mouth—"
Suddenly the smoking form of Talos shimmered and distorted, fading away to reveal a small bounder. Shit! Faerie glamour. Harry spun around and fell back, dodging the blade that came narrowly close to hewing off his head. He landed hard on his back and rolled away as the rapier came slashing down.
"You're really starting to piss me off with this pansy ass sword," Harry growled, jumping up.
Purple light glowed at the tip of his wand and shot forward. This time Talos was on the defensive as he dodged from the myriad of spells that Harry rattled off in rapid succession. Cutting Curse, Blasting Curse, Conjunctivitis Curse, Blinding Hex— the spells barely missed the nimble lord, as he moved as if on air with an unnatural agility and grace that no human could ever hope to match. Harry curved his wand wide in the air in a circle. Conjured ice crystals the size of daggers came into being, and with a flick of his wrist they fell from the sky at blinding spell.
Talos' sword slashed out and a wide arc of blue light jumped from the blade, slamming into the incoming ice projectile shower, leaving a rain of ice flakes in its wake. The lord was moving before his sword finished its movement. Talos bolted forth his form a dark blur as he moved faster than the human eye could track. Harry whipped his wand too slow to defend himself, and yelled out as the rapier's blade caught him in the shoulder. He stumbled back crying out in part surprise and part pain.
As he pressed his hand to the gash, Harry barely managed to glimpse Talos spin his body around, and he snapped out a hasty, "Protego!"
The sword struck the emerald-like shield that hovered in mid air before him, cracking from the cut. Harry frowned. That was new. Shield Charms usually didn't have a reaction like that. As it fell away, Harry released another lightning bolt. Talos moved with incredible speed as he did a series of backhand springs, keeping ahead of the racing strike. He settled into a low stance that looked halfway between an x and a t. The large bolt of lightning hit its mark, but instead of frying the skin from his body, the lightning struck his hand and flowed down his arm, through his other arm, and down into the ground leaving him without much more than a blackened palm.
"Color me impressed," Harry deadpanned, although honestly impressed at the counter to his spell.
Talos looked at him with eyes full of quiet confidence. "You will find that although you wield powerful magic for a wizard, I'm not a foe so easily defeated."
"Oh, I wouldn't know about that," Harry shot back, giving a sphinx like smile.
The stone angel reached out from where it lay on the ground with its granite arm. The Summer Lord didn't realize the statue's movement till the stone hand wrapped around his leg, keeping him firmly planted in his position.
"Ukur-re a-na-àm mu-un-tur-re!" He lashed out with his wand, its tip coated in the blood from the gash on his shoulder.
The wood pulsed in his grip as the blood powered the energy for the ancient Sumerian spell. A dark, ruby colored whip connected to his wand whipped through air, a flailing tentacle of dangerous dark magic, which lashed the Lord Marshall across the side of his face. His scream of stunned pain filled the air as pale skin split open. Not just there. All over his body appeared similar wounds, light red blood flowing from the open cuts.
Harry stared grimly at the bleeding Sidhe with his flayed skin. The spell was ancient and once used by nobles to bring rebellious slaves into submission. Powered by blood, and called to blood, the whip hit its target and from one wound, multiple wounds would appear, as the blood was called forth to the surface by the open wound caused by the first strike.
"Just stay down," Harry ordered, his voice hard as he regarded the fallen lord with deadly seriousness. "I'm this close to taking off the gloves."
Talos glared at him with blood running down from a gash over his eye, and said defiantly, "I will never submit to you."
Harry nodded curtly, straightening his shoulders. "So be it."
He stabbed his wand with a precise twist, and a yellow slash of light swept through the air. The spell slammed into Talos, and met some resistance as if a dampening or repelling field lingered over the lord. Impressive but not enough. Even the mighty wards of the Ministry of Magic had a limit. Harry shouted the spell with force and it pushed through the warding barrier, and the snapping of bones breaking echoed loudly. The spell's force carried the Lord Marshall back into the air. As he landed he skipped across the grass twice before finally crumbling into a ball. There was a swift surge of wind and a lion's roar filled the air, its echoing boom sending a feeling of elation down his spine, and making the hair on his neck stand on end.
The containment field faded and attendants rushed to their lord's aid. Harry didn't expect applause, but he wasn't expecting the curious glances from earlier to be replaced by thinly masked calculation or open admiration. Honestly he didn't know what he had been expecting but it wasn't this.
"That was incredible," breathed Elaine, staring with wide eyed awe. "I've never—"
Harry cut her off. "Later. Let's get out of here. I hate to think what would happen if I spent another hour here."
"Probably go head to head to head with Mother Summer herself," muttered Elaine, dryly.
"Uh, who?" Harry asked, watching the servants half drag half carry the bleeding form of Lord Talos out of the hall.
"The Queen Who Was," Elaine explained quickly, as Aurora approached them.
The Summer Lady regarded him with her penetrating inhuman eyes. "I knew you would prove to be a valuable ally and you reaffirmed my decision. You were Lord Talos better this day, and not many can match him in combat."
"Trust me," replied Harry, shrugging with one shoulder for obvious reasons. "I've had lots of practice. Lots."
Aurora considered his words seriously. "I have no doubt of that." She opened raised her arm and from her grip dangled a chin of silver. At the end of the chain was a circular pendant made of silver and in the center glittered a stylized oak leaf detailed in gold. "I would like to offer you this token, the Order of the Gold Oak. With it I name thee friend and ally of the Summer Court, Wizard Potter."
"Less gaudy than the Order of Merlin I'll say," he said thoughtfully, taking the offered pendant. He smiled at Aurora, but his next words were clipped and hard. "I'll be looking for any signs of betrayal always from you. You try anything against me and you'll find the Americans have an acronym for it. Ah yes, M.A.D."
"Mad?" asked Aurora, slowly.
Harry's smile only increased as he answered, "Mutually assured destruction."
Aurora nodded, her eyes going flat for a moment before they turned neutral. "You would be a fool if you didn't tread with caution. Man fears fire, always getting burned, and cowering from its blaze. But man also uses fire to survive, for without fire humanity would have long ago died away."
Said the spider to the fly.
Harry was about to make a smart comment to counter her pseudo advice, but stopped once he noticed the look Elaine was giving him. Instead Harry mustered up a tight smile and managed a small nod. He barely listened as Elaine made excuses for them and asked for permission to leave court and return to Earth. He was thankful that someone did it for him. He had enough of faerie politics to last him until the next decade. By the time they were stepping through a rift in the air leading back to the mortal realms, Harry had healed his shoulder and there was only a fading tightness from the repaired skin.
Their steps made barely a noise as they walked down the mostly empty sidewalk under the clear night sky of downtown DC. The tall white building of the W Hotel rose up in the distance like a pillar of ice that stood out in the dark of night.
Harry rotated his newly healed shoulder, glancing at Elaine out the corner of his eye. He gave her a curious look taking in her pursed lips and her pensive stare. Elaine sighed loudly after noticing his watchful gaze land on her again.
"Go on and ask whatever your about to ask?" she snapped.
Harry rolled eyes. "Must you always react like someone pissed in your cereal?"
She sent him a withering glare.
"Fine," said Harry, stuffing his hands in his pocket. "I've been wondering about what you said back there in the Nevernever. You told me how you ended up here."
"Figures you wouldn't let that go," Elaine muttered, turning her gaze heavenward. "It's like giving a dog a bone. You want to know my life story. It's like this. It starts like every story—"
"Once upon a time?" cut in Harry, not resisting the teasing smile that tugged at his lips.
The eye roll came right on cue. "No. Boy meets girl. I was just a kid. We were both ten and orphans…" her tone grew surprisingly soft as she recounted her tale. Harry was for once silent as those gray eyes turned inward, remembering. "We were each other's first love, first everything. He was my whole world. We even learned magic together. The man who adopted us taught us magic. We didn't know it at the time the time but he was a black wizard, and wanted us strong enough so we could come under his control and serve him. He-he—"
"He got you didn't he?" asked Harry, quietly.
She nodded. "He came after me and I was just a stupid kid." She trailed off angrily, clenching her fist tightly as she stopped abruptly on the sidewalk. She was caught up in the memory. "I became his thrall—he broke into my head—he laid all his will on me and I couldn't fight it—he twisted my thoughts— and I was forced to hold—"
"He made you kill your boyfriend?"
Elaine smiled sadly. "It wasn't about killing him— Justin wanted to control him and break him like he did me. The magic he taught me, the things he showed me," she shook her head, clearing her thoughts. "No matter how hard Justin tried he couldn't break him, and the next thing I fully became aware of was fire. It was everywhere. The house burned, even Justin— All his spells unraveled and I ran as everything burned. It was instinct. I was long gone before I even realized I was running."
"What about—" began Harry, carefully.
Elaine shook her head, half smiling. "No. He got away. He's still alive but he doesn't know I am."
Harry leaned against a newspaper stand and crossed his arms. "And why not? Do you think he wouldn't want to see you?"
"Not after what I did," said Elaine with regret and sorrow thick in her voice. She swiped a hand at the corner of her eyes and Harry had the decency to look away and pretend he didn't see it. Crying girls was never his thing. "That's not important. I toed the boundaries of the Laws of Magic. That's what important. You know as well as I do that the White Council doesn't react favorably when their laws are trifled with, so I found sanctuary from anyone trying to seek me. The longer they hide me the greater my debt to Titania, Aurora's mother and the Summer Queen, grows. Her protection is what has kept me safe since I was sixteen."
"Eight years," murmured Harry, frowning at the number. "That's a long time to build up a debt, Elaine."
Elaine tucked a stray hair behind her ear and sighed. "I know. I don't have much time left. I know Titania will be calling in my debt soon. They don't let stuff like this go."
"My new allies," said Harry, dryly. He laid a hand on her arm and smiled sympathetically. "For what it's worth, I'll use whatever clout I have with Aurora and try and get you out of what's coming."
"Thanks," replied Elaine, smiling at him honestly. "Aurora may be nice, but she's still a faerie and they always have plans within plans. I wonder what she's scheming?" she contemplated aloud.
Harry thought it over. What did the Summer Lady have planned that she may ever 'call on his aid' for? Honestly. He really didn't care about that for now. What he wanted to know was how great an ally she would prove to be? Theoretically she was the perfect person to go to with unusual knowledge of the arcane. Getting back to his world was going to take resources and skill that he didn't have access to. But maybe Aurora had it or knew someone who did.
The truth was Harry would at this point do anything for information on why he was here, how, and if he could go back home. So what he had just aligned himself with a soulless being for a bit of equal backing? He needed answers and he just hoped that in the end this alliance didn't end up biting him in the ass. He had an inkling of what Aurora was capable of, and he was sure she had the same idea of him. But the truth was, she truly had no idea how powerful an ally she just made. He wasn't grandstanding earlier. If Aurora backstabbed him then he would start a personal war against the entire Summer Court till either he was dead or them. Mutually assured destruction indeed.
This is the final chapter pre-Summer Knight. The next chapter will begin the part of the story that syncs up with the timeline of SK.