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 Fifteen: Harry verses Harry
by: Water Mage
Harry couldn't stop his mind from racing. Too much was going down at once. The Jade Court was on his back, the Courts were going to war, and Elaine was down. The last thought he kept coming back to. Elaine and Harry weren't exactly Winter's friends at the moment after their visit to Mab, but he hadn't expected the abrupt retaliation. It was him, after all, who reassured Elaine that nothing would happen, and that Mab wouldn't strike at them. He obviously jumped the gun.
"Do you think that we should go back to where you found Elaine?" asked Harry as they crossed the lot of the hotel. "Maybe get a clue about her attacker?"
Dresden let out a chuckle. "Better run home, kid. You'll miss the latest episode of CSI."
"Drop the kid nonsense. I'm twenty four," said Harry through clenched teeth. "You're twenty seven. It's not calculus."
"You set the tone," replied Dresden with a shrug. "I'm just going with the flow. I already know who did the hit and run on Elaine. It was the Winter Knight."
"Are you sure?"
The taller wizard nodded. "Positive. I'm pretty sure he jumped her while I was meeting with the Winter Lady. He was looking a little too smug when he entered her throne room. The Winter Lady, Maeve, power smacked him around a bit when he delivered a knife that she claimed was useless. It was coated in blood."
"Elaine's blood," murmured Harry. His eyes widened as he connected the dots. "They're going to work a spell on her."
Dresden smirked. "The blood was dried out and worthless for what she wanted. He'd been burned. No doubt Elaine called fire and rained on his parade."
"Have you met with Titania?" asked Harry.
Looking very tired, Dresden ran a hand down his face. "Just the Ladies and the Winter Knight, I haven't seen Mab or Titania."
"I can guide you to Summer proper so you can question Titania. I have to tell her about this and something else as well," said Harry. He clenched his fists and glared at the ground. "When this is over I'm going to hurt that Knight."
"No, you're not," said Dresden, smiling at the incredulous look Harry aimed at him.
Harry narrowed his eyes. "Enlighten the audience as to why."
"Because," Dresden replied in a deadly voice, "I want to do it."
Harry stared at him a full moment. "Against my better judgment, I'm beginning to like you."
"Fight it," Dresden deadpanned.
Harry ran his hand through his hair and jerked his thumb at a nearby payphone. "I have to make a phone call. When I'm done we're going to Summer."
He crossed the lot to the phone before Dresden could reply. The older wizard was probably going to tease him about using his lunch money to make the call. Harry could see it on his face. He dialed a familiar number from memory, watching Dresden lean against one of the battered looking vehicles in the parking lot.
"Hello?"
A smile stretched across his face hearing the feminine voice. "'Lo, Mum."
"What are you doing in Chicago?"
The smile fell at the anxious reply. "I see Dad called you. I'm in Chicago helping a friend. What's he even doing here? I thought he was off doing something for the Venatori?"
Lily's sigh came through loud and clear. "He is. I told you he was in Illinois representing the Venatori for the White Council war meeting."
"Next time you'll have to specify a city so I can be on the lookout. If he had a gun he probably would've put a bullet in me."
"He's still hurting," she said softly. "Don't let what he said eat at you. What did you say you're doing in Chicago again?"
He rolled his eyes at her unsubtle dig into his personal life. "I didn't. Let's just say I'm in the thick of things over here."
"Why don't I like the sound of that," said Lily dryly.
"You know me I like to live dangerously."
Lily made a disparaging noise. "Since you're obviously not going to tell me what it is you're involved in, be careful. Believe it or not your father and I would both be hurt if something happened to you."
He chose to not comment on that. Honestly he didn't believe her. James would throw a parade if he was killed. "I'll talk to you later. I have to go."
Harry hung up. He sighed and glared up at the sun as a trickle of sweat of rolled down the back of his neck. Maybe if the world didn't end he could talk to Titania into cooler summers. He was an English boy. He wasn't built for this ridiculous heat. He sauntered over to Dresden.
"I can't create direct routes to Lux Sanctum like Aurora," said Harry. "So we'll have to go to the closest entry point, which is a couple miles north beside Lake Michigan."
How in the hell did he know that? Harry racked his brain for a moment. Was the bit of Summer in him strong enough to have a connection with the Nevernever even on a different plane. He really needed to sit down one day and find out what the foreign power could do.
"We'll take my car," said Dresden.
Harry took notice of the car and cringed. It was a small two-seater, an old Beetle if memory served correctly. It used to be all one color at one point and time, but that was years ago. Both doors had been replaced. One green and the other white, and even the storage trunk's hood had been replaced with a faded red duplicate. Harry dragged his eyes off the car to stare at Dresden.
"You're kidding."
Dresden blinked. "About what?"
"Does it even run?" Harry asked eyeing the dent ridden and, were those claw marks, car. "I have to tell you I doubt our chances of making it up the street."
Dresden pinched his lips together. "Get in the car."
Harry's expression was skeptical. "I'm not pushing when it breaks down on the way."
The taller man let out a long suffering sigh. "I know that attitude anywhere. Elaine's been rubbing off on you. Get in."
Dresden revved the engine giving him a smug look. Harry rolled his eyes as the car backed out of the space and took off like a bullet out of the parking lot. If awkward silence was water then they would be drowning in it right now. Dresden noticed too because he cleared his throat and shifted a bit in his seat uncomfortably as they continued along the shore of Lake Michigan, taking the city streets instead of the highway.
"So how'd a wizard end up married to a faerie queen?" asked Dresden.
"My smashing good looks might've had something to do with it."
"Lucky you," Dresden drawled. "Any words of advice for dealing with your mother-in-law?"
Harry arched an eyebrow. "Don't piss her off."
"Speaking from experience?"
A memory of neverending gold light swam through his mind accompanied by torturous screams of what had once been a faerie lord who forgot his place. He blinked and the vision faded away. He noticed Dresden was still waiting on a reply.
"She's a faerie," replied Harry. "It's just a rule of thumb."
"Also don't feed them after midnight and don't get them wet," added Dresden with a laugh. "You got anything else besides that obvious bit of advice, boy genius."
Harry was tempted to advise him to rave on and on about Oberon, but then he would be washing blood out of his clothes at the end of the day. He settled for a shrug and a "go to hell" which made the older man snort.
When they get near to the entry point Dresden parked the car in a lot that stretched along the beach. Harry let his feet do the walking as they crossed over to the sandy beach and passed the bathing suit clad mass of swimmers. He got a curious glance for his sport coat but people outright stared at Dresden. The man's staff and black leather duster, in the middle of June, made him a strange sight indeed.
Harry eyed the long duster. "Please tell me you're wearing that coat for a reason other than making you look badass."
His lips quirked. "It matches my eyes."
"You look ridiculous."
Dresden shot him a superior look. "Can your coat stop bullets?" At Harry's surprised expression, he nodded and continued, "Didn't think so."
They had walked a good deal away from the crowd till they appeared as tiny specks in the distance. Harry looked out toward the waves and then further out at the nearby beach houses. This was the entry point. He could feel it. He pulled out his wand and focused a little bit of magic into the wood. He flicked at the air focusing on the incantation, Aparturum.
The space before his wand fell away as if someone had thrown a rock at a window. A large jagged hole appeared in the air, its edges glowing softly from friction of the two exposed planes intermingling. On the other side were a stretch foothills and plains, green as far as the eye could see, all belonging to Summer. Dresden watched him with a speculating expression.
"What?" asked Harry.
Dresden gestured to the Way between worlds. "I've never seen a Way created like that. I just kind of punch my way through. It was like space fled before you. Slick stuff, kid."
Harry smiled, large and bright, entirely false. "Thanks, Professor. Five points for Gryffindor?"
The other wizard frowned. "Uh, sure."
Harry gave a half smile. "Let's go, old boy."
He stepped into the rift as Dresden silently mouthed old boy, and then stepped through a moment later.
.
Trekking across the plains of Summer was tons easier than managing the frozen terrain of Winter. Loads easier. Lux Sanctum was tucked on a peninsula at the point where a river streaming from a green valley flowed into an ocean. The spectacular citadel was a sprawling castle made of white stone. With the sun shining behind it was like a star on the coastline.
They walked into the atrium with the towering statues and center fountain.
"Titania doesn't do anything small does she?" said Dresden softly, letting out a long whistle as he gazed up at the statues of the Queens standing under the domed ceiling. "Do you live here too?"
Harry shook his head. "Rent's too steep." He gave him a long look. "You know what? You ask an awful lot of questions."
"I'm a detective, it's what I do," Dresden said with a small smirk. "And so far I've put quite a bit together on you. You and Elaine genuinely are friends, so you do have a heart. You tend to evade questions with sarcasm, meaning you don't trust easily."
Harry shot him a reproachful look. "Refrain from psychoanalyzing me, if you please."
He awarded Dresden a point for not continuing. He detracted it right away as the annoying man smiled and looked overly pleased with himself when he noticed Harry's sour face.
Harry gazed around the atrium, searching for an aid amongst the fae. He flagged down a handmaid. She was a faerie girl with green braided hair and a stoic expression, who bowed once she recognized him. With a curt nod upon his request, she immediately led him straight to the Queen.
They walked through shining corridors adorned with paintings of people and scenery, tapestries, and stone statues that glittered in the light. Servants bowed before Harry and he could tell Dresden was dying to make a smart comment, but was tactfully keeping it to himself. Mahogany double-doors adorned in gold opened into a warm, comfortable parlour.
Two guards stood at the door garbed in fine armor. They walked three steps down into the main area of the parlour where in the center stood a long table covered with unfurled maps. Titania gazed over maps with a critical eye, dressed in a red gown with a flared collar that touched her chin. A young man no older than thirteen or fourteen, clothed in fine silver mail, poured over the maps as well. His features were delicate and only came up to her shoulders, but his hair was long and straight, and Sidhe white. As they neared, the faerie boy was speaking.
"…We've managed to hold them off at the pass through the Unseelie Mountains. But they grow bold and their numbers increase, my queen."
Titania nodded. "They can't breach that pass no matter what. It's a direct route from Arctis Tor. Order a battalion to muster to that position." She looked up at the new arrivals with a somber expression. "The guards at the North Gate sent a messenger ahead to tell me of your coming. What can I do for you, son in-law and..."
"Winter scum!" the Sidhe boy spat, glaring at Dresden.
He moved with fluid speed, launching himself at them with a swiftness that belied his size. Harry threw himself from the Sidhe's path. The pissed off fae crashed into Dresden and they smacked into the wall with a thunderous noise.
"Forzare!"
Invisible force lashed out between Dresden and the boy faerie's grappling bodies, striking the Sidhe with the strength of a battering ram. It threw him across the room like a ragdoll and he fell into a bookcase. He jumped back up, throwing woodchips and books everywhere, and was crossing the room in rapid leaps.
Cutting in, the younger Harry swished his wand and ropes whipped through the air. They wrapped around the faerie till they bound his entire upper body. "Down boy," Harry said, firing off a Stunner.
The faerie flexed and the magical bindings snapped and fell to the floor in tatters as the Stunner struck him at the same time. He shrugged off the spell like it was a mild annoyance. The Sidhe glared at Harry with narrowed eyes swirling with fury. He flicked his wrist and a scimitar appeared into his waiting hand. Both wizards blinked. Uh oh.
"Calm down, short stack, can't we talk about this," Dresden began, eyeing the curved sword.
The Sidhe's lip curled up into a sneer. "You dare set foot here, Winter whore!"
Younger Harry would have found that funny if the Sidhe boy wasn't tearing across the room at a terrific speed. Harry apparated out of the boy's way rather than get mowed down. Short jumps were fine, but apparation over long distances would require a little bit more juice, like Summer fire. He reappeared behind the boy's back and launched a Blasting Curse at point blank range.
The Sidhe boy did a spin like a football player and the curse whizzed through the spot he once occupied. Harry flicked his wand and a couch morphed into a snarling timber wolf. The transfigured creature sprinted across the room in a flash of gray fur. The scimitar came up as the wolf launched itself into the air, jaw aimed for the jugular. There was a soft whine, a splash of blood, and the wolf fell in two pieces that landed on the ground with matching thuds.
The Sidhe turned around from glaring at Harry just to see Dresden snarl, "Ventas servitas!"
A burst of wind gathered underneath the Sidhe, hurtling him into the air with fantastic speed. He smacked into the ceiling with a sickening crack and then landed on the floor. Instead of knocking him out, the Sidhe rose to his feet with a thin trickle of scarlet blood oozing from a gash above his left eyebrow.
"Have you had enough?" asked Harry, watching him with a sharp eye.
The sidhe boy frowned. "I will not hurt you, my lord, but the snow lover cannot be tolerated."
He took the wizards by surprise by uttering a word in a foreign tongue, sending a tightly packed ball of fire and wild magic directly at Dresden. The elder wizard brought his arm up and his bracelet shined as a glimmering shield formed around him with an energetic snap. It took the brunt of the attack, making him skid backward, but the force was too much and he was required to dodge as a second attack followed at near light speed.
Hoping to catch him while distracted with Dresden, Harry's wand arched through the air, and the Sidhe barely spared him a glance before throwing his scimitar. The sword cut through the air like a spear aimed at Harry, as the Sidhe ran to Dresden dagger in hand and hell in his eyes. Harry flicked his wand and the sword burst into a trio of doves. He apparated in front of the Sidhe, as he leaned over Dresden's fallen body dagger poised to strike.
They all froze.
"You see the way my wand tip is glowing green," said Harry, glaring into those furious cat-like eyes. "You may be faster than me but there's no way you can dodge at this range. Let me tell you that this will be the last thing you'll ever try and dodge."
There was a distinct clicking sound and in Dresden's hand was a revolver with the barrel jabbed into the Sidhe's gut. The sound was of the hammer being cocked back. He glared at the Sidhe and said coldly, "Lead bullets anyone?"
"That's enough, Puck."
Titania's voice came through like a bell, clear and piercing, and it was startling. Harry had forgotten she was in the room. She stepped away from the guards whom once stood at the door, but had formed a protective shield before her once the fight began. The sheer authority of her was voice was enough for Puck to rise to his feet and snap to attention.
"Your point has been made. That will be all for today, General," she said without malice. "Remember my earlier orders. You are dismissed."
Puck bowed deeply, glared one last time at Dresden, and departed without another word.
Harry pulled Dresden to his feet. He was unharmed except smoke rose from the right shoulder of his duster where the second attack clipped him. He turned his dark eyes on Titantia who was watching them patiently.
"Who the hell was that?" demanded Dresden. "What was his problem?"
Titania laughed. "You'll have to forgive Puck. He's not a fan of Winter and the war is exasperating his dislike."
"You called him general," said Harry. "That little guy is seriously in charge of your entire army? I get he's good, but don't you have older men."
"As the Final Frost is to Mab, Puck is to me. I call him my Little Knife. Do not let his looks fool you. He's no mere boy."
Right. This was the court of illusion. That kid was probably older than he and Dresden combined, and that schoolboy face was probably glamoured to hide his true age. There was no telling how old he was, except for skills. He was too damn good to be as old as he appeared. It was a little disturbing to think that Titania's personal assassin liked to walk around looking like a teenager.
"I had expected the Emissary at some point but not you, son in-law," said Titania, staring at him with a touch of curiosity in her eyes.
Harry sighed. "Elaine's injured so Aurora asked me to work with him."
Her expression grew clouded. "What has befallen my Emissary?"
"I think it was the Winter Knight," said Dresden, stepping forward. "She was injured badly. I don't have any proof however."
"Treachery to their very bone," said Titania with an annoyed sigh.
"I think it might've been in retaliation to a certain Sidhe's head being gifted to Mab while we were having an audience with her."
Titania waved her hand and said impatiently, "Don't speak in riddles, boy. What are you talking about?"
That was unexpected. He thought she knew about this by now. Harry frowned. "I'm talking about Yahkphrust's head being sent to Mab right as we were questioning her. She was pissed. Truly and utterly pissed."
Her annoyance vanished in visible mirth, and she smiled. "How delightfully crude."
Harry's eye twitched. "Did you do it?"
"I had no hand in that deed," she answered. "I suppose that's in the missive one of Mab's messengers sent to me earlier. I hadn't gotten around to reading it."
"I don't know if I believe that," said Harry, polite yet still doubtful. "You weren't too quick to stop Puck during his little rampage."
Titania crossed her arms. "You are the Summer Lord. Puck wouldn't have deliberately harmed you."
"What about me?" Dresden asked, glaring.
She arched an eyebrow. "You're not the Summer Lord." Harry opened his mouth to further question her when the air grew thick with a pressing heat. Titania narrowed her eyes and said slowly with a deadly edge, "I've given my answer. Do not make me repeat myself."
Harry's mouth snapped closed without a sound. Pissing off Puck was one thing. Angering Titania was not even the same league of nasty.
"I have some questions to ask you," said Dresden, looking a bit relieved, as she reigned in her power. "It's about the Summer Knight."
Titania looked at Dresden, really looked at him, and a smile spread across her face suddenly. "Yes, ask your questions, Emissary." She turned to the younger Harry. "You may leave, Harry. What we have to speak of is not for your ears."
He started to argue but the hard stare was enough for him to know that it was a losing battle. Dresden was shooting him a questioning look that might as well said, 'is this chick going to eat me', to which Harry just subtly shrugged and departed through a side door.
"Merlin," he swore, striding down a corridor. "I hate this place."
It was always something when he came here. Servants and couriers saw his anger and backed against the walls, clearing the path for his long strides. They stared at him as he passed, and then hurried off to no doubt gossip amongst the castle's inhabitants.
So if Titania hadn't sent Yahkphrust's head then who did? Why would they do it in the first place? It had served only to put their lives in danger. Who would want them dead exactly? That was a lengthy list. Hopefully Dresden's interview with Titania goes better than Elaine and his had with Mab. He wasn't too sold on the idea of them two chatting alone, but Dresden was a big boy.
He didn't know where he was going. He didn't care. It was only till he entered a part of the castle that he didn't recognize that he did indeed began to care. It was empty of people and eerily quiet. He passed a heavy looking black metallic door seemingly out of place among the light colored corridors. The handle jerked and twisted, and instinct took over before he could give thought. He moved quickly beside a statue and wordlessly cast a Disillusionment Charm. It felt like a flood of cold water ran down him as the charm effectively made him like a human chameleon.
The door opened and there was a click of hooves and a centaur slowly appeared. He was broad-chested, shirtless, bearded, and suspicious as Quirrell during his brief stint at Hogwarts. The creature looked both ways, casting searching eyes up and down the corridor. Harry got a good look at his face then and recognized that fierce-looking mug. Korrick. He was the blacksmith for Aurora's court. He wasn't one to leave his forge, and during these times of imminent war it was prevalent that weapons be in abundance. Korrick shut the door behind him and departed quickly down the corridor.
Suspicious, very suspicious. What was he up to?
"Finite Incantatem," Harry murmured as he entered through the black door. The disillusion cancelled and it was with slow footsteps that he walked into a surprising sight.
The room he found himself in was made of quartz. It was a clear crystal that didn't so much look like it was placed there, but rather carved out. It pulsed with that same otherworldly energy that coated the black ice within Arctis Tor. This living crystal radiated light like the morning sun, filling the room with a bright glow. As Harry entered the glow pulsed threateningly, but settled after a beat as if he had been scanned. He looked around and caught sight of a passage cut into the crystal. Well only one way to go. He entered the narrow passage. His foot caught on a rock and his swear echoed along the walls of crystal.
"Hello, anyone there," a timid voice called out.
Harry stilled as the voice reached his ears. Briskly he took off further down the corridor till he stopped at a door that looked like the one he first entered. There was a small rectangle cut into the door and Harry called out into the cell.
"Hello? Anyone in here?"
"Please – help me," a little girl's weak voice echoed softly.
His saving people thing was in full force as he opened the door and stepped through. The room was painted in symbols, every square inch of it was covered with them. All of them were unfamiliar, but the largest covered the ground. It was a circle with strange slanted writing tracing its outline. The entire sigil glowed with a green glow, and resting in the center was a girl. No more than eight, the girl sat on the ground in a plain white dress. Covering her wrists and ankles were long shackles bolted to the floor.
Blue eyes, heartbreakingly sad and framed by white blond hair, peered up at him. "Please…"
"Bloody Hell," he swore stepping forward.
"Help me," she pleaded.
"Shh, calm down," he said, running his eyes over the symbols. "I'm going to get you out of here. Don't worry."
Harry studied the glowing sigil and the script. He had done a lot of studying of dead languages in his research to get home. These bizarre glyphs looked almost Sumerian, maybe some throwback version, like a proto language. He stared around with a frown. A hunch was forming with a rising dread the more he stared and took in what he was seeing. The symbols on the walls and ceiling looked like a collection of shielding spells, heavily layered, and used in such a way they could bind and entrap possibly even an Outsider. Empowered, as these were, there was no doubt the girl wasn't as innocent as she claimed. This was the Alcatraz of prison cells fortified greater than even Azkaban.
Harry stepped away from the girl. "What are you?"
Tears pooled in her eyes as she inhaled with a soft whimper. "Won't you help me?"
"How'd you get in here?" he asked carefully, watching her intently.
She sniffled. "The bad witch locked me in here."
His eyes flicked to the glowing sigils. Well shit if Titania looked the little girl in here then it wasn't because she drew on the walls. This room wasn't for slaps on the wrist. Whoever this little girl was she was good, but he was no fool.
"Nice try," said Harry, crossing his arms. "A good show I give you that, but come on."
The girl stared at him a full moment then a slow smile, almost shark like, spread across her face. She rose to her feet. "I have to admit. I thought that would work."
Harry blinked at the too deep voice that poured from the girl's throat. She smirked and then laughed and laughed, as her body shifted and changed. In the blink of an eye where she once stood there was now a man. Harry took a step backward, surprised. The man, no it was a Sidhe, had snow white hair streaked with blue. Blue eyes, so light and blue, shined almost fluorescently bright and unnaturally inhuman. A deep scar started at the top of his right cheekbone and ran down his face, and the side of his neck, till it disappeared under his collar. His skin was burned and raw as the iron cuffs shifted around with his sudden growth.
"You must be great at parties," said Harry. "For the record, you came on a little strong."
The Sidhe man didn't laugh. He stared at Harry with an utterly blank face. "Once the rulers of Seelie would have taken enough pride to terminate a mortal who didn't know his place. Now they allow them into the Summer Court royalty. Pathetic."
Harry rolled his eyes. "Gee, and here I thought I was fitting right in."
"It's inevitable you know," said the Sidhe. "Change is coming. War is on the western wind. I can smell it. Take my hand, human, and help me punish the big bad queens."
"Someone has a death wish," said Harry.
The Sidhe looked at Harry and they met eyes and he felt light headed. Weightlessness grabbed his body and he shook his head to try and clear his fogged mind. His heart pounded so hard he could feel his pulse against the back of his throat.
He extended one hand toward Harry. "Take my hand, Harry. Come on, little prongs. Listen to my voice. You know it's me."
Laughter filled blue eyes and wavy dark hair wavered onto the Sidhe's features, as his face shifted between the faerie visage and one he knew so well. Sirius smiled at him, wide and bright, and it was impossible. Yet he couldn't stop himself from letting the words, and familiar voice, swim around his fog filled mind. Dazed, he stared into those blue eyes he hadn't seen since he was a teenager.
He shook his head.
"We can get out of here, Harry. Just take your godfather's hand."
Harry threw off the glamour the same way he shook Mab's. He found his voice and it came out through clenched teeth, "Fuck you. Sirius Black is dead, asshole."
Once he felt the glamour waver it was easy to shake its hold and he saw the Sidhe for who he truly was. Sirius' features faded and he was looking wholly at the Sidhe. Harry's fists were clenched so tightly tiny crescents had dug into his skin drawing a bit of blood. He stared at the blood welling in the cuts and it helped him focus his mind. Pain was good. It made him feel something other than what someone forced onto him.
"Maybe Aurora had a reason for marrying a human after all. Not many can withstand my glamour."
"I aim to impress."
The Sidhe regarded him still as a statute. "I never said I was impressed."
"How did you get inside my head?" asked Harry glaring. His Occlumency was better than that.
He was answered with a dismissive, "You saw what you wanted to see."
Harry frowned at that. That couldn't be true. Could it? He knew he had some dead people issues, but was he really still not over Sirius. He thought he was. He was sure of it. Damn, maybe there was a shrink appointment in his future.
"Who in the hell are you anyway?" asked Harry hotly.
He smiled and it was slow, filled with dark humor, and completely alien. "I was the King of Sunrise. Husband to Titania. You can call me Oberon."
Harry swallowed a mouthful of fear as his mind screamed at him rogue, rogue, rogue. This was bad as bad could get.
Oberon leaned forward till the chains jerked him in place. His eyes gleamed darkly. "You want to know what makes Faerie Kings go bad?"
And end up like him. Hell no. Harry stumbled back out of the room and slammed the door shut, as Oberon's laughter escaped through the cutout in the door. It followed Harry down the corridor all the way to the front room till he escaped from the dungeon all together.
He didn't gather a breath till halfway down the corridor that led to the dungeons. He swallowed thickly as his racing heart slowed to its normal rhythm. Fear gripped him tight and shook him to the core. How could he not be scared? He heard the rumors of the faerie king, and how his deception was so strong it was only talked about in the softest of whispers. Bringing it up not only brought memories, but it had the penalty of Titania coming down on you like a hammer. He couldn't imagine how she would react to his little visit, no matter how accidental, with his…father in-law. Maybe she would be as nice as to just raise his body's temperature so high that he died from overheating. The worst was slowly burn his skin from his body. He would be damned before he told her anything.
It took almost fifteen minutes before his mind brought up a little bit of information that he forgot. He went in there for a reason. He was following Korrick. What was the centaur doing visiting the disposed King of Summer?
It didn't take him long to find a corridor that he recognized and from there to familiar settings. Harry found himself in the atrium pacing under the gigantic statues of the three queens. It wasn't long before Harry spotted Dresden walking toward him his staff clenched loosely in his grip. His dark eyes were flat and his whole face was ashen white.
"Dresden," said Harry warily, as the man neared. "What's wrong? What did Titania do to you?"
He shook his head. "She didn't do anything. She just talked." He continued talking and he didn't even look aware of what he said next, "She knew my parents when they were alive. Both of them."
Dresden seemed to realize what he said and then he blinked hard, and wiped his hand across his face. A little bit of color appeared in his cheeks and the look in his eyes wasn't so apparent. Harry saw his hard look and knew that talking about it wasn't an option.
"Let's get the hell out of here," said Dresden.
Harry couldn't agree more.
.
The sun was sitting on the horizon as twilight set in. They walked across the beach back to the parking lot. The little car was right where they left it and Dresden snatched a parking ticket off the windshield with an aggravated sigh.
"Two days till Midsummer," murmured Harry, staring at the setting sun.
Dresden faced him with a grim frown. "We need to match up what we know. I'm going to need you to be straight with me."
"Why would I try and lie?" said Harry narrowing his eyes. "The world is on the line here."
He shrugged. "You're the one knee deep in faeries."
"And so were you're parents," Harry shot back.
Dresden's face twisted in anger, and Harry was sure he was about to get punched. The moment passed and Dresden's shoulders sagged. He took a long breath and Harry did likewise. They were going at each other when they were supposed to be helping the other. This was getting them nowhere.
"Look you don't trust me," said Harry. "I get it. I don't know you and you don't know me. I say we get to know each other. The rough and dirty way."
Dresden smirked. "I don't know. It's only our first date."
Harry rolled his eyes. "Funny. I'm talking about a soulgaze. Right here, right now."
The taller man leaned back against the door of the car and said quietly, "Are you sure? That's not always a great idea with me."
Harry could say the same. People tended to check their sanity for a minute after witnessing his. "Positive. Trust is what we need and this is one hell of a building block."
Dresden pushed off from the car and leaned his staff against the door. "Fine. Let's do this."
Harry took a breath as he faced Dresden. He looked up and locked eyes with the wizard. When a wizard of this world looked you in the eye they could see into your soul and see the truest depths of your being. And, like a double edged sword, they could see you in the same way. They looked at each other and saw.
There was Dresden standing in a sea of white light. It was pure as snow and radiated goodness, innocence, warmth, and courage. He was barefoot, clothed only in jeans and a dark blue shirt, as he stood in the ocean of white light. He spun around as darkness ruptured the serene sight. Within the darkness were creatures that shifted in the inky black light that ebbed and flowed like water, as it poured forth in a massive tidal wave. They howled and screamed in unholy wails and Dresden's arms came up, light bursting from his hands to battle the darkness. Chains shined around his ankles that led into and disappeared within the ichors of blackness.
Harry could see it all. There was darkness inside Dresden's soul. It was a blackness that wanted to deal deeds with might rather than right. Loneliness lingered about his aura, but that didn't matter. He spent most of his life alone. That wouldn't stop him from fighting the dark with the light that shined greater than the darkness in his soul. It was tempting. It was. Light however prevailed as the dominant force within. That kept him strong, focused. He would protect those from knowing their own darkness in their soul. May the spirits have pity on any that made an enemy out of him. Anger him enough and there would be no mercy.
Harry blinked as the world came into focus a second later, which felt like minutes. "Well damn."
Dresden stumbled back, his mouth opening and closing, as he stared at Harry. His eyes were on him but he was looking passed him. "Infinity times infinity equals infinity. So many versions. Possibilities…"
"Dresden," called out Harry sharply, gripping his arm. "Dresden!"
The second shout did the trick and the wizard blinked quickly, his shoulders relaxing as he came to. "Your soul…it's unbreakable. I don't know how else to put it." He took a deep breath of air, staring at him with wide eyes. "Do you have a twin or are you a triplet or something?"
Harry shook his head slowly. "No."
"It's was like looking at multiple versions of you… all at the same time," Dresden tried to explain, much to Harry's every growing confusion. He waved of the hands trying to help him as he grabbed his staff. "I'm alright."
"I got to say, I really do trust you now," admitted Harry.
Dresden chuckled as he opened the driver door. "After that it'll be hard not to."
The shorter wizard nodded and then slipped into the passenger side. "We both know what will happen if we betray the other so let's not get into that."
Letting it go unsaid was best. Both had witnessed what would be brought to bear upon an enemy.
Dresden started the car and pulled out of the lot. "Break out your Hardy Boys books, English. We've got a case to solve."
"You think you're so funny."
"I know I'm funny."
That answers the question as to how strict this will follow the plot of Summer Knight. It's already starting to veer off course. Some things will be the same, but there's going to be a lot of changes, major and minor, that will have an impact on both Harry's.