Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or The Chronicles of Narnia, nor do I make any profits from posting this fanfiction.

Summary: Non-Epilogue compliant. Harry, mid fight against remaining Death Eater factions, finds himself somehow transported to a strange world, Narnia. He learns to live, to love, and eventually to be a little bit selfish.

Warnings: Slash. Cross dimension travel. Character death. Murder, violence, fighting.

Pairings: HP/EP.

Chapter 17

His friends were worried. His acquaintances were scared. His colleagues were daunted. The ministry were cautious. The newspapers were whispering nonsense.

Harry didn't care.

He had taken a leave of absence from Auror training, which was granted on medical grounds after Harry said he was struggling with nightmares from the war. He was allowed a lot of leeway with that.

He spent his leave researching. He researched for any trace of Narnia in Wizarding lore. When he wasn't scouring those books he looked at healing spells which he might need if he ever wound up in Narnia again. He found out how to do expanding charms to make things bigger on the inside than on the outside. He bought a trunk that had sections in it which could also become smaller and carriable. Harry had bought loads of books, from common to obscure, and stored them away. He stocked up on clothes and boots. He bought food. He bought presents. He bought several broomsticks.

He packed a trunk of things he might need if he ever found himself in Narnia again.

When his research turned up nothing he turned to rumour, which also led to nothing. He asked Luna if she had ever heard of Narnia. He asked portraits. He asked his friends.

Nothing.

"Harry please! What's going on withyou?! I'm worried!"

"Don't worry about me, I'm fine!" Harry placated rummaging through a pile of books for some spare parchment.

"You aren't fine you're wild."

Oh Ed used to say the same thing about something completely different.

That stopped Harry dead in his tracks for a moment then he launched back into his search.

"Aha!" HE found some parchment. He grabbed a quill and scribbled down names and dates and what he knew of the Pevensie's past. He had a new avenue of research to look into.

"Harry please!" Hermione sounded desperate and close to tears. Harry spared her a quick glance. She looked white in the face, eyes wet with unshed tears and her hair more crazed than normal.

"Hermione I don't know what to say. I'm fine. I've just got a lot on my mind."

"But Harry, I'm worried about you. You dumped Ginny, you haven't been around to visit any of the Weasleys, you barely talk to Ron and I, there are some crazy rumours about you, and you're going nuts researching god knows what! Tell me what's going on, please Harry. Let me help. I can help."

"I…" Harry considered that. Could she help? Oh he doubted it. He loved her but she only believed things she read about. She wouldn't be able to believe him…unless he showed her. He should get a pensieve.

"Alright. I'll tell you. First I need a pensieve." Hermione breathed out in relief. "Oh, and do you know how to look up muggles who lived a long time ago?"

He knew Ed had been born in the 30's. He knew it was likely that Ed was dead now, and if not he would be a very old man. But he had to find him, he just had to. He was Ed's. As much as he teased and protested Ed saying that about him, it was true. Harry needed to find Ed. He needed to find a way back to him, no matter what.

"I…well not really." Harry huffed out his disappointment. "But I could help you find a way to do it! Like Andromeda might be able to help, she might know how to do it."

Oh Andromeda…that meant Teddy Lupin. Harry really should visit. Should, but couldn't just yet.

"Sounds good Hermione. You do that, I'll get a pensieve. Why don't you come back this evening for tea, I'll have Kreacher make something…or I can cook…" He adjusted his words on seeing her look. "I'll cook and then I'll tell you all about it."

Dinner didn't go well. Ron left in a huff before even looking in the pensieve. He didn't find Harry's words convincing at all. Hermione wasn't convinced and spent all evening in tears.

Then she looked in the pensieve. She ran to the fireplace immediately after looking at it and made Ron come back.

Ron reluctantly looked. He came out white as a ghost and had to sit down. Both Hermione and Ron were incomprehensible for a few long moments before Hermione rattled off a reel of questions.

They both didn't believe Harry completely, briefly wondered aloud if Harry had a delusion. But Harry could give such detailed descriptions of everything, they had seen evidence of aging in the memories, and Harry had the ring.

They believed him. They weren't sure they could totally believe it had happened but they couldn't doubt it and they could see now why it was so important to Harry.

The genealogy search was a long one because Hermione had found a person who was willing to do the research for Harry but it would take a few months to go digging through records. Because the war had been going on and the Pevensie's had been evacuated it would be hard going to locate them. So Harry was left with waiting. The most he had straight away was an assurance that the four Pevensies were born at the right time Harry thought they had been born at.

Nothing else.

Harry went back to work.

It was a few months before he heard anything about the geneology searches, and even then it was just to confirm that the birth records of all four Pevensie children had been found and that the researcher would be in contact with more information soon.

It was agonising for Harry. He tried to distract himself with work but he just got annoyed there too. His bosses were giving orders that Harry found ridiculous, and the training sessions were another difficulty that Harry just wasn't coping with. Oh he could manage with learning the spells, or rather he already mastered them because he'd taken all those spell books with him to Narnia. He was an expert on shields, his offense was brilliant and nobody could disarm him now in a duel. The problem was that the other aurors didn't like how Harry could knock them all over with wandless magic. He got reprimanded every day because he ended training scenarios with a wave of his hand.

Harry had thought about quitting but that wouldn't help matters either.

At least his friends could be counted on to help distract him, keep him interested, and keep challenging him. The old DA had got in contact and asked Harry to teach them wandless magic, which Harry had done. Slowly they were managing some spells and it was a huge achievement for Harry. The ramifications with the press and his bosses wasn't so great though. Fear mongering was rife.

"Are you alright Harry?" Asked George after one late night DA session. Harry sighed and shook his head, slumping down onto the mat.

"Not really, but it's nothing for you to worry about." HE dismissed. George wasn't having that though, he plonked himself down onto the mat opposite Harry and pinned Harry with a rather patient stare. Behind George Harry saw others pause in their leaving and hesitate.

"Spill Harry. Something is going on and I know Ron and Hermione know but we are your friends too. We want to help." George prodded, his voice carrying easily around the room making more of the DA pause and change their minds about what they were doing. Harry huffed and was about to wave off the beseeching when he caught Hermione's eyes across the room. Her expression was encouraging and her eyes were willing him to spill everything to his friends, his 'army', his trusted DA.

"Alright then, but you won't believe me."

"Try us." Romilda Vane said with a voice as sharp as nails.

"We've stood by you through a lot Harry, don't doubt us and we won't doubt you." Good old Seamus.

"Well…"

The tale didn't take long really, a few hours at best for Harry to describe how he found himself in Narnia, how things transpired when he got there, how he travelled a bit, how he fell in love. His story about Ed had Ginny nodding in understanding and realisation. He told them how the Pevensies had arrived in Narnia from London in 1940 and how they disappeared from Narnia during a hunt one year. Narnia turned on him, somebody poisoned him and he died, only to wake up back in Diagon Alley. He spoke about trying to find the Pevensies, about trying to find a way back to Narnia or about finding any mention of Narnia anywhere but couldn't. He told them how frustrating work was because of all his time and experiences in Narnia. HE told them how annoyed h was that the muggle research system was so damned slow! He vented and confessed and through it nobody doubted him.

"You…it's pretty unbelievable right?" He said self depreciatively once he was finished.

"Oh yeah!" Seamus agreed.

"You bet!"

"I'd be laughing if I thought you were joking." George confessed, "but there's no way any of that is untrue."

"Yeah we believe you Harry."

"It's not like you haven't asked us to believe the impossible before."

"You are usually right."

"Unbelievable is your life Harry."

"So what are you planning to do now?" Neville asked, voice cautious but eyes dark as he tried to work out some things.

"I don't know. Until I find out more there's nothing I can do but push on I guess."

"Rubbish." Neville shook his head. "That's not the Harry we know."

"Yeah man, you aren't the type to wait around."

"But what can I do?! I don't know how to do genealogy searches! I've searched through hundred of books but found nothing about Narnia. I'm at a dead end."

"Yeah I'll give you that. But from your story you and Ed and all the rest of them were just randomly taken from London to Narnia. Who's to say you won't be taken again?"

"Yeah. You did say 'once a King or Queen of Narnia, always a King or Queen. Sounds pretty ominous to me."

"I wasn't a King."

"No but you are a queen." Someone joked which earmed them a slap and a few light hearted giggles. Harry laughed too, it was a little funny but completely besides the point.

"The thing is Harry, you got taken to Narnia for unknown reasons and for you to arrive back in London after dying there…I don't know. All the random disappearances you described, it just sounds like Narnia isn't done with you yet. It probably needs you. Didn't that Louise girl go to Narnia a few times?"

"Lucy. And yeah she did. But I died there. That's pretty final to me."

"Bollocks! You died here 'n'all but I still see your ugly mug wandering around town." Lee Jordan chortled.

"He has a point Harry." Ron added which wasn't very helpful really.

"Dying is just the next great adventure." Ginny quoted.

"Don't quote Albus on me. And I've had two deaths by that count, and two extra adventures, so what else is there?!"

"Don't be so negative Harry."

"The Whopzingers are still attached to you." Luna's dreamy voice wobbled through everything and she shuffled forward on her knees to approach Harry.

"Luna I thought you were done with Make Believe animals now." Hermione groaned and Luna shot her a small smile before staring back at Harry with dreamy blue eyes.

"This Narnia is another home for you Harry Potter, and I think you left your heart there. Your Ed and his family were taken to Narnia to do something, or to learn something. You were taken there for the same reason. I don't think Narnia is finished with Ed's family, not completely. And if it's not done with Narnia then they will end up back there and so will you." Luna grabbed his hand and started twirling his ring. "Promises can be very binding Harry, and deep magic like love and oaths is an area nobody knows enough about but if it can save you from dying as a baby, and tie you to life in a great many ways then you can trust that it will bind you to Ed's fate."

Before Harry could doubt her words verbally or otherwise the rest of the group had their say on the matter, all agreeing until finally Neville put the cat among the pigeons.

"Which means you need to be prepared. You should take this opportunity to gather resources and learn about all the things you might need to know about when you go back to Narnia."

"You said you struggled with healing? Because I can help you there. I've just started an apprenticeship at St Mungo's." Romilda offered.

"And I've got an uncle who specialises in fencing. Well, he teaches it to Muggles because he's a muggle, but he knows other fighting techniques too."

"And I know…"

Dear Harry,

I took a short trip to visit Professor Sprout yesterday and we got to chatting about life beyond the Greenhouses. She asked about you and the others. I hope you don't mind but I mentioned you were busy trying to hunt down some old friends in the muggle world and she actually has a muggle friend who works for a Probate Research firm. She offered to contact her friend to see if they could help you out. I passed on as many bits of information as I could remember, the names and dates etc. I hope I got them right but the Professor knew to tell her friend to be lenient with the dates if she was helping us out.

And that brings me to the other piece of news. Professor Sprout says there's actually a child at Hogwarts now with the surname Pevensie. I don't know how common that surname is but perhaps that's an avenue we can look down?

See you Wednesday,

Neville.

Harry had to remind himself to breath. When he did te next few minutes felt like hours as he raced around the house trying to find parchment, quill, ink. He started writing a letter to Neville to thank him, then realised he couldn't send the letter, which meant he needed to go to Diagon Alley to use one of the postal owls. He could go to the Burrow and borrow Pig, but Ginny might be there…who cared?! And if he was going to go through all the trouble of flooing to the Burrow to send a letter to Hogwarts, why couldn't he just floo to Hogwarts?!

Harry raced to his room, got changed, then changed again into something a little more respectable, before running downstairs and snatching up the floo powder.

"Hogwarts Headmistress' office." He demanded, throwing the floo powder in and watching it turn the fire green. Then he shoved his head into the flames.

"Mister Potter, to what do I owe the pleasure?"

"It's a bit of a long story Professor. May I come through?"

McGonnegall offered him a wry smile and rolled her eyes. "It always is with you Mister Potter, but please, do come in."

"Thanks."

Harry stepped through the floo and went through all the customary social politenesses with McGonnegall before finally getting to the point of the matter.

"I recently experienced something quite life changing-"

"Yes, I am aware. It has been all over the news and people and my students gossip ceaselessly over what could effect such a change in you."

"Ahem, yes well…the thing is it was very life changing but it stopped and I want to find a way back to that place but to do that I need to find some people."

"Right."

Harry took a deep breath, feeling rather rude for leaving so much of his story out. He didn't like lying, but knew the importance of keeping the truth to himself in this case…at least for now.

"I've been trying to search for them in the muggle world but I've reached an impasse and am waiting on my contact to finally get back to me with information. However, Neville came here the other day and was chatting with Professor Sprout and one of the names of the people I was searching for was mentioned as being shared by a student here."

"Are you suggesting one of my students is involved in something illegal? Because I shouldn't need to remind you that you are not here in an auror capacity, and you need a warrant to arrest or even question my students." Her voice was cold as steel and her eyes were changing from their welcoming jovial light blue to a hardened cold pair.

Harry rushed on to reassure her. "No! No it's nothing like that! I'm trying to find…I'm trying to find somebody and I'm hoping that your student might descend from this person or their brother. I don't think the surname is common you see but I've still had a hell of a job tracking them down. I was hoping there might be a connection to one of your students and I wanted to ask them and see. With your permission of course."

"I…see. And you are certain this is not a ruse? Or linked with anything illegal?"

"Not at all professor. I promise. I just want to find these people, for personal reasons. It's really important to me. Please."

McGonegall thought about it for a few minutes before slowly nodding. "Alright, very well. I believe students break for lunch in an hour. Perhaps you could wait with me and indulge my curiosity until then, and we can send for this student to join us for lunch and you can discuss your private matters. I must, however, insist that I be present. I trust you Mister Potter, but I must protect my students at all costs and as such I should be present in the meeting."

"Of course Professor. But…well…there are somethings I'm not comfortable revealing just yet. Perhaps after our meeting I might tell you more but for now I'm not comfortable revealing it."

"Very well. Who is the student you'd like to talk to?"

"I don't know the first name, I only know their surname. Pevensie."

"Hm. I shall send for her. I believe the first years are currently in potions."

The hour seemed to drag by. Harry told the Professor about his current work in the Aurors, she talked about her students, Harry mentioned his new hobbies and how all th DA members had helped him get some more opportunities to learn different skill sets like Healing. That lead to McGonnegall wrangling Harry into doing a few classes and meetings with various year groups in Hogwarts to help inspire the student's curiosity and passion for learning. Harry reluctantly agreed when the other portraits started joining in and even woke up Dumbledore's portrait.

When there was finally a knock on the door at half twelve Harry nearly jumped out of his skin.

"Ah, come in please Rebecca." McGonnegall called and the door was opened tentatively to let a small eleven year old enter. She had no features that resembled any of the PEvensies Harry knew. Her hair was ginger, she had blue eyes that were far too light and bright. There was a smattering of freckles over her nose, which was perhaps reminiscent of the Kings and Queens of Narnia, but then many people have freckles. The orange of the girls curly shoulder length hair didn't compliment the yellow of the Hufflepuff colours very well, but it had Harry considering what house the Pevensie Royals would have been in had they come to Hogwarts.

No doubt Peter would have been in Gryffindor. Edmund would probably have been a Slytherin or a Gryffindor, he would have chosen his course like Harry had. Lucy would definitely have been a Hufflepuff. Definitely. She could be as fierce as a lion and would certainly fit into Gryffindor, but she was only fierce to protect her loved ones and was so loyal it was sickeningly sweet. Susan though…Harry wouldn't peg Susan for a Ravenclaw. Perhaps a Gryffindor.

"You asked to see me Professor? Did I do something wrong? Because I'm trying really really hard I promise." The girl, Rebecca, said softly with pleading eyes. She was wringing her hands nervously and there was a tell-tale tremble over her body from anxiety.

"You are not in any sort of trouble Miss Pevensie. Lease sit down." McGonnegall waved her hand to a spare chair in the room and Rebecca nervously shuffled to it. "I actually called you here because we were hoping to get your assistance on something."

"Me?! But I…I don't know much magic yet."

Harry stifled a laugh. Oh he couldn't imagine being that innocent. McGonnegall smiled at the girl and shook her head.

"Now, now, no need to worry. First of all, let me introduce you to Mister Harry Potter. Harry, this is Rebecca Pevensie."

"It's nice to meet you Rebecca." Harry greeted, trying to be as friendly as possible to reassure the girl.

Rebecca gaped at him. "I…you're…Harry Potter? The Harry Potter?"

"Yes, Miss Pevensie. The Harry Potter, who happens to be a wizard and here to ask you for some help."

"Me?!" She looked so shocked and in awe of him that Harry had to bite his tongue to stop himself groaning and rolling his eyes. He didn't like the adoration of fans. He still wasn't used to the stares.

"Yes. I'm hoping you can help me, because I haven't had much luck anywhere else."

"But…but how can I help? I only found out about magic a few months ago."

"You can help me because I am trying to find some people and I think you might be related to them."

"Really?"

"Yes, really. Can you help me do you think?"

"Of course I will. If I can." Rebecca nodded. "I don't know all my family but I know lots of them."

"Right well I'm looking for Edmund, Peter, Susan and Lucy Pevensie. They might be grandparents perhaps?"

Rebecca frowned heavily trying to think. "Um…my…my Granddad's name is Laurence and my Granny is called Phyllis. Granddad is dead now. He died when I was six."

Harry felt the hope inside him deflate and sighed, slumping in his chair.

"I'm really sorry Mister Potter." Rebecca warbled. Harry shot her a small smile trying to reassure her.

"No it's alright. I knew it was a long shot, I just hoped. Thank you for your time Rebecca."

Useless. Pointless waste of time and hope. Harry felt completely disappointed and deressed. Another avenue that was no good. Dead ends everywhere. He would have to just wait around for that Muggle researcher to get back to him, or that friend of Professor Sprout's to contact him. That could take months.

Harry hated the idea of waiting. He twisted the band on his ring finger. Edmund…He'd have to wait who know how long to find Edmund, or even just find news about him. How depressing.

"Thank you Miss Pevensie. You may go now and return to your friends, but I must ask that you keep information about this meeting to yourself."

"Of course. I won't tell."

"Very well. Off you go."

Rebecca hopped off the chair and walked to the door. Just as she was opening the door she paused and looked over her shoulder with a frown on her face. Harry considered the look and knew that curiosity would make him invite her to say whatever was on her mind.

"What's the matter?"

"I…I think I have a great Aunt Susan." She muttered, frowning hard and thinking.

Harry felt his heart stutter a little and told himself not to be so bloody optimistic.

"A Great Aunt?"

"Yes…she…um…I haven't seen her much. She…um…I think her name's Susan. I called her Susy as a kid. She is quite old. I don't know. I don't know if she's a Pevensie but she's on my Daddy's side of the family and Daddy's a Pevensie. Can I ask him? My dad I mean. Can I ask him about Great Aunty Susan?"

"Of course you can. Please do in fact." Harry leaned forwards in his chair his traitorous body soaring with hope and desperation. "Please ask. I don't want my secrets to be made public but please ask your family. I'd appreciate any help you can give me on this matter Rebecca, really."

"Ok. I'll owl my parents. They get so excited when they get an owl from me. How would I tell you when they write a letter back? How do I let you know?"

"You can tell me, and I will contact Harry for you." McGonnegal interrupted with a decisive nod. Harry nodded too, agreeing immediately. Anything. Anything at all if it would help him with his search.

Rebecca didn't stay long after that and neither did Harry. He stayed long enough to ask McGonnegall if she knew anything about a place called Narnia and to tell her that something happened to take him to Narnia where he met people out of their time. He did dismiss it all with a laugh and say that it could have all been a hallucination from too many bumps on the head, but McGonnegall huffed and declared that the strangest things always happened to Harry, so why would she disbelieve anything that sounded impossible and improbable that came from him?

"Cheer up Harry, or I'll practise my cheering charms on you."

"Sorry Romilda."

"What's got you all upset?" Romilda Vane placed her wand on the table between them and pushed away the medical textbook to make room for her elbows. She had helpfully invited Harry to study with her and teach him the healing spells she knew. She was training to be a healer in St Mungo's, but the apprenticeship was a long one and she had to do lots of studying and practising. Because Harry had shared that he wanted to learn so that if he ever ended up in Narnia again he could help people, Romilda had offered to teach Harry all she knew as she learned it. That meand he joined her in study sessions.

"It's been two weeks and I haven't heard anything from anyone about Edmund."

"Well thee things take time don't they? It was a lot of years ago that they were born."

"Yeah but that's a lot of years where there should be a mention of them or something. Unless…"

"Hey. Don't think that. Don't you dare otherwise I really will practise my cheering charms on you."

"How are cheering charms relevant to healing?"

"They change a person's mood and make them more comfortable in your presence and happier about you in general, therefore are more likely to confess any issues they are having or allow you to perform healing spells to help them. Cheering charms are also an immediate but very short lasting reprieve from deep depression."

They went back to practising their spells and researching. Harry had never considered Romilda Vane a clever girl, not a very down to earth one. The war had changed her though. Where once her thoughts had been concerned with his vanity, looking good and having a partner that people would be jealous of her for, she was now a hard working, dedicated and brave young woman fretting over helping people get better. She lost a lot of friends in the war, saw a lot of people die. Now she was doing all she could to help people because, in her words, she didn't want to hurt people or take them down – she wasn't strong enough to be on the front line. She admired the people who were though and wanted to support them, help them. Now she could.

"What do you think he'll be like now? Your Edmund I mean."

"He…he'll probably be old and wrinkled." Harry joked and Romilda laughed before slapping him lightly on the shoulder.

"No really!"

"Well he really will be wrinkled and old. He'll be over sixty. He…he'll probably still be ossy and in charge, fighting for one reason or another. He never liked to back down. He was a stubborn ass about most things and if he wanted his own way you could bet your life he would have it. There was no reasoning with him. If we…if we disagreed over something or I wanted something that he didn't want, then I'd have to wait for Ed to come around to the idea. Once it took him a whole year to come round to the idea of something. I can't really hold that against him though, because it took longer than that for me to contemplate being with him romantically. He had to wait me out on that one."

"Tell me." Romilda prompted. Harry half wondered whether she was getting him to tell her the story because she was curious or because she thought he needed to tell it. Perhaps it was a bit of both.

Harry dodged another curse and threw up a shield quickly with his hand.

"STOP! POTTER! What have I told you about using your hand for your spells!"

Harry rolled his eyes but dutifully answered. "Not to, because all your aurors use wands, because it is the only recognised form of casting spells."

"Exactly!" The trainer spat.

"Yeah because all the other Aurors are too stuck in their ways to use wandless magic." Ron and Neville laughed which maid their trainer turn an ugly shade of red and his moustache to bristle.

"Get out of my sight! Training is over for the day. Potter, I expect to see you in my office at 6pm."

Harry huffed and shrugged his shoulders. Of course the little man wanted to see him, but it wasn't like he could actually do anything to Harry. None of the rules prohibited wandless magic so Harry wasn't doing anything wrong. His trainer just didn't like him. Or Ron or Neville. They had started slipping up and putting some wandless magic into their training and auror work.

"Oh well, thakn Merliln that's over. Seriously, it's getting harder and harder not just cursing him." Neville groused and Harry nodded in agreement.

"Yeah I know."

"I might prank him. George has a few new products we could test out." Ron's offer was genuine but they all knew they couldn't actually do it.

"Anyway mate, I saw the owl on your table this morning. Any news?"

"Yeah actually. Rebecca Pevensie, that little girl at Hogwarts that you found out about Nev, contacted me. Apparently she does have a Great Aunt Susan who used to ba a Pevensie until she married some Lord Lewellyn-Browne. She has apparently not been very forthcoming about any other information, but has allowed a meeting. Rebecca's parents communicated that Susan is often lonely which is probably why she's refusing to talk, because it means people will visit her. I don't know though, I'm hopeful."

"Good. When's the meeting?"

"Next week. Saturday. Rebecca goes home for Christmas you see so I can tag along with her and her family from King's Cross and we will go to the retirement home their Susan is in."