"So, how have things been going really since I was gone?" Harry asked as he helped himself to some of the lunch that Mrs Weasley had prepared. "We've not had a proper chance to catch up on things since I left, after all..."
"And quite an exit that was, Harry. Beat our exit from Hogwarts, it did." George spoke between mouthfuls of chicken.
"Still don't know whether or not to forgive you for beating us there..." Fred said.
"Unlike you, I didn't quite intend to make such a spectacular exit..." Harry rolled his eyes. "Oh dear, sweet Merlin, this food is delicious. I missed your cooking, Mrs Weasley. Magix has a lot of things, but its food simply doesn't compare to yours..."
Mrs Weasley looked pleased at the compliment.
"I must ask zis, Harry. Where were you going to go when you were een Diagon Alley? You were underage and had only just completed ze OWLs..." Fleur asked.
Harry noticed everyone at the table paying even more attention to him at this question.
"Well... I was being a bit hasty, in retrospect. I'd had enough of being cooped up at the Dursleys with no one friendly to talk to, especially after what had just happened with Sirius and all..."
Everyone went silent for a moment.
"I was thinking that I could go and travel a bit in the Muggle world. Lay low and all that. Try to live a little, unlike what I'd been doing here..." Harry shrugged. "But it worked out for me in the end, didn't it? Somehow found myself in Magix and a whole new world of opportunities was suddenly open to me.
"Literally," Ron pointed out.
"Quite true." Harry nodded in agreement.
"What's it like, going to school in this Magix place then?" Charlie asked.
"I really like it there. Hogwarts was good enough, but Red Fountain... It's a paramillitary school, so their subjects are more tailored to working in different areas of combat. Intelligence, field work, administration... and a whole bunch of other things. Nice mixture of theory and practical things too. You can learn to operate magical vehicles and weaponry... There's an actual dragon handling class... You'd like that..." Harry paused to take another mouthful of food.
"Dragon... handling?" Charlie looked ready to pack up and head to Magix right then and there. "They actually teach dragon handling at your school? With actual dragons?"
"Indeed. They're not so bad. They taught us basic care, about different breeds, how to deal with different temperaments, how to deal with attacking dragons... even how to ride on them and fly with them..."
"Watch eet, Harry. I theenk Charlie ees ready to go weeth you back to zis Magix..." Fleur giggled, setting off a round of laughter around the table.
"Isn't that... Isn't that dangerous though?" Molly looked concerned.
"It's certainly not without its dangers. They are dragons after all. But I got a dragon that seems to like me so it's all good. Her name's Freida." Harry spoke nonchalantly.
The rest of the table stared at him.
"What?" he asked as he looked up from his plate.
"You... you named a dragon Freida." Hermione spoke flatly.
"Why not? Seemed to suit her..." Harry shrugged.
"Better name than Norbert, that's for sure." Ron shrugged. "Speaking of which, never tell Hagrid about that or else he'll be wanting to come with you to Magix..."
"I have pictures on my cell phone, if you'd like to see them later. Of Freida and a bunch of the places and creatures I've seen in Magix. And of course, the people I've met there..." Harry offered.
"Harry," Hermione started. "cell phones are Muggle technology. We're in a magical house. Muggle technology and magic don't mix..."
"When did I ever say that this was Muggle technology? No, this is magical technology. Capable of much more than the non-magical variety..." Harry said. "The people in Magix are far more advanced than even the Muggles. They have the flying cars there- that were actually made to fly..." Harry glanced at Ron.
"They have teleporters. Teleporting machines. Not Portkeys. Not people teleporting- or Apparating themselves, but teleporting machines. Step into one, programme it to where you want to go and then, bam. You're there in less than a minute. Even if it's onto another planet, like if I wanted to go from Magix to here on Earth."
"That... That is just... amazing, Harry!" Hermione exclaimed. "Muggles have been dreaming of that sort of technology for decades now and these Magix people have had it widespread for years?"
"Centuries, actually. They're miles ahead of us in pretty much everything." Harry shrugged. "Was quite jarring to me at first, especially after living in the very outdated Wizarding world here in the U.K. I mean, they're outdated compared to the Muggle world and positively prehistoric compared to Magix and all of the other magical realms..."
"Gabrielle weel love to 'ear zese stories about zis Magix place. She ees, according to Maman and Papa, rather fascinated weeth eet all. She 'as made eet a life ambition of 'ers to see zis Tir Nan Og place, apparently..." Fleur said.
"She and the rest of your family are coming in for the wedding, of course?" Harry asked.
"But of course she ees! Of course zey are!" Fleur exclaimed. "She et Ginny weel be een ze bridal party as it ees!"
"How would she feel if she got to talk to my girlfriend, aka the Princess of Tir Nan Og herself?" Harry smiled.
"You would do zis?" Fleur's eyes widened.
"Why not? I'm sure Roxy would humour her if I asked. I'll call her later and let her know how I am and I'll ask then. She's asked me to check in with her every few days at least, while I'm here, what with Voldemort and the Death Eaters and all. And now with the Trix joining them..." Harry finished off the food on his place.
"Okay then. Enough talk. We still have a wedding to prepare for here!" Mrs Weasley declared, standing up and waving her wand, causing all the empty dishes to pile themselves in the sink as the rest who hadn't yet finished eating continued their meal with little chatter.
Roxy sat to dinner with her parents, her aunt and the Major Fairies in Tir Nan Og's dining hall.
"How has your training been going so far, dear?" Rick asked her.
"Not as well as I'd like. I'm learning a lot of things, but I've not unlocked my new fairy form yet. And it sucks..." Roxy thought the last part. "I actually miss flying much more than I thought I would..."
"Well, your wings are a natural part of you, Princess. It's bound to feel strange not being able to transform after you were able to before..." Sibylla smiled sympathetically at her.
"You'll have your wings back before you go off to Alfea again. Don't you worry about it." Morgana's tone was encouraging.
"I sure hope so, Mom. There are classes at Alfea that require me to be able to transform..." Roxy paused to take a bite of her salad. "Speaking of classes at fairy school, how's the school here coming along?"
"Slowly, but surely, dear." Nebula answered. "All of the students we have here now are commuter students. We gave them special bracelets to teleport to and from school in this realm and even then, there are only here for a few hours a day each day. As we get more students and put more infrastructure in place, we will have them here full time."
"Great. And by the time I've graduated Alfea, the school should be in full swing, right?" Roxy asked.
"We hope it shall be, Princess." Diana said. "And perhaps someday, in addition to your duties as Princess, you may teach there. I think that you may be a good teacher if you are so inclined..."
Roxy paused before answering. "I... I never thought about teaching much, really. I suppose it might be a good idea. I just have to survive Alfea first and then I'd consider it..."
"Diana is right, my dear," Morgana said. "You have improved leaps and bounds from when you first discovered your powers. Fairy form issues aside, you are doing quite well. The Winx provided an... acceptable foundation where we could not, then your teachers at Alfea who are very good themselves and us teaching you here this summer..."
"Consider it, Roxy. I agree that it is a sound idea. Now, onto other, regrettably less pleasant matters. The issue of the Death Eaters in Britain and what they've done to us." Nebula said.
At once, the mood in the room darkened.
"I knew this would come up again..." Roxy thought.
"What are you planning on doing, Your Majesty?" Aurora asked.
"I am speaking with their Ministry of Magic and their Department of Magical Law Enforcement. They are trying to gain more intelligence on this Lord Voldemort character and his lackeys and where they may be based. I am only sorry I cannot kill him myself. His multiple Soul Jars are out there... and I believe that one certain Mr Potter deserves the honour more..." Nebula nearly growled.
"Soul Jars... What are Soul Jars?" Roxy asked.
"They are things of evil most foul, Princess." Aurora answered. "They are things that are designed to keep your soul... your life force tethered to your world beyond its natural span. Evil aligned beings of all types... Fairies, witches, wizards... have been known to create them in the past. You split your soul to make one and to think of splitting your soul is horrible enough, but the act and magic required to do it..."
"What... how does one split your soul?" Roxy sounded horrified.
"Murder, Princess. Cold blooded murder. Combined with a dark magic ritual. Voldemort has made several of these. As long as they exist, he cannot be killed. Not by us, not by your... boyfriend... no one." Aurora finished.
"That's... that's... I don't even know what to say to that. Those Soul Jars have to be destroyed before Harry or anyone can kill him?" Roxy asked.
Morgana nodded. "Indeed. In Harry's world, they are called Horcruxes. He will have a long road ahead of him before he can deliver the justice he and his world needs..."
"I wonder why he's never mentioned this aspect of things to me..." Roxy thought. "Does Harry know?" she asked.
"Indeed he does, Roxy. He is the one who told us." Morgana said.
"Oh." Roxy said. "Oh. I see..."
"When we are informed of where Dana is being held, I myself will take some of my Warrior Fairies along and remind them that this Queen outranks their so-called 'Lord' in every sense." Nebula vowed.
All the Major Fairies and her parents made noises of agreement.
"Roxy, you need not worry yourself about this particular battle when it arrives. You will not be involved. For one thing, your magic isn't sufficiently recovered from the binding." Nebula said. "In future perhaps, when you have regained your fairy form, are better trained and have more control of your magic. And before you ask," Nebula took in the indifferent expression on her niece's face. "Harry will not be participating in that battle."
The rest of the meal continued in silence as Roxy mulled over what she had just learnt.
Voldemort had multiple Soul Jars... Horcruxes, as they were known in Harry's home world. All had to be destroyed for certain before Voldemort could be destroyed.
Poor Harry. He could never catch a break, could he?
"Ma sœur!"
Gabrielle practically flew into her older sister's arms as she arrived with her parents at The Burrow, speaking rapidly in French.
"Fleur! Eet ees good to see you again. Look at you, just about to get married in a few days..." a strikingly beautiful, older blonde woman had Fleur engulfed in a hug next.
This was the scene that Harry stumbled into the next morning as he came down from bed, having showered and gotten dressed for the morning.
"It's too bloody early in the morning for this..." Ron muttered behind him.
"Ron, it's after nine in the morning. That's late enough!" Hermione chided, entering after the two males.
"Harry?" Fleur noticed him. "Ron et Hermione?"
"Getting better at pronouncing our names, I see..." Harry heard Ron whisper to Hermione behind him.
"Yes? Your parents, I assume?" Harry inclined her head towards the beautiful woman and the man who accompanied her, who was significantly less beautiful looking. "I already know Gabrielle, of course..."
Gabrielle beamed at him.
"Oh yes. Maman, Papa, zis ees Harry Potter." Fleur addressed them. "Harry, zis ees my maman, Appoline Delacour and my papa Phillipe Delacour." she gestured to each as she spoke.
"Delighted to meet you, Monsieur Potter," Phillipe stepped forward and shook Harry's hand firmly. "Though I 'ear eet ees rather 'ard to find you, zese days..."
"Nice you meet you as well too, sir." Harry replied.
"And he ees so polite!" Appoline kissed him on both cheeks as her way of greeting him.
Gabrielle said something to her sister in French and she turned to him.
"Harry, eet seems as if Gabrielle wants to 'ear stories of your time een Magix. Your exploits are approaching legend een France as well, you see..." Fleur explained.
"Fantastic," Harry sighed.
Fred and George entered the room at that part.
"Look at our little Harry." George spoke first.
"Though he's not so little anymore, however..." Fred said next.
"Becoming a legend he is..."
"More of one, rather..."
"Always doing the impossible..."
"And he makes better entrances and exits than us when he does..."
"Pity, that..." they said in unison.
"You're never going to stop that twin speak thing, are you?" Ron asked, somewhat annoyed.
"What do you think, Fred?"
"You know what I think, George?"
"NEVER!"
Harry, Mr Weasley, Bill, Charlie and the Delacours burst out laughing at the twins' antics.
Fleur introduced the rest of the family as Harry, Ron and Hermione sat down to a late breakfast with them.
After enjoying the meal and going their separate ways inside the house and on the grounds, Harry found a nice spot in the grounds under a tree and decided to give Roxy a call.
"Hello, Roxy. How are things going in Tir Nan Og for you right now?" He asked as soon as she answered.
"Fair enough. I have more combat training with my aunt and I'll be learning a bit of Law from Sibylla later. Mum's even teaching me a bit of etiquette and such for the Young Royals Gala, since it'll be the first time our realm will be represented at a formal gathering and neither one of us wants me to make a fool out of myself..." Roxy answered.
She noticed The Burrow behind him in the projection.
"Harry, where are you?" she raised an eyebrow.
"In England. I told you so already." Harry joked.
Roxy glared at him, somehow resisting the urge to face-palm. "What's that... building behind you? How does it even stand up?"
"Oh, I'm here at The Burrow with the Weasleys. Everyone's bustling about getting ready for the wedding in two days and the Delacours- Fleur's mum, dad and sister just got here about an hour ago..." Harry answered.
"Looks like an interesting setup. How does it even stand?" she asked.
"Magic."
"But of course..."
"Gabrielle!" Harry heard Fleur call out for her sister at the same time he heard footsteps approaching him.
Gabrielle appeared out of seemingly nowhere, Fleur close behind her.
"Ah, Harry. I see Gabrielle 'as found you. She missed you..." Fleur rolled her eyes.
"Harry, who are they?"
If Harry wasn't mistaken, he could swear that Roxy looked and sounded a bit jealous.
"Roxy, I'd like you to meet Fleur Delacour and her little sister Gabrielle. I've told you a bit about them, remember?" Harry introduced them.
"C'est la princesse de les fées de la Terre, Fleur?" Gabrielle asked her sister.
"Oui, ma petite. Viens avec moi. Leave zem alone..." Fleur led her sister away.
"Gabrielle is apparently a big fan of the Earth Fairies, you see..." Harry explained.
Roxy looked bemused. "I have fans?"
"Apparently so. Gabrielle apparently, has made it her mission to come to Tir Nan Og someday." Harry explained.
"Maybe when all this mess with Voldemort and the Trix is sorted out, we can have people over here, but for now, my aunt has restricted access to Tir Nan Og to only the Earth Fairies, my father, you, the Winx Club and the Specialists..." Roxy said.
"Short list then. Should I feel proud to be on it?"
"Of course. Though when you get here, you may feel a bit differently. My aunt is going to be teaching you some combat magic, remember? If she doesn't go easy on me, what makes you think she'll go easy on you?" Roxy reminded him.
"She can't be worse than Voldemort, can she?"
"Oh please. Voldemort's got nothing on her..."