Chapter Four: Meeting Mother

Harry and Y'shtola walked hand in hand through Hawthorn Hut on their way to New Gridania Harry looked at the homes and lives destroyed. The senselessness of it all brought tears to Y'shtola's eyes. For the rest of the Archons, it served as a reminder that they could not sequester themselves. Not when so many needed aid.

Y'shtola drew comfort from the warmth of Harry's hand holding her while she and the other archons walked through the twelveswood were though not directly in the valley when Bahamut was released. The damage the eikon caused was on a global scale. The devastation hit home as they crested the hill into New Gridania "Harry in mere moments we will sit and have a mug of mead and enjoy a well-earned…" Thancred drifted off catching sight of the carline canopy ablaze people frantically trying to contain the blaze. He started to run Harry fast on his tail

Harry raised his hand as he ran "Hominem Revealed." It did not take long for him to find the older lady pierced by long fragments of what used to be a wall that she lay atop 3 small children protectively lent desperation to Harry's next spell. "Aquamenti Maxima," for the barest moment harry had doubts the spell would even work here when a torrent of water flew from his extended hand into the heart of the inferno aiding the populous who were fighting to put it out.

The other archons moved to help. "What happened?" Thancred asked one of the guards who was hauling water to the building.

"One of the hell-spawned drone ships was attacking a column of refugees as they entered the city," the guard said throwing his water into the fire "It happened so fast, literally appearing over us and then raining down fire. Mother was in the canopy with a few young children I don't know if they made it to the lower level."

With Harry's help, the fire was under control in short order. Putting out the fire left him nearly exhausted dropping to his knees panting he laid face down on the cool earth for a few moments before forcing himself to his feet. "There is a lady whose body is sheltering three small children," he said his eyes drooping a little "I can try to get them out but I am likely going to be taking a dirt nap in short order."

Y'shtola frowned "Harry what remember what I told you?"

"I am not risking my life but I will be asleep for a day or two." Harry spoke in a tone that archons had come to know brooked no argument raising his hands again "Lignum Minuere" he incanted over and over again shrinking the various piece of debris into manageable sizes for going on three hours until they found Mother Miounne. Harry sat down at the gigantic aetherite, leaning back and letting the stress of the last week or so of his life drain away, and fell asleep. Y'shtola and the other archons formed up around him Y'shtola had laid Harry with his head in her lap. She watched, as the members of the conjurer's guild could not come up with a way to safely remove the wood without damaging the woman any further there was a murmur and Kan E Senna broke away from the conjurers her face grim trying to control the tears that were threatening to break.

"What news doth though bringeth my lady?" Urianger asked quietly

"Miounne is badly injured. We are not sure if we can remove the beam and heal it quickly enough." The slender woman looked torn. "I hate to ask given that he has already done more than we have a right to ask!" she broke off averting her gaze. "I am sorry Mistress Y'shtola I know you would seek to prevent him from harming himself I mean only to ask if his power might have a solution."

Y'shtola reached out to Elder Seedseer grasping her hand pulling her down to sit her and Harry "This is the very first moment I have seen him relaxed. He is young, yes. If he can help, I know he will help." She paused running a hand through his fringe and then traced the line of his jaw

Harry was dozing he felt warm and comfortable; he could feel Y'shtola holding him. He heard the elder Seedseer's question and let out an audible groan. He thought back to the night they brought Alastor Moody into the hospital wing. Dumbledore was bolstering his life with his magic until Madam Pomfrey put the older auror under stasis. Between the two they were able to stabilize the old auror. "My people do have a few spells that can help. I can at least try," Harry paused opening his eyes looking up into Y'shtola's pale grey eyes "There are two methods one where I could sustain her life while your conjurers heal her and the other where I put her into a kind of stasis long enough for your conjurers heal her"

Y'shtola found that she could not break her gaze from his bright green eyes "Are there any risks" she asked with a look that informed Harry that lying would be a bad idea "Harry?"

"You have to understand I learned these spells accidentally," Harry said slowly sitting up next to Y'shtola "However, my friend Hermione and I researched both the only risk would be if I were weakened or if the recipient of the spell were on the threshold of death it could take both of us if I were sustaining her life."

"Are there any other side effects?" Minfilia asked quietly

"Yes, I would like to know that as well," Kan E Senna asked "I would also know if we could examine you while you cast so we can maybe replicate the results"

"For the stasis spell no, for using my magic and life to sustain them yes," Harry said honestly but then felt he should clarify "If I were wounded it would not be a good idea for me to try that spell as it would most certainly be deadly to both of us. However, as it is I will likely sleep for a few days. I have no problem if you and the archons examine me while I work." Harry stood gathering his resolve "I will start by vanishing the piece of wood so if you want to start monitoring my magic start now."

Harry then watched as all the archons and various other casters prepared themselves. He looked at the woman and thought of her name People called her Mother. Seeing how she was injured protecting children he wondered if his mother would have done the same. Gathering his will he began casting "Evanesco…Sustenta Vitam," several things happened blood fountained from Miounne's Body. Her life force began to ebb but then the second spell took effect and Miounne began to breathe easier. Harry's breathing labored as his life force flowed into the older woman at a rate Harry could not control, Y'shtola saw the look of panic flash across his face. She stepped up and wrapped her arms around him she could feel him shaking. A group of conjurers went about healing the wounded woman.

The Elder Seedseer closed her eyes concentrating on the aether, then opened her eyes, and was amazed at what she saw. The aether was a like flowing wildly around and through the young man. She saw all the aspects including one she had never seen. One that was coming directly from him.

Papalymo had been looking at Harry and noted the amount of life force he had given and became concerned "Harry, let go of the spell now before you give too much." Seeing that Harry was lost in the magic, "Y'shtola you need to break the spell or we will lose him"

Harry was lost in thought thinking of his mother and as a result, poured too much magic into the spell bolstering the healing by the white mages. So deep in thought, he failed to notice they stopped and had not heard Papalymo. He was jolted back to reality with a sharp pain in his ear he turned to an angry Y'shtola "Harry stop!" looking a little sheepish he stopped and if he was tired before his exhaustion was now complete the only thing that kept him upright were the combined hands of Y'shtola, Ida and Minfilia. "You fool of a man you almost wove too much of your life force into your magic. It will take you weeks to recover…" She stopped and looked around and saw every looking at them.

Across the road, a comely young woman smiled as the legendary calm of Y'shtola Rhul lay in ruin by the young man's antics. Smiling to herself, she figured she could kill two birds with one stone she crossed over to the group

Y'shtola was going to continue when a young conjurer interrupted her. "Mistress Y'shtola I would like to do a diagnostic to see if there is anything we can do to bolster his life force?"

"That would be outstanding" Y'shtola admitted to the young healer "You have my thanks …"

"Myarri Haleth at your service," the young healer said casting her diagnostic; she was astounded his life force was regenerating at a phenomenally slow rate. "Could I get a senior healer over here I think there is something weird happening with my diagnostic spell?" A couple of healers gathered around casting their diagnostics after a few moments and some heated murmuring

"What is wrong?" Nanamo asked concerned for the young man's well-being looking at her slender friend "Your healers seem a tad out of sorts…"

The elder Seedseer nodded and then barked, "You are not going to do any other testing!" she paused "This boy has done Gridania a service that we cannot easily repay. He is not ours to do with what we will. That being said we need to get both young master Potter and Mother Miounne off the ground and into a bed" Kan-E-Senna said, "Master Thancred could you and Urianger take a squad made up of the great companies and take Mother and Harry to the Nopica's Altar?" The two archons nodded and when they were choosing Yannif volunteered much to everyone's surprise.

"If we had a score more like him. What happened at Carteneau would not have happened!" The gruff immortal flame said then looking around he went and found four poles "We need to make a litter we don't want to be flopping them around needlessly" the surrounding members of the great companies looked at Yannif "Move it Daylight is a wasting."

Myarri went over what she had found in her diagnostic. The boy was barely alive, He was malnourished with d, bones that were broken and were not set properly, and his body was a litany of scars. However, it was the last part of the reading that concerned her the most. His blood seemed to be at war with itself there was a poison loose in his blood and the twelve only knew what was keeping it at bay."

"Do you wish to talk about it Mistress Myarri" a small voice brought her out of her reverie causing her to look right into the eyes of the sultana. "Come it cannot be all bad, can it?"

"No, your grace but the bad certainly weighs against the boy." The healer went on to give her a report and in the telling her rage came out "He was abused and severely if the scars on his body are anything to go on. The axe master of the famed marauders of Limsa Lominsa has fewer scars. By the twelve whatever is in his blood should be killing him but damned if I know what it might be. Nor do I know why it is not."

Y'shtola listened as the healer gave her report and looked on as the litter quickly lashed together and Harry and Mother Miounne were carried away she nodded to the healer and turned to walk away when the healer stepped up and whispered "Keep an eye on him. His health is in danger but I do not think he will seek help willingly. Seen it other victims of abuse!"

"Thank you Myarri, I am sure Harry will thank you once he rejoins the world of the living," Y'shtola spoke quietly before following the company that went.

Later that night a shadow ghosted from Nopica's Altar back to the site of the Carline Canopy out into the central shroud once the figure was out of the city the night was cool but not yet quite cold winter was still two moons off. The figure skirted the northern edge of the Jadeite Thick for a bell and half again traveling 6 malms until they reached the Lifemend Stump. Looking back, the way they had come. The figure once assured them no one followed. A cursory search found the hole in the stump. Reaching in was a hair raising unsure if something was living within the stump until their hand touched the communicator was where she had been instructed to be there by their handler. They took a moment again to survey their surrounding before opening the communicator. "This is Nopica. Ident confirmation Argent-Thal-Dalmud-4-5."

"Report?" The command came as no surprise.

"Subjects name is Harry Potter. The subject is very powerful and very reckless. Upon reaching Gridania he assisted with the saving of Mother Miounne a notable pillar of the community after the pilot who was supposed to deliver me instead thought it wise to rain fire on Gridania against orders."

When the figure on the other end of the line was silent, the agent took that as a sign to continue "Harry Potter upon seeing a raging fire and lives in danger created a deluge of water assisting in quelling the fire. Then he somehow vanished the debris covering Mother and several children. I thought he had exhausted himself. While he was resting, the corps of healers were attempting to treat Mother Miounne and we came to an impasse we could not move the shard of wood that had pierced her and keep her alive. At the Elder Seedseer's request explained that he knew of two ways one where he could put mother into a form of stasis and the other where he could bolster her life force with his own, while the healers worked to close the wounds."

"Did he say if there were limitations?" the voice asked the curiosity evident in their voice.

"It is in my report that I just transmitted to you" the figure continued "He chose to lend mother his life force and damn near killed himself doing so. Included in my report is a record of the scan I was running while he did these things. It is my recommendation that we either take him now or eliminate him."

"Your recommendation is noted," The voice said "Keep watch for now, if you can insinuate yourself in his group of friends. Report again at the half-moon! "

"For the Glory of Garlemald, I Serve," the figure said turning back to the city.

The archons all rested around Harry and mother's bed. Mother had shown a marked improvement while Harry had developed a severe fever. The healers particularly Myarri Haleth worked diligently to keep the fever at bay. Everyone was surprised when just after the twelfth bell Mother Miounne opened her eyes "tell me the children are, okay? Please by Nopica's Grace Let them be alright!" she said with a groan

It was Thancred and Minfilia each taking a hand "Yes Mother, they are fine" Thancred answered, "But we almost lost you."

"I felt the shard pierce me and then nothing" Miounne admitted, "The healers are miracle workers."

"The healers had help. They could not remove the shard and keep you alive," Minfilia whispered shaking her head looking over at Harry trapped in the throes of a fever-induced nightmare "The newest and youngest member of our little troupe; Harry James Potter. Put out the fire surrounding you and then cleared a path to you finally vanishing the shard that pierced you and gave of his life force to keep you alive long enough for the healers to heal you."

"And the boy damn near killed himself doing it" Papalymo snapped only to be silenced by Yda placing a hand on his shoulder. Shrugging the hand away "He was reckless showing no thought for his own life and the effect that it would have on some if he were lost. By his own admission of how he came here, he is reckless. He could have died and none of us could have stopped it."

"Master Papalymo, calm yourself or leave. You know that how you feel directly affects the aether around you and can be disruptive in attempts to heal." Myarri Haleth said softly trying to calm the Lalafell, "Young Harry gives of himself and that is a trait to be respected not derided"

"Papalymo, Harry is used to being alone with not many if anyone to support him. He comes from an environment where he was …" Y'shtola tapered off looking to Myarri.

"He was abused" Myarri pulled the blanket away from Harry's torso. Though they had heard about the scars nothing prepared them for the number of scars. They could scarcely find an unblemished spot on his torso "I hope whoever did this to him burns in Ifrit's fire"

Harry watched the salient events of his life the death of his mother, Professor Quirrell disintegrated, defeating the basilisk and destroying the diary, driving off the dementors, Watching Sirius fly away, the death of Cedric Diggory, the resurrection of Voldemort, the fight in the graveyard. Finally, he watched the fight in the ministry of magic and the death of his godfather.

"Hear, Feel, Think" voice resonated in his soul "Unburden yourself, young master"

"I am no one's master," Harry thought to himself "if I were…"

"But you are" the voice coalesced into the form of Y'shtola Rhul "You are the master of yourself only you can make yourself do anything. You cannot control the actions of others. It is not who you are. You must let go if you are to become who you are meant to be."

"I don't understand" Harry mumbled

"Let me in, accept me, and accept your place in this world." The voice bade him "Let me help you"

"How" Harry pleaded only for the being to morph into Albus Dumbledore

"It does not do to dwell in dreams and forget to live, Harry!" the being said quietly "You must live a minute, an hour a day at a time. She waits at your side" the replica of Dumbledore flourished their wand showing him a picture of the tent he was sleeping in Mother Miounne was awake that alone caused Harry to smile but what he saw next made him sad Y'shtola was indeed at his bedside replacing a washcloth with another. She looked exhausted.

"Why won't she rest…what is wrong with me?" Harry asked

"Your magic flows from within you. Here magic flows through the world it senses you and tries to connect and infuse you. your body and magic fight against it as it is foreign if you do not integrate the two you will burn up."

Mother Miounne looked at the young man and then at Y'shtola and saw the depth of feeling the young woman had for the boy. "Y'shtola Rhul let the healers care for him you need to rest. Thancred can you and Minfilia get her into bed I will sit by the young man's bed if he should awaken, I will send for Y'shtola. The rest of you should seek your beds as well"

The Archons recognized the tone and the facial expression that accompanied it various mumbled 'Yes Mother'

Harry could see and hear Mother Miounne give the archons their marching orders. "I don't know how to open myself up like that."

"Earlier in the village of the sylph you reached out and touched me forging shield of aether and will." The entity asked shifting into the form of Luna Lovegood "How did it feel? How did you feel?"

"I…it felt like I touched the soul of the world." Harry admitted looking down "I felt like I could move the world. The power was intoxicating, it was too much and no one being should wield that much as much power as I had at that moment. When I let go of the power, I was both sad and relieved. I don't think it is a good idea for me to have that kind of power."

"I cannot make you less than you are young master!" the form said morphing into Hermione "Honestly Harry, If not you then who would you trust?"

Harry hung his head "How do I open myself up?"

"How did you open yourself up to me?" the form shifted again into the form that made Harry's thought process scream to a halt Y'shtola in very tight Hogwarts uniform "Umm, wow!"

Y'shtola was out the moment her head hit the pillow on her cot her thoughts led her to dream of Harry she could see him talking with a being that shifted form until the being turned and looked at her stopping all movement in their area. The Miqo'te stance became defensive "Peace Y'shtola Rhul, we are here for the like purposes"

"What purposes are that?" She asked carefully "What have you done with Harry?"

"To save the young master's life" the entity spoke soothing the Miqo'te a bit "Harry's magic is fighting the magic of the lifestream. That and the myriad of other things that have happened in his short life is killing him. Having no connection to the aether of this world is not helping. I cannot force the connection."

"What would you have me do?" Y'shtola asked a sinking feeling had come to rest in the pit of her stomach she had said she would answer him favorably but that was supposed to be down the road. "You wish me to bond myself to him?"

"No, although that has already begun" The figure shifted into the form of her mentor Master Matoya "Help me forge a connection with him that he may live!"

Hearing that Harry was killing himself and that the connection between the world and harry could not be forced "Why can you not force the connection?"

"Because he blocked it. He felt it was too much power for any one person to handle." The crone-like visage of her former master said grimly before shifting a form a final time into the form of Louisoix Leveillieur "Were it any other man I would agree with him but he is not nor will he be any other man." Please will you help me save him from himself?"

"What would you have me do?" Y'shtola asked

"Well am planning on merging with you for one bell" The figure faded from physical existence as she felt something touch her skin and suddenly she felt a warmth the likes of which she had never felt. She also noted her clothes had changed she was wearing a very short, very tight outfit that showed off her body in a way that made her feel very confident. It also made her uncomfortable before she could bring her voice to her concern "Apparently women in Harry's world sometimes dress like this as perverse as this sounds this is our opening Harry touched my soul but would not take what was offered as a result the magic he has channeled has damaged him. This form and your connection and your desires for one another may save his life. Are you ready?"

Y'shtola nodded and opened her eyes looking around everything was frozen looking down she saw she was dressed as she had seen. Thankfully no one else would see her like this. she left her cot and made her way back into the room where Miounne was watching Harry sleep.

Y'shtola stepped up to the cot Harry was sleeping on his body wracked by the fever that reared its ugly head only scant hours ago. Time began to flow again Mother Miounne was surprised to find Y'shtola Rhul between her and what she had come to think of as one of her kids she was even more surprised when Y'shtola spoke her voice took on an unearthly choral like sound "Harry I need you to awaken."

Harry could hear her voice and knew she was close to him. Blearily tried to open his eyes as he did he saw Y'shtola was indeed dressed like the naughty Hogwarts student from his dream and it was all he could do not to invade her space. "Harry earlier you touched my soul and rather than taking the power as was offered you rescinded your grasp." Y'shtola's voice reverberated through Nopica's Altar "We beg of you if only to save your own life to live by her side. Please take what is offered."

Harry could feel the being in her and thought about trying to expel it. Y'shtola spoke, "Let me help you, please let us in?" She pleaded to help him into a sitting position. tracing the line of his jaw with her hand she could feel the fever that was coursing through his body. Turning her head she latched on his lips with a kiss that made Harry's heart jump. Instinctively he wrapped his arms around her until his hand rested on her firm backside. his brain engaged. Noting again it was leagues better than his time with Cho. He felt a nimbus of light leave Y'shtola and surround him probing and striking at him looking for a way in "Let me help you please?" a voice that sounded like Minfilia and Y'shtola begged him.

"As you wish," he said in a small voice cringing as he thought whatever was going to happen would hurt "will it hurt?" his voice a whisper that made Y'shtola's breath catch in her throat

"You may feel a moment of discomfort as I forge a link between you and the lifestream." The voice reverberated around them "Too long have you been on your own with little or no support… No more." The nimbus of light that had been probing Harry permeated his body as it did so it corrected many of the things the healers were concerned with purging the fever, healing the bones that healed badly, wiping away all but the very worst of his scars, and building muscle that had not been there before. Most importantly, Harry felt and saw his eyes change ever so slightly as his vision cleared. The ordeal was not without its downside Harry felt weak and clung to Y'shtola

Miounne was moved by what she had seen and heard she stepped up to the cot and wrapped both archons in a warm hug "If ever you need a person to talk to, a shoulder to cry on, a meal or place to sleep you will always be welcome in my home."

Harry felt Miounne's touch and for a moment, he began to pull away when Y'shtola whispered in his ear "Let her in!"

"I am tired," Harry said looking at Y'shtola "and I know you are exhausted." Resting his hand on the bed, he whispered "Engorgio!" The bed grew just enough for the young couple to snuggle comfortably. "Stay with me Please."

Y'shtola looked at her clothes and was surprised when the clothing morphed into a short nightgown she nodded and lay next to him. Harry for his part lay on his side pulling her against him they both nodded off in loving embrace leaving Miounne to tuck them in before going back to her own bed and letting Morpheus claim her. Tomorrow would be a new day.

Authors Note: I have received a few messages from people who are unhappy that I am writing a new story and not finishing the ones I have already started. The person in question says that as such the story in question must be abandoned. I am very much ruled by muse when my muse speaks; I write if it does not speak, I do not write. I find trying to force the story out will only serve to poison the creative well. So I want to be clear here so there is no room for inference of my stories the first version of beyond the pale and Dark order are the only stories of mine that are abandoned everything else I look at every other week to see if the muse will give me anything.

In other news this coming Wednesday, I am moving home after three years of being away from my family my work has granted my request to have a home office.