I do not own nor possess any right over Harry Potter and World of Warcraft, all rights belongs to their rightful owners.
Really appreciate all the reviews you all write. As I've said in the AN of chapter 1, I take in account your reviews and do minor changes to the story to improve it. Since most of it is already written nothing too big changes but I feel like it matters a lot.
There's been a few questions about Harry's magic. It isn't gone, it is different and Harry can't access it yet but it will come in due time. He wouldn't be Harry Potter without the magic.
Just this very chapter that was originally 4300 words turned into 5100 thanks to those comments.
Please comment/review.
Thank you for your patience and good reading.
On the other side of the portal, was a sight that once again took Harry by surprise. The Obsidian Sanctum was located at the foot of an active volcano spouting lava all around, a large part forming a small river around a large island at the centre. Three elevated platforms stood at the other cardinal points, and she was standing at the south of it, watching with awe and shock the lava slowly moving all around. There was nothing but lava. And hardened lava. Everything else seemed to be an ever falling rain of ashes, with embers slowly flying in the air and smoke billowing above it all.
She did not expect a place really filled with lava even if Nozdormu just told her that, it had seemed incredulous and impossible. Apparently, it was possible.
Extending her wings, she flew to the centre of the room, onto the small island where she got a full blast of the heat, which turned out to be no more than a warm candle. Feeling curious and hoping that Nozdormu had been entirely truthful with her, she got closer to the lava and at a snail's pace, dropped a claw in the melting lava.
"It's warm." She noted as she put more of her foreleg in. She should be burning. She should be suffocating with the ashes. Yet she wasn't.
It was all too much. Too much impossible just turned possible. Too many things happening at once. And unlike before where she had her friends to support her, she was completely alone now.
Taking out her claw, a few drops of lava dropping on the hot ground, she let herself lie down heavily, letting her lungs exhaling all their charge.
How much did she wanted to go back home, to turn back to normal, be a human once again, was indescribable. Her heart ached so much, pained of how much she had learned. Perhaps she had a place in this new world, but she was not ready to leave the one she grew up in, where all her friends were probably thinking she was dead. She still had so much more to do, so many things that she, Ron and Hermione swore to do together when they would get the opportunity.
And Luna. What happened to her? Was she even all right? Harry had no way to know, and it was killing her. Maybe her lunatic friend got burned by the orb? Could she have landed in this world too? But if she had, Nozdormu would have probably told her already.
A few tears started to run on her cheeks without she taking notice of it, too deeply engrossed in her thoughts, rolling down until they evaporated on contact with the warm ground.
Speaking of Nozdormu, how could she know that he was saying the truth? If he knew the future, he could easily say the things that he deemed necessary to manipulate her, perhaps he lied about there being no way home. But at the same time, dragons here seemed to be almost godlike, capable of speech and magic, living thousands of years, the opposite of the dragons back on Earth.
Now mourning at the thought of never seeing any of her friends ever again, she did not notice the guard exiting the portal. He had stood there waiting for her to take notice, but he couldn't wait too long, choosing to go down toward the lava pool she was resting in front of.
"My Lady?" He called.
Raising her head, not even surprised by his appearance nor by the way she was called, she simply elicited to listen to what he had to say.
"Queen Alexstrasza requires your consent to enter."
Did Nozdormu told her to come? Did he knew how she felt right now? The thought was a little disturbing, but she pushed it aside for now. And did she even wanted to see the Queen now?
"Tell her to come in, please." Harry finally decided, hoping for some answers.
Trying to clean her face, but not doing how to do so because of her draconic morphology, she stood up straight and waited for the Queen to arrive.
Her large silhouette shimmered in existence until she was completely here, her eyes instantly locking on the lone black dragon at the centre of the room. A simple flap of her wings was enough to let her glide all the way down, landing in front of Harry as a small frown showed on her face upon looking at Harry.
"How are you doing child?" She asked nicely.
"I… have difficulties still figuring all of this." Harry replied, not wishing to expand her problems to the Queen.
"Being the lone keeper of the survival of your flight is no easy burden and perhaps I have been too hasty in seeing you taking it." Started Alexstrasza.
"I actually haven't thought about it yet." Interrupted her Harry a bit darkly.
"Oh? Then would you mind sharing what troubles you so much? What could elicit worse answer than you screaming in terror at the thought of being a broodmother?"
Now was the moment that Nozdormu talked about. But she didn't feel like sharing her story, with a stranger, a Queen.
"Did Nozdormu asked you to come?" She asked instead.
"Ah, so my brother is at play. No, he did not. I have come because I wished to have a few words with you about your role in dragon society and how our acts can shape the world of mortals." Replied Alexstrasza with a chuckle.
"He told me to tell you my whole story, that I should be truthful with you." Harry opted for the truth.
"Then fear not, you do not have to tell me today. I have millennia of existence on my back, I can handle waiting a little more." She gave a reassuring smile.
"No, no, I think it might be better to tell you now. It's just, so much happened recently. I- I lost my friends, my life, my world." Said Harry as tears welled up in her eyes again. The thought of losing all those she lived with in her live was once again destroying her. She had lost a lot in the past but Ron and Hermione had been constants in her life and now they simply weren't there anymore. Not dead but simply so out of reach that they might as well be.
She did not expect Alexstrasza to move next to her and to lay down, opening a wing, and bringing it on her back with a little bit of strength, forcing her to lie down too. Harry shivered at the unexpected and unfamiliar touch, feeling it both foreign and slightly invasive. She tried pushing it back with her own wing but only managed to put a little bit of distance between he two of them.
"I will listen to your tale child. Know that you can tell me everything, you won't be judged for your thoughts and actions until I hear the very last word." Solemnly said the dragon Queen.
And so did Harry started to spill her whole life, starting with the fact that she was not from this world. She went on to explain her own world, what it was like before her birth, the uprising of Voldemort, the sacrifice of her parents and the beginning to her life at the Dursleys. For what felt like was hours she spoke, without restraint, she told everything: her time at Hogwarts, the friendships she made, the people she met, her adventures with Ron and Hermione, learning magic, fighting monstrous creatures, meeting her godfather Sirius, the Goblet of Fire tournament and its hard challenge to steal from a dragon which did got a little scowl from Alexstrasza but not a word just as she said. How it ended up with Voldemort returns, the atrocities that followed and her fight against evil, the many things she had to do to find all the horcruxes, destroy them and losing Dumbledore on the way.
Her emotions were running high when she arrived at the death of Sirius, the torment she went through after that and then her fight against Voldemort himself in the ruins of Hogwarts, among the cadavers of monsters, Death Eaters, and many friends. The victory on Voldemort, and how it was both a release and an incredibly painful moment that left her happy to be free but pained due to all the sacrifices it took. Then she went on about her life, her becoming an auror and finally coming to the present, when Luna called her, found the orb, and was brought here against her will, transformed into a female dragon.
"…and now I'm stuck here. I will never see my friends ever again, they probably think that I died touching that damned orb. I just don't know what to do." She finished as she banished a little tear.
During her long monologue, Alexstrasza had remained perfectly silent, only bringing the younger, distressed dragon closer to her when the tough moments started and tightening the hold when it became harder again. More than once did she gave her the time to gather herself, to let herself cry the few tears that she had from all those years and from knowing that it was now lost to her.
After a couple more minutes where Harry took a few deep breaths to calm herself, the Queen answered.
"Rarely have I ever heard such a tale, young Harry, and yet I have lived for millennia and met peoples whose lives were ruined beyond repair. I have seen many horrors, took part in some, and was part of some of the worst moments of our history. But where I had so long to put an end to them and to recover, you merely got a decade to deal with so much." She said with a profound expression in her eyes.
Sniffling, Harry looked up to the red dragoness, drinking her words.
"Thank you for telling me your story Harry, I now understand why you were reticent to tell me the truth and I can promise you that your secret will be safe with me. Is there anything else you'd like to tell me?" Asked the dragon Queen.
A few thoughts ran through Harry's mind, clearer now that she had someone to talk to that knew the situation she was in.
"I asked Nozdormu about what I should do now, but he only told me that you could help me find my purpose here. Do you know what I should do?" Decided Harry.
"I can help you by telling you that you're asking yourself the wrong question." Replied Alexstrasza.
"Excuse-me?"
"It's not about what you should do. Stop worrying yourself for a moment about what you should do and think about what you want to do, if there's anything that you'd like. Your whole life seems to have been directed by necessity of survival, to live up to the expectations of your world, perhaps it would do you well to follow what you desire." She suggested.
Thinking about it, Harry was about to object her word to say that she had followed her desires before but stopped when she realise how true the dragon Queen was. Was there a moment in life where she did something for herself, without being forced or influenced by anyone or anything? Not that she could remember. Maybe when she, Ron and Hermione were in first year and investigated the mirror of erised, that was motivated by their own curiosity.
For what had been almost her entire life, she had been living for others or living in their consequences. Voldemort was the origin of most of this but he wasn't the only responsable, Dumbledore perhaps had good intentions when putting her with the Dursley but he clearly never really cared that much if the childhood she had was of any proof. He did started to influence Harry's life when she arrived in Hogwarts and gave a few push here and there to make sure she would be ready to fight Voldemort. She was just as thankful for that as she despised it, unknowingly being a tool for so long until she learned enough to see it.
"I- I thought I did follow my desires before. It seems I haven't." She finally said lowering her gaze.
"Then I believe you have already found a new path to follow. Tell me, what do you want to do? What have you always wanted to try?" Pushed Alexstrasza.
"Some of my wishes are probably to be left for my old world as long as I haven't seen this one. But, now that I am here for long, as a dragon, I'd like to see more of it. From what I've seen this world has so many differences, so much more diversity compared to mine, I was truly shocked to see so many races gathered together and having a good time without any animosity. It's very refreshing." Replied Harry as she thought back about the little she had already seen of this world.
An appreciative nod was the Queen's answer. Harry couldn't believe how good it felt to have told her whole life to a whole stranger, someone who did not know her as a hero and unaware of her past, with a completely impartial and outside point of view. It felt like a titanic weight had just been removed from her shoulders, even if it wasn't completely gone.
"I will help you in your future quest. The archives of the temple are open to you anytime, simply consult Tyrygosa. If you want more information about our world, it might be best to not start too long ago, what shaped the world you see today happened mostly in the last fifty years." Offered Alexstrasza.
"Thank you very much. Both for this and for listening, it feels good to say it out loud." Thanked Harry.
"You're welcome child. I believe all is said but there is one more thing that I would like you to think about when coming to dragons."
"What is it?" She asked not having a clue of what it could be.
"I do not mean to appear diminishing, but your name has nothing to do with dragons, and we give a grand importance to our name. I know I'm asking a lot, to banish one of the last ties with your home world, but the sooner it will be done the better."
Just like the Queen said, she was asking a lot. Her name was now the only last thing that was from Earth if you excepted her memories, losing that would mean be someone else. Someone from Azeroth.
"I- What's wrong with my name?" She asked reluctant to the idea.
"It has no links with dragons. I don't want to say that your name must look like those we have but... your name is simply unfitting of a dragon." Replied Alexstrasza.
Well she did have a point on that one, Harry had to concede it. Harry the dragon. Just thinking about it showed how unimpressive it was. But that didn't meant that she had to let go of her name. It was the one that her parents choose for her, perhaps one of the only thing she still had from them along with her family name.
"Do I have to?" Asked Harry unsure.
"It would be for the best." Came the reply.
Harry tried to think of a good reason to deny but Alexstrasza's words were true. She didn't know what the names of everyone else looked like but just those coming from the dragons were both very unique and so different from those she was accustomed with. Just Alexstrasza's name was proof of that. And Harry didn't really wanted anything like it, finding it too long and complicated to her taste.
"Then can you help me choose?" Harry asked.
She did not expect to see Alexstrasza freeze at the question, staring at her with pure shock as if she had just said the most impossible thing in the world.
"Child, are you sure with this?" Asked Alexstrasza, now the one slightly unsure.
"Yes. Why? Is there something wrong?" Wondered Harry slightly concerned.
"My apologies, I simply forgot that you weren't always a dragon. We usually choose our name the moment we are out of our shell and capable to talk, for one to let another choose a name is judged as an extreme mark of trust and even a bond. A familial one." Alexstrasza answered as she seemed to lose herself in her thoughts, a slight nostalgic look on her face.
"Well, I don't really know what dragon's names are, almost all those that I've head are very complicated ones like Azuregos and Devrestrasz." Replied Harry doing her best to recall the far too complex names.
"I understand. And for reference, don't forget to call Devrestrasz along with his title of Lord. As for your name, I accept the honour you're giving me." Bowed Alexstrasza, putting Harry in an awkward spot as the dragon Queen was still towering over her.
"Please, don't bow to me, it feels weird. And I do trust you." Smiled Harry before frowning. "But I certainly won't bother with Devrestrasz's title if he keeps acting like that. I truly know how important titles can be but to me he seems very unbefitting of his."
"Maybe but I have assigned him as Commander of Wyrmrest Temple Defenses and he takes his role very seriously. I will concede that he can be a bit forceful but its all for a good reason, he simply want to make sure that we're all safe." Continued Alexstrasza.
"Somehow I'm not convinced. I'm sure that if Azuregos hadn't been there he would have killed me and then interrogated my body." Harry replied very seriously.
"Was he truly that hard on you?" Asked Alexstrasza apparently slightly surprised.
"Depends if you consider crushing your throat being forceful or not." Bitterly said Harry, now wanting revenge on the red dragon. But she had to put these thoughts away for now, it wasn't the time. "We were talking about my name."
"Right." Agreed the Queen as she used her wing to bring Harry closer, something that both surprised and put Harry slightly on edge, not used to that. "Now for your new name. Females of the black dragonflight have names that often ends in -ia, such as my niece Onyxia. As you can tell, their names includes either links to the earth or to sentiments, sadly mostly of hatred and darkness thanks to the Old Gods corruption. Such examples are Tenebron, Nefarian or Malicion. But it doesn't mean much as Wrathion chose his name free of their influence." Explained Alexstrasza.
"So, it doesn't have to be negative? Because I'd like for a name that don't makes people think twice before talking to me."
"Your name should reflect an aspect of you, one of your qualities rather than your flaws."
"Mmm… what about… Magicia? Wizaria?" Suggested Harry, really struggling to come up with anything satisfiable.
"Perhaps you should leave this wizarding world behind for now, it did shape you into who you are today, but it means nothing here." Replied Alexstrasza.
"Can I even do magic? Azuregos brought me here with a portal so is there any way for me to learn that?" Asked Harry really wishing to regain her magic.
"It isn't impossible and you could train with Tyrygosa, she is a very competent mage and part of the blue dragonflight. I could see no better teacher even if she does have a bit of a temper." Assured Alexstrasza.
Releasing a large sigh at the relief of knowing that her magic was not completely lost, even if it would be annoying to learn using it again, Harry could only imagine what the magic in this world was like. She had seen only a couple of exemples so far so it might no say much.
"But as I was saying, magic shouldn't be the base of your name. You might excel at it but it isn't who you are." Continued the dragon Queen.
"I don't know, it's quite a lot of restrictions for a name."
"Then think. What defines you? What is your thing?"
That brought back a few memories and got a snort out of Harry, which did not escape the dragon Queen perfect hearing.
"Oh? Was it something I said?"
"Well, it's just that back then, my friends often told me that I had a 'saving people thing.' And it is quite true, I've always put myself in when it came to defending others no matter the consequences for me." Laughed Harry slightly at the fond memories.
"Will you do the same here?" Continued Alexstrasza.
"Yes. It's not really something that I think about, I always do it." Assured Harry knowing she would end up in trouble just like always because of that trait of her.
"I think we have a rather important clue to find your new name now."
"Yes. A name that is synonym of… defence, I guess. What about something with shield?" Suggested Harry.
"Based on your tale, no." She replied to Harry's surprise. "You are as much a shield to protect others that you can withstand hits when you are the one targeted. A shield is not enough, you are more than that."
"Hmm…"
"May I suggest something?"
"Of course, please do." Instantly accepted Harry, struggling to find a good name.
"What about Armoria?" Offered the Queen.
"An armour? Well, it is better than a shield I guess, but it just feels slightly off. I'd prefer something more human."
Harry knew she was being a bit difficult, saying that just after she complained of the complexity of finding a name, but she couldn't help it. Her new name, as much as she disliked having to change her already perfectly good name in her opinion, needed to at least be something she would be happy with.
"Amaria then?" Suggested Alexstrasza.
Amaria. Thinking about it, Harry found herself liking the arguments the Queen just gave her. The name rolled in her mouth a few times, easy to remember and different enough from who she used to be.
"I think I like it. I'm not overjoyed to lose my name but maybe in time I will answer to Amaria without thinking of it as a replacement. Thank you for your help, Alexstrasza, you've helped me a lot in such a short time."
As Amaria said that, she looked up to the red dragon's eyes and was surprised to see a far greater love and care than before, not thinking it was even possible. In all her life, she had rarely seen those sorts of eyes, only in the eyes of Molly Weasley for her children and a few others, but never were they directed at her.
"You do not know how happy I am to hear you say this, my daughter." Motherly said Alexstrasza.
Daughter?
"Wait! What?! Did you just call me daughter?" Amaria asked frenetically, panicking at the quick turn this took and starting to push herself out of the massive wing on her back.
"Well of course. I told you that naming one other was a familial type of bond, and to see you accept my name means that you are now my daughter, maybe not by blood but this doesn't matter to me." Replied Alexstrasza with a smile.
"I- I- I'm not sure about this. I've never been with my parents in the living world, it would be like betraying them." She nervously said.
"Please, Amaria."
"Why not an aunt? No, scratch that, you're far too different from Petunia to be call an aunt. What about godmother?" Quickly suggested the black dragoness, trying to get out of the wing embrace that tied her up to the Queen.
"Please, I beg you." Spoke Alexstrasza with such a sad tone, contrasting completely with her earlier happiness.
Stopping her squirming, Amaria looked up at her, surprise at this reversal.
"Why?" She simply asked.
A big breath that seemed to take all the air in the world filled Alexstrasza's lungs, her eyes closed for a few seconds as a tear started to run on her cheek. Finally, she exhaled and reopened her eyes to stared into Amaria's.
"A few years ago, I still had my children. While many red dragons today are still from by brood, none of them were like the ones I took care of as my sons. I still have love for them, but Caelestrasz and Vaelastrasz were my real sons and they both died in the last decade, one after the other and both because of the Old God's corruption of Neltharion's flight. A couple of years have passed but I still miss them so much. And make no mistake, I am not trying to replace them with you, for you never will, but I would like to have once again a child that I could call mine." Explained Alexstrasza with tears in her eyes.
Amaria had no idea of what to say in answer to such a powerful declaration. She forgot that while she had to go through a lot, many others had their own pains and ghosts, and that Alexstrasza lived for thousands of years alongside her sons and lost both not so long ago. A mother without children and a child without parent, was fate the one to bring them together?
"I'm sorry, I didn't know for your sons." Apologised Amaria.
"Do not be, for you have nothing to do with their death."
"I know, it simply was the thing to say." She replied.
"Maybe. I'm well aware of how much I'm asking you, and that you probably didn't expected that from me." Said Alexstrasza.
"Understatement of the century." Snorted Amaria.
Just the idea of having a living parent instead of a dead family was already big enough of a change but having it happen so suddenly was a bit much. In itself, Amaria didn't mind much being a daughter to someone else, she was taking on a new name so a new family wasn't unexpected but the fact that she would be abandoning James and Lily's memories just didn't felt right.
"I can give you some time to think about it." Offered Alexstrasza with a half-sad half-hopeful smile.
That might help but Amaria didn't felt like delaying this. She would probably spend far too much time focusing on this when she already had so many more problems to take care of.
"Mother." She said with a lot of difficulty, the word feeling foreign in her mouth.
Alexstrasza's eyebrows rose up in surprise but Amaria didn't gave her the time to answer.
"It might take a while to get use to this. And I don't think I'll call you that every time. I have my old family, sure I never knew them but I know they loved me deeply. I don't want to forget about them." Said Amaria speaking as much to Alexstrasza as she was doing it for herself. "But I don't mind having someone to call mother."
A low rumble surprised her, but she recovered when she understood that it was Alexstrasza, crooning at her as she nuzzled her face.
"Thank you for this incredible gift, my daughter. I swear I won't try to replace your birth parents, but maybe one day you'll love me as much."
"I… it's alright." Amaria answered slightly uncomfortable.
They remained there for a little while, Alexstrasza nuzzling her a lot, embarrassing Amaria even more, not used to such an open display of affection. Eventually though, the dragon Queen relented her assault and released her from her wing.
"As much as I would like to stay, daughter, I am Queen of all dragons and still have many duties to take care of. You are welcome to come find me anytime, at the summit of the temple."
"Thanks again, for everything." Replied Amaria.
"It was my pleasure."
Watching the massive red dragon standing up, Amaria quickly stepped aside in fear of being crushed, which did not escape Alexstrasza who chuckled at that.
"Are you afraid that I would step on you?"
"A bit, you're just so much bigger."
That got a massive, bellowing laugh from her new mother who shook her head in delight.
"Oh, how refreshing it is to be surrounded by a young one. This is not my true size; I would not pass through the temple and the portals otherwise." Smiled the Queen fondly.
"What?! You're bigger than that?"
"Both me and Nozdormu, as the original Aspects of our respective Flights, are far bigger than other dragons. You will soon have the opportunity to see me to my true size, but for now you should just relax a bit more. Take some time for yourself and then come find me, there is much that you have to learn, my daughter." Said Alexstrasza as she flew toward the portal, passing through it as her body seemed to vanish.
Amaria couldn't imagine how big her new mother actually was, they were already bigger than any creature she had ever seen, and this was apparently not much compared to the real deal. But Alexstrasza's words had truth in them, and she felt like some rest might help her digest all that happened in the last hours, from telling her story to becoming the daughter of the Queen of Dragons.
"That's a new one." Chuckled Amaria as she let herself sink till the head in the lava, letting its radiating warmth completely relax her muscles and bringing her to sleep quickly as she rested her head on the side of the lava-bath.
AN: I know changing Harry's name and putting him as Alexstrasza's daughter might be a little bit of a controversy point but that's how it is and needs to be for the story to continue.
I've got a couple of comments saying that Harry is completely OOC and while I try to make him stick to the original he is living different experiences and being put in positions he never thought to be in before. That means that divergences will come up and will grow as the story continues. If Harry is the very same from the beginning to the end then there isn't much point into writing a story about him.
Plus its a fiction, the whole point is to not have something identical to the canon.