So, here's the second chapter of Worlds Apart. I like what I've done with Rory in this chapter. Hopefully, you guys do.
WORLDS APART
CHAPTER 2:
RORY'S PROMISE
Harry Potter was still in shock. He had suspected he was on another world soon after he woke up to find some foul-smelling man standing over him, demanding something in an unfamiliar language, and then saw the bird girl, the one called Myuute. Harry, as soon as he was able, tried to escape, realising rather quickly that the girl was a prisoner like he had been, and had somehow managed to Apparate in the process of fleeing from them. Unfortunately, that meant appearing over a river, and they had been swept downstream. Harry was thankful he'd managed to snatch his wand from the bandit before he fled.
It wasn't until that girl Lelei spoke to him in what sounded like English that he truly realised what had happened to him, and the guilt, the guilt of not being there when his friends could be dead or dying, hit him hard. He was now stranded on another world, thanks to trying to save Sirius. Ron, he last saw being attacked by disembodied brains. Hermione had been hit by Dolohov's curse. Sirius was left alone to face his bitch of a cousin Bellatrix. He had been so angry at being kept in the dark during that year, at having to deal with Umbridge with little support from the teachers…and now, here he was, stuck in a world whose technology was medieval, maybe Renaissance level at best. Even Magical Britain, backwards though they were, had advanced somewhat into the 20th Century.
Apparently, they were hoping that some demigoddess called Rory Mercury would be stopping by the village soon. Given that she was apparently some infamous servant of a god of war, Harry had to admit to being apprehensive, despite Lelei and Cato's assurances. Myuute's apprehension certainly didn't help.
As it happened, Rory came to Coda Village the very day Harry and Myuute ended up in it. Lelei and Myuute were with Harry, buying supplies from a local trading post, when they heard a bunch of children screaming excitedly in their language. "It seems that we are in luck," Lelei said in her gentle monotone. "They're saying 'oracle'. I believe Lady Mercury may be here."
After paying for the supplies, Harry, Lelei and Myuute walked out, to find a strange figure speaking to the children. Harry had probably been expecting someone who looked like Bellatrix Lestrange, or maybe that Chocolate Frog card of Morgan le Fay. Instead, it was, well, someone who looked younger than he was, though still a striking and extraordinary figure.
Rory Mercury appeared to be a girl of about thirteen, with glossy black hair that put Harry in mind of a raven's feathers. Her face was elegant, even doll-like, her eyes crimson. Her clothes put Harry in mind of something Hermione showed him once, Gothic Lolita fashion, though the hemline of her black and crimson clothes was rather scandalously high. A bow-like headdress gave her a somewhat feline air. Capping off this odd picture was a massive halberd, two metres tall. However, while her appearance made him wary, Harry realised that most of the villagers felt at ease around her, showing her respect and even being friendly. In return, she seemed to be genuinely nice to them, her voice soft and low, sounding a little older than she appeared.
Rory looked up, and then noticed Harry, and then approached him, speaking in the tongue of this place, her voice carrying a question. Lelei said, "Lady Mercury, you honour us with your presence. However, I have a boon to ask you. This boy speaks only the tongue of Elbe, and we would be grateful if you could spare us some of your valuable time."
Rory nodded. "Please, call me Rory, Miss…?"
"Lelei La Lalena. I am Master Cato's student."
"Ah, Cato El Athelstan, yes. I remember you now. Well met, Lelei La Lalena. These two, they are newcomers to your village, yes? A Siren and a boy…with interesting clothes. I have nothing but time to spare, as my master has no business for me to attend to for now. Could you wait a few minutes first? I like to spend time with the children. I will come to Cato's house shortly…"
Harry noted the air of respect that Cato treated Rory as he gave her refreshments, albeit simple ones, mostly fruit and water. There was something strangely graceful about the demigoddess, as well as impish and playful. On Lelei's prompting, Harry, with a little reluctance, told her his story, hoping that she would be able to help him.
Rory, to give her credit, merely listened, occasionally asking a question to clarify a point. Then, after he was done, she leaned back in her chair, and contemplated him, her expression solemn. "I'll be perfectly honest with you, Harry Potter, I don't honestly know whether you can go back. I know that may not be the news you wanted to hear, and frankly, you have my sympathies, even if you don't want them."
Harry felt his temper rise, but reminded himself that this girl might not take it well. And unlike Dumbledore, she at least told him the blunt truth. "Are you sure?"
"Not wholly. There is a possibility that the Gate may open and that it may open up on your world," Rory said. "But I'd rather not give false hopes to someone who has been through enough already. However, that chamber and archway you spoke of in this…Department of Mysteries…it does sound familiar to me. You smell slightly of Hardy, and I wonder whether she left that archway there. I heard rumours that Hardy liked to experiment with creating Gates, and left them on other worlds. She is fond of following her whims, and not taking no for an answer."
"Yes, I heard about Hardy's obsession with wedding you," Cato said. "Your clashes with Lady Giselle have become a thing of legend of late."
Rory snorted. "Giselle is no lady. She doesn't even bother repairing her vestments properly. Then again, considering how Hardy prefers women and girls to men, it's probably on her mistress' orders." She turned her attention back to Harry. "As I said, I'm sorry I can't tell you, yes, you can definitely go back home. Emroy can't open up the Gate himself, and to my knowledge, the destination of the Gate cannot be chosen. I'm afraid that making a new life here may be your only choice, even if it's only for now."
"But…but…"
"Have faith in your friends and loved ones, because I'm sure they have faith in you. I know that sounds like a hollow platitude, but it's well meant."
Harry just stared at her, before he left the small house, staggering outside in a daze, not quite running away, but not wanting to be in the house for any longer. Shock and hollow apathy soon gave rise to the anger he felt throughout the prior year. With a sudden scream, he began firing Cutting Curses into the river, causing plumes of water to burst into the air. Eventually, though, he tired of that, and slumped onto the nearby bench, his anger spent for now, tears trickling from his eyes.
And then, he felt slender arms clad in black and red lace snake themselves around his chest. "It's okay. Let it out. Let it out," Rory gently whispered into his ear as she hugged him from behind. "Scream, cry, curse, whatever you need to do to let it out. Believe me, I know these things. I may not look it, but I am 961 years old. I know anger, and despair, and terror, perhaps more than any living being on this world, save for the gods. And I know a child who has seen suffering, as you have."
"I'm not a child."
"Compared to me, almost everyone is but a child," Rory said quietly. "We have at least one thing in common. Like you, I was orphaned at a young age, my parents murdered. I know what pain of the soul tastes like." He felt her lift a finger to his cheeks, and wipe off a tear. He turned to watch as she licked her finger, an act that could have been perverse or disturbing, and yet, had an almost religious, even reverent air about it. "It tastes like tears," she said solemnly, her crimson eyes, not sinister like Voldemort's were, but soulful. "As we bleed when our bodies are wounded, so we weep when our hearts and souls are."
"I can't heal those wounds. I can't get back to my friends," Harry said quietly. "Voldemort may have killed them already, and…"
"Hey…hey…" she said gently. "Look at me. Harry…I promise you, if I find a way for you to be able to get home, then I will tell you as soon as I can. Especially if the Gate opens."
Harry was struck by the sincerity and conviction in her voice, belying her appearance. She wasn't promising that she would find a way, but if she did, she would help him. Perversely enough, she even seemed vaguely maternal or big sister-like in manner, despite her apparent age. Eventually, he asked, "Do you usually go out of your way to help others?"
"Only if they fall across my path. That may sound callous, but after nine centuries, one thing I have learned amongst so many others is that you can't save everybody. In any case, I have an appetite for blood and slaughter. I am Emroy's Apostle, after all. But that doesn't mean I don't care. Indeed, you interest me, Harry Potter. A boy so young, touched by war and calamity…and yet remaining strong, keeping your head above the torrent of despair. Emroy may be a god of war, and thus killing is no sin, but motive is important. The warriors he prizes best are those who fight for a righteous cause, for without such a thing, one's heart is tainted by sin and self-deception. You fight for your friends and for others, and that is to be admired. Indeed, one of your first actions in this world was to rescue that Siren girl. There are few so selfless in this world, especially with the Empire."
"The Empire?"
"Oh? So they hadn't gotten around to teaching you this yet? Hmm. In any case, you interest me enough for me to stay around for a few days at least. Lelei and Cato can teach you some of the more academic facts about our world, but I have over nine centuries of experience. And I enjoy a challenge. Besides, you can teach me about your world in exchange, especially what you know about the military and weapons there. As an Apostle of Emroy, learning about such things is interesting. In any case, you don't have anything to worry about here in Coda. The people, while a little wary of outsiders, are amongst the most friendly and accepting outside of Italica. And I know Cato well enough to know that he is a good man, with his only notable flaw being that he is…somewhat perverted, and even then, only towards women, not girls of Lelei's age. He'd take you in as long as you helped pull your weight."
Harry scoffed. "As long as it's nothing like the Dursleys…" he muttered, not quite under his breath.
"And even if you can't find a way home…even if I can't find one or anyone else can't…you can do a lot of good here. By saving Myuute, you already have," Rory said. "Those bandits would have either used her as a sex toy, or as their little trump card. Few bandit gangs have mages, after all, and a Siren would be useful, given their innate wind magic, either lending power to their arrow strikes, or else blowing enemy arrows off course. You've given her a second chance. Many of those taken by bandits never get that. They either get killed, or raped, or sold off. Believe me, I know from experience, having killed more than my fair share of bandits. And demi-humans like Sirens or Catgirls or Bunny Warriors aren't treated that well in the Empire, save for some of the villages, as well as Italica."
"Xenophobia, again," Harry muttered sourly. "Why am I not surprised?" Then, after a moment, he asked, "Bunny Warriors?"
"Oh, you don't have those? Think sexy rabbit-eared women who are also amongst the best warriors in this world," Rory said. "Not that it saved them from the Empire. Supposedly, their queen betrayed them to Prince Zorzal El Caesar to save her own hide, but I don't really trust anything he says. You're most likely to see any survivors in Italica, working for the Formal Clan. Count Colt Formal is very much an open-minded man towards demi-humans. Indeed, he actually has something of a fetish for them, though he always treats his servants with the utmost respect. Anyway, that's the way the world is. Not that it should be. I just do what I can."
Harry looked away from her, looking at the stream he'd been firing spells into minutes before. Her words weren't making the pain go away by any means, the fear for the lives of his friends and those he held dear, the impotence he felt at being unable to help them, the anger he felt at having been kept in the dark and left to the tender mercies of Umbridge's detentions and Snape's 'Occlumency lessons', if you could even call those lessons. But…they helped put it into perspective. "You promise to help me, then? If there is another way home?"
"Of course. I am the high priestess and oracle of Emroy. Unlike some Apostles, I take my vows, both to my god and my personal vows to others, very seriously," she said. "Many in this world bleat about honour, but in truth, they have very little idea of what true honour is. But I think you do. And while my idea of honour may be somewhat different to others', I value it all the same in my personal dealings. I'm sure you have no reason to trust me, given that we've only just met and you have heard of my reputation."
"Lelei and Cato seemed to trust you. And Lelei helped Myuute and I get out of the river," Harry said. "Anyway, it's not like I have a choice, do I? Either I trust that you can help me, or I will never find a way off this world, or at least I might not be able to find other avenues."
"Hmm. I hope we can become friends, then. Most people view me with awe or fear, sometimes both, and while I like the respect that is due to me as an Apostle of Emroy, I also treasure the friends I have. I have to." Her expression became morose. "One of immortality's less desirable effects is seeing one's friends wither and die, and I have to make new ones. Finding friends who will see me as Rory Mercury, and not the Apostle of Emroy, or Rory the Reaper, is hard."
"…Like me," Harry muttered to himself almost automatically. "Most people see me as the Boy Who Lived, not as Harry Potter."
"Well, you have one advantage, then," Rory said. "People here don't know of your fame, and even if you can go back to your world, who says you can't make new friends here?"
In a way, it was those words that actually helped him accept this situation. Here, there weren't any people in awe of him because of his fame, or despising him either because he took a stand against the likes of Voldemort, or because they thought him an attention whore, or too much like his father for their liking, as Snape was wont to do. No, here, he could be himself.
And maybe he could use that time to get smarter, get stronger, find a way to put paid to Voldemort for once and for all…because if there was a way back home, then Harry intended to be ready…
CHAPTER 2 ANNOTATIONS:
So, some angst from Harry, and Rory playing counsellor.
Having done her more playful side in Parva Sub Ingenti, writing Rory as a mentor in my Star Wars crossover GATE: Thus the Chosen One Fought There was a real eye-opener. Rory is ancient, and I sort of like to view her as a more bloodthirsty version of the Doctor from Doctor Who. It's something they didn't quite do in the anime, though I dunno whether they do it in the light novels or the manga. Writing Rory as a semi-maternal figure was oddly appealing, especially given that, during her first meeting with the JSDF in canon, the children instantly run up to her without any real fear, and she speaks to them very lovingly, hinting at this maternal side. I did this for Another Fine Mess…, and I decided to do it here. Plus, Rory IS a priestess, and priests and priestesses can be de facto counsellors, and have been before psychology became a proper profession, I'm sure.
No numbered annotations this time.
