Chapter 8

WhiteElfElder- Yes to all accounts. Everyone will want to question the Dragonborn about his race and also probably consider Serana as a dark creature. Although, I'm not sure how Vampires are treated in Harry Potter. They do exist, I know that, but I wonder if there's enmity between Werewolves and Vampires. Conflict with Lupin, anyone?

lucariotnn01- That's fine. Yeah, this story is very similar to most other fics where Harry is adopted by someone else. With hopefully enough key differences to make it worth a read over those other ones.

hikolb6- Hopefully it'll be good for you to read.


Dragonborn


"This is almost too nice." Thought the Dragonborn as he looked upon the large dinner table that he and Serana were currently sitting upon, large plates of food of great variety in front of them. Across from them was the old man from before, who they learned goes by the name of Dumbledore, a smile across his face.

Looking at this Dumbledore as he smiled at the Argonian and Vampire, the Dragonborn wondered what he was doing. When he led them inside the castle, he led them straight into the dining hall of the castle and instructed some strange tiny beings with elf-like ears, if a bit bigger and baggier than the elven ears he was used to, to bring them all food. And they did. After some time, the tiny beings brought fourth plates of food that were worthy in a Nord feast hall. Ranging from juicy-looking fruit to full and fat-looking meats that looked freshly cooked. All of it looked delectable and worthy of consumption. The issue, however, was that neither Serana nor the Dragonborn trusted this Dumbledore enough to consume whatever food he provided them.

For all they knew, this men had the food laced with some sort of poison, meant to incapacitate or even kill them, if they consumed it. Same thing with the drinks provided. Until they can prove that this Dumbledore wasn't hostile at all, both to them and to Harry, they can't trust anything this man is offering them.

Eventually, Dumbledore spoke up.

"You should eat before your food gets cold." Said Dumbledore as he finally spoke up to the strange duo that had come to his school. Despite being clearly armed and with strange magic that he had never seen before, Dumbledore had sensed from the moment he laid eyes on them that they meant no harm to his school nor any of its staff. Thus, he invited them in and prepared them a meal. A meal that was sadly starting to go cold. "If you're concerned that we didn't cook them to your liking, please tell us. We'll try to make them exactly how you like your food. Or as close to it as possible." That caught the attention of Serana, who raised an eyebrow.

"Thanks, but no thanks." Said Serana before explaining why. "We're not exactly in the habit of just eating the food of complete strangers. Not until we trust them." Dumbledore hummed at that.

"I see." Said Dumbledore before making a suggestion. "Then, if it puts your minds at ease, shall I eat first? So that you know that we haven't put anything hazardous to you." That caused Serana to raise an eyebrow.

"That would certainly put our minds to ease." Said the Dragonborn. Dumbledore smiled at that before taking a fork, stabbing it into a piece of meat nearby, and placing the meat into his mouth. Chewing the meat vigorously, Dumbledore swallowed it and gave a satisfied sound.

"Very juicy and tender." Said Dumbledore as he looked at his guests. "If you want a taste before the food gets cold, I recommend eating now." Both Serana and the Dragonborn looked at each other for a moment. They stared into one another's eyes before they nodded. Then, without hesitation, the Dragonborn moved a hand towards a large roasted chicken. He ripped off a juicy-looking leg, causing Dumbledore to raise an eyebrow in slight surprise, before taking off his helmet, revealing his dark blueish-green, scaley hide, something that surprised Dumbledore greatly.

He had seen the tail from the armored figure, of course, but he was surprised to see just how reptilian the individual was. He had never seen or heard about a race of people that were reptilian in nature. Thus, this individual made the academic person within him most intrigued. In fact, he knew quite a few people within the wizarding world who would be quite interested in meeting this person and asking questions about his people. Many, many questions about his people.

He then watched as the reptilian man took a sniff at the leg before taking a big bite out of it. Ripping out a chunk of meat with ease, the reptile man chewed on the meat slowly at first before swallowing the food down. After a few seconds, the reptile man nodded his head.

"Well done." Said the Dragonborn, looking at Dumbledore, who smiled at him. "You have wonderful cooks."

"Thank you." Said Dumbledore. "They are quite capable cooks. They've served this castle for years, after all. All of them." The woman hummed at his words before taking a piece of bread and eating it. After swallowing a bite of bread, the woman spoke.

"Guess we should issue you an apology for earlier." Said Serana as she looked at Dumbledore. "We're not used to having such a…wonderful host from someone we just meet. At least with the circumstances we have for coming here."

"Truly?" Said Dumbledore, curious. "If I may be so bold, may I ask why you are here and what is your purpose of coming to my school?"

"School?" Asked the Dragonborn, looking at Dumbledore with a raised eyebrow. "This is a school? This entire castle?" Dumbledore simply smiled at that.

"It quite is." Said Dumbledore before speaking up. "What you see here is Hogwarts. A school for wizards and witches." Serana and the Dragonborn looked at each other when they heard that. A school for magic users? This is where Hermaeus Mora wanted to send Brelyna's adopted son to? Just what was that Daedric Prince up to?

"I see." Said the Dragonborn, looking at Dumbledore. He'll need more information than that if he was going to determine if this Dumbledore was safe to show to Harry. "Forgive us for asking that. We're…not from here."

"I can see that." Said Dumbledore, looking at the attire of both Serana and the Dragonborn. "Forgive me for saying this, but your attire makes that abundantly clear. No one wears armor anymore nor do they wear a dress like that." That caused Serana and the Dragonborn some pause.

"Anymore?" Asked the Dragonborn, not liking where this was going. "What do you mean by that?"

"Well, such attire was used hundreds of years ago. Now, however, they are little more than used as historical pieces of fascination. Both for Muggles and Wizard kind." Explained Dumbledore, shocking his two guests. Wizard kind and Muggles? Hundreds of years? Just what have they stumbled upon. "Though I will admit, your attire is nothing like the suits of armor and dresses of old. Not I've seen before anyway. May I ask where you acquired them?" Serana and the Dragonborn looked at each other again, still processing what Dumbledore just said. Even though it wasn't that much information he revealed, what he did reveal wasn't exactly comforting for them to hear. As much as they didn't want it to be so, but they had a feeling that they were in another realm altogether.

"In time." Said the Dragonborn as he looked at Dumbledore. "But, if I answer that, you must answer a question for me first?" Dumbledore pursed his lips at that before nodding his head to signify he'll do it. "Tell me, do you know of a place called Skyrim. Or Cyrodiil?" Upon hearing those places, Dumbledore frowned.

"I'm afraid that I have heard neither such places." Said Dumbledore honestly. Upon hearing that, the Dragonborn sighed, realizing just what was going on and what situation he was in. And what situation that Harry was going to be put in as well. "I presume that was an important question to ask, yes?"

"Indeed." Said the Dragonborn before looking at Dumbledore with a serious look in his eyes. "Tell me, Dumbledore. Do you know of a being known as Hermaeus Mora?" Dumbledore, just shook his head at that. "I see. Well, I'm sorry to say this, Dumbledore, but that being is the reason we're here in the first place."

"I see." Said Dumbledore, finding this all fascinating but also dreadful as well given the serious tone that the Dragonborn utilized when asking about this Hermaeus Mora. "And what makes this being so important that you come here to find them?"

"Its not a matter of finding Hermaeus Mora. Rather he's sent us here in the first place." Clarified the Dragonborn before deciding to partially reveal the reason he and Serana were here. At least for now. "You see, Hermaeus Mora is a Daedric Prince. A being of great power that rules over an entire realm of existence separate from this one. He made us come on our volition because he's forcing the child of our friend to become his champion here. In this plane of existence. We're here to…determine just how dangerous this place was. To either put our friend at ease or find a way to change Hermaeus Mora's mind. To let go of his hold on our friend's child." Once he was finished, he looked at Dumbledore to see his reaction. As he expected, the old man was horrified to hear all that the Dragonborn told him. Horrified and shocked as well.

The horror was likely because he heard a child was being forced into the service of someone without the consent of the child themselves nor of their parents. The shock was likely due to hearing of an entity like Hermaeus Mora and perhaps even hearing of the existence of another realm of existence based on the shock of his face. Curious.

It took a few seconds, but eventually Dumbledore recovered from the revelations he was given before speaking.

"That is…quite a lot to take in." Said Dumbledore with some consideration to his words. "I expected something out of the ordinary or something beyond my imagination and knowledge, but I did not expect something like this." Dumbledore sighed as he placed his hands on temples, feeling a headache coming to him. "I…truly am sorry to hear about your friend and their son. It is truly a wrong thing to have something be forced upon someone. Let alone a child." Hearing Dumbledore's words, both the Dragonborn and Serana can hear that he was being sincere in his words. He truly was sorrowful of what is happening to Brelyna and Harry right now. And looking at his eyes and his reaction to their revelations, it seemed that he didn't know about Hermaeus Mora or about Harry at all. While this was somewhat assuring to them, as that meant he had no ill intentions surrounding Harry so they could safely have him around this man in theory, however it was also somewhat troubling to them. If this man didn't know anything about Hermaeus Mora and the situation with Brelyna's son, why were they sent here? What is the motivation? What does Hermaeus Mora gain from Harry coming here?

Serana and the Dragonborn looked at each other, wondering what to do next. The Dragonborn looked at Serana's amber eyes. Though she said no words, the message behind her eyes told him to tell Dumbledore a bit more information. If they wanted to know more, they had to give Dumbledore some more information. Looking at his lover, the Dragonborn nodded before looking at Dumbledore, who saw their little interaction.

"I know I gave you much information, Dumbledore. Information that is quite shocking to say the least." Said the Dragonborn, causing Dumbledore to nod in agreement. "However, I must reveal some more information to you. Information that may seem insignificant, but is important to us. If that is alright with you." Dumbledore just hummed at that before nodding.

"If you believe that it is important, then I will do my best to ready myself for whatever else you intend to show me." Said Dumbledore, wondering what else this man and woman intended on revealing to him. They claimed it wasn't as significant as what they just revealed to him, but you never know.

"Thank you." Said the Dragonborn, giving Dumbledore a nod of thanks, before revealing what he intended on telling the old wizard. "My friend's son. He was adopted by her. Initially unwillingly, but later on she loved her decision to adopt him. She found him some distances away from a village close to a magical academy that she was attending. Curiously we found him in a wasteland of snow. Alone and with curious objects all around him. Even more curious, he had a scar around his forehead." Upon hearing all that, Dumbledore was stunned and shocked to hear all this. This boy. He couldn't be who he thought he was. Was he?

"Tell me." Said Dumbledore seriously as he looked at both Serana and the Dragonborn, stunning the two slightly at the serious expression on Dumbledore face. "This boy. Does he have bright green eyes and black hair as well?" When the Dragonborn nodded, Dumbledore felt his heart tighten and his breath shortening. Hope. Desperate and almost naïve hope filled him as the description of this boy was matching someone he long thought lost. Someone he regretted not being able to save. Amongst many others. Gulping a bit, Dumbledore asked one final question. One that will surely answer his question if this child they speak of was who he was thinking of. "Please tell me. This boy. His name wouldn't be Harry. Would it?" Upon hearing that, both Serana and the Dragonborn were surprised to hear Dumbledore say Harry's name. It must have noticeable as Dumbledore gasped in shock, his eyes wide.

"He still lives." Said Dumbledore, joy and relief in his voice. "Harry Potter is still alive." Upon hearing what Dumbledore just said, Serana and the Dragonborn looked at Dumbledore in shock at what he just said.

"Harry Potter?" Asked the Dragonborn as he looked at Dumbledore, who was still in shock at what was revealed to him. "Potter is Harry's last name? His original last name?" Upon hearing the questions, Dumbledore looked at both Serana and the Dragonborn before speaking.

"Yes." Said Dumbledore before getting up from his seat at the table, looking serious. "Come. I'll explain everything in my studies. You'll have all your answers related to Harry there. And perhaps even answers relating to this Hermaeus Mora." Upon hearing that, Serana and the Dragonborn looked at each other again. Although a part of them was concerned with how Dumbledore was acting when they told him Harry's name, another part of them knew that they can only figure out why he was acting this way by following him. Plus, with how he acted before, they sincerely doubted that they needed to worry about him trying to kill them or capture them for information about Harry. He was genuinely relieved to hear that Harry was alive and seemed to know the boy. And if they wanted to know why this is, they needed to follow him.

Sighing, Serana got up from her seat.

"Guess this stuff will go cold and be thrown away." Said Serana sarcastically as she looked at all the food that was probably going to waste after this. "Hope the cooks won't be upset at that." The Dragonborn simply chuckled at her words along with Dumbledore before they started following the old man, who led them straight to his chambers in the castle. As they walked, they wondered what Dumbledore was going to reveal to them and if it was something they should be concerned with.