Title: A Colossal Discovery
Team: Caerphilly Catapults
Position: Chaser 1
Round: 5
Prompt: Colossus of Rhodes – Greece
Additional Prompts used: [plot point] time travel; [emotion] awe; [dialogue] "I don't think that's how it's supposed to work."
A Comedy Marathon: Coming to America
Prompt: [trope] hidden/secret royal
April Madness: number 4
Prompt: [emotion] anxiety
Gather Your Party: Monk number 13 Sun Soul
Prompt: (Setting) Ancient Civilization
Scamander's Case: Billiwig, male
Prompt: (Dialogue) "Why do I always listen to you?"
Bejewelled II: Turquoise
Prompt: (dialogue) "What are we supposed to do now?"
Geek Pride Gaming: number 19 Pokemon
Prompt: (plot) visiting a new city
Easter Special: colour me spring number 9; Easter Egg Hunt number 4 -Shrieking Shack; Egg run number 1
Prompt: aquamarine; (word) exploring; (emotion) delight
Writing club: Would you rather number 7
Prompt: time travel to the past
Word count: 3000
Betas: Sky, Bea, Rose, Ikuni
A/N: Canon diveregance
Warnings: Unconventional adoption and abandonment
Harry slumped onto a bench gazing into the aquamarine waters of the harbour in Rhodes. He was too hot and had no idea how Draco could possibly take so long to look at a couple of deer statues erected where legend claimed the Colossus of Rhodes had once stood before an earthquake had destroyed it. He turned back around, only to realise that Draco was no longer standing looking at the nearest deer statue. Panic set in as Harry's eyes scanned the street for Draco. He breathed a sigh of relief when he spotted him a couple of hundred feet down the street, gazing towards the harbour entrance, his hand shielding his eyes from the sun. Harry rolled his eyes and slumped back onto the bench. If Draco was now imagining the statue standing watch over the harbour, he would be a while. Draco tended to get absorbed in his own thoughts when it came to historical landmarks and stuff. He was such a geek at times.
Draco was fascinated by ancient civilisations and took great delight in dragging Harry to new cities on their holidays to trail around ancient monuments and ruins. Harry was not quite as fascinated by these things as Draco was. Harry would've been quite content to have a relaxing quiet holiday sitting on a beach or lounging by a pool with cocktail in hand, but that was not how holidays with Draco Malfoy went. Indeed, Draco had already planned their next holiday, to Egypt, including their itinerary, which left very little time for relaxing by the poolside. Even though Harry had complained loudly and frequently to Draco that lots of people went on holiday to relax, maybe take in a few places of interest, and generally just take time away from busy schedules, Draco didn't listen and continued to plan very full holiday itineraries, around the things that had captured his interest.
Like their current holiday.
Draco had decided that he was fascinated with the Wonders of the Ancient World and had declared that they should visit the supposed sites of each of them, starting with the Colossus of Rhodes. Harry had briefly hoped that this holiday would be a more relaxing affair, just visiting the sites where the Colossus was believed to have stood but no, he had been sorely mistaken. After this, Draco intended to drag Harry around the ruins of the Temple of Apollo and tomorrow, he planned to visit the Grand Master Palace which stood on the hill overlooking the bay and which many—Draco included—felt was the more likely location of where the statue had stood. Harry sighed and decided to enjoy whatever respite he had to sit down while Draco was lost in his own imaginings about the Colossus.
Harry contented himself with gazing back into the aquamarine waters, watching a little school of fish swimming in the harbour, delighting in the way their scales flashed and shimmered in the sunlight sparkling on the water. By the time Draco had decided he'd finished examining this location (which was much longer than Harry felt was warranted) Harry was hot, sweaty, sticky and wanted nothing more than to get a cold drink, an ice cream and head back to their hotel. Draco was not about to consent to such a thing.
"Time to go and visit the site of the Temple of Apollo," Draco said brightly, appearing suddenly at Harry's side and making him jump.
"Can't we go and get a seat?" Harry grumbled.
"You've just been sitting for the last," Draco checked his watch, "twenty-five minutes. You must be ready to go again by now."
"Urgh," Harry grumbled, getting slowly to his feet. "How are you not hot and sweaty and tired?"
"I am hot and sweaty. It's a hot climate, but how can anyone be tired when there's fascinating ancient sites to be visited?" Draco smiled cheerfully as he led the way towards the Temple of Apollo.
"I thought that by dating your pale ass I would get to spend relaxing holidays at the beach or by the pool while you desperately sought shade. Instead, I got you, the boy who thinks a holiday is wasted if you don't spend every waking second trailing around every single place of interest at any given location."
"Tough break there, Potter," Draco smirked at him. "I might not tan but nor do I burn. I'm completely unreactive in the sun."
"I've noticed, Malfoy!" Harry retorted, pretending to sulk.
"And what, may I ask, is the point of going somewhere new, if you don't visit all the places of interest?"
"For a change of scenery and to relax?"
"And yet you still choose to accompany me," Draco said, glancing sideways at Harry, smirking and slipping his hand into Harry's.
Forty minutes later, Harry and Draco arrived at the site of the Temple of Apollo and began exploring the site–or rather Draco explored it with awe and delight, imaging the Temple in its heyday and Harry merely meandered through the bits of rubble.
"I thought that these things would have been preserved by magic," Harry lamented, picking his way through some rubble. "Or are we supposed to take our wand and start tapping random blocks to see the preserved Temple?"
"I don't think that's how it's supposed to work," Draco said absently, stooping to examine a broken column. "What are you doing?" Draco asked as he straightened up and saw Harry hopping about, brandishing his wand and tapping random stones.
"Looking for the key to seeing the Temple as it was instead of in ruins," Harry said with the tone of someone explaining that two plus two equals four.
"Right," Draco said, wondering where the nearest magical hospital was to check Harry in. Clearly the heat had got to him. "Again, Harry, I don't think that's how it's supposed to work."
"How do you know?"
"I…"
"Ooo, Draco, look at this. If anything is going to be the way to see the Temple in its prime it's bound to be this," Harry sing-songed as he skipped towards a hole filled with bushes and grass. Draco followed Harry out of curiosity for the Temple, not because he thought Harry was actually going to find some way to reveal a magically preserved Temple.
"Harry, be careful." Draco worried as Harry clambered down into the hole.
"Draco, seriously come and look at this," Harry said, bending down to peer into one of the bushes. Wondering why on earth he ever listened to Harry but curious nonetheless, Draco joined Harry peering into the bush. "What is that? There's something glittering in there."
Draco pulled out his own wand and said, "Diffindo."
The branches in the way were severed and Harry and Draco could see a glittering, pulsing orb of light. Harry reached out with his wand to probe the orb of light. Draco grabbed his arm.
"I don't think that's a good idea, Harry," Draco said anxiously.
"Where's your curiosity?" Harry asked, touching the orb with his wand with Draco still clinging to his other arm.
The moment Harry's wand touched the pulsing, glittering orb of light, the world around them dissolved into an ever changing, swirling source of blue-green light the colour of the sea surrounding the city, there was a rush of wind roaring past their ears and Harry and Draco felt like they were being pulled backwards very fast with nothing solid under their feet. Then suddenly, they slammed into the ground and stumbled, Draco fell onto the ground. Harry looked around and saw they were no longer at the Temple of Apollo. They were standing in the shade of some trees on the outskirts of a different town, a very old looking town. In the distance they could see the sea, sparkling the most beautiful shade of aquamarine in the sunlight. There was a harbour of some sort. They could see boats within the harbour but they were not like any boats that Harry was familiar with. They all appeared to be made from wood. There were several large, long boats with a strange plough-like front.
"Why do I always listen to you?" Draco grumbled, getting to his feet and gazing around. His mouth dropped open in awe. "Great Morgana!"
"What is it?" Harry asked, turning his gaze away from the harbour filled with the strange boats and looking in the direction that Draco was and his mouth fell open in surprise. "Is that—?"
"The Colossus of Rhodes, yes, Harry, it is," Draco said in utter delight. "Look at it. It's amazing! The height, the detail, the workmanship that would have gone into it. Without magic and without any of those modern Muggle inventions for building and stuff!"
"Yeah, I suppose it's quite impressive," Harry said anxiously, concerned more about where on earth they were than about some statue.
"Quite impressive? Quite impressive? Harry, it's a marvel, just look at it!" Draco said incredulously. "I can't believe that you were right and that these things were magically preserved!"
"What are we supposed to do now?" Harry asked, failing to keep the anxiety that was filling him from expressing itself in his voice.
"We go and examine it up close of course. Who knows how long this magic will last? I can't believe that I'm getting to see this. I feel sorry for the Muggles who don't and would like to."
"Draco!" Harry said firmly, giving Draco a hard shake. "I don't think this is magic!"
"Of course it is," Draco scoffed. "In case you hadn't noticed, Harry, the Colossus is no longer standing. In fact, it only stood for around 56 years before an earthquake destroyed it–"
"Draco, look around. If this was just a magical preservation of the statute then where is the modern city of Athens? Look at the ships in the harbour."
"Wow, those are triremes, Harry!"
"I think we've travelled back to Ancient Rhodes."
Draco looked around and took in everything and his eyes grew wide as the reality of Harry's word sunk in.
"Why do I always listen to you? 'Draco, look at this', 'Where's your curiosity?' Well, it's here Harry, wondering how on earth we're going to get back to our own time."
"Hey, it's not my fault. You're the one who wanted to come and see the Colossus!"
"I'm not the one who goes around probing strange orbs of light," Draco said pointedly, glaring at Harry.
"You could've told me not to touch it."
"I did!"
"No, you just said you didn't think it was a good idea. You should've said 'Harry, don't touch it.' You're supposed to be the smart one after all."
"When have you ever listened to any of my sensible suggestions?"
"Fair point," Harry conceded. "So, what are we supposed to do now?"
"Well, next time you're about to do something very Gryffindor-like I'm going to tell you not to do it or touch it or I'll hex your balls off but, in the meantime, perhaps we should go and try get back into the Temple to look for the way back."
Harry and Draco made their way to the road and towards the ancient city of Rhodes. The closer they got the larger and more imposing the Colossus seemed and Draco was distracted once more by his awe and delight.
"Amazing, just amazing," he said at random intervals. "No wonder it took around twelve years to build."
"Draco, will you please focus. We are currently stuck in ancient Rhodes. This is not the time for your weird fascination with ancient things."
"Excuse me for trying to make the most of it while we are here."
"Draco, what are we going to do about our clothes?"
"Hmm… we do rather stand out by comparison, don't we? Maybe a translation charm wouldn't go amiss either," Draco said, taking out his wand and transfiguring their clothes into a chiton to match the people around them. "Right, let's go and see about getting into that Temple."
"Why are our clothes purple, Draco?"
"To indicate our wealth. I don't want to be mistaken for some plebeian! It was a hard dye to make and was expensive."
They wound their way through the streets towards the Temple. They had no idea if they would be able to enter the Temple or if they would have to wait until nightfall and use disillusionment charms. They were near the Temple when they saw some guards approaching, fast.
"What are we supposed to do now?" Draco asked, this time he sounded anxious.
"You're asking me? You're the one who's supposed to know about ancient cultures."
"You're the brave, bold Gryffindor. Isn't this situation your territory?"
"I think being stranded in an ancient culture with guards approaching me is a little out of my usual scope."
"Should we run for it?"
"Too late," Draco said. The guards were now within earshot of them.
"King Cadmus!" one of the guards said coming to halt in front of them. "The Commander has returned. The Queen sent us to find you."
"Erm... what?" Draco said bewildered.
"The Commander has returned with the report. You're needed back at the Palace."
"I think there's been a mistake," Draco began, but the guard wasn't listening. He turned to his companion.
"Make haste back to the palace and inform the Queen the King is on his way." The second guard nodded and set off at a run. "This way, my King." The guard turned and made his way towards the palace.
"What do we do now?" Harry muttered to Draco.
"I don't know. Follow him for now, I guess. He'll be mightily embarrassed when we reach the palace and they realise I'm not the King."
Harry and Draco followed the guard towards the palace and were meet there by a regal looking woman in her mid to late forties, dressed in a beautifully embroidered purple chiton that glittered as she walked as the light from the sun sparkled off the small gold ornaments sewn into the chiton. She was wearing a beautiful diadem, gold bracelets, earrings, a gold necklace and a gold periscelis anklet. A gold coiled sphingter bracelet adorned her upper left arm. She had the unmistakable look of royalty about her as she approached them.
"The King, Your Highness," the guard said.
"I don't understand," the woman replied. "The King returned some time ago and is with his council."
The guard looked from the woman to Draco in confusion and her eyes widened in shock.
"Drakōn?" she said, the shock in her voice evident. "Drakōn, is it really you?"
"My name is Draco," Draco said, with an anxious glance at Harry.
"You go by the Latin form now? Yes, well I suppose it fits better with your new family," she said with a tinge of sadness to her voice. "The Oracle foretold of your return under a new name but it still saddens me to know that you no longer use the only thing I was able to send you away with."
"I don't mean to be rude," Draco said, "but what are you talking about?"
"Mother, Astraia and I are going to…" the young man who had been speaking stopped suddenly as he spotted Draco, a look of shock on his face. The young woman beside him, who was attired in a similar manner to the older woman was gaping at Draco as though she had never seen a person before. Harry and Draco were equally shocked because the young man who had walked out of the palace was identical to Draco.
"Drakōn?" he asked looking at the older woman, who was his mother; she nodded. The young man strode forward and pulled Draco into an embrace. "Brother! You've returned as the Oracle foretold you would." He let go of Draco after what seemed an age, beaming at Draco. "Too long have we been apart. Too long has a piece of me been missing."
"I'm sorry, but I still have no idea what you are talking about," Draco said looking at Harry who still looked as perplexed as Draco felt.
"Come, let us go in and have some wine. You have much to talk about," the young woman said.
"Forgive me brother," the young man said, indicating the young woman as he led the way into the palace. "This is my wife, Queen Astraia and my, our, mother Telephe." He indicated the older woman.
Several minutes later Harry and Draco were sitting in the palace with a glass of wine as Telephe explained how she had given birth to identical twin boys and how the Oracle had prophesied war and the ruin of Rhodes if both Princes lived as both could not claim the throne so Telephe and the Priests invoked an ancient and complex magic, creating a portal between the times and Drakōn had been delivered to some childless, distant descendants. Draco sat there, his wine forgotten, in stunned silence, his eyes shining with unshed tears–his world shattered, everything he had ever thought he'd known about himself torn apart. His parents weren't his parents, but descendants of his. His birth father was dead. His brother was King and his 'parents' had known but never told him the truth. Harry knew what it was like to hear life-changing information about your parents and pulled Draco onto his lap, kissing his temple and holding him as the tears began to flow.
It was a long time before Draco calmed down and pulled back from Harry's embrace, the shoulder of Harry's chiton thoroughly wet. He gave Harry a small, watery smile that didn't reach his eyes as he sat up. Harry wiped away the last of the tears and pressed a tender kiss to Draco's lips.
"I'm here, love," Harry whispered. "I'll help you through this."
"My whole life has been a lie, Harry!"
"I know, love, but without it I wouldn't have you and that would be unbearable. I love you and we'll get through this together, alright?"