Young Warders
People seemed happy as Harry walked outside. He could hear the murmur of conversations as children laughed. His staff made a soft thumping sound as he walked. People paused their conversations as he got near. It wasn't surprising, really. Once again, he had done something that shouldn't be possible or likely. He wondered how much the people knew already. They moved out of his way, but they didn't seem to be scared. So maybe the fact that he was Dragonborn was what had them moving aside.
The University sounded like it was a rather large building. Harry cast clairvoyance so he could find Ko'mara. He walked slowly, since he had never been to the University before. There was magic around, so he wanted to be careful about casting his experimental spells to see. His staff hit something and he raised it. The trail was going up, so stairs made sense. He tapped the steps as he moved up. After a while, he just shrank the staff so he could pick the pace up. He knew how big the steps were.
The trail led up to a door. Harry could hear the lecture going on the other side. He didn't want to interrupt class. That considered, he wasn't going to wait forever. He had other things he needed to do. He leaned against the wall and tilted his head up. Charlie was right; he needed to stop hiding things. At least he wasn't doing it on purpose.
The door next to Harry opened and students moved out quickly. They didn't seem too keen on sticking around, which suited Harry just fine. He moved into the classroom. "My apprentice informed me that you wished to speak to me," he said calmly.
Ko'mara turned around from the board she had been cleaning. She tilted her head to the side. "Harry-do fought Taimar-jo," she said. "We haven't found traces of him since the battle. How did he possess Harry-do, to begin with?"
"I was busy dealing with tendrils of dark magic left on my soul after a rather terrible curse, leaving my outer consciousness vulnerable I guess," Harry said. "I understand if that bothers you. It is unfortunately not the first time for me, so I know how to handle it."
"Your apprentice wished for us to know you could handle things. The sky was darkening, and the wards were failing," Ko'mara said.
"They aren't that strong, you know," Harry said. "The wards could be failing any moment. I could help with that, but I don't know how the Elders feel about accepting my help."
"Probably more inclined now that it is known you are a Child of Alkosh," Ko'mara said.
"Kenarthi," Harry said. "If I'm anyone's child, it is Kenarthi. I have no affiliation with the Dragon God. Kyne gave my family her blessing and Paarthurnax taught us."
Ko'mara nodded slowly at his words. "Harry-do says he could help," she said. "Is it possible Harry-do could teach instead?"
Harry nodded slowly. "It is," he said. He now saw an opportunity to ask for what he needed. "To do, so I must return home and fetch some things, though."
"How will we know you will return?" Ko'mara asked.
An easy enough question to answer. "My mate and daughter will stay here," Harry said. "I should not be long."
Ko'mara nodded slowly. "Go. I will talk to the Elders. You shall hold a class for warders here at the University."
Harry bowed his head. "Thank you, Ko'mara," he said. He summoned his staff and headed back out of the room. He closed his eyes as he moved down the stairs. It wasn't like it mattered to him. Though, it would feel strange to walk around with his eyes closed all the time even if he couldn't see.
Keyara was laughing happily as she ran around with her friends. Harry was glad to know his daughter cared so little about such things as race. Then again, dislike of those different from yourself was often taught, and neither he nor Charlie cared much for such things. He knelt and caught her as she rushed towards him. "Hey, little one, are you having fun?" he asked.
"Yes, Arry, Ara is having fun," Keyara said.
Harry smiled at her. "I need to go home to Ennerdale and pick some things up," he said. "I will be back as fast as I can, but it might take me a little while. Charlie and Tanya will stay here with you."
Keyara tapped his arm since he couldn't see her facial expression. She wanted him to know that she was thinking without having to say so. "Okay," she said. "Will Arry tell Leo that the Khajiit are fun to play with, but Ara misses him a lot because they don't understand our bestest games?"
"Of course," Harry said. "Do you want to go back to Charlie or do you want to stay here?"
"Ara stay," Keyara said.
"Then I will let Charlie know," Harry said. "See you soon, little one." He ruffled her hair and waved as he walked away from her. He needed to leave the city before teleporting, but he also needed somewhere to return to. He considered his options for a moment. He could return to Charlie, but that would land him in the city. He summoned Kali as he walked through the cave. She would be a good enough beacon for him. Now to make it to the city they had set out from without messing up. Just in case, he turned invisible before he teleported.
The sounds of the city greeted Harry as he arrived. A soft blue streak led him towards the goblin office. He spoke quickly with the receptionist and got a portkey ready. He shook his head as the spinning finally stopped. Maybe Tanya was right and middle landing was a good idea. He set a patronus to Draco before teleporting home. He was seriously considering grabbing a dragon just to have one with him. Qozul and Kaanaaz' little ones were growing quickly, but he didn't want to pull them away from their parents.
"Back or are you just getting something?" Dora asked.
Harry stopped in his tracks and turned towards her. "I'm just getting a few things," he said. He invited her to walk with him as he continued towards the Sanctuary. "We found Tanya's people," he said. "Unfortunately, her father died some time back, but the rest of her family is quite happy to get to know her."
Dora smiled. "That's nice," she said. "Do you know how long you will be staying? Leo misses all of you quite a lot. I think he wants his best friend back."
"I'm afraid that might take a while. Certain circumstances have us staying longer than originally intended," Harry said as he sat down and crossed his legs. He sent out a call for a willing companion or two. The Khajiit were already aware of what he was. There was no point in hiding now.
"Would those circumstances be why you need to speak to me?" Draco asked. "Would you please stay out of our dreams?" He said as he walked over to Harry and grabbed his shoulder so he could sit down next to him.
Dora smiled at them and signalled to Draco that she was leaving so they could have some privacy.
"I didn't do that on purpose," Harry said. "I'm sorry if it made a mess of things. I… it wasn't going well."
"And what had you do this when I couldn't join properly? No offence to Tanya, but she isn't a Master of the Mind," Draco said. He scanned his Master just to make sure he hadn't hurt himself, and Harry let him in to do a proper mind scan just to be on the safe side.
"Charlie insisted, and I felt bad for not telling him in the first place," Harry said. "That isn't what I wanted to talk to you about, though."
"Just know that this conversation isn't over," Draco said.
"Good, you can help Rhavaniel with berating me later," Harry said light-heartedly. He sighed and rubbed his eyes. He told Draco about the Khajiit and their demand for the Journey. "Her Elder is insistent," he said softly. "She has to do it."
Draco rubbed his neck and looked up at the cloudy sky. "She wants to stay there, I take it," he said.
Harry nodded slowly. "She does," he said. "She's asked me to be the father, but we don't want to…" he trailed off.
"Oh, I get that," Draco said. "You and Charlie will take care of the baby, right?" He ran his hand over the grass and looked up as a small dragon made its way to Harry and landed in front of him. Harry smiled as the dragon spoke to him.
"That is the plan," Harry said as the little dragon made herself comfortable around his neck.
"I guess I'll start on the potions you need for that," Draco said. "You need to contribute you know."
"I'm aware," Harry said.
"I'll use the lab here," Draco said. "I can brew all of them at once. You might as well help out." He got back off the ground with a bit of effort and waited for Harry. "Are you going to speak to her mother?" he asked.
"I am," Harry said.
"She will not be happy with you," Draco said.
"I know."
"Poor Tanya."
"Yeah."
Tanya took a deep breath as she stepped out of her grandmother's house. It was another sunny day. The golden walls glistened, and the colourful flags swayed in a comfortable breeze. She smiled and waved to people as she passed them by. She took a deep breath before walking into the bountiful gardens of her tutor in Khajiiti history and customs. She bowed deeply as she reached Dra'jeshi. "This one apologises for their outburst yesterday, Dra'jeshi. Tanya-la was unprepared for the request the Elders had. She was unaware that Astre-dra would enforce their request."
Dra'jeshi watched the young Khajiit for a moment. She hadn't agreed with the Elders or the girl's great aunt, and she understood Tanya's frustration. She hadn't been overjoyed herself when she had been requested to seek a man to have a baby. Similarly, her wife hadn't been happy either. The difference was that they had been given time to accept what they had to do. Tanya was forced because of the circumstances surrounding her. In many ways, she would have been better off arriving on her own. "I forgive Tanya-la," she said. "The Journey is not an easy step to accept for many of us."
Tanya smiled, and her tail hooked happily. "My Master agreed," she said. "His mate accepted, but only if they raise the child."
Dra'jeshi chuckled. "Oh, the Elders will not like it, no, but it is well within your right, yes," she said. "Let's not tell them. They need not know everything, no."
Tanya smiled. At least the people closest to her seemed to care about her rather than the Elders and their ideas. She shifted and looked up at the sky. It was a shame that Harry couldn't see Rimasha.
…
The Elders gathered in the temple. They needed to decide what they were going to do about The humans who came with Tanya-la. They couldn't simply stand by if these two were a threat to their home.
Dra'farelie blinked slowly as the murmur of voices around her faded. Her daughter had explained the fading wards to her. They couldn't let their protection disappear. The human has said he could help. She didn't like it. He said he could teach their people how to make these protections themselves. She was less against that idea, even if she didn't overly like that one either. She rose slowly. She had asked for this meeting.
Astre-dra raised an eyebrow as Dra'fareli spoke. She was surprised the Nighteyes would suggest seeking help from humans in any fashion. She had expected to be defending Harry-jo even if she wasn't overly enthusiastic about him herself. She saw the benefit of one of her cubs being the child of a Son of Alkosh. It was about time someone other than the Drakesongs held such power in their bloodline. She raised her hand when the vote was called. She wanted to keep Harry and his mate, at least until they knew there was a baby. Keeping him as a teacher for a while wouldn't hurt anyone, and Shiva-dra dealt with them so she didn't have to.
Dra'fareli made her way to her daughter. "He can teach," she said. "He must be seen by healers when he returns," she said.
Ko'mara nodded. "I'll make sure he does," she said. "Harry-jo seems like an okay person for a human."
"Please oversee his classes at least to begin with," Dra'farelie said.
"Yes, mother," Ko'mara said. "I'll make sure everything works out. Don't worry so much. I'm wondering if Ma'eteri should join his class. He has potential with magic, but no drive to learn what we can teach."
"If that finally makes him a contributing member of our family, go ahead, yes," Dra'fareli said.
"You speak as if my son isn't still a child who hasn't been on his Journey yet," Ko'mara said somewhat irritably. Her mother's expectations were sometimes just a bit much even for her standards. Ma'eteri wasn't lazy by any means, he just didn't find any joy in doing the things they hoped he would like. Hopefully spending some time with someone not Khajiit might help him. She would need to get things ready for Harry so he could just start as soon as he got back. She would check if there were any interested students to take his course. She knew the Drakesongs would jump at it. She hoped some more people would join, even if the class wouldn't be big.
8th of August, 2001.
Harry hoped Vatusia was still at home when he arrived early the next morning. The potions were done, and he was bringing them back with him. He wanted to tell Vatusia what was going on. He knocked on her door and she pulled it open immediately.
"What can I …" She froze as she saw who was standing there. "Harry, what are you doing back already? Is Tanya alright?"
"She is fine, Miss Hope," Harry said. "I have something I wish to talk to you about, though."
"Can we take it on the way to work?" Vatusia asked. "I really need to get going."
Harry moved out of her way and followed her. "I guess we can," he said. "I don't know how upset you will be."
"Say the worst bit before we sit down then," Vatusia said.
"The Khajiit have determined that Tanya has to get pregnant before the end of the year, or they are making her an outcast," Harry said. He opened the passenger door and sat down in the car.
Vatusia followed him in. "And Tanya wants to stay," she said, knowing her daughter.
"She feels at home there. She doesn't need to hide. Sure, she isn't too happy about certain things, but she can't change those things if she gets cast out," Harry said.
"How are you guys planning on doing this?" Vatusia asked. She knew there was no way Harry wasn't going to help her daughter.
"There are potions, and she asked me to be the father," Harry said.
Vatusia nodded slowly as she started the car. She wasn't happy about this. She was definitely going to be quite upset with whoever decided it was a good idea to force the issue. "So she will act surrogate for you and Charlie then?" she said as she drove out of the driveway.
"That is the plan," Harry said. "They can't force her to keep the child because that would mean applying the same rules to everyone else, and the Elders will never agree to do that."
"You will be there with her?" Vatusia asked.
"Every step of the way," Harry said. "I don't like this either. I wish there was another way of doing this, but short of me becoming a Dark Lord I don't think we can. Tanya wants to do it this way, so I'll respect her wishes."
Vatusia sighed. "At least it's with you," she said. "Though, that explains so much about Asalan. He found me and got me pregnant. Then he just disappeared."
"He was called home," Harry said. "According to his mother, he went out looking for you again, but at some point, he was declared dead. I didn't pry too much."
"As long as Tanya is happy," Vatusia said.
Harry nodded. "I'll make sure we write, and I promise to do my best to get you over there," he said. "If you could give me a timeframe, that would be great."
"I'll see when I can take time off," Vatusia said. "I'm just glad you went with her."
Harry sighed. "I'm not so sure if I am," he said. "I think they are forcing the issue so quickly because of me."
"Would she have to go out and have a baby with a human at some point?" Vatusia asked.
"Yes," Harry answered.
"Then I'm still glad you went with her," Vatusia said.
They sat in silence for a while as Vatusia drove the car. She stopped at a red light and leaned back. Her mind was reeling. She was not happy with these Khajiit, but she understood Tanya's wish to stay there. It was nice living somewhere you didn't feel the need to hide all the time. Her little girl was being forced to have a baby and she wasn't happy. At least Harry would make sure the child was well cared for, no matter how Tanya felt about them. She parked the car and they got out. "Thank you for swinging by, Harry," she said.
"No problem, Vatusia," Harry said. "I'll make sure to tell your daughter you love her."
Vatusia smiled. "Go ahead," she said. "I look forward to hearing from you." She walked over to the front door and headed inside.
"So who was that young man, Vatusia?"
Vatusia rolled her eyes as she looked over at the biggest gossiper in the office. "He is Tanya's schoolmate. They were going travelling together, but he had overlapping plans, so he was going to head out after the rest of them. He came by, so I could give him some things for Tanya," she said.
"Oh, he looked cute. Is he blind?" Jolene asked.
"He is married and yes, he is blind," Vatusia said. "Some moron thought it was a good idea to attack him with a knife."
"That is just awful, poor man," Jolene said, clearly upset that anyone would do such a thing.
Sometimes it was annoying to work in the non-magical world, and sometimes it was just worth it. Vatusia didn't regret a single choice that had brought her to where she was now, and she hoped Tanya could feel the same someday.
…
Harry shook his head. It was strange that spinning was a sensation he could feel even though his world was dark. He had figured it was a visual problem, but that certainly wasn't the case. He stopped by the front desk and spoke to the goblin for a bit before heading out. He wished he could set up some connections in Rimasha for the local Clan, but he got the feeling that wasn't going to happen anytime soon. Kali was still waiting for him by the waterfall. He disappeared and reappeared next to his familiar. "Thank you, girl," he said. "Shall we return to Charlie and Keyara?" He followed Kali back through the cave. The wards felt even weaker now. He shook his head. They had to do something about them. He hoped he had time to teach a group of new warders before they fell.
The town was quiet. Harry considered what time he had left. He guessed it had been pretty early when he left Britain. People were still asleep here. He smiled softly. He wouldn't mind slipping in bed with Charlie for a few more hours. A smile grazed his lips as he walked into their bedroom. He could tell that Charlie wasn't alone. Keyara must have come in at some point. The bed sank as he sat down. He reached out slowly and placed his hand on Charlie's shoulder. He felt Charlie shift under his hand and sighed lovingly as he was pulled further onto the bed.
"Hey," Charlie said sleepily before kissing Harry. "Keyara missed you. She came in here around midnight."
"I see," Harry said softly. He lay down next to Charlie and cuddled up against him.
"I take it everything went alright," Charlie said. He ran his fingers down Harry's back and smiled as a shudder went through Harry.
"Vatusia is aware, and I have the potions we need as well as instructions on how to use them. We should have it covered," Harry said. He breathed in slowly. He was glad to be back with Charlie. He didn't like sleeping alone. At least not since the curse. His eyes closed, and his hand ran lazily along Charlie's side as he dozed off.
It seemed like only a few minutes had passed when Keyara jumped her fathers, triumphantly. "Arry and Arlie, time to get up. The sun's up now!" she shouted.
Charlie grumbled and tried to hide his face against Harry's shoulder. "Don wanna," he whined. "Harry's cosy."
Harry groaned as Keyara bounced on him. "Oh, heaven's girl, I'll get up. I'll get up, just calm down a bit." He pulled away from Charlie and followed his daughter into the kitchen. He sat down and smiled at Tanya as she settled next to him. "Got the potions," he said calmly. "You need to take the first one five days after the start of your period. The two first ones are to make sure the real one works, and then there is a stabilising one after."
Tanya nodded slowly. She was a bit nervous, but she trusted Harry and Draco.
"I also informed your mother," Harry said. "She is angry at the Khajiit, happy I'm here and sends her love to you."
Tanya chuckled. "Thanks, Harry. I wasn't sure how to tell her," she said.
Shiva sighed. "This one thinks Astre-dra should have resisted. But Shiva-dra thinks, Astre-dra is only thinking of power. Harry-jo is very powerful, and so is Tanya-la."
"Sad for her that she won't realise how powerful," Harry said with a smirk. He was glad he would be raising this child. He would be preparing his child for what was to come. He would arm them as best as he could.
"Ko'mara wished to speak to Harry-jo when he returned," Shiva said. "This one hopes your class turns out alright."
"So do I," Harry said.
10th of August, 2001.
Harry wandered around his little classroom. He wouldn't be able to teach that many students from there, but he just needed a good handful to fix the wards. He knew the question had gone out, and he should be expecting students in an hour or less. He closed his eyes slowly and sighed. He had a curriculum, and he would be working hard with these students to get them to where they needed to be.
The door opened eventually. Harry heard people walking inside. The door closed behind them. "Welcome to a class that focuses on protection," Harry said calmly. "I will teach you how to place wards and build shields capable of lasting decades, if not millennia. I will teach you runes and spell weaving. There are several methods which can be used, and we shall find the best one for each of you." He walked up and drew several runes carefully. He had to push magic into it, or he couldn't see what he was doing, but at least he could do it. "Runes are one of the easiest ways of creating protections, however the power needed to create something as grand as wards around all of Rimasha would require us to cover the city in runes if we were to only use them."
"I brought books covering runes and hope you will study these. There are several runic languages we can use," Harry continued. "But there are also a few other ways to ward, and we will go through them all in time."
The young Khajiit leaned back as they listened to Harry and watched him demonstrate several different wards for them. It actually seemed like this would be a rather interesting class. Most of them had been pushed to attend by their families. They had promised to give the human a chance.
"So that was better than Llyssa-la thought it would," Llyssa said. "This one enjoyed the class, and Harry-jo is a good teacher."
"J'eteri agrees with Lyssa-la. Harry-jo is a good teacher. This one hopes we can start doing magic next time, but today was interesting," J'eteri said. He ran his fingers through his short hair. "Grandma is counting on J'eteri learning. Mother says this one doesn't have to, but J'eteri knows Dra'farelie; she will be disappointed if this one does not master what Harry-jo has to teach."
"The Elders need to realise that we do not exist to make them more influential. They had their chance," Llyssa said. "This one will see you guys tomorrow." She waved at the rest before running home.
Harry ordered his classroom and prepared it for the next day before heading back home. He smiled as Tanya and Keyara came running up to him. Keyara threw herself at him, and he picked her up and hugged her. "Did you have a good day with Tanya?" he asked.
"Yes!" Keyara exclaimed.
Harry laughed. "I'm glad you did," he said. "What do you want to do now?"
"When is Arlie home?" Keyara asked.
"Right now," Charlie said as he walked in. He was smiling brightly while Tuzriik flew from him to Harry. "We had a good walk around the place. Tuzriik said he smelled Dragons at one point, so something lives out there."
"Okay, that might be good to look further into," Harry said. "So Keyara what did you want to do?" He focused back on their daughter.
"Can we bake?" Keyara asked.
"All of us?" Harry asked.
"Ahha."
Harry chuckled. "I guess we can do that," he said. "Let's check if we have everything we need, otherwise we'll have to go to the market first." He dropped her down and Keyara ran into the kitchen. She wanted to make shortbread and cupcakes. She found a bowl and spatula while telling Harry what she wanted.
Harry chuckled as he picked things out of the cupboards. "Okay, Tanya. Charlie, we will need butter and cocoa and eggs," he said. "Could you get that for us?"
"Absolutely," Charlie said.
Tanya laughed. "I'll go tell grandma that we are commandeering her kitchen," she said. She headed out to find Shiva. Her grandmother didn't mind having Harry in her kitchen, but she preferred knowing when it happened, so her plans weren't interrupted.
When Charlie returned with the groceries, the kitchen looked like a bomb had gone off. Harry was shaking his head, and Keyara looked up at her father sheepishly. "Whops," she said.
Harry sighed. "Well, now we have to clean up," he said.
"Let me," Charlie said as he drew his wand. "No doing that again, though," he told Keyara. "You wanted to bake, and making a big mess is not okay." He cast a spell and the mess disappeared. "Now what can I do to help?" he asked.
"Arlie, come sit with Ara," Keyara said. She patted the pillow next to her.
Harry smiled as he mixed ingredients and listened to Charlie and Keyara. They were discussing shapes, and he felt just a little lost. He couldn't see what they were talking about.
"Mom?!"
Harry raised an eyebrow. "Shiva-dra is not home right now," he said. He placed his bowl by Charlie and walked out to the front door. "I am Harry-jo; can I help you?"
Do'xinar raised an eyebrow as he looked at the human in front of him. The black eyes put him on edge, but he didn't seem hostile. Then he blinked as he saw the little dragon poking his head up from the human's collar.
"Agge. Kaaz aus," Tuzriik said.
"Are you hurt?" Harry asked calmly as he reached out with his hands slowly. "Tuzriik says you have burns?"
"You can speak to the dragon?" Do'xinar asked. "How?"
Harry shrugged. "They call me a Son of Alkosh though my powers came from Kenarthii," he said. "I can heal you if you are hurting?"
"Oh, Do'xinar please take a seat and let Harry-jo heal you," Shiva-dra said as she walked in behind her son. "This one will not have you bleed all over the carpet."
Do'xina turned quickly and gave his mother a sheepish look. "Yes, mother," he said. He followed Harry back to the kitchen and sat down, so Harry could heal him.
"Those look like burns from dragon fire," Charlie said. "Don't worry Harry is very good at healing those. First thing he ever did for me."
"You do realise that we met before that, right?" Harry asked.
"Eh, I wouldn't really count that," Charlie said. He poured batter up in cupcake tins he didn't even know Harry had brought. His husband sometimes over-prepared to an extreme extent. It worked out for them when Keyara wanted to bake something very specific.
"Your dragon, where did you find him?" Do'xinar asked.
"This is a Crystalback. We have a Sanctuary on our grounds where they live. We found them in Central Africa in a deep cave."
Do'xinar nodded slowly. "He's very small," he said.
"Oh, he can change his size," Harry said. "Tuzriik please grow," he told the little dragon.
Tuzriik jumped down on the floor and grew. He spread his wings and flapped. "Kaaz is wanting to see more?" he asked.
"Maybe later," Harry responded.
"Tuzriik can come with, Yolfronin. Maybe we can learn more," Charlie said in dragon-tongue. "I would like to know what burnt Do'xinar. I worked with big dragons before I met Harry, and now we have the crystalbacks. Both the frostwings and the size-shifters."
"This one will have to speak to the others," Do'xinar said. "That Harry-jo and Charlie-jo have a dragon, hopefully means they will be alright with you coming over." He didn't want to say more. He could tell that both of these men knew they had dragons somewhere, but they were very careful with who had aces to them so he would have to check with his boss before letting either of them near the caves.
"Will you stay for dinner, Do'xinar?" Shiva asked. "Shiva-dra and Harry-jo will cook. Everyone else, out of the kitchen. Shoo!"
Tanya laughed as she picked Keyara up and headed out to the garden in the backyard. She could tell that Charlie and Do'xinar followed them. They sat down and Keyara ran between the adults playing with a ball of light until Harry walked out and let them know the food was ready.
"Ara made shortbread," Keyara said as the cupcakes and biscuits were taken out after they had eaten.
"They are very good," Do'xinar said. He had eaten sweet bread a lot, but hard biscuits weren't as common in Rimasha. They were really nice though. He liked the crunch.
…
In the next few days, Harry started teaching his students runes and rune-laid magic, Charlie travelled with Do'xinar to meet with the other dragon handlers, and Tanya took her first potion. She was nervous but determined to go through with this. She would give Charlie and Harry a second child.
15th of August, 2001.
Charlie was smiling as he made it home several evenings later. He sat down next to Harry and hugged him. "I finally got to see the dragons," he said.
"So are they Crystalbacks?" Harry asked.
"They are," Charlie said. "I'm certain of it. They are tiny, but their flame breath is as bad as a Chinese Fireball. I'm considering teaching a few of the handlers Dragon-tongue."
Harry nodded slowly. "Go ahead," he said. He was glad Charlie had found something to keep him occupied now that he was teaching warding. It wouldn't surprise him if some would send their young their way when the time came for the Journey. He guessed he could help them. He kissed Charlie before going back to the vegetables he was cutting. "You should go find Keyara, so the little rascals haven't convinced her to do something else she shouldn't do," he said.
"I'll see what I find," Charlie said. He snatched a piece of pepper from Harry's bowl. "I'm more worried she's corrupting these poor Khajiit."
Harry snorted. "Part of their culture goes to honouring thieves," he said. "I doubt Keyara can corrupt them."
"I don't know about that. They all wanted to be pink fluffy unicorns yesterday," Charlie said before heading out to find their little rascal.
Harry chuckled. He didn't doubt that Keyara was teaching the young Khajiit about magical creatures around the globe. At least all the kids were having fun.
20th of August, 2001.
Llyssa moved her legs up on her chair as she listened to Harry-jo. He was a wonderful teacher. Their little class had become even smaller in the past few days. It wasn't surprising. What Harry wanted to teach them was hard work. The four students who had left did so for different reasons, ranging from not being able to focus to just not being interested. The five of them that were left really wanted to learn. She smiled at J'eteri as he shifted and looked over at her.
"Grandmother says I need to leave on the Journey once I'm done learning from Professor Potter. I really don't want to," J'eteri said softly as the rest of the students walked out. "What am I supposed to do with a girl? It's never going to work out."
"Well, Tanya is using some kind of potion, isn't she?" Llyssa said. "Maybe the professor could help you too?"
J'eteri looked over at Harry as he placed their miniatures back on the shelf. "I… I guess," he said.
"You do show a certain skill in human magics," Harry said calmly, showing that he had heard them. "I could bring you to Britain and have you learn from someone capable of teaching you magic you have a better aptitude for than warding. And we could always help with the other problem while we are at it."
"Really?" J'eteri asked.
Harry shrugged. "Why not," he said. "Would you like me to speak to Dra'farelie about it? I can probably present it in such a way that she will want you to go. Then you can do what you want with your life after."
J'eteri smiled. He felt relieved. If he came home with a Journey child, then his grandmother wouldn't mind his boyfriend as much since they would already have a child each. "I… yes please, could you," he said.
Harry smiled. "Of course," he said. "Don't worry about it." He walked past them over to the door. "I will see the two of you tomorrow."
"See Je'teri that went well," Llyssa said. "It would have been strange if he wasn't going to help. I mean, he is married to another guy. It isn't like he was going to tell you no."
J'eteri smiled. He was really glad he was friends with Llyssa. Whenever he had issues, she seemed to be able to solve them. He headed home and collapsed in a pile of pillows with a sigh.
"Rough day?"
J'eteri looked over at his boyfriend. "Kind of," he said. "Grandmother called me in this morning. Seems I need to Journey as soon as Professor Potter is done teaching me. Class went alright. Though, I don't think warding is something for me. I'll stick in there just because Harry-jo is a good teacher, and I really don't want to Journey."
"You will have to eventually," Jo'neji said as he walked up to his boyfriend and sat down with his son in his lap. "There is no way around it. I don't want you to become an outcast, love."
"I'll leave with Harry-jo, and he'll help me out," J'eteri said. "They are using potions with Tanya-jo, and they can do the same for me with someone willing to help me or something."
"Are you sure?" Jo'neji asked. It sounded too good to be true. His own Journey had been awful. He shifted his son. He loved Ma'xun with his entire being, but the path to getting him had been rough.
J'eteri nodded slowly. "He promised he would speak to grandmother. Do… do you think it is safe for us to be seen together after that? After he has spoken to her? The plan will already be set then."
"How about you ask Dra'farelie very carefully once she informs you of their agreement," Jo'neji said.
"No names, no gender at first?" J'eteri asked.
"Sounds like a good idea," Jo'neji said. He leaned in and kissed his younger mate. "It would be nice though."
"How about your family?" J'eteri asked.
"They will be fine with you," Jo'neji said. "They really like Harry-jo and his family. Maybe I should actually accept the next invite, just so I can have a chat with him and his mate."
…
Harry walked into the garden out back from Shiva's house. He sat down and pulled a locket out from his robes. It was glowing faintly even to his blind eyes. He connected to the magic as he sent Kali off to let Charlie know Rhavaniel was contacting him. "Hello Rhavaniel, it has been a while," he said. He reached out towards his son. I wish I could give you a hug," he said.
"It's probably for the best that you can't," Daliniin said. "It would hurt that much more that we can't truly meet." He grinned. "At least you can see us again."
"Can do," Harry said. "We had to work around a few things, but now I'm doing alright. The spells aren't perfect yet, but I make do." He knew Rhavaniel would want to tell him off, though he doubted she would do so too violently with Daliniin there.
"Where are you?" Rhavaniel asked as she looked around. "You are not at home."
Harry smiled. "We found Khajiit," he said. "Tanya-jo has family here, though her father died a few years ago." He shook his head. "They have to mate with a human and produce a child," he said. "These people are strange."
"I doubt you sent her off to find someone," Rhavaniel said. She knew how much Harry's apprentices meant to him.
"We are using a set of potions," Harry said. "You will have another brother or sister within the year, though." He looked at Daliniin.
"A Khajiiti one at that," Daliniin said. "That's insane. You guys are insane. At least you are using potions."
"Could you please not let liches into your mind, love," Rhavaniel said. "It is really straining for us to reach that far. If you need us, reach out, but please be more careful."
Daliniin nodded. "Yeah, I want my father alive even if I can't hug him," he said.
Harry laughed before sighing deeply. "I'll be careful," he said. "Hopefully nothing too exciting will happen for a while. After the baby is born, Charlie and I will head home for a few years. We want to raise our children without any danger if we can manage, what with the people threatening us."
"Yeah, have you found out anything else about that?" Rhavaniel asked.
Harry shook his head. "No, I haven't," he said. "We will be careful, though." he shifted as Charlie sat down behind him. They greeted him and Charlie asked Daliniin how he was doing with his classes at Labyrinthian. He smiled as their son spoke.
At some point, Keyara walked over to them and sat down with Harry. She smiled as she listened to Daliniin speak. She loved meeting her big brother, even though she thought it was strange they couldn't meet in real life.
"We'll be going over to Lakeview in a bit," Rhavaniel said. "Would you like to speak to Rashall-dar and Naya-ko?"
"Do they know you can speak to me?" Harry asked.
"Not a clue. It will be a surprise," Rhavaniel said.
"We're going over to rescue Masha-la," Daliinin said. "Or maybe it is her siblings we're rescuing. I'm not sure."
Harry smiled. "Good luck with that. I would love to speak to them," he said.
"Then we'll see you soon," Rhavaniel said before she and Daliniin faded from view.
"At least she didn't scream at me," Harry said calmly.
"Oh, that can be arranged," Charlie said. "We just need to make sure the children are busy."
Harry chuckled. "I guess," he said, not looking forward to that happening. He hugged Keyara. He really wanted to hug Daliniin too. He knew that might make things harder, but it was about time he started figuring out what the skeleton key did to him.
31st of August, 2001.
Kharel-do made his way over to the university. His daughter had started learning under a human while he was away on a long hunt. His mother seemed happy to have her there, but his mate didn't seem quite as happy. He wanted to see for himself how things were going. He would have spoken to Llyssa first, but she had already left for class when he came home. He walked into the main University building and headed off to the side. The classroom was a small one and the students all seemed very focused on their work. He closed the door behind him and watched the Professor as he walked around.
"I am noticing clear improvements in your casting already," Harry said calmly. "I know it feels like you aren't getting anywhere with this, but learning a skill like warding takes time." He moved again and corrected the next student before making his rounds. He knew there was someone by the door, but they hadn't spoken, and his students weren't aware of him there, so he would rather continue his lesson.
"I just can't make this work," J'eteri said with a groan. "It won't hold at all."
Harry smiled. "Your magic is better suited for taking these things apart than putting them together," he said. He raised wards around the miniature. "Dismantle the wards, J'eteri. You will learn just as much from that as you will from raising them." Bill would be a much better teacher for J'eteri, and he was going to make sure he got a chance to learn from his brother-in-law as soon as they made it back to Britain.
Kharel watched his daughter work on her wards. She seemed quite happy. He still wanted to speak to her Professor. He had heard rumours about the man and wanted them confirmed or denied.
An hour and a half later, the bell chimed and Harry sent his students out. Llyssa turned around. Her eyes widened as she saw her father. "Pops, what are you doing here?" she asked. She walked up to her father and hugged him.
"I wanted to have a look at the class mother saw fit to sign you up for without permission from either your mother or myself first," Kharel said. "You seem very focused on your work, though."
"I love it," Llyssa said. "Harry-jo is an amazing teacher."
"I see," Kharel said. "I would like to know what your intentions are with my daughter, Harry-jo."
Harry raised an eyebrow neatly as he turned around to face the father and daughter. "I plan on teaching her to the best of my abilities," he said.
"Not sleep with her?" Kharel asked.
"Father!" Llyssa exclaimed. "Harry-jo would never."
"So the rumours about the poor Khajiiti girl he came here with aren't true then?" Kharel asked calmly.
"Tanya-la? No, of course not. The Elders told her to perform the Journey before the end of the year, hoping that Harry would father the child. He travelled home, where they have potions that could be taken to cause a pregnancy. Tanya and I have talked about it. She is really happy her Master is the father of her child. She would have hated going out there to find some random dude," Llyssa said. "Harry-jo never laid a hand on her that way. Besides, he is like bound or mated or something like that. The marks on his arms are like bond marks; his mate has similar ones, they couldn't betray each other even if they wanted to!" She was breathing heavily as she realised she had been shouting at her father.
"Not quite true," Harry said softly. "I could cheat on Charlie, but he would know about it. Our marks don't stop us from doing anything. They do let us know sort of what is going on, though." he moved closer to them. "I have no wish to argue this. Tanya asked me to be the father of her child and I agreed. I wouldn't cheat on my husband because I love him. I will not father any more Khajiit. Tanya was the only one I'm even remotely okay doing that with mostly because she knows my husband and I will care for the child so she doesn't have to."
"Is it true you have known each other since she was eleven?" Llyssa asked.
Harry nodded. "It is," he said.
"Isn't it rather inappropriate for you…"
Harry sighed. "Is that truly within your right to judge?" he asked. "I will never betray my husband. Not for anything." He summoned his staff. "I'm done talking about this. I offer my knowledge freely. I ask nothing in return. I did not have to do this. I chose to."
Kharel looked the human up and down a few times. He had misjudged this human, and standing this close to him showed him that he had no idea just how powerful this human was. "If I asked you to take in my younger daughter as your apprentice, would you do so?"
Harry raised an eyebrow at the sudden shift in tone. "I would consider it, but I would have to meet her before deciding," he said.
"Would you be willing to do so now?" Kharel asked.
"Show the way," Harry said calmly. He followed Llyssa and her father to their home. He could feel it as they arrived; the wild, untamed magic of an untrained youngling. It wouldn't surprise him if this one did a lot of accidental magic. With the magic swirled emotions, though. Fear, discomfort and uncertainty were at the forefront.
Zera-daro looked up at her mate as he walked into the kitchen with their eldest daughter. "So, what do you think?" she asked.
Kharel shrugged. "That the human is straightforward enough that no misunderstandings should arise," he said. He turned. "I asked him to come for Hera's sake."
Zera-daro looked beyond her mate. "Our daughter is powerful. The other Master's will not accept her. They say she is too young," she said.
Harry nodded slowly. "She could become dangerous to both herself and others if she isn't taught," he said. "When she gets upset, do things happen around her? Things you cannot fully explain?"
"Yes," Kharel said.
Harry sighed. "Like her sister, I believe this young one has both magic and magicka. Magic that is left unattended can become problematic. It doesn't have to be of course, but other factors make a difference here. I would like to speak to your daughter without your input. It can be in clear sight of you," he said calmly.
"Why?" Zera-daro asked as she folded her arms over her chest.
"I sense a lot of turmoil," Harry said. "Sometimes it is easier for children to speak to someone who is not their parent."
Kharel looked at his wife. "If you stay here in the kitchen, I don't really see a problem with you speaking to Hera," he said. "Please take a seat, I will go get her."
Harry moved forward and sat down. His staff shrank and he put it away. He knew Zera-daro was studying him intently. That in itself did not bother him, though he had a feeling it might bother her child. He smiled softly as the young Khajiit entered the room with her father. "Will you speak with me?" he asked.
Hera nodded slowly and walked forward until they sat before him. They looked between their father and mother with a smile that didn't quite reach their eyes.
"I'm going to raise a ward between us and your family for a little bit," Harry said. "I have some questions. You don't have to answer them; it is entirely up to you."
Hera nodded. They could see the ward go up around them. "Mama and papa truly cannot hear Hera-ma?" they asked.
"No," Harry said. "I will ask why do you feel fear? What are you worried about, young one? I will not tell anyone what you tell me. It will stay between us."
Hera sighed. They looked towards their mother before looking back at Harry. "They told us of the Journey at school today," they said.
"You feel scared?" Harry asked. "It is many years away still?"
Hera shook their head. "No I feel… they say Hera-ma is a girl like Llyssa-la, but Hera-ma does not…"
"Does it feel wrong?" Harry asked softly.
Hera nodded slowly. "Hera-ma cannot bear a child for the Journey," they said. "Here-ma does not want that."
Harry nodded slowly. "I could help you," he said calmly. "There are other alternatives. For now, your father is hoping I might teach you as I did Tanya-ko. You hold great power, and that power needs guidance, or it could become dangerous to you and those around you."
Hera looked down at their hands. "Llyssa-la says Harry-jo is a great teacher," they said. "Hera-ma would like to try to learn from Harry-jo."
Harry smiled as he dropped the ward between them and the rest of the household. He rose. "I would very much like to see if Hera would flourish from my teachings," he said. "I will be in Rimasha for months to come. We have plenty of time to see if Hera is compatible to learn from me. If Hera-ma does become my apprentice, however, they will leave Rimasha with my family when we leave. You must consider whether that is something you are alright with or not." He looked at Kharel before looking down at Hera. "If you wish to learn from me, be ready at dawn tomorrow. You will be joining me for a morning run.
1st of September, 2001.
Hera woke up with the first rays of morning sun. They found good, durable clothes and got dressed. Llyssa had said it was probably useless to clean before going with Harry, and Hera wouldn't be surprised if she was right.
"Hera-ma is up early, yes."
"Harry-jo said to be up early," Hera said. There was a knock on the front door and Hera rushed over to open it. They looked at Harry curiously. He wore traditional Khajiit garb, very similar to Hera's own clothes. They wondered if he did it to appease Shiva or because he enjoyed it.
"Shall we?" Harry said. He gathered blue light in the palm of his hand and cast a spell before he took off running. Hera had to rush to catch up with him, but they didn't have any problems keeping up once, they were running together. "Harry-jo cannot see but can run through the streets and forest without stumbling, how?" Hera asked.
"I have a set of spells that coat the world around me and let me see the outlines," Harry said. "They can be used by someone who can see if they are in a dark space too, so I will teach you. How much training with magic have you received so far?" he asked.
"No young one gets trained in magic here," Hera said. "This one will be younger than most with a Master."
"You still use the Apprentice system?" Harry asked. "I see. That is interesting. So becoming my apprentice isn't a bad thing for you?"
"Hera-ma will be the second Khajiit who learns under Harry-jo," Hera said. "The Elders will compare what Harry-jo teaches Hera-ma and Tanya-la."
"Unless you and Tanya are very similar, I will not teach you the same things I taught her," Harry said. "I know a lot, and teaching someone all of it would take a long time. I am quite varied in my knowledge. You may not be suited to learn all that I know."
"Hera-ma understands," Hera said. "This one is just happy to learn. If Hera-ma could become dangerous to others, Hera-ma wants to learn control."
Harry nodded slowly. "If we write a contract between you and me for me to teach you, I will help in whatever way I can. My second apprentice has made potions that can change a person's sex to better fit them. If something doesn't fit with your image of yourself, we can help, and there are other ways to have a child in the magical world. There are potions, among other things. We can help you."
Hera smiled as they followed Harry. They had spoken to Llyssa about these things but feared what their parents might say or think should they find out. They were glad Harry had been so clear about his stance already, and that he was not pushing them to tell their parents felt safe. If Harry could help, then Hera would work extra hard to make him proud of them. So many expectations lay on their shoulders so early. They worried about what that may lead to. At least running with Harry felt safe.
27th of November, 2001.
Harry was holding an envelope that had arrived that morning after Charlie left. He could tell by the seal that it was from Gringotts. He headed out. He didn't have classes that day, and Hera was off with their family, so he didn't have much he needed to do. His students were coming along nicely. He only had four left now. Llyssa was doing an amazing job. J'eteri was still struggling along. Harry was teaching him as much curse-breaking as he could, but it was far from his best subject.
Tanya looked up from an old, heavy book as Harry sat down next to her. He placed a hand on her back and rubbed it soothingly. "I hate this," she said. "I don't understand why anyone would willingly put themselves through this." Her morning sickness the past couple of weeks had made her wonder why morning was part of the name. She could eat only because Harry's magic could overpower the feeling. She closed the book with a sigh. There was just no way she could focus on that. It was far too boring. She leaned against Harry and closed her eyes. She felt like shit and she missed her mom. "Harry?" she said softly. "I want my mom."
"I'll see what I can do," Harry said. "I doubt Shiva will disagree. She seems interested in meeting Vatusia." He wrapped his arm around her. "I'm sorry you have to feel this way."
Tanya sighed. "It isn't your fault, Harry," she said. "If I had wanted to do things differently, you would have helped me. I don't regret doing what we did. I don't regret being pregnant. I just don't understand why anyone would want to," she said.
Harry shrugged. "You would have to ask someone else," he said. "Fleur or Dora could maybe answer that question." He paused for a moment. "Do you want me to bring Natalie as well?" he asked.
Tanya looked up at him with a smile. "Yes, I would like that very much," she said. She looked down at the envelope he was holding. "Would you like me to read that?" she asked.
Harry held it over. "It could be nothing," he said.
"It is from Gringotts though," Tanya said. "That's seldom nothing." She opened the envelope and unfolded the letter.
Clan brother Harry Potter,
We ask for your aid in a case most dire.
One of our allied clans find themselves unable
to deal with a contract handed to them and have
asked for our help. It is believed that dragons
are involved.
We know you are currently dealing with other
matters but hope that you are still in the Amazon
rainforest since that is where our brethren
struggle.
Please respond or appear at their camp using the
accompanying portkey.
Sincerely,
Chief Radac of Clan Alfknif
Tanya handed Harry a golden chain. "What will you do?" she asked.
"Help them," Harry said. "But I'll try to get a hold of Natalie and Vatusia first."
"I appreciate that," Tanya said. She sighed and rubbed her stomach. "I'm glad you already spoke to mother. She would have been so angry otherwise. She will still be angry, but at least she won't be angry with you."
Harry smiled. "Vatusia will be a force to be reckoned with when she gets here," he said. "Poor Khajiit."
Tanya laughed and cuddled closer to her Master. She might feel awful but at least she wasn't alone. Both her Master and his husband did all they could for him.