A/N - Happy Sunday faithful readers. This week Harry heads to Africa.
Disclaimer: The X-Men were created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby and belong to Marvel Comics. Harry Potter was created by and belongs to J.K. Rowling. I make no money from this and the only thing that's mine are the original parts of the story.
5) AFRICA
Morning on the edge of the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania can be a beautiful sight. Harry certainly thought so as he stood outside his bungalow watching the morning sun as it shone down on the grasslands of the Serengeti just beyond the border of his property there. It was his first full day in Africa as he had arrived the previous afternoon. He was here for just a few days before heading on to Kenya to visit Ororo and her family.
He'd wanted to check out his African property first and now he was glad that he did. Not far from his front door there was a fairly large watering hole fed by a stream that ran nearby. As Harry discovered very quickly this water source was frequented by many animals in the area. That morning Harry watched as a herd of African Buffalo came to the hole to drink while not far away some elephants were also arriving although they didn't crowd where the buffalo were.
On the other side of the hole there were some lions lounging in the sun and watching the other animals although they made no moves to attack. They probably weren't hungry Harry thought as he watched them.
"Morning pup" said a voice from behind Harry. He turned to see Sirius coming out of the bungalow front door. Sirius had come this far with Harry but he wouldn't continue on to Kenya with him. He was here now so his Godson would have an adult on hand if he needed one – not that either of them thought that he would but better safe than sorry, right?
"Morning Padfoot" said Harry.
"Watching the wildlife?" asked Sirius.
"Yes" said Harry, "I never thought I'd see any of these types of animals outside of a zoo."
"Yeah you don't get to see animals like these in the U.S. or Britain very much" said Sirius, "shall I bring our breakfast out here so we can keep watching?"
"Yes please" said Harry. They ate breakfast while sitting on the front steps of the bungalow and watched the animals around the watering hole. Everything was peaceful and Harry relished the rare moment of serenity.
"So what are we doing today?" asked Sirius.
"I think I could just sit here and watch the animals" said Harry, "but I suppose that's not really possible."
"It is if you want to" said Sirius, "although I thought we might head to the nearest town and check out the local culture for a bit."
"That's what Hermione would do" said Harry, "maybe a little later. Beyond watching the animals here the only thing I really want to do before heading to Kenya is to go see Mt. Kilimanjaro."
"We can do that tomorrow" said Sirius, "I thought you might want to do that so I obtained a tourist portkey that we can use to go there. I just hope you don't want to hike to the top."
"No" said Harry, "not this time anyway. That would take more preparation. I think we're both in good enough condition to be able to do the climb but that's a multi-day trip and I, at least, don't have that much time. I just want to see the mountain, maybe hike around the base or something like that."
"We can do that" said Sirius, "we can take a portkey to the summit too."
"That's cheating" said Harry.
"Has that ever stopped us before?" asked Sirius with a grin, Harry considered that for a moment and then said he'd think about it.
The next morning the two wizards took a portkey to the magical entrance of Mt. Kilimanjaro National Park where they obtained maps of the park as well as a portkey to the top of the mountain although Harry hadn't made up his mind about whether or not he wanted to use it.
They hiked around some of the area at the base of the mountain and saw the local flora and fauna. There were lots of animals here too like in the Serengeti and Harry hadn't lost the wonder of seeing them outside of a zoo.
In the end they did take the portkey to the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro, specifically Uhuru peak which is the highest point in all of Africa. There was a small magical zone there that allowed wizards and witches to either apparate or take a portkey there and have their arrival be unseen by any mundanes who might have hiked to the mountaintop. Before they went up there Harry and Sirius put on heavier clothes and applied warming charms to themselves as well. Tanzania might be located in the tropics but Mt. Kilimanjaro was over 19,000 feet high and there was snow on its summit. Sirius also cast a bubble head charm on both of them as he knew the air up there was thinner than at the mountain's base and he didn't want either of them to have any trouble breathing.
Harry was glad they went to the summit. The view from up there on a clear day was spectacular and today was a very clear day. In every direction that he looked Harry could see the surrounding land for many miles. It was all so far away and he was up so high that it almost felt like he was detached from the world below as he stood on the roof of Africa. He made sure to take pictures with his camera while he was there and thought he might send some to his friends. He and Sirius were up there for close to an hour just enjoying the experience before they finally took their portkey back down to the bottom of the mountain and took another one back to Harry's bungalow.
"That was quite an experience" said Sirius.
"Yes, it was" agreed Harry, "except for when I've been in an airplane (which doesn't count), I've never been up so high, even when I'm flying. Maybe we should do Mt. Everest next?"
"I don't know if there are any magical trips that go there" said Sirius, "even with magic there are some places that are very difficult to get to."
Two days later Sirius went back to the U.S. while Harry traveled on to Kenya. He took a portkey to Nairobi and once through magical customs was greeted by a driver sent by the royal family to take him to the palace. The ride there was fast. The car that Harry rode in obviously had some magical properties as it was able to pass other cars through spaces that seemed much to small for it to fit.
The palace was located in an obviously magical part of the city as Harry felt the magic of the wards as they passed through them that would stop mundanes from coming in. He wondered about the security used for the wards. He knew that Hogwarts was hidden from non-magical eyes because to normal people it looked like a dangerous abandoned ruin, while Ilvermorny was hidden behind a cloud bank. What did mundane people see when looking at the magical part of Nairobi? Did they see anything at all? He made a note to ask that very question as they arrived at his destination.
At first glance the palace did not look like a palace at all but rather like a large traditional Central African hut – but if Harry had learned anything about magic it was that things were often not what they seemed. So it was here. The inside of the building was much, much larger than the outside. A veritable TARDIS-type building in fact.
A butler was waiting for him on the front steps.
"Mr. Harry Potter?" he asked Harry who nodded, "we have been expecting you. This way please." With that Harry was ushered into the front hall of the palace where he found Ororo and her parents waiting for him.
"Mr. Harry James Potter from America" announced the butler. Queen N'Dare thanked him and the man withdrew from the room. Ororo went up to Harry and kissed him on the cheek.
"It's good to see you Harry" said Ororo.
"Likewise" said Harry, "I've been looking forward to coming here ever since you invited me."
Ororo led Harry over to her parents where greetings were quickly exchanged by all.
"Welcome to Kenya Mr. Potter" said Queen N'Dare.
"Thank you" said Harry, "please call me Harry Your Majesty."
"Certainly Harry" said N'Dare, "now once you've been shown to your room we have something to discuss."
That was all for that conversation. One of servants showed Harry to a nice bedroom that overlooked the front of the palace. Ororo went with him and once they were alone they took a moment to lightly kiss.
"It's definitely better to see you in person than talking through a mirror" said Harry.
"I agree" said Ororo, "are you having a good summer?"
"So far" said Harry, "what do your parents want to talk to me about?"
"You'll find out" said Ororo, "I don't want to spoil it, but I think you'll find it interesting."
"If you say so" said Harry rolling his eyes a little, "did you tell them about – "
"– My being a mutant?" finished Ororo, "yes. They seem to be fine with that. My dad said that what with my being a witch already like my mother it seemed to be just one more aspect of my powers coming out. My mum said something similar."
"Sounds a bit like what they say about mutants in the U.K." said Harry, "they call us 'new magicals.' That seems to be as good a term as any."
"I agree" said Ororo, "I didn't tell them about you being a mutant. I felt that was your own business. I told them what I could about Xavier's school of course, although without mentioning the X-Men. They've heard of the professor. He's famous in his field and I had to tell them that someone was helping me."
"That's fine" said Harry, "my teammates' families all know about the school and about them being mutants. Your parents have a right to know too."
Shortly after that Ororo led Harry to a private parlor where her parents were waiting for them. Once the two teens arrived tea was served and the four of them made some small talk for a little while before the queen got down to more serious business.
"It's good to have you here Harry" said the queen, "Ororo has been quite looking forward to your visit."
"So have I" said Harry, "thank you for having me."
"You're welcome," said the queen "now the first thing we need to discuss is a trip that we're going to be taking in a couple of days. It was very short notice. If we'd known about it sooner we probably would have told you to visit us at different time. The reason is because the trip is to our neighboring country Wakanda."
"I've heard of Wakanda" said Harry, "but not much more than what Ororo's told me."
"And what's that?" asked Mr. Munroe.
"It's a very secretive country that most people don't know about" said Harry, "and that not many outsiders are allowed in. Also that their warrior dragons are the strongest dragons in the world."
"That's right" said the queen, "as Kenya shares a border with Wakanda we're one of the few countries that has regular relations with it. There are certain concerns and issues (which I won't go into) that both of our countries share and there are times when I need to meet with their king. Most of the time we can speak with each other through remote means but sometimes we have to meet in person. This is one of those times. We tend to alternate whom visits whom. Last time we met in person King T'Challa came here to Kenya. Now it is my turn to go Wakanda. Furthermore I won't be alone as representatives from the other countries that border Wakanda are also coming to the conference. Naturally David and Ororo have been invited to go with me and will do so. The real issue is you."
"What do you mean?" asked Harry, not liking where this conversation was going.
"As you know outsiders are rarely allowed into Wakanda" said the queen, "and normally you wouldn't be allowed to come with us. However there's one thing you may not know about Wakanda and it's that magic isn't secret there. Magicals and Mundanes mix freely. It's the only country where that's fully true. And since everyone in Wakanda knows about magic and the magical world there are a lot of people who know about you, Harry Potter."
"Oh boy" said Harry, "you mean they know about Voldemort and the Boy-Who-Lived, don't you?"
"Yes" said Queen N'Dare, "quite a lot of people would like to meet you, including King T'Challa himself and his family. That's why you will be allowed to come with us to Wakanda if you wish to do so."
"I see" said Harry, "Ororo will tell you that I've never liked my fame as the Boy-Who-Lived but I'd rather go with you to Wakanda than stay behind as that would kind of defeat the purpose of my coming to visit you in the first place."
"That is true" said the queen, "very well, you'll come with us. However I must say something regarding this trip. It is extremely rare that Westeners are given entrance to Wakanda. If you weren't who you are you would have to stay behind. Now, when you're there you are there as our guest which means that anything you do reflects on us. Therefore I caution you to be on your best behavior."
"I will" said Harry with a serious expression as he understood the warning for what it was. He hoped that for once his bad luck of trouble finding him, whether he wanted it to or not, wouldn't come into play.
"Now" said the queen, " is there anything you wish to tell us while we're talking?"
"Yes, there are a couple of things" said Harry, "first of all I don't know if someone's social status matters to anyone in Wakanda but if it does you may introduce me to people as the Earl of Killigaer. That's a title my family has held in the mundane world since 1279 when it was given to my ancestor by King Edward I."
Harry went on to tell them about his trip to Potter Castle and what he had learned about his family history there. The three Munroes listened to him with interest.
"Those kinds of titles aren't used in Wakanda" said Queen N'Dare, "there are the tribal chieftains of course but not a nobility like in Europe. However your title will let people know that you're of high rank."
"I hope that won't matter much" said Harry.
"Not unless you make a big deal out of it" said Ororo's father David.
"I don't intend to if I can help it" said Harry, "now there's one other thing I wanted to tell you although it's not important as far as going to Wakanda is concerned. Ororo told me that you know that she's a mutant."
"This is true" said Queen N'Dare, "how do you know this?"
"I'm a mutant too" said Harry, "in fact I introduced her to Professor Xavier who is also my teacher. My classmates at Xavier's school are also mutants. I live there and commute to Ilvermorny in the afternoons."
"I see" said the queen while David nodded his head, "that makes sense. Do you have the same powers as our daughter?"
"No" said Harry, "although one of them has some stuff in common with her powers. I'm telekinetic and I have control over electricity so I can make lightning bolts like Ororo can."
"Really?" asked David looking at Harry with interest, "that actually sounds familiar."
"They're not exactly uncommon powers" said Harry, "as you know Ororo can control electricity. Then there's the villain Electro. He can too. One of the other students at Xavier's school is also telekinetic. I'm not unique there."
"Are there a lot of students at the professor's school?" asked N'Dare.
"Not too many right now" said Harry, "but I know that several new students are going to enroll soon. When I get back to America it's quite possible they will already be at the school. I wonder what powers they'll have?"
"Will Neville be there?" asked Ororo.
"He's already there" said Harry, "he came to the school straight from Hogwarts. He's doing very well and everyone's glad to have him back."
That was pretty much the end of the conversation. Harry hadn't revealed to Ororo's parents that he was Lightning but he thought that David might have an idea that he hadn't told them everything. Still, his being an X-Man really wasn't something he wanted everyone to know about. He might tell Ororo's parents eventually if they swore to keep it a secret. He knew that as a ruling queen N'Dare was well acquainted with having to keep secrets at times and as her husband David was probably the same.
Harry celebrated his 15th birthday the day before he and the Munroes went to Wakanda. It wasn't anything big. Ororo and her family wished him "Happy Birthday" and there was a cake at lunch. Professor Xavier contacted Harry and told him that his friends had all sent their presents for him to the X-Mansion where they would be waiting for him when he returned to America. The exception was Ororo who gave Harry her gift in person. She gave him a magical language course so that he could learn Swahili. They both figured that Harry would probably be returning to Kenya at some point, maybe fairly regularly so it would be good if he could be fluent in the language. The course was simple enough. When used the spell involved in the course would implant the language into the user's brain overnight while they slept. When the student woke up he or she would understand the language and know how to speak it. The downside was that the student would also wake up with a pronounced headache so it was important to have a headache relieving potion on hand for when that happened. Harry was glad to receive this gift and looked forward to using it very soon.
(To Be Continued)
A/N - That's all for now. Next week it's on to Wakanda. Meanwhile please take a moment to leave me some feedback. Constructive comments are always welcome but no flames or trolls please. Stay safe and well everyone.