Disclaimer – It has come to my attention recently that I unfortunately do not own any part of the Game of Thrones nor Harry Potter universes That includes but is not limited to the characters, locations, … Who knew.
It seems like the only national day today is national sardine day which seems like something not worth celebrating. Even the ninja turtles know that! To everyone planning on celebrating Thanksgiving coming up, I wish you a very enjoyable holiday and even more enjoyable shopping time. Yay for Black Friday! Time for a new phone. And to everyone else who already has (Canada) or does not celebrate Thanksgiving I hope you have an enjoyable day tomorrow celebrating National Parfait Day!
Anyone who is looking to provide support and get access to early chapters for my stories or see my original content, please visit Pa T-rEoN / FavoriteAuthor
On that note, a big thanks to my newest patrons – Jon, Juan D., Harvey N., Not Here, Tatjana R., Nick, Joel S., Sascha H., Loic S., Earl D., Omar R., Paultagoras, Justaguy33, Atlantis92, Joshua C., Rupak K, Robert, Joshua, Shane H., Krysz W., Louis K., MArkus V., Jordan H., Joshua, Xeroxlaser, Ryol, Bill, Alkole, Roger W., Pascal H., Steven, Zarys, NotAMArtian, Nicholas A., Sapph89, Mlungisi M., Callum R., Christian M., Joe H., Callum C., Kelorus, Nova Sana, Daniel H., Roberts J., Xavier C., Brandon V., Andy in the rew, Dave H., MArvin L., Boris E., and Kyle U! I do not know if I would be as motivated without the support.
Author Note 1 - I wanted to take a moment to thank everyone for all the feedback and messages I've been getting on my stories. I do want to apologize, because while I've managed to keep the stories posting on a consistent basis life had gotten busy and then managed to take a well deserved vacation (first time to the Hawaiian big island), I have been a little behind on my replies and trying to catch up. Thanks again for all the support, it really means a lot!
This story is dedicated to Tara T, for her support.
After his morning meal, Harry decided to head to the library first. Jon had mentioned wanting some time alone to think and had promised to meet him at the training yard later, so having nothing better to do, Harry figured he could spend some time reading. He expected that the library would be as quiet as always, and he honestly found it a peaceful place to pass the time. However, to his surprise, as he stepped inside, he was surprised to find Arya hiding in one of the aisles, peering out cautiously as if expecting someone to be looking for her.
"Arya?" Harry raised an eyebrow, unable to hide his amusement. "I don't think I've ever seen you in the library. What are you doing here?"
Arya turned to him, looking a little embarrassed but defiant as usual. "I'm hiding from Septa Mordane," she admitted, her voice just above a whisper.
Harry couldn't help but chuckle. "Hiding in the library? Clever. I suppose she wouldn't expect to find you here." He gestured to the tables near the center of the room. "You're more than welcome to join me if you want."
Arya wrinkled her nose at the suggestion, clearly finding the idea of sitting quietly in the library boring. But before she could refuse, Harry added, "I'm not reading about boring things. I was just about to start reading about dragons and the Targaryens."
That got Arya's attention. Her eyes lit up with interest, and after a moment's hesitation, she followed him to the table. Harry pulled out the large, leather-bound book from the stack that he had collected in the moring, opening it to a page with an illustration of a massive dragon, its wings spread wide as it flew over a castle.
As Harry began reading, Arya leaned over to get a better look at the pages, asking questions now and then. She was as fascinated as Harry by the stories of Aegon the Conqueror and his sisters, especially his sisters, and the mighty dragons they rode. Her questions slowed down Harry's reading pace, but he didn't mind. It was enjoyable, as not only was her excitement infectious but she also had random pieces of knowledge that she would bring up now and again.
After a while, though, their conversation tapered off, and Harry noticed that Arya had gone quiet for quite some time. He looked up to see her staring at the book with a faraway look in her eyes, a hint of sadness on her face.
"What's wrong?" Harry asked gently.
Arya hesitated before speaking. "I don't want to go to the capital. I know they'll try to turn me into a proper 'lady'." She made a face at the word, as if it left a bad taste in her mouth.
Harry couldn't help but laugh at the way she had said the word, which earned him a glare. He quickly held up his hands in a gesture of apology. "I'm sorry, Arya. I didn't mean to laugh. It's just—" He paused, thinking of the right words. "If you go with that attitude, you're definitely going to have a bad time. But if you go with an open mind, you might find it's not as terrible as you think."
Arya scoffed, crossing her arms. "Yeah … right."
Harry smiled, shaking his head. "There won't just be 'ladies' there," he said, mimicking her disdainful tone, which made Arya snort with laughter despite herself. "Bigger cities have a larger variety of people. And even if that wasn't the case, I'd imagine the Red Keep is an interesting place to explore. Who knows what secrets you might find there? Afterall besides Visenya and Rhaenys, I'm sure there have been other famous women in King's Landing and maybe this is just the start of the story for Arya Stark."
Arya's doubtful expression slowly shifted, and she looked thoughtful. She uncrossed her arms, nodding slightly. Harry could see she was at least considering the idea.
"Plus," he continued, "there are bound to be more opportunities for people in King's Landing than there are here in the North."
Arya raised an eyebrow at that, clearly curious. "Opportunities for what?"
Harry shrugged, leaning back in his chair. "For adventure, for one. For meeting people, learning new things. That's why I was thinking of asking your father if I could join you all on the trip down."
Arya's eyes widened in surprise, and then she broke into a grin. "Really? You want to come with us?" she asked, excitement bubbling in her voice. "That'd be great I wouldn't be stuck with Sansa and Bran …"
Harry nodded, smiling at her enthusiasm. However, before he could say more, the door creaked open, and Septa Mordane appeared, her expression one of mild exasperation. Arya's sudden outburst apparently having been loud enough to catch the attention of her as she walked by outside the library.
"Ah, there you are, Arya," the septa said, her eyes narrowing slightly. "It's time for your needlework lessons. Princess Myrcella will be joining Sansa and yourself today. Isn't that exciting?"
Arya's face fell, her expression a perfect picture of dismay. It was clear she was about to say something along the lines of "No, that doesn't sound exciting at all," but she bit her tongue, glancing back at Harry with an accusatory look, as if this was somehow his fault for her being discovered in the library. Harry struggled to keep a straight face, giving her a sympathetic smile as she reluctantly got up to follow Septa Mordane out of the library.
As the door closed behind them, Harry counted silently to ten, then let out the laughter he'd been holding in. Arya's expression had been priceless. He could only imagine how difficult it must be for someone like her to be dragged to have to sit through lessons on stitching and manners when all she wanted was to wield a sword and have adventures.
With Arya gone, Harry turned his attention back to his reading, diving deeper into the tales of the Targaryens and their dragons. Trying to look for some clue that might help him explain his dream from the night before. Was it a vision of the past or a warning for the future or was it as Maester Luwin suggested and just the product of his imagination.
Time passed quickly in the library, and before long, Harry realized it was nearly time to meet Jon at the training yard. He closed the book carefully, placing it back on the shelf, and made his way out of the library, feeling refreshed and ready for whatever the day had in store.
After his morning meal, Harry made his way to the training yard, seeking something to pass the time. With most of the men gone on the hunt, including Ser Rodrik, the yard was quiet, much quieter than usual, and there was no fighting to watch. There were only a few people around—some stable hands tending to the horses and a couple of boys practicing their archery. The most entertaining of which was Bran, so rather than make his way over to the weapons rack, Harry found a spot to observe the boy. He watched Bran fire arrow after arrow, his aim improving slightly with each shot. However, the monotony soon caused his thoughts to wander, and he began wishing that he had accepted the invitation to join the hunt.
He knew why he hadn't gone, though—his riding skills still left much to be desired. Harry had only managed a few short practice sessions before King Robert and his party arrived, and after that, the pressure to look competent had kept him away from the stables. The last thing he wanted was to make a fool of himself. Besides, there was something about King Robert that made him uneasy.
In stories he had heard from Ned Stark and his children, King Robert had seemed like a hero, fighting for what was right and overthrowing a tyrannical family. But the man Harry had met was not the shining figure of legend. Whatever he may have once been, the Robert Baratheon who had arrived at Winterfell had let himself go, both in terms of his physical condition and his behavior. The most optimistic thing Harry could think to say was that he seemed to have lost his sense of purpose, which resulted in him drowning in indulgence. Harry wasn't naive; and knew this world was significantly different from his own, but it was still disappointing to see the supposed leader of the country acting the way he did. But he supposed that being king in a world like this would take its toll on anyone.
A shout from Bran brought Harry back to the present. Bran had put down his bow and was making his way over to Harry, his expression a mix of frustration and curiosity.
"Harry," Bran called out, as he came to a stop beside Harry. "Do you think Jon is alright?"
Harry raised an eyebrow, surprised by the question. "I think so? At least he was alright this morning. Why do you ask?"
Bran hesitated, his eyes looking anywhere but at Harry. "It's just ... Jon is so firm about going to the Wall, and now he hardly talks to me. I'm worried that something's wrong ... or maybe he doesn't like me anymore."
Harry smiled gently, shaking his head, as he patted Bran on the shoulder. "I wouldn't worry, Bran. I don't think there's anything wrong with Jon, and I certainly doubt there's anything you could do that would make him dislike you."
Bran's face lit up briefly, but then his smile faded. "If that's true, then why does he want to leave?"
Harry ran a hand through his hair, exhaling slowly. "I think it's because Jon feels like he doesn't have much of a choice. He doesn't quite fit in, and he thinks the Wall is his way out."
Bran frowned. "But he doesn't have to go! He has us—he has a family here!"
"I know, Bran." Harry shrugged. "And I think on some level he knows that too. But no matter how much you all treat him like family, he'll always feel like an outsider. To most people, he's just 'the bastard of Lord Stark.' The Wall might feel like an escape from all that. A place where he can be more than just a reminder of what he wasn't born to. Where he is viewed as an equal to everyone else."
Bran was quiet for a moment, deep in thought. Then his eyes lit up with sudden inspiration. "What if Jon became a knight? Like Ser Walder of Woodmere! Or even a member of the Kingsguard, like Ser Marston Waters or Ser Robert Flowers? Ser Robert even went on to become the Commander of the Kingsguard. We could serve together!"
Harry smiled at the boy's enthusiasm. "You could try to convince him of that, Bran. But the Night's Watch might seem more attainable to Jon—something within reach. I'm guessing that for every story you've heard about the Kingsguard, you've heard three or four about the Night's Watch. And at the end of the day, I'm guessing far more bastards go to the wall than become members of the Kingsguard."
Bran nodded reluctantly, the excitement draining from his face. He looked at Harry again, hope lingering in his eyes. "Do you know where Jon is now? I want to talk to him."
Harry opened his mouth to answer but realized he had no idea where Jon was. He hesitated before shaking his head. "I was planning to spar with him, but I don't know where he is at the moment."
Bran sighed, disappointed. "I'll find him later, I suppose," he muttered. After a brief pause, he looked up again. "But for now, I think I'm going to go—" He quickly shook his head and corrected himself, "I mean, I'm going to go explore the castle one last time before I head south." He paused and smiled at Harry. "Don't tell my mother."
Harry gave him a knowing smile but said nothing. He knew that Bran's "exploring" often involved scaling the walls and towers of Winterfell. Seeing Harry smile, Bran turned and ran off in the direction of the godswood.
With Bran gone, the training yard felt emptier than before. Harry stood up, deciding he could use some practice himself before Jon arrived. Even if Ser Rodrik wasn't there, he could still work on his footwork and perhaps get in a bit of exercise with a wooden practice sword.
The practice swords were lined up neatly, a variety of sizes to choose from. Harry grabbed one that felt comfortable in his hand—not too heavy, but with enough weight to force him to work on his balance. He took a position near the edge of the yard, where he wouldn't be in anyone's way if anyone else decided to join him on the yard, and started working through the exercises Ser Rodrik had shown him. Slow at first, making sure he had the movements right: parry, thrust, block, sidestep. Over and over, trying to make each motion smoother, faster, more natural.
He lost track of time as he worked, the repetition calming his mind. His body began to move on instinct, falling into a rhythm that reminded him of his old dueling practice back at Hogwarts. There was a satisfaction in getting each movement right, in feeling his body grow more accustomed to the unfamiliar weight of a sword. His muscles ached, and sweat trickled down his back, but it felt good—felt like he was making actual progress.
A sudden voice, right behind him, broke his focus. "You're getting better."
Harry spun around dropping his practice sword, startled. Jon Snow was standing a few feet away, arms crossed, a faint smile on his face.
"Oh, Jon," Harry said, catching his breath. "I didn't hear you come up."
Jon shrugged. "You were pretty focused. That's good—you'll need that if you want to get any better."
Harry gave a rueful smile. "I'm trying, but I still feel like I'm barely learning the basics."
"You're doing fine," Jon reassured him. "It takes time. Besides, you've got good instincts. That counts for a lot."
They stood in silence for a moment before Harry spoke up. "Bran was looking for you earlier. He seemed worried about you."
Jon's expression softened. "Bran worries too much, but he's a good kid." He paused, then added, almost to himself, "I wish I could explain things to him better."
"Maybe you should try," Harry suggested. "He looks up to you, you know. He wants to understand why you're leaving."
Jon sighed, looking away. "I know. It's just ... hard. Bran still sees the world in black and white—good and bad, right and wrong. The idea that I might not belong here, that I might be happier somewhere else ... it doesn't make sense to him."
Harry returned the smile, "Good on you."
Jon hesitated for a moment, then a glint of mischief appeared in his eyes. "Say, Harry, do you have any energy left to duel for a bit, or did you waste it all fighting invisible enemies?"
Harry laughed, the seriousness of the previous moment breaking. "I think I've got a little energy left," he said, motioning towards the practice swords lined up along the edge of the training yard. "Go grab a sword, and let's see what I've got."
Jon grinned and picked up a wooden practice sword, tossing another to Harry. Harry caught it, rolling his shoulders as he took his stance. Jon mirrored him, his eyes assessing Harry's posture.
"Ready?" Jon asked, his expression now completely serious.
Harry nodded, and Jon lunged forward with a speed Harry hadn't expected, their swords clashing. The sound of wood hitting wood echoed through the empty training yard, and Harry felt the familiar rush of adrenaline as he focused on Jon's movements.
They sparred for the better part of half an hour, Jon serving more as a guide than a true opponent. He corrected Harry's mistakes in real time, pointing out when his stance was off or when he left himself open to an attack. Despite the instructional nature of their duel, Jon did not hold back, striking as hard as ever at Harry's exposed spots whenever he saw them.
"Keep your guard up," Jon said, his voice firm as he blocked Harry's attack and then tapped Harry's side with the flat of his blade. "If I can get through, so can anyone else … except maybe Theon."
Harry nodded as he smiled, adjusting his stance, his muscles already aching from the repeated corrections. He could feel himself getting tired, his arms growing heavy, but he pushed through, determined to improve.
Jon came at him again, and this time Harry managed to block the strike, stepping to the side to avoid the follow-up. He saw an opening and swung his sword, but Jon easily deflected it, spinning around to bring his blade down towards Harry's shoulder. Harry barely managed to block in time, the force of the blow making him stumble back.
Jon paused, giving Harry a nod. "Better," he said. "You're getting quicker."
Harry grinned, breathing heavily. "Thanks. Though I think I still have a long way to go before I can keep up with you."
Jon shrugged, a smile playing on his lips. "You're improving faster than most. You just need more practice."
They continued for a while longer, Jon pushing Harry to his limits, until finally, Harry's arms felt like they were made of lead, and he could barely lift his sword. Jon noticed and stepped back, lowering his own blade.
"I think that's enough for today, any more and you risk injury," Jon said, a hint of amusement in his voice. "You did well, Harry."
Harry let out a breath, lowering his sword and wiping the sweat from his brow. "Thanks, Jon," he said, his voice filled with genuine appreciation. "At least once my bruises heal, I'm sure I'll be thankful."
After putting their practice swords away, Jon turned to Harry, his expression softening. "I'm going to go find Bran," he said. "I think it's time I talked to him."
Harry nodded, giving Jon an encouraging smile. "I think that's a good idea. He'll want to hear what you have to say."
Jon smiled back, a mixture of determination and nervousness in his eyes. "Yeah. I'll see you later, Harry."
Harry nodded, watching as Jon walked away, presumably to find Bran. He hoped their conversation would go well. He knew what it was like to feel out of place, to want to belong but never quite managing it. He also knew how much it meant to have someone who cared enough to try to understand.
With Jon gone, Harry decided to call it a day. His muscles were protesting, and he was ready for a break. He put the practice sword back in its place and headed towards the hot springs to relax and clean himself off before those from the hunt returned. A soak in the steaming waters sounded like the perfect way to ease his muscles and clear his mind after the intensity of training and the unexpected conversation with Jon.
As he walked towards the springs, something caught his attention from the corner of his eye. It was a blur of movement and color against the otherwise monotonous color of the castles stones. Harry paused, looking up instinctively. His eyes widened as he saw a figure tumbling out of one of the windows of the Broken Tower—a person, falling, arms flailing, their body helpless against the pull of gravity.
Harry's heart stopped for a moment. Shock paralyzed him, the scene playing out as if in slow motion, his brain struggling to comprehend what he was seeing. Then, with a jolt, his instincts took over.
"Arresto Momentum!" he shouted, his wand already in his hand as he aimed it towards the falling figure. A faint shimmering light burst from the tip of his wand, shooting upwards to meet the falling person. The spell connected, and the figure's rapid descent began to slow. But Harry could see that the person wasn't stopping quickly enough—they were still falling, albeit slightly slower. He watched until he saw the person disappear behind one of the buildings that stood between them.
Panic surged through Harry, and without another thought, he broke into a sprint. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest, his legs pumping as he ran towards where he figured the individual had landed. His only thought was to get there as soon as he could, to do something, anything to help … if he could.
He dashed around the corner of the building, his eyes searching desperately for the person. He spotted them—lying on the ground, motionless. The figure was small, a child, limbs sprawled in an unnatural position. Harry's heart sank as he recognized the child. It was Bran Stark.
Kind Regards,
FavoriteAuthor
If you like this content do not hesitate to smash that like button and subscribe. Haha but seriously if you do enjoy the story - do favorite it, other than messaging me or leaving a comment it's the only way I know if you are enjoying the stories and chapters.
Story Note 1 – No! Poor Bran! Unlike when Dumbledore saw Harry falling and managed to cushion his landing. Harry had much less time to react, one can only wonder if slowing down the fall will affect the outcome at all.
Story Note 2 – While the plot will start to diverge (quite soon) as Harry's choices/mere presence affects other characters and their decisions to varying degrees. I felt that Harry being in King's Landing would certainly be more beneficial for him that him being 'stuck' in the North. In the end I weighed the idea of Harry staying North and serving as a general for Robb or trekking out north of the wall with the potential of Harry going to King's Landing and possibly coming up with a spell to rid the city of it's stink. And in the end, decided to write Harry looking after the greater good! Haha but there is certainly more opportunity to have an affect on what is going on if he heads south. Plus, then he won't have to rely on visions and dreams as a source of information. And everyone knows from the Chamber of Secrets just how important spiders can be with providing information … good thing it was Harry who ended up here and not Ron.
A large thanks to those of you out there who enjoy my stories, I promise to keep updating the stories as long as you all are enjoying them, and a special thanks to those of you who have taken the time to leave feedback or have reached out to me directly.
Twitter: FavoriteAuthor_
Instagram: FavoriteAuthor_Fanfic
M2R, Ms. Anbu-Chan, BioHazard82, Guest x 2 - Thanks so much for the feedback and I hope you are enjoying the story!
Fenrir070 - Glad it came together! It was fun trying something slightly different from the usual chapters so hope this worked! Really hope that he at least mitigates Viserys's harm! Sooner rather than later! (Although for what it's worth, I really enjoy the comparison to Draco). Oh and I'd certainly imagine he'll not be jazzed when it comes to King's Landing. I surely wouldn't be. Thanks for the reviews (as usual).
rajeshkont - Any guesses?
Monkey D. Conan - Hope you enjoyed! I imagine Jon might pop up a couple of times going forward.
Church21 - Thanks! The idea seemed interesting enough to write about and it's coming together pretty well. Certainly imagine his moral compass will certainly bring him into conflict and get him into trouble as times progress
Ariadne Venegas - I'd imgine he'll remember what's important but only time will tell if he's quick enough!
Imagination 3101 - Thanks so much, and ya I felt that while Harry certainly could have explored there was no significant motivation until he got it.
