I do not own any part of the Harry Potter or Eragon universes.
Well, the chapter was ready for a few hours, but I forgot to upload it because I was busy reading 'Murtagh'. It might be a while before I can work on the next chapter, because I don't want to force myself to speed through Murtagh.
I hope the site does fix their problems soon, because it is really annoying to try to upload a chapter when parts of the site doesn't load. At least it didn't on my end.
This might feel rushed, because I wanted to post this with the book coming out today. Anyway, have fun with the chapter.
Arya stared in disbelief at Artemis. The head of the dragoness protruded from the opening of the trunk. Suddenly, she yawned and opened her mouth wide. A faint flame sprouted from her nostrils and ignited the ground in front of their feet.
"Bloody hell!" Sirius exclaimed and stamped his foot on the spot until the fire disappeared.
"Oops," Artemis said innocently, looking at them.
"Well, I've seen a lot, but this tops everything," Orik muttered and pinched Eragon's arm, who was standing next to him.
"Ouch!" Eragon cried and rubbed the spot Orik had pinched. "Why did you do that?"
Orik shrugged. "I wanted to see if I was dreaming. But clearly, you felt it."
Eragon glared at Orik. "Shouldn't you do that on yourself?"
The dwarf grinned innocently and slapped Eragon's thigh in a friendly manner.
"Artemis, do you know where Harry is?" Arya asked.
"Of course, I do. He's here," she said, sending her thoughts to everyone around.
"By here, do you mean he's in this... trunk?" Islanzadí asked doubtfully.
Artemis nodded and began to retract her head. "I'll get him. It may take a little while."
"Artemis, wait!" Arya called and hurried towards the trunk.
She stopped and looked at Arya expectantly.
"Can we...?" Arya asked slowly glanced towards the trunk, and Artemis nodded.
"Of course, you can come. But it's hard to climb down the ladder into the trunk if I stick my head out. So, come on!" Artemis called to them, and this time, she completely withdrew her head and disappeared inside.
With a quick glance at Eragon, Islanzadí turned to Lord Däthedr. "I want you to go to Eragon and Harry's new teachers and tell them what happened and that they'll have to wait a bit longer to meet their new students."
"What will you do in the meanwhile?" Däthedr asked.
Arya straightened up. "I will follow Artemis. I want to know what's up with this trunk."
Islanzadí nodded thoughtfully. "But not alone."
The queen looked suspiciously at the trunk. "Then let's see where our lost dragon rider is hanging out."
Arya was the first to enter the trunk. Initially, she had doubts about whether she would even fit inside, but when she touched it with her hand, it expanded, making it easy for her to climb in.
"I should have thought of that myself," Arya muttered as she descended the ladder.
"After all, Artemis must have entered the trunk the same way."
"Are you talking to yourself now?" She heard Harry's voice as she reached the bottom of the ladder. She turned around and sighed in relief when she saw him standing in front of her.
He had removed his robe and was now wearing only a white shirt. He had rolled up the sleeves, revealing a faint scar on his right arm. His hair looked windswept, and she found herself thinking about running a comb through his hair.
Arya shook her head to get rid of these thoughts and approached Harry with an intense gaze.
"Where have you been, Harry? We looked for you everywhere," Arya said.
Harry crossed his arms in front of his chest. "Well, no one told me when we were supposed to meet. I couldn't have guessed you'd all go so crazy."
Arya stared at him. "This is your first day in Ellesméra. I would have expected you to leave and explore the city on your own, getting lost in the process."
Harry looked embarrassed, especially when Artemis added, "If you had come a little later, Arya, your gut feeling would have been correct. Harry was about to leave when I reminded him that he still has other tasks to complete."
"I've never gotten lost before!"
Arya placed her hand on her hip and looked at Harry expectantly.
"Really, Harry? What about Farthen Dûr?"
Harry sighed in annoyance. "That was only once."
Arya raised a demanding eyebrow.
"Perhaps more than once," he admitted under his breath. "I can't help it if the dwarves don't build signs for their tunnels! They all looked the same!"
"It's been a long time since I visited the Beor Mountains, but in this matter, I have to agree with Harry. Only a dwarf can navigate that tunnel system," Islanzadí said as she approached, closely followed by Sirius.
Sirius' face lit up when he saw Harry and he rushed past Islanzadí. "There you are!" he exclaimed and hugged Harry tightly.
"I thought you had left again!"
Arya observed as Harry rolled his eyes, but he also returned the embrace with a faint glimmer in his eyes. However, it only took a few moments for Harry to getting annoyed and attempt to free himself from Sirius' hug.
"Ugh, let me go, Sirius! I'm not fifteen anymore!" Harry grumbled and rubbed his ribs gently as his godfather finally released him.
"Sorry, Harry, but I still can't believe you're here," Sirius said, putting an arm around Harry's shoulders.
Harry looked at Sirius seriously for a moment, but then he snorted. "Believe me, I feel the same way."
Suddenly, they heard Eragon's voice from above. "Orik! Watch where you put your foot!" Eragon called out angrily.
The group looked up and saw that Orik had accidentally landed his foot on Eragon's face. The dwarf held onto the ladder with both arms, but when Eragon grabbed his foot and removed it from his face, the dwarf lost his grip and fell.
Harry sighed and swiftly drew his wand.
"Wingardium Leviosa!" The spell hit Orik's shoes, and now the dwarf dangled upside down in the air, wriggling with his feet in the air.
Orik's face turned bright red as blood rushed down to his head. "Harry, put me down immediately!"
"I believe that is not a good idea," Sirius noted, but Harry smirked and flicked his wand. Orik fell the last meter and landed upside down on the stone floor.
"Ow," Orik grumbled, rubbing his head. Eragon helped him up, although the dragon rider couldn't suppress his laughter.
Orik straightened up and glared at Harry. "I'll take what you said about our tunnels as a compliment."
Harry shrugged. "As you wish, Orik. I didn't mean to upset you."
Orik grumbled unhappily, and Arya had the opportunity to look around.
She had never seen a place like this. They were in a circular hall resembling the size of the Tialdarí Hall. The roof was dome-shaped and consisted of countless windows that let in warm sunlight.
On the sides, there were dozens of shelves filled with old books. Right in front of them stood a large round wooden table laden with open books and numerous scrolls.
Arya approached the table, and from the corner of her eye, she could see a black cauldron emitting green smoke. A black curtain hung on the wall above the cauldron.
When she reached the table, her eyes fell on a piece of paper peeking out between the books. Arya reached between the books and pulled it out.
The paper looked like it had been crumpled in anger several times. Arya smoothed it out, and her eyes widened as she saw the image. It was a picture of Harry, when he was younger and he stared at her with ice-cold eyes, his face devoid of any emotion.
Above his image was written in bold letters, 'Undesirable No. 1.'
"Undesirable No. 1... 10,000 Galleons for his head," Arya muttered in shock.
"I always thought I was worth more," Harry commented. "But the Ministry must have been short on gold."
Arya raised her head from the paper and looked at Harry in astonishment.
"Harry, what is this?" Arya asked, deeply concerned.
He sighed and slowly took the paper from her hand, their fingers lightly brushing against each other.
'His fingers are really warm,' Arya noted to herself and retreated her hand.
Harry blew on the paper and let it go. It floated in the air.
"This is my personal wanted poster," Harry said.
Sirius's eyes widened when he saw the picture.
"10,000 Galleons? They didn't even offer half that much for mine!" Sirius said jokingly, but Arya could see his hands trembling as he plucked the sheet from the air.
"Not everyone can look as good as I do, Sirius," Harry grinned and walked over to Eragon, who was standing with Orik on the other side of the room. They stood in front of comfortable armchairs and a fireplace. The fireplace was quiet and untouched, its fire extinguished, leaving only traces of past warmth and coziness.
"Harry, what is this?" Eragon asked, pointing to the table in front of them. Arya followed them and looked over Harry's shoulder as he leaned forward.
On the table, there was a round stone basin. The outer surface was adorned with inscriptions and symbols that reminded Arya of runes. She even thought, she recognized one.
ᚨ
"That's Ansuz, the rune of Odin," Arya said, running her finger over the rune. It tingled when she touched it with her fingers.
"You remembered it, Arya," Harry said, giving her a broad smile.
"How do you know about the rune?" Sirius asked. He still held Harry's wanted poster in his hand.
"Harry taught me a bit about runes on our journey after we left Tarnag," Arya said, turning to Sirius.
Sirius raised his eyebrows and turned to Harry.
"You talked to her about runes?" Sirius asked with a certain sharpness in his voice.
Arya felt a brief flicker of uncertainty. Sirius seemed very concerned when she mentioned the runes. What was the matter with that?
Islanzadí eyed the stone basin filled with a silvery liquid with a stern gaze.
"What exactly is this?" she asked.
Sirius absentmindedly shook his head and then ran his hand over his beard.
"I've seen it before in Dumbledore's office. It's a Pensieve," Sirius replied and turned to Harry. "But where did you get it? They are really rare, and James never mentioned to me that the Potter's had one."
Harry shrugged. "It's Dumbledore's. I took it from his office after his death."
Sirius stared at Harry with his mouth agape. "Dumbledore is d-dead?"
As Harry nodded, Arya heard Sirius whispering quietly, "What in Merlin's beard has happened?"
Arya furrowed her brow and looked at the smooth surface. She watched as Harry slowly extended his finger and touched the smooth surface. The surface rippled into small waves and revealed an image.
It showed Harry in a small cottage, with a young Artemis in front of him.
Eragon's eyes widened as he saw the picture. "That's Harry's cottage in Carvahall!"
"This must have happened when she had just hatched," Islanzadí observed with interest.
They watched the surface of the Pensieve with bated breath as the Harry in the Pensieve slowly reached out and touched Artemis in the images.
Harry withdrew his hand, and the image disappeared into the cloudy liquid.
"Was that a memory?" Orik asked curiously.
Harry's eyes were glued to the Pensieve, and it took a moment before he answered.
"Yes, it was. A Pensieve can store a person's past experiences and memories," Harry explained, and Arya watched in fascination as the liquid silver rose like smoke and spread over the surface like a mist.
"It's a very rare and dangerous magical artifact. If you delve into its memories too often, you can get lost in them. Sometimes it's better to let the past rest," Harry said, and Arya turned around as they heard a loud bang.
In front of them, Saphira lay on the ground with her wings outstretched. She shook her head and exhaled an annoyed flame as she got up.
"Is she okay?" Arya asked Eragon, who had rushed over to Saphira with concern.
"I think so," he replied with a smile. "Saphira touched the trunk with her snout, and suddenly she felt the ground beneath her feet give way, and she fell."
"At least she didn't fall on us," Orik grumbled but fell silent as Saphira gave him a stern look.
"I'm sorry, Saphira. I should have warned you beforehand," Artemis said. Harry's partner stood at the other end of the hall, waving them forward with her tail. She carried a large bucket in her mouth.
"Come, Harry. It's time to go outside, or they'll get restless."
Orik nearly tripped over his long beard. "Barzûln! What do you mean, outside? We're in a trunk!"
Artemis bared her teeth and gave them a mysterious dragon smile.
They followed her through the hall, and Arya smelled something delightful. She saw an open door leading to another room. There, she saw a cauldron over a fire and knives flying, chopping the floating vegetables in the air and silently dropping them into the cauldron.
They continued on and at the end of the corridor, they approached a massive door made of dark oak. The door swung open as they neared, and they gazed in awe.
Before them lay a vast landscape that surpassed their imagination. They stood on a hill, looking down into a valley crisscrossed by a sparkling small river. Gentle green hills stretched out to the horizon, adorned with colourful flowers swaying in the breeze.
The sun was high in the sky, bathing the scene in warm, golden light. In the distance, Arya could see forests extending to a majestic mountain range.
"How is this possible?" Arya heard her mother ask.
Arya could only agree. It was so bizarre that a landscape like this was hidden inside a trunk.
"Magic," Harry replied with a grin.
They followed Artemis down a narrow path to the river. There, they found a round table with chairs, and they sat down. Well, all of them except Orik, who preferred to stand and look over the table.
Harry stood facing the forest and brought his fingers to his lips. A loud whistle echoed across the landscape.
Artemis placed the bucket by Harry's side and laid down in the grass with Saphira.
For minutes, nothing happened, and Eragon began to fidget in his seat.
"What are we waiting for?" he asked impatiently.
Artemis opened one of her eyes and gestured her head toward the direction of the forest.
Arya followed her gaze, and even from a distance, she could make out the leaves of the trees. For a moment, nothing happened except for the wind gently rustling the leaves. Then, she suddenly heard a loud screech that shattered the silence.
She immediately stood up and placed her hand on the hilt of her sword as several shadowy figures burst out of the treetops. It wasn't a dragon, nor was it anything that resembled a Fanghur. The creatures had two wings, but they weren't covered in scales; they resembled the feathers of an eagle.
"A griffin," Sirius breathed out. He stood next to Arya and looked in awe at the griffins flying toward them.
Harry raised his arm and waved to the majestic creatures circling high in the sky. Suddenly, the griffins angled their powerful wings toward the ground and began to glide slowly toward the earth. As they did, they drew elegant circles in the air above their heads, their grace and beauty evident with each flap of their wings.
The sharp talons of the griffins finally touched the ground, landing with a grace that reminded Arya only of a dragon.
Harry slowly approached the griffins. The foremost griffin was the largest among them, with dark feathers. As Harry drew near, the griffin lifted its talons and spread its wings.
Harry stopped and raised his arms in a placating gesture. The griffin screeched, and its head turned in their direction, where Arya and the others stood.
"They are my friends," Harry said, and the griffin squinted its eyes as it looked at Arya. She resisted the urge to look away, and after a moment, the griffin turned its gaze contentedly aside. It allowed Harry to approach and stroked the creature's feathers, which nuzzled against Harry's chest.
Eventually, Harry bent down and retrieved the bucket that Artemis had carried earlier, filled with meat.
Harry turned to them and waved Eragon over.
"Eragon, come here! Instead of standing like a statue that is stuck in the ground, you can be useful and help me," Harry called out, and Eragon reluctantly approached Harry.
"What should I do?" he asked Harry.
"Take the bucket and throw a piece to the big griffin," Harry explained, glancing at the other creatures standing behind the large gone. "And when I say 'throw,' I mean it. Unless you want to lose your hand."
Eragon gulped as the griffin stared at him demandingly. He reached for a piece of meat and threw it toward the creature, which effortlessly caught it with its beak.
Harry returned to the others, and they watched as Eragon fed the griffins one by one. With each piece of meat, the griffin caught, he walked to the other griffins, placing it in front of them on the ground.
Islanzadí turned to Harry. "Why are the other griffins so protective of the one in the centre?" she asked curiously.
Harry's eyes lit up. "She is a female, and she's pregnant. They won't even let me get near her."
Islanzadí nodded in understanding, and they waited until Eragon was done. He washed his hands in the nearby stream and joined them.
"Harry," Eragon said excitedly, pointing at the griffins in front of them. He gestured with his arms, as if trying to point to everything, and looked at Harry inquisitively.
"Why didn't you tell us any about this?" Eragon asked.
"Why should I have told you or anyone, Eragon?" Harry responded, crossing his arms.
"There was no reason to-"
"How many of these griffins live here?" Orik interrupted Harry.
Harry tilted his head. "Just the dozen in front of you. There used to be a herd of Thestrals here, but they were moved to Hogwarts years ago."
"They could have helped us in the Battle of Farthen Dûr!" Orik grumbled in frustration. The dwarf waved angrily his arm at the large griffin. "If we had fought with these creatures, the Urgals wouldn't have stood a chance. The big griffin alone could have killed dozens of Kull!"
"Orik, mind your tongue," Islanzadí scolded sternly. "You are only here as a guest of the Dûrgrimst Ingeitum. Harry is not just a dragon rider; he holds a special position within my family, and I demand that you treat him with respect."
Islanzadí continued to give Orik a stern look. "If that doesn't suit you, someone from my house will promptly escort you out of Du Weldenvarden."
Orik returned the queen's gaze and was about to speak, but Sirius suddenly spoke up.
"Maybe it's better to discuss these things over dinner. Harry, we haven't eaten yet, and I saw that you were cooking something?"
Harry snorted. "You still think with your stomach, Sirius. But he's right. It's not easy to think rationally on an empty stomach. I'm speaking from experience."
They sat down together at the table and watched as Harry conjured plates and cutlery. They floated out of the house and landed in front of each person. The cauldron Arya had seen earlier hovered in front of them, and Harry filled their plates.
"Please eat while the onion soup is still warm. And if you want a tip from me, dip the bread in the soup. It tastes especially good that way," Harry said, and they all started to eat.
Arya took a spoonful of soup, and it was delicious.
"Merlin's beard, Harry!" Sirius exclaimed after taking a bite. "I had no idea you were such a good cook! When did you learn to do this?"
Harry casually shrugged. "I've known how to cook for a long time. I learned it early on."
The way Harry said it reminded Arya of how he had spoken about his aunt.
"It tastes really good, Harry. If your cooking skills become known, I wouldn't be surprised if every elf in Ellesméra wanted to taste your food," Islanzadí said with a smile.
Harry returned the smile and nodded in gratitude.
Arya had to stifle a laugh as she watched Harry pull out his wand and point it at Orik. The dwarf was struggling to eat from his seat, and suddenly the chair's legs began to grow, lifting him higher and higher until Orik could comfortably sit at the table.
The dwarf mumbled something incomprehensible under his breath and began to eat. But Arya noticed his expression brightening as he took his first bite.
"Even a dwarf can't stay grumpy all the time," Harry chuckled, sitting down next to Arya.
"Oh, never underestimate the stubbornness of Stone-heads," Arya replied in a low voice with a grin.
Harry nodded with a wide grin, and he turned to Eragon, who was eagerly digging into his meal.
"Eragon, you wanted to know why I didn't tell anyone about this place," Harry began.
Eragon nodded with his mouth full, and he sputtered as he quickly swallowed his food.
"Why didn't you trust us, Harry?" Eragon asked accusingly.
Harry sighed and leaned his spoon against the edge of the plate. "It has nothing to do with trust, Eragon. When I came to Carvahall, I had other things on my mind, and I saw no reason to tell you or Brom, who would rather have died than reveal his secrets."
Harry nodded toward the griffin. "Everything you see here exists solely because of him."
"What do you mean?" Arya asked.
"The old coot could probably tell you this better, but my grandfather, Charles Potter, fought in the ICW's war against Grindelwald. There was a family in England that bred magical creatures, and they supported Grindelwald in his war," Harry explained.
Sirius nodded. "The McNair's. My grandfather told me about them. They were a cruel family and were known to obtain rare potion ingredients, like a griffin's claw for potions."
Sirius had barely spoken the words when the griffin began screeching, and Harry stared accusingly at Sirius.
Sirius grimaced. "I'm sorry," he said.
The griffin huffed from its spot and turned to face the others. So far, the griffin had only shown them its left side, but now Arya's eyes widened as she saw the other side.
Instead of the beautiful, unblemished feathers they had admired earlier, they could now see many scars running through its plumage.
Arya gasped and raised her hand to her mouth. She looked at Harry with horror in her eyes and saw that his own eyes were filled with sorrow.
"I hope you understand now why I didn't want them to fight for us," Harry told Orik. The dwarf stared, his mouth agape, at the large scars. "All of them have gone through enough pain. I did not have to add even more to it."
"Who did this?" Arya demanded.
"My grandfather found them in captivity in Germany. He fought a battle with the ICW troops against Grindelwald's forces and won. He found them chained there," Harry explained, nodding to the griffins. "He freed them and brought them to England, nursing them back to health as best as he could. When he tried to release them, they were stubborn and chose to stay."
Harry chuckled. "I can only imagine how my grandmother must have reacted when she heard about it."
A wide grin spread across Sirius's face. "I can imagine that. I think my left buttock doesn't work as it used to after James and I played a prank on her."
"I wonder if Thiora knows about that," Islanzadí wondered, and they all laughed when they saw Sirius's face pale.
After a moment, Orik straightened up. "I'm sorry, Harry. I shouldn't have snapped at you."
Harry waved him off. "It's alright, Orik. The scars of the battle still run deep in each of us, but if we turn on each other, we'll divide ourselves, and then we've lost."
Arya nodded. "Only together do we stand a chance against Galbatorix. We must stick together."
"Well said, both of you," Islanzadí murmured.
"Perhaps it's time for you to meet your new teachers," Islanzadí said as she got up from her seat.
Harry nodded and stood up as well. He whistled twice in quick succession, and the griffins flew away.
"Do they obey your commands?" Sirius asked.
Harry snorted. "Trust me, they flew away quickly because you were here. They're wary of strangers, and griffins are known to be very shy of humans."
"Where did you find this trunk, Harry?" Arya asked.
Harry shrugged. "After I turned 17, I was able to visit the Potter manor."
Sirius's eyes widened. "Really? I thought it was destroyed. The protective spells allowed only James to enter, and he said the whole house was destroyed by Death Eaters."
Harry nodded solemnly. "That's true. The protective spells preserved the place untouched by time. It was as if they'd overturned every stone, everything was destroyed."
Sirius sighed deeply and threw his arm around Harry's shoulder as they walked.
After a moment, Harry continued, "After I was able to visit the Potter manor, a room in Grimmauld Place opened for me, a room that was previously locked."
"Grimmauld Place? Why did you return to that forsaken place?" Sirius demanded.
In response to Arya's questioning look, Harry briefly explained, "Sirius used to live and grew up there."
Sirius snorted with disdain. "Grew up is a generous way to put it. My mother was an old hag who never cared once about me or my brother in her miserable life."
"I apologize, Sirius. I didn't mean to bring up bad memories with my question," Arya said.
Sirius shook his head. "It was a long time ago, Arya. When I was 16, I ran away from home and was able to stay with the Potters."
He nodded toward Harry. "Harry's grandparents, Charles and Dorea. They were the best witches and wizards around."
"What happened to them?" Orik asked.
"They were killed by Voldemort," Harry said curtly.
Eragon and Orik stopped and exchanged a quick look.
After a moment's hesitation, they followed the others through the large wooden doors until they were back at the entrance.
"To get back to your question, Sirius, I had no other choice," Harry said. "After Voldemort took over the Ministry, I had to go into hiding. There was no better place than Grimmauld Place. And that's where I eventually found the portrait and the trunk."
Sirius furrowed his brow. "What portrait?"
"Well," Harry began, rubbing his neck awkwardly as he met Sirius's expectant gaze.
"Oh," Arya said with wide eyes. "You mean him."
"Whom are you speaking of?" Islanzadí asked, and in response, Harry snapped his fingers.
The black cloth Arya had seen hanging on the wall earlier rose into the air and fluttered like a raven to Harry, who caught it with one hand. The spot that the cloth had covered was now free, revealing the portrait of Arcturus Black, who gazed down at Sirius with dark grey eyes.
"G-Grandfather," Sirius choked out, staring in awe at the painting. "I didn't know you had a magical portrait made of yourself."
Arcturus raised a white eyebrow. "Would it have changed anything for you, Sirius? You spent all those years in Azkaban, and even after you were free, you never set foot in my office."
Sirius ground his teeth. "I was never free! This house was like a prison to me."
"And whose fault is that? You could never bear responsibility and never wanted to. Why else did the magic of our family choose Potter and not you?" Arcturus's eyes flashed toward Harry's hand, where two rings could be seen on his fingers.
Arcturus nodded sadly. "He wears the rings for the Potter and Black houses. I'm glad you're alive, Sirius, but inwardly I had always hoped you would return."
With those words, Arcturus closed his eyes and retreated into his painting.
Harry approached Sirius and wrapped an arm around his neck. "Come on, let's go upstairs, Sirius. Some fresh air will do you good."
The man was pale as he walked beside Harry. "I'm sorry I wasn't there, Harry," Sirius whispered softly.
"It's all in the past, Sirius. Let's look forward, okay?" Harry said, giving Sirius a warm smile.
A faint smile crept onto Sirius's face, but his eyes were filled with guilt.
Harry watched them as they climbed the ladder.
"Do you think he's okay?" Arya asked him.
Harry heaved a heavy sigh. "I don't know, Arya. Maybe Sirius just needs time to adjust."
Arya stepped closer, her keen eyes observing Harry. "And you? What about you?"
Harry shrugged. "I'll have to get used to it."
He went to the wall and pressed his flat hand against it.
"Algiz," Harry muttered, and the wall lit up in the shape of the rune.
ᛉ
The light emanated from Harry's hand, growing until it reached the ceiling and disappeared into the walls. He bent forward and gasped in exhaustion.
"Harry, are you okay?" Arya asked, helping Harry to his feet.
"Give me a moment," he said, leaning on her. His breath trembled under the strain, and it took a while for his breathing to steady.
"What was that?" Arya asked, positioning herself in front of Harry.
"That was Algiz," Harry explained, gesturing with his hand around them. "This place is held together by magic. If I didn't use Algiz, the magic would not hold, and this place wouldn't exist."
Arya's face went pale. She didn't want to imagine what would happen if the runes ceased to work.
"Are you okay?" she asked Harry, who suddenly rubbed his forehead in pain.
Harry waved her off. "I'm fine; it's not the first time. Sometimes the strain gives me headaches, but they'll go away with time," he said, and they turned around.
Artemis and Saphira stood before them, looking at them with concern.
"Are you feeling better, little one?" Artemis asked, gently nudging Harry with her nose.
Harry smiled weakly and hugged her. "With you by my side, always."
Artemis snorted and looked at the ladder.
"How do we get back up there?" Saphira asked, gazing up in disbelief.
Artemis tucked her wings close to her body and leaned back. She flexed her leg muscles and leaped upward. When she reached the opening, it widened, allowing even a dragon to pass, and she disappeared.
Saphira let out an exasperated puff of flame and gave Harry a stern look.
"If I hit my head on anything, I'm holding you responsible," Saphira said, and she followed Artemis using the same way.
Harry rolled his eyes and began climbing the ladder, closely followed by Arya.
Arya and Harry walked outside together. The others were waiting for them, but the group had grown larger.
Thiora stood by Sirius's side, holding his hand tightly, while Lily ran between the legs of Artemis and Saphira.
Islanzadí turned to Harry and Eragon. "Come, it's time for you to meet your teachers."
They walked together through Ellesméra until they reached the outskirts of the city. They stopped at the foot of a wooded hill.
The sight was hidden by thick trees that stood in their way.
"Before we proceed, the five of you must swear in the ancient language that you will not speak to anyone about what you are about to learn—not without my permission or that of my daughter," Islanzadí said.
"You ask much, Islanzadí," Harry said, tilting his head to the side. "And give us very little. A few minutes ago, I told you about secrets that no one in all of Alagaёsia knows."
The queen nodded. "I understand, Harry, but the knowledge at stake here is too important and must be protected at all costs. It is our most closely guarded secret, and I ask you for this favour."
Lily jumped to his side and grabbed his hand.
"Please, Harry!" She looked at him with those big innocent eyes, and he sighed in defeat.
Artemis straightened up with anticipation. "Do you think it's—?"
"I can't think of anything else," Harry said, and then nodded slowly in agreement.
The queen let out a relieved sigh when they spoke the vow and said, "Thank you very much. We can continue then."
As they strolled by the dense forest, Lily abruptly released their grip and sprinted ahead. Upon exiting the woods, they were greeted by the sight of a hill adorned with clovers and daisies.
And there on the hill, their new mentors awaited them.
Harry's eyes grew big. "Ha! I knew it!" he exclaimed.
Far away in a city that once sang of happiness and prosperity, a young man sat in the dungeons. He groaned as he fought with all his might against the chains, but it was futile. They wouldn't yield.
Murtagh slumped against the wall, his face drenched in sweat, and stared with vacant eyes at the ceiling.
"You should give up, you can't escape in that condition anyway," voiced someone next to him.
"Shut up," Murtagh croaked out.
"I wonder if the others will come looking for you, they probably think you are dead-"
"I said shut up, Nott!" Murtagh shouted with anger.
Suddenly, the door was flung open, and two soldiers entered. One of them yanked Murtagh to his feet, while the other unfastened his chains.
His legs felt as heavy as lead, having gone unused for days, and so it happened that he stumbled to the ground every few steps.
"Get up, damn it!" The soldiers pulled him to his feet once more, and he dragged himself forward. They led him through endless dark corridors and gates until they halted before a wooden door.
The door swung open, and the soldiers secured Murtagh onto a stone slab. There, Murtagh lay, and he lay there for a long time. Time didn't pass for him, for there wasn't a single window in the chamber.
He had thought he might have been forgotten, but right at that moment, the door was flung open again. The wrinkles on his forehead deepened as he blinked when someone gently touched his cheek. It was a tender gesture.
He hated it.
Murtagh lifted his face away from the touch and spat at the person.
"It seems your father never taught you any manners," the voice said with slight annoyance.
Murtagh's eyes widened. He had heard the voice only a few times when the king visited Morzan in his castle. At that time, he was still a child, and Galbatorix hadn't shown any interest in him. But that had changed now.
"I'm pleased to see you again, Murtagh," Galbatorix said. "Although I wish the circumstances were different."
He leaned in, and Murtagh could feel his piercing gaze.
"You've become a strong man, Murtagh. Your parents would have been proud of you."
"My mother is dead," Murtagh said contemptuously. "And I have no father."
Galbatorix chuckled softly. "I must agree that Morzan wasn't a good father to you. But he's part of your blood, whether you choose to acknowledge it or not. The blood of a dragon rider flows through your veins, Murtagh."
"Wouldn't you like to join me? Swear your allegiance to me, to serve me for eternity? For I will live forever, Murtagh, and that's the only way you can escape these dungeons."
A fleeting memory of him and Mary crossed Murtagh's eyes, and to Galbatorix's surprise, he offered a weak smile. He tilted his head to the side and looked into the King's eyes. In the dim candlelight, he saw a yellow gleam in them.
"I won't swear allegiance to anyone," Murtagh said firmly.
Galbatorix's lips curled into a malicious grin. He stepped away from the stone slab, and Murtagh heard him place an object on his chair. In its place lay a red stone which Galbatorix touched lovingly.
"I hope you change your mind, my young friend. You would spare yourself much suffering, but I respect your decision for now, even if it's the wrong one."
The King went to the door and took hold of the handle.
"You should know, Murtagh, that I won't be present for some time. In the meantime, some old friends of yours will keep you company during my absence. The twins will be excited to see you again," Galbatorix said and closed the door behind him.
Morzan was already waiting for him.
"And? Did he swear his oath, my King?" Morzan asked eagerly.
The King shook his head. "If only you were this curious about everything else. No, Murtagh is stubborn, but he will come around. He just needs some time."
Morzan growled angrily. "That fool! I should have killed him when he was a babe."
Galbatorix placed a reassuring hand on the man's shoulder.
"Do not worry, Morzan. He will join us; I am certain of it. But first, I need to prepare for my own journey. Please prepare Shruikan for me, I want to leave as soon as possible."
Morzan looked at the King questioningly.
"Are you leaving for Surda?"
Galbatorix smiled and stroked his beard. "No, Surda is not my destination. I'm heading to El-Harím. It has been a long time since we have spoken with each other."
Morzan shuddered and took a step back in shock. Galbatorix walked past the Forsworn, and his voice echoed softly, like a whisper of the dead through the corridors:
In El-Harím, there lived a man, a man with yellow eyes.
To me, he said, "Beware the whispers, for they whisper lies.
Do not wrestle with the demons of the dark,
Or else upon your mind they'll place a mark;
Do not listen to the shadows of the deep,