WHO SAVES THE SAVIOURS? (ORIGINAL)

CHAPTER 2:

THE FAE FROM THE LOSTBELT

It was only Zelretch's assurances that had Harry even entertaining going into this cottage. That, and, if this woman calling herself Morgan was actually the Tonelico in the books, and she went through even a tenth of what Tonelico went through…well, his sympathies were with her. If she was telling the truth, anyway.

The man called Ector had gone off elsewhere after some gruff words, while Totorot apologised, saying she had some clothes orders to fill. However, the others stayed, with the redhead called Baobhan Sith bustling around, making tea. She seemed disturbingly overeager to help, to be of use.

Hermione frowned as she looked at the various Fae. "It's odd. You have Habetrot, a Fae known for being a literal spinster, Barghest, a Fae who is supposed to be a black dog, an omen of death like the Grim, Melusine, said to be a serpent woman, and Baobhan Sith, a Fae version of a vampire."

Baobhan Sith winced, even as she brought tea to them. "And of course, you are worried because I share a name with one of the most notorious witches of your timeline, Morgan le Fay," Morgan said. "I could say you have nothing to worry about, but in truth, your distrust, while hurtful, may be wise. I do have the memories of at least one version of Morgan le Fay in my mind. That being said, Baobhan Sith was a most helpful Fae, one of the few virtuous Fae in our timeline. Unfortunately, she was exploited by her more capricious and cruel kin, being murdered and reincarnated over and over. As Barghest and Melusine were born later, I remembered her as being one of the few Fae who thanked me sincerely for saving Britain."

"A Britain where Fae ruled?" Harry asked.

Morgan nodded, sipping from her cup of tea, indicating the others to drink their own. "That timeline should not have existed, pruned away from the multiverse as a possibility that became a dead-end in history. A world that never was, in other words. However, it was brought back into existence as a parasitic artificial timeline known as a Lostbelt, grafted back onto a world where the texture was bleached clean. In hindsight, I can see why that timeline was pruned away, as disturbing as such a concept is. After all, it means that you and everything you know and hold dear should not have existed at all. However, when I was young, I gained an influx of memories from the Morgan le Fay you know of. She had been summoned as a Servant by a vile Magus by the name of Beryl Gut."

"A servant?" Hermione asked.

At this, Zelretch cleared his throat. "A Servant is a name given to a Heroic Spirit summoned as a familiar. In other words, an aspect of a famous figure from myth or history. Heroic Spirits do include beings that would be considered monstrous or even evil, including beings worse than Morgan le Fay."

"To be fair, without her memories, I would not have survived one particular betrayal, or those that came after," Morgan said. "But I tried to sequester her memories away from myself, be something other than her. In the end, however, millennia of saving Fae Britain, only to be betrayed, took its toll. Part of me wished to become a ruler, a tyrant queen over the Lostbelt, but the other part of me…was just tired. Tired of everything. The duty to save Britain, the desire to rule it, the loss of friendships and loyalty…all of it. So I underwent a procedure that split myself into two. The part of me that wished to rule, I left in the Lostbelt. But this part of me desired to escape it, to find a new reason to live."

Zelretch nodded, before turning to Harry and Hermione. "And before you say anything, that is not like making a Horcrux. While doing such a thing is appallingly dangerous and can damage the soul, she wasn't doing it to become immortal. She was simply bifurcating herself…or perhaps I should call it a form of mitosis?"

Hermione nodded at the term that Harry didn't understand. "So, basically, you cloned yourself and divided your psyche?"

"In very simplistic terms, I suppose that is correct," Morgan said. "I then returned to Orkney in the Lostbelt with Totorot and Ector in tow. The other Tam Lin were scattered, or I did not trust them as much as I had, or, in one case, was needed to preserve a time loop. At Orkney, I found a thin spot in spacetime, one of many where flotsam and jetsam from standard history leak through into our Lostbelt. I pushed through with my companions, and found myself here in Orkney, around the time your First World War was happening. Exhausted by the transit, I opted to sleep, as I often did between my sojourns to save Fae Britain, until I had regained something close to my real power…and, to be frank, I also wished to see the modern era I had glimpsed through the memories of the Magus who had summoned my counterpart as a Servant. Recently, my other self sent me these three to act as my Tam Lin, keeping copies for herself, just as copies of Ector and Totorot exist there as well, to preserve the timeline."

Harry looked to the Tam Lin in question. Ector and Totorot, at least, he recognised from the Tales of Tonelico books. But the other three were other matters entirely.

Barghest, however, simply bowed, as if she was a knight at a royal court. "My lady, it is my very great honour to serve you. True, it means being a stranger in a strange land, and yet…I never felt at home within the Fang Clan, especially as I was born with a more human-like appearance."

"The Fang Clan…" Hermione mused out loud. "That means the Fae who look animalistic, if what the books indicated. I have to admit, I wasn't fond of Wryneck."

"I was," Morgan said gently but pointedly. "But his abandoning of us shortly before Uther being betrayed and murdered…it was one reason I did not take him with us into this timeline. He regretted it to be sure, and I forgave him…but he was too prejudiced against humans to safely bring into this timeline."

Barghest nodded solemnly. "The current head of the Fang Clan, Woodwose, was even worse, as well as insisting on superficial emulation of etiquette and manners. I try to emulate them more sincerely. And for all that humans are physically weak compared to us, I do not hate them by any means. People are people."

"…That's good," Harry muttered. "I just spent a lot of time putting down one xenophobic monster, I don't need to deal with others."

"Unfortunately, our Lostbelt was full of them," Melusine said. "Even before Morgan's other self took the throne, humans were often seen as little more than livestock or playthings by our kind."

"We already know that from the books, if they are accurate," Hermione said. "Though now that I come to think of it, what are your origins? I didn't think the Melusine was a Fae creature."

After a moment, and a shared look between the child-like Fae and Morgan, Melusine looked to them. "Melusine was just the name I was given by my…creator, for want of a better term. I was shaped out of the carrion of Albion by Aurora, Head of the Wind Clan."

"Well now…that is interesting," Zelretch remarked, raising an eyebrow. "Clock Tower is built over the remains of Albion in this timeline."

"Albion?" Harry asked. "I thought that was another name for England or Britain."

"Indeed it is, but it is also the name given to a powerful dragon that died trying to dig to the Reverse Side of the World in our timeline," Zelretch explained. "Vortigern, the treacherous uncle of King Arthur, ingested some of Albion's flesh, becoming a draconic monstrosity for the Once and Future King to slay. But it seems that Melusine was formed from Albion's flesh in the Lostbelt. Incidentally," he added, finishing his cup of tea, "my compliments to you, Baobhan Sith. How did you know how to brew tea so well?"

Harry had to admit, it was pretty well-brewed tea, but this was clearly the right thing to say to the nervous yet strangely haughty redhead. "Well, tea ended up in Fae Britain centuries ago," Baobhan Sith explained. "Mother told me something about 'cross-dimensional flotsam' once. And I worked in a teahouse in Darlington for a time."

"Thank you for the tea, Baobhan Sith," Hermione said.

"Yes, thanks a lot," Harry said.

At this, the red-haired Fae beamed. It was a sad but genuine smile. In a flash of understanding, Harry consciously realised that he had seen similar expressions before. On Dobby, so eager to please despite being abused by the Malfoys. And her attitude reminded him not just of Dobby, but of himself at the Dursleys, prior to getting his Hogwarts letter. Not quite as eager to please, but skittish, not knowing if a beating would ensue for the most petty of reasons. And she also reminded him a little of Luna, bullied because of her fantasising.

On an unspoken cue, Harry stood up, and gently hugged the redhead. She tensed in his embrace, before relaxing. Only a little, her posture remained guarded, and it hurt to know this.

Hermione picked up on this, because she asked Morgan in a horrified tone, "What did they do to her?"

"Not every cruelty known to people, whether they be Fae or human…but too many," Morgan said solemnly. "Not for any other reason than simple whims of cruelty and exploiting her altruistic nature, a rarity amongst our kind. The times she drank human blood was from the willing. Fae reincarnate if they die, as long as they retain a sense of purpose, or are not cursed or injured by enchanted weaponry. But Baobhan Sith, when my other self finally found her in Darlington…she was giving up, unwilling to reincarnate. My other self brought her back from the brink. As with other Fae who caught her eye, she gave her a choice to be cloned, with the original sent here, or simply retained. Of those given the offer, only these three accepted. Though I doubt she would have searched particularly hard for virtuous Fae, knowing her. She became as bad if not worse than my standard history counterpart, from what little I know of her from her messages, and what these three have told me. While it would be a mistake to call her my evil self, I do get the feeling she discarded the vast majority of any altruistic tendencies into myself. In any case, Baobhan Sith caught her eye, and I wish my other self had tracked her down sooner."

Baobhan Sith looked to Morgan with a sad smile on her lips. "Mother…while I do wish you found me sooner, I was one Fae amongst thousands in Darlington. That you remember me from when you were Aesc the Saviour…you and your other self saved me. I'll always be grateful."

"Just be yourself, Baobhan Sith," Morgan said with a small but warm smile of her own, standing and hugging the redhead. "Do no harm to others, unless they do you or others harm. Be the gentle and kind Fae you were meant to be, but remember, to fight to defend yourself and others is not a sin."

"I know, Mother," the red-haired Fae said quietly.

Harry looked on. He had to admit to still being sceptical, but after all he went through, who could blame him? He hadn't really been told why he had come here, though having the Tales of Tonelico books signed were part of it.

Morgan seemed to pick up on this, because she turned her gaze to Harry. "You grow impatient."

"No, I just…"

Morgan cut him off with narrowed eyes. "Please do not lie." She tapped her cheek, pointing to her eye. "My Fae Eyes may not be as powerful or reliable as they should have been, but they see through most lies. Don't misunderstand me, I appreciate your effort at being courteous by lying, it's a universal social norm. I just…my apologies, Harry Potter." She rubbed her forehead. "I keep forgetting, you are young. You do not know me, save for through Totorot's literary endeavours, and I know you less. All I know is the rather brief summary Zelretch furnished me with. I am newly-awakened in this time and era, and still getting my bearings. Millennia of betrayal and ingratitude has worn me down. I'd prefer blunt and painful truths to honeyed lies."

"Okay, so, if you want the truth…why am I here?" Harry asked. "Zelretch has been coy, and while it's…good to meet you, I guess? No, I mean, it's interesting to find that one of my favourite fictional characters is real, but…what am I doing here?"

"Ah. I have to confess, Zelretch took some time to get to the point with me too," Morgan said, looking pointedly at the old man in question. "He made a proposal."

Zelretch nodded. "My word may sway many within Magical Britain, as there are wizards and witches who respect me, even if they despise most Magi. However, given the situation, you are still politically vulnerable, Harry. My word may not be enough to those who fear you, or covet your family's assets. I can protect you by making you my apprentice, as I am doing with Hermione, and that option is still open to you. And keep in mind, you do have a choice, as does Hermione, and I will help you if you decide otherwise. However…I thought of Morgan as another option, to take you on as an apprentice."

Harry's eyes widened in shock. "Why?"

"She's about as old as I am, and before you ask, I came by immortality somewhat honestly, and without committing atrocities. Other versions of me became a Dead Apostle, which is to say a vampire, but that depends on the timeline. In any case, while I cannot say I trust Morgan personally, as I have only just met her in person, I trusted Totorot and Ector's opinion of her. She may have a copy of Morgan le Fay's memories, but she is not Morgan le Fay as we know her, the vile part-Fae woman whose plots brought down Camelot. I have met many people like her, man or woman, human or Fae or otherwise, beings who were heroes, and yet treated like excrement by those they saved. The Roman poet Juvenal once asked, Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?"

"Who watches the watchmen?" Hermione translated.

"Well, that's what Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons translated it to for the Watchmen comic, but a similar question can be asked: who saves the saviours? Who is a hero to the heroes? Are they to be left to save themselves?"

Harry had to admit, Zelretch had a point. True, it wasn't like he didn't have anyone to support him. But more than once, he had felt like he had been left in the lurch, even by allies. What happened between his fourth and fifth years was a case in point. And that was without going into the fickle nature of Magical Britain. Ron and Hermione hadn't always been there for him, but they were absolutely stalwart compared to the general public of Magical Britain.

And yet, Zelretch's solution seemed to be astonishing. Have him as an apprentice to an alternate timeline version of Morgan le Fay, one of the most notorious witches to ever live. True, if The Tales of Tonelico were any indication, this version at least was a good person, damaged by betrayal, and she solemnly acknowledged that trusting her immediately was a bit much. She'd probably have trust issues herself.

Eventually, he asked, "Can I think about it?"

Morgan nodded. "Of course. I am still considering it myself. But even if you do not accept, I wouldn't mind you visiting again. I believe we could exchange stories…"

CHAPTER 2 ANNOTATIONS:

So, there you have it. Discussions and an offer has been made.

While Barghest and Melusine won't be too different from their canon selves, Morgan and Baobhan Sith will be another matter entirely. While Morgan is too complex a character for her bifurcation to be simply into 'good' and 'evil' halves, this is probably as close to a good half (or potentially good half) as we can get. She's still Aesc the Saviour, but she doesn't want to save Fae Britain anymore. But, critically, she still has a 'saving people thing', just like Harry, and canon Lostbelt Morgan sent her over some interesting projects. I view her as being a traumatised survivor with a somewhat Zen view of things, albeit as a coping mechanism. She'll grow and develop her own identity soon, somewhere between that of Aesc and Lostbelt Morgan, with something new thrown in.

I should point out that, unlike a lot of Lostbelt Morgan simps, I think Lostbelt Morgan did a LOT wrong. Not every last Fae in the Lostbelt is a capricious, treacherous, and irredeemably evil being (Barghest, Melusine, Ector and Totorot being major cases in point, along with Lostbelt Gareth), and yet she treats them all as such. In fact, I'd bet her 'existence tax' killed off many of the genuinely kind Fae, leaving a populace filled entirely with the sort she despised. At best, that is callous. She should have tried harder to bring some virtuous Fae, extremely rare though they are, under her umbrella. The only reason why the Fae were worse than Morgan was simply because they were worse than her morally and without any sense of restraint or pragmatism, unlike her, and this is a bitch who thought that the destruction of the world was something she was fine with, as long as she could rule until the very end.

As for Baobhan Sith, I hate her canon self. Any sympathy for her past is wiped away by her deeds as a Tam Lin. FFS, she's killed 400,000 Fae during her time as a Tam Lin, and God knows how many humans. She's a sadist no better than the Fae she tormented, and this was before Beryl Gut got involved.

In writing her here, I wanted to give the impression that, while she is beginning to get the haughtiness of her canon self, she has little of her canon self's sadism. It will come out towards people who hurt her or those she holds dear, but here, she is still recovering from the trauma of her torment, and this take on Morgan will be better for her psychologically, in that she can be more demonstrative with her love. The fact that Harry, a total stranger to her, gave her a reassuring hug, also helps. She's skittish and still traumatised, but also receptive to kindness. While Harry and Morgan undergoing character development is a key part of this story, Baobhan Sith's character arc will play a role. Some parts of her will be based on her Swimsuit version, specifically the scholarly second ascension.

I should point out that Barghest and Melusine are not cursed to become Calamities. Both the PHH and Lostbelt versions of Cernunnos, much like in my story Out of the Strong Came Forth Sweetness, removed it from them as they made it across to the Potterverse.

No numbered annotations this time.