Okay, so, unfortunately, my initial idea for a Harry/Morgan fic, inspired by You're the King of My Heart, stumbled to a halt. A shame, really. However, I did have another idea, one that I felt could work. Time will tell if it has legs, but it could be a start.

This is basically a post-Hogwarts Harry that just got screwed over thanks to a certain spiteful greasy-haired SOB. I struggled with how to begin it, trying to avoid making it too dark. I mean, this story will eventually go through the events of Fate/Zero if it gets that far, so it's still going to get dark, I just needed it to be less so.

EDIT: After writing the first few chapters...I'm not feeling it. I may have found a new way to do it, possibly inspired by one of DZ2's challenge prompts, but no promises...

WHO SAVES THE SAVIOURS? (ORIGINAL)

CHAPTER 1:

WHEN TWO EX-SAVIOURS MEET

MEMORANDUM FROM THE WIZARD-MARSHALL, RE: "THE TALES OF TONELICO"

Firstly, let me start off by saying I was most annoyed after returning from my prior expedition to hear demands made of the Enforcers to track down and deal with the writer of these rather entertaining works. The diminishing of Mystery is indeed of not-inconsiderable concern, not helped by the rise of modern science and technology. There are ways and means around that, but common sense is increasingly an oxymoron these days.

I also should reiterate that fictitious rendering of magecraft only rarely affects Mystery. As many of the feats mentioned in The Tales of Tonelico are actually well beyond most if not all modern Magi, I doubt that it would cause any reduction in Mystery. Thus, most declamations against the author of these works are caused by ego and pride rather than true concern about the state of Mystery.

In fact, I believe another influence is the recent cessation of Voldemort's uprising amongst our cousins in the 'Wizarding World'. As much as we believe we are not part of their world, should Voldemort have succeeded in taking over the Ministry of Magic, we would have been next, a mostly-unspoken fear amongst us. This fear gave rise to paranoia about exposure of the Moonlit World to the mundane populace, not wholly unreasonable during Voldemort's insurgency, but now, several years after Voldemort was vanquished, as out of place in the Magus' Association as it is within the Ministry of Magic.

Thus, I decided to nip this in the bud. It was to this end that I sought out the author of these books, who goes by the pseudonym of 'Abigail Spinster'. I found ways to approach her in a civil manner, and she eventually agreed to a meeting. Miss Spinster is a most congenial young lady, and showed remarkable intelligence in my dealings with her. I learned a great deal many things from her, things which I will not be sharing out of respect to her and her associates.

However, I should say this: do not attempt to seek her out ever again. Should I learn that this was the case, then I will consider those involved (should they survive Miss Spinster's attentions, or that of her associates) to be volunteering themselves to assist with my next expedition via Kaleidoscope. Said expedition will probably involve slime, tentacles, poisonous swamps, parasitoid organisms, or a combination of the above. Please do not test me on this. I hate having to clean up afterwards, and the paperwork is irritating.

Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg.

A pair of icy blue eyes scanned over a sheaf of papers, reading them. Most attempting to read the papers would have been confounded. After all, the writing was not in an alphabet known to most of humanity. And the room seemed to be one within a stone cottage.

Yet oddly enough, as the owner of said eyes read the papers, a CD player played Queen nearby. Specifically, Bohemian Rhapsody. Every now and then, the woman would hum or even sing snatches of the song, bobbing along to the song.

A few seconds after she finished reading and placed the papers down on the table, the door to the room opened, and a diminutive form in pink waddled in. "So, finished readin' my report?"

"Yes, it's most informative, Totorot, thank you. Admittedly, I still have that vile excuse of a Magus' memories, so I already had a firm grasp of the basics of Proper Human History. Or perhaps I should call it Standard History. History is not just the story of humans, but of all beings that live in this world, after all. But thank you for noting down some of the particulars."

"Hey, that's fine. Took some doin', gettin' the newspapers. And we've got a television, if you're interested. Pain in the arse gettin' the licence fee paid, but what can you do?"

"Hmm. Incidentally, how are the new recruits faring?"

"Ehh, sort of well. I had to remind the dragon brat about radar, just in case the local military thinks she's some experimental aircraft or a missile while she's flyin'. That would've been a disaster durin' the Cold War. As for Baggy, she asked Ector to spar with her. And as for your daughter…she's watchin' Baggy and Ector. But you'll need to talk with her. What she went through…"

"…I know. My other self told me as such in the message she sent into my mind. Still…to think that you gained the attention of the wielder of the Second True Magic. Our attempt at traversing took much of my energy, enough that I needed to sleep for decades, barring the times you woke me, but…at least you have this Zelretch as a contact at the Magus Association. Still…it seems this is not the same timeline that loathsome Magus came from, or indeed my Standard History self. Two branches of magic users, one of whom can use magic with relative impunity, yet indolent and weak, obsessed with lineage when they have no cause to, while the other, the Magi we know, mostly amoral and ambitious, grubbing for a route to Akasha."

"Yeah, well…heard rumours of a ruckus recently. Not sure how bad it was, but I reckon it was part of the Moonlit World. I'd call up Zelretch, but he's often off observin' various timelines and stuff."

"Hmm, something to consider. Mash spoke something of this era, having come from some years into the future. A shame I could not bring her with us, but her loyalty to Chaldea and the need to preserve the time loop necessitated her remaining with my other half and your clones."

"Just as well," the one called Totorot said, rubbing one hand with another. "That cold iron thingy she had gave me the willies. So, now that you're awake…what now?"

"…I'm not sure. I divested myself of the desire to rule in my other half, and besides…while I may be one of the most powerful beings in this world, I am far from invincible. Perhaps I could speak with Zelretch when he is available. For now, though, I just wish to get used to this timeline."

Suddenly, a device on a nearby table trilled, and Totorot hopped up and picked up part of it. A telephone, the pale woman noted from the memories of the Magus, albeit of an older type. "Hello? Oh, Zelretch, we were just talkin' about you." Totorot blinked. "Yes, she's awake, but…sorry, what? Okay, I'll hand you over to her."

The woman accepted the phone handset, and asked, "Hello?"

"Ah, it's a pleasure to speak with you at long last," spoke an aged and solemn, yet jovial and deep and powerful voice. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg. I have a great many number of titles which are honestly too officious and boring to list off, and I am sure Miss Totorot has already told you about me. She has told me about you. Your Proper Human History counterpart is notorious, so how would you like me to address you?"

The woman debated with herself briefly, before saying, "Address me how you wish, as long as it's with respect. I have many names and aliases as you no doubt know. But why do you wish to speak with me, Wizard-Marshall?"

The tone of the old man (potentially as old if not older than she was, given what Totorot claimed) became more solemn. "Well then, a crisis of sorts came to my attention. I recently came back from an expedition to find that an issue brought to my attention, one that I decided to intervene in, rather like a deus ex machina, though I am no god. One of those affected by the issue…well, he is like you."

The pale woman felt her blood run cold at the man's tone, not angry or sinister, just sincere. "What do you mean, like me?"

"A child, shaped to be the saviour of Britain from evil, a great and selfless hero…only to be betrayed by an ungrateful populace, who should be on their hands and knees thanking him. I was considering taking him on as an apprentice, along with one of his friends…but then, I thought, why not be with someone who knows what living the life of a saviour to a fickle populace is truly like? I do not ask this lightly, and I will only bring him to you with your consent. I have other options. But Miss Totorot spoke highly of you and your character. Otherwise, I would be a little more wary of leaving him with a Fae, and one with the name of one of Britain's most notorious figures."

The pale woman frowned, considering what she had been told. Eventually, she said, "I would like to know more before I make such a decision, especially as the capacity in which I would be taking care of him is so vague…"

If one was feeling generous, one could be calling Harry Potter's life, especially of late, something of a rollercoaster. But a rollercoaster suggested something that was actually fun, and his life had stopped being fun some time ago. He'd thought that with Voldemort's death, things would start to go back to normal, that he'd have a relatively happy life.

But he was wrong.

On his eighteenth birthday, just as he was getting over the worst of his mourning of those lost over the past year, the Daily Prophet published the contents of a letter, one that had also been sent to the Ministry of Magic. The letter had been sent by Severus Snape. He'd revealed the existence of the Scarcrux, and claimed that Harry would either become subsumed by it, or already had, becoming the next Voldemort. A supreme act of posthumous spite from a man Harry had just barely begun to respect.

Not long afterwards, the Aurors came. Although he wasn't thrown into Azkaban, thanks in part to Kingsley's influence, it was clear that the tide of public opinion had turned once more against Harry. Oh, he'd been expecting it to happen sooner or later, but not like this. And the Goblins were throwing their weight behind the accusations, still sore after the heist of the Horcrux, never mind Harry and his friends were trying to save them!

Yet salvation of a sort came from an unexpected quarter. A burly old man in robes had entered his cell, accompanied by Kingsley, and examined him carefully, before proclaiming him free of Horcruxes. And the Goblins, at least, backed the hell off.

Said man was Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg.

Harry, until that point, had known little of this man, or even Clock Tower and the Magi who populated it. He heard a few things here and there from Hermione over the years, but never paid any heed. It fell to the man who saved his sorry arse to explain the difference between Magi and wizards, as well as why Zelretch had never intervened to fight Voldemort. Then again, considering that Zelretch had a powerful magic that allowed travel to and from parallel universes, as well as harnessing their energy, and protecting this timeline and others against multiversal threats, he could give the man a pass.

Zelretch was an old associate of Dumbledore's, and it was Kingsley who contacted him, sending him urgent messages. Zelretch had only just returned from one of his expeditions (which could take years, even decades) shortly after Snape's final betrayal. Or so he claimed.

Harry had to admit, after so many betrayals, after so much ingratitude from the people of Magical Britain, he had to wonder what the catch was. After all, why hadn't Zelretch done more to fight off Voldemort? Hermione's discussions of Magi suggested most hated wizards, and that odium was mutual. True, Zelretch had been off on an expedition, but even so…he had to wonder what the ancient Magus' angle was.

However, when it came to a discussion of their favourite books, Harry found himself surprised. Hermione had gotten him onto a series called The Tales of Tonelico, and he found them an excellent read, if a bit dark. It was about the trials and travails of the saviour of a parallel world where Britain was ruled by capricious Fae, assisted by her faithful Tam Lin or Fairy Knights. He also found himself, after the Tri-Wizard Tournament, increasingly identifying with its hero, Tonelico, the Fairy of Paradise, Avalon le Fae. He felt like she felt, even not quite as much as she did, dealing with ungrateful and treacherous Fae repeatedly over centuries.

And then, Zelretch dropped a bombshell: not only did he know the author of the books…but they were partly-biographical.

Which was why, after a surprisingly gentle transit using Kaleidoscope (lots of disorienting rainbow colours, but it was far better than Apparition or Portkeys), Harry, Zelretch, and Hermione were traipsing across the cold Orkney landscape. Even in late summer, it was still bloody cold. Hermione had been taken on as Zelretch's apprentice, with Ron and his family heading overseas for now.

As they approached a rather large stone cottage with an attached farm, Harry asked, "Why the hell are they in the middle of nowhere?"

"It's fairly obvious. The inhabitants are Fae, and they wanted to avoid attention from the mundane humans as well as the Moonlit World," Zelretch said. "Until recently, they only numbered two, with a third, the one on whom Tonelico was based, in stasis. Travelling between timelines is possible without Kaleidoscope, but it is immensely taxing even if you exploit weak points in spacetime, and it only approaches True Magic. Thus, she slept for decades, also hoping to find herself in a more modern era. In recent years, three more Fae were sent to her, to act as her Tam Lin. As for Orkney, well, Tonelico's inspiration was raised there in her timeline. In fact, here they are."

Seven people were gathered near the cottage, clearly awaiting their arrival. They were a motley, varied group to say the least. Yet for the most part, Harry wouldn't have picked them as being Fae.

The sole man of the group was a squat, muscled man with a thick beard and eyes that gazed on them with suspicion. Short, but not as short as a Goblin or a House-Elf by a long shot. He wore an apron, but given the hammer he had, he looked more like a blacksmith than someone who cooked.

The shortest of them was toddler-sized, dressed in a pink jumpsuit or something similar, with pointed ears and pink hair. Despite Harry's recently-acquired hatred of the colour pink, thanks to a certain Dolores Umbridge, this one seemed relatively benign. Curious and way, but benign.

The next shortest was a girl, seemingly in her early teens at the oldest, her petite frame clad in a blue and white dress. Her hair was silver, framing cute features. Her eyes were a strange golden pink.

The tallest was a blonde woman who could best be described as 'Amazonian'. She stood at well over six feet tall, her hair an unruly mane that reached down to her waist. Her clothing strained against her muscles and, in the case of her shirt, her generous bust. Her blue eyes, one slightly red-tinted, watched them warily. Oddly enough, she wore a tiara or something similar, and her face was actually strikingly beautiful in a regal way, despite her muscular form.

Then, there was a red-haired girl, seemingly about their age, with aqua eyes with slit-like pupils. Her hair was practically blood-coloured, and her features, while beautiful, seemed almost feline. Yet there was a near-skittishness about her mixing in with the confidence of a princess. She was dressed in vaguely gothic clothing.

The woman at their head was striking, though. She was dressed in an outfit that seemed like a theatrical version of a stereotypical witch's outfit, with a white coat with long and voluminous sleeves. She even had a pointed hat with a massive brim, though she soon took it off, sweeping it to her chest, and bowing briefly in greeting, presumably to Zelretch.

She appeared to be a woman of indeterminate but seemingly young age, perhaps in her twenties. Silvery-white hair tied up in a ponytail with a black bow framed pale, coldly beautiful features. Icy blue eyes watched them.

And yet, there was something lugubrious, sad and mournful, about the woman. If this was the inspiration for Tonelico, Harry wasn't surprised. A tired sorrow seemed to dance in her eyes.

Zelretch bowed. "Greetings. I have brought you the guests I mentioned. This is Harry Potter, and Hermione Granger. Hermione will be my new apprentice, and Harry…well, you already know something about him in brief. Would you please introduce yourself?"

The woman nodded. Indicating the people, she said, in a soft voice, "Of course. This is Ector." The stocky short man nodded. "My…biographer, Totorot, or Habetrot if you prefer." The toddler-sized Fae waved with a cheerful smile. "And my new Tam Lin…Melusine, Baobhan Sith, and Barghest." The pre-teen girl, the redhead, and the towering blonde were indicated. "As for myself…I was born with the name of a figure infamous to your timeline, and inflicted with her memories from a young age. I was known by many names: Tonelico, Aesc the Saviour, Vivian…but the name I was born under, as the Avalon le Fae…is Morgan…"

CHAPTER 1 ANNOTATIONS:

So, Harry and Hermione have been brought to meet Lostbelt Morgan. But what is she doing in the Potterverse? Why is she and her Tam Lin so chill?

It took me a while to find a proper 'in' for the story. I was thinking of reusing DZ2's 'Prodigal Son' challenge, but amongst other things, I thought it might make Harry too embittered. It's also why I had Zelretch swoop in as a deus ex machina to save Harry from being persecuted in this version. I already thought Zelretch would have gone to investigate out of idle curiosity, and thus established a bond with Totorot. The novels Totorot wrote about Aesc's adventures also means that Harry and Hermione are sympathetic towards her from the get-go, so while learning that Aesc/Tonelico is actually an AU version of Morgan le Fay is a shock, they're not going to be fighting or fleeing.

For clarity, The Tales of Tonelico were written from the late 1970s to the mid-1980s, with Zelretch's memo dating to about 1984-6.

I also wanted to explain why someone as powerful as Zelretch doesn't stop Voldemort. I view him akin to the Master of the Castle in ack1308's Worm fanfic Snek is a Good Boy. In Chapter 4, when Contessa begs him to help against the Entities, the Master of the Castle shows her the kinds of threats he faces on a regular basis, threats that make the Entities pale by comparison, threats on a multiversal level.

As for Snape…well, in this fic, that letter sent out of posthumous spite? It wasn't posthumous. He'll be taking the role of my bashable James Potter I intended for the version based on the 'Prodigal Son' challenge…and will have the same wish for the Holy Grail. Yes, this fic is heading to a Grail War, and given that this chapter is set in August, 1998, I think you can guess which one…

So, fantasy voice casting for the Fae…

MORGAN: For this story, I honestly think, after some thought, that Anne Yatco, on the basis of her playing the Raiden Shogun/Ei from Genshin Impact, would do well as Morgan. Yes, I know she has Katelyn Gaunt as an official dub actress in Fate/Apocrypha, but she's PHH Morgan. Plus, there's plenty of role parallels between Ei and Lostbelt Morgan.

BARGHEST: As with Out of the Strong Came Forth Sweetness and Unnatural History, I choose Colleen Clinkenbeard, with her 'Rose' voice from The Wrong Way to Use Healing Magic for Barghest's battle voice, and Momo from My Hero Academia as her 'noble' voice.

MELUSINE: Again, as with Out of the Strong Came Forth Sweetness and Unnatural History, I choose Anairis Quiñones, with her Lynette voice from Genshin Impact being her 'casual' voice, and a more childish version of Feixiao's voice from Honkai Star Rail for her battle voice.

BAOBHAN SITH: For this story, I think Brianna Knickerbocker works, based on her performance as Hu Tao in Genshin Impact and Kumoko in So I'm a Spider, So What?

HABETROT: I hadn't really cast her in Unnatural History, so here, she's played by Corina Boettger, aka Paimon from Genshin Impact. But with a slightly deeper voice.

ECTOR: For this story, Marc Diraison, playing basically a less belligerent version of Guts from Berserk.

No numbered annotations this time.