In The Hall Of The Mountain King

by DZ2

Corvus M Black Challenge Response: In the depths of the frozen heights of the world's peaks, the last Forge of the King has been lit. Now, ancient wars are reignited, old alliances are called forth and the flames of destiny have changed colour for Harry Potter. Grey/Dark Super Harry/Fleur

4. Loyalty and Royalty

In The Hall Of The Mountain King

Disclaimer: SEE FIRST CHAPTER

Review Answers:

A10riddick: I hope you continue to enjoy this story, and the twists and turns still to come;

Jostanos: Sadly, you're wrong, but worry not: also, I've made a slight change to the portrayals and, by the end of this chapter, I'd love to hear your thoughts on them – and yours too, Matsuo, especially since one changed portrayal is well known for a dragon;

Dennisud: To quote a companion of the Doctor…spoilers! (ha-ha-ha)

WhiteElfElder: I know it may be hard to believe, but I've actually got an idea that is working so well, I know exactly what I'm going to write all the way up to…well, let's just say pretty damn far into the adventure;

HMK

ALSO:

After inspiration struck me hard and fast, I made a small change to the portrayals used for Harry's five new companions, all of whom will be officially introduced in this chapter;

I'll put the updated list of portrayals – now including their names – at the bottom of this chapter, as well as a note on where they came from, but…anyway, I hope you enjoy them;

"Meaning we're…where? Australia?"

"It is true, I suppose we haven't told you where you are, have we, my Liege? As you are not aware of it, I'll tell you: Nidavellir is, in point of fact, located within the labyrinthine halls, corridors and enchanted levels found inside the walls, heights and shape of the greatest, and highest, point on the surface of Planet Earth!"

Harry's eyes widened.

"You…you mean we're inside…"

"Mount Everest," finished Filius, earning an awestruck look from Harry as he looked up to the ceiling himself, earning a soft laugh from Filius.

Chapter 4: Loyalty and Royalty

Harry was still trying to wrap his mind around what he had just heard.

Mount Everest?

He was sitting in a hall, intended for the King of the Dwarves, within the heights of the world's highest landmass, a peak that few had managed to reach, and even fewer had survived. He was also surrounded by grandness that, thanks to magic, was actually bigger than Everest itself appeared to be, if not the entire range of the Himalayas.

As he breathed deeply, trying to work through his shock, Harry licked his lips slowly as he looked to Filius, "All right, Filius: I'm listening…"

"I know this is an awful lot to take in for one as young as you, Harry," replied Filius, tugging nervously at his collar as he admitted, "To be honest, I'm not really an expert on all who've come before you, but I think you're also the youngest King to claim the throne, am I wrong, Brother?"

"As much as I wish I could put his Majesty's mind at rest and say yes, Filius, you are correct," argued Kyjin, earning a disgruntled look from Harry. "In fact, apart from our King, the youngest King to claim the throne and awaken his powers was sixteen, though that is only because, in olden times, the heir to the throne is trained at the knee of his predecessor, as well as those who are assigned to be his mentors. And then, of course, the heir's progress would be monitored by the Scarlet Sentinel."

"The what?" asked Harry calmly, though his hands were clenched into fists, as though he was letting his tension form in said limbs; he was also sat straight, stiff and full of curiosity and unease.

HMK

He was the youngest King…and even then, he'd need to be trained…

And he had to check on…well…perhaps his only human friend at Hogwarts…to see if she was all part of this grand delusion about controlling his destiny, or whether – as he hoped and prayed, which was part of the reason for his clenched fists – she was someone he could still trust, even though everything they both knew and would believe about Harry himself was going to change.

Then, he didn't know how long he would need to be trained before he could light the Nidavellir Forge and bring his…his people back together.

Gods, he was tired…and getting a headache, but he wasn't going to give in, not just yet.

HMK

"The Scarlet Sentinel," repeated Filius, drawing Harry's attention back to him, while the half-dwarf tried to alleviate some of his charge's fears and tension as he again patted the boy's hands supportively, "A position of great honour and greater responsibility for a dwarf in the service of the King. As Sentinel, they are his most-faithful, most-powerful warrior, leader of his armies in his proxy or absence, his most-trusted confidant, dearest friend and someone who is as close as family to the King."

Harry swallowed hard, a small part of him already suspecting, if not knowing who was top of his list to earn that mantle under him.

Filius, meanwhile, continued his explanation, "If the previous King died, the new King rose to take the mantle as long as Nidavellir burned; however, as it has been almost five hundred years since the last King's reign…"

Harry blanched at that, but kept his peace as Filius continued.

"…The Great Forge has been extinguished, plunging Nidavellir into the dark state you see around you; however, as Kyjin said, in order to recognise you as King, you yourself must draw out your fiery powers and ignite Nidavellir, once again setting the wheels of destiny in motion. But once you do, there will be no turning back, for you, for the dwarves, or even for those who may either be waiting to end the line of Yggdrasil, or those who hope to claim the Last Great Forge for their own purposes, either to loot, raze them to the ground or usurp the throne and become something more than the dwarves were back in the days of the Reigns of Fire and Forging!"

"And…exactly how far back does the…the Reigns of Fire and Forging go, Filius?" asked Harry, part of him relaxing into his seat as, just by asking his question, he felt like less of a King waiting to ascend to greatness, and more like a student once again sat in class, learning from an expert – or two, in his case; Filius and Kyjin.

"Nearly 3000 years, Majesty," answered Kyjin, earning a thunderstruck look from Harry as he looked to the guardian.

"But…but Hogwarts has only been standing for about a millennium!"

"But that doesn't mean times of learning, conflict and prejudice didn't exist before Hogwarts, Mr Potter," argued Filius, giving Harry a knowing smile when he looked at his companion, as though Filius sensed how familiarly-relaxed Harry was, being made to sit, listen, and absorb the knowledge like a sponge as he studied at his mentor's side.

"In fact," continued Filius, tapping the hilt of Gryffindor's Sword, which lay silent and calm at Harry's hip, "This very sword you wear, your symbol of recognition as the new King, was forged before Godric himself wielded it, although I confess that he wielded it in defence of us, Harry; the dwarves. And, while many humans and, sadly, many more goblins would claim to be the ones to forge this sword, especially for the Gryffindor Founder, the truth of it is that this sword was forged…um…actually, I believe it was right here in Nidavellir, wasn't it, Kyjin?"

While Kyjin nodded, his expression hardening to a level that made Harry think of the glare of the Basilisk, if not something even more dangerous to behold – like the hungry glare of a dragon, a Nundu or even a shark – something that Filius said in his explanations left Harry frowning in confusion.

"Wait: what do the goblins have to do with it?"

"Well, for one, they stole the sword from the corpse of your predecessor during one of the bloodiest battles nearly a half-millennium ago, Majesty," argued Kyjin, a note of fire and fury lacing his words, "Those jewel-munching, big-flappy-eared tusk-mouthed amoebas have no honour, and even less respect for the dead, or the honour of those who come after."

"Perhaps I should tell the story, Brother," suggested Filius, earning a nod from Kyjin.

Here, Harry took a deep breath before he asked, "Do you need to step away for a moment, Kyjin?"

"No, Sire," answered the dwarf, before he gulped, "However, if I may be permitted to rise before you, Majesty, perhaps I might relocate myself and devote my wrath to ensuring your Ashen behaves itself?"

Making a note to ask about the title of Ashen, since that was now the fourth-or-fifth time he'd heard it, Harry nodded, watching as Kyjin rose and walked around the ring table, before he stood next to Ginny, who shrank back when she saw the dwarf glaring at her, as though he was daring her or begging her to give him a reason to punish her for doing something without the King's permission.

Even though he was a different size to the man Harry thought about, the King couldn't help but smile as he compared Kyjin's air of warning and danger to the one shown by Hagrid when he'd threatened the Dursleys about insulting Albus Dumbledore in front of him…right before he'd turned Dudley's moon-sized ass into the pig's behind it was.

Filius, meanwhile, cleared his throat, drawing Harry's attention back to him as the half-dwarf continued telling the tale.

"As Kyjin said, Harry, the legacy of the Dwarves, and the Dynasty of Yggdrasil, can be dated back almost 3000 years, maybe even longer, given the fact that it was only when our Great Forges were blessed, transformed and lit as one cycle by the First King of the Dwarves millennia ago. Before his blessing, our forges were small, insufficient and even the stuff of jokes amongst those who explored such arts, but were not of dwarven birth…"

"Like…um…goblins?" asked Harry, whispering the last word, if only because he didn't want to risk angering Kyjin, or even Filius, again.

"Yes, and don't worry, Sire," answered Kyjin, earning a wary look from Harry. "My rage will never allow me to harm my King; like you did with Filius, Majesty, I implore you to speak freely, even if you believe your words will stir my ire and, to use your school's parlance, tickle the sleeping dragon. Trust me, I may not have served a King in my almost-100-year-old lifespan, but I am more than capable of remembering who I serve."

"Thank you, Kyjin," said Harry, silently marvelling at the fact that Kyjin was almost a hundred, which almost made him as old as Dumbledore.

'He certainly doesn't look it,' thought Harry, looking now to Filius. "Sorry, Filius, please continue."

"As I was saying," explained Filius, indicating the hall around them with his right hand. "Halls such as this were but a pipe dream for the dwarves, millennia ago; we lived in smaller, divided clans no larger than…well, perhaps your class, Harry. We were chased away because of fear, prejudice and hate towards our crafts, as well as envy of our skill, despite being so diminutive in size and stature. An irony, given we dwarves are only a little bigger than your average goblin and, more-ironically, the largest goblin, the Great Chief of Gringotts Terra, as they call the conglomeration of their individual branches all over the world. I'd say even he is only about as large as…well, probably a head shorter than you, Harry."

"And I'm not even average for my height," argued Harry, earning a low growl from Kyjin, which was waved off by Filius.

"The Ascension will undo that, Kyjin," advised Filius, earning a snort from Harry and Kyjin, the lesser of whom was a little relieved to note he was going to look more like a warrior in due time. "In the meantime, as I was saying, the bias against us was one that spread across the world…but then, in the northern regions of what humans now call Scandinavia, a troop of dwarves found a human leader under threat from bandits and magic users of the evil variety. For a few short moments, there was division at the idea of aiding one who'd spurned us for so long, but then, it was the dwarven leader of that particular Knot, as they used to call a group of us, who said that, at the very least, the dwarves could try, if nothing else, to make sure the humans left their small domain untouched by blood, if not death; and so, they ran to aid the human leader."

Pausing only for a moment to glance up at the throne behind them, Filius smiled sadly, his eyes filled with homage and wonder, as he looked back to Harry, "Although they were not aided by the weapons we can smith in this modern age, the dwarves managed to fend off the bandits and dark wizards, but not without paying a steep and terrible price. The dwarf knot's leader…their chief, if you wish, had fallen to a fatal curse, whilst trying to protect the human leader, a young prince of his people, from certain death."

A lone tear rolled down Harry's cheek.

Something about the idea of someone sacrificing themselves for him left him feeling cold.

Maybe it was because he knew his Mother had done the same.

"As the chieftain lay dying," continued Filius, his voice edged by a note of pain and homage as he told the next part of his story. "The human prince, whose name eludes me, made a vow, using both his blood and his magic to do so…yes, he was a magic user, too."

Harry nodded, having looked surprised by that news, while Filius continued, "On his blood and magic, he swore he would make sure the dwarves were not only rewarded for their selfless sacrifice, but he would see to it that his Father, the King of the North, allowed the dwarves to flourish, just as many other races did. And, although it took a whole moon-cycle to arrange it, the Prince and his Father also called every Dwarf to their courts to receive this justly-received blessing."

"What did he do?" asked Harry, awe lacing his voice as, not for the first time, he found himself unable to tear his attention away from the story.

Even his rapidly-approaching fatigue seemed to have been banished by his excitement and awe at hearing the tale of the tape concerning his odd new legacy and the power and throne he was, apparently, going to acquire soon enough.

"He performed a very powerful ritual," explained Kyjin, keeping his eyes on Ginny, whilst he also contributed to the conversation, speaking calmly, but clearly as he filled in the next blank for Harry's sake. "He used an ancient form of Sacrifice Magic, offering up the souls and flesh of those who'd fallen to the humans who'd gone for his son, performing the rite under the light of the Northern Lights, on a sacred night of the year…"

"Let me guess: the Winter Solstice?" asked Harry, earning a soft, gruff laugh from Kyjin.

"Actually, the night was one no longer celebrated, not even by the magic users in that part of the world, Majesty," argued Kyjin, earning a smirk from Filius as he nudged Harry.

"I can tell you it took place on the same day that, millennia later, would be your date of birth, Harry; July 31st."

Harry blinked in surprise, while Kyjin went on, "Through the ritual, he invoked the will of the spirits of the North, drawing out the energy and essence within the Lights and binding them, not to the humans, but to us Dwarves. With this blessing from powers humans still don't understand today, the Rainbow King, as we have called him since then, for obvious reasons, ensured we dwarves would have our homes, and the strength and power to light forges far greater and more-powerful than even those sacharzash goblins!"

"Something tells me I don't want to know what that word means," drawled Harry, earning a soft laugh from Filius.

"Good answer; trust me, it's not something you want translated, either."

"However," continued Kyjin, keeping his mind focused on the story, while he explained its history more to the King. "There were some who did not accept our gifts, or our craft, both out of greed and for the sake of their own overcompensating egos; what had been the worst kind of craftsmen, suddenly rose to levels sought by Kings and Princes, seemingly overnight. And the worst, aside from the humans who craved our goods and even our servitude for their own ends, before being rebuffed by our new King…the worst of opposition came from the goblins."

"Why?" asked Harry.

"Because, like dwarves, goblins are considered artisans of magic and magical artefacts," explained Filius, again tapping the sword at Harry's hip as he looked up to his young protégé. "Weapons and armour, mostly, but their skills pale in comparison to what we became capable of, thanks to the blessings of the Borealis. As well as weapons and armour, we dwarves became master forgers, including the skill of binding gemstone to metal and infusing them with magic, through the ancient runic systems."

"Almost makes me wish I'd chosen to take Ancient Runes at Hogwarts next year," drawled Harry, earning a soft titter from Filius.

"Since you'll be trained by your new mentors anyway, Harry, it won't matter; even Bathsheda will either be impressed or envious of your skills when you return to school," said the Head of Ravenclaw, though his words only sought to remind Harry of the mystery of his new teachers.

Plus the unfinished business he would have to deal with before proceeding with said training.

Kyjin, meanwhile, returned Harry's attention to his story, "On top of our craft skills, there were also the treasure hordes of the Nine Great Forges, each of which was named for one of the Nine Realms of Yggdrasil."

"Side question, my young student," said Filius suddenly, earning a curious look from Harry. "Can you name the Nine Realms?"

"I've only heard of them in Muggle storybooks, sir," admitted Harry, licking his lips nervously as he explained, "But I…I'll try…um…let's see…"

Here, he held up nine fingers before he counted them off, one by one, on his fingers and one of his thumbs.

"I've heard of Asgard, home to Thor and Loki and other Norse Gods, not to mention the name of a superhero and supervillain in comic books; then, well, obviously, there's Nidavellir…"

"Home to the Dwarf Lords in their Nordic Myths," explained Kyjin, earning a slow nod from Harry as he kept going.

"After that is us…Earth…but they call it Midgard…then…um…I…I can't remember…sorry…"

"That's all right; at least you tried," explained Filius, tapping each one of Harry's remaining fingers as he filled in the blanks for his humbled, but also curious young student. "After Asgard, Home of the Asgardian Warriors and Mages, as well as Seat of the King of the worlds, the Allfather, there's our world, Midgard and, as you said, the Dwarf Realm, Nidavellir. But after them, we have Jotunheim, Land of Ice and home of the Frost Giants, Vanaheim, home to what's known as the Vanir, Svartalfheim, Home of the Dark Elves, Alfheim, Home of the Light Elves, Muspelheim, Home of the Demons and Lord of Fire, Surtr and, last but not least, we've got Niflheim, Home of the Neutral Dead, also known as Hel, home to Hela, Queen of the Damned and Goddess of Death."

Harry's eyes widened, while Filius nodded once, "Surprising, I know, but those were the names we bestowed onto the Great Forges; call it dwarf humour, or hubris, but we named the largest and most-powerful after our home world while, ironically, we named the first and, admittedly, the smallest, Niflheim, after the Land of the Dead."

"Muspelheim was the last to fall in the wars," added Kyjin, earning a sorrowful look from Harry, which had Kyjin smiling. "I know, Sire; wars are tough and tragic and ours were no exception. Even while the humans were battling over territory, the goblins, as well as allies who sympathised with them, attempted to seize the wealth and power of the Nine and, over time, more than five hundred Kings came and went between the Rainbow King and your predecessor, Majesty, whom was known as the King of the Stars, and even dubbed himself as such: King Sol…as in the name of the Sun…may he rest in peace amongst the ancestors…"

He said the last part in Dwarfish, earning a nod from Harry as he mirrored the prayer, mumbling it under his breath before, looking up to Kyjin once again, he asked, "Why…why did the war stop after his death?"

"Because the goblins believed they had won," explained Filius, earning a snort from Kyjin.

"And there was their other little horn-measuring contest with the humans, which I'm sure you've heard of, Majesty."

When Harry nodded, more than familiar with the goblin uprisings and revolutions, thanks to Professor Binns, Kyjin continued, "Plus, although King Sol made sure Nidavellir was sealed and ordered a full retreat when he was cornered, using the Fire to do so, I might add, the goblins also believed they had wiped out the line of Yggdrasil, including King Sol's wife…as well as the unborn young prince whom was growing in her belly…"

A wave of sickness washed over Harry as he heard that; he'd heard that goblins were brutal and merciless back in the day, but to order the death of an unborn babe just because of who its parents were.

They were no better than Voldemort…almost – though the almost was only because they'd been oddly-welcoming and helpful whenever Harry had walked into Gringotts before now, which made him wonder what was going to happen when he went for his fortunes again now he would be King of their Enemy and the sole heir to the not-quite-ended Yggdrasil Dynasty.

"However," continued Kyjin, drawing Harry's attention back to him again, "The Line of the King was not so bested, mostly thanks to King Sol having not only a loving queen, but…well…I believe the modern term for such a lady is mistress?"

"He had a second girlfriend?" asked Harry, earning a nod from Kyjin.

"And, thankfully for Nidavellir, as well as the dwarves, her belly had not only already housed an unborn soul, but she had given birth to, admittedly, a baby girl not long before the Final Battle. When King Sol heard of this, he placed them under a very powerful privacy spell and then, to the horror of his Mistress, he further protected her and his daughter by wiping them from his and his wife's memories, so neither of them could be tortured or forced to reveal the location, much less allow the lady to be used against King Sol, much less the goblins."

"In fact," added Filius, watching as Harry still managed to soak up everything he was being told remarkably-well.

Though Filius silently wondered how he'd take the next bit.

"The spell that King Sol used was a far advanced version of the same secrecy and privacy spell, known as the Fidelius Charm, which your parents went under when they had to go into hiding to escape the wrath of Lord Voldemort and protect you, Harry."

Now, Harry felt cold inside, while Filius cleared his throat nervously, "Sadly, the outcome was different from your situation and, of course, if you wish to know more, you need only ask…or order me to tell you, my young friend, and I will bare all, as they say. For now, however, just be happy that Sol's line did continue through that daughter, who, obviously, had kin of her own, passing down the line and through the ages until, from what I can state with certainty, having done my research after your birth was acknowledged by the dwarf in me, the line came to you…"

"Let me guess…through my Mother?" asked Harry.

"How did you guess?" asked Filius amusingly.

"Sacrifice," said Harry, rubbing at his forehead, while he explained, "And…I don't know…just a feeling, I guess; I mean, if it had been Dad, he'd have been known because he was so…infamous at school, so his family weren't probably too private, either."

"Indeed not."

"And…well, like I said, there's the bit about sacrifice; I know my Mum did something to stop Voldemort, sacrificing her life for mine, and then there's how my power was what did away with him…and I burned him up because of that power, so…I guess it was pretty easy to guess it had to have come from her side of the family, which may also mean she wasn't a Muggle-born, right?"

Filius nodded, while a lone tear rolled down Harry's cheek as he smiled, "She wanted me to be strong…I wonder how she'd react knowing I'm a King and it's all thanks to her side of my bloodline."

"Why don't you ask her?"

Harry's head snapped up as he heard Kyjin say that with absolute certainty, earning an alarmed look from Filius, "Choose your next words carefully, Brother; trust me, our young King does not entertain the idea that people can just disgrace his family willy-nilly!"

"I do not mean to disrespect the fallen, Majesty," explained Kyjin, before he smiled thinly as he pointed up over their heads.

"But there is a way you…"

Suddenly, before he could finish what he was saying, Harry's eyes widened, as did Filius', when a loud GONG echoed through the meeting hall, followed by a low, seemingly-persistent, rumbling growl.

"What's that?" asked Harry.

"The alerts," said Filius, rising from his seat as he looked to Harry, "It seems your mentors have arrived sooner than expected, Harry; we can go and introduce you, if you want? Then, when we come back, we'll tell you more about what you're going to be capable of, not to mention answer the questions I suspect are still plaguing your thoughts."

"Just two, really," admitted Harry, pointing a finger at Ginny. "One about her…and one about what Kyjin was saying, but, since you called them my mentors, Filius, let's go and see who they are."

Filius nodded, while Kyjin bowed, understanding that this was something just as important.

When Ginny made to follow, however, Harry shook his head, "No…you stay here and wait for us to come back, Ashen! Don't move, don't speak and don't you dare think you can go anywhere other than this room without my permission!"

Ginny trembled in fear, a small part of her still wondering why her Harry would be so cruel to her when he was supposed to be her husband and the father of beautiful red-haired, green-eyed children, one of whom, or more, they may even name after the Headmaster.

Why couldn't he just accept she was his intended?

Well, not to paraphrase a nuisance, but there was only one thing Ginevra could think of.

'Wait until my Mummy hears about this!'

HMK

The main doors into Nidavellir were, like most places, decorated with an engraving of the Worlds Tree, as well as a large, deadly-looking serpent whom, like the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets, seemed to act as both the lock and key to the doors.

"So…should I speak Parseltongue to open it?" asked Harry, earning a curt nod from Kyjin.

"Only the tongue of the King can unlock the Bifrost Doors and allow entry, Sire," explained the dwarf, earning a scoff from Harry.

Naming the doors after the legendary Rainbow Bridge was either irony or a sick sense of humour designed to make the Norse references funnier.

It wasn't working.

/Open,/ hissed Harry, earning a brief shiver from Kyjin, while Filius smiled thinly, a part of him relieved to notice Harry seemed to be growing more and more accustomed to the power of his true self and, without Doubting Thomases and narrow-minded ingrates trying to force him to knock his power on the head for one reason or another, he was becoming less-weak and more like the Harry that Filius suspected Lily saw in him when, as the boy had said, she'd hoped he would be strong.

Specifically, she had hoped he would be safe, strong and loved, all of which were states Filius would ensure he was.

Just like the Chamber of Secrets, the large serpent – whom Harry later learned was an image of Jormungandr, the World Serpent – slithered around the large doors before it vanished into the roots of the tree-shaped design. As the snake's tail vanished, Harry watched as two of the branches on the Worlds Tree twisted, forming what he guessed were open latches that seemed to allow the great Bifrost Doors to be opened, filling the entrance chamber with the dull glow of the late-night/early-morning air outside…

As well as five small, glowing orbs, which shone over the hands of five very strange-looking individuals, all of whom Harry immediately knew were like nothing he'd ever seen before.

From left to right, Harry counted three men and two women, one of whom looked to be not much older than him, while the five were also stood together in a boy-girl-boy-girl-boy pattern – though, he silently admitted, calling the one on the furthest right a boy would either be a grave insult or a funny joke, since he actually looked older than Dumbledore himself.

All five wore long, flowing coats that seemed to cover armour under their long coats, while they all had differently-coloured hair and facial features. Though what surprised Harry the most was how two of the five seemed to have a single horn protruding from their heads, while the other three all had two horns on their heads, like people impersonating devils.

Seeing Kyjin and Filius standing either side of the young pre-teen in the middle, the quintet gasped in unison before, to Harry's surprise, all five of them bowed down, kneeling before him like warriors before their general; at the same time, one of the women, as well as all three of the men laid swords of different sizes on the ground before Harry, who gulped hard as, just by looking at the swords – two of which he recognised from Muggle stories as katanas, like the sort of sword worn by a samurai or ninja – he could tell they were deadly, powerful and wielded by masters.

"Um…hello?" asked Harry nervously, earning a chorus of bowed heads from the five before the one in the middle of the five spoke.

"Lord. Master. King of Fire and He Who Rules Under the Mountain within the Last Great Forge, Nidavellir; we are honoured to be received by you directly; my comrades and I are yours to command."

Apart from the elder on Harry's right-hand side, this warrior seemed to be the oldest of the group.

He had a head of fiery-red hair that, for some weird reason, made Harry feel both warm and cold inside as he noticed it. When he'd looked at Harry before bowing to him, the redhead had also revealed he had two dark-red eyes, like a deep, fiery shade of crimson, which were flecked with gold, giving him a powerful, but definitely not human look about him – and that was only emphasised by the twin horns protruding from his forehead. His sword was wrapped in a finely-crafted black-and-red-coloured scabbard and, as Harry previously noted, he also wore a long, flowing red coat, as well as red-and-black armour underneath.

Somehow, judging by his place at the heart of the quintet, Harry also guessed he was either the strongest or, more-likely, the team leader.

And, as a leader himself, Harry couldn't bring himself to have to look down at someone whose body radiated such power, much less made him feel so warm and curious at the same time.

"Thank you," said Harry, stepping through the Bifrost Doors before he placed a hand on the redhead's shoulder, smiling softly as he told the elder warrior. "Please, get up: I can tell you're the one in charge of the group and I don't think I could forgive myself for making another team leader kneel when I can tell how much stronger than me you are…you and your comrades, in fact."

"Your words honour us, Sire," said the redhead, rising as he was bidden as he explained, "Allow me to introduce myself: I am Sir Benimaru, Warrior of Fire and, as you rightly-guessed, my Lord, I am also the leader of my clan…what's left of us."

"Um…sorry if this is rude, Sir…sorry, what was it? Benny-Marr-ooh?" asked Harry, sounding out the name, earning a nod from Benimaru as he seemed to get it right, and also didn't seem offended by how Harry had needed to sound out his name.

As Harry sighed in relief, he asked, "I was just wondering…what…or who are you…and your friends? I…I don't think I've ever read about a race like yours, and I don't just mean the greater magical power levels I can feel flowing off of you."

"We look the way we do, because we are all members of the Kijin, my Lord," said Benimaru, earning a curious look from Harry. "That is our clan name and the regal name for the last Lords of the Ogre Clans."

'Key-Gin? As in a similar way of saying Kyjin's name,' thought Harry, though he was also surprised by Benimaru's last words.

"Ogres? But…but aren't ogres just another name for…for trolls?"

"Not the Muggle style you've probably read about, Harry," explained Filius, though he also noticed Benimaru seemed amused by Harry's little oops moment. "In actuality, what Muggles call Ogres are either just half-breeds of the troll race, like I am with dwarves, or their child members. But real Ogres haven't existed for…well, I suppose it's about three hundred years now, am I right, Sir Benimaru?"

"Indeed you are, Master Dwarfling," said Benimaru, earning a curious look from Harry. "That is what we call a halfling like your comrade, my Lord."

"Oh…sorry."

"Don't be," laughed Benimaru, his warm demeanour only helping to put Harry's mind at ease. "Anyway, allow me to introduce my companions, all of whom, like me, are here to reaffirm and pledge our loyalties to the Last King of Yggdrasil, as we swore centuries ago when a wandering band of your kinsmen saved our lives and helped fend off invaders to our lands."

"That's ironic," mused Harry.

Benimaru smirked before he gestured first to the man on Harry's immediate left; he was a blue-haired man whom looked to be roughly eighteen or nineteen, with an air of silent strength and power about him. Like Benimaru, he also had eyes that were a similar colour to his hair – in his case, blue – while his colours also reflected themselves in the clothes he wore, which, apart from his coat, actually made Harry think of a real ninja, albeit one with a thin, single, pointed horn on his head.

"This is Souei," explained Benimaru, earning a deeper bow from the man, while Harry nodded.

'Sow-Ay…maybe they came from Japan or something; these names all sound Oriental…if not somewhere in the East…'

"Next," said Benimaru, indicating the young lady next to Souei, who had a head of bubblegum-pink hair, as well as red eyes that Harry was a little surprised to notice were similar to Benimaru's, which made him wonder if they may be related. Like him, she also wore a red-and-white coat, though hers seemed to be a reverse of Benimaru's – so, where his was more red than white, hers was more white than red – and she also seemed to be the youngest of the group.

"This is my little sister, the Princess Shuna."

'Shoo-na,' thought Harry, before he cleared his throat as he told the girl. "Um…you can get up too, if you want, Princess…sorry, I didn't know."

"No need for apologies, my Lord," said Shuna, offering a warm and, as Harry couldn't help but think, cute-looking smile as she still bowed her head, even after she rose up from the ground.

Indicating the next warrior, Benimaru again indicated a female, though this one immediately made Harry shiver as he sensed an air of danger that almost made him feel sorry for any enemies who might stand against her – although the huge broadsword she had laid down with ease at her feet after bowing to him might have also sold that image.

Her ensemble was also made up of a deep shade of violet with black highlights here and there, while her hair was a lighter shade of purplish-violet, with purple-coloured eyes that also had flecks dancing in them. The fact that such a seemingly-ordinary, if not athletically-formed lady could wield such a powerful weapon gave Harry pause as he looked down at the fourth member of the group.

This was Benimaru's cue, "This is Shion; another dear friend and, just like Souei is like an honorary brother, you may consider her a second sister to me and an honorary big sister to Shuna."

'She-Own…got it,' thought Harry, before he smiled thinly as he added, "You must be very strong, Miss Shion, to hold such a big sword so easily."

"Wait until you see me wield it against your enemies, Milord," said Shion, her voice as strong as the rest of her, though there also seemed to be an air of humoured cheekiness that made Harry smile, even as he turned to the last member of the group.

The eldest of them to boot, as he noted.

The last man had a head of silvery-white hair that definitely did not take away the air of ominous power and foreboding he gave off while, much to Harry's surprise, unlike the others, he had a different colour in his eyes, when compared to his hair; instead of silvery-white, the elder's eyes were black, almost like Hagrid or Snape, but to look into them, you could see wisdom, power and even a sense of authority that made him someone to be both feared and respected, on and off the battlefield.

He was also dressed in a set of clothes and armour that opposed each other; white with black highlights covered his coat, while his armour seemed divided between black and white, making him look like a walking embodiment of the Yin-Yang symbol, as well as someone who, more than likely, didn't exactly see the world in black and/or white, but was willing to walk down both paths if it meant achieving his goals – albeit without losing himself along the way, especially to the darker side of himself.

"And finally," said Benimaru, noticing Harry's interest in the final member of the group, "This is Master Hakurou; he's not only the oldest of our group. He's also my oldest of friends, dearest of allies and, not to offend your companions, my Lord, but he is also, without a shadow of a doubt, the greatest, and deadliest, swordsmaster and trainer in the way of the blade I have ever met."

'Ha-Coo-Row,' thought Harry, dipping his head to the elder warrior, before he gasped when the man gave a rumbling laugh.

"Ha-ha; I sincerely doubt I would be able to hold a candle to our young Majesty once he comes into his own, Benimaru," laughed Hakurou, earning a shrug from Benimaru, while Hakurou dipped his head to Harry. "Regardless, I am honoured to join my old friends and my young Prince in our duty of fulfilling our sacred oaths and serving you to whatever future and victory awaits you, my Liege-Lord."

Harry dipped his head in return before, clearing his throat, he indicated behind him, "Well…it's an honour to meet all of you and, while I am curious about your race and why you're even here when it's obvious you all have so much power, I appreciate it. Also, allow me to introduce my teacher, and the one who's been helping me understand what's happening to me, Master Filius Flitwick, Charms Master, Duelling Champion and, as you said, Sir Benimaru, a half-dwarf, but one that has my full respect."

"Just Benimaru is fine, my Lord," argued Benimaru, blushing just a little as he explained, "As we are here to serve you, I would feel out of place having my liege-lord address me as though I were above him."

"But as a Prince of your people, you're actually as close to my equal as anyone might get…same for Princess Shuna," argued Harry.

Again, Hakurou laughed, while Shion, Shuna and Souei all smiled to themselves as their elder remarked, "He looks like a cub, but he roars with the fire of a true lion in his belly; I'm going to enjoy getting to know you better, my Lord."

"Thank you, Master Hakurou," said Harry, taking a step back before he indicated behind him.

"Welcome to Nidavellir…all of you; if you'll follow me, we'll return to the Halls of Katharya, so we can continue our discussions and have questions answered…oh, and in case you're wondering, I haven't chosen my Royal Name yet, so, if you like, you can just call me Harry for now, since that's my name…Harry Potter."

As the five nodded, Harry turned, "Kyjin, if only to put my mind at ease for now, would you mind keeping an eye on Benimaru's weapon, as well as those carried by his comrades?"

"Of course, Majesty."

"We thank you for your consideration, Lord Harry," said Souei, his voice soft, but laced with a badass air that definitely gave Harry chills.

He sounded so calm, but so badass at the same time.

'Wonder if I can learn to be that,' thought Harry as he turned and led the five ogre warriors into his Halls, ready to pick up where they'd left off.

HMK

As Harry led his small group inside, and the doors sealed themselves shut behind the group, he didn't notice Shuna tug nervously on Benimaru's sleeve, drawing his attention to her while, unnoticed by Harry, Shuna's voice whispered to her sibling, 'Brother…did you sense it?'

'I did,' answered Benimaru, flicking his eyes ahead as Harry led them back to the Halls of Katharya, 'But we can't be sure, Shuna.'

'But if he is…'

'Then we will help him, as is our duty,' explained Benimaru, his red eyes narrowing as he shook his head subtly. 'But as for the other thing, we have to let him make the choice, little sister; I sense a darkness in our Lord's heart that has been inflicted upon him by both kith and kin alike…'

His hand slipped into Shuna's as he swallowed hard before he whispered one last message to her.

'We cannot force ourselves on him, whether he is an Ogre halfling or not…and if he is our descendant, it changes nothing; he is still our King, and we have a duty to serve and honour his wishes, Shuna…even over the loyalties that bind you, Hakurou and I as blood-kin.'

Yikes, talk about an intense, emotional, but also revealing fourth chapter: Harry's learned of his past, but now, is he prepared to learn about his future, and the threats and obstacles that lie ahead?

Also…WTF?

Harry…Harry might be half-Ogre, like his mysterious new allies?

Can it be true?

Or is it just a coincidence, or maybe something else, which is felt by Benimaru and Shuna?

Keep Reading to Find Out

Next Chapter: Harry and, to a lesser extent, Ginny learn about the Ashen while Kyjin has another big revelation for Harry, which can be found at the top of the world: also, Benimaru talks to Filius about his and Shuna's suspicions, and what it may yet mean for his King;

Please Read and Review

PORTRAYALS:

Benimaru – Jason David Frank

Shion – Karen Gillan

Hakurou – Jeremy Irons

Shuna – Ariel Winter

Souei – Jensen Ackles

HMK

AN: The Ogres/Kijin Clan

Also, in case there are those who don't know, the five warriors-slash-mentors to our young King came from one of my favourite anime series – The Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime

I know it's really out there to have such unique-looking creatures in Harry's world, but as soon as I started thinking up allies and warriors who could be like kin, if not dearly-trusted friends, these characters came to mind and the rest just sort of wrote itself.

I also imagine the ideas I used for what actors/actresses would portray them might not be everybody's cup of tea, what with them being characters from an anime, but hey, such is the fun of Fanfiction.