How to Fall in Love with Life

Healer Edwards waved his hands and a bright light started to surround me. It was an odd sensation and felt almost like sunlight on my skin on a cold winter morning. Just like with Milo the light disappeared just as fast as it started and revealed a frowning Healer Edwards. King Bram looked at Healer Edwards seemingly understanding a silent message that I was not privy to.

“Everything is fine, right?” I asked knowing there was no way it was based on the looks they were giving me. Maybe my ribs were more badly bruised than I thought but I didn’t think they were broken?

“Heiress Potter,” started Healer Edwards cautiously, “my scan revealed a few different problems. It seems there is a compulsion spell on you keyed to certain topics which makes it difficult to speak on them.”

“Emilio had one too” Said King Bram, his face darkening. I tensed, angry adults were never a good thing even if it wasn’t my fault that they were angry. The worst part is this time it was my fault, damn.

“There are numerous other potions and compulsions along side what looks like some seals. I can’t be sure how many of each there are since my scan was only preliminary. More importantly however, you are injured” Healer Edwards said this like a fact. I mean sure I had a few bruises here and there but it wasn’t really that bad and if I was being honest, I was far more concerned about the potions and the compulsions. How did they even get in my system, I was only ever at Hogwarts or at the Dursley’s. How did Voldemort do that? Unless, it wasn’t him. I was only ever at the Dursley’s or Hogwarts. Shit what if it was Dumbledore. I mean I thought he wasn’t trustworthy but this took it to a whole new level. If he was giving me potions and putting compulsions on me then how could I tell what was real or not? Were my friends even my friends? Did I actually like DADA? Was Voldemort even… real? Shit shit shit shit.

“Amira, breathe. One step at a time.” King Bram reminded me, bringing me back to the present. Ok one step at a time. I had to start by figuring out who put the compulsions and potions on me and then work on getting them off.

“Do you know who gave me the potions and compulsions?” I asked Healer Edwards.

“Unfortunately I only did a preliminary scan. This means we would have to do a more complex ritual to get the full list of any and all potions, compulsions, injuries and maladies you currently have and have had in the past.” said Healer Edwards. I needed to know what was wrong with me, I couldn’t fix it until I did. However, if I knew, so would they. Would that cause more problems than it would solve? In the best of cases they saw everything and did nothing (which happened more often than not). In the worst case, the potions and compulsions were from Dumbledore and they told him that I knew. Having said that, if they were close enough to tell Dumbledore, they would likely be close enough to already know. It would make no sense then to tell me that I had potions and compulsions in my system. Ok so not with Dumbledore (most likely) and if they were from Voldemort or someone else, Dumbledore knowing wouldn’t be the worst thing, maybe? Ok scan it is, I decided.

“Can you do the scan?” I asked Healer Edwards.

“Yes I can, I will just need some time to prepare the ritual and then we will be all set.” He responded. I took a deep breath and turned towards Milo.

“Does- Does Milo also have…” I trailed off hoping Milo wasn’t under potions and compulsions like I was.

“Yes, he does. Healer Asa will be performing the same kind of ritual on him as Healer Edwards will be performing on you.” King Bram answered.

“I’m really sorry. I swear I didn’t mean for any of this to happen. I’m so sorry” I said looking over at Milo.

“Did you give him the potions or spell the compulsions on him?” Asked King Bram.

“No! No I swear I didn’t do anything. I swear I-”

“Then it is not your fault nor do any of us blame you. It seems you and my son are in the same boat and how could I, as a parent, be mad at another child for something like this? Especially since you were the one who returned my son to me and have ensured my circle and I can take care of him?” He said cutting me off. I wasn’t sure how to respond to that. He motioned to Healer Edwards to get started on preparing for the ritual before turning back to me and saying,

“Heiress Potter, Amira, it seems to me from the little interactions we have had that you have had to do more than a few things on your own and you have had to rely on yourself for things that children should not have to. For that I am sorry. You may not be one of ours, but you are certainly someone’s and they should have taken better care of you. As it is clear to me that they have not done all that they should, I will be speaking with my bandmates about having you situated here in Navarah or at the very least finding new guardians for you. You deserve guardians who you can rely on and who will do what guardians are designed to do. Lets start, however, with the ritual and then go from there.”

“I’ll still go back” I muttered under my breath knowing better than to trust what he said. Someone had made a promise like that to me before, and they lied.

“Amira, why would you think you will go back?” King Bram said turning around to me. I was startled as I didn’t think he would hear me, much less understand me.

“I- um- well…” I stuttered unsure of how to explain it. Even if I wanted to explain, which I didn’t, I had a feeling that the spell would not allow me to.

“I see” He said seemingly understanding my situation. He led me to where Healer Edwards had set up. There was a circle drawn on the ground with runes strewn all about. Inside the circle there were other circles which overlapped and made different shapes. It was organized chaos and when I looked over, Milo was headed to a similar one.

“Now, Amira, I need you to stand as still as you can in the middle of the circle. For the ritual, I am going to need your blood so please prick yourself on the index finger with the needle. and let the blood drop onto the paper I am holding” He said handing me the needle. I did as he asked letting the paper stain red before I walked to the center of the circle. I stood still as he begun chanting and reciting a spell that I did not recognize. The runes on the circle around me lit up and seemed to envelop me in a bright light that was slightly cold. I felt it run through my body starting at my head and leaving at my feet before all the light gathered around the edge of the circle nearest to Healer Edwards. A bright light from the edge of the circle then shot towards the paper inscribing words into it and making it grow longer and longer. Eventually, the light dimmed and the circle disappeared. Healer Edwards started to read through the paper which seemed to be longer than I thought it would be. He frowned deeper and deeper until there was an furious expression on his face. I started running through my head what could have made him so mad. I wasn’t sure if he was mad at me or at something else but I still didn’t want to be in a room with an angry adult. I wasn’t sure how to get back on Earth but there was a door behind me that likely led else where in the air court and perhaps I could quietly leave out the door before Edwards noticed. It was like he sensed me trying to walk away quietly because as soon as I took my first step backwards towards the door his eyes snapped up to meet mine.

“Who?” He asked. Who what? I didn’t understand what he was asking and my lack of an answer was clearly making him impatient. King Bram took the paper from Edwards and quickly his face began to mirror the expression on the Healer.

“Amira”, he began slowly, “We are not mad at you but we need to know who did this” he said.

“Who did what?” I asked nervously.

“Amira, your ribs are badly bruised and there are several other bruises all over your body. Based on what the scan says, this is not an isolated event and is one among many where you have gotten injured beyond what is normal for a child to be.” He said carefully. Shit shit shit shit the scan didn’t just show the potions and compulsions in my system that I have had through out my life, it showed the injuries too. I must have missed that when Healer Edwards was explaining everything. I felt myself freeze unsure of how to respond. The last time someone asked this question it ended very badly for me. When I first went to primary school during year one, I had a teacher who seemed to notice something about me was different. She pulled me aside and asked me a few questions which at the time I naively answered honestly. She said she would get me help and that I shouldn’t worry, I didn’t know what she had meant at the time. It seems she said something to the police because they showed up at the Dursley’s door later that day and did a check. The officer seemed satisfied with what they saw I guess because that was the end of that. I however, had to deal with the fallout and the Dursley’s were furious. I don’t remember much more from that night besides the fact that there was a storm outside and when I woke up I was laying in the backyard, in pain, wet, and freezing cold. Based on the pain that was radiating through out my body at the time, it was likely one of the worst punishments I had ever had even if I couldn’t remember it. If King Bram started asking questions and talking to the Dursley’s something like this would happen again and I couldn’t let it. I wouldn’t let it. Even if there wasn’t any spell stopping me from talking, I refused to get hurt like that again.

“Amira, we are not mad with you, we just need to know what happened so we can help you.” King Bram said, noticing my silence. I felt my face harden as my hands balled up into fists.

“Thanks for the help or whatever but I can take care of myself.” I said as politely as I could. From King Bram’s face however, I clearly did a poor job.

“Please Amira” He said coming down to my level. I was about to say some likely unkind words before Milo interrupted me.

“Is everything ok?” He asked timidly. It seemed our conversation had drawn the ears of Milo as well as Milo’s brother, King Alden and Queen Valentina. Silently, King Bram passed the paper with my results to King Alden and Queen Valentina whose faces fell and were quickly replaced with anger. Milo and his brother peered over their parent’s shoulders to look at the results and despite King Alden moving to keep them from seeing too much, the looks on their faces said they had seen enough. Milo’s face went pale, paler than I thought someone could be. He looked over at me as he started putting the pieces together from the night he spent at the Dursley's. He looked like he was going to throw up.

“You- You said that you were fine. You said - why did you say you were fine? Did you get hurt because I was too loud? You got hurt because I was too loud, its my fault. I- I’m sorry. I didn’t mean- I swear I didn’t -I should have listened -I’m so sorry-

“Darling breathe, breathe with me” Queen Victoria interrupted him. He was hyperventilating and I didn’t know what to say, I was frozen. Milo wasn’t going to take some random excuse from me again but I didn’t want him to feel guilty. It really wasn’t that big of a deal and besides, it would have happened again eventually regardless of Milo. My uncle really just liked looking for excuses to blame what he did on me. Milo seemed to have calmed down a bit with his mother’s help during my internal panic.

“Can you tell me what happened Milo?” Asked the Queen gently.

“I-” I started speaking figuring if I word vomited enough I could maybe come up with something coherent before Milo said anything but he quickly cut me off.

“She said I couldn’t be loud and I got too excited and I got loud and her uncle came to her room and he was mad. “

“Milo stop-” I tried to stop him but he cut me off again and kept going.

“Amira told me to get under the bed and hide and not make any noise and to stay there until she said so. I heard some yelling downstairs and some loud sounds. When her uncle brought her back in the room she seemed to be in pain but she said she was fine and I didn’t understand but not I do and it’s all my fault” Milo said starting to cry and hyperventilate. His mother and King Bram engulfed him in a hug whispering things to him that I could not hear. Milo’s brother stared at me, his face paling like Milo’s had only seconds before. King Alden’s eyes seemed to darken turning to the healer and asking him if I was currently hurt. Healer Edwards only nodded seemingly unable to look up from the paper with my results. Healer Edwards took a deep breath and looked up at me before walking towards me. I watched him move toward me tensing and getting ready. He was mad, they all were. I could tell they were mad and it didn’t matter who they were mad at, they were mad because of me. I started walking backwards slowly. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Milo’s brother, Lucas, come near me from the left. I spun around to keep both him and Healer Edwards within my line of sight.

“Whoa, whoa just relax. Let’s just take a second. You don’t trust them,” he said motioning to the adults in the room, “but you and I are similar in age. What if you and I talk, just us, no adults?” he said cautiously.

“Lucas-” Queen Victoria started

“Mother, please” He said. They seemed to stare at one another before King Alden sighed running his hand through his hair.

“My love, lets give them a second.” He said looking over at her. They stared at each other for a second before she looked at Lucas with concern. She then grabbed Milo and gently led him out of the room, King Bram leaving right behind them.

“Thank you” Said Lucas nodding to his father. King Alden left and so did everyone else in the room.

“I am Crown Prince Lucas Zephyr, Heir to the Air Court Throne.” He said sticking his hand out. I looked at his hand and then at him with confusion.

“Is this not how wizards greet each other?” He asked, clearly confused.

“No it is, I just wasn’t really expecting that” I said slowly taking his hand and shaking it.

“Amira. Potter.” I said stiffly.

“Are you hurt?” He asked. I stayed silent but he seemed to take that as a yes. He took a shaky breath,

“I saw you clutching your side when you first came in. I thought you were likely nauseous from the portals but I am not so sure any more.” He said. I wasn’t sure what to say, he was right and we both knew it.

“Is it ok if- if I just check to make sure it isn’t too bad?” He said gently as he walked towards me. I gave a small nod. Dudley was around my age and he never did hurt me too badly anyway even when he tried, he wasn’t as strong as my uncle. Besides, I wasn’t sure why I had but something about him made me think he really didn’t want to hurt me anyway. He slowly lifted my button down shirt giving me time to pull away if I wanted to. That was nice. I turned my head to look at literally anything else of interest in the room anxious as he examined my ribs which were surely a nasty shade of blue and black.

“Is it ok if I gently touch your ribs? I need to make sure they aren’t broken or out of place.” He said. I nodded holding my breath. I felt is cold hands touch my side, gently pressing on it. I winced lightly gasping as I felt pain radiate through my side.

“They are definitely badly bruised but none of them seem out of place, at least I don’t think.” He muttered mostly to himself.

“I don’t think they are broken though. That is always a good sign but we’ll have to see the report just to be sure” He continued. I thought it odd that he knew so much about damaged ribs, I wasn’t sure that was a good thing however. He seemed to have sensed what I was thinking as he brought my shirt back down.

“I have a couple of gheyo friends who are in training. They are going through their flight lessons right now and I have seen my fair share of bruised ribs from falling while they get used to their wings.” He laughed lightly. “Thankfully, Healer Asa and the other Healers of the air court are very good and so their bruised ribs don’t often last more than a few hours”.

“Wings?” I asked curiously

“Yea, most people with an air affinity can fly, it comes with the territory I guess. Mother says that when I come into my inheritance I will have wings like my father most likely but I have to wait to find out” he said smiling lightly. I smiled back.

“What do you mean by air affinity?” I asked.

“Wow my brother really didn’t tell you much. I supposed he couldn’t and even if he could have there was too much going on. Most people who are creatures have some form of an affinity, or element that they are connected to. Each element has it’s own court, and despite the fact that there are other courts beyond the Elemental Courts, most people do not belong to nor do they interact with the other courts. I, for example, come from a family of air elemental drakens, which means that when I come into my inheritance, I will most likely be an air elemental. Although I could always present as having a different affinity, my stereotypical air court looks are kind of a dead give away. If I do present as an air elemental I will excel at magic that involves or is based on the element of air, I will likely have wings and will feel most at home or connected to air.” He explained. I had never heard of a draken at Hogwarts before but in all fairness we rarely learned anything of use. Even when we did, I was usually too busy trying not to die to notice or care.

“I’ve never heard of a draken before but I don’t personally find that all surprising. Hogwarts, my school, doesn’t really cover creatures” I said rolling my eyes.

“I’m not surprised either. According to your ministry, drakens are extinct. We found many on Earth to be incredibly hostile to people with creature inheritances and in order to protect our people, we left. Navarah is a safe haven for anyone but especially for creatures.” He said.

“I would say it was the right move. Earth is… complicated at best for wizards, I can’t imagine what it is like for people with an inheritance.”

“You could stay here, you know?” He said, his eyes meeting mine. “I know my parents, and they are setting things up as we speak to make sure you never go back there again. You don’t have to stay here or with us if you don’t want to but you can’t- you can’t go back.”

“It doesn’t matter if I want to stay. I’ll just get dragged back anyways because it’s not like anyone ever believes or cares. I should know, this isn’t the first time someone said that to me. The last time- the last time didn’t end well and I would much rather not repeat the experience if I can.” I said

“There is no way any of us are letting you go back there again. Look at your ribs, they are a horrifying shade of black and blue. Something tells me that this isn’t the only injury you currently have nor the worst you have ever gotten from that man. This is proof enough and even if it wasn’t, I only took a quick glance at your results and even that would be proof enough. You can not fake that spell and I know my brother well enough to know that he would never lie about something like that. Whoever that man is has no right to call himself family. Family doesn’t do that. It doesn’t matter if you are related by blood or not, family is chosen and no one who loves you would ever do anything like that to you. You don’t do that to people you love.” He had a determined look in his eyes.

“But Dumbledore knows I am here, and if he doesn’t he will soon. He will just take me back and get me into trouble with the Dursley’s. I might as well go back on my own now and avoid it all in the first place.”

“Don’t worry too much about Dumbledore. He has been under investigation by several courts in Navarah and I guarantee that he will no longer be a problem within the fortnight. He said with a dangerous look in his eyes. If Dumbledore was gone then no one would know I was here, at least besides the Malfoys and given their attitude towards Milo and his family I doubt they would say anything. I could start over. Most people here didn’t even know my name. Staying with Milo’s family might not be too bad, it certainly couldn’t be worse than the Dursleys or Umbridge. None of them had said anything mean or even given me a nasty look. The only time they ever even seemed upset at me was before they knew that I hadn’t been the one to hurt Milo, which I completely understood. Besides, it didn’t seem like there was any war here. Even if there was, I wasn’t entirely sure that Dumbledore was on the right side to begin with. The Devil you know usually beats the Devil you don’t, unless the Devil you know will absolutely kill you. I knew there was no chance of me making it to graduation at Hogwarts if I stayed on the track I was on. Hell, making it to the start of the next semester, much less the end of the year wasn’t exactly all that certain to begin with. What if I was wrong though? What if staying was a mistake? What if-

“Amira” Crown Prince Lucas said breaking me out of my thoughts. “Breathe. I promise if you stay I will to everything in my power to make sure you are not just safe and healthy but happy as well. If you don’t end up liking it, we can see if any of the other courts work better for you, or figure something else out. Just please- please give us a shot” he said nervously. I realized I trusted him.

“Ok” I said.

“Ok” He answered relief painted on his face. “I swear you won’t regret this” he said.