Chapter 4
Chapter 4
Harry awoke, stifling a cry of fear. He sat up in bed, wiping sweat from his forehead.
“Nightmare,” a voice said from the foot of the bed.
Harry glanced over to see Arawn sitting there holding a needle and thread.
“Dad?” Harry said quietly.
Arawn smiled. “Hello son,” he said going back to working on the shirt he was mending. Without looking up, he spoke. “I thought you might need to talk, so I decided to come here.”
Harry slowly lay back down. Glancing at the clock, he saw it was seven in the morning.
“Don’t you need to be in Annwn?”
“The kingdom can survive without me for a bit. Besides, you are my son, and you need me.”
“I’m fine,” Harry said climbing out of bed.
“Sure,” Arawn drawled. “Which is why you had a nightmare about your time at the Dursleys.”
“I thought it would get better,” Harry burst out. “I haven’t lived there for almost four years and the fae mature faster than mortals. Why does it affect me so much?”
“We may mature faster mentally, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t take time for us to heal from mental trauma.”
Harry lowered his head. “How long will this bother me?”
Arawn shook his head. “I don’t know son. You are doing a lot better. You don’t flinch anymore when someone touches you. This may be something you dream about occasionally for the rest of your life.”
“Great,” Harry murmured. “So, I’ll wake up screaming forever?”
Arawn put an arm around him. “You will be fine. You don’t have this nightmare near as much as you used to. That’s a major improvement. An occasional nightmare is far better than it could be.”
Harry tugged at a loose thread on his bedspread. “I guess you’re right. Still, I wish I hadn’t gone to the Dursleys.” He looked up at him. “Are you going to stay for breakfast?”
Arawn smiled. “Sure, why not. He picked up his sewing.
“Isn’t sewing for girls?”
“Sewing is a useful skill. We may be able to repair things with magic, but sometimes the slow way is best. Always remember, magic is just one tool that the fae use. Now come on, your mother probably has breakfast on the table by now.”
As Harry climbed out of bed, he glanced out his door and down the corridor leading to the kitchen. Several doors lined the corridor: Far more than had been there when Lily and Harry had moved in.
Harry looked at his father as he picked up a shirt. “How many rooms did Elphame add to this place?”
“As many as needed,” Arawn said draping the shirt over his arm. “Let’s see, there is a training room, Charlos got a study, and there are a few more bedrooms in case you have guests. Elphame is semi-sentient, so more rooms will be added if needed. Now come on, I’m hungry.”
Grinning, Harry followed Arawn out of the room.
**ROE**
“Arawn,” Lily said looking up from the stove where she was frying eggs. “I didn’t know you were here. Are you staying for breakfast?”
“I thought I might,” Arawn said walking over. “It’s been a while since I’ve had a good home cooked meal. Do you need any help?”
Lily shook her head as she moved the eggs to a large platter. “I think I’ve got this, but you could grab some silverware if you like?”
Arawn nodded and he and Harry set the table as Lily carried the food over. They all sat down and dished out the food. As they began eating, Lily glanced at Harry.
“Nightmare?”
Harry nodded.
Lily glanced at Arawn.
“He’s fine,” Arawn said.
Lily nodded and changed the subject. “I think you’re ready to begin studying magic.”
Harry grinned. “Really?”
“Yes really,” Lily said. “We’ll begin right after breakfast.”
Arawn chuckled. “Don’t get too excited. The basics are kind of boring.”
Lily glared. “I found the basics to be interesting. Maybe they were boring back in the days of knights and damsels in distress.”
Arawn snorted as he took one last bite of bacon. “It was medieval times. Trust me, it wasn’t just the damsels that were in distress. It was everybody. When one bad harvest can cause a family to starve, or a particularly good year can get you burned at the stake as a witch or wizard, there is a lot to be distressed about.”
“Mum?” Harry asked. “Where is Grandpa?”
“He had to leave early this morning. He said he would be spending all day with the Wizengamot.”
“Poor bugger,” Arawn said. “Politics is a nightmare.”
Lily took one last bite of egg and laid her fork on her plate. She stretched and took a long drink of coffee.
Arawn made a face. “Don’t know how you can drink that stuff. Give me a good cup of tea any day.”
Lily lowered the cup. “You don’t know what you’re missing.”
Harry smiled as he watched his parents bicker back and forth. He’d never seen any loving looks or tender gazes, but they got on well enough. He knew they loved him, and it may be unconventional, but it was his life. He was brought out of his musings as Arawn asked Lily a question.
“Any luck in finding out who your parents were?”
“None,” Lily said sounding frustrated. “It’s only been a few decades. I was the last changeling given to mortals. You’d think someone know something.”
Arawn shook his head. “You are a lot more powerful than most fae your age and you mastered magic far quicker than I thought you would.”
“I did have some training at Hogwarts,” Lily said.
“Still,” Arawn said. “You defeated me quite easily during our last training session. I had my defenses up and you still tore luck from me. I’m not the strongest of the fae, and I’m not arrogant enough to think I can’t be beaten, but I do have a thousand years of experience on you. It should’ve been more difficult for you to do what you did.”
“So, what are you saying?”
Arawn glanced at Harry before turning back to Lily. “Nothing,” he said slowly. “I’m merely saying that you are a prodigy at the very least. I’ll help you find the answers you need in any way I can.”
Lily smiled. “Thank you. For now, how about helping me get these dishes cleaned up.”
A soft chiming sound filled the kitchen. Arawn looked up at the ceiling. “Ah, I need to get going.”
“So soon?” Harry asked.
Arawn squeezed his shoulder. “I’ll see you again soon, but I’ve got work to do back in Annwn apparently.”
“You are the king,” Harry said. “Can’t you just put it off?”
“Being king is my job,” Arawn said. “You can’t always dictate when you are called into work. I thought I’d have some time with you but…”
Lily leaned over and gave him a hug. “Thanks for being there for him this morning.”
“Of course,” Arawn said smiling. “You don’t have to thank me. He is my son after all.”
Arawn stood and the shadows rose from the floor. “Keep me posted of his progress?”
“Absolutely,” Lily said. She and Harry watched as the shadows twisted and Arawn vanished.
Lily stared at the spot where he’d been standing. Her lips twitched. “If he didn’t want to wash dishes, all he had to do was say so.”
**ROE**
After the dishes were put away, Lily and Harry sat down in armchairs around the fireplace.
“Are you ready to begin?” Lily asked.
Harry nodded.
“Good,” Lily said pointing a finger at the coffee table in front of them. Her green eyes glowed and a faint smell of burning leaves filled the room. The table shimmered before turning into a dog.
“Wow,” Harry breathed.
Lily’s eyes glowed again, and the dog turned back into a table. Lily lowered her finger.
“It’ll be a while before you can do that,” she said quietly.
“You didn’t use a wand,” Harry said.
“Here comes the boring bit,” Lily said.
Harry groaned.
“Right,” Lily began ignoring his groan. “You know magic is the ability to alter the world around you through will and intent.”
Harry nodded.
“There are two forms of magic fae magic and wizardry.
Wizardry is the ability to use magic with a wand, potions, and tools. Very powerful wizards, called mages can use magic without a wand, but mages are rare and there hasn’t been a mage for nearly seven hundred years. Wizards draw their magic from an internal reserve of power that replenishes over time.”
“I’ve never seen you use a wand,” Harry said.
“The fae mostly use a wand for very subtle work such as carving runes or delicate healing work. It also helps us pull luck away from someone when we’re in the mortal world.”
“What is fae magic?”
“Fae magic is used to create glamour, manipulate the elements, and change probability. The fae can do almost everything wizards can do, but elemental control, glamour, and probability manipulations is where all fae magic begin.
Unlike wizards, the fae draw power from the ambient energy around us in the form of ley lines. Ley lines are natural rivers of magic that flow through an area. The more ley lines there are, the more ambient magic there is to draw on.”
Lily took a deep breath before continuing. Fae physiology allows us to store magic. Our bodies can also convert natural energy to magic, so we rarely run out of power unlike wizards. Our issue is magical burnout.”
“What is magical burnout?”
“If we use magic too much, it can cause physical injuries to the body. Draw too much magic at once or for too long, and we die… brutally. Think of it like trying to lift too much weight for too long a period.”
“But how do I tap into my magic?”
“Intent,” Lily said. “To put it simply, magic is imposing one reality on another. Think of it like painting a new picture over an old one.” Lily held up one finger. “There is one thing you must always remember. All magic, whether fae magic or wizardry, follows three rules.
First, magic cannot create life. Magic can preserve life and even extend it, but it cannot supply the spark that begins life. This means while we can conjure birds and beasts, those conjured creatures will never be able to reproduce. They may act like the real creature, but they are not truly alive. This also means that we do not have the power to resurrect the dead without taking the life from somewhere else.
Second, magic cannot create something from nothing. Wizards cannot conjure food. The fae, while we could say, turn a pile of leaves into biscuits. We cannot create a three course meal from nothing.
Lastly, magic cannot destroy something utterly. There will always be something of the object left, even if it is too small to see.”
“To use your painting analogy, we can paint over an old portrait, but we can’t create a new canvas.”
“Correct,” Lily said clapping her hands together.
“I don’t remember using magic,” Harry said. “Are you sure I, have it?”
Lily nodded. “You saved my life when you were younger. You have magic. You also gave your cousin the ears and tail of a donkey.”
“So, when do I start learning magic?”
“Right now,” Lily said. Leaning forward, she took his hands. “Close your eyes,” she whispered.
Harry obeyed.
“Look inside yourself,” she instructed. “There is magic there. It is a river of power just waiting for you to tap into it.”
Harry concentrated, straining all his muscles.
“Don’t force it,” Lily said gently. “Relax.”
Harry forced himself to relax. He listened to the soft hushing sound of his breathing. Slowly, he became aware of a faint light.
Harry moved towards the light. He gasped as power flooded him. It was more than he could take. He felt as if he were going to explode. With a groan, he slumped forward, and everything went black.
**ROE**
Harry felt a cool hand on his forehead.
“Harry?” he heard from a great distance. “Are you alright?”
Harry moaned. “My head,” he said trying to sit up.
“Yeah, I think you overdid it a bit. You drew on too much power at once. Don’t worry, we’ll work on that.”
“Was it this bad for you?” Harry asked.
“I never knew I was a fae. I eventually began doing what wizards called accidental magic when I was about nine or ten. What I’m doing with you is the equivalent of swimming lessons.”
“If these are swimming lessons, I think I just drowned,” Harry grumbled.
Lily laughed. “Come on,” she said helping him stand. “You can have a bit of a lie down before we continue.”
“We’re doing that again?”
“Yep,” Lily said. “Practice makes perfect.”
Harry sighed. It was going to be a long day.
**ROE**
In a dark forest in Albania, the spirit of Voldemort waited. He had been waiting for eight years, but none of his so-called followers had come for him.
He shifted restlessly, waiting for a small animal to pass by. His last host had worn out long ago and the forest creatures had learned to stay clear of this part of the forest. He needed the warmth only a living body could bring.
He’d thought the rituals he’d used to keep his soul on this plain of existence had been a wise move. He hadn’t anticipated the cold and the silence. All his senses were muffled as if he had cotton in his ears and something covered his eyes.
The life he absorbed from the small creatures strengthened him for a time. It sharpened his senses, made him strong enough to move, but it never lasted long.
His attention was drawn to a slight pulsing just at the edge of his senses. Looking down, he could just make out a serpent crawling through the leaves below him.
“Perfect,” he croaked.
Using what remained of his strength, he forced himself out of the tree he’d been sitting in and glided towards the serpent. The serpent froze as the spirit entered it’s body.
Voldemort blinked his new eyes as the warmth of the serpent’s body wrapped around him. Strength flooded him and his previously dull senses were almost painfully sharp. Flicking out his new tongue, he tasted the air. He let out a hissing sigh and stretched his new muscles. There was no time to lose. There were no animals nearby. He needed to keep moving. It had been stupid to stay in one place for so long.
He began slithering as fast as he could into the forest. He would find a part of the forest with plenty of animals to take over.
He would not allow himself to get so weak and helpless again. If his followers were not going to help him, he would help himself and then they would pay for abandoning him.
**ROE**
Harry scowled as the match in front of him turned to ash.
“Looks like you’re using a bit too much power,” Charlos said gently.
“How can I use less power?” Harry asked.
“Well,” Charlos said leaning back and lighting his pipe. “You are looking at the match and focusing your magic through your gaze, right?”
Harry nodded.
“Try pointing your finger at it.”
“Huh?”
“Look,” Charlos began as he placed a new match in front of him. “You need a way to control the flow of magic. You said your Mum focused it through a finger. Why not try it?”
“I guess,” Harry said uncertainly.
Pointing a finger at the match, Harry drew power feeling the power energy rush through him. He pictured a simple silver needle.
The match turned silver.
Hearing clapping from behind him, he turned to see his mother standing in the doorway.
“Great job,” Lily said smiling broadly.
“It’s not a needle,” Harry said glaring at his silver match.
“But it’s a start,” Charlos said. “Witches and wizards don’t have stable enough magic at your age to even attempt transfiguration.”
“Come on you two,” Lily said. “Lunch is ready.”
As Charlos and Harry followed her out of the room, Harry glanced at his grandfather.
“So, what’s next?”
“After lunch, you have the rest of the day off,” Charlos said.
“But I want to learn more,” Harry Protested.
Charlos shook his head. “We have time. We’ll continue your training with a sword tomorrow, but you need time to be a kid.”
Harry’s shoulder slumped. Lily put an arm around him.
“There will be time to learn magic. Our goal is to teach you what you need to know for the future, not strip you of everything that gives childhood meaning. You’ve had a hard enough life up to this point. We don’t want to make it any harder.”
“Right,” Charlos said. “Don’t worry. When the time comes, you will know all you need to.”
**ROE**
Harry was lying in the garden after lunch reading a book on Celtic folklore. Scowling, he closed the book with a snap.
Why was it so hard to find the truth about the fae? His Mother wouldn’t say much, and his Father was more interested in spending time with him than answering any questions about the fae.
He knew there were times where Elphame slipped out of sync with earth, but had hundreds of years really passed on earth before they had realigned? If it had, what was stopping that from happening again?
“You look like you have a bad case of Rackspurts,” a soft dreaming voice said from a few feet away.
Harry looked over to see a girl with long dirty blond hair and strange silver eyes.
“Sorry?” he asked.
“Rackspurts,” the girl said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. “You seem to have a bad case of them.”
“What are Rackspurts?” Harry asked.
“They are creatures that befuddle the mind.”
“Befuddle?”
“The girl giggled. “It means they confuse you.”
“I’m not confused,” Harry said. “I just have a lot of questions.”
“Life is full of questions,” the girl said wisely.
“We can clear up one question right now,” Harry said. “Who are you?”
The girl smiled. “I’m Luna,” she said extending a hand. “Luna Lovegood.”
Harry took her hand and shook it. “Harry Potter,” he said.
“I know,” Luna said smiling dreamily. “The wee folk told me about you.”
“Wee folk?”
“Little fae,” Luna said.
“You know about the fae?”
Luna nodded. “My Mummy told me all about the fae and Elphame.”
Harry blinked. “Really? I didn’t think there were any wizards left that remembered the fae.”
“Most of the old families remember the fae. They just don’t talk about them.”
Harry stared at the strange girl. “I’ve got a feeling there is a lot I don’t know about the wizarding world.”
“That’s alright,” Luna said. “I can tell you what you need to know.”
“Thanks,” Harry said. He stood up. “Come on, I want to introduce you to my Mum.”
**ROE**
As they entered the kitchen, Lily looked up from the dishes that were washing themselves in the sink. Seeing Luna, she smiled widely.
“Pandora’s daughter, right?”
Luna beamed. “You know my Mum?”
“We were friends at Hogwarts. How is she?”
“Mummy is working as a spell researcher for the ministry.”
“She was always interested in why magic worked the way it did,” Lily said.
“She knows about us,” Harry said.
“Us?” Lily asked raising her eyebrows.
“The fae.”
Lily nodded. “She is a pureblood, so I’m not surprised.” She turned to Luna. “How did you get here?”
“I walked,” Luna said. “Why? Am I not supposed to be here?”
“You are just fine,” Lily said reassuringly. “It’s just no witch or wizard should be able to find this place. Now that you have, why don’t you bring your mother here.”
Luna brightened. “Today?”
“If she’s free,” Lily said. “I’d like to catch up.”
“I’ll be right back,” Luna said rushing out the door.
Harry turned to his mother. “She seems nice.”
“Pandora was always strange, but she was a sweet girl. If her daughter is anything like her, you will have found a good friend.”
“It’ll be good to have a friend,” Harry said.
“Which is why we stopped your training at lunch,” Lily said.
“How did Luna find this place?” Harry asked. “I thought our home was part of Elphame?”
“I don’t know. To my knowledge, the Lovegood family doesn’t have any fae blood. Pandora always did seem to know things though,” Lily mused.
“You think she is fae?”
“Don’t know,” Lily said. “If she is, she’s not a changeling.” She smiled. “I always did like a mystery.”
Harry smiled. It was good to be able to ask questions. He’d never been allowed to do that at the Dursleys. Life may have started out rough for him, but he had a family now. He would grow up and make them proud.
**ROE**
Arawn closed the book he’d been reading and leaned back in the armchair in front of the roaring fire.
“Nothing?” He muttered. “How could there be no records.”
It hadn’t been easy, but he had managed to get a hold of all the records of changelings both the Seelie and Unseelie court. It helped that he was an independent kingdom. He’d gone back a hundred years, far longer than he needed to, but he’d found no record of Lily’s exchange.
What did it mean? Who was Lily? Where had she come from? More importantly, why did her exchange not show up in the changeling records? Those records were kept to ensure no inbreeding occurred in fae bloodlines. Why had Lily’s name been omitted?
Even if they thought she would stay in the Mortal world forever: her exchange should’ve been recorded just as a matter of course.
Arawn stood. He would continue digging. He had to know what was going on. He would find out who Lily really was, no matter what it took.
**ROE**
The air was filled with smoke. she could hear the roar of flames. The smell of charring meat hung heavy in the air.
What had the mundane folk done? No sooner had the question crossed her mind, she knew the answer. Fae was dead. Hundreds, possibly a thousand had been captured, bound in iron, and burned at the stake as witches and devils. She forced herself to look up at the stakes holding her people.
She couldn’t make out any faces, but she could see them writhing in agony in the flames. She clenched her fists. They would pay for killing her subjects. She would slay a hundred of them for every magical creature that died.
She would avenge not just the fae, but the wizards, trolls, unicorns, and all those that the mundane folk slew indiscriminately. Turning away from the flames, she vanished with a rustle of air.
**ROE**
Lily awoke and lay in her bed panting. Her sheets were soaked with sweat. She could still smell the burning meat from her dream.
“What the hell was that?” she said softly.