1988
Going back to Hogwarts after break was not something Harry was looking forward to, which was unusual. He longed to visit Robert and the thestrals of America with Carlyle, and so with permission from Kettleburn, Maimeo, and his parents, he did so.
They had to travel the muggle way to America, apparently it broke all sorts of statutes to travel outside the country via house elf. Harry had learned that after Kreacher had taken him to France for the Abraxan feather.
They might have used a port-key, however it had made Harry feel funny after his NEWTS. So they were first taking a car to Luton airport, and from there taking a rather long flight to Logan, in Boston. Ilvermorney was situated on Mount Greylock in Massachusetts, nearly a three hour drive away. They had rooms for a few days at the school.
Honestly Harry didn’t know if airplanes were much better than port-keys. They made his ears feel funny and the people running up and down the center aisle were making him anxious. They kept asking if he wanted things to drink, and he was pretty sure that Carlyle must have looked as sick as he felt considering how often the girl named Brittany came by.
Anyway they made it in one piece, Harry had fallen asleep halfway through the flight and didn’t wake up until customs, which was a strange affair since Harry was magical. Carlyle had had to leave his wand in England due to the strict regulations.
Carlyle had to protect him from quite a few rogue “do-gooders” that wanted to shake his hand. And soon they were in a strange yellow car on their way to the mountain.
oOo
Carlyle was surprised by the friendliness of Jones. He was a man in his late fifties and genuinely liked Harry.
“He’s the smartest boy I’ve met. Never seen the beasties take to anyone like they took to him.” Jones had said. “Hoping we can get him sorted here, the Headmaster probably won’t mind. I’m sure the students are curious” Jones had rambled on.
“No” Carlyle had said. “He’s not been sorted at Hogwarts yet and he’ll not be sorted here.”
Harry had just smiled and then promptly let go of his hand to run up to an American thestral. “Doom!” He placed his forehead against the beasts “I know that’s not your name, but we don’t want to confuse Robert. I brought a friend. His name is Carlyle, he’s quite fantastic and can see how you’re different from my herd” He said quietly.
Carlyle shook his head, he thought he knew the problem. “Robert, who can see the thestrals?”
“Why I thought that’d be the same as in magical Britain…those who have witnessed the beginning of life, of course!” Robert said.
Harry gasped. “How did no one notice?”
“Obviously there’s a discrepancy between the magical cooperation of Britain and America” Carlyle said. He’d seen quite a few foals born in his day.
“What do they look like Robert?” Harry asked, pleading.
“Well, they’re great big feathered things I suppose, a light grey coloring. And most of them have black eyes, deep as the soul they say…” Robert said, confused. “What’s the difference between these, and those of Harry’s herd?”
Carlyle smiled at the thought of Harry having a herd of thestrals. “The thestrals in Britain are visible only to those who have witnessed death. Was Minerva not with you Harry?”
“No one was with me but the Board. They insisted.” Harry said. “I guess they either witnessed one or the other.”
“Hold on hold on. You mean to say, that no one has discovered this discrepancy?” Robert asked. Harry nodded. “Let me get Rolf.”
“But why didn’t I feel the difference?” Harry asked Carlyle.
“Well. What part of them did you touch?” Carlyle asked.
“Just their heads, Doom did put his wing behind me, but...” Harry trailed off.
“You were under a lot of stress, in a different country via portkey with no one you knew. I’d imagine no one else but you would have known” Carlyle said, the boy just continued to pet Dooms face.
oOo
Rolf was interrupted in his transfiguration class, his grandmother, Porpentia, had insisted that her grandchildren go to Ilvermorny, he was the only one to have done so. Professor Jones had burst in on the second year class sprouting some nonsense about his granddad. Of course he’d followed the professor, he was a professor after all, only to find a young boy and young man standing in the middle of where the thestral herd was known to frequent. The young man stood there watching a small boy, the young boy seemed to be stroking the head of a thestral.
“Hello” he called out. “Can you see them?” Rolf couldn’t, he’d most certainly tried his hardest to do so, but mostly older married adults held the gift, he figured it developed over time.
Bright green eyes locked on a tree just passed his right. “No. I’m blind.”
“Nice to meet you Blind, I’m Rolf.”
The boy laughed and the man standing near him did as well, he considered that a small victory.
“It’s Harry. This is Carlyle” the boy didn’t even make a gesture to the man, just assumed Rolf would get the meaning. “It seems that Newt Scamander missed one crucial fact.”
“Newt Scamander is my grandad”
“Really?” The boy asked.
Rolf nodded before realizing the boy couldn’t see it. “Yes.”
“Probably why Robert got you then. You see, thestrals from America and thestrals from Britain are different. It seems…well it seems that these beasts are feathered, and appear with the witnessing of the beginning of life. My beasts, they’re skeletal and are seen with the witnessing of death. I’m surprised no one has seen it before.”
“And you?”
“Hmm?”
“How did you see it?”
“They felt different. Obviously their magical core is similar enough to almost fool me. Almost, but not quite.”
The man beside him smiled. “Sorry about him. We’ve just traveled the muggle way. Here.” The man took out two drawings, both had winged beasts, one a dark black with red swirls the other slightly more grey with dark orange swirls, one was marked American Thestral and the other British Thestral. He honestly couldn’t tell the difference.
“How do I know if what you say is true?” Rolf asked the boy.
“Carlyle can see them both, but I don’t expect you to trust someone you haven’t met…” Harry asked.
“You’ve seen them both sir?” Rolf asked the man.
“Yes.” Carlyle said.
“I guess I’ll trust you, at least until I can see them both for myself.” Rolf said, the man nodded but the boy beamed a smile.
oOo
The headmaster had also begrudgingly allowed him to touch the wands kept in the hall of the founders. Two lay on a duel stand marked “Twin wands” or so Carlyle said he held them both, made from ash, the tree that supports the universe and the core was something he’d not felt before.
“Tis the horn of the river serpent. Has not been seen since Mistress Isolt’s death. The only wands with such a core” Robert explained to him.
He was handed the next one, which was snapped in two pieces. “The wand of Mr. Boot. Chadwick and Webster’s father.” The wand seemed familiar to him, made of Cypress and had a dragon heartstring core, though the core had died long ago. He was pretty sure that it was made by an ancestor of Garrick.
The next one was handed to him in three separate pieced. “Mrs. Boot, their mother” Robert explained. Willow, with unicorn hair core, again the core had died long ago.
He couldn’t tell the length of either of the broken wands, which meant he couldn’t find their twins within the shop back home, and he was disappointed by that fact.
A few more wands were within the case, and he was able to feel different cores than the ones that were back in England, when explained to him by Robert they contained cores of wampus hair, snallygaster heartstring, and Jackelope antlers. This excited him to no end, and he vowed to look into the properties of each core when he went home.
The last thing shown to him was a tree. “Not many know that the wand of Isolt was buried here.” Robert said as he placed Harry’s hand upon the tree.
He gasped when he felt the wood, it brought him back to a time before he could remember, a time when the world still held colors, and shapes for him. The magic felt familiar, in a bad way, and he quickly pulled his hand away. But he still could not help the recognition that went up his spine at the core, still buried in the dirt.
“I don’t like it.” He frowned. “Can we leave it?” He felt Carlyle’s familiar hand in his and they were soon walking away.
oOo
The days went by quickly at Ilvermorny. The students, who hadn’t known one so young to be so talented were fascinated with young Harry. The professors on the other hand were frankly astonished. They pushed and pushed to get him sorted, even going so far as to physically push him into the sorting room. But an ancient Puckwudgie had stepped behind him before he reached the center of the Gordian knot.
“This young boy has not consented to being sorted. Isolt would be most displeased.”
“Thank you William.” Harry said with a small secretive smile.
The Puckwudgie had grumbled as it had walked away.
oOo
Finally and by that Carlyle meant FINALLY! The day came when they were set to leave. Rolf had of course promised that they would settle the issue of the thestrals and made Harry promise to write, he’d then proceeded to stumble over his words until Harry had told him that he would love to, as long as he didn’t mind the writing of a quick quill.
Robert had of course hugged the young boy before they left, and a few of the older girls had sighed at Carlyle’s departure.
oOo
Dora had very nearly attacked them both upon their return, mumbling how it wasn’t fair that she hadn’t gotten to go. After a long discussion with the American government, it was decided that only those in complete control over their magic could come, and wands had to be turned in at the station. Dora had been put out, since her metamorphagus traits still sometimes ruled her appearance. Ted could not take the time off of work, and Andy had decided it was better for Dora’s psyche if she stayed home as well. And so Carlyle and Harry had made the trip together. Kreacher had proceeded to bowl Dora over in his attempt to get to his young master.
oOo
Harry made it up to Dora in the only way he could, by telling her all of the stories and promising to go back with her when she had complete control of her abilities.
When she had said that day may never come he’d informed her that he’d smuggle her in, if she’d like, so that she could see the American school. He’d gotten a huge hug from that, and Dora’s magic had flared up in response to her brother’s love.
He’d started sobbing, because, for the first time ever, he could see the blob of magic that made up his sister.
“What is it Harry? Are you alright?” Dora asked.
“Young master?” Kreacher said putting a hand on Harry’s shoulder, abruptly halting his connection to his sister’s magic. Harry sobbed harder.
“Kreacher, let go” Harry said rather forcefully and Kreacher stepped back. After a few minutes, Harry’s sobbing slowed and Dora wiped at his tears with her hands. “I’m sorry” Harry said regretfully. “I’m really sorry Kreacher.”
“It’s okay young master.” Kreacher said.
“No, you don’t understand.” Harry said shaking his head back and forth. “I can see Dora. I can see her.” He just kept repeating “I can see her.” And Dora sent Kreacher to go get her mum.
Andromeda tried to touch Harry, who cried out and shied away, and so the two Tonks children flooed behind their mother to the infirmary at Hogwarts, with Harry still repeating “I can see her” into Dora’s chest.
Madam Pomfrey had tried to touch him as well, with the same result. And when McGonagall bustled into the infirmary nearly half an hour later, Dora’s arms were still wrapped around her brother and the Matron had made no progress.
“What happened?” Minerva asked.
Dora looked up at her. “He says he can see me.” Her eyes were teary. Minerva went to reach out to touch him when she said “No don’t! It upsets him.”
Minerva instead knelt down next to the bed, not touching either of the children. “Harry.” She said quietly, the young boy stilled under his sister’s arm. “What happened?”
He sat there for a few moments before discerning that she wasn’t going to touch either of them. “I can see her.” He said simply.
“I know, my love. We would like to understand how.” Minerva said.
Harry looked to think for a moment. “I was telling Dora about Ilvermorny, and then…I can see her.” He buried his head against Dora’s chest.
“Tonks?” She questioned.
“I was whining about how unfair it was that I couldn’t go with him and Carlyle.” Dora started. “He said he’d go back when I had control over my metamorphagus skills, and I whined about how I may never have control, and he said that he’d smuggle me in if I really wanted to go that badly. And then, this. And then Kreacher touched his shoulder and he flipped out. Just repeating. ‘I can see her’, over and over.” Dora explained.
“What happened when Kreacher touched you?” Minerva asked her grandson.
“I couldn’t see her anymore.” Harry answered.
“Can you see anyone else dear?” Minerva asked, Harry blushed. “You haven’t tried?” He shook his head no. “You’re scared if you let go, you won’t be able to see her again.”
“Yes.” Harry whispered.
“You’ll have to let go at some point little brother.” Dora said, tears streaming down her face. Harry was shaking his head no. “What happens when I have to go to the bathroom, or you do?” He blushed. “Let’s try okay?” She gently eased her arms from around him.
He let out a whine when they were separated.
“Just for one minute Harry, and then I’ll come back, alright?” He nodded, tears streaming down his face. Dora was physically held back from her brother, it hurt to hurt him. A minute passed and Pomfrey nodded at her, she practically ran back to him.
He sighed, the tension running out of his body when she touched him. “I can see you.” He said in awe.
Dora smiled. “Let’s try with someone else, alright?” Harry nodded. “Who do you want to try next?”
“Kreacher.” Harry stated.
The house elf gently placed his arms around the boy, willing for his magic to accept his master, but Harry spoke five minutes later. “I can’t see you Kreacher.” He started sobbing again.
“It be being alright young master, house elf Magics is being different than wizard magic. Try the elder Mistress Tonkses?” Harry nodded.
Andromeda stepped up to her son, hugging him against her chest. “It’s alright if you can’t see me dear. Just know I love you.” Harry nodded against her neck.
Andromeda’s love, and acceptance of her sons situation seemed to work, for not thirty seconds later he clung tighter to her chest and said “I can see you mum” Silent tears made their way down her cheeks and Dora went to hug him from the other side, but he started at the touch.
Dora pulled back with a small frown.
“I…I think I can only see one person at a time.” He said quietly.
Dora smiled. “Better than yesterday morning.” She said with a cheer that she didn’t quite feel, the startling discovery, just this one small moment and she wanted more. “Let Maimeo try.”
Each woman in the hospital room, knowing and understanding that Harry was different and loving him anyway, was able to be seen by the boy.
They then called Professor Sprout, who also knew and understood, but was not able to be seen by Harry. Next was Snape, who did not appreciate the young boy clinging to his legs, and also went unseen by the small raven.
No one quite understood the situation, and no one wanted to distress the boy further, so they sent him home with Andy and Dora to await if he could see his father.
oOo
Ted was a little confused. He had been at work, and when he arrived home, none of his family was there. So when Harry stepped through the floo with Dromeda, his face streaked with tears, he immediately took the boy into his arms. He didn’t even notice when Dromeda stepped away, or when Dora came through the floo. But he did notice the huge smile that bloomed against his bare neck.
Harry started laughing delightedly and Ted looked up to see smiles of happiness and relief on his wife and daughters faces.
“I feel I’ve missed something important.” Ted said.
“We’ve had a startling discovery-“ Dromeda began.
While Dora said. “Harry can see people dad! Not everyone, but me, mum, Pomfrey, McGonagall and you!” She was bouncing up and down. “Only one at a time though.”
“Really?” Ted asked, tears forming in his eyes.
“I can see you dad!” Harry said excitedly.
Ted smiled, letting the tears fall down his face.
oOo
Upon the receival of Dora’s book list, she also received something surprising, a Prefect badge. She’d smiled from ear to ear, before visiting the Weasley household. A week after their discovery it was tested at the Burrow, where Harry was able to see Percy, and Ginny and no one else.
Charlie, as it turned out was made Prefect in Gryffindor, which meant that both he and Bill were prefects in Gryffindor at the same time. Bill was also Head Boy and Charlie took the Gryffindor Quidditch team Captaincy. Bill had played quidditch his third year in school, however he failed to enjoy the sport as much as the rest of the team, and so he left his spot open for someone else.
This year Harry had decided to take Divination as his subject of choice, as well as cutting down his hours at Hogwarts and getting permission from the minister to visit the ancient runes.
oOo
His ride on the Hogwarts express was interesting. He sat with Percy, Oliver, and Penelope again. Oliver was trying out for the quidditch team this year, although he had little hope of getting on. Penelope complained that she was not allowed to take electives yet, and Percy held Harry’s hand, allowing him to see him for the entire ride.
The Hogwarts express, was one of the only muggle things that he knew wizards to use. It was made after a bunch of failed attempts at apparition and broomstick riding to the castle. So unfortunately that meant that Harry could not see the train.
Percy once again led him to Dora when the time came and he held her hand as they made their way up to the castle.
Kettleburn, who had learned of a certain development over the summer, surprised the students by going down the stairs and placing both hands on Harry’s shoulders. Dora sat on one side of her brother, Penny Haywood sitting on the other, and they both inched away. Penny was Dora’s closest friend within her house, not as close as Charlie, but Penny knew what had happened over the summer and knew she should not be in contact with Harry while Kettleburn tried his hand.
The smile that lit up his face alerted a few people in the hall to what had happened. Harry could see Kettleburn.
oOo
Harry had arrived early for divination, due to the fact that it was nearly impossible for him to get there by ordinary means. And so he was seated at a table, after being dropped off by Tinky when the others arrived.
“Hello” A female voice took what Tinky said was the only other seat at the table.
“Hi, I’m Harry.” He introduced himself.
The girl laughed. “I’d have to be an idiot not to know who you are. I’m Gemma, Gemma Farley. Slytherin third year.”
“Nice to meet you Gemma.”
A voice came suddenly rang out, a soft, misty sort of voice. “Welcome. How nice to see you in the physical world at last.”
“Welcome to Divination. My name is Professor Trelawney. You may not have seen me before. I find that descending too often into the hustle and bustle of the main school clouds my Inner Eye. So you may have chosen to study Divination, the most difficult of all magical arts. I must warn you at the outset that if you do not have the Sight, there is very little I will be able to teach you. Books can take you only so far in this field. Many witches and wizards, talented though they are in the area of loud bangs and smells and sudden disappearings, are yet unable to penetrate the veiled mysteries of the future. It is a gift granted to few. We will be covering the basic methods of Divination this year. The first term will be devoted to the reading of tea leaves. Next term we shall progress to palmistry. In the summer term we shall progress to the crystal ball- if we have finished with fire omens, that is.”
Harry now understood why Maimeo had been so displeased when he had decided to take divination this year. However, Maimeo was nothing if not supportive. Professor Trelawney was not her favorite professor, but, when Harry had expressed interest, she bought the professor new tea leaves, produced in the magical world.
“Now, I want you all to divide into pairs. Collect a teacup from the shelf, come to me, and I will fill it. Then sit down and drink; drink until only the dregs remain. Swirl these around the cup three times with the left hand, then turn the cup upside-down on its saucer; wait for the last of the tea to drain away, then give your cup to your partner to read. You will interpret the patterns using pages five and six of Unfogging the Future. I shall move among you, helping and instructing”
Harry didn’t know why she was asking them to pair up, the seating effectively did that already.
“I’ll get yours for you Harry” Gemma said.
“Here, she tried to make a fuss, but I think it only depends on who drinks the tea” Gemma said.
“Thank you.” Harry drank, relying on his sense of the cup to tell him how much water was left. He then swirled his cup thrice with his left hand and turned it over, he heard the clink across from him signaling Gemma was done as well.
“Here” she said and grabbed his hand, placing it over her tea cup.
“Thank you.” He took out babblesworth and could practically feel her eyes on him. He held the cup, sensing the tea leaves through the ordinary china. “I think, a mountain, and, a dagger.” Harry nodded to himself. “Which could be translated as-“
“Oh dear, dear, these will not do.” Trelawney said as she pulled babblesworth from his book and ears. “We cannot have these in a classroom of sight”
Harry frowned. “Let me continue then… A mountain and a dagger, help from a powerful friend. May I have that back please Professor? I will put it in my bag should you not want it in your classroom.”
“Here.” That was Gemma, he felt babblesworth back in his palm and stuffed it into his bag. “So I see-“
“Oh dear, this is a very bad cup. A very bad cup indeed.” Trelawney interrupted. “Yes, yes, a kettle, and a…saw. Oh dear, not good. You shall die, by the hand of a stranger.”
“Hmm. May I see professor Trelawney?” He asked.
“It is not for one to read-“
“Here” Gemma placed the cup in his hand.
“An umbrella” He said, truthfully the tea leaves had been disturbed by magic but he knew what each symbol meant.
“Difficulty or annoyance” Gemma said seriously. Trelawney huffed and seemingly walked away. “Nice one. Did it actually have that?”
“No, she did something with them, they were less than useless now. But I already read the book” Harry said.
“I think that we shall be good friends Harry. Would you like to walk to the Great Hall and have lunch with me?”
“I can’t”
“Oh” Gemma said, sounding disappointed.
“You see, I can’t get down the rope, but should you like I’m sure Tinky would take you with us, and I’ll sit with you after I tell Dora.”
“Dora?” Gemma asked.
“My sister”
oOo
True to Harry’s word Tinky took them both to the Great Hall, where Dora was waiting after her free period.
“Dora, I’m going to sit at Slytherin with Gemma, is that alright?” Harry asked.
“Of course, little brother. I was surprised you didn’t join Percy and Penelope last year.” Dora said.
“Thanks Dora” Harry said as he grabbed Gemma’s hand and skipped to the Slytherin table. When Charlie came in and looked for the boy, he was surprised when Dora pointed. The same with Bill, and finally Percy, Penelope, and Oliver walked in, immediately going to Slytherin and demanding Harry sit with them soon before leaving him be.
“Your friends are quite protective. I believe you have one in each house now.” Gemma said.
“Yeah, with you I do.” Harry said with a smile.
oOo
Divination was twice a week, Monday and Thursday in third period just before lunch. Harry found himself on a new schedule. He was only at Hogwarts in time for lunch, Monday he sat with Gemma at Slytherin, Tuesday he sat with Penelope and Percy at Ravenclaw, Wednesday at Gryffindor with Oliver, Thursday at Slytherin with Gemma, and Friday at Gryffindor with Charlie and Bill. The weekends he would come for breakfast with Dora, and Dora would sometimes join him with Bill and Charlie.
oOo
For Yule the family got together with Carlyle, Maimeo joined them as well as Kettleburn and they’d tried to invite Professor Snape with no luck.
The fun part? Carlyle explaining to Kettleburn the difference in Thestrals, though he had heard from Harry he was quite excited for an actual eye witness.
“And what did the American thestrals look like?” He asked Carlyle.
“Ever heard of a Pegasus?” Carlyle asked Kettleburn who nodded, “Sort of like that, but their whole body is feathered.”
Kettleburn had badgered Carlyle the whole night until Harry sat in Carlyle’s lap and gasped.
“What is it Harry?” Dora asked.
Harry wore a huge grin. “I told you squibs had magic!”
“What do you mean?” Maimeo asked.
“I can see you Carlyle, you’re not as bright as everyone else, but you’re there, a little blurry and only one color, but you’re there,” He said as he hugged the man’s neck.
“What color?” Dora asked.
“I don’t know the names, you know that. I only know there are different ones, from the Rune of Merlin.” Harry said.
“How?” Kettleburn asked.
“The Rune of Merlin was there, the intent of the magic, different colors. At least a hundred.” Harry said.
“And what did the Rune of Merlin say?” Mum asked.
“Well it’s supposed to say:
I have lived a time or two
Questioned a father
Guided a King
I have no children
Though many will doubt
And come a time when my kind lives
We shall see a child who is his”
“But you believe different?” Maimeo asked.
Harry nodded.
“What does it say to you, little brother?” Dora asked
Harry smiled
“There will come a child whom may read my intent
A child whom is not whole in the eyes of his people
He is a child of Arthur, the greatest King
And knows a power long dormant in his line.
Many believe this be a child of mine
But this child will know, with all of his heart
That he is meant to bring back a great kingdom
And he will see what others cannot
Be brave my child, not of my blood
For in my time you would have been killed
But in your time, you will be revered
Hold Arthur in your mind
And you shall never stray down the wrong path”