Shadows to Shadows
folder
Harry Potter › Slash - Male/Male › Harry/Lucius
Rating:
Adult +
Chapters:
5
Views:
21,607
Reviews:
151
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
1
Category:
Harry Potter › Slash - Male/Male › Harry/Lucius
Rating:
Adult +
Chapters:
5
Views:
21,607
Reviews:
151
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
1
Disclaimer:
I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
Part II
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Disclaimer – I do not own Harry Potter and am making no kind of profit from writing this story.
Summary – Following his 5th year at Hogwarts School, Harry Potter disappears from both the wizarding and muggle worlds without warning. What happens when he suddenly returns a changed man six years later? Eventually, this will be a Lucius Malfoy x Harry Potter pairing though it will be slow building.
Warnings – A major alternative universe storyline, slash, original characters, etc. Basically anything my very odd mind can come with to make the story twist and turn the way I want it to. In this particular chapter there is also a slight mention of m-preg so consider yourself warned.
// Blah, blah, blah. // - Parseltongue.
‘Blah, blah, blah.’ – Thoughts.
Without further ado, read, enjoy & review!! ^_^
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Shadows to Shadows
by, Zaleone
Part II
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As Harry awaited the arrival of Daija, the phoenix having promised to come and collect him this morning, his mind wandered and he discovered one of the main things he would miss here.
The sky.
Being underground, while very interesting in theory, was confining after a time without the sky to gaze at. Neforia had surprisingly good lighting in the day but those fires were doused at night, encasing the academy in darkness with only a few remaining lit for safety. Without the moon or the stars, Harry found himself somewhat claustrophobic even if he knew that he would adapt eventually. Flying, after all, was the very definition of freedom and one of the things he truly enjoyed in this life. Without the sky…it was unnerving.
A soft ‘hoot’ caught his attention and he smiled, stroking Hedwig’s feathers as she nuzzled his face. The owl, though rather annoyed with him the evening before, seemed to already have adjusted to her new home.
He’d already taken a shower and dressed, Daija having provided him with a set of clothing after spotting the hand-me-downs the Dursley family gave him. His personal effects had been brought to these temporary rooms, the likes of which were bare but much nicer than not only his bedroom at the Dursleys but his dorm in Hogwarts as well.
Just as the large clock over the fireplace struck seven, there was a knock at the door though the phoenix didn’t wait for an answer before walking in with a cheery, “Good morning, Harry. I trust your first night was satisfactory?”
“It was all right,” he answered, standing up as Hedwig flew to the provided perch in front of the open window.
Daija gave him a once over, clearly happy for the change from his normal rags to the long-sleeved black sweater and faded jeans. “I see you’re ready. It would be wise to make a habit of rising early for it will give you many hours of needed rest. You have your wand?” When the boy nodded, he held open the door. “Then shall we?”
… … …
… … …
Harry was shaking his head as they finally left the apothecary, which in his opinion resembled a medieval operating room. “I now know there is no hope for me in potions.”
“Oh, do stop being so dramatic.” Daija rolled his eyes at the teen.
‘Bloody overgrown turkey.’ He glared. “If I’m weird so be it but honestly, what kind of potion am I going to be making that calls for using parts of a dragon no one would think of outside of some freaky fetish?”
The man just laughed at him.
Daija had brought him to Puther to visit the Gringotts branch and shop for school supplies, Harry now understanding what the phoenix had meant last night.
Puther was a literal, living cliché.
Between Neforia and its counterpart academy, Jetton, was a city that had to be close to the size of London though every shop was linked to magic in some way even if all they sold was muggle clothes. The true irony, however, lied in the fact that almost exactly halfway through the city on either side was an obvious line that separated the borders between Neforia’s territory and Jetton’s. Each academy was responsible for looking after half of the city, after all. On one side of the breaking street were stores that greatly resembled the stores in Knockturn and Diagon Alley while the other side, Jetton’s side, greatly resembled muggle London in architecture.
The city was a living contradiction of itself and it had taken Harry nearly half an hour to stop snickering at the picture.
“What would you say to some lunch?” Daija offered, turning to him.
Harry nodded in agreement. “I’m starving.”
Both he and the phoenix had been shopping for the better part of three hours after spending nearly two at Gringotts where Harry had been emancipated in light of Neforia’s interference and also given full access to his inheritance. This included a sizable sum from the Potter line and the clever investments Lily had made. Though at first relieved to be out of Gringotts, Harry soon found that he positively loathed shopping.
The phoenix led him to a nearby café that looked pleasant, Harry finding a seat while Daija ordered.
A few minutes later, he was handed a steak sandwich. “Enjoy it. Your tastes may change after you see the Oracle.”
Harry picked at his food a minute before glancing back up at the phoenix. “You’ve met the Oracle. Right?”
Daija nodded, digging into his salad. “I was born a squib with pureblood parents in the Spain’s wizarding community. It goes without saying that Neforia was a godsend for me.” The boy looked back down at his food, a frown marring his features and Daija decided to venture a bit further as he continued, “My daughter, however, saw the Oracle when she was only a child because she was born into this world of me and her sire.”
Harry didn’t exactly hear what Daija had said but did understand what Daija was trying to say. “You have a daughter?”
“Yes.” The phoenix shrugged as that grin appeared. “I’m approaching my first century in age, Harry. I’m not what you might call young.”
After staring at the man for several moments, Harry wasn’t sure what to think. “You’re serious.”
Daija smirked, nodding once although the seriousness of his statement was evident in his eyes.
“Whoa.” Harry blinked. “So…after I come back, I won’t age like a human?”
Another shrug. “It depends solely on what the Oracle foresees in your future. He believed I’d one day be a wise teacher though the ‘wise’ part of that remains unseen.” Harry chuckled. “To be serious, however,” Daija shook his head. “It is difficult to describe but no two are alike in our world, Harry. It is part of what makes it what it is. I think you may understand a bit better after tonight.”
The fifteen-year-old silently nodded, a comfortable silence descending between them as they shared the lunch.
When they finished, they began walking around once more before coming to a large store that specialized in familiars.
“Well, we should probably go ahead and find you a familiar while we’re in town and have the time.” They entered the store and Daija waved him off. “Go on, take a look around and see if anything in particular catches your eye.”
Though unsure, Harry did as he was told and began looking around.
The store was big.
There were owls, hawks, eagles, snakes, cats, toads, dogs and many other animals he’d seen at one point or another but as he ventured further into the store, he began seeing wolves, much larger versions of cats, griffins…the list continued growing as he gazed at the impressive animals. When he spotted a unicorn, however, he paused and blinked repeatedly before venturing even further into the back. On the very back wall of the store, several stable-like stalls that held unicorns, thestrals, winged horses…
He paused once more when he saw a large, darker colored animal in the stall at the end.
Curiosity peaked; he stepped closer and openly gaped when he got a good look at the creature. “Oh, my…”
It was a hippogriff.
A very large, very beautiful hippogriff.
‘At least now I understand how Hagrid was able to tell Buckbeak was young,’ he thought, looking the proud animal over that seemed less than thrilled with its surroundings. It was easy to tell that this particular hippogriff had obviously been through the ringer a few times just by looking at it.
‘Him,’ he mentally corrected himself, glancing at the chart displayed on the side of the stall.
He was almost a full foot taller than Buckbeak had been although his body was still lean and strong, even if a bit on the skinny side at the moment. His hair and tail were completely black, the color gradually fading into dark amber on his front while the feathers on his neck and wings were a surprisingly beautiful mix of black and amber, his beak and head black as well though his eyes were the very same light color and reminded Harry greatly of Remus’ eyes.
Several scars marred his left side as well as his front legs, obviously from a fight, however, the bandage around his right hind leg made it clear he’d recently been in one as well. Taking a closer look at that leg, concern washed through him when he saw that the wound beneath the poorly wrapped bandage was bleeding through.
Taking his eyes off the wound, Harry nearly jumped when he saw that the animal was staring right back at him.
His mind immediately replaying what he’d learned from Hagrid, he slowly bent at the waist to bow only to actually jump this time when the hippogriff started screeching at him and nearly bit his ear off with that damn beak.
When the beast only got more agitated the lower he bowed, Harry stood straight again. “Okay, all right!!” He put his hands up, waving them at the beast. “Just calm down!”
The animal settled down almost immediately, cocking his head at him curiously.
Harry’s expression flattened. ‘Wonderful. Out of all the animals here, I’m interested in the one with issues.’
Once the animal calmed again, he sighed and then glanced around. A first-aid like kit was open beside the stall, a few bandages and like in disarray that was obviously intended for the hippogriff. ‘Whoever it was probably gave up,’ he thought; seeing as how he could bandage the wound better himself. Leaning down, he made it clear to the animal that he was simply picking something up from the kit before standing back up and looking at him again.
The animal’s eyes went to his hand before meeting his eyes once more in silent question.
Sighing a second time, Harry decided to forgo the rules of engagement with this particular species and took a few hesitant steps towards him. He smiled when the animal didn’t back away at his advance though; in all honesty, there was nothing that could’ve been misconstrued as an invitation either.
When the hippogriff suddenly squawked at him, he stopped.
Steeling himself, he slowly brought a hand and reached out to his beak but paused once more when the hippogriff snapped his head to side in warning. Holding his hand there, he waited for the animal to make the next move…much like he’d done with Buckbeak a couple years before.
The animal cocked its head to the side, meeting Harry’s eyes a moment before closing his own and pushing his head into the offered touch. As Harry began to stroke the smooth beak, he leaned into it. A small grin broke out on the teen’s face and he rubbed the hippogriff’s head firmly for several minutes, simply enjoying the feel of his feathers and the sound that was akin to a purr coming from the large beast before he started running his hands down the strong neck.
When the animal opened his eyes once again, obviously more relaxed this time, Harry carefully ran his hand across the strong shoulder and back as he walked beside him very slowly. Not once did his eyes stray from the amber irises locked on him, studying him intently. When he finally got to the injured leg Harry lowered himself to his knees and waited, knowing full well that the creature could easily kill him with one well-aimed kick to the head if he were so inclined.
The hippogriff, again, took his time in studying him.
Several minutes passed before he made another squawk-like sound, albeit softer this time, and slowly folded his front legs beneath him, turning his back legs just right so that he half-lied on his side. Even so, he was in easy range to watch over Harry’s shoulder or bite him if the need arose.
Taking the initiative, Harry carefully unwrapped the damp and bloody bandage. After setting it to the side, he got a good look at the jagged wound and winced in sympathy.
It wasn’t a simple cut like he’d thought but a bite that had loosened a large piece of flesh from the animal’s bone, more than likely from another animal in the store. It was obviously infected and Harry sighed, knowing it would need to be cleaned before it was bandaged again.
A sudden thud sound to his right made him blink before he glanced down, seeing the kit sitting oh-so-innocently by his knee.
‘Well, then,’ he raised an eyebrow, looking up at the hippogriff. The animal was looking straight head, pointedly ignoring him but still managing to look proud in the act. Shaking his head, Harry resisted a chuckle and opened the kit again. He took a better look at the contents this time, reading the directions on how to use some of the various items provided. After making sure he had the basics covered he quickly cleaned the wound with a sterilizing potion before taking out a healing salve and applying a generous amount onto the wound, ignoring the slight growl made in protest from the large animal. He carefully taped a piece of gauze over the wound before wrapping the bandage around the injured leg tightly, thankful when no blood leaked through immediately.
“Now that’s a sight.”
Both Harry and the now calm hippogriff looked towards the opening of the stall where an older man was looking at the boy in shock.
“I’ve been trying to do that for two blasted weeks. How did you…” He trailed off, seeming to rethink what he was about to say and shook his head. “Actually, never mind.” The man flashed him a grin and Harry was instantly reminded of a salesman. “I’ll make you a deal, boy. You pay for the medical supplies you’ll need to help him along and anything else you were planning to buy and I’ll give him to you. What do you say?”
Harry blinked in disbelief. “Really.”
“Very much so,” he answered. “This thing,” he pointed at the animal, “has been here for six years and he’s more trouble than what I’m paying to keep him around. You’re the first that’s been able to get within ten feet of him without getting hurt.”
“All right,” Harry glanced at the animal. “What do you think?”
The hippogriff spared him a glance before silently standing back up, favoring his injured leg a bit as he walked out of the stall with a proud grace Harry was amazed the animal could pull off with how much it had to hurt. Smirking, Harry stood as well and dusted his jeans off before following and removing the chain around the animal’s neck that kept him close to the stall.
Turning back to the man, he nodded once. “All right. I’ll take him.”
“Very good.” The man was grinning again. “Was there anything you needed today?”
Harry thought on it a moment before answering, “I need an owl.”
He nodded. “Certainly, just please keep your eyes on him,” he pointed to the hippogriff behind Harry. “The owls are towards the front.”
“Thank you.”
Walking slowly, mainly for the benefit of the injured animal beside him, Harry came upon the assortment of birds after a few minutes of trying to find exactly where they were.
He knew that if he was going to stay at this academy, he’d probably have to still deal with a few wizards and possibly owl Remus at some point in time so he was going to need a second owl. Hedwig, though he loved her dearly, was too recognizable to fly freely within a hundred miles of Hogwarts or London.
Taking a moment to look at the variety of birds, he spotted a pitch-black horned owl that rested on a high perch near the ceiling. It had bright yellow eyes, this being the only identifiable thing about it because of its coloring.
After telling the bird handler which he wanted, he walked back up towards the front of the store.
Daija glanced up from the baby basilisk he’d been observing when he saw something moving towards him out of the corner of his eye, somewhat surprised when he saw the large animal walking beside his newest student.
Harry smiled nervously, putting a hand on the hippogriff’s neck. “Well, what do you think of him?”
A smile crossed the phoenix’s face. “Excellent choice, Harry. Hippogriffs are a rarity as a familiar.” Somehow, he knew that this coming year was going to be very, very interesting.
… … …
… … …
Daija cocked his head to the side as he watched the content hippogriff. “Amber?”
“Too feminine.” Harry rested his head on his chin. “Onyx?”
The phoenix shook his head. “Not enough black on him, though that would fit your owl to a tee.”
Harry currently rested on his stomach with his head propped up by his hand while Daija sat next to him, the phoenix sprawled out on the green grass as they tried to come up with a proper name for his new familiar.
“Yeah, Onyx would be a good name for him,” Harry mused before sighing. “I didn’t think this would be the tiring part of the day.”
Daija chuckled. “Well, let’s make it easier. What is he? He’s strong, proud…”
“Stubborn?”
“I was going to say obstinate.”
A few silent minutes passed as they watched the hippogriff happily make a meal out of an unlucky rabbit he’d caught.
Daija glanced at his new student. “How about Hyperion?”
“Hyperion?” Harry raised an eyebrow. “What’s that?”
The phoenix rested back on his elbow. “It’s part of the legend of how Neforia and the four oracles came to be.”
Harry turned to the phoenix expectantly.
Daija thought for a moment, not having told this story in a while. “Well… Legend has it that Neforia Castle was not built but raised from hell by a dark necromancer that called himself Khuuln. Khuuln made a deal with the dark prince, Lucifer, to obtain Neforia and, in return, the necromancer would bestow him with four souls stolen from the heavens. Though intrigued, Lucifer demanded to have a soul of flame, of earth, of wind and of water.”
“The four elements?”
“Exactly. Khuuln agreed to these terms and Lucifer allowed him to raise Neforia from the fiery depths of his realm. He gave the necromancer four years to recover from the monumental task before demanding payment. Though powerful, Khuuln could only summon the specific souls to earth instead of into Lucifer’s hands as he planned because these souls were not human. Ergo, they were far more powerful than he realized.”
Harry smiled. “The four oracles.”
“Indeed.” Daija paused a moment before continuing, “See, each element is at odds with the others but each need the others to survive. It’s the same with the oracles although they’ve been warring against one another since their return to earth. It was this love and hate relationship that made it possible for Khuuln to control even one of them because although they basically hated one another, they were also fiercely loyal because even if one of them were to ever die the others would soon follow without the natural balance. After breaking free of the necromancer’s hold, the four joined together in a temporary alliance and delivered Khuuln directly into the hands of Lucifer.”
A smirk replaced the smile. “So it was a trick.”
The phoenix nodded. “A trick, it was. The four oracles desperately wanted to return to earth and Lucifer wanted the powerful necromancer as his servant to add to his armies so they made a deal before Khuuln became a necromancer. Because of his satisfaction in attaining the powerful conjurer, Lucifer allowed Neforia to remain here on earth so long as the four oracles continued to watch over it in his place. But because he didn’t trust the power of elementals, Lucifer gave them the sword from his side, Hyperion, before returning to his realm. The four oracles then shattered Hyperion’s blade into four different pieces and each constructed their own weapon from the unique metal while the hilt was hidden. The legend concludes in saying that if Hyperion were re-forged that the wielder could summon Lucifer and his army for his own desires.”
A loud squawk made both Daija and Harry look ahead at the almost giddy hippogriff that had caught yet another furry animal.
“Hyperion.” Harry smiled, watching the large animal practically prance. “I like it.”
… … …
… … …
When the light of sunset remained though the sun itself had disappeared below the horizon, Daija led Harry and Hyperion to the surface above Puther and Harry found that he’d actually forgotten that he was in the arctic up until that very moment. He was suddenly very grateful that Daija had had the foresight to layer multiple warming charms and spells on his clothing as well as Hyperion so they wouldn’t freeze.
Though the light was dim, the snow hurt Harry’s eyes and the land stretched on for miles and miles. The only landmark in sight was the high mountains towards the north, the peaks disappearing into the clouds.
When the phoenix began speaking, Harry strained his ears in order to hear him over the howling wind.
“You have until tomorrow night when the new moon rises to reach the mountains.” Daija pointed towards the largest peak. “Hyperion can take you most of the way but don’t depend on him entirely. It’s far below freezing and the air will get thinner and make it harder for him to fly and for you to breathe the higher you go.”
Harry shook his head. “How will I know where to go?”
Daija just smiled. “Trust me, you’ll know.” He put a hand on the boy’s shoulder. “Don’t worry, Harry. You’ll do fine and Hyperion will bring you back from the mountains when the time comes.”
The fifteen-year-old could only watch as Daija disappeared before his eyes, leaving him behind in the bitter cold.
Heaving a sigh, he turned to Hyperion. “Well?” he practically yelled.
In response, the hippogriff merely kneeled and waited.
Harry smiled, walking over and easing himself up onto the hippogriff’s back carefully because of his injured leg.
Hyperion waited as the young wizard shifted into a comfortable position before looking ahead and stretching his wings a bit. With a slight jump, he took off running at full speed before spreading his wings and taking flight for the first time Harry had seen. The teen grinned at the familiar weightlessness of flying, enjoying himself immensely though he was quick to wrap his arms around Hyperion’s neck for balance and warmth from the wind.
As the hippogriff started towards the mountains, Harry couldn’t help but wander what lied ahead.
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End of Part II
Wow. O.o I actually how Part II came out. Yay!! ^_^ I hope you guys enjoyed the rewrite! Just so I’m covered, I want to make a few things clear in regards to this particular chapter and story.
One – The story behind Neforia and the Oracles. This is completely my own idea. I made it up on the spot for this story because though I planned a legend in the original outline, I forgot to actually write a legend. -_- Yep, perfect blonde moment, however, this story came from it so I can’t regret it. If you want to use it for anything, please just do me the courtesy of asking permission. ^_^ Thanks for understanding.
Two – The original draft of this particular chapter was much, much more detailed in the shopping trip and Gringotts but I need to lay the foundation of Neforia in only a few chapters and wanted it to flow easily with little to no confusion in what is happening. So I hope you guys weren’t too disappointed.
Three – Yes, Daija’s daughter will play a part in this story, however, she will not be a romantic interest for Harry. I want to be very clear here. This is a slash story through and through on Harry’s part and if I do see the need for a past romantic interest, it will be a man or a heterosexual couple to see which Harry prefers. I don’t want to spoil the story but I want to make this perfectly clear so I don’t get any flames.
Four – Harry’s attitude and demeanor will be shifting, however, it will be a gradual change with plenty of explanation as to why and he will still be Harry. One of my pet peeves is when Harry’s entire character is rewritten with little to no explanation so I will endeavor to write these changes carefully.
So after that particularly long note, I shall now move on to Part III. ^_^ Thanks for reading guys; I hope you enjoyed and all feedback is appreciated.
Disclaimer – I do not own Harry Potter and am making no kind of profit from writing this story.
Summary – Following his 5th year at Hogwarts School, Harry Potter disappears from both the wizarding and muggle worlds without warning. What happens when he suddenly returns a changed man six years later? Eventually, this will be a Lucius Malfoy x Harry Potter pairing though it will be slow building.
Warnings – A major alternative universe storyline, slash, original characters, etc. Basically anything my very odd mind can come with to make the story twist and turn the way I want it to. In this particular chapter there is also a slight mention of m-preg so consider yourself warned.
// Blah, blah, blah. // - Parseltongue.
‘Blah, blah, blah.’ – Thoughts.
Without further ado, read, enjoy & review!! ^_^
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Shadows to Shadows
by, Zaleone
Part II
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As Harry awaited the arrival of Daija, the phoenix having promised to come and collect him this morning, his mind wandered and he discovered one of the main things he would miss here.
The sky.
Being underground, while very interesting in theory, was confining after a time without the sky to gaze at. Neforia had surprisingly good lighting in the day but those fires were doused at night, encasing the academy in darkness with only a few remaining lit for safety. Without the moon or the stars, Harry found himself somewhat claustrophobic even if he knew that he would adapt eventually. Flying, after all, was the very definition of freedom and one of the things he truly enjoyed in this life. Without the sky…it was unnerving.
A soft ‘hoot’ caught his attention and he smiled, stroking Hedwig’s feathers as she nuzzled his face. The owl, though rather annoyed with him the evening before, seemed to already have adjusted to her new home.
He’d already taken a shower and dressed, Daija having provided him with a set of clothing after spotting the hand-me-downs the Dursley family gave him. His personal effects had been brought to these temporary rooms, the likes of which were bare but much nicer than not only his bedroom at the Dursleys but his dorm in Hogwarts as well.
Just as the large clock over the fireplace struck seven, there was a knock at the door though the phoenix didn’t wait for an answer before walking in with a cheery, “Good morning, Harry. I trust your first night was satisfactory?”
“It was all right,” he answered, standing up as Hedwig flew to the provided perch in front of the open window.
Daija gave him a once over, clearly happy for the change from his normal rags to the long-sleeved black sweater and faded jeans. “I see you’re ready. It would be wise to make a habit of rising early for it will give you many hours of needed rest. You have your wand?” When the boy nodded, he held open the door. “Then shall we?”
… … …
… … …
Harry was shaking his head as they finally left the apothecary, which in his opinion resembled a medieval operating room. “I now know there is no hope for me in potions.”
“Oh, do stop being so dramatic.” Daija rolled his eyes at the teen.
‘Bloody overgrown turkey.’ He glared. “If I’m weird so be it but honestly, what kind of potion am I going to be making that calls for using parts of a dragon no one would think of outside of some freaky fetish?”
The man just laughed at him.
Daija had brought him to Puther to visit the Gringotts branch and shop for school supplies, Harry now understanding what the phoenix had meant last night.
Puther was a literal, living cliché.
Between Neforia and its counterpart academy, Jetton, was a city that had to be close to the size of London though every shop was linked to magic in some way even if all they sold was muggle clothes. The true irony, however, lied in the fact that almost exactly halfway through the city on either side was an obvious line that separated the borders between Neforia’s territory and Jetton’s. Each academy was responsible for looking after half of the city, after all. On one side of the breaking street were stores that greatly resembled the stores in Knockturn and Diagon Alley while the other side, Jetton’s side, greatly resembled muggle London in architecture.
The city was a living contradiction of itself and it had taken Harry nearly half an hour to stop snickering at the picture.
“What would you say to some lunch?” Daija offered, turning to him.
Harry nodded in agreement. “I’m starving.”
Both he and the phoenix had been shopping for the better part of three hours after spending nearly two at Gringotts where Harry had been emancipated in light of Neforia’s interference and also given full access to his inheritance. This included a sizable sum from the Potter line and the clever investments Lily had made. Though at first relieved to be out of Gringotts, Harry soon found that he positively loathed shopping.
The phoenix led him to a nearby café that looked pleasant, Harry finding a seat while Daija ordered.
A few minutes later, he was handed a steak sandwich. “Enjoy it. Your tastes may change after you see the Oracle.”
Harry picked at his food a minute before glancing back up at the phoenix. “You’ve met the Oracle. Right?”
Daija nodded, digging into his salad. “I was born a squib with pureblood parents in the Spain’s wizarding community. It goes without saying that Neforia was a godsend for me.” The boy looked back down at his food, a frown marring his features and Daija decided to venture a bit further as he continued, “My daughter, however, saw the Oracle when she was only a child because she was born into this world of me and her sire.”
Harry didn’t exactly hear what Daija had said but did understand what Daija was trying to say. “You have a daughter?”
“Yes.” The phoenix shrugged as that grin appeared. “I’m approaching my first century in age, Harry. I’m not what you might call young.”
After staring at the man for several moments, Harry wasn’t sure what to think. “You’re serious.”
Daija smirked, nodding once although the seriousness of his statement was evident in his eyes.
“Whoa.” Harry blinked. “So…after I come back, I won’t age like a human?”
Another shrug. “It depends solely on what the Oracle foresees in your future. He believed I’d one day be a wise teacher though the ‘wise’ part of that remains unseen.” Harry chuckled. “To be serious, however,” Daija shook his head. “It is difficult to describe but no two are alike in our world, Harry. It is part of what makes it what it is. I think you may understand a bit better after tonight.”
The fifteen-year-old silently nodded, a comfortable silence descending between them as they shared the lunch.
When they finished, they began walking around once more before coming to a large store that specialized in familiars.
“Well, we should probably go ahead and find you a familiar while we’re in town and have the time.” They entered the store and Daija waved him off. “Go on, take a look around and see if anything in particular catches your eye.”
Though unsure, Harry did as he was told and began looking around.
The store was big.
There were owls, hawks, eagles, snakes, cats, toads, dogs and many other animals he’d seen at one point or another but as he ventured further into the store, he began seeing wolves, much larger versions of cats, griffins…the list continued growing as he gazed at the impressive animals. When he spotted a unicorn, however, he paused and blinked repeatedly before venturing even further into the back. On the very back wall of the store, several stable-like stalls that held unicorns, thestrals, winged horses…
He paused once more when he saw a large, darker colored animal in the stall at the end.
Curiosity peaked; he stepped closer and openly gaped when he got a good look at the creature. “Oh, my…”
It was a hippogriff.
A very large, very beautiful hippogriff.
‘At least now I understand how Hagrid was able to tell Buckbeak was young,’ he thought, looking the proud animal over that seemed less than thrilled with its surroundings. It was easy to tell that this particular hippogriff had obviously been through the ringer a few times just by looking at it.
‘Him,’ he mentally corrected himself, glancing at the chart displayed on the side of the stall.
He was almost a full foot taller than Buckbeak had been although his body was still lean and strong, even if a bit on the skinny side at the moment. His hair and tail were completely black, the color gradually fading into dark amber on his front while the feathers on his neck and wings were a surprisingly beautiful mix of black and amber, his beak and head black as well though his eyes were the very same light color and reminded Harry greatly of Remus’ eyes.
Several scars marred his left side as well as his front legs, obviously from a fight, however, the bandage around his right hind leg made it clear he’d recently been in one as well. Taking a closer look at that leg, concern washed through him when he saw that the wound beneath the poorly wrapped bandage was bleeding through.
Taking his eyes off the wound, Harry nearly jumped when he saw that the animal was staring right back at him.
His mind immediately replaying what he’d learned from Hagrid, he slowly bent at the waist to bow only to actually jump this time when the hippogriff started screeching at him and nearly bit his ear off with that damn beak.
When the beast only got more agitated the lower he bowed, Harry stood straight again. “Okay, all right!!” He put his hands up, waving them at the beast. “Just calm down!”
The animal settled down almost immediately, cocking his head at him curiously.
Harry’s expression flattened. ‘Wonderful. Out of all the animals here, I’m interested in the one with issues.’
Once the animal calmed again, he sighed and then glanced around. A first-aid like kit was open beside the stall, a few bandages and like in disarray that was obviously intended for the hippogriff. ‘Whoever it was probably gave up,’ he thought; seeing as how he could bandage the wound better himself. Leaning down, he made it clear to the animal that he was simply picking something up from the kit before standing back up and looking at him again.
The animal’s eyes went to his hand before meeting his eyes once more in silent question.
Sighing a second time, Harry decided to forgo the rules of engagement with this particular species and took a few hesitant steps towards him. He smiled when the animal didn’t back away at his advance though; in all honesty, there was nothing that could’ve been misconstrued as an invitation either.
When the hippogriff suddenly squawked at him, he stopped.
Steeling himself, he slowly brought a hand and reached out to his beak but paused once more when the hippogriff snapped his head to side in warning. Holding his hand there, he waited for the animal to make the next move…much like he’d done with Buckbeak a couple years before.
The animal cocked its head to the side, meeting Harry’s eyes a moment before closing his own and pushing his head into the offered touch. As Harry began to stroke the smooth beak, he leaned into it. A small grin broke out on the teen’s face and he rubbed the hippogriff’s head firmly for several minutes, simply enjoying the feel of his feathers and the sound that was akin to a purr coming from the large beast before he started running his hands down the strong neck.
When the animal opened his eyes once again, obviously more relaxed this time, Harry carefully ran his hand across the strong shoulder and back as he walked beside him very slowly. Not once did his eyes stray from the amber irises locked on him, studying him intently. When he finally got to the injured leg Harry lowered himself to his knees and waited, knowing full well that the creature could easily kill him with one well-aimed kick to the head if he were so inclined.
The hippogriff, again, took his time in studying him.
Several minutes passed before he made another squawk-like sound, albeit softer this time, and slowly folded his front legs beneath him, turning his back legs just right so that he half-lied on his side. Even so, he was in easy range to watch over Harry’s shoulder or bite him if the need arose.
Taking the initiative, Harry carefully unwrapped the damp and bloody bandage. After setting it to the side, he got a good look at the jagged wound and winced in sympathy.
It wasn’t a simple cut like he’d thought but a bite that had loosened a large piece of flesh from the animal’s bone, more than likely from another animal in the store. It was obviously infected and Harry sighed, knowing it would need to be cleaned before it was bandaged again.
A sudden thud sound to his right made him blink before he glanced down, seeing the kit sitting oh-so-innocently by his knee.
‘Well, then,’ he raised an eyebrow, looking up at the hippogriff. The animal was looking straight head, pointedly ignoring him but still managing to look proud in the act. Shaking his head, Harry resisted a chuckle and opened the kit again. He took a better look at the contents this time, reading the directions on how to use some of the various items provided. After making sure he had the basics covered he quickly cleaned the wound with a sterilizing potion before taking out a healing salve and applying a generous amount onto the wound, ignoring the slight growl made in protest from the large animal. He carefully taped a piece of gauze over the wound before wrapping the bandage around the injured leg tightly, thankful when no blood leaked through immediately.
“Now that’s a sight.”
Both Harry and the now calm hippogriff looked towards the opening of the stall where an older man was looking at the boy in shock.
“I’ve been trying to do that for two blasted weeks. How did you…” He trailed off, seeming to rethink what he was about to say and shook his head. “Actually, never mind.” The man flashed him a grin and Harry was instantly reminded of a salesman. “I’ll make you a deal, boy. You pay for the medical supplies you’ll need to help him along and anything else you were planning to buy and I’ll give him to you. What do you say?”
Harry blinked in disbelief. “Really.”
“Very much so,” he answered. “This thing,” he pointed at the animal, “has been here for six years and he’s more trouble than what I’m paying to keep him around. You’re the first that’s been able to get within ten feet of him without getting hurt.”
“All right,” Harry glanced at the animal. “What do you think?”
The hippogriff spared him a glance before silently standing back up, favoring his injured leg a bit as he walked out of the stall with a proud grace Harry was amazed the animal could pull off with how much it had to hurt. Smirking, Harry stood as well and dusted his jeans off before following and removing the chain around the animal’s neck that kept him close to the stall.
Turning back to the man, he nodded once. “All right. I’ll take him.”
“Very good.” The man was grinning again. “Was there anything you needed today?”
Harry thought on it a moment before answering, “I need an owl.”
He nodded. “Certainly, just please keep your eyes on him,” he pointed to the hippogriff behind Harry. “The owls are towards the front.”
“Thank you.”
Walking slowly, mainly for the benefit of the injured animal beside him, Harry came upon the assortment of birds after a few minutes of trying to find exactly where they were.
He knew that if he was going to stay at this academy, he’d probably have to still deal with a few wizards and possibly owl Remus at some point in time so he was going to need a second owl. Hedwig, though he loved her dearly, was too recognizable to fly freely within a hundred miles of Hogwarts or London.
Taking a moment to look at the variety of birds, he spotted a pitch-black horned owl that rested on a high perch near the ceiling. It had bright yellow eyes, this being the only identifiable thing about it because of its coloring.
After telling the bird handler which he wanted, he walked back up towards the front of the store.
Daija glanced up from the baby basilisk he’d been observing when he saw something moving towards him out of the corner of his eye, somewhat surprised when he saw the large animal walking beside his newest student.
Harry smiled nervously, putting a hand on the hippogriff’s neck. “Well, what do you think of him?”
A smile crossed the phoenix’s face. “Excellent choice, Harry. Hippogriffs are a rarity as a familiar.” Somehow, he knew that this coming year was going to be very, very interesting.
… … …
… … …
Daija cocked his head to the side as he watched the content hippogriff. “Amber?”
“Too feminine.” Harry rested his head on his chin. “Onyx?”
The phoenix shook his head. “Not enough black on him, though that would fit your owl to a tee.”
Harry currently rested on his stomach with his head propped up by his hand while Daija sat next to him, the phoenix sprawled out on the green grass as they tried to come up with a proper name for his new familiar.
“Yeah, Onyx would be a good name for him,” Harry mused before sighing. “I didn’t think this would be the tiring part of the day.”
Daija chuckled. “Well, let’s make it easier. What is he? He’s strong, proud…”
“Stubborn?”
“I was going to say obstinate.”
A few silent minutes passed as they watched the hippogriff happily make a meal out of an unlucky rabbit he’d caught.
Daija glanced at his new student. “How about Hyperion?”
“Hyperion?” Harry raised an eyebrow. “What’s that?”
The phoenix rested back on his elbow. “It’s part of the legend of how Neforia and the four oracles came to be.”
Harry turned to the phoenix expectantly.
Daija thought for a moment, not having told this story in a while. “Well… Legend has it that Neforia Castle was not built but raised from hell by a dark necromancer that called himself Khuuln. Khuuln made a deal with the dark prince, Lucifer, to obtain Neforia and, in return, the necromancer would bestow him with four souls stolen from the heavens. Though intrigued, Lucifer demanded to have a soul of flame, of earth, of wind and of water.”
“The four elements?”
“Exactly. Khuuln agreed to these terms and Lucifer allowed him to raise Neforia from the fiery depths of his realm. He gave the necromancer four years to recover from the monumental task before demanding payment. Though powerful, Khuuln could only summon the specific souls to earth instead of into Lucifer’s hands as he planned because these souls were not human. Ergo, they were far more powerful than he realized.”
Harry smiled. “The four oracles.”
“Indeed.” Daija paused a moment before continuing, “See, each element is at odds with the others but each need the others to survive. It’s the same with the oracles although they’ve been warring against one another since their return to earth. It was this love and hate relationship that made it possible for Khuuln to control even one of them because although they basically hated one another, they were also fiercely loyal because even if one of them were to ever die the others would soon follow without the natural balance. After breaking free of the necromancer’s hold, the four joined together in a temporary alliance and delivered Khuuln directly into the hands of Lucifer.”
A smirk replaced the smile. “So it was a trick.”
The phoenix nodded. “A trick, it was. The four oracles desperately wanted to return to earth and Lucifer wanted the powerful necromancer as his servant to add to his armies so they made a deal before Khuuln became a necromancer. Because of his satisfaction in attaining the powerful conjurer, Lucifer allowed Neforia to remain here on earth so long as the four oracles continued to watch over it in his place. But because he didn’t trust the power of elementals, Lucifer gave them the sword from his side, Hyperion, before returning to his realm. The four oracles then shattered Hyperion’s blade into four different pieces and each constructed their own weapon from the unique metal while the hilt was hidden. The legend concludes in saying that if Hyperion were re-forged that the wielder could summon Lucifer and his army for his own desires.”
A loud squawk made both Daija and Harry look ahead at the almost giddy hippogriff that had caught yet another furry animal.
“Hyperion.” Harry smiled, watching the large animal practically prance. “I like it.”
… … …
… … …
When the light of sunset remained though the sun itself had disappeared below the horizon, Daija led Harry and Hyperion to the surface above Puther and Harry found that he’d actually forgotten that he was in the arctic up until that very moment. He was suddenly very grateful that Daija had had the foresight to layer multiple warming charms and spells on his clothing as well as Hyperion so they wouldn’t freeze.
Though the light was dim, the snow hurt Harry’s eyes and the land stretched on for miles and miles. The only landmark in sight was the high mountains towards the north, the peaks disappearing into the clouds.
When the phoenix began speaking, Harry strained his ears in order to hear him over the howling wind.
“You have until tomorrow night when the new moon rises to reach the mountains.” Daija pointed towards the largest peak. “Hyperion can take you most of the way but don’t depend on him entirely. It’s far below freezing and the air will get thinner and make it harder for him to fly and for you to breathe the higher you go.”
Harry shook his head. “How will I know where to go?”
Daija just smiled. “Trust me, you’ll know.” He put a hand on the boy’s shoulder. “Don’t worry, Harry. You’ll do fine and Hyperion will bring you back from the mountains when the time comes.”
The fifteen-year-old could only watch as Daija disappeared before his eyes, leaving him behind in the bitter cold.
Heaving a sigh, he turned to Hyperion. “Well?” he practically yelled.
In response, the hippogriff merely kneeled and waited.
Harry smiled, walking over and easing himself up onto the hippogriff’s back carefully because of his injured leg.
Hyperion waited as the young wizard shifted into a comfortable position before looking ahead and stretching his wings a bit. With a slight jump, he took off running at full speed before spreading his wings and taking flight for the first time Harry had seen. The teen grinned at the familiar weightlessness of flying, enjoying himself immensely though he was quick to wrap his arms around Hyperion’s neck for balance and warmth from the wind.
As the hippogriff started towards the mountains, Harry couldn’t help but wander what lied ahead.
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End of Part II
Wow. O.o I actually how Part II came out. Yay!! ^_^ I hope you guys enjoyed the rewrite! Just so I’m covered, I want to make a few things clear in regards to this particular chapter and story.
One – The story behind Neforia and the Oracles. This is completely my own idea. I made it up on the spot for this story because though I planned a legend in the original outline, I forgot to actually write a legend. -_- Yep, perfect blonde moment, however, this story came from it so I can’t regret it. If you want to use it for anything, please just do me the courtesy of asking permission. ^_^ Thanks for understanding.
Two – The original draft of this particular chapter was much, much more detailed in the shopping trip and Gringotts but I need to lay the foundation of Neforia in only a few chapters and wanted it to flow easily with little to no confusion in what is happening. So I hope you guys weren’t too disappointed.
Three – Yes, Daija’s daughter will play a part in this story, however, she will not be a romantic interest for Harry. I want to be very clear here. This is a slash story through and through on Harry’s part and if I do see the need for a past romantic interest, it will be a man or a heterosexual couple to see which Harry prefers. I don’t want to spoil the story but I want to make this perfectly clear so I don’t get any flames.
Four – Harry’s attitude and demeanor will be shifting, however, it will be a gradual change with plenty of explanation as to why and he will still be Harry. One of my pet peeves is when Harry’s entire character is rewritten with little to no explanation so I will endeavor to write these changes carefully.
So after that particularly long note, I shall now move on to Part III. ^_^ Thanks for reading guys; I hope you enjoyed and all feedback is appreciated.