Sub Rosa

A/N - Lady Freddy is the creation of my roomate, another author A.H., and used with her gracious consent. The town and townspeople of Nova Albion are from my own original story. I usem fom for my own amusement and to Deus ex Machina a small problem. I also hope you will be amused by them. Enjoy this fluffy break before some rather unrelenting angsty bits.

Chapter 54 – Tea with the Black Dragon

The third leg of their apparation brought them to San Francisco. Kathryn sighed as she looked out at the clear cold air of one of her favorite cities. The hills sloped away from her and the slate gray water of the bay glinted in the winter sun. The broad avenues marched along in a perfect grid from where she stood, the contrary slash of Market Street not visible from where she was.

She stood between two houses in a sheltered alley, with a spectacular view of the city and she waited for the others to arrive. Albus and Minerva popped into being beside her next and then Severus, arm wrapped around Harry, appeared behind them.

“Wow.” Harry leaned forward, taking in the view.

“We’ll have to come do the town, sometime.” Kathryn nodded in agreement with his assessment. “Go down to Soma and hit some clubs, go to P.J.’s Oyster Bar and get some really good seafood - the works.” Harry responded enthusiastically and they prepared themselves for the final apparation. This time Kathryn took Harry and went first.

Wrapping her arms around the boy was a surprise, when had he gotten so tall? He was skinny as a rail, but there was a firmness to him now that bespoke the long hours of training they had been doing. She turned her mind back to their destination.

There was the familiar sense of disorientation, as for a moment they were neither here nor there, and then they stood on another hill looking out at another bay. However, the view was as different as night and day.

A tall sailing ship sat in the harbor, a huge tree sat on the hill and the scattered houses were in every conceivable design and imaginable style and some fairly inconceivable ones. Fairies zipped through the skies, winged snakes flowed languorously through the air, unicorns pranced through the trees, and off to sea a huge serpent broke the surface of the waves.

“It like Hogwart’s only magnified into a town.” Harry said finally.

“The Wizarding world is a reflection of the realms beyond.” A voice interrupted their musing and they turned to see a tall, rather skinny man with a mop of brown hair and mischievous eyes. He was dressed in a red vest with emerald green trousers and a flowing poet’s shirt in white. He carried an umbrella despite the perfect weather.

“Mr. Tall, may I introduce you to Harry Potter?” Fynr Tall grinned at the boy and gave an elegant bow.
“Charmed.” Harry smiled uncertainly and stuck out his hand, which was warmly shaken. “The Duchess asked me to make sure you get to the house safely.” He started forward.

“Um, what about the others?” Harry queried.

“I was only informed of your arrival.” Fynr raised an eyebrow at Kathryn.

“Professors Dumbledore, McGonagall and Snape decided that Harry needed chaperoning.” Kathryn admitted.

“Curious were they?” Fynr gave a delighted laugh and waved the umbrella vaguely at the air. There was a popping and the three professors materialized on the hillside. “I am feeling generous today.” He told Kathryn with a shrug. The chattering group was led down the hill, Fynr pointing out landmarks and points of interest as they went.

“This place is amazing.” Minerva was practically dancing with joy.

“We like it. Oh, and next to the ship is entrance to the Mer-folk’s domain, though I rarely visit them myself; the water is far too cold.” They soon reached a mansion that strongly resembled Lieu D’Asile; it was done in the New Orleans style of architecture with iron works and three stories. Next to it was a lighthouse with a huge curving iron dragon perched atop it that acted as a weather vane.

Fynr paused briefly, checking his pocket watch and waiting to knock until it was precisely four o’clock.
“Lady Freddy likes punctual people.” Kathryn explained and Fynr nodded gravely.

“It does not do to offend the Duchess.” He added and then bowed and left them as the door opened.

A butler appeared in the doorway and raised a supercilious brow at the party assembled upon the doorstep. He was a short balding man with the build of a prizefighter and a crooked nose. He turned without a word and led them into a parlor and then, still without saying anything, departed, leaving them there.

The parlor was a pleasant room, done in lavender and gray with silver accents. Plush couches, draped with scarves and overflowing with pillows, welcomed them to sit and relax into them. The windows were open to let in the ocean breeze and the gauzy curtains fluttered like pennants in a regatta.

The door was nudged open and a large white tiger padded into the room. Kathryn smiled and patted her knee.

“Hello Kitty, how are you today?” She cooed to the elegant beast.

“Is that an animagus?” Harry asked with a small squeak as the massive head was rested in Kathryn’s lap. Kathryn began to scratch the sensitive place behind the ears and tiger’s loud, rumbling buzz-saw purr started up.

“No, Kitty is just a tiger.” She saw Harry edge forward slightly.

“Is he dangerous?” His voice was still breaking a bit, but his hands were admirably steady.

“Of course, all tigers are dangerous, but Kitty would never get blood on the carpets; he is very well-mannered.” She scratched under Kitty’s chin and the rumble intensified. Harry reached out a tentative hand and scratched the tiger gingerly. Blinking sleepy eyes at the boy, Kitty encouraged the attention by drooling happily.

The door opened again and a tiny woman with golden blonde hair and bright blue eyes entered. She had a heart-shaped face and her hair was braided and coiled around her head like a crown. She wore a dark purple sleeveless dress with a pair of black lace-up boots. Despite her height, she was a commanding figure. She paused in the doorway, her gaze sweeping her visitors and one eyebrow, slightly darker than her hair, swept upwards in enquiry.

“I managed to get out, ‘Dragon, Town, must go’ and they all tagged along.” Kathryn grinned and shrugged. To her relief Freddy smiled back at her.

“Lady Frieda Harris, at your service.” Freddy glided into the room and extended her hand to Albus.

“Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts, your Grace.” Quick on the uptake as usual, thought Kathryn, he heard Fynr call her “The Duchess”. Albus turned and introduced the other faculty and Harry.

“Headmaster? What happened to the portly fellow with the twitch?” She frowned at Albus and he looked startled.

“Headmaster Dippit, sadly, passed on about forty years ago, your Grace.” Albus responded with a small amused smile. Freddy shrugged and waved them all into their chairs.

“I haven’t been in England for a while, not since the Germans started bombing the place, really.” She smiled at Harry’s startled expression. “So, you are the young man who’s gotten stuck with the job this time. Well, better you than me, Harry, I’ve done my share.” She said with considerable satisfaction.

“What job?” Harry looked at her perplexedly.

“Saving the world, of course. I had to at least five or six times, but now I leave it to the younger generations. It’s dangerous, dirty, strenuous and people forget it far too quickly and go right back to their usual self-destructive behaviors. It’s got to be done of course; it’s always worse when you dodge these things. Trust me.” Harry nodded somewhat cautiously, but Freddy just gave him a mysterious smile as though his soul was a book open to her perusal and what she saw pleased her in some obscure way.

“He has this sword, Lady Freddy.” Kathryn inserted and waved Harry forward. He unbuckled the sword belt and handed it over to Lady Freddy, who took it with a grimace.

Just then the door opened again and a maid in apron and cap bustled in with a tea tray. Albus’ face brightened considerably as the woman set down her burden. The tray was creaking with the weight of all the food and tea on it.

The pot was a floral monstrosity it was huge and covered in large blue roses. The cups, dainty porcelain in a matching pattern, were passed out, filled with steaming, fragrant tea.

Kathryn had always loved Freddy’s tea. It smelled like roses and lilacs and tasted rich, dark and potent.

The food was enough to feed four times their number and mouthwateringly delicious. Plates piled high with crustless triangles of bread and filling sat alongside a steaming mound of fluffy scones. Slices of peach cobbler, apple pie and chocolate cake waited demurely as dessert.

Kathryn sipped her tea with a soft sigh of contentment and nibbled on a smoked salmon and dill sandwich. Freddy had set the sword to lean against her chair as she poured for them.

Severus had settled beside Kathryn and was sipping the tea with a thoughtful expression.

“Don’t bother, Potions Master.” Freddy chuckled at him. “The Camellia Sinensis that makes that tea only grows here in Nova Albion.” Severus’ face fell and Freddy smiled gently at him. “I’ll send you a bag for Christmas.” Severus gifted the dragon with one of his smiles and she looked pleased. “Eat up, young man, you are far too thin.” She piled some more sandwiches on Severus’ plate and Kathryn hid her smile behind a bite of scone.

Kathryn had learned the trick of eating at Lady Freddy’s house: take small bites and just keep going. Always have something on your plate and look like you will be happy to eat more. Freddy had a dragon’s metabolism and thought that everyone else ate like birds. The only way to keep her from feeding you into a sphere-shape was to look like you were doing it yourself; oh, and of course, feed lots to Kitty from your plate.

The tiger had remained with his head on Kathryn’s knee, making it easy to slip him tidbits of food when Freddy wasn’t looking.

All this time, Harry was eating with enthusiasm, but he was glancing at the diminutive Freddy in confusion.

“Pardon, but you don’t look like a dragon.” Harry said diffidently.

“Well, I should hardly fit in the house if I did.” Freddy laughed. The boy’s expression was confused and Freddy sighed gently. “Oh, very well.” She muttered with a roll of the eyes. “But don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

She relaxed back against her chair and there was a shifting, a blurring and her shadow began to solidify. It began to creep up the wall behind her, growing larger and larger, spreading out until it filled the room, wings rustled in the shadows and there was a distant roar that caused a frission of fear to creep up Kathryn’s spine.

Kathryn glanced at Minerva, to her wide eyes and her pale face, but her teacup held steady. Albus was very still, but also holding up well. Harry was starting to shake and Kathryn gently detached his teacup from his hand before he dropped it. Severus though, was responding in a completely different manner. He had an expression of almost …longing on his face as he stared at the shadow.

Kathryn studied him in surprise. She was used to watching Dragonfreeze taking hold of people. The dilated pupils, the rigid posture - they were absolutely normal. Severus’ reaction, however, was entirely unprecedented. He was wide-eyed, but with wonderment, not with fear.

The shadow withdrew back into Freddy, and slowly she became just a tiny, sweet looking woman with sparkling blue eyes and an odd manner. She was now merely another eccentric instead of a millennia-old being of unimaginable power and wisdom. The freeze began to wear off of the others, but it was Severus that both Freddy and Kathryn were studying.

“You are not afraid of Dragons.” Freddy said and there was satisfaction in her voice. “Oh, I like this one, Kathryn!” She smiled at the pair on the couch and Kathryn grinned back.

“So do I, Lady Freddy.” Kathryn replied and dropped a kiss on his cheek. He muttered something too low to hear and Freddy chuckled at his discomfiture. Harry looked torn between amusement and disgust.

“Now about this rusty knife I made.” Freddy frowned at the sword as she picked it up. “I never forged you so that you could torment people. You have a job to do, either do it and with good will; or be melted down so I can try again.” She shook the blade lightly in her hand and the impression of clawed fingers lingered in Kathryn’s mind.

Harry smiled at whatever the sword’s answer was and took it back from Freddy with a respectful nod.
“Thank you Ma’am.” He said and Freddy smiled at him.

“You’re a very nice young man, I am sure you will have no trouble with that Riddle fellow.” Kathryn suppressed a snicker at the expressions on everyone’s face as Lady Freddy dispatched the threat of Voldemort with an airy wave and a few dismissive words.

“Um, thank you, Ma’am.” Harry looked dubious, but finished his tea. Freddy then turned to Kathryn and began questioning her on the doings of Marie and the rest of her family. She discussed Hogwarts with Albus, transfiguration with Minerva and potions with Severus. When the sun began to creep down into the ocean, the maid returned and cleared the tea tray away.

Freddy rose after she had left. Kathryn gently dislodged Kitty’s head from her knee, to his grumbling displeasure, and followed suit. The others climbed to their feet, groaning bellies full and minds whirling.

“Thank you so much for having us to tea, Lady Freddy.” Kathryn grasped the tiny hand in hers and kissed the dragon’s soft cheek.

“It was lovely seeing you again, Kathryn dear.” Freddy replied and turned to the rest of the group. “I was very pleased to meet you all.” She nodded to them and they bowed and curtsied in return, making all the proper polite noises, and then she swept from the room. The room seemed smaller and less bright when she was gone.

They were escorted to the door by the same silent butler and found themselves on the doorstep again, watching the fiery death of the sun as it plunged into the ocean.

In silence they walked to the border, watching as the denizens of this strange magical community went about their business. In silence still, they apparated away, and left the people of this town to their secret life.