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(P).(A).(T).(R).(E).(O).(N)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
the same. And then he was through the trees and meeting a relieved Narcissa and Draco. Harry watched as they vanished with a crack.
The demon woman he had summoned appeared with nary a sound not even a second later.
"All the men are dealt with." She said in a soft voice. "They have been restrained and left for your people to retrieve."
"Thank you." Harry said, still in Grim form.
He lips twitched into a smirk.
"It was fun, call me again should you need any assistance in battle."
Then she grabbed his left paw and nicked it with her finger. He felt the familiar spark of magic and then she vanished with a puff of smoke. Harry knew when he changed back to human he would have another tattooed band on his left wrists.
He breathed out in a rush and looked to the sky. He'd have to go find the others before they started to worry.
him to the far desk and set the earring down on a stack of paper.
"I need a translation spell on that." Griphook ordered curtly.
The man blinked but drew his wand.
"I thought you had cast the spell." Harry said as he watched.
"No, Translation spells are not as simple as saying the incantation and then knowing the language. The spell is essential the memory of a language. The caster must know the language as the spell pulls the memory of the language from his mind."
Harry blinked in surprise.
"So if you wanted to be able to understand Japanese you'd have to have someone who knew Japanese cast it?"
"Correct."
"Huh." Harry said, a bit surprised at this new knowledge.
The man held the earring back out and Harry took it, putting it back in his ear.
"What language was that one?" He asked as Griphook led him from the room.
"Bulgarian."
Then the goblin shoved another portkey in his hand. Xi-Wong barely had time to grab him before they were gone in a swirl only to land right outside Harry's house, just past the ward line.
"Well, this is the place I call home." Harry said cheerfully.
The demon tilted his head and eyed the flowers and trees as the passed by. Harry threw the door open in a burst of energy and jumped into his house.
"I'm home!" he crowed happily.
Loraine, who had been on the couch, threw herself at him, squealing happily. Xi-Wong must have seen her as harmless as he did nothing to stop her. Harry spun the smaller woman around in a circle. Even though he was small he was not weak and she was smaller then him.
"You look so much better." She cooed, looking him over.
"Harry's back!?"
Dante came sprinting from the stairs, a wide grin on his face. He didn't even notice the silent Xi-Wong as he crushed Harry in a hug, cooing over him.
have grabbed enough. And he doubted any of them had thought to have brought Galleons, sickles, or knuts. Besides, muggle food was better for camping in his opinion.
Xi-Wong followed behind him fingering his lips absently. They had passed a piercing shop and Harry had noticed Xi-Wong's gaze linger in interest. When the man hadn't said anything Harry had asked if he wanted a piercing, showing the demon his ears. Xi-Wong hadn't said anything but Harry had seen his curiosity and interest. A quick duck in the store had them browsing the piercings. Harry had talked the demon into two lip piercings, one on each side of his mouth, hoops. They looked actually very fitting on the demon.
"I think that's everything we need." Harry said smiling.
Xi-Wong nodded once and followed Harry back out of the mall to the apparation point. Harry paused a moment to remember the coordinates that Sirius had wrote for him when sending the tickets. He grabbed Xi-Wong and with a crack they appeared on an old hillside.
"Help me look for a boot." Harry said to the confused Xi-Wong. "Sirius said you had to catch a portkey in and they ran every two hours here. If we find it in the next five minutes we can catch the ride, if not we have to wait two more hours."
They found the boot in under two minutes. Grabbing a hold of it they were swept off. They landed on a hill similar to the one they had been on. The only difference was this one was overlooking a huge stadium and a huge camp beside a forest. Xi-Wong wrinkled his nose in a frown while Harry grinned. He reached into his satchel and pulled free a summing slip. Pushing magic into it, it exploded in a cloud of smoke. When the smoke cleared Harry found himself face to face with a 'Knife Bird'. It chirped mechanically.
"And I love to bake."
"You have a talent for it." Lucius said easily.
Harry tilted his head at the compliment. As they reached the exit of the stadium they both paused. For a moment they stayed in the shadows of the exit looking out at the crowded and loud camp. Half were celebrating their teams win and the other half was just partying for the hell of it.
"I see you got the collar removed." Lucius finally said softly.
Harry saw the man's eyes linger on his bare neck were the collar once sat. Harry reached up and felt his throat.
"Yes." He said. "I did."
"And you are sure you do not want the services of my solicitor?"
"…No." Harry shook his head. "The man who put it on me was ignorant of how much damage it could and did do. He did it with my best interests I believe."
"The road to hell is paved with good intentions." Lucius quoted dryly.
"…Do not look back and grieve over the past, for it gone; and do not be troubled about the future, for it has yet to come. Live in the present, and make it so beautiful that it will be worth remembering." Harry returned softly.
"I do not believe I have heard that before." Lucius said idly. "And are you implying that you should just forget the wrongs done to you and forgive the man who committed them?"
"It was a muggle author who said it. And no, I'm not implying I should forgive and forget. I'm saying he meant no harm by it and it was a mistake. It is much easier on myself to forget the mistake then have it brought up and dragged out. I shall confront him on it at another date, but for now, I am enjoying the present."
Lucius sighed. Then he held out a hand. Harry took it and the man gave a firm shake.
"I will trust you on this then. For now, I must return to my family."
"And I to mine." Harry smiled.
Lucius paused at the soft smile. Slowly he kissed Harry's hand.
"I should hope you will become an ally and friend of mine Harry."
Harry blushed slightly at the kiss but smiled.
"It seems that hope is becoming much more of a possibility the more I come to understand you Malfoy."
Lucius smiled and then gently let his hand drop before turning and vanishing into the crowd. Harry watched him go before heading for his own camp.
.-.
"Whooo!" Fred grinned widely spinning in a circle.
Harry laughed as the dizzy boy crashed into his twin brother and dragged Ron down with them resulting in a quick tussle. Percy, who sat beside Harry, made an odd expression that on the outside showed disapproval but the sparkle in his eye said longing.
"You could join in if you wanted Percy." Harry said softly.
Percy jerked startled. Then he shook his head.
"It is not befitting of someone my age, or even theirs." He sniffed.
"Live life to its fullest." Harry responded.
Percy just shook his head.
"What book are you reading?" Harry asked seeing he wanted to drop the subject.
"A Guide to the Ministry Of Magic." He said proudly. "I have been given a job there."
"Congratulations."
Percy stilled and looked away. Harry could read the message as plain as day though. No one else had congratulated him.
"You'll do well." Harry continued. "You've got the drive and a good head on your shoulders."
"Thank you." Percy said softly.
Harry pulled a piece of paper over to him and wrote out his cafe's address.
"Stop by there one day." He smiled. "It's a small café that has very good tea. You could even sit there and do paperwork."
Percy examined the address then slipped the paper in his robes.
"Thank you." He repeated.
Harry just offered a smile and stood.
"I think I'll be turning in for the night now." He announced loudly.
'Boo's came from the twins while Ginny gave an odd frown. Arthur nodded with a smile and Percy bid him goodnight. Ron and Hermione gave him soft smiles. Harry headed for his tent and stepped in. Xi-Wong followed and headed for the cot set up in the living room. Harry yawned tiredly and quickly brushed his teeth and changed into some plain black sleeping pants and a white t-shirt. He turned the lamp off and made sure Xi-Wong was fine before moving into his own room.
Harry looked around the dead field and at the dead trees and frowned. He'd been here before. Yes, yes of course he had. There was the grim watching at the edge of the trees and the raven in the dead tree in the center of the clearing.
But why was he here?
He glanced around again and was surprised at what he found. The grass though dead was hiding the fresh green grass that was shorter then it and the trees all had buds. He frowned. Why was that? Why did everything appear to be growing?
He didn't have time to ponder this any longer. He threw himself to the side on instinct. A large black body flew over the spot he had been standing and hit the ground with a loud thump. A whinny of amusement echoed. Harry stared in shock at the large black stallion. It was tall but slender with a coat of dark ebony. Green/brown eyes landed on Harry and the horse snickered again throwing its head. Mane of black with a red tint was tossed about.
"Three forms?" He spoke aloud. "I have three forms?"
The stallion whickered again and trotted around him showing off grace and speed. It started to gallop and started around the clearing, jumping hidden logs and turning tight circles before rearing. Harry was in awe. It looked so fast, so free. Finally it trotted up to him and took a deep breath, taking in his scent.
"You're beautiful." Harry whispered reaching out slowly.
It leaned into his hand and then everything melted away.
.-.
Harry woke with a start. He sat up, unmindful of the blanket that slid down his chest to pool at his waist. Running his fingers through his hair he found it coarser then usual. He smiled wildly as it slowly turned to his regular texture.
Then he realized he was not in his own bed. He blinked then spotted Elewa sleeping beside him, face buried in a pillow. Silently he rose and grabbed his clothes from the floor. He tugged them on and then grinned as he cast a cleaning spell on himself. His magic jumped eagerly to the command and he wanted to giggle in relief as he felt it flow through his veins.
He exited the room silently and bound down the stairs. He passed by the goblins sleeping on the couches and slipped outside. Once in the fresh air he breathed deeply. Then he jumped. He transformed into his raven form and with a few wing beats was high in the sky. He shot up higher and hovered above the clearing. He could see jungle surrounded Elewa's house for miles upon miles. Then he dived.
He dived straight down until he hit the tree tops and then swooped out over the trees. When he was a distance a way he found himself over a tiny clearing with a waterfall in it. Pausing in his flight he glanced around before dropping to the ground, transforming back to human on his way down.
He landed lightly on the soft ground and breathed the humid air happily. The waterfall wasn't large, nor was the pool it fell into, but it was beautiful and peaceful. Harry took a seat on one of the large boulders and just listened for the longest time. He listened to the birds, the rustle of the trees, the sound of the water, and the silence beneath it all. He sat as still as the boulder he was one, marvelling at how warm his magic was in his veins. It cooed at him, caressing him as it seemed to compress around him like a hug. He smiled unconsciously the whole time.
Then he stood and transformed. Because he'd learned how to change properly with his first two forms, he didn't need much practice with his third form. He transformed perfectly, seamlessly shifting from human into a black stallion. He pranced in a quick circle enjoying how much freedom he felt just being in this form. He felt powerful and fast and free. He galloped around the tiny clearing and the pool for a few minutes testing out his new limbs and such.
He transformed back after a few minutes and decided that even though the cleaning spell had cleaned him up, nothing was better then an actual bath. He shed his cloth onto a near by rock and took a breath before diving into the pool. Luckily it was shallow and the waterfall wasn't big enough to suck him under and have him drown. The water was pleasurably warm and so clear and clean. Harry hummed as he scrubbed himself under the falling water and just enjoyed the silence.
A flurry of silver interrupted his bath. He spun, magic already crackling at his finger tips when he realized it was just a patronus. A beautiful leopard one. Its mouth opened and Elewa's voice emerged.
"Lord Black! Please return now! You're goblin guards are convinced I've done something to you and are now holding me hostage above a boiling pot of oil at spear point!"
There was a pause.
"The goblin Switchblade says that he has always wanted to see how human's taste." Elewa's voice came out with a slight waver as the patronus vanished.
Harry laughed slightly but decided he'd best tell the goblins that Elewa was innocent. He waded to his clothes and pulled out his wanted. He closed his eyes and pictured the exact moment his magic had returned to him.
"Expecto patronum." He chanted.
A burst of silver erupted from his wand.
"Please tell Switchblade that I am taking a bath a ways off and that I will return soon. And please don't hurt Elewa, I left without his knowledge."
The stag gave an amused toss of its head and took off into the trees. Harry sunk back into the water and happily relaxed.
.-.
Harry looked over the pretty flower on the branch. He was careful not to touch it as he didn't know what was safe and not so safe here in the middle of the jungle. The flower was small and brilliant red. It had a tempting scent that smelled heavenly. He prodded it with a stick and watched it cringe away from the object as if it could think. Harry knew it was magical.
"That is a dangerous plant."
Harry spun, hang automatically going for the knife at his waist with his left hand and the wand at his hip with his right hand. He turned to face the person who had spoken, ready to defend or attack. He found himself stopping with something akin to shock.
The man he was looking at was certainly not human. He had a human build, about six feet tall and slender, with creamy caramel skin. His lips were a darker mocha color and a small ring of black, almost like eye shadow circled his eyes.
His hair and eyes set him apart from humans though.
His hair started black, all the roots and such black for a good four inches. And then it faded into every color. A dark shade of every color Harry had ever seen was mixed in, all swirls and twists. It was all pulled back in a high ponytail that flared every which way at the ends. Two long locks and bangs framed his face. The bangs were short and all black while the locks both faded to dark red at the ends. Feathers of brilliant red and blue were tied in the thick hair along with strings of wooden and bone beads.
It was his eyes, not the exotic hair, though, that grabbed Harry's attention.
He had no pupils, the irises being larger then usual also. His irises were a sparkling swirl of red, silver, and bronze, all twirling in a mix together like a whirlpool.
Deep purple tattoos stood out on the side of his face, shaped almost like tiger stripes and lines in red and black. Three on each side of his face, angling down from the tops of his ears to his cheeks. He wore a leather vest that hung open showing his slender build. He also wore a pair of loose pants made of coarse red material.
The man tilted his head, examining Harry almost with curious apathy. His face was soft almost sad and he stood loosely, relaxed.
"Hello." Harry ventured softly, but warily.
"Hello." The man spoke again.
His voice was quiet and hoarse like he was unused to using it.
"What are you doing out here?" Harry asked.
"I live out here." The man returned.
Harry took note that he both looked and sounded young. No older then twenty.
"You?" the man asked curiously.
Harry gave a shrug and kept his eyes on the man.
"Are you…" The man cut off, pausing.
He tilted his head again.
"Are you a demon summoner?"
Harry raised his brow, not showing his surprise at the man's observation .
"Yes."
"Ah." He said like that answered everything.
For a long moment there was silence. The man looked at him, his head still tilted to the side in a curious, innocent look.
"I am a demon." He finally answered.
Harry immediately felt for the link. There. Yes, the man was a demon. The link tying him to this realm was loose meaning that his summoner had either tied it and left him or his summoner had died leaving him still tied to the realm.
"How long have you been in this realm?" Harry asked.
"In human years? I think fifty." He responded softly.
"You have the power to return to your realm." Harry said. "All Demon Creatures do, why have you not?"
"I was banished from my clan when my brother became alpha." He said. "Then I was summoned. When my late mistress released me I felt no need to return because there was nothing waiting for me."
Loving the story so far? There's a whole world of magic and mystery waiting for you with over 85+ chapters still to come! By supporting my Patreon.
You not only get early access to new chapters but also exclusive content, behind-the-scenes insights, and special perks just for fans like you.
Join us on this enchanted journey and help shape the future of the tale. Your support makes all the difference—discover more and become part of the adventure today!
http//patreon.com/BLAKE025
(P).(A).(T).(R).(E).(O).(N)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~