Chapter 25: Hail Harry Potter, King of Camelot
On their first official morning in the magical land that they now called their realm, Harry and Hermione awoke, as always, in each other's arms, the Holy Knight of Thunder – though he now started to refer to himself as simply the Arch-Knight – smiling proudly as he looked at his betrothed, his Knight, his Queen, before he sat upright and, running a hand over a rather tender spot on his shoulder, examined his surroundings.
He and Hermione were lying in a four-poster bed with semi-transparent silver curtains, the posts of the bed made from gilded marble, a golden serpent or dragon winding around the posts; their room was as majestic as it was fit for royalty. A large bay window led out onto a balcony that overlooked the flowery fields of Camelot, the morning sounds of the town below them making Harry feel that sense of home, though that may have also had something to do with the fact he now had his Mother as well as his external family. When walking back into the room, Harry would find himself standing next to a large marble bookcase that seemed to actually pull itself outwards, allowing Harry access to a private armoury and storage case, a walk-in wardrobe was placed on the other side of the room and, leading out of the door, the main bedchamber then descended down up into the apex of the tower where Harry's room was situated, the inhabitant of the room finding himself in a large, grandly-designed bathroom with not only a bath for relaxing, but a second tub that was about a ¾ the size of an Olympic swimming pool.
Going downstairs, Harry would find himself in a private study and main meeting room before the door out of there found him in the halls of Camelot, the other rooms for his friends all situated around his, similar to a rotunda that would match the Knights of the Round Table.
For now though, back in the bedroom, Harry smiled once more, bent down and placed a soft and gentle kiss on the lips of his Hermione, the Holy Knight of Ocean fully awake as she looked into the silver and emerald eyes of her lover, her voice still sleepy as she whispered, "Good morning…my King."
"Good morning my Queen," Harry replied, moving out of bed and, stepping into the walk-in wardrobe, his voice carried out to her as he asked, "What are your plans for today?"
"Well," Hermione replied, "I was thinking breakfast with my betrothed, before we went to explore our new realm in more detail followed by a little training with Seba and the Order; how about you?"
Emerging from the wardrobe, Harry heaved a sigh, his body now dressed in a well-fitting red and gold shirt that bore the Crest of Camelot, his lower body covered by a soft, almost silk-like pair of dark green trousers, the suit covered by a silver robe that bore Harry's personal phoenix crest, the eyes of the King looking sadly at Hermione.
"Sorry love," he sighed, "Before we went to bed last night, Merlin wanted me to meet with him and the Lords in the throne room: they want to talk more about where my powers go from here and how I can unlock the potential that Ragnok told us about last year."
"So it's a no to breakfast?" asked Hermione, watching as Harry sat down on their bed, the young King now pulling on a pair of black leather boots that he had found, a bolt of lightning along the edge of the boots as he tried to avoid her eyes. As if she had seen this in him, Hermione crawled across their bed and wrapped her arms around her betrothed's shoulders, placing a soft kiss on Harry's neck as she continued, "I'm sorry Sparky; I didn't mean to sound selfish there. I should have understood that, now that you're a King, you'll have duties to attend to."
Her disappointment had Harry suddenly dropping his second boot, before he grabbed Hermione's hand, rounded himself and placed his lips against hers, his eyes closed as he savoured the moment; when they parted, Harry and Hermione rested their heads against one another, the Arch-Knight finally responding to her as he told her, "I may be a King now Hermione, but you are my Queen: I'm sorry that I have to do this, but you have my word that I will make it up to you. Merlin explained that the meeting wouldn't take longer than an hour at the most, so how about we skip breakfast and have lunch with the family? Then afterwards, you and I can go and check out these stables we noticed and we can go riding: just the two of us?"
"Promise?" asked Hermione, smiling at the thought of riding with her White Knight.
"A King never lies to his people," Harry reminded her, "Especially those who mean more than his own throne and crown to him. Hermione," he placed another kiss on her forehead before he turned and, retrieving his boot, continued getting ready as he continued, "You and your happiness are worth more to me than all the gold in my possession and the crown that I possess combined. I would give up my throne, crown, hell, even my Knighthood, if it meant I could stay at your side for the rest of my life. Don't you ever forget that Kitten, because I will always mean it."
His dressing complete, Harry stood up and turned to her, Hermione smiling almost playfully as she asked, "Lose something…my King?"
Scratching his head rather thoughtfully, Harry answered, "Yeah; the crown that Merlin gave me after your kiss yesterday: I could have sworn I put it on the side-table before I went to sleep: where oh where could it be?"
With another smile, Hermione withdrew a circlet of gold that was as big as two of Harry's fingers, the golden design inlaid with a mix of blood rubies and emeralds, a single bolt of lightning adorning the front of the crown, the design of the bolt made from diamonds. Seeing the playful look in Hermione's eyes, Harry dropped to one knee and, just like he had done the night before, he bowed his head, watching as Hermione finally stood up, her slim body making Harry feel like the luckiest guy in the world.
Hermione, seeing her boyfriend kneeling before her, gave a light-hearted giggle as she placed the crown upon his head, the diamond-encrusted bolt shining in the morning light as she commanded, "Arise Harry James Potter, King of Camelot."
HPHG
Neville Longbottom-Potter was also, at that moment, feeling pretty lucky himself; here he was, waking up in a bed in a realm that most of magic believed not to exist anymore, with his soul-bonded and fellow Holy Knight in his arms, the warm environment of Camelot making them feel safe and secure. When Harry had been crowned the previous night, Neville had shown only pride and a true sense of loyalty to his Lord, friend, Knight ally and brother in blood; he owed Harry so much for everything that he had failed to do in their earlier years. Learning that he and the new King of Camelot had once been as close as brothers and then having Harry entrust his family, his secrets and his future to the young Longbottom had shown Neville a new side to the once-known Boy-Who-Lived.
Looking to Luna's sleeping form, Neville heaved a sigh as he recalled how the two of them had met: it had been the day that Harry and the now-aptly-named Dead Man Walking had flown a car to Hogwarts. Neville had been looking up and down the compartment for his friends when he'd come across two Ravenclaws known as Anthony Goldstein and Marietta Edgecombe harassing a then unknown first-year; when they'd seen Neville approach, the two had laughed, but stopped when, though he'd never told Harry, Hermione had appeared and told them to leave unless they wanted to see what those who fought back looked like.
Learning her name was Luna, Neville had gone to thank Hermione, but she seemed preoccupied, which was the reason that she probably hadn't remembered Luna when they'd met at the end of second year. Inviting her into a free compartment, Neville had gotten into several deep conversations with her and then gave her his word, almost like Harry to Hermione that she would have a friend in him and that he wouldn't allow her to be bullied any longer.
It was on that day that the lion within the so-called Squib Longbottom had finally begun to rear its head and, when Neville had heard the conviction in Harry's voice on the day that he had announced himself as Hermione's girlfriend, it was like the lion cub had become the secondary Alpha to the Pride with Harry being the Alpha Male himself.
Even then, as he thought about how he had matured, Neville still recalled what had happened in near-perfect detail:
Flashback
Gryffindor Tower was alive and well with the recovery of its House ghost, one of its first-years and its resident bookworm and one half of the pride of Gryffindor.
So, when Harry walked into the tower, his eyes scanning the room like a man on a mission, the first to approach him was Neville, who asked, "Harry, how's Hermione doing?"
"She's doing a lot better Neville," Harry replied, a warm smile on his face as he added, "In fact, now that she has someone to love her for being her, she's like a whole new Hermione."
"Yeah," Neville agreed, before he caught Harry's knowing look, the penny dropping as he asked, "What? You and her?"
"Yep," Harry smiled, "And I don't care what anybody else thinks: I love her and will always stand with her; now, have you seen Oliver anywhere?"
"Quidditch field," Neville replied, before he watched with shock as Harry seemed to stride past him, making his way to the boys' dormitory; almost a few seconds later, the portrait hole swung open again and Ron walked in, looking around the room with a mix of curiosity and someone who was searching for something specific.
"Oi Longbottom," Ron called out to him, "Seen Harry?"
"Dorm," Neville replied, "Hermione's recovered."
"That's good news," Ron laughed, Neville cringing at the look of sudden joy in his eyes; he had never said anything to Harry, but he'd always hated Ron and his need to be in the spotlight. Well, it was time to see just how that loyalty went and if the Weasley really did deserve a place at Harry's side as he had always boasted.
"Yeah," Neville agreed, "And it gets better: Harry and Hermione are now boyfriend and girlfriend; I've never seen Harry look so happy, but then again, when you think of who it took to get petrified before somebody actually did something, it's no surprise."
"What the devil are you on about?" asked Ron, "You got to be kidding; Harry and…that! She's not good enough to be with the Boy-Who-Lived; oh," he suddenly laughed, "I get it; yeah, nice one Harry."
Then, Ron walked off towards the Gryffindor Dormitory, Neville waiting a few moments in which he had himself asked if it was true by Dean and Seamus, before all three of them walked off in the direction of the dorm, Neville cringing again as he heard Weasley's voice.
"Harry mate," he seemed to laugh as if he had just been told a funny joke. "Neville just said that you and Hermione were…" he gave a hollow laugh before he asked, "That you were…boyfriend and girlfriend?"
"Yes," Harry replied, before holding up his notes, "And now I'm going to give her these before we make plans for the summer together."
The door to the dorm opened and Harry watched as Neville, Dean and Seamus all walked in, the Irish half-blood congratulating Harry while the dark-skinned lion simply gave Harry a friendly nod of his head, obviously recognising the fact that Harry's love for Hermione was genuine: nobody would be stupid enough to question otherwise, would they?
Obviously, Dean forgot that they shared a dorm with Ronald Weasley, the human incarnation of the term open mouth, insert foot.
As Harry reached the door, Ron scoffed as he whispered, "Good of Harry to take pity on her."
"What?" asked Harry, stopping dead, Dean and Seamus sharing a look as if recognising the signs of an approaching blow-out: in their two years with Harry, they had only seen his reactions a few times, but, as Ron appeared to be a lot denser than he first appeared, he didn't see what they did. As they had discovered, there were two stages to Harry's anger: when he was annoyed with someone, Harry would yell and scream until he eventually knew the limit and went somewhere to cool off: that was like a Force 3 tornado; however, with the second stage, it was a Force 12 earthquake and it all began with Harry standing tense and straight, his hands at his side, his lips pursed and almost bloodless, his eyes screaming murder before, with but one more word, the snake would strike and the lion would rip a whole new world of trouble into its victim.
"Well," Ron laughed, ignoring the warning signs from his fellow Gryffindors, "She's not exactly good-looking is she? More of a practice girlfriend if you…"
His next words were cut off by a move that seemed to come out of nowhere, Harry's fist colliding with the side of Ron's jaw in a motion that was faster than lightning: then the Hurricane, as the other boys described Harry's 2nd stage, struck the boys dormitory. Harry leapt on top of Ron, fists flying and Harry tearing into the Weasley boy as if he cared about nothing more.
Thinking quickly, Neville cast the first spell that came to mind, "Petrificus Totalus!"
The effect was instantaneous: Harry was frozen in place, his arms and legs bound to his side, his body now dropping off Ron's, exposing a clearly bleeding Weasley's face, his jaw slightly distended and his nose looking even more crooked than Dumbledore and Snape combined.
"Harry," Neville remarked, "I'm going to release you, but you can't kill him: he is an idiot, I won't defend him from that, but to strike out like that is just wrong. We think you and Hermione make a good couple and encourage you to spend as much time as you need to together; other than that, there nobody else's opinion that matters."
When Harry's eyes, which were seemingly alive with energy and magic, finally softened, Neville released the young Gryffindor, before handing him the notes he'd dropped and, with no real remorse, then stepped over the groaning Weasley, before he held out his hand, "If this git can't accept you, then allow me to take his place in the Gryffindor Trio: I'll make sure that no-one abuses your Hermione and I'll keep your anger in check."
"Thanks Neville," sighed Harry, gathering up the last of his notes before he shook the boy's hand, "But why?"
"Because," Neville answered, "In our past, there has always been a Potter and a Longbottom working together and I'm not going to betray that brotherhood. Now, why don't you get yourself back to Hermione and we'll take care of the garbage?"
End Flashback
'Harry was a wild animal unleashed on that day,' Neville thought, watching as Luna stirred in her sleep, 'He was still a boy and now he's more of a man than most of the men in Hogwarts; I'm glad I chose to stay at his side.'
As he clambered out of bed to get ready, Neville thought about a saying he'd heard when he was younger: it was better to be at the devil's right hand than in his path.
Harry was no devil, but he was a raging volcano that threatened to erupt without warning; power like that was not something you wanted to stand in the way of.
As he emerged from his own wardrobe, dressed in a dark-red suit and white trousers, a golden cloak bearing the Holy Knights' Phoenix Crest over the suit, Neville smiled to himself before he walked across the room and, reaching into the storage case, produced a sword that Harry had given him the previous year; it had been after he'd given Hermione the sword known as Nimueh.
Unsheathing the sword, Neville stared at the detail and craftsmanship involved in the blade: the hilt was gold in design with a jade emerald in the pommel, the cross-guard bearing an image of a lion and dragon crossing one another, but it was the blade itself that impressed Neville. The blade was iridescent red and burnished with the same magic as Nimueh, though Harry, possibly out of some sense of irony now that Neville thought about it, had named the blade with the title of one like Harry, one of Camelot: Lancelot.
'Now,' thought Neville, 'If I remember my history, Lancelot had Guinevere and Harry sees Hermione as Guinevere, so I'd better not get any ideas of making history repeat itself.'
"Why would you?"
Neville looked up, smiling as he saw Luna now awake, his soul-bonded likely hearing his thoughts through their bond; keeping his smile on his face, Neville sheathed Lancelot and returned to his bed, placing a light kiss on Luna's lips as he answered her, "I'd never even think of trying to divide Harry and Hermione…not when I have you."
"I'm glad," replied the Knight of Sky, "Because before Harry got his hands on you, you'd have to deal with the fury of the skies over your head."
"Believe me Luna," Neville replied, placing another kiss on Luna's lips as he held her in his embrace, "I would sooner impale myself with Lancelot and Excalibur than abandon you or disappoint my brother in blood."
Luna was just content to snuggle against Neville's chest, the Knight of Fire recalling one last conversation that Harry had spoken of when he'd Knighted Luna:
Flashback
"Is…is she…"
"She is," answered Harry, "Once again, it seems that destiny has a sense of humour and history repeats itself."
"How?" asked Hermione.
"Because," Harry explained, "Like another pair we know, Luna and Neville now match one another; he is the Holy Knight of Fire and she, Luna Lovegood, on this day, has become the newest member of the Order: the Holy Knight of Sky: just like Godric and Rowena."
End Flashback
'The brave and the bold,' Neville thought, 'And I intend to prove myself worthy of that little repeat in history.'
HPHG
Lily Potter felt only contention in her heart when she heard the warm laughter coming from the hallway beyond her room, the strong sound of boots on stone telling her that Harry was obviously making his way down to the throne room for his meeting with the Lords and Merlin. However, as she listened, Lily suddenly stepped back when she heard a knock on her door; opening it, the newly named Knight of Light found her son standing there, looking every inch a King, Hermione on his arm.
"Morning Mum," Harry smiled, tucking a stray strand of his black hair behind his ears as he spoke, "I was wondering if you wouldn't mind keeping an eye on Hermione while I meet with the Lords?"
"I don't see why not," Lily agreed, "Sirius and Remus should be up any minute now, so why don't we have breakfast and then Harry can meet up with us after the meeting?"
"Sounds like a plan," Harry nodded, before Lily smiled when the two shared a warm kiss, Harry now releasing the arm of his beloved into the care of his Mother, before he turned on his heel and began to walk down through the halls of Camelot towards his meeting.
Had he looked back, he would have seen Lily smile at Hermione before she stepped aside and suggested, "Why don't you come in Hermione? I've been wanting to speak to you about something anyway."
HPHG
Moving through the halls of Camelot, Harry memorised the route from the Tower Chambers to the throne room, his poise and stance indicating the feeling of nerves combined with the strength that he knew he had to hold as a King. Every now and again, Harry came across guards within the castle, easily recognised thanks to their white uniforms and red Holy Knight Crests, each of them bearing a halberd, war-scythe or glaive in their hands, indicating their rank and station in the castle. The guards of the King, who would wait outside the throne room or the entrances to the castle, would bear the halberds; the defenders to the more private areas, such as the King's private wing and, as Harry had learned, treasury and weapons vault, would bear the war-scythe while the general guards would carry a glaive or sword, each of them giving Harry a salute as he walked past them.
Reaching the throne room, Harry saluted the two guards outside and stepped into the throne room of Camelot, his face now showing an air of surprise when he saw the Lords and Ladies of Nature all waiting for him, all seven of them sat on corresponding chairs in a circular formation, Harry's own throne at the head of the circle.
Seeing him approach, Merlin rose to his feet and bowed his head, "Your Majesty, King Harry, there you are: did you sleep well?"
"I did, thank you Merlin," Harry replied, a part of him wondering if this was similar to how Merlin treated Arthur back in the times of the original Camelot and the Knights founding. "I apologise for my lateness to the meeting: matters arose concerning my dear Queen."
"Is Lady Hermione unwell?" asked Artemis, her own look now falling on the King as Harry smiled at her.
"No," he answered, "I just had to give her a rather romantic reminder that there was nothing more important to me in this world or that of my own than her love. I hope that all here remember that fact as well, won't you my Lords and Ladies of the Elemental Order?"
"Yes your Majesty," they all replied, Harry now taking his own throne, Excalibur once again tying itself to the side of his throne, the king sitting with one knee curled over the other, his fingers linked before him in a pose of regal strength and comfort, the eyes of the King on each of the Lords.
"Now," Harry asked, "You said that this meeting was for the sake of my potential and station as Arch-Knight, so what exactly does that mean?"
It was Zeus who spoke first this time, "As you already know, Your Majesty, you were born to be one of my descendants, a Holy Knight of Thunder; however, when we looked at your lineage and realised just who you were, we paid a visit to your world and watched you from afar. Two of Artemis' blood-kin, the centaurs, kept a watch on the activities and reported directly to her concerning anything surrounding your destiny."
"These centaurs?" Harry laughed, "They wouldn't be called Bane and Firenze would they?"
"Yes they would," Artemis answered, her soft voice reminding Harry of an older Luna as she spoke, "They told us of when and how you used your power, what you did to protect those nearest and dearest to you and they also told us of how your power became stronger through the Ritual of Release."
"That being said," Merlin picked up, "I must ask you now, my King: when you performed the Ritual of Release and met the souls of Godric and I in that darker world, did you do so of your own will or was the Ritual mentioned to you?"
"Not so much mentioned," Harry replied, his linked fingers now resting against his knees as he spoke, "More indicated: there was a notation and full explanation of the Ritual inside the Potter Family Codex, no doubt from my Grandfather or one of my ancestors. I told Hermione of the risks involved and how it would help us tame our elements and, since then, I have not gone one single day where I have regretted my decision to perform the ritual. Now, Merlin, I have a question for you!"
"Ask away Your Majesty," Merlin replied, watching Harry carefully, his ancient, magical gaze making Harry feel more like the child wizard he was than the King that he was.
"The Ritual of Release allowed me an easier time accessing and using the elements," Harry explained, "But my power has mainly been focused around the element of Thunder; in fact, the only time I had to use the elements as a whole was when I saved my Hermione from a danger that she would not have been able to come back from."
"Yes," Minerva remarked calmly, her voice as soft as a summer's breeze, yet holding the same magical tinge to it that all the Lords possessed, "I remember the reaction from Zeus that day: your two friends, Bane and Firenze, told us of the magical, elemental spike and we knew that the time was close. If I may be so bold, my King, would you allow us to visualise that memory, or rather, the point where you used the elements as a whole?"
"I will," Harry replied, before he rose from his throne, stepped into the centre of the circle and, looking to the Lords, nodded once; to his surprise, it was Artemis who performed the rite. Reaching out, the Lady of Darkness seemed to juggle her fingers like she was manipulating a puppet on her strings, Harry's mind suddenly going back to that day. At the same time, Artemis' dark eyes began to glow and, as the memory intensified, Harry suddenly gasped as the room around them changed to show the exact events of that day, Harry comparing the experience to what had happened in Tom Riddle's diary.
Flashback
"Malfoy," Harry growled, "Wrong question!"
Excalibur's blade began to crackle and spark, Harry's silver eye now glowing with the full power of the elements at his command as he pushed his sword outwards, the blade unleashing a torrent of white lightning that struck Malfoy, Harry's voice cutting into him. "That's for calling her a Mudblood!"
He then turned his lightning on Ron, the red-headed asshole screaming as the full power of the storm coursed through him, "That's for doing what I sincerely hope you weren't trying to do."
Lowering Excalibur, Harry then sheathed his sword, placed his hands together, a torrent of ice, snow, fire and lightning all coming together as he looked to the two guilty party, his voice now like thunder as he boomed, "And this is for trying to think that you could harm my Hermione and get away with it!"
Thrusting his hands out, Harry watched as the four elemental powers coalesced and struck the two still hanging wizards, Malfoy suddenly becoming a mix of ice and fire that formed hard crystal, sealing him in place while Ron was less lucky; the snow and rain from Harry's summoned storm enveloped him before the lightning appeared to burnish the collection of elements, freezing him in place, both of them looking more like Christmas Tree decorations than proud wizards.
End Flashback
The images around them suddenly began to recede, Harry feeling thankful for Artemis not seeing anything more than she needed to; as the throne room became its normal self, Harry went to sit down, but stopped when Zeus told him, "Hold on one moment Your Majesty; we're not done yet."
"Oh?" asked Harry, "Was there another time? I only know of that one."
"There was one more," explained Minerva, "Involving the end of your year; it was a brief moment, but still displayed the power on hand and, once you see it, you will understand just what we mean by your full potential."
Once again, Harry found Artemis manipulating the darkness of his memories and his mind, the room once again changing into the second occasion that the Lords spoke of.
Flashback
Ron was about to argue when Dobby took him away, Harry now rounding on the spot to face the threat of the werewolf that was now standing there before both he and Hermione. There was a terrible snarling noise. Lupin's head was lengthening. So was his body. His shoulders were hunching. Hair was sprouting visibly on his face and hands, which were curling into clawed paws. Remus the wolf must have stood some 7 or 8ft in height, his fur-lined body now a mass of muscle and feral appendages that threatened the safety and life of the beings before the dark beast; yet, as he stood there, Harry looked to the skies and an idea came back to him.
"It's the moon," he whispered, watching as the wolf raised one of its giant paws; however, before it got close, Harry gasped as a wave of ice rose from the ground, sealing the beast in place; without turning his head, Harry whispered, "Thank you Hermione."
Holding Excalibur to the skies, Harry poured all of his power into his summoning, the raw magic of the Holy Knights now coursing through both blade and bearer as Harry seemed to glow, his silvery eye shining brightly, Excalibur's blade emitting a wave of white magical light that shot straight into the sky, an ominous rumble of thunder sounding from overhead.
"Come on," Harry whispered, his voice showing plea, "It has to work; this time it has to work: please!"
His prayers…went answered; moments after the light had hit the skies, a large series of thunderclouds began to cross the skies, thunder, lightning, hail and rain all drowning Hogwarts and the area around them in what would later be described by Muggles as the most violent storm in decades.
As the moon was completely blocked out by the thunderstorm summoned by the Holy Knight, Harry lowered Excalibur, wiped his brow and looked to Remus, his face now twisted into a smile as he saw his theory was proven right.
Remus Lupin, now human, lay on the ground before them, covered only by a shabby black robe and a cloak, the ice that Hermione had sealed him in now being melted by the torrential storm.
End Flashback
"You manipulated the skies," explained Minerva as the images fell, Harry now returning to his throne as he listened to her, "Not to mention the curse of the darkness that all werewolves suffer; however, when you summoned the storm, you had no idea of the power that you would call, hence the violence of the storm."
"I think I understand," Harry nodded, "When I saw him, Remus Lupin, who is here with us in Camelot, I just seemed to know what was meant to happen and what I was meant to do. All I really remember doing is summoning the storm and then, when I was done, I saw Remus was human again, but, Lady Minerva, are you saying that it was darkness I manipulated and not the storm?"
"To summon a storm alone," explained Zeus, "Takes strength of will and a focused mind: you had both when you summoned that storm, but without limiting your power, you would have left Scotland in a hurricane that would still be going on now. This is what we mean by your true potential: in the wizarding world, such a power is known as a Stormcaller or Thunder Mage, but you, as a Holy Knight, as the Arch-Knight, possess that power inside you."
"As for your question," Artemis continued, "My answer is yes: you manipulated the darkness through your will to block out the moon. Now, of course I don't want you to try it, but if my guess is correct, then you, Harry Potter, Arch-Knight and King of Camelot, may possess the magical prowess and strength to cure Remus Lupin of his curse, turning it into a gift and…"
"And you think I'm not going to try it?" asked Harry, suddenly springing to his feet in shock and rage, "Lady Artemis, Remus is my best friend and practically my Father figure, as is Sirius, as is Hermione's Father Dan; if there was any chance, no matter the risk, then of course I'd want to help him. What do you think you're trying to say in telling me I can't?"
"Nothing," answered Artemis, "Except this: if you don't tame your powers, all seven of the elements that you can now command as Arch-Knight, and you do try to cure Remus Lupin…or any werewolf of their curse; well, then you…you would die."
Harry only had one thought-spoken reaction to that little point;
'Shit.'
HPHG
After the meeting with the Lords, Harry made his way back to the towers, his mind still lost in what Artemis had said about him trying to cure Remus: without taming his powers, it could kill him. To relinquish one life of its curse, Harry would pay his own in penance if he didn't learn the full extent of his power; it was a law of magic that Merlin explained was as old as time, but, as Arch-Knight, Harry would have the power to do it, but only when he had fully grasped the power of the seven elements: Earth, Sky, Fire, Ocean, Light, Darkness and Storm.
He wasn't even fully aware of his power over Storm yet, so would it be some time before he was able to offer Remus the cure; to learn the full power, demonstrate he could use it and then officially tame it could take months, if not years.
As he contemplated the downside to his training, Harry overheard voices speaking from a room to his left, followed by sounds of laughter and Hermione who asked, "So Harry was always powerful?"
"He was," Lily's voice answered, Harry peering round the open door to see a banquet hall, though without the banquet, all his friends and family gathered around a table where one chair was empty; Harry figured that was where he would sit in meals. Even then, he was the head of the household and it was something that he wasn't so much going to take advantage of. No, it was more of a case that he would guide, lead, rule and, when it was necessary, ask for advice: that was how a proper King did his job.
Keeping to the door, Harry listened as Sirius took up the conversation, "Know what I remember about his magic? The Strawberry incident."
"You still remember that?" asked Lily incredulously, a loud barking laugh telling Harry that it was something of a funny nature; now he understood what Professor McGonagall had meant when she'd said that an Animagus would adopt the traits of their form.
"What happened?" asked Hermione, Harry hearing a sound like chairs scraping as if they were shuffling closer.
Deciding that this was a cue to go for it, Harry stepped inside, his voice carrying as he asked, "What did happen Mum? Not even I remember the Strawberry incident."
"Really?" asked Lily, "I'm sure it was in the book that Hagrid gave you…unless…damn him!"
"Lily," Sirius warned her, "I think you should tell him: might be nice for Harry to have some childhood memories."
"All right," Lily replied, before she looked to Harry as she added, "But if you get embarrassed, it's his fault."
"Why?" asked Harry, now moving to the chair at the head of the table.
"You had just turned one year old," Lily explained, "And your dad had brought home a cake with strawberries on it; well, being the big kid, he gave one to you and when you started crying, there was this magical rush and, when I came to check on you, all I heard was James yelling Lily, duck and cover. Opening the door, I found you with a monster of a strawberry in your hands and you were laughing joyfully; then, when you went to bite it, there was this loud bang and the whole thing went all over the kitchen."
"What did James do?" asked Remus, "I don't ever remember him telling us about that."
"He didn't tell you," Sirius explained, "Because it was during the time that I was their Secret Keeper: I'd gone to wish our pup a happy birthday, knocked and gave the magical checks so that you knew it was me, opened the door and what do I find? I find a life-like statue of Prongs covered head-to-foot in strawberry gunk, Harry and Lily both laughing at him."
Everyone burst out laughing at that thought, Harry now wiping a tear from his eye as he looked to his Mother before he asked, "What had happened? Accidental magic?"
"Not exactly," Lily explained, "Your dad had decided to play a birthday prank on you and put an Inflation Jinx on the strawberry; however, when he'd yelled for me to get down, the magic I'd felt was you. Somehow, you'd created a shield around you and I and all the gunk that had meant to cover you like a painting was instead given to your Dad. I was laughing for hours when we were done and James always said he'd get his little Prongslet back for what you'd done."
"So why wouldn't I remember it?" asked Harry, before the answer seemed to come as quickly as the question, "Dumbledore!"
"That's my guess," Lily agreed, "In wanting you weak and malleable, he must have stripped you of your childhood memories so that, when you think of us, all you'd think of was our deaths."
"But once again," Harry remarked, "He was wrong: I have a vague memory of those times but you Mum," he suddenly started laughing as he got the image in his head, "You've put an image in my head that gives a whole new meaning to the term Sweet Dreams."
Sirius, Remus and Neville all laughed at the image while Harry, gently tucking a strand of hair behind his ear, felt his fingers run over his crown; a soft smile crossed his face as he thought on one thing that now, thanks to Camelot and the Knights, would never change:
Harry James Potter, King of Camelot, would always have his family…in mind, body and soul…
Chapter 25 and Harry seems to have started down the path towards the Knight and King that he is, but will he be able to tame the elements enough to offer Remus his cure?
Also, with memories of his childhood coming back, can Harry find the innocence that he seemed to have lost whenever he grew angry?
Keep Reading to Find Out;
Next Chapter: Sirius and Remus have a few choice words for the Order, but why does Tyler seem so distracted? Also, as their summer begins to disappear, Harry meets a new ally in Camelot…
Chapter 26: Wind Beneath My Wings
After their talk, which also included a light dinner for the Knights and their allies, Harry returned to his room to change out of his regalia and into some more comfortable robes, before he met back up with Hermione and, looking to his friends, gave a smile as he explained, "If you'll excuse me everyone; there's a certain Princess of mine who I've been neglecting as of late and I promised her a little trip."
"Have fun you two," Lily smiled, watching as Hermione took Harry's hand and left the meeting hall, Dan, Emma, Neville, Luna, Sirius and Remus leaving moments later, which just left Lily with the Order, the eyes of the Holy Knight of Light watching Sebastian warily before she asked, "How's he been?"
"He's growing up Lady Lily," answered Sebastian, his formality returning around the Knight, "Seeing you has brought out the innocent child I once saw, but he is growing up with every day."
"And are you keeping your word to him?" asked Lily, "Are you protecting him?"
"We are," Elora replied, her own eyes watching her former Lady, "Though there was one occasion when we thought we had failed."
"When was…" Lily began, but her words were cut off when, to the surprise of the Order, Tyler Kingston rose from his seat, inclined his head to the Knight of Light and left the room, Sebastian shaking his head sadly as Lily finished, "…that and what's wrong with Tyler?"
"The event is hardest on him," explained Sebastian, "It was some time ago, but Tyler still feels the guilt: he is young, barely even twenty, yet he has as strong a heart as Lord Harry."
"Why?" asked Lily, "What happened?"
"In a word," explained Dante, "Dumbledore."
Hearing the word was almost as bad for Lily as most of the wizarding world hearing the name of the Dark Lord; facing the Order, the Knight of Light seemed to become the fierce vixen that she had been known for as she commanded, "Tell me everything!"
HPHG
Tyler wandered solemnly back towards his chambers, his mind stuck on the fact that he was finally here, within the walls of Camelot, his Lord and Lady were safe and his Lord had a treasure as great as Lady Hermione back by his side. When the team had begun speaking of the event in question, however, Tyler had felt a familiar iron weight of guilt worming its way inside him combined with a sense of loss and friendship.
Most of all, Tyler couldn't help but think of the appearance-changing witch that had become his friend and been there to aid and protect Harry and Hermione when they had needed it. Being raised to become one of the Order, Tyler had never really known the emotion of love, but he had known what it felt like to be drawn to someone that you would give your life for; Harry showed enough of that.
It was her, the face-changer known as Nymphadora – though she had asked that no-one use that name – Tonks who had helped him overcome the misery of the event that nearly lost them their Lord;
It was her that had helped Tyler understand the friendliness and warm emotions around their Lord;
It was her that had helped him to become more of a friend and trusted brother to their Lord rather than the obedient, loyal soldier;
And yes, the more he thought about it, the more he saw it for what it was: it was Tonks who had started to help Tyler understand the feelings of compassion and readiness;
What he needed now was someone to talk to; someone that could help him understand these feelings even more than he did now.
However, with Harry busy ruling Camelot and the others preoccupied with the tasks at hand, Tyler knew that finding that particular someone was going to be almost impossible.
Unless he talked with her family, Tyler would never be able to tell her how he…wait;
He stopped in the corridor, a small smile crossing his face as he remembered something, 'Her Family,' he thought, 'Sirius is her family; I can talk to him.'
Turning on his heel, Tyler doubled back and made his way to the chambers where Sirius and Remus were staying, his mind still focused on the ever-changing appearance of the girl that, though he couldn't understand the meaning, had captured his attention.
He only hoped that, when the time came for him to reveal how he felt for her, Tonks would understand the feelings of the young warrior more than Tyler did…
HPHG
The stables were located on the western side of the castle, their strong stone foundations and slate roofs making Harry feel like he was walking into an average house. With Hermione at his side, Harry raised his voice before he called out, "Hello: is there anyone here?"
"I'm here," a young male voice answered, Harry and Hermione now peering into the stables to see a young man in his twenties making his way towards them, the eyes of the man – a deep jade green that appeared to become grey at the edge of the iris – widening when he saw who was standing at the entrance. Dropping to one knee, the man spoke with a more formal tone, "Your Majesty, forgive my rudeness; I am honoured to meet you: how may I be of service to the King?"
"Get up," Harry commanded, though his voice was calm as he spoke, "My Queen and I require two horses for a long, private ride through the countryside and for more sociable uses."
"Of course my King," the man replied, bowing his head as he added, "If you would follow me sire."
Shrugging ruefully to Hermione, who had given Harry an almost amused grin at the young man's loyalty, the King of Camelot followed the young stable master inside, the sounds of horses whinnying making the Holy Knight of Ocean gasp as she lay her eyes upon them. Many different breeds of different ages, size and colours seemed to fill the stables, the young man who had led them inside now speaking to an older man that Harry assumed was the real master.
"Makes you feel like you're in the real olden days," Hermione reasoned, watching as the older man appeared to inspect the horses before he turned and began walking towards Harry and Hermione, "A master and an apprentice."
"Possibly," Harry agreed, watching as the elder stable master bowed at the waist, his hairline receding with age and experience, his hands thick and callused as he linked them together.
"Your Majesty," he remarked, speaking with a thick voice that rumbled like thunder, "I am informed by my squire that you require horses for riding?"
"That is correct," Harry replied, deciding that it would be better to appear as the strong King that the people were seeing him as, "Why? Is there a problem?"
"No my King," the master explained, "I was just wondering why you did not take a look at the Royal Gardens? That's where the Royal Family's personal stallions and their sires are kept."
"That's my fault actually," Harry admitted, "As you may be aware, we have only been in the realm for all of two days; I haven't really gotten used to the layout of the Kingdom yet: perhaps you could show us the stable?"
The master seemed to be taken aback by the request, before he bowed again, Harry aware of his hand gesturing to his squire, as he had called him, "It would be my honour, my King: if your Highness would allow me a moment to finish things here, I can take you straight there."
"Thank you," Harry replied, watching as the master left his side, the eyes of the King now watching the squire, who seemed even more nervous since the request had been made. Without turning to her, Harry asked Hermione, "Is it just me Kitten or do you get the strangest feeling that there's something about these Royal Stalls that the people are intimidated by?"
"I know what you mean Sparky," Hermione answered, watching as the squire went to work on one of the stalls where the less-regal horses were obviously kept, "I wonder if there's something about our new position, or rather your new position that the Lords didn't tell us."
The master was returning, "I'll speak to Zeus later," Harry remarked, before the man bowed once more to him and gestured with his hand.
"If you would follow me Your Majesty," he led Harry out of the stables and round towards the main building of the castle, away from the main entrance where Harry and Hermione were both surprised when they found a cobble-stone pathway that led through a majestically-beautiful garden: it was decorated in wreaths and streams of ivy and holly, roses, daffodils and snap-dragon flowers growing all around the outer edge of the garden while the greenery of the grass seemed to be kept to perfection. In the centre of the garden was a beautiful crystal fountain that held an image of seven swords set in an almost star-like formation, the tips of the swords spewing water into the pools at the base of the fountain. Two large evergreen trees grew on either side of the garden, the ivy then crossing an archway that led out towards a single building that led out onto the fields surrounding Camelot.
"It's beautiful," Hermione whispered, before she looked to the trees and, when he followed her gaze, Harry understood why: the leaves on the trees weren't green at all, but a gorgeous, almost shimmering mix of gold and red as if the tree was in the autumn.
Pointing them out, Harry asked, "Pardon me Stable Master, but can you tell me anything about the trees?"
"Of course sire," answered the man, "Lord Gaia planted those himself; he calls them Bronzewood trees; a very magical variety that people in the human realm believed to have died out some time ago; despite their appearance, the trees never lose their leaves, which are actually used in the magical glaze that strengthens most magical suits of armour and, indeed, in wandmaking.
'I wonder if Ollivander has heard of this,' Harry commented to Hermione, 'If not, perhaps I'll speak to Gaia and see about getting some wood sent to him.'
'I'm sure he'd appreciate the gift,' Hermione agreed, following the stable master through the arch and out towards the building; two guards, both bearing glaives and – much to Harry's surprise – what appeared to be staffs in their free hand, stopped the man at the entranceway.
"No-one may enter the Circle without the permission of His Majesty," one of the guards exclaimed, before his eyes fell on Harry and both he and his partner straightened up, both of them saluting, "M-my Lord: I did not see you there: forgive me."
"It's all right," Harry told them, "I asked him to bring us here; tell me, does the Circle have any Masters to look after it?"
"No my Lord," answered the guard, "The Circle is protected and seen to by the magic of Lord Gaia, the Lord of Terra; none but Your Majesty has ever entered without permission."
"Really?" asked Harry, now looking to the stable master as he asked, "Your squire, what's his name?"
"Herec, my Lord," answered the master, Harry nodding with understanding as he faced the guards.
"From now on," he explained, "This area will still be protected by Lord Gaia's magic, but I now place the one known as Herec in charge of the Circle and keeping the area in perfect condition: see to it that he's paid for his services and offer him a place in the town so that he can be close to his work."
"Yes Your Majesty," both guards and the stable master saluted at Harry's request, before the Arch-Knight stepped past them and entered the Circle; it was an amazing stone building with two large stalls and seven smaller areas that Harry supposed would be for the personal steeds of the Holy Knights. However, when he looked in one of the two, a gorgeous sight caught his eyes as standing before him was no horse, but a fully-grown, black-coated, silver-eyed Pegasus.
"He's beautiful," Hermione whispered, before Harry turned and, as he had guessed, he found a second, equally-gorgeous, albeit white Pegasus in Hermione's stall, the Holy Knight of Ocean petting the creature's mane fondly.
"Stallion or mare?" asked Harry.
"Mare," Hermione replied, "She called to me; Pegasi are rare, but their magic is more powerful than we've believed."
"What's her name?" asked Harry.
"She says," Hermione explained, "Her name is Freya and she has existed since the time of our third predecessor; she has sired many, but her loyalty has always remained to us and to Camelot."
Turning away from the white mare, Harry entered the stall of the dark stallion, his head lowered in respect as he hoped that the creature had no reason to attack him: they had covered unicorns in the lessons with Hagrid, but Pegasi, which were a relation to the black unicorns because of their wings, were alert creatures and ones that they were yet to cover.
Reaching out with his mind, Harry felt the mind of the stallion reaching back to him; keeping himself calm, as he felt only strength and an unusual surge of light energy, the King of Camelot spoke with his mind, 'Noble Pegasus, Winged Stallion of the Skies, I am Harry Potter, King of Camelot and I seek permission to ride you.'
'You have it Silverbolt,' a magical, almost musical male voice answered, the use of the word Silverbolt confusing Harry for a moment, but he kept himself calm as the voice continued, 'My name is Raiden, named by Lord Zeus himself and sired in the presence of your fifth-generation predecessor; the Lords of Nature blessed Freya and I with life eternal so that we may always be at the service of His Majesty and his Queen.'
'So Freya came two generations after you?'
'She did,' Raiden answered, 'She is the one who has held my affections since our blessing and I have helped her fulfil our duties to the King and Queen as and when we are needed.'
'So,' Harry decided to go straight to it, 'Now comes the important question: how do we ride you? I don't see any reins or saddle and, not to worry you, but my Queen is a bit uncomfortable with heights and flying.'
'You must put your trust in us,' Raiden explained, 'That will form a shield around us that will stop you from falling and allow you to enjoy our flying experience; if it is your will, Young King, I will take your Queen and you may ride Freya.'
"Harry?"
As Harry turned to Hermione, he actually gasped with a bright smile on his face as he saw her already sat on Freya's back, the eyes of the Holy Knight of Ocean seemingly shining with an excitement that Harry had not seen in a long while.
"You did it?" he asked, almost sounding incredulous as he asked, "You trusted her?"
"She called to me," Hermione explained, "As yours called to you; what's his name?"
Turning to the stallion, Harry nodded, stroked his newfound friend's muzzle, feeling only soft, velvet-like black fur under his touch, "I trust you," he whispered, before Raiden crouched down and allowed Harry to clamber onto his back, the magic that the Pegasus had spoken of seemingly fixing Harry to the back of the stallion as he looked to Hermione.
"His name is Raiden," he explained, before he nodded to the entrance of the Circle, "Let's ride!"
HPHG
The silence in the skies over Camelot was suddenly broken by two loud voices crying out in elation, Harry and Hermione moving, swerving, diving and generally gliding through the blue oceans of the air, the sunlight reflected through the feathers of Raiden and Freya's wings, the two Pegasi moving and remaining as close as possible so that their bearers were able to enjoy each others company.
'This…this is amazing!' Hermione gasped, watching with a sense of wonder as Harry seemed to perform several loops and spirals ahead of her, Freya following suit, giving the image of a black and white corkscrew that spun through the air. 'Harry, I'm…I'm not scared.'
"You shouldn't be," Harry replied out loud, Hermione then laughing when she saw her boyfriend's position; he was gliding on Raiden's charmed back, upside-down over her head, his long black hair tickling Hermione's face as he spoke to her, "I told you once before Mione; I'll never let anything happen to you and anyone who dares to doubt me will bear witness to the power of the King of Camelot and Arch-Knight of the Elemental Order. Mind if I right myself up now?"
"I would," Hermione laughed, before Raiden swooped sideways, clearly from a mental command from Harry, the two royal Knights now side by side as they began gliding back towards the castle. Beneath them, Hermione smiled with awe and wonder when she saw the courtyards, turrets, bridge-ways and town areas of the kingdom that she ruled at her Harry's side. Moving through the skies above Camelot, Hermione felt her fears being taken not only by the magical protections of their steeds, but also by the presence, both physically and mentally, of her powerful King of a boyfriend.
"Raiden," Harry suddenly commanded, Hermione looking to him as she heard him out loud, "Can you take us to the highest possible landing area in Camelot?"
The Pegasus seemed to reply in the positive as they flew towards the circle of towers that loomed over the castle; however, as they approached, Hermione gasped when she saw it: there, right in the middle of the towers, seemingly linking them together like spokes on a wheel, was a majestically decorated ornate garden filled with different water features and providing a perfect view of the rolling countryside. It was to here that Harry directed his loyal friend, Hermione asking Freya to follow as they made their way towards the garden; just like the take-off, the touch-down was soft and almost graceful, Harry helping Hermione to dismount like the regal knight that he was, before he turned away and added, "You two can return to the stables; Hermione and I can get down from here."
"We…we can?" she asked shakily, watching as the two winged horses seemed to obey their King's request; once they were alone, Harry turned and walked over to the edge of the courtyard, his eyes on the scenery around them as he seemed to be planning some unspoken plan for what was about to happen.
As if he had made up his mind, Harry turned back to Hermione and held out his hand, the Queen of Camelot taking his hand as she looked into the mystical shine that seemed to have taken root within her boyfriend's gaze.
"Hermione," he whispered, "Put your arms around me and then…trust me."
"To do what?" asked Hermione, though she obeyed his request; as soon as her hands were firmly around his athletically-built frame, Hermione got her answer, a gasp escaping her lips as she felt the winds suddenly gather around them, Harry remaining ever-vigilant as he held onto her. Suddenly, before Hermione could say another word, the winds picked up, or rather, picked them up, both Holy Knights now actually hovering a few inches off the ground. Putting her head against the chest of her boyfriend, Hermione whispered, "H-Harry; p-please…"
'Trust me Kitten,' Harry told her mentally, 'I'll never do anything to harm you or put you in danger; wasn't that my promise before I asked you to become my girlfriend?'
'Y-yes,' she answered shakily, her mind and emotions being calmed by the thought and memory of that moment, seemingly a lifetime ago, where Harry had told her that he would keep her safe. With confidence and trust in her boyfriend on her side, Hermione watched as Harry channelled the winds to lift them, the towers now disappearing as they began to float higher and higher, the avionic creatures of Camelot flying past them as Hermione admired the views and the feeling of flying in her boyfriend's arms like he was some kind of magical Superman.
'Can you read my mind?' Hermione wondered, doing her best to keep her thoughts on her boyfriend even though she knew that the answer to that question was yes. She had heard the saying once before when she was young and, lost in the moment, Hermione realised just how she felt similar to that moment. 'Do you know what it is that you do to me? I don't know who you are; just a friend from another star; here I am like a kid out of school, holding hands with a God; I'm a fool. Will you look at me? Quivering; like a little girl, shivering; you can see right through me. Can you read my mind? Can you picture the things I'm thinking of? Wondering why you are all the wonderful things that you are; you can fly; you belong in the sky; you and I can belong to each other. If you need a friend, I'm the one to fly to; if you need to be loved, here I am: read my mind.'
It was only when Hermione came back to herself that she realised the floating feeling was suddenly very damp, her eyes looking up into the gaze of her boyfriend and what she saw was both awe-inspiring and curious.
Harry was looking into the light of the sun, his face not showing sadness or loss and yet, as he seemed to hold her, he was in tears, those same tears filled with the same silvery essence that Hermione had seen once before.
"Sparky?" she asked, causing him to look at her.
"Yes," he replied softly, before leaning his head down and brushing his lips against hers, "I can; I love you Hermione."
As they touched back down in the central court, Hermione's thoughts were only on the kiss, her eyes closed as she savoured the taste of her boyfriend's lips, his power seemingly infusing with her as he held onto her.
He was the same person that he'd been, yet different and greater than ever before;
He was the wind beneath her wings;
As long as he held her, Hermione knew that she would never have to fear flying or being in danger as he would be there, her Superman, to protect her.
'I love you too,' Hermione replied mentally, the day's presence turning into night as they enjoyed each others presence…
A sort of interval Ch 26 and a means for Harry to never forget what is most important to him, but with 4th year approaching, can he keep his vow to be there for Hermione?
Also, with the Knights returning to the real world soon, how will the wizarding world react to the return of Lily Potter and how will Hogwarts see the new King of Camelot?
Keep Reading to Find Out;
Next Chapter: Training in the elements gives Harry an insight to the events that are to come; he is forewarned about the TWT and told of Riddle's return; plus, it's back to their real lives and Harry finds that there are some demons that just won't learn to stay dead…