chp 3

It was some days later and the King was in his office at the palace. The grounds were littered with army personnel, the RAF had intelligence planes and patrols criss-crossing the country.

The Royal Navy had a bloody frigate moored off the Palace of Westminster.

The less said about the influx of sailors on the HMS Belfast the better. There would be no tours on the museum ship for the foreseeable future.

He had spent the better part of the day being briefed on the results of the interrogations of the various prisoners and trying to determine their next course of action.

Magical Britain was now firmly under the thumb of The Crown. All magical areas were occupied by Royal Army units in suits of armour.

'Occupied'. The King thought the word with disgust. There was no other word for it really, even if it was Britain's troops on British land.

The King's advisors were split on how to proceed. Half wanted to simply confine the magicals to their own areas and the other half wanted to expose them.

Neither side was malicious in their preferences. Those that wanted confinement simply didn't want magicals accidentally exposing magic. Those that wanted to expose them felt it was in the interests of the global community to ensure that other countries couldn't be subverted as Britain had nearly been.

"Sir, there is a Colonel Fury here." His aide nudged him from his musing. "He somehow managed to bypass security, but the palace guards currently have their weapons trained on him. He said you would know him?"

"Tall, wiry, bald, black man with an eyepatch?" The King asked dryly.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"Dismiss the guards and send him in. Make sure the guards know that they saw and heard nothing." He said firmly.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Less than a minute later Colonel Fury strode in.

"Nicholas, it's been a while." The King said with tired amusement.

Fury just smirked. "I would have invited you over for a drink, but I don't think your subjects would be appreciative."

The King snorted and stepped around his desk and clasped the man's forearm in his in greeting. "It is good to see you again." He said as he indicated for them to sit on the armchairs nearby. "Of course, you certainly look better than me." He said pointedly.

"It's the eyepatch." Fury stated calmly. "Chicks dig it."

"And how do they 'dig' the fact that you are over seventy?"

Nicholas Fury looked at most, in his early forties.

Fury just shrugged. "Never comes up."

"That's what sh-"

"Don't!" Fury interrupted the smirking monarch. "You couldn't pull off slang back in the day and I really doubt that fact has changed."

"Well, down to business then." The King declared somewhat grouchily. "I take it you are here because of the recent magic issues?"

"Just hoping to be the voice of reason."

"Nick, you are rarely the voice of reason. Screamed commands littered with phrases not suitable for polite company? Yes."

"I know you are planning on revealing magic to the world." Fury got to the heart of the matter.

"You are misinformed." The King countered. "That option is one of many."

"It's one you need to take off the table. If you release this knowledge, under these circumstances, the world will fall straight back to witch hunts.

"I've got people breathing down my neck and demanding I step in."

"Which would be an act of war. Especially as your organisation did nothing to aid Britain."

Fury winced at that. "I don't like to act if I don't have to. There was no immediate threat-"

"NO IMMEDIATE THREAT?!" The King shot to his feet angrily. "The bastards were killing my people! Using them for pleasure! They've been playing with our memories! They were living on my bloody back lawn!"

Nick stood up and raised his palms placatingly. "If we had known about that then we would have dealt with it. That one caught all of us with our pants down."

The King stood there, breathing heavily. But he knew Nicholas was being honest.

"Look, if you release the truth about the magical world, we will see a huge rise in inhumane crimes." Nicholas said as he retook his seat. "Witches and wizards will be kidnapped for experimentation and… pretty much slave labour. Magical animals like unicorns will be hunted to extinction for parts.

"South Africa just abolished Apartheid, you and I both lived through the Holocaust and Segregation. This time it will be a near global institution of racism."

"And so the rest of the world has to sit there and accept that their minds can be altered on a whim?" The King argued. "That there are people who are blatantly stealing and abusing them and they might not even remember it?"

"Hell no." Fury scoffed. "If you and other governments want to smack them down for committing crimes then be my guest! I'll even supply some man-power.

"You just can't tell the Average Joe that these threats are out there."

The two men sat there in contemplative and companionable silence for a while.

"You realise it is inevitable?"

Fury growled softly in tired frustration at the situation. "Yeah. My job is to make sure that when it does happen, we are the ones in control."

"Like passing around a large glass jar of nitro-glycerine." The King said in disgust.

"Look, we can't just go on television and radio and just say: 'Hey, there's this stuff called magic. It is used to hurt us. But we've known for a while. Sorry we didn't tell you.'" Fury reasoned with a bit of sarcasm. "But we can try and ease them into the knowledge that the world is bigger than they thought."

The King looked at him with narrowed and suspicious eyes. "I'm listening."

"The kid, Potter. He revealed the Malfoys squatting in your front yard. He took them all out including the top guy.

"But he used that armour. If people saw that armour in use but never got to examine it, they'd eventually start to question it. People see it fly without rockets, turn invisible, deflect bullets… It'll be just like with Captain America all over again."

"Steve Rogers was a product of science." The King countered.

"But back then, people treated science like religion. They didn't understand it, they just put their faith in it.

"We put a few people in those suits of armour and have them out there saving the day and- what?"

The King had a look of dark amusement. "You want the suit of armour that young Harry was wearing?"

"Is that a problem? I assume Hogwarts has a ton. You've got soldiers wearing them now."

He laughed. Nicholas flinched at the sound, it was not a happy laugh. It was the laugh a man gives when the realisation he is beaten finally hits.

"That armour was modified heavily by Harry. He did it whilst under the influence of an overdose of luck potion. The problem now is that the potion has worn off and Harry is unable to remove the armour.

"Over the course of the past night and day, I have had everyone from Royal Corp of Engineers to the Ancient Runes Professor at Hogwarts trying to get it off.

"Their conclusion? Harry is trapped for life in his armour. It would take the power of a god to break the boy's enchantments."

Nicholas sat back in shock. "Damn."

"An understatement, Nicholas." The King retorted.

"I'll have my experts look into it and see if some of my more… 'esoteric' contacts would be willing to help." Nick said firmly. "Hell! At least Steve could take the uniform off at the end of the day!"

"Quite."

Fury stood up and straightened his long black coat. "I want to talk to the kid. Get a feel for him. If his history in handling trouble is right, then I might be able to offer him some hope."

"I- I would appreciate that, Nick." The King said as he stood and clasped his comrade's arm. "That boy… Harry, after all he has been forced to do for this country… he deserves better than this."

%

It had been only a few days since Harry's little adventure at Buckingham Palace.

He was still being kept on the grounds, but not in the palace itself. He was kept with the King's Guard. Most had taken him on as a type of mascot for the regiment, a few were wary of the hulking knight, who couldn't see past his armour to the child trapped inside.

Others outright avoided him. They were 'encouraged' to do so when they started to show levels of dislike that bordered on hate.

During those few days, Harry had been examined by nearly a hundred people. All of them said the same thing: It would take a god to break his armour.

Which sucked as the last recorded sighting of a god was thousands of years ago in Greece.

The King had been down to the barracks to check on Harry nearly every day, he had refused to let Harry give up hope.

Today was different. Today the King had brought a friend.

"Harry, meet Colonel Nicholas Fury. Nick, meet Harry Potter."

Harry moved to offer his hand but then stopped as he remembered he was still trying not to break hands.

The Colonel was looking at him with narrowed eyes. "You really did all this yourself?"

Harry was officially fed up. "You really think you're the first person to ask me that in the past week?"

Whilst the King tried to maintain a neutral expression, Fury simply raised an eyebrow.

"When you've been around as long as I have, you learn to get the answers straight from the source."

"I'll remember that next time I need answers from you."

"Alright, that's enough." The King stepped in, the amusement finally winning that battle with his face. "Nicholas, get to your point."

Fury grunted but stepped forward and looked Harry in the eyes intently. "Everyone who's met you says you are stuck in there. All my contacts say it's probably true.

"I work for a special organisation. We deal with unique situations, usually unique people.

"Have you heard of Captain America?"

Harry shook his head.

Fury's brow raised in shock.

"I lived in a cupboard for ten years." Harry rolled his eyes.

"Right." Fury realised the kid was nearly a blank slate for this. "He was a soldier that was part of an experiment. He was given superior strength, speed and endurance. He fought during World War Two.

"He is the sort of person that would fall under my authority."

Harry's whole posture tensed. "If I'm working for anyone it will be His Majesty. Preferably as part of the Army."

Behind him the soldiers he had been billeted with became decidedly more alert.

"That is not a topic that is up for discussion at all, Harry." The King said firmly. "You are barely sixteen. You will complete your education and then… then you can decide your own path."

"I'm not looking to recruit you for missions, kid." Fury shook his head. "Even if I was, they wouldn't be military missions like you're thinking.

"The past week has threatened the secrecy of the magical world. It was the closest to being broken since the Statute of Secrecy was invoked.

"But it made one thing very clear: The magical world will become public knowledge.

"What you represent is a head start on making sure that, when the secret is revealed, magicals won't instantly be feared. I've read the reports on how you kept the soldiers safe when infiltrating the Ministry of Magic, your armour is based off very simple magical concepts and if we let the world see it at work… they'd see magicals as friends and allies."

"What work?" Harry asked cautiously.

"Search and rescue, environmental disaster intervention, anything that won't involve having weapons pointed at you."

"I can't take the armour off and give it to someone else. I'm trapped."

Fury nodded slowly. "I've got some contacts that might be able to help. But the main point is that you created this." He gestured to the armour. "You must be able to make more so that people can see them at work or use them instead of you."

"You want me to make weapons."

"No." Fury said firmly. "At least, not weapons for armies. I won't lie to you kid, a seasoned operative in your armour could save the world three times before breakfast.

"His Majesty knows who I am and all about my organisation, hopefully he can convince you that, when the time is right, we could use your armour for our agents.

"For now, what we need from you is… safety gear." Fury shrugged casually. "Your armour can deflect bullets, if you could make helmets, chest plates, pants… forget the military application, rapid response teams could enter hurricane and tornado zones to evacuate those who might get left behind.

"Can you make them fireproof? Burning buildings would be no obstacle.

"You get what I'm saying, kid?"

Harry nodded slowly. "Except I don't know where to start. My armour had runes already on it. Someone must have done what I have before. You don't need me."

"No kid, people have created your armour. They tried to build on armour, but you are the first person to successfully achieve a working model.

"When you look at the notes you made, do you understand them?"

"Sure. But I can't see how to break the ones trapping me."

Fury nodded sympathetically at the frustration in Harry's face and voice. "Do what you do, Harry. Make variations on your armour. Play with the runes and see what you can do, you might eventually stumble across the solution.

"Until then, I'll talk to my contacts."

"Let's leave it there, Nicholas." The King said firmly as he stepped forward. "For now Harry has to look towards the rest of his education and trying to make the most of his life.

"Harry, you will be moving out of the barracks today. You aren't a soldier and we've finally managed to set up a place where you can move about freely."

"I don't want to be any trouble, Sir." Harry assured him quickly.

The King smiled softly. "You'd be more trouble here, son."

%

There was one place that the palace never used. A place on the grounds that had ample room for Harry and nobody would care if he accidentally broke something.

And so, Harry found himself standing on the palace grounds, near Lancaster House, staring at what he considered the greatest insult the wizarding world could inflict on muggles.

The former Malfoy Manor.

"You want me to live here?" He tried to hide his distaste.

"It will be some time before we can find magicals trustworthy enough to remove any and all magic on the building." His Majesty explained. "Until then, it needs a custodian and I believe your friend Dobby and his family are familiar enough with the building to maintain it for your use."

The King also hoped it would keep the elves out of the palace. It was getting very difficult to cover up all the unexplained cleaning that the staff prepped for only to discover that the only thing they could do was make a mess.

"Sir… when… when can I see my friends? Will I being going back to Hogwarts?" Harry asked tentatively.

"Let's go inside and talk." The King suggested as he gave a nod to his entourage.

Ten minutes later and the king was seated in an armchair and Harry was perched uncomfortably on a settee. They were in a lush and opulently appointed reading room, complete with a library, table and fireplace.

The King found himself holding a cup of tea in a fine china cup whilst Harry was holding a metal beaker with a straw. It was the only way he could drink without pouring half of it inside his armour.

Harry gave the King an apologetic look for the magically appearing tea. "Sorry about that. I haven't been able to see Dobby and make sure he is okay."

The King shook his head with a chuckle. "Then your new home will give you some privacy." He sipped his tea. "Harry, have you given any thought to your personal future?"

Harry was a mite unsure about where this was going. "My professor suggested being an auror. I'm not sure how that would work now.

"Some of the soldiers were suggesting I ask to join the army. They said the training might help me learn how to move in my armour."

The King nodded. "Yes, career options." He mused. "But what about personally. Have you ever thought of travelling? Do you have a hobby you would like to pursue? You mentioned Dobby and your friends earlier, did you have any plans with them?"

Now Harry frowned. "I… I guess it never came up. I know Hermione goes to France. Ron visits his brothers in Egypt and Romania.

"I've never been off Great Britain." He shrugged.

"And no hobbies? Personal interests? I'm a bit of an ornithologist myself. I also enjoy a bit of archaeology."

Harry was slightly unnerved, the King was now becoming less formal. It wasn't bad, just different.

"I like flying? But, I don't think I could get on a broom in this."

The King chuckled. "Considering the reports I read, you might do better in the RAF."

He put down his tea and leaned forward. "Harry, I might have overlooked something when I said you should live here. Your friends.

"Unfortunately if you want your friends to visit you here then they will need to submit to mandatory security searches. I hope you will not consider that a deterrent to inviting your friends, but you will need to bear it in mind.

"That being said, it is Our intention that you maintain the freedoms of any of Our citizens." The formality crept back in. "If you wish to visit Diagon Alley or your friends' houses then you should feel free to. We only ask that you inform someone so that we can be prepared for reports of a medieval knight wandering the country."

Harry smiled nervously at the King's playful jab.

The King sat back and picked up his tea again. "Talking with you now, I have come to realise that your situation will need further consideration. I regret that you may soon find yourself encumbered with an entourage such as mine.

"I don't want you confined to the magical world, Harry. I want you to feel free to wander Pall Mall or anywhere. Regardless of what you look like."

"My armour can make me invisible, Your Majesty." Harry offered.

"I don't want you to hide, Harry. I told you before; I am aware of your childhood. I want you to be able to travel the world, on your own, with friends… or even in the service of The Crown.

"I want you to be proud of yourself. You have accomplished much in life. Your only real mistake has seen you trapped in that armour."

%

Harry wandered aimlessly through the halls and rooms of the former Malfoy Manor. The King had left an hour ago and assured him he would return the following day.

There were so many rooms. He had no idea why half of them were there. There was a specific room he was looking for but couldn't find.

"Dobby?" He called out, listening carefully for the response.

"Master Harry bes calling?"

Harry jumped at the sudden appearance. "Dobby… I've got to get used to that. People don't normally appear out of thin air in the muggle world."

"Master Harry is a wizard." The elf frowned. "Master Harry can be popping too."

"Maybe. I was too young for the classes this year." Harry shrugged. "Anyway, I was trying to find you. I was wondering where your rooms are."

Dobby frowned in consternation. "Elveses are not having rooms. Elveses are sleeping in roof or dungeon."

"What? Even the kids?" Harry was aghast.

"Oh no. Little elves be staying in old trunk. They-"

"I want to see them. Now." Harry said firmly.

A very nervous Dobby led Harry down to a small room next to the dungeons. It was clearly where the Malfoys kept their instruments of torture, but it had been cleared out by the muggle personnel who had secured the building.

Still, the five elves huddled around the large trunk clearly hadn't dared to encroach on the newly vacant space.

"Off." Harry growled as he reached for the lid.

The elves quickly moved to the other side of the four-by-four foot room. "Please don't be hurtings them!" One of the elves cried.

Harry lifted the lid and immediately felt ill. Four. Four little child elves. One was clearly too young to walk.

"Bring them." Harry ordered sharply. He then turned and stomped out of the room.

Harry didn't bother to check they were following, he simply marched up to the top floor. He was heading for the one room he could understand less than where he found the elves.

He swung open the ornate double doors to the Master Bedroom, he grabbed each of the plush armchairs and placed them on the sides of the bed, transfiguring them into small steps.

He then took the stool from the dresser and placed it at the end of the bed, transfiguring it into a shiny metal slide.

"Everyone on the bed. Now!" Harry addressed the cowering elves.

They quickly scrambled to the edge of the bed and the older elves began lifting the younger ones up. Once assembled they were clearly unsure whether they should sit or stand.

"This room is now the family nursery." Harry informed them sternly, his hands clasped behind his back as he paced before them.

"The children will sleep here until they are old enough for their own room.

"Dobby, your room is Draco Malfoy's old room. The rest of you will get your own rooms as well. This house is huge! I do not want to feel as if I am living here on my own. We will have dinner together and preferably breakfast.

"We can set up a special play area for the kids downstairs where we can look after them.

"Any questions? No? Good." And with that he marched out of the room.

It took a few seconds before Dobby was able to break out of his stupor and hurry after the armoured teen.

"Master Harry! Master Harry! Elveses cannot be sleeping in Master's bedrooms! It's not right!" Dobby said breathlessly.

Harry came to a sudden stop. He turned and bent down so he was nearly nose to nose with the elf. "Dobby… are you trying to tell me what I can and can not do with my things?"

Dobby was horrified. "Dobby would never do that! Dobby is a good elf. Good elves do as Masters say."

"Then you didn't just tell me I can't let the baby elves in my family use one of my rooms?" There was a short pause before he sprang back to standing tall and walked off. "Glad to hear it."

He marched off leaving a very confused Dobby standing there and trying to work out how this new world actually worked.

%

Harry had marched himself into the Kitchen, it was nearly time for dinner so he figured he should get started.

And yet again his new prison showed itself.

He couldn't open the cupboard doors with his large, metal encased fingers. He spent a good few minutes trying before he managed to ease it open and then jam his foot in before it slammed shut.

Unfortunately he broke the bottom of the cupboard with his foot. And several boxes of cereal.

He stood there dejectedly as he watched streams of Rice Krispies and Muesli pour onto the floor.

At least the Weetabix looked ok.

"Harry, the only thing you should be upset about is that you forgot you were a wizard." Arnie rumbled in his head. "You could have opened the door with a spell."

"Couldn't you have said that earlier?" Harry sighed as he tiredly leant against the counter and sank to the floor.

"I'm just a simple bit of magic, lad. I'm here to watch your back and maintain the armour. Any learning I have is a result of my experiences.

"Consider the fact that I spent several centuries on a pedestal and then think about how much the world has changed. About the only thing I recognise in this room is the windows."

"It's a kitchen, Arnie. I doubt stoves have changed that much."

"Harry, I'm a suit of armour. At what point would I have been in a kitchen?" The armour chuckled.

"Master Harry! What happened?" A female elf asked as she appeared in the kitchen and surveyed the mess.

"I was hungry." Harry sighed, trying not to cry as the frustration built with the pain and pressure in his head.

"Master Harry's elves will be taking care of food." She patted his armoured knee. "Master Harry needs to be learning how to be metal man. Metal man can't be making food.

"Elves will make food to feed boy in metal man." She looked at him sadly.

"Thanks." Harry said quietly. Something about the way she looked him in the eyes, past the helmet. It was something he saw even the King had trouble with. They would look at and talk to the armour.

The armour was not another form of protective clothing, it was his cage. He was confined in a cage with only a small slit in the door to see through.

"What's your name?"

"I be Ally." She smiled as she turned and magic'd the spilt food away.

"What's your relation to Dobby?" Harry asked curiously.

"Dobby is Ally's kit." She said proudly. "Dobby is brave like Master Harry."

"Y-You're Dobby's mum?" Harry asked wide-eyed.

Harry hadn't met many elves, but Ally didn't appear any older than Dobby or Winky.

"Oh yes." She smiled proudly. She started summoning cutlery from the cupboards.

"How long have you been a Malfoy elf?"

"Hmm… Ally doesn't know dates. But Ally was nanny to Bad Master Lucius' grandfather."

"House elves are nearly immortal, Harry." Arnie told him quietly. "It was long before my time, but the stories I heard say that a wizard was jealous of their immortality so he cursed and bound them.

"Apparently they used to be considered the most beautiful beings alive."

"Come eat, Master Harry." Ally said as she pulled out a chair at the large table in the middle of the kitchen.

Harry levered himself off the floor and cautiously sat in the chair. He was surprised when it grew slightly to accommodate his bigger size.

He tried to pick up the spoon but… his massive gauntlets couldn't manage it.

"Master Harry is a special wizard." Ally said sternly. "But Master Harry needs to learn to think more." She waved her hand at the spoon and the handle became much larger, larger than a ladle would be. But the rest of the spoon stayed the same size.

"That's… That's so stupidly simple." Harry was gobsmacked. "Thank you so much Ally."

Ally smiled at him. "Master Harry is not allowed to touch anything with his metal hands for a whole week. He is only allowed to use magic."

Harry smiled back, he understood she was essentially training him.

"Master Harry!" Harry jumped as Nobby popped into the room. "Mister King Sir is here with a large fairy."

That was a sentence he never expected to hear in his entire life.

And that was coming from someone trapped in a suit of armour being served by a small elf.

Still, he wasn't going to keep the King waiting.

%

Harry wasn't exactly sure what he was supposed to be doing. The King had introduced him to the large fairy. Said 'Large Fairy' turned out to be a fourteen-year-old girl.

However, she had a pair of large rainbow coloured butterfly wings that looked like they were made of glass.

Oh… and pink hair… but, probably not as big a deal as the wings.

"Megan was found by my soldiers in the Department of Mysteries. When you lead the recon party a few days ago." The King said gravely as he sat in an armchair.

Megan was on the couch whilst Harry was sat in the other armchair.

Harry remembered that very well. He was focused on the soldiers not getting caught by compulsion charms and staying as far away from the brains and the veil as he could.

"She is a muggleborn witch who was born with wings. I would like her to stay here with you and your elves."

"Elves? Like me?" The girl asked with hope. She had a strong welsh accent.

"My experts tell me you are more likely descended from Fairies." The King smiled at her. "I would like you to act as an escort for each other if you decide to wander around London.

"Of course, you do still need to inform us when you intend to leave and, as you are both minors, you will be back before curfew, ten pm."

"Sir, I can pass my armour off as a weird costume, but… those wings clearly aren't fake." Harry grimaced.

The wings would twitch now and again.

"I wish I never had them." Megan pouted.

"They are absolutely beautiful, my dear." The King said sternly. "You should take pride in them."

"What do we tell people if they ask?" Harry queried.

"Have either of you heard the term 'mutant'?"

Harry shook his head.

"The bad men… they said I was part mutant. They never said what that meant though."

"Mutants are a new type of people that are emerging. They are humans, but like magicals, they are different. They do not always look human and sometimes they have special abilities that seem like magic.

"They are not secret like magicals because they do not have a separate society.

"If anyone asks, just tell them you are a mutant. That is what the doctors have determined you are." He told the girl kindly.

"What if people try to kidnap me again?" She asked in a small voice.

"Then I shall move Heaven and Earth to bring you home."

%

Harry had thoroughly enjoyed the look of horror on Megan's face when she was introduced to Ally. She was clearly terrified that she might look like that one day.

But, Harry did assure her that she wouldn't. Even if he was simply trusting the King's word.

Ally was clearly thrilled to have a female child to fuss over. According to the mother elf, there hadn't been a female born Malfoy since Lucius' Great Aunt.

Harry was back in the large room where he had killed all the Death Eaters. He was trying very hard to maintain a constant hover above the ground.

"Wow!"

There was a horrible crash as Harry lost control and hurtled into the ceiling.

He could hear the giggling as he fought to pry himself out of it.

He soon landed on the ground with a crash, flat on his back.

"Nice landing."

Harry glared at the welsh girl as she stood over him smirking. It would have been more effective if his visor was up.

"How about I make one of these for you?" He asked snidely. "Then we'll see how well you can fly."

"I can fly perfectly." She said primly as her wings fluttered and she hovered over him.

Harry grumbled under his breath as he tried to get up.

"I want to go out."

Harry froze for a moment. He then looked at the girl who was hovering at his eye height. "In public?"

"Anywhere!" Megan grumbled. "I wanna see shops. Animals. I wanna see magic!"

Harry relaxed. "Ah, you want to see Diagon Alley."

"No!" She stomped her foot mid-air. "I want to see the palace from the outside. Oxford Street, Regent Street… London Zoo!"

Harry sighed. "Alright. I'll ask about getting out."

"The King said we just had to tell the soldiers." Megan sniffed imperiously. "I'm going to see them now and then I am going-"

"Fine! Fine. I'll come." Harry groaned.

%

Apparently the Met Police had been informed about Harry and Megan and the ones in charge of security and escorts had been instructed to provide a discreet escort when they asked to leave the grounds.

The two teens were getting quite a few stares as they walked down Pall Mall. It was the summer holidays so there were a lot of sightseers, both locals and foreigners.

Discreetly trailing the duo were several plain-clothes officers.

"The sun is so hot!" Megan grinned as she raised her hands above her head and stretched. "I can't even remember it."

"How long were you in the Department of Mysteries?" Harry asked as he tried to ignore the stares.

Megan shrugged. "Dunno. Since I first made it to Kings Cross for my first year at Hogwarts. I never made it to the train. I don't remember what happened."

"So about four years." Harry nodded. "Where's your wand?"

She made a noise that sounded like 'I don't know'… except without consonants.

"Well, we should probably go and see Ollivander. He can get you one."

"I don't have any money." She dismissed the issue without a care.

"I can handle it." Harry stopped and looked between himself and Megan. "Have you been on a bus with your wings? I'm not sure I can make it on."

"Why don't we fly?" Megan asked as she fluttered up to his eye height.

"Ok, gonna stop you right there." One of the men trailing them stepped up. "His Majesty wants you to be able to come and go, but he also wants you escorted.

"Just let us know before hand and in the future we can arrange transport."

"Are you an angel?"

The group turned to see several small children staring up at Harry and the floating Megan. They all looked to be around six-years-old.

"Don't be silly! She's a fairy." A little girl corrected her friend.

"Looks like a giant butterfly." A boy groused. He turned to Harry. "Why are you wearing that?" He asked.

Harry shrugged. "Better question: Why haven't I taken it off?"

"Because you're her knight in shining armour." Another boy said with certainty.

"Did you kill a dragon?" One of the girls asked with shining eyes of awe.

"Did you kiss her?" Another asked.

"Ewww." Came the collective response from the boys.

Harry looked down at the little midgets. "I am what happens when you don't listen to your parents. I played around with this armour when my parents told me not to. Now I am stuck in here and this pixie has to help me."

"It looks so cool!"

Harry knelt down in front of the boy. "I can't play in water. I can't change my clothes. I can't sleep in a soft bed. I can't play with toys.

"This isn't a play thing… it's a cage. All I can do is stay near the palace and protect the King."

"But Miss Pixie will look after you, right?" One of the girls asked with hope.

"'Course I will. I still need to teach him to fly properly." The pink haired girl grinned as she alighted on Harry's metal shoulder.

Harry stood up quickly causing Megan to squeak as she wrapped her arms around his helmet to keep steady. "Well, we need to get back to the palace.

"Remember: Obey your parents, eat your vegetables and clean behind your ears!" Harry wagged his finger at the children making them giggle.

As Harry turned and walked away with Megan on his shoulder they were treated to the sounds of farewells to 'Mister Knight' and 'Miss Pixie'.

%

Harry and Megan arrived back at the palace gates and were escorted into the palace itself. There, Harry was surprised to see Ron and Hermione waiting nervously.

"H- Harry?" Hermione asked cautiously.

He flicked his visor up. "Yeah… it's me."

"What happened?"

"I angered the goddess of luck." Harry shrugged as he sat on the two seater sofa. Megan perched on the arm, the other two teens sat on the edges of two high-backed chairs. "This is Megan. Megan, meet Ron and Hermione."

"Are you some sort of giant fairy?" Ron asked, staring gormlessly at the girl.

"I'm a human." Megan glared at him. She was joined by Hermione.

"Humans don't have wings!"

"Are you a… a mutant?" Hermione asked carefully.

"Apparently." Megan shrugged. "They found me locked in the Department of Mysteries."

"Oh… so you're a magical creature." Ron said knowingly.

"I'm a human, arsehole." Megan growled.

"Sure… like a giant or veela."

"Ron. She's human. Accept it and drop it." Harry glared.

"Where are your parents?" Hermione asked.

Harry's glare turned to her.

"Swansea." Came the apathetic response.

"Are they coming to pick you up?"

"I'm going back to the mansion." Megan said as she stood and marched off.

Harry didn't stop her and he didn't stop glaring at Hermione until he heard the door close. "The Unspeakables wiped her parents' memories of her. They don't know Megan and they now have a serious hate for the unusual and especially the magical." Harry said tersely.

"Maybe you should think more before the pair of you open your bloody mouths!"

Ron appeared more annoyed than anything, but Hermione was clearly appalled by her own slip.

"Now, tell me what happened at Hogwarts. I've read the official reports but tell me what you know."

"Bloody muggles came barging in. Used some sort of shield and killed a few Death Eater kids." Ron shrugged. "After that, they arrested Snape and sent us home.

"Not like I'm gonna say no to more holidays."

Harry rolled his eyes and turned to Hermione… who he also caught rolling her eyes.

"Lieutenant Flint was attacked by a seventh-year Slytherin with the Killing Curse. His enchanted shield… wait, isn't that the shield?" She frowned as she saw the thing slung over Harry's back.

"Yes. Go on."

"But why do you have it? Why are you even in that armour?"

"Hermione, if you want me to answer your questions… answer mine first." Harry retorted.

Hermione wanted to argue… but she was never one to have bad manners. Well, usually.

"We don't really know much else. We were sent to our dorms until more soldiers with shields came and escorted us to the Hogwarts Express.

"Now answer my questions."

"Really?" Harry asked her in disbelief. "That was all you had to tell me but you couldn't manage that before demanding answers from me?"

Hermione just glared at him.

"I am stuck in this armour because of runes and an overdose of luck potion."

"How can you overdose on luck potion?" Ron muttered.

"Because Neville The Arsehole Longbottom surprised me and then didn't help me when he saw me choking on the vial that he caused me to swallow." Harry growled. "First thing I'm doing after I get out of this thing is punching him on the nose."

"But how did that lead to you being trapped in medieval armour?" Hermione pressed.

"Because the luck potion pushed me to the runes and armour. I made it so secure that only I could take it on and off… from the outside.

"By the time everything had settled the potion had worn off and I was stuck."

"You had enough for twelve hours! Surely there must have been some time to try." Hermione argued.

They all jumped as a new voice sounded behind them.

"In those twelve hours, Mister Potter captured one terrorist in your school. He created the most advanced rune enchanted armour ever seen. He stopped an invasion of terrorists on your school. He confronted and defeated the head terrorist and his subordinates and then he helped secure the Ministry of Magic."

Hermione was on her feet with her head bowed as the King of England stood there with an aide and guard. Harry followed suit.

Ron was just confused as he lounged in the chair. "Terrorists?"

The King regarded him with an unimpressed look. Neither the guard nor his aide looked happy.

"I believe you have visited enough for today." The King said impassively. "Harry, come along, I want to talk to you and Megan."

Ron opened his mouth to object but merely squawked in pain as Hermione jammed her foot on his.

%

Harry apologised profusely to the King for his friends' disrespect, but the King refused.

"People should apologise for their own mistakes, Harry. If we do it for them then all they will see is others making it ok for them to make those mistakes.

"Eventually they will believe that they aren't making mistakes and will think they are entitled to their behaviour."

The King hadn't wanted to talk to Harry and Megan, he had been listening in and decided to rescue Harry from his rather rude friends.

He had arranged for the pair to go to Diagon Alley the following day and suggested that they might meet some friends there.

%

"Hi Mister Ollivander!" Megan chirped as she bounced into the wand shop, Harry behind her.

The old man jumped, his hand on his heart. "Good grief." He gasped. "This is why I prefer dealing with children for one week only." He muttered.

"I need a new wand. My last one was stolen."

Ollivander looked at the winged girl and frowned. "I'm sorry, where did you purchase it from?"

"You, dummy!" She said exasperatedly.

"My Dear, I remember every wand I've ever sold. I do not remember yours."

"But you did!"

"Meg… what if they erased everyone's memories of you?" Harry asked quietly from the front of the shop.

Megan looked horrified.

"I beg your pardon?" Ollivander was likewise. "Someone has been erasing everyone's memories?"

"The Department of Mysteries kidnapped Megan Gwynn as she tried to board the Hogwarts Express. Aside from holding her captive and experimenting on her, they also erased the memories of her parents and anyone who met her." Harry explained.

"That's barbaric! I assume it is because of your wings, Miss Gwynn?"

The girl nodded sadly.

"Then the recent change in government has been for the better. Especially after last year's treatment of you, Mister Potter." He said darkly.

"The King has taken guardianship of myself and Meg."

"Good." Ollivander rubbed his forehead before shaking himself slightly. "Let us focus on happier events." He smiled. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Miss Gwynn. You remind me so much of the pixies in the countryside.

"Can you tell me what your first wand was made of?"

"Dogwood and unicorn hair, Sir."

"Hmm… dogwood is what I would expect of someone with traits of a pixie." Ollivander smiled wryly. He then huffed. "No, a great disservice was done to you, Miss Gwynn. We will test my wands against you, but I will contact my peers and see if we can't find a perfect match."

In the end they left with another dogwood and unicorn hair wand, but the wand maker was insistent that he would owl them as soon as he had news.

"Was there anywhere else you wanted to visit in the alley?" Harry asked as they exited the shop.

Megan gave a disappointed sigh. "No. I just remembered it being so much brighter and happier."

"That's because you were eleven and it was all new." They turned to see Hermione walking up. "It was also filled with other children buying supplies for school.

"Right now the place is empty.

"I'm sorry about yesterday, Megan." Hermione said sincerely.

"I's fine." Megan mumbled.

"You got your wand?" Hermione asked.

Megan smiled at the magical focus she was still holding. "Yeah… now I have to learn to use it."

"Harry is an excellent teacher. He can get you started on the basics before Hogwarts restarts."

"But you're only fifteen." Megan frowned she frowned at the wizard in armour.

"Sixteen… Harry… did no one remember your birthday?" Hermione scowled. "I couldn't send you anything because I didn't know where to send it, but surely someone wished you a happy birthday."

"It was only last week, Hermione. I've been busy trying to learn more runes. Megan didn't know it was my birthday and neither did Dobby."

Hermione growled. "Come. The least we can do is have an ice cream."

Hermione sent them to sit at one of the outdoor tables whilst she ordered. The shop was as empty as the street.

"Right bossy-boots, that one." Megan groaned as she sat on the edge of the chair.

"Give her a chance to settle and she isn't all that bad." Harry shrugged. "Not going to try out your wand?"

"I don't know any spells."

"Hold it and say 'lumos'."

"Lumos. Whoa! Totally cool!" Megan grinned.

"Put that away!"

Megan jumped at Hermione's scolding voice.

"It's illegal to use magic out of Hogwarts for children."

"No… that's changing." Harry said calmly. "It is only illegal to use it outside in view of people who don't know about magic.

"You can do all the magic you want for your parents. Maybe I should send them an owl so they know their daughter can do all the household chores for them." He smirked.

"Don't make me tip that ice cream down your visor, Harry." Hermione glared at him.

There was a clang as the visor seemed to shut on its own.

"She does and I'll have her over my knee and spank her." Arnie grumbled in the helmet.

Harry chuckled.

"I assume you aren't coming back to Hogwarts, then?" Hermione asked.

"It's not like I can use a wand properly. Most of the spells I can do are point spells or wide gestures.

"I'm thinking of joining the army."

"What on earth for? Would they even let you join like that?"

"Some of the soldiers said it might help me learn to live in my armour. I asked His Majesty, but he hasn't said anything.

"I know he wants me to build a new sort of armour though."

"He's making you make weapons?" Hermione asked sceptically.

"No, armour. Stuff that will let people enter burning buildings and the like."

"Oh… can your armour actually do that?" She asked curiously.

"My shield can take multiple bullets at once and it sends them right back. Found that out the hard way." Harry scoffed. "I don't know if I'm allowed to talk about the details though."

"I suppose the details would be covered by the Official Secrets Act." Hermione nodded. She turned to Megan. "So what about you? No Hogwarts?"

"With these wings?" Megan waved a dismissive hand.

"You'd be surprised. Our grounds keeper is a half-giant."

"And the potions professor is a bat in disguise." Harry smirked.

"Harry!" Hermione chided. She turned back to Megan. "Professor Snape is not a nice person, but he isn't going to be at Hogwarts, I think. He was arrested at the school with others."

"Ah, vindication." Harry breathed happily.

"I assume you had them arrest Draco Malfoy?" Hermione sighed.

"Well, he did confess to the torture and murder of a young girl and serving a known terrorist and having the Dark Mark and-"

"Yes, yes, I get the point." Hermione frowned.

"No, you don't." Harry said. "I also caught him in the very act of allowing a group of Death Eaters into the school to kill all muggleborn.

"Like you."

"I've been stuck in a cage for four years…" Megan tapped her chin thoughtfully. "But I think the thing to say is 'thank you'."

Hermione gritted her teeth. "Thank you, Harry."

"So what are you doing with the rest of your holiday?" Harry asked.

"Relaxing, reading, studying. You?"

"Trying to get out of my armour."

"Yes, I can see that would be your focus. Maybe you can send me a copy of your notes so I can research."

"Can't." Harry sighed. "The King asked me to keep them classified. You have to have special permission to see anything I make."

"But… " Hermione frowned as she looked at his armour carefully. "Wait, I can't see any runes."

"They are on the inside."

Hermione's brow went up. "You managed to inscribe runes in such a small space? How?"

"I bent the inscribing tool."

"But still, you wouldn't be able to see what you were doing!"

Harry shrugged. "Didn't seem to matter."

Hermione rubbed the bridge of her nose in frustration. "Harry, has anyone tried putting a mirror or endoscope in your helmet?"

"No, why?"

"Because they might be able to see what you did and… maybe, see if you scratched or over-wrote some runes." Harry clearly didn't understand. "Just have someone try what I said."