6

The weather in Peru was lovely this time of year, according to the locals. Sunny without being blistering, warm without being cooked, and a lovely breeze that never quite stopped blowing. Remus had suggested they stop in a little town called Aguas Calientes on their way through Peru and Sirius was able to find a quiet little restaurant that was tucked away from the crowds of tourists, magic most likely. His fathers were pleased, but Harry just couldn't find it in himself to care. Sure, he paid lip service as to keep his fathers worry about him low, but it was clear they still suspected something was wrong with him. Even his interest in his books and learning had begun to wane.

"A penny for your thoughts?" Sirius asked as he poured some sort of warm drink into his cup.

"Sorry, father. Just lost in thought. Going to be ten soon and wondering what might have happened if we stayed at home. Or in Britain, where we're from," Harry sighed as he sipped the drink, finding it a bit warm for the weather but good nonetheless.

Remus sat down across from Sirius and set down some strange pastries while waving an envelope between them. "A new letter from Andromeda?" Sirius was clearly surprised, and nearly choked out on his drink seeing the letter. Harry looked up and watched his fathers talk shop, he hadn't heard much about Andromeda lately.

"Yes, it seems so," Remus sipped on his own drink while Sirius reopened the letter to read himself. "She asks how we are, but spends most of the letter talking about Narcissa," continued Remus as he grabbed for a pastry.

"Narcissa?" Sirius scrunched up his nose in thought and read through the letter quickly. "Cissy is having problems in her marriage? Can't say I'm surprised," Sirius handed the letter back to Remus.

"Why do you say that?" He asked while taking another of the pastries to eat and seeing the look on Harry's face smiled and tore it in half giving one piece to the boy.

"Despite what they like to tell you, Pureblood marriages are almost never happy ones. They're all miserable, so they take solace in their social elite status to feel better," Sirius shrugged. Harry tilted his head to listen better as they talked, 'Pureblood' was new to him.

"It must be especially bad if she's back in contact with Andromeda. She's a Blood Traitor, like you," replied Remus with a thoughtful look into his drink.

"Narcissa was always close to her sisters. She's very family driven," Sirius exhaled. "It's possible that Lucius has done something truly despicable and she's reaching out to the only family that won't turn against her. Still, it must have been a big gamble, Andy was really hurt once her sisters stopped talking to her."

"Everyone else is dead, disowned, or in Azkaban. Poor dear," Remus pulled the letter from Sirius to read. "Her boy…Draco," Remus made a sour face, making Sirius chuckle, "is only a month and a half older than Logan here. I wonder how he's related to you?" Remus mostly asked himself.

"Related far enough away that I don't care?" Sirius replied, mostly in jest.

"Well, Narcissa is a first cousin on your mothers' side, third on your fathers'. That would mean Draco is that, once removed," Remus stated smugly, making Sirius rolled his eyes.

"Wait," Harry spoke up, "You're related to Narcissa on both sides?" He asked somewhat disturbed. He heard the jokes about kissing cousins in the United States while they traveled there but this was very real.

"Yes," Sirius sighed heavily, "Blood purity is an ideology that remains very strong in Great Britain, so there tends to be a lot of intermarriage within the Pureblood families. So much so that all Purebloods are related to one another several times over."

"Pureblood?" Harry was now thoroughly confused as he voiced his thoughts from earlier. That word had never come up in his books but he had two well informed dads to help. "What's that word mean?"

"The term 'Pureblood' refers to a person born with magical purity. A lot of people where we're from believe in keeping magical bloodlines free of those believed to be 'unworthy'," Remus explained

"Who is considered unworthy?" Harry asked slowly as he followed the explanation.

"According to Purebloods, many people. You got your Muggleborns, those born from two nonmagical parents. Blood traitors, Purebloods that were disowned for going against tradition. Halfbreeds, people who are part human and part something else. Goblins, Veela, or Giants, for example," Remus continued.

"Werewolves," sighed a resigned Sirius.

Remus nodded sadly as he took a sip before continuing, "Halfbloods, or people with at least one magical person in their bloodline, are kind of a grey area in the Pureblood ideology. Not outright shunned, but not really embraced either," Remus made a hand motion that really didn't translate, "They're judged on a case by case basis."

"I'm glad you took that," Sirius smiled handsomely at Remus. "I had no idea how to explain it."

"Should have studied more then," murmured Remus into his drink as Sirius barked out a laugh.

"Let me see if I got this straight," Harry started, trying to get his head around the barrage of information. "People from home see a problem with marrying someone with no magic in their bloodline, but are fine with inbreeding?"

"Yeah, basically," Sirius stated while nodding.

"Yikes…" Harry muttered, causing his fathers to laugh. His fathers continued to talk about the letter, but Harry zoned out of the conversation again. He was tired already and he had only interacted with his fathers a little bit. He needed to get away for a little bit.

"Mooey? Dadfoot? Can I go explore?" Harry asked sweetly.

"Are you sure you want to go alone, pup?" Remus inquired, clearly concerned.

"Yeah. The weather is nice and I want to see if I can scare some old ladies," Harry joked, getting a laugh from Sirius, but a disapproving look from Remus

"Ah, why not? We've been on the road a lot the last couple weeks," Sirius waved Harry off

"Just, please stay safe, alright?" Remus added, still concerned as he tagged the boy with a tracking charm just in case.

"I will!" Harry tossed over his shoulder as he got up from the table and scampered off down the road.

The roads through the town were relatively open with only a few groups of tourists visiting the shops. Harry had been told by some old female mages in Bolivia that Machu Picchu was a place that the Incan people had once used for magical ceremonies and suggested he go there. There may be something there for him, so that's where he was now heading. The main road of Aguas Calientes lead out of the town and slowly wound it's way up the mountain towards Machu Picchu.

Groups of tourists began passing him, warning him that a storm was heading their way and that it was already beginning to rain on the old city. Harry assured them that he was just grabbing something before heading back to the main town. He had no intention of going back just yet, but he needed to get the well-meaning strangers to leave him alone. As he continued on, he began feeling the first raindrops of the storm, so he cast a spell to prevent the water from making him wet and another one to keep him warm.

Harry walked around the ruins, happily unburdened by any other people. The old buildings were just that, old, but they did have a steady thrum of magic coming from them. He began getting bored after walking around for some time without finding anything.

"Stupid stupid stupid," a strange voice groused.

Harry stopped walking, suddenly concerned. Looking around found him alone, but that couldn't be right. The voice wasn't human, that was sure from the long s sounds and strange hissing undercurrent.

"Why must they come in droves? Why is it only the rain drives them away? Can't fly in the rain," The voice continued to hiss it's displeasure. Harry followed the voice as well as he could as it continued complaining about people that visited the ruins. He came up to a large building that looked like a semi-circle and had the Incan snake symbol over the large door. Harry felt the wards around him as he crossed on his way to the building.

"Should just eat them, but no…can't…can't…can't…" He seemed so upset.

Against his better judgment, Harry called out to the voice that contemplating murder and cannibalism, "Hello?"

The voice completely cut out and was replaced by a strange sound that kind of sounded like a bag of some sort being drug against the stone floor. The magic thrum from the building grew louder as did the dragging sound.

"You should leave before I eat you…" The voice was nearly booming now.

"Would you really eat me?" Harry asked quietly, already preparing several defensive spells in his hands. The energy from this magically potent place emboldening his magic.

"You…you can understand me?" The voice sounded just as confused as Harry was. Out from the darkened emerged a the head of a snake that was bigger than most cars he had seen. It's scales were a emerald green that shifted to royal blue as it emerged from the door. There were multicolored feathers that came out of it's head and partially hid long blue horns.

"Yeah? Is that unusual?" Harry did his best to keep his voice neutral as his heart began to hammer in his chest. What was this thing that inhabited the summit of the mountain.

"It is," Harry was able to see the snake's terrifyingly long teeth as it spoke in a low tone that kind of sounded like it was growling. "I haven't spoken to one of your kind since Pachacuti."

"Pachacuti? Who's that?" Harry relaxed only a fraction. This creature was still quite large but not as hostile as it was moments ago.

"He was the Incan Emperor that built this estate," The snake rested it's head on the ground. Harry released his primed defensive spells since they were no longer needed but kept his muscles poised to run. "Everyone left as the Spanish pushed closer. I've remained here ever since," The snake seemed wistful.

"And you haven't spoken to anyone since then?" Harry asked politely.

"It is true that I have been lonely, but I don't mind my own company," It spoke slowly. How tragic, Harry thought, for such a creature to be so alone. "There are so few people who have to the gift to speak to serpents. Such a pleasant surprise for one to find me," The snake did sound quite pleased.

"I didn't know I had that ability," Harry's voice wavered as he knew he'd have to talk to his dads about this and what he could do to learn about it.

"I'm not surprised," The snake chuckled. "It'll only come up if you speak to a snake or someone else whom has it." The snake pulled back into the doorway, "I know you have spells protecting you from the rain, but it's still rude to leave someone out in the rain while speaking. Come in and sit."

Harry walked into the doorway that was now clear of giant snake and found several stone chairs a little further inside. The snake continued to pull back, clearing the room for Harry. He took a seat in one of the stone chairs while the snake arched it's neck so it was now looking down on him from the ceiling.

"My name is Logan Hunt. What's your name?" Mooey would be terribly displeased if he forgot to introduce himself.

The snake chuckled again. "I am far too powerful to be fooled by simple words. My name is Amaru, Harry Potter." Harry remained quiet, unsure of what to admit to. "You hold your tongue instead of saying too much. The wolf and the dog have taught you well," it continued to speak in a pleased manner.

"My fathers would be happy to hear that," He spoke neutrally. He scanned the inside of the building. It seemed to be much larger on the inside and unlike the other ruins and places he'd seen the last few years the painted walls and metal that shimmered with all the colors of the rainbow! It was a beautiful place.

"Harry," Amaru sighed, "I am a Quetzalcoatl, last of the Quetzalcoatls of the Morning Star, and the most powerful seer in the Incan Empire. Put that preteen angst away while you speak to me!" His bellow bounced off the walls, startling the boy with the change in demeanor.

"I…I…I'm sorry!" He stammered.

"Don't be sorry, boy. Change yourself. Feeling sorry for oneself isn't becoming of the Chosen One," hissed the ancient seer.

"Chosen one? What are you talking about?"

"I just said I was a seer, child. I know you know what that means. You've met your share of them on your journey so far," Amaru growled.

"Forgive me, Amaru. I haven't felt right since I left my tribe," Harry sighed, trying not to let any tears fall.

The feathers on Amaru's neck shook violently before settling as the agitation gave way to sympathy. "I understand little one. I felt much the same way when the Incans fled the Spanish. You must get past it in order to achieve the greatness you've been fated for."

"What is that, exactly? Everyone keeps talking about this grand destiny of mine, but won't explain exactly what it is," Harry flailed his arms angrily while speaking now indignant of the cryptic nature of seers.

"I have not been able to see the evil myself, but I have felt the presence. Even now I feel the faint pulses of malevolence. While I do not know what it is, I know you will be the one to face it. Only you can," Amaru seemed lost in thought for a moment. "This evil killed your true parents and it will kill your tribe and fathers if you do not destroy it first."

"Truly? It killed my mother and father?" Harry hung his head. "My fathers are reluctant to tell me why we must move so much."

"So you can learn," Amaru answered without a moment's hesitation.

"Learn what? Magic? Can't I learn that in one place? I learned from the mages all down the continent about blood magic and rituals. I've learned from the books they give me and from the study I do from the school books! Why can't I just be normal?"

"Quit whining, child!" Hissed the ancient snake. "I did not tell fate what to weave for you, nor can I ask her to change it. The evil could have chosen another, yet it did not. It chose you and left it's mark on your forehead," Amaru chastened. He remembered the times he had young priests that he'd once taught and tempered the venom in his words. This was a boy.

Harry reached up in horror and touched the jagged scar on his head. "It gave me this?"

"And more," Amaru sighed again. "There is so much more to say, but you are young. Too young, I think. But I can do something for you, though it isn't much."

Amaru turned his head around and turned back with several of his smaller feathers in his mouth. He leaned down so harry could take them from him. In comparison to Harry's hands the feathers were as big as an eagles.

"You're giving me some of your feathers? Thank you! They're beautiful Amaru," Harry said in wonder.

"They are also magical. The Incan once used the feathers that fell off in their ceremonies. Now you may carry on that tradition as the first person to become a Quetzalcoatl of the Morning Star in over five hundred years," Amaru leaned down so his grand head was at level with Harry's. "Do not despair, Harry. Life may seem unlivable right now, but you mustn't give in to that feeling. Promise me you will rise above it so you can save us all" Amaru practically begged him for himself and for the myriad of people who he could see but would never know of this hero.

"Yes," What else could Harry say when such a great creature was begging him to be better? "I will do better. For you, for my mothers, and everyone else in the world." Harry smiled at Amaru and actually felt happy for the first time since leaving his tribe.

Amaru bowed his head to Harry. "I thank you, Harry. Remember to comport yourself as a priest of the Morning Star, you represent much more than who you are. May the wind always lift you higher," Amaru intoned as he then nudged Harry to the door.

Harry walked as he quietly contemplated his interaction with the great serpent. A priest he had said. Harry knew NOTHING about that. He supposed he's have to look into what that could mean from his books. Likely his parents wouldn't know anything helpful. Harry stopped dead in his tracks as his thoughts happened upon his grandmother. Hausis was very much like a priestess, Harry's scowl deepened as he thought further, not exactly since she never claimed to be, but she was certainly responsible for the group and looked after their spiritual and physical well being. Maybe he needed to act well in his capacity of fate, Harry snorted as he came back to the shop that his father's were at as they loaded up the motorcycle, he'd have to act more like Remus and less like Sirius. Harry watched as Remus rolled his eyes at something Sirius was saying and cuffed the dog upside the head. Maybe, Harry smiled to himself, there was lots of room in being a Priest of the Morning Star.