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The Dark Elves had been hidden away in the Ashwoods for so long that most of them had forgotten what "different" looked like. They had gotten used to the world around them, shaped and controlled by their Queen, that had remained the same for millennia. So many heads turned skyward as they witnessed an emerald lightning bolt streaking across the sky towards the Royal Castle.

The scarce few of them that were deeply attuned to the magic around them felt the imminence presence within, and they all recognized the Staff of the Royal house, letting them know that the Herald was returning to the Ashwoods.

Within said emerald lightning, Harry was trying to gather his thoughts. He knew what he was here to do, and he had full faith in his Goddess about the protection that he had been given. What bothered him was what he had to do. Sighing to himself, Harry slowed himself down even further, wishing more time before he had to stand in front of a full court of Noble Dark Elves.

'I need to make some sort of impact when I enter, assert myself as the Herald, not just as the Queens toy' he thought as he saw the Castle off in the distance.

"I'll handle that, my Herald." The familiar voice of his Goddess rang through his mind.

'Thank you, my Goddess.' Harry thought with a smile. When there was no reply he blinked in confusion before a grin spread over his features. 'Can't stick around all the time, she's got other things to do. Right.' It reminded him a little of all those years ago on the train when he had gotten Dumbledore on a Chocolate Frog Card.

He had never told anyone, but he had kept the card. Before they were returned to life, it sat in his office next to the picture of his parents. It served as a reminder of simpler times. He could even have sworn that he saw Dumbledore back in his frame every so often. Maybe he had been visiting from his painting in Hogwarts.

'Enough of the past, time to focus on here and now.' Harry chastised himself as the castle grew ever closer. He was thankful that he had been able to come to an agreement with Vanessa about all of this. The memory made him frown a little; finding her yesterday had been… an adventure.

- Flashback -

Harry had been looking for Vanessa since yesterday night. From what the girls in the dorm had told him, she had returned early in the morning and only slept a few hours before waking up and vanishing again. She had not been to breakfast or lunch, and around three in the afternoon, he grew worried.

He'd tried all her favorite spots and even checked the room of requirement, just in case, but he hadn't found her. With a great sigh, he pulled Thymea from its holster and cast a silent tracking charm. The small silvery light flowed towards a deep part of the forest, the part, Harry recalled, that the Centaurs inhabited.

"This could be bad…" Harry mused. He hadn't met Firenze, and he wasn't exactly sure how the Centaur clans were at the moment.

Vanishing in a bolt of emerald, Harry appeared at the very border of their territory and waited. He needn't wait long as the sound of hooves echoed through the forest and three Centaurs came into the clearing and looked him over.

Harry bowed and spoke, "I'm Harry James Potter, I'm looking for Firenze."

"Why," Growled the middle centaur, "does a human seek one of our Star-gazers?"

"I've reason to believe that someone close to me may have gotten lost in your territory, I wish to retrieve her before an incident could occur." Harry replied, still bowing.

"Raise you head, young one." The one to the left, the oldest looking of the three, announced as he stepped forward. "I smell Dark Elven magic upon you. I heard whispers that the Heralds were being gathered, but I didn't believe it."

Harry did as asked and looked over the centaur. He had long white hair that flowed down to his back, and a small white goatee that matched Sirius' to a tee.

"Apologies for my forwardness, but how does a centaur know of the Dark Elven Herald?" Harry inquired.

The centaur smiled warmly and walked closer to him. When they were barely a meter apart, the centaur spoke again.

"I am Pherus, elder of the centaurs living here in forest. I am also so much more. You should be able to see me for what I really am, Harry Potter, you have, after all, met one like me recently." Pherus explained with a grandfatherly smile and then took a few steps backwards.

Harry's face scrunched up and eyebrows sunk a little in thought. Reach out with his magic, Harry tried to feel Pherus, rather than see him. He suddenly felt at peace, so much more than he had ever done in his life before. Every thought he had was clear as day and for just a moment, he came upon the answer to one of his problems.

Without a seconds hesitation, Harry dropped to a knee and bowed his head deep once again. "My apologies for not recognizing you."

Pherus laughed long and deep and Harry felt his own mood lift.

"You worry for nothing, Harry," Pherus began as he reached down and helped the young man stand up, "I have never been one for formality. Why else would I be here, among my people, hidden as one of them?"

"My lord!" Hissed the last centaur, a female with short black hair, "is it wise to reveal yourself to this… this human?!"

"Erycin!" growled the first centaur, a male with deep brown hair that reached the middle of his back, "Watch how you speak!"

The female, Erycin, quickly brought a hand to her mouth and bowed her head in apology.

"Children, enough." Pherus declared, "Harry is a Herald for the Dark Elven Goddess, much like young Calvin is for me."

"He's nothing like Calvin!" Declared Erycin before suddenly growing beet red and hiding her face in her hands.

Pherus roared with laughter once more as he walked around and stood next to Harry, a hand on the young Herald's shoulder, "Come, Harry, I shall take you to whom you seek. She resides in our village, one of our trackers found her deep within that foul acromentula's territory."

"Acromentula?" Harry said before he could stop himself, "You mean Aragog?"

Pherus gave him a nod as they began walking deeper into the forest, "Indeed, that is the creature's name. He has been growing much too bold for my liking. Encroaching on our lands and killing our livestock."

"Can't you stop him?" Harry inquired, a little puzzled how a god couldn't stop a simple acromentula, okay, Aragog might not be your average acromentula. However, he was blind, old and near deaths door anyway.

"As much as I wish I could put a torch to his lair, I am not allowed to interfere directly with my people's wars. If the council agrees to finally stop him, I shall lead the charge myself, but until then… I must merely observe." Pherus explained.

"I suppose the same rule applies to my Goddess?"

"Not quite, young Herald." Pherus began, "Your Goddess may not interfere in this domain freely, such was the agreement we all came to many eons ago. But within her domain, within the Ashwoods, she may do as she sees fit."

"Ah… thank you for sharing all of this." Harry muttered with a nod.

"Why of course. You have to work with young Calvin in the future after all, can't hurt to give you a bit of knowledge beforehand." Pherus replied with a deep laugh.

"If I may," Harry said, "Why is it that when I'm around you I feel so much more…"

"Clear?" Pheurs intoned, and upon Harry's nod continued, "I price knowledge and peace above all other things, young Herald. Being around beings like myself has always had a… affect… on you humans. I cannot explain it clearly, but think of it as my presence blocking out a lot of the static your thoughts produce in the everyday life."

"I see…" Harry mumbled as he looked pensive.

They trudged for what felt like an hour before they came to the mentioned village. It was quite the sight for Harry, he had never been here in the past and thought the architecture of the centaurs was breathtaking. However much of it was created from wood and stone, it all still held a sense of… grandness… despite nothing here reaching taller than the crown of a tree.

"Come, your young friend awaits us in my home." Pherus said as he nudged Harry towards one of the smaller huts in the village.

Following Pherus inside, Harry felt a fantastic aroma enter his nose as he saw a small fire with a pot above it, a small stew simmering inside.

"Please, join me for dinner." Pherus said as he gestured to a free chair, with Vanessa sitting in the one next to it.

"Vanessa…" Harry said as he approached.

"Hey…" she didn't sound happy, in fact she sounded more broken than he had heard in a long time.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there for you last night… I had a… experience…" Harry mumbled, not sure how to explain himself quite yet.

"It's okay," she replied with a shrug, "I probably wouldn't have listened to anything you said yesterday anyway."

"And you will now?" He tried with a bit of hope.

"I'll at least try…" she replied with an uneven smile as she gestured to the stool next to her.

Harry took the seat and then sucked in a deep breath as stared into the fire for a moment, a plan forming in his head.

"Explaining it all will take… forever… how about I show you?"

"Legilimency?"

"Just like we used to do…"

"Okay."

Harry focused and reached out with his mind, feeling it connect with Vanessa. She offered no resistance and freely allowed him access to every part of her mind, a showing of just how much she truly trusted him. Finding the memory of his meeting, Harry pushed forward and allowed Vanessa to view it all. As it played through, Harry himself got lost in it and ended up showing Vanessa the meeting with his parents as well.

"Oh, Harry." She said quietly as she pulled him into an embrace.

"Yeah… it was amazing seeing them again," Harry mumbled into Vanessa's shoulder, "Dad likes you…"

Vanessa snorted, "Your mom seems amazing."

"She is."

"So what are you going to do, about all of this?" Vanessa asked after a few minutes of silence.

"I didn't know, at least not until I met Pherus," mentioned centaur-god was pouring three bowels of stew whilst whistling wistfully to himself, "I'm going to go back to the Ashwoods," Harry held up a finger to stall Vanessa's reply, "You saw what my Goddess did, I'll be safe. I'll go there and tell Amorpha how things are going to go. We'll keep our son until he turns eleven, at which point he will be hers to train. Thus I fulfill my side of the bargain and this is where the genius come into it."

"You are going to "invite" our son to Hogwarts," Vanessa interjected with a glint in her eyes, "and because Amorpha can't deny you as the Herald… we can still raise our son and teach him over the year at Hogwarts. We only have to send him back during the summer, and there is a limit to how much damage that cow can do in such a small time."

"I guess this means we are going to be working at Hogwarts?" Harry mused with a grin.

"Well clearly, I'm not leaving our son in that madhouse without me around. I'm sure I could convince Filius to let me take over Ravenclaw. You could even try for Headmaster." Vanessa replied with a smile of her own.

"I'm sure Dumbledore would love that. So… you're okay with this? It's not ideal, I know, but at least this way… this way we can spend some time with him."

"I still want her dead, you know."

"And she will die, don't you worry about that."

Vanessa actually jumped a little at the harshness of Harry's tone. She had heard it like that before, it was usually reserved for when he spoke about people he hated with almost his entire being.

"How?" she asked.

"You heard my Goddess. Once Amorpha has given birth to the next Queen and she comes of age, Amorpha is no longer pivotal to the Dark Elves and she is, as we say, fair game." Harry explained with a devious grin.

"Oh this is going to be so much fun…" Vanessa muttered before breaking out into a cackle.

A small cough stopped her before she went full mad scientist. Pherus stood next to them, a bowl of stew in each hand, and looked at them with knowing eyes.

"Revenge plots can be made after dinner. Now please, I've been looking for a chance to ask some more questions about mankind. Calvin his been… less than helpful, with some of my questions."

"Fire away," Vanessa declared as she took a spoonful of the stew.

"Excelent! Let's start with something simple…" Pherus seemed to turn all too sirius for a moment, "Now, what excactly is the function of a rubber duck?"

Harry had trouble keeping in the stew and not choking to death on his own laughter.

- Flashback End -

'Two gods in two days… I'm not sure if it's an omen or just fate messing with me' Harry mused as the castle was barely a minute out.

He'd be landing inside the throne room and then he would address whoever was gathered there. His experience was limited, but it should be Amorpha and a few of her Nobles.

Taking a breath, Harry steadied himself as he crashed against the wards of the castle. Only for them to part at a seconds notice and allow him passage directly into the throne room. He couldn't see the reactions around him due to the light of the lighting still subsiding, but from the majority of gasps and exclamations of surprise, he made a decent entrance.

"Oh my, Harry you re…" Amorpha stopped speaking as the light finally dimmed enough for her to get a full visual of him.

Harry saw his Queen's expression and allowed himself a small glance down unto his form. He was wearing a set of armor darker than the void itself, it was shaped very much too like the same armor that the Obsidian Guard would be wearing. Across the chest of the armor, a mighty dragon was roaring and it was painted in a magnificent crimson color that matched the eyes of his Goddess.

'That certainly makes an impact' Harry mused with a private smile.

"I know. I'm awesome." Harry chuckled at his Goddess words, sure that only he was able to hear her at the moment.

"Lord Herald, what an unexpected surprise." Amorpha said as she made to rise from her throne, but her found her body unwilling to stand.

"Don't bother." Harry stated, "I don't need you to stand, I only need you to listen." A quick glance around the room let Harry know that at least 25 different Nobles were here, and each of them seemed to be of decently high standing within the system.

"To those who might be in doubt, I am Harry James Potter. Herald of our Goddess and future father of the King!" this sent a ripple through the crowed, some recognizing him, some not. "I come today so that you may all understand what you have brought upon yourselves."

"Harry, what do you mea…" Amorpha's voice chocked as she suddenly realized just why the armor looked familiar to her. 'That's the symbol of the first house!' she thought frantically as the Dragon on Harry's chest seemed to glow, and an understanding rose in Amorpha's chest.

Harry, for his part, was watching in fascination as Amorpha's skin began turning ashen, as if she was suddenly becoming afraid. No scratch that, he could practically smell her fear from here.

"Seize your worrying, Amorpha." Harry growled, "You won't die, not today. No there has been enough chaos." Amorpha seemed to relax a little, at least until Harry turned his gaze upon her again. "Years ago we struck a deal, Amorpha. For my staff you would have my son to take as your king and father of your daughter. I am here to inform you of the terms of that deal." Amorpha swallowed hard, this didn't sound good. "My son will stay with me and my wife until his eleventh birthday. On that day he will be brought here and you can begin your training. But hear my words this instant, Amorpha, if I hear from him just a breath that you have attempted to force yourself upon him in any manner, then the Goddess protect you for I will rip you limp from limp and leave only what is needed behind of you!"

Harry then turned around and looked out over the assembled court, "To you, noble members of this court, I issue a warning! From this day forward I am denouncing the Dark Elves and revoking their passage out into the greater world!" a collective breath was drawn from everyone, "If you wish to leave the Ashwoods for any reason, you will call upon the Dark Elf Drulel, if he approves of your reason for leaving, then you may do so with my blessing. If any of you should be as foolish as to attempt to leave by force… the consequences will be dire."

"Finally, as for your punishment for what you did to my future bride," Harry's eyes rounded on Amorpha one last time and the Queen wished she could sink into her throne and vanish. "Within my son you shall find your punishment, and when the time comes, I can only hope that you will truly understand just what foolishness you performed to bring it upon yourself. I have said my piece, is there any here gathered today that would refute me?" Harry turned and glared out over the assembled nobles and saw that more than a few of them looked like they wanted to, only for some of their fellow nobles to hold them back.

"As I suspected. This shall be the last time I step foot in the Ashwoods until my son is to be brought. If I find any of you have broken any of my decrees… well… you are welcome to try and see for yourself." With those words, Harry vanished in emerald lighting. Leaving behind a terrified Queen and infuriated nobles.

Amorpha for her part realized just what deep shit she was truly in. Harry had spoken to their Goddess, something that hadn't happened since she took the throne! More so, with him now having the full authority of a Herald, there was nothing she could do but obey his commands, lest she face punished directly from the Goddess herself.

-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-

Harry appeared back at Hogwarts within the room of requirement. It was shaped out to look like his old apartment from before Hermione went and blew it up.

'Still haven't paid her back for that yet… hmm' Harry grumbled within his mind as he began heading towards his bedroom. He wasn't that angry, not really, but that apartment had cost him a pretty penny and honestly he was still a little miffed at Granger for being so annoying this time around. Then again, she might have been like that before as well, but he hadn't had any friends back then so he would have taken just about anyone. Except Draco, never Draco.

Opening the door, he saw someone in his bed and he felt his mind relaxing. The sight of his lover and best friend lying where she used to, calmed him immensely.

"Hey there…" he whispered as he climbed into the bed only to realize two things. One, Vanessa was for some reason a little taller than him, and two, she was quite naked.

"Hey yourself… I figured we could enjoy a night as our self for once, and not as kids…" her voice was blurry, but she was clearly waking up.

Harry couldn't keep the grin of his face as he cast the aging spell upon himself once again and then vanished all his clothes before pulling Vanessa close to him.

"I've missed this…" he breathed into her hair with a content sigh.

"Me too…" she replied as she snuggled into his neck.

They laid there and just enjoyed each other's company for what felt like hours until Harry felt Vanessa moving about a little. He suddenly felt a familiar hand sneaking over his chest, heading a direction that made him grin.

"You do know I'm not letting you sleep tonight, right?" Vanessa purred and Harry found himself grinning like a loon. This was going to hurt tomorrow, but he didn't care.