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Harry Potter and the Tuath Dé

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Chapter 15
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    • Chapter 15



    The sun is fast approaching the western horizon when the door to the compartment slides open and a bushy haired girl is silhouetted in the light, "Sorry to intrude, but have any of you seen a toad?"

    Everyone shakes their heads and Harry speaks up, "Is it your toad?"

    The girl shakes her head, "No, I'm trying to help the boy that was sharing my compartment find it."

    "I know something that might help, but it will only work for the owner."

    The girl looks relieved, "Oh, thank you. I'm Hermione Granger by the way."

    Harry smiles at her, "I'm known as Harry Danann."

    "Is Dr Morgana Danann your mother?" Harry nods, "Oh wow, I've read all her books she's an absolutely amazing writer. I've tried to get Mum and Dad to go to one of her lectures, but they keep saying that it's too far to go for just a day trip. Did you know that you're on TV?" Harry can only shake his head, "Dr Danann did a series of lectures for the Open University in the early 80's and she uses you to demonstrate some of the ways they believe Celtic people cared for children."

    Harry opens his mouth to speak, but Marianne interrupts, "Hi, I'm Mari, how do you know all of that stuff?"

    Hermione blushes for a moment, and stutters briefly, "I…I'm a gifted child, I finished my O-Levels when I was 8 and my parents let me study what I wanted just to keep me busy."

    "It sounds lonely."

    Hermione's face closes down suddenly, "I'm just going to find Neville."

    Marianne looks at the others, "Was it something I said?"

    Hannah nods, "I think you hit a sore spot."

    "I hope she comes back, as I know what it's like for Harry. He has some of that genius too. English, particularly poetry, metal working, and physical games he excels in. I'd like to believe that he's average in everything else, but he works so damn hard at it, he might as well be a genius. That sword, he made that. It's one of the reasons he's home-schooled."

    Harry ducks his head, "I'm not that good."

    "Harry, I try to keep up with you, and I've been practicing with the sword almost as long as you have. You've beaten me in every home-schooling test that you've been sent. Not only that, but you've been doing it while learning magic too. I've only had magic for a month, so there's no way I could have learning magic as an excuse for why you're ahead of me. You might not be at a level where you can skip grades, but you're damn close."

    "But I do have an unfair advantage, I've been getting tutoring from the rest of my family."

    "I know they're exceptional, but you're still the one that has to do the work. Now own up to your achievements, or I'll tell Morgana that you've been putting yourself down again."

    "I'll try, and I promised mum on my name that I'd do my best to be true to myself. But I still remember the jealousy at primary school."

    Daphne shakes her head, "Sorry to butt in Mari, but did I hear you right that you've only had magic for a month?"

    Marianne nods, "Uh huh. Morgana gave it to me."

    Harry sighs, "Mari, you're not supposed to talk about that as we were told that various groups have opinions about magic and theft. No offence to the rest of you, but I don't think any of us know each other well enough to be sharing secrets that might get someone killed."

    Daphne nods, "While we do a lot of business with that sort of family, we…" she trails off when Susan, Hannah, Harry, and Marianne all stare at her, "Ok, I don't believe in that sort of thing. Is that ok?"

    Tracy lays her hand on Daphne's, "I think they just want to hear your thoughts, not your families thoughts."



    Before the conversation can continue, the door swishes open again filling the room with sunlight once more. Hermione sticks her head inside, "Hi, is it ok if we come in, as I've got Neville with me."

    Mari shuffles over forcing Harry to move as well before she pats the seat next to her, "Take a seat. And I'm sorry if I said something wrong earlier. It's just that Harry has had a bit of the same thing with excelling, not to the same extent as you. I've lost my own share of friends in trying to keep up with Harry, I think we've got 4 other kids we call friends between us."

    Hermione nods, "It's ok, I was just hoping that this school would be different."

    "Hey, it can be if you want it to be. Let me tell you something that Mrs Talls told me once. When she asks questions in the class, she's not looking for the right answer as she already knows that, she's looking for the student's that don't know the answer. That was right before she asked me to stop putting my hand up first, instead wait to see if anyone else did. Only if nobody else did was I allowed to put my hand up."

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    While Marianne is talking to Hermione, Harry stands up and goes over to the door where Neville is standing nervously.

    "Don't worry, I don't bite. Are you the one that's lost his toad?"

    Neville nods, "I forgot to close the door after the trolley lady came, and he escaped."

    "It's ok, I'm known as Harry Danann, though I prefer people to call me Harry."

    "I'm Neville Longbottom, erm, call me Neville."

    "Ok Neville, I'm going to use some magic that may allow you to see your toad. Is that ok?"

    Neville nods, "Gran will kill me if I lose Trevor, he was a gift from my uncle Algie for getting my Hogwarts letter."

    "Ok. What I need you to do then is think about Trevor, what he looks like, what he feels like, the way he moves, what his favourite foods are. As much as you can."

    "I'll try, but I've only had him a month."

    "Do your best, if you can't then the magic won't work so he'll turn up when he turns up."



    Neville closes his eyes while he tries to picture his toad, as he does so, Harry gently touches his temples and pulls the mist down to cover Neville's eyes while also connecting to whatever he's currently thinking about. Once the magic sinks in, he pulls his hands away, "You can open your eyes now."

    Neville looks around, "Why is everything a little grey?"

    "It's the magic I used. If you had a good image of Trevor, then when you see him, or his hiding place it should be clearly visible to you."

    As Neville runs off happily, Harry turns around only to see 6 pairs of eyes staring at him. A scene that's only slightly spoiled by Marianne sticking her tongue out at him.



    Despite everyone itching to ask what he did, it's Hermione who breaks the silence, "What spell was that? How did you do it without a wand? What book is it in?"

    Harry holds his hands up, "Woah, woah, let me answer the questions before asking the next one. Erm."

    "What spell was that?" Marianne supplies.

    "Right, it wasn't a spell in the way that you're thinking about them. It was Celtic magic, and wands are only used for Roman magic. What was the next question?"

    "What book is it in?" Daphne supplies with an amused voice.

    "It isn't. Celtic magic has always been passed on in an oral tradition. Mainly because it's a set of skills that you practice until you can do them without thinking about it. Much like there aren't any books on learning to walk, run, or jump."

    Hermione says, "Actually there are, some olympic athletes have written books on how to run and jump better, and there are physiotherapy books on learning to walk."

    Harry opens his mouth to reply before he closes it again for a moment, "You know what. Hermione, did you understand my point?"

    "Um, yes."

    "Then why did you bring up the books that only apply to people who already know how to walk, run, and jump?"

    "Um, because the example you used was wrong?"

    Marianne puts a hand on Hermione's knee, "Hermione, what toddler do you know that could read any one of those books?"

    Hermione desperately wants to say she could, but her parents didn't teach her to read until she was 3, "Fine, I'm sorry, Harry was right. Happy?"

    Marianne shakes her head, "Not really, but it needed saying. Harry's mum is teaching me Celtic magic, and she's already told me that it's going to be years before I can do a lot of what Harry can do. However, it's something that can only be learnt by doing it. Much like learning to read was really. If you didn't do it, you didn't learn it, then you got told off by the teachers."

    Hermione slumps in the chair despondently, trying to lift the mood, Hannah asks, "What house do you all think you'll be in?"

    Daphne laughs, "If you'd asked me at the beginning of the journey, I'd have been able to tell you. Now I'm not sure."

    Harry shrugs, "I don't know, I promised my mother that I'd do my best to be true to myself. So whatever house would fit that best."

    Susan shrugs, "Probably Hufflepuff, if I'm not I'd be the first Bones in centuries not to go there."

    Hermione eagerly says, "I want to go to Gryffindor, I read that that's the house that Albus Dumbledore went to, and he's the greatest wizard alive. So that means the Gryffindor must be the best house to be in."

    Marianne pinches the bridge of her nose, "I read in Hogwarts a History, that Rowana was the greatest spell caster of the four founders, and she founded Ravenclaw house. Merlin, the inventor of the Merlin scale of measuring magical power, was the most powerful wizard of his generation, and he went to Slytherin. Blonny, one of the chief architects of the magic that hides the magical communities around the world, was the strongest witch of her generation, and she was in Hufflepuff. I also read, in 101 things that ever witch should know, that there's a thing called a magical oath. Maybe we should make you take one to do your best to be true to yourself rather than pandering to the expectations of others."

    "Fine, what about you? You've obviously read a lot, which house do you think you'll be in?"

    "None of them, I'm not going to Hogwarts. I start at Dunblane High School tomorrow."

    Hermione gapes at Marianne, "But, how?"

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    Marianne is saved from answering when the door to the compartment is opened sharply with a clack. Standing outside the door is a slight blond boy with a haughty bearing. Behind him are two larger boys silhouetted by the setting sun.

    "Greengrass, Davis, Bones, Abbott, I see you're slumming it with the riffraff."

    Daphne's mask comes back as she looks at the boy coldly, Harry on the other hand says, "Well, I'm not so sure about riffraff. You're a pureblood?"

    The boy nods, "My name is Malfoy, Draco Malfoy, and our house has been pure for the last 500 years since we came to Britain."

    Marianne stifles a giggle while Harry shakes his head, "So young. My mother traces her magical family line back to before the time of the first Roman invasion of Ireland. Absolutely nobody in her family has ever been without magic, or married someone that doesn't have magic."

    Malfoy shakes his head, "That can't be true, I'd have heard of you if it was."

    Marianne can't help it, she breaks out in laughter, "It's true, she's teaching me Celtic magic."

    "Really, and what's your magical linage then?"

    Marianne waves her hand, "Oh, I'm pretty sure I'm the first person with magic in my family."

    "So you're a mudblood."

    Susan and Hannah wince, but Harry shakes his head, "Well, you can't beat a good bit of mud. It's the foundation of all great projects after all. Whether you're gardening, building houses, or making vases, if you don't have a quality bit of mud then your project is going to fail. Tell me, what are your foundations like? Is it crystal clear like the purest ice, but only useful as long as it stays frozen? Or maybe it's like the purest white silicate sand, absolutely wonderful when turned into glass, but horribly fragile unless impurities are added?"

    Malfoy struggles for a comeback, and eventually realises he took too long so instead slams the door and leaves in a huff.



    Marianne leans over to Harry and whispers, "Brigid?"

    Harry nods, and she hugs him comfortingly, "Don't worry about it, it's part of who you are. I know you, you'd have wanted to say something similar. It just gave you the words you needed."



    Susan shakes her head, "You've probably earned Malfoy's ire with that. Blood purity is a very large thing in our culture."

    Harry looks at her and says softly, "Maybe it shouldn't be, as it certainly doesn't seem to be in places like Imber."

    Daphne interjects quietly, "It's not really about blood purity, it's about power and keeping it within certain families. Susan, Hannah, and I, we're all lucky in a way because there are no wizards to inherit our family seats. That means that we're free from the possibilities of arranged marriages, well mostly free. Some of the other girls, especially in Slytherin, will be looking for a good match for their families that they also like. Some families, like the Potters, have traditionally married for love rather than prestige. Because of that, they have long been a respected house, but never one of the great movers and shakers. If I remember my lessons correctly, they've only had 2 seats on the Wizengamot in the last 300 years, while the Greengrass' have held a seat almost every generation since then. Same with Nott, Malfoy, and Smith."

    Marianne looks at Daphne with sad eyes, "It doesn't sound like your life was all that full of joy if you know all of that."

    "I had fun, especially with trouble here."

    "Oi!" Tracy exclaims.

    Marianne stands up and puts her fists on her waist, "Right, that's it, you're all invited to 10 pin bowling next Saturday. Harry, don't forget now will you. I'll make sure to save up all my 20p coins for the evening."

    "What?"

    Harry shakes his head, "Don't worry about it, it will make sense next week."



    A Prefect opens the door and sticks their head in, "The train will be arriving in 5 minutes, so make sure you're all wearing your school robes."



    Hermione looks at a watch on her wrist, "Oh, I lost track of the time. I need to go and get changed."

    As Hermione dashes out the door, Marianne remarks, "Does anyone else think someone needs to let her know that robes are designed to be worn over clothes?"

    Susan and Hannah both snigger, while Daphne says in her best haughty voice, "I'll have you know that my robes have been tailored for me to wear as clothes." In a more normal voice she continues, "Though it would be more convenient if they weren't. Would you mind stepping outside Harry?"

    Harry smiles as he pulls a robe from his bag, "Not at all."



    A few minutes later Marianne sticks her head out the door, "Harry you can come back in now, it's not as though you needed to leave in the first place."

    Daphne flushes, "Mari!"

    "What? Your underwear has more layers than some of my dresses do. The less said about what passes for dresses amongst the older girls the better too. But you'll probably see next Saturday, as the Bowling Alley tends to be used by the teenagers before wherever they go to afterwards opens."

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    As the train pulls into the station, Marianne stands up, "Well it was nice meeting you all, I hope to see you next Saturday. Harry, could you give me a hand, as I can't do the first bit myself."

    Harry stands up and takes her hand before they both pass into the other. A moment later he reappears in the carriage to the shocked faces of the 4 girls.

    Susan is the first one to find her voice, "What was that?"

    "Would it help if I said Celtic magic?" All the girls shake their heads in the negative, "It was a form of magical transportation, and Mari is now walking back to my house. She should be there in 10-15 minutes, though I could probably do it in about 30 seconds."

    "That's amazing, would I be able to learn that?"

    "I honestly don't know, it depends on what my mother thinks."
     
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    • Calling it now, Hermione becomes a pioneer in combining Roman and Celtic magic.

    Edit: wait, no, possible reading comprehension failure... 4 girls... Is Hermione even in the room at the moment?
     
    Last edited:
    Chapter 16
  • Threadmarks

    • Chapter 16



    Daphne stand pensively as the sorting ceremony starts. At the beginning of the train ride her course was clear.



    Abbott, Hannah… HUFFLEPUFF



    She's been trained since she could read, to seek connections, to better her status, to be a Lady, and to read political situations.



    Bones, Susan… HUFFLEPUFF



    Her father had been a Slytherin, as had his. It was the house for political and mercantile houses to hone the skills they'll need in the coming years.



    Boot, Terry… RAVENCLAW



    But this morning she met Mari, bubbly, irritating, irreverent, and magical. And there's the sticking point, she should be a mundane, she shouldn't have been on the train, so many other things that she should be but isn't or shouldn't be but is. How could she ignore a family that could give magic to mug… mundane people.

    That leads her to Harry Potter, now Harry Danann. The boy-who-lived, heir to a long thought dead branch of magic, and who has some sort of connection to Brigid. The fly in the ointment, the person who is potentially the most politically connected person in the school. Rightly or wrongly, unless he goes to Slytherin, his very existence means that she can't afford to go to the very house she thought was the only house she could go to.



    Corner, Michael… RAVENCLAW



    Slightly confused, Daphne looks up to see that she's missed a few people been sorted while she's been thinking. Seeing that Tracy is standing next to her, she leans over and whispers, "Slytherin or not, follow Harry, I'll follow you."



    Her decision now made, Daphne watches pensively as students are called up.

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    Harry sits down on the stall and the hat is put down over his head. Suddenly the hat speaks without calling out a house.

    "Professor, if you would please remember that I can only sort 1 person at a time."



    Harry concentrates briefly and becomes aware of a weight on his head, "Evie, wake up!"

    Ephis groans as Harry pokes her, "What? I was comfortable."

    Harry ignores the comments of surprise from around him, "What have I told you about not sleeping on my head without warning?"

    "The same thing your mother keeps saying about not leaving the Honey open."



    From the top table, an old man with a long white beard peers down, "Excuse me, but what sort of Fairy are you?"

    Ephis looks up at the old man, "I'm not a Fairy, I'm a Sylph and I have been for the last 200 years."

    "My apologies, I wasn't aware of that distinction. Do you mind me asking if Fairies are related to your species?"

    Ephis nods proudly, "Yep, they're caterpillars, then they become sprites, then grigs, there's a couple more stages then you get to Sylph's like me."

    "Does your species have a name apart from the stages?"

    Ephis floats there for a moment with her hand on her chin, "Fae, that's what Morr… Morgana calls us."

    "Fae like Sidhe?"

    "No way, we're nothing like them. Not even the goblins and hobgoblins that live with them are like them."

    "So what are you doing here?"

    "I bound myself to Harry by name when he was a toddler, so where he goes I go."

    "I see, well would you mind waiting beside Professor McGonagall while Harry is sorted. She's the witch holding the hat."

    Once Ephis flies over to McGonagall, the hat is lowered onto Harry's head again.



    "Hmm, this is easy, Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff. You would do well in either."

    Harry's eyebrows furrow as he replies, "Hufflepuff, I hope you haven't been stealing my memories."

    "No, I only see the shape of your mind and personality. HUFFLEPUFF!"



    Before Harry can ask what that means, the hat is lifted from his head and he's ushered over to the Hufflepuff table.

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    Tracy watches as Harry is led to the Hufflepuff table. Follow Harry huh?

    "Davis, Tracy."

    Tracy walks forward with a confidence she doesn't feel and sits down on the stool. As the hat is placed over her head she murmurs, "Hufflepuff please."

    "Oh, a polite one. You would do well in Slytherin."

    "I know, but it would get in the way of being friends with the people I met on the train."

    "It shouldn't do, Cunning and Ambition are the hallmarks of house Slytherin."

    "But that doesn't matter to politics, and I know I'm not that smart or brave. So as I can't be in Slytherin and still be friends with Harry, Susan, Mari, and Hannah, I'd like to go to Hufflepuff please."

    "Very well, though I think your talent is going to be wasted."

    "I think my friends are more important."

    "Very well said young HUFFLEPUFF!"



    Sagging in relief, Tracy sits down next to Harry and turns to face the rest of the sorting. There's a couple more sortings before Hermione is called. Her sorting takes slightly longer than Tracy's did, however, looking at the older students, it doesn't seem to be out of the ordinary when it finishes. As Hermione sits down at the Ravenclaw table, Tracy gives her a quick smile and nod before turning her attention back to Daphne, who is currently walking to the stool.



    There seems to be a low conversation going on between Daphne and the Hat, one that goes on for a minute, then 5. Finally the hat can be heard to grumble, "Fine, have it your way. Better be HUFFLEPUFF!"

    As the Hufflepuff table breaks out in raucous applause, there's dead silence and stares from the Slytherin table. Unsurprising given her father and upbringing.

    As Daphne sits down, Tracy leans over and whispers, "What happened?"

    "The hat wanted to put me anywhere but Hufflepuff. Said I wasn't suited for this house."

    "In fairness, it probably has a point. You're not the most trusting person."

    "Not like there was much opportunity to be trusting." Daphne cuts off when one of the upper years makes a shushing motion.

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    Eventually the sorting finishes with only one other unexpected placement, Neville Longbottom joined them in Hufflepuff rather than going to Gryffindor like his ancestors have for the last 400 years.



    As the last student sits down, the headmaster stands up with a Gringotts key in his hand.

    "Good evening and welcome to all of the new students at this fine school. Now I know you've all had a long day so I'll only say a few words before you all eat." He waves the key from left to right, "Nitwit, Blubber, Oddment, Tweak."

    When nothing happens he looks at his hand in confusion, which briefly flashes to frustration before he says, "Well, I'm a nitwit, I tried to use a key as a wand. Let's try that again."

    Reaching into his left sleeve, he pulls out a second key and waves it from left to right again, "Well, isn't that an oddment. Well, before I start blubbering at the table, let's try that one more time, and hopefully nobody's tweaking my nose this time."

    This time he pulls his wand and food appears on each of the tables as it passes over them.



    As she's turning around, Daphne notices Harry's eyes narrowing at the keys in the headmasters grasp. It only lasts a moment before he too turns around to begin eating. She watches at Evie flutters up and down the table looking for something to eat before a vase of flowers appears on the table in front of the first years. Seeing the flowers, she flies over and gets a sylph sized long spoon from somewhere before diving in.



    While they're eating, Harry leans forward to look at Daphne, "Daphne, do you mind if I ask why your sorting took so long?"

    Daphne shakes her head slightly, "The hat just wanted to put me pretty much anywhere but here. It said this house wasn't suitable for me."

    "So why did you push for this house?"

    "Because this is the one Tracy went to. I asked her to avoid Slytherin, but follow you if you went to Slytherin, and as she's my only real friend I followed her here."

    Tracy pipes up, "I thought you wanted me to go into the same house as Harry."

    Daphne shakes her head while eating daintily, "No, it is possible to maintain friendships across houses if you're not in Slytherin. Since the last war, Slytherin has become synonymous with the Dark Lords followers. According to my father, before that it was possible to cross that divide. I… enjoyed the train ride with you and Mari, so I didn't want to lose that possible friendship before it began. If it didn't work out to start with, we could try. I could try again in 3rd​ year when our electives start and the houses start to mix more."

    Harry looks at her with suddenly old eyes, "What else?"

    "I…"

    Tracy starts to say, "What she's trying to say is…"

    Harry puts his hand up, "I want to hear it from Daphne."

    Daphne tries to justify herself, "I've been raised to see relationships and political advantages everywhere, and based on that you're politically the most powerful person in our year, possibly in the entire school. But that doesn't change what I said before."

    Harry smiles at her, "No, but it does help you having it out in the open. See, you can't have a friendship without trust, and you can't build loyalty without trust. There's a reason why the trickster gods were also the least trusted."

    "Does that mean that you'd tell me your name?"

    Harry nods, "If we became good enough friends, yes. In Celtic culture, your private name is something that is only shared with the closest of friends and family. Mari knows my name, as does my mother and Evie."

    Across the table, Justin Finch-Fletchley asks, "What's this about Celtic culture?"

    "My family practice Celtic Magic, and I'm the first to ever get a Hogwarts letter. Part of that is also the culture, specifically the culture in Ireland, the Welsh and English Celts had their own gods that were on good terms with ours."

    "What happened to them. I've tried to read some of Morgana Danann's books, but they're too deep for me."

    "Christians happened. 100 years or so after the Romans pulled out of Ireland, the Christians arrived and kidnapped any magical children they could find. The mundane population was converted by sword or word. Eventually it was only a few enclaves left and my mother is the first one since then that has lived outside the protections they erected."

    "That sucks, but the church has changed a lot since those days."

    "Maybe." Harry says noncommittally.



    From there the topic turns to lighter things, namely everyone elses family. It turns out that Justin is second in line to inherit the Earldom of Winchilsea after his father. Macmillian is a pure-blood of a merchant family, though they tend to deal more with international trade than the cut-throat internal market. Megan Jones and Wayne Hopkins both come from families with a long history of working in the Ministry. Sophie Roper is from a well to do family who was able to get her in due to her mothers alumni status. Finally, Neville Longbottom comes from an old family that does a bit of everything and has a permanent seat on the Wizengamot. It's also clear that he's painfully shy and nervous.

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    As the desserts disappear to wherever they came from, the headmaster stands at the top table.

    "Now we are all fed and watered I have a few announcements to make. First of all, staffing changes. Professor Quirell is returning from his sabbatical to teach Defence Against the Dark Arts this year. Some of you may remember him as the Muggle Studies teacher.

    "Secondly, for 5th​ year students and below, your Potions classes will now be taking place in the new St Mungo's clinic in Hogsmeade. When it is time for your lesson, gather in the entrance hall and a member of staff will guide you to the carriages. Be aware that anyone that doesn't attend the lessons, or fails to return on the carriages will earn lessons with Professor Snape. As you will be interrupting either his research or brewing time, I doubt he will be pleased.

    "Moving onto the school rules, I need to remind you that there is to be no wands used in the corridors. Additionally there are a sizable number of items that are banned in the school. For a complete list see the noticeboard outside Caretaker Filch's office.

    "Finally, we come to warnings. The Forbidden forest that borders the grounds of the school, is just that Forbidden to students, as some of you need to remember. Additionally, this year the third floor corridor on the right hand side is out of bounds to all students who do not want to die a hideous death. Normally we would now sing the school song, but as I have already made a fool of myself once tonight, and Professor McGonagall refuses to lead it, I'll wish you all good night. First years, one of the prefects should be along to show you to your dorms."



    There's an exaggerated "Awww" from a pair of red headed twins at the Gryffindor table.



    It doesn't take long for the first year Hufflepuffs to be led to their shared dorm. A long room in the basement with wood panelled partitions that reach up 7 foot to the 10 foot ceiling. Each partition has it's own door with a courtesy lock, a plush 4 poster single bed, dresser, chair and desk with a vanity mirror.

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    Marianne walks up to her front door, Morgana a couple of paces behind her, and rings the bell. It took her a bit longer than it should have done to get back to the doorway, but Morgana allowed her to finish the journey on her own as she was already on the way. On the drive over to the house she'd eaten a quick sandwich, and she has another one along with a drink in her bag.



    Her face falls as the door opens to reveal her father, "Finally remembered this is your home did you? Go on, get to bed you've got school in the morning."



    Ducking her head, she walks up stairs and closes the bedroom door before she starts to cry. Not for the first time she wishes that Morgana was her parent rather than her father. Once she's had a cry, she pulls the second sandwich and the drink out of her bag, and puts the rubbish back in once she's finished. After checking that her alarm is set for 7am, she gets ready for bed and then goes to sleep.



    At 6am her mother gently shakes her awake, "Good morning sweetheart, it's time for you to get up."

    Blearily Marianne looks at the clock, "But I don't need to be up for another hour."

    "Your father has decided that it's time for you to learn your womanly duties to Christ, so if you want to be able to practice you need to get up now."

    "Uh? What?"

    "You'll be helping me prepare breakfast and his lunch. If it's not done on time then he will be late eating, which makes us late eating."

    "Huh? Why? It's not like I'm Christian."

    "Shhh, don't say things like that unless you want to get flogged."

    "Mum, why do you put up with this?"

    "Because I promised to be by his side for better or worse, until death do we part. Same as you will one day. You can still visit the Danann's after school, but be home by 6pm to help with dinner and the housework."



    Tiredly, Marianne rubs the sleep out of her eyes and gets out of bed. "Mum, why do you go to that church?"

    "Because it's the same church your fathers family has always attended. I used to be a Methodist before I met your father."

    As her mother leaves, signalling that the conversation is over, Marianne drags herself into her practice clothing and takes her practice sword out into the garden where she stretches and then runs through her drills for half an hour before heading in to was and get dressed.



    Once she's dressed, she learns a new meaning for hell as her mother guides her through setting the table for her fathers breakfast. Where the morning paper needs to be placed. The placement of his knife, fork, spoon and mug. A box of cereal is placed on the table and a jug of milk prepared in the kitchen. She is then shown, quite firmly, how to stand by the kitchen door with her hands clasped across her stomach, just below her bellybutton, but no lower. Her father comes down at precisely 7:20 and sits at the table reading his paper for 10 minutes. He then pours himself a bowl of cereal and looks pointedly at Marianne. Her mother has to nudge her before she scurries off to the kitchen and brings back the milk, which she is then expected to pour slowly. At 7:30 he finishes the bowl of cereal and her mother brings out a teapot and pours him a mug of tea. A snap of his fingers brings Marianne's attention back to the room and she hurries out to get the milk again.

    5 minutes late, at 7;45, he folds the newspaper and places it on the table before getting up and leaving the room. Silently, her mother starts to clear away the breakfast stuff, and Marianne helps just so she doesn't have to do it all herself. It takes 10 minutes before everything is cleaned and put away, leaving Marianne only a couple of minutes to scarf down a bowl of cereal and wash it up before she and her mother have to leave in order to walk to school in time.



    On the way, Marianne says, "Mum, once I know the way to school I could walk myself so that you have more time to get up in the morning."

    Her mother shakes her head, "Thank you for the offer, but it is my duty to ensure that you get to school safely every morning."
     
  • Threadmarks
    • Darkphoenixlady said:
    Her face falls as the door opens to reveal her father, "Finally remembered this is your home did you? Go on, get to bed you've got school in the morning."



    Ducking her head, she walks up stairs and closes the bedroom door before she starts to cry. Not for the first time she wishes that Morgana was her parent rather than her father.
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    I'm certain that if she asked Morgana, she'd be allowed to live there instead. While she might want to stay for her mom, the fact that her mom refuses to protect her from her dad and doesn't allows herself to be a doormat against him with the argument of her marriage vows... fuck that.
     
    johnworm said:
    I'm certain that if she asked Morgana, she'd be allowed to live there instead. While she might want to stay for her mom, the fact that her mom refuses to protect her from her dad and doesn't allows herself to be a doormat against him with the argument of her marriage vows... fuck that.
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    As she's only 11, that would make her a runaway, and cause problems for Morgana with the police. Until something happens that means social services gets involved, and she is removed from their care, all Morgana can do is keep her a room as she is friends with her son. Don't worry, it will come to a head soon, as babies exhibit accidental magic as often as young children do. It only generally calms down as their magic matures, which is normally at the same time as they do.
     
    Darkphoenixlady said:
    As she's only 11, that would make her a runaway, and cause problems for Morgana with the police.
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    Magic. Morgana was able to set everything up to legally adopt Harry, she should be able to do so here.

    Or curse the father with something nasty if he tries to abuse Mari. Waiting for social services to have a reason (eg. if he overreacts and beats her when she shows signs of devilworshipping (aka magic)) is just asking for Mari to get hurt.
     
    johnworm said:
    Magic. Morgana was able to set everything up to legally adopt Harry, she should be able to do so here.

    Or curse the father with something nasty if he tries to abuse Mari. Waiting for social services to have a reason (eg. if he overreacts and beats her when she shows signs of devilworshipping (aka magic)) is just asking for Mari to get hurt.
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    Time, visibility, and knowledge. Harry was a toddler with only a birth certificate. They also provided a body for the authorities to find. Granted, if they dug up the grave today, all they would find is a bunch of twigs and leaves. Marianne is 11, so there is more history that needs to be created, she also needs a convenient way to die, and she'd need to be willing to move to somewhere that she isn't known. On top of that, Morgana herself can't just disappear, as she has built an identity there.

    On top of that, Morgana still remembers the Christians doing the same thing to her people, so it's she really going to inflict that on them, even if they are the sort of Christian who deserves it.
     
    Darkphoenixlady said:
    "Your father has decided that it's time for you to learn your womanly duties to Christ, so if you want to be able to practice you need to get up now."
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    ... Ooh, I'm starting to really hate this guy.


    Sure, the bible tells wives to respect their husband, but right afterwards it tells husbands to LOVE THEIR WIFE!!

    This isn't love, this is slavery! It's arguable that Marianne's father has already broken his wedding vows, so her mother would be free and clear to leave him. But of course, the church he goes to is one of those...

    I seriously hope that Marianne's mother has some family that are worried about her.
     
    Darkphoenixlady said:
    Because I promised to be by his side for better or worse, until death do we part.
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    Those vows are mutual and create a partnership. The fact that her father demands such things so strictly of her mother suggests to me that something else is going on here that Mari is unaware of. Her father is really someone I'd like to see get smote. Preferably with large quantities of lightning ⚡️
     
    johnworm said:
    the fact that her mom refuses to protect her from her dad and allows herself to be a doormat against him with the argument of her marriage vows... fuck that.
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    Abuse victims VERY frequently choose the abusive partner over their own child.

    Even if the partner isn't related to the child.

    Even if the partner is abusing the child also.
     
    Chapter 17
  • Threadmarks

    • Chapter 17



    Trained by years of living with her family and only finding out the interesting and important news by listening in. Further honed by her sisters habit of trying to jump on her to wake her up. Daphne wakes up to the faint click of one of the partition doors. As she's drifting off to sleep, she hears the sound of the toilet flushing. Getting out of bed, she pads over to her door in her night dress and pulls it open enough to look outside. There she sees Harry dressed in a thick cloth jerkin with leather trousers, in one hand he holds a rattan sword.

    Softly she calls out, "Harry, what are you doing?"

    "Oh, hi Daphne, I'm sorry I woke you. I'm just going to head out to do my weapons practice, like I do every morning."

    Later, Daphne wouldn't be able to tell anyone why she said what she asks, but she asks anyway, "Would you be able to teach me?"

    Harry shakes his head, "Not this week, sorry. We'll have to see what my mother says on Saturday."

    With her brain still fogged with sleep, Daphne asks, "Why, what's happening Saturday?"

    "We're going 10 pin bowling. Remember Mari invited you?"

    "Wait, you were both serious? But we're not supposed to leave the school without permission."

    "Really? It wasn't in any of the school rules I was given to read."

    "Eh? Really. Wait, were you given any school rules to read?"

    "Nope, you?"

    "Actually, come to think of it, no. I was just told the general ones by my father."

    "Well, isn't that a thing."

    "Wait, isn't that a bit Slytherin of you?"

    "Nope, just comes from being raised around fae. None of them can lie, but they can twist the truth into pretzels, and have you believe you know something that you don't. Ephi still can't lie, but she's got better at telling when other people are lying, through word or deed."

    "Ephi?"

    "You know her as Evie, it's my nickname for her from when I couldn't pronounce her name."

    "Ah, that makes sense. Well, I'm going back to bed as I can't learn from you."

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    The next time Daphne wakes up, it's to Justin talking loudly to Harry, "Harry, are you aware that you're wearing a dress?"

    Harry's voice sounds quiet in comparison, "Yep, I like it."

    "But isn't that witches clothing?"

    "Meh, not so much."

    "Is this another cultural thing?"

    "It is, though you'd probably want to talk to one of the people that grew up in this community. I'm just happy about it because it allows me to wear the things I like."



    Daphne walks out of her partition and yawns before she looks at Harry, "Oh, nice dress. Did you get that from the same person that made the dress you were wearing yesterday?" Harry nods, "Oh, and Justin, you were being quite loud and woke me up. I wouldn't be surprised if you woke the others up too so I'm going to use the facilities before anyone else gets in there first."

    "Sorry!" calls Justin, just as loudly as before.



    From Susan's partition comes, "Justin, you were just asked to keep it down."

    "I was?"

    "Yes, it was implied when who ever it was told you that you woke her up for being loud. Now I'm awake so I'm heading to the loo."



    After a few minutes Justin says, "Look, Harry, I'm sorry for jumping to conclusions. It's just."

    Harry looks up and smiles slightly, "Yeah, I know. I live in the mundane world too."

    After a moment Justin asks, "Do you mind if I ask what you're doing?"

    Harry looks up, "I'm making notes on the first few chapters of each of our books. That way I have some idea what the teacher is talking about during the lesson, and can hopefully just note down the things that weren't covered in the books. It also allows me to ask questions on things I actually don't understand. It's something my mum and I researched when we found out that I don't learn very well if I'm trying to do a couple of things at the same time. I was home-schooled because I excel in weird things and have normal aptitudes for other things."

    "What sort of notes can you make from the textbooks?"

    "Often, it's summarising the text, or trying to join up bits of information from elsewhere in the book."



    While everyone else started to get up, Harry and Justin were slowly joined by more of the dorm mates as they discussed different approaches to school work based on their respective experiences.

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    At breakfast, Professor Sprout comes over to their group, "Good morning everyone, I'm your head of house Professor Sprout. I've got your time tables here. Normally you'd have a free period before dinner, but I'd like you to all return to the common room so that I can introduce you to your Prefects. After that you'll have a guided tour of the school. As your first lesson is Herbology with myself, I will guide you to the greenhouses after breakfast. Do any of you have any questions?"

    Daphne raises her hand, "Professor, do you have a copy of the school rules? We discovered that nobody in our dorm received a copy."

    "Hmm, I don't. Did you all get student handbooks?"

    All the magic raised shake their heads, while Harry and Justin nod. Harry pulls his own copy out of his bag, "Assuming this is the student handbook, then I got one when Professor McGonagall showed my mum and I to Diagon Alley and Kings Cross."

    "Would you mind if I borrow this over breakfast?"

    "Certainly professor."

    "By the way, where's the fae you came with?"

    Harry giggles and points to the Gryffindor table where they have a clump of vases full of flowers, as well as a pile of honey pots.

    "I see, well warn her that Fairy wings are used as a potions ingredient, as is Fairy dust, so some wizards may decide that she's just a bigger fairy."

    Harry frowns, "Ephi! I need you over here."

    Ephis flies over with a pout on her face, "I was enjoying the honey. What's wrong?"

    "Professor Sprout just mentioned something important." Harry points to the Professor.

    Ephis twirls around before flying to Professor Sprout, "Yes?"

    "Oh, ah, I was just warning Harry that Fairy wings and Fairy dust is used in potions. So be careful just in case some less scrupulous wizards decide you're just a big fairy."



    Once the professor hands the timetables to Megan, and takes the handbook with her to the next year, Justin asks Susan, "Susan, this morning I was surprised to see Harry wearing a dress. He said that it was a magical cultural thing. Is this true?"

    Susan sighs, "In wider British magical culture, yes. Though robes tend to have defined styles for Wizards and Witches. Robes serve as…"

    Daphne cuts in as Susan searches for an explanation, "The Robes we wear are to protect our day clothes, as well as to provide an acceptable appearance when needed. Pretty much every Witch or Wizard will have a Party robe, or Best robe, that they only use when they need to look their best. Those who work a trade will normally also have several sets of work robes that are more durable. As these often get stained and dirty, it isn't uncommon for the common witch or wizard to just remove their robe when it's not needed. In pureblood culture, and amongst the land-owning class, day clothes are considered house clothes."

    Susan interrupts, "Here we're starting to get into politics, which I'm sure will devolve into arguments if we're not careful. Just be aware that there is a progressive to traditional slant to our culture, and which rules apply depends on where on that you lie. Apart from the muggleborn, almost every witch or wizard you'll meet here comes from families that own land. Those that aren't are likely to be in a few decades."

    Daphne takes over again, with a glance at Harry, "Of course, there are families like the Potters. You'll probably hear people talk about Harry Potter a lot, or the boy-who-lived. If he was able to attend Hogwarts, he'd be one of very few families that have gone from having land to not having land. This is because the Ministry turned his family home into a National Monument after he survived having the Dark Lord attempt to wipe out the family."

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    Herbology with Gryffindor was… interesting. While most of the lesson was spent breaking up Dittany seedlings and potting them in individual pots. It was broken up with Professor Sprout showing them the correct way to declump the roots, or explaining what the soil and fertiliser they're using is. She also went through the properties of the plant in mundane tinctures as well as magical potions and distillations. There was no note taking, as everything was covered in the textbook. Instead, this lesson seemed to be all about putting the practical reading to good use. This was evidenced with the homework – 6 inches on the sage plant.



    After the lesson they had just enough time to change robes before heading to Charms. One of the Hufflepuff prefects showed them to the Charms classroom. Inside the Ravenclaw students had already assembled on one side of the room.

    As the diminutive professor climbed the books that make up his podium, Harry idly wondered if it was a stylistic choice or just laziness. A faint knock when the professor reached the top made Harry think it was cleverly shaped wood, so stylistic.



    Once Professor Flitwick has taken the register, he looks around the desks. Spotting that some of the Hufflepuffs didn't have their wands out, he looks at Harry, "Mr Danann, where is your wand?"

    With a sigh, Harry reaches out and pulls the wand from the mist, much to the Professors surprise, "Interesting, interesting. Professor McGonagall told me that your family practice an ancient form of magic, was that an example?"

    "It was professor, though it's an intermediate skill to learn."

    "Shame, that would have been a useful spell to know in my duelling days. Everyone that can't do that, please get your wands out and place them in the groove on the desk. We do a lot of practical spell casting in this class, so you need to have your wands within easy reach." Flitwick waits for everyone to finish putting their wands on their desks, "Using magic requires three key components, Intent, Willpower, and Knowledge. In this class we are going to cover the class of spells called charms. There will be some overlap with the defence class, but that's because some curses, hexes, and jinxes are also charms. To start the class, we are going to learn a spell to create light. This spell has two components to it, the first is the wand motion, which is lifting the wand up in front of you like so. The second is the incantation, Lumos. When combined, they form a light spell like so."

    The Professor then lifts his wand up to his face and says Lumos. As he completes the action the tip of his wand lights up.



    "Now you try it, the counter spell is the reverse motion and the word Nox."

    Around the class, students cast the spell, some of them take multiple attempts to get the timing right, but it doesn't take long for all of them to get it right. Professor Flitwick's attention is drawn back to Harry, who has started making the end of his wand glow and go out while just holding it.

    "Mr Danann. It is impressive that you are able to cast the spell without incantation of wand movement. However, I would like you to refrain from doing so in the class. I would also advise that you refrain from doing it until you can cast the spell flawlessly, repeatedly, as many of the lessons in this class will be ingraining the different wand motions in your mind so that when you come to learn more complex spells you don't need to worry about the basic motions.

    "For everyone else, what Harry was doing was two NEWT level skills called point and silent casting. The reason they are NEWT level is that you have to be very familiar with the spells you're casting such that you can visualise them perfectly." He turns around and, with a wave of his wand, draws a triangle on the blackboard. At the point he write the word Intent, on either side at the bottom he writes Incantation and Somatic before turning back around.

    "We are skipping a couple of lessons here, so don't worry if you can't follow it. All spells have 3 components to them, the incantation, or the words, the somatic, or the wand motions, and the intent. When you are learning a new spell, you can't have the intent because you don't know what the spell does yet, so the incantation and somatic parts of the spell are of utmost importance. As the wizard Baruffio, who always said 's' instead of 'f', found to his cost when he conjured a buffalo on top of him. The full story is in your textbooks if you're interested. During the practical portions of your exams you will be graded on your wand motions and pronunciations.

    "Now, back to the spell we just learnt. Lumos has two components, a lift of the wand, and a two syllable word. The word starts at the bottom of the lift and ends at the top. In spell diagrams a lift is indicated with this…"



    Harry took notes of the different variations on the spell notation that might be seen, as they're not covered by the textbook. He also makes a note about the fact that the spell completely replaces the necessary intent in using magic.



    "… Now you all know the basics of the notation for this spell and it's timing and incantation, I want you all to practice the spell to match the incantation to your wand motion. Once you've done that, and your wand motion starts and ends at the same speed as your incantation, you can move onto bringing the incantation up to conversational speed. For homework, I want you all to write 6 inches on the importance of incantations and somatics, and name 5 spells that use the lift wand motion."



    Harry smiles as he starts practicing with everyone else. This is something that he can get his head around, as it's like his weapon drills with added words. So the challenge will be to learn to enunciate in a clear and consistent manner and match the wand motions to the fastest he can maintain that level. If he can also learn to read spell notation as easily as he reads English and Oggam, then it will help accelerate his magical progress no end. It will mean putting in a lot of hours though.

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    At lunch time, Malfoy saunters over from the Slytherin table and stands behind Daphne, "Greengrass, I see you're slumming it here. What will your father think?"

    Everyone facing Daphne sees her mask fall back into place before she turns around, "Malfoy, I presume that my father would think I know something that he doesn't. What about your own father? Will he be thinking that you missed something that the Greengrass heir saw? After all, both our families trade in the same circles."

    "Still, consorting with mudbloods and blood traitors?"

    Harry coughs discretely, "You do remember what I said about mud last time we spoke."

    "Danann, no I still haven't forgotten that slight. After all, purebloods are like diamonds."

    "What? Only valued for their looks and abrasive nature? I thought you were here to make small talk, not insult your allies."

    A few of the Ravenclaws behind Malfoy snigger openly, while most of them are polite enough to cover their laughs.

    "When my father hears of this…"

    Harry turns to face Susan, "Miss Bones, is that actually supposed to be a threat?"

    Susan can't hide the smile in her voice, "Only if you come from a magical family that does business with the Malfoy's."

    "Oh, well that counts me out, as we live in the mundane world."

    Malfoy sneers, "So you're a muggle sympathiser."

    Harry shrugs, "Not really, most of the people I've met here have been the same as the people I've met at home. However, as we practice Celtic magic, we didn't exactly know about the wider magical community. Though, I can safely say that if you were the example of the people that live here, I'd almost certainly be glad to return there once my schooling is over." Harry indicates his dorm mates, "Fortunately I met much better examples before I met you."

    "Maybe I should do something with your Fairy."

    Harry sighs as Ephis appears on his head, "You really shouldn't have said that."



    Malfoy and his goons start running when Ephis summons a dozen hornets the size of Harry's hand, while shouting "I'm Not A Fairy, I'm a Sylph!".



    Unfortunately, after lunch they have History of Magic with Slytherin. Not only are most of the class glaring at the Hufflepuffs, but Malfoy and his goons are absent from the class. To compound matters, the teacher is a ghost, who seems to be unable to recognise any of the students. Additionally, his delivery of the lesson is so dry a desert would look like paradise.

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    Marianne lets herself into the Danann mansion and quickly checks the living room and kitchen. Not seeing Morgana, she makes her way into the courtyard and sits down with her back against the gate and starts to cry. She's not sure when, but Morgana picks her up and carries her to a bed made from fern leaves covered in soft animal hides.



    "Hush child, and tell me what ails you."

    "It started this morning when my mother woke me up and told me that…" As she tells the story of her morning before school, she can see through teary eyes that Morgana's hands are turning white, even though the way she's been held stays gentle, "…Then at lunch time the girls at school made fun of me for being so muscley and looking 'like a boy'."

    Once she's finally cried out, Morgana says, "I can not help you with the tribulations associated with childhood. Just remember that children have been the same for as long as I can remember. I've wished for many years that I could remove you from your family, as your father is not a good person. However, in providing you with a safe place to retreat to, I fear I have also prevented the very things that would have seen you removed from coming to pass until now. If this was a few hundred years ago, I would have just made your father disappear. But in todays age, with electronic record keeping and competent policemen, this would introduce rather more complications than I wish to deal with for Harry's sake. Instead, what I will teach you is to call to someone who's name you know, or who's token you bear.

    "But first, I feel that you need to vent your frustrations, so I will have you spar with one of my goblins. Do you think you're ready for bare metal, even though it will be blunted." Marianne nods sadly, "Then strip and meet me outside when you're ready."

    "Huh?"

    "Celts fought naked because their clothes were too valuable to get blood on them, and didn't provide enough protection to warrant the risk. You will have a wooden shield and a blunted bronze sword. It's a bit soon in your magical progress, but while you're fighting try to use the same intent that you use to navigate the other. Don't worry if you can't, as the fight is more important at the moment."



    It takes Marianne longer to leave the round house than she thought it would when she used to daydream about fighting like Morgana describes in her stories. However, she does manage to overcome her embarrassment and walk outside. There she sees Morgana equally undressed wearing a mantle made from crows feathers. All across her body patterns have been painted on with some sort of dye. Standing nearby is a female goblin equally undressed and holding a sword and shield.



    Morgana holds out a pair of leather sandals, "Here child put these on to protect your feet from sharp stones."

    Seeing that they are the only three people visible, Marianne relaxes and obediently puts on the sandals, struggling with the unfamiliar strapping, until she realises that they need to be tied because buckles didn't exist in those days.

    "Well done child, and in future you may keep on the tokens that you have been given, as they signify that you have the favour of the Tuath Dé. For now, this is your sword until you earn or make a better one." Marianne takes the sword, and feels like something important just happened, "This is your shield, use it well. Your opponent is over there, try to avoid blows to the head as this is a spar."



    When she turns around and walks towards the goblin woman, still slightly dazed, the goblin starts to circle around her. Hefting the sword, she finds it's lighter than she's used to, so she readies herself. The goblin clearly telegraphs the strike she's making, but Marianne fails to react as her thoughts are still processing what happened during the day. The sudden bruising pain on her thigh drives all of those thoughts away, and Marianne belatedly moves to block the strike with her shield.

    "Again!" calls Morgana from the sides.



    Marianne takes a few more painful hits from telegraphed attacks before the last of the day's thoughts are driven away and she focuses on the fight. At which point the fighting becomes more even, even though it's clear that the goblin is more skilled that Marianne is.

    When she loses her grip on her shield after a particularly punishing strike, Morgana calls time.



    Sweat pouring down her body, a smiling Marianne puts her sword under her shield arm and holds out her hand, "Thank you for the spar, I needed that."

    The goblin takes her arm, "It was good to face another youngling that truly wants to learn. You would do well to learn how to put aside your thoughts faster, otherwise they will get you killed one day."

    "Thank you, I will take your advice to heart."

    The goblin nods before walking away into the mist, "See that you do."



    Morgana walks over and stops a sword length away from Marianne, "How do you feel?"

    "I'm sore and I've got bruises everywhere, but I feel great."

    Morgana nods, "I have ever found that the clashing of swords is a good way to put your troubles to one side. Come, let us get your tokens, and then we can partake of one of the many things that the modern world does better than the ancient world; a shower, and then a long soak in the jacuzzi."

    "What about my practice navigating the other?"

    Morgana shakes her head, "Tonight we'll forgo homework and that exercise. You'll be using enough magic with the skill that I'm going to teach you. For that you will need my token."



    Once Marianne has put both tokens back around her neck, Morgana opens a doorway to the jacuzzi she fitted into the mansion after enjoying one at a swimming pool when Harry was younger.

    Once they're sitting in the jacuzzi Marianne asks, "Morgana, what were those markings on your body?"

    "They were tribal markings painted in woad. When you learn to read them, they'll tell you which tribe I belong to, my rough position in the tribe, and how accomplished I am. The same is true of my mantle, as only the most accomplished warriors could earn a mantle. Sadly, my people believed that the strength of the animal contributed to the strength of the person that slayed them, so the bear was the most common mantle you would see until so many were killed that they disappeared. After that, wolves were the favoured mantle, however, as they hunt in packs it became far rarer to see a warrior with a mantle. Though I do remember seeing one man with a mantle made from a boar hide. Given that you were only allowed a knife and a spear when you were hunting for your mantle, it was an impressive feat."

    Marianne shakes her head, "Honestly, I can't imagine what it must have been like in those days."

    "Honestly, for the average person it was a scary world. The land hadn't yet been tamed, and Gryphons and Hippogriffs lived wild in Ireland as there was plentiful prey and very few predators that could challenge them. Occasionally a dragon would cross the sea from Wales and cause havoc before it was killed. Or driven off by the Gryphons if there were no warriors strong enough to face it. Disease and death were a constant. However, I also think they were happier than people are today. For all the dangers, life was simpler and the tasks visible and obvious. Men and women had their own roles, but there was considerable overlap. Though, unless she declared herself a warrior, women were not allowed to face the dangers like Gryphons and Hippogriffs, or face other tribes in battle. Equally, there were men who joined the women's hearth, and they were treated as women in all the ways that count. Both types of people were highly valued in the tribes as they bridged the gap between men and women, and were often internal ambassadors when the odd dispute came up.

    "That's enough history for now, it's time for your lesson. This is going to use the intent that you have been building by navigating the Other in a slightly different way. I want you to take my token and hold it in your hand. Once you have done that, picture me the same way that you would your destination in the other… Good, now you need to speak to the token with the intent that I hear it. It doesn't need to be audible, though until you're good at it, you'll probably need to verbalise it." Morgana glances up at the clock on the wall, "You have an hour before I need to drive you home, so you'll keep practicing until you've done it successfully twice. Once you've done that, I want you to do it every morning after you get up, and once you get to school. If you don't have a token, but you know their private name you can use that instead. Especially for Harry and myself."

    Marianne nods and tries to do what Morgana asked. Towards the end of the hour, she manages to send a message once, but that's it.



    One the way back to her house, Morgana says, "You did well today, remember that. Tomorrow I'm going to either buy or make you a diary. I will leave both parts of it on your dresser at home. I want you to keep one of them with you, and fill it in throughout the day. When the police get involved it will be very important."

    "Do the police need to be involved?"

    "If your father is as bad as I fear, then yes, along with social services. If they don't get involved, then you will be required by law to stay with your parents."



    When Marianne walks up to her home, the front door opens and her mother is standing there, "Come on in, quick. You're late."

    Bewildered, Marianne says, "But it's not 6 yet."

    "Your father got home early. Quickly, get your stuff to your room and then meet me in the kitchen. Your father's in the living room, so be quiet."
     
  • Threadmarks
    • Isheepzu said:
    yeah to hell with that church...time for Mari to report her father to the authorities for Child Abuse.
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    The problem with that is that this was the first incident like this. And her father waited until senior school started because senior school students aren't monitored as closely as primary school students. As it continues, it will show a pattern of abuse. However, as long as he isn't physical it is very hard to prove abuse. If it was allowed to get to the point where he became physical, as it often does in abusive homes, she would already be too cowed to say anything. He would also likely just brush off any bruises as her sword practice.
     
    Darkphoenixlady said:
    The problem with that is that this was the first incident like this. And her father waited until senior school started because senior school students aren't monitored as closely as primary school students. As it continues, it will show a pattern of abuse. However, as long as he isn't physical it is very hard to prove abuse. If it was allowed to get to the point where he became physical, as it often does in abusive homes, she would already be too cowed to say anything. He would also likely just brush off any bruises as her sword practice.
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    except it sounds like this is more the latest in a long history of abuse...if a child is ever in FEAR of a or for a parent then it's Abuse and should be treated as such.
     
    Chapter 18
  • Threadmarks

    • Chapter 18

    The next morning Professor Sprout approaches the first years again holding Harry's orientation book.

    "Good morning, I spoke to Professor McGonagall last night about the school rules. Apart from the rules given out by the headmaster at the beginning of term, the rules in this booklet are the only ones that are currently available. I'm sorry I didn't return the book yesterday, but I wasn't able to speak to the Deputy Head at breakfast. I have taken the liberty of copying out all of the rules, and they are posted on the noticeboard beside the entrance to the set. Given that I was a student here too, I will remind you of two of those rules: Unattended students may not go to Hogsmeade outside of dedicated Hogsmeade weekends, on those weekends only students of 3rd​ year or higher with a parental permission slip may attend. Secondly, students are not allowed to use the floo without permission from a professor."

    Harry smiles and nods, "Thank your pointing out those rules Professor."

    "I feel like I should also point out that it's illegal to apparate without a licence, not that it should be possible within the school grounds, as the whole place is warded against that."

    Daphne nods seriously, "Thank you for pointing that out Professor, I'm fairly certain that neither Danann nor Finch-Fletchley were aware of that skill, or that it's illegal without a licence."

    Professor Sprout nods, "When I was a student they had a Customs and Etiquette class that was mandatory for the first 2 years. It was one of the first classes to be dropped when the board started to refuse tuition increases. I'll let you get back to your breakfasts."



    Once the professor leaves, Harry turns around to face the Ravenclaw table, "Hermione, could you write to your parents to get permission for 10 pin bowling for Saturday. That is if you want to come, given that Mari invited you."

    Hermione turns around and looks confused for a moment, then her eyes light up in realisation, "Um, I actually forgot about that. Are you sure it's not against the rules?"

    "All the student rules are in the booklet that we were given, or given out by the headmaster at the beginning of the year. If you ask your head of house, they'll probably put a copy up in your common room like Professor Sprout did for us."

    "I'll be sure to ask Professor Flitwick."

    "Changing the subject, I know you wanted to be in Gryffindor, but how are you finding Ravenclaw?"

    "Oh, it's great. There's finally a couple of people who can keep up with me. Sue Li's father is a spell researcher from China, and they were only over here for a year until she got her Hogwarts letter. Ginger Bags in third year is just as quick, and has gone through the same stuff I did at school."

    "I'm glad you've found a couple of friends in your own house."

    "I'm still not as good as you though. After all, you were doing the lumos spell with no incantation."

    "Hermione, I've been practicing Celtic Magic since I could walk, and actively practicing it since I was 5. There are no words or wand movements in Celtic magic. It still took me a good 10 tries before I got the spell to go off without starting the wand motion before the word."

    "Huh? I didn't notice that, it only took me 3."

    "Nobody does, I'm not actually that smart. I just have had very good teachers, and I've developed a work ethic that Mari is jealous of. I spent 10 minutes this morning just practicing the raise wand motion with two syllable words using a dagger instead of my wand. I also spend an hour every morning on my weapon drills, as my mother and I both do re-enactment as a hobby and part of her job."

    Hermione looks at him strangely, "Why though? Once you can do it right consistently, why spend so much time on something you already know? There's so much more interesting stuff you could be learning."

    "That Hermione, is the difference between Genius and hard work when it comes to success. Anyway, don't forget to write to your parents."



    As he turns back to his table, Harry can hear Hermione being asked what that was about, and then quoting the rules from the book without even looking it up. Which quickly gets verified by having her copy of the book handed over.

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    After breakfast the Hufflepuffs return to their dorm to get their books for Transfiguration. When they arrive in the dorm, Harry turns to the rest of the dorm, "I'm just going to nip home to ask mum if it's ok to invite everyone in my dorm to 10 pin bowling on Saturday. I'll be back in a couple of minutes."

    While everyone else is working out what Harry's talking about, Daphne steps up beside him, "Would you mind taking me with you? I'd like to ask your mother if you could train me."

    Harry hangs his head, "Sure. Anyone else, I can only take two people like this."

    Susan beats Hannah and Tracy into standing on his other side.

    "Ok, take my hand and do not let go. We will be walking there, and unless you're trained, if you let go you will be lost, possibly forever."

    Both of them grab his hand before he finishes speaking so, holding tight, Harry steps into the Other, concentrating on finding The Morrigan. Finding her in her Domain, he steps out outside the roundhouse. The goblin guards flinch before stepping aside as he arrives.

    Turning to his passengers he says, "These are not Gringotts goblins, they are sill Fae. If you insult them, they will likely attack. One rule to always remember, never ask a Fae for their name, always ask what you may call them. Second rule, if a Fae is armed, never approach within weapon distance until you have spoken to them, and have been invited to. Many of them will assume you mean to attack." He turns back to the Goblins, "I have guests, inform my mother that I wish to speak with her."



    The two guards have a whispered conversation before playing rock-paper-scissors. At that point the loser goes inside. Susan and Daphne both share a glance at that. A few seconds later, the guard comes back out and says something to Harry.



    Daphne and Susan follow Harry through the doorway into the roundhouse. Once inside, Harry sniffs once and then goes bright red, "Mum! I've got some classmates from school, so I hope you're decent."

    There's a sigh from the other side of the fabric partition, "Yes Harry, I'm decent."

    As they pass through the partition, whatever they were expecting wasn't a tall woman with blood red hair, wearing a business suit. On the animal skin bed behind her is a pink book with Mills and Boon clearly visible on the spine.

    "Hmm, I know Susan, but who might you be?"

    Daphne curtseys, "I'm Da…", thinking better of it she instead uses the hated nickname that Tracy gave her, "You may call me Daph."

    Morgana smiles at her, "My, you're a quick study aren't you."

    Daphne nods, "A product of my upbringing. May I ask how you would like to be addressed?"

    Morgana smirks, "You may."

    After a pregnant pause, Daphne asks, "How would you like to be addressed?"

    "You may call me Morgana."

    Morgana looks at Susan, "Is she always this uptight?"

    Susan looks at Daphne apologetically, "Usually, though she's relaxed a few times since we met on the train."

    Turning back to Daphne, Morgana shakes her head slightly, "Child, if you spend much time around myself or the Fae, you will need to learn that there is a time and place for formality and masks. That time and place is in some of the Sidhe courts that are not so friendly to mortals. Elsewhere, they will treat you as you treat them. If you are relaxed and happy, they will be relaxed and happy. If you are like this, then they will see your formality as being guarded and expecting some sort of subterfuge. The same is true in the mundane world. For the most part, if you approach people without a hidden agenda or hiding behind a mask, they will reciprocate. It is a lesson I had to learn about battle when I was young, and I didn't learn the lesson before it had already affected people's perception of me.

    "Now, Harry, what was it you wanted to see me for?"

    Harry indicates the two girls while he's talking, "Did Mari tell you that she invited the people who were sharing our compartment to Bowling on Saturday?"

    "She did not, though she has other concerns in her life at the moment."

    "Would it be ok if I invited the rest of my dorm mates, fair warning I think one of them is Christian, but not Mari's dad's type?"

    Beyond a slight tightening of her eyes, Morgana doesn't even acknowledge the C word, "It shouldn't be a problem, how many are we talking?"

    "10 or 11, plus Hermione from Ravenclaw."

    "Hmm, I can't drive that many… I'll book another 3 lanes, and set up a discrete area for you to open a gate. Do make sure they've all got parental permission."

    Harry smiles, "Already ahead of you with that one."

    "Good boy, now I want to see you home at 7 tonight for your training."

    Harry sighs, "Yes mum."



    As they're about to leave, Daphne says, "May I have permission for Harry to train me?"

    Morgana's response is instant, "No."

    Susan smirks, "Daph, I think you meant to ask more casually. Morgana, I'd like to learn Celtic magic, is it ok if Harry teaches me?"

    Morgana smiles, "Certainly, now off with you three, you have lessons to deal with." Before Daphne can rephrase her request, Morgana has stepped into the Other.



    Daphne turns to Susan expecting to see an expression of smug superiority, instead Susan has a compassionate smile on her face, "I can't imagine how hard it is for you to let your guard down, but we'll all work on it with you."

    ═══════ ೋღ ֍ ღೋ ═══════​

    Harry, Susan and Daphne step out back into the dorm room with the others waiting expectantly. Immediately Hannah asks, "So, how was it?"

    Daphne and Harry look a little nonplussed, Susan on the other hand answers, "It was fine, more comfortable than side along, but very disconcerting as you can't see anything so you're walking along being led by your hand."



    As if the dam broke, Susan and Harry start to be peppered with questions, leaving Daphne to one side feeling somewhat lost. Neville nervously walks around the crowd to her, "Daphne, are you alright?"

    Daphne nods sharply, and then remembers what Morgana said only a minute ago. Taking a deep breath, she lets herself crumple, "Actually, no I don't think I am."

    "Family expectations?" he asks sympathetically. When Daphne nods he continues, "I sort of know what it's like. I'm expecting a howler from my gran because I didn't make it into Gryffindor. My relatives didn't know I had magic until my uncle Algie accidentally dropped me out of the upstairs window when I was 8, and I bounced. He's the one that gave me Trevor."



    Neville looks up, suddenly nervous at the silence, Harry and Justin are both staring at him in absolute horror, while the rest of the dorm are giving him sad, but understanding looks. Taking a deep breath, Daphne admits, "That was the same age I started learning Occlumency."

    Harry puts his hand up, "Excuse me for being the non-magical in the room, but what's Occlumency?"

    Daphne winces, so Susan speaks up, "It's the magical discipline of protecting your mind. My aunt taught me at around the same age. But she was very gentle and understanding about it. My lessons stopped once I could detect an intrusion. I take it yours didn't."

    Tracy winces even before Daphne shakes her head. Before she knows it, Susan has pulled her into a hug, "I know it doesn't make it better, but it's not right making an 8 year old do that. Is your sister being taught the same way?"

    Daphne shakes her head and almost whispers, "No, she's not the heir."



    Harry looks thoughtful, "So, from the age of 8 you've been expected to have a shield in hand, and a sword ready in case you're attacked. Even when you should be safe?"

    Tracy shakes her head, "Only at home, when she came over to our house she could relax."

    "Doing re-enactment means you hear a lot of war stories. Some of those stories were about soldiers in the Vietnam war, apparently the locals were prone to ambushing the Americans wherever and whenever they could. I was told that some soldiers seriously injured loved ones when they were startled in safe locations because their brains no longer knew what was safe."

    Hannah looks at Justin beseechingly, "Is that true?"

    Justin shrugs, "I'm sorry, I don't know, maybe ask a Ravenclaw?"

    Tracy nods, "Hermione knew all of those books, maybe she knows."

    Megan knocks on one of the partitions, "Motion carried, Hermione will be asked at lunchtime. Meeting adjourned."



    Laughing, they all start to head up to Transfiguration on the 4th​ floor. Daphne lags a little behind, not feeling as though she really belongs here. Catching her out of the corner of his eye, Harry says to the others, "I'm just going to show Daphne a different route, we'll meet you all outside the classroom."

    They all wave him off, and by the time they realise that he doesn't know any other routes through the castle he has already grabbed Daphne's hand and disappeared into the mist.

    ═══════ ೋღ ֍ ღೋ ═══════​

    Daphne clamps down on her alarm as she goes from walking down a corridor to being surrounded by impenetrable mist, her only contact outside herself being Harry's hand holding her own. Then she feels him take her other hand before he starts to speak, though muffled by the thick fog.

    "Daphne, I need an honest answer from you, so please try to let down your defences."

    Reflexively she responds, "How can I trust you?"

    "That is precisely the point. Unless you give people a chance, they will never live up to your trust. However, at the moment I am trying to decide whether to teach you to do this."

    Daphne stills, and her thoughts grind to a halt, in a small voice she says, "Really?"

    "Really, but I want you to let down your defences. I want you to lay down your shield and sheath your sword."

    "I'll try." For the first time in a year, Daphne tries to let go of the magical technique that protects her mind. Slowly the rigid control over her reactions eases, not all the way, but enough that she starts to shake.

    "I think I'm as done as I can be."

    "Very well, then I ask you this. What do you think when I tell you that the only people who can find you here are myself, my mother, and anyone else that knows you and is trained in Celtic magic."



    Daphne fair sags with the idea that there's somewhere she could be where she can just not be on guard. Where her father can't appear and launch a surprise attack on her mind. Where the darker purebloods can't find her and do what their eyes promised to do when she became an early bloomer.

    "That's what I thought, you have until 7 to decide if you want to do the quick way or the safe way."

    Without any hesitation she replies, "The quick way."



    Harry lets go of one of her hands, and a slight tug sees her stepping forward 1 step, then 2, and then they emerge into the Transfiguration corridor, ahead of them are the rest of the dorm group walking from the other direction. Daphne doesn't have time to raise her defences again before the others notice her shaking.

    Tracy marches past the door and shoves Harry to one side against the wall, at the same time Susan, Megan, and Hannah come over and pull Daphne off to one side.



    "If you hurt her, I will castrate you and make you eat it. Do you understand?"

    Harry smiles and nods his head over to the group of girls.



    On the other side of the corridor, Hannah asks, "Are you ok? Did Harry hurt you?"

    Scrambling to pull her defences back up, Daphne shakes her head, "He just wanted to ask me a question in private. I… haven't got myself back together."

    Susan leans back and looks her in the eyes, "Merlin, you stopped using your occlumency. When was the last time you did that? Don't answer that, just take your time and sit in the middle. We'll make sure none of Malfoy's allies bother you."

    Daphne closes her eyes rather than give in to the urge to lash out with legimancy against Susan.



    By the time Daphne gets herself back under control, the Slytherins have already passed them and thrown a few petty barbs their way. Together, the Hufflepuffs all enter the classroom with seconds to spare. Sat on Professor McGonagall's desk is a cat. When the door closes the cat leaps off the table and turns into Professor McGonagall. "Good morning everyone. In future, if you are dealing with personal problems outside the classroom, you may want to let the professor know so that they don't mark you late. Now take your seats.

    "Transfiguration is probably the most dangerous magical discipline that you are going to study at this school. Miscast it can cause death or serious injury. As such, if I see anyone horsing around in this class they will be asked to leave and will not be invited back."

    Harry puts his hand up, "Yes Mr P… Danann?"

    "Two questions, the first is why do we only have one class a day where we're using magic? The second is, why is transfiguration so dangerous?"

    McGonagall nods, "In answer to the first, most of you are unused to the drain that casting spells places on your magical ability. The single lesson is to allow you to acclimatise to the strain while accounting for practice and homework. Next year you will have 2 lessons a day, and in third year you'll start your electives.

    "As for your second question, transfiguration and conjuration are inherently temporary changes to the nature of something. If you take transfiguration into your NEWT years, you will start to learn human transfiguration, which if done incorrectly is very much permanent. Because of this, you should never eat transfigured food. Giving transfigured food to someone has been held up as attempted murder before. You will also be using transfiguration on conjured animals, if you miss because someone jogged your hand, you could end up turning someone elses hand or head into an inanimate object. Needless to say that doesn't usually end well. "

    The lesson starts out with theory and formula relating to the amount of magic different things take to change from one item to another. For the second half of the lesson they are each given a matchstick and told to turn them into needles using the spell they were taught in the first half.



    By the end of the lesson, Harry was the only person that hadn't made any progress on his matchstick.



    "Mr Danann, please stay behind after class."

    Once everyone else has filed out, Minerva looks at Harry, then up at his scar, "Harry, what seems to be the problem with this spell?"

    Harry shakes his head, "I'm not sure, I could visualise the matchstick, and I could visualise the needle, but it just wasn't changing."

    "Did you visualise the change itself?"

    Harry looks at her like she's grown a second head, "What?"

    McGonagall points at the blackboard, "We covered it in the first half of the lesson, you need to start with the matchstick and visualise it turning into a needle."

    Harry closes his eyes and tries to do just that, "I'm sorry Professor, it seems to be beyond me at the moment."

    McGonagall nods, "Any idea why?"

    "It might be that Celtic magic uses a lot of visualisations itself?"

    "Think about it, and practice visualising the change. I want to see some progress next week, even if it's just changing the material or the colour."

    "Yes Professor."

    "One last thing, may I tell the headmaster about your identity?"

    "I'm at school now and my mother only asked that you don't until I arrive."

    ═══════ ೋღ ֍ ღೋ ═══════​

    Albus curses as he dips a vault key in the inkwell. Whatever's going on with these keys is now affecting things outside his person. Pulling out the second key he proceeds to wipe… put the key in his other hand while he pulls out a hanky to wipe both keys off. He's about to reach for the quill when his door charm indicates that Minerva is coming up the stairs. Quickly, he composes himself before she opens the door.



    "Minerva, to what do I owe the pleasure?"

    "Harry Potter didn't die, he was blood adopted."

    There's a clatter of keys as they fall onto the floor from his suddenly nerveless grip, "I visited the grave, his body was buried there."

    "None the less, Harry Potter is attending Hogwarts as we speak. He's hiding his scar with magic, but it's there if you look for it. Now I suggest you leave well enough alone and keep this information to yourself. After all, if everyone thinks he's dead they won't be hunting for him. That includes Severus."
     
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  • Threadmarks
    • got to love the loop hole on travel mode's to get out of school for some fun
    will be interesting to see what albus's next move will be
     
    stads said:
    got to love the loop hole on travel mode's to get out of school for some fun
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    I tried to think of what would actually be banned, given that the boundaries of the school are a bit nebulous away from hogsmead, and the fact that it's also the only population centre within at least 10 miles. It's also where the station and public Floo are.
     
    Chapter 19
  • Threadmarks

    • Chapter 19



    Marianne flops onto the sofa in front of the TV and pulls her knees up to her chest as she cries softly to a background of children's bbc. Last night her mum had her helping to cook and prepare dinner, which they all ate at the table. However, her father had to start first, and they finished when he did. Because she didn't clear her plate in time, while also maintaining decorum and manners, she didn't get any dessert. But she wasn't allowed to leave the table until dessert was had.

    After dinner, she had to help not only clear the table and set it for breakfast, but also clean the kitchen and stove until there was no sign it had ever been used, including cleaning the floor with a bucket and hand brush. Then it had been time for bed.



    At school she'd gone to the library at lunch time to do her homework and look up the things she had trouble with the day before. After lunch the girls in her class were calling her a swot, teachers pet, and other new names on top of the ones they came up with yesterday.



    Morgana steps out of the mist and finds Marianne there, with drying tear streaks down her face, and her knees up against her chest. Sitting down on the sofa, she just pulls Marianne into her side and holds her for a bit. When Marianne puts her feet down, Morgana holds out two expensive looking journals.

    "I was able to buy these for you, but you need to use a special ink. So I also bought you a self-inking, self-sharpening quill."

    "Thank you, I love you."

    "I love you too. Now, if you want to practice your navigation through the Other you should write your name inside one and put it in your bag. I'll put the other one on your dresser later. I'm sorry I wasn't here when you got home, I was held up submitting some paperwork at the local government offices."

    Marianne smiles wanly, "It's ok, it gave me time to cry."

    "You shouldn't need to cry, as adults we are supposed to protect you, and only expose you to as much of the harsh realities of life as you're ready for. Tonight I want you to send me a message when you get to Harry's 'secret garden'. Can you do that for me?"

    Marianne nods, "I think so."

    "Well, get your name written down and let's get you to the gate."



    Obediently, Marianne writes her name in one of the diaries. Her unfamiliarity with a quill giving the writing a chicken scratch quality. With that done she follows Morgana out to the gate and confidently steps into the mist as it appears.



    As soon as she's gone, Morgana looks around for one of the, now, omnipresent fae. Spotting a sprite she moves lightning fast, and catches it before it can flee.

    "Hello sprite, do you know me?"

    The sprite nods franticly, "Good, I want you to go and find the sylphs and pixies that played with Harry and Marianne. Tell them this, 'The Morrigan is looking for a friend and companion for her sons companion'."

    The sprite nods again, "Repeat it back to me."



    The light the sprite is emitting dims noticeably at that instruction, as it finds it hard to remember words. Dutifully it repeats the message back, 10 times, before Morgana is happy it will remember enough to pass it along. Pulling the honey jar out of the kitchen, she takes the lid off and allows the sprite to take a drop onto its hands.

    "When you come back with some sylphs or pixies that want to be a friend and companion, you can have another drop."

    This time the sprite nods happily and, when Morgana opens her hand, darts off through the gate eager to earn it's drop of honey.

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    Harry steps through the gate into the courtyard at home, following him comes Daphne. A moment after they appear Morgana walks out of the kitchen door.

    "Harry, I thought I didn't give permission for Daph to be trained."

    Harry nods, "You did, however I found out today that she is a warrior that has never been allowed to put down their shield or unholster their sword. That she is trained in combat of the mind doesn't change that fact."

    "I see, and what are you hoping to achieve with this?"

    "To teach her to navigate the Other so that there is always somewhere she can retreat to and set down her weapons."



    Much to Daphne's surprise, Morgana next turns to her and places a fist in her hand over her breastbone, "My apologies warrior, if I was aware of your status I would have been more forgiving of your manner."

    Some of her bewilderment must have shown on her face, as Morgana continues, "While Harry gets you a token, to show that you are his student, I will try to explain."

    Somewhat alarmed, Harry disappears into mist, meanwhile Morgana leads Daphne into the house, "Tea?"

    Caught off guard, Daphne replies by reflex, "Yes please. Where's the fireplace?"

    "Is this your first time in a non-magical dwelling?" Daphne nods, "Open fireplaces haven't been used for cooking in nearly 200 years. Even permanently lit stoves, that we call an aga, are rare. Instead we use gas or electricity for providing the heat needed. To make your tea, I'm going to use an electric kettle."

    Daphne watches as she pulls a rope out of the back of a jug and fills it up from the sink. After putting the rope back in, Morgana presses a button on the 'kettle'.

    "I'm sorry, but that looks nothing like a kettle."

    Morgana smiles before she reaches up on tiptoe and takes a more familiar style of kettle from on top of the cupboards, "Perhaps you are more familiar with this style?"

    Daphne nods, "That's the sort that the house elves use at home."

    "I'd ask what house elves are, but I suspect that is a conversation for another time. Now, what sort of tea would you like?"

    Daphne is about to answer 'milky' when Morgana opens the cupboard to reveal boxes of different styles of tea, "Um, I have no idea what any of those are. So can I just have milky?"

    "So Tetley then." Morgana then pulls out a blue box and takes out a small round bag full of tea leaves. Opening another cupboard she takes out a mug and drops the bag in to the mug. She does the same for her own tea, though she picks a different brand of tea.

    "Erm, don't you need a teapot?"

    "Thank Danu, no. I only use a pot for brewing if I'm making a lot of tea. I'm seriously considering maintaining a presence in the mortal world no matter what Harry decides when his doom arrives. We didn't have tea last time I lived in the mortal world, you see."

    Daphne just nods somewhat out of her depth, she is saved from more confusing talk by the 'kettle' clicking. As Morgana pours the water in the mugs, she asks, "What about straining out the tea leaves?"

    Morgana pushes over her mug, "That's what the bag is for. When Harry was younger I was curious about how they came up with that idea. The most commonly accepted story is that an American by the name of Thomas Sullivan invented them accidentally at the turn of this century. He used to send out samples in small silk bags, some of his customers assumed that the bags were supposed to be used the same way as infusers, and put them straight in the water. Milk?"

    "Er, yes please?"

    Morgana then performs the first bit of recognisable magic Daphne's seen her do as a cabinet door opens on the other side of the kitchen and a glass bottle of milk floats out, followed by a see-through container with lemon slices.

    "Help yourself. Anyway, when he sent out the orders they were in boxes rather than the individual bags, and his customers complained about it. Once he made it a standard feature, his customers complained that the mesh was too fine, so he changed it to gauze. Thus, the modern teabag was invented. You might want to take yours out now."

    Daphne looks down with a start and sees a teaspoon sitting on a saucer nearby. Taking the teabag out, she picks up the bottle of milk before commenting, "It's cold!"

    Morgana hums, "I presume you use magic to preserve your food. The mundane can't do that, so they've used science to invent ways around that. Hence the fridge and below it, freezer." As Daphne shakes her head in disbelief, Morgana continues, "Don't be so surprised that there are amazing things here, the same is true the other way around. However, because in both cultures those amazing things are used for mundanity, we quickly forget just how amazing they are."



    Tea made, Daphne follows Morgana into the living room, "Take a seat. You have probably guessed that I am older than I appear. I was first around when the romans first tried to invade Ireland. It wasn't until nearly the year 400 that the Christians first arrived on our shores. Despite what you'll read in the history books, when we didn't accept their missionaries, they sent soldiers. This was when we first saw warriors that were forced to be ready for battle for months at a time. Typically, these were fathers who were guarding their children to prevent them from being kidnapped. When we were able to move them into larger communities, they'd often remain on guard even though there were others standing watch. If they ever recovered, it took months of safety for it to happen. It's funny, it was the merchants that finally killed off my people rather than the missionaries and soldiers. As, increasingly they spoke of their false god, and the far easier path to the afterlife. I was one of the few who didn't give my people the tainted apples that allowed many of my families peoples to escape into the Other."



    As the kitchen door closes with a bang, Morgana shakes her head and brings herself back to the present, "Sorry about that, I sometimes get lost in my memories."



    Harry walks in holding a leather thong, from the thong hangs a small pendant of a crudely fashioned golden serpent winding around a silver sword, "Daphne, this is for you. I'm sorry it's not very good, but I didn't have time to heat up a forge, so it's just shaped with a hammer. I wanted to mount them on a shield, but that would have needed heat. If I had more time, the details on the snake and sword would also be better."

    Daphne shakes her head, "No, it's fine. You can't have been gone for more than 20 minutes."

    "If you accept this I want you to be very careful of it, and preferably never take it off unless you're returning it to me." Harry glances at his mother, who nods before he continues, "This is made from materials that are part of my domain. As such, it's like permanent freely given blood, and I can't stress how important it is that nobody ever gets hold of your own freely given blood."

    Daphne frowns, "The only people that use it are the goblins for their keys."

    Morgana shakes her head, "Blood quills use it too, they just extract it magically. It's why I've not registered the house as a magical dwelling. Your freely given blood can be used to bind you to curses, geas, track you, summon you, and even kill you. Your magical contracts are all a form of written geas. However, blood can only ever be used once. This is the same thing, but it can be used over and over again. We can track them, but an unscrupulous mage could bind us to allow them to keep that token. Harry is giving this to you for two reasons, one it's a symbol of trust and that he has taken you on as a student. The second is that it will allow him to easily find you if you get lost during your training. Normally we wouldn't inform you of the latter until you'd already mastered the first step of Celtic magic. However, as the quick way involves putting you in the Other and you navigating your way out of it by instinct. Not telling you would likely damage the trust you need in your teacher. For reference, the safe way involves learning to hold your focus on one thing first, and then you move onto the quick way."



    Daphne hesitates as Harry holds the pendent out to her. Her every experience in life saying that Harry is been foolish by giving her something so valuable when he's only known her for a couple of days. Reaching her hand up, she stops a few inches away from the pendant, "Are you sure?"

    Harry nods, "I wouldn't be offering if I wasn't. Remember what I said about trust?"

    Daphne shakes her head, "No, sorry."

    "It's ok, you were rather stressed at the time. The only way to earn trust is to give it. This is one such example."

    Taking the pendant, Daphne inspects it, "What would happen if someone melted this down?"

    Harry looks at his mother, who answers, "It would become normal gold and silver, as the process would remove the magic from it."

    Daphne nods, "Keep the special ones like this then, crude and unfinished. Maybe also give away nonspecial ones that are made with more care and attention to detail. If it's something you're known for giving away as gifts to your friends, then when your heritage comes out they will want the better ones."

    Harry shrugs, "I hadn't thought that far ahead, I just wanted to give you more than a lump of rock. The key to the first skill you need to learn is desire. You have to want to get to wherever you're going. It's not like moving around in the mortal world where you can be distracted by the things around you, and still reach your destination. As you develop this skill, that will become intent. By which I mean it will take less of your focus to maintain, and you can start to do other things. In our culture we would teach this by making a game of it and dropping them into Other at around the age of 4. Because children naturally want and desire they build up this skill without thinking about it.

    "If you were a child, we would then teach you to cloak your presence in the mist of the Other. My mother and I are almost constantly using this to keep our magic hidden. This is the most basic use. As you get better at it, you can use it to conceal yourself, and then things about you. Such as my scar. My mother is far more skilled than I am, as things she's hidden can't just be seen through by knowing they're there. In my spare time I'm further extending that skill to form the mist into illusions, but I have a long way to go before I'm any good at that. Probably for the same reason I'm having trouble with Transfiguration.

    "The other branch, which is the next thing we'll be teaching you, is to step into the Other yourself. Do you have any questions?"



    Daphne nods, "Just one, why are you telling me so much?"

    Harry smiles, "Give me the most honest answer you can. If I just dropped you in the Other and told you that if you didn't get out yourself you'd be lost forever, what would it have done to the teacher student relationship?"

    Daphne frowns, "I'd probably assume that you were trying to kill me or get rid of me, and would keep our relationship at arm's length from that point."

    "Exactly, with other people we can explain why we didn't explain that we wouldn't let them get lost, and while they might be upset, they'd see the success as something they did, and it would be easier for them to do it again. In your case, the value of you knowing in advance that we're not going to let you get lost is worth the fact you will be approaching the task with that knowledge. So making it harder for that first time."

    "Ok, when do I start?"

    "Now, you've got half an hour to get back to the dorm before I come and find you."

    "What?" By the time she's finished her exclamation, she's in the mist holding the pendant, "Arsehole! Merlin, how did I talk myself into this."



    Harry leads the way out to the courtyard to the doorway, where he starts to form a doorway to the Hufflepuff dorm. While he's concentrating, Morgana says, "Marianne's not doing well."

    Harry starts, and the mist that was starting to form dissipates. Morgana gently clips him around the back of the head, "Concentrate. Her father has got her learning her role as a woman in the household. Also, the children at school are already making fun of her because she's fitter, stronger, and working harder than they are, even after 2 days."

    "Gnngh, are, you, sure, they're, not, just, establishing, hierarchy?"

    "Either way, she can't deal with the issues at school with what's going on at home. By the time the home situation is sorted out, it may be too late at school."

    "She's usually really bubbly and friendly, what's going on?"

    "She and her mother are being treated like renaissance servants in a manor house. So she doesn't have time to get enough sleep, and do her practice, and her homework, and make friends at school. Her first day, she was upset and tired from having to get up at 6. Today, she didn't have time to do her homework at home, and she has to do her practice in the other. You're doing well, you had an image of your dorm room for a second there. I've taught her how to message through stone and name just in case, and I've given her a magical journal that's linked to one in her room."

    "This is hard."

    "I know, but you're doing it faster than you did at the beginning of August. You might be ready to start doing this without the doorway as an end point by Christmas, Easter at the latest."

    "When was the last time you had to think about your destination when just travelling the Other?"

    "Gee, thanks mum, making me try to remember stuff when I'm already having trouble holding onto the image of my dorm, and form the gate. Um, a bit after we started teaching Jimmy."

    "Exactly, this is more challenging, but uses the same skills and knowledge. So in order to succeed at this, you're having to make the previous stuff as natural as walking. Now what were you saying about transfiguration?"

    "I was the only one in the class that wasn't able to change their matchstick at all. I tried, I really did, however I can't picture the transition from one thing to another."

    Morgana nods, "It's probably the same problem you have with illusions, I'll see if Titania is willing to give you some individual instruction."

    Harry turns around and stares at his mother, the mist vanishing from the doorway, "Mum! You know what her idea of instruction is!"

    "Doorway, you've got 10 minutes."

    Harry spins round again, "Shit!"

    "Don't swear, do. And yes, I am very much aware that she is a sink or sink slower type of teacher. However, you learnt Celtic magic the same way, so why not Fae magic?"

    Harry refuses to answer that, and instead concentrates on forming a gate in 10 minutes instead of the almost 30 he had when he started.

    ═══════ ೋღ ֍ ღೋ ═══════​

    Daphne stands in the mist for a few minutes trying to think of where she wants to go. Depressingly, she can't think of anywhere at all. Shrugging she calls up an image of the dorm in Hogwarts and tries to walk towards it. Frustratingly, it doesn't seem to be doing anything. After walking for nearly 10 minutes, she realises that Harry said that desire was the key, and it would eventually form into intent. Briefly she swears about him before starting to lower her Occlumency for the second time today. As she does, she starts to shake again, but this time there's nobody around to distract her from the thoughts and feelings she's been burying. Slowly, she realises that she wants a hug, the sort that Tracy's mum used to give her when things had been too hard at home. Ahead of her, through the mist, she catches a glimpse of the Davis sitting room, and Mrs Davis sitting in her favourite chair doing some darning while reading a book. Uncaringly, she drops the mug and pendant and runs towards Mrs Davis, who looks up startled.



    "Daphne? Whatever are you doing here? Never mind that come sit." Mrs Davis changes her line of enquiry when she sees the tears streaking down the cheeks of the girl with a heart of ice. As the girl collapses in her lap, she waves off her husband as he starts to stand up from the other side of the room. A moment later, her eyes widen as a boy in Hufflepuff robes appears in the same place Daphne did. Incongruously he's holding a muggle mug and a pendant in his hands. Her husband surges out of his chair when he sees her eyes widen, and has grabbed his wand off of the side table remarkably quickly. The boy just raises his hands calmly.

    Daphne, on the other hand, looks up and her sadness flashes to anger as she gets up and stalks over before slapping Harry, "Did you know I'd have to do this?! Did you know I'd have to lower my Occlumency shields to get this to work?"

    Harry shakes his head emphatically, "I had no idea, and I'm sorry. If I'd known, I'd have made sure you were able to lower them safely before we did this."

    Mrs Davis calls softly, "Daphne, what did you mean by lower your Occlumency shields?"

    Daphne spins around and the sheer vulnerability on her face has Mrs Davis up and out her chair before she's even aware she's moved. She swiftly crosses the space between them and pulls her into another hug.



    Mr Davis glances back at his wife then back to the boy, "Who are you young man, and how did you get into our house?"

    "Harry Danann sir, and my family are the last practitioners of Celtic magic. Daphne was undergoing her first practice, and she made it here. We are 20 minutes late for curfew though."

    Daphne sniffs, "Why didn't you get me earlier?"

    My mother has a thing she says, "Never interrupt a student when they're succeeding. That's what you were doing when I came to get you, so I waited. You also dropped these."

    Daphne sniffs again, "I suppose… No. Just thank you."

    "Daphne," Mrs Davis starts gently, "why were you keeping your shields up?"

    "It was the only way to stop the attacks."

    "Henry, I told you he was teaching her wrong."

    Henry looks back at his wife, "I know dear, and I had a word with him about it. But it's a family matter, so that's all I could do, you know that."

    "I know, I don't like it, but I know."

    Henry smiles at her, "That's why I'm always thankful I married a Hufflepuff. Now I think you should leave Mr Danann, we'll get Daphne back to the school."

    "I can't do that sir, she's my student, and my responsibility." Harry grins cheekily, "Besides, the rules say that we're not allows to use the Floo without a professor supervising us, and we're not allowed to go to Hogsmeade without supervision either."

    Henry shakes his head, "Hufflepuffs, and everyone says that Slytherins are the ones you need to be careful of."

    "All I did is ask what the student rules are."

    "Slytherins just wouldn't care, they'd just avoid being caught. Gryffindors would break the rules and then own it for school standing. Ravenclaws were usually to interested in their studies to bother even attempting to break the rules. But only Hufflepuffs would ask for the rules so that they wouldn't break them. Thus leading to situations like this."

    His wife giggles, "Come on, you enjoyed that aspect of a Hufflepuffs nature when we were dating."

    "I did indeed Doris, very much so."

    Daphne hiccoughs, and smiles slightly, so Doris picks up a tissue and wipes her tears from her face, "Make sure she gets back to school safely young man. And you, no putting your shields back up until you've had some sleep. You need to process your emotions, not bury them."

    Daphne nods, "Yes Mrs Davis."

    "Now, go on, get back to school the two of you."

    "Please don't tell father that I came here."

    Doris smiles, "Don't worry, he won't hear it from us."



    Harry holds out the hand with the pendant, and Daphne takes the pendant and turns her back to Doris while holding over her shoulder, "Mrs Davis, would you mind tying this on for me please?"

    Smiling Doris does so, making sure that it's long enough to be hidden under robes and clothing. With a smile back to the Davis', Daphne takes Harry's hand and they disappear in a swirl of mist.
     
  • Threadmarks
    • Mikowmer said:
    Taken in isolation, I'd say that these wouldn't mean anything. But all together it sort of implies that there may be an anti-Christian bias on the part of the author.
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    Congratulations friend. What you are experiencing is one story worth of what Christian authors have done to every other religion for millennia now. Except this is very grounded and realistic and we haven't accused all Christians of needing to drink the blood of other faiths to live (for a competent random and not at all pointed example).
    Walderion said:
    Dia dhuit.
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    Maybe little Christian for the tone of this particular fic, but I like your spirit.
     
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    MaimakteriAnn said:
    Congratulations friend. What you are experiencing is one story worth of what Christian authors have done to every other religion for millennia now. Except this is very grounded and realistic and we haven't accused all Christians of needing to drink the blood of other faiths to live (for a competent random and not at all pointed example).

    Maybe little Christian for the tone of this particular fic, but I like your spirit.
    Click to expand...
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    You're missing the "my religion is best" aspect of many Christian stories. The only thing I've stated categorically, in the informational, is that in story, jesus is an actual god. However the Christian faith as defined by the Council of nicea is built around an imaginary god that created everything and allows you into paradise just for accepting him and asking for forgiveness.

    Also, I hope you're enjoying the story.
     
    Darkphoenixlady said:
    You're missing the "my religion is best" aspect of many Christian stories. The only thing I've stated categorically, in the informational, is that in story, jesus is an actual god. However the Christian faith as defined by the Council of nicea is built around an imaginary god that created everything and allows you into paradise just for accepting him and asking for forgiveness.

    Also, I hope you're enjoying the story.
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    Very much. I'm nearly current, then I can go to sleep :p
     
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