NOVEL NEXT Chapter 2: Don't Panic Ch2: Wilderness Wandering Walkabout
That evening, after a day of freezing himself trying to scout by broom, Harry sunk back into his armchair and took a moment to watch the crackling fire. Finding a bit more energy after some rest and a cup of good British tea, he turned to Dobby, who was also splayed across an armchair looking pretty exhausted.
"Dobby, I think it's time we start properly testing our magic in this world both Wizard magic and Elf magic. We need to know what we can rely on and what might be different."
Dobby nodded, not quite ready to get up yet, but interested nonetheless. "Dobby is ready, Harry Potter, sir" he said, not really looking ready at all, "What spells should we start with?"
"Let's begin with some of the basic ones – Lumos, Stupefy, and Protego," Harry suggested as he stood up. He began by casting a simple Lumos, his hand immediately lit up with a bright, steady light. He couldn't help but notice that the light seemed more vibrant, as if the magic in the air was amplifying its intensity.
Next, he tried a Stupefy, aiming the red spell at a nearby rock one of the elves had inexplicably dragged inside from their explorations. The spell struck the rock with a powerful force, leaving a small dent in its surface. Harry's jaw dropped at that. He'd never seen a stupefy have a physical effect before, it only pushed people back if it was overpowered. To chip away at a rock suggested even greater power by an order of magnitude.
Encouraged by these initial successes and now feeling somewhat more excited and energetic, he proceeded to cast a Protego.
A shimmering, translucent shield appeared before him; at a glance the shield seemed thicker, and more opaque than usual, as though it was denser. It also covered him in a complete dome, where it should have simply formed a half-body shield in front of him. Harry was speechless for a moment, before breaking out of his stupor and smiling like a loon. "Huh… … there's definitely something to this thicker feeling of magic in the air… … fun!" he declared to no-one in particular.
Harry looked to Dobby with a mixture of surprise and excitement. "My magic seems to be doing more than just working, it's practically thriving here" he stammered, "But there's something different about it, too. It feels raw and unrefined, like the spells themselves are less polished."
Dobby tilted his head, deep in thought. "Perhaps the magic here has a wilder nature, Harry Potter, sir. I's be hearing once that magic be more refined in our time than Merlin's," Dobby reflected, making a surprisingly poignant observation, "refined by all the seasoned magic users and magical peoples on Earth."
Harry nodded, contemplating Dobby's words. "You might be right. Let's try some more advanced spells and see how we fare."
Harry decided to test the wizarding Disillusionment Charm, having already used it earlier in the day, but not having taken much note of how it's effect might have differed from the norm. Harry cast the spell on himself and felt the familiar sensation of an egg cracking on his head and trickling down as he began to blend into the background.
"How do I look Dobby? Can you see me?" he asked. The house-elf easily pointed him out, chucking a small cushion at the human shaped camouflaged Harry moving about the tent for added emphasis.
"It seems the Disillusionment Charm isn't any more or less effective here, it still works, and we'll still be able to use it to keep hidden" Harry reflected, "but despite the greater amount of magic in the air, the charm doesn't seem very different. Though the magic feels less refined when it's cast, much more primal and natural, and it seems to take a bit more willpower to form into the desired effect."
Harry mused after a bit more testing, a hint of disappointment in his voice. "And the Silencing Charm seems to be more of a sound dampener rather than completely silencing, though with a bit more power it seems to work properly. It's like the magic is happy to do what I want, but the path it usually takes is a bit more rugged, and less well trodden; I just need to push a bit more to get there. I'm not ready to test Apparition yet, but I have a feeling it might be affected as well, and will require great care." Harry had no interest in splinching himself in a world with no St. Mungo's.
The two continued their experimentation, discovering that Transfiguration was largely unaffected and even slightly more potent in this world. Harry was relieved with that discovery, as this branch of magic could be invaluable in building sturdy shelters and temporary tools when needed.
Dobby, too, found that his house-elf magic was mostly unaffected and even seemed to be stronger. He excitedly reported to Harry that he felt a welcoming sensation when casting spells, as if the magic in this land was embracing the elves specifically.
As the night wore on, Harry and Dobby continued their magical exploration, sharing their findings and discussing the implications for their adventures. It was pleasing to know their magic would remain a powerful ally in this new world. They eventually found some rest, despite Harry still being on a bit of a high from discovering just how much more powerful his magic would be in this world.
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Harry and the elves continued their exploration the next day, packing away the tent and heading out to seek either civilisation or some context as to where they are.
The day wore on as they trudged through the snow, laying down hardening and grip spells on the snow ahead of them so they could walk along it like a rough road, and avoid sinking in to the deep windswept snow hills. The elves coming up behind would diligently cancel the spells and clean any evidence that they'd passed the area. It was tedious work.
Harry did try using his trusty Firebolt again, but honestly found the extremity of the cold winds too much to stomach for any extended period. It was too much for both the broom, and for his own warming spells when moving at any speed. It did however give him the ability to scout the area from a higher vantage point, and give some sense of where they should go. Harry had them heading towards some mountains in the distance where he hoped to find running rivers, and by extension, hopefully people.
Of course, even without the wind shear, Harry's broom wouldn't hold more than three people at a squeeze. Alas, asking the elves to get into a storage trunk for transportation in his pocket sounded tempting, but most were keen to join the exploration, so here they were, trudging onwards together.
Through his tedium Harry's thoughts turned to the various other methods of magical transportation available to them. Or possibly available, they had yet to properly test any of them, and Harry was a tad nervous to try.
Apparition, a common form of travel in the wizarding world, was one of the most useful, but had its own set of limitations.
Honestly Harry was still shocked at the power of Apparition, even after all these years, the idea of instant teleportation was difficult to comprehend for a muggle raised. Apparition could be massively useful in any number of situations. With Harry's luck, he'd had to use it regularly, as an escape route both from angry purebloods, or from fanatical fans. It was unbeatable, except under anti-apparition wards. As a form of travel it was uncomfortable but massively cut down on travel time. And as a method of sneaking around it would also be immeasurably useful.
However, apparition was not without its dangers and restrictions. One of the most significant limitations was that a witch or wizard could usually only Apparate to a location they had previously visited and had a good mental image of. This was to ensure a safe and accurate arrival, as attempting to Apparate to an unknown location could result in severe consequences, the worst of which was definitely being splinched. Harry shuddered at the thought.
Splinching was a painful and dangerous side effect of unsuccessful Apparition, where a witch or wizard would leave a part of their body behind at their starting point, or become fused with an object at their destination. To avoid such risks, a clear and detailed mental image of the destination was essential. This mental image was a core part of the "Three D's" of Apparition: Destination, Determination, and Deliberation.
Destination in this case was the most important missing factor for Harry and the Elves. Harry needed a target when attempting to Apparate and at this time, he had none. Of course, Harry was thankful for his Occlumency studies that allowed him to retain enough detail to Apparate to places he'd been even for only short periods, but even that wouldn't help him now.
Harry could sight-line Apparate to cover great distances quickly, even in areas he didn't know; worst case scenario, he could even target the air above his destination to avoid Apparating into a wall or tree. But to do so for any great distance would be tiring both physically and magically. Harry had deep reserves, and in an emergency he would certainly push through the exhaustion, but for now it seemed unnecessary.
For longer trips port-keys were also an option, as they significantly reduced the power requirement, and only required the creator to know the destination. But that still wouldn't help him until he knew the location. Harry also had a bit of a love Hate relationship with portkeys. They were convenient, but his inability to land a portkey was still a sore point.
For now, Harry would continue hiking along with the elves, but maybe a bit of experimentation with line-of-sight hopping would be in-order if boredom took over.
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Over the next few weeks, Harry and the house elves ventured further into the frozen wilderness. They encountered various wild animals, from elk, and what shockingly might be a variant of woolly mammoths, to enormous wolves, that seemed almost like the extinct Dire Wolves of earth's wizarding history.
The elves, in particular, found the untouched nature of the land enchanting, feeling a strong connection to the earth and its magical energies.
Harry was now theorising that he had either travelled in time or possibly found himself in the distant past of a new dimension. Though, the presence of some unique creatures had him leaning towards the idea that he was not merely displaced in time but had indeed stumbled upon an entirely different realm.
He was at least pleased that during his few reconnaissance flights, when he could motivate himself to brave the cold on his Firebolt, he had discovered primitive humans. He spotted herds of animals moving across the plains and small hunter-gatherer tribe that followed them from a distance. Harry chose to remain invisible, simply observing the tribes from a safe distance; partly because he hoped to find a more permanent settlement first, but also because these people seemed less than welcoming to outsiders.
He also noticed that the thick magic in the air seemed to be concentrated in specific areas, forming a web of magical energy that crisscrossed the landscape. This almost seemed like ley lines, which he was pleased to find, but the concentrations seemed to centre around some red leafed trees.
The group was also keenly aware of the dangers of this land. No mundane creature would prove a threat, but the Dire Wolves suggested there might be hostile magical creature around. For all they knew this land might have Nundus to contend with, or with Harry's luck, there'd be dragons.
He had a mixed relationship with Dragons ever since the First Task in Fourth Year. But this was a new world he reminded himself, there'd surely be no Dragons, and even if there were, they could be small, fluffy and friendly for all he knew.
Harry was pleased to be travelling with a large contingent of elves, their food supplies were a godsend in this place, though the elves also enjoyed a good hunt. He was sure the elves could cook anything anywhere with their specialised magics.
A few of the elves were also trained in herbology and potions, having previously worked in green houses or for apothecaries. They chose to while-away the hike looking for any interesting new or known plant-life. Anything that could possibly prove useful in potion creation. Where possible they'd take the whole plant, root and stem to put it in stasis for future growth in special cold sections of the farm trunk.
Thankfully, one of the older elves had knowledge of anti-frostbite salves which proved useful, especially after his flights, as warming charms weren't perfect.
As they gathered around the fire after an exhausting day of hiking, Harry turned to Dobby and shared a thought he'd repeated a few times on their hike so-far, "I can't help but feel that we've been thrown into an entirely new world, Dobby" he sighed, while rubbing his sore feet. "These creatures, the magic in the air – it's all so different from what we've known."
Dobby nodded thoughtfully. "Yes, Master Harry, it's strange. But in some ways the magic here feels like it's telling us we're finally home," Harry nodded, having heard this from a few of the elves, "Dobby thinks we can live well in this place… but Dobby wants to feel the sun please!" Harry chuckled, very much in agreement with that sentiment.
Harry smiled at Dobby, "You're right, you're right, this place feels like the magic is welcoming us, but the landscape certainly isn't welcoming."
Throughout this time, Harry often found himself reflecting on what he would do if he were the only properly civilised person in this world. The responsibility of guiding hunter-gatherer tribes toward building a society weighed on his mind. He could do it, but it was a big ask.
The possibility of having to start from scratch and share his knowledge to create a new world was daunting. This was a responsibility he definitely did not want now that he had his first taste of freedom. He wanted that freedom to last at least a year or two at least, before settling down somewhere. That ultimately seemed like a good rough plan to be moving forward with. Though he knew his saving people thing would kick in sooner or later, it was inevitable; darn his Potter luck.
As they continued their journey, the group discovered occasional ancient looking ruins scattered throughout the landscape. They deduced that there must have once been a more advanced, possibly medieval type civilization in the region, but it had long since vanished, leaving only traces of its existence behind.
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Harry and the elves had been exploring the vast, frozen landscape for weeks, and their spirits were starting to wane. As they approached the latest forest, however, they noticed a change in the air, almost like they'd crossed a weak but ancient ward line. The biting cold seemed to lessen, and the scent of wood smoke and cooking food wafted through the trees.
Cautiously, Harry led the elves deeper into the forest, and they soon came upon a series of well-worn dirt paths. Curiosity piqued, they followed the paths until they could spot the outskirts of a small, bustling village, surrounded by a wood palisade wall. It was evident that this was the home of a more civilised society than the wandering tribes. The ward line also suggested they might be magical.
Before revealing themselves, Harry decided to observe these people invisibly for a while, to better understand their culture and gauge whether they were friendly enough to approach. Harry cast a blanket Disillusionment Charm on himself and the elves, effectively rendering them nearly invisible to the naked eye, proving even more effective the white snow-covered landscape.
Over the next day, Harry and the elves quietly observed the villagers as they went about their daily lives. They observed an apparently well-organized village society, likely somewhere in the bronze age of development based on the occasional basic bronze weapons and tools they saw. The villagers worked together, tending to crops, crafting tools and weapons, and caring for their children. Harry was particularly impressed by their ingenuity in using the natural resources in such a cold but somehow habitable land.
As the sun set on their day of observation, Harry and the elves gathered in their hidden tent to discuss their findings.
"These villagers" Harry started once everyone had quietened down, "they look like a people we can trust. They seem like a good first foothold into civilisation in this world" Harry said, somewhat relived with their findings. This was much better than having to uplift a hunter-gatherer tribe.
"Master Harry, they seem friendly enough" Dobby agreed. "Dobby thinks it might be safe to approach them."
"I'm also keen to learn more of these wards we felt, I haven't seen any magic from them yet, but they must have some sort of have magic" Harry continued, "at the very least I think this village may be sitting atop a strong ley-line, powering the wards." A few of the elves nodded at this, having sensed the same.
"If they're amenable to us, we might be able to finally set-up the Farm Trunk in a stable location". The Elves' eyes brightened at Harry's suggestion.
"Yappy be's keen to get back to work in the Farm Trunk if possible, Master Harry sir", one of the younger elves declared. Harry knew many were eager to end their long hike and get some normality back in their days. Harry chuckled at that, he wasn't done with his newfound freedom and adventure by any stretch, but he could understand their need for normality.
"We's been walking for too longs, with little actual work to do" Winky said sagely, "it not be being good for an elf to have no work." Many were agreeing and chittering away now.
They might be able to pause their searching for a temporary place to settle, at least for a short while, Harry concluded.
Harry raised his hand for quiet, "It's agreed, at sunrise we'll carefully introduce ourselves to the villagers, and look into some of you temporarily settling here if they're agreeable". At that the gathering broke-up.
Harry and Dobby agreed to approach alone to avoid overwhelming any welcoming party. Harry, would also be cautious about discreetly using magic, to avoid alarming these potential new allies. though he wondered if they'd be familiar with house elves. That might freak them out regardless.
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In preparation for their meeting, Harry asked Dobby and the elves to hunt for some suitable kills to offer to one of the village hunting parties, as both a peace offering to the elders, and a good justification for the hunting party to cut their hunt short and guide them into the village.
Harry should have known his elven friends were occasionally a little too enthusiastic, he should have given them more detailed instructions, he should not have been surprised to find them returning with a massive floating mammoth. Harry palmed his face, and sighed in amused exasperation. What was he going to do with them he thought fondly.
Nonetheless, the plan would go forward, and they'd have an a particularly welcome offering to show for it he thought as he thanked Merlin for the levitation charm.
As Harry and Dobby approached the hunting party, they could see a few dropped jaws, and some nervous twitching of swords and axes. Though despite the possible nervous hostility the surprise on their faces was definitely worth it. Then again, who wouldn't' be surprised by a lone man seemingly strolling atop the snow with a dead mammoth floating behind. Harry's plan to hide magic wasn't going to well.
"Peace, peace" Harry called, with his empty hands raised, "we come in peace!".
Harry flicked his wrist to cast a temporary translation spell and repeated his last statement, hoping it would work with the likely unknown language of this land.
"My name is Hadrian Black Peverell, and this is my companion Dobby.", Harry had long since decided his more formal first name 'Hadrian' would be better received here, not knowing how well the word 'harry' would translate. He also wasn't sure if it was best to be known as a 'Potter' in a medieval world, where pottery was probably still a major profession. He'd never made a pot in his life after all, and thought it would be best to avoid the confusion, just in case someone ever actually asked him to make a pot. So reverting back to the lesser known, original name of the Potter clan seemed like a good idea.
"We bring this small gift as a token of our goodwill." Harry said, while noting a few sceptical looks and raised eyebrows at his description of a Mammoth as a 'small' gift. With a wave of his hand, Harry levitated the mammoth over his head to land between the two parties. Much to the amazement of the hunting party.
The leader of the hunting party, a tall, muscular young man, stared at the levitating mammoth, seemingly trying to figure out if he was still sleeping. "I am Torvald," he said slowly, finally pulling his eyes from the mammoth to the magic man. "My father is Chief Sigvald. We shall take you to him. Your magic is... incredible."
Oops, so much for subtle Harry thought as he looked over to his obvious house elf friend who had started levitating the Mammoth again.
He privately admitted to himself that he might have to pay a little more attention to the art of subtlety in future, but nobody's perfect. He also admitted that magic had become such second nature that hiding it would require real effort. He'd have to work on that in future too.
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Chapter 3 Teaser:
… "That creature seems... uh… a little loopy." Dareg muttered. He and Svegg cast a few side-eye glances at the one called Dobby. The creature was standing atop the inexplicably floating woolly mammoth like some conquering hero. It was difficult to gauge Dobby's sanity with just a glance, but Svegg couldn't help but notice the not one, but four, hats he wore, and they were both pretty sure the creature had an array of coloured socks pinned to his outfit. …
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