Yggdrasil_Loki
patreon
Harry Potter In The Witcher [4]
🕑 Added 2025-05-17 13:50:52 +0000 UTCHarry walked into his guest's room carrying a rather large, laden tray. He’d had Kreacher keeping an ear out, ready to inform him the moment she woke up. He’d also made a point of checking in on her himself once a day, just to make sure her wounds were healing properly and there were no signs of infection.
He'd been genuinely amazed, and a little awed, by how quickly her severed foot had regrown. He’d expected the Skele-Gro to mend the bones, of course, but the Elixir of Life he’d cautiously administered had worked wonders on regenerating the flesh and tissue at a speed that was frankly astonishing. Apparently, the ancient, near-mythical potion lived up to its name.
As soon as Kreacher had popped in to tell him the girl was awake, Harry had ordered the elf to whip up a hearty, well-rounded breakfast. He’d specifically requested pitchers of both orange juice and fresh water, figuring she’d be thirsty. He’d also gathered her clothes which he’d had Kreacher clean and mend with a few subtle magical touches and folded them neatly.
He levitated the small pile of clothes to float silently behind him as he approached the guest room door, then gently set them down on the floor just outside. If this girl knew nothing about magic, or worse, had some sort Aversion to it, it would be wise not to go barging in and casually flinging spells around in front of her. First impressions and all that.
He balanced the large tray skillfully on one hand, a trick he’d picked up from years of hastily eaten meals, and knocked softly on the door before gently pushing it open.
He saw the girl sitting upright, propped against the plush headboard of the massive four-poster bed. Harry winced internally. That must have been a real struggle to manage on her own, given the state she’d been in. He quickly pasted on what he hoped was a warm, friendly smile.
"Good morning," he said, his voice deliberately soft. "Glad to see you're finally awake. And even strong enough to sit yourself up! That must have been pretty uncomfortable. I would have come in sooner to help if I'd known you were going to try and get up right away."
The girl offered him a small, cautious smile in return. It didn't quite reach her eyes, but it was a start. "It's fine," she said, her voice a little hoarse. "Thank you for… for your hospitality. Would you mind telling me how I got here?"
Harry nodded. "Of course. But first," he gestured with his chin towards the tray, "let me put this down so you can dig in. I'll talk while you eat. Deal?" He tried another smile, a bit more genuine this time.
The girl’s stomach answered for her with a loud, embarrassingly audible growl at the mere mention of food. A flush crept up her neck and spread across her face, turning her pale cheeks a rather fetching shade of pink. Harry chuckled softly, trying to ease her embarrassment. He carefully set the tray down on the bedside table next to her, figuring putting it directly on her lap might be painful with all the soreness she was likely still feeling.
"Alright then," he began, gesturing to each item on the tray. "Well, I didn't know if you had any particular breakfast preferences, so I had an omelette made for you. It's pretty big. Next to it, you've got some toast, and some fresh pineapple. The pitchers there have orange juice and water, so you can have whichever you prefer, or both, of course. And that little bottle next to the food and drink is a pain-relieving potion. Should help with any lingering aches."
The ashen-haired girl didn't hesitate. She picked up the small vial of potion and downed it in one gulp, then immediately turned her attention to the massive, fluffy omelette Kreacher had prepared. Harry had made sure to have extras made, just in case she was still hungry after this one. She got about halfway through the omelette, eating with a focused intensity that spoke of deep hunger, before she seemed to calm down a little. She looked up at him again, another blush dusting her cheeks, though this one was much less pronounced than before.
"You were saying… about how I came to be here…" she prompted, her voice a little stronger now.
"Oh, right! Yes. Forgive me, I can be a bit forgetful sometimes," Harry said, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. "As to how I found you… well, I was taking a stroll through the woods just outside the manor grounds when I heard some noises. Sounded like metal clashing on metal, a fight, coming from a distance. I decided to investigate, naturally. By the time I actually found you, though, you were… well, you were bleeding out on the ground, surrounded by those blokes in the skeleton armor."
He paused, taking a sip from a glass of water he’d brought for himself. "I asked them what in the blazes they thought they were doing. The main one, the one with the fancy staff, basically told me to clear off or die. Charming chap. At that point, I figured they were definitely up to something unpleasant, so I warned them to step away from you and leave my property immediately. The one with the staff, he tried to order his goons to kill me, but as soon as I heard him start to give the order, I attacked. The rest of it… well, it’s a bit of a blur, to be honest. It wasn’t long before they were all down, including their rather nasty-looking beasts. Unfortunately, the one with the staff, their leader I’m guessing, managed to escape before I could… finish him off."
He made sure to keep his tone even, matter-of-fact. "Despite that, I burned the dead bodies to ash and had the ashes scattered throughout the forest. Figured it would throw off any trail and mess with their scent if they came looking. I then got rid of any scent leading back here to the manor, so they shouldn't be able to track us. After I got you back here, I started treating your various wounds. That was four days and three nights ago. I've been checking in on you once a day, just to make sure your wounds were healing properly. Then I told my servant to let me know immediately when you woke up, so I could make sure to get you fed and watered as soon as possible. And, well, now here we are." He’d deliberately left out any mention of magic, just in case.
The girl looked decidedly uncomfortable by the end of his story, her brow furrowed.
"Is something wrong?" Harry asked, a touch of concern creeping into his voice. "Your wounds aren't acting up, are they?"
She shook her head quickly. "No, no, I'm fine, thank you. It's just… for someone as young as you to be able to take on the Wild Hunt single-handedly… it's unheard of. You must be a truly great warrior, or perhaps… perhaps a mage?" she asked, and there was an almost hopeful, searching quality to her voice.
Harry's eyebrows shot up in surprise. So, the girl did know about magic. Or at least, she believed in it. That made things… interesting. He decided to take a leap of faith and tell her the truth. No point beating around the bush.
"Well…" he began, a little awkwardly, "I'm not sure if 'mage' is exactly the right word. My people, we usually call ourselves wizards and witches. But yes! I am… proficient in magic, if that's what you're asking." He finished with a slightly sheepish grin.
The girl visibly relaxed at his confession, a sigh escaping her lips. Harry was curious as to why that would be such a relief to her.
"That's… that's a relief," she explained, a faint smile touching her lips. "For a second there, I was worried you might have been some manner of… beast, that had taken on human skin. Like a higher vampire, or something similar."
Harry's right eyebrow shot up so high it nearly disappeared into his hairline. An amused smile graced his face. "A vampire, really?" he said, a teasing note in his voice. "I think you've been reading too many dramatic romance novels."
She frowned slightly at that. "Do vampires not exist here, then?" she asked, and the way she said 'here' struck Harry as odd. It wasn't just 'here' as in his home, or even England. He got the distinct impression she meant 'here' as in… this entire world.
"Oh, they do indeed," Harry confirmed, his amusement fading slightly as he registered the nuance in her question. "Though I have to admit, I've never heard of a 'higher vampire' specifically. Unless you just mean their clan leaders, like… well, like Count Dracula, I suppose."
She nodded slowly, as if processing that. Then, her expression shifted, becoming more serious. "How soon… how soon do you think I will be fit to travel?"
Harry frowned, a little taken aback. Had he said something wrong? Misread the situation? "In a week, at the very earliest, I imagine," he said, trying to keep his voice neutral. "Planning on leaving so soon?"
The girl seemed to realize she might have sounded a little too eager to depart, a bit ungrateful even. "Apologies," she said quickly, a flush rising on her cheeks again. "I didn't mean to imply that your hospitality has been anything but… fantastic. Truly. However, the Wild Hunt… they will still be looking for me. And me being here, well, it puts you in an enormous amount of danger."
Harry nodded in understanding. That made sense. He offered her a reassuring smile. "You needn't worry about that, if that's your main concern," he said calmly. "I have… wards, around the home. Powerful magical protections that prevent any unwanted entry. As well as something called a Fidelius Charm in place. It's about the nearest thing to making it completely impossible for anyone to find my home, unless I personally tell them how."
The girl looked at him, her expression a mixture of curiosity and perhaps a touch of skepticism. "A Fidelus Charm?" she repeated, clearly waiting for him to explain.
