HP: The Artisan's Path Chapter 103

Hi all, 

Here’s the second chapter for the week.

Chapter 103

26th July

Harry stifled a laugh as Blaise adjusted his Wolverine mask for the fifth time, growling with frustration.

"Remind me why I agreed to this?" Blaise muttered, flexing his hands so the retractable claws extended with a satisfying snikt.

"Because you're secretly a massive nerd," Daphne replied, tossing her platinum-blonde wig over her shoulder. 

Her Emma Frost costume—a white leather corset, matching trousers and cape—had already drawn appreciative glances from convention-goers.

"I'm not the one who spent three hours perfecting my Storm makeup." Blaise nodded towards Gabrielle, who had gone all out with her costume.

They stood outside the San Francisco Comic Convention Centre, surrounded by thousands of fans in various states of costumed glory. Harry adjusted his brown leather duster, feeling the comforting weight of his spell cards tucked into interior pockets. His Gambit costume was perfect down to the smallest detail, including the bo staff strapped across his back.

"Everyone ready?" Harry asked, surveying their group.

Susan nodded, her Jean Grey costume looking remarkably authentic with her fiery hair. Beside her, Hermione adjusted her Shadowcat costume, looking a bit self-conscious but determined to enjoy herself.

"Let's show these people how real mutants do it," Gabrielle said with a grin.

It had taken some time to convince his girlfriends to cosplay with him, but the results were worth it. After seeing them in their outfits, he discovered X-Men girls were a real turn-on. He needed to make sure the girls didn’t throw the costumes away after the event, as they would serve some pleasurable scenarios in the future.

"Look at this place," Susan whispered, taking in the cavernous exhibition hall filled with colourful booths, towering displays and thousands of attendees.

The convention floor stretched before them like a wonderland of geek culture. Comic book stalls rubbed shoulders with video game demos, anime merchandise and celebrity signing booths. The cacophony of excited chatter, announcement speakers and demonstration videos created a wall of sound that was somehow both overwhelming and exhilarating.

"We've only got six hours," Harry said, consulting the convention map. "Let's make them count."

As they navigated through the crowd, their X-Men group drew considerable attention. When a convention photographer requested a group shot, they struck heroic poses.

"Your Gambit costume is incredible," the photographer said to Harry. "Those cards look so realistic!"

Harry smiled. He had created a special spell card just for this occasion. It released a light that resembled Gambit’s charged cards.

"Trade secret," he replied with a wink, flicking the card between his fingers.

For the next two hours, they explored the convention floor, stopping occasionally for photos with other attendees or to examine merchandise. Harry purchased several limited-edition comics for his growing collection and performed in an impromptu play with some other X-Men cosplayers. 

As they passed a crowded booth, Harry felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. Someone was watching him. He turned, scanning the crowd, and caught a glimpse of what might have been a mask before it disappeared into the sea of costumes.

"Everything alright?" Susan asked, noting his sudden alertness.

"Thought I saw someone," Harry murmured. "Probably nothing."

They continued, but Harry couldn't shake his unease. When they stopped to grab lunch at the food court, he volunteered to find a table while the others ordered.

As he weaved through the crowded eating area, a small figure crashed into him with enough force to make him stumble. Looking down, he found himself face-to-face with a young girl in a Rogue costume.

"Sorry about that," Harry said. "Nice costume."

The girl looked up, and Harry froze. Her eyes were strange, almost cat-like with slitted pupils. She blinked, and her eyes shifted to normal dark brown.

"Hello, Harry Potter," the girl said. "Fancy meeting you here."

Harry frowned. The voice sounded familiar. “Do we know each other?”

“Have you forgotten me already?” The girl asked. “You kept pestering me with questions about the Beast-kin.”

His eyes widened. This couldn't be happening. 

Lynx was supposed to be in the Fae Realm. How did she get here? Was she one of the Beast-kin herself? Now that he thought about it, her name and extensive knowledge of the Beast-kin made too much sense. Had she used the gate to cross over, just like the others?

"What's the matter, Harry?" Lynx asked, her head tilting to one side with an almost predatory curiosity. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

Harry glanced around, ensuring no one was close enough to overhear. 

"You're not supposed to be here," he whispered harshly. "How did you cross over? Are you working with the Beast-kin?”

Lynx snorted. "Please. I'm nothing like those barbarians. Think of me as an interested third party."

"Interested in what, exactly?"

"In you, of course." Her small face grew serious. "And in warning you. There are more hunters after you than you realise. I took care of one the other day."

"Took care of?" Harry repeated.

"He won't be bothering you anymore," she said with a disturbing casualness. "But others will come."

Harry studied her, trying to reconcile her childlike appearance with her decidedly un-childlike manner. "What are you? You're clearly not a six-year-old girl."

Lynx smiled. "Let's just say I'm older than I look and leave it at that. Consider me a friend."

"Why did you latch onto me?" Harry demanded.

"Because you interest me," she replied. "And I’m bored. Does there have to be a deeper meaning?”

Harry frowned. "Yes, it does. My experiences with the Fae Realm have been average at best, so far. Until I know differently, I'm not going to trust you."

Lynx placed a hand over her heart in mock offence. "Really? After all I have done for you? I think I'm insulted."

"You'll get over it." Harry paused. "Why are you here?"

"I already told you," she replied.

"No, why are you here at the Comic-con?"

"Because it's fun." Lynx glanced around at the costumed attendees bustling past them. "It took me a while to understand what this place is. Our worlds are really different."

"Is that the only reason?" Harry pressed.

Before Lynx could answer, his girlfriends and Blaise arrived with their trays of food.

"Who's this?" Susan asked, nodding towards the girl.

"She's just someone I bumped into," Harry replied smoothly. “She’s a witch, so no need to censor yourself.”

Without warning, Lynx leapt forward and hugged each of the girls in turn. "Hello, big sisters! Are you all Harry's girlfriends? I can smell him all over you."

The statement left the girls speechless, while Blaise sniggered.

Daphne finally found her voice. "You can smell him? What are you? A dog?"

"Nope, I'm a Lynx. Both in name and form.”

Susan's eyes widened. "You're an Animagus? But you're so young."

"Some witches are just better at it." Lynx turned her attention directly to Susan. "You're a Pine Marten, right?"

"That's right," Susan confirmed.

Lynx smiled, showing teeth that seemed just a bit too sharp. "You're the right size for something a Lynx would hunt."

Susan took a step backwards.

Lynx turned to Harry. "Your Animagus is much more interesting. How did you manage to transform into a magical creature?"

"I'm just lucky, I guess," Harry replied.

Lynx frowned, clearly not believing him.

"Where are your parents?" Hermione asked, glancing around. "Do you need help finding them?"

"Nope. They abandoned me," Lynx said, her tone disturbingly matter-of-fact. "I'm all alone."

The girls' expressions immediately shifted to sympathy. Harry stared at her, not believing the lies that were coming so easily to her. Then again, maybe her parents had abandoned her. He only knew that her father had died at some point.

"I'm sorry, ma poupée," Gabrielle said softly. "Why would they do such a thing?"

Lynx tilted her head. "What does that word mean?"

"Ma poupée means 'my doll'." 

"I'm not your doll.”

Blaise crossed his arms. "I think I see the reason she was abandoned. Isn't she a little creepy? She acts too much like an adult."

Before Gabrielle could reprimand him, Harry cut in. "Let's find a table, and we can discuss Lynx's situation there."

Gabrielle reached for the girl's hand, but Lynx darted away, attaching herself firmly to Harry's side instead. As they began making their way through the crowded food court, Harry noticed Lynx's attention was fixed on something. Following her gaze, he spotted a figure in a convincing fox costume complete with mask, watching them from near a pillar.

Harry tensed, ready to move, but before he could react, the fox melted into the crowd, disappearing among the sea of costumed convention-goers.

His eyes narrowed. That was the second time he'd felt watched today, except Lynx had noticed before him. He had a sinking suspicion about who the watcher might be, but he could hardly believe they would follow him to Comic-Con.

"Everything alright?" Hermione asked, noticing his sudden tension.

"Fine," Harry replied. "Just thought I saw someone I knew."

As they settled around the table, Harry positioned himself where he could watch the crowd. Lynx climbed onto the chair beside him, her legs swinging freely, not quite reaching the floor. The act might have seemed childlike if Harry hadn't caught the calculating look in her eyes as she scanned their surroundings.

"So, Lynx," Daphne began while arranging her food, "where are you from?"

"Around," Lynx replied vaguely, stealing a chip from Harry's plate. "I move a lot."

"You can't live all by yourself,” Gabrielle argued. “Surely, someone will want to adopt you. We need to take you to the magical authorities to sort out your situation."

"She's right," Hermione added, setting down her drink. "It's dangerous to live on your own at your age."

Lynx brightened immediately. "Don't worry, big sisters. Harry can adopt me. We've become attached really fast."

"Says you," Harry scoffed. "And I'm not old enough to adopt you."

"Your grandparents, then?" Lynx suggested without missing a beat.

Harry narrowed his eyes. "How do you know about them?"

"I have my ways," she replied.

Daphne tapped her fingers on the table thoughtfully. "I can't imagine Harry's grandparents agreeing to adopt you. Besides, you're an American citizen."

"Who said I was?" Lynx countered.

"Then what is your nationality?" Susan asked.

Lynx shrugged. "I don't belong to any country. I'm a wanderer. Didn't I already say so?"

"I think she's suspicious," Blaise interjected, crossing his arms. "I say we take her to the Aurors and have her checked for magical anomalies. For all we know, she's a spy who has de-aged herself to make herself look younger."

Lynx laughed at his theory.

"If that were true," Harry pointed out, "then she's doing a poor job. She's not even trying to hide her maturity."

"I think the best thing to do is take her to your grandparents, Harry,” Gabrielle said. “They can sort it out."

Harry nodded. Although he still didn't trust the girl, he was withholding his judgment as to whether she meant him any harm. His instincts were usually good at recognising people who were targeting him in some way. But this situation was entirely different, as she was from the Fae Realm. He couldn't even begin to fathom the type of things that were possible there.

They shared some of their food with Lynx, who tried a bit of everything. They ate their lunch, making an effort to steer clear of conversation about Lynx, who was starting to get annoyed with all the questions.

Harry wanted to get her alone to pick her brain. He had so many questions about the Fae Realm. Never would he have imagined that he would have such an opportunity to talk to someone from the mysterious realm, face-to-face. Excluding Merlin, but he didn’t count. 

"Can we speak in private?" Lynx asked Harry suddenly. "It's important."

Harry exchanged glances with the others before rising from his chair. He and Lynx walked far enough away so they wouldn't be heard.

"Have you spotted the Beast-kin watching you?" she asked without preamble.

Harry frowned. "So, it is the Beast-kin who is watching me. I have sensed two of them."

"It's a lot more than that, I'm afraid," Lynx said. "They are more interested in you than I first imagined. I made an incorrect assumption."

"What do you mean?"

"I thought they were hunting you as prey. But now that I know about your status as a magical Animagus, I think it's something more."

"Why would they be interested in that?"

"Think about it," Lynx replied. "The Beast-kin are masters of the Animagus form. They take pride in the fact. As far as I'm aware, they have never transformed into a magical creature. And here you come along, who has achieved something they cannot."

"They want to capture me," Harry concluded.

"Got it in one. They will want to study you, to see if they can replicate the feat. You don't want to fall into their hands. Their methods can be extreme."

"I don't plan on being captured."

Lynx was about to respond when she hissed, spinning around to examine her surroundings. Harry felt his instincts flaring to life, alerting him to danger.

"We're being surrounded,” Lynx said.

She was right. More figures wearing animal costumes and masks were stepping out of the crowd, slowly moving in their direction.

"I need to warn my friends," Harry said.

Lynx followed as Harry dashed toward the table. Suddenly, a wave of magic washed over him. To his horror, Blaise and his girlfriends collapsed unconscious. The same was happening to the hundreds of convention-goers in the vicinity. They crashed to the ground as if they were puppets whose strings had been cut.

Harry pulled out his wand. "What the hell is going on?"

"A mass sleep spell," Lynx explained. "I'm surprised they would go this far to capture you. I'm also surprised that you haven't succumbed to its effects. This is powerful magic."

"Well, I'm resistant to magic."

It was only due to his Arcane Resistance skill that he didn't end up like the rest.

A woman stepped forward. The same one he had glimpsed earlier, wearing a fox costume and mask. "You will be coming with us. Don't resist, and your friends won't get hurt."

"As if I trust your word," Harry retorted. "You should have picked another costume. Don't you know foxes are known to be cunning?"

"Capture him," the woman ordered. "We don't have much time before someone notices that something is amiss."

The figures drew closer, encircling them. Some of them were wielding staffs, and a series of growls and yipping sounds emerged from several of them.

Lynx stepped in front of Harry. "Aren't you being rude? You're acting like I'm not even here."

The woman hesitated briefly. "I know who you are, but you don't frighten me. You're a fallen deity. Your temple lies in ruins, your worshippers scattered to the wind."

Harry glanced at Lynx, shocked by the revelation. Maybe he should have considered the idea sooner. His experience with deities so far made him believe that they were all assholes, but why was she stepping forward to protect him?

"You poor child. It doesn't matter how much my influence has waned. You're still no match for me." Lynx turned slightly. "Harry, protect your girls while I deal with these misbehaving children."

Lynx leapt forward and transformed in mid-air. Where a small girl had stood mere moments before, a sleek lynx now descended upon the Beast-kin. She swiped her paw, unleashing three blades of magic that sliced through the air, aiming for the fox. The fox dodged to the side, and the magic cut into the pillar behind her, gouging deep into it.

"Don't hurt the people!" Harry shouted.

He cast his Coiled Serpent shield over his friends and watched the fight unfold.

The Beast-kin abandoned their staffs, bodies shimmering as they transformed into their animal forms. A bear, wolf, hawk, raccoon, and several others joined the fox, all rushing towards Lynx in a coordinated attack.

Lynx moved with impossible speed, her form blurring as she leapt between adversaries. Her claws raked across the bear's muzzle, drawing a pained roar as the massive creature staggered back. She ducked beneath the wolf's lunge, her own body twisting in mid-air to land atop the predator. Magical energy gathered around her claws, which she drove into the wolf's back, sending it sprawling across the floor with a yelp.

The hawk dove from above, talons extended, but Lynx spun and caught it with a precise swipe that sent feathers flying. She bounded sideways as the raccoon and fox tried to flank her, her movements constrained by the unconscious convention-goers lying everywhere.

Harry watched in awe as she navigated the battlefield with feline grace, never once stepping on the sleeping bodies. She used the limited space to her advantage, leading pursuers into tight corners where they couldn't manoeuvre effectively.

The fox—clearly the leader—attempted a flanking manoeuvre, but Lynx anticipated it. She leapt onto a nearby table, sending food trays scattering, then pounced directly onto the fox. They rolled across an empty patch of floor, a snarling, clawing tangle of fur and fury.

A badger charged from the side, but Lynx kicked out with her hind legs, catching it squarely in the chest. The impact sent the badger flying into a display stand, which toppled with a crash.

The remaining Beast-kin circled warily, learning from their companions' mistakes. The bear recovered and reared up on its hind legs, unleashing a roar that shook the convention centre. It swiped massive claws at Lynx, who darted between its legs, slashing at tendons as she passed.

Lynx bounded onto a fallen chair, her small form deceptively powerful as she launched herself at three opponents simultaneously. Her claws glowed with magical energy once more, leaving trails of light that sliced through the air like laser beams.

When the raccoon tried to escape, Lynx was there in an instant, cutting off its retreat. A paw strike to its head sent it tumbling into unconsciousness. The hawk made another diving attack, only for Lynx to catch it in her jaws, shaking it once before tossing it aside.

The battle ended as suddenly as it had begun, with Beast-kin lying defeated across the food court. Only the fox remained standing, her fur matted with blood, eyes burning with hatred.

"This isn't over," she growled before turning tail and fleeing through the nearest exit.

The Beast-kin struggled to their feet and transformed back into human forms. Harry caught a glimpse of their faces as they retrieved their staffs before escaping. Though they appeared human, their features retained a feral quality that betrayed their animalistic nature.

Lynx shifted back to her human form, looking remarkably unruffled despite the chaos around them.

"Well," she said cheerfully, "that was fun."

Harry stared at Lynx, his expression hard. "You have a lot of explaining to do."

"Is this really the time?" 

Harry cancelled the shield and checked on his girlfriends. They didn't look hurt, merely asleep, their chests rising and falling steadily with each breath.

"How do I wake them up?" Harry demanded.

"There's no need," Lynx replied. "The spell will wear off soon enough."

She was right. Half a minute later, Blaise and the girls began to stir, their heads rising groggily from the table where they'd slumped. Harry felt an overwhelming sense of relief as Susan blinked her eyes open, followed by Daphne, Hermione and Gabrielle.

"What the bloody hell happened?" Blaise asked, massaging his temples with a grimace.

Before Harry could answer, the people sprawled across the floor began to twitch and move. Throughout the food court, they sat up and looked around, disoriented and alarmed. Their murmurs quickly grew in volume as they tried to make sense of their situation. 

A security guard stumbled to his feet, his hand instinctively going to his radio. Harry could see the panic building across the convention floor—it would only take one person shouting about an attack to trigger mass hysteria.

"How are we going to explain this?" Harry muttered.

"I could put them back to sleep," Lynx suggested cheerfully.

"Harry," Hermione hissed, poking him firmly in the ribs. "Explain what happened. Right now."

Harry pulled out his two-way mirror, angling it away from curious onlookers. "We're going to need reinforcements."

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Harry alerted his grandfather through the two-way mirror, who promised to pass the message on to the authorities. But the panic was spreading too rapidly among the crowd for them to arrive in time. They couldn’t hold the crowd back from leaving.

He was forced to follow Lynx’s suggestion. She stepped forward, closing her eyes and extending her small hands. A wave of magic swept through the food court, causing the crowd to fall asleep once more.

Even with this precaution, containing word of the incident proved challenging. The convention continued outside the food court, with the flow of people unaffected. Several attendees had already left before Lynx's spell took effect, carrying rumours of a mass fainting episode with them.

His grandparents arrived minutes later, emerging from a staff entrance with worried expressions. Charlus' eyes immediately swept the room, assessing for threats, while Minerva rushed directly to Harry.

"Are you hurt?" she demanded.

"I'm fine," Harry assured her. "Thanks to Lynx."

"Lynx?" Charlus asked sharply, turning his attention to the small girl.

Harry quickly explained what had happened—his initial meeting with Lynx, the Beast-kin's attack, and how she had protected them all.

Charlus' expression grew increasingly suspicious as Harry spoke, his gaze never leaving Lynx. Minerva, however, stepped forward and placed a hand on the girl's shoulder.

"We owe you our thanks," she said. "You saved my grandson and his friends."

To everyone's surprise, Lynx wrapped her arms around Minerva's waist, beaming up at her. "You're welcome, Grandmother!"

Minerva blinked in surprise, her hand automatically patting the girl's head.

"We need to talk about this when we return to the guild," Charlus said firmly. "This is hardly the place for a proper discussion."

The main doors burst open as a team of MACUSA agents entered, led by a stern-faced witch in formal robes. They immediately set up a perimeter to secure the scene and deal with the hundreds of sleeping people. An incident of this scale would require a huge effort to cover it up. 

Two agents approached them. Harry turned to Lynx, only to find empty space where she had been standing moments before.

It was probably for the best. The way the agents were surveying the scene, they would have taken her immediately into custody. There was no hiding Lynx's involvement in the incident. Her abilities, along with her age, would have drawn their interest.

The agents questioned him about the incident. Harry told them everything about his encounter with Lynx, but omitted her status as a deity. 

The agents hurried away to search for her. Harry doubted they would find her. Lynx would only be found if she wanted to be found. 

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Back at the guild, Charlus and Minerva immediately took Harry to a private room, closing the door firmly behind them. 

"Now then," Charlus began, "I think we need the full story—"

He was interrupted by a scratching sound at the window. Turning, they saw a lynx perched on the sill outside. Before anyone could react, Charlus had drawn his wand.

"Put that away," Minerva chided, striding to the window and pushing it open.

The lynx leapt through the opening, landing silently on the floor. In one fluid motion, it transformed back into the small girl.

Minerva pointed to the chair beside Harry. "Sit down."

Lynx complied, swinging her legs as she settled into the seat, her eyes bright with curiosity.

"Who are you?" Charlus demanded, still gripping his wand.

"I'm from the Fae Realm," Lynx replied.

"You're a deity," Charlus stated flatly.

"Yes." Lynx tilted her head. "What is it with you people? You are treating it as if it's a crime to be one."

Harry sighed. "If only you knew how much my grandparents suffered because of a deity, you wouldn't be saying that."

"What was the deity's name?" Lynx asked.

"Modor," Charlus answered.

Lynx shrugged. "Never heard of her."

"Seriously?" Harry asked incredulously.

"I haven't been out of my temple for centuries," Lynx explained. "I've only interacted with the Beast-kin on occasion."

Minerva studied the girl. "You're that old? Why do you still look so young?"

"I'm stuck this way, due to certain circumstances." Lynx paused, her expression growing curious. "What did this Modor do to you?"

Charlus hesitated before explaining how several families had banded together to summon Modor and seek aid in defeating a terrible enemy. The deity had granted them power, but at a terrible cost that diminished their families through the generations.

Lynx nodded sagely. "You should never make a pact with a deity without knowing their nature first. A lot are cruel, and only grant powers because it benefits them."

"What do you mean?" Harry asked.

"Deities draw most of their power from worship," Lynx explained. "When you receive something from them, you and your descendants automatically become part of their worshippers. Unless you break that connection, you are stuck with them forever, no matter how cruel they treat you."

Charlus leaned forward. "Good thing I managed to break it, then. So, if you take away a deity's worshippers, they become powerless?"

"No. We are powerful in our own right," Lynx replied. "But we become easier to kill if we don't have auxiliary powers to augment our power."

Harry remembered the fox Beast-kin's words at the convention. "That fox mentioned that you had lost your worshippers. Do the deities fight over worshippers in the Fae Realm to consolidate power?"

"Yes. The Fae Realm is constantly in chaos as deities fight among themselves to plunder worshippers from each other." Lynx sighed. "It's a tiresome way of living, so I gave up on it."

"What is your relationship with the Beast-kin?" Minerva asked. "Did they worship you?"

"Some of them did. When I withdrew into my temple, they left and went in search of another deity to worship." Lynx said. "But then something happened that no one ever expected, and it completely upended the Fae Realm."

"What was it?" Charlus prompted.

"A new deity appeared, more powerful than anything we had seen before. The Source. Its intentions immediately became clear. It sought to change the deities' grip on the Fae Realm and the system of worship. It wanted to take away the deities' power and make the Fae Realm more balanced."

Charlus raised an eyebrow. "I don't imagine they were happy with that."

"Some, like myself, were open to the idea," Lynx replied. "But most weren't and decided to eliminate the Source and its growing influence. They failed badly."

Harry opened his mouth to ask another question, but Lynx cut him off.

"I need to return to my lynx form now to recharge my magic," she announced.

Before he could ask what she meant, she shifted seamlessly back into her animal form, curling up on the chair with her tail wrapped around her paws.

Harry processed the information she had given them. It provided a rare glimpse into the inner workings of the Fae Realm that could be invaluable for understanding their current situation with the Beast-kin invaders. If they could question her further, they might discover ways to deal with these incursions effectively.

He wondered about the extent of her powers. According to her explanation, she'd lost much of her strength when her worshippers abandoned her. Yet she had single-handedly defeated multiple Beast-kin at the convention with apparent ease. If this was Lynx in a weakened state, he couldn't imagine how formidable she must have been at the height of her power.

Charlus frowned. “I don’t know if we can trust her.” 

“She has good information about the Fae Realm,” Harry said. “I don’t think she is lying about it. Even if she turns out to be an enemy, it’s best to keep her close.”

“She can stay with us for now,” Minerva decided. “But we need to go through official channels to adopt her, or people will ask questions.”

“I refuse to call her a granddaughter,” Charlus grumbled. “She’s older than both of us.”

Harry picked up the Lynx, cradling her in his arms as he headed for the door. He decided to leave her with his girlfriends for now. They could look after her for the moment. 

He knew they would bombard him with questions about the girl, especially once they learned she was a deity. It would be interesting to watch their reaction.

So, what do you think? I originally had more scenes planned for this chapter, but the scene just kept growing on me.

Thanks for reading.