Chapter 13 - Chapter 13 (November 5th to November 24th)

Date: November 5th, 1991

Time: 12:41 p.m.

Location: The Great Hall, Hogwarts Castle

The enchanted ceiling above the Great Hall rippled with soft light as clouds parted to reveal a clear autumn sky. Lunch was in full swing—platters of roast lamb, Yorkshire puddings, minted peas, and steaming bowls of spiced butternut soup lined the House tables. Laughter echoed from the Hufflepuff end, while the Slytherins kept watchful silence, eyes flicking more often than not toward Harry Potter seated proudly at the Gryffindor table, flanked as always by his bound mates. His presence had changed since Halloween, stronger, more commanding, more… inevitable. And everyone could feel it.

Hermione sat close to Harry's right, her hand resting lightly over his heart where the Soul Stone of the Bound pulsed just beneath his school uniform. Dora, hair tinged a dusky silver today, whispered updates about the Auror Office in his left ear. Around them, the others shared quiet conversations, stolen glances, and the kind of closeness that made even older students pause in envy. Then it happened. The air shimmered.

A brilliant flash burst into existence above the enchanted ceiling. Gasps and murmurs spread as a massive silver crest flared to life in the air twisting, folding, then expanding in a slow, majestic turn. Etched upon it were eight distinct sigils: Potter, Black, Peverell, Emrys, Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw, and Windsor.

The room went utterly silent. Professor McGonagall stood with wide eyes. Flitwick dropped his spoon. Snape's lips parted in something just short of astonishment. Then, in the stillness, a clear, accented voice rang through the Hall. "Harry James Potter. Present the Soul Stone of the Bound."

Harry rose calmly, his emerald eyes locking on the floating crest. He reached up and unbuttoned the top of his uniform shirt, pulling it open just enough to reveal the gleaming 45.52-carat heart-shaped yellow diamond, nestled in its runic cradle. The moment the stone hit the air, the light in the Hall bent toward it, illuminating the space like a sunrise in a cathedral.

With a low hum, fourteen girls began to move his Bound one by one rising from their House tables without a word, without a sound. Hermione. Dora. Susan. Penny. Daphne. Angelina. Katie. Alicia. Cho. Padma. Parvati. Lavender. Sue. Pansy. They approached from all corners of the Hall, their steps slow and sure, surrounding Harry like a living constellation.

They did not kneel. They stood unshaken, unbowed. "By right of blood and bond," intoned the voice again, now emerging from a tall man clad in royal midnight robes who had appeared beside the High Table, "the Royal Wizarding Council acknowledges you, Harry James Potter, as Crown Wizard Heir of Albion. Your magic, your lineages, and your soul are now placed under the ancient protection of the Crown and Council."

In a far corner of the Hall, Draco Malfoy fainted. A beat later, Ron Weasley turned pale and vomited into his shepherd's pie. At the High Table, Dumbledore merely smiled, eyes twinkling with quiet knowing. "About time," he muttered softly to no one in particular.

Up in the shadows of the highest arches, where the torchlight could barely reach, Lady Magic herself watched. Draped in woven mist and autumn leaves, she leaned against the stone and whispered one word to Elana, who stood beside Harry in radiant silence. "Soon."

Date: November 6th, 1991

Time: 11:00 p.m.

Location: The Royal Hall Beneath Hogwarts Castle

The entrance to the Royal Hall had not been opened in over a century. Carved into the bedrock deep beneath the school's foundation, far below even the Chamber of Secrets, it was a sacred space known only to a select few. Tonight, the great stone archways parted for fifteen figures fourteen bound witches and one boy, marked not only by ancient bloodlines, but by the Soulstone pulsing warmly against his chest.

They descended in silence, lit only by floating orbs of gold and silver light conjured by Elana, who led them with her hand raised and her face solemn. Ivy, Ahri, Mizukume, and Katarina remained just outside the outer ring, guardians of the threshold and protectors of the energy about to be summoned. The Bound walked behind Harry in a quiet procession, their footsteps soft but steady. Dora's fingers brushed against his as they reached the final step. "This is the part where things really get official, love," she said with a small smirk. Harry gave her a nod, eyes unreadable but strong.

The Royal Hall was circular, its marble floor etched with intricate symbols interlocking sigils of the Founders, the Royal Houses of Britain, and the Sacred Magics that predated both wand and blood. In the center lay a ritual circle marked by twelve radiant lines that spiraled outward into a star-shaped formation. At its heart stood a raised stone pedestal, no taller than Harry's waist, upon which a shallow golden basin waited.

Elana turned and faced them all. Her voice, when it came, was quiet but it filled the chamber like a hymn. "Tonight, you are not just bound. You are becoming one magic. The Pact will seal your souls into a unified Crown Circle, one forged from House blood, creature spirit, and sovereign will." She looked at Harry last. "Husband, step forward. Lay bare the Soulstone."

Harry stepped into the center and slowly unbuttoned his shirt, revealing the brilliant-cut 45.52-carat yellow diamond that now pulsed visibly at the center of his chest. It glowed brighter as each girl stepped to her place in the spiral—Hermione to the north, Dora to the south, Daphne to the west, and Susan to the east. The others filled in, guided not by instruction, but by instinct.

The ritual began. One by one, each of the Bound extended a hand, and from their palms came a thread of pure magic unique in color and feeling. Hermione was a golden shimmer of intellect and clarity. Dora's, a burning violet flame laced with chaos and fire. Katie's wind. Padma's, quiet water. Pansy's, silver like a serpent's whisper. Each thread weaved toward the Soulstone and into Harry, spiraling gently around him, until he stood at the center of a vortex of living light.

"I feel you," Harry whispered, voice trembling not from fear, but reverence. "Every one of you. My heart…my strength…my soul." Alicia stepped forward. "Then take our magic, love. Not just as yours but as ours."

One by one, each girl whispered a phrase as they fed their soul's magic into the circle: "You are my flame." (Angelina), "You are my wisdom." (Penny), "You are my courage." (Sue), "You are my shelter." (Cho), "You are my storm." (Lavender), "You are my truth." (Parvati), "You are my shadow and my light." (Daphne), and "You are my oath." (Susan)

When the final thread merged with the others, the floor erupted in radiant golden fire. The interlocked sigils fused into one a new crest formed of a lion crowned by stars, a wand entwined with vines, and twin phoenixes circling a single golden diamond. It hovered above Harry's heart and burned itself into the space just over his skin glowing briefly, then fading into soft warmth.

The room fell still, Elana stepped forward again, her voice reverent. "It is done. Heir of Albion, Crown of Magic, Lord of the Bound by this Rite, your souls are one, your magic fused, your futures intertwined beyond time." She bowed her head toward him. "My husband…the world will never be the same again."

Harry turned slowly, his shirt still open, the light of the Soulstone steady as a heartbeat. The Bound circled him in silence, then, as if on command, each stepped forward to place their hand against his chest. Not as witches kneeling before royalty but as mates standing beside their chosen.

Date: November 7th, 1991

Time: 10:24 a.m.

Location: Hogwarts Castle, Charms Classroom

The morning air in Hogwarts buzzed with crisp autumn magic, still charged from the Royal Pact sealed just the night before. Light streamed through the high windows of the Charms classroom, scattering across the desks where first-year Gryffindors and Ravenclaws sat beside each other, wands ready. Professor Flitwick, standing atop his book stack, waved his arms excitedly. "Now! A gentle flick and float, my dears! Remember, intention guides levitation!"

Harry sat near the back beside Hermione and Padma, his posture relaxed, his mind tuned to something deeper than the simple spell in front of him. The Soulstone pulsed gently beneath his robes, its warmth a reminder of the night below the castle, of magic and promises bound tighter than blood. Dora leaned against the doorframe outside, arms folded and smirking; she had insisted on walking Harry to class, and had lingered longer than necessary.

Hermione elbowed him gently. "You're doing that stare-again thing." "I'm not," Harry muttered back, then cracked a smile. "Okay, maybe a little." Then, without warning, the entire room dimmed.

Every torch guttered, and the enchanted windows misted with magic. Flitwick's voice caught in his throat. A moment later, a great silver-and-crimson flare bloomed above the center of the room, forming a spiraling circle of royal filigree. The Royal Crest of Albion its lions, thestrals, and dragons spun slowly above the class before parting like drawn curtains. And through that magic, he stepped.

Tall, regal, with long white robes embroidered in gold thread and a cloak of deep royal violet, the Royal Herald of the Magical Crown entered with solemn grace. His staff, a tall scepter tipped with a crystal forged from starfire, clinked softly against the stone. His eyes were silver, unblinking, and ancient.

"I come on behalf of the Crown and Council," the Herald intoned, voice resonant with magic. "To present the Heir of Albion with his birthright the Seal and Staff of the Crown." Every student froze. Flitwick stepped off his books with a soft oof, staring in awe. "Oh...oh my stars…" he whispered, then wiped a tear before it could fall.

The Herald turned to Harry. "Harry James Potter, Crown Wizard of Albion, Heir of the Eight Houses, Bearer of the Soulstone step forward." Harry rose slowly. Hermione's hand brushed his for a moment. Padma whispered, "You were born for this." Dora nodded from the door. "Walk like you already wear the crown, love."

With quiet strength, Harry stepped to the center of the room. The Soulstone beneath his robes responded immediately, its golden light pouring softly through the fabric. The Herald lifted the silver staff in both hands and lowered it toward Harry, bowing his head.

"By the will of Lady Magic, by the blood of the Founders and the Emrys line, and by the consent of the Bound, I bestow upon you the Staff of Albion forged of Eternal Rowan, laced with gold from Merlin's Crown, and sealed with the First Flame of the Isles."

Harry took the staff, and the moment he touched it, the room shook. Magic rippled outward like waves on a sacred pond. The Soulstone flared bright gold, bathing the class in soft warmth. From the staff's crystal tip, a new symbol flared to life an intricate crest made of the eight Houses: Potter, Black, Peverell, Emrys, Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw, and Windsor—now crowned by a phoenix in flight.

The portraits in the hallway just beyond the Charms door bowed. Even the ancient ones stiff-lipped Barons and witch-queens tilted their heads in reverence. The entire school felt it.

Date: November 8th, 1991

Time: 3:17 p.m.

Location: Hogwarts Headmaster's Study

The soft clinking of goblin armor and enchanted lockboxes echoed through the circular chamber as three high-ranking representatives of Gringotts stood around the massive desk in Dumbledore's office. The headmaster himself watched from a quiet chair in the corner, eyes twinkling, saying nothing but taking in everything. At the heart of the room stood Harry, flanked by Hermione and Dora on either side, while the rest of his Bound sat or stood in calm formation. Their presence wasn't just emotional, it was elemental.

The lead goblin, Ironflame, unrolled a silver-lined scroll with reverence. "By command of the Royal Wizarding Council and magical law of sovereign bloodlines, we, Gringotts, have come to verify, record, and reveal the inheritance of His Grace, Lord Harry James Potter-Emrys, Crown Wizard of Albion."

The scroll unfurled with a magical flutter, stretching across half the room, glowing runes pulsing along the edges. A shimmer ran across the parchment as it activated, revealing titles, vaults, and lands inscribed in gold ink: House Potter Ancestral seat in Godric's Hollow; three vaults including one Ancient Vault keyed to royal magic. House Black Claim, sealed and recognized through Sirius Orion Black, includes Grimmauld Place and five financial vaults. House Peverell Inheritance of magical theory tomes and relics tied to Death's Hallows; hidden vault beneath Stonehenge. House Emrys Untouched for over 800 years. The vault contains magical blueprints, the Staff of Stars, and a celestial key. House Gryffindor, linked to the magical ley lines beneath Hogwarts, includes artifacts of the First Flame. House Slytherin Relic claims under review; Parselmagic Vault present. House Ravenclaw Library collection grant; includes Ravenclaw's Codex and the original diadem, now dormant. And House Windsor Spiritual and symbolic tie to the Crown of Albion; confers ceremonial protections and diplomatic immunity under magical sovereign law.

Ironflame looked up. "There are also additional lands in Wales, Scotland, and Cornwall tied to the Emrys and Peverell lines. One map in particular is of interest."

He unfurled a second scroll. As it hovered above the desk, it rotated in mid-air to reveal a magical ley line map of the British Isles. Threads of white fire wove across the land—but every single one converged under the Royal Gardens of Windsor Castle. A point of power not seen since the Age of Camelot.

Dora let out a slow whistle. "We're gonna need a fleet of carts to move all this, love." Before Harry could laugh, the scroll glowed again, spinning to reveal a third page and this one made even Elana's eyes narrow in attention.

"Bound of the Crown, Soulstone Manifestation Registry" A list appeared. Names shimmered down the parchment—names of witches and magical beings, each bound by soul and magic. Beneath each name was a species marker and an ancient rune seal. Twenty-one names already known filled the list. Then, the scroll wrote the next in gold: 22. Seraphina Amaris Species: Celestial Siren (Descendant of the Moon-Blooded, Sea-Born Kin of Atlantis)

The entire room stilled. Padma blinked first. "A Siren? But they're extinct aren't they?" "No," Hermione said, breathless, "just forgotten. Seraphina's name…it sounds like a song." Susan stepped closer, peering at the name. "Moon-blooded and sea-born? She's both a tide and star…" Harry stepped forward. "Then she's one of us." His voice was calm, but full of gravity. "Wherever she is we'll find her." Elana's voice was soft but assured as she joined them. "You won't need to find her, husband. When the stars align… she will come to you."

Date: November 9th, 1991

Time: 2:03 a.m.

Location: The Royal Suite, Founders' Wing, Hogwarts Castle

The room lay quiet, cloaked in the hush of deep night. Moonlight filtered through enchanted windows high above, casting silver light over the tangled collection of blankets and bodies nestled in the warmth of the Royal Suite. Hermione lay curled beneath Harry's left arm, her breathing steady and calm. Dora rested with her back against his other side, hand splayed over his heart where the Soulstone pulsed softly beneath his shirtless chest. Around the bed, the rest of his bound slept in shared silence, forming a protective ring of peace, dreams, and intertwined magic.

But Harry wasn't fully asleep. He drifted in that liminal space between waking and dreaming, floating on magic thicker than air, warm as starlight. Then, the silence shifted. The soft, distant sound of water lapping against stone reached his ears waves rolling gently onto a hidden shore. His breath hitched, but he didn't move. He knew this wasn't an ordinary dream. It was a call.

And then he saw her. She stood barefoot upon the surface of a vast, star-lit sea, where the sky and ocean danced in mirror-perfect harmony. Her skin glowed with pale silver light, and her long, flowing hair shimmered like seafoam woven with moonlight. Her gown billowed with each whispered breeze, translucent and edged in living starlight. Her eyes are deep, luminous, holding the color of deep water just before sunrise. There was music in the air, not from instruments, but from her. Her voice echoed softly, ethereal and ancient, the melody rising and falling like waves pulled by the moon.

"You called me, love," she whispered, and her voice was a lullaby, a current that carried meaning beyond language. "And I have heard you, across the tides, across the veil." Harry's voice trembled, caught between awe and instinct. "Who are you?"

Her lips curved into a soft smile, her bare feet gliding over the water's edge as she stepped closer. "I am Seraphina Amaris. Daughter of the Moon-Tide, Heir of Atlantis, and your twenty-second Bonded. I am yours, as the sea is to the moon." Her fingers touched his cheek with the softness of a drifting wave. "Soon, love. The tides turn."

And then the dream shattered like a bubble kissed by wind. Harry bolted upright in bed, breathing sharply but not in panic. He looked down. Nestled just beneath the edge of his pillow, resting on a fold of his sheet, was a pearl the size of a knut. It shimmered with an inner light silver, blue, and sea-green. It pulsed once as his fingers touched it, and then went still.

Hermione stirred beside him. "Love?" she murmured, half-asleep. "I saw her," Harry said softly. "Seraphina. She came to me in the sea of stars." Hermione blinked and sat up slowly, brushing her curls from her eyes. "The Siren?" He nodded. "And she left me this."

Dora, now awake and rubbing at her temple, muttered groggily, "That's not a dream. That's magic. That's Bonded calling through dimensions." Ivy rose from her slumber on the far side of the room, her olive-green eyes glowing faintly. "The tides have indeed begun to turn." And beneath Harry's palm, the pearl hummed again, soft and steady waiting.

Date: November 10th, 1991

Time: 11:56 p.m.

Location: Black Lake Shore, Hogwarts Grounds

The moon hung low and full, mirrored perfectly on the still waters of the Black Lake. The stars above seemed to breathe with the rhythm of the ripples lapping gently at the shore. A silver mist curled along the surface, whispering between the reeds, thick with magic. Cloaked in enchanted garments, the Bound stood silently with Harry at the water's edge, drawn by a force none of them could see but all of them felt.

Harry cradled the pearl Seraphina had left him, and it pulsed softly in his palm like a living heart. The Soulstone beneath his shirt echoed that pulse, thrumming against his chest in time with something older than time, something that stretched across the surface of the water and into the hidden depths beneath. Dora stood close, eyes alert, hand resting near her wand but her expression soft. "Whatever's under there, love, it's calling only you. That kind of magic doesn't wait forever."

Hermione exhaled slowly, her gaze fixed on the lake. "I feel her in the tide. Like she's singing from just beneath the veil." Beside her, Ivy crouched low, fingers splayed into the cold, damp earth. Her face was solemn, and her voice low. "The Veil grows thin tonight. Magic this ancient doesn't stir without consequence. The roots of the land know something is shifting and not just Seraphina's arrival."

The pearl floated from Harry's hand before he could stop it, levitating into the air and beginning to spin slowly. Its light grew, becoming a thread of pale blue energy that extended outward over the water, weaving a bridge of magic one only visible through soul-bonded vision. One by one, the Bound followed him forward, each step onto the surface light as breath, their feet gliding silently across the glowing path.

They reached the center of the lake, and then the thread dove beneath the surface, Harry did not hesitate. With a final glance back at Hermione and Dora, he took the plunge—and the water accepted him like a womb, warm and humming with life. The Bound followed in perfect synchrony. The moment their feet touched the water, they were drawn into the depths, not sinking, but gliding as if the lake had peeled open a hidden path just for them.

Beneath the lake, light unfurled like silk, revealing a grotto of moonlight and coral stone tucked beneath Hogwarts' very bones. Pearlescent shells shimmered along the walls, and ancient runes pulsed along the ceiling in the language of the Old Tides. In the center of it all was a stone altar, smooth and shaped like a spiral conch. The pearl floated gently down and rested in its center, as if returning home.

Elana stepped forward, her voice calm but resonant with purpose. "This is the Sea-Bound Hall. Crafted long before the founders laid Hogwarts. Only those chosen by the Moon-Tide Sirens may enter."

Harry approached the altar slowly, the Soulstone flaring bright gold. He placed his palm on the stone, and the magic surged around him like a current breaking through a dam. Visions flashed across his mind Atlantis rising, Seraphina swimming beneath a sky of stars, and a throne carved from moonstone beneath the ocean's heart. From behind him, Ivy let out a low breath. "The Veil is thinning," she whispered, eyes wide. "Not just between worlds… but between times."

"Then she's coming," Hermione said firmly, standing beside Harry with her hand on his back. "We need to be ready." Harry's voice was quiet but unshakable. "She's not just coming. She's returning. To me. To us." And somewhere, from the edge of that dreamlike chamber, the water rippled in a slow spiral. A soft hum began again—a song not of voice, but of magic—and the lake itself sang back.

Date: November 11th, 1991

Time: 11:45 p.m.

Location: Northern Shoreline of the Black Lake, Hogwarts Grounds

The moon had climbed high, full and luminous, its light blanketing the lake in silver fire. Mist curled low over the water, and even the stars above seemed to hush, waiting. The Bound stood in a crescent along the northern shore, flanking Harry like guardians of myth, their eyes fixed on the silent, glassy water. The Soulstone burned beneath Harry's shirt slow, steady pulses that matched the pull in his chest. Elana stood at his left with a stillness that carried both reverence and certainty. "She comes," she said softly, "as moonlight walks the water."

The first note rose like a ripple. No one saw her appear, they heard her. A voice unlike any other, not sung from the throat but from magic itself, rang through the mist in a low, haunting melody that carried sorrow, longing, and destiny in equal measure. The lake stirred. Moonlight twisted like a whirlpool. And then she stepped from the waves.

Seraphina Amaris walked across the lake's surface as if it were glass, her feet bare, her body glowing with an iridescent shimmer that flickered between water and starlight. Long silver-white hair fell like a waterfall to her knees, threaded with strands of pearl and sea crystal. Her skin was moon-pale with a faint opalescent glow, kissed by the sea. Her eyes shimmered in hues of ocean blue and dawn silver, and her full lips held the color of pink coral kissed by first light. Her form was graceful and radiant, a well-endowed hourglass shape, made for both elegance and elemental force. As she reached the edge of the shore, her gown, woven from kelp-silk and living tide-ribbons shifted from translucent to solid, cascading down her legs in curling patterns of blue-green and white. The golden band on her left wrist bore Ancient Veela script, engraved with the names of the Bound already joined.

The Soulstone flared like a second moon above Harry's chest, a radiant burst of light responding to her presence. He stepped forward slowly, his voice trembling with something too deep for words. "You're real." Seraphina smiled gently. "I've always been yours, love. The tides merely took time to return me."

The Bound stepped forward one by one, forming a circle around Harry and Seraphina. Hermione was the first to nod in welcome. "Then join us." Dora followed. "You're family now. We already feel you." Ivy tilted her head, eyes glowing. "She brings more than magic. She brings memories… something old that's returning."

Seraphina's song faded as she lifted her hand and placed it over the Soulstone. A pulse passed between them, and the circle lit with pale blue fire.

"I, Seraphina Amaris," she said, her voice now echoing with power, "Daughter of the Moon-Tide, Heir of Atlantis, Soulbound to the Crown Wizard of Albion, pledge my song, magic, and heart to this Circle. I bind myself to the Soulstone, to the Bonded, and to the future we are destined to shape together." The Soulstone answered with a golden flare that rose into the sky like a beacon and when it faded, the Circle was complete.

Date: November 16th, 1991

Time: 3:03 a.m.

Location: Tides Beyond the Veil, Dreamwalk Realm

The world around Harry dissolved like a tide receding from the shore. One moment he was curled in the center of the Royal Suite, wrapped in the warmth of his Bonded, the Soulstone pulsing steadily beneath his chest. Next, he stood barefoot beneath a sky made of starlight and water, where sea and heavens met in eternal embrace. Time did not move here. Thought was breath. Magic sang.

The waves shimmered with memory as he took a step forward—only to realize he wasn't walking on water, but gliding through it effortlessly. His lungs did not burn. His body felt free, open, awake. The pearl that Seraphina had once left upon his pillow hovered ahead, glowing softly, guiding him deeper into the ocean of memory and fate.

And then she was there. Seraphina floated in her true Celestial Siren form, the sea wrapping around her like a second skin. Her long silver-white hair flowed like a silken comet through the dark water, and her tail a magnificent creation of opalescent scales and pearl-gold fins moved with the grace of an immortal. The tattoos of her people, ancient glyphs of the Tide Court, glowed faintly along her sides and arms. Her eyes met Harry's, warm and ancient all at once. "This is where I show you, love… what I remember, and what is to come."

She extended her hand, and when Harry touched her, the waters changed. The dreamscape surged into a vision: Atlantis, tall and radiant, shone beneath twin moons. Coral towers stretched toward the sky, lit with runes and powered by the ley lines beneath the sea. The Tide Court danced in song and celebration Sirens, Merfolk, and Water Elementals gathered in harmony beneath the Throne of the Coral Flame.

Then the betrayal came. A great fissure split the city as fire from above dark sorcery laced with iron—pierced the sea's surface. The Trident of Emrys, protector of balance, vanished from its altar. The queen fell. The Thrones shattered. Sirens turned on one another, and the waters wept. "It wasn't a natural fall," Seraphina said, her voice cracking as the scene flickered. "It was betrayal… from above and below." The vision trembled and then shifted.

Now Harry floated at the center of the vision, but no longer as his eleven-year-old self. His body changed, age catching up to destiny. He was sixteen now, tall and athletically muscular, with broad shoulders, a chiseled chest, and defined abs that moved with strength. His arms were wrapped in silver-blue tattoos of tide-glyphs and sea-runes. Down his right arm, a tattoo of an ancient trident shimmered with magic the resting seal of the Trident of Emrys, waiting to be summoned when called.

He looked down, startled by the sleek shift of his form. His legs were now replaced by a powerful, glowing tail that mirrored Seraphina's deep navy edged in shimmering silver. His hands were webbed at the edges, fingers ending in faint claws of coral crystal. Over his heart, the Soulstone blazed like a miniature sun, and on his brow, a crown of coral flame rested regally, the same pearl from his pillow nested at its center, glowing like a second heart.

"You are more than human," Seraphina whispered, swimming close. "You are of sky, of earth, and now of sea. The Crown of Atlantis recognizes you. And the ocean has waited long enough." Harry stared at his reflection in the still water and saw power not brute, but balanced. A being of three realms. "I never asked for this," he whispered, "But I'll carry it for you and for all of us." The dream did not end. It lingered, as Seraphina leaned forward and placed her forehead against his. "We swim as one, love. When the trident rises and so too shall Atlantis." And in the distance, beneath the deepest trench of magic, the Trident of Emrys pulsed as if waiting.

Date: November 17th, 1991

Time: 6:12 AM

Location: The Royal Suite, Hogwarts Castle

The first thing Harry felt was warmth, not the kind from sunlight or a soft blanket, but from something older, deeper, and buried in his very blood. He opened his eyes slowly, his body still nestled beside Seraphina's gentle frame, the Celestial Siren resting peacefully as if cradled by the tides of the ancient sea. A faint whisper touched the edge of his senses, a language he didn't understand yet somehow felt in his soul, each syllable carrying the weight of forgotten waters and ancient pacts. When he glanced down at his right arm, the glowing trident tattoo shimmered brightly in a rich navy hue, edged with silvery currents. The basin at the far end of the room rippled unnaturally, the water whispering the same language as if alive, awakening.

"I hear it," Seraphina whispered as she stirred, her silver-white hair spilling over the silken sheets. "The Trident of Emrys is beginning to be remembered. Its seal stirs within you, beloved." Harry slowly stood, his toned, athletic frame casting a firm silhouette in the soft blue light filtering through the enchanted glass. The Soulstone on his necklace pulsed steadily against his chest. "It's time, isn't it?" he asked softly, glancing at Seraphina.

Seraphina nodded. "It's calling you home... to the depths where it sleeps." Later that morning, beneath the overcast sky of November, the Black Lake glimmered with anticipation. A light mist hung low over its surface, swirling like veils over hidden secrets. The Bound twenty-two of them now stood assembled on the rocky shore. Fleur and Gabrielle had arrived not long before, appearing from behind the headmistress of Beauxbatons with identical looks of knowing and reverence.

Each girl stepped forward with calm purpose, dressed in enchanted sea-silk swimsuits woven with protective runes and the House crest of Hogwarts, save for Fleur and Gabrielle who bore the silver-crested waves of Beauxbatons. The air was alive with magic, laced with celestial songs that only the Bound could hear.

"I feel it, The pull...the call of the water." Hermione whispered, gripping Harry's hand. "Same," Dora added, flashing her Auror trainee badge with a small grin. "It's wild and deep. Like it's waiting to test us." One by one, sixteen of the Bound waded into the lake, Seraphina guiding them with hand signs and murmured songs of the deep. Each girl paused when the water reached their waists, the transformation overtaking them like a breath drawn by the sea.

Then came the Celestial Siren Transformations: Hermione Jean Granger: "I feel...free," she gasped, hair flowing longer, turning a deep chestnut kissed by starlight. Her tail shimmered in soft gold with runes of wisdom etched in light. Fleur Isabelle Delacour: "It is... divine," she said in French, her platinum hair fanning like a halo. Her silver-white tail gleamed with veela fire and blue flame tips. Nymphadora Tonks: "Wicked cool," she grinned, hair shifting from bubblegum pink to deep sea green. Her tail pulsed in iridescent colors, ever-shifting. Susan Bones: "Oh Merlin," she whispered, her freckles glowing softly. Her tail was dusky rose with mother-of-pearl accents. Gabrielle Delacour: "Harry," she said, voice full of childlike awe, her tail matching Fleur's but flecked with innocent shimmer. Penelope Clearwater: "It's like poetry in water," she murmured, her raven hair swirling with seafoam, tail in deep sapphire edged with scroll-like designs. Daphne Greengrass: "Powerful…primal," she admitted, her icy gaze turned ocean-blue, tail glowing in icy glacial hues. Angelina Johnson: "Never thought I'd be part of the sea," she said, her braid floating behind her. Her tail was obsidian with gold flame accents. Katie Bell: "This is bloody brilliant," she grinned, her golden-blonde hair flaring with light. Tail: bright coral-orange with Quidditch arrow designs. Alicia Spinnet: "Feels like flying," she whispered, tail in rose-gold hues with streaks of light blue. Cho Chang: "So peaceful," she said gently, her tail a soft lavender with feathered patterns. Padma Patil: "We're part of something old," she whispered. Her tail was deep emerald with silver lotuses. Parvati Patil: "We're sisters in the sea," she said with a radiant smile. Tail: warm copper-gold, edged with twilight blues. Sue Li: "I hear the lake singing," she said in awe, tail: delicate teal with trailing silver stars. Lavender Brown: "It's not just water… it's alive," she said with shivering wonder. Her tail was pure white with moon-gold scales that hinted at her Lycan heritage. And Pansy Parkinson: "I thought it'd be colder," she murmured, tail a sleek shadow-black with amethyst shimmer beneath the scales.

But none were prepared for what happened when Harry stepped forward. Waist-deep into the lake, the water responded not like it did for the others, but as if it recognized him. It rose higher, glowing with ancient magic. Then, in a radiant surge, Harry changed as the air shimmered around him as his legs vanished beneath a powerful deep-navy siren tail edged in silver. A crown of coral flame ignited upon his head, the bed-pearl resting in the center glowing like a third eye of the sea. His torso, toned and sculpted, bore the radiant trident tattoo now pulsing steadily like a living heart.

"Oh Merlin..." Hermione whispered, breath catching. "He's beautiful..." Fleur said reverently. "My husband," Elana said with soft awe, kneeling just above the waterline. Gabrielle clutched her heart. "He's... just like in the dream." The girls looked on, eyes wide with reverence, awe, and rising heat. Each now saw not only the boy they loved—but the Sea King he would become.

Time: 6:58 AM

Location: Black Lake, Hogwarts Grounds

The surface of the Black Lake no longer shimmered with morning stillness but pulsed gently, the water stirred by ancient magic as if the lake itself was inhaling in anticipation. Seraphina, resplendent in her Celestial Siren form, floated just beyond the shoreline, her moon-pale skin catching the light like polished pearl. Her voice, low and melodic, danced across the water like a guiding wind. "The temple is close now. The lake remembers the pact and the promise...it will let us pass, but not without judgment."

Harry drifted beside her, his powerful form a striking contrast against the lake's gentle waves. The deep-navy of his siren tail shimmered beneath him, and the coral flame crown upon his brow seemed to breathe. The trident tattoo on his arm pulsed, a living sigil that whispered directions only he could understand. "I feel it, Seraphina... like it's calling me home, deeper and deeper." His voice, usually quiet, carried weight beneath the water, power folding through each word.

"I am with you, my husband," Elana said with reverent conviction, her voice like the heartbeat of the castle itself. She floated near him, her gaze steady, ancient, and tender. "The soul of Hogwarts has waited for this moment, for you to rise. You were always meant to awaken what sleeps beneath."

One by one, the Bound followed, their Celestial Siren forms radiant beneath the morning mist. Hermione hovered beside Harry, her soft golden tail gently curving with the waves. "Lead the way, love," she whispered. "We'll follow your light." Her voice carried such faith that Harry felt it settle deep in his core, bolstering his strength.

The group began their descent, passing the shelf of the lake and entering the silvery gloom below. With every flick of their tails, silt rose and danced in the quiet dark. As they passed deeper still, the waters thickened with enchantment, ancient wards brushing against their skin, testing them. Katie Bell whispered beside Alicia, her voice tinged with awe. "This place...it's older than the castle."

"Yes," murmured Cho. "It feels...alive, like it is watching us." The deeper they moved, the more the gloom parted. Great marble stones, inscribed in forgotten runes, emerged from the darkness like buried bones of the earth. Slowly, the ruins revealed themselves towers broken in half, archways overgrown with glowing kelp, statues of sea guardians whose eyes followed them as they passed. The Temple of Emrys, long lost and veiled in myth, was very real... and very awake.

But it was not empty, the moment Harry crossed a boundary marked by three glowing pillars, the waters trembled. From the shadowed corridors of the submerged temple, movement stirred. A low, echoing rumble spread like thunder through water. Hermione's hand tightened around his. "Sweetheart... something's coming."

They emerged from the stone gaps six of them all are serpent-like creatures with long fins, gleaming scale armor, and ancient emerald eyes. Guardians of the temple. They bore no weapons; they were weapons. Long spined tails, fanged maws, and an aura of intent that warned: Only the worthy may pass. Dora shifted protectively toward Harry. "You think we're scared of fish?" Her voice was challenging, but her eyes narrowed, focused. "Let's see if they bleed."

"No," Seraphina interjected, raising a calming hand. "These are not foes to fight. They are trials to pass. The temple does not allow violence only truth and resolve."

"They're here to test us, to see if we're fit to follow Harry to the Trident," Susan said slowly, her eyes scanning the creatures. "Yes," Daphne murmured. "And if we fail then we do not go forward." Harry floated slightly forward, placing himself between the creatures and the others. "Then test me," he said firmly, voice carrying with a clarity that pierced the gloom. "Test us all. But I am the one you seek." For a moment, the guardians were still, then the waters stirred again, and the first trial began.

Time: 7:14 AM

Location: Threshold of the Temple of Emrys, Black Lake

The waters churned with silent purpose as the guardians parted, opening a circle of luminous light at the temple's heart. The currents shifted, drawing the group inward. A hush fell over the Bound and Harry, the sound of the lake falling away into something deeper, something sacred. They crossed the threshold of magic woven from starlight and memory, and in an instant, the world around them fractured into crystal.

The Trial of the Soulfire had begun. Harry's eyes widened as the space became both endless and enclosed, each of them drifting in a mirrored bubble of light. Though they floated together, they were apart each Bound within their own trial. "What's happening?" Katie whispered, her golden tail flicking nervously. The light around her shimmered in response.

"This is the trial," Seraphina said, her voice now echoing like a choir of seashells. "Each of you must face the truth that lives deepest in your soul. If you fear it, you remain lost. If you accept it, you may pass."

Hermione was the first to falter, her mirrored world swirling into a Hogwarts corridor. She stood alone, younger, smaller, and surrounded by taunts. "Know-it-all. Mudblood. No one likes a bossy girl." The words cut through her again, fresh and sharp. Her Celestial Siren form dimmed slightly as she trembled. "I hate how they made me feel," she whispered. "Like being smart was wrong... like I had to change myself just to belong." The voice in her illusion replied coldly, "You never belonged. You forced your way into everything." But then another voice echoed in her heart, Harry's, warm and unwavering. "You were always meant to be here, Hermione. You belong with me." Tears filled her eyes as her hands balled into fists. "I am not ashamed of who I am. I love books, I love answers, and I love Harry. He chose me. He loves me for me. I belong." Her mirror cracked, then shattered, and her golden tail surged with radiant light.

Elsewhere, Lavender stood frozen in her trial. She faced her own reflection, two of them, actually. One her human self, the other a great white wolf, glowing with eerie strength and eyes the same warm brown as hers. The voice of doubt coiled in her ear. "Harry loves your smile. Your laugh. Your softness. But not this beast. This other thing you can't hide."

"No," Lavender whispered, chest rising and falling. "That's not true." The wolf behind her growled low, pacing with quiet dignity. "You do not understand. He doesn't love half of me. He loves all of me. My joy and my fury. My laughter and my claws. My teeth and my tears. I am this wolf. She is me as we are one in the same." The wolf surged forward and instead of attacking her, it bowed its great head and curled around her, binding to her side in a golden tether of magic. Her siren tail transformed before their eyes, the soft white streaked now with silver fur-like patterns, the end tipped with a faint shimmer of moon-gold. "I am not afraid anymore."

Across the field of illusion, one after the other, the Bound faced their trials. 

Katie relived a near-fatal fall from her broomstick, the helplessness, the fracture of trust in her own body but rose with confidence as her tail flared with the fire of unshakable resolve. Cho's trial took her to the edge of grief, seeing the shadow of her own loneliness and fear of being forgotten. She broke through by whispering, "He sees me. He loves me. I'm not alone anymore." 

Dora's illusion taunted her with a world where her Metamorphmagus gifts spiraled out of control, shifting her into monstrous shapes. "I am not broken," she said with defiance, hair blazing in sea-fire hues. "I am stronger than the fear." Padma and Parvati faced being pulled apart—sisters destined to drift. But their bond, and their shared love for Harry, brought them back to one another.

Pansy's trial mocked her past cruelty, her fear that Harry only saw her mistakes. "He forgave me," she said tearfully. "He sees the girl who wants to be better." Even Daphne, so composed, faced the loss of her family's name and the pressure of Slytherin legacy. "I chose him. I choose us. That is the only name that matters to me now."

Finally, Harry faced his own illusion, not a creature, not a trial of fire or battle. But himself. Alone, still, silent. Watching his friends die. Watching his loved ones fade. "What if I fail them all?" he whispered. "What if I lose them, like I lost everyone else?" His reflection did not speak. It simply watched.

And then Elana's voice echoed like sunlight breaking clouds. "You are not alone, Husband. Not anymore. You carry us." Hermione, Dora, Lavender, every Bound—one by one—they reached for him, even across illusions, their voices overlapping, growing into a thunderous harmony of love: "You are our heart, Harry." "You are our mate." "Our love." "Our strength." "Our choice." "Our forever."

Harry opened his eyes, and the mirrored realm shattered. The light swelled around them as each of the 17 Bound and Harry emerged from the illusion glowing, their Celestial Siren forming brighter than ever. Lavender's tail shimmered in radiant white and silver fur patterns, now complete. The Trial of the Soulfire had been passed. The Temple of Emrys opened its gate.

Time: 7:42 AM

Location: The Temple of Emrys, Black Lake Depths

The waters fell silent as the Trial of the Soulfire came to its radiant close. Around Harry and the Bound, the Temple of Emrys responded to their unity—stones glowing softly with blue-silver light, ancient runes pulsing in time with the Soulstone at Harry's chest. The gate beyond the guardians opened with a slow, breathless groan of shifting water and awakening magic, revealing a long, carved corridor that led deeper into the temple's heart.

"I feel it pulling at me," Harry said quietly, his voice full of awe and weight. "It's like it knows I'm close." Seraphina glided beside him, her voice soft and reverent. "It does, love. The Trident is not a weapon. It is a soul, a memory, and a promise bound in sea-glass. It awakens you."

Hermione drifted closer on his right, golden hair glowing in the dim light, her voice still trembled from the trial. "Then let's not keep it waiting." She reached for his hand, fingers threading with his as the others followed, siren tails casting ripples through the sacred waters.

The hallway was carved from coral-infused stone, lined with murals of ancient history images of Emrys raising the tides against a shadowed force, of sirens with blazing tails of flame and ice, of a lone boy standing at the eye of a storm holding a trident crowned with stars. Katie hovered beside Angelina, eyes on one such image. "That one... that is him, isn't it?" she whispered. "It's Harry."

Angelina nodded. "They knew. Whoever built this place, they knew he would come back." As they entered the final chamber, the silence deepened into reverence. At the center stood an altar of carved mother-of-pearl and obsidian coral, its base etched in swirling script that shimmered when looked at directly. Hovering just above it, suspended in a pillar of sea-glass crystal, was the Trident.

The weapon pulsed with an inner light three prongs forged in shifting metal and gleaming starstone, its staff twined with threads of ancient gold and night-blue coral. Water did not touch it. Magic held it. All seventeen of the Bound gathered around the altar, floating in a wide circle, their eyes on Harry. His tattoo burned now pulsing like a heartbeat.

"I can feel it, it is alive," he murmured, his hand going to his chest, just over the Soulstone. "It's waiting for something." Dora, hair flowing in deep aqua strands, spoke gently. "Then it's waiting for you, sweetheart." Lavender wisped to Harry. "Go to it as it is yours."

Harry hesitated only a moment before floating forward, the currents parting around him as if the temple itself welcomed him. The closer he came, the more the glow from the Trident intensified, responding to the resonance of his soul and the unity of the Bond behind him.

He stopped just before the crystal, eyes locking on the weapon that had appeared in his dream. The whispers returned ancient, yet familiar. They were not voices, not words exactly, but feelings and Memories: A sea battle. A crown of tides. A promise made by Emrys to the soul of magic itself. You will rise again, in the time of the Tides Remembered.

Harry reached out. The Soulstone flared with light. The crystal shattered like rain, pieces drifting away like petals on the water. The Trident remained still and waiting. He gripped the staff with both hands And in that moment, light erupted from the altar. Not blinding, not searing but vast, enveloping, transcendent. It flooded the room, threading through each of the Bound. Their Bands of Eternity flared on their wrists, casting ripples of ancient Veela script and arcane symbols across the chamber. The temple sang a melody of old, of unity, of chosen love.

"I see you," Harry whispered, "all of you." He pulled the Trident free, and it responded with a surge of power that echoed through the lake and into the bones of Hogwarts itself. The Heart of the Trident had chosen its bearer.

Time: 8:09 AM

Location: The Heart of the Temple of Emrys, Black Lake Depths

The moment Harry lifted the Trident, the world beneath the lake shifted. Light poured from the weapon like sunbeams piercing stormy waters. The chamber echoed with ancient music, no instrument, no voice it just is magic and memory made sound. Runes spiraled upward from the altar and danced along the high dome of the temple, illuminating murals hidden by time. Scenes of war and peace, of sorrow and love, and at the center of each, a boy with emerald eyes, holding the Trident, crowned with coral fire.

Then the crown returned no longer just a symbol flaring above his brow. The Tide-Crown of Emrys descended like a blessing from the sea itself, resting upon his head with solemn grace. Coral and pearl laced together in perfect harmony, with a small orb of the lake's heart pure, glowing water settled at the center, just above his forehead.

"You are the Tidebound King," Seraphina said, voice trembling with wonder. "You are the echo of Emrys, The soul of the deep. And our chosen." After saying that the Bound gathered around him, their forms radiated. Each touched the Trident in turn. When their fingers met the weapon, a strand of glowing silk extended from it to the golden bound bands on their wrists, unity, power, and love forged into one.

Elana floated before him, her long hair like the silver mist of dawn. "My husband, the lake has heard your vow. The sea has crowned its heir. But now, those who have lived within it must see their King." As if her words were a key, the currents surged outward, A song, ancient and melodic, bloomed in the water.

From the deeper shadows of the temple came the merpeople scores of them. Regal, armored elders with braided kelp beards, slender warriors with fins like blades, younglings peeking from behind mothers' tails. They arrived not with hostility but reverence. Their leader, a tall merman with storm-gray scales and a bone staff, bowed deeply before Harry.

"Tideborn," he said, his language heavy with clicks and ancient vowels. But somehow, Harry understood. "I am no king of conquest," Harry replied, voice calm but firm. "But I will protect all that I love, land and sea alike. This I vow." The chamber responded. The Trident pulsed. The murals shimmered. And then the walls themselves shifted.

A hidden archway, long silent, split open with a deep groan. Beyond it lay a smaller chamber lit by pale crystals. At its center stood a wide stone basin, but above it shimmered a scene not a vision, but a window into another time. Harry and the Bound floated forward, eyes widening.

Inside the watery illusion, a girl no older than eight with white-blonde hair lay bound in sea-silk threads. Her small form was nestled against the finned tail of a carved stone mermaid. A group of merpeople circled silently, neither aiding nor interfering. Next to her floated three figures Hermione, Cho, and Ron, each clearly older, mid-teenage and slightly taller, floating in enchanted sleep, air bubbles around their heads.

"I know this..." Hermione whispered, voice trembling. "That's me but I am older." Cho slowly said. "It's the Triwizard Tournament, Second Task. This is in the future." Katie frowned. "That girl is Gabrielle?" Dora's voice dropped low. "She's eight in this, but she's Harry's age now. This is a whole another world and another time."

The image shimmered again, and the murmur of a crowd echoed into the chamber. They could hear Albus Dumbledore's voice, distant but clear. "Welcome to the Second Task of the Triwizard Tournament!" And then, he appeared…Harry…But not the Harry of now…their Harry. This Harry is a thinner boy, smaller, with weary eyes and trembling resolve. He swam into the chamber cautiously, breathing through a gillyweed-grown gill system, his Hogwarts themed swim wear floating around him as he moved. He hesitated before the sleeping figures, confusion and panic etched across his face.

"Is that really me?" Harry asked, stunned. "No it is not you nor not our mate," Hermione said softly. "It is a different world," Elana whispered reverently. "A different thread. But this vision is not fantasy, it is a warning." A new voice echoed through the chamber, soft and powerful, full of love and finality. "This world diverges, but its currents ripple into your own. The Tournament returns. In three years' time, the tide will test the hearts of wizards again."

Harry's gaze narrowed. "Lady Magic...is that you?" "Yes, my Chosen. The Trident was sealed not just to protect power...but to prepare you. For the tide is rising again." The image shimmered once more, freezing on the face of the alternate Harry as he reached toward the stone mermaid's tail. Then it vanished, with only stillness remaining.

Time: 8:41 AM

Location: Hidden Sanctum of Temple of Emrys, Black Lake Depths

The chamber had grown still again, As the vision of the other world faded from the rippling veil, Harry stood in a thoughtful silence, the weight of the Trident of Emrys in his hand and the Tide-Crown resting on his brow. Around him, the Bound looked to him with warmth, love, and concern each sensing something deeper had shifted in him. Yet none of them moved when the waters stirred again not violently, but with the tender insistence of destiny. A current, soft yet firm, coiled around Harry's wrist like a guiding touch.

"It wants me to go," Harry said softly, glancing at Seraphina, then Elana. "Somewhere only I can enter." Elana nodded once, her voice serene. "The Sanctum calls, Husband. It is sacred...older than Atlantis, older even than Emrys. It is where Magic herself waits."

"I'll return soon, my mates," Harry promised. His eyes swept over them Hermione's worried gaze, Dora's nod of encouragement, Lavender's quiet pride, and Seraphina's gentle smile. Each girl whispered soft words of trust as he turned. The passage opened not through stone but through water shaped by will—an archway parting with a whisper like the breath of the deep. He swam alone, the light around him dimming until it shimmered like moonlight on midnight waves. Then, with a final push, the sanctum revealed itself.

A dome of pure crystal encased the hidden heart of the lake, untouched by time. At its center floated a single figure Lady Magic. She was neither woman nor creature, but both and more. Her form shimmered in waves, shifting between a woman draped in moonlight and starlight, and a great ethereal presence that carried the weight of all things magical. Her hair spilled like silver rivers through the water, and her eyes, those ageless eyes, held the depth of a thousand ages. "Harry James Potter," she said, her voice soft as a lullaby, but heavy as prophecy. "You have come far... and yet you stand only at the beginning."

"I know," Harry replied, his voice quiet. "But... it feels like I've already seen too much." Lady Magic smiled with warmth, her gaze filled with motherly pride. "The future is never set. You saw what might be...the shadow of a path walked by another version of yourself. He succeeded but at a cost you should never have to pay." Harry looked down. "I saw Hogwarts burning. Friends and the Bound gone. That Gabrielle… she was just a child."

"She was...and in that world, she survived only because another sacrificed all to protect her," Lady Magic whispered. "That Harry...he carried the burden alone for far too long. He was strong but isolated. He became a blade, not a bond." Harry looked up, the light of the Soulstone beneath his shirt pulsing faintly. "So...how do I not become him?"

"You already are by walk a brighter path," she said gently. "You chose connection over solitude. Trust over fear. But you must remain vigilant, for the tide will test you three times once for each year to come."

"I won't lose them," Harry said, his voice hardening. "Any of them." Lady Magic drifted closer. "No, you won't, if you remember what matters. This year's test comes soon, and though I may not name it outright, you're close to it now." Her hand lifted, not touching but gesturing past him.

"Speak to your Bound, Harry. Learn what they have seen. The shadows at Hogwarts don't only hide in darkness, they wear faces, teach lessons, and slip poison into minds. One in particular watches you too closely."

"Quirrell," Harry breathed, eyes narrowing. Lady Magic inclined her head. "Yes. But not alone. You are not yet ready to face what lingers behind him... but you will be." Silence lingered for a moment before she drifted back, her form beginning to shimmer more brightly, as though the sanctum itself pulsed with her power.

"One day, the world will call you a hero," she said softly. "But I call you hope and my Chosen. So go now, Tidebound King. Rise higher. Be more than the boy who won by loss. Be the man who wins through love." Harry felt the pull against the current returning, guiding him back toward the Bound who waited. He bowed once to her, hand gripping the Trident with new purpose. "I won't let them fall," he said. "Not this time. Not ever."

Time: 9:05 AM

Location: The Final Chamber, Temple of Emrys, Black Lake Depths

The return to his mates was quiet, sacred. The current that had pulled Harry into the sanctum now guided him back. As he emerged into the main hall, bathed in the glowing light of the Trident and crowned by the Tide-Crown, the eyes of the seventeen Bound turned to him at once. Their smiles were soft, proud, and tear-glass full of awe. They had felt him through the Soulstone, his thoughts, his fire, his vow. Seraphina floated forward first, her sea-silk gown shifting in the flow of the deep. "Love...you shine brighter than ever," she whispered, cupping his face tenderly. "You are the King of the Tides."

Harry didn't answer right away. He turned to the merpeople, the Bound gathered behind him, the ancient murals now glowing faintly as though awaiting a final chapter. But the Trident pulsed again this time pointing downward, deeper still, toward a sloping corridor veiled in shimmering magic. The water shimmered with expectation.

"There's one more place we're meant to go, All of us," Harry said quietly. "Then we follow you, mate," Dora said, spinning gently, her tail flashing silver and blue. "Lead on." They descended together Harry, the Bound, and the merpeople elders into the heart of the Temple. The path narrowed into a shaft of blue quartz until it opened into the grandest chamber yet. The floor was made of polished pearl and obsidian, and at its center rose a throne of impossible beauty.

It was carved from living coral and woven moonstone, growing like a sea blossom from the rock. Veins of silver light shimmered through it, and above the back of the throne, carved into the stone behind it, was a great spiral shell wreathed in runes, The Crest of Emrys. The throne thrummed with dormant power. Lady Elana floated beside him, her voice hushed. "This... is the Echo Throne. Only once has it been sat upon, and that was by Emrys. It has waited... for you, Husband." The merpeople bowed, The Bound waited. Harry looked down at the Trident in his hand, steady and sure now. Then he sat. 

The moment he settled into the Echo Throne, light burst outward in concentric waves, flowing through the walls, the murals, the water itself. His Soulstone flared bright beneath his collarbone. Every Bound girl felt the pulse like their hearts had momentarily beat in unison. The Trident rose from Harry's lap and hovered before him, spinning slowly as if listening.

Harry looked out at the chamber. "My name is Harry James Potter. I am no one's puppet. I am no one's pawn." His voice echoed deep into the walls, the water, and beyond. "I was born into a war I didn't start, and I carry the scar of a curse that never should've touched me. But I am more than a name. I am more than a prophecy. I am the King of Tides and I swear this now: I will rise not for glory, but to protect what I love."

Hermione reached for her heart, her eyes shimmering. "Sweetheart, I can feel it. Every single word." Harry's voice rose not in volume, but in power. "To those who would raise their wands in hatred...to those who fear what they do not understand...to those who would tear Hogwarts, my home, apart I say this: you will not win. Not this time. Not while I breathe." He stood slowly, the Trident lowering into his grip once more. "I vow to guide my Bound, protect the innocent, and rise above the mistakes of the past. I will not repeat the fall of another world. I will create something new."

The throne pulsed once louder than a heartbeat. A soft ringing followed, like a bell underwater, and the waters of the chamber shimmered in golden light. The vow had been etched not in stone, but in the very tides of magic. It would echo forever.

Time: 9:36 AM

Location: Black Lake and Hogwarts Grounds

The soft tremor that passed through the walls of the Temple of Emrys was not one of fear, but of farewell. The chamber did not shatter, it sighed. Glowing murals dimmed to a gentle pulse, runes settled back into stone, and the Trident of Emrys, now one with Harry dissolved into motes of light that spiraled around his right arm before sinking into the trident-shaped tattoo. The mark flared once, then dimmed, hidden but never gone.

Hermione floated to his side, voice breathless but steady. "Sweetheart... it's over, isn't it?" Harry nodded. "The Temple has given us everything it could. Now it rests again." Seraphina turned toward the upward shaft, hair of moonlight swirling like a parting tide. "Then it is time to return to the world above. The echoes will follow us but our voices must rise on the surface now." One by one, the Bound gathered around him. Dora gave a short laugh, her voice warm. "I've seen a lot of magic. But this... this changes everything."

"We're marked," Lavender whispered, placing a hand over the golden script on her wrist. "But I feel stronger for it. More whole." The merpeople formed a circle around the group as they prepared to ascend. Their leader, the merman with storm-gray fins, stepped forward. "Tideborn King," he said in his ancient tongue, which all now somehow understood. "Our waters are yours. You have honored the Deep."

Harry inclined his head with solemn respect. "And I will protect it, and you, as I will those on the surface. You have my vow." With that, the currents responded to the sacred words, lifting the group upward through the spiraling shaft. They rose slowly, light filtering down from above in golden shafts as the surface approached. The Temple below shimmered one final time before the water darkened behind them.

They broke the surface like rebirth. The air was cold, but it felt pure. Sunlight touched their skin. Ripples spread across the Black Lake as seventeen sirens emerged from the water only now, as they stepped onto the shore, the transformation reversed. Tails shimmered, skin glowed and then feet, arms, and hair returned to their human forms. Harry took the first step onto land.

He stood tall feet 6 inches, lean and toned. The muscles along his arms and chest flexed with strength not built in a gym but earned through sacred tides and fire-forged will. His emerald eyes glinted with purpose, the Soulstone resting beneath his shirt now pulsing gently. The trident tattoo along his right arm, partially hidden, pulsed once as if to acknowledge the earth beneath him. And they were not alone.

A soft breeze stirred the grass. On the shore stood five others Elana, Katarina, Ahri, Mizukume, and Poison Ivy, those who had remained above, their gazes full of knowing and love. Ivy stepped forward first, her olive-green eyes fixed on him. "You did it, love," she said softly. "We felt it."

Behind them stood a gathering that would have stilled any heart. Albus Dumbledore, eyes twinkling less with mischief and more with reverence. Minerva McGonagall, her stern mask cracked slightly, arms folded but eyes soft. Amelia Susan Bones, dressed in the black and gold of the DMLE, her niece Susan gripping her hand lightly. Marc Delacour, his proud gaze resting on Gabrielle, who now walked beside Fleur's projection within the Bound's circle. Lady Mariah Brown, regal in deep blue robes embroidered with silver wolves, her gaze fixed warmly on Lavender. And last, in a navy coat adorned with medals and brooches of the Crown, stood Queen Elizabeth II, upright and composed, her cane resting lightly at her side.

Elana turned to Harry, bowing her head ever so slightly. "They were summoned by Lady Magic herself. They were meant to witness your return." Queen Elizabeth stepped forward, her voice carrying clearly across the crisp morning air. "You are my grandson, but today, you return not just as family but as something far more. A guardian. A leader. A son of the deep."

Harry nodded once, placing his hand over his heart. "And I won't fail them, Grandmother. Not Hogwarts, not my mates, not the Crown." The girls gathered close, each one quietly reaching for him, not in display, but in reassurance. United. Empowered. Whole.

Time: 4:30 PM

Location: Sealed War Chamber, Hogwarts Castle, Lower East Wing

The chamber was very old. Carved directly into the hearthstone of the castle's eastern wing, it had once been a war room for the Founders themselves. Now, warded by layers of royal and magical protection, it served another purpose: sanctuary for truth, strategy, and revelation. Flames danced within cold blue torches, and the polished obsidian table at the center was shaped like a compass rose, etched in gold-leaf runes that shimmered softly under the candlelight.

Harry stood at its head, the Tide-Crown absent from his brow but not from the weight he now carried. At his right, Hermione and Dora flanked him, their expressions calm but alert. At his left, Seraphina stood radiant in a dark blue sea-silk robe enchanted to remain dry, her ocean-and-silver eyes gazing with quiet grace across those seated before them.

Across the table sat Queen Elizabeth II, dignified and regal, her eyes unreadable but attentive. Beside her were Amelia Bones, steel-eyed and dressed in formal DMLE robes, Minerva McGonagall, whose lips were pressed thin but whose presence radiated concern, Marc Delacour, proud but wary, and Lady Mariah Brown, matriarch of the Lycian bloodline, her deep silver eyes locked on her daughter with maternal pride and silent authority. 

Dumbledore, uncharacteristically quiet, stood behind the Queen, not in dominance but deference. Harry exhaled, his voice steady but touched with emotion. "Thank you for coming. All of you."

"It was not a request, Your Highness," the Queen said gently. "Lady Magic herself informed me that my grandson had stepped into destiny beneath the lake. I intend to understand all that happened."

"And you will," Hermione said, voice steady. "We've prepared a full accounting. Everything we saw. Everything we learned. Including...the warning." Seraphina inclined her head. "I am Seraphina Amaris...a Celestial Siren, bonded to the Tideborn. My soul is older than the stones of Hogwarts, but my heart is his." She turned to Harry with soft reverence, then looked back. "We ventured into the Temple of Emrys, beneath the Black Lake. We awakened what had slept for over a thousand years." Dora addin with a smile on her face said "And returned with a King."

Lavender stepped forward then, her voice soft but clear. "But we did not just return changed for we have returned whole." She took a deep breath, looked at her mother...and shifted. Her form shimmered under the firelight, bones lengthening, muscles stretching. Fur of silver and soft ash spread across her limbs as her eyes glowed amber. A true-born Lycian in full transformation but calm, in control. She stood tall, proud, her heartbeat steady in the silent chamber. Mariah Brown gasped not in fear, but wonder. "You've accepted it."

"I have, Mum," Lavender said, voice calm even in her lupine form. "He loves all of me, my human heart and my wolf soul. I am not hiding anymore nor am I afraid of it as it is a part of me." With a quiet breath, she shifted back with no pain, no struggle, just grace. There was a pause, heavy with emotion, then Amelia Bones spoke. "And what of the warning?"

Harry nodded. "It came directly from Lady Magic herself. There will be trials over the next three years, one each year. She wouldn't tell me what they are... only that I'm on the right path for this year. But she did name someone I need to keep my eyes on." He turned toward Dumbledore. "Quirrell." Dumbledore's expression remained neutral, but his eyes sharpened with focus. "I see."

"That's not all," Hermione said quickly, stepping forward, voice tight with emotion. "During the Quidditch match on October 14th...something attacked Harry's broom. It bucked, violently. I thought...At first, I thought it was Snape. But I cast a fire spell which hit his cloak. Only the flame didn't stop. It jumped across the pitch. Landed on Quirrell." Amelia leaned forward. "And the broom stopped misbehaving?"

"Yes," Hermione whispered. "Immediately." Minerva's jaw clenched. "We suspected... but this confirms it."

"Lady Magic warned me Quirrell was being watched, or manipulated by something else," Harry said softly. "I need to be ready. We all do." Queen Elizabeth studied her grandson for a long moment. "You've changed. There is a weight in your shoulders, yes but not a burden. A strength." She looked around the table. "Then let it be said here and now. My grandson is not alone as The Crown stands behind him."

Mariah rose next. "So does the blood of the Lycian. Lavender is our future. And he is hers." Amelia nodded. "And the Department of Magical Law Enforcement will begin quiet surveillance of Professor Quirrell. Subtle. Discreet. But constant." Dumbledore finally spoke, voice somber. "Then the winds began to stir. The stone is not unguarded. But now...now we are watching."

Date: November 20th, 1991

Time: 11:56 PM

Location: Abandoned Classroom, Third Floor, Hogwarts Castle

The castle was silent, its long corridors bathed in moonlight streaming through tall, enchanted windows. The ever-shifting staircases had settled into slumber, and the portraits along the walls dozed, their snores soft beneath the cold hush of the stone. But one boy moved quietly beneath an Invisibility Cloak, his steps silent and sure drawn not by curiosity alone, but by something deeper. A tug from the Soulstone. A whisper from the magic in his blood.

Harry stopped at the end of the third-floor corridor, just beyond the forbidden wing. There, through a half-open door of an unused classroom, a soft, pulsing glow awaited, He stepped inside. There he found a Mirror that stood tall against the far wall, framed in aged gold, its surface shimmering like moonlit water. The Mirror of Erised. Its inscription caught his eye immediately—Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi—and though he couldn't decipher the meaning yet, the pull it had on him was undeniable.

He approached, breath caught in his throat. Then, he looked, His reflection blinked back at him only it wasn't just him. Not alone. His parents stood to his right Lily and James, smiling proudly. Lily's hair fell around her shoulders like a crimson waterfall, and James's hand rested lightly on his son's shoulder. Behind them stood twenty-two girls, radiant, powerful, beautiful all his. Some rested their hands on his arms or back, others stood beside him, shoulders brushing his as equals. Their features were lit with love, joy, and the same sense of peace he felt within.

Six more stood at a distance, shadows still, but present. He couldn't make out their faces, but his magic knew them, felt them…Future Bonded. They waited for their time out in the world. Harry's breath hitched. "They're... all here." Then, the Mirror shimmered again.

In the vision, He grew older with his older reflection raised a hand calm, steady and held a ruby-red stone that pulsed with inner flame. It gleamed with ancient power. The reflection tucked the stone into his pocket and nodded once, as if sealing something beyond comprehension. "What..." Harry whispered. But then, the weight in his pocket shifted.

He looked down, confused, and reached into his robes only to freeze. Footsteps echoed outside and then the door creaked open. Elana entered first, her ethereal form glowing faintly in the dark. "Husband," she whispered gently, "you weren't in bed."

"I felt something," Harry answered, still staring into the mirror. Behind her, Dora and Hermione stepped in. Dora's hair shifted into calming lavender as she noticed his expression. "Sweetheart, what's wrong?" Harry turned slightly. "Look." Hermione moved beside him, gazing into the Mirror. Her eyes widened, breath caught. "Is that... is that us?"

"It is all of us," Harry murmured. Hermione's eyes traveled downward, reading the inscription. Her lips moved as she read slowly. "Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi... Wait, read it backwards like a mirror it says 'I show not your face but your heart's desire.'" Elana nodded slowly. "That Mirror does not lie. It sees what lives inside your soul." 

Dora frowned. "Then why does this matter so much?" Her hand darted forward, reaching into Harry's pocket. Her fingers brushed something solid, then she pulled it out slowly... and all three of them gasped. In Her hand is a ruby-red stone that pulsed with firelight. Hermione stepped back slightly, awe widening her eyes. "I felt that its magic is old. What is it?" Harry stared down at the stone in Dora's palm. "I don't know," he whispered. "But I think I wasn't supposed to find it yet."

"But you did," Elana said softly. "And Magic never gives a gift early unless it's needed." Dora stared at the stone. "This isn't cursed. It is whole…Alive…It wants to protect you, love." Hermione looked back at the Mirror, her voice quiet. "What does it mean, that your future self had it? That he chose to take it?" Harry met her eyes. "It means that whatever's coming... I'm not walking into it empty-handed."

Date: November 21st, 1991

Time: 12:17 AM

Location: Library Soul Archive, Hogwarts Castle

The castle was still in the hour past midnight, its stone corridors wrapped in the hush of sleep, but deep within the heart of the ancient structure, a single figure moved with fluid purpose. Lady Elana Hogwarts, soul of the Founders and heart of the castle itself, descended the spiral staircase that led to the Soul Archive, a chamber known only to the castle's true keepers and bound spirits. Her long silver-blonde hair flowed like moonlight behind her, and her left hand clutched the ruby-red stone carefully, its glow casting a warm reflection on her pearl-toned skin.

As she stepped into the Archive, the sealed chamber breathed open at her presence. The air shimmered with quiet magic, runes dancing across the curved ceiling in gold and violet, glowing gently in her wake. Along the circular wall, tomes and scrolls from every age of Hogwarts' history sat waiting, guarded by layers of protective magic and bound to the will of the castle's soul which is her will.

Elana stepped before the central pedestal and gently placed the Philosopher's Stone upon it. Immediately, tendrils of blue-white magic snaked out from the marble surface, scanning and embracing the artifact. The runes began to glow brighter.

"I seek the true name," Elana whispered, her voice steady and firm. "The origin. The purpose." The Archive responded. Golden light rose like mist around the stone, shaping words into the air;

Name: The Philosopher's Stone.

Created by: Nicholas Flamel, Alchemist of Avalon.

Properties: Converts metal to pure gold. Grants Elixir of Life to extend mortal existence indefinitely. Carries a magical resonance of pure transmutation and life-force.

Elana's eyes narrowed. "Immortality... bound by stone." More words flared into existence; Status: Unique. Singular. Long guarded under joint protection of Albus Dumbledore and Hogwarts Castle. Designated as Class-Ω Magical Artifact.

She stepped closer. "Then why is it here and why did the Mirror give it to him?" No answer came... but the light shifted again. This time, an image flickered in the mist above the stone, a pool of blood glimmering silver beneath the trees of the Forbidden Forest. A unicorn, collapsed, breath faint. Its eyes still open. Its blood drained unnaturally upward into shadow.

Elana's lips parted as realization dawned. "I've felt it," she whispered. "The disturbances. The Forest has been grieving." More memories flashed soft tremors through the earth, trees crying at midnight, and distant cries in the ancient tongue of the Dryads. And the unicorn deaths... not random. Deliberate.

A phrase rose from the Archive in sharp silver text: "To drink the blood of a unicorn is to gain life one of cursed and unnatural." Elana stepped back, voice trembling with emotion. "Whoever is doing this, they're dying. And desperate." Her fingers hovered just above the Stone. "The Elixir of Life is for healing. But if they cannot have it... they take the next closest thing."

The soul of the castle pulsed around her in alarm. She placed her hand upon the archive pedestal again. "Send the memory to Husband... gently. He must know. Before more die."

Date: November 24th, 1991

Time: 5:15 AM

Location: Edge of the Forbidden Forest, Hogwarts Grounds

The castle slept under a silvered sky, the eastern horizon still wrapped in pre-dawn haze. Cold dew clung to the windows of Gryffindor Tower, yet within the Founders' Royal Suite, Harry stirred not from dream, but from something else. A feeling. A tug on his soul like the echo of a silent cry. His green eyes opened wide, sharpened by instinct as the Soulstone under his shirt pulsed once, faint and urgent.

"I felt it too," Dora said softly from where she sat on the bed's edge, already lacing her boots. Her hair was midnight black tonight, pulled into a warrior's braid. "Something's wrong in the Forest."

"I heard it in the wind," Lavender added from the nearby chair, already dressed in a cloak and fitted leathers, her Lycian senses heightened and alert. "A scream, but not human and it is hurt and it is dying." Katarina leaned against the stone wall, arms crossed, golden eyes glowing faintly. "Whatever called you, mate," she said firmly, "it's old. Old and sacred. We must go now."

Within minutes, the four were out the door, their passage swift and silent through hidden castle corridors that only Elana could open. The morning light had just begun to breathe silver across the treetops when they passed under the arch of the Forbidden Forest. Harry, walking in front, was clad in light black robes trimmed in green and silver robes enchanted to respond to magic and motion. His breath fogged the cool air, but his body was warm, alive with purpose.

"We're close," Dora whispered as they reached a mossy clearing, her wand drawn but held low. Lavender held up a hand, nostrils flaring. "I smell iron and blood." Katarina's hand shifted, scales momentarily rippling along her forearm as she reached for the hilt of her sword. From deeper within the glade, the low rumble of Hagrid's voice emerged, followed by the sound of cracking branches. "Harry?" The half-giant looked up as the group entered the clearing. "I figured you'd come. Albus and I followed the trail. It led here."

The clearing smelled of damp leaves and pain. Lying at its center was a creature unlike anything Harry had ever seen outside books: small, elegant, only about the size of a large dog, with a pearlescent silver coat. Her horn shimmered like liquid starlight, but her side was torn open, and her breathing was shallow.

Albus Dumbledore knelt beside her, his face grave. "This unicorn is barely seven years old. She was likely attacked only minutes before we arrived." He looked up at Harry, his gaze piercing. "She has chosen you, Harry. She clung to life long enough to find you." Harry dropped to his knees without hesitation right next to the unicorn. "I'm here now. I will not let you go." His fingers brushed the unicorn's forehead and, with a soft sigh, her breathing steadied. A golden light flowed from the Soulstone beneath Harry's shirt and met the unicorn's heart. A soft sound, like a song made of wind and bells, rose from the trees around them.

"She's bonding with you," Elana said from behind, having arrived silently with the sunrise. She stood barefoot on the grass, her silver-white hair floating gently about her like a veil. "This unicorn, her name is Selene. She is not merely any creature of the forest. She is the daughter of the Celestial Herd descended from the first unicorns born in Avalon."

Everyone turned to Elana as she approached, placing a hand on Harry's shoulder. "Selene will remain with you, Husband," she continued. "The castle recognizes her now. She may stay within the Royal Suite under my watch. Her bond to you has been accepted by the castle's magic."

Harry looked down at the now-sleeping unicorn, her body nestled close to his side. He smiled faintly, relief and awe flooding through him. "Thank you, all of you. I won't let her be hurt again."

Date: November 24th, 1991

Time: 6:02 AM

Location: Hogwarts Castle Grounds, Approaching the Founders' Royal Suite

The soft hush of the early morning wrapped the castle in a blanket of chill and silver light as the sun began to rise, its golden fingers breaking across the treetops of the Forbidden Forest. The path from the forest to the castle shimmered under the dew-kissed grass, and on it, a procession walked with quiet reverence.

At the head, Harry James Potter, now returned to his normal form eleven years old, standing 5 feet 6 inches tall, his muscular frame lean and athletic beneath his enchanted Hogwarts cloak, walked with calm purpose. His emerald eyes were focused only on the small form that walked beside him: Selene, the young unicorn whose life he had helped save, now bound to his soul through light and magic older than the stones beneath their feet. Her silver coat glistened under the dawn light, and her tiny hooves clinked softly against the stone as they neared the castle proper.

"I still feel her heartbeat next to mine," Harry whispered aloud, his voice soft yet reverent. "It's like she's part of me now. Not just through magic... but through something deeper."

"She is, love," Dora replied at his side, her voice laced with warmth and pride. Her Auror trainee badge caught the light, shining against her uniformed robes. "She chose you. The moment your magic touched hers... it was written."

Lavender walked behind them, her arm gently brushing Harry's. "I saw it too. Not with my eyes but my soul knew it. Selene didn't cry for help to just anyone. She cried about her future."

Katarina, fierce and tall, her dragon-like yellow eyes watching over them protectively, remained silent for a moment before speaking. "This bond... it is sacred among my kind. Not even dragons forge such connections lightly."

Trailing just behind was Hagrid, wiping at his eyes as he walked. "I can't remember ever seein' somethin' so beautiful in my whole life," he murmured with a sniff, his deep voice soft in awe.

Professor Dumbledore and Elana walked at the rear, the former with his hands behind his back, his gaze filled with thought, and the latter with her white-gold hair glistening like moonlight, her expression radiant. "Husband," Elana said softly as they neared the Grand Staircase, her voice brushing against Harry's mind and heart like a feather, "the castle already welcomes her. Selene may walk freely between the stones and the green. She is ours now."

As the group approached the central corridor, the soft echo of boots and hooves began to rouse the castle's older students. A light flicked on in a Ravenclaw dormitory window. Then another in Gryffindor. And soon, whispers filled the halls.

"Is that a unicorn?" came a hushed voice from the second floor. "It's Potter. He's walking with it like it's his pet," whispered a Slytherin boy with disbelief tinged in wonder.

A group of Hufflepuffs stood frozen at the base of the staircase, robes askew, eyes wide. "That's not just any unicorn," Susan whispered breathlessly, having just emerged from the Hufflepuff entrance. "That's a Celestial-born."

And then, from the shadows of the upper gallery, a flicker of movement—Penelope Clearwater, Cho Chang, and Daphne Greengrass stood still as statues, watching as Harry and Selene passed. Their eyes followed the bond between boy and creature, their hearts aching with reverence and admiration.

"Elana," Harry murmured, halting near the archway that led to the Royal Suite. "They're watching us, all of them."

"They should," Elana replied, stepping forward as the ancient stone wall shimmered and parted like mist, revealing the golden-lit warmth of the Founders' sanctum. "This is the return of a true light. Let them witness it." Selene stepped through the threshold first, followed by Harry and the rest. As the wall sealed behind them, the whispering voices of the castle lingered in the corridor, none mocking, none cruel. Only wonder. For in the heart of Hogwarts, light had returned and it wore the shape of a boy, his unicorn, and the magic of love.

Time: 6:35 AM

Location: Founders' Royal Suite, Hogwarts Castle

The dawn sun had just begun casting long, golden rays through the enchanted stained glass windows of the Founders' Royal Suite. The colored beams shifted with the rising light, dancing across the polished stone and deepwood furnishings with a subtle hum of old magic. In the heart of the room stood Selene, the young unicorn Harry had rescued from the brink of death only hours before.

Her once frail body now stood proud and elegant, tall, radiant, and glistening like moonlight woven into flesh. She was no longer the small, trembling foal they had carried from the forest. Now, she stood eye to eye with Harry himself at five feet six inches, her figure slender but solid, the grace of an ancient creature blooming in every step. The soft shimmer of her silver coat pulsed with life, and the tiny horn that had looked fragile before now held a gentle inner glow.

"I can feel her heartbeat, it is so much stronger now," Harry said, his voice low with awe, his hand resting just behind her ear. "It's like she's always been this way. Like this was waiting inside her all along."

Dora, still in her school robes, her badge shining like a sliver of starlight, stepped beside him and gently brushed her fingers down Selene's neck. "She's beautiful, sweetheart. She's more than a unicorn now. She's something ancient and bound. She feels eternal."

Lavender's eyes shimmered gold as her Lycian instincts read the magic. "I felt it when we walked into the suite," she murmured. "She's tied to you, Harry. All of us can feel it in our bones, our bond amplified her. She's a part of this family now."

Katarina's gaze swept across Selene's form, her dragon soul quiet with respect. "She weighs close to thirteen hundred pounds now. The same as an American white horse. Her body grew in strength to match the heart she bound herself to. This was no accident."

Elana stepped into the open, her presence causing the living walls to glow faintly. Her eyes settled on Selene and then on Harry, her voice gentle, proud, and steeped in wisdom that spanned the very stones they stood upon. "Husband, the bond forged last night transcended life and death. The magic of the Bound is not passive. It nurtures. It strengthens. Selene was born the moment your soul touched hers."

Harry turned to Elana, something warm swelling in his chest. "You knew she'd change." Elana's smile deepened. "I felt the moment her soul wrapped around yours. The suite welcomed her like it would one of us. Selene is no longer just a creature of the forest. She is a creature of the Bound. Her growth reflects that truth."

The rest of the Bound slowly gathered within the chamber, one after another, drawn by the magical pulse echoing through the stonework. Hermione was the first to step closer, her hand raised cautiously.

"May I?" she asked softly. Selene moved with grace and lowered her head, pressing her forehead gently to Hermione's palm. A breath left Hermione's lungs. "I can feel her thoughts... not words, but impressions. Calm. Trust. Joy. It's like holding a starlight."

"She feels safe," whispered Padma, her Ravenclaw curiosity glowing in her eyes as she reached forward beside her sister Parvati. "And she recognizes all of us."

Katie knelt beside Selene and placed her palm over the unicorn's chest. "Her heart is strong. Stronger than it should be for one her age, but I guess she's not just her age anymore."

Across the room, Poison Ivy sat with her legs crossed, her green eyes radiant and filled with knowing. "The earth's bond with her has changed too. She's more in tune with the world around her than before. She's part of the cycle now, like one of us."

Selene wandered toward the enchanted pool in the suite's garden alcove. She dipped her head, taking a sip of the glimmering water, then turned to look back at Harry. "She's asking permission," Seraphina whispered from behind him. "To stay. To rest. To belong." Harry nodded, a lump in his throat. "You're home, Selene. This is your family now."

And just like that, Selene lay down near the heart of the suite, curling her long legs beneath her body with elegance. Her silvery mane draped like a waterfall over her shoulders as her eyes drifted closed. One by one, the Bound took a seat around her, forming a quiet circle of peace, their magic humming as soft as breath.

Outside, Hogwarts carried on oblivious to the bond that had formed within its sacred walls. But within the Founders' Royal Suite, a new kind of magic had taken root, one born of trust, healing, and love. Selene, the reborn unicorn, had become part of something eternal.