Pendragon: the King Stag

.................................................

Pendragon: The King Stag

Prologue

.................................................

October 31st, 1981

.................................................

May it be an evening star shines down upon you

May it be when darkness falls your heart will be true

You walk a lonely road, oh how far you are from home

Darkness has come, believe and you will find your way

Darkness has gone, a promise lives within you now

.................................................

The pale full moon was the only light in the sky. The starless gloom was foreboding and chilling. A cold wind kept putting out the candles in the living room, and that was starting to bother Lily.

She had never complained about moving to Godric's Hollow. Why would she? The house was beautiful; there was a big garden where Harry, her one-year-old son, could play… And, above all, this was where her husband wanted to live: his ancestors had built the mansion hundreds of years ago.

They had already decided to search for a house when James' mother had asked them to move in. The house was far too big for Mrs. Potter to inhabit alone; she had already been very sick, and had died shortly afterwards, without meeting her grandson.

James had asked Lily if she wanted to leave. Perhaps that would have been better, but it had been clear that he wanted to stay, and so she agreed. Lily had never regretted that decision. After all, the house had been very useful for hiding. Their Secret Keeper, Peter Pettigrew, brought them food every week… They could continue living this way forever.

Lily and James tried very hard not to think about the future, but it was impossible. What was going to happen next? How long would they have to live like this? And what if Voldemort gained even more power, what then? Would they have to hide forever because of that damned prophecy? Would –

Lily shook her head firmly, determined to stop thinking about it. Dumbledore and Nalune had thought it best for them to go into hiding. The Lady had Seen clearly that the child in the prophecy was Harry, not the Longbottom boy… Unfortunately. But of course that was true – Frank and Alice were wonderful, but their son couldn't possibly compete with the child of the Pendragon.

She lit a candle again with her wand, but once more the wind put it out. Irritated, she twirled her wand and lit all the candles in the room at once. Afterwards, she shut the window.

The candlelight surrounded her with an unearthly glow. Lily tied her dark auburn hair in an untidy knot and fixed her slightly dishevelled robes. Why did it still feel strange to wear wizard robes every day, even after all these years? Why did she still miss Avalon, even though she didn't regret her sacrifices for James? And why did she bother to ask herself these same questions every single day?

The window opened by itself again, and Lily absentmindedly muttered a spell to lock it. The wind howled outside, and she heard a distant boom of thunder.

It was probably going to rain… But then again, it had rained heavily every single Samhain – or Hallowe'en, whatever – in the past eleven years. Nature hadn't found anything to celebrate on the beginning of the new magical year. Once more, the weather was the same… Nothing had changed.

Lily heard footsteps behind her, but didn't turn. They were alone now – Harry was sound asleep in his room. He was a good kid, who didn't wake up often in the middle of the night. This, of course, was very useful – it would have been nearly impossible for them to perform any rituals if Harry were awake.

James' lips brushed against her neck lightly, sending shivers down her spine.

"It's almost midnight, love," he said softly. "We should really get started."

Obediently, Lily knelt on the floor, staring at a candle, waiting…

"What can you See?"

The moment the words left his lips Lily shut her eyes, feeling the familiar rush of heat, cold and many other unexplainable sensations overwhelm her.

James remained silent, waiting.

Lily's mind suddenly expanded beyond the visible world; she saw familiar faces, places, memories... and then, unexpectedly, there was the void. In the dark, shadows surrounded her, and she felt cold, cold, cold…

"Nothing," she replied faintly. "I can't see anything, James."

He frowned, worried. James could sense her panic – he could tell she was very frightened. Oh Mother, why? They'd tried so hard to protect their home, to shield their son from evil… Had it all been in vain?

"Something's gone dreadfully wrong," she continued. "But I can't –"

"You have to. Try harder, Lily. Tell me, what happened?"

No, no harm could come to them here. It was impossible. Lily and James were hiding from Voldemort in a place no one but Peter Pettigrew could find… And he would never betray them; he had been one of their best friends during and after Hogwarts. So something had probably happened to someone else. Dumbledore, Nalune, Sirius… who?

The darkness was almost too much for Lily to bear. It was so sad, so deep, so oppressing… Why couldn't she See? Mother, what could possibly be so terrible –

Suddenly, she saw a stag. Not a normal stag, but James, the King Stag, in Dragon Isle – a lifetime ago… The serpents on his wrists seemed to come to life as he swore the oath to protect the land… Oh, no, no, not that…

Lily started shaking uncontrollably and she reached for James' hand. It felt cold... Already… Oh, Ceridwen, no, please, not so soon… Now she knew why she had Seen nothing at first – the Goddess had been trying to spare her the anticipated suffering… But it was better this way.

She opened her eyes.

"It's time," Lily said, tears running down her cheeks. "You're sworn to protect this land; it's time to fulfil your oath."

James knelt in front of Lily and looked into her eyes for what seemed like an eternity.

Lily's icy fingers brushed the blue tattoo on his wrist, and, for a moment, she regained the serene poise of an Avalon priestess. "Your life is not yours anymore… You knew this could happen someday."

He bowed his head slightly, finding the strange calmness that had just taken him over very unnatural. Maybe he hadn't accepted the truth yet… His time had come, he could feel it. This life had been so brief… Yet it had been worth it. Lily, Harry, Dumbledore, and Nalune were there to testify that he had not lived in vain.

Lily finally broke down and began to sob. "No, James, please don't leave us. We… I can't, I couldn't possibly live on without you."

She buried her head in his chest and he hugged her tightly. "You have to. You have to run, Lil… Harry needs you."

"I can't, I can't… Not without you, love, please –"

All of a sudden, they heard voices and footsteps coming from the living room. Lily jumped, but James continued in his remarkably calm state. He wiped her tears tenderly, and in his eyes she could see his pity for Harry and herself.

But he showed no fear of his destiny. He had never been afraid… he wouldn't be this time, either.

"Peter's here," he told her. "And I have to go see him."

Lily shook her head. "You can't… It's not Peter! Go, James… Escape before it's too late, please…"

He stood. She could see his intense aura with her waking eyes. It was pointless to discuss any further. The reason James had been born was the completion of this task: to save Britannia from Voldemort, or die trying.

Die trying. Die trying. No, James couldn't die. He just – he couldn't

But he would. It was Harry who would have to survive, and she had to get him out of there now. James was going to die to buy them some time.

Lily sobered up immediately and stood, resolute. There would be a time for mourning, and a time for despair, but it was not now.

"He will get some of your powers," she remarked calmly. "Unless you do something about that before – before you face him."

She couldn't say 'before you die'. It was much too inconceivable… She couldn't start crying again… She wouldn't start crying again, and make this any harder for James.

James nodded, and kissed her one last time. "Don't cry, baby."

Lily blinked away the tears. "I love you."

"It won't be too long before we meet again… Dierna."

A shiver ran down her back. In a distant memory, she remembered sending James to his death, just like the present… Except that back then her name had been Dierna… And she had been Lady of the Lake; she hadn't given up her calling for him.

And yet he had died for Britain, too. She hadn't helped him then, and she wouldn't be able to help him now. The most she could do was give him her blessing.

James went to Harry's room.

"Lily, take Harry and go!" James commanded as he reappeared, running to the living room.

Lily clutched her necklace – the one he'd given her when he'd proposed, with the hieroglyph for 'forever' carved in the moonstone pendant – and watched him powerlessly, as he ran to his almost certain death. No, certain. Certain death. He was not 'the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord'… That was his son, that one-year-old baby right in front of her, fragile, innocent, helpless…

"It's him! Go!"

Her eyes stung with the tears she refused to cry. She had to be strong. She had to fulfil James' last wish.

His dying wish…

"Run! I'll hold him off!"

Lily could hear the muttered incantations and several objects breaking, shattered by the spells. She didn't have to pay attention to know which hexes were being used; she could feel James' mind within hers, she could hear his thoughts – their minds were one again…

Harry was sitting down very quietly. He looked up at Lily and she saw that his eyes, so much like her own, were wide with fear and sadness.

So he, too, knew what was happening. Well, of course he did. One couldn't expect the son of the Pendragon and a Seer to be any less than extraordinarily perceptive…

With the sharp intuition of a higher-level priestess (or was it the Sight? Maybe even just common sense), Lily suddenly realised she wouldn't be able to Apparate away. She didn't even bother to try. Of course Voldemort hadn't made such a primary mistake.

She was going to die, too. And so was Harry.

Harry stood and looked at her.

"Mama…"

And then it dawned on her. Obviously – obviously. The bloody prophecy wasn't the only reason Voldemort had targeted them. He had found out something about Avalon, and so he had decided to kill the Pendragon, an eventual threat. That was why he had stricken on Samhain, to get a part of James' powers… Although the wizarding world tended to ignore ancient magic – Voldemort included –, the Dark Lord knew it existed, and that it was very powerful.

Lily's death was of no use to him. In fact, maybe Voldemort wanted to keep her alive due to her knowledge about –

A loud thud. A shrill laugh. And then her world came tumbling down.

That was it. James was dead. And the Dark Lord was laughing… How could he? How could he have killed him? How could James have died?

James, her worst enemy, the most annoying boy she'd ever met… Her consort, her lover, her husband, the father of her child, the love of her life, her mùirn beatha dàn… Dead.

James couldn't have died… How could she live on? How could she survive? She would have died for him gladly… Yet he was dead, and she was alive.

What had she done to deserve this? Why couldn't she have died instead, why had she been cursed with life when he was gone?

The tides, the tides had turned… Turned against her. The whole world was against her, even Ceridwen. Why had She taken him? How could She expect Lily to live without him?

Lily had given up everything for him: her calling, her job, her life… Was this why he had been taken away from her so soon? Because she had given up on Ceridwen's service for him?

The turning of the Wheel, the start of this new year had brought her nothing but pain… No wonder it was about to rain. The Pendragon had just been killed; Light had been temporarily eclipsed by Darkness… For how long? Was Harry really the one who was going to change this, the one who would tip the balance to the side of Light?

Lily heard Voldemort's footsteps. He was coming to get her now… She was defenceless…

Had James died in vain?

Lily stared at Harry. He looked so much like James, so much… It wasn't fair, he had to survive… With a sigh, she allowed the Sight to overwhelm her one last time –

Harry stood on the shore, calling for the Avalon barge. She could've easily mistaken him for James, if it weren't for his bright green eyes. He wore wizard robes, and his wrists were bare… But Lily was almost sure that he too would become the Pendragon someday…

So Harry would survive… But how?

Voldemort entered the room at last. Lily looked him in the face defiantly. They'd met a few times before, and she had never feared him. He was a force of Darkness, and it was darkness that had to fear even the slightest beacon of light, not the other way around.

He pointed his wand at Harry.

Lily immediately saw that he was planning to let her live… 'to tell the tale', so to speak. Still holding on to her pendant, she knew beyond any doubt that she was meant to stop him now… She couldn't let him carry on –

"Not Harry, please, not Harry!" she cried, placing herself between the crib and the Dark Lord.

"Stand aside, you silly girl! Stand aside, now…"

Tears were running down Lily's cheeks. She was powerless; she didn't even have her wand… And yet Harry would survive somehow…

"Not Harry, please! No, take me, kill me instead –" she pleaded.

Lily would have no reason to live if Harry died… She wouldn't be able to continue… Why didn't he just kill her and get it over and done with?

Harry would survive; Harry had to survive… Her head was throbbing; saving her son was all she could think about. There had to be a way…

"Not Harry, please… Have mercy…"

Voldemort laughed, and the sinister sound made Lily realise that he could sense to an extent that she actually wanted to die… So he, of course, wouldn't kill her.

"Please… I'll do anything!"

Harry was going to survive somehow… There had to be a way…

"Stand aside," he repeated, very irritated now. "Stand aside, girl."

Harry moved slightly to the side; Lily didn't notice, but Voldemort did.

She didn't care about her grief anymore. All she knew was that Harry had to survive; he had to live on to fight another day. And he would, somehow he would… And it was Lily's job to make that happen… How, how, how?

Her last task, the last time she'd interfere with destiny and use the Sight to change the ways of Men…

"Avada Kedavra!" cried the Dark Lord, pointing his wand at the baby.

In a split second, Lily realised what had happened and threw herself in front of the green light spurting from Voldemort's wand.

She had died for him… There was no magic greater than Love…

'Harry will survive' was Lily's last thought…

And then everything became dark.

It didn't rain on October 31st, 1981, unlike the previous ten Samhains. Something had changed.

The sudden bright light could have blinded her, but it didn't. Instead, the warm glow was welcome and comforting. Where was she? Lily could tell she was lying down, but she couldn't see the surroundings – there was far too much light.

Suddenly, a pair of smiling blue eyes looked into hers. Lily recognised him instantly, even though he was now blonde and much taller. She smiled and took his hand.

"Hello, love," said James – or whatever his name was now –, helping her up.

"We're –"

He nodded. "See? I told you we'd meet again soon."

James embraced her and wiped the silent tears from her cheeks.

"No crying here," he said, kissing the tip of her nose.

Lily smiled, and noticed her hair was now long and dark. Also, she seemed to be shorter – maybe James wasn't that much taller after all. And she… she was faerie-folk, with slightly tan skin and hazel eyes. So that was why dealing with ancient magic was so easy for her – she was a priestess from the very first time she had been born.

She looked around, recognising her surroundings at last: they were inside the barge that led to Avalon. But there were no mists here; the sun shone brightly, and she could see the Tor clearly, even though they were still far from Ynis Witrim.

"We're going to Avalon?"

He grinned. "For a short while. But not the Avalon we have known for the past few years… The eternal Avalon, the real Avalon… When you were Caillean, you tried to make the Isle of Apples look more like it is on this plane, remember? There are some people from the old crowd we'll meet there."

Lily turned to look at him curiously. "And you learned all this in the few minutes you spent here without me?"

"Well, time doesn't really exist here… But you know all this too… You just haven't gotten used to this reality yet, Isarma – or Cassandra, Akhesanaton, Nefertari… Which name do you prefer, love?"

"Isarma is fine. I miss Atlantis, and worshipping the Rising Sun with you in the Temple of Light… But I miss Avalon more… Probably because I have been a priestess there for the last few thousands of years," she said, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath.

He smiled. "My heart was also bound to Avalon many lifetimes ago… Returning to the Temple of Light is a permanent longing we will never fulfil. Atlantis is lost forever, even though there is a replica of it in this plane. Rajasta – was his name Dumbledore last time? – built it last time with us, remember?"

"Yes, of course… I had never quite realised we knew them all from before… Or at least most of them: Sirius – should I call him Lancelet, Sulla, Hector or Acha? –, Remus – that is, Kai, Nestor, Gaius, Cato or Ameni –, and, of course, that backstabbing bastard… I don't even think I can remember all of their names."

"I should have noticed Peter was in fact Mordred, Chenar, Ay and Brutus… But it wasn't the will of the Goddess. There's no use in regretting that now."

"It was meant to be. It wasn't your task to get rid of Voldemort… All you had to do was make the path for your son to walk upon."

James – 'Micon' was probably more appropriate now, since that had been his name during their last life in Atlantis – grinned. "I see you've already gotten the hang of it."

She laughed.

"Look, Isarma – we're almost there."

The bright sunshine was no longer the only thing reflected in the clear water The simple yet majestic stone buildings of Avalon were now very close, and they were approaching the shore with surprising speed, considering no one was rowing.

Micon encircled her waist, and together they contemplated the isle with reverence. They had just realised how homesick they were…

"We're home."

.................................................

May it be the shadow's call will fly away

May it be you journey on to light the day

When the night is overcome, you may rise to find the sun

Darkness has come, believe and you will find your way

Darkness has gone, a promise lives within you now

A promise lives within you now…

.................................................

October 30th, 1976

.................................................

Lily jolted awake, with the vivid sensation she had just had a very important dream. Unfortunately, she had already forgotten it. Well, it probably wasn't meant for her to know anyway, so it was no use worrying.

The clock beside her bed showed it was already six o'clock, and she got ready in a hurry. She was supposed to organise the Great Hall with Remus tonight. For Hallowe'en, the most idiotic feast of the year.

Well, at least she hadn't been paired with James Potter. He had become a prefect this year, somehow… Lily still hadn't quite gotten used to the idea. That selfish, arrogant bastard was an insult to all the others who'd worked hard to become prefects. He'd probably only gotten the title because the teachers loved him…

But how could anyone love that dolt?

.................................................

A/N This is not supposed to be an AU fic. It's just a silly, pretentious Mists of Avalon/Harry Potter crossover.

I've never written a disclaimer before, but I believe this fic needs it. So here it goes:

Disclaimer:

J. K. Rowling owns Sirius, Remus, Peter, James, Harry, Lily, Dumbledore and Voldemort.

I own Nalune.

Colleen McCullough owns Cato, Caesar, Sulla and Brutus (their personalities, at least).

Marion Zimmer Bradley owns Atlantis, the Temple of Light, Rajasta, Domaris (or Isarma) and Micon; Avalon (aka the Isle of Apples, Ynis Witrim), Caillean, Gawen, Gaius, Morgaine, Arthur, Lancelet, Kai and Mordred; Troy, Cassandra, Aeneas, Hector and Nestor.

Christian Jacq owns Egypt ( :o) ), Ramses, Nefertari, Acha, Ameni, Chenar; Horemheb, Ay, Akhesanaton (or Akhesanamon) and her husband Tutankhaton (or Tutankhamon).

I hope I didn't forget anyone.

Oh, of course, Enya owns "May It Be". My apologies to whoever did the research to include the two Sindarin (or Quenya, I can never tell) verses in the song – but this isn't a LOTR fic, so I had to translate them.

.................................................

.................................................

Pendragon: The King Stag

.....................

Chapter 1

"Pumpkins"

.................................................

October 30^th, 1976

.....................

'Pumpkins,' Lily thought irritably. 'Pumpkins! Why do they always have so many pumpkins?'

Hogwarts was already decorated for Hallowe'en, and, as always, it was bothering Lily to no end.

'Sacrilegious, that's what this is.'

The Great Hall was full of huge, candlelit pumpkins, and the house elves were busy arranging the tables and cleaning everything. It was her duty as a prefect to oversee the preparation for one of the biggest feasts in the school year.

Thankfully, Remus Lupin was helping her, or else she probably would have snapped by now. For obvious reasons, the Hallowe'en feast always aggravated her.

"What do you think, Lil? Should the sky be just like outside, or should we change it?"

She turned around to look at him, trying hard not to retort too sharply.

Remus managed not to wince; Lily's redhead temper was about to snap, he could sense it – hopefully, they'd finish choosing the decorations before it did.

Why had Dumbledore wanted Hogwarts to be adorned for Hallowe'en on October 30^th? Lily wasn't sure, but the rumour going around the school was that he wasn't going to be there tomorrow, so he wanted to make sure everything was in order before leaving.

Lupin looked up; the moon was a Waxing Gibbous. As if he needed reminder of that fact, as if he couldn't sense the phases of the moon as easily as he could think or breathe…

'Tomorrow's full moon,' he thought, a shiver running down his back.

'That's auspicious,' Lily pondered, hearing Remus' thoughts as easily as if he were speaking out loud. 'October 31^st, the Samhain…'

"I think we should change it, Moony," she said pointedly, with a raised eyebrow. "People shouldn't be reminded the moon is full on Hallowe'en."

'They shouldn't have to be reminded! Tomorrow's Samhain! The supposedly most educated wizards in Britain, the Hogwarts students, are going to celebrate by devouring enormous amount of food… In a few decades, they might as well go out trick-or-treating… How did it come to this?'

Lily's trail of thought startled her. What was she going to do next? Curse the many wizards throughout history who had contributed to this bitter reality? Or even worse, criticize Dumbledore for allowing the simplistic celebration to happen?

'He's the Merlin of Britain,' she reasoned. 'Of course he knows what he's doing.'

Naturally, the Hogwarts Headmaster, even though he was one of the few Initiated, couldn't speak openly about the Mysteries. The wizarding world had turned from that path long ago…

'Sí vanwa ná…'

And now Avalon was lost, forever lost in the mists…

'Why?' Lily thought, tears welling up her eyes – tears of anger, frustration, sadness… 'Why have they chosen the path of ignorance, simple-mindedness, frivolity? Why have they driven Her away from their lives? Oh, Mother…'

"Lily?" Remus repeated.

She had temporarily forgotten he was there; now she glanced at him again.

"Sorry," she said, grinning sheepishly. "I was just thinking – uh, what were you saying?"

"I said, 'fine by me; it's not like I'll be here tomorrow night anyway'."

"Oh, okay then," she replied with a sympathetic grin.

Lily and Remus watched the house-elves scurrying around for a while, and then they stood up in near unison.

"I'll ask Dumbledore to change the sky," she suggested. "And you should take a rest, save your strength and everything."

"I will," Remus assured her. "I'll see you next week, then, Lil."

"Good luck," Lily called as he walked away.

After Lupin was already far away, Lily raised her hands in a quick blessing. Remus could have become quite a druid if that werewolf had never bit him… What had he done to deserve such a curse in this life?

And he didn't even know! Remus, like every other wizard, studied Avalon and druid lore as if they were part of a distant past… They didn't know druids and priestesses were still trained by the Lady of the Lake, that Avalon was still the heart of Britain, or that there was a Merlin to guide them if necessary… They didn't know, they didn't know!

How could they live with the despair of being born only once, of not caring about the highest forms of magick? How could they ignore the true magick, the eternal cycles of Live, Death, and Rebirth? How could they think magic was nothing more than silly wand-waving or potion-brewing?

This wasn't the first time Lily had mulled over these questions, but she had never found a proper answer. Of course, she had studied about how Avalon had slowly grown more and more distant from the wizarding world, just like wizards had grown distant from Muggles. But did it always have to remain that way? Couldn't the situation change? Couldn't History be changed?

Irritated, she shooed away one of the thousands of bats flying around. How could they? And how could Albus Dumbledore, the Merlin of Britain, watch and do nothing? He had been working at Hogwarts for about fifty years – how had he been able to stand it?

Lily now fully understood why, for centuries, no priestesses or druids had been allowed to study at Hogwarts. It was very annoying to anyone who practiced magick in its true form to endure the simplistic Hogwarts education.

But she didn't regret staying at the school to finish her seven years. To her, studying there felt like attending Muggle Studies did to most wizards – it seemed a bizarre, shallow reality.

One of the house-elves was about to drop a huge pile of golden plates; Lily quickly said a spell to levitate them. Her wand, made out of willow, had a few discreet runes carved in it – she didn't want her colleagues to notice them, but she also didn't want to waste most of the power she could channel through that consecrated piece of wood. She also had another wand, made out of nemo, the sacred oak – but that one stayed in Avalon. It wasn't meant to be used for puerile hexes or trivial conjuring.

Lily walked to the Headmaster's office slowly, appreciating the silence in the hallways – most students were still in the classrooms. Usually, the amount of noise around the school was rather deafening, and very aggravating for someone who appreciated silence as much as Lily did.

She envied all the other priestesses a little, the ones who stayed in Avalon all year long. But in truth, Lily liked Hogwarts. She knew that, after a few years, she would retire to the solitude of the Holy Isle and hardly ever return to the outside world. It wasn't forbidden to leave, but… Well, Avalon was a wonderful place to live, and people just didn't want to face the wizarding world – its emptiness, superficiality, and gloom were rather depressing.

If Lily hadn't been a very fast learner, she wouldn't have been able to complete her training while living away from Avalon. Novices usually had daily classes, from sunrise to sundown, with very little spare time. Nalune, the Lady of Avalon, had often sent some of the older priestesses to Hogwarts so that Lily could catch up on the training.

But Lily was a natural priestess, and everybody knew that. Her gift of Sight was second only to the Lady's, and she could perform most of the Rites almost instinctively. Lily had already Seen that she had been a priestess in another lifetime – well, anyone could have guessed that, really.

So now here she was: a sworn higher-level priestess who owed allegiance only to the Lady of Avalon – and to the Goddess Herself.

"Pumpkins," she muttered to the gargoyle in front of her. The entrance to the Headmaster's office opened instantly.

'What an appropriate password!'

Entering the office, Lily saw the aged man standing by the window. As usual, he sensed her presence, and turned to greet her.

Lily laid her right hand over her breast and raised it slowly to forehead level – the usual salute given to the highest initiates. Dumbledore bowed his head slightly.

"Remus and I think it would be better if the Great Hall ceiling were changed, so that it doesn't show the full moon."

"I'll take care of it. The Lady requests your immediate presence," said Dumbledore. "I'll find someone to replace you for patrol duty tonight."

Lily bowed and turned to leave. Even though she was a bit curious to know why she was being called, she knew very well that Nalune hardly ever explained her actions – not even to Dumbledore, Merlin though he was.

"Ask James Potter to come here before you go, please," requested Dumbledore. "Tell him I have to speak with him as soon as possible."

"Yes, sir."

Lily didn't know why Dumbledore's last order had disturbed her so much. Well, she didn't know because she didn't want to know. Stubbornly, she refused to allow the Sight to come to her. Lily could feel it approaching – an empty, powerful force pushing all her other thoughts away…

But she had been very well trained, and only Saw when she wanted to. This was certainly not one of those times.

Lily disliked James Potter, mostly because he could push her buttons better than anyone else. Intuitively, he had recognised her strengths and weaknesses from the very first time they'd met – for in truth they had met many, many times before…

No! Resolutely, she refused the Sight once more and kept her mind focused on the reality surrounding her.

She couldn't care less about what James' past lives had been! Nothing very special, probably… This time, he had been born into a wealthy, but rather ordinary wizarding family – he would certainly never find out about Avalon… Like everybody else, he would never know druids still existed. And Lily didn't feel sorry for him, not at all.

He had always been an annoying, arrogant bully – even though one couldn't tell it by looking at his great grades and impeccable conduct around the teachers. But around girls… He used them all, dumping his girlfriends after a week, at the most. A player! And for some reason Lily couldn't possibly understand, all the girls still liked him, were still attracted to him, and still giggled every time he passed them…

No, definitely not a druid – thankfully.

.................................................

"A few centuries ago, in times of peace – and even in some times of war –, this country was ruled by women. Londinium was the main city, economy-wise, but the true heart of Britannia was in Avalon, where the Lady dwelled and trained numerous novices."

Albus Dumbledore took a deep breath before continuing.

"Time went by. War in Britannia occurred more and more often. The man whom the Lady indicated as Year-King – Pendragon, Duke of War – took over the throne, whilst she only meddled in politics when she thought it necessary. He was sworn to protect the land, or die trying, and had to go through several tests that proved him worthy of the honour of being chosen. You know all about how Avalon slowly grew distant from the wizarding world, I'm sure."

James stared at the Headmaster. He had studied Druid history years ago! Why was Albus telling him this? Avalon was now lost in the mists forever… No Lady had become Headmistress in the most ancient of British wizarding schools in centuries. Right?

"Yes, sir. But it's been long since there was a Lady in Avalon… Why are you telling me this?"

Dumbledore shook his head and frowned slightly. Suddenly, his clear blue eyes seemed cold and eerie.

"No, James. The Avalon House of Maidens still trains priestesses, and the Lady is very much alive and active."

James blinked a few times, quickly absorbing that surprising bit of truth. "Well, hiding that fact from everybody is certainly very clever."

Dumbledore grinned. "Very few people know about it. All the novices are sworn to secrecy, and we take pledges very seriously."

We. He should’ve guessed Dumbledore would be involved in this. "Still… Why are you telling me all this?"

Albus sighed. This wasn't going to be easy. Why had James been chosen to do this task? He was such a happy, juvenile teenager! No one deserved to have such a burden cast upon him at such a young age…

Dumbledore felt sorry for the young man. If the choice were his, James would become an Auror, an active member of the Order of the Phoenix, and would mature in time. Not this… he wouldn't wish this upon his worst enemy.

He had once been called to be the Pendragon, but Nalune – and the Goddess through her – had chosen someone else to fight this time. He had another part to play in this struggle, she had told him. Only through the powers invested in him by the ancient rites had he been able to defeat the Dark wizard Grindenwald in 1945, after decades of fighting.

The Headmaster sincerely wished the burden of defeating Voldemort hadn't been cast upon James, but there was truly nothing he could do.

"I'm the Merlin of Britannia," he said at last.

James was slightly taken aback for a few seconds… but it was logical, really. If the Lady of Avalon was still around, there was obviously still a Merlin.

"You still haven't answered my question, sir."

"The Lady has Seen you in her visions… She told me you were practically born a Druid. I mean – well, of course your initiation depends on your decision. Do you wish to become one?"

This actually startled James more than anything else had so far. "Oh," was his eloquent answer.

"You don't have to decide right now. It's just that… Well, tomorrow is Samhain," said Dumbledore, correctly pronouncing it 'Sowen'. "And Avalon's always quite a sight at the turning of the year – the magickal year, that is."

"October 31^st…" James said slowly. Everything he'd learned about ancient magic (shockingly little, now that he thought about it) was resurfacing rapidly. "I – okay. Yes, of course I want to be a Druid. I don't think I can sing, though," he added as an afterthought.

Albus grinned. "I'll take you as my Acolyte, then. You can tell your friends I'm training you. We don't have time to lose – I have to teach you ten years' worth of knowledge in two, so…"

"When will we start?"

"Tonight."

"So you're going to train me for the next two years… what exactly are you going to teach me?"

"Oh, Druid history, posture, music, religion, spells – ancient magic; true magick. None of this Latin, small-minded silliness."

James nodded.

"I won't teach you everything, though. The Lady will send a few priestesses to do some of the work, too."

James was trying very hard to absorb everything without question. He had always thought Avalon existed only in history books… All this, so suddenly – it was just too much, too fast.

"You'll have to spend your holidays in Avalon," said Dumbledore abruptly. "Of course you can pass by to see your family, but you can't waste too much time at your parents' house."

James' reaction was a half-smile. "So I guess I won't quite have proper holidays."

Albus smiled. "No, you won't. But I think you'll enjoy Avalon. The isle of Ynis Witrim is a very beautiful place."

With a pang of guilt, he remembered that James, like himself, would have his heart bound to Avalon forever. He would never find true peace or happiness anywhere else, and would probably move to the Holy Isle after he fulfilled his task.

Oh, for the tranquillity and bliss of leaving all the problems behind him and becoming a Bard in Avalon! How Albus longed for the water of the Holy Well, the coolness of the mists in the sunset, the serenity of the Tor…

"So… you'll go?"

"Yes," James replied resolutely. "What's the point in thinking about it if the Lady, who has the Sight, already knows I'll accept?"

Albus nodded; he had learned that lesson a long time ago, but it had taken him a while longer than it had James. That was very wise of him; Nalune would certainly like that attitude.

"I won't have to quit Quidditch, will I?" James asked, suddenly worried.

"No, of course not."

"Well then, I really should go, if you don't mind. My team's going to start practice in ten minutes – and I'm the captain, so things don't really work if I'm not there."

For a moment, Albus considered the possibility of telling James he would meet a familiar face in Avalon. He quickly decided against it; it was better to let him find out all about it in his own time.

His own time… Lily's own time was more like it. She wouldn't want him to know about her being a priestess before it was strictly necessary – the morning after they went through the Dragon Isle testing together, probably.

"Of course. Have fun. Be here at nine o'clock."

"Yes, sir."

Nalune was going to ask Lily to be a part of the rite that would anoint James as the Pendragon. She wouldn't like the idea very much, but she was sworn to obey the Lady's will… She would eventually yield and become the Virgin Huntress who'd help James become the King Stag. She knew better than to participate in the ritual half-heartedly – that could result in James' death.

In truth, Dumbledore truly admired the Avalon priestesses, even though he feared them a bit, especially Nalune. There was too much power in her, of a kind he could not understand; it was as if she were beyond good and evil. She was powerful. But the Lady usually chose what was considered the 'good' side; she protected Nature, and the Equilibrium of all things…

'Druid lore,' thought Albus, amused. It was funny how deeply those teachings had entered his mind, surfacing at the most unexpected times.

He did not regret sending Lily to Nalune after her parents had died. She would not have been happy living with her sister and a distant aunt… But now he wondered if that had truly been the right thing to do.

Well, it certainly had seemed perfect at the time: she had loved studying Druid history, even though she had thought it was nothing but legend. She couldn't have dreamed she had already met the Merlin of Britannia, who wore the serpents on his wrists and had once passed through the ancient rites of the Dragon Isle…

Lily went to Avalon willingly, Dumbledore reminded himself sternly. And Nalune had been very glad to receive her. He had been merely an instrument of Destiny… Lily was a born priestess; he had heard Nalune say so many times.

And James… he would make a fine Druid. Even though his disregard for rules was well-known, Albus had no doubt he could also be very self-controlled and stern when necessary.

James would surely like Avalon. He would be a perfect Pendragon… He, Albus, was too old to face Voldemort. James would defeat the Dark Lord, or die trying…

'He must die, for the world to live…'

The words of the ritual chilled him to the bone.

No, James couldn't die…

Albus fervently hoped that James would defeat Voldemort, and not the other way around. He thought of Lily – definitely the smartest witch he'd ever met, and a born priestess –, and his hope was rekindled.

Lily and James, together, would defeat Voldemort.

He was sure of it.

.................................................

November 1^st, 1976

.....................

The wind was always cool, and the sun always shone brightly in Ynis Witrim. Beyond, in the distant borders of the lake were the mists, keeping Avalon unseen to Muggles and wizards alike.

Why did she miss it so, the serenity of Holy Isle? From the moment Lily had arrived there, shortly before her fourteenth birthday, she had begun to love that land as if it were a part of her. Avalon had been home to her when her world had fallen apart; Avalon had given her comfort and a reason to live…

Her mother had died of cancer and her father had shot himself soon afterwards. Petunia, her Muggle older sister, had gone to live with a distant aunt. But Dumbledore had offered Lily another option: to go to Avalon and study in the House of Maidens during the Hogwarts holidays.

Heaven on Earth – that had been Lily's foremost thought after crossing the mists for the first time. The island was absolutely perfect. The weather never changed much, and the passing of the years had had little or no effect on Avalon, which remained as beautiful as it had been when Arthur or even Cassandra promenaded there.

There, Lily's emotional wounds had been healed, and she had learned about magick in a way she didn't even know existed. There was more to it than simple wand-waving or potion-making, so much more… Magick was everywhere: the land, the trees, the sky, the beasts… Magick was a part of her, alive, changing, and powerful.

November 1^st was one of the best days of the year. It was as if the world had been renewed – everything seemed fresh and full of energy. Magick had been rekindled, and the Goddess was even more present in the nature. Thankfully, Dumbledore had let Lily spend the day in Avalon – yesterday had been Samhain, after all, and he knew that she still felt a bit drained.

It was great to have the Merlin of Britain as Headmaster. He spoiled Lily a bit – she was, after all, the first Avalon priestess to study at Hogwarts in centuries. The House of Maidens probably would have trained her better if she had studied there full-time, but Nalune, Lady of Avalon, had thought it wiser for Lily to finish the normal Hogwarts seven years. Lily was already in her third year when she was initiated, and her friends would certainly wonder where she had gone if she left.

Practically no one knew Avalon still existed. Everybody studied the Holy Isle and its major importance in the ancient history; all students were told it had disappeared in the mists forever, and that was partly true – no uninitiated was able to find his way to Avalon without a guide.

That wasn't her case. She could already call the barge, lower the mists and get to Avalon at any time she wanted. Of course she still depended on Dumbledore to get her to the lake shore – she was too young to Apparate…

Lowering the mists… That had been the last part of her testing to become a priestess, last Yule: to be left outside Avalon, without her wand or food. She'd had to call the barge and lower the mists separating the Isle from the rest of the world. Exhausted and weak, she'd been received in Ynis Witrim with honours. They'd tattooed the blue crescent on her brow that day…

Lily was now a sworn priestess, and while in Avalon wore that sign of her status on her forehead proudly. For obvious reasons, she had to hide it while at Hogwarts.

She took a deep breath, staring longingly at the Tor. Oh, Mother, she felt horrible… The ritual herbs she'd took the night before helped the Sight become clearer, but also made her feel quite woozy for days afterwards. Of course she was already somewhat used to them by now, but it took a while for their effect to fade nevertheless.

Moreover, yesterday's ritual had been specially demanding – it was her first Samhain since she'd taken her vows, and she had much more of a key role in the rites now.

"It rained yesterday," a voice behind her said quietly.

Priestesses were trained to move so quietly that no one could detect their approach. Their self-control was also extremely honed; Lily didn't look alarmed upon suddenly hearing Nalune's voice.

Lily was going to stand up to salute the Lady properly, but Nalune's hand on her shoulder stopped her.

The High Priestess sat beside Lily. Even now – visibly weary and worried –, the Lady of Avalon still retained her awe-inspiring majesty. Her dark hair, untouched by the many years she'd lived, was loose, reaching her waist; she wore the dark blue priestess robes, her ceremonial silver knife hanging from her waist. The only difference between her outfit and Lily's was a simple silver necklace illustrating her status.

"It rained yesterday outside Avalon," said the High Priestess sadly. "Not a powerful, good rain – just an ice-cold, persistent drizzle."

Lily sighed. That weather in the beginning of the magickal year prognosticated no good…

"But something's changed," she said suddenly. Lily had no idea where that certainty had come from – she just knew she had to say that.

"What?" asked Nalune, looking at curiously. "What's changed?"

Lily grinned slightly and shook her head. "I don't really know."

"Well, then, I suppose I should tell you."

Lily, intrigued, turned to look at the Lady.

"Did you notice there was a new Druid yesterday?"

"Yes – the Merlin brought him, but I didn't see his face. He didn't participate in the rituals; I figured he was just a novice."

"The Merlin has chosen him to be his Acolyte."

Lily raised an eyebrow. Dumbledore had been looking for a worthy disciple for many years, but… Well, she'd always thought she'd pick one of the other druids, not a completely new guy. "He's chosen a neophyte?"

"Well, he's rather… singular."

A shiver ran down Lily's spine. She knew exactly Nalune was talking about. This man would be no druid.

Yesterday, she'd Seen once more that there was need for a new Pendragon… She'd already Seen it several times before – and the urgency in her visions seemed to grow as time went by.

"I just thought you should know – we'll need your help in his training."

"My help?" she asked, confused. "But – I'll be at Hogwarts –"

"Exactly. He studies there, too," Nalune said, smiling impishly. "In fact, judging by what the Merlin's told me, you know him quite well."

Lily barely had time to hold her breath before she realised that she somehow already knew who he was, deep inside.

She didn't even need the Sight to know his name – of course it'd have to be him, the only Hogwarts student she really couldn't stand... She'd be stuck with him now; she would have to teach him how to be a Druid…

"Not… James?" she asked miserably, lifting her eyes to meet Nalune's, demanding an answer. "James Potter is the Pendragon?"

James, the annoying bully she'd hated at first sight. James, who had had a crush on her last year; she'd had to turn him down several times before he had actually gotten the point. James, who had been rather nice to her since last year, and hadn't tried to ask her out again… yet.

James. JAMES!

"Yes, Lily, James is the Pendragon. Or rather, he will be, after he passes his ordeals."

James was going to be the man she would have to obey almost unconditionally? James was the Pendragon?

"But… he's unworthy," she breathed out, irritated. "He's unworthy of wielding the power of the Holy Regalia; he's not noble enough to hold the fate of Avalon in his hands!"

"Do you presume to know more about the fate of Avalon than I?" Nalune reprimanded her softly. "Do you dare to criticize the Goddess' instructions?"

Lily lowered her head, recognizing the authority of the High Priestess. She hadn't meant to argue with her in such a disrespectful manner… But she could not stand by and let that irresponsible jerk take on much more power than he could handle. It would kill him… James certainly would never manage to become the King Stag.

"It might kill him," she whispered, closing her eyes.

The Sight, stirred by Lily's intense desire to pierce through the veil of time, came quickly – James was running, fighting the King Stag. Lily could sense the strength and power running through his veins as if they were one… She heard herself, saying all the charms she knew to strengthen him and encourage him on…

Suddenly, James had transformed himself into a stag… Go on, go on, the power is yours; this is your calling, your Fate, our Destiny… After a hard fight, he killed the King Stag… Covered in blood, he transformed back into his human form…

Lily opened her eyes, suddenly out of breath. How? James was going to become the King Stag; he would show his valour and worthiness… He was the Pendragon; he had been born to save Britannia…

Lily bowed her head slightly, and Nalune could tell that she was thoroughly convinced.

"You're going to ask me to take him as my consort," Lily stated calmly, feeling even sicker to her stomach that she had before. Oh, Goddess… She was going to have to sleep with him! "In Dragon Isle, you'll want me to be there for him after he kills the King Stag."

Nalune wasn't surprised by her statement. Lily's Sight was extremely powerful and well trained – she had undoubtedly already Seen the ritual and its inevitable outcome.

"Yes."

Lily took a deep breath. She definitely had never thought that she would actually have to sleep with James Potter. Oh, Ceridwen, anyone but him… How could she wholeheartedly help someone whom she hated during that extremely dangerous and vital ritual? His very life would depend on her actions…

Well, Lily had been trained very well. She wasn't supposed to question the Lady's decision – and, well, Lily had already seen herself in the ritual, so she was obviously going to accept.

"I don't think he should know about my being a priestess until we meet at Dragon Isle," she said at last. "Please, Lady."

Nalune acquiesced with a smile. "You will help the Merlin with his training. Remain disguised if you must… But your presence is essential. I know you don't really like him, but – I have Seen it. Unmistakeably."

Lily nodded, feeling utterly miserable.

The High Priestess stood to leave, and Lily followed suit. "This isn't his first time as the Pendragon, you know," she said conversationally. "Well, of course you know – you had already noticed that you knew him from another lifetime, hadn't you?"

She nodded again, even more desolately.

"He's been your consort before, actually," Nalune said, grinning. "I don't think it'll help much if I tell you that you'll soon discover a side of him you don't know about…"

Lily shook her head, and stood up. "This is the will of the Goddess, Lady. I have long since yielded my wishes to Her; this will be a small sacrifice, that's all."

The Lady of the Lake smiled sadly as Lily saluted her and walked away. She depended heavily on the Sight to rule Avalon, and its constant use had led to her knowledge of several woeful future events she couldn't alter or prevent.

If Lily only knew…

Lily and James' hate didn't disquiet Nalune at all – their love, on the other hand…

.................................................

The water of the Holy Well reflected the baby blue sky. Obviously. In fact, that small well looked just like any other.

"It isn't just like any other… It can't be called the 'Holy Well' for nothing," James muttered, staring at it. What could possibly be so special about that thing?

That little pond right beside it looked awfully ordinary, too. But he'd been told it was the Lady's Sacred Mirror. Of course, it was pretty and all, but it didn't seem special in any mystic way.

Maybe it was unique solely because it was in Ynis Witrim, even though James highly doubted it. But then again, he had seen so many extraordinary things in the past two days that he was pretty much prepared to believe anything.

The very existence of Ynis Witrim, for example. He'd always studied Avalon as part of a distant history… And then one day Dumbledore had simply called him to his office and invited him to spend the day in the Holy Isle.

It was an extraordinary place. In fact, James' first impression upon seeing it was a strange sense that he was coming back home. Obviously, he had never been to Ynis Witrim before, but… It was like he knew it somehow…

James shook his head. He had always been an essentially rational guy. Okay, he had felt an unexplainable attraction to ancient magick when he'd studied it. And yes, he had wondered many times if all druids had really given up completely on contacting the outside world. But… this –

He had never imagined he'd one day be offered the opportunity to become a Druid. And now here he was – a novice, Acolyte of the Merlin of Britannia.

James was still having a bit of a hard time believing it all. Merlin, he'd –

He immediately censured himself. No more using Dumbledore's title in vain, he thought with a smirk.

"Hello."

James looked up, startled. The Lady of Avalon was standing right beside him, her stern brown eyes piercing his.

Nalune wasn't very tall, but she seemed so powerful and distinct that her true physical appearance didn't matter. She exuded power and enchantment like no other woman James had ever seen.

He had never met Nalune, but she was so singular – even when compared to the already exceptional Avalon priestesses – that he could never have mistaken her for anyone else.

"Hello, Lady," James said nervously. "How – how should I – I don't really know –"

Not many people had ever made James Potter stutter. But he really didn't know the proper way to salute the Lady of Avalon… And he didn't want to seem disrespectful in any way.

"Put your hand on your chest," she instructed, smiling condescendingly. "And raise it to your forehead slowly."

He obeyed, and she nodded in approval.

"Do you like Avalon?"

"Very much. It… feels like home somehow."

Nalune nodded again. "You've walked the path of Light in another lifetime – you've lived here before, I have Seen it."

"Can I ask you something?"

"Of course."

The Lady sat down beside him, and James couldn't help but think that it felt strange to have an amicable conversation with such an extraordinary woman.

"How did you become High Priestess? I mean, were you trained to do it ever since you first came to Avalon?"

"I was born in Avalon. My mother was High Priestess before me – but that had no influence in my choosing. I even had other sisters who also became priestesses… The Lady of the Lake must at some point choose among the sworn priestesses the one who will succeed her and train that priestess accordingly."

"Have you already chosen your successor?"

"Yes."

"How do you choose? I mean, what kind of trait do you look for?"

"In truth, it is the Goddess who chooses, not I. She has never failed to reveal to her High Priestesses the one who will best serve her as Lady of the Lake."

"What about the Merlin? How is he chosen?"

"It is a similar process."

"How about the Pendragon? I mean, is there a Year-King now?" James suddenly felt nervous, and realised that he was probably being inconvenient. "I'm sorry, Lady; I must be tiring you with all these questions…"

Nalune smiled. James had felt uncomfortable upon mentioning the Pendragon, but he hadn't understood why – well, he was about to find out.

"No, there isn't."

"I thought there was always a Pendragon in times of war… And we're at war – against Voldemort. No?"

The Lady of Avalon sighed and did not answer.

"Isn't there always a Pendragon when there is need?"

"Yes, usually."

"There is need… Voldemort gains more power every day!"

"You're right – there is need. And the Goddess has already chosen a Pendragon."

"Oh – so there is –"

"No, he hasn't passed through the ordeals yet."

"Oh, I see."

"In fact, he didn't even know he's been chosen… until now," said Nalune quietly.

James released the breath he hadn't realised he was holding. "And –"

She interrupted him, looking soberly straight into James' eyes. "Will you be willing to do it, James? It is too heavy a burden to be borne without complete consent… But the Goddess has unmistakeably selected you to be the Pendragon."

James blinked a few times, waiting for Nalune's statement to sink in properly.

The Lady of Avalon – someone he had always considered a historical figure, mythological even – had chosen him to be the Pendragon.

James' head started spinning. That didn't make any sense. He was only seventeen! He hadn't even finished his sixth year! Surely, the Lady wouldn't ask him to quit school just to… save the world. It felt strange to even think about it.

This was crazy… This couldn't be happening. It had to be some sort of practical joke. James, the Pendragon? The Marauder, the prankster, the ladies' man, famous for his disregard of rules and authority?

"What exactly does that mean?" he asked when he had managed to find his voice. "What will I have to do?"

"You will be trained while at Hogwarts by the Merlin and some of the priestesses. On Beltane – not the next one; the one after that – you will go through a test to see if you're worthy of the power and blessing of Avalon. If you are… well, then, you will receive them. And you will swear to protect Britannia from Voldemort, or die trying."

James lowered his head. It seemed like a task too great for him – he was definitely unworthy of the trust they were showing in him.

But the Goddess had chosen him – he couldn't quail.

"All right," he agreed simply. "Okay, I'll do it."

Nalune smiled. "You are an Animagus, yes?"

James was startled. "Well – yes, but –"

"Don't worry, the Merlin knows nothing of this; I have other sources in the school. I just thought maybe you'd like to know – your ordeal will consist basically of becoming the King Stag… Had you never wondered why that is your animal?"

James grinned weakly. "I guess this was really meant to be, then."

"Oh, yes," said Nalune, standing up to go. "Never doubt that, not even for a second. You were born for this."

He had been born for this… He was the King Stag, the Year-King… He would spill his blood for the land if necessary… He would be sworn to kill Voldemort or die trying…

He was the Pendragon.

.................................................

November 2^nd, 1976

.................................................

Without doubt, Dumbledore liked aggravating Lily every once in a while. Either that or he was trying to see if she could maintain her self-control at Hogwarts as well as she could in Avalon. Okay, that wasn't very likely. In fact, he probably didn't even realise that Hallowe'en decorations really got on her nerves.

Well, at least this time no one would mind if she blew up a pumpkin or two.

'Removing the decorations is definitely something the house-elves could do on their own.'

"Sorry I'm late," a voice behind her said breathlessly.

As always, that voice sent shivers down her spine – and not in a good way. James Potter didn't have to do anything to irritate Lily; his very presence already annoyed her.

And she was going to have to get to know him better, train him, spend loads of time with him, sleep with him…

"How was your Hallowe'en?" she asked, startling him.

It felt strange to hear Lily acting… normal around him. Of course she just wanted to see how good he was at truth-bending, but he thought she was just being civil.

"It was… fine," he replied. "October 31^st is always a fun day."

Lily knew that he was thinking about how he had to stop calling Samhain 'Hallowe'en' now. She remembered the beginning of her training very well – all the new truths to which she suddenly had had to adapt.

"How was yours?"

"Fine, too."

He nodded and looked around the Great Hall. There were still plenty of candlelit pumpkins floating around, and hundreds of bats were flying. House elves scurried around, cleaning and tidying everything up.

"I love the Hallowe'en feast," he said suddenly. "It's definitely the best day of the year."

She cast him an exasperated look, but he didn't notice.

Lily could tell James was counting on the fact that she hated him too much to notice he hadn't been there for the feast.

'He likes this silly Hallowe'en celebration… Oh, yes – you'll surely become a great Pendragon someday, James Potter.'

"The bats are always fun, and these pumpkins look great, too. Hagrid does an awesome job of growing them. They're very… Hallowe'en-ish."

James slapped himself inwardly. Shut up, for goodness' sake! Oh, why did he always have to babble whenever he was around Lily?

Clenching her fists, Lily glared fiercely at a nearby pumpkin and it exploded.

She groaned inwardly, levitating the fragments before they hit the floor and made a mess.

'Oh, Mother, he likes the pumpkins… A great Pendragon indeed.'

.................................................

.................................................

Pendragon: The King Stag

.....................

Chapter 2

"History of Magic 101"

.................................................

December 1^st, 1976

.....................

"Why aren't you going home?"

"I told you, Padfoot, I'm taking an ancient magic course during the holidays."

"I've never heard of that," said Remus.

"Yeah," piped up Peter. "No one's ever given me the opportunity to join anything like that…"

"Well, none of you would want to do it! Normally, Hogwarts students aren't allowed to take this thing, but Dumbledore knows I like ancient magic, and he invited me."

The other Marauders were watching James with puzzled looks. Normally, this kind of strange behaviour could be attributed to a girl, but that wasn't the case now. He stayed at "Dumbledore's office" until very late, woke up very early in the morning, and could be often caught staring off into the distance… It was very, very odd.

"This whole thing sounds strange…"

"I'm serious, you guys."

"Your parents aren't going to want me there!" whined Sirius. "They just let me stay because –"

"Nonsense, Padfoot," James interrupted smoothly. "They love you to death. Don't worry."

Sirius had run away from home last summer, and since then had lived at the Potters'. Remus was going to spend the holidays in Godric's Hollow with him, but James would have to stay. He was going to profit from the Christmas break to study like he never had before… And he'd never thought that he would ever be looking forward to something that, but he was.

Dumbledore had already warned Mr. and Mrs. Potter that James would be staying at Hogwarts for a magick course. This information was to be kept a secret, though – no one wanted Voldemort to know that Hogwarts students were now being trained in the Ancient arts –, and they had been told to keep this all hush-hush.

James was leaving with everyone else aboard the Express, and then Dumbledore would pick him up at his parents' and take him to Avalon. He couldn't go straight from Hogwarts, or someone could get suspicious… The Hogwarts headmaster had been adamant that no one know the truth about James' training… And, of course, the thought of disobeying the Merlin didn't cross his mind.

James was beginning to behave like a Druid – he was determined to do his best to become one. That whole Pendragon thing… Well, he'd think about it later. Right now, he just wanted to worry about his Druid formation. Not to mention, of course, remembering that he was sworn to kill Voldemort someday chilled him to the bone.

"So, Prongs, I was thinking of putting some Itching Potion in Snivelly's drink before dinner. What do you say?"

James looked at Sirius, and he couldn't help but feel a little guilty. He was slowly growing distant from all the pranks and stuff… The Marauders' old jokes just didn't seem that funny anymore.

Obviously, he still disliked Severus Snape. That wasn't the point. The thing was that, right now, James would much rather ignore the slimeball than duel with him or humiliate him in front of all his colleagues.

James was aware that he was exceptional for a reason – a reason far more important than these petty little feuds. Learning even the most complicated charms and potions had always been a piece of cake… well, now he knew why. It seemed almost sacrilegious to put his talents to such puerile use.

Plus, all those lessons on self-control he was receiving from Dumbledore were starting to pay off. He didn't get angry so easily anymore, and was able to keep his temper in check most of the time. The only person in the school who was still able to knock him off balance was Lily… Of course. Always Lily.

Well, she was different from everyone else. James sincerely hoped that at some point Dumbledore would give him some kind of tip on how to get rid of this crush. Seriously. James had fancied Lily since fifth year, and she'd never given him the time of the day. It was a hopeless situation!

After all, if James was going to be a strong-minded, reserved Druid, then he had to stop thinking about her! And he also had to be able to behave normally – coolly – around her! Why did he always have to stutter, or make some stupid joke, or ramble, or make a total fool out of himself? James was ordinarily very self-confident… What was it about her that unbalanced him?

'Hm… Note to self: somehow manage to introduce this topic in next conversation with Dumbledore. Surely Druid teenagers must also go though this at some point…'

"It'll be fun, I'm sure," he said at last, grinning. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go."

James stood and went to Dumbledore's office. The other Marauders were left pondering his latest change of attitude.

"What do you think is going on, Moony?" asked Sirius, grabbing Chocolate Frogs from underneath his bed and tossing one to each of his present friends.

"A girl," Peter suggested, unwrapping his candy. "He has a crush on a girl."

"Well, of course he does," replied Remus. "But I don't think Lily's behaviour around him has changed at all. I mean, they don't argue anymore… They haven't since they negotiated that truce, in the beginning of the school year."

"But… ancient magic, you guys," snorted Sirius with his mouth full. "Studying is what's making Prongs this light-headed? Come on!"

They grinned.

"Oh, he's getting some. I'm sure of it."

"Either that or he's maturing," said Remus quietly. "I mean – he doesn't like to get involved in pranks, he doesn't hex anyone just for the sake of it anymore, and he's trying to take school more seriously…"

Sirius threw him a look.

"I'm just saying – maybe he's trying, I don't know, to get Lily to like him?"

"Come on, Moony. James Potter? Mature?"

"Oh, I know!" squeaked Peter. "He wants to become Head Boy!"

Sirius and Remus stared at the shortest Marauder for several seconds before his statement sunk in.

"Damn… You're right."

"His father was Head Boy, and so were his grandfather and his great-grandfather… He's got a tradition to uphold, so he's trying to get into Dumbledore's good graces! Of course!"

"Hence the summer course! Of course! Wormtail, you're a genius!"

Peter looked very smug, and accepted the compliment with a broad grin.

"I knew there was some ulterior motive… A lot of people – namely, Lily and some Slytherins – complained when he was chosen as a Prefect. I mean, if I were a teacher, I'd choose you as Head Boy, Moony."

Remus laughed. "Do you think that's why he hasn't talked to us about it? He's afraid of the competition?"

"Probably."

"Poor Prongs… He's going to have until June to destroy six years' worth of reputation. We should help him do it."

"Or," proposed Sirius, "we should wait until he asks us for help. He'll need it at some point… We should wait until he confesses it."

"You're right."

"Padfoot," said Peter with a smile, "you're a genius."

.................................................

"She will teach you mostly History, James," said Dumbledore quietly as they walked to the old Charms classroom. "There are some things you must understand… But talking to you about that requires an enormous amount of time, and there are people who can do it as well as, or even better than I. I will continue to teach you, of course. But you will have lessons with this priestess until it is time for you to go to Avalon."

"Yes, sir."

Dumbledore opened the door and his Acolyte entered. "Learn as much as you can."

James nodded. After the Merlin left, he turned to look at the priestess.

She was standing by the window, her dark, curly hair glittering in the moonlight. When she sensed his approach, she turned and – there was no other word for it – glided towards him.

"James Potter," she greeted softly. "I am Isarma."

He had already learnt how to speak in that tone: it betrayed no emotion, and was politely distant. He automatically raised his thumb to his forehead and bowed slightly; this wasn't the Lady of Avalon, but he had to salute her with reverence nonetheless.

Lily responded to the signal properly and pointed at the floor, motioning for him to sit down. Her light blue eyes purposefully avoided his; even though she was well disguised, there was no guarantee that he wouldn't see through the façade. She had to get used to him, see how developed his powers were, and then she'd allow him to get to know her better. For James was the Pendragon; even though Lily disliked him, she knew that he had powers perhaps even greater than her own.

James watched in respectful silence as Lily traced a circle around them and purified it with salt. Around them were four small basins; two were empty, one contained earth, and the other, clear water. Muttering some spell, she touched the empty ones, and immediately fire was kindled in one and a small whirlwind started gyrating in the other. Earth, fire, water and air: the four elements.

James had only formed a circle with Dumbledore once before; the Merlin felt it was more urgent for him to learn the Druid bearing than to start practicing magick per se. James knew reasonably well what to do in this situation, but he still felt slightly apprehensive. He breathed slowly and deliberately, banishing his nervousness. There was no reason to worry about this; she knew he had only been acquainted with magick a little over a month ago.

She reached out to hold his hands, and then sang a few words in an ancient tongue – James did not speak it, but understood instinctively that she was calling on the God and the Goddess.

He did not face her. After a few deep breaths, she spoke, and her voice was now melodic, enchanting; for a moment James fought the spell her words seemed to weave on his mind, but he gave up soon afterwards. She just wanted him to focus fully on her, and block out all outside influences…

"I am here to teach you the history of my people," she said.

My people. Lily had long since stopped thinking of herself as a witch, and least of all a Muggle-born witch. Avalon was her home, and she was first and foremost a priestess, a servant of the Goddess. And that was what she was doing there: the work of the Lady. Certainly an unpleasant thing… James Potter was the last man on earth whom she'd chose to be the Pendragon.

But it was not up to Lily to criticise the Lady's decisions. She had already learned that lesson well…

"I will not say that all you have learned is a lie, but you will have to put aside much of what you think you know. When the wizarding world grew distant from Old Ones, much was forgotten. Accounts of times when Druids walked hand in hand with wizards were lost in the mists forever… All that has survived is but a small fragment of what has vanished. For we do not use writing to transmit our knowledge, relying solely on word of mouth, and in the Dark Days, soon after we parted ways, the amount of novices decreased drastically."

She paused for a second, and James seized the opportunity to ask, "Can I take notes? Because then I'll be able to study doing boring classes or something… I won't leave them lying around, promise."

"I don't see why you should. You don't need to memorize all this – you are not meant to be a Druid. You just need to understand."

"But Du– I mean, the Merlin already doesn't give me any books or anything to study. Can't you at least –"

"I'll see what I can do," intervened Lily in a definite tone that shut him up.

James' willingness – eagerness – to study had surprised her a bit. But then again, now that she thought about it, that made sense… He'd just been told that he would have to battle the worst sorcerer that had ever lived; he wanted as much help as he could get.

He tentatively decided to ask one last question. "Where will you start?"

Lily inhaled sharply, realising that she hadn't given this any thought. When she had first found out that she would have to train James, the least of her concerns had been the actual History she was supposed to teach him. After all, Lily had been studying eagerly since she'd first come to Avalon, and had managed to learn in one year much of the knowledge normally taught during many years of priestess training.

But now she had to decide. Indeed, where to start? There was no point in going over the earliest details; this guy just needed the rough overview. It had taken her a while to get to know all this well… The Pendragon didn't have that sort of time.

"Atlantis," she replied after a while.

James had never studied about it before, but he'd heard of that blessed land, which had sunk for apparently inexplicable reasons. He had a feeling that he would learn with detail just what those reasons were… And he now knew that he would never again be able to face History with the same thoughtlessness he always had.

His thoughtful look provoked Lily's curiosity, and she cast her senses out, discerning James' feelings. He looked up to meet her eyes, startled, and instinctively resisted her probe. She grinned.

'Good,' she evaluated appreciatively. He was sensitive enough to know what she was doing. But he definitely should get used to this… It would be much easier to teach him if she kept her senses tuned to his reactions; that way, she would be able to tell when he didn't understand something.

"You can trust me," she assured him, touching the blue crescent on her forehead. "I am sworn to the Mother; I will not use my powers to harm you."

He was ashamed to have reacted so belligerently. Of course she wouldn't harm him! Why had he been so defensive? She was there to help him…

"I'm sorry, it's just – What was that? I mean, I know what it was, but –"

"It's called 'casting your senses'. I can usually read your feelings in your eyes, but it's easier to do it this way. Not to mention I can also do this from a reasonable distance, and it's more precise."

"I see."

"Before we start History, I think I should give you some introduction on –" she hesitated, realising suddenly that he would have a hard time understanding some of the tales if he weren't properly acquainted with magick. "Do you have any ancestral memories?"

His eyebrows shot up for a second, but he quickly controlled his facial expression. "I'm – not quite sure. I sometimes feel that some situation is familiar, but I've never really –"

"Have you started your spell work with the Merlin yet?"

"No."

"It would be rather hard for you to tell so soon, then," she stated. "Perhaps – well, you might have some flashes from other lifetimes every once in a while, and it'll certainly help you."

He was looking at her curiously, obviously wondering what exactly his past lives had been. That, she wouldn't tell him – not that she knew or anything. He would have to find out on his own.

Obviously, one of the reasons Lily didn't want to talk to him about that was because she had Seen – and the Lady had confirmed it – that she had known him back then, too. And probably more than once.

She definitely didn't want James finding out about that any time soon.

.................................................

December 10^th, 1976

.....................

"Wulfric the Wild killed him, and took the leadership. His ideals differed radically from those of Yeleah the Youth; in his opinion, only goblins over 20 years old, and not 19, should be allowed to apply to positions in the lower council of their town. Therefore, the revolution took on a new face; the revolutionaries had a new agenda, and proceeded to act accordingly."

A few Gryffindor sixth-years had begun the school year determined to pay more attention in History of Magic class; they were starting to worry about the NEWTs they'd take next year. But by December, the students' resolutions were already forgotten. Most of the students were dozing off as Professor Binns droned on and on about yet another goblin revolution.

Last year, the Marauders had remained awake during most of these classes. They had taken advantage of that time to plan the pranks they'd pull during the next class, which used to be Potions, with the Slytherins. Now, however, History of Magic was the last class of the day, so no one really bothered resisting the drowsiness provoked by Binns' boring voice. Not to mention that the holidays were less than a week away. At this point, no one really cared about studying anymore.

One notable exception was James Potter. He was studying more than ever, finding History of Magic incredibly fascinating – even more so than his former favourite subject, Transfiguration. Oh, not Binns' endless, dull drone! That, he still abhorred. No one in his right mind could ever find that class worthy of note.

But Isarma had given him several rolls of parchment, and he just couldn't stop reading them. Before his eyes, a whole new world was appearing, and he couldn't wait to find out more and more about it. This History of Magick seemed close, personal, familiar somehow… She had hinted that perhaps he – in a past life, obviously – had participated in some of the events he was studying, and he was eager to know more details.

There was only one other student awake in the classroom, and that was Lily Evans. James was one row over, two seats in front of her, and she could see that he was engrossed in reading something… She had a pretty good idea of what that something was.

With a grin, she looked down at the piece of parchment on her desk. Eight rolls, and counting… She wasn't even halfway through Ancient Egypt history! Oh, Mother, this was really going to take a while. Well, it would certainly take longer to teach him History if she restricted her lessons to the time she and James spent together. Having him read all this stuff actually made her job easier.

They were going to meet again tonight. With an inward grimace, Lily was forced to admit that James was a natural. He grasped and memorized all the facts quickly, and hung eagerly to what little magick she was willing to teach him.

James was insatiable. Knowledge Lily didn't even know she possessed often surfaced to answer his complex questions, and she found herself wondering where all this information had come from. Lily had planned on giving him only a History outline, going through the main events, but she was actually telling him everything she'd been taught, and even more than that.

Lily now felt that they hadn't quite given Atlantean history all the attention it deserved. Seeing how thoroughly they were studying other events, she couldn't help but feel a bit guilty for devoting only three days' study to it. Well, it was too late to go back now.

Troy, on the other hand, had been a piece of cake. Lily had already gotten to know James better, and she was able to get information through to him a lot faster. She'd also started writing long essays for him to read beforehand, and now their time together had less narrative and more questions and answers.

Despite herself, Lily was slowly beginning to realise that James Potter wasn't all that bad. He was even amusing at times. When he was around her – that is, when he was around Isarma, he was another person altogether. The same person, Lily knew, that he was around his friends and family. The real deal.

He'd always acted differently when he was around everybody else: he flashed dazzling smiles; he was pleasant and flirty all the time. Lily was the only exception; around her, he had always been sarcastic, offensive, and overconfident. She was only now discovering that other guy – the nice one, the sweet, strong, and genial one behind the mask.

James still annoyed her, no doubt about it. He was harsh and irksomely methodical sometimes. In fact, they – well, he and Isarma – had had a bit of a confrontation just yesterday. Their tempers were similar, and they both tended to be extremely stubborn. That was, of course, part of the reason why they had so many arguments so often.

But that didn't matter. The fact that James exasperated her couldn't stop her from doing what she was supposed to, and it didn't. In truth, Lily was even enjoying these classes a lot more than she had thought she would; she was dedicating herself to him in a way that she had thought impossible.

Spending time with James had turned out to be less unbearable than she'd predicted.

Getting a smaller piece of parchment, she wrote a note and tossed it onto James' desk: 'What you're reading must be really interesting… it's keeping you awake through this class! Is something wrong with you, Potter? I mean, you're actually studying. It seems weird.'

James was startled when her paper plane landed on his desk. He unfolded it and grinned upon reading its contents. He turned to look at her. Their gazes locked for a second, and Lily felt James' newly acquired Druid instincts kick in: Don't look embarrassed, don't look away, show no unexpected reaction, just smile nicely and act normal.

He succeeded. Lily was the one who looked away this time. She found this fact slightly disturbing. But then again, it would have felt weird to keep looking into his eyes for such a long time.

After a few seconds, he turned and threw the parchment back.

'Note-passing? Oh, shame on you, Miss Perfect Prefect. And what makes you think I don't study? I'm a Prefect too, you know. I'm actually studying History of Magic, for your information.'

She read the note and her left eyebrow shot up theatrically. Lily had of course known perfectly well what he was studying, but she had to act like she didn't, just in case he was watching her. She glanced up quickly – he was.

'Oh, really? How boring of you. Don't you already know all this rubbish?'

When he read her note, he laughed.

'How arrogant of you, Evans. I have a feeling we're switching roles: I'm taking my studies seriously, and you're boasting around. It feels strange…'

'I'd almost believe your newfound modesty if I didn't know for a fact that you dumped one of my friends last week with some patronising 'we-can-still-be-friends' talk. You haven't changed at all, Potter. And as for me… I'm just starting to relax a bit, since everyone else is starting to freak out about their studies. I guess I am a bit confident – but not nearly as much as you.'

'One of your friends? Carol? Oh, come on, Lily – should I call you Lily? It's shorter –, admit it. You hardly ever talk to the girl. She's a ditzy, giggly bimbo… I was with her for three months, but honestly couldn't take it anymore. I actually endured her for longer than I should have, just because I felt like I owed it to – well, not to her, but to myself. Because I have changed. And if you're the only one who doesn't see that, well, that's too bad.'

'That was pricky. You endured her? Merlin, James, please remind me never to let you put me in one of your pigeonholes. It feels weird calling you 'James'. Should I stick to 'Potter'? Oh, well, since you apparently have changed drastically – I didn't notice, but for once I'll take your word for it and accept that fact –, I'll call you 'James'. How about that?'

James, grinning, grabbed his quill to answer. What should he say now? For the first time in years, Lily actually seemed friendly and willing to talk – that is, write – to him without any hostility or even that aloof civility she'd recently taken to.

'All right then. Lily. You're right, it seems weird to call you that, but it won't be long till I get used to it. Anyway, what are you doing? I refuse to believe that you're paying attention to Binns.'

'Well, I couldn't pay attention to him now, could I? I'm writing this. I don't pay attention to Binns. I stopped doing that in first year. I like reading during his classes.'

'How do you manage? I mean, most people find his voice very lullaby-ish.'

'I just… block him out. I don't know, I just don't focus on his voice. I can still hear him in the back of my head, and I usually remember everything he says, but I don't really think about all that information until I actually need it.'

'Oh… I do that, too! It's like, why pay attention to him and actually try to analyse what he's saying if I can just memorize it all and only consult the facts during the exam or something?'

'Well, I actually do some review work before the exams… But I guess most people just don't have good enough memories to store all that. Or they just lack the skill for multitasking. Obviously, that is not your case. You've always managed to plan those stupid pranks, play Quidditch, and still keep your average pretty much the same as mine.'

'Was that a compliment, Lily? I'm shocked. As for the pranks, I'm participating in them less nowadays, because I'm actually starting to study. And you could play Quidditch too, if you wanted. I remember you flew really well.'

'Who knows? Maybe now that you're studying, your average will surpass mine. You asked me if that was a compliment. Was it? I'm not quite sure. I don't quite admire you for all that. The Merlin knows I have better things to do with my time. Sports are terribly time-consuming. And pranks… no comment.'

Lily shuddered to think about it. No, there was no way James' average would actually surpass hers. The thought had disturbed her so much that she'd nearly slipped and written 'the Goddess knows'… That would have been unforgivable.

James was now writing on their third piece of parchment. She had never enjoyed note-passing this much, to be honest. It was exciting, in some strange way, to talk to someone who shared her beliefs and personal history– even though, of course, he was not aware of those similarities.

Perhaps, she thought with a smirk, we'll really have a lot more to talk about after I tell him who I am.

The thought startled her. No! To think about that time meant to think about what would happen after they went through the Dragon Isle testing… After they –

Stop thinking about it, she told herself fiercely. Just stop. When she had first sworn her virginity to the Goddess, Lily had had no idea that she would end up sleeping with him – him of all people.

Suddenly, James threw the piece of parchment back at her. He didn't even turn to see if it had landed smoothly; he knew perfectly well that his aim had been perfect, as always.

'You'd kill me, wouldn't you, if my average surpassed yours? That would be strange. Well, don't worry, Lilikins. I'm not going to study that hard.'

'I will kill you if you start calling me 'Lilikins'. You won't surpass my average. I just know it. Professor Blackburn said I have a knack for Divination – I might even be a Seer, who knows? So here's a little prophecy for you, James: you will not surpass my average. Period.'

When he received Lily's message, James was stunned. He'd had no idea of this whole Divination deal. He'd dropped it last year, and Lily had done the same two years ago. He remembered vaguely that she'd complained a lot, and even argued with the teacher, over some kind of historical inaccuracy…

James shook his head. The details were fuzzy. He had to ask her what exactly had happened. Now that he was starting to learn more about the Sight – one of the few parts of magick the wizarding world hadn't yet forsaken –, he was curious to know what had driven Lily away from the class.

'A Seer? Really? Is that supposed to explain why you dropped Divination in fourth year? You were afraid to become yet another teacher's pet?'

Lily hesitated before answering. She couldn't tell him why she and Blackburn had argued – that had happened shortly after she'd started studying in Avalon, and she hadn't yet learned how to conceal all her newfound knowledge.

James waited for her answer with curiosity. What was taking her so long? He glanced at her; she was writing. And she kept on writing for quite a while – by the looks of it, she'd understood that he wanted a full-blown account of what had happened.

Just then, the bell rang. Lily looked up, startled, and immediately started waking up her friends. She cleared the piece of parchment on which she'd been writing with a tap of her wand, stuffed everything on her table into her satchel, and stood.

James threw her a questioning glance as he, too, called his friends.

"We'll talk later, James," she said simply when she passed by him, throwing her bag on her shoulder and walking away quickly.

Both his and her friends were only now beginning to come round. None of the Marauders noticed James staring after Lily, silently rejoicing about the fact that she had actually called him 'James'…

For the first time in his life, James had actually been sad to hear the bell. He didn't know if this newfound friendliness would last… He surely hoped it would.

With a small sigh, he shook Peter's shoulders one more time. Sirius and Remus were already awake. At last, the four Marauders left the classroom.

The best History of Magic class James had ever attended was over.

.................................................