Harry wasn’t sure how much more he could take, how much more he could force his brain to understand. It was all too far out of the realm of possible, even for him.

Camelot, Founders, Guinevere, now the Lady of the Lake?

“A great evil threatens these lands and our world,” Nimue said. “The Dark Sorceress brings death to our people and destruction to our future.”

“Dark Sorceress?” Harry repeated in recognition. “You mean…”

“Morgan le Fay,” Nimue said with an inclination of her head. “We have been at war for many long years. We have come to the end of our own resources and strength, and so I found you.”

Harry frowned. “What do you mean?”

“Morgan seeks powerful items in our world, items she must never possess,” Nimue said. “Some of these items are a set and can only be found by those who will one day wield them.”

“What are these items?” Snape asked, making Harry glance at the man. The professor was very clearly on guard, but not aggressively so, allowing Harry to feel just slightly less anxious. However, he also appeared confused which did not make Harry feel better.

“There are three and together they form the Deathly Hallows,” Guinevere said, pulling their attention briefly to her from Nimue.

“The Tale of the Three Brothers?” Snape said and Harry’s frown deepened, completely lost in the conversation.

“A story not yet written for the brothers still live,” Nimue said.

“What does any of this have to do with us?” Harry asked, looking back at Nimue.

“Those who possess the Hallows become the Masters of Death, for it is not one, but three,” Nimue said. “The current Masters must be found and protected, and their power used to fight.”

“I’m not sure I understand,” Harry said, glancing between Nimue, Guinevere, and Isabella. “Can’t you just find them then?”

“Only those fated to one day be can find those who are,” Nimue said and Harry found himself hating riddles, puzzles, and vagueness more by the minute.

“Our Lady and I searched through time and found the two of you,” Isabella said. “You are fated Masters with the essence of all Magic within.”

“Why us? In all time, there was no one else?” Harry said, hating the idea of being tied to another fate. One prophecy was enough for his lifetime.

“None that so fully embody all Morgan seeks to destroy,” Isabella said. “None as worthy.”

Harry looked at Snape again, knowing how unworthy the man had felt all his life from their Occlumency lessons. He chewed the inside of his lip at the tension in the professor’s face at Isabella’s sentiment.

“I was able to reach through time and connect to your magical output,” Nimue said, gesturing to Harry, making him think of those final moments in front of Voldemort. Magic had overwhelmed him in his desperation to not lose Snape. “I have brought you here so we might request your assistance in our plight.”

Harry had no idea how to respond as his mind raced, thoughts fuzzy as he tried to make sense of anything. He’d been brought to the past to help fight Morgan le Fay because he was supposed to be a Master of Death one day? Individually, the words made sense; together, they might as well have been a different language. He honestly didn’t know what to do or think. He just couldn’t understand.

“This is nothing more than a request,” Guinevere said. “We cannot demand anything of you, particularly not to risk your lives by fighting in this war. I cannot demand such a thing of strangers, of innocents…of a child.”

Harry couldn’t help but compare the sentiment to Dumbledore’s insistence that their war be placed on him. The brush of fingers across his back told him Snape had thought of the same thing.

“Should you be unable to fulfill this request, I will return you to your time and home,” Nimue said.

Harry was overwhelmed and unconsciously took a step back as though it would distance him from what had just been proposed, from what was happening. The movement had him nearly pressed against Snape’s chest and he was going to move away, embarrassed, but the man’s hand came to rest on his shoulder, holding him gently in place.

“I understand this is a lot,” Guinevere said. “We will give you some time.”

“Should you wish to return home, return to me with Isabella,” Nimue said. “I give you my thanks and my faith.”

She smiled at them before turning and walking back across the lake, sinking beneath the water as she went.

“Come, we’ll find you a place to stay,” Isabella said.

They were given an upstairs loft in a cottage belonging to Galen and Griffin Nye, twins and the Flying instructors at Hogwarts. They were quite similar to Fred and George, both in appearance and mannerisms, giving Harry a bittersweet feeling upon meeting them. There were some differences, namely that Galen and Griffin were in their twenties, tanned with no noticeable freckles, and longer hair that was more auburn than bright orange.

The cottage had a stone foundation with the rest of it built of solid wood, planks used to create a panelled design on the outside. Each room had a small window aside from the common area which was fairly open to allow in natural light and air. Lanterns were hung on the walls and candles sat unlit on tables. Wool rugs covered most of the stone floors.

They had offered he and Snape separate rooms, but, to Harry’s secret relief, Snape had declined. The twins had easily accepted their decision and led them through the common area with the hearth and dining set up. They turned left inside the door and passed through a large, wide entranceway that led to a few different rooms. They passed one large bedroom and were pointed to a doorway adjacent to the bedroom. It was a single doorway, but led to two separate rooms. One was another bedroom while the other, the one they were led into, was a storeroom with an open back wall, providing access to a small paddock where Harry spotted a couple of horses grazing. In the back-right corner, there was a tilted ladder creating a set of stairs to the second level.

Harry climbed up the ladder first, finding a long, open room that spanned the length of the cottage. At the far end on the front of the cottage was a single, fairly large circular window, similar to what one might see on the front of a church, but without the stained glass. It provided a perfect view of the field he’d seen earlier in which various animals grazed and frolicked.

There wasn’t much to the loft itself, just a couple of beds made of low-sitting wooden frames and mattresses likely stuffed with wool or straw. Each had fairly fluffy-looking pillows and simple woven wool blankets. They sat across from each other, against the walls on either side of the window. Not too far from the ladder against the left wall was a wooden wardrobe and, on the right, a simple square table and chairs. It was quite cozy and Harry liked it, enjoying the fact that they would still get their own space, even while sharing a home with others.

“We’ll leave you to settle in and have some time,” Galen said. Harry had managed to spot a small difference between the two just as he had with Fred and George, allowing him to tell which twin was which. Galen had a small gold fleck in his left iris that Griffin didn’t have.

“If you are feeling up to it, you are welcome to have dinner in the great hall,” Griffin said. “You’ll be able to have your questions answered should you have any.”

“Thank you,” Snape said, and then he and Harry were left alone in the loft.

Harry crossed the loft and peered out the window. He watched a couple of horses gallop around the field before his eyes were drawn to a few startlingly white horses with sparkling horns. It took him a moment to realize they were unicorns. He watched, fascinated, as the unicorns and horses mingled together seamlessly, grazing and nuzzling and running. He moved his gaze after several minutes and found he could also see a small part of the village edge. A tailor shop was just in view and another home where two small boys were running around while a girl that seemed around Harry’s age completed some laundry, clothes floating around her waiting to be dried and folded. Clearly there was no age restriction on magic use in this time. He was also intrigued at the fact that the girl was not using a wand that he could see.

Harry turned away from the window and moved to sit on the bed on the left side of the room. He perched on the edge and looked over at Snape as the professor sat at the table, clearly deep in thought.

“Professor?” Harry said and Snape looked up at him. “What was she talking about? The Deathly Hallows?”

“It is a story, a wizarding fairy tale,” Snape said. “Three brothers cross a river using magic to create a bridge, a place where people normally die. As a reward, Death gave each of them a gift. One asked for the most powerful wand in the world, one asked for the means to resurrect their lost love, and one asked for the ability to move unseen. A wand, a stone, and a cloak. Together, they create the Deathly Hallows and, legend says, whoever possesses all of them becomes the Master of Death. Though, what that entails has never been clear.”

“A story based on real people?” Harry asked.

“Apparently,” Snape said, his gaze becoming far away again.

Harry still didn’t know what any of it really meant or how it involved them, but a part of him was intrigued. It was clearly important if they had been brought through time to help. He sighed and looked at the professor again.

“So, what do we do?” Harry asked and Snape frowned at him.

“We go home, Potter,” Snape said as though it were obvious.

Harry frowned back at the man. “Shouldn’t we help? They brought us here because they need help.”

“We cannot stay here,” Snape said.

“Why not?” Harry argued.

“Because we do not belong here,” Snape said, a small snap in his tone.

“Well, I don’t belong anywhere so it doesn’t make much difference to me.”

They were both silent in the face of Harry’s mini outburst and they stared at each other for a long while before Harry looked away. There was a pain in his chest at the truth of his words. He had no place, nowhere he truly felt wanted or accepted or even understood, and he had no one. He mattered very little to anyone and it hurt to admit out loud.

“Potter…” Snape said quietly, clearly wanting to say something, but not knowing what.

Harry looked back at the man, sighing. “Don’t bother trying to say it’s not true. You know it is. It’s fine, I’m used to it by now.”

Not completely true, but he was getting closer to believing it. Someday it could actually be true.

He watched as Snape stood from the table and walked over to him, sitting next to him on the bed. Harry shuffled around, sliding back on the bed so he could sit against the wall with his legs stretched across beside Snape.

“You are not alone,” Snape said eventually, still quietly.

Harry didn’t respond. He just crossed his arms over his chest and glanced at Snape’s back.

“Potter, I understand you want to help, but we really cannot stay here,” Snape said.

“We can’t just leave them to fight alone when they’ve asked for help,” Harry said.

“We have our own war to fight,” Snape said pointedly.

“We can’t do anything about our war,” Harry snapped.

Snape turned to him and he sighed.

“We go back, you die, and I probably do too. We don’t know how to defeat Voldemort because Dumbledore won’t tell us which means we die,” Harry said. “We can do something here.”

“You don’t know that,” Snape argued.

“Then we find out,” Harry said. “We get more information.”

“We can easily die here, especially if we join another war,” Snape pointed out.

“At least then we’d die doing something,” Harry said.

Snape sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

“Professor, let’s at least find out what we could do,” Harry said, a hint of pleading entering his voice.

“You would exchange one war for another?” Snape said, raising an eyebrow.

“If we can actually help and make a difference, yeah, I would,” Harry said, nodding.

Snape sighed again, more of a huff this time, and scowled at Harry. “We really need to remove this hero complex of yours.”

Harry couldn’t help but chuckle. “No, everyone needs to stop putting me in situations where I’m asked or expected to save people.”

Snape rolled his eyes. “Brat.”

Harry laughed again.

They fell into a comfortable, but thoughtful silence after that, each musing. They didn’t really speak, though Snape did eventually ask to examine Harry’s hip to ensure their forest excursion had not undone his healing. Harry couldn’t help but notice that the professor remained sat on the bed with him rather than moving to the other or back to the table. It made him wonder if Snape had noticed Harry’s clinginess or also wanted to keep Harry close himself.

Harry could understand the professor’s apprehension at staying; he did have reservations as well. They were centuries in the past, pulled into the middle of another conflict with another dark wizard or witch, in this case. If they stayed, what did that mean for their time? If they stayed, they were effectively abandoning the fight with Voldemort and leaving it to everyone else. How could they do anything in this time when they didn’t know the world, the people, or the magic? In the day they had been in Camelot Village, multiple things relating to magic had been mentioned that Harry had never heard of before.

Yet, Harry couldn’t just walk away. He felt they could really help, something he hadn’t felt at all in regards to the war with Voldemort. He also couldn’t help but feel like he had little to go back to. He had some friends, sure, but that was all. He had no family, no home, no clear future. It felt like there was nothing there for him except control and loneliness.

Eventually, they were pulled from their thoughts by one of the twins calling up to them, asking if they wanted to accompany the twins to the great hall for dinner. Snape turned to Harry, silently asking his opinion.

“We can get information,” Harry said, “and I am hungry.”

He wasn’t sure if it was the prospect of information or the fact that he had admitted to being hungry, which he rarely did, that caused the flash of unknown emotion in the professor’s eyes. Whichever it was, Snape replied to the twin in the affirmative, and he and Harry joined the twins on their walk to the great hall.

It was large, especially compared to everything else which, while built in the same style, was still quite modest. This great hall was roughly half the size of Hogwarts’, perhaps approaching three-quarters the size. The bottom half of the foundation was made of stone and the top half wood. It was a white wood with dark brown wood strips that lined the edges and criss-crossed to create panels over the white walls. Several large, square, paneled windows allowed loads of natural light into the building. The roof was shingled with a reddish-brown wood and a stone chimney that had smoke twirling out into the sky. The doors, in the center of the long building, were double and also made of a dark brown wood. Their handles were carved into vines and leaves. The doors also had intricate designs on them, leaves and vines surrounding large ‘C’s in the same style as the village’s sign.

Griffin and Galen held the doors open, waving them in dramatically in similar fashion to Fred and George. Harry couldn’t help but smile at them for their antics as Snape guided him into the hall. It honestly felt similar to the Great Hall at Hogwarts. There were two long tables with chairs for at least twenty people, a few that sat eight, and a few that sat four. Lanterns hung on the walls while candles also floated above the tables with some set on trays in the table centers. From the ceiling hung banners with the Camelot crest.

There weren’t too many people in the hall and Harry had a feeling the villagers had been told to stay away to avoid overwhelming him and Snape.

They were called over to one of the long tables where several people were gathered, some they’d met and some they hadn’t. Harry spotted Rowena, Salazar, Erec, Felix, Isabella, and Guinevere. Two he immediately knew were Helga Hufflepuff and Godric Gryffindor from pictures despite not having met them yet. Then there were three—two younger men and one older woman—that were complete strangers. He was guided to sit next to Erec, across from one of the unknown men, while Snape sat on his other side with Salazar beside and Isabella across.

Food appeared on their silver plates—from where, Harry had no idea—and a pitcher floated down the table to pour some water into their silver goblets. Harry felt his stomach rumble at the sight and smell of the roasted pheasant, roasted carrots and beets, and the rustic dinner roll with butter. He quickly picked up a silver fork and dug in.

“So glad you joined us, darlings,” Rowena said from further down the table where she sat between Helga and Felix.

“We thank you for the invitation,” Snape said politely. “You have been very hospitable.”

“The least we could do since we are the reason you are here,” Erec said.

“We appreciate it all the same,” Snape said.

“I believe there are some faces you do not yet know,” Rowena said and gestured to Helga beside her. “This is Helga Hufflepuff. She is Isabella’s mother. And here we have Godric Gryffindor and Artemus, his son and Erec’s brother.”

Harry gazed down the table at each of them, now seeing the similarities between Helga and Isabella, and Erec and Godric.

Isabella clearly got her hair and eyes from her mother, though Helga’s hair was shoulder-length and much curlier. Even sitting, it was obvious Helga was shorter and slightly heavier-set. She was dressed similar to Rowena, but in a golden yellow with a badger hanging on a chain around her neck, its eyes of obsidian and gold. She reminded Harry a bit of Mrs. Weasley with her motherly feel.

Godric and Artemus could almost be twins, though the height, muscular nature, and thick facial hair was shared with Erec as well. However, where Erec had brown hair, Godric and Artemus both had bold red hair, slightly less vibrant than the Weasley hair. Godric kept his hair short while his sons had theirs longer, and he had brown eyes like Erec while Artemus had hazel eyes. Harry could see a large gold ring on Godric’s right index finger and could make out the lion design, its eye a gleaming ruby. Artemus was dressed a bit differently, seeming to be in a templar knight or crusader tunic. It was long sleeved with a high neckline and slits up the sides near the hips. The sleeves were black while the torso was azure with yellow edging. In the center of the chest was Camelot’s crest, embroidered in black. Over the back of his chair was draped a black cloak with an azure lining.

“Artemus has just returned from Winchester with Arthur,” Godric said. “A Round Table meeting had been held.”

“Round Table?” Harry said. “Arthur?”

“That’s me,” the man across from him said. “We are Knights of Camelot. The Round Table meets at least once a month to remain updated on the conflict.”

“King Arthur?” Harry said, staring at the man dumbly.

He smiled. “Guinevere told me the role I seem to have in your legends.”

Arthur seemed to be the quintessential knight in shining armour in appearance. He had broad shoulders and a built chest. He was fair with perfectly flowing blonde hair and bright blue eyes. A blonde, short beard covered his strong jaw, accompanied by sharp cheekbones. Despite his chiseled appearance, his features were still kind. He wore the same outfit as Artemus. There was a quiet, moral strength in Arthur that Harry had read about in all the King Arthur legends.

“And this is my wife, Cecilia,” Salazar said, gesturing to the woman sitting across from him.

Cecilia Slytherin was just as beautiful as her daughter, Adeline. They shared the long, blonde hair and sharp features. Cecilia had the same brown eyes as Felix and the same soft gentleness as him.

“A pleasure to meet all of you,” Snape said and Harry nodded his agreement to the sentiment.

“I sense introductions and pheasant is not what you are truly after,” Guinevere said, a hint of amusement in her voice.

“You would be correct,” Snape said with a nod.

“Can you tell us more?” Harry said, glancing at all of them. “About your war? About the Deathly Hallows?”

“Of course,” Arthur said. “Twelve years ago, it was discovered that someone had been pursuing forbidden branches of Black Magic: Necromancy and Mind Magic.”

“Mind Magic is forbidden?” Snape said and Harry looked at him, thinking of the man’s skill with Legilimency and Occlumency. They were difficult, certainly, but they weren’t bad or evil in Harry’s mind.

“When used the way it has been, yes,” Arthur said seriously. “We learned it was Morgan, my sister. Our mentor, Merlin, gave her the chance to cease her studies, but she refused, so he severed her as an apprentice.”

“She was furious and fled,” Guinevere said. “We believed that was it, but then, a year later, Morgan attacked us at Tintagel Castle. She had increased her power and thought Merlin would take her back. When he didn’t, she vowed to prove that Black Magic is the strongest of all magic and the future, and that she would become the most powerful sorceress of all time.”

“She disappeared for another year,” Godric said. “Followers began to appear, though, and there was a small battle between them and the Knights of Camelot.”

“I killed one named Accolon,” Arthur said. “Once he’d been a Knight, but he defected for Morgan. My killing of him became yet another betrayal to her, for taking her love.”

“She attacked Winchester not long after,” Guinevere said. “This time, she came with her army. Her skills in Necromancy had increased exponentially.”

“Inferi?” Harry said.

“Similar,” Salazar said. “However, hers can be controlled through her Mind Magic and they have magical abilities. They are the worst that Black Magic can create, a horrible representation of the darkest parts of Black Magic. She has disgraced Black Magic and magic in general.”

Harry wanted to ask what the difference was between Black Magic and Dark Magic, for they seemed to be different here, but he didn’t want to interrupt the story.

“She swore vengeance on all of us for our betrayals,” Arthur said. “She has also vowed to take control of magic, at least in Camelot, and become to strongest witch in the world.”

“How?” Harry said.

“The Deathly Hallows,” Isabella said.

“And Excalibur,” Guinevere said.

“The sword?” Harry said and they nodded.

“We have been fighting her for ten years now,” Arthur said. “Lady Nimue has Excalibur protected on Avalon though Morgan has not stopped trying and, as her magic grows, Lady Nimue’s protections grow weaker. We’ve been trying to find the Hallows to keep them from her, but we’ve had no luck.”

“We fight any battles she wages,” Artemus said. “Many have occurred over the years with many losses.”

“Lady Nimue suggested getting help,” Isabella said. “She said we didn’t have what or who we needed. So, she searched through time and I looked through fate. Together, we found you.”

“Why us?” Snape asked.

“As Lady Nimue said, you are both fated to be Masters of Death in your time,” Isabella said. “You are connected to the Deathly Hallows. You can find and use them.”

“Aren’t they dangerous?” Harry said. “Isn’t that why Morgan wants them?”

“They are only dangerous in the hands of those that wish pain, darkness, and control,” Isabella said.

“I’m confused,” Harry admitted. “Nothing ever mentioned any of this or us when I’ve read about this war.”

“Because, in your time, this is not how it happened,” Isabella said. “This has happened for you, but not like this because you did not exist to be a part of it, thus it had to go a different path. Yours is simply one version of time. Nothing you do here will impact your time because it has already happened. This is your past, but it is our present.”

Harry felt a dull ache form behind his eyes. “Okay, but couldn’t you have just got the us from your future then?”

“Yes, but they are not you,” Isabella said. “Our future Harry Potter and Severus Snape are not fated to be Masters of Death. No one in this time is except those that are currently alive. The you of your time are the only ones fated to be Masters of Death with the power we need, not to mention sense of morality.”

“And what is it you believe we can do?” Snape asked.

“Help us fight,” Arthur said.

“And restore balance to our world,” Isabella said.

“We beg of you, please, consider our plea,” Guinevere said. “We may be lost without you.”

There was a long pause that hung heavy over the table, almost creating a ringing as it settled. Harry fought to comprehend what he was hearing and learning, and, looking at Snape, the professor was struggling just as much as he was.

“If Morgan has such skill and control over Necromancy and Mind Magic, why does she want the Hallows and Excalibur?” Snape asked eventually, breaking the deafening silence.

“They are some of the most powerful items in our world,” Godric said.

“Morgan would be unstoppable if she got them,” Artemus said. “Even more powerful than Merlin, a Mage.”

Harry frowned. “Why? What do they do?”

“Excalibur does many things,” Guinevere said. “For those considered worthy, it increases strength, slices through enchantments, destroys Dark objects and creatures, and can enhance protection magic.”

“Could Morgan even use it then?” Harry said. “Would she be considered worthy?”

“She would be unable to utilize all its power, but enough to be more dangerous,” Guinevere said.

“And the Hallows?” Snape asked.

“They each have individual power, but become even more when united,” Arthur said.

“The Elder Wand, for example is the most powerful wand in the world,” Erec said. “With it, one’s magical ability is amplified tenfold and they can perform any magic, no matter the complexity. Additionally, any spell cast becomes unbreakable or irreversible except by the Elder Wand.”

“The Resurrection Stone brings back the dead or so it’s believed,” Isabella said. “In reality, it brings back a shadow…a shell. However, what it can do is provide control over the dead, physical and metaphysical.”

“And then the Cloak of Invisibility,” Rowena said. “It provides the wearer with complete invisibility as well as invulnerability to most magical attacks. Additionally, it increases the wearer’s protection magic, such as Shielding Spells.”

“Together, as you’ve been told, they make the owners Masters of Death. It gives them total control over Black Magic and all its branches,” Salazar said. “It is also said, though this is only rumour, that the Masters of Death have control over and the ability to communicate with Death himself.”

“Bloody hell,” Harry muttered, stunned.

“You understand why Morgan must not get these items,” Guinevere said. “Between Excalibur and the Hallows, she would be the most powerful being in the world and with control over all magic.”

Harry dropped his eyes to his mostly empty plate, fiddling with his fork. He was overwhelmed with just how powerful Morgan was and how dangerous the war was with items like the Deathly Hallows in play. The magic in this time seemed far beyond anything from their time. How could they possibly be of any help?

“If, as you say, we are to be these Masters of Death, does that mean the Hallows exist in our time?” Snape asked and Harry looked up again, curious and apprehensive.

“Indeed, they do,” Isabella said. “Each are currently in the possession of someone, though two of them are in the incorrect hands.”

Harry frowned, unsettled at the idea of the Hallows being in their time and fated to end up in their hands. Yet another destiny to control his life and steal his future. He sighed, dropping his fork and sitting back heavily in his seat. He wasn’t very hungry anymore.

“I appreciate your willingness to answer our questions and provide us with information,” Snape said. “However, I’m afraid we still need time to make our decision.”

“We understand, truly,” Arthur said.

“We appreciate your willingness to consider our request at all,” Guinevere said.

“Please, do not hesitate to speak to any of us or anyone else in the village,” Helga said.

“And explore Camelot Village as you wish,” Godric said.

“Thank you,” Snape said. “I think we will retire for the evening and get some rest. Come on, Potter.”

Harry nodded and, with a quiet ‘thanks’ and ‘good night’ to all the others, he followed Snape out of the great hall and back to the Nye cottage.