Chapter 2: Chapter 1.5
The next two days were spent like that, before the Queen Mother proclaimed Harry had had enough rest and could continue with his plans.
It was with much excitement that Queen Titania returned to Alfheim with King Harry, Queen Natasha and Logan, who had just tagged along uninvited, as was his way. Titania had grown accustomed to his mannerisms, when he treated everyone like they were just people, even Harry. It seemed to be an accepted fact that the man showed nobody any deference, but he was never in the way and he was never insulting.
"I will need to awaken Mab first, and tell her of what has been prepared." Titania said as they stood before the hidden portal. "I will return shortly." she said.
"We'll be here." Harry said, nodding in understanding, as she walked away. Mab may be a difficult person to get along with. While he understood that she wasn't evil, per-se, she was likely aligned with the darker side of nature. While the Summer Court promoted growth and life starting anew, the Winter Court were part of the other side of the natural cycle. What that meant was that Harry had no idea of what to expect. The fact that the two Fae Queens had banned together to hide both their people with their combined power did give him some hope that she was at least reasonable.
"Did you really hide the portal even from yourself?" Logan asked, noticing that Harry had lost sight of her at the same time as they did.
"Yes." Harry said. "The Fidelius was meant to protect people. She doesn't know us. If I was to deceive her, before getting to know her, and she found out, that would break any trust she could have in my word, or at least make it much more difficult to have her trust me in the future."
Logan didn't say anything or indicate that he felt one way or another, simply standing back against the cave-wall and waiting. "I'd have thought Luna would be here." he said, a few minutes later.
Natasha smirked at him. "She roped Loki into looking for the Snorkack with her." she said.
"What's it supposed to look like anyway?" Logan asked.
"Like a small purple llama, with a strange twisty horn." Harry said. Luna had described it enough that he had created an image for it in his head.
"That's what I got from her descriptions as well." Natasha said.
"What do they do?" Logan asked, wondering what the creature was supposed to be capable of.
"Besides making you forget where you spotted one, I have no idea." Harry said.
There was silence again for a few minutes. "I know I spotted one on Alfheim, once." Logan finally admitted.
"Can't remember where?" Natasha asked. Logan just shook his head. He'd apparently been trying to remember for the last couple of minutes. "Don't tell her." she advised. He nodded, understanding that she would likely become unbearable.
It took only a few more minutes before Titania made her appearance again, followed shortly by another woman. She was about the same height as her counterpart, at around Harry's own length, but with silver blond hair, very pale skin and piercing dark grey eyes.
Titania walked to Harry, leading the woman. "This is King Harry of New Atlantis." she introduced. "King Harry, this is Queen Mab of the Winter Court."
"It is a pleasure to meet you." Harry said. "Has Titania told-"
"What trick is this?" Mab asked, interrupting him. "You spun stories from whole cloth and convinced this silly queen that you crafted two entire magical realms for all our people."
"I assure you, Queen Mab, I have done as she told you." Harry said. "I can show you, if-" he tried.
"No. You want us to unveil ourselves, so that you can deliver us to the Dark Elves." Mab interrupted again. "What are our lives worth, Mortal? How much land and gold were you promised?"
Harry sighed. Natasha tried, then. "Please see reason, Queen Mab. Harry is-"
"Silence, wench!" Mab interrupted her this time, ignoring Titania's attempt to silence her. "Your betters are speaking!"
Harry could take a lot of abuse himself and give people the benefit of the doubt, but when she insulted his wife, the love of his life, the mother of his son, his temper instantly snapped. "Listen, bitch, if you say one more word to insult my Queen, I will insist that your people stay in hiding until the end of time, because I will make it my mission to ensure you never see the sun again." he said it softly, but his words sank into her very soul, as his power suddenly roiled off him and made it so he had her complete, undivided attention. "Is that clear?" he asked, his eyes glowing a steady unholy green light.
Mab was no stranger to power, but this was on a completely different scale. She looked to Titania, who had her hand on her mouth, shaking her head slightly, apparently to stop herself from saying anything as she saw Harry for the first time with his true power unleashed. She looked to the side, where the other man had stood, but he was suddenly crouching, with metallic claws extended and ready to leap at her at a moments' notice. He didn't seem surprised at the power on display. Rather, he simply seemed ready to cut her in half.
She cleared her throat and smoothed her blue dress down, before turning to Natasha properly. "I apologise formally for my misconduct. I should not have assumed-"
"No, you should not have." Harry said, drawing her attention to him again, where he wanted it. "Can I assume that your people have your attitude and give the lands I prepared for you to Titania?" He had yet to reign in his power.
"King Harry." Titania said, then, respectfully bowing. "If I may intercede on the behalf of her people?" she asked.
Harry sighed a slow breath, allowing his power to reign itself back. "Titania, you have my limited trust, at this point, mostly due to Luna. I will listen to you, but your association with this woman has me worried about your judgement."
Titania nodded. "I understand that." she said. Damn Mab for her untrusting ways. If she'd changed things for her own people, she'd kill the bitch herself. "Queen Mab has spent a long time in the presence of schemers and charlatans. She fears this a trick from our old enemies, whom you yourself destroyed the last of. The last time we were in Alfheim, such an attempt had just been thwarted. It was for this reason that she finally decided to take me up on the offer to go into hiding."
"Be that as it may, Queen Mab has shown me her way of treating people." Harry said. "Can you assure me that her people will not threaten my Kingdom or people, or treat them like lesser beings?"
"I cannot speak for her people, but I can say that they are loyal to their Queen. If she can be made to see reason, they will follow her lead." Titania said.
"And these schemers?" Harry asked Mab, remembering his own run-in with one, namely Amora. "Are they still in your court?"
"The Dark Elves that had woven their way into my trust were executed for their attempts to drive the Winter Court to ruin." Mab said, wiping a few drops of the cold sweat from her brow, with a kerchief. "King Harry," she said then, "what was that power?"
"My husband is a powerful magic user, more powerful than any we have ever met." Natasha said. "He has proven his claims to Queen Titania, but you were unable to contain your attitude and scepticism." She walked up to the pale queen then. "If you or any of your people cause him to lose control like he just almost did, I will personally kill every single one of you myself. Do I make myself, very clear?" she asked in a dangerous whisper.
"Perfectly." Mab said, calmly. She was no stranger to threats either. Somehow, however, she believed this woman quite capable of putting action to her words. She was likely a very good queen. ���You have my word to hear you out. I will not promise more." She would not be cowed into making hasty decisions, though, to protect her people.
"Good." Natasha said, suddenly all smiles again. "So, let's forget this misunderstanding and let Harry show you to the place he has prepared for you."
"Natasha, are you sure?" Harry asked. He had still not seen anything that led him to believe this woman could be trusted.
"She has valid reasons to be concerned." Natasha said. "Let us give her a second chance for a first impression, yes?" she asked.
Harry nodded then, and looked at Mab. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Queen Mab." Harry said. The smile did not reach his eyes this time and Mab knew she only had one more chance at it.
"The pleasure is mine, King Harry, Queen Natasha. Well met." Mab said. She noticed the claws of the other man disappearing, apparently into his fists, from the corner of her eye. He was obviously not one to threaten. He���d just act. She'd be careful around him as well.
"We have something to show you, if you'll please follow me." Harry said, as he turned a portal into being. Mab was not shocked at his ability to do so, after what she had just witnessed. She followed the group through, with Titania leading and Logan following behind her. They exited the portal on the Eastern side of New Atlantis. Harry wasn't going to show her more of his home until later.
He led them to the Stone Arch. "This is the Winter Archway. It is the only way into or out of this space."
He touched his hand to the arch and the same display from before occurred. Mab followed, but Titania stayed behind with Logan this time. She could feel that this would not be a warm reception. Her senses told her of not a frigid, but still a cold place. She could see snow falling and evergreens growing in the sunlight that was still visible. It made sense that the trees still needed light, so she was not shocked.
Harry led Mab into the pocket. "The furthest reaches of this realm are a couple of kilometres in every direction and connects back to the beginning. There are a couple of snowy peaks, off to the north as well, with a few caves, if that is of interest." he said, pointing them out. "I don't know what else you will need, but the streams are charmed not to freeze and the trees gain enough sustenance that they will not die in the perpetual cold here."
"This is… this is of Alfheim." Mab said, as she felt the King's magic, but also traces of their old home.
"Harry brought the land here, for your people, from Alfheim." Natasha said. "He intended to offer it to you freely, along with access to his Kingdom, as long as your people could make a contribution to it."
Mab looked at the lands before her in awe. It was alive, even as it was cold, but not bitterly so. She could see her people frolicking in these lands, children playing as they had not in so many years. She had also felt protections as she had crossed the boundary. She understood those magics. They seemed to ask her if she was worthy, if her intent was wicked. Apparently she had passed their test. If what she was seeing was true, this would be the perfect home for her and her Court.
"You say, intended." Mab said, then, refusing to let her wonder show on her face or be heard in her voice. "Is that no longer a possibility?" she asked. "Our magic is such that we could calm the weather, when your lands suffer its yearly cold."
"Yes, intended." Natasha said, not elaborating. "My husband controls the weather on New Atlantis. He even allowed Master Logan, keeper of his lands and protector of the realm, access, to control the weather in his stead."
"Truly?" Mab asked. "You are most formidable to have tamed the elements so. Does your land not suffer? Winter is a necessity for life."
"We keep our home in a state of constant summer, for the conveniences that that affords us, but New Atlantis is in a tropical part of the world. There are rainy seasons, when it can get quite cold, but never quite as cold as I fear your people might need." Harry said. "That being said, I had planned on giving your people enchanted items to keep their bodies comfortable at any temperature, which would allow them to roam."
"But now I've gained your ire, and my people will suffer because of it?" Mab asked.
"Not so." Harry countered. "I will simply need to place some new magics to prevent any who wish to harm my lands or people, from exiting yours. This will be your kingdom, Mab, but I will not allow bigotry or inequality. My people call me king, even as I ask them to address me as an equal. I know that they need it, for their peace of mind, but that's never been who I am."
"My husband believes that all life is sacred and equal." Natasha said.
"Even this Master Logan?" Mab asked. "He seemed quite ready to kill me, when I made my mistake earlier."
"Logan is quite tame in comparison to his girlfriend." Natasha said, with a bit of a smile. "It's her you really don't want to piss off."
"And she is?" Mab asked.
"Hela, the goddess of death, and my adopted sister." Harry said.
That actually had the pale queen stop for a moment. Hela was known to her. She was a vengeful, powerful warrior. Her exploits were well known throughout her realm. She was respected for her ferocity, if not her sanity.
"You are an Aesir?" she asked Harry.
"Adopted." Harry said. "I have their blessings and some of my own."
That explained it to Mab. It also meant that she had nearly ruined a chance for her people to truly be free again. "You have something similar for the Summer Court?" she asked.
"We do." Harry said.
Mab sighed then, before she bowed to Harry. "Then as the sovereign ruler of the Winter Court, I accept your offer, in any manner that you allow it. I also apologise again, for not trusting you, and I hope that you will be able to understand, and forgive me in time, and allow my people the offers you spoke of, even if it means I may never leave this place."
Harry looked at the woman for a moment, before bowing himself. "You care for your people, and I can respect being cautious, for their protection. I do however caution you, should you find yourself in the company of any of my subjects or people, they are to be treated as my own personal friends. I count everyone in my kingdom as my friends."
"He counts what you would term a Brownie, as one of his closest companions." Natasha added. "There is no such thing as a lower cast in our realm. Everyone tries to make New Atlantis better in their own way, since it is their home."
"There are still Brownies who live?" Mab asked.
"Dobby?" Harry asked.
"Master calls?" Dobby asked, as he appeared.
"Master?" Mab asked. "You enslaved him?" There was no judgement in her voice, which worried Harry all over again.
"Dobby is a free elf!" Dobby chastised angrily. "Dobby wears clothes and gets paid moneys and gets to clean and cook where he wants!"
"Dobby calls him master out of respect, and because he bound himself to Harry, as his primary source of his power." Natasha explained. "We do not tolerate slavery on New Atlantis. Is that going to be a problem?" she asked. She'd also noted Mab's words and tone.
Mab lifted her hands. "We do not enslave." she said. "We may, however have a few who serves, due to deals struck with our people."
"Luna told me about this." Natasha said, nodding. Fae deals were bound by soul magics. It would be not only irresponsible, but very dangerous to try and break those. Fortunately the Fae have to be very clear with their deals, for them to work. The deals were very lopsided sometimes, but both parties knew it. If they had such bound servants, they did it to themselves and more than likely, willingly.
"Me too." Harry said. "We will not allow you to offer such deals to our people. Is that understood?"
"I can agree to that." Mab said, instantly. They never went out looking for those people, who came begging for favours. Well, not all of her Fae. Some however, would likely find this a sour pill to swallow. They'd work that out in time. King Harry likely had enemies. Those of her kind who liked to dabble in such things, would likely find a use. No Kingdom in existence had no enemies, after all. She'd bring that up on another occasion, however.
"So, will this do, for the time being?" Harry asked, looking around them again. He saw a stream that had begun digging itself a different route since he had set it up and waved his hand lazily to reinforce the riverbed.
Mab noted the ease with which he could change and modify the land using only his will and some directed magic. She could see that coming in handy later, if he could be convinced to help them build the dwellings they would no doubt need. Not all her people were equally resistant to the cold, after all. Many still preferred a warm home to come back to.
"With some work, this can very easily become a realm that my people will thrive in." Mab confirmed. "What if we need more room, in the years to come?" she asked.
"With more living souls, more magic becomes available and the land will expand." Harry said. "We can then send some of our Nymphs to help grow your forests, or I or one of the other magic users of my acquaintance can come here to help you sculpt the new space to your needs."
"And is there game?" Mab asked.
That actually stumped Harry. He'd just assumed that they would be able to sustain themselves. "It seems my husband did not think of that." Natasha said. Of course there would be creatures who hunted. Some creatures called winter their most active season, after all.
"We will need to discuss what your needs are and I will ask Logan to help your people gather what they will need." Harry said.
"Heimdall can open portals to Alfheim for them?" Natasha asked. "If he's agreeable."
A portal opened next to them, then. "I know what is needed, Queen Natasha. It will be no trouble to assist the Winter Court in this."
"Thanks, Heimdall." Harry said. "Come join us for drinks later?" he offered.
"I will take you up on that, my prince." Heimdall said with a smile. "Perhaps this time you can get the magic right, and we can try another hand at poker?" he asked, a bit of a smile on his face.
"I think I cracked that problem." Harry said easily. "Sure, we can try a couple of hands and see what happens."
"Since when is the Bifrost capable of portals like this?" Mab asked, thinking she understood how Harry had done it earlier.
"You misunderstand, Queen Mab." Heimdall said. "It is my prince who wields this power, he merely made it so that I can use it as well, not the other way around." He turned to Harry, then. "If my opinion is welcome?" he asked.
"Please." Harry said.
"I saw the happenings on Alfheim, before the Courts went into hiding." Heimdall said. "Queen Mab was being cautious. She cares greatly for her people. Her anger and outburst stemmed from the fact that she dislikes the Summer Queen. They are always at odds and she thought her naive."
"That actually does help a bit." Harry said. "Thanks Heimdall."
"You are welcome as always, my prince." Heimdall said, before the portal vanished again.
"So you snapped at my wife because you were angry at Titania?" Harry asked.
Mab didn't look like she wanted to admit to it, but finally nodded. "Her plans aren't always fully thought out. She lacks finesse and somehow always sees things in an optimistic way. If it weren't for me, the place where we slumbered would have disappeared long ago, too, taking us with it. There were factors she simply didn't consider. She intended to have all her people awake, using what power we took with it. It's infuriating to work with such a simpleton."
Harry actually laughed at that. Try as he might, he couldn't help seeing something of Luna in her ancestor. She wasn't stupid, far from it, but she was more insightful. She tended to rely on those insights, when relying on hard fact and tried methods would yield better, or at least, more sustainable results. He could see that Mab was more inclined to follow knowledge than relying on something as flimsy as gut feel. It was what tended to come between people like Luna and Hermione.
"Fair enough." he said. "I can see how you can think that way. I've noted that you think differently than Titania, so I can understand that."
"Thank you." Mab said, with an exasperated huff. That Summer Queen was just so damn gullible. Fortunately she had not screwed this one up.
"So, about your people?" Natasha asked.
"Oh, yes." Mab said, pulling herself from her thoughts. "I believe that this will suffice, until we've built housing and brought some game. If we could rely on you for sustenance for a while, I believe that will suffice until we are settled."
There were a few things that they still discussed, like where to acquired firewood, since the trees, while many, were the only ones they had. Harry promised to arrange them a few truckloads of timber and would help building them places to stay, with magical fires, so that they didn't need to rely on the forest to supply what heat they needed. It seemed that most of the Winter Fae had no aversion to meat and preferred that, which actually made sense. While summer was all about replenishing, winter was all about using what was grown. A constant winter would change the rules of the game.
The rabbit enclosures had actually started becoming overpopulated, so that should work nicely in the interim, until more permanent plans could be made. Most creatures needed warmer climates to procreate, so the Winter Court's new home would likely always need to rely on the support of New Atlantis, or perhaps even the Summer Court. Symbiosis would be much simpler, with a clear divide and proper rules that everyone followed all year through.
When they exited the Winter Archway, Logan was drinking his ever full beer, sitting on his floating carpet, while Hela showed off Agnar, her Thestral mount, to Titania. The Summer Queen was inspecting the animal with a bit of curiosity, but she stayed far away. Mab had no such compulsions.
"What a magnificent death-mare stallion!" Mab exclaimed, as she quickly approached. Death-mares weren't native to Alfheim, and they were almost legendary to her people. She didn't touch him, having seen movement from Hela, seemingly readying herself to attack the woman if she touched him. She'd seen the saddle and realised he was likely her mount. "You take really good care of him." she remarked and nodded to Hela.
"He's my mount and familiar." Hela said. The bond had formed naturally and she was very proud. "He is a fine companion." she agreed proudly, though, as she dropped her guard slightly. Logan had warned her of the woman's earlier error, and she had been ready to march into the Winter Archway and teach the woman who had insulted her sister-in-law a lesson. Everyone seemed calmer now, though, and Hela decided to ask after what happened later. Likely this was another chance for her to learn about forgiveness, and why it was offered.
"You are Hela, then? Sister to the King?" Mab asked.
"I am she." Hela agreed. "You are the Winter Queen, Mab?"
"I am she." Mab agreed.
Harry didn't know that he liked that they were seemingly clicking so quickly, but wouldn't deny his sister a friend. She'd likely help keep the peace actually.
OPU
Harry had spent a few days arranging everything that was needed, including a few suggestions from his friends. The Queens now had large estates in the centre of their domains, with everything from ever-clean and warm bathtubs and modern washrooms, to an elegant receiving hall, with a throne decorated with enchanted and moving branches that swayed in an imaginary wind and ceilings enchanted to represent their seasons. Harry had even added trees with little houses in them around the perimeter of the estates, for the fairies to call home. He'd resize them later, as needed, since he didn't know how big they were.
In fact, Harry had taken things so far that Luna was a little worried that they'd never see the Fae again. Well, she would still be spending time with them, but that didn't mean she didn't want them coming to New Atlantis as well. Harry wasn't worried. The Summer Fae would likely find his home even more enchanting than their own haven, since there was just so much to see.
He'd been told that the Fae had a few different kinds of Elves, who had called Alfheim home. There'd be a few satyrs, some Centaurs, and a variety of fairies, along with some things he had no idea about. Water spirits and creatures that represented the changing of seasons, more than the seasons themselves. There were even a few pixies and sprites, he was told, not that he knew the difference between them and fairies. Perhaps they were related, or just looked the same. Either way, he'd find out.
When the time came for the Fae to exit their slumber, only Harry, Natasha, Odin and Frigga were in attendance, since Harry would be removing the Fidelius, after Titania gave him the secret.
When the Fidelius was dispelled, the Queens stepped through and disappeared into their hidden space. It had been explained to Harry as some sort of in-between place, created by magic, but apparently it was not the same as a pocket dimension. There was an immense amount of power there, or slightly beyond it, but it was both forbidden to try and access it directly and impossible to stay in communication with, as it tended to flood the mind of any who tried, with all the secrets of the universe at once. With what was likely an infinite amount of information, it was understandable why not even immortal minds could survive such things. Many had tried, but there had never been a survivor.
It didn't take long for the Queens to return, and behind them followed a stream of groggy-looking creatures, all seeming to have just awoken from a long slumber. Maybe Mab's reaction also had something to do with having just woken up. Only the different coloured flying and tinkling lights that came with the creatures, the pixies, seemed to be energetic, as they flew around the cave and its occupants in seeming ecstasy at being awake at last. After them followed the fairies and sprites. Sprites and fairies were about the same size, but the sprites were more ethereal, like spirits, while the fairies were physical beings, male and female, from what Harry could tell. There were also a whole lot of them.
Before long the cave started becoming cramped, so Harry decided to open two portals, which would lead to their new realms. The Queens went to their own portals and directed their people inside. This process took another twenty minutes. Harry really should have known better than to think it would be a quick move, since both Queens had told him that they'd brought as many of their subjects as they could, and there were a lot of them, most carrying belongings, backpacks and stuff. One Satyr actually had a donkey pulling a small wagon with what looked like an entire portable apothecary stall. It had instruments and hundreds of bags and jars of powders and liquids and what were likely potions ingredients. He'd make a note of that and have Bruce check it out.
When the procession finally ended, the Queens went through the opening again, checking for stragglers, before they exited with their own bags. Harry could sense magics on the bags, so they were likely larger on the inside and carried many of their private items or items of import. They set those bags down and chanted together, collapsing the doorway for good, and removing the pocket that they had called home for too long. They then left through the portals, to go help settle their people, while Harry took his wife and parents home.
When everyone was gone, the space where the opening had been started to glow slightly. Back on the Bifrost, Heimdall noticed the glow and decided to keep an eye on it.
OPU
It had only been a month since the Fae had first come onto Harry's radar, and already things were changing on New Atlantis. Strange things, like bioluminescent flowers started popping up, on seemingly random trees and bushes where they didn't belong. The fairies and pixies were often seen and heard laughing and tinkling as they drunkenly flew through the night sky, high on life and the highly magical realm, which was New Atlantis. They stayed in their respective havens, but the resort had become the de-facto hang-out spot for all the creatures who could bear to be in each-other's presence.
The fairies, pixies and sprites would often show up, just to listen to the music from the roof of the bar, adding an accompaniment in their little voices that somehow created a strange harmony, no matter what kind of music was playing. Of course, the children were also a big attraction. The fairies and sprites couldn't get enough of them and loved playing with them. The children, likewise, were enjoying the company of the benign beings and they would keep the children from getting into trouble, when they got it in their heads to explore, or to taste something that they really shouldn't be putting in their mouths.
Xara, the bronze skinned golden-blond-haired Nymph girl, was something of a curiosity to the fairies, who just stared at her, like she was an otherworldly beauty to them. Something about her was like a candle to a moth to them, and they always ended up congregating around her, as she talked nonsensically to them in her attempts to speak English. She might look three, but she was just a few months older than baby James. At least, her human form had only emerged from her tree then. She was growing quickly, too.
Besides that, the Satyrs from both factions had started flirting heavily with the Nymphs. They had been warned about how things worked and they were careful not to offend the King of the realm they both called neighbour. They also loved the alcohol, often partaking in shots from the bottomless bottle of Harry Potter's Every-Flavour Liquor. Using the every-flavour beans they had purchased on their trip back in time to Harry's original reality had helped Harry figure out the enchantments, and he was very proud of the results.
There were normal bottles, of course, but for the Satyr's who had no way of paying, the bottomless bottles were used. It wouldn't do to have them drink through Harry's stocks, after all. For those who had found ways of making themselves useful, there was a fair compensation, using Harry's own coins from his vault, which was now housed in the Dragon Enclosure, for obvious reasons. They ended up spending everything at the Bar, which then just became Harry's again.
It had been Tony's idea. The gold and other coins were not being used otherwise anyway, and as long as it stayed on the island, or with the Fae, it was now at least serving a purpose. The Satyrs would often pay for sweet drinks for the Nymphs, which ended up making it so there was now a rule about not doing so while there were children present.
The Centaurs had found kindred spirits in the local herd. They were more often than not stargazing with the current group. Apparently the Centaurs from Harry's original reality were far more learned in the ways of astronomy and astrology, and the new additions were learning from them, with a certain sense of awe. That being said, the stars were different here than on Alfheim, meaning those with even a bit of experience, needed to learn their craft anew.
Firenze, as the Centaur Chieftain, was also considered a wise man, to those who joined them, if for nothing else than choosing to join Harry, when the offer was made. The new arrivals would often come to him with questions and asking for advice on private matters. There were quite a few Centaurs who were more martially inclined, but they were nowhere near as bad as Bane had been, and loved learning about things that did not revolve around their never-ending war. The Centaurs were also the only of the two factions that seemed to connect the quickest with their rivals, now that there was a clear divide, and a safe location where no violence was tolerated.
The Fairies had their own hierarchy, and even a royal family on both sides of seasonal divide. Neither were really warlike, but they had clear affinities to their respective seasons. The pixies followed the Fairies and Sprites around, like pets almost. You seldom saw one without the other, though the Sprites tended to stay in their respective realms, apparently needing the environment or the magics of their people, which had quickly started permeating their realms, converting it to their ideal environments, on top of the enchantments Harry had set up.
Harry had only needed to go change a few things for the other realms on occasion. Things like areas with a constant snowfall and others that were more like fall, rather than the dead of winter. The Nymphs had an open invitation to both realms, so that they could help the growth of the trees, and to encourage vegetables and other plants to flourish. It wasn't as easy there, as it was on New Atlantis itself, but with Harry's magic being present in both, it wasn't too difficult. The Nymphs were all treated like honoured guests, whenever they were seen.
The Queens of Winter and Summer were constant visitors to New Atlantis. Mab and Hela had truly kicked things off and had formed a close friendship, very quickly, while Titania and Xera had something similar going on. Mab had even been seen flying on a Thestral next to Hela and Agnar, as she showed off her brother's realm and took the Winter Queen to see the more dangerous creatures in their enclosures. Those had really impressed Mab and she quietly wished the Goddess of Death luck with her attempts to catch the feral man's eyes and heart. She now saw his value.
Hela's friendship with Mab had given her an insight into the needs of the Winter Court's darker factions. Power-wielders and dealers were soon meeting with Fury's representative, Hill, who was quickly learning of what it meant to deal with the darker side of the mystical realm. Mab's original thought had actually been correct. There were enemies that could do with external influences, which would help them deal themselves into debt to those darker entities.
Fury would not mind using a dark force against other dark forces, as long as they were kept in check and they left their own people alone. While he wouldn't ever trust those entities on Earth, as long as Harry took contractual precautions, he didn't see why they couldn't point them at intergalactic enemies like the Kree. Captain Marvel surely wouldn't mind.
Meanwhile, Xera and Titania had explored the island on their own two feet. Titania had her guards, of course, unlike Mab, who scoffed at the need for them, but they followed at a distance. Xera delighted in introducing the Fae Queen to the intelligent creatures and Titania had almost hyperventilated from excitement at seeing the Abraxan, the large winged horses. Apparently they held the same status with the Summer Court as the Thestrals held with the Winter Court.
The hippogriffs were just as bad, and when Titania met Charlie, she was swooning all over again. She could not resist, when Xera told her he'd likely take her for a flight, and soon she was flying over the island, laughing all the way, as she encouraged the hippogriff to go faster. Charlie did not disappoint and by the time they came back, he was breathing heavily, but Titania's enthusiasm and attention made him puff his chest out proudly, before nuzzling her and then turning to go rest.
The animals were not the only attraction to the island, though. The water spirits, creatures Harry had first thought were a kind of Elf, wearing thick furs and who could turn into aquatic mammals, apparently names Selkies, were very impressed with the child-friendly waterslide and the new water feature Harry had added for the Merfolk to visit the resort. They were often seen splashing in and out of the never-ending, but magically silent, waterfall which followed an underground stream back to the sea, through the underwater cave, where the Merfolk now lived.
The Merfolk found them interesting and always welcomed the creatures, often taking them out to go hunting around the island with them, where there was always an abundance of fish, which Harry had had to encourage, by bringing them in and then using wards to keep them around the island.
The Elf village had welcomed the new Elven arrivals too, since they had a very limited gene-pool to work with and fortunately the Fae had enough male Elves to finally make the possibility of growing their numbers a real possibility. The elves had not been successful in breeding with humans, despite giving it a real go, not that any of the men they tried with complained. The number of male elves Harry had been able to rescue from slavery had not been many, for obvious reasons. Those male elves were simply not as physically inclined as other, non-magical slaves, probably due to lack of a proper magical environment, and the females were not used for labour.
The elves from the Seasonal Realms were definitely more war-like, however, and a scuffle did end up breaking out between the factions, but it soon stopped, when a wing of dragons descended on them and drove them apart. That had scared the shit out of the elves. When Logan landed on Puppy, shortly thereafter, they knew true fear. The man was an animal in a fistfight and he demanded the ones that started the fight to face him or be denied access to New Atlantis again. He had wanted to set an example, and they'd gotten one. They were properly chastised and bloodied.
Hagrid, who had seen the dragons descend, showed up soon after and stepped in, before treating the elves like misbehaving children and making them apologise with hand-shakes. There was never another fight between them, but they still kept apart from each other, for fear of the Master of the Lands and his Half-Giant friend. They didn't even want to think about the Dragons. Who tamed Dragons, let alone had one as a familiar?
One of them had actually seen the Half-Giant shove one of the dragons away playfully. Astoundingly, the dragon had simply shoved him back, or tried to, but the man was unmovable. How strong was he?! To be fair, Hagrid's protective gear was enchanted by Harry and it had saved his life on many occasions. Harry had known to protect the man from himself, for his lack of sense when it came to certain things.
He'd obviously informed Logan and Charlie, who knew to look out for an escalation in his behaviour, since he didn't want the man to become completely reckless. Despite what most people thought, however, Hagrid was completely aware of the limitations of the gear and he'd quickly adjusted to using them to their fullest capabilities. He was not an idiot, after all. He'd taught the subject for Merlin's sake!
Harry was working on yet another enchantment in his Workshop, when his Mirror Vibrated.
"Hello?" he answered.
"Greetings my Prince, something has changed on Alfheim." Heimdall said.
"What's happening?" he asked, stopping his experiment and laying down the item he was working on. Heimdall had informed him of the glow at the location the Fae had come from, but even when he went to check on it, he couldn't properly identify it. It just seemed like an after-effect from the rift that had been there. He'd asked the man to inform him should anything change.
"A large black metallic sphere of some sort appeared in the same location as the disturbance." Heimdall reported.
"Is it doing anything?" Harry asked.
"As far as I can tell, it's just floating there." Heimdall said. "I tried to peer into the sphere, but it seems protected from being observed."
"Magic?" Harry asked.
"I cannot say." Heimdall said, apologetically.
"Okay, I'll call in the team and be right there." Harry said.
"I have taken the liberty of calling those who are not indisposed to New Atlantis, my Prince." Heimdall said.
"Before calling me?" Harry asked.
"I opened portals to their locations as we spoke and they understood the meaning." Heimdall said, slightly smugly.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone