Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

Jean-Claude, Anita, Richard, Requiem, Asher, Rafael and Damien stood in the random area of woods that they had been provided with, along with a general time in which their potential new resident would be arriving.

When The Traveller had gotten in touch with them and said that there was a Wizard looking for somewhere safe to stay and he thought St Louis would be a good match for him, and that he would be very useful for them, they had been a little confused.

They were never fully sure whose side The Traveller was on, even though he had seemed to be on theirs more predominantly recently, but this was something new. He had sold the Wizard to them; he was powerful, and had war training, he was also kind and loyal to those that he cared about, and if they fostered a relationship with him, they could gain a lot from him. He wanted somewhere that he could put down roots and somewhere that he could make a home. If they gave him that, he was more than likely to set his magic to their cause.

When Jean-Claude had asked what The Traveller was getting out of this, they had not been expecting him to admit that he was fond of Harry, and he wanted to help him get somewhere safe, and somewhere that he could be happy, and he believed that within their Court he could find that. It was a Quid Pro Quo for St Louis and Harry, The Traveller was helping two sides that he was fond of and had tied himself to.

When he had added that Harry making St Louis stronger helped him, considering he had tied himself to them more obviously recently, they believed him a little more.

They had discussed it, and so here they were, waiting for the arrival of this powerful Wizard who was going to settle in their city.

Asher sighed a little and looked into the forest, he would rather be anywhere but here at this moment, it had been a long five months since he had stopped the relationship that had been going on between himself, Jean-Claude and Anita, he had initially avoided them to try and protect himself, and then as time had gone on he had been able to go from being around them for only political reasons, to being able to be with them in more social settings, but it still hurt to be in the same area as them.

He missed them and at the same time he didn't, what they had been had not been healthy for him, and as they slept with more and more people, he had felt that anger that he had thought he had finally been rid of coming back to him, the hurt aching through him every time that he smelt someone else on them, the fury when they were too busy with another one of their lovers to spend time with him, the longing in him to be more important to them, the fear that he was nothing more than one of many lovers to them and their powerbase.

He knew in his heart that that wasn't true, but in the midst of his hurt, it had whispered more and more to him. He had been aching and breaking with it until finally he had to put a stop to their relationship before he was destroyed.

He knew that they were confused and hurt by his choice, but they had respected his wishes, and they had given him the space that he needed, even as they had tried to see if they could fix what had been broken between them without them even realising it.

But that had set his mind. He had been breaking, and they had been too busy with others, with each other, with their busy lives to see it until he broke things off with them. He needed something different from what they could offer them.

There was a loud pop that suddenly filled the area and pulled him from his thoughts, and all their eyes turned quickly to the grassy area in front of them to see a figure standing there.

Harry made the final jump and as he appeared at the coordinates, he took a step forward and exhaled all the air from his compressed feeling lungs before sucking in a deep breath, keeping his eyes closed as his mind and his magic tried to get their bearings after several apparations to get himself here.

As he took a second deep breath, he felt the magic in the area dancing around him, brushing over his skin, and pulling at his own magic in a delightfully playful way that had something in him relaxing a little, making him already feel easier than he had for a long time now.

He opened his eyes as he took a third deep breath and took in the group waiting for him.

Most of them were ridiculously good looking, he thought amused.

His eyes were drawn to a trio, two men and a woman, as they were clearly meant to, considering they were positioned at the centre and slightly more forward than the rest. The Vampire had to be Jean-Claude, the Master of the City and unspoken King of the Vampire Council of America. He was stunningly good looking, probably one of the most good looking men in the world with deep sapphire blue eyes, and exactly as The Traveller had described him.

The other man was a little more normal looking while still being quite handsome. Long brown hair was tugged back into a ponytail, soft brown eyes were taking him in with suspicion, and he did not look fully happy to be here, though he was trying to hide it. Richard Zeeman was a werewolf who was not fully comfortable with who and what he was, and was not fully happy with being part of the Triumvirate with Jean-Claude and Anita Blake. Harry recognised the look of self hatred in his eyes that Remus had.

Anita Blake, standing with the others, looked a little plain, Harry thought a little unkindly. Her dark hair and black eyes did stand out somewhat, as did the scars on her skin that spoke of the fact that she was a fighter, and despite the fact that she was human and only around 5 foot, she was definitely not to be dismissed, if you did you would probably find yourself dead fairly quickly he thought looking into her slightly hard eyes. She radiated power, and even though The Traveller had warned him, the feeling of the ice cold death power flowing over him was a little startling. He could see weapons sequestered around her body, and the fighter part of him itched to know where they all were and what they were. She definitely wouldn't appreciate that question, though.

On Anita's right hand side was a man with waist length straight black hair and stunning cornflower blue eyes, unusually for a Vampire, he had a moustache and beard, the beard amusingly being in a vandyke style. He was tall and proud, but there was something a little sad about him, something that seemed to linger over him.

Next to Jean-Claude stood a Vampire that made Harry's breath catch in his throat, and he suddenly hoped that the pressure from his magic was still loud enough in their ears that they didn't hear the way his heart thumped at the sight of the man. His hair was like spun gold, a golden silk that flowed around his face in wavy curls that fell to his waist and glinted in the moonlight around them. Bright blue eyes looked at him intently; they were startlingly bright blue, ice blue, sky blue. Harry couldn't decide. His hair was partly covering his stunningly beautiful face, but not enough to hide the scars on the right side of his face, like melted wax, while the left side had been left perfectly intact. The scars didn't take away from how stunning he was, and Harry found himself licking his lips as he stared at the man.

"Monsieur Potter," Jean-Claude spoke, and Harry forced himself to tug his eyes away from the Vampire to look back to the Master of the City.

"Jean-Claude," Harry smiled and bowed politely to the other.

"Welcome to St Louis," Jean-Claude seemed to brighten at the correct greeting, and Harry walked forward, though he couldn't stop his eyes flicking to the golden Vampire again.

"Thank you, and thank you for coming to meet me, it is an honour to be met by such important people in the city," Harry said.

"When The Traveller recommends that we take someone in, it would not do for anyone else to come and meet you," the Vandyke Vampire said.

"It is nice to hear my home accent on arriving here," Harry chuckled.

"This is Requiem, he is the Third in my City," Jean-Claude said, and Harry's eyes were drawn back to the Vampire at the name.

"The Traveller said that he had pimped out some of my magic for something you may require help with to sell my being here?" Harry asked. There was a pause, and then Anita Blake snorted, amused.

"Pimped out?" She asked.

"Not sure what else you could call it," Harry shrugged and then made a face, "no, actually, I am sure the Vampires could come up with a lovely, courtly word for it, but that is what it is,"

"I feel as though we should be offended," Jean-Claude said amusedly.

"None meant," Harry grinned impishly, bowing.

"Yes, he did 'pimp' out your magic to help Requiem," The golden Vampire said, and he seemed startled by the intensity of Harry's look on him when he was allowed a reason to look. Harry tried to dial it back a little, but he didn't have much luck.

"That is something that I am sure we can discuss once you are settled," Jean-Claude said smoothly. "This is Asher, the second in my city," he added when Harry's eyes didn't move.

"A pleasure," Harry managed to breathe out. Asher shifted a little, and his hair moved in a way that covered the scars on his face, Harry fighting the urge to reach out and move it so that he could see his whole face and both stunning eyes again.

"Indeed," Asher didn't seem sure what to do when Harry's green eyes didn't move from him.

"This is Rafael, the King of the Rats," Jean-Claude introduced, and Harry had to reluctantly pull his eyes away to look to the Mexican man who was standing looking the most relaxed out of the bunch of them in a white vest and cut off black shorts, he had a small hint of arrogance to his face, but his brown eyes were kind when Harry met them.

"Rom right?" Harry asked, holding his hand out to the man even as he bowed his head slightly.

"Correct," his voice was deep and surprisingly soft for a man his size, his hand was burning hot as it gripped Harry's.

"Dramatic," Harry grinned when he saw the brand of a crown on the Rom's arm. The man looked down and then chuckled deeply, clearly taking the comment in the light way it was intended.

"This is Richard, the Ulfric of the wolf pack here," Jean-Claude introduced, and as Harry turned his eyes back to the werewolf, he allowed his eyes to snag on Asher again.

"It is a pleasure to meet you," Harry bowed his head again and held his hand out to the man. He definitely looked a little more reluctant to shake it than Rafael had.

"You too," He said politely, though. He definitely didn't want to be here.

"And this is Damian," Jean-Claude said quickly, clearly realising that Harry was picking up on the reluctance from Richard.

The red headed Vampire was stunning, and his green eyes were eerily similar to the ones that Harry saw in the mirror, though perhaps a little lighter green than Harry's own eyes. His eyes and face were intent as they took Harry in, protective over those here and the city he was in, and Harry thought that he recognised something else familiar within those eyes, an emotion that was definitely familiar.

"A pleasure to meet you," Harry bowed his head, not offering his hand in the human manner to the Vampire that felt very old.

"You too,"

"Irish?" He asked.

"I lived there a long time," Damian said. It was not a happy time was unsaid and Harry quickly just smiled and nodded, not pressing further.

"Monsieur Potter, do you not have any luggage with you?" Jean-Claude asked, a little confused, and Harry turned to smile at him.

"Please call me Harry, and yes, it is all here," Harry said, holding up the small bag that was tied to his belt.

"Erm…" Anita blinked at the bag.

"My magic, everything is shrunk in here that I need," Harry explained, and he had to fight to chuckle when he saw the eagerness in all their eyes to see something of his magic.

He dipped his hand into the bag and grabbed the nearest thing, tugging it out and setting it on the floor before waving his wand over it to resize it, and the book changed from postage stamp size to A3 size.

"Impressive!" Jean-Claude muttered, impressed, but Harry's eyes were on Asher, who was delightfully wide eyed, well, the one eye that he could see.

"The Traveller wasn't exaggerating," Anita hummed.

Harry bent and picked the book up, holding it out to Jean-Claude, who took it eagerly and looked it over.

"It always surprises me how little our worlds mix," Harry admitted.

"So everything that you own is in there?" Asher asked.

"Mostly, I moved a good few things to my bank so that I can access it here as well."

"Things as in money?" Damian asked, confused.

"Things, as in items, Wizards use their vaults to store a lot of items as well. There are spells on the vaults that will allow me to access everything in it here, even though it is in my physical vault in Britain," Harry explained.

"How?" Anita asked.

"That part I am not 100% sure on, the Goblins' magic manages to cover a distance for something like that which Wizarding magic has not yet managed to achieve," Harry admitted.

"Goblins as in…" Rafael blinked.

"Goblins, vicious little shits that like money and power, and you definitely do not want to steal from," Harry said, taking the book back from Jean-Claude and flicking through until he found the picture of a Goblin he was looking for and handed it back to the Master.

"Oh wow!" Anita blinked at the picture.

"Those teeth look vicious!" Richard said.

"As vicious as they are," Harry nodded.

"I have a feeling you're going to be a very interesting addition," Jean-Claude chuckled, handing the book back to Harry. "Come, we have your house ready for you, The Traveller said that you would be tired from the travel, we can ask you more questions tomorrow night."

"Thank you," Harry smiled appreciatively as Jean-Claude motioned to the cars waiting. As they crossed to them, Harry kept flicking glances to Asher, who was gliding silently over the grass.

"Rafael, Requiem and Damian will take you to your house. We found something that The Traveller said you would like based upon your budget. Tomorrow night, I will send you a car at around 18:30 to bring you to the Circus of the Damned, where we can settle you fully in," Jean-Claude smiled politely.

"Thank you, and thank you again for coming to meet me," Harry bowed to the Vampire before casting one last look at Asher. Harry slipped through the open car door that Rafael was holding open for him.

Jean-Claude took the car with Richard and Anita, but Asher chose to fly back to the Circus, claiming paperwork that needed to be done, but not willing to be stuck in the car with Anita and Jean-Claude, and definitely not with Richard who seemed to now think that they were brothers in arms of some sort since he broke things off with the other two.

"How did it go?" Byron asked curiously as Asher walked into the Circus.

"He arrived, he was polite, made the right gestures and seemed to be quite pleasant," Asher answered as calmly as he could, but he felt shaken to his bones; he felt as though he could feel those green eyes still burning through him.

He retreated to his office, feeling as though if his heart could beat it would be racing in his chest; as it was, it felt as though his skin was on fire, as though every single nerve in his body was alight, and he felt as though his head was spinning.

The way that the other had looked at him had felt as though he was looking through him, he looked at him constantly throughout the talk as though he were magnitised to Asher. At first Asher thought he was staring at his scars and was startled by them, he had moved to cover them, feeling horrifically self conscious…but the Wizard's eyes hadn't stopped coming to him, and if anything Asher thought that perhaps he had seen a hint of disappointment when Asher had hidden half his face, though that didn't make sense, why would anyone actually want to see the ruin of his face? But the Wizard had kept looking at him, and Asher had no clue what it was that he was looking at, looking for.

"Asher? Rafael, Damian and Requiem have returned. Jean-Claude is asking for you." Jason popped his head into his office, who knew how long later, Asher looked up from where he had just been staring at his desk, and he nodded, standing as though he were in a trance and making his way down to Jean-Claude's office.

His friend and ex-lover looked at him, concerned as he walked in and took his seat; the only one missing was Richard, whom Jean-Claude and Anita had no doubt dropped off on their way home, but with how Richard was, he would not really have added anything worth saying.

"How was he on the way to his house? Did he like the house?" Jean-Claude asked.

"He seemed quite pleased with the house; we could practically see him planning what he was going to do with it when we pulled up the driveway," Rafael nodded.

"He asked questions about St Louis, a lot about the laws of us being out and moving around here and…" Requiem drew off.

"And?" Jean-Claude pressed.

"He asked a few questions about Asher," Damian answered, and Asher looked up wide eyed.

"He kept looking at him," Requiem pointed out, quite unnecessarily, the blond Vampire thought.

"What questions did he ask?" Jean-Claude asked, concerned.

"He asked about my scars?" Asher guessed.

"No," Requiem sounded as surprised as Asher felt.

"He asked whether Asher had a partner, how long he had been in the city, what his preferences were," Rafael answered.

"Why?" Asher asked, and everyone turned to look at him, making him flush with borrowed blood.

"He seems to have been quite taken with you," Requiem said gently.

"Is he interested because Asher is my second?" Jean-Claude asked, and the blond could see the regret on his face with the way he asked it when Asher jerked slightly.

"No, his interest seemed genuine," Damian shook his head.

"He was interested before you introduced Asher and who he was," Requiem added.

"I…are you still comfortable with being the one to collect him tomorrow?" Jean-Claude asked Asher, and the other could see Jean-Claude fighting the urge to try and use this interest to his benefit, and asking Asher to use it.

Asher thought about it quickly, even though he still felt as though he had been electrocuted, even though he still felt as though his nerves were on fire, even though he could still almost feel the weight of those eyes on him, he wanted to see the Wizard again.

"Yes, it is fine," Asher nodded.

"Jean-Claude," Requiem said and then hesitated.

"What is it?" the dark haired Vampire asked.

"Remember what The Traveller said, manipulation is probably the worst thing that you can do with this Wizard, and from the small amount of time with him in the car, and the way he asked his questions, he much prefers being open and upfront," Requiem said softly, glancing to Damian, who nodded his agreement.

"He didn't try to hide his interest in Asher or disguise his questions," the redheaded Vampire added.

"With how he is, and The Traveller's warning, trying to use this interest would not go well with the Wizard," Rafael nodded.

"It would also not be fair on Asher," Requiem said softly, and all eyes turned to him.

"Are you comfortable spending time with the Wizard?" Jean-Calude asked, even though he clearly felt uncomfortable with it.

"Yes," Asher answered before he could really think about it.

"We will learn more about him tomorrow then," Jean-Claude said. Asher stood, and while he could feel Jean-Claude and Anita's eyes on his back, he hurried from the room, trying not to think too much about the fact that the Wizard had asked questions about him, that he was that interested in him.

The next night seemed too close and too far.

Asher tapped on the front door and had to hide a smile despite his nerves and uncertainty about this when he heard a soft thump from inside the house and soft cursing in a British accent. There were hurried steps, and the door was tugged open, and Asher was faced once again with the Wizard.

He was young, only twenty five, but those stunning green eyes showed that he had seen a lot in his life. They were a stunning green, well, Asher was really not sure what shade he could compare them to, and the shade seemed to change with his feelings, like a mood stone. Right now, as they landed on Asher, they seemed to burn brighter, honing in on him in a way that lit Asher back on fire.

He was tall, nearly 6,5, and he was built strongly, he was built like one of the many warriors that Asher had met over his years, and he definitely moved like one as well for all of the relaxed and calm nature that he had around him as well.

His black hair was pitch black and sat like a riot around his face, in a way that was clear that it was natural and not unkept, and it framed the tanned skin of his strong face.

"What is that smell?" Asher choked out, covering his nose as the small hit him, and Harry started laughing, the deep rumble feeling like it washed through Asher.

"Sorry! I was moving a cauldron when you knocked, and I dropped it. Come in," Harry waved before turning and moving down the hallway. "I don't want the potion to eat my new floor,"

"Cauldron…potion…like a proper cauldron and potion?" Asher asked curiously, stepping quickly inside the house and closing the door before hurrying after the Wizard.

"Yes, not like the ones that your witches here do," Harry chuckled. "Honestly, it is not my best subject, but it is handy,"

Asher walked into a still fairly bare room to see a table covered with a lot of ingredients, a fairly large pewter cauldron was on the floor, which Harry was in the process of picking up, with a bubbling green liquid leaking onto the floor.

The Vampire watched, intrigued as the Wizard drew his wand again and swished it over the liquid, and it just disappeared. He let out an annoyed noise when he saw the stain on the floor.

"Oh well, a rug will cover that," Harry shrugged.

"These ingredients," Asher was wide eyed as he looked over them. There was a small tub of plant bulbs that were rolling around of their own accord in the tub, blood that had a silver shimmer to it, a feather that shimmered orange, gold, yellow and red.

"It is a phoenix feather," Harry said, suddenly a lot closer to him than he had expected. Those eyes were intent on him again.

"An actual phoenix?" Asher asked, awed.

"Yes, it is from a phoenix that I know, Fawkes. He is stunning," Harry smiled, reaching out and taking the feather in his fingers before holding it out to Asher. The blond Vampire gasped when he felt the magic washing from the feather. Running his finger over it, he could feel the magic echoing up his arm. The feather seemed to shift through colours as he moved it.

"It is beautiful, I imagine it is rare!" Asher said, awed, twirling the feather in his fingers once more before holding it out to Harry.

"They're difficult to come by, phoenixes are rare, and you can only ever be given one willingly; if they are taken, they will burst into flames," Harry said before shaking his head. "You can have it if you like it."

"I couldn't," Asher said quickly, placing the feather down. Harry looked at him for a moment, seemingly to take in the uncomfortable uncertainty in his face, and he smiled brightly instead.

"Most potion ingredients are far more disgusting than these," Harry said, stepping away from Asher and hefting the now empty cauldron back onto the table.

"Have you found the house suitable?" Asher asked.

"It is lovely, though I will admit I spent most of my time sleeping," Harry laughed.

"Oh?" Asher looked at him, concerned.

"Apparating long distances is exhausting. I pretty much unpacked my bed and fell into it and slept until about four hours ago," Harry explained, waving Asher to follow him through the house.

Harry glanced at him confused when Asher let out a little laugh, though he seemed to brighten with the sound of his laughter.

"It looks like you are unpacking a doll's house," Asher explained, motioning to the bits of miniature furniture that Harry had left dotted around the room.

"Unpacking as a Wizard looks a little different," Harry chuckled.

"It is so different," Asher admitted. "I thought I had seen a lot, but this is quite different," he smiled a little looking around the room and then froze.

"Everything ok?" Harry asked.

"That picture just moved!" Asher choked pointing at the wall, his accent a little thicker than it normally was with his shock.

"Sorry I should have given you a heads up, it is a potion that we develop our pictures in, it allows them to move, it is like capturing 10 seconds of a moment instead of just the exact moment that the picture is taken," Harry explained, reaching up to take the picture down. "It is my mum and dad," he explained, and Asher watched the man and woman who could definitely only be Harry's mother and father dancing around in the snow in front of a fountain.

"That is amazing," Asher breathed.

"They were killed when I was one, it is nice having these pictures, it gives me more of an idea of who they were rather than just looking at a still photo of them," Harry smiled at the photo.

"I am sorry," Asher looked at Harry a little wide eyed.

"It is fine, it was a long time ago, for me," Harry added with a grin remembering he was talking to a Vampire. "And I get to see them this way,"

"This is wonderful," Asher breathed out looking at the picture again.

"I…" Harry frowned looking around.

"Is everything ok?" Asher asked, concerned.

"I have no clue what I did with my shoes," Harry admitted with a sigh, Asher glanced down to see the Wizard was just in his socks.

"Can you not magic them to you?" Asher asked curiously, eager to see more magic.

"I can but I…" Harry pulled his wand out. "Accio boots," he said, and they both easily picked up on the loud thump of something hitting a door. "Yeah I thought they would be behind a shut door," Harry sighed.

"Sorry," Asher bit his lip laughing.

"It is fine, I am here to impress you all with my magic and this is how I do it," Harry said mock mournfully, and Asher couldn't stop the laugh that fell from him. "I will be right down," he said before jogging off.

Asher carefully placed the picture back into place before looking over the items in the room curiously.

"And ready!" Harry said hurrying back into the room, shoes on and a jacket on now.

"Sorry! I was just…" Asher flushed standing with the item he had been looking at in his hand.

"It is fine, I would have asked you not to poke around if I minded, and all the dangerous stuff is upstairs," Harry shook his head.

"Dangerous?" Asher blinked.

"One of my trainers bought me a trunk that bites anyone that tries to open it that isn't me, damned thing will take someone's hand off," Harry said ruefully walking over.

"Why did you keep it if it worries you?" Asher blinked when the Wizard flushed a little at his question, rubbing the back of his neck. "What was that?" he asked when the Wizard mumbled something.

"Magic, charms can make some items sentient, they're not common, and it isn't actual sentience but close enough. The damned thing makes all these sad creaking noises if I don't use it, never mind if I tried to get rid of it," Harry groaned.

"You keep it because it would be sad?" Asher bit his lip again.

"What were you looking at?" Harry said, clearly trying to distract Asher, and it only worked because Asher was really curious about what he was holding.

"Is this an actual broom?" he asked.

"Yes it is," Harry grinned, taking it and resizing it. "I have raced The Traveller a few times on it, it is fun,"

"I am one of the fastest fliers, maybe we could…" Asher started to say before drawing off.

"I would love that!" Harry said quickly though, stopping him from retracting his offer politely. Those green eyes were on him again as he placed the broom to the side.

"We should get going," Asher flushed and started heading for the door.

"Sure," Harry said easily, following him out and into the car.

"Hey!" Jason waved cheerfully from the driver's seat.

"This is Jean-Claude's Pomme de Sang, Jason," Asher introduced

"Nice to meet you," Harry offered his hand, smiling brightly at the other, and Asher was suddenly sure that Harry's eyes would go onto the handsome blond young man. Maybe he just liked blonds? "Werewolf right?"

"How did you know?" Jason asked curiously.

"My dad's friend and my godson are werewolves, I know the feeling, the rest of them I would have no clue," Harry admitted cheerfully as he settled into his seat and fastened his belt, and then those green eyes were right back onto Asher.

"Are your werewolves any different to ours?" Jason asked curiously as he set off down the driveway.

"Yes, they don't have the will to change whenever they want, only on the full moon, and they are more a humanoid wolf than you guys are, even your Alpha wolves, something with the way our magic interacts with the curse. It is a lot more painful for them as well," Harry answered, but his eyes kept flicking between Jason and Asher even though Jason had asked the question.

"Were you able to settle in?" Jason asked.

"Absolutely not," Harry laughed. "I snored most of the time,"

"Can't blame you," Jason snorted. "It is a big move,"

"Plus I was living with The Traveller for a few weeks, that was stressful enough," Harry rolled his eyes.

"You lived with him?" Asher asked, confused.

"Yes, while he was manipulating the situation for you guys to take me on I was staying with him and Balthazar," Harry nodded.

"Why was it so stressful?" Jason asked.

"Have you met them? It was like a constant mental gymnastics, not to mention they kept trying to get me to sleep with them," Harry scrunched his nose.

"Guys not your thing?" Jason asked, confused, and Asher fought not to glare, he had clearly heard the rumours about the Wizard's interest in him.

"No they are, I just don't really like doing casual things, and the fact The Traveller is always in a borrowed body just feels a little weird," Harry shrugged.

"Not casual things?" Jason asked, and Asher was going to pop a blood vessel when the other blond looked at him in the mirror, and Asher could feel Harry's eyes burning into him from the side. If he could sweat he would have been doing so.

"Yeah, nothing wrong with it if that is what you like, and I know in the Lycanthrope and Vampire community it is fairly common, but it isn't for me," Harry answered, and Asher felt like holy water was being poured over him the way his whole body came alight.

"Welcome to the Blood District!" Jason said cheerfully when the quiet in the car became a little uncomfortable.

"On the nose," Harry chuckled.

"The humans like it, and it makes a lot of money for Jean-Claude. The Circus is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the country," Asher explained as Jason drove them through the throngs of excited tourists.

"Make them feel like they're walking on the wild side?" Harry asked.

"Exactly," Asher nodded, pleasantly surprised by the intelligence of the other.

"Maybe I could offer some magic tricks once I am settled in," Harry hummed.

"Jean-Claude will drool if you tell him that," Jason laughed even as Asher clicked his tongue.

"Crude Mon Loup!"

"But true!" Jason said cheerfully, making Harry laugh.

"Oh wow!" Harry said as they pulled into the Circus and gazed up at the massive fanged clowns on the outside.

"It is massive in there, but we are running out of space," Asher smiled as Jason pulled the car up in the reserved parking spot.

"That could be something that I could help with, I can cast the spell on building that I cast on my bag, it makes them bigger on the inside," Harry explained.

"You are offering your magic very freely," Asher said a little suspiciously, only to blanch at the smile he received.

"If this is to become my home, I want to be able to help," Harry shrugged, and then smiled a little boyishly. "And the thought of getting to use my magic freely, and for something fun like this sounds like a good challenge!"

"Come Mon Emerauld," Aher said without thought, and then his eyes widened at the smile that he got.

"Cool!" Harry said looking around as they walked through the short area that allowed a glimpse of the Circus before they entered through the doors that led into the belly of the Circus.

Harry was curiously looking around at the corridors and different rooms that led off as they walked, allowing Asher to take him in a little better, he had a lightness to him despite the experience and life that Asher could read in his eyes, there was a fun to him, an uncaringness despite the fact he was clearly someone thoughtful.

And his attention kept going back to Asher for some reason, though Asher doubted that would remain the case when he was faced with some of the others from Jean-Claude's Court.

Green eyes turned onto him, and Harry smiled charmingly at him seeing that he had his attention making Asher flush and look forward again.

"Bloody hell, it is like a chess board," Harry muttered when they walked into Jean-Claude's black and white office.

"It is Jean-Claude's favourite style, I have told him he needs to change it up a little," Asher said trying to stop his laughter.

"I feel as though I have gone colour blind," Harry murmured looking around before his eyes fell on Asher again. "What is your favourite colour?"

"Why?" Asher asked more suspiciously than he meant to sound, but Harry just chuckled.

"Just curious," he shrugged.

"Purple, I like purple," Asher muttered,

"The colour of royalty," Harry smiled, looking him over in a way that made it seem like he could feel the gaze like a touch.

"Monsieur Potter!" Jean-Claude swept into the room with Anita, Micah, Nathaniel, Damian, Requiem, Byron and Rafael.

"Harry please," Harry reminded, his eyes sweeping over the group, his eyes lingering on the new faces as Jean-Claude made the introductions.

"This is Micah, Nimra-Ra of the wereleopards and Anita's mate, Nathaniel is a wereleopard, Byron is one of my Court here," Jean-Claude motioned along to the two stunning wereleopards, Micah with brilliant chartreuse yellow/green like a leopard, and Nathaniel who was utterly beautiful with auburn hair that fell to his calves and absolutely unique lavender eyes.

Byron looked like he had been turned when he was a teenager, soft blond hair and piercing grey eyes that seemed to have a mischief to them that made Harry smile right away.

"Pleasure to meet you all," he bowed his head. As he turned his eyes to the side he found something flashing across Asher's face before he turned his eyes away from where he had been watching Harry.

"A fellow Brit!" Byron exclaimed and Harry knew he was right, the Vampire was a fun soul.

"It is definitely good between you and Requiem to know I will have someone to talk to about the homeland," Harry grinned.

"I am detecting notes of London in there!" Byron grinned walking over to him.

"Surrey," Harry nodded.

"Oh! I used to hunt around there!" Byron clapped.

"Dear Merlin, that must have been more than a little cookie cutter tasting," Harry rolled his eyes.

"Merlin?" Jean-Claude stepped forward looking curious.

"As in the Merlin?" Anita added.

"Yeah the Merlin, we kind of use his name the way Muggles use God," Harry nodded.

"Muggles?" Rafael tilted his head.

"What my people call none magical people," Harry explained.

"Fascinating, and Merlin was a real figure?" Anita asked.

"As far as we can figure out, he is said to have been one of the most powerful Wizards to have ever lived, he used a mixture of the magic that I possess and an ancient magic that not many hold anymore," Harry nodded.

"Please sit," Jean-Claude motioned to one of the sofas, Harry shuffled over to the sofa that Asher perched himself on and quickly claimed the seat next to him.

The blond Vampire looked at him startled before that lovely blush spread over his cheeks again when Harry smiled brightly at him, the others shuffling to their own seats.

"We have a few questions about your magic, and what it can do," Jean-Claude said as he settled next to Anita.

"The pimping of my magic," Harry nodded with a grin.

"Indeed," Jean-Claude chuckled.

"I can give you some books that help you understand my magic and some of what it can do, but honestly I think it is going to be more a situation of you telling me what you need, and me telling you if I can help or what I can do. My skills lie in healing, defensive and offensive battle magic, charms and wards. The wards I think are going to be of the most benefit to you, and Asher mentioned that you are running out of space in the Circus, I can cast charms that will expand the inside to give you more space without you needing to expand the outside," Harry said thoughtfully, leaning back in his seat and discretely breathing in the sweet orange scent that came from Asher.

"Wards?" Anita asked, professional interest flashing through her eyes.

"Yes, I think layered wards would be better here, wards for the upstairs areas, and then separate wards down here. I can tie them to yourselves as well so you would feel more secure of them not being in my hands," Harry nodded.

"You're being very accommodating," Jean-Claude narrowed his eyes a little.

"And that makes me suspicious?" Harry asked confused as Asher found himself surprised as he fought not to bristle at the tone against the Wizard.

"You have not seen some of the people that have passed through here supposedly meant to help us," Rafael snorted, and Asher got the impression that the Rom liked Harry.

"Did The Traveller say why it was I needed somewhere to move to?" Harry asked thoughtfully, the easy, playful look leaving his face, and instead was replaced with a much more political mask.

"He mentioned that your situation at home had become untenable and that you needed somewhere new," Jean-Claude tilted his head, clearly intrigued by the change in the younger man.

"Cards on the table," Harry said and then paused, clearly collecting his thoughts. "A power Dark Lord targeted me when I was a baby, through an archaic spell that my mother cast and then used her murder as the sacrifice for the Dark Lord was temporarily defeated, but it tied us together, this was a mark of it," Harry lifted his black fringe and they were able to see an unusual lightning bolt scar sitting on his head.

"Tied you together how?" Anita asked.

"He transferred some of his powers to me, and he forged a mental connection, when he got more powerful again when I was around 11 I was able to feel his emotions if he was feeling them particularly strongly, also if we were close to each other it would be agony. Long story short, there were a lot of battles along the way until I was 16, and then the adults around me finally trained me to fight him. When I was 18 I was able to defeat him. Unfortunately the fact that I had received the training I did but didn't want to become a police officer in our world, and the fact that I was powerful enough to defeat him made everyone suspicious of me. They have been making noises about trying to arrest me, that is when I legged it to The Traveller,"

"They tried to arrest you for…defeating the bad guy?" Anita asked incredulously.

"Unfortunutely the Wizarding community are incredibly changeable, they were accusing me of being dangerous when I 15, then changed their mind and decided I was their hero, and then changed their minds again," Harry snorted.

"And what has this to do with you willingly offering your magic here?" Jean-Claude asked.

"All I want is somewhere to settle down, somewhere to put down roots and try and enjoy my life now that I am not being hunted down by my parents' killer. I am not looking for a peaceful life really, I think I would be too bored, and The Traveller said that there would be little chance I would be bored here. If you're willing to allow me to settle here and create a life, then I will help you," Harry shrugged.

"And in return?" Requiem asked.

"I am fairly sure that The Traveller already told you that trying to manipulate me wouldn't go down well, too many people have tried to do that. That I really don't take well to, and you would lose all trust and goodwill from me. Aside from that, I would like you not to expect things from me, to be asked for my help not demanded, and to be treated with respect. If you can give me that as well as the safety of being here, I will do what I can to help you, and freely offer my magic where I can, especially if it means keeping you and yours safe,"

"That is not really a lot to ask for," Jean-Claude frowned.

"I am not really a very complicated person," Harry shrugged. "I couldn't give a fuck about power games, being on top or anything like that. I literally just want to be able to live and enjoy my life, be part of the community here. If you can provide that to me and somewhere safe to live, I will be loyal,"

"Not everyone wants everything and more," Rafael hummed.

"Exactly," Harry grinned.

"You could demand a lot more for what you're offering," Asher said softly, and regretted it slightly when green eyes locked onto him.

"Except I don't really want anything more, it would be asking for it for the sake of it, or demanding something that I would want to be freely given," The Wizard said far too pointedly, making Asher's cheeks heat up again and look away from him. "I also have plenty of money from my family, so I would see very little point in asking for more,"

"So you can create wards here?" Jean-Claude asked.

"Yes, I would need to talk through with you what you would be looking for with the, what type of access you would want to allow and restrict, and I can work from there for you," Harry nodded.

"Would you also be able to ward houses? A good few of our main people live away from the Circus," Jean-Claude asked.

"Yes, and I can put them in either your hands or the owners,"

"Can you make people tell you the truth?" Anita asked.

"With potions yes, it is a little more difficult if it is a Thrope as they burn through it quicker, and a Vampire will throw up all the blood in their system after so you need someone close by to refresh them,"

"That could come in handy, we have had a few traitors," Asher hummed.

"Are there other things that you have needed?" Harry asked curiously.

"Nothing that we can think of right now, I believe if you can supply that book it would be greatly helpful for us to get our heads around your magic and the potential for it," Jean-Claude smiled.

"I will get it to you," Harry nodded.

"Could we see some of your magic?" Nathaniel asked and then flushed a little when all eyes turned to him. "Damien said something about you having a lot of things in a small bag," he muttered.

Harry thought quickly and then drew his wand, a couple of quick flicks and Nathaniel and his chair were floating off of the floor, Bryon grinned when his shirt and trousers became a bright pink.

Harry summoned a few blank pieces of paper to himself and transfigured one into a little model of a leopard, sending it drifting over to Anita, before with a lot more care transfiguring the second paper into a rose, the stem and leaves a shining silver and carefully carved to look like the real thing, the head of the rose was an intricate bloom in purple.

Asher burned bright red when the rose was held out to him.

"Are you going to pull a bunny from a hat next?" Byron teased, and then burst out laughing when Harry flicked his wand over his shoulder and the Vampire found himself suspended in the air upside down.

"This is so much fun!" Nathaniel laughed as he was floated back to the floor.

"Merci," Asher said softly twirling the rose in his fingers, glittering green eyes not having left his face.

"You're welcome," Harry smiled brightly.

"I believe that you will indeed be an interesting addition Harry," Jean-Claude chuckled.

Asher froze in place when a familiar scent reached him, though it should not be as familiar as it was, but he instantly recognised the scent of warm chocolate and vanilla filling the hallway of the Circus.

It had been three days since the meeting with the strange Wizard who wouldn't take his eyes from Asher, and he had been annoyingly on every single waking moment of the Vampire's mind. His eyes, his scent, his voice, those looks that he gave him, it was all Asher could think about, and it was driving him mad.

He reached up and touched the rough scars on his face under his hair as he thought of speaking to Harry again, pausing in stepping forward toward where the scent was coming from. The scars from the holy water were as bad as they ever were, they marred and destroyed his face.

Why would the Wizard want him? How could the Wizard want him when Asher knew that he had been spending a lot of time with the beautiful Nathaniel and Jason, the two had spent nearly every waking moment with the Wizard helping him settle into his house, and when they had not been there they had been here twittering about the Wizard, how nice he was, how fun he was, the things that he had shown them.

Asher hated how jealous he had been when he had heard them talking, especially when it was clear that Harry had been kind and gentle with the two who had been through so much, and who he did count as dear friends now, but that jealousy had been there.

But he had been spending time with them, he had spent time with the handsome Rafael as well, apparently, Byron and Requiem had spent a good few hours at his house, discussing a few different requirements with him, and collecting the books that he had suggested could help them understand his magic.

The night he had arrived, he had seen Asher's scars, but it had been dark and the moon had not been bright; he had more than likely not seen how bad they were, how deep they were, how disfigured he was. The night he had come to the Circus Asher had ensured that his hair covered his face the whole time, not wanting the Wizard to stop looking at him, but that had not been fair to Harry, and once he did see them and realise that Asher was not as beautiful as he thought he was, it would break another part of Asher, especially if he allowed for it to carry on.

No better to nip it in the bud now and take what hurt would already be there rather than making it worse for himself.

With that in mind, he ran his long fingers through his hair and pulled it away from his face, and ignoring the sick feeling in his stomach he walked down the hallway to where he could smell Harry.

He had to blink when he got closer to Harry and realised that the Wizard was muttering to himself, annoyed. Some of the language was impressive.

He stepped around the corner to see Harry with his riot of hair standing on end where he had clearly run his fingers through it multiple times, he had a book in one hand squinting at it, a whole pad full of paper was lying around him with squiggles on them where he was sitting on the floor.

"Are you…ok?" Asher asked hesitantly, stepping closer, momentarily forgetting why he had been coming to see Harry in the first place.

"Asher!" Harry exclaimed, his eyes widening as he dropped his book while he stared at Asher, and the Vampire remembered his plan, and remembered that his scars were on view properly now. The widening eyes as Harry's green gaze scanned quickly over him was the start of what he was expecting.

He was not expecting Harry to flush a little and reach up to try and start calming down the mess his hair was in.

"Is it night already?" Harry asked, squinting around the underground corridor as though he would suddenly spot the moon.

"It is, how long have you been down here?" Asher asked, confused by the reaction he was getting, so different to what he had seen in his head.

"Ugh about 7 hours," Harry groaned, levering himself to his feet using the wall, and Asher winced when he heard the other's back pop, clearly indicating he had not moved much during that time.

"What are you doing?" Asher used Harry looking at the floor at his notes, while also desperately smoothing down his clothes, to brush his hair further from his scarred face.

"I am working on the wards, but I need to work out this formula, and that has never been my strong point," Harry sighed. "I moved to the hallway hoping it would inspire me a little,"

He looked up, and again his green eyes danced over Asher's face, but it was with the same intent gaze that he had had the last time they had seen each other, his eyes seeming to drink Asher in, and that interest that he was not bothering to hide was clear in them.

"I was hoping to be a little more presentable before you woke," Harry admitted.

"All us Vampires?" Asher asked, purposefully ignorant.

"No, you," Harry smiled before sweeping up a piece of paper and, with a muttered spell, was holding a nearly identical rose to the one that was sitting on Asher's desk in a glass vase, except the stem and leaves on this one were gold, and the rose was a lighter purple.

"How are you at maths?" Harry grinned holding the rose out to Asher.

"Maths?" Asher blinked, cautiously reaching out and taking the rose.

"I need to work out the maths for these runes, but I am not good at it. Would you help me? That way I can start casting these damned wards,"

"I…sure," Asher found himself agreeing, completely lost by the fact that Harry had not made excuses and ran, that he was still looking at him that way! The Wizard's face brightened even more, and he waved his wand to gather together the mess of paperwork into one neat pile and then looked expectantly at Asher.

"What is it? You look confused," Harry asked, before glancing at the rose still in Asher's hand. "Am I coming on a little too strong?" he grimaced, looking so concerned that Asher couldn't have stopped the laugh that spilled from his lips.

"Desole, I am not laughing at you, it is just if you had seen what my Maker's Court was like you would not be worried about coming on too strong," Asher chuckled, leading the way down the corridor to his office. "I just…"

Harry looked down at him, a patient expression on his face as they walked in silence while Asher pulled his thoughts together.

"My office is just ahead, perhaps we could talk more privately there?" Asher asked, aware as they walked of the Circus coming to life around them, his ears picking up the sounds of others rising now.

"Of course," Harry smiled, and Asher dashed away the thought that there was very little that the dark haired man wouldn't indulge him in if he asked. "Oh, this is much nicer than Jean-Claude's office," Harry breathed as they walked into the room, taking in the soft white and golden theme that Asher had, the white furniture accented with golds, and here and there flashes of purple.

"I could be offended by that Mon Magicien," Jean-Claude swept up behind them.

Asher felt himself drawing in on himself a little, the conversation that he had been about to have with Harry seeming even heavier and feeling even more foolish when faced with Jean-Claude's beauty heading towards them.

"It just isn't to my taste, this is far closer to it, not that I can claim to be an interior designer by any means, I spent most of yesterday changing the colour of my furniture just to stop Jason and Nathaniel looking so horrified by 'my horrific clash' of colours," Harry shrugged with a pleasant smile.

"Everyone has their tastes," Jean-Claude said more to Asher than to Harry. "Were you working on something?"

"Asher was going to help me with the maths I need for the wards so that I can start casting them for you, it isn't my strongest point," Harry explained, holding up the wad of papers in his hands.

"Ah wonderful, you would be ready to cast them so soon?" Jean-Claude asked surprised, leaning against the doorway of Asher's office and looking as though he was in a fashion photoshoot in his open chested ruffled shirt, tight leather pants and thigh high boots.

Asher fought from starting slightly when Harry was suddenly a little closer to him, close enough that Asher could feel the heat of his body.

"Yes, the prickly wererat that looked as though she could disembowel me in a thousand ways with a teaspoon let me down to start plotting them out, this maths sorted out and a little more wandering around and I should be able to lay the basics for you," Harry nodded.

"Wonderful, I appreciate that you have not delayed on it, though we would have understood allowing you to settle into your new home first," Jean-Claude drawled.

"I like to keep busy," Harry shrugged, and then Asher felt his eyes on him again. "And I wanted to come back here, it is quite interesting,"

"Indeed, and the residents you find interesting I believe," Jean-Claude tilted his head, and Harry just offered a cheeky grin when Asher glanced up at him. "I will leave you to it, Asher do not worry about your other duties tonight, I will deal with them, please assist our Mon Magicien with his work,"

"Jean-Claude…" Asher choked even as the Master of the City was already walking away.

"If you do not wish to spend the evening with me I will not be offended," Harry said easily, and Asher found himself flushing at the soft smile on the other's face.

He drifted over to the door and shut it, ridiculously for a Vampire his age, and with the things that he had done, feeling his heart beating faster in his chest at the thought of being so alone with the Wizard, the implications of the privacy that they now had.

"It is not that I do not wish to spend time with you," Asher said softly, turning and making his way over to his white sofa. Harry settled next to him, placing his book and paperwork onto the coffee table before giving Asher his full attention, resting his forearms on his thighs as those intent green eyes drank him in, eager and uncaring.

"But?" Harry asked when Asher hesitated.

"I am not…you are…I…" Asher huffed out an exasperated breath, clenching his eyes shut.

"Are my attentions to you unwanted Asher? If you are not comfortable with them, please tell me, I will stop, I don't want to make you uncomfortable. If you want to just be friends, I will rein it in,"

"It is not that your attentions are unwanted, I just do not understand them," Asher sighed.

"Why?" Harry asked, sounding so baffled that Asher opened his eyes, and indeed found the Wizard looking utterly lost.

"You have seen a sampling of the people around here, they are all stunning," Asher waved his hand at the door, the Circus coming alive with said stunning men and women.

"Well yes, they're all very good looking, it is like walking into a models' hideout or something," Harry snorted. "I honestly don't know how you don't have hundreds of modelling agencies hounding you,"

"Jean-Claude threatened them," Asher said absently, not having expected Harry to admit to seeing how attractive the others were when he was clearly trying to pursue Asher, but he had, and now he was sitting looking expectantly at Asher for him to carry on.

"Is there something else?" Harry asked, confused.

"I am not…" Asher couldn't help but reach up and touch his scarred cheek. He started when his found his fingers captured in Harry's larger ones, far rougher than his own soft skin, Asher absently noted that Harry was no stranger to hard work, but then the thought fell from him when Harry was suddenly much closer to him, and his eyes seemed to be burning as he looked at Asher.

"The others are stunning, and uniquely so for a lot of them," Harry nodded, and Asher felt his heart sinking. "But you are devastatingly beautiful, and there is something that utterly intrigues me about your personality that makes me just want to get to know you better, spend more time with you," Harry carried on, and Asher stared at him wide eyed.

"Do you not see them?" the Vampire asked incredulously.

"Who? The others?" Harry frowned, and if it were not for the genuine confusion on his face Asher would have thought he was making fun of him.

"No, my scars!" Asher hissed.

"May I?" Harry's voice and eyes softened and he reached out his hands to Asher's face.

The other both longed for him to touch him, and dreaded the look on his face when he felt the damaged skin under his hands. In the time that he, Jean-Claude and Anita had been together neither of the other two had been able to bring themselves to touch that side of his face, and they avoided the scars on his body when they could.

He nodded his head with a sigh, clenching his hand around the rose still in it as he waited for the reaction. Harry's fingers brushed gently over the scars at first, a barely there touch as his eyes swept over them in a way that felt heavier than his physical touch, and made Asher feel exposed, but then his touch became a little firmer until he was cupping the blond's face and…there was nothing.

"What were you expecting?" Harry asked gently.

"Degoute," Asher said and then when Harry looked at him baffled. "Disgust,"

"With what? You're scarred, I can see that, and I hate that you have had to go through something that was clearly utter agony to you. Seeing them makes me angry that someone would hurt you in this way. But they don't disgust me, and they don't make you ugly which is what you seem to believe," Harry shook his head, and with his free hand reached out to curl a golden lock around his finger. "You have to be the most stunning person I have ever seen in my life,"

"Jean-Claude…" Asher started to say and then stopped himself, partly wondering why he was trying so hard to put the Wizard off, though he knew why deep down, he desperately wanted to avoid being hurt.

"Not my type, and not as stunning as you," Harry smiled.

"I am disfigured," Asher breathed out.

"I am sorry if that is what you see, but I don't see that, at all, I see someone utterly beautiful, who makes my heart do ridiculous things, and if it is ok, I would like to spend more time with, court and get to know you better," Harry stroked his thumb over Asher's cheek.

"I don't…you wish to court me?" Asher asked surprised.

"Of course," Harry smiled softly as he brushed his fingers through Asher's long golden hair, a faint look of awe on his face Asher thought. "I am kind of an all in person, once I set my mind to something I am fairly set. I am not looking for a little bit of fun, or something casual,"

Asher felt himself go a little wide eyed at that, and he could see the regret in Harry's eyes, clearly thinking that he had scared Asher off, or that he had said too much too fast. Reaching out he carefully took Harry's free hand in both of his.

"That is something that I believe I would like," Asher felt himself smiling softly now. "I have been longing for a good while now to be someone's priority, to be with someone who wants just me. I know you said the other day that being casual wasn't your thing but…"

"I would be looking to be only with you," Harry clarified. "I am not interested in anyone but you,"

"I have never had that before," Asher admitted, he looked down to their joined hands and ran his fingers over the back of Harry's, unable to believe that this chance was in front of him, even as he tried to organise his thoughts to explain things to Harry.

Glancing further down he looked at the rose that he had placed into his lap so he could take Harry's hand, and he found himself finding his confidence to speak.

"I think I have always wanted to have a monogamous relationship, even before what happened to me. I had a human servant, Julianna. Initially we were happy, and I thought that… Jean-Claude and I were close before I met Julianna, and he started travelling with us, and Julianna, she was attracted to him, as I was, but I did not want…"

"It is ok, you don't have to explain anything," Harry said softly, lowering his hand from Asher's face to cover his hands, and Asher shivered a little at the warmth that it put through him.

"I want to, I want you to understand," Asher said quietly, looking up and meeting those green eyes. "I want you to know before you make a decision on this,"

"You're underestimating quite how attracted to you I am, looks and personality," Harry said brushing the backs of his fingers down Asher's face, before smiling a little more mischievously in the way that the Vampire was becoming addicted to seeing. "And you're underestimating how hard headed I can be,"

Asher actually found himself chuckling despite the topic of discussion, able to completely believe that Harry could be hard headedly determined when he wanted to be.

"When Julianna expressed wanting to sleep with Jean-Claude, I couldn't find myself to say no, despite not really feeling comfortable with it, and the culture I came from, there was nothing wrong with it. We became a Ménage à toi and even though I was happy enough, it wasn't what I wanted," Asher licked his lips as he lowered his eyes.

"I am sorry," Harry said gently, and it wasn't empty words.

"I loved Jean-Claude in my own way, but I didn't want to be in that type of relationship, I could have been happy with one or the other, I loved them both dearly, but not both of them at the same time, and with them loving each other. After a while of us being together, Jean-Claude's mother was dying, and he went to be with her, leaving myself and Julianna alone for a while. I enjoyed it being the two of us, she missed him terribly. And then we were caught by the church. They thought that I was a demon, and that she was a witch. They burned me with holy water, that is why I am scarred the way I am…they burned her at the stake,"

Asher paused and looked down at their joined hands again, watching as Harry's thumb rubbed back and forth on his hand, his tanned skin standing out against Asher's own pale skin.

"Her last words…were for Jean-Claude, she thought that he would come and save her. I was…damaged. Jean-Claude did come, he saved me, and he took me back to our Maker for her to heal me. He exchanged his own freedom for 300 years for her to heal me but…she loves anything beautiful, anything unusual, anything stunning. She was repulsed by me,"

"I know her, I have heard of her through The Traveller," Harry squeezed his hands, and when Asher looked up his eyes were snapping in fury, for him Asher realised, he was furious for him.

"I spent a long time in her Court healing, not knowing what else to do with myself. I had always been handsome and stunning, it was part of who I was, what I was. I didn't know how to be while being as ugly as I am now. I grew angry at Jean-Claude, I didn't want him near me, I couldn't stand to look at him, seeing him still whole, knowing Julianna's last words had been his name, I started blaming him for not being there to help us, for not getting there sooner, even though I knew that it wasn't his fault," Asher sighed.

"You went through a trauma, you went through something utterly horrific, and then were treated terribly by your Maker when you were trying to heal," Harry shook his head, sweeping Asher's hair from his face again where he had automatically moved it to hide the scars. "Please don't refer to yourself as ugly though, please,"

Asher clenched his eyes shut as he felt tears spilling over at the words, the utter belief in Harry's voice that he was not ugly, the hurt that Asher would call himself that.

He sucked in a shaky breath when lips brushed over his eyes, he pulled in a second shuddering breath when those lips followed the pathway of the tears on his face before brushing over his lips as Harry's large, warm hands cupped his face as though he was something precious and delicate.

Harry kept the kiss gentle, barely a feather of lips before they parted, and Asher stared into his green eyes, feeling as though he were losing himself in them as they watched him. Before he could second guess himself Asher moved closer to Harry and curled himself so that he could rest his head on Harry's shoulder. As he had hoped the Wizard's arms wrapped around him, closing around his waist and hugging him firmly.

"I came here to destroy Jean-Claude, to ruin his world, to hurt the human servant that he had finally claimed. Anita and the others made me realise how misplaced my hatred was, and that I still cared for him, that hurting him would only hurt me more. I decided to stay, to try and get better, and I have in a lot of ways, but I started a relationship with Anita and Jean-Claude. Partly because I thought it was what I wanted, partly because Anita didn't fully treat me differently for my scars, partly because I thought I could maybe go back in time, myself, Jean-Claude and a human servant. I was miserable though, Anita has a lot of lovers, and so does Jean-Claude, they're both busy being Master of the City, and she his human servant, in charge of a good few lycanthrone packs and being a contact for the police. I couldn't be a priority to them in any way. I realised that I want monogamy, I want to be able to be important to my partner, for them to prioritise me, and be allowed to prioritise them myself," Asher explained. "I broke things off with them months ago when it started hurting me too much to be with them,"

"I understand, I do not think that I could share my partner with anyone, seeing them with someone else would rip me apart," Harry said thoughtfully, clearly imagining it as his arms tightened around Asher, before he gentled the grip, one arm remained around the Vampire, and the other reached up to comb his fingers through Asher's hair. "I have wanted someone for a few years now, someone that I can love, someone that I can put all my attention on, someone that I can care for, show my love to,"

"And you have decided on me?" Asher asked a little incredulously, and in punishment Harry tugged his hair gently.

"I learned long ago through everything that I have been through to trust my instincts, to trust my magic. It is the reason that I am sitting here now, it has helped me in my fights, it has helped me to read people, it told me when to run right as my people moved to arrest me and probably throw me in the darkest cell that they could find. Everything in me is pulling me towards you, everything is telling me that you're who I have been looking for, from the moment I saw you,"

"I was called to you as well," Asher admitted. "Everything has called to you as well,"

"You will allow me to Court you?" Harry asked.

"Harry…my scars, they're not just on my face, they're all down my body. Anita didn't mind them, but neither she nor Jean-Claude could bring themselves to touch them,"

"They don't bother me, or horrify me, or make me think any differently of you, whatever it is that is going through your mind," Harry insisted.

Asher lay in Harry's arms for a moment longer, allowing himself that moment of enjoyment, a contentment that he had not felt before despite the conversation, before he pulled away and looked at Harry.

"Let me show you them, before you make a decision. If…if we were to do this, and then you were repulsed by me, it would…" Asher stopped talking, not wanting to admit out loud how much it would affect him.

"Show me," Harry smiled, clearly sure that he was not going to change his mind. Asher wished that he could have the same confidence.

He took a breath before standing and taking a step away from Harry, reaching up before he could change his mind and removed his coat, setting it to the side, and then quickly unbuttoned his shirt. He paused, aware of green eyes locked intently onto him, before parting his shirt and tugging it off in one smooth move, throwing the material to the side, and fighting from tensing as he stared at the wall, not wanting to look at Harry's face.

Despite everything he could feel hope in his heart at Harry's reaction, going by everything so far, and he so badly wanted to stamp it out of himself before he was disappointed again, before he was hurt again. But the Wizard seemed to have managed to have planted that hope inside of Asher.

He started when a hand touched his scarred side, and he looked down wide eyed to see Harry looking at the scars, and there was no sign of disgust on his face, no repulsion. The Wizard swept his hand over the expanse of Asher's scarred chest, before reaching up with his other hand and did the same on his unharmed side.

Carefully he drew his fingers along the melted skin of Asher's side, his fingers tickling almost with his gentle touch and then Asher sucked in a loud and startled gasp when Harry grasped his hips and pulled him closer, before his lips settled on Asher's scarred ribs.

"Harry!" Asher gasped, burying his fingers into the dark riot of hair.

"You're beautiful Asher, yes you are scarred, but that does not make you any less beautiful, any less stunning. Merlin Asher, the things you do to me!" Harry groaned and Asher tightened his fingers into the Wizard's hair, pressing closer to him as the words as much as the touch soaked into him.

"Harry, you do not know…" Asher felt the tears filling his eyes again. He went with Harry's gentle tug and he found himself straddling Harry's lap and hugged properly this time, Harry's strong arms wrapping around him and making him feel as though he were being hidden away from the world in this vulnerable moment.

"I am sorry, I should not be crying in this moment," Asher shook his head as he buried his face into Harry's shoulder.

"Do not apologise for crying, and definitely not for taking comfort from me, if you need that from me, I would be more than happy to provide it! I want to be someone you need, I want to be someone you want, I want to be here for you, and provide you whatever it is you need," Harry's words soaked into him like a balm, even as the feeling of his hands stroking over both scarred and unscarred flesh seared through the blond.

Asher was unsure how long they sat there for like that, Harry seemingly more than happy just holding Asher, and the Vampire soaking up the feeling of being held, being touched, like a cat soaking up heat. Harry would murmur softly to Asher now and then, and his hands didn't stop their gentle caresses, Asher thought for a moment that it was for Asher only, but then he realised that Harry was enjoying the caress almost as much as Asher was, he was clearly enjoying just sitting holding him, and being close to him.

Eventually Asher forced himself to separate from Harry, pulling back so that he could pull his shirt back on, and settle into the seat next to the young man.

"So, can I court you?" Harry asked hopefully again, and Asher blinked at him before laughing brightly. "I am taking that as a yes!" Harry warned cheerfully.

"If you wish to do so still, I will not be dissuading you," Asher shook his head.

"I will make sure you don't regret it," Harry beamed, taking Asher's hand and kissing the back of it like a gentleman.

Asher leant forward and pressed a kiss to his cheek, sweeping along it to kiss his lips briefly before pulling back, chuckling at the bright smile that he received in return for the kiss.

"We should work on your wards," Asher said standing and picking up his rose, moving across to his desk and carefully placing it in the vase with his other one. He blushed a little when he turned and found Harry's eyes on him, but he made his way back over and settled down, pulling the mess of squiggles towards him.

"I may have lost the plot a little, we may be best starting fresh," Harry admitted squinting at the squiggles. " I am really good at the casting part of magic, the theory part is not my favourite,"

"You enjoy what you are?" Asher asked curiously, "after what your own people did to you?"

"I do, what I am, magic, is nothing to do with those small minded idiots who judged me, and attacked me. I love magic, I love the freedom that it gives me, I love that I can protect myself with it," Harry explained as Asher stood and retrieved a fresh pad of paper.

"Protect yourself? Like from your Dark Lord?" Asher asked.

"And my relatives," Harry said and shrugged at Asher's startled glance. "I went to live with my mum's sister after my parents were killed. My mum is what we call a muggleborn in our world, she was born to muggle parents but had magic, her sister didn't. My aunt and her husband hated anything that was different, anything that wasn't part of their normal cookie cutter world. They definitely hated magic. I was mistreated in that house, they beat me, I was nothing but a servant to them," Harry explained.

"How old were you when you went to live with them?" Asher asked, feeling horrified at the image that Harry was painting of his life.

"15 months," Harry shrugged. "I went to a magical boarding school when I was eleven to learn magic, I only found out when I turned eleven that I was a Wizard and understood why it was that my relatives actually hated me. I wasn't exactly safe at the school, I had to face against Voldemort, the Dark Lord that killed my family, nearly every year, and there were other dangers in the school, but it got me away from them for most of the year,"

"Why were you left with them? Did no one notice what was happening?" Asher asked incredulously, his French accent heavy with the anger he was feeling.

"They needed me to defeat Voldemort, they all strongly suspected that he was coming back, and that I needed to kill him, my mother's sacrifce cast a blood protection over me, it is actually something that I want to look a little more into now that I have time and won't be crucified for looking into it. The wards were stronger when I spent time around people of my blood, my aunt and cousin were the only ones left that matched that," Harry shrugged.

"So your mental wellbeing, and even fully physical well being were second to just keeping you alive so that they could use you as some sort of shield?" Asher asked angrily.

"Pretty much, that is why I have no loyalty to them, and why what I want is so simple, what I am looking for is so simple," Harry said. Asher reached out and stroked his fingers over Harry's face, the kindness that the man possessed, the warmth that he had even more surprising now that Asher knew how he had grown up.

"You could have asked for much, much more for your place here, and the magic that you are offering," Asher told him, feeling a little like he was betraying Jean-Claude as he did, but unable to help himself.

"But I don't want anything else, it would be asking for it for the sake of asking for it. I would rather be honest and just ask for what I actually want, rather than trying to come up with things I have no interest in," Harry took his hand and kissed his fingers.

"I bhelieve that will take getting used to, I am very used to greedy people asking for everything and more, especially is they hold a good hand of cards," Asher hummed.

"That is something that you will never have to worry about with me, or that I am hiding things, I am a pretty upfront person." Harry smiled. "I know the game, and I know how to play it if needed, but I prefer not to."

"I believe I am looking forward to getting to know you," Asher bit his lip as a blush spread over his cheeks.

"Me too," Harry grinned and Asher was definitely blushing at how handsome he looked with that smile.

"Come, the wards, before it is morning and we have done nothing," Asher turned to the papers.

Harry smiled softer at him, but turned and opened the book to the correct page, and then started explaining what it was that he needed help with, and how the workings out were done.

"So you need to use this formula because you're creating them in a more complicated way?" Asher asked a while later, again more than impressed with the intelligence that the other held.

"Yes, I can cast wards that don't need much of this theory behind them, they're solid, blunt things, like using a gun to shoot someone. I cast them around the area and everything in them is protected from anyone at all that comes in that are not keyed into the wards. There are ones that are a little more fluid where you cast them and they stop anyone coming in that is not keyed in, but you can invite people in. These ones that I want to cast will be more suitable because you have people coming and going from here, guests and visitors, these ones will be able to read intent, anyone that wants to cause harm or damage will not be able to come in, and once I have them in place I can work on them to a point where should someone who has already gotten passed the wards decide to become violent they will then be ejected from the wards, that takes a little more time and work, but it is doable. What?" Harry asked when he caught the expression on Asher's face.

"You are a very good teacher, you explain well," Asher complimented.

"Thank you," Harry flushed a little, delighting the Vampire.

"So this formula is what is needed?" Asher scribbled for a good while and then pulled back for Harry to look at.

"That is it!" Harry nodded happily.

"And you need…" Asher scribbled a bit more, referring back and forth from Harry's books, and some of the notes that he had taken of the dimensions of the Circus. "This?" he asked after a few moments, biting his lip as he scanned over the figures.

"That is it, beauty and brains!" Harry kissed his cheek before grabbing the paperwork and scanning them over a second time, nodding his head happily, unaware of the riot that he caused inside of Asher, no sign of a lie having been in his heartbeat.

"Can you start casting?" Asher asked.

"The basics yup, and then tomorrow night I can really start settling them in," Harry said still looking the figures over, memorising them now.

"May I watch?" Asher requested softly.

"Of course you can," Harry blinked at him, "anything you want to see, I will show you,"

The thought once again of there being very little that Harry wouldn't indulge him in sprung to mind.

"Where do you need to start?" Asher asked, sounding a little more breathless than he meant to.

"The very centre of the Circus," Harry said standing, and then held his hand out to the blond to help him to his feet.

"Have you a way to find that? I do not believe even Jean-Claude know where that is exactly," Asher said concerned, taking the hand and allowing himself to be drawn up, heart delighting at the simple gesture.

"I do, it is a handy spell. You can find pretty much anything with it unless magic is blocking you," Harry nodded before holding his wand flat on the palm of his hand. "Point me, centre of the Circus," he said, and Asher watched awed as his wand spun as though getting it's bearings, and then settled with the tip pointing.

He watched as they walked through the corridors as the wand spun here and there to direct them through the twisting corridors of the Circus.

"Your magic is so different," Asher said as they walked, his hand firmly in the warmth of Harry's free hand.

"In a good way?" Harry asked, and Asher remembered what he had said about the way his relatives had thought of his magic.

"Definitely in a good way, I just want to see more and more of it," Asher assured him.

"That I can definitely indulge you in," Harry said.

"Asher, Harry, what are you up to?" Byron popped up from nowhere with Requiem and headed over to them.

"We're starting to cast the wards, we're just heading to start," Harry smiled for the Vampire, but both their eyes were on Asher and Harry's joined hands.

"That sounds interesting, do you mind if we join you?" Requiem asked, but Harry just looked at Asher for his answer.

"That would be fine, it will be good for Harry to get to know people here better," Asher nodded. They set off, with Byron and Harry talking a little about London.

Asher felt eyes on him and turned to see Reqiuem watching him intently, concern in his blue eyes. Asher tilted his head but the other shook his head indicating he wanted a private conversation with him.

"What?! But how!" Byron's exclamation caught their attention and they turned to see Harry laughing.

"What are you squawking about?" Requiem asked.

"I am not squawking!" Bryon huffed, before carrying. "But Harry is saying that there is a massive Wizarding shopping area right by Charing Cross Road!"

"There isn't one there," Requiem frowned.

"I assure you there is, a large alley, about thirty shops, several restaurants, cafes, pubs and a giant white bank," Harry's eyes were twinkling in that way Asher was coming to love seeing.

"But…there isn't, I have been there a few dozen times over centuries!" Requiem protested.

"Wards," Harry finally explained. "They are hidden from all eyes except for Wizarding ones, and certain magical beings, the prejudice in the Wizarding world wouldn't allow for you guys to see it unless you were able to use a wand,"

"But how do people not notice that there is a section of London missing?" Byron asked.

"The way magic works, you can cast wards over an area, and spells, that makes people's minds literally jump over it, it tricks the brain into just not seeing it. Like if you guys roll someone to not see something right in front of their faces,"

"Can Wizards be rolled?" Asher asked curiously.

"Yes, we're a lot more difficult to roll than muggles, and we're more likely to be able to fight it off, but we are. I won't be," Harry shrugged.

"Why not?" Anita part asked, part demanded as she joined them as though she had always been part of the conversation.

"Wizards and Witches in my world can enter someone else's mind, through eye contact as well, a lot of powerful people around me could do it, I learned to stop them from being able to by learning the opposite skill Occulamency,"

"You can read people's minds?" Byron asked.

"I can if I use the spell, it is not something that I really like to do though, I hate that invasion of privacy into my own mind, and while I can be many things to survive, I am not a hypocrite," Harry shrugged, redirecting them as his wand spun slightly.

"Why do you dislike it so much?" Anita asked.

"You mind is the one place that should be private, it is the one place where we can think whatever we want, our worst thoughts, our best thoughts, it is where we hold our most precious and most feared memories, it is the one place that we should all be allowed to retreat to for safety, security, for peace, invading that is…" Harry could even finish speaking, but the expression on his face said how utterly distasteful he found it.

Asher squeazed his hand gently, realising that Harry as a child, growing up in hatred and being mistreated, would have likely had only one place of true retreat and safety, and that was his own mind. He could think what he wanted of his relatives without risk of punishment, he could also likely retreat back there to try and find some peace and happiness while surrounded by hatred.

How many times had he himself retreated into his own mind, to happier memories to take himself from the unhappiness of his life?

"That is very noble," Requiem said seriously, before looking a little offended when Harry laughed.

"Sorry, I have never been called that before," Harry grinned.

"You're too mischievous for it Mon Emerauld," Asher chuckled and got a bright grin back.

Asher ignored Anita's eyes on him and instead focussed on the wand in Harry's hand when it suddenly span around again.

"This is the centre?" Asher guessed, looking around the random corridor.

"Perfect centre," Harry nodded. He raised Asher's hand to his mouth and kissed the back of it before he released it and stepped over to the wall, pulling a few shrunken items from his pocket and then started scribbling in golden ink on the wall, the runes familiar from the book that he had gone through with Asher.

Anita stepped up next to him and started scrutinising them, her dark eyes clearly trying to recognise any of the runes that Harry was writing on the wall.

Asher suddenly realised that Requiem had stepped up next to him, Byron standing in a way that would mostly block them from sight.

"I want to make sure that you are happy with this, and are not doing it because you feel that you need to, or because you have been pressured into doing so," Requiem said so softly that Anita definitely wouldn't have picked up on the words with her sharp ears, even Byrin standing close to them would have struggled.

"I want to, I am interested in him, and what he can offer me, what he is looking for, I want too, and I am attracted to him, deeply so. There is something in him that calls to me, and he has said that he feels the same," Asher said equally softly, finding himself being honest when faced with the honest, friendly concern from the other.

"You deserve to be happy, I hope that he can give you what it is that you need," Requiem said, touching Asher's arm gently.

"Me too," Asher looked over at Harry and found him and Anita in the middle of an argument over runes that they both seemed to be quite enjoying.

"Mon Magicien, I do hope that these will not need to stay here like this?" Jean-Claude looked faintly horrified as he took in the corridor wall, the white wall was full of gold, black and red scribbled runes.

Asher looked up from one of Harry's books on his magic that he had flashed to go and get when it became apparent that this was not going to be incredibly interesting while Harry was writing the runes, Byron and Requiem had disappeared, but Anita had stayed, still interested in the wards, and still arguing magical theory with Harry when he didn't need to concentrate.

Asher was seated in a comfortable white armchair that Harry had created for him, devouring the book that would help him understand the other better.

He stifled his laugh at the panicked expression on Jean-Claude's face at seeing his walls.

"They will fade I promise," Harry leant passed Anita to see him properly. "Once I fully cast them they will sink in,"

"Won't that make them less effective though, wouldn't it be better for them to stay visible?" Anita frowned.

"No!" Jean-Claude said quickly.

"Not with these wards, part of the power of them is that no one knows how they are cast, what layering you have used on them, if you leave the wards visible then someone else could read them and know what they are," Harry shook his head, and Asher raised his book to his face to hide his laughter at how relieved Jean-Claude looked.

"They have been like this for two hours," Asher said to the other Vampire as Harry and Anita fell into another argument over magical runes.

"I believe that they are getting on," Jean-Claude squinted at the two of them.

"They are," Asher nodded.

"Asher, she has broken my concentration, can you work this out for me," Harry huffed coming over with his papers. This had happened serval times now, and Asher quickly found his pen down the side of the chair and looked at where Harry was, before writing quickly.

"This?" Asher offered the papers back.

"Perfect!" Harry nodded after checking it over a couple of times.

Jean-Claude cautiously settled against the wall next to Asher to watch the Wizard working, Anita hot on his heels, asking questions, the two of them bantering back and forth as they moved.

Asher found himself reluctant to part from Harry that night as they stood near the exit of the Circus, Jean-Claude and Anita having moved to leave them to say goodbye to each other.

"What is the matter?" Harry asked softly, seeing the expression on Asher's face.

"It feels as though if you leave now, I will wake up and this will have all just been a dream, this will have never have happened, and I will wake with nothing," Asher admitted, holding a little tighter onto Harry's hands.

"I promise you, I will be here tomorrow before you wake, and you will know that it isn't a dream. Honestly, the fact that you are giving me this chance, the fact that you are allowing me to court you," Harry looked at Asher with that look of awe in his eyes.

"Will you kiss me before you go?" Asher asked softly, and Harry was stepping into him almost before he could finish, wrapping his arms around Asher's waist and drawing him against him, leaning down Harry pressed their lips together, firmly but not pressing any deeper.

Asher breathed out against his lips and wrapped his arms around his shoulders, just enjoying being held close to the warm body.

"I will see you tomorrow?" Asher opened his stunning blue eyes and looked up at Harry.

"You will know as soon as you wake it wasn't a dream," Harry promised, kissing Asher briefly on the lips, and then kissed his cheek before stepping back and apparating out before he did something silly like begging to stay with Asher.

Harry arrived back at his new home, still in the process of being put together, and he took a breath as he looked around it, though his mind was miles away back at the Circus and with Asher.

He had been through so much, and what he wanted wasn't much to ask for. And Harry was fairly sure that he could give him what he wanted.

He moved to the kitchen to throw something together to eat and drink, summoning a pad to himself, ready to start planning how he was going to sweep Asher off of his feet.