Curious, Harry looked out the window, but it was only gray in gray. The only thing that could be heard was the ghostly sound of the Nightmares.

"Where are we here?" Harry asked curiously.

"In a kind of space that only the Nightmares can enter, Milord."

"Amelia!"

"Sorry, but I'll only address you inside the palace with your name and only when we're alone. Anything else would just bother me, "Amelia said firmly.

"Oh! And what about my concept? "Harry asked sarcastically.

Now Amelia looked at him uncertainly, "Please, Milord. I am your servant and I was brought up to behave like that, "she pleaded.

Harry sighed and nodded, "It's alright. Do not worry if you annoy me or not. Such trifles are irrelevant to me, and I have experienced too bad things. "

Amelia nodded sympathetically, "I know."

It hurt her to see her young master suffer so much, even if he was outwardly firm and hard. Her eyes hardened as he turned his gaze back to the window.

She would see to it that this did not happen to him again and she would punish the culprits.

What a happy coincidence that at least one would soon land in Azkaban.

She studied her new master for the first time in peace.

He looked handsome in his slender yet athletic frame, his long wavy hair loosely over his shoulders and his glowing green eyes. And the sight in the locker room of the Dragon Master was also in her mind. She sighed inwardly.

The elegant and protective robe of dragon skin, which matched so well with him and his situation with its deep dull black, underlined the impression. He looked good and like a born ruler. Even though she knew he was not that way right now.

But his facial expressions and his dealings with other people, hard when it came down to it, friendly when appropriate, control over his feelings and logical choices, combined with the will to do the right thing, made him a leader. And he had more than enough will, otherwise he would not have been able to keep in shape while in Azkaban.

In fact, how did he escape? He was already the second to do that on his own. In addition, he must have learned a lot, because if she was allowed to trust her reports, he was currently mastering more and more complex spells than he might have learned in school, like the Shield, for example.

But before she could ask him, they had already arrived.

The doors were opened from the outside. She meant to get Harry out first.

Harry smoothed his robe and stepped out of the carriage. Immediately, four guards knelt, waiting to the right and left of the way down.

"Long live Lord Zaire," they said in sync.

Behind him, Amelia stepped out of her head and bowed to Lord Zaire.

"Rise up," Harry said dryly.

The guards stood up and saluted.

He looked into their eyes and realized that they were battle-hardened warriors. The eyes showed that they had already fought, suffered and killed. They were tough guys.

"I want you guards not to bow to me."

"But ..." the next one started, he was obviously the leader.

"Silence!" Harry barked hard, "In case of an attack or an ambush, you're at a disadvantage when you're kneeling, if you want to respect me, just salute and bow the head for my sake, but stay upright, and I'm the one Commander-in-Chief of the troops, right? "

"That's right, my lord," said the soldier.

"Then greet me, like a superior, not a ruler. That's better, right? "

The soldier nodded, "Very well, Milord."

"Amelia, what's next?" He asked, controlled and without emotion.

"We will take you to your castle, the guards will accompany us. I will show you the main rooms of the castle and your quarters Milord. Tomorrow, some of the more important people will want to speak to you. Should I schedule an audience? "

"Do that!"

"As you wish, my lord." She bowed her head slightly to confirm it and entered something in her book.

"The book, is it sending messages for you?" Harry asked curiously.

"Yes, that's the way it is. The people in question receive the message. When I make payments, Gringotts transfers money, I can retrieve information and other similar things, "Amelia explained.

Two guards went ahead, Harry followed, and Amelia ran behind him. Harry sighed inwardly at the behavior, but he understood that was the custom.

Behind them came the next two guards.

They walked down a cobbled street and passed through a city that looked generally like Diagon Alley. It was full of small shops selling magic items and other things. He noticed that people were not only pitying him, but Amelia as well. Although she was a servant, she had to hold a high position in the Zaire people's hierarchy.

After a while, they came to a castle surrounded by green fields and carefully trimmed trees. The castle was a bit smaller than Hogwarts and built of black stone. It was not as twisty and playful as Hogwarts but easier and yet it was immediately obvious that it was more defensive to defend more easily. It also seemed darker than Hogwarts, darker and stronger. As they walked through the heavy gate, Harry sensed the power of the wards surrounding the castle.

"Welcome home, Lord Zaire," Amelia said genuinely pleased.

Harry smiled at her and despite the gloomy impression the lock gave, he felt at home. Startled, he noticed the two creatures keeping watch beside the gate, carefully examining him and the guards, griffins, completely black griffins, creatures that had the body of a lion whose coat changed into black plumage in front of his front paws and ended in a huge eagle's head. The magical creature was completed by a pair of huge black feathered wings. What made the powerful creatures even more impressive were the silver eyes and the dangerous-looking beak.

For most people, the two griffins might look scary and create pure terror, but Harry was somehow attracted to the creatures. He walked toward them and the guards leader asked worriedly, "Milord?" All four guards drew their weapons and wands, but Harry waved them off.

He strode toward the griffins, who treaded almost tame and stared at him like faithful dogs. Harry smiled and patted their skulls. They lowered their heads respectfully and growled happily.

When Harry turned away and walked back to the guards, they stepped back to their posts.

The small group stared at Harry, but continued on her way into the castle.

"That should not have been possible, Milord," Amelia said softly.

"Why not?" Harry asked curiously.

"You have not tied yourself to the castle yet. Only after this ceremony should your powers be released as Lord Zaire. "Amelia said impressed.

Harry just shrugged, "I've seen worse than the two griffins."

"I know. Still, it's refreshing to see somebody who does not come from Zaire so fearlessly face the Nightmares and Night Gains. "

Harry just said, "No idea why that is, but I do not find it frightening but graceful and noble. Powerless without question, but not scary. "

"Good to hear, my lord. Will you perform the ceremony right now, Milord? "

"What does she have consequences for?"

"Well, I think you will be exhausted afterwards. But if you lie down and rest right away, you will be fresh and cheerful again tomorrow morning. "

"Then we should postpone the tour of the castle until tomorrow. We perform the ceremony, then you take me to my room and I rest. "

"As you wish, my lord," Amelia said with a bow.

"Show me the way, Amelia."

She led him to a circular room, which he estimated would be in the middle of the castle. The guards posted themselves next to the door, but did not accompany them into the room. They opened the door for Harry and Amelia.

"If you would follow me, Milord?"

Amelia stepped into the room and Harry followed her in the middle. There stood a crystal on a pedestal of artfully forged gold. The crystal itself was nearly head size and deep blue. Still, it seemed to glow and pulsate from within.

"What do I have to do?" Harry asked.

"Just put both hands on the crystal. He will activate all of your hidden talents, including the power over all dark beings hidden in the blood of the Lords of Zaire. Of course, I have not seen it yet, but the reports say it will hurt a bit, depending on your power, but not unbearable. "

"No problem," Harry said confidently, closing his eyes and putting his hands on the crystal.

A fiery pain ran down his arms and from his shoulders up to his head and down to the tips of his toes. Despite all the painful experiences he had already made, despite all the restraint he had mastered, he could not pull himself together and screamed heartbreakingly, so unbearable was the pain. He felt like he was burning from the inside.

Amelia did not understand what was happening. After all, what she had been taught about the ritual was supposed to be nothing more than a slight pull. Harry was lit by a blue light that seemed to pulsate like a heartbeat. With each impulse the light seemed to spread further until finally it shone steadily. She blanched when she heard Harry's scream, but could not move, as much as she wanted to rush at him. She was frozen by the magic of the crystal.

When Harry's scream ended and the light had been constantly lit up around him for a moment, the light went out and the crystal shone brighter than ever. Harry sank to his knees and Amelia could move again. She hurried up to him and helped him up. He was barely conscious.

"How are you?" Amelia asked worriedly.

"I think resting would be a good idea," he muttered.

She led him with the help of the guards to his quarters and laid him on the bed. When the guards were gone, she undressed the dazed young lord.

"Thanks, Amelia. Now leave me alone. "

She looked as if she wanted to say something, but nodded before pulling herself out of the room and closing the double doors behind her. Harry had long since fallen into a deep sleep.

Despite the extreme experience he had had on the last day, Harry awoke as usual at sunrise. Full of fresh energy, he got up and went to the bathroom. There he noticed that he was undressed except for the underwear and he blushed.

"Amelia!" He mumbled in surprise to himself, but then he smiled at her willingness to sacrifice, something different, he closed his eyes, trying to see his body and his magic, opening his eyes in surprise and gasping for breath, he felt more powerful, stronger ... perfect, as if something had come back that he had always lacked.

He took a quick shower and dressed in one of his new robes they had bought yesterday. Underneath, of course, he wore his new black dragon skin vest and pants.

As he walked to the door to step outside, he noticed a body armor standing on a stand near the door. He looked scary. The breastplate was made of a solid black material that gleamed dull. The outlines were ivory-colored, as if a pattern of bone encased the black armor. On the breastplates there were two black wings that seemed more than familiar to him; they were almost the perfect reflection of his animagus form, only they were black as opposed to his.

This apparently included a shiny black cloak attached to the shoulders of the tank.

"Acrumantulaseide." Harry murmured, recognizing the material, it was the same as his new cloak.

The conclusion was a helmet, which seemed to be made of the same material as the breastplate and also framed with the ivory-colored material. The helmet had narrow slits where the eyes were and a deep nose bridge and the sides of the face were so protected that the mouth was almost the only thing you could see.

"Certainly impressive, if you want to impress unwanted guests." Harry murmured amused, not in the least frightened of the 'outfit'.