A man and a woman stood on top of a cliff overlooking a forest, its emerald trees seemed to stretch for miles. Behind them stood several potential new students for Beacon Academy, all stood on grey tiles.

The man was tall and middle aged with tousled silver hair, and shaded glasses that concealed his deep brown eyes. He was wearing a black suit that covered a dark green shirt. In his hands he held a long cane that he rested on the ground. This man was Ozpin, Headmaster of Beacon Academy.

All eyes focused on Ozpin when he spoke. "For years, you have all trained to be warriors. Today, your skills will be put to the test in the Emerald Forest." Ozpin announced, motioning to the woman next to him to continue.

Like Ozpin, the woman was also tall and middle aged with light blonde hair that she had tied in a bun. Her green eyes were behind a pair of thin and oval shaped glasses. She wore a long-sleeved white top with a black skirt. On her back was a mid length cape, black on the outside and purple on the inside. This was Glynda Goodwitch, Ozpin's second in command. When she spoke, all the students' attention shifted to her. "I'm sure many of you here have heard about the assignment of establishing 'teams'. Allow us to put your confusion to an end. Each of you will be given your partner and teammates... today." She paused as the students exchanged worried and weary glances with each other. "These teammates will be your family during your four years at Beacon and potentially beyond."

"We recommend finding a partner whom you will work well with," Ozpin added. "With that said, your partner will be the first person you make eye contact with."

Glynda continued, "After you have a partner, you will find your way to the northern end of the forest. You will meet opposition along the way. It is kill or be killed, you will be monitored but we will not intervene unless you either surrender or are critically injured."

"In the northern part of the temple is an abandoned temple containing several relics. Each pair must choose one relic between them and return here. We will then retrieve that item and grade your standing, as well as deciding your team." He allowed all a few moments for the teenagers to consider his words, before he tapped his cane on the ground. "Now, if there are no questions, take your position."

The two Huntsmen watched as the potential students took various positions; crouching, raising weapons, stretching, and all other manners of preparation."

And then, one by one, the tiles under them deployed and sent the children soaring through the sky.

Harry was not having the best day. Firstly, he died, which is a bad start to anyone's day. Second, he found himself in Limbo where he boarded a strange train to a new world. Now, he was hurtling through the sky, Sword of Gryffindor in hand, heading down and directly towards a large green forest.

Besides him, around a mile away, another person was falling, her flame red hair flowing behind her. In her hands were a sword and shield that she clutched as she fell.

Harry reacted fast, pointing his sword-wand at the red-headed stranger and shouting, "Accio Stranger!" The woman gasped in shock as she was unexpectedly pulled from her trajectory and forcibly drawn to Harry. Next Harry aimed his weapon and cast Spongify on the ground far below, transforming it from hard earth to a bouncy landing pad. Lastly, he cast a wandless Arresto Momentum slowing their momentum to a slow descent.

Quidditch had taught Harry many things; speeding up to gain momentum, slowing down, and landing in a specific spot. All of which Harry used as he and the stranger rushed towards the Spongified area, landing on their feet with ease.

Harry looked at the woman, his bottle green eyes meeting her vivid green eyes. "You alright?" Harry asked.

The woman sighed before smiling. "Yes, I'm fine, thank you" she replied offering her hand which Harry shook. "I'm Pyrrha Nikos, although I'm sure you knew that."

"Harry Potter," Harry replied. "Don't know why I'd know you, but I'm sure you've heard of me."

Pyrrha raised an eyebrow sceptically. "Really you've never heard of me? 'The Invincible Girl', ring any bells? And I can't say I know you."

"I'm The Boy-Who-Lived." He stared at her nonplussed face. "Nothing?"

Shrugging, Pyrrha said, "I'm sure we can get acquainted later, but for now, we're partners and need to find the temple."

"Partners? Temple?" Harry asked in confusion, much to Pyrrha's chagrin.

"Did you not even listen to Ozpin and Goodwitch?" she asked annoyed.

"Guess my mind was elsewhere," Harry replied. What else can I say? 'Oh hey, I died and now I'm here. From now on just nod like you understand what anybody is talking about.

On top of the cliff, Glynda Goodwitch and Ozpin were looking at the new arrival on their surveillance. "Ozpin?" Goodwitch questioned.

"Yes Glynda?"

"That boy materialised from the air."

"It appears that way," Ozpin confirmed.

"And then he pulled young Pyrrha towards him, slowed down, and landed on the ground."

"Correct."

"Are simply to allow him in to the initiation? He's not even registered." she asked with irritation.

Ozpin mused for a few moments. "I don't see why not. He has potential." He looked at his friend's face. "Would it soothe your mind if I arranged a meeting with him after initiation?

Glynda nodded sternly. "It would."

Back in the Emerald Forest, Harry and Pyrrha walked in the direction that Pyrrha had placed as north.

Then a howl and horror-filled yell of "Ruby" sounded and the two changed direction, heading straight for the noise.

Harry and Pyrrha made it to the clearing and saw the commotion. Two girls were lying in a heap, a nearby set of trees smouldering in flames.

Behind the girls was a large wolf like creature, that to Harry resembled a werewolf the fur of which seemed to be made of pure shadow, with a bone mask over its face and sharp shards of bone bursting from the creature's flesh.

Harry made his choice. "Pyrrha distract that thing, I'll take care of the fire." Harry cast an Aguamenti and sent a jet of water at the flames, extinguishing them with ease.

Pyrrha bumped into action, frisbeeing her shield which rebounded off of a tree, striking the howling beast in its face before returning to her.

Running until he was in between the two girls and the wolf beast, he helped the girls to his feet. One of the girls was a short teenager with black hair that turned to dark red at the tips, who wore a black dress with a red clock over her back, her eyes a noticeable silver. The other girl had white hair in a ponytail wearing a white dress that seemed to transition to an icy blue. "You ok?" Harry asked when they were stood, shocked when the girl in black picked up a red scythe that looked almost as long as her while the girl in white picked up a rapier.

"We had that handled," the girl complained haughtily. She then noticed Pyrrha and her changed her tone. "Although, it may be beneficial for us to all team up." She leapt towards the beast, slashing at its knees causing it to roar and lunge at her, a move she dodged with ease.

"Thanks for the help," the other girl said, gripping her scythe before disappearing in a flash of rose petals before reappearing and disappearing at various places near the monster, swinging her scythe the whole time as the beast swung for her.

Harry charged, stabbing his sword through its chest and casting a powerful Reducto showering the trees behind in an assortment of limbs that turned to thin smoke.

"Everyone good?" Harry asked once the group had recovered and gathered together. The area smelt of burnt firewood and smoke.

"I am fine," Pyrrha replied, putting her sword and shield onto her back where they clicked into place.

"As am I," the girl in white responded. "Weiss Schnee heiress to Schnee Dust Company." She sheathed her rapier in a hip sheath and gave a formal nod. "Thank you for the assistance." Dust? Harry thought in confusion. He chose to nod at her words rather than voice his thought.

The remaining girl stepped forward. "Ruby Rose, future Huntress in Training," she introduced herself excitedly.

"Pleased to meet you all," Harry said. "I'm Harry Potter." He waited for the inevitable reaction that usually came from his name, and was pleased when there was none.

Instead, Weiss' eyes narrowed. "I don't remember seeing you on the airship," she said with suspicion.

"Yeah," Ruby chimed in with realisation. "And you weren't on the cliff top launching pads either!"

Harry's reply went unsaid, as the trees around them rustled with movement. The trees shook as more of the beasts, smaller than the previous one, burst from all around them. Counting eight that as he spun round, Harry made a plan. Slamming his sword into the ground he put all of his energy into yelling "Protego." The spell was almost instantaneous, the protective blue light travelling across the ground before forming a dome around the group, with Harry on the centre of the circle. "I really hope you guys have a plan," he said painfully through gritted teeth as the beasts attacked his defences.

Weiss manipulated her rapier's handle, showing a variety of coloured crystals and vials. "I have Dust, if anybody needs it," she told them.

"Lightning!" Ruby shouted, as she somehow turned her scythe into a sniper rifle. Weiss retrieved a yellow crystal from her rapier and tosses it to Ruby who caught it with remarkable reflexes and placed it in a sniper rifle.

Gravity, if you have any," Pyrrha answered, looking to make sure Harry was doing ok. She caught the purple crystal that Weiss threw and placed it in her rifle that Harry assumed was previously her sword.

Weiss put the hilt back into place and adopted a fighting stance, her right foot forward and her breaths slow, as he rapier's blade took on an icy blue hue.

"Ready everyone?" Harry asked, his forcefield cracking from repeated claw strikes. The three girls gave their approval, readying their weapons and picking their targets.

Harry raised his sword from the ground, the protective dome vanishing instantly.

The team snapped into action, Ruby fired two electrified shots at the her targets briefly stunning them before she practically flew through the air, her sniper turning to a scythe and beheading the closest creature. She ducked under the swinging arm of the other, zipping from tree branch to branch with bursts of speed, ending with her slamming her blade scythe down, splitting the beast in two.

Pyrrha opened fire next, a round of bullets piercing the pair of wolves with bullets imbued with purple energy, sending the wolves hovering in the air where they thrashed wildly. Her shield popped off her back and into her waiting arm, where she released it, watching as it bounced between her the two wolves she had picked out as her prey. The metal disk ricocheted between the creatures before it returned to Pyrrha, her quarry hitting the ground. One of them quickly clambered to its feet and attempted to lunge at Pyrrha only for her to block the clawed strike with her shield causing the wolf to recoil before Pyrrha switched her rifle into its sword form and drove it through the wolves chest, finishing the other off with a shield toss that severed its head.

Weiss bared her rapier and jumped, creating a Glyph in mid air to bounce off of, jabbing with her icy blade as she nearer a wolf. It's furry flesh froze, patches of ice spreading from its wound until it was encased in a solid frozen block which Weiss shattered with a well placed thrust. The other beast attempted to bite her, a move she retaliated by driving her rapier through its gaping mouth.

Harry was last, facing the two remaining foes. One of them snarled loudly sending spittle into the air. "Incarcerous!" Harry shouted, shooting thick ropes from his wand which constricted the beast and tied it to the nearby trees. He turned to fight the final creature, only to see it too late. The beast's class tore through his robe, his blood spilling from the gashes as Harry crashed to the ground.

The wolf rushed forward again, thankfully stopped by Pyrrha shield intercepting it. Harry pointed his sword and yelled with all the strength he could muster, "Sectumsempra!" The wolf staggered forward, carried by its own momentum, before its top half slid off of the severed lower half with a thud.

Pyrrha rushed to Harry's side to help him stand. "Are you ok?" she asked concernedly.

"Why didn't you activate your Aura?" Weiss questioned, a hint of condescension in her voice.

Harry's face betrayed his thoughts, Ruby recognising his confusion. "Guys," Ruby said quietly, "I don't think he knows what Aura is."

Pyrrha looked at Harry and began to explain. "Aura is an extension of life energy, our very souls. With practice it shields us from harm."

"What about those things?" Harry motioned to where the wolves were, their bodies no nothing more than smoke in the air.

"Those are creatures of Grimm, soulless creatures that wish us only harm. They are the darkness to our light." Harry nodded in understanding. "Now, close your eyes, let me unlock your Aura," she ordered.

Harry closed his eyes, feeling Pyrrha lightly trace his lightning bolt scar before resting her hand on his forehead. She began to glow a pale red, while Harry began to shine a strong grey flecked with pure white and black.

The energy that Death had placed in his soul was free, and Harry had never felt so strong and at peace. He smiled gratefully. "Thank you Pyrrha."

The rest of the trip to the temple was uneventful, Pyrrha leading the team north with Ruby using her speed to scout ahead. Reaching the temple they found another set of people waiting, three girls and one guy. To call the location a temple was a vast overstatement, the temple was more of a ruin with crumbing stone walls and columns.
Ruby ran to them excitedly yelling, "Yang!" to one of the three girls.

The girl, blonde hair and stomach showing, turned. "Ruby!"

"Nora!" another of the girls shouted happily. "That's me," she explained. "This is my partner, Ren." She motioned to the man in their group who raised his hand in greeting. "Well, not my 'partner' partner, but, you know, my partner." Nora's cheeks were blushing harder with every word.

Yang laughed loudly. "I'm Yang, Ruby's older sister," she introduced.

The final girl, black haired with a bow in her hair, introduced herself. "Blake," she said simply.

Pyrrha stepped forwards. "Have you all got your relics?"

Yang and Nora both nodded, pulling out a chess piece from their pockets. Yang had a gold horse, while Nora's was white. "Pony Pals!" they cheered in unison.

Weiss walked to the temple with Ruby. "We best get ours then. I suggest you do the same," she added to Harry and Pyrrha. She looked at the available relics before picking the gold queen.

Harry and Pyrrha walked next. Harry selected the black queen. "Is that it?" Harry asked, pocketing the piece.

"Yes," Pyrrha. "Now we return to Ozpin."