It was a strange collection of faces that greeted Harry as he awoke.

Hermione was shouting something while Ron shook his shoulder so hard Harry thought his head would snap off. Neville stood off to the side with Flora, Prof. McGonagall's hand resting on his shoulder as she looked down at Harry with a slight smile. Hagrid was kneeling next to the bed, the broken remains of the poor chair he'd sat in scattered on the ground. Nurse Joy was fretting over the heart monitor and trying to get the group to back away with very little success.

"EEVEE!"

Harry let out an 'oompf!' as his Pokémon leapt onto the boy's chest, licking his face with his rough tongue. He heard two whooshing sounds and found Ludwig helping Togepi onto the bed; the baby Pokémon toddled to him and wrapped her chubby little arms around his head and gave him the tiniest hug he'd ever received.

"It does my old heart good to see you awake, Harry," Prof. Dumbledore said, the crowd parting so he could walk up to the boy. The headmaster looked down at him, his eyes twinkling. "I suppose you have many questions... and it is my duty to give you some answers."

The headmaster began by filling in the blanks in the events that had occurred three days before. When Flora and Neville had activated the teleporters they'd landed in a special classroom that was only a few doors down from the Great Hall. They had gotten quite a fright when Prof. McGonagall finally arrived, though Prof. Dumbledore had eased their worries once he entered behind the deputy headmistress. At first they had believed that Neville had been playing around in the room and activated the failsafe; Harry was shocked to learn that 21 over students had made it as far as they did and Dumbledore believed that over 100 attempts had been made to reach the final room.

"Young Ronald's brothers Fred and George contributed nearly half of those attempts," Dumbledore said with a chuckle even as McGonagall snorted in annoyance. "But rest assure all four houses were represented in our little collection."

When Hermione had teleported into the room, babbling about the path and knowing she had figured it out, the headmaster had become concerned and hurried to check to see if any of the systems that were monitoring the true teleporter pad had been tripped. Finding that not only had Harry and Ron managed to make it into the final room but another, Dumbledore had sprung into action, retrieving the return pad that would let him escape the room and teleporting himself in just as Harry had solved the final puzzle.

"I don't understand how this ended up in my pocket," Harry said, fiddling with the Master Ball. Dumbledore had set the ball on Harry's lap, reasoning that the boy had nearly died protecting it and thus deserved to at least see it with his own two eyes. Harry marveled at the ball, wondering how something so small could result in so much greed and pain. The bottom was the same as any other Pokéball while the top was a pinkish purple; the only thing of real interest was that the M that lay just above the activation button was in fact a stone that appeared to have formed naturally in that shape rather than being cut.

It was rather anticlimactic, actually. The Master Ball was not that impressive; he thought Ron's IceMelter or his mother's ShadowFlame balls were more interesting than the so-called Ultimate Pokéball. He felt no sense of power within the ball; not jolt when he picked it up, no feeling of invincibility when he squeezed it against his palm. Had he not know what it was he would have assumed it to be like any other ball... or perhaps even the lesser of some. Yet, for all it lacked in grandeur it was clear that the ball had a siren's song that drove many to seek out its power. It was not the ball itself but its allure that drew so many to try and claim it.

Prof. Dumbledore smiled, watching as Harry fiddled with the ball, his disappointment in the Master Ball clearly written on his face. "You see, Harry, I never meant to guard the Master Ball. My friend Nicholas originally planned to take the ball farther, perhaps to Kalos, in hopes that he might find a place to safely hide it and let the Master Ball return to legend once more. He knew that as long as it lay in a region where its legend was known it would not be safe." The headmaster let out a sigh, shoulders slumping a bit. "Sadly, Prof. Quirrell, who we now know was in league with that wraith-" he held up his hand when Hermione opened her mouth, "we will discuss Voldemort soon enough, Miss Granger." He turned his attention back onto Harry and continued the tale. "Sadly, Prof. Quirrell managed to overhear whispers about the master ball and began to put a plan into action to claim it for his master.

"I do not know how he sensed it, but Nicholas came to realize that his cargo had been learned of by the wrong people. Fearing that the might of the Josephs would not be enough to protect the Master Ball, Nicholas begged me to take the ball. I did so with the greatest reluctance, knowing that I was inviting danger to Hogwarts, but I too feared what would happen if our foe obtained the ball. I slept hardly a wink wrestling with my decision and it is only tonight, at long last, that I think I will finally get some much needed rest."

The headmaster shook his head, eyes twinkling. "But I have lost the plot, haven't I? Upon Hagrid's arrival with the ball I made plans to transport it back to Nicholas. It is a good thing that it took so long to finalize these plans, as I learned a week into the school year that someone, who we now know was Prof. Quirrell, had paid a gang of trainer to observe any group leaving the school and attack if there was a chance they had the Master Ball. I could no longer send a teacher to rid us of the Master Ball. No Pokémon would ever consent to carrying the ball," he gestured towards Harry's Pokémon, who were backing away from the Master Ball and eyeing it warily. It was as if they sensed the power within and did not want to be close to it. "And I refused to involve the students... so a new plan was made."

"The traps," Harry said.

"Prof. Dumbledore, there is something I still don't understand." Hermione tried to think of the best way to word her issue, not wanting to upset and insult the headmaster. "Why were the traps so... easy? Tiny seemed threatening but once you knew which door to use he was easy to get around. The same was true with the Hoppips and the teleporters. We were able to get through them easily!"

Prof. Dumbledore smiled. "They were easy because I needed them to be easy. I have taught young trainers for many years now and if there is one thing I know it is telling them not to go someplace only invites them to go to that very place!" Dumbledore laughed at his own joke and Nurse Joy, McGonagall and Hagrid joined; the children didn't think the joke was funny at all, since it was made indirectly at them, and decided not to join in. "I could not risk NOT saying something, as the second thing children are likely to do is to explore. It would do no good to just pretend the traps weren't there, only to have a trainer stumble upon Tiny's room and begin spreading rumors about the Snorlax I had hidden on the third floor.

"I made the rooms just hard enough to eliminate nearly all the students that faced their 'perils' without risking serious harm. They might get a scare or a bruise but nothing life threatening. When they were dumped in that classroom one of the professors would give them a detention and a talking to but that was more for them being out past curfew. No, the traps were never designed to harm... just distract. They allowed me to protect the Master Ball and give the students something to brag about; they could proclaim they had been on the 3rd floor and yet not know what truly lied there."

"But what about Voldemort?" Neville asked, clearly upset about what Ron and Harry had faced. "He clearly was able to get through all the traps!"

"He merely got through my false ones. It was the only true trap that I set that he sprung." Dumbledore turned once more to look at Harry, the boy squirming under that sharp gaze. "Once he passed into that room he was trapped and I know for a fact he would never have been able to get out of that final trap or obtain the Master Ball."

Dumbledore reached over and patted Harry's hand. "I asked the Mirror of Jirachi how I might go about protecting the Master Ball. It showed me pressing it against the mirror's surface and when I did so the ball entered the mirror. I was then shown how to retrieve it and instantly knew there would be no way for any thief to claim it." Cradling Harry's hands in his own, Dumbledore slowly closed them over the Master Ball. "The Mirror would only give up the Master Ball to one that did not want it. Only a trainer who respected Pokémon and thus would never dishonor them by capture with the Master Ball would be able to claim it as their own. I knew that any who would desire the ball would be unable to take it. It also worked as a failsafe, lest I become tempted to ever use it. Do not give me that look," he wagged his head, his beard twitching as he did so. "Yes, I could have easily fallen prey to the Master Ball. Power corrupts and Nicholas had placed within my hands great power and great temptation. I would not have been the first man in history to be given something of great power and claim it as their own." He shook his head sadly. "I understand why humanity has been compelled to create such a thing but still find it distasteful."

"Professor," Hermione said, fidgeting slightly in her chair, "that wasn't really Voldemort, was it? He's gone and that... that was just something else, pretending to be him. It was a ghost Pokémon or an illusion or-"

The headmaster stroked his beard. "Miss Granger, I wish I could believe that as strongly as you due. However, my life has been a long one and I have seen many things... things that should never have been. Voldemort was one of the most powerful and ruthless trainers our world has ever known... and if there is one man that could find a way to cheat death, it would be him." Dumbledore sighed. "Prof. Quirrell was not the first to be fooled by his honeyed words and even now, in his diminished state, he will be able to cause much harm to Avalon and all those that dwell here."

"Imagine if he had gotten the Master Ball," Ron exclaimed, shuddering in horror at the thought. Harry could see in his friend's eyes that he was still troubled by his actions in that chamber, and the cruel actions he'd been forced to take. But the knowledge that his actions, though terrible, had prevented a worst tragedy, was a balm for his soul. "He could have had any Pokémon he wished!"

"Yes, Ronald, indeed." Harry's brow furrowed and he wounded for a moment if it was his imagination that made him detect a hint of... deflection in the headmaster's words. Voldemort's taunting words, about how he sought the power within the ball rather than the ball itself, echoed in the boys ears. Were those just the lies of a madman? Or was there a hidden truth there?

Dumbledore gently removed the Master Ball from Harry's fingers, considering it for a moment before shrinking it back down and returning it to the safety of his pocket.

Prof. McGonagall rose up, lips pressed in a firm line as she placed her hands on Hermione and Ron's shoulders. "Now, I believe we should allow Mr. Potter a chance to rest." The children, and Hagrid, all let out whines of protest but McGonagall sheparded them away, promising they could visit the boy in the morning. Harry was only now aware that it was night out; the stars hung heavy in the sky, shining down upon Avalon and all that dwelled there.

"Professor?" Harry asked softly, drawing the old trainer back to his bedside. "Sir... what will happen to the Master Ball now?"

Dumbledore looked down at the boy before settling down on the bed, patting Harry on the shoulder. "Anyone else I would lie to, Harry. It is nothing against anyone else... it is myself and my fear of what could happen... what has happened... because of idle words that were said in what others thought was confidence..." Dumbledore trailed off, folding his hands in his lap. "It is only because you've proven to hold no desire for the Master Ball that I'll explain its fate... perhaps it will help ease my own weariness to share it with another.

"While it is not itself evil, the power the ball holds drives others to evil. You may not believe me but Prof. Quirrell was once a good man and I do not think it was Voldemort's influence alone that drove him towards evil. Power is not evil... but it gives evil the opening it needs to infect others. I have found that power in all forms merely... brings out the best and the worst in all of us." He shut his eyes and an aura of sadness settled upon the headmaster. "Voldemort was himself good once. No man is born evil. But power corrupted him and brought out his darkness. Your mother too had power, as did your father... and it made them all the better. They became beacons of light, the likes of which we have not seen in this region for years. To them power and strength pushed them to better not only themselves but the world.

"The Master Ball holds the promise of ultimate power. To leave it anyone's hands, even mine, for too long is to offer too great a temptation to use it. Once it is used I fear the power will never be able to be held back. What use is strategy when one can simply throw a ball and capture a Pokémon."

Dumbledore paused, placing his hand on Eevee's head and stroking the little Pokémon's head. Ludwig and Togepi watched on, both wondering why the bearded human had stopped talking. "Worse... I fear for what the bond between trainer and Pokémon would become if capturing these magnificent creatures became too easy. Already there are people in this world that see Pokémon as little more than tools to be owned. The bond between mankind and Pokémon has weakened over the years... so many of the ancient arts have been lost. Only a handful of trainers nowadays possess the skill the become Pokemagnus. The Dream World was only rediscovered in Unova a few years ago and yet we know from ancient texts that it was used heavily by our ancestors. Speakers are few and far between and because of the Johto/Kanto War many view it as wicked; even the knowledge that your mother was one is not enough to prevent trainers from attempting to learn that art... and they miss out on the wonders it brings about.

"Perhaps I shouldn't be so negative; even Team Nocturne, for all their faults, respected Pokémon. But if the Master Ball's secrets were uncovered, I fear the surge of those that would see our friends and partners as little more than living weapons to be caught, used and discarded."

Harry shuddered that this. Pokémon had been his salvation from a life of pain and loneliness; the mere thought that they might be treated little better than a cup sickened him.

"It is the good and the bad in life that creates the bonds of friendship and love, Harry. Every battle you fight with these three Pokémon, win or lose, strengthens that bond. When you fail you work together to overcome and find new partners to help you achieve your dreams. When you win... well, the victory is all the more sweeter when you have Pokémon to stand with and celebrate. The Master Ball, through no fault of its own, takes away much of this. No more battling... no more need to spend long nights with Togepi teaching it a new move or to help Ludwig evolve when you can just go to dangerous areas, catch a wild Pokémon who holds great strength, and use them like a battering ram. No connection, no friendship, no love... this is what the Master Ball could bring about."

Harry reached out, drawing Eevee towards him and hugging him close. Togepi toddled over, Ludwig hovering overhead to ensure the little one didn't fall, and both Pokémon joined the hug. Harry thought of what his life would be like if he did not have these three in it and found that it would be no different than thinking about what life would be like after losing a limb. They had become his friends just as much as Ron, Neville and Hermione had.

"Professor, why not just destroy the ball?"

Dumbledore sighed. "It is not the ball's fault that men wish to use it for evil. The Master Ball is power and as I reminded you, power can bring out the best and worst in people. I pray for a day when a trainer will be able to use its powers for good. I fear, however, that I will not see that in my lifetime."

Dumbledore reached over and scratched Eevee under his chin. "I decided that Prof Quirrell will be allowed to perform one last good deed to help untarnished his name." When Harry looked at the headmaster in confusion the old man took pity and elaborated. "Only those that were in the room know what happened. I will let the world think that Quirrell, in his death throws, destroyed the Master Ball. Those that would seek its power will either give up trying to obtain it or turn their attention to other methods. Meanwhile, Nicholas Silph, who is arriving in a few hours, will take the ball and under the disguise of grief that his masterpiece was destroyed, will take it far north and, I can only hope, finally achieve his dream of seeing the Master Ball placed somewhere it can wait until the world is ready for its power."

Harry let out a yawn and the headmaster gently patted his shoulder. Eevee and Togepi clearly had no plans to return to their balls; they both settled in next to Harry while Ludwig hung overhead, shining a muted light over his trainer to ward away any bad dreams.

"Goodnight, Harry," Prof. Dumbledore said softly, leaving the boy to his much-earned rest.

~MC~MC~MC~

"Hmmm," Prof. Snape said, leaning down to examine the contents of the bowl Dean and Seamus were working on. "Quite atrocious... but I suppose consideration must be made for the fact that you are Gryffindors and thus little can be expected of you. At least you managed to make it the right color." Dean lifted up his stirrer and Snape glowered at the thick, sticky liquid that clung to the piece of metal; the potion was suppose to be water-like is texture and consistency. "D."

The two friends grinned, sharing a secret high-five when Snape's back was turned. A D was better than they expected.

Life had returned to normal for Harry Potter. After being released from the infirmary he had been able to return to his studies and, much to his liking, avoid grand adventures. People still looked at him funny, of course... even mores' now that the rumors of him and Prof. Quirrell had begun to circulate. Some claimed the professor had dragged him down there to do some unspeakable things and he'd ended up punching the professor in the twig and berries so hard Quirrell had died from the pain. Others whispered that Quirrell had inducted Harry into a secret organization known as The Skull and Cubones, which would allow him to have access to the strongest Pokémon imaginable. The funniest rumor had been from Fred and George: they were trying to convince anyone that would listen Harry was a wizard and had battled Quirrell in a duel for something called the Elder Wand.

The 11-year old had laughed for 10 minutes hearing that one.

He'd also eaten his fair share of Murkrow. He'd apologized profusely to Prof. McGonagall, ashamed that he had forgotten how kind she'd been during his first night at Hogwarts and automatically assumed she was dangerous

"Mr. Potter, I want you to know that I will always be on your side and if you are ever find yourself in a situation like this again all I ask if that you talk to me first." She'd smiled after a moment and Harry had felt a shiver of dread go up his spine. "But let me assure you that you were quite correct... I am quite dangerous."

"Hmmpf," Snape grunted as he examined Ron and Harry's potion. "I would claim that you had cheated in some way, seeing as this is well beyond the abilities you have shown as you muddled your way through my class... but the fact that it is not nearly at the level of Miss Granger's mixture, which I assume means Mr. Longbottom had no hand in helping with it," Neville had the decency to look down and blush, "and superior to the rest of the dunderheads you call classmates, I must accept that you somehow managed to brew a... below average potion. C-."

"Thank you, sir," Harry said, eyes wide in surprise.

"Do not thank me, Potter. This is still an utter failure and you have wasted my time. I pity the poor Pokémon that one day might have to slurp down your bitter potions. If it were in my power I would have you banned from ever crushing another berry, as not even fruit deserves to suffer the fate of being used by your clumsy hands. You only have the sheer ineptitude of the rest of your little Gryffindors to thank for your marks."

Ron and Harry shared secret smiles as Snape moved on to Draco and Pansy, his praise for their potion (which was clearly the same quality as theirs) was not heard as the boys silently congratulated themselves.

When the bell finally rang the students hurried out of the cold potions lab, chattering happily amongst themselves. With Battle Tactics being forced to end prematurely, what with their professor ending up with his head frozen, Prof. Dumbledore had taken it upon himself to test the students and supply them with their grades. All four of them had known that Harry would do great but, to their surprise, the rest of the group had done nearly as well.

"Is it any surprise?" Dumbledore had said with a smile after Ron and Cubchoo managed to defeat the training Spearow. "You four have learned much during your time here and proven yourselves capable in situations far worse than this little test challenged you with. Everything is connected... and even lessons that appear to have nothing to do with Pokémon Battles offer a chance to improve."

The only dark spot had been when Ron had managed to get a better grade than Hermione in Pokéball Making. She had known it was coming but the way Ron had casually breezed through the final exam (creating a Fast Ball with no instructional guide) had left the bushy-haired girl practically stomping her feet in outrage. Ron had also managed to calm her frustration by pointing out that while he might be better at the skill naturally Hermione knew how everything came together and that was just, if not more, useful.

In the end the four friends had decided to simply celebrate all their accomplishments while keeping in mind they had a long, long way to go before they could be considered mature trainers.

~MC~MC~MC~

"Toki!" Togepi exclaimed as she clapped her hands. Eevee lazily yawned as he watched Ludwig hover around the baby Pokémon, delighting the little one by changing his flame to different colors.

Harry watched his three Pokémon interact, a smile blossoming on his face at the sight. The final meal in the Great Hall was winding down and Harry's Pokémon, having sated their own hunger and made sure that Harry ate enough (he rolled his eyes at that; even his Pokémon were giving him a hard time for being too skinny), decided to play while waiting for Professor Dumbledore to make his final speech of the year.

Harry marveled at how all of their Pokémon had bonded not just with their trainers but with each other. Ralts and Snorunt had easily become friends; both stuck close to Hermione but having another Pokémon around allowed the two too slowly venture out into the world. Snover (now named Sam by Neville; he'd stated it was an homage to a cartoon snowman) was still a trickster who enjoyed startling people, especially in the common room, but Flora's stern leadership had the grass/ice type behaving like a soldier whenever Neville needed him.

While Scabbers had never bonded to Ron like the boy had hopped Ron did not feel left out now that he had Cubchoo. The two were very similar: they loved to eat a lot, they both laughed at the disgusting uses Cubchoo had for its mucus, and they both liked using that last similarity to gross Hermione and the other girls in Gryffindor out. Harry also suspected that the two of them were leaning on each other, finding support and comfort in their companionship. Both had played a role in the death of Quirrell and Harry caught Ron, at times, staring off in the distance. Hermione had become worried that Ron was suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and researched the disease for a week; in the end she'd been forced to concede that the best thing they could do for Ron and Cubchoo was to be there for them; they would press when needed but otherwise pull back and let the boy and his Pokémon come to them.

Harry's team had become a family in every sense of the word. Togepi was clearly the baby and placed her role up to a hilt. While none of them were sure what exactly had done it, Harry knew in his heart that seeing Quirrell, the man that had killed Togepi's parents, eliminated... well, it had removed whatever block kept Togepi from expressing her joy. She wasn't as giggly as most Togepi and probably never would be, and she had let to do any more than quirk her lips up slightly, but for Harry that was enough.

Ludwig had become the mother hen of the group, constantly watching over the other Pokémon and Harry. The boy would wake up to find Ludwig floating around Togepi's pokéball, making sure the baby hadn't toddled away before going back to sleep. The candle ghost was also the one that spent the most time nudging Harry to eat more and get more meat on his bones. It was annoying at times but Harry couldn't conjure up the frustration to tell Ludwig to stop.

Eevee was Eevee. He was Harry's first Pokémon and the two fed off each other. When Harry felt like lounging around Eevee would happily lay on his stomach and join him in an afternoon nap. When Harry wanted to run around the perimeter of the island just to burn off some energy, Eevee was right beside him, barking out encouragement. They worked together, played together, learned together and lived together.

Yes... yes... Harry might not have had a family before he came to Avalon, but her certainly had one now.

Prof. Dumbledore stood up, calling for quiet. The students, realizing that the sooner they let the headmaster speak the sooner they could return to the festivities, grew silent, with only the occasional chirp of a Pokémon to pierce the quiet that greeted the bearded headmaster.

"Another year. Another year. Many people have come up to me after leaving this place and asked me what year was my favorite. There must be one, after all... there must be a group of students that outshone all others and make me look back fondly among them. I suppose some of you believe that I could never view this class as the best, considering some of the troublemakers I am forced to deal with." Fred and George stood up and bowed, earning a round of laughter from the students and groans from the teachers since they couldn't exactly threaten the boys with detention. "Others must believe that you are my favorite, if only because you are here right now." Dumbledore swept his eyes over the students. "Let me state, for the record and for the history books... that I have loved every student that has come to this island. In each of you I see the future of Avalon and the mere fact that I have played a small role in your development means more to me than you could possibly imagine. So many seek out their destinies and dream grand dreams... I have found more joy in helping others find their dreams then any achievement could have given me."

The Headmaster raised his glass. "And thus I thank you, all of you... and wish you well on wherever your journey takes you."

The sound of glasses clicking together filled the Great Hall.

~MC~MC~MC~

"Make sure you text me every day, Harry!" Hermione said, wagging her finger at him.

"I don't know if I'll have the time, what with you sending me a text every hour." The boy laughed at his friend as she stuck her tongue out at him. She paused as she made her way onto the Hogwart's Express, turning and giving him a wave.

"Mate, if you don't like what the headmaster has set up you can give me a ring anytime and I'll come runnin'." Ron leaned in, whispering, "I'll even steal my da's car if I have to." He smirked. "Don't worry... I'll blame it on Fred and George."

Harry nodded, shaking hands with Ron. "Thanks, mate."

Neville awkwardly patted Harry on the back. Considering how he had been their first day at Hogwarts, this was quite an improvement. "Have a great summer, Harry."

"Bulba!"

"Thanks Flora, thanks Neville." Harry waved goodbye to his friends as they hurried onto the train, ignoring the callous remarks Draco was making as he too boarded the express. He remained rooted to his spot, waving and calling out goodbye as the train chugged away, leaving him, the headmaster, and a few professors on the platform.

"Do not worry, Mr. Potter," McGonagall said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "You will see them again."

"And mark my words, my boy, your summer will be filled with quite some adventure and excitement... the time will fly by." Dumbledore checked his dex and nodded. "Hmmm... late as always. Just like when he was a boy."

"Professor?" Harry asked softly. "Who... who did you get to take me in?" Harry had thought long and hard about that, each day coming up with a new answer. He'd imagined spending the summer with each of his friends, or perhaps another Gryffindor who was an only child. He'd even had a nightmare of being sent to live with Draco... and a rather strange dream where he stayed with Snape and the professor actually treated him with kindness.

Prof. Dumbledore kneeled down, looking Harry directly in the eye. "Do you remember how I told you that many people in Avalon fought to have Surrey turn you over into their care?" The young boy nodded. "One who fought the hardest was a young man who went to this school... in fact, he was one of your father's best friends. The loss of your mother and father broke him, but being unable to see you sent him into despair. He has been traveling the world for quite some time but when he received my note about you he knew he had to return." Dumbledore looked past Harry's shoulder and smiled. "Ah, there he is."

A man was hurrying across the platform, his luggage clutched in his hand. Beside him a Zorua scampered about, the fox-Pokémon's keen eyes scanning the platform. Spotting Harry, Zorua let out a bark and raced towards him, leaping into his arms, licking the boy's face. Eevee growled a bit but remained in place beside Harry.

"Leave him be!" the man called out, though his tone was light and full of mirth. "Bloody hell, he doesn't remember you, buddy! You're probably scaring him!"

Harry wasn't scared. He looked at the man, with his light hair and mustache, his face marked with several scars from fierce Pokémon battles. The man should have been a frightening sight but Harry found comfort in the man and his appearance, though he could not say why. It was as if the man were from some dream he had forgotten and now whisps of it were returning to him.

"Harry..." the man said, almost reverently. He'd clearly thought long and hard about what he wanted to say and now, faced with the boy who looked so much like James... save for his brilliant green eyes... the man found there was only one thing he could say. "My... my name is Remus Lupin... and I have been looking for you for a long time."

And that's when he remember. The image from the Mirror of Jirachi, one of the men that had stood behind him, cloaked in shadows... this was him.

Harry didn't need to hear anything else. He leapt into Remus' arms, relishing the hug the man gave him.

He had searched for him.

He wanted him.

Harry was home.

The End

Harry Potter will return in 'Harry Potter and the Chamber of the Unown'

Author's Notes: And thus ends Book One of the 'Harry Potter: Pokemon Master' series.

I honestly never expected this fic to get as much love and devotion as it has gotten. Sometimes I wonder if I am writing the same thing you guys are reading. I am just thrilled you all are delighting in the world I've created here.

First, a few comments about this chapter: Yes, Remus is going to take care of Harry. With him not being a werewolf, there is nothing to stop Remus from being a part of Harry's life now. I have stated to some reviewers that my goal with this story is to give Harry a support team, one full of people he can depend on. Remus will play a major part of that, even if he is off screen for months at a time (since he can't always be at Harry's side).

People may have noticed that Snape isn't as... bastardy as he is in some stories. I wanted to create a Snape who is complex... and a Snape who's life has changed from the one we know. There are some major twists coming about Snape that will explain why there isn't as much hatred in him for Harry as there are in some stories. That said, the line about Harry living with Snape is a reference to Harry's New Home.

Now, some comments about this story as a whole.

I can trace much of the origin of this story to a series of pictures on Deviant Art. An artist, i forget who, did a series where he drew the Avengers with pokemon. What made these pics great were the stories behind them: Cap had a bravary and when he was unfrozen the grandson of that Bravairy became his partner. The Hulk only had cute pokemon like Togepi and Jigglypuff because Banner knew they would calm him down and the Hulk would never hurt them. Stuff like that.

I love the idea of taking characters from one series and inserting them into another. This wasn't a mere "Hey, what if the Avengers had Pokémon!". The artist took the time to actually think out a story, find reasons for them to have the Pokémon they did, and give a wonderful backstory. I decided I wanted see if anyone had done that with Harry Potter, as it seemed like it would lend itself well to the same idea... not a lot of luck. There were fics... but not the kind I wanted to read. Ones where Harry becomes a Mew or is raised by Ash… but nothing like what I was looking for.

And thus, how it always is for me... I had to make the fic myself.

I hope you've all enjoyed this story and I hope you leave a ton of reviews for me to look through. I love reading your comments and getting back to you.

And please remember to follow me, as that will be the only way you know 'Chamber of the Unown' is up.

Again, thanks for reading!