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The Winter Wizard - Chapter 24 - Harry Goes East
🕑 Added 2025-03-12 20:00:03 +0000 UTCThe ship rocked gently as it slipped away from King’s Landing under the cover of darkness. The glow of the city’s countless torches and lanterns gradually faded, their light growing dimmer with each passing moment. Harry stood near the ship's railing, his hands gripping the worn wood as he gazed at the receding city. The Red Keep loomed atop the hill, its towers silhouetted against the night sky. The farther they sailed, the more the noise and chaos of the city faded, replaced by the rhythmic lapping of waves and the occasional creak of the ship’s wooden hull. He watched until even the faintest glimmer of the city lights was swallowed by the horizon.
Jon Snow approached him silently, his boots barely making a sound on the wooden deck. Harry felt his presence before Jon spoke, sensing the weight of the unasked questions hanging between them. Finally, Jon broke the silence.
“We need to talk.” His voice was steady, but there was an edge to it, a determination that Harry had come to recognize.
Harry turned to face him, meeting Jon’s dark eyes. He nodded, unsurprised. “All right.”
Jon gestured to a quieter corner of the deck, away from the few sailors tending to the ship. Once there, he crossed his arms and fixed Harry with a piercing gaze.
“Who are you? Really.” Jon’s voice was low but firm. “And what’s going on? How were you able to do … all the things I saw you doing?”
Harry sighed, leaning back against the railing. The cool night air brushed against his face, and he took a moment to collect his thoughts, before exhaling slowly and turning to fully face Jon. “I’ll tell you everything,” he said finally. “But I have two requests. Let me finish my story before you judge me, and no matter what you think, I need you to keep this a secret —at least as best as you can.”
Jon studied him for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Finally, he gave a single curt nod. “As long as it doesn’t endanger my family … I suppose I owe you that much. Go on.”
Harry leaned back against the rail, his hand brushing against the handle of his wand tucked into his belt as he paused, gathering his thoughts. The sound of the water and the faint rustling of sails filled the silence.
Taking a deep breath, Harry began. “I can do magic.”
Jon’s brow lifted slightly, a flicker of disbelief crossing his face, but he said nothing. Harry took that as an invitation to continue.
“I come from a place far away,” Harry said, his gaze drifting to the dark waters. “A place that’s ... well, very different from Westeros. I’m not even sure how I ended up here, or if I can ever go back. One moment, I was in a duel with a woman … someone very dangerous, and the next, I woke up in a forest. At first, I thought it was just some strange part of my world I hadn’t seen before. But as I traveled, it became clear that this place is … different. But whatever the case, I came to Winterfell by accident.”
Jon’s frown deepened, but he remained silent, his focus unwavering. Encouraged, Harry continued.
“At first, I didn’t know where I was. Everything was strange but I tried to blend in while I figured out what to do. I didn’t want to draw attention to myself. Then ... well, then I met Eira.”
Jon tilted his head slightly. “The guard’s daughter?”
Harry nodded. “She was in trouble—being attacked by bandits. I couldn’t just stand by and do nothing, so I used magic to save her. Nothing too flashy, just enough to stop the attackers.”
“And that’s how you ended up in Winterfell,” Jon said, the pieces falling into place.
“Exactly. I got injured during the fight, and Eira brought me to the gates of Winterfell. From there, things just ... happened. Lord Stark took me in as a guest, and I did my best to help out, to stay useful and that’s where I met you, and the rest of your family.”
Jon crossed his arms, his expression pensive. “Magic, though? Real magic? Not just tricks or illusions?”
“It’s real,” Harry said, his voice steady. “I can show you if you want proof, but you have to promise not to tell anyone.”
Jon hesitated, then shook his head. “Not here. Not now. For now I’ll take your word for it.”
“I’ve always been able to do things that others can’t,” Harry said. “Where I come from, we call it magic. It’s a gift, but it’s also a responsibility. I was taught to use it, to protect people and to fight against those who would use it to harm others. That’s why I stepped in when I saw Eira being attacked on the road. I couldn’t just stand by and let it happen.”
Jon’s gaze didn’t waver. “You’re saying that the … things you’ve done, the things I’ve seen, are magic?”
Harry nodded. “Yes. It’s not something most people from where I am from can do, and from what I’ve seen and read, it’s even rarer here. That’s why I’ve kept it a secret. Magic makes people afraid, and fear can make them dangerous.”
Jon nodded but remained silent, his dark eyes locked on Harry, waiting for him to continue.
“I used magic when I found Arya in the woods,” Harry admitted, glancing at Jon to gauge his reaction. “There were bandits, three of them. Luckily Arya didn’t realize what I had done. I was worried because she’s clever but impulsive, so I wasn’t sure how’d explain it or if she would have been able to keep it a secret, especially with the King on his way.”
Jon smiled briefly as his brows furrowed slightly, but he didn’t interrupt. Harry pressed on.
“Then there was Bran.” Harry’s voice grew softer, his guilt weighing heavily on the words. “I didn’t see who pushed him. I swear I didn’t. But I saw him fall from the broken tower, and I acted on instinct. I used a cushioning charm to slow his fall. It helped—might’ve saved his life, honestly—but it wasn’t enough to stop him from getting hurt. He still hit the ground hard.”
Jon’s jaw tightened, and Harry saw the flash of pain in his expression, a protective anger that Harry recognized from when those you cared about were in trouble or had been hurt.
“I’ve carried a lot of guilt about that,” Harry admitted. “I’ve thought over and over if there was something more I could’ve done. A stronger charm, maybe. But it all happened so fast.”
Jon finally spoke, his voice low and steady. “You saved him. Whatever guilt you’re feeling, it wasn’t your fault.”
Harry nodded, appreciating Jon’s reassurance even if it didn’t ease the knot in his chest. “And then that brought us to when Lord Stark said they were going south to King’s Landing. I decided to go with them. The Starks were warm and kind to me, but ... I felt like I had to leave Winterfell. Like there was a reason I needed to go.”
Jon tilted his head slightly, his sharp gaze scrutinizing Harry. “Is it because of this girl … the one you mentioned?”
Harry froze for a moment. Then, slowly, he nodded. “Yeah. It is.”
Jon’s eyebrows rose, both of them this time, but he remained quiet, motioning for Harry to continue.
“I’ve been having visions. Dreams,” Harry explained, his voice tinged with uncertainty. “They started not long after I arrived in Winterfell. At first, I didn’t know what to make of them. I’d see her—this girl I’ve never met—things I’ve never seen, and places I’d never been. But then I started seeing cities burning. And after those started I started seeing the whole world ... frozen. Covered in ice and snow.”
Jon’s expression didn’t change much, but his shoulders tensed slightly. “Visions of fire and ice,” he muttered, more to himself than to Harry. He gave a small nod. “Go on.”
Harry shrugged, looking down at his hands. “The dreams were strange at first, vivid but disjointed. I thought maybe they didn’t mean anything. The first time I woke up from one, I tried to discount it. I didn’t recognize anyone in the dream, or the place where it happened. But then I mentioned it offhand to Branwyn—Maester Luwin’s apprentice. When I described the buildings I saw, he said they sounded like Pentoshi architecture.”
Jon frowned. “Pentos?”
Harry nodded. “He even showed me an illustration of the city. And when I saw it, I was almost positive that was what I’d dreamed about. But still, I thought maybe I’d seen the picture out of the corner of my eye or something, and my brain had just pieced it together into a really vivid dream.”
“But it wasn’t just one dream, was it?” Jon asked quietly.
“No,” Harry admitted. “They kept happening. Some of them were more intense than others, but they all felt ... real, somehow. The first time I visited the weirwood trees in Winterfell, it was like they unlocked something. That vision was the strongest one yet.”
Jon’s frown deepened, his expression unreadable. “You think the Old Gods are showing you these visions?”
“I don’t know,” Harry said honestly. “Where I’m from, we don’t have gods that intervene like this—at least, not in any way I’ve seen. But there’s something about this place. The magic here feels ... different. Deeper. Older.”
Jon was quiet for a long moment, the ship creaking beneath their feet as it rocked gently with the waves. “And that’s why you decided to come south with my father and sisters,” he said finally. “Because of the visions.”
Harry nodded. “By the time your father was ready to leave Winterfell, I was confident there was something to them. I didn’t know what they meant exactly, but I was pretty sure they were important. I figured there’d be a better chance of running into her—or finding answers—if I left Winterfell. Especially since I’m almost certain she’s in Essos.”
Jon raised an eyebrow again. “How do you know she’s even real?”
Harry paused, staring out at the dark horizon. “I don’t,” he admitted quietly. “But I’ve never felt a vision like this before. They’re too vivid, too consistent. I couldn’t just stay in Winterfell and ignore them.”
Jon leaned against the railing, crossing his arms over his chest. He looked deep in thought, his dark eyes scanning the waves as if searching for answers in their endless depths. Finally, he turned back to Harry and motioned for him to continue.
“It was on that road to King’s Landing, after … well Lord Stark confronted me. He asked me directly if there was something I was keeping from him. But I could tell that he there was something by that point.”
Jon glanced at Harry, his expression curious yet contemplative. “So, you told my father about your magic. I can’t imagine how he took that.”
Harry exhaled slowly, his grip tightening slightly on the reins of his borrowed horse. “It wasn’t easy to tell him, but it felt like the right thing to do. He’d been kind to me, given me a place in Winterfell, and treated me with respect. I couldn’t keep lying to him.”
Jon nodded. “I can see why you’d feel that way. My father values honesty above almost all else. How did he react?”
A wry smile tugged at Harry’s lips. “Surprised, for one. Understandably suspicious, too. But he didn’t lash out or condemn me. He asked me to explain myself, and I did. He listened—really listened—and then thanked me for trusting him.”
Jon’s eyebrows rose slightly. “He thanked you?”
Harry nodded. “He said he appreciated the risk I took by telling him. And then he asked me to keep an eye on Arya and Sansa while we were in King’s Landing. To look after them, make sure they stayed out of trouble.”
Jon chuckled softly. “Arya? Staying out of trouble? I’m guessing that must have been fun.”
Harry laughed, shaking his head. “It wasn’t as hard as I had first thought. Certainly the first couple of days were difficult but then she started her ‘dancing lessons’ and things got easier at that point.”
Jon’s eyes lit up with amusement. “Dancing lessons? I would’ve loved to see her being forced to dance. She must’ve been miserable.”
Harry’s grin widened. “No, no. Not that kind of dancing. Her lessons were with a sword master from Braavos—Syrio Forel. Your father arranged it for her. Syrio Forel called it ‘water dancing.’”
Jon’s eyes shot up and he smiled, his gaze drifting northward. “Arya must’ve loved that,” he said softly.
“She did,” Harry replied. “She was a natural, too. Quick and clever. She reminded me a bit of some of my friends back home.”
Jon nodded, his expression thoughtful. After a moment, he asked, “And Sansa? How did she handle having you trying to look after her?”
Harry sighed, his smile fading slightly. “That ... was more complicated. She was actually the one to tell your father after having seen me use magic on the way south and as such she seemed fit to ignore me and spend time with the Prince or other noble ladies. But eventually she came to confront me one day. At first, she was cautious, but she knew what she saw and I felt I owed the truth to her. I admitted it to her, and while she didn’t seem thrilled about it, she didn’t recoil in fear or disgust either, however she still kept her distance. Over time, I think she started to warm up to me a little. At meals, she was less distant, more willing to talk.”
Jon raised an eyebrow. “Sansa, warming up to someone? That’s surprising.”
Harry shrugged. “Maybe. But she loves her family, and I guess she could see I wasn’t a threat to them. That probably helped.”
“Anyway,” he continued, “the rest of it, you already know. I bumped into your father in the halls … I guess earlier today, and he asked me to come to his solar. When I walked in, you were all there, planning the escape from King’s Landing.”
Jon’s expression darkened slightly at the memory. “We barely made it out,” he muttered. “If not for you, we might not have.”
Harry shook his head. “You give me too much credit. Your father was the one who planned it. I just ... helped where I could.”
Jon glanced at him, his gaze steady. “Don’t sell yourself short. You’ve done more than your fair share.”
Harry didn’t reply, instead turning his attention back to the horizon ahead.
After a while, Jon broke the quiet. “Do you regret it?”
Harry frowned, glancing at him. “Regret what?”
“Coming south,” Jon clarified. “Or at least leaving Winterfell with my family and getting involved in all of this.”
Harry considered the question carefully. “No,” he said finally. “I don’t regret it for a second. In fact, while we were heading to the ship to escape King’s Landing. I had planned to head north with all of you," Harry began, breaking the silence that had settled between them. His voice was steady but carried a note of regret. "And only, once I made sure Arya and Sansa were safely back in Winterfell, was I going to find passage to Essos on my own."
Jon turned to him, his dark brows furrowed in curiosity.
Harry nodded, glancing at Jon briefly before looking back out to sea. "But just as we were heading to the ship, I had another vision, it was what caused me to fall down. And this one was more intense than any of the ones before."
Jon’s gaze sharpened, his curiosity giving way to seriousness. "The one you mentioned earlier? The girl on the dragon?"
"That’s the one." Harry exhaled, the memory of the vision washing over him. "I know it sounds insane, Jon, but I could feel it—the heat of the fires. I could smell the ash. It wasn’t just something I imagined. It was like I was there. And then I could sense the girl and I could tell she was in store for a painful journey. It’s hard to describe, but I could feel her anguish, the pain that is in store for her, like it was my own."
Jon remained quiet for a moment, his face unreadable as he digested Harry’s words. "And you think that your’re going to be able to do something?"
"I’m certain of it." Harry’s grip tightened on the railing. "Whatever she’s going through, it’s consuming her. And I’m afraid of what that pain will do to her—how it might change her. What it could mean for Westeros ... for the world."
Jon’s jaw tightened. He didn’t respond immediately, his eyes fixed on the horizon. Finally, he nodded, though the disbelief in his expression hadn’t entirely faded. "And you’re willing to chase a vision to Essos because of this? A vision of a girl you’re not even sure exists?"
Harry shrugged, offering a faint, almost self-deprecating smile. "It’s not something I can easily explain, Jon. But I know she’s real. I feel it as surely as I feel the deck beneath my feet."
Jon’s brow furrowed, his skepticism tempered by curiosity. "And what’s the plan, then? Essos is a vast place. Even if she’s real, how do you intend to find her?"
Harry’s smile widened slightly, a glint of determination in his eyes. "Had talked to the captain and the ship is heading to Pentos. That city that I first saw in my vision—it’s where this all started for me. Call it fate or coincidence, but I figure it’s as good a place to begin as any. From there, I’ll see what I can learn and try to pick up her trail."
Jon arched a skeptical brow. "You think you can just walk into Pentos and find a random girl you’ve never met?"
Harry chuckled softly. "When you put it like that, it does sound a bit mad. But I have something most people don’t—magic. I’ll use it when I have to."
Jon turned to face him fully, his eyes serious. "And what exactly can you do with this magic of yours?"
"Now that’s a complicated question," Harry replied with a grin. "But the short answer? A lot. I can fight with it, sure, but I can also use it to make life easier. Track things down, heal injuries ... I even know a few tricks that can help keep us out of trouble."
Jon’s expression remained skeptical, though his lips twitched as if suppressing a smile. "Vague answers."
"Some things are better seen than explained," Harry said, his tone light.
Jon let the comment pass, his gaze hardening slightly. "And what about your promise you made me?"
Harry straightened, meeting Jon’s eyes with unwavering sincerity. "I meant every word of it. Once we find this girl—once I’ve done what I can to help her—I’ll head to the North. Your family took me in when I had nowhere else to go. They didn’t have to, but they did. I owe the Starks more than I can ever repay."
Jon’s features softened slightly, his guarded demeanor giving way to something warmer. "It’ll be good to see Bran again," he said quietly.
"It really will," Harry agreed, a wistful smile crossing his face. They stood in silence for a while, both gazing eastward toward the distant lands of Essos.
Eventually, Jon broke the quiet, glancing back at Harry with a mixture of resignation and faint amusement. "I guess we’re heading to Pentos, then. To find this girl who might not even exist."
Harry clapped him on the shoulder, his grin widening. "Now that’s the spirit! Let’s embrace the madness."
Kind Regards,
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If you like this content do not hesitate to smash that like button and subscribe. Haha but seriously if you do enjoy the story - do favorite it, other than messaging me or leaving a comment it’s the only way I know if you are enjoying the stories and chapters.
Story Note 1 – “Let’s embrace the madness” A good a quote as any I assume but sounds like Harry is channeling his inner Fred and George.
Story Note 2 – Hope you all enjoyed the chapter and are looking forward to the next chapter with them arriving in Pentos and starting the search for someone who might not exist (the chapter will also include a small brief aside about what is going on in King’s Landing which will hopefully prove satiating as it will be a little while before we receive our next update about what is happening there and it will be a doozy). But all in all, I thought this was an important chapter that captured Harry and Jon very well.
Story Note 3 – And the number of people who know about Harry’s secret has increased once again! As of now the individuals who are aware of his ability are Sansa, Ned, Arya, Jon (although by the end of the trip to Essos I’m sure Jon will have the most complete understanding), the individual who was behind his wall … and whoever they reported to … And as for who is next to find out … I imagine Arya might certainly let it slip to more people at home. Although hopefully it is Bran or Robb and not Theon or Catelyn.
A large thanks to those of you out there who enjoy my stories, I promise to keep updating the stories as long as you all are enjoying them, and a special thanks to those of you who have taken the time to leave feedback or have reached out to me directly.
Disclaimer – It has come to my attention recently that I unfortunately do not own any part of the Game of Thrones nor Harry Potter universes That includes but is not limited to the characters, locations, … Who knew.
