False Start

AN: Spoke with someone on Discord and had the idea start to perculate. Unfortunately, it didn't take. Still wanted to share.

HP x DanMachi

1.

"It's too powerful for anyone to have," Harry said as he considered the wand in his hand.

He snapped it in half before anyone could stop him. A burst of power blasted Harry off his feet. He flew back landing on the stone path hard. The air rushed out of his lungs and the fresh air in told him instantly something was wrong. It tasted different, it felt different, and it wasn't Hogwarts.

Something jabbed into his side as he moved to sit up. He leaned over to see the Sword of Gryffindor in a scabbard connected to his belt. The familiar weight of his Invisibility Cloak on his shoulders. He didn't have a wand anymore; his phoenix feather wand was gone, and he'd broken the Eldar Wand. Harry pushed himself to his feet. He noticed the change in his clothes as he brushed the dust off. Now he wore a simple shirt and pants rather than his torn t-shirt and jeans.

The sound of people nearby perked his attention. Harry shifted his focus from himself to his surroundings. He now stood on a stone street in a city that he had never seen before. This wasn't Hogwarts but the buildings wouldn't have looked out of place in Hogsmeade. He turned in a slow circle to take everything in. The strangeness was further amplified by the fact that most of the people wore some form of armor, carried various types of weapons, and quite a few clearly weren't human. Wagons, carriages, and the occasional rickshaw mingled with the crowd.

He came to an abrupt halt when his eyes landed on a giant tower that reached up into the clouds. There was an energy rolling off of it that was unlike anything he had ever felt. At times, when he was around other witches or wizards using their magic he could feel their power. The best he could describe was a charged wave of air. Strong magic had an energy like static while others were closer to a scent on a breeze. This tower was something else. It emitted power in a constant series of waves that was barely contained within the stone. On closer inspection, the source came from deep underground and then rose to the top of the tower before fading away, not in waves, but like something breathing.

Was the tower alive? Was something underneath it alive?

"Miss Eina!" an excited voice called from behind him. "Miss Eina!"

Harry turned to see a young man covered in blood running down the street. They didn't appear to be injured even though they were thoroughly drenched. Everyone just stepped out of the way like it was the most normal thing in the world. Some even muttered about how the kid was a moron.

"I want to know everything there is to know about Miss Ais Wallenstein please!" The young man continued to yell as he approached one of the buildings.

A woman with pointed ears and dressed in something akin to a butler outfit stared at him in shock. The papers that she had been holding a moment ago were now spread out on the ground. It appeared that place was somewhere to go for information.

Harry shrugged to himself and decided to follow the kid. The guy was probably around his age, but the energy he exuded reminded him of a Firstie. Harry stepped through the swinging doors into a building lit by lanterns with floating blue crystals hovering inside. There were more people dressed like butlers around the lobby. A row of windows similar to a bank took up the wall directly in front of the door.

"Welcome to the Adventures Guild!" A woman said as soon as she saw him. "Are you here to turn in crystals or register?"

Harry froze when he got a full look at the woman. She was taller than him, had crimson red hair, and set of animal shaped ears atop her head. A small smile crossed his face. It reminded him of the Polyjuice Mishap in his second year. In the grand scheme of things, people with animal ears weren't too far out of his experience. At least they weren't goblins. They would probably kill him on sight after he broke in and out of the Gringotts.

"Uh," Harry said. "I need some information."

"A new Adventurer?" The woman asked. "My name is Rose Fannett, come with me."

She led him over to a booth close to where the blood covered kid stood.

"Bell," a woman with pointy ears chided. "You're dripping all over the floor."

"Oh," the kid, Bell, finally realized their condition. "I'm so sorry."

The kid began to bow repeatedly, flinging blood in a wider range. He was ushered into a side room by the pointy-eared woman. Their voices were a mixture of a constant string of apologies and gentle chiding for his actions.

"That's Bell," Rose said flatly. "Good kid. Bit green."

Harry nodded.

"Now, let's get started," Rose pulled a roll of paper from inside her vest as well as a quill. "What is your name and Familia?"

"Harry Potter," he answered. "What is a Familia?"

"You don't have a Familia?" Rose sighed. "We don't allow adventurers without a Familia to register. The Guild does not recommend unattached individuals delve into the dungeon."

"Ok," Harry replied. "Could I still get some information?"

"That's what we're here for," Rose replied with a curt nod.

"Where am I?" Harry asked.

Rose stared at him for a long moment. She tilted her head to the side as she examined him.

"This is the Labyrinth City, Orario," she replied. "How did you not know that?"

"It's been a long day," Harry said with a dry chuckle. "There are a couple of other things I'd like to ask you about."

She nodded.

"You mentioned a dungeon and Familia," Harry said. "Can you explain that?"

"You're serious?" Rose asked as she continued to study him with a critical eye.

Harry let out a sigh and nodded.

"When the gods descended to the mortal realm they bound their Godly Powers. They are able to bless a person, taking them into their Familia, and unlocking their growth from delving into the dungeon. Each god and goddess have their own Familia and usually focus on specific things. The Hephaestus Familia, for example, are mainly blacksmiths."

"Hephaestus?" Harry muttered.

He knew that name. Gods and Goddesses weren't part of the Hogwarts curriculum, but he had been able to find some books in his local library about them. His younger self thought that if there was magic, then there had to be some truth in the stories about gods. Hephaestus, Greek god of Smiths that made all of the relics the Olympians used.

"What are crystals?" Harry asked before his train of thought could drift too far.

"Monsters in the dungeons drop crystals," Rose explained. "The guild purchases them. We then process them and sell them to various businesses. You can also sell directly to a merchant, but the prices and practices are not supported by Guild regulations."

Harry nodded. He stood and took a couple of steps away from the booth.

"Thank you," he said before he left. "One last question, if it's rude."

"Go ahead," she sounded rather tired now.

"What are you?" Harry asked.

Rose stared at him for a moment. She let out a dry laugh.

"I was not expecting that," she said. "I'm a werewolf."

It was his turn to stare at her. He had seen a couple of werewolves, and they did not look like her.

"Thank you," Harry inclined his head.

He needed some fresh air. The sun was setting which meant the street crowd was beginning to shift from the day shift to people wrapping up their day. Laughter and loud conversations mingled with the sound of various market stalls being packed up.

Harry watched it all in a disconnected haze. He wasn't sure how long he stood letting his mind drift into nothingness. Something poked his side. He snapped out of his daze to find the kid that had been covered in blood, now freshly cleaned, standing nearby. Harry noted that he had white hair with red eyes. It was odd, but there had been plenty of people walking around with wild hair colors

"Excuse me, sir," Bell asked with a slight shake in his voice. "Are you ok?"

"Not really," Harry replied.

"Do you have somewhere to stay?" Bell asked.

"I don't even know where I am," Harry muttered.

"That's not good," Bell paused for a moment before he seemed to have a literal lightbulb moment. "You can come with me! It's not much, but I've got a place. I'm sure my goddess wouldn't mind a visitor either."

"I couldn't do that," Harry shook his head.

"It's no problem," Bell waved his refusal away. "I know what it's like to be alone in the city. Come on. You can stay the night and then head out in the morning. I can help."

Harry found himself smiling despite the circumstances. He shrugged. Bell jumped up in excitement.

"Follow me," he said before taking off at a run.

After a moment Bell turned around and came back to get him.

"I'm Bell, Bell Cranel," the kid held out a hand.

"Harry Potter," Harry replied shaking the offered hand.

"Great, Mister Potter," Bell bowed. "Follow me."

"Mister Potter?" Harry muttered as the kid took off running again. "How old does he think I am?"

~§~

Bell led him through the city, on through the outskirts, and finally through what looked to be a ruined section. Harry would have thought he was being led somewhere to be robbed and killed if it were anyone else. Bell didn't seem to have an evil bone in his body.

"It's right here," Bell waved him over to a dilapidated church.

Harry followed him inside. The interior wasn't as bad, but it wasn't that much of an improvement. Bell continued on to a door beside the main altar and headed inside. It would have been easy to repair everything if he had a wand.

"Goddess!" Bell called. "I'm home. And I brought a friend."

"Bell!" A busty short woman launched herself at the young man.

The small goddess pinned the kid against the door.

"You sure are back early," she snuggled up to him even though he still wore his armor.

"Yeah," Bell blushed. "I almost got myself killed in the dungeon today."

"What?" Hestia gasped. "You're not hurt are you? If anything happened to you I'd have a heart attack."

She bounced around Bell inspecting him for any wounds. Harry had to admit she was really cute. It was funny to see them interacting. The goddess was clearly in love with the young man while Bell was completely oblivious.

"I'm fine, goddess, I swear," Bell knelt down to speak with her.

He was only a little shorter than her on his knees. It was then that she noticed Harry.

"Who is this?" Hestia asked coming to a sudden stop beside Bell.

"Goddess Hestia, this is Harry Potter, he needed a place to stay," Bell said motioning over to the visitor.

The silly cute look on her face vanished as she turned her attention to Harry. Her eyes went wide. She crossed her arms as a wave of magical energy rolled off of her. Harry tried to ignore the fact that she had pressed her already impressive chest up with her arms.

"Who are you?" Her eyes narrowed. "There is something odd about you."

"Harry Potter," he replied with a small bow. "Goddess Hestia. Of hearth and home?"

"Yes," Hestia preened. "You're obviously an intelligent man to have heard of me."

Harry smiled.

"Let me ask you some questions," Hestia bounced over to the nearby couch and flopped onto it.

Harry did his very best not to admire the way her chest accentuated her every move. He had to look away to stop himself from leering. If he could hold back ogling Fleur, he could do so here. The quick glance away told him that the room wasn't all that big. A couch, coffee table, and a decent quality twin-sized bed fit snug in the place. He didn't see a proper kitchen or other facilities.

"Could I ask you some too?" Harry asked.

"Sure," Hestia patted the cushion next to her.

Harry sat. Bell busied himself removing his gear and caring for it.

"Where did you get that sword?" Hestia asked.

"I pulled it out of a hat while I was fighting a basilisk," Harry replied. "Do you know how I can get home?"

"Where are you from?" Hestia asked bouncing a little more. "Where is your home?"

"Hogwarts, it's a school in the Highlands of Scotland" he replied easily. "It's closest thing I have to a home."

"I'm sorry," she shook her head. "I don't know where that is."

"I was afraid you would say something like that," Harry said then leaned back against the cushion. "Have you ever heard of Albus Dumbledore? Voldemort? Gryffindor?"

"No," Hestia said softly.

She looked over to Bell. The young man seemed to feel her gaze. He perked up and thought for a moment before shaking his head. Hestia placed a gentle hand on Harry's shoulder. Her touch sent a wave of relaxation through his body. His eyes started to droop. The day was beginning to wear on him and the couch was deceptively comfortable.

"You're not from here," she whispered. "Do you know how you got here?"

"I broke the Eldar Wand, then I woke up here," Harry replied. "I don't have it, so I can't just break it again and hope it sends me home."

"Would you like to join my Familia?" Hestia asked softly.

"You would want me?" Harry asked. "You don't even know me."

"Of course," Hestia stood as tall as she could, which wasn't much. "Bell has a good eye for people."

"Are you hungry?" Bell asked.

"I have potato croquets," Hestia hurried over to a bowl and pulled off a fabric covering. "I'll update Bell's Status."

Harry watched as Bell took off his shirt and laid on his stomach. There was a string of text on his skin that he didn't recognize. Hestia pricked her finger and let it drop onto the exposed flesh. The ink rippled like the water. Numbers floated up off his skin, blurred, and then settled back on his skin. The goddess started to banter with Bell about love and the dungeon. Harry was too interested in watching the process to really understand what the conversation was about.

"That's the blessing that gods give to their Familia?" Harry asked.

"Yes," Hestia replied. "With this blessing the children of the gods are able to improve their natural abilities and gain skills. Some help speed along growth, others focus on a certain ability or talent, and many other effects."

Harry watched as Bell put his shirt back on.

"Bell," Hestia said. "Can I show Harry your sheet?"

"Sure," Bell replied with a happy smile.

Hestia held up the status sheet to explain it to him. The ink was beginning to fade. It glowed for a moment and the text returned to full form.

"There are six standard measurements as well as any skills," Hestia explained. "There is your level, power, endurance, dexterity, agility, and magic."

She paused to make sure Harry was listening. He was tired, but this was rather interesting.

"For your level refers to the amount of Exilia the spirit can contain," Hestia said as she scanned the room.

She let out a cute little squeak as her eyes landed on a cup. The goddess picked it up and held it out for him to take. He did.

"Imagine your spirit is this cup," Hestia explained. "Exilia is mostly earned through fighting monsters in the dungeon. Exploration, crafting, and physical labor are also options, but at a slower rate. The Exilia you earn fills up the cup until it reaches the limit. Then, that Exilia is expended to increase your level. All of the current scores increase according to how they earned it. Still following?"

Harry nodded.

"Then there is Power, which isn't just how strong you are but how much potential you are able to use," Hestia continued. "Endurance is how tough you are, your stamina, and how fast you recover. Dexterity is like Power. It's not just your skill, but your potential to use it. Agility is your speed and how fast you can move around. Magic is simply magic."

"I think I got all of that," Harry chuckled.

"Good," Hestia said with a happy bounce. "Did you want to see yours? You would have to join my Familia. That would also mean that only you and I can see your status naturally. You need to give someone permission to look at it."

Harry thought for a moment. He didn't have anything to lose. Harry slid off the couch and took a knee in front of her. It only seemed right considering she was a goddess.

"If you will take me," Harry said. "Then I will gladly join your Familia."

Hestia sprung forward, wrapping him in a hug and inadvertently pushing his face into her impressive bust.

"Perfect," Hestia practically hopped over to the bed. "Take your shirt off and lay on the bed."

"It has to be the back?" Harry asked as he took off his shirt.

"Yep," Hestia replied as she straddled his back.

Harry wasn't sure what she was doing to him. She began chanting something he didn't recognize. He felt a tidal wave of magical energy swirl in the air above him. It focused into a single drop of Hestia's blood. A jolt of energy that felt like the first time he held his wand, only much, much stronger, surged through his body as it connected with his skin, causing him to take a deep breath.

"Oh," Hestia hummed. "You already have a skill."

"He does?" Bell asked as he hurried over. "What is it?"

"Bell," Hestia huffed. "This is a private matter."

"It's fine, Bell shared his," Harry soothed

[SKILLS – Wizardry]

"I've never heard of that one before," Hestia stated.

"I think I know what it is," Harry's words came out a little slurred.

His entire being buzzed with power. It felt like every bone in his body was saturated in magic. Following a hunch, he pointed at the nearby couch. While it was more comfortable than it looked, it clearly was secondhand.

"Reparo," Harry ordered.

The rips and tears along the back of the couch mended, a crooked leg adjusted back into place, and one of the cushions puffed up.

"What was that?" Hestia gasped.

"A mending charm," Harry smiled over his shoulder at the goddess. "This is the magic that I learned at Hogwarts."

"What else can you do?" Hestia asked as she happily bounced on him.

He wasn't sure if she simply forgot that she was still sitting on him, or if she didn't care. Either way, it gave him a wonderful view. He had to concentrate not to look at her for too long. She and Bell had taken him in and literally made him part of their family. It would be rude of him to gawk at her like a pervert. He had heard that near-death experiences could make people horny, but he had thought it was just some line movies made up to justify love scenes. His death and following duel with Voldemort had happened a few hours ago. Now that he thought about it, he had no idea what time it was.

"Would it be ok for me to go to sleep?" Harry asked. "I've had a long day."

"Sure," Hestia slid off of him. "You'll have to tell us all about you tomorrow."

"You could come into the dungeon with me," Bell added excitedly.

"Maybe," Harry chuckled. "I've only used that sword once."

"We can stay on the first floor," Bell wasn't going to take no for an answer.

"Sure," Harry said as he stood. "Sounds like a plan."

He looked from the bed to the couch. There wasn't a place for him to sleep. He guessed that Bell probably slept on the couch.

"Do you mind?" Harry asked motioning to the coffee table.

"Sure," Hestia agreed to whatever he was going to do.

The coffee table grew and changed into a simple bed. He was vaguely aware of the two making impressed sounding noises. Anything more was lost to him as he fell asleep the moment he was horizontal again.