In the steaming castle of Winterfell.
A red-haired woman held her baby in her arms, gently rocking him as she paced back and forth across the room.
Her steps were restless, and her expression tightened with worry whenever her gaze brushed against the window.
The only thing that calmed her was looking at her baby. Her expression softened as her eyes shone with tenderness. He was her first child, and her heart beat a little faster every time she held him in her arms.
When she noticed him opening his green eyes, her lips curved into a loving smile, hiding the worry buried in her heart.
Her fingers gently cradled his face as her blue eyes looked into those green orbs, which seemed to possess a charm from another world.
Neither House Stark nor House Tully were known for having green eyes. If not for the dark hair growing on her son's head, Catelyn would not have the face to look at her husband.
"Lady Catelyn, they are coming," said a maid as she reached the door.
"I understand," said Catelyn without taking her eyes off her son. She carefully adjusted his blanket before walking outside, followed by the maid.
Never before had she thought the castle's great corridors were so short.
When the icy breeze struck her face, Catelyn unconsciously pulled her son closer to her chest as she looked around. Several soldiers and servants of the castle were already carefully lined up, waiting for the arrival of their lord.
Her blue eyes moved across the courtyard before finding her place.
Catelyn descended the steps of the Great Keep and walked across the soft earth of the courtyard before positioning herself in front of the entire crowd, maintaining a dignified posture as she waited for her husband.
It did not take long for the sound of horse hooves to be heard, and her heart began to beat faster.
The cold breeze seemed to pierce even her thick coat, sending small shivers through her. Even after several months, she was still not used to the North.
It was then that she saw him, riding alongside his men as he came closer and closer.
His face seemed somewhat more mature. His hair was long and framed his face, while his beard looked as though it had been trimmed recently.
That face seemed to merge with the one she had seen more than a year ago.
She had only spent one night with her husband before he left for war. Their marriage had been an arranged accident.
An accident she hoped would prove fortunate.
The bright green eyes of her son did not help her feelings either. Would her husband think the child was not his?
Her heart beat faster and faster as she watched her husband lightly tug on his horse's reins, slowing his pace as he looked at her.
Seeing his stone-like expression, Catelyn felt her legs weaken. Showing a strong front, her blue eyes calmly met her husband's gray ones.
Unbeknownst to Catelyn, Eddard did not feel much better as he looked at his wife, whose eyes seemed cold.
Eddard almost felt that it would have been better if the war had continued. His eyes drifted toward the small bundle in her arms.
He wondered what his wife thought of the son they had. Did she love him? Or had she only borne him out of duty, to give him an heir?
Remembering the baby he had brought with him, Ned had to admit that he was afraid. He was certain it would leave a terrible impression.
Stopping his horse several meters away from his wife, Eddard dismounted before walking forward with slow but steady steps.
His gray eyes met Catelyn's blue eyes directly.
Neither of them knew how fast the other's heart was beating as Eddard gently leaned forward and kissed his wife's forehead.
"My lady, I have returned," said Eddard, trying to make his voice as gentle as possible.
The courtyard fell silent as everyone awaited the reunion between their lord and his wife.
"My lord, welcome home. Let me present you to our son," said Catelyn formally, betraying none of the happiness she felt at her husband's actions.
It seemed that even if it had not been planned, perhaps they could have a real and loving marriage.
Catelyn looked tenderly at her son before handing him to Eddard.
Eddard noticed the way Catelyn looked at their son, and with that alone, he knew their marriage would be fine.
Turning his attention to his son, just like Catelyn, his intense green eyes immediately caught his attention.
His expression turned serious for an instant, making Catelyn press her lips together.
Eddard reached his hand toward his son before noticing his dirty glove. Stopping his movement, he simply cradled him, a faint smile appearing on his lips when he saw the baby tilt his head to look at him.
"He still has no name," said Catelyn softly, her voice carrying a trembling note she could not contain.
Eddard looked at his wife with concern as he pulled his son closer to his chest. The breeze was truly freezing.
His mind worked quickly before a name appeared in it.
"He will be called Harry Stark," said Eddard with a complicated expression.
His voice echoed through the courtyard, allowing all the soldiers and servants of the castle to hear it.
House Stark now had an heir.
....
Harry yawned, still somewhat drowsy, as he lazily opened his eyes.
Looking at the ornaments floating above him and the stone ceiling, he confirmed once again that this was not a dream.
He was not sure how much time had passed since Death had sent him to wherever he was.
Perhaps his brain was too small to support his adult mind. He did not even know how old he was. He only remained awake for short periods before everything became blurry again.
What he did know was that he was still a baby. Sitting up with some effort, he looked around. He was in a wooden cradle that was quite well padded.
At least that was familiar. He was probably still quite young.
Looking at the stone walls and ceiling, he almost thought he was back at Hogwarts, but when he met the sweet gaze of a red-haired woman sitting in a rocking chair a few meters away, he understood that was not the case.
Harry looked away as his small hands gripped the bars of the cradle tightly. He could look directly at Death, but not at his new mother.
Letting himself fall backward into his cradle, he tried to ignore his mother's small laugh and focused on something more important.
Something that had been bothering him for quite some time.
Closing his eyes, his brows furrowed as he searched for something around him. Like candles lighting up in the dark, small points of magic seemed to occasionally pass through the room.
Like a soft mist carried by the wind.
Too scarce. If he had not known what he was looking for, perhaps he would not have been able to detect it even with his high sensitivity.
The good thing was that he could indeed feel his magical core, small and weak, just what one would expect from a baby.
Concentrating.
He caught one of those bright points and tried to draw it toward himself.
Warmth quickly spread through his body. Weak, but familiar.
It seemed Godric's spell was working properly.
The spell was quite unusual, since it required neither a wand nor an incantation, only the manipulation of magic that every wizard was born with.
By drawing magic into the body and keeping it there, one could not only remain healthy and live a long life, but with arduous training, the body would transcend the normal physical capabilities of a wizard.
The spell was somewhat complex until one learned to automate it. Before that, it always felt like tensing a muscle for far too long.
Feeling a faint sensation of fullness in his body, Harry stopped, as once again he began to feel sleepy. Without resisting too much, he fell asleep again.
....
Harry stood at the doors of the Great keep, looking toward the great courtyard at the castle's entrance.
The icy breeze lashed him without mercy, making him shiver slightly.
Wearing a padded leather outfit with a fur collar, Harry descended the steps, followed by a pair of stalkers.
Turning his face back, he saw a guard and a maid keeping pace behind him. His lips pressed together before he looked around.
The place seemed quite active, almost like a small market. He saw a few stalls selling furs, grain, and meat.
Dozens of soldiers could be seen around the area, either patrolling or standing guard near the gates.
A great wall, which had to be between twenty and thirty meters high, rose up and blocked his view. Two large metal gates stood wide open, allowing people to pass through.
Through the gate, he managed to see that there was another wall behind it, making him wonder whether the outside world was truly so dangerous.
The walls stretched out to either side, and he could not see where they ended. Though with his small size, he did not exactly have a great range of vision.
Moving through the courtyard, he answered every greeting with a small smile while looking at everything with curiosity.
Once he was at a certain distance, he turned curiously to look at the Great Keep, his attention immediately drawn to the great tower rising from it.
It had to be roughly twice the height of the wall, though it was difficult to tell from the ground.
He had not known that tower existed, but he already wanted to see what the view from above was like.
Looking up at the sky, he narrowed his eyes as he felt the magic moving with the wind. Noticing the direction, he began to move forward by instinct.
The path was quite bad, mostly muddy or full of puddles, even with the occasional bit of animal excrement.
Or so he hoped.
Harry wandered around the castle while trying to follow the direction of the magic. He got lost several times, even reaching dead ends. In the process, he managed to see quite a bit of the castle: forges, armories, and stables.
After several turns and obstacles, he finally reached the place he was looking for.
A small but lush forest stood before him. The curious thing was that the walls extended around it, protecting the entire forest.
Stopping at the entrance, he simply looked at the forest with curiosity, feeling something similar to the woods behind Hogwarts.
Just as he was about to enter, one of his stalkers approached his side.
"Young lord, this is the godswood, the most important place in the castle. Only Lord Stark and Lady Catelyn may enter," said the guard as he crouched beside him.
Harry pressed his lips together at the action. He still was not used to that kind of treatment, and the guard's overly friendly expression and high-pitched tone did not help.
"Fine, then wait here. I won't take long," said Harry, pretending to smile as he entered beneath the helpless gaze of the guard. Even so, strangely enough, the guard truly did not dare to follow him.
He and the maid only looked at each other with helpless expressions.
Following the path through the forest, leafy trees framed the way, while squirrels and small birds moved among the branches.
Steaming columns rose from small pools, and a faint smell of sulfur permeated the warm breeze rising from them.
When he reached the end of the path, he raised his gaze in astonishment.
A great tree, white as bone, stood before him. Its leaves were the color of blood, and a face with a melancholic expression had been carved into its trunk.
Suddenly, his pupils shrank as his mouth opened slightly.
It was emanating magic.
It was not residue, nor scattered traces left behind after a spell. The tree was constantly producing it.
As though it were breathing magic.
He had never seen anything similar in his previous world.
His face showed a hesitant expression as his fingers moved restlessly. Looking around, his eyes fixed on a small stone beside a steaming pool.
"Accio," said Harry in a small whisper, feeling the familiar movement of magic.
The stone flew incredibly fast toward his hand, making his brow furrow at the slight pain from the impact.
Suddenly, a sharp pain assaulted his body, causing him to let out a faint groan.
Breathing deeply several times, the pain gradually calmed. Even so, a faint feeling of discomfort remained inside him. He really was too young to use magic.
Looking at the tree again, Harry smiled with a somewhat painful grimace. It truly was the most valuable thing in Winterfell.
It was just that, aside from its symbolic value, it seemed no one else could make use of it.
Returning the way he had come, Harry saw his two companions, who seemed relieved to see him return quickly.
Both of them hurriedly asked if he was all right. Harry only made a dismissive gesture and continued walking back toward the keep.
The two of them simply followed him helplessly.
Leaving his stalkers behind as he entered the keep, Harry advanced through the corridors in search of his mother.
"Mama!" said Harry, raising his voice as he called for his mother inside the great castle.
Ignoring the maids who laughed softly when they saw him, he walked through the places his mother usually frequented.
She was not in her room, nor in the sitting room where she embroidered.
Walking to the dining hall, he found both his mother and his father there. To his surprise, the place was quite full, with several familiar faces, and the food was especially abundant for an ordinary meal.
It looked as though a feast would soon begin. He walked toward the table while idly wondering whether they had guests.
It would not be the first time he had seen lords visiting his father.
"Oh, Harry, how was your walk through the castle?" said Catelyn, looking at him sweetly when she noticed his arrival.
"It was fine. The castle is very large. There is still a lot left to explore," said Harry, forcing a smile as he stood beside his mother.
Sitting elegantly, she leaned softly toward him. Looking into those blue eyes that seemed to overflow with love, his lips pressed together slightly.
"I see. You arrived just in time. Did Vayon find you?" said Catelyn, stroking her son's head.
"No, I just finished my walk," said Harry, tilting his head in slight confusion.
"Oh, I see. Then we will have to wait until he arrives. Come, sit at the table," said Catelyn, standing up and taking Harry's hand before lifting him and placing him on his seat.
A few strands of her red hair fell across his face as the soft scent of perfume surrounded him.
A pair of delicate hands wrapped a bib around his neck before gently pushing the chair in to make him comfortable.
He really could not resist that woman.
Catelyn returned to her seat while resting her chin on her hand, looking at him with a smile.
Somehow, she made him feel as though he were a doll. Holding back a sigh, he put on his practiced innocent expression as he looked at his mother.
"Where is Jon?" asked Harry, looking into his mother's blue eyes.
He immediately noticed how his mother's smile stiffened for an instant before she took his hand.
"Today he will eat somewhere else," said Catelyn softly, maintaining her smile before turning her face toward Ned.
"I think he should eat with us too. He is my brother, after all," said Harry in a soft voice as he looked at his mother, who was clearly avoiding his gaze.
His brother Jon was not very appreciated by his mother or by the people of the castle. Although Harry felt somewhat uncomfortable when thinking about his father cheating on his mother.
He also could not bear to see Jon treated badly when he had nothing to do with it. It was not his fault that he was an illegitimate son, though people usually called him by a more derogatory name.
His mother did not hit him or insult him, but Harry knew perfectly well that the coldness and rejection she showed him could be just as painful.
When he saw Jon's expression, it was almost like looking at himself in a mirror, at the child he had been many years ago.
"Mama, please," said Harry, insisting when he noticed her lack of response.
Catelyn pressed her lips together, but in the end, she simply nodded while smiling stiffly, making a gesture to a maid to bring Jon.
Harry looked at his mother before letting out a silent sigh. Taking her hand, his fingers played with her palm, trying to cheer her up.
Although he called her mama even in his mind, he was still barely adapting.
But it was difficult to resist when she looked at him with so much affection and care.
Now he was Harry Stark, and Catelyn was his mother.
Jon was quickly brought by a maid. Harry noticed both his longing and his discomfort with the situation.
His eyes quickly alternated between his father and Catelyn, almost testing their reactions with every step he took.
"Hello, Jon, come sit down," said Harry, smiling at him as always.
Jon's eyes brightened, making him look like a puppy. He smiled at Harry cheerfully as he took a couple more steps before looking at his father.
"Father," said Jon softly as a greeting before looking at Catelyn.
"Lady Catelyn," said Jon stiffly before sitting on the other side of the table, across from Harry.
The table grew somewhat quiet, but Harry tried to act as though nothing had happened while doing his best to talk about anything that might lighten the mood.
After eating, Catelyn looked at her husband with a look he immediately understood.
Ned cleared his throat, drawing the attention of everyone in the hall.
His father stood and announced in simple words that a new Stark would soon be born.
Harry's gaze immediately fell on his mother's abdomen. He really could not tell at a glance.
But beneath the shouts of congratulations and the laughter of the castle's inhabitants, Harry had no time to pretend to ask anything.
Everyone toasted and drank, celebrating the birth of another heir.
Harry looked around the dining hall with a thoughtful gaze.
How real was the happiness of these people?