Chapter 17

Unknown Place

Aryan found himself in a familiar place. The same place he was before being reborn into the Planetos. The endless darkness surrounded him. But thankfully the rasping voice of Death met him before long.

"I thought we agreed on meeting each other after a long time, Master," the voice of Death rasped unseen.

Looking around for the source Aryan said, "I just wanted some answers. Only you can help me in getting them."

"Hmm.. You don't have much time. Ask away quickly." Death said appearing in his skeletal form.

"How did Sirius survive the Veil of Death?" He asked.

"The Veil of Death does not kill a person immediately. The person gets stuck in limbo, neither dead nor alive but aware of their state of existence. Most of them lose their will to live after a very long time and when they pray for mercy I claim their souls. But your Godfather was lucky. Around the same time he fell into the Veil, this world was facing extinction and I was compelled to intervene. So I sent Sirius Black here. He solved the problem here and lived a long life and started a legacy. A legacy into which you were born." Death explained.

"Then why weren't his descendants born as wizards or witches? And how come he came here thousands of years before me?" Aryan asked.

Death replied, "Magic and time exist in different forms in different worlds. While magic in your old world was in a very active form, here it is very passive. That is why your Godfather's descendants did not inherit magic. Neither will yours if you decide to have some. Your Godfather and you are exceptions which Fate and I allowed. You will finish what your Godfather did only halfway. That is one of the main reasons I sent you in this world."

"My father is dead in this world too." Aryan asked.

Death said, "But your mother is alive and she loves you very much, and you love her too, even more than your previous mother Lily Potter, which I didn't think was possible."

"Thank you for this chance. But you still did not explain why my father had to die." Aryan asked persistently.

Thinking for a moment Death said, "The working of a world is controlled by Fate. While she allowed me to bring you here, she was adamant on your father's death. Let me tell you something, if everything went according to Fate's plan, the child of Brandon Stark and Ashara Dayne would have been a stillborn girl and Ashara would have jumped to death over the grief of losing her husband, her child, her brother, and her sister in all but blood. Then in future years almost the whole Stark line would have been decimated and after more years the whole world would have been covered in Ice. But on my request, Fate allowed you to be born earlier and let your mother live. You must be very thankful to me. I have gone very far for your life here. If Fate had her say, you would have been born a girl."

Sputtering Aryan said, "What? A girl? And my mother dead? No way. I cannot even imagine my life like that."

"That is why I am saying you should be thankful to me. But she had a few conditions regarding you."

"What conditions are you talking about?" Aryan asked.

"Initially I thought to aid you completely, so that you can easily deal with the Others. But with Fate's conditions, I was limited to give you only seven gifts. I had you born four years earlier than the real child of Brandon and Ashara so that you have enough time to prepare yourself. You were born as a boy instead of as a girl. I changed the fate of your mother. I gave you the gold which you found in the crypts of Winterfell which helped to kickstart your projects. The earthquake which helped you in making the Canal helped the North greatly. I gave you full service of my worshippers, the servants of the Many-Faced God. Whether you realized or not, your blood still carries the Phoenix tears and Basilisk Venom. So you are immune to poisons and you will heal very fast while always unaffected by any illness.

Now as per my agreement with Fate, I cannot do anything more for you. What you do, how you do, all is up to you. Just do my task and lead a happy life. I think you have known before you got your wand that you can't use your magic to its fullest at the places which are not brimming with magic. You will still not be able to use it to its fullest for a long time at those places even with your wand. You can use powerful spells in places not brimming with magic but you will get exhausted easily after using them. So my advice is to use your magic carefully when you are not in the North."

Aryan already had known a few of them. Others were new to him. So he expressed his thanks to Death.

Death nodded his head accepting his thanks and started to fade away. Suddenly remembering something Aryan asked, "Wait. I came to know that my father had been killed due to someone's machinations. Can you tell me who killed him?"

"No. Take it as a challenge and find out yourself. We will not meet again, Harry Potter, till your final journey. I will say this: you will eventually find love on the path you have chosen. So enjoy this life with her." Death's voice faded away and darkness engulfed Aryan.

Winterfell, The North

The last one year had been very busy for Aryan. Since discovering that his father was killed due to somebody's machinations, he was determined to find them and take revenge. So he had pumped more money into Jaqen's spy network to make it extensive, especially in Riverlands as that was where the rumours of his aunt's kidnapping started. He was waiting for the results. He has been thinking on expanding his network in Essos due to recent developments.

Now with complete access to his magic in the North he had warded Winterfell against all those with ill intents. But these wards will not work if Starks are not in control of Winterfell. Then he applied the soil magic he had learned to the farms surrounding Wintertown and to some areas beyond. The ritual left him exhausted for a week but the results were worth it. The yield had now increased. Emboldened by the success he repeated the ritual in the rice farms in the Greywater marshes and at the Gift near the wall too which he planned to reclaim for the North. Robert is a fool and he can take advantage of his weakness to get the Gift back.

It had been a surprise when Queen Cersei ordered glass items for the Royal Palace. But knowing the state of the treasury he did not want to give a loan. So after a discussion with Lord Wyman Manderly they decided on getting a tax exemption for the amount instead of immediate repayment. While the glass workers made the other products, it was Aryan who made the statues using transfiguration which was a child's play. Thus the North had made a huge profit in the form of full tax exemption, thankfully due to Lord Manderly's negotiation skills. It was why Aryan was taking him along to Essos for negotiating with the magisters.

While the North now had sufficiently powerful army Aryan realised that brute force cannot help everywhere. So he tasked Jaqen and his accomplices to train a hundred men in stealth combat and infiltration. He named them the Black Wolves and made extra sure to make their existence a secret. While Jaqen did all he was asked, Aryan realised that Jaqen was very busy handling the three roles as the Steward, the Spymaster and the trainer of the Black Wolves. Also with Winterfell's expansion and increased ship traffic through the recently widened White Knife has made both Winterfell and Wintercity quite busy. Merchants came from Essos too for trade and business deals. So Aryan made Jaqen the High Steward of Winterfell, while placing two Stewards whom he trusts under Jaqen to help him manage his responsibilities. Aryan also gave Jaqen an enchanted mirror to talk to him at any time. Now he understands why his mother advised him to find more people whom he can trust.

Another important event that happened was the recapturing of Skagos. While the previous Starks left the islands alone, Aryan decided that it was time Skagos truly joined the North. This also gave him an opportunity to test the new Northern Army. So he sent Lord Dustin with ten thousand men to Skagos to do whatever is necessary to bring back the islands to the fold, later additional ten thousand men were sent. He sent Robb with Lord Dustin so that he can gain some experience, though his aunt Catelyn was not happy with that decision.

A purge had to be carried out. Most of the people of Skagos were savages and cannibals and unorganised, and they refused to surrender or swear fealty to the Starks so they were killed to the last men, women and children. Only a hundred men from the army were lost in the battles, something which made Aryan happy. The only reason additional men were sent, was to complete the purge quickly. And thus Aryan Stark achieved something which many of his ancestors tried and failed.

Aryan had went to Skagos and discovered that the island was full of Yaks and Rhinos which the people used to mistake for Unicorns. While he did not have any immediate use of Rhinos, the Yaks could be very useful. So he arranged for the Karstarks and Umbers for trade in Yak wool for right now. Later on, he would resettle people here with new nobility and then they can carry out this trade.

The Skagos proved to be abundant in marble. So Aryan had ordered Marble stones to be brought to Winterfell and decided to build the Roman Colosseum next to the Wintercity. It would take almost two years to complete the work. Many people had asked what its purpose was but Aryan decided to keep it a secret.

After returning from his meeting with Bloodraven and the Children of the Forest he had a meeting with Marwyn, who was happy with his discovery and access to more magic. Now that he had a wand, they decided that the trip to Valyria should not be delayed anymore. But after Death's warning they had agreed to use magic carefully outside of the North. He can't afford to get exhausted in tough situations. So Aryan had begun to make preparations. He had enchanted a flying carpet and few bottomless bags. Marwyn also made some medicines they could possibly need in their adventure. Marwyn had suggested the setting of something like the Citadel in the North because like Aryan he too did not agree with only the Citadel controlling the flow of knowledge in Westeros.

Aryan had designed and enchanted a pensieve and used it to show memories of biology, mathematics, physics, chemistry, architecture etc which he had learnt throughout his old life, most of which were unknown in planetos. Marwyn wrote detailed books on those which he sent to the Citadel. Aryan placed many compulsion charms on those and a letter which he sent along with the proposal of the Northern University. And soon he had received word from Jaqen's spies that his proposal was accepted but the official confirmation would only be after meeting the Maesters. The unexpected bonus was that with so many new books on different subjects Archmaester Marwyn was elevated to a Grandmaester (which annoyed Pycelle, the Lannisters and the Tyrells). So Marwyn would accompany him to the Citadel for his ceremony and from there they would go to Essos, to begin their adventure in search of magic in this world.

Marwyn's discoveries in human anatomy brought a person named Qyburn to Winterfell. Marwyn informed Aryan that Qyburn was stripped from his Maester status for illegal human experimentation. On recommendation of Marwyn he was allowed to become an acolyte. But Qyburn proved to be very efficient in his art of medicine and healing. So Aryan gave him the Chief healer position of the new Hospital in Wintercity.

Three months after his meeting with Bloodraven, Aryan was soon called back again by him. Bloodraven told him that the Others had begun to attack again, mostly remote and small settlements. After the attack, they would disappear with their new dead army. Aryan had then visited two of those settlements. They were abandoned and bloodstained. He then decided that it was time to seal down the Wall. But first, he wanted to bring the reasonable Wildling clans into the North. The reason for doing this was that north of the Wall, they would only add to the numbers of the Night King, but here, south of the Wall, they could be his soldiers in the war against the Night King.

Knowing it would be difficult to convince the Lords and the Night's Watch and after discussing it with Bloodraven, Aryan tried a different approach, based on some half-truths.

Flashback Begins

He took his uncle Eddard and some loyal Lords like William Dustin, Greatjon Umber, and Jorah Mormont to the Wall.

"Why did you bring us here, Nephew?" Eddard asked while the others agreed to his question.

"Patience, Uncle. This is something that must be seen and cannot be explained. Please bear with me for some time," Aryan said.

They were standing near the base of the Wall. They saw a group of the Night's Watch riders approaching them.

Jorah whispered, "There comes my father, Lord Jeor Mormont, the Lord Commander of the Night's Watch."

Soon enough, the Riders reached them. The leading man said, "My Lords, welcome to the Wall. I am Lord Commander Jeor Mormont. I must say that it is really a surprise that you visited the Wall. Even stranger that Lord Aryan Stark asked us to make an arrangement for escort beyond the Wall."

"What? Beyond the Wall? Why the bloody hell should we go there? Lord Stark, what is happening?" Greatjon asked.

"Why do we need to go there, Nephew?" Eddard asked calmly.

"Patience, Uncle, and My Lords. Lord Commander Mormont, we do not need to go deep into the North. I need you to escort us to the Godswood just beyond the Wall," Aryan asked Jeor.

What Aryan did not tell them was that during his visit to Skagos, he visited the Wall also. He had found that the Wall was built with a ward against necromancy. But its power was very weak. He also learned through his talks with the Children of the Forest that before the Others were created, the winters in the North didn't use to be as devastating as they are now. It was only after the creation of the Others that the winters in the North became harsher than before. Winters north of the Wall may not be reversed due to the presence of the Night King there for so long, but they could be reversed south of the Wall. So Aryan was hell-bent on reversing this.

As all of them were well-rested, they immediately began their journey. The Mormonts led the way, the father-son duo catching up. As they passed through the passage, Aryan asked the Lord Commander to let the Rangers stay behind, which the Lord Commander reluctantly did. Soon, they reached the Godswood. Aryan dismounted his horse and led the others toward the Weirwood tree.

"My Lords," he began, "I am sure all of you must be wondering why I brought all of you here. Recently, I have been made aware of a great threat to the North and then to the whole of mankind."

"A great threat to mankind? You say that like the Others are coming," Greatjon guffawed.

"As a matter of fact, yes. How did you know I was going to say that?" Aryan asked.

Greatjon stopped his laugh and blinked at that response. Seeing the serious expression on Aryan's face, Eddard asked, "What are you saying, Nephew? The Others? They are Old Nan's tales."

"We forget that all tales and legends are born from some kind of truths. A few months ago, when I was in the Godswood, a man contacted me through the heart tree. He showed me our impending doom if we do nothing. In the vision which he showed me, I was standing in a place covered by ice. In front of me, beings of blue color and blue eyes were killing people. The dead were then rising against their former kin. After that, we contacted through the heart tree several times. Those visions were at different locations and different places. Initially, I dismissed the visions, thinking he was messing with me. But soon, I realized that all of them looked so real, felt so real. The screams of the people... So one day, I asked to meet him to discuss this issue. He asked me to grab the roots of the heart tree, and then he used his powers, and I was soon in an underground cave. I saw a man sitting on a Weirwood throne with strange creatures surrounding him. From Old Nan's stories, I knew that they were the Children of the Forest. After seeing him, I realized that this man was none other than Bloodraven."

"Lord Bloodraven? As in Brynden Rivers? He was the Lord Commander who was lost beyond the Wall," Jeor Mormont said.

"The Man with a Thousand and One Eyes," Roose Bolton whispered.

"My knowledge of history is very weak," Eddard Stark admitted, to which both William and Greatjon agreed.

Aryan continued, "Lord Bloodraven told me that the Others were killing the Wildlings and amassing a large army to conquer the world. As it was a Stark that built the Wall, he told me that it was our responsibility to protect it as well as save the lives of the Wildlings."

"Bringing the Wildlings south of the Wall? Are you mad, boy? Don't you know what those savages do to us? Did you bring us here just so you could convince us to accept those savages?" Greatjon roared.

"Be quiet, Lord Umber. Know your place, don't forget that I am your liege Lord" Aryan thundered. "I know that your daughter was stolen by a Wildling. But here, the whole of humanity is at stake."

"It seems so far-fetched, Aryan. And are you saying that Brandon the Builder, who supposedly built that Wall, was really a Stark?" Eddard asked.

'No, he was a Black,' Aryan thought about Sirius and then spoke, "I knew you all would say that. That is why I brought all of you here. And yes, Uncle, Brandon the Builder, who built the Wall, also built Winterfell and founded the Stark line. All of which were shown to me by Bloodraven. Now all of you kneel before the Weirwood tree and touch it. You will see the truth for yourself."

Looking at each other, they reluctantly did so. Immediately, Aryan saw their eyes roll back, now immersed in Bloodraven's memories. After some time, he saw them return to themselves. Jorah immediately retched to his side while the others sat down, stunned by what they saw.

"By the Old Gods, that is really terrifying," William Dustin mumbled.

"They are real. The Others and the Children of the Forest. Old Nan's tales were true," Eddard was speaking to himself.

"Fuck. I now see what you were trying to tell me, Lord Stark," Greatjon agreed.

"So that was what happened to Lord Bloodraven. Maester Aemon deserves to know of this," Jeor declared.

"My Lords, now you see why I had to bring you here. Bloodraven's power does not extend South of the Wall too much. So he requested me to bring you here. We have to try to bring the wildlings to the North. Rest assured, only those who are willing to change their ways and swear fealty to us will be taken. The rest will be left to their fate. I want my conscience to be clear when I close the Wall forever," Aryan said, his voice steady, but with a weight that only the Lords could truly grasp.

"Yes," Eddard said, slowly nodding, "Bloodraven explained to us that before the Wall was built, we were one people. If we don't bring them south, then they will be killed, and then added to the ranks of the Night King's army."

"Lord Commander, I trust you to send your Rangers to convey our message to the wildling clans. Soon, I intend to get back the Gift by talking to the King. I hope you don't have any objections. The wildlings would be rehabilitated mostly in the Gift and Skagos islands. The Northern army will be stationed there to make sure that their transition is... smooth, to help them change their ways," Aryan informed them, his eyes sharp as he addressed Jeor.

"No, Lord Stark," Jeor replied, his voice gruff but filled with resolve. "Already you are providing so much aid to us in the form of food, weapons, and other supplies. We will not be losing anything by giving back the Gift. It's just being wasted. Perhaps you will find better use for it. With Allister Thorne dead, I don't think there will be any strong objections. And yes, I will send my best ranger, Mance Rayder, to talk with the wildlings. He knows how to deal with them."

Since it was Aryan who had ordered the killing of Allister Thorne, already aware of the man's character, gave him a firm nod. "Fantastic. Have them all assembled at Hardhome. Tell them that we don't have much time. From there, I will ship them South. Once all is done, we can seal the Wall forever. No need to waste your men's lives in ranging."

Jeor agreed, his mind already processing the logistics. "So be it."

The silence settled over them as the reality of the task ahead sank in. There would be no turning back now. They would have to deal with the wildlings, the wall, and the Others.

So, after deciding to keep the Others a secret to avoid unnecessary panic or attention, they all began their return journey.

Flashback Ends