Snow Harrie 4/6
Title: Snow Harrie 4/6
Author: Eriador117
Team:Snitch
Genre(s): Literary/Historical, Crossdressing/Genderbender
Prompt(s):Secrets and Lies
Rating/Warnings/Kinks: AU, sexual situations, crossdressing, genderbending, slash and het sex.
Word Count: approx. 16,600
Summary: Lily has always wanted a baby girl with hair as black as ebony, skin as white as snow and lips as red as blood...
Author Notes/Disclaimers/Betas Loosely based on Snow White with a side order of inspiration from The Bone Doll's Twin by Lynn Flewelling. JK Rowling owns the Potterverse, I just play in it from time to time.
Beta'd by Rakina, thanks so much! Lots of thanks to team_snitch for all their help in wrangling this bunny to something manageable and special thanks to our fearless leader, Joanwilder/Raewhit.



Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6


Snow Harrie Part Four

When Harrie awoke, he was lying on a soft feather bed and wondered if it had all been a dream. But as his eyes adjusted he realised he was not in any room of the castle he recognised; in fact he wasn't in the castle at all but what looked to be a peasant's cottage. The bed was in the main room, one wall was taken up with a large fireplace and a scrubbed wooden table in the middle had chairs and place settings for seven.

"Hello?" Harrie called, but the house seemed to be empty. Harrie got up and explored the room; a curtained-off alcove held a ladder up to an upper floor. Harrie wondered if the other residents were still abed – it wasn't long past dawn judging by the light filtering through the windows. There was no sound from above though, not a snore or a sniffle.
Space inserted
As he swept past the table again, he saw a note addressed to him. How did they know his name? Harrie read the note, fear clutching at his chest as he did so. If they knew his name, they knew he wasn't dead. Were they even now heading off to the castle to let them know?

Harrie, we had an early start this morning. We will be back for breakfast around eight. Please help yourself to any food. Do NOT let anyone in. We have a key so we won't knock.
Bill.

Harrie had no idea who Bill was. He didn't remember anything about last night at all, but it didn't sound like this Bill chap was about to turn Harrie in. They must have offered Harrie shelter, but he didn't remember it at all. Searching through the well stocked kitchen cupboards, Harrie decided that he would make breakfast for them all before they returned from their work. Harrie was a decent cook, but that was another thing he'd had to keep hidden from his mother. Lily hadn't approved of Harrie spending so much time with the staff, but Harrie had felt much more at home in the hustle and bustle of the kitchen rather than sitting about gossiping and sewing.

Seven places. Did that mean there were six plus Harrie or seven plus Harrie? He'd started chopping up some herbs for the scrambled eggs when there was a loud knock on the outer door. It was echoed by his heart against his ribs as he looked out the window to see who it was. An old pedlar woman with a stooped back held tight to a walking stick and a tray of goods hung from her shoulders. Ribbons, combs and cheap jewellery sparkled in the sunshine.

Harrie opened the top half of the door. "Good morning, ma'am. I'm afraid I am not able to buy anything today." Bill's warning was ringing in his ears and as well as that he had no money.

"I don't mean to trouble you, dearie, but could you possibly offer an old woman a drink of water? I've been walking all night."

"Oh, of course!" Harrie went to the pump over the sink and filled a wooden beaker to the brim with water. As the old woman took the water, her hand trembled and some of it spilled on the ground. It was an old woman; surely Harrie was in no danger from her? "Why don't you come inside and sit down while you drink your water?" Harrie suggested. "Rest your feet for a while."

"Why, thank you, dearie. I think I will."

Harrie busied herself with preparing breakfast while the woman drank her water. Her eyes seemed to follow Harrie's every move.

"What lovely long hair you have."

Harrie's hand flew to his head in panic; his veil was nowhere to be found. He'd forgotten about it this morning.

"Some of these combs would look pretty in it, don't you think? The red one? Or the green?" The pedlar held up the two combs in question.

"They are pretty," Harrie agreed. "But I don't have any money."

"A gift then, for the water and the rest. An exchange, if you will. It's very bad luck to refuse a gift."

Harrie stared at the two combs. "The green one," he decided at last.

"Excellent choice, it matches your eyes."

Harrie made to take the comb from her, but she shook her head. "Let me, your hands are all covered in flour."

"Oh, thank you," said Harry sitting down on one of the chairs.

For such a frail elderly woman, the strength in her arms was a surprise. She combed through all the tangles, making Harrie's eyes water at the sudden pain. The pedlar stabbed the comb into Harrie's scalp and he cried out just as his vision wavered. He toppled from the chair onto the tiled floor; he could feel blood trickling from his nose and heard the woman's mad cackle.

"You really shouldn't trust strangers. The comb is poisoned and you will die very soon. Goodbye, Harrie."

***



Bill was whistling as they returned to the cottage, a brace of rabbits slung over his shoulder. They would eat well tonight and with all the vegetables Charlie had gathered that morning, they would have the makings of a decent stew. His whistling broke off mid-tune when he saw their new guest lying on the floor of the kitchen, blood pooling around her head.

Charlie and Percy dived down next to her, while the others looked on in horror.

"She's not breathing!" cried Charlie.

"Where did she get that comb?" asked Ginny. "It's not one of mine and she wasn't wearing it last night."

Percy held out his hands towards the comb, a blue glow was enveloping Harrie, but the comb was pulsing black and red. "Poison," Percy said grimly, as he pulled on a pair of gloves and removed the comb from Harrie's scalp, before throwing it on the fire. Harrie groaned and opened her eyes, then they widened in shock on seeing all the people gathered around her.

"Harrie? Do you remember us? We found you last night in the forest and brought you back here. You said you were in danger and today someone poisoned you with that comb."

"It was an old pedlar woman. I felt sorry for her," Harrie admitted as she struggled to sit up. Percy and Charlie helped her stand and then Bill saw all the makings of breakfast spread out over the worktops.

"Harrie, you didn't need to make breakfast for us all. You're our guest."

"I wanted to thank you all for saving me."

"That's very kind, but we all muck in and help. No one person has to do everything."

"I'm sorry I've put you all to so much trouble."

"It's no trouble," said Charlie. "It's a matter of pride. We couldn't leave a damsel in distress, could we?"

Harrie blushed and mumbled something that Bill didn't catch.

"What was that?"

"I'm not a damsel," said Harrie. "That's why I'm in danger. Because I'm a boy."

"Oh, right," said Bill. From Harrie's well-tailored clothes, he guessed Harrie was some sort of nobleman and was disguised as a girl so whoever was looking for him wouldn't find him. The nobles were always killing each other off over land or titles or other such things. Harrie was probably the only heir to a plot of land somewhere and the other nobles wanted to kill him off so they could lay claim. But using an old pedlar woman to do their dirty work – that was stooping too low in Bill's opinion.

"Well, we'll just have to keep you disguised then," Bill said. "I'm sure Ginny might have some dresses that will fit you, you're both about the same height. Anyone seeing you in velvet would wonder what you were doing here. We can pretend you're our kinswoman."

"Thank you, you're all being so kind."

"You're welcome. Just promise me one thing," said Bill.

"Anything."

"Don't let anyone else into the house."

"No, I won't. I've learned my lesson."

***

Lily stared hard at the mirror as the scene faded. "He's still alive? I don't believe it!"

And yet, haven't I ever shown you the truth?

"Yes," Lily agreed. It was completely unlike her husband, who had lied to her for eighteen years! "I will have to try again."

But Harrie will be more careful now.

"I don't care! I will kill him if it's the last thing I do!"



Continue to Part Five