Harry Potter and the Lost Cities

CHAPTER NINE

"Wow," Harry breathed.

He was standing in front of what had to be the biggest house he had ever seen― if house was even the right word. Mansion was probably more accurate. Or castle. It towered over the grounds, but not in an intimidating way. No, the crystal shimmering in the sunrise and the huge windows made the huge place feel somehow homey. The beautiful grounds added to the majesty, and the cages contained strange-looking animals, some with wings, some with terrifying fangs, and...

"Are those dinosaurs?" He asked, his mouth open in shock as he stared at the neon-feather covered creatures.

"Yeah," the blonde girl― Sophie, she'd said― agreed. "My family is kinda weird."

Hermione, at his side, let out what sounded like a squeal. "Dinosaurs? But― they're extinct!"

Sophie grinned. "I thought so too― until I came here. Elves ensure that no animals ever go extinct. It would disrupt the flow of the earth. We have wooly mammoths, saber-tooth tigers, dodo birds, and more all at our Sanctuary. But this is just a rehabilitation center, so we don't have as much variety."

Hermione seemed shocked beyond words. Just like when Sophie had told her that Einstein's theory of relativity was false. It hadn't affected Harry quite as much, since he'd never heard of such a thing in his life.

"It really is all true," she whispered to Harry as they walked towards the house.

"Yeah... I guess so," Harry agreed.

Sophie led the two of them― they'd decided not to bring too many Aurors with them― along with the rest of her elvin friends, across the grounds and to the doors. Harry tried to ignore the fact that Sophie kept glancing back in wide-eyed wonder at the pair of wizards. Over the years, he'd gotten used to the fact that detailed books about his life were in the Muggle world, but it was weird being with and talking to someone who'd read them. Most wizards didn't bother with them, so he didn't have that problem in the wizarding world.

The group had almost reached the door when Harry jumped. Two people had just appeared out of nowhere. And they looked angry.

Except one of them wasn't a person. Actually, he reminded himself, neither of them was probably a person. But one of them didn't seem to be an elf, either. He was tall, with gray skin that folded over and lots of muscle. His only clothing was loose, black pants, and, Harry realized with a gulp, a whole arsenal of weapons. Harry quickly reached for his wand as the big thing stomped over to them.

"Uh oh," Sophie muttered.

"Do you know this guy?" Hermione asked, alarmed.

"Yeah. Don't worry, he won't hurt you. Although his lectures are deadly." She sighed.

"Sophie Foster!" The gray being exclaimed in a shockingly high pitched voice. "Where have you been? You do realize that you've been gone all night, right?"

"Yeah, that's typically what the sunrise signifies."

Whoever― or whatever― Sophie was talking to ignored this comment. "What were you thinking?"

"Um, that we could get some good information?" Sophie said, rather boldly to her credit. "And we did. Meet Harry Potter and Hermione Granger." She motioned towards them.

Harry didn't put his wand away as he was scrutinized by the seven-foot wall of muscle.

Sophie sounded rather amused as she said, "Harry and Hermione, this is Sandor. He's a goblin. And my bodyguard. That I may or may not have ditched..." she said the last part rather quietly, and the words earned her a gobliny glare.