Ouroboros || harry potter

Chapter Thirty-Three

(Harry)

The floo address for the Abbott party let him out into a large foyer with the walls covered in a mural of paint, stone mosaics, and magically molded stone that depicted a lakeside with dozens of similar-looking birds flying about, hunting and living in their natural habitat. Said birds reminded him of the ones Hannah had on her outfit at the Bones' party and he has certainly seen them in the past.—He should probably look it up since it must be the Abbott totem.

The large room had the huge fireplace he had come from, a large framed mirror at its side, and two sets of large double doors. It reminded Salazar of the Gryffindor manor's foyer though missing any poloraizing political statements.

Salazar stepped away from the fireplace and glanced over his ridiculous outfit. The show stopper of the entire thing was the chaplet he was wearing in place of a hat. Emerald oak leaves, which matched his eyes a little too well, were attached to twisted silver branches that were actually snakes. There were so many leaves, and the branches had magically shifted about on his head until his mess of curls were entangled with it all, that his runic scar was well hidden. It was also not easy to see that the branches were actually snakes. (Octavius' warning left him wandering though.)

The rest of the outfit was layers of different shades of dark green with silver nature-themed embroidery that had more embroidered serpents hidden in the foliages. It was actually a rather nice outer robe he'd wear again, without the wreath.

Thank the Mother Godric hadn't been around to see this.

He flicked his hands away from himself and the fine dusting of ash puffed away, leaving his clothing spotless and the silver shiny once more. Willow-of-the-wisp like lights materalized as he turned from the mirror and danced about him. The wispy glowing balls danced through the air and toward one of the double doors. Salazar raised a brow but stepped through the doors.

The air visibly rippled as if he had stepped. A wintery forest of evergreens and leafless oaks cloaked in snow and fog rolled out before him. The smell of burning pine mixed with cinnamon and a note of citrus, possibly orange, smacked him in the face alongside the sharp taste of magic—a strong breeze pushing him in a single direction, the sound of hurried feet against the hard ground, and sense of a long distance moved.

Salazar stepped away from the doors and looked behind him. A stone gate stood within the forested area, unattached to any manor. Within it was the foyer where a couple had tumbled out of the fireplace. The door slid closed as the adults righted themselves.

He turned back to the path before him, curious. He recalled the comments that House Ollivander had agreed to help play host for the party. This must be part of the ancient House's lands. Salazar had only ever visited the edge of House Ollivander's property. Of all the Seven original Houses, Ollivander would be the most likely to maintain their extensive forests, if not expand them. He hoped they had maintained their druidic groves and not focused solely on their wandcraft. It would be nice to not be alone in rebuilding it all.

More willow-of-the-whisps guided him along a path of gravel mostly cleared of the snow. Soft music filtered out from the forest he slowly wandered through. A few snowflakes fluttered down from the gray sky. If he never found the party, he would be rather content.

Eventually, though, he reached a line of other guests. Not far from his spot, he spied what had to be the Abbott hosts. He recognized Hannah and her parents within the group waiting to greet visitors.

It was clear that he might be wearing the less unusual outfit of the lot. Hannah was dressed up as a moth with holly in her hair. Her mother was dressed in a dress of Autumn oak leaves of oranges and reds and brown. One of the Abbott men had antlers and another looked to be dressed as a leafless tree. The ones not dressed in any specific theme were still wearing nature on themselves in the form of wreathes or belts or similar. Furs and leather and deep, rich-colored cloth were featured in many outfits. One of the guests in line had a deep green dress covered in holly leaves and berries. Another looked like a deep red rose.