Harry Potter and the Berserker

Chapter 35

Disclaimer- Harry Potter is owned by J.K. Rowling and Berserk is owned by Kentaro Miura. I own nothing.

Snow had fallen fast in a short amount of time after they all departed from the Tower of Conviction, or rather, what was left of it. In less than a day, more than a foot of snow covered the ground. Puck tried to cheer and liven up the mood by saying the winter would be short because the summer had been short as well. Harry was pretty sure that wasn't how nature worked, but he had other bigger things on his mind right now.

There was just the simple feeling of relief that they had been successful in rescuing Casca and knowing that the struggle had not been in vain. While Casca still retained that child-like mentality, she had become quite fascinated by one of their newest traveling companions – Farnese. Currently, Casca was playing with Farnese's cut blonde bangs.

"Yes, yes, you like my hair. I- ow! Please don't pull." Farnese pulled Casca's hands away from her hair.

Serpico studied curiously. "You seem to have an admirer, Lady Farnese."

"I suppose, but- ow! Please, Casca, no pulling."

"Auu," Casca mumbled in her indistinguishable manner.

Harry faintly smiled at the scene. Casca was back, but not "back." Her mind was still deeply broken and traumatized after what happened during the Eclipse. Just thinking about that brought to mind a rather concerning matter, one that was deeply troubling Guts as well, the seeming rebirth of Griffith.

The Griffith they had seen then was not the tattered and frail broken body of Griffith before he became Femto. This Griffith looked how he did before his imprisonment and subsequent torture. Rather, he had looked graceful, the definition of male beauty incarnate. But it was his eyes, those slit pupils let Harry know that he was not truly Griffith, just Femto disguised as his previous human form.

While Casca was toying with Farnese and Serpico, trying to catch snowflakes with her tongue, Isidro and Puck were talking fighting technique, Harry spoke with Guts. "What are you going to do about him?"

Guts opened his satchel, looking at the behelit that he carried. He closed it. "I still plan on helping Casca, I've left her alone for too long. But for Griffith... there's no more hunting to be done. He's in a world where I can kill him."

He didn't say how he would go about doing it or even when, but the desire was still there, still waiting to attack like a wild and rabid dog.

Harry did not fault Guts at all for this, it seemed the logical and rightly justified natural reaction that he would give. It might not have been the best time to bring it up, knowing how Guts feels about the Godhand, but Harry told him about what he had read in that old book. Guts was silent for a moment, letting the information process.

"So that's who he is. Tch! He would be the type to prattle on about something like that, wouldn't he?" he could have been referring to either Skull Knight or Void. "That bonehead owes us some answers the next time we see him."

Harry was in full agreement; there was a lot that happened in the past that they did not know about and the only direct links that they had were the Skull Knight and Flora. And speaking of the spirit-tree...

"How far is it?" Guts asked.

"Maybe just a few weeks journey," Harry roughly guessed.

"Hm." Guts contemplated, looking over to where Farnese was reigning in Casca before she could wander off. "And this witch can help her?"

"I trust her magic more than I trust my own." Given how far he had advanced from talking to snakes, which was saying a lot.

"Really?" Guts scratched at his chin. "Alright then. If you say that's the best way of healing Casca, I'll take your word on that. We'll stop back at Godo's along the way to rest up. I want to see what the old man can do for my sword."