Disclaimer: Neither Harry Potter nor Ranger's Apprentice belong to me. Both franchise belong to their respective owners, Rowling and Flanagan. I make no money off of this project and no copyright infringement is at all intended. This is merely written for free for mine and, hopefully, my readers' enjoyment.

A Brief Introduction: Hi folks!

This is another plot-bunny that was stuck with me for years, ever since I read Ranger's Apprentice and Harry Potter actually. But what with all that has happened to me I never got around to actually writing it. But now I have and I hope to write more although me being who I am, updates will be slow and seem almost non-existent but they should (hopefully) arrive after a while, maybe even sooner if you're in luck.

About this crossover, it's a Harry Potter/Ranger's Apprentice crossover and there most likely will NOT be slash in it although I am not utterly a opposed to the idea of Will getting together with Harry although I prefer straight pairings. As of now, Harry will get together with Evanlyn/Cassandra in the Ranger's Apprentice world since that's where the story takes place in.

Horace won't get together with her since he's a knight and she's a princess. Harry's a wizard though and will save the day, obviously, so that's different and plus, I like Cassie as a character more than the other girls in the RA series so they are most likely gonna be an item (Harry/Cassie). Everything else will be canon though, more or less.

Also, this takes place in the Ranger's Apprentice book called Sorcerer in the North at the time when Will Treaty goes for his first investigation into the forest in search of the infamous sorcerer. He thinks, like Halt, that it will be a fraud but you'll see what happens. As for Harry Potter, this takes place after the entire series and everything is canon except for the Epilogue which didn't happen in this AU.

You'll find out what does happen in the chapter but for now it mentions it briefly so you should get the vague idea. Also, this happens a few years after the series so Harry's had a little more time to train but not much since he's mostly been running and hiding, see the chapter for a slight explanation. But that about wraps things up so without anything more to say and without any further ado I present you with my latest spectacular (hopefully) fanfiction!

CHAPTER 1: An Unexpected Meeting

Will Treaty took in a deep breath and struggled to calm himself as he rode through the dark forest. Tug cantered softly beneath him, whinnying soothingly but it did little good. Will's knuckles were still white as his tense grip tightened on his pony's reins.

"It's going to be okay, idiot," He whispered hoarsely to himself. "It's going to be okay."

But truth be told, it wasn't going to be okay.

This was Will's first mission as a fully-fledged Ranger and even though he had been on many dangerous tasks before, none of them had made him as afraid as he was of now.

And why?

It was all because of a legend, a legend about a sorcerer to be exact: A Sorcerer in the North.

Sadly, not even Halt's reassurance that it was probably a hoax spun to get attention and gold by impressing the common people with cheap parlour tricks could help him. He was scared, damn it!

The forest being dark and shrouded in mist without any of the usual night-time noises didn't help either, and the continual clink of Tug's hooves on the ground only made things even more eerie.

Will was half-expecting a wraith in the form of a gigantic knight to burst out of the shadows and warn him to leave if he valued his life, in a deep mysterious voice to boot! A twig snapped and he spun his head around almost like an owl wood.

It was just a false alarm though and Will muttered a curse under his breath.

"Some Ranger you are," Will snorted in derision. "You can easily take down hordes warriors and ugly hybrid creatures but when it comes to the supernatural, the uncertain, you bulk. Halt said it would work out in the end, so it shall. Just. Stop. Worrying!"

Unfortunately for Will no sooner had he said those words than there was a loud sonic boom. Tug reared back, neighing in fright and alarm tossing poor Will from his back.

Dazed and disoriented, Will had barely enough time to raise his arm protectively above his eyes before he was greeted by a flash of bright green light that appeared seconds after the titanic bang that sounded like an explosion.

A strangled gasp escaped his throat and felt his insides clench as a shockwave lashed out from the aura of light. The shockwave blasted him several feet backwards through the air and cut through the tops of several trees like a dull breakfast knife would slice through butter.

After the deafening noise of several trees collapsing and leaves being shredded to nothingness, the light abated, almost as if it withered way and faded into thin air leaving behind the silhouette of...

...a young man!

Will's heart pounded wildly in his chest as he saw the figure hunch over, his back turned to him slightly, his face turned away and shrouded in darkness.

He was dressed in flowing robes and clutched a worn satchel over his shoulder, a strange stick in his right hand. A tiny faint orb of light floated above the stick, and puffs of gray smoke rolled ominously off the stranger.

Will's mind reeled as he was assaulted by fears, doubts, and wonder. Who was this person who had appeared out of thin air? Was Will dreaming or hallucinating? Had he died and gone to hell? Or was this the mysterious sorcerer of the north that everyone spoke of?

He certainly looked the type what with his flowing black robes and the peculiar pointed hat that sat precariously on his head. Suddenly, the stranger spun around and pointed his glowing stick at Will as if it were a sword or some kind of weapon.

Will gulped as the stranger looked up slowly revealing piercing green eyes and messy black hair, making him look even more foreboding like a rugged wild denizen of the forest, untamed and capable of wrecking havoc whenever he pleased without any thought of the consequences that might followed.

"Who are you and where am I?" The stranger said slowly, his voice hoarse and strained but with a certain unmistakable steel to them. "Answer me!"

"Alright, alright," Will squeaked, his voice cracking from anxiety. "I'll tell you who I am if you just put that thing away."

"Not until I determine whether you are friend or foe," The stranger shot back determinedly.

Will swallowed hard and did his best to look unimportant. In seconds, all his Ranger training had been thrown out the window. He could have easily had the man at his mercy but this person was no ordinary stranger, he had magic and had appeared out of thin air for crying out loud!

Not wanting to make anymore enemies, Will relented deciding it best to put the person at ease.

"Fine," He sighed. "My name is Will Treaty and I am a King's Ranger. I hail from the Kingdom of Araluen and have authority over Seacliff Fief. I swear upon everything that is honest and good that I mean you no harm, now can we please can we be civil?"

The steel in the stranger's eyes never wavered. In fact, they seemed to transmute into iron growing colder as every second ticked by.

"There is no promise you can make that I can trust," The stranger growled. "Just during my school years as a youngster, I have been lied to and betrayed far too many times by people I kept in the closest confidence. I saved an entire country from the worst tyrant in known history only to have the people in authority determine that I was too dangerous to keep around so they banished me here, making the common people believe I was a criminal and a murderer although I saved their pathetic arses from the greatest evil known to wizard-kind of all time."

The stranger paused to let it all sink in and catch his breath leaving Will's mind in a whirl. There was no doubt about it now, he had clearly said wizard-kind!

"The only way I can believe you is if you take a Wizard's Oath," The stranger continued. "Unfortunately, for that to work we need a witness and I dare say your donkey shan't be able to carry out that part."

To the surprise of all, Tug snorted as if to say he was very much offended at the statement and the ghost of a smirk crossed the stranger's lips. Will stifled a grin of his own at the rather humorous mental image of his trusty Ranger pony acting as a witness for such a dire incident.

Heaving a sigh, he gave himself a mental shake and waited for the stranger to continue. He knew he would hear no end of this from Halt and the others back home, failing at his first real mission only to be at the mercy of the sorcerer he was supposed to investigate!

Sadly, it seemed like there were more important things to deal with at the moment, particularly because the stranger seemed to snap back to reality and was about to speak again.

"But since I am a foreigner in this land," The stranger sighed. "And have seen too much strife and turmoil in my short life, I will give you the benefit of the doubt and I accept your oath. I could use mind magic on you to determine whether or not you are telling the truth but it is one of the most, if not the most, complex of all magicks so I digress. For now, I will accept your word but if you turn on me than so help me Merlin, I will hunt you down and make you rue the day you were born!"

Will gulped at the fire in the young man's words and couldn't help but see that he really, really meant that! He wasn't bluffing or putting up a brave front, he would kill Will or anyone else who stood in his way if it was necessary.

"Don't worry," Will said hastily. "I mean you no harm although there might be some back home who won't take too kindly to your words. As it is I am in a rather tricky situation myself and can't afford to make any more enemies than necessary. With your permission, I'd like to form a temporary truce between you and me and our people until we can figure things out properly. Right now I don't have the time but if you help me with my mission than I there's a good chance I can help you solve your problems."

Will took a deep gulp of air as he finished what was probably the longest most unlikely speech he had ever given in his life. He knew Halt would have a thing or two to say about it but for now, diplomacy was really the only option he had at his disposal.

What he said was true and what with his current mission, he couldn't afford to make any more enemies. And besides, a real sorcerer with real magic might prove extremely useful. Then again, he might just make things all the more complicated.

But who said there couldn't be peace between them even if things did get out of hand eventually? Will watched with bated breath as the stranger mulled over the plan, never once lowering his defensive stance, never once turning his icy gaze away from him.

"Very well," The stranger said at last, causing Will to breathe a quiet sigh of relief. "I agree to your terms and will help you in any way possible. Likewise, it's only fair to exchange names after you so kindly told me yours. In light of that, allow me to properly introduce myself..."

He paused and Will worried that he might go back on his terms. But after a moment of hesitation he continued.

"...My name is Harry Potter and I am a wizard," The stranger replied. "So now tell me, what is it you need help in?"

TO BE CONTINUED...

A/N: Like it? Love it? Hate it? Leave a review and let me know what you think so I can make this even better yet! Many thanks in advance.

A/N 2: By the way, there's a quote I copied from one of the Lord of the Rings movies (again, no copyright intended, don't own the franchise, etc.) so see if you can find it!