Summary: Harry Potter has lived a very odd life with a family legacy and a prophecy hanging over his head normal even by wizarding standards were never in the cards. But waking up in something called the Fade with demons and spirits looking to put him on the 'correct' path and a naked tree woman asking for his help, this takes the cake on his list of strange.

Author's Note: Okay, gather around boys and girls to something I've been working on for a long time. This is the story that initially began my journey into publishing my own fanfiction. Don't worry I'm still working on my other fics so they won't be forgotten in favor of this story.

I would also like to thank those people who beta'd for me ShadowBlazer and Vixen's Shadow. Thank you for all your help.

Update: I am currently taking the time to go through a few chapters and I'm taking the time to fix any grammatical mistakes or other errors I was unable to see in my original post. I want to thank . for being my beta and helping me with this task. I am still writing chapters for this lovely story but I want to take the time to look it over to make sure I can deliver the best quality I can, thank you all for your patience.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything, Harry Potter and Dragon Age belong to your their respective creators. No money is being made off of this story.

Chapter 1 Wonderland

Death.

One of life's greatest mysteries - we theorize and speculate about how our oblivion will be shaped. In living a mundane life, we hope that the actions we make will somehow shape an earned luxury. That the cruelties of being and living will have meant something when the chapter closes on our stories.

Sounds more like rubbish in Harry's opinion.

What was the point of living a life of some self-appointed rules governed by another being of questionable origins?

Ideas like that can only lead to more trouble.

He had experience with dying, it was floating in a deep sea of contentment in the void. It was the closest to peace he had experience in all his seventeen years of living.

It had felt like paradise.

If it wasn't for the train station part he would have probably called it a favorable state. There was no one clamoring for his attention, no prophecy dictating the course of his life or someone to disappoint.

Life and death were equal in their course, no one was above reproach so few ever lived or died on their own terms.

But when you're staring at the abyss that spells your end everyone asked for the same thing.

More time.

More time to do it right or do things you swore to do. Rarely does anyone go into that darkness without some regret either large or small. Ever rare is anyone's final thought on the idea of some great reward waiting for them at the end. What happens in the hereafter is anyone's guess but there is only one fulfilling truth.

Death comes for everyone.

It was never about how one ends but how you lived. Live your life and hope for the best has always been his motto. He lived a life where thinking too far ahead just led to more trouble with death always nipping at his heels. Dive in head first and see where it leads you. Life was way too short to worry too much, he could attest to that.

But standing here on some strange hill with floating buildings of an unknown architect. All of it looking from a different time period and upside down at that. The very air looked strange, almost deformed. In the distance was a bloody unnerving castle like someone had taken a metal gauntlet twisting and crushing it beyond recognition and pierced it into the ground.

He was staying away from that one, that's for sure.

He had to wonder about his belief in afterlives. Especially when he spied some floating white things whizzing by him.

"Where in Merlin's balls am I?!"

-Line break-

Well, it wasn't Godric's Hollow or even London. Hell, Harry was starting to believe he wasn't on Earth anymore. Casting a few locating spells proved futile. He was too leery to even attempt to apparate especially since he had no clue as to his whereabouts.

"This is getting me nowhere," he said, crossing his arms in frustration. Harry looked out towards the ever expanding horizon. "Everything looks the bloody same and nothing makes any sense!" he said with another huff, a scowl permanently fixed on his face as a wooden door flew passed him a lazy fashion. With no clue on how he got here and no idea where here even was, Harry simply walked on hoping that he would stumble on some form of civilization.

There were no distinct markings to tell this strange landscape apart.

Nothing about this place was familiar to him, if he were a bit hyptical he would harkin it to a sporadically put together puzzle. A puzzle made up of hundred of other pieces and architecture of no similar taste with no real cohesive mixture, More disconcerting was how obvious the patterns those pieces did not fully mingle together. This place was more like a memory of all those things, a bad imitation, a forced recollection trying to force it all together.

With no other options, he used the creepy castle as his northern point.

Yet, no matter what direction he walked the scary castle in the distance never got closer or farther. Which added to the creep factor of this place.

He even tried a little test by placing a mark on the ground and walking twenty feet in one direction then walking back. The damned landscape had utterly changed even though his mark was still there!

This realm seemed to follow its own rules, especially in the physics department. If he wasn't pissed and frustrated he would have probably found this all fascinating. He was itching to buckle down and take this place apart, see what made it tick. Not everyday you go to new dimension, a hard guess on his part, Hermione would be so jealous. Too bad she wasn't here. She would have been just as excited.

The biggest question was how he got here in the first place. His memory was hazy at best, filled with flashes of clarity here and there. He remembered congratulating someone for something, a promotional office party at work, and then nothing. With a growl of frustration, he shook his head violently at the jumbled mess in his felt all too similar to when Tom would take a joyride in his brain. Someone had been messing with his head. He hated that.

Since he had trained extensively in keeping his thoughts guarded and protected whoever the perpetrator was, they must be damned powerful.

With a tired sigh, Harry tried to relax and keep his frenzied thoughts at bay. There was no use crying over spilled milk. He would have to make the best of the situation. Whatever transgression that was done to him could be dealt with at a later time. Presumably, when he had a better understanding of his whereabouts.

He paused a moment to take in his inventory, all he had on him were his glasses, which weren't broken, thank goodness. His Unspeakable robes were still intact and undamaged with a few pounds on his person. He had a few other nicknacks on him, but he had no wand, no map, and no idea of what to do. Sure he could cast wandless magic to a certain extent but his wandless abilities would not be up to par in a life or death situation battle of magic. Wandless magic took more time to focus when compared to a wand. Without a focal point to help nudge the magic in a particular direction he ran the risk of losing control of the spell or having it backfire in his face.

So while he was not defenseless he would rather have a wand in his hands especially when facing the unknown

-Line Break-

Harry had almost missed the first living being he had encountered in his aimless journey. Nearly trampling over the creature under his feet until he heard an indigent voice speak up in quite a tizzy.

"Watch where you're going!"

Harry jumped back in surprise.

Finally.

He felt relieved and embarrassed. Quickly, he looked towards the source of the voice with an apology ready.

"I'm very sorry, but could you help- and you're a mouse."The creature or mouse in question looked nothing special. From what he could see it was just a plain brown mouse. The only thing remarkable about it was that it was staring straight at him with an almost indignant air about it."Or to be more specific a talking mouse. Great."

"Of course. Who else could it be? Unless you're a bit touched in the head. Or," The mouse seemed to pause giving Harry a considering look, "maybe I'm the one who's gone mad you're just a figment of my imagination." With another pause, the talking mouse took a moment to scratch its ear before continuing. "But I would expect I would have a bit more creativity in conjuring a person. Not someone so dull or touched in the head. Now we are not here to debate on my ability to speak but on your inability to watch where you're going."

"Err, yeah, sorry about that. Didn't mean to trample you underfoot and all." Harry spoke sheepishly.

An animagus, maybe? But he had never heard of an animagus being able to speak the human language when they changed. Maybe the rules were different in this realm?

"Might you help a bloke out by lending a hand." Scratching his head sheepishly he gave the mouse a small smile." Or, err... a paw and telling me where I am?"

The mouse proceeded to give him a look of surprise or as much surprise as a mouse could give a person.

"What are you some sort of dwarf? This is the Fade of course." The mouse seemed to huff out.

Harry was a bit miffed at that remark. While yes, he was a bit on the short side he couldn't understand why his height had to come into question.

"Well that's all well and good then but where exactly is the Fade? How close is it to London? Is this Wales? Scotland?"

"What in the name of Andraste is a 'London'?"

Well, that didn't sound promising.

-Line Break-

After the initial shock and a few arguments with Harry trying to convince Mouse that he was not insane. A few screws loose sure, but who wouldn't after living Harry's life? Then arguing with the mouse to assure him that Harry was not some threat trying to cause him harm. The plain mouse transformed into the most unassuming man wearing the strangest wizarding robes that Harry had ever seen.

The mouse-now-man proceeded to introduce himself simply as Mouse.

"Wait, is that really your name?"

"It's the only name I can remember. After a while, something like names gets lost in here."

Harry had to frown at that comment. The longer he was here the more his need to leave grew. The feeling worsened when Mouse explained some of the threats that this Fade place held to him and the usual mode of escape.

"We are in the fade. It's well...it's the place where everyone goes to dream. A place where spirits, demons, and humans mingle." Then with a thoughtful squint at Harry, he continued, "Most of the time people who've died end up here."

"So is this the afterlife? It looks so gloomy and too green. I had a train station the last time I died."

"Afterlife?"

"Yeah, you know pearly gates, time with your loved ones and all that. A place you go to have your actions judged blah, blah and all that." Harry was all too familiar with the concept since the Dudley's were adamant about religious practices. Every Sunday, they dressed in their best and dragged Harry to listen to a man preach about damnation and hellfire. Well, until the organ piano starting sprouting bubbles in the middle of the congregation.

Mouse could only shrug his shoulders having heard stranger things before. "Afterlife is a better word, but it's not like that, no. People who have died do come here, but everyone's time varies. Some people are here for only a blink while others are here for far longer. Those who stay usually get lost in here and they forget." Mouse gave himself a good scratch behind the ears, not overly concerned with Harry's growing worry. "The fade can be a dangerous and tempting place especially for mages since they're the only ones with magic."

"Why mages?"

"Huh?"

"Why mages? Does it always have to be mages?"

"Well no not always they're just easier."

"Easier for what?"

"By the Maker, you are dull-witted," Mouse threw his hands in the air in exasperation. "It depends on what you want from them or what they want from you. Some give freely, others give but with a price and the price is usually a chance to go outside the Fade. There aren't a lot of options getting past the veil."

"The veil?"

"Oh, for the love-" Mouse threw his hands up in exasperation.

It was all so fascinating. A world based on the imagination of the inhabitants, where the rules were made by the individual.

Harry's thoughts were in a whirlwind. So this Fade was apparently another plane of existence that acted as an energy source for magic in this world. Maybe an in-between from one plane to another? The spirits or demons that existed here were probably natives living with a few scraps of the 'real' world. Only the wizards of this world were able to access the in-between easily,which in turn made them easier doorways so to speak. The more magical talent a person had the easier it was to possess them maybe? All things to ponder on since it put him in a tight spot on how he could get to the 'real world'.

It was strange that the demons of this world would go out of their way to ask for permission, though. Maybe consent aided in the ease of access? Another thing to look into, but one he would have to put aside for now.

"So could a mage help me get back home?"

"I don't think so. A large number of mages exist in Circles which are controlled by the Chantry. Who severely limit what a mage is allowed to do. Magic in the degree you're talking about is simply impossible and unheard of for anyone living mage to perform."

"Wait, the Chantry?" The look that Mouse gave him could be described as pity. "You really don't know anything? Even the oldest spirits know what the Chantry is, are you newly born?"

Okay, that was a bit hurtful.

"I appreciate the help in enlightening me." He gave Mouse a tired sigh. His quest for returning home just got way more complicated. He was at the end of his rope here. It looked like he had somehow ended up in some strange new world with not only one plane with some quirky rules but there was another that was in no part like his own. "But as you can tell I'm a bit out of my depth here."

"I would say you're more than a 'bit' out of your depth. Many new spirits are born with some form of knowledge but you seemed to have nothing. Quite sad actually."

"Yes, it is a tragedy," Harry rolled his eyes. "Wait, spirit?"

"Hmm."

"You said spirit." Harry felt dread rise in his stomach. "Not just that, but you said newly born. Why would you say that unless..."

"You're a spirit." Mouse raised one eyebrow at Harry's confusion "You are, aren't you? You certainly don't feel like a dreaming person or a mage for that matter, not a breathing one anyway. You don't seem like a demon. Are you?"

Harry could only shake his head as he swallowed his down his panic.

Mouse gave Harry another look more akin to sympathy then exasperation. "I'm sorry that was callous of me. I've always been told that I should watch what I say especially to the younger spirits. How about I take you to someone who could be more of assistance? A friend."

Harry could only nod in acceptance, partly in relief in hoping to find answers another because he had no other options. He refused to accept Mouse's admission of him being a spirit.

He was alive damn it.

But again he thought back on his missing memory as Mouse led him, hopefully to some clarification.

"Very well. We're gonna have to take the longer way. Can't stumble into trouble." Mouse eyed him up and down, " I don't think you would be able to fit in my usual passageways. Pity."

With a serious nod, Mouse beckoned Harry forward.

-Line Break-

He followed Mouse for some time,watching as the landscape transitioned from strange hills and scattered buildings into the middle of a twisted forest. The cloudy haze of smog became darkened skies and the sun became the moon in a blink of an eye.

This place was too disorienting - there was literally no rhyme or reason to it. Again, if Harry wasn't so concern about the whole mess he might marvel at it. But mostly he tried desperately to keep up with Mouse, whose confident stride had not even wavered in the shifting landscape.

"So this friend of yours..." Mouse only gave him a soft grunt of acknowledgment not even turning around. Harry wanted to treat this delicately, no need to offend the only friendly face he'd met in this place, "How exactly will they help me?"

"No idea." Harry had to bristle slightly at that. "But they know everything there is to know about this place and the waking world. If she can't help you then there is no one I know who can. Unless you want to make a deal with a demon?"

"No demons, please." From what Mouse had told him it would be a wholly unpleasant experience. "She?"

"Well, not she, per se." Mouse stopped as he gave Harry a look, "She probably knows we're here since this is her domain anyway. But she loves to make you puzzle out where she is. It's never in the same place."

"So how do we find her?"

"We don't. She either finds us or we keep walking until...well let's not finish that thought shall we, no need to bring unnecessary stress."

That did little to reassure Harry in any form, but all he could do was trudge along with Mouse. After that, they continued on in silence and Harry having nothing else to say and no inkling on time. Hell, there might not be any accurate way to measure time here since day and night along with the laws of physics operated on an entirely different scale.

Harry gave a startled yelp has he nearly collided with Mouse's back.

"Ah, here we are."

There were lanterns providing natural light and little wisps floating around. Also, in front of them were stacks of books scattered on the ground in what appeared to be in no particular order with some stacks looking taller than trees. As Harry let his eyes wander further upwards, he saw bookshelves crammed full in an enclosed circle. Some of the books were levitating, flipping pages by themselves or some were rearranging themselves in their own order.

Averting his attention away from that display, Harry noticed that there was a large desk covered entirely with books, papers and other sorts of knick knacks. Hunched over muttering to themselves reading from one large tomb was a glowing ghost.

The glowing spirit thing turned out to be Mouse's friend - a Spirit of Knowledge, to be exact. Harry had to squint his eyes just to get a good idea of what was in front of him. It or she - he was thinking she, because when he concentrated, there was a wisp of feminine features and soft curves, wearing dark robes with layers of clothing ranging from gray with red interlacing that shimmered when she shifted her movements. The spirit had the appearance of an older woman, with graying hair and a stern no-nonsense face that reminded him of Minerva, so much so that he found her gaze a bit disquieting.

"Hello, Mouse what brings you to my domain? Are you looking for answers to some ill-conceived questions?"

"Not today, I'm not here for me, but for this lost fellow. He's a bit daft in the head and asking questions. Far too many for my liking, but I know you'll find his charming stupidity a delight." Harry had to keep himself from glaring daggers at Mouse. While he was grateful for his help, the man was an ass.

Harry tried not to shift when she acknowledged his presence with a quiet "Ah," he felt like he should duck his shoulders and apologize for some ill-conceived prank.

"Are you lost, young one? Do you have questions that need answers?"

"Yeah," he coughed into his hands at the nervous tremble in his voice. He gave the spirit a polite smile. "I guess you could say that. I don't have the faintest clue of how I got to this Fade realm, but it's definitely not my world. And the other place doesn't sound like my mine either." He took a deep breath. "If you could help me find my way home, I would be ever so grateful."

He felt the hope in his chest dim slightly at the spirit's next words. "Well I have only ever heard of the two worlds - the Fade and Thedas."

"That's not good," Harry swallowed thickly speaking with a bit more desperation. "My world has London and the wizarding world and my friends. My family! I have people waiting for me!" Harry couldn't keep the frustration and desperation and fear from leaking into his voice. Now, faced with the possibility of never getting back home all the emotion he was keeping in check was surfacing.

"Calm down there is no need for-"

"There is a need. A large need," he struggled with his emotions as the Spirit's attempt at calming him down only served to make him feel worse. "You're telling me I can't go home and he's-" He pointed at Mouse. "-talking about me being dead or some spirit!"

"Sometimes, the process can be very jarring."

"Stop talking!"

The emotional hurricane turned into hard pressure. Harry felt like a fist was squeezing his chest as he closed his eyes, hoping when he opened them the world would make sense again.

He tried breathing harshly through his nose as he felt like his world was breaking in front of him. He was here alone, with no idea how he got here and no idea how to get back to his world. His mind felt rubbed raw, violated as pieces were missing from his memory. The pressure built.

Higher.

"Don't panic. You're safe here!"

Higher.

"Calm yourself!"

And higher.

"Sweet Andraste!"

The world exploded in a roar of sound and panic. The sound of Mouse's surprise forced his eyes open. He stumbled back and looked up to see that one of the bookshelves was on fire.

Notes:

1: Harry doesn't look like he is having any fun.

2: This fic is important to me so any feedback or criticism would be appreciated. Please be polite!

3: This story is my attempt to play in the DA universe and answer some questions and play out some scenarios I always wanted to see happen. To be honest there are a large number of things that I wished the game/ Bioware brought to your attention, regardless I hope this will be a fun ride.

4: I plan to do a lot of worldbuilding and play with the fascinating lore in the DA universe. I'm excited Don't worry! I plan to bring in the other beloved characters in this story. In what form, well we will see.