Harry groaned as he was brought back to full consciousness forcefully. The first thing he noticed was that his shoulder was lightly throbbing and his leg was still sore.
The second thing he noticed that he was lying in a bed.
Lying in a bed in an unfamiliar room.
Harry could also tell that he wasn't alone. Years of his senses becoming attuned to danger told him that there was the presence of at least one other person in the room.
Harry quickly sat up, a low groan escaping his throat from the pain that the sudden movement elicited in his shoulder. After cringing momentarily, he quickly looked around, taking stock of his surroundings.
"Oh good you're awake." A masculine voice said, as Harry's eyes focused on the speaker.
The person who spoke was a friendly looking man, sitting in a comfortable looking chair nearby the bed. The man looked like he was in his late thirties or early forties. He had dark hair, though the hair was speckled with grey. Though Harry knew that didn't really mean anything. If the person was a wizard, he could easily be 70 or 80 and still look that young. The man was dressed in plain light grey robes, and had made no move to get up when Harry sat up so quickly. Harry also noticed that the man was looking at him with concern on his face.
That didn't set Harry at ease at all. He had long ago learned that appearances could be deceiving and that even something that looked benign could be a terrible evil, and even something that seemed sinister could be good. It didn't matter whether it was a person or a magical artifact.
"Where am I? Who are you?" Harry demanded quickly, looking around. He was already figuring out the best way of escape from the room. Unfortunately there was only one door and one window in the room. The unknown man was sitting between the bed and the most direct route to each. Harry was already figuring out how best to get past the man, and wondering if he could use his injury as a way to draw the man closer without suspecting.
The man made a placating gesture with his hands, when he could see the stress his guest was under. "Relax, you're safe from whatever happened. We mean you no harm. I promise." Seeing that his plea seemed to make no difference to his guest, who remained tensed and looked like he was coiled to strike, the man continued. "If I meant you any harm, would I have let you keep your wands and all your personal possessions?"
Harry seemed to freeze at that, considering the words. He could feel the three wands he kept at all times, one strapped to each arm and the other strapped to his leg, and all three were there. If Harry had been captured by Ministry aurors, or by death eaters, they would definitely not have let him keep his belongings.
"You didn't answer my questions though. Who are you? Where am I?" Harry asked. His tone was a little relieved. Harry wasn't completely helpless without his wands but he was significantly more dangerous with the wands in his possession. If this person meant to threaten him, Harry would make him regret leaving the wands on his person. He knew better than to let down his guard, but at least the idea of him having his wands meant that he was more comfortable with the possibility of escape should it become necessary.
The man nodded solemnly. "Forgive me. My name is Nicholas Flamel. And this is my home."
Harry blinked once in surprise and then narrowed his eyes at the man suspiciously.
The man sighed a little and reached into the lapel of his robes and pulled out a wand.
Harry's reaction was instantaneous, he snapped his right wrist and his holly and phoenix wand shot into his hand, and it was pointed right at the man before the man could so much as blink.
The man's eyes widened with the wand pointed directly at him. Rather than try and explain he kept his movements slow, and made sure to make no movement with his wand toward his guest. He very carefully pointed the wand to the side, toward the window, and away from Harry and said clearly. "I hereby swear on my life that I have used the name of Nicholas Flamel for over 600 years and this is my home." Seeing Harry's unwaveringly tense expression the man continued "Furthermore I swear on my life that I intend no harm to anyone currently in my abode, and will take no action to harm anyone here unless they should take action first, for as long as we remain in my home. So mote it be!"
There was a white flash at the end of his wand that shot out strands of white energy, which then wrapped backward and moved through the man's body before fading.
Nicholas calmly slid his wand back into his lapel and regarded his guest again, with an expectant look.
Harry slowly lowered his wand, working through the wording of the oath to make sure there were no loopholes that the man could use to hurt him. Finally he snapped his wrist, sending the wand back into the holder there and letting his arm drop.
"You said you "have used the name Nicholas Flamel for over 600 years." That implies that it's not your real name." Harry said, his voice still cautious.
Nicholas chuckled softly, "I have been known by many names throughout my life, though usually a variant of Nickolas or Nickolai."
"Don't forget those… uplifting years you spent as Mickey," A feminine voice said from the doorway.
Harry looked up to see a woman at the door, leaning her hip against the door frame. She had dark brown hair and dark brown eyes that was free behind her shoulders. Harry would have put her age at 35 for a normal person. The expression on her face was a fond smile as she looked at Nicholas before she turned a more cautious though still friendly look to Harry.