Pain. It all Harry Potter has ever been able to feel since he was old enough to remember. He got hurt whenever his aunt and uncle were displeased at him, when his cousin felt like relieving stress, or whenever his Aunt Marge came to visit and let her dog "play" with him. It was always the little things that got him in trouble, and the abuse wawn't just physical. His guardians were sure to drill it into his young mind that he was a freak, that no one loved or even wanted him. It hurt. It all hurt. And Harry just wanted it to stop.
The beatings and put-downs were even worse on his birthday. The only thing he ever got on that day was ridicule and slavework. So young Harry, at age 5, desperately wished for things to change.
'Please take me away...Please...I wanna be loved...I want someone to love me...I...I don't wanna be a freak. Take the freaky stuff away...Or anything! Please...'
That was the thought that went across his mind every day, especially his birthday. He almost lost hope on many occasions, but seeing mothers who truly loved their children treat them right from time to time somehow made him hold on.
His thoughts were cut off when he heard something break. A deep feeling of dread began to rise in his stomach at what happened next.
"Daddy! The freak made me break mommy's vase!"
Whenever his cousin broke something by accident, Dudley would always blame Harry for the incident, and his parents were all too eager to believe it.
Whimpering, he ran. He ran to his cupboard, desperately trying to hide. However, he was caught, very easily.
The grip on his arm was tight, very tight. Harry looked up to see the purple face of his uncle staring down at him with malice all too clear in his eyes.
The boy then felt a beefy fist collide with his nose, breaking it. Then he was slammed into the floor, with a sickening crack sound. He yelled out in pain, and this angered his uncle further.
"What did I say about the noise, freak?!" Vernon roared, slamming another fist onto the defensless little boy.
It hurt. All of it hurt. Even the phantom pains from past beatings burned as if they were fresh wounds. Just as his uncle raised another fist, Harry could do only one thing in his current state.
"NO!"
Harry's defiant cry rang throughout the house, and just like that, he was gone. Vernon's hand met hard floor as it hit the spot where Harry HAD been. Looking around, he let out a frustrated shout, wondering where his personal punching bag had disappeared to.
Little did anyone in that house know, Harry was gone for good, and he would be in a place NO ONE would find him.
A beautiful raven-haired woman observed her surroundings carefully, a smirk ever present on her face, her hands on her hips. That bright flash had come from this very forest.
"Well," the women purred, her cat like eyes and ears being put to use as she scanned the immediate area, "let's see what we have here." With that the women, the nekoshou known as Kuroka, got to work.
She had been exploring the forest in order to get some fresh air. It was well dserved, seeing as how the lunatic tht claimed to be Vali's grandfather and all of his subordinates had been defeated. A good few months of peace had settled in, leaving Kuroka with nothing to do, aside from the occasional trip with Vali and the others to fight some idiot that wanted to challenge them. She was brought out of her musings when her ever sensitive ears picked up a sound in the distance. After a few seconds of listening, her eyes narrowed at what the sound resembled: the crying of a young child.
Despite what others may think of her, she actually had a surprising amount of maternal instincts. She HATED seeing an upset child. It was upsetting to her... She wanted it to stop.
With that thought in mind, she took off towards the source of the crying. After about a minute or two, she arrived at the general area of the sound, just as her nose picked up a scent she didn't expect, let alone want to smell. Blood, fresh blood. Where ever the child was, they were hurt. Keeping an extra sharp eye out, Kuroka searched the area some until she finally found the source, and immediately felt sick to her stomach.
Not only did he look like he hadn't had a decent meal his entire life, was was also heavily bruised, both of his eyes were swollen shut, one of his legs and arms was twisted at an impossible angle, and he was practically LEAKING blood!
It was enough to make even a dragon recoil in shock. Not thinking twice, she made her way to the child in order to help him. It was heart-wrenching, seeing the child in such a state. He needed help, and he needed it now!
Harry, on the other hand, was too hurt, too BROKEN, to even register what was going on...at first. Before he knew it, he felt a pair of arms wrap around him in an embrace, and the feeling of being carried soon followed.
Flinching, he forced himself to open his eyes. He was expecting to see his uncle, carrying him down to the basement, or the 'Torture Chamber' as he had begun to call it. However, instead he saw a very pretty woman carrying him, gently holding him against her chest.
The look on her face told Harry that she had something on her mind. It involved him, that was for sure, but as to what that was exactly, he didn't know. The only thing he could do was hope that she wouldn't notice him looking at her. For now, though, she didn't.
Kuroka was a cat on a mission: get this child healed up and find out what was going on. It was obvious that this boy was a magician of sorts; she could feel the power within him, even if it felt slight, and how he appeared HAD to be magic. She just hoped the one person she needed would still be there. As luck would have it, the forest she was in wasn't that far from the neighborhood she lived in. So when the lights of active street lamps were coming into view, the cat-like beauty turned her attention to the child. Even if it was slight, the magic she was feeling on him was still doing something to at least slow the bleeding. Good, that should buy her enough time to get him healed.
'Don't worry, little one. I'm getting you help.'
With that thought said, albeit internally, she doubled her efforts into getting to the house she was staying at.
The moment she reached her home, she threw the door open and made her way to the couch, gently placing the little boy down and placing a small blanket over him to keep him comfortable while she prepared everything.
Rushing over to the phone in the kitchen, she quickly dialed the number she needed to call and waited. She didn't have to wait long.
"Hello?" A familiar voice answered after a few rings.
"Rias! Hey! Listen, I know this is a bit sudden but I don't have a lot of time. I need Asia over here quick; I really could use her help right now." The urgency in her tone sure surprised the devil on the other end of the call.
Normally, Kuroka only ever called Rias to check up on her sister after one of her trips, one of which she recently came home from. To hear the nekoshou like this, asking for her bishop for assitance, caught her by surprise.
"Well...What's the problem?" Rias asked, sounding a bit confused. Kuroka took a deep breath, and then she explained EVERYTHING. Finding the boy, his injuries, bringing him home with her, her plans to save him... "Oh dear...All right, I'll have Asia over soon. But...what are you going to do with the poor thing after?"
Kuroka paused, knowing that she hadn't thought that far ahead yet, but none of that mattered right now, the child still needed help.
"I'll think of something, but right now, I need to save him. So please send Asia as soon as you can!" She pleaded, her urgent tone rising slightly with her volume.
After calming the neko down a bit, Rias assured her that Asia would be there soon before hanging up. With a sigh of relief, she hung up her own phone and returned to the boy's side. Having not noticed on her quick trek home, she could feel that the boy was tense at the moment, bit she could also feel his conciousness begin to slip. She immediately set to work using her Senjutsu to help his magic keep him stable. As she continued to lend him her power, she began to get the sinking feeling that what was non the surface wasn't even HALF the story.
'Just how long has this child suffered?' The yokai-turned-devil thought to her self as she continued to help the boy, only managing to slow the bleeding more than it had.
Again, luck was on her side as a red circle appeared in her living room. Once the light faded, Kuroka was surprised to see not only the blonde nun, but her younger sister, Konenko, looking to her older sibling with worry evident in her expression.
She blinked brightly upon seeing the small white-haired girl. "Oh...Koneko, I didn't know you were coming as well..." She said softly. "Um...Hello..."
"Where is he?" Asia interrupted urgently. "I wanna heal him as soon as possible."
Kuroka moved aside along Asia to get to work. As the green glow af Twilight Healing began to shine, Koneko had walked up next to her older sister.
"Is everything okay, Sis? We didn't get the whole story from Rias when she called for Asia; just that you needed help saving a little boy."
Kuroka sighed softly. Ever since the fall of the Khaos Brigade, the nekomata sisters worked to mend their relationship more in the following months. Since then, they've gotten closer, hence why they live in the same house now.
"I'm fine Koneko. I was just out for a strol in a nearby forest when I stumbled upon a flash of light..."
Once Kuroka finished the story for her sister, with Asia listening in as she healed the older injuries she discovered, Koneko looked to the child resting on the couch.
The smaller girl approached the boy and studied him intently. "Wow...He's...REALLY small..." She said softly, surprised at how tiny the little boy was. "I don't think he'd even come up to my waist..."
Moving to sit beside her sister, Kuroka had to agree with the younger devil. While he was indeed little, very much so, the age she estimated from the magic within him told him how much his growth had been stunted. Le Fay had told her once that a magicians could, with enough training, tell the age of another magic wielder based on their reserves. Having learned the basics pretty quick, Kuroka could tell that the boy's own supply, while still being replenished, was the equivalent to an untrained four-year-old.
But the magic wasn't the center of her focus, it was the fact that the child was obviously malnourished, big time. She had done some things she wasn't proud of, but Kuroka would NEVER lower herself to harm a child as defenseless as the one in front of her.
As the green light died down, both sisters turned their attention to the blonde bishop, who seemed to be a bit drained at the moment.
"Is he going to be okay?" Asia turned her attention to Kuroka once her question was asked.
Kuroka looked at the boy with a tender expression. He had fallen asleep at some point while she was making the call, and had slept through the entire healing process. Gently, she picked him up and cradled him against her chest. "...Yes. He'll be just fine." She said softly as she gazed down at him. Now that all the blood and injuries were gone, she noticed that he was...absolutely adorable.
"So what now?" Koneko asked.
Asia stood up and dusted off her skirt a bit. "I'm gonna head back to Rias; let her know how everything went." She stated as she moved to an open space in the room. "Are you gonna come, Koneko?"
The white-haired neko shook her head as her sister took a seat on the couch, still cradilng the young boy she rescued. "I'm gonna stay here with Kuroka. You know, to make sure the kid's okay." She told the nun, who nodded in response and left in the same way she arrived.
When Asia was gone, Koneko took a seat next to Kuroka and looked to the sleeping child.
Koneko studied Harry closely. The little boy was subconsciously snuggling closer to her older sister, and even clutching at her clothes. Koneko then glanced at Kuroka to see from her facial expression that she was absolutely melting from the little boy's cuteness. The white-haired girl smirked. "So...Am I gonna be an aunt now?"
Kuroka stiffened, blushing in surprise at her sister's sudden question. Turning to her younger sister, the black-haired devil could see her sister's trademark stoic expression painted across her features, a look she often took when she was serious about something.
"W-well... I-I, um...Why do you ask?" Seeing her sister's hesitation, Koneko's brows furrowed ever so slightly.
"Don't play dumb." The rook stated bluntly. "I saw the way you were looking at him earlier: you looked like you were going to gush over how cute he was. Add to the fact he's holding on to you like he is, he's gonna need someone to take care of him after the way he was apparently treated. You suspect it to, don't you?"
Kuroka opened her mouth to make a retort, but none came. She looked away, blushing beet-red. "...Well...It would explain much...And he IS rather adorable..."
"So I'm an aunt. Cool." Koneko replied with a nod.
"W-wait! I still haven't decided yet! Plus while I did want kids in the past, it was to rebuild our race!" Kuroka quietly exclaimed, careful not to wake the child in her arms.
"So? C'mon, sis, it's not like you can just shove him on someone else anyway. I saw how you were staring at those kids a few weeks ago. You totally want to be a mom!"
Just as she was about to argue with her younger sister about the matter, Kuroka began to feel the child stir in her arms.
He was waking up, and he was still very, VERY groggy. Confused by the gentle way he was being held, he said the first thing he associated such warmth and love with.
"M-Mama...?"
If possible, Kuroka's blush deepened to the point it redefined the word red. Seeing her sister blush so much at what the boy said, Koneko smirked and rose out of her seat.
"I'll leave you two alone." Was all she said before heading off to her room for the night. Kuroka looked to the direction her sister disappeared at before turning to the child she currently held, who was starting to wake up some.
When Harry's eyes fully opened, they widened when he saw the woman looking down at him. He remembered her...She was the one who was carrying him earlier!
They both stared at each other in silence for a good few seconds... before a small, awkward smile made it's way to Kuroka's lips.
"Um... Hello there, little one... How are you feeling?" She asked, for the sake of saying something.
Blinking a few times, Harry blushed a bit before trying to make himself as small as he could. "U-um... I'm fine... miss..." His shy answer made the pretty woman holding him giggle softly.
"That's good. I'm glad." Kuroka replied, feeling the awkwardness of the situation begin to fade.
Then, she began to gently rock him back and forth, the gentle motions making him a little scared at first, but he got used to it VERY fast. He just stared up at her with huge, confused eyes.
Seeing the expression, her smile increased a bit.
"What's wrong? You act like you've never been rocked to sleep." She chuckled playfully.
Seeing him look away sadly, her own curiosity began to rise. "Hey, what's wrong?" She asked, but he didn't answer. "It's okay; you can talk to Miss Kuroka."
"Are...Are you sure...? Miss...K-Koroku...?"
"Kuroka." She corrected with a smile.
"Sorry...I know I'm stupid..."
"No...You're not stupid. Now, tell Miss Kuroka what's wrong."
"...Why aren't you hitting me?" He asked. "I...I have to be hit or the freaky stuff will come out. P-Please punch me or throw me or anything..."
That last sentence froze Kuroka in her tracks. As she looked down at the child in her arms, a look of horror escaping her eyes, it became evident that her and Koneko's fears were coming true.
"Child, who told you this? Why would you say something like that?" She asked him, managing to find her voice.
"B-because it's true!" He exclaimed despite his soft voice. "I'm an ugly freak! I'm useless! I can't do anything right! I-!" His self-loathing tirade was cut off by a finger placed on his lips. He looked up to the woman holding him only to be engulfed in a tight hug.
At this point, tears were beginning to form in the corners of his eyes. He tried to keep them in as he opened his mouth to speak. "Why...? Wh-Why?" His words were shaky and he sounded ready to break down at any moment. Kuroka caught onto this right away and tightened her hold on him.
"It's all right...Let it out." She whispered into his ear softly.
Harry's eyes widened a bit. "It's alright, child. Let it all out. Please?" Kuroka silently pleaded. A tear of her own managing to escape her eye.
Harry didn't know what happened, but he couldn't hood it in anymore, and let his tears flow on her shoulder.
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath to collect herself. It would help no one if she broke down crying as well, and besides...She wasn't the type to just cry like that. She had to be calm. For the boy's sake, as well as the sake of her pride.
After about an hour and a half, Harry's crying had toned down some. Rubbing his eyes to clear the tears, he sniffled a little as Kuroka used her thumb to help dry his eyes. Once all was said and done, Harry looked to Kuroka as she looked into his eyes.
"All better now?" She asked him. Receiving a nod just before he yawned.
Clutching tightly to her clothes, he pressed his tiny body as tightly against her as he could, savouring the warmth she exuded and enjoying the tight yet gentle way she held him and stroked his head...Letting out another yawn, he felt his eyes droop. Just before he fell back asleep, he said something softly.
"Mama..." And then he was out like a light.
Her eyes widened again, before she smiled as she looked to the now sleeping little one in her arms. Seeing how peaceful he was now, perhaps her descision on what do with him wasn't that hard to make after all.
"Mama, huh?" She mused to herself, before moving to stand. "Has a nice ring to it, actually." With that, she made for her room, so she and the child could sleep for the night. As she walked down the hall up-stairs, she failed to notice a slightly open door, and the goldn eye behind it.
Koneko watched her sister walk past her room. Managing to see the young boy in Kuroka's arms, the younger neko couldn't help but smile at the obvious decision that her sister made, and a good thing too.
Thanks to her own pair of cat ears, she managed to here the conversation dowstairs.
She slowly closed the door and made her way over to her bed. "So I'm an aunt now. That's totally awesome." She said in her standard monotone, the smile still on her face. "Let's see how you handle this, sis."
There door to Kuroka's room shut as the black-haired neko entered. Moving to her bed, she pulled the covers back as she set the child down on the matress. He let out a slight noise of protest, but remained sleeping. Smiling down at him as she set his head on the pillow, she moved to her dresser where she changed from her usual outfit to a light yukata meant for sleeping. As she did so, she let out a sigh as realization hit her.
'I'm going to need to buy some more, modest clothing.' She thought to herself. Heck, the kid's gonna need clothes too. Maybe she could get Koneko and some of the others to go with her to go shopping for her and the boy. Speaking of which, she realized she never learned the kid's name. After thinking on it a bit, she shrugged.
'Oh well, I can ask him tomorrow.'
Done with her musings, she climbed into the bed with the boy and pulled the covers over them both.
Wordlessly, she grabbed the blankets and tucked them both in, then held him close. He smiled and cooed softly in his sleep, snuggling into her. She smiled, then closed her eyes and let sleep take over.