Disclaimer: I own nothing. J.K. Rowling owns Harry Potter.
Author's note: I will freely admit that my writing skills aren't the best. This is the first time in who knows how long that I've actually managed to write something that wasn't just dialogue or an outline, so the quality may not be the best. Reviews welcome.
By the way, this is a one-shot, it will most likely not be continued by me. But anyone else who wants to take it and run with it is welcome to. Just drop me a note and give me credit, all right?
Son of a Master
By Anon e Mouse Jr.
The door to #4 Privet drive opened, revealing a tall man in a monk's robe. He stared down at the baby, and quickly read the note with in the basket.
"Well young Harry, it seems you are quite the little overachiever for your age. But fate has brought you to the right place. I will be your guide along the path of your destiny."
With that, the Master picked up the child and carried him inside.
---Ten year later---
Ron Weasley was not stupid. Sure, he wasn't exactly a genius, but he wasn't completely brainless like some people might assume either. He had SOME common sense.
Which is why when he stuck his head in a compartment on the Hogwarts Express and saw what appeared to be another first-year sitting by himself, apparently asleep, he decided to just sit down and not disturb the other boy.
A while later, after the train had gotten underway, another first-year stuck his head in. "Has either of you seen a toad?"
Ron shook his head. "He's been asleep the whole time, and I haven't seen any toads since I got on."
The other boy groaned as he left. "Can't believe I lost him again... Gran's going to kill me!"
More time passed, and the dark-haired boy still wasn't moving.
Just then, the door opened again, and a bushy-haired girl stuck her head in. "Excuse me, has anyone seen a toad? Neville's looking for one."
Ron shook his head. "Haven't seen one."
The girl frowned as she looked past him to the other boy. "Honestly, sleeping through such an important day..." she muttered. "Have you tried to wake him up?"
"Nope."
"And why not?"
She never got her answer, as a blonde-haired boy bumped into her. "Watch where you're going, you!" he snapped.
"My name is Hermione Granger, and you're the one who needs to watch where you're going!"
"Hold your tongue," the boy snapped. "I am Draco Malfoy, your better by far, and if you don't get out of my way I'll..." he drifted off as his eyes caught the boy with his eyes closed. "It can't be!"
He shoved his way past Hermione and brushed the boy's hair back. "The scar... it's really him!"
"Him who?" Ron wondered aloud before he saw the lightning bolt scar on the other boy's forehead. "That's... that's Harry Potter!"
Draco turned and sneered at him. "I knew you Weasleys were a bunch of fools, but this is beyond idiocy. You've been in here with him all this time and you never thought to see who he was?"
"I thought he was asleep!"
"Well he won't be for long." Leaning over by Harry's ear, Draco shouted at him. "Wake up!"
Harry didn't move.
Draco frowned. "Are you deaf? I said wake up!"
Harry still didn't move.
"Hmph." Draco turned. "Guess the Dark Lord's curse did more than give him that scar."
"It did."
Ron looked over at Harry in shock. For the first time since he'd been in there, the other boy's eyes had opened, revealing them to be a shocking green. Harry fixed those eyes on Draco. "And for your information, I have been awake all this time."
"Well then. Now that the great Harry Potter has chosen to acknowledge us, perhaps you'd be willing to leave this filth and sit with a true wizard?"
Harry just fixed his eyes on the other boy. "If you are a so-called 'true wizard', then I would rather not be anywhere near them."
Draco's face reddened. "Do you have any idea who I am?"
"Yes. You are an idiot."
"How dare you!"
Harry just shook his head. "I have followed the path of inner peace my entire life, and I have come to know the ways of my own soul. Do you understand yours, Draco Malfoy?"
"I... what the bloody hell does that have to do with anything?"
"I thought not." Harry closed his eyes again. "Leave now. I must return to my meditation."
Draco just stared. "You... you DARE presume you can order me around?! I'll show you! Vermilli-!"
"Boot to the head."
Ron could never be certain just what happened then. Before Draco could finish his spell, he was flying backward into the hall, a footprint clearly marked on his face. Getting up, the blonde looked at Harry, eyes wide.
"You... you'll pay for that Potter!" And with that, Draco stormed off.
Two pairs of eyes stared at Harry, and finally Ron said what they were both thinking. "Um... Harry... I don't mean to disturb you, but... what was that?"
Harry's eyes remained closed. "I walk the path of inner peace, but even one such as myself knows how and when to defend myself and others. That was one of the techniques I have studied all my life for those times when fighting is unavoidable."
Hermione spoke up. "But... I don't understand! How could you do that so... well..."
Harry, his eyes still closed, smiled. "My guardian is a master of our discipline. I have been training under him since I was one, and I am the best student he has ever had. It is only my youth that prevents me from being named a master of our style."
"And what style is that?"
The smile only grew wider. "It is called 'Tai Kwan Leep'."
Closing notes: Wow. I'm amazed I actually managed to write all that. This is the full first scene I've managed to write that wasn't just snippets of dialogue or in a script-like form.
I first wrote this when some people I know were discussing ideas for "What would happen if the Dursleys weren't living at Number 4 Privet Drive when Harry was left there?" I was listening to the sketch and song by the Frantics, "Tai Kwan Leep" (BOOT TO THE HEAD!) around this time, and came up with this story. Now, almost three months later, I'm finally posting it here. Hopefully, one of these days I'll write and publish again. I have a lot of ideas, I just haven't been able to convert them into story form.
By the way, a couple of things: first, Harry not using contractions is deliberate. It just fits with the dialogue of the teacher, who is his guardian in this story, in said sketch. Second, that spell Draco was starting to use was Vermillious, a spell from the video game for the first movie. It shoots a jet of red light (or red sparks) at a target. I wanted something he could realistically use at this point in time. This was the best option I could think of.
My thanks go out to the members of the CaerAzkaban Yahoo Group (of which I have been a member since January of '05), which hosted the discussion back in February '09 that inspired this story.
Thanks also go out to Sabaku no Kyuubi and Tobi the Good Boy, for providing me with much inspiration for some other stuff these past few months. Thanks to you guys, I'm finally in the right mood to post this.
Until next time...
Anon e Mouse Jr.