The Savior of Go
Disclaimer: Some ideas and references are taken from Hikaru no Go -manga. Characters are from Harry Potter. I only claim for the intelligent(?) idea to mix them up.
A/N: At least for now this is a one-shot. It will most likely stay as one too. If someone gets bitten by the blot bunny, just ask me and you can continue this. My knowledge of go isn't enough to write more, sorry.
'The Dark Lord', people called him for his ruthless way of killing his 'enemies' without mercy. Tom Riddle, famous genius go-player, without anyone to match his skills.
Until he happened to meet Harry Potter.
It happened, when Tom was playing a match agains man named James Potter. The game ended to his victory, as was known already. After all, the Dark Lord has been in power, undefended, for ten years already. James was pretty well known himself, but didn't even have so much of challence when Riddle slaughtered him. James resigned, and his wife came to comfort him, bringing their little son, Harry, with her. And then it happened.
Harry had climbed to his fathers lap, understanding that his daddy was sad and had 'lost', which was a really bad thing, he knew. He had always loved to watch his father play, loved the picture those beautiful black and white stones made to the board. James had already promised that he will teach him how to play when Harry was 'old enough to understand'. Harry really liked it when his father was so lively describing him the future when they would both be professional go-players. Although Harry didn't really understand what his father was telling him, James would always be so full of happiness and enthuasiasm that it would radiate all around him. And that was how Harry liked his dad best.
So, naturally, after the tremendous work of climbing he settled on James's lab, took one of his pretty black stones and watched his father so solemnly as a two-years-old could possibly do.
"No worries, daddy. When me be big, Harry's gonna win that man just like this!" he proceed on placing the stone to the go-board.
Harry really didn't understand why all the adults around them cooed him, but his dad did seem a little bit happier, so he complied with his mother's telling to 'stop disturping the event' and they left with Lily's promise to do some good dinner for his husband while waiting them to finish up the after game -discussion.
After 'the women and kids' had left, they turned back to the goban with intention to clear it for replaying and discussion. They were almost starting, when on of them said:
"Wait a moment. This stone- it couldn't be, no, really-?"
They had finally noticed were Harry had placed his 'winnig stone'.
And that it really was.
They couldn't believe it. They stared. And stared. But the one black stone was still there sitting innocently, finally finding a way for the black to live.
No-one, and it means really no-one, lived when 'the Dark Lord' went for the kill. He had been in power for ten years, without even one defeat. Well, that wasn't really a defeat yet, that stone little Harry had placed. For once, the game had already ended, and even if it helped to escape death from that situation where James had crumbled under, no-one could really tell how the game would have proceed if that move had been played. But still.. no-one there (including or unincluding Riddle, who really can tell with him?) saw this possibly.
They knew that it was only luck. They knew, that a two-years-old coudn't really have made that move with knowledge what he was doing. It was only a coincidence. They knew it.
But the story still lived. The 'Boy-who-found-a-way-of-living', latter simplied to the 'Boy-who-lived', the one who defended 'the Dark Lord'.
When Tom Riddle just disappeared from the go-world after that, the rumors only strengthened. That 'he didn't see the move either', that 'he took the blow so strongly, that he just couldn't go on' they said. Some even said that he died, but because there were never any confirmation for that information, most didn't believe it.
But the fact is that Tom Riddle was defeated and disappeared. And so the go-world was holding their breath while waiting for Harry Potter to appear in front of them again.
They were waiting in vain.
While Harry Potter did learn to play go from his father (who did want to ensure a safe childhood to his only son and therefore didn't take his son to any games again) he wasn't so interested to spend all of his time playing it. And the older he grew, more and more of his interest was directed to other things. Part of the reason to his grownig uninterestness was undoubtly his father's go-friends who were always asking him about his' go-future', though thank god that did ease up when James stopped being pro and got more regular job. And because he wanted to let his son to decide himself what he finds most enjoying, he didn't pressure Harry to play, only asked sometimes one or two friendly games to spend evening together.
And so the life went on, go being only a casual hobby for Harry. When moving to bigger town for high school he started to play it more in the internet to spend his lone evenings in his apartment. He was pretty good playing, but he still never found a real passion for it and often resigned as soon as he found himself bored. To him it was just a way to spent time.
Until he met a player called 'Voldemort'.
A/N: So, what did you think?