RWBY/MULTI This is going to be a journey, so strap in.
[This is a disclaimer, I do not own anything I have written about.]
7 year old Jaune was many things, but a coward was not one of those things, so when a classmate of his dared him to sneak into the old decrepit manor he went. That's where we currently find the young blonde, he is standing in front of the old building with a thousand thoughts jumping in his head. The premier one being to run as he can always just say he went in, admittedly the thought was appealing but Jaune fancied himself a relatively honest child and he did not want to change that fact now so he goes to the door and knocks.
Silence is the only thing that greets him so he looks through one of the old broken windows, but all he can see is a old dusty room filled with broken furniture, not letting the lack of response stop him he goes to open the front door, of course it's locked. This stumps him as the place is clearly abandoned, yet it's still locked what's up with that? The thought to leave and call the whole thing a bust once again pops up into his mind but the young blonde is rather persistent so he searches for another way in.
He does not have much success as the back of the manor is completely blocked off with a tall imposing fence, but he still does not give up so he goes to the front windows again in attempt to climb through but he slips slightly on something. He looks down only to discover a small welcome mat in front of the door, which is rather odd as he did not notice it before hand, still the sight of the objects reminds Jaune of something that being that some people hide an extra key under the mat, well that's what the T.V says at least. So the young blonde reaches under the mat, and lo and behold he finds a key, it looks relatively new which is rather odd for a key to an old mansion, still the lad takes the key and pushes it into the lock.
With a resounding click the door swings open, which honestly startles Jaune but he takes it in stride and peers into the door. He is greeted with a sight that is rather shocking, what he sees is a rather well lit, homely hallway with old polished oak doors the reason this is so shocking is that it is such a contrasting image from the outside of the Manor. Jaune walks quietly down the hall, searching for signs of life and he finds it in the first door on the right, he hears the clinking of glass as if someone just put down a cup. The thought to once again run returns with a vengeance, after all Jaune did in fact sneak into the house the kid in his class said nothing about finding the occupant of this old mansion, but the young child is far too curious about what is behind this door to leave now.
Jaune satisfied with his decision so he reaches for the knob, he turns it ever so slowly hoping that if he opens it slowly it would not make a sound, but the door makes a loud click when he turned it fully, so he throws caution to the wind and throws the door open. He is greeted with a living room with a blazing fireplace, the room itself is rather homely but there is a sort of sadness that hangs in the air which is probably emanating for the young man sitting in a chair staring at the blazing fire, he is quietly sipping from his cup. The man briefly glances at Jaune but quickly returns his gaze to the fire, it was brief but his eye colour was clearly a deep green.
"Ummm excuse me sir, What are you doing here?" Jaune is honestly rather hesitant to ask this but this place has been abandoned for years, heck this place has been abandoned since the last great war.
The man once again looks at Jaune but this time his eyes seem a bit more bright.
"Well that is a rather odd question to ask, I live here young burglar." The man continues to stare at the boy but not in anger, he is just calmly looking at the young child.
"I am not a Robber, I did not even know anyone lived here. I was told this place was abandoned." Jaune replies his nerves clearly getting to him as he can no longer meet the man's eyes.
"Well I suppose that it does look that way on the outside, but I assure you that I do in fact live here young one ….. You know the next time you break into a place you might want to close the front door, it's only polite after all." The man's tone is even and calm but there is a hint of mirth in it that quickly disappears.
"I don't really plan on breaking into somewhere else, Why do you keep calling me young one? I have a name and it's Jaune, and you're not even that much older than me, you look like your barely 18." Jaune's reply seems to amuse the man but it also brings that aura of overbearing sadness back.
"I was not privy to your name before you said it young Jaune, so obviously I could not call you that … As for my age, we all have our tricks and mine allow me to keep this youthful exterior." The man's response causes Jaune to blush in embarrassment but his curiosity refuses to let him leave just yet.
"That's kind of weird, how old are you any ways?" The man once again stares at Jaune, his gaze is once again filled with mirth.
"Jaune, surely your parents told you that a gentleman never asks a person's age. Either way I don't think I could give you a number I have long since lost track of my age." His gaze bores into the young boys mind but the man looks away and downs his drink.
"Do you not have anywhere else to be young one? Perhaps to play with friends or something. " Jaune readies another response only to be hit with the need to go play with the kid that dared him, but he is not really Jaune's friend, in fact Jaune does not really have any friends.
"I don't really have any friends, all the kids make fun of me because my parents are really good hunters but I am really weak. " Jaune again blushes in embarrassment clearly wondering why he told this strange man his problems.
"Well I am sure your family is wondering where you are, how about you head home and greet them." Once again Jaune prepares a response but he is hit with the sudden need to go home and see his family, but no one is there at the moment so Jaune is rather confused.
"My family is full of Hunters so most of the time no one is home, even my sisters are not there as most of them are either on a mission or at a combat school. " Jaune tries to cover his mouth but his secrets just keep coming out.
" Well that is rather sad ….. You know Jaune you really remind me of when I was a child ….. Of course I assure you that you are living a sad but regular life young one, hold on to that as there are others out there that are far worse off." The man's reply is clearly meant to cheer the young boy up but he is clearly still embarrassed from telling all his secrets.
"Hmmmm clearly that did not convince you, but I am sure you know that your family loves you ….. That particular sentiment was one that I did not learn until years later." This particular topic clearly irritates the green eyed man but he once again looks at Jaune.
"I know they love me, It's just that … I feel like I can never live up to my own name … I just wish I was stronger." Young Jaune is clearly frustrated with this whole debacle, but there is a knowing glint in the man's eyes.
"That is a rather interesting dilemma ….. I believe I can help you with that particular problem." The man stares deeply into young Jaune's eyes as if he is searching for something.
"But why would you help me … I'm nothing … I'm weak, I don't even know your name." The young child's eyes start to water a bit near the end but he is clearly trying to hold it together.
"Ah, how rude of me. Let's just say it has been a long time since I had company, so I have forgotten some of my manners. My name is Harry James Potter and I am the owner of this humble abode, as for why I want to help you … You have a good heart kid, plus it's not like I am not getting anything out of this whole deal." Harry stands and offers a very relaxed bow clearly trying to be formal.
"What could you possibly gain from helping me?" Jaune did not mean for his voice to come out as whiny but being a seven year old kind of guarantees that he sounds whiny.
"Ah the magical question…. Well first of all I gain an apprentice, someone I can bestow all of my knowledge to. Second I can help you fix certain things wrong with this world …. And finally you will relieve me of a rather irritating title when you grow older." Clearly Harry has thought this through but his points are rather odd.
"You can teach anyone though, why me? There are plenty of kids my age that are much stronger than me." Again Jaune did not mean to sound like a rather brodie individual but this entire conversation was a bit of a sore spot for him.
"The thing is kid, not everyone is like you. I am not looking for a strong person to teach, no strength can be taught. What I am looking for is a person with a good heart and a strong will. Trust me kid you have both, in fact you being here is proof enough stronger men than you have fallen to my compulsion, but you shrugged off those particular spells like they were nothing." Harry's words bounce around Jaune's mind like a eight year old with ADHD given sugar, if he was thinking clearly he might have been alarmed with the words used like spell and compulsion but he was high on the fact that someone saw worth in him.
"Do you really mean it? That I can be as strong as my family? That I can be a hero just like my father." The young child stares at Harry with fascination clear on his face.
"Yeah kid, I promise you with me teaching you, you can be the strongest there ever was. As for the whole hero thing …. Well I can't exactly reprimand you for thinking like that, I use to have a saving people thing myself, but Jaune you have to understand that constantly fighting for the well-being of everyone can be tiring … so live a little, be a kid while you can. If you want to save everyone when you age a little go for it." Harry's grimace when he talks about Jaune's dream is clear.
"All right …. What are you going to teach me any ways, no offence but you don't look as strong as my Daddy." Jaune's pout and scepticism is clear, which causes Harry to giggle at his antics.
"Ah no offence taken, I am afraid that I will always looks like this but trust me I am strong. As for what I am going to teach you, tell my Jaune. Do you believe in magic?" Harry's question is finished with Harry summoning a fireball to his hands.
[This is a disclaimer, I do not own anything I have written about.]
Don't know why but the first chapter was screwed up for a bit, it's fixed now.
That's it for now, will try to update frequently.