This story is a dumping ground for all the Kratos and Lloyd interaction that takes place in my crossover, but that didn't actually fit into the continuity of the main story. It's also a way for me to flesh out Kratos character because he is so hard to write. You don't actually have to read my other stories to understand this one but it would help. That said, have at it everyone.

Disclaimer: I don't own Tales of Symphonia or Harry Potter.


Kratos is old.

This seems obvious, shows in his wisdom and his demeanor, but is rarely is it noticeable to the rest of the world. He has never aged physically and so remains in a body in its physical prime.

But sometimes he feels every single one of those 4000 years bearing down on him at once.

But rarely does he feel that with his son.


When they found out Anna was pregnant, Kratos didn't know what to feel. He was going to be a father, after all this time, after losing his humanity, after all he has seen, he is going to be a father.

The idea is mind blowing.

He imagines that all new fathers-to-be feel like this, but it seems all the more immediate as he gazes at the swell of his wife's (22 years now and he still can't believe it) body and thinks not for the first time what his mother would say if she could see him now.

He thinks she would smile indulgently and tell him to stop panicking (he isn't panicking, he isn't). She would say this was payback for all the grey hairs he'd caused her. She'd sit him down, make him sweet tea and ask what names he'd thought about naming her precious grandchild.

Pallas Aurion is 4000 years dead, but the thought of her never stops making him feel like a little boy all over again.


The first time Kratos holds his son in his arms; he looks down at the small creature he helped make and thinks oh. He is so terrified by the small baby in his arms and if Yuan, Martel and the Mithos-that-once-was could see him now, Kratos Aurion the Angel of Death scared of this small helpless creature they would laugh. He wants to say he isn't ready for this but when he opens his mouth what comes out is,

"He has your eyes."

His Anna's brilliant green eyes that have always reminded him of the green leaves of the Kharlan Tree before it died. He has always thought her amazing eyes are her best feature and is glad his son inherited them.

Tired from a hard pregnancy, harder labour and terrible birth that brought his son screaming into the world she looks up at him and laughs (a laugh that sounds a little bit broken and humourless and bitter) "Lets hope that's all he got from me."

Kratos wants to ask what she means. Anna seemed more worried about this child in his arms than him. She had gone quiet and unreachable like she had in the first months of their relationship and Kratos had been scared of what that meant. But he sees she is tired and the midwife is shooing him out and the small bundle in his arms is taking a look around the world for the first time so he thinks that question can wait for another day.

That day never comes.


Kratos may be old but he isn't stupid. Or blind.

His son grows, the world turns and life goes on as it always has. They still run from Cruxis and the Desians, still search for a way to end this war, still live everyday like their last.

(Kratos know now the Ancient War never really ended.)

But sometimes he'll come home and Anna will seem so tired. Those days Lloyden is usually asleep and Anna is holding him and looks close to tears. He'll ask and Anna will say she is fine in that clipped tone that tells him she really isn't. He'll put Lloyden to bed with Noishe and make sweet tea like his mother taught him and ask about her day.

He wonders why she's lying to him.


Sometimes around Lloyden strange things happen.

Most of the time these are near inexplicable miracles, like the time Desians stormed their house and Kratos and Anna were outside and Kratos had been sure Lloyden was still upstairs before he notices Anna loading their boy on Noishe and just thanks Origin because after 4000 years he figures he's due for some good luck.

But sometimes its little things.

Like a toy he's sure was put away finds it's way into his son's hands or some sweet or when he finds Lloyden wandering around when he's certain he shut the door to his room. He's mostly certain that these are explainable. Children are curious and his son has always seemed more creative than other children. (His son is perfect and he loves him more than anything).

But Anna's eyes always take on certain tightness, and her brow creases with worry when he mentions these things.

He's beginning to wonder what she isn't telling him


The death of his family destroys him.

It will be fourteen years before he thinks of the strange things his boy could do and wonder.

Fin.