Summary: Harry Potter ended the Final Battle by launching Voldemort into an alternate version of hell at the price of sending himself into another dimension as well. Thus he gets sent into olden day Japan, where he meets Inu no Taisho. After spending hundreds of years in the Feudal Era, he learns of the Gang's quest and decides to help them out, which leads to fights, alliances, change, adventure, and love.
Pairings: Sesshoumaru/Harry, Kouga/Inuyasha, Miroku/Sango, Hojo/Kagome, Shippou/Rin, others not yet decided.
Disclaimer: I am a fanfiction writer, which means I shamelessly steal other people's ideas and twist them to my own benefit. Unfortunately, I own nothing but the plot, which is MINE!
Disclaimers: This is a SLASH story, which means there will be guys on guys. There will be a lot of mentions of violence, swearing, slight mentions of mature content (which means sex people) and perhaps some Mpreg (I still haven't decided). There will be some Kagome bashing, but that will stop in the later chapters, never fear! If anything of the above squicks/disgusts/irritates you, I suggest you leave.
Author's Note: Yes, it took me two weeks to write this. Pathetic, ne? But honestly, writing the beginning was pure hell. It took me about ten tries to get it right, and then I just used what I had already written and took it in a different direction. Hopefully you guys will like it all the same; I'm so sorry it took so long to get out! Happy New Year, minna!
"Talking" / 'Thinking' / Letters / "Spells/Techniques" / "English in Feudal Era"
More Than Useless
Interlude One: The Western Lord
It's not easy starting something new. Few things are more intimidating than walking into a brand new situation and having to make the best of it. (Leven Thumps and the Whispered Secret)
"There is a time in every life when paths are chosen, character is forged." (A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray; Mary Dowd)
Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning. (Sir Winston Churchill)
Barring that natural expression of villainy which we all have, the man looked honest enough. (Mark Twain)
Prejudices are what fools use for reason. (Unknown)
Feudal Era, Japan: Unknown Location
The 8th of April
When Harry woke the first thing that registered was the dampness flooding in his clothes. He could feel raindrops dripping onto his face and the musky smell that always accompanied a thunderstorm was in the air. He half-smiled and opened his eyes to see that he was lying under a tree and that the only reason he hadn't yet been drenched to the bone was the thick green leaves protecting him from the worst of the storm. Harry sat up slowly; Kenshin hadn't mentioned where they were going to drop him off, and he hadn't yet gotten his bearings.
He ran a hand through his hair and froze. His hair, which had previously been shoulder-length, had grown; down the bottom of his ass if he was correct. Harry grabbed a strand was shocked to see that the previous dark brown-black had darkened to an ebony black, and that he could see deep red highlights shining through.
He jumped again when he felt something moving on top of his head, and carefully brought up a hand to feel it out. He let out a gasp when he felt furry ears swiveling this way and that. He had figured there would be some changes with the unlocking of his powers, but he hadn't counted on having cat ears!
He stiffly got to his feet and glanced backwards, hoping to all Gods that he wouldn't also have a tail. Thus, when he saw the long, thick black tail tapering behind him, he understandably let out a deep groan. He decided that as soon as he could find a reflective surface, he would see what else had changed with the hair and the arrival of his ears and tail. Quickly Harry made his way away from the tree and headed in a random direction, getting soaked to the bone in his quest to find shelter.
He noticed, while he was walking that the rain didn't really hinder his eyesight at all – he could see perfectly in the gloom, which was unusual. He could also hear what felt like every individual raindrop falling nearby him, and the swish of the trees of the forest he'd left behind. The wet smell of the thunderstorm dominated his nose, but he could smell other scents underneath it; the smell of long gone people and demons who had passed by this area. He supposed that enhanced senses also came with the demon deal.
Eventually he came upon a small town, with houses made of thatch and stone. The streets were empty and muddy from the downpour, and there were no lights in the windows. Harry shivered violently as he walked through the abandoned gate; he would need to find shelter, and soon. Cautiously he knocked on door of the closest house, hoping that the people of the town would be hospitable to a strange hanyou.
A young woman opened the door; she had long dark hair and black eyes. Harry smiled and bowed slightly to her. "I'm so sorry to disturb you," he said, and was bemused to hear that the words that sounded like English to him had the faint undercurrent of some kind of Eastern language. It felt, in a way, like speaking in Parseltonuge. "I'm new here, and I need a place to stay. Is there an inn nearby that I can go to?"
The girl hesitated for a moment before pointing to the left and saying, "There's an inn at the center of town; there should still be rooms free." Abruptly the door was slammed in his face. Harry stood stock still for several moments and then an eyebrow rose slowly on his forehead. He hadn't exactly expected a warm welcome, seeing as he was a stranger knocking at the middle of the night, but the girl had been downright rude. 'What was her problem, I wonder?' he asked himself, turning to make his way to the center of town.
He caught sight of a cheery building with large windows that he assumed was the inn. Cautiously (his mind still on the unknown girl's reaction) he made his way inside. A portly man with a thick moustache stood behind a large wooden desk, working busily on some sort of business. Harry cleared his throat, not wanting to step in further and get the carpet and floor all wet. The man looked up and his eyes widened.
"Ah! You are wishing for a room, yes, yes?" the man asked excitedly, hurrying forward. "Pardonner, I will bring you some towels," he added in when he saw that his new customer was shivering violently.
'Even more surprises' Harry thought wryly. He recognized 'Pardonner' as French word; but if this was an Eastern country, what was a Frenchman doing here? Before he could think about all of this more deeply, the portly man reappeared, thick white towels in one hand. He smiled, his small moustache twitching upwards and his steady brown eyes twinkling. Harry was eerily reminded of Albus Dumbledore.
"Thanks," Harry said, dropping a short bow and accepting the towels. Relieved, he dried himself off as best he could, but he was impatient to get his clothes off so he could be dry once and for all. When Harry finished drying himself off, the portly man gestured for him to come to the counter.
"Well, monsieur, you wish to have a room, yes?" the man said, flipping through a large book that probably contained the records of the inn. "Yes, we have three rooms open; all for 10 gold a night," he looked at Harry expectantly.
Harry panicked. Quickly he shoved his hands in his pockets, wondering if maybe had had left some galleons in there. However, he was instead surprised to find quite a lot of gold coins buried deep in the pocket of his battle robes; more than enough to stay at the inn for a month or two if he needed to. Harry's lips twitched up in a smile; at least Kenshin wasn't stupid enough to send him into a new world without the means to live there.
Carefully he set down 50 of the gold coins; he could decide what to do with the rest of them later. The portly man looked ecastic at having another customer; he gestured sharply and talked wildly, often dipping into French without realizing it.
"My name is Ancelin Benoit, monsieur, and you are free to call on me at any time," he said with a beaming smile. "You room number is sept; ah, that is, room number seven. Breakfast is at 10 am sharp, and you can leave at any time; however, please inform me before you do so. The maids will service you with whatever you are needing, and I will be here if you are having any questions. Ah, but I am forgetting myself; what is the name of my newest customer?"
Harry tilted his head to the side and, after a moment's thought, said firmly, "Yami Haruki, Benoit-san. If you could point me in the way of my room, I would be most grateful; staying damp doesn't really agree with me."
Benoit seemed most pleased at having a polite customer and was glad to help Harry to his room. He seemed surprised that the hanyou didn't have any luggage, but Harry just told him that he traveled light and left it at that. Finally, after a lot of babbling, Benoit made his way out, leaving Harry to peace and solitude.
Harry sighed and looked around his room. It was medium-sized with dark wood walls and a lighter wood for the ceiling and floor. A medium-sized bed stood off to the side, covered in light blue sheets, with two white pillows placed at the head of the bed neatly. A large desk stood near the single window, and a dark blue throw-rug was thrown on the floor next to it. However, besides the few pieces of furniture, the room was bare and tidy.
Harry stripped down and dried the rest of the excess water off him with the towers Benoit had left behind. Once he felt sufficiently dry, he fell into bed without bothering to pick up after himself and fell immediately asleep. Tomorrow he'd begin his new life in this new universe.
Feudal Era, Japan: The Land of the West
Five Years Later: The 10th of September
Yami Haruki, who had once been known as Harry Potter, was interrupted from his work when a loud cry echoed outside of the shop. Annoyed, Haruki wiped his sooty hands on his rough work clothes and strode outside, intending to give whoever was making such a racket a piece of his mind. However when he reached the light of the outside, he was surprised to see people crowding around his shop, talking excitedly. With a raised eyebrow he turned to the nearest person, a human of around 30 years with black hair and eyes.
"What's going on? There're people trying to work in there," he pointed a finger at his shop irritably. The man just laughed however.
"There's no need to work, today boy! Inu no Taisho is coming!" he cried out, before diving into the crowd. Haruki stayed where he was, head tilted to the side in thought, making his long braid shift over his shoulder.
'Inu no Taisho, hm?' he thought with a snort before returning to his shop.
He had already been in this world for five years, although they had seemed to fly by. After renting a room in the Inn, Haruki had set out to find a job and to figure out more about his new home. He was angry and bitter by the end of that day; people had turned him away because of his very noticeable hanyou ears and tail. Nobody talked to him, only muttered and glared at him from a safe distance. Harry had left the town after his five days at Benoit's Inn, traveling across the land, which he later found was called the Land of the West. He had decided to stay in a popular town called Kaoin, where he found a blacksmith who was willing to train him.
After three years he set up his own smith off to the side of town, and he had had fairly good business. He wasn't a master blacksmith, but he was fairly good at it. He had even made his own weapons; three very different swords, four knives, and two unique metal fans (1). He still hadn't had time to learn how to use them; Haruki was hoping that as soon as he got enough money he could pay for a teacher.
He didn't know why the villagers were so excited at seeing their "famed" leader. Haruki had heard of Inu no Taisho, the Inu youkai who ruled the Land of the West. He had never met the Lord, but he heard stories wherever he went about his bravery, skill, and good looks. However he had never trusted leaders; he had a particular aversion to them since Dumbledore had manipulated his past life. Haruki snorted and looked at the metal that he had been heating by the fire. With a low curse he drew it out with a pair of tongs; while he had been distracted by the noise outside, the metal had heated too far for him to plunge into his water bucket like he had planned. Growling he set it aside, letting it cool off slowly.
Just as he was about to set another piece of metal on the fire, the door to his shop opened, releasing the little tinkling bell that Haruki had placed above it. With a muttered curse he wiped his hands again and left the back room. When he saw who was standing inside his shop, however, he stopped short with wide green eyes.
The silver haired man looked up when he heard footsteps and gave the shocked Haruki a good-natured smile, "You would be Yami Haruki then?" he asked in a low voice.
Haruki shook off his shock and answered bluntly, "Yes. Were you expecting someone else to be in here?"
Inu no Taisho, the Lord of the West, looked surprised but then an amused smirk curled at the edge of his lips, "No, I suppose not. I have a proposition for you, Yami-san."
Haruki snorted, "Whenever I hear that, it never means anything good."
Inu no Taisho looked even more amused, "I promise that it is good news."
Haruki gave a long-suffering sigh and leaned against his counter comfortably before saying, "Alright, I'll hear you out, but I make no promises."
Inu no Taisho nodded, as if this was perfectly reasonable. "Recently the blacksmith in my castle died of a heart attack," he started to explain. Haruki groaned inwardly; he could see where this was going already. "I've been looking for a new one, and I heard that an excellent blacksmith by the name of Yami Haruki was living in Kaoin. So I'd like to ask; would you mind being the royal blacksmith, Yami-san?"
Haruki thought about it. It wouldn't be a bad deal, working for this guy, even if he didn't like royalty. His business wasn't particularly popular, and he could abandon it without feeling any loss.
"How much money will I get?" he asked directly.
Inu no Taisho looked surprised yet again at his bluntness, but he answered, "200,000 yen yearly, and it could be more, depending on the weapons you make."
Haruki's eyes widened. That was twice as much as he got now, even in such a popular city as Kaoin.
"Where will I live?" he asked suspiciously.
"In the castle; we have plenty of extra rooms. You may bring any of your tools and personal items with you; the forge is still where the previous blacksmith left it." Inu no Taisho smiled.
Haruki continued to consider, his head tilted to the side in thought. The thought of free bed and board, as well as all the money he could make was appealing……
"Alright," he said reluctantly. "I'll be your blacksmith. When do we leave?"
Inu no Taisho smile widened and he answered, "As soon as you can get your things together. However, Yami-san, I have one more thing to ask of you," Haruki raised an eyebrow. He knew it would be too good to be true if that had been it. "Can I see some of your work?"
Haruki tilted his head and then nodded. He darted back inside the back room and pulled out his favorite sword before returning to Inu no Taisho. Silently he handed to the other man, who's golden eyes widened when he saw the beautiful weapon.
The long blade was made of unique black steel that Haruki had been lucky to find, and had to spend half of his yearly savings to buy. The hilt was dyed a dark, dreamy gray with no decorations. Faint white and gray runes marked the side of the blade, travelling from the tip to the hilt. The blade's edge was razor sharp, and it gleamed even in the dim light of the shop. Haruki had named it Kokushibyou or Black Death.
"It's a beautiful sword," Inu no Taisho said with admiration. He whipped the blade around rapidly, and Haruki smirked when he saw the Inu youkai's astonishment at the sword's perfect balance and weight.
"It is the first one I made for myself," Haruki said, taking the beautiful weapon out of Inu no Taisho's hands. "Is that a good enough sample for you, Inu no Taisho?"
"You can just call me Kamin," the man murmured, his eyes still on the sword. "And yes, that is more than good enough. I had heard rumors that you were skilled, but I didn't know that you could make weapons like that."
Haruki raised an eyebrow as he started to gather his tools and weapons; he had no other possessions. He ignored the praise the Western Lord was giving him and instead focused on the information he had gotten. "Kamin is your real name then?" he asked curiously.
The Inu youkai nodded, "Isei Kamin is my real name. Most have forgotten it, since I use it so little."
"Hm," Haruki hummed thoughtfully, still packing away his tools. The room was silent as the long haired kurohyou finished his business and went into the back room to get the rest of his stuff. Kamin went to lean against the edge of the door, eyeing the now bare room curiously.
Honestly, this hadn't really been what he was expecting when he came looking for the blacksmith. He had been expecting a fancy shop; the kind of thing that would cost a lot of money. Instead he found a dusty, old forge with well-used, obviously hand-made tools and a petite, blunt blacksmith. His lips quirked; the people who talked about Yami Haruki had obviously never met him. They said he was well-mannered, polite, snobby, rich……all the sorts of things Kamin could tell he wasn't in the short moments he had spoken to him.
The man was to the point and honest. He dressed in well-worn leather and cotton, and obviously had no use for anything that he didn't need. He had made his own tools, and his own weapons if the black sword was anything to go by, and Kamin had the feeling that the little blacksmith was independent and stubborn.
However, he was puzzled by the blacksmith. There were jagged green marks across his cheeks, and a silvery lightening bolt visible under his shaggy black bangs; the markings of a daiyoukai. But his smell was that of a hanyou; what breed, Kamin couldn't tell, but his senses were screaming that it was some form of neko. 'Maybe that's why he wears that headband……' he mused thoughtfully. Most hanyous had ears or a tail; a physical reminder of their blood. But none of the stories had ever said anything about Haruki being a hanyou, so he must have hid his traits skillfully during the years. Kamin smirked; he had a feeling his castle was going to get a lot more interesting with Yami Haruki in it.
Haruki looked up at the tall, imposing castle with an annoyed scowl.
"Well doesn't this look warm and cozy," he murmured under his breath. He wasn't surprised when he heard Kamin give a choked laugh; Inu hearing was supposed to be particularly good. But he didn't take back his sarcastic words - the castle looked cold, dreary, and depressing. The thick stone walls rose up high into the air, all of them colored a deep, dark gray. The only spot of brightness on them were the occasional stained glass window and the crimson red flags swirling in the wind at the very top of the towers, the bright white Inu glowing brightly even in the dull twilight.
Haruki sighed and watched as the huge wooden gate opened to admit them inside. A general cheer rose up from the guards as they realized that their Lord had come home. Snorting he walked in after Kamin, folding his arms loosely against his chest and his bag bouncing solidly against his back.
They entered the castle without any hassle, although any servants they came across bowed and simpered in front of Kamin, making Haruki scowl in disgust. The Inu daiyoukai, however, was used to their simpering and merely smiled and thanked them. He continued to show Haruki around the castle, pointing out the main rooms and major places.
"The dining hall is done that way," the white-haired youkai said, waving a hand down a long hall on the first floor. "It's connected to the ball room and the kitchen. Upstairs is my room and my son, Sesshoumaru's room, as well as the guest rooms. There is also the library on the second floor, and the smith is right outside. Your rooms will be on the first floor with myself and my son."
"Will I ever get to meet this son of yours, Kamin-sama," Haruki said, with a voice heavily inlaid with sarcasm. Kamin shot him a look that was both disapproving and amused.
"Yes, you'll meet Sesshoumaru in a little while. I assume you wish to unpack your things, Haruki? I'll show you to your smith and your room then."
Haruki followed Kamin up the strong, stone stairs curiously. He was wondering about his forge and his room……But he did wish that his new "Lord" didn't automatically assume.
Kamin led him down the hall to a set of double oaken doors. Haruki raised an eyebrow but didn't comment on the elaborate golden Inu knocker, instead opting to push open the doors to see what lay inside them. The other eyebrow joined the first, raising up on his forehead until they nearly disappeared under his hairline.
The room was definitely more flamboyant than he would ever want. The stone walls and floor had been smoothed away and replaced with a dark, shining marble and elegant crimson red rugs. A large bed stood to the side its thick, crimson hangings reminding Haruki eerily of his days back home, in Gryffindor. A medium-sized window over-looked the courtyard, showing the now dark sky and the lack of activity outside. Over to the side, there was a door leading to the bath, and there was a fireplace in the corner. The large closet next to the bed completed the whole picture.
"Fancy," was all Haruki said before dumping the small amount of personal possessions he had brought with him on the bed. He never noticed the twitch in Kamin's eyebrow, or how his new boss grimaced at the blacksmith's lack of admiration for the stunning rooms.
"Your forge is out back," Kamin added through gritted teeth. Haruki followed him out of the door cheerfully his bag of tools still slung casually over one shoulder.
However they were stopped before they managed to get there by a teenager who looked like a carbon copy of Kamin, only years younger. Haruki supposed it was Inu no Taisho's son, Sesshoumaru. The boy was dressed in a simple white yukata, and his long silver hair was braided back away from his sharp, handsome face.
"Chichi-sama?" the boy asked cautiously, steely golden eyes narrowing in Haruki's direction. "Who is this?"
"This, son, is our new blacksmith, Yami Haruki. Haruki say hello to my son, Sesshoumaru," Kamin said with a grin.
Haruki bowed and gave a mild smile, knowing that acting so easy-going irritated more people than it soothed, "It's a pleasure to meet you Sesshoumaru-san. I do hope you'll take good care of me."
Sesshoumaru eyed him with something between annoyance and dismissal before turning to his father and saying flatly, "He's strange."
Kamin swallowed a laugh and Haruki just smiled, making Sesshoumaru scowl. The littler youkai turned away from the new blacksmith, instead focusing his attention to his father. He had waited for a long time for Kamin to come back, and he wouldn't be deterred by some annoying blacksmith!
"Chichi-sama, are we going to train soon?" he asked bluntly.
Kamin considered it with a smile and then nodded, "Yes. I just need to show Haruki to his forge, and then we may train Sesshoumaru."
"Ahem," Haruki said, getting the attention of both of the Inu youkai. "May I watch?" he noticed the incredulous looks from both father and son and smiled sheepishly. "I've made weapons for myself, but I haven't had the time to learn to use them. I thought maybe if I watched you train I could learn how to weild them……" he trailed off awkwardly.
However anxiety was wasted as Kamin said, "That would be fine, Haruki. I'll see if I can get a trainer for you; letting such beautiful weapons rot away from disuse is a waste." He turned back to his son, who was looking somewhat disgruntled at having his personal time with his father intruded upon. "Sesshoumaru, do you wish to come with us to Haruki's forge; then we can make our way to the dojo as soon as I'm done there."
The boy nodded and the trio made their way out of the castle in silence. Close to the front door of the castle a little hut stood to the side. It was small, short, and made out of solid gray stone. Kamin led his son and blacksmith inside.
The inside of the hut was plain but cozy. A large forge stood to the side, and a long line of blacksmith tools lined the walls. A large hole had been cut into the top of the building to allow the smoke from the fire to billow out into open air, but currently a thatch cover was pulled over it to keep the weather out of the hut. Various pieces of metal were scattered around the forge, bigger pieces placed by the back door which led to the rest of the materials.
Haruki examined the hut silently, green eyes jumping from place to place. Slowly he walked up to the line of tools and took in each of them, one by one. Finally he turned back to the Inu youkai.
"It's good Kamin-sama," he said bluntly. "I'm going to need more metal, and I'll be making some changes. However your previous blacksmith took good care of his tools; I'll be able to use most of these along with my own.
He carefully laid down the bundle of tools that he had brought with him on the single piece of furniture in the hut; a stone table that was close to the forge. Then he turned to Kamin and Sesshoumaru with a mild smile on his face.
"Now, we were going to do some training, were we not?"
Haruki watched with interest as Sesshoumaru dashed at his father, a long katana in one hand and poisonous claws outstretched on the other.
Watching father and son fight was fascinating for the kurohyou. Their style of fighting was much more focused on speed and fluidity than brute strength and power; it was more of a dance than a fight, in some ways. It appealed to Haruki in some ways, but personally he liked a blunter, straight-forward way of fighting better, like any true Gryffindor.
He smiled wryly in the background as he watched Sesshoumaru get cut by his father and jump back in time avoid another blow. Watching them together reminded him so much of his training with the Order back in his own world, when the weight of the world still rested on his shoulders. They had never been easy on him either; they hadn't had the time or patience to coddle him into learning. He'd had to take it in the hard way; thought experience and determination.
Shaking away the thoughts of the past he instead focused on the present fight. Kamin, he observed, wasn't bleeding at all, but he could smell the bruises on him left by his son. Sesshoumaru, on the other hand, was bleeding in the leg, his left arm, and his cheek and he had a sprained ankle and a lot of bruises if Haruki's nose was correct.
He'd learned more about his "youkai senses" during the five years he had spent in the Land of the West. All of his senses had become more pronounced, but it was really his hearing and sight that had improved the most. However, his sense of smell had increased so much that he could scent any kind of injury, people, youkai, and many other odors in the air and on a person or animal's body. It was rather eerie when he had discovered it, actually.
"Do you yield?" Haruki blinked as Kamin's voice cut through his thoughts and looked up to see the older youkai pinning his son to the wall, his sword placed against his delicate throat. Stilling the instinctive urge to help the pup out – kurohyou were protective over cubs – he watched the scene quietly.
"Hai," Sesshoumaru's voice was soft enough to be a whisper. Kamin instantly let him go and stepped back, allowing the boy to step away from the wall. The dojo was awkwardly silent for a minute.
Haruki sighed and stood up, fluidly moving to where Sesshoumaru stood, his eyes downcast and his blade tightly gripped in one white-knuckled hand. Gently he tipped the boy's head up to meet his eyes, examining the cuts and bruises on the pale skin critically.
"Hm……Some would say that pain is a good motivator, but I always thought that they only said that because they never had to go through it," Haruki said with a smile. Sesshoumaru only continued to watch him with wary golden eyes. "Sit, cub. I'll heal your cuts, and then you'll fight against your father tomorrow and do your best to win."
He ushered the boy into a sitting position and carefully gathered his magic, letting it smooth over the skin of his face and heal the cuts and bruises. Slowly he moved down the boy's body, healing every cut and bruise until he reached the sprained ankle. Kamin did nothing to stop him, instead opting to watch his new blacksmith curiously. It was surprising that he was a healer as well as a blacksmith; how many talents did Haruki have?
Sesshoumaru didn't know what to think about his father's newest employee. The man was irritatingly mild, blunt, and honest, and yet he was also kind enough to heal his wounds and give him encouraging words. Sesshoumaru didn't trust him, as he didn't trust anyone beside his father, but he couldn't help but feel intrigued by Yami Haruki.
Maybe he would spend some time getting to know him better.
Author's Note: -cries- Yes, that's it. I think this is the shortest chapter I've ever written in my life. But never fear! The next chapter is half-way written, so it will be coming out much more quickly than this one did. Hopefully you all enjoyed this one! Thanks for your wonderful reviews minna-san; I did my best to answer all of your questions and comments.
(1) Readers of AIT will recognize these weapons; it seems I can't stay away from fans, ne?
