Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or One Piece, I do not have any rights to Harry Potter or One Piece and I do not make any money from writing these stories.

Written for: The Disney-A-Thon Challenge, The Writing Diversity Challenge (Anime and Manga), The If You Dare Continued Challenge, The A Bit of Motivation Competition, The One Million Words Added Competition.

Prompts: Write about strength and friendship, Write a three shot story between 10,000 words and 20,000 words, Silence.

A Pirate Kings Inspiration

The soft crunch of the lose stones sounded under his sandals asRayleigh walked along the empty road under the afternoon sun. The sound of seagulls calling to each other in the sky and the soft roaring of the sea while the wind carried the smell to him did nothing for Rayleigh as he walked towards the graveyard.

As he rounded the corner the soft sound of wooden wheels on the cobble path came to Rayleigh's ears. Tightening his hold on his captain's trunk, the emerald green book rested in his plain shirt pocket, he looked ahead as he tried to spot the source of the noise while his whole body became tense and stiff ready for battle.

'I thought that no verchiel's where used on this path' Rayleigh thought with a frown on his face, his eyes shone with hidden thoughts. 'I wonder...could they be grave robbers or have they just come back from burying the captain's body. If they are grave robbers I better step in just to make sure that they have not stolen anything from Harry or Roger.'

Allowing his legs to carry him forwards Rayleigh scanned the area carefully as he searched for the maker of the noise only for him to have to force his whole body to keep moving at a natural relaxed pace as he spotted the reason for the sound. A large wooden trolley being, the top and side of it was covered in dried blood of various ages giving Rayleigh a hint to what it was used for, pulled by four grave diggers and several low ranking marines walked besides it laughing and gloating.

'It seems that they have just buried the captain' Rayleigh thought as he kept his head down and pretended to look at the seagulls flying in the sky to hide his face from the passing marines. 'At least I will not have to worry about bumping into any marines while I visit the graveyard.'

Making sure not to rush after he had just passed the group of marines Rayleigh kept his footsteps sure and steady as he moved with a set purpose in mind while hiding his true intentions. As the marines came to the corner of the cobble road which would take them out of sight and out of ear shot from Rayleigh they broke into a loud cheer and began to gloat through Rayleigh took no notice. Instead he chose to stare up at the large wooden sign with the words 'Logue Town Cemetery' written in bold black paint.

"At least this town makes sure to show their respect to the dead by keeping the graveyard clean and tidy," Rayleigh muttered to himself only to hear a soft giggle of agreement.

Blinking in surprise Rayleigh looked behind his shoulder, expecting the marines to of come back and laughing at him for talking to himself. Only no one was behind him, or in the area that he could see. Scanning the area for any sign of life Rayleigh found none, shrugging it off at just an animal's cry Rayleigh continued walking forwards only to come to a complete stop when he spotted a child.

The child was nervously poking their head out of the side of one of the large fences that went around the graveyard protecting it from the elements. Two small ghostly pale hands clinged to the splintered wood while messy black hair framed bright curious yet innocent eyes that only a child could have.

"Hello, are you here visiting someone too?" Rayleigh asked with a kind smile as he tried his best not to spook the emerald green eyed child. "Are you alright? Who are you visiting?"

Instead of a reply like he had expected Rayleigh watched as the young boy, for that is what sex he guessed the child to be, disappeared from view only for a few seconds later his bright emerald green eyes to appear once again. Rayleigh felt his lips twitch upwards when he saw the emotions flashing in those amazing emerald green eyes.

"You want me to follow you huh?" Rayleigh asked good naturally, he had no problem as the only place he planned to go to for the next month was the graveyard and that was where the child was. "Very well, what do you want me for?"

As Rayleigh began walking towards the graveyard a small smile came to his face as he watched the boy give him a quick shy smile before disappearing. Chuckling to himself Rayleigh shook his head and walked the rest of the distance to the graveyard entrance. As he did so his eyes scanned the area for any dangers that might harm the child only to find none.

'Strange, it feels like all of the dangers that surrounded this place has gone' Rayleigh thought with a small hidden frown on his face. 'Since that boy appeared it is like everything is still...dead almost. I wonder what is going on, is this another one of those strange adventures that the captain always used to drag us on before he split the crew up?'

Pulling himself together and putting himself onto high alert Rayleigh kept his pace quick but calm as he finally stepped off of the old cobble stone path and onto the dirt path that welcomed him into the graveyard. Looking around for any sign of life or a hint of the child Rayleigh found himself looking at a normal graveyard, rows of grave heads lined the area with flowers and little knick knacks and other objects that had been left behind as an offering. All of the graves looked as if they had been dug months or even years ago with how the soil had turned into one with the ground around it and how some of the soil lumps had grass growing on top of it.

"The grave you are looking for is in the corner to the right," an innocent boy's voice informed Rayleigh causing him to jump and turn around quickly.

"You are the child I saw," Rayleigh said in surprise as he stared at the boy in front of him. "What are you doing here? Where are your parents?"

"I do not have any parents, they died a very long time ago, and as for what I am doing here..." the boy said as he trailed off and looked in the direction that he had informed Rayleigh was the direction of his captain's grave. "I am waiting for someone, we promised each other that we would sail two seas, I would sail the clouds and he would sail the water...I have been waiting for him to return from sailing the water ocean so we can go and sail the cloud ocean together."

"Do you mean you are both going to go and visit the Sky Islands?" Rayleigh asked as he tried to make sense of the young boy's words. "Why would you be waiting for someone to start an adventure with in a graveyard of all places? Do you mind telling me your name?"

"No...I have never heard of these Sky Islands but we are going to sail the clouds and higher together," the boy answered as he ignored Rayleigh's question about his name. "Why not here? I have been waiting here for a very long time...some nights and days I find myself doing nothing but staring out at the ocean waiting for him to return...he was only meant to be going on a holiday...we are friends you know."

"Really now?" Rayleigh asked with a raised eyebrow, he realised that he would not get anywhere with the boys name. "So this spot was not a graveyard when you and your friend agreed to sail the clouds and ocean together?"

"That is right, you are finally catching on," the boy replied, a happy smile came to his face making Rayleigh prevent himself from informing the boy that the graveyard had been here for over ten years and he looked to be under eight years old. "Together we are going to see things that we have never dreamed of, we are going to be free and go on lots of adventures and become pirates."

At the boy's words Rayleigh could not help but to roll his eyes. In the days that had passed since his captain's announcement about his greatest treasure, which was being called One Piece, and his captain's death Rayleigh found that everyone wanted to be a pirate.

"Why did you roll your eyes at me for when I said that my friend and I wanted to become pirates for?" the boy asked with narrow eyes as he took a step backwards as if Rayleigh was some sort of huge threat to his safety. "What is wrong with my friend and I wanting to be free and become pirates?"

"I am sorry son but since Gol D. Roger died a few days ago and made his big announcement about his greatest treasure and how now it is starting to be called One Piece everyone is suddenly up and becoming a pirate," Rayleigh answered with a small apoplectic smile, he totally missed the flash of emotion that crossed the boys eyes at the name of the now dead pirate king's name. "Before all of this happened to see a pirate was a rare thing, the marines just ignored all of the pirates because they knew them all by name and could tell you everything you needed to know!"

"He is dead? He has passed on?" the boy said suddenly, ignoring the rest of Rayleigh's words, his emerald green eyes stared into Rayleigh's eyes and connected with the pirates soul. "Do...do you know where they buried Roger?"

"Roger? You knew the pirate king well then?" Rayleigh asked in surprise as he raised an eyebrow in surprise. "The captain and I have sailed the seas together for a good many years and I have never met you before. How do you know Roger?"

"I...I know him well," the boy answered as a mysterious expression flashed across his face causing Rayleigh's confusion to grow even more. "We...we have not seen each other in a very long time...too long really...I have missed him so much...I have not stopped thinking about him since we parted last."

"Well...I am sure that Roger never stopped thinking of you either kid," Rayleigh said unsurely as he adjusted his captain's trunk which was still on his back. "Do...you do know that Roger is dead right kid? He died several days ago."

Rayleigh frowned even more as he watched the a large happy smile flicker on the strange nameless boy's face as he turned and stared in the direction that the sea was through it was blocked by the protective wall. As he watched those emerald eyes play expressions and his raven black hair stood at all angels Rayleigh let out a snort of laughter as he remembered his captain's story that he had written about how he was inspired to become a pirate.

"Is something wrong?" the boy asked capturing Rayleigh's attention once again, though he spoke softly his voice carried on the wind making Rayleigh shiver slightly at the unearthly quality it held.

"I was just thinking about how you looked so much like a boy in a story that Roger wrote about how he became inspired to follow his dreams instead of being forced to do as his parents wanted him to do," Rayleigh replied with a twitch of his lips as he looked the boy up and down. "From what I read about him in the captain's attempt to write a book the child had the same messy black hair and bright emerald green eyes as you."

The boy turned back to Rayleigh and shot his a small amused smile. "Do you think...that by any chance I could be that boy?"

"You? Be Harry James Potter?" Rayleigh asked with a snort of disbelief as his eyes twinkled with the happiness that had been lost since his captain's death. "Sorry to disappoint you kid but you are about several years too late, if Harry lived he would of been around mine and Roger's age."

"You think so?" the boy asked, this time Rayleigh could see the knowing twinkle in the boys emerald green eyes that made him look even more older than Rayleigh had first thought. "Maybe...maybe you are right, maybe you are wrong."

"We will agree to disagree than," Rayleigh said finally with a shake of his head, he did not want to end up arguing with a kid, especially not when he just wanted to visit his captain's grave. "Do you know...ah, what am I thinking? You did not know that Roger is dead so why am I asking you of all people if you know where his grave is?"

"Would you like to find Roger's grave together? It would help both of us out," the boy said as he shot Rayleigh an innocent smile. "I am looking for my friend, just like you are looking for your friend and captain."

"Thank you kid, but if you are looking for your friend should you not just wait at the entrance to the graveyard so you can find each other?" Rayleigh asked worriedly. "I do not want you to get into trouble with your friend because you was helping me out."

"It is alright, I...I now know where my friend has been hiding so I can easily find him," the boy said as he answered Rayleigh. "I think...no, I know that if I come with you than I will find my friend."

Silence bounced between Rayleigh and the strange boy as their words sunk into each other. Rayleigh stared at the boy in front of him, his body and mind seemed to warn him of danger from the boy only for his eyes and the boys words to seemingly prove him wrong. Trying to shake off the strange feelings he was getting from the boy Rayleigh took a calming breath and spoke.

"Well if you are sure kid than who am I to say no?" Rayleigh said finally with a shrug of his shoulders. "The grave I am looking for is properly the most freshly dug one in this old graveyard because as I was walking up here I passed the wooden trolley that most likely brought his body up here to be buried. So just look for the grave that looks like it has just been dug alright?"

Rayleigh watched as the boy nodded his head, turned around and ran deeper into the graveyard. Realising that he had not yet caught the young boy's name Rayleigh opened his mouth to speak only for the young boy's body to flicker until it was almost gone before coming back again, solid and none see through.

'What the hell did I just see?' Rayleigh thought in shock as he stared with wide eyes at the black haired boy who was now running in between the graves looking for Roger's. 'Did the kid almost disappear like a ghost before he suddenly became solid again? I...I must be seeing things, it has been a rough time since the captain died...I guess that after all of this is over I am going to need a good long holiday.'

Being careful of where he stepped, Rayleigh did not want to accidently step on any graves or offerings left behind, he followed the strange boy silently while allowing his thoughts and emotions about what had just happened to dance about silently at the back of his mind. As the sun overhead shone down in the sky above them and the ocean called to Rayleigh he felt himself feeling the familiar feeling of needing to set out to sea once again, a feeling that he had developed during his time with Roger and the crew.

'I guess I cannot take the old seadog out of me yet' Rayleigh thought with a chuckle as a twig snapped under his feet as he stepped on it while following the exact path the black haired boy took. 'There are still too many mysterys and adventures to be discovered and enjoyed.'

"I found him! I found Roger!" the boy's excited voice suddenly yelled out causing Rayleigh to break out of his thoughts. "I found my friend! I found Roger!"

'Friend? Roger? What is he on about?' Rayleigh thought with a frown as he began to speed up his pace. 'I thought that he was going to met up with his friend at the entrance to the graveyard...did I missunderstand? Is his friend someone who is buried here? I cannot make sense of this kid...huh, just like how I could not make sense of the captain.'

Not wanting to leave the boy by himself in the middle of the graveyard, even if it was midday and not midnight, Rayleigh quickly made his way to the boy only to find him standing in front of a grave. A freshly dug grave.

"You found Roger's grave huh?" Rayleigh asked as he came to a stop next to the boy, not noticing how the wooden trunk he had been carrying went straight through the boy as he placed it down on the ground.

"Hu uh, now I can finally see my friend again after so long!" the boy cried out excitedly with a big grin on his face. "Mister, mister, do you want to met my friend? You have already done so much for Roger and I, you have really earned it!"

"I have earned seeing your friend huh?" Rayleigh asked in confusion as he watched the young boy bounce on the heels of his feet like an excited puppy. "I wonder though...what have I done for you and the captain? I have only just met you right now and well...I have saved Roger's life several times in the pass as we sailed and battled together but-"

"Exactly," the boy said with a large grin on his face surprising Rayleigh. "You brought him back to me, you made sure that the marines buried him in the right spot when you came to collect his belongings so I could find my dear friend."

Rayleigh ran a hand through his white hair and let out a long sigh. "Kid, you have me confused, I do not understand what you are talking about. What do you mean buried in the right spot so you can met up with your friend? What does a dead person being buried in the spot that they asked for as their dying wish and me making sure that it happens have anything to do with you meeting up with your friend who I am guessing is alive and you two have agreed to come here to pay your respects to someone you know."

"I like your answers sir," the boy answered slyly with a shy smile on his face. "But there is a big problem with all of your guesses."

"And what is that?" Rayleigh asked as he folded his arms, he was starting to get short tempered with the child and his games. Suddenly the hairs on the back of Rayleigh's neck stood up as a cold wind blew pass him.

"Hahahaha! Harry has you there Rayleigh," a familiar voice said suddenly from behind Rayleigh causing the seasoned pirate to jump and his hand to fly down to the hidden sword on his waist. "If you want to know what the problem was with all of your guesses Rayleigh I would be more than happy to tell you."

With his hand on his sword and ready to battle Rayleigh spun around only for him to suddenly feel faint as he found himself looking into a familiar pair of eyes that was joined by that ever so familiar smile.

"Awww, what is the matter Rayleigh?" Roger asked with a chuckle as he grinned madly at his first mate. "Are you surprised to see me?"

"W-Who are you? You cannot be the...the real Gol D. Roger, he died only a few days ago! Who are you!" Rayleigh shouted out as he pulled out his sword and pointed the tip unwaveringly at what appeared to be his captain. "Tell me what you are! Are you a monster? Are you an experiment by the wo-"

"Now now Rayleigh, please do not go down that route," Roger said quickly as he cut Rayleigh off and shot the confused boy who was standing on the other side of Rayleigh a pointed look. "We have little ears listening, please watch your language."

"Language? You want me to watch my bloody language because of a boy who will not give me his name or any straight answers yet here I am staring at my supposedly dead captain!" Rayleigh ranted as he placed a protective hand on Roger's wooden trunk and waved his free arm about like a mad man. "After everything that has happened to me in the past few days you expect me to watch my language around children?"

"You never change Rayleigh," the ghostly outline of Roger chuckled with his trade mark grin. "I see you have met my dearest and closest friend. I am sorry to of kept you waiting for so long Harry."

"It is alright Roger, I knew what was going on from all of your amazing stories when you came to visit me several times a year," the boy, or rather Harry now that Rayleigh knew his name, replied with an innocent grin on his face while ignoring the shocked yet understanding expression on Rayleigh's face. "Besides...to tell the truth I am very happy that I had that you have not joined me on this side for a very long time."

Rayleigh let out a groan of understanding as he raised one of his hands and rubbed his face. "I understand, I get it now, both of you are dead aren't you?"

"Got it in one," Harry said with a shy smile through in Rayleigh's opinion it was too happy and the twinkle in his eye gave away his amusement. "I was looking for Roger's grave so we could finally set sail together. Thank you for helping me with that."

"I did nothing to help you through," Rayleigh replied with a sigh. "You found it all on your own kid."

"Yes...but you gave me the hints I needed to find it, you see I come from a very faraway place called England and there we have a different language. I was only able to pick up an understanding of the spoken language before I passed on," Harry explained with a shrug of his shoulders. "Even when they put up Roger's gravestone I could not read it...come to think of it you are taking this rather calmly, I thought that you would be running around waving your arms screaming ghosts at the top of your lungs."

"Kid, when you have travelled and seen as much as I have than little things like this only surprises you so much," Rayleigh replied as he shot the ghost of his former captain a lop sided smile. "Through does this mean the crew and I will be able to come and visit you in this graveyard?"

"No...if they did I would not be here, I have no regrets or any reasons to stay behind," Roger said with a small smile as he turned and held out his hand to Harry. "We still have the cloud ocean to sail together my best friend...my little brother...are you ready to make good on that promise that I made to you all of those years ago?"

"Yes...I have been waiting for you, I did not feel right going off and exploring the cloud ocean without you," Harry admitted as he reached out and took hold of Roger's hand as he grinned madly. "I am ready...big brother, I think that we have both waited long enough for this moment."

"You are right little brother, it is about time we set sail together...I wonder if we can gather a crew together in the afterlife," Roger muttered to himself making both Harry and Rayleigh laugh. "Hey, Rayleigh?"

"Yeah Roger?" Rayleigh replied with a raised eyebrow when he saw the expression on his now dead captain's face. "What is it?"

"I am happy that you are looking after my treasures for me, not just anyone can understand how much things can mean to someone that is not silver, gold or jewels," Roger said with a grin on his face. "Also...Harry do you trust him with your belongings?"

"The kids belongings are in here?" Rayleigh asked in surprise as he shot the trunk a surprised look.

"Yup, Roger told me that he found the small bag of objects that I had with me so he took them with him and the blanket that I had been wrapped up in and put them in his special treasure trunk," Harry replied with a happy smile. "I cannot believe that someone would treat my belongings with just dignity and respect as Roger did... Rayleigh has my permission, I know that he will treat our belongings with the same dignity and respect as you did Roger."

"Thank you Harry, I promise that I will look after them and hand them down, if I get the chance I will even share this trunk with Roger's wife and unborn child," Rayleigh said with a nod of his head as the gravity of the situation he was in finally hit him. "Through I just ask one thing...do you think I can spread your story Harry? If it was not for you inspiring Roger here to become a pirate I do not know what would of happened, a lot of places in this world are better off thanks to him."

Harry opened his mouth to reply only to be cut off by his best friend and big brother figure who gave him a pointed look.

"Please do Rayleigh, it would please me greatly and I know that once the embarrassment dies down Harry would love for you to do that too," Roger said as he cut Harry off. "If you look for more books like the notebook that you found out about Harry from you should find the reset of Harry's story...or as much as I could find out from the sailors on the ship."

"Even though we only travelled together for a short time we spent a lot of time together, they always used to speak to me while my relatives where exploring the towns when the ship stopped or using fake chores to get me away from my relatives," Harry said with a small grin on his face. They even introduced me to this amazing food called chocolate!"

"I promise that I will go through the trunk with the utmost care and inspect everything with the respect it deserves," Rayleigh promised as he gave both Roger and Harry a serious look. "I will make sure to tell Harry's story, who knows, maybe he will even get himself his own wanted poster."

Harry blushed and grinned sheepishly. "I always wanted one of those ever since Roger came to visit my grave when he was still alive boosting about his first ever wanted poster and all of the ones after that."

"Then it will be done," Rayleigh said with a grin on his face as he took in the sight of the two brothers. "Besides who am I to say no to my fellow co-first mate? Or is it Roger's co-captain?"

Unable to answer Harry turned and looked to Roger for help. Roger simply shot both Rayleigh and Harry a playful grin.

"Even through Harry died long before I became a pirate I decided to make him my co-captain...it just...felt right you now?" Roger admitted causing Harry to blush and Rayleigh to break out into laughter. "Oh and Rayleigh?"

"Yes Captain?" Rayleigh replied as he finally stopped laughing. "What is it?"

"If you want you can faint now, Harry and I will stand watch over you so nothing happens to you while you are out," Roger said with a loop sided grin as he shot Rayleigh a knowing look. "I promise that we will wait until you are awake and have left the graveyard before we set sail. Besides, Harry and I have eternity to sail the cloud ocean together."

Both Harry and Roger watched with amused expressions on their faces as Rayleigh allowed his body to relax.

"Thank you captain, captain, I know that I can trust both of you even through you are both technically dead," Rayleigh said before his eyes rolled upwards and he collapsed to the ground.

"You know...I would of never of thought that a big guy like our first mate would faint," Harry said with a thoughtful expression on his face.

Roger snorted. " Rayleigh might seem like a big bad guy but really he is just a big overgrown kitten under everything... Rayleigh... Rayleigh is the best first mate that I could of ever asked for. Someone must of been looking down on me with you when I found him."

To Be Continued...