Disclaimer: The Harry Potter franchise and all its characters belongs to J.K. Rowling, while the Black & White franchise belongs to Lionhead Studios.
"Normal Speech"
'Thoughts'
Chapter 2 – Identity
As the night fell on the island, if one was to look at the coast near the Great Temple, they would see a light throwing rocks at a stone pillar, attempting to hit a rather peculiar stone which stood at the pillar's peak, oddly in perfect balance. Indeed, such was the activity of a bored human who lived near said stone pillar, looking at the deity's attempts at hitting the rock.
"Why is this so frustrating!" said Harry quite irritated. "It either hits the pillar or flies over the damned rock!"
He took hold of another rock, and threw it once more at the stone. It nearly flew over the still rock again, but managed to touch its upper part, allowing it to fall off the pillar.
"Finally!" said the god.
"Erm… well done leader," said White. "But perhaps the time has come for you to look at the village of your followers."
He turned towards the temple, and gazed at the small village in the valley below. Curiously enough, the main landmark of the village proper was the oddly large and unfinished gate near it, apparently connecting the two rather steep hills that surrounded the northern half of the village and a small forest. Many piles of wood and stone were near the unfinished structure, as well as the tools that the villagers were using to build it.
"Why exactly are they building a gate there?" he wondered aloud as he approached the structure.
The villagers nearby were in awe as they watched the glowing light that they knew to be their god approaching their enormous gate, but the deity in question ignored them. Harry's curiosity was far more on the construct than on its creators. Yet he knew that he could not spend eternity staring at the gate. Well, technically he could, but such a thing was not very convenient and useful. Deciding to shift his attention to the villagers, the deity noticed that they had returned to their everyday actions. Now, most were returning to their homes, others gathering in the village centre to socialize and rest.
He looked at his own hands, observing the gold tint that his skin possessed. Not just his hands, but his whole body had that strange light skin tone with a golden tint, unlike the pure light skin tone of the inhabitants of this village. Perhaps it was normal for a god like himself, but there was something in this whole thing that irked him. And the most frustrating part was the fact that he could not understand why he felt such a thing.
"Why do I feel like this?" he wondered. "It's almost as if part of me is missing… but what?"
These humans… these mortals were strange creatures. But they seemed to hold a strange value to their lives, and an equally strange dedication to their duties. Could the answer perhaps, be in them? He kept himself in these thoughts, and returned to his temple… his home in this strange land.
"Can these humans hold the answers I seek?" thought Harry. "But if they do, how exactly do I learn them? If I could only see through their eyes, then perhaps I would understand…"
As this thought faded, he felt a warmth around him, followed by a bright light that surrounded him. His thoughts were of confusion and shock, and when the light faded, he was certain that something had changed, but what exactly? It was until he looked around that he understood what it was.
"Why is the temple larger?" he wondered aloud.
"Hey boss, I think it was you who got smaller," said Black.
Harry looked around, and quickly realized that he had indeed become smaller. In fact, if he was not mistaken, he was possibly the size of a human. Looking down at the reflective floor, he saw the image of a boy. The green eyes and the dark messy hair, alongside the rather peculiar and expensive looking robe he wore, was enough for a first impression of himself.
"That's…me." he whispered, before kneeling to take a closer look at his reflection.
"It seems, leader, that you have taken the shape of a human," said White.
He looked at the darkened reflection under him. "It seems so familiar… but distant and dark."
"Lily, take Harry and go! It's him! Go! Run! I'll hold him off!"
He could hear the words on his head, hollow echoes of someone in utter panic, but he did not recognize the voice. It was a man, that was certain, but why was he talking about him? And there was also another name, apparently feminine. So who was this Lily?
"Names… nothing but meaningless names," he mumbled. "But why are they so familiar?"
Sighing, he got up and decided to turn towards the entrance of the temple.
"Staying here pondering on this will bring nothing," he said. "I better go and see the village."
He walked towards the open entrance, the orange sunset being the first thing he saw of the outside in this diminished form. The courtyard at the entrance was empty, the only thing there being the grass that had not been stepped on by the builders of his temple. He turned around, and looked at the colossal structure that was the temple.
"Wow!" he said. "From here this thing is even bigger."
After gazing at the temple for a while, Harry decided to walk towards the village. As he passed by the people, he was mostly ignored by the villagers, some glancing at him much like they would do to anyone else. From the houses came the smell of cooked food, while others were preparing their meals outside the huts and longhouses.
The children were playing in the town centre, the crèche no longer open, their relatives watching over them. Some were called to their homes, warned that dinner was ready, and as the minutes passed the town centre became mostly empty, except for Harry who remained in a rather secluded spot, observing those who followed him. After a while, people began to leave their homes, heading to the centre of the village. Apparently, they liked to socialize during the night.
Clearly many children and aged people remained inside their homes, those outside being mainly adults and teenagers. He could clearly see that the inhabitants of the village had their own favoured companions, as groups were formed and some went to other parts of the village. He decided to wander around, hopefully continuing to be ignored as he had been until now. The moon was shining on his temple, the pale light radiating from the building making it look like some sort of beacon.
"Could be a bit redder," he heard Black mumble.
But as he walked around the outskirts of the village, he began to hear shouting coming from a nearby area. The tone certainly did not seem to be one of panic, instead it was the opposite. He quickly headed towards the source of the sound, and what he saw shocked and enraged him.
There was a group of pre-adolescent kids surrounding a cat, and attempting to throw stones at the small feline, who luckily managed to evade the rocks. And it seems that they were having fun doing so.
"What do you think you're doing?" he shouted, startling the kids who quickly turned towards him in fear.
Harry was not aware of it, but in such an infuriated state, his very being emanated a strong pressure that was overwhelming the little bastards. His presence was imposing, and the kids were certainly aware of it, even if they did not know who he truly was.
"Scram, now!" he barked, watching as the group of boys ran away from him.
He turned towards the kitten, and was startled upon noticing that the small animal was calmly looking at him. The tiny face certainly did not reflect any fear or any other emotion that the animal as capable of expressing.
"You're a strange little cat," mumbled the god before approaching it.
The kitten did not move. Instead, it seemed to be more curious about Harry than anything else. It had a light brown fur and several darker spots and stripes, and the eyes were of a green colour. Harry had gotten very close to it, and the kitten meowed in response. Harry went and began to pet the tiny feline, the cat accepting the god's caress.
"I have memories of a cat, you know," he said to the kitten. "I don't quite remember how it looked like… it's mostly a blur. But I am sure that there was a cat in those memories."
When he stopped petting the cat, the small animal seemed to be preparing to do something, and before Harry had the opportunity to get up, the kitten jumped to his shoulder, surprising the god.
"Well, you're a brave one, are you?" he commented as the cat turned around to be looking at the same direction as his.
At that moment, Harry felt a strange sensation. It was… the wholeness that seemed to have been missing. As if part of his had been returned after having been lost for a very long time. Could the cat have anything to do with it?
"It seems I'm stuck with you, little one," said Harry. "Unless, of course, you want to go away."
The kitten meowed in response, one which Harry interpreted as a "no", and he chuckled in response to the small cat. But as he prepared to leave the area, he heard several footsteps coming from behind him. He quickly turned around, and saw that a large group of villagers had arrived at his location. More specifically, it seemed that the kids from before had decided to bring reinforcements, and were looking quite smug.
"What are you doing in our village intruder?" demanded one of the villagers.
"I've seen him!" said a woman. "He was skulking around the houses before."
Harry smiled in amusement.
"Intruder? You bring me to this place, and call me an intruder?" he spoke calmly. "And why do you come with such hostility to me?"
He could clearly see the nervousness spreading across the faces of the kids who had been tormenting the kitten on his shoulder.
"Hey boss! Throw a rock at them!" suggested Black.
"Do no such thing leader!" said White. "Such violence is unnecessary!"
One of the men stepped forward.
"You have been threatening our children, and you ask why we are hostile?"
The indignation was very real, and the deceit caused by those little bastards had already caused enough damage to his "human reputation". It was time to sole this.
"I threatened no one," he replied. "But when a group of children decides that tormenting an animal with stones is fun… I must intervene. I cannot just give attention to you little humans, can I?"
The villagers were confused.
"What are you-"
In an instant, Harry's body began to glow in an immense blue light, the villagers shielding their eyes from the maelstrom of light. As it diminished, an ethereal figure remained there, exactly where Harry had once been, and an equally ethereal cat was on his shoulder. A bridge, between his human and true godly form.
"Let your eyes gaze upon me, I who am your god," he declared in an imposing tone. "My mercy may be immense, but I shall not allow cruelty to pass on this kingdom of mine."
The villagers were terrified and awed, in front of them the deity which they now worshiped and which resided within the temple at the hill.
"Those who shall inherit your legacy have shamed the very blood within their veins, and such a thing is worthy of punishment," he declared. "But know that I am a merciful god, and I shall be lenient today. I shall grant you a chance to redeem yourselves before my eyes, and those of your elders."
The pre-adolescents who he had been referring to nodded terrified, but grateful at the mercy of their god. The other villagers are also relived that they would not be suffering because of the actions of a group of kids.
Harry looked at his temple, and the hill where it was, before turning to the villagers.
"Tell me, what is the name of the temple's hill?" he asked.
One of the villagers had the courage to answer him. "Those who once lived here called it the hill of Utu-Enki."
"And why is that?" asked Harry.
"We don't know, Lord," replied the man. "The meaning has been long lost. Countless generations ago."
"Then hear me, for that is the name I take upon myself," declared the deity. "Know that I am, I always was, and I always shall be Utu-Enki. Listen to the name of god, and give it to your brethren, so they may know who it is they worship."
And with a dismissive motion, he watched as the villagers quickly left the area, heading back to the village. He assumed once more his human form, the kitten also returning to normal.
"Whoa… where did that come from?" he wondered.
"Ha! It's in your blood boss!" said Black. "But you were too tame."
"I think he took care of the problem rather well," commented White.
The kitten also replied. "Meow."
Rolling his eyes, Harry turned towards the temple, and decided it was time to return to his residence. He had to plan for his future, and that of the village. It was clear that these people needed to be set on a right path, and good thing he was there to make sure it happened.
Author's Note:
And after a long time, here is the second chapter of the story. I apologize for the delay. I want to say that while I will be following the general plot of the Black & White series, I will take a few "artistic liberties" with the plot and lore. The kitten which Harry met is one of them (and I am sure some or many of you will understand what role he will play in the story), as well as his unique ability to assume a human form (it should be obvious where he got that). Also, the name which Harry assumed came from the names of two Sumerian deities – Utu and Enki.