Last time.
Too tired to bother removing his clothes manually, he waves his wand twice. Once to take off everything except his pants, and then once to transfigure his pants into comfortable sleeping wear.
Drifting off to the lands of fantasy. Sure in the knowledge that the good captain would notify his shipmates as to not disturb him before the next morning.
B
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The morning after.
Waking to the soft rocking, and gentle slush of sea water hitting the hull, Harry cracks an eye open to peer out the porthole. Seeing that its still dark outside he sighs and stands up.
Having a chill creep up his back, as his naked foot hits the cold metal floor. He quickly pulls them back, and glares at the innocent pile of cloths, willing it to move closer. Remembering that he can cast a spell to accomplish just that, but opting against it, as a little pain in the morning just helps to awaken a mans mind.
Sucking in his breath, he makes the leap. One step, two step. Slightly wincing, as the cold claw at his warm feet.
Quickly getting dressed, and transfiguring back his pants, he fumbles in his pocket for his belongings. Finding them. He sacrifices the marvels of shrinking, and weight spells a thought before he undo the spells at his pack, and cast a sticking charm at the bottom of it, as to fasten it to the floor. We would not want an rampant suitcase flying around the room at heavy weather now would we? He choose to take an ordinary black suitcase for this trip, having found out some time ago that a man having a big chest of some kind is bound to raise questions nobody wants to answer.
Looking around his room, and seeing that it got some traces of someone living here, he turns, and leaves.
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His first destination being the deck, he again confirms that it's too dark to be breakfast anytime soon. Though light enough so that he can still see where he is going.
Leaning against the railing, he breathes in the fresh sea air, and feels the soft caress of the wind, not particularly cold, nether inviting to take off your jacket.
Finding a bench he sits down. -"The capt'n said I was to look at this as an vacation." So just leaning back, and enjoying the calm atmosphere, he starts to think about what this expedition would bring.
His vision catching a flicker of movement down on the flat deck in front of him, he sees the shadow of a figure moving. Tapping his glasses with the tip of his wand, they flash in his eyes, and suddenly he can see more clearly in the light of the dawn.
The spell he cast being a light amplifier. Making a flat, see through material like glass more sensitive to light. Enabling the user to see better in dark conditions.
Now being able to see whats moving, he recognize the shape of a female, moving in what seems like martial art katas.
Continuing looking, and observing what would seem like well practiced moves being performed, he decides after a while to move closer, and not stand like a stalker in the shadows.
Tapping his glasses once more with his wand, he moves down, and over to the training figure.
As he comes closer he can hear the person's deep, calm breaths. Making sure to rustle his coat, he observes a slight tensing in her form, as she fluidly flow from one kata to another that turns her body towards the sound without really giving away that she heard the person.
Now being able to see the face of the ponytail girl from the day before, he quickly categorize her as an upper class lady, what with that slight defiant chin, and furrowing brows, so often adopted from an "proper" education. Though this expression seems more accepting of things, than the one from the Malfoy's.
Waiting for her to finish before introducing himself as she was not giving any hints to stop for the time being. Though he could sees that she was keeping him in sight at all times, so he kept his eyes on the social acceptable places, with only quick glimpses when she would do particular daring, and provocative moves. Always coming right back to gauge his reactions, and eye placements. -"She obviously knows that her body too is an weapon, and by god! I would die if I ever meet her in battle."
Suddenly she sweeps forward towards him, and before Harry can do anything he is tripped, tackled, and in a flurry of soft, and warm limbs trapped, and grappled into a submissive position. -"Damn, she got me relaxed, and took advantage of her reach." Faces close to each other, he could see a superior smirk gracing her face. He became very aware of the heat coming from her body, and that her breath was softly tickling his neck.
He racked his mind for an escape, as he would not loose to her the first time they met. Suddenly it came to him, he simply bit her in the arm, not hard enough to draw blood, but enough to leave a mark for some time.
Seeing her face morph into one of shock, and letting loose a cute little shriek, he forced his way out of her grasp before she could compose herself. -"How you like them apples. You're not the only one, not play by the book." Grinning at her as he came out of his roll. He could now see that it was a more sinister glint in her eye, as she inspected her new mark. Her face was carefully molded from an teasing one into a blank expression. -"Shit. I guess she did not find it very funny to be marked." Throwing off his jacket, he chanced a quick glance around, cursing at himself for not keeping track of his surroundings just because of some pretty face.
Focusing back upon his opponent again, he reacts in the last minute, as she is already way into his comfort zone. Dodging a straight right hook to the face by reflexes alone, he scrambles away from the follow up left hand. Having his wand strapped to his forearm it enables him to cast small, and easy spells without much risk of getting caught. So throwing a weak trapping spell at her feet just as she is about to move forward, he makes her stumble, throwing off the momentum of her attacks, and gifting Harry with a respite long enough to jump, grip, and pull himself up onto some crates.
Harry feeling like his heart was about to jump out his chest, and was close to vomit out his lungs. Came to the conclusion after taking a glance at his opponent who seemed perfectly fine compared to him. That it was time to bring out the dick moves, and finish this.
So just as Lara was to jump and grab the corner of the crate, he rushed over, trowing a summoning spell to gather dirt in a neat little pile, and just as her face appared over the corner, he kicked the dirt in her eyes, and then quickly before she let go, he stamped down on her fingers. Making her let go, and fall on her ass. Hearing the pained scream, it turned a knot in his stomach, but he ruthlessly quenched the feeling. Jumping down after her, and before she could regain her wits, and clear her eyes he was upon her. Transfiguring two sets of hand cuffs, he secured her arms, and feet together behind her back.
-"YOU BASTARD! WHAT KIND OF FIGHTING IS THAT!" The furious female screamed as she was squirming, and trashing in an angry fit. Harry though it was partially in wounded pride, and the hurt fingers. Not being able to keep his mirth out of his voice he said. -"I won did I not? No rules in real life lass, take that advice from someone who knows." About to let her loose, he stopped short as he came to remember that the opponent was supposed to yield, or else the fight was still on. Not really wanting to keep on fighting with the angry girl he asked. "You yield I hope?" Only angry puffs of breath met his question. So he asked again. -"Do You Yield?" He asked this with a short stop at each word. She lay there refusing to answer, or acknowledge his victory, so he just turned. Picked up his coat, and walked away.
He would inform someone where she was. Eventually that is.
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Stepping onto the bridge Harry sees Grim standing with a coffee cup in his hand. Making his way over to the coffee machine, he asks -"You want a refill old man?" Turning away from the maps he nods his head. -"Sure kid. I need to pour some heat on the old bones, so keep it coming." Taking a cup for himself, he brings the pot, and fills his cup. -"So any problems?" Harry asks as he look at the maps, before returning the pot the the machine. Angus takes a sip from his coffee, folding his hands around the warm beverage, as he sighs contently.
-"Nothing big, just a small correction of our route. I thought you where going to sleep in today. But after seeing your little scuffle with one of our resident researchers I guess you are back at your regular self." Angus say with a knowing smirk -"Yeah, so you saw that did you? What you think? Of Lara I mean." Harry steps over to the windows. Looking down at the crate where he left the girl earlier, he tries to evaluate her fighting method. -"Well. She is well trained, and she got an winner instinct, that will have her overcome any problems, but she is still young. And by the way, how do you know her name?" This time it was Harry's turn to smirk -"Let's just say that the walls have ears. I also observed that she moves like a martial artist, she went straight at me, and tried to get into my guard, without the obvious dirty tricks to boot, so I guess she is dojo trained." Grim stops a second, considering what he is going to say. -"You are right though, she comes from a famous family in the adventure world. Heard of the Croft's before? She is the daughter of Richard, and Amelia Croft. So she has traveled with them, and lived over the whole world." Harry at hearing this tries to remember where he has heard that name before.
Suddenly it hits Harry.
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2 Years earlier
Harry was running an op with his usual mercenary team. As he was the new addition to the team, he was the one on guard duty in the camp. The job being simple. Stay guard, not letting anyone into the tents without a positive identity.
That being said. Having to walk around in the camp, and pretend that something was going to happen, in 40 Degree Celsius, and not having a tree, or shadow in sight as they where in the middle of the bloody desert.
Well to say he was envious of the others, as they had the fortune to guard the ruins, was an understatement of the year.
But luck was as usual not on Harry's side, as there was dust trails appearing in the distance. Harry clicked his radio, and started to relay his message to his leader. -"This is Newbie calling Boss. Over." -"Boss talking, over." -"Are we expecting company? Over." -"No, we are not. Hold your position, I'm sending Rock. Over and out."
Harry just prepared his position. Bringing out his binoculars, he tried to observe what was coming. What he understood of their mission was that they where to protect the people who was exploring the ruins, and that there shouldn't have been many people to know their location.
Not having to wait for long, he saw Rock come from the pit, he waved his arm as to give him his position.
Rock was truly deserving of his name though, he was a big ass fellow, with a face cut from stone. The face was truly square, and hard looking. Not only that he constantly carrying around his MG3 that he had as his main weapon.
-"What you think Rock? Those hostile or what?" harry said pointing at the dust trails that was much nearer than before. -"Give me your binoculars." Rock said with his gruff voice. Giving him what he wanted, Harry fished out a energy bar from his breast pocket, and happily started to munch on it.
After a while Rock gave his affirmative -"yea, those are tangos alright, they got a big ass weapon rig on one of their jeeps." Rock turned away to call for the other two guys to come up and help them getting rid of their unwanted visitors.
Hunkering down behind his wall of sandbags, Harry aim his rifle at the oncoming vehicles, and just as Rock asked if there was hunting season, the one car with a weapons rig opened fire. Rock threw himself behind the cover, even though the shots was nowhere near to hit. But having any kind of weapon shot at you, you will seek shelter from it.
But as the car was nearing, and the car shooter obviously not having any talent at holding a suppressive fire on their fortified position. Allowed Harry to take his time, and aim at the driver spot in the car.
Letting loose a single shot, then a second, and lastly a third. The car made a sharp turn to the left, and in doing that. Positioning it behind the other car, and the shooter at the roof being unbalanced kept his finger on the trigger at to hold on, and shot the other car to bits.
Now after the lucky events, Harry's team just had to shot the remaining assailants when they made a run for it, as when Boss, and Slinker show up, they show up in the form of a Barrett M82, putting one round in the engine block of the still working Jeep.
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Back at present day
After that one incident the mission had gone on without a hitch. But he remembers the name Richard Croft from on of his then employer's debriefs as the one to hire them.
Shaking his head from the memory, he nods at Grim. -"Yeah, I have heard of Mister Croft. Only in passing though, never met him, or his wife."
Both of them done talking for the moment just keeps their silence. Grim goes back to checking his instruments, and Harry leaves to find out if there is any breakfast being made.
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In the mess hall he sees the rest of the crew seated, and at the same time he can smell a delicious meal has been prepared for the benefit of the crew. Not being one to look twice for food, walk over to the food, grab himself a plate, and starts loading different dishes onto it.
Finished with hoarding food, he turns, and sees everyone except Roth look at him, like he is some strange creature. Harry smacks his face with an open palm, as he realize that Grim, has not talked to his crew about the new addition to it.
Harry looks at Roth, and Roth understands his silent plea, as he makes room for him at the table beside him. Harry grateful at having a place to stash his food, places his platter on the table, and clears his throat. -" Ahem. Yeah I was under the assumption that Grim, our Captain that is, would have informed you of your new crew mate AKA me." he said as he pointed at his chest with a thumb, and a grin. -" My name though is Harry Potter. I am a adventurer, and is in on this little operation as a little extra backup if we were to need it as I have the skills needed to deal with, and dispose of unwanted assailants if they were to pop up." He said the last with a predatory glint to his features. -"So it's nice to meet you all."Shaking hands with all there before sitting down to eat.
Just as he started to eat, the bubbly girl known as Sam suddenly remembered that they where missing Lara, and quickly informed Harry of who that was. Even though Harry knew who, and where she was, he nodded polity with a smile, and pretended to not having seen her. -"Ah. This Lara person seems like a delightful young lady, its such a shame she is not here, so that I can meet her." laughing with mad glee in his head, as he thought of her punishment. -"No food for the wicked."
He had no more than though that, when he heard clinking of metal hitting metal, and a soft murmuring reaching his ears.
Harry making himself as unnoticeable as he could at the table, starts to almost inhale his food, and preparing to run. Because hell has no fury like a woman scorned, and by the muttering, he guessed that she was not over the fact of him leaving her there.
Then Sam opens her mouth to ask where she had been. -"Where have you been this morning Lara? You usually goes through your katas in the morning, so I went down on the main deck to look for you, but you where not there." Harry interested in what her answer would be, because he saw that she had hid the bite mark on her arm with a strip of cloth.
Lara not turning around as she was plucking herself food answered with -"I took a stroll of the ship, you must have just missed me I guess." -"Aha! A lie, this is going to be so fun." Harry waiting for Lara to turn around got what he wished for. Just as she turn around, and caught look of him, went first rigid, then red in the face of being caught in a lie, then narrowing her eyes in anger. Harry just smiled, stood up, and offered her his hand. -"My names Harry Potter, Sam here."Here he gestures to Sam. -"Has told me so much about you, like how your morals would forbid you from lying, and the pride you put in your work, I think we are going to become smashing friends." Lara at hearing this, colored further a shade of red at the hit to her morals. Playing along. She grasps his hand, putting as much force in the shake as she can without it being obvious. Only being offered an even bigger smile from Harry. -"Nice to meet you too mister Potter, Can't say I have the same advantage of hearing about you though." Harry sits down, and manages to make room for one more.
As he claps the seat next to his he grins a toothy grin at Lara, and says. -"Sit down Miss Croft, I don't bite. Hard." He then proceeds to give her a wink. Lara further colors, and now has really visible red blooms in her cheeks, as she thinks of the bite mark at her arm.
She decides to not further give him any more reasons to embarrass her, and by so promptly says. -"Sorry, mister Potter, but its a lovely weather outside, and I plan on eating out on the deck." Grinning at her obvious retreat, he nods his head, and let her leave. Following her stoic posture with his eyes all the way to the door. -"Oh, I really believe this expedition is going to be awesome."
The crew had all seen the byplay, and how Lara blushed when she was confronted by Harry. Though they did draw their own conclusions. Finishing their meals with the regular small talk, they spread, each going to their different work spaces. So soon it was just Sam, and Harry left at the table.
Harry becoming aware of Sam's expectant look. Looking around, hoping for an excuse to run off, he can't see any. He should have been able to see it sooner, but this Samantha, got the hungry look of an journalist, and this journalist was smelling a story. Going slack in his posture, and resigning himself to an unpleasant interrogation. Sam seeing this, grinds her hands together as she leans forward, and starts to open her mouth. But just before the words leave Sam's lips, Jonah walks past the door with a big fish in his arms.
"Jonah!" Harry all but shouts as he stands up. Walking over to the man, as he turns a confused brow, Harry can all but smell freedom. "I could almost kiss you right now Jonah." Turning. "I'm sorry Miss Nishimura, but I got some rare recipes that I want to discuss with Jonah over here." Giving Sam a big shameless smile he turns once more, and drapes a arm over the big mans shoulders. "So I got this one fish dish that I got from a tribe chief, after a small stint in the Amazonas. So I was wondering what you would recommend as a great side dish." Trowing one last look back towards the mess hall, he sees Sam standing in the doorway with a small notebook in her hands.
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Having spent a couple of hours in Jonah's company, Harry started to really like the friendly fisherman. But Jonah having other more pressing matters to attend to, than being Harry's boredom relief, and savior. Left. Yes just like that, he gathered his stuff, mumbling a polite excuse, and left.
If Harry wouldn't have known better it would seem like Jonah got bored of his stories, and that could not be it, right? Who would not like to hear stories of him saving damsels in distress, and getting the booty, and don't forget saving the day?
Thinking to himself. "That seems to happen more often than not. I guess It can come off as a little fake to normal people." Shrugging to himself, he went In look for something else to do.
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Pulling himself to the top of the bridge, he sat down at the roof while thinking to himself what a beautiful day it had been, clear weather, soft wind, and good company. Now all he had to do, was to accept that he was trapped on this ship until they reached Japan. "Well, I guess this is going to be my favorite place on those calm days we might get." Though not really being an unknown fact to his friends, is that Harry enjoys heights, and wind ruffling his short hair. Sighting softly he mumbles. "Might as well enjoy the scenery of open water."
Hearing hands slapping against the corner of the roof, and knowing its Lara, as he heard her heavy boots when she came walking.
Not really wanting to look away from the imminent sunset, he kept his gaze lingering on the horizon. Keeping his hearing sharp he could her the crunching of her cloths as she pulled herself up, and the soft sound of her intake of breath when she corrected her body to make the last haul up on the roof. "She is probably quite proficient at sneaking too, if she puts her mind to it." Though not really paying much attention, his mind had categorized her as a potential threat, and would pick up on the little things making her dangerous.
She sat down beside him. He gave a quick glance at her face after a while, only to see that she too was enjoying the sunset. Turning his head back. They enjoyed the sunset together in silence.
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The sun having gone down, it was Lara deciding to speak up. "You know. I'm sorry that I yelled at you this morning, and for the fact that I behaved like a brat." Lara let the silence go on for a second before continuing. "As soon that I had calmed down, I realized that it was I who initiated the fight in the first place, and you just responding. So I wanted to apologize, and say that I actually did learn something. So I have now talked to Roth about learning me some dirty tricks. Because kicking that sand in my eyes, and trampling my fingers fucking hurt you know." Harry hearing this turned to her, and gave her a smile "Well it was supposed to do that. You are, by far, better than me at hand to hand combat, but I have been fighting for longer, and dirtier." Giving her a wink as he said this he stood up, and walked to the edge, and when he prepared to jump down, Lara halted him. "I was kind of wondering if you could come by sometimes I train, and assist Roth in pointing out what can, and what needs to be learned." Harry, stopping what he was doing, and nodded his head. "Sure I can help, but I'm not particularly game on getting my ass handed to me, so Roth will have to stand for the fighting." Having turned when he said this he saw the glimmer of her eyes fade a little, but they soon came back, as he could only think that she was thinking of someway to con him into fighting. "I don't like that look one bit, it's just like Dumbledore's when he had one of his "super" plans." Having a chill run up his back, he kept his face impassive, and ignored the feelings of impending doom.
Turning back, and jumping down, he heard Lara call after him. "Great! Meet at the main deck at 6 o'clock sharp tomorrow." Rolling his eyes at her impudent behavior. "Now she behaves like I'm working for her. There is no way in hell that I'm leaving my bed early my second day on this ship, just to be her assisting coach."
Walking to his room, he went to prepare for bed, and really without thinking he was wandlessly levitating around his training cloths, laying them ready at the foot of his bed. Getting into the bed without having acknowledge his mind's betrayal of his intentions, he went to sleep.