Tales From the Grand Line
Disclaimer: I own nothing but the obvious, the rest belongs to JK Rowling and Eichiro Oda.
Author's Note: I've tried to stick to the customary One Piecemadness. I hope I managed to do it. Enjoy!
Rating: T
Chapter Three: Paradise Island
They had been at sea for about two days now, the three males sharing their boat while Nami commandeered the entire boat she had previously stolen from Buggy the Clown. Once they had put some distance between themselves and the Buggy crew, the four of them relaxed a bit more. Luffy, of course, demanded food and thus Nami was treated to a quick and shocking lesson in Harry's 'mystery man' status and his 'mystery home' origins – as told by Luffy around a grilled fish, the tail of the animal wriggling up and down as the young captain spoke.
"Mystery man? Mystery home?" Nami parroted, staring at Harry, her fish in her hand.
"Something like that," Harry said. "I really couldn't be bothered trying to explain it all to Luffy. It'd go in one ear and out the other. In essence I'm a wizard from another world."
"That is possible?" the girl wondered, wide-eyed and eager and suddenly seeming very young.
After the meal – and a Spanish Inquisition on Harry's world – Nami turned to Luffy and offered to fix the rips in his straw hat. Harry could have done it easily with magic, but he had heard her promise to fix it back on the island, and figured it was best to let it be. Nami had even asked Harry not to mess too much with the sails by using a magical wind for it threw off her navigation, at least not to do it unless completely necessary or she gave the go-ahead. Harry didn't mind either way, really, so he just did as she asked. Nami was the navigator, she probably knew best, Harry figured.
"You know, you sure don't listen much to our navigator." Harry remarked as Luffy rowed on.
The kid had spotted an island and was now rowing towards it like mad. Zoro wasn't doing much to stop Luffy, and Harry was forced to use magic on Nami's boat to make sure that she could keep up with the pace.
"Let's see if we can find someone who will join us!" Luffy was eager as always.
"She just said that it was a deserted island!" Harry groaned.
Zoro yawned where he lay against the side of the boat. "Let's look for food and fresh water too, we can't live on fish forever."
The green-eyed Gryffindor sighed and gave up. There was nothing that seemed to shake these two, was there? Actually, come to think of it, perhaps it would be best not to meet the thing or person that could shake Luffy and Zoro. Such a person had to be a bloody monster.
The deserted island was small, covered in a thick forest and with a steep, high hill in the center whose top half could be seen over the tree tops. It really wasn't much, but Zoro had been right. They could probably find some food and water here, and Harry had been getting annoyed at eating fish all day long. They could have eaten back in the town where Buggy had taken up residence, but of course Luffy had to go and get them in trouble with the locals. And no, Harry wasn't feeling bitter. Much.
"It's just forest!"
"Like I said," Nami sighed in frustration, "it's an unpopulated island! It'd be weird if you found someone for the crew here of all places."
Luffy, of course, wasn't listening. He was trying to wake Zoro for a hike through the woods. "I want to explore!"
"Just leave him be to sleep," Harry spoke up. "He's still wounded, and someone has to stay with the ships and make sure that they aren't carried back out to sea. Or attacked and scuttled in case someone actually has taken up residence here."
"But I don't want to go exploring alone!"
"Then take Nami with you." This garnered a groan from the girl in question, but Harry ignored her and pointed in a random direction. "You two go that way and look for edible stuff and fresh water, and I'll go this way and do the same. I doubt it will take much time to explore the island fully, but just in case let's say we meet back here at twilight and no later. Just in case."
Harry walked along the beach and then followed a path further in amongst the trees, though he made sure to always be able to see the coastline through the tree trunks. The green-eyed wizard was keeping his eyes peeled for something edible, and he found several coconut bearing palm trees at one point. Using a simple summoning charm, Harry picked the ripe coconuts and shrunk them down before placing them in his pockets.
"I need some sort of belt with pouches or something, it'd make this far easier," he grumbled to himself. He decided to get an upgrade on his outfit in the next town they reached if possible. He didn't blend in with the materials of his clothes, or the style, and they weren't really made for the constant spray of salt water and winds that he would experience out on the sea. And perhaps a dagger of some sort to have in case he temporarily lost his wand. He would have to ask Zoro for advice on that, the swordsman would probably know where and how to start searching for a weapon that would fit him.
Bwock, bwock, bwock clucked the fox with the rooster tail and crest as it passed by.
Harry stared after it, not sure he had seen what he had seen.
A furred snake with rabbit ears slithered by, making rabbit-noises.
Harry gaped at it like an idiot.
A pig with a lion's mane strolled by with an oink.
The wizarding world could produce some odd animals – case in point: screwts – but this was ridiculous.
A small, silverfish-grey Chinese Fireball dragon hatchling came flying through the air without any really visible wings and moving up and down and side to side like a snake. It was about the length of Harry's arm and it didn't move on like the other animals. It was only five minutes later that Harry realised two things: A) Chinese Fireballs were always red and gold in colour, and B) how the hell did a Chinese Fireball get here into this world?
Harry made a move towards his wand but the little dragon merely landed on the ground and in the next moment a certain Draco Malfoy stood in front of the green-eyed Gryffindor.
"Took you long enough to realise that I wasn't a normal inhabitant of this island – although I use 'normal' in the looses possible sense." Malfoy brushed his clothes off. What had once been good quality clothes, were now ripped and dirty and the sleeves of his shirt had been torn off.
"Good to see you too, Malfoy." And, funnily enough, it was. The Slytherin was something familiar in this unfamiliar world, and the first wizard Harry had met since they had travelled here. "I didn't know you were an animagus."
"Not exactly something I like to show off, especially since I'm not registered. Remember what I said about self-preservation?" Malfoy looked at him. "So, what are you doing here? Are you here with anyone else? How did you get here and I will be going with you when you leave. Spending a month or so on this island is beyond murderous."
Harry felt amusement as he explained his journey so far and the odd companions he had picked up – or, rather, who had picked up him. "And now we will continue to the Grand Line. I am certain that everyone else will head that way, too. So, what's your story? Stuck on this island all the time since we arrived?"
"Yes," the blond frowned. "I ended up being paired with the Weaslette. We quite literally crash landed on the island. I had my animagus form and managed to avoid the trees, but the Weasle- but Ginerva wasn't as lucky. She got speared through by an old tree trunk that had been torn into sharp points by lightening at some point. We got her off and healed her as best we could, but the wounds were too severe. She stubbornly held on for three days before she gave in and went back to the wizarding world. She has contacted me through the bond a couple of times, so she's okay. I'm pretty certain she's planning to come back here at some point."
His heart had jumped into his throat at the news of Ginny's unfortunate landing – she must have been in such incredible pain – but at least she was safe now. Harry took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "So two of us have now gone back, at least that we know of."
"From what you told me about the marines and the pirates, there are probably several more," Malfoy said. "We will just have to find out during the journey.
"You mentioned a 'we' earlier. What 'we' are you talking about, exactly?" Harry asked.
"Gaimon. He lives here on the island and takes care of the animals here – or perhaps I should say, the odd Frankenstein mutated creatures around here."
The green-eyed wizard rubbed his forehead. Leave it to Luffy to find a deserted island that actually had someone living there.
Draco introduced Harry to Gaimon shortly after that. Gaimon was a dark-skinned man who was stuffed in a treasure chest with only his head, feet and hands sticking out. Oh, and let's not forget the enormous afro that made the man look like a short bush.
"You sure are, uhm, very, er, sheltered in that chest?" Harry tried to find something nice to say.
"Yes, my parents were very strict and kept me hidden awa- STOP PULLING THAT JOKE WITH ME!" Gaimon howled. Apparently it was a bit of a touchy subject.
Luffy had of course already met up with the strange man, and he and Nami had apparently already helped Gaimon search out for a treasure on the island. Harry didn't pay much attention and Draco later told him that the treasure was atop the steep hill and that there was nothing there but empty treasure chests.
"I flew up one day when he wasn't around." The Slytherin whispered. "Gaimon doesn't know I can turn into a dragon hatchling, he thinks we were out flying – apparently our ship was caught up in a storm, we got wrapped up in the main sail's ropes which lifted us up and away like a parachute, and landed on his island."
"Is that even possible?"
Malfoy shrugged. "Damned if I know. You just recently met up with a man who can stretch, a man who can survive being chopped into various body parts, and then you have the animals here. It could be possible in this world."
While Nami was a bit reserved Luffy was eager to meet another 'mystery man', and he was bouncing around eagerly. "Since uncle," meaning Gaimon, "won't join us, you'll have to do!"
"I'll have to do?" Draco sounded rather insulted at that.
"Yeah! You can do the same as Harry, right?"
"I can do more than Potter."
"Show us!"
The Slytherin frowned slightly, and Harry nudged him with his elbow. "Show them your animagus form. They need to know for future reference, and you know you want to bask in their awe and worship."
"I friggin' hate you, Potter." Draco sneered but relented.
"WOHOOO!" Luffy was jumping up and down in pure glee at Draco's dragon form, and he grabbed for the silver, snake-like form only to have Draco avoid him and land on Harry's shoulders. "That's so cool! We now have a snake for a pet!"
In the next second the straw-hat wearing captain had to avoid a relatively rage fireball courtesy of one silver Chinese Fireball hatchling.
The dragon jumped off Harry's shoulders. "I am a dragon!" Draco growled as he changed back.
"That's amazing!" Nami stared with wide eyes at the blond.
"This world sure is full of surprises!" Gaimon grinned. "I always knew there was something special about you, Draco!"
"Now we'll always be able to start a fire to cook food!" Luffy proclaimed.
Draco turned to look at the amused Harry. "Is that all I'm going to be good for? Starting fires?"
Harry chuckled. "Just let it go, Malfoy, Luffy is Luffy. And he is now your captain, so what he says goes."
"I'm a Malfoy! I'm worth so much more than that! Just for that I think I'm going to stay right here on this island!"
They spent the rest of the day gathering fruit and other food, and fresh water. Zoro had slept the entire day away and he didn't seem all that surprised when he med Draco that night. Gaimon and his odd animals held a party for them, and there was much joy and cheer going around. Draco had been tasked with lighting the bonfire, though Luffy was quite disappointed when the Slytherin simply used his wand and didn't turn into a dragon again. Luffy was certainly into the party when it got going, as were Nami and Gaimon. Zoro, Harry and Draco took it easier and sat back and watched the other three, drinking the sweet coconut milk. And some of the animals kept up a good beat, banging and scratching on logs and rocks and the ground to keep the rhythm.
"These people are weird." The blond declared as he watched Luffy dance around.
"My thought's exactly." Harry grinned. "They have no planning skills whatsoever. They walk on straight ahead no matter what's in their way."
"Then why are you still here with them? That doesn't sound like too good a life policy, and I know you've grown a brain since the war."
"Because they're a good kind of crazy."
Malfoy blinked. "Butting their heads against everything in their path is a good kind of crazy?" he asked, but Harry simply chuckled and didn't answer. But it was true. Luffy and Zoro were rather crazy, but they weren't insane.
The next morning after they had had a good, long sleep-in Luffy asked Gaimon again if he wanted to join the crew, but the man refused once more.
"Thank you for inviting me, but I still want to stay here and be the guardian of this forest. A lot of people have come over the years to capture these rare and odd animals, and I've grown to like them all too much to allow that." The man said. "I can't leave them behind."
"You're a rare and precious animal, too," Luffy said kindly.
"I'M GONNA KILL YOU!" Gaimon roared.
"Has he no sense of social tact whatsoever?" Draco stared at Luffy. The young Malfoy had met a lot of weird people as a pureblood wizard, but Luffy was quickly rising to the spot of Weirdest Person Ever.
"The worst thing is that he probably meant it as an honest compliment." Harry grinned and Zoro chuckled next to him.
"Ain't that the truth." The swordsman grinned.
"I'm sure you'll find good people for your crew," Gaimon continued after he had calmed down. He nodded towards the boats where Harry, Draco, Zoro and Nami were getting ready to push the small boats out into the water and jump into them. "You have a good start with these. Go find the One Piece and then go buy the world!"
"I'll do it! See ya!" Luffy promised and stretched out a hand to one of the boats, easily pulling himself on board. They could see Gaimon and his odd animals waving goodbye all the way until the island disappeared over the horizon. "I liked that old uncle." Luffy grinned.
"You like everyone," Zoro snorted. He was already in a lying position, propped up against the bulwark and ready for a nap. He turned to look at Draco who seemed a bit uncomfortable. "So, what can you do? You're a wizard too?"
"He's our mystery pet snake!"
"I'm a DRAGON!" Draco shouted right back.
Nami leaned on the bulwark of her own ship that was tied to theirs with ropes. "But it's pretty amazing," she said. "The stuff that you and Harry can do. I would never have dreamed of such stuff being possible! It sounds like some sort of fairytale!"
"Harry! Turn into a dragon!" the captain ordered.
"I can't. The animal represents the wizard's personality, and they are unique for all wizards and witches. All of our kind have the potential, but hardly anyone learns how to transform."
"Then turn into something else!"
"I just told you that I couldn't." Harry sighed.
Draco grinned and drew his wand. "I can help with that!"
The green-eyed wizard glared. "Just try it, ferret boy, and I'll throw your wand into the sea."
"You wouldn't dare!"
"Don't test me!"
Luffy laughed and adjusted his beloved straw-hat. "You two get along so well!"
Everyone stared at the cheerful captain, wondering just where that had come from and if Luffy really was that naïve.
Draco groaned and let his head fall back against the bulwark so that he was staring up at the blue skies. "Who needs enemies with a captain like this?" he grumbled. "I should have stayed back at the island!"
Harry snickered.
-x-x-x-x-
There, please tell me what you think.
This will follow canon but also depart from it from now on, so no worries. I get writer's block whenever I try to follow canon word for word, so that's the last thing I will do. New arcs will come, old arcs will be changed, that I can promise.
Even in the manga and the anime the short chapter about Gaimon and his island didn't seem to serve much purpose apart from showing Nami that Luffy wasn't a murdering psychopath of a pirate. Therefore I used it for my own purposes and introduced Draco Malfoy – the Amazing Chinese Fireball hatchling.
Next chapter: Captain Usopp enters!
Thanks to:
Falling Right Side-Up, Shinigami-Chan17, avatoa, Ireadtomuch, 917brat, lildevil425, Kanberry, marc, Tariono4ka, Agon Dy, Ophelia deCanards, Simpleinsanity, ellesra, enchanted nightingale, Twylyte, Noctisis Rrhagia, CakesInTheSummer, booksquirt, Hanzo of the Salamander, D3athrav3n92, Thirael, LamboIsAnIdiot, RockCollector, EBIL DUSTBUNNY OF DOOOOM, The BlackSeaReaper, Aero Dream, The CoyoteGirl and SuperiorShortness.