"Chapter 3: One Year Later" Tigress read.

Harry had been grounded ("For two months!" "Baba please! The ear!")

Sirius snickered.

He hadn't even been allowed to see the tournament his father had prepared for the Furious Five when Master Oogway was to choose the Dragon Warrior. It sure was surprising to see that Master Oogway chose Po, a big fat panda, to be the Chosen One. It sure was a surporise for Harry anyway. He remembered meeting Po for the first time.

"Woah, big Mr. Fluffy." Harry said holding onto his stuffed panda which was very similar to Po in looks.

His father chuckled as Po raised an eyebrow until he saw the kid's teddy.

"Big Mr. Fluffy." James smiled.

Over the next year, Shifu had decided that it was time for Harry to start learning Kung Fu.

"Most start earlier than seven." Tigress told the four humans. "Most start at the earliest, five."

"So why didn't our son?" James asked.

"He didn't want to make the same mistake twice." Viper told the human male. But did not elaborate further because it would probably be brought up shortly.

He joined up with the childrens classes at first. Then practiced on his own in the evenings. He was developing his own style that used concentrated chi strikes to block his opponents chi and even damage their inner organs. Then, as fate would have it, Tai Lung escaped from his prison far from the Valley of Peace.

"Tai Lung? Who is Tai Lung?"

"Tai Lung was a snow leopard who was raised in the palace." Tigress said. "Now shush."

Po was told how Tai Lung grew up in the palace just like Harry had. There was one difference.

"What difference?"

When Tai Lung had shown a prodigal talent for Kung Fu as a cub, Shifu began training him believing the snow leopard to be the Dragon Warrior intended on bringing down the evil Lord Shen. For it had been prophecized that he would be defeated by a black and white warrior.

"And snow leopards are black and white in color." Lily said in understanding.

"So are pandas." Po countered with a pout.

But, it was not to be. Because Master Oogway had seen darkness in Tai Lungs heart and denied that he was the Chosen. In a rage. Tai Lung laid waste to the Valley in a vain attempt to take the Dragon Scroll by force. Shifu had to destroy the very thing he had created.

"That's horrible." Remus said sadly.

But how could he, when every time he fought back he saw the cub he had raised. "Master Shifu loved Tai Lung more than he had in his life. Or since." Tigress added remembering her own attempts to impress her Master/adoptive father with her Kung Fu prowess. "Until." She looked away to the area where Harry was practicing his dubbed "Gentle Fist" Kung Fu on the bounce back toy they used to train children.

"Gentle Fist?" James asked in curiousity. "How can fighting be gentle?"

"Harry hasn't done this yet so I don't know." Shifu said.

She remembered when Harry was only four and was playing with some toys as she and the others practiced their usual drills. He stood next to the bounce back toy as Shifu entered to check on their progress and watched Harry punched the toy's chest multiple times before snap kicking it back.

"Wow." James said in an impressed tone.

"Well, he'd been watching us for three years so he was bound to learn somethings early." Monkey said with a smile. .

He looked back and saw his father smiling at him. He hugged the panda that had adopted him who patted the back of his head.

He really loves Shifu. Lily thought with a smile. At least their son would grow up in a loving home.

They both got into a stance and Tigress smiled as Shifu started teaching Harry Tai Chi which would help him when he started Kung Fu training in a year.

"I thought Tai Chi was merely a form of stretching like Yoga." Remus said.

"The kid?" Po asked.

"You could see it almost instantly." Tigress told Po remembering how Shifu had changed when the human infant had mysteriously arrived on their doorstep. "It was like his heart had finally opened itself again."

Shifu cringed. He hadn't realized he was that bad.

They heard that rubbery boing sound as Harry performed a rather graceful lower leg sweep kick and palmed the toy's chest as it was bounced back to him by the wall. He yawned and stretched. It was rather late. For him at least.

"And now the "Real" Dragon Warrior has been chosen. And all he has to work with is a big. Fat. Panda." Tigress said to Po with distaste. "Harry. Bed." She ordered. Harry bowed to Tigress and gratefully left the training room yawning and stretching again. Heading for the showers.

Tigress thought she was speaking low enough for Harry not to hear, but he heard every word she said. Was this why Baba didn't want him learning Kung Fu too early? So he wouldn't turn out like Tai Lung? He had heard rumors of a Snow Leopard imprisoned a few years before he had been brought to the palace but he hadn't known they where true. He tossed and turned all night that night. He thought his father had more faith in him than that.

Shifu frowned. He hadn't realized this worried his son so much. When this was over, he'd start teaching him Kung Fu.

"So you didn't want Harry to become another mistake?" Lily asked.

"Yes." Shifu said. "That's also part of the reason why he was never allowed into the village. I wanted to keep an eye on him at all times."

"There's protective, then there's going overboard." Sirius told the small, aged panda.

"I realize that now." Shifu said to the dog animagus. "That's probably why Harry snuck out in the first place."

"I'll read." Viper said and the book magically hovered in front of her. "Chapter 4:-" She hesitated to read the rest. "Harry Vs. Tai Lung."

"WHAT?"

To Be Continued...

Did you notice any changes? Thanks for reading!

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Dean the Cuddly Fox