See Prologue for Warnings.

Disclaimer: I Do Not Own Harry Potter

Being Harry Potter

{Chapter Two}

There was no being ready for this, but he was jarred out of his thoughts as the redhead got up and let out a yawn, having gotten more sleep in Harry's bed than his own.

When he awoke, Harry had a much better look at him, he was naturally flush with high spirits and bright eyes – the kind his father must have had – and thankfully better eyesight than Harry's, his hair was fire-truck red that looked more intense than any Weasley barnet he'd ever seen. The boy – Daniel, was his name, wasn't it? His hair was short and intense, but much neater than Harry's, back-combed and tidy, the S-shaped scar being even more prominent, he snapped out of his daze as the soft-featured boy got to his feet.

"I'm getting in that bathroom first!" and just like that, Harry watched him jet out of the room, only to get up minutes later, still overcome in numbness. It was easy to follow after the brother, see where the bathroom was, and wait patiently. No sooner had he jolted out of his spaced-out daze, he shuffled into the tiny bathroom, guessing which snitch decorated toothbrush was his judging from which one was wet and which was unused. He stared rather blankly at himself, searching the too-large pockets of his robe and heading back for what he figured was 'his' room, pawing around for set of inordinately large wizard's robes, in plain black, with a faint green trim that looked more like a Malfoy-garb than one of his own. He slung it on regardless and did his best to let the uncomfortable feeling in his gut wane, large fingers drumming against his dresser until they hit the thin frames of a rectangular pair of glasses. Harry let out a sigh of relief, somewhere between crossing to this place, he'd lost his own, and suspected his wand, which was no longer in his holster – to have suffered a similar fate, along with the invisibility cloak.

Harry supposed he had to give up some things in order to get here, but it all seemed minor in the grand scheme of things, knowing what awaited him downstairs was none other than the family that he'd spent so many nights wishing were alive.

He was surprised just how much he looked like his mother-no, like Harry's mother: she did not birth him, he just took over her son's body and claimed it as his own. He could not call this woman his mother, but seeing her cook with a smile whilst slowly moving her wand to effortlessly control her kitchen utensils…

'Stand aside—'

'Not Harry—'

Harry tensed and did his best to push out the only thoughts he had about his parents, swallowing thickly and keeping the tears from prickling in his eyes, shakily seating himself at the table and looking faintly unwell.

Before he knew it, his brother was chatting about his plans for the day and exclaiming just how much he was looking forward to returning to Hogwarts and how much fun he and Ron was planning for that year, apparently, he was in his second year, and from the conversation, Harry could gather he was a year ahead and going for third, which helped him figure out his age to be in his early teens despite the body he had both looking and feeling like that of an adult's. What happened that he shot up like a weed? So large and intimidating, not like Dudley, but more like those athletes he used to sneak sidelong glances at when Dudley would watch sports with Vernon, would he have gotten this large in his own world if he'd been cared for properly and given an attentive diet? It was irregular, that as a third year he'd be the size of his father, but he didn't dwell on it too much for the time being.

"What about you Harry? Are you actually going to try and make friends this year?" Daniel inquired, shoving food into his mouth at a rapid pace. 'At least he doesn't talk with his mouth full like Ron' Harry thought with disgust, glancing at his own food, but he suddenly wasn't hungry, the apparent loss of his support network had at last struck him. What about his friends, anyway? Were they missing him back in his reality? Even if it felt natural, and as though he should be there, he couldn't help but think of the things he left behind, it was a moment of selfishness that he'd even walked through the Veil of Death to begin with, a moment of madness, even – if not for the sparkling clarity in which he'd done the deed. It was a fit of nineteen year old selfishness mixed in with an ageless tire that only came from fighting war, and since it had ended, Harry didn't know how to begin as normal. The war was all he knew, and all that lay between himself and the thoughts of all he'd lost was a very tenacious grip he had on his sanity, and even that wore thin.

He went through the Veil of Death because he wanted to die, but this, this was a bonus, a future he didn't see coming before he walked through there, looking for sweet respite.

"I have friends," Harry pointed out weakly, thinking of Hermione and Ron. He doubt much had changed just because he was in a new reality, but did he? He didn't recall any mention of them in the diary he'd been reading, then again, he was starting from before first year, and hadn't even got to the Sorting yet, too entranced by what it was like to be a normal boy complaining about his family.

Daniel snorted "Teachers don't count. Even Hermione says you need friends, and she only hangs around with me and Ron-"- well shit, that sounded like the Hermione he knew.

"-Ron and I," he interrupted, before suddenly realising what his brother had just said, after the war, Headmistress McGonagall's mannerisms had rubbed off on Harry just a little bit, enough that his response was automatic.

"I'm friends with Ron and Hermione," Harry stated – faltering as Daniel laughed "-I mean I know them…" right, he didn't appear to be bosom buddies with, well, anyone, it seemed. He'd have to consult the diary and skip ahead a little.

"Are you kidding me? You called Hermione a control freak and Ron a lazy bastar-" Harry winced, did he really…?

"Daniel!" jumping, both brothers stared at a suddenly fuming parent "You know I don't like language like that in this house, and Harry-" he leaned back slightly as she quickly turned in his direction "I know you don't like being told what to do, but Hermione is such a sweet girl…" she sighed "I thought you and Ron made up?"

He and Ron fought? Well it's not like they never did, he remembered the Tri-Wizard tournament and other subsequent fallouts and petty squabbles, but this sounded relentless and ongoing, and the more everyone talked, the more he felt his heart plummeting into his feet, and the sudden urge to go and squeeze his parents to see if they were really real and comfort himself with the fact that for each of his losses, he'd at least gained them, but that would be strange, and he was already acting weirdly at the table. This would be one of those missions that Moody would say demands precision, reconnaissance and subtly, even if the little boy within him really, really wanted to snuggle his parents, he was already raising eyebrows. So he couldn't, and it was bittersweet in a way.

"Come off it Mum," Daniel protested "You can hardly blame Harry for how he treats Hermione and Ron. Hermione does constantly try and contradicted him, and Ron calls him names all the time even when he tell him to cram a sock in it," huffed the redhead before tucking into a sugary cereal that made Harry wrinkle his nose, vaguely reminded of Dudley and his love of cocoa-pops before he'd pile on a few extra spoons of sugar – at least Daniel wasn't quite that bad.

"Why…are you friends with them then?" mumbled Harry, if they were that disagreeable in this world, why on Earth were they friends?

"They are my friends," Daniel said simplistically between large gulps of cereal, making Harry sigh and only really finish out of obligation, sneaking glances up at James and Lily – James, who for the entire conversation, just looked really tired as he read The Daily Prophet and nursed a large steaming mug of coffee.

Lily gave out a put-upon sigh, would things ever change between her children? Daniel at least, in many ways, despite being the Boy-Who-Lived, made friends easily, and gave her less to worry about in that respect, but Harry….

Harry had always been another matter – neurotic, closed off, and shy about his unnatural height, he was an Amazon of a man from the moment he hit puberty and was the size of Lily in just his first year, so she and James always thought it was something to do with how Harry thought he was perceived. There was always the odd joke about Harry being the long lost great-great relation of Hagrid or something, but Harry never gave off like any of that bothered him, but, Lily supposed – if Harry knew how fragile he'd been as a child, he'd be thankful that he came out so big and strong.

"You should branch out a little, even if your…house isn't the friendliest, who knows, you might end up championing inter-house unity," snorted James semi-derisively, but there was a glitter of humour in his eyes that made Harry relax.

Not the friendliest? But Gryffindors weren't that bad were they? Then, an unwelcome feeling settled with his general discomfort.

What if he wasn't a Gryffindor here?

"Yeah right, and have the Slytherins flay him?" Daniel muttered, which confirmed it, as memories of first year flashed before him.

'Not Slytherin. Not Slytherin. Not Slytherin. Not Slytherin…'

He'd been so close to it in his world, it wasn't farfetched that he ended up there in this world, but shit, out of all the houses, Slytherin?

He felt the need to defend himself as he felt the stares of concern flicker in his direction, even James did, over his newspaper and thin black-framed glasses.

"I'd like to see them try," he hissed with a little more venom than intended, making Daniel look at him – startled, he rarely ever saw Harry fired up, but right then he was unaware he was looking into the burning green fires of someone who chewed up and spat out more Slytherins than bore noting, even James paused his paper reading to look at his eldest in surprise, before feeling something prideful swelling in his chest. Harry never spoke of how the house treated him except in the barest of terms, which had James thinking the worst despite Lily's insistent chats with Severus Snape, who said Harry never really did anything or so much as engaged with the house, James knew that it couldn't be easy, and that Harry was probably withholding things from everyone including his Head of House. Not that he could blame Harry for that, he gave Snivellous more than enough reasons to resent his sons for the crimes the Marauders did to him – and Harry's physical resemblance probably didn't help matters. So, it was nice to see that Harry had some Gryffindor spirit and wasn't taking any of it lying down.

"That's m'boy," grinned James, making Harry tense before returning the man's smile in an almost watery fashion.

Your boy…

"Don't encourage fighting," said Lily briskly, setting the pots and pans to start washing themselves – presumably leftover from the night previous, Harry had to chew down his urge to help.

He felt his heart constrict as his mother looked at him in concern – they really did look so much alike.

"Harry dear, you're looking a little pale, why don't you go back upstairs and lay down until Remus and Sirius come over, if you're too sick to come with us to Diagon Alley then we'll just get your school things off your list for you, you look as pale as a sheet," well, Harry was always pale, but she didn't exactly want to say sallow, all Harry could do was nod dumbly until Daniel butted in.

"Harry still needs a new wand,"

Harry looked at Daniel wildly for a moment – new wand, what? He planned to search his room for wherever this universe's Harry had kept his and hope it worked, a new wand? Why? Would a new wand even work after he had Voldemort's brother wand in the other world and then the Elder Wand? If Daniel was the Boy-Who-Lived, than that meant the brother-wand was Daniel's, and to be perfectly honest, Harry was content with not having his primary magic tool having a sibling relationship with Voldemort but it begged the question of if he could even find another wand, remembering the trouble he had in his world. Did this world's Harry have a good wand? Was it easier getting one for him?

"Of all the Quidditch related injuries you could have had, you had to get one that broke your wand and skewered you," said Lily in a clipped tone, Harry relaxed a bit, at least he played Quidditch in this world, but he couldn't see himself as a fast seeker in this behemoth of a body.

Wait, skewered?

"Skewered?"

"How hard didya hit ya head?" scoffed Daniel, not surprised that Harry had a poor recollection of it.

The end of term game, apparently, Harry was a beater, which, with his body, he wasn't surprised, and from what he gathered, had been hit by bludgers with enough force that his broom snapped and he'd fallen on the ground with a cushioning charm breaking his amazing fall, only to fall on his wand which snapped and partially broke inside of his thigh.

Fucking ouch, that might explain the many scars and bruising he had, though the scars looked like precise little paper cuts that had been inflicted ad infinitum, all of them the same perfect size and width, making his body look like it went through a cheese-grater in Harry's opinion.

"Of all the positions…" muttered Lily "-beater…"

"Now now Lils, you can't deny he's the perfect type for it," said James to Harry's defence, even if he wasn't riveted about Harry playing for Slytherin, he was proud nonetheless.

Lily just grumbled sourly.

Harry was dismissed and blithely made his way back up to the bedroom, his head spinning from the amount of information he absorbed, comforting himself with the bastion of knowledge he could at least gain from a neurotic boy's diary and the evidence around 'his' room. He ran his fingers over the posters which walked away from his fingers sassily as though berating him for touching their printed bodies so absentmindedly. He looked over at the book case and saw the books looked like reference books. Basic Runes by Selindra Davis, Advanced Charms: Swish, Flick & Duck by L. Evans – Harry couldn't help but smile, so his mother was an accomplished woman – he couldn't help but feel proud of her.

King James Bible, Latin Vulgate Bible – Biblia Sacra Vulgata, Gnostic Grimoire of Gods Volume I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII-

Geez, these looked like dry reads, but he seemed to have every book in the series, right up to where he couldn't read the roman numerals anymore out of difficulty.

Biblia Hebracia – Hebrew Bible, The Phurba – Using Your Ritual Dagger in the Field by Solfiere Shugden, Mahabharata – Bhagavad Gita, Minchat Yahuda by Rabbi Yehuda Fetaya, The Beginners Guide to Salt Circles & Demonic Warding by Barbas Conswellar, Demonology 101 by Rev. Hannover, The Great Big Bloody Book O' Demons by Katya Solidad. Saving Your Sins by Henrietta Gray, Holy Charms by Dannius Delandro, The Shaman's Guide to Mystic Herbs by T. L. Yun. Beginner Ghoul Studies by Tsun Lu, Cleansing & Purging: Your Handy Dandy Potions Guide by Sia Schwemer

All of these seemed to be following a theme, but made for good reading, he could only wonder what the other Harry had been so interested in, but he found himself enamoured in some of the non-holy texts, wondering how the other-Harry was so interested in all of this, he never found himself particularly Ravenclaw, but diary entries built up and things started making sense to him, even moreso when he found a class schedule and list of school supplies for his third year.

Harry had apparently picked his electives already – Defence Against the Dark Arts, Potions, Charms, Herbology, Ghoul Studies, Ancient Studies and Ancient Runes. He didn't know Ghoul Studies and Ancient Studies really existed as extra-curricular subjects, he was ashamed by how much he didn't know, but with a matured mind he could appreciate it, and interestingly enough – Muggle Music was there at least - a relax class, he sighed with a sense of relief after temporarily freezing in horror – he wasn't part of the Frog Choir, he heard the Flitwick of his world could be very strict about it to borderline Snape territory when it came to the perfection of his choir.

He wasn't taking Transfiguration, Astronomy, Arithmacy or thankfully - Divination, he shuddered, he was bereft of things that didn't go together so the year looked interesting instead of sticking to script and enduring the same classes all over again. Transfiguration had been notoriously difficult, he was glad to be rid of it, it seemed this world's Harry didn't want to be an auror, and frankly, a decade of fighting dark wizards was enough to be bored of it, and being a ministry stooge was not high on his list of priorities.

Before he knew it, he managed to nod off again, dimension hopping and dying was tiring business, it seemed.

A while later, he wasn't sure how much time had passed, knocking jolted him out of his thoughts as the door slowly creeked open.

"Harry?" the voice made him flinch, his heart hurt a little as he recognised it.

Was it...? He turned and lit up instantly in such a way that the man was startled by Harry's enthuse towards him.

"Remus!"

The werewolf smiled gingerly and made his way inside, Harry did seem a little off - off in the way that he wasn't sulking or speaking his usual monotone, he seemed a lot more active and less lethargic, which was good, but he looked pale. As soon as Remus was close to the bed, Harry couldn't stop himself, and swung his large, strong arms around the man, startling him again, making him wonder what got into Harry. Maybe he really was sick.

"Nice to see you too cub, Lily tells me you were looking a little pale this morning, you still good to go to Diagon Alley with everyone? We can stay here if you'd like, I know you're not big on crowds," said Remus soothingly, letting what he believed to be a mildly sick young wizard hug him from his position on the bed. Harry wasn't often the physically affectionate sort of bloke, so Remus didn't question it, and simply took what he got with a smile.

It took Harry a moment to realize he should cease cuddling on the comfortable man and actually reply, his face heated from his lack of control.

"Uh, yeah, yeah, I feel better, I just needed some more rest," he smiled at the man, who again, was a little weirded out by Harry's smiling nature, then again, he and Harry got on the best the most, especially in private, so the tenderness was shocking, but Remus felt warm inside to be privileged to see it. He didn't understand why it was him that Harry was closest with, but he supposed someone had to be, Daniel had Sirius's attentions like moths to flame, the man claimed not to have favourites with his godsons but he so obviously did, and Remus knew it hurt. So, he did what he could, and Harry cared for Remus in turn.

"Well, get your shoes on if you're ready and we'll meet you downstairs and walk to the apparition point," he said, watching Harry kick off his sheets and search for his shoes - gosh, he was a big lad for his age, wasn't he? Remus felt small just standing alongside him.

Harry found a soft squishy pair of leathers and slid into them, walking down to see Daniel, James and Lily there- his mouth going dry as he saw Sirius Black just standing there, grinning.

You died.

You died because of me.

And now you're smiling at me.

He wanted to bound over and drink in the man's scent and hold him, squeeze him until he squeaked, and burrow his face in his chest, instead he just felt his eyes water, helping his sickly looking appearance and maintain the story to cover up his abject shock and occasional odd behaviour.

"I'd hug ya kid but Danny says your sick," grinned Sirius, Harry just nodded dumbly, and watched himself get completely ignored by the man as he chattered to James and Daniel, leaving him to hang back with Sirius and sidelong apparate to Diagon Alley.

I want to hug you.

God damnit Sirius you're right here and I just want to hold you.

Remus noted his longing stare to his Godfather, and just smiled apologetically.

"He and Daniel can get really swept up in it all cant they? I hope you don't mind spending the day with me instead," it seemed the groups were already chosen - James, Daniel and Sirius were going as one and Lily, Harry and Remus were the other, then they'd meet up at Fortesque's icecream parlour since both groups had massively divergent interests and shopping would take twice as long if everyone stuck together. They went to Gringotts and Harry took possession of his key, stating he was responsible enough not to lose it, just so he could have it in case he needed impromptu purchases when at Hogwarts or something. Lily gave him a look but conceded, when Harry pointed out it could help him learn how to manage his money - he didn't know what else to really do but play along. He was dealt a new set of cards - a new universe, and it was time to make use of it, so after a bank trip, they parted ways.

Lily watched her son with curiosity as he doddered around Flourish & Blotts, Lily wanted to stay there a little longer and make enquiries on her book sales, leaving Remus and Harry together after Harry picked up his books adding Runes - Supplementary Reading For Your Warding Skills!, Heathens & Hexes, Egyptian Curses: A History, The Big Book of Ghoul References to his pile.

He brought them almost immediately just so they could hurry to Ollivander's wand shop, he was itching to get a wand and have a means of defending himself again. Remus ended up sending Lily back out to go and grab some drinks since it looked like they'd be there a while when Harry was still trying out wands even after Lily finished her business at the book store.

Remus was almost nodding off in his seat until Ollivander scowled and scratched his head.

"Well Mr Potter it seems a custom fit is necessary, it's difficult to fit a wand for every wizard in one mere shop," he grinned toothily and uneased Harry, who followed after the man once he beckoned him to come behind the counter.

"Your standard wand core is made of dragon heartstring, phoenix feather or unicorn hair, though including and not limited to kneazle hair, veela hair and...other magical beasts. In each display case is a wand core material, I'd like you to tell me which feels warmest and more receptive to the touch, yes? Take your time,"

Remus watched with curiosity, jostled out of boredom. A custom wand? He never knew anyone except the odd auror with one and wandlore was so very interesting to him, so he paid attention.

Harry walked over to the phoenix feather, honestly expecting some reaction there considering his past wand, and Ollivander's eyes glinted knowingly as Harry's face fell and he went over to the other materials, though the veela hair and noncommon cores were labelled "Volatile - Not For Standard Use," - he tried his hand with kneazle hair and everything else, he thought he felt something at the veela strands, but shook his head - no, it was negative. "Any response is good response" did not apply when it came to custom wands, it had to align with your magic, and Harry Potter appeared to be struggling - enough that Ollivander was looking thoughtful and consulting his other guides that he knew other wandmakers abided by to see what other options they could have before he had to turn the older Potter away.

"Ah! This, this is it," said Harry in surprise, Ollivander raised a brow - Dragon Heartstring...? Curious, those tended to go to powerhouse wands, the sorts of wands he'd sold to Minerva McGonagall, Lucius Malfoy, and those inclined to do heavy duty spell work in duelling types of fields, curious indeed.

"Dragon heartstring you favour? Interesting, it's a similar process for wood types, be true to yourself Mr Potter, let no appearance affect the judgement you make,"

Harry drifted to the blackthorn, then aspen, the pure white ivory nature of it attracted him but Ollivander's words dissuaded him, no he wasn't here for beauty, even if he felt a mild draw to it, the man appeared to have no Elder wood, which was probably just as well, Harry had enough of Elder wands to last him a four lifetimes, cypress - but then finally - a heavy feeling in his chest that demanded he pick - ah...cherry...?

"Cherry wood Mr Potter, are you quite sure?" Harry turned to Mr Ollivander as he said this, and the wand maker bore a pensive look.

"I know I'm going to regret asking, but why wouldn't I be, what's wrong with cherry?" he asked, in all honesty, cherry sounded benign and unexciting as wood for wands went and Remus was inclined to agree, until Ollivander let out a hum, tapping his chin in thought.

"Well Mr Potter, cherry is not to be underestimated, no. The wood of the cherry blossom tree...it is quite a rare wand wood, not the rarest, but quite rare. You will find that in some places, the wizarding students of Mahoutokoro even revere such wands, quite a fascinating culture, yes-"

Mahoutokoro? That sounded Japanese, a Japanese wizarding school - Harry could only assume as Ollivander blathered.

"Yes, they understand what the Western wand buyer often does not, you see Mr Potter, they are not merely tools of beauty as Aspen wands are also mistaken for, no no, they are more than frivolous or ornamental pieces, cherry wood often makes a wand of utterly lethal power, whatever the core, but teamed with a powerhouse like dragon heartstring, the wand should never be paired with a wizard who has anything less than exceptional self control and strength of mind, tell me Mr Potter, do you believe you have these qualities?"

Harry's mouth went dry, he looked at Remus who was absorbing everything rather wide-eyed, head snapping to turn to Harry and see what he said, Ollivander had never been so blunt before but then again, Remus had little interaction with the man save for when he had his own wand. Harry was hardly a master Occlumens, did that mean he didn't have strength of mind...? Did he need a different wand wood? Then again, Harry knew he could overcome the Imperius curse, and if that wasn't strength of mind, what was? His brow furrowed and he spoke in a steel tone that raised every werewolf instinct Remus had.

"A man taken over by the destructive tendencies of his wand, of power, hardly deserves to be called a man at all,"

Ollivander regarded him curiously, his eyes roving over the elder Potter appraisingly, before -

Pluck.

"Ah! What-" hissed Harry, glaring at the man as a hand flew to his head protectively where Ollivander plucked out a hair.

"It's rare I do this, but it's rare I ever make such a wand, a hair or blood may ease the binding of these materials, it'll be a tricky wand, and may ease your usage of it too - blood is a little overwhelming and poor to use in wands, especially ones rare enough to warrant more than one core material, hair is fine yes yes - just let me take your measurements boy, you get bigger every time I see you-" Harry flushed as tape measures flew around him once more and pulled up the measurements they took when Harry came in the shop and the man made a note of it.

"Your wand shall be finished in exactly one week prior to the start of the new term, yes, just in time for Hogwarts I should think, and twenty galleons I believe,"

"Highway robbery!" exclaimed Remus, making Ollivander raise a brow.

"For a wand of this nature, it's to be expected," the man didn't deny the steep price.

Harry sighed and handed the money over beforehand, nodding a sincere thank you to the man regardless, unsure to gage what he said about his wand and couldn't help but flush awkwardly, his teenage mind and adult humour couldn't help but plunge his brain to the gutter.

"With your height and power one should expect an inordinately large wand, yes, large and long, flexible, but ah - try not to break it," he chuckled, waving them out as Remus took in Harry's embarrassment and snorted.

"Mind in the gutter?"

Considering Remus was his professor before, Harry went a brighter red at him recognising lewd humour when the man existed in an asexual zone within his mind, making Remus laugh as they exited.

"Shut it," he said, face coloured brightly.

"I need to make a quick trip to the bathroom, we were in there a while, you mind waiting while I nip into the pub?" said Remus, Harry nodded. "You can wait inside if you like,"

"Mm, I might just stay outside and take a look at Quality Quidditch Supplies and window shop, I'll be in sight-range," grinned Harry.

Harry watched Remus retreat into the Leaky Cauldron with quick-pace, feeling bad for making the werewolf hold in his need while they spent so damn long in the shop, and his mother, after getting drinks, had quickly gone to peel Daniel away from fighting with Draco Malfoy in the shop itself over the latest broomstick. Then, he felt his senses sharpen as he glanced over at Knockturn Alley, just a little curious to see if there was anything useful over there like the vanishing cabinet in Borgin & Burkes, but he knew he didn't have long, and he caught the eye of a hag who grinned at him and put a spidery hand on her own face to blow him a kiss, making Harry cringe right down to his core and quickly look away to see a retreating, hunched figure. He decided to take a few strides and lean on a building close to the entry way of the dark alley to get a better look, it was probably some poor hunchback who didn't feel comfortable in the brightness of Diagon or another hag, Knockturn Alley still sort of gave him the willies, but he felt every iota of rational sense leave as he got a better look. He could only see the back of the man, but he was hunched in a way that looked off even from a distance, seeing a moving lump where the hunch was, it should have been making noise - whatever was in there, but the odd hairy man was unnaturally quiet.

Muffilato charm maybe? No! It was a silencing charm!

Harry's senses went off even more, and then, he saw a tiny shoe'd foot sticking out from the man's cloak.

Then Harry James Potter saw red.

His long legs moved him faster than his mind could catch up, grabbing the man's cloak and throwing it off to show a child strapped to his back, who was screaming their head off, their little face was red, but no sound was coming out, and the silencing charm was obviously placed on them. Harry was now in Knockturn Alley, slamming the entire force of his behemoth body into the man's back to make him crash onto his stomach, snatching the visible wand from his holster and throwing it as far as he could.

Then he realized the man he'd clobbered was inordinately strong, and quickly plucked the screaming child off his back and threw them to the side alley, just as the strong figure snarled viciously and rolled over with Harry on his back, changing so he was above the teen.

Harry found himself staring into familiar, dark eyes. Merciless eyes.

If Harry had seen red before, he was beyond hell's reckoning in terms of raw rage right then.

The man - no, beast, looked enthralled and enraged by Harry daring to interrupt his child snatching.

It was a feat of accidental magic similar to his outburst in Dumbledore's office that blew the unnaturally strong beastman off of his body as people from Diagon Alley peered down into Knockturn Alley at all of the noise, but not daring to go in.

Harry ran at the hair man, diving with all the strength he could muster as he swung fist for fist at the man, he felt something scratch his neck, but he was too numb with rage just from who the man was and what he had tried to do, that he couldn't stop.

"Harry-!"

"Stop! Harry! What're you- HARRY!"

He could hear Remus and Lily in the distance, then Sirius, James and Daniel, who came running when Harry's name was shouted through the alleys, each swing of Harry's unnaturally strong body sent the body swinging to one side. If he punched left, the hairy man's jaw slacked and sprayed blood to the left as his entire form swung that way, even though they were both matched in terms of hulking forms, the man swayed like a puppet under each devastating blow, face becoming malleable underneath each blow and spraying blood flecks in every direction.

"YOU DISGUSTING-"

Punch right.

"SICK-"

Punch left.

"PIECE OF-"

Uppercut right up the jaw - the punch to end all punches that practically sent the entire hairy body through the air until it splattered unceremoniously on the tile, bleeding profusely, if not for the copious body hair, it would have been an unrecognisable body.

"SHIT!"

Daniel had never seen Harry so incensed, in fact, it was a little frightening, but he couldn't tear his eyes away - the aurors of the group, James and Sirius, dove into Knockturn first towards Harry to subdue him, but he was slumped on his knees, knuckles covered in blood and hyperventilating from how much rage had poured out of his body.

A small child shuffled out of the side-alley where they'd been tossed, before clinging to Harry's sleeve as he stayed frozen and knelt, hands limp at his sides and covered in blood as the silenced child wailed and tried to speak, their face red. James had enough sense to cast a finite incantatem on the boy so he could speak, his childish wail piercing the air as Remus and Sirius made their way to the figure Harry had beaten to a bloody pulp.

"THE HAIRY MAN TRIED TO STEAL ME! DID YOU GET HIM? I WANNA GO HOME!" he all but screamed, and James, still struggling to make sense of everything, turned to the figure that his son had beaten the living daylights out of, eyes widening as his usually sensible friend swore, eyes wide, before kneeling down and checking for a pulse the muggle way and casting a diagnostic spell, the onlookers watching from a distance in shock.

"It's Fenrir Greyback," said Sirius gravely, glancing between everyone, but the child's wails seem to make the situation fall together, as everyone was ready to tear into Harry for going absolutely apeshit, and his anger was truly unprecedented, but it was hard to treat him as a common criminal Knockturn Alley thug considering who the victim was.

"...And he's not breathing," added Remus quietly.

The other aurors were called, and the area became quickly cordoned off, yet, for a manslaughter, Harry didn't feel like he was being treated particularly badly, not at all, and things made even more sense when his first statement reached James and Sirius after Alastor Moody cursed the boy out for lashing out in the street, and then praising his vigilance in spotting the abduction.

"HARRY JAMES POTTER WHAT ON EARTH POSSESSED YOU TO FISTFIGHT FENRIR GREYBACK?!" Lily's voice could make even hardened aurors wince as they sat in custody.

"...I thought he was a hairy pervert stealing a small child and acted accordingly, turns out I wasn't far off the mark,"

They were stunned into silence for a while, and Harry James Potter found himself subject to a Ministry trial for the second time in his life, but not for the use of underage magic, no, this was for the manslaughter of Fenrir Greyback, as everyone tried to deduce what exactly happened.

So much for laying low.

End Chapter.

Damn that was whopper sized! I appreciate a review if you're enjoying this, ya know? I didn't want it to be a bore right the way through. So here's some spice. Harry just cant stay out of trouble, whatever the universe...eheh. If you have any input on what you'd like to see or general ideas, I do read them. So R&R my friends.