Dumbledore was not surprised to see the worried faces on the young teen's faces. They always looked the way they did now, when it involved Harry. However, at the moment, there was nothing he could do to calm their nerves. As soon as they told him that Harry had not been on the train to Hogwarts, the first thing Albus thought was 'It's finally that time.' Of course Albus knew 100 percent, where Harry was at the very moment, but would it be prudent to tell Mr. Weasley and Miss Granger where he was?

The only way he was able to make them calm down, even the smallest, was for him to say. "Believe in the Order. We'll find him." Having no other words to say on the matter, he dismissed them, lost in his own thoughts. He knew that he should have been more compliant with their fears, but Harry needed to prepare for the unthinkable and unfortunately, Hogwarts and its teachers would not be enough for him. There was one other side of Harry that would be making his appearance soon (it's got nothing to do with Voldemort's soul) and the students would not be able to handle it. They are afraid of what is unknown. Much like the rest of the wizarding world, but at least where Harry was, they would be more understanding and help him out. He hoped.

Dumbledore opened an aged book, that he pulled from his secret stash of books. His stash was too important to be able to be read freely in the library. This book would tell him more about Harry's unknown secret. The secret was unknown, even to Harry, himself, at the moment. It was a book of fairy tales. The supposed story about Harry was short. He didn't know why. He suspected that it wasn't finished. He opened the book and began to read.

000

Many centuries ago there was a story written about a seven year old boy named Haru, who was lost in a forest. He didn't cry for help and he didn't feel a need to. No one would hear him and no one would search for him. His previous time in the tribe, was not a happy one. His parents were long dead to the world and no one had the means to take care of him. In other words, some didn't care what happened to the child. But for those who did, they didn't have the necessary money to care for him. So they all left him alone. The tribe he lived with was a group of nomads. They traveled when the weather was bad.

He found himself lost in a forest when four other children, along with himself were gathering food for the elders to eat. They gathered the fruits and berries, but when they heard a bear behind them, they got separated from fear. Whether the four other children made it back to the tribe, he did not know. There was a system of hierarchy within the tribe. There was the elders. They were the founders of the tribe. Next were the rich, then the poor, and finally the orphans. Orphans weren't held in high regard with the tribe he belonged to. The poor often tried to help, but it was often waisted because they would be depriving themselves of their own daily needs.

For one week, Haru lived off the remaining fruits and berries that remained after returning to the spot he found them. Since he was but a child, he had difficulties moderating the food into small portions because after that week there was no more food. His clothing was dirty along with his body and hair was unwashed too. He moved throughout the forest to scavenge for food. He didn't dare eat the berries from the other bushes. They looked different to him. He didn't know if they were poisonous, so he didn't risk it. Instead, he survived off of anything that was easy to catch.

Haru looked behind him and saw an injured red bird. To any starving boy, it would be easy prey and Haru thought so too, but there was something enticing about the bird that made him not want to harm the beautiful bird. It was red with gold plumage. Haru carefully took the small bird with his small hands and took the bird to the small shelter he made.

"It's okay little bird. I won't let anything hurt you again." Haru promised.

The small bird gazed up at the small boy with it's beady black eyes and gave a small chirp before drifting off to sleep. For now, the bird decided to trust the boy. There was nothing it could do at the moment if its wing was hurt. Haru smiled happily for the small trust that was bestowed upon him and followed the bird into dreams.

Haru began to note the alarming rate the bird was beginning to grow. Just three days after finding the beautiful bird, it was already up to the boys knees. (Haru is 4'5") The gold on his wings was becoming more pronounced and the red was growing deeper. It was almost the shade of blood. One night after Haru, once again followed the bird into dreams, he had an odd one himself.

Inside Haru's dream, he looked around at the familiar surroundings. His dream was inside the forest where he currently resided. He turned around expecting to see his companion, but instead he found a man with long red hair that reached the ground. He wore clothing made of ox skin and had a look of mystery on his face. Haru couldn't tell if the man was nice or a threat, so he backed up a few paces just incase he found himself needing to run for his life.

"Don't be alarmed young one." The man said.

The man's voice was surprisingly warm, despite his intimidating demeanor. Haru stayed where he was, but he didn't come closer. But then Haru almost regretted backing up because the next thing he saw was a small tear coming out of the man's eye. As strange as it might have sounded the tear looked so beautiful. It shined like a diamond. Not only that, but it solidified as the man caught his own tear, within his hand.

"Take this tear young one. For it is a gift, for taking care of me. For it is a gift, for not hunting me when you were starving for food."

Haru took the tear jewel in his hand. He was confused. What did he mean taking care of him? Haru gasped. Was this man the phoenix? Was it possible? What would he do with this? It wasn't food. It wouldn't take away his never ending hunger. What would he do with it? It was beautiful, but what would he do?

The mystery man gave a small warm chuckle.

"You are confused young one. I can see it. Keep this tear with you at all times, for I may no longer be around if you should have need of me. It will protect you should you need it."

"What does it do?" Haru asked with a small voice.

"What is the warning?" Harry asked when the man paused.

"As long as the stone exists, you will never be defeated."

Before Haru could answer or ask anymore questions, the man was gone.

Haru woke with a jolt. 'That was a strange dream.' Haru looked to his side where he knew the bird to be sleeping, but was shocked to see that it was not longer in it's place.

"So the man was the bird? But now what do I do? I'm alone again."

Haru looked to his side after wiping the tears from his face. The tear stone was by his side. He grasped the beautiful tear and went outside of his shelter. He looked up. The sun was bright today. He was happy to see that. It rained a lot in the woods. Haru did as the dream man instructed. He lifted the solidified tear with two fingers to the shining rays that hit the ground.

Haru saw the clear tear glow a fiery red color. The stone started to catch fire as it faced the sun. Haru, frightened by the turn of events, took his hand off the stone, not wanting to get burned. He let go of the tear, but it did not fall from where it faced. When the tear was entirely engulfed in flame, Haru simply watched it. Haru started to calm down as the tear's flames warmed his body. The tear continued to burn. Haru began to wonder if it would ever stop so he could touch it again, but the flames did not end.

Haru began to gradually wonder if the flames were getting too hot because the tear was getting harder to see. It was almost like the tear was disappearing under the flames. In a panic the young boy took his hand out to the disappearing stone to get it back, but it was too late. The tear stone was gone, along with the flames.

"It's... gone. Now, what do I do? Wasn't it... supposed to protect me?" Haru was once again confused and cried himself to sleep.

Everyday, Haru looked in the sky for a chance that the beautiful bird that he'd once seen would be there, but every time he looked he didn't spot anything. One cold night Haru woke up shivering. It was a cold night in the forest. It was so cold that he didn't know how much more his clothing would protect him, if it grew any colder. Haru rubbed his hands together and blew hot air onto them, hoping to get warmth. He grabbed small sticks to start a fire. He only hoped that it wouldn't be too cold for one. The first stick he grabbed began smoking on its own. Haru found that strange. He hadn't even tried to start making the fire and as soon as he picked it up one was already starting.

Tsunade sighed as she closed the book after reading it aloud to the others. The other's in the room didn't know what to make of the story. It all seemed so farfetched. Her eyes drifted over to the sleeping form on the couch. She caught his eyes moving underneath his eyelids. The mystery boy made her silently wonder what he could be dreaming about.