Pain coursed through the small body as Harry Potter curled into a ball. He'd wait, ride it out like he always did. Protesting only made it worse and crying would only give the big man more reason to beat him. A heavy foot collided with Harry's ribs producing a sickening crunch. The small boy didn't make any noise though, not with Vernon so excited.
For as long as he could remember the Dursley's had been his care givers. They fed him, clothed him, and let him sleep in their cupboard. Harry loved them for that. As payment he was made to clean, cook, relieve stress or provide entertainment and he feared them for that. There was simmering rage just beneath his acceptance, but it never managed to bubble up.
Another crunch as his wrist was stepped on and a sharp pain shooting agonizingly through his spine to his brain. Just ignore it and they'll stop eventually. He'd learned to follow this rule to the T in the past five years of life at the Dursley's home. Dudley had recently started to follow in his father example, Harry remembered as a foot much smaller than usual connected with his chin.
Something cruel was spat at him and the car door slammed shut. The Dursley's had been forced to take him on vacation with them to Oga. It was a city close to the Japan Sea steeped in lore and the possible next site for Grunnings. Vernon had been threatening to take him out into a forest and leave him for some wild animal to eat for weeks; at least he hadn't lied.
Harry struggled to drag his screaming body into a thicket of some plant or another. Everything hurt and something warm was trailing down his face. It couldn't be blood, but he didn't want to think it was tears. "I'm sorry….uncle…back…." A broken sob tore from his damaged frame. He didn't want to be alone! It would be dark soon and he was terrified of the monsters that lurked in the night.
Blood tinted his spit pink and Harry stopped talking. It burned to much to do anything, but keen in despair. He should have known better than to think that leaving the country would mean he could go outside. Something in the trees rustled and his keen turned into a whimper. What if it was an ogre? Dudley had told him about those, said an old guy told him there were lots in the forest.
A thump and green eyes squeezed shut. If something was going to eat him, he wasn't going to watch. If the boy had been in less pain he'd have curled even more when something touched him. A soothing voice flowed in the strange sounds people here made. He didn't understand "Daijobu ka?" It repeated that several times.
Harry kept his mouth shut. First rule, don't speak.; ever. The man, for it obviously was, sighed. "Naruhodo." Searing fire spiked through Harry as he was lifted. Despite his resistance a scream slipped out. The man paused before adjusting his hold and continuing on. The one time Harry peeked at their surroundings things had been going by so fast he'd felt ill.
The breeze and spray of salty water roused the boy from his pained sleep for several seconds before he slipped off again. When next the world swam into view Harry was laid out on a soft bed with things on his body that felt very heavy and bandages around his chest. He didn't try to move, that would have hurt. Still, he must have done something because someone spoke up "He's awake! Doctor, the boy has woken up!"
Now why did he understand that? He couldn't understand it before he'd fallen asleep. Maybe hitting his head had changed his languages? Opening his eyes proved to be more effort than it was worth, but he did it anyway. White, bright, and much to clean assaulted him the instant he could focus. Everything was blurry so he didn't have his glasses, but at least he could see where people were now.
A dark figure stood in the corner, a woman was leaning over him asking something, and what he guessed was the doctor had started checking him for brain damage. It was all very frightening. When everything was said and done Harry was left to his own devices aside from the man in the corner. "Who are you?" He finally asked, unable to stand the man's stare.
Whoever it was twitched in surprise "Ookami. You can see me?" Harry frowned. Of course he could see him! Just because he needed glasses didn't mean he was totally blind! Of course, the boy didn't say so out loud. Uncle Vernon would kill him if he ever talked to disrespectfully. Instead he just nodded in the affirmative.
After a while Harry began to squirm. The man was staring at him unblinkingly under that weird mask and he wanted it to stop. Finally, Ookami spoke up "You aren't supposed to see me. This is a very powerful genjutsu used by the interrogation squad to trick people into giving up personal information." The man brought his hands up and did weird things with them before saying something to quiet for Harry to catch.
Suddenly the white dissolved and he was in a dimly lit apartment. This was much easier on his eyes and he found himself sighing in relief. "C-can I have my glasses?" The round frames were held before him and he slipped them on. The world was still a little fuzzy around the edges, but he could at least make out details. "Where am I? Where's my…my uncle?" he didn't really want to know, but it was important to know if the man was around.
Ookami cocked his head like the canine his mask was modeled after "The big man? He left you to die in the forest days ago. We just got back here a few hours ago and I haven't even given my report yet. It's 1800 right now and the report is due at 1900 so I figure I have about three hours." Harry frowned. From 1800 to 1900 was only one hour.
He didn't point this out though, Uncle Vernon hated to be corrected. The man didn't seem to notice his frown and continued talking. "So do you want to go get something to eat with me? The food here is about as delicious as a dirty sock boiled in dishwater."
Harry wrinkled his nose at the thought of how such a thing would taste.
