Disclaimer: All portions of the HP universe/worlds/characters are the property of JKR, the WB, and respective publishing companies. All portions of the Yujincho universe/worlds/characters are the property of Yuki Midorikawa and Hakusensha (publisher). This story is nothing more than a simple FanFiction that I have written for my own enjoyment. I have made no money from this or any of the other stories I have posted on this or other sites.

AN: This story is self-beta'd; so there may be occasional grammatical or spelling errors that crop up every now and then and for those I apologize in advance.


Chapter 8: The Fine Art of Island Hopping

International Flight # JL402,
Heathrow Airport, London, England
11:15 A.M. Friday, August 21, 1987

Takashi hid a smile as he watched his recently adopted son press his small hands up against the window as he peered, wide-eyed out at the various planes that were taking off and landing. The two of them had been some of the first passengers allowed to board the plane since they both held first class tickets (Takashi unwilling to be bumped back to the coach section of the plane since he worried the higher number of strangers crowding around him would cause the seven year old to panic). Their flight would be leaving in approximately ten or fifteen minutes; once those flying coach had been seated and the last of the luggage had been loaded. Takashi was looking forward to being home once more but he worried how the child beside him would handle all of the changes; the least of which was getting him used to answering to his new name.

When they had gone to meet with the goblins to finalize Harry's adoption almost a month ago, Takashi had once again asked Harry if he wanted to keep his name or if he wanted to change it. He took the time to explain to the seven year old that his old name would stand out and draw attention to him once they reached Japan because it was an obviously English name. He also took the time to explain how his name would be recognized by any witch or wizard that heard it since he was something of a celebrity in the magical world because of what had happened the night his parents died. Dumbledore had balked over the fact that Takashi had informed Harry that he was famous but Takashi shot him down saying it was better for Harry to be made aware of his status in order to prepare him to deal with any attention he garnered because of the status. Harry's response had been to ask what he would be called if he wanted to change his name.

Takashi told him his new family name (or last name) would be Natsume, the same as his own, which had made Harry's eyes glitter with unshed moisture as they shone with hope and excitement. He was then told he could keep his first name or middle name to use as his given name if he wanted or he could pick a Japanese name so he wouldn't stand out so much once he began attending school. When Harry had shown curiosity at the mention of a Japanese first name, Takashi had listed off a few of the more common names and also told Harry what each name meant in English. By the time they'd sat down with the goblin committee that would be handling their case, Harry had asked if he could have the name Ryuu. When asked why he liked that name out of all the ones Takashi had given him, he'd written that he wanted a name strong enough to scare away the monsters and he thought dragons were the fiercest creatures in the world.

Dumbledore had looked sad as he watched Takashi write the name Natsume Ryuu into the various sections of the paperwork where the child's name needed to be listed. Takashi knew exactly what was bothering the old wizard and so had given the man a slight concession, by verbally reminding Harry that he would still be able to use his birth name when dealing with matters related to the wizarding world. That would allow him to be recognized when he needed or wanted to be and remain anonymous when he didn't want the attention. Takashi had then requested that Dumbledore register Harry's name for school as Natsume Ryuu (or rather the westernized Ryuu Natsume) and allow Harry to announce his former name to any friends he made or to the school at large when he felt more comfortable being the center of attention. Dumbledore had protested at first but Takashi remained firm, stating that thrusting Harry into the spotlight like that would only make it harder for him to make new friends or just be himself and Dumbledore eventually (if grudgingly) agreed.

Once they finished with the legal portion of their meeting, they addressed the financial portion where Takashi made arrangements for quarterly updates to be forwarded to his home in Takashima Town to spare the messenger birds used by the magical world from making monthly trips. At the same time, Takashi was given a crash course in magical currency and goblin banking policies; taking extensive notes so he could refer to them later. Next they dealt with the two keys that Takashi had found with the items left in the safety deposit box; which turned out to be vault keys. One key was to Edward Potter's trust vault (Reiko's husband) and the other was to an heirloom vault that Reiko had opened; both of which had been willed jointly to Takashi and her youngest son, Jiro (James).

Finally, Harry's picture and fingerprints were taken for his passport and visa; which would be ready in exactly one week. The meeting adjourned shortly after that, with a single goblin escorting Takashi and the newly renamed Ryuu down to the two vaults they shared so Takashi could empty the heirloom vault (hoping that the missing half of the Yujincho would be among the items stored there) and to withdraw a bit of money with which to purchase a few books and supplies. Takashi had thoroughly enjoyed the wild cart ride through the tunnels, which reminded him of flying on Madara's back, while Ryuu had been uncertain whether he had enjoyed it or if he'd found it frightening.

Takashi had nearly panicked when all they found in the heirloom vault was a small drawstring pouch made from some kind of lizard skin until the goblin explained it was a mokeskin pouch and that only the owner could remove any of the items from inside of it. Both man and boy had been suitably impressed with the rather large piles of glittering coins in the trust vault and Takashi had made Ryuu grin when the thirty-two year old had jumped in the pile of gold and pretended to swim (which in turn made the goblin snort in either disbelief or restrained amusement – Takashi hadn't been able to tell at the time). Once he was finished acting the fool, he counted out two hundred galleons (the amount recommended by Dumbledore) and dropped them into the bag provided by the goblin. Finally, he counted out ten galleons, ten sickles, and ten knuts that he pocketed in case he saw anything that interested him and then picked up an additional five galleons that he gave to Harry for the same reason.

Once they returned to the surface, Dumbledore (who'd waited for them) escorted them to a couple of stores (most notably the book store, the stationary store, the luggage store, and a sweet shop) before he escorted them out of the magical alley. Before he took his leave, Dumbledore had requested to meet with the two of them a couple of times before they left and Takashi accepted with far less reservation that he would have shown the evening before. After dropping their new purchases off in their hotel room, Takashi had taken Ryuu out for dinner to celebrate his adoption at the same Japanese Restaurant they'd eaten at the night before.

Takashi was pulled back into the present when the captain's voice cut through the plane as he urged everyone to take their seats and turn their attention to the flight attendants who would be giving them a brief demonstration while the plane was taxied out to the runway strip. A quick glance to the side confirmed that Harry… no Ryuu was properly buckled into his seat and that his backpack was safely stored beneath the space provided under the chair in front of him. Har… Ryuu wasn't really paying attention to the demonstration on emergency procedures that was being given, his eyes still glued firmly to the window. Takashi wasn't concerned; the airline did provide laminated guides with the same information on them and once they were in the air, Takashi could have Har… Ryuu read it.

Hari isn't the only one who is going to have to get used to his new name, Takashi thought to himself with a slight smile as he turned his eyes forward to watch the young woman up near the front of the plane demonstrate the proper way to buckle and release the seat belts while a young man translated her commentary into Japanese.

Ten minutes later the plane picked up speed as they headed down the runway until they were suddenly airborne and gaining altitude rapidly. In the seat beside Takashi, Har… Ryuu was gripping the arm rests of his chair tightly as his eyes remained glued on the world outside the window; his green eyes growing wider as the airport and the surrounding city shrank before his eyes as they rose higher until suddenly they were surrounded by nothing but blue sky and fluffy white clouds.

The seven year old spent the first two hours of the flight watching the sky outside grow dark and trying to see the various landmasses and bodies of water passing beneath them, sitting up on his knees as he practically pressed his face up against the glass. Once the last of the sunlight had faded, he'd taken to watching for the large groupings of lights on the ground that represented large cities and trying to see the stars. He probably would have stared out the window for the rest of the trip as well if not for Takashi passing him a blanket and a pillow (which he'd requested from the flight attendant) and telling him to try and get some sleep. Ryuu had nearly protested but a promise from Takashi to wake him for their in-flight meal in a couple of hours had the boy curling up in his seat where he drifted off with minutes.

After requesting the flight attendant to kindly wake him when they served the in-flight meal, Takashi settled back to get some sleep as well knowing that the jetlag would hit him hard otherwise; due to the virtual loss of eight hours because of the time differences between London and Tokyo.


Haneda Airport (Tokyo International Airport)
Ōta, Tokyo, Japan
10:38 A.M. Saturday, August 22, 1987

Takashi carried Ryuu's on his left hip to prevent the seven year old from being swept away in the crowd as they followed Tanuma Kaname (a good friend of Takashi's who'd volunteered to meet the travelers at the airport) who was pushing a luggage cart that held their luggage. Takashi didn't know what he'd have done if Kaname hadn't offered to meet them as he would have had a hard time keeping a close eye on Ryuu (who'd begun panicking the moment they cleared customs and stepped into the main portion of the airport) and dealing with their luggage.

The poor kid had been pushed and accidentally grabbed by no less than ten people and if he'd had the ability to speak he surely would have been screaming in sheer terror and frustration. Because, while Ryuu had learned to tolerate physical contact from Takashi he absolutely hated for anyone else to come within five feet of him let alone actually touch him. Thankfully, Takashi hadn't sensed any youkai in the crowd because he suspected that the presence of one or more spirits would have pushed Har… Ryuu over the edge and either caused an incident with accidental magic or sent the boy running for the nearest hiding place. As it was the seven year old had been wound so tight he hadn't so much as looked at Kaname when Takashi had introduced the other man; his face (and subsequently his glasses) pressed firmly against Takashi's chest and his hands fisted tightly in Takashi's shirt.

Kaname, who knew about Ryuu's ability to see youkai and the difficult time he'd had before Takashi had adopted him through the phone calls the two had exchanged while Takashi was out of the country, took it in stride and didn't press the frightened child. The three of them had then made their way to the baggage claim to retrieve their two suitcases; something that made Kaname give Takashi a funny look over since he'd expected the other man to bring all of his new son's belongings not reduce them to a single bag. Takashi had caught the look and smirked at his friend knowing exactly what he was thinking and wished he could share the truth about magic with Kaname.

When they managed to find a break in the press of bodies exiting the airport, Takashi stepped ahead of Kaname and reached out with his free hand to hail an unoccupied taxi. When the cab pulled up in front of them, Takashi moved forward to quickly secure their ride while Kaname transferred their suitcases and carry-on bags into the trunk and passed the briefcase to Takashi through the open door. Half an hour later they finally managed to navigate their way out of the airport and the driver turned the car south and west; Takashi having decided to return by taxi instead of subjecting Ryuu to another crowd in order to ride the train. Kaname was a bit surprised but he didn't mind since it would give the two men a chance to catch up with each other and allow Ryuu to grow accustomed to Kaname's presence without the added stress of additional strangers.

It took them two hours to navigate their way through Tokyo and another three hours to reach Takashima. Ryuu never once released his death grip on Takashi's shirt during the first four hours of the drive nor did he remove his face from where it was pressed against Takashi's chest. Takashi had tried to coax him into relaxing by describing the passing scenery once they were out of the city and passing through some of the more rural areas but he didn't budge. He knew the seven year old was awake because of how tense he remained throughout the drive and the way he would flinch each time Takashi rubbed his back or carded his fingers through his hair.

Takashi tried not to press Ryuu but he couldn't help but worry over the boy's unresponsiveness. He wasn't surprised that he'd reacted badly to the crowds, he'd known Ryuu disliked being surrounded by large crowds, but he wasn't quite certain what had set the boy off since Heathrow Airport had been nearly just as crowded. He absently exchanged small talk with Kaname while his mind shifted gears and sorted through everything he knew about Har… Ryuu. Using the skills he'd learned and developed through the past fourteen years of classes and training, Takashi analyzed every aspect of Ryuu's behavior since the day he met his cousin. He even included the information the Dursleys had given him (ignoring their biased, ignorant, and spiteful opinions and beliefs).

Once he'd organized that information in his mind he had a tentative theory of why Ryuu was currently impersonating a limpet. The problem was that he didn't have all of the pieces of the puzzle and he'd only just realized how critical those missing pieces were to understanding Ryuu's behavioral patterns. I don't know what Har… Ryuu experienced during his years living with the Dursleys. I know how he reacted, based upon what I have seen and what his aunt and uncle told me but I do not know what happened to initiate those reactions. Takashi thought as he cut off in the middle of a sentence and sat up straighter, causing Kaname to jump in surprise before giving him a concerned look. Takashi smiled tightly and apologized, stating he'd just realized something before he picked up the conversation where he'd left off; his thoughts also continuing where they'd left off.

I have made too many assumptions and drawn conclusions based upon the end results instead of trying to get to the heart of the matter. I know he is frightened of the youkai and that the youkai flocked to him like moths to flames but that does not tell me what the youkai did or said to him. Did they mentally torment him? Physically? Emotionally? What did Har… Ryuu see in those five and a half years he lived with the Dursleys? He's never spoken of the monsters, I never asked him to speak of them, the only time I've brought them up was when I first told him I could see them, when I asked him how he knew about the shrine, and the few times one of the youkai got too close. We've also never discussed his nightmares; though I know he still has them even if they do not occur as frequently as they did when I first took him in.

Knowing now that he'd missed something so obvious, Takashi made plans to rectify his oversight. Oh, he knew that there'd been a hundred other things clamoring for his attention from the moment he'd learned Reiko hadn't died at eighteen like he'd always been told and things only grew more hectic once he'd reached England but that didn't excuse his lapse in common sense. He may only be human and prone to making mistakes as easily as every other human out there but he'd been taught to always look at every facet of a problem before drawing conclusions.

Tucking his newfound awareness safely to one side of his mind so he could work out a way to deal with the issue when he could give it his full attention, Takashi returned his complete attention to Kaname. And though they mainly spoke Japanese (out of habit) Takashi made it a point to occasionally direct a comment or two in English towards Ryuu so that his adopted son would know he hadn't been completely forgotten.

Relief washed through Takashi when they were about an hour away from their destination as Har… Ryuu finally relaxed enough to pull his face away from Takashi's shirt. Worried and haunted green eyes had then glanced up at Takashi's face before swinging around to peer curiously at Kaname who was currently regaling Takashi with the tale of a prank that Kitamoto and Nishimura had pulled on Sasada Jun, a young woman that all four men were friends with. Not understanding a word that was being said, Ryuu soon turned his attention to the passing countryside; his eyes widening further as he took in the lush forests, endless fields, towering mountains, and occasional building.

Takashi smiled at Ryuu's reflection in the window even as he asked Kaname what Sasada's response had been to finding a hundred newts crawling around in her bathtub.


The Fujiwara Home
Takashima Town, Shiga, Japan
03:58 P.M. Saturday August 22, 1987

"We're home," Takashi announced in English as the taxi slowed to a stop outside of the low wall that surrounded the house and yard of the Fujiwara's modest two story home.

Ryuu whipped his head around, from where he'd been watching the passing houses and buildings through the other window, to stare at the place where he'd be living for the foreseeable future. Trepidation filled his eyes as they fell on the elderly couple that was standing just outside the front door of the house their faces filled with excitement.

"Touko-san and Shigeru-san are two of the nicest people I have ever met," Takashi stated softly hoping to ease Ryuu's nervousness. "They took me in when I was fifteen and we have been a family ever since. You have nothing to fear from them, Ryuu-kun."

"Touko-san is the world's best cook too. She makes the best taiyaki I have ever tasted," Kaname added as he opened his door and grinned at Ryuu when the boy turned to look him in the eye for the first time. "She fills them with red bean paste, cream cheese, and custard and if we are lucky, she'll have made the ones filled with cream cheese and raspberry jam for dessert tonight."

Ryuu's eyes drifted from Kaname to the couple standing in front of the house, his head tilting to one side as he gave the man's words serious consideration. A light frown pulling the corners of his mouth down slightly as he leaned back and glanced up at Takashi for confirmation. Takashi smiled and nodded to affirm Kaname's statement and he had to hold back the laugh he felt rise in the back of his throat as he watched Ryuu gaze back at Touko-san with curious interest as his small tongue darted out to lick his lips for a second before disappearing once again. Ryuu had grown extremely fond of the stuffed cakes during the many meals the two had shared at the Japanese Restaurant in London.

"Why don't we get out and go introduce you, Ryuu-kun," Takashi suggested as Kaname exited the car and began helping the driver unload the luggage.

Takashi grabbed his brief case and slid out of the taxi, one hand protecting Ryuu since the seven year old hadn't wanted to let go of him. Once they were out of the car, Ryuu reluctantly allowed Takashi to set him down on the ground while he paid the fare for the cab. Ryuu staggered a bit, his legs a bit stiff and numb from spending the five hour drive tensely clinging to Takashi coupled with the twelve hours spent on the plane. Kaname passed the two carry on bags to Takashi, who slung Ryuu's backpack and his duffel bag over his shoulder, before he picked up to two suitcases. The three of them then entered the yard; Ryuu clinging to Takashi's shirttail with both hands while Takashi's free hand was draped lightly across his back for support (and to prevent the child from bolting back out of the yard).

Touko-san met the three of them halfway across the yard, when she could no longer restrain herself, and she quickly engulfed Takashi in a hug as she babbled on about how much she'd missed him since he left. Shigeru joined them a moment later, automatically taking half of Kaname's burden as he reached out and ruffled Takashi's hair fondly while he smiled down at the child clinging to the younger man's shirt and half hiding behind him. Takashi could see the pain in the older couple's eyes when Ryuu hid behind him and pressed his face against his back; it was a pain he had often seen in their eyes when he'd first come to live with them.

"Ryuu-kun, come on out from behind me so I can introduce you," Takashi coaxed once Touko had released him and taken a step back. "I promise, no one is going to hurt you and I will be right here with you."

Ryuu looked up with those haunted eyes that cut through Takashi's heart every time he saw them. Takashi gave him an encouraging nod without breaking eye contact and held his breath as he waited to see what his adopted son would do. He let a soft sigh of relief when Ryuu reluctantly moved forward so he was standing next to him instead of hiding behind him and Takashi smiled as he softly praised Ryuu's bravery. Looking back up at his foster parents, Takashi couldn't help the blush that spread across his face when he saw the look of pride that Shigeru gave him as the old man glanced between Ryuu and Takashi a couple of times.

"Shigeru-san, Touko-san, and Kaname-senpai; may I present my cousin, Potter Hari James, who is now my adopted son, Natsume Ryuu." Takashi began, including Kaname because he hadn't been able to introduce him earlier since the seven year had been panicking at the time. He'd included Ryuu's birth name in the introduction because he wanted to make certain Ryuu's heritage from his parents wasn't completely forgotten. "Ryuu-kun, I'd like you to meet my foster father – Fujiwara Shigeru, my foster mother – Fujiwara Touko, and my good friend – Tanuma Kaname."

"It's nice to finally meet you, Ryuu-kun," Touko-san warmly announced as she crouched down so she was on the same level as Ryuu. "Takashi-kun has told us so much about you but he forgot to tell just how adorable you are with those beautiful green eyes."

"Welcome to our home and to our family, Ryuu-kun," Shigeru added gently when his wife had finished.

"Touko-san said she is happy to meet you," Takashi translated when Ryuu looked up at him uncertainly, the seven year old not understanding what the older couple had said to him. "She also said that she thinks your eyes are a beautiful shade of green. Shigeru-san was welcoming you home."

Looking up at his foster parents, Takashi added, "We had a bit of a panic at the airport and he's still a little shaken right now but I'm certain he'll come around once he's had a chance to get used to everyone. I've taught him a few words in Japanese but for the most part he only writes and understands English. I know there is quite a bit I left out the few times we spoke while I was in England but I didn't think it was a conversation to be held over the phone. Once his attention is otherwise occupied I will fill you in on the details."

"For now, I should warn you that he doesn't speak; the doctor who examined him while we were in England said it was due to extreme psychological trauma and that he most likely will never speak. He also doesn't like to be touched and I don't yet fully know the reasons why but I believe it has something to do with the way his aunt and uncle ignored him on top of his experiences with the youkai. Other then that he is extremely shy, very well behaved, and a quick learner."

"Why don't we take your things upstairs and show Ryuu where he'll be staying," Shigeru suggested as he hefted the suitcase he'd taken from Kaname. "We can give him a quick tour of the house at the same time so he knows where everything is."

"While you boys are doing that, I'll finish supper," Touko stated as she rose gracefully from her crouch and started towards the house. "I picked up some fresh shrimp and squid for supper tonight. Do you think Ryuu-kun will eat fried shrimp and squid, Takashi-kun? I also made fresh taiyaki this afternoon to pass the time while we waited for you to get home."

"Hai," Takashi replied as he and a hesitant Ryuu followed the others into the house. "He's quite fond of seafood and especially loves sushi, shrimp, and taiyaki. He's been very good about trying new dishes so far and there are very few things he won't eat a second time; such as lamb and cooked spinach."

"I don't blame him," Kaname tossed back over his shoulder as he headed up the stairs behind Shigeru. "Cooked spinach tastes horrible. Especially when boiled. Though its not too bad if baked in a bun with cream cheese and pork and a little spinach adds flavor to an omelet."

"You remember when Sasada-chan made that spinach and pork pie?" Takashi asked as he steered Ryuu up the stairs. "I swear she botched the recipe on purpose just to get back at us for laughing at that sweater she tried knitting."

"Oh do I ever remember that pie! How could I forget?" Kaname groaned. "It had so much salt in it… and I swear she purposefully dropped garlic in with the ginger. My taste buds were dead for hours after taking one bite."

The two thirty-two year olds laughed even as they shuddered in remembrance as they entered Takashi's room upstairs and stacked the luggage in the corner. Ryuu looked around the room with nervous curiosity until his eyes fell on the shrine that Takashi had set up on his desk. The seven year old obviously remembered exactly what the shrine was supposed to do, since the moment he saw it he had tugged on Takashi's shirt before pointing to the shrine as he stared up with hope shining in his eyes.

"Yes, Ryuu-kun, that shrine protects this house from the spirits just like the one I put in our hotel room. You have nothing to fear while you are in this house."

Ryuu had then smiled as he let go of Takashi and bounded over to his backpack and dove inside until he came up with the small packet of peanuts he'd gotten during their flight over. When he had trouble opening the packet, he scampered back to Takashi's side and held out the snack as he gazed up at Takashi with pleading eyes. Takashi obliged him by opening the packet as request and then handed it back. Ryuu then walked up to the shrine and dug out several peanuts that he placed at the base of the shrine in a circle.

Once he was done, tucked the packet of left over peanuts into his pocket and returned to his backpack to grab his third notebook (the first two having already been filled up completely) and his favorite pencil. Takashi waited for him to collect his things before calling Ryuu back to his side so he could give him a small tour. Kaname and Shigeru tagged along, both men silently observing Takashi interacting with the small boy and noting Ryuu's various reactions.

The tour ended in the kitchen downstairs where Touko had set out five place settings at the table surrounded by several platters of fried shrimp, fried squid, steamed rice, steamed vegetables, and a large garden salad. Takashi guided Ryuu into the kitchen and told him to take a seat at the table before excusing himself under the guise of needing to use the bathroom. What he actually did was head up to his room to let Nyanko out of his suitcase and let him outside so the youkai could stretch his legs a bit after being in the trunk for over twenty-four hours now. He then slipped into the bathroom, flushed the toilet, and washed his hands before returning to the kitchen where he joined the others at the table, slipping into the seat beside Ryuu.


Translations: Japanese to English

Hai – yes

Names:

Ryuu – boy's name meaning dragon (or imperial)


AN: Next chapter will show how Harry adjusts to his new home… For those of you wondering when I'll be posting the final chapter of Wizard's World; I'm about half way finished rewriting the chapter so hopefully it won't be more than a week or two at most before I'm reading to post it. ~ Jenn

08-07-12: This chapter was once again edited to remove all references to laptops, e-mails, and the internet in order to keep the technological advances in the story a little more accurate.