Chapter 2: Crossing Paths

Gabriel's Grace shook in furry as he watched the fat tub of lard beat young Harry and then throw him into the cupboard under the stairs.

He wanted to smite that pig.

The archangel was so furious that he thought his Grace would shake the whole neighborhood...not that he'd really care at the moment.

Gabriel closed his eyes and desperately tried to calm himself down before he actually did smite the man. Not that he wouldn't deserve it, it would just ruin the trick. That, and he didn't really feel like announcing his continued presence to the world at the moment...

The man would get his Just Desserts, he just had to be patient.

Then, something surprising happened.

He heard a prayer.

A prayer to Gabriel.

Usually, like prayers to Loki, he wouldn't pay much attention to them. However, this one was different. He recognized this voice...

It was Harry.

With this realization, he fully calmed down and quickly listened more closely.

"Gabriel," the kid said. "I don't know if you're listening..."

Gabriel clicked his tongue. Of course, he'd listen to the kid! He was trying to save him from those arseholes after all!

"But my name is Harry," the young boy continued. "Harry Potter. You see...I need help."

Gabriel frowned. Yeah, he knew how much the kid needed help. If only he could find a vessel already! How could there not be one vessel that could contain him in a whole hundred mile radius from this freaking neighborhood!

"My aunt and uncle...well, they're not nice people," Harry whispered, and Gabriel could hear the hurt and fear in the kid's voice. "They hurt me."

Gabriel's ire flared once again at the reminder, his Grace flaring with his righteous fury.

"I-I don't know how much longer I can deal with this," Harry confessed almost silently, and Gabriel's Grace froze in shocked horror. "I don't think I can take much more."

No!

"Gabriel," Harry whispered, and Gabriel listened on tender hooks. "Please, I beg you. Please, get me away from here! Please, Gabriel, save me!"

The archangel could hear the kid's chocked sobs in his voice and the angel's heart broke for the boy.

Wanting to comfort the boy, he filled the cupboard with his presence.

What he found there made him even more furious with those monsters that the small, malnourished kid called his relatives. He mentally added another tally to the severity of their punishment. He's going to have to find something really special for their Just Dessert.

Gabriel touched the boy lightly with his Grace to speed up his healing, but he reeled back in shock.

There was no way.

He couldn't have missed this?! And, for so freaking long too!

Gabriel wanted to break down into hysterical laughter.

The fight with Lucy must've taken more out of him than he originally thought. He couldn't believe that he never say this!

Harry, little Harry; the kid he wanted to avenge, was was his vessel all along.

Hell. The kid was even capable of handling all his Grace long term!

Gabriel smirked.

This would kill two birds with one angel powered stone!

And, it would be an even better joke if those monsters got their Just Dessert from Harry; even if it was him in the driver's seat.

He just hoped the kid will say "Yes".

0000000

Harry laid on the thin mattress looking at the ceiling.

He wasn't sure what happens now. He's never prayed before. He wasn't even sure if anyone had heard him.

He frowned up at the ceiling—though it looked more like a cute pout—as he laid in deep thought.

What would happen if it worked? What would this Gabriel do? He was an angel, right? What even was an angel? All he understood from what the nice lady handing out books was that they protected people. But, how did they do that? Were angel even real?

Harry sighed.

He guessed he just had to wait and see.

Then, something strange happened.

The cupboard seemed to warm and and it seemed to get brighter than before. Then, he could have sworn something touched him.

What was going on?!

For a moment, all was still, and then Harry felt his pain fade away.

Harry jumped on the bed and was surprised that there was no pain. Harry lifted his shirt and the bruises had all disappeared. He gently touched his back and the wounds from the belt had also disappeared. He was completely healed!

"Whoa," Harry whispered.

This had never happened before. Harry knew he healed fast, but never this fast!

Was this due to his freakishness?

No, it couldn't be.

At least, he didn't think so...

Wait, was this Gabriel? Had his prayer actually worked?!

Warm laughter filled his cupboard as the air seemed to warm. However, it wasn't uncomfortable like one might expect.

Harry looked around in confusion and slight fear.

"Harry," a warm tenor voice cooed and seemed to wrap around him.

Harry flinched and shakily asked, "W-Who are you?! What do you want?!"

Warm laughter once again rolled around him.

"Fear not," the voice said teasingly, and Harry thought it sounded as if it was sharing some inside joke that he wasn't apart of. "I head your prayer."

Harry's eyes flew wide.

"Gabriel," he asked in a hesitant whisper as a bubble of hope inflated inside of him.

"That's right, kiddo," the angel said smugly, and Harry had a feeling he was smirking. "You're smarter than you look."

Harry flushed in embarrassment from the compliment—not having got many of those, if any at all; but he couldn't help but pout from being insulted by the comment about his appearance.

Gabriel chuckled again, and Harry wondered if he could read his mind.

"Yep," the angel said teasingly.

"Where are you," Harry asked as he jumped once again.

"I'm here with you," Gabriel said as Harry looked around the cupboard confused when he couldn't find him. "You can't see me."

"Why not," Harry said pouting, and slight suspicious.

"Suspicious one, aren'tcha," Gabriel teased with a bright laugh; and Harry huffed, face read. "Anyway, kiddo, I'm doing this for your own good."

"How so," the emerald eyed boy asked with a puppy like head tilt that Gabriel thought was adorable.

"My true form is dangerous for people, kiddo," the trickster explained. "As one of my many younger brothers, Cassie, once said, us angels are 'giant cosmic wavelengths of light'. It'd actually blind you if you look at me right now, kiddo."

Harry's jaw dropped.

"Whoa," was all he could say.

"'Whoa' indeed," the angel snickered. "I'm actually having to talk to you telepathically too. Our real voices can break windows and burst your eardrums."

"Tele-what," Harry asked confused.

His mind was spinning and he felt like he was starting to get a headache.

"I'm speaking in your head," Gabriel said. "Mind speech."

"Really," the raven haired boy asked amazed, eye shinning brightly in wonder.

He's read stuff like this in various library books, but he never thought that it was real. The Dursley's always told him and Dudley so. They didn't even let Dudley watch shows with any kind of magic.

"Really," Gabriel said, amused. "To be able to interact with people at large, we need vessels."

"What's a 'vessel'," Harry asked, tilting his head.

"A vessel is a person we possess," Gabriel said seriously, and Harry sat at attention as he noticed the change of tone.

"That doesn't sound very nice," Harry said, frowning.

"It's not always nice," Gabriel admitted. "That's why we angels need permission."

Harry nodded in a slim understanding. He felt better now that he knew that the angels at least had permission.

"You said you heard my prayer," Harry said once he remembered why Gabriel was here. "Are you going to help me?"

Hope filled Harry's little body like a fragile balloon.

"Yep," the angel said warmly and on the side of cocky. "Don't worry, kiddo. We'll get you away from those mean relatives."

Joy flooded the young boy.

"I just need a vessel first," Gabriel said. "I do this kinda work better in my other role."

"Other role," Harry asked, slightly disappointed he had to wait.

"Mhm," Gabriel said vaguely. "I'm a Trickster too. Ever heard of Loki?"

Harry thought about it and shrugged. It sounded familiar at least.

"Oh well," the angel said, and Harry got the sense that he was pouting. "Am not!"

Definitely pouting.

Gabriel clicked his tongue in annoyance.

"Anyways, speaking of vessels," Gabriel said flippantly. "I was actually looking for one before I met you..."

"Oh," Harry asked confused, and slightly suspicious as he wondered where the angel was going with this.

"Yeah," the trickster said hesitantly. "You see, I'm not just an angel... I'm an archangel. I'm the sixth most powerful being in the universe."

Harry's eyes widened and his jaw dropped.

Gabriel was that powerful, and he wanted to help him?!

Gabriel chuckled, then continued, "So, you can imagine that I need a special vessel. They need to be able to contain my Grace—the energy I'm made of—or it could kill them."

"But, how can I help," Harry asked pouting in confusion.

"Well~," the angel said with a smirk. "When I healed you, I noticed something interesting."

"What was it," Harry asked.

"You'd be a perfect vessel," Gabriel said seriously.

Harry's eyes widened.

Him?!

"Now, don't get your panties in a twist," Gabriel said quickly before the boy panicked. "It doesn't mean it has to be you. I could find someone else. It's just that it might take awhile. I've already checked around here, and you're the only person I found."

Harry leaned back with his eyes closed. He couldn't wrap his head around this.

He prayed to an angel on a whim. His prayer worked and that angel came personally to answer his prayer. That angel turned out to be an archangel; one of the most powerful beings in the universe. And, now angels need vessels, and he was asked to be one. For the sixth most powering being in the universe.

How was this his life?!

Gabriel chuckled.

"Lot to take in, huh," Gabriel teased.

"You have no idea," Harry thought, and Gabriel laughed.

Right. Angels can read minds...

"Anyways, it's your choice," the archangel said. "I'm planning on helping you either way."

Harry sighed and pinched his nose.

Oh, he definitely had a migraine now.