It was the mid of July and everything seemed very well in the Valley of Peace, two months had passed since the event with the Fluttering Finger Mindslip.
Outside the Jade Palace at the main gate, Po was giving a speech for something that he prepared with great enthusiasm, during that time Harry was in the hall sweeping, he was hearing Po's speech from there and wandered what it was all about. For him, Po never seemed so determined for something, but since he moved to the Jade Palace and started to know him better, he decided not to interfere while he was speaking. After several minutes, when Po finished his speech Master Tigress and Crane entered.
"Finished already?" Master Tigress asked.
"Yes Master Tigress I swept the floor from the door to the Moon Pool and with the door open for the dust to go." Harry said.
"Good, and don't need to go so much on details." She said before turning to leave.
"Is there anything else I have to do?" Harry asked.
"Well today everything seems to be calm, you can take a break." Crane said.
"Master, can I ask what Po's speech was all about?" Harry said.
"It was for the Festival of Figurines, where he goes every year." Crane said.
"What is this festival all about?" He asked.
"Every year, geeks are coming in costumes and they try to imitate moves, sayings and play with toys they call them action figurines of famous kung fu masters, they are always saying they are reconstructing events and say they are using kung fu moves but they are just fooling around." Crane explains.
"It is a total embarrassing for kung fu." Tigress said.
"Is it really that bad?" Harry asked.
"Oh yes it is. You can go see by yourself, but personally we don't recommend this." Crane said before he together with Tigress left.
Harry took note of his master's description but he wondered how bad could it be, maybe it will not be a problem if he goes there to see for himself.
He went outside the palace immediately, spread his wings and began to fly towards the festival, seeing Po together with Mantis on the road, at the entrance. He landed on the bridge and started to walk to the entrance, once there he noticed many bunnies, pigs, goats, and a crocodile who were dressed in costumes resembling different kung fu masters and playing with toys resembling them. For Harry it was totally ridiculous and embarrassing but decided not to say anything bad about that, then he heard an argument coming from Mantis, he went behind a stand not to be seen and noticed him arguing with Po.
"It's like a nerd bomb went out in here; they're all a bunch of geeks." Mantis said making some of them to stare at him angrily and then Po came and tried to calm them down saying:
"The Fest" he said and everyone calmed down and said the same in an excited tone.
"How did he manage to convince him I don't know." Harry said before walking a bit more and then noticed a stage where some were 'recreating' the scene of fight between Po and Tai Lung. When they began to imitate fighting, everything seemed like fooling around and after it was over and everyone left.
'Worst play ever' Harry said in his mind and then turned around.
"I have to get out of here, everything is so embarrassing." Harry muttered for no one to hear and he went outside where he noticed Po's goose father with his noodle cart.
"Hello mister Ping, what are you doing with your noodle cart?" Harry asked.
"Well, events like this are very enjoying, seeing new faces, meeting new people." He said but Harry knew what he was referring to.
"Really?" Harry said unimpressed.
"Actually it is very profitable for the business." Mr. Ping whispered.
"Of course, hope you will make a good profit sir and have least 20 new customers." Harry said.
"Oh I will pray to the heavens for that, thank you, uh Harry, isn't it?" Mr. Ping asked.
"Yes." He said.
"Please don't take me as rude, but why don't you change your name to a similar one, for many you're name is a bit awkward." Mr. Ping said.
"Oh right, well, hope I will see you well." Harry said before spreading his wings and went in the air towards the Jade Palace.
After his arrival, he went to the kitchen to eat something, it was almost time for lunch and there he meet his master at the table who noticed that he has an awkward face and knew why.
"You were at the festival Harry?" Crane asked making him shocked.
"Yes, master." He admitted.
"And how was it?" Crane said putting a plate with three dumplings in front of him.
"You were right, it was totally embarrassing, and some things were totally ridiculous." Harry said.
"At least you know now how it is." Crane said.
"For how long will it be in town?" Harry asked.
"For another three days." Crane said.
"I don't want to be rude, but I hope it will rain in the last two days." Harry said.
"I can't say I don't agree, but I have to admit that it didn't rain for five weeks and everything is really dry, one single spark and everything will be on fire." Crane said before adding "I think a little rain will not do anybody any harm."
The next day everything was the same, the festival was still in town, Po and surprisingly Mantis went there again.
Meanwhile, Harry with Crane were in the training hall making practices on the targets for three hours and a half together with flying moves outside, stretching exercises and tai chi.
The training went well but the heat was really irritating, especially in the training hall, it was really unbearable and the air was really dry it could really start a fire. While doing the exercises on the targets who looked like crocodile bandits, Harry was beginning to show signs of getting tired but he tried to go on. Crane noticed and wanted to tell him to stop but just then three more targets appeared, at the first one he used his wing to punch it aside, at the second one he hit it with his foot making it to go aside three centimeters away and at the last one he took three stars from the table and threw them but only one hit the target, he then grabbed the stars and wanted to try but just in that moment Crane grabbed his right wing who was ready to throw the stars.
"All right Harry, it is enough for now, I think you pushed your self too much now." Crane said while taking the stars and he began to breathe rapidly then usual.
"Ma…master….can I….take a…take a break?" Harry asked breathing heavily.
"Of course you can." Crane said.
"Thank you." He said glaring at him while catching his breath. After several minutes of resting he glared at his master wanting to ask a question.
"Master can I ask you a question?" Harry said.
"Sure, what is it?" Crane asked.
"I wanted to ask if I can fly around to spread my wings a bit." He said.
"Of course, but don't fly too close to the sun and don't watch at it, the light can reflect in the lenses of your glasses and blind you."
"I will keep that in mind." Harry said before turning around and went into the sky, while flying he could feel and enjoy the cold breeze in his face and the landscape below him. Since he became a crane, flying was the best thing he could enjoy aside training, it seemed that he had it in his blood and was very good at it; even his master said that he was a natural talent. And then he noticed some small white clouds in the distance and decided to fly through them, while flying between them he could feel the cold air in his wings.
"This is much better." He said before thinking about the villagers who had to bare the heat. "I wish they could bring rain for the others to cool down." And then he turned around towards the Jade Palace, behind him the white clouds turned gray and began to gather to form rain clouds and went towards the Valley of Peace. Crane was at the gate waiting for his student, he was thinking if it is better to go after him to make shore he is all right but after two minutes he noticed him at the distance who was coming really fast and he tried to make a sign to tell him, Harry wasn't sure what he wanted to say but then he realized and tried to slow down but without too much success and he crashed in front of him.
"Are you all right?" Crane asked worried.
"Yes, yes master, sorry for that I think I got overboard." Harry said.
"I know that." He said and helped him to get up and then he noticed the clouds.
"It seems that a rain will come soon." He said before Harry turned around to look.
"Strange, earlier they were white." He said.
"Maybe." Crane said before turning towards him "It is good that you came back now, and didn't venture too much, you never know when a storm could start."
"At least it will cool down, the heat is totally unbearable." Harry said and both them went inside. After a few hours it began to rain to Po and Mantis's disappointment the rest of the festival had to be canceled because of it, but for the rest of the furious five it wasn't a great loss some like monkey enjoyed the fact that it will cool down at last, the rain lasted for two days but the life went on as usual without too much disturbance or unusual events.
Meanwhile at Hogwarts, Professor Dumbledore together with the other house masters were watching through the Mirror of the Seeker to see how things are going. Since he went in the other world they have been watching upon him, what was happening and how his powers were evolving.
"It seems that his magic began to burst more and more by the day, for, he is using it without knowing it." Professor McGonagall said.
"Together with his mind and knowledge." Professor Flitwig said.
"Indeed, together with his loyalty towards his master and the others." Dumbledore said.
"Yes, but I have to ask, how will kung fu help him in the confrontation with the dark lord?" Professor Snape asked.
"He is right Albus, if you-know-who will return this kung fu will be no match for him." Professor McGonagall said worried.
"I know but we can not bring him back, both him and the animals will see it as a kidnapping." He said.
"Than what can we do if we can't bring him back?" Professor Sprout asked.
"I officially believe that his first encounter with the dark lord will be in that world, but I believe he will need both magic and kung fu in order to defeat him." Dumbledore said.
"But how will he learn magic if he doesn't have notes, books, the wand and a cauldron?" Professor Flitwig asked.
"We will send them by magic together with some notes; from what we have seen, even he began to notice the strange things that happen around him, he will surely realize that the odd and unexplainable things that are going on are coming from him, he will began to study magic on his own." Albus said.
"Yes, but there is another problem; that clumsy Panda will surely interfere and try to drive him away from his studies, since he came he was always distracting them from the training." Severus said.
"We know that Severus, you said that many times, you always preferred the female tiger." Professor Sprout said.
"At least she teaches him discipline and respect." He said, remembering how James was when they were students at Hogwarts, the thing that his son ended up in an other world where he became a crane and is thought kung fu by another one was something, but he considers that the tiger who was very harsh with him was good because she made him different from his father.
"Indeed, but I believe that neither the Panda nor the others will be a problem, because he will keep it a secret." Professor Dumbledore said.
"What makes you think that?" Professor McGonagall asked confused.
"He will think that if he tells the others they will see him as a freak and will practice magic in secret, thinking that if he will not do it his powers will start going out of control. In order to prevent this he will practice it every day."
The great bearded wizard explained, the other teachers weren't sure of what to say but they all trusted the headmaster's words and with some doubts they all agreed on what to do. Now after they're insurance they could concentrate on another mater: how to protect the Philosopher's Stone. Dumbledore then had a thought that came to his mind but he didn't tell anyone.
It was now the 31's of July and everything went fine at the Jade Palace, Harry was following his program without interruption, but there was something that he was keeping to himself and of course he didn't want to talk about it. He tried to behave as normal as he could in order to not be seen that he is hiding something. But this didn't go well because Viper, Crane and Tigress noticed that he is hiding something. They together with Mantis and Monkey were now in the Hall of the Warriors discussing about Harry's behavior.
"He didn't talk all the training and when he was tired he didn't ask for a break." Crane said.
"Indeed he is usually asking what will he do next or later." Viper said concerned about him.
"He is surely hiding something." Tigress said in a suspicious tone.
"But what could he be hiding from us? Could it be about his parents?" Mantis asked.
"No, his parents died in October and tomorrow will be the 1st of august." Crane said making Viper to think.
"Then it could be something else…..maybe." And then the answer came to her mind "Wait, did he ever said when his birthday is?"
"No he didn't." Monkey said before remembering that since he came he didn't say anything about his birthday.
"Wait, it means that." Monkey said realizing that….
"Today is his birthday!" Mantis said realizing.
"Why didn't he tell us that today is his birthday?" Viper said.
"Maybe it was during the time with his relatives who didn't wanted to think about him at all he got used to it and didn't wanted to bother us with it." Tigress said.
"Yes but he isn't with his relatives anymore, we should at least give him something to feel better, after all he is a good student here." Monkey said.
"Yeah we should give him at least something." Mantis said and Crane then began to think and he knew what to do. Several minutes later he was near Harry's room holding a bow staff behind him, after making a few more steps he knocked at the door.
"Come in." Harry said while looking outside before turning around when the door opened and he bowed to his master.
"I was hoping to find you here." Crane said smiling at him.
"I am always here at this moment, master." Harry said.
"I want to give you something." Crane said, and showed the bow staff and said. "Happy Birthday."
"Thanks, but how did you find out it's my birthday?" Harry asked taking the bow stuff.
"We noticed your strange behavior, Harry, and of course we knew that you never told us when your birthday is, so we realized it is today." Crane said with a smile.
"Oh, right." He said taking a long look at the bow stuff that was brand new, feeling a bit silly about this.
"I know that you didn't tell us because of your relatives and because you didn't wanted to bother us, but you don't need to think about them anymore. Besides you are very young, it will be unfair to not celebrate your birthday at your age." Crane said with a soft smile holding his wing on his shoulder.
"The bow staff?" Harry asked.
"It is yours now, you own this bow staff." Crane said. For Harry this was the first present he ever received in his life, he didn't know how to express his happiness now.
"Thank you for the present Master." Harry said with a smile bowing to him.
"Follow me; the others would want to congratulate you as well." Crane said and both of them went towards the Hall of the warriors, but behind them without knowing, a white light appeared and left a box with a small emerald green cake inside.
The rest of the day was very good for Harry for the first time he had a great birthday, aside from the bow staff he received as a present from his master, he also received a training sword from Mantis, a red scarf from Viper and a moon cake from Po, he can consider that it truly was the best birthday he had in years. Evening came really fast it was almost the time for the lights out, Harry went to his room to prepare for the night and when he opened the door he noticed the box on the table next to the window. In doubt, he went to open it and saw the emerald green cake; on it was written in Chinese 'Happy Birthday.'
Harry was thinking who could send this cake to him; one of the Furious Five, Shifu, Po he didn't know who. Just in that moment Crane, Viper, Tigress and Po came.
"So did you like the day?" Viper said with a smile.
"Yes everything was great." He answered but Crane noticed his little hesitation in asking a question.
"Harry, is there something you need to ask?" Crane asked.
"Well, someone made me this cake and I wanted to ask who did it." Harry said.
"Po, did you bake that cake in secret?" Tigress asked.
"Well, I wish I could have done it." Po said while watching the cake in the box "But I didn't."
"Well maybe you." He said pointing at Crane.
"I didn't and I don't think Monkey or Mantis did." He said.
"Neither did I. Viper?" Tigress said.
"No." she said.
"Then, who did?" Harry asked before noticing a small note on the box, he took it and placed the cake on his desk and started to read.
'Hope you liked the surprise and enjoy the cake. Signed, an anonymous friendly.'
"What could that mean?" Harry asked.
"This kind of message sometimes could mean a trap; in this case the cake could have something that should not be eaten." Tigress said but then he noticed Po eating a little from the cake.
"Po, what are you doing, it could be poisoned!" Tigress said.
"Actually it tastes pretty good to me." Po said while licking his fingers.
"I believe that the only poison is what makes it really sweet." Po said and the others then took a small piece of cake.
"Mmm, he is right it is truly delicious." Viper said having some green glaze on her mouth.
"Don't know who cooked it but it is really good." Crane said while he and Harry were eating.
"You surely don't want a piece of it?" Viper asked.
"All right, but don't say that I didn't tell you." Tigress said while taking a small piece and with some doubts he took a bite from it and after waiting for some minutes Po asked.
"Soooow?"
"All right it's not poisoned." She said making Po smile proudly that this time he was right.
"But you will wash your mouth won't you, this glaze is really sticky." Tigress said.
