CHAPTER 5:

A PLACE TO CALL HOME

When Harry finally woke, it was to the concerned eyes of Rimuru. "Thank God you're awake!" Rimuru yelped. "I was worried you weren't ever going to wake!"

"…I might've been better off dead," Harry said bitterly, sitting up, wincing at his aching limbs. "I lost control again."

"Well, you didn't really hurt anyone," Rimuru said. "You attacked Ifrit, so…"

"My Stunner knocked her out and allowed Ifrit to gain control!" Harry snapped. "My magic only made things worse, again!"

"You couldn't have known that Harry…" Rimuru said, trying to console him.

"DON'T SAY THAT! I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN! INSTEAD, I GOT THIS PLACE BURNED DOWN, GOT PEOPLE KILLED!" he roared at the Slime, his self-loathing and fury directed outwards. "EVERY TIME I TRY TO HELP, IT MAKE THINGS WORSE!"

And then, Harry was drenched in cold water. As he stared at Rimuru, the culprit, in shock, Rimuru said, "Calm the actual hell down, Harry. Nobody's dead…well, not yet, anyway. And the only one who's looking to die is Shizue." He indicated the supine form of the Japanese Otherworlder on a nearby bed. "Great Sage told me you were suffering from a form of magical exhaustion, a bit like what happened with me when I Named the Goblins and Direwolves. But you're not a monster like I am. Your body was also exhausted, partly from the Obscurus, and I don't think the potions you nicked from Falmuth would do anything to help your recovery come sooner. But Shizue…she's dying."

"…She told me that earlier. But did Ifrit breaking loose make things worse?" Harry asked, welcoming the change in subject.

Rimuru nodded, despite being a Slime and not really having a head. "Her very soul's worn down. Don't worry, Veldora's making Ifrit his bitch in my stomach even as we speak. He'd better not drop the soap."

Harry, despite himself, chuckled weakly at the darkly comic joke. So…besides Shizue, nobody was dead, huh? Something to be thankful for. "Rimuru, I…"

"Harry, if it's some self-pitying crap about being a monster or not being welcome here, stow it. I am not getting rid of you. As it happens, Kabal and his friends have agreed on one thing. They're going to report you dead, burned alive by Ifrit. Hopefully, Falmuth will get off your case. Ifrit's meant to be one of the most powerful Elementals, so they'll probably buy it."

"…Maybe, assuming they're telling the truth," Harry said quietly.

As if on cue, Shizue shifted, moaning softly, before her eyes opened. A pained smile touched her lips. "…You're both okay. I'm glad."

Harry and Rimuru hurried over to her. "Is there anything we can do?" Harry asked.

Shizue shook her head. "…My time has come. A little sooner than I hoped, and I'd be lying if I said I had no regrets…but I'm still glad to have met you both." Harry could see her hair beginning to grey, and then whiten, lines and wrinkles eating into her face. She was ageing rapidly as she spoke. "Harry…remember what I said. Your powers needn't be a burden. Don't follow me down my path. Learn to master and control them…and learn to love your magic again. Harry…I bequeath to you my mask. Hopefully, it'll help you gain the control you need. And Rimuru…I bequeath to you my body. When I'm ready…consume it, use it for your own form. Harry…there's a few things I want to talk to Rimuru alone about. But once we're done…please come back, okay?"

Harry nodded, and left the hut. Rigurd was waiting outside. "You're awake, Harry?"

"Yeah. Look, I'm…"

"Don't say you're sorry. You didn't attack us with your Obscurus, Harry. Indeed, you attacked Ifrit, distracted it. You may have prevented a lot of damage," the Hobgoblin said. "True, you were a berserker, and to be honest, you scared the shit out of me. But…you took on Ifrit, and you helped buy Lord Rimuru time. Besides, I doubt Lord Rimuru would have taken it kindly if you left. The way he speaks with you and the Shizue woman…it's unlike how he speaks with others. It's subtle, his kindness is universal, but…well, he promised to explain later."

"If it's what I think it is, it's a long story." Harry glanced back at the hut. "He and Shizue are having a private talk."

"…A sad end to the life of the Conqueror of Flames," Rigurd remarked solemnly. "Even before Lord Rimuru graced us with his presence, we had heard tales of her, even in this area of the Great Forest of Jura."

"…Yeah. She didn't deserve what she went through," Harry said. "Rigurd…you're still fine with me staying here?"

"Well, for one thing, Lord Rimuru wants you here. And for another…you're a good lad, Harry, given a bad lot in life. For a human, anyway. But we Goblins knew what hardship was like. Lord Rimuru has given us not only strength, but dignity. You have no real malice in you. You know hardship, just as we do, and you have no ill-will towards us. So, why not?"

Harry chuckled bleakly. "You're a damn sight better than many humans I knew, even my relatives…"

Soon, Rimuru called Harry back into the hut. Shizue now looked at death's door. She claimed to be in her sixties, but her aged features could have been twice that. Yet her rheumy eyes still had a spark of vitality left. "…Harry?" she asked. "I just wished for you to see this. To witness my end."

"It's a pretty macabre thing to ask of me," Harry snarked despite himself, but even now, he was beginning to tear up. "…There's nothing we can do?"

"Nothing. Harry…remember what I told you, on the day we met. Don't spend your life like I did, and don't view your magic as a curse. Learn to love it again, and love yourself, for your magic is a part of your very being. I know, I'm sounding preachy, but…I've told Rimuru…no, Satoru what I want of him. These are my parting words to you."

Harry, after a moment, gently gathered Shizue up in a hug, his tears soaking into her shirt. "…I'm sorry I didn't get to know you better, Shizue. I wish I had known you sooner."

"So do I," Shizue said, even as Harry lowered her gently back to her bed. "Satoru…I'm ready."

Rimuru nodded, before his body burst all over Shizue. She was soon gone. And then, Rimuru began to warp and change. Eventually, what was sitting before him was a naked androgynous form, like a pre-teen child, with a shaggy mop of sky-blue hair and golden eyes, glimmering with tears.

It was like a younger version of Shizue, albeit more androgynous and with differing hair and eye colour. Harry, despite his grief, took up the blanket and draped it around the shoulders of Rimuru's new form. Rimuru, eventually, spoke. "…I gave her one last dream, to ease her passing," he said softly. "Of being with her mother. Or maybe that wasn't a dream, and she's gone over to her mother in the next world."

Harry gingerly knelt down, and picked up the last remaining thing from Shizue. Her mask. "What did she want to talk to you about? Or was that private?" Harry asked, trying to keep himself from feeling too sorrowful. For all that he only knew her for a short period, her death had still hit him hard.

"Not really. She spoke of her students. She didn't know where they were exactly. Somewhere in Ingrassia, I think. Plus, I want to go sock that Leon Cromwell guy in the nose, eventually. But, considering he's a Demon Lord, it'll be a mite difficult to do that now." Rimuru wiped his eyes. "…Okay, so…can you get Rigurd to get me some clothes before I see Kabal and his group? I think greeting them while naked would be awkward."

Harry scoffed, trying to find some humour in the sorrowful situation. "You haven't got much to show. I only caught a glimpse, but you're like a mannequin down there, or Action Man."

"Aww, man…"

Rigurd complied with the request for clothes, and Harry left Rimuru to explain what he could with Kabal's group. He was taking Shizue's mask in his hand, toying with it pensively as he walked through the village. His wanderings were somewhat aimless, until he came to the outskirts of the village, with a nearby hill.

He'd lost control. Once more, he had lost control because he wasn't strong enough. What's more, with that Stunner, he had made things worse, no matter what Rimuru claimed. He didn't deserve any good feelings from Rimuru or Rigaud or anyone else.

But where could he go? Falmuth was definitely a no-go. And if their bounties had spread far enough…well, he was going to be declared dead. Like it or not, this place was the best of a bad lot.

His eyes idly wandered to a nearby cliff edge. But he dismissed those thoughts almost instantly. For all that he hated himself, hated his magic…he feared death. He wanted to live. Suicide wasn't really on the agenda, despite everything he went through.

"Shizue," he said quietly to himself. "How did you cope with having Ifrit in you all these years? Fearing a slip-up could lead to everything you held dear being destroyed? Was it a purpose to live? I'm not sure I have anything like that anymore…hell, I'm not sure I even had it before I was chucked into Azkaban. Just adventure and coasting along on my fame. Maybe I should have asked you more useful stuff instead of bitching about my life. But…thanks for the gift, and your words. I dunno whether they were wasted on me…but I'll try not to waste them."

No reply, not that he was expecting one. But he continued. "Dumbledore told me once that, to the well-organised mind, death is but the next great adventure. I hope that, wherever you are, you're happy…"

Harry returned in time to see Rimuru giving out gifts to Kabal and his friends, equipment made by Kaijin. The trio left, giving farewells to them all. "…Can we trust them?" Harry asked.

"Shizue seemed to think we could. She wished she had friends and comrades like them. But she was very much an outsider to them," Rimuru said, leading Harry back to his hut, still in his human form, and thankfully clothed. "They've promised to report your death to Fuze. He sounds like a good man to get on our side, actually. But I've been thinking about what you said, about Falmuth. I spoke with those three about it, and I reckon I'll need to change my edicts about humans. Don't be the aggressors by any means, but if they pick a fight…well, self-defence is reasonable, right?"

"As long as they're reasonable. Falmuth would use any excuse. I can't speak for any other country, though," Harry said. "But you've got a community of monsters here. And I think they won't give a damn about these monsters being…well, decent people. On another note, you've taken to that new body well."

"It helps that I have the memory of being human. I'm a bit miffed about not having anything downstairs, but just having this body is a boon. True, it's weird seeing with just my eyes, as I could 'see' all-round with my Magic Sense." Rimuru sat down on his bed. "Anyway, I know everything's still a bit raw and all, but we need to talk. While you were fighting with Ifrit, Great Sage notified me of something that happened. You have a second Unique Skill, Blue Magic."

"…Blue Magic? Oh, right. For some reason, I got that notification whenever magic was used on me back in Falmuth," Harry said. "It claimed I could use the magic."

"I dunno how it happened, given this is another world and all, but, well, did you ever play a Final Fantasy game?"

"My cousin tried playing the seventh game, but he got bored. Plus, my uncle never liked that sort of thing."

"Ooh. Okay, Blue Magic is basically a style of magic whereupon you can use any magical ability that's been used on you," Rimuru said. "It's a bit like my Predator Unique Skill, though mine's like how Quina learns Blue Magic in the ninth game."

"Sorry, what?"

"Never mind. Basically, as long as you survive the attack, as long as it's magical, you can use it right back at your foes. You gained the ability to use those clone things of Ifrit, and his own fire. If spells were used on you in Falmuth, maybe you can use them."

"…I'm not sure I want to," Harry said morosely. "The only spell I remember is that locking curse. It basically makes the victim unable to disobey the orders of the caster. They still technically have their free will, but they're unable to disobey those commands."

"Well, we can fix that. Harry…we're going to get you stronger. We're going to have you able to take control of that Obscurus. And we'll make this place a good place to live, for all of us. So, what do you think? Do you want to make this place your new home?"

Harry stared into Rimuru's golden eyes in surprise. Home…now that he came to think of it, he had no place he could call home, even back on Earth. The Dursleys' house was no home, not to him, anyway. The Burrow was the Weasleys' home, and while Molly and the others made him welcome during his stay…he still felt like an outsider.

Hogwarts was the closest he felt to having a home. But he wasn't welcome there, not all the time. He'd rather stay at Hogwarts instead of the Dursleys, and yet Dumbledore insisted on him returning there. And his entry into the Tri-Wizard Tournament had made him feel very unwelcome for a good period of time, from students and even some of the teachers.

He still wanted to head back, if only to ensure his friends were okay, to find a way to stop Voldemort. But…he doubted he could find a home there. He didn't think he had a place in Magical Britain, not after everything.

But here? He had a fresh start at least. And Rimuru seemed nice enough. Maybe he could help him regain control. The Slime certainly was more powerful than him.

"Well, I dunno, but let's give it a shot, right?" Harry said.

"Great! Oh, and one last thing. I've been thinking over something. Naming doesn't usually work on humans, at least normally. But…well, whether it's because you were a wizard before you ended up here, or because of that Obscurus thing, or maybe something else…Great Sage reckons I could Name you, boost your power. You're practically a Majin, a Magicborn."

"And what if that makes the Obscurus worse?"

"What if it gives you more power to control it?" Rimuru countered. "Anyway, think of it as an adoption, with you as my brother, or son. I mean, I'm technically 37 years old, even if this Slime is less than a year old. Look…it's a big decision, I get it. I won't be offended if you say no. But no matter what…you have a home here, Harry."

You have a home here. Words that Harry wanted to hear, even if he was sceptical about whether it would ever stick. Spoken by one of the most stupidly kind individuals Harry had ever met.

Maybe he could have a home here. Maybe this would be his new home, in a new world. A new start…

CHAPTER 5 ANNOTATIONS:

So, Shizue's donated her body to Rimuru, and Harry's beginning his healing process.

Review-answering time! Thanks to those who praised Harry having the Unique Skill of Blue Magic. I was actually worried that Harry would not be able to catch up with other characters in the TenSura world, and as a few characters have multiple Unique Skills, I thought it wasn't unreasonable for Harry to have two.

That being said, compared to Rimuru's Predator Unique Skill and its later iterations, Blue Magic is nowhere near as OP or broken. Harry has to survive being hit with the magic in the first place, and while Rimuru and others teaching him spells can dial down the power, it's not a good thing to rely on in combat. Honestly, it's main use is because it is retrospective. In other words, any spell used on Harry in the Potterverse, he can use. This includes all three of the Unforgivables, as reluctant as Harry will be to use any of those…well, except for a certain Demon Lord.

However, it should be noted that, even when the Blue Magic activates, Harry does not master the learned magic straight away. In the above chapter, for example, Rimuru uses Water Manipulation to give Harry an impromptu cold shower to cool him down, thus giving Harry the same magic, but it takes training to actually learn how to use it to anywhere near the same extent as Rimuru. Harry's advantage, however, is that he will be a jack of all trades. What's more, he can learn a variety of healing and support magic this way.

Sparda B-312: He'll be closer to a mage than a mage knight, if that's what you mean. He'll still train a little with Hakurou in weapons, but his speciality is basically being an agile magic caster, using the Obscurus transformation to move rapidly and use hard-hitting spells and even physical attacks. Let's put it this way: by the time the Orc Lord battle comes around, Harry, albeit thanks to substantial help from Great Sage, is actually able to put in a good showing against the Orc Lord.

Jurassik-master: …You're kidding, right? I mean about Shion? Shion, bluntly, is a bimbo. In addition, Harry is a teenager, about 16 or so when this story began. Shion, I assume, is in her 20s or even 30s. Given the ages involved, the only options for a teenaged Harry are Shuna, Elen, and, given that her canon age is uncertain (I'm guessing anywhere from mid-teens to twenties, especially given Gabiru's immaturity), Souka.

As for Albis, she would be a potential pairing for an adult Harry, and one I considered, along with Treyni and Frey. Believe it or not, even Hinata Sakaguchi was on the list, despite what happens later in the series. But for a teenaged Harry, I chose Shuna, and I'm actually pleased with how I justified it in-story, and developed her character. I was uncertain for a period of time whether to choose Shuna, but what truly solidified it for me was her battle with Adalman in the sixth light novel.

But Shion? I like to have characters in pairings who actually have something substantial between their ears, not a wind tunnel. And for anyone who is a Shion fan? She gets called out on her canon behaviour, and hard. Not so much as to be substantially bashed, but, well, fair warning…

No numbered annotations this time.