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Chapter 4Leaving Behind the Known to Seek the Unknown
"Wai!"
"Aika-chan…" moaned Harry as the girl clung to him. "It'll be okay. I'll call you! And write!"
Aika sniffed and looked up at her best friend through red eyes.
"Promise?" she whispered.
"Promise," swore Harry, hugging her close. After a moment he released her and swept his foster mother up into his embrace.
"I'll miss you," she said in a slightly teary voice.
"Same here."
Haia smiled as she pulled away from him, her hand lifting to caress his cheek.
"Your mother would be so proud of you."
Harry blushed then bent and kissed her on either cheek, hugging her once more. William, who looked as distraught as his wife, then pulled him into a brief but strong hug.
"You be careful, Harry," he said as he pulled away from the teenager, holding him at arms length. "Your mum would come back from the dead to kill me if she ever found out I let you get yourself killed."
"She'd only torture you a little," said Harry with a smile. William laughed at that and clapped his foster son on the shoulder.
Moody, who looked exceedingly grumpy, growled, "C'mon, Potter. Portkey's about to activate."
"Hai," said Harry, walking over to where the old Auror stood. He reached up to make sure his hat was securely on then patted his pockets. The small bulges that were his shrunken luggage pressed against his palms and he smiled.
As he took his place beside Moody, one hand on the week old newspaper that would transport them to Wales in only a few moments, he felt a quavering of fear flutter in his belly. Turning, he looked at the only family he had known for his seventeen years.
William had one arm about Haia's shoulders and Aika was in Haia's arms, sobbing her heart out. Harry wanted so badly to stay, to cease his best friend's tears.
But something in him told him that he had to go to England. And whatever it was would not be denied.
"Hang on, Potter," growled Moody before the Portkey activated.
Harry grimaced as he felt the magical device jerk at his navel. He cast one last glance towards his family and then he was gone.
- - -
Dumbledore was sitting in his office playing a one-man game of chess when his door opened and Minerva McGonagall entered.
"Albus."
"Ah, Minerva," said Dumbledore as he leaned back in his chair to survey the board. "What brings you here?"
"Alastor has just passed through the gate. And there's a boy with him."
Dumbledore's eyes brightened and he leapt from his chair, rushing past the Deputy Headmistress. McGonagall blinked after him, having not seen him move so quickly since she had begun teaching. And he had been ninety-six years old then.
Frowning, she hurriedly followed him, very nearly running into him as she found him standing stock-still on the front steps. Looking across the grounds, she saw the all too recognizable figure of Alastor Moody limping towards them. The tall teenager that strode purposefully beside him was unfamiliar to her, however.
"Albus?" she inquired softly.
"Wait, Minerva," said Dumbledore. "Wait."
McGonagall blinked then frowned curiously as Moody as the scarred old Auror stepped into the light. He smiled grimly and grunted, "Albus…meet Harry Potter."
"Merlin's beard…" breathed McGonagall as the teenager stepped forward into the light. He couldn't be anyone but Lily's son. Not with those eyes…
"Hello," said Harry in a soft voice, glancing nervously from Dumbledore to McGonagall.
The old wizard smiled warmly and said, "Welcome to Hogwarts, Harry. I'm Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of the school. And this is Minerva McGonagall, our Transfiguration professor. Come inside, please. You as well, Alastor."
Moody grunted and lurched past McGonagall, leaving Harry to follow him. He smiled at her as he passed, a gentle smile that she immediately liked.
She just wondered how he could be alive. His body had been shown to her to identify, for Merlin's sake!
"I believe some explanations are in order," said Dumbledore as he led the way back to his office. He glanced at Harry over his shoulder and found the teenager staring wide-eyed at his surroundings. The bulky hat and coat the teenager wore seemed very suspicious to the old wizard.
This boy was a curiosity. And Albus Dumbledore was a collector of curiosities.
- - -
"Sit, please," said Dumbledore as he sank into the chair behind his desk. "Lemon drop?"
McGonagall declined with a polite shake of her head while Moody glared at the old wizard. Harry, however, leaned forward and took one, peering at it curiously before he popped it in his mouth. A small grin crossed his face a moment later and he said, "Those are good."
"Feel free to have another," offered Dumbledore, sitting the tin on his desk close to the teenager. Harry smiled and murmured a 'thank you'.
McGonagall looked at Dumbledore and said, "I think an explanation is in order, Albus. Surely you can't believe this is Harry Potter. We identified his body, for Merlin's sake!"
"No," said Harry matter-of-factly, "you identified my double's body."
McGonagall's jaw hung open in slack-jawed shock, causing Dumbledore to loose a small chuckle. She regained her composure quickly and glared at him.
Chuckling softly, Dumbledore looked at Harry and said, "Please explain, my boy. This is something we all wish to hear."
Harry bristled slightly at being called 'my boy' but shook off his ire.
He had a story to tell.
And tell he did. He edited it slightly, leaving out the fact that he was a half demon. When he finished, it seemed both McGonagall and Dumbledore were in shock. Moody just snorted from where he slouched in the chair to Harry's right.
"Well," said Dumbledore after a few moments, "that is indeed an interesting story. Now…would you mind explaining to me how James Potter can be your father when I see nothing of him in you?"
Harry went stock-still at the question and even stiller at the underlying menace within it. His demon half rippled angrily but he soothed it down with practiced ease.
"That is somewhat more – tricky – to explain, sir," he said slowly, picking his words carefully.
McGonagall arched her eyebrows as Dumbledore hmm'd and said, "Explain as you will, Mister Potter."
Harry gave a little start, not being used to being called by his birth name. Dumbledore noted this and frowned, asking, "What is it, Mister Potter?"
"It's just…I've never really gone by my real name. It – it's just a tad odd to be called by it, that's all."
"Ah."
"But," said Harry as he took a deep breath, "I think you wanted an explanation. And I'd say this situation warrants one. As you have figured out, sir, James Potter is not my father."
"Then who…?" asked McGonagall, staring at him.
Harry frowned and continued, "During my mother's stay in Japan, she met and fell in love with a man named Harper. No last name, no record, no home and no family. They were together for most of her time there and I am the result of that union. My father, Harper, was also murdered a month before I was born, so there's no sense attempting to contact him." He looked at the shocked look on McGonagall's face then at the pensive one on Dumbledore's. "You should also probably like to know," he added, "that my father was neither Muggle nor Wizard. He was an Akurei."
"A what?" asked McGonagall in confusion.
Dumbledore frowned at Harry, the twinkle that had been in his eyes fading.
"I believe," he said slowly, "that Mister Potter shall explain in a moment, Minerva."
"Yes, sir. My father was a demon, a very powerful one who was killed to prevent him from joining an uprising against a demon Lord. At least…that's the story I've been told."
McGonagall stared at Harry in wide-eyed horror as he sat calmly after he finished speaking. Dumbledore was giving the teenager the once-over with his eyes and Moody had both his eyes – the real and magical one – pinned on the back of Harry's head.
"So," grunted the old Auror after a moment, "you got any proof?"
Harry barked out a laugh at that, which caused Dumbledore to frown and McGonagall to jump. He turned his head to grin wryly at the Auror.
"Any proof? Why, yes, good sir, I do."
He stood up and unbuttoned his coat, shrugging out of it and letting it drop to the floor. McGonagall gasped appropriately and Harry smirked as he lifted his arm and removed his hat, allowing the rest of his long hair to cascade over his shoulders and down his back.
Dumbledore stared in shock at the pair of dark gray cat ears that poked out of the hair of the teenager standing before him. He then lowered his gaze and was doubly surprised to see a long, gray furred tail flicking back and forth behind the teen.
One gray ear twitched and Harry grinned widely, revealing a pair of long canines that – without the ears and tail – might have had him mistaken for a vampire. He forbade himself to reveal his claws. They had no need to know that he was armed with more than fangs and a wand.
Bending over, he retrieved his hat from the floor, placing it back on his head. Since he hadn't bothered to flatten his ears, the hat ended up squishing them down against the sides of his head so the gray tips poked out.
Sitting back down in his chair, Harry curled his tail up in his lap and waited for them to say something.
McGonagall was the first to speak.
"You," she said in a slightly choked voice. "You are…"
"Half demon?" suggested Harry. McGonagall just nodded and he smiled gently at her, saying, "I assure you, professor, I'm not dangerous. Unless I want to be, of course. But what human or animal isn't?"
"A slug?" suggested Moody gruffly.
Harry shot a small glare in the Auror's direction then looked at Dumbledore. He took a deep breath before he said, "If you would rather I return to Japan, I would hold with your decision, sir. As Headmaster here, I know you must put the safety of your students before all else and if you fear I would be a danger to them, I would not insist on staying."
I'd actually prefer not to, he added silently as he watched the aged wizard for his reply.
Dumbledore watched the young half demon sitting before him for a moment that seemed to stretch unto eternity before he said, "Minerva? What do you think?" He did not look at his Deputy Headmistress as he said this, instead keeping his eyes on Harry.
McGonagall coughed and gave Harry a long look before she spoke.
"I would be happy to have him in my class. And to ask you a few questions about demons."
Harry smiled and inclined his head towards her.
"I would be happy to oblige, sensei."
"Very well," said Dumbledore. "What do you think, Alastor?"
"I wouldn't have brought him here if I thought he was a danger," growled Moody in his gravely voice.
Dumbledore nodded and looked at Harry with a truly frosty gaze. Beside the teenager, McGonagall was surprised. She had never seen the old wizard eye a student with that gaze – with the exception of Severus Snape. But that was only after the boy had come to him after he'd joined Voldemort.
"Well, Mister Potter," he said softly. "We shall have a lot to do before September 1. Most importantly proving your identity to the Ministry without them discovering your rather…exotic…blood."
Harry bristled and hissed like a cat before he snarled, "Don't make my being half demon something to look down upon, Headmaster. I am proud of what I am."
"I don't mean to do anything of the sort, Mister Potter. In fact, I find it a very good thing for you to be proud of your ancestry." The old wizard's eyes darkened a little as he added, "There are some in the wizarding world who hate Muggles and Muggleborns…even when that blood runs in their own veins. And who will hate you for what you are should they find out."
"Hmm."
"Anything else you need me for, Albus?" grunted Moody.
Dumbledore looked at the Auror and replied, "If you could get in touch with Ima Foot for me, I would appreciate it. She can help us prove Mister Potter's identity to Cornelius and the world."
Moody grunted in response then limped out, wrapping his traveling cloak tightly about him. Harry glanced after him then looked back at Dumbledore.
"Where am I going to go?" he asked.
"There are guest rooms here. Minerva can show you to one," replied the headmaster. "I'll see if I can get Ima here so we can discuss how to get you declared alive again."
Harry nodded then looked at the woman who sat beside him. She frowned at Dumbledore then rose from her chair.
"Come then, Mister Potter."
"Yes, sensei," said Harry as he rose and followed her out of the office.
Dumbledore frowned at his closed door for a long moment before he turned towards the phoenix that sat on a perch behind his desk.
"What do you think of Mister Potter, old friend?" he asked the fiery-colored bird.
Fawkes lifted his graceful head and blinked his black eyes at the old wizard. He rustled his wings and crooned a soft note that sent warmth up the Headmaster's spine.
Dumbledore smiled and gave a little chuckle as he leaned back in his chair.
"Yes, I like him too."