TATAKAI

CHAPTER ONE

When you feel all alone
And the world has turned its back on you
Give me a moment please to tame your wild wild heart
I know you feel like the walls are closing in on you
It's hard to find relief and people can be so cold
When darkness is upon your door and you feel like you can't take anymore

Let me be the one you call
If you jump I'll break your fall
Lift you up and fly away with you into the night
If you need to fall apart
I can mend a broken heart
If you need to crash then crash and burn
You're not alone

When you feel all alone
And a loyal friend is hard to find
You're caught in a one way street
With the monsters in your head
When hopes and dreams are far away and
You feel like you can't face the day

Let me be the one you call
If you jump I'll break your fall
Lift you up and fly away with you into the night
If you need to fall apart
I can mend a broken heart
If you need to crash then crash and burn
You're not alone

'Cause there has always been heartache and pain
And when it's over you'll breathe again
You'll breath again

When you feel all alone
And the world has turned its back on you
Give me a moment please
To tame your wild wild heart

Let me be the one you call
If you jump I'll break your fall
Lift you up and fly away with you into the night
If you need to fall apart
I can mend a broken heart
If you need to crash then crash and burn
You're not alone

(Crash and Burn: Savage Garden)

Harry Potter laid on his bed, wearing only a pair of shorts, in a small, enclosed space. The cupboard. In his hands was the small penknife Sirius gave him not two years ago. His trunk lay squishes up under the bed and his wand had been taken the second he got back (he would never think of this place as 'home') and locked in the kitchen drawer. Due to his lack of a shirt, Harry's chest was clearly visible, covered in dark bruises and cuts, his ribs sticking out prominently.

He stared at the roof, eyes blank and emotionless, and did not notice the door open and close of its own accord. That summer had been the worst in his entire existence. Harry's uncle had discovered that Sirius died and reckoned he had 'no reason to be scared of the boy, he never fought back and the freaks from the nuthouse couldn't do anything'. This, of course, had sent Harry into a deep depression ad he hadn't eaten or slept in weeks.

He hadn't said a word and only came out of his isolation was to perform the household tasks, after which he would retreat to the seclusion of the cupboard. His uncle thought him broken and was surprised at first when the boy didn't flinch at his blow. Truth was, Harry thought he deserved it. In his eyes, he was the reason that Sirius died, that his parents died, that all his friends were hurt.

Of course the Dursleys did nothing to help, telling him he was a freak and deserved to join his 'worthless godfather'. Just to label how pathetic he was his uncle went into the tiny room and carved the word 'FREAK' into Harry's chest in big, angry letters. Such was his holiday, everyday the same, he lost track of the date drowning in his guilt, his grief and self-loathing.

One day however stood out in his mind, he had had a strange dream. Harry could remember every detail.

F.L.A.S.H.B.A.C.K

Harry sat up, looking around wildly. He seemed to be in some strange Asian garden, it was beautiful. A small pond reflected the feeble sunlight, causing lights to dance on the wall nest to it, from behind, which a woman stepped out.

She was short and petite, with a pale, delicate face. She was obviously Japanese and wore a white silk kimono adorned with pink cherry blossoms. An aura of power radiated out from her, but it was not hostile.

"Hello, my name is Shidosha, are you Harry Potter?" she said in a soft voice.

"Yes, I'm Harry, where am I?" he asked, slowing backing up till he reached the fence.

"Of course, sorry, gomen nasai, you are in Morioka, in Japan" Shidosha replied.

"Why am I here? Why did you bring me here?" Harry asked, grimacing when he hit his head on a hanging ornament. Shidosha giggled.

"You are here," she said, crossing the bridge that separated them "because the taisho demanded it. I am in the year 1864 but have been told to give you a message from my granddaughter. They have heard about your destiny and wish to offer you protection and training for the upcoming war. The, war, which will shape the fate of the world."

"What kind of training?" he asked, curious. Shidosha then proceeded to explain that they would teach him wandless magic, hand-to-hand combat and train him in the way of tactics. Apparently he would also receive new powers.

Harry mentally weighed up the pros and the cons but in the end decided he had to stay with Ron and Hermione. Hermione. He opened his mouth to speak but the Japanese woman raised her hand, cutting him off.

"I understand. However if you change your mind, you need only to focus as hard as you possibly can on this garden and no matter where you are, you will be transported here. I must go now, Harry, sayonara"

With that she vanished and Harry woke up.

E.N.D F.L.A.S.H.B.A.C.K

Harry was torn out of his musings by a loud yell of "BOY!" followed by a threat to do something that would end in pain. It didn't matter though; Harry had stopped feeling about three weeks ago. No matter how hard he was hit, or with what, he didn't feel any pain. He had built up a resistance or gotten used to it, or something along those lines.

His uncles yelling was getting closer and suddenly the door was thrown open and Vernon grabbed Harry's hair and dragged him into the hall. Seeing the boy didn't react he threw his meaty hand into his stomach and was rewarded still with no reaction. He continued to hit the boy and after one particularly hard right hook, Harry fell over.

While he was regaining his balance, his uncle took advantage of his weakened state and wrenched his arm out of place, pulling him up the stairs. The beefy man pushed him into a spare room and began yelling and pointing but Harry really couldn't care less. Seeing his lack of interest, his uncle began to hit him again.

Harry rolled out into the hallway and Vernon stopped kicking him at the top of the stairs giving him time to stand up before he drew his fist back and caught Harry in the stomach. He was sent flying down the stairs. Still he made no noise.

His uncle disappeared for a few seconds before coming back into view holding a box of matches. The smile on his face meant they probably weren't going on a cake.

"Funny isn't it, all this time and I never thought of fire," he said casually as if talking to a friend over tea.

"Probably just too bloody thick more like it," Harry said, speaking for the first time. His voice was hoarse, not having been used in months.

His uncle shoved him into the small cupboard and Harry hit his head on the sharp corner of the bed, making him light-headed and dizzy. Upon doing this, the fat man smiled and lit up a match, illuminating his red face. He threw the match onto the boy's bare chest- and he didn't even flinch. Harry was pushed onto the bed and in his half-conscious state his uncle tied him up

"Scream boy, scream" his uncle taunted, lighting another match. But Harry wouldn't give him the satisfaction. Harry never cried, never begged, and never screamed. His uncle could say whatever he liked about Hogwarts- it wasn't going to make much difference. Harry let his uncle trash-talk him, his school, his owl, his kind but he snapped when his mother was mentioned.

"Your mother screamed- she begged for me to stop," Vernon said with a sick smile on his face. It was wiped off when the restraints holding him snapped and Harry launched himself at the larger man and began pounding his fists into the red and pudgy face. His uncle, unfortunately, caught his arm and in a 'snap' had broken his wrist. Now Vernon was pissed.

Harry found himself being pushed and kicked to the bathroom, where the tub lay, full of water. He took a breath; bracing himself- he knew what was going to happen. His head was thrust into the water and he weakly struggled back. Harry could still hear his uncle goading him.

After a while Harry was starting to feel heavy and tired. Am I dying? He ceased to struggle and lay still in the water, hoping his uncle would walk away and leave him. Vernon was a very stupid man- he insulted Harry's mother again.

"She stopped trying too, just lay there crying. Pathetic bitch." He sneered, thinking the boy to be unconscious or maybe even dead, he thought with a gleeful smile. He was sadly mistaken however, when Harry, hearing the last comment, brought his head out of the water and turned to face his uncle.

Vernon was terrified in the moment was scared. His nephew, the scrawny kid who never defended himself was standing tall ad defiant, his eyes blazing with anger, hate and a thirst for revenge. Harry moved so suddenly his uncle was on the floor before he knew what had happened, a large piece of broken glass at his throat.

Harry stood up and wordlessly summoned his trunk to him. Another wave of his hand and his wand appeared floating next to him. He snatched it up quickly and pointed it at his uncle who was shaking on the floor.

"You talk about my mother again and I will kill you," he said icily "I'm going now"

And with that he vanished. Unbeknownst to him the whole of Hogwarts School had been watching.