Hi again!

Next chapter is done but I must confess that I've spent a lot of time away from the computer last week. But that's how it is once in a while.

How are you all? Escaping reality with the rest of us? Welcome aboard! I'm your conductor for the next short while, or captain if you like flying or sailing more.

Once again thanks for the reviews, I really appreciate it! Serious-ly, thanks... Sorry, couldn't resist... Not sorry, I could resist but I didn't want to.

Now this chapter is borrowing quite a bit from the show, but I really think it's still a part I can't skip, since I'm able to show a bit more of Hari. I hope you'll like it and if not? Okay, fair enough, we all have our own taste.

I don't own Harry Potter or A:TLA and some of the dialog I've used in this chapter is borrowed from the show.

Still I hope you'll like it! Let the show begin!


Chapter 6

Aang walked up to a hilltop together with his three friends. They had been on their way for quite some time and were running out of provisions. Aang told them he knew of the perfect place to load up on stuff.

As they got to the top Aang spread his arms.

"The Earth Kingdom city of Omashu! I used to always come here to visit my friend Bumi."

They were looking at a major city built on a mountaintop surrounded by other mountains. The whole city was surrounded by a tall wall with a natural narrow bridge as the only way to get to and enter.

The city itself looked like 4 pyramids, one massive one in the back with two smaller pyramids in front and one last even smaller pyramid in front.

"Wow!" they went. Well it was a spectacular view.

"They have buildings here that don't melt!" Sokka whispered out loud.

"Did you hit your head on the way here Sokka or did the pretty warrior forget everything else you've seen before you met her?" Hari teased making Sokka blush reaching for his cheek, remembering Suki's goodbye.

"What pretty warrior?" Aang asked curiously.

"Noone! What are we standing around for? Let's go! How do we get in? Do we just walk or what?" Sokka said fast and began to walk.

"Yeah let's go!" Aang said and sprinted after Sokka.

"Wait, Aang! It could be dangerous if people find out you're the Avatar!" Katara shouted after them.

"Aang, didn't we just mention Kyoshi Island?" Hari shouted too.

That made Aang and Sokka stop, remembering what nearly happened to the village.

Sokka looked at Aang, "You need a disguise."

"What am I supposed to do? Grow a mustache?"

Aang, Katara and Sokka started looking at Appa, when it clicked for Hari what all three had in mind.

"How about no," Hari said, "We're not gonna take the chance by dressing Aang up as an old man. Who in the world would fall for something like that!"

One of the guards guarding the front gate to Omashu sneezed.

Hari looked at the three, "Listen, we're not gonna get in without a good story and the simpler the better. Here's what we'll do."

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As we find our quartet walking towards the gate they see three guards standing by the end of the bridge.

"Okay," Hari said, "remember our story but let me do the talking."

The other three were quiet but with their own private reasons.

Katara was quiet because she was both nervous and shy. She was walking very close to Hari, their shoulders touching and she was holding on to his arm in what was supposed to be a loving hold. She was blushing but tried to not show it, but didn't trust her voice so she just nodded.

Sokka was just nervous. He personally thought that the other plan might work but couldn't find any flaws in the plan except the fake names. They seemed strange but Hari said it'd work. He tried to walk naturally, but it came out a bit funny and stiff.

Aang was in deep thought. He was trying to find out how he could get away with his plan. Like Sokka he understood this plan and understood why it would work AND understood why it was necessary BUT that didn't mean he liked having his head wrapped in bandages, having to hide his tattoo. Yes Hari mentioned Kyoshi Island again, which he felt a bit guilty about, the reason being there was more than one reason why he wanted to go to Omashu, one of them similar to the reason he also had wanted to go to Kyoshi Island. This was nowhere near as dangerous but he had a feeling Hari wouldn't agree with this. His co-airbender could be a bit too older-brotherly sometimes.

When they got to the guards one of them earthbended a huge boulder above their heads.

"Halt! Who goes there!"

Hari took a step forward and said "My name is Neville Longbottom and this is my fiance Katie, my little brother and my hopefully soon to be brother-in-law. Our village got attacked by Fire Nation soldiers and we had to flee. We have come to Omashu seeking asylum. My brother got badly hurt and we barely got away unscathed." He gestured to Aang, whose head was bandaged up and Sokka. "My brother was hurt badly and my brother-in-law's arms were burned as he rescued him from our burning home." He wiped away a fake tear as Sokka looked down and poke at his arm wraps. "Do you think there's a chance for me to find work here? I want to be able to provide for my present and future family," Hari pulled Katara into a hug, making her hide her face in this chest to hide her blush, accidentally making it look as if she was trying to hide her tears.

"I know it's been hard but it's gonna be okay now," he said as he petted her head, "We're finally here. These brave soldiers will keep us safe now."

There was a sniffle and they looked up at the guards who all were looking like they were holding back tears. The main guard threw the boulder over the edge, coughed and said in a cracking voice "Young man, you have braved such dangers. I'm sure you'd be able to find a job here to support your… your…" he took a calming breath, "your family. Of course you're welcome in Omashu." He went over to Hari and gave him a hug that could've rivaled Molly Weasley, lifting him off the ground. It made him feel a little bad using their kind hearts like this but they needed supplies and there weren't any other villages around according to Aang.

As he was put down the guard looked at the others. "You're all welcome in Omashu! Open the gate!"

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As the gate closed behind them Hari turned to the others.

"Well, I told you it would work." He said with a smile.

"Wow, I didn't know you were such a good actor," Sokka said, "where did you learn that?"

"Well, here and there…" Hari answered with a shudder, thinking back to the times he used polyjuice potion. Now there's a taste we wouldn't miss. It was high up on the disgusting-scale together with skele-gro.

"So, what's the plan?" Aang asked. "I'd like to look a bit around."

Hari nodded, "Well, there's some stuff I have to get, so we got some time. Let's look a bit around together and then let's say we split up and return back here in 2 hours, that should be enough."

"Yes!" Aang punched in the air.

As they start to walk, Sokka asks "What that?" looking up at the intricate network of chutes spreading like a network all over the city.

Aang smiles at them. "It's the Omashu delivery system. Miles and miles of tubes and chutes. Earthbending brings the packages up, and gravity brings them down!"

"That's pretty cool Aang." Hari said, rubbing the young avatar's head. "How do you know all of this?"

"I used to have a good friend, Bumi, who lived here." Aang said with a smile, waving off Hari's hand.

As they reached the market, Hari turned around, "Okay, two hours, we meet here." He got three nods in return, turned around and headed into the ocean of people, but before Katara and Sokka could do the same, Aang grabbed them and said "Come with me! I need to show you something!"

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"One ride and then we go back to the market. Airbender's honor."

High up the city of Omashu, at the top of a very steep chute we find Aang, Katara and Sokka, sitting in one of Omashu's package carts, rocking back and forth on the edge.

Aang was smiling, this was why he wanted them to go to Omashu.

The siblings looked less enthused and slightly nervous. How did Aang get them aboard again?

"Aang," Katara said, "Are you sure this is a good ideaAAAH"

As she finished the sentence Aang had leaned forward sending them downwards picking up speed.

At the same time Hari was walking around the market, looking at all the different knick-knacks, foodwares and… well basically everything. This was his first visit to a big city in this world and his curiosity got the better of him. He had wanted to see this world he now called home, otherwise he might not have agreed with the idea of going to Omashu and instead headed North. He had a little bit of money he had found way back when in the Southern Air Temple. He always thought it might need them one day if he got the chance to travel and now he was here. He felt like the time he first entered Diagon Alley. Everything caught his attention! It was crowded, it was noisy and it was alive!

He haggled good-naturedly with some of the shopkeepers and got, what he believed, some good deals. He asked about the city and learned much, both about its history and their pride and trust in their ruler, King Bumi. He was having the time of his life and wondered if the others were having as much fun as him. He was itching to try some of the new spices he bought when he heard a couple of booms over the background noise but since nobody else seemed to be bothered by it he thought it was a normal occurrence and continued with his browsing, tuning out the sellers trying to get people's attention, trying to make them buy their stock. Knives, veggies, jewelry, clothes, etc.

He giggled a bit when he heard someone shouting about cabbages of all things, 'my cabbages!', he must be desperate.

Meanwhile our trio were being escorted by the city guards after crash landing on said cabbage-cart.

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It's been half an hour since they were supposed to meet and they weren't here and Hari was getting worried, but he decided to wait a bit more. As it started to near an hour he got very worried. It wasn't like them to not show up. Maybe Aang, he was young and impulsive, but at least, okay Sokka could also be a bit, but Katara would at least show up, she was a responsible girl! Something must have happened.

As he sat and wondered, a guy was walking by, grumbling while caressing a cabbage. Normally Hari wouldn't listen to the talk of a guy talking to a head of cabbage, but then again some of the words made him worry even more.

"... Youngsters… King… not understanding… three troublemakers… bald one… fake bandages… ponytail kid… hair loopies… off with their heads…"

Yep, it was them and it didn't sound good. Hari took his wares and went into an empty alleyway. When he was sure no one was around he flew to a rooftop and hid his bags out of sight. The sun was setting and he needed to work fast.

As he moved silently among the rooftops he could hear some guards talking about how they were looking for someone fitting his description and that he had to be captured and brought before their king. This changed things. He was now in enemy territory.

He saw some dark cloth hanging to dry between the buildings and snatched it quickly with a mental 'sorry'. He wrapped it around himself and shot straight up, hiding in the darkening sky.

He flew to what he knew to be the king's palace and entered one of the high windows. Talking to the shopkeepers had really paid off. Luckily the rooms were tall so he kept close to the ceiling. He believed that since there were no airbenders anymore people didn't really have that much reason to look up and so far it had paid off. A couple of people had walked under him without noticing him. Nearly all the rooms seemed to be connected with big air ducts to ventilate the palace. By listening to people talking he knew that he was making his way to the king.

He was hoping that he wouldn't be too hard to recognize, but from what people said, you couldn't miss him, and it would seem that they were right. King Bumi was wearing a flamboyant purple outfit that even Dumbledore would have a hard time to pull off.

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Bumi was walking alone down the empty hallway towards what would become Aang's first test. He had never lost hope but seeing Aang after a hundred years unchanged, was something he hadn't thought even in his wildest dreams. Bumi knew that he might not be completely sane, especially in his old age, but he always had a reason for the things he did. That's why his people trusted him, even with his eccentricities.

As he was thinking of how Aang would react to the tests he suddenly felt through his earthbending, someone appear right behind him out of nowhere, but before he could react he felt something sharp press against his throat.

"If you're an assassin, well done catching an old man, you must be proud." Bumi said with a cuckle, slowly getting into a stance, but stopping as more pressure is put on his throat.

"Never judge a person by their age, King Bumi, mightiest earthbender alive. Your people speak highly of you. Answer my question and no one gets hurt."

Bumi was surprised by the sound of the wouldbe assassins voice. "You sound quite young. Are you sure you have it in you to hurt someone?" He asked to gauge the young man's reaction hoping it would create an opening, but the answer he got was short and precise.

"Try me."

"The 'no threats but promise' type, eh? I can respect that. Never judge a person by their age, indeed. Ask away young one, but I don't promise an answer." Bumi says, eyes narrowing. He has been called a genius all his life, not without reason. Is this an assassin? Gathering information before removing him? How did he get in? To be this young and be able to elude his eathbendingsenses was not a small feat.

"Where's my friends." It's not posed as a question, but as an order, quiet but strong.

"Friends? Hmm… Oh I get it now! Don't you worry about the avatar and his companions, they're quite safe," Bumi said smiling, finishing with a smirk, "Mister Longbottom."

The change of tone surprised Hari but he didn't show it. He didn't completely trust this kooky king and he's still in what could be thought as enemy territory after all.

"Safe how." He said, tightening his grip a bit more.

"Easy, please! I feel that you're not the trusting type and probably with good reason. It's obvious that this kind of thing is not something new for you. For one so young you have my utmost respect… and my deepest condolences. You're different from your friends. They say that experience should fear the strength of youth but you seem to have both. Let me answer your question with a story. I believe it'll give you some answers."

There was something about the way the king spoke that made Hari reconsider. He sounded honest but also sad, like the story he had in mind was both personal and heavy. He hadn't tried anything. Hadn't threatened him or anything like that, plus that he had only heard good things about him from the people of the city, other than being eccentric. He let go of King Bumi and took a step back.

Bumi slowly turned around and saw the young man behind him. He didn't look older than the young watertribe boy but his eyes told of much more. There was not sadness behind them but something else… Ah! Calm built on acceptance and reconciliation.

"Come young one. Let us get comfortable. No reason to being uncomfortable while a story is being told."

Hari did a short bow, not removing his eyes from the king and followed him.

They reached a small comfortable room where Bumi sat down with a groan.

"Sit down, sit down. Help yourself to the fruit and rockcandy on the table. It's quite delicious!"

Wanting to show Bumi some trust, Hari reached out for the crystal lying on the table. What was up with old men and sweets? He took one of the greenish ones and took a small bite. It cracked like hard candy and tasted sweet like candi sugar, surprising him. It was both tastier and easier to eat than Hagrid's rock cakes!

"So nice to see someone else appreciate them, other than myself! They're quite delicious." Bumi said as he took one himself.

"Now I promised you a story. Long time ago, probably around a 100 years. I was a young boy having one of my best friends over for a visit. He was from the Southern Air Temple and his name was Aang."

Hari looked sharply at him. "You're thé Bumi?"

"I see your surprise," Bumi laughed, "and yes, I am thé Bumi, I guess Aang told about me. But let's continue.

We had a lot of fun, making a big ruckus every time he came by. I was, as I still am, a little mad, but in what I believe is a good way. Aang was one of my few friends. A friend who accepted me as I was and didn't bother about my way of thinking. It was the best time of my life.

Then one day I heard the news of his disappearance. It was like I lost a part of myself that day, it was a pain unlike any other.

Then the war came to our doorstep and I had no time to grieve. I had to learn how to fight and through that I learned how to put my mind into use, how to plan, how to lead. As the years passed my recognition grew but my heart was heavy still. I hadn't given myself time to grieve and it was only when I realized that I was going to take over the throne as the king of Omashu that I truly felt it, the weight of it all. It nearly overtook me.

War… it changes you, seldom to something better or greater but something bare and brittle, like lava rock.

I went on a trip into the surrounding mountains and trained myself in solitude. There I learned about myself, neutral jing and the 84 other types of jing. I came to terms with what had happened and what I had done in the war.

I returned to Omashu changed, was crowned king and has done my best ever since then, because you can't do better than your best, so I did, but a part of me waited. I felt it in my bones that the Age of the Avatar wasn't over, that Aang was still out there.

Then one day I'm being presented with three troublemakers, who not only lied their way into the city but also used the mail system as a personal funride, and wouldn't you know it. One of them is a bald kid who looked just like my old friend. I had to test it, but I felt it, I knew it, it was him! I had no idea how he was unchanged but it didn't matter.

Remembering our old foodfight I threw a piece of food at him and he reacted just as I remembered, using airbending to catch it, though not returning it back towards me as he used to do. It was obvious he didn't recognize me at all. I don't know why, I'm not that old!"

Cue the sounds of crickets

"Okay, I'm old… but I know that he knows me! So I prepared some tests for him." Bumi finished with a cackle and a snort.

Hari was deep in thought. Something told him that this truly was the old, no pun intended, Bumi that Aang used to know.

"Why the tests?" Hari asked.

"One, because I know it'll lead to him figuring out who I am and two, even though he is the avatar and an airbender his way of thinking has always been a bit straight forward," Hari found himself nodding at this, "so to teach him a little creative problem solving, I hope it'll make him less likely to see what others want you to see, and open his brains to all possibilities."

"So basically you're playing a major prank on your best friend as well as teaching him a lesson." Hari said, a smile blooming on his face.

"YES!" Bumo shouted, throwing his fists in the air.

"I wish I could help in any way?" Hari asked.

Bumi leaned back in his chair "Oh if I'd known a bit earlier we might have been able to make something but I already have the tests planned, prepared so… sorry no… But you're more than welcome to watch! We could dress you as one of our guards, with a fake mustache and everything and not even Momo would be able to recognize you." He said, winking

"How did you know about mo… you know what, forget it. Let's get a uniform. I don't want to miss this." Hari finished putting his hands on his knees and pushing himself to a standing position. "And by the way," he said while reaching out his hand to the old king, "I'm Hari, it's an honor to meet you King Bumi."

Bumi stood up and took Hari's hand in both of his. "The honor is all mine Hari. And by the way, Bumi will do between friends."

Hari reached out with his other hand and clasped it on Bumi's.

"Bumi it is then."

Then they bowed.

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Aang was frustrated, worried, scared and angry. He doesn't remember the last time he felt like this… Oh yeah… Kyoshi Island… How did he end up in these situations?!

Not only did he need to figure out how to get a lunchbox key trapped within a waterfall, how did they get it in there in the first place? Then there was Flopsie the giang goat gorilla. Being chased, running for your life was never fun and something he hope he'd never get too used to and now he had to fight the King himself! How could he have known he would be this strong? He looked nothing like- woops, nearly got hit by a boulder there- like that.

Not only tha- rock spike!- that but Katara and Sokka are being encashed alive in crystal!

The fight was dragging on and the king kept egging him on. If he wanted a fight, he'd get a fight.

The king suddenly changes his stance, earthbending slowly, looking like he's straining under his next move. Then there's a cracking noise and a huge chunk of the wall and balcony they had been standing on is torn out. Aang gasps and starts running in tight circles, creating a tornado. When the king flings the huge piece of wall it flies towards Aang but is caught in the tornado, slowly moved around by the strong winds but then thrown right back at the king

The king seeing this slams his hands together and pulls them apart, splitting the huge piece down the middle, but before he can recover Aang lands right in front of him, his staff aiming right at the king's throat. The king's arms are raised and Aang thinks that he's surrendering until a small pebble hits Aang on the head, making him look up, seeing a HUGE boulder hanging above them.

"Well done, Avatar. You fight with much fire in your heart." The king said as he lets himself fall backwards using earthbending to disappear and reappear next to Katara and Sokka who are now nearly gone! "You've passed all my tests. Now, you must answer one question."

"That's not fair!" Aang shouts, "You said you would release my friends if I finished your tests."

"Oh, but what's the point of tests if you don't learn anything? Answer this one question and I will set your friends free. What…" There is an intense second, "... is my name?" The king finishes with a smile. "From the looks of your friends I'd say you only have a few minutes." He said as he walked away, out of the room leaving Aang, Katara and Sokka behind.

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"So what do you think?"

Bumi was sitting at his throne, talking to a disguised Hari standing 'guard' next to him. They were discussing ideas of how to make the test either harder or what other test they could have put Aang through, but it didn't last long since they stopped as soon as Bumi said he felt someone approaching the doors to the throne room.

As the double doors opened Aang stepped through, walking up to Bumi, stopping shortly before he reached him.

"I solved the question the same way I solved the challenges. As you said a long time ago, I had to open my brain to the possibilities."

Bumi starts laughing happily with a snort while Aang's smile grows wider.

"Bumi, you're a mad genius." He says as he runs towards Bumi hugging him and being hugged back in return by the old king.

"Aang, it's so good to see you again. You haven't changed a bit! Literally."

"Uh, over here!" Katara shouts out loud as only a small part of her head is now visible.

"Little help please?" Comes from Sokka, who is completely covered except for his mouth.

Bumi looks over at them and reaches out, slowly making a fist and pulling back fast, breaking the crystals, making pieces fly everywhere and catching one of them. He takes a bite into the crystal.

"Creeping Crystal or Jennamite is made of rock candy. Delicious!"

"Wait," Katara said, "so this crazy old king is your old friend Bumi?"

"Who are you calling old?" Bumi said while pouting, shortly looking over at the disguised Hari who snorted. "Okay, I'm old."

"Why did you do all of this instead of just telling Aang who you were?" Sokka asked.

"First of all, it's really fun messing with people. But I do have more reasons than that." He turns towards Aang. "Aang, you have a very difficult task ahead. As you probably have seen by now, the world has changed in the hundred years that you've been gone. It's the duty of the Avatar to restore balance to the world. You have much to learn. You must master the four elements and confront the Fire Lord. It's not going to be an easy challenge so when you do so, I hope you will think like a mad genius!" He said with a cackle. "And it looks like you're in good hands. You'll need your friends to help you."

"Thank you for your wisdom," Aang said and bowed, "but before we lea-"

"Oh no!" Katara shouted, interrupting Aang.

"What's wrong Katara?" Sokka asked.

"Hari! He must be so worried!" She said, covering her mouth, eyes wide.

This makes the two others freeze, slowly looking at each other, eyes wide open.

"He must think we left him!" Aang said.

"I think it might be worse…" Katara said quietly.

"What do you mean?" Sokka asked.

"Appa is still outside the city, so if he went to Appa he would realize we haven't left. He would think something terrible happened to us."

"Oh no." Aang said in a small sad voice.

"We have to find him!" Sokka said, running for the door.

"Are you talking about your dark haired friend, dressed in old airbender attire?" Bumi asked.

"YES!" Three voices shouts back at him.

"Oh, my guards threw him out of the city, since he was running around looking for someone and making a ruckus. They were quite disappointed when they learned that the story he told the guards to get in wasn't true at all. Shame really…"

Silence…

"This is not good…" Sokka said slowly.

Aang looked very unhappy and Katara looked like she might cry when a voice said "That wasn't nice Bumi. I know you like to mess with people but that was pushing it."

The three turned around to look at one of the guards that stood by the throne. He took off his helmet and there was Hari looking at them. They wanted to run to him but his eyes made them stay in place.

"I might think he went a bit too far with this last joke, but I'm not happy with you all. I actually was worried! I infiltrated the castle after I heard that you had been captured for a joyride! What happened to laying low? And on top of that you didn't think about me at all during all of this? I'm disappointed…"

They all were all feeling guilty. Aang and Katara had teary eyes.

"That you didn't invite me! You know I like speed and I like going fast! I was completely left out! Seriously Aang, it's like you don't know me?"

That made them look up seeing him smiling.

"I'm still not completely happy with you but since nothing happened… come here!" He said, opening his arms.

It didn't take a second before his arms were filled and he fell backwards on the floor, both Aang and Katara hugging him. Sokka came over at a slower pace looking unsure what to do.

"Fistbump?" Hari asked.

"Yeah, fistbump." Sokka said with a smile putting his fist forwards, but before he knew it he was dragged onto the floor into the group hug.

"Oh, come on!" Sokka said.

"Stop grumbling, Sokka, you know you like it." Katara said, making him grumble more, but not leaving the hug or disagreeing.

As they got up they were all smiles.

"So Aang, what was it you wanted to ask Bumi?" Hari asked.

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Later that day, loud laughter could be heard through the city as three people with a love for high speeds and fast rides used the mailing system as their personal rollercoaster.