Knowledge Comes At the Cost of Your Kin
Being a self-aware fetus had absolutely no perks, Harry had learned as much during his last rebirth. The womb was a lonely place, constricting and dark. being surrounded by water when you were so used to breathing was nearly torturous, like a constant sense of drowning. This time, however, the discomfort had doubled. He was sharing the already small womb with someone else.
'A twin,' he mused 'That's definitely new,' He thought back to a pair of twins in his original life and if fetuses could smile, Harry certainly would be. He hadn't much time to think about his new twin before the contractions started.
A mental sigh, the only kind he was capable of, escaped him. He rather hated being born. It was cold and bright and generally unpleasant. In an attempt to stay in their small bubble warmth for even a few hours longer, Harry pushed his... bodily flatmate towards the exit. He watched him get essentially sucked towards the entrance of the vagina and waved a little as he got ejected.
he floated around a little while longer before finally giving in to the contractions and letting himself be pushed towards out of the uterus.
As opposed to what many might think, birth was a tiring affair for everyone involved and babies were usually just as exhausted as their mothers after being birthed. Who would want to be pushed through a tight tube, into shocking light and temperatures, handled by unknown men and women, stabbed by needles, wrapped like a burrito and plopped into their mother's arms? certainly not him.
Swaddled tightly in one of his mother's arms as she gazed down at him, Harry felt an odd mixture of safety and uncomfortableness. He was an 80-year-old immortal! He didn't need to be swaddled and cradled. But when he let himself go he found that he enjoyed it. For a short while, Harry could let go of all his responsibilities and simply be.
"How blessed I am," His mother whispered as she held him and his twin brother. "I have been bestowed to beautiful boys. Light," She kissed his biologically older twin's forehead, "And Heri," She kissed his forehead, chapped lips against tender newborn skin.
A peal of giggles burst through his lips. It had been a long time since he's had a name so similar to his first and true name. 'Harry James Potter' he thought. That name carried a burden, a crushing weight he had been thankful to escape. Despite all of that it is his true name. Harry James Potter is all that Heri is and all that he will ever be.
He was pulled from his thoughts as his new mother bounced him soothingly and sung low and tunelessly. It was clear that he would be no musical talent in this life. Her voice, while not melodic, was soothing and lulled him into the waiting arms of Morpheus.
When Heri peeled his eyes open, having dreamt twisted memories of lives past, the light did not burn his retina as the hospital's harsh white light had, stabbing his eyes like divine knives. He could hear singing again, somewhere off outside the room. It was his mother, this time a little more in tune.
"We're only human," She sang as she came into view, cradling his brother, 'We can't see. Who we are is who we'll always be."
She approached neared his crib, oblivious to the fact that he was awake.
"Only human, after all. So we push and we shove with this thing we call love 'til we fall,"
She continued to hum, lyrics forgotten as she rocked Light. Suddenly feeling very sleepy, Heri let himself drift back to sleep, his mother's song playing in his head.
Heri's early childhood was full of songs. Songs about mortality and love. About games and hurricanes. Uncrossable lines and unethical men. He began to wonder if she was truly a squib seer (a rare occurrence but not impossible), a belief that did not abate all through his childhood. Seer or not, her songs were enchanting and imprinted themselves in his mind.
xxx
Heri could not be bothered to play baby this time around. He had already lived twice. He would admit that they had been very short lives, especially for a wizard who could live to nearly 200 years old. He would say his first word at 3 weeks, learn to walk at 4 months, learn to read at a year old. No one could stop him. He was labelled a genius, a prodigy. In reality, it would be very embarrassing for an eighty-year-old man to still pee in his pants (Perhaps not, many elderly muggles wore diapers).
His only regret in showing his genius to the world was that it drew the attention of the witches and wizards. Even with his core partially blocked off, it was much larger than that of any other infant. His accidental magic came in such large bursts that obliviators had shown up at his home several times. It had even gone so far that a pureblood politician had demanded a blood test for him to make sure that the "Filthy Muggles" hadn't stolen him from a "Respectable Pureblood Family". While the idea of the magical world letting one of the children they cherished so much get stolen, and by muggles to boot, was laughable, but it was nice to know that some things never changed.
A couple of months after Light and Heri's third birthday, the Yagami family welcomed a new member. Sweet little Sayu, a cherub looking baby who would not cease to gurgle and giggle until she fell asleep. Little Sayu was the only member of the Yagami family that got to experience magic. When he was sure no one was watching, he would animate her toys for her.
They attended many a tea party with all of Sayu's stuffed animal friends. In an effort to dress Heri properly, she had forced him into a long princess dress with puffed sleeves. He had magically grown out his hair for her to braid and brushes she saw fit. He even let her powder his cheeks, much to the amusement of his twin brother. And once Heri was properly dressed and powdered, she would instruct him on how to drink tea in an adorable broken English with her attempt at a British accent. Heri simply smirked as she instructed him to hold his teacup entirely wrong and narrowly avoided spilling it on his new pastel pink dress as he was growing rather fond of it.
His elder brother was also quite intelligent. While he didn't have the drive required to be a child prodigy, he was certainly not lacking in the brains department. Light Yagami was perhaps the most insightful child Heri had ever had the pleasure of meeting and the quickest study when he was truly interested in something. Ask him about trains and he would babble on for hours about the mechanisms of a steam engine but he had absolutely no idea which part of the Americas was called Canada. It soothed Heri slightly that he was intelligent, just hoping that he would not burn out trying to keep up with him.
His life was perfect before his reality crashed down on him.
xxx
His admittance letter to The Japanese Institution of Magic was, essentially, the start of it all.
"Heri!" Sayu squealed as he picked her up, threw her over his shoulder and carried her down the stairs.
"You can't spend all summer planning what to wear on the first day of school Sayu," He responded, ignoring her hands fisting his long hair, "Even aspiring fashion designers have to eat sometimes,"
"Don't be ridiculous, I already know what I'm wearing on the first day of school. We have school uniforms remember?" She flicked the back of his head, "The outfit is for going out with my friends afterwards,"
He sighed as he put her back down.
"Sayu, you're seven years old,"
"We're going to go play in the nearby park. Mama already said she would take me,"
Light snorted into his cereal where he was sitting nearby, covering his face with the day's newspaper and getting Sayu's attention.
"Hey! Light, I heard that!" She continued to pester Light who had to try harder and harder not to choke on his breakfast.
Heri shook his head as he looked on, watching his twin brother get tackled off his chair, taking the cereal and the paper down with him. He was preparing to intervene when he heard a sharp tap behind him. He whirled around to find a large Ural owl sitting on the windowsill as if it was perfectly normal for it to be there. It met his eyes before waving it's leg, showing off the letter tied there.
Careful not to alert Sayu and Light to the presence of the owl, he crept towards the window and opened it carefully. He untied the letter from the owl, shoved it into his pocket and gave him a few pieces of cereal.
"I'm sorry," He whispered, "That's all I have at the moment,"
The owl hooted in response. Heri cursed internally as he turned slowly back to where his siblings had been play-fighting.
"Heri..." Light started, "Is that an owl?"
"Er... Yes?"
"And why," He continued slowly as though he was talking to an imbecile, "Were you feeding a wild owl cereal?"
"I figured it might be hungry?"
Light raised an eyebrow.
"You are aware that owls of are birds of prey? They eat meat. Rodents; mice, rats, shrews, the like."
"Yes, I knew that,"
Light sighed.
"You are somehow both the smartest and dumbest person I've ever met," he told Heri sincerely, causing his twin to burst into laughter.
Light turned around, heading towards the shower as he was still soaked in milk. He climbed the stairs complaining to himself about idiot geniuses and owl whisperers.
Heri scurried upstairs as well, retreating into his room to open up the letter he had gotten off of the owl, curious as to who would be sending him wizarding mail. He should have expected it to be about school. Light wasn't exaggerating when he called him daft.
He pulled apart the ribbon bow keep it together and unrolled the delicate parchment,
'Yagami Heri,
You are hereby invited to attend Japan's Institute of Magic in the capacity of a first-year student. As your supply list will vary depending on your position within the school system, you are not required to bring any school supplies with you. They will be bought for you, paid for by your tuition.
The school you will be attending is the Magical side of the school, not the one the non-magicals so revere. While they are, in fact, run by the same person, the non-magical education is much less comprehensive for obvious reasons.
It is your choice whether or not you inform your parent(s) or guardian(s) of the true nature of your invitation to this school. We understand that not all non-magicals are accepting of magic. While some students will be required to pay tuition but should you decide not to tell your parents of the nature of your invitation, you will be receiving a 'full-ride scholarship' to the lowest branch of the Institute. This may not make sense to you but it will be further explained upon your arrival at the Branching Hall. Be aware that this decision may affect your status in the magical world.
Should you decide you wish to attend, a signature in blood will be required on the backside of this parchment. By your agreement, your magic will transport you into the Branching Hall and all further procedures will be explained.
Cordially,
Headmistress Saito of The Japanese Institution of Magic'
Heri pinched the bridge of his nose in exasperation. He had absolutely no idea what Japan's magical education system was like. His two lives had taken place in Britain and he had rarely ventured out of the country, knowing he had all eternity to visit the world. His second life had been spent building up enough money for him to live comfortably this life, a fail-safe for if he found himself kicked out or abused. He supposed that the money from his stint in the 1800s would be coming in handy for his possible tuition.
He sighed, pulling out the additional letter. He read it over and sighed in relief when he found it was much more comprehensive than the wizarding one. Just to be safe, he put the strongest compulsion charm he could on it without his wand (He would have to retrieve the elder wand from wherever it was at the moment) and stashed it in his wardrobe for when his father came home.
xxx
Yagami Soichiro knew that his sons were geniuses. It had been made abundantly clear to him ever since Heri had started reading at the tender young age of 13 months. Despite all this, he was still shocked beyond belief when his ten-year-old son handed him a signed scholarship letter for the most prestigious school in Japan. Simply named The Japan Institute, the school had formed the most influential and capable men and women of Japan. It also had notoriously high tuition fees.
He gaped at Heri for what seemed like hours. A colony of flies surely settled itself in this mouth. All the while, Heri went back to eating his supper calmly as though he hadn't been offered a full-ride scholarship to the greatest school on the island.
"Love?" His wife Sachiko pulled him out of his stupor. "Is everything alright?"
He turned to him eyes wide. "He hasn't told you?"
Sachiko's brows furrowed. "Told me what?"
Soichiro blinked and turned back to his son who was chewing delicately a slice of sausage.
"Heri. Would you perhaps like to explain this to the rest of the family?" He waved the piece of paper a little.
Heri wiped his mouth with a napkin. "I've been offered a scholarship for the Japan Institute. It will cover the rest of my schooling," he stabbed another sausage slice and popped it into his mouth.
Everyone at the table stared blankly at him. Light processed the news first.
"YOU WHAT?"
Heri opened his mouth to answer again but that was apparently not what Light wanted.
"You applied for a scholarship at THE MOST PRESTIGIOUS SCHOOL IN JAPAN without me? What did you think I was too stupid to get a scholarship too? Is this just the last step in your plan to completely outshine me?" he demanded, not seeing the irony in Light being outshined
"You-, I- Argh!" Light threw down his fork, not even letting Heri answer his question before stalking out of the room.
"I didn't- Light..." He nearly ran off after his brother before realising that the rest of his family was still staring at him dumbfounded.
"Can I go then?" He asked them calmly, disguising the hurt in his voice.
"Of course Heri. We could never deny you something like this,"
He gave them a half-smile before running after Light, supper forgotten.
Heri lingered outside Light's door. His hand rose decisively and three sharp knocks sounded against his brother's wooden door.
"Go away Heri," Light responded, voice thick with tears an betrayal.
"Light-"
"No,"
Heri sat down, beside the door leaning his forehead on the cool wood he spoke with surprisingly clearly. "I'll not be leaving before you open this door,"
"So be it,"
Heri curled his body up, still leaning on the door. He watched as every member of the family passed him on their way to bed, a silent glance full of pride cast at him as they walk by but Heri pays no attention to that. Soon enough, the lights in the hall go out. Heri loses himself in the ambient noises around him, hearing the echo of his mother's songs. They lulled him to sleep as easily as they did when he was a child. His eyes close and he welcomed the sweet, anodyne darkness.
xxx
Heri woke to the feeling of being kicked in the gut. It was not a pleasant feeling and it stirred up memories of a particularly overweight little boy.
He opened his eyes blearily, adjusting to the light that now shone through the windows. He glanced up to find Light standing over him with a scowl.
"The door's open, you can move now," He said icily.
Heri rolled out of the way if only to avoid being kicked again.
"Light, we need to talk,"
"Like hell we do," Light stomped away and he knew from previous experience that chasing after him would be a waste of time.
He trod back to his room, sat himself down at the desk he had pushed into a corner, staring at his letter. making a decision, he dug his letter opened into his hand, causing blood to well up. he dipped a quill into it and signed his name as Heri Yagami. He sighed, staring at his name, bright red against the delicate whites of the parchment. He felt as though he was betraying the Light by taking his place amount the students of The Institute.
No matter there was no turning back now. What was done was done and actions of the past dictated what was to come.