"Not Harry! Please... have mercy... have mercy... Not Harry! Not Harry! Please — I'll do anything!"
Simple words that would be the last memory of a loving Mother upon the mind of a child. The words of sacrifice that normally would mean nothing as a cruel figure took her life and then the life of her child but magic has a funny way of working in desperation.
Somehow, Lily Potter's desperation to save her son reached out past the barriers of the world. It reached out far, far beyond their world and dipped into an ancient sea beyond mortal comprehension. There a resting being felt the call, a familiar one, he had heard many calls for help in his many countless centuries since creation.
He, the first of many, awoken at the feeling of desperation with a gaze turning to the world beyond his. With his gaze he could see it as clear as day the dark figure looming over a child, an innocent infant, that cried out for their mother in pure terror.
A warm protective instinct ran through the being, even more when he felt a burning connection the child. 'Blood of my blood.' He rumbled before reaching out, feeling his consciousness shift.
"Avada Kedavra!" The dark figure flicked his wand, the flash of green rushing out to the infant but as it was about to strike the boy, time froze. All of reality frozen in time as the eternal being settled himself into the mind of the infant boy.
'Mrm... I see, I will not tolerate this.'
A golden glow filled the eyes of the screaming child as time resumed, the dark figure barely having time to take in the supernatural sight as the spell reflected right back into him with a sharp blast of dark magic, the rebounding nature of the magic even surprising the eternal being as hints of it slipped by to burn his Avatar's body leaving a cursed, lightning bolt scar upon his forehead.
'I am sorry, my child. Shh... I am here with you now, child.' As the glow left young Harry's eyes, a warmth filled his small body leaving him quiet and slowly falling back asleep as a dark figure came trudging in after him. "Lily?! Oh Merlin no... Harry!"
That was the last he would hear that man's voice for eleven years.
-x-
The being settled into the boy's mind, humming as the memories of the young mortal rushed through him though it didn't take long with the boy's only year of life. As the happy memories of a loving family filled his mind, the being couldn't help a remorseful feeling running through him.
'There is no greater shame than a child without parents. I am so sorry that I did not arrive sooner.'
The boy did not respond, barely capable of thought but he did seem to at least know the being felt bad. A wave of uncontrollable and childish happiness struck the being, the boy was trying to make him happy like he had his Mother when she read her sad adult books.
The being rumbled in amusement, sending out a calming wave to the mortal child to lull them to sleep once more. 'Now where are you being taken, my child...' He reached out, seeing through the boy's eyes as he witnessed a far older human carry him to a door.
"Are you certain, Albus? I have watched them all day and night, they are the absolute worst kind of muggles." A woman voice sound just out of the mortal's view, though her tone was distressed and it made a feeling of concern run through him.
'Muggle, hrm?' He casually glanced through his Avatar's memories again, ah there... His parents had mentioned the term, though naturally his Avatar could not ask what it meant so he simply dismissed it as 'silly word'. Ah the mind of a child.
Well, it wasn't helpful regardless! He heard the older human begin to respond so he broke his musings to focus back through the mortal's eyes. "They are his family, Minerva. They were take care of him, I am sure of it."
With a tone of finality in the mortal's voice, he carefully sat the basket with his avatar down at the door with a parchment note resting upon his chest. This made the being rumble with displeasure, the boy should be handed off personally after all to ensure his safety.
Regardless, the elder mortal waved his strange wand and a warm feeling descended over his Avatar's body, some spell if the being was to wager a guess. "Let's be off, I will ensure an eye is kept on him."
This seemed to relax the female mortal, letting them leave with a sharp pop after the elder pressed a button beside the door. The noise had startled his host and he began to cry before the being could calm him.
'Ah, my child. Do not worry-' "Petunia?! What is that noise?" A thin woman had opened the door and was staring at his host in confusion, gently picking him up and opening the note to read.
"Lily..." At first, the being noticed an expression of sorrow in the woman's face. This helped relax him... At least until she crumpled up the note and thrown it away with a look of utter disdain. "Your freaks finally turned on you."
'Ah... That's not good.' Still, the being hoped that perhaps her anger would calm after some time with his Avatar.
-x-
As it turns out, countless eons asleep in Aetherius meant he was woefully out of touch with just how petty humans can be. At first it was mild insult, mocking words about being a 'freak' and 'worthless'.
Frankly, the being considered that terrible enough to strike down this mortal family with his full divine wrath but given how restrained he was in a mortal's body, all he could do is try to mitigate the damage.
When the child began to think that 'Freak' was his name, he would whisper 'Harry James Potter' to the boy to ensure he would not forget himself. When he would be injured doing the chores, he would focus his power to help speed along the healing. Thankfully it was never anything major, scratches from roses or burns from cooking, things that still never should have occurred to a child.
The worst came during a bout of 'accidental magic' as he was fleeing from his aggressive cousin. With a sharp pop, the boy had teleported to the top of the school building, frankly the being thought it was an impressive bout of magic but evidently his family did not think so with how they were shrieking at him.
As his host went through the lecture, he sent out radiating calming waves to try to keep his anxiety down as he searched through his infant memories seeking out any clues on what to do. He could only find a faint overheard conversation between Lily, the mother, and James, the father, about how to enforce the child's room against any accidental magic that may occur.
Not... precisely helpful but it was a start, the being supposed. A blast of pain made the being jerk away from the memories and a low, rumbling draconian growl escaped him. Ignoring the rush of fear from his host as he seemed to hear the growl, he reached out with his power and once more froze time. He could only do this for so long but...
The mortal uncle had his belt off and was about to bring it down in a second strike to his host's back as his cousin held his arms down. 'Disgusting.' Once more ignore the spike of fear from his host, he reached out subtly twisting the Uncle's mind. The boy had been punished enough, simply dismiss him until supper.
With that, he restored time. Vernon Dursley blinked, reaching up to rub his eyes before shaking his head with a faint wobble of his flabby chins. "Hrmph, let him go Dudley." He barked to his son, who released the shivering Harry with a confused expression.
"Back to your cupboard, boy! And I don't want to see you out for the rest of the day!" Harry didn't think twice as he skittered away, hurriedly disappearing to his cupboard under the stairs as his aunt locked the door behind him.
He sat on his meager mattress, shuddering in terror with his legs curled in to be hugged to his chest. Harry bit his lip firmly, almost drawing blood as he closed his eyes. 'H-Hello?'
The being jerked in surprise, making Harry be flooded with the feeling of a pleasant surprise. As if learning he had more food at lunch than he expected or that the sun would shine despite weather reports.
'Hello, my child. I am surprised you could speak to me.'
Harry shuddered, his eyes clenching shut tightly. The voice was low and rumbling, a comforting sound, but even as young as he was he could feel the quiet strength just beneath the surface. 'W-Who are you?'
The being tilted his head, shaking away the cobwebs of his mind as he focused himself upon young Harry.
'I almost forgot myself, it seems. Ah, but at least I finally will have someone to speak to... Perhaps then I can chase away the effects of old age creeping up on me. It is good to finally speak to you Harry, you may call me Akatosh, the Dragon-God of Time.'