Chapter One

"There now, is that better?" Moominmama's soothing voice cooed at the baby in her arms. He was wrapped in a fluffy blanket as he sat in her lap. She was pleasantly surprised he was old enough to eat soft foods with a bit of warm milk as well. He cuddled up to her in the candlelight, almost asleep in her warm fluff as she rocked in the rocking chair.

Moominpapa wasn't as convinced, always the worrywart of their small family.

"Mama, we don't even really know what he is or where he's from." He mumbled, looking at the baby curiously. Moominmama simply closed her eyes in contentment, slowly rocking Harry to sleep.

"Dear, does it matter? We'll love him regardless."

He hummed to himself, a finger on his chin in thought. "No, I suppose you're right. Hopefully, he doesn't eat too much…"

How wrong he was. Compared to Moomin, Harry ate very little but frequently. Moominpapa was always studying Harry as if trying to decide if he should be at ease. All while Moominmama loved him just as much as her own son. In fact, in her eyes, Harry was her son.

She loved him so much that she bundled him up every night to prevent him from being cold...Some would say too much.

"Moominmama, I think he doesn't like it very much," Moominpapa commented at the squirming and whining baby. Harry started pulling off the scarves and earmuffs Moominmama had put on him.

"Oh my, I suppose you're right...He just doesn't have fur and I worry he'll be chilled." She sighed as she helped take a few layers off.

"I know...I worry about him during hibernation too." Moominpapa said.

It was both their fears. That he wouldn't sleep like they do, that he'd be too cold or too hungry in the Winter Months.

She sat him back in the crib with Moomin. The tiny Moomintroll blinked at his brother with big dark blue eyes. His snout moving as he made noises to Harry. Harry looked at him strangely before putting a chubby hand on him, smiling as he felt his snout. Both babies babbled and giggled to one another as the parents watched.

Moominpapa wrapped an arm around Moominmama. "I'm sure he'll be okay. I'll stay up a bit longer to watch him." Her eyes lit up as she looked affectionately at her husband. "Oh, would you dear? That would make me feel so much better." She hugged him as they watched the babies start to settle down. Both snuggling up against one another with small, tired gurgles.

That night, the first snow flurries came. The Moomin couple put the crib in their room for precautionary measures. Mama already settled into her bed, looking at her sleeping babies.

"Wake me if anything happens, Moominpappa."

"Of course Dear." He sat up in their rocking chair, watching the babies. He glanced at his wife as she closed her eyes, soon drifting off to slumber.

He stifled a yawn as he sucked his pipe, watching the snowfall outside the window. The cold night frosted windows as a wind bellowed outside.

"Nope, gotta stay awake." He whispered to himself, choosing to read a book to pass the time.

Of course, that didn't work. Sometimes though the night, he dozed off. His book was forgotten in his lap as his pipe hung from his mouth. He startled himself awake.

'Oh no, is it spring?!' He frantically scrambled to check the crib at the thought. He let out a huge sigh as he saw booth Moomin and Harry completely asleep. Looking to the window, he saw it was still Winter.

'Well, that's a relief. I must have dozed off a few hours.'

He scratched his head as he saw a note of the crib, one that most definitely was not there before he fell asleep.

'How did that get there?' He thought as he unfolded the note to read.

"Harry may not be a Moomintroll but the spell of Moomin Valley shall fall over him every winter as it does everyone else.

Sleep well,

~ Hobgoblin."

"He couldn't have told us that sooner…" He grumbled as he folded the note back up. He took one last look at his son...And he supposed, his other son.

"Good winter, little ones. I'll see you in the spring." He smiled as he rested his tophat on the rack near his bed before allowing his own self to curl up under the covers and fall asleep.

Winter fell over the Valley. A thick blanket of snow drifted over every home and tree alike as a cold frost set in. It was still and eerily quiet the entire season. It stayed that way for many weeks.

That was until a bright sun peeked in the window. Surprisingly, Moominpapa was the first to wake up, eagerly racing to the children's crib.

"Well now, look at how you've grown!" He whispered with a grin. Moomin had gotten rounder but Harry had gotten longer, his legs cramped in the crib from the last few months of growth.

Harry awoke before Moomin, yawning to show a few new baby teeth. He blinked sleepily at the Moomin as Papa reached down for him.

"I knew you'd be okay! Your Mama worried for nothing!" He beamed at the little one in his arms as Harry stretched and grasped on to his fur.

"Looks like your brother is still sleeping...Let me show you your first spring in Moomin Valley!" He enthusiastically whispered, all while Moominmama cracked an eye open, smiling to herself knowingly.

They all lived together peacefully. Harry and Moomin growing very differently as the years passed. Both having different needs and different experiences. However, Moomin and Harry seemed to have similar personalities. Or at least, personalities that complimented one another.

Both brothers shared a room together. They played together and learned together. Only ever getting into arguments over Harry's stubborn streak and Moomin's careless thinking. But other than that, Harry and Moomin were like peas in a pod most of their childhood.

It wasn't long before the Moomin's realized that they've adopted a child was fairly different, but who wasn't in Moomin Valley?

He looked different. No tail, no fluff, and even a weird body. Little My was the only one that gave him trouble, but then again, she gave everyone trouble. But Sniff, Snufkin, Too-Ticky and any other resident in Moomin Valley was very considerate of Harry.

He acted like any other child in Moomin Valley.

However, they noticed he was bumping into things. So, he had to have glasses crafted for him by the Moomin doctor. He was somewhat miffed over it.

Sulking and hiding from everyone the day he got them.

"Harry, what's wrong?" Snorkmaiden sweetly asked as she passed Moomin house, both children barely 4 feet high. Harry hid his face in his knees as he sat on the back steps of his home.

"Nothing…" He muttered. Snorkmaiden quirked her head curiously. "Are you sure?"

He paused before raising his head to look at her. His round glasses gleamed in the sunlight.

"Oh, you have glasses!" She realized cheerfully. Harry averted his eyes, "You don't think they look weird?" She shook her head, "No, not at all! Snork wears glasses and I think he looks very smart with them."

Harry perked up a bit, "Do I look smart?"

She eyed him a moment before giving a firm nod. "Yes, I believe you do." She told him to matter a factly. He had a slight blush on his face.

That was a memory that stuck out prominently in Harry's mind. Of course, with how much that seemed to happen in Moomin Valley, that was just one of many.

Harry was around 11 years old and on an adventure with his friends. They took many adventures together. Some dangerous and some simply fun, but it always seemed to work out in the end.

This time, Snufkin was the one dragging them into another quest.

"Snufkin? What exactly are we looking for?" Moomin asked as they all walked towards the forest, the sun getting lower in the sky. Snufkin gave him a lazy smirk, "Well, if I told you, then what would be the fun of it?"

Little My stomped behind them, a prominent scowl on her face. "Don't worry Moomin, it's just another one of his dumb ideas." Snufkin raised a brow, "Hey, they're not always dumb." He defended, moving a branch out of the way for his friends.

Moomin looked behind him to see Harry, "Are you okay Harry? Watch your head."

"Yeah, I'm okay. Thanks." Harry said as he joined the rest of them passed the treeline, ducking under the branches as he stood taller than the others..

Everyone went in, all but Sniff and Snorkmaiden.

"I'm not going in there! What if there are poisonous plants?! Or a wild beast?!" He whined.

"Heh, the only beast you might see is Stinky. And the plants are mildly harmless." Snufkin offered. Sniff scoffed, "Mildly?! What does that even mean?!"

Snorkmaiden held her hands in front of her shyly. Harry smiled at her and offered a hand. "It's alright. I won't let anything bad happen to you."

"That's right, none of us will!" Moomin innocently promised while Snorkmaiden took Harry's hand. Her eyes lit up at Moomin and his declaration. "Oh Moomin, you mean it?" She asked as she released Harry's hand, walking closer to Moomin.

Harry sighed to himself. It was painfully obvious that his crush had a crush on his brother instead of him. He didn't hold it over Moomintrolls head. Moomin was pretty oblivious to hints, only caring about Snufkin and their adventures together.

"Woah, tough break." Little My muttered as she stayed behind, watching Moomin and Snorkmaiden follow Snufkin deeper into the woods. Harry faltered with a slight blush. "I-I don't know what you're talking about…" He muttered. Little My gave a smug smirk, "Yeah right."

She turned around to look back at Sniff. "Are you coming or what?!" She bellowed her tiny hands on her hips.

"No!" Sniff declared with his arms folded.

"Fine! Have fun with the sun in your eyes. You would slow us down anyway!" She ushered Harry to follow her. Harry obeyed, it was kind of hard not to where Little My was concerned…

It wasn't long before they heard twigs snapping behind them.

"You're all awful, bad, cruel friends!" Sniff exclaimed. "Oh, be quiet. You lived!" She retorted as they walked. "For now!" He argued back all while Harry watched there banter in amusement.

The boy finally spoke up, "Don't worry Sniff. One day, we'll look back at these moments like Moominpapa does his adventures with his childhood friends. Now, what if you weren't in the story? If you were remembered as the one that stayed behind?"

Little My let out a bark of laughter, "Ha! He could be the scaredy-cat. Can't wait to tell that to everyone."

"Well, now you can't cause I'm going!" Sniff confirmed as they caught up to the others.

Suddenly, Snufkin hushed them. He motioned for them, drawing them in. All their young eyes lit up in wonder as sparkle lights came into view.

Harry raised his brows and stepped closer to the clearing, hearing chimes and laughter ringing all around. The children gazed in awe at the magnificent light, sparkling in every hue as tiny figures danced and twirled in the air before descending to the ground. They joined hands, forming a ring as they giggled and skipped to a tune no one else could hear.

"What are they Snufkin?" Moomin whispered. Snufkin smiled, "I'd guess they're some sort of Fairy. They've done this every evening near sunset for the last week." He pointed to the sun setting on the horizon, it's orange light peeking through the trees.

"They're wonderful…" Harry murmured as he watched the light show. His eyes flickered to Snorkmaiden for a brief second. The rainbow hues reflected in her sparkling eyes as she watched them. He admired both the lights and her.

However, the fairies soon stopped. Everyone froze when they heard stomping. A furry figure stormed into the clearing. The fairies scattered but one wasn't fast enough. The gross creature kicked her away, sending her flying into the woods with a squeal.

Harry didn't hesitate to step out, even when Moomin tried to stop him. "Harry wait!-"

"Hey! Why did you do that?!" He demanded as the rest of his friends finally stepped out of the brush as well, glaring daggers at the disgusting beast in front of them.

"Why?! Cause their racket was annoying me every evening!" The creature spat.

"Hmf, it's a wonder you can hear anything with all that hair and fat around your ears!" Little My countered.

"No one asked you!... And what's it to any of you brats?! How about you get out of my woods!"

"You don't own the forest, Stinky," Snufkin said with a glare. Stinky sneered at them before pointing at Harry.

"Especially you! Look at you! You're not natural! Look at that weird mark on your forehead! Why don't you go back to wherever you came from?!" Stinky ranted as Harry stood his ground.

"Why don't I smack that ugly look off your face?! Maybe it would be an improvement, then all you gotta worry about is how you can hide your smell!" Little My growled as Sniff tried holding her back, eager to fight for her friends.

"Harry belongs here just as much as anyone else in Moomin Valley! He's my brother!" Moomin spoke up, stepping forward to stand beside Harry. Snufkin joined him, "Yeah, the only one that doesn't seem to belong in Moomin Valley is you. Hiding out in the woods... Seems like you're the 'unnatural' one."

Stinky huffed, his hair bristling.

"Brother?! Do you think THAT is your brother?! He's a weird thing that just showed up here! Your family is completely dumb, letting anything in that needs a home in like some strays!"

Harry felt his blood boil. He could handle any prejudice against himself, but he drew the line at anyone mocking someone he cared about.

"Take that back." He sneered at the creature in front of him. Stinky gave a nasty smirk, "Or what?!"

There was silence as Harry's eyes narrowed. He knew his friends were arguing back with Stinky, but he didn't hear them. All he could think of, was the fairy he kicked, his hateful rhetoric about his family and just how bad of a person Stinky was.

"Well, you can just- UUHH AARRGGGHH!" Stinky screamed as he was being levitated by his leg, hanging upside down by some invisible force. He started rising higher and higher in the air before being flung across the woods. Very fittingly similar to how he treated the poor fairy.

For a moment, everything was still...

Everyone blinked wide-eyed and confused, except for Harry. He seemed to be in a trance-like state for a few mere seconds before shaking himself out of it. He glimpsed at his friends who all stared at him in shock before his eyes darted to Stinky. The smelly creature hung from a tree, dizzy and disoriented from his flight.

'What...What happened?' Harry thought, blinking in confusion as all his friends stared at him.

"Harry? W-was that you?" Moomin hesitantly stepped towards his brother, gently laying a hand on his shoulder. Harry shook his head as he tried to rationalize what had just happened.

"I...I don't know!" He exclaimed nervously.

"Maybe it wasn't? Maybe it was the fairies? They did seem mad." Snorkmaiden gave to which Sniff violently shook his head in fear. "Na ah! No! Harry glared at him and made him go through the air!"

Little My rolled her eyes. "Oh yeah? Then do it again." She nudged Harry with her foot. Harry shrugged his shoulders and shook his head. "I can't! I don't even know what happened just now!"

Little My scoffed as she started walking away. "Well, if you ask me, there's no way something so neat would come from Harry. One of those fairies probably came back and gave Stinky what he deserved."

Harry tilted his head at her as she walked away. One minute, she was willing to fight for him and the next minute, she was making fun of him.

Sniff saw Harry look at him and jumped, quickly scattering to catch up to Little My. Snufkin seemed curious but indifferent as he shrugged and followed the other two. Snorkmaiden looked at him in a mixture of nervousness and awe while Moomin looked concerned.

"Are you sure you're okay Harry?" He asked. Harry nodded, trying to calm himself from whatever had just taken place. "Yes...Just please don't tell Mama and Papa! I don't want them to worry."

Moomin thought for a moment before nodding. "Okay, I won't. Let's get home, I bet Mama's cooking right now."

With that, they walked out of the forest. Stinky yelled at them from the tree but the kids ignored it, letting the foul thing dangle from the branch.

Harry spent the rest of the evening thinking about what had happened. Weird things always happened to him, but nothing that strange. Maybe Little My was right and it wasn't him? But deep down, he knew that wasn't true.

"Harry dear, are you sick? You barely touched your food." Moominmama commented as Harry stirred his stew, interrupting his train of thoughts.

Moomin and Harry both looked startled. Moomin tried to come to his brother's rescue, "Yeah, he said he had a tummy ache earlier!" He exclaimed.

"Oh really? Well, nothing something in Grandma's book can't fix." She smiled, oblivious as Harry visibly paled. A very distinct memory of some green gunk being fed to him as medicine during his last sickness.

"Oh er, no thanks Moominmama... I'll feel better with a good night's rest. Really!" Harry tried to convince her. She eyed him curiously before relenting.

"Alright, if that's what you want."

Harry breathed a sigh of relief, giving a subtle wink to his brother. Moomin smiled back and gave a thumbs up under the table.

"Good night Son, sleep tight," Moominpapa said as he finished his stew. "I will. Goodnight Mama, Papa, Moomin." With that, he parted. Walking through the entryway and then to the stairs. He was halfway up them when he heard a knock on the door.

'Huh, wonder who that is?' Harry walked down the stairs to answer. After all, it was nothing to have friends and strangers alike visit Moomin house.

He opened the door to see a very tall man. A man that, despite his odd attire and appearance, looked surprisingly like whatever Harry was.

"H-Hello?" Harry felt himself stutter as the older man's deep eyes bore into him. The man smiled as he spoke, "Good evening Harry...My, you've grown quite big since I last saw you."

Harry raised a brow in question. "Oh...Have we met?"

"Yes, when you were very young." He answered.

"Harry? Is someone here?" Moominpapa asked from the other room.

"Yes, Papa!"

Harry turned back to the stranger. "I'm sorry, who are you again?"

The tall man lifted his top hat in a half bow. "Thou may call me Hobgoblin, young wizard."

"Young...Wizard?" Harry's voice rose in confusion as his family came to see who was there.

"Ah, I see we do have compa-" Moominpappa faltered as he took in the sight of the man in the doorway. Moominmama looked just as surprised, following close behind her husband. Both Moomin's gaped in alarm, Mama even in fear. Some deep part of her was scared of Hobgoblin taking her baby boy away.

Hobgoblin smiled at them, seeing their obvious alarm.

"Don't be fearful. I merely came to let you know that it is time."

"Time for what, Sir?" Moomin asked, stepping out from behind his parents. Looking strangely at everyone's reaction to the odd man. Hobgoblin put his hat back on his head as he addressed the young Moomin.

"Time for young Harry to undergo his training, of course. May I come in?"