"Sister Chenguang, Why have you convened this council?" asked one of the elder monks pleasantly.
Chenguang took a minute to word her response properly "Master Ru, fellow Monks and Sisters. I come to you to make a very unusual request. This past month I was contacted by Venerable Master Yun of the London Fo Guang Shan Temple. He asked me to come and meet a young boy that had been left at the temple threshold with nothing but a note for whomever found him. The boy was left there to protect him from his hateful uncle by his aunt. The letter said the boy had strange abilities and that her husband used them as an excuse to hurt the child. Yun took the child in and nursed him back to health as it is quite cold there this time of year."
The council listened having a good idea where this was going, but were patient enough to allow her to continue.
"During his convalescence the boy had bouts of extreme emotions brought on by his nightmares that caused the earth to shake. When he recovered and played with the children that came to service he displayed other talents as well. Being able to run and jump like an airbender, when he woke up one morning he stretched with a yawn and used the breath of fire. It was amazing to see one so young instinctually use such techniques. I asked a healer, Master Chang Xuan to stop by the temple and show the child the first exercise for water bending and the boy was able to intentionally bend with little effort. Master Xuan examined him as well and said his chi was more powerful then a fully trained Avatar and flowed like the rapids of a great river…"
Chenguang was interrupted by one of the sterner looking Nuns
"Sister I do not meant to be rude, but it seems you wish for the boy to be trained in our ways. This is not an unusual request by any means and did not need to approval of the elders. If it is all the same I would like to give my consent to train the lad after all it is not everyday you find someone with a natural affinity for all four elements." said Sister Huizhong the others were nodding their approval.
Shaking her head Chenguang continues "I thank you, but there is more to my request… As I said this boy is very powerful, and there are several problems to be dealt with should he be taken as an apprentice. First he is one of the magical population of the United Kingdom and considered a national hero to them despite his age."
The monks looked a little uneasy with the sisters words, knowing very well what kind of attitudes magical Britain had towards the other magic around the world. Wisely they held there tongues.
"Second, the boy has a darkness in his soul because the treatment by his uncle and tends to act out of anger and fear which will cause some problems when he learns fire bending. He is however learning to let go of these feelings, but it will be much time before he can truly let go. Third, he has struck a friendship with Master Xuan's granddaughter and I am personally trying to encourage this friendship in hope that it will help the boy achieve emotional stability."
The monks and nuns still had no problems with what she was saying. It was true most children who suffered trauma like what they assumed the boy did often had issues to work through.
Chenguang let the information settle before letting the hammer fall. "I would like for the boy to be apprenticed at my temple under my care…"
That started the council grumbling, it was there way to train boys and girls separately between the four temples even warriors training in the ways of the avatar had to adhere to this tradition. By the look on Chenguang's face there was more to come "Also because of the boys power I would also like to have Master Xuan and his granddaughter train with the boy as well. Xuan has already agreed to teach him and is looking for masters of earth and fire bending and hopefully they will have other students as well."
Master Ru silenced every one with a wave of his hand "Chenguang, I do not understand. Why propose such an idea? Having the boy at the eastern temple is one thing but the others as well? Can you elaborate more."
"Simply put Master, the boy is not trusting of most males he has come across except for Masters Yun, Xuan and the other monks of the Fo Guang Temple. To thrust him into a situation where he will be surrounded by men might do more damage than good right now. The boys power is great enough now that training in all four elements is needed if anything to temper his control. I dare say over the last month I have grown accustomed to the boy and think of him as one of my own. I don't think I could harm him like that even for the sake of tradition." she finished.
The council sat silently looking back and forth to each other. It was their nature to do no harm and the nun before them made a compelling argument. With no doubt in the others eyes Master Ru spoke "Sister Wei Chenguang, it is the decision of the council to grant your request. However I have some stipulations. First when your charge is better settled I would like for Gyatso to share the responsibility of raising him. Second, I would suggest at some point down the road to take him to visit with various people of the nations including some of the avatars. Finally I will help council him personally to let go of his pain, so plan on making regular travel plans to the southern temple. Now tell us this his name so that we don't have to call him boy when he arrives.
Chenguang smiled at Ru knowing this name would send him and the council over the edge. "His name is Harry Potter"
The council literally fell back from shock.
-The Years After-
14 year old Harry Potter sat on one of the many rocky cliffs that stood on the edge of the island of the eastern air temple. It had been many years since he came to the temple and much had happened since then. For the first time in his life he was aloud to be a kid and made friends with other children. He didn't remember much of his old life any more, but every once in a while he would have a nightmare that involved what looked like a red troll. Sifu Chenguang told him of the note and explained that it was probably his Uncle Vernon and should work hard to overcome his fear of that man. She also said his Aunt Petunia was the one who got him out of there and Harry thanked the spirits every day for her courage. One day he swore he would go back and thank her personally. What Harry did remember of those times is that it wasn't pleasant, but that was the past and his personal philosophy demanded him not to dwell on it.
When he first arrived here he had not known exactly what was going to happen. Sifu Xuan and his granddaughter Cho told him they would train in the art of bending. Harry was a little slow to adapt to the changes in his life. When they first shaved his head he felt stupid because of the unique scar on his forehead and overnight grew it back. When the other sisters saw this he thought they would be mad at him and expected to be whipped mercilessly for his freakish ways. Chenguang did no such thing and gave him his first lesson in detachment and self discipline, but had Xuan look into doing something with his scar anyway. Xuan was impressed to say the least it was filled with an energy that was not his own and came to the conclusion that it belonged to Voldemort. It took a few sessions but eventually the energy was made a part of Harry own witch seemed to make things easier for him and the scar closed up leaving only a thin white line.
Training was very intense on Harry only because he had to focus on so many aspects at one time unlike Cho and the rest of the children, but it was worth it. The routine was up before the sun, chores, breakfast, martial arts/bending, academic studies, spiritual training, lunch, free time, martial art/bending, chores, and bed. Many of the kids only had to worry about one bending discipline, so Harry's schedule never really matched the others
Water bending while the basics came easily the advanced techniques were very hard for him to learn. It didn't help that Cho decided she didn't want to be a warrior, but a healer instead. Before then as they were best friends they were often found helping each other through the stances and breathing exorcises.
Air bending came just as easy as fire bending something that was attributed to his free spirit coupled with his temper and determination. The first time he used his glider it took Gyatso and Chenguang to physically get him back to the ground. He was also banned for an entire year from using the glider after his was destroyed while copying an advanced fire bending technique from Sifu Dai to shoot jets of flame from his feet in order to go faster and set the glider on fire.
Sifu Jinhai often ridiculed Harry about how slow he was to pick up on the earth bending techniques, and eventually left the temple in order to train a worthy student. Harry sought the help of Avatar Yangchen a sister presiding at the western air temple and the only air bender alive to reach the title of avatar he was able to learn more about earth bending from and air benders point of view. Harry soon got over his hump and later impressed Jinhai when he visited the school Jinhai taught at.
Fire bending was the first discipline he could focus solely on. Due to his rage his power could have burnt down the temple so for three month Harry and Dai camped out on a deserted island not far from the temple just to learn control. Later on he would learn from the fire sages in the hope to draw is power from other sources instead of rage. Despite the glider incident Harry mastered fire bending faster than any other. The only technique still troubling him was bending lightning.
Harry was innovative when it came to developing and improving techniques. By combining techniques in air and fire bending with water bending ideologies was able to develop a shield against fire and then sending a huge blast back at his attacker. By using the principles of air bending he could bend sand in the same manor as air giving air bending more offensive ability and earth bending more flexibility. It was a proud day for Harry when avatars started asking him to teach them of his innovations.
When Harry was 10 Cho had to leave the temple to go back home and begin school at Hogwart's. This would be the longest time he would go with out seeing his best friend since he met her. Through out the years she would go home to visit her parents, but never more than a couple of months at a time. She told him that next year he would receive his letter and they could see each other again, and she would come back for that summer to visit. Later that same year he found an animal guide long after the other students found theirs. Unlike the others who had sky bison Harry had saved a blue Tai Yang Long from hunters while traveling in the Gobi. After her rescue she stayed with Harry. It was quite humorous the first time she was seen at the temples playing with the bison. Harry named her Qing Cho and she helped him deal with how alone he felt.
Just before Harry turned 11 he received his letter for Hogwart's. The sisters left the decision to him whether he wanted to attend, but reminded him with the progress he was making he would soon be ready to start the next stage of his avatar training. It took weeks of agonizing thought before he wrote back declining the invitation. When Cho visited that summer she was disappointed, but understood that he needed to finish what he started. A week after Hogwart's started Cho sent a letter telling him how one of her professors stood in front of everyone calling out his name to be sorted and how the headmaster looked ready to breath fire because he was made a fool of for not taking Harry's name off enrollment.
During that year Harry started training with Avatar Yangchen in channeling his spiritual energy in order to enhance his abilities. She called it the Avatar State and when fully utilized would make his so much stronger that nothing short of another avatar or an experienced master could beat him.
His twelfth year he received another invitation to Hogwart's and again respectfully declined. Sifu Dai and Xuan had declared him a master water and fire bender. Yangchen said he was close to mastering earth bending. Soon afterward he went on his first spirit journey and made contact with his mother. Through out the year he spoke with her often and eventually spoke with his father. It brought great peace to him when they both told him how proud they were of him.
Year thirteen, and another declined invitation Harry mastered earth bending and by spring mastered air bending. Chenguang had presented him his prayer beads, but instead of the normal wooden beads it was made out of colored stones alternating gray, blue, green, and red with the wooden air bending medallion. For the first time since arriving did he change into some different style of clothing. No longer would he wear the uniform of an apprentice, and despite the lifestyle he enjoyed he would not become a full monk and wear the full saffron, orange and brown robes. Instead he would wear a saffron and orange tunic with brown pants and black boots (Think Aang from S3 E10 to E21) At the beginning of summer he received a letter from Sirius Black his godfather, in the letter he was informed that Sirius was now his guardian and that he had to return to the UK in order to attend school like his parents wanted. Harry sent a letter back informing him that he was under an apprenticeship and could not return until his masters deemed him ready, however he would like to open a dialogue with him and hopefully learn more about the man.
Many letters were exchanged with Sirius, but for some reason all they talked about were his parents and why he should go to Hogwart's. Harry informed Sirius that he knew all about his parents and just did not care to join Hogwart's at this time regardless of their feelings because he was on his own path and they would be proud of him no matter what he did with his life, and if he continued with his diatribe Harry would cease all communication with him. The next letter was all about Sirius and his friend Remus Lupin.
Harry had put off on receiving his tattoo until Cho could be their to witness the ceremony. It was amazing to say the least. Chenguang channeled energy through his body and for a brief moment he saw a glow of his arrows and then settle into their normal sky blue appearance. Gyatso embarrassed him during the celebration while dancing with Cho he kept creating little cyclones at Harry's feet causing him to lose his balance and step on Cho's feet.
The rest of the summer was spent with Avatar Meifeng of the Earth Kingdom she would teach him everything to finish his training and achieve the title of avatar. Meifeng was a very kind woman who was patient with Harry every step of the way. Not long after the start of his tutelage he was able to just barley enter the avatar state. It didn't last long but she told him with practice he would be able to hold it longer.
This summer also saw an attempt to kidnap Harry from Meifeng's home. His annual invitation to Hogwart's had a port key attached to it. Apparently Albus Dumbledore was getting desperate for him to return to England. Thankfully the wards surrounding the house were strong and kept him there. Instead of a courteous reply this time Harry just set the letter on fire.
During the next months Harry was determined to learn how to bend lightning and consulted various fire sages and worked with Meifeng on achieving the emotional detachment needed to actually succeed. If Qing Cho could speak Harry would swear she would be laughing at him and all he could do is complain to her about as a fire bending master she should be teaching him the technique. Qing Cho just snorted at him and set his tunic on fire.
In early October Harry succeeded and bent lightning for the first time. It was a surreal experience for Harry having that much energy at his command. Now he knew why the sages told him the technique was dangerous. If he had lost the slightest bit of concentration Harry could have released the energy wrong and killed himself.
At the end of October Harry returned to the eastern air temple to visit with Chenguang and some of the other students and show them his really cool lightning trick. During his visit something felt wrong, but he could never put his finger on it. On October 31st while talking to his parents the feeling intensified to the point that it brought Harry back to the mortal plane. None of the nun or the visiting monks could help him make sense of the feeling and could only offer him the advice to be careful and hope it worked it self out.
A week later while meditating Harry received two letters, one from Cho and the Other from Albus Dumbledore. Cho's letter was frantically written to the point that he could barely make out what she was saying. All he could glean from the letter was something about competing in some three wizard contest. The letter from Dumbledore informed him that his name came out of the Goblet of Fire entering him as the fourth competitor in the Tri-Wizard Tournament and that in no uncertain terms if he didn't compete he would lose his magic and quite possibly his life.
"Sifu Chenguang, I have a problem" Harry said entering the inner sanctuary.
Harry explained the situation and waited patiently for her advice.
"I say Harry that you have no choice in the matter if what you have worked so hard to achieve go to waste. Even if you do choose not to compete you will not lose your place amongst our people. So it comes down to what you want?" Chenguang said
Harry sat in silence wondering what he truly wanted.
-15 November 1993-
Sitting at the head table in the great hall of Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry Albus Dumbledore was silently fuming. Harry Potter was not with in his grasp 15 years of planning was slowly going down the drain. First the boy refused every year to come to school destroying any chance to convince the boy of his duty to the world and his way of thinking. When he sent Severus Snape to the boys home to intimidate Potter in to coming to school Snape returned with a story about how Lily's sister left a 5 year old Harry on the door step of a monastery in the hope he would be better taken care of. Dumbledore hadn't counted on the woman developing a conscience.
Every year afterward he sent the letter and every year he received a polite "No thank you". Each letter explained Harry's apprenticeship and that sent Albus overboard every time. What made Harry think he could enter into such an agreement with anybody but himself. Albus Dumbledore was the greatest wizard alive, he defeated Grindewald, he was the only one Voldemort feared, he is the Supreme Mugwump of the Wizengamot and the Chief Warlock of the International Confederation of Wizards. The whole world knew how important he is and never questioned anything he did. In a desperate ploy he "discovered" evidence that exonerated Sirius Black in hopes when the boy found out about his godfather he would come running to the arms of Sirius and be willing to do whatever Albus wanted out of gratitude for giving him a family again. When Sirius began writing Harry and trying to lure Harry back at his behest the boy actually had the gall to tell him to stop or he would no longer keep in contact.
Snape's port key idea failed as well and almost pushed Albus to cucio him as the muggles would say "Until the cows came home" The best option came during the last days of October. Albus entered Harry's name into the Goblet of Fire knowing full well that Harry's apprenticeship wouldn't mean a damn if he had no magic. At the same time Albus quietly pushed paperwork through the Ministry of Magic to declare Harry a ward of Hogwart's and making Albus guardian of the brat until he came of age. That wouldn't happen until Harry actually came to the school as a student, but with a year to ware down the boys defenses and get him to agree to stay. To better the odds Albus hired Sirius to the DADA position and Remus Lupin as the History of Magic teacher.
Albus was grew angrier with each passing day now. There were only 9 days until the first task and if the boy didn't show the plan for his ideal world would fail.
Albus was brought out of his when the doors of the great hall were slammed open. Every eye in the hall turned to see a figure actually floating in the door and wind blowing in from behind him. The figure was 5'8" slightly built his eyes were glowing and so was the arrow on the figures head.
Before the headmaster could say anything the figure spoke with a voice that sounded like it was straight from hell "ALBUS DUMBLEDORE…"
-So tell me what you think- AD