DISCLAIMER: Though I wish it was true I do not own any of the copyrighted things fromHarry Potter,only my original characters.
The Innocent One: Chapter 1
Harry Potter seemed to have a knack for getting into trouble. It was probably a gene passed down from James Potter, AKA as Prongs, his Marauder Father.
He seemed to get many of characteristics from his Father. Besides his eyes his physical characteristics, like his untamable hair, matched his father's. He was even a natural Seeker at Quidditch like his father.
So he supposed it was natural for trouble to be a common companion of his. Only he hoped that the possibility of getting lost in the Forbidden Forest next to Hogwarts after dark was not something you could inherit.
It had seemed simple enough to go into the forest to retrieve the creature, whatever it was, from Hagrid's Care of Magical Creatures class since it couldn't run fast and was one of Hagrid's safer creatures. Unfortunately just as Harry had caught up with it, he had run into a centaur. Normally Harry had thought that centaurs generally just disliked humans, Birenze being an exception, but according to Harry's luck this centaur just had to be one to hate humans.
After an hour of running for his life, Harry had lost not only the centaur and the creature but also his way. With the entrance of the forest nowhere in sight he began to wonder around, with his wand out just in case, sending up occasional red sparks like the ones he had used in the Triwizarding Tournament with no luck.
Now that it was dark, Harry settled at the base of a large tree and began to gather some of it's fallen branches to make a fire. At first he had hesitant to do so, thinking that a fire would bring the attention of certain four or eight legged beasts, but as it got darker he decided that taking the chance was better than freezing.
Using the same spell Hermione used to set the Devil's Snare on fire back in first year to light the branches, Harry leaned against the trunk of his resting site and wondered if his overly clever friend and other fiery tempered friend Ron, were out looking for him or were possibly forced to stay at the castle where it was safe as the teachers searched, if any were at all.
Ron Weasly and Hermione Granger were the best friends Harry had ever had. Ron from when they met on the Hogwarts Express and Hermione from the day he and Ron saved her from that Troll in the girl's bathroom. They stuck with him through thick and thin, though there was that spat between him and Ron during the Triwizarding tournament but he preferred not to think about it. Even now while Harry suffered from "serious mood swings", as Ron put it, with frequent shouting spats at anything that seemed to set him off.
Not that Harry would ever admit it, but that time in the graveyard last year had shook him up more then anyone had realized. It more than shook him up, it right up terrified him. It finally dawned on him how much of a threat Voldemort really was.
Before Voldemort had only been a dangerous obstacle that could be taken care of at an end of the year skirmish. It was almost as this encounters were planned in advance to be the climax of several epics to be told as stories later but Voldemort was far too real, even though he wasn't really there.
At the back of Quirrel's head… A memory…
He had never been able to fear him, but now…
Glowing red eyes… snake-like skin… long bonny fingers…
Voldemort had a body and he had been so easily manipulated into that graveyard that it scared him to no ends.
What if Voldemort was more powerful than he thought?
What if this was just another one of his plans to get him?
What if he planned for Hagrid's creature to escape and run into the forest and for that centaur to chase him further in?
What if he was meant to sit at this very tree and make a fire that would lead the Death Eaters to him and take the final blow?
Harry had the urge to kick dirt into the fire at that point.
Suddenly the forest seemed more alive now, allowing more sounds to reach Harry's ears. The sound of the wind moving the branches of the trees. The scampering of many animals, large and small, along the ground. Something jumping from tree to tree in the branches above him.
Harry wanted to close his eyes and cover his ears and block it all out, to pretend that none of it existed. He wanted to be safe and warm in the Gryffindor common room, loosing a game of chess to Ron and listen to Hermione go on and on about the approaching OWLS. He just wanted-
Something landed in front of Harry from above him and opened his eyes, though not realizing he had actually closed them, and felt time stop.
Before him was none other then a boy his age, but it wasn't possible for him to be human. His hair was a pale silver and he had dazzling blue eyes that showed nothing but kindness, he felt as if he had seen eyes similar before, but for the life of him he couldn't remember where. Further more his skin was soft white, much how he imagined Snow White's skin to look from the stories he used to overhear his Aunt Petunia tell his pig in a wig cousin Dudley. His clothes were even pure white, not even dirtied by the ground he kneeled in, giving off a radiance of innocence.
Harry had never believed in guardian angels before that moment but seeing this beautiful and pure being appear to him, when he was lost and in need of help, truly made him believe that there was a possibility there were such things…
The angel smiled curiously as he kneeled down before the boy who lived and, while using his right arm for support as he leaned forward, gently cupped his cheek.
Surprised by the action, Harry found that he couldn't move and that he was caught by the bright blue eyes before him as his heart seemed to beat faster and faster.
Just as marveled by Harry as Harry was about him, the angel examined the other boy's face with amazement and wonder. He rubbed his hand against Harry's cheek before brushing his finger tips against Harry's lips.
Harry's breath hitched and though he was confused by all of this he couldn't find his voice to ask the questions burning within him. All he could do was watch as he was watched in return in uncontainable curiosity.
Removing his fingers from the other boy's lips, the angel removed his subject's spectacles and held them carefully in his hands.
Though his vision was blurry, Harry still watched as inquiring boy examined his glasses from all angles before placing them on his own face. He felt himself smile as the boy suddenly became confused by the alteration of his vision and began to move his arms around as he tried to figure out what was going on.
Some air escaped Harry's lips that could only be described as a suppressed laugh as he reached forward and grabbed the other boy's wrist turned him so they were facing each other.
"You're not and angel are you?"
The would be angel only looked at Harry in confusion, not understanding any of the foreign noises coming from him.
Sighing now, Harry gently removed the glasses from the other boy's face and placed them back on his own.
"Who are you?"
Still not understanding him, the pale boy simply smiled innocently, allowing Harry to hold onto his wrist as is he didn't mind in the least.
Realizing that this boy didn't comprehend any of the words he was saying, Harry took a moment to more closely examine him.
Though no longer under the influence of the thought that the boy was some sort of guardian angel, Harry still thought he looked angelic for his smile and bright eyes were completely trusting and innocent. His clothes were still pure white, but now he examined them beyond this fact. The material seemed normal but to the touch it felt like a bunch of woven together baby bird feathers and now he could see that the clothe was semi-transparent on the sleeves and it all sparkled as if silver dust had blown onto it, though he knew there was no such thing as silver dust.
"Who are you," Harry asked again, only to get the same smile in return.
Harry was going to try talking slowly and use hand gestures, like he had seen people do on TV when talking to foreigners, but his stomach choose that time to let out a huge growl to remind him that he had missed both lunch and dinner.
The boy looked from the embarrassed and annoyed Harry to his stomach for a moment before smiling, slipping his wrist from out of his hand and running into the darkness, away from the fire light.
At first Harry was going to shout after him but remembering that he wouldn't understand him he stayed silent. He wondered if he should go after him but before he could come to a conclusion the boy returned, carrying something.
Sitting before him, the boy handed Harry a plate sized leaf filled with an assortment of different berries he had never seen before.
Considering the fact that they could be poisonous, Harry didn't eat them at first but upon looking at the other boy's innocent smile he couldn't help but trust him. Placing a berry into his mouth, he was surprised when it filled his mouth with delicious juices, that seemed to tickle his tongue, the moment he bite into it. He couldn't help but smile at the strange sensation.
In response the boy smiled as well before taking a berry for himself.
They sat in silence, eating the berries together with the occasional shared smile. It wasn't long before they both grew tired and fell asleep.
When Harry awoke he felt surprisingly warm and comfortable for having slept in the Forbidden Forest all night. He looked down again surprised by the boy's presence.
The boy was still asleep, curled beside him. His expression was peaceful as his head rested on his chest and his arm was wrapped around his waist.
Under different circumstances, Harry thought awakening to a practical stranger sleeping so closely to him would have freaked him out, but with this boy he didn't mind. It almost seemed natural for him to be so close.
Brushing some of the boy's bangs away from his face, Harry smiled.
Perhaps he was an angel after all…
It was then he noticed he was being watched.
Looking up, Harry was caught off guard by the gaze of the centaur, Birenze.
"Good Morning, Harry Potter," greeted Birenze with the bow of his head.
"Good Morning," Harry weakly replied, not knowing what to expect from any of this or if he should be expecting to wake up.
"I see you discovered the forest's most precious treasure," stated Birenze before smiling and adding, "or rather that he found you."
Taking a moment to glance down at the still sleeping boy Harry looked back up at Birenze and asked, "Who is he?"
"He is as much a part of this forest as any centaur, tree, unicorn or fairy here."
"But who is he?"
"He doesn't have a name like you, Harry Potter. He simply lives."
"You must call him something."
"We all call him something. Most centaurs refer to him as boy. The unicorns call him little one and the fairies dubbed him angel."
"Wait. He talks to unicorns and fairies?"
"He is as much a part of this forest as any creature here. Isn't it natural for him to be able to speak to all the creatures that dwell here?"
Sighing, Harry remembered what Hagrid said about never trying to get a straight answer out of centaurs in first year.
"But he doesn't understand me."
"Do you dwell here?"
"…No…"
"Then why would he speak your tongue if he has never seen your kind?"
"He has never seen a human before!"
"He doesn't even know that he is what you call human."
Harry fell silent and reflected on this. What would it be like to have never seen your own kind? To speak to creatures most humans couldn't understand? To be the only one of your kind…
"He shouldn't be here…"
"It is you who doesn't belong here, Harry Potter."
"I didn't mean to, but I got lost-"
"And your teachers searched for you and were driven out by my people, but I assure you that you will find the way home now."
"What about him?"
"He belongs here, so he will stay here."
Not sure about this Harry became silent, unconsciously holding the boy in question closer to him.
Seeing this caused Birenze to smile knowingly and turn away.
"I will leave you to say good-bye and I expect to see you again."
Surprised by this, Harry watched as Birenze left them. What did he mean when he said that he expected to see him again?
Ignoring it for the time being, Harry turned to his fast asleep companion and gently shook his shoulder.
Blinking a few times to awake himself, the nameless boy sat up and yawned before looking up at Harry and smiling.
Harry weakly returned the smile, but felt his heart grow heavy.
"I know you can't understand me, but you have to come with me. You don't belong in the forest like this."
Like Harry predicted the boy simply looked at him blankly, having not understood a word he said.
Sighing Harry pulled his companion to his feet and threw dirt on what remained of his fire.
Though he didn't understand, the boy imitated Harry's action and followed suit when he stopped.
Taking hold of the boy's hand Harry began to lead him in the direction he thought Hogwarts to be in.
Not thinking anything of it the boy followed Harry with complete trust.
This only made Harry's heart grow heavier with guilt and he wondered what Birenze would do if he found out if he was trying to take the forest's most precious treasure away. Or worse, what the other centaurs would do. Then there were the unicorns, fairies and Merlin knew what else that loved the boy.
Glancing back at the boy, Harry's resolution strengthened. He couldn't abandon him here and there were so many wonderful things to show him at Hogwarts. Magic, Quidditch, charms, Ron, Hermione, transfiguration, potions… okay not potions but many more things outside of Hogwarts like Diagon Alley. He wanted to show him the world!
It was then he vaguely wondered if the boy was a muggle or wizard…