Omake 2: Small

When the [Law of Retrogression] had been activated, he hadn't been affected because he had been seating in his desk, the protective runes he had placed after Albedo's reaction to the reward-memory still in place.

Harry really didn't even imagine Death would use it on him only a few weeks after the Guardians had been affected.

"Where am I?" a small and slender 5-year-old Harry whispered to himself as he walked in the abandoned corridors of… whatever place this was. The clothes he was wearing were nice, and fitted him better than Dudley's hand-me-downs. Harry didn't have a way to remember magical clothes were enchanted to fit the shape of the user after all.

Harry had lived way too long for the spell to just strip him of all that knowledge and memories, so he remembered pretty much all his previous lives except this one, but had the way of thinking of his 5-year-old self.

"Death can be pretty mean" he whispered, knowing the entity was responsible for this because it had stayed long enough to laugh at his face before disappearing. Starting to walk, he looked curiously at the space that was big enough that even someone like Hagrid would feel small in comparison. He moved slowly and warily, glad he had yet to encounter someone since he didn't know if they would be friends or bullies.

Just as he thought this, he heard a choked gasp coming from behind him, and turned around to see a woman with long black hair and pretty black wings looking unblinking at his small form.

"…Hadrian-sama?" that was a good way of referring to him right? with respect? he was sure he had heard something similar before.

"Yeah… hello" he said shyly, not knowing how he should act with such a nice lady, his small hands grasping the edge of his shirt for lack of anything better to do as he looked up to meet her golden eyes. Those were kinda like a cat, very pretty.

"Hadrian-sama…I apologize for my ignorance, but may I know why Hadrian-sama has taken such appearance?" the black wings were trembling, as if she wanted to move them but was trying not to. Had he done something wrong?

"Hmm… this is a spell" he said uncertainly, frowning at the floor. He knew the magic, because he remembered it from another world, but he didn't know how to explain it to her. He wasn't sure he should do it either.

"A spell? Was Hadrian-sama affected by the same spell as us?" the lady knelt down in front of him, her soft musical voice slightly cooing. Harry didn't know how to react to her sudden approach, taking a few steps backwards with worry painted on his face. The lady seemed very hurt for the action, and looked like she wanted to cry so he guiltily walked closer to pat her head, standing on his toes so he could actually reach it.

"Sorry Ma'am, I don't know who are you" seeing the panic that replaced the previously happy expression on her face he quickly shouted "but it's not always! I mean, I will remember, um, later, yeah" he finished lamely, blushing in embarrassment. He was really bad at explaining things.

"…what's the last thing Hadrian-sama remembers?"

"Just Harry is ok. Hmm… some dirty world, you couldn't breathe there, very nasty" he didn't know how to describe the polluted world he had arrived at, but his last memory was of his first day there and it was terrible, since he discovered you couldn't breathe the hard way.

"Fuhuhu~ Could it be that only me can call Hadrian-sama with a nickname? Harry-sama~" she looked very happy, her wings flapping freely "Such world should be destroyed, if it bothered Harry-sama! Then again… maybe it was" she seemed to whisper the last part to herself, Harry had no way of knowing she was thinking said world was destroyed by himself; simply for the sin of bothering him with its existence.

"Um, just Harry is ok really" he said uncomfortably, looking at the wall since he didn't feel like meeting her intense gaze. "Um, where…where are we?" he risked a quick glance at her before quickly returning to the wall, he felt as if she were a predator, dangerous.

Eaten. He was going to be eaten. That's what his insctints seemed to be saying.

He shivered at the thought, he had to escape! how, how, how? He internally panicked, knowing that trusting his insctints had saved him more than once. He had appeared in the roof of the school when Dudley was running after him; maybe he could do it again?

Closing his eyes strongly, he listened partially to her response of "In the Great Tomb of-" before his surroundings changed, now standing in some sort of park. A very big park, he couldn't see an end to the trees and other plants that surrounded him. Harry had been thinking in the park that was near school, and didn't know he had subconsciously activated the ring of Ainz Ooal Gown he still wore.

He felt some sort of connection going into the trees, several actually, so he decided to follow the strongest, guiding him through the forest-like place until he reached a giant lizard with many legs and a horn on his nose. The beast seemed happy to see him, waving its tail from side to side.

"Hi, I'm Harry" he hissed in parseltongue without meaning to "Do you know where we are?" The lizard didn't answer his questions, but he felt safe with the giant creature, like he had met it before.

"Can I stay with you?" he said this time normally, jumping in surprise when he felt a positive response come from somewhere in the back of his mind. What was that?

Before Harry could react the giant lizard stood up and came closer to him, the tail still waving uncontrollably. Once it was nearer it laid down again, its body curling around Harry so he was surrounded by nothing but scales.

The lizard's skin was soft and cool, and Harry felt safe with its presence, so he didn't have any trouble falling asleep like that, blissfully ignorant of Albedo's inner heart attack as she searched everywhere for him.

Harry didn't know for how long he slept, but was scared to death when he opened his eyes sleepily only to see a boy with eyes of different color grinning at him, the thin arm sostaining the giant tail that had been covering Harry as if it weighted nothing.

"Hadrian-sama!" The boy shouted excitedly, naming him as the lady had done "I didn't know we were playing hide and seek!" he said with mock seriousness before giggling.

"Um, sorry?"

"Ah! Y-you don't have to apologize! It was really fun, yeah!" The boy hurriedly said, misunderstanding Harry's answer for an apology instead of the "whut?" expression it was.

"Emm ok? But, who are you?"

The boy looked heartbroken for a moment before he quickly covered it up with an uneasy smile, saying "T-that's right, Albedo told us Hadrian-sama didn't remember! Tee-hee~" the boy said as he hit his own head lightly.

"Come on Hadrian-sama, let's go back. Everyone is worried about you, they'll be happy once they see you're alright." The boy smiled at him, offering his hand to help Harry stand up. He didn't seem dangerous at all and his instinct told him the boy could be trusted, so he accepted the hand and walked at his side, chatting a little along the way. He seemed really familiar, like the giant lizard had been. Glancing back, Harry could see the reptile looking pitifully at him; with its head hanging low… it seemed very sad to see him leave.

Once they arrived at a big office, Harry couldn't help but tense up. He wasn't nervous because of the room, but because the people in it were all staring intently at him with a mix of relief and something he didn't quite recognize. He never liked to be the center of attention… not to mention that the lady he had met was here too.

Harry hid behind the closest person when the lady with black wings tried to get closer, feeling oddly on guard in her presence. He felt something smooth touch lightly his back before he saw a metal-like tail curl loosely around his waist, as if ready to yank him out of harm's way. The man in suit he had used as shield seemed to stare warningly at the saddened lady before looking downwards at him.

"Don't worry Hadrian-sama. No one in Nazarik would ever dare to hurt you" he spoke in a smooth, calming tone. There was something in his voice that seemed oddly magical; the image of a mermaid leading the sailors to their doom came to mind.

"Nazarik? Is that where we are?" He asked curiously at the tanned man, who seemed to tense slightly at the question, even if his smile never faltered.

"...indeed." The man in suit said after a small pause, before introducing himself and the rest of the people in the room, affirming they were here to... Serve him?

What?

"Anything you wish is our command." The man reaffirmed further, which didn't help any with Harry's intern turmoil. "What do you want, Hadrian-sama?"

Eh? If Harry had been nervous before, now he was a complete mess, his thoughts running in every possible direction but coming back empty, their expectant gaze making things worse. He needed something that would keep them entertained, but what could Harry ask for, when he didn't know anything of this place? All he knew was their very difficult names and that they guarded some floors here.

"Um, Can I see the floors you keep safe? If you're not busy…" he whispered softly, not really sure if this was a good idea.

The people (and giant insect) seemed excited by it though, so he let out a relieved sigh, glad he didn't do something wrong. The man that was still at his side asked him if he would like to visit them in order, and addressed the girl with red eyes at his affirmative response.

"Of course!" was the excited squeak of Shalltir? Shalltear? before she started to walk towards him "I'll show you the way, Hadrian-sama" she said more calmly once she was closer, making a slight, elegant bow.

"Shouldn't we go all together? Surely that would be-"started to say Albedo before the man, Dem-something, interrupted her

"Every guardian should be more than capable to show their own floor." The tone of voice made clear this was final, but she didn't seem to agree with him, so they were staring each other down in a silent battle.

"Ah, Let's go please?" he told to Shalltear uncomfortably, taking her hand since she was older than him and felt like that was what he was supposed to do. The girl let out a weird squeak before nodding happily, walking out together hand in hand.

"Shalltear" the man in suit said calmly before they could leave, still in his original position "Nazarik is full of wonderful places a child such as Hadrian-sama would enjoy. Make sure you show them right" putting a heavy emphasis in the word "child", it seemed to have a hidden meaning Harry didn't really get, even if the girl nodded once at the man before walking out of the room.

AUTHOR NOTE:

Small-Harry attacks Albedo with wariness! It's super effective!

Poor Albedo really haha but she's so intense, I think any child would feel overwhelmed. I really didn't think she would be able to control herself that well with such an innocent, cute, small Harry. Don't worry though, her floor is the ninth and there are a lot of entertaining places there so I think Harry will overcome his guardedness.

Anyways, this is my take in the situation, and while you may think different that's how is going to stay :P mostly because I'm too lazy to rewrite the whole thing haha.

Demiurge's last phrase was so Shalltear didn't bring Harry to the places full of undead and what not, can you imagine his reaction to that? Only Children-friendly Nazarik please!

Anyways, I had fun writing this and I hope you liked it somewhat, even if Children-guardians! Is still my favorite by far haha. Don't get mad, I never said it was going to be a continuation of the last Omake :P but next one will be, so please don't kill me with voodoo dolls!

Feel free to do whatever, I'd suggest the fav, follow, kudo, and comment sections~

See ya later!

P.D. Why why whyyyy nobody told me I was using "leaved" instead of "left"? I'm drowning in shame now! Dishonor to my family and my COW! Don't remember if I told you, but english is not my mother language and this work is unbeta so I don't have anyone to help me with this sort of thing. Please tell me! Also, special thanks to Naramyon for pointing that out, and your awesome reviews in Ao3 3 Best reader ever bud!

Also, best wishes for you my awesome readers 3 I like you, you silly bunch of random strangers that I'll probably never meet : v