Chapter eleven
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or Avatar
A/N: Thank you so much to those who followed/favourited and reviewed my story!
And also, I an SOOOO SORRY for not updating in a while. I will admit to have lost my muse for a while (she just ran away from me, can you believe it?) and then university started again. So now I wanted to get this chapter out. I found it difficult to write as I know how I want the story to go, but not sure how to write it down.
It I am sorry to say that the story is nearing its end. I refuse to be one of the many who starts an Harry Potter/Avatar crossover story and never finishes it. So I am sorry if it will start to feel a little rushed, it is just so that it will, indeed be finished. There will be a few more chapters after this one. And now I have rambled enough for one chapter; I hope you enjoy this new chapter:
The following day was quiet. Jake and Neytiri followed and helped Harry with gathering of supplies, as well as showing him some of the plants that he wasn't sure of. Neytiri showed Harry some of the medicinal plants that could be found near his cave, and Harry was very thankful for the root that, when boiled and drunk, had the same effect as aspirin back on earth. He still had a headache after the meeting with the ground his head had experienced just days before.
Harry was still slightly reduced after the poisoning and the following out-of-body experience from the day before, and did not feel up for a long hunt for more substantial food than the fruits and roots. And neither Jake nor Neytiri seemed willing to leave Harry alone. They seemed to think that he would disappear and not let them try and convince him to stay with them. To tell the truth, Harry had thought of it, and had reached the conclusion that they were probably correct.
For even though Harry did feel slightly lonely and craved some sort of human contact, it had been so long since he had had it. And it did not help that the contact he had had, had not been so pleasant. He craved human contact, but he also shied away from it. He was confused, to say the least. He knew that he should probably take them up on their offer of a place to stay. Or at least listen to their reasoning and maybe come up with a compromise. It was slightly idiotic to keep himself to himself and not try and get at least an alliance with the natives of this place. He did at least not want to make them as enemies!
But the years back on earth had influenced his ability to trust and rely on others. Either it was his abusive family who instilled in him that others did not care what happened to him, or it was the fickle nature of the Wizarding World. Where one moment he was hailed a hero, and the next treated as the next Dark Lord. The only reason that he had been able to live a quiet life after the war, was because of his increasingly ominous aura surrounding him, making people unwilling to approach him. Though this had the dual effect of having him withdraw away from human contact all together as all new people he met always was somewhat scared of him.
But he knew, deep down, that things were different now than they were back on earth. For one, neither Jake or Neytiri seemed to shy away from him, nor had any of the others he had seen the brief visit he had at their village. So, he supposed that he no longer exuded that deathly aura. Or if he did, then it might not affect these people.
But this was not the most pressing matter he had on his mind. What really plagued his mind, was whether or not he would age in his new body. He had been forced to watch his friends and those he considered family slowly grow old and die before him, without being affected himself. Those wounds still throbbed and pained him, even in this new body. And he would not manage to bear it if it was to happen again.
But would he be able to handle the loneliness again? He had had Theron, so he would not be totally alone. But he could not talk to the great beast, at least not about difficult subjects and expect an answer. He would probably slowly go insane if he were to be without any human (Na'vi?) contact. And he did not really want to test the theory of whether he could die again or not.
Sighing, Harry rubbed his face in exasperation. He wanted to take the two Na'vi up on their offer of a place to stay, possibly a home. He was tired of solitude, but at the same time he was wary of people and getting close to them, only to lose them again later. He didn't know what to do! With an exasperated sound, Harry stood up and moved to the edge of the cliff and sat down, looking out at the forest and landscape under him. The mountain that was floating in the air was providing an excellent view and vantage point. He leaned back and stared up at the sky, his thoughts racing around inside his mind in circles.
"What to do? What to do?" he mumbled to himself, a habit he had picked up over the years of having no one except himself as company most of the time. He was startled out of his wits when he heard someone answer;
"Go with them child, your worries are unfounded…" The voice was definitely feminine, and it seemed to come floating on the wind. Looking around, Harry couldn't see anyone. His eyes widened when he realized that the voice was one he had heard several timed before.
"Eywa" he whispered in a hushed voice. The entity who was responsible for giving him this second chance. She had guided him ever since he came to this place, to this cave, to Theron. She had never before led him wrong.
"Take them up on their offer, huh?" he said to himself, still gazing at the sky.
"Well, she had never before led me wrong. I suppose I should trust her not to start now."
Thinking back, he supposed he had made up his mind long ago. He had always intended to take the Na'vi up on their offer. He was too starved for contact not to. It was only fear holding him back. And now that Eywa herself had assured him that he had nothing to fear, then he had nothing to hold him back. Perhaps he finally could have that family he had always dreamed of. He quickly shook of that thought, he could not afford to get his hopes up on that front. Not again.
But he would take them up on the offer of a place to stay. They may not be the family he always wanted, but they would be company. And he could not stay alone for the rest of his life, with only Theron for company. He would probably wind up insane, or possibly try and take his own life again. And he did not want that.
Meanwhile, at the entrance of the cave, Neytiri and Jake were sitting and discussing the case of Harry.
"There is something about the boy, Jake. I can not put my finger on it but is feel as if I must protect him." As she said this, she was looking out at the oy laying on his back and staring at the sky. He seemed lost in thought, as he had been all day. Jake came up behind her and enveloped her in a hug from behind. He hummed, then spoke.
"I know what you mean, Neytiri. I have not known him long, but there is something vulnerable and defenceless about him. I too feel the need to protect him. It is for this reason we both want him to take up our offer to stay in our village, where we can look over him."
They both stood there for several minutes, just watching Harry laying on the ground, seemingly discussing with himself on what he would do. They both smiled slightly at the sight. He looked so small and young when he lay there, an unguarded expression on his face. Nothing like he showed when he knew they were close by or talking with them.
"Let's give him some privacy to think without discovering us spying on him, shall we?" came the quiet voice of Neytiri after some minutes. Thinking that Harry would not appreciate if he noticed them staring at him. Jake seemed to agree with her, because they both re-entered the cave and prepared some food for them all. Both hoping that Harry would give them an answer to their request soon.
A quarter of an hour later, and Harry made his way back inside to his cave where he knew he would find his two guests. Had the situation been different, he might have been embarrassed for leaving them alone in his place and making food for them all. But as it was, he simply smiled and felt taken care of when he noticed the food Neytiri and Jake had made while he had been contemplating how best to say what he had on his mind. He knew that he wanted to take their offer, he was tired of being alone all the time. And when Eywa herself had told him that he had nothing to worry about, then he had no other reason not to. But he still felt rather awkward starting that conversation.
They had said that they didn't want him living alone on the mountain. And he himself did not want that. So, it was with these thoughts in mind that he cleared his throat and squared his shoulders, and tried to ignore the feeling of talking to someone new for the first time in decades.
"You said we would talk about what to 'do with' me later. It is later now, and I would like to talk about it now." He started, feeling rather uncomfortable, and didn't meet their eyes as he spoke. Both Jake and Neytiri looked up at him, slightly startled that he would willingly start this conversation so soon. Though they could see that he wasn't entirely comfortable, judging by the way he wouldn't meet their eyes and fidgeted where he sat.
"Well, if you want us to take this conversation now, we can certainly do that." Jake started. He and Neytiri had been talking during the day, debating how to approach the subject and Harry. They knew that he did not trust easily, and that he might be difficult to persuade to move to the village where they could make sure he was okay. They did not want the boy, who seemed no older than 15 in looks, to stay here on the mountains all alone. But now that he seemed to want to start the conversation on his own, that made it easier for the two Na'vi.
"Yes, well. I thought that it would be best to just do it right away. I have spent the entire day thinking and debating what to do, and I want to hear what you think. Personally, I am tired of being alone. I've been alone for most of my life. And now that the opportunity to not be alone again has come by, I am willing to examine it." Harry had by now lifted his gaze but kept shifting in his seat and fiddling with a twig between his fingers. His actions looked more like an anxious teen than a man of well past 100 years of age.
Jake looked over at Neytiri and nodded at her. She would most likely be able to abate his fears. She was more maternal and quite good at convincing others to do as she wanted. So it was, that she scooted a little closer, as if to reassure the boy. But she was not yet close enough to touch. Harry seemed to relax slightly by this, and stopped fidgeting. He looked at Neytiri, his unusual green eyes fixed on her yellow ones.
"Well, 'arry. We were thinking that you could come and stay with us at the village. There are a few unoccupied huts that are available. Unless you want to stay with us," she added, though she doubted he would be willing to live with them. At least not for some time. She figured they would have to get Harry used to being along people again.
Harry continued to study the pair before him. As the woman spoke, he couldn't help but trust her and want to do as she asked. She told him that he could either live on his own or stay with herself and Jake. Harry didn't answer, but thought to himself that, even though it sounded good to be able to share living space and company, he knew himself well enough to know that he would not be able to handle living so close to another person. Not yet, anyway.
She continued with saying that the village helped each other out, be it with something as simple as watching the neighbour's child for a few hours while the parents had to hunt or something similar. Or it could be something as big as sharing food and water when there were droughts and famine (though that, apparently, did not happen often since Pandora was very lush and the last one was over 100 years before). Harry found himself liking the idea of staying in the village the more Neytiri, and sometimes Jake, told him of their lives and their customs.
Again, Harry felt a slight wind ruffle his hair and he felt a soothing presence beside him, telling him to take them up on their offer. So after some well placed questions and compromising (he would not be babysat by them!) he found himself agreeing to return to the village the next day. That gave him time to pack the few things he wanted to bring with him.
As they again became ready for a night's sleep, Harry spoke up again.
"Thank you." He simply said, smiling slightly at both of them. Both Jake and Neytiri looked slightly puzzled for a minute before smiling back, and Jake answered; "No problem, kid." And they laid down again, and slept the night through. Tomorrow they would pack the few belongings that Harry wanted to take with him, and get back to the village. They would most likely have started to worry about them by now, since they had been gone for quite some time.
A/N: Thank you for reading! Please leave a review!
And once again; I am sorry for the long wait for this chapter.