Soldier

A/N: We are not Japanese and we hope we got the simple phrases right, if they are wrong, or we offend any one, we apologize.

For our readers' convenience spoken Japanese will be in bold type. Also Japanese terms are listed below, if they are not explained in the chapter.

Disclaimer: See chapter 1. Reviews are welcomed. Flames are not.

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Chapter 4: A Treasure

Ichigo and Harry returned to the pristine living area just as the Dursleys had finished signing the temporary guardianship papers. Isshin called for a taxi.

The tall doctor noted that his son looked like he wanted to kill someone, either that or he had. . . nothing unusual there. However, this time the intent was radiating off the teen in waves. He had to get the pair out of this house, and soon.

He watched as his son walked over to the locked door to the closet under the stairs. "It's in here, Harry-kun?" Ichigo asked, clearly not happy about something. No, not 'unhappy,' Ichigo was pissed to the point he wanted to hurt someone! His son only got that angry when someone had hurt a person under his protection. 'Hmm. . .'

Harry nodded. "Yes, Ichigo-kun. It is."

Isshin raised an eyebrow. So, it seemed Harry was willing to learn of a new culture and the language that comes with it. Many English speakers seemed to feel they couldn't be bothered; they felt superior to the many other cultures in the world.

'This just might work after all.' It was even more amusing when Ichigo didn't ask for a key to the padlock.

"Now see here!" Vernon Dursley tried to protest but blanched as Ichigo let out a loud cry. With a swift kick, the teen broke the lock and handle to the small door.

"Get out!" the fat walrus like man shouted. "Get out of my house!"

Isshin's eyes widen as he saw the Hogwart's crest on top of the trunk as well as the initials 'HJP.'

'Interesting,' he thought. 'So this is where the famous 'Boy-Who-Lived' has been kept. Urahara-san will be beside himself when he finds out.'

"I'm calling the Bobbies!*" Vernon shouted. "There are laws about destroying property!"

Scowling, Isshin tucked the papers in his pocket, placing an arm around Harry's shoulders. "Ikimashou!"*

"Ah!" Ichigo nodded, picking up Harry's heavy trunk with one hand. "Jii say, 'let us go'. We go."

Harry turned his back to his cowering relatives and walked out the door without a word.

0o0o0o0o0o0

After they piled into the taxi with Harry's trunk in the boot*, Isshin Kurosaki gave the address to their hotel.

Harry didn't say anything. He was wondering if those that had been watching him were even aware that he 'd left. He really needed to get to Gringotts and finalize his plans now that he had found someone who cared enough to get him out of that hell-hole. He wondered if his new relatives would let him?

Closing his eyes, the young wizard tried to calm his racing heart. Was he really leaving the Dursleys? Would he finally be free of their neglect and abuse? And just what would the headmaster have to say about it? A sigh escaped his lips as he settled back in the seat only to doze off.

"Harry Potter?" came a soft voice, from deep within his mind.

"Who are you? How can I hear you?" Harry wondered to himself.

"We are in your soul, Harry. We are speaking the language of your soul," came the soft voice. "I must say, you are an interesting person, Harry Potter! I believe you and I will get along nicely together."

"Who are you?" Harry asked as the darkness cleared and he found himself standing in an enlarged nursery. Harry felt like this was a nursery for Hagrid! He barely came up to the seat of the rocker, and the mattress in the crib was at his eye level!

Sitting in the over-sized rocking chair was a man with teal eyes and shaggy brown hair. He was wearing a long white robe with a white fur collar.

"To see me this early shows how strong you are. I am . . . . ,"

Harry saw the man's mouth move but couldn't hear what he said.

"That's right, I have to learn your name, don't I?" Harry asked as he took in the fact they were in his mind. "You couldn't make it easy on me, could you? Where are we?"

"We are now in your mindscape, and this is the place where you last felt safe. Do you remember it?"

Harry sighed. His nursery, of course, this would be his safe place. No wonder everything was super sized! The last time he was here he had been a toddler. This must be where he'd subconsciously always retreated in the past, when life with the Dursleys got too bad. It never grew with him; it had stayed as he remembered it as a toddler.

"My mother died protecting me here, you know," Harry said as he ran a hand over the crib.

"I know, I have seen your memories. Harry Potter, she loved you, she died loving you."

"It doesn't make it any easier to be here. I've been alone for so long." Harry's voice ended in a choked sob.

Slipping from the rocking chair the spirit stood beside Harry, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "I am here now, Harry."

Harry turned and smiled at him. "I like that."

0o0o0o0o0o0

On the ride to their hotel while Harry was sleeping, and deep within his mindscape, Ichigo told his father what he had discovered when he went to help Harry pack. The two conversed in quiet Japanese so they didn't wake Harry.

"The kid's room had locks on the outside and a small trap door at the bottom. From the looks of things they kept Harry-kun locked in, like a prisoner," Ichgio said clenching his fists, as he tried to keep his temper and spirit pressure in check.

Isshin said nothing as Ichigo went on. "His room was a disgrace. He has no possession to speak of. He kept his valuables under a floor board! They gave him cast off clothes worn out by his pig of a cousin. I had him take only what was needed for the night."

"We will take him shopping tomorrow. But first, if he is who I believe he is, we may have more allies than we thought," Isshin agreed.

Ichigo looked down at his fists. He will protect Harry as he does all of his friends.

"The worst was when I took his trunk out of that cupboard. It was resting on a small mattress. Someone had been sleeping there," Ichigo spat, struggling to hold back his anger.

"We will make it right, Ichigo," Isshin said, placing a hand over his son's.

The Japanese teen didn't forget that Muramasa had accepted this kid as his next wielder. Ichigo couldn't miss that the runt felt a lot like he did when he'd been fifteen.

Harry-kun's spirit pressure was very unstable yet, and there was so much anger buried within him. Ichigo hoped he hadn't broken any more laws in giving Muramasa to him, and that he could help him by training his spirit pressure.

The Soul Society had been very forgiving of his actions, but even they had their limits. Then there was the head of the Kuchiki clan, Byakuya. He would want to know that Ichigo had found someone for Muramasa to bond with. Whether he would accept Harry as that person remains to be seen.

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"Harry-kun! We're here," came Isshin's voice, breaking up Harry's internal conversation. He came to with a start to find himself in front of a small hotel just outside of London.

Once they were settled in Isshin ordered room service and an extra cot for Harry. Ichigo dropped his Hogwarts' trunk in an out of the way corner.

Plopping on his bed while they waited for their food and a cot to be delivered, Isshin asked the one question that Harry wasn't expecting. "So Harry-kun, how is Hogwarts?"

Harry gulped. "Ho. . How did you. . . ?"

"The crest," Isshin said. "I know of the Wizarding World. The school is well known, even in Japan. There was some sort of Tournament last year. I heard that a student had been killed?"

Harry hung his head. "Yes sir."

"Jii?" Ichigo asked, confused as he sat beside an obviously distressed Harry.

"Your mother Ichigo," the tall doctor told his son. "She went to Hogwarts before she came to Japan. She told me about it. None of you inherited her magic, which I was very thankful for. She would've wanted you to go if you had. So tomorrow, we'll go to that 'Gringotts' bank she told me about and see to getting Harry-kun's papers in order."

Harry's head snapped up in surprise. Just then, room service arrived with a late supper for the trio along with a small cot for Harry to sleep on. Discussion was tabled for the night.

"The food tonight at those people's house was too greasy for my taste," Ichigo complained as he helped himself to a sandwich.

"That's the way they like it," Harry said as he eagerly enjoyed the soup and sandwiches that Isshin handed to him. "What does 'jii' mean?"

"Old man," Ichigo said automatically as he dug into his food.

"While we are at Gringotts we'll see about getting a translation spell for you Harry-kun. Ichigo will help you with Japanese etiquette and forms, since you are coming with us," Isshin said, standing. Grabbing Harry into a huge bear hug, "I've always wanted a second son!" he shouted, suddenly, squeezing Harry tightly.

"Cut it out Jii!" Ichigo shouted. He was used to his father's antics but it was clear Harry wasn't. A foot to the back of the head and Isshin dropped Harry, who landed with a startled yelp on the bed as the older man crashed face first onto the floor.

Isshin rubbing the back of his head gave a nervous chuckle. "Suminasen,* Harry-kun. Why don't you take the first shower, and get ready for bed."

Harry looked over at the scowling teen, who straightened, "Suminasen means excuse me. And Jii is right, you may go first."

Harry nodded and headed for the bathroom. He wanted to put something solid between him and the older man's startling behavior. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all?

0o0o0o0o0o0

After the taxi left with its fare from the Dursleys there was a loud crack as if a car back-fired. A scruffy unshaven figure stumbled out of the shadows in the backyard. He was wearing a long trench coat which clanked as he moved.

"Where have you been Mundungus Fletcher?" came a woman's voice over the back fence behind him.

The scruffy figure jumped in surprise. "Relax Arabelle, I 'adda go an make a deal on some cauldrons, dinn' I? I cou'n't pass up this gol'en opportunity now, right? Man's gotta make a livin', righ'? Cor, Potter was busy inna kitchen when I leff." He scowled at her.

She scowled back at him, swinging her bag of cat food over the fence, dangerously close to his head. "You were suppose to be watching Harry! You're just lucky nothing happened while you were gone!"

She huffed and headed back to her home. Neither of them had noticed that Harry was no longer at Number 4 Privet Drive.

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Ikimashou – let's go

Jii – Old man

Bobbies – British police officer

Boot – English term for the trunk of a car.

Suminasen – Sorry, excuse me