Soldier

A/N: Now that Harry was in Japan, please assume that everyone is speaking Japanese and that the translation spell is in affect.

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

Chapter 6: The Valley People

The flight was as long and boring as Ichigo had warned him, but each minute in the air meant he was one step closer to a month of true freedom! At least, that was what he kept telling himself.

The translation spell worked very well so far, allowing Harry to speak and understand fluent Japanese with the same regional accent as Ichigo; the only thing he couldn't do was write or read it. That he had to learn the hard way.

Thankfully, he didn't have to worry about it as he was only going to be in Japan for a month. He would miss his birthday, but it was well worth it.

During the flight, Ichigo told Harry what he could expect upon arrival. He informed Harry that their home was very small. The teen also told him that he would be sleeping in Ichigo's room as they had no guest bedroom. Ichigo's closet could hold Harry's futon and his trunk nicely.

Harry paled at the thought and almost panicked. Ichigo, however, assured Harry that space was at a premium in Japan and many people slept in very small spaces; it would be alright.

Then Harry remembered—the goblins had assured him that the Statute of Secrecy didn't apply in Japan, as long as he was careful who he used magic around. He didn't have a trace on his wand anymore as his emancipation saw to that.

So he could use his magic. He could enlarge the closet to a full size bed-space – with a niche to house his things! That would work.

With the help of a small book the goblins had given him, Harry knew what spells he needed to change Ichigo's closet into a second bedroom and not change the structure of the house.

Thank Merlin for magic!

They arrived at Karakura Town mid-afternoon. Their taxi pulled up in front of a small clinic attached to a small townhouse.

Two girls stood on the front step with a large sign. Harry couldn't read it, but Ichigo leaned closer and said that they were his sisters Karin and Yuzu. So those were Ichigo's twin sisters? They were cute, and they didn't even look alike! One had black hair and a scowl on her face, while the other had light brown hair and a soft smile.

"Uh Runt, don't be surprised what Goat Face does next or what I do to him. He's been behaving himself reasonably well so far, but now that we are home. . . Trust me, he won't hurt you," the teen warned. "He's been doing this since mom died."

That was another thing Harry couldn't understand. Why Ichigo had to insult his father like that? During his time with the goblin healers, Isshin would act goofy and loud much to Ichigo's embarrassment.

However, Harry grew up with such insults and of course it had carried over to the Wizarding World. He shuddered wondering if he would survive this month?

Suddenly, the calm easy man that Harry had come to know turned into this loud, crazy person.

"DDAAAAAAADDDDIESSSSS . . . . . HOMMMMMEEE!" Isshin did a running dive towards the two girls coming down the sidewalk.

Harry blinked. 'Ok, this is different.'

Isshin Kurosaki was indeed acting crazy, as Ichigo had warned. It made no sense! Who was the real man? The one that had sat with him when he'd had a nightmare the night before, or the one that was shouting and acting crazy?

"Ichigo, did you have to bring Goat Face back?" asked the dark haired girl as she flipped her father head over arse against the closed door. The other girl tried to calm everyone down so they could enter the house.

As Ichigo paid for the taxi, Harry helped pull out the stack of suitcases from the boot. He also tried to stay as far from the crazy person as possible. The dark haired twin helped with the luggage as she berated Ichigo for bringing back their dad.

Once inside Harry found his temporary home was a nicely kept townhouse. The first thing he noticed was a huge wall poster of a red haired woman.

"That's mom before she died. Dad put it up," the other girl said, nodding to the poster. "I'm Yuzu and that's Karin."

Turning from the poster, he smiled shyly. "Harry, and thanks for letting me come and stay with you."

"Ichi-nii texted me about you. Hope you like it here," Yuzu said as she lead him up to Ichigo's room. "Ichi-nii said not to worry about you staying in his room. Rukia used to sleep in his closet. She said it was very comfortable."

Harry nodded, but was still worried. He remembered Ichigo telling him about Rukia. So when he stepped into the room he wasn't that surprised by the emptiness of the small space.

Ichigo didn't have much, just a bed, a desk and a closet. The upper shelf of the closet looked like someone had already been using it as a bed, while the bottom half held a dresser and storage bins.

Ichigo stepped in behind Yuzu and Harry with a couple of suitcases. "Rukia," he explained, "sometimes sleeps there when she comes by."

Rukia Kuchiki. Harry knew about her. Ichigo said that once they returned to Japan he would tell Harry the full story of how he met her, and how she'd changed his life.

The one thing Ichigo said was she loved bunnies, especially a very popular cartoon rabbit named 'Chappie.'

Harry nodded as he took out his wand and waved it at the closet, uttering the spells he'd memorized from the book the Goblins gave him.

Creating Wizard space was a complicated piece of magic, but Harry had been assured that he had the power to do it. He shuddered and began to change out the pink blankets and the bunny motif to something more appealing to his tastes.

There! Much better!

The sleeping area had been moved back, allowing a small ladder for Harry to climb up into the futon. Space had also been made for Harry's clothes.

Thankfully he had left his school trunk in his vault at Gringotts. For this trip, he had taken only the bare necessities.

Another thing that had upset Harry was the fact that he had to return to England in a month's time. If he truly wished to claim his inheritance and lordship, he had to at least take his OWLS. That meant he had to return to Hogwarts for his fifth year, not something he was looking forward to.

'That sucked!'

"We won't send you back without some support or training," Isshin did promised.

Ichigo came to stand beside Harry when the young wizard had finished his new bedroom. The wooden doors had been switched out for curtains to allow more light and air and help keep Harry from feeling too confined.

"Nice," the taller teen approved. "And I still have room for my things as well."

"I like it, Harry-kun," the petite girl said. "Maybe you can do something for Karin's and my room?"

Harry blushed and nodded. He was not used to being praised for his work.

"Yuzu, why don't you go and check on Goat Face?" Ichigo said. "Harry and I still need to get unpacked."

"Right. I also need to check on dinner, unless you want to go out?"

"And miss your awesome cooking?"

She blushed and left as Ichigo plopped onto his bed. "Have a seat. We need to talk."

Ichigo then proceeded to tell Harry about how he became a Soul Reaper in more detail than he'd given in London. When he was finished with his tale, he told Harry that tomorrow he would take him around to meet his friends.

"We will meet up at Urahara's sweet shop. Geta-boshi's* crazy and insane, but he'll help you with your magical training. Then there's someone else you should ask for help, he does a different form of magic, called Kido."

"Kido?" Harry asked.

"Its more ritualistic, with chants, but it's powerful," Ichigo explained.

"Ichi-nii and Harry-kun, dinner. . . . !" came Yuzu's call.

0o0o0o0o0o

That night, Harry woke from a sound sleep to see Ichigo's body lying asleep in his bed while his cousin was also standing in the middle of his room dressed as a Soul Reaper!

"Ichi. . .?" He mumbled sleepily.

"Shh... a hollow. I'll be back," Ichigo said as he moved to leap out his window.

"Be careful." He hadn't seen this form of his cousin since the night he'd slain the dementors on Privet Drive. That was one big sword strapped to Ichigo's back!

"Ah." Ichigo opened his window and jumped out, disappearing into the night.

Harry watched Ichigo slip away. He snuggled back into his bedding, a frown of concern on his face.

"Harry, he will be alright," came Muramasa's voice inside his mind. "I've told you about hollows. He knows what he is doing."

"I know, Muramasa," Harry said as placed his hands under his head, closing his eyes. "I wish I could help him, but I'm not a soul reaper."

"No you are not," the spirit agreed. "Also, you need training. You should get some rest. You are still adjusting to the time change."

"I reckon you're right, Muramasa," Harry agreed sleepily as he slipped away into Morpheus' arms.

0o0o0o0o

The spirit watched Harry's mind succumb to sleep. 'You are a strange child, Harry Potter,' the spirit mused. 'You want to protect everyone just like Ichigo Kurasaki and yet, you long for someone to protect you. You desire a home and family and yet both have escaped you. . . Maybe here you will find it. I find myself more and more drawn to you.'

Inside Harry's mind, the spirit climbed up into the enlarged rocking chair. His feet dangled off the edge as he leaned forward to rest his elbows on his knees and his chin on his folded hands. 'You are so different than Koga and yet, so similar. Your sense of honor and justice is very strong. I am glad we chose each other. Maybe now, I can fix my mistakes.'

He looked over at the empty crib and mused as he moved back into the chair and closed his eyes. "This is so different than my original wielder's mind-scape that my fight with Ichigo Kurosaki destroyed. So different, and more relaxing."

0o0o0o0o0o

The next morning Harry followed Ichigo through Karakura Town to a small sweet shop on a small side street, tucked away from the busy main thoroughfares. Ichigo explained that he'd promised to meet his friends there after he returned.

Isshin remained behind as he had patients to deal with. He hadn't intended to be away for so long so he was a bit behind in his work. Yuzu and Karin were busy with their own pursuits, so that freed Harry and Ichigo to do what they wanted.

"Oi! Geta-Boshi! You in?"

"Ohh.. . .Kurosaki-kun, you are back. . ." came a soft singsong voice as a medium size man wearing a green and white striped bucket hat and walking on wooden, elevated clogs. Harry hid a snicker at the sight as Ichigo rolled his eyes. "Your friends are in the back. Oh and who is this?" the shop keeper asked.

"Great, another free loader," harped a kid with a broom.

"Mah, mah, that's enough," said Geta-Boshi or rather, Kisuke Urahara. "Come in, come in. Welcome to my humble shop."

Harry, not for the first time, wondered what he had gotten himself into this time.

0o0o0o0o0o

A/N:

For those that thought we were bashing Ron, we weren't going for that. If Frau or I pulled that stunt at the table, we would've been in deep trouble. So we can't see that as bashing.

*Geta-Boshi means Sandal Hat, also could be interpret as Hat and Clogs.