Thank you all for your nice reviews.
Here's the next chapter.
As always. I don't own Avatar or HP.
Chapter 03 - The Na'vi
The sound was distorted, as if it was behind a pane of glass, but it was unmistakable; panic and fear.
"Get him out, for God's sake, get him out!"
"What happened?!"
"Bring the extinguisher!"
"Oh my God!"
"Harry! Harry!"
At the sound of his name, he opened his eyes but was forced to blink and squint for a second as the bright white ceiling of the ambient room greeted him.
Slowly looking around he first noticed the technicians standing by the window, one of them covering their mouth with a look of shock as an alarm was blaring above.
Looking into the control he saw a bunch of people trying to extinguish something.
Looking to his left side he saw Grace's avatar sitting up, only covered in a standard hospital gown, which looked weird on the blue avatar, but that wasn't what drew his attention.
The face of the avatar was one of horror.
Not wanting to interrupt what was going on, Harry sat in silence as they finally killed the flames of the burning unit and the alarm was turned off.
It was the loudest silence he ever experienced, even compared to the time he spent in a Tibetan monastery or after people realized he was a parselmouth back at Hogwarts, and wasn't that a throwback memory.
"Can someone pry it open?" Sally said, her voice grave and serious.
He couldn't really see from where he was laying but he could hear when a couple of technicians heaved and pulled the melted plastic apart only to gasp at what the coffin-looking unit contained.
"There's not even a proper body left." Commented one of them in shock.
"He's gone." Said the other gravely.
Once more a deathly quiet settled over everyone only interrupted by Grace's avatar starting to sob as tears spilled from her big yellow eyes.
"Who's gone?"
Everyone, even the people in the control room, turned to look at the one who asked the question, namely…
"Harry?" Grace asked in disbelief.
"Yes?" Harry asked back.
"Harry?" Everyone asked as one, which really creeped him out as he hadn't heard that many people say a name as one since… well never!
"Uh, yeah?" He asked in a voice that had a hint of worry in it.
"Harry!" Grace shouted as she jumped from her medical cot, the wires and tubes falling over and tearing away, but Harry didn't have time to wince at the sight before he had his arms full of a sobbing Grace.
Looking up at the dumbstruck technicians in the control room he caught the eyes of Sally.
"Can someone please explain to me what is going on?"
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Harry was lying in his cot inside the longhouse at the avatar compound.
It had been a couple of weeks since the day he woke up in the avatar and it hadn't been easy, but what in his life ever was.
Being told that his body, his human body had basically disintegrated inside the link unit and they couldn't figure out why, was a hard hit. Even stranger, he should have died since even though you're driving the avatar body, it's not you and if the avatar dies, you wake up in your own body, at least that's the unfortunate experience for an unlucky avatar driver who got crushed by a hammerhead. At first, they weren't even sure that it was him, but after test after test after test, some of them with Grace to verify, they accepted that it was him.
All in all, they didn't know how it happened but the bottom line was that he was basically stuck in the avatar. He tried to be positive, that at least he didn't die, but it was still hard to come to terms with the reality that he was stuck in an alien body.
They had told him that it might be possible to clone a human body for him, but that it would take years before it would be ready and that they would have to make a link unit big enough for a Na'vi. In essence, he would be a reverse avatar. The idea got shut down fast, not only because it would be experimental, but also expensive since everything had to be ordered and transferred from Earth to Pandora.
He was very happy to be done with the testing and stuff. A couple of the scientist was eying him hungrily like Buckbeat looking at dead ferrets, and he had heard some whispers about them wanting to do more test and that if he was to pass away, did he belong to the RDA or not. The avatars were own by the RDA since they created them and did taht make Harry theirs, were scary thoughts, but so far they had let him be.
Shaking his head he stood up, walked over to one of the windows, and looked into the now-familiar sky above.
He sighed. Looking out at the now aptly named 'Playground' was the beginning of something that was the mix between a military obstacle course and a ninja playground. It had been Harry's idea since another thing that happened was that they basically put him in charge of the design of the avatar compound since he had time on his hands. Due to the request of some of the military personnel who were gonna drive their own avatars, there was also a basketball court added.
That's not to say that he felt alone. Grace spent a lot of time in her avatar as well and they had made plans to make a part of the compound a garden for when she had more data on the Pandoran flora. She was hoping that she'd be able to get some edible plants not only for studying but also so they could get some natural nourishment, especially for Harry whose biology wasn't completely human anymore. Getting used to having a tail wasn't as easy as it… well it didn't sound easy anyway so he felt excused.
He had been lazing around. He had trained with some of the new avatar drivers and since they were RDA personnel he had been able to keep up with the training he started back at The Park. He went on runs and did a steady workout each day to make sure he was in shape for when he was allowed to go.
Harry went back to his cot. Hopefully, they'd have good news for him tomorrow and he'd be allowed to explore. Grace had already been on short tours into the Pandoran jungle and had brought pictures and samples for Harry to see and even though it was interesting, it wasn't what he was there for, what he was hired for.
Putting his hands behind his head he leaned back but abruptly sat up. How had he forgotten? Maybe it was a bit obvious why he had forgotten, thinking about everything that happened but still! He lifted his hand, palm up, and said "Lumos"... Nothing… Well, not nothing, he could feel something, but it was very different from what he was used to. Trying again gave the same results, but the strange feeling got stronger. It felt like he wasn't doing it right.
Thinking back on everything he learned in his life, no answer was found, and he put it aside for now. He'd have plenty of time to figure it out. Also, he reminded himself, it might not be the best idea to do it at the compound since there were cameras all over the place, even if magic seemed to have disappeared.
He let himself fall backward, bouncing slightly off the mattress as he let out another sigh and closed his eyes.
"For tomorrow." He mumbled as he fell asleep surrounded by the still bodies of the avatars.
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The Scorpion was loud as always, but Harry didn't care, he missed seeing Pandora from above but most of all he was happy that he was cleared for tours.
In the scorpion were three avatars, Grace and Harry as well as SecOps operative Molly 'Ozzy' Ossman. Along with them were two other SecOps operatives Alan Schaefer and Michael 'Mike' Harrigan. The two SecOps grunts were both armed with the standard RDA handgun as well as CARB automatic rifles while Ozzy were equipped with an AVR-30 Machine Gun. Grace wasn't armed since she didn't believe it would be necessary. She said she didn't believe in weapons and violence, "Other than cutlery" Harry had chipped in, earning him a smack.
Harry didn't carry firearms, but he did carry two knives with him. SecOps commander Apone wanted at least one of the scientists to be armed, but since Harry wasn't cleared to carry a firearm they had decided to modify two AMP suit knives, which he had tied to each thigh in case he needed them. Ozzy had asked why they didn't just clear him for a firearm, to which Apone told her that it was too much of an administrative hassle. That man really hated paperwork.
Of course, that hadn't been all of it. They had then drilled and drilled him in the use of knives and done practice spars with the other avatar drivers to make sure he knew what he was doing. He really hoped that he didn't need to use them.
Looking back at his tablet he reread what was known about the Na'vi. It wasn't much, but Harry was here to change that… he hoped…
One thing humans seemed to be brilliant at was finding differences, division, and making categories, which was why it became obvious to the RDA that the Na'vi seemed to be divided into clans or tribes. From the pictures, he could see what they meant. Differences in clothes, art, symbols, and in some cases, even in biology since they've observed some tribes living by the sea to be adapted by wider tails and even fin-like appendages.
Of course, all of it was based on pure observation, since no reliable ways to communicate yet, again something he was there to change. Shaking his head he shut off and put away the tablet as he leaned back and smiled at Grace who sat in front of him.
The plan was simple. They were going to land away from the known home of the nearest Na'vi tribe and hike toward them hoping to meet on friendly terms. Simple but efficiant.
In the distance, they saw a giant tree, which they had been told was home to one of the clans. Looking over at Grace again he could see the excitement in her eyes. She might be a biologist but at heart, she was an adventurer through and through. Or she was just looking forward to seeing what plants and fruits the Na'vi used and for what. You never really knew when it came to Grace.
The Scorpion touched down. Alan and Mike were the first ones out, exopacks on and weapons out, Grace and Harry following them.
The grunts stayed with the ship as extra protection, since they were leaving the Scorpion behind and it wasn't safe to leave the pilot alone.
The trip went well. As luck would have it they didn't meet any dangerous animals on the way, other than having to take a detour because of a wandering pack of sturmbeests. It was Ozzy who had insisted on the detour since if it had been up to the scientists they would have wanted to get a closer look.
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Stopping before taking off his bag, Harry took out his tablet to look at the map. He had walked a bit ahead from Ozzy and Grace since Grace had found a plant she hadn't encountered before and of course had to sample. Ozzy had stayed with her since Grace was the only one who wasn't armed. According to the tablet it wouldn't take long before they would reach the great tree when he felt the hairs on his neck stand on end.
Quickly looking around he lifted his hand and pressed it to his throat mic.
"Ozzy, Grace, stay where you are. I got company."
"Viperwolves?" Ozzy asked over the com unit.
"I think it's our neighbors." Harry answered, "Stay where you are till I know more." He then lifted both his arms above his head.
He stood there for a minute in the quiet of the jungle when he heard movement from all around him when eight Na'vi, weapons drawn and bows pulled, stepped out from the jungle surrounding him.
One of the Na'vi stepped forward and said something that Harry obviously didn't understand, but he didn't get time to think too much about it when one of the other Na'vi pointed at Harry's hands and said something to the others.
Whatever she said didn't seem like a good thing since it made the other Na'vi yip and shout in agitation.
The one who seemed in charge said something again that made three Na'vi take out rope and came closer.
"Harry, what's going on?" Ozzy asked, her voice agitated, "I'm coming over!". She probably heard the shouts, Harry thought.
"Ozzy! Relax, stay. It seems like they want to take me somewhere" Harry said quietly, his hand pressing the mic, making the Na'vi stop and look at each other before continuing.
Two of the Na'vi grabbed his hands and tied them together. He was getting a little worried by the roughness of their behavior. Was there infighting between the tribes that they didn't know of? He heard that relations between Na'vi and humans were bad but were they worse than he thought and was that he was dressed as a human as well as coming with the scorpion a big issue?
As Harry wondered and pondered he heard Ozzy over the com again.
"Harry, if you're sure about this, I'm not gonna stop you, but if we haven't heard from you in 24 hours we'll send a team in." Ozzy asked.
"Don't worry Ozzy, I have a feeling they're not going to hurt me." Harry said as he was lightly pushed and guided away.
"I hope you know what you're doing." Grace finally said.
"I hope so too." Harry whispered as he was led through the jungle.
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They had seen them a couple of times, the strange Na'vi. Coming with the noisy things that the Sky People use, dressing like them and speaking like them. No clan insignia or colors. It didn't seem right or natural.
By order of their Olo'eyktan, they were to question one of them but easier said than done, until they came by this opportunity and took it.
Mekanei didn't like this strange Na'vi, didn't trust him.
Like the others they had seen. not only did he speak the tongue of the Sky People, but he dressed like them and if that wasn't strange enough, his hands had five fingers, five fingers! Something was off. Definitely not natural.
Yes, there were two more that were the ones they had seen before, but one of them carried the weapon of the Sky-People, that hit faster than arrows and he didn't want to lose any of his hunters today.
That's why they decided to take the one who was on his own and bring him back to Kelutral, their hometree.
Eytukan, their Olo'eyktan would know what to do.
As they walked the strange Na'vi walked quietly in the middle of the group. He might seem like he wasn't doing anything, but if Mekanei was to venture a guess, he was listening intently to anything they might say. Mekanei scoffed. They weren't talking about anything useful unless you could call Kakalu complaining about her mate Tioang again, useful.
As they entered Hometree, there was a lot of staring and pointing and Mekanei looked over his shoulder to see how the Na'vi handled it, but nearly tripped over by the look of sheer wonder on the Na'vi's face.
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Harry was so focused on trying to listen to what the Na'vi around him were talking about that he didn't even notice that they had arrived at the big tree until he was suddenly surrounded by voices. He looked around seeing more Na'vi, male, female, young and old.
He felt overwhelmed for a moment. Cloth design, art, language, it was like a wonderland for any anthropologist and he couldn't stop looking around.
The feeling of amazement was so much like the first time he was introduced to the magical shopping street that he felt like he could hear Hagrid saying "Welcome, to Diagon Alley".
"Wow." He said in awe as he pushed and moved further inside the tree.
There was a lot of pointing and staring but he didn't notice and if he had, well, his life had hardened him to the stare of others.
They finally stopped at the foot of a spiraling structure that seemed a natural part of the tree and as he lifted his head he noticed that it went far up and out of sight.
Suddenly it became quiet as two Na'vi descended the spiral root.
The male was dressed very differently from the others with feather-looking leaves adorning his vest and a big flat bone-piece on his forehead. The female wore what looked like a red poncho, but the strong colors definitely signified importance.
Harry guessed that these two were probably the tribe leaders.
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"Mekanei," Eytukan said, "Who is this you bring before us?"
Mekanei grabbed the weird Na'vi by the shoulder and pulled him forward.
"Olo'eyktan, this is one of the Na'vi who works with the Sky people. But I do not believe that they are real people!" Mekanei's proclamation drew gasps from all around him.
"Why?" Eytukan asked, "It's true that they might look different but that might just be their weird clothes and smell. We know that the Metkayina by the great sea is different than us, so why do you say you think they're not real?"
"This!" Mekanei said loudly as he grabbed the wrist of the weird Na'vi and lifted it into the air showing the five-fingered hand.
Shouts and yips rang around them and more joined in as more of the people saw the raised hand and even whispers of 'demon' started to spread.
"What manner of creature is this…" Eytukan said quietly to himself as he squinted and started to really look at what he first thought was one of the people. To his knowledge, no being on Pandora had five. Even with their different tails and wide arms, the Metkayina still had four fingers.
"What are you?!" Eytukan demanded of the creature in front of him. "Are you one of the people or are you something else?!"
Unrest was starting among the Omatikaya. Not even their own Olo'eyktan knew what this was. The more they looked the stranger it seemed. It's face, it's stature, it seemed right and then again not. The Omatikaya was for the first time in their life experiencing the feeling of the Uncanny Valley and it was going the way that was expected… not well.
The tension seemed to build and more started to yip and shout until a clear voice sounded and quieted all.
"Be calm, my people, be calm!"
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You would think that Harry was worried about the shouts and noise that surrounded him but he felt frozen.
The poncho-wearing female was staring at him intently, and it felt like she was not just studying him but seeing something more.
He felt the energy again, the same energy as when he tried to use magic in the longhouse, but this time not just faint and it was like she knew. The noise grew until she spoke in a voice used to carry the weight of power and all became quiet.
Slowly she walked closer and then as she reached him she pulled a small bone knife from her necklace and poked him. She looked at the drop before closing her eyes and licking the drop of the knife. Her whole body visibly relaxed as she hugged herself and hummed, still not opening her eyes.
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Mo'at knew this one was special. Not truly one of the people but Eywa was strong in him. In the single drop of blood she tasted, she felt Eywa fill her and connect her like the first time she went through uniltaron, the Dream Hunt. They say that the Olo'eyktan must wait to hear Eywa, while the Tsahìk is always listening and Mo'at was listening.
"You don't understand us, do you?" Mo'at asked the being in front of her.
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Harry was brought out of his trance by her question, or what he guessed was a question. Years of experience with different cultures, tribes, and clans had made him a pretty good guesser when it came to new encounters.
The female in front of him was nonthreatening and the smirk she carried conveyed a message.
"I do not understand, but I want to learn." He said, emphasizing his message by bringing up a hand, touching his lips and then his ears.
It might not have any real meaning to it, but it had worked before. It was a simple enough message and it was hard to guess wrong; something to do with hearing and speaking.
It seemed she understood as she smiled at him and then talked slowly and at the same time made gestures with her hands.
She put one of her arms horizontally and pointed at the sun with her other hand then made a circle with the hand and mimicked the sun going down below the horizontal arm and then up again.
She then pointed at Harry, then the tree and then held the hand mimicking the sun just above the horizontal arm.
Harry nodded at this and then pointed at himself, then the tree and then did the same with his arms, slowly lifting the 'sun' just above the arm.
"I will be here tomorrow at sunrise." He said to her.
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Mo'at nodded back at the being, trusting that she was understood.
"Away you go." She said as she waved him off.
Taking the hint the being turned around and walked towards the jungle, the people parting as he walked by.
"Mo'at," Eytukan said, "Are you sure this is a good idea?"
"I am." She said with conviction, "If we want to learn more about these Sky People, we need to either have someone able to speak to both us and them, but also for us to learn their tongue."
"But what is he?" Eytukan asked.
"I don't know and it'll take time for us to find out, but one thing is sure. He will bring change." She looked out over the Omatikaya in front of her, "If you are to see him tomorrow, lead him here! It is the will of the Great Mother, the will of Eywa."
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As Harry left he called Ozzy to let them know what happened. Lucky for him, they hadn't left yet.
That wasn't to say that they hadn't been worried. Grace had had such a hard time concentrating that she accidentally contaminated multiple samples she tried to take until she gave up and instead did more simple studies on the flora around her.
As they returned on the scorpion to Hell's Gate, Hari was told to head straight to the avatar compound to meet Ms. Eliza Drennek, CEO of RDA. There wasn't a single human on Pandora who didn't know who she was. Harry wasn't one for rumors, since he had a history of being subjected to them, but Ms. Drennek wasn't staying on Pandora, like everyone else. For a second he wondered why they were meeting at the compound until he realised that he wasn't able to meet her in her office. Na'vi can survive longer in an earth-like atmosphere than the other way around, but in the end he'd still need a mask. They hadn't tested how long he would be able to do it, but compared to others, he wouldn't wake up in a link unit if the avatar was to faint, he might die. Also, everything was made for humans. He'd have a hard time getting through the doors.
As he arrived at the compound, Ms. Drennek was already there, seated at one of the tables made for the avatars. The chair was made so a human could sit comfortably, which meant it kinda looked like a kid's high chair, with steps built in for easy climbing.
If it hadn't been for her demeanor and no-nonsense attitude he might have chuckled at the sight.
She was wearing a sharp coal-colored pantsuit that, if rumors were to be believed, fitting her personality. She had a stern expression and hard steel-grey eyes and for a moment Harry wondered if McGonagall looked like that in her youth.
"Mr. Black." She started as he sat down on the chair in front of her.
Oh yeah, Harry thought, definitely channeling McGonagall.
"Hello Ms. Drennek, and might I say that's a lovely pantsuit." He said and smile at her.
Her face looked like it was set in stone.
"Report." She said. Her voice was calm but the demand was not hidden.
Harry nearly quipped a joke her way, but he thought better of it and relayed what had happened.
"So you got invited back." Ms. Drennek said as she leaned forward, elbows on the table and resting her chin on her folded hands.
"Yes ma'am." Harry said.
"Well done." She finished as she climbed down the chair and headed out the longhouse, but just before she exited she turned and looked at him.
"Remember. Your work starts now." And without waiting for a reply she left.
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The following months were some of the best Harry could remember.
Every day he would leave in the early morning with Grace and Ozzy to the jungle, but once they landed he would split from them and head towards the huge tree. On the way, he would be met by a hunter and guided the rest of the way to the tribe. Once there he would be greeted by the female Na'vi who he learned was named Mo'at, who would teach him. He spent most of the day with the Na'vi, but his day wasn't over when he returned, since he had to write reports and Grace would pester him with questions as well. He ended up holding a weekly class for the people interested.
He was quick to pick up the Na'vi language and Mo'at took well to English, and it didn't take long before they were conversing in each other's language, but wasn't he surprised when he learned that she was one of, if not the most important figure in the tribe, the tsahik, spiritual leader and mate to the Olo'eyktan. He had known that she was important, but her being that important, and was willing to teach him had still colored him surprised.
Other than language she also taught him about the Na'vi culture, but he could feel that there still was a wall between them. He was an outsider.
In the beginning of what Harry could only describe as 'classes' Eytukan would also be present, but as time passed, it seemed that Eytukan deemed that Harry wasn't a threat, as well as finding the whole thing boring and left them mostly alone. Sometimes Mo'at's daughter Sylwanin would join them since she had to learn as well as the future tsahik of the Omatikaya.
It was also during this time that he asked Mo'at would allow his friend Grace to visit the Omatikaya clan. He was getting tired of her begging every time he returned. Mo'at had of course questioned why, to which he answered that she studied plants and had an interest in how The People used them and for what. Mo'at had gone to talk to her mate and returned with a positive answer. That evening Harry got one of the biggest hugs from Grace as well as an impromptu, short, chaste kiss that still got him woops and whistles from the people present. Harry knew that it had meant nothing and didn't notice Grace reddening cheeks.
Harry had thought that Mo'at and Grace's meeting would be a tense one, but somehow the two connected like a bludger to a beaters bat. Grace had practiced Na'vi with him every chance she had and it showed. It didn't take long before she was as fluent as him, talking away with Mo'at and Harry suddenly got the feeling that he understood how Eytukan felt when he joined their 'classes' in the beginning. He started talking more with Eytukan and the two slowly bonded and became friends.
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It was a regular day on the moon Pandora, where Eytukan and Harry were discussing which meat tasted better, yerik or talioang when Grace and Mo'at came walking towards them with smiles both Na'vi and former human knew too well.
Eytukan took a deep breath and closed his eyes and he waved his had as if to say 'get on with it'.
"Grace and I have decided," Mo'at started.
"That we should built a school!" Grace finished.