The Soul Tree
9th of August, 1999.
The sea rolled in slowly. The salty breeze pulled at the four men standing by the shore. A year ago Kato had made a promise. He had come back to make good on it. "What were we waiting for really?" Cedric asked.
"The naga to approach us," Kato said. "I could just go straight to their village, but I don't think they would appreciate that." He moved out in front of the others as he sent Kali out to show herself to the Naga. "This is the day," he hissed after a while. "I came back to aid you. Preparations have been made."
Naga slowly moved out of the jungle. A young girl walked up to Kato. "I am here to carry the Hist," she hissed. "You will protect and aid me."
Kato walked up to her and took her hands in his. "I guide you and protect you upon the path you must travel," he hissed softly. "I have been given means of going close to the Hist."
"Then we shall go," she hissed.
Kato held out a portkey and the five of them were gone in an instant. He did his best to protect the naga girl from the first rays of the sun as they landed. He led them down to the village where the Hist stood. The village had been cleaned out and the houses remade to hold the workers who were digging into the rich ground. Kato shook his head sadly. He knew goblins could be hard to convince sometimes, and Clan Alfknif didn't own this site so there was nothing he could do about it.
"The Hist doesn't like it here," the girl said. "Too much greed."
"Greed was the downfall of those who lived through the Hist before," Kato said.
"You have shared this Hist," the girl said. "The Hist likes your voice." She walked closer to the tree. Kato moved closely behind her and the rest fanned out behind him. Their instructions had been clear. No matter what, this could not be stopped. It had to happen. The Naga moved up to the hist and pressed her hand against the rough trunk. The light from the tree faded and died.
Many goblins called out, but Charlie and their dragons kept them from moving towards the tree. Kato stepped into the water and walked across the surface after the girl. As she turned to look at him her eyes glowed. Kato reached out and placed a hand on her shoulder. He felt the power held within her.
"What happened?" Draco asked as Kato walked back to them carrying the girl.
"She absorbed the essence of the Hist," Kato said. He didn't feel like explaining to all of them exactly what that meant. He knew the girl they had brought was essentially gone. She would be reborn soon enough, but for now, her soul had joined the hist and this body would be buried when they returned so the tree could flourish once more. "We can't travel by magic now," Kato said. "She isn't stable enough for that."
"Well it is a good thing we took that into account," Charlie said. "Laurina let me know they are waiting for us a few days ago. I doubt they are here though."
"I had camels brought here," Kato said. He moved away as Cedric almost brushed against him. "Don't touch her," he said. He was going to be driven mad by people not keeping their distance. He made his way out to the camels and climbed up. Before anyone else could join him he got the camel going. He knew the others would catch up.
"Is it just me or is he acting strange?" Cedric said.
"He has some strange connection to that Hist," Charlie said.
"Should he be allowed to carry that girl like that?" Draco asked.
"Do you really want to try to take her away?" Charlie asked. "Give us some space. I'll see if I can't get him to tell me what is going on." He hurried his camel a bit until he reached Kato. "Hi los faas, you are scaring us, love," he said. "What is happening?"
Kato turned toward Charlie. His eyes much like the girl's eyes were filled with red light. "We have to bring her home," he said calmly.
"This is harming you," Charlie said.
"If we take too long it might," Kato said. "It will hurt you though so please don't touch her. I can't lose you to this."
"Is it really that dangerous?" Charlie asked.
"The Hist thinks it might be," Kato said. "It is unsure about you because of our bond so if anyone is to touch me let it be you."
"I'm just glad I told Laurina to get us a big car," Charlie said. "If the rest of us are not allowed to touch you, that will complicate things."
"I'll get us past the borders, just get us there," Kato said. The Hist wasn't messing with his head, but it was whispering constantly, and it was hard for him to focus on anything for long.
By nightfall, they reached the main camp. Charlie helped Kato down and led him as quickly as he could over towards Ralis who was standing outside a tent.
"So this is the package?" Ralis asked. He gave Kato a strange look as swirling red eyes looked over at him. "What is going on with Kato?" he asked.
"The Hist is affecting him," Charlie said. "He said touching the girl could be lethal so stay away from them.
"Doesn't that sound safe," Laurina said. "Touching her could kill us. What is it doing to him?" He is holding her."
"The Hist also knows him from before this," Charlie said. "I don't know how it works. I just know that the faster we get them to where we need to go the better.
"It is still going to take several days if we have to drive there," Ralis said.
"Then we better get going," Charlie said. He got Kato into the car with the Hist and made sure everyone else was belted up before sitting down himself. He wasn't happy about the situation, but he trusted that Kato knew what he was doing. He started the engine and they got going. While he drove he could hear Cedric talking to Laurina and Ralis. He seemed interested in what they did and they were happy to share.
…
For several days they switched drivers every six hours or so. Everything went fine until they reached the border of Afghanistan.
11th of August, 1999.
Kato looked out the window apathetically as the car stopped. He had gotten them past several borders already with no major problems, but this time they were ordered out of the car. He stepped out holding the little girl in his arms.
A man walked up to them and sent the other border guards away. "Why are magical people travelling by car?" he asked. "Are you transporting something?"
"We are," Charlie said. "And all our papers are in order." He held out their mission papers from the goblins and the Indian government.
The border control barely looked at Charlie before walking up to Kato. "You will hand over the girl this instance," he said. He could feel the magic coming off her. If they did things right they could power whole districts using her as the battery. He wasn't sure how she could hold so much power, but it didn't matter.
"No," Kato said calmly. His eyes glowed golden in the red swirls left by the Hist. He raised his hand to push the man back as he reached out and placed a hand on the girl. For a moment it seemed like nothing happened then the border guard dispread in a cloud of red smoke. "One with the Hist," Kato mumbled as he stumbled back. He raised his hand and convinced the other guards it was fine for them to move on. "Let's go," he said.
13th of August, 1999.
It was early in the morning when they finally reached the Indian border. Charlie handed over their papers and the border guards looked everything through. An elderly woman walked up to the car and looked inside at Kato and the little girl. She called something and two motorcycles appeared. "Drive, they will escort you," she said.
…
"Charlie I think maybe you shouldn't be driving anymore," Laurina said after a few hours. The sun was rising and the road was clearing up.
"It's no problem," Charlie said.
"No, really Charlie stop the car and look at your arms," Laurina said. "We are dealing with magic we don't understand. Please let me drive."
Charlie slowed down and stopped. The bond tattoos on his arms were red instead of silver and when he looked back up at Laurina his eyes were glowing red the same as Kato's. He moved to the back of the car and sat down next to Kato. Kato pulled away at first when he felt the hand touch him, but looking over at Charlie he could see that it wouldn't matter. He was affected anyway. He took comfort in the fact that he wasn't alone.
"Do you think they'll make it?" Cedric asked softly as he looked at them. He didn't know what the marks on Charlie's arms meant, but he guessed the guy was just more sensitive than the rest of them.
"As long as we get there in time they should be fine," Laurina said.
Draco moved into the front seat next to her. He focused his magic and applied one shield after another before making sure that he had their coordinates set. "Pedal to the metal and keep on track," he said. "I'll make sure you don't run anything over."
…
Ralis took over and kept driving. He kept an eye on the guide that Draco had set up. They had a group of very powerful people in this car. Damn it if they didn't get there on time.
"It will be fine," Kato said softly. "I know it looks like we're out of it, but I could still make it in time on foot from here."
Ralis relaxed slightly. "If you say so," he said.
"I can tell the distance to where we need to go. The Hist knows where to find their children."
"You and Charlie are bonded yet you hide your marks," Ralis said. "How come?"
"Because this isn't my true face Ralis," Kato said. "And people aren't supposed to know that."
"The kid you mean," Ralis said. "It must be rough for you to lie. We could take him off your hands. Laurina and I have considered taking an apprentice or two. He seems like the reliable sort."
"Ask him," Kato said. "If he wants to go he is free to."
Silence spread in the car for a moment.
"Stop the car," Kato said suddenly.
Ralis slowed down to a halt and looked back at Kato as he got out of the car. "What are you doing?" he asked.
Kato stepped off the road and walked straight into the jungle. Ralis poked Draco. "Protect the car," he said before getting out so he could follow Kato. He moved as quickly as he dared to until he reached a small clearing.
Kato was standing in the centre with the girl on his hip. He knelt next to a shape on the ground and reached out. A loud hiss escaped the shape on the ground before a large serpentine naga rose. He looked around wildly until his gaze landed on Kato he was clutching his side as blood poured out of deep wounds. "I still have the power to kill you human," the naga hissed.
Kato looked up. "No," he hissed back. "Attacking me would be in vain. Your life is at an end."
"Then I shall join the dirt as is our custom, and my soul shall wander till the end of days when Sithis clams us all."
"Or you join the Hist," Kato hissed. "And wait for your next life upon this earth."
"My tribe has no tree," the naga hissed.
"Yet a Hist I'm bringing them," Kato said. He looked down at the girl in his arms.
Ralis watched as he moved forward slowly. He had his wand at the ready, but he couldn't understand what they were saying so he wasn't sure what to do. Then the naga reached out and touched the girl and he was gone.
"Another soul joins the Hist. This one willing and ready for what is to come," Kato said softly.
Draco was glaring at his Master when they returned to the car. "Please stay in the vehicle, Master. We are trying to make sure we don't lose you to this mission," he said.
"A lost soul has been saved from eternal darkness," Kato said calmly.
"Kato?" Draco said.
"Take me home," Kato said. "He shall return to you once his mission is complete."
Ralis started the car. "I spoke to Kato not an hour and a half ago. This is recent."
Draco shook his head. "I guess we're better off doing what they say," he said.
15th of August, 1999.
As the sun rose above the horizon two days later they finally reached the sea. Draco checked for their destination again. "The car won't help us now," he said. "You can stop. We need to walk straight into the jungle."
Ralis and Laurina got their gear ready as Draco tried to get in contact with Kato and Charlie. It was frustrating that they seemed so far away. When he finally managed to get them to understand what was going on they simply started walking. It was up to the rest of them to keep up.
Animals seemed to keep their distance. Even insects didn't fly too close to the Hist child. "This is insane," Laurina said. "How do they just walk like this is nothing?"
"The forest is moving for them," Ralis said.
After almost two hours of trying to keep up with Charlie and Kato, they had to give up.
"At least Draco is with them," Cedric said. "I think maybe they didn't want us to follow."
"Or the Naga don't want us near their home," Ralis said. "We might as well head back to the car."
Draco looked up as the forest finally seemed to give way and he could see further than a few feet ahead of them. There were Naga everywhere. The Clan was surprisingly big despite their lack of a tree of their own. He stopped walking as Naga turned towards him. He got the feeling he wasn't really welcome, but they wouldn't hurt him.
Kato kept going until he stood in the middle of the village. "Where is my tender?" he asked.
A man made his way down towards Kato slowly as Kato placed the girl down. He reached out for the tended and a red swirl of power left him and enveloped the tender. He stumbled back and Charlie caught him and steadied him. They moved back until they were standing side by side with Draco. "Let's go," Kato said. He reached out, and without thinking, he teleported them back to the car. He landed and collapsed. Charlie knelt next to Kato before looking up at Draco.
"I'll need help," Draco said. "I know where we can go, but…"
"Take us," Charlie said. He picked Kato up and Draco placed a hand on them each before apparating to Kandy. He needed professional help. He walked them into the Hospital. Charlie's bond tattoos were still shimmering red and his eyes kept blinking in and out of light.
"If it isn't young Malfoy."
Draco turned and took a breath of relief. "Professor Hewage," he said. "My Master transported the soul of a Hist tree. He collapsed and I don't feel like I can keep my head straight for this."
"A Hist tree really how interesting," Professor Hewage said as he walked up to Charlie so he could take a look at Kato. "Well, we better get you to a room. I think we might be dealing with simple exhaustion, but all that red stuff can't be healthy." He led them down a corridor and entered a room. "You should probably lay down yourself young man. You don't look too good and we really should have a look at that bonded of yours they can't be in a much better state," Professor Hewage said. "I'll go get Nimali so we can get this sorted."
Draco walked up to Kato. He looked over at Charlie. "You really should lay down," he said. "You don't look good."
"They need to know Kato is my bonded," Charlie mumbled. He sat down heavily and buried his face in his hands.
"I'll let them know," Draco said. "Then I'll go back and make sure Laurina and the others know you are fine. Just leave it to me."
"Draco," Nimali said as she walked in. What has he gotten himself into now?" she asked as she walked up to Kato.
"He carried the soul of a Hist from Egypt to India. We went by car, but it still took us about six days to get the Hist to the Naga Clan that was supposed to have it. He transferred some kind of power to their keeper and then he got us out of there."
"Did he carry the Soul within him?" Nimali asked.
"No, it was carried in a chosen child of the Clan," Draco said. "He carried the child. The one time a person touched her he disintegrated and Kato said he became part of the Hist.
"And the other young man," Nimali said.
"That is Charlie Weasley," Draco said.
"He is bonded we will need the person he is bonded to," Nimali said.
Draco reached out and took off Kato's earrings carefully dropping the glamour. "There you have him," he said. "This is Harry Kato Potter Peverell. They bonded in June. I was there."
Nimali looked from Harry to Charlie. "He is the secondary exposed," she said. "The fact that his bond marks are so affected does not speak well for their recovery, but we will do our best."
"That is all I can ask," Draco said. "I will return later. We had companions and I wish to let them know everyone is fine. I should also let the goblins know we are here and what has happened. Clan Alfknif may choose to send aid."
"Any help we can get is welcome," Nimali said. "Especially since these are goblin bonds." She looked down at Kato and sighed. This man seemed incapable of keeping himself out of trouble. She walked over to Charlie and checked him over. Some goblin help certainly wouldn't hurt.
About an hour later Draco was back by the car.
Ralis stood up. "Everything alright?" he asked. "There is a lot of ambient strange magic going on around here. We would rather leave."
"Charlie and Kato are being treated," Draco said. "They won't need your help anymore. I need to go back to make sure everything is alright, but we thank you most deeply for your aid." He bowed.
"Kato and Charlie are good people," Ralis said. "I don't mind helping out."
Cedric looked at Draco. "I'll be going with them," he said. "I appreciate what Kato and Charlie have taught me, but I think I might want something a little less wild broom ride. They have so many sharp turns in their lives and I'd like something steadier."
"I have the paperwork done," Laurina said. "Do you want copies?"
"I might as well," Draco said. "I'll file with the goblins. They have a bank where I took Kato and Charlie to."
"Then we will see you next time you need us," Ralis said.
"Hope it is less dangerous," Draco said. He backed off and waved before apparating back. Syn was standing by Namali's side when he got back to Rohala Ajantha. "…won't be a problem," she said as Draco walked in. "If we cleanse them and then feed them some recovery potions they will be right as rain."
"Master Syn a pleasure," Draco said with a bow.
"Ah, Kato's apprentice good. You can show me just what happened. The more information I have the better," Syn said. She took Draco's hands and led him over to a chair so she could have a look at his memories. She came back out looking slightly concerned yet determined. "I'll get a cleansing crew," she said. "Normally I would want to move them home, but I don't think moving them is a good idea in this instance. So we shall do it here."
"Thank you for your help, Master Syn," Nimali said.
"They are part of the Clan," Syn said. "We help our own." She walked out of the room and left to go back to the Clan.
…
It took two days for the goblins to arrive and another three to perform the cleansing ritual they wanted to use. Afterwards, Harry and Charlie looked much better, but their magic reserves were low. It would take time for them to recover. The goblins had moved them together so they were lying side by side in a single bed. "We're keeping them under until they are well enough to move around," Syn told Draco. "Knowing Kato he won't be able to keep out of trouble otherwise."
24th of August, 1999.
Draco headed up the street towards the hospital slowly. He was hoping Harry and Charlie would wake up soon. They seemed to be doing alright so he was sure it wasn't much further now.
"Draco."
Draco turned slightly and looked at one of the girls he had spent a drunken night with the last time he was in Kandy. She had a little child in her arms. Their dark hair stood every which way and their brown eyes kept looking at all the colourful things around them.
"Good afternoon," Draco said.
"You could have given us a better life," she said.
Draco shook his head. "You don't build a better life on lies," he said. "That child isn't mine, both you and I know that. Why try to keep up the lie?"
"He could have been yours," she said.
Draco sighed. "No," he said. He started walking again.
"Why are you back?" she called.
"I won't be for long," Draco responded. He was done with the conversation. He walked into the Hospital slowly. He heard someone speaking loudly.
"The child is a squib there is nothing else we can do for her."
"She has no magic the spell was clear."
"She is just a child."
Draco was glad he had gotten translators from the goblins again. If someone was using spells to check for magic on a small child he did not approve. Those spells were painful and dangerous to a growing body and mind. The creator hadn't cared, but that didn't mean the spells should be used. He knew he didn't have the authority to intervene… but he knew someone who did. He headed towards his Master's room. Once Kato was back to healthy magical levels he reapplied the glamour. He opened the door and walked into the room.
Kato looked up at him from the book he was reading. He had clearly been through a shower and gotten dressed in clothes Draco had brought in. Judging by Charlie's absence he was probably cleaning up now.
"You look like something you don't like is going on," Kato said calmly.
Draco quickly explained the situation and handed Kato translation gear. "I can stay and wait for Charlie," he said.
"Thank you," Kato said. He headed out of the room and walked down a corridor. "Master Healer Kato Peverell," he said as he flashed his credentials at a mediwitch. "Has something happened?"
"A farm burned down, sir. They were very hurt when they brought them in. The family isn't well off and we don't know who will make it," she said.
"Thank you," Kato said with a bow. He didn't want to hold her up longer than necessary. He walked in further. Several people lay on white beds. Some were clearly not alive anymore and some were so close to death that it would be kinder to put them out of their misery. He stopped by a bed where a woman lay. She was burned badly and her body was giving up, but she was looking at Kato intently. She tried to speak but no words came out.
Kato walked up to her and sat down. He took her hand and reached out for her with his mind. 'Speak,' he said softly. He felt a wave of relief.
'My daughter?'
'I'll check,' Kato said. He rose slowly.
'Take care of her, please!'
Harry smiled sadly. He wished he could make that kind of promise, but he didn't even know if the daughter was still alive. He watched as the light left the mother's eyes between one breath and the next. He placed a hand on the shoulder of a stressed-out mediwitch. You are doing a fantastic job, but none of them are going to make it. The smoke has already killed them."
She looked up at him with tears in her eyes. "I can still ease their suffering," she said.
"And for that I commend you," Kato said. He stopped by another bed. In it lay an old man. He was probably the only one who wasn't deadly wounded, but it looked like his heart was breaking.
"Everything is gone," the old man said. "My wife. Our son and his wife. Their children… The only one that still lives is their little girl and they tell me she doesn't have magic. They want me to send my only grandchild into the non-magical world because I am not fit to care for her. I know I set the fire. I will pay dearly for my negligence, but I never wanted for this."
"How did the fire start?" Kato asked softly.
"I'd been drinking too much mister an' I thought I heard an intruder ye see. I only wanned to protect my family," the old man said. "Aurors have already said I'm responsible. What does that matter, but their little girl… she didn deserve this. She didn't deserve any of this."
Kato sat up straighter. He waved over a mediwitch. "His granddaughter… the one that lived, where is she?" he asked.
"He isn't allowed to see her," the mediwitch said.
"I understand that, but I would like to see her," Kato said.
"They took her over to the Children's' Ward for evaluation," the mediwitch said.
Kato headed out of the ward. It was filled with death. A whole family gone to drinking. It wasn't the first time, and he was sure it wouldn't be the last. He smiled at Charlie as he walked up to him. He kissed him before taking his hand so they could keep going. He filled Charlie and Draco in on what he had found out so far. When they reached the Children's Ward, he entered alone. He didn't have to go far before he heard the mediwitches talking
"She's a demon."
"Her eyes are like fire."
"They say the fire didn't touch her."
"But she doesn't have any magic." Two mediwitches were standing over a little girl who was sitting in a corner away from the other children. She looked up at him with fiery orange eyes. There was pain there. Pain that shouldn't exist in the eyes of a child. He walked forward calmly. "Excuse me. I'm looking for the little girl that was part of the fire," he said calmly as he brought his credentials out.
"I do believe you are a little over qualified for this, Master Healer," the oldest of the mediwitches said.
"That might have been true if I wasn't also a mind healer," Kato said calmly. "The girl has been through trauma I am here to help."
"Considering she will be taken to the nearby muggle hospital your services will not be needed," the oldest mediwitch said. "All I need is a signature." She walked off with determination.
Kato followed her to the door. He waved Charlie and Draco over. "Get an Auror connected to the case for me," he told Draco. "Tell them the little girl is about to be shipped off to the non-magical world and let them know they can question her now."
"Will do," Draco said.
Kato took Charlie's hand and pulled him inside. They walked over to the little girl and sat down against the wall. Kato shared a small smile with an apprentice who was overlooking the other two playing children. He summoned a small ball of light and held it out for her. It took a little while before she reached out and grabbed the ball.
"My name is Harry," Kato said calmly as he taped her past his glamour. He hadn't done that for anyone else because he wanted them to remember what name to use when talking to or about him. With this little girl, he didn't want to lie. He wanted to show her who he was. "This is Charlie."
The girl looked up at Charlie. "Hair like eyes," she said quietly.
"My hair is the same colour as your eyes," Charlie said calmly.
She pointed at Harry. "Em rald," she said. She reached out and grabbed the ball. "Bouncy ball." She turned the ball over and looked at it. She rolled it across the floor and Kato moved to catch it. He rolled it back to her.
"What is your name?" Kato asked.
She shook her head slowly and rolled the ball back.
A somewhat stressed-looking Auror came rushing into the room and stopped as she saw the little girl. Charlie motioned for her to be quiet.
"What did you do yesterday morning?" Harry asked. "Did you get out of bed?"
She nodded slowly. "Sun was bright," she said. "Mommy hurry."
Kato nodded slowly. "Did mommy have somewhere she needed to go?" he asked.
"Mommy go away," the girl said.
"But mommy came back?" Kato said.
"Late," she said.
"What happened after mommy went away?" Kato asked. He rolled the ball back to her and it changed colour
"Aya and Ara played out in high grass and Gramp had funny juice," she said.
"What is funny juice?" Kato asked.
"Drink for dult. Baba say Ara no drink," she said. "Gramp not funny though."
"Gramp doesn't get funny?" Kato said.
"Gramp scary," she said.
"Angry?"
She shook her head.
"Then mommy got back home?" Kato said.
"We eat and sleep," she said. "Ara woke up. Loud voice outside then fire go woosh. Mommy yell Ara to run. Fire hot. Ara did not want fire so fire stay away. House go woosh and man run away."
Kato nodded slowly. "Thank you for telling us," he said. "Can you roll the ball with Charlie for a bit?" he rolled the ball back to her and stood up. He walked with the Auror. "Do you think that's enough?" he asked.
"It means we have to find the man that ran away," the Auror said. "I will place this girl in your custody Healer Peverell. It seems the Hospital cannot be trusted, but we know from previous experience that you can."
"I see," Kato said. "I will make sure we are available and your department knows where to find us."
"Good. Hopefully, we don't need to know anything else, but anything you can find out is good for us to know," the Auror said.
"We might take a room at the Inn," Kato said. "Unless one can be provided here, though I doubt it." He looked over her shoulder at the returning mediwitch. She walked straight up to the little girl and picked her up. Then she turned around and smirked at Kato. "There, now she is leaving. Squibs don't belong in the magical world."
"And how do you know she is a squib?" Kato asked calmly.
"We tested her of course," the mediwitch said.
"You are aware that spells used to test children are either illegal or highly unreliable," Kato said. "Before the age of ten, there is no spell that is guaranteed to work and is approved by the ICW."
"Hogwash. There are no issues testing children and it works every time," the mediwitch said. She shifted the crying girl in her arms and took a firmer grip on her.
"And you are simply sending children into the non-magical world based on the results," the Auror said.
The mediwitch looked taken aback as if she hadn't noticed the other woman before. "Yes, well that is how it has always been done," she said. "Of course, the Head Healer needs to approve."
"Give the child to Healer Peverell," the Auror said. "You will be coming with me. Someone at the office will have to deal with you."
Kato held his arms out and accepted the girl. "Hey dear," he said to the crying girl. "It's okay. You said your name is Ara?"
"K'ara," she said swallowing several letters.
"Then I will see you later," the Auror said. "Good afternoon gentlemen."
"Until next we meet," Kato said. He bounced Ara up and down a bit. He needed to know what her name was and if she had any allergies. The rest they could figure out later. He walked to the front desk with Charlie right behind him and asked for her papers. It took a while to work through who she had come in with and why he needed the information, but being a Master Healer had its benefits. People didn't ask as many questions especially when your credentials had a Clan mark on them. Goblins didn't take well to those who hurt children.
The little girl's name was Keyara. She seemed to be healthy. "Thank you," Kato said. He looked at the girl. "Is it okay to sit on me?" he asked.
Keyara nodded slowly.
"We are going to head out of the Hospital," Kato said. "Is that alright?"
"'kay," Keyara said. She buried her face in his shoulder as he stepped outside. Charlie walked up behind him and they walked slowly through the town. Keyara peered out at the people around them every once in a while. "Where's mommy?" she asked.
Kato stopped walking. He knew this question was coming. What did he answer? Was she old enough to understand? "Mommy died. When the fire went woosh mommy died," he said.
"Died?" Keyara said. "No coming back?" Her eyes were tearing.
"No, mommy isn't coming back," Kato said. "My mom died when I was little too. I miss her and that is alright."
Keyara nodded through her tears. She hugged him closer.
"There, there it is okay to cry," Kato said. He rubbed her back while they walked.
They made their way to the Inn slowly and Draco smiled at them. "So you managed to get a bit of an addition?" he said. He headed over to their room and settled down in an armchair. "So what is going on now?" he asked.
"We have to stay until the Aurors are done," Harry said. "They made me her caretaker until then since they don't trust the mediwitches at the Hospital.
"Did they use a magic reveal spell on her?" Draco asked.
"Yes," Harry said. "I don't know if they used a bad one or the restricted one though. It isn't our problem. She revealed herself in front of an Auror."
"So one scenario is that they may have caused permanent damage to quite a few children and no better they might have sent magical children into the non-magical world only to treat them like they didn't have magical parents instead of just helping them in the first place," Draco said.
"Something along those lines," Harry said. He was running his hand through Keyara's hair slowly.
"So what happens once the Aurors are done with their investigation?" Draco asked.
"She has a grandfather who is alive," Kato said. "Right now he is their main suspect, but Keyara said things that have them questioning if he is the culprit or not."
"So we wait?" Draco said. "I guess that is alright. It is a little awkward being back here with how I left last time."
"Are they harassing you?" Harry asked.
"She walked up to me with her child and accused me of not giving her a better life," Draco said. "I know I didn't do anything wrong, but it still irks me that people turn their heads and glare at me."
"We'll make the best of things," Kato said. "If you would rather go home to Britain that is fine. We can get you back."
"Yeah, I think I would prefer that to be honest," Draco said.
"Today?" Harry asked.
"Preferably," Draco said. "You know I am a big boy. I can get myself back."
"But it will go faster if I flash my bond marks at them," Charlie said. "Pack your things and let's get you home."
Harry closed his eyes and leaned back. Who knew that a sleeping three-year-old would be so calming?
