Disclaimer – It has come to my attention recently that I unfortunately do not own any part of the Harry Potter or Avatar: The Last Airbender franchises or any of the Literary Universes or the characters that belong to those entities. One can dream I suppose. Although I did see a bison a couple years ago … he, unfortunately, did not fly … Yip Yip.

To everyone planning on celebrating National Be Someone Day, I wish you an enjoyable holiday. However, I just think that everyone should know that whoever you are or whatever you do ... you are Someone special. For anyone else who wants to celebrate something else. I also hear that the third Sunday in July is National Ice Cream Day. So I hope you can all enjoy that!


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This story is dedicated to Arnold Trian, for his support.


Chapter 2: Zuko and Iroh


Harry woke up to the rhythmic rocking of his world and the faint smell of salt in the air. His eyes fluttered open, meeting the dim light filtering in through the small circular shaped window on the wall. As he looked around, he saw that the room he was in was compact sparsely furnished with a single cot that he was laying on, a small table with two chairs, and a basin of water. His head and chest throbbed in unison as he tried to sit up, the pain searing in both areas like white lightning and threatening to cause him to collapse.

"Where am I?" he murmured to himself, his voice rough and unfamiliar to his own ears, as he looked around.

A low, gentle hum of conversation seeped through the walls. Footsteps approached and then the door to his room creaked open. A boy about his age, at most a year older, with a stern face and a crown of top-knot hair entered, his golden eyes sharp and penetrating as they stared right at Harry.

Refusing to shrink back under the glare, Harry met his gaze, an act which caused the other boy to raise his eyebrow a fraction of an inch before nodding, acknowledging the act.

"So … you are finally awake," the boy said, his voice carrying an edge of both anger and authority. "I'm Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation. Who are you and what were you doing out in the sea?"

Harry's mind raced, images of waking up on the ship before wandering around flashed through his mind, although they provided no answer as to what he was doing there. Not sure how much information to share, he looked back to the other boy … Zuko and shrugged as he shook his head slowly, wary of triggering a headache, "I … I don't know …" he answered before realizing Zuko had also asked for his name.

However, Zuko didn't give Harry time to correct his mistake as his eyes narrowed, obvious suspicion flashing across his features. "Convenient," he muttered under his breath. He turned to the open door. "Uncle, come here."

Another man entered the room, one Harry remembered running into on the ship deck. The one who had surprised him and then tried leading him back to the infirmary before Harry assumed he collapsed again. The older man's demeanor was in stark contrast with Zuko's. His eyes were warm, his expression kind, and he carried a steaming teapot. The scent of jasmine wafted through the room, slightly calming Harry's racing heart.

"Ah! We meet again. It is good to see you awake!" The older man said, his tone as warm as the smile on his face. "We didn't get the chance to be properly introduced before during our previous meeting. I'm Iroh, Zuko's uncle. You've had quite the past couple days since your fall. The doctor wasn't entirely sure if you'd make it after your excursion through the ship but alas it is nice to see you up … tea?" He offered, holding out a cup, the liquid inside a soothing amber color.

Harry hesitated for only a second before accepting the cup, the warmth seeping into his cold fingers. He took a tentative sip, the taste both foreign and comforting but very pleasant. "Thank you, this is delicious!" he said softly.

"I never tire of compliments directed towards my tea." Iroh said with a laugh before nodding and looking back at Harry, his gaze thoughtful. "Do you remember anything at all? Your name? Where you are from? How you came to be here?"

Harry shook his head again, looking towards Zuko and away from Iroh, feeling more guilty lying to the old man. "No …" he said, unable to meet the gaze of the older man that he felt on him as he said it.

Luckily, he was saved from a follow up question from Iroh by Zuko, his arms crossed and expression unreadable, when he interrupted. "When we found you and pulled you onto my ship, you were mumbling something. You kept saying 'Harry.' What does that mean?"

Harry looked up, surprise flickering in his eyes, wondering if there was anything else he had said. "Harry?" he repeated slowly, before deciding there was no harm in admitting his name. "I think … I think that might have been my name."

Zuko's eyes narrowed. "You think?"

Nodding slowly, Harry once again met Zuko's gaze without flinching. "Yes, it feels … familiar. My name is Harry … I'm pretty sure. Besides, you will need something to call me, might as well be that."

The other boy seemed to consider this for a moment before nodding curtly. "Very well … Harry. We found you adrift in the water after one of my men swore, he watched you plummet into the sea from the sky. You're lucky we came across you when we did, otherwise you surely would have drowned or succumbed to hypothermia. Are you sure you don't remember anything?"

Looking down at the cup, Harry stared at the tea in the bottom of the cup, lost in thought, trying to process the info. Adrift in the water? After falling from the sky? And where was his wand … Looking back up to Zuko, Harry shook his head, "I'm sorry but I honestly have no idea … that's all-new information to me. But thank you for saving me." He added quietly.

Iroh leaned over, cutting off Zuko's next remark, and patted Harry's shoulder gently. "No need to thank us. For now, you should rest and regain your strength, allowing your body a chance to heal. You have been through a lot, but the doctor has been astonished with your recovery. We can always figure out your … past … later. Although while someone's past is truly part of who they are, I personally find what they chose to do in the moment to be more telling of the person they are."

With that they both turned to exit the room, leaving Harry to finish his tea in silence before laying back down, staring at the ceiling, letting the gentle sway of the ship lull him into an almost sleep-like state. However, try as he did, his mind refused to rest.

How did he get here?

Where was here?

Why couldn't he remember anything?

The questions circled endlessly, offering no answers, only deepening his sense of unease.

Eventually, Harry drifted off into a restless sleep due to his exhaustion. A sleep haunted by dreams of fire, of faces he couldn't place, places he couldn't remember, and voices he couldn't recognize. After what felt like forever, his mind finally began to calm, and he drifted off into a normal sleep.

However, before he fully fell into a restful sleep, he saw one last image … an enormous giant turtle floating in the water, one that was likely at last twice the size of the entire grounds of Hogwarts … one with the face of a lion. And as he drifted off to sleep, he saw that it was staring right at him.

- HP - ATLA - HP - ATLA - HP - ATLA - HP - ATLA - HP -

After several hours, Harry was awoken by the door opening again. A second later Zuko entered, a tray of food in his hands.

He set it down on the table and looked at Harry, his expression no less intense than before. "Eat," he commanded simply. "You'll need to if you want to recover your strength."

Harry sat up, his stomach growling at the sight of the simple meal of rice, vegetables, and fish. At Zuko's nod, he reached over and grabbed the bowl trying to eat slowly. While the flavors were slightly unfamiliar, he found them quite enjoyable. As he ate, he could feel Zuko's eyes on him, studying him.

"Do you remember anything else yet?" Zuko bluntly asked after a while, his tone slightly less harsh and more curious.

Shaking his head, Harry placed down his half-empty bowl as he looked to Zuko. "No. It's all just … blank."

Zuko sighed, running a hand along the side of his head. "Fine. You can stay aboard this ship until we make it to our next port. At … my uncle's insistence, you are not to be confined to quarters, however the crew will be advised to keep an eye on you and of course there will still be areas of the ship you aren't permitted in. Know this … we are on a mission to find the Avatar. If you get in my way, you'll regret it."

Harry nodded, swallowing the lump in his throat, knowing now probably wasn't the right time to ask what or who an Avatar was. "I understand." He replied simply.

Zuko stared at Harry for a second as if weighing his words before he nodded and got up and left without another word, leaving Harry to finish his meal in peace.

As Harry finished his food he moved to the edge of the cot, staring blankly at the now empty bowl.

While the food had been nourishing and rather tasty, it had done nothing to ease the confusion that was gnawing at his mind. Now that he had been fed, he really wished there was someone that could answer his questions.

Harry wasn't sure how long he sat there. But eventually, as if summoned, his eyes shot to the door as it creaked open, revealing Iroh, who stepped in, causing Harry to unconsciously smile at the man, finding that his presence was as calming as the tea that he carried.

"How are you feeling, young one? It is good to see that you have an appetite." He said, smiling as he set the teapot and a pair of cups on the table. "I always said there is nothing wrong with a healthy appetite." He stated, laughing as he patted his stomach.

This caused Harry to laugh as he looked over to the man. "I'm feeling a little better, thank you. I will need to thank Zuko, the food helped."

Pouring the tea with practiced ease and nodding Iroh looked towards Harry, "Good, good. A strong body aids a strong mind. Sit with me, won't you?"

Moving to the small table, Harry sat across from Iroh, who immediately handed him a cup of tea. After giving the tea, a couple seconds to cool down they sipped in a comfortable silence, which Harry appreciated as he was unsure where to start their conversation. However, as Harry drank the tea, he found himself enjoying the warmth and fragrance of the soothing beverage and felt the tension in his body easing.

"A young man with patience! That's a rare gift. Hopefully you'll manage to be a positive influence on my nephew. But I have no doubt that with your … 'memory loss' you might have questions, feel free to ask and I will answer what I can." Iroh said eventually, his voice gentle and without accusation, although Harry was fairly certain that he might have stressed the words 'memory loss'. However, the older man did not dwell on his statement, he just continued on. "At least I assume you have questions …"

Harry smiled and nodded, "Of course I do, but I was buys enjoying the tea and the company … when Zuko was in here earlier he had mentioned an Avatar … what is that? And why is he looking for it?"

Iroh's eyes twinkled with humor before they shifted to a look of sadness and … something that Harry couldn't quite place but resembled guilt. "The Avatar … is not a what. But rather a who. The Avatar is a very special individual. They are the only one capable of bending all four elements: water, earth, air, and fire. It is the Avatar's duty to maintain balance in this world and between the spirit world.

Harry's eyebrows shot up in surprise before he furrowed his brow, confusion evident on his face. "Bending? What's bending?" he asked his mind trying to process what had been said. Wondering if bending was some form of magic? Or possibly some ability that some people had similar to the way wizards and witches had magic.

Iroh paused to re-examine Harry suspiciously before smiling kindly. "You must truly have some interesting story as to how you are unfamiliar with bending or the Avatar … or perhaps you honestly have lost your memories. But bending is the ability of some to manipulate the four elements using martial arts and spiritual energy. While not everyone can do it … even with training, every nation has its own form of bending. Fire benders, like Zuko and myself, can control fire. Water benders control water, earth benders manipulate the earth, and air benders command the very air … or at least commanded."

Unable to stop himself Harry's eyes shot open as he stared at Iroh.

Nations? Bending the elements? As he played Iroh's words over in his head, he began to feel that perhaps he might be a little farther away from home than he thought …

The older man laughed seeing the look of disbelief on Harry's face. "I truly look forward to you … 'remembering' your past. I imagine that will be quite an interesting conversation."

Harry nodded, noticing that while Iroh emphasized his memory, he made no effort to press the issue, so Harry decided to move on quickly before Iroh changed his mind. "So … the Avatar can do all of that … bend all the elements."

"Yes," Iroh said, nodding. "The Avatar is unique in their ability to master the bending of all four elements. This makes them … or made them incredibly powerful and helped them in maintaining the balance between the nations and the spirit world."

"Made them?" Harry asked. "As in past tense? And I thought you made it sound as if the Avatar was one person."

Iroh leaned back, looking at the wall before looking back to Harry. "That Avatar is indeed one person. But they are so much more than that … but I feel that's a discussion for another time. As for your other question … the Avatar has been missing … for 100 years."

Harry stared at Iroh, who was looking at him with a sincere expression on his face. "If this … Avatar has been missing for 100 years. Isn't it likely they died? Why dies Zuko want to find the Avatar?" Harry asked, his mind struggling to process all the information Iroh had said, especially concerning bending – which had seemed to cause his skin to tingle each time it had been mentioned.

Iroh sighed, his expression turning serious. "I personally doubt that the Avatar had died. The fire sages surely would have known and there would have been signs, but that as well is probably best left for another time. But Zuko's story is a complex one. He's the son of Fire Lord Ozai, my brother, who is the ruler of the Fire Nation. Zuko was once the crown prince, with a promising future, but a … series of unfortunate events led to his exile.

His eyes widened as Harry looked at Iroh, "Exile? What happened?"

"Zuko … he spoke out of turn in a war council. By attempting to show compassion for the lives of soldiers he insulted one of the generals present. His father saw this as a sign of weakness and disrespect. He commanded that Zuko fight an Agni Kai … which is a traditional fire bending duel. However, when Zuko arrived he found it was against his father and not the general he had disagreed with. When Zuko refused to fight his own father, he was burned and disgraced. His honor was taken from him, and he was sent way to … find the Avatar as a means to regain it."

Feeling a pang of sympathy for the prince, Harry nodded to Iroh. "So, finding the Avatar will restore his honor?"

"Well … at least that is what Zuko believes." Iroh said with a sad smile. "He thinks that … bringing the Avatar home will prove his worth to his father and his nation, therefore allowing him to regain his honor. But … honor … it's a complex thing. I don't believe honor is something that can be taken or restored by others. True honor … it comes from within."

Harry nodded slowly, absorbing Iroh's words as he looked at the older man with respect. "And what of you? Why are you here?"

Iroh's expression softened and he smiled slightly. "I'm here because Zuko is my nephew and I love him. I want to help him find his way. Not just to find the Avatar, but to understand what it truly means to have honor and a purpose in life … no matter what it looks like … whether it be as a Firelord or a noble, the strongest bender or humblest cabbage merchant no life is without meaning."

Nodding again, Harry felt his respect for Iroh grow. However, as he opened his mouth to ask a follow up question it was halted by a yawn.

This caused Iroh to breakout into a full smile and laugh. "I apologize if my words are boring you, young one. I suppose I can let you rest and focus on getting better, finding your strength, and perhaps even recovering your memories."

Harry opened his mouth to let Iroh know he wanted to keep talking, but once again was interrupted by a yawn.

Laughing again, Iroh stood from the table and directed Harry to the bed. "my feelings aren't hurt. Go to bed. There will be plenty of time to discuss any topics you wish once you regain your energy. There are not many ports to call on around the South Pole, so the chance of you leaving soon is slim. And I am finding it a rare treat to find someone interested in the ramblings of this old man."

With that, he turned and left the room, leaving a yawning Harry to make his way to the bed, before falling asleep almost as soon as his head hit the pillow.

- HP - ATLA - HP - ATLA - HP - ATLA - HP - ATLA - HP -

Over the next week, Harry spent his days getting to know the crew of the Fire Nation ship. At first he simply observed what they were doing as they talked, but slowly the crew warmed up to him and allowed him to help where he could.

That being said, Harry found that he ended up spending most of his time with Iroh, greatly enjoying the old man's wit, wisdom, and warmth.

While slightly hesitant to talk about his own past or family, beyond Zuko, he was a font of knowledge on a variety of topics, including all four nations and their history, pretty much confirming to Harry that he was no longer on Earth as he remembered it. And while Iroh did not like talking about himself much, Harry did manage to learn from a crew member that he was much more than 'just' Zuko's uncle as Iroh had apparently been a very accomplish general. However, before Harry could get any more details from that crew member, Iroh had come along and diverted the conversation. Despite this, Harry ended up learning quite a lot from Iroh, especially about bending.

It was well past midday on the day after first having his chats with Zuko and Iroh when Harry finally felt well enough to get out of bed and explore the ship. After briefly getting lost below decks, he slowly made his way to the ships deck, drawn by the sounds of intense yelling. Stepping out of the door onto the deck he very quickly ended up dropping to his feet watching as a fireball the size of a Bludger flew by inches over where he had been standing before. As he looked up it was there that Harry froze in awe, watching as he had his first experience with element bending. He wasn't sure how long he stood there with his mouth open watching. Each movement of Zuko or the men he was training with seemed fluid yet incredibly fierce. And he stared completely in shock as the fire seemed to respond to their motions as if it was an extension of their own will.

Absently he noticed as Iroh came up from his side but was unable to take his eyes off the spectacle before him as he felt his heart rate increase, seemingly in time with Zuko's strength. As he continued to watch Zuko fire bending, he felt something stir within him. It was … as if a dormant part of his was awakening, something that was … powerful and primal.

As he watched, a warmth spread through his chest, reminding him of the feeling of the very first hug he had received from his friends at Hogwarts. However, it was more than just warmth, it was freeing, like the exhilaration of flying on his broom, and for the first time since he woke up he felt the concern for his missing wand slightly decrease. A wand that he was concerned might have been lost in the seas before he had been rescued.

"Harry," Iroh's voice startled him, breaking through his thoughts. "Are you alright?"

Blinking, Harry shook his head, finally tearing his gaze away from Zuko. "I … I think so. It's just … I've never seen anything like that before."

Iroh smiled kindly, "For someone with no memory, you seem fairly certain. But I admit it is quite impressive and to give him credit, Zuko is certainly more talented than the average fire bender. Bending … all forms that is, can be a wonderous thing. But fire bending, especially, is an art that requires both control and passion. And while potentially dangerous … it certainly is exhilarating."

Harry nodded, still feeling, the residual warmth from his reaction to Zuko's firebending. "That's the truth. Although its feels like more than that. It felt like my nerves were all alive."

Iroh's eyes sparkled with interest. "Perhaps it was something more. Sometimes, witnessing the bending arts can resonate deeply within us, especially … for those who on some level have a connection with them."

Harry looked over to Iroh for more, but the man had shifted his gaze towards Zuko and called out some feedback to his nephew on his stance.

As the days passed, Harry found himself growing closer to the crew and Iroh, while Zuko remained slightly distant Harry, although Harry did not take it personally as the boy was distant from everyone except his uncle. Though he wasn't unkind, just seemingly solely focused on his mission to find the Avatar.

In the afternoon of the day, exactly one week after he had first woken up, shortly after the sun had reached its peak in the sky, Harry who had been sitting alone in an alcove on the deck reading, overheard two crew members talking as the walked by about the hopelessness of their mission to capture the Avatar.

Harry was shocked and quickly got up to ask them to clarify their statement, but by the time he exited the alcove they had disappeared around the corning.

He took a step to make his way after them but froze at seeing a familiar figure leaning over the railing of the ship looking out into the distance.

"Iroh," Harry began hesitantly after siding up to the man, 'I had a question about … Zuko's mission to 'find' the Avatar."

The older man sighed as he set down his teacup on the railing and looked at Harry with a thoughtful expression.

"Before we have this chat, Harry, I want you to remember that it is not the path that one finds themselves set upon that defines any man or woman, or in this case Zuko. But rather it is the actions and choices made once they are upon this path that truly defines and shapes us."

Harry nodded slowly, "So it's true then? Why would you be trying to capture the Avatar if they are supposed to be a force for good?"

Before Iroh could respond, a sudden flash of light caught their attention. In unison they both turned to see a brilliant beam of blue light shooting into the sky from a point far off in the distant horizon.

Iroh's expression grew serious. "The Avatar," he murmured. "It seems the Avatar has awakened."

After several seconds of quiet Iroh turned to Harry.

"Come, Harry," Iroh said, his voice steady. "I must talk to my nephew, I'm sure one of the men has already run to him with news of this light and perhaps your patience can influence him towards caution at this moment."

Kind Regards,

FavoriteAuthor


Up Next: Meeting the Avatar


If you like this content do not hesitate to smash that like button and subscribe. Haha but seriously if you do enjoy the story - do favorite it, other than messaging me or leaving a comment it's the only way I know if you are enjoying the stories and chapters.


Story Note 1 – Harry is not so much ambivalent towards being on another world so much as being practical, there is nothing he can do at the moment. But this will be something he will revisit later

Story Note 2 – Poor Harry, losing his wand into the sea … or did he? Maybe one of Wan Shi Tong's foxes found it … or maybe a helpful dolphin giraffe recovered it … or perhaps someone closer to home.

Story Note 3 – Sure seems like Iroh doesn't believe Harry's story about memory problems.

Story Note 4 – Harry's bending debut is fast approaching!

Story Note 5 - And yes apparently Iroh does not have a full read on Harry as he is hoping that Harry, who is notorious for his lack of patience, can help Zuko!


Thanks to those of you out to those of you who enjoy my stories, I promise to keep updating the stories as long as you enjoy them, and a special thanks to those of you who have taken the time to leave feedback or reach out to me directly. All feedback is welcome (hopefully constructive!) Looking forward to hearing what you think!

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A10riddick, outcome 5, ArchonTenebrous, Sanders7201 - Glad you enjoyed the start! Appreciate the time you took to leave a review. Hope the second chapter was just as good

GoGo44 - Hmmm ... well you may be onto something.

darkness of enigma - Hope the follow chapter was as good. Hmmm you might be onto something. As for the other bending styles that would certainly give others pause ... I guess only one way to find out. As for June ... I couldn't Have Harry steal her from Iroh!

Ramlin - Seems to be a reasonable guess based on the chapter. Haha well we never know!

Zandaino-Nova-Ari - Meh while it certainly had its flaws it definitely did something well and I'm really looking forward to the next seasons. Sokka and Zuko really stood out. So Harry popped into the world right before Zuko meets the Avatar, wonder which side he will choose. The GAANG or Team Irko (hard to combine Iroh and Zuko).

Lexx75 - Thanks so much! He will be meeting one of them shortly ...

SupergodzillaSailorCosmos - Enjoy! Also love the name

orthodox1057 - I'd assume you might be onto something with your fire guess. Although I really like your reasonings!

M1stymix - Well now that seems reasonable.

Wraithful, HydroTheGodOfFiction, Cha0ticM3ss - And voila your next chapter!