I've decided to finish this book before I finish The Foundling. I hope y'all enjoy it! I haven't really written a lot of Harry Potter or Demon Slayer, so please bear with me. Also, I am not an expert when it comes to when one person or another was a Hashira, or what everyone's ages are, so I'm twisting small things like that a little. Constructive criticism is always welcome. Please enjoy this chapter!
Harry's POV
I didn't know if it was a coincidence or not, but we started seeing those same two freaks seemingly everywhere. The fiery-haired freak was often seen haunting the Udon diners, and the silvery-haired freak was usually strolling by the fancier shops.
And they always seemed to be watching me.
I wish I knew why.
Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon definitely noticed the scrutiny, although they never confronted the freaks. They simply ushered Dudley away from them.
I followed on my own.
This pattern continued for a week.
On the seventh day, the silver-haired freak seemed to be following us in a more subtle manner.
This caused Uncle Vernon, who did not see him, to be even harsher with me. He was already angry with me for attracting the attention of the other freaks, but he seemed to be angry for a different reason today.
It didn't matter.
Whatever his reason was, it was my fault.
Everything was my fault.
Uncle Vernon raised his hand to punish me, for once not caring about the people around him.
It all seemed to happen in slow motion.
I squeezed my eyes shut as the hand came down towards my face.
But the blow never came.
"You know, it is most unflamboyant to hit a child," a cheerful voice spoke, causing me to open my eyes.
It was the freak with the silvery hair. He had Uncle Vernon's wrist in a tight grip. He was struggling, but the freak restrained him with ease.
Although the freak's expression was friendly, I could see the anger in his eyes.
I swallowed hard.
"This child is a freak and a troublemaker!" Uncle Vernon snapped. "He deserves to be given a firm hand every once in awhile!"
The freak's eyes narrowed, the only change to his friendly expression.
"Please understand, I have been following you all for some time. I have seen what you have been doing to this young boy. What I saw is not giving a child "a firm hand." It's abuse."
I could see that Uncle Vernon was growing frightened. His wrist was still held captive, and the freak treated his resistance like one might treat an annoying fly.
"Still, the boy's a freak! Abnormal! He doesn't deserve to be treated like a human because he isn't one!"
For a moment, as the other freak paused to consider his words, I felt my heart skip a beat.
Would he believe Uncle Vernon?
Then, the freak smiled.
"I see no reason to believe that the boy is a Demon, which is what you seem to be implying. First of all, he can walk in the sunlight. Second, he doesn't have fangs or claws. Also, if he was a Demon, he would have eaten you by now. This boy seems just as human as the one hiding behind his mother."
This proclamation was followed by silence.
Nobody had ever made a rebuttal to Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia's declarations that I was a freak.
For a moment, I dared to hope.
Perhaps this strange freak was right...?
But no, I shook my head, remembering all of the strange occurrences that happened to me. I might not have fangs and claws, but I am still an abnormal freak.
I did my best to hold back tears.
"I think that's enough, Tengen," a new voice appeared.
I jumped, looking behind me.
It was the other freak, the one with hair like fire.
How did I not hear him coming?
I had trained myself to hear footsteps. The skill had saved me a small number of beatings.
This man's footsteps were completely silent.
Plus, most people were avoiding this section of the street because of the scene Uncle Vernon was causing.
His presence should have been obvious to any of us.
"Now that we have clear evidence that this child is being abused, let's get to business."
He knelt in front of me. His bearing was strong, but gentle.
"What is your name, child?" he asked me gently.
I hesitated.
What should I do?
"M-my name is H-Harry," I answered timidly.
The freak smiled.
"It's nice to meet you, Harry. My name is Shinjuro Rengoku. This is my colleague, Tengen Uzui. We have both noticed through observation that you are being abused. Would you like to come with us? There are many people, myself included, who are willing to take you in."
He reached his hand out to me.
I blinked, hardly believing my ears.
Was someone actually offering to take care of me?
It wasn't possible.
It couldn't be.
But I wanted to go so badly...
I considered my options. If I stayed with the Dudley's, I would certainly be starved and beaten. But, if I went with these people, who knows what they would do to me?
Uncle Vernon was always telling me about old creeps who stole freaks like me off the streets to use as slaves. He said that I was lucky they hadn't given me to one.
It was, after all, what I deserved.
I was an abnormal freak.
But, I thought, so are these two.
Reaching out, I took his hand, changing the course of my life forever.
For better or worse, it remained to be seen.
Far away in Britain, two things happened at once. In a little house in Surrey, a construction of already weak blood wards collapsed.
In a majestic castle in Scotland, an elderly man was desperately trying to figure out why the sensors informing him of the state of the blood wards at Harry Potter's house were going off, indicating that the wards had fallen.
This could have two possible interpretations: Harry Potter no longer considered the house to be home, or Harry Potter was dead.
Either option was equally unlikely.
He had instructed in his letter that Petunia only push the boy enough to break his spirit, not completely alienate him.
And there was no way any Death Eaters could infiltrate the house while the wards were active.
The man immediately apparated to Surrey.
Something must have gone terribly wrong...
I hope y'all enjoy this new chapter!
️Soundwave's Wife ️
