01 Down the Rabbit Hole We Go
12/14/08 -- 1437 words
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter (Rowlings) or InuYasha (Takahashi).
AN: Been a while hasn't it? This semester sucked but I've got a month off now so expect an update for APT and SLK soon. FSS should make an appearance near the end of the month and I'll try to finagle the next chapter of TNSD.
Warnings: Minor swearing, minor violence, use of Japanese suffixes by an American, bastardization of canon and history.
Two hundred years ago a human princess gave birth to the offspring of the, then infamous, dog general. Slain by a jealous would-be lover and her household set ablaze, the great dog arrived in time to save the soul of his love and newborn offspring. Helping her escape from her home that was almost her tomb, he left behind a princely gift for his offspring-- cloth of the fire rat. Instructing the princess to have clothing made from, and given to, his offspring, he left to protect his lands from invasion. The great dog would never be seen again.
On her way to one of her family's mansions to seek shelter, the princess was attacked by a band of lesser demons. The princess and child, with help from passing hunters, escaped from the demons unscathed. They eventually reached safety, if grudgingly given, at the estate of the princess' aunt.
Only one child is recorded as being born to the dog general and his human lover when in actuality, twins were delivered. The princess and her eldest did escape, but the youngest was lost and thought dead.
However, all was not lost. When the babe hit the ground he was cradled in the roots of an ancient oak and covered in forest litter, guarded from the eyes of human and demon alike. Interestingly enough, the child never once cried out whether for fear, pain, or hunger.
----
Days passed before the babe was found. A young woman, travelling to visit her sister, heard a soft wail come from the forest floor. There, in the roots of an ancient tree dedicated to a long forgotten forest spirit, lay a thin and sickly babe. It was obvious to see the child was on the brink of death, giving one final, desperate call for help. The traveler, touched by the tenacious child, lifted it from the roots and cradled him to her chest. Pulling her water container from her pack, she wet a corner of her shirt and placed it at the babe's mouth. He sucked the wetness out greedily. The process was repeated many times before the child drifted to sleep.
It may be considered luck or the hand of something Greater that Toshiko was the one who found the boy. Offering a prayer of thanks to the spirit of ancient tree, she hurried down the trail, clutching the slumbering child to her.
By some miracle Toshiko made the day and a half journey to her sister's by midnight that same day. Knocking loudly on the door, Chie allowed her flustered sister in, intent on scolding Toshiko for almost waking her children. All ill will was forgotten when a small, shivering bundle was thrust into her arms.
"Merciful Kami-sama! Quickly sister, stoke the fire. Place a blanket near to warm." Toshiko sighed softly in relief; she knew her sister had been the right choice.
As Toshiko worked, Chie moved to the side where milk remained from that mornings milking. Brilliant eyes watched her movements hazily as she, like her sister earlier, dipped cloth into the liquid, and then held it to the babe's mouth. He sucked it dry hungrily, the milk satisfying something deeper than the water previously had.
Toshiko joined her sister with a warmed blanket which was deftly wrapped around the babe and the shivering lessened immediately. The sisters fretted around the babe for a time before he drifted into exhausted slumber.
Chie's husband, awoken by the urgent movements of his wife, came up to the sisters. "What is wrong Chie? I did not expect your sister to arrive until tomorrow."
"Ah, forgive me Tetsuo but I found that babe in the forest and could only to think to bring him to Chie. He was in a bad way..."
"Still is sister. This child was on the brink of crossing and will require time to heal."
"Has it crossed either of your minds to check whether it is demonic? Just look at its eyes, nothing so brilliant exists outside nature," the husband gruffly pointed out.
"Husband, I have checked all of him and nothing besides his eyes are strange. He is human. As for the eyes, Toshiko found him in the roots of an old forest sentinel. I would not doubt the child has been blessed for my sister to arrive when she did."
"Hn. let me see it wife. This is still my home and I will not have it endangered because of female weakness."
Chie carefully passed the babe to her husband, knowing further arguments would be futile. The husband stripped the child and checked every square inch, even going so far as to cut the babe's palm to check his blood. It welled up rich crimson and rolled gently off his hand like a discarded tear. The husband declared himself satisfied then passed the child back to Chie.
------
In the morning Chie and Toshiko took the child to the village elders to have him blessed and named. Masaki was chosen in reference to the tree he was found under.
As is the way of things time passed, bringing changes great and small. A very great change was set to occur merely a year after Masaki was rescued.
-----
Masaki's new home was attacked by bandits, much like his first mother had, and he was taken. Surprisingly not a single villager was seriously injured in the attack, the very grass beneath their feet seemed to deny the bandits passage. During the attack Masaki had separated from Chie. The bandits, in their frustration, took the only thing not fighting them and left.
-----
Iwao cursed long and loud. Ever since obtaining that horrid child some two weeks back, nothing had gone according to plan. It was as if the child were a living embodiment of ill-luck for no matter where they struck the very nature around them seemed to foil them. If that weren't bad enough, no one would take the blasted babe, even when offered gold. Iwao was certain of one thing; the child would be gone one way or another.
Three days passed and the bandits failed another raid. Their ire knew no bounds and when they spotted the dried well beyond the village, they felt no remorse dropping the babe inside. Iwao lead his bandits away without glancing back thus missing the eerie ethereal light that erupted.
-------------Time Skip-----------------
After learning magic was real and they were a famous member of a whole hidden society most people would either never recover from the shock or willingly consign themselves to the nearest asylum. Harry went to school where he was assaulted by a possessed teacher for a bloody stone of legend that was subsequently destroyed by the school's eccentric headmaster. If that wasn't bad enough, something happened during the fight that caused migraines, muscle aches, and severe mood swings (of the bloody and homicidal kind). Madam Pomphrey had quickly reassured him that there weren't any magical maladies or puberty hormones that turned boys into girls. According to her scans he was a healthy, if small, little boy.
In the end his house won the school wide award and he was hustled off back to his less than pleasant family.
----
Little Whining, Surrey was almost the epitome of normal; almost because Harry Potter, 'Freak' to his family, lived there. Almost because a little round well, moss covered and crumbling on the north side, was hidden away in a far back corner of a small forest that parents warned their children away from and kids were too scared to enter. When Harry was younger his teacher told him, "Birds of a feather flock together." This young Harry realized was an ultimate life truth and from then on strived to live by that motto. That explained why he was currently hiding in the shunned forest from his cousin and his gang; really 'Harry Hunting' could only be endured so long.
At the Dursleys, if Harry didn't have his own brand of bad luck he wouldn't have any luck at all. And his own luck was in full form when he wandered across the little round well, moss covered and crumbling on the north side, and tripped on the crumbled stones. He shouted as he fell into the opening just wide enough for him to fall through. His hands slipped through the moss and he couldn't stop. Halfway down an eerie red light emanated from his chest and was simultaneously absorbed and reflected by the stones of the well.
In a final brilliant burst of crimson, Harry Potter disappeared.
Tell me what you think. Also, as you can guess "Nibbles" is the working title, so feel free to suggest your own titles. Until then, look forward to the next chapter of Nibbles and keep your eyes peeled for updates for the other stories on the horizon.
REVIEW!