The Mystic Eyes of Harry Potter

Altered Vision

1981
October 31st

"Avada Kedavra."

The only day Lord Voldemort ever felt pain was that day, when the Killing Curse rebounding into his body, reducing his life to a mere shell of his former self. Alone and vulnerable, he escaped with only an ounce of his soul remaining.

However, one other person was affected. A baby, who should by all means be dead.

The near death experience, rare as it was, provided another consequence which was bestowed upon that child.

A week later

"Why won't he stop crying, Petunia?"

"I don't know!" She crossed her arms and frowned at the inconvenience, "I've fed him, changed him, and even played a game, but he keeps crying."

"Well, leave him, Dudley needs his nap." Vernon opened the closet door, "Put him in there, he likes the dark for some reason..."

Sure enough, the young Harry Potter quietened down in the shadows, now no longer able to see the lines that spread everywhere.

Four years later

"So Harry, how do you feel?" The doctor asked.

"I feel okay." The five year old didn't have any problems, just light bruising from a bully at school. Though it was more due to Dudley being his usual self.

"Right, let's have a look at you then..."

Performing the usual examinations, the doctor glanced at Petunia, who stood nearby, her sharp gaze poised at the young child.

Spotting something strange, the doctor spoke up.

"Harry, why do you keep your eyes closed?"

He opened his eyes slowly, glancing once at Petunia, who turned away huffily, before focussing on the doctor, "Well, my head hurts when they're open."

"Really?" The doctor shone a light into both eyes, seeing them to be healthy green colour, "You don't seem to be sensitive to light."

"No... I don't know why they hurt me..." Harry held out his hands, "I mean, sometimes when I look at the scribbles, my head hurts more, so I just close my eyes and pretend not to see them."

The doctor frowned, "Scribbles you say?" He looked around the room, "Do you see any now?"

Harry stared fully at the room, the walls were covered with lines, some jagged, others smooth curves, and direct straight lines.

There were also lines on the two people in the room.

"Yes, they're everywhere, even on you..."

Writing some notes on his clipboard, the doctor stood up, "Okay, lets run a few more tests..."

He saw Petunia's disapproving look before ushering Harry further into the hospital.

Later that week

"... severe psychological trauma. Unknown adversity to using vision and thus to keeping his eyes open. Severe migraines when prolonged exposure with sight..."

Harry sat on the doctor's chair, not understanding all the words he said to Petunia, who stared at him with a wrathful glare. Paying the nurse for the check-up, once again annoyed at spending more medical bills that the NHS would not cover, she dragged him out of the clinic.

"Nothing but trouble, you lot..."

She wandered off to the newsagent and pointed at the playground.

"Stay there for thirty minutes, and we'll go to see Mrs Figg again." She grinned, knowing he didn't like going there.

"Yes, Aunty." He nodded, but not very happy as he made his way to the tree, keeping his eyes nearly shut as he walked there.

Lying down, he felt the sun filter down through the branches, warming his body, his eyes shut to everything.

"I can't do it any more..." He placed his hand over his eyelids and squeezed, "No one believes me... These lines... They hurt me..."

"Hey there..."

A new voice, kind and gentle, filtered through his long hair. He dared to peek at her with one eye.

"Umm, hello..."

He sat up, and thought she was striking, her long red hair and suitcase being the oddest things about her, other than her penetrating blue eyes.

"May I sit down?"

"M-My Aunty says not to talk to strangers..."

The woman smiled, "That's okay, I'll come back tomorrow."

He watched her walk away and felt a little sadder for not talking to her that moment, but knew somehow that she would come back.

The next day

"So, what's your name?"

"Harry Potter." He answered, after asking Petunia to come back to the same playground as before, "What's yours?"

"Aoko Aozaki..." She frowned, "I don't like it much."

"Aoko... I can't say your last name..." He brightened quickly, "Can I call you 'Miss'? You remind me of my teacher."

"Sure, I'd like that." Aoko ruffled his hair as they laughed together.

A few days later

"I wonder if I'm normal." Harry began one day after another scolding from his adoptive parents.

"Why, you're just a five year old boy. What's wrong with you?"

"Lines..."

"Lines?" Aoko raised an eyebrow, "You get into trouble at school often?"

"Huh?" Harry became confused before shaking his head, "No, not those kind of lines..." He opened his eyes and looked around the area, "I see lines, everywhere... Some places have more, others have few. But everything has one line, even people like you, Miss."

"Hmm..." Aoko held her chin, "How long have you seen them, Harry?"

"All my life, I think..." He gazed at her hopefully, "Is it normal to see them?"

"No, it means you're ill." Aoko spoke sadly, "They will hurt you after some time..."

"I do get headaches..." Harry closed his eyes again, "If I don't look at anything, they go away and I don't hurt any more."

"I see..."

They spoke for a bit more before Harry ran off home.

That evening

Sitting down to eat in the kitchen after the family left to watch television, Harry began to eat the leftovers of the food Petunia had cooked.

"Boy, stop eating this instant!" The two adults walked into the kitchen.

Hearing his moniker, he sighed at the food that would be wasted and looked up at the person who spoke.

"Yes, Uncle Vernon?"

"Don't you 'Yes Uncle' me!" The red faced man was ridiculous looking in his tight business suit and bushy moustache, "Petunia tells me you've been talking to some woman in the park..."

"Yes, but..."

"... and that you're spending more and more time with her lately." His upper lip bristled as his anger made itself known through his trembling moustache, like a hairy caterpillar suffering a fit of some sort.

"And also, she's got bright red hair!" Petunia half-screeched, "On top of that, she looks foreign too! Not the kind of person we want to be associated with..."

"Is there something wrong?" Harry asked innocently, "We just talk about boring things."

Petunia glared at him, making Harry flinch behind the harsh look, "I don't want you speaking to her again."

A flare of anger burgeoned inside Harry, and he felt his head pulse. Fuelled by an unfamiliar impulse, picking up the knife he was using to cut his fatty streak of bacon, Harry saw the plain straight line on the table.

Seeing it glow shades of white, red and black, he slashed at the line, tracing it from one edge of the table to the other.

Moments passed when Petunia and Vernon stared down madly at Harry, before the splintering of table caught their attention, and it cracked neatly in two, exactly along the line Harry followed.

They saw his eyes, having to rub their own as they thought they saw those pupils to be cat-like.

Wordlessly, after glancing at each other, they prepared to accost Harry, to take the knife away from him.

Fixating the two with a silent glare, their lines firmly in view, he smiled serenely before fainting to the ground the knife falling with a dull thud on the ground.

The next day

Harry woke up in the hospital, blearily trying to see his way around.

"Oww... My head..." The headache was still strong, "I must've passed out again..." The sun was up, and he sighed, "I wonder if Miss is outside."

Getting up from his bed, he took his bracelet given to small children so that doctors knew where they were. He walked past the nurses, waving to them as he knew the area well enough by then.

Sure enough, the long red hair was a welcome sight beneath the tall, old tree. The briefcase glinted in the sunlight which filtered through the leaves, reflecting her smile.

"Hello Harry." She patted the spot net to her, "I see you came back to hospital again." She indicated his tracking bracelet.

"Yes, I fainted again." Harry huddled his knees against his chest and shook, "Miss, I think I did something bad..."

"What is it?" She asked kindly.

"Well, I told you about my family. My parents died when I was young, I live with Uncle and Aunty. They were angry I met you."

The mysterious smile only grew, "Yes, I saw your Aunty from a distance, I think I can figure out why."

"I got so angry, Miss..." Harry put his hands over his face, "The kitchen table, I cut its line. It broke in two pieces!"

She did nothing except to stare at him, her piercing look startling him, "Harry, what you did was a bad thing." She moved out to look at his face, soothing her expression, "You know now, don't you? Those lines are not something anyone can see. Those lines of death..."

"Lines of death?" Harry mumbled, scared now with the bad word 'death' being mentioned.

"Yes, Harry. You can perceive the future, as in the death of all things; any object, even living people, you can see their predestined death." Aoko was stern, "You know what you did was wrong."

"Yes, I do, Miss." Harry was honest.

Pulling him into a hug, Aoko calmed the young child, "Never cut those lines just for curiosity, especially on living things, as you will think that all life is trivial." She looked deeper into his eyes, to make sure he got the message.

"I promise, Miss, I won't do it again. I'm sorry for making you sad."

"As long as you remember that feeling, that's what is important." She brought up her briefcase, "Since you told me about your eyes yesterday, I borrowed something from my sister, the Mystic Eyes Killer."

Harry drew back slightly, but as she opened it, he was confused, "Glasses? But I can see fine."

"Put them on." Aoko handed them to him.

Harry slipped them onto his face, and stared at the world with happiness, "The lines! They're gone!" He felt the tree behind him, pleased at seeing it complete for once in his life, "It's like magic!"

Aoko patted his head, "Well, that would be because I'm a magician." She sighed, "I'm glad you're happy, but the lines aren't gone, those glasses just stop you from seeing them while you wear them. Taking them off will bring the lines back."

"But, if I see them, I might cut the lines, and break my promise to you..." He was shocked to think he would ever take the glasses off again.

She smirked, "You can break that promise, you know." Seeing him preparing to speak again, she continued, "You're only 5 years old, and God doesn't give anybody the Mystic Eyes of Death Perception without a reason. You have a terrible power, but as long as you remain the same as you now, you won't do wrong with your eyes."

She sat up, closing the briefcase, Harry became anxious in his heart, feeling that he wouldn't see her again.

"I'm not telling you to be perfect, you just have to do what you feel is right. As long as you understand when to apologise when you know you did something bad, you'll become a wonderful adult."

She stood up, the errant grass falling from her body, "But, one thing you should remember, don't take off your glasses unless it's a situation you can't handle yourself. Special powers attract special powers. Think before using yours, although it's not necessarily evil, the result will depend on what you choose to do."

"Are you leaving, Miss?" Harry asked finally, growing more distressed.

"Yes, Harry, I have to go now."

"But I won't be able to do this without you!" He was getting teary.

"Now, Harry..." Aoko shook her head, "You shouldn't lie like that, you'll be fine on your own. You've got those eyes, whether you like it or not, and they may be able to help you in your future. Everyone's life is full of problems, but you've got more power than others to change that."

Harry recognised that she was leaving, "Okay, Miss, thank you for the glasses, and I will try to be good..."

She patted his head, "As long as you want to be that way, that's up to you." She looked to the hospital across the quiet street, "But I will do you one more favour before I go..."

Five minutes later
Inside

"Who are you?" Vernon demanded, his waistline shaking with indignation.

"Aoko Aozaki." She replied simply.

"Why did you give him those glasses?" Petunia neared her, "Are you offering gifts to him for some weird reason?"

The sneer came on her face, but her eyes were confident, "If only you knew the truth..." She glanced at Harry in the closed room behind her, slowly getting dressed behind a curtain. "He will be needing those glasses from now on -"

"Impossible! His eyesight is fine, he doesn't need -"

"He will need them..." Her eyes were dangerous, "Unless you want more events like that table, only happening to bigger things like your house, or even yourselves..."

They paled but still Petunia was about to contest her when Aoko spoke again, "Oh, and if that doesn't work..." Her hand glowed white and blue, as a small ball hovered above her palm, "Now do you get it?"

Petunia flinched greatly, "Y-You're a witch?!"

"No." Aoko responded immediately, "I'm not like them, I don't need a wand... I'm a magician." The air around her shimmered, and the two felt the tingle of pins and needles, the threat still there.

She turned away and looked at them once more, "Remember, don't take those glasses away from him, or else..."

Like that, Aoko Aozaki left the hospital, with Vernon and Petunia quivering in her wake.

Six years later
Summer

"Why won't you give me that letter?"

Uncle Vernon was dodging my hands, not letting me near the strange letter addressed to me.

Soon another one flew in through the letter box, and both of them went a bit crazy.

I glared at them, and I've learned somehow that they get scared if I touch my glasses. Ever since Miss gave them to me, those lines were gone until I took them off to go to bed or shower.

I never looked at lines when I wasn't wearing my glasses.

One of the weird things was that my glasses grew in size as I grew up, I just thought it was normal, and the fact she said she was a magician also helped too.

I saw my aunt's face grow more panicked as she saw the letter again.

"It's 'them'. They want him to go to 'that place'."

I didn't understand what she meant, she was hiding something, from me, and it sounded like she knew what it was.

"Tell me what that letter is about..." This time, I really felt like removing them, and I had actually lowered the glasses so I could look over the top if need be.

"Petunia!" Vernon stepped back, shielding his face as the chimney flooded with letters, "Get the bags packed, now!" He pointed at me, his stubby finger shaking, "You, put some clothes in your sack and get outside."

"Fine by me..."

Two days later

"Wh-who's there?" Vernon whimpered, the pathetic shotgun he borrowed off the owner with the old shells still loaded. I thought that it might blow up in his hands if he used it.

The door broke in as a towering man tried to feel his way in, seeing if the ceiling was tall enough for his body.

I saw the Dursleys cower from this man, but I didn't feel too good at all.

My head was pounding even more now, like when my glasses were off all the time when I was young. I could see him clearer now, a grizzled face surrounded by a huge beard and bushy curly dark hair, but beneath all that was a warm, friendly smile.

I calmed down, and sat up.

Wait, when did I fall over?

"W-Who are you?"

"Me? Call me Hagrid, groundskeeper and the Keeper of Keys of Hogwarts, yer new school."

New school?

Ten minutes later

So, my parents didn't die in a car accident.

And they kept this from me for all this time?

"Oww..." My head throbbed as my anger towards my uncle and aunt grew.

"Hey Harry, it's okay, yer parents were good people, two of the best wizards out there..."

His massive palm was heavy as it crushed my shoulder, before he withdrew it to blow his nose into a mucky handkerchief.

"Sorry, Harry..." His eyes were wet, he really did care about my parents I guess... "I took yeh from their home when we found out, but yer mother, Lily, gave me summat ter keep when yeh were born, saying she didn't need it no more."

As he rummaged about in his huge bag, I had to ask him, "What was it?"

"I dunno, some trinket, I think it meant a lot ter her." He brightened after finding the small cuboid object, "Ah, here we go... I thought it would be best ter have something to remember yer family by..." He glared at the others, scaring them further against the wall.

"Huh?"

I saw strange symbols carved into the base of it, but saw a glint in the side, reminding me of something that I saw in Uncle Vernon's bag once. Holding it closer, I felt my body grow hotter, as I struggled to remember my mum, but couldn't bring back any memories.

Looking at it closer, I saw what it was finally, and frowned.

Why would my mum have this? More to the point, why did Hagrid think I wanted this?

I twisted the handle, and the small blade popped out, flipping out from the thinner side, and locking into place.

"Looks like some Muggle weapon, wizards don' need stuff like that. Wands're enough for everyone, though a few prefer poisoned daggers."

I barely heard him, because I looked at the metal, and saw my own reflection on the blade, and how my eyesight was growing sharper. It was then I knew that my body heat was rising for different reasons

Looking at Hagrid again, I struggled to contain myself.

My glasses were slipping off the bridge of my nose, but I didn't want to push them back up.

I just wanted to see those lines...

Cut the lines
Slice off the limbs
Pierce the organs

I could hear the blood rushing in my ears as my heartbeat accelerated. I turned to the Dursleys and felt it return harder.

Detach Vernon's head
Amputate Petunia's legs
Extract Dudley's heart

"Aww Harry, I can see yer emotional, now there's no need ter cry."

The Dursleys saw my state, and screamed. They were gone in seconds through the front door. I didn't understand why, nor did I care.

"Ha-Hagrid..." I tried to talk before my body acted of its own accord, "Are you human?"

"Human? What do yeh mean?" He stood up and hit his head on the small hanging metal light fitting, growing more upset by my question.

"Just tell me!" I was holding on to my chest, as my head hurt more. The grip on the knife was becoming more methodical, like I was about to strike at something, or someone.

"Well, if yeh must know..." He sat down angrily, "But this'll be a secret between us, okay?" I nodded rapidly, eager to get it over with, "My father was human, like yeh, but my mum, now she was... Ah, the hell with it, there's no other way ter put it. She was a giantess."

"A giant..." I forced my glasses back up onto my face, "So, you're half giant?"

"I told yeh!" Hagrid moved closer, his face looking more fearsome, though he seemed more scared about having told me, "Yeh can't let anyone know!"

"I promise Hagrid, it's okay..."

I said that mostly to myself, as I felt the voice die down in my head, relaying to my body that Hagrid was a good person, and a friend.

"Now about your school, yer'll be needing a few things...

The next day
Diagon Alley

"Hagrid, that professor we met, is he human?"

The tall man frowned, "Well, of course he is! What makes yeh say otherwise?"

The thumping in my head receded, "Just a feeling... Never mind..."

We looked up at Gringotts, a badly constructed building by the looks of it and went up to the door.

"Wait, Hagrid..." I had to hold my head again, I was feeling woozy, "I need to know now, will be I seeing more magical creatures while I'm here, or at Hogwarts?"

His eyes kind of boggled out at me, "Yer a strange one..." He pointed to the bank, "This is run by goblins, best moneykeepers in all the lands, but never try to gamble with them, or yer'll lose more than just yer house. At Hogwarts, there'll be other creatures, house elves you won't see so much, but most of them will be in the Forbidden Forest."

Hagrid came closer to me, I think he saw my shivering, "Why, is summat the matter? Yeh feelin' ill?"

"Yes, I mean, no, not really..."

How could I explain it?

"Hagrid, I need you to help me, I think I can sense when something isn't human, and it makes me ill. I may need you to hold me up if I start acting strange in a place full of them, like this bank here."

I neglected to mention that I had this overwealming urge to slice the lines of anything that reeked of non-human.

Again... Why did I use 'reek', it's not like me...

"Sure thing, Harry..." His palm supported my back, "It sounds like a rare ability that, but can't be too good for yeh if you feel ill all the time. I'll be here for yeh, don' worry so much."

We went inside, and immediately my senses reacted badly. Short people with ugly faces, I nearly fainted from the pressure, but mostly, the thoughts coming into my head were not ones I liked.

This place is dangerous
I must not go in further
Too many enemies
I need to remove them

I held out my knife and had my thumb ready to flick it open.

Nearest target located
Be ready for security forces
Execute with maximum strength

The blade clicked out. I briefly remember my glasses falling to the ground.

I didn't remember much more after one last thought came to my mind.

KILL!

---
Author's Notes

Well now, I think it was about time this story was written, don't you?

Haven't you ever wondered why Harry wears glasses? Well, I guess his short-sightedness might be the reason...

Still, as a crossover with Tsukihime, you can imagine that things will turn out quite differently to what goes on in the usual canon.

- J