Little Cloud Beware
Ever since he could remember there was this purple fire that always encircled him. When Dudley tried to punch him it would shove them away, when he was hurt it somehow made the pain stop, but best off all when he was locked in his cupboard all alone in the dark it would play with him make him feel like he was going to be ok. But the odd thing was he was the only one who could see it. He once made the mistake of telling the truth when his aunt asked why he shoved Dudley, so he said, ‘the fire did it,’ he quickly learned to never mention it again. Later when he was in his cupboard recovering from his aunts ‘lessons’ the fire came back and helped, so he figured it didn’t matter what his aunt said, the fire was there for him.
He didnt understand what it meant, he was boy, and freak, and would be punished every time the fire tried to help him. Then he started school and he discovered he had a name; more then that, the fire did to. He was at the library hiding from the bullies playing with his fire when a dark men showed up, said he was from the vindice. He explained what the fire was, that there were laws to keep people like them a secret, and that breaking those laws would place him in a special prison that makes hell seem like a delight.
Little Harry listened carefully and asked innocently; ‘does that mean there are more freaks like me?’
The dark men startled, took a deep breath and said ‘you are not a freak, you are a flame user.’
Jaeger still couldn’t believe his eyes. As a Vindice one of his responsibilities is to maintain the secrecy of the existence of soul flames, due to that when there is a sighting powerful enough they dispatch a member to deal with the issue before an exposure to the general public could happen. For the past year there has been a regular signal coming from England of an active soul flame user noticeable enough that he was dispatched to deal with the issue.
He has since been looking for the powerful flames without truly understanding who caused it. He was utterly shocked when he realized the source of the breach. Someone or something of this magnitude would normally belong to a group of adults, instead Jagger found a 6 year old child in a middle class English suburb. This had been a shocking revelation that required a different approach than the norm.
This was a powerful cloud packed in a tiny extensively bruised, underfed 6 year old child dressed in rags. He took the time observing knowing that approaching a cloud especially one as powerful as that needed to be handled with care. He can safely say that he very much did not like what he was seeing. Jagger knew the child showed all the signs of abuse, you don’t go active at such a young age if you have a good home life. He also knew that if the mafia got a hold of him they would manipulate him in to servitude. Worse, he might attract the men in the iron hat’s attention, the kid was too powerful for them to let him go. That day Jaeger decided to use this chance and try and teach everything the child would need to know to survive. Hopefully he would be able to provide him with a starting point so he wouldn’t be under any more abuse, or worse, caged. To cage a cloud this powerful is dangerous to all surrounding him, he wasn’t sure the vindice would be able to contain a breach from someone as powerful as him; however, if he was able to liberate himself, there wouldn’t be an issue.
So he did the next best thing he could; for 3 months he visited the boy at school and taught him what he could. He explained all the dangers of flame mafia, the rules of omertà, and advised him on the best ways to hide flames. After the first visit he gave the boy 2 things, a book explaining flames, and a medallion to help conceal his power. When Lord Bermuda heard his report about the little cloud he too agreed with Jaggers conclusions and route of approach. When Jagger told him the kid was already up to their power level he rushed Jaeger to the vault and told him to give the amulet to the kid.
The second thing he provided the boy was a special back pack, he than showed the boy how to lock it to his flames, so only he could access it. In the pack he placed 300£ in small bills, dry food, first aid kit, winter jacket, a book about health and nutrition for flame users, and a knife. He knew giving a child this young a weapon was unwise, but considering just how bruised and broken the boy seemed this felt like the least terible option. While sitting with the child going over everything he noticed that despite his age the child was smart, observant, and most of all a surviver.
For 3 months he went over with the young cloud not just about flames, but the basics of hand to hand fighting and knife handling, how to use the money he gave him, the importance of food, especially to an active flame user. Taught him first aid and made sure to provide him with flame potions that would help him with some of the damage he found. They went over the rules often, hoping the boy would understand how to work around them without endangering himself. It helped that Harry was an avid student and would take the lessons to heart.
After that he left, hoping the child would understand how to use everything Jaeger gave him to make things less difficult for himself. He knew he would have to keep his distance if he didn’t want to attract attention to the child, he was already starching it by spending 3 months in the area. It was with a heavy heart he left the little cloud behind hoping, praying that at least this cloud reached adulthood and would not be caged.
During the entirety of the first lecture Harry set there and carefully listen to everything the dark men had to say. Growing up with the Dursley’s Harry had to know how to read people, it was the only way to survive, thanks to that he could clearly see how worried the dark men was. When he explained the dangers of the flame mafia he was being serious, even more so when he went over how Harry should hide his flames. This made it clear to the him that whatever the danger is he should take it seriously, what’s more, there is a world outside of Little Whinging and it is not waiting for little Harry to be prepared for it.
The thing that amazed him most was that 2 days later the dark man came back with gifts. A book and a necklace. He told Harry that this amulet(?) would help hide how strong his fire is, he repeated his warning again just how important secrecy is, and how people would want him for how special he is. (It was the first time boy was called special) he told him to study hard and learn from the book about what is the fire, and how different flames work. He told him that he needed to teach himself control in order to stay safe. The dark man went over with Harry about what he needs to learn, and asked him about his life. It was obvious he was trying to figure something out, but boy wasn’t sure what.
The next day the dark men returned again, this time he had a special backpack, one only Harry could open using the purple fire. Inside of it were things Harry knew would help him survive the Dursley’s, though he would need to be carful and make sure no one would see it. He knew that as soon as anyone in that house would notice it, everything would be taken and destroyed. So just like the broken toys he hid in his cupboard, now he will hide the back pack, and everything else the dark man gave him.
It was shocking to have the man show him how to use his knife, the best way to defend himself, and even how to pick a lock. At that point Harry decided to chance it and ask the man what else he thinks he should know, to his surprise the man gave him a list of things to study in the library, like nutrition, laws regarding children, told him to learn another language, and so much more. The dark man then explained that Harry needs to make a plan and be carful how he goes about it. As a young child there is very little he can do, but it doesn’t mean he can’t use the time to prepare, so Harry took note of everything the dark man said. The man was sad when he told boy that he hopes to never meet him again, because that means that he was found. He needed to go or the bad people would find Harry and use him.
Harry didn’t want him to go but he knew there was nothing he can do. For 3 months boy had someone that cared, and it was amazing, sadly it would have to be enough. This was the first adult that actually helped him, that told him he was special and wanted. He gave Harry the first gift in his short life, but he also gave him a long list of more reasons of just why people suck. Harry took special care with the gifts he received, they were precious and they were his, the dark man said so. He wouldn’t let anyone touch them!
The money and the food the dark man gave him would need to be rationed, it might look like a lot, but sadly Harry knew better. He was happy he had the backpack, it allowed him a safe way to keep his thing without anyone taking it from him. It also had a wonderful jacket that kept him warm no matter how cold it got, for the first time since boy could remember he could sleep at night without the purple fire as the only thing keeping him from freezing.
After that Harry decided that he might be 6 but he needs to start working on a way out of the Dursley’s house, also staying far far away from the fire mafia. He took everything the dark men taught him to do to heart and understood he needed to work hard and study if he ever wanted to be safe. Since Dudley never comes to the library anyway Harry decided it was the best place to spend all his free time. (Which turned out to be a wonderful habit when Petunia claimed Harry was cheating off of Dudley and the teachers pointed out that Harry spends all his time in the school library and always submit his class work by the end of the day.)
While practicing different things from the book the dark men gave him he noticed memories of running away come up. Several times when doing house chores too hungry to stand he decided enough was enough, he sneaked around the house collected money,(the Dursley’s loved hiding it from each other) a beg with food and warm cloths and tried leaving. Figured between his strange fire and being so small he has better chance surviving somewhere else. But he just found himself back in his cupboard, and all the supplies were gone. He remembered after Vernon gone too far he tried again, reached London after a few days and was free, the next mornning he was in the cupboard wearing Dudley’s cast off and no supplies. There was the time Marge came with her beast, he hid in a tree for 2 days to survive them, didn’t want to risk going back to the house of monsters, so he stole a few things from a house on Westeria Lane and ran to the woods outside of Little Whinning, he lasted 3 weeks before once again waking up in the cupboard like nothing happened. That doesn’t even include the 4 times he went to the police for help.
The boy knew he needs to find away around it, though it did show that the dark men was not the only one to find him. According to the book mist flames users can change your memories, how he managed to undo it he doesn’t know, but at least now he was aware of the problem. Someone strong wants him with his relatives, and has managed to find him every time he tried to leave. So if he can’t leave, he needs to find another way to survive, because he knows if things keep going like this he wont make it out of this house.
That’s when he decided he needed somewhere safe that was still around, after all there are planty of nights Vernon tossed him out of the house and he neeeded somewhere to stay. Easpcially now that Harry refused to do badly in school and it was making their ‘precious Dudikins’ look bad. First he found a few old tarps and brought them to an isolated place in the grove near by. Next he started taking things he needed that the Dursley’s just tossed around the house and never used to make it comfortable; blankets, pillows, old pots and so much more. Although his favorite is probably the thermos, it allowed him to always have a warm beverage in his back pack, that alone was a life changer. Next he regularly confiscated a little of the cash they hid, along with some dry and canned food, he knew that what he already had would not last forever so it was better to make it last as long as possible. This way every time Vernon kicked him out off the house because he was crazy Harry could have a dry warm place with food, books, and some toys. He worked really hard on his shelter, his flames even helped him keep it hidden and dry.(that book really was the gift that kept on giving)
Next he knew he needed to work on sneaking around better, and how to fight better without making it known he has a knife, the dark man was easpcially worried about him being caught with it. If he can at least avoid some of the beatings and stall until he can stop the walrus or his son things wouldn’t be as bad. Learning how to move without being noticed turned out to be easy, he was mostly doing it for as long as he can remember, now he just had to do it better. As for fighting, well that was more difficult, though it did help that the dark men thought him the basics. He couldn’t afford to take classes, and no one would even dare come near him and even pretend to help, so he figured he ‘borrow’ some book on self defense from the library and practice what it says. That took a lot of work, and he is pretty sure he was doing it wrong but it helped some. He wasn’t nearly strong enough to handle the walrus, but the pig and his gang were manageable.
Over the years Harry embraced his image of the deranged, smart, trouble maker version of himself the Dursley sold everyone, it kept most of the bullies from making him miserable. He did not however, allow them to push his grades down. The child knew the only way out off this hell was a scholarship, he will take what ever beating Vernon had, but like hell is he giving up his only way out. Between his advancement in school, and the recommendation letters he was promised from the librarian, and 2 teachers if he phrased his admission letters right he might get a scholarship to the boarding school he was accepted to. Of course that was when the damn letters started to arrive.
When the first letter came he said nothing, figured it was a stupid joke from Dudley, only an idiot would call a school Hogwarts. Though he did keep the letter, Harry could appreciate good craftsmanship (something he was later delighted about). But they kept coming, and the Dursley’s were being hysterical, moving him about the house and even trying to flee them around the country. It wasn’t until Harry went to Diagon Ally he realized that this was not an elaborate prank,and magic was real yet he was still being very much played. See, Harry is aware that he is an abused child with no trust in adults and authority figures, so having happy go lucky Hagrid introduce him to the world he supposedly the savior off, singing the praises of a men with far to many titles for anyone to be comfortable screamed set up.
The lecture the dark men gave him when he was 6 still rang strong in his mind. ‘Never let anyone know how powerful you are, and just because they have flames doesn’t mean they should know you do too. You are unique, powerful and alone, they will want to use you.’ The words never rang more true, even if it applied to magic instead of fire. Then Hagrid said the magic words, ‘brought you here me self, Dumbeldore orders… great man that Dumbeldore…” he kept talking but Harry was too angry, and in far too much shock to pay attention. Dombeldore was the reason he was with his ‘loving’ relatives. Did he know what he was damnning him to? Did he care? Was he the one who kept putting him back in his cupboard?
It only became more suspicious when Hagrid, the stranger he never met in his life had a key to a vault Harry’s parents left to him, and the only answer he had about it was Dumbledore and how great he is. Harry knew he needed to be carful, who ever this ‘great’ man is, he was powerful, and knew this world of magic better then him. That was a lesson he had thouruly beaten in to him; keep quiet while learnning the rules, and who the players are. It’s the only way to survive. The kid did make sure to ask the Goblin that escorted him as many questions he can get away with, easpcially in regard to the key and access, when Griphook told him that thet was lowest level identification to be able to access the vault, and giving it to someone else means permission he made sure to take it back. It was good he insisted in front of Griphook, Hagrid tried to say Dumbeldore the great man ordered him to take it back, only for the goblin to correct his error.
As for Hagrid, he might just be a patsy, but the men was there with a job to do, so Harry decided he would play along and see how things go. What he is being told, and more importantly what he is not. He might be an 11 year old child but he didn’t survive this long by being stupid, and not paying attention. What he quickly realized was that here he had recourse, an inheritance, and a name. All things Hagrid skipped over, while talking how he was this great savior without actually saying what is this ‘you know who’ was about. Because frankly he might not be a fan of the phsyco coming after his family, but he is even less of a fan of a man using a clearly abused 11 year old war orphan. What’s more people in the magical world have vary low standard for feats of great magic, a 15 months old merely surviving doesn’t make it a savior, it just makes it another kid in a shity situation. Question was what does this all actually mean.
So Harry allowed Hagrid to drag him along Diagon and played the aww struck moron, while discreetly collection catalogs from each shop they passed. He did put his foot down at the clothing shop and used the chance to get the basics of a wardrobe, along with a good winter jacket and boots from a store nearby that Madam Melkins recommended. At the book store he made sure to get rid of Hagrid and ask the sales person if there are introduction books for 1st years, which was when he discovered his letter was the one sent for purebloods, and he should have gotten a far longer list. Thankfully the clerk had a copy, and helped Harry collect it all along with a few more books on the law, recent history, goblin banking, and goblin culture. (They did have his money) In less than 5 minuted Harry was out the door and the grounds keeper was none the wiser.
Hagrid did manage to get on Harry’s good side with the beautiful owl, the man might be a naive fool but at least he can recognize a goddess in bird form. After Hagrid dropped Harry back at the Dursley’s the child had a month to figure things out. It helped that he now knew what was that freaky thing they always tried to beat out of him, because he learned years ago they knew nothing about the fire. So now he was able to keep the walrus in line better understanding what he can use as a threat.
He did go back a few more times to the ally and properly explored, used the chance to get information from the bank about his vaults, which he was surprised to find out he had plural, along with 2 Heirships he knew nothing about, and get a beg with extension in it that allowed him to carry everything he owned. Sure he had the bag from the dark men, but after all these years Harry can recognize he needed something more. (Also, he was worried something might happen to it and that wasn’t something he was ok with.) Best of all in horizon ally he found a wonderfully used tent that had whats called a magical space and cost him a quarter then a new one. The thing had a fully accessorized 2 bed room apartment with a potions lab,(from the books he read this would be handy) a work room and a small library, a specious living area, and best of all a large kitchen with a huge pantry. According to the clerk most people want an upgrade after a while and see no point in keeping the old one. Harry was thrilled to discover that it had quite a few defenses, one of them is a muggle replant. Meaning that even if he was trapped by the Dursley’s he still had room to breathe, and they wouldn’t understand why they would have the need to leave his room be.
He didn't have a lot of time to go over all the information, but what he made sure to do was go over the introductions, laws, banking, and his known history.(spending years in the library studying way above his age group really paid off.) He found a few things that scared him, first and foremost whilst the Dursley’s are his legal guardians, due to them being muggles the moment he stepped foot in Hogwarts he will be appointed a magical guardian. Second there are mind altering magics and the defenses against them are difficult to learn, (as oppose to mist flame users) according to the books all it takes is a wand, and training. Third is he has a built upped image of a child hero that rides dragons and saves damsels.
Another important tidbit he found while going over the books about laws and and goblin costumes was that his vaults were untouched until now since it required his physical presence for the initial reactivation after his parents passing; however, once active those deemed authorised can have accesses to some of it. Thanks to all that he knew to place failsafes on his vaults; one off them being that he was the only one permitted to take anything out, information included. The second was a clause that required him to have a yearly check from the bank that he was of a sound mind. When he told Sharpclaw that the Goblin had a wonderfully disturbing smile and advised him to reinforce the standing orders in the family vaults with a minimum time period. Moreover to place orders for everything that was bequeathed to him now so a potential guardian wouldn’t be able to do otherwise. Apparently plenty of people left him things over the years that were just sitting there collecting dust; however, the only way to get accses to it was if he physically came to the bank and made the initial inquiry, same as his vaults.
The Goblin was very happy to have all the gold bequeathed centered in to one place and make it in to an investment vault on Harry’s behalf. The account manager made sure that Harry placed an instruction that all funds bequeathed to the ‘boy who lived’ would be directed to said vault. He did manage to impress the goblin when he asked to have a contract that stated Sharpclaw would managed the investments undisturbed for the next 7 years, and would earn an added yearly commission from the profits of 7%. (It payed to listen to Vernons rants about banks and investments. It payed even more to thoroughly read about how Goblin banking system and culture worked.).
While being at the bank he convinced Sharpclaw to allow him to take out his parents old school trunks, saying there isn’t really any value in them other then allowing an orphan child a chance to know his parents. Sharpclaw saw right through it, but he still let him have them, it’s not like the youngling was wrong. Before leaving Harry made sure to get a money pouch that was bound to him and emptied his accessible vaults, the damn things were due a refill by the end of the month anyway.
The goblin gave the boy an appreciative look, it was obvious the youngling was inexperienced, and knew very little. But he was shrewd, trusted none, read everything throughly, and most surprisingly attempted to show respect with proper goblin decorum. Sure he wasn’t very good at it, but he was actively trying, it was part of why Sharpclaw made sure to include the late lord Potter’s heir study materials with his school trunk. If he had the correct information perhaps he would make less critical mistakes. Easpcially with how Dumbeldore is clearly setting him up to fail, it was no secret the wizard was playing a dangerous game, Sharpclaw saw no problem in helping his pawn set the board on fire.
After being done with the bank Harry also made sure to register for non magical homeschooling, he doesn’t know how being a wizard going to play out and he better not drop his exit strategy. Harry noticed there was pleanty he didn’t know, what’s more there was plenty a certain someone didn’t want him to know, so he used the time he had left until school starts to go to as many used bookstores and collect as many books on various subjects as he could. Two things he learned from years of hanging out with Mrs. Barns at the library; first was that what you are taught at school is what someone else thinks is adaquet and often doesn’t cover nearly as much as what you need in life. Second was that used bookstores are a treasure trove the mainstream stores can’t hold a candle to.
He made sure to get cloths that actually fit him both magical and non magical. What he liked most was that at Horizon Ally there were plenty of specialty stores including one of which had protection clothing he was very happy to invest in. The shop owner looked at him a little funny, but Harry gave a teary smile with big sad green eyes while saying it was like daddy had in the picture. Trust the image of a sad orphan boy to get you insane amount of leeway. He even managed to get a purple leather jacket that had a special runes that allowed it to shrink to his size, it was adult size before he wore it, so hopefully it should last for years. The thing had so many protections on it Harry was afraid to ask how much it cost, but considering he it stoped the majority of curses, and most muggle weapons, guns included hw wasn’t going to complain. (Besides the shade was just like his fire, he couldn’t not get it.)
Another important purchase was better glasses, it was nice to not have everything bleary. The shop assistant gave him more information when he said he was muggle raised and didn’t know all the options. He was very happy to learn there was a potion to fix his eye sight but he could only take it once he turned 21, and after his eyes finished changing. What more she told him about the various options of adjustable lenses and frames, which again he was happy to purchase. She was confused when he got 2 very different pairs with all the adjustments.
On September 1st he walked away from no 4 Privet drive hopping he was being paranoid, and the magical world was not as bad as the non magical world. Wandering around the magical allys in the past month gave him hope. Unfortunatly, Going to Hogwarts turned out to being as disappointing as he assumed. The castle it self was magical and had endless possibilities full of wonder, the residents were sheep that didnt really bother to utilize their minds. They were worse than the dumbasses in Little Whingin.
The hat did try to place him in Slytherin to which Harry told him he would be directly at fault for his murder, a point the hat conceded to and placed him in Gryffindor. He preferred Ravenclaw, but beggars can’t be choosers. Besides it would interfere with his show of average student only doing well in defense. He did manage to make some friends for the first time in his life.
Ron was the first which surprised him because the boy had a jealous streak a mile wide, had even less tact then Harry, and was lazy beyond comprehension. But in the boys defense he was the 6th of 7 children, each was noticeable for something different and his family didn’t really have the means to support it. Harry can understand the desire to be more but then look around you and realize there isn’t really anything you can do. Harry’s drive was purely out of desire to survive, an issue Ron never needed to face, unlike himself Ron had guardians that honestly gave a damn about his well being. Sure they made mistake, but never did they not care.
Then there was Hermione, the know it all book smart that had to be the best at everything and honestly believed in authority figures. She had a good heart, but damn was she set in her ways, getting her to stop reciting books mechanically was a challenge. What’s more getting her to realize that books held the writers preconception was hilarious. He actually used his mother’s first year introductory books compared to Hermione’s. It took her a week to study the two and it was like her mind was recalculating. (The difference between the intro books from the 70’s, to those from the 90’s was concerning) Then he proceeded to give her 4 history books about the magical side of World War II for Christmas; the first was written by a staunch Dumbledore supporter, the 2nd by former member of the Dragon Breagade, the 3rd was memoir by a surviver of a Grindelwald attack, and the last by an ICW observer. Of course he did give her a lovely scarf as well, but the books were the real treat. The poor girl came back from the holidays like her mind broke a little. What made it funnier was when she told her parents about how books hold biases and who writes it really changes everything her parents were happy and told her it’s about time she figured it out. (Turns out they were trying to get that point across for years!)
Neville was the most obvious friend in his opinion, the boy was most like him in this den of lions and they both quickly knew it. They were showing a facade that was expected and leaning to the strengths that served them best at the moment. Harry found it hilarious watching Neville run circles around the idiots who thought they were stronger than him, he could feel Neville’s power from across the dorm. It was nice to have a quiet thoughtful friend, though the kid was a petty little shit which is probably what made him better.
Fred and George were also an unsurprising friendship. They were the right amount of arseholes that he could appreciate. What more they had a dream of what they wanted to do with their life and were willing to put the work to get it. Sure it required a lot recalibrating to make it a reality, but they didn’t let it deter them
Throughout the year he could see the crumbs being placed in front of him and he was not happy. No matter how he tried to maneuver around it he got shoved back on the path. Having to stop a professor was not his responsibility and yet he found himself with 2 more 1st year going toe to toe with an adult wizard. Waking up in the aftermath with Dumbledore creepily staring at him while he was asleep did not improve matters. That the old men was telling him it was his mother’s love that kept him alive was one of the dumbest things he ever heard. The moron didn’t know about Harry’s flame, but he was supposed to be educated enough to not have such a dumb interpretation. Harry was pretty sure the old men had a different idea as to why he really survived, but instead chose to tell him that it was the power of love which just felt insulting. What worse the jackass completely brushed the fact that Harry killed a teacher to survive, and carried on to tell him he needs to stay with the Dursley’s to maintain his mothers protection protection.
Honestly at this point he wasn’t even surprised, when he sat at the leaving feast having the old men give them so many points for breaking the rules, killing someone in self defense, stealing a shiney red rock, and doing the faculty’s job by trying to keep a phsyco from roaming the school was really idiotic. Harry just set there disappointed. He made it a point to turn down any congratulations by saying they didn’t deserve that win and the timing just made it worse. He noticed that quite a few students (from his own house included) agreed with him, but there wasn’t much they can do.
He did find it hilarious that the stone was currently sitting in his pouch at the bank. When the creepy back headed quirlmort was trying to intimidate him he placed the stone in his money pouch that was always attached to the inside of his robe knowing full well that if anything happens, the thing will go straight to his heir vault, which it did. It was very amusing to look at the old man with a confused look asking about the stone.