\Backslash

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

V

It sometimes annoys him that his animagus form is a magical bird. Yeah, they can fly, have an amazing sight, able to pinpoint with great accuracy things that are several hundred feet away, their hearing is nothing to scoff at, either. And that's without counting their amazing magical senses.

In the end, it makes it hard to ignore things.

Case in point, he's high up in the sky and still can hear people talking down on the ground, which is too close for his comfort as he hasn't had any contact with humans since he decided to live as a phoenix. Some kind of kneejerk reaction makes him take the convenient warm updraft that will take him higher and away.

However before he's gained enough distance he hears they're in trouble.

Obviously he can't really understand the language even if he gets it's Chinese. He gets what's happening and that's the crucial thing. He hovers on top of the wonderful thermal for a moment, thinking about how much he hates his hero-complex. Then with a mental sigh, he flies towards the ground, briefly enjoying the wind across his face until he's a nice distance away to not be seen but still close enough to get a better understanding in what's going on.

He sees first a woman with Asian features and clothes walking around a clearing, searching for who knows what as she talks aloud, limbs trembling slightly and movements frantic. A bag is close to what looks like an uneven hole in the ground where a calm male voice is coming from.

Before he can think twice, he flaps his wings and goes down the hole. He lifts up the person outside, being as careful as possible of any wounds he may have. The woman's open mouth closes when he settles on a branch near and she runs to the man's side to check up on him. He doesn't know their relationship but it's clear they're not close even if the woman looks at the man as if he were the light at the end of a tunnel, which is weird. Both talk quickly, but it's clear their attention is focused on him. It irks him but he doesn't go away as he inspects them from their clothes to the big bag next to the woman. Their exhausted faces and wariness tell him they're not here to hike.

He blinks when the woman finishes bandaging the guy and starts mumbling as she looks inside her backpack. She asks something from the other, which is quickly answered and makes the guy stop looking at him in awe. However, by the looks of it, it isn't what she wanted to hear. Distress slowly settles on her frame.

By the gesturing going on, he gets that there's something left inside the hole. Harry sighs but goes to retrieve the brown bag. They're clearly surprised, but Harry just wants to leave them without feeling guilty and worried.

… He really wants to stop feeling responsible all the time about other's wellbeing.

With a shake of his head, he steels his resolve and flies away.

-VI

Unsurprisingly, it doesn't end like that.

His plans of leaving the continent have been halted with the excuse of searching for new magical creatures, all his trips suspiciously close to China. Every time he's able to go farther, true, but too often he manages to fly above certain pair and see their progress.

Harry may try to deny it but the signs are all there: he's a pushover. And in his work to refute this, he's regressed into his younger reckless years, which may have amplified his trouble-magnet. There's no other explanation as to why he's currently surrounded by Acromantulas, a distance away of what's he's sure is their nest.