Young Celestial Wizard [Celestial Grimoire, Harry Potter]

ATLA Universe, Fire Nation Capital

Avatar Timeline: 98 AG (After Genocide), 11 months before Aang's awakening

Universal Time: November 13th, 1988

Time until Elder Blood Teleportation is available: November 26th, 1988

Time until Hun and Po souls are deemed suitable by the laws of the Harry Potter Universe to learn structured HP magic: July 31st, 1991

Harry's Physical/Mental/Emotional Maturity: 13 years old

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Harry stood at the edge of the Fire Nation capital's harbor, the morning sun warming his back.

"I'll return someday," Harry said, adjusting the dragon-hide belt at his waist.

Azula stepped forward. "You better." Her voice carried a slight tremor despite her attempt at command. "The Fire Nation won't forget what you've shown us."

Harry smiled, knowing she meant herself more than the nation. "Keep working on your bending. Maybe next time you'll actually give me a challenge."

A weak smile flickered across Azula's face. She opened her mouth as if to say more, then closed it and looked away.

Mai placed a hand on Azula's shoulder. "Safe travels."

Harry nodded to them both, then crouched slightly. Chi flowed through his meridians, pooling at his feet. Azure flames were bent into tight jets, lifting him into the air. It was even easier now that his chi had quadrupled from the Sharingan offer, and the fact his meridians were connected to every cell made firebending a lot more efficient.

He accelerated upward, leaving the capital behind. Fifteen minutes passed as he soared over the volcanic islands, making sure to stay high enough that anyone below would see only a distant blur. Once certain he was far enough, Harry let the flames die out and transformed.

His body shifted smoothly into the shape of a golden eagle. Powerful wings caught the wind as Harry wheeled through the air, orienting himself eastward. According to the maps he'd studied, the Earth Kingdom lay about a full day's flight away.

The hours passed steadily as he flew over the ocean and scattered Fire Nation islands. Harry rode the thermal currents when possible, conserving energy as the sun tracked across the sky. Night fell, but his eagle eyes adjusted easily to the darkness. He flew onward through the night, watching the stars high up in the sky sparkle.

Dawn broke over the Earth Kingdom's western coast. Harry's wings had grown tired, but the sight of the continent brought fresh energy. He banked toward a secluded valley and transformed back to human form, landing lightly on his feet.

"Come on out, girl." Harry tapped Chrysa's Premier Ball. The Nemean Lion appeared in a flash of red light, stretching her powerful limbs.

"Guard me while I rest?" Harry asked, already shifting back to eagle form. He fluttered up to perch on Chrysa's head, nestling into her invulnerable fur. Sleep came quickly.

Eight hours later, Harry woke feeling refreshed. He transformed and wrapped his arms around Chrysa's neck, burying his face in her fur. "Thanks for watching over me."

Chrysa rumbled affectionately.

"Time for you to rest now." Harry held up her Premier Ball. "I'll wake you if I find anything interesting."

After returning Chrysa to her ball, Harry transformed once more and took to the sky. Twenty minutes of soaring over mountainous terrain brought him to a mining village tucked into another small valley.

Harry circled overhead, taking in the details. Earthen walls surrounded scattered buildings with green roofs and yellow walls. Dirt paths wound between the structures, leading to a large but poor-looking market. At the village's edge stood a grand palace-like building that had the curved roof and golden pillars typical of Earth Kingdom architecture.

Landing behind a nearby hill, Harry transformed and straightened his clothes. He took a deep breath, then walked out toward the village gates. Time to see what life was like beyond the Fire Nation's borders.

Harry tapped Chrysa's Premier Ball, releasing her before they reached the open gates. The Nemean Lion padded silently beside him as they approached.

The first thing Harry noticed was the silence. People moved through the streets with hunched shoulders and downcast eyes. Many bore burn scars - some old and faded, others more recent. A woman carrying water jugs had thick scarring across her neck. An elderly man sweeping his doorstep showed burned hands.

A Fire Nation soldier strutted down the street, red armor gleaming in the sun. The villagers pressed themselves against walls or ducked into doorways as he passed. One young boy stared too long - his mother yanked him inside with frantic movements.

Harry's eyes narrowed. He fell into step behind the soldier, keeping enough distance to avoid detection. Chrysa moved like a shadow at his side, her golden eyes fixed on the red-armored figure ahead.

The soldier stopped at a modest building with faded green paint. He kicked the door open with unnecessary force, the wood splintering around the hinges. Harry moved closer, positioning himself in the doorway as the soldier approached a woman sitting at a small table.

Burn scars marked the left side of the woman's face, stretching down her neck and disappearing beneath her collar. She stared at the table, shoulders slumped in defeat.

"Tax day." The tax collector's voice dripped with false cheer. "Time to pay up."

"I don't have it all yet." The woman's voice was rough, likely from old injuries. "Come back next week."

The tax collector laughed, the sound ugly and sharp. "Now, now. Don't tell me you want more punishment after what happened two weeks ago?" He leaned closer, reaching for her chest. "Not that I mind. Not at all..."

Harry cleared his throat.

The tax collector turned, hand dropping away from the woman. His eyes took in Harry's expensive Fire Nation clothes, then narrowed at Harry's foreign features.

"What's a half-breed brat doing out here?" The man sneered, straightening to his full height. "Run along, boy. This is official business."

Harry stepped into the room. "Official business includes sexually assaulting citizens?"

"Citizens?" The tax collector barked out a laugh. "These dirt-eaters are conquered subjects." He gestured dismissively at the woman. "Property of the Fire Nation."

"I see." Harry's voice grew cold. "And that gives you the right to burn and abuse them?"

"Listen here, you little-" The tax collector froze momentarily in surprise as Chrysa walked into view from behind Harry.

"No." Harry's eyes shifted from emerald to blood-red as his Sharingan activated. "You listen. Every person you've hurt. Every scar you've given. Every moment of pain you've caused..." Blue flames began crackling around his fingers. "It ends today."

The tax collector's face paled. He stumbled backward, bumping into the table. "You... you can't..."

"I can." Harry raised his hand. "And I will."

Harry focused on his Sharingan, drawing chi from his expanded reserves and kneading it into chakra. The energy flowed naturally through his eyes, shooting forth in a concentrated invisible beam toward the tax collector's wide-eyed gaze.

The chakra entered the man's eyes and spread through the chi paths in his brain. Harry frowned. Something felt off - the pathways were too simple, too undefined compared to what his instincts told him should be there.

"You'll regret this," the tax collector snarled, breaking Harry's concentration.

Azure flames were bent around the man, forming a tight circular prison. "Move even slightly," Harry spoke coldly, "and you'll burn to ash."

"Please don't," the woman whispered. "The other soldiers will-"

"Be quiet." Harry kept his eyes locked on the tax collector. The man was sweating now, the heat from the flames making his armor steam slightly.

Harry tried again with the Sharingan, attempting to create an illusory copy of himself. The tax collector merely flinched at a nonexistent sound. The chi paths in the brain were numerous, but he didn't know which part of the brain was associated with the senses, so creating effective illusions would take far too much trial and error. Maybe there were some books on the brain he could read in his original world?

Either way, it was time for a different approach. Harry reached into his enchanted pouch and withdrew a small crystal vial. Moving faster than the tax collector could react, he grabbed the man's jaw and forced three drops of clear liquid onto his tongue.

"How long have you been in charge here?" Harry asked as the Veritaserum took effect.

"Four years." The man's voice became flat. "Since we conquered this village."

"What happened to the earthbenders?"

"Imprisoned them in a metal rig offshore. Can't bend metal, so they can't escape." A vacant smile spread across his face. "Makes controlling the village much easier."

"And the burns? The assaults?"

"Anyone who disrespects Fire Nation authority gets punished." The tax collector's eyes glazed over. "The women are especially fun to teach lessons to."

The scarred woman shuddered, wrapping her arms around herself.

Harry stared into the man's empty eyes. Even with Temperance as the virtue he was currently working on, there could be no balance here. Some acts demanded only one response.

The azure flames surrounding the tax collector sharpened into dozens of burning spears. They struck simultaneously, piercing through armor and flesh. Within seconds, only ashes remained. The blackened armor crashed to the floor piece by piece.

The woman screamed, pressing herself against the wall.

"Do not be afraid," Harry turned to her, his eyes fading back to green. "I'm here to help."

The woman stared at the pile of ash and armor, then back at Harry. "Who... are you?"

"Someone who wants to understand what's happening here." Harry gestured to a chair. "Please, sit. Tell me everything."

She sank into the chair, hands trembling. "My husband, Tyro... he led our village before they came. The Fire Nation soldiers took him and all our earthbenders to some metal prison rig offshore." Her voice grew bitter. "Since then, we've been nothing but playthings for these monsters."

"Your name?"

"Sela." She spat the words. "Wife of Tyro, mother of Haru, and now..." She gestured at her scarred face. "This."

"I can heal those scars." Harry stepped forward. "Everyone in the village, actually."

Sela blinked. "Heal? With what?"

"With this." Harry raised his hand, palm up. A small golden flame sparked to life. "This flame heals instead of hurts. Watch." He passed his other hand through the flame. "See? Completely harmless."

Sela stared at the gentle golden light. Her hand rose halfway, then stopped.

"It's okay." Harry held the flame closer. "Just touch it with one finger."

She reached out slowly, memories of burning flesh clear in her eyes. The tip of her finger brushed the golden flame. "It... tingles."

"I'm going to surround you with these flames." Harry bent more Life Flames into existence. "They'll heal everything."

"I..." Sela swallowed hard. "Alright."

Harry shaped the flames into a human-sized cube. "Step inside whenever you're ready."

Sela approached the golden flames one small step at a time. Each movement was hesitant, fighting against years of fear. Finally, she stepped into the cube of healing fire.

"Oh!" She gasped as the flames covered every inch of her body. The burn scars began to fade, dead tissue regenerating into healthy skin.

It was at that momen that a teenage boy rushed through the open door, face contorted with rage at the sight of his mother surrounded by fire. He punched forward, sending a fist-sized rock flying at Harry's head.

Harry tilted slightly left, the stone missing him by inches.

"Haru, stop!" Sela stepped out of the golden flames. "It's not what you think!"

Haru froze, jaw dropping as he stared at his mother's healed face. "Mom? Your scars..."

Sela touched her face with trembling fingers, tears welling up in her eyes. "They're gone. All of them..."

Haru rushed forward, wrapping his arms around his mother. "I can't believe it." His voice cracked. "You look just like before."

"I feel like before." Sela pressed her face into her son's shoulder, shoulders shaking with quiet sobs. "No more pain when I smile. No more..."

Harry stepped back, giving them space. Chrysa followed to sit beside him, a silent guardian as the family held each other.

"Thank you." Haru looked at Harry over his mother's head, eyes bright with unshed tears. "I'm sorry I attacked you."

"It's okay." Harry smiled softly. "You were protecting your mother. That's never wrong."

Sela pulled back from her son, wiping her eyes. "He killed the tax collector too. Turned him to ash."

"Good." Haru's face hardened. "After what he did to you, to everyone..."

"I can heal the rest of the village too." Harry spoke gently. "And then we can talk about freeing your father and the other earthbenders."

Mother and son stared at him with identical expressions of hope and disbelief.

"You'd do that?" Haru asked. "Help us fight the Fire Nation?"

"The normal people of the Fire Nation aren't evil." Harry shook his head. "But men like that tax collector are. And I won't let them hurt anyone else."

Haru's jaw clenched at Harry's words about the Fire Nation, but he remained silent.

"Where are the other soldiers stationed?" Harry asked. "They need to be dealt with before we can help everyone."

"The barracks are near the palace building." Haru pointed through the open door. "Eight more soldiers, plus the local commander."

"Tell me about the commander."

"Worse than the tax collector." Sela wrapped her arms around herself. "He... he likes to watch while his men..."

"I understand." Harry cut her off gently. "No need to say more."

Haru's hands curled into fists. "I can show you where they are."

"Good." Harry turned to Chrysa. "Stay here and protect Sela."

The Nemean Lion padded over to sit beside the woman, who stared at the adolescent lion with wide eyes.

"She won't hurt you." Harry smiled reassuringly. "Lead the way, Haru."

They stepped out into the sunlit dirt street. Haru glanced at Harry as they walked. "Thank you again. For my mother... I haven't seen her smile in years."

"It was right to help." Harry met his gaze. "I'm Harry Potter, by the way."

"Potter..." Haru tested the foreign name as they moved through empty streets. His steps grew quicker as they approached the barracks. He was clearly afraid, Harry could tell from his Fear Sense, but he wasn't letting it discourage him at all.

The earthbender stopped suddenly, spreading his feet wide. He raised both arms, and with a grunt of effort, a boulder his size rose from the ground. Haru punched forward with both fists, sending the rock crashing through the barrack doors.

They rushed inside. The scene before them froze both in place.

A woman lay sobbing on a table, three soldiers holding her down while a fourth violated her. Four more soldiers sat nearby, laughing as they played cards.

"YOU MONSTERS!" Haru screamed, launching smaller rocks at the soldiers.

Harry moved. His body carried him across the room faster than the soldiers could track. Mantis Style strikes found lethal pressure points, and one, two, three - bodies dropped as Harry's fingers struck nerve clusters. Four, five, six - more collapsed, dead before they hit the ground. Seven, eight - the final soldiers fell.

Harry knelt beside the crying woman. "You're safe now." Golden flames sparked to life around his hands. "This will heal you. May I?"

She nodded through her tears. Harry surrounded her with Life Flames, watching as the burns and other injuries faded away.

The golden flames faded, leaving healthy skin behind. The woman clutched at her torn clothes, still shaking.

"Here." Harry took out some spare clothing from his pouch and draped it over her shoulders. "You're safe now. No one will hurt you again."

She gripped the fabric tightly. "Thank you," she whispered.

"Do you know where the commander is?" Harry kept his voice gentle.

"The palace." She wiped at her tears. "He... he makes us serve him there."

"Haru." Harry turned to the earthbender who still stared at the bodies in shock. "Stay with her. I'll handle the commander."

"How did you..." Haru shook his head in disbelief but nodded.

Harry disappeared in an instant from the barracks. He crossed the distance within two seconds, the world blurring around him until he activated his Sharingan as his feet barely touched the ground. The palace doors shattered under his kick, wood splinters exploding inward.

All humans felt a small amount of fear, so his Fear Sense guided him straight to his target. Harry's leg shot out, smashing through the wall. Dust and debris filled the air as he stepped through the hole.

The commander lounged on cushions, two scarred women feeding him grapes. They screamed at Harry's entrance, scrambling away.

"How dare-" The commander leapt up, flames gathering around his fist.

Harry raised his hand. A thousand knives were conjured in the air, each reflecting the sunlight shining through the broken wall. They shot forward as one, turning the commander into a human pincushion before he could do anything.

The body toppled backward, blood pooling on the expensive carpet.

Harry stared at the dead commander, still slightly astonished at how quickly he had moved. Back in his world, he had been faster than any normal human could achieve. But this... The way every cell in his body now fed energy directly into his meridians through special capillaries, merging with his spiritual energy to form Chi - it had changed everything. He still wasn't anything against a Xiantian Stage cultivator, but his current speed could let him compete and even win against Late-Stage Houtian cultivators, couldn't it?

He could sprint at sixty-five feet per second, or twenty meters per second if he wanted to use a better format. With Jet-stepping, that speed would multiply. He estimated he would reach around ninety meters per second on the ground... Harry shook his head. Now wasn't the time for calculations.

"Please," Harry turned to the two women who pressed themselves against the far wall. "Don't be afraid. Let me heal you."

They exchanged frightened glances.

"Watch." Harry created a small golden flame in his palm. "This fire heals. See?" He passed his other hand through it. "It can remove your scars and heal any injuries."

The younger woman stepped forward hesitantly. "You killed him."

"Yes." Harry said softly. "He hurt people. He deserved to die."

"He did." The older woman spoke up, anger breaking through her fear. "He murdered my husband. Made me serve him while the body was still warm."

"I can help you." Harry held out his hand, the golden flame growing brighter. "Both of you."

The younger woman reached out first, touching the flame with trembling fingers. Her eyes widened as the burns on her hand began to fade.

"It... it doesn't hurt."

The older woman moved closer. "How?"

"Life Flames." Harry created more golden fire. "They heal instead of harm. May I surround you both?"

They nodded, and Harry bent the flames into a gentle dome around them. Both women gasped as their injuries and scars melted away.

"Thank you." The older woman touched her now-smooth face. "I never thought..."

"Go to the village square, we'll gather everyone there." Harry extinguished the flames. "I'll heal anyone who needs it. Then we can discuss freeing your earthbenders."

The women hurried from the room, leaving Harry alone with the commander's corpse. He stared at the thousand knives embedded in the body.

"Why would anyone be like this?" Harry asked nobody in particular.

oo0ooOoo0oo

Author's Note:

The vote for whether Azula will be brought back with Harry has concluded. On both Spacebattles and Sufficient Velocity, it was pretty much 50/50. On Questionable Questing it was 56% (Yes) / 44% (No). Considering the result is so divided, Azula will not be brought back this time. That doesn't mean she will never come back with Harry, but that it won't happen during this visit to ATLA.

For those who might not be aware, Harry will return to the ATLA world in the future. This is just his first visit. Once he has gone through more worlds and improved his handling of the Elder Blood, it will be easier for him to shuttle people back and forth without needing to worry too much about the cooldown.