One Tin Soldier

Chapter 2: Listen Children

Harry Potter wasn't having a good summer.

He was still recovering from the magical tournament held at Hogwarts last year. He had been entered despite the fact he was underage at the time, and entered against his will. It hadn't been fun...in fact, it had been downright terrifying! Harry had so hoped for a quiet year, only to be put in mortal danger yet again! Frankly, he was fed up with Hogwarts and the whole bigoted, ignorant Wizarding World.

During the past year, unbeknownst to anyone including his close friends, Harry had been in contact with a race of beings who had no love for wizards, and very little respect – the goblins of Gringotts.

They were more than willing to work with the last heir of the Ancient and Noble House of Potter, and were appalled at how the scion had been raised ignorant of his heritage.

At Harry's request they had been searching for anyone that was even remotely related to him, other than the Dursleys. Harry didn't care if that relative was magical or not, anyone would do. And he made it plain that was how desperate he was to be free from everyone that thought they had a right to control his life.

Just before he left Hogwarts for the summer, Harry received a report informing him that on his grandmother Evan's' side, there was family, very distant family.

He wrote a letter and sent it through muggle post via Dobby-mail. As of yet, Harry hadn't received any replies and he had a suspicion that his mail was being screened when he used an owl.

He'd been forced to return to his 'prison' at Number 4 Privet Drive once more at the insistence of the headmaster of his school.

So no mail, no contact, had been the order. Harry was to 'grieve and make peace' with what happened this past school year on his own. That had been the old bastard's decree.

Harry made two trips into London to Gringotts before he was caught by the Order and brought back to his hell on earth. There was no way he was calling living with his relatives – home. They hated him as much as he did them!

He knew he was being watched, 'for his own good', but really, who were they kidding?

~~

Doctor Isshin Kurosaki sat at his desk going over the letter he had received last week. He still didn't know what to do. The letter had been addressed to his very late wife who had been dead for over six years. It was from a young Englishman looking to connect with family.

The tall, muscular, unshaven Japanese man looked around at his office and sighed, then tossed the letter down on his desk. Besides being a doctor that ran a small clinic, Isshin had a deep secret that even his children didn't know – he was a retired Soul Reaper hiding in the Living World. He picked out another letter inviting him to a small medical conference in London, England. Maybe?

Entering the family living area he looked over at a huge, larger than life-size poster of his late wife Masaki. Maybe this was just what his son needed? Yes, he would take Ichigo with him, but first it was time to call in a favor.

"Oi Goat Face!" called an orange-haired teen to his father.

"Ichigo!" The huge man made a dive towards the teen. "My son! If you have a problem, daddy can..."

Ichigo delivered a kick to his father's face. "Can it! I'm going out!"

Isshin sighed, rubbing his throbbing face as he watched his son walk out the door. What he had to go through to keep this family together...

~~

Two days later, Isshin and Ichigo were on a plane to England. His son had been hard to convince, but eventually agreed to come with him. The girls, Karin and Yuzu, had agreed to stay with friends for the week.