Harry Potter Down Under

Dreaming Sweetly (4)

They stayed for barely a day, and Harry sat at Toriel's feet at the fire for most of that time. Snails, plants, monster culture. Harry asked Toriel to read to him, or he would just read the book himself. He enjoyed the puns that Toriel would randomly blurt out. By the time it was time for bed, Harry felt he could have a home here. He could be happy. He smiled as he drifted into a cozy dream, the door closing to the bedroom. He did not care at the moment where Frisk would be sleeping, he was happy...

A peaceful dream washed away the usual nightmares. A dream that was more of a wish... he saw Toriel, she was setting a piece of pie in front of him, kissing him on the head. When he reached for the fork, his hands were cleaner than usual, no sign of scars, calluses, or his mangled fingernails. He looked across the table, Frisk sat there, smiling at him.

"It's alright, little brother. Maybe someday."

"Someday what?"

"Maybe someday you'll get this, but for now...Wake up."

"I'm...sleeping?"

"Harry, wake up. Wake up, now."

The young boy's eyes flung open, soft brown eyes meeting his. Harry looked around the room, ensuring quickly that nothing had happened. The dim light barely illuminated the room, but it was enough to see with. Frisk's blank face confused him for a moment before a tear began forming.

"W-what's wrong? Di-did I do something?" Harry's lip began to tremble.

"Of course not! No, Harry, that is not why I'm here. I promised we would find a way out of here. But we need to leave, now, please."

"I don't want to leave anymore though. I-I like it here. Toriel makes awesome pie and she reads me stories about plants...and snails. I don't like snails, I had to clean some of them out of the rosebushes." Harry looked at one of his hand, flinching at the memory the small scars on his palms brought.

"But, Harry, don't you remember the story about how monsters were sealed down here? Don't you want to help? Don't you want to help Toriel and her people to see the stars again?"

I do not think for a moment that this child, Frisk, felt bad at all about using Harry's weakness against him. His kindness will never leave him, for the rest of his days he will care about those around him before thinking of himself. Frisk knew this.

"I-I...yeah, you're right. I-I'll come. But, can you...promise me something?" Harry stood, careful to not let Frisk see any of the skin covered by the long, thick sleeves of his borrowed purple sweater.

They stiffened, unsure what to say. "Yeah, if it's within my power."

"Will I...get to see Toriel again?"

Frisk's eyes went softened as she sat down on the bed and pulled Harry back down beside her. They pulled him close in a great hug, feeling Harry stiffen like she had, then relax in her arms.

"What is this for?" He whispered into their ear.

"For being such a great friend to me." She let go of little Harry and smiled at him. "I will not make you come, not if you don't want to."

"But Toriel and the oth-"

"It's fine. I can do it myself, trust me."

"But, I will miss you if I don't come."

"You'll miss Toriel if you come."

"You were the one who found me. I still remember what you said. You said you had something to show me. An adventure, I thought, one like in the stories I listened to through the closet door."

"Closet?"

But Harry refused to answer her question. "Is this the adventure? To help the person down here who were nice to us?"

"There are many monsters down here that are kind, like the froggitts who solved the puzzles, the traps, just so that we could get you here quicker. Come on, Harry, it's your choice, but I know you want to stay. I can tell, you care more for Toriel than for me."

"You can read me well, but not well enough." Harry leaned into Frisk and laid his head against their chest. "I care more for you. Is that weird? I want Toriel to adopt me as her own, but I doubt she will. But you, I wish more for you to never leave me. A...sibling?"

Frisk stared at the boy as he curled up in a ball against them. Frisk smiled as she messed his hair up.

"Very well. It is your choice, come only because you want to. But be warned, once on this journey, you can't return until the adventure is over."

"Alright. I'm coming with you." Harry smiled and stood with Frisk, who offered their hand for him to hold.

"Okay, little brother. Let us start our journey. To the exit of the ruins we go."

-Barely a few minutes later-

At the exit of the ruins, Harry leaned closer towards Frisk. he didn't want anything to happen to his friend. His...sibling. He thought for a moment then looked at Frisk's face.

Girl?

No, boy...

Maybe something in between?

"Here we are." Frisk sighed as Harry stared up at her. she recognized that look, it was one a lot of the other kids had when they met. "I'm neither boy nor girl. A genderless child, alright?"

Harry stiffened for a moment before realizing she wasn't mad. Of course she wasn't mad, she was just answering a simple question.

"I'm ready." Harry whispered back before looking back at the door. With their free hand, Frisk pushed the light wooden door. A gust of winter air rushed in, sending shivers down their backs.