Chapter Text
Chapter 1: 1981-1982
An old man in vivid purple robes with a long white beard and hair pops into existence in a poorly lit hallway. He looks dead on his feet in a way that comes after many days without rest. He holds a small bundle in his arms. After quickly checking for onlookers, he trudges over to one of the apartment doors, exhaustion cloaking every step. He pulls out a long, thin stick, and a wicker basket materializes in his hands. The old man places the bundle softly in the basket before setting them down in front of the apartment door.
With a sigh that hints at every one of his many years, the old man retrieves an envelope from the folds of his robes and slips it into the basket. He bends down on creaky knees and softly kisses the bundle.
“Good luck, my dear boy,” the old man whispers, smiling sadly down at the bundle. His eyes are glistening with unshed tears, but that does not stop the old man from standing up and turning away. He looks back at the bundle nestled safely within the basket one last time before disappearing with a faint crack, never knowing the immense danger he was in.
That old man was Albus Dumbledore, the wise and kind Headmaster of Hogwarts Witchcraft and Wizardry. The bundle he brought to the apartment is one Harry James Potter, the hero of the British Wizarding World. Just two nights ago Dumbledore tried to leave the boy with Petunia Dursley, Harry’s aunt, but the protections his mother died to create would not take hold in Petunia’s house. The horse of a woman despises magicals or anyone she considers ‘abnormal '. The Durselys would sooner curse the boy than care for him.
Harry can not simply be given to a nice wizarding family to raise. He needs to stay with someone sharing his mother’s blood or the protections will not stabilize. Lily Potter faced death gladly to protect her child and as a result, powerful blood magic was enacted. If Dumbledore can get Harry to someone with Lily’s blood willing to love the boy, Harry would be nigh untouchable. Which is where the dark hallway and apartment come in.
Somehow, someway, one of Lily’s ancestors still lives. A James Buchana Barnes. Dumbledore is giving Harry to Barnes in the hope that the blood wards will accept him. If they do, Harry will be the safest boy in the world and if they don’t the Headmaster will have to raise the boy behind the walls of Hogwarts. Of course, the Headmaster has no idea that Barnes is currently a brainwashed assassin or he would have taken the boy and ran screaming. As it stands, the Boy-Who-Lived is resting contently in a wicker basket only separated from the infamous Winter Soldier by a flimsy wooden door.
This should be exciting.
Asset
The asset notices immediately when the safe house’s perimeter is breached. It stalks silently to the door, the only safe entrance for non-enhanced humans, and points one of the many guns steadily at the wood. The asset listens with its exceptional hearing as the intruder sets something by the door and murmurs words quietly. The asset does not smell poison or burning gas. It does not hear the normal noises of explosives or the clinking of guns. So the asset does not break down the door and kill the intruder. The asset also does not lower the gun.
The intruder stands shakily and disappears with a discreet pop. That does startle the asset, even though assets are not supposed to startle. The asset has never encountered an intruder that can travel through the air. The safe house has not been breached and the asset has not been ordered to retreat. So the asset does not grab the guns and slink away. It wants to though, but assets are not supposed to want. Assets are also never given things assets are not supposed to have. So maybe the package resting on the door is for the current mission.
The asset opens the door slowly, making no noise, and quickly catalogs the details of the safe house hallway. Two broken lamps. Glass on the floor. Four other doors, all closed. Poor visual quality for anyone who does not have enhanced vision like it does. Two inches in front of the feet is a brown container. In the container is a small one wrapped up in a soft tarp the asset has seen agents using. The small one is resting. Threat level: low.
The asset is overtaken by flashes of a female small one and a blue-eyed one that was both small and big. The asset pushes back the images. Assets are not supposed to see flashes of female small ones that look like what the asset sees on reflective surfaces. Assets are not supposed to see flashes of the blued-eyed one that started so small and grew so large. The asset picks up the container and the small one within it. The asset closes the door and places the container on a table in the place where the rations are stored.
The asset does not know what to do with the container or the small one. Its handlers did not brief the asset on this and the next mission report is not for three sleep rotations. Sometimes the asset works with agents on missions. Sometimes it works with other assets. Maybe the small one is a little asset sent to it for training. The asset has trained many female small ones. The little spiders. The asset knows how to train small ones even if it does not see how its current mission of killing an American diplomat will be effective training.
The asset is not briefed on how to care for small ones this small, though. The asset will need to be briefed. The next mission report is not for three sleep rotations. Assets are not supposed to engage with handlers outside of mission reports unless it is mission-critical. The asset and small one are undamaged so the asset can not engage with the handlers. It will have to gather information on its own. If the small one is going to stay for the mission it will need rations and a uniform. The asset has seen a supply store regular ones visit on its way back to the safe house with pictures of small ones in the windows. The asset will go there to find rations and a uniform for the small one.
Asset
The trip to the supply store with the pictures of small ones was a successful mission. The asset found many uniforms for the small one and a paper briefing on how to care for smaller small ones. The paper briefing is titled ‘Babies for Dummies’ and told the asset which rations are best for the smaller small ones. Apparently, the small one is young enough to need a ‘mushy diet’. It was right to think the asset’s rations were not correct for the small one. The asset’s rations are not mushy at all.
The paper briefing also told the asset how to clean smaller small ones. The little spiders did not need assistance with maintenance. Following the paper briefing’s orders, the asset discovered ‘diapers’ and ‘baby wipes’. The asset is to replace the dirty diaper and clean the small one every time it releases its waste. The paper briefing informed the asset that it can not go on calling the small one, the small one. It needs a name like the agents and the handlers and the doctors. The little spiders had names even though they are little assets, so it knows it can name the small one.
The asset does not know what to name the small one. Sometimes it hears the agents and handlers call the asset names, but it does not want the small to be called those. The asset wants the small one to have a nice name, even though assets are not supposed to want.
The small one slowly blinks open its eyes. The small one makes a very pleasing noise and scrunches its nose. The asset is captivated by the small one’s every gesture and wants very much to make a pleasing noise back at it. Assets are not supposed to want and are not supposed to make noises not necessary to the mission. The asset stays quiet, but it does know what to name the small one now. It has bright green eyes and the asset will call it Emerald Eyes like it calls the blond one that shrinks and grows in the flashes, Blue Eyes. The asset is very pleased with its decision even though assets aren’t supposed to make choices or be anything other than mission ready.
Asset
The asset has discovered a new problem. Emerald Eyes does not understand that little assets must be quiet when it is spying on the American diplomat. When it makes a mistake or disobeys an order the handlers discipline the asset thoroughly. It does not want to correct Emerald Eyes’ mistake that way, even though assets are not supposed to want. It consults the paper briefing. The paper briefing tells the asset about ‘pacifiers’ and that toys are required for the proper maintenance of Emerald Eyes. The asset goes back to the supply store with the pictures of small ones.
When it returns to the safe house it carries three different pacifiers, two ‘teething toys’, one ‘stuffed animal’, and four ‘children’s books’ with it. The paper briefing says Emerald Eyes must be taught words by its parents. Emerald Eyes does not have parents so the asset will have to accomplish this task. It does not mind. Emerald Eyes is awake when it gets back and the asset quickly realizes the small one needs a diaper change. The paper briefing says that small ones need to be washed daily. It will take Emerald Eyes to the ‘shower’ where agents, handlers, and doctors get clean.
Assets are not supposed to use ‘showers’. It gets clean when the handlers hose it down, but the paper briefing says Emerald Eyes requires a sanitary environment and the asset is a part of that environment. The asset gets in the ‘shower’ with Emerald Eyes. When both the asset and the small one are washed and in proper uniforms, it gives Emerald Eyes one of the ‘teething toys’. The small one takes it eagerly and there is quiet while the asset cleans the guns and Emerald Eyes does his ‘enrichment’. The paper briefing says toys are very important for Emerald Eyes’ enrichment, which it knows is another term for proper maintenance.
The asset will complete the mission during the next sleep rotation, when it is light outside. Then the asset will report to its handlers. It does not want to bring Emerald Eyes with it, even though assets are not supposed to want.
Asset
The American Diplomat is dead. The mission is complete and the asset should be returning to its handlers for debriefing. The asset should take Emerald Eyes with it and hand the little asset back to Hydra. The asset feels like it does on those rare occasions when it failed a mission. When it knew its mistake had to be corrected. Hydra is order and order is found through pain, the asset knows this. Emerald Eyes does not understand order and the asset does not want to teach him through pain. Assets are not supposed to want, but it is supposed to read all briefings thoroughly and follow each direction exactly.
The paper briefing says Emerald Eyes must have rations daily. Hydra does not give assets rations daily. The paper briefing says small ones should sleep for many hours each day. Hydra does not allow assets to sleep unless it is in the cold glass box. The paper briefing says Emerald Eyes should be held gently. Hydra does not understand gentle. The paper briefing says small ones will ask questions. Hydra does not allow questions.
Emerald Eyes can not go to Hydra with it.
Even the very thought sends blinding pain through its head. Assets are not supposed to think and it is never to disobey its handlers or Hydra. Emerald Eyes still can not go to Hydra. It will have to find a more suitable place for Emerald Eyes. It does not know where that place might be. The brown container Emerald Eyes came in also had a letter. The letter might have instructions about where to bring Emerald Eyes. It places the small one down on his tiny soft tarp with his ‘stuffed animal’ and retrieves the letter. It is secured in a white paper container it thinks is called an envelope.
Mr. James Barnes,
My name is Albus Dumbledore, I am a wizard. Despite what you might believe, magic is real. The magicals of this world separated from the normal world many, many years ago. The little boy I’ve brought to your door is your great, great, nephew, Harry James Potter. He is also a wizard and an orphan. The magical world has been trapped in a horrible civil war for over a decade. A dark lord with delusions of grandeur decided that wizards are the better species and that all muggles, that is non-magical folk, should be killed or enslaved. Unfortunately, many of my fellow wizards agreed with those views. Hence the war.
Tom Riddle, otherwise known as the Dark Lord Voldemort, is a very powerful wizard, and despite my best efforts, up until four days ago, it looked like he was going to win. Harry’s parents, James and Lily Potter, were adept at defensive magic and became great enemies of the dark side. A few weeks before Harry was born I witnessed a prophecy that foretold the coming birth of a magical destined to defeat the Dark Lord. There were only two children that met the criteria, Harry Potter and Neville Longbottom.
I immediately placed both families in secure locations and hid all traces of them. To my immense regret, we placed trust in the wrong person and both families were betrayed. On Halloween, the Dark Lord himself ambushed the Potters. He killed both Lily and James, but when he tried to do the same to Harry his spell backfired, marking young Harry as the prophecy child. The Longbottoms were attacked the very next night, leaving Neville’s parents forever hospitalized and Neville in the care of his grandmother.
Which brings us to why I’ve left an infant on your drop step in the middle of the night. I must apologize for that, but the last week has been rather hectic, and people would have noticed if I disappeared for longer than an hour. When Voldemort came to kill Harry, Lily was standing before his crib. Three times the Dark Lord offered to let her live if she just stood aside. Each time Lily refused. Very powerful magic can be created with a willing sacrifice and when Lily faced death for her child she enacted ancient blood protections.
I do not know if that was her intention, but either way, Harry will be safest with someone sharing his mother’s blood. The blood protections will repel and in some cases outright attack anyone with harmful intentions. To accomplish this Harry must be accepted fully by his guardians. Lily’s sister, Petunia Evans, refused to do so, making her ineligible as a guardian. Lily’s remaining immediate family is dead. You are the only blood relative of Lily’s still living.
I do not know how you have survived so long, Mr. Barnes, but honestly, it does not matter. I beg of you to accept this child, to love him. For one so young he has already lost so much. If you do choose to raise him the blood protections will include you as well. There will be no safer place for you than at Harry’s side. That said, I have learned from my previous mistakes. I will be monitoring the blood protections, if they do not solidify in the next week, I will have to take Harry back. I will also know if you hurt him. Please be warned that if you dare harm this precious child I will not hold back in expressing my displeasure.
I must also warn you of the challenges of raising a magical child. Harry will sometimes have outbursts of random magic. That is completely normal, all magical children go through it. You need not be worried. Accidental magic usually consists of floating bottles or toys, all manageable occurrences. When Harry is eleven he will be offered a chance to study at Hogwarts, the school I am the headmaster of. As his guardian, you can of course choose to send him to a different school, but I hope you allow him to study where his parents did.
Voldemort had many followers, the Death Eaters. They are a danger, but very few of them know how to traverse the muggle world. I do not foresee them being a problem until Harry rejoins the magical world. You will be left alone until Harry is of schooling age. I beseech you to give him a happy childhood. Harry Potter has a challenging life ahead, he will need all of our support to get through it.
Many thanks, Albus Dumbledore
The asset stares at the letter for a solid three minutes, processing the new information. The revelation that magic is real does not surprise the asset. It has seen Hydra accomplish many feats the normal ones would not think possible. It is surprising that there is a whole community of enhanced beings Hydra is unaware of. It does not know why, but somehow that thought is pleasing. The letter also said Emerald Eyes is not a little asset belonging to Hydra. It said Emerald Eyes is a small one the asset is supposed to care for.
The asset knows it has had many missions where it was protecting someone, even if it can not remember them clearly. The asset does not think Hydra has ever given it orders to protect a small one, but it knows this will not be the first time it has cared for small ones. Flashes of the female small one that looks like it and the blond blue-eyed one that was both small and big burn through its mind. Assets are not supposed to see flashes or think, but it thinks its very first mission was to protect Blues Eyes and the familiar female small one.
The letter said that Emerald Eyes has a mission to kill the enhanced one, call-sign: Dark Lord Voldemort. The letter said Dark Lord Voldemort also has a mission to kill Emerald Eyes. It said there are ‘magical protections’ for Emerald Eyes, but only if the small one stays with the asset. Emerald Eyes can not go to Hydra where they do not understand gentle or allow questions. Emerald Eyes can not go to Hydra but must stay with the asset.
The asset can not go back to Hydra.
Horrible, suffocating pain bombards the asset. It staggers to its knees, landing with a jarring thud. Assets are to never disobey Hydra and to help the asset remember this, mental corrections were implanted in its head. Anytime the asset thinks about disobeying Hydra the corrections activate until the asset stops thinking the problem thoughts. Assets are not supposed to think and the corrections are hardly ever used. The asset does not stop thinking the rebellious thoughts.
Emerald Eyes must stay with the asset but can not go to Hydra. The asset can not go back to Hydra.
The asset loses consciousness, slumping roughly to the floor.
Asset
When the asset regains awareness, it is collapsed on the ground. Its cheek is pressed harshly on the dirty wooden floor and Emerald Eyes is wailing. The asset shoots to its feet, wildly spinning around as it checks the safe house for danger. It finds none and turns to stare confusedly at Emerald Eyes. The small one stops crying when he notices he has the assets’ attention. Instead, the small one gazes up at it with wide, teary eyes, sniffling miserably. The asset suddenly feels terrible, even though assets are not supposed to feel. The paper briefing said smaller small ones only cry when they need something.
The asset checks and discovers Emerald Eyes requires a diaper change and his first light rations. The asset is getting rather efficient at changing diapers and giving smaller small ones their rations. Though, most of the sweet-smelling, yellow mush still ends up all over the small one and the asset. There is still room for improvement with its smaller small one maintenance skills. The asset quickly consumes its rations and heads for the ‘shower’. Assets are not supposed to use showers, but Emerald Eyes requires assistance with proper maintenance. The asset climbs into the ‘shower’ with Emerald Eyes.
It thinks while it washes Emerald Eyes. The mission is completed and it is supposed to meet with its handlers at nightfall. It can not go back to Hydra so it can not meet with its handlers. The asset stubbornly ignores the swelling pain in its temple. The asset is not disobeying. The asset has a new mission and missions are more important than everything else. Just because Hydra did not assign this mission does not make that any less true.
Agents will be sent out to capture the asset when it does not arrive for the mission report. The asset has six hours to gather supplies and disappear. The asset will need more rations for both it and Emerald Eyes. It will go back to the supply store with the pictures of small ones and raid the supply store normal ones go to for rations. Assets are not supposed to eat normal one rations like the agents and handlers and doctors, but it needs to blend in with normal ones for this mission. Dark Lord Voldemort has assets it must avoid along with Hydra’s agents.
It hurriedly places Emerald Eyes in the large bowl meant for hand maintenance as its vision fades to black. The corrections are working overtime to prevent the asset from thinking but it fights through them. It has a mission, possibly the most important mission since the blue-eyed one that was both big and small. Since the familiar small one that shares its features. Assets are not supposed to think, but it is supposed to complete missions.
It raises shakily to its feet. The pain is searing, but the asset has felt worse. Emerald Eyes is more important than the pain. It quickly dresses the small one in one of his uniforms before following suit.
This time when the asset goes to the supply store with the pictures of small ones it is light outside and normal ones are walking around too. It must appear to be a normal one as well, or it will be discovered and Hydra will take Emerald Eyes. Not acceptable. It molds its posture until it is projecting nice instead of dangerous. It changes how it walks until it is no longer stalking but strolling instead. It wipes the blank look that unsettles normal ones from its face. It quirks its lips, brightens its eyes, and slouches just a little. Gone is the asset, the Winter Soldier, and in its place is a normal one; a man on his way to buy things for his child.
The normal ones’ eyes slide off the asset, none the wiser. They do not see the killer lurking beside them. They admire its pleasing face or coo at Emerald Eyes. They do not know of the harsher side of the world. They do not know they gawk at the face of an assassin. The asset hopes they always remain ignorant, even though assets are not supposed to want. The normal ones in charge of the smaller small ones supply store also do not notice as the asset stows the needed equipment in its uniform. They do not notice as it slips Emerald Eyes into a carrier meant for small ones and slinks back onto the crowded street.
The rations store owners are just as easy to fool. The buying counter is run by an older small one who doesn’t even look up when the asset ambles into the store. The asset steals many normal rations assets are not supposed to have and a bag to store them in. After it has everything secure and Emerald Eyes snug in his carrier, it sneaks into a traveling station with the long thin transports that cause the asset to flinch. Flashes of falling and wide, terrified blue eyes always appear when it is around the long thin transports, but they are the fastest way to evade the agents.
The asset climbs onto the transport and settles in a chair with Emerald Eyes in its lap. The easily asset evades the ticket master when he comes to verify the asset’s presence. The long, thin transport whistles sharply and starts to move. The asset sprawls comfortably in its seat, mirroring the normal one sitting in front of it, and promptly disappears from Hydra’s gaze. It is very hard to find the asset when it does not want to be found. It has been trained to be the best, after all.
Asset
*
After ten days of travel, the asset has found a quiet safe house out in the mountains. There are no normal ones for many miles and the agents can not track it through surveillance devices here. It and Emerald Eyes had to trek through two very populated places with many occupied safe houses and supply stores. It was very easy for it to snag all the supplies and rations it will need for the colder weeks. It will stay in the secluded safe house with Emerald Eyes until the days turn warm and the earth grows little ones again.
The asset had to get new paper briefings to figure out how to survive on the mountains during the cold weeks. It also grabbed more paper briefings about smaller small ones. ‘Living Off the Land’, ‘DIY House Repairs’, and ‘Parenting 101’ are the paper briefings that caught the asset’s eye. ‘Living Off the Land’ tells the asset about the rations it can grow from the earth and which animals to hunt. ‘DIY House Repairs’ tells it how to fix the safe house so it's warm enough for Emerald Eyes. ‘Parenting 101’ shows the asset how to teach Emerald Eyes words and proper maintenance. It will not always be there to help the small one wash and he must know how to do it himself.
Emerald Eyes wakes up screaming most days, begging for his Ma and Da. It does not know who Ma and Da are. It does not know how to help the small one sleep better. It feels like it does when it has failed a mission, except this time there are no agents and handlers and doctors to discipline it. Just Emerald Eyes’ sad face that causes a worse pain than any punishment has before. ‘Parenting 101’ says to cuddle the small one gently and murmur soothing words. The asset will do this.
The asset does not know any soothing words. It improvises and reads aloud the ‘children's books’. Emerald Eyes seems to enjoy that and it thinks that the ‘children's books’ are a good substitute for soothing words, even though assets are not supposed to think.
Asset
The sky has split open and is crying cold white tears. The asset knows a lot about tears and their causes after weeks in the secluded safe house. Emerald Eyes can not speak many words so he uses his tears to communicate. He cries softly when he misses his Ma and Da. The small one wails loudly when he is hurt. Emerald Eyes whimpers when he requires a diaper change. Sometimes he will squeal but he will not cry. The paper briefing says that is called laughter and the asset likes this sound the best.
Emerald Eyes is very curious about the sky’s tears. The asset has checked and they do not cause pain, so it dresses the small one in his thicker uniforms and lets him explore. The paper briefings say it is very important for small ones to experience many new things. Emerald Eyes touches the cold fluff and does his happy squeal. Its lips twitch, feeling warm. It does not know what this feeling is, but it enjoys it. Even though assets are not supposed to feel.
Emerald Eyes waves at it, becking the asset to come over. Emerald Eyes is very bad at manipulating, his ploys are always obvious, but it goes to the small one anyway. He will laugh more if the asset explores with him. Assets are not supposed to think, but it knows with certainty that this mission is its favorite.
Asset
The days have grown warmer and the asset has learned many things. The safe house- cabin, the cabin looks very different from when the asset found it. There is no more rotting wood and it now has a sturdy door. The asset replaced all the broken wood planks and built a porch. The cabin is surrounded by a fence and tucked in a corner is a beautiful garden overflowing with earth rations- vegetables. The cabin has two new windows and a chimney. There is a hammock swinging on the porch and the asset is very proud of the home it built. Emerald Eyes has grown right along with the cabin though, and they must leave it now.
They need more rations- food and supplies. The asset can not count how many times it has read the children’s books and it is in desperate need of new stock. None of Emerald Eyes’ uniforms-clothes fit anymore. It is time for them to leave this place, even though the asset would prefer to stay. It has found a peace here it never knew existed. There is not a path in these mountains it and Emerald Eyes have not traveled. We climbed to the highest peak, Emerald Eyes strapped to its chest, just to see the view. The asset can not remember doing anything like that before and it will miss the freedom the wilderness brings.
It has taught the small one many new things on this mountain. Emerald Eyes can name almost every animal we come across. He knows how to grow rations- plants and vegetables. He even understands the basics of hunting. Emerald Eyes has grown so much his head almost reaches my knee and he has taken to trying to climb tall green ones- trees with great enthusiasm. The small orange animals- fox cubs love to rift through the garden and Emerald Eyes loves to laugh while watching it chase them away.
The sun woke up minutes ago and everything in sight is bathed in a captivating gold glow. First light is its favorite time of the day. Emerald Eyes is resting peacefully and it is alone with chirping animals and the sweet morning breeze. Today it will harvest all the earth rations- vegetables so they have something to trade with in the nearest village. It has taken Emerald Eyes to the quaint, sleepy village three times when we needed new supplies. The normal ones- civilians are kind there and do not ask difficult questions. They are happy to take its earth rations- vegetables in return for uniforms- clothes and supplies.
After we have the needed equipment, we will travel to the closest populated area- city where it will get Emerald Eyes more toys and books. It will also retrieve more paper briefings. Then we will disappear again, off to find a new safe place. Staying in one place too long will increase the chances of Hydra finding it. The agents and handlers and doctors do not yet know it has a small one, so they are looking for it in places small ones can not go. It is not stupid enough to think they will stay ignorant for long. Eventually, it will have to face its old owners. Emerald Eyes can not be harmed and it does not plan to lose.
Assets are not supposed to think or feel or want. It does all of those things. It does not think it is an asset anymore. It does not know what that makes it or what to do about that information, but it does know it will not obey Hydra. The fiery pain of the corrections is a constant now, but every day it gets easier and easier to ignore. If Hydra dares to threaten its small one it will respond with extreme force. Its mission is to keep Emerald Eyes safe and it does not fail missions.