Harry woke up the next morning, relatively late for him now seeing as the sun was fully up. He yawned and swung his legs off the couch, remembering the night before and finding Lee. Hedwig was asleep, her head tucked into her feathers, on the perch that Harry had made for her. Her stand was right in front of the window that faced the town, overlooking the rising sun.

He pulled on some fresh clothes and walked into the bedroom, stopping in the doorway. He hadn't fully expected Lee to stay until morning, as agitated as the guy had been. Harry drew out some tea for breakfast and made some scrambled eggs and watched the village wake up.

A few minutes later, his wards chimed in alert as someone passed them by, a firebender by the feel of them. Harry raised an eyebrow and stepped out onto the porch, cradling his mug of tea.

It was an older man, bearded and bald on the top of his head and his golden eyes were narrowed in thought. The man wore refugee clothing, a mix up of various Earth Kingdom clothes but Harry could sense the man's firebending even from the porch. He watched as the man walked by his home and stopped, turning to look at Harry with a curious look.

Harry stepped down from the porch and walked over to meet him, his eyes widening at the vast power that the man held. It had been interesting to see the differences between the three nations, though Harry had never seen a waterbender before. Firebenders had what seemed like a sun burning within their skin, sparking to get out.

"May I help you?"

"You wouldn't have happened to see my nephew going through this town?"

"Lee? Yes, I let him stay for the night and healed him," Harry replied, shrugging a little.

The man's eyes widened as he studied Harry. "What happened exactly? My nephew can get into trouble very easily."

Harry's lips twitched up into a small grin. "He's a trouble magnet, huh? He just had a run in with a few earth benders though he didn't stay for breakfast."

"You do not sound as if you are from here."

"I'm not. I just help out where I can."

"I am called Iroh."

"Harry."

"Nice to meet you, Harry. And thank you for letting Lee stay. I am sure he did not say likewise to you before he left."

"Nice to meet you too. No, he didn't even wake me up or say thanks," Harry remarked before shaking his head. "I don't mind though. I've had worse guests."

Iroh smiled. "Do you happen to know which way he left?"

Harry closed his eyes briefly, checking in with the wards around his home and stretched out a hand. "He went that way, out of town."

Iroh dipped his head in a nod. "Are you a bender? You do not feel like one and yet…"

"I am not. I…" Harry trailed off, pondering Iroh's words. "And you do not feel like an Earthbender."

Iroh's eyes narrowed before he nodded. "I am just a refugee."

"Uh huh. I was thinking of traveling with Lee. He needs someone at his side," Harry commented, rocking on the back of his heels and thinking of Lee's warm body and how he had all but melted in Harry when his knees had buckled. "I'm a trouble magnet too."

Iroh let out a quiet laugh at that. "You are partners in more ways than one too, I see."

"Yeah. We both have scars. We're scar buddies. Hedwig, you awake in there?" Harry turned partly, keeping Iroh in his sights. At the same time, he drew back in his magic, the wards around his home returning to their original form and flowing back into his outstretched hand. He heard Hedwig let out a loud, irritated chirp in the home then a few minutes later, she flew out of the always open window, mantling in the air.

Iroh's eyes widened in awe. "I have not seen an animal like that in a long time."

"She was my first friend," Harry explained, his voice going soft in remembrance. Hedwig flew over to land on his outstretched arm, digging her claws into the leather arm guards that he had put on. "Hedwig, my darling girl, would you like to explore this world?"

Iroh smiled at his term of affection. Hedwig peered over at Iroh before turning to look at Harry and dipping her beak in a nod, her eyes widening in excitement. "Let me pack and then we'll fly together."

"If you're his uncle, why aren't you traveling with him?" Harry asked before he stepped inside. "He's a refugee too."

"He… wanted to travel alone," Iroh said, grief in his voice. "I would appreciate if you traveled with him however. If he accepts you."

"You're still looking after him, aren't you? Trailing him from afar."

"He is family."

"Yes, that I understand. So… you won't be joining us then?"

"No. Not until Lee wants me back."

Harry nodded, slipping the elder wand from its' holster and tapping it against his leg. "Lee isn't his real name, is it?"

Iroh raised an eyebrow, his eyes catching on Harry's wand. "Perhaps."

Harry stared at Iroh before shrugging again and heading back into his home, packing up his belongings and storing them in his trunk. He made sure his tent was easily accessible, putting it at the top of his trunk, packed Hedwig's homemade perch, packed everything that he did not want to part with. Packed his firebolt, his gryffindor scarf, his invisibility cloak, his potions kit and gear.

By the time he was done, the home was bare, a wooden cabin with nothing in it. Iroh was still on the street opposite his home, sitting on the bench across from him and sipping a mug of what looked like tea. Harry grinned, noticing Hedwig flying above the homes in the sky. He walked over to the older man, who for some reason felt like someone he could trust.

Iroh wasn't like Dumbledore, didn't have that patronizing tone that the headmaster could sometimes have. Iroh valued family, like Harry did. And… there was the intriguing bit that both Iroh and whatever Lee's real name was, were firebenders on the run from the Fire Nation. For what reason, Harry didn't know but he… was intrigued enough to find out. And had nothing to do with how good Lee had fit against him. No sir.

"I'll look after him," Harry said, hearing Hedwig hoot out impatiently.

"Thank you."

"My nephew will be on the lookout for the Avatar," Iroh admitted, his eyes narrowing and his voice gone quiet.

"The Avatar?" Harry echoed. The Avatar, the master of all four elements. The person who could bring balance to this world, this world that clearly needed it. The Fire Nation needed to be stopped and brought to justice for committing genocide and slaughtering thousands of people. He had seen a few troops of firebenders going through town and they had reminded him of Death Eaters, though maybe a little less blood thirsty.

Fire Lord Ozai also reminded him of Grindelwald and perhaps a bit of Hitler, too. He hadn't met the man but the bits and pieces that he had heard about the Fire Nation had certainly been upsetting. Their need to prove themselves the best and lording it all over everyone else definitely had an air of fascism. Harry hadn't been around long enough to really know the history of the war but he knew enough. He knew that Earthbenders in most towns had been taken captive and that the Air Nomads had been all wiped out, except for the Avatar.

"Ask him yourself when you see him," Iroh said, lifting his shoulders up in a minute shrug. "Don't tell him I've been trailing after him either."

"Alright…" Harry stared at Iroh for a few seconds, trying to understand what the undertone of Iroh's words were. He sighed, looked up at Hedwig who was flying loops in the air and waiting for him, and then backed up a few feet. "Does this world have dragons?"

Iroh's eyes narrowed and then he shook his head. "Not anymore. Fire Lord Sozin and his son encouraged hunting. It was also a test for young firebenders. Anyone who defeated a dragon was a master firebender."

"Ah well. I suppose they were the original firebenders," Harry remarked idly. "I'd appreciate it if you kept secret what you're about to see then. I… For some reason, I feel like I can trust you."

Iroh grinned a little, no darkness in his eyes whatsoever. "Take care of yourself and my nephew."

Harry nodded and glanced at the town, the little town in the Earth Kingdom that had sheltered him well and then shifted shape between one second and the next. He stood on four legs, with large, white wings. His eyes had taken on a golden hue, making them green-golden. He beat his wings once against the ground and peered down at Iroh, who was frozen, his eyes wide.

Iroh continued to stare at him, blinking once or twice. "Are you a spirit?"

Harry shook his head and then lifted off into the sky, heading in the direction that Lee had gone in.