B-R-Y-A-N

"So, mudbloods and peasants not low enough, now you're associating with first years, Potter?" the blond sneered. The words shocked Bryan, not in their context, but in their stark contrast to the boy's thoughts.

Look at how happy they are. How in Merlin's name does he make friends so easily? Why couldn't I be his friend? Stupid Lucius, stupid Malfoy name.

"Sod off, Malfoy," Harry said in a bored voice.

"Right, Potter, like you could order me around," said Malfoy, sporting a lewd grin. "I saw that old hag outside Kings Cross looking at you. You'll shag anyone, won't you?"

Please get the hint and be more careful, Harry. I don't want to see you get hurt again like last year. At least Lucius is locked up now.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione had all gone pale and Malfoy smirked as he walked out.

"That little git," Ron said through gritted teeth. "That smarmy little git."

"I didn't think he was so bad," said Bryan quietly. They looked at him in shock.

"Were you hearing the same conversation we were?" Mark asked in a shocked voice.

"No, I don't think I was," Bryan said. "By the way, who's Lucius?"

"You mean Lucius Malfoy?" Hermione asked, startled. "He's Draco Malfoy's father. Why?" Bryan could feel the suspicion and anger directed at Draco Malfoy from all corners of the room and decided that this wasn't his secret to tell. Though he certainly needed more information.

"No reason," Bryan said. "If you'll excuse me, I need to use the loo." He knew Hermione was completely unconvinced by his answer, but left anyway. Malfoy was just a few cars ahead and Bryan caught up with him easily. But how to get him alone to talk? Thinking quickly, an idea came to him and he grabbed one of the pumpkin pasties he'd been saving in a pocket. Bryan looked determinedly at the ceiling and walked straight into Malfoy, splattering pasty all over the boy's robes.

"Watch where you're going..." Malfoy started.

"Oh, sor...oh, it's you." Bryan put on his best sneer.

"Why you little..." Malfoy glared at him. "Crabbe, Goyle, take care of him."

"Not even man enough to defend the honor of your robes, eh Malfoy?" Bryan taunted him. "If you have any dignity left, you'll fight me on your own. Alone." He tried desperately to convey the message that this wasn't about violence to the other boy. Malfoy considered him for a moment, then laughed.

"So, the little first year thinks he can take me on," he sneered. "Alright, in here." Malfoy motioned to an empty compartment and they walked inside. "Now, what's this really about. And it had better be worth you ruining my best school robes."

"Oh please, they are not ruined," Bryan scoffed. "And you needn't worry about the topic being good enough. Malfoy, I'm a natural Legilimens, I can hear the thoughts of everyone around me at all times unless I try very hard not to. And I want some answers about what happened back in the compartment." Malfoy had gone very pale, but still managed to attempt a sneer.

"I don't know what you mean," he scoffed, though his voice was strained. "Did Potter send you here?"

"No," Bryan shook his head. "I haven't told them. After all, it's not really my secret to tell. Though I think they deserve to know. Harry especially. He doesn't know why, but you are able to hurt him like no one else. That sort of power goes two ways, Malfoy; you could probably be among his closest companions if you let yourself."

"Who in Merlin's name are you?" Malfoy asked in wonderment.

"My name's Bryan."

"What, just Bryan? Don't I get a surname?" Malfoy's voice was surprisingly bitter.

"You would if I had one." There was a pause and Bryan sighed. "Very well, I suppose you deserve something in return. My full name is 2-18261-14 BRYAN. I'm a genetic experiment created by a secret muggle American organization called IRTOC to be the perfect soldier. I didn't want to do what they told me to, so I escaped and got my Hogwarts letter a day later."

"Wait, if you were in America, why didn't you go to one of their schools?" Malfoy asked.

"The American school I was supposed to go to knew of my...past and felt I would be safer from pursuit at Hogwarts," Bryan explained tonelessly. Malfoy looked at him and Bryan listened to what he was thinking.

That's...that's...wow. He's had it bad. His story sounds almost like mine, just replace soldier with Death Eater, IRTOC with Lucius, and ran away with, well, didn't. Wish I could, but not even Hogwarts is safe for me. Wait, he can hear what I'm thinking, can't he.

"Stop that, it's creepy," Malfoy said aloud. "And in explanation, I can't be friends with Harry, the rest of the Slytherins would kill me. Not to mention that he probably wouldn't let me after the last five years I put him through."

"I know Harry, Malfoy," Bryan said firmly. "I've seen his thoughts and felt his feelings and he would gladly bury the hatchet between you two. It would be one less problem for him to worry about and you know he has enough of those. As for the Slytherins, they wouldn't know so long as you kept it a secret and stayed enemies in public." He paused, watching Malfoy mull this over. "Tell you what, if I set up a meeting between you two in private, will you try to talk to him when you get there?"

"Alright, Bryan," Malfoy said after another pause. "I'll give it a shot."

"Good, now beat me up."

"Excuse me?"

"Right now six Slytherins are outside this compartment waiting to see the end of a fight," Bryan explained. "You'd be in danger if I left this compartment without a scratch. You know as well as I do that this is necessary, now do it. Just twice in the face, then I'll rumple up my shirt; that should complete the image. Hurry up, the longer you take, the more beat up they'll expect me to be."

Bryan watched Malfoy take a deep breath and rear back, then he closed his eyes and let the fists hit him, once on the right eye, the other on the jaw, splitting his lip. It hurt, but he'd certainly suffered worse. Still, the impacts made him lose his balance and he fell back into the wall.

"Are you alright Bryan?" Malfoy asked quickly, bending down next to him. Bryan snorted.

"I'm just fine, Malfoy," he assured the boy. "Now you walk out of here nursing those pretty little fists of yours and I'll limp back to my compartment in a little bit. By the way, you're good, but you put too much of your weight on your forward leg when you go in for the hit. That'll make you lose your balance if your opponent dodges." Malfoy rolled his eyes.

"You are one strange boy, Bryan," he said and stood up to leave. "I'll see you around." Bryan nodded to him and put on an expression of pain and humiliation for when he opened the door.

"Sweet Merlin, Bryan!" Harry exclaimed when he got back. "What did you do, go pick a fight with the front of the train?"

"Calm down, Harry," he said, sitting down by the window again. "It looks worse than it is, that was the point. I went to talk to Malfoy-" more angry exclamations, "-and it's like I said before, he's not so bad. He had to act like he hated you because of his father. He hasn't really meant it for a long time. That comment he made before, about the woman watching you, that was meant to be a warning."

"Oh, right," Ron said sarcastically, "and I suppose you believed him when he told you this?"

"He didn't tell me this," said Bryan forcefully. "I heard him think it. He wants to talk to you, Harry, and I promised to set up a time."

"Wait, wait," Hermione said, "hold on a minute. You heard him think it? Bryan, is there something you aren't telling us?"

So Bryan told them what he had told Malfoy of his past. Ron still looked skeptical.

"What exactly do you mean by perfect soldier?" he asked warily.

"The perfect strategist, fighter, infiltrator; the best at anything and everything military. Granted my training wasn't completed, but I got far enough to protect myself." Bryan sighed. "Besides, it's not like they didn't give me the equipment." He could feel their confusion, so he took off his shoes, sunglasses, and shirt, revealing hand-like webbed feet, forearms covered in half-inch-long quills, and an abdomen that looked like it belonged to a bodybuilder who got caught in a mincing machine. "Not to mention a 300 point IQ and muscles in my brain to prevent a concussion in case of a blow to the head." Bryan replaced his clothes in silence.

"I can believe what I have seen," Hermione said finally, "but really, a 300 point IQ? Hearing people's thoughts? How could that even be possible?"

"I don't know the details of the project that created me," said Bryan dully. "But somehow their tinkering with my brain gave me telepathic powers, known here as Legilimency. I can hear the minds around me as clearly as the rest of you hear voices. Thank goodness IRTOC never found out about that particular talent."

This is ridiculous, he heard Hermione think, How can Harry trust him, let alone his word on Malfoy. 300 point IQ indeed, someone that smart would probably be able to speak in hundreds of languages.

"478 languages, actually, Hermione," he said pleasantly. She looked up at him, startled. "Well, more like 248 languages, 230 dialects, but the effect is the same. I can name the capitol of every country in the world, I could plot an accurate trajectory to the Sea of Tranquility from any point on Earth in my head, I can calculate the latitude and longitude with a stick and the time of day or vice-versa, I can lift twice my own body weight over my head, I can jump over an eight-foot-high barrier if I start at a run, I can run at 20 mph for three hours, though when I escaped I did it for about four, I know every martial art ever invented and can shoot any existing firearm with 98% accuracy, I know a hundred ways to kill a person with my bare hands. Shall I continue?"

His voice had gotten more and more emotionless as he went on and their faces had become more and more horrified. After he stopped speaking, he went back to staring out the window. The sun was shining. He concentrated on it, reveling in the dull ache in his eyes, and ignored the whisperings of the minds behind him, preferring not to know what they thought of him now. So it was that he was caught completely by surprise when Hermione placed her hand on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Bryan," she said softly. "I didn't know. I didn't mean to be suspicious of you like that." He looked up at her face, so full of emotions he couldn't name, and didn't know what to say.

"Thank you," he said gently, and leaned back in his seat. "I've never had anyone trust me before." He tried to not let the words come out curt or ungrateful, but he couldn't manage to convey what he felt inside. It had been too long since he was allowed to display his emotions. Hermione seemed to understand; she smiled at him and sat back down. He turned back to the window, that same feeling of contentment returning.

Suddenly, there was a loud crash and the train stopped so quickly that Hermione and Mark were thrown out of their seats. The lights went out, leaving only the sun to illuminate the compartment. Immediately, Harry and Bryan were standing alert; Harry with his wand out, Bryan with his fists raised. Bryan felt a twinge in his right shoulder. He tried to ignore it, but it grew more insistent until he could hardly feel his right arm. The twinge grew into pain more intense than any he'd felt before and soon he found himself leaning against the wall for support.

Come to me, boy

He walked forward to the compartment door and it slid open in front of him. Bryan entered the hall, full though it was of panicky students.

Come here, come on

The back of the train, just outside the luggage car. He moved purposefully, easily brushing past the people around him. The pain was so great he couldn't think except to hear the voice in his head and make himself obey. For there was no question that the master of the voice was the master of the pain, and so the master of Bryan.

Harry stared in amazement and worry as Bryan's right arm began to twitch and droop and a glazed look came into the boy's eyes. When Bryan began walking robotically forward, and then when the compartment door slid open on its own, that worry was replaced by fear.

"Bryan, come back!" he called as the boy turned toward the back of the train and started walking. "Bryan, we need to stay together!" But the boy didn't seem to hear him. Harry entered the hall and started to follow him, but couldn't keep up. Still, he plugged along, hoping to stop Bryan before he got himself into trouble. He knew, deep inside himself, that he was going to be too late. He always seemed to be too late.

And so, when he reached the back of the train and found the Bryan walking toward the open door to the outside, he feared the worst. Outside, a strange man who bore a strong resemblance to Remus was waiting, motioning with his arms as though coaxing someone to him. Bryan was walking willingly. Harry ran over and put a hand on the boy's shoulder to stop him, but he was brushed aside easily and Bryan continued to walk. Harry's efforts were interrupted by Remus himself appearing suddenly from through the forest.

"Romulus," he snarled at the beckoning man, "leave Bryan alone."

"Hello, Remus," Romulus greeted him with false joviality. "Do you like this?" he motioned at his wand. "It's a combination of the Imperius and the Cruciatus. The Dark Lord gave it to me himself, in exchange for Bryan here. So if you'll excuse me, I have to take him back home to complete his training."

"Leave him, Romulus," said Remus. "Leave him and leave Hogwarts and leave me. And do it now before I do something that I will regret."

"Oh, I can't leave Bryan," Romulus sneered, "he's my property. Didn't you see the barcode on his arm? He's mine until he's twenty and then he'll belong to the Dark Lord, as per our agreement, before the Potters ruined it. But, now that he's back, he has assured me that the contract is still valid. So, like I said, I'll just take my property and leave."

"I can't let you do that," Remus growled. "I can't and I won't." He ran forward, grabbed Bryan away from Romulus, and jumped back.

"Fine, werewolf," Romulus spat. "You want to play it that way? Finite Incantatem! Avada Mkharar!" Two shots of light shot from his wand and hit Bryan. After the first spell, the boy slumped slightly, then the second spell connected and he straightened up like a true soldier. "Now, Bryan, get rid of this unwanted pest!" Bryan turned to Remus and, with barely a moment's hesitation, launched himself at the man.

"We have to do something, Potter." The quiet voice at Harry's shoulder made him jump. He whirled around to see Malfoy watching the scene before them.

"What do you mean?" Harry asked.

"We can't let Bryan do this," Malfoy insisted. "If he were in his right mind, he'd never attack Lupin. I don't want him living with the guilt this will cause if he hurts someone."

"So what do we do?" Harry wondered, his head still reeling from the idea that he was having a civilized conversation with Malfoy.

"We have to break that Romulus person's concentration," said Malfoy. "He's controlling Bryan somehow."

"So what do we do, just walk up there and hold him at wand point?"

"Sounds like a plan, Potter," Malfoy smirked. "It doesn't look like he brought backup, so that just might work. Put on your best Hero Pose and let's get going!" Harry ignored the strangeness of the situation, and the little prickling in the back of his mind that told him Malfoy probably was Romulus' backup, and walked forward, head and wand held high. Romulus noticed them surprisingly quickly.

"Who are you?" he asked with a smirk. Harry glared at him.

"I think you know," he said, holding his fringe off his forehead. Romulus' eyes bulged and he looked from Harry to where Bryan was battling with Remus and back. Finally, understanding dawned on him and he laughed.

"Alright," Romulus said, "I'll leave you to deal with him for now. But I will get my property back!" And with a loud POP he Disapparated. Harry breathed a sigh of relief and moved to put his wand away, but Malfoy stopped him.

"Potter," said Malfoy. "Bryan isn't stopping. What's wrong?" Harry looked in wonder at the battling foes. Bryan was indeed still battling with all his former fury and grace. A terrible idea dawned on him.

"Malfoy, what if it's not a spell that's making him do that," Harry said. "What if that's really him?"

"Bugger. I think you may be right," Malfoy agreed. "Avada Mkharar: may it be set free. He released something in Bryan that's making him act like this."

"So what do we do about it?" Harry asked, frantically.

"I don't know, Potter," Malfoy admitted quietly.

For a moment, one glorious instant, the pain had been gone. Then something had happened and all of his frustration, all his anger, all of his bottled up emotions had been set free and directed at this man. It was a fury like none he had felt before and his energy, usually spent keeping himself under control, was suddenly free and boundless. Then there had been the simple order, Kill him, and he had instantly gone to task. He fought with all his training at the fore, twisting and turning and hitting any vital area he could reach. His shoes had somehow gone missing, leaving him with two extra hands to grip and maneuver with and he used them to his full advantage. His target was strong and fast, but big. Bryan was strong, faster, and smaller; and he was winning.

It may not have been evident to those who were watching, but Remus was continually on the defensive, barely able to block the power-backed punches and kicks Bryan sent his way. In one fantastic move, Bryan had twisted himself under Remus and tripped him.

The man, in falling, grabbed Bryan's robes, which he instinctively shrugged off. Now his arms were bare and he could bring his most dangerous natural weapon to bear: his quills. With a feral grin, he extended the bony slivers until they pointed straight up from his skin and reared back, ready to slash Remus' throat in a hundred places at once. Then a little voice in the back of his head spoke up.

You trust him.

Something about his victim on the ground made him stop. A name came to his mind as he was brought back to a human level of sentience.

This man is Remus Lupin. He saved you.

You trust him.

With a great effort, Bryan clenched himself inward until he was curled up in a ball on the grass. He had been about to do it. He had been about to slit the throat of the second person he had ever trusted. Guilt, shame, and fear aided his efforts to bring himself under control and finally he no longer felt the blood lust. Completely drained, he stayed on all fours, panting and shaking, until Harry and Malfoy came and propped him up. He realized with shock that his face was covered in tears.

Cautiously, he looked at where Remus still lay, to see the damage he had done. The man appeared to have a broken leg, a dislocated shoulder, a black eye, and possibly a broken nose. He was breathing slowly, but the breaths were clear and void of fluids. All in all, Remus was beat up, but not seriously hurt. That realization made, Bryan found his resolve breaking again and he collapsed into dry sobs, dead weight in the arms of Harry and Malfoy. The two older boys looked at each other in concern and worry. One knew from the moment one met Bryan that he was not a person who showed emotions. Harry leaned down and spoke gently.

"Bryan? It's all right, Remus is going to be fine. Everything is going to be all right." But Bryan shook his head vehemently.

"No, don't you understand?" the boy said voicelessly. "This is what I tried to warn you about that first day. I belong to someone else; to Voldemort no less! And he'll come for me and what if when he finds me I'm with you? If Romulus could nearly make me kill Remus, imagine what Voldemort himself could make me do!"

"Calm down, Bryan," Malfoy said sternly. "You're exhausted, you need to rest and recuperate before you can think about this rationally. Now let's get back on the train."

Bryan nodded weakly and got to his feet. His throat was still constricted and his breath would hitch every now and then, but he wasn't sobbing anymore. With a grim determination, he bent down, lifted Remus up onto his back, and carried him back into the baggage car. Harry silently found Hedwig, parchment, a quill, and some ink and wrote a letter to Dumbledore, informing the headmaster of the attack. Beneath them, they felt the train rumble to a start again and the lights overhead flickered on.

"You ought to get back to your compartment, Malfoy," Harry said softly, not wanting to disturb Bryan, who had fallen asleep on the floor next to Lupin. "Don't want the Slytherins to come looking for you and find you here." Malfoy nodded and turned to leave.

"Harry..." he hesitated, his hand on the door, "I'll see you at school."

"See you later, Draco," said Harry, a slight smile playing on his lips. Maybe this year wouldn't be so bad.

Bryan woke up when they were just fifteen minutes from Hogwarts. Hermione, Ron, and Mark had joined Harry and were now playing a game of Exploding Snap over Harry's trunk. Mark glanced in his direction after a moment and saw that he was awake.

"Oy!" he called to the others. "Bryan's awake." They all looked up and, seeing Mark was right, rushed over to him.

"Are you alright?" Hermione asked. "We were so worried. Lupin woke up ages ago and apparated straight to Hogsmeade." Bryan didn't meet her eyes.

"I'm fine," he said dully. "Is...Is he alright?"

"Remus is fine, Bryan," Harry answered, with an encouraging smile. "Now hurry up and change into your school robes. Don't want to be late for the sorting, do you?"

Bryan smiled wanly back at him, but Harry could see the guilt and fear that lingered in the boy's eyes. In an instant it was gone, all feelings again hidden behind Bryan's sunglasses Thick silence fell over them as they all put their robes on and waited for the train to come to a stop.

Bryan made sure to carefully close off his mind, he had caught enough glimpses already to tell that they were scared. So was he. This was what he had tried to warn them about, that first day in the hospital wing, but they hadn't listened. That monster he had been, attacking Lupin when the train had stopped, that was his true self. That was him when he was unleashed. And that scared him more than anything.

Since his infancy, he had kept a tight grip on his emotions and his energy, knowing full well the havoc he was capable of wreaking should he get out of hand, and Romulus had undone all that with two words and a flick of his wand. And he had nearly killed the first person to trust him. Odd that that person was Remus. It seemed obvious to him now that the two were brothers. And the sheer irony of their names...it almost made him laugh.

When they walked out into the night, Bryan and Mark made to follow Harry and the others, but they were met with wry smiles and a shake of their heads. Harry pointed to the head of the train where Bryan could make out the shape of an enormous man. He knew the silhouette, it was Hagrid, Hogwarts' groundskeeper. The half-giant's voice carried over the chatter of the older students.

"Firs' years, this way!"