Childhood

Honestly being a child again is a pretty unique and bizarre experience. There is so much we take for granted. Like even your fingers doing what you want them to do is awfully difficult. No kidding. I've gained a new appreciation for those going through rehabilitation after being in an accident or getting paralyzed. I've had to relearn everything from scratch. Worst, my experiences and memories were a hindrance to my endeavor. My brain kept giving my body commands that were far too advanced for a baby. The first few months were a nightmare, but there was absolutely nothing I could do about it. So, I just let nature take it's course.

I hadn't seen Norman Osborn, my 'father' in this life since the day after the funeral of my 'life giver' or mother if you would. He hired a maid/nanny and chef Agatha, a woman in her forties who exuded a gentle vibe and always smelled like morning; and a butler, Edward middle aged I think, who you would lose in a crowd given how unremarkable he seemed. I think he is more than he let on. I sometimes imagine him being an ex assassin who renounced that lifestyle, but who knows? It may be because I had a lot of time for myself, and I mean a LOT. So, to not be the first baby in the universe to die of boredom , I opted going over everything I knew from my past life. From movies and comics to every little piece of trivia I could find. Thanks to my new intellect, everything felt much clearer especially my memories, problems I studied my butt off for seemed impossibly easy. I could be imagining a machine and next thing I knew, I was seeing 3D imaginary components assembling themselves to form said machine based on my knowledge. I don't know if it was because of my growing brain, but I felt like I could understand everything. I added getting as much knowledge as I could at the top of my list.

I also spent my time slowly getting my body used to the energy of my realm, to reinforce it and store solar energy in it. Going in and exiting my realm with my awareness was easy enough, the pain of my body slowly mutating and evolving was manageable. But the problem I ran into early on, was assimilating the energy without my body heating. I was almost rushed at the hospital twice by Agatha and Edward because and I quote, it was like 'my body was on fire'. Sorry guys. Anyway, I changed my approach, I would first familiarize myself with my Sun realm energy, and then channel pure energy minus the heat. In my realm, in my soul form, I don't 'feel' any heat; I and my realm were the same. When I wasn't meditating aka sleeping, I spent most of my time life like most babies do . Except, I cried only when I needed food or changing. Played my part as a bright but not monstrous baby almost perfectly, babbling to no end and even get some words pronunciation right. As soon as I started walking, Edward got Norman to buy me games with symbols and shapes to put in order just in time for my birthday. And yes, Norman didn't attend, which frankly didn't surprise me. He was either setting up Oscorp or the company was in its first years. I heard Agatha and Edward talk about that; apparently, he spends almost all his time at work or closed off in his office at home. I guess it's his way of coping with loss or maybe he fears he may strangle me if he sees me. Although I am immortal, I prefer him as far away as possible. I also got to know my date of birth, November 24th 1992.

Several months after my second birthday, returning home from our tour of Central park with Agatha pushing my stroller, I saw Norman for the third time of my life waiting for us in the living room and he looked at me like he wanted to peer into my soul. He stared at me for so long that I started to feel uncomfortable then he turned and instructed Edward to hire tutors for me, school and manners. I guess, Edward must have told him that I was smarter than most toddler my age.

I, once again fell in a new routine. I meditated in my realm to have perfect control over my power till I drifted to sleep; spent my mornings playing with Agatha, or Nana as I took a liking to call her and Edward then, in came my manners teacher followed by a Kindergarten teacher who would give me new and diverse puzzles and activities to do. Which would have been fine if I was a toddler. But I wasn't, in mind at least, thus I did everything he gave me in a record time, and less than one and half later, he quit saying I was already at elementary level education, like I wanted him to think. During that period, I managed to perfectly control my power, apply it in anyway I wanted. Be it emitting solar energy tame enough to warm my hands, hot enough to melt steel or pure energy to charge my body with, I had it all down. Once, during an outing to the beach with Nana and Edward, I tried to fire a non heated beam from my finger for fun after I half-buried my hand in the sand. Long story short, it didn't go as planned. Instead of firing it from the tip of my finger, I loaded my finger with energy then tried to fire. My finger literally exploded from the first section to the tip. Luckily, thanks to the regeneration of my immortal body and the fact that my hand was in the sand, nobody noticed. But I redoubled my efforts strengthening my body and raising my cells energy absorption threshold. I also learnt how to depower my whole body or just some parts in case of injections or when I started training in hand to hand combat; I just had to siphon all the solar radiation my cells have absorbed back in my realm. I haven't had the time to check, but I'm almost certain that anything short of a sniper bullet couldn't penetrate my skin at this point in time, it too barely.

With my teacher having withdrawn, Edward had Norman pull his connections and have me admitted in Elementary school at 5 of age. Which I finished in 3 years, choosing to skip only one year. I was once again put through private tutors for junior high school and high school education. As a gift for finishing junior high school, Norman gave me a bank card that was almost bottomless for my expenses, the card was in Edward's hands obliviously but it was mine nonetheless. I immediately ordered everything I wanted and had it set in our house basement. Computers, chemistry equipment, anything I could think of; an all furnished laboratory that I upgraded as soon as I felt the need. Aside from the time with my tutors, I spent all my time in the basement learning anything I could about coding, chemistry, biology, mathematics, physics and mechanics. Which in turn reduced my time going over high school subjects even more. With me demonstrating my genius, Norman began to pay a little more attention to me. It started with a word or two when we saw each other, then months after, he made a rule that we must dine together one night per week, during which he talked to me about what it meant to be an Osborn, how I was expected to carry myself in public and that it was my responsibility to always be the best at what I do.

I officially finished my high school education a couple months before turning 11, thereafter, Edward and I visited various universities in New York. It was during one such visit, to the Empire State University precisely, that I saw the Storms brother and sister entering a boarding house near it. Johnny was about my age, give or take, and Susan wasn't that much older than me; maybe 3 years older. It made me remember that during their teen years, Susan and her brother were taken care of by their aunt Marygay Jewel Dinkins. I wanted to take multiple degrees online and also study at Empire State University for a bachelor in Chemistry. Bringing me to the argument I was currently having with Edward concerning applying for various degrees on my way to the weekly Saturday night family dinner.

As we were walking down the corridor to the dinning room, Edward said: "Master Harry, it's not that I am against you applying for multiple bachelor degrees, but why do you wish to take them all at the same time? Computer science, Bio and electrical engineering, Chemistry, Physics and Engineering. You're just 11, even your father finished his studies at 27. I'm afraid that you will miss out on your childhood. You aught to make friends, go to the cinema, find a girl you like, anything. Don't get me started on the trainers you had me hire four months ago for your so called 'self-defense'. You and I both know that you have plenty protection with the guards that follow you and Master Norman every time you make a public appearance."

I looked up to my left and sighed: "Uncle Edward, you know that these degrees are just a formality. You've seen my works in the basement, even if you do not know mechanics, I'm positive you know my 'toys' as you call them require more than a bachelor degree in computer science, robotics and electrical engineering. Matter of fact, you're more than aware that the only subjects that I will have to put an effort in are Bioengineering and Chemistry. As for my trainers, I do not know what you're talking about"

I ended with a laugh and increased my pace. Edward shook his head as he matched me.

"Sometimes, master Harry, I find you too smart for your own good. But what about making friends?"

I acted as if I didn't hear him because I knew it was an argument I was bound to lose. I couldn't exactly tell him that while in was in a kid's body, my mind was that of an adult. Lucky for me, we arrived at the dinning room before he could ask again. I saw Norman reading a paper while seated at one end of the table while Nana was setting the dishes. He looked at me with an expressionless face as I greeted him sitting on the other end of the table, then folded and set the paper on his left.