AN: I know its been a while, but its my senior year and this week was final exams. Before that I got hit by a car…again! Can you believe it! Anyway here we are at chapter four. Thanks to all reviewers, especially Morbious20, ZombieWolf, and Night Silhouette. There are many more reviewers out there, but I have a horrible memory so thanks to all. This chapter has not been edited. All grammar sticklers proceed with caution!

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or Firefly… if I did Firefly would be on season five or so and HBP would have been a good read (not that I'm a better writer but damn that book sucked!)

Chapter Four

Unification Day

Harry sighed as he walked along the side walk. As the day progressed the quiet beauty of the city disappeared as hordes of people crowded the streets in celebration of Unification Day. The day that Harry resented more than any other. As he walked under a banner proclaiming with large black font, "The Alliance rewards those who reward themselves," anger like he hadn't felt sense he was back at the clinic began to pump its way through his system. A soft whine from his knee level broke him of his trance. River was staring up at him with worried brown eyes. Sighing he did his best to calm himself.

Seeing a bar he decided a drink would help. It wasn't especially unusual drinking this early on Uni-day, in fact the pub was fairly packed. It took Harry a few minutes before he was able to get through the weapon scanners especially with River at his side, but with a few bribes he found a spot at the bar. Ignoring the rowdy and already slightly inebriated drunks Harry ordered a gargle-blaster. It was his favorite drink. He looked at the martini glass happily as it was delivered to him. Condensation covered the glass completely from the cold vodka and as the liquid swirled around a yellow glow tinted the glass due to the natural lemon cube carefully sunk to the middle of the drink. As the cube melted it released its citric flavor into the vodka while keeping it cold.

He remembered steeling a sip from his mom's glass once, thinking it was just ordinary lemonade. At five the burning liquid held little appeal to him but the wonderful head rush that accompanied it was welcomed with a giggle. Harry was brought back to the present when he realized that he had already finished his drink. Waving the bartender over Harry slipped the vodka tainted lemon cube into his mouth to chew on while waiting for his next drink.

"You a queer or somethin'?" Harry turned to the large muscle bound ass hole to his right. The guy, Harry guessed, was about 6'2'', but he couldn't tell for sure as the man was sitting down. He had close, cropped hair and a neatly trimmed goatee.

"Actually I'm not looking for a date…thanks." Harry turned back to grab his second drink.

"What's that suppose to mean?" The man asked angrily. Harry gave a wide eyed innocent look.

"Well I just thought you were asking if I'm available…" Harry said. The man stood suddenly jumped up like he had a fire lit up under his ass.

"I ain't no faggot! You best watch your mouth or I'll break it for ya!"

"You have something against homosexuals?" Harry asked. "Here I thought we were living in a civilized era!" The man froze contemplating his words.

"I don't care if two guys wanna rub peckers but don't be implyin' I'm one of them!" Finally a man sitting to the homophobe's right intervened. Harry was almost sure he knew him from somewhere.

"Don't mind my friend here. He's had a bit of a rough morning. We'll get your next drink…" The big surly man continued to stare, now with a slightly wounded puppy face, down at his friend. "Jayne have a seat."

Internally Harry was laughing. No wonder the guy was so sensitive. It also explained the muscles. Jayne…

"Jayne huh?" Harry asked. "Nice to meet ya, and thanks for the drink…?" Jayne's friend was about to answer the unasked question when a man to the side of them stood to raise a toast.

"To Unification Day and the fall of Browncoats everywhere!" He threw back his drink as the rest of the crowd joined in the cheer and toast. Harry was squeezing his glass so hard it shattered.

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Earlier that morning…

"Firefly transport requesting docking clearance." Mal spoke calmly to the ground control.

"Firefly transport you are cleared for docking. Happy Unification Day!" Mal frowned as Inara snickered over his shoulder.

"Right… you too." He mumbled. He hated to use alliance docking facility but this was closer to the bank that Harry went to then their original landing zone.

After Mal set Serenity down carefully he was quick in gathering the crew in the mess hall. He noticed that Zoe seemed unnaturally happy. Her entire being seemed to glow and it was amplified by a bubbly River. He stared between them for a moment before looking to Simon. The reserved doctor looked as though he would be sick. Which meant he probably knew something he didn't want to… that would mean a secret.

"Was s'up Cap'n." Kaylee asked as she stepped into the room. Poor girl looked like she'd been put through the wringer. Breaking atmo with a Firefly meant paying attention in the engine room, and when you were exhausted from other late night activates all you wanted to be doing was sleeping. Mal felt very little sympathy for her. He looked back briefly at Simon, who besides his slightly nauseous expression, looked as though he was on top of the world. He had the girl of his dreams, Mal spared a brief glance at Inara, and his sister was no longer a fugee. Nope not feeling a great deal of sympathy.

"Ok here's the deal. Thanks to some… friends of Inara's we know that Harry made a withdrawal from Independence. We also know that there aren't any charters leaving 'till at least tomorrow seeing as it's…Unification day. SO the plan is we get to the bank and see what the vids picked up of him. The only pics we have of him are before he even hit puberty plus he probably has some sort of disguise. If we can find out what he looks like that will be a pretty good start. Inara's… contacts say they can tell us where and when his bank card has been used. So after we got an idea of what he looks like we can just sit back and wait."

"If Inara's contacts have this information is it safe to say the Alliance does as well?" Simon asked. There, surprisingly, was no hint of nervousness in his voice just speculation. Sighing Mal placed his hands on the table.

"Safe to say." He replied. Jayne walked into the room yawning his question out.

"What's for breakfast?"

Simon stared horrified at the sight before him. Mal seeing his expression decided not to turn around. River was dry heaving.

"Why aren't you wearing clothes?" Simon asked in return. Jayne frowned.

"Bad dream…" He mumbled scurrying out of the room back to his bunk. Kaylee was giggling furiously into her boyfriends chest.

"Not that I'd thought about it," Kaylee began, "But I always just figured guys were proportioned evenly alls around."

River looked fit to vomit. "Some… strange species… couldn't be human. Sub-classification… like…like…it was…" Simon carefully stroked his sisters hair.

"Shhh, mei mei, its gone away now. You're safe." Yes Mal was glad he didn't turn around.

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Mal, and Jayne walked at a slightly hurried pace in the direction of Independent National Bank. After going over all they knew about the bank, Mal decided it was only a two man job. Since he was a little weary of Zoe's newly found cheery disposition he opted to take Jayne instead. As they reached the bank Mal yanked the door open allowing Jayne to enter first. He tried to look inconspicuous as possible as he past a security officer. After the hospital incident he wasn't sure whether or not to smile so he simply nodded. Finally he reached a waiting chair in the far corner of the bank just outside the security room. From what they new there were two guards on at all times. It was a rotating schedule and the guard in the security office was getting off in a few minutes leaving the room empty for five minutes as he punched out and his replacement punched in.

Meanwhile Jayne was at an island towards the tellers window filling out a personal deposit slip. Mal guessed he was drawing small woman with big boobs and poorly at that. A soft click alerted Mal to the door behind him being unlocked. Sure enough a middle aged security guard exited the room. Mal stood and made his way over to the guy before he closed the door.

"Say…" Mal began. "You guys don't need any help 'round here do ya? My uncle told me they had an opening here as a part-time security officer." The guard eyed Mal for a moment. Apparently seeing Mal as a good enough guy he smiled.

"Yeah we could use an extra hand around here. Come with me a sec." The guard led Mal into the security room. There were two chairs facing one large monitor with several splits in it showing every corner of the bank. "Names Burney," He said as he reached over the desk to pull out a thin, electronic pad. "Been working here 25 years now! Seems like yesterday I walked in lookin' for work just like you. Here you go." He handed over to pad. "I'll just let you fill this out in the lobby and you can submit it." He eyed Mal again. "You look like a nice enough guy. I'll make sure it gets to the top of aps." Mal smiled his appreciation.

"Thanks Burney. Name's Nick." He said offering his hand. They shook a second before letting go.

"I'd let you stay in here to fill it out, but I'm off now, but Mick will be here soon so just wait in the lobby and give it to him." Burney led Mal back towards the exit. As they passed the door Mal casually placed a small metal strip over the door frame where it instantly, and silently fused. Not that it mattered because right on cue…

"What ya mean ya can't cash this check! This is a good check! I just got it for a weeks worth of work in the pits! You know what its like down their!" Jayne's voice echoed angrily through the bank. Burney quickly shut the door not noticing it couldn't lock and with one apologetic glance toward Mal took off in Jayne's direction.

Mal quickly pulled the door back open slipping in quietly and closing the door. It only took him a moment to find the security footage from the time Harry made his withdrawal. Downloading the vid to a portable player, Mal pocketed the contraband and made his way back into the lobby in time to see Jayne being dragged away by two guards. Mal made sure he went willingly earlier when they went over the plan. Casually placing the application file on the chair he made his way out of the bank.

Jayne would be released after they searched him, and they both would meet back on Serenity. Mal smiled wondering if Jayne new what kind of search they'd perform….

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Jayne sighed as they pushed him against a wall where he was chained. As they patted him down Jayne began to apologize knowing if he was calm they'd let him go with out a report to the Alliance after a brief pat down.

"Really its just been a tough week for me. The kids grown' up so fast, and my ex hardly ever lets me see 'em…" He trailed off as a loud the loud snap of latex fitting itself over the guards hand broke his rant. "What you doin'?" Jayne asked nervously.

"We have to do a full body cavity search." Jayne's eyes widened. "Believe me when I say this will hurt me a lot more than you." Jayne whimpered.

"Mommy…"

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Mal sniggered as he retold his part of the story.

"Cap'n, that's awful!" Kaylee giggled. "How could you!"

"Good work, Sir." Zoe saluted. Simon and River nodded in agreement while Inara just shook her head amused.

"Those poor guards." She sympathized.

When Jayne came back he was walking awkwardly, and as he sat down at the dinning table for a late breakfast he looked very uncomfortable. River looked up from her barely touched food.

"Ewe!" She squeaked meeting Jayne's eyes. Jayne frowned looking down at his plate.

"Shut up." He mumbled. Mal watching the byplay was intrigued.

"What is it River?" He asked with a smirk. She gave Mal a childish face of disgust.

"It liked it!" She shot out as though spitting out a unsavory food. Mal's eyes widened.

"Did not!" Jayne shot back. River looked at Simon with a conspiring smirk.

"It did!" She whispered loud enough for everyone to hear.

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After the slightly disturbing breakfast Mal was able to check out the vids from the bank at the time Harry made his withdrawal. There were only four people at tellers at that time and one was a woman. One seemed to young and one seemed to old, that left a man that appeared about Harry's age, but he didn't look a thing like him. Kaylee commented that by the look of him, he could have been Zoe and Mal's kid if they ever had one. Mal frowned when Zoe twitched a little when Kaylee said 'baby.'

"I don't know." Mal said. "Maybe it's a dead lead. I don't know of anything that can change someone's appearance that quick. Maybe someone just got their hands on Harry's bank info."

Zoe frowned. "A day after Harry's escape sir? Seems a bit unlikely." Mal frowned.

"Well there isn't much left we can do. Not like we can put out our own bulletins. I think I'll grab Jayne and take him for a drink. I think I owe him one."

"Sir…" Zoe cautioned. It was Uni-Day after all.

"Don't worry I'll be on my best behavior."

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When Mal and Jayne arrived at the place, Mal was surprised to see his look a like from the bank at the bar. Discreetly he steered Jayne over to the two empty seats next to the man.

"We'll have two shots of your finest cheap whiskey!" Mal exclaimed. The bartender gave them a withering glance before taking the platinum. He served the guy to their left first. He was drinking some weird martini Mal had never seen before.

"You a queer or somethin'?" Jayne asked rudely. Mal sighed taking his shot and drowning it quickly.

Present Time-------------------------------------------------

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Mal ,and unknown to him Harry, stared at the drunk toaster with eyes full of hatred. The man seemed to sense the glares.

"What?" He asked turning to them. "You ain't browncoats are ya? Ya know those browncoats were cowards! All of them were plain cowards!" He roared not noticing Mal and Harry's growing ire. The crowd roared their approval. He turned again to the only two not agreeing with him. "The Alliance wanted to make this a civilized universe for all of us! Yet you don't drink to the Unification!?" The man asked angrily. Harry, surprised Mal by answering for him.

"The Alliance's idea of so called 'civilization' consists of a universe where no one cares for anyone but themselves! Nothing matters except social standing! It's so pathetic! 'The Alliance rewards those who rewards themselves.'" Harry quoted. "That is capitalist bull shit and isn't even their true system! It should be the Alliance rewards those who roll over and kills everyone else!" Silence. Complete silence.

"Yeah!" Mal chimed in. With that agreeing proclamation the entire bar erupted as every drunk scrambled to beat the shit out of the browncoats. Harry once again surprised Mal by slamming his fist into the nose of the original Uni toaster. The guys nose snapped and blood began to gush.

Now Mal loved starting fights with people he hated or disliked; especially when they owed him money, but even more especially still when people came out for Unification day. However, he had never started a fight on a core planet on Uni-day. That was more trouble than he cared for, and he was definitely in trouble as the twenty or so drunks began to converge on their location with a fight in their eyes. Hell even if they weren't killed, they'd be the one's arrested. After all these patrons were defending the alliance.

"Go-se!" Mal mumbled.

To be continued…

AN: What do ya think? I have more for this chapter but I thought it could be saved for the nect one… Sides I really wanted one of my chapters to be called Bar fight. Oh and if it confused you when Mal used the metal strip to keep the door open I don't blame you. See I have no idea what the hell that thing is called. The thing when you close the door the watchama call it slides in then you lock the door and its stuck inside. I even went to Home Depot. Com. What the hell is that thing!? Anyway he covered the hole with the metal thing so it didn't close all the way…