DeliriumDescending and her(?) fic How We Met Your Mother is a beautiful thing and the inspiration for this one which I will be calling Mama Bear.
That ALSO makes this an HP crossover. (I didn't think these would show up XD)
O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~
Skull should have known something would go wrong.
He knew his beloved mother's luck had rubbed off on him.
He was the biological son of a Marauder and a Black and the adopted son of a Potter. He really should have known that with the removal of the curse, something wonderful and pure luck (seriously it had lasted for generations and then Skull (Teddy Lupin-Potter) got cursed and Tsunayoshi comes up with the 'cure?') something had to go wrong if only to balance out the unofficial Potter Law of the Universe (There is only Preposterous Good Luck- with capitals and everything- or Horrendously Bad Luck with occasional moments of both at once. The Devil's Luck).
None of the Arcobaleno had expected the removal of the Curse to cause their control of their Flames to be next to nil for a few weeks until they stabilized from the release of strain the Curse had caused. No one had expected the random growth spurts that left them aching and sluggish not to mention off balance as they struggled to adjust to the new heights only to have to do it again later. No one had expected anyone but those involved in removing the Curse to know of the effects it would have on the Arcobaleno, or even that the Curse was gone in the first place.
That was where the Horrendously Bad Luck kicked in.
Skull (Teddy) wants to laugh.
Not in the 'this is funny' way, but the sort of laugh made when someone can't quite come to terms with what had happened.
Figures.
It had started out as such a nice day too.
O~O~O~
It had been an Arcobaleno Meeting.
Fon, Yuni, Reborn, Verde, Colonnello, Lal, Viper and himself had decided to get together and discuss the effects of the Curse Removal. Lal was the only one fully grown out of all of them and that was just because she had only been clipped by the Curse so its removal had fixed her immediately. Yuni was the only other exception since she grew at a regular non-accelerated rate, not having been aged down in the first place. Everyone else had been in a good mood despite the aching pain and sluggish responses of recent growth spurts since they seemed to be synchronized.
If Skull had known what was going to happen, he would never have shown up to the meeting. He would have stayed apart from the others to spare them getting caught up in his mess.
But he hadn't known.
And so when the first almost-but-not-quite cracks of 'gunfire' sounded Skull was surprised.
And then he had seen the people appearing in the clearing, the robes, the black as night robes with bone white masks and he had known with a sick sense of certainty exactly what he was seeing. Exactly who he was seeing. (He had thought they were all caught).
"Lal!" Skull had snapped her name, his voice ringing with command and authority the others had never heard before, and were given no chance to question as the 17-year-old Cloud snagged the little Sky standing with them and practically threw her into Lal's arms "Get her out of here right now! Go! Go!"
And looking back on that moment later on, Lal will never be able to tell anyone what had her reacting instinctively to the Arcobaleno the others called 'Lackey'. What made her move without question, what had her snagging Yuni out of the air and running for the car even as Skull whirled away from her and lunged at the men who had just appeared out of thin air without any of them sensing them.
She feels it as Cloud Flames surge at her back, warm and strong, and furious, but she doesn't look back or slow down. She gets into the car and peels out of the driveway with Yuni shivering in the passenger's seat.
O~O~O~
Skull is furious as he struggles to control Flames that don't want to be used. As he struggles to make his sluggish and achy body to respond fast enough.
He is furious to see Death Eaters standing in front of him, because he knows that exact reason they are there, even if he's not sure how they found him.
They are standing in front of him now, because he is the only weakness of his mother and Teddy knows it. They want him, so they can use him against his mother. Against his Sky. Against his pack. Against his family.
So Skull refuses to go down without taking these fuckers with him.
His lips pull back to reveal his teeth, a deep inhuman growl rumbling from his chest, and though he is unaware of the changes his eyes bleed golden at the same time his shadow writhes under his feet- a leftover from the Curse.
(Skull had long ago learned he had instincts and effects that came with being the son of a werewolf. Mixing those instincts with those that came with being a Cloud had only made him worse.)
The Arcobaleno go still.
For the first time in their lives since knowing Skull, they can see that he is dangerous.
Dangerous like Reborn with a gun, like letting Fon too close in a fight, like Verde with unstable chemicals, like Viper with her illusions; like Colonnello in jungle terrain.
For the first time in their lives, they are seeing their Cloud angry, are witnessing his instincts take offence, are seeing him well and truly on the offensive.
(And it is only then, seeing their Cloud angry, with every intent to rip the masked men apart, that the Arcobaleno realize Skull had never honestly taken offence to them, that he had never been ready to hurt them.)
Either way the Arcobaleno rally behind Skull, noticing the snarl and the golden eyes, and making notes to ask about it later, even as they prepare to back Skull up.
O~O~O~
It would have gone a lot better if the Arcobaleno had had any idea about magic.
They'd mowed down most of the Death Eaters to appear, but with the Arcobaleno having problems with rebelling Flames, their bodies being the wrong size and sluggish to respond, and- in the others case- no idea what magic was or what it could do…well.
Skull wishes he had never shown up to the meeting. At least then he would have been the only one to run into the wizards.
Mum was going to be pissed when she found out what happened.
O~O~O~
When Skull opens his eyes he finds himself staring out at iron bars covered in runes. Looking around reveals the other Arcobaleno are chained to the wall as he is, and they reside in a cell. He frowns sharply, angry to have been caught at all.
He wiggles around, testing the give of the manacles pinning him to the wall, as well as their strength. Unfortunately for Skull they are skin tight and holding up to his attempts to pull them out of the wall.
Which means runes are on the manacles too. Or they are enchanted.
Skull curses.
All he can do it wait.
O~O~O~
Verde is the first to wake up.
His senses come back just in time to hear someone wheezing for breath, choking out 'Fuck you' and the sharp inhale of someone in pain.
When his mind clears a bit more, and he looks up, Verde is not happy to see the person in question is Skull chained to an exam table outside the cell he resides in.
He's even more unhappy to see Skull writhing in place, and the way his back arches, the contractions of his muscles, the tendons in his neck standing out sharply.
Verde's scientist mind it taking in ever visible reaction he can see, as well as what he knows of Skull as a person. He knows from the things he observes that Skull is in agony. That he is in agony, and that Skull is angry, that he is refusing to scream.
Verde knows the cause of Skull's pain is the man at the end of the exam table sending a sickly yellow- like pus, and infection, like sickness- light at Skull. He just has no idea how the light is doing what it is.
He's not happy.
O~O~O~
Reborn is the second to wake up.
He opens his eyes in time to see Skull- one of his- arching off an exam table, every line of his body screaming agony to Reborn's eyes despite no sound escaping his lips.
Reborn automatically catalogs his surroundings, even as he tracks the light to the source of Skull's suffering.
(He ignores the instinctive urge to flinch away from the yellow light that looks so much like corrupted Sun Flames. Like the Flames that were meant to heal had been twisted and broken until they did the opposite of their original purpose.)
Instead his instincts scream at him to fix it. His skin crawls with the urge to heal the Cloud he had claimed as one of his own, and his insides twist when he tries and finds he cannot get free to do as his instincts demand.
Not a hint of his feelings show on his face.
He automatically tilts his head to hide his eyes beneath the brim of his fedora so their captor can't see the rage brewing in Reborn's soul.
O~O~O~
Time passes, and always it is Skull that is hurt. (They hear their captors call them 'worthless muggles.' Hear how they will supposedly have no useful information.)
The Arcobaleno have to listen to their captors call Skull a half-breed. Have to watch as experiments are run on him in an attempt to find his limits.
(They will always remember the sight of Skull snarling on the table, metal bending under the strain of restraining him. How violet eyes had turned completely gold, and how Skull seemed to have lost consciousness only to wake up with nothing but pure feral instinct guiding his motions.
They will remember how it didn't matter that Skull had been restrained, and weak with torture, he had still managed to kill three men before someone had hit him with something to knock him out. They remember the bit the captors forced into Skull's mouth so he wouldn't be able to tear into anyone else with his teeth. Remembered the curses hurled at their Cloud, the insults that followed. The words half-breed, monster, and abomination making appearances.)
They are forced to watch as their Cloud writhes under the experiments, as he refuses to scream. How no matter what he is asked the only words to escape his lips are insults and refusals no matter what he is asked.
And then they have to watch as his body is dragged back into their cell after they have been made to watch whatever is done to Skull. They have to watch as he is chained to the wall: so close but out of reach.
O~O~O
Colonnello's face is completely blank.
He has fallen back to military training in order to control the all-consuming urge to maim their captors.
He had been in wars before. He had seen people tortured, he had been tortured. He knew intimately how to steel himself to the sight and feeling of being hurt and watching others be hurt.
He is still not quite prepared to watch what is happening to Skull. Not ready to see a brat he had called weak, who he had called Lackey, who he had scoffed at, a brat that is family stand up to the torture.
To recognize in those moments, as he watches Skull face hour after hour of torture without ever wavering, that Skull is also intimately familiar with steeling himself to torture.
To have if forcefully shoved in his face that Skull is not nor had he ever been weak.
(To wonder about how he missed this, how he had failed to see the steel core in Skull)
Colonnello's eyes gleam in the dark, and it is the only hint of the cold icy fury sitting in his breastbone.
O~O~O~
Viper hadn't expected to see wizards appear at the last Arcobaleno meeting.
She hadn't expected Skull to react so immediately and strongly to their appearance. She is especially caught by surprise that the wizards- Death Eaters- had been there specifically for Skull.
Viper is not a fan of being caught by surprise. It is why she collects so much information.
She is especially unhappy that she missed something so obviously important about someone she actually likes. How is she supposed to shield her chosen in the mist of lies and misdirection if she doesn't know she needs to hide something?
When they all end up captured by wizards Viper is not happy.
When she is forced to watch wizards try to break Skull for information…she has never cursed her status as a Hedgewitch- someone with enough magic for runes and potions, but nothing else- so intensely, nor has she cursed the rune covered manacles clamped to her wrists that are preventing her- and the others- from using their Flames more.
When she gets free, Viper promises herself that she will see this entire manor (because she recognizes enough to know that they are being held in the dungeons of a manor) burn, and that whoever she comes across on her trek will find their minds shattered into nothing.
Then she's going to sit Skull down and have a talk about not sharing important information.
O~O~O~
Fon's breathing is deep and as even as he can make it.
His eyes are still glowing red with his Flames.
Watching one of his family (a family built on blood and suffering and trust, on understanding) be tortured in front of him, just far enough that Fon can do nothing…
Being chained with something that restrains his Storm (but can't quite stop it- only prevent it from rising) only makes it worse.
Fon will demolish them.
He swears to it as he watches Skull being dragged behind a man like trash only to be chained against the wall between Fon and Reborn.
O~O~O~
Skull's eyes snap open when the entire mansion he resides in tremors.
He can't help it as his lips twitch with glee.
He knows who it is that is causing the mansion to shudder and break above their heads.
"Mother…" the thought is warm with his affection and love, with the strength of their bond.
He feels her Flames surging along their bond, feels her rage and protectiveness, feels as she reaches for him.
He had known she would come looking for him when he didn't check in after a few days. He'd also known that as his Sky, she would be able to find him even with anything they had trying to hide his presence from her both magically and in regards to his Flames.
As the mansion shudders on its foundations again, and Skull hears the screaming start he lets his head tilt back into the wall and laughs.
"Skull?" Reborn's voice is sharp with anger (Skull knows it isn't directed at him) and question (which is directed at him) and he answers.
"My Sky is here." Is all he tells them, because the revelation that she is also his mother is for somewhere more private.
He can see as all of the Arcobaleno go still with shock, but he doesn't care right them because his Mum was upstairs and was coming to get him and the others out.
O~O~O~
The door leading into the dungeons explodes from its place and flies across the room to slam into the wall.
The dirt and dust that flies up from the site of impact mixed with the flaring- and very, very angry- Sky Flames leaves the Arcobaleno with only a silhouette to work with as a woman storms into the room.
She stills and they see her head turn as she takes them all in. Then her Flames flare bright and angry and protective and each of the Arcobaleno finds their breath catching with the strength and purity of the Sky Flames that pour off the woman.
She glides forward and they can finally see raven curls billowing around her head like some sort of avenging goddess of fire, and the glowing green eyes, that are slowly bleeding orange as her Sky Instincts flare.
O~O~O~
Viper's breath catches with shocked awe as she realizes how powerful the Sky in front of her is.
And then the Sky steps closer and Viper's breath catches for an entirely different reason as she realizes she is looking at Holly Lillian Potter: The Woman-Who-Conquered.
O~O~O~
Holly is furious as she storms the mansion holding her son.
She is even more furious that these Death Eater scum thought they could hide her boy from her. The fact they tried at all means she is going to raze the mansion to the ground, and murder ever single Death Eater inside.
Her Sky instincts flare sharply with the knowledge that her Cloud is hurt, and that he had reached for her through their bond. She sends him her love and determination back, feeds her Flames down their bond in an attempt to strengthen him as the wards she is attacking with the full might of her magic and Flames buckle beneath the strain.
Then she is inside and the mansion shakes on its foundations as she demolishes everything and everyone in her way. She will not be delayed, distracted, or prevented from reaching Teddy by anything.
When she arrives in the dungeon her son is being held inside, her inner Sky sits up and hums with appreciation for the powerful pure Elements in the room with her son even as she glides to Teddy's side.
It is easy to recognize the Arcobaleno from the stories Teddy had shared with her of his time with them. She feels no hesitation at all as she reaches forward, her Flames surging powerfully, and breaks the manacles holding Reborn- the Sun- to the wall.
She is furious as she takes in the marks of torture on her boy, and her own scars ache with sympathetic memories even as she cradles Skull close to her chest.
She allows the Sun close and carefully passes him Teddy- Skull, she reminds herself- murmuring "Look after him for a moment."
She notes the careful way he accepts her son, the instant way his Flames flare to life to begin healing him, and her shoulders relax a fraction as she turns to the others. She reaches forward and one by one she breaks the manacles pinning them in place.
O~O~O~
Skull is relaxed against the blankets and pillows that smell of home as he stares at his complete family in one place for the first time. His instincts purr and he grins, propping himself up as he introduces the two groups properly. (Yuni and Lal had joined them as soon as they could)
"Guys- this is Holly Potter- she's my Sky and my mother. Mum these are Reborn, Fon, Yuni, Viper, Verde, Colonnello, and Lal."
He grins as, midway through lifting Holly's hand to his lips for a kiss, Reborn stops and his eyes fly up to meet amused green.