Author: The Plot Bunny Whisperer
Title: The Price of Freedom
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Adventure Romance Drama
Summary: AU. Harry knows better than to run from his fate, but he'll do his damnedest to try. Slash. Crossover with Yu Yu Hakusho.
Pairing(s): Harry/Yusuke, Kuwabara/Yukina, unrequited Keiko/Yusuke
Warnings: Slash, Language, Violence
Disclaimer: Don't own, don't care, don't sue.

AN: I wrote a side story for this fic, and I'm planning more. They will be posted under the story title Freedom's Side Stories. The first one is up now, so go look if you're interested.

Enjoy!

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The Price of Freedom
10: Revelation

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The silence hung heavy in the cool night air. Harry was aware of the intense scrutiny from Yusuke but he refused to take his eyes off of his old mentor. Dumbledore was unpredictable at best, and he wouldn't put it past the man to have a backup plan or bargaining ship of some kind.

"You have trespassed on my property," Genkai said frostily. "You have no room for demands."

"Our quarrel is not with you, madam. I suggest you hand over the demon or we will be forced to take drastic measures."

"I will say this one last time. You are not welcome here. Leave before I get angry." Dumbledore stared coldly at her for a moment, a look she returned tenfold.

"Then you leave us with no choice." As one, his men drew their wands and pointed them at her and shouted spells only to stare, dumbfounded, as the magic sparked and fizzled out before it could leave their wands.

"Impossible!" exclaimed one of the men, causing a small ripple of murmuring to fall over the group.

"Your stickshave no power here." They bristled at the obvious insult and began to shout more spells, growing more and more frustrated at every failed attempt. Genkai watched them with a sort of detached amusement. Dumbledore finally called for a cease-fire and the men fell silent, glaring furiously at the old woman who watched them calmly.

"What is this curse?" the old man demanded.

"I have never trusted wizards," Genkai answered him. "I have therefore taken precautions against your means of attack and transportation in order to protect my home. As long as you are on my property, those wands are as useful as kindling." A dark look crossed Dumbledore's eyes.

"Why do you protect that creature? Its evil has no place in our world and must be destroyed." Genaki closed her eyes and shook her head.

"You wand-wielders are so immersed in your own world that you cannot see the fundamental rule of life. Where evil exists in the world, so too does good. Demons have the same capacity for goodness in them as humans do for evil. And yet you stay within the confines of black and white, never learning the truth that exists right under your very noses. You wish to kill a child that has never done harm, so caught up in your own simplistic ideals. It's pitiful."

"The demon is a murderer!" yelled a man. He stepped forward, glaring at the psychic, clenching his useless wand in a tight grip. "That child as you call him has killed before and will kill again. He must be stopped!"

"If I have killed," Harry spoke, stepping from the darkness to stand beside Genkai, "it was within self defence, in preservation of my own life." Amaterasu was clutched in his fist at his side. He stared into the hateful eyes of his old mentor, wondering why he had never seen his true exterier. "I have left Britain and I have no intentions to ever return there. You have merely to return home and forget my existence, yet still you hunt me after three years. Why do you refuse me my freedom?"

"You are a threat," Dumbledore said coldly. "One that must be destroyed."

"A threat to what?" he snapped. "Your reputation? If that is all, you're doing a fine job of destroying that yourself!"

"A threat to our way of life, to the very world. Your kind should not be allowed to exist."

"Ah, shove it why don't you, ya old fart." Harry looked at Yusuke in surprise. The young man gave the group an annoyed look. "You interrupted my dinner and that kinda shit pisses me off. You ain't gettin' our buddy here, so why don't you just go home and choke or somethin'."

"This doesn't concern you, boy," the old man spat.

"The hell it doesn't!" Yusuke yelled, slipping into a fighting stance. "You threatened my friend and I don't take kindly to that."

Harry couldn't help it. He couldn't take his eyes off of him. Here was this boy who'd only yesterday been a complete stranger, defending him despite the fact that he'd been revealed as something he should despise. A rare heartbeat pulsed, spreading warmth throughout his chest.

Out of the corner of his eye he could see Dumbledore lifting his hand and suddenly remembered that he was considered one of the most powerful wandless users in the world. Harry quickly raised Amaterasu and shot at the bottom of the stairs, a bright blue shield washing into existence just as a beam of sickly red light splashed across it's surface. He bared his teeth, sneering at the elderly wizard.

"I suggest you don't do that again," he hissed, the barrel of Amaterasu pointed dead center to his forehead.

"That was so cool!" Harry's lips twitched at Yusuke's awed exclamation but kept his attention trained on the old man in case he made another threatening move. The man stayed still.

"Still think this demon is worth protecting?" the old man said coolly. Genkai narrowed her eyes at him.

"As far as I'm concerned, you are the monster here. Now get off my property before I set the dimwit on you." Yusuke grinned fiercely in anticipation.

Dumbledore sneered coldly at her. "Don't think this is over, demon," he said to Harry. He swept out the temple gate, his men following behind him reluctantly.

The three stood on the porch for a few moments longer, waiting to make sure they didn't change their minds and return. Finally Genkai turned and walked past them to go back inside.

"The jigs up, kid," she said impassively as she sat back down at the table, where Yukina was waiting with anxious eyes. She calmly picked up her tea and took a sip. "You might as well tell them everything." Harry sighed and holstered Amaterasu as he sat down as well.

He was so not looking forward to this.