So this is kind of an interlude-ish chapter - where the situation gets explained, etc. I have a question though - because his name is now Sin, would you prefer that that's how I refer to him in my writing? Because once he goes to Hogwarts, I'll refer to him as Harry, so would it just be too confusing?
Harry hurried behind Shade, following her closely. He took in a shuddering breath as they turned a sharp corner. Shade broke into a run, and he had to nearly sprint to keep up with her long graceful strides. They continued like that for nearly an hour, before Shade finally slowed to a quick walk.
"You don't really volunteer at the Little Whinging Assisted Living Community, do we?" He asked, an eyebrow furrowed. She let out a snort of derisive laughter.
"There is no Little Whinging Assisted Living Community. It's just a way to get to know who lives in which houses, and sometimes I'll get invited inside. If I know what the layout of a house is, it's much easier to crack," she told him, hurrying across a quiet street.
Harry's eyes widened. "You rob people!?" He asked incredulously. "But - but that's wrong!"
Shade stopped, and swung around to meet his gaze. She didn't look angry, but her expression was cold. He swallowed as she began to speak. "Is it? Is it wrong that we take what we need to live? Or is it wrong that we're on the streets trying to survive, while pigs like that man you live with get to wallow in their luxury? In the money that they made by screwing over others? I don't think so," she said quietly but fiercely. Harry opened his mouth to retort, before actually thinking about what Shade had just said.
"I - I guess that makes sense," he said, his voice small. His forehead creased as he thought about it, and Shade continued walking. "But - how would that work? People would know that there isn't a Little Whinging Assisted Living Community, so they wouldn't believe you," Harry told her.
She snorted again. "Typically, Harry, that would be correct - but everyone in this neighborhood is too wrapped up in their own self-centered lives to notice. Besides, even if they didn't think there was one, they're so afraid of looking bad that they would pretend they knew there was one." Harry shrugged; it made sense, and Aunt Petunia would certainly never admit to not knowing something about the neighborhood.
The calm, orangey light began to fade as the sun disappeared completely beneath the horizon. Harry, bursting with curiosity, could no longer hold in his questions.
"So - so who are you, anyway? Why are you helping me? Where are we going? Are you, like, the head of a street gang? Do you expect me to help you rob people? Because I don't know if I'd be much help - I mean sure, I want to screw over the Dursleys, but I've never robbed anyone before. Are we going to be walking for much longer?" He asked Shade, not being able to staunch the seemingly never-ending flow of inquiries. Shade let out a bark of laughter.
"Sin, you ever hear the phrase 'curiosity killed the cat'?" She asked him with a wry grin. He blushed and bowed his head, keeping his gaze on the ground. He still wasn't used to being called Sin. She nudged him playfully. "Kidding, Sin. And you were close, when you guessed street gang - but it's not really a gang. We're a family. A real one, not those bastards that had custody of you." Harry had told her of his familial situation on their journey. "We look out for eachother. The life - it's not comfortable, it certainly isn't easy, but… it's freedom." Harry's mind whirled at the sudden influx of new information.
Shade grabbed him by the collar as she stopped suddenly, and he almost walked past her. She released her and gestured toward the large abandoned-looking warehouse.
"This is us," she said quietly. "I'll explain everything when we get inside." She pressed lightly on the rusting door, and it swung open with no resistance. Harry couldn't see what was through the door - it was pitch-black. Shade jerked her head and gestured for him to enter the warehouse. He swallowed with trepidation but did as he was told. She followed him in and closed the door behind them, before calling out, "Sparky!" Harry's features scrunched up, perplexed.
There was a loud grinding sound, and a light flickered on. Harry's mouth dropped open in wonder. They were standing inside an enormous one-room warehouse, nearly an acre big. On the other end of the room were ten or eleven sleeping mats, and one wall had a long rack of different tools. The most alarming thing about the revelation, however, were the nine children standing in front of Harry. They ranged from what looked like a six-year-old to about Shade's age.
One of the girls, who looked like she had just become a teenager, was holding a small metal box covered in buttons with a dirty hand. Her blond hair was tied up messily atop her head, and her eyes contracted as she scrutinized Harry.
Harry flushed at the attention, before the girl said, "Who's this then?" Her accent was thick, and reminded Harry of a farmer or country dweller. "Roach'll getcha some food, 'cause you look a bit scrawny. 'E staying 'ere permanently, Shade?"
Shade cocked her head, as if contemplating. "We'll decide that later. For now, show him around, introduce him to everyone. Spider," she added, turning to one of the older boys, who had messy brown hair and a hard look in his eyes, "We gotta house to crack. A couple and their fat son - the usual pompous bastards, shouldn't be too hard." The boy - Spider - nodded, and the two of them turned around and left the warehouse.
Harry shifted uncomfortably before the girl who'd spoken earlier took a step closer. "I'm Sparky," she told him with a welcoming grin. "'Cmon, I'll getcha somethin' to sleep on." Harry smiled gratefully at the thirteen-year-old, who led him over to a storage closet. Sparky tossed Harry a couple of blankets and tugged a small mat out of the closet. She shut the door and dragged the mat over to the other sleeping area, and dropped it onto the floor. Harry piled the blankets onto the mat.
"So, wha's your name, kid?" She asked him. Harry's nose wrinkled; he didn't think it fair that people kept calling him 'kid' - they were all kids, for crying out loud! However, he didn't tell her that.
"Harry," he said. She raised an eyebrow.
"Yeah, I don't think so. You might have been Harry before, but you're not anymore. You're free now - so again. What's your name?"
Harry swallowed, but replied with, "Sin. Well, Assassin, but - Sin. For short." He waited for her to laugh, to roll her eyes at the dramatic name - but she didn't. She merely looked him up and down and nodded slowly.
"Alright, Sin. Well, this'll be where ya sleep, and like I said, you're a scrawny piece 'o work, so let's get some food in ya." She turned around and shouted at one of the smaller children, "Oi! Roach! Bring us somethin' to eat, will ya?"
The little boy nodded and raced over to them, a loaf of bread in hand. "Sparky, guess what? I grabbed this all by myself! I didn't need any help!" He told her proudly, handing the bread to Harry. Harry felt like he hadn't eaten in days - actually, now that he thought about it, he hadn't eaten since lunch yesterday. He devoured the bread, nearly moaning in delight at actually getting some food.
He flushed, expecting Roach and Sparky to be staring at him like he was mad, but they seemed to think his actions completely normal. Roach was still describing his feat to Sparky, who looked amused.
"And then I just ran! I just sprinted down the alley, and the guy couldn't follow me 'cause - get this - he tripped over trying to open his car door!" Sparky smiled wryly and clapped the young boy on the shoulder.
"That's amazing, Roach! Hey, will you do me a favor and go help Toxic? She just came back from a raid, and you know you're the only one who she'll let help her." Roach nodded, flashed a smile at Harry, and raced off.
"Thank you," Harry said awkwardly, swallowing the last of the bread.
Sparky smiled. "No trouble. Get some sleep, Sin, and we'll start teachin' ya a thing or two tomorrow." She replied, gesturing to the sleeping mat. Harry smiled gratefully, and burrowed into the blankets of his new bed. He fell asleep almost immediately.
So I won't be able to update this quickly usually, but this is kind of a quick chapter. Again, please leave in a review what you want me to do about the name situation. Please please please follow, favorite, and review! Thank you to everyone who already has, it means a lot!