Chapter 3

Dumbledore blinked at the sight of the boy outside the window, while the other pilots' jaws dropped. Even Heero looked shocked. The elderly headmaster moved to the window, waved his wand and the window disappeared. Duo's jaw clicked shut and he stared wide-eyed as the boy floated into the room with a sheepish look on his face.

"Harry," Dumbledore said, shaking his head. The boy scratched the back of his head nervously, very aware that he was under the intense scrutiny of all five boys. Mistaking it for shock of meeting a famous person, he smiled.

"Harry Potter, the one and only," he said, shrugging. When all he received were blank looks and arched eyebrows, he frowned. Dumbledore smiled slightly.

"They don't know who you are, Harry." The boy, Harry, looked surprised and pleased.

"They don't?" Dumbledore shook his head and Harry grinned. "Great!"

Dumbledore turned back to the youths and gestured to Harry. "Harry is one of the students who found you outside. He and his friends were quite worried."

"It's good to see that you're all alright," Harry said, smiling at the lot of them. Duo stood slowly, walking towards Harry. When he was an arms length away, his hand shot out and pushed Harry in the shoulder. Harry cried out in protest, stumbling back. Duo turned back to his friends, shaking his head.

"Okay, somebody explain why the hell he isn't a hologram."

"If he isn't a hologram…" Quatre murmured, slowly getting to his feet as well. He frowned as he noticed the hospital robe he was dressed in.

Trowa was already standing, approaching the window through which Harry had come. He leaned out and looked around, turning back to his comrades. "Nothing."

Heero frowned and he stared at Harry, checking for anything out of place. Wufei was sitting up in his bed, legs still in too much pain to actually get up. "He looks real enough."

"He's isn't a hologram. That dude made the window disappear. If I'm dreaming, wake me the hell up! This is creeping me out!" Duo exclaimed, backing away from Dumbledore and Harry. He stopped when he came in contact with Heero's bed, sitting down on the edge of it.

"What are you all doing out of bed!" Madam Pomfrey rushed in, shocked by the sight of the slow moving boys. "You're in no condition to be walking around!"

"I think I can determine for myself whether or not I'm in good enough condition, Madam," Heero snapped, standing slowly. If it hurt him to do so he showed no signs of it. Madam Pomfrey huffed angrily.

"Well I never! Headmaster, honestly, what is the matter with these boys?" Dumbledore watched the five curiously, knowing that Harry was doing the same. They were assessing their own conditions and that of each other's without saying a word. He smiled slightly.

"I do believe they're soldiers, Poppy. Regardless, they shouldn't be moving around so much, especially when they're in such bad shape. I do believe a simple healing spell will at least make their conditions more bearable, don't you agree?" He smiled sweetly at the nurse, who frowned slightly before complying. A flick of her wrist had the boys feeling much less tense, and another had them feeling much more relaxed and not sore at all.

Duo smiled gratefully. "Well, I guess that throws my "there's no such thing as magic" theory out the window, huh?"

Heero stepped forward, eyes narrowed. He regarded the elderly man closely, barely glancing at the boy before looking at the short nurse. He looked back at the headmaster before crossing his arms over his chest and looking expectant. Dumbledore caught the hint, arching an eyebrow curiously.

"Yes?"

Heero frowned, glancing down at the hospital attire before looking back at the headmaster. "Where the hell are our clothes?"

At this query the boy turned bright scarlet. The other pilots looked at him curiously while Heero waited for Dumbledore to answer. The elderly wizard smiled bemusedly.

"I don't know. You weren't wearing any clothes when you got here."

"WHAT?!" Duo and Wufei exclaimed at the same time. Quatre's eyes widened.

"You mean… we were lying outside unconscious and NAKED?"

"Well, yes." Dumbledore nodded.

"Oh man," Duo groaned, putting his hand over his face and shaking his head. "That is so NOT cool."

"Well," Heero bit his lip, the only sign of his discomfort with his next query. "Do you have any clothes we can borrow that would fit us? These outfits aren't very… becoming."

Despite his embarrassment Duo chuckled lowly, lowering his hand. He shook his head as Heero merely smirked and shrugged at him.

"Of course, we will provide you with robes as soon as we can," Dumbledore assured them, smiling with a peculiar twinkle in his eyes.

"Do you guys have names or what?" Harry asked, frowning. He found it quite rude that they would go this long without even introducing themselves. The boys looked at each other, seemingly debating answering him until Quatre nodded.

"My name is Quatre Winner. These are my comrades." He gestured to each boy, introducing him accordingly. When he said Duo's name the braided boy stepped forward and bowed elegantly, evoking a smile from Dumbledore. After he was finished he looked to Heero, who watched the Professor and the boy for their reactions. Despite arched eyebrows at their more exotic names nothing was said. Dumbledore clapped his hands and beamed.

"Very good. Now, about those robes…"

~*~

"I feel like a chick," Duo complained, glaring at his reflection. The robes which he had been supplied were black, which he liked, but reminded him too much of a dress. Wufei, it seemed, agreed wholeheartedly.

"I can't believe we have to WEAR these," the Chinese boy grumbled.

"I can't believe OTHER people wear these," Duo added. He sighed, playing with the way it settled on his arms. "This is so messed."

"I think we're all in shock," came Quatre's voice. He stepped out of the infirmary's bathroom, playing with the cloak's tie at his neck. "Otherwise I'm sure we'd be more concerned about the fact that people use magic here."

Heero, who was sitting on his infirmary bed, smirked. "It is interesting, but I have to wonder what the hell that witch did to us. This is too real to be some messed up dream, so I'm guessing she managed to transport us somewhere."

"If Heero believes in the magic mumbo-jumbo then I guess I have no reason not to. He's the one I expected to be adamant in 'this is all a trick! Omae o korosu!'" Duo raved, waving his hand around in the shape of a gun. He squawked as his braid was yanked, and glared at Heero. "Uptight bastard."

"Annoying brat."

"You stupid-," Duo started, but was cut off by someone clearing their throat. He looked up in surprise, and realized that a woman was now standing in the doorway watching them. Her face was pensive, and her hair was pulled back so tight it rivaled Wufei's. Spectacles rested on her nose and she peered at them carefully. Trowa stepped out of the bathroom at this moment, dressed in a robe too short for his height. Duo snickered.

"You're the boys they find outside?" the woman questioned. Quatre smiled sweetly.

"So we've been told."

She nodded in response. "I am Professor McGonagall. You are to follow me to the dining hall. The headmaster is busy sorting the students, and we aren't about to leave you in here. However, you are not yet students here and are not allowed to wander about. Now, follow me." She turned and left the room, not glancing back. Had she looked back, she would have seen Duo sticking his tongue out at her and hissing. Heero rolled his eyes, pushing the braided boy forward and following him out of the room. The others quickly fell into step.

"Hey, Prof.! Wait up! I'm not used to walkin' in skirts, ya know!" Duo hollered, smothering his grin when Professor McGonagall stopped and tensed. "Why thank you. You're too kind."

"Mr. Maxwell, I believe?"

"Yes ma'am, that's me."

"Do shut up."

Duo faltered, jaw dropping and looking shocked. The moment passed, however, and he was laughing and grinning again. "Okay, cool." He nodded to himself, and his comrades noticed.

"Good," Wufei muttered. "The more people you respect the less insults we have to hear from you." Duo grinned, clapping Wufei's shoulder.

"Now, now, Wufei. You know you love the sound of my voice."

"I'm afraid the only one who an stand the constant stream of words coming from you is Heero, Duo."

Duo grinned, moving away from Wufei to wrap an arm around Heero's shoulders. Heero tensed slightly, but had no other reaction.

"Yeah, that's my baby, right Yuy?" Duo purred. Heero arched an eyebrow at him before shaking his head slowly, smirking. "Ah, you know you love it." Duo teased, removing his arm and nudging Heero with his elbow. Duo wasn't stupid – he knew that if he pushed it with Heero he'd get punched in the face. It was better to quit while he was ahead, even though Heero had been much more relaxed since the war had ended.

Professor McGonagall stopped before a pair of large doors, turning to look at the boys. She sighed. "To be quite honest I'm not sure what the headmaster has planned for you boys, but I would assume he will have you sorted. You're much, much too old to be first years however you're not experienced enough to be placed in sixth year… And you don't even have wands… This is going to be quite complicated. Normally you would have gone to Diagon Alley to get prepared thoroughly for your classes. It seems you'll end up missing your first day just to make up for lack of preparation."

"Funny how we got here just in time for school to begin," Trowa mused.

Quatre leaned towards Trowa, speaking quietly. "It seems we're going to be students here."

Trowa chuckled. "Yeah, seems so."

"The hell does everybody have an English accent for?"

"Well obviously, Duo, we're in England."

"The hell are we doing in England then, Heero?"

His comrades shrugged, leaving his question unanswered. Whatever they were doing here likely had a great deal to do with that freaky witch lady in her basement. Duo wanted to get a hold of her, just so he could show her how much he DIDN'T appreciate being dropped in the middle of an alternate dimension, or whatever the hell it was.

Professor McGonagall turned back to the doors, took a deep breath and pushed them open slowly.

***