A/N: Thank you so much for your reviews, you guys! It really helped get this chapter out. :D
Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing or Harry Potter.
Chapter 7
Hunt
"Right, so," Duo started, fingers tapping against the tabletop without rhythm – the only visible sign of his agitation. His teacup – black tea with two teaspoons of sugar – had been drained in the preceding hour of long overdue explanation, and Lupin was eyeing it intently. "Just so I got this all down: you're wizards, and I don't mean like, pull-a-bunny-outta-the-hat birthday magicians, but legit wizards, with wands and robes and shit."
"We can turn the hat into a bunny, if you're that set on it," Black offered blandly.
Duo ignored him. "And wizards have been around since forever, but you live in secret 'cause of the whole witch trials thing and the popularity of burning you guys at the stake. I guess that does put a damper on your relationships," he acknowledged.
"A bit," Dumbledore agreed.
"And in your little wizard society, there are people that are suuuper mad that people without magic exist. Mad enough to start their own little group to commit genocide," Duo recounted, counting off points on his fingers. "The group got so big and popular that they basically almost took over your society like a decade ago, went on hiatus for a bit, but then just last year they resurfaced."
Magical Nazis, Duo mused to himself, still somewhat incredulous. Of all the issues to plague a world of magic, they'd decided on ethnic genocide.
Lupin refilled Duo's tea, adding the two teaspoons of sugar without mention.
Duo, once again, ignored this. "So you guys started your own club to counter theirs, and yours is like, super secret. But they still kinda know you guys are around, and so this group is responsible for those masked assholes that attacked me last night because they found out about me and Pops here," the braided boy finished, throwing a thumb in Lupin's direction. Lupin started at the off-hand label, clearly blindsided by how casually Duo referred to him as his father.
"That is a candid but accurate assessment of the current situation," Dumbledore allowed. "Your understanding is appreciated."
Duo's fingers continued their arrhythmic tapping. "Yeah, well, you know – it's important to be, uh, understanding of special circumstances," the boy said. He reached over his shoulder to tug his braid forward, playing with the end of it. "And magic being real sure does seem like a real fucking special circumstance."
Which brought up a whole other set of issues Duo had set on the backburner in the present moment. Sudden family relations were enough to chew on for anyone but adding on actual magic and wizards – Duo recognized he was more than just out of his depth now.
Naturally, as an active field agent, if he found himself struggling to keep his head above water, he called in support. Given Duo's unique history and background, that normally meant one of the other Gundam pilots. That normally meant, first and foremost, Heero Yuy.
And wasn't that a fucking riot?
"Your safety is important as well, Duo," Lupin started, interrupting Duo's thoughts. "I-I never meant to get you involved in this. I'm so sorry."
Lupin was a really strange guy. Not because of how quickly he just got over Duo attacking him – Duo had put bullet holes in some of his closest friends, after all – but that he just seemed so apologetic over every little thing, even the ones he had no control over. Lupin clearly hadn't expected Duo to be a target in a wizard war, and yet he still acted like he had personally commanded the masked men to attack Duo.
"It is what it is," Duo waved off cheerfully. All three men stiffened at the glib reply, but Duo pretended not to notice that. Right now, he had to focus on what would happen from now on, especially in terms of where this left him standing in the midst of a brewing war. "So what happens now?"
Dumbledore had settled his teacup down on its little plate. "As I see it, we have two options available to us. The first is that you return to the star islands."
Duo's lips curled upwards at the moniker. "Let me guess – go home, kick back with a martini, and don't give another thought to you guys duking it out with The Dark Ones?"
Dumbledore nodded, despite the choked sounds both Lupin and Black made. "A crude way to put it but not inaccurate. Although I do think you're too young to consume alcohol legally, Mr. Maxwell," he replied.
"Duly noted," Duo grinned, tone careless but eyes keen. He'd always thrived in contradiction. "And you can call me Duo, none of that 'mister' stuff. What's the option that doesn't have me ignoring your descent into genocide, though?"
"It's not ignoring it, Duo," Lupin interrupted fiercely. "It's ensuring your safety."
Duo gave the man a slow, tolerant look. It's been years since someone tried to ensure his safety, and Duo wasn't sure he liked the feeling of his autonomy being limited in such a way. Lupin got points for effort, though.
"It would be wise not to ignore such a safe option. As you may be aware, wizards of the Earth Sphere cannot use in magic in space – the Dark Lord's followers will not follow you into the stars," Dumbledore explained, solemnity lining his words. "I can think of no greater safety than refuge back home, Duo."
That was another thing the men had brought up in their explanation of magic: the difference between earth-born wizards like themselves and colony-born wizards, known as Newtypes. Duo had had no idea what they were going on about at first, having never heard of Newtypes. They had assumed Duo was a Newtype given his resistance to their magic and upbringing in space, but Duo hadn't been able to deny or validate their claim. If Newtypes did exist among the space colonies, as the men seemed so sure that they did, then Duo had never come across them before, during, or after the war.
There were a couple probable reasons why Duo had never heard of Newtypes. One, he wasn't a Newtype and so whatever secret society thing Newtypes had going on, he wouldn't have been included. Two, Duo was a Newtype – but had yet to be discovered by other Newtypes, likely for war-related reasons. Duo knew he wasn't an easy guy to track, and the war had made a mess of whatever structure his colony home had clung to while he'd been living there.
But that second option led down a road of thinking Duo wasn't comfortable addressing, because if he was a Newtype – as the other three men at the table seemed so ardently to believe – then that meant Duo had been left largely ignorant of a significant part of his skill set. Just what could being a Newtype entail?
Duo could guess. Magic would explain some things about himself, especially from before Doctor G had gotten his hands on him and pumped enough chemicals and nanotech into his veins to give Sally Po pause during his medical visits. It was a miracle in and of itself that there was enough of what Duo was originally to even be matched to Remus Lupin in a paternity test.
"I can't just ignore it," Duo interjected.
"We're the ones that put you at risk, kid. You don't need to get involved in even more danger," Black spoke up. "This isn't your war."
That was the wizarding gig, apparently – they stay out of non-magical wars, and the so-called Muggles aren't involved in magical wars. Duo knew – intimately – that war was never so cleanly and neatly packed, knew it didn't stay in its little box to be dealt with by those considered involved. War didn't distinguish a difference between its victims, and it was laughable to even assume as such. It was a bitter thing to realize, that out of the four males present in the room – it was the youngest who understood this.
Lupin looked relieved that both men were essentially agreeing with him. Unfortunately for Lupin, Duo didn't base his decisions on just how safe they made him.
"War doesn't give a flying fuck if its yours or not," Duo returned evenly. "What's option two?"
There must have been something to his voice, as Lupin noticeably paled, recoiling slightly in his seat. Black winced, but Duo had his attention trained back onto Dumbledore. The wizened wizard was matching his stare, a solemn sadness to his countenance that Duo understood very well. He'd seen it often enough in Father Maxwell's eyes when he'd catch one of the other orphans waking up screaming.
"You are the child of a wizard of Magical Britain, which makes you a citizen here as well," Dumbledore began. Lupin's head swiveled to pin the man with a sharp look that went ignored. "And we have concluded you are magical, given your resistance to Stunning charms. As an underage citizen of Magical Britain, you can stay and attend Hogwarts."
Air got caught in Duo's throat and he started coughing to regain it. "Atte- HogWHAT?" he choked out.
"Headmaster!" Lupin snapped, voice low with disbelief.
"Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, of which I currently preside over," Dumbledore replied to Duo before turning to Lupin. "These are the safest available options, and he's expressed a desire to know both. Unless you plan to force him to return to space, Remus?"
Duo was still stuck on another detail. "Your school is named Hogwarts? Like pig warts? Like you genuinely named your school after swine skin disfigurations?" he managed out. His mouth was trembling, unable to work out if it wanted to grin at the absurdity or gape for the same reason.
"Hogwarts is one of the finest wizarding institutions in the world," Dumbledore said.
Duo snorted. "Yeah, like you totally aren't biased," he muttered. Oddly, Dumbledore smiled at the remark rather than taking offense.
"Duo, you've already been attacked by Death Eaters!" Lupin finally burst. "What if next time, you aren't so lucky? You could be killed if you stay here!"
Duo's stare was unimpressed. "You think I survived that attack out of luck?" he asked. "And what, that that one guy slipped and slit his neck open on my knife accidentally?"
Black stiffened, dark eyes latching onto the teen. "You slit his neck?" came his hoarse echo. Black was a strange one, all things considered; he looked like he'd been picked up off the streets and put on a recovery regimen only recently. He reminded Duo of the drug addicts he'd find wandering the alleyways looking for a quick fix, minus the trembling. It was more the gaunt shadows lining the man's face, and the sometimes distant look in his eyes as his mind wandered away from the conversation at hand.
Duo didn't even know why Black was present for the conversation at all, hut humored him regardless. "He was gonna explode me with his stick-"
"Wand," Dumbledore corrected absently.
"-so I stopped him," Duo paused, adding with a casual shrug, "And his friends."
Lupin's stare was hard. "And you want to go through that again?" he demanded. "You'll be in danger. You'll likely be attacked – for no reason other than your blood. I can't guarantee your safety-"
"My safety has never been guaranteed," Duo cut in, voice deadly. The very sound of it drained the color from Lupin's face and the words stopped pouring from his lips. Duo didn't let that deter him; this was the root of Lupin's vehement disagreement, and Duo needed to take care of it.
"I'm not asking you for anything," Duo stated plainly, staring at Lupin. The man flinched minutely, and beside him, Black had straightened up, dark emotions fluttering over his face. "I don't know you. And what little I thought I knew about you was bullshit, considering you're fucking magical."
The pressure in the room was palpable, but Duo kept his eyes on Lupin. "You weren't there for the war, Lupin. Not the way I was. And war – it reaches everything. You can't keep me from it," Duo said.
"So you'll run headfirst into it?" Lupin grit out.
Duo cocked his head in thought. "I was attacked first. I've already been included," he pointed out. He clicked his tongue when Lupin made to argue that point, silencing the man before he could start. "You all seem to think I can just hole up in the colonies, but your ideal about those 'star islands' isn't the reality. You may not realize it – but this universe isn't as big as you seem to think."
Duo could no longer be confined to one space, not anymore. As a child, he'd thought he'd die on his colony's streets; as a teen, he'd crashed to earth, and then moved to sail the seas and stars. He could no longer ignore trouble in either the stars where he had been raised nor the soil upon which he had bled.
"A decision does not have to be made just yet," Dumbledore spoke up. "We have had a long day, and rest would do all of us some good."
The older man stood from his seat, eyes moving over the others present before settling on Duo. "You are, in the eyes of your government, your own person, Duo. You make your own decisions, and we can only caution you to make the ones we hope lead to good health and happiness. Please think over whether you are truly willing to stay in a place facing such troubled times."
Then, in a startling contrast to his solemn words, Dumbledore smiled at the youth. "You were correct in stating you do not know Remus, or us. But in the time we have been given, that is a situation that can be remedied, so long as we do not squander the opportunity," he advised.
The last part had not been meant for just Duo alone, and the boy could only watch in curiosity as Lupin's figure slowly straightened at the words.
Dumbledore left soon after, a flutter of robes and well-wishes that reminded Duo somewhat of Quatre, minus the sincerity only another Gundam pilot could discern in his friend's gentle countenance. There was a strategic strength to Dumbledore; he picked his battles carefully, understanding it was better to let Duo – and by extension, Remus Lupin – stew over the possibility of Duo's involvement in a magical society on the brink of war.
Duo thought it was almost laughable. Delving into a world of magic on behalf of a father he'd never known about, and the only sense of familiarity Duo would receive was the war part.
"In what way?"
Black's voice took Duo by surprise. Duo had almost thought Black had retreated back into himself again, but when he turned to look, the gaunt male was staring at Duo with an odd sort of concentration. The focus was there, so Black was in the present, which meant the question really was addressed to Duo.
"What?" Duo asked, blinking at him.
"You said you were there for the war but Remus wasn't," Black said.
Lupin was still seated at the table, a slump to his shoulders that was either exhaustion or defeat. "He meant the Muggle war, Sirius," he interjected tiredly.
"So in what way were you there for the Muggle war?" Black persisted. He wasn't as aggressive as he had been before, his words nearly cut and dry. No hostility, no disbelief – just an element of curiosity somewhere underneath the shadows.
Lupin's head turned to glare at his friend. "Sirius," he warned lowly.
"I was there for it," Duo began slowly. "In the only way you can be for war."
Black's stare was unblinking. "…how old were you?"
Duo showed a grin that was more a threat of teeth than a marker of goodwill. "What does that matter?" he laughed.
AC 196 July 22
L2-V08744 was one of the colonies of the L2 colony cluster that had been noted to be under 'Dire Need' in the months after the war had concluded, in need of the re-establishment of basic services and hefty reconstruction. The government of the colony itself had been completely dismantled in the lead up and throughout the course of the Eve Wars; it had been the site of some of the most brutal and bloody revolts of the colonies' stand against the Alliance. Even now, months after the end of the war, the scars of it were clearly visible everywhere one looked.
This was of no surprise to Heero – this was not his first time here, after all.
The street he currently walked was lined with apartment buildings on both sides; L2-V08744 adhered to the construction limitations of an older colony, the apartments themselves no taller than five stories. They were made of plaster and steel, as most were, but this particular stretch of road showed a populace no longer content with the factory-setting of their previous homes.
Looks like a prison, Duo had told him once. White plaster on grey steel, the only difference between one place and the next being the people who occupied them.
Heero initially hadn't understood, but like always, the understanding came with time. Finding comfort in the familiar smell of Wufei's preferred brand of tea, in the sound of Quatre's violin, in the taste of Trowa's cooking, in the act of brushing through Duo's hair as it smelled of fresh shampoo. Plaster and steel weren't enough, and Heero had realized that viscerally after Duo had painted over the entirety of their shared apartment in different shades of blue.
Heero's favorite color was blue. It had taken him 15 years to discover that.
The apartments lining the road now were a kaleidoscope of colors: blues, yellows, oranges, reds and purples and greens. Some had brick patterns slapped haphazardly over their plastered beginnings, others had just painted over themselves wholesale. It was that time of day where windows were firmly shut and shuttered, as people were out and about; there were only a handful of people walking the street now, as this area in particular was more residential. Given the time, most people would be at work.
Even then, Heero still found himself hard-pressed to locate his friend – but then there was that sensation only his close friends had been able to invoke, a subtle prod at the base of his spine that was the only indication he was not alone.
Trowa Barton easily fell into step with him as he continued down the street.
Heero glanced to his side. The tall brunet boy had not changed much since Heero had last seen him, aside from the slight shadows under his eyes denoting his exhaustion. He seemed unperturbed as was his usual, and Heero found some sense of comfort in that. The revelation of Duo's disappearance had shaken them, but they had been trained too well to show it.
The only thing striking about Trowa now was the kitten poking its head out of his jacket pocket. It had yellowish fur and dark brown elongated spots, with dark ear tufts and reptilian yellow eyes. It was staring up at Heero silently, the only sign it was even alive being its small movements as it sought to get more comfortable in its confines.
Heero was not as knowledgeable about animals as his friend, but even he knew that what he was looking at was most assuredly not a cat.
"What is that?" Heero asked.
Trowa didn't even glance in Heero's direction. "A cat," he replied evenly.
"What kind of cat?"
"A good cat."
Heero distinctly remembered hearing a similar answer when Trowa was cuddling with the circus lions. This time was somehow even more concerning. Deciding to leave the matter alone – he trusted Trowa's judgment – the pair continued down the street.
Preventers mandated that all employees had an official home address and the former Gundam Pilots were no exception. It was generally not much of a concern, as Preventers provided housing or housing allowance, so there was no real question on where to send their mail or how to fill out their official documentation.
This didn't necessarily mean this was where you could actually find them. Heero, Trowa, and Wufei maintained official addresses in Brussels, close to the main Preventers branch on the Earth Sphere, but Trowa was usually with the travelling circus he favored in lieu of being an active duty Preventers agent, whereas Quatre owned far too many homes that he could live possibly everywhere. Duo and Heero had shared an address before he'd gone on sabbatical leave, wherein Duo had changed his official address to the small apartment in the L-2 colony cluster that he rented.
That was where Trowa and Heero were now headed. Heero had always known about the apartment; Duo had stayed there for a time before he'd decided to officially join Preventers, as it was close to the port the Scavengers operated out of and the junkyard Hilde Schbeiker still ran. Heero initially suspected this was where Duo had first went since the start of his 'sabbatical' but out of respect for the braided boy, Heero had not attempted to find out.
The apartment Duo rented out was owned by a hawk-eyed woman by the name of Magdalena Grey, who glowered at their Preventers-issued badges but dutifully opened the door to the second floor flat she kept.
"Don't know what yer 'specting ta find," she chewed out, pushing the code on the keypad. "He's hardly ever 'round but he pays the rent on time and don't cause no trouble. He does his own r'pairs too."
Neither male said anything. They could tell Duo had installed the lock himself, likely doing all the home improvements for free in order to earn the landlady's approval. It was the best method to ensure the neighbors didn't ask too many questions about the strange boy who was hardly ever home.
The apartment interior was as small as expected: a studio apartment cluttered with furniture. There was a fine layer of dust across most of the surfaces, evidence that Duo hadn't returned to the property in some time. There was an old TV atop a blue-green crate shoved into the corner, a mattress against the far wall, and a varied assortment of pictures stuck to the refrigerator with multicolored magnets.
The landlady watched as they went through the apartment, looking for some lead into Duo's whereabouts. Given the size and state, there wasn't much to go on – this would not bode well for their self-given mission. Duo was used to living a life off the grid, and certainly didn't leave a trail that just anybody could follow.
Heero considered the lumpy blanket left thrown atop the mattress. Preventers employed a Newtype from the L-3 colony cluster that had demonstrated the ability of tactile retrocognition; if Duo had made any plans while within the apartment, it was possible the agent could discern the former pilot's intentions. The only complication would be Duo's own Newtype abilities; as Duo so clearly wanted to hide, it was possible he could have unintentionally set up a sort of magic block that rendered the agent's ability useless in reading him. Still, it was better than nothing, which was looking to be the case if they only had this apartment to go by.
"Ya be wanting this back too?"
Heero turned to the grizzled woman, broken from his ruminations. She was holding out a stack of envelopes, clearly Duo's mail from over the course of the months he'd been gone. It wasn't much, as expected; Duo would have set up online notifications for most everything so that he could deal with it remotely, so only the occasional neighborhood flyer would have showed up.
The official Preventers envelope staring Heero right in the face was the surprise.
Heero took the stack from the woman, placing most of them down atop the coffee table with the exception of the first. Trowa, recognizing Heero's intense focus, moved closer to see what had earned the former pilot's attention.
"FRA," Trowa stated, his even tone hiding his shock.
Heero opened the envelope, hardly believing it himself. Duo was an orphan; he had no blood relations to claim, which was why he'd been raised on his colony's streets. Duo's lack of family was so wrapped into his character that his vengeance for the family he'd found and lost was what had driven him into war. If Duo had had family, he would have been with them during the colony revolts, during the Maxwell Church Massacre, during the failed Operation Meteor and the ensuing war. If Duo Maxwell had had family, he wouldn't have been Duo Maxwell.
So who was Remus Lupin?
The past couple of days were a learning experience Remus hadn't expected to go through at his age. He'd picked up small things here and there, for survival if nothing else – how to blend in among Muggles, how to integrate into the underground werewolf packs, learning the most advanced Defensive spells, so on and so forth – but this was the first time in a long while where he found himself desperately trying to understand something so profound and so very important.
And Duo was very, very important.
Duo was not a prisoner at the headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix, but Remus and Sirius tended to keep tabs on the boy regardless – if only because Sirius's family home wasn't quite safe. Duo was restricted from entering certain rooms, a provision set up so that he was not overwhelmed or taken by surprise. Remus had taken the initiative to magically lock some rooms, so that only he or Sirius could go through them easily, and also forbid Kreacher from ever being seen by Duo out of fear Duo may not respond well to the House Elf's palpable hostility.
Even so, it would be hard to miss Duo's habits even if they weren't watching him so closely.
One of the first things he learned was that Duo had an incredible memory. (Eidetic and photographic memory, were Duo's exact words.) Dumbledore had passed along textbooks from various courses taught at Hogwarts for Duo to self-study, and Remus had watched as the braided boy pored over them with a casual eye. It came as quite a shock when Duo recalled details from the materials, little tidbits here and there sprinkled into conversation when it became clear a point in the text had caused him to pause in consideration: where does the water come from in aqua eructo and how does it differ from aguamenti, if the brightness of the lumos charm was dependent on intent then why is lumos maxima needed, if nonverbal spellcasting is a thing then why do they need to say the words, how important is intent behind spellcasting…
Duo had essentially thrown himself into his studies. This may have had something to do with the lack of Muggle tech that Duo seemed so accustomed to using; electronics did not work in such a magically-enhanced home, as they learned when Duo had attempted to use his Muggle computer. It had been one of the few goods salvaged from his rental cottage by the other Order members who had overseen clean-up before the Aurors arrived, along with Duo's duffel of personal belongings. However, the moment Duo tried to turn his computer on, it short-circuited and began to smoke – crashing before he could even put in his password.
Remus had had to explain the difficult relationship between magic and technology, and the limitations both suffered. Duo had been none-too-pleased, muttering about "living in the fuckin' Dark Ages," as he glared at the smoking remnants of his tech. He'd been even more annoyed when Remus had put his foot down and refused to let Duo leave Grimmauld Place, but then had strangely conceded – clueing Remus in that Duo understood on some fundamental level the need for secrecy for a homegrown resistance group.
The second thing Remus learned was that Duo had a natural hand at wandless magic. This was a good thing, because any wand the boy wielded was sure to explode into cinders. He'd gone through two before Dumbledore seemed to agree that they were wasting wands on the endeavor, so now Duo would emulate the wandwork with his hands. This would often lead into the 'intent behind spellcasting' discussions, as in the case where Duo put intent behind his spells, they worked.
Another thing Remus learned was that Duo often smiled. He approached every interaction with a disarming grin, the corner of his eyes crinkled in amusement. Despite the screaming of Walburga Black's portrait, despite Sirius's infrequent spells of psychosis, despite the wariness from other Order members as they went in and out of Headquarters.
But the more Remus learned about Duo, the greater the pit in his stomach grew.
"Good morning~!" Duo sung, sauntering into the narrow kitchen. He'd taken to wearing the childhood clothes of the Black brothers, given his lack of wardrobe; he'd rolled up the cuffs of a pair of Sirius's old jeans, somehow keeping it secured around his waist with a black belt, and a black turtleneck that made him look distressingly frail.
"Good morning," Remus returned with a smile. He was laboring over the stove at the moment and so couldn't do much more than smile at the boy, turning his attention back to the bacon sizzling in the skillet. Remus found his attention often focused on cooking for the past few days, intent on following mealtimes he'd often neglected himself only a month ago. "You're up early, Duo."
Remus learned that Duo hardly slept. He stayed up late, studying or perusing the Black family library – and he was up before anyone else, either in his room or tucked into an armchair in the parlor, eyeing the fireplace or the piano without a sound.
But today, Remus had made a point of waking up early this morning just to get started on this breakfast. Remus had even set an alarm, wanting to have breakfast ready by the time Duo came downstairs. It had been somewhat disheartening to see the light on through the crack of Duo's bedroom door.
Duo had never had a full English breakfast, something Remus wanted to give the boy now that he had the time. Dumbledore, as he so often was, was right – as Duo weighed his choices, Remus should not spend their given time together either chiding Duo or ignoring him out of hand. Remus had decided to bridge the gap of trust Duo had so clearly articulated between them that first night at headquarters.
It really should have been expected, and yet it had still been a horrible shock to Remus – the idea that Duo did not trust him. Duo saw him as a stranger, and Remus knew: Duo was right. They were virtual strangers, only a week's worth of interactions between them under the guise of family reconstruction. Duo had grown up in an orphanage, had participated in a war Remus could not even name three significant events in, and then after all of that, Remus had come into his life expecting a family.
It was a wonder Duo had even bothered to reach out to him. Remus, only just now, really thought he had taken that reach for granted.
"An early start is a good start," Duo quipped with an easygoing grin. His eyes glanced about the room as he moved further in; it was only Remus right now, Sirius still asleep in his room and Kreacher nowhere to be found.
Another thing Remus learned was that Duo was hyper-aware of his surroundings at all times. For every room he entered, his eyes searched first for the occupants and then the exits. He did this without fail, even if he'd been in that room before or already knew who was inside.
"Oh wow, is that bacon?" Duo chirped, peering around Remus to see what he was cooking. "Haven't had that in forever. I mean, I've had bacon-flavored junk – but it's not really the same, ya know? Or so I have been told."
Duo talked a lot. He talked about books, about the weather, about the bags under Sirius's eyes or the lines between Remus's brows, about the dreary architecture of Grimmauld Place, about magic and wands, about the silliness of robes. And yet, with all his talk – Duo managed to say absolutely nothing.
Duo seemed almost careless in his interactions, but when Remus really thought about it, it was clear Duo was anything but careless. Remus knew nothing about Duo: about where Duo had learned battle tactics, about Duo's life in the star colonies, about Duo's friends, about the home Duo had left behind. Not once had Duo even spoken an outright lie – and yet, somehow, Duo managed to lie anyway.
The fireplace flared to life, cutting off Duo's bacon soliloquy as Elphias Doge stepped through. It wasn't odd for Order members to come in at any hour of the day, so Remus was not particularly perturbed, but he made sure to keep himself at ease as he casually kept his position between the recently-arrived wizard and his son.
Remus pretended not to notice the knife that had disappeared from where it had laid atop the kitchen counter.
"Elphias, good morning," Remus greeted with a smile. Duo, standing tense at his shoulders, relaxed only marginally. Members came and went, but there were still arrivals that had yet to meet Remus's son, and Duo greeted these newcomers with a bright grin and wary eye.
"Ah, Remus, good to see you!" Elphias greeted brightly. "And – oh, that must be your boy?"
Duo edged around Remus at the attention, waving one hand in a friendly greeting, the other behind his back. "Yes, I would be his boy," he agreed with a wide grin. "One day, I too will have a name, and then-"
"Duo," Remus interjected in good humor. "This is Elphias Doge. Elphias, this is my son – Duo Maxwell."
"Nice to meet you, lad," Elphias said, clearly having not cottoned on to what Duo's self-introduction was leading into. Remus saw no reason to dredge it up, but at least Duo had relaxed enough that Remus didn't feel the need to be between them.
Duo preened. "I imagine I'm the highlight of your day," he mock-boasted.
Remus forcibly choked down a laugh.
Elphias only snorted at the retort. He wasn't there for long, leaving a report from his latest mission with Remus to pass onto Dumbledore. Duo didn't seem to be paying them much attention, taking a seat on the counter and watching idly as Remus finished frying up the bacon. Order members swept in and out of Headquarters, but the few that Duo caught sight of were never there for long. Duo, for his part, didn't ask questions about the members or their missions; he greeted them and initiated friendly conversation if they stayed longer than the few minutes most spared.
Duo's presence at Order headquarters had been met with bemusement. Those who had been part of the original mission to bring Duo to safety did not trust the easy friendliness in his smiles, and Remus could not blame them for that wariness. Those who met Duo for the first time never got more involved than a few cursory greetings, although they were much more amiable in their approaches. Duo did not seem particularly upset by the treatment, mostly concerned with either his studies or conversations with Remus and Sirius.
Elphias soon left, leaving Remus and Duo alone in the kitchen once more after declining staying for breakfast. Duo was still perched on the counter as Remus finished the last of the fry up and doled it out onto three separate plates: bacon, fried eggs, fried tomatoes and mushrooms, sausages, buttered toast, and baked beans.
"Coffee or orange juice?" Remus asked, wandlessly levitating the plates over to the table and casting a preservation charm over Sirius's portion.
"I'll get 'em!" Duo said, hopping off the counter. Remus silently noted the knife had reappeared back where it had originally been.
Duo prepared one mug of coffee and another of tea, the latter made just the way Remus preferred it. Remus had never told Duo how he liked his tea, which meant the boy had been observing Remus previously and remembered his preferences. It was just another little thing about Duo – he was always watching, even when they didn't seem to realize it.
It was easy to assume Duo didn't know or understand anything about what was going on around him given his Muggle upbringing – but he left the room when Order meetings started without being asked, he saw members go in and out without question, he read through the Daily Prophet and mentioned tidbits he found but never anything pertinent to the Order's function.
It was not ignorance, Remus knew that – it was calculation. Duo didn't say anything because he was piecing together the big picture for himself, bit by bit. Remus could not even guess how much of it Duo had already managed to figure out. For all the joviality behind his smiles, it was abundantly clear that the last thing Duo is, is simple.
Duo tore through his breakfast. Something about the boy's ravenous appetite reminded Remus of his own teenage years, and he couldn't help but find it amusing to watch. Remus now understood what Molly meant when she complained about her boys eating her out of house and home; teenage boys ate like they had been starving for days.
But then again.
Duo was indiscriminate when it came to food; nothing bothered him, and Remus had had to field an argument yesterday on whether old scones left atop the counter were still edible when they were clearly beginning to grow mold. It wasn't that Duo thought that they were perfectly acceptable to eat – it was more that the mold wasn't at a state that made the scones completely inedible.
Remus had recoiled at the implications. Duo had stopped arguing abruptly at the man's reaction, and it had been left to Sirius to change the topic even as Remus Vanished the scones.
"Duo, there's something we need to talk about," Remus began, after Duo had cleaned his plate of every last crumb.
Duo perked up. "Is it about that animated picture of the woman with the lungs of a dying cat? I didn't do anything to it," he said in a rush.
"The- You mean the portrait of Sirius's mother?" Remus asked, taken aback. "No – why, what did you do to it?" Now that Remus thought about it, he hadn't heard her in the past 24 hours…
"Nothin'," Duo replied airily.
Remus stared at him. "…what do you plan on doing to it?" he asked after a thoughtful pause.
"I'd hate to ruin the surprise," Duo returned with a grin.
Remus shook his head with a wry smile; he was quickly learning to pick his battles when it came to Duo. There was no point in pressing the issue, not when Duo talked circles around him, usually using references only the braided boy understood.
"Putting that aside for now," Remus began, ignoring the way Duo's grin brightened at his concession. "I wanted to talk about… well, something about me."
"Let me guess," Duo interrupted dryly. "You're a wizard."
Remus grinned. "Funnily enough, yes," he chuckled, but quickly sobered. "But not just that…"
As a Muggle-raised youth, Duo may not have been raised with the same prejudices that wizard-born youth inherited from their culture – but Muggle entertainment also had their own prejudices. Remus was not sure where Duo's mindset was when it came to seemingly mythical creatures.
"Duo," Remus began tentatively. "What do you know about werewolves?"
Duo stared at him, face blank. There was likely some part of the boy wondering if Remus was setting up some kind of joke, but the more logical side of Duo must have realized that, with a world of magic, perhaps anything was possible. Muggle folklore regarding Remus's condition hardly painted a benign picture, at least according to what Remus knew about it.
"…during the full moon, some poor bastard turns into a wolf and runs wild?" Duo answered dubiously. His tone was casual, his expression settled somewhere between open and curious.
"Close," Remus nodded, keeping reign on his nerves. His hands trembled just slightly; it took quite a bit of strength to admit to someone his lycanthropy, especially someone Remus valued so much. "Lycanthropy is a real infectious curse, and those who live with it turn into werewolves on full moon nights. A werewolf cannot choose when they transform," he explained in neutral tones. If he treated this as a school lecture, it would be easier.
"A werewolf, though human, does not retain their human mind while in wolf-form – they are extremely dangerous and will attack any human in their vicinity," he continued. "Although once they revert back to their human form, they will be able to remember everything that happened while they were a wolf."
There was a long pause as Remus allowed Duo to digest this information. Most of it matched with werewolf folklore as Muggles understood it, so it should not come as any great shock, but Remus understood that Duo was connecting the dots for why Remus had brought up this subject in the first place.
"Right…" Duo murmured, an indication he was waiting for Remus to admit aloud what Duo clearly already expected.
Remus clasped his hands together to rest against the tabletop, hoping to conceal the trembling. "I am- I have lycanthropy," he said, voice calm and heartbeat rapid. His throat felt dry, like sandpaper growing out from his lungs. "I've had it ever since I was a child."
Another long pause. Remus's gaze had moved to the tabletop now as well, not quite willing to meet Duo's assessing eyes. Duo's fingers did not drum against the table, and Remus wondered if the fidgeting from before was a conscious decision on the teen's part. Was that normal? To give oneself habits to better blend in with the crowd?
"So… Does that mean I have it too?" Duo finally asked.
Remus's head shot up, surprised by the question. "No!" he was quick to refute, although stopped himself at the sight of Duo's wide eyes. Wrestling internally, Remus took a calming breath before continuing in a more sedate tone. "No, not unless… Have you ever transformed before?"
"Not that I know of…" Duo answered.
Remus nodded. "If you'd transformed, you would know. You- You don't have it," he breathed, not realizing it was relief that seeped into his bones at Duo's admission.
There were no recorded cases of werewolves having children while human. If two werewolves mated while in wolf form, then they may give birth to a pack of wolf cubs – as had been documented twice throughout recorded history. But in the case of Duo, who was the product of a man with lycanthropy and a Muggle woman, there were no similar cases.
But if Duo had never turned, then that must mean he was free of the curse that plagued Remus. Remus could thank every higher power for that, at the very least.
"So you turn into a werewolf on the full moon?" Duo asked.
Remus nodded. "Yes. I'll be gone the night after tomorrow because of this," he explained. Sirius had wanted to come with Remus to keep him company, but Sirius was not supposed to leave Grimmauld, and especially not leave Duo alone in the home unsupervised. The dog animagus had sullenly agreed to stay and keep an eye on Duo, although Remus privately thought that it was Duo who would be keeping an eye on Sirius.
"Huh," Duo mused, although it sounded more like he was speaking to himself. "That could have been fun on the lunar base."
Remus blinked. "What do you mean?" he asked.
"Well, it's not like the moon is ever really gone. It's always full, technically," Duo said. "So what do you think happens when a werewolf is actually on the moon?"
Remus's brows furrowed. "I… I don't know…"
"Oh my god, I could have turned into a wolf," Duo blurted out. His tone, to Remus's shock, sounded absolutely delighted. "Bet that would have thrown OZ for a fuckin' loop."
Duo paused. "Wait, so how do you make more werewolves?" he asked.
Remus distinctly felt like he'd lost control of the conversation. "Bites," he answered automatically. "If someone survives a werewolf bite, they'll be infected with lycanthropy."
Remus frowned. "Duo, it's not a joke. Lycanthropy is… it's awful," he tried to impress upon the boy. "When I'm a wolf, I'm nothing more than a killer."
Duo didn't say anything for another long moment, leaning back in his seat and giving Remus a thoughtful look. His expression was considering, but then, his lips finally curled into a small smile that looked almost painful – taking the breath from Remus's lungs at the very sight.
Duo stood, picking up their empty plates and turning away without a word.
He didn't need to say anything; Remus understood.
Duo had inherited something from Remus: not the lycanthropy, but some part of the wolf had succeeded where Remus had failed.
AC 196 July 24
North Yorkshire, England
There was a heatwave throughout England, one that made skin sticky and the air full of pollen to bring those suffering their seasonal hay fever to the brink of madness. North Yorkshire was much the same, but unlike the smog and roving populace that crowded London's streets, the cobbled roads of Remus Lupin's humble home were sparsely populated.
There'd be an occasional neighbor ambling past, giving the three men in Preventers uniforms a curious eye but recognizing authority even in such young faces. They quickly moved past, even as the three stood before the weathered white fence that sectioned off their current lead's plot of land.
It was a small and ugly thing, Heero thought. The thought was inherently uncharitable, but also true: Remus Lupin's cottage was more a glorified shack, held together with stone and age. The grass between the road and sidewalk was overgrown, a marker of neglect rather than personality, and some of the windows were dusted with disuse. There was no car, and likewise no driveway. The entire cottage showed no signs of life.
Wufei lead the way up the sidewalk to the front door, but Trowa and Heero soon diverged to either side in order to circle around the home. The backyard was as empty and overgrown as the front, the walls low enough that they could see into neighboring yards. No privacy, and again, no sounds of life. The air was silent, even with their muted steps over the growth, and Heero heard the faint sound of Wufei's knocking on the door only after he and Trowa had locked eyes after surveying Lupin's empty yard.
They returned back to the front, where Wufei's knocking had gone ignored. It took only a quick glance between them to confirm: no signs of life within the cottage. Either Lupin was not home, or he was doing his damnedest to pretend he wasn't.
There was a moment, unstated between them, when they realized that their next course of action treaded that fine line.
Peace came with a cost.
They were no longer terrorists, no longer soldiers bound by a mission that trumped the laws of the land they stepped over. They were agents for an organization that knew exactly what they were capable of, and they were restricted by those very same laws that they had broken freely in the past.
But still.
Duo Maxwell was missing.
Wufei turned back to the door, contemplating the handle. Heero knew he was gauging what would be better: lockpick or one hard kick? Heero was about to answer that for him – kick – but then Trowa moved forward, casual grace to his movements as he turned to fully face the door, his two companions stepping back in full trust.
A yellowed ball of fur sprung from Trowa's jacket pocket, Heero catching sight of those same reptilian eyes, but they were now set in a fearfully skeletal feline face. The creature made no sound, even as it landed on deft paws on the cottage doorstep, and then not so much crept as crawled forward. Heero could see the full length of its body now: it was no bigger than a pineapple, from head to tail, but it seemed grotesquely malformed. Its legs were crooked, too short for its elongated body, angled so that it skittered akin more to a spider than a cat. Its tail was as long as Heero's thumb, tufted at the end, only it seemed more like a wisp of smoke than a curl of fur. The creature moved forward and butted its head against the door of Lupin's cottage, paused, and then phased through it.
Wufei said nothing. Heero said nothing. Trowa, of course, said nothing. Then there was a small crash from the inside, as if a piece of dishware had fallen from a moderate height. No other sound was forthcoming.
"Could be sounds of distress," Trowa noted aloud mildly. "We'll need to check it out."
Trowa hadn't even finished speaking before Heero kicked forward and broke the door open, allowing them entrance inside.
It really was a glorified shack. Only a simple door separated what seemed to be the living area – a kitchen, dining room, and bedroom all rolled up in one – from a darkened bathroom. There were no modern appliances aside from a single landline rotary phone, one so absurdly outdated that Heero genuinely wondered if Lupin was collecting antiques. The flooring itself was dusty, uneven stones interspersed with ratty rugs. The only possible source of heat was the hearth, where a single black cauldron was left abandoned.
Trowa's creature was curled up atop a brown cabinet where a small assortment of dishware was stored, the shattered remains of a dinner plate on the floor beneath it. There was no other living thing in the cottage.
"Barton," Wufei began, calm in tone. He was looking into the reptilian eyes of Trowa's pet, which were staring unblinkingly in their direction. "What is that."
"It's a cat," Heero answered Wufei's question-turned-statement, prowling about the room as the other two did the same. Trowa collected his cat from the cabinet, allowing it to nestle once more into his jacket pocket. Wufei watched him with a fleeting glance but, like Heero, decided it better to let sleeping dogs (or in this case, demonic felines) lie.
It was the table that yielded the only clues worth examining. It was strewn with papers, junk mail flyers and assorted tourist pamphlets mostly, but it was the parchment that caught Heero's eyes, an itinerary written in an unfamiliar but neat scrawl. Some destinations had been crossed out – clearly having been completed, save the last two – but it was the address scripted neatly near the top that drew Heero's attention, so different from the lists of eateries and tourist traps beneath it.
Ironworkers Barn Guest Houses.
Remus Lupin would have no need to utilize a guest house, not unless he had company over.
Heero took out his phone and dialed the phone number carefully penned under the address. Wufei and Trowa had already come to his side, eyes roving over presumably Lupin's scrawled notes with silent caution. Wufei had taken out his phone as well, and from Heero's angle, the former Wing pilot could see his friend opening up his phone's browser to do a quick internet search.
"We're sorry, the phone number you are-"
Heero hung up before the automated message could finish. "A dead line," he reported to the other two.
"I can see why," Wufei said a moment later, eyes reading over a news article he'd pulled up on his phone screen. "The owners were reported missing five days ago. The establishment has been shut down in the meanwhile."
Five days ago. It fit, in the most horrible way.
They piled back into their rental car in tense silence. It wasn't Preventers-issued, as their self-imposed mission was still considered personal. Wufei took over driving once again – judging Heero to be unfit for personal reasons, and now deeming Trowa equally unfit for animal-related reasons.
Heero watched Lupin's cottage shrink into the distance. He'd thought, at first sight, that Duo would have hated it; for all his eccentricities, Duo preferred a home with more structure. An English cottage that belonged in some bygone era would have amused the braided pilot, but it would not be something he'd ever pick for himself.
And no TV? No place to charge his laptop, or hook up any of his inane antiquated game systems he'd been salvaging for fun? There was no space to work in Lupin's cottage, no place to expand. Duo craved space, craved the possibility of growth that he'd bee denied for so very much of his life.
Lupin hadn't even bothered to get an extra cot.
Nothing about Yorkshire would appeal to Duo. Duo needed to be surrounded by life, by a city crowd he could blend into when the world felt like too much to handle, when the only thing saving him from his own mind was seeing people living their lives, no longer under the threat of war. Here, in untouched Yorkshire, Duo would have gone mad with the tranquility.
Duo's last moments could not be here.
Of course, Duo was not dead – because if he had passed, Quatre would know. Heero knew that.
But he also knew that there were many kinds of death.
Ironworkers Barn Guest Houses were a 40-minute drive from Lupin's place, set in a more remote location that afforded both luxury and privacy. The dirt road leading up to the establishment had been gated closed, likely by the local police force; Trowa had made quick work of the padlock, and then did the same for the front entrance.
The entrance itself was the home of the owners, a small home utilized for business. The front desk was humble but comfortable, pastel yellow couches crowded into a room shared with a paneled desk area where a desktop and piles of papers were collected. The elderly couple that had managed the place before their disappearance seemed to have updated their systems to electronic, but they also kept written records – a common trait among their generation.
The police report had noted nothing strange about the establishment in their notes. The couple's vehicle remained in its driveway, their belongings in their home, even their cellphones on their bedside drawers – but the couple was nowhere to be found, as if they'd been ghosted away.
Heero booted up the computer, relieved that the electricity had yet to be shut off, as Wufei and Trowa combed through the records.
"They haven't had a guest since last month," Wufei spoke up, flipping from one page in the roster to the next. "No guests are accounted for this month."
"The keys are all present as well," Trowa stated, standing before the wall of guest house keys – all eight were traditional, not a single card key in sight.
The police report had mentioned the same thing. There were no guests to be found on the premises, and none expected for the whole month of July. B&B places such as Ironworkers Barn could have walk-ins, but the police report stated there was none – now confirmed by the papers Wufei held.
Heero's attention went back to the computer. He'd verify the guest accounts, and then later, cross-section examine them with the local police's reports on the currently open missing persons files for the establishment's owners. If Lupin never returned to his cottage, this was their only lead.
It was quick work to break through the computer's security system, and Heero pulled up the guest check-in file without hassle. His pause, however, garnered his friends' attentions, and then he had two shadows over his shoulders as he clicked open the only active guest account.
[Customer #B625-3E]
Name: [L/N, F/N] Maxwell, Duo
Passport: #L28-XD2
Payment: Credit Card – Online. Accepted.
Duration: 10 July 196 – 20 July 196
Occupants: 1
Guest House: Guest Cottage 3.
Wufei's words were mild; his eyes were not. "Either they forgot to write down a guest they'd received for several days, or someone forged the last page of their written accounts," he mused.
"But why tamper with only the paper files?" Trowa returned.
Heero closed the computer. If needed, they could come back to it later – but for now, they needed to examine Duo's assigned accommodation. Trowa grabbed the keys designated for their next destination.
Wufei continued speaking, even as they moved as one in the direction of Guest Cottage 3. "They forge papers, they possibly abduct Maxwell-" Heero couldn't help the scowl that twisted his lips at that. "-but they can't break into a B&B's laughable attempt at computer security?"
It was an oddity. Forging papers took time, or it at least took more time then breaking into the establishment's electronic accounts.
"The owners could have forgotten to write it down," Trowa said, playing devil's advocate.
"The keys," Wufei pointed out. "They would not be at the front desk if they had a guest."
"They could be back-up keys," Trowa refuted.
"The police report never mentioned a missing guest," Heero interjected suddenly. "The electronic accounts would have been one of the first things they'd looked at. But they didn't."
Why? Police investigations could be shabby, and in such a small place like this, Heero wouldn't have expected anything stellar – but even the basics of investigation would have demanded looking at the guest lists. Had the police truly never bothered?
Guest House 3 was a simple refurbished barn. It was airy and modernized, aside from the outdated lock, but it sported a flat-screen TV and several electrical outlets, along with a simple kitchen. It was neat and orderly, an extremely light layer of dust settled over the otherwise tidy interior. It really was as if nobody had been here within the last week.
Wufei went up the stairs to check out the loft bedroom area, as Trowa moved to the kitchen and Heero padded into the living area. Nothing looked out of place: the furniture showed no signs of distress, the walls and floors were unmarked, and there was not one suspicious stain on anything. If anything had happened in the guest house, then whoever had cleaned it up was a master at home remodeling.
Heero's eyes skimmed over the magazines and newspapers laid out in an aesthetically-pleasing manner across the coffee table. He stopped on the newspaper, wedged between a fashion magazine and a country living mag; the date stamped neatly into the corner is what immediately jumped out to him.
AC 196 July 12.
Heero doubted the establishment's owners would be meticulous enough to deliver up-to-date newspapers to empty guest houses.
"He was here."
Heero believed that – honestly, truly believed that – but it was the fact that it was Trowa saying it that earned his attention. Wufei came down the short flight of stairs at the declaration, but there was no doubt in his expression either.
Even if there had been, it would have been gone the moment Trowa held up what he'd pulled out from one of the kitchen drawers.
Heero didn't need to pull out one of the blades he kept strapped to his calf to know it was nearly identical. They had been a gift from Catherine Bloom, both thoughtful and somewhat of a gag: matching pair blades, almost identical in weight and design. It had been a couple's gift – Duo had been ecstatic – but they were well-made, and the design was simple: Heero's inscribed with simple '1's on the butt of the handles, Duo's with '2's.
Trowa flipped the blade, handle held out to Heero as he drew closer. A simple '2', right there on the handle.
Duo would never have thrown a personalized gift away.
"They were able to subdue Maxwell," Wufei mused lowly. Heero nodded – if Duo had gone willingly, there would be no personalized blade left behind; Duo would have taken it with him, and would definitely have been able to conceal his own presence much better than whoever had been in charge of clean up. But if he'd been forcibly taken, then it was possible the blade had been left behind and mistaken as part of the guest house's cutlery.
An impeccable clean-up, but an impersonal one. The premises were clean of anything suspicious, but they'd left behind such obvious clues about Duo's presence. They tamper with paper files, but not electronic ones. Someone able to subdue a Gundam Pilot, and yet somehow not know that if they'd taken one Gundam Pilot, then the others would soon be on their trail.
"Lupin's records are spotty," Wufei suddenly spoke. "Almost as if he's spent most of his life off the grid. His home is archaic. Nothing electronic, aside from a radio and a rotary phone."
Wufei looked up and met Heero's eyes.
It took a lot to catch Duo unaware. In a remote barn in the British countryside, he'd be cautious of any approach. Duo was friendly, but he was not naïve; he'd never trust someone he'd just met, never put himself in a vulnerable position even if their blood claimed them as relation.
There was a cauldron in Remus Lupin's hearth.
"Wizards cannot use most technology," Heero stated.
Magic. That would definitely catch Duo by surprise.
End Chapter 7
A/N: Heero is getting angrier by the chapter… And Trowa's really just carrying around some small Eldritch abomination, but his friends now just know better than to pry.
Note 1: Breaking into Lupin's Cottage
-I think Remus would definitely have used Muggle-repelling charms on his personal abode, as well as anti-apparition wards - but clearly, the Gundam boys are neither Muggles nor apparating in.
-Trowa used his cat as an excuse to break in. "Could be sounds of distress" would be there excuse as to why they broke in, if they're ever asked.
Note 2: Werewolves
-The werewolf lecture Remus gave was largely pulled from the HP wiki, including the bits about the children of werewolves. Apparently Teddy Lupin was the only recorded (thus known) case of a child being born from one parent with lycanthropy. Basically, I'm going to use my Creative License~
Please be kind and drop a review! :)
