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Chapter 3

If You Try Sometimes, You'll Get What You Need

"Found 'em."

Moody smiled darkly beneath his bowler hat and glanced about before he sent the owl off to Dumbledore with his note. He simply said that he had found Potter and was going to get him then and there.

Looking up at the apartment building in front of him, he glanced down at the scrap of paper in his hands that bore its address. Nodding slightly, he stuffed the scrap into his coat then started towards the door that lead into the apartments. Before he could even reach out a hand to open it, however, it sprang open and a dark-haired girl rushed out laughing.

She skidded to a halt at the sight of him, nearly causing the tall, long-limbed boy who had apparently been chasing her to nearly crash into her back.

"Eep," she mumbled, staring at him.

"Aika-chan…" began the boy only to cut himself off as he saw Moody. He blinked, green eyes widening, and his mouth dropping open. Moody swore he saw a long, fang-like canine before the boy's mouth snapped shut.

"Hi," said the boy in English. Moody frowned at his accent, which was something of a mix of the Japanese accent and a British one. As if the boy had grown up around the two different accents.

Was this Potter?

"Hello," grunted Moody. He nodded at the apartment and asked, "You live here?"

"Yes," replied the boy, earning a stern look from the girl.

"Harry-kun!" exclaimed the girl, whose name Moody assumed was Aika.

The boy said something in what Moody assumed was Japanese to the girl, who huffed then stormed off down the street. He looked like he wanted to go after her but sighed and looked at the old Auror.

"You're from England, aren't you?"

Moody blinked. How did the boy know he was coming?

The teenager laughed harshly and said, "Well, I'm who you're looking for. You'll want to talk to Wi…"

"Mad-Eye?"

The boy and Moody looked up at the stairway coming down from the second floor apartment and saw William Chamberlain coming down them. William was of average height and rather stocky with thick brown hair and deep violet colored eyes. He had lectured Harry for three years running about what would be expected of him when he was to be discovered alive as well as on things within and without the Ministry of Magic. Including things he could very well get imprisoned for revealing – were he still a resident of the British Isles, that is.

"Chamberlain," growled Moody. "So this is where you disappeared to."

"Yes," said William lightly as he came to stand beside his foster son, who practically towered over him at 6'2. "I assume you're not here to find me, however."

Moody glanced at Harry, who stared back at him with a stoic expression, then looked back at the ex-Unspeakable.

"No."

"I thought as much. Harry, you should go on to sch…"

"I'd rather not," said Harry, not tearing his eyes away from Moody. "After all…he's here to take me back, isn't he?"

William looked stricken while Moody couldn't stifle his look of surprise.

This boy knew more than he'd bargained for. Perhaps even more than Dumbledore may have bargained for.

And there was something odd about him…

Something…off.

"Well," said William in a strained voice, "let's go upstairs. Harry, go ahead and tell Haia we have company."

"Hai," said Harry with a nod. He turned and vanished up the stairs, leaving William and Moody to follow at a slower pace.

As he watched the tall teenager jog down the walkway, Moody wondered why the boy wore a bulky hat and jacket in the slight heat.

- - -

"But, Alastor," said William an hour later as he sat across from Moody, "this is where Harry grew up. This is his home. It's all he knows!"

"Maybe," growled Moody. "But the boy's got a duty. You know that as well as I, laddie."

"I know. But just because I know that, doesn't mean I want to let him go. I love him like a son, Alastor. How can I just let him go to England?"

"Boy needs to finish his education. Aren't any good wizarding school round here, are there?"

"There are not many anywhere in Japan for many years," said Haia as she reentered the conversation with a tray full with a teapot and three cups. Her English was not as good as Harry's, Moody noted in silence, but it seemed to be well taught. "They were wiped out in war."

"War?" repeated Moody.

William nodded and explained, "When myself, Lily, and the rest of us were sent here, it wasn't on just some idle mission. We were sent here to help the Japanese Ministry and the Yokai with an uprising of a powerful Dark wizard."

"Hai," said Haia. She shook her head as she handed William a cup then said, "Yes. Lily and I became good friends. Good, good friends. She was a sweet woman, like her son."

"How did you get him?" asked Moody as she handed him a cup and picked up the pot.

Haia smiled and replied, "My friend Lily feared for her sweet son's life. She asked me and my William to keep him, to watch over him until conflict in your Isles was over."

"When she died," picked up William as Haia began to pour tea, "we forged Harry's adoption papers and he became ours."

"Does he…"

"Know the whole sordid history? Of course. We wouldn't hide that from him."

"'Course," grumbled Moody. "Well, you know what I'm here for."

"To take him from us," said Haia softly as she sat back, setting the teapot back down on its tray. She looked at Moody with her whiskey-colored eyes and whispered, "To drag him into your war."

Moody gave her a grim look and said, "Yes."

William sighed and said, "We really should have no say in this. His papers are forged, which means we're really not his guardians. And Black is still in Azkaban…"

"Escaped actually," said Moody. "Breakout last year. Dementors took the fortress and freed the imprisoned Death Eater's. Couple of other got out too."

"You think…Voldemort?"

"He had a hand in it. The Dementors don't just up and do something like that. They're told."

"And Black was released."

Moody just nodded.

"Well, that's great. I suppose we really have no choice in the matter of Harry going back."

"It should be his decision," said Haia, touching her husband's arm. "We should ask him what he wishes."

"I'll go," said a soft voice from the hallway.

Three heads turned and saw Harry standing there, still wearing his clothes from earlier. His hands were stuffed deep in the pockets of his coat.

"Harry, we…" began William, only to be cut off by the teenager.

"We knew this would come someday," said Harry softly. He looked at Moody and added, "I'll go. I've always wanted to see London."

Moody just nodded and grunted, "We'll leave in two hours."

Harry stared at the old Auror for a long moment then left the apartment, leaving the three adults alone.

Author's Note

Chapter title also from a Rolling Stones song. Same one as the previous chapter in fact.