Spring Break among the Stars - Part One

Mannd

Still don't own... (sigh)

"Vernon," Petunia stood in the living room door watching her husband as he read through the London Post, "I'm going to take the boy after supper so we don't have to worry about him in the morning and then go shopping for bit."

Vernon looked up at his wife and grunted, "good idea, Pet," he said.

Harry looked up from the kitchen table where he was working, his aunt had told him to get all his homework done tonight and he was on his last assignment. He was enjoying the more challenging classes of the 'special education' group that he was in. He stoically put up with the constant teasing of Dudley of being slow and stupid. Uncle Vernon just smirked at him acting like he knew it all along that Harry was only pretending to be smart and stealing his answers from other people. When Harry was finished with his math assignment, Petunia glanced over it and she put it in his book bag. He quickly washed his hands, set the table and helped her put the finishing touches on the meal.

HPGWHP

Harry sat nervously in the car as Petunia drove past Magnolia Drive and out of Garden Housing Development. "Harry..." Petunia said slowly, "how much can I trust you?"

Harry blinked, "I don't understand, Aunt Petunia."

"If I tell you a secret, can you keep it, no matter what?" Petunia clarified as she pulled onto the highway.

Harry thought about the pilots and how he was keeping their secrets, "I can keep secrets."

She looked at him out of the corner of her eye and nodded her eyes looking ahead at the busy intersection to make sure she got on the correct interchange, "what I am going to tell you must never get told to Vernon, Dudley or Marge," she caught his nod again, and then sighed, "your mother and I were best friends up until she went away to a special school,"

Harry's eyes grew huge, Aunt Petunia never talked about her sister, his mother, "I wasn't allowed to go to that school and I became very jealous and angry and..." she stopped feeling shame at her actions. She blinked as a small hand was place on her hand as it rested on the console between them.

She turned her hand over and squeezed his, then put it back on the stick, "For years, I made her miserable when she would come home, and whenever she tried to talk to me, I couldn't... wouldn't…" she broke off, "I can't tell you the rest yet, but know that in the end I loved Lily and no matter what I say when I am around Vernon, I want you to remember that."

"Okay, Aunt Petunia," Harry said.

"Also, you can't tell anyone where you went over Easter break," she said and Harry's eyes grew huge as he saw the airport in front of him.

GWHPGW

Petunia calmly took the ticket from the garage guard and parked, then opening the trunk, picked up Harry's old book bag and handed it to him. Taking his hand, they wound their way through the cars and crowds. Harry was glad she had his hand as he stared at the planes and shuttles while they took off and landed. She smiled at him as she watched the wonder on his face; she led him to several rows of seats and sat, pushing him to the large windows to watch the action outside.

After almost fifteen minutes later, "Mrs. Dursley?" Petunia looked up at the blue-eyed teen in front of her, "I'm Duo Maxwell."

She considered the teen in front of her for a moment then stood up and held out her hand to him, he blinked then shook it, "may I ask where exactly he is going, how safe he will be, how he is going to get home and when?"

Duo rocked back a bit on his heels then realizing the validity of the questions she asked, indicated that she should sit, "I am going to take him to a friend, Quatre Winner," she nodded recognizing the name, "he is going to take him to L1, another friend of ours is there. Trowa works at a circus, but right now he doesn't remember us and we are hoping that seeing Harry might jar something. As to safety, he will be as safe as any one of us can be right now," he waved his hand to the crowds at the airport with security and OZ soldiers everywhere, and she nodded knowing that they were in a war now, "but know that Quatre, Trowa and myself are trained and will protect him with our lives."

"Trowa..." Petunia tried to put the name with the terrorist pictures and realized that she couldn't, "he has green-eyes."

Duo nodded, "as to him getting home, Quatre will bring him back here, in eight days."

"He will need to drop Harry off at Arabella Figg's, Harry knows the address," Petunia said nodding, "we won't be home until two days later," Duo nodded his understanding, "promise me he will be as safe as you can make him," she said.

"I promise," Duo said, touching her hand and she searched his eyes before nodding again.

"Here is his passport, temporary guardianship papers, medical papers..." she trailed off handing him the envelope, "I can't think of anything else." she turned to the window,

"Harry."

Harry turned from watching a shuttle disappear from sight, "Duo!" he came over and hugged his friend, Duo ruffled Harry's hair.

"Harry," Petunia said gaining the boy's attention, "this is for you," she handed him a thin envelope, "it isn't much, but..." the boy took the envelope with his eyes growing huge at the money that she was giving him, and suddenly she had a boy in her arms. She quickly bowed her head to his hair and took a small smell, he had Lily's scent and something else.

Petunia remembered Lily's scent very well. Until Lily went to Hogwarts even though they shared a room the two more often than not would share a bed so they could whisper and giggle together until their mother would come up and scold them into going to sleep. Even though she had been angry at Lily when she left for Hogwarts leaving her behind, Petunia would often grab Lily's pillow and sleep on it, her sister's scent comforting her in her loneliness. "Duo has your passport and other papers," she said pushing the boy back slightly, "have a good trip and have fun!"

HPGWHP

Harry watched with some excitement and a thrill of fear as Duo fastened him into the co-pilot's seat of a small plane. Duo's admonishment not to touch anything was firmly in his mind as he stared at the huge number of dials, switches, buttons, monitors, lights and gages. "How do you keep it all straight?" Harry asked, making Duo laugh and ruffled Harry's hair.

"Here, kid," Duo handed him a clipboard, "you run down the pre-flight checklist with me, and I will show you." Harry took the clipboard and pen that Duo handed him, "now read off the interior stuff."

Harry quickly realized that everything was grouped in sections, engines switches, lights and gages together, but next to fuel gages. Directional indicators were next to the autopilots controls. Harry didn't think he'd ever be able to keep it straight if it were up to him, but he kind of understood things better, "ready?" Duo asked as he received clearance for take off. Harry took a deep breath and after securing the clipboard and pen where Duo indicated, nodded. Duo grinned at the quick in drawn breath and then the excited whoop of excitement as the plane quickly left the ground.

The flight was over too quickly for Harry whose mouth dropped open when a black limo met them at the steps. A very large man came out and stood by the door, Harry, standing on the stairs leading to the tarmac, gave a small whimper and disappeared back into the plane. Duo blinked in surprise, then nodded to Rashid to wait a moment and went looking for Harry. He found Harry curled up in a ball between a crate and his gear. "Harry?" Duo asked, crawling forward and picking up the shaking figure, and putting the boy on his lap, "what's wrong?"

"He's so big," Harry said through chattering teeth, "like Uncle Vernon."

Duo cursed himself silently, he should have realized that Harry would be afraid of big men, "Rashid is a very good friend of Quatre's and will never hurt you."

"Promise?" Harry asked in a small voice.

"Promise," Duo said and Harry after searching Duo's eyes nodded.

When Rashid recognized the fear in the boy's eyes and had moved back to the driver's door, letting Duo guide the boy into the limo. Harry spent a happy twenty minutes pushing buttons, turning dials and opening and closing compartments. Rashid opened the window that separated the driver's compartment from the passenger's and engaged Duo in small talk, who pulled a slowly relaxing Harry into the conversation. When the limo stopped, Rashid opted to remain in the vehicle until the boys were in the mansion. He followed with Harry's backpack, frowning at how light it was for an eight day trip. He put the bag in the room that Harry would be sleeping in, and then went looking for his sister; she had a boy about Harry's size.

Harry looked around the estate in awe; the huge conservatory was filled with a riot of colorful flowers, floral scents and multi-hued birds. He quickly darted down a path to explore; he found a fountain, waterfall and a small pond filled with exotic fish. Duo quickly filled Quatre in on Harry's reaction to Rashid, and the two teens quietly discussed the problem as they watched the boy explore.

Harry refused to go into the music room, saying he was afraid that he would break something until Duo (with Quatre's permission) began pounding on the piano keys making jangling noises. Harry giggled, moved in closer and leaned on the bench and watched as Duo stopped making the horrible noises and began playing a beautiful piece. "I taught myself on the organ at the church," he shrugged when Quatre exclaimed in delight. Then the two had an impromptu to duet; Duo on the piano, Quatre on his violin. Harry clapped as the two came to a flourishing end, "Dinner, Master Quatre, Master Duo, young Master." Rashid said from the door, and Harry leaned against Duo for a moment before swallowing hard and walking up to the man holding out his hand.

"My name is Harry Potter," he said trying to hide the small trembles in his hand as the large man looked down at him then knelt and solemnly, but gently, took the boy's hand.

"My name is Abdul Rashid," he said, releasing his hand, "it is a pleasure to meet the one who helped Master Quatre when he was injured."

Harry blushed, and grinned up at the man and darted back to Duo's side. Duo slung his arm over Harry's shoulders and led him into the small breakfast room that Quatre used as a dining room. Rashid began to leave the room after he made sure the three were seated, "aren't you going to join us?" Harry asked, shyly pointing to the empty setting next to him. Rashid looked at Quatre who quirked an eyebrow at the large man, and Rashid slid into the seat.

HHGWHP

Harry woke instantly the next morning when the door to his room opened silently. He watched as someone came towards the bed, wondering whom it was and if he was in trouble, "you awake, Harry?" Duo whispered.

"Yeah," Harry whispered back and Duo clicked the bedside lamp on low, "you leaving?"

"I have to do some things and meet a few people. The war should be over soon, the way everything is coming to ahead," Duo laid down on the bed and Harry scooted next to him, laying his head over Duo's heart and listening to the calm and steady beating.

"I know you can't promise not to die," Harry said softly, "but can you promise to be safe?"

Duo was silent for a moment, "I can promise that," he said, "besides I think Heero would kick my butt if I died." Harry watery giggled, then sniffed as a tear streaked down his cheek, "don't cry kid," he said softly, "I'm the god of Death and too wily to die."

Harry gave another watery giggle and Duo gave him a one armed hug and kissed the top of his head, Harry yawned and slipped back asleep.

Comments and Criticisms Welcomed

Edit 2 '11: Wow, I can't believe how bad the spelling was in this. I am sooo sorry. I hope it is much better now.