The Dog Days of Summer

Harry looked up from a first year book on Transfiguration to see Sirius frowning at the stack of books Harry had piled onto his table.

"You don't have to push yourself," the wizard said softly, eyes troubled.

Flashes of the Pensieve ran through Harry's mind, but sharper than that was the memory of waking up to find all five of his brothers either standing at his bedside or curled around him. They were going to fight, because Harry couldn't escape it, not with the scar on his head binding his mind to Voldemort's. And because they loved Harry, they were going to do what they had sworn never to do again. They were going to wage war; Harry's war.

Harry reached forward and caught Sirius' hand in his own. The man's eyes widened, but he held Harry's hand gently. He was another person willing to fight – No, who was already fighting – for him. Harry gave him a bright smile. "I have you to make sure I don't drown in books. I'll be fine." He tugged until Sirius took the seat next to him. "And since you're here, you can help me understand the difference between animate and inanimate Transfiguration. It seems the same to me."

Sirius gave him an appraising look. "Wow. You're good, kid."

Harry made his eyes go big with pure innocence. "What do you mean?"

Sirius scowled. "Don't give me that. You're well aware that you have us wrapped around your little finger." Harry continued to stare at him angelically. Sirius sighed. "Evil. Pure evil."

Harry giggled. "More like genius."

"Sure you are, kid." Sirius laughed and pulled the book toward him. "Okay. Inanimate Transfiguration is a lot less demanding because it has a static fate. An animate Transfiguration will have to be more interactive with the environment. It's like a computer program, from what I understand. A program with one function is simple to create, but when it must perform multiple jobs, the program becomes more complex."

Harry sighed. "Great. Magical programming."

"Hey, don't be down." Sirius bumped his shoulder. "You'll get it. You're a self-proclaimed genius, after all."

"Oh, I am a genius. Just ask my brothers," Harry retorted, tossing his head haughtily. "If I'm having trouble understanding, the fault lies with my teacher."

"You little…" Sirius growled, blue eyes glinting with mischief, and transformed into a big dog. The teen went tumbling from his chair as Sirius attacked with slobbery kisses.

Harry laughed as he struggled to push the massive canine away from his face. "All right! I'm sorry! You're the smartest on the planet!"

The dog barked and sat back with a madly wagging tail, completely ignoring the pilot who approached from behind.

"I wouldn't go that far. He is a dog," Wufei drawled, standing over them with hands on hips and wearing a disgusted expression.

Harry grinned up at his brother. "I didn't say smartest person, but he is the smartest dog."

Wufei's lips curled in amusement. "Even that's pushing it."

The black dog growled and nipped at Wufei's ankle.

Wufei stared down at the animal with a death glare, and Sirius turned and fled with a whimper.

Harry laughed. "I was wrong. He's the smartest of all chickens!"

Wufei snorted and reached down to help Harry to his feet. "Back to your studies."

Harry settled into his chair, feeling much more uplifted. He pulled the Transfiguration text closer to him and let his pen fly over his paper as he took notes and jotted down his thoughts. It made much more sense to think of it like programming. Sirius really was a good teacher, and he was glad the wizard was on their side.

xXxXxXx

Taking a deep breath, Albus strode invisibly through the crowd packed into the small restaurant. Nervous anticipation built. For the first time in nearly fifty years, he was facing a situation that was near impossible to predict. It took a minute to find the table, partially because it was in a shadowed corner and partially because he didn't recognize the young man waiting there.

Even still, he was amazed he hadn't noticed the young man instantly upon entering the room. Two dark eyes followed Albus unblinking, the gaze carrying a weight as intense as Albus had ever experienced before. How could the man stare at him at all, let alone so intently? Albus was under the Disillusionment charm. Not even a wizard should be able to see through it. Who were these men Harry had gathered around him?

Suspicious and feeling a little hot around his collar as those eyes still continued to stare, Albus raised his wand to cast a privacy curtain around the table and removed the Disillusionment. The young man at the table watched all this impassively and spoke no greeting as Albus pulled out the chair across from him and sat down.

The young man wore a solid black Muggle T-shirt and blue jeans, but the casual attire did not hide his good posture or the way he seemed ready to spring into action at a moment's notice. More concerning was the fact that his hands rested under the table out of sight; Albus knew from previous encounters with Harry's "family" that those hands likely held a weapon of some kind. Although, it was reassuring to see the Pensieve resting unshrunk between them on the table. The luminescent swirl inside the basin suggested all his memories were in place.

"I am Albus Dumbledore," he greeted with a friendly smile. "I don't believe we've had an introduction."

The man's dark blue eyes remained impassive. They reminded Albus of the eyes of a hawk or wolf, open and primal, lacking all human sensibilities, and as the seconds stretched uncomfortably, Albus realized that he hadn't actually asked a question, only implied one. Another disturbing thought; clearly this man was a soldier in a different way than Winner and his husband had been. Perhaps his training was such that he was unable to speak unless asked a direct question? Before Dumbledore could try again, his companion finally spoke.

"I am Heero Yuy, Mr. Dumbledore. I'm Harry's primary guardian."

Albus held onto his smile, hoping to hide his increasing agitation. "Mr. Yuy, it is a pleasure to finally meet you."

Yuy tilted his chin, and despite the minimal gesture, Albus knew he was indicating the Pensieve. "This device was very effective. We appreciate the information you provided."

In contrast to Yuy's spoken gratitude, the young man's expression didn't shift a millimeter from the stoic visage he'd worn since Albus had laid eyes on him. He had to wonder how such a man could raise a child as emotional as Harry. Full of anger, fear, and desperation, the boy had constantly revealed himself to Albus. Although the few moments of stoicism Harry had displayed, which had seemed out of place on a boy as young as Harry, now made perfect sense if Yuy was his role model.

"It is my intention to assist you as much as possible," Albus said gently, hoping to remind the young man they were allies.

Yuy set a hand on the table casually, leaving the left one in his lap unseen. "I'm not here to discuss your intentions. I came to make you aware of reality, Mr. Dumbledore. Fantasy does not interest me and wastes my time."

"Fantasy?" Albus repeated, utterly confused. "I assure you that the memories were wholly factual…"

Yuy tapped the back of his knuckles against the Pensieve. "Inarguably the information you provided is essential to our campaign. However, the last segment highlighting the war had been constructed to leave an emotional impact, which seriously disturbed the youngest member of our group and could have potentially hindered our strategic judgment."

Albus' face blanched. "I had no idea that you'd let Harry view those memories. He is but a child…"

"Let me make this absolutely clear," Yuy interrupted. "Your judgment is compromised due to the faulty belief that you are able to predict the actions of others. You cannot predict what we will do. You will never be able to predict what we will do. Therefore, I must request that you keep your intentions to yourself. If we ask for information, give only information. Is this clear?"

Albus could only stare.

Yuy dropped his hand out of sight once more as he settled back in his chair, his gaze unremitting and predatory. "Our mission is to win this war, Mr. Dumbledore. No matter the cost. I will remove any obstacle standing in the way of success. Do you understand?"

Albus understood very well. Yuy was referring to him as the obstacle, and it had to be the most impersonal death threat he'd ever received. How could his every interaction with Harry's family go so wrong? Albus straightened his back and tried to salvage the situation. "I assure you victory is also my goal."

Yuy gave a neutral nod before rising. "Take your device. Your memories are stored within as you specified. We will contact you if we need anything in the future."

Albus nearly jumped out of his skin when a figure brushed by him to follow in Yuy's wake. The long braid revealed the presence he'd been completely oblivious to was none other than Duo Maxwell. Albus shivered. How could he not sense Maxwell standing so close during this whole encounter? Were these men immune to all magic?

Deeply disturbed, Albus gathered his Pensieve and dispelled the privacy ward. At least one good thing had come out of this meeting. He now had more confidence in the abilities of these men to survive a magical war. Perhaps these talents that defied all laws of magic and logic would be enough for them to do as they claimed and win this war.

"I hope so, Harry. I really hope so," Albus murmured before Disillusioning himself and heading back to Hogwarts.

xXxXxXx

Wufei eyed the witch standing across the table from him. She was young, not much older than Wufei, which was unusual for the high ranking position that she held. They'd been assured she was something like a captain in the Wizarding police/army. The fact that she was a woman made it all the more unusual. Wufei had long since evolved from the days when he'd been offended by a woman stepping outside a domestic role, but that didn't change the fact that woman in military commanding positions were few.

Still, he'd been willing to give this Tonks the benefit of the doubt. After all, she had carried herself well when he'd captured her and her commanding officer, but now she stood awkwardly, looking decidedly out of place in the modern conference room of Preventer HQ. The bright fluorescent lights, the gleaming technology, made her seem farcical in the old fashion robes she wore, while the way she stared wide-eyed at the projector screen displaying multiple 3D maps and her muddy orange hair highlighted her youth and made her seem inexperienced. Worse, she fidgeted nervously when asked a question, which suggested she was highly unsuited to handle the pressure that came with any military job.

This woman was a highly trained, combat-ready magical soldier? A captain in an army currently engaged in magical warfare? Wufei was so incredulous he could hardly work up any of his usual fury or disdain.

"Anything to add, Captain Tonks?" Commander Une asked archly, expression perfectly blank.

"That looks about right," the witch answered, color rising in her cheeks.

Wufei clenched his fists, anger beginning to burn its way through his system at last. It couldn't just look right. It had to be right. If this woman couldn't verify their intel, then they needed access to someone who could!

"Um," the witch hurriedly continued as Wufei glared. "I don't think we've ever tried to map where DE bases are located based on the location of their raids before, but, uh, that's because, with Apparating, portkeys, and floo, um, distance and location aren't really a factor."

Wufei narrowed his eyes first at the map – which indicated all DE activity in the last 24 months – then at the witch who stared back helplessly. "You could have mentioned so sooner," he voiced caustically.

Her flush deepened. "It's still good information to have, right? And, well, since we've never tried it, I, uh, thought it might reveal something we've missed."

Commander Une nodded. "You're correct. I hardly count this as wasted effort. Organization is never a liability."

Wufei personally agreed, but he could hear Duo's loud argument to the contrary that wasting time with an over abundance of inconsequential data has most definitely harmed missions. Sometimes decisive action was more effective. Wufei would never tell the braided devil that he had a point, but he figured it didn't apply since both Duo and Heero were leaders in this operation, so the mission would never be lacking in the action department.

The commander leaned over, her substantial chest straining against her uniform as her fingers circled the magical school where a student had died and thus marked the beginning of the terrorist, Voldemort's, return. That section of the map obediently glowed a faint yellow, highlighting the location. "This initial attack seems much more precise and goal oriented than the follow-up attacks, or raids as you call them. These raids seem geared only toward causing panic and have no material purpose. Are there any goals these attacks were meant to accomplish that we are unable to see?"

Tonks bit her lip, brow scrunching in thought. "The Dark Lord always favored psychological warfare as a tool to gain power over the populace. The DE want power, I know that, and causing fear gives them a lot of it, both magical and political. I don't know anything more specific than that. Except, um, the Dark Lord wants to be a ruler, like a Muggle king. He'd make half-bloods lesser citizens, Muggles and squibs slaves. There are rumors that he'd, uh, give some magical creatures, the ones that help him fight, um, freedoms they don't currently have in the magical community, but I'm not sure on the details."

"Is this Voldemort known for keeping his promises?" Commander Une inquired, attention focused solely on the young woman before her. This information could be crucial if they were to prevent the enemy side from gaining more soldiers.

Tonks shifted her weight, fidgeting under the intensity of the commander's regard. "I don't know, ma'am."

Wufei sneered in derision. "Your intelligence is pathetic. What exactly is your department's strategy? Wait around for the next attack?"

The witch visibly lost her temper, her hair miraculously shifting into a bright, hot red. "It's not like we have a surplus of informants! The Dark Lord may or may not keep his promises, but we do know that he rules with Dark magic and torture spells."

Wufei shared a meaningful glance with the commander. It was true that getting information on such a terrorist was difficult in the beginning, but it actually gave them a higher chance of securing informants as time wore on. There would be people pushed passed their limits who were desperate for protection.

Tonks shook her head, her hair fading back into a muddy orange. "No. I know what you're thinking, but even if a DE wanted to escape because of the abuse, they can't. The Dark Mark, the, um, magical tattoo on their arm, it literally connects them to the Dark Lord. He can find and kill them whenever he wants."

Wufei scowled at the injustice of it all. "Would they give us intel if we offered protection to their families?"

Tonks tilted her head, her eyes gleaming cat yellow. "Maybe." A slow smile spread across her face. "And I might have an idea how to go about letting the DEs know about that offer."

Wufei inexplicably found himself smiling back at the strange woman. He felt better about his slip when the witch continued to detail a rather subtle and devious plan to leak information to the populace.

Commander Une crossed her arms with a grimly satisfied look. "Contact your office, Captain Tonks. We have a plan of action."

Tonks saluted and turned to leave when her foot caught on a table leg and she nearly went sprawling. Hair flashing a rose color, Tonks scurried from the room without looking at either of them, clearly embarrassed. Wufei gave the commander an incredulous look, not sure what to make of the woman. He also didn't know what to make of the Wizarding world at large. Even leaving aside magic, the society itself was made up of contradictions and conundrums.

The commander shook her head, equally at a loss. "We need to get on top of this war before it gets out of hand. There will be three teams. Team Alpha will be led by Agent Yuy, mission goals of surveillance and intel gathering. You'll lead team Beta, Agent Chang. Your primary focus will be on defensive strategy and offensive tactics. Dr. Po will act as Delta's lead Agent. She'll be in charge of researching ways to cure magically inflicted wounds and ailments, as wells as managing supplies, weaponry, and equipment. At 0800 hours, I want all team leaders in this room to report on what they know so far."

Wufei snapped a sharp salute. "Yes, Commander."

xXxXxXx

It was officially summer: the children having departed that very morning on the Express. The castle hallways were quiet, and it never ceased to amaze Remus. As a student, he'd expected the school to be dark and empty during the long break. Instead, it radiated a sense of peace and comfort. This school was a sanctuary, and sometimes that was forgotten in the bustle of the school year.

Remus took strength from the sturdy walls and magic-rich environment, as he spoke the password and allowed the stairs to carry him toward Dumbledore's office. He was resolved to meet the Headmaster head on, and he stepped into the room with his shoulders straight, his expression firm.

Dumbledore looked up from a mound of paper work, a happy smile appearing on his face. "Ah, Remus, my boy. I am pleased to see you well after a year in the DADA position. Perhaps the curse has been broken at last! And it couldn't have been done by a better teacher. I've gone over your year's results, and I'm mightily impressed, Remus." The ancient wizard rose to his feet and came around his desk to claps Remus by a shoulder. "I told you from the beginning Hogwarts would be lucky to have you, dear boy."

"Thank you, Headmaster," Remus returned politely. His cheeks had warmed with the effusive praise, but his purpose still burned strong in his mind. "It was a joy to teach the students. However, I've come to tender my resignation."

Remus expected some expression of surprise or dismay, but instead the Headmaster sighed. Dumbledore's grip gentled as he stared at Remus over his half-moon spectacles. "Those young men of Harry's have recruited you, have they?"

Remus met Dumbledore's kindly gaze and refused to look away. "Yes, sir."

Dumbledore's hand dropped. "Very well." He sighed, turning his back and walking toward his window. "Keep an eye on them, Remus. Protect them as well as you can. They are the hope of the future."

Remus said nothing to that. He knew it would be pointless trying to explain that he was going to look after the boys because he cared about Harry, not because he cared about the "future" as Dumbledore saw it. So he turned and left without another word. It didn't feel like a goodbye. The castle would always stand there, its doors open, a sanctuary to all.

He enjoyed walking through the castle and out onto the lawn with a peaceful mind. There were no doubts in him, and it was a rare and precious feeling. Remus couldn't help but notice that when following Dumbledore of late he'd been constantly plagued with doubts. It was nice to finally be free of them.

With a smile, Remus stepped through the Apparation ward and off Hogwarts' grounds. He twirled on his toe and appeared across the country on a dirty street in London. Number 12 stood before him. Remus' smile grew wider. The front door opened and Sirius Black, his best friend and last remaining adult pack member, stepped out onto the stoop. His eyes sparkled with familiar mischief as he waved Remus across. This was the future Remus was fighting for. He only wished Dumbledore could understand that.

"Moony! Thank Merlin you're here! Quatre and Harry are on me at all hours with endless questions," Sirius was saying, his arm draped warmly around Remus' shoulders as he pulled Remus over the threshold and into the gloomy house. "Why this and what about physics and how does this fit in with modern science… I swear they're going to put me in an early grave! You were the brainiac of the group! Do something!"

And Remus laughed. It built up slowly in his gut, starting as a chuckle, before growing into full blown laughter. He was home.

xXxXxXx

Sirius dropped into a roll to escape the stream of flame that shot from Quatre's wand. The walls of the practice room were blackened from floor to about head height due to similar attacks. Coughing, Sirius waved his wand and dispelled the smoke while Quatre sighed and ran a hand through his hair. His wand hung loosely from his fingers, and his expression was the epitome of disappointment.

Sirius chuckled. "We've only been at this a month. Besides, it's not like a jet of flame isn't destructive."

"It is not the spell we are learning, however," Quatre responded, voice crisp. "Let me try again."

Sirius sighed. They'd been at this for nearly four hours, and if the last few days were any indication, they'd be at it for another four. Quatre had learned the Shield Charm and other defensive magicks fairly well, but every offensive spell became fire. They'd tried everything, from Quatre copying Sirius, to Sirius standing behind him and making the wand movements for him, to having Sirius act as a target to help Quatre focus. Fire was the only thing that came out of Quatre's wand when he tried to cast an offensive spell. They were both soot-smudged, sweaty, and smelled of ash.

Sirius strode across the room and placed a hand on Quatre's tense shoulder. "You can't expect to master everything in a few weeks. Your magic is fully mature, and that means that it will be harder to bend and mold. Not to mention your wand's very strong affinity to fire."

Quatre looked troubled. He lifted his wand and examined it carefully. "I don't understand why it won't do as it should. It is but a weapon."

Sirius shook his head. He curled his hand around Quatre's own, the wand held securely in both their fists. Quatre met Sirius' eyes in surprise, and Sirius gave him a look of exasperation. "A wand is not a weapon. It is not a gun or a knife. It isn't a tool like a hammer or a saw. Not anyone can pick this wand up and use it. It is attuned to you, as much as your own arm and hand, and like your body, it is closer to something alive than any mere object. It conducts your magic, something intimate and miraculous within you. It is a bridge, letting your will cross over to shape reality. You must work in concert."

Sirius could see Quatre's struggle to understand. He sighed and released the blond's hand. "Cast Protego again. Feel how your wand responds to your magic and will, feel how it takes that direction and comes alive, how it channels and focuses that powerful wish and your magic into reality. Feel how it works with you, organic in every way." He stepped back and circled around to Quatre's back.

The blond squared his shoulders and lifted his arm to shoulder height, pointing his wand forward. "Protego!"

Sirius could feel the shift in energy, could see the vague shimmer as a circular shield appeared before the blond as commanded. "Again."

Quatre obediently dispelled the shield and cast it a second time.

Sirius reached around his pupil and slapped his hand gently against the center of Quatre's stomach. "It starts here. In your center. The magic, the power."

More thoughtfully this time, Quatre cast again.

Sirius opened his senses to the magic in himself and his student. Fingers tingling, he ran his hand over Quatre's shoulder blade, across his shoulder, over the short sleeve and onto warm skin. He traced all the way down the blond's arm to his wrist where he stopped. "The energy flows, pulled toward your dominant hand, the hand of action. This energy is empowered, but not yet directed. It is still merely thought. It has not been born."

Quatre was breathing deeply, his eyes lidded, almost entranced, as Sirius curled his hand once more around Quatre's, both of them clasping the wand.

"It is here. In the warmth and core of your wand, in your hand, where you two must meet. The wand takes that magic and focuses it to a pinpoint. You must communicate with your wand, through gesture and word, so that together you can make reality bend exactly as you will it. Flame is the most natural destruction, but you want something a little different. Communicate. Feel it. Don't use your wand. Make it an extension of yourself."

Quatre's hand, guided by Sirius, dipped into the pattern for the spell. Magic built in the air, making it difficult to breathe. Quatre was whispering now, saying the spell with perfect enunciation. Reducto… Reducto… Reducto… Sirius gritted his teeth and closed his eyes. A fourth pass through, still with no release. A fifth, then the shift happened.

Quatre's intent sharpened. The wand moved, one with Quatre's hand, and the blond shouted, "Reducto!"

Pure force burst from the wand and slammed into the opposite wall. The room rattled, a sound like thunder rumbling through the small space.

"You did it!" Sirius cheered excitedly.

Quatre spun to face him, eyes lit from within and grinning from ear to ear. "Thank you!"

Sirius blushed, suddenly deeply embarrassed.

A knock sounded at the door and both of them turned to see Harry peek his head in. "Um, I finished that essay about the Boil-Cure Potion, and Remus approved me trying it with your supervision."

"All right. I'm coming." Sirius looked over at Quatre. "You should get some rest. You're doing well."

Quatre gave him a gentle smile. "No rest for the weary. Go tend to Harry. I'll be fine."

Sirius shook his head at the blond's stubbornness and stepped out into the hallway to see Harry waiting for him, his green eyes expectant. Sirius draped an arm around the teen's shoulders as they made their way toward the library. "You're in cahoots with Quatre to run me ragged, aren't you?"

"I could probably look up a potion to give you more stamina if we're wearing you out," Harry offered with complete innocence.

Sirius barked a laugh and ruffled the teen's hair. "Stamina… I'll show you stamina…"

xXxXxXx

Duo shadowed his partner as the temporarily red-headed Heero darted down the crowded Wizarding street. An angry man in opulent robes was giving chase, literally screaming curses at Heero's back. Duo's mission was to make sure Heero didn't get cornered and to pray he wouldn't witness his lover die by some horrific spell right in front of him.

Ah, who was he kidding? Praying may be the extent of his mission, but Duo wasn't about to let Heero get nailed. He'd cornered their resident expert on all things wizardly and demanded a few tools to ensure Heero's survival during their little jaunts. Heero wouldn't approve the ammunition Sirius had provided him, considering part of the mission parameters was to keep a low profile.

Under no circumstance could they be recognized and linked to Harry while provoking and stealing from wizards and witches on Diagon Alley. They'd learned the hard way during the last war how important reputations could be. They'd been heroes and things had been hard enough, but as soon as the public marked them as terrorists things had been impossible.

Sirius had looked at Heero as if he were crazy – which Duo had to admit, his lover probably was – when Heero informed him of the plan. "Why in the world would you do that?" Sirius had asked, expression comically baffled.

"We need to test the average witch and wizard's reaction times," Heero had explained patiently. "To familiarize ourselves with the spells they rely on most. The success of our mission might depend on our ability to accurately predict what a wizard will do."

Sirius had sighed. "And tromping down to Diagon to pickpocket and mug the general populace will let you do that?" he'd asked dubiously.

"Partly," Heero had answered and proceeded to ask Sirius to change his hair to red. Red because no one else on their team had that hair color. It would defeat the purpose if he were mistaken for Quatre or Wufei while pirating.

So here Duo was, following after an irate wizard as he tried his best to kill or maim his partner. Duo snickered as, without magic, Heero managed to evade the wizard's every spell. He ducked and dodged, using buildings and people as shields. The wizard had already hit a few bystanders, but other than outraged cries, no one had retaliated in kind. In fact, it seemed the average witch or wizard seemed very reluctant to engage in magical duels.

This was the first of Heero's victims who had actively pursued Heero and who had cast more than one or two spells in an attempt to stop him. Which was good, Duo was in no danger of Heero dying. On the other hand, he wouldn't get to use any of the neat stuff Sirius had given him, and he could feel his lower lip begin to jut out a bit in a pout.

Heero finally lost his pursuer and ducked into a shop selling cauldrons. Duo slipped in behind him after confirming no one was following. He found Heero casually walking down the aisles, stopping to examine a cauldron every thirty seconds or so. Duo silently ghosted down the aisle opposite Heero's so that they could talk face-to-face without drawing attention to themselves.

"How'ya doin?" Duo asked absently, still scanning the store for anything suspicious.

There was no response from Heero, even though Duo knew his partner had heard him loud and clear. Frowning, he watched as Heero's hand dexterously darted forward to deposit the stolen goods into a cauldron. Instantly the large iron pot began to glow a shockingly bright yellow.

"Hey! Don't mess with the merchandise!" the elderly wizard shouted irritably as he moved in the direction of the glowing cauldron. "Not unless yer buyin' it."

Heero's response was to dart toward the door.

The old wizard shouted after him, using very descriptive language. Duo watched, concealed in the store's many shadows, as the wizard cast a few spells at the cauldron Heero had violated. The shopkeeper frowned and reached in to pull out a small, velvet bag. When he retrieved a golden coin from inside, his expression transformed into the classic goldfish look; bulging eyes and rounded mouth.

Duo slipped out of the shop, careful to open the door just enough to slip through so as not to ring the bell. The wizard stood enraptured with his sudden wealth and didn't notice his departure.

He found Heero hunched over his knees, sitting on a curb just inside the mouth of a nearby alley, looking for all the world like a bored street kid. Duo leaned against the brick wall at his side and watched the happy, ignorant pedestrians walk by. "What's a matter?"

Heero shook his head.

"It has its perks," Duo persisted. He glanced down at his lover to see Heero scowling furiously at the passing people. "They won't interfere."

"They will," Heero countered, practically growling the words. "We'll have to be extremely careful of them. They'll need constant protection."

"There's those wizard police," Duo shrugged. "That's their job."

Heero snorted contemptuously, and Duo had to agree with Heero on that point. He hadn't seen a single Auror respond to the many thefts they'd pulled. This was their third hit on Diagon; surely the street must be on alert. But they'd hit no resistance. It was like stealing from a flock of helpless, bleating sheep. And these people were supposedly at war. There was evidence of fear, but not the kind that led people to become paranoid and protective. Instead, the fear made these people wide-eyed and helpless. From what they'd seen, civilian wizards were most likely going to freeze or panic during an attack, which marked their survival rate as very low if they were to be caught in any kind of conflict.

Only a very, very few would be inclined to stand and fight. And so far, they had no way to tell how effective or able a civilian would be even if they did stand and fight. It seemed that the general populace was conditioned or bred to passivity. Those that had a more aggressive personality had already been either claimed by this mysterious Wizarding police force or recruited to the Dark Side. That made the civilians a liability at best and a pretty huge handicap at worst.

"We'll just try to limit our confrontations to low population zones," Duo offered. He squatted so that he could lean his shoulder against Heero's. "Wizards seem to prefer isolation. These shopping districts are the exception."

Heero sighed again, but this time to dissipate his frustration. "True. I have yet to see Wizarding suburbs."

"We'll have Sirius go over some maps with us. So we can get a better understanding of where these people live."

Heero nodded, on a mission once more. He stood and easily merged with the crowd, heading toward the Leaky Cauldron and Muggle London.

Duo smiled ruefully at his partner's back before following in his wake.

xXxXxXx

Trowa watched from the doorway of their bedroom. Quatre, blond hair uncharacteristically mussed, was slowly stripping. His golden skin glistened in the low light, indicating yet another rigorous round in the spell room. Inhaling gently confirmed his suspicions. Trowa could smell smoke and ash. In a fluid movement, Trowa silently slid into the room and shut the door behind him.

He was nearly on top of his husband when Quatre turned around, a smile on his lips. "Tro…"

Trowa slid a hand into his husband's disheveled hair and slotted their mouths together in a hungry kiss. Quatre made a noise of surprise, but he clung to Trowa's shoulders, his hips canting instinctively to bring their bodies together.

"Wha…" Quatre gasped when their mouths parted wetly.

"I always felt like your empathy brought us closer," Trowa whispered. He ran his hand down Quatre's lean chest and stomach. His eyes never left his love's as he ever so slowly began to work the clasp on his husband's pants. "But magic..."

"Trowa…" Quatre's face was flushed, his eyes dazed.

Trowa penned him in place with an intense look, willing his emotions to get through to the blond. Lust, love, envy, and possessiveness; Trowa felt like one of the animals he loved so much. He felt like growling and throwing Quatre on the mattress, making it perfectly clear that this beautiful body belonged to Trowa alone. It was overwhelming and a little bit frightening. Trowa had never felt so violent toward his lover before.

"This force that lives inside you, that makes such miraculous things happen, I can't touch it. I can't be a part of it." His words built into a fury Trowa didn't know what to do with. "You're spending more and more time shut away in there. And it drives me crazy to see you come out drenched in sweat with this glow of satisfaction…"

Trowa gave Quatre a firm shove and the blond went toppling onto the bed with a cry of surprise. He was completely erect and perfectly naked. Before Quatre could sit up or make a move, Trowa was crouched over him. Quatre arched, grasping the sheets in reaction as Trowa began to leave little bites down his torso, his green eyes blazing.

No more words were exchanged between them. Trowa made sure to sample every inch of the man he'd spend the rest of his life loving. He fought for every cry and gasp of pleasure. He licked and sucked and stroked every sensitive patch of perfect skin until Quatre was a writhing mess, sweaty and panting, and hardly coherent. It was then that Trowa, barely holding on, gently lifted Quatre's leg, settling it in the crook of his arm, and pressed deep inside Quatre's burning hot body. Two thrusts and they were both screaming hoarsely.

And still Trowa refused to stop. He pushed through the orgasm, the agonizing pleasure of it. He pushed, pushed, pushed until he was hard again, trembling on the cusp of a second explosion. Quatre was hoarse, mouth open but unable to make any sound. His hair was soaked with sweat and clinging to his forehead and cheeks. His body surged with Trowa's, pliant and throbbing with every ragged beat of his heart. Trowa slipped out of Quatre's body and, for the first time in the six years they'd been together, Trowa turned Quatre over onto his stomach.

Quatre gasped and pressed up onto all fours, lifting his hips as if starving for his return.

Trowa grabbed him by his hips and slid home. Dripping sweat, he forced his trembling muscles to move in firm, rhythmic strokes.

"Gods! Trowa!" Quatre's whole body arched, and he made a high, whining noise in his throat. His back bowed, graceful as a bird's wing, and released his second orgasm into the sweat-soaked sheets.

Trowa rode Quatre's tight channel until he couldn't stand it. He gave a hoarse cry and released into his husband. Stars burst across his eyes and a veil of black came down over his overloaded mind.

Awareness faded in slowly. Trowa opened dazed eyes to find himself spooned behind Quatre, his chest practically glued to the blond's back. Damp hair tickled his nose, and their legs were intertwined to the point of loosing circulation, but Trowa couldn't bear to move.

"There would be no magic without you," Quatre whispered, voice raspy. "You light me up inside, Trowa Barton-Winner. You and I are forever."

Trowa smiled, a blush staining his cheeks. "Duo would never leave us in peace if he heard you talking like that," he rasped, voice husky.

Quatre smiled against the bare skin of Trowa's arm. "Good thing he's not here, then."

Trowa laughed as his eyes slipped closed. For the first time in weeks, he fell into a deep, peaceful sleep.

xXxXxXx

Remus entered the bedroom he shared with Sirius, pausing when he noticed his roommate already in the room. Remus' primary focus was Harry's tutoring, while Sirius focused on training Quatre for battle. The blond's stamina was extraordinary and he usually kept Sirius occupied until late, well into the early morning hours. This was partially necessary due to Quatre's morning being occupied with Lucius Malfoy of all people and some legal battle with Dumbledore for reasons Remus still didn't fully understand. He felt Harry's family was being too paranoid, and that this effort was unnecessary and extremely risky considering Quatre's exposure to Malfoy.

"How's Harry doing?" Sirius asked. He propped his head up with his hand, but otherwise he didn't move from his reclining position on one of the two twin beds in the room. Grimmauld Place had been intended as a small town home for the core Black family. It didn't come close to the sprawling manors Purebloods were famous for, thus the need to double up.

Remus turned to the closet and began to strip out of his day clothes. "Very good. He's very intelligent and diligent for his age." He frowned and pulled on a night shirt over his pants. "Still, even with putting in ten to eleven hours a day, we're cutting it close. It's been a month since he started studying, and we've covered only a little more than half of the first year curriculum. At this rate, he'll barely be at a third year level by the end of summer."

Sirius sighed and let his head fall back onto his pillow. "I'm just glad they're planning to let Harry attend Hogwarts at all."

"We can't keep him locked up in Grimmauld Place, isolated, forever," Remus countered as he lay out on his bed. It felt good to lie down. "It's not healthy. And, as Quatre said, it will allow Harry the chance to meet people like himself and give him a chance to make friends."

"You mean allies," Sirius snorted. Remus lifted an eyebrow as he caught the glare Sirius wore. "Everything these guys do has strategic motives. Even when it comes to Harry."

Remus chose not to comment, but he rolled onto his side so he could better observe his friend. Something was clearly wrong with the other man. "What are you doing in here? It's not even midnight," he probed, hoping to find an answer to the black mood Sirius was in. "Quatre release you from the dueling room early?"

Sirius flushed and flung an arm across his face, hiding his expression from Remus. For the normally outspoken man, silence always indicated something disturbing.

"What happened?" he asked again, quiet and insistent.

"Let's just say Quatre and Trowa needed some quality time."

Understanding dawned and Remus shot his friend a sympathetic look. Due to his condition, Remus had spent a large about of time in the Muggle world, which was significantly more accepting of homosexuality than Wizarding society. Sirius, having grown up in a Dark Pureblood home would have a harder time than most with the idea. Remus could only imagine the disgusting things Sirius had been taught by his families.

"I just pretend not to know," Sirius confessed. "Compared to Azkaban, most things just fade into unimportance. But whenever I walk in on them or catch then doing anything remotely romantic, I feel sick." The dark haired man sat up, swung his legs over the side of the bed so that his back was to Remus, and hung his head. "You know what my parents thought of men like that. Unnatural and disgusting doesn't even begin to cover it. My mother would have castrated us, no joke, before me or Regulus even thought to touch another man like that. It was ranked lower than sleeping with animals, Remus."

Remus sat up, fury in his eyes. "You're being too hard on yourself. Merlin knows your family was twisted and sadistic, but you turned away from them. You've made huge leaps to break free from your family's views, and this is your first exposure to homosexuals. It'll take time to break free from the indoctrination you were put through at a very young age. You see these men as people. You respect them. That wouldn't be possible if you were succumbing to prejudice."

Sirius spun, eyes clearly displaying how sick he felt and how desperate. "That's not good enough! If Harry finds out I feel this way about his family for even a moment, he'll never forgive me! Let alone if he finds out that I vomited after walking in on Heero and Duo, and that I occasionally cast cleaning spells on things they've touched when I have a fit of anxiety!"

Remus sat straighter, shocked by Sirius' confession. He'd had no idea it was that bad. Sirius was always so damn good at covering what he was really feeling with a grin, that sometimes it was impossible to know his true state of mind until Sirius snapped. Remus got to his feet and put a supportive hand on Sirius' shoulder as his friend caught his breath, avoiding Remus' eyes in shame.

"It's partly this environment, Siri. This is where you learned to think that way. I can take care of Harry and Quatre for a few days. Why don't you get out, get a change of scenery, and help the Muggle's with their Wizarding knowledge. You promised them you would, didn't you? I'm sure President Peacecraft and the boys' Commander will appreciate any input you can give them."

Sirius nodded. He ran a shaking hand through his disheveled hair. "Yeah. Yeah, maybe you're right. I don't handle being cooped up very well, and we've been here for weeks now."

Remus could imagine. After Azkaban, he wouldn't be good with it either. Feeling sharp pains for how much Sirius was suffering, how unfair it all ways, Remus spelled the lights off and prayed for sleep to come.

"Do you think I'm disgusting?" Sirius asked quietly in the dark.

"No!" Remus barked out. He clenched his hands in his sheets and gentled his voice. "Sirius you're one of the strongest, best men I've ever known."

The sound of rustling blankets met this proclamation, a soft sigh, and then a whisper. "Thanks, Remus."

xXxXxXx

Harry woke with a jolt as someone shook his shoulder. He swept his arm out, catching the offending wrist on his forearm. He knocked it aside and came to his feet, hands up.

"Kid. It's just me," a gentle voice came from the figure in front of him.

Harry shook his head, trying to clear the cobwebs of sleep from his mind, and felt his braid shift comfortingly across his shoulder blades. His glasses were pressed into his hand. He slipped them on to see Sirius. The wizard was smiling at him in the way that told Harry Sirius thought he was being cute or adorable or some other embarrassing adjective.

To escape the look, Harry turned back to the desk he'd been working at and scowled at the book he'd fallen asleep reading. "Where's everybody?"

Sirius didn't answer at first, and Harry snuck a glance at him. The wizard was running his hands through his hair in agitation. "They're securing Remus in the basement. Snape has been sending a potion that lets Remus keep his mind during the transformation, but they don't want to take any chances," Sirius explained bitterly.

Harry looked down at his books, biting his lip. He didn't like the idea of chaining Remus up. Harry had come to really like of the soft-spoken, intelligent man. He hated that Remus had to go through this, but… "It really is better safe than sorry. For Remus' sake, too." They both knew Remus would never be able to live with the guilt of hurting any of them. Harry flashed back to Heero going down, disappearing under the monster's bulk, and shivered. Nausea churned his stomach.

"Hey." Sirius pressed a hand to his back. "It'll be fine."

Harry peeked up at Sirius through his bangs. He saw the concern on the wizard's face and offered a smile. "Wanna go raid the kitchen?"

Sirius smiled back. "Sure, kid. Sounds good."

Harry practically leapt down the stairs, grinning as Sirius protested that he was cheating. He ran into the kitchen and almost collided with Duo, who hooked him around the waist and spun them to disperse his momentum.

"Wow. I know you're a teenager, but you can't be that hungry. We just had dinner two hours ago!" Duo exclaimed with a laugh.

Harry elbowed him in the stomach playfully to escape his lose hold. "And what are you doing in here?" He asked, hands on hips as he mock glared at his brother.

"I'm… um…" Duo scratched his head, face scrunched in thought. His expression cleared and he flung up a hand in triumph. "I'm cleaning!"

Harry stepped closer, narrowing his eyes behind his delicate wire-rimmed glasses. "Are those crumbs around your mouth?"

"No! Nothing to see here!" Duo waved his hands in front of his face dramatically and bolted from the room.

Sirius jumped out of the way to let him pass and looked at Harry questioningly.

Harry laughed, shaking his head. "Duo got into the cookies again."

Sirius huffed. "I don't know how that guy doesn't weigh two hundred pounds."

"Like you?" Harry asked sweetly, batting his long lashes.

"Hey!" Sirius lunged, catching him up in a tickle attack.

Harry laughed. He let it continue for a few more seconds before freeing himself. "Let's make hot chocolate for everyone. The real kind. With pots and cream and cocoa chunks."

Sirius ruffled Harry's hair. "Good plan, kid. Save me some for tomorrow."

Harry turned and looked up at him. "Why tomorrow?"

"I just came up to say goodnight. I'm going to be with Remus tonight."

Harry felt worry stab at his guts.

"Don't be that way. I used to do this every full moon when I was in Hogwarts, without Remus being on a magic potion!" Sirius gave Harry a brief hug, one more smile, and transformed into Padfoot. The big black dog wagged his tail and gave a playful bark before disappearing out of the kitchen.

Frowning and feeling a little abandoned, Harry returned to the task of making the chocolate drink. It was almost ready when Quatre and Duo came in.

"Smells good in here," Duo complimented as he took a seat at the kitchen table.

"It does," Quatre agreed as he too sat down. "And don't worry about your teachers. They are both fine. Trowa is staying with them tonight, just to make sure."

"Heero and Wufei?" Harry asked, coming to the table with three mugs. Duo put an arm around Harry's shoulders when he sat down, and Harry leaned into his side gratefully.

"They are staying at HQ tonight," Quatre answered. He took a sip of the cocoa and gave Harry a brilliant smile. "This is delicious, Harry. Good job."

"Why are they at HQ?" Harry asked, blushing and feeling warm from the praise.

"It seems Sally made a breakthrough with treating magical ailments." Quatre drummed the fingers of his free hand on the table. "A chemical she has created actually breaks up magical residue, even removing weak level curses from patients. Heero and Wufei are trying to find out if the chemical can be used offensively."

Harry nodded. "That's good." He took a long sip of his hot drink and let his eyes fall closed. He'd been pulling long hours studying in an attempt to make it into fourth year with his peers by the start of the next school year.

Duo's hand gently stroked down his braid, further putting him to sleep. "Rest. I've got you, little brother."

xXxXxXx

Relena looked up from her tablet and the report slowly scrolling up the screen as she heard the door to her office open. Her heart skipped a beat as Sirius entered wearing a roguish grin and carrying a small tea tray.

"Did someone order room service?" the man asked, blue eyes bright and teasing.

Relena rose and came around the desk, heading for the couch set aside for short breaks like this. "Why thank you, Sir Black. That's very thoughtful of you."

Sirius' grin got impossibly wider. He set the tray on the low coffee table and swept a low bow. "Shall I pour, my lady?"

"Please," Relena answered, sitting primly and giving a regal incline of her head, but she ruined the game by laughing.

"Gotcha," Sirius smirked. He took up the seat next to her, passing over the delicate tea cup.

Relena sighed. The tea tasted heavenly. "Is this magicked?" she asked, eyeing him curiously.

Sirius leaned back, lounging comfortably. "I don't know what you mean, my lady."

"Of course not." Relena set her tea on the saucer. "How was your meeting with Commander Une?"

Sirius shrugged. "She's pushy, but after dealing with Wufei and Quatre, it didn't seem that bad."

Relena laughed. "I bet not!"

Sirius eyed her, his smile falling from his face. "You really love them."

"You don't?" she asked in return. Sirius had shown up a week ago and ever since had spent most of his evenings and nights at Preventer Headquarters. She'd known that something had driven him here, and now she wondered if it had been the boys. Sure enough, Sirius looked away at that question, clearly upset about something.

"Stay there," she ordered. Relena stood and moved toward her desk. Pressing a few buttons on a remote there, the curtains drew themselves closed and a picture swung aside to reveal a large screen television. She typed at her tablet, pulling up footage from six years ago. "Some of this you most likely read about during your search for Harry and the research you did on his guardians, but…" Relena sighed. "Seeing is believing, isn't it?"

Sirius watched the footage from the war, of the Gundam battles, silently. He saw the records of the damage done to the colonies and Earth. He listened to the audio of the boys during their fights, heard the desperation and witnessed their repeated brushes with death.

Relena watched him instead of the screen. She was sad that another person had to be taken back to that horrible time, but she also knew Sirius was struggling with something, and if he was going to work so closely with the Gundam Wing pilots, then he had to understand a few things about them. And she was satisfied when she saw the understanding and sympathy dawn in his eyes as he realized just how much those men had suffered and sacrificed, and why they were so close to each other. Even after watching this, after living it, Relena and Sirius still couldn't understand everything they had gone through. Only those five could truly understand. That was why they were so close.

"Thank you," Sirius whispered into the dark room as the screen went black.

Relena went to his side and held his hand in hers. "They can be hard to deal with. Trust me. I understand completely."

"They were so young," Sirius turned to her and gently laid his cheek atop her head.

Relena blushed, attraction spiking in her blood, making her nipples hard. She bit her lip, afraid to say anything in case he heard it. But then he was pulling away. She looked up into Sirius' shadowed features and recognized lust in his eyes. Boldly, she tilted her head back, lifting her mouth. Sirius sucked in a quiet breath, and then he kissed her.

It wasn't a simple peck, not like all of Relena's other kisses. No, this one curled her toes. Sirius' kiss was open-mouthed, wet and dirty, and burning. Relena gasped as they parted, opening her eyes and finding her hands clenched in his shirt. There was energy in the air, magic. Sirius kissed her again, this time pressing her down onto the couch. She gasped and arched, pressing her breasts against him. She felt herself get wet when a soft growl rumbled in Sirius' throat.

Sirius' long fingers tangled in her thick brown hair and pulled it out of its bun. His other hand came up to her blouse and tugged it out of her slacks. As soon as his hand came in contact with her stomach, she gave a small cry. Buttons were coming undone at an alarming rate. Relena stared, wide-eyed and panting, as he revealed her chest to the open air. Before she could panic, his teeth and lips were pulling and sucking at her breast. Relena slammed her eyes clothes and rode out the waves of sensations overcoming her. She gasped and cried out, moving as his hands pushed and pulled. His fingers slipped inside her, his thumb toying with her clit. Relena arched into his body and came into his hand, a scream caught in her throat.

Dazed, trembling, she gasped in breaths as he rose to all fours over her and opened his pants. She felt tremors spark along her nerves as he stared into her eyes. She looked down to see him working himself. Soft groans escaped his lips, and her eyes shot up to his face, to watch as orgasm overcame him.

Relena had never experienced anything like this, and she wasn't quite sure how to react. They sat in silence, catching their breaths. Gentle fingers swept over her cheek before dropping to stroke her still exposed breasts. She stared into Sirius' face and was shocked at how relaxed and peaceful he looked.

"You're so beautiful," he whispered. Sirius lifted his blue eyes to meet hers. "Ms. Peacecraft, would you consent to a date with me?"

"Yes," she answered, still rather dazed and overwhelmed. "Yes, I'd like that."

The grin reappeared on Sirius' face. "Good." Then he kissed her again.

Chapter end.

A/N: Sorry for the long delay. I promise it won't be that long again, but RL has become a thorny maze. Hopefully I haven't lost any readers or disappointed anyone. I will always try my best.

A/N2: This has not been BETAed. Anyone interested in checking spelling and plot development for this story?