A/N:

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Surprise!

Yes, I'm still alive. No, I haven't abandoned my stories.

See you again soon!

xXx

Learning

Quatre shuffled into the bedroom much like a zombie. Every muscle felt heavy and numb from overexertion. With Sirius caught up full time with his work as a spy among the Death Eaters, Quatre had been forced to hire a combat instructor. Of course, Quatre believed in nothing but the best when it came to hiring teachers, so he'd gone straight to the DMLE. As luck would have it, the most qualified expert in the field was a retired agent by the name of Alastor Moody who just so happened to be an Order member. After coming to an agreement regarding payment, Quatre visited the slightly deranged man ten hours a day, three times a week. It took all of Quatre's stamina, cunning, and determination in order to survive ten hours locked in combat with the sadistic ex-Auror.

Lost in thought and dead on his feet after one of the torture sessions that Moody called training, Quatre didn't even notice as his husband snuck in behind him. With gentle hands, Trowa began to help Quatre pull off the sweat-soaked robes. They worked in silence to strip him down before heading for the shower.

Trowa settled his love under a spray of almost too hot water, stripped, and climbed in behind him. Carefully, he soaped his hands and gently massaged the tender muscles under his hands. Quatre gave a low moan of pain, but Trowa knew Quatre would hurt ten times worse tomorrow if he didn't continue.

An hour later, the blond was tucked into bed, golden hair damp on his pillow. "How was your day?" Quatre asked in a husky, sleepy voice.

"I made contact with the Squib Guild as we planned and met the Squib Representative, Sheila Fairweather," Trowa murmured quietly, not wanting to disturb the peace. He was lying on his side next to his husband, head propped up with his hand. "They were surprised to hear I was a Tamer. There is a facility called Innoxia in Romania where Tamers from all around the globe go to hone their skill and practice their craft. In all the world, there are only fifty or so Tamers at any one time, so they like to stay in contact. Some Tamers live there permanently, or as permanently as Tamers live anyway. Sheila explained that Tamers tend to be very transient."

"You don't seem to mind living in one place," Quatre murmured, opening his eyes to gauge his husband's expression. He was too exhausted to use his Empathy.

Trowa didn't answer for a long minute. His dark green eyes fathomless as he stared down at Quatre's beautiful face. "I like that we move between the colonies pretty frequently." He gave a minute shrug and continued. "Turns out preparing materials for wand makers is only a small part of what Tamers do. They actually go into the wilds and collect the magical materials to make wand cores, either from willing beasts or from deceased ones. If wand makers do acquire core material from persons not Tamers, they must solicit the facility and pay for a Tamer to prepare it for them, or the material will be unworkable."

Quatre smirked and allowed his heavy eyes to fall shut. "So Ollivander was trying to cut in line by offering you work without going through Innoxia? And hoping for a cheaper price from the ignorant Tamer as well, I bet."

Trowa smiled. "Apparently." He reached forward to softly caress Quatre's cheek. "Will you talk to me about Harry?"

Quatre's brow furrowed and he stubbornly remained silent.

"Please..." Trowa whispered, begging.

"I'm ashamed of myself," Quatre finally admitted, stubbornly refusing to open his eyes. "My first reaction was disappointment. I have many sisters. So many that I don't really know them all personally. The title sister has become almost meaningless. The sisters I'm closest to are more like mothers, so I was jealous that Harry saw you as his mother and not me. That he saw me as merely a sister."

Quatre cracked open his eyes to stare up at Trowa. His love's face was soft with sympathy, and Quatre shut his eyes again, rejecting that softness. He didn't deserve it. "I knew immediately that I was being stupid. I know firsthand how much Harry loves me, loves us all. He loves us individually and in different ways, yes, but I know for a fact that he doesn't love any one of us more than another. I've never known anyone to love as much as Harry. And that my first reactions were disappointment and jealousy would have hurt Harry terribly."

"Quatre," Trowa said into the silence. He leaned down so that he was pressed against Quatre's side, his face mere inches from the blond's. His breath ghosted across Quatre's mouth and cheeks. "You punish yourself constantly for being human. The fact that mere moments after feeling those things you let them go and no longer felt them doesn't matter to you at all. Nothing matters to you as much as we do."

Quatre opened his mouth, probably to argue, but Trowa silenced him with fingertips resting gently at his lips.

"For example, you instantly put aside your projects when we needed to come to Earth for Harry. Even now you haven't once checked in on your corporation. You've dedicated yourself to another war, when you have sworn to never be involved in battle again. You didn't even hesitate, even though I know it is hurting you to be amongst bloodshed and the aftermath once more. You haven't even thought about it twice or regretted it. You're self-sacrificing to the extreme."

Tears had leaked down Quatre's cheeks by this point. He felt saturated with Trowa's adoration and devotion. His lover's deep voice soothed an ache deep inside his heart. Every word, every gentle touch of those fingertips, made him melt a little more.

"Does this sound like anyone else we know? A little boy perhaps?" Trowa asked, humor striking through the words. "Harry thinks of you and Duo as sister and brother because he sees himself in you two the most. He resonates with you in a way he does not with me. He is comforted by me, nurtured perhaps, but he understands you and Duo the best. You are made from the same cloth. That is a true brother or sister."

"But..."

Trowa lifted an eyebrow, halting Quatre's words. "Don't you remember? It was through a sense of brotherhood that you, Duo, Heero, Wufei and I became a family to begin with. When you meet someone who is so much like you, who can understand you at a deeper level than a mother or a father, sometimes even closer than a lover could ever be, it is a powerful and sacred bond. You and Duo share that with Harry in a way that Heero, Wufei and I do not."

"Trowa..." Quatre reached up and pulled his husband down for a burning kiss. Their lips parted and Quatre smiled. "I love you. You know that, right?"

Trowa smiled and gently slid his fingers over Quatre's beautiful blue eyes, shutting them. "Rest, love."

xXx

Wufei walked confidently down the busy London street. Heero stepped out of the shadows and walked beside him. The Chinese man gave his brother a sideward glance. "Are you sure it is wise to leave Duo at the school?"

Heero kept his gaze forward, moving with perfect efficiency as they made their way to HQ. He said nothing, but his silence wasn't a sign of doubt. It was a sign of contempt for the question.

Wufei sighed. "I do not mean to be insulting. Duo can get restless when he is separated from you on missions, and he has reacted violently to the use of magic several times since we've arrived."

"Duo will watch Harry. If he harms anyone in the process..." Harry flashed Wufei a cold look. "We are at War."

Wufei didn't say anything to that. He remembered their last War so vividly. It was a living, breathing thing inside all of them that only sometimes slept. Back then, Wufei had been obsessed with Justice. So certain he could right every wrong without committing a single crime himself, but he was wiser now. There was no escaping evil when engaged in something like War. There could be no Righteousness. There was only Necessity in War. People, even innocent people, would get hurt. It was unavoidable.

Still... Wufei squirmed inside at the idea of Duo, a dangerous Child of War, on the inside of a school filled with innocent children. Soldiers had no business at school, which was one of the reasons he could never bring himself to stay on at a University himself. Not to mention their standing with the magic users was fragile.

Deep in thought, Wufei followed Heero into the impressive building that served as HQ. People bustled around with papers held securely in their arms, carrying briefcases, and mobiles held to their ear. The two young men weaved through the traffic with ease and made their way to the security check. The soldiers there came to attention, saluting with respect, as the two young men stepped up for a full body scan.

It had been discovered that magical disguises often disrupted modern technology, so glitches or static on the screen was monitored very closely instead of ignored. So far, it proved to be a very successful strategy to detect magic on persons trying to get higher up in the building. They had already caught one Death Eater and two Aurors so far.

Heero and Wufei passed inspection and pushed the button for the top floor. The doors closed and a loud cacophony of sound exploded around them. Heero ducked and had his gun in hand instantly; Wufei braced himself and drew his sword. Black eyes met blue, and the two soldiers returned their weapons to their holsters and sheath as deafening metal music continued to play.

There was no doubt in either of their minds that the new elevator music was courtesy of Duo Maxwell, who had likely been bored when he had followed Heero to HQ. Thinking back, it had been at least two days since Duo had been in the building and still the geniuses and experts employed by the Preventers could not undo what Duo had done.

"Are you sure he'll be fine at Hogwarts?" Wufei asked again.

Heero said nothing as the music surrounded him with sound and passion. He slanted a glance at his partner. "You mean will the school be fine." Heero turned his eyes forward. "The answer is I don't care as long as Duo and Harry are safe."

Wufei sighed. It was to be expected, but he couldn't agree. In fact, he didn't agree with anything concerning this War, and it really bothered him.

During both phases of the Gundam Wars, Wufei had found himself at odds with his chosen family, his chosen brothers. He'd fought them, even tried to kill them. He still felt that heavy regret deep in his soul. To Wufei, these four men were more than comrade-in-arms. They were his family, his Clan. And yet he felt pulled to an opposite position once more. Against his brothers whom he was closer to now than ever. They had even raised a child together. The Clan's only child. Harry was the future of Wufei's small family. It made the idea of going against his brothers more reprehensible than ever, but Wufei could not deny the growing unease he felt about the direction they were moving. The choices the others were making.

A memory, sharp and clear, rose up and overwhelmed his mind.

He was sitting in the cockpit of his beloved Gundam. Earth was large behind him, the gravity well pulling him in toward the shinning blue gem. Hot determination, almost desperation, beat through his veins, filled his mind. And on his screen Heero's Gundam approached. The great white metal wings moved with grace, granting Heero's Gundam a maneuverability unmatched by any other man-made machine. And still Wufei threw himself against his brother, against the Gundam that had once fought beside him and protected him in battle. Now Heero was an enemy.

"The more you fight, the more sacrifice for peace becomes a waste," Heero's voice had called over the com. "You must have realized that! The war we fought is over!"

Wufei had attacked, launching his deadly metal dragon tail. Had Heero not turned just right, Heero's Gundam would have lost it's arm. As it was, a breast plate dented in and nearly pulled off. "So are you saying that soldiers who know nothing but how to fight get discarded? I'm acting for the people who got used as weapons! I'm acting on the behalf of all soldiers! Including yourself!" Wufei had screamed. Their weapons clashed. "I do not accept Relena Peacecraft's ways. Her idea of peace is obtained by throwing away all weapons and confining soldiers. It's wrong!"

Gravity had pulled them ever closer. The violence and heat of their free fall had made Wufei's Gundam vibrate until the feeling became almost a sound, shaking him to the bone. And still Wufei had been able to hear Heero's relentless voice calmly cutting through his rage.

"Unless we stop this process now, more soldiers like ourselves will become necessary. If that happens, history will continue to repeat itself. Wufei, tell me, how many more people must we kill?" And with that, Heero had dropped into the ocean, escaping Wufei and leaving him feeling more confused and lost than ever.

Wufei literally shivered as the memory released him. He had been the one screaming for War back then. He'd been so consumed by fighting that he'd been unable to conceive of an identity that didn't revolve around battle. He'd been terrified of putting down his weapons. He'd been terrified that without War he would cease to exist.

And now he was fighting again.

And he could feel the same instinct burning in him now.

It urged him to break away from the others. That he was right and everyone else was wrong.

But Wufei had learned his lesson during the last War. Not even if he thought it was for their own good or the good of the War would he risk standing on opposite sides again. So he pushed down on that voice inside him that urged him to rebel against their decisions and fight this War his way.

There was a cost, however. Silencing those feelings made him anxious and tense. He was desperately unhappy and wished this whole thing was over.

With a soft bing, the blaring music cut off and the doors opened. Heero stepped off the elevator without pause. Wufei usually paced him at his side, but his thoughts had distracted him. He had stepped off the elevator a second or two slower than Heero, so now he was a few steps behind his partner, following in his wake, watching his back as Heero strode ahead. Wufei mentally grimaced. It wasn't a good omen.

xXx

It had been almost a week since Duo had taken up residence at the school, and aside from his startling introduction, assisting the Muggle Studies professor three classes a week, and eating dinner with Harry every evening, Duo kept out of sight. He had spent every spare moment exploring the magical castle and only now did he feel completely confident that he had a good understanding of the layout.

Comfortable and secure for the first time since arriving, Duo could turn his full attention to the occupants of Hogwarts. Harry hadn't had any more problems with staff – Snape was still being a good boy and keeping away from Harry. The Gryffindors had wisely chosen to keep their distance as well – except for a particularly disturbed red-headed youth by the name of Ron Weasley. Harry still remained neutral and spoke against discrimination of any kind against Slytherins, but in spite of a distinct lack of support from any of the other students on this topic, Harry was quickly making friends across the four Houses.

Duo was currently stalking the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor underneath Harry's invisibility cloak. Duo had fallen in love with the cloak instantly and practically twirled Harry around the room when the boy had offered him full access.

"It's not like I need it right now," Harry had said with a shrug, not even hesitating to share the priceless heirloom from his birth father.

Duo loved that kid.

Anyway, back with the new professor, one Alastor Moody, AKA retired Auror, AKA active Order of the Phoenix member, AKA Kitty-Cat's new dueling instructor three times a week, ten hours a day – one day of which Duo knew he was scheduled to simultaneously teach at Hogwarts.

When brought to Dumbledore's attention, the old wizard had laughed merrily. "Alastor is a wily old goat. It doesn't surprise me in the least. I know three ways off the top of my head that would allow him to be in two places at once, and probably a dozen more if I really thought about it. Pay it no mind, young man. Alastor has my full confidence."

Naturally, Duo wasn't the least bit reassured by Dumbledore's words. He was all too aware of things like Polyjuice. There was a chance that Moody was not Moody. Quatre had told him that, when confronted, his Moody had become enraged and demanded Quatre mind his own business or their arrangement would be terminated. Quatre hadn't pushed. He was getting good instruction and Duo was in place to keep an eye on the Hogwarts-Moody. Which Duo was doing.

Professor Moody scowled and stomped his way toward the Defense classroom, his claw-footed peg leg clacking with every fast step. Duo stalked along in the mad professor's wake, nimbly dodging talking and milling students. There were rumors about the Defense Professor flying about, and the students who've had class with him returned subdued and wary of the wizard. So much so in fact that the students now left a wide space around the old man in the halls, which made it easy for Duo to follow him under the invisibility cloak without risk of bumping into kids. Considering all this, there was no way Duo would let Harry attend his first Defense lesson with Moody alone.

Moody – with Duo invisibly behind him – entered the classroom to find the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw fourth years already waiting with their books out. Moody grumbled and stomped up to the teacher's desk at the front of the spacious and sunny room. Duo moved silently into a shadowed corner and crouched, settling in.

"You can put those away," the old wizard growled. "You won't be needing books." Moody sat heavily in the teacher's chair and faced the silent students. "I don't know what you've heard about me and my class, but we'll be focusing on Defensive spells, not theory."

A hushed murmur swelled through the class as the teens put up their books. Duo noted that most of the girls in the room and a few of the boys looked pale. Harry, on the other hand, looked interested. Duo smiled wolfishly, proud of the teen.

x

"I'm here to bring you up to scratch on what wizards can do to each other. I've got one year to teach you how to deal with the Dark." He clapped his gnarled hands together. "So – straight into it. Curses. They come in many strengths and forms. Now, according to the Ministry of Magic, I'm not supposed to show you what illegal Dark curses look like until you're in your sixth year. You're not supposed to be old enough to deal with it until then. But Headmaster Dumbledore's got a higher opinion of your determination - " Moody shot the Hufflepuff side of the room a challenging glance before shifting that heavy gaze to the Ravenclaws " - and intelligence."

Harry knew Professor Moody was Quatre's dueling instructor and he was excited to see what he could learn here. A glance to the side showed him that Hannah looked pale and nervous, and he flashed her a reassuring smile. She straightened in her seat, giving a weak smile back.

"The Headmaster reckons you can handle it, and I say, the sooner you know what you're up against, the better. How are you supposed to defend yourself against something you've never seen? A wizard who's about to put an illegal curse on you isn't going to tell you what he's about to do. He's not going to do it nice and polite to your face. You need to be prepared. You need to be alert and watchful." Moody got up out of his chair and stomped his way to the front of his desk. He leaned back against it and scanned the class with his one normal eye and the other swirling magical one. "So do any of you know which curses are most heavily punished by Wizarding law?"

Several of the Ravenclaw hands rose into the air, but it was the lone Hufflepuff that Professor Moody called on. "You there!"

Susan Bones stood up, back straight and face set. "There are three Unforgivable Curses. If cast, that wizard or witch will spend a life sentence in Azkaban."

"Very good. Bones, right? Amelia Bones' niece?" Moody stared hard at the brunette.

"Yes, sir," Susan answered surely before taking her seat again.

"Your aunt taught you well." Moody barked out a laugh. "Dark wizards should fear tangling with her, that's for certain!" Turning back to the Ravenclaw group, Moody flashed a toothy grin. "Can any of you name a single Unforgivable?"

Anthony stood readily. "The Imperius Curse, sir."

"Ah, yes," Moody murmured. He reached into his desk and pulled out a glass jar. Three black spiders were scuttling around inside it. Hannah and a few other girls gasped quietly into the silence. Harry grabbed her hand tightly under their desk. Moody reached into the jar, caught one of the spiders, and held it in the palm of his hand so they could all see it. He then pointed his wand at it and muttered, "Imperio!"

The spider leapt from Moody's hand on a fine thread of silk and began to swing backward and forward as though on a trapeze. It stretched out its legs rigidly, then did a back flip, breaking the thread and landing on the desk, where it began to cartwheel in circles. Moody jerked his wand, and the spider rose onto two of its hind legs and went into what was unmistakably a tap dance. Harry frowned and looked around at the class. Some of the boys were smiling slightly, but most of the faces looked solemn.

"Total control," said Professor Moody quietly as the spider balled itself up and began to roll over and over. "I could make it jump out the window, drown itself, throw itself down one of your throats . . ."

Hannah shuddered and leaned more heavily into Harry's side. Ernie on her other side pressed in close, boxing her in between them. Harry squeezed her hand comfortingly, but he was intent on the lesson and Moody.

"Years back, there were a lot of witches and wizards being controlled by the Imperius Curse. Some job for the Ministry, trying to sort out who was being forced to act, and who was acting of their own free will. The Imperius Curse can be fought, and I'll be teaching you how, but it takes real strength of character, and not everyone's got it. Better avoid being hit with it if you can."

"CONSTANT VIGILANCE!" Moody barked, and everyone jumped. He picked up the somersaulting spider and placed it back into the jar. "Anyone else know one? Another Unforgivable?"

Ravenclaw Stephen Cornfoot stood. He was trembling slightly, but he spoke clearly. "The Cruciatus Curse."

"The Cruciatus Curse," Moody echoed back. "Needs to be a bit bigger for you to get the idea," he said, pointing his wand at a different spider. "Engorgio!"

The spider swelled. It was now larger than a tarantula. Harry held his breath, and it seemed everyone else in the class did so as well.

Professor Moody raised his wand again, pointed it at the spider, and muttered, "Crucio!"

At once, the spider's legs bent in upon its body; it rolled over and began to twitch horribly, rocking from side to side. No sound came from it, but Harry was sure that if it could have given voice, it would have been screaming. Moody did not remove his wand, and the spider started to shudder and jerk more violently. It looked like it was being electrocuted, the pain clearly agonizing. Hannah broke, giving a loud sob, and turned her face into Ernie's chest. He held her tightly, face pale and eyes huge. Other girls began crying. Hufflepuff Wayne Hopkins covered his face so he couldn't see it, and Ravenclaw Michael Corner had both hands over his mouth as if he were about to be sick.

"Stop it!" Harry shouted. "We get it, Professor. Please let it go."

Moody stared hard at Harry, but he did lower his wand. The spider's legs relaxed, and yet it continued to twitch.

"Reducio," the Professor muttered, and the spider shrank back to its proper size and was put back into the jar. "Pain," he said softly. "You don't need thumbscrews or knives to torture someone if you can perform the Cruciatus Curse . . . That one was very popular once, too, and will be again." Moody studied the pale and frightened teens arrayed before him. "And what is the last Unforgivable Curse?"

Dead silence. Harry looked around. Every single eye was turned toward him, but still no one spoke up. None of them would voice the last curse. Harry sighed and turned his eyes back to the Professor. Moody was also staring intently at Harry. Without standing, Harry spoke the answer.

"I'm guessing it's the one that killed my parents."

"Ah, yes." Moody had a slight smile twisting his lopsided mouth. "Yes, the last and the worst. Avada Kedavra . . . the Killing Curse."

He put his hand into the glass jar, and almost as through it knew what was coming, the third spider scuttled frantically around the bottom of the jar, trying to evade Moody's fingers, but he trapped it and placed it upon the desktop. It started to scuttle frantically across the wooden surface.

"Avada Kedavra!" Moody roared.

There was a flash of blinding green light and a rushing sound, as though a vast, invisible something was soaring through the air – instantaneously the spider rolled over onto its back, unmarked but unmistakably dead. Several of the students stifled cries. Hannah actually screamed.

"Not nice," Moody said calmly, ignoring the distress filling the classroom. "Not pleasant. And there's no countercurse. There's no blocking it. Only one known person has ever survived it, and he's sitting right in front of me."

Harry met his stare, face a mask like Heero had taught him. The faint sound of a woman's scream echoed deep in his mind. Almost as shrill as a tea kettle. That was how his parents had died. It took all his willpower not to touch his scar. It stung like a dozen bee-stings.

Moody finally turned from Harry. "Avada Kedavra's a curse that needs a powerful bit of magic behind it – you could all get your wands out now and point them at me and say the words, and I doubt I'd get so much as a nosebleed. But that doesn't matter. I'm not here to teach you how to do it. So why did I show you? Because you've got to know. You've got to appreciate what the worst is. You don't want to find yourself in a situation where you're facing it."

"CONSTANT VIGILANCE!" he roared, and the whole class jumped yet again.

"Now . . . those three curses – the Killing Curse, the Imperius, and the Cruciatus – are known as the Unforgivable Curses, remember, and will land you a life sentence in Azkaban if you use them. That's what you're up against. That's what I've got to teach you to fight. You need preparing. You need arming. But most of all, you need to practice constant, never-ending vigilance. Get out your quills . . . copy this down . . ."

They spent the rest of the lesson taking notes on each of the Unforgivable Curses. No one spoke until the bell rang. Hannah stood up and leaned heavily on Ernie, the two slowly moving into the hallway like something wounded. Harry looked around and saw Susan helping Wayne walk, his legs and hands trembling. Justin strode ahead to the clump of Ravenclaw boys – Terry, Michael, Stephan, and Anthony – who were whispering frantically, dissecting the lesson and the demonstration. The Ravenclaw girls, Mandy, Morag, and Lisa, were also walking in a tight group, but they were silent and pale.

Su and Padma approached Harry. Su gave a slight bow that Harry returned, and he felt into step with the two girls. As soon as he was in the hallway outside of the classroom, he felt an invisible hand on his shoulder squeeze briefly before releasing him. Duo had been there. Harry lifted a hand to ruffle his messy bangs – the sign that all was well – and used the excuse to press his palm firmly into his scar.

"What did you think of the class?" Padma finally asked.

"I think it was informative," Harry answered, dropping his hand and meeting her dark eyes. "The school seems so disconnected from reality. A month ago a thousand people died in those Death Eater raids. Even though we are kids, we really do need to be prepared to face what's happening out there. We can't stay locked in here forever."

"Once bitten by a snake, one is afraid at the sight of a mere rope," Su spoke softly.

It was a famous Chinese proverb, and Harry considered it as they made their slow trek to the Great Hall for lunch. He thought of the prejudice shown the Slytherins. Were they the rope and the Death Eaters the snake? Where the kids just taking out their anxiety and fear on the only target in reach? Maybe displaying power over the Slytherin minority made them feel powerful, made the real threat seem less, but that was dangerous because it was an illusion. Defeating the Slytherins in school did not suddenly make you strong enough to confront or survive a Death Eater. They were not the same thing at all, which just proved that the Slytherins did not deserve to be treated badly. Slytherin students and Death Eaters were not synonymous; thinking that way would get these kids killed.

"A good scare is worth more to a man than good advice," Padma countered.

"Edgar Watson Howe," Harry muttered, recognizing the quote. The girls looked at him with impressed eyes. He smiled back. "I agree that fear is natural and healthy. It keeps us alive. It prevents reckless behavior. It also teaches us respect. We fear to disappoint our parents, so we learn from them. We fear we won't live up to our potential, so we work hard. But there is a type of fear that is poisonous, a fear that turns to mindless hate, and that's the fear that seems to grip this school."

Padma nodded thoughtfully. "But what if fear of the Slytherins gives people caution and saves their lives? I know you think that the Slytherins here are just kids and harmless, but they have done really cruel things. Furthermore, they speak of doing cruel, dangerous things in the future."

"Collective fear stimulates herd instinct, and tends to produce ferocity toward those who are not regarded as members of the herd," Su stated, adding to Harry's argument.

Harry grinned. "Bertrand Russel."

Su smiled, pleased he recognized it. "Yes."

Harry laughed. "I've got one even better. 'You can't be angry when you create a monster and then it knocks down a few buildings.'"

The girls were quiet for a few minutes. They shared a look, but neither of them knew the answer. "Who said that?" Padma finally asked, eyebrow arched curiously.

Harry's eyes sparkled with humor behind his glasses. "Duo Maxwell." He offered his arms, which the girls accepted with a giggle. "And he's right. We need to stop transfiguring our Slytherin ropes into true snakes. It seems to me that they are driven to evil by the school's expectations and unequal treatment. I have only been here a month and I have seen with my own eyes Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs, and Ravenclaws doing and saying cruel things, but they are eventually forgiven. I don't know about you, to me that seems designed to make teenagers pissed off and evil."

The girls were thoughtful as they were led to their table by Harry Potter. They had to admit, he had a point.

x

Duo didn't head to the Great Hall with the rest of the horde. He slipped instead into an unused, dusty classroom. He pulled off the Cloak of Invisibility and stuffed it into his bag before settling cross-legged on the ancient teacher's desk. Perverted thoughts about Heero naturally flittered through his mind, and he licked his lips as he called his lover's name.

Heero's face appeared on the mirror in his hand. The blue-eyed man was standing in what looked like Preventer HQ's bathroom from the tiny white and grey tiles in the background. Heero's face was well lit, unlike his own, which he knew was shadowed in the dimly lit room.

"Report," Heero said in his customary monotone.

"Straight to business then?" Duo asked cheekily, grin wide and eyes playful. "Blow me a kiss if you've missed me."

Heero did one better. He licked the mirror.

Duo burst out laughing, utterly surprised. "Hee-man!"

Heero watched patiently as Duo slowly settled down. "Report," he repeated.

"Harry just had his first class with Hogwarts-Moody. I supervised," Duo answered, still giggling. "I approve. He's badass and tells it straight. Though his methods were shocking to the kiddies. I wouldn't be surprised if Dumbledore has to field a few dozen outraged complaints by dumb parents."

Heero stared closely at his partner, noticed the dark circles under Duo's eyes. "Status?"

Duo's smile softened. "A-okay, Hee-man. Didn't sleep the first three nights. This castle is really hard to pin down, but I've got a feel for her now. She's kinda cute. Plays it coy but also a bit mischievous."

Heero's expression grew concerned. "I will stay the weekend."

"I'm fine," Duo insisted. "But do come. I wanna fuck on a teacher's desk. How's it going on your front?"

"I think we've developed a way for the government to communicate with all of the magical citizens simultaneously. It will involve Trowa helping to build a certain kind of wand. This will assist evacuations. Additionally, the papers will report tomorrow that a new law has been passed, mandating all people to have on their person an emergency portkey to a secure location at all times. Aurors will make random stops of the people. If they don't have a portkey on them, they will get a heavy fine."

Duo whistled. "You're getting a lot done, then. Think we'll be ready for Halloween? We're down to six weeks."

"We will be ready," Heero stated confidently. "I've been training the snipers personally."

"The first task has been decided. Dumbledork wanted to bring nesting dragons to the school, have the kids tangle with those." Duo's eyes practically glowed with excitement. "Real dragons, Heero!"

Heero narrowed his eyes and Duo waved off the look, "Yes, yes. Fun time for me, but not for wizard-kiddies or our Harry. But I will see dragons before we leave!"

"The first task?" Heero prompted his lover.

Duo winked a violet eye. "A simple scavenger hunt utilizing the castle and grounds. Five separate hunts, one fore each challenger, but with the same prize at the end. First to the prize wins the point."

Heero titled his head to the side. "Dumbledore was fine with this?"

"We may have spiced it up a bit," Duo admitted. "But it's all within reason. Wufei helped with the clues."

Heero nodded. "Keep me posted."

Duo kissed the mirror. "See you soon, lover."

xXx

Harry and Su walked into the library. It was a few hours before dinner, and they both had a free period. Golden autumn light fell in gentle beams, outlined by page dust. It was quiet, the good kind of quiet, gentle and soothing. Harry felt tension he didn't even know he was carrying drain away.

They approached a table near a back window where an older teen was already seated with books open around her. She was beautiful. Straight, silky black hair falling over her slender shoulders and halfway down her back. A navy blue headband held it away from her heart-shaped face, and her skin was flawless and pale. Her mouth was small, but her lips were full. Her brows were thin and sculpted, and her eyelashes were long and full around slanted eyes that were surprisingly large and beautiful. She stood as they approached her table and Harry noticed she wasn't as small or petite as Su, standing a little taller than Harry.

Su bowed slightly. "Zhè shì wǒ péng you, Potter Harry."

Harry was slightly surprised that Su had introduced him as a friend. In the Chinese culture, the title friend was not bestowed lightly. He copied her bow. "Nĭ hăo," he greeted her politely.

The beautiful girl inclined her head and offered a welcoming smile. "Nĭ hăo. Wǒ xíng Chang, jiào Cho."

Harry's breath caught. Her clan name was Chang! He had to talk to Wufei. If there were survivors of the Chang clan, his brother would want to know.

The next hour was spent talking exclusively in Chinese about school (Cho was sixteen and a sixth year Ravenclaw), the weather (Cho preferred summer), and speculation about the upcoming tasks (Cho thought they might have a broom obstacle race). The girls were never critical when Harry stumbled over the language or came upon a word or phrase he didn't know, and Harry found himself mesmerized by Cho's humor and intelligence. He was further impressed by learning of her key position on the Quidditch team, indicating she was athletic, as well.

As their conversation ended, Cho stood, Harry and Su standing with her. The older girl took Harry's hands in her's and bowed. "Zàijiàn, Harry."

He felt heat rush to his cheeks, overly aware of her warm touch. He matched her bow. "Xiàge xīngqījiàn," he replied. (See you next week.)

Cho left them, and Harry and Su finished packing up their things. "She has a boyfriend," Su stated quietly before they went their separate ways.

Harry's blush deepened. "What?"

"Cedric. She's been seeing Cedric Diggory since this summer," she answered. "However, I do not think he has petitioned her father for the right to court her, so it might not be official."

Too embarrassed to reply, Harry said a quick goodbye to his friend and hurried toward the Hufflepuff den.

xXx

Harry looked up as he heard the soft steps of someone approaching. It was the weekend, four days since he'd met Cho. He saw Duo with a massive grin on his face, and he smiled and jumped to his feet. "Wufei!"

Pulling the Invisibility Cloak off, the usually stoic man smiled and embraced Harry. "Are you well?"

Duo snorted. "Course he is. I've been looking after him."

Wufei shot him a quelling glance.

Ignoring the byplay, Harry answered, "Yes, sir." He pulled away from his teacher and they settled into seats at the library table. Duo took a stroll around the library, poking at books and exploring.

"It's so nice to see you," Harry said with a wide smile. "I hate being away from you all so much."

"I've missed you, too, Harry." Wufei looked around at the room. "This is an impressive library."

Harry laughed. "I know you were introduced to the Headmaster. You could come anytime you wish."

"Perhaps I will come more often." Turning serious, Wufei looked over at his charge, eyes dark as night. "Thank you for informing me about my possible clan members. However, I do not want you to get your hopes up. It is my belief that my entire clan died in the wars. I believe that with good reason, and I did you a disservice by not explaining my clan history. Please understand that it is a painful topic."

Harry ducked his head. "It's okay, Wufei. I understand."

"I will rectify that now." Wufei cleared his throat gently, silently wishing he had tea. "Chang is the modern variant of Zhang. The emperor Huang Di, who lived from 2697–2595 BCE, had two advisers whose names contained this character; descendants of both of them are believed to have adopted Chang as their surname. Additionally, in the state of Wei during the Zhou dynasty, from 1122–221 BCE, there existed a fief named Chang, the name of which was adopted by descendants of its ruling class. The Chinese character also has the meanings 'often' and 'ordinary'.

"Then there is the variant of Zhang that is rare, written with the Chinese character that means 'prosperous, flourishing'. This name originated 4500 years ago with Chang Yi, son of the legendary Emperor Huang Di and father of Emperor Zhuan Xu.

"Also there are 33 Chang clans in Korea. All of the Korean Chang clans had their origins in China, and, apart from the Tou-ksu Chang clan and the Chou-l'gang Chang clan, they all originated from a single founding ancestor, Chang Chou-n-p'il. He was born in China in 888 AD and fled to Korea with his father during a tumultuous period of Chinese history."

Harry blinked at the influx of information. "So there are a lot of Chang's, and none of them are from your specific bloodline."

Wufei sighed and folded his hands before him on the table. "Not that I have found, no. My clan wrote Chang with the Chinese character that means 'prosperous, flourishing'. We can trace our line back to Chang Yi, son of the legendary Emperor Huang Di and father of Emperor Zhuan Xu. My clan was known for intelligence, skill in combat, and a thirst for adventure. By the time the colonies were built, my clan was small. Despite our size, the Chinese government feared the strength of the Chang clan and exiled them to the Chinese space colony. Fortunately, the Long clan who built and ruled the colony welcomed my small, banished Clan."

Harry could see the pain in Wufei's face and bit his lip, wishing he could change the story for his mentor's sake.

"I was born on the colony a decade after the transition from Earth. I grew up as an heir of the Long Clan. At the age of 14, as per clan custom, I married Master Long's granddaughter, Meiran, who was also an heir. Back then, I was a pacifist and she was bent on joining the war." Wufei closed his eyes as pain overtook him. "She died almost as soon as her fight had begun. I took up the Gundam in her name. I fought in the war for her honor."

Harry bowed his head.

"Of course, that eventually led to the destruction of Colony A0206. The Long and Chang clan were destroyed. Thousands of people. Gone. And I am the last Chang, descended from Chang Yi, son of the legendary Emperor Huang Di and father of Emperor Zhuan Xu."

Silence. Even Duo's rambling prowl around the library had come to a halt. Harry felt tears burn his eyes and he clenched his fists tight in his lap. A gentle hand fell on Harry's shoulder, and he looked up to see Wufei smiling at him.

"Peace, little brother," Wufei said gently. "The wheel of time must forever roll forward."

"I'm sorry," Harry spoke, voice thick with tears. "I didn't know. I shouldn't have written you about Cho."

"Fate is funny." Wufei stroked his hand down the back of Harry's head and down his braid soothingly. "For you to run into a Chang here in this magical world might be an omen. I will meet her, and we will see what we will see."

With perfect timing, they heard light, careless footsteps approach. Cho had a smile on her face when she spotted Harry, but that folded into a neutral expression when she caught sight of Wufei in his military uniform.

"Harry?" Cho asked, stopping well back from the table.

Wufei stood and offered her a deep, respectful bow. In beautiful, perfect Chinese, Wufei apologized for surprising her and introducing himself. He gave his full name, and he waited. Harry's eyes widened behind his silver-framed glasses as Cho's face transformed into pure joy. Cho sank gracefully to her knees and bowed at the waist, placing her forehead nearly on the ground. Harry's Chinese wasn't great, but he did know the word 'brother'. He darted a glance at Wufei and saw him standing perfectly still, shock on his face as he stared down at the teenage girl.

"How?" Wufei asked in English.

Cho sat up but remained kneeling on the ground. Her hands were folded delicately in her lap and her eyes remained downcast. "It was not only our skills as warriors and scientists that the government feared. It was our magic. Many of the people cried out for a Chang on the throne. When the Chang's were banished from China, Master Chang left behind his sister in secret. He feared the clan would not survive in space, separated from the magic. As insurance, he left her with the mission to rebuild the Chang clan in secret. She fled to London with Prince Li Yuanhong, who adopted the name Chang and became the new clan Master here in London. My grandfather was their first born son, and my father was his first born son. I am the current heir of the Chang clan."

Wufei was silent, clearly still in shock.

Cho dared a look up at the honored man. "We heard rumors that a single son had survived the destruction of the colony, but we heard it was the Long heir."

"I married Master Long's granddaughter, Long Meiran, heir to the Long family."

"Welcome home, brother," Cho said warmly. "You must meet my father and grandfather. They will be overjoyed to know a banished Chang has survived. Great-grandmother was devastated when she learned of the colony's destruction, of her brother's death, and died soon after of a broken heart."

Wufei nodded and gestured for her to stand. Cho got to her feet and they settled down at the table. Talk was halting at first, but Harry helped smooth things over by speaking about the wonders of space and the colonies. He very carefully stayed away from any mention of either the Gundam wars or the Wizarding one. Harry couldn't stop smiling. Wufei had blood-family once more. The burden of being the last no longer had to weigh his shoulders.

Chapter end.

A/N: I know it's been forever. Too long. I have had questions about my possible death and the abandonment of my stories. I haven't abandoned writing. Things have been hard this last year or so. Everything isn't all better yet, so I'm not sure about updating regularly. But I am still around. And I'm starting to get some time and the emotional room to write again.

A/N: ! VOTE !

Do you like the connection I created between Wufei Chang and Cho Chang? YES or NO

Who do you want to be House Champions?

Hufflepuff Champion will be 7th year Prefect, Captain, Seeker Cedric Diggory.

Slytherin Champion: 7th year Captain, Chaser, 18-year-old because he failed a year Marcus Flint or 4th year Seeker Draco Malfoy?

Ravenclaw Champion: 7th year Prefect Penelope Clearwater (Percy's girlfriend) or 6th year Seeker Cho Chang?

Gryffindor Champion: 7th year Captain, Keeper Oliver Wood or 6th year Chaser Angelina Johnson (George's girlfriend)?