Sabo smiled when he came back the morning of the next day, when he saw Harry appear in the living room, seeming to be only getting up.
-Hello Potter! The others two aren't up yet, I presume.
-Good morning, Sabo… I don't know if they're up.
-If it's calm, then they're still asleep. We will be able to have a breakfast peacefully. The old man won't take long to come back.
-Can I help you?
-Well, I don't see why not.
Harry followed Sabo in the kitchen and together, they made the breakfast.
-Can I ask an indiscreet question? Harry asked while they sat down to eat.
-You can, but nothing tells you if I will answer, Sabo assured.
-Why do they sleep together?
-Ace and Luffy? They have bad dreams. You may never realize it, because they usually put a privacy spell on their bed so that nobody hears it, but if they sleep alone, they can't close an eye during the night. In a dormitory, the frequency and intensity of the nightmare are lessened, but when they're like that, they have a true night of sleep, the both of them. The Jiji renounced to try to separate them when Ace almost put the fire on the apartment some years ago, after a bad dream.
-And why do they have nightmare?
Sabo drank his milk, using this time to think.
-We can say that… their respective fathers aren't saint… and that for this only reason, lot of people would like to see them dead. Don't take me wrong, they don't fear what could happen to them. These two idiots are unable to fear about their own lives… they fear what can happen to the other.
-I see…
-No, you don't see, because you don't know the sort of cruelty that the civilized world can produce against all. We never talked about that, did we?
Harry shook his head in agreement.
Soon after, the door opened.
-Aaaah! It's good to be back!
Sabo paled and forced a nervous smile on his lips.
-If he asks, you came here yesterday in the early evening by taxi, Ace never sneak out… Sabo whispered standing up.
Harry nodded, following the movement.
-Heya, Jiji… welcome back… Sabo greeted, toward the old man who just let himself fall on the sofa.
-Who played to the console until late, this time…? The old man asked.
-Me, Ace is still prohibited to come near the console. You don't want to buy a new one because this idiot put it on fire. Oh, I allowed myself to invite one of Lu's classmate, to give him some class on potions.
Garp flap his eyelashes a moment, and looked toward Sabo, beside from who Harry was.
-Hello sir, Harry said with hesitation.
And contrary to all expectation, Garp burst laughing.
It had for effect to wake up the two black haired boy, who ran into the living room in total panic, Ace fighting to put on the shirt of his pajama.
-Hello, my boy, what is your name? Garp smiled.
-Harry Potter, sir.
-Nice to meet you, young man! What do you want to be later?!
Harry stared at him surprised.
-I… I don't know yet… maybe Auror…
- Gurarara! You should follow his example, you three! Welcome in my home! I'm going to bed, I'm rather tired! When I wake up, we will talk about your future, you three!
Sabo glared at Ace, but this one replied:
-I already gave my allegiance to Shirohige, Jiji. The day where I'll be on the right side of the law is the day he isn't a Yonkou anymore, but a Shichibukai.
Bam!
-Iteee!
Harry pitied Ace on seeing the huge bump on the top of his head after the punch from Garp. Luffy moved from the way, hiding behind the sofa.
-We will talk about it when I'll be awake!
And he went to his bedroom. However, seeing the size of Garp explained how large the doors and corridors were.
-You were looking for it, Ace, Sabo remarked sighing.
-The storm is over? Luffy asked worried.
-Yes, go eat your breakfast. You're over, Potter?
Harry was going to answer when a knock on the door was heard.
The three brother shared a wondering look, and Ace took a gun out from his pajama pants. He posed a finger on the safety and went to open the door, finding himself facing the Minister of Magic, who was squinting on the gun's canon.
-What do you want? Ace asked, suspicious, without moving his weapon from where it was pointing between the man's eyes.
Sabo was hiding Harry behind him.
-Well, the young Harry James Potter is missing from his aunt's house, and following the Trace, we localized him here. Seeing as this is the house of the great Hero Monkey D. Garp, I decided to pass at a reasonable hour to know if he knew where the young Harry was, the minister explained nervously without tearing his eyes from the weapon. Could you please point this somewhere else, young man?
-You're asking to someone with a bounty of over five thousand galleons on his head to separate himself from his weapon? You have guts, Sabo remarked.
-Could I see Mr Potter, or is it too much to ask?
Resigned, Harry came out from behind Sabo.
-Ah! Harry! I introduce myself, I am Cornelius Fudge, The Minister of Magic!
The man tried to walk in the apartment, but he still had the gun under his nose.
-Nope, you stay where you are, Ace told him.
-He gave us a good scare running away like that, let me just enter, to assure myself that he is alright! The minister took offense.
-I'm alright, Harry assured, perturbed.
-Still, what did you have in mind to run away from your uncle and aunt's house! I was beginning to wonder if… but well, you are safe, it's the principal… you'll be happy to learn that we stopped the inconvenient inflation of miss Marjorie Dursley.
-Seeing his disappointed, I don't think that he is happy, Luffy commented.
-We can't say that it changes her a lot, Harry mumbled. And I don't need to be a seer to know that my uncle and aunt are angry.
-They accept however that you come back this summer, on the condition that you stay at Hogwarts for Christmas and Easter, the Minister smiled.
-It's what I always do! But I don't want to go back there!
-Now, now, you didn't have the time to calm yourself, but you will certainly not say the same thing later. After all, they are your only family, and I'm sure that you love each other… hummm… deeply.
Harry stared at him as if he had a second head.
-Then, I think that you need to dig veeeeery deeply, Ace remarked dryly.
-Where will you pass your last two weeks of break?
-With us! Luffy said.
-Stop, wait… What will I have for punishment? Harry asked.
-Point to Potter. Because even if you're not bright, you at least know that the use of magic is prohibited for underage wizards, said Sabo. I am questioning the juridical system more and more, if you let this pass… we could almost call into question your bounties, you two.
And Sabo smiled to his brothers. For all answer Luffy picked his nose while Ace shook his head before the idiocy of his younger brother.
Fudge tried another time to sneak in the room, but the surety catch was removed.
-Last warning, stay on the landing, Ace told him. Answer him.
-There is no punishment for something so small! Fudge told playing with his hat. It's only an accident! We won't send someone to Azkaban for the only reason that they blew up their aunt!
-We destroy archeological island for the sole reason that they want to discover something that the high up don't like, and we sentence children for the crime of their parents. So yes, we can send people to Azkaban for things like that, Ace retorted.
-And last year, I received an advertisement because a house elf levitated a cake in the kitchen of my aunt! Harry reminded. And I received a letter saying that I would be expelled from Hogwarts if something magical happened there again!
We could practically see the Minister fidget.
-The circumstances can change, Harry… he said. We have to take into consideration… the actual climate… You didn't want to be expelled, did you?
In his head, Ace was thinking that if they didn't cut the access to his magic when expelled, he would have tried this way to be out of Hogwarts.
-Of course not, Harry answered.
-In this case, why do you ask so many questions? Fudga laughed out loud. So, you'll stay here, right… even with the presence of two…
-Potter know that we are pirates, no need to take gloves, Ace grunted.
-Well… so long as the Vice-Admiral Monkey is here, I think you will be safe. I just demand that you don't wander in the muggle London too much, okay? We would want to lose you again! I'm sure you understand this perfectly, don't you? We're better knowing where you are… On this…
And the minister went away.
Ace closed the door.
-You still go around with this thing? Sabo wondered aloud.
-Useful to use the Higan incognito, Ace answered shrugging.
-The weapon doesn't need bullets, for Ace, Luffy explained to his confused friend. It's a fake that allow him to shoot fire bullet with his power.
-Oh, Harry said. You really can use firearm?
-Yes. Well, go take your breakfast, you two, Sabo sighed. I will give you a towel, Potter. Really, this man is an incapable.
Harry followed Sabo to the bathroom. When he passed the door of the grandfather, he could see it shiver under the snoring.
-You did all your summer homework? Sabo asked.
-No, not all. My relatives don't like anything about magic at all, Harry confessed.
-We will do it, then. But not here. When you finished your shower, we will go out.
-To go where?
They were now in a rather big bathroom, and Sabo was searching in a closet, he held a big towel to Harry and smiled at him:
- We're going to the Rip-Off. It's where our uncle usually is, when we're all here. The barmaid is a squib. And we may see Marco too. I think that they can clear what is wrong with this dumb fool.
-Sabo?
-Yes?
-You were serious when you said that Ace and Luffy had bounties on their heads?
-Ace or Luffy will show you when you have finished.
Harry nodded and Sabo let him shower.
Once clean and changed, he found Ace in the living room, accepting a newspaper from a bird looking like a seagull with a cap. The bird flew away quickly.
-With all of this, I couldn't even say you hello, Potter, Ace greeted. You had a good sleep?
-Yes, I slept alright. Thank you for allowing me to stay.
-Friends are here for that.
-What is it?
Ace showed the newspaper and opened it, as if searching something.
-It's the sea's newspaper, the New Coo. Here, look, the reason why I was absent was published.
Ace spread the newspaper on a page and showed an article, we could see Ace's photo with his cow boy's hat, three quarter in profile, enough to see his two tattoos. On the other, we could see a man looking like a gypsy with a monkey on his shoulder.
-This man is Doma the Bohemian Knight. He was around, waiting for my captain to accept his challenge. But he was a little too full of himself, and he fell on me, and regretted it.
-He is a pirate? Harry wondered.
-A captain. And all of this…
Ace took out a big stack of paper from the newspaper and shook them before the wizard's eyes.
-All of this, are bounties. Pirates, revolutionaries… the criminals who make a name of themselves on the Grand Line are in there. Granger explained it to you, didn't she?
-Yes. So… if I dig in this, I'll find yours, won't I, if I understand it right?
-Exactly. But not only mine.
Ace flipped through them and showed him some of them, making Harry eyes widen. Even if he didn't know the currency, the number of zero…
-We are very bad guys, ne? Ace cackled.
-I didn't say anything, but it's a big amount!
-Sabo is good in calculus, so, he'll be able to tell you how much pounds it is, now, since my bounty was actualized. And it will be again at the start of next year.
-How do you know?
- Because he will be promoted, Luffy explained coming out, dressed. Jii-chan won't be happy to see the bounties, take them away, and the bathroom is free.
Ace shrugged, and rolled the bounties to go back in his room.
The bar was almost empty, there was only a woman and the uncle of the boys, talking to each other.
-Ara, you escaped from Garp-chan? Hello, Potter-chan, the woman smiled seeing them enter.
-Harry, this is Shakky, the barmaid. She always knows everything. Worse than Robin, Luffy introduced.
Ace looked around them, and sighed, not seeing Marco.
- Good morning, boys. Do I want to know how you ended up embarked with them, young Potter? Rayleigh greeted with a small smile.
-You don't want to know, Sabo answered. However, we need your help to enlighten us.
-Would it be because of the most intriguing comportment of a Minister, about the breach in the rule of the usage of Magic for Underage Wizard? Shakky guessed pointing at a table where they sat.
-Who did this stupid thing? Rayleigh asked sighing.
-I blew unwillingly my aunt up… even if she deserved it, Harry confessed.
-For once that it's not them…
The two adult came to sit at the table of the youngster and Shakky took a cigarette out. She holds it to Ace who, taking the end between his fingers, light it up, before giving it back.
-You are a symbol in the magical world, and in playing with his relations, Dumbledore try to keep you under his influence. Fudge accept, for now, his demands, without asking any questions. He fears, also, to gain a bad opinion from the public, if the media should learn that you were expelled from Hogwarts.
-I see, Harry understood.
-There is the case Sirius Black too, pointed Rayleigh. Every adult who take the word of the official version would tell you to be careful of this man.
- And what did he do officially ?
-You'll know fast enough, once at Hogwarts. Otherwise, you two, you have your results?
Rayleigh looked back at Sabo and Ace.
-No need to ask Sabo's, we know them, Ace smirked.
Sabo stuck his tongue to his brother as an answer.
-But I thought that with the Chamber of Secrets' incidents, the exams were canceled? Harry questioned.
-Not for the fifth and seventh years. They took place at the beginning of the break, at the Ministry, Rayleigh answered. And that's also the how you were caught by Garp, you three.
The three brother made a face.
-So, this results? Rayleigh inquired.
-Optimal for all of them, arithmancy and runes included, Sabo replied proudly.
-I'm proud of you, my boy. And you, Ace? Transfiguration, Charms and Defense, I'm sure you did well, but the others…
-Optimal for those three plus Care of Magicals Creatures. I had Exceptional Efforts for Potion, History and Muggles Studies. For the rest, Acceptable. However, the supervisor remarked that I didn't light the fire under my cauldron during the potion practical.
-So, you directly influenced the temperature…
Ace nodded.
-They are very good notes, I'm very proud, Rayleigh smiled.
-How did you have a note this great in potion? Harry asked. You don't go to any class.
-Lady Luck, I presume…
-Mostly me and Sanji bothering you about this subject, Sabo coughed.
-Traitor, Ace hissed sticking his tongue to him.
The lasts week of the holidays were mostly very funny.
Strangely, escaping the scoldings of the gramps, make one or two foolish things with the three siblings, it was ideal. Then, Harry didn't need to hide for his homework, and he even had Sabo's help, or even Ace, for them.
He also had the possibility to act like a youngster for once. To wake up when he wanted to (he always had to wake up before Ace and Luffy if he wanted to eat, since they eat a lot), to go to sleep late, to eat sweet until his teeth couldn't take it anymore, play, laugh. He even had the occasion to go to the concert of a strange man… Soul King Brook… Place on the first row!
They had the opportunity to go buy their school books (the goblins had refused to let Ace and Luffy enter, and for all reason showed their two bounties).
So, it was a great end of break.
The last day, they found the Weasley on Diagon Alley, with Hermione.
-You're almost as tanned as Ace, Granger, Sabo noted. So, you robbed Diagon Alley to have so many bags?
-I took a lot of electives, Hermione exclaimed savoring her ice-cream, facing Ron. There are my Arithmency book, Care of Magical Creatures, Divination, Runes studies, and Muggle studies…
-Why do you want to study muggles? Ron wondered looking at the other alarmed. You're born in a family of Muggle! Your parents are Muggles! You already know everything about Muggles!
-If you were hoping to learn more about the point of view of the wizards on muggles, you will regret to have taken this option… it's frightening, Ace sighed. Thank god, I'm a sixth year, so I can allow myself to definitively drop what I want.
-Do you have the intention of eating and sleeping, this year, Hermione? Harry asked while Ron laughed.
Hermione ignored him completely.
-Oh, and congratulations, Ace, I saw your new bounty! If I remember well… five hundred millions berrys, it's… a little more than two millions of pounds, no?
-Almost. Nearly three million, but thanks, Ace said with a smirk.
-Is it a lot in galleons? Ron asked.
-More than the lottery who permit you to go to Egypt… If I give you the value, you'll believe I'm lying, Sabo sniggered.
-Four hundred and twenty-nine thousand galleons and six knuts! I already did the conversion! Luffy, yours is of two hundred fifty-seven thousand four hundred thirty-seven galleons, thirteen sickles and twenty-one knuts, if I'm not mistaken! Hermione told proudly. I stayed in touch during my holidays!
-Really… an uninterested Luffy said picking his nose.
Ron seemed broken before such numbers.
-Talking about money, my parent gave me some for my birthday, could you help me find a present? Hermione continued.
-We leave you Lu', we will do pranks with the twins, Ace immediately stated. Have fun!
Sabo rolled his eyes and followed his older brother.
-Why don't you buy a book? Ron proposed with a false naivety.
-I really would like an owl… Harry got Hedwig, you have Errol and Luffy have Spades.
-Spades is Ace's, not mine, Luffy corrected.
-Neither is Errol, he is the family owl, Ron mumbled. For my part, all I have is Scabber.
And he took the rat out, apparently sick, from his pocket.
Luffy stared at the rat. There was something wrong with this animal, he sensed it since day one, but he couldn't point it.
-You're coming? Harry asked.
-Nani? Luffy replied raising his head.
- We're going to the magical Menagerie. You come along? Ron will give his rat to examine him and Hermione will buy an owl.
-Yes, I'm coming.
Ron and Hermione paid for their ice-cream, and the four of them walked toward the menagerie, a little store full of all sorts of animals.
Harry noticed something behind the window, well exposed, as if it was the best thing in the shop. Something blue and familiar.
-Luffy… is it what I think it is? Harry asked showing the bird.
Hermione's eyes followed what Harry was pointing and took one hand to her mouth from surprise before the beautiful bird on a perch, who was looking at them as if he was bored to death.
-Shihihi! He looks like Marco's little brother! Luffy giggled.
The yell from the saleswoman removed their attention from the phoenix with blue flaming feathers.
-NO! THAT'S ENOUGH CROOKSHANKS!
Some sort of orange big cat had jumped on the top of one of the cages to run toward Scabber, who ran away as fast as possible outside, chased by Ron, with Harry not far behind.
When they came back to Luffy and Hermione, the young girl had the mini-tiger in her arms, with a Luffy who was sniggering in the back.
-Don't tell me that you bought this monster! Ron exclaimed, gobsmacked.
-He is quite beautiful, don't you think so? Hermione told, brightly.
-I find him awesome! Luffy grinned.
"Matter of taste" Harry though.
The cat had an abundant thick orange fur, and legs sharply hooked, and a strangely splashed nose, as if he had met a wall a number of time before. It gave him a rather grumpy air. And since Ron's rat wasn't visible anymore, he was peacefully purring in Hermione's arms.
-You didn't answer me, Luffy, remarked Hermione.
-How do you want I answer that! Ask him yourself! Luffy snickered.
-What? inquired Harry.
-I wanted to know if Ace could purr in his animal form, confessed a blushing Hermione.
-You buy a cat who wanted to scalp me, and the only thing you care about is if Ace can purr! Ron choked.
-He didn't mean to, right Crookshanks?
-And for Scabber, he didn't mean to? Ron huffed showing the relief of his pocket. This rat need rest and tranquility! He will never have some peace and quiet with this thing around him!
-It remind me that you had forgotten your Rat tonic.
Ace spilled out everything in his mouth.
- No kidding? In a pyramid? Sabo exclaimed while the twins were telling one of their adventures in Egypt.
-Yes! We were thinking that we would achieve it, but no, mum found us, when we had almost lock him up, George commented.
-Ace, good timing! Hermione got an important question for you! Luffy called out when he entered in the room.
-Oh? You chose a cat… nice choice, he is beautiful, Ace commented.
The young girl gave him the feline, who purred happily in his arms.
-First Norbert, then the cats… you're good with animals, Harry noted.
-Norbert? Do I want to know? Sabo questioned.
-A dragon that Hagrid wanted to raise in his hut, Ace answered. And he attached himself to me, it's because of my temperature. For the cats…
-It's because you're a big cat too. You would make a nice maneki neko! Luffy sniggered. Raise your right pawn, Nii-chan, I want to be rich so Nami will stop complaining!
-Very funny, Ace deadpanned giving back the cat to his owner. Their tentative to lock in Percy in a pyramid was a lot more hilarious than your pitiable joke, Lu'.
Luffy pouted adorably.
-You had a question, Granger? Ace inquired.
Hermione blushed a bright red under her recent tan and looked at her feet, her cat in her arms.
-Go on, don't have any fear, I won't eat you…
-It's just… that can lead to some misunderstanding… the young miss confessed.
-Shoot, I keep him on a leash, Sabo snickered posing one hand on his brother's shoulder.
-Do… you…
-I…? What else…? Ace asked trying to be patient.
Ron and Harry looked with great interest at an embarrassed Hermione as she mumbled something lowly which made the twin burst in laughter.
-It's a vital question… Fred commented passing an arm around Ace's shoulders.
-So, can the black panther purr…? George snickered.
-That, is for me to know, and you to never find out, Ace replied.
Maybe he should try to purr on Marco's laps, it would relax him a little…
-We should think about going back, if we don't want to be skin alive by the Jiji, Sabo remarked.
-Where do you sleep tonight Harry? Mr Weasley asked.
-With them, at their grandfather's, answered Harry showing the three brothers.
-This guy is a monster, isn't he? The twins stated with a knowing air.
The face of the boy meant everything.
- He depose you at the station? Arthur asked.
- Unfortunately… Luffy muttered.
-Well we will see each other tomorrow, I think.
-You don't want to eat with us, dear? Mrs Weasley asked.
-No, we really should go, sorry, Sabo apologized.
-Then be careful on your way.