Harry came back in the common room after his discussion with the professor Lupin as Ron, Hermione, and Luffy (with his group) were at Hogsmead like almost all the third years and above. He found Ace in a corner, at a desk, almost totally buried by a stack of papers.

-Whoa, what are you doing?

Ace raised his head toward Harry and almost immediately drove back in what he was doing at the moment, that was reading a paper all the while twirling a feather between his fingers.

-I read one or two things… since the day of my promotion come near, I already have to take care of the chores of the commanders… and in it is the paperwork…

With a tired gesture, he showed all the paper on the table.

-Transfer between floats, equipment, repartition of the loots, reading of the reports of missions and assignment of new ones… and to doing a summary of what had been done this month to Marco, and a long and detailed version for Oyaji.

-Oyaji?

Harry sat on a chair at Ace's table.

-Oyaji is a rather familiar way to say "father". Shirohige offered to all of us a family and a place that we can call home, when a lot of us didn't have anything. The world hates us for what we are. But… this man calls us his sons. It's not a lot, but it please us greatly. One of the thing we can do, it's to give back this joy by calling him "Father".

Ace stared at the window, lost in his thoughts, a little smile on his lips.

-Marco explained this to me when I was a kid. It was the same day I told Oyaji that when I'll be older I would join him… Fey, peace to his soul, burst in laughter and told me that he would take me in his float. It was before he died. Shanks-nii-san pouted a lot when I took this decision, but he came around. Ji-chan gave me his benediction… Garp didn't know anything before I took the mark of the Shirohige, and then participate in the firsts fights with this crew, like one of them. My brothers just smiled, like it was normal, and Luffy just added that it was less competition for him to become the Pirate King.

The young man sighed and went back to the papers. He finished by writing some word quickly, swearing against the parchment, and signed.

-The parchment did something? Harry asked.

-Try to write Kanjis on this sort of paper, and you'll understand. I have to tidy all of this and take some papers to Marco. I'll see you at diner.

Dzuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu…

Crookshank continue staring.

Tap-tap-tap…

Marco didn't stop tapping the wood of his armrest, trying to stay calm and to not destroy the cat.

-Meow… the cat miaowled.

-I'm not a fucking bird that you can hunt like you want, yoi. Go away, Marco hissed.

-Meooow…

-For the last time, I am not edible! Continue, and your mistress will have to bury your corpse in the park of the castle!

-What is the reason of your anger? Ace asked entering his office, a huge pile of paper in his hands.

For all answer, Marco lifted from his desk the mini-tiger that had taken possession of the place.

-He is just sensing the bird in me, nothing else, Marco muttered. I tried everything, and he refuse to stay outside.

-Oi, Crookshank.

The cat glanced at Ace who let his Haoshoku come out just a little.

-Marco is mine. Go away.

With a scared "meow", the cat fled by the door that Marco opened with his magic, before closing it. The Phoenix content himself by smiling before the possessiveness of the young man toward him. Himself was worse for Ace…

-I investigated, the crazy old man didn't leave anything to find, Ace sighed. Here is my report on the subject.

He let a roll of parchment fell before Marco who opened it to scan it fast.

-And here is the resume of the last activities of the second float.

Here, Ace let the rest of the parchments fall on Marco's desk.

-Sab' really should has to buy me the parchment he promised me, because if he didn't, I have nothing left to write. You send the packet?

-Hai. Now, we have to hope that we will be able to repair the jewel decently, to compensate the loss, yoi.

The noise of a key tuning in a lock was heard and Marco pushed his chair from the desk. Ace didn't wait anymore to jump on his knees and pass his arms around the blond's neck, who pulled him against his chest to kiss him. Discretely, he opened the shirt of the black-haired on his knees, and touched softly the now naked chest, surprising Ace. Taking advantage of his inattention, Marco slid his tongue between the other lips to go search the one of the young man and like this deepen the kiss, without ceasing to caress the chest of the D. with soft touches, almost discrete.

They separated an instant, and stared in each other eyes.

-Marco… Ace whispered.

The man posed a finger on his lips, stopping him.

-Almost three months, Ace. Just three months… and it will be over, yoi.

-It's too long.

-I know, but let's keep them…

And Marco pulled Ace again to kiss him more deeply, trying to relieve their frustrations like this.

-You're late, Luffy noted when Ace sat beside him.

-I spend a lot of time with my fuku-senshô, Ace answered taking some food.

Nami, who was talking with Hermione near them, turned to smirk at him and asked falsely innocent to Ace :

-How much for me not to tell that you broke the sacrosanct promise made to the Mei-Ô? The redhead asked, letting the Golden Trio puzzled.

Sabo looked at Ace scowling, and raised his eyebrows when, for all answer, the D. showed the Phoenix at the head-table with his knife.

For all of those who didn't know the man, the frustration that could be read in his body language would have gone over their head.

-Don't try to understand, too complicate, Zoro advised them. Oi, Ero-cook, send me the roast.

-Take it yourself, k'ssou marimo.

And this began the usual cat-fight.

Hermione kept a suspect look on Ace, trying to know what exactly it was about, but she didn't say anything during the meal, apart from discussing with Nami who told her one of the first adventures they had lived: how a kid was trapped like an idiot on a scaffold and pass at one hair of death, to escape by luck.

They were having a good meal of Halloween when three forks fell in their plates.

Ace put one hand on Luffy's shoulder, keeping him from moving, while Sabo stand up apologizing.

-What is going on? Ron asked, mouth full.

For all answer, Sanji showed Marco who just quit the meal.

Sirius turn around when he heard footsteps coming toward him, as he was finishing the massacre on the portrait of the Fat Lady. His eyes became round of fear when he saw his old professor coming running, which made him run away.

-Black! Marco yelled.

Sirius didn't think more and changed into a dog, using his new size as an advantage to use passage inaccessible for a man as tall as the pirate after him.

He finally passed the doors, and rushed into the night.

From his perch, on a window, Sabo saw the man running and threw himself by the window, copying the famous jump from his favorite video game. When he was going to crash, he changed into a hawk, following the fugitive against his will. When he ended before the Whomping Willow, where Sirius Black avoided easily the branches to slide in the hole between the roots, Sabo wait a moment, outside of the detection field of the tree, and then he pulled down his wings against his body to speed up, easily avoiding the branches, before droving in the hole. There, he transformed back into a human and slid, before standing on his feet again, magic in his hands.

Nothing.

He was in a tunnel, but nothing else.

Slowly, he continues along the road, going to meet Sirius Black.

Hidden under his cover, Ace was staring at the Maraudeur's Map observing the representation of his brother making his way into one of the secret passages leading out of the castle… to then disappear from the map.

Ace swore mentally.

For a long time, the young man glared at the passage, in the hope of seeing the return of his brother, before falling asleep.

Sabo slide easily in the shadow of Marco when he came back from outside, and took a glance toward the Phoenix, who winked at him.

He however, remarked the form of his older brother in his sleeping bag… twitching more and more.

In less than two seconds, the two blonds were at Ace's side and wake him up before he could begin to shout screams able to wake up all the Great Hall.

Ace wake up in a start, breathing hard, sweat rolling under his shirt half open. They had come in time, before he could flame up. Ace looked at them, the rests of his nightmare continuing to haunt his stare, as McGonagall rushed toward them.

The black haired boy hugged himself, murmuring something in Japanese, shaking.

-Shh… genki, Ace… Sabo whispered caressing his brother's hair.

-Calm down, Mister Portgas, Minerva tried to reassure.

Marco send her a grateful look. Like a good Heads of Houses she was worried about her students, without any particular ambition, other than seeing them succeed.

Ace continued to whispered in low voice, still shivering.

-What is he saying? Minerva asked.

-Blood… He says that there is blood everywhere… blood and bodies, yoi. Marco muttered.

Sabo took his brother's face between his hands and forced him to look into his eyes.

-Luffy wa… Ace breathed out full of hope.

-He is sleeping, everything is alright, Sabo assured. Everyone is alright.

Ace had a shaking smile and closed his eyes.

-Yokatta…

He lied down again and slept peacefully.

-Go to bed, I'll stay here, Sabo, Marco assured.

Sabo nodded and then stood up.

Already, the Headmaster was coming toward him, the eyes twinkling with malice and interest.

-Well, what is happening here? The Headmaster asked.

-The problem is solved, professor Dumbledore, Minerva assured. Just a vicious nightmare who was stopped just in time to not wake everyone up.

-I see. Sabo… my boy, why were you outside at this hour, while the teachers searched for you since the finding of the damages done to the Fat Lady?

- Tell that to someone else, Sabo answered him walking away.

Marco just stared at Dumbledore with a raised eyebrow, before observing Sabo join his Head of House, who escorted him to a sleeping bag. The Phoenix then continue his staring contest with Dumbledore as McGonagall continued her patrol and finally, Albus walked away, letting Ace under the vigilance of Marco, who stay sitting aside of the young man, looking at him sleeping.

Marco couldn't move his eyes from the window, looking at the storm raging outside.

-That's all I have to share, Sabo concluded.

-To say that he was here from the start and that I never noticed… I'm very stupid, on this, yoi, Marco sighed massaging his eyes. Thank you for everything, Sabo.

Someone knocked on the door and the two blonds looked at the object, before the professor walked toward it to open it himself.

Remus was outside.

-I'll leave you alone, sensei, Sabo said standing.

He bowed with respect his head and went away, letting the two adults alone together.

-I often observed the good education of this young man, Remus commented while the Phoenix closed the door. A lot of Pureblood could take example on him.

-Some things can't be forgotten, yoi. What can I do for you?

-Well, the full moon is soon, and I won't be able to assume some of my classes… I was lucky until now, but this time, luck is not on my side. I wanted to know if you could assume some lessons for me.

-Hm? No problem. If you show me your timetable, we can work something out.

Harry opened the door to the Defense classroom with haste, a little late… and froze.

Marco closed the book he had in hand and all the class turned toward Harry who seemed struck down at the door.

-You are ten minutes late, Harry James Potter, yoi. Give me one good reason to not take any points because of this.

-I… I'm sorry professor… my… my Quidditch captain is persuaded that he can find a way to outstrip Diggory for the next match if he holds me back between two classes… Harry apologized, a little perplex. Where is the professor Lupin?

-Remus-kun is confined in his quarters by Madam Pomphrey, to avoid the risk of transmission of an old disease he has since he was a kid. He will be at his post again in some time. Go on, sit down, the lesson already began, yoi.

Harry rushed to sit down beside Ron, just behind Luffy who seemed happy because of something.

And it wasn't even a possibility to think to talk in class, because of the good earing of the professor.

However, Harry was surprised by the ease with which the blond was doing the lesson, which wasn't even his original material. It was so easy to understand what he was talking about.

At the end of the class, everyone clean up their stuff, and the Golden Trio went toward Luffy.

-So, why are you so happy today? Ron asked.

-I received a message from one of my men! Franky, my carpenter! He told me that he had almost finished the ship that he had promised me he would do!

-It still is surprising that you were able to gather enough money to buy some Adam's wood. The price isn't low, yoi, Marco commented, who was cleaning up his things. Which mean, the Shin Sekai is near, right?

Hermione seemed surprise and throw herself to Luffy's neck, when they just walked out of the class, to congratulate him.

-Is it this important, this… Ron began, unsure.

-Other that the fact that the wood who is now a part of the Strawhats pirates' ship is from a tree rare and precious for his resistance and his quality, it's also an advantage when we know that the sea of the Shin Sekai, or New World in English, is the most dangerous, either because of the weather or those who are sailing on it, yoi, explained Marco.

-What do you know about that, professor? Harry asked.

-For the simple reason that I myself sail on the Shin Sekai. We recommend to the youngster to let their logic to the Twin Cap, which signal the entry of the Grand Line, but everyone must forget their brain before entering the Gyojin Island, before even dreaming to enter the Shin Sekai, yoi.

The key turned in the lock and Marco tucked it in his pocket.

-An island where it is raining lightning is one of the most banal thing existing in the Shin Sekai. Now, go on, you will be late for your next class.

It was unthinkable to play under this weather!

It was pure madness!

And if it wasn't enough, Nami was in detention, so it wasn't even possible to ask her to change this weather! Well, it was all the pirates who were in detention, apart from Chopper (and Marco, we can put a teacher in detention).

-You think that he will succeed? Chopper asked, on Sabo's shoulders, holding an umbrella to protect the both of them.

-I don't envy Potter's position, Sabo commented. His handle must be slippery… and to see a little golden ball in this storm, it won't be easy.

Sabo turned his head toward the end of the field and swore, when he saw what was coming from the end of the pitch.

He abandoned his umbrella and rushed toward the exit, a surprised Chopper on his shoulders.

From his side, Marco straightened in his seat when he saw the Dementors appear. But the fact that Harry was falling from his broom made him react another way:

He threw himself from the stands, immediately changing form, traversing the stadium like lightning to grab Harry in his beck.

On the ground, Sabo cast his Patronus on the Dementors, who had to face the anger of a silver bird of prey who chased them from the pitch.

Splash!

Sabo turned around to see Marco land in the mud, before changing back into a human, Harry in his arms. Chopper jumped from the shoulders of Sabo and ran toward the young seeker to examine him.

-Ten point to Ravenclaw for your quick action, Sabo-kun, yoi, Marco sighed letting the little zoan look after Harry.

-If you hadn't act so fast, the fall could have been a lot more painful.

-We must lead him inside, Chopper stated. To dry him and wait for him to wake up alone to give him some hot chocolate. He could have died.

-Thank you, professor… Hermione sobbed, as Ron hold her by the shoulders.

-My duty as a professor is to assure myself that all students are safe, yoi. Marco assured while Minerva joined them.