The noise of voices caused Harry to wake up, the last day he had to pass in the Infirmary. Groaning, he took his glasses and opened the curtain of his bed to look outside.
Sabo was sitting on a chair, the little Chopper busy passing some salve on his hands. Ace was facing him. If the blond was wearing a smirk worthy of the twin preparing a pranks, Ace, him, was scowling.
-With your stupid biker, you woke up the patient, Chopper pointed out. Everything is alright, Potter?
-Uh yes… I was just wondering what was making so much noises, Harry said.
- Sorry Potter, I was just trying to assure myself that the life span of my brother will stay intact, Ace sighed.
-My idea is super good! Sabo defended himself.
-Then, think about another film! He will gut you if you give him that!
-You won't let him do that, would you?
-Try me, and I will tell him right now what you plan to do.
Sabo seemed chocked.
-Is it something against the law or can I be curious? Harry asked.
-Come, we were talking about the Christmas presents, nothing confidential, Ace assured.
Harry approached and took a seat not far away to sit. From near, he could see the state of Sabo's hands. The skin was torn on the downside and the nails completely exploded. Really not a beautiful sight.
-I was suggesting to buy a film from Hitchcock for Marco, but Ace doesn't agree, Sabo explained.
-I have nothing against Hitchock, it's again the film itself… The birds… he will give you a good reason to fear the birds if you do this avian joke. And Thatch won't miss this occasion to take advantage of it, which will give even more reasons to Marco to kill you.
- He saw a lot of birds' jokes… he won't take offense for a simple film! I'm almost sure that it's his favorite film!
-What do you mean by "birds' jokes"? Harry asked intrigued.
-This can go from the classical "you eat your babies" when Marco eat some eggs during the breakfast, or to place an egg on his bunk and yell at everyone that he did lay an egg… to the more complex, which always imply that he is part phoenix, Sabo snickered. With Frey-san it was less funny, you had to do more flashy and embarrassing things to make him react.
-Aye, but we didn't have the chance to be killed by him, thing that Marco won't hesitate to do. And you aren't the terror of the Moby Dick, Sab', that's me, with Thatch and Haruta.
-Which is the reason why Mister Portgas have such a good relationship with Fred and George, Sabo pointed to Harry.
-I'm over with the cream. You keep the band aid all the day and we will see what to do after, tonight, Chopper cut while he wrapped the hands of the Ravenclaw with bandages.
-How did you do this to your hands? Harry asked.
-I tried a new technique… I have misjudged how I had to protect my hands, unfortunately. But we learn from our errors… Sabo winced.
-He is trying to destroy the ground with a more important and complex way than just punching it, Ace explained.
-You can do it? I mean, I know that Luffy can cut a tree in two and destroy a wall, but you two…
- Even Chopper can do it!
Harry stared at Chopper puzzled. With a determined look, Chopper rolled up the sleeves of his long blouse and went toward a wall. There, he grew up brusquely, transforming into a mix of a gorilla and a man, and gave a good punch in the wall, which cracked under the impact.
-It's incredible… Harry commented.
-As if your compliment will please me, kono yarro! a clearly happy Chopper told him while dancing.
-It's how he is, Sabo assured sniggering.
Luffy wasn't happy.
He had this expression saying that he wants to hit the responsible for the attack on a friend.
Here, the victim was Harry, so it was about to kick the Dementor's ass. If Robin hadn't interfered, he would have gone to fight them empty handed and would have probably gained the right for a little Kiss from these abominations.
Which explained why he still had this pout on his face when they arrived to the class of Defense. Since they had arrived a little earlier than what they had planned, they could note that before them, it was the sixth years which had professor Lupin, since they saw Ace and Sabo coming out in last from the room, discussing animatedly. Seeing the way, they were frowning, this wasn't about a pleasant subject, and the strained position in Luffy stance allowed them to understand that he knew what it was about.
Ignoring the temperature, and with that the indicator of the state of irritation of the one name Hiken, Ron called out the two sixth years:
-It's still the professor Fushisho who give class?
-Huh? The two criminals said, coming back from their thoughts.
-It's Lunático today, Ace said.
He took a cuff behind his head from his blond brother.
-We are in English-speaking country, so limit yourself with the English version and say Moony, Sabo reproached.
-I'm so sorry, my Lord.
-Ace, you know that he doesn't like when we call him that, Luffy reproached.
Ace took a second cuff behind the head and Sabo enlightened a little the third years:
-It is the professor Lupin who will give you the class, and then, the "My Lord" is a reference, which I would do without, to my biological parents. I won't say more about it. Let's go, we will be late for Flitwick, if we don't. And he wants for you to catch up this class, so, you have to take it with me!
-Ja ne, Lu'! Ace waved pushing the hat of his brother on the little brown haired head.
-Biological parents? Ron repeated puzzled, while they took their places.
-Ron, be logical! Ace and Luffy hair are brown! You really think that they can have a blood brother who is blond! Hermione huffed. Then, I remind you that the three of them all have different surnames.
- Sabo disowned himself and Ji-chan accepted to adopt him, giving him the name of Silver, in the end, Luffy explained taking out carefully a phial from his bag. Ace doesn't have any parents anymore, and I only have Garp-ojii-san who really is important from my blood family. I don't know anything about my mother and I never saw my father, even if I know who he is.
He went toward the desk and held the phial to Lupin.
-Chopper asked me to give you this. He said that it would help you restore your health and calm the persisting pains.
-Oh? Thank you for making the effort! After my class, I'll go thank your comrade, young man. You have great friends, take care of them, smiled Lupin.
-Shihihi! Of course! They are my nakamas, and I have to look after them, since I am their senshô!
Ace and Sabo arrived in their class just in time for Charms, when Flitwick walked toward the blond.
-Dumbledore would like to see you, Sabo.
- Why? Sabo asked as Ace frowned suspiciously.
-No idea.
-Sensei, can I accompany him? asked Ace.
-No, you are not convoked, Ace.
-Onegai…
-To your seat, Mister Portgas D. Ace.
-I'll be careful, Sabo assured smiling to his brother. You take the notes for me, ne?
-Tch.
Ace went to his seat.
Sabo went to see the Headmaster, trying to find out why he had been convoked. He hadn't done anything, so it couldn't be to scold him…
He gave the password absentmindedly to the gargoyle and advanced in the stairs which lead him quietly to the office.
-Come in, Sabo!
Sabo lowered the hand he had raised to knock and opened the door, wondering why the headmaster was brusquely addressing him by his name. He closed the door behind him and turned toward the headmaster.
When he saw the man with the old goat, all of the blood flew from the face of the revolutionary.
-Sabo, the man with a haughty voice said.
- I know that family is important, so, I took the liberty to find back your parents, Dumbledore smiled calmly.
"Bastard!" Sabo though with hate.
He turned the handle behind him, but it didn't move.
-Take a seat, my boy! Dumbledore continued with his friendly voice.
Since the door wasn't an option, Sabo opted for the drastic measures.
- May Davy Jones fuck you! he hissed.
Dziiiing !
And he threw himself by a window, jumping from the tower. The next moment, during the fall, he transformed, and it was a hawk who rushed toward the Whomping Willow. He slides in the passage and took back his human form, breathing hard.
Harry arrived at dinner happy, and stated to his friends that Lupin accepted to teach him the spell to defend himself against the Dementors.
-Lupin is a cool teacher, better than the big ass that we had at Salem, Nami smiled.
- Why didn't you ask us? Luffy inquired, perplex. We all know how to do a Patronus in the crew. Except Brook, but it's normal.
- Because you may have something else to do. Look at Ace, for example, it looks like he will drown under the mountains of papers at the moment.
-Talking about Ace, where is he? Hermione asked. He doesn't seem to be with the twins.
Zorro pointed Ace with his finger who had just arrived, with the head of someone wanting to commit a murder. He stopped at the level of his brother and leaned toward the table on his right, without making a gesture showing he would sit.
-Tonight, Sab' sleep in my dormitory, I already made arrangement with Percy. I won't eat here; I will join him in the kitchens.
-Why, what happened? Luffy asked surprised.
-The bloody Headmaster did a dirty trick. He convoked Sabo in Charms, and guess who was in the office when he entered?
-Ojii-san?
-No, but it would have been better… you'll never guess. Lord Outlook III.
-Haaaaaan! I'll kill him!
-No, you, you eat. You have a denden?
-I have one, Nami stated. If I want to call Nojiko, I have to have one. Why?
-I'm calling the reinforcements. I want Shanks and Ji-chan to know, Luffy, even call the crazy old man if need. Can you do it ?
-Count on me, assured Luffy, determined. Nami, you have the denden on you?
-No, in my dorm, let's go take it.
Ace went away, followed by Nami and Luffy.
-Who is this Lord to upset them like this? Ron asked.
-Guess, Sanji and Zoro chorused.
- I thought that he was saying that as a joke, to bother him… I never would have thought that it was true… Hermione whispered who had, it seems, understood.
-It's true, unfortunately. Sabo is really the son of a Lord. Biological son, I mean. Apparently, his parents adopted a kid to take his place, Sanji muttered.
-We learn something everyday, ne? Zoro chuckled. There are still two others big news, in the brotherhood, but talking about it could sentence them to death.
-The more we are around Luffy, the more I realize that we don't know him, Harry sighed.
-It's the beginning of the wisdom, Robin's voice said in his ear.
Harry turned around, but she wasn't behind him, still at the Head table. She gave him a mysterious smile and went back to her conversation with Flitwick.
-Hey, Ron… he is of your family? Dean asked the next day at lunch.
Ron turned his head to see the redhead man who just entered in the Great Hall. Orange… no, that's was too far. He had the hair going much more toward the red than the orange. And seeing the way he was scowling, he wasn't happy.
Sabo was behind him, his arms crossed before his chest. Just as unhappy. Ace closed the door of the Great Hall with Luffy, before joining the duo, as if they were going to meet an enemy.
Marco greeted the man with his head looking bored and Shanks gave back the greeting with a small smile, before porting all his attention toward Dumbledore, who had stood up with a puzzled expression.
-I sailed all this way from the Shin Sekai immediately after I heard what you dared to do to my little brother! You don't know that in general, if a kid run away from his home, it's for a good reason? No, you had to make him face his nightmare! the man hissed.
With a move of his shoulder, he made his cloak fell, revealing a missing arm. He unsheathed his sword and pressed it against the neck of the old wizard.
-Give me one good reason to put this blade in your neck, and I will do it without any hesitation whatsoever… I don't want to hear any justification to the why you did this trick to Sabo! What I do know, it's that this kid is like a brother to me, and that you hurt him. And to hurt my family, it's like hurting me. You really want to have a second Yonkou as your enemy, while you already have Newgate against you?!
-Why does none of the professors react? Hermione asked nervously, in a murmur.
-They can't. Robin took care of maintaining them in place, Zoro whispered to her.
-There must be some mistake… Dumbledore said searching for his wand.
He gave up after seeing Ace play with it from the corner of his eyes. How did this kid had stolen it, it was still a mystery. He sensed some sweat drop in his back under the Haki and the anger of the man before him.
-There is no mistake. Sabo doesn't trust you, so he doesn't have any reason to tell you something like missing the family from which he ran away! Most of all, if he always tells the contrary to whoever want to hear it! I hope I was clear, Dumbledore.
And Shanks put away his weapon, letting a bloody cut on the neck of the old wizard. Ace threw him his wand and, with a last glare from the brotherhood, the pirates and the revolutionary walked away.
The following week, what happened that time was still the talk of the school.
Flitwick and McGonagall had convoked the three brothers to clear up the situation, and made a pleasure, after that, to give a rather loud word to Dumbledore.
Malfoy senior even came, since he had heard that a muggle came to Hogwarts. As if having a sword did of Shanks one.
-Professor?
Marco raised his nose from an essay of Hermione on the Runes when Harry addressed him, during one of their study group, which became common since last year.
-Why didn't you intervene, when you were already there, contrary to this man?
-Marco can't, Sabo answered for the teacher. Dumbledore wait for any excuse to fire Marco, but him here, Hogwarts has a very good reputation in comparison with the others Europeans schools, since we are the only one to offer the possibility to study Natural Magic. But any slip, and Shirohige lose his possibility to keep an eye on Dumbledore.
-Also, even if I'm not happy with the situation, I'm not a part of the family. Akagami, even if I hate this man, is much closer to Sabo than me, yoi. So, it's normal for him to come. We should think ourselves lucky, if it had been Rayleigh, I think that Dumbledore would have lost a limb in warning after the visit, yoi.
-I still like you, Marco! Sabo grinned.
-You are the only revolutionary that I can stand.
Robin giggled softly.
-Iva-chan wasn't so bad, from what Ji-chan told us, Ace mumbled.
- Let him in Impel Down, there are enough craziness in this world, without us having the queen of cross-dresser travelling the world screaming 'heehaa", yoi. Marco dryly pointed.
Harry hesitated a long time.
The strange demand from the twins had made him when they gave him the Marauder's Map resounding in his ears.
So, noting that Ace would stay late, Harry made a point to stay behind, the night before the holidays.
-You want something? I see you stay behind from some time now, Ace finished by asking when they were alone.
-It's… about a demand of the twins. They… they gave me the Marauder's Map, and told me that you knew of its existence.
-True. What is it?
Ace put his feather down on his paperwork and look at Harry struggling.
-They… they make me swear something strange when they gave it to me. They asked me to never search your point on the map. And… and I wanted to know why.
-You already looked at my point?
-No.
Ace nodded.
-Thank you.
Harry stayed puzzled.
-To simplify things a bit, the Map can't be fooled and can't be wrong. And it happens that Portgas isn't my true name.
-What do you mean?
-It's my mother's name, not mine. I have my father's, but I can't use it like that. It's… it's a dangerous name.
-Like for Voldemort?
Ace snickered a little and shook his head.
-No, the story with the name Voldemort, it's that, during the last war, there was a Taboo on it, which means that anyone saying it was considered an enemy and the partisans localized them fast to go visit them. So they fear it. Say his name and he will send his dogs on you, if he doesn't come himself.
-Oh…
-No, my name isn't dangerous like that. He is dangerous for me, or even my family and my friends, but not for the others. He is the reason for the hate that Snape has for me. The cause of a lot of my misfortune… I'll tell you next year, when I'll leave Hogwarts, and I'll tell you what it means. It's okay with you?
-Perfectly, Harry assured him.
-In the meantime, avoid my point the most you can on the Map, and if you see it, don't tell anything to anyone.
-Very well.
-Thank you Harry. You do me a great service like this, and I hope to be able to give it back to you one day. Meanwhile, I wish you a Merry Christmas.