Thicker Than Water
By Ammie Hawk
Disclaimer: I got nothing…
AN: Okay, so here's the weekly update, it's a little early because I have work early on Friday. So hope ya'll enjoy.
Chapter 7: To the Rescue
Sirius Black sat in the kitchen of 12 Grimmauld Place quietly fuming. The rest of the Order of the Phoenix, minus Severus Snape, had just left from their most recent meeting. That wasn't the reason for his ire though, though the absence of his husband was mildly disconcerting. No, his ire was reserved solely for the aged Headmaster of Hogwarts. That bastard was refusing to let him go retrieve his godson. The senile old coot didn't have a leg to stand on now. The Azkaban escapee had recently been cleared of all charges by the new Minister of Magic himself, and all his titles and estates had been restored to him. Which meant, legally, he was the guardian of one Harry James Potter.
"Calm down, Padfoot," Remus Lupin said, joining him at the table, having just seen Tonks to the door. "We'll get Harry here, don't worry about it."
"How can you say that, Moony?" the dog Animagus scowled. "You know as well as I do that Harry hates it with those Muggles. Why is Dumbledore being such an asshole about him coming to live here?"
"Petunia's not bad and you know it," the werewolf sighed, rubbing his temples.
"But Vernon is that bad, and you know it," Sirius countered.
"You're right," Remus couldn't help but agree, "but think about it this way, Sirius, at least you'll get to see him all next school year."
"Yeah," the dark haired man shook his head. "Don't forget, you're coming with me. I'm not taking care of all those brats on my own."
"I wouldn't dream of letting you," a smile pulled at the corners of his mouth. "And apparently, nor would Dumbledore and the school governors."
"Gotta point there," Sirius finally managed to pull off a smile. "KREACHER!"
"Master called?" the normally cranky house elf bowed as he appeared before the Black heir.
"What did you find out today?" he asked. "Anything new on your front?"
"Yes, Master Sirius," Kreacher nodded emphatically. "That traitor brat and his wretched sister were talking in the parlor during the meeting. The bitch said she was being taught to brew a love potion to use on Master Sirius' godson. The traitor said that once they had Master Sirius' godson in love with the bitch, his money would be theirs. And he'd then claim the Muggleborn girl."
"Hmm," the Black heir scratched his chin in thought. "We'll have to keep an extra close eye on Harry around those two. If I can get a message to him, I can convince Severus to brew an antidote for him, and Kreacher, I want you to check anything that might come into contact with Harry from them. That means I want you to intercept his birthday presents from them, and once he returns to school, you are to check anything he eats or drinks, just in case."
"Yes, Master Sirius," the elf bowed. "That will be a great honor for poor Kreacher."
And with a crack, the house elf was gone. Sirius turned to his best friend, a wide grin stretching across his face. Just then a large snowy owl swooped into the room. Both men smiled at the familiar bird, recognizing her as Harry's. As soon as she landed, she extended her leg, to which was attached a letter. As Sirius took it from her, she took flight, cuffing him upside the head in the process, and headed back the way she'd come.
"I don't think she was happy to deliver that letter," Remus chuckled, watching his friend rub his abused head.
Sirius muttered darkly under his breath as he unrolled the parchment, "Look at that, it's from Harry," he said sarcastically. "Blah, blah, he's bored, blah, blah, blah, Prongs' foals, blah, blah, blah, something about Hermione, blah… Wait a minute. Prongs' other foals? What the hell does he mean by that?"
"What?" Remus looked at him in confusion.
"Harry," Sirius shook his head, "he says right here, 'Prongs' other foals are here. Okay, not all of them, one of them went home with Mione for… reasons.'"
"Let me see that," the werewolf rolled his eyes and snatched the letter out of the other's hands.
His eyes darted rapidly back and forth over the missive. His grip on the paper tightened the further he read, the words causing his heart rate to increase exponentially.
"I'm going to Privet Drive," Remus stood up abruptly, his wand suddenly in his hand.
"Moony…" Sirius began, but it was too late, his friend had already Apparated away. "Damn him."
A split second later, Sirius was joining Remus on the quiet suburban street that was Privet Drive. The dog Animagus was actually surprised the werewolf had had the presence of mind to Apparate into a small grove of trees, instead of right on the doorstep of number four.
"Remus," Sirius hissed, trying to get the other to slow down. "You know we can't just burst in there. We have to keep our heads about this. Tuney hasn't seen us in almost fifteen years, you think she's just going to welcome us graciously into her home?"
"I don't care, Sirius," Remus growled, sounding very much like the beast he turned into once a month. "I will get to the bottom of this. And if my family is in there, I will be taking them back, or there will be hell to pay."
They had finally reached the door to number four and, with a sigh, Sirius raised his hand and knocked, knowing they couldn't just burst in there as his friend was sure to do, not that he could really blame him though, he'd do the same if he found out his twins were found. However, Remus was exceedingly strong when in a rage and managed to shove him out of the way and slam the door open.
"Where are they?!" he growled.
"Quiet you," Sirius gave him a glare and a smack to the arm. "Tuney! Harry! Anyone home?"
"Duo! Trowa!" Harry's voice sounded from the kitchen. "Put the guns away! That's my godfather!"
Sirius and Remus shared a look before pulling their wands and making their way to the kitchen. If someone had a gun in there than Harry and Petunia were in danger, and neither former Marauder was going to allow anything to happen to either of them. When they reached the kitchen door, Remus nodded, indicating he'd cover Sirius' back as he entered. The dog Animagus took a deep breath and slammed the door open.
Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Duo and Trowa looked at their brother, both of them searching his face for any indication that he said wasn't true. Finding none, they both holstered their guns and they all made their way back to their seats. Petunia remained on her feet, but hadn't made it to the door before it swung open, bounced off the wall, and back into the face of the man who'd opened it.
"Bloody hell, that fucking hurt!" Sirius yowled in pain. "I'm gonna fucking turn this door into a bloody chicken."
"Sirius Orion Black!" Remus and Petunia yelled at the same time.
"You threaten my door again," Petunia continued, "and so help me god I'll skin you alive, you stupid mutt!"
A moment later, the door opened again, this time more sedately, to reveal two rather sheepish looking men, Petunia gave them a stern nod before motioning them into the room. Remus and Sirius took seats at the table before the werewolf finally let out a calming breath and turned to the woman in the room.
"We're sorry for bursting in like this, Petunia," the former professor sighed, his eyes never quite meeting hers. "We shouldn't have done that, especially after everything. However, Harry sent us a rather unbelievable message this morning and we had to come see if it were true."
"Well, fortunately for you," she turned away, unable to continue looking at him, "we were just about to call you."
"Aww, Tuney, you're so mean to us," Sirius pouted, crossing his arms over his chest, hoping to break the tension in the process.
"What were you going to call about?" Remus asked curiously, finally flashing Harry a ghost of a smile as way of greeting.
"Well," Harry chuckled nervously, "you see, um, what I said in my letter is true. The Muggle Preventers, um, found my brothers, among others"
"How is that possible?" the dog Animagus said loudly, running his hands through his hair irritatedly, locking eyes with the other man. "We agreed to split up the kids and send them god only fucking knows where, so no one would fucking find them, for the Muggles to find them? How did this fucking happen? Besides, when I went to check on Danny two years ago, the people I left him with were dead."
"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Duo held up his hands to stop the man. "You're saying you took us away from our parents?"
"And you are?" the Black heir finally turned his attention to the two former pilots.
"Duo Maxwell," he beamed, holding out his hand.
"Danny?" Sirius' jaw fell open in shock, before he looked more closely at Trowa. "Troy? How is this possible?"
"How about this," Trowa said quietly, "you tell us what you know and we'll tell you what we know."
"Fair enough, Troy," Remus nodded. "I guess the best place to start would be when the three of you were about six months old. Your parents, along with myself, Sirius, and Severus, got together and decided it would be best if we split the five of you up and send you each to a location that only one of us would know."
"Five?" the braided teen interrupted. "There's only three of us."
"Yeah," Sirius shook his head. "My twins were included when we realized they fell within the parameters of the prophecy."
"But Dumbledore said no one knew the prophecy," Harry frowned.
"Dumbledore only believed that because that's what Severus told him," his godfather gave a roguish grin. "He's been our spy within the Death Eaters since fifth year, and Jamie boy saved his life…"
"And he realized you were just pulling pigtails?" the werewolf rolled his eyes. "Freud would have a field day with you, Sirius Black. Anyway, when Severus overheard the prophecy, he told us. We in turn told him what to tell Voldemort and then he told Dumbledore what he'd told Voldemort."
"And as smart as Dumbledore thinks he is," Sirius snorted, "he knows nothing about Divination, and thanks to our resident Lunarologist, we know a bit more about monthly cycles than anyone."
"That being said," Remus shook his head, "the seventh lunar month didn't end in July the year you were born, it extended into the first two weeks of August, and therefore would include Sirius' twins, who were born on August 7th. Anyway, when Dumbledore suggested Lily and James go under the Fidelius Charm, we felt it wouldn't be enough. So we each were put in charge of a child and would begin relocating them. Originally, I was in charge of Troy, Sirius was in charge of Daniel, and Severus had Harry, leaving Lily and James in charge of the twins. However, before we could begin the process, Petunia decided to go back to Vernon, and Lily decided that she should take Sorin instead of one of the twins. Severus, in turn, said he would hide his daughter, and while it would be risky for him to know her location, he had a place that no one would ever think he would hide his offspring."
"Wait," Harry shook his head, "when did Snape get a kid? I thought we were dealing with us, Sorin, or Quatre, or whatever he wants to go by, and Sirius' kids, how does Snape enter into this picture?"
"I know you're more intelligent than that, Harry," Petunia rolled his eyes.
"I'm going to leave this one to you, Padfoot," the werewolf sat back in his chair, arms crossed over his chest. "Dig your own grave."
"Well, you see, Harry," Sirius chuckled nervously, "when two people love each other very much…"
"Skip the birds and the bees," the braided teen shook his head. "The kid asked you a question old man, answer it."
"Fine," blue eyes narrowed slightly. "Severus and I are married, my kids are his kids. Happy now?"
"But… but you hate him," Harry rubbed his head, he really didn't think he could take any more surprises.
"That's just an act we put on for everyone else," Sirius sighed. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you, but it's for his protection."
"I need an aspirin," green eyes closed as he laid his head on the table.
Without a word, Trowa reached out and began rubbing the back of his brother's head and neck. Harry gave a quiet groan of appreciation and subtly moved in to the gentle touch. Duo watched the pair from the corner of his eye, but was surprised that he wasn't feeling any jealousy over the situation, except that he wanted to do something for the kid too.
"I think we should get back to the explanation now," the unibanged teen said quietly.
"Right," Remus shook his head. "Well, I was in charge of Troy's placement, so I discreetly approached two of our friends in the Order, they agreed and once they faked their deaths, they took you and disappeared."
"Who?" Sirius asked with a frown.
"The Prewett brothers."
"Gideon and Fabian?" Trowa's one visible eye widened slightly.
"Yes," the werewolf nodded.
"They were the two mercenaries who pretty much raised me and taught me magic," the former Heavyarms pilot shook his head.
"Mercenaries?" Remus scoffed. "Of course they would go with that. That would also explain why I couldn't find them after their letters stopped about five years ago."
"That's when they died, along with the rest of the mercenaries. I ended up going to space and then recently Une found me."
"Well, that's one story down," Sirius shook his head. "We'll get more information on that merc thing later. And I can't believe you tricked me with the Prewetts. I taught those two everything they know. But all that aside, let's move on to Danny, which makes it my story. Let's see, I decided to take Daniel to a place that I felt no decent wizard in his right mind would dare to look."
"L-2," amethyst eyes widened as he made the connection.
"Exactly," he beamed. "I left you in the care of a dear friend of mine from school, Helen Connor."
"Wait," Remus held up his hand. "Not the Helen from Hufflepuff who was your pretend on and off girlfriend for two years while you contemplated your sexuality and pretended to hate Severus?"
"One and the same," Sirius shrugged. "After Hogwarts, she ran off to the colonies after some guy. She became a nun or something. Though from what I found out, two years ago, she died about seven years after I gave her Danny."
"You mean Sister Helen, of the Maxwell Church?" Duo asked incredulously.
"Yeah, that was it," the Black heir nodded. "Apparently, the church incident was considered a massacre after it was bombed."
"She's the one that told me my brothers were still alive," the former Deathscythe pilot shook his head. "Right before she died."
"You were there?" Remus stared at him, agape.
"No," he shook his head sadly, his eyes downcast. "I was out trying to get a mobile suit for the rebel group holding the church hostage. I came back after the Alliance bombed it."
"Why would you do that?" the werewolf shook his head, trying to process an eight year old stealing a huge piece of machinery like that.
"Cause I knew I could," Duo shrugged, shaking his head slightly. "Ya see, before the church took me in at the age of six, I ran with a street gang for as far back as I can remember. Most of them were wiped out in the plague, though, but a few of us made it through. I became the leader after that, had to look after the rest of the kids."
"You did what?!" all three adults in the room yelled in unison.
"It's what I knew," Duo shrugged, he'd come to terms with his lot in life a long time ago. "Then after the war, and the part I played in it, Lady Une decided I needed to be part of the FRA and here I am."
"Duo," Trowa stopped his ministrations on Harry and placed his hand on his other brother's shoulder, offering him comfort.
"Thanks, Tro, I'm alright," he gave a lopsided grin and reached up and placed his hand over the other, giving it a slight squeeze.
"So, now we know what happened to the two of you," Sirius sighed. "Now, don't take this the wrong way, I'm glad that you two are back and safe, but when I read Harry's letter, I was kind of hoping he was talking about Fei. I should probably just accept that he died when the L5 colony exploded."
"You're not talking about our half brother, Wufei Chang, are you?" the unibanged teen asked quietly.
"How do you know about Fei?" the dog Animagus frowned. "You three barely even knew him, Reg took him away shortly after he was born."
"Fei Fei was placed with us," Duo shook his head.
"Then why isn't he here?" he asked incredulously.
"He was placed at the same time as us," Trowa rolled his eyes. "Lady Une gave him the choice of coming with us, or going with his cousin. He chose his cousin."
"Wufei has only two cousins, my kids, Aries and Hermione."
"Well, he did go home with Hermione and her twin brother," Harry cut in rather snarkily. "Which I explained in my letter."
Before another word could be spoken, the front door slammed open. All eyes turned to the entryway, most of them unsure as to who had entered the house in such a fashion. However, both Petunia's and Harry's eyes widened in shock and fear.
"What time is it?" Petunia breathed quietly, as her eyes darted to the clock. "Oh no, he came home for lunch."
"Petunia, Dudley, I'm home," Vernon's voice rang down the hall, right before the obese man appeared in the kitchen doorway.
Watery blue eyes widened as he took in the assembled crowd gathered in his house. The tiny orbs darted around between the different faces, cataloging them along the way. His wife and son were both accounted for; along with his three nephews and that brat from when Petunia left him; and two men he didn't know at all, though the one closest to the Potter brat was vaguely familiar. His face began to purple in rage as his beady eyes traveled back to his raven haired nephew.
"You!" he pointed his fat finger at the young wizard. "What do you think you're doing? What have you done to my wife and son?!"
"N-nothing," Harry shook his head. "I swear I didn't do anything to them."
Vernon took a menacing step into the room, toward his nephew, but was cut off before he could go any further. Petunia had moved in front of her husband and was now holding her arms out wide, blocking his passage into the rest of the room.
"Sirius, Remus, take the children and go," she called over her shoulder as she squared off against the obese man, who seemed to be temporarily frozen in place by shock.
"But Tuney…" Sirius began, readying himself to go to her aid.
"No buts, Sirius," she shook her head. "Just go, now!"
With a resigned nod, the dog Animagus pulled something out of his pocket and held it out in front of himself. "Everyone touch the portkey! We're getting out of here!"
Harry hesitantly reached out and touched the tattered old book in the older wizard's hand, his most recent experiences with portkeys making him wary. After a quick, nonverbal exchange between himself and his mother, Dudley was the next to follow suit.
"Quatre," Trowa said, moving to his aunt's side, "take care of Harry. Duo, as soon as you arrive, call Une, have her send a unit here."
The two other former terrorists nodded and touched the book as well.
"Go, Padfoot," the werewolf said, drawing his wand and moving toward the couple in the doorway, "we'll catch up."
"Right, Moony," Sirius nodded. "Don't take too long. And try not to kill him. Spinner's End."
And the assembled group disappeared in a swirl of color.
Ammie: So, there it is. The next chapter. Hope it answers some questions, and hopefully the next chapter will bring everyone together for a nice family reunion. Anyway, let me know what you think.