Thicker Than Water
By Ammie Hawk
Disclaimer: Not mine
AN: I know, I know, this particular fic hasn't been updated in a couple years, but it still lives. I blame Trowa for the long delay… He just didn't want to cooperate. Anyway, moving on. And Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night. (I know, it's a tiny bit early)
Chapter 8: One Big Happy Family
Wufei Chang sat on the couch in the living room of Spinner's End, reading a large book on potions, charms, and enchantments specifically for use on weaponry. Heero was up in the bedroom that had been given them, doing god only knows what on his laptop. And Hermione, well she was also in her bedroom, but from the banging and scrapping he heard periodically he felt safe in assuming she was settling in. Their guardian had yet to return from his visit to the Preventers.
He looked up sharply when he felt a surge of magic almost directly in front of him. A moment later, Heero appeared on the stairs, a gun trained on the spot of the disturbance.
"Incoming," the former Wing pilot said in a monotone.
In one fluid movement, the former Shenlong pilot was on the other side of the couch with his own weapon in his hands. A moment later, five people appeared. As they landed, two of the newcomers landed in a heap on the floor.
"Hey!" the one on the bottom protested. "What'd ya fall on me for?"
"I didn't mean to," the other replied, trying and failing to get up. "I was just trying to keep from falling. You're the one that grabbed me and took us down."
"Did not! You were the one falling, I just caught ya and took the brunt of it. Trowa would kill me if I let anything happen to you."
"Enough, Duo," Heero cut in from the stairwell, lowering his weapon.
"Oh, hiya, Hee-chan," the braided teen grinned up at the brunet. "Long time no see."
"Hn," Prussian blue eyes rolled in annoyance.
"U-uncle?" Wufei's voice interrupted the banter.
"Fei?" Sirius swiveled around and blinked at the raven haired teen. "Fei!"
The dog Animagus ran over and tried to jump over the sofa but ended up landing on his knees on the cushions and gathered the teen into a tight hug. Much to the surprise of the other pilots, Wufei returned the embrace and began sobbing into the man's neck.
"Its okay, Fei," Sirius began rubbing small circles on the teen's back. "You're home now. Everything's going to be okay."
Before anything else could be said, Hermione appeared at the top of the stairs, apparently drawn by the commotion. Her brown eyes surveyed the newcomers curiously.
"Harry?" she frowned slightly. "What are you doing here?"
"Well, to put it simply," he sighed. "Uncle Vernon came home from work for lunch and found us talking and lost it. He," he pointed in Sirius' direction, "brought us here."
"You!" her eyes narrowed as they landed on the elder wizard.
"Hermione," he said confused, turning his head toward the angry witch, "what are you doing here?"
"I don't know, Dad," her voice was dripping sarcasm as she crossed her arms over her chest, "maybe you should ask our Father."
"Your…" his eyes darted between the two teens. "That means you're…" he zeroed in on Heero. "Sweet Merlin."
His arms slipped from around the now relatively calm Wufei as he sat down hard on his ass. His eyes darted rapidly between the twins, drinking in every detail. Almost as if by magic, his wand was in his hand and pointing in their direction. A moment later, both Heero and Hermione flew over the banister in the direction of the couch. Hermione screamed as she flew across the room, while Heero's eyes narrowed and his jaw clenched tightly. This was a spell he was unfamiliar with.
The wand clattered to the ground as Sirius threw his arms out to catch them. The pair collided with the couch, and Sirius gave a grunt as all the air was knocked out of him by the impact. Wufei leapt backward, just in the nick of time, as the force of the collision knocked the couch off balance and it crashed to the floor, carrying all three Blacks with it.
"What the fucking hell, Sirius?!" Hermione yelled. "Do you even fucking think before you act?"
"You will find that he rarely does, Hermione," a voice answered from the doorway. "And you would do well to not use such language in my house."
"Sorry, sir," she bowed her head apologetically.
Severus nodded once in acceptance before turning to the Animagus, "Now, Sirius, why don't you clean up this mess you've caused. Then you can explain why you are here. And why you felt the need to bring the Potter and Dursley brats here."
"What? No, 'Hi, Sirius.' 'It's good to see you, Sirius,'" the former ex convict scrambled clumsily to his feet. "Don't I even get a kiss?"
A dark brow rose incredulously as he surveyed the other, his arms crossing over his chest.
"Fine," Sirius grumbled as he snatched his wand from the floor.
He pouted as he gave it a wave. Within moments, the room was back to the way it was before. When it was finished, the Potions Master went over to his husband and slipped his arms around his waist.
"It's good to see you, Sirius," he pulled him into a deep kiss. "I've missed you."
"Okay, okay," Harry interrupted, before they could do anything else, "can we just not. I get that you guys are together, but I don't think I can watch my… oh god, I'm gonna be sick."
"Would you desist with the melodramatics, Potter?" dark eyes rolled in mild annoyance.
"Oh, no, Sev," Sirius shook his head. "That just seems to be the mood he's set on today. It's best to kind of ignore him and let him have at it."
"If you say so," Severus shook his head.
"I do say so," the Animagus smirked slightly. "Now," he took a step back, "care to explain to me why my nephew and our children are in this house and you didn't feel the need to tell me?"
"They just arrived last night," the dour man shrugged. "And I was going to tell you, as soon as I returned. You just beat me to it. Now, perhaps, you'd like to explain that." He waved at the others.
"Well, Harry had the decency to write to me this morning," Sirius snapped, "and told me that his brothers were there. He might have also mentioned his cousin, and Remus may have seen it. And before I could stop him, we were at Privet Drive. Long story short, Vernon showed up while we were there, and Remus told me to take the kids and leave while he and Tuney dealt with him. Oh, and Troy stayed behind too. Anyone know why Troy stayed behind?"
"Holy fucking shit!" Duo slapped his forehead. "Hey, Hee-chan, can I borrow your phone?"
A dark brow rose curiously over Prussian blue eyes.
"What?" the braided teen shrugged. "Tro wanted me to call Une and my phone is in my bag at the other house."
"Hn," Heero grunted but fished his phone out of his pocket and tossed it to his best friend.
The former Deathscythe pilot snatched it out of the air and began dialing as he moved to the side of the room for some privacy.
888888
Ron Weasley sat in the bedroom of the Burrow, reading the latest issue of the Adventures of Martin Miggs, the Mad Muggle. He was just getting to the good part when his mother bustled into the room.
"Mum," he whined as she began gathering up his dirty laundry.
"Your room is a mess, Ronald," she shook her head. "And while I am up here, we need to discuss you inviting Harry to come stay with us for the rest of the summer."
"Why?" he scowled. "What's the point in inviting him over, when Ginny's just going to be giving him love potion next year? Why should I have to put up with that whiney brat over the summer?"
"Because if you don't," her expression turned stormy, "he could just forget to put you in the will, and your sister will get everything. Don't think you'll get something without working for it. Do you think Fred and George will get anything? Or Percy? We do this as a family, or you won't be part of the family. Now, go write to Harry, and then clean up this room."
With that, she left the room and slammed the door behind her. Ron rolled his eyes and stomped across the room. He yanked out a roll of parchment and began writing to his supposed best friend.
888888
Trowa stared down the barrel of his gun at his red faced uncle. The obese man was glaring at the trio remaining in his house in disgust.
"I knew it was only a matter of time," he snarled. "As soon as that brat came back into the picture, he," he jabbed his thumb in the werewolf's direction, "wouldn't be far behind. You think you can just leave me again?" his beady eyes landed on Petunia. "I will kill you and that boyfriend of yours if you even think of walking out that door. And you can forget about seeing Dudley ever again, you filthy little whore."
"That is quite enough, Uncle Vernon," the unibanged teen said evenly as Remus let out a low growl. "Why don't you have a seat until the Preventers arrive? Aunt Petunia, go upstairs and start gathering what you can of yours and Dudley's, we'll be leaving soon."
Petunia's gaze darted nervously between her husband and nephew before giving a hesitant nod. She carefully edged around the teen, but didn't make it out the door before Vernon grabbed her arm in a vice like grip.
"I said you're not leaving!" Vernon bellowed, raising his free hand.
Before he could bring it down, however, his wrist was caught in the firm grip of the former Heavyarms pilot. The teen's other arm was thrown out, keeping the elder wizard from attacking the pathetic excuse for a man.
"I believe I told you to have a seat, Dursley," the one visible green eye flashed dangerously. "Remus, take Petunia upstairs and help her pack."
The werewolf didn't seem to hear him as a low growl reverberated through his chest. The former terrorist's stern gaze shifted to him, causing him to pause and take a hasty step backward.
"Now," the teen's voice remained level but held a note of steel the other couldn't help but obey.
Remus went over and, after gently getting Petunia out of Vernon's grasp, the pair disappeared out of the kitchen. Once the door closed behind them, Vernon clenched his free hand into a fist and aimed it at his nephew. The unibanged teen caught it easily with his other hand.
"I was hoping you'd do that," a faint smirk ghosted across his lips.
With an ease and grace that surprised the older man, the teen maneuvered his arms behind his back and secured his wrists in a pair of handcuffs that had seemed to materialize out of nowhere. Once he was handcuffed, the unibanged male forced him into one of the chairs at the table. He then stepped back and leaned against the wall, his one visible eye never leaving the bound man.
It took awhile, but the other two finally rejoined them from the upstairs. They surprisingly, or maybe not so surprising, considering, weren't carrying that much between them.
"We gathered everything from yours and Harry's room, as well," the now much calmer Remus informed him. "We're ready to go whenever you are."
"We'll wait for the Preventers to get here," the teen shrugged. "Duo should've called them by now. They should be here shortly."
"The Preventers can't do anything to me," Vernon snarled. "I've done nothing wrong."
"You think so," Trowa's gaze shifted back to the obese man as he pushed off the wall. "First of all, you threatened not only my aunt, but the biological mother and father of Quatre Raberba Winner."
"Y-you're l-lying," the large face drained of all color, leaving it looking like curdled milk.
"Am I?" the one visible brow rose incredulously. "While he may have been adopted, he is still the heir to one of the wealthiest and most influential families in the space colonies, and I'm sure his twenty-nine older sisters will have no issues pressing charges against you in his stead. If you ever manage to dig your way out of the hole you crawled into, you'll have to deal with the second matter: the fact that you took a swing at me. And while I may not be a Preventer agent, yet, I do happen to be one of Lady Une's favorites, considering she hand selected me during the war to be a test pilot for her prototype mobile suits. So, all things considered, you'll be lucky to see the light of day again."
Vernon was now staring, slack jawed, at the teen, practically quaking in his seat. A faint sneer crossed the former Heavyarms pilot's face at the pathetic picture the poor excuse of a man created. He had met some cowards in his day, but this was almost too much.
He was spared from any further musings on the quivering mess of flesh by a knock on the front door. After a brief, non-verbal exchange, Petunia made her way down the hall to answer it. She returned a moment later, followed by another female, dressed in the brown and black uniform of the Preventers.
"Noin," Trowa nodded at the short haired raven. "I didn't expect you to be the one to show up. I thought you would be accompanying Lady Une back to Belgium."
"That was the plan," she conceded, "until we received Duo's call. And I was told to tell you, Trowa Barton, that we are not your private police force, and if you have a problem, you need to take it up with the local authorities. The Preventers are not at the beck and call of the Gundam pilots."
"Thank god you're here!" Vernon seemed to regain enough bluster to address the agent. "This boy is holding me hostage in my own house! Arrest him at once!"
Noin took a deep breath and rubbed her eyes tiredly. After a moment, her gaze turned to the unibanged teen once more.
"What's really going on, Trowa?"
"Right," he nodded. "I'm pressing charges against this man for assault."
"Assault?" a dark brow rose curiously.
"He took a swing at me, that's why he's handcuffed," the former Heavyarms pilot shrugged. "But not just me, my brother as well."
"Duo?"
"No, Harry," he said evenly. "If you want evidence, I'm sure there are bruises on his wrist from where this pig grabbed him last night in front of no less than seven witnesses."
"I see," she nodded. "We'll definitely look into that. Assault against a minor, even one of your caliber, is quite the serious offense."
She moved toward the obese man and forced him to his feet, ready to escort him from the premises.
"Oh, before I forget," he stopped her before she cleared the kitchen, "I'm sure the Winners would like to press charges as well, for threatening to kill these two if they tried to leave the house."
"And why would they want to do that?" she looked at him with an indulgent stare.
"Oh right, you weren't there for the actual meeting," a small smirk flitted across his lips. "This is Petunia Dursley and Remus Lupin, the biological parents of Quatre Raberba Winner."
"Of course they are," she shook her head.
"LIES!" Vernon bellowed, starting to struggle against his bonds. "ALL OF IT, LIES! THEY'RE JUST TRYING TO GET RID OF ME TO TAKE MY HOUSE! THEY'RE ALL UNNATURAL FREAKS AND TERRORISTS! THEY SHOULD BE THE ONES ARRESTED! I'M AN HONEST, HARDWORKING CITIZEN!"
As his shouting increased in volume and intensity, the front door opened and three more agents entered. Without a word, they went over and took over the escorting of the screaming man. Once they were outside, and the door muffling some of the continued protests, Noin turned back to the remaining trio.
"Okay, we've got this from here," she took a deep breath. "We'll handle this one, just to avoid an interstellar incident. But seriously, Trowa, don't contact us again, unless it is actually Preventer business, and you can pass that on to the others as well."
With that, she turned on her heel and headed for the front door.
"Oh, and Trowa," she stopped with her hand on the doorknob, "Quatre has twenty-four hours to press charges. And I'll be in touch, once he's booked, to arrange a meeting with your brother."
And then she was gone. The three remaining stood there for a moment before the werewolf cleared his throat, drawing all attention to him.
"Well, I think we should go join the others. I feel there is still so much we need to discuss."
That being said, he held out an arm for each of the others. Once they had a firm hold, he turned on the spot and, with a resounding CRACK, they were gone.
Ammie: Okay, so the bit with Vernon took on a life of its own, but I really wanted him out of the picture without outright killing him. Anyway, hopefully this will pick up again, but we'll see. On another note, I kinda need a place for all these people to stay, cause Spinner's End just isn't quite big enough for eight teens and four adults, so suggestions would be appreciated (and for the record Grimmauld Place is out considering the Order is using it). Anyway, please let me know what you think.