I don't own KHR, HP, Ranma 1/2, or Sherlock! Well, I do own my dog, named Sherlock, but you get what I mean.
Quick Note: I think I'm on the final days of getting over my cold. However, I really think sleeping from 6pm to 7:15am was a bit excessive... Even if it seems to have rebooted my immune system. On another note, I swear drivers around my area need to take a course on proper round-a-bout driving. I was almost hit twice, in less than an hour, and I had the right of way both times! Needless to say, I am glad that I have quick reflexes when it comes to stomping on the break. The people driving were a teenager and a middle aged idiot of a man. Neither looked before zooming right into my path. And yes, I honked (once) at each of them both times.
foxchick1: Glad you're still enjoying it!
D C JoKeR H S: Glad to keep you amused! ;) I still haven't decided if Fran will make an appearance or not, but we'll see where my haphazard mind takes us.
Guest: Thank you so much! Squalo's kind of become my own personal comic relief outlet, but it's fun!
Derich: Nana did a great job of messing with Squalo, but Squalo kind of deserved it for setting up Xanxus, without permission.
The Plan Is On!
Nana smiled at Nodoka as she explained the situation, "Apparently, we need to have you go as Squalo's date to protect Xanxus from being kidnapped by cougar-witch. Also, I need you to fill me in on Squalo's report. He'll have to give it to Xanxus during the date. Hopefully, we can find out where he's been and what's going on. You game?"
"I've got this," Nodoka smirked.
"Oh, and Squalo has the title of the Sword Emperor. It might be a great time to trade tips of the trade, if it gets boring," Nana smiled at Nodoka mischievously.
"Very intriguing," Nodoka's eyebrows were raised as she quickly changed and headed out the door. "In the lobby?"
"They are," Nana waved to her friend as she watched her friend leave. "So, that okay with you, Ranma? I know she won't go further than flirting with Squalo, as she's more into Soun..."
"Into daddy?!" Akane gaped in shock.
"Well, it's not a bad thing, right?" Nana asked Akane curiously.
"I suppose not... but Auntie and daddy?" Akane blinked a bit, before she could picture it, "I guess it would be okay..."
"Akane, are you seriously just now figuring out that dad has a thing for Auntie Nodoka?" Nabiki sighed in exasperation, "She's hopeless, Nana."
"Nabiki, she's not hopeless. She's just not old enough, yet. After all, I didn't realize Tsuyoshi loved me until he asked for the second or third date... I think?" Nana tapped her chin thoughtfully.
"Of course, Mama didn't even realize that they were dates, at the time," Tsuna smiled as he watched Akane blink at him in surprise.
"Tsuna's right," Nana chuckled. "When it comes to love, it's better to tell them straight out. Beating around the bush only gets you around the bush, not to the heart of the matter."
"Okay, so what does that mean for Ranma and Akane?" Nabiki asked.
"What?!" Ranma and Akane gaped at the teenager in shock.
"Use caution, Nabiki. After all, if someone told you to stop searching, would you? Or would you do the opposite and dig in deeper?" Nana warned the older Tendo in the room.
"What does all that have to do with everything?" Bill asked, reminding Nana and the others that he was still present.
"Sorry Bill, internal family issues. We'll get back on track," Nana gathered the rest of the family, minus Ryoga and Harry, letting them rest with Takashi and Mukuro to guard them. Of course, Nodoka, Squalo, Xanxus, and Rosemerta were all headed to a fancy restaurant, and not in the hotel.
"What do we need to get back on track towards?" a dark male figure slunk out of the shadows to reveal himself.
"Sirius Black," Bill gaped. "He's in London?! Here?!"
"But of course, Bill," Nana winked at the confused Curse Breaker. "We need to contact the Tonks family and get this show on the road to catching Pettigrew, after all."
"Your resemblance to Fabian and Gideon Prewett is really amazing, kid," Sirius complimented the kid. "You must be Arthur and Molly's oldest. Nice to meet ya."
What the escapees of Azkaban didn't know, was that the Minister thought he'd lost his favorite pocket watch at the prison, and had gone back to Azkaban, today, to find it. Unfortunately, that was when he saw the empty cells and sounded the alarm! Sirius Black and some dangerous muggles were on the loose! Of course, Black would no doubt kill the muggles as soon as he escaped, and so the Aurors began to comb the countryside, but found neither hide, hair, or dead bodies of said muggles.
It was then that Cornelius Fudge had a brilliant idea, "Delores, contact the muggle Prime Minister and alert them that the infamous criminal Sirius Black is at large in England."
"At once, Minister!" Delores croaked out and with a little, "Hem! Hem!" She raced to her little office and began to pen a letter, stressing the importance of finding Black before he caused another mass-murder.
It wasn't everyday that the Prime Minister was in his office, but today he was playing host to the British Government, when a red envelope came spitting out of the fireplace! The Prime Minister paled in horror at the color, having received these before, but in front of... "I apologize in advance for this, Mr. Holmes."
"Quite all right, old chap. Shall we see what Fudge has to say, this time?" the man called Mr. Holmes raised an aristocratic eyebrow.
"Of course, sir," the Prime Minister winced as he reluctantly opened the letter as quickly as possible.
"Muggle Minister! We at the British M.O.M. hereby inform you of the escape of the mass-murderer, Sirius Orion Black. If sighted, you have permission to take him dead or alive! Here's his muggle photo for you! That will be all! Signed, Delores Umbridge on behalf of the British M.O.M. Minister, Minister C. Fudge."
The red letter spat out a picture that didn't land in the Prime Minister's hands, but into that of Mr. Holmes, before the paper burned itself up and vanished with a "Hem! Hem!"
"Vile woman," the Minister grumbled. "What do you suggest, Mr. Holmes?"
After looking over the picture, Mr. Holmes frowned, "I will be taking care of this. Keep the press out of it. If another comes, alert me, immediately."
"Yes sir," the Prime Minister sighed in relief as Mr. Holmes left his office. "That man is more frightening than anyone or thing I've ever met!"
"Anthea, please get me to the hotel that Lal said her group would be staying at."
"Of course, Mr. Holmes," Anthea agreed and drove through the dense London traffic, to get to the hotel Lal Mirch had told him that her group would be staying in.
The Tonks family arrived within mere minutes, after Xanxus left on his double date, and that was when they got on with their planning...
"So, how odd would it be for you to bring home the younger Tonks as your girlfriend, Bill?" Nana asked.
"You want me to bring her over, on the sly, and see if we can catch Pettigrew without anyone the wiser?" Bill raised an eyebrow.
"Ideally, yes," Tsuyoshi agreed. "Maybe we could have her boss at the ready, and get his interrogation over with and Sirius exonerated?"
"But what would we do if he attacks Bill's family?" Chrome asked.
"We make sure that they get out," Cologne frowned. "Maybe I come along as the girl's great grandmother, on her father's side?"
"Add the fact that you could say that the Head of the Black Family requested she be supervised with any males, to make sure that she is a good fit to be reinstated as a Black..." Sirius smirked. "It could work..."
"But how would we get your family out of the house, Bill?" Nana brought the conversation back around to her key concern.
"Quidditch?" Bill suggested.
"That would be rather ill-advised," a posh cultured voice interrupted their planning. "Lal Mirch, I had asked you to keep me informed..."
"Mycroft," Lal sighed tiredly. "We just found our missing members and... Everyone, this is Mycroft Holmes."
"Sherlock speaks semi-decently of you," Nabiki commented softly. "Calls you The British Government."
"How... Lovely," Mycroft snorted inelegantly.
"Nana Yamamoto, my husband, Tsuyoshi, and our friends, family, and children. I'm sure you already know our names, Mr. Holmes, but it is polite to introduce ones self, after all. Now, is there a reason you look ready to torture my partner, for information? Especially, when you could just ask?" Nana raised an eyebrow.
"Really? And where does it say that it would be a fair trade?" Mycroft rolled his eyes.
"You gave us the information to get our family back from the British Magicals. It wouldn't be unfair. Also, I have a feeling that you like certain Magicals about as much as we do, right now," Nana stated as she crossed her arms guardedly.
"The *Magicals* as you so politely called them, have issued an APB on a Mister Sirius Black, for escaping prison," Mycroft handed Nana the paper, refusing to look away from Black.
"I see that they neglected to inform you that he'd been held in jail, without a trial, for twelve years? And that the real murderer is still at large?" Nana added coolly.
"They did," Mycroft smirked at Nana.
"We've the location of the real murderer. Would you like to be a part of the team that shows up that fool of a minister?" Nana's eyes sparked with Sky Flames, causing Mycroft to be a bit intrigued.
"I do believe that that would be delightful, my dear lady," Mycroft chuckled in amusement.
Meanwhile at the restaurant/pub, on the double date...
Squalo was in the middle of watching Xanxus tackle another whisky, trying to out-do Rosie, when Nodoka poked him sharply in the ribs, "Voi! What is it, woman?"
"Those two gentlemen have been watching us since we entered the pub. Keep your sword at the ready," Nodoka then let out a giggle, making it seem that Squalo had said something hilarious.
"We know," Squalo muttered, before turning back to his date, and pretending to engage her in idle conversation. "Any others you can spot? As far as I can tell, it's just those two. They're muttering loud enough that I can still hear that they are discussing where we're all from. They've got us pegged as fighters from different areas in Europe, Rosie as a native, and you as a dancer from Japan, but the taller of the two says fighters. All of us."
"Oh?" Nodoka smirked. "What does he think of me getting closer to you?" Nodoka teased, as she took her pointer finger and placed it under Squalo's chin.
"That it is too much PDA, and I agree with him," Squalo grumbled, as he tried to scramble away a bit awkwardly.
"Don't worry, Squalo, you're not really my type. Maybe a sparing partner, but you're a bit young for me," Nodoka chuckled.
"Good to know," Squalo blushed in annoyance. "Voi! They should just come over and get it out of the way! This dancing around with looks thing is getting as old as Timoteo!"
"Glad you think so, too, old chap!" One of the men came right up next to him, before smiling at them as his friend appeared behind him, "Now what on earth are two assassins, a swords-woman, and a witch doing in a pub together? Can you tell me, John?"
"Sherlock, I don't think that this is the opportune..."
"It's fine, isn't it, Mr. Assassin?" Sherlock smiled, before he continued, "If I had to say, I would expect that you were on a reconnaissance mission that went awry, had a few people grab you, and you escaped with the help of the witch. What I can't seem to fit is the fact that you have a swords-woman with you, when you appear to be in better shape than she does? Any guesses, John?"
"Sherlock, did you really have to involve us in this?" John sighed, "My apologies, I'm John Watson, and this is Sherlock Holmes."