Can I just say... HOLY FUCKING PURPLE CRAP this story is way more popular than I thought it would be... 2 chapters and I've already got over 100 reviews and that took me nine chapters in my WMtD story... wow.
OKAY! Since everyone seems to think Harry is 11/12 or younger (some even thought he was 6 or so) I've done a timeline to clear things up.
--Just 8 or so when the Dursley's abandoned him (Remember when Vernon says "Seven years we've put up with blah, blah, blah...)
--9 when he apparated to L1 and became a dog (I wasn't clear on that... sorry)
--5 years on L1- about 13 when Wufei finds him, Wufei was 14 (I said it right at the beginning 'for five years the dog had been...')
--2 years at the circus- about 15 when Wufei returns, Wufei was 16
Everything was pretty much implied except I blurred the Dursley/London time on purpose for reasons that will become clear later. As of this chapter Harry is 16 and Wufei is 17!
Vote results at the end of the chapter.
Now enough of this long A/N: Read and enjoy!!
Ira-na: About damn time...
Chapter 3: Though the storm may howl
"I believe that everything happens for a reason. People change so that you can learn to let go. Things go wrong so that you appreciate them when they go right. You believe lies so you eventually learn to trust no one that doesn't earn it, and sometimes good things fall apart, so that better things can fall together." ~ Marilyn Monroe
Yù Jié loved steak.
He didn't get it often because Catherine was worried that he would become too fat, though he'd heard her remark that he had very high... mo-ta-balism... whatever that was.
He loved steak especially when Duo made it, because it the braided boy added several different spices and they all exploded in his mouth. Yù Jié had never enjoyed food as much as he did as a dog.
So he didn't notice when the tent he was in filled with people, as he was in a euphoric high while he wolfed down the bowl of chopped up steak. It was very delicious.
When he finished licking the bowl clean he finally noticed the people and gleefully bounded over to Wufei. The Chinese boy smiled softly and scratched behind his ears as he waited with Catherine, Trowa, and Quatre for something. Finally Heero came in with two people Yù Jié didn't recognize.
One was a tall woman with thick brown hair braided and looped up at the base of her neck. Yù Jié immediately liked her because of the way she smelled. Like the red flowers that had been in his Aunt Petunia's garden. The only fond memory he had of the Dursley's was spending time in that garden weeding.
The second was a small man with big glasses and a thick folder. He looked nervous and Yù Jié could smell the fear coming off him; though Yù Jié wondered what he was scared of.
That question was answered when Duo walked in and sat down beside the man, causing his fear to spike and making him watch Duo warily as though expecting the braided boy to eat him. Duo picked up on this and turned to the man with a predatory grin, "Have we met before?"
The lady that Yù Jié liked snorted, "Yes Mr. Maxwell. You put Mr. Ryan Flemming into intensive care two months ago when you came to fix the AC in my office.
Duo looked at the man closely and his eyes widened slightly, "Oh yeah, sorry about that man, I only had four cups of coffee that morning and I was cranky."
"I never want to see you with no caffeine in you then," the lady muttered as the nervous Ryan began swallowing repeatedly.
Duo chuckled and leaned back in his chair. Noticing Yù Jié watching him he motioned him over and Yù Jié left the warm hand of Wufei to go see what the other wanted only to be scooped up, no easy feat considering he wasn't that small anymore, into the boys lap and set him facing Ryan, "Growl at 'im Yù Jié! This guys so terrified he'd probably shit himself!" And then Duo was laughing hard while hugging Yù Jié awkwardly to keep him from sliding off his lap.
"Maxwell," Wufei growled, "we are here to discuss important matters. Please control yourself."
Still chuckling Duo winked good-naturedly at Ryan before turning to face the first lady, "SO what's the what, Une baby?"
Une levelled a glare at Duo that had Yù Jié cowering and Duo chuckling
"The reason we are here," Une said, "is to offer you five places in the new Preventers. We need people with your skills and more importantly after the fiasco with the world leaders calling for the heads of the Gundam Pilots, it would be beneficial for at least those of you that are known to be seen working in an establishment firmly devoted to peace."
She continued on in the silence and Yù Jié could feel the small bits of anger coming from the boy who gripped him tight, "I know this might come too close to the heels of the war but we are seeing several terrorists groups rising in the wake of what... was left... suffice to say we really need more workers with your skill levels."
The five looked at each other while Yù Jié worried in Duo's lap. He didn't want his family being in any more danger as they had been during the war. He didn't understand a lot of things, but he knew that the five boys had been doing something incredibly dangerous. He knew every time they left that there was a chance they might not come back again.
He didn't want that again.
"I can't," Quatre sighed from across the table, "I know you need us, but I am the head of Winner Corporations now. I barely have any free time to myself as it is." Une nodded as though she'd been expecting that.
"I don't mind helping out occasionally, but I'd still like to work here more often than not," Trowa said, "I could help train the new recruits."
"I'll join," Heero looked as though he didn't even have to think about his answer.
"If Heero's in, I'm in too and I'm his partner," Duo glared at Une as if daring her to disagree, "We work best as a team."
Une only nodded, "I actually expected that."
"I would like to join too," said Wufei and the despite the almost blasé way he said it, it caused Yù Jié to be gripped with an intense fear that he couldn't name. It caused Quatre to gasp, followed by a yelp from Duo as Yù Jié launched himself out of his lap and towards Wufei.
Wufei caught him and attempted to sooth him.
"Ouch," Duo rubbed the legs that Yù Jié had used as a spring board, "further proof that Yù Jié is the strangest dog ever."
"He's normally like this?" asked Une, while Ryan shot furtive glances between Duo, Yù Jié and the door.
"Well, not normally panicked like this. He just reacts to things we say in ways most animals don't. Like he understands us," Quatre answered when no one else did, "he's afraid. And judging by when he reacted I think he's afraid of Wufei leaving."
Une stared at Yù Jié for a moment before switching her stare to Quatre, "You know Winner, one of these days we're going to figure out exactly how it is you manage to actually feel other people's... and apparently animal... emotions. I would have never believed in empathy until I meet you," Quatre grinned at that, "and as for Wufei leaving; there's a reason I wanted you here as well." Catherine looked over when Une spoke to her.
"I know you five have never been children and never will be children, which is why I've offered you these jobs. However I think you need some form of stability in your lives and I don't like the idea of separating you five." She didn't elaborate and they didn't need her to. There was a reason Quatre lived at the circus despite his position. He ran his business from there and shuttled around when he needed to. Likewise, the other's either lived in the circus too and worked from there or, In Duo's case, travelled back and forth to work.
"So how would you like a permanent working visa for your circus?" Une asked Catherine, whose eyes in turn, bugged out. "I realize the circus used to travel before the war got to heavy..."
"We'll take it!" Catherine didn't even let Une finish, her eyes were shinning happily, "It'll be nice to visit Earth and the other colonies again."
"That's settled then. See Yù Jié," Duo grinned when Yù Jié turned his doleful green eyes away from Wufei to him, "absolutely nothing to worry about."
"Now," said Une brusquely, "If you would get out the papers Ryan..."
-
Once more Yù Jié found himself in a carrier in a luggage area. Only this was slightly better in that Trowa was there keeping the other animals calm and his carrier was bigger than the last time he was on a shuttle.
For the first time in two years Catherine's circus was visiting Earth and Yù Jié was agitated. He hadn't been on Earth since he was human. And while a part of him was anxious because of that fact, the other part was excited.
Something about Earth was different from the colonies. He could feel it in his bones. It thrilled him in a way that made him feel like something was beginning to brim under the surface of his skin the closer he got to the planet.
"It's alright Yù Jié," Trowa's soothing voice calmed him somewhat, though the sensation remained, steadily increasing, "You will have much to explore on Earth and many new people to meet. There are even schools and orphanages that have booked camping areas near the Circus to visit." Yù Jié wished he could convey to Trowa that it was not fear that made him this nervous, but even if he was still human, he couldn't explain this feeling.
And it was growing stronger.
-
In Scotland, an old man was sitting in his office sucking thoughtfully on a lemon drop candy. His office was in a castle far older than anyone knew; dating back not only pre-colony but pre... well it was old. Probably the oldest castle left standing, as all others of its ilk had long since fallen to ruin.
It was a nice office; cosy, with a large fireplace keeping it warm, a lot of strange trinkets scattered around any available space, Portraits lining the wall, bookshelves lined with books both old, new, and ancient, and an elaborate perch that was obviously meant for a bird of some sort, though it was empty at the moment. The room suited the old man, since he was a very odd duck himself. Decked in strange blue robes with delicate green, black, and silver embroidery along the cuff's and hems, he had a long, thick white beard that was tucked into his belt to keep it from dragging, and a strange black hat keeping the rest of his frizzy white hair back. It looked oddly like a witched hat.
The man continued to suck on his candy and was just reaching for another one when he froze. On his desk was a strange silver instrument that looked reminiscent of a compass, only it was a clear glass model of the earthwith a needle in the centre that pointed in any direction. It had been a very important instrument, but it the needle had been spinning aimlessly for eight years. Before that it had pointed specifically at England, roughly London and its surrounding areas; not the most specific device, to be sure.
When it had started spinning aimlessly though... well that had marked the beginnings of eight years of worry, and regret, and anxiety. He only took solace in that his one great fear had not come to pass, else the needle would have dissolved.
What caused him to freeze however was the sudden and sure twist the needle took before pointing to Edinburgh... and surrounding areas. For a long moment he stared at the miniature globe in shock, and disbelief, and barely restrained hope; barely daring to breath least it start moving aimlessly again.
Then worry washed over him and he suddenly stood up to the startled mummers of the portraits lining the room; the moving portraits.
"Harry..." he whispered, "Thank Merlin, you're alive." And with that he strode from the office, leaving a confused babble in his wake.
Albus Dumbledore had much to do, and very little time afforded to him.
-
When Harry stepped out of the carrier and touched the earth with his paws he nearly passed out from the wave of... something that washed through him and around him. He was glad that Quatre was not off the shuttle yet, since the boy would have defiantly felt an echo of it. It reminded Yù Jié of the feeling he got when he did the funny stuff, only much, much stronger. It filled him with a level of energy that he didn't quite know what to do with. His heart was beating faster, his breath was coming quicker, and he barely managed to restrain himself from running wild.
He hoped they got to the fair-grounds soon. He needed to burn off some of this energy.
-
One more week until we move on. It won't come fast enough, was Yù Jié's thought, as he creeped around the circus. It was their third week on Earth and something about the new batch of visiting students and teachers set Yù Jié's fur on end.
The majority of them seemed to be enjoying themselves, while a third seemed to be sneering at everyone. Some of them had the strangest dress sense; one teacher was never seen without large golden shades, another student wore a dress even though he was a boy, and there was a girl who wore leather boots that smelled like nothing Yù Jié had ever smelled before.
But what unnerved Yù Jié was the faint scent that they all shared. It was stronger on some and weaker on others and achingly familiar. It made him incredibly wary.
So when he saw the bushy-haired girl sitting alone on a small hill behind the tents he wasn't planning on going anywhere near her; he was going to avoid her, like he was avoiding all the others. Yet the way she had separated herself from the other students and the small frown she wore as she stared off into the distance reminded him of the lonely time when he had been just the Dog.
So he crept out of his hiding place and trotted slowly up to her. She jumped in surprise when he settle down next to her and giggled when he rolled over, hinting that he wanted her to rub his stomach. He loved it when his family did that, it was very relaxing.
"Hullo there, boy," she said while complying with his silent demand, "Aren't you a beautiful dog. A bit like a miniature version of a certain Grim I know. Only he had blue eyes and yours are such a nice shade of green. My name's Hermione, I wonder what they call you?"
Yù Jié wuffed softly at her before he rolled over and gently gripped her sleeve. Careful not to rip it, he tugged, telling her to get up. When she did he ran over to grab a stick he'd seen on his way to sit beside her and brought it back to her, leaving it at her feet.
He would play with this Hermione because he didn't like seeing her sad face. It struck a chord in him that he didn't like to think of. So he'd make her happy while he could.
She was really fun to play fetch with too. She could throw farther than Catherine and really high too. The only ones that could throw farther and higher were his Gundam boys.
Yù Jié jumped high to catch the stick in mid-air and did all of the crazy tricks that Trowa had taught him and before long Hermione was laughing happily as they played. It was when their game dissolved into a tug-of-war with him growling playfully and Hermione grinning wildly that their fun was interrupted.
A tall boy with vivid red hair came up the hill causing Hermione to sober up and let go of the stick.
"Wow Hermione, didn't know you were even capable of having fun, much less laughing," he said with a slight smirk on his lips.
Hermione scowled and clenched her fists, "I am perfectly capable of having fun with company that doesn't care who I am and where I came from, Ronald."
Yù Jié growled softly at this Ronald that had ruined all his hard work to get Hermione to smile.
The boy blushed a deep red that clashed with his hair. "Nothing against who you are, just that stick you've got wedged so far up your arse it might as well come out of your mouth. Hermione the stickler for rules who values books above people and has since first year," he snarled, "You should've been in Ravenclaw, but even they know there's life outside of books"
"Well maybe I'd spend more of my time away from books if I knew some worthwhile people to spend it with!" Hermione yelled back, dashing tears from her eyes with angry hands, "But so far the only worthwhile people I know in the entire school are Neville, Luna, and your sister!"
By now Yù Jié was cowering away from the two yelling figures, whimpering softly. He wanted to defend Hermione like a dog should but the yelling reminded him too much of his time as Freak and he reacted as he had when he was Freak.
"Stop!" came a familiar voice from the side. Wufei came striding up the hill, dropping into a crouch beside Yù Jié who flinched from his touch at first. Softly he began to pet the shivering Yù Jié till he began to calm. "Could you not see when your disgraceful yelling began to upset Yù Jié?" He glared at the two students who both looked shame-faced.
"I'm sorry," Hermione whispered, violently scrubbing her tears away. She knelt down in front of Yù Jié and beside Wufei and held out her hand for Yù Jié to inspect, "I didn't mean to scare you boy. Yù Jié is such a nice name." She turned to Wufei, "It means 'purity of jade' right?"
Yù Jié nodded and looked up at Ronald, "Well where is your honour man? Apologize for making the Onna cry and Yù Jié panic." Hermione's eyes narrowed at the use of Onna but she said nothing.
Once more Ronald blushed a bright red, but he too came over and apologized to Hermione and Yù Jié.
"My name is Chang Wufei, this is Yù Jié," he said, once he was certain Yù Jié was calm again. "You are from the class camping near here, am I right?"
"Yes. I'm Hermione Granger. I apologize for giving such an awkward first impression."
"I'm Ron Weasley," Ronald replied looking embarrassed still.
"Not Ronald?" Wufei queried, arching a brow.
"No, I like Ron. But Hermione insists on calling me Ronald." Yù Jié perked up his head at the bitter note in Ron's voice. Perhaps there was more than just dislike in Ron's actions towards Hermione.
"You know it's odd," Hermione mumbled as she stroked Yù Jié's head, "the white fur here kind of looks like a lightning bolt now that I'm looking closer."
Wufei tilted his head to the side and stood up, dusting off his pants, "Yes, my comrade Maxwell calls him Flash on occasion; a rather unoriginal name."
Hermione looked lost in thought as she traced the bolt and met the rich green eyes, "It's in the exact same spot that Harry Potter's scar would be," she said softly. Ron jerked to look at her flabbergasted before turning to stare at Yù Jié. Wufei narrowed his eyes.
"That's the second time I've heard that name today. Your teachers were asking about him."
"Really," Hermione lapsed into silence at that, continuing her petting. Yù Jié waited patiently before snorting in boredom and getting up to fetch the stick. He set it down between them and gave a look that clearly said, 'think later, play now.'
-
Wufei wasn't sure exactly what it was about the class and its teachers, but they had a strange air about them. Most of them were naive about the most ordinary of things such as currency. He'd seen one boy ogling a car as though he'd never seen one before. Some held themselves with disdain of everyone in the circus and a good deal of their own peers.
And there was the air of threat that they gave off, especially the teachers. Every instinct Wufei had was screaming that these people were dangerous, yet he couldn't find a logical reason why. They were all completely physically unfit with the exception of a few.
And they all carried their own polished stick. Each stick was different, some longer, some shorter, made up of different woods, some were even carved uniquely. All the visitors kept their individual sticks within easy access; some carrying them in holsters on their wrists.
It was odd.
When the girl Granger left, followed by the taller boy Weasley, having come to a truce of sorts over what they'd been arguing about. Wufei turned to Yù Jié who looked up at him expectantly. Snapping his fingers he began walking back to the tents with Yù Jié at his heels, mulling over what he knew.
The whole 'class-camping trip' seemed, to Wufei, to be a facade. To carefully hide from someone, and obviously not the circus people, that they were searching for this boy Harry Potter.
It was the teacher's asking questions and it seemed the students were in the dark about the true purpose here. But even they knew of this missing boy.
Wufei could tell that the news of the teacher's questions had made Granger suspicious in a way Weasley hadn't even thought twice about. More curious still was the way Hermione had kept pausing occasionally to look at Yù Jié thoughtfully.
Wufei was interrupted from his musings when Duo came bounding over from where he'd been talking to a tall, sour looking man.
"Wuffers guess what!" he shouted, following Wufei into the tent reserved for them. Trowa looked up from some papers he was working on and Heero ignored them in favour of his computer. The man rudely followed after Duo obviously not thinking he needed an invitation, "Apparently a kid's gone missing. They're looking for a black-haired, green-eyed kid with a lightning-bolt shaped scar on his forehead. Seen 'im?"
"I have already been asked this Maxwell and the answer is no," he replied, watching the man. He was not even watching them so much as watching Yù Jié. "And would it kill you to use my proper name?"
Duo smirked and ignored the second question, "Yeah, see I said that too. Then I told him that the only lightning-bolt bearer around here was Flash and this guy insisted on seeing him."
Duo's message was loud and clear. He did not trust the sour man and he knew there was more to this story than what was being told.
"Idiotic," Wufei snorted, "you are looking for a boy, not a dog, Mr..."
"Snape," he answered, apparently finding what he needed to in Yù Jié, who was munching on some food Trowa had given him. "How much are you willing to take for that dog?" He asked, ignoring what Wufei had said.
Warning bells were ringing in full force now.
"Not for sale," Heero said as he shut his laptop and came to stand beside Duo. Trowa moved to stand in front of the blissfully eating Yù Jié. What was it about this man that made their defences go up as fast as they would have had he pulled a gun on them.
Snape's eyes narrowed, "Why?"
"He's family, dude," Duo said lazily, looking for all-the-world like he wasn't ready to rip the man apart at the wrong word.
"Family," Snape's voice was low and tainted with disbelief, "who knew terrorists had family," he continued with scorn.
All four boys had guns trained on him in the space it took to blink, emotion gone from their expressions. Yù Jié felt the threat that hung thickly in the air and backed up into an inconspicuous corner.
"State your name, your real business here, and how you know who we are before we kill you," came Heero's monotonous soldier voice.
Oddly enough the man didn't look cowed in the least, "I've told you my name and business already. How I know who you are? Well your pathetic minds are wide open books. As for why I want the dog," here Snape slid a glance at the hiding Yù Jié before meeting Heero's eyes once more, "It is because that is obviously not a dog."
Wufei went to say something but the man suddenly looked toward the door, "Let us continue this another time." And with a cracking noise he vanished.
Staring at the spot where he had stood it took a moment more than it normally would have for the boys to assess the situation and lower their guns, if not their guard. "What the hell does he mean Yù Jié's not a dog? How can he not be a dog?" Duo shouted, incensed that the man had gotten away.
The boys had no answers though and they each split up; Trowa to find Quatre, Heero and Duo to watch the visiting class, and Wufei to inform Catherine of the possible threat. "You will stay with me tonight Yù Jié," he informed the dog, "I do not trust that man to not come back for you when you are alone."
The only questions Yù Jié had however was how the man knew that he had once been human, and if he was going to be punished for doing funny stuff again. But how could a man who also did funny stuff punish him for that?
More importantly, Yù Jié was terrified he would be forced back into being Freak.
-
The night was darker than usual since the stars were hidden behind thick black clouds. Yù Jié couldn't sleep. He was chilled for all the thick fur that covered him and no amount of curling up tighter under Wufei's bed could warm him. He was terrified.
So awake and terrified that he was able to hear the soft creak of the trailer door opening and he knew something was horribly wrong.
Had it been anyone that knew Wufei they would have knocked before entering, mainly to warn the soft-sleeping Wufei so he wouldn't awaken and shoot first. However Wufei didn't stir. As footsteps came closer to the bed Wufei still didn't more.
Something was horribly, horribly wrong.
"Where are you Mr. Potter?" came the silky voice of Mr. Snape, "I do not know how you became an animagus but you are not hiding any longer. Your guardians won't wake up to save you, so come out now." The last demand was practically spat out in growling, commanding tones.
Yù Jié was confused on everything the man said except one. Somehow he had drugged the ever-careful Gundam boys and that was why Wufei had not stirred.
The feet in front of him shifted as Mr. Snape got to his knees and looked under the bed; glaring at Yù Jié as he cowered as far back as he could.
"Come out now Potter," he hissed and suddenly Yù Jié was mad. How dare this man drug his family! How dare he think to take Yù Jié away from those who cared for him! With a vicious howl he snapped at Mr. Snape causing the man to fall back as he jerked out of the way. Using the man's distraction he lunged out from under the bed and latched onto the man's arm, digging his teeth in and growling ferociously.
Snape cried out in pain and vaguely Yù Jié noticed an older woman come in the door looking fretful and aiming a long stick at him just as Snape had done with his free hand.
Snarling Yù Jié shook his head viciously causing blood to splatter and Snape to cry out again. If only Wufei would wake up. Trying to focus his will and grasp the sensation he got every time he did funny stuff he begged Wufei and the others to wake up. He didn't want to be taken away.
Then several things happened at once. A blast of light from the lady's stick sent Yù Jié flying away from Snape to crash into the dresser. Another blast of light from Snape's wand hit him and caused pain to ripple through his body. And Wufei woke up.
-
When Wufei woke up it was with an intensity he had never felt before; as though someone was screaming in his head and every cell had recieved a jolt of energy. The first thing he did was grab his gun. The second thing he did was take in the people that had somehow gotten into his room without waking him and Yù Jié writhing in agony on the floor.
"What did you do?!" He demanded, swiftly aiming his gun at the bleeding man on the ground. Something told Wufei that Snape was more of a threat than the woman standing near the door, "What did you do to Yù Jié?!"
However they both stared at him as though he had grown a second head. The woman started to say something when a high whimpering howl coming from Yù Jié brought everyone's attention to him.
His skin rippled and the fur receded and before Wufei's amazed eyes the dog Yù Jié became a naked and crying boy. The boy scuttled back on all fours till he was in a corner far away from everyone else.
He couldn't be older than Wufei, with long, matted black hair, pale skin, and a lightning-bolt scar on his forehead. But he still had Yù Jié's vivid green eyes.
"Who's the kid?" Duo voice was tense. He saw that Heero had the woman's stick and a gun pressed to her temple.
"Don't even think about it," Trowa said as he stepped into the room and Wufei cursed at his own stupidity. He had lost his attention on Snape who had started to raise his own stick to aim at Wufei. Trowa snatched it and pressed his own gun to Snape's temple.
It was a good idea. That these people held their sticks like weapons meant they probably were.
"Back to my question," Duo said with a grin as he slowly walked towards the cowering boy with a blanket he'd grabbed from Wufei's bed, "who's the kid?"
"Yù Jié," Wufei whispered. It was nearly lost beneath the boy's sobs but Duo shot a glare at him just the same.
"Come again, Wuffers?"
"You hear me the first time Maxwell. I saw it for myself. Yù Jié turned into that boy there."
"How the hell can a dog turn into a real boy? This isn't Pinocchio you know."
"Pinocchio was a wooden doll," was Heero's reply.
Duo looked at Heero incredulously, "I didn't know that you knew children's stories. Is there something you need to tell me Hee-chan?" he leered and the corners of Heero's lips twitched... just barely.
"Peaz..." the voice choked and small; everyone once more turned to Yù Jié... or whoever he was. Quatre put a hand over his chest, wincing in pain, "Peaz... I'll be good... peaz don..." he hiccupped.
"Who are you?" Duo asked as he crouched by the kid, holding out the blanket and trying to look as non-threatening as possible.
The question however, as gently as it was asked, caused the boy to panic, "You Jay, pleaz... Wu-Wufey call-call'd me You Jay."
"I told you Maxwell, I am not crazy. That boy is Yù Jié."
Duo glared at Wufei before turning back to the boy who was starting to breath a bit harshly, "Who were you before Chang named you?" asked Heero from where he still held the female teacher at gunpoint.
The boy stared down at his hands and muttered, "Dog," before rubbing at his tears.
This time it was Wufei who softly asked, "Before they called you Dog; before you came to that street... as a... dog. What was your name when you were still human?"
"His name was..." Snape drawled from where he was still sitting on the floor, but Wufei interrupted him.
"I didn't ask you now did I? I was not talking to the dishonourable people who sneak around at night to steal someone else's dog." He turned back to the boy, "What was the name you had first?"
Yù Jié had frozen up the first time he'd been asked the question, but when he was asked a second time he flinched as though he'd been struck. Finally after remaining still for a moment he mumbled under his breath.
Duo's eyes widened in shock and fury, "What did he say?" Heero questioned, but Duo looked incapable of answering at the moment.
"Mr. And Mrs. Dursey call me f-Freak," the boy said louder. Then suddenly he jerked up dropping the blanket he'd been clutching. Green eyes were feverish as he scrambled awkwardly on hands and knees towards Wufei. Duo let him pass, still trembling with suppressed rage.
The boy grabbed onto the hem of Wufei's night tunic and looked up at the stunned boy, "Pleas, please can keep me Yù Jié? I don wanna be Freak 'ny more. Freak was always hurt and loked up. You Jiy..." the broken speech stumbled to a halt when the boy's breathing became too harsh.
There was a strangled noise and Wufei looked over to see the woman by the door fall to the ground; her knees giving out on her. "We thought," she was mumbling, staring in horror at the boy, "they told us he had run away... not..."
"Minerva will you please remain silent," Snape growled viciously. This caused her to pull herself together and shoot a withering glare at Snape as she stood up and dusted herself off; shooting a wry glance at the gun Heero still had trained on her.
"I think, Severus, that if we expect to live through this encounter, we shall have to break a few laws," the way she said it made it clear she found the idea horrifying, yet necessary. Wufei wondered why she said laws.
"They shouldn't have even woken up," mumbled Snape and Wufei understood better why he hadn't stirred when trailer had first been entered.
"Yes, well they did wake up, didn't they Severus," she said, looking every bit the prim school teacher, "and they have our wands."
Wufei watched the exchange silently as Duo picked up the dropped blanket and handed it to him. He crouched down in front of the boy. Freak. How could anyone think their name had actually been Freak unless that was the only thing they were called; an insult becoming a name through repetition.
He met the terrified green eyes as he slowly wrapped the boy up in the blanket, trying to project a calming aura.
"I'm s'rry," the boy whimpered, "I turned to... into a dog and I never turned back and I didn' know how so I stay a dog and I didn' mean to lie and..."
Wufei held a finger up to silence the tirade, impressed despite himself. The boy's speech was improving rapidly. After spending who knows how many years in silence it was no wonder his speech was broken and childish. But he had obviously known how to speak before he became a dog and it was coming back to him fairly quick.
"These people say your name is Harry Potter," he said and watched in dismay as the boy's face fell. He looked up at Quatre who looked at the others and nodded in acquiesce, "but we have always known you as Yù Jié and even though this is a surprise and we would like a more detailed explanation, which I'm sure they have," he nodded to the still arguing teachers, "you are family to us. Still Yù Jié." Yù Jié's look of utter joy was almost painful to look at.
"Now," said Quatre, silencing the teachers as his face adapted a cold, professional look, "we have many things to discuss. Starting with who you people really are."
I think... this has gotta be one of the longest chapters I have ever written... I am amazed....
NOW THE VOTE RESULTS!!! Drum roll please!
Ira-na: I seriously want to kill you right now...
Moon Ecstasy: shut it and give the drum roll, the readers are waiting!
Ira-na: *mutters something about sharpening pointy sticks and gives a drum roll that is a tad bit angry...*
M.E.: And the winner is!!! SLASH!! With a grand total of 185!! Mentor got 81. To all those worried that it will develop too soon or will be too weird I'll appease you now. It will be a slowly developing relationship and the vote was mainly to help me decide exactly how innocent to make Harry. If mentor-ship had won I would have had a really, really child-like Harry. As it is now, Harry will be sort of innocent but sort of not.
I've changed a bunch of canon things that I figure if you notice, you notice and if you don't, you don't.
Also, do you know how intimidating it is to find out that some of your all time favourite authors are reading and apparently like your work?!?! It is a wonderful and scary feeling.
