Disclaimers: I do not own any of the characters or particular things connected to them from either universe. They all belong to J.K. Rowling or studio Sunrise. Any other possible characters, as in OCs, are all mine.

Summary: Harry lives with his successful parents in London and is on the road to becoming a world-class player in tennis. Having been homeschooled all of his life he jumps at the opportunity to attend a public High School and experience regular teenage life. Will he be able to fit in or will his past get in the way of that?

Pairings: Heero/Harry.

Warnings: SLASH. AU as in another universe, meaning there will be no magic or Gundams in this story. If you have to have your Harry gifted with magic and your G-boys mecha crazed; then I suggest looking for another story. Oh, and another thing; this is not a 'Harry is an unhappy and abused orphan' fic. His parents and godfather are all well and alive in this; just slightly altered to suit my plot, so I'm sorry if I mess up any persons' perceptions of any characters. Just to be clear; it would be better for you to expect most, if not all, characters to be, more or less, OOC with the altered conditions.

Author's note: So…I'm more than slightly aware that there's been ages(?) since I last updated this story. I can only blame real life. Despite it being summer and no school, I'm kept busy by my parents either giving me various jobs to do or dragging me to see a bunch of relatives, since I'm away most of the year in school. Doesn't sound that bad, perhaps, but consider the fact that I have over ten uncles and aunts and nearly thirty cousins who in turn has ten or so children that demand I play 'horsie' with them every time. I'm seriously too tired sometimes to write after a visit.

:coughs: Uh, enough complaining… Here's the next chapter of SC. Hope you'll like it.

Second Chances

Chapter 6

"We can try to avoid making choices by doing nothing, but even that is a decision."

Gary Collins

Harry's eyes flicked between the passing cars in the opposite lane, the bright sun above glistening across the bonnets of the vehicles. The weather was optimal for match day and promising yet another day of high temperatures. It still bothered him, the heat here in California, in comparison to what he was used to although he'd told himself to 'just suck it up', as Duo so eloquently put it.

The soccer coach Mr. Nunez had, finally, left them just a few minutes earlier and were standing by Heero's and Wufei's seats now in the middle of another strategy discussion. Maybe Harry's lack of input deterred the man but the teen couldn't help it. The nervousness was, not exactly excruciating, but close enough in his opinion.

Harry squinted at a random reflex of light from the metal of another passing car and cast a careful look to his side.

"Uhm, Duo?"

"What?" The long haired teen replied absently.

"What school are we playing?" The dark haired teen asked, trying to not let his uncertainty show through the tone in his voice. .

The braided teen turned in his seat to face Harry, a surprised expression painted on his features.

"I haven't told you?"

"No." Harry shook his head.

Duo scratched his chin thoughtfully.

"Livermore High School." He said simply.

Duo paused, eyeing Harry as the darker haired teen fiddled with his fingers and the hem of his shorts.

"You're nervous?" He asked, or rather stated, after a while.

Harry tried not to grimace.

"Well, I would be lying if I said no…"

Duo smiled comfortingly, well as comfortingly as his confident smile ended up being, leaning back in his seat and crossing his arms behind his head.

"Don't think too much about it. Just go out there and do your best. We can't ask for more than that." He said matter-of-factly.

Harry hummed in response but the teen's reassurances didn't do much for his nervousness.

"Are they any good?"

Perhaps he was lucky enough they were going to play against a school that didn't play that well.

"Average." His neighbor shrugged.

Duo leaned over, patting twice on the boy's right shoulder and then, when he noticed how tense the boy was, leaned in.

"Have. Fun." He said, smile softer somehow.

Harry nodded lightly, trying to take it to heart to do just that but not quite succeeding in persuading his wavering self. He pushed down on it, telling himself that it was too late for second thoughts.

Country road gradually shifted into more populated roads and soon the bus entered Livermore. The other members of the soccer club one after the other began to impatiently shift in their seats, getting ready to get out of the bus.

It slowed down, turning and entering a parking lot where it parked right under the shade of some trees in the far left corner. Immediately the bus occupants began moving around in a flurry of excited calls of finally reaching their destination and pregame excitement letting itself be known clearly.

Harry followed the others out of the bus, waiting with Duo while the coach and driver opened up the baggage compartments. He accepted his bag and followed the tail of the group, trying not to think too much about his nerves that were starting to act up again. It would be all be alright, he told himself once more.

In the dressing room he was pulled from his inner thoughts when there was a light tap on his shoulder. He jumped slightly at the sudden contact, having been more preoccupied with his thoughts and nerves than he seemed to be aware of.

Heero was standing in front of him, dressed in the black and white colored uniform recognized as the school colors, holding out a black and grey uniform in his outstretched hand. The number one stood out, seemingly glaring at Harry, printed on the back of the long-sleeved shirt distinguishing itself from the design of the rest of the uniforms. The goalkeeper's attire.

"Here." Heero said simply in his usual tone.

"Thanks." He replied thickly, grasping the bundle of fabric and lowering his eyes to where they had been focused on the floor earlier.

Heero didn't comment on his apparent nervousness, only observed him for few seconds before going back to finish putting on his protectors, socks and shoes.

While Harry gingerly pulled the uniform on he was starting to think that this was really happening. He was actually going to participate in an actual and official game of soccer again. The thought instilled a little joy and helped to stave off some of the racing nerves enough to let him get dressed in time to follow the team out of the dressing room.

On their way to the field he caught sight of the bleachers that were half filled with students and, must be, parents that were waiting for the game to start. He became worried at first; almost expecting to see Sirius sitting among the rows of people before he berated himself on being silly for thinking the god father would actually be at the game. The relief soon turned sour though, when a small stab of guilt found its way into his thoughts. He couldn't help thinking that this was the first time he'd been doing something, big, without telling Sirius about it. But this wouldn't last forever. He would just be helping Duo and the others for a while. There really weren't any reason to tell Sirius of something that would just create more trouble if he did. Besides, it wasn't like he was neglecting his tennis practice or anything. Maybe doing something else besides just tennis practice would be good for him.

To prove his point he'd already made friends with Duo, and he'd at least talked with some of the others although Wufei didn't seem to like him that much. Maybe even less so after discovering Harry's friendship with Wufei's twin sister.

Someone in the crowd whistled and then it erupted into miniature cheers when their opponent stepped onto the field. It was natural though that the majority would be cheering for the home team. Mr. Nunez however diverted their attention from the other team's arrival with calling out to them to spread and start their warm-ups.

The group dispersed, some moving off to do short runs and others ball passing. Harry looked around himself, not knowing which group to join. His dilemma was solved when Trowa walked up to him, a ball clutched in his hands.

"Coach said to help you warm up." He supplied calmly, tilting his head to motion Harry to follow him.

The tall Latin-American juggled the ball as they moved to join two other boys standing by their side of the field's goal area. Their approach caught the attention of a sandy blonde boy, looking over the shoulder of a darker haired boy with apparent Latin origins which in turn turned around.

"Trowa." The dark haired boy acknowledged, then swiveled his eyes to Harry. "This the new recruit?" He asked.

"Yes." Trowa answered, switching to hold the ball under his left arm. "This is Miguel." He said.

"Hi." Miguel gave a small wave of the hand.

The sandy blond boy stepped forward and leaned on Miguel's shoulder with his arm.

"Name's Simon." He said.

"Harry."

"We three form the defense line." Trowa explained.

"It's our job to make sure no ball breaks through and assist you if it does." Simon said with a smile and righted himself. "I take care of the left side."

"Right." Miguel raised a hand. "And Trowa's got the middle. He gives out most directions." He explained further.

"Okay."

"I heard from Duo you haven't played since you were twelve?" Trowa asked for confirmation.

"Uh, that's right." Harry gripped the gloves in his right hand.

Miguel's and Simon's eyes widened in surprise.

"Whoa, you sure you'll be able to handle a game after such a long break?" Simon asked then and shot Miguel a look. "Duo must've been overly optimistic."

"Or desperate." Miguel said and uttered something low in Spanish.

Harry tried to ignore the other's comment, it didn't help though that he'd been having, and still are, the same thoughts.

"I'll try and do my best." He said all the same, frowning slightly, but his words seemed to do little to reassure the two.

"You two, go and warm up with the others." Trowa said to the two, said boys throwing the British teen a last look before walking off. He then turned to Harry. "Don't mind them."

"It's the truth though." Harry said, feeling less motivated now. "There's no way I'll be able to do any good in this game." He let out sullenly.

Trowa eyed him, watching the boy tug at the gloves again, the shorter teen's eyebrows knitted together in a worried frown. He shot the rest of the team a look before speaking up again.

"You can't be worse than Wufei." Trowa held the ball in his hand, watching through the corner of his eye to see he'd gotten the other boy's attention. "In the last practice game we had in this summer he let in more shots than he actually caught. "

"You're joking… right?" Harry asked.

"Caught three, let in five. Duo's been making fun of him ever since then, after he got over the initial disappointment of the loss that is." Trowa said as they came up to the goal. "Let's do some simple catch exercises first. Did you used to do any when you were still active?"

"Yeah, I remember doing those. One of the drills where you throw the ball and I'll try to catch it right?"

"Exactly."

The warm-up went smoother than Harry had thought it would go. Trowa was surprisingly a very good partner and calm in his demeanor as well as approach towards the British teen's insecurities. When time drew near for the game to start he offered some last words of encouragement before leaving Harry standing alone in the goal to take his place in the defense line. Further up the field Duo caught his attention and waved at Harry, which he answered with a hesitant smile and small wave back. The braided teen's actions caused Heero to send Harry a last look over his shoulder as well, just before the referee blew his whistle for the game to start.

He tensed immediately as he watched Duo lunge forward at the opponent, snatch the ball and send it back to the midfield where Heero received it. After that Harry was once again at awe at how easy Heero handled the ball from his position as left midfielder. It was easy to see that he was the playmaker of the team, acting as the anchor and centre point of the team's game play. Watching Wufei's responses to Heero's passes; Harry grudgingly had to give it to the teen. He weren't a bad player. In fact most players of the team were more than decent from what he could deduce from the small percentage calculation of ball control the team had in comparison to their opponent. He felt relieved at that. Perhaps that meant he wouldn't be engaging that much in the game and it'd be less opportunities for him to mess up.

As soon as that thought had entered his mind though, a player managed to feint his way through passed Quatre, Wufei on his heel but too far away to get at the ball. Miguel moved forward at a shout from Trowa to block and intercept the player, the boy avoiding the Spanish by passing the ball to a teammate that had followed through.

In the goal Harry followed the player and, tried to, ball with his eyes, attempting to determine where he would be aiming for if he, please no, got close enough to make a shot. Harry really wished he wouldn't. He moved to the left side of the goal, following the player and completely missing the former player that had moved closer on his other side. Too late he noticed him and Trowa's shouts for him to not leave the goal open.

The player made a pass that went over Simon's head, unable to block it, and landed at the feet of the other player that had gotten passed Quatre earlier. In the last moment Harry realized his mistake but it was too late to do anything but to watch the ball go past him and hitting the inside of the net.

The referee's whistle pierced the air and Harry stared with shock in his eyes at the ball that rolled across the grass before it stopped. He hadn't experienced this feeling in a long time. Not since the time before he'd begun to win all those tennis tournaments he'd entered as a child. In tennis he knew he was good for his age, even besting players three or four years older. He was confident in his skills as a tennis player, but he was starting to truly realize the gap in skills caused by five years lack of practice. Something he should have realized from the start would be impossible to make up for with two simple practices.

What had he been thinking?

A hand landed on his shoulder causing him to jerk. Trowa's green eyes looked down into his.

"You okay?" He asked, hand not leaving the British teen's shoulder.

"Sorry." Harry said instead, diverting his eyes. He was stunned, angry with himself and he had to fight the desire to just make a run for it. Wanting to escape from all the staring eyes.

"Don't worry about it." The taller teen said, hand dropping and moving to collect the ball. "You just forgot about the other player. Next time, try not to move too far away. Let us handle them."

Trowa kicked the ball up the field, jogging back to his position.

While somewhat thankful for the other teen's try at diminishing the damage, it had already been done. The goal itself and the knowledge that he'd inadvertently created that opportunity for the opponents to score weighed on Harry's mind.

The rest of the game went on without much more happening except for the few stray balls that went Harry's way, but the fact that he stopped them all, which would've normally cheered him on, did nothing to deter his thoughts from that single goal in the beginning of the game. It didn't make things better that when the game finally came to a stop without them scoring once; they ended up losing the match with just that one goal.

He hadn't said anything to the others while getting changed, or when stepping back onto the bus on their way home. It was weak of him but he couldn't help but to feel that he'd let them down. He didn't like this feeling that was attaching itself onto him. He didn't want it. He wanted to tell Duo now and then that he would quit the soccer team. But he didn't.

Of all times to show itself, his pride wouldn't let him.

From out of nowhere a finger came out to poke Harry on the nose and he snatched himself out of his daze from where he'd been sitting, staring at the whiteboard.

"Daydreaming, Harry?" Chris asked him from his hunched position.

Harry blinked at the brunette, before he righted himself up where his arm had slipped off the desk, rubbing his sore chin where it had hit the desk. He looked around him confused when he found the classroom empty save for the two of them.

Heero must've already gone home. Somehow he'd managed to avoid talking to both Heero and Duo all day. Good or bad, he wouldn't know what to say to them.

"Did class end already?"

Chris laughed and slung his bag over his shoulder.

"Dude, are you okay? You sure you're gonna manage club practice like that? You've been in and out of it all day. Had a bad night's sleep or something?"

"No, just got to do some extra push-ups because I was late home yesterday." Harry said, but that wasn't the whole truth.

Chris had hit the nail right on the head. He'd spent the majority of the night worrying about talking to Duo and it wasn't like he could avoid Heero since the boy was in the same class. But the Japanese teen hadn't said anything or even looked at him for whatever reason. Heero didn't seem to care about Harry, only indulging Duo in his idea of using Harry.

Harry collected his books and dumped them, perhaps a little too roughly, in his bag.

"Ouch…I don't get it man. How are you able to do practice at school and home. I'd die of exhaustion if I was you." Chris shook his head empathetically.

"I'm used to it." He said with a shrug and rose up from his seat.

"Still…" Chris said but left it at that.

They started for the door and walked down the hallway. Chris waved to a boy from the club, telling they'd meet him there, before turning back to Harry with a growing smile.

"Anyway, what I was going to tell you was that I and Patrick Schwartz are doing the second doubles for the upcoming game! Can you believe it? I'm on the regulars for the Kilroy game!" Chris seemed to be almost bouncing in his excitement.

Harry blinked once before shoving down his own thoughts. He hadn't spoken to any of the guys about the last weekend's soccer game. I mean, they weren't even aware that he was helping the soccer club out and he'd rather it stayed that way.

"Congratulations Chris." He said and smiled, hoping the boy wouldn't notice the strain in it, but the other seemed oblivious to it as he continued on.

"I can't wait! I hope I do okay though…"

"You'll do fine." Harry reassured him.

"Says the genius boy who's been playing since he was six."The brunette said teasingly, stepping over and punching Harry lightly on the arm. The British teen held back the annoyed frown that was threatening to show. Being a 'genius boy' hadn't helped him any yesterday.

"Harry!"

The boy tensed at the call of his name, fearing for a moment it was Duo calling for him, before both boys switched their eyes to see none other than Cho come jogging down the hallway towards them before the girl came to a stop in front of them.

"Hi Harry." Cho said and smiled, tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear shyly.

Chris looked from the one to the other, sending Harry a small grin despite his apparent surprise. Harry ignored the boy.

"Hi."

"I was thinking we could do something this Saturday?" The girl asked and looked at him expectantly.

"Sorry, I can't. We have a tennis game on that day." He said apologetically after getting of his initial surprise for the invite.

"Oh…" Her smile diminished almost immediately.

"Maybe some other time?" He asked instead, not really knowing why.

Her smile came back full force.

"Yes, that would be great. I'll see you tomorrow again then." She clutched her books to her chest as she tripped around them and continued down the hall. She sent him two or three glances over her shoulder before disappearing around the corner.

"Was that Cho Chang?" Chris immediately asked when the girl had gotten out of view and earshot. The slightly taller boy still had his eyes focused on where the girl had disappeared out of sight.

"Yes?" Harry answered with a raised eyebrow.

His eyes swiveled back to Harry.

"How'd you get her to talk to you?" He asked almost amazed.

Harry frowned.

"I didn't do anything particular… we just, well, started talking." He said shrugging.

"But no one gets close to her," Chris persisted. "I mean, her twin brother sees to that."

Harry frowned again.

"Wufei?" He asked and was inadvertently reminded again of more things that he'd not wanted to think about. Like the soccer team the teen belonged to that he'd let down by his poor play and making a fool out of himself.

"Yeah, he's really overprotective of her. At best he just snaps at every boy that tries talking or comes too close to her." Chris said.

Well, that explains last Tuesday, Harry thought, but the boy's attitude towards him was bad even before that, unless he already knew about him befriending Cho but he doubted that. Not that he really cared what the other teen's problem towards him was anyway.

"Why?" He asks still.

"Dunno…" Chris looked thoughtful. "He's always been like that since they started high school. Though no one really knows why."

"Hmm."

"I'm just saying you should look out for yourself so you don't get in any trouble. Word has it that he once even beat one guy up for taking the liberty of feeling her up."

Harry neglected to answer the boy and the brunette soon enough went back to talk about the upcoming match date. He needed to focus on his practice until then. Talking to Duo would have to wait until after that.

He ignored the small voice in the back of his head inside that called him out on being a coward.

Harry sighed as he got off his bicycle, parking it beside the car. He unlocked the front door and stepped inside.

"I'm home." He called and was on the first step of the stairs before Sirius' head popped out from the kitchen archway.

"Harry, why didn't you tell me you were going to have a friend visiting today?" The man asked.

"A friend?" Harry echoed suddenly, stopping midway.

"Yes, he's waiting upstairs…" Harry left his godfather standing in the archway as he rushed up the stairs. "…in your room." Sirius finished with a raised eyebrow.

Harry stumbled once in his haste to get to the second floor but righted himself up. Stepping quickly towards his room, his hand landing on the door knob he swung it open and in the process almost causing the person holding one of his old photographs to drop it on the floor.

"Duo? What are you doing here?" Harry asked, standing still for a moment before turning around to close the door behind him.

"I didn't see you in school today, even though Heero said you were there." Duo answered him, fingering the photo in his hands. "Figured I'd go to your house instead."

"Oh."

Harry frowned then.

"How did you know where I lived?"

He didn't recall telling the teen his address.

"I had the school reception check the registry for me."

"You can do that?" Harry asked surprised.

Duo ignored his question for the photo in his hands.

"When was this taken?"

He held it up for Harry to see.

Harry's eyes were drawn to it and he remembered it at once. It was from when he'd just won the British Junior Tennis Competition last year. The picture showed Sirius in the moment of lifting Harry, who had the trophy clutched in his one hand while the other was wound around the godfather's neck, up in the air both laughing and smiling.

"Just a competition." Harry said to try and fend off the question.

Duo turned the frame around to look at it again. He hummed noncommittally and deposited it back to its place on the dresser.

Harry moved to the wardrobe, setting down his tennis bag against the wall before going to sit at his desk. While Harry began to take out his books from his messenger bag Duo took a stroll around the room, eyeing the few other photographs he had on display and the different books he had in his shelf. Not that there were many given that although Harry liked to read he didn't actually have that much time for leisure reading.

Since Duo didn't say anything more Harry opted to start up on his homework, leaving the other teen to move around freely. As long as he stayed in the room that is. Harry was feeling the stress building with having Duo visit him like this out of the blue. Had Duo said anything to Sirius about Harry playing soccer with them? No, he couldn't have. Sirius hadn't been angry and appeared to be his usual self before. That was a relief, but that still didn't erase the question as to why Duo was here in the first place. Although he had a good guess… to talk about Harry's performance no doubt.

But why wasn't he saying anything then?

The minutes passed, Harry finished his geography homework and was in the middle of the one in English when Duo's strange, according to the teen's standards anyway, behavior had Harry put down his pen and push his chair around. The action went unnoticed, as far as Harry could see, by the other boy and Harry kept staring at Duo, his eyes almost piercing the other in his impatience to know for sure what the other wanted to say.

"Duo." Harry said after another minute of staring with no result.

The American teen gave a small noise, whether it was to show that he was listening or not, Harry weren't sure of. He frowned at the lack of response.

"Why aren't you saying anything? This isn't like you Duo." Harry let out in a rush.

Duo's head whipped around, his neutral expression gone and replaced by slight apprehension and confusion. This caught Harry off guard enough that the next words died on his tongue.

"Say…Harry." Duo started. "About the game…don't worry about it."

"I'm not really." Harry answered after a while. "I'm not." He said again at the other's raised eyebrow. "Well, not much anyway." He amended at the other boy's stare.

"So…why are you here Duo?" Harry asked again, leaning back in the chair.

Duo made to turn around and face Harry.

"I wanted to talk to you."

"And?"

"And to just check up on you. You looked really down after the game and I just wanted to make sure that you weren't beating yourself up over it." Duo said somewhat cautiously.

"Well, I'm not."

"Good, good." Duo nodded.

"Duo?" Harry said after a while.

"Yeah?"

Harry bit his lip before continuing.

"Don't tell Sirius about this, me playing soccer."

Duo cocked his head, confusion more prominent.

"Why not?"

"Just don't."

The long haired teen sat down on the floor, legs spread out and hands on the sides.

"You keeping it a secret or something?"

"Don't tell him." Harry pressed on, harder.

"I won't, I won't." Duo raised his hands. "Just, why are you keeping it a secret? It's not that big of a deal, is it?" He added a bit unsurely.

Harry sighed, slumping in his seat and eyes closing. He sat like that for a few seconds before opening them again. His eyebrows pressed together as he stared at the bedpost in thought.

"…wouldn't understand…" He mumbled.

"You say something?" Duo asked.

Harry shook himself out of thoughts.

"Let's just leave it at that, alright?"

"Okay, sure." Duo nodded again. Then he asked, "Is it okay if I invite myself to dinner? 'Cause I'm starving!"

Harry blinked once and then chuckled.

"As long as you help clean the dishes."

Duo hummed in agreement, standing up and striding across the floor. When he got to the door he turned around to face Harry again.

"So what's for dinner?"

"So, Duo was it? Strange name that. It was your father that named you, wasn't it? Now for the big question. Is Harry behaving himself in school? He's not been living up to his father's legacy?" Sirius took a sip out of his glass of beer, the one he gave himself since they were having a 'guest' to dinner that night. Never mind that it was weekday and Monday to boot.

Harry sent the braided teen a meaningful look when the godfather's attention was directed elsewhere. Duo in turn flicked his eyes once in-between the two.

"Oh, yeah, he sure is behaving himself, perfect teacher's pet and all that." Duo said maybe a bit too hastily.

"Oh?" Sirius replied surprised. "I don't remember you being that overly fond of listening to teachers talk for too long." He said, this time to his godson.

Harry nearly slapped his hand against his forehead in frustration. They'd been at this since they sat down for dinner, Sirius asking Duo various questions about school and what not and so far Duo had avoided disclosing any information about Harry's additional club activities. So far that is. Duo was a chatterbox, it seemed like only a matter of time before the boy would let it slip that Harry wasn't being completely truthful towards his godfather. Harry wanted this dinner over and done with before that could happen.

"What can I say? Miss Poe makes an excellent teacher." Harry replied, smile a bit stiff.

"There's a first for everything, isn't it?" Sirius half mumbled.

"Miss Poe is nice, sure, but she's nowhere near as nice as Miss Cunningham." Duo said with a wink.

Sirius ears perked up and Harry inwardly groaned in response, knowing what was coming next, and for sure…

"Really, and this Miss Cunningham, is she a teacher as well?" Sirius asked interestedly.

"The principal's secretary." Duo replied with a crooked smile that was mirrored on the godfather's face.

"Miss Cunningham?" Harry questioned.

"Don't you remember the lady at first day of school?" Duo said. "The one that was checking off the new and old students."

"Oh."

"How old would you suppose she is?"

"Sirius!"

"What? It's just an innocent question." Sirius defended himself.

Harry groaned, this time out loud, and rested his forehead in his hand.

"I'd say she is around thirtie-ish, but looks to be in her late twenties." Duo replied, chin in hand, after a short moment of thinking. "Interested?" He asked slyly.

"Perhaps." Sirius returned nonchalantly.

"I set my eyes on her first." Duo challenged.

"Wait 'til she sets her eyes on me."

"I've got my whole life ahead to offer her."

"Women like men with life experience." Sirius threw back.

"I can trade tips on hair care with her." Duo said and flipped his braid confidently.

Sirius stopped short, only to erupt into ruckus laughter in the next.

"I like you boy. You ought to teach Harry some of that, since I can't seem to get through that thick skull of his. Perhaps his chances of finding a girlfriend is not completely lost."

Harry cheeks colored dimly of red at his godfather's comment and the smirk he wore.

"Sirius!" He shouted, chair scraping as he pushed himself up. "That's none of your bloody business. For your information I can get a girlfriend whenever I want, I just haven't got the time for it."

"Sure, sure." Sirius replied patronizingly. "But let's just have Duo give you a few pointers, just in case. Looking at magazines doesn't count, you know?" He added teasingly.

Harry turned and fled the room, his godfather's laugher ringing in his ears all the while as he took the stairs two steps at a time. He vaguely registered another set of footsteps behind him but didn't care as he stormed into his room and threw himself on his bed, digging his face into the sheets.

"Harry?" Duo's voice was heard after a moment.

Harry's answer was muffled against the fabrics.

The door closed and Harry could feel the bed shift slightly with the other teen's added weight. After another moment of silence Harry decided to give a peek, seeing Duo sitting cross legged on the large queen sized bed beside him.

"Magazines?" The teen asked with a raised eyebrow and a small crooked smile.

Harry growled and burrowed his face in the sheets again.

"Sorry, sorry!" Duo was quick to say and to try and appease the other boy. "He's not that bad, your godfather." He said and waited for Harry to surface again.

The British teen took his time, grumbling lowly all the while. Finally he moved his head so his cheek was resting against the mattress.

Harry eyed Duo for a long time, the braided teen's brows raising in question, before he spoke.

"You're just like him." He said, eyes widening. "How could I have missed that until now when it's so clear that you are the evil spawn coming from him."

Duo frowned, and then leaned forward to tap a finger at Harry's forehead.

"Is that a compliment or an insult?" He asked, mouth twisted with slight annoyance and gave one more tap for good measure.

"I'm just saying. I'm the one that has to deal with the two of you." Harry said with a sigh and groan.

"You dislike me that much?" Duo asked with a pout.

"It's not a question of dislike." Harry argued, pushing himself up and shaking his head. He sat down in front of Duo who was still waiting for an answer. "Try and put yourself in my position." He said. "I've lived my whole life under the constant torture of what is called Sirius Black, and I've done so during most of the day's hours at that too." Harry said seriously.

Duo lowered his elbow to rest on his knee, an eyebrow raised.

"Must've been, so, hard on you." He said, nodding, humoring the other boy.

"Don't interrupt." Harry retorted annoyed.

"Sorry."

"Now, I thought I would be freed of that for the few hours I would spend in school, but now I've later discovered that he has a younger clone, or whatever, that also happens to be one of my first friends at the school and that has dragged me into a mess where I have to lie to my godfather and fear his actions if he ever finds out."

"So…all in all," Duo said slowly, free hand waving in the air. "You believe I'm the lost son of your godfather and that it's my fault you're lying about playing soccer to him?" Duo rolled his eyes when Harry hushed him at the last part while flicking his eyes at the closed door.

Duo leaned forward a bit, hands coming to rest on both his knees as he hunched his back to stare at Harry.

"It's your comment about me being one of your first friends that saves you here. You're lucky I give my friends the exclusive right to bash my behavior, and that I consider you my friend. So I'll ignore those other parts since I know you didn't really mean them, right?"

Duo smiled sweetly, coming to rest a hand on one of Harry's shoulders.

The raven haired teen cast the hand one glance, chuckling slowly before smiling apologetically.

"Sorry."

Duo patted his shoulder.

"No problem."

AN: Don't know if I like this chapter. I think I need to take lessons in writing action, since my soccer game seriously lacked it. Ugh… R&R please? /Lin