Family Means Nobody Gets Left Behind
By: ForeversNobody
Rating/Warning: uuuuummmm, imma have to go with M, just cuz I like to swear and also, I plan on making this a slash fic and therefore give as many lemons (and limes) as I want and/or as my readers request… I will warn you at the beginning of chapters which ones will contain lemons/limes
Authors Ramblings: I just want to say thank you to all of my readers for being so patient with me. Many (if not all) of my reviewers were very understanding and sympathetic, when I know not a lot of people would have been [my current roommate being one of them ] but losing a member of the family – even a four legged one – is hard… Mags was with me from the time I was 12; she was there through everything – high school, college and even my main support when my father passed away when I was 21… its been hard adjusting to life without her. I still expect her to meet me at the door with a toy in her mouth, tail going saying 'c'mon sis! Let's play!'
Also, I will not be making any future promises on when chapters will be released – I can say I will try my hardest to make it more than once monthly, but my life is crazy and a rarely get a chance to get my ideas down on paper, let alone typed up on a computer! And hopefully future chapters will not be as stubborn as this one was – I swear it just did NOT want to be written -! By the time I got it down, I think there had been like 7 different versions written and re-written in my head.
I am American who has never traveled out of my country (even to Canada – I know, sad), but I will try my hardest to stick to British slang and customs – feel free to correct me if I get it wrong!
You'll have to excuse any and all mistakes as my Beta has taken an indefinite hiatus cuz her computer is not agreeing with her internet – technical problems abound! Lol so, if anyone is willing to beta, just PM me here and we'll go from there, k?
Pairing(s): yeeeeeeaaaaa – imma let you figure that out on your own for now ;)
Summary: He had given up on wishing for a new family years ago – long before he found out he was a wizard and the horrible truth about what had happened to his parents. But sometimes, Gods are just as good at procrastinating as humans – but they get to their duties, eventually.
Chapter 3:
The ride to the London Preventers Headquarters was not as long as it seemed, but Petunia Dursley knew how to rant and rave – which she did. The entire way. Agent Pride was glad he didn't have his side arm because he was sorely tempted to use it.
He got sympathetic looks from her nephew whenever they caught eyes and from the guards at the security check point as they went through. The woman was just going on and on and on! How rude they were, how this was an injustice (Wufei snorted) and how she was going to sue them all and have their jobs too!
"By the time I'm through with you, you won't even be able to hold a janitorial position!" Petunia's face, by this point, matched her husbands during one of his screaming fits.
Harry was keeping his head down and his mouth shut. Aunt Petunia was a force to be reckoned with when she got like this. She didn't like to get violent like Uncle Vernon, though she could – Harry distinctly remembered the frying pan she had aimed at his head in second year for frightening 'her Diddydums'. Oh no, if you made Aunt Petunia pissed, your chore list tripled; which in turn lead to it not getting finished 'in a timely fashion' and therefore Uncle Vernon getting mad, so you got hit anyway.
Harry plopped down on the chair in the waiting room they had arrived in. I'm just glad Uncle's not here; otherwise I'd get another whooping for causing her day to be wasted yet again. He rested his head in his hands as Agent Pride spoke quietly to a secretary and was ushered through the doors. Aunt Petunia began pacing the room. I can't win! All I want is to be normal!
Aunt Petunia was fuming by the time the door opened again – 15 minutes later. "The Director is ready to see you now." Agent Pride's voice carried, even though he was speaking very softly.
Harry followed the Agent and his aunt into the room, finally beginning to wonder what this was all about. Surely a problem with his guardianship paperwork could not warrant the attention of the Director of the Preventers.
Une watched as they entered. The boy was trying to make himself appear as inconspicuous and as small as possible while simultaneously trying to appear like he actually wasn't. Une smirked. They're definitely related. "Please, both of you, have a seat."
Petunia took offense. "I will not! As I told you earlier, you have made a mistake and I will not have you harassing my family anymore! We will be leaving!" She turned to leave, but Agent Pride was blocking her way.
Harry blinked. This is unusual. Normally his aunt and uncle played kiss-ass with all the important people they met, trying to appear more 'noble' than they really were. This type of reaction was usually reserved for witches and wizards. Harry jerked his eyes back to the Director and scrutinized her, but she seemed like a normal muggle.
"Mrs. Dursley, I will not tell you again. Sit. Down." Une's voice was like steel. Harry was glad her ire wasn't directed at him – she gave McGonagall a run for her money.
"I'm assuming, Mr. Potter, that you don't know why you and your Aunt were brought here today." Une studied the boy in front of her. He was scrawny and holding himself gingerly, like his chest or upper body was injured. She narrowed her eyes at the large bruise on his face and the fact that his glasses were being held together by mounds of scotch tape.
Harry shook his head slowly, but realized that she must have been the one to ring the house earlier – his aunt had been in an even fouler mood after that call.
"Well, as I explained to your aunt, the blood tests you came in for earlier this summer turned up a match."
Harry looked confused.
"You have a brother, Mr. Potter. One of my Agents, in fact."
Harry was speechless. For all of two seconds. "I'm afraid that must be a mistake, Ma'am – my parents have been dead for 14 years now."
"There! You see! Now, I will have no more of this non-sense! Even if it were true, there's no way I'm taking in another freak! And I know that's what you're trying to do! Well, I wont have another foisted off on me and my hardworking family! GOOD DAY!" Petunia spun on her heel and stormed from the room.
Wufei moved to stop her, but at the signal from Une, let her go. He turned to look at the boy – who seemed taken aback at the vehemence of the reaction, but not at being left behind. Interesting.
"Mr. Potter?" Une shouldn't have been surprised that the woman had left her nephew there, but the audacity of some people still astounded her.
Harry tuned back to look at the Director before facing Agent Pride. "I know you know who I am. You should know this is impossible." Wufei just shrugged.
"I, too, know who you are, Mr. Potter." Une's eyes flicked to Harry's scar as he turned back around.
Harry sighed and flopped back in his chair, wincing at the pain in his ribs. "Then you should know too, that this is impossible."
"Considering the Agent in question is a good three years older than you, I can assure you it is not." Une thought that might shock him into believing.
Harry sat dumbstruck. "Wha…Really? But that would mean…Wow." He looked at Une. "You said full-blood sibling, right?"
Une wasn't surprised by the intelligent question. "I didn't say, actually, but yes – you are full blooded siblings."
Wufei sat down next to Harry. "Since your aunt seems to know nothing of this, do you know of any of your parents friends who might have been their confidants?"
"I've never met any of my mother's friends. I have met a couple of my dad's friends, though…" by this point, Harry ceased talking to Une and Wufei and was more just speaking to himself out loud. "Remus – maybe? But, nah – from what he's told me they weren't very close at that age. Oh! Sirius would kn -"
"WHAT?!" Harry cut himself off as his head shot up at Une's outburst.
"Oops." He said very quietly.
"OOPS?! Are you telling me you've been in contact with Sirius Black?!" Une couldn't decide if she was furious for the boy or at him – why would his guardians allow him to be in contact with a mass murderer?! And one that worked for the person who had killed his parents and attempted to kill him??
Harry thought fast. "Uh – I plead the Fifth?" (1)
Wufei let his head fall back and prayed at the ceiling. Dear GOD, not another one.
Une glared. "That does not apply to English citizens, Mr. Potter! Now answer the question!"
Harry gave her a frightened look, but stood his ground. "I'd rather not, Ma'am."
Une's glare intensified. Cheeky brat.
"Look, he's innocent, ok? No – really!" Harry had to talk fast if the darkening look in the Director's face was anything to go by. He quickly explained the whole situation with Pettigrew and what happened the night he escaped. "I've seen the traitor myself – twice, the night he confessed to myself, Professor Lupin and Sirius and then the night he helped bring Voldemort back at the end of last school year!" Here, Harry cringed, remembering the circumstances and Cedric.
He looked to the other people in the room and continued. "Ok look - how about this. I'll contact him and ask him about this sibling and I'll try to convince him to come here to talk – you can even question him with Veritaserum, I know he'll agree! Just promise me that you'll not shoot or arrest him without hearing him out first, okay?"
The kid looked frantic - on the verge of an anxiety attack and ready to bolt, so Une agreed – with a look to Wufei that meant for him to be on his guard.
"Alright, Mr. Potter. I will have Agent Chang Wufei take you home." Harry looked confused for a moment before his brain had a chance to put two and two together – he looked over at Agent Pride, who nodded.
"Please contact your godfather and see when it will be most convenient for him to come in."
Harry nodded. "I cant make any promises, time-wise, because I don't honestly know where he is, but I can try. I'll let you know?"
Une nodded back and watched as they both walked out, then sat down at her computer. She knew Agents Reason and Sky were still in the field until tomorrow morning, so she sent off a quick email to all of the G-Boys to meet in her office tomorrow – Thursday – at 1800 for an 'urgent matter', though she was quick to note it was not life threatening.
Une watched as her five favorite Agents entered her office. Their personalities were so different she had given up trying to figure out how they meshed. Agents Reason and Pride walked sedately in, Pride more stiffly, but still relaxed for him. Agents Mask and Sky were wary and watching everything. While Agent Chaos – true to his name – bounded into the room.
"Welcome, gentlemen. As you know, this is an urgent matter, but not exactly time sensitive. Agent Pride has already been debriefed – but more out of necessity than any reason to leave the rest of you out of the loop." Une's matter-of-fact tone did nothing to calm the agents. Four sets of eyes immediately fell on Wufei, who sat straighter, but only shrugged in response to their unvoiced question. They weren't available to help and he hadn't had a chance to talk to them before the meeting. They conceded.
Une just rolled her eyes at all the silent communication. This was a common occurrence, but just because she was used to it, didn't mean she liked it – she hated being out of the loop.
"You remember, gentlemen, when you joined Preventers that your DNA was entered into the Family Reconstruction Act (FRA) database system, as is S.O.P" (2) Une was watching them for their reactions.
Duo grinned. "So obviously there's more happy news!" he turned to Heero and held out his hand. "Congrats!"
The others just rolled their eyes. Une raised an eyebrow.
"What?! I'm just happy that you've finally proven my theory!" Groans echoed around the group. Quatre was giggling behind his hand, while Heero just glared.
Une sighed. "Maxwell, for the last time! Yuy is NOT related to Evel Knievel."
Duo just shook his head, still grinning. "I don't believe you."
Wufei threw up his hands. "You're incorrigible! We cant test for that, as that lunatic has been dead for CENTURIES! Will you just give it up already!!"
Une looked pointedly at Wufei who just huffed and sat down.
Duo, still grinning bounced up to Une's desk. "Ok, so Heero's out – does that mean you've found my long-lost sperm donor?"
Une's serious face stunned him enough to get him to shut up. "Please sit down, Agent Maxwell."
For once, Duo was speechless – but the other pilots were too stunned to call him on it.
"What – Really?" Duo had sunk down into one of the chairs in front of Une's desk. The others follow suit, with Heero sitting next to Duo and slinging an arm across the back of Duo's chair.
"There are still many things we don't know yet – but here's what we do. Your parents were 16 when you were born – April 1, AC180."
They knew Duo was paying attention, because here he snorted. "I was born on April Fools Day?" he snickered.
Une just grinned wryly and shook her head before continuing. "We assume you were given up for adoption - "
"What do you mean assume? You did find my family, right?" Duo's eyes were guarded.
Une's expression was sympathetic. "Your parents passed away 14years ago this coming Halloween."
Duo looked crestfallen. "So who did you find? An Uncle? Cousins?"
Une weighed her words. "You have a maternal Aunt, Uncle and Cousin." Here she paused and looked particularly serious. "You also have a younger brother – three years younger, to be exact."
Duo's face went blank as he leaned back into his chair. Heero's arm subtly went up and rested on his shoulder, giving him a supportive squeeze.
Une took this as her cue to continue. "We assume you were given up for adoption because your aunt seems to have no knowledge of your existence – and is completely denying the DNA results." Surveying their faces, Une thought the boys were all taking the news very well. Duo's face was hard to read, but he didn't seem to be upset. "Your brother, though he was unaware of your existence, has seen reason and believes the DNA results. He apparently knows some of your father's friends and has said he will contact them and get back to me – hopefully this week – with any news he can acquire."
Duo caught the omission. "And my Aunt and her family?"
Wufei cursed under his breath in Mandarin, causing the others to look at him with raised eyebrows. At a significant look from Une, he quieted.
"I will need to speak to your Aunt again. When she was here, I believe she was under the impression that she would be receiving another ward – as she is your brother's legal guardian. She was… most displeased at this idea, but before I could clarify your emancipation, she stormed out."
Duo snorted as he read between the lines. "In other words, she wants nothing to do with me."
Une opened her mouth to reply, but Wufei could no longer hold his tongue. "That onna is insufferable! Mahatma Gandhi would have smacked her!" He went back to muttering under his breath in Mandarin.
The rest of the group stared at Wufei's outburst in shock, before Duo began snickering. Quatre soon joined him and even Trowa was smiling – Heero was just shaking his head.
When they had finally calmed down, Une spoke again. "Why don't you all head home for the night and unless you have pressing paperwork, take tomorrow as a vacation day. I'll contact you as soon as I hear anything."
As the boys got up to go, Duo turned around. "Lady – um, that is, my brother - "
Une smiled fondly at him. "His name is Harry James Potter. He will be 15 tomorrow."
The boys arrived at WinterHaven, the Winner mansion that had become their unofficial permanent home. It was rare for all of them to be there at once, usually they had to plan months in advance for that to happen. Due to their schedules, it only happened on certain days – birthdays, anniversaries and of course the 'Peace Days' that signaled the end of the Wars and Mariemaia's Coup.
Quatre grabbed Wufei and dragged him in to the kitchen, presumably to make tea, coffee and a snack, leaving Heero and Trowa to deal with a still stunned Duo.
Quatre walked over to the pantry, grabbing the coffee grounds, filters and tea bags, leaving Wufei to grab the mugs, spoons and snacks. Turning back, he noticed that 'Fei had only taken down two mugs and was leaning with his hands on the edge of the counter, head hung.
Quatre sighed. Even though the news wasn't bad it was still a lot to take in. they had all given up hope years ago. On top of that, Wufei had seemed to be strung tighter than normal all day. Placing his armload onto the island, he was about to turn around when instinct told him to duck and cover. He twisted around and threw himself into a crouch below the counter and windows as there was a resounding crash.
Realizing the projectile had come nowhere near him; Quatre straightened up and glanced from the shattered mug to Wufei, who was no longer leaning on the counter.
"I apologize; I did not mean to startle you." Wufei's stilted speech was proof of how stressed he was.
Quarter waved Trowa away when he popped a concerned head into the kitchen at the noise. He motioned for Wufei to join him at the island.
Wufei sank onto a stool. "Again, I'm sorry. Its just – Maxwell should not be fretting about that onna! She isn't fit to take care of snails let alone children!" At this, he shoved away from the table to grab the broom and dust pan to clean up. Following his lead, Quatre got up and began preparing the refreshments.
Trowa, Heero and Duo followed their noses into the kitchen a short time later as they smelled the coffee brewing.
It wasn't a solemn gathering, but the boys weren't exactly bouncing for joy either. Their lives were hard to explain – and harder to accept.
Children. Terrorists. Gundam Pilots. It was not something you just told people. Folks who hadn't had a direct involvement in the wars (because, lets face it – no one was totally untouched by the wars) found it hard to understand the reasoning and drive behind their need, their calling to fight. How it wasn't really a choice, but a must – a matter of preventing others from having to suffer that fate, for their own sanity and peace of mind.
Catherine Bloom already had time to adjust to her 'brother' being a gundam pilot – a fighter – by the time she discovered Trowa truly was her lost little brother, Triton. Talking and assuring her he was fine and done with all that horror at the end of the Eve Wars had secured him in her life.
Quatre's family had known pretty much from the time of his father's death – they weren't happy, but were glad he was alive. His choice to join Preventers part-time was still looked on with disdain, by some of the sisters, but for the most part they just left him to his own devices.
Wufei was not close with the members of his clan who had opted to stay on earth when the main branches moved to L5. He stayed in contact via email on certain dates with some second and third cousins, but nothing overt.
Heero did not know his family and given the experiments done on him to alter him into the Perfect Soldier, it was highly unlikely that anything would come of it. Sally still had him coming to her on a yearly basis, as no one knew the extent of the experimentation and what the long term effects would be.
Duo sat at the table spinning his mug around and around. The others, unsure where to start, sat in companionable, though slightly awkward, silence waiting for him to make the first move.
When the kettle began whistling, Wufei disposed of the mug fragments and began preparing his and Quatre's tea. He sighed – he really couldn't take the silence much longer. When they all got together, it was never this quiet, someone was always doing something. "I know this is not consoling, but your Aunt is not someone to miss or be upset about – she seems to have the same disdain for your brother as she showed for you, even though she continued to deny you could exist." He sighed again.
"Your brother - " He paused, trying to find the words – as he was really the only one that could right now. "He's nice. He seemed shy and reluctant to believe the Lady, but I suppose that was only a knee-jerk reaction. His is 15 years old and has been told his entire life that his parents died when he was 15 months old and that he was an only child." Wufei knew without turning around that he had all of their attentions. "At the very least, he is willing to meet you and go from there. Once Une explained the DNA match, he really didn't argue – unlike his oaf of a guardian. And as Une told you, he has tried to get in contact with some of his – your – parents' friends to see if any of them know anything. I think he specifically mentioned a Godfather – so it appears that you have been in the correct religion after all." Wufei smirked as he said this, setting the tea set on the island and passing Quatre his mug, though he completely missed Q's shocked expression at the mention of Harry's Godfather.
Sitting down once again, Wufei began fiddling with his own cup. "Your – Aunt – seems to know nothing of your existence. Now, seeing as your parents attended boarding school and she did not and also given your birthday, his is understandable. Your grandparents on both sides have been dead for some time, so it appears as though we must rely on your parents' friends."
Duo didn't even look up "So there's a 50/50 chance we may never know what happened." He heaved a sigh. Hero placed a reassuring hand on his, stilling the coffee mug.
"Well, we may never know the exact circumstances, but we have a small amount of information." Quatre spoke up as he settled back into his seat and placed a manila envelope on the table. No one had noticed him leave. The others eyed the envelope as he opened it. "James Potter, born March 27th. AC163, died October 31st, AC184. Lily Potter (ne Evans) born January 30th, AC163, died October 31st, AC184…Harry Potter, born July 31st, AC183…" he frowned, there was no cause of death listed, nor death certificates – just basic stats: eye colour, height, weight and list of last residence. There were, however, two photos – one of James and one of Lily, so he passed to envelope to Duo. Duo snickered at reading it and leaned over to show Heero that his father and one "S. Black" had been arrested and fined in AC 179 for graffiti and disrupting the peace.
Both Wufei and Quatre were watching their comrades for signs of recognition of the names – there were none. And neither noticed the other looking, either.
Duo finally voiced the question Wufei had been trying to avoid. "And my Aunt and her family?"
Wufei had to strongly resist the urge to throw yet another mug. "Are not worth mentioning." He bit out, causing the others to stare at him. Calming himself, albeit only slightly, he attempted to continue. "The – family – lives in Surrey, specifically Little Whinging. They seem to have a decent home and income via the husband. I will reiterate, that onna is not fit to raise snails, let alone children. I would not recommend trying to pursue any type of relationship with her."
Duo just gaped at Wufei. Well. That was concise, but – "What's your reasoning for that assumption? And what does it have to do with me?" He trusted his friends' instincts implicitly, but that didn't mean he wouldn't want an explanation for them.
"I realize that young boys will get into fights, as your brother – Harry – claimed. But that does not excuse his guardian from procuring treatment for him!" Wufei slammed his fist on the table, upsetting the now empty mug. The boys were flabbergasted. "He answered the door with broken glasses, a large bruise on one side of his face and limping – a sprained ankle, I would assume. As I had the chance to observe him further, it came to my attention that he carried himself as if his torso were in pain – if I had to guess, I'd say two-three broken or seriously bruised ribs. Now, I could understand forcing the child to deal with the pain from the facial bruise as punishment for getting into the fight in the first place, but she paid him no regard at all! He obviously needed medical attention, and she just ignored it and had him gardening, of all things! On top of that, the only clothing he owns seems to be cast-off rags that homeless shelters would have scrapped long ago!"
Wufei did not seem to notice that he was still speaking to the other four, it was more that he was just reliving the events out loud. "I followed Harry up to his room, as he seemed to be taking his time." He gave the others a significant look. "There were no less than four dead-bolts on the outside of his bedroom door."
The Gundam Boys had seen a lot in their short life spans, but even they were shocked following Wufei's rant. "Well, we need to meet him first, I think, before we can decide what can and should be done. He is old enough to have input, at least." Quatre was normally the voice of reason, so hearing this sentiment from Heero was odd, but not wholly unexpected – they were discussing his future brother-in-law.
"I agree." Trowa was always the contemplative one. "Why don't we head to bed - " He gave a long look at the clock, which read 12:30am, "And think on this with fresh minds in the morning."
Agreeing, they cleaned up and disappeared to their respective bedrooms. The day had finally caught up with them.
Chapter End: TBC
AN:
1 - The 5th amendment to the American constitution states a person shall not be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself (meaning if you're being questioned by authorities, you don't have to say anything or answer any questions if it will incriminate yourself)
2 - S.O.P. stands for Standard Operating Procedure.