Apologies. My internet was gone for a couple of days. It shouldn't happen again.

CHAPTER SEVEN: School (Neph Champion)

Harry looked up as Duo walked into the room. "Duo? What's up?"

"You can come with me this time kiddo, we're going to school." Duo grinned. "The other side is going to be looking for one person, so we'll be going as brothers."

"But you already said I was your brother, Duo…"

Duo laughed. "So I did. Well now it's going to be official. Harry Maxwell is going into the school system as Duo Maxwell's younger brother."

Harry hugged Duo tightly. "Where are we going to school then?"

"I'm going to St. Gabriel High School. I'm going to enroll you in the Elementary school 'K? Only problem is I'm not sure how far it is from the high school…" Duo messed with Harry's hair. "You should grow your hair out so that we can braid it… It will be the signature of the Maxwell Brothers!"

Maybe they'd meet up with Heero again, and this time, Duo was going to make sure Heero apologized to his baby brother!

xx

In Albus Dumbledore's office, there were several silver instruments that monitored his pawn's – er — Harry Potter's health, life, growth rate, and other things; that included one that had not yet started spinning. This one would start up when 'Harry Potter' appeared in the primary school near number four Privet Drive. Harry was due start school in the next few days so it had never been checked. The Master Manipulator would get a nasty surprise when he first checks it, if ever. Heck, there was even one that monitored Harry's belief that his name was 'Harry Potter'.

At the moment, Albus was not in his office. He was elsewhere in the castle, conducting a staff meeting. As usual, he was waving off complaints about his recently hired Potion's Master.

"Headmaster, what were you thinking when you hired him?" asked one of the elective professors. "He was a good student and excelled at potions, he's just not Teacher material!"

"Nonsense my dear Professor, He just needs a little while longer to get used to teaching."

Even his Deputy Headmistress was giving him strange looks now. "Albus, he has been teaching here for nearly six years now and three fourths of the students have been complaining of unfairness since he started teaching!" Minerva sighed. "His temperament is wrong for this type of job, Albus…"

"This is not up for discussion, Minerva!"

She sighed. Why was he being so stubborn? The number of OWLs and NEWTs in potions had plummeted by nearly seventy-five percent since Severus stated teaching the subject. She had even looked in on his class a few times in that first year. All Severus Snape did was put the potion recipe on the board and tell the students to brew the potion. He then walked around and made snide comments and insulted all the other students other than the Slytherins and their potions. He didn't see if any of the students had questions and worst of all, he never helped any obviously struggling students!

Dumbledore reached a hand up to rub his temples. It seemed he would have to have another word with Severus. Again. Sometimes he wondered whether keeping the ex-spy around was worth it. Yes, he needed the man under his nose and firmly under his control… but these regular staff meetings were really getting to be a bother. Hopefully next year the man would be able to tone it down a little… Yes, perhaps if he emphasized the possible consequences…

Opening his office door, he blinked in shock before rushing over to the shelve that held the devices attuned to his precious pawn. Every single one of them was shrieking out its alarm - Every Single One.

How could things have gone so wrong in the thirty minutes he'd been away? What had gone wrong?

Drawing his wand he carefully tapped first one, then the other devices, trying to find the fault in the careful web of spells that allowed him to monitor the boy. It shouldn't have been that difficult to fix. Maybe he needed to visit the boy, get a fresh look at the child's magical signature for his devices to focus on. A child at such a young age tended to go through numerous changes as they grew, if the Dursley's were treating Harry as they were supposed to it was quite possible that he'd gone through a change large enough to distort his magical signature…

But that wouldn't explain why the devices monitoring Harry's state of mind had reacted so violently as well. What was the common threat linking all the spells together… He'd picked something simple, something unlikely to change, a fundamental part of his pawn's personal identity.

Dumbledore stopped suddenly, his voice going to the smallest of the devices, a spindly fragile thing, but one that should have been spinning around cheerfully, providing the main link for the other devices on the shelf. Instead, the device that identified, focused on and maintained the link between 'Harry Potter' and his pawn was utterly still and silent.

How could this have happened? How could Harry's perception of his name, of the foundation of his identity have been changed so irrevocably? He had to get to Privet Drive, now, and find out. If those Dursley's had gone against his orders and made the boy 'part of the family' causing him to give up his birth name… He would show them exactly why it was a bad idea to go up against one of the most powerful wizards of the age!

xx

Harry gripped Duo's hand tightly as they headed up the long drive to the school. Over his new big brother's shoulder were two duffle bags, one smaller than the other, and containing everything the two of them would need while at their new school. Harry shuddered slightly, causing Duo to glance down at him.

"Scared kid?"

Harry shook his head. Duo was brave and kind and nice and Harry wouldn't let him down by being a… a… scaredy cat! "No!"

Duo laughed. "It's okay to be nervous on your first day of school." He paused. "This is your first day of school right? The Dursleys never sent you anywhere? I didn't think they did but…"

Harry shook his head. "I was going to go in a few days. It looked nice, but I like here better."

Duo blinked. "Why? You haven't even seen it yet."

"'Cause you're here, and Dudley's not so he won't push me around or hit me and you'll look after me all the time 'cause you're my big brother."

Duo had to bite his lip to stop the comments on how cute Harry was being. "You do know that we probably won't be allowed to sleep in the same room? I'll be there as much as I can but I can't be with you all the time. I've got work to do."

Harry nodded. "Uh huh, you explained it. I have to stay in the dor… dormi-trees."

"Dormitories, kid. But yeah, you'll sleep there with the other boys in your class and I'll come and visit you lots yeah? And when we're both not busy we'll explore the grounds and stuff. That sound good?"

"Yeah!"

Duo grinned down at him and Harry smiled back up, his green eyes sparkling with delight. Duo couldn't hold in a soft 'aww' this time and was glad that Harry was too busy trying to see around the trees at the edge of the drive to notice. Harry would pout at him cutely again and then he'd never be able to let the little boy go sleep on the other side of the school from him. Maybe he could ask if there were any private rooms they could share? It wasn't as if they were paying for it or anything and the privacy would be good for other things too.

xx

Harry dragged his feet and Duo sighed as he tugged the little boy along. Despite Harry trying to act tough, the little boy was scared about his first day of school. The walls of the lower elementary school were decorated with artwork and childish sayings preaching friendship and sharing. Harry was constantly stopping to look at them curiously but Duo got the feeling he was just trying to stall. They eventually reached a classroom and Duo opened the door, giving Harry a little push inside.

The room was circular and colorful. It was filled with miniaturized furniture and lots of children small enough to fit in it. A reading center was near the window with rolled up blankets and pillows. Arts and crafts supplies were pinned up near the front of the room and this was where most of the kids were gathered. Harry was gripping Duo's hand tightly as he stared around the room with wide eyes.

Duo leaned down. "What d'ya think, kiddo?"

"It's pretty."

Duo laughed as a woman spotted them and hurried over. She was young, probably early twenties. She wore a long skirt with kittens on it and a plain blue t-shirt. She stopped in front of Duo with a frown. "You can not be here. This part of the school is for the younger students only. Older students are not allowed."

"Whoa, calm down. I'm just dropping off my little brother. It's his first day."

"Oh!" the woman stared at Harry in surprise. "You must be the new student they told us was arriving." She turned to Duo. "It's okay for family members to visit their siblings but it's only allowed before and after classes. It's his first day, so we'll be lenient but I just want to make you aware."

"Yes ma'am!" Duo mocked saluted and grinned. "And may I ask your name?"

"I'm Ms. Tumble." She knelt down to Harry's eyelevel and held out a hand. "And who might you be?"

Harry hid behind Duo's legs.

Duo laughed and picked the little boy, resting him on his hip. "This is Harry Maxwell. He's pretty shy."

Harry peered at the teacher through his bangs before burying his head back into Duo's shoulder. Ms. Tumble, with years of working with cute kids behind her, managed to control her squeal. She smiled at the two.

"Well don't worry, Harry. Everyone here is very nice and you'll make new friends in no time. Are your parents going to be coming as well?"

"They're out of the country at the moment. I'm in charge of Harry so if he needs anything, you just come to me."

"All right. Well class starts in a couple minutes so let's get Harry a cubby and desk."

"I get my own?" Harry squeaked. He ducked his head again in embarrassment.

"You do. Sometimes we have to share but there aren't a lot of students this year." She led them over to the cubbies but Harry refused to let Duo put him down. Even when Ms. Tumble asked if Harry wanted to put his nametag on his new cubby Harry refused. She took the two to the reading area next.

"Which blanket do you want, Harry?"

"Blanket?" Duo asked. "What's he need a blanket for? It's warm out."

"It's for naptime."

"Naptime? He gets to take a nap?"

Ms. Tumble frowned. "Well of course, he's only five. Five year olds still need naps. Doesn't he take them at home?"

"Uh…" No, Harry never took naps. He stayed up and cleaned or played with the crew. Duo couldn't remember ever putting the kid down for a nap or for him asking for one.

Harry popped his head up as Duo struggled for an answer. Duo had told him to never mention Howard or the crew because they weren't supposed to live on a ship like they did. "I don't need to take naps, ma'am. I'm grown up just like my big brother."

Duo barely kept from laughing at the cute words. Ms. Tumble smiled indulgently. "Well let's wait and see if you're tired after playing at recess. Do you want to pick your blanket now or wait?"

"I'll wait, ma'am."

A bell rang, singling the start of class. The kids began to put away their toys and take their seats.

"Well Mr. Maxwell, it's time for you to get going to your classes. The upper school starts about ten minutes after us."

"Got it." Duo knelt and set Harry down. "Guess I'm outta here, kiddo."

Harry bit his lip. "Already?"

"Don't give me that look. I'll be back just as soon as class ends. Promise." Harry sniffed and nodded. He had to be tough, just like his big brother. Duo ruffled the boy's hair and stood. "I'll see ya in a few hours, kiddo."

As Duo turned to walk away, Harry impulsively jumped forward and latched onto his legs. He hugged him tightly and Duo leaned down to hug him back.

"By Duo…"

"I promise, Harry, I'm coming back. I am not going to leave you."

Harry nodded and pulled away slowly. "See you soon."

"Sooner than you'll realize." Duo tweaked his nose and left the classroom quickly. If he looked back now he would demand to stay in the class to keep an eye on his brother. As he walked to the high school building, Duo felt eyes on the back of his neck. He looked up at the window and saw Harry sitting on the sill. When Harry saw him looking, he waved. Duo grinned and shot him a thumbs up before turning away. He blinked in surprised and smiled wickedly when Heero appeared in the courtyard before him.

xx

Duo dribbled the basketball and dodged around the other players as easy as if they were statues. He passed the ball to Heero, who was just standing there like an idiot.

"Heero!"

The other teen caught the ball and seemed annoyed that Duo had dared to throw it to him at all. He dodged the players and scored the winning point calmly. Duo waved and thanked the cheering crowd and Heero scowled at him.

"Wave to the crowd, Heero."

"You stand out too much."

Duo rolled his eyes as the teen left. His fellow classmates congratulated him on the game and Duo just smiled, loving the attention. Some girls pushed their way through the crowd, giggling and smiling flirtatiously. One of them pointed behind him with a confused face and Duo turned.

"Hey kiddo!" Duo ignored the students around him and hurried to the fence where Harry was standing. "What are you doing over here? You're supposed to be in class."

Harry shrugged. "It's naptime and I'm too old for naps."

"Are you really?" Duo opened the gate and lifted Harry up. The little boy curled into his shoulder. Duo ignored all the girls behind him who squealed loudly at the cuteness. He closed the gate and began walking Harry back to his class. "You haven't complained before now."

Suddenly, Harry began to cry. Duo stopped and looked at the little boy in shock. What in the world was wrong?

"Hey, don't cry! What is it? You don't have to take a nap if you don't want to!"

"I… I was…"

"What?"

"I was bad!" Harry's tiny voice wailed in anguish. Duo sighed to himself. He didn't want to say Harry was a drama queen but the little boy really had a screwed up idea of what was right and wrong thanks to his fat uncle. Chances were Harry hadn't done anything horrible at all.

"Why? What'd you do?"

Harry sniffed. "I—I bit Tommy."

Duo blinked. "You bit someone?" the surprise was evident in his voice.

"He took my blanket at naptime and when I asked nicely he wouldn't give it back. I tried to tell Ms. Tumble but Tommy started teasing me and calling me a tattletale. When he didn't stop I bit him. Ms. Tumble got mad and told me to go to time-out but I came here instead."

Duo sighed. "You can't just run off like that, Harry. You should have told Ms. Tumble what happened."

"I did! She said I still shouldn't have bit him."

"Uh, okay. Well I'll talk to her."

Talking to Ms. Tumble was rather pointless.

In Duo's mind, Harry hadn't done anything wrong. Some kid had taken something from him and he did what was needed to get it back. No matter how much Duo explained it, though, Ms. Tumble wouldn't listen.

She seemed to be under the impression that violence was never the answer and biting was inexcusable for any reason, scolding Harry and then Duo for encouraging him. By the end of her rant, Duo was brimming with frustration, growling at Ms. Tumble that Harry had his permission to bit whomever he damn well pleased before storming out of the classroom.

TBC...