I'm not entirely sure who wrote the parts that make up this chapter, and I can't remember how I came up with my guesses (you'd think I'd remember writing my own part...) so if you know I'm wrong, please correct me as to the authors and I will fix it. :)
CHAPTER NINETEEN (Me? and Raliena?)
Duo sat at his desk, mindlessly putting together a number of small explosives to replace the ones taken from him during his imprisonment. It wasn't really necessary, and what little movement he did use hurt, but it gave him an outlet in which to focus his helplessness and anger.
Howard had told him to get some rest, but he couldn't stand the thought of lazing about doing nothing while Harry and the others were in danger. It stung that he couldn't go with them, though Duo knew that he would have been far more of a hindrance than a help. All he could do was wait and hope that Heero succeeded.
And then, once he had Harry in his arms once again, he would make sure that the small green-eyed boy was never taken again. Duo would keep his little brother safe.
...at least as safe as he could. Duo lifted a hand to his neck, brushing the necklaces with his fingertips. His little brother, the child he wanted to grow up in Peace, destined to fight. The very thought stung, even knowing the boy was Marked it felt like he was betraying Harry to think of the loss of his innocence. But Harry would not fight alone. Blue-violet eyes hardened, his hand clenched in a fist around the small silver crosses in a silent promise. Even if it meant his life, Harry would never fight alone.
"Duo!" The boy jumped, twirling in his seat as he reached for his gun. He had been so deep in thought that he hadn't heard anyone approaching. "Hey, now." Howard had taken a step back, his hands up in a show of harmlessness, "no need for that. I just thought you'd like to know that we've received a message from Pilot 01. 'Mission accomplished.' They're on their way here as we speak."
Duo's eyes lit up, "Harry's safe. I knew Heero could do it!" He stood quickly, shaking off the sudden dizziness. "How soon will they get here?"
"No more than a half hour."
"Yes!" Duo wrapped his arms around the older man, ignoring the pain he was in. Life seemed so much... lighter, now that he knew his friends were safe.
The sight that met Duo's eyes as the shuttle opened was enough to chill him to the bone. Wufei was carrying a small boy, long black hair spilling down across his arms. The boy, Harry, was unmoving, and Duo's heart nearly stopped as he immediately thought the worst. "Harry!" He rushed forward, not even seeing the other pilots debarking behind Wufei. "What-"
The Chinese pilot looked up and shook his head, his eyes dark with determination. "The child is merely asleep."
"Was he hurt? Did OZ-"
"No." It was Quatre who spoke up, "He used his power to heal me and it wore him out."
"Healing? He willingly used his powers?" Duo stared down at Harry's still form in amazement, it was hard to imagine the boy who flinched away every time his so-called "freakishness" manifested accidentally purposely using it for anything.
"Harry is a brave child. It was hard for him to ask, and it took quite a lot out of him to use them, but he could not leave his... friend in pain." Duo smiled at Wufei, who looked away, a tint of pink on his cheeks. The next words he spoke were too quiet to be heard from where Duo stood.
"What's that, Fei?"
"Is it necessary for you to mangle my name every time you address me?" Duo grinned, "Never mind, don't answer that. I said, it would be an honor to help teach the child-"
"Harry." Duo reminded him in a sing-song voice.
"-Harry, anything I can that would help him in the future."
"It'd be great to have you join the team," Duo swung his arm around Wufei's shoulders, being careful not to disturb Harry. "Whatcha got?"
When the Chinese pilot stared at him in confusion, Duo clarified, "We're all teaching him the general stuff, but we've each got our own stuff too. I'm teaching him stealth, running and hiding, Hee-chan's gonna teach him cool stuff like pressure points and such, Quat's teaching him... what are you gonna teach him?" They all looked to the blond curiously.
"I'll be helping him with his powers. I may not be as strong or as versatile as Harry, but I've live with my ability since childhood, and know how to help him use it without passing out every time he overdoes it. I might also teach him diplomacy." The blond's smile was almost predatory, "it never hurts to know how to talk people into doing what you want without them realizing it wasn't their idea to begin with."
"You are evil!" Duo said with an appreciatory grin, before turning back to Wufei, "So, what've you got to teach him?"
"I am well-versed in various forms of martial arts as well as the sword. I was also a scholar before-" her death. His eyes were shadowed with memories before he shook them off and continued speaking, "I was a scholar, and could help keep Harry from falling behind in his education, at least until it is safe for him to attend a school on a regular basis." Until the war is over.
Duo couldn't help but wonder what was so terrible in Wufei's past, but knew better than to ask. They all had things in their past that didn't need pried into, and if Wufei ever decided to tell them, he would. For now, the braided boy decided, Wufei just needed some good solid fun! to make him loosen up. "Excellent! At least we don't have to worry about Harry running out of things to do." He grinned, and dragged the Chinese boy along behind him. "Come on, we've got to talk, and your arms are probably getting tired. Hee-chan, Kitty-Quat, come on."
Heero grimaced at his nickname, but did as he was asked, with Quatre taking up the rear.
xx
Dumbledore glared at his array of now-useless ornaments. There had to be some way to locate the missing Harry Potter, some spell or ritual he hadn't thought of. Perhaps... his eyes lit up as he realized what the solution was. "Arri."
The house elf popped into his office, bowing deeply, "What can Arri do for Headmaster Albus Dumbledore sir?"
"Inform Professor Snape that I have need of his expertise. He is to come immediately."
"Yes sir, Headmaster Albus Dumbledore sir." The elf vanished with another deep bow, leaving the Headmaster at his desk, his eyes once again twinkling. Severus was far more experienced in some of the more... shady arts than he, as loathe as he was to admit it. Even if he claimed to have left the Dark magics in his past, he could hardly refuse a request from his benefactor. Not if he wanted to stay out of Azkaban. And if anyone could find the missing Savior, it would be him.
xx
Duo led the group to one of the Sweeper common rooms. There were only a few people in it already, and one look at the group they all vacated the room. All of them had broad grins on their faces, and most of them ruffling Harry's hair as they passed Wufei.
"Thanks for bringing him back." The last of them murmured quietly.
"Take a seat." Duo motions, lifting Harry easily out of Wufei's grasp, "How bad was it?" He asked Quatre once they were all settled. Harry still asleep in Duo's lap.
"Pretty bad." Quatre shrugged, "They got nasty after Harry escaped. They let him stay with me at first. Then they took me away for the first round. When I got back he was gone. The alarm indicating an escape didn't go off for a few hours… I don't know what happened to him. I probably shouldn't have baited Colonel Une, but I couldn't resist. She was demanding that I tell her where Harry would have gone."
"They didn't hurt him?" Heero frowned in surprise.
"Trieze is against harming children." Duo supplied with a shrug, "Even if it would get information from me. Colonel Une will not disobey Trieze. Lady Une is too gentle to."
"Huh?" Wufei blinked.
"Split personality." Duo answered, "So you don't know what happened to my little bro?"
"I'm sorry, Duo." Quatre actually looked guilty, "I don't. And given what he can do… We can't even be sure that they didn't hurt him. Trieze may have high principles… But not all of OZ does."
"I had breakfast with Trowa." Harry yawned, "We talked."
"You did?" Duo asked gently, "What did you talk about, kiddo?"
Thankfully Harry was still half asleep, or he would have probably noticed the tenseness in the other Pilots, which Duo was managing to disguise. Even if Trowa was still loyal to them, it was foolish to believe that the conversation hadn't been listened to by other ears. Harry could have inadvertently revealed crucial information to someone he trusted.
"Animals." Harry murmured, "He told me he'd seen a dragon once. Isn't that cool?"
"Yeah, kid." Duo smiled, "Really cool. Anything else?"
"Told him about the mermaid. And he told me about a hurt wolf he helped. And a desert cat, which he didn't think knew that he meant it no harm. We talked about animals and plants and stuff. Then some men came to take me back to the cell. I got away and hid. I didn't want to leave Quatre behind. He told me to!"
"Shush, little one." Duo stroked Harry's hair, "Get some rest. You did a good thing. Go back to sleep."
The other three didn't speak, as Duo wove a spell of words and touches to draw the small boy back into slumber. Once the boy was firmly back in the arms of Morpheus, Duo spoke again.
"Thank you, Quatre."
"It is alright, my friend." Quatre smiled, "Though I have to ask, Heero, Wufei… How did you find him? Harry… is very good at hiding."
"He found us." Heero's lips twitched upwards slightly, "Or rather he found Wufei."
Two pairs of intrigued eyes flashed to the stoic Chinese man.
"He dropped out of a ventilation duct…" Wufei began.
"He does have a fondness for those." Duo shrugged.
"And punched me." Wufei finished, blushing.
"Where? In the stomach?" Quatre snorted slightly, "He can't have reached any higher."
"Lower." Heero's lips were definitely smiling now.
Both Quatre and Duo spluttered in quiet laughter, as they tried not to wake Harry, and yet were unable to hide their mirth.
"I'd better put the kid to bed." Duo rose to his feet, Harry in his arms, "It's good to know that Trowa's certainly still on our side. Even I can see the dragon among us."
"Is there a bed I can sleep in?" Quatre asked, "I'm really tired."
"I'll find you a berth." Duo grinned, "Won't be much. But it'll be a bed."
"Right now," Quatre smiled, "That sounds like the most beautiful thing in the Sphere."
Heero rose as well to follow Duo and Quatre, clearly intent on sleeping also.
Wufei was left in the small common room alone. He curled up on the sofa, having perused the small e-book selection and found one of his old favourites.
Several hours later, Wufei looked up from his e-book. He frowned slightly. The door was closing, but it appeared that no-one had entered the room. Without moving his head significantly, he started to scan the room.
He smiled as he saw a small hand and head peer around a chair, as if spying on him. The size of the hand betraying the identity of the intruder.
Wufei quickly flicked back to the start of the book. If the child was simply curious, there would be no harm in indulging his curiosity for a while. Though Wufei had to admit, the book he was reading wasn't exactly the simplest of things.
"In the year 1878 I took my degree of Doctor of Medicine of the University of London, and proceeded to Netley to go though the course prescribed for surgeons in the Army. Having completed my studies there, I was duly attached to the Fifth Northumberland Fusiliers as assistant surgeon. The regiment was stationed in India at the time, and before I could join it, the second Afghan war had broken out…"
Wufei continued to read the book out loud, his eyes flickering between the pages and the slowly emerging figure of Harry.
Page after page, chapter after chapter, Wufei didn't stop. Harry at first stayed hidden behind the furniture, moving closer to listen. Then he cautiously moved out from behind the furniture, to sit on the floor.
Wufei eventually felt the sofa shift underneath him, as extra weight joined him. A small smile graced his face as he continued to read in a soft voice, not changing tempo at all.
Cautiously the small frame of the child moved closer to Wufei. Until eventually a small head was almost lying in the Chinese boy's lap.
Wufei was struck by the similarity; he himself had curled up in Harry's exact position many years ago, only he had leant against his mother. Almost unconsciously, he reached out a hand and started to run his fingers through the young boy's hair. At first Harry tensed, but slowly relaxed as the soothing motion calmed him.
With half an ear, Wufei listened as the boy's breathing slowed and deepened. He quickly marked the section he had gotten to, but continued to read out loud, knowing that falling silent was highly likely to wake the child now.
"Ya know, Fei," Duo drawled from the doorway, "I don't think that's a bedtime story."
"He seems to like it, Maxwell." Wufei retorted mildly, "I am merely broadening his mind."
"He's bright." Duo shrugged, "But I don't know if he's ready for long stories yet. He's barely started learning to read."
"That is not why you are worried." Wufei noted.
"Nah," Duo sank into a chair opposite Wufei, despair clearly visible on the L2 boy's face, "It's just… All these powers Harry has… Teleporting. Astral projection. Healing. Growing his hair… It's worrying."
"Why?" Wufei frowned, "Winner has his Space Heart."
"But that's just one thing. One area," Duo replied, "I love Harry. I love every bit about him. But for him to have all these abilities… They didn't all develop at once in one person…"
"You think there are others." Wufei realized.
"I know there are." Duo sighed, "The Doctors told me. Gave me his cross… To help him."
"It must not become a crutch," Wufei warned, "Or it will cripple him."
"I know." Duo nodded, "The thing is… There are others… What happens when they come for him?"
"You fear they will?"
"Don't ask me how or why, but I know they will. They'll take him away from me… From us. I'd rather die than let that happen."
"No," Wufei countered, "They will try to take him from us. They will not succeed."
"Thanks." Duo grinned, a small fraction of his usual good humor returning.
TBC...