Chapter 10
Harry sat quietly at an enormous table surrounded by dozens of children as Father Anderson said grace. When finished everyone ate with enthusiasm. Harry had sent Heinkel for more ingredients and made so much that the refrigerator was full of leftovers, which if Harry's observation of their reaction was accurate, might last a day or two.
After lunch, Harry went to collect the dishes but two of the older children stopped him and insisted on taking care of it. Harry graciously agreed and sat back down while the younger kids presented him with their handmade thank you card, which immediately had him crying like a baby. He hugged them all and soon enough they had dispersed to go play outside again, and Heinkel, Yumiko, Anderson and Harry found themselves sitting at the table drinking coffee and discussing Millennium.
"Viktor is going to reach out to his contacts in Eastern Europe, but by now they're past the Black Sea and it we'll never track them down. Best thing we can do is put out feelers and see if anything comes up, which is one of the reasons I came here." Harry said, reaching into his pocket and withdrawing one of the magical cell phones. Heinkel looked at him peculiarly.
"I didn't take you for the vain type, Harry." Heinkel said with a smirk.
"Don't judge me because I like to feel pretty." Harry said, getting a laugh out of all of them. He then opened the compact and wrote 'Integra' on the makeup pad. Integra's face appeared in the mirror, shocking Yumiko and Heinkel.
"I'm not 100% sure what your position is on magic, but our shared enemy is using it to their advantage. I'm hoping you'll accept this so we can keep each other in the loop. Millennium will not stop with Britain, their goal is total world war." Harry said.
"Strictly speaking, the position of the Catholic church is that magic is heresy. The problem is that it doesn't define what constitutes magic and witchcraft. The glucose meter we use for Antonio's diabetes could easily be considered witchcraft by even modern standards. Harry reached into his satchel, pulled out a flask and discretely slid it towards Anderson.
"Seriously?" Anderson asked. Harry shrugged.
"I get bored and like to play with potions." Harry said.
"I don't suppose you have anything in there for menstrual cramps?" Heinkel asked, hoping to fluster him. She was shocked when she saw him sliding another potion towards her.
"There are a LOT of women in my life. Take that one on an empty stomach and wait half an hour to eat anything after." Harry said with a grin. She shrugged and accepted it.
"Do you have anything that would fix me?" Yumiko asked.
"You aren't broken, Sister Tagaki." Harry said simply. Yumiko looked at him strangely.
"You're Yumiko, right? And when your glasses are off, you're Yumie?" Harry asked. Yumiko nodded sadly.
"Wizards don't know nearly as much about mental health as muggles do. The only psychoactive potion that I know of that is reliable and safe is a calming draught which I can give you in case Yumie has trouble controlling herself, but I don't think it's right to think about mental illness as being 'broken.'" Harry said.
"Father Anderson, have you ever talked to Yumie and asked her why she is so angry all the time?" Harry asked.
"She doesn't like to talk to me." Anderson said sadly.
"How about you Heinkel?" Harry asked.
"Yumie is very difficult to speak with. She has trouble with words. Even in Japanese most of what she says is just angry nonsense." Heinkel said.
"Can I try?" Harry asked.
"I-I Don't think she likes you." Yumiko said. Harry nodded
"I know. The thing is, the only one in this room who hasn't tried to kill me is Heinkel here, and I'm guessing she's just waiting for the right opportunity." Harry said with a grin. Heinkel chuckled.
"I'd like to try to help if I can. One thing I can attempt is a type of magic called legillemency. It's basically mind reading, it might help us understand what she's trying to say." Harry suggested.
"Yumiko, are you willing to try this?" Anderson said. Yumiko looked scared, but nodded.
"Be prepared." Anderson said. Harry took out his wand and nodded. Anderson reached over and removed Yumiko's glasses. Her eyes went unfocused for a moment before she screamed, reached into her habit and withdrew her sword, ramming it into Harry's gut.
"Yumie!" Heinkel shrieked.
"Glasses!" Anderson yelled.
"Wait!" Harry said. They all looked at him.
"Yumie?" Harry said. Yumie's eyes shot to his, and she looked confused.
"Do you know who I am?" Harry asked. Yumie paused then nodded.
"Do you know what I'm trying to do here?" Harry asked. He got another nod.
"May I try?" Harry asked. Yumie looked at Heinkel.
"It's ok, Yumie. I trust him." Heinkel said. Yumie looked at Harry and nodded. Harry pointed his wand at her and said "Legillimens." He was immediately inundated with memories, but instead of exploring them he withdrew to the conscious part of her mind and waited. Before long a pair of figures, two twin girls arrived, one quiet and the other enraged and frothing. The angry one attacked him and the quiet one started crying. Harry grabbed the angry girl and held her, not letting her hit him.
"Yumie. It's ok." Harry said. She stilled in his arms.
"I think I know what's going on here. I'm going to leave your mind right now, but it's going to be ok. I promise." Harry said. The quiet one offered him a timid smile, and the angry one started crying. Harry let her go and knelt before her.
"Yumie, everything is going to be ok. I need to talk to Father Anderson and Heinkel. I think I know how to help you." Harry said, smiling. The angry one looked up at her and nodded. Harry withdrew from her mind. He looked up at Yumie and saw she was just staring into the middle distance with tears streaming down her eyes. He reached out and took her hand.
"See? It's ok. Everything is going to be ok." Harry said, smiling at her.
"Heinkel, can you help me with this?" Harry asked, gesturing at the Katana.
"You need to go to a hospital!" Heinkel said.
"What, for this?" Harry scoffed.
"Please, I've had worse than this tying my shoes." Harry said, winking at Yumie.
"C'mon, go ahead and just yank it out." Harry said. Reluctantly, Heinkel took the handle of the blade and pulled, letting it slide out. Harry groaned, but remained still.
"S-sorry." Yumie said, causing Heinkel and Anderson to stare at her in shock.
"Don't sweat it, I know you didn't mean it." Harry said grinning.
"How?" Anderson asked.
"Is Yumiko doing ok in there, Yumie?" Harry asked. Her eyes snapped to his, then she nodded.
"Cool. Ok, I think I know what's up. There is nothing wrong with Yumie, or Yumiko. They are in fact two separate people inhabiting the same body." Harry said.
"How is that possible?" Heinkel asked.
"I suspect that Yumie and Yumiko were identical twins in the womb, and at some point during development, one absorbed the other. However instead of dying, the absorbed one simply took up residence alongside the one that absorbed her. She has two souls." Harry said.
"That's.. That's unbelievable." Heinkel said.
"There are volumes of literature in the muggle scientific community on identical twins absorbing one another It's called chimerism. There have been cases where one person seemingly has two sets of DNA, people find extra, malformed organs in their bodies in their late childhood or adulthood. It looks like both girls were so strong that instead of one of them dying they've been fighting for dominance for her whole life." Harry said.
"What can we do?" Heinkel asked.
"Yumie has now for the first time in her life recognized Yumiko as a separate being, and vise versa, the two are probably chatting right now. The reason Yumie is so violent is because Yumiko has been in charge, and has been socialized. Yumie acts feral because she has no idea how to act around people. They share skills, and knowledge, they are in the same brain, but personality if a component of the soul. Yumiko is going to need to teach Yumie how to be human basically, and the two will learn to share their body." Harry got up and approached Yumie, opening his arms. Yumie leapt at him and started sobbing, Harry wrapped his arms around her.
"She needs love. As much as she can get. Yumie is terrified, like a child who has been locked in a room their whole life and suddenly exposed to other people for the first time. It's going to be rough, but when things get too hard, Yumiko can take over and Yumie can hide until she recharges. The glasses will help, it's just that Yumie and Yumiko will now be in charge of whether or not she's wearing them." Harry said, rubbing her back.
"That's... But.. What?" Heinkel said.
"And she said you have trouble with words." Harry said, eliciting a giggle from Yumie. They heard the sound of a throat being cleared and harry looked down at the compact on the table.
"Shit." Harry said.
"Shit indeed, Harry." Integra said.
"Seras saw all of that, didn't she." Harry said.
"Yes she did, and she is not happy!" Seras said from out of view.
"Hey Father Anderson?" Harry said
"Yes, lad?" Anderson said, dabbing his eyes with a tissue.
"Help." Harry said.
Harry promised Seras and Integra that he'd head home soon and explain everything, Anderson agreed to keep the compact and inform them if they caught wind of Millennium activity. Harry promised to send a couple for Heinkel and Yumie/Yumiko. Anderson brought Antonio over and gave him the potion, which thankfully wasn't revolting, and Harry advised him to monitor his sugar for a few more weeks just to make sure. Harry promised to start sending Heinkel a cramp potion every month, and Anderson agreed to take Harry's donations for the orphans, as well as start looking for a better building which Harry would happily purchase.
Harry packed his things, and Yumie ran over to hug him, before putting on her glasses and hugging him again.
"Thank you Harry." Yumiko said.
"It was my pleasure. Just remember, she needs love. And when you get the mirror, don't be shy. I've got a whole bunch of friends who would love to meet you both some day." Harry said. He waved to the orphans, shook Anderson's hand and followed Heinkel back to the alley he portkeyed in from. He was shocked when Heinkel hugged him and kissed his cheek.
"Words fail me, Harry. Thank you. Just... Thank you." Heinkel said.
"It really was my pleasure Heinkel. If you guys need anything just let me know. Now take a few steps back, and cover your ears, this might be loud." Harry said. She nodded and covered her ears and Harry disappeared with a loud crack.
"Putain de merde!" Pip yelled when Harry appeared right next to him with a loud crack on the lawn in front of Hellsing Manor
"Miss me?" Harry said with a grin.
"Next time you do zat you get to be ze target in paintball practice." Pip yelled.
"Is that a promise" Harry asked. He made his way up to Integra's office and barely made it two steps in before Integra ordered him to sit on her desk and remove his shirt.
"Uh.. I need an adult..." Harry said
"Shut up, you ass." Integra said Harry shrugged and pulled his shirt over his head.
"Jesus, Harry." Seras said.
"It's not that bad." Harry said.
"Not that bad? SHE RAN YOU THROUGH WITH A FUCKING SWORD!" Integra yelled. Harry flinched.
"I'm aware, Integra. I'm sorry that I worried you, but I'm not sorry that I helped her. The poor girl was terrified." Harry said. Integra scowled. Harry sighed and looked down at the floor.
"I get it. I really do. You don't like seeing me get hurt. I feel the same when you're in danger. Do you think I go out there to get hurt?" Harry asked.
"I think you are being careless!" Seras countered.
"It was a calculated risk. I'd hoped she didn't carry the sword when she wasn't out there killing vampires, and I certainly wasn't going to frisk a nun." Harry said.
"Don't give me that bullshit, Harry. God. Every day it's something new with you." Integra said.
"Integra.." Seras said.
"No! This needs to stop. You go out there acting like an idiot while the rest of us sit here worrying about you! Stop being such a reckless fool you idiot boy!" Integra yelled. Harry looked devastated.
"Integra that's too far." Seras said. Harry raised a hand to stop her, standing up and putting his shirt back on.
"Good afternoon." Harry said, before leaving the room and returning to his quarters.
"Goddamn you Integra." Seras said, stalking after him. Integra sat back in her chair, feeling as though she'd been slapped in the face.
"Master..." Alucard said, emerging from a shadow in the corner of the room.
"What?" Integra barked.
"You fucked up." Alucard said.
"I know..." Integra said, quietly.
When Seras made it back to their quarters, Harry wasn't there. There was however a piece of parchment with 'Went home. Need time. Love you' written on it. Stuck to the wall one of his blessed goblin silver kukris. Seras bolted, running to Hermione's office and banged on the door.
"Seras what's wrong?" Hermione asked.
"It's Harry. Integra was awful to him and he's gone home. I can't get there!" Seras said, panicking.
"It's ok, Seras. Breathe. Tell me what happened." Hermione said. Seras relayed the story. Hermione's expression went from shocked, to confused, to furious.
"Seras. Harry left us a very clear message. He told us where he is, what he needs and that he loves you. He is probably too upset to realize you can't get to his house. Right now we need to give Harry what he asked for. Time. Integra on the other hand... is extremely lucky that she is pregnant." Hermione said, going to her desk and writing a letter on a roll of parchment. They went to Harry's and seras' quarters and gave the letter to Renfield, sending him off, before storming into Integra's office.
"I know. I know.. I fucked up." Integra said.
"Yes. You did. And now we're going to inform you of just how badly you have fucked up. I know because I did the same goddamn thing to him." Hermione said. Integra was shocked, not only at the tone of her voice but her use of obscenity.
"Harry is complicated. You know a lot of his history. He loves people because he was not loved when he was a child. He just risked his life to help a woman that tried twice to kill him, in the presence of a man who tried to kill him, and a woman that probably threatened to kill him when he arrived. People have been trying to kill him his whole life. People HAVE killed him. I promise you, Integra he understands more acutely than any of us the value of his life." Hermione said.
"I-" Integra went to say but Hermione interrupted her.
"No you don't get to talk right now. You listen. One thing I've learned, is that we don't get to pick and choose which battles Harry fights. We don't get to determine what is worth the risk to him and what is not. That was a hard pill for me to swallow too but it's the truth. Life has been irredeemably cruel to that poor man, and despite that he keeps getting up and giving everything he has to all of us and he does it with a fucking smile." Hermione said. Integra sobbed.
"What's worse is he does all of this despite growing up in a hell hole where his awful, abusive relatives beat the shit out of him all the time and called him horrible names including 'idiot boy'" Hermione said.
"No..." Integra said
"And you know what? Right now I bet he's agonizing about leaving you like that. He's probably terrified that you hate him, or that you're going to be angry at him forever." Hermione said. She was about to continue when they were interrupted by a disturbingly weak looking stag patronus that whispered into Hermione's ear.
"I'm going to bring Seras to Harry's home right now. When he's back you better have a damn good apology ready, and you need to learn that we don't get to treat him like that. It took me almost losing him forever to learn that." Harry said, before grabbing Seras and apparating to Potter Manor.