Gundam Wing Fan Fiction / Fan Fiction ❯ Peace, Love, and Family: The Story of the Vanuli Three ❯ Wants and Needs ( Chapter 41 )

Disclaimer: I do not own any things Harry Potter-the characters, setting, plot, everything belongs to the wonderful J. K. Rowling and whomever else she decides. I do not own anything Gundam Wing-the characters, setting, plot, everything belongs to (I think) Bandai and Sunrise.

Spoilers: This fic contains spoilers for books 1-5 of Harry Potter and all of the episodes of Gundam Wing. This fic does not include Endless Waltz.

Rating: NC17

Pairings: Neville/Harry, 2x1, Relena/OFC, OMCx4, Zacharias/Harry

Category: crossover, fantasy, general, drama

Author: Selune

Author's site: livejournal.com/users/selune2

Summary: Two years ago, the One Year War ended. At this time, the five heroes-the Gundam pilots-disappeared from the Muggle world. Three of them-pilots 02, 03, and 05-reappeared shortly after in the Wizarding world, as students at Hogwarts School of Witchraft and Wizardry. Now, twenty months after the fact, Heero Yuy and Quatre Winner are coming to Hogwarts, and they're bringing all of their secrets with them. The world-especially one Harry Potter-will never be the same.

Peace, Love, and Family:

The Story of the Vanuli Three

Chapter 41: Wants and Needs

Hogwarts was being attacked!

Hermione ran back to the castle, along with the rest of the ex-D.A. A normally fifteen minute walk turned into a five minute run, amazingly with no trips, dips, or stumbles, even from the younger years.

Hermione, still running, ran into Ron. "What are you doing?" she asked, picking herself up. "We need to get to the-Oh." Hermione looked up, and all she saw was white. Gleaming bones were all she could see for almost a kilometer up, one on top of and next to another, encircling the entire area around Hogwarts' front doors.

"How are we going to get past those?" a Hufflepuff fourth year asked. Hermione didn't know his name, but he was Dennis Creevey's best friend. He was always over at Gryffindor Tower.

"We could blast them," Ron suggested.

"No, we can't do that," Hermione said, wand in one hand, hair twisting around a finger on the other. "There could be a shield around them. It could backfire and hit someone." She looked around. If Hermione had been such a person, she would have sworn. She wasn't, though, so she had to be content with an, "Oh, dear," while Ron imitated a sailor beside her. "There are children here."

Indeed, there were. It seemed like everybody in Hogsmeade-not just ex-D.A., like Hermione would expect-came running back to Hogwarts. Including the third and fourth and even the few second years who managed to sneak out each and every Hogsmeade weekend.

And they weren't the only ones. Hermione counted over a dozen centaurs come out from the woodwork and over twenty adults she didn't know, chatting to the centaurs. One of the men-a big, broad-shouldered, hunk of a man-took flight, and Hermione figured out who they were. Pretty much.

Are they attacking Hogwarts? Or are they helping us?It dawned-briefly-in Hermione's mind that the bone golems, which made up this very effective blockade-belonged to that Slytherin Catalonia. Which meant either she had fallen, she had betrayed the school, or she was trying to help. Supposing, of course, that Death Eaters had even come to Hogwarts, which Hermione was beginning to doubt.

Death Eaters could be very sneaky. No child-except, perhaps, Hermione and her trouble-maker friends-would have been able to discover them, if they truly didn't want to be found.

"What about the brooms?" Ron asked.

What a time to be thinking about Quidditch. "Oh, Ron, the brooms will be fine. They're way over in the...shed." Hermione had a brilliant idea. "Ron, the brooms! We could ride the brooms over!" Hermione stepped back, so the other-older-students could hear her.

"Isn't that what I said?" Ron asked, scratching his head.

***

Kayla could see light. Blessed, bright light!

There were voices, too!

Kayla almost cried, she was so happy. Soon, she would be back among her kind. And every last one of those wolves would be put down like the mutts they were.

Kayla took a deep breath. "HELP!" she screamed, pushing herself faster.

***

Morgan heard her son's words and snapped. How dare he mock them! She stormed her way through the Enforcers-who gladly jumped out of her way like obedient puppies-up to the door where Nelat stood.

Smack!The back of her hand sent him crashing to the floor.

"You listen to me, and you listen good, little Nelat," she snapped as silence descended over the crowd. The child Naiyama forced herself to the front, but Morgan paid no attention to her. Malefacent could deal with the little whelp. "I am very angry with you, you little lawbreaker, and I will make sure you are punished to the full extent of our law. I am you mother, and you will obey me."

Nelat stood up. He was trembling.

Good. He's afraid of me, as he should be.

Nelat narrowed his eyes and squared his shoulders. "You. Are. Not. My. Mother," he said evenly, with no inflection in his voice.

Morgan-and everyone else-gasped. How dare he!

"My mother's name is Lily Potter," Nelat said. "She died for me, because she loved me so much. What have you done for me?"

Morgan squeaked with outrage in the back of her throat. She was so angry, she couldn't speak.

"You speak of "our law," like it should mean something to me, when it obviously doesn't mean anything to you."

Morgan found her voice. "You will shut up-now-if you know what's good for you."

"You will shut up, if you know what's good for you!" All glass in the vicinity exploded. Morgan felt a sharp pain as the bauble on her neck cut into her skin. Magic crackled in the air. Morgan shut up. "I know our laws, especially the custody ones."

"I-"

"Don't. You. Even." Said calmly, right before the storm, Morgan knew. "Sixteen years."

Morgan's heart dropped to her stomach. Not this.

"I lived with them for sixteen years, and they weren't even my relatives." Nelat closed his eyes. "Do you know what it's like to live with people who hate you, who despise the very essence of your being? Do you know what it's like to grow up with love all around you, while you have never known it's touch? Do you know what it's like for the only physical contact you have is full of pain and anger? DO YOU?"

Nelat opened his eyes. "I do. What's worse is knowing that it didn't have to be that way. I didn't have to live like that.

"I have no living relatives on my father's side of my family. I know the law. As soon as the last Potter died, you could have come and snatched me back to Haven. But you didn't. Instead, you let me rot for SIXTEEN YEARS with the Dursleys, and I will never forgive you for that.

"You are not my mother. You're just the bitch who bore me." With that, Nelat pushed his way forward and out into the hall.

Morgan saw him leave and wanted to follow him, but she couldn't get her legs to move.

"Well, you handled that just perfectly, didn't you?" a voice rang out.

Morgan hissed and turned around. "Ismea, you little flea, you-"

Yeah, yeah. Blah, blah, blah. Save it," Ismea answered. "You've already hurt Harry. Now, why don't you leave?"

Morgan's temper rose another three degrees. "Trying to get out of your punishment? Believe me, you'll want to. When I'm through with you, you'll wish you'd just let your sister die."

"I'm sure," Ismea said. Why were these children so impertinent! "You can send them us in the mail."

"I will do no such-"

"Leave. Now." Malal stepped forward. He shook with anger, tears forming in his eyes. They scalded the floor where they fell.

Her other son was in the corner of the room, tending to someone. He stared at her, hatred evident in his eyes. The Peacecraft Head of House glared down at her. Even the newly married criminals bristled with magic.

Morgan back down. Sure, she was more powerful than Ismea and the Peacecrafts put together, but if Imela and Malal started throwing hexes, not even the entirety of the Enforcer army could save her.

"Fine," Morgan said. She turned to Ismea. "But take down your wall first. I don't wish to fly over it again."

"Done," Ismea said, with a wave of her hand. Morgan wanted to wipe the smile off her face. Permanently.

Instead, she turned around and stalked away. She didn't look back.

***

Balor had been playing-with a very gorgeous Yimary boy-when he heard the news that the Enforcers were going to Hogwarts. Normally, he didn't care what the army did-after all, he was a noble and, as such, above such things-but Hogwarts meant Nelat-Harry-and that persuaded Balor to go.

Vanuli are a lot like humans when tragedy strikes. They stand by the wreckage and gawk while officials try to clean up, carting away the gruesomely dead bodies. Vanuli watch and think and thank Mother that it wasn't them or someone they loved. When it is a loved one, they break down into hysterics, take it stoically, or anything in between. Just like humans.

Balor, obviously, wasn't a human, but he did count Nelat as a loved one, and he wanted to make sure he was okay. Not that he was worried or anything. After all, Nelat was a triplet. There was no one more powerful than him.

All the same, Balor wanted to make sure. That's how he found himself wandering the halls of an unknown castle, occasionally running into a small human or three, inevitably sending them running, screaming, away from him. The white wall had been nothing for Balor to cross. He hadn't even hesitated before growing wings and flying over.

The sounds of crying-quiet, dry sobs that were sure to be accompanied with jerky body movements-and smashing reached Balor's ears. He knew it was Nelat. Sure, he'd only heard Nelat cry once, but it was a sound Balor would never forget.

Balor came to a door that hadn't been opened in so long that dust coated the handle. Little clean spots-big enough to be fingerprints-indicated it had been used recently. Balor opened the door.

He expected to see Nelat there, but Balor was still surprised to see him lying on the floor, curled up in the fetal position, sobs wracking his body. The crashes Balor heard were the sounds of portraits-landscapes-falling to the floor as the room shook.

"Harry?" Balor said, walking to his cousin. He grabbed Harry into his lap and held onto him. "Sh. Sh. It'll be okay."

Harry wrapped his arms around Balor's neck and cried.

***

Ron sighed as he and the others waited for Hermione to send the signal. As the fastest runner in the school-other than Harry, who was inside Hogwarts and, thus, inavailable-she had been sent to unlock the broom shed. Ron had wanted to just Accio the brooms, damn the consequences, until Hermione pointed out that the brooms would be bludgeoned beyond recognition trying to get out of the shed, unless someone opened the door. It didn't hurt that Hermione knew twice as many opening charms as Ron knew spells, total.

Still, he was getting a little impatient. A little Deflagare couldn't hurt much, could it?

Ron saw green sparks in the distance. That was the signal. Good.

***

Hermione panted as the brooms rushed past her. She supposed she could have ridden a broom back, but as she had only even touched a broom precisely once after first year instruction, she doubted it. Ron would just have to take the lead for awhile, just until she got back, or they found Harry. Though, Ron was a better strategist than Harry.

Hermione stopped on her way back to the school, panting. She'd made it to the pitch in a record five minutes and thirteen seconds. She knew so, because in Hogwarts, A History, the record was listed as five minutes, eighteen seconds.

Hermione thought she heard a scream and turned around. She didn't see anyone, but another scream was sounded, this time closer. It was coming from the forest. Cursing-this time out loud-Hermione prepared to run for the girl. First, of course, she would make sure it was an actual person and not a Panther Lily. She didn't want to be almost eaten, like Harry.

Hermione was saved from running-she really needed to get in better shape-when a young woman about Hermione's age emerged from the forest, being chased by large dogs. No, not dogs. Wolves. But they were too large for regular wolves, so they must be...

Hermione's eyes widened. It was impossible-the full moon was over a week away, and it was still daylight out!-but it was true.

Hermione drew her wand, pointing it at the lead werewolf. "Petrificus totalus!" she said, firing off spell after spell at the approaching wolves.

"Are you okay?" Hermione asked the girl after felling every last werewolf.

"Yes. Thank you," the girl-she had to be a witch-said. "They snapped my wand, or I would have done it myself. I've been-Oh, God-they took me, I don't know how long ago. I was so scared."

The girl latched onto Hermione, dragging her down to the grass. The girl's hysteria felt wrong, somehow. Like it wasn't real. Annoyed, Hermione looked back to the castle. She really needed to get back.

Hermione was surprised to find the bone wall gone, the golems back to their normal, spread-out positions. That was the last thing Hermione saw before she got this horrible pain between her eyes and passed out.

When she awoke, she would notice her wand was missing.

***

Ron was annoyed, frustrated, and a little happy. Annoyed because of the people-Vanuli, Hermione had said-and centaurs lounging on the lawn, acting for all the world as though nothing was happening; frustrated, because there seemed to be nothing happening; and happy because the wall was gone.

Ron walked into the castle after banishing his broom back to the broom shed. He probably wouldn't need it inside. It was quiet inside, with just him and the ex-D.A. members, some holding brooms, some not. Brunch had ended some time ago, so the silence wasn't unexpected. Of course, the quiet would also make sense if Death Eaters were inside Hogwarts.

"Oy! I don' t see anybody attacking!" a younger Ravenclaw said. "Wouldn't we be able to see them?"

There was a smattering of agreement.

Ron huffed. "If no one's attacking, then why would those bone golems have been forming a wall around the doors? Hmm?"

"Maybe that Slytherin chit was having us on. You know she controls them," Zacharias Smith said.

Ron hated Smith, the smarmy git. Trying to take Harry away from them. Harry belonged with George. Couldn't anybody see that? Harry just had to be a Weasley. If he couldn't do it by marrying Ginny, then he should damn well suck it up and just marry George. Not. Date. Zacharias. Bloody. Smith.

Ron smiled-very fakely-and said, "You know, Smith, you just might be right. Why don't we stop looking now? And if we're wrong, and there is a Death Eater-or two or three or twelve-here, we can let him-or them or her-have free reign over the whole school."

There were titters of laughter and not a few frightened faces.

"What do you suggest we do, then?" Smith asked.

"Well, obviously, someone needs to find Professor Dumbledore and Harry," Ron said. "Dumbledore needs to know about this, and the Death Eaters are probably after Harry. The rest of us need to search for Death Eaters-or rats missing body parts," Ron mumbled that last part, "until Dumbledore decides something else."

Ron shouldn't have been surprised when Smith volunteered for Harry-finding duty.

***

Kayla trudged up the grounds to the castle entrance. Surprisingly-this castle was supposed to be so protected-no one-or thing-tried to stop her.

She had a wonderful idea. J wouldn't let her back into the fold, no matter how good she was at her job or how much she knew. Not easily, anyway. But if she brought him Heero, Kayla figured the good doctor would not only take her back but promote her, too, so she'd finally have more authority than those Mu and Nu snobs. She just had to figure out how, exactly, she was going to capture Heero.

But first, she had to find herself a nice hidey-hole.

***

Heero heard the mournful crying of his werewolves, and then nothing. They'd not had too much in the way of communication these last few weeks, but Heero felt them as soon as they stepped on Hogwarts ground. He'd also felt it when they fell on Hogwarts ground.

Heero desperately wanted to go to his puppies, but he couldn't. Daemon wasn't doing so hot, and Heero didn't want to leave him. His shell wasn't formed properly, and the magic would start leaking out soon. Not only would that, most likely, kill Daemon, but it would also taint the room. That would not be a good thing, since this was a room of magic.

Heero called Quatre over to him.

"Yes?" Quatre asked. He had been overseeing the removal of the Enforcers and talking to Milliardo. "The Enforcers are gone."

Heero felt a little bit of release. At least one thing was taken care of.

"My wolves are back," Heero began, slowly. He shifted his position. Daemon was laying on his arm, and it had fallen asleep. "They had a prisoner with them. I didn't get a clear picture, but I know she's a woman. She's somehow knocked out the pack and escaped."

Quatre nodded. "I'll take care of it. You just rest."

Quatre patted Heero's head, and he nodded. Heero did feel a little sleepy. Heero hugged Daemon closer to him and fed a little more magic to the shell.

***

Heero was really pale.

"Is he going to be okay?" Relena asked. She had only witnessed one Turning, and it was nothing like this. Of course, the Turnee had been a fully grown Veela-she had more magic than the average wizard.

"I'll make sure of it," Dorothy said. Her eyes were narrowed. She always got that way after an encounter with Heero's mother.

"Is there anything we can do?" Tashpi asked. They were all talking in whispers.

"No. We've got it taken care of," Quatre said.

Millidaro nodded. "Then we'll leave. We have to talk to Professor Dumbledore first, explain what happened. Then we're going to Floo back home."

Relena and Tashpi said good-bye to everybody.

"Congratulations si-cousin," Dorothy said after kissing Tashpi on the cheek.

Tashpi smiled. "Thank you."

Relena threaded her fingers through Tashpi's. She couldn't believe they were actually married and said as much.

"Well, believe it. It's true," Tashpi said. They kissed.

Despite all the problems and fears and foregone punishments, Relena was happy. She beamed all the way to the Headmaster's office.

***

Harry wiped his eyes on his sleeves. He was horribly embarrassed. He'd run away, so no one would see him cry, but Balor found him anyway. Maybe it was fate. Maybe it was just luck. Either way, Harry was thankful for it.

For the past hour, Harry had talked himself blue. He talked about growing up at the Dursleys, about finding out he was a wizard, about finding out he wasn't a wizard. Harry told Balor all the things he wanted to say to Neville, to Zacharias, to Ron and Hermione. He missed them; though, it was largely his fault he didn't see them anymore.

Harry told Balor about his love for his brothers and Relena and her family, about how he couldn't bring himself to care for the rest of the Vanuli, except for Balor, of course. Harry told Balor all his fears. He was afraid that Heero and Quatre would leave or be taken from him. He was afraid of facing the "two evils," who he assumed to be Voldemort and that bastard Dr. J. Harry even told Balor his greatest fear: Fusion.

After telling Balor any and everything, Harry had one last thing to say. He curled himself up in Balor's arms, his own arms around Balor's waist. "Why didn't she want me?"

***

Zacharias hadn't been looking for long when he heard a voice. It was, unmistakably, Harry's.

They were on the second floor. Harry was in an old, disused classroom.

Zacharias expected Harry to be taking to Yuy or Winner. Or Catalonia, Granger, or even, (ugh) Weasley. What Zacharias did not expect to find was his boyfriend in the arms of another man. A very large, very good-looking man.

Zacharias saw red. Rather, he saw green. But since he was not Longbottom, and he had some modicum of decency, he didn't just barge in, wand ablazing.

Instead, he listened at the door, like a gentleman. The room had amazing acoustics, probably to discourage talking in class (who wanted to talk about what "a bitch that Ravenclaw Cathy was" when everyone could hear you?), and Zacharias could very easily hear them.

The big brute was talking. "She's an idiot. Anyone who doesn't want you is an idiot." A pause. "I want you."

Harry lifted his head, and Zacharias ducked behind the door. If Harry actually looked, he would be able to see Zacharias's shadow. Stupid torches.

"Don't say that," Harry said. "You shouldn't say that."

He didn't sound very convinced, though. Zacharias could just imagine him making googly eyes at the man. "Oh, you big, dumb ox, fuck me!" Zacharias thought, mimicking Harry's voice in a falsetto.

Harry was his boyfriend, and nobody was going to take him away from Zacharias!

"But I want to," the man said.

"Balor..." That was Harry.

Zacharias couldn't take not seeing them anymore and stood in the doorway. They didn't see him.

"I've wanted you since the minute I saw you," Balor said. "I can't stop thinking about you. About your lips. The way you taste. I know everything about you. All of your secrets. I know we won't have much time together. I still want you."

Zacharias ignored everything Balor said, his eyes glued on Harry's face and lips. Balor leaned down to kiss him. Harry didn't stop him.

Zacharias ran.

***

Harry pulled away from Balor. "I can't do this."

"Yes, you can," Balor insisted. He held onto Harry.

"No. I have a boyfriend."

"You don't love him."

"You don't love ME!"

"I could, given time."

"So could I, " Harry said. "He's perfectly lovable and very cute. He has this little upturned nose that I tease him about mercilessly, and-"

"You're already gone on him." Balor sighed.

Harry frowned. "I am not."

"Sure. You talk about him like I talk about you."

"Oh," Harry said. He smiled. It was perfect. "So you see why I can't be with you."

Balor sighed-again. "Yes. Just promise me one thing. When-If this thing...ends before, you know, give me a chance?"

Harry nodded, gravely. "You'll be at the top of my list."

***

Dorothy moved Heero and Daemon from the stretcher over to the bed. Heero was pale and sweating. His arms were-somehow-inside Daemon's shell, but the shell was finally-safely-hard. With luck, he would make it.

Until then, Hero would just have to stay wrapped around Daemon. Dorothy could spell them apart, but it was likely that the shell would collapse shortly thereafter. She didn't think Heero would want that.

"How's he doing?" Quatre asked, coming up behind her. It hadn't been until Quatre got back from taking care of Roun and his pack-safely ensconced in an unused guest bedroom-that Dorothy could get Heero and Daemon up to bed. She had planned on scaring the password out of an ickle firstie, but no one had come in or out of Gryffindor Tower in over an hour, until Quatre came back and let them in.

There wasactivity in the common room, though. It had been fun-for Dorothy-getting herself and her fellow Slytherin up to the seventh year boys' dorm. She would be spending the night.

"Better. He's got some color to him."

Quatre changed for bed. Dorothy borrowed a pair of his pajamas.

There was a knock at the door. "You've caused quite a commotion down there," Harry said, walking into the bedroom.

No one mentioned the commotion Harry caused earlier.

"Are we going to bed?" Harry asked.

Dorothy nodded. "Get changed." She threw a pair of pajama bottoms and a t-shirt at him. "You get second middle."

Harry changed and got in bed. Dorothy got in behind him, and Quatre got in on the other side, behind Daemon and Heero.

Selune

Author's note: I can't decide who Harry should end up with. I have four choices: Neville, Zacharias, Balor, or George.