Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Never Say Let Go ❯ Chapter 13

Title: Never Say Let Go

Authors: Skeren Dreamera and Hoshi-Tachi

Chapter thirteen

Duo stalked along Diagon Alley, muttering angrily to himself. It was just his luck to get landed with a bunch of complete and utter morons like wizards who didn't like new things! Were they blind? New things weren't going to go away just because they ignored them! New things tended to stay, and wipe out the old stuff!

And if the wizards weren't careful, they'd be wiped away, too...

It was quite some time before Duo's steam ran out, and he came to an abrupt stop in front of a store advertising obscure books for sale and print. He leaned against its wall with a sigh, looking out at the bustling street of witches and wizards, and snorted.

Hell, that Einstein quote must've been right, after all. Stupidity really was a constant, even if the universe wasn't, considering he'd traveled three hundred years and still managed to land right smack dab in the middle of a true example of human brilliance.

It took him a couple minutes to fully calm down, and it was only then that he noticed that most of the people in the Alley were skirting around one of the side alleys, pretending it wasn't there. Perking up at the thought of something that wasn't accepted by these 'traditional' people, he moved forward, glancing to the sign over his head that stated 'Knockturn Alley.'

"Hmmm..." He then stepped into the darkened area, almost grinning at the morbid atmosphere that met him.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-

"Where the bleedin' hell is 'e?" Hagrid muttered out loud as he searched the busy throng, becoming more and more frantic with each passing moment. "The Professor is nah gonna like this..."

Trotting beside him, Sirius couldn't help but agree with the half-giant. Losing one of his students was not the way to get on Albus Dumbledore's good side.

Suddenly caught on that thought, the animagus froze dead in his tracks, nearly stumbling over his paws. Oh, Merlin, Albus...

He'd never reported in!

Mentally castigating himself, he sat down by the side of the alley, not even noticing when Hagrid's broad back vanished into the crowd. Maybe Snape had told him? Surely he would have at least mentioned it... Anything, any possibility that Albus might know where he was had to be better than the alternative...

With a wince, he looked up, and then blinked as he realized the enormous professor was nowhere in sight.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Duo wandered deeper into the alley, peering into shop windows as a vaguely dark smile grew on his face. Only one person had tried to bother him so far, and the man's pathetic attempt to scare him had landed the man in a wall after an instinctive throw on Duo's part.

So, since then, he'd been given a considerable distance. It was a relief after not having any time being left alone in the castle. Not that he minded the other students, but he didn't like being around people who were so innocent all the time... made him feel old.

After browsing through a couple of the odder-looking shops, he stepped up to one that was called Borgin and Burkes. Immediately, the wall of weapons caught his eye, and he made his way over with a growing grin.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Long minutes later, Sirius took refuge from the various stares and whispers of "Grim!" beneath a wooden bench. He laid his head down on his paws, trying to figure out just when everything had gone wrong. Was it when he'd lost Hagrid, Duo had pulled his vanishing act, or when he'd decided to get up early this morning...?

He sighed distractedly. So much for swearing to keep an eye on the kid. His first real day on the job, and he'd managed to screw up spectacularly.

Where had Duo gone, anyway? Sure, Diagon Alley was the commercial seat of wizarding England, but it wasn't exactly large. A few people would be able to search it in a reasonable amount of time... Except that he wasn't 'a few people'. And he couldn't even get Hagrid to help him, considering the half-giant didn't know he was innocent yet.

Well, the brute force option to find Duo was out, then. That only left using his brain.

Sirius snorted humorously. If Moony was here, he just knew the man would be dryly cautioning him not to hurt himself.

Determined, he bent to his task. From what he remembered, Duo had been just a little upset when he'd disappeared. And based on what he knew about the American's personality, the youth really reminded him of when he'd been a kid.

The animagus closed his eyes to concentrate. Now, whenever he was angry over something, something that he couldn't rant to James or Remus about, what did he do?

His eyes snapped open, and he could just imagine a figurative candle lighting itself over his head. Why, he caused trouble, of course!

Memories of the Black family trips that he'd been dragged along on when he was very young passed through his mind, and he rose to stare at a sign only a few meters down the street. With a resigned chuff, he emerged from beneath the bench and trotted over, and past it.

After all, what better place to cause trouble than Knockturn Alley?

-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Duo had gotten into an argument with the owner of the shop. He'd gotten about halfway through the weapons in his study when he'd felt the man hovering. How could the man run a business like that?

"Did you want something?" Peering over his shoulder as he fingered a blade, he couldn't help but show his annoyance with the whole hovering thing.

"Were you looking for something specific?" The silky questioning started civilly enough, but rapidly backslid into an argument.

"Not really, just browsing, but..." Duo snorted. "Now I don't think I'll be doin' even that. You call this an edge?" he demanded, pulling one of the daggers from the wall. "This couldn't cut through a soggy tissue!"

The proprietor pulled himself indignantly upright, huffing at the boy's impertinent tone. "I'll have you know, young sir, that each and every one of my blades is specially enchanted to hold its edge and-"

The Gundam pilot let a sneer that would have done Professor Snape proud curl his lip. "'Holdin' its edge' don't mean shit if the damn thing was dull to begin with," he commented sardonically. "And the so-called 'edge' ain't the worse thing about these. How can ya sleep at night after sellin' poor steel like these things are made out of?"

In demonstration, he hefted the blade he'd grabbed and stalked over to where two bookshelves stood less than a centimeter from each other. He stuck the knife blade in between them, and with a quick movement snapped it in two.

"See?" he asked, bending down to pick up the broken piece up off the floor. "I barely even had to touch it."

The owner of the blade choked a little, eyes widening at the action. "How dare you!! You intend to pay for that, right?"

"Of course not! That was a piece of shit weapon. You wouldn't get a penny for it where I'm from." He scoffed. "I can show you the bad quality of the rest of the lot if I have to."

"Don't you dare!" the shopkeeper said, raising his voice. "My weapons are some of the best available!"

The American sniffed disdainfully. "Somehow, I doubt that..." Then an idea struck him, and he grinned evilly. "Here, let me show you what a real blade looks like..."

Borgin blinked uncomprehendingly as he felt a breeze pass by his ear. Puzzled, he turned and stared at the wall behind him.

Or more accurately, at the thrown knife still quivering in that wall. And at the spider it had pinned down.

He stared for a few more seconds, then turned back to the smirking teenager. "Get. Out," he breathed, livid. No one threatened him in his own shop!

In response, Duo only bowed mockingly, then bounced out of the shop far more cheerfully than he had come in.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-

The large, sinister-looking black dog only attracted a few stares as he wandered through Knockturn Alley, and those of its ominous denizens who did stare were quick to look away, cursing their curiosity.

Sometimes, Sirius thought to himself, looking like a Grim had its advantages.

"Zechs?!"

Well, that explained where his charge had gotten off to at the very least, and he turned his head to peer in the direction the boy had gone, following after the voice. It was only a few seconds before he was standing in front of the black-clad boy, giving him a stern look.

"Definitely Zechs." He grinned, leaning to curl his fingers in his scruff. "Well, since you found me, ya might as well come with me. I already got thrown out of there. Just because I carry better blades..." He gestured disgustedly, glad he'd remembered to grab his knife on the way out.

Sirius gave him another look. Did he really want to know...?

No, he didn't. Shaking his head, he took Duo's wrist gently between his teeth and started pulling him back in the direction of Diagon Alley. Once he was sure the teenager wouldn't stop, he let him loose, this time keeping an eye on the American to make sure he wouldn't run off on him again.

"Do we have to go?" Duo whined plaintively. "I mean, sure, that store sucked, but some of the others looked really interesting..."

Giving his charge a plaintive, yet stern, look he proceeded to herd the boy out into the brightly lit areas of Diagon Alley. Within two minutes, Hagrid headed in their direction. He could see over the crowd, making searching much easier. Besides, he knew the young ones tended to head for that Alley.

Duo could only grumble about the sheer unfairness of being dragged from the fun place so soon.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Harry stretched and felt bones creak as he walked out of the classroom. Yeah, sure, sleeping during History of Magic was much better than actually staying awake to listen to Professor Binns, but sleeping while sitting at a desk played hell with your neck...

Well, at least he had a free period now to recover. He didn't want to think about what another hour and a half spent sitting in one of those infernal contraptions Hogwarts called 'desks' would do to his spine.

Hermione bustled out of the classroom, followed closely by Ron. She gave him a quick nod, then took off at a run down one of the hallways, while the redhead came to a stop beside the Boy-Who-Lived.

"Honestly," Ron exclaimed, shaking his head, "the girl must be mental, still taking that many classes!"

"She is loving it, though," Harry observed with a tiny grin. "Now that she's cut them down enough that she doesn't have to use a Time Turner, at least."

"I s'pose..." Ron glanced at him. "Want to head back to the Tower? Or go visit Hagrid, maybe?"

Harry shook his head. "Dumbledore sent Hagrid on some kind of errand. Maybe if we went to visit Dobby in the kitchens instead?" The redheaded Gryffindor nodded with a smile, undoubtedly thinking of the many treats he would be able to wheedle out of Hogwarts' scores of house elves.

The two of them wandered down the hall until they were sure they were out of sight of any students still hanging around. Then Harry pulled out the Marauder's Map and checked it for anyone who might intercept them on their way down to the kitchens.

The coast was clear, and they quickly set off.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Duo rocked on his heels, looking around and practically cringing over the antiques he was surrounded with. Parchment and quills... It was enough to make a devoted tech whimper in agony. That was something he wasn't quite willing to stoop to.

"I don't care what you think, we need to go out where the normal people are for some of these supplies... You know, among the muggles? Because I will not use that antique!!" And he pointed at a quill.