Hanging By A Moment

DISCLAIMER: I don’t own anything to do with Harry Potter or with Gundam Wing. I am not getting paid for this in any way, it’s merely for entertainment purposes.

AUTHOR’S NOTE: This story contains slash which means male/male pairings and is a Harry Potter/Gundam Wing crossover.

Wow, such a great response to the last chapter! I’ll tell you the truth, I’d write this one way or another (I find my muse is an unforgiving bastard half the time and I don’t sleep if I don’t write what he tells me to), but the positive feedback really helps me keep going! So seriously, thank you.

0 0 0

Wufei had known that the relative peace they had enjoyed couldn’t last, that eventually the real world outside would destroy their little haven and throw their lives back into uncertainty. Before Harry, these quite respites had been wearisome, tinted with a restless that couldn’t be described in mere words. The five of them, even Quatre, were fighters at heart, and chafed at the idea that even for a day or two, there was nothing to fight FOR.

This restlessness had drove him into the enemy’s army at one point in his life, the battles fought in Mariemaia’s army trying to fill a void that could never be filled by anything other than a fight for freedom, a fight against oppression. This acknowledgement of his nature had sent him back to the companionship of his comrades.

Normally after nearly four weeks with nothing to do, they moved from safe house to safe house usually for no other reason than that Duo’s destructive nature disliked the quiet confinement worse than even Heero or Wufei did. Harry’s presence made all the difference. His quiet good humor made them thankful of the brief moment of peace, and his mischievous sense of fun kept even Duo entertained. Wufei was nearly certain that the other pilots, though they hid it well, were also a little disappointed that the spell had been broken and the outside world was getting in.

“I need go to London.” Harry announced at breakfast, twisting his cereal spoon reflexively between two fingers. “I need to know what happened in the past, who’s running that base on the moon and WHY.”

There were dark circles beneath his eyes, which were chips of emerald, blazing with intensity. Duo bounded into the kitchen looking irritatingly awake considering the sun had not risen. Wufei gritted his teeth to resist the childish impulse to kick the braided pilot beneath the table as he sat. “Why London?”

Wordlessly for a moment, Harry held up the red and gold uniform. “This is Gryffindor’s uniform. The links to Hogwarts is in London. I want answers, and I need to go to the source to get them. I’ve been thinking about this for a while.”

Duo flashed Harry a grin. “I’m game.” He said cheerfully, violet eyes sparkling at the idea. “When do we leave?”

Quatre smiled slightly. “I have a place just outside of London, maybe an hour’s distance. Will that suffice?’

Harry smiled tiredly. “Yes, that sounds great. Thank you.” He hesitated then looked all five in the eyes. “You don’t need to come with me. I can do this alone.”

Duo squawked in indignation. “Are you INSANE Harry? Of COURSE we’re coming! This is our fight as much as yours, they nearly KILLED Wu-Man! Think what they could do to innocent civilians.”

“Exactly.” Harry’s face was pale but set, and Wufei instantly recognized the wizard at his most stubborn. “Wufei nearly got killed.” He agreed flatly. “What was done to him was done by muggles in the name of a wizard.”

“You don’t know that for sure.” Quatre countered gravely.

Harry scowled. “Yes. I do.” He ran a hand through his hair. “Wizards don’t have to shatter a man’s bones to make him talk. There are easier and far more painful difficult ways.” He frowned, his eyes clouded. “None of you know how fight those curses, you can’t even imagine what the enemy is capable of.” He pushed his glasses up his nose. “Those people wearing this uniform,” He clenched it so tightly in one hand, his knuckles turned white. “Looked tired, scared. There’s a REASON for that!”

Wufei lost his temper. “Get off your damn morals, Harry, you’re starting to irritate me!” Harry fell silent, looking startled at the venom in his voice. Wufei scowled at the wizard. “Let me make this very clear. This is OUR world, and you’re going to need help saving it. Do you understand that?! We’ll take the risks because this is OUR world! OUR friends, OUR families in danger!”

Harry looked away, his face drawn, tired, resigned. “I don’t want to see any of you get hurt.” He finally said quietly.

Duo smiled at him. “Too bad you have no choice on the matter, isn’t it?”

0 0 0

“What do you MEAN I have to share my room?!” Wufei snarled, rounding on Quatre, who gazed calmly back, his arms crossed over his chest.

Harry frowned, trying to resist the urge to hit his friend. “It’s no big deal.” He said, trying to calm the Chinese pilot down. “I used to live in a dorm room. I’m a clean person, and it’s just ME. It’s not like Quatre asked you to stay with Duo.”

Wufei’s jaw clenched, though Harry wasn’t sure if this was due to the thought of sleeping with Duo, or the thought of sleeping with HIM. He looked murderous as Quatre shrugged. “This residence isn’t as large as the Montana house.” He said apologetically.

This was true. Comparatively the flat was extremely small, a two story, three bed/two bath number with a small backyard, tiny kitchen and joint living and dining room. “Everyone has to share the rooms, and as you and Harry are the only ones not-“

Wufei’s growl cut the blonde off sharply. Harry frowned at his friend’s edgy behavior. “Look at it this way!” He finally snapped, angry and tired. “I’ll probably end up getting myself killed and then you won’t have to share a room with me since obviously my company is so distasteful!”

Wufei looked stunned at this outburst, and opened his mouth, but Harry didn’t wait around to listen. He stormed up the stairs and into the master bedroom at the top. Quatre had kindly given up the largest bedroom to the pair as they were the only ones who actually needed two beds. Harry glared moodily at Wufei’s immaculately made bed, trying not to be hurt. It was surprisingly difficult as the Chinese boy’s face was imprinted on his memory. He wasn’t sure where the irritation and hurt was coming from, and he didn’t really care as he threw himself face down onto his own bed.

The door opened quietly and Harry turned his head to watch Wufei enter the room. Their gazes locked before Wufei looked away. “Forgive me. I acted like a child.”

Harry paused. He knew he should let it go at that, but couldn’t quite bring himself to do it. “Am I really that bad?!”

“NO!” Wufei’s vehement response startled Harry and he eyed the Chinese pilot carefully, searching for…something in the evasive gaze.

“Could have fooled me.” Harry’s reply came out more bitter than he had intended, and Wufei stiffened.

“My apologies.” He replied formally. “I am…unused to sharing a bedroom.”

It sounded lame to Harry’s ears, and saw from the slight flush that Wufei knew it too. “If you’re going to lie to me, at least make an effort to do it well.” Harry said tartly, knocking off his shoes in sharp, angry movements.

Wufei didn’t reply, but didn’t leave either. Though his head was bowed as he fumbled with his socks, he could feel the weight of those almond shaped eyes on him. After a long minute, Harry finally looked up to see Wufei turning away. Something in his stomach clenched as he waited for the Chinese boy to walk out the door. Glaring at his shirt as he pulled it over his head, he wondered why he gave a damn one way or another.

Two minutes passed and still he hadn’t left. Harry finally looked up and was surprised to see Wufei preparing for bed as well. He didn’t seem to notice Harry’s gaze on him, black eyes slightly unfocused, looking at something too far away for Harry to see or follow him to. Crossing his arms, Wufei pulled his shirt up over his head in a graceful movement.

Harry’s breath caught in his throat as he caught sight of the smooth caramel skin revealed to him. Wufei turned and folded his shirt neatly and Harry watched the muscles in his back contract with each movement. He gulped and wondered wildly why he couldn’t look away from the body of the young man before him. Harry had seen all of the Gundam pilots in various stages of undress before, it wasn’t uncommon to find Wufei shirtless when practicing his Tai-Chi or meditating.

This was more personal than the simple exercises. There was something heart-stoppingly intimate about the actions that left Harry breathless. He felt his face blaze when Wufei finally turned to look at him. The pilot’s dark eyes were velvet and mysterious, unreadable from the shadows. Their gazes locked and neither spoke. Wufei finally broke the silence as he released Harry from his intense stare. “Jet lag. Get some sleep, you’ll need it.”

Harry slipped obediently into bed, but lay awake for hours listening to his companion’s steady breathing and knowing that Wufei wasn’t sleeping either.

0 0 0

Three days later Harry fastened the black cloak around his shoulders and stared at his reflection in the bathroom mirror. A wizard looked back at him; there would be no mistaking the young man in the mirror for an average 18 year old boy. There was a tempest in his green eyes that burned fiercely from a solemn face. His hair looked windblown, as if he had spent all day on broomstick or perhaps on the back of some great beast. Power radiated from him in waves, a power that rang with a deep wildness.

Harry turned from his reflection with a soft sigh and walked into the living room. Duo was flipping through T.V. channels, never focusing on one long enough to even see what was on before dismissing it. Harry felt pinned by the violet gaze as it swept over him reflectively. Finally he smiled, approval in his gaze. “You look positively dangerous!” He exclaimed in delight. “Wait till Wu-Man sees you!”

Which was exactly what Harry wanted to avoid. Things were already too tense between himself and Wufei. It was one thing to know that through magic someone was capable of great things, another to see the depth of the power reflected in the eyes and know that without a doubt the person will use that power without hesitation.

The wizard reflected in the mirror was the man Ginny Weasley had idolized, the wizard who had walked through the gates of hell and had come back. Harry didn’t want Wufei to see him this way, he wanted only to be recognized as Harry and not as The-Boy-Who-Freaking-Lived, Savior and Hero Of The Wizarding World.

Duo’s approval didn’t surprise him, nor would Quatre’s or Trowa’s. All three had dual personalities, were more than just fighters, MORE than Gundam pilots. They had lives outside of the war, outside of the missions. Heero and Wufei didn’t have that luxury. They fought because they had been trained to do so since childhood. Both would recognize the wizard’s potential in him, and might be incapable of ever seeing him as just HARRY again.

It was for this reason that he had slipped a sleeping draft in to the orange juice that morning, warning Duo not to take so much as a sip. They would be furious when they found out, but Harry didn’t care. It was worth their fury to keep that knowledge from them for even a few extra days. “You have the car ready?” He asked as Duo flipped off the T.V. and stood in one graceful movement.

“Sure.” Duo winked at Harry. “Let’s go.”

Harry followed his friend out and into a tight black car barely large enough to hold the two of them. Harry was silent for the journey, listening to Duo’s cheerful chatter, too tense to speak. Five miles from their flat, Duo pulled into a small park, a grassy knoll around it. It was a peaceful scene, though Harry could take no comfort from it. “One hour.” He said for confirmation, glancing over at the braided pilot.

“Right.” Duo replied easily, eyes shining. “You pop into the car, I drive like there’s no tomorrow, elude the bad guys, save the day.” He winked. “One hour.”

Harry smiled slightly at his friend’s high spirits, then disappeared. He knew that it would be a gamble to suddenly apparate in muggle London, but had gone over surveillance maps with Heero the evening before to calculate the exact point that would be ideal. He came back to the physical world with a loud, “CRACK” glancing around quickly, wand in hand. Nobody was in this dim alley and he breathed again, walking out and into the light.

The Leaky Cauldron still stood six blocks away from his initial landing point, and Harry had to fight back a wave of memories as he looked at the familiar old building. He slid inside and glanced around warily. Never had he seen the bar this empty, or looking this shabby before. It was all but deserted, only a dark haired man in one corner.

Harry nodded politely, taking note of the stubble on his chin and of his greasy hair. He had dark circles beneath bloodshot eyes that once might have been blue but were now almost colorless. “Yer one o’them kids from th’ school, aren’t you?”

Harry jumped at the sudden voice and followed the man’s eyes to the crest of Hogwarts on the chest of his cloak. “Er…how’d you know?” He asked, frowning at the bitter tone to the man’s voice.

He looked scornfully at Harry. “Yer wearing one o’them badges.” He took a gulp of his whiskey. Harry studied him carefully and spotted the wand near his elbow. It was grimy, and almost appeared to be ROTTING. “Not pretty, is it?” The man was grinning.

“Er…what isn’t?” Harry asked, the frown deepening. He kept one hand on his wand in case the man decided to attack.

The man motioned to his wand, and then to his face which still had that unhealthy tint to it. “Not pretty the effects of yer Miss Weasley.” Harry paled, but the man didn’t seem to notice. “An’ that demon from Hell Malfoy cousin o’hers. Just see what they done to the wizards, th’ones who don’ support ‘em.”

He scowled darkly at Harry. “I suppose yer PROUD to be trained by the likes o’them!” He roared. “PROUD to be hurtin all them innocent muggles in the colonies!” He spat at Harry, laughing wildly.

“What’s going on out here?” The barkeeper, a man with broad shoulders and blazing brown eyes appeared from behind a door. Like the drunk man’s, the wand sticking out of his pocket was rotting, as was his face, though the disease hadn’t spread as far as his customer’s. He stopped dead when he saw Harry, and an ugly emotion flashed in his eyes. “I won’t have the likes of you in my bar! Get out!”

Harry took a deep breath, then took a gamble and lifted his hair up so that his scar was visible. It was dangerous…he hadn’t wanted anyone in the wizarding world knowing he existed yet, but the drunken man’s words had set a chill in his heart. Whoever these two men were, they were against the base on the moon. It was worth the gamble. “Blimey.” The drunk man said wonderingly. “Tha’s Harry Potter.” He fell to the floor in a dead faint.

Harry knelt beside him in an instant, using the corner of his cloak to wipe away the sheen of sweat on his lined face. He frowned at the slimy trail the disease had left on his cloak and wondered if it would be enough of a sample to take back to his housemates. The barkeeper came around to the front and stared at Harry for a long time. “Harry Potter disappeared 457 years ago.” He said softly.

Harry looked down as he cupped the drunk man’s face in both palms. “I came where I was needed.” He replied, looking up into the man’s slowly decaying face. It began in the eyes, he could see that. Already the fierce brown was fading and the thought sent a shiver through Harry’s body.

The barkeeper paused. “If you ARE him, you wouldn’t mind a little veritaserum.”

Harry shook his head, resigned. “Go get it then.” He paused, as the dusty flask was pressed into his hand a moment later. “The only thing you can’t ask me if I drink this is where I live. I won’t have the people I live with harmed, nor do I want you hurt for knowing that information.”

“I understand.” The barkeeper’s voice was shaking as Harry tilted his head and swallowed the last bit of the potion. “What’s your name?” The barkeeper asked, hope in his eyes.

Rage and pity at the man’s state of mind roared like a fire through Harry’s body. “Harry James Potter, Order of Merlin 1st Class, son of Lily and James Potter.”

The hope became almost painful in its intensity, but still he remained wary. “How did you kill the Dark Lord?”

Harry responded instantly. “With the sword of Godric Gryffindor.” He pulled aside his cloak, revealing the golden hilt of the sword. He wore it always, mostly because Wufei had a nasty habit of attacking at any given moment in order to make the lessons stick. Suddenly he was glad of this fact, as he met the barkeeper’s eyes squarely. “Now, I don’t have much time. Tell me everything.”

0 0 0

Wufei was waiting for Harry when they arrived, his head hurting, sleep threatening to overtake him again. He was furious, ready to tear the wizard boy to shreds the moment he stepped into their bedroom. Harry’s face, deathly pale, his eyes blazing shards of emerald made him pause, the rant caught on his tongue.

Harry’s fingers shook as he collapsed to the floor, digging through his trunk with feverish intensity for the shoe box. He pulled out the broom charm, and instantly it grew to full size in his hands. “What happened?” Wufei demanded, unnerved by the uncharacteristic fear in the wizard’s eyes. “Harry. Look at me.” He cupped Harry’s chin, forcing the young man to look at him, and swore under his breath as he saw the pain reflected in the green. “What happened?” He asked again, quietly, but with more force than before.

Harry shook his head, pulling out of Wufei’s grasp. “Not here. Not now.”

Wufei’s hands closed over his as he grasped his broomstick again. “In about two seconds Qutare will come barreling in here. There isn’t a sleeping potion created that could keep him from this room with you like this. Get a grip on your emotions and do it NOW!”

Harry shook his head again, and terror he had never before experienced laced through Wufei. The door flew open almost on cue, and there they stood, Trowa looking calm yet serious, one arm supporting Quatre, who’s face was very pale. Duo was frowning, supporting a murderous looking Heero who scowled at Harry. Wufei could tell that it would take a long time for Heero to forgive the drugging of his food, whatever the circumstances.

Harry shook beneath their stares, looking vulnerable, a sight that nearly sent Wufei into a panic. “I need to go, I need to see something, I need to see if it’s true.” There was desperation in the babbled words and swung his leg over the broomstick, pausing, confused as Wufei slid on behind him. He met the shattered green gaze firmly, sliding his hands over Harry’s stomach to brace himself for take off. “We go together, or not at all.”

Harry stared through him for a moment, and opened his mouth as if to argue, but then looked down, as if the argument would take more energy than he had. “How far do you have to go?”

Harry looked up at him. “What?”

Quatre’s voice was patient and firm. “How far do you have to go?” He asked again. “Do you need some overnight supplies?”

Harry groaned, and Wufei could feel the tension in every bone in the wizard’s body. “We don’t have time for this!” He nearly yelled.

Quatre didn’t look impressed, taking that exclamation to be a positive answer. “Give us five minutes, Harry.” He promised, and turned on his companions. “Duo, sleeping bags. Trowa, food and water. Heero, unpack the trunk and pack it back up when they bring the supplies. I’ll get clothing.” He walked toward the pile of Harry’s clothing he had discarded in his mad search for the broom, turning on the other pilots. “GO!”

They scattered to their respective tasks, and nobody saw the calculating look in Duo Maxwell’s violet eyes.