Goodbye LJ...

[windandwater]

This is just to make it official for those who don't know, but I'm leaving LJ completely. For the rest of this week at least. Tomorrow is the Bar Exam and it runs for three days, so don't expect to see me about at all until Thursday night. Or even until the weekend since I plan on spending Thursday after the Bar drunk and crying. No online time for me at all. *whines* It will be hard, but I know I can do it.

So, because I'm a total h0r like that, I am declaring this to be a spam post. Go ahead. Run wild! Give me fics, give me links, give me pics, just babble to your heart's content and rape my inbox so I have something to see when I finally DO come back to the wonderful world of LJ. I don't even care if you write me a drabble and post it one word at a time. XD;

Though, I've tried to make a spam post before and it failed a bit miserably, so I don't have very high expectations this time around. Feel free to prove me wrong though!

♥

Comments

Re: Heero Yui and the Organization of the Zodiac

[mikkeneko.livejournal.com]

on the drink in his hand; the old woman at the table in the corner only stared at us and made no move. The bartender was arguing with Wufei -- I couldn't quite make out the conversation, but he the older man didn't seem likely to do anything stupid. I saw Trowa moving in and out of the shadows around the back of the room, searching the perimeter. There was no sign of Duo; perhaps he'd found a stairway. If there was an upper floor with a window overlooking the street, then we might have at least some advantage over the soldiers following us -- A sudden commotion in the street jerked my attention back out the window. Speak of the devil...

The platoon of Oz soldiers filled the street outside -- some of them ran on, past the window, but they knew that we had to be somewhere close, and a few of them had begun questioning bystanders. Quatre muttered a curse I couldn't quite catch, and I wanted to do the same. For a moment my thoughts turned back to that nagging wrongness. There was something about their appearance that seemed... off. I had very little knowledge on contemporary fashion, but their clothes --

Trowa abandoned his perimeter search and came back to fetch up beside Quatre on the opposite side of the window. "There are no stairs either up or down," he said quietly; another possibility out the exhaust.

I glanced around again; the bartender was now listening closely as Wufei gave a low, intense speech. Oz soldiers were starting a search of our side of the street, but didn't yet seem to take notice of this doorway. "Where's --"

Duo reappeared behind me so abruptly that I nearly shot him; I can never understand how such a noisy idiot can move with such stealth. "There's a door that leads out the back," he reported in a breathless whisper, "but it leads into an empty lot, high buildings, no exits --"

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes, but couldn't keep the sarcasm out of my voice. "That's so useful -- walk into a blind lot and wait for Oz to gun us down like fish in a bucket --"

"At least we'd be out of the way of civilians!" he hissed back furiously. "Maybe you don't care abou --"

"For Allah's sake, you two, can't you keep off each other for five minutes!" Quatre hissed. "We have no time for this!"

Out the window, Oz had finally caught sight of this building, and a small group of them were approaching the doorway. This was one of the worst possible places for a shootout, but there did not seem to be any other options. I shot Duo a deadly glare -- assuring him that we *would* continue this later. Assuming we both survived, anyway.

Abruptly Wufei and the bartender broke apart, and Wufei started towards us. "This way!" he called, not keeping his voice down nearly as much as he should have. "Out

Re: Heero Yui and the Organization of the Zodiac

[mikkeneko.livejournal.com]

the back!"

There was no time. The four of us scrambled away from the windows -- it hardly mattered now if they saw us -- and followed Duo as he led the way to the door in the back room. It led, as he had described, into a blind lot behind the tavern. Tall, unyielding walls loomed up all around; to the side was a decaying plaster contraption that spilled white and cream debris all over the dusty ground, and to the right a monstrous creation of dark aging stone. Opposite the small door was a red brick wall in somewhat better condition, and it was to this wall that Wufei went.

"What now?" I muttered, turning in a dizzying circle to survey the walls entrapping us. They all looked too high to climb, to solid to break through even if that wouldn't leave a trail about as subtle as a buster rifle. "We're trapped!"

"There's supposed to be some kind of hidden door here," Wufei shouted, feeling over the brick wall. "Ten up... seven over..." He found the trigger brick, and pressed his hand to it. We all stood in tense expectation for a moment.

Nothing happened.

I picked up the sound of voices shouting inside the pub, and someone nearby swore. Frantically, Wufei began counting over again. "Seven... and..."

Duo shoved up abruptly next to him, pushing him rudely aside, and batted his hand away. "Is there a locking mechanism?" he demanded. His hand closed over the same brick that Wufei had touched, and there was a sudden brief flash of light. He stumbled backwards, eyes gone ridiculously wide, jerking his hand back as though it had been burned.

All at one, a grinding and cracking noise emanated from the wall, and the bricks began to move. I did not actually see it happen, being distracted by the sound of approaching boots. "No time, move it, get through!" I yelled, and drew my own gun from where I had temporarily holstered it. I hoped I wouldn't have to use it; better if we could get away completely unseen.

I glanced over my shoulder and saw that there was now a completely open archway in the brick wall, and the others were all through; there was another street beyond. I backed through the archway, keeping my own gun trained on the decrepit door that the soldiers would come through. "Close it!" I called as soon as I was clear; Wufei was frantically searching for the other side of the locking mechanism.

Duo backed up a couple steps, eyes glued to the rapidly closing archway; he rubbed his hands on those ridiculous riding pants and turned to grin at me. "Hey, old lockpicking hands come in useful now, don't they?"

I growled at him, but didn't take the trouble to start again; instead, I concentrated on

Re: Heero Yui and the Organization of the Zodiac

[mikkeneko.livejournal.com]

the back!"

There was no time. The four of us scrambled away from the windows -- it hardly mattered now if they saw us -- and followed Duo as he led the way to the door in the back room. It led, as he had described, into a blind lot behind the tavern. Tall, unyielding walls loomed up all around; to the side was a decaying plaster contraption that spilled white and cream debris all over the dusty ground, and to the right a monstrous creation of dark aging stone. Opposite the small door was a red brick wall in somewhat better condition, and it was to this wall that Wufei went.

"What now?" I muttered, turning in a dizzying circle to survey the walls entrapping us. They all looked too high to climb, to solid to break through even if that wouldn't leave a trail about as subtle as a buster rifle. "We're trapped!"

"There's supposed to be some kind of hidden door here," Wufei shouted, feeling over the brick wall. "Ten up... seven over..." He found the trigger brick, and pressed his hand to it. We all stood in tense expectation for a moment.

Nothing happened.

I picked up the sound of voices shouting inside the pub, and someone nearby swore. Frantically, Wufei began counting over again. "Seven... and..."

Duo shoved up abruptly next to him, pushing him rudely aside, and batted his hand away. "Is there a locking mechanism?" he demanded. His hand closed over the same brick that Wufei had touched, and there was a sudden brief flash of light. He stumbled backwards, eyes gone ridiculously wide, jerking his hand back as though it had been burned.

All at one, a grinding and cracking noise emanated from the wall, and the bricks began to move. I did not actually see it happen, being distracted by the sound of approaching boots. "No time, move it, get through!" I yelled, and drew my own gun from where I had temporarily holstered it. I hoped I wouldn't have to use it; better if we could get away completely unseen.

I glanced over my shoulder and saw that there was now a completely open archway in the brick wall, and the others were all through; there was another street beyond. I backed through the archway, keeping my own gun trained on the decrepit door that the soldiers would come through. "Close it!" I called as soon as I was clear; Wufei was frantically searching for the other side of the locking mechanism.

Duo backed up a couple steps, eyes glued to the rapidly closing archway; he rubbed his hands on those ridiculous riding pants and turned to grin at me. "Hey, old lockpicking hands come in useful now, don't they?"

I growled at him, but didn't take the trouble to start again; instead, I concentrated on

Re: Heero Yui and the Organization of the Zodiac

[mikkeneko.livejournal.com]

the hidden doorway as it closed. I could still hear faint sounds from the other side, although the noise of the surrounding street was making it difficult. "Will they be able to open it from the other side?" I asked Wufei.

"Um, guys?" Quatre said from somewhere behind us, but nobody turned to look.

Wufei shook his head. "Not unless the barkeeper told them the trick," he replied. "Although, it's strange..."

"What's strange?" Duo interrupted.

"Guys?" Quatre repeated. "You might want to..."

Wufei shrugged, a puzzled scowl on his face. "What he said was that if I could get through the archway, then I was 'one of us.' "

"So were they Colonials?" I pursued. "Or Oz collaborators?"

"Guys!" Quatre's voice really sounded kind of strange. Trowa turned away from our conversation, to answer his partner, but suddenly froze in mid-motion.

"I do not know for certain," Wufei said slowly. "There was something very odd about him... I could not put my finger on it..."

"*Look around, for Allah's sake!*" Quatre half-shouted in exasperation; startled, I turned to stare at him. Quatre never raised his voice...

Then I, too, was frozen in shock as the other pilots as the surroundings truly sank in for the first time. We were in an alley that started at the hidden doorway and stretched off into the distance; this walkway, too, was lined with shops and filled to the bursting with people. But there the similarities ended; this part of town had no more resemblance to the London outside than had a Taurus to my Wing Gundam.

"Dungild's Dragon Emporium," proclaimed a sign hanging outside the nearest store. A notice in the window below proudly boasted, "The best prices on dragon care and feeding supplies in 2000 years." "Achmed's Quill & Parchment," read another store, and "Postmodern Potions" yet another. The wares that I could glimpse through the window had no analog in my own experience, so outlandish and weird that I could not even put names to them.

And the people...

People in long, ornate robes of every color in the spectrum -- and some that changed. Men in tall top hats, women in hats that rose to a sharp point; accompanied by creatures of all sorts from cats to owls to an animal I decided for my sanity's sake to label a lizard. Bad enough the ones that walked briskly from store to store, or sat in

Re: Heero Yui and the Organization of the Zodiac

[mikkeneko.livejournal.com]

the seats outside the cafes and gaped at us; worse yet was the matronly looking woman floating down the course two and a half meters above the cobbled streets.

A nearby signpost proclaimed, in gilded ink that flashed too bright to be natural:

DIAGON ALLEY





~tbc~

Re: Heero Yui and the Organization of the Zodiac

[mikkeneko.livejournal.com]

Heero Yui and the Organization of the Zodiac

Rating: PG

Pairings: 1+2, 3+4, 5+OC (*sighs blissfully* Ahh, that oft-seen lineup!)

Warnings: shounen-ai, magic, occasional silliness, occasional angst

Disclaimer: Yea, although I walk through the valley of Gundam Wing, I remain untouched by lawsuits, for I own nothing and lay claim to nothing. So mote it be.

Author's Notes: This is a Harry Potter-Gundam Wing fusion. I wrote it for a contest, so if you see it around, assume that I lost...



The red train roared along a route that most people would never even believe in, loaded down with excited, nervous, happy, frightened children rushing towards their destination; home again for some, and for others, the greatest unknown. From the eleven-year-old first years to the almost-adult seventh years, Hogwarts students packed into the compartments of the wizard-driven train.

Heero Yui had a compartment to himself. His eyes were glued out the window of the train as it rushed on, fixed to the scenery flying past. A small, well-worn traveling bag sat on the seat beside him; after enough glares the train attendants had given up on

Re: Heero Yui and the Organization of the Zodiac

[mikkeneko.livejournal.com]

Heero Yui and the Organization of the Zodiac

Rating: PG

Pairings: 1+2, 3+4, 5+OC (*sighs blissfully* Ahh, that oft-seen lineup!)

Warnings: shounen-ai, magic, occasional silliness, occasional angst

Disclaimer: Yea, although I walk through the valley of Gundam Wing, I remain untouched by lawsuits, for I own nothing and lay claim to nothing. So mote it be.

Author's Notes: This is a Harry Potter-Gundam Wing fusion. I wrote it for a contest, so if you see it around, assume that I lost...



The red train roared along a route that most people would never even believe in, loaded down with excited, nervous, happy, frightened children rushing towards their destination; home again for some, and for others, the greatest unknown. From the eleven-year-old first years to the almost-adult seventh years, Hogwarts students packed into the compartments of the wizard-driven train.

Heero Yui had a compartment to himself. His eyes were glued out the window of the train as it rushed on, fixed to the scenery flying past. A small, well-worn traveling bag sat on the seat beside him; after enough glares the train attendants had given up on

Re: Heero Yui and the Organization of the Zodiac

[mikkeneko.livejournal.com]

getting it away from him and just let him be. He ignored the rattlings and thumpings of students tramping up and down the aisles outside his compartment, as thoroughly as he ignored the smiling witch who came by presently and offered refreshment. Every now and then another student would peek into his compartment, but most withdrew, deciding that there was better company to be found elsewhere.

At last, though, Duo returned from his own tour of the train and flopped down onto the seat opposite Heero. He was followed by two other students in the robes and black hats of the Hogwarts uniform, chattering with them all the while. Heero did not bother to acknowledge their presence, nor did Duo bother with introductions.

The two students kept sneaking glances at Heero, until finally the shorter of them blurted out, "Are you really from the Colonies too?"

"Yes." Heero did not take his eyes off the window for a moment.

"Oh." A trifle taken aback by this abrupt reply, the inquisitive student exchanged nervous glances with his fellow, until Duo's laugh put them at ease.

"Ah, don't bother trying to be friendly to Heero. You'll never get more than a grunt out of him anyway."

"Oh!" the boy smiled hesitantly, leaning forward eagerly. "You two know each other?"

Duo looked over at Heero, who did not return his glance, before shrugging. "A little bit. We've played a few games together."

"You were on the same Quidditch team?" the other student interrupted. "You never answered what I asked before. What position do you play?"

Duo burst out laughing, nearly doubling over in his seat. "Quidditch? In the Colonies?" he demanded. "You kidding? There's not nearly enough sky, man! People would see us for sure!"

"Really?" Both of the students, Earth- and Britain-born, looked nearly awestruck by the possibility of a place where you couldn't fly wherever you wanted. While the smaller one lapsed into silence, unable to process the concept of life without Quidditch, the other one was a little more bold. "Are you saying you've never flown before?" he demanded, astonished.

Duo snickered, still a little laughter left over from his previous fit. "Oh, I wouldn't go so far as to say that," he protested, before leaning casually forward. "Just that I've never played Quidditch. Now, come on, guys, help me out! What are the teachers like at Hogwarts? Tough, or really easy? I know I can get the straight story from you," he added conspiratorially. "Some places, yanno, they talk tough about the rules but never bother to enforce them..."

Re: Heero Yui and the Organization of the Zodiac

[mikkeneko.livejournal.com]

getting it away from him and just let him be. He ignored the rattlings and thumpings of students tramping up and down the aisles outside his compartment, as thoroughly as he ignored the smiling witch who came by presently and offered refreshment. Every now and then another student would peek into his compartment, but most withdrew, deciding that there was better company to be found elsewhere.

At last, though, Duo returned from his own tour of the train and flopped down onto the seat opposite Heero. He was followed by two other students in the robes and black hats of the Hogwarts uniform, chattering with them all the while. Heero did not bother to acknowledge their presence, nor did Duo bother with introductions.

The two students kept sneaking glances at Heero, until finally the shorter of them blurted out, "Are you really from the Colonies too?"

"Yes." Heero did not take his eyes off the window for a moment.

"Oh." A trifle taken aback by this abrupt reply, the inquisitive student exchanged nervous glances with his fellow, until Duo's laugh put them at ease.

"Ah, don't bother trying to be friendly to Heero. You'll never get more than a grunt out of him anyway."

"Oh!" the boy smiled hesitantly, leaning forward eagerly. "You two know each other?"

Duo looked over at Heero, who did not return his glance, before shrugging. "A little bit. We've played a few games together."

"You were on the same Quidditch team?" the other student interrupted. "You never answered what I asked before. What position do you play?"

Duo burst out laughing, nearly doubling over in his seat. "Quidditch? In the Colonies?" he demanded. "You kidding? There's not nearly enough sky, man! People would see us for sure!"

"Really?" Both of the students, Earth- and Britain-born, looked nearly awestruck by the possibility of a place where you couldn't fly wherever you wanted. While the smaller one lapsed into silence, unable to process the concept of life without Quidditch, the other one was a little more bold. "Are you saying you've never flown before?" he demanded, astonished.

Duo snickered, still a little laughter left over from his previous fit. "Oh, I wouldn't go so far as to say that," he protested, before leaning casually forward. "Just that I've never played Quidditch. Now, come on, guys, help me out! What are the teachers like at Hogwarts? Tough, or really easy? I know I can get the straight story from you," he added conspiratorially. "Some places, yanno, they talk tough about the rules but never bother to enforce them..."

Re: Heero Yui and the Organization of the Zodiac

[mikkeneko.livejournal.com]

The Hogwarts students happily accepted the change of subject, chattering on about life at Hogwarts and what to expect from various teachers. "Whatever you do," they advised, "stay away from Miss Purlain, the groundskeeper... she's the nastiest old dragon you'll ever meet..."

As the swirl of easy chatter flowed about the tiny space, Heero kept his focus; trees, hills, even some scattered buildings flashing past. He was aware when the two students left the compartment, but did not react at all. Duo stretched out on the seat opposite him, crossing his legs at the ankles and lacing his hands behind his head. For a moment he simply sat in comfortable silence, staring upwards in contemplative silence at the people moving in the posters on the wall. He had to smile when one of the ladies waved to him, her friends giggling and whispering in the background. Uncrossing his legs and planting them on the floor with a light thump, he turned to the silent Heero. "I think I'm gonna go visit Quatre and Trowa," he announced.

"Hn," was Heero's only response. Duo had to grin at the barely-verbal answer, before swinging up to his feet and bouncing out into the aisle.

"Well -- I'll leave you to count lampposts, then. Later!"



The daylight had dimmed towards September twilight by the time the wizard train pulled up to the station. Duo was the first one off the train, bouncing like a superball at having been cooped up for so long. Wufei followed next, at a more sedate pace; his expression was neutral but his stance was uncomfortable, surrounded by dozens of others who were completely alien to him. Trowa and Wufei got off the train together, joining up with Wufei to create a little knot in the sea of swarming people. Most of the students already knew where they were going, and shouted exuberant greetings to each other as they headed down the familiar paths.

Heero was one of the last off the truck; he headed straight for the other three, collaring an enthusiastic Duo as he did so; the braided boy was letting himself be swept away by his new friends from the train.

"Where do we go now?" Quatre asked, shifting uncomfortably. The black wizard robes he wore contrasted sharply with his fair coloring, giving him an almost washed-out look.

A sudden noise like a firecracker caught his attention, and he looked over and up in time to see a golden banner rise and float above a point in the crowd. "First-years!" a voice shouted over the hubbub. "First-years, over here! Under the banner! First-years..."

Duo shook his head, though; the pointed hat could not withstand such vigorous

Re: Heero Yui and the Organization of the Zodiac

[mikkeneko.livejournal.com]

activity, and toppled off his head; he made a quick grab to keep it from being trampled. "That's the ten- and eleven-year-olds," he explained, relaying a piece of information he had picked up on the train. "We're too old for that."

A cough sounded from off to the side of the five, and they looked up to see a stern-looking woman of about middle-age, a small pair of glasses perched on her nose and a little black book in her hand.

"I am Professor Nebet." She flipped opened the book and looked down at a page, then up over the five of them. "You are the transfer students from Astrospell School of Wizardry?"

For a moment none of them moved, only staring at her in shock, before Quatre took a step forward. "Yes, that's us," he said nervously, attempting a shaky smile. "We're, ah, not quite sure where to go..."

"Follow me, please." She snapped shut the book and turned on her heel, marching through the crowd. The boys hastily followed.

"This is something of an unusual case for us," she told them as they walked. "We do not often get transfer students from the other schools; in fact, you are at the moment the only ones. Understand, gentlemen, that Hogwarts Academy has very high standards which we expect you to meet."

As she spoke, they came out through the crowd and the Hogwarts Castle came into view. The last of the sunset played among the castle's towers, reflecting off the moat. Quatre gasped in wonder as the sight hit him; Duo whistled in astonishment. Professor Nebet ignored both of them, leading them to a wooden boat which somehow, despite its seeming small size, accommodated all six of them easily. She pulled a wand from inside her black book, and rapped it sharply against the rim of the boat; with a lurch, the boat began moving over its own power.

"Therefore, gentlemen, you will need to be put through a period of review, so that we can understand how far you have advanced in your studies at Astrospell," Professor Nebet continued as the boat neatly docked itself on the other side of the moat. "You will be rooming with other third-years, but for the first month at Hogwarts you will have classes with second- or first-year students. All the teachers have been apprised of this."

They were passing through one of the doorways, into a dark stone corridor which echoed with their footsteps. "But for now, you will go through the Sorting Ceremony with the first-years so that we will know which house to place you in." She paused in front of a large set of doors, one hand half-raised, to give them a stern glance. "The four houses compete among each other for honors. Points will be given out for excellence in schoolwork, in sports, and for other matters. At the end of the year the house with the most points will be awarded the House Cup. So work hard at your

Re: Heero Yui and the Organization of the Zodiac

[mikkeneko.livejournal.com]

studies, in order to advance your House."

She knocked twice on the door, and it swung open to reveal a vast dining hall. Rows of tables lined the floor, and tapestries of blue and gray covered the walls; all was illuminated by dozens of sourceless, bobbing lights that hovered partway between the floor and the vaulted, star-speckled ceiling. Heero's eyes were drawn to the sky-like panorama almost in spite of himself; he searched for the bright lights of L1, but could not find them. He swallowed hard, and dropped his eyes back down to the cleared space at the front of the hall. The teachers' tables were set sideways to the four long rows of student's tables; in the space between them sat a small four-legged school. Along the wall beside the door where they had come in were the first years; lined up in single file, the eleven-year-old children clutched nervously at each others' hands and stared wide-eyed at the ragged, dark old hat that sat plainly on the stool. Heero eyed the object with suspicion; it differed quite strikingly in appearance from everything else in the grand, magnificent hall.

Suddenly, the hat moved -- on its own, without any action from anyone else in the hall, it shifted around on the stool as though it were alive. The rips and creases on the hat arranged themselves until they almost looked like a face outlined in the folds of cloth, with two dark eyes and a line of a mouth. The mouth opened, and the voice that issued forth was startlingly deep and rich as the hat began to sing.



Perhaps I am not handsome
But wait for me to sing!
You'll find I'm awfully useful
In sorting out your things.
I can see inside your head
The things I need to know --
Don't worry, I won't say a word
Except for where you'll go!
You might belong in Gryffindor
Where dwell the truly just;
The strong, the proud, the chivalrous
These folk do what they must.
You might belong in Hufflepuff
The house of gentle hearts,
Those kind and loyal to their friends
Who bear compassion's part.
In Ravenclaw you might just go
If sharp and keen of mind;
Those who see, but do not tell,
The secrets that they find.
Those who stay in Slytherin
Are more than what they seem;
Committed towards every end
To justify the means.
Yes, I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat
I'm rarely ever wrong,
So put me on, and I'll decide
In which house you belong.

Re: Heero Yui and the Organization of the Zodiac

[mikkeneko.livejournal.com]

studies, in order to advance your House."

She knocked twice on the door, and it swung open to reveal a vast dining hall. Rows of tables lined the floor, and tapestries of blue and gray covered the walls; all was illuminated by dozens of sourceless, bobbing lights that hovered partway between the floor and the vaulted, star-speckled ceiling. Heero's eyes were drawn to the sky-like panorama almost in spite of himself; he searched for the bright lights of L1, but could not find them. He swallowed hard, and dropped his eyes back down to the cleared space at the front of the hall. The teachers' tables were set sideways to the four long rows of student's tables; in the space between them sat a small four-legged school. Along the wall beside the door where they had come in were the first years; lined up in single file, the eleven-year-old children clutched nervously at each others' hands and stared wide-eyed at the ragged, dark old hat that sat plainly on the stool. Heero eyed the object with suspicion; it differed quite strikingly in appearance from everything else in the grand, magnificent hall.

Suddenly, the hat moved -- on its own, without any action from anyone else in the hall, it shifted around on the stool as though it were alive. The rips and creases on the hat arranged themselves until they almost looked like a face outlined in the folds of cloth, with two dark eyes and a line of a mouth. The mouth opened, and the voice that issued forth was startlingly deep and rich as the hat began to sing.



Perhaps I am not handsome
But wait for me to sing!
You'll find I'm awfully useful
In sorting out your things.
I can see inside your head
The things I need to know --
Don't worry, I won't say a word
Except for where you'll go!
You might belong in Gryffindor
Where dwell the truly just;
The strong, the proud, the chivalrous
These folk do what they must.
You might belong in Hufflepuff
The house of gentle hearts,
Those kind and loyal to their friends
Who bear compassion's part.
In Ravenclaw you might just go
If sharp and keen of mind;
Those who see, but do not tell,
The secrets that they find.
Those who stay in Slytherin
Are more than what they seem;
Committed towards every end
To justify the means.
Yes, I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat
I'm rarely ever wrong,
So put me on, and I'll decide
In which house you belong.

Re: Heero Yui and the Organization of the Zodiac

[mikkeneko.livejournal.com]

The audience in the hall burst into tumult as the song ended; the first-years gasped and whispered with apprehensive excitement, but all the students sitting at the table and the teachers at the front of the hall broke into applause. The hat shifted and bent, almost bowing; a short, rabbity-looking man with a long scroll of parchment in his hand stepped up beside the stool and cleared his throat.

"When I call your name, come to the stool and place the hat on your head. Let's begin with -- Ansley, Walden!"

A gangly, dark-haired boy stumbled forward and sat shakily on the stool, picking up the hat gingerly as though it would bite him and putting it over his head. There was a long moment of silence before the hat shouted -- "HUFFLEPUFF!"

Heero narrowed his eyes, and moved his head until he could see Quatre out of the corner of his eye, who stared along with everyone else at the hat. "That thing can read our minds?" he muttered.

"I think so," Quatre replied anxiously, but his attention was immediately switched forward again as the short wizard called out, "Barton, Trowa!"

Heero leaned forward unconsciously, his hand twitching by his side; behind him, Quatre held is breath as they listened for the judgment. It seemed like hours later, but it could only have been a few seconds until the hat shouted "RAVENCLAW!"

That was all, and as Trowa calmly set the hat back on the stool and walked to the blue-and-gray decorated table, Quatre blew out a shaky sigh of relief. "Burtelett, Anna" went to Hufflepuff next, and then...

"Chang, Fei Wu!" the wizard called. Duo burst out laughing, and several of the others surrounding him laughed without even knowing why. Wufei winced at the mangling of his name, but sighed deeply and stepped forward.

After a moment., the hat came to some decision, and yelled "GRYFFINDOR!"

There was cheering and clapping from the Gryffindor table, but from none so loud as Duo. Wufei shot him an irritated glance as he made his way to the scarlet-and-gold table, but Duo only grinned. The hat made its way rapidly down the list; some decisions the hat made very quickly, others took a few moments, but before long they had gotten through "Kay, Misalle" and then it was Duo's turn.

Re: Heero Yui and the Organization of the Zodiac

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Half the hall leaned forward, holding its breath, as Duo bounced forward towards the stool. Several of the students Duo had been talking with on the train were pointing excitedly, talking quickly to their neighbors. He'd only known them for the length of the train ride and already Duo Maxwell had quite the reputation; the Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw tables all leaned forward eagerly to see which house would get him. Duo perched himself on the stool, crossing one leg over the other, and placed the hat on his head.

There was a long moment of silence; when it had stretched out longer than any of the previous decisions, little movements started. Teachers began to exchange glances; whispers flew among the students' tables. The wizard with the list began to look rather flustered, and after nearly two minutes of nothing happening he reached out to take the hat off Duo's head. Just before his hand could reach the fabric, though, the shout pierced through the hall. "SLYTHERIN!"

This was, it seemed, the last thing that anybody expected. All the tables, including Slytherin's, reacted with dismay. Duo, completely oblivious to the controversy, replaced the hat on the chair and headed for his new table. He snagged one of the empty chairs and sat in it, putting his feet up against the table and tipping the chair back. Those students sitting nearest by glared evilly, but he ignored them.

"Surely there's been some mistake..." the wizard with the scroll muttered doubtfully. Professor Nebet, from the seat at the teacher's table closest to the door, cleared her throat pointedly, and he hastily dropped his eyes back to the next name on the list. "Uh... Mullock, Peter!"

One by one the new students cleared away, until they finally worked their way down to "Winner, Quatre!" None of the wizards in the hall reacted to the name; it seemed it was not so well known in these circles. When Quatre sat on the stool his legs curled up until they did not even touch the ground, and his hands clinched on the stool sides. He kept sneaking hopeful glances towards the Ravenclaw table, and when the hat called its verdict of "HUFFLEPUFF!" he looked profoundly disappointed. Taking a deep breath, he put a smile on his face and went to the Hufflepuff table.

There were only two students left to be sorted -- "Yards, Meryl" went to Gryffindor and then Heero stepped away from the wall and went to the stool.

The hat settled over his head, and Heero heard the voice of the hat immediately in his ear. "So, let's see what we have..." it murmured.

Heero concentrated on making his thoughts as clear as possible. ::Put me in the same house as Duo or I'll turn you into rag paper.::

Re: Heero Yui and the Organization of the Zodiac

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Half the hall leaned forward, holding its breath, as Duo bounced forward towards the stool. Several of the students Duo had been talking with on the train were pointing excitedly, talking quickly to their neighbors. He'd only known them for the length of the train ride and already Duo Maxwell had quite the reputation; the Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw tables all leaned forward eagerly to see which house would get him. Duo perched himself on the stool, crossing one leg over the other, and placed the hat on his head.

There was a long moment of silence; when it had stretched out longer than any of the previous decisions, little movements started. Teachers began to exchange glances; whispers flew among the students' tables. The wizard with the list began to look rather flustered, and after nearly two minutes of nothing happening he reached out to take the hat off Duo's head. Just before his hand could reach the fabric, though, the shout pierced through the hall. "SLYTHERIN!"

This was, it seemed, the last thing that anybody expected. All the tables, including Slytherin's, reacted with dismay. Duo, completely oblivious to the controversy, replaced the hat on the chair and headed for his new table. He snagged one of the empty chairs and sat in it, putting his feet up against the table and tipping the chair back. Those students sitting nearest by glared evilly, but he ignored them.

"Surely there's been some mistake..." the wizard with the scroll muttered doubtfully. Professor Nebet, from the seat at the teacher's table closest to the door, cleared her throat pointedly, and he hastily dropped his eyes back to the next name on the list. "Uh... Mullock, Peter!"

One by one the new students cleared away, until they finally worked their way down to "Winner, Quatre!" None of the wizards in the hall reacted to the name; it seemed it was not so well known in these circles. When Quatre sat on the stool his legs curled up until they did not even touch the ground, and his hands clinched on the stool sides. He kept sneaking hopeful glances towards the Ravenclaw table, and when the hat called its verdict of "HUFFLEPUFF!" he looked profoundly disappointed. Taking a deep breath, he put a smile on his face and went to the Hufflepuff table.

There were only two students left to be sorted -- "Yards, Meryl" went to Gryffindor and then Heero stepped away from the wall and went to the stool.

The hat settled over his head, and Heero heard the voice of the hat immediately in his ear. "So, let's see what we have..." it murmured.

Heero concentrated on making his thoughts as clear as possible. ::Put me in the same house as Duo or I'll turn you into rag paper.::

Re: Heero Yui and the Organization of the Zodiac

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The hat chuckled, actually sounding rather bemused. "So that's the way it is, hmm? Well, I don't see why not. If there is something you have to do -- and there is, isn't there, oh my yes..."

::Not a word of this to anyone, or else...:: Heero let the thought trail off unspoken, heavy with threat.

The voice, though, was no more than amused. "Don't worry, I'll keep it under my -- hah! --hat. Well, you certainly have a way of getting what you want, I see. Then I think the best place would really be -- SLYTHERIN!"

Before the last echoes had faded from the hall Heero was off the stool, and heading towards the Slytherin table. There was some polite clapping, but now the Sorting was over and people were looking eagerly forward to what would happen next.

At the center of the teacher's tables, on a raised platform, an old man rose from his seat. He had drooping gray eyes and a short, neatly trimmed white beard. "Welcome one and all to Hogwarts," he began. "It's been a long summer since I last saw you all, and some of you I see for the first time -- and some I saw last year that I shan't see again..."



"Nice to meet you, Fei Wu. My name's Kassie Tander," one chatty girl introduced herself.

He winced slightly. "My name is Wu Fei, actually," he corrected painfully.

"Oh, sorry," she shrugged it off. "So why did you transfer out of Astrospell, anyway?" she wanted to know

"Because of the war," he said, which was entirely true, but still misleading.

Kassie stared at him in puzzlement for a moment. "The wa -- oh, that!" she said, and burst into giggles. "But that's Muggle stuff! It doesn't have anything to do with *us!*"

"For now, at least," Wufei muttered to himself under his breath.

The girl took no notice. "So anyway, Fei -- I mean, Wu Fei --"

Re: Heero Yui and the Organization of the Zodiac

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Quatre, in the meanwhile, had found himself in a very odd position -- seated next to a ghost. He actually looked just like a student, the only difference being that he was completely silvery white and his elbow, instead of resting on the table, dropped through it. Quatre glanced over him nervously, tuning out the droning speech; he wasn't sure, but the ghost's uniform looked very out of date, now that he thought about it. Pre-Colony era, even.

"No need to stare," the ghost advised him in a friendly tone. "I'm the Hufflepuff House Ghost. You'll be seeing me around a lot."

Blushing, Quatre attempted to stammer an excuse. "I'm sorry -- I've just never seen a, that is, uh, I've never met a ghost before..."

"Diggory's the name," the ghost introduced himself. "Cedric Diggory. [9] I was a student here -- oh, must be a couple hundred years back, now. I'd shake your hand but it really wouldn't work."

For once, Quatre found himself at a loss for words. "I'm sorry?" he offered awkwardly.

"Don't be," Cedric said kindly. "Better talking to you than listening to Snellgrove's homecoming speech. He never changes it year after year and it's bloody boring to listen to."

"What's worse," sighed one of the other Hufflepuff students, "we don't get to eat until he's done."

Quatre sighed, and settled himself in for a long wait.



At the Ravenclaw table, an older boy with a prefect's badge on his robes nodded gravely to the newcomer. Trowa nodded back.



At the end of the meal the four houses separated, and each trekked back to their individual towers. Through the corridors on the way Duo stared around with seemingly boundless energy; waving at every person in the portrait who whispered as he passed, or stopping to investigate the archaic suit of armor that trekked slowly through the halls. Heero followed at a somewhat more sedate pace; he saw the confused and annoyed looks on the faces of the other Slytherins, and knew that there would be trouble.

The door to the Slytherin hallway lay hidden behind a painting; one of the older boys, with an unfamiliar badge on his robes, gave the man in the painting some kind of password before the canvas swung open to reveal a wide, low-ceilinged chamber. Tables and chairs were arranged across the floor space; bookshelves lined the walls, and a steadily glowing fireplace heated and dimly lit the room. There were two stairwells, one on either side of the fireplace; the girls trekked up one staircase, and the boys another.

Re: Heero Yui and the Organization of the Zodiac

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As Duo started up the staircase, the older boy from before stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. Heero stopped, just out of sight in the shadows, and turned back to listen. Duo turned to face him with a cheerful smile, which the taller boy did not return. "I don't know what the rules were like in the Colonies," he began, "but I'm the Slytherin prefect -- Liam Nigelus -- and if you don't follow the rules around here, then you'll answer to me for it."

Duo paused for a moment, taking the prefect's measure, before his smile returned; a subtilely different smile. "Is that the Hogwarts rules, or the Slytherin rules?" he inquired brightly.

Liam released his shoulder, and gave him a hard look for a moment before releasing him. "You're pretty quick, for a space boy," he commented.

Duo laughed then, backing a step away and starting up the stairs. "Liam, I am so quick the stars can't even catch me," he threw over his shoulder.

By the time he reached the third-year room, most of the other students were in bed. Heero sat on the edge of the extravagant, canopied, four-poster bed, braced against the headboard, and stared out the window. Duo slowly lowered himself to the bed on the other side of the window, stretching out on top of the covers and crossing his arms behind his head. After a time, he reached into his sleeve and pulled out the long wooden rod that he had brought for this school and turned it over in the moonlight coming in from the window, staring at it. He tapped on it, and a bright dribble of green fire leaked from the tip.

"Hey, Heero?" Duo said when he knew that everyone else was asleep. "Didja keep track of the route the train took to get here?"

"Yes." Heero turned away from the window, and shot a glance over at the outline of Duo; partner and fellow mobile suit pilot and object of his affection. "I know where we are." Hard enough before now, trying to catch some time together; even harder now, when they would almost never be alone.

"Heero?" Duo sighed. "This is one weird place we're in."

"Hm." Heero looked one last time at the moon outside the window, and lay back down on his bed without answering.


~tbc~

Re: Heero Yui and the Organization of the Zodiac

[mikkeneko.livejournal.com]

Heero Yui and the Organization of the Zodiac

Rating: PG

Pairings: 1+2, 3+4, 5+OC (*sighs blissfully* Ahh, that oft-seen lineup!)

Warnings: shounen-ai, magic, occasional silliness, occasional angst

Disclaimer: Yea, although I walk through the valley of Gundam Wing, I remain untouched by lawsuits, for I own nothing and lay claim to nothing. So mote it be.

Author's Notes: This is a Harry Potter-Gundam Wing fusion. I wrote it for a contest, so if you see it around, assume that I lost...






Even from the first day on Heero knew there would be trouble. It started the next morning, as the Slytherins wandered in and out of the common room before heading down to breakfast; Duo had woken up before most of the others and wandered down the tower stairs. As Heero dressed efficiently and made his morning ablutions, he heard voices floating up the stairwell; he recognized Duo's, and at least two others he could associate with the older Slytherin boys he'd met earlier. The other third years, still in the bedchamber with Heero, ignored both him and the menacing voices from below.

As a fourth new voice introduced itself, Heero determined that he had better get down to the common room in case there was trouble. His hip felt empty where his gun wasn't holstered, and his hand itched for its weight. Instead he stowed his wand in one of the long sleeves of the black robe, where he knew he could draw it in the blink of an eye. It was hardly an adequate substitute for his familiar gun, but at least in the time he and Duo had spent with the wands before coming to Hogwarts, they had figured out how to make it do at least one thing. It could --

BANG!

-- yes, that was it. Heero sighed inwardly as he quickened his pace down the stairs to

Re: Heero Yui and the Organization of the Zodiac

[mikkeneko.livejournal.com]

Heero Yui and the Organization of the Zodiac

Rating: PG

Pairings: 1+2, 3+4, 5+OC (*sighs blissfully* Ahh, that oft-seen lineup!)

Warnings: shounen-ai, magic, occasional silliness, occasional angst

Disclaimer: Yea, although I walk through the valley of Gundam Wing, I remain untouched by lawsuits, for I own nothing and lay claim to nothing. So mote it be.

Author's Notes: This is a Harry Potter-Gundam Wing fusion. I wrote it for a contest, so if you see it around, assume that I lost...






Even from the first day on Heero knew there would be trouble. It started the next morning, as the Slytherins wandered in and out of the common room before heading down to breakfast; Duo had woken up before most of the others and wandered down the tower stairs. As Heero dressed efficiently and made his morning ablutions, he heard voices floating up the stairwell; he recognized Duo's, and at least two others he could associate with the older Slytherin boys he'd met earlier. The other third years, still in the bedchamber with Heero, ignored both him and the menacing voices from below.

As a fourth new voice introduced itself, Heero determined that he had better get down to the common room in case there was trouble. His hip felt empty where his gun wasn't holstered, and his hand itched for its weight. Instead he stowed his wand in one of the long sleeves of the black robe, where he knew he could draw it in the blink of an eye. It was hardly an adequate substitute for his familiar gun, but at least in the time he and Duo had spent with the wands before coming to Hogwarts, they had figured out how to make it do at least one thing. It could --

BANG!

-- yes, that was it. Heero sighed inwardly as he quickened his pace down the stairs to

Re: Heero Yui and the Organization of the Zodiac

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the common room; a waft of smoke, smelling of burnt potatoes, hit him in the face as he came out into the open space. A cluster of students, mostly girls or first-years, were gathered around the scuffle unfolding itself in the center of the room. One boy was on the ground, sitting, but looking rather dazed, staunching a nosebleed; Duo was aiming his wand threateningly between the other two. The taller of the two, with lanky pale hair and a crooked nose, was shouting.

" -- last thing this House needs is t'be polluted with Mudbloods who din't have a drop of real wizarding blood in their veins --"

Duo was yelling back, with great abandon. "You think I'm weak? Think I'm a pushover just 'cause I don't have a fancy label on my name? Just you try --"

His other opponent, not bothering with taunts or insults, was sidling steadily closer to Duo. Heero was just about to intervene on his partner's behalf, when the prefect, Liam, stormed down the stairs with his own wand out and his face red as an angry bull's.

Heero sighed as he turned away; somehow, Duo always managed to get into trouble within the first week of wherever he was staying. Everyone who met the garrulous boy either loved him or despised him from the start --

Well, except for Heero, who'd done both. It would bother him more, except that experience had also shown him that Duo was just as good at getting himself out of trouble as into it. Already the fight was over, and the spectators were turning away, bored, back to the normal routine of preparing for their day of classes. One almost everyone was ready in the common room, Liam headed out towards the dining hall, leading the other students to shuffle along behind him.

As Duo passed through the portrait hole, the crooked-nosed boy grabbed his arm and spoke in a voice which he no doubt thought was menacing. "This isn't over, space brat. We'll duel -- you and me -- after classes."

"Great idea," Duo drawled, easily pulling his arm away from the offending hand. "Right under the teacher's noses, huh?"

The boy sneered. "No. In the Forbidden Forest. Unless, of course, you're too scared," he snickered on the last word.

"Scared?" Duo fumed. "Not likely! We'll see which one of us is too much of a coward to show up for the duel!"

Heero pushed between them, breaking the two apart, but didn't speak to either boy as he climbed through the portrait hall and headed off down to breakfast. If there were any further words between Duo and his challenger, Heero didn't hear them.

Re: Heero Yui and the Organization of the Zodiac

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At breakfast, Trowa was surprised from his food by a the noise of a sudden whirlwind of wings above him. He looked up in time to see a veritable army of owls swooping in the tall windows and flapping about the high, sky-like ceiling. Tawny, white, barn -- more birds than Trowa had ever seen, and certainly ones he never thought he'd see in England.

Envelopes and packages began to rain from the ceiling, as the messengers dropped off their daily load of mail. Trowa waited patiently, one hand hovering over his plate to make sure nothing went astray into it. No owl dropped anything on him, of course, but as the storm ended and the owls began to retreat, he saw one smaller one fluttering against a window nearby. Ignoring the curious glances of the other Ravenclaws, Trowa pushed back his chair and went over to the wall, staring up at the bird. It swooped back and forth uncertainly, and this close Trowa could see there was something uneven in the beat of its wings. Slowly, he extended his arm up towards the bird and made a soft noise in his throat, attracting its attention.

The owl flapped a few more times, but couldn't stay up, and fell almost directly into Trowa's hand. It hooted feebly, and Trowa held it carefully as he turned back to his table.



Quatre stood in the corridor, clutching his books to his chest and eying the passageway in front of him uneasily. This was the hallway he had to take, all right, in order to get to his Charms class; but on either side of the hallway there was a ledge, and perched on the ledge were two rows of stone gargoyles. Big ones, maybe the size of a large dog. With sharp teeth. And Quatre *knew* he'd seen them move.

"I knew there was a reason graven images were outlawed," he muttered as he estimated his chances. If they were slow and he was fast, he might get past them, but still... He really wished he had Sandrock with him now.

"I'm sorry, young man, are you lost?" came a voice behind him. He jumped, started, and clutched his books as though he were about to run, before regaining his composure and turning around .A teacher stood behind him; a plump, middle-aged witch with frizzy blond hair lightening with gray and a snub nose between her bright eyes. He'd been so distracted by the stone creatures that he hadn't even heard her approach.

"Um, no, not really lost..." he fumbled, blushing as he tried to find a way to explain that he didn't want to walk past the gargoyles unless he was sure they wouldn't try to eat him. However it was that gargoyles ate. "I mean, my Charms class is down this way..."

"What a coincidence," the witch chuckled. "So is mine. Call me Professor Mirabolt,

Re: Heero Yui and the Organization of the Zodiac

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dearie, I teach Charms. But what are you doing here? This isn't a place where students are supposed to go." Her voice was faintly disapproving.

"I'm sorry," Quatre apologized. "I'm new here. After breakfast, um, some of the students gave me directions to come this way..."

"Other students?" The woman frowned slightly. "Who?"

"I'm afraid I don't know. Green trimmings, though."

"Hm." Her expression tightened. "I see. Well, don't you worry about that, dearie, it's just those awful Slytherin boys hazing the Hufflepuffs."

"Oh!" It suddenly clicked in Quatre's head that he'd been set up, and the thought made him uneasy. He'd been hoping he could leave enemies and disputes behind at this school, but it appeared not.

"Well, never you mind that," Professor Mirabolt said firmly. She took out her wand, and shot a jet of bright blue light down the corridor. Immediately the gargoyles froze back into stone, one of them in mid-yawn. "Come along, we can walk to the class together and get to know each other, can't we? What's your name, dear?"

"Quatre," he said as he fell into step beside her down the corridor, still eying the stone creatures with some trepidation. "Quatre Raberba Winner."

"Oh, is that so?" Professor Mirabolt said in a friendly tone. "Why, I used to know someone named Raberba. Katherine Raberba. She and I were in the same house back in the day when I was a student at Hogwarts -- she was a great friend and a gentle soul, oh yes. But I stayed on to teach here, and she went and married a Muggle. I haven't heard from her in years..."

Quatre breathed a small sigh of relief as they passed out of the hallway of gargoyles, only to freeze in mid-step as the Professor's words sank into his brain. Surely it was no more than a coincidence -- he'd never heard there was a witch in his family, much less --

Professor Mirabolt had stopped when he did, and now turned in the hallway to peer at him more closely. "Come to think of it, you look very much like her. My dear Quatre, is there any relation?"

"My mother," he said softly.



As it turned out, Gryffindor and Slytherin had joint classes; Transfiguration, under the tyrannical Professor Nebet. Wufei had to admit, though, that she was an efficient

Re: Heero Yui and the Organization of the Zodiac

[mikkeneko.livejournal.com]

The audience in the hall burst into tumult as the song ended; the first-years gasped and whispered with apprehensive excitement, but all the students sitting at the table and the teachers at the front of the hall broke into applause. The hat shifted and bent, almost bowing; a short, rabbity-looking man with a long scroll of parchment in his hand stepped up beside the stool and cleared his throat.

"When I call your name, come to the stool and place the hat on your head. Let's begin with -- Ansley, Walden!"

A gangly, dark-haired boy stumbled forward and sat shakily on the stool, picking up the hat gingerly as though it would bite him and putting it over his head. There was a long moment of silence before the hat shouted -- "HUFFLEPUFF!"

Heero narrowed his eyes, and moved his head until he could see Quatre out of the corner of his eye, who stared along with everyone else at the hat. "That thing can read our minds?" he muttered.

"I think so," Quatre replied anxiously, but his attention was immediately switched forward again as the short wizard called out, "Barton, Trowa!"

Heero leaned forward unconsciously, his hand twitching by his side; behind him, Quatre held is breath as they listened for the judgment. It seemed like hours later, but it could only have been a few seconds until the hat shouted "RAVENCLAW!"

That was all, and as Trowa calmly set the hat back on the stool and walked to the blue-and-gray decorated table, Quatre blew out a shaky sigh of relief. "Burtelett, Anna" went to Hufflepuff next, and then...

"Chang, Fei Wu!" the wizard called. Duo burst out laughing, and several of the others surrounding him laughed without even knowing why. Wufei winced at the mangling of his name, but sighed deeply and stepped forward.

After a moment., the hat came to some decision, and yelled "GRYFFINDOR!"

There was cheering and clapping from the Gryffindor table, but from none so loud as Duo. Wufei shot him an irritated glance as he made his way to the scarlet-and-gold table, but Duo only grinned. The hat made its way rapidly down the list; some decisions the hat made very quickly, others took a few moments, but before long they had gotten through "Kay, Misalle" and then it was Duo's turn.