Chapter 15: Zero Not Hero
Harry could hardly breathe as he bellowed his father's name in the middle of a busy street in London.
He should've fought back.
He should've done more to help Belle. But he didn't think…
He knew that creeper was up to no good, when he approached him in that department store. But he never thought he would've tried to mug them on the streets.
At least he was able to get away, that was something. He had managed to throw one of those defensive spells his father taught him. Not that it helped Belle.
He still remembered seeing her slumped over like that. He needed to save her, needed to do something, because whatever this was, he was pretty sure this was his fault.
That strange kid, whoever he was, the way he looked at him. Something wasn't right. He had tried to tell this to Belle earlier, but she just told him that the boy was probably lonely.
"He has to be at least fifteen, Belle. Who wants to play at fifteen? I'm twelve, and I haven't used the word play since I've been five. Not that anyone wanted to play with me except if it involved Chasing Harry anyway but…"
"Chasing Harry? Seriously? That's a game?"
"If you're my not so cousin Dudley, but something wasn't right about that guy, Belle. It's like those blokes they always tell you stay away from when you're a kid in school. You know stranger danger."
"He was a kid, Harry." Belle said. And turned the subject back to Chasing Harry.
Because that apparently was more important than a creep in a department store. Harry just shook his head, and tried on some trainers. Because Belle was insisted he get another pair of athletic shoes, even though she had ordered him a pair online only a couple of weeks ago.
He knew that this whole shopping trip was a bit of a rouse. He had seen the way his father had been fighting with Sirius (that was what his brother preferred to be called, especially after Harry informed him that Bae meant poop in certain languages).
And he knew they'd been arguing about Hogwarts. Harry, honestly, didn't know whom he sided with on this. He wanted to go back to school, but even he had to admit his father had a point about the lack of education there. And he did not want to deal with that Lockhart bloke if he was a professor. Plus, well, Harry kind of wanted to get to know his family better.
But still: Hogwarts.
So, he decided to let his brother and his father argue about it, and not say anything. Plus, he liked spending time with Belle—even if it meant shopping.
He had never been in Harrods. Heard about it, yes. But never been in it. It was too posh for Aunt Petunia to shop at. He remembered her making smart remarks about one of the neighbors who got a coat from the shop. But Belle, seemed perfectly okay with swiping his father's credit card buying all sorts of things.
And he had eyed her looking at the wedding dresses.
It was still weird, thinking that she and Gold were going to get married. But it was going to happen. There was even a fancy ring on his future stepmom's finger now. His father had gotten it at some antique shop here and claimed it belonged to some duchess in the Edwardian era or something. This made Belle squeal with delight, probably thinking she was like one of the cast members of Downton Abbey—Harry was quickly learning what an anglophile his book loving future stepmom was. Personally, Harry thought it was just a ring. Then again, he didn't know anything about yellow diamonds—which he had been told was what the stone of the ring was.
He didn't know nothing about wedding dresses either, but he knew that Belle looked absolutely fantastic in every one she tried on. Though, it grew very easy to get bored with the fact that she was trying on five million of them. Which was why he decided to look at the toys.
Even though the only toys he really liked were broomsticks.
Though, he did find a few things of interest. Until that creeper came and asked him to play with him.
Seriously.
Eventually, he was able to let that chance encounter go. And enjoy himself enough for Belle to pick out a few things for him and he even helped her pick out a tie for his father to wear. Not that he really did much, he just picked between a blue tie and a red tie (the red ended up winning, to match his father's poof). However, things had gotten weird at lunch.
Well, it started up nice enough. They were suppose to meet his father there for lunch, and then well…Belle got a phone call and pretty soon after that he was basically dragged onto the streets. And then out of the corner of his eye he saw that creeper again. And trying to be a responsible kid, he told Belle.
She seemed surprised until he pointed him out in which she told him she was going to take care of it.
At the time, he didn't think anything of it. Because the creeper looked like a creepy kid, nothing more.
And to be honest, Harry sort of found it hot with the way Belle was telling him off. He liked it when Belle was authoritative. And then he felt someone grab his arm.
Harry instantly froze as he tried to break free from his aggressor. When that didn't initially work, he tried to use one of the spells his father taught him.
He had been practicing so hard during that incident with Moe French. Harry kept trying to focus his emotions until he felt his magic. And it worked!
He was so excited. At least until he saw Belle slumped to the ground. And he couldn't rescue her. They were surrounded and…he had to go away. And get help. Because while he might've broken free from one goon, there was no way he could take on three people.
How no one had noticed this encounter in broad daylight was beyond him, but at that point Harry knew he had to run. He couldn't help Belle if he was taken captive either. He had to get to his father. Which was when he finally caught his breath he started bellowing his name, and kept bellowing his name until a poof of red smoke finally appeared and there stood his father.
Who looked alarmed.
Harry had never seen Gold look alarmed before. He had seen his look angry, but Gold looked genuinely scared.
The first thing the man did was to grab him and pull Harry into a ridiculously tight hug, where he could barely breathe.
"Thank God," his father said. "You're okay?"
"Can't. Breathe." Harry said before Gold finally let him go. The man's grip was surprisingly strong for a guy who used to have a limp.
Gold sighed. "I'm sorry…I…wait, you called. Where's Belle?"
Harry sighed and told his father what happen. With each passing detail he noticed his father looked more and more upset. Then finally Harry got to the point about Belle collapsing on the ground.
"I'm sorry…I should've done something but…"
"No," Gold said. "No, Harry. Belle would've wanted you to run. There's no doubt about it. She'd also want me to get you to safety. I am going to poof you to the penthouse. Tell your brother not to let anyone other than Mary Margret and maybe Emma Swan in."
"What…"
His father shook his head. "Don't ask questions, I'll explain later. I'm going to find Belle."
"That guy…I thought he was just a kid."
"Yeah," Gold said before waiving his hand to send Harry back to their hotel. "Everyone thinks Peter Pan is just a kid."
The next thing Harry knew he was in the living area of the penthouse that they had been calling home the past few weeks. And he saw his brother in a bathrobe, arguing with Emma Swan.
It seemed like they knew each other.
Weird.
"I can't believe you," Emma was glaring at his brother.
This would've been sort of interesting, had the situation hadn't been so dire. Plus, he didn't get to watch most of the fight since Sirius seemed to have bionic Harry sensing receptors.
"Not now, Emma." He said as he turned towards Harry, "What's wrong?"
"How did the kid get in here?" Emma asked.
Sirius didn't answer her. Instead, he stared at Harry.
"Belle…" Harry finally said, "He took her."
"Who is he?" Sirius asked.
"I'm guessing its Peter Pan." Emma said, "That's why I came here after all. God, I still can't believe I'm saying that. Peter Pan is apparently real."
"Yeah," Sirius said. "Unfortunately he is."
Emma sighed. "Oh, believe me, I've heard, Neal. I wonder how you know him."
"I thought you went by Sirius." Harry said to his brother.
"I….how did you get here?"
"Dad," Harry said. "He's trying to help Belle, I hope…."
"Where is Gold?" Emma asked.
"Oh, you're not going there." Sirius said crossing his arms.
He was still wearing a bathrobe and a pair of pajamas that Belle had bought him the other day. Funny thing about Sirius was that Harry really hadn't seen the man outside of his pajamas. True, he had basically been pretty much bedridden throughout the time Harry had known him. He had been walking around more now, and he wasn't as much of a walking skeleton anymore—he was still way too thin though, but the haircut Belle had given him the other day seemed to help his appearance a lot. Yet, it was hard picturing him pushing someone around, but that's exactly what he was trying to do to Emma right now.
"Really, Neal, Sirius, whatever you call yourself."
"His real name is Bae." Harry helped.
"Thank you, not, Harry." Sirius said.
"Bae…." Emma said, "Interesting, doesn't that mean shit in some languages."
Sirius was turning bright red. "It stands for Baelfire and…you're not going to play hero, Emma. You can't handle Pan. Let my father deal with him."
"Father?" Emma said, "I really doubt….wait, you're in Gold's room."
"Yes, I am." Sirius said.
"Harry is Gold's son."
Harry didn't dignify that with a response. It wasn't something he wanted to really tell people at this point in his life and…they were wasting time. So he filled in the rest of the information, "He's my brother."
"Oh this is rich," Emma said. "I need a drink."
"We need to find Belle." Harry said to Sirius.
Sirius looked at him. "No, Papa sent you here for a reason. Pan's dangerous."
"He is, well, I've been told he is." Emma said, "I feel find the whole thing weird. This is Peter Pan we're talking about."
"Trust me when I say he's dangerous, Emma." Sirius said.
Harry nodded his head before Sirius knelt down to where he was standing and asked, "He didn't hurt you, did he?"
"No…" Harry said, "I'm fine. I managed to keep his goon from drugging me, Belle though…"
"Papa will help her," Sirius said. "Do you know what Pan was trying to do?"
Harry shrugged. "I don't know. Stalking us. He kept saying he wanted to play."
Sirius bit his lip. "He said play."
"Yes, why?" Harry asked.
Sirius groaned before turning to Harry. "Do you have your wand with you?"
"Wand?" Emma said.
Sirius rolled his eyes. "Harry?"
He nodded his head. He hadn't used his wand in ages, not since he started training with his father. He was finding that it did put a damper on his magic.
"Can I borrow it?" Sirius asked.
Harry raised an eyebrow. "Why?"
"Yes, why?" Emma asked.
"Harry?" Sirius said. "Please, I'll explain in a minute. I need the wand."
Harry got him the wand. Something about Sirius's tone made him not ask questions.
As soon as Sirius got the wand he started murmuring something.
"What are you doing?" Emma asked.
"Wards." Sirius answered.
"Dad already put them around here," Harry said.
Sirius rolled his eyes. "I know….but this is Pan we're talking about. The more wards around the place, the better."
"But Dad says…"
Sirius rolled his eyes. "It won't hurt."
"Can we save Belle now?" Harry asked just as the phone rang.
Sirius groaned. "Let me answer that….first. If it's Pan I'm going to tell him to go to hell."
"Seriously…" Emma said.
"That's my name," Sirius said making Harry groan and Emma roll her eyes.
A second later he hung up the phone and turned to Emma, "Did you invite Snow White to come with you on your quest?"