Needless to say it really didn't take long for the Arcobaleno to gather their things. It took an equally short amount of time for the last bits of the familiar Skull to completely vanish from their Cloud. Vibrant purple hair had been changed to black, still as totally messy and uncontrollable as it always was. His eyes, once purple as his hair, as his Flames, changed into a deep green, almost shining in their intensity. He hadn't changed from what appeared to be snake-skin armor, but he was wearing something of a cloak about his shoulders of a deep black.

It was easy to tell to those that had been around Reborn for years that the way his fedora shadowed his face and the permanent half-smirk on his face that he was mildly upset. Then again, they all were. However, they were very carefully hiding the building concern they were feeling at the things that were now frigging obvious about Skull, called Harry.

When they had first met him, they were absolutely sure he was a mutant Cloud. He fit exactly zero points that all Clouds had. He didn't patrol territory, he didn't have territory, he didn't have the anti-social aloofness and he was undeniably weak. There was no bloodlust, no possessiveness, there was nothing that made a Cloud. It was unnatural and disturbing with the loudness, the attention-grabbing things he did naturally and with ease that no self-respecting Cloud would ever do.

Now? Now Skull was the perfect picture of a Cloud. Stony expression, an aura of power and danger. The way his body was ever so casually relaxed and his hands perfectly still. He wore confidence just as easily as he did his body armor and his eyes were glittering with visually suppressed power. He walked over to stand by his friend, his gait smooth and fluid, and Fon took note of the odd way he moved, of the graceful motions that only hinted at strength and flexibility held in his body.

Verde was probably the only one who really wasn't concerned with the change in Skull's behavior, rather the effects of his change. Such as hair color, eye color, the way his presence suddenly took up a great more room, as if he'd grown several inches. He was even more curious about his body armor because as a scientist he had experimented with a great many animals and he did not recognize whatever beast contributed to that. It was reptilian. Maybe a really large snake. But there wasn't a snake that large still living on Earth. Not to mention his other wizard friend wore boots that look astonishingly like those pictures in fantasy books that proclaimed it as dragonhide.

Dragons.

Lal Mirch and Colonello were both staring intensely at their fellow soldier. They could see it easily on him now, but it was rather disturbing that they hadn't noticed before. All their training and instincts and gut feelings and they hadn't noticed, what the hell.

It was actually Viper who was paying close attention to why for Merlin's sake they hadn't noticed anything for thirty-three years. So he pulled up all his memories of all the early interactions of himself and Skull. He knew there were odd things he had overlooked and didn't notice and it didn't take a Professor to point out that magic was probably involved and they really wouldn't have figured out anything if he hadn't asked in that one moment of clarity if Skull had ever heard of Voldemort. Still, even with this shocking revelation, he, a disowned squib, was returning to the Wizarding World even if it was at the side of its conquering hero after almost thirty-five years. Come to think of it, wasn't Harry Potter also the Head of the House of Black until one Theodore Black-Lupin decided to take over or something?

These thoughts from the Arcobaleno were paused as everyone had gathered and they were ready to set off. The other wizard, Longbottom had only smiled pleasantly when ask about transportation, looking every single bit the gentle teacher who couldn't hurt a fly.

Right before he walked to their fireplace and threw some mysterious green powder, then stepped into the flames and vanished after calling out, "Hogwarts!", his face turning up into something that could be distinctly labeled as mischievous ...

…right before Longbottom burst into sickly green flames as he promptly vanished.

Harry's keen eyes caught Reborn's aborted full body twitch as he snickered silently to himself at the vivid shock that briefly showed on the faces of his comrades, save Viper. Viper, who was currently grabbing his own fist full of Floo powder before the flames took him the same as they did Longbottom. There was another beat of silence as tension spiked in the air. Colonello opened his mouth, clearly intending to say something directed at Skull before the man in question spoke first.

"I'm going last so you might as well hurry up."

Harry almost winced at the harshness and the very clear edge of command in his voice but before he could say anything further, the Rain closed his mouth quickly and repeated the motions of the wizard before him. Verde was next as he quickly strolled forward, and within seconds, the scientist had gone as well. Lal, Fon and Yuni took this as silent confirmation that Reborn and Skull would be last. He swiftly disappeared into the green flames, followed by Fon who took a moment to pause and give both his Sun and Cloud a measuring look that was equal parts understanding and warning. When Yuni stepped up, she paused for a moment, Floo powder held firmly in her hands before she gave something of an apologetic look. A quick, "Hogwarts!" later and Reborn and Sku- Harry were left alone.

There was a beat of charged silence before Reborn's Cloud turned to face him.

"Is there a reason why you have not yet moved?"

The hitman noticed the slight hitch at the end of his sentence, suggesting that Skull cut off what he knew was his name. He stamped down that unexpected flare of hurt that he hadn't really thought he was capable of, before he decided to speak.

Only to find out that he didn't really know what to say. There was a crack in Skull's expression of malicious amusement before he stepped forward, his eyes brightening and his lips stretching to display all his teeth.

"Nothing to say to your lackey, Reborn? No last minute advice?" he asked before the lines in his face began to ease as he stepped closer to the Sun and then past, lowering his voice in the almost empty room, "Not even a bruise for motivation?"

Reborn was too good at his own mask. There was no reaction, but Harry allowed his eyes to meet the other man's and allowed his mouth to twist as he drove his words in a little bit deeper.

"No need for worry, sempai, I'm used to pain after all. What's thirty years and immortal compared to barely twenty and so very fragile and mortal?"

With that, Harry grabbed his own Floo powder and stepped into the fireplace.

"Oops," he whispered staring straight into the blackness of Reborn's eyes, "I lied."

Green flames flared and left the Sun Arcobaleno alone with his own guilt and a wish that he hadn't been so damn blind.

When the fireplace spat Harry out, he only closed his eyes and rolled with his momentum, his shoulders hitting the stone floor painfully before the rest of his body absorbed the impact and he easily jumped to his feet. Only to stop at the sight the met his eyes. An almost sea of red hair and freckles offset by a blonde so fair it was almost white and a shock of teal. Of course, there were browns and blacks and standing in the front were Ron and Hermione, with Teddy standing just behind. There wasn't a noticeable sign of movement, just that they all moved and ended up in a tangle of arms and a babble of words.

It was to the sight of Harry desperately hugging his two best friends, all three voices overlapping and harmonizing and repeating, that greeted Reborn as he stumbled gracefully out of the fireplace.

Harry pulled back, his gaze only briefly noting the wrinkles in the corners of their mouths and eyes of his best friends before he moved on to his godson, yanking him into a strong embrace as Remus's precious son sobbed in his arms. Still, when Teddy pulled away, Harry couldn't ignore the meaningful silence behind the Weasley/Lupin-Black family. Lined up, besides and behind, virtually surrounding him, were his soldiers.

It was a man that look remarkably like the Varia'a Xanxus that stepped up and clasped forearms with their Cloud.

"Harry," the man spoke softly, respect and regret in equal measures in his voice.

"Blaise," their Cloud easily returned, something like fondness and teasing in his.

"You shouldn't have come, you know. This is not something in which the masses are screaming for your help."

Harry's mouth hardened as did his grip on the other man's hand, judging by the stiffening of his back.

"Blaise," he repeated in a much darker tone, "Can you look me in the eyes and guarantee me that mine are not in danger, are not going to bein danger and that no one has lifted a finger to mine?"

And there, went the thought through the Arcobaleno's heads, is the possessive side of a scarily strong Cloud.

Blaise only sighed and leaned forward to clap a hand on Harry's shoulders.

"If I had know all those years ago, what I have known these past thirty years, I would have killed Dumbledore and his pet myself."

There was a general air of agreement from the many people still standing around in silence, as the feelings were apparently mutual to those standing in the large room of what appeared to be a medieval castle. Still, Harry smiled again.

"I have stood by for far too long, content that I was not needed. Now, they have come for me and I am ready."

Blasie only smiled and led Harry into the mass of people who still called themselves Harry Potter's friends and family, but not before letting his eyes slide over the seven that had accompanied Neville and Harry from the Floo. Foreign, powerful and possible allies. Yet, there was something just a little off about the way they watched the DA's founder and leader. Blasie was a Slytherin, a Slytherin that had stood at the side of Light against Voldemort with the few of green and silver who didn't wish to brand themselves like cattle to serve a madman. Harry had given them that chance to fight. Had spoken and believed them, gave then the benefit of the doubt and stood by them. Harry Potter had earned the loyalty of many, include those from Slytherin.

Blasie came from a family seeped in blood so he knew the look of those who would fit in with his mother, just perfectly. He let a smile curve his lips and light brighten his eyes as he stepped closer to those that had been looking out for Harry the past decades. If the smile was a bit sharp and his eyes a bit too intense to qualify as non-hostile, well, Blaise Zabini was a man who fought on the sides of angels, but was not one of them, so he didn't have a problem with violence and blood.

And if the others who had fought against Death Eaters when they were only children, noticed the way Harry's new 'comrades' looked at him, with guilt and shame reflecting so clearly in their eyes and body language…

…well, Harry was theirs first and if these others weren't careful, they would see firsthand why schoolchildren had won the war against those twice and even thrice their age.

A/N Holy flying fudge monkeys, it's been too long! But, I have excuses! I'm working through college courses, going into debt and buying a car, starting to look for a job, planning a trip up north, starting a couple home improvement projects annnd...I...umm, had writer's block?

I'm sorry! But I updated! And I will do better! So here! Enjoy!