Category: Harry Potter / Final Fantasy VII Crisis Core

Rated: M

Warning: Dumbledore, Molly, Ginny and Ron bashing, good Snape, neutral Malfoys, WBWL, language, and YAOI. I would do some Hojo and Hollander bashing, but they're already evil bastards.

Pairing: Genesis/Cloud, Hermione/Krum, Neville/Luna

AN: Hey all! I'm not dead! Thank you all for the well wishes & for letting me take the time to emotionally heal. I can actually think about my late professor without having to bawl my eyes out! She was an awesome professor and mother; I can't believe it'll almost be three years since she passed away. 0.o A lot has happened since I last posted. I got my three Associate's Degrees! We also moved my grandparents closer to home, and my sister and I moved in with them to help them out. So I've been busy unpacking and getting settled in. I also got a job, so updating will be random and not on a set schedule as I will be mentally drained a lot. I spologize in advance for the lack of updates in my other stories...I will get to them eventually! Also, there have been quite a few health scares, but everything's fine! I think...

As a warning, I made Cloud a bit older than he is in the game because I'm a bit wary of relationships between an older male and a teen/child. I know that Genesis is 20 at the time when he defected in the game and Cloud at 14, but I would much rather prefer Cloud to be 15 going on 16.

AN2: Do you know what I've been seeing lately on FanFiction? Fanart. I would love to see some fanart for any of my stories just to see how readers imagine what I'm writing :)

Kai19: Everything will be revealed within the next few chapter or so~

alemery: *points to the falling pants and exploding toilets parts of Chapter 2 (not including the Prologue, omake and AN)* I think that answers your question :)

AN3: Comments and Constructive Criticism I will enjoy, and flames I will use to cook fried Gongaga puppies :) Unless they're so offensive that I WILL post and bash them.

Disclaimer: I tried to claim Harry Potter as mine but Snape AK'd me. I tried to claim Final Fantasy VII but Genesis flash fried me. I DO NOT OWN THEM!

Chapter 3: Fire's Treasure

I do admit, that when I saw Cloud for the first time, I acted like a stereotypical dragon; finding something (or someone) that I wanted and hoarding them to myself. I also admit that our relationship grew a bit fast to be normal, but I wouldn't give up my treasure for the world...

It had been two days since catching the bullies and only a few hours since Genesis had talked to an awake Cloud before being promptly kicked out of the infirmary by the nurse to let the poor Cadet sleep due to his blood loss and wounds. Genesis was now sitting on a bench just outside of the infirmary, elbows on his knees as his hands were folded under his chin. The Commander was deep in thought, remembering the words that he and the fifteen year old blonde had shared. In fact, Genesis was so deep in his thoughts, that he did not register Angeal's presence until a large hand landed on his shoulder.

Genesis would not admit it, but he was startled out of his skin even though all that showed on the outside was a slight twitch of the shoulders.

"What has you so deep in thought?" Angeal questioned his friend just a tad bit warily. Whenever Genesis was thinking hard, he was usually thinking up some devious ideas for pranks, or just crazy things in general.

"I spoke to Cadet Strife not too long ago," Genesis started as he tilted his head to look up at his muscled friend. "The Cadets, Cadet Angus Sphinct – er," Genesis paused at Angeal's snort from his play of words. "− and Cadet Marius Megma −" Ha, a chortle from Angeal for that one! "− have been bullying Cadet Strife since all three joined the Cadet program because of Cadet Strife's small stature. The bullying got progressively worse until recently when they ransacked Cadet Strife's belongings and took the Master Ice materia that his mother gave him. I have already filed a report for Lazard to look over and the two perpetrators are currently in holding cells until they are to attend court-martial. And..."

"And?" Angeal urged his auburn-headed friend, knowing that what he was going to say next would bring a sense of dread.

"I want to take Cadet Strife on as my apprentice."

Angeal blinked once. He blinked twice. And then...

"What? Are you delusional? Has the mako finally gotten to your brain?"

Genesis shrugged his shoulders as he dropped eye contact with Angeal.

"Infinite in mystery is the gift of the Goddess. Maybe I am, maybe I'm not, but if I don't, he won't make it."

He paused as Angeal sent him a questioning look, urging him to continue on.

"I've been taking a look at the classes that Cadet Strife attends. His body type is not suited to wielding the standard swords that Shinra provides, and his tests in battle statistics and Materia are the top of his class. And I am to guess that since his mother gave him a MASTER Materia that he has experience in using it."

Genesis looked up at his friend again, a serious expression on his face and a fire in his eyes that Angeal had rarely seen outside of battles.

"At the rate things are going, Cadet Strife is going to be thrown out of the SOLDIER Program before they let him shine. I want ― no, I need ― to make sure that that does not happen. There's just something about him that's drawing me to him, and I want to ensure that he succeeds in the SOLDIER Program."

A smirk slid onto his lips.

"Besides, I already filed a permission form of apprenticeship and sent it to Lazard just before I came to visit Cadet Strife."

Angeal face-palmed and shook his head in disbelief.

"I should have expected this from you," he muttered as he brought his hand down and turned away from Genesis to walk away. Pausing in mid-step, Angeal added, "Just don't go too hard on him, okay?"

"Can't make any promises, but I'll try."

xxFFxxHPxxFFxx

It had been two months since the incident, and Genesis could honestly say that he was impressed with the progress that Cadet Cloud Strife had made. At first, it had been a bit slow due to him still recuperating from his injuries, so they had stuck to theory and tactics until he was deemed well enough for anything physical, which was two weeks ago. The two Cadets that had been caught bullying him were court-martialed and promptly kicked out of the program posthaste with no chance of ever reapplying again.

Just the thought of them returning home after being caught by someone that their elder brothers bullied always brought a smile to Genesis' lips every time he thought of that…a smile that made Cadets and 3rd Class SOLDIERs give him a wide berth.

It was now early July where the almost twenty-year-old Commander was training the Cadet on his stances with a custom blade. It was very similar to the standard Shinra blade, but with a slimmer blade to make it more lightweight. It was a blade that seemed to match the Cadet much better than the larger standard blade.

He watched the teen move through the instructed stances, his body flowing fluidly from one stance to another, the beads of sweat rolling down his thin but lightly muscled arms and…what the hell was he thinking? Genesis shook his head, attempting to get those tantalizing thoughts of Cloud – I mean Cadet Strife – out of his head.

Taking a look at the clock on the wall, and then noticing the blonde's chest start going up and down in deep breaths, he decided to call it a day and called out to the Cadet to stop. Seeing him tense up like he was in trouble as he got out of the stance he was in, Genesis flung thoughts of other scenarios where he would be tensing as he walked over to his apprentice.

"You did very well learning those stances quickly, but it is fast approaching dinner. We will continue this tomorrow after your morning lessons."

Since Genesis had taken him as his apprentice, the Commander had set up a schedule with his instructors. Cloud would be with his fellow Cadets in the mornings for his morning workouts and tactical lessons, but after lunch it was all Genesis for lessons on armed combat and Materia. And – after admitting to pulling rank – Genesis had insisted that Cloud stay in one of the guestrooms in his apartment, since he didn't want another similar incident happening to the irresistible blonde…

….Wait, what?

Genesis briefly paused in mid-step as his mind momentarily froze in surprise. Since when did he think of Cloud – Cadet Strife – as irresistible? Sure, his actions in getting the Cadet as his apprentice were sudden and quite not like him, but he felt some sort of connection with the blond. It felt…soothing to be around him. Almost as if-

His eyes subtly widened as he was shocked in what his thoughts were implying.

Is the Goddess punishing him for something he did or will do in the very near future?

"Commander?"

Genesis was brought back to the outside world by the blonde's questioning voice. Refocusing his attention to the teen, the Commander looked at the blond who was now just a few feet in front of him and they were both very close to the elevator.

"Hmm?"

"Are you alright, Sir? You seemed to zone out and I got worried."

Seeing his clear blue eyes shine with worry – for him, no less – Genesis squashed the sudden urge to shove the blond against the wall and snog him senseless, as he replied, "I'm alright, Cadet Strife, there's no need to worry."

He passed Cloud and pushed the button for the elevator. Briefly looking back, Genesis added, "I was just thinking of what to make for dinner. Probably a meat stew that the servants used to make back home, although some ingredients will need to be substituted as there was a wide variety of vegetables in Banora than here it seems."

Even though he was telling the truth in substituting ingredients, he had actually remembered his mother would make this wonderful Irish Guinness beef stew for his father and godfathers. The only reason he remembered how to make the stew was because Lily had the habit of reading recipes out loud to him while she cooked. (AN: I actually made it, and it tastes really good!)

The cadet nodded his head in acknowledgement as they both stepped into the elevator once the doors opened. "My mother would make something similar, but with a lot of root vegetables, since it's always cold up in Nibelheim."

Genesis made a humming sound to acknowledge Cloud's words as he tried to keep his eyes from straying to the blonde. He then remembered something as he playfully leered at him.

"The servants will deny it if asked, but they would put alcohol into the stew as they cooked it."

Cloud blinked his blue eyes a few times. "Really?"

Genesis nodded his head.

"Yeah. The alcohol content burns off while cooking, so you can't get drunk, and I personally think it adds flavor to the stew. My parents never asked what went into it, but the servants would use the good alcohol since my parents had an abundance of the stuff and never noticed if one bottle went missing...or a few."

Hearing the blonde chuckle from his words warmed his heart, and then he mentally froze as his thoughts went to the wayside and all the way down to the gutter.

He was so glad that the elevator doors opened to their floor right at that moment.

'I really need to talk to Angeal about this,' he thought, leaving the elevator with the blonde who wouldn't leave his thoughts.

XxFFxxHPxxFFxX

Genesis was able to catch Angeal in his apartment shortly after Cloud left for his morning lessons...three weeks after his reality-shifting realization. Three long weeks of reigning in his thoughts and controlling his actions around the blonde Cadet. A very irresistible blonde Cadet who cluelessly had no idea what was going on inside the Crimson Commander's head.

"Angeal, I need some advice about something."

Said man looked up from where he was pulling on his boots and stood up to look at his friend.

"Sure Genesis. Is there something wrong?"

Closing and locking the door behind him, then placing privacy spells around the apartment with a flick of the hand, Genesis dropped onto the couch.

Raising a dark brow at the redhead's actions, Angeal settled down next to his friend, waiting for him to speak first. He didn't have to wait long.

"Remember when I told you on how I felt drawn to Cadet Strife, and that I didn't know why?"

How could Angeal forget? Genesis had sprung on him about taking Cadet Strife as an apprentice at the same time!

Nodding his head, Angeal urged his friend to continue.

"I finally realized why."

Angeal place his hands on his knees, leaning back as he eyed his childhood friend fidget nervously, a behavior he hadn't seen in his friend before.

"Shortly after our first birthday, our dad suggested creating betrothal contracts for my brother and I."

Angeal blinked.

"Betrothal contracts? People still do that?"

Genesis nodded. "Many families did them, whether it was to settle one's debt to another, to strengthen alliances between the two families, or for money. Our dad wanted us to grow up knowing our would-have-been fiancées in order to develop mutual love for each other. Our mom vetoed the idea right away, but not for obvious reasons."

"Well, when you put it like that, I can see why your dad was all for it…" Angeal said as he briefly rubbed his chin in thought. "Why did your mom disagree?"

Genesis fidgeted a little as he looked away from his friend, mumbling something so softly that he could barely hear it.

"What was that?"

The Crimson Commander took a deep breath.

"Our mom vetoed the idea in the chance that we would find our soulmates. If there was a betrothal contract between two families, and one of them found their soulmate, that contract would become null and void, which could and would cause problems between the two families."

Angeal agreed with the way the redhead's mom thought. No betrothal contract meant no problems with other families in the future if that happened.

"Now, I can kind of guess what a soulmate is, but did your mom ever say anything about it in your presence?"

Genesis nodded.

"She said that a soulmate is someone chosen by Magic who would be our ideal match in every way, someone who would be able to read, predict, anticipate and react accordingly to each others' moods, someone to calm their rage, someone to love unconditionally...and my magic has been reacting to someone."

The redhead abruptly got up from the couch and began pacing the living room, hands clenched behind his back.

"Isn't that good news Genesis?" Angeal questioned as he watched his friend and fellow Commander continue his pacing. "Have you approached that person to start getting to know them?"

Genesis scoffed. "And make myself feel like a disgusting pedophile? 'My friend, the fates are cruel!' It wouldn't work out!"

"A pedophile? You, Genesis? Who is your soulmate that could make you feel disgusted in yourself?"

It couldn't be that bad, could it?"

Genesis spun around to look at Angeal, his face set in a serious manner. He asked for it.

"My magic's reacting to my apprentice. Cloud's my soulmate."

XxFFxxHPxxFFxX

It had been a few days since Genesis spoke with Angeal. After his 'declaration', Genesis would deny it to the world that he panicked, but he did. In the end, after calming the redhead down, Angeal reassured him that just because his magic chose someone who was four years younger than him did not make him disgusting or a lesser being. His friend (a gift from the Goddess, what would he do without him?) advised him to just let things happen naturally and let the young Cadet make the first move...wouldn't want to scare him off right away, now would he?

It was now the 31st of July….his birthday. He was officially twenty years old.

Whoop de damn doo.

Back in Banora he would usually get a few gifts from the maids and butlers, an impersonal gift from his 'parents', and would have a quiet little party with just him, Angeal and Mrs. Hewley. If the servants weren't too busy dealing with his 'parents', they would bake a little cake for him and leave it in his room.

It hadn't started out too badly. Wake up, get ready for the day, make breakfast for himself and Cloud-he had given up with calling him Cadet Strife in his head-see Cloud off to his morning lessons, and head off into his office where he found several gifts and birthday cards from Lazard, Puppy, Angeal, Sephiroth, Cissnei, and surprisingly this year he received some things from Tseng the Turk and Reeve Tuesti. Instead of opening them right away, he found an empty box and placed them inside, wanting to open them later.

The morning passed quickly with him filling out and signing paperwork, and soon, lunchtime arrived. After taking the box up to his apartment, in a good mood, he decided to surprise Cloud by joining him for lunch in the mess hall. To be honest, he quite enjoyed the lovely blush Cloud sported when he appeared next to him. The Cadet only got redder, almost matching the Commander's coat if he did say so himself, when Genesis sat next to him at the table, forcing the other Cadets to create a wide space around them, not wanting to anger him in some way.

After eating with his apprentice and cheerfully dealing with brown nosers, he collected Cloud and dropped off the Cadet's book bag in their apartment. But, before Genesis could open the door for them to leave for the training room, he felt a small tug on his coat sleeve. Turning around, Genesis was met with the sight of his apprentice looking at the floor with a blush adorning his cheeks.

"Cadet Strife? Is something the matter?"

The blond seemed to hesitate a little before he replied. "I heard from Zack that today's your birthday."

After giving him a nod in affirmation, Cloud fidgeted a little, shifting his eyes side to side nervously.

"...Can you close your eyes for a moment, sir?"

Raising an eyebrow, Genesis asked, "You got me something?"

Seeing that golden mass of hair bob up and down again, the Commander decided to indulge in his curiosity. With a smirk, Genesis closed his eyes and waited.

He didn't have to wait very long.