Author Note: Please note that this story is being revamped so please excuse my mess as I rewrite and add content. This prologue is all new content, but for readers who have read this before you do not need to read this. However, I encourage you to. Also this story is rated "M" due to violence and language. If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please leave me a review or send me a message. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or Petshop of Horrors.

Prologue: Duty

Shutting the elegant wooden door of the pet shop with great care, Leon carefully took off his heavy book bag and sat it down silently on the polished wood floor. He slowly slipped off his sunglasses as he frowned at the dimly lit room in front of him. Leon studied the gloomily, yet beautifully decorated room with intense interest, searching diligently for the thing that made his stomach constricted in apprehensive. The wary man walked cautiously towards the center of the spacious room, his frustration increasing with each step as he noted with annoyance that nothing was out of place. Resisting the strong urge to swiftly slip his hand into his leather jacket to retrieve his gun from its holster, Leon's frown deepened as he realized the source of his unexplainable uneasiness.

The sitting room was lacking the chaotic presence created by the mystifying Count D, Leon's employer, and the count's family of exotic and dangerous pets. Normally when Leon returned home from one of his numerous misadventures in Tokyo, he would be greeted by a scowling D. Count D would be sitting leisurely on the large, scarlet couch with a teacup cradled between his long, slim hands and be surrounded by his beloved creatures. The petite man would playfully scold Leon for being late for tea while beckoning the former detective to join him. However, today the room was devoid of flying birds, slithering serpents, sleeping dogs, scurrying cats, and lecturing Counts and that slightly frighten Leon. To Leon, it was unimaginable that D was not in the sitting room participating in some kind of activity whether it be cleaning with abnormal vigor or sipping overly sweet tea with child-like pleasure. An unwanted feeling of dread seeped into Leon's stomach as he imaged his friend lying gravely injured somewhere in the maze that made up of the pet shop.

Leon gave a soft snort at his melodramatic thoughts as he leaned against the plush arm of the couch and crossed his arms firmly against his broad chest. He was acting like a silly sixteen year old girl believing that some make-believe boogeyman had the count hostage. Yet, Leon couldn't deny the fact that some matter was troubling D. Leon caught D spacing out numerous times during the last week, his face filled with an emotion that didn't belong on the elegant man's face. The look of defeat on D's face scared Leon more than anything because for something to overcome the unearthly count must be something mighty nasty with a row of sharp, pointy teeth.

The noise of his bag being cautiously unzipped caused Leon to spin around quickly as he pulled his gun out and aimed it at the unknown intruder in one swift and silence movement. Standing perfectly still with his finger on the trigger, it took the former cop a moment to detect that the potential threat wasn't a danger nor was human. Holding a box of cookies protectively against its small chest, the raccoon stared up at Leon with wide, frighten eyes. Leon let out a loud sigh as he forced his body to relax, returning his weapon back to its hiding place beneath his coat. He couldn't believe he was acting like a complete pansy, pulling out his gun for the slightest noise. Realizing that it wasn't in danger of being shot anymore, the small creature narrowed its angry brown eyes at the blonde man, baring its tiny, sharp teeth in a low growl. Leon returned the ferocious glare with one of his own.

Despite the almost uncontrollable feeling of wanting to throttle the raccoon in front of him, Leon was also relieved to see her. Leon knew that no animal, especially the creature before him, would leave the side of the count if something horrific had taken place while he was gone. However, this fact did not give Leon the comfort that he seek. Until Leon saw the man with his own eyes, he would be unable to vanquish the fear that lurked in his mind.

Struggling to keep himself from taking out his frustration on the raccoon, Leon said in a strain voice, "Fuck, Pon-chan, you scared the shit out of me. What in the hell are you doing creeping around like that?"

Pon-chan snorted, giving Leon one last look of disgust before she dragged the brightly colored box over to the fuming man. She looked up at Leon with begging eyes, holding up the box that contained the tasty morsels she wanted so badly towards Leon. Leon glared angrily at the hopeful raccoon.

"I don't have time for these fucking games, Pon-chan," Leon snarled. "Where in the hell is D?"

Flinching at Leon's sharp rebuke, Pon-chan flattened her ears against her head as she started to quiver. Leon could feel his anger vanished at the sight of the miserable raccoon, resulting in him feeling like a complete jackass. It wasn't her fault that he was acting like a whiny child looking for his missing mother. Leon rubbed his face with his hands, trying to ward away the mind numbing headache he felt coming on. This day is turning out to be a shitty one, Leon thought. Crouching down and resting his arms on his legs, Leon said softly, "I'm sorry, Pon-chan. Do you want a cookie?"

Before Leon could register what was happening, Pon-chan gave a mighty growl and leaped at the surprised man. Hitting him directly in the chest, Leon landed on the floor hard with loud, ugly thump. Tail twitching and a smug look on her face, Pon-chan hissed at Leon before she jumped off him and ran over to her box of cookies. Ignoring Leon's foul and mean-spirited remarks, Pon-chan hurriedly dragged her prize out of the room to be devoured in peace. Leon grabbed ahold of the arm of a nearby chair and pulled himself up. Letting out a low growl of frustration, Leon stalked out of the room.

The forbidding silence that that lurked in the hallway caused Leon to falter in his search for the missing count. Once more a feeling of dread filled Leon's being as he studied the tomb-like hall. Every elegant lantern's feeble light was greedily swallowed by the shadows that clung to the walls. Leon tried to peer down the seemingly endless hall, but it winked out of existence only a few feet away from where he stood. The anger and fear gnawed at his gut as he attempted to figure out which door would lead him to Count D. So engrossed in his thoughts, Leon didn't noticed the clicking of sharp nails stealthy coming towards him.

A sharp pain erupted from his ankle as large fangs sank into his flesh. Leon yelled as he tumbled over his attacker, hitting his head hard against the wall. Colorful dots danced before his eyes as he attempted to gather his scattered thoughts. Glancing to his left, his shocked eyes met gleeful silted eyes. T-chan the totetsu gave him a toothy grin, sitting perfectly still as he watched the man turned a nice shade of red.

"Motherfucking goat bastard! Wait till I get my hands around your fucking neck," Leon snarled as he scrambled to his feet.

Giving the fuming man one last triumph smirk, T-chan slipped into the shadows. Not wanting to lose the damn beast, Leon ran after T-chan. Following the loud clicking of nails, Leon went deeper and deeper into the maze that made up D's pet shop. After walking for what seemed like an eternity, Leon discovered T-chan sitting in front of a large wooden door, impatiently thumping his bushy tail against the floor. "Is the count behind that door," Leon spat out. T-chan pushed opened the door with a paw and entered the room, not once glancing back to see if Leon was following behind him.

Leon wanted to storm into the room and give D a piece of his mind, but he forced himself to calm down. Despite the torture D had put him through today at the fucking market and the disastrous welcoming home party he received, Leon knew something was not quite right at the pet shop. If he wanted to find out what was happening to make the pet shop as lifeless as a crypt, Leon knew that yelling at the Count would not help him gain the information that he seek. He would have to hold off on his bitching about his fucked up day till after he talked to D. Taking a deep breath that did nothing to dispel his foul mood, Leon entered the room.

Like the rest of the building, the room that Leon found himself in was dimly light and reeked with potential doom for those who dare passes through its threshold. A bright light came to life abruptly in front of Leon, blinding him slightly. Cringing away from the light, Leon covered his eyes.

"Are you alright, my dear detective? You appear to be slightly flustered."

At the sound of the soft voice, Leon ripped away his hands from his eyes. Standing next to a large bed was D who was giving Leon an amused, but questioning look. Leon opened his mouth to yell at the count, forgetting about his resolve to talk to him calmly, but the words didn't come when he noticed the opened carpet bag and several different articles of clothing on the bed. Tilting his head with a half-smile on his face, D asked, "Are you feeling well, Leon? You don't look well."

Snapping his attention away from the objects on the bed, Leon swaggered over to the bed. He slumped onto it, knocking a couple of robes off the bed. Leon felt very stupid at the moment. He was acting like a complete lunatic looking for D and D was just in his bedroom, packing for some kind of trip. "You have no fucking idea what I went through to find you," Leon said, resting his throbbing head on his hand.

"I can see that the task of learning manners was not one of the mortal dangers you faced getting to my bedroom," the Count scolded as he picked up the robes, folded them, and placed them in the large bag. "How was the trip to the market? Did you get everything on the list that I gave you?"

"Yeah, yeah. All your stuff is in the living room in my bag," Leon answered. He lay down on the bed and closed his eyes, listening to the soft movements that D made as he moved about the room to collect things to pack.

"Excellent! T-chan, could you go bring me Leon's bag?" Leon heard Count D say. Leon tensed up as he felt the totetsu brush against his leg, but the sound of clicking nails moving away from him allowed the tired man to relax once more.

"Leon?"

Leon lazily opened one eye. "Yes, Count?"

"I have something very important to tell you so it would be nice if I had your full attention."

Groaning, Leon sat up and turned his body to face D. "Yes?"

"Tomorrow morning we are leaving for London and I would rea-"

"Can you run that by me again because I just not heard you say that we are leaving for London tomorrow," Leon growled as he rose from the bed.

D frowned, narrowing his eyes into slits as he placed his fists on his hips. "I did say that. Now, you don't need to worry about packing because I have taken care of it. And yes, you are going so I would drop the attitude, Leon. We are meeting with a very important client and I want you on your very best behavior. "

Dropping onto the bed and glaring at the Count, Leon whined, "Why do I have to go to London? Why can't I stay here and run the shop in your absent?"

"Because I need you to remind why humanity deserves a second chance to redeem themselves," The Count said softly as he closed his bag. "That my duty is not revenge."

"What?" Leon replied stupidly.

Shaking his head in wonder, D smiled brightly at Leon. "Never mind, my dear detective. Just be ready to leave for the airport by seven."

"Seven in the morning? You got to be kidding me, Count!"