InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Final Battle ❯ The Sorting Ceremony ( Chapter 3 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Disclaimer - Inu-Yasha and Harry Potter, and all the characters included in each fictional world do not belong to me. They are the creations of Rumiko Takahashi and J.K. Rowling. The only thing of mine is the plot for this particular fanfic–please don’t try to sue me!

RECAP: “Aww...what a precious little reunion. Look, Crabbe...I think we’ve stepped into the Loser Car.”
Snickers erupted from the back of the car as doors noisily slid open. Harry, Hermione, and Ron groaned in unison. In their excitement to be in their seventh year with a new friend, they had forgotten all about who else would be entering their seventh year.

“Malfoy...”




Chapter 3




Harry, Ron, and Hermione grimaced in annoyed disdain, as the toe-headed ringleader of Slytherin grandly established his presence, flagged by two beefy, dark-featured men. Kagome inquisitively looked from one set of three, to the other set of three, the tension lying as thick as miasma between them. She decided it would be best to keep quiet, and hold off introductions for later.


“What do you want, Malfoy?” Hermione sharply asked, glaring warily at the smug smile on the intruder.


Malfoy’s smirk dropped into a mocking pout. “Gee, Hermione. I’m hurt...why would you think I’d want anything?” His lips curled back into a sneer, and he snickered venomously. “Besides...it’s not like you’d have anything I desire. Hah!” He made crude motions around his torso, and caustically laughed with Crabbe and Goyle. Ron stood up furiously.


“You shut your mouth Malfoy, or else I’ll–“


“Or else you’ll what? Try to shoot me again with that second-hand wand of yours? And then what, pray tell? You going to barf worms all over me, this time? Ooh...I’m positively quaking...” Malfoy shot, gleefully goading the fiery redhead.


“My wand’s brand-new, and you know it, Malfoy!” As proof, Ron ripped his wand out from his sweater.


Crabbe and Goyle quickly stepped forward, flexing their muscles threateningly, and Malfoy grabbed hold of his own wand. Just as Harry was about to do the same, Kagome stood up.


“That’s enough!” Her voice thundered throughout the car, with every ounce as much of authority as Mrs. Weasley. She placed her hand on Harry’s shoulder, gently setting him down, as Hermione rushed to Ron and grabbed him by the collar. Kagome stood before Malfoy.


“I beg your pardon, but would you like to join us?” She asked, eyebrows raised.


Malfoy gave her the once-over, noticing her for the first time. ‘Who is she? I don’t remember her face...why is she hanging around Potter?’ “Ah, I’m sorry, but I don’t believe we’ve met...Draco Malfoy, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” He flashed her a bright, charming smile, and extended a hand. “...and you are...?”


Taking a firm hold of Draco’s hand, Kagome cordially answered. “Kagome Higurashi. Seventh year transfer student from Tokyo, and I would be very pleased if you stopped fighting, right now.” She smiled politely.


Draco looked at her for a moment, deciding what to do. His gaze shifted from Ron, to Hermione, to Harry, where he lingered long enough to throw a piercing glare in his direction, and to have the silent action reciprocated. Finally, he signaled Crabbe and Goyle.


“We were just passing through in the first place. Wouldn’t want to stay too long around you three, anyway...might catch your stupidity.” As he made to leave, he considered Kagome. “And you’d do well to do the same, Miss Higurashi. Until we meet again, and I daresay we will...” Raising his eyebrows in muted farewell, he followed the two hulking teenagers into the next car.


Harry, Ron, and Hermione immediately relaxed, Ron’s face returning to its normal golden-pink from the former beet red. “So...” Hermione started. “You’ve met Malfoy.”


“Mm...not much of a people-person, is he?” Kagome deducted.


“Actually, he’s not much of a person, in general.” Ron stated. “But he actually seemed nice around you, you should be elated to have earned the attention of such a scumbag.”


“Don’t be fooled–he was like that around me when we first met.” Interjected Harry.


“Yeah, but then you threw it back in his face, and he’s all bitter about you being a better wizard than him.” Ron said, Hermione nodding her head in agreement. “But anyway, what’s Japan like? I’ve never been outside of the United Kingdom. My family went once on a trip to visit my older brother out of the country, but I never joined them...which is just as well. There’re so many of us, it’d cost a bloody fortune.”


“Aw! That must be nice, to have such a big family.” Kagome smiled. “Well, back at home, I lived with my Mom, Grandpa, and my little brother, Souta.”


“Oh, are any of them...you know...Mee-go, or whatever?” Harry asked.


“Well, not really. Jii-chan–my grandpa–is a practiced Shinto priest. However, he’s not very successful...neither he, nor my brother, nor my mother have ever really shown any signs of...magic.” She smiled thoughtfully.


Ron shook his head, still not believing there was such a world without the conveniences of magic. “Geez...my whole family’s made up of one long line witches and wizards...except for a second cousin somewhere in Australia who was born a squib. But I think he was removed, or something.”


“My family’s muggle, too.” Hermione chimed in. “I’m the first witch of the family!”


Kagome laughed. “What about you, Harry?” The others fell silent, cautiously looking at Harry, trying to detect his reaction. He simply looked up and softly smiled.


“My Mum and Dad were magic, but my Mum was like Hermione–the only witch of the family. When they died, I was only a baby, and I was stuck with Mum’s muggle sister and her family...I never even knew magic existed, up until my eleventh birthday.”


“I’m sorry for your loss...” Kagome’s bright blue eyes shined with sympathy. “But, hey...I didn’t believe in magic, either, until I was fifteen.”


“Fifteen?!” Hermione and Ron exclaimed. “But didn’t your powers show up before then?”


“No, not really. It took an attack by a centi–magical creature–-for any of my powers to show.” ‘I know I can tell them everything...It’s just...too hard for me to remember.’ Kagome sighed. The gentle tinkle of a bell alerted her from her musings.


“Ah!” Ron said. “There’s the trolley.” He fished for his wallet through his bag.


Harry looked at Kagome invitingly. “Anyone for sweets?”



_________________________________________ ___________________________________________




“ FIRSS YEARS! THIS WAY, FIRRRRRRRRSS YEEEEEEEARS!” Kagome nearly knocked Hermione over in reaction to the booming giant that stood squawking before them.


“Ah, there’s Hagrid. HI, HAGRID!”


“HI HARRY! HOW’S YER SUMMER BEEN?”


“ABSOLUTELY HORRIBLE, THANK YOU! AND YOUR’S?”


“OH, JUST FOIN, THANKS! I’LL KETCH UP WITH YOU LATER, ALROIT?”


“ALRIGHT!” Harry grinned, trying to communicate with his old friend over the masses of gabbing students. He held a firm grip on Hedwig’s cage and his suitcase, while he struggled to balance the immense, yellow backpack he had offered to carry for Kagome. Now, he was beginning to wonder if that was a wise choice for a quidditch player’s chiropractic health.


“That’s the man who helped me find my way to the Platform!” Kagome motioned to Hagrid, smiling and waving as he tossed her a jubilant wink. “Imagine my amazement when he led me to the Platform 9 3/4.”


“Hah, ‘salright. I had that very same problem when I was a first year.” Harry chuckled. “But just wait ‘till the sorting ceremony...that’ll really blow your mind.”


“Yeah, Kagome...by the way, what house are you in?” Hermione inquired, realizing she never asked.


Kagome looked at Hermione as if she had just sprouted green hair. “Um...well, it’s on a high hill, right next to a shrine...it’s quite modern, I have my own room...”


“I guess she’ll find out at the sorting ceremony.” Ron stated, listening with mild interest as Kagome described her kitchen to Hermione.


The Great Hall was alight with floating candles, and Kagome wasn’t the only one in awe of the beauty before her. For everybody, even the seventh-years and especially Harry, this felt like the first time they had set foot into the room of warmth, excitement, and magic.


“”Will everyone please take their seats, the sorting ceremony will commence very shortly.” A tall, older woman with a severe bun and spectacles that framed intelligent eyes commanded.


“That’s Professor McGonagall.” Hermione said to Kagome. “She’s head of Gryffindor house–that’s our’s. You’ll probably be sorted tonight...or maybe Dumbledore will arrange a private meeting later on.”


“Look, they’re starting.”


The four of them sat down, their belongings being chartered away by bell-hopping footstools. Kagome wrestled briefly with a petulant stool for her handbag, eventually winning out, and earning an irate rap on the shins as she ardently clutched her purse to her chest. Harry stared at her.


“It’s Coach,” She muttered defensively.


“Welcome, all of you.” Professor McGonagall’s voice rang with stately clarity. “First-years: When I call your name, please come to the stool at the front. Once you are assigned to a house, you will then go to sit at your house table. And now, we shall begin. Milo Anderson!”


Kagome watched, awestruck as each tiny first-year tottered up to sit at the stool, and disappeared beneath a beaten-up black hat. After the hat had perched atop each head for a brief amount of time, it would ejaculate the name of each student’s respective house. (ejaculate: to utter suddenly and vehemently. I’m not *that* much of a perv!)


Kagome had been sitting in the back, between the tables called Gryffindor and Hufflepuff, right next to Harry, Ron, and Hermione, who were seated at their table. After a long list of names had been called up, Alessandra Zarahlban was finally summoned to the Ravenclaw table. Professor McGonagall applauded along with the entire hall for the remainder of the first years.


“And now–oh?” A tall, bespectacled old man with long, silver tresses cascading down blue-velvet robes leaned in to interrupt Professor McGonagall’s speech. “Professor Dumbledore will now have a word.” The tall man moved down center to address the hall.


“I beg your pardon; thank you, Professor McGonagall, ever so much for once again delivering a wonderful ceremony. However, we have a special, new student arrived here today, and she still has yet to be sorted.” The room quieted, waiting for Professor Dumbledore to continue.


“For the first time in Hogwarts History, we have here with us a transfer student in the seventh-year. She has never attended a school for witchcraft, nor wizardry, and I am sure she will now be feeling quite overwhelmed...but to inform you all why she is worthy of such a late transfer, I will tell her story.”


Ron leaned over. “Kagome, this must be you!” Hermione cracked him over the head in exasperation for his obvious statement.


“Many hundreds of years ago, the earth ran rampant with magical creatures known as demons. What we know today as Japan, was once a dense battlefield for fierce youkai–-demons– and the land was wrought with war between youkai and man. What few witches and wizards there were, were not trained in the traditional European methods. Some of them were trained to manipulate their power into strong spiritual energy, and practiced the ways of the priests and priestesses of the Shinto religion.


“Such was the case of one particular young witch, who, by legend, was the reincarnation of a powerful priestess who died protecting a jewel of incredible power. She existed, briefly, five hundred years ago, and went on a quest to search for the jewel with the help of a dog youkai, a demon huntress, and a cursed wizard. Together, they fought many dangerous youkai, brought the end of most youkai in the East, and defeated who would be the most fearsome of all creatures...until the birth of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named.


“That young witch is alive today because of the transporting power of an ancient well that exists by her shrine in her home of Tokyo. Kagome Higurashi, would you please come up to the front, so you may be recognized and sorted?” A shocked silence filled the room. Ron, Harry, and Hermione looked up at their new friend, taken aback by the news.


“Kagome? You’re...the priestess of the legend?” Hermione asked, mouth gaping open.


“In the flesh.” Kagome managed a small smile, stood, and nervously made her way to the head of the room.


Countless pairs of wide eyes latched onto Kagome, as she steadily stepped up next to Professor Dumbledore. Her uncertain blue eyes met his, and the sparkling, kind grey orbs that peered warmly at her brought to Kagome a sense of tranquility. “Would you sit down, my dear?” Old, worn hands motioned to the wooden stool, and Kagome complied, smoothing her skirt as she did so.


A musty, drooping black hat was gently placed on her forehead.


‘...and, what exactly happens now? Do I wait for the house to just...come to me? In like, a vision? Good Lord, I’m not psychic!’ Kagome thought, confusion clouding her mind.


“Well, too true, you are not!” Kagome jumped, as a crinkling voice spoke to her from inside the hat. “But, my, my, my...you do possess an incredible supply of power, unlike any that I have ever seen! I see you are very protective and maternal...sometimes to the point of rashness in your bravery, and a sharp temper. But there’s kindness, oh, yes...you are truly compassionate...you’d enjoy Hufflepuff. But then, you are also rather studious, and would surely excel with the best of them at Ravenclaw...Slytherin might not be the most suitable atmosphere for you, given your aversion to corruption, and your experiences with evil, but you’ve quite a strong heart. A very strong heart...and an unusually large soul, with a fierce desire for justice based on the quest in your past...yes, yes, there is only one true house for you...a house of strength, determination, and bravery...the house of GRYFFINDOR!”


Thunderous applause resonated at the Hat’s fervent proclamation. Kagome shyly looked out from beneath the hat, seeking out Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Hermione effervescently clapped, a shining, bright smile pulled taught across her lips. Ron gave a gleeful whistle, and laughed at Hermione’s excitement. Harry clapped fiercely, meeting her eyes with reassurance and sincere welcome.


Kagome sighed and smiled. ‘Maybe a life in the future won’t be as bad as I thought.’



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Heh...anyone surprised? I didn't think so. But, honestly...can anyone imagine Kagome in Hufflepuff?


How am I doing so far? You like, or do you think I’m moving too slowly, or not quickly enough?
I’m not sure where to go with the rating of this thing...are there any perverts in the house who are thirsty for a little lime? XD –Kapitan Nemo