InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Final Battle ❯ Rescue Me ( Chapter 8 )
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: Kapt. Nemo 
...Well, you'll just have to read and find out, won't you?
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Adventure / Action | Type: Crossover | Uploaded On: 09.04.2005 | Pages: 5 | Words: 4.0K | Visits: 1.6K | Status: Completed
...Well, you'll just have to read and find out, won't you?
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Adventure / Action | Type: Crossover | Uploaded On: 09.04.2005 | Pages: 5 | Words: 4.0K | Visits: 1.6K | Status: Completed
Oh, my! I’m sorry for updating so late; I’ve had this chapter ready for a while, but with college, it’s just been hectic (I’m a freshman at UF, in case you were curious) here! ANYWAY.
All words/spells that are either in a different language, or spoken in a different language are represented by the use of italics. :D (...but there are some “normal” words that are italicized for emphasis, too.)
Disclaimer: I’m not crazy, I’m just a little...obsessed. And poor. Don’t sue, please.
RECAP: Kagome clenched her teeth and closed her eyes, awaiting that blow, when suddenly, a familiar voice cut like claws through the air...
“KAGOMEEE!”
Chapter 8
Kagome jaw ached from the pressure of her grinding mouth, and her eyes had glued themselves shut. She felt the swift ‘whoosh’ of air the blade’s plunge had made, and she acknowledged the presence of death, as she felt herself being ripped away from solid ground.
...But, why was death so warm and strong? And what was that scent that her nose seemed to remember, but her mind could not...
“SANKON TETSUSOU!” Kagome’s eyes immediately flew open, that voice striking a chord in her heart. That silver hair, that red haori, those adorable dog ears...It couldn’t be...
Harry scraped the back of his neck against the brick wall as he moved to get out of the way. ‘That–that, guy...from Kagome’s boggart! He just came out of the hole in the wall! And I think he just tried to claw Voldemort...’ Harry saw that a few of the Death Eaters had gathered their wands, and made to strike Kagome and the strange man with the Killing Curse. Harry quickly picked up his own wand and warded them off with several disarming spells, struggling to defend Kagome.
The man who held her saw this, and made short work of some of the Death Eaters, drawing a few swift kicks to several heads, dazing them effectively. “Keh...Bakayarou-tachi...” He seemed to snicker, and looked from Kagome, to Harry, to Voldemort, who had quickly donned his robe and picked up his wand, raising it suddenly.
“Naraku!” A strange growl emerged from the stranger’s lips.
Harry recognized the name he spat out from Kagome’s story. ‘Wait...’Naraku?’...Voldemort? Surely, it’s not possible!’
Without a word, Voldemort sneered at the stranger, and quickly disapparated, the other Death-Eaters responded similarly, until there was only Harry, Kagome, and the stranger left in the room.
The stranger slowly set Kagome down, helping her steadily regain control of her limbs. He looked at her deeply. Kagome’s chest heaved, as she tried to control her erratic heartbeat, breathing heavily.
“Inu-Yasha?” Kagome gasped in disbelief. “Sou...desu ne?”
He looked at her strangely, and rolled his eyes, thwacking her nose gently. “Keh. Who else?”
Kagome’s eyes welled up, and she wrapped her arms violently around his torso, burying her face in his hair. Thick, heavy sobs wracked her body, and her tears trailed down her cheeks, moistening Inu-Yasha’s haori and coarse, snowy locks. Softly, he moved his arms around her, his muscular limbs covering her in the expanse of his haori. He leaned his head on her’s, and closed his eyes tightly, as he strengthened his embrace, trying to squeeze the last of her tears out of her.
“Kagome, baka...don’t cry...what’s wrong? You know I hate it when you cry.” That served only to make her wail louder, his own two ears flinching in agitation. “You idiot. Didn’t I always say I’d protect you?” He gave a small laugh, but stopped short, sniffing the air. “Where are you hurt?”
Kagome lifted her wrist, her sobs fading out. Inu-Yasha looked at her gaping wound, and ripped off a piece of his white hakama, wrapping it firmly around the injury. He let out a sigh of annoyance. “I told you to never leave my sight! When didja sneak off and get into trouble with all these foreigners? Told you just this morning that we–“
“Nani?” Kagome sniffled, frowning in confusion. “You...this...morning?”
“Yeah, this morning, like I said. I was going to take you back to your time in the afternoon...I seemed to have fallen asleep for a little while, tho’.” Inu-Yasha frowned, thinking on that. ‘That’s weird...I never fall asleep.’
“Inu-Yasha...if what Naraku says about the portal is true, and I have no real reason to believe it isn’t, then, you weren’t asleep for a ‘little while...’ you were asleep for 50 years.”
Inu-Yasha looked at her, bewildered. Feeling extremely uncomfortable, Harry coughed, trying to break the uncomfortable silence that had begun to settle upon the room.
“Um, excuse me...” Inu-Yasha looked at him suddenly.
“Oi, I thought you went and disappeared with the rest of those buttplugs,” Inu-Yasha rudely called. Of course, Harry couldn’t understand a word he said.
“I’m sorry...?” Inu-Yasha, too, was at a loss to the language of the other boy, and so, reciprocated the blank look he gave to him.
“Oi, Kagome...isn’t he speaking in your ‘ingu-dish’ language?” Kagome wiped her eyes, shaking herself out of her daze.
“Oh, I’m sorry, Harry...this...this is Inu-Yasha.” Kagome struggled with the words, finding it hard to believe that he was really alive.
“I gathered that...are you...are you alright, Kagome?” Harry asked, unsure of what to say in this particular situation.
“Oh, I’m fine. The miasma in the atmosphere just drained me of my strength, is all,” Kagome reassured him with a shining smile–a smile, which, did not go unnoticed by Inu-Yasha.
“Oi, gaijin, who are you and whaddiyou want?” ‘And what did you do to deserve one of Kagome’s smiles...’
“Inu-Yasha! Don’t be rude.” Kagome turned to him sharply “Harry’s a good friend of mine. He, too is an enemy of Naraku’s...he is the only human today to have survived through one of his curses of death.”
A breeze whistled through the portal, and Kagome shivered, subconsciously drawing closer to Inu-Yasha. “Well, we better find a way to close this portal temporarily, and then get out of here.”
“Oh, I’ll take care of that...” Harry managed to temporarily clear his head enough to conjure a barrier before the portal.
“Thanks, Harry...” Kagome smiled warmly, and Harry returned it with an absent nod. “ Now! I guess we should...um, go...back...? Oh, dear...” Kagome stopped, an expression of confusion dawning on her face.
“What’s wrong, Kagome?” Harry asked.
Kagome bit her lip. “Well...how am I supposed to get Inu-Yasha inside Hogwarts?” Kagome contemplated the situation. ‘I couldn’t ask Inu-Yasha to stay behind in the forest, not without explaining everything to him...besides which, he wouldn’t stand for it, and I wouldn’t want him to.’
“Don’t worry,” Harry said, walking with them out the door. “We’ll go straight to Dumbledore. He shouldn’t have a problem with it.”
“Kuso!” Inu-Yasha let out an incredulous curse as his eyes went to a distant firework in the shape of a wolf, howling at a bright, fiery moon-ball. “What the hell is that?!”
Kagome grimaced uncertainly. “It’s not Dumbledore I’m worried about...”
______________________________ ______________________________________________________
< br> “Well, that went well...” Bellatrix Lestrange flipped her long, shiny black tresses arrogantly behind her shoulder, her porcelain skin glowing in the moonlight gleaming through a long, thin window. “Who in hell was that...that...animal?”
Lucious Malfoy pressed his fingers to his forehead, already tense from arguing with his son as he shooed him off, back to Hogwarts. “How should I know? I thought those demons were supposed to be on our side.”
“Well, a fine good thing that girl got away. With her alive, the whole Ministry will know about the portal!” Narcissa Malfoy pouted, massaging her tense husband.
“Oh, who cares. The Ministry’s a load of Goblin crap, anyway. I’d sooner worry about a rat.” Nyx Berlioz dryly commented, earning a glare from Peter Pettigrew. “My concern is the time portal itself...What if more demons leak out?”
“They will.” Voldemort’s cold voice broke into their conversation, startling the small group of Death Eaters in the room.
He moved to a small, round table at the other side of the room. He took an empty vile from the cherry surface, and held up the silver daggar, slowly dripping the remaining crimson liquid into its glass mouth. “The demons will be attracted to the power of the shikon jewel in her blood. They seek to devour her...as I will do eventually. Her body may well be protected by that pathetic hanyou for now, but her heart and blood will be mine, soon enough.”
Voldemort smirked, knowing full well that hearts had nothing to do with emotions.
“Cheers.” He said, downing the contents of the vial.
__________________________________________________ ____________________________
“Domo arigatou, Inu-Yasha,” Kagome softly thanked her dog-eared companion as he carried an unconscious, red-headed wizard on his back. Inu-Yasha grumbled in response, roughly shifting the awkwardly long-limbed sleeping beauty and picking up the pace.
“So...you’re really Inu-Yasha?” Hermione asked in awe of the beautiful hanyou, his ears twitching at the sound of his name, but golden eyes remaining set on the trail through Honeydukes to which Harry had led the group. “What’s it like in feudal Japan? You must have been a wonderful study aid for Kagome in her history classes...how were the educational systems back then? I know so little about the far east...”
Inu-Yasha rolled his eyes. “Keh. Kagome, can you tell this human that I have absolutely no idea what she’s saying?”
Kagome looked apologetically at the enthusiastic scholar by her side. “Um, Hermione, Inu-Yasha doesn’t speak English.”
The brainy witch paused, smacking herself on her head. “Of course! How silly of me. Linguate Mutuus.”
Hermione quickly flicked her wand in Inu-Yasha’s direction, and Inu-Yasha instinctively whipped around, feeling his lips and throat buzz.
“Oi, bitch, what the hell wazzat?!” He said, eyes livid.
“Inu-Yasha, how many times have I told you–” Kagome’s scolding was cut off as Inu-Yasha’s words sunk in, and, dumbstruck, she looked at Hermione. “–Wait. What did he just say?”
“It’s just a simple language charm. It lets him understand and speak the language of the one who cast the spell upon him...unfortunately, he won’t speak Japanese now, until you cast the spell yourself, or I undo it. I figured it would make things easier for him–and us.” Hermione smiled in satisfaction. “So, Inu-Yasha, what is it like in Feudal Japan?”
Inu-Yasha just stared at her, bewildered by her bothersome gumption. “Feh. I don’t owe you any answers...quit messin’ around with me, or you’ll find your throat in your cauldron!” Turning around, he continued down the path with increased speed.
“Inu-Yasha!” Kagome fumed. “Ughh! He’s so rude...sorry, Hermione. Don’t worry, he was far nastier to me the first time we met...he’s just as nasty to me now!”
“Oh, but I find him fascinating. He’s a piece of history! Imagine what we could learn from him.”
“Other than a few choice trash words in Japanese, not much...” Kagome mumbled. Harry snickered, catching her eye. Kagome smiled warmly to him, and he was nearly bowled over by the glow of her expression. Despite having nearly been killed, and confronted by the most evil wizard–even creature–in the current world, her entire presence had brightened considerably.
And as much as he hated to admit it, it quite disturbed him.
“Aw, what the–crap! It’s a dead end!” From up ahead, Inu-Yasha swore and kicked at the stone wall.
“Oh, never mind that–“ Harry moved on forward, and lifted the barrier, stepping through the witch’s hump, and into Hogwarts. “Come along, everyone. We’re off to Professor Dumbledore’s office.”
Not having registered the notion that they were still four students wandering the halls after curfew, Harry and the other four determinedly strode down the hallway, turning corridors, going down and up the stairs, until he finally stopped in front of a statue.
“Strawberry Pocky.”
The statue swung open (nearly being diced by a freaked-out Inu-Yasha’s claws), and they walked up the spiraling staircase, where they were surprised to find Professor Dumbledore patiently waiting for them, hands clasped on his desk.
“Hello, Harry. Miss Granger, Mr. Weasley, Miss Higurashi, and, I don’t believe we’ve met, but I can only imagine you are Inu-Yasha?” Professor Dumbledore smiled kindly at them. Inu-Yasha, although rather irritated by the man’s bold assumption, felt that this was not the time for a snarling outburst.
“Yeah, yeah, what’s it to ya?” Inu-Yasha petulantly stared him down, still holding the redhead on his back.
“Please, Inu-Yasha, you may set Mr. Weasley on the sofa, right there.” Inu-Yasha grunted, and dumped Ron unceremoniously on the plush, purple couch. Professor Dumbledore nodded, and made a small gesture with his hand, bringing four cushy armchairs forth in front of his desk. “Please, sit.
“Now, I would very much like to know what transpired tonight, and what has brought you to my office.”
Hermione looked at Kagome expectantly, for her questions had been shrugged off until a more appropriate moment. Kagome took a deep breath.
“Well, we all decided to go to Hogsmeade–and we’re all truly, very sorry about breaking the rules–for a fireworks display...”
_________________________________ ___________________________________________________
Twenty minutes later, after Kagome had informed Professor Dumbledore about the exact events of her history in the feudal era as well as the incidents that ensued at Hogsmeade, he sighed heavily. Harry seethed, clenching his fist, and Hermione’s jaw was hanging open.
Inu-Yasha’s response, however, wasn’t as subdued.
“Naraku, that bastard...always gettin’ his little minions to screw around for him. And what’s the deal, Kagome? Since when did you think that making a wish without telling me was a good idea?! You shoulda known that when the jewel was gone, you wouldn’t be able to come back!”
Kagome stood up, looking up at him in indignation (Inu-Yasha had politely declined the use of a chair). “Well, what was I supposed to do, Inu-Yasha? I did the best I could! What, with Sango and Miroku always having to fight demons, never able to settle down and have children? I didn’t want that for them!”
“Oh, yeah?! Who said I needed their help, anyways!”
“Inu-Yasha, you know they helped because they wanted to, not because that had to. And I wanted to give them a life where they didn’t have to worry about the dangers of youkai!” They were both shouting now. “But I suppose Kikyou would have made a better decision.”
“Yer damn right she would have!” Inu-Yasha bellowed. Kagome’s eyes welled up, and she glared at him angrily. Inu-Yasha stepped back, losing his thunder somewhat. “Uh, I mean...Kagome...”
“Osuwari!” A loud ‘thud’ caused some of the books to topple out of their shelves, and Professor Dumbledore’s phoenix ruffled his crimson plumage in irritation. The other occupants of the room stared blankly at the flattened half-demon, blending in with the squishy red carpet. Kagome huffed and took her seat, sniffling. ‘Thank goodness Hermione’s language charm had a few loopholes. I had forgotten how good that felt...’
After a few seconds of silence, lightly decorated with an undertone of colorful language, Inu-Yasha finally regained the use of his limbs, and stood, shooting a glare at Harry, who tried holding back a bemused chortle.
“Now, now...there’s no reason for argument here,” Professor Dumbledore smiled amicably. “What has passed is in the past...however, unfortunately, it seems that the past is quite literally coming to haunt us. That portal is very dangerous black magic, and it is imperative that we find a way to close it at once.
“But, Professor Dumbledore, I don’t think anyone from here can get through the portal! At least, not without a jewel shard...that’s what happened with the old portal, at least.” Kagome said.
“Too true, Miss Higurashi. But from what you have told me, Voldemort has just that. Your blood,” Professor Dumbledore stated pointedly. “Is the key to the portal. And despite whatever barrier you may have put up before you left, anyone who has your blood will be granted full access to whatever world it may lead to.”
‘So that’s why my scar buzzed when I first met her...the magic in her blood. Strange...’ Harry silently mused. “But what about Inu-Yasha?” He asked. “How can he get through, if he doesn’t have Kagome’s blood?”
Inu-Yasha looked up. “Yeah...all along, while Kagome used the well to get back to her home, I was always able to get through. But I never had a jewel shard or anything...” He said, a hint of resent in his words.
Professor Dumbledore thought for a moment, considering the situation. “I imagine,” He began thoughtfully. “That, before you first entered the portal of the well, you directly
saved Miss Higurashi’s life, did you not?”
Inu-Yasha rolled his eyes. “You can’t spend but five minutes around her without her needin’ her life saved.”
“Then you did, in fact, willingly put your life before her’s, and killed another for her sake.”
“Hey, old man, all I was out for was the jewel!” Kagome whipped around, hurt shining in her eyes. Inu-Yasha quickly continued. “In the beginning! In the beginning, you idiot!”
“Perhaps. But you felt the gravitational need to save her after she had saved you, by pulling the arrow from your chest, releasing you from confinement.
“I imagine that once you both saved each other’s lives upon your first meeting, an exchange of power occurred...and that sort of power can be so much stronger than blood. Harry too, knows this power well, and has reaped its benefits.
“Well, then. For your silence on this matter, so as not to cause unnecessary panic, I shall benevolently forget that you all have broken a number of rules this evening. And, since there’s nothing more to be done about the situation tonight, I suggest you two fly off to bed! Don’t worry about Mr. Weasley,” Professor Dumbledore said to Hermione and Harry, dismissing them gently. “I’ll send for someone to escort him to Madame Pomfrey. That looks like quite a nasty black-eye.”
Harry stood his ground. “But, Professor, I–“
“I understand your concerns, Harry, and they are well-founded. But as for tonight, we must all get our rest. I find that success is 173% more likely with a good night’s sleep. Now, run along.”
The witch and wizard looked back uncertainly at the hanyou and miko. “Good night, Kagome. We’ll talk more tomorrow, okay?” Hermione said tenderly. “Good night, Inu-Yasha! Rest easy!”
Harry reluctantly glanced at Kagome. “You take care of that wound, okay? And...” He glanced at Inu-Yasha, an odd expression on his face. “...Well, good night, then.”
“Good night, you two! And thank you,” Kagome added warmly. “I mean it. I’ll see you both tomorrow, I promise.”
The other two left the room, and Kagome’s attention once more focused on the wise ancient before her. “Um, Professor Dumbledore, where will Inu-Yasha sleep?”
“Keh, I’m not sleeping anywhere, bitch. I don’t trust this place, it smells funny.” Inu-Yasha declared, hand close to his scabbard, ready to thwart any attack of the dead headmasters’ portraits.
“If he chooses, there is a lovely loft near the ceiling of the women’s quarters...I believe he’ll feel more comfortable with a familiar face to watch over, and I trust he will not try anything deemed less than appropriate with any of the room’s occupants.” Professor Dumbledore affirmed faithfully. “However, those arrangements must be temporary. I’m afraid that, come tomorrow evening, he will need to move.”
Inu-Yasha relaxed, a little more at ease and agreeable with the situation. Kagome smiled. “Thank you very much, Professor Dumbledore, good night!” She and the dog-boy began to leave.
“Oh, Inu-Yasha? Would you be so kind as to bring Mr. Weasley to the Hospital ward? Miss Higurashi needs to have her cut healed before she turns in,” Inu-Yasha complied wordlessly, heaping the now drooling and snoring redhead over his shoulders once more. “Thank you very, very much. Good night, you two!”
And the three of them left, a long day thankfully behind them.
__________________________________________________ ________________________________
Sankon Tetsusou : “Soul-Shattering claw;” a common battle-cry of Inu-Yasha’s
Bakayarou-tachi : “You damn idiots”
Sou Desu Ne : “Is it true?”/”Really?”
Baka : “Idiot”
Nani : “What?”
Oi : “Hey”
Gaijin : “Foreigner;” A japanese term for Caucasians/westerners
Kuso : “Sh*t;” another common battle-cry of Inu-Yasha’s
Domo Arigato : “Thank you very much.”
Osuwari : “Sit,” as for a Dog.
Well, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Inu-Yasha’s back! Oh, and I love feedback, so let me know what you enjoyed, what you hated, what you were confused about...thank you for reading! –Kapitan Nemo ^_~
All words/spells that are either in a different language, or spoken in a different language are represented by the use of italics. :D (...but there are some “normal” words that are italicized for emphasis, too.)
Disclaimer: I’m not crazy, I’m just a little...obsessed. And poor. Don’t sue, please.
RECAP: Kagome clenched her teeth and closed her eyes, awaiting that blow, when suddenly, a familiar voice cut like claws through the air...
“KAGOMEEE!”
Chapter 8
Kagome jaw ached from the pressure of her grinding mouth, and her eyes had glued themselves shut. She felt the swift ‘whoosh’ of air the blade’s plunge had made, and she acknowledged the presence of death, as she felt herself being ripped away from solid ground.
...But, why was death so warm and strong? And what was that scent that her nose seemed to remember, but her mind could not...
“SANKON TETSUSOU!” Kagome’s eyes immediately flew open, that voice striking a chord in her heart. That silver hair, that red haori, those adorable dog ears...It couldn’t be...
Harry scraped the back of his neck against the brick wall as he moved to get out of the way. ‘That–that, guy...from Kagome’s boggart! He just came out of the hole in the wall! And I think he just tried to claw Voldemort...’ Harry saw that a few of the Death Eaters had gathered their wands, and made to strike Kagome and the strange man with the Killing Curse. Harry quickly picked up his own wand and warded them off with several disarming spells, struggling to defend Kagome.
The man who held her saw this, and made short work of some of the Death Eaters, drawing a few swift kicks to several heads, dazing them effectively. “Keh...Bakayarou-tachi...” He seemed to snicker, and looked from Kagome, to Harry, to Voldemort, who had quickly donned his robe and picked up his wand, raising it suddenly.
“Naraku!” A strange growl emerged from the stranger’s lips.
Harry recognized the name he spat out from Kagome’s story. ‘Wait...’Naraku?’...Voldemort? Surely, it’s not possible!’
Without a word, Voldemort sneered at the stranger, and quickly disapparated, the other Death-Eaters responded similarly, until there was only Harry, Kagome, and the stranger left in the room.
The stranger slowly set Kagome down, helping her steadily regain control of her limbs. He looked at her deeply. Kagome’s chest heaved, as she tried to control her erratic heartbeat, breathing heavily.
“Inu-Yasha?” Kagome gasped in disbelief. “Sou...desu ne?”
He looked at her strangely, and rolled his eyes, thwacking her nose gently. “Keh. Who else?”
Kagome’s eyes welled up, and she wrapped her arms violently around his torso, burying her face in his hair. Thick, heavy sobs wracked her body, and her tears trailed down her cheeks, moistening Inu-Yasha’s haori and coarse, snowy locks. Softly, he moved his arms around her, his muscular limbs covering her in the expanse of his haori. He leaned his head on her’s, and closed his eyes tightly, as he strengthened his embrace, trying to squeeze the last of her tears out of her.
“Kagome, baka...don’t cry...what’s wrong? You know I hate it when you cry.” That served only to make her wail louder, his own two ears flinching in agitation. “You idiot. Didn’t I always say I’d protect you?” He gave a small laugh, but stopped short, sniffing the air. “Where are you hurt?”
Kagome lifted her wrist, her sobs fading out. Inu-Yasha looked at her gaping wound, and ripped off a piece of his white hakama, wrapping it firmly around the injury. He let out a sigh of annoyance. “I told you to never leave my sight! When didja sneak off and get into trouble with all these foreigners? Told you just this morning that we–“
“Nani?” Kagome sniffled, frowning in confusion. “You...this...morning?”
“Yeah, this morning, like I said. I was going to take you back to your time in the afternoon...I seemed to have fallen asleep for a little while, tho’.” Inu-Yasha frowned, thinking on that. ‘That’s weird...I never fall asleep.’
“Inu-Yasha...if what Naraku says about the portal is true, and I have no real reason to believe it isn’t, then, you weren’t asleep for a ‘little while...’ you were asleep for 50 years.”
Inu-Yasha looked at her, bewildered. Feeling extremely uncomfortable, Harry coughed, trying to break the uncomfortable silence that had begun to settle upon the room.
“Um, excuse me...” Inu-Yasha looked at him suddenly.
“Oi, I thought you went and disappeared with the rest of those buttplugs,” Inu-Yasha rudely called. Of course, Harry couldn’t understand a word he said.
“I’m sorry...?” Inu-Yasha, too, was at a loss to the language of the other boy, and so, reciprocated the blank look he gave to him.
“Oi, Kagome...isn’t he speaking in your ‘ingu-dish’ language?” Kagome wiped her eyes, shaking herself out of her daze.
“Oh, I’m sorry, Harry...this...this is Inu-Yasha.” Kagome struggled with the words, finding it hard to believe that he was really alive.
“I gathered that...are you...are you alright, Kagome?” Harry asked, unsure of what to say in this particular situation.
“Oh, I’m fine. The miasma in the atmosphere just drained me of my strength, is all,” Kagome reassured him with a shining smile–a smile, which, did not go unnoticed by Inu-Yasha.
“Oi, gaijin, who are you and whaddiyou want?” ‘And what did you do to deserve one of Kagome’s smiles...’
“Inu-Yasha! Don’t be rude.” Kagome turned to him sharply “Harry’s a good friend of mine. He, too is an enemy of Naraku’s...he is the only human today to have survived through one of his curses of death.”
A breeze whistled through the portal, and Kagome shivered, subconsciously drawing closer to Inu-Yasha. “Well, we better find a way to close this portal temporarily, and then get out of here.”
“Oh, I’ll take care of that...” Harry managed to temporarily clear his head enough to conjure a barrier before the portal.
“Thanks, Harry...” Kagome smiled warmly, and Harry returned it with an absent nod. “ Now! I guess we should...um, go...back...? Oh, dear...” Kagome stopped, an expression of confusion dawning on her face.
“What’s wrong, Kagome?” Harry asked.
Kagome bit her lip. “Well...how am I supposed to get Inu-Yasha inside Hogwarts?” Kagome contemplated the situation. ‘I couldn’t ask Inu-Yasha to stay behind in the forest, not without explaining everything to him...besides which, he wouldn’t stand for it, and I wouldn’t want him to.’
“Don’t worry,” Harry said, walking with them out the door. “We’ll go straight to Dumbledore. He shouldn’t have a problem with it.”
“Kuso!” Inu-Yasha let out an incredulous curse as his eyes went to a distant firework in the shape of a wolf, howling at a bright, fiery moon-ball. “What the hell is that?!”
Kagome grimaced uncertainly. “It’s not Dumbledore I’m worried about...”
______________________________ ______________________________________________________
< br> “Well, that went well...” Bellatrix Lestrange flipped her long, shiny black tresses arrogantly behind her shoulder, her porcelain skin glowing in the moonlight gleaming through a long, thin window. “Who in hell was that...that...animal?”
Lucious Malfoy pressed his fingers to his forehead, already tense from arguing with his son as he shooed him off, back to Hogwarts. “How should I know? I thought those demons were supposed to be on our side.”
“Well, a fine good thing that girl got away. With her alive, the whole Ministry will know about the portal!” Narcissa Malfoy pouted, massaging her tense husband.
“Oh, who cares. The Ministry’s a load of Goblin crap, anyway. I’d sooner worry about a rat.” Nyx Berlioz dryly commented, earning a glare from Peter Pettigrew. “My concern is the time portal itself...What if more demons leak out?”
“They will.” Voldemort’s cold voice broke into their conversation, startling the small group of Death Eaters in the room.
He moved to a small, round table at the other side of the room. He took an empty vile from the cherry surface, and held up the silver daggar, slowly dripping the remaining crimson liquid into its glass mouth. “The demons will be attracted to the power of the shikon jewel in her blood. They seek to devour her...as I will do eventually. Her body may well be protected by that pathetic hanyou for now, but her heart and blood will be mine, soon enough.”
Voldemort smirked, knowing full well that hearts had nothing to do with emotions.
“Cheers.” He said, downing the contents of the vial.
__________________________________________________ ____________________________
“Domo arigatou, Inu-Yasha,” Kagome softly thanked her dog-eared companion as he carried an unconscious, red-headed wizard on his back. Inu-Yasha grumbled in response, roughly shifting the awkwardly long-limbed sleeping beauty and picking up the pace.
“So...you’re really Inu-Yasha?” Hermione asked in awe of the beautiful hanyou, his ears twitching at the sound of his name, but golden eyes remaining set on the trail through Honeydukes to which Harry had led the group. “What’s it like in feudal Japan? You must have been a wonderful study aid for Kagome in her history classes...how were the educational systems back then? I know so little about the far east...”
Inu-Yasha rolled his eyes. “Keh. Kagome, can you tell this human that I have absolutely no idea what she’s saying?”
Kagome looked apologetically at the enthusiastic scholar by her side. “Um, Hermione, Inu-Yasha doesn’t speak English.”
The brainy witch paused, smacking herself on her head. “Of course! How silly of me. Linguate Mutuus.”
Hermione quickly flicked her wand in Inu-Yasha’s direction, and Inu-Yasha instinctively whipped around, feeling his lips and throat buzz.
“Oi, bitch, what the hell wazzat?!” He said, eyes livid.
“Inu-Yasha, how many times have I told you–” Kagome’s scolding was cut off as Inu-Yasha’s words sunk in, and, dumbstruck, she looked at Hermione. “–Wait. What did he just say?”
“It’s just a simple language charm. It lets him understand and speak the language of the one who cast the spell upon him...unfortunately, he won’t speak Japanese now, until you cast the spell yourself, or I undo it. I figured it would make things easier for him–and us.” Hermione smiled in satisfaction. “So, Inu-Yasha, what is it like in Feudal Japan?”
Inu-Yasha just stared at her, bewildered by her bothersome gumption. “Feh. I don’t owe you any answers...quit messin’ around with me, or you’ll find your throat in your cauldron!” Turning around, he continued down the path with increased speed.
“Inu-Yasha!” Kagome fumed. “Ughh! He’s so rude...sorry, Hermione. Don’t worry, he was far nastier to me the first time we met...he’s just as nasty to me now!”
“Oh, but I find him fascinating. He’s a piece of history! Imagine what we could learn from him.”
“Other than a few choice trash words in Japanese, not much...” Kagome mumbled. Harry snickered, catching her eye. Kagome smiled warmly to him, and he was nearly bowled over by the glow of her expression. Despite having nearly been killed, and confronted by the most evil wizard–even creature–in the current world, her entire presence had brightened considerably.
And as much as he hated to admit it, it quite disturbed him.
“Aw, what the–crap! It’s a dead end!” From up ahead, Inu-Yasha swore and kicked at the stone wall.
“Oh, never mind that–“ Harry moved on forward, and lifted the barrier, stepping through the witch’s hump, and into Hogwarts. “Come along, everyone. We’re off to Professor Dumbledore’s office.”
Not having registered the notion that they were still four students wandering the halls after curfew, Harry and the other four determinedly strode down the hallway, turning corridors, going down and up the stairs, until he finally stopped in front of a statue.
“Strawberry Pocky.”
The statue swung open (nearly being diced by a freaked-out Inu-Yasha’s claws), and they walked up the spiraling staircase, where they were surprised to find Professor Dumbledore patiently waiting for them, hands clasped on his desk.
“Hello, Harry. Miss Granger, Mr. Weasley, Miss Higurashi, and, I don’t believe we’ve met, but I can only imagine you are Inu-Yasha?” Professor Dumbledore smiled kindly at them. Inu-Yasha, although rather irritated by the man’s bold assumption, felt that this was not the time for a snarling outburst.
“Yeah, yeah, what’s it to ya?” Inu-Yasha petulantly stared him down, still holding the redhead on his back.
“Please, Inu-Yasha, you may set Mr. Weasley on the sofa, right there.” Inu-Yasha grunted, and dumped Ron unceremoniously on the plush, purple couch. Professor Dumbledore nodded, and made a small gesture with his hand, bringing four cushy armchairs forth in front of his desk. “Please, sit.
“Now, I would very much like to know what transpired tonight, and what has brought you to my office.”
Hermione looked at Kagome expectantly, for her questions had been shrugged off until a more appropriate moment. Kagome took a deep breath.
“Well, we all decided to go to Hogsmeade–and we’re all truly, very sorry about breaking the rules–for a fireworks display...”
_________________________________ ___________________________________________________
Twenty minutes later, after Kagome had informed Professor Dumbledore about the exact events of her history in the feudal era as well as the incidents that ensued at Hogsmeade, he sighed heavily. Harry seethed, clenching his fist, and Hermione’s jaw was hanging open.
Inu-Yasha’s response, however, wasn’t as subdued.
“Naraku, that bastard...always gettin’ his little minions to screw around for him. And what’s the deal, Kagome? Since when did you think that making a wish without telling me was a good idea?! You shoulda known that when the jewel was gone, you wouldn’t be able to come back!”
Kagome stood up, looking up at him in indignation (Inu-Yasha had politely declined the use of a chair). “Well, what was I supposed to do, Inu-Yasha? I did the best I could! What, with Sango and Miroku always having to fight demons, never able to settle down and have children? I didn’t want that for them!”
“Oh, yeah?! Who said I needed their help, anyways!”
“Inu-Yasha, you know they helped because they wanted to, not because that had to. And I wanted to give them a life where they didn’t have to worry about the dangers of youkai!” They were both shouting now. “But I suppose Kikyou would have made a better decision.”
“Yer damn right she would have!” Inu-Yasha bellowed. Kagome’s eyes welled up, and she glared at him angrily. Inu-Yasha stepped back, losing his thunder somewhat. “Uh, I mean...Kagome...”
“Osuwari!” A loud ‘thud’ caused some of the books to topple out of their shelves, and Professor Dumbledore’s phoenix ruffled his crimson plumage in irritation. The other occupants of the room stared blankly at the flattened half-demon, blending in with the squishy red carpet. Kagome huffed and took her seat, sniffling. ‘Thank goodness Hermione’s language charm had a few loopholes. I had forgotten how good that felt...’
After a few seconds of silence, lightly decorated with an undertone of colorful language, Inu-Yasha finally regained the use of his limbs, and stood, shooting a glare at Harry, who tried holding back a bemused chortle.
“Now, now...there’s no reason for argument here,” Professor Dumbledore smiled amicably. “What has passed is in the past...however, unfortunately, it seems that the past is quite literally coming to haunt us. That portal is very dangerous black magic, and it is imperative that we find a way to close it at once.
“But, Professor Dumbledore, I don’t think anyone from here can get through the portal! At least, not without a jewel shard...that’s what happened with the old portal, at least.” Kagome said.
“Too true, Miss Higurashi. But from what you have told me, Voldemort has just that. Your blood,” Professor Dumbledore stated pointedly. “Is the key to the portal. And despite whatever barrier you may have put up before you left, anyone who has your blood will be granted full access to whatever world it may lead to.”
‘So that’s why my scar buzzed when I first met her...the magic in her blood. Strange...’ Harry silently mused. “But what about Inu-Yasha?” He asked. “How can he get through, if he doesn’t have Kagome’s blood?”
Inu-Yasha looked up. “Yeah...all along, while Kagome used the well to get back to her home, I was always able to get through. But I never had a jewel shard or anything...” He said, a hint of resent in his words.
Professor Dumbledore thought for a moment, considering the situation. “I imagine,” He began thoughtfully. “That, before you first entered the portal of the well, you directly
saved Miss Higurashi’s life, did you not?”
Inu-Yasha rolled his eyes. “You can’t spend but five minutes around her without her needin’ her life saved.”
“Then you did, in fact, willingly put your life before her’s, and killed another for her sake.”
“Hey, old man, all I was out for was the jewel!” Kagome whipped around, hurt shining in her eyes. Inu-Yasha quickly continued. “In the beginning! In the beginning, you idiot!”
“Perhaps. But you felt the gravitational need to save her after she had saved you, by pulling the arrow from your chest, releasing you from confinement.
“I imagine that once you both saved each other’s lives upon your first meeting, an exchange of power occurred...and that sort of power can be so much stronger than blood. Harry too, knows this power well, and has reaped its benefits.
“Well, then. For your silence on this matter, so as not to cause unnecessary panic, I shall benevolently forget that you all have broken a number of rules this evening. And, since there’s nothing more to be done about the situation tonight, I suggest you two fly off to bed! Don’t worry about Mr. Weasley,” Professor Dumbledore said to Hermione and Harry, dismissing them gently. “I’ll send for someone to escort him to Madame Pomfrey. That looks like quite a nasty black-eye.”
Harry stood his ground. “But, Professor, I–“
“I understand your concerns, Harry, and they are well-founded. But as for tonight, we must all get our rest. I find that success is 173% more likely with a good night’s sleep. Now, run along.”
The witch and wizard looked back uncertainly at the hanyou and miko. “Good night, Kagome. We’ll talk more tomorrow, okay?” Hermione said tenderly. “Good night, Inu-Yasha! Rest easy!”
Harry reluctantly glanced at Kagome. “You take care of that wound, okay? And...” He glanced at Inu-Yasha, an odd expression on his face. “...Well, good night, then.”
“Good night, you two! And thank you,” Kagome added warmly. “I mean it. I’ll see you both tomorrow, I promise.”
The other two left the room, and Kagome’s attention once more focused on the wise ancient before her. “Um, Professor Dumbledore, where will Inu-Yasha sleep?”
“Keh, I’m not sleeping anywhere, bitch. I don’t trust this place, it smells funny.” Inu-Yasha declared, hand close to his scabbard, ready to thwart any attack of the dead headmasters’ portraits.
“If he chooses, there is a lovely loft near the ceiling of the women’s quarters...I believe he’ll feel more comfortable with a familiar face to watch over, and I trust he will not try anything deemed less than appropriate with any of the room’s occupants.” Professor Dumbledore affirmed faithfully. “However, those arrangements must be temporary. I’m afraid that, come tomorrow evening, he will need to move.”
Inu-Yasha relaxed, a little more at ease and agreeable with the situation. Kagome smiled. “Thank you very much, Professor Dumbledore, good night!” She and the dog-boy began to leave.
“Oh, Inu-Yasha? Would you be so kind as to bring Mr. Weasley to the Hospital ward? Miss Higurashi needs to have her cut healed before she turns in,” Inu-Yasha complied wordlessly, heaping the now drooling and snoring redhead over his shoulders once more. “Thank you very, very much. Good night, you two!”
And the three of them left, a long day thankfully behind them.
__________________________________________________ ________________________________
Sankon Tetsusou : “Soul-Shattering claw;” a common battle-cry of Inu-Yasha’s
Bakayarou-tachi : “You damn idiots”
Sou Desu Ne : “Is it true?”/”Really?”
Baka : “Idiot”
Nani : “What?”
Oi : “Hey”
Gaijin : “Foreigner;” A japanese term for Caucasians/westerners
Kuso : “Sh*t;” another common battle-cry of Inu-Yasha’s
Domo Arigato : “Thank you very much.”
Osuwari : “Sit,” as for a Dog.
Well, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Inu-Yasha’s back! Oh, and I love feedback, so let me know what you enjoyed, what you hated, what you were confused about...thank you for reading! –Kapitan Nemo ^_~