InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Final Battle ❯ The Problems with Panties ( Chapter 11 )
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: Kapt. Nemo 
It's getting serious now. No, I mean it. ...sorta.
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Adventure / Action | Type: Crossover | Uploaded On: 10.05.2005 | Pages: 4 | Words: 3.7K | Visits: 1.2K | Status: Completed
It's getting serious now. No, I mean it. ...sorta.
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Adventure / Action | Type: Crossover | Uploaded On: 10.05.2005 | Pages: 4 | Words: 3.7K | Visits: 1.2K | Status: Completed
DISCLAIMER: Neither Inu-Yasha nor Harry Potter and their respective universes belong to me. At least, that’s what my lawyer wants me to say...I think you know better, though. ^.~
RECAP: Harry frowned. “What’s he talking about? What human? Did someone die?”
Ron looked at him, eyes the shape of saucers. “It was just on the news–this morning, the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, was murdered!”
Chapter 11
Harry dropped his jaw in shock. “Murdered?! Fudge? How?!”
Hermione bit her lip. “They don’t know exactly. There wasn’t a mark on him when he was discovered–they thought it might have been the killing curse, but...”
“...but what?” Kagome asked fearfully.
“...They found him when he was still breathing.” Harry and Kagome looked at Hermione incredulously.
“What do you mean? Still breathing–if there wasn’t a mark on him, why did he–“
“The dementors.” Harry cut Kagome off, and she stared at him, horrific realization dawning on her face.
“You can’t mean...” Kagome shuddered, subconsciously leaning into the half demon at her side.
“When Barty Crouch was kissed by the dementors, his body was still functional, but he couldn’t think, or feel, or do much of anything. Not without his soul. Without the soul, the body has–“
“–No reason to live.” Inu-Yasha finished Harry’s sentence for him. “That’s how you were, Kagome, when Urasue revived Kikyou. You were just...breathing, your eyes were all clouded over and glassy...you couldn’t move on your own.” The group collectively shuddered as the weighty reality of the situation began to sink in.
“So...the minister, he...just lost the will to live? Why? Why would the dementors take his soul–what would Nara–argh!! Voldemort gain in killing him? Wouldn’t that other unforgivable curse---the Imperius, I think?–help him more?” Kagome asked.
“I don’t know...” Harry muttered, running through the myriad of thoughts racing through his mind. Suddenly, his brain flickered on a thought that made him sick to his stomach. “Unless...no. Oh, God.”
“What?” Hermione asked, worry lines wrinkling her brow.
“Dumbledore left earlier today.” Harry began shaking his head, fearing the worst for the man he cared for so much.
“You don’t think...he’d try and...do anything to Dumbledore, do you, Harry? He can’t...Dumbledore’s the one person V...Vollldemort fears the most!” Ron said, his panic rising higher than Harry’s.
“He might. I wouldn’t put it past him...”
“No. Naraku doesn’t work that way.” Inu-Yasha clucked his tongue irritably. “He’s the type that gets others to do his dirty work for him. If he was going to kill the old man, he wouldn’t waste time doing away with that other guy. This Dumbledore, he’s pretty powerful, right?” Inu-Yasha was met with fervent nods among Harry, Ron, and Hermione. “Well, then I’d guess that if he’s so damn scared of him, he sees him as the one obstacle that lies between him and the jewel.” Inu-Yasha’s eyes rested on Kagome, as the other three followed suit. She shifted uncomfortably. “Well, if that bastard thinks he’s gonna get his hands on her, he’s got another thing coming. He seems to have forgotten a few necessary details.” Inu-Yasha smirked, running his clawed fingers down the hilt of his Tetsusaiga.
“Inu-Yasha, Naraku’s different now...” Kagome said, her voice slightly quivering.
“Yeah? He’s human. That makes him even easier to take down.”
“No, Inu-Yasha...he’s a wizard. His form has been altered so many times, that it’s completely warped with evil. Onigumo is barely visible beneath his exterior, now. And he’s got followers, too...loads more than before.”
“Like I said, human, bitch. Piece of cake.” Inu-Yasha sneered arrogantly, and began to walk away, bloodlust in his eyes. “Now, if you don’t mind, I’m gonna get this crap offa me and go practice. Hunt something. I’m bored, and this stupid hair thing is makin’ my ears itch.” With a very dog-like shake of his head, Inu-Yasha took off in the direction of the Forbidden Forest.
“Inu-Yasha...” Kagome sighed. “He just doesn’t understand.”
“Hey, Kagome, why do you let him call you ‘bitch’ all the time?” Ron asked suddenly, frowning in mild disgust.
Kagome looked at him, confused for a moment. “Oh! Haha, I’ve gotten so used to it...he doesn’t say it to be mean, it’s just a dog-demon thing. You know, if I were a female dog...?”
“There you are!” The four looked over, as Mr. A called to them from the colonnade, hustling over to them in a warm, November sweater. “We need to talk, and I don’t mean later. Come, let’s go to my office----say, where’s that dog a-yaz?” He looked suspiciously around Kagome.
“He went for a run.” She said, almost apologetically. Mr. A’s expression was less-than-pleased.
“Hm...I don’t want him leaving you alone anymore. At all. Since you’re with these three, you should be okay, but I’d feel a whole lot better if I knew he was keepin’ a constant watch on you.”
“I am, old man!” From far off in the distance, the exasperate d snarl of an eavesdropping hanyou was barely audible. “I’ve got sharp senses, so lay off!”
Mr. A made a face and rolled his eyes, gesturing the others to follow him inside the school. They followed the familiar, winding path that led to the DADA classroom, where Mr. A opened what looked to be the door of a janitorial closet (had Hogwarts any necessity for janitors) to a deceptively spacious office room.
He sat down on a steel chair, behind a particularly cluttered desk, and swiftly conjured four wooden stools for his students, who promptly took them before the desk.
“Now,” he began in a very curt tone. “I’m sure yaz all’ve probably heard about the minister. And there’s been an incident at Azkaban, as well–“
“We know about the dementors, Mr. A,” Harry cut him short.
Mr. A looked at him. “Good, good. Then am I right in assuming that you’ve already put two and two together?”
“If two and two equals four, then, yes, you’d be correct.”
Mr. A sighed. “Well, as you can tell, this is an incredibly grave situation. Voldemort is one thing–“ He paid no heed as two of the room’s occupants involuntarily flinched– “but dementors are quite another. I know I’ve had you practice with them over and over again, and you’ve made an impressive amount of progress, but I’m afraid ‘impressive’ isn’t gonna cut it. You three are gonna need to practice your Patronus charms with more dedication than anything else. It wouldn’t hurt for you to learn it, either,” Mr. A looked at Kagome. “But unfortunately, I don’t think you’re gonna have the time. Harry, from now on, I would like for you to use any spare time you have, and help these two with their Patronuses. After the exam on Magical Weaponry, I’m gonna have you three help me out in teaching the other students how to perfect the Patronus charm. We’re gonna need all the help we can get, if Voldemort’s plan is what I think it is.
“You and I, on the other hand, are gonna have to develop your spiritual power as quickly and as fully as possible.” Kagome looked up, and nodded. “You’re gonna need it to perform the spell to reverse the barrier. Because your blood contains the jewel, and it was your blood that opened the portal in the first place, you’re the only person who can undo the portal, but if you aren’t strong enough, you’ll die from the effort. The portal is intense black magic, and if Voldemort gets a hold of enough of your blood and youkai come through, it will be as if Hell itself were literally breaking loose.” The intensity of Mr. A’s gaze was enough to snap everyone’s attention to his voice. He continued to speak.
“Well, if you aren’t aware of it by now, Professor Dumbledore has left the building. He was Fudge’s second-in-command, and no doubt Voldemort expected him to assume his responsibilities after Fudge was out of the picture. Now, Professor Dumbledore is not at all happy about havin’ to leave Hogwarts, nor does he plan to remain out of this building for too many extended periods of time. However, he is responsible for easing the panic in the wizarding world, and he left a good witch in charge. I’m not sure if any a-yooz guys are aware of just how powerful Professor McGonagall is, but let me assure you, yaz all’re in good hands.
“On top of that, I have been assigned to handle all security matters. In a few hours, I’m expecting a few friends from the DABC for back-up. And, rash and crude though he may be, we are lucky to have quite the guard dog on our side.” Mr. A smiled slightly at Kagome’s softening expression. “So. I felt responsible for letting you four know what’s going on, and you can relay the news to Inu-Yasha later, if he isn’t listening in already. But I strongly suggest you guard this information wisely; not only do we not want any unnecessary panic, but it’s in our best interests that our business remains our business. There are a few too many unsavory listeners in this building, and I don’t wanna take any chances.” Raising his eyebrows, Mr. A stood from his chair and flicked the door open.
“Thank you, Mr. A.” Kagome smiled warmly at the teacher for whom she had steadily developed a large amount of respect. “We’ll heed your warnings, and I’ll get to work on...ah, thinking pure thoughts, I guess?”
Mr. A laughed a little as the four strode out of his room. “No doubt you do that already, Kagome. We’ll talk about practicing a little later, I’ll get back to you on that in class. Right now, I’ve got some things to do, but, yooz all take good care a-yaselves, y’hear?” Mr. A looked expectantly at the four nodding faces. “Good. Now, if that’s all----“
“Um, Professor?” Hermione looked up at Mr. A with large, chocolate eyes that would put Bambi to shame.
“Yes, Hermione?” Mr. A frowned, wondering if she was taking this influx of frighteningly bad news as bad as her eyes told him.
She gulped and bit her lip, perspiration lightly moistening her brow. “About the exam...will there be any essays, or is it truly all presentation?”
______________________________ _______________________________________________________
No decent witch or wizard had dared set foot near the shady bar in downtown Hogsmeade before the night of the Fireworks, and ever since, the powerful aura it emanated completely repulsed those who might have considered simply walking past it. So it came to Voldemort as no surprise when he disapparated into the eerie room, that the shop, and the area surrounding it, was completely and utterly deserted.
“Ku, ku, ku...” He chuckled arrogantly, and strutted to the face of the closed portal. “Little wizard thinks he can block the power of nearly half a millennium?” He closed his eyes, gauging the level of magic Harry had used to seal the portal. With a sudden whipping movement, he took out the silver dagger he nearly used to end Kagome’s life, and cut a thin line across his palm. “Soon, my lovely little miko, we will be united in more ways than one.”
Voldemort placed his hand at the center of the seal, and allowed the blood to smear across it. As he began to recite a black sutra, the blood glowed, and began to crackle. As the volume of his voice increased, the seal cracked, groaning almost painfully under the pressure of his dark magic.
Finally, the seal exploded, and a shower of red light fell like floating feathers to the floor of the bar.
“Heh.” Voldemort sneered, passing his long, boney fingers through the gaping hole, into the crisp fall air of the untainted forest of so many years ago. “And before long, I won’t be the only one with the ability to cross through time.”
The wicked laugh of a man lost echoed through the shadows of two worlds.
________________________________________________ ____________________________________
The school was, as was expected, in an uproar over the news of the minister. The dementors were not as much of a concern, although some of the 5th, 6th, and 7th years shuddered with the memory of their presence at the school four years ago, and others worriedly pondered the whereabouts of several escaped prisoners. However, the panic was had noticeably ebbed by early November, and moods were considerably improved amongst those in the Advanced DADA class once Mr. A began intensive lessons on the Patronus charm.
“Well, what do you think?” Mr. A asked skeptically, a thick brow raised at a sheepish looking, well-built wizard. “Is a date with Glinda Electra on your new fire-powered Ducati really that strong enough of a visual for you to conjure up a proper patronus?”
The boy shrugged, a bashful smile creeping across his handsome face. “Maybe not, but it was fun to think about.” The room giggled, and Mr. A’s eyes twinkled humorously.
“Be that as it may, you need to dig a little deeper. And I want a set of good memories, not mammaries. Somehow, I find it hard to believe this event actually happened to you, but I could be wrong. It’s happened before. Now, Harry! How’s it going over there?”
Mr. A strode over to the center of the room, where Harry and Hermione stood before a large trunk of miscellaneous objects, a water pitcher and bowl of chocolate ready on the table beside him. After the class had gotten the general gist of the Patronus charm, Mr. A had entrusted the running of the class to Harry (alongside Ron and Hermione), while going over meditation exercises and readings with Kagome in his office. She, herself, was pouring over a large essay on several difficult sutras and their potency, while Mr. A had emerged from his office to check up on the class’s progress.
Harry was doing an applaudable job as student teacher, and his classmates were learning at a pace steady enough so that each student could have about three tries with a transfigured dementor. He worked exceptionally well with Ron and Hermione, with whom he and Mr. A had been working on the Patronus charm for a while before. Hermione stood over the junk-trunk, and performed the extremely advanced task of transfiguring each one into a dementor, while Ron stood guard, ready with willing (and quivering) num-chucks in case a student freaked out in the face of the foul creature.
“Not bad, Mr. A.” Harry smiled, cracking his neck. “Everybody seems to have a few good memories.”
Mr. A nodded. “Everybody does. Alright, we still gotta few more minutes, but I think yooz guys have worked hard enough so that you can take off a bit early today, okay?” Thankful murmurs rippled throughout the room, as students scrambled for their things and took off, leaving Harry, Ron, and Hermione alone in the room with Mr. A.
“So,” Ron said, looking around the room at nothing in particular. “How’s Kags doing?”
“I’m done!” Kagome’s cheerful voice tinkled through the doorway to the office. “I’ve memorized these four sutras...I’m going to try the rest for homework.” Harry smiled at her satisfied expression as she stuffed her books and papers into the ruddy, yellow rucksack at her side.
“Good. Did you work on that protective barrier?” Mr. A asked.
Kagome nodded. “Yeah...but it’s kind of...hard. I’m going to need to work on that a little more.”
“Yeah, be sure to do that. It’s your job to protect the jewel, and now that it’s joined with your blood, you’ll need that spell. I know I’m repeating myself, but I don’t want you letting your guard down.”
“Keh. Damn wench never puts any guard up, that’s the problem.” Inu-Yasha sauntered into the room to Kagome’s side. “She didn’t have me around, she couldn’t last a day.”
Kagome huffed. “Oh, really? I’ll have you know I lasted perfectly fine those 6 months without you.”
“Yeah, yeah...right in the cushy comfort of your own home. Big deal!” Inu-Yasha rolled his eyes.
“Where have you been, Inu-Yasha?” Hermione asked, sitting down on the top of the trunk. “We haven’t seen you since you took off yesterday afternoon.”
Ron frowned. “Yeah, you did that a few weeks ago, too...where do you go off on your own? You’ve done it at least once every month...you don’t even show up in the boys dorm to sleep. Or, lounge...whatever you do on that window sill.”
“I don’t owe you any answers! Quit pryin’, will you? It’s none of your business.” Inu-Yasha scoffed sorely, quickly avoiding the subject. Ron, having grown up with many brothers of his own, sensed that he had somewhere struck gold in finding a sensitive spot on Inu-Yasha, and couldn’t resist the urge to goad him further.
“What’s a matter, Inu-Yasha? Is there something you’re...trying to hide from us?”
Inu-Yasha gave a slight start and recoiled. “I...I don’t know what you’re talking about! Now lay off!”
Harry found this too much to hold back from, and joined Ron. “I understand. Ron, let’s not antagonize him any further. It’s obviously something of a more, ‘personal’‘ nature. But, Inu-Yasha, I just want you to know that you don’t have to hide it from us! Taking a fancy to wearing female undergarments is nothing to be ashamed of. Why, I have a slightly large cousin who secretly buys plus-size–“
“Wh-WHAT? WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU INSINUATING?!”
Ron barely concealed a smirk. “Ah–of course. We’ll keep hush-hush about it for you, but if you’re going to steal Kagome’s panties, do learn to be a bit more discreet about it! She might catch on.” Kagome’s cheeks flushed bright crimson, and it was all she and Hermione could do not to burst out in an uncontrollable fit of giggles, as the ashen-faced hanyou flailed his arms about, tossing his wig askew and nearly exploding with denial.
“J-JUST...SHUT THE HELL UP! THE NEW MOON’S GOT NOTHIN’ TO DO WITH KAGOME’S PANTIES!”
Ron gasped. “But–no! You wouldn’t stoop...not...Professor McGonagall’s?” Ron’s expression of utter and sincere horror was enough to break the group’s self-control, and they released a resounding echo of laughter, as Inu-Yasha wrinkled his nose in disbelief. Mr. A simply shook his head and waved the group away, locking himself in his office once more.
After the hysterics had died down, the five left the DADA classroom, the remnants of their merriment still fresh on their smiling faces. “But seriously, Inu-Yasha,” Hermione said finally. “Where do you go? What’s it have to do with the new moon?”
Inu-Yasha held up his sullen face, jaw locked and eyes set straight ahead. Kagome looked at him, and then at Hermione. “It’s nothing, really, Hermione. Inu-Yasha just doesn’t want to talk about it.”
Ron snickered. “New moon, eh? So, since you’re kind of like a werewolf right now, does that mean you go human?” He never even saw it coming as Inu-Yasha grabbed his collar, and leaned his face in menacingly close to his.
“Call me a wolf one more time.”
The danger in his words promptly silenced Ron, and Inu-Yasha set him down rigidly. The group continued, and Ron leaned over to whisper to Harry. “Do you think he was madder about the wolf- or the human-part?”
“I CAN STILL HEAR YOU!”
_________________________________________ _____________________________
Heh. That’s all for now! :D Kapitan Nemo
RECAP: Harry frowned. “What’s he talking about? What human? Did someone die?”
Ron looked at him, eyes the shape of saucers. “It was just on the news–this morning, the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, was murdered!”
Chapter 11
Harry dropped his jaw in shock. “Murdered?! Fudge? How?!”
Hermione bit her lip. “They don’t know exactly. There wasn’t a mark on him when he was discovered–they thought it might have been the killing curse, but...”
“...but what?” Kagome asked fearfully.
“...They found him when he was still breathing.” Harry and Kagome looked at Hermione incredulously.
“What do you mean? Still breathing–if there wasn’t a mark on him, why did he–“
“The dementors.” Harry cut Kagome off, and she stared at him, horrific realization dawning on her face.
“You can’t mean...” Kagome shuddered, subconsciously leaning into the half demon at her side.
“When Barty Crouch was kissed by the dementors, his body was still functional, but he couldn’t think, or feel, or do much of anything. Not without his soul. Without the soul, the body has–“
“–No reason to live.” Inu-Yasha finished Harry’s sentence for him. “That’s how you were, Kagome, when Urasue revived Kikyou. You were just...breathing, your eyes were all clouded over and glassy...you couldn’t move on your own.” The group collectively shuddered as the weighty reality of the situation began to sink in.
“So...the minister, he...just lost the will to live? Why? Why would the dementors take his soul–what would Nara–argh!! Voldemort gain in killing him? Wouldn’t that other unforgivable curse---the Imperius, I think?–help him more?” Kagome asked.
“I don’t know...” Harry muttered, running through the myriad of thoughts racing through his mind. Suddenly, his brain flickered on a thought that made him sick to his stomach. “Unless...no. Oh, God.”
“What?” Hermione asked, worry lines wrinkling her brow.
“Dumbledore left earlier today.” Harry began shaking his head, fearing the worst for the man he cared for so much.
“You don’t think...he’d try and...do anything to Dumbledore, do you, Harry? He can’t...Dumbledore’s the one person V...Vollldemort fears the most!” Ron said, his panic rising higher than Harry’s.
“He might. I wouldn’t put it past him...”
“No. Naraku doesn’t work that way.” Inu-Yasha clucked his tongue irritably. “He’s the type that gets others to do his dirty work for him. If he was going to kill the old man, he wouldn’t waste time doing away with that other guy. This Dumbledore, he’s pretty powerful, right?” Inu-Yasha was met with fervent nods among Harry, Ron, and Hermione. “Well, then I’d guess that if he’s so damn scared of him, he sees him as the one obstacle that lies between him and the jewel.” Inu-Yasha’s eyes rested on Kagome, as the other three followed suit. She shifted uncomfortably. “Well, if that bastard thinks he’s gonna get his hands on her, he’s got another thing coming. He seems to have forgotten a few necessary details.” Inu-Yasha smirked, running his clawed fingers down the hilt of his Tetsusaiga.
“Inu-Yasha, Naraku’s different now...” Kagome said, her voice slightly quivering.
“Yeah? He’s human. That makes him even easier to take down.”
“No, Inu-Yasha...he’s a wizard. His form has been altered so many times, that it’s completely warped with evil. Onigumo is barely visible beneath his exterior, now. And he’s got followers, too...loads more than before.”
“Like I said, human, bitch. Piece of cake.” Inu-Yasha sneered arrogantly, and began to walk away, bloodlust in his eyes. “Now, if you don’t mind, I’m gonna get this crap offa me and go practice. Hunt something. I’m bored, and this stupid hair thing is makin’ my ears itch.” With a very dog-like shake of his head, Inu-Yasha took off in the direction of the Forbidden Forest.
“Inu-Yasha...” Kagome sighed. “He just doesn’t understand.”
“Hey, Kagome, why do you let him call you ‘bitch’ all the time?” Ron asked suddenly, frowning in mild disgust.
Kagome looked at him, confused for a moment. “Oh! Haha, I’ve gotten so used to it...he doesn’t say it to be mean, it’s just a dog-demon thing. You know, if I were a female dog...?”
“There you are!” The four looked over, as Mr. A called to them from the colonnade, hustling over to them in a warm, November sweater. “We need to talk, and I don’t mean later. Come, let’s go to my office----say, where’s that dog a-yaz?” He looked suspiciously around Kagome.
“He went for a run.” She said, almost apologetically. Mr. A’s expression was less-than-pleased.
“Hm...I don’t want him leaving you alone anymore. At all. Since you’re with these three, you should be okay, but I’d feel a whole lot better if I knew he was keepin’ a constant watch on you.”
“I am, old man!” From far off in the distance, the exasperate d snarl of an eavesdropping hanyou was barely audible. “I’ve got sharp senses, so lay off!”
Mr. A made a face and rolled his eyes, gesturing the others to follow him inside the school. They followed the familiar, winding path that led to the DADA classroom, where Mr. A opened what looked to be the door of a janitorial closet (had Hogwarts any necessity for janitors) to a deceptively spacious office room.
He sat down on a steel chair, behind a particularly cluttered desk, and swiftly conjured four wooden stools for his students, who promptly took them before the desk.
“Now,” he began in a very curt tone. “I’m sure yaz all’ve probably heard about the minister. And there’s been an incident at Azkaban, as well–“
“We know about the dementors, Mr. A,” Harry cut him short.
Mr. A looked at him. “Good, good. Then am I right in assuming that you’ve already put two and two together?”
“If two and two equals four, then, yes, you’d be correct.”
Mr. A sighed. “Well, as you can tell, this is an incredibly grave situation. Voldemort is one thing–“ He paid no heed as two of the room’s occupants involuntarily flinched– “but dementors are quite another. I know I’ve had you practice with them over and over again, and you’ve made an impressive amount of progress, but I’m afraid ‘impressive’ isn’t gonna cut it. You three are gonna need to practice your Patronus charms with more dedication than anything else. It wouldn’t hurt for you to learn it, either,” Mr. A looked at Kagome. “But unfortunately, I don’t think you’re gonna have the time. Harry, from now on, I would like for you to use any spare time you have, and help these two with their Patronuses. After the exam on Magical Weaponry, I’m gonna have you three help me out in teaching the other students how to perfect the Patronus charm. We’re gonna need all the help we can get, if Voldemort’s plan is what I think it is.
“You and I, on the other hand, are gonna have to develop your spiritual power as quickly and as fully as possible.” Kagome looked up, and nodded. “You’re gonna need it to perform the spell to reverse the barrier. Because your blood contains the jewel, and it was your blood that opened the portal in the first place, you’re the only person who can undo the portal, but if you aren’t strong enough, you’ll die from the effort. The portal is intense black magic, and if Voldemort gets a hold of enough of your blood and youkai come through, it will be as if Hell itself were literally breaking loose.” The intensity of Mr. A’s gaze was enough to snap everyone’s attention to his voice. He continued to speak.
“Well, if you aren’t aware of it by now, Professor Dumbledore has left the building. He was Fudge’s second-in-command, and no doubt Voldemort expected him to assume his responsibilities after Fudge was out of the picture. Now, Professor Dumbledore is not at all happy about havin’ to leave Hogwarts, nor does he plan to remain out of this building for too many extended periods of time. However, he is responsible for easing the panic in the wizarding world, and he left a good witch in charge. I’m not sure if any a-yooz guys are aware of just how powerful Professor McGonagall is, but let me assure you, yaz all’re in good hands.
“On top of that, I have been assigned to handle all security matters. In a few hours, I’m expecting a few friends from the DABC for back-up. And, rash and crude though he may be, we are lucky to have quite the guard dog on our side.” Mr. A smiled slightly at Kagome’s softening expression. “So. I felt responsible for letting you four know what’s going on, and you can relay the news to Inu-Yasha later, if he isn’t listening in already. But I strongly suggest you guard this information wisely; not only do we not want any unnecessary panic, but it’s in our best interests that our business remains our business. There are a few too many unsavory listeners in this building, and I don’t wanna take any chances.” Raising his eyebrows, Mr. A stood from his chair and flicked the door open.
“Thank you, Mr. A.” Kagome smiled warmly at the teacher for whom she had steadily developed a large amount of respect. “We’ll heed your warnings, and I’ll get to work on...ah, thinking pure thoughts, I guess?”
Mr. A laughed a little as the four strode out of his room. “No doubt you do that already, Kagome. We’ll talk about practicing a little later, I’ll get back to you on that in class. Right now, I’ve got some things to do, but, yooz all take good care a-yaselves, y’hear?” Mr. A looked expectantly at the four nodding faces. “Good. Now, if that’s all----“
“Um, Professor?” Hermione looked up at Mr. A with large, chocolate eyes that would put Bambi to shame.
“Yes, Hermione?” Mr. A frowned, wondering if she was taking this influx of frighteningly bad news as bad as her eyes told him.
She gulped and bit her lip, perspiration lightly moistening her brow. “About the exam...will there be any essays, or is it truly all presentation?”
______________________________ _______________________________________________________
No decent witch or wizard had dared set foot near the shady bar in downtown Hogsmeade before the night of the Fireworks, and ever since, the powerful aura it emanated completely repulsed those who might have considered simply walking past it. So it came to Voldemort as no surprise when he disapparated into the eerie room, that the shop, and the area surrounding it, was completely and utterly deserted.
“Ku, ku, ku...” He chuckled arrogantly, and strutted to the face of the closed portal. “Little wizard thinks he can block the power of nearly half a millennium?” He closed his eyes, gauging the level of magic Harry had used to seal the portal. With a sudden whipping movement, he took out the silver dagger he nearly used to end Kagome’s life, and cut a thin line across his palm. “Soon, my lovely little miko, we will be united in more ways than one.”
Voldemort placed his hand at the center of the seal, and allowed the blood to smear across it. As he began to recite a black sutra, the blood glowed, and began to crackle. As the volume of his voice increased, the seal cracked, groaning almost painfully under the pressure of his dark magic.
Finally, the seal exploded, and a shower of red light fell like floating feathers to the floor of the bar.
“Heh.” Voldemort sneered, passing his long, boney fingers through the gaping hole, into the crisp fall air of the untainted forest of so many years ago. “And before long, I won’t be the only one with the ability to cross through time.”
The wicked laugh of a man lost echoed through the shadows of two worlds.
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The school was, as was expected, in an uproar over the news of the minister. The dementors were not as much of a concern, although some of the 5th, 6th, and 7th years shuddered with the memory of their presence at the school four years ago, and others worriedly pondered the whereabouts of several escaped prisoners. However, the panic was had noticeably ebbed by early November, and moods were considerably improved amongst those in the Advanced DADA class once Mr. A began intensive lessons on the Patronus charm.
“Well, what do you think?” Mr. A asked skeptically, a thick brow raised at a sheepish looking, well-built wizard. “Is a date with Glinda Electra on your new fire-powered Ducati really that strong enough of a visual for you to conjure up a proper patronus?”
The boy shrugged, a bashful smile creeping across his handsome face. “Maybe not, but it was fun to think about.” The room giggled, and Mr. A’s eyes twinkled humorously.
“Be that as it may, you need to dig a little deeper. And I want a set of good memories, not mammaries. Somehow, I find it hard to believe this event actually happened to you, but I could be wrong. It’s happened before. Now, Harry! How’s it going over there?”
Mr. A strode over to the center of the room, where Harry and Hermione stood before a large trunk of miscellaneous objects, a water pitcher and bowl of chocolate ready on the table beside him. After the class had gotten the general gist of the Patronus charm, Mr. A had entrusted the running of the class to Harry (alongside Ron and Hermione), while going over meditation exercises and readings with Kagome in his office. She, herself, was pouring over a large essay on several difficult sutras and their potency, while Mr. A had emerged from his office to check up on the class’s progress.
Harry was doing an applaudable job as student teacher, and his classmates were learning at a pace steady enough so that each student could have about three tries with a transfigured dementor. He worked exceptionally well with Ron and Hermione, with whom he and Mr. A had been working on the Patronus charm for a while before. Hermione stood over the junk-trunk, and performed the extremely advanced task of transfiguring each one into a dementor, while Ron stood guard, ready with willing (and quivering) num-chucks in case a student freaked out in the face of the foul creature.
“Not bad, Mr. A.” Harry smiled, cracking his neck. “Everybody seems to have a few good memories.”
Mr. A nodded. “Everybody does. Alright, we still gotta few more minutes, but I think yooz guys have worked hard enough so that you can take off a bit early today, okay?” Thankful murmurs rippled throughout the room, as students scrambled for their things and took off, leaving Harry, Ron, and Hermione alone in the room with Mr. A.
“So,” Ron said, looking around the room at nothing in particular. “How’s Kags doing?”
“I’m done!” Kagome’s cheerful voice tinkled through the doorway to the office. “I’ve memorized these four sutras...I’m going to try the rest for homework.” Harry smiled at her satisfied expression as she stuffed her books and papers into the ruddy, yellow rucksack at her side.
“Good. Did you work on that protective barrier?” Mr. A asked.
Kagome nodded. “Yeah...but it’s kind of...hard. I’m going to need to work on that a little more.”
“Yeah, be sure to do that. It’s your job to protect the jewel, and now that it’s joined with your blood, you’ll need that spell. I know I’m repeating myself, but I don’t want you letting your guard down.”
“Keh. Damn wench never puts any guard up, that’s the problem.” Inu-Yasha sauntered into the room to Kagome’s side. “She didn’t have me around, she couldn’t last a day.”
Kagome huffed. “Oh, really? I’ll have you know I lasted perfectly fine those 6 months without you.”
“Yeah, yeah...right in the cushy comfort of your own home. Big deal!” Inu-Yasha rolled his eyes.
“Where have you been, Inu-Yasha?” Hermione asked, sitting down on the top of the trunk. “We haven’t seen you since you took off yesterday afternoon.”
Ron frowned. “Yeah, you did that a few weeks ago, too...where do you go off on your own? You’ve done it at least once every month...you don’t even show up in the boys dorm to sleep. Or, lounge...whatever you do on that window sill.”
“I don’t owe you any answers! Quit pryin’, will you? It’s none of your business.” Inu-Yasha scoffed sorely, quickly avoiding the subject. Ron, having grown up with many brothers of his own, sensed that he had somewhere struck gold in finding a sensitive spot on Inu-Yasha, and couldn’t resist the urge to goad him further.
“What’s a matter, Inu-Yasha? Is there something you’re...trying to hide from us?”
Inu-Yasha gave a slight start and recoiled. “I...I don’t know what you’re talking about! Now lay off!”
Harry found this too much to hold back from, and joined Ron. “I understand. Ron, let’s not antagonize him any further. It’s obviously something of a more, ‘personal’‘ nature. But, Inu-Yasha, I just want you to know that you don’t have to hide it from us! Taking a fancy to wearing female undergarments is nothing to be ashamed of. Why, I have a slightly large cousin who secretly buys plus-size–“
“Wh-WHAT? WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU INSINUATING?!”
Ron barely concealed a smirk. “Ah–of course. We’ll keep hush-hush about it for you, but if you’re going to steal Kagome’s panties, do learn to be a bit more discreet about it! She might catch on.” Kagome’s cheeks flushed bright crimson, and it was all she and Hermione could do not to burst out in an uncontrollable fit of giggles, as the ashen-faced hanyou flailed his arms about, tossing his wig askew and nearly exploding with denial.
“J-JUST...SHUT THE HELL UP! THE NEW MOON’S GOT NOTHIN’ TO DO WITH KAGOME’S PANTIES!”
Ron gasped. “But–no! You wouldn’t stoop...not...Professor McGonagall’s?” Ron’s expression of utter and sincere horror was enough to break the group’s self-control, and they released a resounding echo of laughter, as Inu-Yasha wrinkled his nose in disbelief. Mr. A simply shook his head and waved the group away, locking himself in his office once more.
After the hysterics had died down, the five left the DADA classroom, the remnants of their merriment still fresh on their smiling faces. “But seriously, Inu-Yasha,” Hermione said finally. “Where do you go? What’s it have to do with the new moon?”
Inu-Yasha held up his sullen face, jaw locked and eyes set straight ahead. Kagome looked at him, and then at Hermione. “It’s nothing, really, Hermione. Inu-Yasha just doesn’t want to talk about it.”
Ron snickered. “New moon, eh? So, since you’re kind of like a werewolf right now, does that mean you go human?” He never even saw it coming as Inu-Yasha grabbed his collar, and leaned his face in menacingly close to his.
“Call me a wolf one more time.”
The danger in his words promptly silenced Ron, and Inu-Yasha set him down rigidly. The group continued, and Ron leaned over to whisper to Harry. “Do you think he was madder about the wolf- or the human-part?”
“I CAN STILL HEAR YOU!”
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Heh. That’s all for now! :D Kapitan Nemo