Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Spirit Magic ❯ Chapter: 7 ( Chapter 7 )

 

Maybe he's one of those that can sleep with their eyes open, Amber thought as she watched him.

 

Kurama looked up from his book, “Change where?”

 

“The bathrooms or the compartments, I'll head to the bathroom and leave the compartment for you guys,” Amber replied. She nudged Kuwabara with her foot and when he didn't respond she kicked him harder, though it was hard to kick someone leaning on your legs. Finally she just stood up and he promptly fell over.

 

“Owh, what happened? Are we there?” he asked sitting back up and looking sleepily about the compartment.

 

“We're almost there, but we need to change before we get there,” Amber informed him as she left the compartment.

 

“Oh,” Kuwabara mumbled.

 

It didn't take the guys long to dress once they woke Yusuke up, though only one could change at a time considering the lack of space. Finally they were all in their black robes and school clothes at about the same time the train started slowing down. Yusuke and Kuwabara crowded around the window, ignoring Hiei's threats and stared in awh as they came around a bend. There stretching out into the mist was a vast black lake.

 

The trained slowed some more before finally coming to a complete stop and about at the same time their compartment door opened and Amber smiled in at them.

 

“Come on we're here,” she said excitedly.

 

They followed her a little more wary about the whole idea. All they had seen was a big vast lake, unless Hogwarts was a lake or a building under the lake they hadn't seen it. Maybe it was invisible or the mist was just hiding it either way they were still skeptical.

 

They were all interested to know what it looked like. Kurama, having read and paid attention, knew that Hogwarts was a very old castle with many mysteries, and had the best idea of what it would look like. Yusuke and Kuwabara were still stuck on what a hog with warts would look like and why a school would be called that, and Hiei really only cared so he could learn the lay out, the defenses, strong holds and weak points of it.

 

As they exited the train they were startled by a big booming voice, “First years! First years over by the boats! First years!”

 

“That's Hagrid, the grounds keeper, we better go to him to see where you guys go,” Amber said as she pushed her way through the crowd over to a big brute of a man. A bushy mass of tangled brown hair fell to the man's shoulder and covered the lover half of his face as beady black eyes smiled out at them.

 

“Hagrid!” Amber called above the noise of the excited first years. The big man turned towards them and exclaimed happily, “There you are! Come on you four in a boat as well.”

 

“I guess this is where we split up,” Amber said with a wave good bye as she headed towards the mass of older students gathering near carriages.

 

“What are those!?” Yusuke and Kurama turned to look at what Kuwabara was pointing at. In front of the carriages were the strangest horses they had ever seen. The horses were black as night with ridged gargoyle looking wings coming out of their backs and they were so skinny their bones poked out in all directions.

 

“You can see the thestral,” Hagrid said surprised as he looked at the group.

 

“Who can't?” asked Kuwabara shuddering.

 

“Anyone who hasn't seen someone die,” Hagrid replied grimly looking at Kuwabara.

 

Kurama decided it was time to get in a boat and hurried the others over to a free boat. Once all of the first years were there, Hagrid ordered the shove off and the boats started to float across the lake of their own accord. As they broke through the mist on the other side there was a collective gasp from the first years, and Kuwabara and Yusuke stared in surprise their jaws swinging loosely. Even Kurama and Hiei were surprised at the sight of the castle all-light up from the inside with the moon lighting up the walls and casting long shadows about the grounds.

 

The boats slid easily up onto shore and the four climbed out of the boat and followed the first years behind Hagrid up to the castle. Whispering had started up among the first years again, but Yusuke, Kurama, Hiei, and Kuwabara all keep to themselves and the first years seemed content with the separation as well. Some would look at them funnily then turn to whisper something to their neighbor occasionally laughing or looking even more puzzled.

 

They entered into a large room and were meat by a sharp eyed, sharp-featured witch took them from Hagrid who hurried off to do something. The witch looked over the first years carefully like sizing them up, and finally her eyes swept to them. She studied them for a second before motioning the group to follow her. She led them to a set of large double doors before turning to them again.

 

“To you,” she looked over the students, “I am Mrs. McGonagall and when I open theses doors I expect you to walk in their single file and stand there till I call your name after which you will be sorted into your house. Once you are sorted you are to go to you assigned house. Am I understood?”

 

No one moved let alone complained, “Good I will be right back.” She disappeared behind the doors leaving the students to relax and breath.

 

“Houses?” Kuwabara and Yusuke asked looking at Kurama. Hiei even turned to look at Kurama.

 

“There are four houses; Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff,” Kurama supplied.

 

“What if we don't get in the same house?” Yusuke asked the question that was on all their minds.

 

Kurama didn't have an answer for this. So instead he decided to remind them of why they were there. “Being put in different houses might actually help us to find out more information than just being in the same house.”

 

“I hope I get put in Gryffindor,” said one excited boy this was followed by a few more while others added that they preferred one of the other houses.

 

An excited girl with dreamy eyes added, “Harry Potter is in Gryffindor.”

 

“Yeah all the best wizards and witches come from Gryffindor,” a more out spoken boy added. This was the start of a very big argument with every house being argued the best by a number of students. The gang stayed out of it and off to the side.

 

“At least now we know where that Harry Potter guy is,” Yusuke said as he watched the same boy that had proclaimed Gryffindor to be the best start to argued with a boy that said Slytherin was the best.

 

The door opened and a hush fell over the group of first years. Mrs. McGonagall motioned for Yusuke, Kurama, Kuwabara, and Hiei to come over.

 

“You four are first, followed by the first years, I will call your names and you will come up to the front and I will put the sorting hat on you. Once you know your house please go take your seat at it,” her attempt at Japanese made them all cringed.

 

“We speak English,” Kurama replied, though anyone could here his foreign accent he at least made better since than what she had. Only the fact that they could easily guess at what she was saying were they able to figure out what she had said.

 

“Oh good” she replied, thankfully it was now in English.

 

“Okay line up behind these boys and follow me,” once everyone was half way in a line she headed through the doors followed by Yusuke, Kuwabara, Kurama, Hiei, and the rest of the first years.

 

She stopped them when everyone was in the hall and headed up to the front where a single wooden chair sat with a floppy black hat on it. The hat suddenly jerked awake and began to sing, it's wrinkly folds forming what looked like a mouth and eyes.

 

 

Oh you may not think me pretty,

But don't judge on what you see,

I'll eat myself if you can find

A smarter hat than me.

 

You can keep your bowlers black,

Your top hats sleek and tall,

For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat,

And I can cap them all

.

There's nothing hidden in your head

The Sorting Hat can't see,

So try me on and I will tell you

Where you ought to be.

 

You might belong in Gryffindor,

There dwell the brave at heart,

Their daring, nerve, and chivalry

Set Gryffindors apart;

 

You might belong in Hufflepuff,

Where they are just and loyal,

Those patient Hufflepuffs are true

And unafraid of toil;

 

Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,

If you've a ready mind,

Where those of wit and learning,

Will always find their kind;

 

Or perhaps in Slytherin

You'll make your real friends,

Those cunning folks use any means

To achieve their ends.

 

So put me on! Don't be afraid!

And don't get in a flap!

You're in safe hands (though I have none)

For I'm a Thinking Cap!

 

At the end of the song the hat fell back into a hip on the chair. Kurama, Hiei, Yusuke, and Kuwabara along with all of the first years stared in wonder at the hat. They didn't get long to get over their shock, though before Mrs. McGonagall stepped up and unrolled a piece of parchment.

 

“Hiei Jagonshi”

 

Hiei glared at the last name, and Yusuke and Kuwabara snickered under their breaths. The rest of the student body turned towards their small group expectantly. Hiei grudgingly walked up to the chair all the while feeling out in the open and very venerable to attacks, which put him on edge. When Mrs. McGonagall went to put the hat on his head he considered killing her and fleeing, that is before he caught Kurama's pointed glare, and he resigned himself to see this whole mess through, for now.

 

He felt the hat jerk to life and grin as it was placed on his head. The rest of the great hall only heard murmurs, but Hiei could plainly hear the hat in his mind sorting through his thoughts.

 

“Such a dark past, so much anger and sadness, you hunger power do you not? Power you would find in Slytherin or would you prefer Gryffindor? Such loyalty to friends is rarely found and there is nothing you fear, save your sister.” The last part was said with a little bit of humor.

 

“Listen hat,” Hiei growled at it in his mind, “I could burn you to a crisp before you could yell for help.”

 

“Temper, temper, yes I think I know now, Gryffindor!” the hat called out the rest of the room before Hiei could even finish his threat.

 

The hat was taken off and Hiei noticed a table with a red and gold banner with a lion on it start to apploud and decided this was the Gryffindor table. The Gryffindors cheered loudly for their new member, either not noticing or not caring that their newest member wasn't as cheerful. Hiei on the other hand was wondering how trust worthy the hat could be and if he should try to eliminate it at a latter date as he took his new seat at the Gryffindor table.

 

“Kazuma Kuwabara”

 

Kuwabara puffed out his chest and walked up to Mrs. McGonagall before taking his seat. Mrs. McGonagall frowned at his show and dropped the hat on his head. The hat quickly righted it's self scaring Kuwabara when it started to whisper in his ear.

 

“Oh, you are a brave one aren't you?” Kuwabara couldn't tell if it was being sarcastic or not so decide not to answer, which he wouldn't have had a chance for seeing that the hat continued anyway.

 

“Also very loyal to your friends, not the sharpest tool in the box, but you more than make up for it with your hard work and determination. Yes I know exactly where to put you.”

 

“Hufflepuff!” the hat called out loudly. Kuwabara now made his way to the table of clapping Huffelpuff's and took a seat next to a few that looked around his age.

 

“Shuichi Minamino”

 

It was now Kurama's turn to sit in the chair and have the hat placed on his head. Again the hat jerked awake and Kurama felt it sorting threw his thoughts.

 

“Quit the brains aren't we? You would fit nicely in Ravenclaw, and you would also fit in Slytherin.” Kurama for the first time in a while felt Yoko stir in his mind.

 

“Hmm, such a hard choice, you're as sly as a Slytherin, and as smart as a Ravenclaw…”

 

Kurama remembered what he had read about the Slytherin house in his research and had already decided he'd rather avoid it. Actually he had been hoping for Gryffindor or Ravenclaw.

 

“Ravenclaw!” the hat exclaimed startling Kurama out of his own thoughts.

 

Kurama slightly shaken made his way over to the cheering Ravenclaw's and took a seat, which was quickly surrounded by people all there to `congratulate' him. All of them, boys included were looking at him dreamily, but the boys left with slightly disgusted looks when it was cleared up that he was a guy.

 

“Yusuke Urameshi”

 

Finally it was Yusuke's turn and he walked up with a slight glare on his face from being called last, he thought he should have been called first. Taking his seat the hat was placed on his head and he was ready for the jerk as it awake after watching Hiei, Kuwabara, and Kurama go through the process. He wasn't, however, prepared for it when it spoke to him.

 

“Not as bright as a Ravenclaw, to lazy to be Hufflepuff, and you are a far cry from Slytherin, I dare say you are a Gryffindor!” the last word was shouted out and Yusuke joined Hiei at the Gryffindor table.

 

Now that they were all sorted Mrs. McGonagall went on to sort the first years.

 

“So you guys are exchange students right,” a guy with brown hair asked next to them.

 

Yusuke was the first to turn to him, which took a while because Yusuke was still holding a grudge about being called last and now had the hat's insults as well to pout over. The pour Gryffindor was starting to think that they didn't understand him when Yusuke finally replied.

 

“Yeah, what of it?” He wasn't in a good mood and he wasn't going to pretend he was.

 

“Just wondering,” the Gryffindor replied before turning back to his friends.

 

Soon a few of the first years joined the table and finally Yusuke looked up to find the last first year being sorted into Hufflepuff. After the last boy took his seat Dumbledore stood up and cleared his throat. Slowly the noise died down to only a few people whispering and then none.

 

“I'd like to welcome you all to a new year at Hogwarts, especially are exchange students who have come all the way from Japan to join us here,” the room broke into applause as Dumbledore started to clap followed quickly by the teachers and students.

 

“And also to our First years, who are joining us for the very first time,” Dumbledore added and applause followed this as well. After this Yusuke didn't pay to much attention instead he kicked Hiei under the table, which earned him a nasty glare.

 

“Hiei do you feel that?”

 

Hiei glared at him for a moment longer before closing his eyes and concentrating. Yusuke concentrated as well trying to pin point it. It was so slippery like trying to catch a bar of wet soap with wet hands, almost impossible. It had a shadowy feel to it, something dark, and it was above them!

 

Hiei and Yusuke opened their eyes at the same time and looked up, but unfortunately all they saw was a starry night which shocked both, seeing that they hadn't looked up before now.

 

“Strange,” Yusuke mumbled.

 

“I'll tell fox,” Hiei said before closing his eyes and Yusuke could see the faint green glow behind Hiei's white headband as his third eye opened.

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AN: I hope I surprised you with my sorting. Oh and there are a few more surprises I haven't gotten around to yet. The only thing stumping me is the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Any ideas?