Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone:
Ranma Style
By Paru-chan
Disclaimer: I do not own neither Harry Potter nor Ranma ½.
Prologue
Mr. And Mrs. Saotome of Saotome Dojo, who lived on number four on Peivit Drive, where proud to say, they were perfectly normal Anything Goes Martial artists, thank you very much. (As far as normal goes in Anything Goes) They were the last people you would think be involved with anything mystical and magical, even though there had been a couple demon haunts. And Genma was mixing up in some stupid training idea all the time. Okay, maybe the husband was a little odd, but never Nodoka. No, in the long run they were perfectly normal for Japan. Japan did have some strange goings on. You just need to look into Juuban, demo, I will not get into the mysterious Sailor Senshi.
Genma Saotome was the Sensei of the Saotome Dojo, with many honors in his work. He was a large beefy man, with hardly any neck, although he did have a lot of muscle. Nodoka was a thin pretty lady, with brown wavy hair, and long strong arms, which came in very useful as she spent so much of her time sword training, as the holder of the Saotome's clan katana. The Saotome's had a small son named Ranma and in their opinion there was no finer boy anywhere. Not that Genma would ever admit it.
The Saotomes had everything they wanted, but they also had a secret, and their greatest fear was that someone would discover it. They didn't think they could bear it if anyone found out about the Potters. Mrs. Yuri (Lily) Potter was Nodoka's sister, but they hadn't met in several years; in fact, she would pretend she didn't have a sister, because in her opinion, they were worse than that hentai Happosai, in their overall weirdness. They knew that the Potters had a young son, too, but had never seen him, and hoped to never ever see him. That was another good reason to keep the Potter clan away. That boy mixing in with their son, and who knows the kind of Awful influence that their poor Ranma would get. As heir to the Saotome Dojo, they had to keep Ranma as healthy and normal as could be.
The morning starts a beautiful Tuesday morning, nothing about the day to suggest something mysterious and mystical thing would soon be happening all over the world. Genma dug into him 'morning grub' with much gusto and Nodoka smiled at the man she married, as she wrestled Ranma into his high chair.
No one except Ranma, who shuddered, noticed a large tawny owl flutter past the window.
At half past eight, after a well needed sleep in, Genma put on his gi, put on his glasses, and waved at Nodoka, after landing a punch on Ranma's face, well deserved, because Ranma had just crushed his bowl into a little ball, and was throwing rice everywhere. "Oh, my Manly man," Nodoka chortled, waving her husband away, before taking out her katana and smacking Ranma on the head. Genma walked out, and jumped on the roof, jumping from one roof to the next. *Normally? ^^;;;* He directed himself toward the Dojo, and with a wry smile started jumping the ten miles to the Dojo.
It was on the corner of the first street that he noticed something peculiar--- A cat reading a map. For a second he didn't realize what he had seen, but then he froze, and jerked himself around to look again. That put him off balance, and he crashed into a chimney. Turning, he saw a tabby cat standing on the corner of Peivit drive, but not a map in sight. 'What's wrong with me this morning? I'll remember to ask if Nodoka put anything in the rice this morning.' Genma thought, blinking and staring at the cat. It stared back. Unnerved, he jumped another house away, still watching. Now it was reading the sign--- 'No, looking at the sign. Cats can't read maps or signs.' Genma shook his head, and using a special technique to wipe his mind, forgot about the cat. As he headed towards the Dojo, he thought of some of the new students that would be joining, and some of the newer Katas he thought up.
But on the edge of town the thoughts he had been concentrated on were driven out by something else. As he shooed some pigeons away on his travels, being the observant person he was, couldn't help but notice that there seemed to be a lot of oddly dressed people about. People in cloaks. Genma couldn't bear people that dressed in funny clothes --- Kimonos and school uniforms, (gi not included) where far enough thank you. Some of the things you see young people dressed up in! He gagged remembering some of the 'punk American' clothes he saw a couple weeks back, so this must just be some new fashion. He drummed his fingers on a shingle, his eyes falling on the group of weirdoes below him. Genma was enraged to see that some of them weren't young at all; why that man directly below him had to be older than him, and wearing an emerald-green cloak! The nerve of that baka! Then it struck Genma that it was probably some silly stunt ---- yes, these odd people were obviously collecting for something.. Yes, that would be it. Well they weren't getting any of his well-earned money! As the pigeons flew off, he started roof hopping again, and before he knew it he was at Saotome Dojo, concentrating on Katas again.
Genma was always very focused on his Katas, while he was teaching. If he weren't, he would have found it harder to teach that morning. He didn't see the owls swooping down in broad daylight, even though he accidentally took one down with a strike, it barely managing to get away. But his students and the people in the street did; they pointed, eyes like dinner plates and mouths gaping, as owl after owl sped overhead. Most of them hadn't even seen owls at nighttime. Genma, however in his mind, had a perfect owl free morning, though he wondered why he had to brush feathers off his gi, before deciding it was a prank from his students. He made a lot of improvements on his Katas, and shouted at the students who seemed to be in a bit of a daze, from what he had no idea. He was in a good mood until lunchtime, when his stomach made an important business call to his brain telling him to 'GO OUT AND EAT' in no uncertain terms. So he went out to see what he could steal, and what he couldn't ~sigh~ he would buy.
He had forgotten all about the people in cloaks, until he passed a group of them next to the bakers. He glared at the menacingly, they were going to make it harder to grab and go, plus they made him uneasy, for unknown reasons. This bunch seemed to be whispering excitedly, too, and he couldn't see a single collecting tin, even though he really didn't care. *liar liar* He snuck in, and when the baker wasn't looking, grabbed a donut from the glass container. It was rushing out, a large stolen donut in hand; that he caught a few words of what they were saying.
"The Potters, that's right, that's what I heard ----"
"---yes, their son, Harry ----"
Genma stopped dead. All of a sudden he had lost his appetite, as fear flooded him. He looked back at the whisperers as if he wanted to say something to them, but thought better of it. He wasn't good at talking anyway. 'Yeah, I'm not scared. Nooooo not the mighty Saotome.'
He dashed back across the road, hurried up to his small side office, chasing the students out, seized his old telephone, and had almost finished dialing his home phone number, when he changed his mind. Putting the receiver down, he plopped down on the small side pallet thinking. no, he was being stupid. Potter wasn't such an unusual name. 'Come to think of it, there are probably a lot of people called Potter with a son named Harry.' Genma wasn't even sure if his nephew was called Harry. He'd never seen the boy. It might have been Harvey. Or Harold. 'There is no point in worrying Nodoka, she would use that Katana of hers to cut me a new mouth if it was a false alarm.' She always got upset at any mention of her sister. He didn't blame her though; if he had a sister like that. but all the same, those people in cloaks.
He found it a lot harder to concentrate on Katas that afternoon, and when he left the building at five o'clock, he was so worried that he walked straight into someone just outside the door.
"Gomen," He grunted as the tiny old man stumbled and almost fell. It was a few seconds before Genma realized that the man was wearing a violet cloak. He didn't seem all that upset at almost being knocked to the ground. On the contrary, his face split into a wide smile and he said in a squeaky voice that made a passersby stare, "Don't be worried, my dear sir, for nothing could upset me today! Rejoice, for You-Know-Who is gone at last! Even Muggles like yourself should be celebrating, this happy, happy day!"
And the old man hugged Genma around the middle and walked off.
Genma stood rooted to the spot. He had been hugged by a complete stranger. He also thought he had been called a Muggle, whatever that was. He was rattled. He rushed to the rooftops, and set off for home, hoping he was imagining things, which he had never hoped before, because he didn't approve of imagination, it was to distracting to the Art.
As he landed in his driveway of number four, the first thing he saw- and it didn't improve his mood --- was the tabby cat he had spotted that morning. Techniques don't always work when you are face to face with what you forget. It was now sitting on Nodoka's garden wall. He was sure it was the same one; it had the same markings around the eyes.
"Scat Neko-baka! Before I kick you to Kingdom Kong!" said Genma rudely.
The cat didn't move. It just gave him a stern look. 'Is this normal cat behavior?' Genma pondered. After letting out one last growl, he stomped into the house. He was determined not to mention any of this to Nodoka, not to mention afraid to. One of the few things he was afraid of. His wife.
Nodoka had a nice normal day. She practiced with her katana, and over dinner told Genma, *In vain if you ask me* about Mrs. Next Door's problems with her daughter, and how nice it would be to have a strong willed daughter like that. Also how Ranma had learned a new word today, 'Won't' and how she was so proud that Ranma was becoming such a manly man. Genma tried to act normal though. After Ranma was put to bed, Genma walked into the living room to watch some TV The first thing that came on was the news, and he listened to the odd report, frozen, with dinner plate eyes.
"And finally, bird-watchers over the world have been reporting odd sightings of owls. In Japan especially, we have seen owls that we have never seen before, some that would have to fly over several countries and seas to reach there. Although owls normally hunt at night and are hardly ever seen in daylight, hundreds have been seen flying in plain daylight, flying every direction since sunrise. Experts are unable to explain why the owls have suddenly changed their sleeping patterns." The newscaster allowed himself a grin. "Most mysterious. And now over to McGuffina Jem with the weather. Going to be any more showers of owls tonight Jim?"
"Well, Teda," Said the weatherman. "I don't know about that, but it's not only the owls that have been acting oddly today. Viewers as far apart as Tokyo to Okinawa have been phoning in to tell me instead of the rain I promised yesterday, they have had a downpour of shooting stars! Perhaps people have been celebrating the Year of the Tiger early --- it's not until next week, folks! But I can promise a wet night tonight."
Genma sat frozen, oblivious to all around him. Shooting stars all over Japan? Owls flying by daylight? Mysterious people in cloaks all over the place? And a whisper, a whisper about the Potters.
Nodoka came into the living room carrying two cups of tea. It was no good. He'd have to say something to her. He cleared his throat nervously. "Er-Nodoka-chan ---- you haven't heard anything from your sister have you?"
As he expected, Nodoka look shocked and angry. Genma moved slightly away as she started fingering her katana. After all, they usually pretended she didn't have a sister.
"Iie," She said sharply. "Why?"
"Funny stuff on the new," Genma mumbled. "Owls.. Shooting stars. and there where a lot of funny people in town today."
"So?" snapped Nodoka, raising her katana slightly.
"Well, I just thought. maybe. it was something to do with.. You know. her crowd."
Setting the katana down carefully, Nodoka sipped her tea through pursed lips. Genma wondered if he dared tell her he heard the name 'Potter'. Looking down at the katana he decided he didn't dare. Instead, he said as casually as he could, "Their son-he'd be about Ranma's age now, wouldn't he?"
"I suppose so," Nodoka said stiffly, again fingering her katana.
"What's his name again? Howard, isn't it?"
"Harry. Nasty common name, if you ask me. Not even a proper Japanese title."
"Yes," Said Genma, his heart sinking horribly. "I agree."
He didn't say another word on the subject as the went upstairs to bed. While Nodoka cleaned up, Genma went to the window and peered down to the front garden. The cat was still there. It was staring down Peivit Drive though it was waiting for something.
He could only hope he had imagined the day. 'Could this all have something to do with the Potters?' If it did, it would be quite a struggle to convince Nodoka that Seppuku was not the way to regain her honor. She always did have these odd thoughts about honor.
As they lay in bed, Nodoka went to sleep quickly, and Genma lay there thinking for once **Which we all have to give him credit for** turning it all over in his head.
His last comforting though was even if the Potters where involved in all of this, they had no reason to come near him and the Saotome Dojo. He couldn't see how him and his family, and life could get mixed up in this, it couldn't ever affect them.
How very wrong he was.
~*~*~*~*~*
Genma may have finally drifted into an uneasy sleep, but the cat on the wall outside was showing no signs of sleepiness. It was sitting still as a statue, its eyes fixed unblinkingly on the far corner of Peivit Drive. It didn't so much as quiver when a car door slammed on the next street, nor when two owls swooped overhead. In fact, it was nearly midnight before the cat moved at all.
A man appeared on the corner the cat had been watching, appeared so suddenly and silently you'd have thought he'd just popped out of the ground. The cat's tail twitched and its eyes narrowed.
Nothing like the man had been seen on Peivit Drive. He was tall, thin, and ver old, judging by the silver of his hair and the beard, which were both long enough to tuck in his belt. He was wearing long robes, a purple cloak that swept to the ground, and high-heeled, buckled boots. His blue eyes were light, bright, and sparkling behind half-moon spectacles and his nose was very long and crooked, as though it had been broken at least twice. This man's name was Dumbledore Albus.
Dumbledore Albus didn't seem to realize he had just arrived in a street where everything from his name to his boots were unwelcome. He was busy rummaging in his cloak for something. But he did seem to realize he was being watched, because he looked up suddenly at the cat, which was still staring at him from the other end of the street. He chuckled and in English muttered, "I should have known."
He found what he was looking for in his inside pocket. It seemed to be a silver cigarette lighter. He flicked it open, held it up in the air, and clicked it. The nearest street lamp went out with a little pop. He clicked it again --- the next lamp flickered into darkness. Twelve times he clicked the Put-Outer, until the only lights left on the whole street were two tiny pinpricks of light in the distance, which were the two eyes of the cat watching him. If anyone looked out their window now, even the sharp- eyed Nodoka, they wouldn't be able to see anything that was happening down on the pavement. Dumbledore slipped the Put-Outer back inside his cloak and set off down the street towards number four, where he sat down on the wall next to the cat. He didn't look at it, but after a moment he spoke to it.
If anyone had been able to see the two, they would have seen the cat turn into a woman. She had a tight bun, and glasses that matched the pattern on the cats face. Overall, she looked every the part of a strict teacher, which in fact, she was. Her name was Professor McGonagell and she certainly wasn't approving of all these parties, many of them right in public and no one to stop them.
The two talked seriously and a bit arguing, after which the lady professor let out a sigh.
"Are you sure these people will take care of Harry? They don't seem like a nice type at all! The mother even had a sword!" Professor McGonagell delared unhappy about Harry's home arrangements.
"They are his only living relatives; there is no where else for him to go," Dumbledore replied. "Hagrid will be here with him in any minute now."
"Hagrid?!" McGonagell sputtered. ""Can you trust Hagrid with such an important deed?!"
"I'd trust Hagrid with my life," Dumbledore said solemnly, the seriousness of it broken by the twinkle in his eyes.
Hagrid did show up, on a large flying motercycle, and gave Dumbledore the sleeping baby, crying over having to give the baby up to those MUGGLES!
Dumbledore put both the baby and the letter on the porch, where they would be discovered by a shocked Nodoka.
~*~*~*~*~* Five years later ~*~*~*~*~*
Ranma woke up thirsty as heck, and went down the stairs carefully. As much as he liked picking on Heri, it wouldn't do him any good to wake up Kaa-san and Tou-san. He walked toward the kitchen, and seeing the light on, ducked behind a wall. It was then that he eavsedropped on a terrifying conversation.
"Nodoka, your babying is making him weak! He's looking as scrawny as that little runt we have to take care of! I need to take him off on a long training trip, if you ever want him to be a man among men!" Genma growled.
"I suppose you are right, Genma dear. Just the other day Heri beat him in a fight. We can't have that!" Nodoka said resigned.
"Then you pack his stuff, and I'll pack mine. We'll head out before dawn," Genma decided.
"Okay. And don't forget that pledge. A Man amond Men or......" she trailed off there.
Ranma stepped back frightened. He *liked* being babied by Kaa-san! And from what he heard, training trips HURT! He remembered distantly Genma coming in bruised and battered after a training trip with his friend Soun under their master.
He ran to the cupboard under the stairs. "Heri!" he whispered franticly. "Wake up Heri!"
Over the years both of them had grew, and they almost looked identical. Except for the different colored eyes, amd Heri's scar, they could be twins. His parents had even tried to make them look different by shaving Heri's head, but it had always grown back over night.
"What is it?" Heri said, poking his head out wearily.
"I have a deal for you. If you switch clothes with me, and sleep in my bed tonight, you'll get treated like me for the rest of you life!" Ranma declared.
Heri's eyes sparkled. Ranma always got better food and toys, and a real bed! That decided it for him. He traded clothes with Ranma and went up to Ranma's room, relishing the feel of the nice cotton sheets and bed. He fell alseep immediatly, and into a deep sleep at that.
He didn't feel it, when Genma, loaded with two packs, picked up Heri, and carried him out the door.
Genma was prepared. For ten year he would be on this training trip, and not once get into contact with Nodoka, so that the boy wouldn't be influenced by his mother again. He would make this boy the best martial artist ever, and a Man amond Men as well.
Heri, or Harry didn't know what was happening, as he slept oblivious, but the magic in Harry Potter did, and while he slept unaware, changed his eyes to blue, and hid his scar with a glamour. They would both reveal themself when the time was right.
Disclaimer: I do not own neither Harry Potter nor Ranma ½.
Prologue
Mr. And Mrs. Saotome of Saotome Dojo, who lived on number four on Peivit Drive, where proud to say, they were perfectly normal Anything Goes Martial artists, thank you very much. (As far as normal goes in Anything Goes) They were the last people you would think be involved with anything mystical and magical, even though there had been a couple demon haunts. And Genma was mixing up in some stupid training idea all the time. Okay, maybe the husband was a little odd, but never Nodoka. No, in the long run they were perfectly normal for Japan. Japan did have some strange goings on. You just need to look into Juuban, demo, I will not get into the mysterious Sailor Senshi.
Genma Saotome was the Sensei of the Saotome Dojo, with many honors in his work. He was a large beefy man, with hardly any neck, although he did have a lot of muscle. Nodoka was a thin pretty lady, with brown wavy hair, and long strong arms, which came in very useful as she spent so much of her time sword training, as the holder of the Saotome's clan katana. The Saotome's had a small son named Ranma and in their opinion there was no finer boy anywhere. Not that Genma would ever admit it.
The Saotomes had everything they wanted, but they also had a secret, and their greatest fear was that someone would discover it. They didn't think they could bear it if anyone found out about the Potters. Mrs. Yuri (Lily) Potter was Nodoka's sister, but they hadn't met in several years; in fact, she would pretend she didn't have a sister, because in her opinion, they were worse than that hentai Happosai, in their overall weirdness. They knew that the Potters had a young son, too, but had never seen him, and hoped to never ever see him. That was another good reason to keep the Potter clan away. That boy mixing in with their son, and who knows the kind of Awful influence that their poor Ranma would get. As heir to the Saotome Dojo, they had to keep Ranma as healthy and normal as could be.
The morning starts a beautiful Tuesday morning, nothing about the day to suggest something mysterious and mystical thing would soon be happening all over the world. Genma dug into him 'morning grub' with much gusto and Nodoka smiled at the man she married, as she wrestled Ranma into his high chair.
No one except Ranma, who shuddered, noticed a large tawny owl flutter past the window.
At half past eight, after a well needed sleep in, Genma put on his gi, put on his glasses, and waved at Nodoka, after landing a punch on Ranma's face, well deserved, because Ranma had just crushed his bowl into a little ball, and was throwing rice everywhere. "Oh, my Manly man," Nodoka chortled, waving her husband away, before taking out her katana and smacking Ranma on the head. Genma walked out, and jumped on the roof, jumping from one roof to the next. *Normally? ^^;;;* He directed himself toward the Dojo, and with a wry smile started jumping the ten miles to the Dojo.
It was on the corner of the first street that he noticed something peculiar--- A cat reading a map. For a second he didn't realize what he had seen, but then he froze, and jerked himself around to look again. That put him off balance, and he crashed into a chimney. Turning, he saw a tabby cat standing on the corner of Peivit drive, but not a map in sight. 'What's wrong with me this morning? I'll remember to ask if Nodoka put anything in the rice this morning.' Genma thought, blinking and staring at the cat. It stared back. Unnerved, he jumped another house away, still watching. Now it was reading the sign--- 'No, looking at the sign. Cats can't read maps or signs.' Genma shook his head, and using a special technique to wipe his mind, forgot about the cat. As he headed towards the Dojo, he thought of some of the new students that would be joining, and some of the newer Katas he thought up.
But on the edge of town the thoughts he had been concentrated on were driven out by something else. As he shooed some pigeons away on his travels, being the observant person he was, couldn't help but notice that there seemed to be a lot of oddly dressed people about. People in cloaks. Genma couldn't bear people that dressed in funny clothes --- Kimonos and school uniforms, (gi not included) where far enough thank you. Some of the things you see young people dressed up in! He gagged remembering some of the 'punk American' clothes he saw a couple weeks back, so this must just be some new fashion. He drummed his fingers on a shingle, his eyes falling on the group of weirdoes below him. Genma was enraged to see that some of them weren't young at all; why that man directly below him had to be older than him, and wearing an emerald-green cloak! The nerve of that baka! Then it struck Genma that it was probably some silly stunt ---- yes, these odd people were obviously collecting for something.. Yes, that would be it. Well they weren't getting any of his well-earned money! As the pigeons flew off, he started roof hopping again, and before he knew it he was at Saotome Dojo, concentrating on Katas again.
Genma was always very focused on his Katas, while he was teaching. If he weren't, he would have found it harder to teach that morning. He didn't see the owls swooping down in broad daylight, even though he accidentally took one down with a strike, it barely managing to get away. But his students and the people in the street did; they pointed, eyes like dinner plates and mouths gaping, as owl after owl sped overhead. Most of them hadn't even seen owls at nighttime. Genma, however in his mind, had a perfect owl free morning, though he wondered why he had to brush feathers off his gi, before deciding it was a prank from his students. He made a lot of improvements on his Katas, and shouted at the students who seemed to be in a bit of a daze, from what he had no idea. He was in a good mood until lunchtime, when his stomach made an important business call to his brain telling him to 'GO OUT AND EAT' in no uncertain terms. So he went out to see what he could steal, and what he couldn't ~sigh~ he would buy.
He had forgotten all about the people in cloaks, until he passed a group of them next to the bakers. He glared at the menacingly, they were going to make it harder to grab and go, plus they made him uneasy, for unknown reasons. This bunch seemed to be whispering excitedly, too, and he couldn't see a single collecting tin, even though he really didn't care. *liar liar* He snuck in, and when the baker wasn't looking, grabbed a donut from the glass container. It was rushing out, a large stolen donut in hand; that he caught a few words of what they were saying.
"The Potters, that's right, that's what I heard ----"
"---yes, their son, Harry ----"
Genma stopped dead. All of a sudden he had lost his appetite, as fear flooded him. He looked back at the whisperers as if he wanted to say something to them, but thought better of it. He wasn't good at talking anyway. 'Yeah, I'm not scared. Nooooo not the mighty Saotome.'
He dashed back across the road, hurried up to his small side office, chasing the students out, seized his old telephone, and had almost finished dialing his home phone number, when he changed his mind. Putting the receiver down, he plopped down on the small side pallet thinking. no, he was being stupid. Potter wasn't such an unusual name. 'Come to think of it, there are probably a lot of people called Potter with a son named Harry.' Genma wasn't even sure if his nephew was called Harry. He'd never seen the boy. It might have been Harvey. Or Harold. 'There is no point in worrying Nodoka, she would use that Katana of hers to cut me a new mouth if it was a false alarm.' She always got upset at any mention of her sister. He didn't blame her though; if he had a sister like that. but all the same, those people in cloaks.
He found it a lot harder to concentrate on Katas that afternoon, and when he left the building at five o'clock, he was so worried that he walked straight into someone just outside the door.
"Gomen," He grunted as the tiny old man stumbled and almost fell. It was a few seconds before Genma realized that the man was wearing a violet cloak. He didn't seem all that upset at almost being knocked to the ground. On the contrary, his face split into a wide smile and he said in a squeaky voice that made a passersby stare, "Don't be worried, my dear sir, for nothing could upset me today! Rejoice, for You-Know-Who is gone at last! Even Muggles like yourself should be celebrating, this happy, happy day!"
And the old man hugged Genma around the middle and walked off.
Genma stood rooted to the spot. He had been hugged by a complete stranger. He also thought he had been called a Muggle, whatever that was. He was rattled. He rushed to the rooftops, and set off for home, hoping he was imagining things, which he had never hoped before, because he didn't approve of imagination, it was to distracting to the Art.
As he landed in his driveway of number four, the first thing he saw- and it didn't improve his mood --- was the tabby cat he had spotted that morning. Techniques don't always work when you are face to face with what you forget. It was now sitting on Nodoka's garden wall. He was sure it was the same one; it had the same markings around the eyes.
"Scat Neko-baka! Before I kick you to Kingdom Kong!" said Genma rudely.
The cat didn't move. It just gave him a stern look. 'Is this normal cat behavior?' Genma pondered. After letting out one last growl, he stomped into the house. He was determined not to mention any of this to Nodoka, not to mention afraid to. One of the few things he was afraid of. His wife.
Nodoka had a nice normal day. She practiced with her katana, and over dinner told Genma, *In vain if you ask me* about Mrs. Next Door's problems with her daughter, and how nice it would be to have a strong willed daughter like that. Also how Ranma had learned a new word today, 'Won't' and how she was so proud that Ranma was becoming such a manly man. Genma tried to act normal though. After Ranma was put to bed, Genma walked into the living room to watch some TV The first thing that came on was the news, and he listened to the odd report, frozen, with dinner plate eyes.
"And finally, bird-watchers over the world have been reporting odd sightings of owls. In Japan especially, we have seen owls that we have never seen before, some that would have to fly over several countries and seas to reach there. Although owls normally hunt at night and are hardly ever seen in daylight, hundreds have been seen flying in plain daylight, flying every direction since sunrise. Experts are unable to explain why the owls have suddenly changed their sleeping patterns." The newscaster allowed himself a grin. "Most mysterious. And now over to McGuffina Jem with the weather. Going to be any more showers of owls tonight Jim?"
"Well, Teda," Said the weatherman. "I don't know about that, but it's not only the owls that have been acting oddly today. Viewers as far apart as Tokyo to Okinawa have been phoning in to tell me instead of the rain I promised yesterday, they have had a downpour of shooting stars! Perhaps people have been celebrating the Year of the Tiger early --- it's not until next week, folks! But I can promise a wet night tonight."
Genma sat frozen, oblivious to all around him. Shooting stars all over Japan? Owls flying by daylight? Mysterious people in cloaks all over the place? And a whisper, a whisper about the Potters.
Nodoka came into the living room carrying two cups of tea. It was no good. He'd have to say something to her. He cleared his throat nervously. "Er-Nodoka-chan ---- you haven't heard anything from your sister have you?"
As he expected, Nodoka look shocked and angry. Genma moved slightly away as she started fingering her katana. After all, they usually pretended she didn't have a sister.
"Iie," She said sharply. "Why?"
"Funny stuff on the new," Genma mumbled. "Owls.. Shooting stars. and there where a lot of funny people in town today."
"So?" snapped Nodoka, raising her katana slightly.
"Well, I just thought. maybe. it was something to do with.. You know. her crowd."
Setting the katana down carefully, Nodoka sipped her tea through pursed lips. Genma wondered if he dared tell her he heard the name 'Potter'. Looking down at the katana he decided he didn't dare. Instead, he said as casually as he could, "Their son-he'd be about Ranma's age now, wouldn't he?"
"I suppose so," Nodoka said stiffly, again fingering her katana.
"What's his name again? Howard, isn't it?"
"Harry. Nasty common name, if you ask me. Not even a proper Japanese title."
"Yes," Said Genma, his heart sinking horribly. "I agree."
He didn't say another word on the subject as the went upstairs to bed. While Nodoka cleaned up, Genma went to the window and peered down to the front garden. The cat was still there. It was staring down Peivit Drive though it was waiting for something.
He could only hope he had imagined the day. 'Could this all have something to do with the Potters?' If it did, it would be quite a struggle to convince Nodoka that Seppuku was not the way to regain her honor. She always did have these odd thoughts about honor.
As they lay in bed, Nodoka went to sleep quickly, and Genma lay there thinking for once **Which we all have to give him credit for** turning it all over in his head.
His last comforting though was even if the Potters where involved in all of this, they had no reason to come near him and the Saotome Dojo. He couldn't see how him and his family, and life could get mixed up in this, it couldn't ever affect them.
How very wrong he was.
~*~*~*~*~*
Genma may have finally drifted into an uneasy sleep, but the cat on the wall outside was showing no signs of sleepiness. It was sitting still as a statue, its eyes fixed unblinkingly on the far corner of Peivit Drive. It didn't so much as quiver when a car door slammed on the next street, nor when two owls swooped overhead. In fact, it was nearly midnight before the cat moved at all.
A man appeared on the corner the cat had been watching, appeared so suddenly and silently you'd have thought he'd just popped out of the ground. The cat's tail twitched and its eyes narrowed.
Nothing like the man had been seen on Peivit Drive. He was tall, thin, and ver old, judging by the silver of his hair and the beard, which were both long enough to tuck in his belt. He was wearing long robes, a purple cloak that swept to the ground, and high-heeled, buckled boots. His blue eyes were light, bright, and sparkling behind half-moon spectacles and his nose was very long and crooked, as though it had been broken at least twice. This man's name was Dumbledore Albus.
Dumbledore Albus didn't seem to realize he had just arrived in a street where everything from his name to his boots were unwelcome. He was busy rummaging in his cloak for something. But he did seem to realize he was being watched, because he looked up suddenly at the cat, which was still staring at him from the other end of the street. He chuckled and in English muttered, "I should have known."
He found what he was looking for in his inside pocket. It seemed to be a silver cigarette lighter. He flicked it open, held it up in the air, and clicked it. The nearest street lamp went out with a little pop. He clicked it again --- the next lamp flickered into darkness. Twelve times he clicked the Put-Outer, until the only lights left on the whole street were two tiny pinpricks of light in the distance, which were the two eyes of the cat watching him. If anyone looked out their window now, even the sharp- eyed Nodoka, they wouldn't be able to see anything that was happening down on the pavement. Dumbledore slipped the Put-Outer back inside his cloak and set off down the street towards number four, where he sat down on the wall next to the cat. He didn't look at it, but after a moment he spoke to it.
If anyone had been able to see the two, they would have seen the cat turn into a woman. She had a tight bun, and glasses that matched the pattern on the cats face. Overall, she looked every the part of a strict teacher, which in fact, she was. Her name was Professor McGonagell and she certainly wasn't approving of all these parties, many of them right in public and no one to stop them.
The two talked seriously and a bit arguing, after which the lady professor let out a sigh.
"Are you sure these people will take care of Harry? They don't seem like a nice type at all! The mother even had a sword!" Professor McGonagell delared unhappy about Harry's home arrangements.
"They are his only living relatives; there is no where else for him to go," Dumbledore replied. "Hagrid will be here with him in any minute now."
"Hagrid?!" McGonagell sputtered. ""Can you trust Hagrid with such an important deed?!"
"I'd trust Hagrid with my life," Dumbledore said solemnly, the seriousness of it broken by the twinkle in his eyes.
Hagrid did show up, on a large flying motercycle, and gave Dumbledore the sleeping baby, crying over having to give the baby up to those MUGGLES!
Dumbledore put both the baby and the letter on the porch, where they would be discovered by a shocked Nodoka.
~*~*~*~*~* Five years later ~*~*~*~*~*
Ranma woke up thirsty as heck, and went down the stairs carefully. As much as he liked picking on Heri, it wouldn't do him any good to wake up Kaa-san and Tou-san. He walked toward the kitchen, and seeing the light on, ducked behind a wall. It was then that he eavsedropped on a terrifying conversation.
"Nodoka, your babying is making him weak! He's looking as scrawny as that little runt we have to take care of! I need to take him off on a long training trip, if you ever want him to be a man among men!" Genma growled.
"I suppose you are right, Genma dear. Just the other day Heri beat him in a fight. We can't have that!" Nodoka said resigned.
"Then you pack his stuff, and I'll pack mine. We'll head out before dawn," Genma decided.
"Okay. And don't forget that pledge. A Man amond Men or......" she trailed off there.
Ranma stepped back frightened. He *liked* being babied by Kaa-san! And from what he heard, training trips HURT! He remembered distantly Genma coming in bruised and battered after a training trip with his friend Soun under their master.
He ran to the cupboard under the stairs. "Heri!" he whispered franticly. "Wake up Heri!"
Over the years both of them had grew, and they almost looked identical. Except for the different colored eyes, amd Heri's scar, they could be twins. His parents had even tried to make them look different by shaving Heri's head, but it had always grown back over night.
"What is it?" Heri said, poking his head out wearily.
"I have a deal for you. If you switch clothes with me, and sleep in my bed tonight, you'll get treated like me for the rest of you life!" Ranma declared.
Heri's eyes sparkled. Ranma always got better food and toys, and a real bed! That decided it for him. He traded clothes with Ranma and went up to Ranma's room, relishing the feel of the nice cotton sheets and bed. He fell alseep immediatly, and into a deep sleep at that.
He didn't feel it, when Genma, loaded with two packs, picked up Heri, and carried him out the door.
Genma was prepared. For ten year he would be on this training trip, and not once get into contact with Nodoka, so that the boy wouldn't be influenced by his mother again. He would make this boy the best martial artist ever, and a Man amond Men as well.
Heri, or Harry didn't know what was happening, as he slept oblivious, but the magic in Harry Potter did, and while he slept unaware, changed his eyes to blue, and hid his scar with a glamour. They would both reveal themself when the time was right.