Of Wisdom and Cunning
Chapter one
*two months ago*
"And remember little one, they are the most important family in Britain, get close to them and stay close. Learn as much as you can about that school, too. It doesn't seem normal….so secluded and selective. Understood? Write your father every week and don't hesitate to call us should you feel threatened." Grandfather said smiling down at me in that weird creepy way he did.
"Father leave Kyoko alone. You will not be turning this once in a lifetime opportunity into another business deal. Have fun Love, don't listen to that crazy old man, you make friends with the people you want to make friends with." Father patted my head and gave me a little kiss. I smiled and walked to my room and sighed.
"If only Mother was here…then I'd know who to listen too." I muttered sadly as I flopped down on my massive bed. "why did you leave Mother?" I asked quietly staring at the picture of me Father and Mother smiling around my eight birthday cake, Uncle Tamaki had taken the picture and then seven years later taken Mother. Father still cries about it although he'd never speak of it if you asked him.
*present day*
"Bye Daddy!" a young teen yelled to her father from the train doors, a tall lean man with shaggy hair and glasses , like my father, chuckled and waved to her.
"See ya at Christmas Lily-Love! James, Albus watch out for your sister!" the man yelled at two identical looking boys, one was slightly taller than the other and wore glasses like his father.
"No Problem! She's the one I can see twenty four seven, it's Al you should worry about Dad!" the taller boy, I'm going to assume is James, yelled back playfully ruffling the shorter boy's hair.
"Yes Dad I will, JAMES STOP! Bye Uncle Ron! Don't worry I'll watch Rosie and Hugo too!" the younger boy, Al, yelled to a red haired man that looked like Uncle Hikaru and a curly haired brunette woman who reminded me of Mother. They smiled and waved at him. I felt a pair of hands rest on my shoulders, I looked up to see Uncle Kaoru smiling down at me.
"You ready, munchkin?" he asked playfully, I nodded, my dark eyes wider than normal. I pushed up my designer glasses and straightened my clothes.
"Stop fidgeting, you look adorable your demon-ship." Uncle Hikaru teased, lightly tugging on my high and long dark chocolate colored ponytail. I sent him my family's signature death glare. He stopped tugging. "Seriously you look stellar. You're an Ootori how can you not?"
"Munchkin what's wrong?" Uncle Kaoru asked when I didn't smile or reply.
"Why isn't Father here? Or Aunt Fuyumi? They promised they'd come and see me off!" I said sadly, "Oh if you see Mother or Tamaki tell them…I never want to see them again." And with that I strolled up to the train in a manner reminisce of Father. When Mother left she broke Father, he cries a lot now and rarely speaks, she also left a broken hearted Uncle and his twin hell bent on revenge and angry, and then there's me, she betrayed me, abandoned me, left me to pick up the mess of a man she left behind. In a sense Uncle Kaoru and Auntie Fuyumi kind of took over the role of mother for me, Uncle Hikaru steps in as my Father when Father can't or won't. So I have two sets of parents almost.
"Kyoko! Darling wait! Sweetie I'm so sorry, I came as soon as I could." I turned when my name was called only to collide with Father's chest, his arms wrapped around me in a protective hold. I looked up at him to see tears in his obsidian eyes, the same deep dark eyes I inherited. "I love you, be good, do your best and make lots of friends okay?" he kissed me on the forehead. "Goodbye, little angel." He whispered. I hugged him fiercely and fought back a sob.
"I love you too, and I will. Goodbye…Daddy." I said shakily. He kissed my hair and hummed softly.
"Go, or you'll miss the train, Love, write me." He said pushing me on the train.
"I will, I love you!" I yelled as the train pulled away leaving my Father looking utterly alone.
*Post train-ride*
"Hey there, Cutie. The name is James Sirius Potter, Jamie for short, may I ask what your lovely name is?" the taller dark haired boy from the station asked, he reminded me of Tamaki a bit. I rolled my eyes and kept walking toward my destination, the headmaster's office….if I could find it. "Looking for something?" the boy, Jamie as he called himself, asked in a more serious tone.
"Um, yes, the headmaster's office?" I asked looking around for a sign. He chuckled.
"Alright, then, follow me, what's your name by the way?" he said leading down an exquisitely long corridor.
"Kyoko Ootori." I replied sharply, not making eye contact. I, instead, studied the portraits, they moved and smiled and winked at me. I jumped back then merely pushed my glasses up my nose and kept walking.
"Yeah they do that, don't mind 'em" Jamie said casually.
"I don't know what you are talking about." I replied still not looking at him.
"You're one of those types, are you? Huh, okay." Jamie said stopping in front of a statue. "Harry Potter" he muttered and the statue leaped aside and a row of stairs appeared, "You take those up, there should be a door right across the way, knock, he'll let you know when he's ready for you to enter." And then Jamie left, I quickly climbed to stairs and knocked on the door, waiting for my presence to be acknowledged.
"Ms. Ootori? Yes come in, come in." a fairly young looking man said. I smiled my business smile and sat in a chair in front of the grand desk he was behind. The man described how the school functioned and what was expected of me. And then he plopped a disgusting old floppy hat on my head. I gasped as voice entered my mind.
"Miss Ootori, I've been expecting you for some time. Quite intelligent….on both sides of your family, equally level headed it appears. Ravenclaw seems to be a good- but what is this? Undeniable drive, a need to succeed and prove…someone…wrong?"
"That would be my Grandfather, the vile man."
"Slytherin may be your home then….hmm decisions….you inherited that from your Father? The need to out shine?"
"That is correct."
"You maybe my toughest decision in a long time…..the last one like you was the former head mistress. I leave the choice up to you, but remember, you must choose your home wisely, for you can only have this choice once."
"Well? What did he say?" the Headmaster asked pulling the hat up to see my face.
"I have to choose…." I replied thoughtfully.
"Between?" he asked again.
"Slytherin and Ravenclaw."
'Wise and Cunning, an odd mix…..well, which one sounds more appealing?"
"Cunning is more instinctual, Wisdom comes to me intuitively. Both, to be honest, Sir." I answered looking up at him, my eyes boring in to his soul, "Which would you recommend?" I tilted my head in a mock innocence manner. Father would have been proud. I'm settling my sorting like the business empress he raised me to be. I smiled "sweetly" if that's what it could be called.
"Ravenclaw would suite you better, judging by your natural ability to excel in academics. But judging by your familial background and the way you were raised Slytherin is going to feel more comfortable to you." He frowned, "I understand, now, why the hat had a hard time sorting."
"Can I participate in classes and things without a house?" I asked, losing my patience.
"Yes but over time, you will need a place to stay."
"A week." I offered, "When the week is over I will have my decision."
"One week. Come to me next week and I will get your room and arrangements for the house you choose."
"Thank you headmaster." And with that I left.