The Magic Begins [Strawberry Remix]
"What do you mean I should've told you sooner?! Now seems like the perfect time to tell you!" Isshin booms, making a few envelopes flutter away with the sheer force of his voice.
Ichigo scans the room, looking pointedly at the parchment envelopes covering most surfaces, then turns his gaze back to his father. Even Isshin can understand what that eyeroll means. Maybe he should feel guilty. Eleven years is a lot of time to not know the whole truth. Right? Nah, what's he thinking? Isshin, old man, never look back.
He slaps his son on the back, a warm, fatherly gesture, sending him flying across the room. Hundreds of calligraphied envelopes soften the impact. Sort of.
The train station is strangely quiet. That could always be because its entrance is a heated vending machine. Not many people think to order a vanilla latte then walk straight through it. Effective way to cut down on traffic. Ishida nods in approval.
"Yes, nii-sama. I am of the Kuchiki House, of a long line of Purebloods. I will make you proud," Rukia solemnly vows. Byakuya's face betrays an emotion, she notes. It is one she cannot place. She glances down at her robes and smoothes her black sash, a small attempt at hiding her own expression. She knows she has lied. She will never make him proud.
Orihime bounces up and down on the bullet train, her short chestnut hair flapping around her cheeks. "Chocolate frogs! Swizzle sticks!" the little man calls out in a Kansai accent. Chocolate frogs?! Orihime stops bouncing to consider this possibility. "Are they actually frogs covered in chocolate?!" she asks eagerly. "'Cause if they are they would be just like the story of Iki the Spelled…"
"They're just chocolate shaped like frogs," says a girl across the way. She has spiky black hair and has somehow succeeded in making her formal kimono look very casual. "They have these cool mage cards that come in each one. They've got power points and everything." She looks up from her card and grins, sticking out a hand to shake (just like a businessman selling black market zombie-rabbits). "Name's Tatsuki."
Chad waves goodbye to his abuelo, who stands alone on the platform. Tears drip down his face as he waves to his grandson. Chad grips the amulet around his neck. He won't let Abuelo down. He'll force the Academy to recognise other branches of magic.
The scholarship papers are rolled up neatly (he thinks) and stuffed in a pack. His hair is slicked back with some dollar store gel. He glares at everyone as he lugs his duffel bag down the train aisles. There's some sissy sewing a cape in first class. He laughs and the boy adjusts his glasses stiffly. He finally settles on an empty booth across the way from the first class one with the small girl. She looks at him with interest and he almost smiles at her but gets distracted by her fine clothes.
Ichigo sits down next to Chad. The boys smile at each other in their own ways. Ichigo smirks and Chad turns the furthest edges of his mouth ever so slightly heavenwards.
"You ready, Chad?"
Chad grunts his affirmation.
The bullet train hurtles through the countryside.
end
Note: I rediscovered this sitting on my laptop, and despite the fact that it's a Harry Potter AU, I really like it. I had fun thinking of what Harry Potter magic/society/schools would be like in Japan, and how Bleach characters would fit. I hesitate to put this on the crossover section, because I feel like that where fanfictions go to die, but I suppose it is one after all. Hopefully it won't die.