Harry Potter/ Ranma X-Over
MAJOR EDITTING UNDERWAY ON ALL CHAPTERS.
I'm currently rereading and editting the chapters on the story. I'll be posting updated, corrected, and sometimes altered chapters up as they become ready. Hopefully, you reread them, as there are some changes that I'm hoping to add to improve or lengthen some of the weaker chapters.
Just read 5 of the HP books and thought I'd try my hand at a xover of it and Ranma.
Ranma and Akane are going to be teaching martial arts while learning magical arts. They come in as first year during the HP gang's fifth. I've read the fifth, but not before I started writing so I'll add some of it's plos to this as I go along. I liked having the Umbridge woman in so I put her in as well.
For the first time in all his remembered years, Albus Dumbledore was feeling less than eager to start the school year. He knew, even with no proof, that Voldemort and his Death Eaters had sent their children here in order to divert suspicion while they raided the countryside, gaining allies and slaughter enemies. From his seat at the head table he could make out the Malfoy boy and his cronies whispering to each other as the sorting hat performed it's solemn duty. The enrollment for the year was lower than he had expected, but higher than he had feared. Parents the world over had been advised of Voldemort's return and some had felt fearful of sending their children to what would surely be one of the first places Voldemort would wish to attack.
But even with these ready made spies in place, Dumbledore had a few tricks up his sleeve. Some of which were scheduled to arrive sometime during the feast. At the thought of the coming arrivals, Dumbledore chuckled and turned to face the Gryffindor table. He easily picked up the main group at the table as they were sitting in the middle this year. Harry Potter, the son of his dear friend James, sat at the center of the long table this year, a place of honor usually reserved for the prefect or head boy. But what with events of last year and the revival of the Triwizard Tournament, the honor belonged to Harry.
Harry was flanked on his right by Ron Weasley, another in a long line of Weasley's. While not the wealthiest or most powerful of wizarding families, the Weasley's were loyal and true. Once they befriended you, they were friends for life. They were also one of the more prolific families, this generation of Weasley's numbering nearly thirty compared to the last of only nine. Harry had been treated as a member of the family ever since first meeting the Weasley's at King's Cross station.
On Harry's left sat Hermione Granger. Born to a Muggle family, Hermione was one of the most promising students in many years. Her mind soaked up knowledge like a sponge. She had a great deal of potential. She too was loyal and steadfast in the face of danger. She had lent her skills in study and witchcraft to aid Harry and Ron in their endeavours. She was the voice of reason to Ron's rashness and Harry's courage.
As the sorting hat assigned the last of the first years to Hufflepuff, a roar sounded through the air. It was a sound that had recently been burned into the minds of all the returning students. He could see them starting to glance around nervously and tapped his goblet in order to get their attention. He need not even glance to know that Hagrid had already gone to retrieve their guests. He stood and waited until all the students were looking at him.
"Before we tuck into the feast, I would like to say a few words." Now that he had their attention, he gathered his words. "As you might have heard, Voldemort has been revived. While no one from the Ministry or any of the school's know his wereabouts, we are all preparing for his attacks. As such I have taken the liberty to invite some very special people to Hogwarts for this year. They will be attending several classes with the first and second years, and will also be teaching you some means of survival as a precaution.
"Now, as you know, no student has ever had a position as a teacher at Hogwarts while still attending the school. As such, we have had to make some slight alterations regarding our guests. They are not professors and you are not to refer to them as such. They have little magical abilities but have much experience with magic. I have been informed that they will respond to the title of Sensei. This is a Japanesse word that can translate as teacher." An excited buzz traveled along the tables as the idea of meeting people from so far away entered the minds of the students. Most had never met anyone from beyond the borders of the United Kingdoms.
"They have travelled a long way and others have even further to travel before they arrive. Each house shall have its own Sensei or Sensei's. As with the first years, the sorting hat shall assign each to the house that most suits them." Dumbledore paused to allow the students to think this through. "Furhermore, unlike in past years, this year will not see all the houses mixed during all lessons except those provided with small numbers of each house. Each house will be paired with another for each lesson. For instance, Slytherin and Gryffindor will be taught DADA together in each grade, as will Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw. The exeptions are where there are less then the required numbers for those classes for 6th and 7th year. For those of you with an interest, the Quidditch season will run as usual, although the Sensei are illeligible to join the teams."
"We have been honored to acquire the services of a former Auror as our new Defense against the Dark Arts instructor. May I introduce Professor Sirius Black, formerly of Azkhaban prison." Dumbledore looked over the familiar form of Sirius Black. His appearance startled more than one student, who's hands reached for their wands before freezing, not wishing to draw the attention of the only man to ever escape from the Azkhaban prison. His dark eyes roamed over the silent crowd, his face a mask of disdain. The silence didn't last as three stood and started cheering from the Gryffindor table. Black's eyes made contact with those of Harry's and he smiled. The other students made a token effort at joining Harry and Ron and Hermione, but it was a muted assembly that awaited the new teacher's words.
"Greetings students of Hogwarts. I see a few of you know who I am. Good. I hate wasting my time and your time is better spent dealing with the dangers that you will face in the coming years. I want you all to be warned now: Unlike your previous teachers, I will not molly-coddle you. I will not be bringing weaker creatures into the classroom for you to exam. I have spoken with Dumbledore and the others and they have agreed that the time has come for you to see some truly evil and dangerous Dark Arts. For those of you in the 4th to 7th years, we will rarely be holding classes in the classroom. Our class shall be held mainly within the Forest. For the 1st to 3rd year students, Professor Snape shall be honing your defenses to a level needed to survive the Forest." Saying nothing more, but winking at his godson, Sirius Black, the man once accused and convicted of betraying Lily and James Potter took his seat next to Severus Snape, who scowled deeply and shifted away from the man who used to pick on him during their school days.
As he sat, a great booming sounded as the great doors swung open. All heads turned to face the entrance, which was filled with the immense form of Rubeus Hagrid, Keeper of Keys, Gameskeeper and teacher of Care of Magical Creatures. His gigantic form made the double doors seem tiny as he strode into the room.
"hallo all. Jus' been to meet ter new fella's from over in ter Japan. Nice enough couple, don' speak English too well. But tat's easy nough to fix, I reckon." His huge body blocked all sight of the awaited guests. Hagrid scanned the Gryffindor table, easily spotted his friends. "how ya der, Harry? You Ron? Good vacation, Hermione?" he asked his favorite students.
"Yes Hagrid, had a good vacation. Spent a lot of the summer over at Ron's." Harry answered. "Think Ron's gonna finally get his wish to be on the Quidditch team this year, since half the team's done with school."
"Right on ter Ron. Bring the cup back on to Gryffindor, aint' ya." Hagrid looked up at the head table. "Well I'll be darned. If it aint' Sirius Black up der at the head table. Well Sirius, you a teacher this year?"
Sirius nodded to one of the few people he still trusted. Hagrid had helped keep Harry safe that fateful night and Sirius would always be grateful for that.
Dumbledore coughed, attracting Hagrid's attention. "Hagrid, I think the pleasantries can wait a little. Why don't you come on up and take your seat so our guests can enter and we can get back to the feast."
Hagrid blushed and looked over his shoulder. "Sorry Professor." He stepped forward and walked up the aisle to take his seat at the end of the table. Trailing close behind him, hidden from view from those sitting forward of Hagrid's moving form, strode a tall Japanesse man and a shorter Japanesse woman.
The man was wearing a red silk sleeveless shirt and a pair of black pants that only a few of the students recognized. His dark black hair was tied back in a short pigtail and he bore blue armbands at his wrists. His sky blue eyes scanned the crowd, stopping occasionally on various students before moving on. To his left and a step or two behind, the girl smiled gently at the students staring at them. She was wearing a soft blue dress and her dark blue hair was cut short in a bob. As they reached the front of the room and standing on the lower step, they bowed to the teachers and waited. This gave everyone a chance to get a look at them and many were impressed by the sheer presence the two projected. Each seemed to radiate with an inner power that was only barely contained.
Professor McGonagal moved from her spot at the table and without saying a word the man stepped forward and sat on the stool. The sorting hat never even made it near his head before calling out "Gryffindor." The man stood and moved next to the girl, crossing his muscular arms on his chest. The girl too, had barely touched the stool before the hat cried out "Gryffindor." She walked over to the man and they clasped hands, instantly dashing the hearts and hopes of many of the students, both male and female.
Dumbledore spoke to them in rapidly in a language none of the students understood, but which logically, must be their native Japanesse. The two responded, the girl's voice high and light, while the man's was deeper and seemed reluctant. Dumbledore waved his hand and they stopped speaking.
"Is that better?" Dumbledore asked.
"Yes." the man replied, his voice clearly marking his displeasure. "So what now?" he asked. Some of the students and staff bristled at his lack of respect for the old wizard, but Dumbledore was amused. The worse thing about living as long as he had and being in his position of authority, was that very few people thought of him as a man with a man's simple needs of friendship and respect.
He was respected for his skills at magic and for his wisdom, but few were the people who truly knew him as a person. In Ranma, as in Harry, he could see that while Ranma might not show the blind admiration so common in the young, neither was he being rude. Dumbledore knew more about Ranma Saotome than anyone suspected. Not even Happosai, who had requested that Ranma and his wife be sent to Hogwarts and who had helped in training Ranma knew Ranma as well as Dumbledore. Dumbledore suspected that only he and Akane knew the true core of Ranma Saotome and not the brass, slightly arrogant youth he showed to the world.
"Now, for the introductions. For those of you who are wondering, this young man is Ranma Saotome and next to him is his wife, Akane. They come from the island nation of Japan and are here to teach you martial arts. For those of you unfamiliar with the Muggle terms, martial arts are a form of combat, usually unarmed but that can include the use of weapons."
Draco Malfoy stood up. "What use is it for us to learn how to fight, Professor? Any true wizard," Draco paused and glared at Harry Potter, "would be able to defeat any enemy before the person knew they were in trouble."
Ranma glanced at Akane and turned to face Dumbledore, his question plain an his face. The ancient wizard debatted for a moment then nodded but he also gave a silent warning to the young man. Ranma grinned and winked, turning back to face the Slytherin table.
"You, what is your name?" he asked.
The blond youth stood, arrogance and pride dripping from every pore in his body. "I am Draco Malfoy, son of Lucius Malfoy."
"I didn't ask who your father was I asked who you are, Draco." Ranma stated, his eyes narrowing in a glare. "And you asked what use martial arts are against magic? Come here and I'll show you."
Draco strode forward, pulling out his wand as he did so. "So it's to be a duel? My magic against your martials arts."
Ranma grinned. "Sounds good to me. I'll tell you what, I'll let you go first." Akane had moved away from Ranma, rolling her eyes at the childish display, but understanding the need for it. She spotted a pair of young men and a girl around her age motioning to her from the table under the Gryffindor banners and remembering how she had been assigned to that house, she walked the aisle to join them.
She took the empty seat across from the girl and smiled at them. "Hello, I'm Akane. Who are you?"
"I'm Hermione Granger." the girl answered. "The boy with the red hair is Ron Weasley, and this is Harry Potter."
Akane frowned. The way the girl said the name, she had the impression that she should know this Harry Potter. "It's nice to meet you all." she said. "How long have you been coming here?"
"Oh, this is our fifth year. We all met and became friends our first year. But surely, you've heard all about that? It was in the Daily Prophet and everything."
"What's the Daily Prophet?" Akane asked, she glanced up at Ranma and noticed that the other boy was saying something she couldn't hear. "Look, we'll talk later, okay? It's going to start now." They all turned to face the duel.
Ranma smirked as he studied the boy in front of him. His aura was almost nonexistence and his magical presence was below that of Ryoga who had almost no magical aptitude. Ranma took his usual, casual stance that looked like he was relaxing. "What's taking so long blondy? You do know that you need two chopsticks to eat, right?"
Malfoy felt his face flush. How dare this Mudblood insult him. "This is a wand, Mudblood. And it's used like this." Malfoy made a short snapping motion of his wrist, while crying out "Ignitio!" Malfoy felt his ego flare as the other made no move to protect himself from the sheet of fire. His hopes crashed as the flames parted a few feet from the man and passed around him to harmlessly strike the wall behind him. Malfoy didn't understand, he had used no magic or he would have felt it.
Ranma smirked as he sensed through the aura that his opponent was shocked and confused. He'd also tapped a source of power Ranma didn't fully comprehend. "Was that it? Why don't you try again?"
Malfoy ground his teeth together. "Ignitio! Ignitio! Ignitio!" he cried as he snapped his wand at Ranma. Sheets of flame, intense enough that those at the tables could feel the heat shot towards the motionless figure. The flames engulfed Ranma, and this time they did strike him. For nearly a minute the flames blasted him, and the wall behind him. Eventually the smoke cleared, showing a melted wall as proof of the intense heat but yet, there Ranma stood, not even smoking. The floor from Malfoy to the wall behind Ranma was charred black. The stool on which the sorting hat had rested was a pile of embers. Yet the stones where Ranma stood were untouched.
Malfoy was beginning to get nervous. His mind froze. The flame he had produce had been strong enough to melt the cobblestones between them and the wall behind Ranma, yet Ranma was unharmed. "Electrio! Electrio!" Lightning bolts shot from his wand and seemed to pass through his opponent. He kept up the chant, sending many bolts at the older boy.
Ranma smirked. He could see that the blond haired boy was getting desperate. He doubted if any of the students here could have survived the flames. Luckily, he had a few ways to beat it. He had gone with his favorite, the Soul of Ice. He hadn't even felt the flames as they parted before him. Then the boy had tried again, and the flames were much more intense. Ranma had dropped the soul of ice and used his newly aquired immunity to heat to absorb the flames that struck him, making him stronger and feeding a need he was learning to recognize.
The boy then tried to hit him with lighting bolts, which he simply dodged by moving from side to side, using his ki to cancel out the wind his movements would normally create due to his speed. He moved so quickly that no one but Akane could see it. To everyone else, even the professors, it seemed he was standing still and that the electrical blasts were passing straight through his chest to blast chunks of stone from the wall behind him.
The blond eventually tired and the bolts stopped coming. Ranma stood silently, watching as the boy gasped for breath, his face beaded with sweat.
"Is that it?" Ranma asked. "That's all your magic is capable of doing? Leaving soot on the floor and chipping a wall? How pathetic." Ranma turned his back on him and started moving away.
Malfoy fumed while watching the arrogant Muggle walking away. Without thinking, he raised his wand and pointed it at him. "Crucio!" he called the power for the forbiden spell.
Ranma smirked as he felt the spell battering at his barriers. The boy had finally cast something truly powerful. He ignored the gasps and whispers from all around him as he started walking toward the boy. He resumed his stance on the same patch of stone he had been standing on. The boy was still pointing the wand at him, gritting his teeth and trying to force the spell through his barriers. Ranma chuckled, infuriating his enemy even more. "I can almost feel that." he called to his opponent. He poured more ki into his shield and started pushing the spell back towards the blond. "Look Moldy, are you finished? You seem to be having some trouble with this spell."
"My name is MALFOY!" the youth shouted, putting all his remaining strength into the spell, sending it against Ranma. Sparks were now glancing off a barrier of some kind a foot or two from the older man.
With a small thought, Ranma pushed his ki out, sending the spell back at Malfoy. The rebounded spell struck Malfoy's wand, which snapped. There was a small explosion and Malfoy was thrown back off his feet to slide along the ground more than a dozen feet. He groaned in pain and sat up, slowly getting to his feet. "What type of magic is this? You were not supposed to use any magic." he whined to the professors. "I demand he be disqualified for cheating."
"Malfoy, if we disqualify Ranma, we will need to do so to you. You used an illegal spell from the Dark Arts." Sirius Black stated, his voice almost hissing the words. "Were would you have learned how to cast such a spell, Malfoy?" Draco shook and refused to answer. "No matter, the match isn't yet over. Please, continue."
Malfoy looked to Ranma, who place his hands before him and cracked his knucles. "I used no magic. I wouldn't know how. What I did was use a martial arts technique to shield myself. That's how I stopped that last spell and sent it back at you. That is part of what I shall be teaching."
"What about the flames? And the lighting?" asked a voice from one of the tables.
Ranma grinned. "The flames were the easiest. I used a technique called Soul of Ice. In layman's terms I basically froze myself and some of the air around me. The flames hit this area and parted around like they do when fire strikes something solid. The other attempt you made for the fire, well. That's a natural ability I have that I can't really teach anyone else. The lighting, I dodged. I can move faster than the human eye can see. That is what I offer to this school. How can a spell harm you, if you move so fast it can't hit you? How can an enemy incapacitate you with a null magic spell, when you can use your ki to do what you need. I can teach you to sense when an enemy is near and to feel how powerful they are so that you can take steps to protect yourself before they attack."
Murmurs ran through the crowd at his words. The idea that he could teach them to move faster that a spell and to build a shield of air around themselves to block any spell was startling. And he would teach them to do so without magic. So that even the weaker magical students would be on an even plane with the more powerful ones.
"Before we return to supper, there are two more things." Ranma studied them. "First, I will not only be teaching you how to defend yourself. I will also be teaching you how to attack." Ranma stood and a blue glow started to form around him. He held out one hand and a sphere of blue energy formed a few inches above his palm. "This is a ki sphere. It's fueled by your emotions. The stronger the emotion, the stronger the sphere." The glow around Ranma changed to red and the sphere quadruptled in size. "The emotion you use also dictates the color of the energy. Green for depression, blue for confidence, and red... Red is for love." He said while smiling at his new wife. He reabsorded the energy.
"But we'll get into that in the classes. The second thing you should know, is this." Ranma's form shrunk and his hair turned red. His chest swelled and his features softened. He performed the change slowly, as he had learned to do. "This is a type of magic, but it's not from myself. I was cursed at a place called Jhusenkyo. Now, for those I am teaching, I would like a report, just 2 or 3 pages, on the origins and history of Jhusenkyo. Oh yeah, that's for the Gryffindor people. I don't teach the rest of you. Your teachers are coming later."
"Thank you Ranma, and you may take your seat with Akane at the Gryffindor table." McGonagal said. "Let the feast recommence." She frowned as instead of walking to the indicated seat, Ranma leapt and spun in the air to land seated in the chair. A feat that drew more than a few gasps as Ranma had been standing at least a hundred feet from the chair and even the most naive of students could tell that the leap was as effortless for him as a hop was for them.
"Show off." Akane muttered while elbowing her husband. Ranma had changed while in the air, returning to his male form by the time he landed in his seat.
Ranma witheld his grin as Akane elbowed him when he sat. He smiled to the people across from them and kissed Akane's cheek. "Yup. And you love me for it."
Akane blushed and looked down at her plate. "Ranma, this is Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. They'll be in your classes."
"Hello. I'm Ranma. Where's the food?"
"er Ranma. . . Professor Dumbledore said that we were to call you Sensei since you'd be teaching us." stated Ron as the food appeared on the table. Ranma immediately started loading his plate, as did Akane.
"Just in the class." Ranma stating, popping a small potato into his mouth. He swallowed and grinned at them. "I don't really know any magic, but I'm looking forward to learning. You help me and Akane with magic, and we can give you extra lessons with our course."
"Hermione here is the real expert. The rest of us just bumble along as best we can." Harry stated, taking a bite of his chicken pot pie. "That was really amazing. Is that what you'll be teaching us?"
Ranma nodded, his mouth full of food. He swallowed in a lump that had the three friends wondering how he did it without choking. "Not really. We'll start with simple stuff like kata and positions first. Then, in a month or two, we'll see where everyone is and split the class into two. Akane will take the first class, and continue with the basics, while I'll take the second part and teach some more advanced stuff like the ki sphere and speed moves. Like I told Moldy, magic ain't worth nothing if the person you're casting the spell on is moving too fast for you to hit. It's one thing martial arts and magic have in common. You can be the strongest guy or most powerful wizard in the world, yet if you aren't fast enough to hit anyone, you'll never win a fight."
"That's where you guys are lucky. We know the other teachers who are coming. Each of them has their own strengths, yet as much as they hate to admit it, none of them is capable of beating Ranma, mainly because of how much faster then them Ranma is." Akane stated in a voice filled with pride. "I'm almost getting to be a match for him, though his girl side is still a lot faster than me. That's why I'll be teaching the basic course. Ranma's trained me to a point where I'm a match for most of the others, but I still have a way to go to reach his level."
"Who are these others who are coming?" Hermione asked while politely lowering her knife and fork. She threw a sharp glance at Ron, who was stuffing his face with a couple of sausages.
"I don't think we're supposed to mention them. I do know that some of them are supposed to arrive tomorrow. And that one of them could show up anytime between now and next year." Akane added while taking a small bite of the strange concoction before her. She had never had much appetite for western foods, but this pie like thing wasn't too bad.
"Is he coming from such a long way?" asked Ron, taking on interest in the conversation.
"Naw, just has a really bad sense of direction."
"It's not that bad Ranma. He may be a pig, but he's a decent enough guy."
"He once got lost for a week on the way to the bathroom."
"That's an exageration Ranma. It was only 2 days, not a week."
"That's a bad sense of direction, all right." agreed Ron. "Where'd he do this?"
Ranma snorted. "It was his own house!"
Harry chuckled while Hermione stiffled a laugh of her own. "So he could show up anytime?"
Ranma sighed. "Yup. Never can tell when the idiot is going to show. That's another thing about him. He has a temper and isn't too quick on the uptake. He's spent most of his life wandering around the world without anyone so he aint the most stable of guys. He hates me and will attack me at the slightest provocation, but that's alright. I need someone of his skill to spar against besides Akane. She's my wife and I don't like to hit her, but I can let loose a little with Ryoga."
"Only a little?" Harry asked.
Ranma nodded. "Ryoga's tuff, real tuff, but if I were to hit him with even half my strength, he'd be a grease spot." He studied the three in front of him closely, checking their auras. He was surprised at the goodness and gentleness he sensed in them. "Put it this way. You know what a bus is? Well, Ryoga once got hit by a bus headon. The bus folded around him like an accordion. Completely wrapped around him. Like this." Ranma picked up a potato. "This is the bus. This, " grabbed a chicken bone from a wing, " is Ryoga. This is what happened." The potato slammed into the bone and splattered around it. Ranma then scrapped the potato off the bone. "The bus flattened and Ryoga walked away, after prying himself loose, without a scratch. It annoyed him enough that he actually managed to chase the guy who threw the bus at him for four blocks before he got lost."
Harry was appaled. "Someone threw the bus at him? With people and everything?" Ron didn't really understand the muggle world as well he really should but did know about the Knight Bus, while Hermione was born of Muggle parents and Harry, who hadn't known about being a wizard until Hagrid knocked down the door at the lighthouse, did understand that this was a feat of some distinction.
Akane shook her head. "The bus was empty. The person who threw it knew it wouldn't do much to Ryoga, but Ryoga's a bit dense. The only way to really get his attention when he's brooding is to hit him with something or flash him."
"Flash him? I thought you didn't do magic?" Ron asked, thouroughly confused.
Akane giggled. "Not that kind of flash. Ryoga's a bastard and a pervert but he's also a bit shy. All you have to do is show him a little cleavage or a bit of your thigh and he passes out with a nosebleed. Or better yet, splash him with cold water and he turns into a pig."
Hermione was a little worried now. Someone that strong was sure to be trouble. If she hadn't been exposed to trolls and giants like Hagrid, she would never have believed it possible. "Will we have a class with him as well?"
"Nope. Like the old guy said, each house thingy gets it's own instructors and the hat will tell who goes with what house. Though by looking at everyone here, I can guess pretty accurately where the others will go. Oh, there are some who are coming who will be teaching some classes to everyone. I guess since we told you a bit about Ryoga, we can tell you a bit about the others."
Akane continued while Ranma reloaded his plate. "My oldest sister and her husband are also going to be here. They should get here at the end of the week. He's a doctor as well as a martial artist and they will be teaching classes on accupuncture and healing herbs. The others are some chinese martial artists from a tribe in China. There will be three of them. There's a girl our age name Xian Pu and a boy named Mu Tsu. The other is an elder of their tribe who has a great deal of knowledge in dealing with magical potions. I think she's taking over that class from one of the other professor's. Or they're teaching it together, but different groups. I think she's taking the younger students while the other professor continues with the older students. It's going that way since he's also teaching something else this year."
"So the elder is teaching Potions this year? But since we're in 5th year, we'll have Snape for Potions. Oh well, at least we'll have Sirius for Defense of the Dark Arts." Harry said, brightening by the end of the sentence. "Can you tell us about them? What are they like?"
"Well, Shampoo's (that's what we all call Xian Pu) a bit of an airhead. At least, she tends to act like one. And she's pretty. Has long purple hair and wears skimpy little outfits. But she's a powerful martial artist. She's almost as strong as Ryoga and nearly as fast as I am. But she's not too good at ki manipulation. She can use it to increase her speed and strength, but she can't use a ki sphere or blast. She's cursed too, but unlike me and Akane, she ain't got no control over it. So if she's after you, just splash her with cold water and she'll turn into a harmless little kitty. Mu Tsu is actually the more dangerous of the two. He's a master of Hidden Weapons. He's practically blind and is always attacking anything that gets his attention, thinking it's me. He carries around hundreds of weapons that he can pull out of his sleeves and he's a master in the use of all of them. He's cursed too. He turns into a duck."
"Always be careful of Ku Long. She's about 300 years old and only 2 feet tall, but she's one of the few people who I can let loose with close to my full power on. She's not as powerful as I am, but her skill makes up for it. She know thousands of ways to counter any move you can do and she's also a pretty good magic user. She can whip up all kinds of potions that her people have discovered in the last 3000 years. She's taken accupuncture and pressure points to a whole level even the most studied master has problems understanding. Don't let her touch you, if you can avoid it."
"Kasumi and Tofu are more concerned with healing than fighting. They have to finish the week at the clinic and make arrangements with Tofu's replacement. They are both master level in akido and judo. Tofu has the added bonus of pressure points and accupuncture nearly as dangerous as Ku Long's." Akane added. The food on the table changed from a dinner menu to dessert as the turkey, hams, and chicken were replaced by a variety of cakes, pies, and candies. Akane took a cherry tart and bit into it, savouring the taste.
Ranma again studied the three, making them shift in their seats. "I'll let you know something else. Like I said, I'll be teaching you how to feel a nearby threat, but there's more to it then just sensing someone who hates you. I'm sure you can do that right now. I can read auras. This lets me know a persons deepest feelings and tells me how strong they are. I don't know who they are, but that table with the snake banners, a lot of them are pretty bad people. They're hidding how strong they are, but they're thinking of things like magical scans, not auras."
Akane nodded. "As soon as Ranma sat here and started talking with you, a few of them had flares of so much hate, I'm surprised the table didn't catch on fire." She leaned forward. "The other tables are curious and there's a mild flavour of dismay. I think it's just that they don't have their own Sensei's here yet and are envious that you and Gryffindor get us instead of them. None of them are fond of that Malfoy guy and were please that Ranma made him seem like such a fool."
Ranma finished his fifth piece of strawberry chocolate cake and leaned back. "I'll tell you what. This is probably how it's going to go. The Amazon gang will end up with the snake banner people. They match up with their shiftyness and slyness. Tofu and Kasumi will go to the table there. I can sense that they're more laid back and are much less aggressive than the others here. That fits well with Tofu and Kasumi, who are more pacifistic. They'll teach them akido and judo, which rely on using an opponents strengths and attacks against them. Ryoga will go with that last group. There's some strong people there, brave and honest.
Same here, but since we are here, Ryoga will go with them. Ryoga will teach them mostly how to take as much as they can and return it five fold. That's what makes him so much fun. He's one of the most physically capable people I know. He's all about head on attack and being built to take anything his opponents can dish out. I'm stronger than him now, but that's a new thing. I usually rely on my speed and skill. As far as I know, on pure skill, only Ku Lon and Happosai can match me. Not even Haabu is as good as me, though he might be as powerful. Hell, he might be more powerful."
"So these Amazons will go to Slytherin, Tofu and Kasumi will be with Hufflepuff, and Ryoga will go to Ravenclaw." stated Hermione, reminding the newcomers of the names of the other houses. "And you're right. Hufflepuff's in general are more timid. They turn out more healers and diplomats than any other house. Ravenclaw's are usually assigned to the Ministry and turn out a great number of aurors and muggle relations ministers." Seeing the blank looks on their faces, Hermione sighed. "Aurors are like policemen. They have the task of searching out and apprehending Dark Wizards and rule breakers. And you're right. Slytherin's are the slyest and sneakiest of all. All of the truly evil Dark Wizards were in Slytherin."
"What about Gryffindor?" Akane asked.
"Well Gryffindor graduates usually go into the Ministry or continue to work with magical creatures, like Ron's brother Charlie. Gryffindor's are often the most well rounded wizards. We also have a high percentage of aurors."
"You have a brother, Ron? What's that like? I'm an only child and Akane has 2 older sisters." Ranma asked.
"It's horrible! I'm compared to them all the time. Why aren't you like Charlie, Ron? Are you as bright as Bill? Are you as much trouble as Fred and George?" Ron frowned and put down his apple dumpling. "It's even worse with all the cousins. I never get anything of my own. I always get my brothers old stuff. My wand and cloaks were used by my brothers. Even my owl is secondhand."
"That must be hard. It was sort of like that while I was growing up. Pop took me away on a training trip when I was four and we travelled around for ten years. we only had what we could carry and when I needed new clothes Pop would steal them off of clothes lines and out of bags being donated to charities." Ranma finished a 7th and last piece of cake before continuing. "We'd only stay in an area until people started getting suspicious of Pop and then we'd move on."
"That's horrible! Where was your mother while this was happening?" Hermione asked.
"Waiting for Pop to bring me back. Japan ain't like here and the west. There's still a lot families that live by the old ways. That's how we met. Our father's arranged our marriage before they even had kids. Then they sprung it on us out of the blue. It took a while and lot of danger before we could admit that we loved each other." Ranma stopped talking and squeezed Akane's hand. Akane returned the squeeze and gave a gentle smile to her husband.
"But you are married?" Ron asked.
"Yup. Only been a few months. I had to finish training Akane so she could pass the tests and so that Happosai would give me my licence." Noticing the blank looks, Ranma sighed. "In order to be able to teach others, you have to have a licence from an accredited school's master. In our case, the master of the school is Happosai. He's a shrunken old pervert, but he's a truly powerful martial artist. He's the one who wrote to Dumbledore and asked that we come here. It was only supposed to be me and Akane, since we were trying to get away from Ryoga and the other's who were always after us. But Dumbledore refused to take us unless Happy could convince enough people to come so that each house would have at least two Sensei."
"But there aren't going to be two at each if you're right." Harry stated. "If you're right about the way the hat will sort the others, then Ravenclaw will only have Ryoga, while Slitherin will have three."
Ranma shrugged and watched as the food disappeared. "Maybe someone else is going to come to help Ryoga out. He'll need help just to get to class. I can think of a few people who's styles would work with Ryoga's. Especially as Ravenclaw is supposed to take the wise and intelligent. Ryoga's a lot of things but no one ever accused him of being wise." Ranma scratched his chin thoughtfully. "Actually, Ryoga would fit with Gryffindor better than the others, but with me and Akane here, that leaves him to Ravenclaw."
It was Ron who first glanced up at the head table. "Look, Dumbledore is going to speak." The room stilled as that realization was made by each members at the tables.
Dumbledore smiled down at the students, taking in the questioning glances and happy faces of the 1st years who had never had the experience of a Hogwarts meal.
"There are just a few minor details I'd like to mention. These are for the first year's but some of you might wish to listen as well." Dumbledore looked pointedly at Draco's group and winked at Harry's. "Now. The forest is off limits to all students except in the presence of Professor Black's class or on assignment with Hagrid. Also, the new Sensei will have their own quarters separate from the houses, yet in the same tower and have the same power for punishment and point docking as the other teachers. 7th year's are to be advised that the graduation ceremony will be held a week after the last FOWL tests and that members of various branches of the Ministries and other industries will be stopping by to gauge your readiness for joining them."
"As I mentioned earlier, the Quidditch season will be played as usual this year with one exception. There will be two referees during each game instead of the usual one. This change has recently been preposed for the professional leagues and we at Hogwarts and other schools are being used to test the adjustment."
"That is all. Prefects, please take your houses to the towers. Teachers, we will meet in my office to finalize arrangments. Ranma, Akane. After you have familiarized yourself with your quarters, we will need you to join us to go over your class schedules and to verify that you have what you need for your students."
The students all stood and watched as the teachers filed out of the room through a door to the left of the head table. Then, the prefects for each house lead their charges out of the dinning room with the floating candles and night sky room. Ravenclaw left first, then Slytherin, Hufflepuff and finally Gryffindor. The house followed the new prefect, a 6th year student who had been named captain of the Quidditch team the previous year before the announcement for the Triwizard Tournament cancelled the season.
She was replacing Oliver Wood as captain and had a task to put together a team with so many of the players having left the last two years and not having had the chance to even train replacements for them. Angelina wondered if perhaps Ron Weasley would try the team. Considered the Weasley tradition for this generation, if he was half the player his four older brothers were, he'd be a solid player. Perhaps a keeper. And of course, Harry Potter was guaranteed to play Seeker. She'd have to talk to Professor McGonagal. Perhaps she'd have some suggestions. They desparately needed some more chasers.