Yay, chapter two! Big thanks to ButteredOnions (a.k.a. Niyali) for beta-ing for me! Luv ya!
Standard disclaimers apply, unfortunately.
CHAPTER I
Kurama's mind swam slowly into focus, forcing his body out of the dark warmth of sleep. The first thing he noticed was the dull ache echoing through his body. He forced himself to think intelligibly, opening his eyes.
"Oh, you are awake." He jumped, startled. "Who are..."
The silver haired man smiled at him, eyes twinkling behind half-moon glasses. "Professor Albus Dumbledore, at your service."
Kurama arched one eyebrow. 'Okay, Hiei and I were transported to another place by an old boot. We ended up in an alley, and we went into some pub...and now this guy is acting like he knows us. Interesting. I might as well play his little game for now.' "My name is—"
"He knows who you are, fox." Hiei said mildly from behind Dumbledore. "It seems we were brought here by accident, but evidently the old man here knows that already."
"I see." Kurama sat up slowly, looking around him. They appeared to be in a bedroom of sorts. "Where are we? What happened after I..."
"Fainted." Hiei said shortly.
"You gave your friend here quite a fright;" Dumbledore added, an amused smile on his face.
"Did I? Hiei, you shouldn't have worried."
"Hn;" Hiei looked away. "I wasn't worried. I was..." Finding no words to describe what he had been feeling—which actually had been worry—he resorted back to monosyllabic speech. "Hn."
Kurama smiled. He knew what Hiei meant, even if the demon wouldn't say it out loud. He looked expectantly at Dumbledore.
"You are;" Dumbledore said; "in the Leaky Cauldron. It's a meeting place of sorts, one of the most famous wizarding pubs."
Kurama blinked. "Wizarding?"
"Yes, wizarding." Dumbledore said happily. "But more on that in a moment. You see, a Portkey—an object that is enchanted to take people to a certain place at a certain time—transported you here you here. The Portkey you found was supposed to bring the Japanese representatives of the Ministry of Magic here. We put it on the roof of a building, we didn't expect civilians to be up there."
Kurama and Hiei exchanged glances. "There won't be many civilians up there now;" Hiei muttered.
"I'm sorry?" Dumbledore asked curiously, having apparently not heard the remark.
"Nothing." Kurama said with a small smile. "Please continue."
"Where was I? Oh, yes. Anyways, you happened to find the Portkey. We planned to wipe your memories and send you back to Japan, but both of you needed some medical attention;" Kurama's hand flew to his stomach on instinct. "and on closer inspection, we discovered that you have amazing magical energies."
Hiei blinked. "Magical energies?"
"I think he means he noticed our youki;" Kurama guessed, looking uncertainly at Dumbledore. "But how...?"
"I suppose, your—youki, did you say?—became apparent when we were trying to heal that nasty cut across your belly." Dumbledore answered, watching the two demons with an interested expression.
"Tried, being the key word, apparently;" Kurama said dryly, wincing.
"Yes. The wound should have been healed easily enough, but we couldn't close it, even with advanced spells. I don't suppose you know why?" Kurama remained silent. "Ah, not important." He stood. "I think, Mr. Minamino, that you should rest. I'll return later, to see if you're up to joining me for dinner."
Kurama nodded. Come to think of it, he was tired... "
Very well. Good evening, then." He left the room, shutting the door behind him. Kurama slumped back against the pillows.
"Dear Inari."
"Hn." Hiei agreed. He pulled the chair from the room's desk, carrying it over to the bed and sitting backwards on it. "Kurama. Why wouldn't the wound close?"
"Why would I know that?"
Hiei's stare was cool and calm. "You do know. Tell me why."
Kurama averted his eyes. "Kuronue always put poison on his blades." At Hiei's sharp intake of breath, he looked back. "Not a deadly poison. It just keeps the wounds from being closed using rei. Clearly it keeps magic from working, as well."
Hiei nodded, his expression kept carefully blank. "How long will it take to heal, then?"
Kurama shrugged. "I'm not sure. Probably the same amount of time it would take if I were a normal human."
Hiei snorted. "Not likely."
"Why do you say that?"
"Because if you were a normal human, you'd be dead already. Go to sleep."
The grandfather clock in the corner of the room had already struck seven when Kurama next woke.
"About time." Hiei commented.
Kurama hid a yawn behind his hand. "Why didn't you wake me?"
Hiei shrugged. "The more sleep you get, the faster you heal."
"Oh." He sat up. "Did Dumbledore come by again?"
Hiei nodded. "About twenty minutes ago. He said he thought you'd wake up soon, and that we should go downstairs when you did, if you felt up for it."
"I'm up for it." Kurama got out of bed, stretching. "What are you looking at?"
Hiei shrugged, pointing to the wardrobe. "He left extra clothes. I think he noticed your taste."
"Oh, Inari, they're gorgeous!" Kurama exclaimed, pulling out a long, blood red silk robe with an oriental-style collar. The pattern was a dragon twining around the robe with roses here and there. He held it up to his body.
"What do you think?" Hiei swallowed. The color of the robe matched his hair exactly, and only seemed to accentuate the deep green of Kurama's eyes. "Fine. Just get dressed so we can go."
"Not so fast, there, you." Kurama said firmly. "There're things in here for you, too, and you can hardly go down in torn pants and nothing else." He raised his eyebrows. "I think a bath would be justified as well."
Hiei glared at him. "There is no way you're getting me to wear one of those ridiculous things."
"I can't believe you got me to wear one of these ridiculous things."
Kurama gave him a cheerful smile. "You look great, though."
Hiei scowled at him. The black robe was similar to the cloak he usually wore, just longer and with a hood. Still, he didn't see why it was necessary for Kurama to shove him into a tub of water as well.
"Are you still fretting about the bath?"
"I smell like a girl." Hiei said darkly. Kurama rolled his eyes, tying his hair into a high ponytail, and then buttoning the clasps on his robe. "You smell like a civilized person. When was the last time you took a bath, anyways?"
"Shut up."
Kurama laughed. "Fine, be mad at me. But I made you look like presentable, and that's good enough for me." He glanced at his reflection in the mirror, slipping into a pair of slippers that matched the robe. "Do I look okay?"
"You're unnecessarily vain." Hiei said, starting out the door. "Can we just get this over with?"
Kurama sighed, falling into step behind his friend. "You know, I don't understand you sometimes. Why do you have to be ? I mean, would it kill you to change your clothes or something every now and then?"
"Gee;" Hiei said sarcastically. "Let's look at my options. I can wear the same thing every day, but have people know who I am. Or, I could wear the same style of clothing all the time, and have people think I'm a female. It's such a difficult choice."
Kurama glared at him. "I do not get mistaken for a girl."
Someone whistled behind them as they went down the stairs. "Cute girlfriend, shorty!"
Both demons turned around and gave the boy such deadly glares that he turned on his heel and bolted.
"I'm not sure which pisses me off more, you being mistaken for a girl, you being mistaken for my girlfriend, or being called short." Hiei muttered. He glanced at the redhead, smirking. "Now what were you saying about not being mistaken for a girl?"
"Shut up." He gave Hiei a mock slap upside the head. "I really hate you sometimes."
"Mutual, I'm sure."
"You really are just incorrigible sometimes—oh, there's Dumbledore." Kurama grabbed Hiei's arm, pulling him over to where the wizard was waving to them.
"Konbanwa, gentlemen." Dumbledore greeted them pleasantly, pulling out chairs for them.
"Good evening to you as well, Professor." Kurama returned, gently shoving Hiei down and taking a seat. "Thank you for the clothing. The robes are beautiful."
"And you look stunning." Dumbledore said smoothly. Hiei rolled his eyes.
"Thank you." 'Great. An adolescent and an old man in the same night. Just my luck.' "So...Professor. Are Hiei and I going to go back to Tokyo?"
"That would depend on two things." Dumbledore said, leaning forward and twining his long fingers together.
"And those are?" Kurama asked calmly.
"Firstly, if you're fit to travel. And secondly...what you would say to learning magic?"
"I'd say no." Hiei replied. Kurama kicked him under the table.
"Be polite." He looked at Dumbledore curiously. "What do you mean by that?"
"You could, if you felt so inclined, come to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." Dumbledore answered. "You'd be starting a bit late, of course. We usually begin students at eleven. How old are you?"
"None of your—"
"Sixteen." Kurama interrupted. Hiei shot him a glare, which he returned with equal malice, adding another kick to Hiei's leg under the table.
"You'd be starting as sixth years, then." Dumbledore continued, ignoring the staring match currently going on between the two demons. "You'll be a bit behind, but you shouldn't have too much trouble, if you read up on the spells the rest of your year already know."
Kurama nodded, taking the information in. "Where is this school?"
Dumbledore's eyes twinkled. "Well, let's just say that it can't be found...except for those who already know where it is."
'Someone's been watching Johnny Depp movies. 'Kurama thought wryly. "Could you give us a moment?" He stood up, grabbed Hiei's arm, and dragged him into the restroom, locking the door behind them.
Hiei shook off Kurama's arm, scowling up at the redhead. "What are you thinking now, fox? You may have gotten me to wear this stupid garment, but you can't convince me to go to some stupid nigen school."
"Hear me out, Hiei." Kurama said, leaning against the sink. "I've got an idea. This guy...he's not what he seems. Have you noticed how high his reiki is?"
Hiei nodded grudgingly. "So?"
"Think about it." Kurama pressed. "Think about the new techniques and powers you could learn. You could become stronger than you already are."
"Hn." Hiei frowned. "My own training methods are just fine. I can become stronger than myself by myself." He headed for the door.
"You could become stronger than Yuusuke."
Hiei paused, his hand on the doorknob. He slowly turned back to Kurama. The fox's emerald eyes glinted. Kurama knew that Hiei was still sore about his defeat by Yuusuke a year ago, and that Hiei still intended to beat Yuusuke in a fight. Kurama was right again...this could give him a chance to gain more power than the human. "Hn." He said finally.
Kurama smiled. "Good. Now, let's go inform the nice professor that we've decided to take him up on his offer."
Next chapter: Our pretty demon friends go shopping! Oh dear...Hiei shopping...Kurama's gonna have his hands full...
Now see the little purple button in the bottom left-hand corner of the screen? You KNOW you wanna push it...
