A/N: Another special thanks to KatonRyuuka for helping me flesh out the plot line. And, a special thanks to everyone else who has decided they'll support this!. I love you guys! Er, and girls. Whatever, right? Oh, and thanks to Shamork for his support. And everything else, too.
Enjoy!
-Rachel Noelle
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Rin looked to his taicho, bewildered. "What does this do again?"
His taicho smiled creepily. "I have no idea. That's why you're here. To watch it and see what it does."
The look Rin gave his superior conveyed his terror perfectly. "Don't worry, Rin-san," his taicho said, ruffling his hair. "You should have at least… three and a half hours before anything happens."
The older man turned on his heel and left without Rin being able to get another word in.
oOoOo
Rin finally settled back into his chair comfortably enough to be able to watch the monitors and keep the arch in his peripheral vision. His taicho definitely defined strange and unusual, and especially more so when he dragged something like this arch into the division, but he was more often than not correct with his initial assumptions.
Mistaking the three hours passed for only two, and assuming his taicho to be correct, Rin decided that a quick nap would hurt nothing, and settled back into his chair after a last look to the monitors. He closed his eyes, allowing his mind to drift off to sleep. The nap became short-lived, however, as the monitors began making rather a ruckus, with screams and cries of pain and terror lurching from the veil covered archway.
Rin bolted up from his seat, temporarily blinded by the light the arch suddenly exuded. He tried to feel for anything nearby to brace himself and determine exactly where in the room he stood. Just as quickly as it came, the light vanished and the screams ceased. A man stumbled forward, cowered in fear, yelling in a language Rin shakily determined to be English.
The man stood after a moment, finally seeming to decide he was in no immediate danger. He and Rin looked at one another for several long minutes before both screamed simultaneously. The man searched frantically for an exit, but Rin used his weak shunpo to reach the exit first and sealed the door. The man pulled a stick from somewhere within his awkward and unusual kimono and started shouting something that sounded like an incantation as Rin finalized the seal.
"Taicho! Taicho!" Rin called loudly as he ran down the halls of the twelfth division. Everyone welcomed the change in leadership within the thirteen squads, but Urahara and Yoruichi taking over the twelfth also brought some unusual and interesting new experiments to the division. The latest being the archway filled with pluses, the cause of Rin's panic.
"Something I can help you with, Rin-san?" Yoruichi greeted, meeting Rin at the door of the taicho office, smiling cattily. Though she had accepted the position as Urahara's second in command, she was still the queen of flash. Even at almost three full months pregnant.
Rin stopped in his tracks, and looked up blankly to Yoruichi. He finally processed her words and sudden appearance, and started stuttering a response. "There's a man- a man- from- From the Arch- and- and- he- he-he- he fell- and the arch- and- and- I don't know what's happening, Shihouin fukutaicho!"
Yoruichi nodded firmly, accurately deciphering the broken explanation. "Let's tell Kisuke then," she chirruped and trotted off to Urahara's personal lab.
Urahara looked amazed with Rin's story. "A man just fell from the arch, you say?" he grinned. Rin nodded. "And my timing seems correct. Did you notice anything else?" Rin shook his head, and Urahara looked crestfallen.
After describing the incident, detailing the light and the screaming, and the overload of the machines, Rin simply had nothing else to add. Urahara cheered as quickly as he saddened.
"Well, bring him in then. And use the translator, it may help." Urahara smiled his Cheshire cat grin. After a brief discussion, he'd determined the man who'd fallen through the veil possessed a wand, and was frantically casting random spells. He'd definitely have to get in touch with the Japanese Ministry of Magic as soon as possible.
oOoOo
"I- I don't remember. All I can recall is that my name is Arthur, and I know all of these 'spells…'" Arthur mumbled. It was terrible enough that he couldn't remember anything else, but he felt there was something he definitely should remember. Or someone. Maybe several 'someones.' "I do remember being in a dark room, with a few other people, and I was hit by a flash of red light. The last thing I can recall is falling through that archway, and ending up here."
"Interesting. You seem to have been hit with a memory modification spell. But, it is as I suspected. The Britain Ministry has been up to something they've not been telling the other Ministries about," Urahara stated as he waved his fan in front of his face, hiding a smile. He did always love a good government conspiracy theory.
"So, what should we do, Kisuke?" Yoruichi intoned, curious as to his thoughts. Rin looked on interestedly, wondering what secret the taicho was hiding that only he and Yoruichi understood. As was typical of the pair.
Urahara just smiled his creepy grin as he answered, "The same thing we always do, Yoruichi. Try to take over the world!"
oOoOo
Toshiro awoke that morning with a feeling of impending doom. He simply knew something would go wrong. When he and Rangiku received the Hell Butterfly, summoning them to Ukitake's office for an emergency meeting of the taicho and fukutaicho, the ominous sensation increased.
When Toshiro and Rangiku reached the new soutaicho's meeting hall, they came across Ichigo and Rukia. Ichigo looked forlorn and troubled, Rukia mildly excited. Ichigo looked to Toshiro, smiling glumly. "You, too, huh?" Ichigo asked the short taicho. Toshiro heaved a heavy sigh and nodded.
His sense of doom was confirmed.
All the taichos in the room, excepting Urahara, looked shocked. Some did a poor job of trying to hide it, but most just let their mouths hang open and their faces contort. "The man, called Arthur Weasley, speaks of the involvement of another man, called Voldemort, in a sinister plan in England's 'Wizarding World.' As some of you may know, we have long ago separated ourselves from the Wizards, since the signing of the Treatise of Morgana Theda in 1562." The taichos and fukutaichos present gasped or nodded as Ukitake spoke.
"Urahara taicho and Shihouin fukutaicho are researching the usage and operation of the Arch. Also, they are overseeing the recovery of Weasley-san, and arranging for his help for our mission. With their assistance, we have come to the conclusion that we shall assist the Wizards. Urahara taicho has contacted the Japanese Ministry of Magic, and they have agreed to accept our help. Who shall volunteer to lead the movement to assist the Wizards?" Ukitake asked. He preferred to use volunteers whenever possible, but his note demanded that someone volunteer or he would be forced to assign it.
Ichigo looked at Rukia, wondering what had ever convinced him or Byakuya to promote her to fukutaicho. She bounced on her toes excitedly, a pleading look on her face, her eyes large and excited. Ichigo momentarily regretted accepting the position as Ninth Division taicho with Rukia his second, displacing a willing Shuuhei to Fifth Division fukutaicho, under Renji's leadership.
Next to Rukia, Rangiku was bouncing on her toes, putting Toshiro at unease with her chest moving right along with the rest of her. Knowing there would be no other way around it, Toshiro stepped forward. Rukia, sensing she would be included in the mission, and Rangiku both barely held their squeals of excitement.
"Very well. Hitsugaya taicho, you will gather a group of four, including yourself, and present yourselves in my office in one hour. Meeting dismissed," Ukitake spoke firmly and the group dissipated, leaving Ukitake speaking to a still foul Ikkaku, asking again why he had been forced to transfer and take over third division. Kira did his best to calm Ikkaku and drag him from the meeting hall, leaving Ukitake smiling and telling the newly instated taicho that he would be accustomed to the title within the month.
oOoOo
"Who are you going to pick, Taicho?" Rangiku asked curiously, knowing she would be given the assignment, but still feeling a tinge of fear that Toshiro had someone better in mind.
"We've only just left the meeting, Matsumoto," Toshiro spoke brusquely, keeping his face stoic as he enjoyed the small torture he inflicted on his second. "But, I'm not sure. Perhaps some of the seats, or even some of the seats from another division."
Rangiku stopped in her tracks and Toshiro sensed something very wrong with her sudden change of disposition. He turned around to face her, immediately smirking at the tearful look on her face. "Oh, I see. Of course," she whispered.
Toshiro rolled his eyes. The damnable woman had him so tightly under her thumb she could squash him, and she never even guessed. "Here," Toshiro handed Rangiku a handkerchief. "Wipe your eyes, you demon. Of course you're going. I can't let you stay behind and wreck the division while I'm away."
Rangiku squealed and hugged Toshiro tightly, squashing him to her chest as per her norm. "Oh, Taicho! I knew you would!" she sang, pretending to ignore Toshiro's struggles to free himself.
"So help me, Matsumoto," Toshiro ground out when he was freed, "if you do that again, you will never see the light of day for all the paperwork you'll be doing."
Rangiku gave her best pout and Toshiro sighed in defeat. "Who else will you pick?" she asked.
Toshiro considered for a moment. Scratching his head in thought, he finally decided. "Kurosaki and Kuchiki. They're the only other two who can properly assimilate with other cultures." Rangiku grinned and ran to catch up with Rukia to share the good news.
oOoOo
An hour later, the passersby heard a loud gasp and a louder squeal coming from Ukitake's office. Followed by a yet louder squeal of excitement from the two women standing in front of his desk. And successively a tight hug, accompanied by more jumping than should have been allowed. For the one in particular, at least.
Standing just to the side of the two women, two young men moaned in desperation. They were being sent out with the two women, yet again. And they simply knew they would be miserable.
Though they would be wrong, and for once admit it.
"So, let me get this straight," Ichigo half whined, half mumbled, "We have to attend a class for the rest of this summer, to teach us to use magic…"
"Correct," Ukitake grinned. Ukitake held a long discussion with Urahara and Yoruichi in the hour following the meeting, trying to determine the best approach to the mission with the Wizards. With the newest information Urahara unearthed, it turned out that Toshiro volunteering was a blessing. Knowing he chose Rangiku, Ichigo, and Rukia as his team, Ukitake and Urahara decided to send them to the Wizarding School, Hogwarts, to protect and assist this "Boy-who-lived," Harry Potter. After explaining their mission, Ukitake opened the floor for discussion and questions about the mission, knowing only Toshiro would have any, and likely minimal, knowledge of the Wizards. Or, rather, the torture Ukitake was sending them to, as the males preferred to see it.
Toshiro sighed heavily before continuing with Ichigo's train of thought. "And, after this two-month class, we're being sent to the Living World to assist a group of 'Wizards.'" This time Ukitake only nodded happily in response.
Ichigo finished where Toshiro left off. "Not only are we being sent on a ridiculous mission indefinitely with the two insane women over there, but we're being sent back to school?"
"You mean we have to go back to school?" Rangiku and Rukia intoned in unison, both pouting with disappointment. Toshiro and Ichigo looked at them disbelievingly, wondering just what the ladies heard when Ukitake discussed the school.
"Well, yes," Ukitake half-frowned. "Though it won't be the same sort of school. They'll be teaching you things like… Charms, Divination, and Muggle Studies. If I remember Arthur's words correctly."
Rangiku and Rukia brightened.
"Great, we get to suffer through this for who knows how long…" Ichigo grumbled. "Well, at least I know what I've been dragged into."
"If there are no more questions, you are dismissed. Class starts tomorrow at 8.00 a.m." Ukitake waved goodbye as the foursome walked from the office, Rangiku and Rukia involved in a deep conversation about their exciting mission ahead.
oOoOo—RN—oOoOo
Notes:
I had a question about my pairings. These are the ones I'm set on: Hitsugaya/Matsumoto, Harry/Ginny, Ron/Hermione, Urahara/Yoruichi, Renji/Shuuhei, Byakya/Yachiru. There will most likely be Ichigo/Rukia, but, I'm still debating that. Otherwise, the HP world will likely remain the same, as I mostly ship canon in that, except maybe Neville/Luna or the like, and a few crossover pairings here and there. As the story progresses, I may/may not, depending on the readers, continue some of the crossover pairings. At any rate, it should be fun, eh?