Snap, Crackle, Bang!

Chapter 3

A mere two days after the strange visit from Albus Dumbledore, Kagome found herself looking at the 'enchanted' letter he had given her. She had already read the books, only to find that, as expected, life in Hogwarts would be very different than life in Japan. The school offered all sorts of classes; Divination, Muggle Studies (which Kagome had learned meant 'normal people studies'), Transfiguration, Charms, Potions, History of Magic, Herbology, Astronomy, Defence against the Dark Arts (she found that particularly daunting), Arithmacy and Care of Magical Creatures.

Kagome was sure the only subject she would do well in was 'Normal people studies', but she doubted even that seeing as she was far from normal.

She took the enchanted letter in her hands and gently opened the envelope, breaking the dark red seal over it. It was a letter, reading:

Hogwarts School Of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Dear Kagome, we are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted into Hogwarts School of Witchcaft and Wizardry.

You will find enclosed a list of things needed for the new term, but due to your circumstances we will take care of those.

To alert us that you have chosen to accept your place, please write on the bottom of the page, in the space provided 'I accept the invitation.'

If you choose to accept the invitation, you shall receive all the necessary equipment via owl, and the headmaster shall come and apparate you to platform 9 and ¾ on September first.

Sincerely,

Minervia McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress

Kagome took a deep breath, and picked up a pen from her bedside table. Deep down, she wanted to stay, to try to recover from losing her friends, but she couldn't put her family at risk.

'I accept the invitation.' She scrawled shakily, watching as the black ink bled into the paper, the letters she had just written flashing a bright gold. Her eyes widened involuntarily, "Whoa," She whispered.

Maybe, just maybe, she could enjoy herself, or find some way to 'experience' magic, like her Father had.

She could barely remember him, the odd flashbacks of being held, hide and seek in the shrine, and going out for ice cream came to mind. It was hard on her, thinking that her mother had hidden the 'truth' about her father from her. But Kagome couldn't bring herself to be even vaguely annoyed at her mother, she loved her family too much. Her mother had tried everything to make her happy, and Kagome really couldn't blame her. In fact, over a year ago, she didn't believe any of her Grandfather's stories, but now she had lived them. Still, it was difficult for her to wrap her head around the idea her father was a wizard of all things.


"You can't be serious?" James laughed.

"You know I'm Sirius," His best friend, and fellow Marauder grinned.

"Oh, shut up, I mean your barmy 'plan'," He made the air quotations gesture when he said the word 'plan'.

"Just for the record, I think my plan that you speak so negatively of is a great plan," Sirius huffed in mock defensiveness.

"Turning Professor Slughorn into Snivellus isn't a great plan," James rolled his eyes, hitting Sirius on the arm.

"He failed me last year! He deserves to be Snape for a day, just for one day. One day is more than enough to make him never want to fail me again!"

"If you say so, mate."


"I did it, Mama," Kagome confessed, holding the letter Albus had given her tightly.

"Oh, Kagome," Satsuke whispered softly, "I love you so much."

"I – I leave on September first," Kagome's voice was uneven as it truly set in. She had lost her second family and now she had to leave her first family. She would probably never get to see her second family again, but she knew that if she left, that her first family would be safe so that she could see them again.

Her mother wrapper her arms around her comfortingly, "It's okay, we'll send letters, and when this whole thing is over we'll go visit your father's family, I'm sorry you never got to explore his culture, their magical world just because I thought he was joking."

Kagome shook her head, "You don't need to be sorry for anything, Mama. I'm sorry I have to leave you, I need you to be safe," Hot tears started to pour down her face, "I need you to be safe, I love you, Souta and Grandpa so much, I can't stay."

"Don't cry, love. You'll be safe there, these Hogwarts people can protect you, and maybe you'll learn about your father's world. I know it's so hard on you, especially so soon after leaving the past, but you have to move on. They would have wanted you to have fun, to make the most of this," Satsuke smiled kindly, drying her daughter's tears.

"You're right," She sniffed, "I'm not going to sit here and cry, I'm going to enjoy it, I'm going to honour their memory, and I'm going to make Daddy proud."

"Oh, Kagome, your father already is so proud of you," She gave her daughter a reassuring shoulder-squeeze.


"Minervia," Albus nodded at the transfiguration professor he had summoned to his office, "I need everything on the list for our sixth year students for Kagome Higurashi."

"Hm? Aren't you forgetting something?" She raised her eyebrows.

"And that would be?"

"A wand. The girl needs a wand if she's going to fit in. The poor girl is going to get enough attention, she's our only transfer in the last fifty years! We can't have her try to perfect wandless magic when she's been using a different kind of magic for her entire life. Albus, she probably has the skills of a second year student, and without a wand it would be a lot harder for her," Minervia explained, looking at the list of things sixth year students would need.

"Yes, I see. I thought that perhaps because she was using wandless magic from an early age that- no, no, now I see you're right. It would be wrong to not give her the opportunity to use a wand. Very well, I believe it is still a reasonable time in Japan? About four-thirty in the afternoon I presume. I should take her to Ollivander's. She can get fitted for a uniform then, and choose whatever she needs from the shops. Yes, yes, thank you, Minervia." Albus rambled, picking up his wand.

And with a small smile, he was gone from his office.


It seemed to Albus that the sky in Japan never changed, it was always blocked by a thick dark grey cloud- it wouldn't surprise him if half the population said that they had never seen the sun. He had, once again, apparated to the top of the ginormous flight of stairs leading up to the Higurashi shrine. Why should he walk up the stone steps, possibly sacrificing the health of his knees, when he could just apparate?

He knocked on the door, only to have it answered by Kagome herself this time.

"Miss Higurashi-" He started.

Kagome interrupted him, a worried look on her face, "Is something wrong?" Before she paused, "Where are my manners? Please, come in."

"There will be no need for that," He waved his hand dismissively, "We need to get you a wand, you'll need one for September."

She frowned, "The letter said that the school would get my supplies,"

Albus smiled, "Well, Miss Higurashi," He paused, "The wand chooses the witch, so they say."

With that, Satsuke Higurashi came down the stairs, a concerned look on her face.

"Ah, Mrs Higurashi. If it is perfectly fine with you, I would like to take Kagome to Diagon Alley, to give her a taste of the magical world and so that she can get her wand."

Satsuke looked halfway between suspicious and curious, but she nodded, "Of course, please have her back by six, Professor Dumbledore."

"Ahem," He cleared his throat, turning to the girl by his side, "Miss Higurashi, if you could be so kind as to hold onto my arm and brace yourself."

With a frown, Kagome wrapped her hand around his forearm and took in a deep breath, her free hand subconsciously touching the jewel, as if to reassure herself.

"Excellent," He murmured.

Satsuke could only stand in shock as the headmaster and her daughter vanished, leaving behind no trace they were ever there.


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