Chapter 3: Faded Background

Mahoutokoro School of Magic was founded for the education of young Japanese students and the occasional transfer student from overseas who wished to attend one of the most isolated schools of magic. Located in the rumored inhabited island of Minami Iwo Jima, the school was a jeweled pagoda, shrouded by a thick fog that gave the institution a mysterious aura. Golden dragons protected the entrances of the palace with a ferocity at the red-clay tiles, as students entered by Apparition or by storm petrels, for young students that lived in the Muggle homes in the mainland, not yet able to Apparate. Known for academic prowess and grueling training of Quidditch, despite one of the smallest of student body; it was a school for only the gifted and prodigies alike to attend.

Unlike it's European counterparts, the Japanese system was built upon a hierarchy among students; each were given soft pink robes that served as a uniform along with their status in the school, and as they learned and progressed academically, their robes changed with them. Each student was divided into differing divisions of study, able to change from what they believed was their field of expertise or what they preferred; signified by their badges. Naturally, the highest ranked was golden robes, that symboled mastery of their magical element of the seven: Divination, Transfiguration, Defence Against the Dark Arts, Charms, Potions, Magical History and the Dark Arts.

But above the masters of the seven were the Council.

The Council had one representative from each wing of magic study, respected and feared for their power in magic. But they were a rare sight. Other than once a week, the seven of them were heard about more than they were actually ever seen in a classroom. The only time that the other students had seen any of them for more than twenty minutes, would have been a Quidditch game; and even then, the outcome was an inevitable one. The Council was unbeaten for three years strong in both the Champion's League and the national tournament so much that they had even seated one of their players unless the need was dire, the lone girl as their manager. And right after the game, for three years; they separated as if it were poison to be around the sport or magic for longer than needed.

Youkai. Oni. Akuma. Ningen de Wanai.

Young wizards that surely had to have had Dark Magic in them to have been so powerful in both magic and sports. Because no god could have never been so kind to seven people all born in the same generation. Even when they were playing basketball without their wizarding magic or power, they were still not human. Instead, they were labeled — bakemono — the monsters known as the Generation of Miracles. And so, monsters they became.

Kuroko awoke in cold sweat as he looked around him with wild eyes, his usually blank face contorted in an expression of terror, calming after several breaths that he was at his private chambers in Mahoutokoro. Lying in the darkness, the phantom scanned his chambers dully, his composure slowly coming back. Grand and expensive like the other five members of the Generation, his were simple and held the bare necessities that he required in a school dwelling with several personal needs, that characterized the room as his. Unlike the boys, Momoi had a separate wing for herself being the only female Council Leader but it never deterred her from visiting all that often to find them whenever they so happened to defect from their normal schedule.

Sighing as he threw off the damp sheets of the futon, the blue-haired boy frowned lightly as he caught a glance at his reflection, his bed hair was unruly as ever. Sticking up in nearly every direction, the boy ceased his futile efforts to tame the soft sky blue locks and promptly decided to save himself the trouble by bathing. He was covered in sweat anyway he thought as he pulled off his sweaty shirt, folding them aside for the elves to launder as he entered the bath, ignoring the dizziness that marred his mind.

For half an hour, the bluette sat back in the shared baths with a cool towel dripping over his fringe, the rest of his body submerged in the hot spring bath. The bath was a private one, just like the chambers were, exclusive only to the members of the Council and at such an hour; it was guaranteed to be empty, giving the phantom two privileges: to think and bathe in silence. With the scrubbing aspect of his bath done and only the notion of soaking in waters, his thoughts traveled to his nightmare, his glazed eyes unconsciously veiling themselves into the depths of the mind.

It was vivid as they always were. His nightmares.

The room that he was contained in was too dark to see much of anything that the bluette was sure that his eyes were fully dilated, struggling to find any light in the darkness to no avail. It was uncertain to the phantom when he felt the cold. It just simply was suddenly. Kuroko felt despair rattle over his ears, her arms nestled frigidly over his shoulders as he slumped ever so slightly, despite his expression indifferent as her chuckles echoed loudly in silence. He did not need to check his person to know that he was without his wand. It was more a piece of decor rather than a weapon that he carried; he only carried it if he needed to. It was colder now, his fingers numb as he resisted the urge to twitch them. The Dementor was closer now. He could no longer move anyway. What point was his wand now?

Curved and rough spindles of bone ran under his chin, threatening to break the porcelain skin as his breath hitched unconsciously as they traveled down his jaw. Over his jugular and Adam's apple, Kuroko did not dare to release the breath he did not realize he was holding. A second passed. Then another.

Years later, the fingers danced away and the breath released. Then in an all too swift motion, the looming feeling of despair and darkness sank their fangs into him so deeply that Kuroko barely was able to block the emotion from configuring his expression, only a soft gasp escaping his lips as the skeletal hand gripped his neck. The rattling is thunderous now as the phantom struggled uselessly, the grip digging into his porcelain flesh, bruising as he screamed internally for his body to move.

Move. Kuroko screamed soundlessly even though the boy knew that he was alone. Alone. Just like when they… it was because of them that he was here anyway… alone… all because they had —…

"Kurokocchi? Are you awake?"

Kuroko opened his eyes slowly, blank as he unclenched his fists, hidden in the still steaming waters, the traitorous thoughts receding. The blonde had a worried expression on, still managing to be disgustingly handsome despite his disheveled appearance of just awakening from bed. If the blonde had noticed the phantom's hands, it was not mentioned as Kuroko blinked as if he had just registered that Kise was here. "I am now, Kise-kun."

The blonde frowned, uncharacteristically as he knelt by the unmoved bluette; placing a hand over the latter's forehead.

"You have a fever." Kise frowned deeper for a split second before a dazzling smile took over. "First, let's get you out of the water, Kurokocchi!"

And back to the chambers they went, a frightened Kise helping a stubborn Kuroko who nearly slipped, his cheeks dusted with rose from the fever as the blonde nearly had a heart attack, ranting in a whispered shout that if his Kurokocchi had slipped and died, he would be inconsolable. The phantom stared at his former student with a blank stare before jabbing a hand into the blonde's torso, ignoring Kise's cries of pain as they made their way. After summoning for medicine and arguing that the bluette should stay in bed for about an hour, the blonde finally was able to get the former to sleep, the drugs doing their job.

"Kise-chin. Are you in Kuro-chin's room again?" The lazy drawl of Murasakibara's voice sounded as he poked his head into the phantom's room, trailing off when he caught sight of Kuroko asleep and Kise at his bedside. "Aka-chin told you to stop bothering Kuro-chin, Kise-chin… What happened to Kuro-chin?"

For once, the blonde did not greet the giant with enthusiasm. Looking at the purple-haired center, the haunted look explained it all. Nightmares.

It took less than a few minutes to gather all the others in Akashi's room, each one of them sporting bed hair and crinkled sleepwear as they were seated on the floor, Akashi taking the head of the seating as usual.

Heterochromic eyes flickered to the blonde. "Explain, Ryota."

"They're back." Kise elaborated, as a frown colored his handsome face. "His nightmares from then are back, Akashicchi. All because we have to be back here and participate in that tournament that none of us really give a damn about. I'm not so childish to run away from what they want, but I'm not mature enough to be okay with this."

"How is Tetsu?" Aomine cut in, his demeanor from indifferent to darkly focused at the mention of his shadow. "Is he alright?"

"Would you be after a nightmare?" Midorima snapped back as he twirled his lucky item in his bandaged fingers, a toothbrush. "Not that it was any of my concern, but after Kise's account, Kuroko only has a small fever due to his low blood pressure. Which probably dropped in fluctuations in between when he awoke from his nightmare and when he was in the bath."

Seeing Aomine's clearly confused face, the bespectacled sharp-shooter resisted the urge to shoot him. "He'll be fine after some rest."

"Then why didn't you just say that?!"

"I did, you baka!"

"Mine-chin. Mido-chin. You're noisy. You're going to wake up Kuro-chin."

"Ah? If you're going to tell someone to shut up, you don't you say it to Kise?"

"Why are you so mean to me, Aominecchi?! I didn't do anything!"

Before the argument could continue, a pair of shiny red scissors imbedded itself between Aomine and Kise, as they all turned to their less-than-pleased captain who glared. "Daiki. Ryota. Your training is doubled for a week. I will inform your respective captains that if you do not fulfill it, I will be notified."

"Returning to the topic of Tetsuya's nightmares," The red-head frowned, ignoring the protests from the punished twosome. "This was an event that was coming, Ryota. I have discussed it with Tetsuya, who stubbornly insisted that it was fine. But I assure you, we will not be in Europe for long. Or the Wizarding World for that matter."

"We won't?" Aomine frowned as Akashi nodded with an amused glint in his heterochromic eyes that made Midorima's narrow, trying to ignore the crunching sounds from Murasakibara. He had seen that look before. It was not a pleasant one for Akashi to hold intrigue over his enemies.

"Aka-chin will crush them." Murasakibara concluded as Akashi nodded.

"And more, Atsushi. I will not allow their idiotic ploy of cornering us into this tournament stand." Akashi glared as he fingered the shogi piece in his hands, an unfinished game off to the side before turning to his second in command. "Shintarou, I will leave Tetsuya to you to look after, you will be excused from your lectures."

"But who will come in at such short notice, Akashicchi?"

"Why, seeing how you and Daiki insisted on being so boisterous this morning, I thought that you both would like to take over Tetsuya's and Shintarou's lectures for the day along with your own." The captain smiled almost sweetly, unaffected by the cries of anguish from Kise and the sputtering indignities from Aomine. "Atsushi, you have lectures to attend to as well. If any of you are late, I will know."

And with a chorus of varied responses, the morning began.

"By the request of your Headmaster, Mahoutokoro students are to remain. While we wish the rest of you a good night in preparation for this year's exciting events." Dumbledore announced to the Great Hall as they all rose to leave, but the Japanese students; the Hogwarts students to their House dormitories, led by their prefects and the Durmstrang students to their ship by Hagrid. After filing out the stragglers, the Headmaster of Mahoutokoro took to the podium beside Barty Crouch, sided by both Dumbledore and Karkaroff.

Facing them in a crowd was the students of Mahoutokoro, the Generation of Miracles alined in the front, their captain and phantom at the center, flanked by Kise and Aomine, leaving Midorima and Murasakibara in the ends with Momoi off to the side. The other students were in knelt positions behind their respective Council Leader as indicated by their badges.

Blinking, the Headmaster looked at Akashi for a moment.

"Akashi-kun, where is Kuroko-kun?"

"I'm right here, Headmaster." Kuroko said blankly, his gloved hand half-risen as the rest of the Generation smirked in amusement. It never got old whenever people failed to sense Kuroko's presence. The Hogwarts professors blinked at the appearance of the phantom, just barely noticing the black-clad Tetsuya, who stared back at them blankly, used to the shocked looks that he received.

"Ah. I apologize for not seeing you there, Kuroko-kun." The sagely Headmaster amended with a smile before his face became stern. "I have gathered all of you here to announce that the Japanese Ministry of Magic has passed the decision to allow students at the age of sixteen as of this year to participate due to the Eastern system. And as we are visitors in Hogwarts, you all may attend the classes of your field of study as long as your Council Leader allows it."

Akashi nodded as the others followed in suit, agreeing rather than obeying.

"Then we are to inform our Western counterparts of our Eastern ages." Midorima commented lightly as he noted at the giant's new green lolly, not bothering to speak in Japanese.

"How troublesome." Aomine groaned with some bite, pulling at the tie of his uniform. "First, this dumb tournament and the uniform, and now more classes to attend, not to mention teach. What a pain." They all pointed ignored the startled looks from the professors and headmasters at their light attitudes.

"Are you going to ditch again, Dai-chan?" Momoi frowned, her glare resigned.

"Mine-chin is so lazy~" Murasakibara drawled, his lolly no more.

"I do not think you are in any position to be saying anything, Murasakibara-kun." Kuroko stated blankly before giving the giant some of his promised sweets.

"Thank you, Kuro-chin~" And with a crinkle of cellophane, the maibo was consumed happily.

In the midst of the conversation of the Generation, the Headmaster continued, receiving many odd looks from the Hogwarts professors at the Council's blatant disrespect to himself and unconcern towards the tournament. "Like Durmstrang, all students will stay in the ship for the year as will the Council in their separate vessel. You all will conduct yourselves well into this invaluable experience as players and witnesses of the tournament. Do not provoke or offended your cohorts and fellow neighbors in the form our hosts and fellow guests."

"And of our lectures, Headmaster?" Akashi countered, his left eye gleaming as the Generation recognized their captain's smile. It was the other Akashi. "It would be rude for us to have the ability to allow students enter our hosts' classrooms and for the host to not have the same privilege. As a member of the Council, I propose that Hogwarts students have the same privilege of attending our lectures."

"Has the Council decided and passed this notion, Akashi-kun?" The Headmaster stiffened, the action oblivious to none.

"But of course, Headmaster Shinta." The captain blinked slowly, as if speaking to a lower being. "The decision was unanimous. Seeing how the members of faculty are of only yourself, teaching the rest of the student body befalls to the Council." Know your place, peasant.

"… I see." Dumbledore rose a brow at the Headmaster's swift defeat. "Then may I suggest the—"

"The lectures for each subject will be posted after our meetings with the students regarding placement of students, other preparations will be made in accordance after the choosing of the Champions for the Triwizard Tournament." Akashi interrupted, his now heterochromic eyes in full glare as the students behind the Council shifted uncomfortably, the rest of the Hogwarts staff just as restless, having no place to interfere. Kuroko was unsympathetic as he watched the Headmaster lower his head, Aomine's indifference cold and glaring as Momoi for once, had no reason to scold Daiki, her magenta gaze unconcerned. Kise's amber eyes gleamed a rare steel that bordered thin amusement, Murasakibara twirling his unfinished maibo with a click of disapproval in daring to challenge Aka-chin. Midorima filed his nails as Akashi turned away from their Headmaster with a dismissal, and in the bid of good evening, the Generation of Miracles left, their stifling presence waning as they exited, the slam of the doors echoing behind them.

"The Council appears to run the school more effective than you, Matsumoto." Snape commented tactlessly as the Japanese Headmaster smirked cynically, huffing at the snark.

"You are not wrong, Severus. The seven of them are youths that are more gifted than any prodigy should be. Three years ago, they became the youngest to ever be considered Council members of Mahoutokoro, they are all three branches of government within the school; judge, jury and executioner. I am a mere figurehead to simply overlook the children, they are the true seats of power." The Headmaster chuckled mirthlessly as he too made his way to the doors. "I'm afraid you have a monstrous team to battle against if you wish to win this tournament. Albus. Karkaroff."

"I believe that went well."

"Akashi. You just insulted our Headmaster in front of his peers and enacted that the seven of us do not care what he says to the point that he should not even exist." Midorima stated blandly, as the red-head smirked at the shogi board between them, amused. Kuroko sipped his vanilla shake silently, watching the game as Kise and Aomine watched a game of pre-recorded basketball from the States, Murasakibara outspread on the futons, chewing on a few oddly flavored jellybeans.

"Yes. I did." The red-head admitted without shame, moving a piece on the board. "The Headmaster of Mahoutokoro is only fitting if he knows his place. Previous Headmasters have been impeached and thrown from their seat by the Council if they had found them incompetent. I am simply displaying to our Headmaster that we are a Council that will not hesitate to do the same."

"Others do learn better by example, Midorima-kun." Kuroko piped up, startling everyone other than Akashi with mild heart attacks with visible reaction. The redhead just hid it better. "It is not like our tactics on or off court differ very much with the use of psychological warfare."

"God, Tetsu. Come normally for once!"

"I was here the whole time, Aomine-kun."

"KUROKOCCHI~!" Kuroko ducked from the blonde blur that would have tackled him to ground in the futon / blanket covered room.

"Snacks, Kuro-chin." The purple giant demanded, despite his handful of jellybeans, catching the attention of everyone else.

"No snacks in the bedroom, Atsushi." Akashi reprimanded lightly as he rose a brow at the snack, not recalling either Kuroko or himself purchasing the sweet. "Jellybeans…?"

"Murasakibara, you fool!" The bespectacled member of their team yelled, his voice annoyed. "Those jellybeans are my lucky item for tomorrow! I had Takao wait four hours for them!"

"Take one of them and I will crush you, Mido-chin."

Before the green-head could throw the shogi board at the giant with deadly accuracy — to which would have resulted in a draw in the game and Akashi did not play draws — or the giant in question crush the green-head, the shadow spoke up, a hand out to reveal some chocolate wafers that he had brought earlier. "I'll trade you, Murasakibara-kun. Give me the rest of the jellybeans and I'll give you all of my wafers."

The box of twenty was only missing one wafer while Murasakibara had only six beans left, the difference as clear as day. "Are you sure, Kuro-chin? Are they not good?"

"I can't finish it." Taking the box, the giant disappeared into a chocolate bliss as the shadow handed the rest of the beans to Midorima, who muttered a 'thank you' before stuffing the beans into a bag, away from the giant.

"As Tetsuya said, Shintarou; I was merely teaching our Headmaster. It would be bothersome to have to go through the paperwork of his sudden resignation along with the appointment of a more accommodating replacement. Especially if I would be the one filing it." Akashi addressed, implying for the rest to quiet.

"Besides, if he had not suggested it to our parents, we would be in Inter-High right now." Aomine grumbled as all of them appeared to frown in varying degrees, from Kuroko's twitch to Murasakibara's annoyed grimace.

"Which is why none of us opposed my suggestion to allow other students to attend our lectures." Akashi spoke fluidly, checkmating Midorima who frowned darkly at the result that he was given once more.

"Damn you, Akashi. One day, I will defeat you." The green-head glared.

Smiling, the captain was amused. "I welcome your next challenge, Shintarou."

"But what is your plan in letting the Hogwarts kids attend our lectures, Akashicchi? What point does it make to win the tournament if they attended them?" The blonde questioned, hugging Kuroko's arm as the shadow continued to drink his shake. "It's not like any of us use any magic when we teach and our training is harsher, especially yours and Kurokocchi's."

"And I expect nothing less from you, Ryota." Akashi nodded as they all turned to the captain. "As of tonight, I will permit the usage of magic up to the point of which is appropriate. To use anymore, you must be accompanied one of us, Momoi not counted. Kuroko, you know your limits."

All of them turned to the shadow who nodded, his expression slightly displeased.