Sorry for the late update, you see I'm lazy by nature, and school starting up has not helped me in this aspect. I'd like to thank everyone who reviewed. I'd name you but that would take longer, and I figured you guys have waited long enough. So sorry again, I hope you enjoy this chapter. I tried to keep everyone IC (in character) Karin may be OOC (Out of Character) but to a certain degree that's on purpose.

Disclaimer: Yeah, don't own Harry Potter of Bleach, I'm much too young and American for that.

Chapter 4
Bad Words?

Karin tried to strike up a conversation with the greasy-haired boy on her right as their prefect was showing them to their dormitory's, but Severus was too busy sulking to respond, so instead she turned to the girl on her left.

"Hey, I'm Karin...you?"

The girl, who looked from Karin to Severus before grimacing, didn't answer. At least, not until they entered their dormitory.

"I'm Saiph Malfoy," she drawled while extending her hand, Karin gripped it and shook (having already been told of the odd English custom) "sorry about not answering you earlier, I didn't want to speak infront of the filth."

"The who?" Karin question, surpressing a chuckle, what kind of name is Saiph?

"You mean you honestly don't know?" Karin shook her head 'no'. "Well you are foreign, I suspect you wouldn't realize it unless he told you."

"Realize what?"

"That Snape boy, I mean it's obvious to us. Snape's not a pure-blood name." Saiph continued, her eyes narrowing in disgust. It was obvious she was related to their prefect, Lucius...they shared the same scowl.

"So?" Karin questioned, she noticed the two other girls in the room watching the exchange with interest.

"So!" Saiph all but screamed, "that makes him a...a, a half-blood. Just thinking about it disgusts me, and did you see how friendly he was with that Evans girl. That filthy mudblood Gryf-

SLAP!

Karin's hand smacked the side of Saiph's face so fast that she honestly didn't know what hit her. If it hadn't been for Karin's steeled eyes she might've thought one of the other girls had sent a stinging jinx at her.

"You," Karin let out through clentched teeth, "will. not. use. that. word."

"What Mudblo-" before she could finish Karin had whipped out her wand and had it pointed in between Saiph's eyes. Her wand seemed to be eager to curse the girl, and while this fact frightened Karin she did not let her fear show in her eyes. Nothing but fierce determination was present there.

"Yes. That one."

"Y-you can't cu-curse me," Saiph answered with false bravado, "my brother is the Slytherin Prefect, if he finds out you cursed me, you'll be on the first train home."

"Maybe," Karin drawled, having faced bigger bullies when protecting Yuzu, "but I doubt he could travel back in time to undo my curse...so you'll still be the one to suffer."

Saiph blanched, before Karin redrew her wand and went to claim the bed closest to the door. Seeing this Saiph retreated to the bed farthest from her, leaving the two beds in the middle for the last two roomates.

The girls, a black, rather tall, Italian looking girl, and a short, pug-faced looking girl glanced at each other before simultaneously choosing a bed. The black girl choose to sit next to Karin, while the other girl sided with Saiph.

"Hey I'm Bionca Zabini," the girl introduced her green eyes shining with mischeif. The girl may have only been 11, but Karin could easily see she was going to be beautiful when she got older.

"Karin," Karin deadpanned.

"Yeah, I know. Look," Bionca whispered low enough that only Karin could hear, "I agree with what you were saying, in Italy I had plenty of half-blood friends...but...you shouldn't pick a fight if you can help it."

Karin relaxed, happy to know that at least one of her roommates actually cared more about her wellfare than her blood purity.

"Thanks for the advice," Karin mummbeled. Bionca just shot her a smile and waved it off.

"No problemo, I'm just glad I have a roommate whose not a wackjob, like Malfoy and Parkinson."

"Parkinson?"

"Oh," Bionca chuckled, "that's the other girl, Rosey Parkinson." Karin just shook her head at the names before bidding Bionca 'good night.'

The next day Karin left her dormitory with Bianca and Severus, who, Karin was happy to note, was speaking to her. He seemed to realize that they had both 'lost someone precious to those horrid Gryffindors,' as he put it.

Not that Karin thought there was anything wrong with Gryffindor, she hadn't told Severus this though. She had already picked one fight, and that was one too many in her books.

Traveling through Hogwarts had left Karin slightly disoriented, and she briefly wondered if she would ever get use to the sheer oddness of this place. After all, what kind of school had a hundred and forty-two staricases? Not regular staircases either, rather: wide, sweeping ones; narrow, rickety ones; some that led somewhere different on Friday; some with a vanishing step halfway up that you had to remember to jump.

Then there were doors that wouldn't open unless you asked politely; or tickled them in exactly the right place, and doors that weren't really doors at all, but solid walls just pretending.

It was also very hard to remember where everything was, and Karin was extremely grateful that she had befriended Severus and Bionca who always seemed to know where they were going, and how to get there on time.

They couldn't help Karin with the classes though. Which, Karin was dissappointed to note, were harder than she'd anticipated. Apperently, there was a lot more to magic than waving your wand and chanting a few words.

Although she expected as much, she coud still do without having to study the night skies every Wednsday at midnight and learning the names of the different stars along with the movments of the planets. As well as taking, Herbology, Charms, Potions, History of Magic, Defense Against the Dark Arts, and...Transfiguration.

Karin had Transfiguration with Yuzu (as well as Potions and DADA) and it was one of the few classes that interested her right off the bat.

"Transfiguration is some of the most complex and dangerous magic you will learn at Hogwarts," Professor McGonagall said on their first day in her class. "Anyone messing around in my class will leave and not come back. You have been warned."

Then she change her desk into a pig and back again. They were all impressed and couldn't wait to get started, but soon realized they weren't going to be changing the furniture into animals for a long time.

After taking a lot of complicated notes, they were told to pair up, and each pair was given a match that they were meant to transfigure into a needle by the end of the day.

Yuzu ran to Karin's side, making sure they were partners, before dragging her off to a table. Karin shot Bionca an apologetic smile, before following after Yuzu.

Karin was happy to note that Severus and Lily were partners, which meant they weren't the only inter-house pair. She also noticed James and Sirius were paired, although the two seemed to be doing everything but the assignment, while Remus and Peter had already started. Bionca ended up working with a Slytherin boy.

"Hey Karin," Yuzu chirped cheerfully, while Karin prodded her match with her wand. "Oh my goodness, isn't this school the best? I found out that Lily is my doormate along with this nice pureblood Alice, and another muggle-born named Mary."

"Uh-huh." Karin mumbeled, while flipping through her notes.

"...and James was super lucky, his doormates are all his friends, remember the guys we met on the train? Yeah, well they're already super close, especially James and Sirius."

"That's great Yuzu," Karin continued as she began to scan her page of notes.

"You'll never guess what James told me! You know Lily? He said he's going to marry her! Oh, can you imagine? I hope they do get married. Then you can marry Siruis or someone and we'll be one-

"Yuzu," Karin mumbled, trying to get her twins attention.

"Happy."

"Yuzu..." Karin continued, her voice steadily rising.

"Family."

"Yuzu!" Karin all but screamed causing all of the students to look at her, and Professor McGonogall to send her a warning glare. Karin was worried she was going to get detention for disrupting the class.

"Yes, Karin?" Yuzu questioned, ignorant to Karin's worry.

"We have to get started," Karin seethed, keeping herself from snapping at her sister. If Karin snapped at Yuzu she wouldn't stop crying until Karin apologized, besides, Karin already felt bad enough for raising her voice. Yuzu didn't deserve her anger.

"Oh, right!" Yuzu exclaimed, while she and Karin set to work. At the end of the class they were pleased to find they were one of the only four groups who managed to cause a reaction in their match.

James and Sirius had managed to completely transfigure their match, Karin and Yuzu came in second with their wooden needle. Next was Lily and Severus, their match a silvery color, and finally Remus and Peter had managed to make the bottom of their match pointy.

Karin noticed that Professor McGonogall was shocked that so many students had managed to garner a reaction out of their match, even if they were in pairs. She was especially surprised by James and Sirius' flawless transfiguration.

Yuzu wanted to go an congradulate them both, but Karin, still sore from losing, refused. So it was; that Karin, kicking and screaming, was dragged to James and Siruis' side.

"Hi guys," Yuzu chirpped, "we just came to congradulate you two!"

"Yuzu!" They both cheered.

"Karin," James muttered avoiding Karin's eyes.

"Kurosaki," Sirius nodded, his voice dripping with ice.

"What's up with you two?" Karin questioned, while Yuzu left to chat with Lily. James just lowered his head and scurried off to Lily's side avoiding Karin's eyes the entire time.

"Don't talk to James," Sirius muttered, causing Karin to snap her eyes to his, confused. "I don't know what you're up to Kurosaki," Siruis continued, his eyes flashing dangerously, "but don't think I'll let you hurt James or Yuzu."

"Hurt them?" Karin questioned in disbelief, "why would I hurt them? James is my cousin, and Yuzu is my twin sister!"

"Family doesn't mean anything to a dark witch."

"A dark witch?" Karin narrowed her eyes, stepping closer to Sirius, "now listen here Black. I am not a 'dark witch', if anyone is dark it would be you!"

In a second both Karin and Sirius had their wands trained at each other. Neither new a spell, having yet to take Defense, but that didn't stop them from glaring at each other.

"Miss Kurosaki, Mr. Black!" Professor McGonogall screeched, "why I never! Fighting, and in the middle of my classroom, detention! The both of you, and fifteen points from both houses."

Sirius looked surprised that Professor McGonogall would subtract points from her own house, but Karin was just mad that she'd let the jerk get to her.

"I should have better control than this!," Karin mumbeled in Japanese, "why did I snap so quickly? With Yuzu too, I nearly yelled at her, and she didn't even DO anything!"

"Karin!" Yuzu screamed, racing after her sister as soon as class was dismissed. "Karin, wait!" She called, rushing to her side.

Karin sighed and looked at Yuzu, she'd been hoping to avoid Yuzu's interrigation or at least delay it until lunch, but no luck. Yuzu was worried, and when she was worried she would not loose sight of you.

"Karin, what happened back in Fig?"

"Fig?"

"Yeah, you know, Transfiguration is such a long word so I'm using Fig."

Karin nodded her head in understanding, "that's pretty smart sis."

"Really? You think so? 'Cuz I told James and them, and Sirius just started laughing at me...then again, when I told them I had just tripped over a, you know what? I'm not even sure what I tripped over." Yuzu ended, good naturedly. "Speaking of Sirius..."

"Don't worry about it Yuzu."

"...but Karin," Yuzu whinned, "it's not nothing! You don't yell at people for nothing. Maybe other people do, but you don't!"

Karin couldn't help but agree with her sister, she didn't yell at people...normally...but then again, nothing about Karin's life was ever normal. Not anymore.

"So?" Yuzu pressed, herding Karin to the Great Hall.

"So?"

"So, what happened, Karin! What did Sirius say that got to you so bad? You should know that he hardly ever means what he says, he's such a trickster and all."

"I'm pretty sure he meant what he said Yuzu."

"Well, what did he say?" Yuzu innocently questioned.

Karin just paused in the middle of the hall, mumbeled something quietly and then ran like the devil was on her heels. By the time Yuzu registered what she said Karin had already retreated to her dormitory. Figuring lunch wasn't worth the interrigation.

Five seconds passed before Yuzu's voice shot across the hall, rocketing off of walls and filling the entire school with her voice, much like a howler would. Everywhere students of all ages could here the angry voice of Yuzu Kurosaki screaming,"HE CALLED YOU WHAT!"