Kuro: Welcome to another exciting chapter of...(pause for dramatic effect)...Truth Lies in the Shadows
Kaze: Yes, welcome back. This one is going to be a lot more fun than the last chapter.
Kuro: Indeed it will be. Here we start getting moreinto the story. Aren't you, the readers, happy?
Kaze: I hope so, cuz we had fun with this chapter.
Kuro: Uh-huh. Maybe we should shut up and let them read it so they know what we're talking about. What do you think, Kaze?
Kaze: Yeah, enjoy the chapter and don't forget to review.
Kuro: And we own nothing but ourselves and a few others.
Kaze: That's right. Now onwards.
Truth Lies in the Shadows
Chapter 4
Dumbledore and McGonagall were discussing some issues about the upcoming school year when there was a knock at the door. "Come in." the old wizard called. The door opened and Hagrid walked into the office.
"Ah, Hagrid. What brings you here so early?" Dumbledore asked as he stood up from behind his desk.
"I've brought ye a couple o' new students." the giant laughed heartily. He stepped aside to his left to allow his two charges into the room. Reina and Kaze hesitantly stepped forward.
Professor McGonagall cocked an eyebrow at the sight of them. The shorter girl stood at around five foot. Her blonde hair was in a ponytail, her pointed ears in plain sight. Green-grey eyes stared back at the witch. She was wearing black leather pants, a V-neck black tanktop, black boots, and black fingerless gloves that went up to her elbows. A tattoo of what appeared to be a tornado was visible on her chest.
The Transfiguration teacher mentally sighed. 'Oh, dear. What have we got ourselves into?' she thought with a tinge of regret. Putting her current fears aside for the moment, McGonagall switched her gaze to the taller girl.
This one was a good half foot taller than her friend. McGonagall presumed that this was the half-demon, Reina. She had waist-length, dark blue hair pulled back into a braid. She, too, sported elvish ears. Her eyes were a light lavender. Reina was dressed in a similar attire as her companion; black shirt with netted sleeves, black pants with purple lines down the sides,
and black boots. However, she had tattoos of what looked like some kind of bird wrapped around her wrists.
The witch's intensive study of the girls was interrupted by Dumbledore's soft voice. "Hello. Please come in and take a seat." he said. With a flick of his wand, two chairs appeared out of thin air in front of the desk. Kaze flinched, but stood her ground. Reina, on the other hand, found the act of magic comforting in some way. She nodded in gratitude and sat down, Kaze following her act.
"Well, Reina," The half-demon looked over at Hagrid. "I'll be seeing you again a bit later, okay?" She nodded with a smile.
"Thank you."
With that Hagrid left the girls alone with the magic users. Dumbledore sat down at his desk while McGonagall took a seat off to the side. "First of all, let us welcome you to Hogwarts. I am the Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore. And this," He gestured towards the witch. "...is Professor McGonagall, the Transfiguration teacher and head of Gryffindor House."
"My name is Reina Krone."
"And I'm Emi Soran, a.k.a. Kaze."
Reina smiled at the wind demon's addition to her name. She never did like being called by her real name. Dumbledore seemed amused, but McGonagall found it uninteresting. Seeing the witch's expression of distaste, Dumbledore decided to get on with the business at hand.
"Ms.Krone, Ms.Soran. Let's talk about what you will be doing here during your stay." the wizard began. "Darikk asked me to take you in, Reina, while he was away. We are happy to have you and Ms.Soran in our school. While the two of you are here you will be posing as students."
"So we are going to be students?" Reina interrupted. Dumbledore nodded. "But how will we perform magic? We're demons, not witches." Both girls focused questioning looks on the Headmaster who only smiled.
"Demons are magical beings. Many people claim otherwise, but from my own experiences with demons I can confidently say they are magical. This would mean that your race can use magic to an extent." he explained. Then he addressed Reina directly. "Your case is slightly different, Ms.Krone. Since your human mother was a witch, your capability with magic should be higher than Ms.Soran's. Is this making sense?"
"Yes, sir." the girls answered in unison.
McGonagall smirked. "Manners? That's good." The semi-smile on the shorter demon's face faltered. Using telepathy or not, Kaze could easily tell what McGonagall was thinking. It was written all over the woman's face, distrust. Even though Dumbeldore had assured her that the girls would not turn on them, she was still skeptical. Although who could blame her. In this time of turmoil it wasn't safe to trust everyone.
Seeing the looks in both McGonagall and Kaze's eyes, Dumbledore quickly continued the conversation. "There are many things to be done before the schoolyear starts. First of all, how old are you?"
"Kaze is sixteen, and I will be sixteen in August." answered Reina since her friend was currently locked in a glaring contest with the aging witch.
"Then you will be put in with the sixth years. This means you'll have to work hard to catch up in the weeks before September." said Dumbledore, ignoring the hostility between demon and witch. Reina nodded her acceptance of the challenge.
"Good. Now, onto the matter of school rules. I inform all students of these at the banquet held the first night of their arrival. Professor McGonagall will give you the overview of them when she gives you a tour of the castle later. She will also inform you of the functions of Hogwarts." Dumbledore took up his wand and waved it over two pieces of parchment. Black ink formed words over the parchment in a neat style. He then stood up with the newly covered pieces in his hands.
"These are lists of all the supplies needed for the two of you to catch up. Books, potions, cauldrons, uniforms, and the sort. I will make some calls and have the things delivered here."
"The first stop will be clothing." McGonagall interrupted. The half-demon ignored the hidden insult on her wardrobe, however, the same could not be said for Kaze.
The wind demon glanced at her outfit and then at Reina's. She saw no problem with their clothes. Most people didn't approve of it, but the girls didn't care. They liked it and thought it portrayed their individuality. "What do you mean by that?" Kaze asked offensively. "There's nothing wrong with the way we dress." Reina elbowed her in the side, but the half-demon knew that that wasn't going to stop her.
"Perhaps you do not think so, but it doesn't matter. You and Ms.Krone will be required to wear the regulated girl's uniform." said McGonagall in response.
"And what does this 'uniform' consist of?" asked Kaze a bit irritated.
"A blouse, skirt, tie, and robe." the witch replied.
Kaze's eye twitched at the mention of a skirt. Reina only sighed and propped her head up on her hand. 'Here we go.' she thought as she watched her friend closely.
"A skirt?" gaped Kaze. "You've got to be kidding." When McGonagall cracked a smile of amusement at the demon's expense, Kaze could tell this was not a joke. "I don't do skirts. Can I just wear pants like the guys?"
McGonagall seemed taken aback by this question. She stood up from her seat and stepped closer to the defiant teenager. "You are a young lady, and you will wear clothes fit for a lady. Honestly, if you want to fit in with the other students then you must act normal."
"Newsflash! I'm not normal, I'm a demon." Kaze rose from her seat as well. Even standing straight, Kaze only reached just below McGonagall's shoulders.
"That is no excuse for acting like a tomboy."
"I'm not wearing a skirt."
"Yes, you are."
"No, I'm not."
"Yes, you are."
"No!"
"Yes!"
Neither female was going to back down. Reina wasn't sure about McGonagall, but she knew Kaze could go on for a good while. She always did. Like Reina, the wind demon was strong in all of the fights she got dragged into. Most of hers were verbal fights though. But she was just as good with her fists as she was with her tongue. Usually Reina enjoyed watching such arguments, but she was worried about this one. It's bad enough to pick a fight with an older kid, and it was even worse to do it with a teacher.
Reina looked over towards Dumbledore, who she was surprised to see was looking back at her. She showed him a nervous smile before approaching his desk. "I'm really sorry about this, Headmaster. And I can assure you she won't do it again." The half-demon extended her hand in the feuding women's direction and jerked it a few inches to the right. A blanket of darkness crept up from the floor to settle between the combatants. Not two seconds later, Kaze was kncoked back into her chair, wrapped in the sheet of black.
The little black bundle squirmed around in the chair. Muffles of "Reina!" and "Let me out!" escaped from the captured demon. The half-demon paid no attention to her. She instead faced Dumbledore and McGonagall.
"That was interesting." Dumbledore said with a chuckle. "I don't think there has ever been a student brave enough to stand up to you like that, Minerva." McGonagall didn't answer. "Anyway, let's get the two of you settled."
The shadow demon waved a hand over the struggling ball of black. Instantly the shadow seeped back into the floor. Kaze stuck her tongue out at Reina who smiled in return.
"Professor McGonagall will show you to the rooms you'll be staying in until the sorting. You may relax there or explore the school. Someone will come for you later." said Dumbledore. He bid them farewell and McGonagall urged the girls out of the office.
During the walk through the castle, McGonagall pointed out the halls or passages leading to places the girls would have to know. This would include the Great Hall, the library, certain classrooms, and the way to the house dormitories. Reina and Kaze had forgotten the directions in minutes, but they remained quiet. They finally stopped in front of a large oak door a few stairways over from the Gryffindor House residency.
"Until the start of the schoolyear in September, this will be your room." McGonagall stated. She pulled out her wand and tapped the door with it. At first nothing happened, but then there was a clicking sound and the door slowly swung open. McGonagall ushered her charges into the room and then stepped in after them.
The room they stood in was lit by a fireplace on the left side of what appeared to be a small sitting room. A couch and armchair faced each other in the middle of the space. On the walls hung some portraits of moving people. Reina noticed the movement and looked at McGonagall.
"Excuse me," she said. McGonagall gave the girl her attention. "Is it my imagination or are those pictures moving?" Reina pointed weakly at the magical wall ornaments.
"They are moving." the witch stated bluntly. The half-demon dropped her hand and the subject. "Now," McGonagall continued. "Ms.Krone, your belongings are in the back room on the left. Ms.Soran's are in the room on the right. As for the door," She gestured to the entrance behind them. "Professor Dumbledore has enchanted it to open to each of your signatures. In other words, you will open it with a sweep of wind, and you with a touch of darkness." she said to each of them in turn.
After her brief explanation, McGonagall spun around and left the room. Kaze and Reina stood there examining the living quarters with their eyes. Eventually they went straight to the back where two doors hid two more rooms. Kaze suggested they unpack before doing anything else. Her friend agreed and they split up into the separate rooms.
The bedrooms were not that spacious, but it worked for a short stay. The first thing Reina did was close the curtains around the small window. Kaze decided to open hers so there was a gentle breeze flowing through. But whatever they did different, the girls were thinking the same thing. This was going to be one hell of an experience.