Of Wisdom and Cunning
Sorry it took so long guys, i posted two this time though. any way let me know what you think
Chapter 8
"Albus where are we?" I asked as Albus set me down outside of pub of sorts.
"This is the leaky cauldron. But we won't be staying long, we're just going through the back. Hey Hannah!" Albus said to a kind friendly looking woman, who merely smiled and waved at us. "We are going to my Uncle's shop for a bit…it's a nice distraction." Albus said grabbing my hand and leading me to the back of the pub. He led me in to an alley way and opened up a door that was not there before. The door opened to a brighter, more charming alley way. Some people were milling about in the streets. Albus smirked and led me into the alley way. "Welcome to Diagon Alley, the shopping center of the wizarding world." He said, I looked around, it seemed a bit dingy but then again coming from upper class Japan, everything about England seemed dingy.
"Hmm, what's that store there?" I asked pointing to a large statue of a man robotically tipping his tall purple and orange top hat at us sitting outside a large colorful store front.
"That is the very store I was telling you about. Weasely Wizard Wheezes, my Uncle George's shop." Albus said playfully, he swung me on to his back, I latched on as he ran toward the statue.
"A-ha-Albus Potter, why do you always end up carrying me places?" I asked through a giggle.
"Because you are so easy to carry." He laughed back as the store's door swung open.
"ALBY POTTER WHY AREN'T YOU IN SCHOOL!" a male voice bellowed from behind the counter. Suddenly a ginger head appeared with a smirk that would have reminded me of uncle Kaoru. "And you are?" he asked.
" Kyoko Ootori…" I replied as I slide to the floor.
"George Weasely, pleasure to meet you Love." The man said with a flirtatious wink. "FRED GET THIS GIRL SOMETHING TO EAT SHE LOOKS FAMISHED!" George bellowed over his shoulder. I shot Albus a questioning look. Albus merely smiled. Must be a family trait, We must always feed the guest I thought smirking at the idea of Father meeting them. Suddenly a boy with dark brown eyes and bright red hair and freckles galore appeared in a doorway in the back. He looked a tad bit bewildered.
"Dad the potion ain't workin'" the boys said, his eyes widened when he saw me. "Woah….H-hi I'm Fred Weasely Jr." he said a tad shakily with a sheepish smile. I smiled and shook his hand as he neared us.
"Hi, Kyoko Ootori." I said, the boy blushed slightly. Albus stiffened next to me. This boy was muscular, more so than James or Albus, he had a carefree air about him that crackled with energy and mischief, I couldn't help but smile around him. Maybe this is how Father felt about Tamaki, before the fight…. I wondered momentarily.
"Fred, food." George ordered. Fred jumped and nodded and ran up a set of stairs I hadn't noticed until now. "You'll have to excuse him, he's awkward around ladies, especially real pretty ones." George said winking again.
"He can talk to Rox and Lily just fine." A woman said appearing from behind a shelf, she had dark skin and long dark hair and brown eyes. She looked like Roxanne. "Hello, Love, I'm Angelina, George's wife."
"Y-you're Roxanne's parents?" I asked, suddenly nervous, Albus' arm wrapped around my shoulders comfortingly. Angelina's eyes narrowed, George merely looked curious, although he had a weird glint his fiercely blue eyes.
"Yes we are…" Angelina replied slowly, and with a slight edge, "What about it?" she asked raising an eyebrow. Fred reappeared with a sandwich of sorts, he looked worried. I bit my lip and played with the tips of my hair.
"I'm sorry it wasn't supposed to happen…. I felt threatened so I defended myself. I never meant to-"
"Kyo stop." Albus said, giving me a look that said he'd explain later.
"What are you talking about?" Angelina looked pissed now.
"It was a little roe, Mum it was nothing. Roxy was merely staking her claim." Fred said quickly, looking completely calm all of a sudden. How did he know, when they didn't? I wondered as I pressed myself closer to Albus for protection. George broke in to an uneasy smile.
"Love, would you mind helping me with this potion, Freddy can't get it to work." George said leading his wife back to the room Fred previously appeared from.
" 'M sorry, Mum's a bit protective of Roxy. Don't know why though, my little sister is as fierce as they come." Fred said handing me the sandwich. "It's just ham and cheese, but it should do for now." He said with a small smile. Albus stiffened again. I smiled in return before shooting Albus a questioning look. "So you're from Japan? What's it like there?" Fred asked.
"Very different from here, it's more high tech and cleaner." I replied with a gracious smile. "At least the part of Japan I grew up in."
` "Oh….do you miss them? Your parents?" Fred asked sheepishly.
"My father? Everyday…My mother? I don't know anymore…" I replied leaning against Albus. I was engulfed in the smell of used leather, old books, and peppermint as he wrapped his other arm around me and held me against him. He pressed his face into my hair.
"It's okay, I've got you." Albus murmured. I felt tears prick my eyes, I blinked the little watery devils away. "it's okay Little Angel, I'm here.."
"And Mother? Is she here?"
I swallowed and willed the memory away. I pushed up my glasses and shrugged Albus off. "I'm fine, what's that shop?" I asked pointing to a little store with brooms and a quidditch uniform in the store window, even though I could already guess what it was, but as Father often said, Might as well humor the poor fools. Albus looked a little upset at my little show of independence.
"Oh, that's Quality Quidditch Merchandise." Fred said, "You wanna go check it out?" he asked, his eyes glinting excitedly. I nodded, Albus followed us as we walked out of the Joke shop. "Hey Um, Kyoko? Are you and Alby a thing? Or is he just being weird?" Fred asked looking slightly nervous in the direction of his cousin.
"I don't know what you are talking about." I stated, cautiously.
"Well, I guess I was just wondering, because he's being awfully protective of you don't you think? I mean, you're pretty and everything, so I can see why he would be protective, but he appears to be under the impression that it's his job to protect you while you are here….you know?" Fred said really fast, like Tamaki when he's nervous or excited. "I'm thinking, he might have feelings for you…"
"Well, he is my best friend, a side from my cousins and Father. It's natural for him to feel something, and be protective of me when he deems a situation unsafe for me. But he's not over stepping any boundaries, I'm not uncomfortable or anything." I replied coolly.
"So…you two are a thing then?" Fred asked sadly, as if I just killed his pet fish.
"I never said that, don't misconstrued my words Weasely, I merely saying he knows things about my past that no one else knows and has every right to be somewhat protective." I snapped and turning sharply away from him. Calm down, he meant no harm Kyoko, you are letting his hormones effect you. I chastised myself. I heard a chuckle behind me. I turned to see Albus smirking at Fred darkly.
"And that would be why she is a Slytherin, Fred." Albus said smugly as the older boy recovered from shock.
"Really? I could have sworn I saw a flash of Ravenclaw there, maybe some Gryffindor with that temper though." Fred taunted back, Albus' cheeks tinged pink.
"Slytherins have a temper too you know." Albus said darkly.
"I believe you, 'course you inherited that emotional monstrosity from your Dad." Fred said rather rudely.
"Watch it, Weasely." Albus' tone was dangerously low.
"Just speaking the truth-"
"Thin ice, Fredrick, thin ice" Albus snapped, I huffed and walked quickly to the sports shop. "Kyoko! Wait up!" Albus yelled following me quickly. "Are you upset with me?" he asked as we entered the store.
"No, merely annoyed. Why?" I reply idly wondering around the store, looking at the uniforms and running my hand over the brooms. Albus put a hand on my shoulder and turned me around.
"I pissed you off somehow and I want to fix it. Tell me what I did that made you so upset." He said, his green eyes dark and clouded. I shook my head.
"It's nothing."
"One second you are leaning on me and ready to cry and the next second you're mad at me and the rest of the world and storming about like everyone is your enemy. I get that you miss them, him, her, everyone over there. I understand that you are feeling lost and alone. But I'm here, okay, I wanna help you feel at least less lost, and more at home here. It's scary, I understand. please let me be here for you, okay?" Albus said, he gave a timid smile that didn't reach his eyes.
"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine, you make me happy when skies are grey, you'll never know dear how much I love you, please don't take my sunshine away."
"Again, again Daddy!"
I nodded and went back to idly searching the store. A little gold ball glinted in the sunlight that streamed through the sky light. "Albus what is this?" I asked looking at the small thing with heightened interest.
"That, milady is what us wizard folk call a snitch. It's the little ball that I, the seeker of the quidditch team, chase around and the game doesn't end until this little guy is caught. It's named after the snidget, a small golden feathered bird that was the original "snitch" during the beginnings of quidditch." Albus explained excitedly as he tapped a button of sorts on the ball and suddenly two wings appeared and fluttered in a rather hurried pace. The ball itself didn't move which disappointed me greatly. I frowned at the ball.
"It's not moving…" I stated lamely.
"Well, Love that's because it's charmed to stay put. Can't have little kiddies chasing it around and getting hurt now can we?" Albus asked with a small teasing smirk. I giggled.
"There you go sounding like Father again." I said with a childish smile. He grabbed me around the waist and tickled me. "Ha! Albus!" I protested.
"What was that, little one? Who is this Albus character?" Albus teased taking on a deep fatherly tone.
"Oh no one Father, just a boy I met in boarding school." I said in a high pitched voice, trying not giggle.
"Is that how you introduce your friends, Oh, just a silly boy I met in England...no one really special." Albus mimicked in a horrible interpretation of myself. He started tickling me again. "Tell me about him Kyoko, he must be someone special for you to remember him so easily when I tickle you."
"He's silly, and athletic, charming. He's very smart for his age, and…" I stopped myself, W-what am I saying? I thought, confused by some of the things I said about him.
"And?" Albus said in the fatherly tone. "What else, popkin?" he asked, I wrinkled my nose.
"Popkin? My Father has never called me that." I said, Albus looked momentarily confused.
"Really? Well surely your dad has some strange nickname for you. At least I thought most rich people had odd nicknames for their children." Albus said, looking a little down trodden.
"Well…he does…but…" I started looking down at my hands shyly.
"But it's a private nickname? Something special between you and him?" Albus asked, pulling me into his chest. "My mum has one for me too. I understand if you don't want to tell me."
"Little Angel." I murmured into his shoulder , ducking my face away so he wouldn't hear me.
"What? What did you say?" Albus asked ducking his head down close to mine.
"Little Angel, that's what Father calls me, because I gave him hope." I said quietly.
"Hope for what?"
"I don't know, just hope in general I guess." I replied leaning on him. Too dependent, you are being to dependent, Ootoris do not behave this way. I scolded myself while pushing away and strolling back out the door. "I want to go back, please?" I said standing in the door way my head turned in Albus' direction. He didn't respond but merely grabbed my hand and led me back to his home.
