Wild Magic

Ranma 1/2, Slayers, and any other series used in this fanfic are owned by their respective creators/publishers/whatever

Thanks to the reviewers who have commented, and to the people who provided some interesting and fun ideas that were just… fun to think about and COULDN'T be passed up.

"Speech"

'Thoughts'

Chapter 8

"Lina"

"Mmna" The sleepy reply of a redhead fast asleep under the covers of a four poster bed sounded. Well more like her covers were strewn about with her entangled in such ways that seemed almost impossible. "Pickled jellyfish and cucumbers are so tasty…" She muttered as some drool was hanging from her open mouth.

'Pickled jellyfish and cucumbers? What kind of dreams does she have?' Gosaria wondered as she watched her friend snore with a little bit of drool hanging out. "It's time to get up Lina!" She said a little more forcefully this time.

"That's my sweetened eel Naga… get your own." She mumbled as she turned over onto her side.

"Have I mentioned that I think she's a little bit weird?" Millicent asked as she watched the cat girl sleep like she never saw before. "If she doesn't wake up soon, she'll miss breakfast."

"Breakfast?" A small question asked as a certain redhead's eyes fluttered open.

"Ah! She lives!" The mock scream of Daphne Greengrass announced, causing a round of laughs from everyone present. The only one who wasn't laughing was Ranma, who chose to just grumble at them. She then watched as the girls left their dormitory.

A small voice spoke up from next to her. "Hmph! They don't respect the feline's need for sleep." Looking to the voice, Ranma's eyes glanced upon Millicent's black cat sitting on the next bed yawning.

Giving a shrug, the redhead hopped off the bed. "Well I AM actually a human… just with feline tendencies." To the casual observer, it would almost seem as if she was just making a series of meows. "Now where did Laira get off to?"

"I believe she said something about finding carrots." The black cat said as it stretched. "It's such a fine day for a nap. It's too bad you can't enjoy it." It was almost as if the cat gave a little feline smirk.

"I should really let Millicent know that her cat is an evil little thing." Ranma grumbled as she got dressed and headed out the dorm, leaving a certain black cat to doze peacefully.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ranma was glad that there was only one class today that she would have. That way she could have time to herself later to find the 'Come and Go Room' the house elves told her about yesterday morning. The class was a double period of Potions with the Gryffindors. Since the Potions classroom was in the dungeons, it wasn't too hard to find. She took a little time yesterday to explore some of that very area.

As she walked into the classroom, she noticed all sorts of jars with pickled animals floating in some kind of liquid. 'The guy must be the life of the party.' The redhead thought sarcastically as she noticed that Hermione was already sitting in her seat. With Gosaria right behind her, the two made there way over to the bushy haired girl. After greeting each other, they sat down to wait for everyone to finish coming in and class to start.

'It's the greasy haired guy from last night.' Ranma noted as she listened to the guy taking roll call. She then watched as the guy stopped for some reason.

"Ah, yes," he said in a pause. "Harry Potter, Our new… celebrity." The fur on the redhead's ears and tail began to bristle at the tone of voiced used in Prof. Snape's calling for Harry. "You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion making." Ranma had to give a small frown. She wasn't much of a 'potions' maker, especially considering when Washu tried teaching her how to mix chemicals.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (Six years ago)

"Ok Ranma, I want to start you on learning how to do chemistry." Washu stated to her student as she lead the little redhead to a stand with a bunch of different colored chemicals. "By learning this skill, you will able to create your own healing items and other interesting things you could put to good use." Ranma looked at her for a second.

"I don't know. I've had tons of problems with potions, chemicals, and all that similar crap back then." She didn't really see why she'd need to learn this stuff. It could only end up backfiring. Her teacher waved her hand a little bit.

"By learning how to mix, create, and brew chemicals, you could learn how to counteract certain ones. You could even create medicine that would be of help to various ailments. Who really knows?" The scientist then pointed to a few potions on the table. "I'm only going to start you out on some of the safer ones. Just use those three right there. The flask and the two tubes on either side of it are the ones you shall be using." Walking a few feet away, Washu watched as the younger redhead reached for the liquids.

'Alright, I just need to pour these two into this flask.' Ranma thought as she began pouring the contents of the tubes into the flask. A blinding light and a big bang later, Ranma was charred from head to toe.

"What the hell happened?" Washu asked walking up. Those three chemicals shouldn't of reacted in that way. Her student gave her a look and a shrug.

It became known to Washu after that, that every few attempts for Ranma to mix chemicals would result in an explosion. Something not even the greatest scientific genius in the universe could figure out.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (end flashback)

Shaking out of her thoughts, the redhead vaguely caught what the Potions teacher said. Something about dunderheads or something, and Hermione was sitting on the edge of her seat for some reason. 'Does one with a smart mind always have to try and flaunt it?' She thought to herself, thinking about Washu and Hermione.

"Potter!" Harry wasn't the only one who slightly jumped. "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel into an infusion of wormwood?" The question was asked in such a tone that said 'if you don't know this, you're stupid.'

Ranma was almost smacked in the side of the head when Hermione's hand shot up into the air. The redhead then heard Harry's reply. "I… don't know sir." Her eyes narrowed when their professor's lip curled into a sneer.

"Tut, tut… fame CLEARLY isn't everything." Ranma's ears weren't just bristling, they were standing on end, and her fists began to clench. "Let's try again. Potter, where would you look if I told you to go find me a bezoar?" The redhead ignored the fish act that Hermione was doing to get attention. Can't she freaking see that the boy wasn't just being asked questions, but was being TORTURED? A vein began to get bigger as she saw her brother, Crabbe, and Goyle shaking with laughter.

"I… don't know sir." The boy with the scar said, feeling more depressed over what was going on. An even bigger sneer grew on Snape's face.

"So you thought you shouldn't even bother opening a book before coming? What is the difference, Potter, between monkshood and wolfsbane?"

"I don't kno…"

"WILL YOU QUIT ACTING LIKE A FREAKING BASTARD WHO GETS HIS JOLLIES IN TORTURING HIS STUDENTS BY ACTING LIKE HE'S ALL HIGH AND MIGHTY?!!" Ranma shouted as she stood up, a fiery aura surrounding her as her eyes flashed red. "Jeez… what the hell? Did you have some sort of enemy thing going with his father or something? On the other hand, maybe you're just some sadist pervert who finds some thrill in mental torture." She fell into thought for a second. "That would explain the reason for the dungeon setting, pickled animals in glass bottles, and all the other crap." The redhead put her hand over her mouth to stifle a laugh that was threatening to explode. "Professor Sadism… ha ha ha….."

Before she could even blink, Prof. Snape was right in front of her desk. The pale potions master leaned forward and looked at her with his cold black eyes. "I suppose you think you're amusing, Miss Malfoy?" He asked in a voice that sent chills down the students' spines. Unfazed, Ranma leaned forward so that their noses were JUST touching. Her blue/red eyes again flashed crimson and became cold and hard.

"Not at all… Professor. I'm just stating my honest to goodness opinion of what I think about you based on the little bit of information I have gathered today. First impressions, Professor, determine whether the person who's giving the impression will be liked and respected, or despised and ignored." A small smile played across the redhead's face as she looked deep into the black eyes of Snape. "For me… it's the latter. I see nothing to respect or fear from you. I'll just attend this class and do the assignments while not giving a rat's ass about you." She looked at the now red face of Snape.

"Y… you…"

"Yes?"

"Detention! 6:00PM! Here!" He had never been this flustered due to a student before. He always managed to strike the 'Fear of Snape' into them, but this one… this girl acted as if he was just a joke.

"I'll see you there, sir." Ranma said with a mock salute that only infuriated the potions master even more. "I just hope you don't decide to take advantage of poor little old me, Professor Sadism." The redhead said as she made her face as innocent and fearful as she could.

"I hate you." Was the only thing Severus Snape could say.

"And I hate you."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

'I still can't believe I lost my cool like that.' Ranma thought to herself for the umpteenth time since that event in Potions that morning. It was currently after lunch, and the redhead was making her way up the stairs to find the 'Come and Go' room. 'Well the guy shouldn't have been an ass then. Nothing is apparently going to distract him from making Potter's life hell it seems. Neville also seems like he's going to be put through hell. Judging from the way Snape-bastard put fear into him.' She gave a small frown. 'Jeez, Draco seemed to have become some teacher's pet or something. I'll have to have a little talk with him.' She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't watch where she was going and stepped on something.

"Neeeowww!! Why don't you watch where you're walking, you ignorant child?!" Ranma jumped to the side and caught the sight of a scrawny and dust colored cat. The cat's lamp-like eyes glared in her direction as it tried to shake the pain out of its tail. Shaking out of her shock, the redhead gave a bow to the feline.

"I apologize for walking on your tail, miss. I know first hand how much it hurts to have your tail stepped on." Students passing by could only stare at the sight of the cat girl. She was talking casually to a cat through meows, purrs, hisses, and other sounds cats make. The sight of it was a bit… weird. Even for some older students who've been at Hogwarts for a few years.

"Ah, so you patrol the school for students who are causing trouble, and then you go to the grumpy sourpuss guy and inform him there's trouble. He then ventures out to catch the troublemakers." Ranma scratched the bottom of her chin. "How are you able to tell him?"

The cat in front of her gave a little cat shrug. "We've been together for years. That kind of thing is bound to create understanding between two people… even though one is a cat." A shiver appeared around the feline. "It creeps me out when he says 'my sweet' though." Her large eyes scan the students walking by. "Many of these savages despise the fact I tell Filch the rules they are breaking. I've heard many times that they wish they could hive me a quick kick or other unsavory things."

A thought came to Ranma's head, and she gave the small cat a wide and sinister smile. "Mrs. Norris… if anyone around here decides it would be fun to do any terrible things to you, let me know. Us cats DO have to stick together you know." She stuck her hand out.

Hogwarts students watching the pair suddenly felt an odd chill run down their spines as they witnessed a girl and a cat actually giving a hand (or paw) shake, and both were sharing equally disturbing smiles.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Finally reaching her destination, the redheaded martial artist/sorceress caught sight of the tapestry she was told about. Her face turned into a frown as she saw the trolls being taught ballet. 'They need a lot of work.' She noted as she switched her look to the wall opposite of it. 'Walk in front of it three times, think what you need, and it'll appear.' After reminding herself what to do, she proceeded to do just that. 'A place for me to practice martial arts and sorcery.' She thought over and over in her mind.

A smile appeared on her face when a door appeared on the wall. Her hand reached for the doorknob, and she gave a turn that opened it. What her eyes caught sight on when she entered the new room made them sparkle in glee. 'It's fantastic! This castle really is something.'

The room had the look of an outside training ground. It was a large clearing with short and soft grass, small koi pond near the edge of the clearing with several trees, small poles jutting up from the ground at various heights, training dummies of various materials, and the room almost seemed to extend upwards for about a mile or so before hitting a ceiling enchanted to look like the current outside conditions.

Taking her shoes, robe, and socks off, the now barefooted cat girl walked across the soft grass and deposited the items onto a lone stump. Reaching into her hidden weapons subspace pocket, Ranma pulled out a white gi. As much as she hated the Hogwarts uniform she was wearing, she didn't want to damage the thing

Taking her place in the clearing, the blue/red eyed 11-year-old proceeded to do a few stretches to get the kinks out of her joints. Two days with no training made her feel like she was slacking off. She could have attempted to do this on the school grounds, but that would attract too much unneeded attention and questions. As she winded up her warm ups, her mind figured that the proper way to do this would to use the ability she learned from Ryoko a few years ago.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (Three years ago)

"Ok shrimp, I think it is time I teach you a masu ability you SHOULD have learned by now." Ryoko stated as she floated around with her arms behind her head. The cyan haired ex-space pirate loved beating… err… teaching the young redhead how to properly use her masu abilities. The girl may be able to do some of the masu abilities, but it would take a few years of training for her to be truly effective with them.

"What would that be, ugly?" The eight-year-old redhead asked as she watched the woman float. She was able to use a few different abilities already, but they were kind of sucky. She preferred her Mouko Takasbisha to the masu energy blast, because the energy blast seemed to just fizzle out a bit a few feet after leaving her hand. The energy sword wasn't that effective, and seemed more like a quick beat stick. Finally, the force field fizzled out after a few minutes, and couldn't take much pressure. She was told that these abilities would grow with her as she aged. Masu energy wasn't like her ki and magic that could be increased with regular training, but more like her body that needs to develop.

"The Doppelganger, pipsqueak."

"That's… making a double, isn't it?" Ranma asked in sudden interest. She's seen the older woman do it on countless times. Mostly to cause mischief, as well as try to get at the cat girl. She never knew that she would also be able to do that ability.

Ryoko raised into a sitting position. "You got it. Creating a doppelganger is like just splitting your very self. You think about splitting and it'll happen. Your power will be divided with each other 'you' created. If you have two doppelgangers, then you and the double will have half power each."

Nodding enthusiastically, the cat girl concentrated. A few seconds later, a double was splitting from her, but wasn't able to and rubber banded back into her. Ranma was then knocked onto her feet.

"This is going to take a while." Ryoko said to herself as she watched the eight-year-old trying to create a doppelganger.

It took about a day for her to create a separate double, but it got easier from there.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (End flashback)

After examining her clone, Ranma smiled and gave a thumb up. She couldn't keep it up for too long, maybe about an hour or so. Meaning that the first hour would be a little bit of sparring before spending some more time just training. Her clone also gave her a smile as the two stared each other down. It took several seconds before they both leapt at each other.

Fighting yourself would be one of the most difficult things you could do. You both know your own abilities, limits, and inner thoughts, and can counteract with nary a thought. One-upping that kind of opponent takes great thought and thinking outside of one would normally do.

Catching a punch from her doppelganger, Ranma thought about taunting her opponent, but she knew it wouldn't work. Why would you react to one of your own insults? She then sent a kick towards her clone… who managed to dodge out of the way and send her own kick. Ranma managed to dodge said kick just in time before a vertical kick from her managed to nick the clone on the chin. Before Ranma could recover, her foot was grabbed by her clone, and she was sent flying across the ground.

"That was really sloppy Ranma." Her double said with arms crossed. A frown appeared on redhead-one's face as redhead-two held out an open palm and began to gather orange-ish energy. "Fireball" stated redhead-two as the ball of fire flew towards the downed redhead-one.

Casting her own to cancel out the ball of fire, the real Ranma appeared in her copy's face. "Not as sloppy as this." Her fist was sent into the doppelganger's stomach, sending the double onto her back a few feet away. The fun was only just beginning.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

It was long after the sparring match and regular training that Ranma became aware of the world around her again. After changing her clothes and exiting the room, the redhead noticed that it was already time for dinner. Moving as fast as she could, she became discouraged to not that she actually MISSED it as students started walking out of the Great Hall.

"Nooooo…." She said softly to herself as her eyes started to shine with tears. Her stomach began lurching in hunger as she watched the students leave. 'Where the hell were you when I was busy training?' The redhead thought angrily to her stomach as she walked off. 'Well, I can always visit the kitchens later tonight when everyone is asleep or something.' Now all she had to do was get to detention before she was late for that as well.

Ranma made her way slowly down the dungeon steps until she came to the Potions classroom door. Raising a fist, she gave a small knock to the heavy wood. "Enter" a voice said on the other side. Obeying the command, the redhead opened the door and trudged into the lair of a person who she hated. "There you are Miss Malfoy. I was wondering where you were at when you weren't anywhere to be seen at dinner." The voice was low and held a bit of contempt.

"I was busy training." The redhead supplied, a feeling of displeasure welling up in her.

"Training? In what and where?"

"As for training, go ask Dumbledore. He knows what I train in, and as for where… That's none of your business." Her vision was suddenly filled by the view of a glaring teacher.

"You are going to learn how to respect me, girl." Snape said in a voice that anyone would find difficult to argue against. "You do not realize just what kind of trouble this attitude of yours is leading you to. It would not be well to cross me, because I know ways that could make you miserable." He received a small fiery look.

"Better people than you have tried Professor. You are FAR from the top 10 list of things I know NOT to cross." The glare against her intensified, and the greasy haired wizard held up a small vial.

"Do you know what this is Miss Malfoy?"

"How should I know?" What, is this guy going to try and actually torture her? Well if he thought he could, he'd be very wrong.

"It's cobra venom. Do you know how painful this poison is? I could just slip it into your food and…" His mental victim held out a hand for him to stop.

"Please… you ever heard of a woman named Akane Tendo? Her cooking could make cobra venom seem like bliss." She grew a little contemplative, "Although, she's gotten a lot better these days." Waving the thought off, her eyes turned towards Snape in a glare that would have cowered a dragon. "Are you, a teacher, actually THREATENING a student… a child with the promise of terrible pain?" Her small hand grabbed a hold of the pale teacher. "That type of method may work on the fearful children here, but it won't on me." Her eyes flashed crimson for a second before reverting back to normal. Releasing the professor, she stepped back and sighed at her temper.

"You… have quite the temper Miss Malfoy." Snape said regaining his composure. He was slightly unsettled by the girl in front of him, but he couldn't show it. "Your detention begins now. You are to organize the bottles and vials to their rightful place. I will be watching to make sure you do it right."

Ranma took a look at the table of what she needed to organize. She then looked back at the cold eyed professor. "You set those out yourself so I'd have to, didn't you?"

"Whatever do you mean?" The man in front of her asked in false confusion.

"Let's just get this over with." The redhead grumbled as she began organizing.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

An hour later, Ranma was finished with organizing the various potions and other such crap Snape had her do. As she was leaving, he had the nerve to tell her 'For a Malfoy, you smell like a horse'. She only managed a glare and indignant 'hey' before the door was closed on her.

"Smell like a horse… the nerve of the bastard. Well it makes sense. I haven't had a bath in two days, and I was training earlier. He didn't have to say it like that though." She was so engrossed in her grumbling that she almost missed she was coming up onto the wall leading to the Slytherin House. "Red Giblets"

Walking through the passage, her eyes caught sight of an older Slytherin girl. "Excuse me." Ranma began, "Where's the bathing area at?"

"It's down the girl's dorm stairs. The final door you come to at the bottom of the steps." As Ranma started that way, the girl called out. "You need it too."

"Yeah, yeah" The redhead grumbled as she headed down the stairs and came a cross the door to the bath. When she opened the door, her eyes widened. "Wow…" was her only response as she looked at the sight before her.

The bathing area had a built in tub that was about a little over half the size of an Olympic sized swimming pool. The floor, walls, and pillars were made of soft and smooth green stone. The faucets the water came out of were on the side of the bath, shaped like silver coiled snakes about ready to lunge. The walls were decorated with silhouettes of snakes, and towels, washrags, and other bathing supplies were stacked neatly on a table near the wall.

"I actually thought the baths wouldn't be so… beautiful." Ranma said wide-eyed as she took her clothes off and grabbed some bathing supplies.

"Yes, it is quite bright on the eyes, isn't it?" A familiar voice that caused the redhead to freeze said from behind. Slowly turning her head, her eyes caught sight of a person she thought she'd never lay her eyes on again, standing by the wall. "Miss me, Lina?" Xellos asked with a smile.

"YOU!" Ranma shouted as she pointed at the vile Mazouku, and something in her brain clicked. She remembered that she was currently unclothed, and that the idiot was standing over by the wall watching her. "You damn pedophile!" The redhead screamed as she grabbed a towel and covered herself.

"That was rather mean of you Lina. I'm hurt that you would say such a thioOF!" The trickster priest didn't get to finish because of the fist that was lodged in his stomach. His vision was filled with the cold eyes of a certain redhead. "Was that really necessary?"

"What the hell are you doing here? Watching young girls bathe?"

"That is a secreaRGH!" His fingers were being bent at an odd angle by the cat girl. "Alright, I just wanted to check up on how you were doing. That's all… it's that honest."

"While I'm taking a bath?!"

"Well I suppose that was a bit misjudged on my part, although it is fun to make girls scream in terror." A chuckle escaped his lips. "Making you angry is a treat too, and if I see you in your birthday suit, then it's no big deal to me." He placed a finger on Ranma's nose. "Besides, you don't really have anything. HA HA!" The young girl was suddenly wondering if attempting to drown the Mazouku would be an option. "Oh come on Ranma. I'm not THAT much of the evil bastard you think I am. If I was, do you think I really would have wanted to train you all those years ago? I could have also not said anything while you bathed. Now THAT would have been sick and wrong." He watched as the girl studied him intently for a long moment before responding.

"Yes"

"I guess that makes sense." Xellos commented with a sweat drop. "I honestly came to see how your training was going. I watched you training in…"

"So you were SPYING on me in the Come and Go Room as well? You really are sick and depraved. How the hell can you do this stuff without me sensing you?" Xellos put a gloved finger to her lip to silence her.

"That's quite easy Ranma." He watched as the child waited for an answer. "It's… A secret, Hahaha" His form vanished from the sight of the young redhead who fumed a little before calming down.

"You knew some crazy people in your life Lina. I hope nobody else from your time pays me a visit." Ranma mumbled as she dropped the towel and lowered into the water. A sigh escaped her as she submerged herself in the warm water. "This is kind of nice." She said to herself as she soaked. Her ears straightened at the sound of a door opening. Looking behind her, she saw several Slytherin girls of different years enter. 'Eep' she thought as she sunk a little in the water until just her nose and up were visible.

"It's the Cat Girl of Slytherin." One of the girls, a girl with long blue hair, stated as she kneeled down on the water's edge and looked down at Ranma. "What's wrong, is the little kitten nervous to be around others bathing?" Everyone gave a laugh at the nervous twitching of her ears. The blue haired girl sunk into the water next to the redhead. "That's so cute, a little flesh causes you discomfort, Haha.."

'Well… I'm not TOO bothered by this whole scene anymore.' She thought to herself. 'How could you when living with Ryoko and all?' Ranma remembered nine years ago when she took her first bath at the Masaki shrine in that floating… bath house thingie. Ryoko and the others came in, and once the damn space pirate found out about Ranma's nervousness, she decided to correct it in her own way. Namely pull the youth close and bathe with her. Shaking out of the thoughts, she looked at the girl sitting next to her. "Not at all. I'm just… nervous about being around people is all." She lied, hoping the girl would buy it.

"I can understand that." The blue haired girl said. "Being a first year, far from home, so many strangers, and a castle that seems to have a mind of its own. I was nearly a wreck six years ago." The girl said with a laugh. "My name's Jesera, and I already know who you are." Jesera said offering her hand. Ranma nodded it and shook it.

'I still think people are exaggerating when they say Slytherin is bad. Maybe I'm just blind, or maybe they're delusional.' The redhead thought as she soaked in the water, her nose barely above the water, and her eyes closed.

"OOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOOOO!!!" The ear piercing screech of a laugh was reason for Ranma to bolt to her feet, her hair and furred ears/tail standing on end. Looking behind her, her eyes caught sight of a girl of about 13. She was a little taller than herself, with black hair and blue eyes. What disturbed the redhead the most was the unnatural size of the bust for a 13-year-old.

"Wha… huh…. Zuh?" Was all Ranma could say as she looked upon the maniac. Said maniac looked at her and pointed.

"Oohohohohohohohooo! I see the cat girl is intimidated by my presence. But of course she is. Who wouldn't be? For I am Nashigi Seisa, OHOHOHOHOHOHOHOOOO!!!" A twitch appeared in Ranma's eye at the laugh, and built until she couldn't stand it anymore.

"WILL YOU SHUT UP YOU BANSHEE?! FIREBALL!!" The new girl was suddenly engulfed in a large sphere of fire. Once it died down, the girl fell to the ground charred. Other girls in the bath could only stare at what happened. The small girl created a ball of fire without a wand and fried Nashigi. What would happen next, they wouldn't know.

Nashigi began to twitch. "Th… that attack…" She managed to stutter out.

"What of it?" Ranma asked. On the inside, her mind was screaming. 'Oh crap… damn you Lina's temper. Damn you to hell! Now I probably have ANOTHER psycho with a laugh who'll be out for me. That laugh sounded familiar too… Please don't start coming for my blood. I don't need someone with a laugh worse than Kodachi's coming after me.' Her eyes watched as the girl got into a sitting position.

"That was…" Ranma hung onto every word. "…fantastic!!!" Several face faults were heard. When the redhead recovered, her eyes looked wide eyed at the psycho.

"Wh… what?"

"You heard me girl." Nashigi stated as she stood up. "I'm saying that you…" Her arm was stretched out, pointing at the 11-year-old. "Are worthy enough to be my rival."

"…" It was all Ranma could think at the moment. What the hell just happened?

"I can't really use wandless magic right now, but I will learn because of you. I will not allow my rival to surpass me, Nashigi Seisa, the White Serpent of Hogwarts! You're a wee bit short for an 11-year-old, and your bust is smaller than that of one as well, but you are powerful! OOOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOOOO!!!" The girl was suddenly hit by a barrage of fireballs from an angry cat girl with pure crimson eyes.

"Remind me to not piss off the cat girl." One of the Slytherin girls said as she cowered behind the other girls.

"That would be the best advice anyone could have."

"Should we tell the boys this also? I overheard a few of them were planning to pull Lina's tail." They all looked at each other for a second before coming to the unanimous conclusion.

"Nah"

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Much to Ranma's dismay, she found out that Nashigi was completely fine the next morning. That was evident by the laugh and declaration of rival-hood. What surprised the redhead the most was that Nashigi seemed fully competent. It was just that she was prone to that disturbing laugh, and slight periods of a superiority complex. Other than that, she was a nice girl.

"Your new friend's laugh is scary." Gosaria whispered with a shiver as she walked with her friend towards the Great Hall. On the other side of the redhead was Nashigi. Ranma sent a small glare her way before speaking.

"She's not my friend. She's some crazy girl who decided to make me her rival. Did I do something to some deity that warrants my life to be like this? I swear, the next thing that bothers me is going to get fried." With the arrival of Nashigi, it seemed to get harder to control the small urges to blow something up in anger. Her code as a martial artist was strong enough to keep her from doing just that to innocent people who couldn't take the punishment.

It was on that lovely and beautiful Saturday morning that Ranma had her first official run-in with the enjoyable Peeves. Said poltergeist was particularly enthusiastic about causing a bit of trouble to the girl with cat ears. Swooping down, the tricky apparition lifted the redhead's robe and gave a nice tug on the furry scarlet tail.

"Wha?!" Ranma announced before she was suddenly on her but and massaging her sore tail. Her eyes caught sight of the little odd man that she briefly caught sight of yesterday morning. "Who the hell are you?" The disturbing cackle from the thing caused her ears to twitch.

"I'm Peeves the Poltergeist, resident trouble maker of this fine school." With that said, the apparition charged for the downed redhead. He gave a little tug on her ears and a lick on the cheek before pulling out a water balloon from his colorful hat and tossing it at the girl... who was then covered by black ink. With a joyous laugh, the poltergeist flew in circles around the sitting inked girl. "The widdle cat girl is now a widdle bwack cat! Stay back or she'll give you bad luck, Heeheeheehee!!" Crimson eyes and fiery aura suddenly met his black and beady ghostly ones.

"You are going to pay for that…"

"Oh, what's the widdle bwack cat gonna do about it?" A blackened hand grabbed a hold of his clothes. "You really think you can physically harm me kitty cat?" He was slightly nervous about the aura around the girl.

"Physically… no, but I'd like to introduce you to something else." Growled out the redhead, "Mono volt"

Peeve's ghostly body was suddenly filled with pain that he never felt before. "GAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!" That minute almost seemed like an eternity to the floating apparition until it stopped, and he succumbed to unconsciousness. Ranma then proceeded to chuck him down the stairs, watching as he bounced as he went.

Eyes turning back to their original color, the redhead looked upon the faces of the gathered students who stared at her with eyes wide in fear. "Um… hi?"

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Great, now practically everyone in this damn place is afraid of me." Ranma grumbled to herself as she sat by a tree. After the little show she put on with that Peeves character, nobody except for Nashigi and Gosaria would even look her in the eye. Hermione said she wasn't scared or anything, but the redhead could sense that the bushy haired girl feared her. Draco didn't have a problem, mostly because he was aware of many of his sister's oddities. Although he seemed to ignore her once all his 'friends' started to.

All during breakfast, she would near whispers about her. 'The crimson eyed devil girl enshrouded in flames' was just one of them. "You'd think they'd all be used to weird stuff… idiots." The cat girl said as she leaned back on the tree. "I wonder if anyone else has this problem."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Somewhere in Japan, a small five-year-old with black hair and vivid purple eyes was crying. The other children at her kindergarten were afraid of her. All because she helped someone who hurt their self. They now called her 'weirdo' behind her back. "Are you ok my little firefly?" The girl's eyes looked up to see the warming eyes of a woman.

"MAMA! I don't like this place. All the kids are meanies." The little girl cried as she latched onto her mother.

"It's alright my little firefly. Mama's here for you." Keiko said as she picked her daughter up on walked off.

Snuggling into her mom's embrace, the little girl felt that as long as her mom was around, she was safe and happy.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

'Don't worry about them momma.' Laira announced as she jumped into Ranma's thoughts through their connection. 'People like that shouldn't be bothered with.' Giving an un-seeable look to the tiny cabbit, the redhead was about to say something when she was interrupted.

"This whole turn of events is so sweet." Ranma snapped her head up to see Quintinsy standing a few feet away with a smug look on his face. "I had planned to be the one to make you miserable, but you doing it yourself saved the effort. So, how does it feel… cat eared bitch?" He received a small shrug.

"I'd rather be feared than be hated as a pompous bastard who's full of himself." She watched as the dark blonde boy started to simmer. "Oh I'm sorry, did I strike a nerve?" Her eyes crossed to see the end of a wand just on the bridge of her nose. "You're a little gung-ho too I see. I seem to have that effect on people." The tip of the wand was pressed between her eyes.

"I made sure to see if anybody was around. There's nobody to stop me from putting a curse on you. I could hit you before you even scream." The voice was low and devoid of emotion. "I will, however, not curse you if you decide to become my personal servant. I heard from a source that you can communicate with cats. Since there are so many cats that prowl the school, some of which are from other houses, you could gather information for me from the little hairballs. It would all be… quite helpful."

"So you're into blackmail and all that crap?" Ranma asked with bored eyes. The guy in front of her reminded her of both Kuno and Nabiki; easy to make enemies with and held a grudge, but intelligent and manipulative.

"Blackmail is such a… strong word. I prefer the term 'information gathering'." Qintinsy commented as he examined his fingernails. "So, do we have a deal… cat bitch?" He watched as the girl in front of him gave a large yawn, showing off a pair of sharp feline teeth on each side of her mouth.

"So… what if I say no?"

"You'll be the first to test out the new spell I created. It's not a very… pleasing spell. You'll be begging me to stop it." There was an almost manic look in those cold eyes as he said it.

"You know… I think you just might be clinically insane."

"Sometimes I think I might be as well, but it doesn't impede me in any way I can see. No matter what the voices say." He blinked for a second before shaking his head. "Now wait just a minute!" The smirk on the redhead's face caused him to go pink. "Ok you asked for it. ZutoOPH!!" Quintinsy shouted as a bunch of… something collided into him and knocked him to the side. When Ranma saw what it was, her eye started twitching.

"Panties?" Indeed they were. There lying on the ground was Quintinsy, knocked out cold because of a rock, entangled with a bunch of panties.

"Quite right you are… girl!" A joyous and old voice shouted. Slowly turning her head, the cat girl saw the diminutive form of the grand master of Anything Goes. "Ah, I see you remember me." He stated as he saw the shocked look on the girl's face.

"Happosai!?" Ranma shouted as she shot to her feet. What was the damn pervert doing here, and how did he know about her?

"Well who else would I be, girl?" The aged pervert asked with his arms crossed. "I'm here to see if you've been slacking off with your training or not."

"I don't need your help you damn pervert." The 11-year-old snarled. The guy would probably try and get her to steal underwear or something. There was no way she was going to do that. "I'm doing find without your help." Her vision was filled with stars after she was hit by the old man's pipe.

"Rebirth has made you soft girl." The old master taunted as he leapt from the child. He'd be damned if he was going to let the greatest thing to ever grace the Anything Goes become less than the best she could be. He dodged to the left of a kick and ducked a punch aimed for his head. "Hmm… it HAS made you soft. You should have had a little bit more power and speed behind those. I guess you had to retrain your whole body. It's a shame, all that talent you had wasted."

"Shut up!" She sent a low kick towards the aged pervert. Once he jumped over it, the cat eared girl sent a punch… which was dodged by a handstand from the small man as he somersaulted over her head. Her tail then whipped out and grabbed him by the leg. Giving a small toss, the pervert was sent towards the tree. Recovering from the throw, Happosai bounced off the tree and back in front of the former boy.

"Yes I see. You seem to only be at 65 of what you were in your physical abilities. Rebirth really DOES affect one terribly." He blocked a barrage of punches. "The rate you're going, it would probably be a few more years before you would be at 100 of what you were before." He grabbed hold of the fist and gave the girl a flip. "Your magic and ki feel quite strong though. You don't need much training in that it seems." A pressure point paralyzed the youth on the spot. "You seem to have a temper I don't remember though. That'll get you into some trouble."

"Are ya done examining me like a piece of meat!?" Ranma shouted as her eyes turned crimson. Happosai jumped and perched on her head with a stern expression.

"Yes… very short temper. Those eyes also show it as well. Maybe that's the reason everyone's afraid of you." He gave a small shrug. "Oh well. Fear is a powerful thing, and it's more fun than hate. You might not have to worry with most trying to tear your head off, just as long as you don't lose it and try to harm innocents, girl."

"You know I wouldn't harm any innocent people, pervert." The redhead growled out to the perched old man. "I still have my code to live by."

"Yes, yes. I've very well aware of that Ranma." The pervert commented as he hopped down and un-paralyzed the cat eared girl. "You know Ranma." The diminutive old man started. "You might become quite the attractive cat girl… if you get past this abnormal shortness and all you seem to have in this form." He was too slow to dodge the cat tail as it snaked around him, and the cry of 'mono volt' gave him a nice shock. "Ooh… pretty ladies." The dazed pervert said.

"Yeah, just go jump off a cliff or something." Ranma snarled as she dropped him.

Coughing a bunch of smoke out of his mouth, Happosai looked back at her. "It's decided, I'll be training you weekly from now on."

"When the hell was this decided you creep?"

"I'm not going to allow the best student in the history of the Anything Goes to stay weak and drag the school into the mud." He waved his hand at the look he was receiving. "Ok, further than it already is. You sure won't be able to become a worthy heir by just training by yourself against nothing else. Starting next weekend, I'll be training you every Saturday and Sunday night. Meet me by the lake, and we'll talk more about it." With that, the aged pervert took off. Where he took off to, Ranma didn't know. He did oddly leave the panties that were covering Quintinsy though.

"Kaaa…. What else have I gotten into?"

"Oohohohohohohohooo!!" The shiver ran up Ranma's spine as she turned around to see Nashigi and Gosaria; the latter being uncomfortable with the laugh as well. The older girl walked up to the redhead. "I told you she wouldn't be wallowing in depression, Gosaria. If she fell to that easily, then she wouldn't be my rival." She draped an arm around the redhead.

"I guess you're right Nashigi." The blonde said as she began walking up to her friend. "You are ok, aren't you Lina?" She received a hand wave.

"Of course I am. It just pissed me off that they would all allow fear to rule their heads. What really gets me is how Hermione seemed to be all scared of me." She shrugged the thought off. "I was hoping to go a few weeks before people see some of the weirder things about me, but it's too late now." She commented bitterly. Nashigi then pointed something out.

"Hey, what's with the Ravenclaw guy unconscious under a bunch of panties?"

"Huh?" Ranma asked as she saw what the black haired girl meant. She almost forgot about him. "I don't know. He was like that when I got here." She lied as a smile suddenly found its way on her features. 'Laira, have a couple teachers come here. They should see something interesting.'

'Ok momma'

"Wait till the teachers get a load of this."

xxxA.N.xxx

Another chapter, another time that I thought up more than I originally thought as I was doing it. As stated, thanks to the reviewers, and a few fun ideas that people had that were a joy to think about.

The next chapter SHOULD include the flying lessons and a few other things, but I'm not making any promises on that.

Next chapter might be a little while, since I think I might work on a little bit of 'The Ectoplasmic Arts'