Severe Ron OOC this chapter. Enjoy!
Jessica: Yep; Kurama lied. Thanks for the review!
Time on my hands: Well, Ron would have basically no knowledge of genetics or biology; but Harry, and especially Hermione would (the whole memorizing textbooks thing, you know), at least a little bit, as far as everyone knowing what Yusuke and Kagome were up to…well, Harry and Hermione have an idea, and everyone else leaves Yusuke alone for fear of their face being broken in. I'm just glad I didn't go with my other plan of Yusuke and Kagome forgetting to lock the door; that'd have been too traumatizing I think. Thanks for the review!
Reads-way-2-much: Thanks for the love; I decided to do shorter chapters for the most part, but as you can see, this one still took a while. Thanks for the review!
Raine: Yep, Botan's here for this chapter, not as much as I'd planned though. Thanks for the review!
CrimsonVixen: Om nom nom, cookies. As for an entire wave of demons attacking, I considered it, and you'll just have to see what I do. Voldemort still doesn't know what happened to his demons yet, since all their corpses were gone. Thanks for the review!
FK306 Animelover: I'm glad you like it. Here's some more. Thanks for the review!
Rahzenshia: Yeah, they missed each other a lot, but I can't have Kagome around too often…those poor Hogwarts kids with their virgin eyes, you know. The thing with long chapters is that they take too long to do with this fic, it's a lot harder then y last one for some reason. Here's the chapter. Thanks for the review!
Flame55: Thanks for the review!
"So wait; they think I'm part giant?" Yusuke asked Kurama, this had been his first opportunity to tell Yusuke; not that he was overly concerned about it.
"Yes. We are lucky that they were intelligent enough to come up with that theory." Kurama did see the irony in how their intelligence blinded them from the truth though.
"And you told them I was sensitive about it?" Yusuke asked; a little disgusted that Kurama would say that.
"I had to keep them from pestering you about it, as well as give them a reason as to why you wouldn't have told them."
"Still..."
"Oh, you'll be fine." Kagome said to Yusuke; "It wouldn't hurt to show them you have a softer side, you know."
"Hey, I have a reputation to think of." Yusuke said, "Speaking of soft..." Yusuke said, running his hand over Kagome's skin.
"Stop it, Yusuke." Kagome said; she didn't really mind, but Kurama was sitting right there, not to mention they were currently outside, enjoying what was likely to be the last warm day of the year. It was after classes. Kagome would be going home in two days, then back to the feudal era, so Yusuke was trying to secure all the time he could with her; away from Harry, Ron, and Hermione.
"You think we'll be seeing any demons again soon? We haven't had any since the village." Yusuke said.
"More than likely. Lord Voldemort is likely still trying to figure out what happened the first time."
"Good, I need something to keep me busy when she's not here." Yusuke said; holding Kagome a bit tighter.
Thursday arrived; the day of Kagome's departure, Yusuke, Kurama, Harry, Ron, and Hermione accompanied her to the gates (Dumbledore had had a portkey hidden in the village for her).
"I love you, Kagome," Yusuke said to her.
"I love you too."
"Ok, now you guys can go away, or you can watch, I don't really give a crap." Yusuke said to everyone else, as he was about to start kissing Kagome. Everyone left them alone (Kurama went just out of sight).
"Any idea when you'll be back?" Yusuke asked.
"No." Kagome said, "I was supposed to deliver a message to you before I left, by the way."
"What was it?" Yusuke asked; Kagome slapped him.
"Yusuke Urameshi, you stupid jerk! Next time you're leaving TELL ME!" Kagome repeated word per word.
"What the hell? Keiko slapped you?" He knew Keiko well enough to know it was her message.
"Of course not, I added that; she's your best friend isn't she? She deserves to know where you are."
"I think you just wanted to slap me again, you sadist." Yusuke said; his grin in place, she hadn't slapped too hard.
"I need to get going, Dumbledore said it could leave without me, and since it was set up illegally I don't want to have to ask him to make another one."
"Wish I could go with you."
"I know; good-bye." Kagome said; if she stayed much longer she wouldn't be able to force herself to leave.
"Bye." Yusuke said; watching her walk through the gates.
Yusuke began walking back; he saw Kurama leaning against a tree.
"Are you feeling alright, Yusuke?" Kurama asked, if this visit had turned out to do more harm then good...
"Yeah, I'm alright." Yusuke said, he was slightly depressed, but at least he knew that it wouldn't be too long before he saw Kagome again.
"Good, we have work to do." Kurama said; looking in the direction of the forest.
"Just what I needed," Yusuke said; picking up the demons' energy as well; even if these demons weren't any stronger then last time, and there was the same amount, it was something to do at least. Yusuke and Kurama ran into the forest.
Harry was walking up the stairs to the boys' dormitory. Kagome had left an hour ago, and he had no idea where Yusuke and Kurama had gone afterwards.
"Yusuke that was foolish." said Kurama.
"It was a giant, talking, spider, what the hell was I supposed to think?" Yusuke said.
"That perhaps it would be an inhabitant of the forest? There was no reason to attack it. You are lucky I managed to get you free."
"Calm down, I didn't kill it."
"Yes, but you were bitten...are you feeling the venom still?" Kurama added, seeming to end his scolding.
"Nah, not too bad, still feel like I'm gonna puke a little bit, but other than that..."
"That is to be expected. I should go; I'm not supposed to be here."
"Thanks for healing me, man."
"Don't exert yourself, the wound could reopen." Kurama said.
"You sure you can climb down on your own?"
"Yes, it should not be a problem. It's not the first time I've scaled a tower, after all." Kurama said as he climbed down the tower, using the ivy he had grown there himself. Harry walked in a second later; unaware that he had almost found Kurama.
"What happened to you?" Harry asked; Yusuke's wound was exposed and he looked slightly ill (not that Yusuke was trying to hide it, he had neglected to put a new shirt on).
"Just went for a little walk in the woods." Yusuke responded.
"We told you it was dangerous in there."
"I had fun. Not like there's anything else to do around here."
"You should be more careful, there are things in there that could kill you."
"I'm tough enough; besides, where's the fun without a little risk?"
"...How'd that happen, anyway?"
"Meh, it's just a bug bite." Yusuke said; despite knowing how dangerous that 'bug bite' was, Harry had a desire to laugh.
"You should go to the hospital wing..."
"Kurama already took care of it...and honestly, if he says something is taken care of, then it is." Yusuke said.
"If you're sure..." said Harry.
"I am." Yusuke yawned, "I'm goin' to sleep, I'm really tired for some reason..." The remedy Kurama had given Yusuke just happened to have drowsiness as a side effect. Yusuke fell asleep. Harry left the dorm; completely forgetting why he'd gone up there in the first place.
Yusuke awoke slightly earlier then normal the next morning. He went through the day in a fairly good mood. The promise of Kagome visiting again had done wonders to his moral; he was acting closer to himself then he had since arriving at Hogwarts. He joked more, laughed more, and was slightly less aggressive; he was even swearing a little less. It was the end of the day and they were out in the courtyard (it wasn't cold enough to stay inside).
"So, Kurama, we've gotten Hiei twice and Kagome once. How long do you think it'll be before Kuwabara shows up? I miss beating on the lug."
"Who knows? He will most likely be here next."
"Oh! Bingo, Kurama!" Said a voice distinctly different from Kuwabara's. Botan and Kuwabara were standing right behind the five; Harry, Ron, and Hermione didn't even flinch; they had gotten used to Yusuke and Kurama's friends sneaking up on them.
"Lady Botan! It's very nice to see you." Kurama said; completely ignoring Kuwabara...that wasn't like Kurama. He took Botan's hand in his own and kissed it lightly. Harry's eyes narrowed, was Kurama, the one who never betrayed more then a hint of emotion, blushing?
"Hey! I'm here too!" Kuwabara said a little angrily.
"My apologies, Kuwabara." Kurama said quickly.
"He knew you were here, he just ignored you 'cuz Botan is alot easier to look at." Yusuke insulted instead of greeted.
"Shut up, Urameshi."
"Why don't you try and make me?"
"You're eatin' dirt!"
And just like that, they were fighting. Kurama and Botan used this moment to slip away. Everyone else's attention was focused on the fight.
"So, to what do I owe this pleasant surprise?" Kurama asked.
"Oh, nothing really, I usually just want to get away from Hiei, and since he wasn't here this time, I came to say hi."
"Well then, we must be thankful that Hiei was not chosen this time." Kurama said.
Botan didn't know quite how to respond; she giggled.
"It's nice to see you guys again."
"Yes...well, perhaps we should return to Yusuke and Kuwabara. We don't want Kuwabara becoming too badly injured."
As they returned, they saw Kuwabara getting up off the ground.
"I think that makes two hundred wins for me, zero wins for you." Yusuke said proudly.
"Grr...shut up, it was only one hundred ninety-eight."
"Whatever, I'll get those last two tomorrow."
Harry, Ron, and Hermione hadn't even noticed Kurama and Botan's brief absence. They were too confused by Yusuke and Kuwabara; Yusuke had easily beaten Kuwabara, and they had greeted each other hostilely, but were now laughing together like best friends.
"I am the great Kazuma Kuwabara, by the way." Kuwabara introduced himself.
"Umm...hi." Harry said; he handled the introductions this time around.
"And I'm Botan!" Botan said in her usual cheery manner, "It's so nice to meet you all. I hope Yusuke hasn't been too hard to deal with. Oh! That reminds me!" She hit Yusuke on the back of the head very hard.
"What the hell? If that was for Keiko then I've already gotten hit for that!"
"Well you probably deserved another!" Botan said; it had been her that had told Keiko where Yusuke was this time, "She still worries about you, you know..."
"Why does every girl I know hit me?" Yusuke asked no one in particular.
"Yes...well, perhaps we should get dinner." Kurama suggested. They began walking into the castle; Botan addressed Yusuke in Japanese.
"Koenma has a message for you, I was supposed to just have Kuwabara give it to you, but since I'm here anyway; he wants you to meet him tonight, just past midnight, on the edge of the forest, past the lake, he said you shouldn't have a problem finding him."
"Any idea what pacifier breath wants?" Yusuke asked back in Japanese.
"No." Botan responded; they had to keep this conversation short, they had been talking quietly, and she didn't want to seem suspicious.
"So, Botan, will we be seeing you tomorrow?" Kurama asked.
"I don't know, Kurama...I'm supposed to be back already..."
"I must insist, surely Koenma will understand."
"Alrighty then!" Botan said cheerily; if Kurama vouched for her then she had nothing to worry about.
A while after dinner Botan and Kuwabara left; Kuwabara would be staying in the village over night and Botan had neglected to mention where she was going (because the truth would have involved revealing Spirit World). Yusuke pretended to go to bed early. At just past midnight he began sneaking out.
"Where are you goin'?" Harry asked him; meeting him on the stairs.
"Just a little nighttime walk." Yusuke said; shrugging.
"He's going to the forest..." Harry thought. Yusuke continued walking down the stairs. Harry considered the situation...even with his giant blood, the forest was too dangerous for Yusuke to go wandering off in at night, especially alone; he'd have to follow him, he ran upstairs to grab his cloak. He threw it over himself and ran after Yusuke. He finally managed to catch sight of him when he reached the grounds; Yusuke could sure move quick...Harry had almost caught up to him when he was forced to dart behind a tree; Yusuke had stopped to talk to Dumbledore, who was on the grounds for some reason. Harry could barely here their short conversation.
"Ah, what brings you out tonight, Yusuke?" Dumbledore addressed very informally.
"Not much, just thought I'd go for a little walk, you know."
"Yes, well, if you plan to enter the forest then please be careful; it is particularly dangerous at night."
"I'll keep that in mind...see ya' later, old man." Yusuke said before speeding off. He knew where Koenma was; the prince was putting off a distinct energy signature. Harry crept after as fast as he could under the cloak, which was fairly slow as he still had to conceal himself partly in case Dumbledore came back. He was shocked by what he had just heard; Dumbledore may be lenient on the rule of going out after hours, but to give some one advice on visiting the forest at night was very strange. Harry came to one conclusion; Dumbledore must know about Yusuke's giant blood (I typed demon blood three times in a row by accident here), and thought him capable of handling anything in there.
"Hello Yusuke." Koenma said once Yusuke had arrived.
"What do you want?"
"Even less with the pleasantries that usual; I see." Koenma said; he was acting strange.
"First, do you have any questions about the mission?"
"Why's Kagome banned from coming here?" Yusuke asked, true, he had just seen her, but that didn't stop him from wondering.
"My father's orders...but I know she's been here. That was difficult to keep from father."
"Why does he want to keep us apart so bad?"
"I'm not sure...we never predicted you two would meet, much less fall in love, so I haven't been able to think of any reasons...yet.
"We weren't supposed to meet? Was I supposed to end up with Keiko?" Yusuke asked; this was an interesting topic.
"No...we predicted that you two would eventually split up, what we didn't predict was you getting drunk and running into Kurama. We think that's what changed everything."
"Who did you guys think I was gonna end up with?" Yusuke asked; Koenma looked almost ready to laugh as he answered.
"Shizuru."(Don't ask...I have no idea)
"You gotta be kidding me! Shizuru?" Yusuke really was laughing.
"That's beside the point, I think my father may be trying to simply keep you and Kagome apart."
"What the hell?"
"But you may not have to worry about that much longer..." Koenma said much more seriously. He glanced around to see if there was anyone listening in.
"What do you mean?"
"I've noticed some inconsistencies in my father's documents," Koenma said shiftily, "It may be nothing, but it may lead to something bigger..." This is what Koenma had come to tell Yusuke.
"Why are you telling me this?"
"Yusuke; there is no one I would trust more with this information. I do not wish to dethrone my father, but if he has broken our laws...I may have no choice."
"How soon will you know?"
"It will be a very long time...progress has been exceptionally slow; especially since I must work alone." There was a pause; in which time Harry finally found them.
"So, Koenma, why'd we have to meet out here, in the middle of the night? Why not the Old Man's office?"
"I had to meet with Professor Dumbledore, and the grounds here are very interesting..."
"The middle of the night part?"
"You know I'm very busy."
Harry left quickly; he hadn't come to eavesdrop. He couldn't help but wonder who this 'Koenma' was.
"And as the subject nature was private, I thought it would be best."
"What'd you have to meet with Dumbledore about?"
"He wanted to request more information on the team."
"And are you gonna give it to him?" Yusuke asked.
"Yes, but not just yet. Yusuke, you should return to the castle now."
"Fine; I'm outta here." Yusuke left; as he made his way back to the castle he had the strangest feeling he was being followed, but he reached out with his spirit sense and felt no one, so he continued walking. Harry, having not gone too far, walked after him. He just hoped that some one would mention Koenma tomorrow so he could get some more information.
The next morning found Yusuke, Kurama, and Kuwabara next to the lake, discussing how things were going to go that day.
"How do you intend we do this? I have not had a chance to train for quite some time, Hiei and Yusuke are always much too preoccupied, and when Kagome was here Yusuke expended too much energy the night before to be bothered with training."
Yusuke and Kuwabara gave identical grins.
"I think we know how to do this." Kuwabara said.
"Oh?" Kurama said, he was interested, it wasn't often some one else came up with the plans.
"Yeah...a three way fight; it'll be fun."
"Very well. Let's begin." Kurama said, the free-for-all began. Harry, Ron, and Hermione showed up slightly later; Harry had told them what he had seen the night before. They stopped just out of earshot.
"That does seem strange...but they do a lot of odd things." Hermione said; gesturing at the brawling trio, "Japan must just be different like that. What else could it be? Its like Ron said, it's not like they were sent here to guard us. That's just absurd."
"I know it's nothing like that...it's just, I wanna know what they get up to at their school."
"I would say ask them, but they don't seem to like to discuss it, and it's not like it's important."
"Let's just go and see if one of them mentions this Koenma guy. He has to be an important person if he's meeting with Dumbledore."
They went closer. Botan showed up soon after; Kurama temporarily stepped out of the fight.
"I'm glad you decided to join us."
"Yes; Koenma said he didn't mind."
"Who's Koenma?" Harry asked, wanting his curiosity filled.
"The headmaster of our school in Japan."
"Oh, ok."
"Kurama, are you gonna fight or gossip all day?" Yusuke yelled from a headlock; which he quickly broke out of and reversed. Kurama rejoined the fight. They stopped at lunch; when Botan left.
"Later, Botan." Yusuke called as she walked away.
"I'll be back tomorrow to pick up Kuwabara."
"I look forward to it." Kurama said smoothly. After lunch Yusuke and Kuwabara went back to fighting; Kurama seemed to have lost interest. Ron, Hermione, and Harry left them to do their own things at that point. By the end of the day Yusuke had achieved two hundred and seven wins; zero losses.
The next day came; Botan picked up Kuwabara just before lunch. After she'd left (the three wondered why she was the one bringing people back and forth) Hermione asked Kurama something. (I know this coming up is completely irrelevant and kinda stupid, but I wanted to do this for so long, the idea entertains me)
"Shuichi, is she your girlfriend?"
"No, Botan and I are merely friends." Kurama said a little quickly. Unfortunately, Ron had heard this whole exchange; subconciously misinterpretting the innocent question.
"Kurama, do you ever play chess?"
"No, I have, however, played Shoji; it is very similar, why do you ask?" Kurama responded politely; he could detect something more then curiosity in Ron's voice, was it perhaps jealousy?
"Well, you're really smart, you seem like you'd be good at it, I was wondering if you wanted a game..." Ron said; not even he realized what this really was. Kurama decided to go along with it.
"I believe that it could be quite fun. Would you like to play now?"
"Sure, just let me grab my chessmen."
"Ron's acting strange..." Harry said.
"He has no idea what he's getting into." Yusuke said; a slight smile on his face.
"What do you mean?"
"Kurama never makes mistakes; I've only seen 'em be wrong once. He's gonna kick Ron's ass." The only time he could remember Kurama ever miscalculating something was during the fight with Karasu.
"I dunno...I've never seen Ron lose a game of chess." Harry defended; true, Kurama was smart (the rumor was that he knew more about plants then Professor Sprout), but so was Hermione, and she was awful at chess, not to mention Ron's chess playing skill had been legendary since first year.
Ron arrived; Kurama had produced a set of chessmen from somewhere, and the match began. After a few minutes Yusuke got bored and left to pursue other methods of entertainment (the forest). He returned four hours later, the match was getting to its final stages now; both competitors were trying their hardest. Twenty minutes after Yusuke had returned...
"It seems that we have a stalemate." Kurama said, "Neither of us can make any move without putting ourselves into check."
Ron's eyes were wide; Kurama was right. For the first time in his memory he had failed to win a chess match.
"I apologize for underestimating you at first," Kurama said; standing up. "It seems its time for dinner; I think I'll sit with my house tonight." Kurama left the Gryffindor table (where they had been playing).
"Man...you must be good if Kurama couldn't beat you."
Random ending. Sorry about that last part; I wanted to have Ron challenge Kurama somehow, and that was the only way that made sense; also I thought it was funny. Sorry it took so long too...I'm starting to see why there are so few of these crossover's completed; they're hard (don't worry, I'll finish this, it'll just take longer then expected). I keep wanting to have the Hogwarts three find out about one of the missions, but J.K. Rowling made them too damn good at figuring stuff out. Meh, I'm done now. I'll have next chapter out as soon as I can, but I'm going on vacation soon, so if I don't get it out before I leave it'll be a bit longer. Please Review!
