Disclaimer: I don't own either Harry Potter or Yu Yu Hakusho.

Chapter 10

One would think that leaving your mother behind to study at a prestigious school for a few months would be easier the second time around. It wasn't. Kurama had just stood there looking numbly at Shiori like the previous year choked with some foreign emotions that he never experienced prior to his botched assassination. When he finally snapped out of it he had to hurry on the train before it could leave without him.

The compartment door suddenly slammed open, starling him half to death. Hermione stood there with a severe look on her face. Her bushy brown hair seemed to crackle. Without a word she stalked over to him and grabbed the collar of his robes.

"What for the love of Merlin have you been doing all summer long?!" she screeched. "I was worried that something happened, that you may have gotten seriously injured but here you are! Perfectly fine!" Tears started to fill her brown eyes. "Did you stop caring!? Is that it!?"

Shuichi just sat there as Hermione broke down crying into the front of his black robes, confused. Sure his mother had a few mood swings but it was nothing like this. Ron poked his head in looking just as confused. Hermione must've spotted him for she rounded on him with the same furious-sadness gleaming in her eyes. She ripped into the stunned redhead talking faster than either of them could follow. With a few hearty slaps to the chest she hurried off. Ron raced after her.

Shuichi didn't know if he was relived or worried.

As the train rolled on he found himself with his own private compartment. He busied himself with a book about the history of Hogwarts. Every so often a female face would pop up in the window with a rather disturbing look in their eyes as they stood there fogging up the glass watching him read. Shuichi was half tempted to take of his robe and use it as a blind on the tiny window. Then the door slid open.

A small slim girl stood there. Her long dirty blond hair reached to her waist and protuberant silvery-grey eyes were set under faint eyebrows that blinked slowly as if she were daydreaming.

"Hello." she said politely in a just as dreamy voice. "Mind if I sit here?"

"No, go ahead." She gave him a grateful smile.

"I'm Luna Lovegood." Luna offered.

"Shuichi Minamino."

"Thanks, no one else would let me sit with them since I'm…a tad different."

"I see. So, is this your first year?"

"Yes. I'm surprised my father let me go. Ever since my mother died he's a little paranoid. Then again, he's always a little paranoid."

"What does your father do?"

"He edits The Quibbler." Shuichi eyebrows raised.

"The one with all the conspiracy theories and creatures that only those with a sixth sense can see?" Luna seemed to brighten up.

"You read it?"

"Naturally."

The Quibbler was a tabloid magazine that few read and even few believed. It contained numerous conspiracy theories but even more articles about creatures no one without a sixth sense could see.

Including yokai.

Somehow they managed to get information about yokai. It didn't matter if it was rumors, gossip, or some theory, any information about yokai at all was rare. The Makai was separated from the Ningenkai and Reikai by a powerful barrier. Every once in a while a small distortion in the barrier would allow a few demons to cross over. Since he came to live as Shiori's son, Kurama had lost all contact with the Makai. He had absolutely no idea what was happening or what was going on in the Makai. So he was quite happy that somehow this modest magazine was able to give him that information. It wouldn't do if he didn't know what was going on with the yokai. It just wasn't his style. Besides, in one way or another it affected him too.

For the next few hours Shuichi talked with Luna about various creatures, conspiracies, and life with a single, paranoid, parent. It was rather refreshing. All too soon the Hogwarts Express slowed to a halt at the Hogsmeade Station. Shuichi wished Luna good luck and joined the throngs of students that were heading over to where carriages awaited. A few of his fellow second years were mystified at how the carriages were moving on their own.

But unlike the other students, Kurama could see them. Skeletally thin equines with reptilian faces and bat-like wings were strapped to the carriages in pairs. They stood there patiently as students boarded then with little effort pulled their load up the sloped grassy lawn to the castle. They were Thestrals, carnivorous horse-like creatures that commonly consume the bodies of the dead and sometimes killed if food was scarce. The only ones who could see them were those special few who have a sixth sense or those who witnessed the death of another.

Kurama was quite certain that the students wouldn't be so egger to climb into the carriages if they could see what was pulling them.

The Thestrals didn't seem to mind him as he climbed in with a few females hot on his tail. On the slow bumpy way up the girls glanced tentatively his way, blush when they saw his staring, and break into fits of giggles. He resigned himself to staring out the glassless window. As soon as the carriage came to a stop he hoped out and hid himself in the crowds pouring into the Great Hall where the welcoming feast was awaiting. Grabbing a spot next to the Grey Lady he made some small talk with his Ravenclaw housemates. Eddie Carmichael had spent his summer with his grandparents who lived in a small village just west of Aberdeen. Prefect, one who helps the teachers to govern the student body, Penelope Clearwater droned on about her new boyfriend and how romantic he was though she wouldn't name names.

Eventually the first years were lead into the Great Hall, effectively silencing the students. They all looked terrified and jumped slightly when the Sorting Hat began to sing. One by one they were sorted into the four houses. Luna Lovegood wound up in Ravenclaw where Shuichi happily let her sit next to him. Ginny Weasley, Ron's little sister, ended up going to Gryffindor with her brothers. When the last student was sorted the Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, rouse from his seat at the teachers' table. He gave his customary speech and introduced Gilderoy Lockhart as the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. The females swooned while the males looked as though they would be sick. Then with a few nonsense words, great piles of food appeared on golden platters on the tables.

Shuichi filled up on steak, steamed carrots, potatoes, and pudding. The chatter was a low gentle murmur. With a full belly he felt his eyelids suddenly heavy. After the feast was finished he followed his housemates to the Ravenclaw Tower. Tiredly he pulled on his pajamas. Once his head touched the pillow on his bead he was fast asleep.

xXx

Shuichi found himself sitting in the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom the next day right after breakfast. The stony walls were covered in moving portraits of Gilderoy in various flamboyant outfits smiling that cheesy obnoxious smile. The females ogled while the males silently contemplated suicide. Lockhart suddenly burst out of his office dramatically.

"Allow me to introduce you to your new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher... me." A few students exchanged looks. Lockhart descended the staircase slowly. "Gilderoy Lockhart, Order of Merlin, Third Class, Honorary member of the Dark Force Defense League, and five times winner of Witch Weekly's Most Charming Smile Award." He paused at a portrait that winked at him. "But I don't talk about that; I didn't get rid of the Banden Banshee by smiling at him." He laughed at his own joke. No one else did.

Like some actor he changed his mood, going from relaxed to stiff and defensive, going so far as pulling out his wand from his extravagant robes. "I must warn you. These creatures can be quite dangerous." he nearly whispered and tapped the cage which shook wildly for a moment. Some in the room gulped. "Remain calm, you might provoke them!" Lockhart pulled the cover off revealing a cage of blue pixies.

"Cornish Pixies?" one asked dubiously. There was relieved laughter.

"Freshly caught Cornish Pixies! Now don't laugh, they can be quite troublesome. Lets see how you handle them." Lockhart opened the cage.

The pixies swarmed out. Books flew. Papers tore. A few of Gilderoy's portraits were sent hurling through the air. There were screams and chaos. Without prompt Shuichi flead the room, not intending to get caught up in this man's foolishness.

xXx

"Are you serious?" Ron gaped.

"Sadly enough, yes."

Shuichi was standing with Ron in the balmy courtyard during their sort break. Hermione was off somewhere else, refusing to talk to them both. Neville said it was because neither he nor Ron sent her a letter over the summer. Shuichi explained that Hermione's snowy owl Hedwig didn't like him and since he didn't own an owl he couldn't send a letter to her. Ron said he was busy with family stuff and how his pathetic hand-me-down pet rat Scabbers came down with a cold. Apparently she didn't believe either of them.

"How stupid could you get? So what did you do?"

"Hung out in the Library 'till it was time for my next class." Ron grinned. A familiar redhead appeared at his elbow.

"What are you doing here Gin? Don't you have friends yet?" Ginny glowered at her brother.

"Why do you have to be such a git all the time?" she retorted.

"Why do you have to be so nosy all the time?"

"How's your first day going Ginny?" Shuichi asked, putting an end to the little brother-sister tiff. Ginny blushed slightly.

"Oh, fine. Thanks."

"That's good. Like your classes?" She nodded demurely.

"Charms is fun. Transfiguration looks cool but Professor McGonagall seems pretty strict."

"She's always strict. Ya know, if she favored us like Snape favors the Slytherins we'd have won the House Cup instead of Ravenclaw." Ron complained.

"Though you were happy that Slytherin's winning streak was brought to an end." Shuichi said.

"Yeah, but still…"

A crowd of noisy girls suddenly appeared. They were flocking to Lockhart who stood dramatically in a corner of the courtyard. He signed a few autographs with that cheesy smile in place. A first year with a camera came over and took pictures much to the girls and Lockhart's delight. Boys all about the courtyard glowered at the scene.

"I think I'm gonna hurl." Ron said with an annoyed look on his face.

"This year is going to be quite the circus."

"No kidding." Ginny agreed.

xXx

Omake

Shuichi sat at the table listening politely to Penelope as she told him how wonderful love was.

" Will you shut up already?" a girl asked viciously. "We're trying to eat here!" Penelope looked quite putout.

"I'm just sharing how-"

"Well don't!"

"I think you're just jealous of my happiness!"

"Oh yeah?!"

"Yeah!"

The two girls glared at each other. Every male within sight looked on with hopeful eyes, praying to any kami that would listen for the two girls to fight. On the table. With their robes off. The girls just 'humph' and turned their backs on each other. The boys groaned in disappointment.

It took all of Shuichi's self control not to roll his eyes.

Translations:

Reikai- spirit world

Makai- demon world

Ningenkai- human world

Yokai- demon

Kami- god

AN: Did a little cleaning up to the previous chapters so it would be easier to read. Review!