I know I know, it's been forever. First I just couldn't think of what I wanted to put for this chapter, then I couldn't figure out how to organize the chapter, and then I just couldn't make myself write. I'm still in a bit of a slump, my mood isn't the best for writing either but I will attempt to do my best. My problem now is that I keep thinking of what I want to write taking place in the next book, which will be the last in this story, and can't drag my brain back to this book so I can get to book 5.
So yeah, I'm having some major writer's block. Had a fair chunk of this chapter done for a few weeks but couldn't finish it no matter how much I wanted to. But I finally finished it.
I'll say it again because because keep asking, this is NOT a Ichigo/Luna pairing. This is not romance. This is pure Adventure. Ichigo just likes Luna as a person, she's like Orihime and doesn't have many friends despite her being a good person underneath the weird-ness, which makes Ichigo dislike others for and sympathize with her. Repeat NO ROMANCE. Just very good friends.
I own nothing. I wish I did, but I am not that good a writer, nor can I draw all that well. Those honors go to J.K. Rowling and Tite Kubo.
"Stupid noisy brats," Ichigo muttered, finally having escaped the Great Hall after practically fighting his way through the masses of students clustered together discussing the new champions of the Triwizard Tournament. The tightly packed groups had prevented him from leaving for a solid half hour after the dinner hour let out, it seemed everyone and their sister had to talk about the night's events right then and there and couldn't be bothered to move out of the way. It was pissing Ichigo off.
I don't even know what the hell I'm doing here. I'm not a part of the tournament so there's really no need for me to be at school. I could be doing something important and instead I'm forced to listen to children prattling on about how Potter cheated to get into the tournament. They're such idiots, as if Potter looks like he wants any part of this charade. He actually values his life, there's no way he would have entered. Someone did it for him, and somehow got around the wards on the Goblet.
Ichigo was still trying to figure out how that had happened but was coming up short. He didn't even know what kind of wards were on the magical artifact so he was mainly just guessing. Not that it particularly mattered to him, but if he found out how someone got around the wards he might be able to do something similar if he needed to in the future.
Right now though he was going to take advantage of being at school to do some Potions work, he'd much rather do it in a classroom that had wards protecting the room instead of in his bedroom that was completely vulnerable.
He was stalking through the halls, trying to find a suitable room as far from the noise, and therefore pesky students that might spy on him, as possible. He was about to turn a corner when a door appeared out of an empty space of wall, a door that had certainly not been there before. He paused warily and watched a double wooden door with metal fastenings and handles finished forming before taking a cautious step forwards.
He jerked the door open all at once, so that if there was something inside waiting for him he'd have the advantage of surprise. Nothing attacked him so he stepped inside, still keeping in reach of the door just in case. It seemed like his caution was unnecessary however as he took in his surroundings.
It was a Potions lab, neatly lay out and not too cramped, shelves on one wall held different sized cauldrons of several different metals and other Potions tools. Another set of shelves held common ingredients for Potions anyone could brew while there was a dresser that Ichigo assumed also held ingredients. There were a few long tables in the room along with stools, on which were several thick books. A perfect place for what Ichigo had wanted to do, just what he required.
"The Come and Go Room, huh?" Ichigo smirked, pulling a few vials and jars out of his pockets that held specialty ingredients he had brought from home. "Time to get started then."
Several hours later Ichigo was on his way out, several empty jars and vials filled with unknown liquids in hand and pocket. He was just passing the Great Hall when someone rammed into him from behind, sending him crashing forward towards the stone floor.
His fighting instincts were not dead yet though and he used the momentum of his fall and pushed up off the floor, jumping off his hands to land back on his feet neatly. Unfortunately he had forgotten the vials he had been holding and heard the crashing of glass. He looked at his feet and saw the potion that he had been carrying currently eating into the floor, sending off a nasty smelling green gas.
The students that had been nearby beat a hasty retreat to the next hallway to avoid the smell and Ichigo had just vanished the Potion dissolving the floor when Snape was on him.
"Just what was that? I did not assign any potion that would do that! What was it? And just where did you get it?" Ichigo just stared at him, raising a single thin brow, "Well? Answer me Kurosaki?!"
Ichigo muttered something, half to himself, that Snape couldn't hear, "What was that?"
The tall ginger gave him a bored look, "I said too much kappa scale. It shouldn't have done that. Pretty glad I didn't drink it to test it out now, that wouldn't have been pretty."
The Potions Master was confused, "kappa scale? Why would you use such a thing in a potion? Kappa scales have never been used as ingredients before, where did you acquire it?" He still had no idea what the student had been doing in the first place.
"I caught one; it wasn't really all that hard. Damned thing tried to drown me though so I decided that I might as well kill it for more ingredients, I wasn't gonna let it go after that. Who knows what I could do with a kappa? Not me so I just preserved the different parts in case I wanted to use them later. Do you know what I could make with a kappa? The books were fairly useless other than telling me what it was." Snape was still staring so Ichigo figured he'd elaborate, "I was making a potion, trying to anyway. It's pretty tricky. At least this one didn't blow up, the second time you blow up your room it loses a lot of the humor, plus cleaning it up afterwards is a pain. Pretty sure I got the amount of Kirin hair right this time, that's probably why it didn't blow up."
"Kirin hair?"
"Kirin hair."
"And just what is a kirin?"
"You don't know? A kirin is a chimera beast, looks mostly like a unicorn though, it's called the 'Chinese Unicorn' and is an omen of prosperity. They're peaceful even if they look pretty fierce and will only attack if a sinner is attacking someone pure. They can breathe fire too but they're herbivores. They're also pretty rare, it's sometimes said that they are the pets of the gods but who knows if that's true."
"Why?"
"Because they're hard to find and I thought it would help. They're pretty magical on their own and I can't find any here so I figured I'd get it while I could. Never know when you'll need it."
"Just the hair?"
"Yeah I didn't want to kill if I could avoid it, they're really peaceful creatures and there aren't that many of them. I just knocked it unconscious and took some hair. It was fine afterwards."
"And what are you using the hair for?"
"I thought I told you already, I'm trying to make a potion."
"I've never seen any potions that use kirin hair and kappa scales."
"That's because I'm making it up. It's kind of annoying. I think I'm close too."
"Wait," there's no way he heard that correctly, "you are attempting to create your own potion?"
Ichigo just gave him a look.
"With no instruction?"
"Obviously since you would be the one I would ask. I'm doing fine on my own."
Snape's expression shuttered into one of contempt though those looking closely enough could see shock and a slight amazement in his eyes, "I will be the judge of that. Come with me, and bring whatever ingredients you have left with you. I wish to see this potion of yours."
Ichigo just shrugged and followed, this could be interesting.
The students who had vacated the area when the potion had been dropped looked at each other, not sure what to think of what they had just seen. The transfer student was making his own potions, and was using nonstandard potions ingredients, potions that Snape hadn't even heard of.
As Ichigo was entering Snape's office he felt a shiver go down his spine. I'm not looking forward to my return trip; something tells me it won't be any quieter.
Ichigo left school afterwards, going back home to work on his schoolwork and fully intending to stay there until the year was up. He was called back before two months were up; it was time for the First Task.
"You've got to be kidding."
Luna jumped, not knowing that there had been someone behind her and turned to see who had snuck up on her without her noticing. She smiled when she came face to face with Ichigo. "Hello Ichigo, how are you today?" No one had been sitting behind her in the stands a second ago and she was sure she should have been able to hear anyone moving past her, but then again the crowd was rather loud.
He frowned at her though he was glad she wasn't one of the moronic children wearing the 'Potter stinks' badges, I can think of a few people who might be behind that, "Pissed, but nice to see you again Luna. How have you been? Anyone bothering you you'd like removed?"
The younger girl blinked at the dark shine in his eyes and instead shook her head, "I'm all right Ichigo, thank you for asking. Though I'm afraid there might be a nargle infestation at Hogwarts, they really are causing some trouble. Messing with people's heads."
"Nargles, right." Ichigo knew Luna wasn't really all there but he didn't hold it against her, she was like Inoue, she just had a very active imagination. "Looks like nargles aren't our only problem, people being stupidly thick is another. I heard the youngest Weasley boy and Potter had a blow out, damned brats in my dorm can't shut up about it, like it has anything to do with them."
"Yes I'm afraid so, those two seem to have quite a few nargles, Malfoy as well."
"Well Malfoy is just a spoiled brat so who cares about him. He'll pull his head out of his ass or he won't, it's up to him. Potter and Weasley are probably just fighting about something stupid, seems like something they'd do."
"Hmm, I am a bit worried though. I'm afraid Harry may be in trouble if he doesn't focus during the Task, I'd hate for him to get killed." Luna wasn't particularly friends with the boy, he didn't even know her, but she still didn't want a student to be harmed.
"He would get killed because he wasn't paying attention." Ichigo scratched his cheek and glanced down at the champions tent, seeing Hermione slipping towards the tent out of the corner of his eye, "Well I guess I'll go set up some assurance that he won't. Be back in a bit."
"Where are-"but he was gone as quietly as he had arrived. She watched him move easily through the crowd and into the champions' tent unnoticed.
"Well isn't this nice?" Ichigo's low, slightly mocking drawl immediately pulled everyone's attention to him, as they hadn't noticed him enter. He swept over everyone with hooded eyes, evaluating, judging, and deeming them unworthy of his attention.
"What are you doing in here?" Karkaroff demanded, "no one should be able to enter!"
So hot tempered, he needs to calm down. "It was stupidly easy. Those guards can't pay attention to everything at once after all, there's no way they could have stopped me anyway, I didn't exactly come through the front door. I'm not stupid."
"Then how-"
"Obviously I came in the side, like Granger here," He jabbed his thumb at the girl without looking, pulling his wand out with the other and pointing it at the nearest Champion, Krum, muttering, "Duro."
He repeated the spell on each of the Champions faster than anyone could process and turned on his heel to leave before anyone could 'apprehend' him.
His plan was for naught as a thick hand snapped out and cinched around his upper arm, holding him firm. A slight turn of his head showed him his apprehender, Krum. Figures. At least he has some instincts to speak of, still took long enough for him to have been killed but not bad for a wizard.
"What did you do?!" That certainly wasn't Krum, it was far too shrill. Karkaroff then.
"A favor to a friend of mine."
"What do you mean? Who? What was that spell? Why did you cast in on all of us?" That was Harry, wary enough to have his wand out and arm loose, not that he'd be able to do anything if Ichigo really tried but at least he had guts.
"Luna. She expressed concern over your well being Potter. And since I decided I'd rather not see a kid die today I thought I'd do something about it." His voice was perfectly level, as if talking about someone dying was no big deal. He looked down at Krum's hold on his arm as if deciding whether to leave it be or do something about it.
"And what exactly did you do Mr. Kurosaki? I'm sure we all would feel at ease if we knew what you cast." That was Dumbledore, speaking for everyone, nothing new. Not that he was wrong, but he did tend to simplify things.
"I cast Duro, a spell that strengthens the target's skin, makes it harder to damage so you won't get as injured as badly than if I hadn't cast the spell. It'll make them harder to kill since it hardens the skin somewhat, thought you'd appreciate it."
"I would ask that you refrain from casting spells on people without their permission in the future Mr. Kurosaki."
"Even if it's for their own good? Geez, tough crowd. Ungrateful much?" He scowled down at Krum's persistent grip on his arm and then up at the student himself, "You can let go now."
He stilled for the split second Krum turned away, looking to Karkaroff for approval, and then blurred into motion. He jerked his arm out of Krum's strong grip hard enough to set the heavier boy staggering, and twisted his body so he was out of reach and facing the occupants of the room. "Keep your hands to yourself next time," he growled at the other boy and glared at the room as a whole, "You can keep your thanks when my spell saves your sorry lives, I don't even know why I bothered. Have a nice life, for however longer it lasts."
He swept out of the tent with one last chilling glare, stalking out of sights and hearing in seconds, leaving those in the room to themselves.
Hermione rushed over to Harry, "Do you feel any different?" she was concerned the spell had done something other than what Ichigo had said it would, he could have been lying, she didn't know him enough to know if he lied.
Harry shook his head, poking himself in the arm with a bit of pressure, "I feel fine, I feel like my skin's a bit thicker, it doesn't give as much, but other than that I'm the same. It really doesn't seem like anything else has happened other than what Ichigo said would."
"Dumbledore who is that boy?! And what do you plan on doing about that spell he cast on the champions?!"
Karkaroff was close to spitting with fury, whether it was from the use of an unfamiliar spell or the transfer himself was unclear. Madame Maxine looked to be in a similar state, though she seemed more confused about the transfer and uncertain about what to do about the sudden situation.
Dumbledore did his best to reassure them, though he was a bit uncertain himself, "Not to worry, Mr. Kurosaki has shown to be a brilliant young man and the few of his personal spells that I have witnessed have been mostly nondangerous."
"Mostly?!"
The eldest Headmaster looked around the tent, glancing at the few people who had burst out at the same time, "yes, during his third year he destroyed a boggart with an original spell but it had a different incantation, I'm sure the one he used is harmless. It seemed like it is even a spell for helping people from what Mr. Kurosaki said about not wanting to see anyone severely harmed."
"He destroyed a boggart?! In 'is third year? 'ow is that possible?"
Madame Maxine looked very concerned now, glancing at Fleur in worry.
"Well to be honest he probably should have been in at least fourth year, he was placed in third year classes to try and not overwhelm him. I see that was a mistake now, especially since he seems intent on graduating next year after studying over summer and during the school year." Dumbledore was still a bit skeptical about the strange transfer's plans but he would give him the benefit of a doubt, he'd already surprised him a number of times, what was a few more? "So yes, as I said, I do believe that the spell Mr. Kurosaki used will do precisely what he said it would. I am sure it will help the champions to lessen injuries, now I do think we are out of time, we may discuss this later after the Task."
The others turned to where Dumbledore was looking, seeing Mr. Bagman approaching them. They muttered to themselves, fully intending on confronting Dumbledore and the transfer after the Task, there wasn't anything they could do now.
And it's done! This'll get you all off my back for a bit yeah? Hope so. I'm sort of thinking of ideas for the next task, Ichigo will be far more passive to the rest of the events in the Tournament, he really doesn't have any interest in them. All I have planned for next chapter is the aftermath of the First Task, which includes all the champions managing to escape with their skins attacked somewhat thanks to Ichigo, and Ball prep. Ichigo's gonna put his learning curve skills to use there, and then a bit with him and Luna at the ball itself, looking very nice in their respective outfits. And that's about it really... Like I said I'm gonna kind of gloss over the rest of this year, unless there is something specific you'd like to see happen? I'll take suggestions into consideration, especially if they motivate me into writing faster and therefore updating sooner.
So yeah, feedback. Love it. Gimme. Suggestions and specific comments especially appreciated so I know what you all like and what you want to see more of. I'm just really looking forward to getting to Order of the Phoenix, there's gonna be more Ichigo fighting and being a badass in general in that one, and pissing off Umbridge when she can't punish him. That'll be great. Can't wait. Hope you all are too.
Review! Please! I like them!
Terms:
Kirin: a mythical chimera creature in Chinese lore said to look like a large horse/goat with cloven hooves, a heavy mane of hair, horns, and a scaled body. Also known as a Qilin or the Chinese Unicorn. They are a good omen said to bring serenity or prosperity and has been shown with fire over its body. It only harms the wicked, able to walk over grass and not crush the blades as well as walk on water. It takes great care not to harm any living thing though can be fearsome when a pure person is threatened by a sinner, spouting flames and other fearsome powers. It only appears in areas ruled by a wise and benevolent leader and some legends say it is a sacred pet or familiar of the gods. (this is my view on them, with some imput from other sources, the appearance of Kirins varies a rather large amount).
Kappa: a Japanese water demon that lives in rivers and ponds and lures people and animals into the water to drown them. They are also known to be tricksters that can be harmless or very dangerous. They are humanoid in appearance around the size of a child with scaly reptilian skin, a beak for a mouth, and webbed hands.(again more my view than the exact one, since it's all folklore anyway, there's no consistent description)
Duro: "to harden/last/endure" strengthens skin, more resistant to injure. Like an arrancar's hierro.