The Muggle with White Hair
NOTE: I am no way copying any other BLEACHHP fics out there. Have fun reading, eating, flaming, criticizing! Also, this story takes place during the Order of the Phoenix arc.
Chapter 10: ORDER?
Harry gulped down the pleasantly flavored-liquid of his butterbeer, enjoying the sensation running through his tongue. The back of his right hand still stung viciously and the butterbeer helped distract him from the pain. Placing the goblet back down on the table, he was immediately accosted by-
Angelina.
Feeling trepidation, Harry faced the girl with an uneasy smile.
"Sorry I was a bit short with you earlier, Potter. It's stressful, this managing lark, you know, I'm starting to think I was a bit hard on Wood sometimes." Here she stopped, her eyes narrowed on Ron.
"Look, I know he's your best mate, but he's not fabulous." She commented abruptly. "I think with a bit of training he'll be all right, though. He comes from a family of good Quidditch players." Angelina trailed off again, her eyes taking on a slight maniac glint. "But, that foreign bloke on the other hand.."
Harry paused, his hand fixed around his goblet. "Sorry?" He asked, wondering if Angelina had possibly developed a girl-crush on a certain someone...
"You know, Heksu, or something of the other. He has real talent!" She started demonstrating with her goblet, sloshing butterbeer everywhere. "He flew better than everyone throughout the whole tryouts, his instincts are superb! Heksu was a shoo-in for Keeper."
Nevermind, Harry thought, while remembering a time when Hetsugellia did five cartwheels in a row. Perhaps that contributed to his athletic success. "Why didn't he become Keeper then?" He asked, careful not to attract Ron's attention.
Angelina scowle as if it was the worst question asked. "He wouldn't take the damn position." As if not wanting to relive that memory, she went back for a second gobletful of butterbeer.
Didn't take the position? Then why did Hetsugellia try out in the first place? Harry wondered before retreating towards Hermione.
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In order to dodge various members of the Quidditch team (Katie, Fred, George, etc.), Hitsugaya decided to take a long detour. He would meet the occasional student, but never made an effort to talk with them. Making friends with mortals was idiotic since they always forgot you in the end..
Except in the case of high spiritual reiatsu, but then no one had any amazingly high levels. Amid his ramblings, Hitsugaya bumped into a large silvery patch of air.
A plus spirit.
The House ghost was startled at seeing him, however immediately recovered. "Hello," Nearly Headless Nick said cheerfully. "What are you doing so late here in the corridors?"
Hitsugaya looked at the European ghost with the abnormous large ruff on his neck, obscuring the long thin scar. "I'm walking to the common room."
"Not Slytherin I suppose?" Nick asked sharply, his eyes focusing on Hitsugaya's white hair.
"Gryffindor." He corrected in return, impatient for the ghost to stop talking.
"Ah, so sorry." Nick regained his cheerful behavior. "I must say, you look just like that portrait of Salazar Slytherin. Same green eyes, white hair, deep scowl...surely you're not one of his descendants?" His tone hovered, curiousity showing in his eyes.
Me? A descendant of some random English man? "You're mistaken." Hitsugaya said stiffly. "I'm not even of European descent, it's impossible that I'm related to him." He dipped his head and brushed past the ghost.
"You never know, one always finds something surprising in Hogwarts." Nick called after him gaily, and went whistling off.
Crazy old man. Hitsugaya thought disdainfully then turned around the corner.
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The silver cell phone's shiny exterior glittered as it was flipped open. Hitsugaya gave a long sigh as the screen went dead. No reception...stupid, ugly, wizard castle. He pocketed the machine and continued on his way to the Owlery.
Last night had taken it's toll on the gigai body. He knew he shouldn't have taken to wandering off in Hogwarts especially since he was accidentally locked in a supply closet. Seeing Filch's startled face when he opened the door was priceless and Hitsugaya felt satisfied when he knocked Filch out with a paralyzation spell.
Including that stupid cat who was yowling around the place.
A sudden large bust of a square-faced man dropped from above, hurtling towards Hitsugaya. He jumped out of the way in time, but was smacked in the head by-
"Peeves!" He snarled.
The poltergeist responded with a raspberry and gave a high-pitched cackle. "What are you doing up so early? Eh granddad? Didn't get enough sleep in that closet last night?"
Hitsugaya twitched. "So it was you who locked me in."
Peeves laughed. "That's me!" He gleefully confirmed before taking aim with the statue again. Wanting to deal out just desserts, Hitsugaya pulled out his candy dispenser.
He was doing the castle a favor, really. One less stupid brat hanging around the place.
That man told us not to use soul burial.
That thing doesn't count.
Oh really?
Grudgingly, Hitsugaya put the dispenser back under his robes and turned away. Sidestepping the bust once again, he started running.
He need just the place to get a signal for his phone.
Trekking across moving stairs, murderous suits of armor, and jeering paintings, Hitsugaya finally reached the final step of the topmost tower. Catching his breath, he pushed the door open.
A scene with a dumbfounded Harry and a blushing Cho Chang met his eyes. They both had startled expressions on their faces.
Oh great. Suddenly feeling hot around the neck, Hitsugaya slunk into the vast, capacious room where a multitude of owls roosted. He didn't want to know what they were doing before he came in. Goodness, it was embarrassing to think that he, captain of the 10th division, interuppted an adolescent moment!
"Uh, hi Hetsugellia." Harry said, bouncing back. "What are you doing in the Owlery?" Cho Chang went back to busily tying her package around an owl's leg, her long black hair hiding her face.
Hitsugaya eluded a pile of owl droppings and drew nearer to the large glass-less windows. "Reception." He said briefly, letting light bounce off his cellphone's surface. Promptly turning away, he flipped the cover back up and punched in the numbers.
"I thought electronics didn't work at Hogwarts." Cho Chang mentioned hesitatingly. She shrinked under Hitsugaya's glance. "Err, that is, they're not supposed too.."
Mentally rolling his eyes over Cho Chang's bashful mutterings, Hitsugaya pressed the phone to his ear. "This one isn't any electronic." He didn't elaborate on explaining.
Harry threw a quick look at Cho's face. She clearly thought that Hetsugellia was some misanthropic, eremitic, foreigner. She also probably concluded that he was downright cold.
It was a good thing that Hitsugaya wasn't looking at her face.
A trying moment of silence, including Harry's shuffled feet movements, Cho Chang sending the owl, and Hitsugaya's impatient mutterings. Strangely, Harry could not discern what Hitsugaya was talking about, another language no doubt.
They both silently agreed on not bothering him, since his face was growing quite an interesting shade of red, and left the Owlery together.
Cho Chang stumbled as Hitsugaya cursed loudly. At least Harry thought it was cursing. It sounded like...maut-suuu-maut-toe...
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"Hey Hetsugellia! Over here!" Ron shouted, waving his hands about as the aforementioned boy stepped into the Great Hall. He looked agitated, but a little pleased at the same time. Hitsugaya wove through the crowds and sat near the grinning Weasley boy.
On upon becoming Keeper, Ron had some sort of mixed up fantasy that he had cheated Hetsugellia of the position. To compensate that, Ron was trying to be as friendly as possible, while also trying to smooth ruffled feelings (nonexistent ones).
Hermione gave a greeting and Harry muttered a quiet "Hey." as Hitsugaya sat down. The atmostphere was a little tense and uncomfortable, Ron not noticing of course as he piled sausages onto his plate.
The daily owls came in, one depositing a familiar soggy roll of paper near Hermione. She paid the owl and it flew off.
Soul Society really does have it much easier...
"Anything interesting?" Ron asked. Hermione sighed as she analyzed the front of the paper. "No, just some guff about the bass player in the Weird Sisters getting married..."
Hitsugaya assumed that was a boring topic since Harry went back to stabbing his bacon and Ron glanced at the overhead sky.
"Wait a moment," Hermione said unexpectedly. "Oh no...Sirius!"
Harry's response was to tear the paper in half by accident.
Well that was an overreaction. Hitsugaya thought, spooning bits of newspaper off his porridge. He listened in to the conversation carefully.
"Is currently hiding in London!" Hermione gasped again, her eyes running over the bold print.
"Lucius Malfoy, I'll bet anything. He did recognize Sirius on the platform..." Harry exclaimed angrily, piece of bacon forgotten.
"What?" You don't say--" Ron sputtered, aghast.
"Shh!" Was his reponse.
"Broke out of Azkaban...the usual rubbish." The paper was slapped back down at the table, Hermione looking worried over it. "Well, he just won't be able to leave the house again, that's all. Dumbledore did warn him not to."
Hitsugaya's ears pricked. It was laughable, how these kids didn't realize that he was hearing each and every word. No need to remind them.
"Sturgis Podmore? He's that bloke who looks like his head's been thatched, isn't he? He's one of the Ord-"
Hermione shushed Ron mid-sentence.
It was at that moment that all three swiftly looked at Hitsugaya.
He raised an eyebrow. "Do continue." Yawning inside stirred his porridge. "I suggest that you speak in a lower volume when talking about the Order."
They ogled him, mouths open approximately 5 inches in diameter.
You're enjoying this.
So are you.
"You know about the Order?!" Ron shouted, commanding the attention of others around them. Harry smacked him and Ron sunk back down to his seat, his ears scarlet.
Hitsugaya sighed. "Yes I do." His voice dropped. "I'm sure that Dumbledore would appreciate it if you stop talking about it so breezily everywhere you please." Dismissing their gasps, he turned directly to Hermione.
"Have you started your essay on Self-Fertilizing Shrubs?"
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The Shinigami Women's Association was usually started by an opening speech by Nanao, interrupted by Yachiru, stalled by Matsumoto, and concluded as the rest of the members adjourned.
This women's club, however, was only in the middle of it's stage. Meaning, Matsumoto was lingering and loitering.
"Gah, I'm so bored!" She whined, flipping through the newest issue of Soul Society: Life and lethargically tracing the bright colored pictures.
Nanao responded with a freezing look. "Before you so rudely interuppted me, Rangiku-san," She glared at the strawberry-blonde before returning to the drowy audience.
"Does everyone have an idea for a place to spend this year's vacation?"
Isane raised her hand. "Ano, shouldn't we concentrate on assembling for the Arrancar invasion? I don't think we have time to take an annual vacation."
Kiyone nodded fervently. "I need to stay and help Ukitake-taichou for his work! I can't afford to take a break!"
The quiet, purple-haired Kurotsuchi Nemu raised her hand also. "I must help Mayuri-sama." She said simply before returning to silence.
Adjusting her square-rimmed glasses, Nanao sighed. "Alright, I guess it was foolish of me to even propose the idea."
She was accordingly knocked out by a flying ball of pink fluff.
"I wanna visit Toushirou-chan!" Yachiru cried. "I wanna eat strange candies!"
On a similar level of energy, Matsumoto jumped up. "Me too!" She shrieked.
Wincing, Isane put a hand up to protect herself from spastic pink and blonde lieutenants. "We're not allowed to leave Soul Society." She pointed out.
Her protests fell deaf to the energetic pair. "I can open any gate," Matsumoto boasted confidently, flipping long hair over her shoulder and winking. Yachiru giggled. "Way to go Ran-blonde-chan!"
"Let's go pack now Yachiru-chan!"
"Will they let us?" Yachiru put a finger to her lips, a picture-perfect scene of adorable naivety.
Rangiku ruffled her hair. "Of course, they'll open it whenever I want it to open." She grinned and gestured to her well-endowed area.
The rest paled.
"Okay I'll tell Ken-chan!"
"Meet me near the 10th division, the last one doesn't get to huggle Hitsugaya-taichou!"
Both ran out of the room, slamming the door on eavesdropping Kira.
Nanao unsteadily rose, fixing crooked glasses.
"Someone alert Hitsugaya-taichou ASAP. He's going to have one hell of a day."
GAH! Enter Matsumoto and Kusajishi! My eyes HURT!
I am SO SORRY that this chapter was not updated on Saturday. I blame the technical glitch the login form in fanfiction was having! So don't shoot me!