Here's another chapter. I don't know when I'll post again because my dad started chemotherapy again. Hope you all like the chapter! :)

Malfoy couldn't believe his eyes when he saw Byakuya and Ron were still at Hogwarts the next day, looking tired but perfectly cheerful. Or as cheerful as Byakuya ever looks. Instead, Ron was recounting their adventure, adding more unnecessary detail each time. As owls flooded into the Great Hall as usual, everyone's attention was caught at once by a long, thin package carried by Yuki. She set it down carefully, holding a letter in her beak. He opened it.

DO NOT OPEN THE PARCEL AT THE TABLE.

It contains your new Nimbus Two Thousand, but I don't want everybody to know you've got a broomstick or they'll all want one. Oliver Wood will meet you tonight on the Quidditch Pitch at seven o'clock for your first training session.

Professor M. McGonagall

He tucked the note in his pocket, and walked up to the staff table. He looked McGonagall in the eye and said, "How much was it?"

The stern-looking Professor waved him off with a small motherly smile, "No need for that, Potter."

Byakuya set his hands on the table, and spoke with an eerie calm, "How. Much. Professor?"

The other teachers were watching in interest and she gave in, "700 Galleons."

Byakuya gazed at her, trying to see if she was lying. Satisfied, he nodded, "Come to the Quidditch Pitch tonight then. Other teachers are invited as well if you all want to watch."

Byakuya walked back, and grabbed his broom. Trying to leave, he was blocked by Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle. Malfoy sneered at him, "That is obviously a broomstick. You'll be in for it now. First years aren't allowed them."

"It is a Nimbus Two Thousand, Malfoy. I heard you say you had a Comet Two Sixty? Those are very flashy, but not much good. Now, I suppose I will have to thank you, as it is because of you that I got this."

Then Flitwick appeared on Malfoy's elbow. "Not arguing, I hope, boys?"

"Potter's been sent a broomstick, Professor." Malfoy spoke quickly.

"Yes, yes, that's right. Professor McGonagall told me all about the special circumstances, Potter. What model is it?"

"A Nimbus Two Thousand, sir." Byakuya spoke with a certain smugness in his voice. Ron was fighting not to laugh at the horror on Malfoy's face as Flitwick congratulated him.

At six o'clock, Byakuya unwrapped the broom onto his bed, and was surprised at how sleek it looked, with a long, straight tail of twigs, and a shiny mahogany handle with Nimbus Two Thousand engraved in gold in the top. He walked slowly to the Quidditch Pitch, ditching Ron, and stood in the center. At either end were three golden poles with hoops on the end. Byakuya was reminded of what Muggle children blew bubbles through.

Byakuya mounted his broom, wanting to get a feel for it. He kicked off, liking the control. He saw McGonagall, Snape, Dumbledore, Flitwick, and Hagrid sitting in a stand. He went as high as he could, and let himself fall toward the earth, about half a mile down. He was about thirty feet from the ground when he pulled out of the dive, maneuvering easily through the hoops, and around the stands. "Hey, Potter, come down!"

Oliver Wood arrived carrying a large wooden crate. Byakuya stopped next to him easily, and hopped off. It wasn't the same as flying though. Gravity was negated, and you couldn't feel as much wind. "Very nice... I see what McGonagall meant. You really are a natural. I'm going to teach you the rules, and we'll fly some to get you more comfortable on your broom. Maybe throw the Quaffle."

Wood started, "Right, now there are seven players on each side. Three of them are called Chasers."

Wood took out a bright red ball the size of a soccer ball. Byakuya was suddenly curious if the soccer Karin Kurosaki had taught him could be used. "This ball is called the Quaffle. The Chasers throw the Quaffle to each other, and try to throw it through those three hoops to score. Ten points every time the Quaffle goes through one of the hoops."

"Another player is the Keeper. That's me. I fly around the hoops and stop the other team from scoring." Wood pointed to two smaller brown balls in the case, "While this is happening, the two Beaters keep the Bludgers away from their team."

Byakuya was mildly curious, "Have Bludgers ever killed anyone?"

Wood shook his head, "Not at Hogwarts. We've had a couple broken jaws, but nothing worse than that."

If Malfoy joined the team, there might be a first-time death at Hogwarts. Byakuya thought to himself.

Then Wood pulled out a little golden ball with fluttering silver wings about the size of a walnut. "This is the Golden Snitch, and it's the most important ball of the lot. It's very hard to catch because it's so fast and hard to see. It's worth an extra hundred and fifty points. Which is why Seekers get fouled so much. The game doesn't end until the Snitch is caught. The record is three months, I think."

A minute later, Harry was in the air, and Wood was hurling golf balls in every direction, not wanting to lose the Snitch in the dark. Byakuya caught every one, and ended hanging upside-down on his broom, the last one barely hanging between the last knuckle between his index and middle finger. He swung himself upright, and Wood mounted his own broom. He took off, and threw the Quaffle. Byakuya decided to silently show off, and he went into a handstand, catching the Quaffle between his ankles. He then swung backward, launching the Quaffle at Wood, who caught it in surprise, and the Captain threw it at him, Byakuya catching it normally. "Try and score on me."

Wood flew to one end, ready to guard any of the posts. Byakuya flew at him full speed, stopping suddenly, faking to the right hoop, while diving into a corkscrew and scoring in the hoop to the left. He heard the teachers applauding, and Wood was grinning, "Man, the Quidditch Cup has our name on it if you keep playing like this, Potter!"

They landed and picked everything up as the teachers walked by, McGonagall giving Snape a smug smile.

On Halloween, Byakuya's least favorite holiday, what with all the sweets, they were to start making objects fly in Charms. Byakuya watched Ichigo trying to correct Ron, and he was blatantly disregarding her advice.

"You do it, then, if you're so clever." Ron snarled, and Hermione held her wand out, Byakuya synchronizing with her, and at the same time they spoke.

"Wingardium Leviosa."

Their feathers rose off the desk, and hovered about ten feet up.

"Everyone see here! Miss. Granger and Mr. Potter have done it! Well done, well done!" Professor Flitwick squeaked out, and Ron was in a bad mood the rest of the day.

"It's no wonder no one can stand her. She's a nightmare, honestly!" Ron spoke to Byakuya in a loud voice.

Then Ichigo pushed past them, and Byakuya was immensely surprised to see tears in her eyes. He wanted to go after her, but he had a cover to keep, and figured she was a strong, prideful woman who could handle herself.

Ichigo ignored them all afternoon, and before dinner, the two heard Parvati Patil telling her friends Lavender heard Ichigo crying in the girls' bathroom. When they entered the Great Hall, Byakuya considered Dumbledore to have lost whatever marbles he had left. We ought to call this the Great Hell now. There's at least a thousand bats in here, and the candles in the pumpkins are a hazard with all the oil in the food here.

I agree, Master. But this is Muggle and wizard tradition. Why not ignore it, and Ron, and focus on why Ichigo-chan might be crying.

I have no idea. You know very well that I do not know how to deal with women and their... waterworks. I had NO idea what to do after Rukia came to me for comfort after she killed Kaien!

Ah, but this should be easi- Master, something is happening.

Byakuya turned his attention outwards, and saw Quirrell had run in, "TROLL- IN THE DUNGEON- thought out ought to know..."

And the man passed out. After a second of dead silence, everyone panicked, and Byakuya took the opportunity to sneak out as he heard, "Prefects! Lead your Houses back to the dormitories immediately!"

Byakuya crept along the corridors, and ducked behind a griffin statue as snape swept past him, not going to the dungeons. Byakuya silently followed him, and was led towards the third floor corridor as he smelled something to the equivalent of old gym socks and a public toilet. Or Renji after training. Byakuya felt a stab of emptiness at his Lieutenant dying at the hands of Aizen himself.

Focus! Byakuya chided himself mentally, as he spotted the troll in a passageway to his left, at the end of a corridor. After that he had one thought, and one thought only before summoning his Zanpakuto.

ICHIGO!

He Shunpoed, not caring if anyone saw him, and shouted, "Scatter, Senbonzakura!"

Byakuya threw Reiatsu-infused punches and kicks at the troll. The petals flew towards the troll as the 12-foot grey rock with a coconut head smashed through the door and swung it's club. It smashed the stalls, and Senbonzakura hit it.

Barely anything was left when Byakuya crouched by Ichigo, the bathroom surrounding them in shambles. "Why were you crying, Ichi-chan?"

She glared at him, "Two reasons, really. One: He insulted me, and you didn't say anything! And two: I have my period..."

Byakuya's face reddened, and Ichigo stood, "Sorry. Raging hormones and all that."

The teachers burst in as Byakuya put the wand he used for Senbonzakura in his robes next to his other one, and they paled at the remains of the troll. It was Flitwick, Sprout, Snape, and McGonagall. Snape bent over what was left of the troll, it's head still mainly intact. Professor McGonagall was now looking at Byakuya and Ichigo. "What on earth were you thinking of?!"

The Professor spoke with such a cold fury in her voice, that Professors Sprout and Flitwick flinched. "Literally or figuratively, Professor. Literally, my only thought was to protect Hermione. I don't even remember what I did..."

Ichigo nodded, "It seemed like it was his magic lashing out. I am glad he saved me."

Byakuya looked at the teacher, matching her tone with an even colder fury, with a so detached look it was scary. "Or would you rather I let my housemate get murdered because Peeves probably let a troll in as a joke?"

All four teachers flinched at his tone and she shook her head, "I suppose not."

Just then, Byakuya felt something warm running down his forehead in an alarming quantity, and touched it, knowing the familiar feel of blood as it blinded his left eye. "I guess the troll nicked me."

The blood dripped on the floor, and the teachers stared at the drops hitting the stone, mesmerized for a moment, before they swooped down upon him. Now that his adrenaline was wearing off, he remembered the only reason he was able to hit the troll with Senbonzakura was because he was thrown into a wall. Nothing he hadn't had before, of course. Snape touched his back, and Byakuya moved away, "Don't do that."

"Shirt, Potter."

He snapped, and Byakuya looked at Ichigo, "That was me, wasn't it..."

They all followed Ichigo's line of sight to a hole that went through the wall, and Byakuya was surprised he hadn't fallen through. The teacher's looked at him as he slid the ruined sweater and white dress shirt off. His front and back torso had nasty bruises, and Professor Sprout gasped, "Did it hit you, dear Merlin, how are you still alive?!"

Byakuya rolled his shoulder, several resounding cracks filled the room, and the nobleman sighed, "I have had much worse. I suppose I should... Wait... I have bruise balm in my trunk, and it feels like I cracked a couple ribs. No broken though."

Snape's eyes narrowed, "How would you know?"

Byakuya met his eyes, refusing to look away, "Vernon Dursley beat me until he learned I could fight back, which was until about a year ago, when I was finally strong enough to break his hand."

The Professors again all gasped, and Snape grabbed his arm, "Let's go, Potter."

Snape brought him to the dungeons, and sat him in a stool as he rubbed bruise balm on his torso with surprising gentleness. "Potter... I saw you. You were there, and then you weren't. That was not a simple case of lashing out magic."

Byakuya sighed, not thinking of a way out of this. He shook his head, "No, it is not. I shall share with you my inheritance test."

The noble held out his hand, and a conjured copy of the test appeared. Snape looked it over, "Byakuya Sojun Kuchiki?"

Said person nodded, "That is my true name. Harry Potter is in Japan, being raised with Hermione. Both are instructed in a form of Japanese magic. I, and Ichigo Kurosaki, who is Hermione, were sent to send Voldemort to the depths of Hell."

The Potions Master nodded, "Why trust me?"

"The Sorting hat said you and Minerva could be trusted."

Two new voices joined them, both female. "Kuchiki-san."

Byakuya turned, "Yes, Ichigo?"

She bowed deeply to him and he nodded to her. "What did you need? You appear troubled."

Ichigo tilted her head and said, "Shirosaki is telling me that she wants to go to the Seireitei to make sure that Queen stays safe. It's a weird protective thing she feels."

Byakuya nodded, "If he wants to go protect Rukia that is fine with me. I would feel better with her there."

The carbon copy of Ichigo appeared. Her golden eyes glowed, and waist-length white hair swirled behind her. She mock-saluted to Byakuya before disappearing without a sound.

Byakuya looked at the Transfiguration Mistress and said, "Ichigo, Shinigami form, now."

She popped the green pill in her mouth, and Ririn stood in her body, stretching, "Why the hell am I stuck in a pocket all day again?"

Byakuya ignored her as Snape and McGonagall were looking around, "What is this pressure?"

Byakuya answered Snape, "It is called Spiritual Pressure. Put these charms on."

Snape's was a bracelet, it looked like a silver skull on a black band, and McGonagall's was a ring, a tabby cat on a thin gold band. They put them on, and jumped as they saw Ichigo. They were staring at the cleaver on the orange-haired woman's back, and she sighed, and took it off, the black wrapping falling off. McGonagall looked scared, "Is that real?"

Ichigo nodded, running her finger along the edge of it slowly. It cut her finger deeply, and she smiled, before holding out in front of her and saying, "Bankai."

It turned into the black nodachi, and the chain curled up her arm. she turned it back into the cleaver and Snape said, "It can't be that heavy, can it?"

She held it out, and he grabbed it, almost falling forward with the weight. Byakuya held out a hand, and he stopped, before grabbing Zangetsu and giving it back to Ichigo, who hopped back into her Gigai.

McGonagall looked at the two of them, "So, what now?"

Byakuya's eyes narrowed, "Nothing, yet. Voldemort is attached to Quirrel. We know this, but we have to let him make the first move. We have to keep him believing that I'm Dumbledore's little plaything, and not a Shinigami. Keep this between us. Ronald does not, and will not know."

Snape stopped them, "How old are the two of you, and how did you..."

"Die? Well, I was born a spirit, and am about 300. Ichigo here was made a Shinigami by her choice at 15 years old, and fought in two wars by the time she was 18 where thousands died. She's about 50. She was the 'Chosen One' each time, I guess you could say."

The two Professors looked at Ichigo in a new light, and she scowled, "I hated every fucking minute of it. I hate attention with a burning passion."

As they entered November, the weather turned very cold. The mountains around the school became icy gray and the lake like chilled steel. Every morning that ground was covered in sparkling frost. Hagrid could be seen from the upstairs windows defrosting broomsticks on the Quidditch field, bundled up in a long moleskin overcoat, rabbit fur gloves, and enormous beaver skin boots.

The Quidditch season had begun. On Saturday, Byakuya would be playing in his first match after weeks of training. Gryffindor versus Slytherin. If Gryffindor won, they would move up into second place for the house championship.

Hardly anyone had seen Byakuya fly because Wood had decided that, as their 'secret weapon', Byakuya would be kept, well, secret. But, as Byakuya knew it would, it leaked out, and he didn't know which was more annoying, people telling him he'd be brilliant, or people telling him they'd be running around underneath him holding a mattress.

Byakuya was happy that Ron finally accepted Ichigo as a friend. The two of them, Ron avoiding the library, had read up on Quidditch, finding out that there were 700 ways to commit a foul in Quidditch, and that all of them had happened during a World Cup match in 1473. The Seekers were usually the smallest and fastest players. Most accidents seem to happen to them. Players rarely died, though referees have been known to vanish and turn up months later in the Sahara Desert.

At one point, the three of them had been been in the field, and Ichigo conjured a blue fire that could be kept in a jam jar. They had been getting warm, when they saw Snape, and hid the fire behind their backs. However, Ron's guilty face gave them away, and Snape limped over. "What's that you've got there, Potter?"

Byakuya showed him Quidditch Through the Ages. "Library books are not to be taken outside the school. Give it to me. Five points from Gryffindor."

Ron scowled as Snape walked away, "He just made that rule up. I hope that leg is really hurting him."

The common room that night was noisier than usual, and Byakuya stood after finishing his Charms homework. "I am going to see if I can't get that book back from Snape."

He walked out, making his way to the staff room, and knocked with no answer. Byakuya thought if there wasn't anybody there, he might as well check to see if his book is in there. He opened the door slightly to see Snape and Filch in there alone. Snape was holding his robed above his knee. Byakuya saw it was bloody and mangled. Filch was handing Snape bandages, and Byakuya stepped in, knowing a lot about injuries. "Professor."

Both heads snapped to him, and Filch made to go after him, but Snape's voice stopped him, "Potter. What is it?"

Byakuya held his hand out, "You're doing it wrong. You have to put something on the bandages to stem the bleeding, and disinfect it. It does looks like it is starting to get infected."

Filch sneered at him as Snape said, "Thank you, Filch. Potter will help."

The man left, probably to take care of his damned cat, and Byakuya stepped forward, "Let me just use my Reiatsu, and..."

A soft warm glow enveloped his hand, and the green light was soothing Snape's leg. "I can't heal it completely in the Gigai, but if you'll allow...?"

The Potion's Professor nodded, and Byakuya popped in the little Mod-Soul pill. He looked at Noba, "Go back to the common room. The password is 'Pig Snout'."

Byakuya immediately got back to work, and Snape looked at him, "Why is your hair so long?"

It fell past his shoulders, and he spoke, "It is traditional for the leader of the Kuchiki clan to wear their hair long, male for female.'

After about half an hour, Byakuya stood, and helped Snape up, "Besides some stiffness, It's great. Thank you, Byakuya. Say, Minerva said she had seen something with white wings a few nights ago. Do you have any ideas?"

Byakuya's eyes narrowed, "I was out of my Gigai, but it was me."

Snape's eyes widened, and Byakuya said, "Bankai, Senbonzakura Kageyoshi Shuukei Hakuteiken."

The wings formed, and Byakuya smiled as Senbonzakura's Reiatsu enveloped him. He resealed Senbonzakura and said, "I must go, be careful around that beast, Professor. If it is the Sorcerer's Stone you are looking for, I can tell you it is only a fake. The real one was taken to Nicholas Flamel, and is destroyed."

I can't remember which stories I've done and which I haven't... And I don't want to go back through and figure it out. Here's your chapter, all, and I hope you like it. REVIEW PLEASE, MINNA!