Disclaimer: I do not own any thing from Bleach or Harry Potter. They belong to Kubo Tite and J.K. Rowling respectively.
"The Final Release"
Shinigamis do not do "Magic" (9)
The train gave out another long whistle, announcing their soon arrival to Hogmeades Station. "C'mon Harry, you haven't put on your robes." Ron carped. "We're almost there." Harry woke up with a startle; he had been sleeping the whole time? Then again, it could not have been real. His dream.
"Umm, yea. Robes." He replied. He was still felt tired. No, he was tired. Harry just figured the stress was starting to get to him. "Get a grip Harry." He told himself. "I'm almost back at Hogwarts. The only place where I ever felt I belonged."
As the train soon halted to a stop, Hagrid was already at the station waiting. "All the year ones come with me please." Hagrid said in his giant voice. "Come this way ya' little rascals!" He shouted again chuckling to himself. The year ones were always a little difficult to handle. As Hagrid led the year ones to the boats which led them to Hogwarts, he reminded himself to watch out for the "new" students and lead them straight to McGonagall if he had to.
The three shinigamis got off the train taking a good look at their surroundings at the same time. With their belongings they made their way to the front where the other students where waiting their turn to board the carriages.
"What are those things?" asked Ichigo. It was the first time he had ever seen any thing like it. They were skeletal, fleshless. They had blank, white, shining eyes, dragonish faces and long, black manes. They had a skeletal body of a great, black, winged horse. One of them was frighteningly close to a blonde boy. It was practically breathing down his back, yet the blonde boy did not take notice. "Oei, Creevey, this way!" shouted one of the boy's friend.
"Most of them can't see those beasts." Explained Hitsugaya. "Only those who have witnessed and accepted a death are able to see them." "However, those who have dense spiritual pressure such as yourself, Ichigo, that's another matter."
"So those things, are dead?" asked Ichigo.
"Yes, I assume they weren't normal horses when they were alive to begin with. The world is vast. Not even the Commander- General himself knows everything for a man his age." Replied Hitsugaya.
"Heh, You know a lot for a kid- Toushirou." Commented Ichigo.
Hitsugaya's right brow began to twitch. "Ku-so. I am older than you- (by alot)." He said, exasperated.
"It's all the same, you still look younger then me anyway." Ichigo replied as he walked ahead of him.
"Abarai".
"Hai. Taicho?" asked Renji.
"I might not be able to be with the both of you all the time. Please lookout for Ichigo." Hitsugaya requested.
"Wakarimasu, Hitsugaya taicho."
The shinigamis boarded the last of the demon- horse driven carriages as it took off for the castle.
--
In the carriage where Harry, Ron and Hermione were sitting in, Harry looked out of the carriage's window looking very restless. Asked if anything was the matter, he would just smile and said nothing could be better. Something felt wrong, no, it felt as if the winds of change have finally arrived. Within him, Harry could feel Gryffindor's presence, reassuring him that in time to come, every piece will be in its rightful place. And Harry believed him. He had a feeling of power he never felt before. Empowered him it did as he looked on at the sun slowly setting into the horizon.
Soon, they arrived at the great drawbridge leading in to the main castle of Hogwarts as students alighted the carriages and made their way to the main hall. Hermione pulled Ron and Harry out the carriage and literally dragged them both into the castle.
"Hurry! I don't want to miss out on good seats near the staff table. I want to see who are the new teachers." Hermione whined.
"Alright, but you don't have to drag us both about 'Mione. Now will you please let the both of us go before we choke on our robes?" Ron replied as he tried to coax their way out of Hermione's hands.
Walking up the stairs towards the Great Hall, the two wizards and witch saw Professor McGonagall, standing at the top of the stairway with her arms crossed. "Now, young lady, as much as I know that you are happy Hogwarts did not close, it does not mean that you can drag those two poor boys around at your whim." She sternly told Hermione. "Now let them go this instance, I am waiting for important guests- no- new students to arrive. And I will not have the start of the new school year be dashed with your unruly behavior." Hermione then let go of the boys and looked down at the floor apologetically as she dashed into the Great Hall after saying a quick "sorry professor".
"Sometimes I wished the school DID close down. But I suppose Albus would not have wanted it that way." Thought McGonagall to herself as she brought her fingers up to her temples. She then turned away from the direction of the Great Hall as she made her way down the steps towards the main gates into the castle. As she approached the gates, McGonagall spotted Hagrid waiting for the last of the carriages to arrive. He had been freed of his duty of the boats as all the year ones have been safely seen into the castle.
McGonagall tapped him lightly on his large broad shoulders while tiptoeing due to his great height. It jolted him a little as he let out a slight groan. McGonagall was chuckled softly to herself. She could tell that for some reason Hagrid was afraid of the "new" arrivals, fearing death perhaps, even though it was certain that Hagrid had handled beasts far worse.
"They are nothing to fear Hagrid. But perhaps you fear them because they are different from us? Perhaps because they wield a power unknown to us?" McGonagall tried to reassure him.
"It's weird Headmistress. I feel them, It reminds me of you- know- who without the death." Then he asked, "Who are they?"
"We'll soon find out." She replied as she spotted in the distance a shadowy figure of a carriage growing larger as it approached the both of them.
A/N: I hope you all had a very Happy New Year's. Pardon me, but this chapter HAD to be like a bridging chapter but I promise you the next chapter will be very fun :D R&R!