"Aww, Iwa-chan, you're worried about me," Oikawa teased, giving him a wide grin that Iwaizumi correlated with a rise in blood pressure.
Iwaizumi rolled his eyes. "Yeah, cause someone in the school leaving threatening messages to muggleborns is definitely not worrying at all."
"Pft, I'll be fine," Oikawa reassured airily. "The more important question is this: is it just me or has Suga been acting strange lately?"
Iwaizumi frowned, thinking back on the behavior of the group's other Slytherin. "...Yeah, I guess now that you mention it, he does seem kind of...twitchier, I guess"
"It's more than just being twitchy," Oikawa said, leaning in to talk privately. "He hasn't been sleeping well either. Trust me, I know a good Illusion Charm when I see one and he definitely should be waking up with a few more bags under his eyes than what's showing. Plus, he keeps zoning out and frowning during class."
"What do you think's wrong," Iwaizumi asked, brows knitting together.
"It's this Heir stuff, it has to be," Oikawa answered. "You know Suga, he's probably thinking himself into a coma worrying about everyone else. And…." Oikawa fidgeted, looking uncomfortable. "I think it might have something to do with his family. He seemed really upset after he got a letter last week-even tore up the room trying to find his homework because he didn't think of a simple Summoning Charm."
"You think his family has something to do with it," Iwaizumi questioned.
"Not directly," Oikawa corrected. "I think it's more just Suga being Suga. It's not enough for him to feel guilty for all the stuff his family's done, he's gotta feel responsible for all fanatical pureblood families."
"That's crazy." Iwaizumi frowned.
Oikawa shrugged. "I know that and you know that, but you know Suga's always been...strange about that kind of stuff."
Iwaizumi starred.
"What," Oikawa asked.
"I know you." Iwaizumi huffed. "You don't bring up any problem without having at least two ideas, so what do you think we should do?"
Oikawa smiled. "I don't think it's anything big. Just subtly remind him that crazy fanatics aren't his responsibility."
"Huh, that's...gentler than your usual plans," Iwaizumi noted. "I was expecting some kind of intervention."
"Nah, no intervention this time." Oikawa hummed thoughtfully. "Though if he doesn't start getting some sleep, I'm drugging his food and making him."
"That sounds more like you..albeit very hypocritical" Iwaizumi paused, right above the stairs that led down to the Potions dungeon. "I'll meet you here after your exam and we can walk down to the Care of Magical Creatures' exam together."
Oikawa raised an eyebrow. "You really don't have walk with me everywhere, Iwa-chan. I'll be fine."
"Shittykawa," Iwaizumi growled. "There's possibly a monster attacking muggleborns, quit being an idiot."
Oikawa laughed. "Don't worry, Iwa-chan. If someone's going to try to kill me in the middle of Hogwarts, it's much more likely to be my fellow Housemates rather than some mythical monster."
"In what universe, is that supposed to be reassuring?" Iwaizumi glared.
"The universe where I could disarm them before they even drew their wand." Oikawa smirked, gesturing with his own wand. "Now, stop worrying before your face gets stuck in permanent frown lines."
And with one last wink, Oikawa disappeared down the stairs-leaving Iwaizumi muttering violently about "idiotic friends".
ooooooo
"Yachi, our last exam is in two hours! If we haven't studied enough by now, we're already doomed," Hinata complained as the girl frantically shoved another pile of notes in Kageyama and his direction.
Kageyama grunted in agreement, flipping another page in his book-which was really just the History of Magic textbook which he had stealthily hid an issue of Quidditch Monthly in. Hinata was just waiting for Yachi to catch on and yell at him.
"I know, I know," Yachi agreed, turning through her last Charms essay. "It's just this is such an interesting concept. Do you think Professor Ukai would tell me more about it if I asked him over the break?"
The three of them had agreed to stay at Hogwarts for the winter break in order to sneak back into the Founder's Chamber to talk to the Founders' statues about the Heir of Slytherin. Surprisingly, both Yachi and Kageyama's parents had signed off on their stay rather easily-apparently, Yachi's mother was normally quite busy during the break while Kageyama's father always got maudlin as the time reminded him of his late wife. Both parents were quickly convinced by their children's desire to spend the holiday with their friends instead.
The biggest problem had actually been Hinata convincing his foster sister Natsu, who had been very upset that it would be another few months before her brother would return to the orphanage. Luckily, Hinata had been able to sway the eight year old through a particularly large package of Honeydukes sweets and a promise to write her every other day during the break.
"I'm sure, Professor Ukai will," Hinata said, shrugging. "It's not like they're will be many others to ask."
Unsurprisingly, considering Slytherin's monster on the loose, the three were some of the only that signed up to stay over the break.
"That's true, I guess," Yachi agreed before sighing. "It's sad that so many people are going home this year; I always heard the house elves decorated Hogwarts beautifully for the holidays." Yachi shifted uncomfortably. "There's a rumor was a big fight between Headmaster Ukai and the Hogwarts Board on whether students would even be allowed to stay over break."
"Really," Hinata asked, a cold trickle of fear running down his spine. "You don't think they're going to close the school, do you?"
Beside him, Kageyama had sat down his book and was also looking intently at Yachi.
Yachi bit her lip. "If they don't find out what's happening and more people get petrified, they might have to. The parents would demand it."
"That can't happen," Kageyama said hotly. "We've gotta figure out who the Heir is before they do that."
"Well," Yachi started, trying for a lighter tone. "Hopefully, the statues will know something and we can get this all sorted out by the time everyone gets back."
Hinata nodded and the three fell into a tense silence, each more preoccupied by the Heir than their studying.
The silence was finally broken when Yachi looked up and smiled suddenly, waving at someone behind them. "Look, there's Akaashi."
Hinata glanced up, suddenly stuck by an idea.
"Guys, I'm gotta go talk to Akaashi about...uh, Quidditch," Hinata told them, quickly getting to his feet and eying the library exit where Akaashi had just left. "I'll be back in a few minutes."
Kageyama and Yachi both gave him quizzical looks but Hinata ignored them, running out the doorway and looking around the halls to try to spot the third year Ravenclaw.
"Akaashi!" Hinata called, spotting him just before he turned the hall. "Wait up! I gotta ask you something!"
Akaashi stopped, waiting for Hinata to catch up and turning to him with a confused expression. "Hinata?"
"Who's the Heir of Slytherin," Hinata asked, staring at Akaashi with large eager eyes.
"...What," Akaashi said slowly, blinking rapidly as he tried to process Hinata's question. "Why do you think I'd know?"
"Because you're psychic," Hinata said, lowering his voice and glancing around the hallway. "You do know, right?"
Akaashi stiffened, opening his mouth before hesitating. "M-maybe...it's not that simple."
"What do you mean," Hinata demanded. "Akaashi, they're thinking of closing down the school. If you know who it is, you gotta tell someone!"
"I-I can't." Akaashi shook his head. "Trust me, even if I do know who the Heir is, nothing about this is easy. There's a lot more at play here than anyone knows."
Hinata groaned. "Is this about how you can't change the future directly and stuff. Because that's okay, just tell me who it is and then I'll do it. No direct change required."
Akaashi quirked a lip, pulling Hinata into an alcove of the hall. "That's not how this work. That's still me telling you. Besides..." Akaashi sighed, looking down at Hinata with a serious expression. "Remember when I told you that certain things had to happen in an order?"
"Yeah," Hinata replied, remembering back to the confusing conversation at the beginning of the year.
Akaashi nodded. "Well, this is one of those times. I could tell people who the Heir is. I could even give them proof they are the Heir. However," Akaashi grimaced, "if I do that...if people find out too early without other events happening first...then a lot of innocent people would be hurt."
"So, that's it, we can't do anything," Hinata asked, slumping down.
"I didn't say that," Akaashi admitted, frowning slightly. "I...There's a few futures I'm hoping for...ones where this whole mess can get sorted out. But...but they're long shots. Ones where everything before them has to come together perfectly and at the right time."
Akaashi shook his head. "I don't suppose I can just ask you to believe me when I say I'm doing what I can to help?"
"What, Akaashi, of course, I'll believe you," Hinata said, brows coming together. "Why would I not?"
"Because things are going to get a lot harder before anything gets solved," Akaashi admitted.
He quirked a lip up, guiding Hinata out of the alcove and back into the hall. "Besides, you have some reading to do, don't you?"
"Aww, Akaashi," Hinata complained. "Yachi's already had us studying for days!"
"You never know how helpful a book can be," Akaashi answered serenely. "Now, I have to go finish my own studying. See, you after break, Hinata."
Hinata huffed but gave Akaashi a wave, turning back towards the library.
"Oh, Hinata," Akaashi called before Hinata could start off.
"Yeah, Akaashi?"
"Thanks...for believing me."
And with that, the quiet Ravenclaw disappeared down the hall and Hinata shook his head, returning to Yachi and Kageyama back in the library.
"Good talk," Yachi asked, glancing up from the book.
He shrugged. "...Yeah, just not what I expected."
He pulled his bag back up on the table, rooting in it for another book he could turn through before the exam. Instead, his fingers brushed on the diary at the bottom of the bag and he pulled it out giving it a strange look.
"I take it back," Hinata muttered, idly turning over Akaashi's last advice. "Maybe he was more helpful than I thought." He turned up to Yachi and Kageyama. "Hey, if I go through some more of the diary, will you guys get me out before the exam starts?"
"Sure," Yachi agreed. "But, are you sure you don't want to spend it studying?"
Hinata traded an aggrieved look with Kageyama before shaking his head. "Yeah, I'm sure."
He opened the diary, turning to the latest entry. Hisashi had gotten to be more spread out with his entries-with only a couple of boring entries about pureblood garden parties to detail his entire summer.
Hinata had wondered if he would start to write more once he got back in school-now a second year like Hinata himself. And, while there was definitely more entries now, it still wasn't anything close to the number there was in his first year.
Hisashi had accounted in for less free time during the new school year-but Hinata suspected it had more to do with Hisashi being less lonely. Even the tone behind the actual writing was gradually getting more friendly and almost excited.
"February 4, 1939."
Dear Future Descendants,
School's going well as usual but, of course, who wants to hear about that? Ichiro finally got down the proper forms of address for the different members of the Wizengamot-no doubt due to my obviously wonderful teaching! But, it gets even better, he even knew enough to correct Ueno when he called Nomura's cousin the First Assistant to the Chief Warlock instead of the Head Junior Assistant! Can you believe it? And Ueno's family has been on the council for years!
I almost included that memory just so you could have the joy of watching Ueno turn bright red and try to grab his wand just before Professor Ukai showed up and gave him detention. Alas, though, something even more interesting happened after that so I've decided to include that memory instead.
Descendants, Ichiro and I have decided to make history!
"Oh my gosh and his face! Did you see his face when Nomura told him that you were right!"
Hinata blinked and found himself thrown sharply right in the middle of a memory-the images rushing to come together until Hinata could clearly see the Slytherin boys dormitory.
Both Hisashi and Ichiro were sprawled on Ichiro's perfectly made bed; Hisashi was still in the middle of laughing while Ichiro looked more subdued but his mouth was definitely turned up in amusement.
"And all I had to do was learn those bloody fifty variations of address," Ichiro said, rolling his eyes.
"See," Hisashi said smugly. "And you asked me why they were important."
"Silly me, I should've known the answer was 'to piss people off.'" Ichiro snorted. "It's a good thing Professor Ukai showed up before Ueno actually did curse us, though."
"Oh, please," Hisashi scoffed. "Ueno may be powerful but he has the slowest reaction time I've ever seen. We could've taken turns countering them and still had time to disarm him before he realized what was going on."
"You're probably right," Ichiro admitted, laughing softly.
"I'm always right," Hisashi rolled up on his knees and to a sitting position, leaning on the end post of the bed. "Seriously, though, I've only been helping you out for a few months and you already know enough to show Ueno what it means to really be a proper pureblood."
Ichiro scratched the back of his neck idly. "I only know about areas you've already taught me though. It's still nothing close to actually being raised in it."
Hisashi huffed. "What we really need is more application. Find some place where we can really immerse you in all of it and see how you do."
Ichiro leaned back on the headboard, looking resigned. "Pretty sure they save those kind of things for the actual purebloods, Hisashi."
"True…" Hisashi sighed. "Too bad, even something less formal like the Ministry's New Year's Eve Party would work." Hisashi's brow furrowed. "Father was sick again for it this year."
Ichiro kicked lightly at Hisashi's leg, bringing his attention back. "Yeah, I'm sure the party would go great...until they put the pieces together and realized I was a muggleborn so most of the guest could shun me for the night." Ichiro grimaced. "And that's not even mentioning when our House found out."
"If they found out you were muggleborn," Hisashi muttered obstinately. "With my training, you know more than your average halfblood already."
Ichiro rolled his eyes before closing them, relaxing again against the headboard.
"What if…." Hisashi started, more to himself than Ichiro. "What if they didn't have to find out."
"All it would take was someone asking around and finding out no one had ever heard of my last name," Ichiro replied, not bothering to open my eyes. "Not to mention, if anyone actually did the work to trace me back to my orphanage."
"It wouldn't be as hard as you think," Hisashi argued, brow furrowing in thought. "Small branches of pureblood families immigrate all the time. The right words in the right ears...along with the assurance of a prominent enough family...and everyone's scrambling to prove that of course, they've heard of that family...just so they don't look uniformed."
Sometime in Hisashi's speech, Ichiro had opened his eyes and now had a wary expression.
"What are you trying to say, Hisashi," Ichiro asked flatly.
"What if we actually did it," Hisashi said suddenly. "Our House already thinks you're pureblood. What if we really took it further and introduced you as some long lost pureblood family?"
"That's insane," Ichiro said, eyes widening. "Absolutely insane. Hisashi, I just wanted you to teach me all the pureblood stuff so I could survive school. Not because I thought I'd be able to pull it off my whole life."
"But you could, though. I'm sure of it!" Hisashi shot to his feet, pacing around the room. "I know I could teach you enough to do it. Look at what you've already learned. It would only take...a year, maybe two and then...you would definitely know enough to pass at any of the functions."
"And what about later," Ichiro demanded. "Do you really think no one's ever going to look deeper. Never in our entire lives."
"We can handle that after." Hisashi waved away the concern. "There would definitely be...well, a lot more we'd need to do later if we're going to pull this off."
"Stop talking about it like I've already agreed," Ichiro said, grabbing Hisashi and stopping him mid-pace. "I told you, it's insane."
"It's not, though," Hisashi said, slapping away Ichiro hands. "That's what I keep telling you."
Hisashi huffed, seeing the obvious reticence in Ichiro's expression. "Come on, Ichiro, you're supposed to be a Slytherin. Do you really want to settle for being some outcast from the muggle world your whole life or do you actually want to take a chance and actually be respected?"
Ichiro glared, sitting heavily on the bed and shaking his head. "...It'll never work, Hisashi."
Hisashi groaned, rolling his eyes with a distinctively annoyed expression while walking back to his bed. "Well, fine, if you don't want my help, I don't know why I even bothered."
"Why do you want to help," Ichiro asked, turning to his roommate with a perplexed expression. "You hate mudbloods and always go off about pureblood superiority. Why would you help a muggleborn try to pass as pureblood. What's in it for you?"
Hisashi's face crumpled, as if the reality of his idea just occurred to him. "It's just...well, you're…," Hisashi shook his head. "My father and I hate mudbloods because they come in and sully and corrupt our traditions. They didn't even know about the wizarding world for ten years and then they come in and want to change it, dirtying it with their Muggle traditions. It's disgraceful, it's disgusting, it's…" He sighed. "Anyway, the point is that you're not like that. You understand that there's a proper way for wizards to behave and are trying to learn it."
He glanced up, meeting Ichiro's eyes. "It's not right that you should have to suffer because of all the other mudbloods when you're so clearly better than they could ever hope to be."
Ichiro laughed, though it sounded too heavy to be truly amused. "I think there was an actual compliment somewhere in there."
Hisashi sniffed disdainfully, sincere expression falling. "Don't take it too seriously. You're my ally, it makes sense I'd want to help you get stronger. Strong allies benefit the entire Noroi name."
"Of course," Ichiro said and this time the tone was amused.
Hisashi threw a pillow at him.
"...I'll do it," Ichiro said abruptly after a moment of silence.
"Do what," Hisashi asked, annoyed.
"If you're really serious about this, then yeah...I'll actually go through with your crazy plan to pass me off as a pureblood." Ichiro shook his head slowly. "Honestly, rooming with you must have eaten away some of my better judgement."
"Really," Hisashi said, bolting up on his bed. "We're actually going to do it."
"As insane as it may be," Ichiro agreed.
"Insane?" Hisashi smiled widely in a way that Hinata felt was immediately familiar even though he couldn't quite place it.
"Please, Ichiro, boldness is the way you make history."
The memory swirled around Hinata and suddenly he found himself out of the book and back in the library, disoriented by light streaming through the windows rather than a dark lake.
Yachi glanced up. "Oh, you're back. Good, it's almost time to go."
"Yeah," Hinata said absently, looking down on the page.
Tonight, my descendants, is the start of something incredible. I know it.
Superbiam Nunquam Cadere
Hisashi Noroi
ooooooo
"Just once," Kuroo complained the next morning, "let's agree to meet up sometime other than the crack of dawn the day after we just finished with exams."
Oikawa shrugged, not looking any bit happier at being up. "We tried, remember. But everyone was busy with studying last week, no one wanted miss Gryffindor's End of Exams party last night, and we're all heading back home later today. This morning's the only time that worked."
With that, he leaned over and hit Iwaizumi hard on the arm, as the Gryffindor boy had started to snore loudly.
Suga hummed lightly. "I don't really mind truthfully."
"Morning people," Bokuto said in wonder. "It's like going against nature."
"Alright, alright, I'm up," Iwaizumi grumbled, swatting away Oikawa from continually poking his cheek. "But, I swear if you don't let me sleep on the train, then I'm telling people about the time you were six and-"
"Anyway," Oikawa interrupted, pulling out a piece of parchment from his bag and unrolling it to reveal the questions from last time. "Let's see what we've got. I'll go first with causes of petrification." He pointed down to the first question, what's the monster/ spell/ potion petrifying people?
"Anything we didn't already know," Kuroo asked.
"Not much yet." Oikawa grimaced. "I looked into the monster first since that's what's referenced in the legend and the first message mentioned. But, from what I've read so far, there's two problems with it being a creature petrifying people." He pulled out a quill and started to write under the first question. "First, only a few creatures petrify people and most of them don't fit the kind of petrifications we're looking at. The only one I've found that does...is a basilisk."
Bokuto winced. "The giant snake things? I thought they were extinct."
Oikawa nodded. "They pretty much are. And even if they weren't, no way one could survive in the castle without food or being noticed. Also, I mean basklisks are rumored to live awhile but if we're looking at something that's been around since the founding, a thousand years is too long even for a basilisk." Oikawa tapped the quill on the table, before getting more ink. "And then there's the next problem with a monster. If it's a creature, how's the Heir controlling it? Especially, enough to only attack people the Heir wants it to."
"So, probably not a creature then," Suga concluded. "What about potions or spells?"
"That I'm still sorting through," Oikawa admitted. "It's definitely not any of the ones that are well known-none of the symptoms fit. I think I'm going to start sorting through descriptions of ancient spells and potions to see if I can find anything there. Of course, that's assuming the Heir didn't just create his own spell and that's what he means by 'monster'."
"Well, that's terrifying," Kuroo said bluntly. "At least, if they're using an old dark spell, we might find an easier way to counter it. New spells are tricky."
Oikawa inclined his head in agreement. "Anyway, that's what I've got. Who's next?"
"I'll go." Iwaizumi said, pulling out some notes. "I had the question on why it's happening now and so far I've got nothing. Nothing from the Daily Prophet about significant pureblood movements, nothing big for muggleborns either. No new changes around Hogwarts this year. Roughly same number of muggleborn and pureblood students from the new class. So, basically," Iwaizumi shrugged. "Just nothing. Heck, from the sound of it, the biggest news story of last year was Sora getting arrested and the Founder's Treasure being recovered."
"Maybe it's that," Kuroo suggested. "Maybe finding the Founder's Treasure set off some kind of chain reaction with the Chamber of Secrets. I mean the legend says the Chamber of Secrets was created because Salazar Slytherin threw some kind of fit while they were trying to make the Founder's Treasure."
The room paused, thinking.
"That makes sense more than anything else," Oikawa said eventually. "Still doesn't help us figure out who the Heir is though. I guess we can try to find out more when we're looking into the Chamber of Secrets legends."
"That's what I was researching," Suga said before sighing. "Before I start my part, I just want to remind everyone that we should still consider options outside of the whole Heir business. We don't even know for sure if the Chamber of Secrets is involved."
"Yeah, yeah, keep an open mind and consider all the options," Bokuto chimed in. "Now, come on and tell us what you found."
Suga nodded, grimacing. "That said. The legend behind the Chamber of Secrets does fit disturbingly well with the current petrifications."
Pulling out a large and obviously old book, Suga continued. "Of course, different legends put different spins on it-more purebloods particularly painting him as more of a martyr-the basic legend goes like this. Sometime after Hogwarts' founding, Salazar Slytherin broke with the rest of the founders over allowing muggleborns into the school. Eventually, the split got so bad that Slytherin pulled out of creating the Founders' Treasure with the others and created his own Chamber of Secrets purportedly for those 'truly worthy.'" Suga sighed, rubbing his temples as if dealing with a particularly annoying headache. "He also warned the other founders that his Heir would one day come back to take all of Hogwarts and that any that stood in their way would be 'frozen and laid stiff' by the might of Slytherin's monster."
"Charming," Kuroo said flatly. "I don't suppose he also included something like a map to Chamber, did he?"
Suga smiled ruefully. "Well, it couldn't be that easy."
"So," Oikawa said, bumping shoulders with Suga, "our House founder's an asshole. Nice to know, I guess."
"That's what I've got so far," Suga agreed, before turning to Bokuto. "Have you or Kuroo found anything yet?"
"Oh, oh, Kuroo, let me tell it," Bokuto shouted before turning to the group with an expression of exaggerated drama. "Right, me and Kuroo had finding the Heir, so we decided to go about the boring and old fashioned way by looking up old family trees."
"It took forever," Kuroo groaned.
"Yeah." Bokuto nodded before continuing on. "But, get this. Apparently, old Salazar's like great-great-great-great-great grandfather or whatever pissed off these two really powerful witches and they cursed not only him but his entire family tree."
"What was the curse," Iwaizumi asked.
Bokuto shrugged. "No one knows the details. Apparently, it was really hush hush."
"It probably didn't affect his entire lineage," Kuroo put in. "Even a powerful curse has to have some kind of limitations if it wants to last for that long."
"But, then it gets even weirder," Bokuto said excitedly. "According to the old family records, there isn't an Heir of Slytherins. The entire line died out during the Dragon Pox epidemic of the 1600s."
"So, it's definitely not the Heir that's behind this," Suga concluded quickly with maybe a touch of relief. "We should start looking into other options then."
"Hold up," Oikawa said, frowning. "That could just mean the Heir's family decided to stay hidden. That would make sense if they're supposedly cursed, right?"
"It would be incredibly difficult to hide that completely," Suga argued quietly.
"But definitely not impossible," Kuroo responded right back. "Especially for someone as wealthy as the Slytherins were."
"So, all this really means is that we still have no idea who the Heir is and they've probably got a good bit of experience covering their tracks," Iwaizumi summarized.
"Yep," Bokuto replied, popping the 'p'. "But, at least it's something. Especially, if we figure out what the curse is and it's something obvious."
Oikawa groaned. "It's too bad that we don't have something to go on that's not a legend that's been passed down for centuries. I don't supposes anyone has an autobiography from the founders, do they?"
"Your family wouldn't have anything, would they, Bo," Kuroo asked, yawning into his hand.
"Nothing but Hufflepuff's journals." Bokuto shrugged, not noticing how the rest of the group turned to him in shock.
"The what now," Oikawa wanted to know.
"I can't believe I didn't think of that." Suga shook his head.
"How come you didn't mention that before," Kuroo moaned.
"What are you talking about," Iwaizumi said, looking around to the rest of the group.
For himself, Bokuto just blinked in confusion. "You really think those will help? They've been in the study for like forever. They're mostly about gardening and her charm work."
"Do I really think it might help to have a first hand account of the Hogwarts founding that you have lying around your house," Kuroo asked incredulously. "Yeah, Bo, I think it might."
"Woah, back up," Oikawa said, holding up a hand. "Why do you have the Helga Hufflepuff's journals in your study? Shouldn't those be in like a museum somewhere?"
Bokuto blushed, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly. "We kind of, um, forgot about them when we donated the rest of the heirlooms. We were going to donate them eventually, I promise."
"How did you get them in the first place," Iwaizumi asked.
"Huh? Oh, they've been in the family for years," Bokuto explained unhelpfully. "Aunt Aina said she didn't have room for them, so Dad picked them up after Great Aunt Fuijiko died."
Suga looked around, noticing Oikawa and Iwaizumi's helpless confusion and decided to put them out of their misery. "Bokuto should've probably mentioned that his family's descended from the main branch of what used to be the Hufflepuff family."
"What," Oikawa yelled.
Bokuto frowned. "I thought everyone knew that. It's not like we keep it a secret or anything."
Kuroo rolled his eyes with a fond expression. "Everyone who grew up in the wizarding world probably knows it, Bo."
"Wait, go back," Oikawa interrupted. "So, you just happen to be related to one of the Hogwarts' founders and you never mentioned it before."
"It's not that important honestly." Bokuto shrugged. "There's a lot more of the Hufflepuff family in Germany and Switzerland. I just come from the main branch that stayed in England. "
"The more important thing," Kuroo put in before Oikawa got derailed again, "is if Bokuto can look through the journals over the break and see if he can find anything?"
"Sure," Bokuto agreed immediately. "I'll get Akaashi to help, too. He's much better at translations spells than me."
Oikawa took a deep breath, centering himself again. "Okay, great. So, unless anyone else wants to reveal they're the secret descendant of Ravenclaw, let's just continuing working on researching the questions we had last time and meet back after the holidays. Deal?"
"Sounds good," Iwaizumi agreed, followed by sounds of general agreement from the rest of the group.
"And look," Kuroo said, standing up and looking at his watch. "Still enough time to pack, take a nap, and still be on the train an hour early."
"I packed this morning," Suga admitted, earning an eye roll from Oikawa.
"Honestly, Suga," Oikawa began. "I've shared a room with you for four years and I still don't think I've ever seen you sleep in. You're not human."
Suga laughed, staring out the library door. "That's because you don't go to sleep until the sun's almost up."
"Like a sane, sensible, sleep deprived teenager." Oikawa nodded.
Bokuto yawned loudly, throwing an arm around Kuroo and leaning heavily. "I agree with Oikawa. The night's when all the the fun stuff happens, why waste it sleeping?"
"You don't count, you're practically nocturnal," Kuroo teased, shoving Bokuto's arm off. "And stop putting all your weight on me, I'm as tired as you."
Bokuto pouted. "Abandoned by my friends and right before the holidays. That's so sad."
Iwaizumi huffed, leaning over to let Bokuto throw an arm around him instead. Bokuto beamed brightly.
"So, did any of you finish packing already and have time to grab breakfast with me," Suga asked, eyeing the group critically.
"Nope."
"Definitely not."
"Aww, I forgot about breakfast!"
Iwaizumi shrugged. "Sorry, Suga, there was a party all night in my common room."
"Alright," Suga rolled his eyes, separating from the group and walking in the direction of the Great Hall. "I guess I'll see you on the train then."
The group waved in acknowledgement and Bokuto called out one last "Save me a muffin" before disappearing down the hall.
The Great Hall ended up being mostly deserted-most of the castle still sleeping off Gryffindor's End of Exams Party or just sleeping in on the first day of the holiday break.
Suga quickly gathered a plate and then had to deal with the awkward silence that always came with eating alone. His mind idly traced over the last hour's discussions, a cold dread settling in his stomach.
At least, Kuroo and Bokuto hadn't been able to find anything after his family changed his name in the 1600s. That would've definitely been an awkward conversation.
He didn't know what to do. Part of him wanted to yell and scream and stop his friends from investigating anything about the Heir of Slytherin. Another part of him hoped they'd be able to find something about who was actually attacking people and clear Suga's name-even though he prayed they'd never know that it was his name they were clearing.
Mostly though...mostly, he was just scared. He was scared and worried and each attack, each message, each new rumor felt like it was eating away at him slowly until there'd be nothing left. And then...then, there was the new fear. The one he had thought of a few nights ago and was trying hard to avoid thinking about.
What if the attacks actually were connected to Suga? What if had to do with his family curse-the madness and darkness that festered around his family like a disease. Even if Suga wasn't doing anything, what if it was still his fault?
He know he didn't have anything to do with the messages; but what about the attacks? It was true that he never really liked Mori. Was even scared of him in a vague abstract way tied to how the older boy seemed to despise him. And Mananda? He didn't like his teaching. Granted no one did, but then hadn't Suga also been more hesitant around him than most? He had even thought-for a brief moment and mostly due to his past with Defense teachers-that Mananda was behind the attacks.
What if his friends got hurt because of their connection to him?
What if...what if someone actually died because of the next attack? Because Suga was too busy hiding his own past to help solve the mystery?
Suga just...he just wanted to be able to keep his friends-his first friends who didn't seem to care at all about what kind of family Suga came from. If he could only keep them and no one else got hurt, then everything would be okay.
"Well, that looks like a serious expression, mind if we join you?"
Suga's head jolted up to see a short boy with wild brown hair and a bright grin. Behind him was a small group of Gryffindors-plus curiously, one scowling Slytherin-and Azumane Asahi from Suga's Healing class.
"Oh, um, sure. Go ahead," Suga said, gesturing to the empty bench across from him.
"Great," the boy said, quickly sitting and staring at Suga with an almost unnerving intensity. "I'm Noya by the way. Well, technically Nishinoya-but you can call me Noya since we're going to be friends. That's Tanaka," he pointed at a bald boy, who was frowning in a way that Suga thought was supposed to be intimidating but ended up making Suga fight back a smile. "Those two are Yamaguchi and Tsukishima."
"Pleased to meet you," the shorter freckled boy chirped out while the taller blond just sighed.
"Then, Ennoshita."
A calm looking brunette tilted a smile at Suga. "I am so sorry about this."
"What," Suga asked confused.
"And of course, you know Asahi already," Noya finished.
"Hi, Suga," the taller Gryffindor said, giving Suga a small smile before sitting down on Noya's other side.
"So, anyway, now that you know all of us," Noya continued, "what's got you looking so serious?"
Suga laughed nervously. "Oh...I didn't know I was. Maybe I just have one of those faces."
Noya nodded quickly, pulling out a parchment and a piece of quill seemingly from nowhere. "Well, since you have such a serious face, you're good with us asking you some serious questions, right?"
"Noya," Ennoshita said, warning.
"I suppose," Suga answered hesitantly.
"Right, first question," Noya said eagerly. "Top three characteristics you'd look for in a boyf-I mean friend. Top characteristics in a friend. Go!"
"Er...sorry, what," Suga asked.
"You know what you look for in a friend," Noya said, waving a hand in encouragement.
"Um, kindness…" Suga said, realizing abruptly that his tone sounded a lot more like a question than an answer. "You know just caring about other people...that's always good. And, a sense of humor, I suppose." Did that sound too basic? Wait, why was he even talking about this with a complete stranger?
"What else," Noya prompted, leaning forward over the table with bright eyes.
"Loyalty," Suga said quickly, grappling for the first answer he found. "It's nice to know they'd support me."
Oh, no, Suga really was a terrible friend, wasn't he? Here he was talking about loyalty when he wouldn't even trust his own friends.
"Great," Noya boomed, oblivious to Suga's moral dilemma. "Next question: perfect place for a date...that, ah, you'd suggest to a friend?"
"Smooth," Tsukishima muttered, but Suga ignored them-staring up at them with a sense of realization.
"Wait a minute, you guys are all Daichi's friends, aren't you," Suga asked, faces finally sorting themselves out to match his memories..
"Oh, crap," Tanaka swore while Noya spluttered.
"What, no! Of course we're not," Noya denied vehemently, before looking at Suga intently. "Why do you ask? How do you know Daichi? How do you feel about him? Think he's a great guy?"
Suga laughed, heart settling now that he was fairly sure this wasn't some weird interrogation to find out if he was the Heir….it was just a weird something else that he wasn't quite sure about.
"I know you guys are friends with him. You sit with him all the time at meals. He's been my Herbology partner for years," Suga reassured them, turning over the last questions. "Daichi's….Daichi's, um, wonderful. Yeah, I definitely think he's a great guy."
Suga felt himself blush and he wasn't quite sure why.
Possibly because Noya looked like someone just told him Christmas had been moved up a week.
"Really? That's awesome." Noya grinned, taking a deep breath. "Okay, last question: how do you feel about kids?"
Suga blinked, mouth falling open before-
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"
A loud voice boomed down the hall followed by a highly annoyed looking Daichi.
"Whelp, great to meet you! Gotta run," Noya said quickly, Asahi already pulling him off the seat while the rest of the group mysteriously disappeared out of the Great Hall.
"HAPPY HOLIDAYS!" Noya shouted one last time, already sprinting to the exit. "REMEMBER, ALWAYS BE OPEN TO LOVE!"
And then, just as abruptly as the conversation started, Suga found himself sitting quietly at the breakfast table with only a peeved Daichi for company.
"Um," Suga started, leaning over to Daichi conspiratorially. "I don't suppose you know what that was about, do you?"
Daichi startled, almost like he'd forgot Suga was still sitting there, before turning to him with a deep flush.
"Oh," Daichi said, voice oddly sheepish. "My friends are just...uh, weird. Very weird. Sorry if they were bothering you."
Suga smiled, gesturing for Daichi to join him at the table. "It's fine. My friends are weird, too."
Though maybe not that weird, he added mentally.
"They seem nice," Suga politely finished instead.
"Yeah, well, you know friends," Daichi muttered, glaring distractedly at the entrance. "Sometimes, you just want to snap and murder them all."
Suga looked at him alarmed.
"Ack," Daichi spluttered. "I mean that's something I'd do. I mean not do do, just like want to-I mean joke about doing. Definitely, definitely not something I'd actually ever do...because, um, murder's bad?"
Suga managed a wane smile. "...Right."
Daichi sighed in apparent relief. "Yeah, so...I guess I'll let you finish your breakfast now. I just came down to find out why they weren't finishing their packing."
"Oh," Suga said, mildly disappointed as he watched Daichi get back to his feet. "I'll let you go then. Thanks for the company."
"My pleasure," Daichi replied, lips forming a kind smile. "I hope you have a good holiday, Suga."
"Thanks. You, too," Suga returned, chest feeling both oddly warm and tight. "See you next semester."
"I'll look forward to it," Daichi said and Suga found himself watching all the way as the other boy walked away before finally disappearing out the door.
Suga shook his head, smiling fondly as he turned back to his uneaten scone.
Well, that had certainly been an entertaining breakfast.
ooooooo
A day late but a long chapter so hopefully that makes up for it. Now, that college and my job has started back for me, I have a lot less flexibility in my schedule. Because of that, I'm changing "Updates Friday" to "Updates Weekends". With this, I will always try to update still on Friday. Thank you for all of your patience and continued support; hope you enjoy the chapter!
Next Chapter: Merry Greetings
