Title: The Digital Meets the Magical
Chapter Eleven: Stormy Weather
Author: Dragon Starbo
Beta Reader: Kyokoaurora
Rating: PG, for now
Genre: Parody/Adventure
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or Digimon. Never have, never will.
Author's Notes: Oops! I made a mistake in my last chapter. In the beginning of the scene where Ken had his extra DADA lesson, I said that he left the Gryffindor Tower, when we all know that he's a Ravenclaw. A simple mistake and no, he wasn't in the Gryffindor Tower visiting friends. I'm not sure other houses are allowed in the common room of other houses…
But hopefully mistakes like that will be a thing of the past! I've got a beta reader! See the name in the position? I'm so happy! She reviewed last chapter, we IM'd a little and she offered to help me out! It's hard for me to find a beta reader because I need one who knows both series and can take the time to do the job. The other beta readers I used to have got too busy with life, which I understand.
Thank you, Kyokoaurora!
Chapter Eleven: Stormy Weather
"Ah, Harry. Ken. You're both here, good," Professor Lupin waved them in from the door of his office. It was Monday night and the two had been separately asked by Professor Lupin to see him after dinner.
Ken and Harry first thought Professor Lupin wanted to discuss their extra lessons or something along those lines. Their biggest worry was that their teacher was going to claim it was too much work for him and they'd have to cancel. When the two met up along the corridor that took them to Professor Lupin's office, they grew confused and slightly more worried that Professor Lupin was going to cancel their extra lessons at the same time.
"You wanted to see us, Professor?" Ken asked in hopes of breaking the tension in the air. He and Harry sat in the two chairs in front of Lupin's desk, where the mess was pushed to the edges as much as possible for some work space.
"Yes. Yes, I wanted to talk to both of you. This concerns both of you…"
Ken and Harry looked at each other. The most time these two spent had ever spent together was in the hospitable wing the weekend of the Quidditch match.
Lupin took a breath and seemed to solidify his nerves. "Right then. I guess I should first explain a spell."
"A spell?" Harry asked.
"This spell was created roughly two centuries ago. During this time, there were many muggle-born wizards and witches claiming that they really were the long-lost relatives of the pure blood families, and thus, pure blood themselves. Not many people took them seriously, especially when their numbers got into the hundreds, but they still caused a scandal that wasn't going to go away any time soon. To prove or disprove these claims, a witch by the name of Aegis Decent created the Decent Potion. After making the potion, all that was needed was some hair or blood or even something that was held often by the two people.
"If there's no shared blood between the two people, then the potion turns to smoke. There are different colors to represent how much blood is shared between the people."
"Professor, not that this isn't interesting," Ken said in a voice that suggested he wasn't interested at all, "but did you call us in here for a random history lesson?"
"There is a point, Ken," Lupin pulled out the large test tube from his robe's inner pocket. In it was a purple-blue liquid with some strands of hair and a bit of a feather. Lupin inhaled before saying, "This color means the two people share a parent. Harry, those are your hairs. Ken, that's a part of your quill."
Ken and Harry stared at their professor while their brains took a tea break.
Once Harry's mental tea was finish, a thought formed in his head.
"That's not possible," he stated.
"I'm afraid it is, Harry," Lupin said.
"Our families are from two different countries – on opposite sides of the world!"
Ken muttered, "The vacation."
"What?" Harry looked at Ken and saw that he was pale.
"Ken's parents visited England about thirteen years ago. They stopped in a Heamoor. And, Harry, your parents were living there at the time."
"What?"
"Just before they moved to Godric's Hollow," Lupin finished.
"So? That doesn't prove anything! My dad loved my mum!"
"He did, with all his heart. As I'm sure your mum, Ken, loves your father with all of her heart. But it's not that simple, you have to understand. Back then, Voldemort was at the height of his power. Lilly and James were two of the best in the resistance against him but the war affected their relationship –"
"So my dad sleeps with some other woman?! Is that what you're saying?"
"Harry, it's not that simple. Please –"
"No!" Harry jumped up from his chair. "I will not listen to this rubbish!"
"Just hold on –"
"You're lying!" Harry screamed. "You – You did the potion wrong! You mixed something up! My father did not sleep with another woman!"
Harry stormed out of the room with Lupin calling after him. Had he only told Harry, he would have run after the boy to make sure he was okay. But Ken was here, too, and if anything was more frightening than Harry's explosion, it had to be a boy who's barely reacted to this situation at all.
"Ken?" Lupin asked. Ken's head was lowered and his hands were clenched on his legs. "Ken, don't take Harry's reaction to heart. He's just shock – like you are, I'm sure. Is there anything I can do?"
"Take it back," Ken rasped. He could feel his voice in his throat but he could barely hear it over the ringing in his ears.
"But . . . aren't you curious?" Okay, it was a lame question, but Professor Lupin was doing his best to keep Ken from storming off as well.
"No."
Ken got up to leave but this time, Lupin got up and put a hand on Ken's shoulder.
"Look, I understand this is painful, but you can't ignore it. I know you have a lot of questions."
"You know nothing about me!" Ken looked Lupin in the eyes, and Lupin took his hand off of Ken's shoulder in shock. The boy's eyes were angry – fear, hurt, and confused, yes, but mostly intense anger shot out at Lupin.
He tried to put his hand on Ken's shoulder again but Ken smacked his hand away and ran for the door.
Lupin groaned and rubbed his temples. "Great idea, Remus. You are a bloody genius."
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The next day was stormy, although the skies were an uninterrupted blue and the sun was a bright orb lighting the world. Harry had been up before anyone else and waited in the common room until Ron came down. Ron sense right away something was up but Harry refused to answer, but insisted that they go to breakfast. In the Great Hall, Harry raged war on his food. His eggs were forked like they were enemy soldiers and he buttered his toast so fiercely that he pushed the knife all the way through to the other side.
"Harry, your food's already dead," Ron muttered after Harry had put down the knife.
"Have you seen Fred or George yet?" Harry asked as he scanned the room. He noticed that Lupin wasn't at the professor's table. He wasn't sure, but he couldn't see Ken at the Ravenclaw table, either.
"No, they sometimes skip breakfast. I suppose that's how they've explored so much of the castle. Why'd you want to see them?"
"I want some tips on how to skive a class," Harry whispered.
"Why? What class?"
"DA."
"But you love that class!"
"Not anymore."
"What happened?"
"Nothing."
"Nothing my broom! I'm not an idiot, Harry. You saw Professor Lupin in his office last night and now you want to avoid him . . ."
Harry looked up and saw Ron's very concerned face. "What?"
"He – He didn't . . . you know . . ."
"Know what?"
"He didn't do anything? I mean, he didn't touch your wand, did he?"
Harry was so glad he had swallowed his eggs just before Ron asked him such a question. "No! Merlin's beard, no! Why would you think such a thing!?"
"Because you're not telling me anything! I can't help assuming the worst. If he didn't do anything inappropriate, then what the bloody hell is going on?"
"He told me I have a brother."
"You have a brother?"
"No."
"But Professor Lupin says you have a brother."
"He's a liar."
"Why would Professor Lupin say you have a brother?"
"I don't know."
"He's got to have a reason."
"You sound like Hermione."
"Do not! It's just the truth. Why would anyone make up such a thing?"
"I don't know. Why is there an earwax flavored jelly bean out there?"
"It just seems like a very silly thing to make up. Who's your brother?"
"I don't have –"
"Then who is brother you don't have but Professor Lupin says you have?"
"Ken Ichi…Ichi-jo-wee-jee or something. The Japanese Ravenclaw."
Ron looked over at the Ravenclaw table. "I don't see him. Did Lupin tell him, too?"
"He told us together."
"I wonder how he's taken it."
"He's a Ravenclaw. He should be smart to see this for the lie that it is."
"Then he'd be here, eating breakfast, wouldn't he?"
Harry didn't seem willing to accept that logic, so he stabbed the remaining eggs and ate them without tasting them much.
"I guess we could ask Matt," Ron offered.
"Thought you didn't like him."
"I don't. But he likes us. Maybe he'll tell us what Ken thinks about it." Ron looked down the table and then over at the other tables. "Huh. He's not here either…Wonder where he is?"
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Hermione walked down a hallway, books in hand and tucked away in her book bag that wept for last year, when all it had to do was worry about the occasional heavy book from the library. As she marched passed classrooms yet to be used today and paintings bidding her good morning, Hermione fiddled with a gold chain around her neck. Every now and then, and this morning, a little thought came into her head.
It said: Turn back time a few hours and take a nap. No one will know.
But she had made a promise to Professor McGonagall not to abuse the Time Turner's magic. She was to only use it to get to her classes that she couldn't otherwise. Any other use of the Time Turner would be breaking the rules set down by one of her favorite professors and she was not going to break the trust of her professor over a couple of hours of extra sleep.
Hermione shook her head to clear it of drossiness. Right now, she wanted to make it to the classroom at least fifteen minutes early. She's found that she actually gets more done that way instead of waiting until the last minute to leave the library.
"Hi, Hermione!" a harmonious pair of voices rang through her thoughts. "Bye, Hermione!"
A blur of robes and red hair zoomed by her, quickly followed by Matt.
"Matt? What's going on?" Hermione asked.
Matt stopped in front of her, but clearly looked like he wanted to keep up with the two who were already turning a corner. "Hey, Hermione!"
"Was that Fred and George? Why are you all running so fast . . . Wait, why are you running with them at all?"
In reply, Matt just grinned and said, "You didn't see us."
And then he was off like a shot. Fred and George had waited for Matt and lead him down a hidden passageway that would allow them to double back and get to their respective classes on time.
A now very confused Hermione continued her brisk walk down the hallway, determined to get some of her work done like she had planned. If she hurried, she could answer at least two questions from her Transfiguration homework.
"Blasted pranksters!" a gruff voice shouted. It was winded, exasperated and belonged to caretaker Filch. He came storming down the hallway with tiny, puffy yellow birds flying around his head. Mrs. Norris looked rather intent on catching those birds, though none of them were in her reach. "I swear hang them by their toes in the lowest dungeon, where no one can hear them scream! Get away from me, you mindless rats with wings!"
The birds seemed to take offense to his statement and pecked at the remaining hair on his balding head. Filch was too busy swatting at the swift but pudgy birds to take notice of Hermione, who was walking very fast in the direction away from Filch. She wasn't going to go into a full out run. That'd be like cutting yourself in shark infested waters.
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For the rest of the week, the storm raged on, it seemed. Harry was very unapproachable, although Ron kept close to him at all times – much to Harry's annoyance. Ron had wisely not declared that he believed Professor Lupin, but he also hadn't declared that he didn't believe Professor Lupin. He wanted to ask Professor Lupin about the situation, but Harry wasn't giving him much of a chance. As soon as classes were over, Harry jumped up and ran out the door, cutting off every professor's chance to talk to him.
As for talking with Matt, Ron would only look for him when Harry seemed like he was going to sit still for more than five minutes. Aside from doing homework, Harry would suddenly get an irresistible urge to wonder the halls. It wasn't how Harry usually handled upsetting news. Usually, Harry would stare into the fire or out the window or try to pretend that everything was okay. Now, it was like he was itching to get into trouble. With Sirius Black out there, Ron decided that keeping Harry from doing something too stupid was his top priority.
But, finally, he got his chance to talk to Matt. Harry hadn't been sleeping well for the week, so on Saturday, not only did Harry go to bed early, but he also crashed so hard Ron was sure a troll couldn't wake him up.
He went into the common room and found Matt, TK, Davis, and Kari sitting around in a corner of the common room. Hermione was in another corner, buried so deep in books that the only way Ron was sure it was Hermione was from the frizzy brown hair that would pop up over the books for a brief second before diving back down. The same troll that couldn't wake Harry probably couldn't pry Hermione from her studies and know-it-all attitude.
"I'm telling you, Snape is scarier than Mummymon!"
"He's no match for Arukenimon, though," Kari snickered.
"I wonder what kind of creatures Snape could make with his hair…"
To that, everyone shuddered and then laughed. Ron couldn't understand what they were talking about, but didn't think much on it. It was probably something popular over in Japan, maybe one of those Tell Oley* things Harry told him about once.
"Matt, can I talk to you?" Ron asked.
"Yeah, sure, what's up?" Matt asked.
"Alone?" Ron gestured to a less crowded spot of the common room.
"It's about Ken and Harry, isn't it?" Kari asked.
"They know about the situation," Matt informed, "so it's not like you're going to shock them or anything."
Ron didn't look comfortable at the idea, but he sat down in an empty chair that was at the table they were all huddled around.
"How's Harry doing?" Matt asked. "Every time I see him, he looks ready to throttle me."
"It's not personal; he's ready to throttle anyone."
"Well, that answers my question."
"He doesn't want to talk to anyone," Ron went on. "He gets pissed if I mention Professor Lupin or Ken – even if I just say, 'We better get Professor Lupin's essay done!'"
"Well, his view about his parents was basically turned upside down," TK offered. "It would upset anyone."
"Yeah, but to carry on like this? I mean, it was years ago!"
"How would you feel if you found out that your father cheated on your mother?"
"My mum would never do that!" Ron turned bright red. "…But I get your point."
"I don't think it's healthy, the way Harry and Ken are handling the situation," Kari said.
"They're not handling it," TK pointed out.
"Huh? What's with Ken?" Ron asked.
"He's avoiding us," Davis said. "He's stopped going to the extra practices and our study group and he doesn't seem to ever eat in the Great Hall. We haven't even had any double classes with him so far."
"It's like they're both shutting down in their own way," Matt said.
"Yeah, and no one can talk to them until they peak out of their shells," TK said.
"You mean there's nothing I can do until Harry decides to accept it?" Ron moaned, now realizing why he came to talk Matt in the first place. He needed someone to talk to about this, to figure out what to do.
"Or at least until he's cooled down," Matt said.
"Great! I should be able to have a normal conversation with him when he's fifty!"
Matt didn't say anything, so Kari picked up the slack. "Don't worry; I'm sure it'll all work out. Harry and Ken are just a little lost right now. We need to give them a little more time."
"You sound confident."
"That's Kari," Davis wrapped an arm around her, making her smile. Long ago he had learned one of her turn offs was to be called someone's girl, as if they owned her somehow. He learned this when Kari slapped him across the face at school and told him off in front of a bunch of their peers.
"I think I left my potions book in my room," TK muttered as he got up from the table and headed off to the dorm rooms.
"I need to finish off my potion's homework, too," Ron grimaced like he'd rather deal with Harry than write out an essay for Snape. He waved a good bye to everyone and headed up to his dorm room. He really didn't feel like working on homework in the same room as Hermione, who would probably sense his laziness and pry herself away from her studies just to nag him. Not that he'd respond to her – they still didn't know if the Firebolt was going to be okay.
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"OW!" Harry cried as he stumbled back. "Merlin's Beard, what was that for!?"
"For being a jerk!" Matt shouted back.
Harry put a hand to his cheek and tried to glare back. "What did I ever do to you?!"
"Not to me, to our friends!"
"Our friends?"
"Yes! Ron and Hermione."
"Ron doesn't think of you as his friend."
Matt rolled his eyes. "Not the point. The point is you're acting like a selfish brat right now."
"Just go away," Harry turned to walk away.
Matt, however, grabbed Harry and shoved him against the wall, pinning there. "Not until I've said what I want to say!"
"I don't care what you have to say!"
"Too bad, I'm going to say it!"
"Let me go!"
With the way they were shouting, Matt was very glad that he had found Harry wondering a hallway on the sixth floor that wasn't used very much. Harry had woken up before Ron and decided to slip out for some alone sulking time. Matt had gotten up later and spent the past two hours searching for him, which did not help Matt's level of frustration. "How much longer are you going to keep this up?!"
"What the bloody hell are you talking about!?"
"How much longer are you going to be stomping around the castle like a little brat?"
"I'm not stomping around the castle –"
"Yeah, and I'm an idiot." Matt softened his voice, "Look I know this new situation is hurting you –"
"You don't know anything!" Harry shouted back.
"But that does not give you the right to act like a selfish brat and think we're all just going to let you go on your bratty ways!" Matt shouted over Harry. He knew he was using brat a lot, but honestly, it fit so well.
"What do you want me to do!?"
"Give Ron a break!"
Harry stared at Matt, confused and shocked at the statement. Matt felt that Harry wasn't going to go anywhere, so he let him go.
"Give Ron a break. You're scaring him bad enough that he actually talked to me last night. Of his own free will."
"He talked to you last night?"
"With TK, Davis and Kari. Look, this affects all of us, whether you think so or not. Ken is our friend and I like think of you, Ron, and Hermione as my friends as well. Is it really so bad to think that Ken might be your half-brother?"
"It's not that," Harry finally admitted. "I've always wanted another family, one that wasn't the Dursleys, but I can't believe my dad would cheat on my mum."
"Okay, Kid, I'm going to tell you a heavy, serious truth," Matt put a hand on Harry's shoulder. Looking Harry dead in the eyes, he said in a grave voice, "Adults aren't perfect."
"No shit," Harry replied instantly.
"I mean it. They make as many mistakes as kids make, especially when it comes to emotions. If they had everything figured out, then there wouldn't be things like divorces or wars."
"And how does that make me feel better?"
"Maybe you'll feel better once you forgive your dad. It's not like sulking around is going to make him feel bad now. And if he was as great as you think he was, then I'm sure you couldn't inflict half the amount of pain he inflicted on himself for this."
"How would you know?"
"I don't. Wait, do you?" Harry didn't answer. "You don't even know? I would imagine Professor Lupin would have told you . . . if you had given him the chance, that is."
"Are you telling me to go talk to Professor Lupin?"
"Me, suggest something reasonable and responsible?" Matt's eyebrows flew up in mock surprise.
"And what if I don't want to hear it?"
"I think you're passed the wanting stage. It's no longer a matter of if you want to know or not. Now you've got to know. If it's as bad as you imagine, then you'll have every reason to sulk."
"All right, fine," Harry said begrudgingly.
"You're welcomed."
Harry made a face at Matt and walked away, towards the stairs.
Matt hung out for a little bit longer and then took a slightly different way back to the dorms, just to make sure Harry had his space.
"Now if only I could get a hold of Ken," Matt muttered, very unhappy that he missed breakfast.
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After a nice Sunday lunch in the Great Hall, Cody found Professor Sprout heading back to the Hufflepuff dorms. As far as Cody could tell, Professor Sprout was the most hands-on Head of House. From what his friends told him, Professor McGonagall rarely showed up in the common room and never wanted to be bothered unless it about behavioral issues or homework. Professor Flitwick, by Ken's account, encouraged his students to solve their problems by themselves. Cody had no idea what kind of Head of House Professor Snape was, but he couldn't see the man sitting down and listening to the Slytherin kids' problems.
Professor Sprout, however, had posted actual office hours so her students could know when to get a hold of her. She'd also call in students if she thought they were having troubles, not just with homework but with anything. And although Professor Sprout doesn't lurk in the common room, she does make more appearances than any of the other the Heads, as far as Cody could figure. The Hufflepuffs prided on the fact that their Head of House was so approachable.
But right now, it was giving Cody an uneasy feeling. He liked Professor Sprout, who was always trying to give Cody little encouragements to socialize more, and he didn't like letting her down.
"Professor Sprout?" Cody called when he was a few steps away from her.
Professor Sprout turned around. "Ah, Mr. Hida! I've been meaning to talk to you. Why don't you walk with me to the dorms?"
"Oh, no thank you, I'm going meeting up with my friends outside soon."
"A much better way to spend a Sunday afternoon. Have you talked to your grandfather?"
"Yes. And, I'm sorry but I can't do a Kendo Club!" Cody bowed and rambled off the sentence as fast as he could.
"Oh?"
"You see, it's very improper for a student to teach Kendo, even if it's just the basic. A lot of things could go wrong."
"Oh, I see. Well, I guess you're just going to have to start up a Japanese Club."
Cody blinked. "What?"
"I've been thinking. A Japanese Culture Club would probably draw in more students than a Kendo Club. Each week, you could tell us a little bit about where you've grown up, traditions you have, and so on. You can even get your other friends to help out, as well. I look forward to seeing what you planned!"
"Wait, Professor Sprout!" Cody called out as she walked off at a brisk pace.
"The first meeting will be two weeks from now, Thursday night!" she called over her shoulder. Cody saw just enough of her profile to make out a smile.
End Chapter Eleven: Stormy Weather
* Tell Oley = Television. I've heard TV being called the tellie before and I'm pretty sure it's British/European, but I'm not a hundred percent on it. In any case, I decided Tell Oley would be Ron's mispronunciation of tellie.