Muggle Ghosts
~Deathday~
Everything was running smoothly at Hogwarts and nothing seemed to be likely to go off kilter. However, Dumbledore had to wonder exactly how long the peace would last. Last year there had been some foreshadowing of the problems, but he felt that he was missing what he might be having a problem with this year. That was until Hagrid came to him about certain things, but then they still had still no clue as to what was going on. Unknown happenings troubled him greatly.
An owl flew in and perched on his desk, a letter in its beak, addressed by one Kurosaki Isshin, or in English, Isshin Kurosaki. Dumbledore opened the letter.
To headmaster person thingy, whatever your name may be,
- I am writing to see if my son, two daughters and I could visit my nieces, the Granger girls over the winter holidays, as I'll be in England for a conference. Ichigo is writing this letter for me. Before you ask, no… I am not blood related to the two girls, my wife who passed away was. So, to me that is as good as blood… being family.
– Sincerely Kurosaki Isshin
P.S. Do not give in to my dad… he's crazy… Ichigo
P.P.S. Ichi-ni is right, goat beard is crazy.
P.P.P.S. I am not… please write that for me Ichigo.
P.P.P.P.S. Apologies for Ichi-ni and Karin and father… Yuzu
Dumbledore had to reread the letter, and then reread it again. He shook his head, his mirth couldn't be controlled, and he began to laugh. "Well… the law states that the family members do not apply to the statue of secrecy, so I don't see why not. What do you think Fawkes?"
The phoenix cooed a beautiful cry, and then preened his feathers, as well as it could. Dumbledore then went and wrote his response to the man, wanting to meet the Grangers' relatives. The unconventional letter had really made his day. As far as he was concerned, they could stay at Hogwarts, as there was a small area for family to stay if so needed. He saw no problems with allowing them to come.
M
When it came to cats, Yoruichi found that she needed to be the one in charge. Ms. Norris was not going to boss her around, nor was she going to scare her into becoming afraid of getting caught. In fact, the cat had tried to tattle on her using Mr. Filtch to come after her, only to become upset that no students were actually there, which Yoruichi found to be hysterical.
She also found it quite hysterical that she could chase Ms. Norris wherever she wanted to, however, the cat wasn't dumb, as one time she chased her to where the stairs were changing, the cat back peddled so that she wouldn't go over the edge. However, most of the time, she could chase the cat around and most assumed it was because she was a male cat.
Elizabeth and Hermione agreed on one thing, which was rare, that Yoruichi was staking the castle as her claim, though the shingami noble had to laugh at that. More of she was stopping a cat who liked to please her master to the point that it was scary from claiming the castle. She found both to be quite pitiful. She laughed at the chaos she caused… there was nothing about territory in this chase.
Luna on the other hand, knew and just smiled, but Draco Malfoy was becoming majorly disturbed by the whole shenanigan, and had asked her to stop. "But I'm bored…"
"I don't care…" Draco muttered. "You managed to chase that damn cat into the Slytherin common room."
"Isn't that another achievement?" Yoruichi licked herself, causing Draco to shudder and flinch. "Hey… isn't that Flint sleeping over there?"
"Yes… no one else is around here… what of it?" Draco narrowed his eyes, and Yoruichi bounded up to Ms. Norris, causing the cat to jump onto of Flint.
"Mmmph… give me a kiss…" Flint suddenly grabbed Ms. Norris and kissed the cat half asleep, only to get a face full of claws. "What the bloody hell!"
"You are such a pervert…" Draco muttered, looking up from his studies.
"Says the person who is still trying to compete with that stupid Mudblood grade wise," Flint laughed. "I bet they rigged it so that she gets the grades, trying to make us Purebloods wrong."
"Sure…" Draco muttered, pointing at the very livid Ms. Norris. "And you didn't just kiss that cat…"
"Eww…" Flint jumped back and away from the cat that was now growling at him.
"I am so sure that you are now scarred for life. I believe that cat is more scared than you will ever be," Draco muttered.
"I would have rather have kissed the black cat," Flint muttered, almost drooling. "In her human form that is…"
Draco suddenly looked up from his work. "I was right… you are a pervert."
"Says…" Flint however yelled as the black cat landed on his private area, setting her claws in.
"Says that cat right there… one would think by now that you would have learned not to piss her off," Draco muttered. "Seriously… you are an idiot."
"Says the one being blackmailed," Flint narrowed his eyes at the boy, however, he found he was being ignored.
M
Elizabeth found out that Hermione had been invited to Nearly Headless Nick's death party and became very unpleased with the fact that she had not been invited. However, Luna told her exactly what a death party entailed, and she found she was actually glad that she hadn't been invited.
Both girls got tired of the Halloween party and then hurried out to find whatever was going on, but as they turned the corner, Elizabeth suddenly screamed. This was right as Hermione, Harry and Ron were coming from the other direction. Yoruichi, who had been tailing the older Granger, and had become quite disturbed by the whole death party idea.
There on the wall was a message that looked to be written in blood, and Ms. Norris was sitting… no, lying, stiff as a board. Yoruichi went up and nudged her, getting her to move, but it was as if she was a statue. Everyone came running, and Filtch began to point fingers. "They killed my cat!"
"She isn't dead," Dumbledore shook his head. "She's petrified… not a spell that a normal second or first year student could pull off."
"Heir of Slytherin…" Yoruichi suddenly heard Draco Malfoy speak up.
"A bad thing came through here… some sort of creature…" Luna muttered, only to receive a glare from other students.
"Well… all Mudbloods had better beware!" Flint suddenly commented. "Slytherin never liked you…"
"Enough!" Cedric suddenly snapped, stepping forward. "I think every student should return to the dorms except for those who first happened on the scene. The rest of you! Prefects need to get your students back to the dorms! Let the teachers handle this!"
"Thank you," Madame Hooch commented. She then went and touched a few students arms, "I would like to call an emergency meeting of the geist club please."
"Madame Pomfrey, would you please see to Filtch's cat?" Dumbledore muttered, leading the other students away. However, Draco, Luna and Hermione couldn't help but see a replica of Ms. Norris fall out of the body, landing on the ground, then follow as the body was taken away, a chain extending from her chest to her body. The girls didn't say anything, but Draco couldn't help but shudder.
M
After a few minutes after everything had cleared up, and each of the common rooms had come to settle down, the members of the geist club went to the room they met in for the meetings. Yoruichi followed them and sat next to Neville, as the boy had become seriously nervous about the whole situation. "What if they go after me because I'm nearly a squib?"
"The words on the wall said Mudbloods moron," Draco muttered, only to receive glares from some of the other members. "What I meant is, the only ones in the club in likely danger are the Grangers… correct?"
"As a Slytherin… are you really sure you should be putting in on this?" Fred commented.
"How do we know the heir isn't you?" George gave him a skeptical look.
"I don't even understand why this meeting was called," Draco complained. "And the only reason I am here is because I was tricked… someone thinks I belong… when I don't think I do."
"He's so in denial," Cho muttered, folding her arms across her chest. "We're still mad about what you did earlier."
"Whatever… I don't care," Draco became even more miffed. "It isn't me… ask Loony… she said there was a creature there. The only creature I can thing of is…" Draco had been glaring at the ground, but his eyes suddenly darted up, his face turning pale.
"Something the matter Draco… did you think of something?" Cedric smirked.
"No… nothing," the boy again glanced away, his whole body becoming nervous.
"The only time I've seen you that nervous is when we told the story of the holes," Neville suddenly piped up, causing Draco to twitch.
"What story?" the twins commented.
"Just that there are some sort of monsters called holes wandering around in the forest," Cedric sighed. "It's an old club story. Draco is for some reason the only person who actually believes these stories."
"I didn't say I believed them… and I have no clue what you're talking about," Draco muttered.
"It wasn't a hole…" Luna suddenly piped up. "It was something else."
Elizabeth let out a sigh. "None of what you said made sense. Should we let mom and dad know about this?"
"No," Hermione stated. "If they knew all that happened last year, they might not have let me come back."
"The reason for this meeting," Hooch stated as she came into the room. "Is to make sure that all of the club members stay together, as it is likely that if the fact that some of the members can see and/or hear Muggle Ghosts gets out, anyone who is a member, whether they are Pure Blood or not might end up black listed with those who are Muggleborn."
"You don't think I don't know that," Draco narrowed his eyes.
"Or… someone who is all ready in the club…" Fred commented.
"I am not going to finish that one… it's too dark!" George suddenly complained.
"Fine…" Fred commented. "There is one member who…"
"Don't go there," Madame Hooch suddenly stated. "I guarantee that Draco Malfoy is not going to come after all the members of the club."
"I still think its holes," Draco muttered, and then when everyone gave him a funny look, he realized he had said that aloud. "I'm leaving now."
Cho watched as he left. "Well… we were supposed to have a meeting tonight anyways… but not this early… later in the evening. I am thinking that the plans for what to make our club look like, in case we are ever found out should be postponed. I think we need to come up with a plan, of course, in case something happens. And they have to include Draco."
"And not because he is the Heir of Slytherin," Cedric threw the two twins looks.
"We have way too little information," Hermione sighed. "Cho and I can try researching, but at this point, I don't think that we will be able to do anything. Oh! I remembered something."
"What is it?" Cedric sighed.
"I saw that Ms. Norris was walking behind as her body was taken away, a chain connected from her body to her ghost," Hermione put in.
"It means she is still alive. If the chain was broken, she would be dead. I also think Malfoy saw this too…" Luna hummed. "Or maybe he didn't."
"Madame Hooch… could you possibly ask around previous club remembers to see if they have any information on this?" Cedric asked, his voice worried.
M
Hermione returned to the common room with Neville, to find Harry and Ron waiting for her. Neville was about to join them in conversation, but then thought better of it, heading up the stairs. The bushy haired girl then went and sat down across from them, as the twins also headed upstairs.
"It isn't fair that you, Neville and them get to be in this secret club," Ron muttered. "I don't think now that it is for geniuses… otherwise how did those three get in?"
"It really isn't any of your business Ronald," Hermione snapped.
"Anyways… we were talking about who this heir of Slytherin might be," Harry folded his arms. "Malfoy had a look on his face when the cat was taken away… almost like he was guilty of something."
"Uhh… yeah," Hermione stated. "He might be the person, but he might not."
"The git might actually have some information. Is there a way we can get close to him to be able to find out," Harry put a hand to his chin.
"I could get a certain book from the restricted section with a polyjuice potion in it," Hermione suddenly piped up. "It would take awhile to prepare the potion, but it would allow us to become some of the Slytherin students. And we could mix it in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom."
"You have got to be kidding me," Ron glared at her. "Not Moaning Myrtle… and not another girls' bathroom."
"It sounds like a good plan," Harry sighed, scratching his head.
"Good… it is bloody awesome except for one thing!" Ron had an angry glare on his face. "There is the fact we'll becoming Slytherin students."
"The spell isn't permanent Ronald," Hermione rolled her eyes.
"The thing I was thinking was… how will you get into the restricted section? Last Christmas, I nearly got caught," Harry gave a valid point.
"Lockhart… I'll just write a note and ask for his autograph," Hermione stated.
"And then when the librarian wants the letter, what will you do?" Ron stated. "Oh… can I please keep it. It was signed by Professor Lockhart."
Hermione suddenly took a seat cushion and hit Ron on the head multiple times. Her eyes were livid and when she finished, she hurried up the stairs. Harry shook his head at the red head. "That was really stupid."
"What are you talking about? It is true," Ron mumbled, holding up his hand as if he had a point. Harry could only shake his head.
M
Hitsugaya Toshiro sat in his office working on paperwork. He had been back for quite some time and was glad to get back to the normality of things, even if this included his lieutenant still trying to get out of paperwork. He sat at his desk and tapped his fingers as he went over forms to try and get a handle on the work she hadn't done while he was gone.
That was when he heard a clicking of glass bottles on his desk, causing him to glance up. "Why are there two bottles there without labels on them?"
"One for you, one for me?" Matsumoto stated.
Toshiro raised an eyebrow. "I thought I told you no drinking sake in the office?"
"This isn't sake!" Matsumoto commented. "It is a Wizarding drink! I ordered it when I heard from you about the Wizard Shingami…"
"Wizard Grim Reapers Matsumoto," Toshiro sighed, giving her an irritated look. "Explain…"
"Butterbeer… House Elves get drunk on it because of the sugar level," Matsumoto smiled.
"That is because too much sugar can be a drug," Toshiro groaned. "Why?"
"Because I want to celebrate your return!" Matsumoto smiled, opening the bottles.
"Why now, and not when I got here?" Toshiro muttered, trying to get back to his work.
"Because I had to special order it taicho! Please!" Matsumoto muttered.
"Fine," the white haired captain took the bottle from her that he handed her and took one sip, then set it down, closing his eyes. "Matsumoto… you can have it… I don't like it."
"Ehh…" Matsumoto took a drink from hers, then held it away from her. "This is sweet…"
"Of course it isn't what you expected… the drinks were two different things and you pulled of the labels so that I wouldn't know that you were drinking an alcoholic beverage," Toshiro narrowed his eyes at her. "You do realize that you switched the non-alcoholic drink with the alcoholic?"
"I am so sorry taicho!" Matsumoto glanced at her bottle, then held it out to him. "Here?"
However, the small taicho had already got up. "Just drink them both and get the paper work done. I am going to go lie down… and don't do something like this to me again. And I need something to wash that taste out…"
"Here…" Matsumoto stated, shoving the bottle into his hand, however he shook his head and took off. She picked up the other bottle and let out a sigh of relief. "At least it is only a little tiny bit… I could have had a major problem on my hands."
Matsumoto took a sip, then frowned. "This is nothing like sake… I don't like either of these drinks…"
She then glanced around, pulling out one of her old sake bottles and poured the two bottles into the container. "Ohh… now this is good! Really good!"
Author's note – The Butterbeer mix-up due to Matsumoto's attempt at sneakiness just happened to pop into my head… I don't believe Butterbeer to be alcoholic to anyone except House Elves.
Again… thanks to Ayriannah for betaing this for me. Thanks goes to rose-of-alabaster for noticing the post script problem.