Daichi walked into the Gryffindor common room with a new attitude and a new resolution. Over the holiday break, Daichi had come to the realization that Asahi might actually have had a point. Maybe he was being too paranoid.

After all, it was already half way through the year and Noya and Tanaka hadn't done anything too egregious. They showed up to Quidditch practice on time, they ate meals in the Great Hall, and by the looks of it they were even taking first year Yamaguchi under their wings. While Daichi wasn't quite sure this meant turning a new leaf, he was now willing to admit that it did not have to mean they were planning an elaborate scheme.

Dachi resolved that in this semester he was going to be a new man-a more laid back man who didn't spend large portions of his time worrying about two second years. He might maybe even possibly try talk to the cute guy in his Herbology class. That was just how chilled and relaxed the new Daichi was going to be.

Noya burst out of the second year boys' room while frantically trying to put out his robe sleeve which appeared to have caught on fire.

"Aguamenti" shouted Tanaka, slamming the dorm door behind him.

Water shot out, covering both Noya's arm and Daichi's face.

Well, Daichi thought while feeling his blood pressure rise. That was nice while it lasted.

ooooooo

"Third meeting of the Investigators' Club commence," announced Bokuto.

"I told you we are not calling ourselves that," groaned Oikawa.

"I like it. It's catchy," said Kuroo, smirking at Oikawa's glare.

"How was everyone's break?" asked Suga, moving on from Oikawa and Kuroo's staring match. "Was anyone able to find anything?"

Kuroo sighed, breaking is stare. "Well, we were definitely right about him being shady. Bokuto and I worked on articles from the first fifteen years or so after his graduation. The first six or so years aren't that exciting." He pulled out a scroll and unrolled it to show a series of notes. "Graduated from Slytherin, middle of the road student except for a few subjects. Right after Hogwarts, he decided to get his masters in History of Magic. He was one of five apprentices to a Professor Horlax Istoria in Athens. One of the articles mentions him working with the Professor in an excavation of a magical section of Ancient Rome."

"Until…" Bokuto dramatically interjected. "He suddenly moves."

Kuroo nods. "History Masters candidates generally apprentice under a true Master for at least five years before going on to supervised field studies for a couple of years. Sora seems to have left after just two years of apprenticeship."

"Sora dropped his master's work?" asked Iwaizumi.

Bokuto shook his head. "See, that's what we thought, too. But then a year or so later, he's mentioned as an apprentice to another guy in New Guinea."

"Also, one of several apprentices," Kuroo put in.

"So, Sora decides to change who he's studying under," commented Oikawa, propping his head on one hand. "Any evidence of a dispute?"

"Or maybe a personal issue," suggested Suga.

"No evidence for either," Kuroo answers. "Though, it's not like that's the kind of thing they'd print in the paper...Anyway, that's not what's really interesting." He pauses dramatically. "What's really interesting is he does the same thing a couple of years later."

"He changes Masters again?" asked Iwaizumi.

Bokuto nodded. "Yeah, a couple of years after New Guinea, he's mentioned with another guy in Spain."

Iwaizumi frowned pensively. "Wouldn't the Masters have problems with him changing so much? I mean it's hard to get a real basis if you're constantly changing teachers."

Kuroo shrugged. "Probably, they did. But, it gets even more crazy after that."

Bokuto pulled out a recall book and flips to a page. "So, he's about a year or so into his masters in Spain." He pointed to a line. "He's mentioned here as a member of the excavation team so me and Kuroo looked up more about this excavation." He turned a couple of pages. "Here's where The Prophet printed about the excavation being finished and some ancient cauldrons and stuff being found." Bokuto paused and drew in a breath for a big reveal.

"Sora's not mentioned as being part of the team," Kuroo cut in with a smirk before Bokuto can start.

Bokuto stuck his tongue out at Kuroo, who winks.

"He must have left and not finished his masters," concluded Suga. "But, why? Coursework wise he was only about a year away."

"Did he move places again?" asked Oikawa.

Kuroo shook his head. "Not that we can find...In fact, he-" Kuroo stopped when he saw Bokuto was practically bouncing in his seat. "Fine, you can have this one."

"He disappears," Bokuto almost shouted.

The table looked at each other.

"What do you mean 'he disappears'" Iwaizumi asked eventually.

"Pretty much just that," Kuroo answered. "There's no mention of him for the next three years. Not even just a small reference...Until, he resurfaces again in the Mediterranean with his first big discovery, tablets from the Lost City of Atlantis. That's the discovery that basically put Sora on the map as a magiarchaeologist."

Suga frowned. "So, he probably finished his masters somewhere…"

"We just don't know where," finished Oikawa.

Kuroo and Bokuto both nodded.

Suga hummed. "This is a point for the 'Sora has a team of secret accomplices' theory."

"Good find," complimented Iwaizumi, causing Bokuto to grin and give him two thumbs up. Smirking, Kuroo held up his hand and Oikawa rolled his eyes, but gave him a high five.

"I guess I'll go next," started Suga. "While I was home, I tried to find out more about what Sora was like in school...My parents weren't that open about it but I did find out a few things from looking through their old school stuff."

Suga went to his bag and pulled out a couple of moving photographs. He pointed to the top one featuring eight students laughing in one of the Hogwarts halls. "The one with the Quidditch broom is Sora."

"Merlin," swore Kuroo. "That's a dark bunch."

Suga nodded in agreement. "It seems like half of Sora's friend group either went on to Azkaban after the war or were some of the higher ups who bought their way out of it. The one to his left was killed in a duel with the Aurors after the Giant's fall. The one on the right is the older Uragiri sister, she went to Azkaban after killing the heir to a well known Light family. At least two of the people in this photo were killed in the Battle of Spinner's End, the last fight of the war."

"The others?" asked Iwaizumi.

"Prominent figures in the Ministry, of course," Kuroo answered with disgust. "I remember a couple from the Ministry Christmas Party a few weeks ago."

Oikawa laughed without an uneasy edge. "So, was Sora…"

Suga shook his head. "No, from what I found earlier, Sora was out of the country during all but the first parts of the war. He couldn't have fought for the Giant."

"So just a probable sympathizer. Wonderful." responded Oikawa with a noted blank expression.

"I knew there was a reason I didn't like the bastard," muttered Bokuto.

"Did you find anything else?" asked Iwaizumi.

"Nothing that we didn't already know," answered Suga. "That just leaves the two of you. How was your holiday searches?"

Iwaizumi shrugged. "Oikawa and I split up the most recent fifteen years. I didn't find much. Sora traveled around, started to get a name outside of just the magiarchaeologist community, got into Witch Weekly for the first time, was considered for an Order of Merlin but eventually passed over for that year."

"I, however, did find something interesting," Oikawa said, pulling out of his gloomy contemplation.

He pulled out the recall book and opened it to the page he found Christmas Eve. He showed it to the rest of the table.

"You found an excavation team besides Sora," commented Suga, impressed.

"And you found a name," added Kuroo.

"Hey, hey," said Bokuto, grinning. "Why don't we just send an owl to that guy and find out if he knows anything?"

"That's what Oikawa and I were talking about over break," replied Iwaizumi.

Oikawa grimaced. "We just have a little possible problem."

Suga realized the issue. "You don't want Sora to find out we're looking. Or his apparent team."

Oikawa nodded.

"It's not like owling him will mean that it automatically gets back to Sora though," interjected Iwaizumi.

Kuroo hummed. "The question is will it be worth the risk."

Silence fell around the table as they thought.

"I think it's worth it," announced Oikawa. "We have to risk something eventually if we're going to get anywhere."

"I think we should look more at the risk. If Sora is hiding a secret excavation team, he's been working pretty hard on keeping them out of the press," added Iwaizumi. "He or someone on the team has to have a close eye on possible leaks."

Kuroo shrugged. "I agree with Oikawa. Nothing ventured, nothing gained."

Suga nodded. "This is our first solid lead, we might not have a choice but to take it."

"Why don't we owl the Masters he apprenticed under, too?" asked Bokuto.

Suga frowned. "We might have to if this falls through."

"We should definitely wait on that," argued Iwaizumi.

"They're more likely to notify Sora if someone is asking about him," agreed Kuroo.

"So, it's settled," questioned Oikawa. "We owl Oliveira."

The table traded looks with each other but no one disagreed.

Bokuto raised a fist in the air. "The Investigator's Club has spoken."

The sound of Kuroo and Bokuto's high five covered up Oikawa's groan.

ooooooo

Yachi sat on the Quidditch pitch and read her Charm's book while Kageyama and Hinata practiced throwing and catching a Quaffle mid-dive.

Hinata's leg, arm, and head were newly healed and Kageyama had immediately dragged him to the Quidditch pitch the moment Yachi and him had gotten back to school...not that much dragging was really needed. Though not as interested in flying herself, Yachi loved Quidditch. Her father had been a massive fan and the house was still filled with her father's old Quidditch gear. Yachi thought there was something almost beautiful about watching Kageyama and Hinata pull amazing spins through the air.

Almost like bird watching, Yachi thought with a smile. Hinata pulled too low to the ground and was close to stumbling, which caused Kageyama to yell at him for being stupid enough to almost injure himself right after healing. Well, particularly aggressive bird watching.

Yachi looked at her watch.

"Hinata, Kageyama," she called. "We have to go or we're going to be late for dinner."

The two landed with sighs.

"Do you think we'll have time to fly any after dinner," asked Hinata.

Kageyama shook his head. "No, it will be too dark." He thought for a second. "What if we cast Lumos and then held the wands in our teeth or something, then we could-"

"No," Yachi interrupted. "You are not getting injured on the first night back."

The two deflated.

Honestly, Yachi thought. ...though maybe if we enchanted a number of floating lanterns like they use for the night games.

The three walked to the broom shed to return the school brooms and Quaffle.

"So, how was your Christmas?" asked Hinata. "Oh, I got both of your letters!"

Yachi smiled. "Mine was fine. Mom and I went to the Ministry Christmas party the day of. Other than that, I was able to read ahead in our class reading which was fun!"

Kageyama looked slightly bewildered why anyone would find that fun.

"I stayed at my house with my father," answered Kageyama. He shrugged. "I got to fly a lot in the field beside my house."

Hinata shot him an envious look.

"What about you, Hinata?" questioned Yachi. "I'm sure it wasn't much fun being injured, but did you find anything to do?"

Hinata immediately began to look excited. He looked around quickly, making sure no one was there.

"Actually, yeah," he told them, motioning for them to lean in. "I don't think I can describe it, I have to show it to you guys. It's so cool!"

Hinata hesitated.

"But...I'm actually not sure if we're even allowed to go see it." Hinata rubbed the back of his neck. "I um, might have found it when I got lost going to the bathroom."

Kageyama gave him an unimpressed look.

"How can we go see it if we're not allowed?" asked Yachi.

"Wellll," Hinata started. "We...we could always sneak out."

Both Yachi and Kageyama sent him surprised looks.

"Stupid, we can't just sneak out after curfew to go to a restricted area," said Kageyama, glaring. "Do you know how many points we'd lose?"

"Kageyama's right, Hinata. We'd get in so much trouble if we were caught," Yachi told him.

"No, no, listen," Hinata said. "I've been sneaking out of the Medical Wing for half the break. I know the pathways where we can get in and out without being caught?"

"Are you insane? You know how much Nekomata guards the Medical Wing. How have you not been caught?" demanded Kageyama.

"I told you. I'm sneaky," replied Hinata, glaring back.

He turned to look at both of them.

"Look, I wouldn't ask you to sneak out if I didn't think it was worth it," assured Hinata. "You are really, really going to want to see this. Do you trust me?"

Yachi and Kageyama traded a look.

"Fine," Kageyama muttered. "But, you better be right."

ooooooo

"Isn't she just the most beautiful, precious thing you've ever seen," gushed Noya, looking at the baby dragon.

These were not exactly the adjectives that Yamaguchi would have chosen.

"Merlin," breathed Asahi. "I can't believe you actually have a live dragon hidden in your dorm.

"We have a live dragon hidden in our dorm," corrected Noya. "I couldn't have done it without you guys."

"Somehow, I don't think that's very reassuring," commented Ennoshita. "So, now that it's hatched-"

"Now that she's hatched," admonished Tanaka.

"I named her Rolling Thunder," added Noya. "You should have seen her when she hatched. I almost had to Augamenti the entire room.

Ennoshita rolled his eyes. "Now that she's hatched, exactly how long until we can move her to the Forbidden Forest."

"Um, we don't actually have to, to go to the Forbidden Forest, um, do we?" asked Asahi. "I mean it's, well, forbidden for a reason."

"A month and a half," Noya answered Ennoshita. "And, of course, we'll go to the Forbidden Forest, Asahi. That's half of the fun."

Asahi paled.

Tsuki's going to kill me if he ever finds out about this, mused Yamaguchi.

"So," Yamaguchi started. "Sometime in roughly over a month, we need to figure out a way to smuggle a newly hatched dragon down from one of the highest towers, across the school, and into the Forbidden Forest. All without being discovered."

Tanaka nodded. "I think I know a pretty good Disillusionment charm."

Ennoshita looked at the mirror in the corner of the room. "Do you think it's possible to get wrinkles before you're even a teenager?"

"Oh, come on, guys," Noya complained. "You haven't even really looked at her yet. Come closer, she won't bite-she hasn't grown teeth yet."

Yamaguchi sighed but looked closer. He had to admit she was...cute. Tanaka had informed them that she was a Norwegian Ridgeback. She was about the length of Yamaguchi's forearm with beautiful dark green scales starting from her tiny head and stretching down to her long lizard like tail. Her eyes had not quite adjusted to seeing anything yet and she blinked slowly at Yamaguchi, trying to focus. She yawned, flicking out her long tongue, before curling into a ball by the fire.

"Okay, she's kind of adorable," Ennoshita said begrudgingly.

"I knew you'd come around," Tanaka smiled.

Ennoshita glared. "This is still a terrible idea."

She yawned again before giving a light growl which barked out fire. A nearby dragon care book caught on fire. Yamaguchi backed up so fast he whacked his leg on a trunk.

"Merlin's balls, get the bucket." Noya yelled and Tanaka quickly threw water over the fire.

"Well, that was a close one," Tanaka said, giving Noya a high five.

"Yeah, replacing those books would have been a pain." Noya turned to Yamaguchi. "See, guys, we totally know what we're…"

Noya trailed off and paled significantly. "Um, Tanaka did you remember to set the silencing charm."

"I thought you did it." Tanaka looked up and gulped.

Puzzled, Yamaguchi turned around.

Standing in the doorway, Daichi stood like an omen of doom, arms crossed and glowering.

"You five are in so much trouble."

ooooooo

"Are you sure you know where you're going?" asked Kageyama again.

"Duh, of course, I know where I'm going. It's the Gryffindor tower. We just, um, head up," answered Hinata.

Kageyama gave him a skeptical look that Hinata felt was unwarranted. Yeah, maybe he took the wrong turn when they first left but now he's totally got it.

The two had left their Common room and were now stumbling along the dark Hogwarts halls.

"We're going to be late," whispered Kageyama. "We were supposed to meet Yachi at midnight."

"We are not going to be late," whispered back Hinata. "Look it's right there. See, I told you we could get here without being caught."

The two spotted Yachi hiding behind a suit of armor by a painting of a rotund woman snoring on a Greek column.

"Why are you hiding," Hinata asked Yachi.

Yachi looked around the hall making sure no one was there. "I thought I saw one of the prefects, so I hid behind the armor."

Kageyama glanced around as if waiting for someone to pop up and start yelling. "We should hurry before they come back."

Hinata nodded and gestured for the other two to follow him. "I found it when I was on the third floor."

Careful not to make too much noise, the three walked through the halls and down staircases, making sure to watch out for a light that signalled a patrolling teacher or prefect.

"It's right around this corner," Hinata told them and turned them onto a long hall.

"This looks like a bunch of old classrooms," noted Yachi glancing around.

"That's what I thought, too," agreed Hinata. "But, look what's in this one!"

Hinata opened a door on the left side of the hall, revealing an old classroom.

"Ugh, this place smells like mothballs," complained Kageyama, following Hinata into the room. "I don't think the House Elves have touched this place in years."

"Is that-is that an old mirror?" asked Yachi, gesturing to the center of the room.

Hinata nodded frantically. "Yeah, but it's not a normal mirror. Watch this!"

The other two stood to the side and watched as Hinata moved to stand in front of the large frame.

"Do you see her?" Hinata asked excitedly. "Do you see my sister Natsu?"

Kageyama frowned. "What are you talking about?"

"Don't be stupid, Kageyama," Hinata frowned at him. "She's right there! Standing next to me."

"Hinata," said Yachi hesitantly. "All we see is your reflection."

"Ugh," said Hinata, pulling on Kageyama. "You must not be looking at it right. Here, stand in front of it.

Kageyama stood where Hinata had been and immediately gasped.

"See, you see her, don't you!" Hinata exclaimed happily. "Her name is Natsu, she's my sister."

Kageyama shook his head. "I don't see your sister."

Hinata glared at him. "You obviously see something, you just gasped! Why else would you-"

"I see my mother," interrupted Kageyama.

He squinted at the mirror. "And my...my father's there, too. They're both smiling at me and...and he just ruffled my hair."

Kageyama reached toward his head as if chasing the phantom touch.

"Hinata, what is this mirror?" asked Yachi nervously.

Hinata shook his head. "I don't know. I just saw my sister and you guys and the Quidditch team and my friends from the orphanage. We were all laughing and goofing off." He met Yachi's eyes. "I kind of thought, um, that maybe it showed the future or something."

Kageyama shook his head sharply. "It can't. My mother is dead."

Hinata turned sharply to Kageyama. "It...it shows dead people?" He paled. "Oh my gosh, Natsu! Do you think she's okay? I just got a letter from her this morning!"

Yachi grabbed Hinata's shoulders to calm him down. "Hinata, I'm sure that's not it. You said you saw me and Kageyama earlier and we're obviously not dead."

Hinata let out a breath.

"You're right. I did see you two over break." His hand still twitched as if he wanted to write a letter immediately.

He shook his head. "Then, what do you think the mirror does? I mean obviously the things it shows aren't really happening."

At that, Kageyama jerked his head away from the mirror.

"I'm done," he said tersely. "Yachi, why don't you try it?"

Hesitantly, Yachi walked in front of the mirror.

Looking into it, her brow furrowed and she looked back to the boys before going back to the mirror.

"What do you see," asked Hinata eagerly.

"I-I just see us three," answered Yachi, sounding confused. "But, you two have moved. You're standing beside me rather than to the side of the mirror. We're...we're laughing at something." She squinted. "I think we're eating in the Great Hall."

"That's so weird," Hinata exclaimed. "Why do you think it shows us all something different?"

"I'm not sure," Yachi said slowly. "But, I don't know how I feel about it."

"What do you mean?" questioned Hinata.

Yachi shook her head, walking away from the mirror. "I don't know yet. I just...feel like we should be sorta careful with this, you know?"

Hinata scratched his head. "I don't know. I mean I've been looking at it all break and I'm still fine."

Yachi didn't seem fully convinced but also didn't respond. Kageyama walked back in front of the mirror.

"Sooo," Hinata drew out, looking happily between the two. "Wasn't I right? Isn't this mirror super cool?"

"Yeah," Kageyama said softly without glancing away from the mirror. "Cool."

ooooooo

A/N: Hope you enjoyed the new chapter. The next two weeks, I am going to be out of town so will not be posting my normal two chapters a week. Instead a plan to post next Monday (April 16) and then my next post will be a week from that Wednesday (April 25). To mitigate this a bit, I will be posting another chapter tomorrow and then two on Monday. As always, thanks for reading!