A/N:
Mother tongue isn't English. Inform me about any major mistakes if there is, what lazy bastard I am. As always I hope they wont distract your reading experience.
"Thoughts"
"Zangetsu"
"Hollow"
War after the war: Chapter 14
It was time for Hogsmeade visit once again. Harry had agreed to go to date with Cho and he was nervous. The Shinigami decided to tag along though they weren't sure where they were going.
"Hey! Ichigo!" Renji waved at orange-headed Soul Reaper. They stood in the hallway, waiting access to go. Ichigo stepped down the stairs and walked to them: "To Hogsmeade, huh?"
"Yeah, we are going with Harry and make sure that nothing happens", Hitsugaya frowned: "You are not coming?"
Ichigo waved hands in the front of him: "Nah, I haven't been assigned there. I have other things to do too." he looked around, noticing that other students started to gather: "I think you can go now." he pointed at the doors. Hitsugaya nodded and ordered everybody to stick with him.
Others waved good-byes and started to move to doors as well. Ichigo watched as wizards flowed outside until he was left all alone. Sighing, he closed doors and shuffled back upstairs. He was having bloody headache which didn't seem to get better.
Slowly Shinigami walked through huge gardens which belonged to Pomona Sprout. Spells kept this part of garden warm, and there wasn't any snow around. The sun shined, giving almost magical look for scenery.
Ichigo chuckled. That is exactly what it is. Magic.
He slumped under a tree, pulling himself in his inner world. Ichigo wanted to ask Zangetsu about the headache. It just… didn't feel right.
When he arrived to his mindscape, orange-head couldn't do anything else but gape.
"What the hell is wrong with me?"
Normally blue skyscrapers were now… sparkling. When Ichigo looked further, he could swear that the buildings were stirring and shifting a bit. Ichigo rubbed his eyes, glanced buildings once more and looked down. Then he finally realized what caused the twinkling.
Water.
Tons of water was running down the sides of skyscrapers, moving more like a river since the whole world was sideways. The water reached Ichigo's shins, but when he lifted a leg, it wasn't wet.
"Zangetsu." Ichigo said with monotone voice. Zanpakuto stood on familiar flagpole. He turned to look at pissed Shinigami: "What is it, Ichigo?"
"Why is there water in my inner world?"
"Hmm…" old man didn't say anything. His expression was unreadable behind sunglasses. Ichigo waited impatiently, feeling the heavy atmosphere.
"I don't know."
Ichigo dropped down almost comically and scowled: "What the hell? Don't you usually know everything going on in here?"
"Usually yes, but this time it seems to be linked to your hollow's activities." Zanpakuto turned away: "You see…"
Ichigo turned to look at the direction Zangetsu pointed at. They stood there quietly a while.
"Shiro is doing WHAT?"
When wizards arrived in Hogsmeade, Harry split up and left with Cho. He was grateful to have a little break from Soul Reapers - especially from Renji who teased him all the time about Cho. Harry couldn't believe that those people really were guides of soulworld. They acted like kids sometimes.
Renji, Hitsugaya and Rukia stood at the gates of village, wondering what to do. Young white haired Captain took a look around: "Where's Matsumoto?" he frowned.
"I guess that she went to shopping already, Captain." Renji answered. Hitsugaya muttered something what sounded like: "I should have guessed…"
"Eh… Well, should we go now?" Ron asked, tilting his head to town's direction. He and Hermione led Shinigami to explore the village.
Day went nicely, though Harry had hard time with Rita Seeker who Hermione had forced to write about Voldemort's return. It was annoying but he just needed to endure.
Wizards returned to school one by one when it started to get dark. Shinigami had left earlier. They all were supposed to meet at supper to discuss about upcoming article in the Quibbler. Harry, Ron and Hermione arrived in the Great Hall and went to sit with Hitsugaya, Renji, Rukia and Matsumoto.
"Heya", Harry greeted and waved his hand. Hitsugaya just nodded, frowned and turned to look at the teachers' table. After sitting next to him, Harry glanced at teachers. He let his eyes wander through the table, spotting Hagrid first. Well, he is kind of hard to miss. Hagrid waved and Harry smiled to him. Next he noticed orange hair in the other side of the table. Ichigo was leaning to his hand, and his face couldn't be seen. Snape was sitting next to him asking something, but the orange-head just shook his head.
"What are they discussing?" Ron asked. Hitsugaya shrugged: "I don't know, they have been talking something for a while now. Ichigo doesn't seem to be in good mood."
"I wonder what happened…" Matsumoto sighed. Rukia looked worried: "Yes, we need to ask him later. How your interview went, Harry?" she turned to look at dark haired boy. Harry scratched his neck, smirking: "It was horrible. What else could you expect?"
Hermione and Ron laughed. They know what kind of person Rita Seeker is. All of them were waiting for the next Quibbler.
Next morning they ran into Ichigo who was going to breakfast.
"Yo, Kurosaki." Hitsugaya nodded. Ichigo tilted his head and blinked few times: "Oh! You guys! How was the Hogsmeade visit?"
They stopped in their tracks when they saw Ichigo. His skin was awfully pale, and he looked a bit sick. Again.
"What the hell is wrong with you?" Renji asked. Rukia frowned worriedly.
"Eh? What do you mean?"
"You look like a zombie!" Ron asked with widen eyes. Ichigo chuckled: "Ah… Right. I guess that this bloody headache is the cause." he rubbed his temples: "I have too much things to do… Now if you excuse me… I need to find Severus…"
Laughing hollowly, Ichigo tottered away.
"What the hell? Really, I have never seen Ichigo like that before!" Renji frowned when they continued their way to the Great Hall. Others just shrugged – they didn't know either.
At the breakfast they forgot Ichigo's weird way of behavior when Dean and others wondered how brave Harry was when he gave that interview about the Voldemort.
Days went by. Gryffindor lost their match against Hufflepuff, and whole Gryffindor house was down after that. Shinigami couldn't understand that how everyone took some game so seriously. Fortunately the Quibbler was published in next Monday and it took their thoughts away from the game.
Dozens of owls carried fan-mail to Harry. Few people wrote against him but many people appraised Harry for the article.
Umbridge got furious, of course. She banned Harry from Hogsmeade visits and later that day there had been published new Educational Decree: "Student, who is caught while obtaining the Quibbler, will be expelled from school".
Hermione chuckled when they read the news; this caused Harry and Ron turn to her: "How can you be so happy?"
"Oh Harry, don't you get it?" Hermione sighed: "If she had a way, which would make sure that everyone would read that article, was its banning!"
The three of them turned to look at the Soul Reapers who were intensively staring somewhere in to crowd. Harry, Ron and Hermione moved a bit closer to them to see what was going on. When they heard familiar high-pitched voice and saw mop of orange hair, they immediately knew what was happening.
Umbridge raged to Ichigo how irresponsible students were, stomping to ground and waving her hands. It was unusual to see her acting that way.
Ichigo stood next to her leaning to his hand and then ran it through his hair. It was oblivious to students that he was annoyed to listen her wailing, but Umbridge seemed to think that Ichigo was annoyed about the article.
"Poor Ichigo", Ron chuckled and Hermione gave him a sad smile.
Ichigo led rampaging Umbridge carefully to stairs to get her out of the students' gazes. When she started climbing, Ichigo turned back once more. He spotted Harry and others giving them a wink and thumbs up before going after Umbridge.
It wasn't only Harry and co. but other people who had participated in Harry's lessons who smiled when they saw Ichigo giving his approval for whole thing.
People just talked and talked whole day about the article. You could hear it everywhere even though it was banned. Ichigo was in a good mood first but then a massive headache hit him and he withdrew to his office.
"If this is caused by you again, Shiro, I swear that…"
"No it's not me this time! Trust me Kingy." hollow mentally shrugged in his mind: "This is just normal headache. I am sure that it's because that horrible bitch and her whining! I thought I was going crazy…!"
"True… Hey, old man. It's dry in there, is it?"
"Yes. This time he isn't lying." Zangetsu confirmed.
"Hey! That was only because you NEVER LET ME DO ANYTHING THAN SIT AROUND HERE! I AM SO BORED YOU IDIOT!" Shiro whined like girl in her teens. Ichigo could see him stomping ground like an idiot.
"Geh… Don't yell! I told you that in here it's impossible. Well, I was thinking to make a visit to almighty Dark Lord again."
"Really? Really? Do you mean what I am thinking?"
"How should I know what you are thinking? Keep quiet now, my headache is getting worse."
Ichigo cut the mental link with Shiro and Zangetsu. In his thoughts he wandered to his desk and leaned to it.
"You reap what you sow, eh?"
Apparently Sybill Trelawney was fired from her job and new teacher was taken in her old position. Ichigo didn't even know about it before Umbridge came to him, whining that the new teacher was a centaur. It had woken Ichigo's interest since he never had seen a centaur before but in the end, it didn't matter who was teaching Divination. He didn't think that foreseeing was possible anyways.
When Harry and Ron were at Firenze's, new Divination teacher's first lesson, he wanted to speak with Harry and Ron in private after the class.
He had warning for Hagrid: "His endeavor isn't going to work out. It would be better for him to give up."
Centaur was mysterious about the whole thing, not telling them what Hagrid was trying to do and sent boys away.
When March turned to April, Harry's worries seemed to build up. Only thing why he could endure school was Dumbledore's Army. They had finally started practicing Expecto Patronums. Harry was delighted to see how much people had improved during these lessons.
But nothing good goes on forever…
It was normal lessons like any other, expect one thing: Dobby came to visit. House-elf amused some students, but Harry noticed immediately that something was wrong.
It took a while but finally Harry figured what had scared house-elf that badly. Dolores Umbridge and Inquisitorial Squad had found them. Silence fell over after they heard that someone was behind the wall.
When Dolores threw first spell to break the fake wall, Harry screamed: "WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU WAITING FOR! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!"
People started to pour out from other doors, everyone disappearing towards their own House.
Harry confirmed that everyone had left before he started running. Unfortunately he didn't get far before spell tackled him down. It was Malfoy: "I GOT HIM I GOT HIM! It's Potter!"
Harry saw Umbridge waddling there quickly, almost crying from happiness: "It's him… It's really him! Good work Draco. Keep watching if you can find more of them!"
She grabbed Harry forcefully: "And you… You come to Headmaster's office with me." frog-woman dragged Harry through dark hallways and soon they were in the front of stone monsters.
Dumbledore's office was full of people. Dumbledore sat behind his desk looking calm as ever and next to him stood tense-looking Professor Minerva MacGongall. At the hearth was Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge who looked very satisfied at the situation and both sides of door was standing guards: Kingsley Shacklebolt and some tough-looking wizard Harry didn't know. Next to wall hovered familiar freckle-faced and red-haired person: Percy Weasley and with him was Ichigo Kurosaki with even brighter hair and he was looking at Umbridge intensively.
Fudge broke the silence: "Well", he snickered: "Well, well, well."
"He was going to Gryffindor Tower. Malfoy's son caught him." Umbridge pointed at Harry.
"Oh really? I need to tell Lucius when I see him… Do you know why you are here?"
Harry was going to answer "Yes, I know" defiantly, but just before he said anything, Harry noticed Dumbledore who shook his head little.
"I kn… I don't know." Harry stuttered.
"Excuse me?" Fudge said: "You don't know why you are here?"
"No I don't know." Harry answered.
Fudge looked totally dumbfounded, glancing between Harry and Umbridge: "You really don't know," he said with mocking tone, "why Professor Umbridge dragged you in this office? You don't know that you have been breaking school's rules?"
"School's rules? No." Harry said.
Fudge started to get more and more annoyed: "So you don't know that there have been found illegal student group from the school?"
Harry denied once more.
"I think, Minister, that we should get our source of information." Umbridge suggested.
"Yes, yes. Go to get her." Fudge nodded and Umbridge left. "Nothing is better than good witness, don't you think Dumbledore?" Minister turned to Headmaster.
"Nothing, Cornelius." Dumbledore answered seriously.
They waited for a while and Umbridge arrived with Cho's long haired friend, Marietta.
"Don't be afraid little girl." Umbridge said softly and patted her back: "Everything is fine now. You have done the right thing. Minister is very happy with you. He will tell your mother how good girl you have been. Marietta's mother, Minister," she added to Fudge: "Is Madam Edgecombe."
"Very good, very good!" Fudge clapped his hands together. Everyone was now focused to Marietta so Harry had courage to glance at Ichigo. He was staring at Marietta as well, narrowing his eyes.
Harry startled and turned back to Marietta when he heard Fudge's yell.
Marietta's face was covered with red-bluish pustules which formed a word: "SNEAK". She hid her face but it was too late. Everyone had seen that horrible curse already.
"She didn't have time to tell much before that curse appeared, just that there was going to be some kind of meeting today. Then she saw her reflection from mirror and didn't talk anymore." Umbridge grimaced.
"Well, you did the right thing, girl, that you talked", Fudge said: "Could you tell me now who were there and what happened?"
Marietta didn't talk, she just shook her head with widen eyes.
"Can't we do anything about that curse?" Minister turned to Umbridge but she shook her head: "I couldn't find anything helpful yet."
Harry felt proud about Hermione's skills of cursing.
"But we don't need any more information from her." Umbridge smiled: "I can tell rest of things. Minister probably remembers when I told that Potter had seen group of students at the Hogsmeade…"
"And what do you have to confirm it's true?" MacGongall asked.
"I have a witness, Willy Widdershins. He was heavily bandaged at the moment but his hearing is in good condition. He had heard every word what Potter was spouting, and came here to report to me."
"Oh, so that's why he didn't get charged from toilet –case!" MacGongall asked with lifted eyebrows: "That's really interesting, so that's our legal system nowadays."
One of the paintings yelled something but he was ignored when Umbridge continued: "Besides, Ichigo Kurosaki saw them there as well." she chirped.
Harry turned to look at orange-haired man with amused expression. What? Had Ichigo told Umbridge that they were there? Why?
Ichigo had still that scowl on when he turned his gaze to Umbridge. Even she seemed to be startled how murderous that look was.
"Isn't that right? And oh", she turned to Fudge: "I didn't introduce you earlier, he is staff in this school and he has been great help with keeping students in line."
Fudge nodded approval.
"I told you, Dolores…" Ichigo said slowly, causing everyone to turn to him again.
"That I didn't see them. Yes, I visited that pub, but I had my own things to do so I didn't really pay attention to anything else. Unfortunately." he closed eyes.
"But Ichigo…" Umbridge tried persuading him.
"But Dolores…" Ichigo opened his eyes and tilted head: "If I knew something, I really would tell you, wouldn't I?" Heavy and dark atmosphere fell in to room and Ichigo narrowed his eyes once more.
"Ah, yes… Yes…" she coughed.
Minister was startled about whole conversation and he wasn't the only one. After short silence Fudge turned to Dumbledore: "So, even this you can't deny even with amazing fantasy-stories! Or are you suggesting that Willy was lying about Potter recruiting people to an illegal club?"
"No, I am not Cornelius." Dumbledore smiled: "But you know that groups weren't banned then. It was later on so Harry wasn't doing anything against rules at that time."
Fudge and Percy looked dumbfounded but Umbridge said: "Even if that wasn't illegal, it's been almost half of year since decree was put in action so every other meeting after that was illegal!"
"Well, do you have any evidence that there have been meetings?" Dumbledore watched her through his fingers.
"Evidence? Why is Miss Marietta here then?" Umbridge poked at Marietta.
"Oh, can you tell us about those meetings then, Marietta?" Headmaster turned to girl who had dreamy look on her face.
"Miss Edgecombe? Can you tell about these meetings? You can nod or shook your head, it won't make pimples worse."
For everyone's surprise, Marietta shook her head.
Umbridge frowned: "What? Seems that you didn't get the question: There have been those meetings, right?"
Marietta shook her head again.
"What do you mean with shaking your head, my dear?" Umbridge asked with her sweetest voice.
"Usually it means no", MacGongall said: "So there haven't been any meetings, Miss Edgecombe?" this time girl nodded.
"But in this evening there was a meeting!" Umbridge raged: "And Potter is leader, he is the leader. Isn't that right? Why are you shaking your head, girl?"
Professor Umbridge grabbed Marietta and started shaking her roughly. Dumbledore was immediately up and pointing his wand at Umbridge. Frog-woman jumped away from the girl, shaking hands like they had been burned.
"I can't let you mishandle the students, Dolores." Dumbledore said with angry voice for the first time.
"Now it might be best to calm down, Madam Umbridge." Kingsley said with his deep voice: "This is not a good situation to get in trouble."
"No…" she turned to Kingsley: "I mean, yes. Yes. I just lost my composure."
"But we are here for solid evidence we have!" she said proudly and took a paper from her pocket. Harry felt how blood disappeared from his face. The list of members.
"Good… Let me see…" Fudge took the paper and he almost dropped it.
"What the…" he breathed: "Do you see what name they have taken to their club? Dumbledore's Army."
Dumbledore leaned forward and took piece of parchment. He stared it for a while and smiled: "Oh well, game is over", he said simply: "Do you want a written confession, Cornelius or does statement with witnesses be enough?"
Kingsley and MacGongall exchanged glances and Ichigo's face darkened.
"Statement? What are you…" Fugde asked.
"Dumbledore's Army, Cornelius." Dumbledore said still smiling and showed parchment: "Not Harry's Army, Dumbledore's Army."
Understanding rose on Minister's face: "You?"
"Yes", Dumbledore said friendly.
"You did all this?"
"Yes, I recruited these students. Today we were supposed to meet first time. I wanted to see how many of them would join my side. I see that it was a mistake to ask Miss Edgecombe."
"Then you have been CUNNING AGAINST ME!" Fudge turned red.
"Yes I have", Dumbledore said happily.
"NO!" Harry roared. Ichigo turned his scowl at Harry, clearly warning him. Kingsley and MacGongall were the same. But Harry could not let it happen.
"No… Professor Umbridge!" Harry said but Dumbledore silenced him: "Harry. Keep quiet or you need to leave this office."
"Yeah, shut up Potter!" Minister Fudge grinned: "Well well well… When I came here today, I thought that I will expel Potter but…!"
"Yeah, you can arrest me." Dumbledore smiled.
"Weasley!" Fudge yelled: "Have you written every detail what has happened here today?"
"Yes, Minister, I think so, Minister!" Percy nodded.
"Good… Now, I will have you sent to Azkaban for this to wait legal process!" Fudge almost jumped up and down from the excitement.
"Ah, but there I see a little problem." Dumbledore said softly: "Yes, I thought that this problem would be in the way."
"What problem? I don't see any problem here, Dumbledore!" Minister said with gleeful voice.
"Well, I see. You seem to be living in belief that I will come with you without resistance. I don't have any reason to come willingly with you to Azkaban. I have plenty other things to do."
"What? Are you saying that you are going to defeat all of us alone?" Fudge mocked him. Dumbledore just lifted his eyebrows: "Oh yes, only if you make me to do that."
"GET HIM!"
There was a silvery flashing light and loud bang. Floor was shaking and MacGongall grasped Harry and Marietta on the ground. Someone yelled: "No!" there were few more bangs and then everything went silent.
"Are you okay?" Dumbledore asked.
"Yes we are!" MacGongall stood up with Harry and Marietta. When dust disappeared, Harry saw how the Umbridge, Minister Fudge, Kingsley, Percy and Dawlish lied on the ground. Ichigo walked closer them. He didn't even seem to be dusty.
"So you are leaving."
"Yes." Dumbledore nodded.
"I leave Hogwarts in your care."
Hope you enjoyed.