To my friend Ellie,
You were a wonderful person who gave me a kind word when I needed it. You helped make my time at college less stressful, and even introduced me to a few anime I might not have noticed. You never said anything bad about my stories, you even offered ideas.
Though we may have let months slip by without speaking, when we did, it was as if time and distance didn't matter.
I am glad I got to see you one last time. It's hard to believe you were gone three months after. It's even harder still to know you were gone and I'm only finding out now.
I miss you my friend. You were taken too young.
I hope you now know peace wherever you are.
Dedicated to Ellie Darling, 1983-2006
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chapter 13
The next morning the mood in the school was downbeat upon hearing of Azkaban. Many were pleased to hear that the Witch in Black had fought off and destroyed many Dementors.
Harry now stared across the table at Hermione and Pansy as they told the others about the new arrivals the night before during breakfast.
Hermione looked thoughtful for a moment after mentioning Arael Aida. "I know I've heard the name Arael before……" she muttered.
"Professor Kirishima and Mrs. Ikari don't like each other?" Harry asked, glancing towards the head table where the Professor and the three newcomers were sitting. Ron and Ginny looked patiently at Pansy and Hermione.
"Well they got along," Hermione said slowly, "About as well as Sirius and Snape did during the Order meetings."
"That's not saying much." Ron mumbled, "They hated each other. Dumbledore was the one that kept them apart."
Hermione nodded. "It looks like Miss Ikari and Mrs. Aida will be the ones keeping the peace between them."
"Or they'll be getting into the thick of it when it boils over." Pansy muttered.
Hermione looked at Pansy. "They're adults. They should know how to act."
"Might I remind you of your second year at Flourish and Blotts?" Pansy stated, "I seem to remember Mr. Weasley fighting Mr. Malfoy and Hagrid breaking them up."
"It wasn't exactly a fight……" Harry began.
Pansy turned her head sharply at Harry. "I don't even have to remind you how you got when Draco was around."
An irritated look appeared on Harry's face. But before he could say anything Pansy continued.
"You're proving my point now and all I had to do was mention his name." She said, "From what Dawn and Sayoko told me, Mana and Mrs. Ikari, though they act sociable, have huge grudges against the other."
"How big?" Ron asked.
"Big." Pansy replied, "To put in terms you'd understand, Harry and Draco fights are around House Elf size……"
"Hey!" Harry and Hermione both called out, but for different reasons.
"….then Mana and Mrs. Ikari fights are around giant size."
Everyone went silent and stared.
"That bad?" Harry asked.
"Maybe worse." Pansy replied with a shrug. "Dawn wasn't too specific, but she said their last fight ended in a draw when they put each other in the hospital for three months." Pansy frowned for a moment, "And I think it was due to something that Sayoko drew, or at least that's what Dawn said."
"Wait." Hermione suddenly said, "Ikari. Isn't that Sayoko's last name?"
Harry blinked.
"Hey, that's right." He said, "The map gave her name as Ikari." He then frowned, "But then how could Professor Kirishima be her mother?"
"Maybe Mr. Ikari cheated on Mrs. Ikari?" Ron suggested.
Pansy shook her head. "No. Sayoko told me that her Father and Asuka were happily married. I asked Dawn about it but she said there was no cheating involved, that it was very complicated and discussing it tended to give people headaches."
Everyone blinked at that.
"What could be so complicated about…" Hermione began before there was a loud pop and she vanished.
Harry blinked and turned to find Ron missing as well. When he looked over at Pansy, he found her staring at him with her eyes wide and mouth hanging open. Turning to Ginny, he found her much the same way. Matter of fact, the entire hall seemed to be staring at him in silence.
Frowning he looked down to find that, once again, he had breasts.
The Great Hall was now filled with roars of laughter.
Harry's eyes went wide as he looked over to Pansy.
"Hermione and Ron," he asked, cringing as he realized his voice sounded very feminine. "…….are they?"
Pansy turned and lifted up a very unhappy looking bushy haired cat. Seamus, who had been sitting beside Ron, was looking at a Cleansweep broom rather oddly.
"PUT ME DOWN!!!" came Ron's voice from the broom. "I CAN'T BELIEVE IT HAPPENED AGAIN!!!!!!"
Harry turned her eyes towards the head table, only to see Professor Kirishima and her friends coming towards them.
"I expect you and your friends to be in class on time Miss Potter." Kirishima stated as she walked by. Her friends only looked at the three transformed student oddly as they followed the Professor out the door. As soon as the door closed, the three turned back to normal.
Their faces now brilliant shades of red, Hermione, Ron, and Harry stared at each other as laughter continued to fill the Great Hall.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Yui, Asuka, and Arael looked quizzically at the smirking Kirishima.
"You want to explain that?" Yui asked, nodding back towards the Great Hall.
"Revenge." Kirishima replied. "Pure unadulterated revenge." She then turned her head towards Asuka. "Payback is a bitch." She then continued down the corridor.
"Asuka." Arael said softly, "Whatever you did, you'd better ask for forgiveness."
"But I haven't done anything to her!" Asuka shouted. She then looked thoughtful for a moment. "Well, nothing lately."
"Arael," Yui said, "We're keeping our distance from Mom."
"I agree." Arael replied.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Good afternoon class." Kirishima said with a huge grin on her face. "I hope you've all taken to heart this morning's object lesson: CONSTANT VIGILANCE!" She emphasized the last two words by pounding on her podium. She then followed the class' gaze as they collectively turned and snickered towards three very red students.
"Now then!" Kirishima turned and indicated the person standing behind her. "This is Arael Aida." Arael nodded to the class. "She will be the one to test your Occlumency skills."
Blaise Zabini then raised his hand.
"Yes Mister Zabini?" Kirishima asked.
"Ma'am," Zabini said, "Who are the two red heads?"
"They, Mister Zabini, are…." Kirishima started, looking over to where Asuka and Yui were standing. She stopped when she realized just how much space was between mother and child. Shaking her head, "They are here for Mrs. Aida. You are all aware these are dangerous times we live in."
"They're Aurors?" Seamus called out.
Kirishima's eye narrowed. "Hands!" she growled, "Ten points from Gryffindor. Yes, in a way they are Aurors."
"Now then!" Kirishima glared over her podium at the class. "This being Friday, I won't put you through the wringer as it were."
Harry noticed Mrs. Aida turn and give a Kirishima a slight frown. The frown looked oddly out of place on the woman.
"It also being a Hogsmeade weekend is a bonus." Kirishima continued, "I want you all nice and relaxed for next week. Starting on Monday, you will each enter my office with Mrs. Aida and we shall find out how well you've prepared. While this is going on, the rest of the class will continue to work on the report which is now due in twenty-five days!"
The class let out a moan.
"Now then! On to our next creature WHICH I will remind you IS on the NEWT exams: Cornish Pixies!"
"Oh no…." Harry moaned as visions of Lockheart flew through his head.
Apparently they went through Hermione's as well.
"You remember the spell I used?" she asked.
"Yep." Harry murmured.
"Me too." Pansy added.
"Twenty-five days…." Ron moaned.
The other three stared at Ron a moment, before shaking their heads.
"You know what is worse." Harry muttered.
"What?" Hermione asked. Pansy looked at him curiously.
"The fact that everyone is going to go insane regarding Monday." Harry pointed out, "Regardless it's a Hogsmeade weekend or not, everyone is going to be panicking about next week. Notice she didn't say who was going first."
Hermione's eyes widened.
"You're right!" she whispered, "That's….that's so….it's twisted! No one could be that twisted!"
"Don't be too sure about that." Pansy murmured.
"What the hell!" Kirishima suddenly shouted.
An owl had just flown in through the window. It dropped a letter off with Pansy, before taking off back out the window. Kirishima stared at the rapidly disappearing Owl for another moment, before giving Pansy a look.
Pansy shrugged and looked at the letter. Her eyes widened as she recognized the handwriting. She glanced back up at Kirishima who blinked, then resumed her lecture.
"What is it?" Harry whispered as Pansy opened the letter.
"It's from Draco." Pansy replied. Her eyes scanned the letter a moment. Her face then went pale.
"Oh no……" she murmured.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Snape looked up as Draco entered his chamber. Potions of all types bubbled and cooked around the room. Along the walls were cabinets full of vials and decanters of potions, as well as the ingredients to make them.
Snape turned his eyes back to potion boiling nicely before him.
"He's moving forward." Draco said softly once he was next to Snape.
"How soon?" Snape asked.
"Very. At least a week or so."
Snape's eyes widened. "That soon? But the preparations….."
"The Dark Lord will wait no more." Draco replied, "He wants to move forward, now."
Snape closed his eyes and sighed. When he opened them, he watched the potion bubble a moment.
"We'll have to send a letter immediately." He said, "They must know of the change in the timetable."
"Who must know?"
Draco and Snape whirled about to see Bellatrix standing just inside the chamber, closing the door behind her.
"Aunt Bella…" Draco began.
Bellatrix lifted her hand, cutting him off.
"Who must know of the Dark Lord's change in plans?" Bellatrix asked, her face oddly neutral.
Snape and Draco looked at each other nervously.
"Well…" Draco began, "You see…."
"Nephew." Bellatrix said, her eyes never leaving Draco's, "I know that you helped that Witch. Now tell me, is she who you're reporting to?"
"No." Snape stated, "He is corresponding with the Parkinson girl….."
"Who is a blood traitor and was to die by the orders of the Dark Lord." Bellatrix stated, "She was saved by the Witch. I assume Parkinson is then passing on the knowledge to the Witch?"
"I believe so." Snape said with a frown.
"Then I assume that you two are working together to stop the Dark Lord?"
Draco and Snape stared at Bellatrix with wide eyes. Both started to raise their wands, but Bellatrix raised hers, empty.
"I don't intend to stop you." She said, "In fact, I want to join up."
"WHAT!?!?!" Snape shouted, "Why?!?!"
Bellatrix sighed and sat down on a stool.
"That Witch did something to me." She replied, "It either made louder or woke up something I never had heard before." She looked up at the two Wizard's, "My conscience."
"You feel guilty." Snape murmured.
"Yes." Bellatrix replied, staring at her nephew a moment. "I do."
Draco looked at Snape a moment, before turning back to his Aunt.
"The Dark Lord has moved up the summoning." He said, "I was getting ready to send Pansy a letter about that. I'll include you in it as well."
Bellatrix nodded. "What about the Witch?"
"He plans on distracting her, or eliminating her before the summoning." Snape replied.
"I doubt he will be able to eliminate her." Bellatrix replied, "I got lucky."
"You're probably right about that." Snape noted, "In fact I believe that you are the only one to have fought her and lived, other then Draco."
"I didn't really fight her." Draco mumbled.
"You're alive though." Bellatrix pointed out, "And that's more then what other Death Eaters can say on even facing her." She stood up and walked closer to them. "Now, let's discuss what we can do to bring around the fall of the Dark Lord."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
At dinner that evening, Harry, Ginny, Hermione, Ron, and Pansy sat at the far end of the Gryffindor table, trying to put as much distance as they could between themselves, the head table, and Neville, as they could.
"Lestrange wants to help?" Ron hissed.
"Draco," Pansy replied, ignoring the look on Ron's face at the mention of Malfoy's name, "said she woke up and wants to help take out the Dark Lord."
"Probably wants to replace him." Ron grumbled.
"Ron!" Hermione hissed, before she looked at Pansy. "He could be right though."
"I know." Pansy said, "But Draco says she feels guilty about what she has done."
"Helping to take Voldemort down would earn her some points." Harry murmured, "If she and Draco can be trusted." Seeing the look on Pansy's face, Harry continued, "I know, he has giving us information which so far seems to be true. But Voldemort did trick me into going to the Ministry. I wouldn't put it past him to use Draco to do the same."
"I understand." Pansy replied.
Harry sighed and looked at the table a moment. He then glanced at Pansy and Ginny.
"Have you passed this on to her?" he asked.
Both girls shook their heads.
"You should." Harry stated, "She needs to know, even if it could be a trap." He then looked at Hermione. "How is the book coming?"
Hermione looked at Pansy before replying.
"Even with two of us working on it, we haven't gotten far." Hermione said.
Pansy then spoke up. "I think Hermione said it best when she said we need a Rosetta stone."
"There is just nothing in there that looks familiar to us." Hermione said, "It's possible there are only a few who could read it, or it's simply a dead language and means nothing anymore."
"Kirishima had it." Harry pointed out, "And she did say we should study it."
"And we're trying Harry." Hermione replied, "But it's almost impossible."
"Maybe I could take a look." Harry said, "Fresh head an all that."
Hermione waved her hand. "Anything is worth a shot at this…"
She was cut off as the doors to the Great Hall opened, admitting the Minister of Magic Rufus Scrimgeor, Percy Weasley, and several Aurors. The group headed towards the front of the hall amidst the muttering the students.
"What do you reckon he wants?" Ron asked.
"Probably the same thing he wanted at Dumbledore's funeral." Harry replied.
McGonagall and Scrimgeor were soon involved in a rather heated argument.
"Harry." Pansy said softly.
"What?"
"Look at Mana…..I mean Professor Kirishima."
Harry glanced at the DADA professor. She had been quietly talking to her friends, but was now glaring at the Minister. It was obvious the Minister hadn't noticed the glare. Had she done that to a student, they might have fallen to their knees, begging for mercy.
"What does she have against the Minister?" Hermione asked.
Pansy shifted slightly.
"She disagrees with several of his attempts at security." She replied, "As well as the fact he……was rather vocally against her being my guardian."
"Who did he have in mind?" Ginny asked.
"Umbridge."
The four Gryffindors immediately had a new reason to dislike the Minister.
McGonagall closed her eyes and seemed to nod with whatever the Minister was saying. He and Percy immediately seemed rather smug, not a good sign. They immediately turned and headed to where Harry was sitting, the Aurors and McGonagall trailing behind.
"Well Mr. Potter." Scrimgeor said with a smile, "It's good to see you well during these dark times."
"Minister." Harry said with a nod of greeting.
"We need to have a little chat." The Minister continued, "And the Headmistress has graciously allowed us the use of her office."
Harry could tell from the look on her face that McGonagall had been anything but gracious about it.
"Of course Minister." Harry said, "But could a Professor be present as well? Just to watch out for my interests."
Scrimgeor hesitated a moment, before nodding. "Of course Mr. Potter. I'm sure the Headmistress….."
"Actually sir." Harry interrupted, causing both Scrimgeor and Percy to frown. "I had a different Professor in mind."
Scrimgeor and Percy looked at Harry curiously. Even McGonagall seemed to think he'd lost his mind.
"Which one would that be?" Scrimgeor asked, his head turning slightly to where Hagrid was sitting.
"Professor Kirishima."
The Minister and his Junior Undersecretary both paled. A glance at the Headmistress showed that she was fighting to keep from smiling. At the Head table, Kirishima had a very evil grin on her face as she rose to her feet and walked unnoticed by the Minister towards Harry, swaying her hips as she went.
"Merlin," Scrimgeor muttered, "Not that woman again."
"Aww but Minister," Kirishima said when she reached the table, causing both the Minister and Percy to cringe. "I thought you liked our little talk?" The Minister got even whiter.
"Professor Kirishima…." Scrimgeor began before Kirishima held a finger up, halting him.
"My students and colleagues may call me that." She stated, "My friends call me Mana. Since you are neither, it's Lady Kirishima to you."
"Yes um…very well Lady Kirishima….uh…" Scrimgeor turned and looked at Harry. "Come Mr. Potter. Let's go have our talk."
Harry stood up, then moved beside Kirishima, much to Scrimgeor's displeasure. He then headed out of the Great Hall with Kirishima beside him, followed by McGonagall ('It is my office after all' she stated when Scrimgeor had given her a look), the Minister and his group.
"Pansy." Ginny asked.
"Yes Ginny?"
"What exactly did Kirishima do to the Minister?"
"Well," Pansy began, "It wasn't so much what she did as what she said."
"Which was?" Hermione asked.
"She threatened to hex a part of the male anatomy to the point that medical science would never be able to put it right if he didn't, and I quote, 'pull Weasley's nose out of your ass and let me be Pansy's Guardian'."
Ron went pale while Ginny and Hermione looked horrified.
"She threatened the Minister!?" Hermione gasped.
"Well he deserved it." Pansy explained, "I mean, I was a complete wreck during the hearing. My parents had only been killed days before. Mana had been with me the entire time and she was much more understanding then Umbridge." Pansy then grinned. "The best part was after she was granted custody of me. As she left, she hexed Weasley's nose brown."
Ginny and Ron roared with laughter. Even Hermione had to admit that was funny.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The group arrived in McGonagall's office. The Headmistress sat down behind her desk. Kirishima seemed to be staring at Dumbledore's portrait, which was still asleep. Scrimgeor sat down in one of the chairs before McGonagall's desk, Harry took the other. Percy moved to stand behind the Minister.
"Well Mr. Potter." Scrimgeor began, "I'd like to speak with you again about the offer I made a year ago."
"My answer still hasn't changed sir." Harry replied.
Scrimgeor's face seemed to darken. "I'm sure you're aware on what's going on out there Harry. There is a war going on."
"I believe that I'm up to date on current events." Harry replied.
Kirishima let out a snicker which caused Scrimgeor and Percy to glare at her. The Minister then returned his gaze to Harry.
"Weasley…" The Minister called out.
"Think about what you're doing Potter." Percy said, "You are withholding information from the rightful authorities during a time of war! You could go to jail!"
"I highly doubt it would help the Minister's image by sending me to Azkaban." Harry noted. That got another snicker from Kirishima.
Percy glared at the DADA professor, then looked back to Harry.
"All we want is your help in showing the public that the Minister is winning this war."
Kirishima started coughing, thought to Harry it sounded more like 'bullshit' to his ears. McGonagall was once again struggling to maintain a straight face.
"Lady Kirishima." Percy said, "Must you disrupt us?"
"Hmm?" Kirishima glanced over her shoulder. "Sorry. I think I must have caught a chill. It is a rather cold castle isn't Minerva?"
"Yes." McGonagall replied, "It can be at times Mana."
Kirishima smiled back at Percy. "By the way, you know that there's a speck of brown on your nose?"
Percy's hand immediately went to his nose. Scrimgeor glanced at his Junior Undersecretary, then back to Harry.
"I am well aware that you know more then you are telling us." He stated, "If need be, I can force you to reveal your secrets."
"Try that," Kirishima stated in a voice that sent chills down Harry and McGonagall's spines, "And I can assure you that you will not like what follows."
Percy's eyes went wide while the Minister rose to his feet.
"That Madam," he said grimly, "Could be considered a threat."
"Think of it as free advice." Kirishima replied, the coldness never leaving her voice. "Advice that, if not listened to, may result in great misfortune to those that ignore it."
"There are Aurors stationed outside this office." Scrimgeor growled, "Fully able to take you into custody."
"There were Aurors in this very office," Kirishima snapped back, "That were unable to take Dumbledore into custody. What makes you think those outside are any better?"
"You are hardly Albus Dumbledore." Scrimgeor retorted.
Kirishima only smirked. "Maybe I'm better."
The two glared at each other, before the Minister finally flinched.
"I hope you think about my offer carefully Harry." Scrimgeor stated as he left the office. "Come Weasley."
Kirishima made kissy noises as Percy walked past her.
When the door closed McGonagall let out a sigh.
"It's not wise to annoy the Minister Mana." She said sternly.
"Yeah," Kirishima replied, "by my age I should know better shouldn't I?" She then turned and looked at Harry. "Come on Harry. I'll escort you back to the dorms. Don't think you need Filch bothering you to end your day."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The two left the gargoyle and headed in the direction of the Gryffindor tower.
"Professor?" Harry asked.
"Hmm?"
"I have my reasons, but why don't you like the Minister?"
Kirishima was quiet for a moment.
"It's rather hard to say." She began, "He is doing more against the Death Eaters then Fudge, but….." She sighed. "I personally don't believe he's doing enough. Many of the Death Eaters were able to walk free, even after you named them, while innocents were tossed in prison just because of a suspicion. It's not that I hate him, but that what he represents is corrupted." Kirishima looked at Harry. "The Ministry as you know it needs to change."
"I agree." Harry replied as he thought of everything that Fudge and Umbridge had done to him in his fifth year. Another thought then occurred to him. "Professor, what happened to Peeves?"
Kirishima stopped dead in her tracks.
"What about him?" she asked slowly.
Harry turned and looked at her.
"He hasn't been seen since……you know."
Kirishima smiled. "I have excellent powers of persuasion." She replied with a wink. "How else do you think I got custody of Pansy."
Harry's eyes widened. Kirishima's grin got bigger and she resumed walking down the corridor, swinging her hips as she did so.
"I like this place." She said as they walked. "It's mysterious, and yet, there's a warm welcoming feel to it."
"There are times I actually think of Hogwarts as home." Harry said, "It's my escape from the Dursleys."
Kirishima's face fell into a frown.
"Tell me Harry." She said softly, "Are they as bad as I've heard?"
"Depends on what you heard." Harry replied, "When asked, I've said it wasn't as bad as they thought. If you ask Ron, Hermione, or even Ginny, they'll say it was worse."
"The cupboard?"
"Until I went to Hogwarts." Harry replied, "When I returned, I got a bedroom."
Kirishima's face was unreadable.
"No one." She whispered, "Should experience such things as a child."
When they reached the portrait of the Fat Lady, Kirishima paused and turned to face him.
"I'm not going to sugar-coat this Harry." She said softly, "From this point on, it's going to get worse. Much worse."
"How do you know it's going to get worse?" Harry asked.
"It always does." Kirishima replied, "It's always darkest just before the dawn." She placed her hands on his shoulders. "Remember, you have something Voldemort doesn't."
Harry looked at her curiously. The prophecy went through his mind, most especially the line '……he will have power the Dark Lord knows not…….'.
"Friends Harry. You have friends that want to protect you as much as you want to protect them." Kirishima smiled. "Watch out for them Harry, and they'll watch out for you." She removed her hands from him. "Now go to bed. It's a Hogsmeade weekend. Someone will likely want your company tomorrow." The Professor turned and headed off down the corridor.
Harry watched her for a moment, before uttering the password and entering the Gryffindor Tower.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Harry started towards the boy's dormitories when a voice stopped him.
"Hey Harry."
Harry turned to see Hermione and Pansy sitting at the table in the corner of the Common room. He walked towards them.
"What are you two doing up?" he asked.
Hermione glanced over at Pansy. Pansy pulled a book from the tabletop and flipped it open to a certain page, then she looked up at him.
"'Hairs from a set of doublets'." She stated.
"My wand?" Harry asked.
Hermione pointed at the book in Pansy's hands.
"Read it Harry." She said softly.
Harry gently took the book from Pansy's hands and glanced at the page.
'Doublet Rule
An ancient ritual, used by the Wizarding families of old to end disputes between them. The act bonds two souls together. When one falls, the bonded falls as well.
In addition, a memory charm was typically engaged upon completion of the ritual, preventing the parties from remembering their bonded.
This ritual fell into disuse during the 1500s and is considered a Dark Art by the Ministry of Magic.'
Harry looked up at the two witches. Both were waiting his response.
"So if I read this right." Harry said, "Wizard's would bond with their enemy, in order to end the fighting."
"Pretty much." Pansy replied, "Even without the memory charm, you couldn't kill a member of the opposing side without risking killing your mother, father, brother, you get the idea."
Harry pulled out his new wand and stared at it.
"So my wand has the hairs from such a pair?" he asked.
Hermione nodded.
"They must be very powerful," Harry noted, "if the wand is any indication."
"If they're even alive." Hermione noted, "That ritual hasn't been performed in over four hundred years."
"That we know of." Pansy said, raising a finger, "We all know that many things do slip past the Ministry."
Harry nodded. He closed the book and set it down on the table.
"Thank you for telling me." He said.
Pansy nodded, "Hermione and I thought you should know." The Slytherin looked down at the floor a moment, then pulled out a piece of parchment. "I received this earlier." She handed him the parchment.
Opening it, Harry read what it said.
'To SP and GP
Azkaban is a real Garden spot. Remind me never to visit it again. Inform DP she owes me big time in your next letter.
Sincerely,
VB'
"You know," Harry grumbled, "These abbreviations are really getting to me. Who is VB?"
"Don't know." Pansy replied.
"It does reveal something important though Harry." Hermione said.
"That someone likes playing spy?"
"No." Hermione replied shaking her head, "Whoever VB is, they were at Azkaban when the Death Eaters attacked."
"So?"
"Harry." Hermione growled with a glare. "Unless VB is either a Death Eater or an Auror, she is the Witch in Black."
Harry blinked. "I thought that was DP?"
"But what if DP was the one that fought Bellatrix?"
Harry stared at Hermione for several long minutes.
"Are you saying," he asked slowly, "that there are two Witches in Black?"
"Possibly."
"Identical twins?"
Hermione shrugged.
"This means that Kirishima could be the Witch In Black."
"She couldn't lie under Verisatum."
Harry sat down in a chair.
"I am so confused now."
"Welcome to the club." Pansy replied.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Are you going soft?"
Kirishima stumbled slightly as the voice, but continued walking. From the shadows of the corridor, Asuka Ikari stepped out and matched Kirishima's pace.
"I listened to you all the way from the Headmistress' office." Asuka continued, "I don't remember you having such pleasant conversations with students before."
"That was years ago." Kirishima said softly, "And I'll have you know some students here do believe I'm the teacher from hell."
Asuka smirked. "Some. Not all of them. You are losing your touch."
Kirishima stopped walking, then turned to face Asuka.
"Look Sohryu," the Professor growled, using Asuka's maiden name, something the red head absolutely hated. "It wasn't my plan for Shinji to come to the Yule Ball. That was Yoko's doing. Shinji asked me to dance with him. That was his doing. I asked him if you were alright with it, and he told me yes." She started down the corridor, Asuka following right beside her.
"I'm tired Asuka." Kirishima said softly, "I'm tired of fighting you. I'm tired of arguing. I'm tired of defending myself. I'm flat out tired of it." She pointed at her chest. "I will always have a place for him here. Time hasn't changed that and never will. You'll just have to get used to the idea that there is someone out there that loves your husband as much as you do."
Asuka stared at Kirishima.
"What brought that on Mana?" she asked.
Kirishima walked to the window and looked out. Asuka followed.
"Somewhere out there is a Dark Lord bent on ruling the entire Wizarding world." Kirishima said softly, "He killed hundreds the first time around, who knows how many will die in the months to come."
Asuka looked at the Professor curiously.
"You talk like you aren't going to survive this."
"Maybe I won't." Kirishima replied.
"But you….."
Kirishima turned to face Asuka.
"There are limits to what I can and can't do." She said, "You know what needs to occur for things to change in my favor. You were there when I talked to Belldandy. I may not be bound to it, but I will not break my word with Albus Dumbledore."
Asuka's face was unreadable.
"Even if it kills you?" The red heads voice was almost a whisper.
"Yes." Kirishima said, "Even if it kills me."
"And your kids?"
Kirishima froze. Asuka waited a moment, before continuing.
"There's always a chance one or the other could die."
Mana closed her eyes.
"I know." She replied, her voice barely a whisper, "And they both are willing as well."
"Why?"
"They're good kids Asuka. Damn good kids." Kirishima replied, "They've survived everything that's been thrown at them since the age of eleven and it's forced them to grow up quickly. I'm trying to give them something back. A future." She looked Asuka right in the eye. "You of all people should understand what they've gone through, and the childhood they've lost."
Kirishima then turned on her heel and headed down the corridor, leaving Asuka alone at the window with her thoughts.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The next day found Harry, Ginny, Hermione, and Ron walking down from the castle into Hogsmeade. Clearly visible around the village were Aurors, giving the students some feeling of security.
"So where to?" Ron asked, "Honeydukes?"
"Don't you get enough sweets from Fred and George?" Hermione asked.
"But it's Honeydukes." Ron protested, as if that was the answer to everything.
"How about we go to the Three Broomsticks for a butterbeer and we decide after?" Harry asked.
Ron perked up at the mention of the pub frequented by most of Hogwarts.
Though he might also have been thinking of Madam Rosmerta.
The four entered the pub and found themselves a table in the corner. Madam Rosmerta came by and they ordered a round of Butterbeers.
"So what do you three plan on doing after this year?" Ginny asked softly.
Harry moved his fingers over his bottle of butterbeer, wiping the condensation away.
"I still want to go to Godric's Hollow." He replied, "Then we'll go to Grimmauld Place"
"Why there?" Ginny asked.
Harry glanced at Ron and Hermione. Neither were meeting his face. Harry looked back to Ginny.
"We need to look up a few things in the library there." Harry explained, "The Blacks were Dark Wizards and might have information we can use to defeat Voldemort."
The three flinched at the name of the Dark Lord.
"I want to help Harry." Ginny stated.
"Ginny…."
Ginny shook her head. "No Harry. You can't use that 'You'll be safer away from me' bit again. No where in England is going to be safe until You-Know-Who is gone."
"She has a point Harry." Hermione said softly, "You can't really ask everyone to leave the island until he's dead."
Harry smiled slightly, "Think if I asked nicely they would?"
"Very doubtful."
"….did you say to Asuka last night? She's not acting normal."
"You mean she's not being a complete bitch?"
The four turned to see that Professor Kirishima had sat down at a nearby table with Arael Aida. Neither women noticed the four students.
"Really Mana." Arael said, "She isn't always a bitch. Not to me anyway."
"You mean not recently." Kirishima pointed out.
"No." Arael's eyes narrowed, "She has never been that way with me. Ever."
"Then who was……?"
"Misato."
"Ah."
The two women fell silent as Madam Rosmerta approached them.
You know Harry." Hermione said, "The way our grades are turning out, you could become an Auror after all."
"I've been thinking about that." Harry said, "And I decided I really didn't want to be one anymore."
"What?" Ron sat up, "Why not?"
"Ron," Ginny said, "Harry has been fighting Dark Wizards since he started school. Do you really think he's going to want to continue doing that?"
"Well he's good at it."
Ginny sighed.
"Ron," Harry said, "If I defeat him, I'll worry about what to do then."
"What do you mean if?" Ginny growled, "You will defeat You-Know-Who."
"She's right Harry." Hermione said, "You need to think positive."
"Anything from Sayoko?" they heard Kirishima ask Arael.
"Just a brief, 'you'll never believe what I found' message." Arael replied, "And no, it wasn't him." Arael then frowned, "Speaking of Sayokos, I have a bone to pick with you regarding Yoko."
"What did she do now?" Kirishima asked with a sigh.
"A few days after Christmas, I developed a rather serious nosebleed." Arael's eyes narrowed further, "Followed by turning into a yellow canary. You wouldn't have any idea how she did this now would you?"
The four students were trying very hard not to laugh as they heard Kirishima's head hit the tabletop with a loud thud. She followed it up with several more softer thuds as she proceeded to hit her head on the table repeatedly. It was during this that Pansy entered the pub and approached the table Kirishima and Arael were sitting at. She nodded at her friends sitting nearby, then sat down at Kirishima's table.
"Mana, Arael." She said in greeting. "Mana, why are you hitting your head on the table?
"Therapeutic." Kirishima mumbled, "And it's either this or I hit my head against the wall."
"But….why?"
"Yoko is spreading the candy around."
Arael's eyes widened.
"Candy?" she asked, "But Yoko didn't give me any candy."
Mana looked up confused. "She didn't?"
"No."
"Did Dawn?"
"No."
"Cayla?"
"No."
"Then who?"
"Well…." Arael shifted slightly, "Yoko apparently gave them to a man who runs a certain Council, and only his Daughter seemed to be immune from the effects."
Kirishima's eyes widened.
"'He' gave them to the Council!??!" she asked, stunned.
"And me…" Arael murmured, "I think he sent them to your Aunt and Grandmother as well."
Kirishima turned to Pansy.
"Pansy," she said with pleading eyes, "Turn your wand on me and make me a slug or something. I do not want to call home anytime soon."
Pansy stared at Kirishima flabbergasted.
"Who do you think 'He' is?" Hermione wondered.
"Well Kirishima is from America." Harry pointed out, "Maybe someone on some kind of Wizarding council there."
"The way they're talking about him he must be important." Ginny said.
Before anyone could add more, screams were heard form outside. Everyone in the Three Broomsticks looked towards the windows with obvious concern.
That concern was justified as someone at the door screamed.
"DEATH EATERS!!!!"