Author's Note: Whelp, there's a lot in this chapter... And it's... very... strange.
Disclaimer: I hereby do and disclaim all rights to Harry Potter and Hetalia.
IMPORTANT! Underlined text is speaking in another language!
Instantly, Arthur tensed. "W-what about them?" he asked, paling considerably.
"I wish to repay you all for your help," Kiku closed his eyes, choosing to ignore the Englishman's question for later. "I have learned some interesting… things that will probably concern not just Arthur-kun's, but all magic communities around the world."
Kiku's eyes flashed open. "Voldemort is still alive. From what I've been told, Harry-san still has much to do if we are to get rid of the Dark Lord for good. I've been asked to protect him… Arthur-kun, with your permission, I am completely willing to protect the boy."
"W-WH-WHAT?" Romania shrieked, his arms almost choking Kiku in his grasp.
Kiku shushed him and squirmed out of the hug. "Calm down," Kiku said soothingly. "I… I know this must be quite a shock to you all, really, but I just can't stand back and do nothing."
"A shock?" England threw his arms up hysterically. "That's the understatement of the century!"
Lukas shook Arthur's shoulders. "Snap out of it."
"Ha! 'Snap out of it'! How the bloody hell are you so nonchalant about this?" England yelled at the Norwegian.
Lukas's eyes flickered dangerously. "I'm not," he growled. "I just know that we can't do much about it now. The only thing we can do is plan for what is to come from this point on. Unlike the last time Voldemort was out and about, Kiku is offering his help, and if you weren't busy panicking, you'd know that this is probably for the best."
Arthur glared at him. Taking several deep breaths, he slowly calmed himself. "I see… Please continue," he sighed, waving his hand as a gesture to 'get it over with'.
"Hai…" Kiku nodded, waiting to make sure that everyone was listening. "As I was saying, I am very thankful for everything you all have done for me. I wish to take this opportunity to help you all. If I may, Arthur-kun, I will protect Harry-san and watch over him in times of trouble. We are roommates- I'm certain I'll be able to watch over him without him even knowing."
Norway hummed thoughtfully. "So, how long do you think this'll take?"
Kiku stiffened slightly. "… As long as Harry-san needs me."
"In other words, you don't know…" Norway sighed, slumping in his seat and running a hand through his blonde locks. "I suppose we should be thankful for this…"
Romania perked up, "Yeah, I mean, we couldn't've asked for a better time for Kuro to show up," he smiled, then paused, turning towards the only Asian in the room. "Er, no offense… But, if you weren't here already, who knows what might've happened without us knowing!"
"I understand." Kiku told him. "… Arthur-kun?"
"… Just do it," he said, dropping his head into his hands. "It's not like it can make things any worse…"
"But it will cost you," Japan warned him, making sure that England knew what he was getting into. "I cannot guarantee how long this will take- there are too many variables."
"I know that already!" England pounded his fist on the table. "It's Voldemort we're talking about here! The man's absolutely unpredictable! The last time he was on a rampage, he did so many terrible things- to muggles and Wizards alike. He makes me sick," the blonde added extra venom to his words. "The things he's done are unforgivable. I can't allow him to do that to the world again. Never again."
The English gentleman took some more deep breaths in order to compose himself. "… You have my permission."
"Then I will do my best," Kiku bowed in thanks.
"Yeah, and you can count on me to keep his secret!" Luna chimed in for the first time during that whole conversation.
"That's not my name!" Sir Nicholas de Mimsy Porpington hollered down the halls at the gaggle of fifth year Gryffindors. "I'm not 'Nearly Headless Nick!" he cried out once again. "It's Sir Nicholas de Mimsy Porpington!"
The fifth years paid him no mind, however, and continued on their merry way and telling jokes that Nicholas did not find amusing. He'd heard all of them before- over the years people tend to recycle jokes and tricks.
"History really does repeat itself," he mused sadly. "Oh, what is there for a ghost to do in this world? Times may have changed, but people haven't- I've seen and heard all of this before. After so long, this all gets boring… I doubt that there's anything out there that can surprise me anymore…" Sir Nicholas de Mimsy Porpington glided down the now-empty hallway gloomily.
All of a sudden, he heard something- light, soft whimpers and… was that weeping?
Now, his first thought was that Moaning Myrtle came out of her restroom, but, as he neared the source of the noise, he realized that it sounded much, much different than the whiny girl. Of course, it still sounded like a girl- just… different. Younger, maybe?
Sir Nicholas de Mimsy Porpington rounded the corner, spotting something curled up into a ball nearby the windowsill. "Who's there?" he called.
The small girl looked up from her spot, tears running down her face. She didn't say anything, only whimpering as she watched him cautiously.
"Erm, hello there," Nicholas greeted her awkwardly, studying her face curiously. The lighting in the hall was poor and the sun was setting on the other side of the building, the moon just starting to peek above the horizon. Even in the darkness he could tell that she was pale- paler than any normal person- and that she was young- probably around eight? Seven? She was also of Asian descent- Chinese, possibly? - and wore clothing similar to that of…
"Oh, what's the lad's name? Kip? Kiko? No…" he glided closer subconsciously. "What's that transfer student's name…? Wait a moment- are the rumors true? Did he really turn into a girl? If only I could remember that name!" the Gryffindor ghost kept getting closer to the girl.
"Oh, yes! I remember now!" he thought to himself joyously. "Ah, Kiku, my boy, what seems to be the problem?"
Instead of the calm, well-mannered response he expected, the Gryffindor ghost got an earful of rapid Japanese.
"You know where my Master is? Can you take me to him, please?" the girl begged him, practically throwing herself at him. "I must watch over him- I lost sight of him and now I've lost my way in this labyrinth of a castle!"
"K-Kiku? Goodness! What's happened?" Sir Nicholas de Mimsy Porpington inquired, trying to find out what was wrong with his housemate. "… Kiku?"
"Yes, I need to find Master Country! Can you lead me to him?" the girl pleaded again, grasping his sleeve tightly.
"She can touch me…" and that's when it registered. "She's a ghost just like me…" Upon closer inspection, he could also see through her- even though she seemed to be slightly less transparent than other ghosts.
The girl started to beg again. "Sir? Sir? Can you help me? I must find my Master Kiku!"
"Well then," he thought to himself. "I'm not sure what she's saying, but I'm picking up 'Kiku'… Maybe he knows her?"
"Sir? Sir?" the girl seemed to be panicking.
Knowing words would be useless with the language barrier, he grabbed her arm and nodded slowly. He led her down the hallway towards the Gryffindor common room.
"Kiku? Are you here, boy?" he called out as he searched through the dorms, gaining some weird looks from the students. "Has anyone seen Kiku?"
Everyone he asked told him the same thing: No.
"…" Sir Nicholas de Mimsy Porpington should've known that it wouldn't be that easy. "Does anyone know a translation spell?"
"I do," Percy Weasley declared proudly. "What language do you need?"
"I'm guessing Japanese…" Nicholas sighed- he didn't even know if the girl was really speaking Japanese or not. "Well, it's something Asian, as far as I can tell."
"Alright, one translation spell coming up!" Percy said happily (-it wasn't every day that the 'all-knowing ghosts' needed help with something). He quickly flicked his wand at the girl. "There you go."
The ghost-girl blinked. "Huh? What is this? Why can I understand you all now? Sir? Sir? Where is my Master?"
Once again, this girl managed to surprise him. "Your… Master?"
"Yes, my dear Master! I have been looking for him. I saw him a few days ago, and then I got lost in the turns of the castle! I was all alone until you found me," the girl explained.
"So, Kiku's your 'Master'…" Sir Nicholas de Mimsy Porpington inferred. "This is… different. I wonder how she'll react when she sees her 'Master' is a she instead of a he."
"Yes, I must find him. I must!" the small girl told him.
"Er, don't worry, Kiku'll be here any moment now, I'm sure," Nicholas calmed her. "Now then, why don't you tell us about yourself?"
"Eh? Me?" the girl asked incredulously, pointing at herself. "Why? I do not know anything about you, and why would you want to know anything about me? I have not had a discussion with anyone since…" she trailed off, biting her lip.
"Since when?" Nicholas pried.
"…" the girl loosened the hold on her lip. "You tell me of yourself first."
"Very well…" he nodded, straightening his back. "Would you like to hear the ballad or the normal version?"
The girl was hesitant in answering, "… Tell me your name and then do the ballad."
"Alright… My name is Sir Nicholas de Mimsy Porpington," he said, clearing his throat for his song. "Ahem…
It was a mistake any wizard could make
Who was tired and caught on the hop
One piffling error, and then, to my terror,
I found myself facing the chop.
Alas for the eve when I met Lady Grieve
A-strolling the park in the dusk!
She was of the belief I could straighten her teeth
Next moment she'd sprouted a tusk.
I cried through the night that I'd soon put her right
But the process of justice was lax;
They'd brought out the block, though they'd mislaid the rock
Where they usually sharpened the axe.
Next morning at dawn, with a face most forlorn,
The priest said to try not to cry,
"You can come just like that, no, you won't need a hat,"
And I knew that my end must be nigh.
The man in the mask who would have the sad task
Of cleaving my head from my neck,
Said "Nick, if you please, will you get to your knees,"
And I turned to a gibbering wreck.
"This may sting a bit" said the cack-handed twit
As he swung the axe up in the air,
But oh the blunt blade! No difference it made,
My head was still definitely there.
The axeman he hacked and he whacked and he thwacked,
"Won't be too long", he assured me,
But quick it was not, and the bone-headed clot
Took forty-five goes 'til he floored me.
And so I was dead, but my faithful old head
It never saw fit to desert me,
It still lingers on, that's the end of my song,
And now, please applaud, or you'll hurt me. (JKR)"
When he was done with his song, the common room was filled with applause. "Thank you, thank you," he said, bowing down to the audience. "Now then," he turned to the girl. "It's your turn."
"Yes, Yes, Sir," she told him, waving her hand nonchalantly. "My name is Chikako. I am afraid I do not have a song for you, but I can still tell you some things about myself. I grew up in a small fishing village. My dad was a merchant, so my family was fairly well off. I died long ago and some kind demons… Master?!" she cried out hysterically, pointing to the doorway.
"Nani?" Kiku asked from the entryway. "What's going on?"
"Master Kiku! What has happened? Why are you like that?" Chikako ran up to Kiku and attempted to tackle him. Unfortunately, she forgot that she was a ghost, and so, instead of tackling him, she ran right through him.
Once he was recovered from his shock, Kiku ran to the other side of the room. "W-Who are you?"
Chikako looked sad. "Ah, yes, Master would not remember me… But I certainly remember Master."
"Who are you? How did you find me? Why are you here?" Kiku asked her in Japanese.
"I am Chikako, a friend of yours and the demons in the woods… I found you because I was in the house when you were talking to the one with thick eyebrows," the ghost explained.
Kiku almost snickered at England's description. "You mean England-kun?"
"Yes, Master Country; England-kun. I have no intention of harming you. I come as a warning," she said. "But I also must watch over Master Country as well."
"A warning? From who?" Kiku inquired. "And on whose orders are you watching me?"
"Yes, a warning. The ones in the woods wish to talk to you. I am here on my own free will."
Kiku raised an eyebrow. "Demons?"
"Yes. They wish to talk to you."
Ahahahaha~! By the way, 'Chikako' is my version of the little girl/ghost-thing from the episode where England is hanging out with Japan. Don't worry- she won't become a major character. Instead, she'll just be there for... well, you'll have to find out.
Ah... There wasn't much Luna in this chapter for some reason... Oh well...
Oh, and also, the ballad that Nearly Headless Nick sang was, in fact, written by JKR- so that belongs to her.
R&R
~Dark Side of the Moon