Mystic Knight Online

by jgkitarel

The magical world isn't as ignorant of muggles as it seems, and Lucius Malfoy has an idea on how to get Harry out of his way. Now Harry is in Japan and trapped in a virtual world of swords. Cut off from his friends and allies, and what he knew, he has to make new ones and get used to an illusory world that has become all too real. Welcome, to SAO Harry. Do try to survive.

26. Outside 3

Mystic Knight Online

Outside Perspectives 3

June 21, 2023 - England, Aboard the Hogwarts Express

Hermione looked out the window pensively, not seeing the scenery pass her by as the train continued on its path back to King's Cross Station. What she had watched yesterday had been an unpleasant shock to her system, to everyone's systems really.

They had thought it to be more along the lines of a simple confrontation and argument, perhaps some punches thrown. Instead, they watched as Harry dueled Lind in a manner that showed that he could have ended it right then and there, but didn't. It was as if he wasn't taking it seriously. No, as if he was taking it only as seriously as necessary to avoid killing Lind.

No, it was what happened afterward when Harry decided that the fight was over that bothered her. Harry had been so focused on the confrontation in front of him that he, and by extension them, had missed two players ambushing Silica. When Silica called out, everyone noticed what was going on.

The moment one of them made a move to attack Silica again, the lethal intent behind the move apparent to all of them, Harry acted.

One moment, he was too far away to get to her in time, the next, he was separating the attacking player's arm and head from his body. The sheer suddenness of it, the fact that Harry had so quickly and coldly killed someone… everyone watching was stunned into silence.

The following fight, as the associates of that player came out of hiding, was as confusing as it was violent. They all came after him, Silica, and Lind with lethal intent, and Harry responded in kind. There was none of the Harry that they had seen present then, only someone who moved and fought with grim and lethal determination.

Every strike delivered was delivered with one singular purpose. To do unto those attacking him before they did unto him or those with them. He had killed three more people in the fight, and the number of attackers he sent flying, their bodies going in one direction, an arm or leg going another… well, she lost track of the number.

It wouldn't have surprised her if some had simply healed up with an item and jumped back into the fight, only to have the same happen to them again, and again, and again.

That… that was not the Harry Potter she, any of them really, knew. That wasn't the shy boy she had befriended, the one who disliked his fame. That wasn't the somewhat indifferent student who only did enough to pass his classes, was crazy about flying and Quidditch, and seemed to have a reckless disregard for his own safety that made him so stereotypically a Gryffindor. In other words, the Harry who disappeared, the one who they watched in SAO.

Until yesterday.

The Harry she saw in that recording, the one who fought with such cold and deadly fury, was as different from the Harry she knew as there could be, while still being the same person. As if he was able to turn that aspect on or off. Or, perhaps, he always had that, but had kept it firmly in check.

And as soon as the fighting ended and he saw that they were relatively safe, he then saw to everyone else, making sure that they were all right, helping Silica gather herself after she had an emotional breakdown, and somehow resolving things with Lind, who had survived all that, afterward.

But she could tell now, he was changing. And she didn't know what to make of it. It also puzzled her that Ron was completely unsurprised when she talked with him about it.

"You didn't see him coming out of the Chamber with more of his own blood on him than would be good, and holding the sword he used to kill a basilisk with," he simply told her. "Even still, you should have realized that once the wands are drawn and the spells are cast, he doesn't back down or hesitate, he fights back. We know that the whole incident with the Stone gave him nightmares for months, and while he never went into detail, it's not hard to see why. Not now at least."

And while that put some things into perspective, it didn't help her reconcile the two images she now had of the same boy.

Hogwarts, Snape's Quarters

Severus looked into the glass of firewhiskey in front of him pensively as he considered what he had watched the previous day. His opinions on Harry Potter were well known amongst the students and faculty, but the boy's actions in that viewing were completely unlike any expectations.

It wasn't like the events in March, where the boy had gathered a group and led them on a rescue mission with only the loosest of plans. That was so typically Gryffindor, and the fact that it got five people killed, on top of the twelve they failed to save, that he considered it just like the boy.

Always acting without considering the consequences.

It was unfair of him, he knew that. He knew that he was layering his perceptions and hatred of James Potter onto the boy, forcing the sins of the father onto the son. But it was what allowed him to ignore the part of the boy that always pained him to see. The part of the boy that made it clear that he wasn't only the son of James Potter, but also of Lily Evans.

But what he saw yesterday, it wasn't James Potter he saw in the boy. James Potter was always one for bluster, for showmanship. The man had been able to fight, but there was always that tendency to show off in his actions.

There was none of that in Harry Potter's actions that day. Not when he faced that one player who had issues with him, and certainly not when things became deadly. And the second he saw that there were those trying to kill him or those he cared about, any vestiges of James Potter left the boy.

And there was little of Lily there as well. Lily could be dangerous when she was feeling protective, even deadly if need be, as several of his peers amongst the Death Eaters learned. But going straight for the kill, attacking with the intent to maim, that wasn't her. It wasn't her he saw in the boy at that time.

It was his grandfather, Harold Evans he saw in the boy. The former SAS commando who had served in Ireland facing off against the Provisional IRA, and other parts of the world as well before settling down to marry. The man who had beaten Tobias Snape, Severus' own father, within an inch of his life the second he learned of the man's abuse of his wife and son before taking the man to the police.

The man who killed three of the five Death Eaters who had been sent to kill him and his wife to send a message to the newly married Lily Potter. The man who did so using whatever he could reach, be it a knife, a piece of furniture, or simply breaking his attacker's neck.

It was seeing Harry kill four people and hack off limbs in battle that showed that. It was the cool efficiency of his movements, the sheer, ruthless pragmatism of it all. And it made him realize that under that exterior, there was a dragon that slept lightly.

He drank down the glass of firewhiskey and continued to think about what he saw.

June 22, 2023 - Kawagoe, Kirigaya Residence

Suguha lay on her bed pensively, trying to think. She had heard of the events a couple of days ago, even watched them before the data was deleted from the system, and was still trying to come to terms with what her brother did. Most of the events she could understand, even approve of, but at the same time, there was one particular detail that she had a hard time with.

Kazuto had killed. It was so unlike him that she didn't want to believe it.

And yet, she could not deny what he had done in defense of another. That was bad enough, but the fact that the one he had gone out to back up had killed several of his attackers on his own, rather than having been attacked himself, that seemed to make it worse. That Hadrian, the one that Kazuto had gone to back up was also more able to deal with things was also shocking.

But still, her brother had killed.

It had been sudden, an attack was countered by apparent instinct, only for the blow to be a lethal one. She didn't even know if it had even registered on him at the time, but it was clear that it had after the fight was done with.

Kazuto, she though. What is that place doing to you?

She didn't know what to think about it, or even feel about it. Should she feel sad for her brother for what he just went through? Should she hate him for what he did? Should she hate those who he went to back up? She really didn't know.

And she hated the fact that she could do nothing about it.

June 23, 2023 - Greengrass Manor

Daphne Greengrass kept a polite expression on her face as she looked at the Malfoy Family patriarch, who had requested her presence. The absence of Draco indicated that it wasn't for something as archaic or outdated as an arranged marriage, as their two families were not inclined to form any alliances with each other, so she could only think of one reason.

He was fishing for information on Harry Potter. For what purpose, she didn't know. And to be honest, it wasn't of any concern of hers. It was a harsh truth, but that was how things were. She told Granger that if asked about what she saw, she would speak it honestly, hiding nothing.

The muggleborn disagreed with that outlook, but the girl was ignorant of many aspects of the magical world's culture and family politics. Especially the parts which weren't written down, as the families were expected to teach their children.

"Lord Malfoy," she said politely.

"Miss Greengrass," Lucius replied, nodding to her. "I have no doubt that you are already aware why I am here."

She looked to her father, who was in the room, and saw the slightly apologetic look on his face and nodded. "You're here for information on Harry Potter," she said calmly. "Specifically with regard the events that happened three days ago."

"Indeed," Lucius said with a nod. "Not the specific details, the Headmaster is allowing those of us on the Board of Governors to see the recording later today before it goes to the Ministry. What I want, is your impression on things."

Daphne nodded politely. "Then, I will begin by saying that he had acted in self-defense, and in the defense of another," she said. "There is the possibility that he used magic, apparition to be precise, but from what I've seen from the recordings, the witnesses will probably think that it was because of something else. The more specific terms are bugs and exploits, each meaning that some part of the game weren't working quite as intended by whomever made it, or that something wasn't thought of."

Lucius nodded. "And you think that any muggles who witnessed it would think so?"

Daphne nodded. "Yes." She replied. "There is a possibility that his companion, Silica, might realize differently. I don't know why, but there are a few hints that she might know. Another would be the player Argo, who operates as an information broker."

"Oh?"

"Silica, real name: Keiko Ayano." Daphne's father said. "She is the granddaughter of a Living National Treasure, Ranma Saotome, grandmaster of a fairly esoteric combat style, and one who is under a Jusenkyo curse." When Lucius looked at him, he shrugged. "I have a few business contacts in Japan, and there are a few things my family provides to the Shiba Clan in particular, so I sent a request for any information that they were willing to part with."

"And this Argo?" Lucius asked.

"The only information I have is that her real name is Mizore Yasaka, and that she is a student at Mahoutokoro." The man said. "A little extra digging got me politely, but firmly, told to drop the matter by members of the Japanese Magical Consulate. Whoever she is, she's fairly high in their society."

Lucius frowned. "Yasaka," he said thoughtfully. "I've heard that family name somewhere before. No matter" He turned his attention back to Daphne. "How about your perceptions of Mr. Potter's mindset, Miss Greengrass?"

Daphne gave a thoughtful hum before speaking. "He only used lethal force because of the circumstances," she said. "During the immediate aftermath, it was clear that he was not happy about having done so, but he was also remarkably composed as well. Given that his companion had a brief emotional breakdown in response to people trying to kill her, and the fact that she killed one of her attackers, it was probably for her sake."

Lucius gave a nod. "My thanks for your giving me your impressions, Miss Greengrass," he said. He then nodded to her and her father. "Now, if you don't mind, I must take my leave. Good day."

Malfoy Manor

Lucius sat in his study and thought about the impressions Miss Greengrass gave, as well as what he saw from the recording.

Even with Miss Greengrass' words going through his mind, he found himself surprised at how quickly the boy had gone from the typical Gryffindor who simply charged in, heedless of the consequences, to a cold and efficient soldier. It had given him the impression of a veteran Auror from the time when the Dark Lord had the magical community terrorized of him. Someone who set about a grim business, and got it done.

It was very different from the public perception of the Boy-Who-Lived. The public perception would have him as some saintly figure who would never use lethal force, and yet still carry the day. Idealistic foolery, but most wizards and witches were used to having a ready means of defending themselves non-lethally.

That perception also meant that to the masses, their heroes were saints, whose hands would never be stained by blood. Who could walk onto the battlefield and win, despite that. How? Who cares?! That's a Hero for you. He's a Knight in Shining Armor!

Lucius was not so idealistic. He knew that knights were warriors, their stock and trade was violence and killing. If it wasn't necessary, then they didn't. The boy's handling of that one player showed that. But the second it did… He would walk onto that battlefield with shining armor, and walk off it with his sword and armor stained crimson.

He would have to make sure that the boy, no… the young man, remained in Japan as long as practicable. The young man who returned from that ordeal, provided he survived, would be very different from the boy who began it. As different as the reality of the boy was different from the stories.

He would also have to start plans for divesting himself of any connections to certain people in the Ministry. This would provide them too much of an opportunity to pass up.

June 24, 2023, London, Ministry of Magic

Albus bit back a sigh as he listened to the protests of those in the Wizengamot chamber. He knew that making this public would put the kneazle in the henhouse, but he also knew that it needed to be done. There was no way that they could have kept what had happened under wraps.

And it wasn't as if Hogwarts' having a means to watch Harry's activities, if well after the fact, was a secret. The students who were involved in watching it, providing their perspectives, their analysis… they would have told their families, regardless of what he tried to do.

The only reason the Ministry had stayed out of it... he had Lucius to thank for that small mercy. The man clearly didn't want suspicions of his involvement to evolve into certainty, and that was a possibility, despite Harry having remained quiet on the matter of magic and how he ended up in his situation.

Albus had already offered his own explanations, not only of what happened, but how those inside would likely see it. That had quieted some of the uproar. Even those who often disagreed with him on many things still took his word seriously and under consideration. If he said that those who saw what Harry did would rationalize it away, then he was probably right.

Not guaranteed, but probably.

That was enough for many, but there were still many who were claiming that the boy should be brought back to England and damn the consequences and risk to the boy's life, so that he could face justice for violating the Statute of Secrecy. Unsurprisingly to him, many of them were those who had supported Tom, openly or not. Others, such as Dolores Umbridge, saw Harry as a potential threat to their positions, or to whomever they owed their loyalty to.

Of course, some of them were simply odious people at their core, who didn't care about the consequences.

What did surprise him, though it shouldn't, was how Lucius was firmly against bringing the boy from Japan, and he had offered a rather apt argument.

Harry was under the protection of the Wainwrights, and while they wouldn't be able to fight the Ministry and win, they would still do plenty of damage regardless. Better to simply wait and see, rather than stirring that particular cauldron. Also, there was the possibility of it drawing the attention of others, which could hurt their international standing, already on shaky ground, even further.

And so he watched, his part done with, as the Wizengamot argued, shouted, and basically went through the motions of doing something about this. Everything that needed to be said and done, any decisions that needed to be made, they had all been taken care of behind closed doors anyway.

And he noticed Lucius pass something to someone amongst the more neutral traditionalists, one who wasn't in the man's political camp, and wondered what was about to happen. He watched as Richard Greengrass looked at what he was passed, some sheets of parchment it seemed, and then shoot a look to Lucius before rising.

He waited for the chamber to quiet down, and looked at everything.

"Ladies and Gentlemen of the Wizengamot," he said. "I perhaps should have brought this up beforehand, but I thought the matter of what Mr. Potter did would have been properly resolved by now, and in a manner appropriate for this chamber. However, some things have come to my attention…"

He then told a tale of some things that came to light while he was doing a routine check of some Ministry files. Merely for the sake of keeping an eye on what is going on, when he found some irregularities. Misplaced files, misallocation of funds, actions which had not been sanctioned through the proper channels… and all pointing to the actions of the Minister's Senior Undersecretary.

And, as the Wizengamot exploded, Albus sat back and enjoyed the show.

Oh, well played Lucius, he thought. Your father would be pleased by such a maneuver.

Dolores had been an occasional ally of the man, but it was clear she had become a liability to him. Furthermore, she was a toxic influence on Cornelius, and despite no direct connection to him, this was probably something he had planned on months ago.

Albus also did not doubt that everything would be as had been revealed in a subsequent investigation. Lucius either had his facts straight, or had carefully planted them with help. He wouldn't have even needed to bribe, blackmail, or threaten anyone for it. If he had made it known what he was doing, more than half the Ministry would have been at his door and eagerly volunteering for this.

Dolores was that hated by the rank and file.

June 30, 2023 - Setagaya, Wainwright Safehouse

Richard looked over the reports of how their efforts to run any damage control in response to his principal's actions were going. Unsurprisingly, many in the public were understanding of what happened. Surprisingly, they were not being condemnatory about it, or at least not openly. What they might think in the privacy of their own minds could be, and probably was, very different from what they were expressing in public.

He could accept that. He knew that the Japanese didn't take well to the idea of anyone outside of law enforcement or the military, and only in the performance of their duties, using lethal force at the best of times. At least, the law abiding sectors of Japan's population didn't. The less law abiding sectors could be a different story.

He picked up one report that contained information that they were able to dig up on one of those killed that day. Johnny Black, or as he was known in the real world, Atsushi Kanamoto.

Name: Atsushi Kanamoto

Age: 19

Occupation: Career Criminal

Family: None

Status: Deceased, killed by Harry Potter

Mr. Kanamoto has a criminal record dating back to his early teens, having been suspected several times for burglary, theft, assault, robbery, and three murders before SAO. However, he was always able to cover his tracks well enough to divert suspicion to others, frequently his own associates. Despite his apparent career as a criminal he is not affiliated with any Yakuza organizations, though they knew of him. At the same time, he was always careful to not attract too much attention from them, and regularly backed off of whatever he was doing if any Yakuza made any noises about his operations.

His actions in SAO show a similar, if more violent bent. Information recovered from the streamed data showed that he regularly engaged in murder, torture, and rape, simply because he could. His associate, Red-eyed XaXa showed a similarly sadistic bent, but with a more demonstrated self-control.

Even were he still alive, he would not be recruitable. His criminal history and his actions in SAO imply extreme sociopathic behaviors, behaviors which SAO may have exacerbated as he no longer had to even maintain a pretense of civilized behavior.

There were similar files on some of the involved players, but the information was based more on what they could get through more legal means. He had thanked Miss Tendo for her own assistance in this, as her own grandniece had been dragged into the mess, so she had an interest in helping with the damage control. At the same time, he made a mental note to not get on her bad side.

She might not be Eden Blake, the head of Aladdin, the Department of Magic and the Arcane's intelligence and special operations department, but that woman had an amazing ability to ferret out information. That the Wainwright's own Yakuza contacts had warned him not to make an enemy of her only reinforced that.

"Mr. Wainwright."

"Think of the devil, and her hand appears," Richard sighed.

The man before him removed his shades, dark piercing eyes meeting his own.

"Mr. Wainwright, my stepson is in SAO, and there is a chance that he will make contact with your charge. When that happens it'll open up a whole other can of worms." The man said.

Richard groaned. "I expected you and your wife to take interest in this anyway, Mr. Kaz." He said. "Though I will admit, I was hoping for it to happen later, if at all."

Luke Kaz grinned at him, and the man's dark skin made the pearly white teeth stand out all the more in the dimly lit room. "You don't know the half of it. Ms. Ayano may be the granddaughter of the Living National Treasure, Ranma Saotome, but there is one other who will now be noticing that Mr. Potter is in there, my son's godmother to be precise. Care to guess who she is?"

"A notable in Japan's magical community, is she?" Richard sighed.

"Kaoru Shiba."

Richard froze, meeting the grinning man's gaze. "The head of the Emperor's own demon hunters?" He asked. At Mr. Kaz's grinning nod, he put his face into his hands. "And there's the other shoe dropping that I've been worrying about since this whole debacle started. And you're telling me his death will more than likely bring not one, not two, but at the least three magical governments down on us?"

"I know this won't help, but Lady Kaoru's mother was a rather dear friend of the Potters via Mr. Potter's grandparents, who funded some of the rune work that helps protect Tokyo from the supernatural." Mr. Kaz said with no small amount of malicious glee. "And Lady Kaoru kept in contact with them, as well as James and Lily. Especially with Lily, who met her when she and James married. The two apparently hit it off due to Lily's interests."

At this point, Richard just let out a moan of surrender and laid his head on his desk for a bit. "I should have never taken this job." He muttered.

"You should have done your research before taking the job, Mr. Wainwright." Came the unsympathetic reply. "I won't ask who hired you, you are sticklers about protecting the confidentiality of your clients, and I can respect that. But this entire thing was not up to your usual level. Not as… thorough, so to speak."

Shiba Compound, Unplottable Location - Tokyo

Ami Blake, nee Anderson, suppressed the urge to thank the black clad servant who refreshed her tea. They apparently took it as a rebuke, as Kaoru's adopted son Takeru explained.

He may have been five years older than his adoptive mother, but the nineteenth head of the Shiba showed the eighteenth all due deference.

"This sucks," Serena muttered beside her.

Ami turned to her friend- her first real friend, really, and smiled. "You've said that before."

"It's true," Serena Knecht, affectionately nicknamed 'Bunny' by her friends, and known in some circles within Japan as Tsuki no Serena, replied flatly. Looking at the two of them, one would guess Ami's Japanese, or at least Asian, ancestry immediately, but Serena, as Lita put it, "Jenny Bealed" it. Blond hair, blue eyes, and grew up eating pizza and dango in equal measure in Seattle.

Then again, Serena was further removed from her Japanese ancestry than Ami was, her great-grandmother coming to the Americas as a war bride after the War. An observant person could see it, but Serena's German-American heritage was very prominent, so many often found it hard to understand how she could claim Japanese ancestry.

The two looked down at the form of August Blake. While not the 'beef cake' (that had been Raye's term) that his older adopted brother Kevin was, August was an incredibly fit and active man. Now, after months in SAO, he looked... diminished.

"Did you hear?" Ami asked, frowning.

"The Boy-Who-Lived thing?" Serena replied, and at her friend's nod sighed. "Never good when they give you the hyphens," The fact that she herself had multiple titles was politely ignored.

"At least your default nickname doesn't have them," Ami noted with a small grin.

"Moon Princess," Serena groused, "make me sound like a magical girl out of an anime, why don't you? I am not a princess, regardless of what Kaguya says."

"She did adopt you into her clan, naming you her heir," Ami said.

"It is better than what they call us," a new voice noted drily.

The dark haired woman that entered to join them had a quiet dignity to her. If the corporate daughters of the modern day were given the title "Oujou-sama", Lady Kaoru Shiba was the classic model they were based on. She looked pleased when they held themselves to respectful nods.

"What do they call you, my lady?" Ami asked.

"You are familiar with Toei's Super Sentai Franchise?" Kaoru prompted.

"Oh," Serena winced, "they have a nice little portmanteau name for you?"

"We are the Samurai Sentai Shinkenger. Mako's students at the Imperial Academy call her Shinken Pink," Kaoru noted with a wry smile.

"Shinken..." Serena puzzled. "Oh, so... like a battle ready blade."

"Apparently, they are quite disappointed she doesn't have a transformation," Kaoru said. Her eyes fell on the young man wearing a Nerve Gear and tied to life support before them. "Of all the ways I saw one of my boys possibly meeting Lily's boy..." She shook her head, and it was so poised and offhand it left no doubt of her upbringing. "I actually rather hope this... game Kayaba set up ends before they meet there."

"Luke mentioned that he planned on having a word with certain people about how Potter ended up in there," Ami said, and had the sudden realization that barring someone else talking, she was staring at the man laid out before them.

"I do hope your father-in-law expresses a measure of our disdain for the situation," Kaoru said stiffly. "They should have realized at the onset that any number of variables did not make SAO an ideal place to hide anyone, or for anyone to hide. And that's before you take into account that none of these players thought or even know they can be observed in there. Aladdin and Canada's Office of Arcana instantly offered to back up the Ministry of Shugenja once they discovered some of their citizens were here for it. That's just on the magical side; the main governments stepped up too." She snorted. "Though I do hear that Downing Street has been rather... unimpressed with the British Ministry, and the international magical press are going on about 'Fudge's Folly'. Then again, Minister Fudge isn't leadership material. A competent administrator and bureaucrat? Perhaps, at one time, he was. But he isn't a leader."

"Are they... that out of touch with what the rest of the world is doing?" Serena asked.

"Not really, no. They are aware of things, a few British friends were the ones who alerted me of the Korean Smartphone Boom a few years ago, after all. Still, those who actually pay serious attention to what's going on in the mundane world are in the minority." Kaoru said. "The problem is that in Britain... I think the only other country where the magicals so firmly treat themselves as having a different world is China. To many of the higher ups, being seen as interested in 'muggle' things is seen as distasteful.

"I once talked to their head of Muggle Relations, his official title makes it clear that the Ministry mainly sees his job as keeping magic out of mundane hands. He gets flack for being interested in how electricity, engines, and other modern things work. And this is his job."

Ami winced at that. "They put someone who is ignorant of these things in charge of such an office?" She asked.

"He's at least trying to learn, which is better than his predecessor from what I head." Kaoru noted. "Ami, you're working toward a medical degree and a healer's certification," she then said with a sigh, "and if you tried to so much as help at their St. Mungo's, you'd likely be stonewalled with those qualifications, depending on the healer or department. World War II was a wakeup call for so many magicals, even them, but they're more inherently conservative. What they have works well enough, and is sufficient for their needs. So why would they see a need to adopt something new?"

"And yet they had the first female head of a magical government," Ami sighed.

"It was before our times, but Margaret Thatcher was a conservative too," Kaoru reminded, a hint of rebuke in her voice. "Also, don't mistake conservatism for the so-called traditional values you hear some mundanes harp about, especially back in the States. Magic tends to be an equalizer in many ways, and no European wizard is foolish enough to think a witch is anything less than capable." She smirked. "Those who do, tend to get beaten unconscious with their own testicles or their spines used on their skulls like a baseball bat."

"... yeah, I'm nodding but most of this," Serena waved one hand over her head and whistled. "So basically, they're twits in a way that means they aren't helping Potter much. And British witches can be hardcore too."

"And I just find it hard to really care about all of that," Ami found herself saying blandly. Her hand settled on her swollen belly. "Gus isn't going to be here when our child comes because some asshole decided he wanted to be a god-king."

Kaoru took her hand. "Ami. You've seen him. Every step, every battle, every bit of information he gathers is a way to get back to you."

"He shouldn't have to fight to be here," Ami said, a bit bitterly. "His life shouldn't have to stop..."

"When someone's so selfish as to have decided for everyone for their own personal benefit... that's how I know who's evil." Serena caught their looks. "I... did the profound thing again, didn't I?"

They were distracted by the sudden entrance of their friend, Raye Mendez.

"Guys," she said, her accent stronger than normal. "I got bad news."

"What's that?" Serena asked.

"That hijo de puta Cassals," she began. "He's still alive… and he's in SAO."

July 3, 2023 - Portkey Terminal, Narita International Airport

Sirius tried to shake off the effects of the international portkey and resolved, for the fourth time that day, to take a plane the next time he wanted to go to the other side of the world. Portkeys were fine for shorter distances, but going from one side of the world to the other meant taking several that often pushed the limits of what the person making them, and the person using them, could handle.

Portkeys might be faster than planes, but use enough in quick succession, and even a wizard's hardier constitution took a beating, even with brief periods to rest and recover. Then again, most wizards and witches weren't stupid or reckless enough to attempt a trip to the other side of the world by portkey over the course of a day.

On the other hand, Portkey travel can be arranged far more quickly and reliably than muggle air travel, but he really should have thought it through before doing something like this.

Oh well, it got him here, and quickly, so in the end, it didn't matter.

Only one person mattered right now. He knew he couldn't take Harry from the hospital he was staying at, but he could at least be there for his godson.

"Lord Black?" A woman asked from nearby with an American accent, causing him to turn and face the owner. He saw that she was dressed as a muggle, wearing jeans, a simple blouse, and carrying a purse.

"Are you Ms. Carlisle?" He asked.

"I'm her," she said and held out her hand. "Selene Carlisle, at your service, Lord Black."

Sirius took her hand and shook it. "Please, don't call me that," he said. "You can call me Sirius, or if that's too informal, Mr. Black is fine. Now, before we talk about my coming here, I should probably clear customs, or whatever it is I have to do."

"I will happily assist with that, Mr. Black!" A cheerful voice piped up.

Another woman emerged from the crowd. Sirius had maybe a decade on her, and she wore a simple yellow dress. Her English "flow" was better than many Japanese could manage, though her accent still made "Mister" closer to "Mis-ta". Something tickled at Sirius' memory, which was always a good feeling, it marked another victory against the Dementors and Crotch- all right, Crouch's mistake. He could just hear Albus' mild rebuke and correction in his mind for calling Bartemius Crouch, Crotch.

"Kotoha Hana... Hana something." Sirius said. "You were at Lily and James' wedding, with... Lady... Shiba! I'm sure that was it. It's hard to forget a woman with a son a good five years older than she is."

"Hanaori, thank you for remembering," the young lady said, blushing in a manner that he distantly remembered thinking was cute back then.

"Hard to forget someone who's such a ready mix of working class honest and potentially deadly," Sirius said with a smirk, which made the blush deepen.

"Only at my Lord and Lady's orders, Mr. Black," Kotoha said with a slightly strained smile. "And only to enemies of the Sun Throne." She turned. "Ms. Carlisle," she continued.

"I've been briefed," the Wainwright- employee? Sirius was not clear on if she was a member of the family or not, and it'd been years since he'd been in touch with that side of things. She seemed resigned about it. "We thank the Shiba clan for their aid in this matter."

"The Shiba clan is honored to help Mr. Potter's godfather reach him in his current state," Kotoha replied.

Never had so sweet a smile accompanied so sharp and subtle a barb. He looked between the two and could see the tension, but at the same time a sort of resigned acceptance on Selene's part. Biting the stirring rod and playing out till the snap explodes, as it were.

Suginami, Sirius' Temporary Apartment

An hour later, he was putting his stuff away in the small flat provided for him to use during his visit. It wasn't much, a small kitchen, a rather small main room which doubled as his bedroom, and a bathroom that had only a toilet and shower. It was good enough for him, his time in Azkaban meant that his standards were met if the place was clean, dry, and not bone-chillingly cold. Compared to his old cell, the small flat was positively luxurious.

Besides, he didn't have much with him anyway, a few changes of clothes, some hygiene items, and Harry's wand, Albus had handed it to him after his name was cleared. It wasn't as if he needed more space. Besides, he was going to be in Japan for only a couple of weeks right now, so the extra space would have been wasted. It would allow for him to see how Harry was, get a feel for the place, and look for a place for a longer term stay.

The last item was a bit further in the future, as making the arrangements would take time. Though, if the Shiba Clan was getting involved, that might be completed sooner, rather than later. Maybe by early to mid-August, instead of mid to late September.

"Everything satisfactory, Mr. Black?" Selene asked.

Sirius turned and nodded. "It's fine," he said. "It's small, but I'm only going to be here for a couple of weeks anyway."

"We could have put you up in a hotel," he heard Kotoha say from off to the side. "It would have been roomier than a six mat apartment."

He shrugged. "And the closest one is still farther from the hospital than this place is," he said. "Besides, I take it that the Wainwrights were using this apartment so as to have someone close to Harry."

Selene nodded. "We have a couple of apartments in the area which some of our members used," she admitted.

"I hope I didn't put anyone out by coming here," Sirius said.

"You didn't," Selene said. "We simply hadn't closed the lease on the place yet."

Sirius simply nodded, knowing that he would have to get the full story later. He knew about the Wainwrights having taken responsibility for Harry, but the presence of a representative from the Shiba Clan made it clear that might change. The current tension indicated that there were some… issues with that. Not that he was surprised. When the Wainwrights took responsibility for someone's protection, they didn't like others butting in. However, the Shibas have been friends of the Potters since the time of Harry's grandfather, and he didn't doubt for a moment that they would do everything in their power to ensure that Harry was safe.

Even if it meant getting into a wand measuring contest with the Wainwrights, a contest they were likely to win due to being on their home turf.

"Well, I can finish putting everything away later," he said. "Now, I want to see Harry."

July 9, 2023 - Chiyoda, Ministry of Internal Affairs - SAO Taskforce Office

Seijiro Kikuoka looked over the summarized reports that had come in about activities in SAO. He didn't know why Kayaba had reversed his decision to keep the outside world ignorant of what was going on a month after he originally cut the feeds. Of course, the fact that someone figured out how to look in using the Nerve Gear's own hardware and an Ethernet connection to a computer on the first day may have had something to do with it.

For the friends and families of those trapped, it was both a blessing and a curse. For him, it was a godsend, as it meant that they could not only see what was going on, but also look in on the details for investigative purposes.

Things such as them finally being able to isolate those who were involved with a number of deaths, murders really, in the game. For all that they were watching events, there were still over seven thousand players in the game, and only a few dozen in his team who made it a full time job of watching those.

Simply put, he needed more people, but he had to make do with what he had for now.

He looked over a particular report, reading the annotations provided by one of his analysts, as well as recommendations from his legal office and nodded to himself.

There were some who were calling for the heads of all participants in that recent incident, even those merely acting in self-defense or the defense of others, with the loudest coming from those who lost someone that day. That several were highly placed individuals, and their family members or friends were the ones doing the attack and had later been tied to several murders and were thus wanting to ensure that their own reputations weren't the only ones going down in flames didn't surprise him.

It had the potential to get ugly, true, but there were those who were already working behind the scenes to keep things from getting that far. And that didn't go into the fact that there were many who were lining up to defend those who were clearly defending themselves and others.

Even that one foreign boy, Harry Potter, had people who were lining up to protect him, and given how influential some of them were, that was interesting.

Add in that he was an associate, even possibly a friend, to the daughter of the RECT CEO, Asuna…

Oh yes, interesting indeed, even if he found a different player trapped in SAO to be more interesting in his eyes: Kirito.

Maybe it was because the boy was Japanese. Maybe it was because he could see something in the boy, even if he couldn't quite define it. Or maybe it was because the boy had established himself as the most powerful, the best, player in SAO.

He considered it a matter of excellent fortune that two such interesting boys were working together. It made it easier to keep an eye on both without having to divert someone from something else.

August 11, 2023 - Bethesda, MD, Aladdin Headquarters

"And how was your trip to Japan, Luke?" Eden Blake asked as her husband walked into her office. She was a woman of severe lines, with an almost cold, aristocratic face and eyes. The grey robes over the business suit she wore and the black hair tied up into a severe bun enhanced the "ice queen" image that she wore like a cloak while on the job.

Luke Kaz shrugged. "Fine enough," he said. "Ami sends her regards, and don't worry. She knows that your duties prevented you from being there for Alice's birth last month."

Eden nodded and waved him to sit down. "Give me a few minutes, please," she requested. "I need to finish going over these reports, and I can give you the proper attention."

Luke just sat and waited, Eden's habits when she was on the job were something he had long since gotten used to. On the job, she was coldly professional, not letting anything distract her from her duties.

Off the job, she left the 'ice queen' at the office and warmed up considerably. Her harsh and aristocratic features softened, her hair was let down, and she didn't bother with the cold professionalism.

The latter was the woman he fell in love with, and he was willing to accept that it came with the former. He, himself, was a different man on the job.

In their line of work, wearing a mask, having a separate persona for it... was a necessity. They needed to separate the work from their personal lives, or their work would consume their lives, and destroy them.

Seeing their youngest, Evie, that close to death was only going to happen once.

Eden finished going over the reports and put them into a folder. She picked up her wand and gave the folder a few taps before placing it in her outbox. She then sighed, stretched, and gave her head a shake.

"God, I wish I could retire," she said. "When my predecessor gave me this job, the asshole didn't tell me just how much planting my ass in a chair and going over other people's work was involved, and how little actually overseeing things I would actually be doing."

Luke chuckled. "The perils of being in charge, dear," he said.

Eden snorted and then looked at the man she had been married to for ten years. "How are things in Japan?" She asked.

"As I mentioned, they're fine for now," Luke said. "Our suspicions that the Wainwrights were involved in Mr. Potter ending up there were right, and you'll need to have a word with Old Man Aloysius about that. Looking at the entire thing, it was rather sloppy of them."

Eden nodded. "And he's probably taken it out on whoever was responsible for that op of theirs already," she said. "He's kept to their tradition of not harming children, and he has a very dim view of those who do, even unintentionally." She then sighed. "If it wasn't for the fact that they're needed where they are to keep a pretense of order amongst the criminal element, I think they would have gone fully legitimate a long time ago."

Luke barked out a laugh. "It would be more certain in its profits for them," he admitted. "The one in charge of them there, Richard, he was less than surprised when I came by, though he was not happy to find out the Shibas were getting involved."

Eden smirked. "They failed to research Mr. Potter's family history then?" She asked.

Luke chuckled. "Oh, they did fail there." He said gleefully. "The Shibas have been on good terms with the Potters since the boy's grandfather helped them with warding Tokyo to help with supernatural threats back in the sixties. Had they known that, they probably wouldn't have accepted the job."

Eden gave an unsympathetic shrug at that. "Their problem, not ours," she said. "Anyway, how is August doing in there?"

"He's doing fine," Luke said. "If anything, he's carrying on the family tradition, even if it's through working under someone else." He then snorted. "And she's an interesting one."

"Oh?" Eden asked.

Luke grinned. "Mizore Yasaka," he said. "Youngest daughter of The Yokai of Kyoto, who is on the warpath when it comes to Kayaba. Goes by the name of Argo in there. That girl is running her own information network and spy ring in there, and she's also the one we are betting on figuring out who Mr. Potter is, if she hasn't already."

September 1, 2023 - Suginami, Nakano General Hospital

Sirius stared at the form lying in the bed. Harry had been trapped in that illusion for almost a year, and that period of inactivity was showing on his body. He had read the reports, learning that the boy was largely underfed, but not malnourished, and everything involved. And if he were to be honest, Harry was beginning to look like he when he escaped Azkaban.

Beginning to, but not quite. The doctors informed him that of all the SAO patients, the boy was one of those in the best condition. His muscles were atrophying, but with the means they were using to minimize it, and his wizard's constitution, the degradation of his body was considerably slower than the average patient's.

A small mercy, really, and it only meant that if, no when, Harry got out, his recovery would be that much faster. Physically at any rate. How he would come out of this mentally could be a different story.

Especially since after that brief period of time where he and his friends just stepped back and got some much needed R&R, they have been back on the front lines of SAO, fighting to clear the game.

He once asked Albus why they hadn't used magic to get Harry out of there. And he still recalled that conversation.

"And what means do you propose we use, Sirius?" Albus asked. "Vanish the headset? A simple charm? Transfiguration? Two hundred people died on the first day because those headsets were forcibly removed from them. We probably could do it, but would it be guaranteed to not harm or kill Harry?

"And who do we test it on?" He then asked. "Harry? Some random muggle who would be killed if it failed? And if it failed, how many times would we need to refine and test it until it worked? How many people would have to die in order for us to do so, and all for the sake of one boy? We have no right to make that decision, Sirius.

"And if we did try something like that, how long would we be able to keep it secret? How many would it take before the Japanese took offense to what we were doing? A thousand? A hundred? Fifty? Wars have been started for less."

He would admit that the old man had a point, several points. But as he looked at the boy on the bed, knowing that the mind was trapped in an illusory world that was all too real, he wished there was something he could do.

"It's hard on us as well, Mr. Black," he heard Harry's current watcher say. He turned to look at her, Selene Carlisle. One of those who had brought Harry here to Japan, and one of those responsible for his being trapped.

She looked at Harry and gave a sad smile. "We had no way of expecting something like this to happen," she said. "And it wasn't as if we were going to make an issue when he was tracked down. Our job, was to bring him here, and distract him with SAO. Instead, we entered him into... that."

Sirius elected to say nothing, he had received several formal apologies from the members of the Wainwright team, as well as a relatively full disclosure from the team leader.

Relatively full. They would not reveal who hired them for the job, but he didn't reasonably expect them to. They protected the confidentiality of their clients, and they would not violate that confidentiality. He could respect that, no matter how much it irritated him. If he knew who hired them for this, he would then have a target.

Not that he didn't have his suspicions already.

He then looked back to the computer screen. "It's just, he should be worrying about girls, homework, Quidditch, and enjoying learning magic," he said. "He should be on the Hogwarts Express, reconnecting with his friends, figuring out what will be going on during the school year, and planning pranks. He shouldn't be having to fight for his life, plan assaults, or wonder if he and his friends will survive another day."

Selene nodded, but said nothing. What could she say?

September 11, 2023 - Hogwarts, Headmaster's Office

Albus looked at the map, seeing the locations of everyone present. He had to give credit to James, Remus, and Sirius, mapping the castle like they did and doing the charms work to create something like this was quite the achievement.

And he had to thank the Weasley Twins for loaning him the map. Their discovery of Pettigrew had shown that the map was useful for more than just pranks, and with the Tri-Wizard Tournament coming, he asked if he could borrow it on occasion. Just to ensure that no one who is unauthorized was trying to sneak in.

Or, as he was seeing, had already snuck in.

Albus sighed as he looked at the name that was in the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, with a full class, Bartemius Crouch. The fact that the name Alastor Moody was in his quarters, but hadn't moved from his location for several hours, indicated what had happened.

He had thought Alastor was simply demonstrating his normal paranoia when he had explained why he didn't want to know all the security details Albus was putting in place. Just as he wasn't going to tell Albus all that he would put in place.

"With something like this, someone might have the idea of using polyjuice to impersonate one of us," Alastor said in his habitually growling voice. "With my luck, it'll be me captured and kept alive only long enough for them to enact whatever plan they have."

"Surely they would not." Albus countered. "They would have to get the habits of whoever they were impersonating down quite well, and have to maintain it for some time. There are very few who can do such a thing."

"Still, better safe, than sorry." Alastor said. "Better to obliviate me of this conversation as it is. And if something does happen, I will simply say, 'I told you so.' After all… CONSTANT VIGILANCE"

Albus tapped the map with his wand. "Mischief Managed," he said, turning it back into the apparently blank sheet of parchment is masqueraded as. He would have to review his plans for the Goblet's security and make some changes to his own planned contributions.

Perhaps altering the Age Line to recognize when someone was too old would work. Having it also take a sample of the magical signature and have it compared to the name and a few signatures he has a knowledge of… he mentally shook that line of thought out of his head.

He could just keep it simple and simply keep an eye on the Goblet for the brief time that the names will be allowed to be entered into it. A ward to alert him, a couple of security measures added to keep the target in place, and it would do just as well.

Yes, he thought to himself. Best to keep it simple. A night or two of missed sleep is a small sacrifice for me to make in this case.

October 4, 2023 - Suginami, Nakano General Hospital

Tetsuhiko watched the computer screen that was showing what his daughter was doing and watched as his daughter's companions were wishing her a happy birthday as they sat down for a meal. He and his wife had taken the time for the evening to come by and spend time with Keiko, to wish her a happy birthday themselves, despite the fact that it would be a meaningless gesture.

Meaningless, at least to Keiko, but not to them. And as he stood by his wife as she watched the small party happening in SAO, he gave her friends and companions and brief look.

Kirito and Asuna had apparently fit into the role of older siblings. Kirito the somewhat aloof, but caring big brother; Asuna as the occasionally strict, but equally caring older sister. He approved how she had connected with the two them.

And then there was Hadrian, a boy that he wanted to shake the hand of, forcibly welcome into the family in the Saotome tradition, and strangle in equal measure.

It had been clear early on that the boy was sweet on Keiko. His actions may have been those of a perfect gentleman, but he had been spending too much time around Keiko for Tetsuhiko's comfort. Especially as anyone with eyes could tell that the two were getting close and comfortable with each other. Far too close and comfortable with each other for his peace of mind.

And that merely irritated him about the boy. Keiko was his daughter, and it was a father's prerogative to be overprotective. It was what happened in June which made him want to strangle the kid.

True, the boy was fiercely protective of Keiko, and that was proven back then. True, the boy had helped her through the several emotional roller coasters that she went through because of that day. And the boy had many things about him which he approved of.

But he was Keiko's father, and Hadrian was a boy who was around his daughter.

You better survive this boy, and make sure Keiko does as well, he thought. Because we both need to have a talk.

October 30, 2023 - Hogwarts, Great Hall

Barty quietly walked toward the goblet, or as quietly as Moody's prosthetic leg would allow. The fake eye whirled in its socket, scanning everything and finding nothing, as he continued on his path.

The plan he had worked out with the Dark Lord had been brilliant, especially as he had learned of the tournament from his now disgraced father. He had enjoyed interrogating him for all the relevant information before the strain of the interrogation killed the man. It was regrettable that it hadn't taken longer, but he learned what he wanted to know.

It was unfortunate that the Potter brat was stuck in Japan. Trapped in some sort of illusion the muggles had managed to create, and intended to be used as a game of all things. A game for what? He didn't know or care, but it did add a complication to the Dark Lord's plans.

No matter, just because the boy was out of reach didn't mean that they couldn't use the opportunity this provided. After all, if they could get the boy into the tournament as a competitor, he would be forced to compete. And with him unable to, it would strip the boy of his magic.

He had brought this up, and the Dark Lord had found the possibility worthwhile. Why change the plan, when they could instead carry it out and simply aim for a different result? And even if it didn't work, it wasn't like they lost anything from the attempt.

Sweeping the hall with his false eye one last time, he pulled out a scrap of parchment. It had been difficult to get a hold of a copy of the boy's written signature, and outright impossible to duplicate the magical one, but the Goblet was from a time when things were less… specific in their requirements. It only needed a name, nothing more. A magical signature, or even a drop of blood would have been better, but a name would be enough.

And, as he made to place the scrap into the flames, his movements were halted completely. He blinked with his good eye, and then realized what it meant. Dumbledore had put in measures that Moody didn't know of.

Clever, old man, he thought. Very clever. Too bad that the one thing you might want, such as the Dark Lord's location, is something I can't tell. He then began to laugh. A dry, rasping laugh that held a hint of madness.

Later - Hogwarts, Headmaster's Office

"Cornelius, what were you thinking?!" Albus roared. "Bringing in a Dementor like that? And for what? To make a gesture at being seen doing something? We had him captured, his wand taken, and Alastor made sure, thoroughly so, that he was in no state to escape."

"Albus-"

"Silence," Albus said, a hint of magic seeping into his voice, "Or I'll just call your old schoolmate. William Gravel, mm? The Slytherin who helped 'discourage' your little test selling scheme? Her Majesty's own SAS Combat Mage Bodyguard?"

Cornelius, to his credit, went silent.

"It would be easy," Albus said, his voice soft, but without its normal warmth or whimsy. "Her Majesty made an offer to lend his services out. Had Alastor not said "no"... In fact, I think maybe I should have him here. Alastor?"

Moody looked a moment from where he stood between a petrified Crouch and a now mercifully cowed Dementor. Alastor Moody was one of the few Wizards who had that combination of viciousness and inherent good that was able to scare one. "Yes, Albus?"

"Would you be insulted if I decided to take Her Majesty up on her offer?"

"Provided I get to meet the young Sergeant Major again?" Moody asked. "To see if he's still sharp?"

"I'll be sure to have Poppy on hand in Her Majesty approves," Albus promised.

"Then no, I would not be insulted at all."

"Albus," Cornelius began, "Surely we can-"

"And I do believe it may be about time to have words with the Prime Minister about you and how you've handled recent events," Albus said, ignoring the man. "I had to run damage control for all of this when I was in Bern for an ICW meeting earlier this month, Cornelius. And do you want to know what many of those representatives said? No matter, I'll inform you of what they said."

If there had been ice in Albus' voice before, it was now positively arctic.

"They told me, in no uncertain terms, that your… bungling is the politest word any of them used, don't ask me to translate what the Russian representative said… your bungling has made England a laughingstock. The Japanese and the Americans have done more in this situation than we have, and need I remind you the long memories from the ending of the Second World War that make the two magical governments wary of each other to this day? And they were in agreement on this matter, in agreement Cornelius. And England, where I was born and raised, and worked alongside the numerous others to hold your post with more grace, does nothing while you play your games."

"But Lucius…"

"I've talked to Malfoy on this matter, Cornelius, don't you dare try and play us off each other." Albus interrupted. "He told me that he advised you to at least make a token gesture in this matter. He also offered to take veritaserum to verify that he was being truthful. You know his family's stance on that, and yet he offered."

Cornelius managed something that sounded vaguely like "Tickle on the tum," but was otherwise silent.

Albus stared at the man for a little longer before tiring of his presence. "I think, Cornelius, that you should go back to your office and think very carefully about how you go forward from here on out," he said. "And take that Dementor with you."

Seeing the opportunity to escape, Cornelius left the office with alacrity, the Dementor following and giving Alastor Moody what could only be a wary look.

"I say we sic the Wizengamot and the Department Heads on him," Alastor muttered.

"Let him tighten the noose around his neck a bit more, Alastor," Albus advised.

His old friend snorted. "And I'm the scary one."

The two of them shared a chuckle before Albus walked over to his fireplace. It was time to get Amelia, so she could take Barty Crouch Jr. off their hands.

November 24, 2023 - Mie Prefecture, Unknown Location

Sachiko Yasaka glared at the partially decomposed body before her, golden eyes blazing, the fur on her nine tails bristling from her anger, and the hem of her kimono swayed as if in a wind that wasn't there. Her escorts, humans sent to accompany her by the Shiba clan, gave her a wary glance, but otherwise stayed back. They knew better than to get in the way with an angry Youkai when they didn't have to.

He was dead. Akihiko Kayaba was dead, and from all indications, via a slit throat. She internally raged as her golden eyes carefully looked over the contents of the cabin, little more than a shack, where they had found him.

Someone had beaten her to it. Someone prevented her from unleashing her righteous wrath on the man responsible for her daughter's situations. Someone had denied her, her, any satisfaction.

"If you were expecting to meet me in person," A voice said. "I apologize that I can't as I'm a bit… indisposed as it were."

She glared in the direction the voice came from and saw him looking at her from a computer screen. She then glanced back at the body, and then back at the screen.

"I would ask how," she said carefully and coldly, her anger just under the surface. "But it doesn't matter, does it? Akihiko Kayaba. You're no longer a man, but a... 'ghost in the machine' as the philosophers would phrase it."

The face on the screen nodded. "Indeed," Akihiko Kayaba said. "The body is dead, but the mind lives on. An attempt, as it were, to see if it was possible. The electrical signals that once used the brain as their medium, now supported by superconducting circuits. If it failed, the mind would have died with the body and we wouldn't be having this conversation. It allows for an… interesting perspective, to say the least. Free from the demands and constraints of the flesh, but limited and constrained in a different way." He then gave her a look. "And I do have to say, my lady, of all those who I expected to find me in this state, a Kitsune wasn't one of them. And certainly not one as august as yourself."

"And what did you expect?" She growled out. "The police? A former lover? The Shinigami?"

Kayaba shook his head. "The former lover was the one who killed me, or at least the body." He said simply. "I had only just uploaded myself into the system only minutes before she tracked me down. I watched as she stared in shock at what I apparently did, believing me as close to dead as it would be. And I watched, as she finished killing the body, a knife, a simple slitting of the throat." He gave a shrug. "Perhaps she thought it a mercy, to simply finish what I apparently did to myself. Perhaps not, and she was simply making sure I was dead. It matters not."

Sachiko stared at him, horrified at the sheer apathy that he was demonstrating. She heard a muttered curse from one of her human escorts, the young man from the Tani, showing that they had similar feelings. But for her, it was in many ways worse.

She was a Youkai, a creature of passion, of desire, of unfettered emotion. Human desires and dreams brought her kind about, their very beliefs permeating the earth and giving birth to her kind; the dark reflection of Japan's people.

Humans did not like the unpleasant truths Youkai represented, and the two races had been at each other's throats from the beginning. Things might be more peaceful between the two races now, but it was a fragile one at best, and one maintained by the Imperial Family. Guarded by the Shiba clan and the Underworld Knights on the one side, and the various courts of the Guardian Demons on the other.

As it always was, as it should be, and as it must always be. Let the Westerners, the followers of Abraham and Mohammed have their dualistic conflict between Good and Evil with their dogmatic capitals. Those in the East, would instead seek a balance, a co-existence.

The family that represented Japan's spiritual heart was the only thing that kept the two races from reigniting their constant conflict. A conflict that neither side would win, or be able to.

For as Youkai were the dark reflection of humanity, needing humans to exist, so did humanity need them in order to truly feel. Their passions, their drive, their ability to change. Feelings and belief brought them about, and it would be the absence of both which would be their end. Neither was above the other. Rather, they were of the same level. Codependent.

She had once been shown a possible world by one of the Seven Sages, long ago, that showed her why Youkai and humans were so dependent on one another. The world she saw, a possibility so remote it might as well not be considered possible. That world without Youkai and only humans was… pathetic. Little emotion... no passion... merely... existing and being deluded into calling it living. A world that was not even worth pity or scorn.

And the one person who could have made that possibility a reality had been shown it by her. The girl's sheer horror at what she saw before outright rejecting the possibility of that world's existence said it all. She had rejected it, and the possibility of that world had ended right then and there.

So, to see this… this abomination in a human's form be so disconnected from it all, it horrified her. It was her complete antithesis. It was unnatural. And not because of where he had put his mind, but because there was no soul from the result, no passion that she could feel. Just an apparently cold logic.

This was a man who had avoided all passion and killed his humanity for it.

One of her escorts gave a cough and she turned her attention to the young woman, Kotoha Hanaori, if she recalled. "Yes, Miss Hanaori?" She asked, using the distraction as an opportunity to regain her composure.

"Lady Yasaka," the woman, Kotoha, said. "This raises questions that we need answers to." She looked at Kayaba's digital avatar with some disgust. "Such as why."

"It is quite simple," the avatar said in response to the implied question. "When they finally clear Sword Art Online, and I have full confidence that they will, I will die with it. And what more appropriate way, than to die as it will?"

Sachiko nodded, understanding what he was saying. "And all this?" She asked, gesturing at what was in the cabin.

"Do with it what you will." Kayaba said. "There is nothing that would help you in any way. I said how those trapped could get out, and that is, and will remain, the only way."

She nodded and then gestured for her two escorts to wait for her outside. The two of them took one look at her and quickly exited.

She then gathered her power, blue flames appearing in her hands and floating around her. "My daughter, Mizore, is trapped in your little game." Sachiko Yasaka, Youkai of Kyoto and Kyuubi no Kitsune said coldly. "And while I can't touch you because of what you've done to yourself, I will at least get something from this."

The avatar nodded and cut the connection.

And with a scream, she unleashed the flames, immolating everything around her. Kayaba's body, the equipment, the structure itself, all became ash as she unleashed her fury. She would apologize to Lady Shiba and the Emperor later, but the catharsis of being able to do something, even though it was meaningless… it made her feel better.

She tried not to indulge the urge. As with humans, doing so could be addictive, leading you to creating more circumstances for release. But now... now she made a rare exception to her personal rule, and did indulge herself.

January 1, 2024 - Suginami, Nakano General Hospital

It was Harry's sudden scream of pain, a scream that sounded from two places, that made Sirius realize that something had just gone horribly wrong. He looked over to where Harry lay, shocked to the core. He could hear both Selene and Kotoha, who were Harry's daytime bodyguards, yelp.

Not once had Harry stirred or reacted to anything from the outside world, not as far as he knew. The Nerve Gear completely cut him off, so to speak, so for something like this to happen…

His shock turned to horror as he watched something like smoke seep out from beneath the helmet, but smoke didn't have such a… malevolence to it. He saw it seep out, and then into the helmet. A quick glance to the screen saw Harry clutching his scar, smoke seeping through the fingers and moving to…

Oh, bloody buggering shite, he thought as he saw what was happening, and what Harry was starting to notice.

"What…?" he heard Kotoha say from off to the side.

"What the hell is that?" Selene asked.

"That, ladies," Sirius said, a note of horror in his voice. "Is Voldemort."

"I'm… gonna have to call the boss in for this." Selene said. "And the Shiba Clan." She added at Kotoha's look. "It's all being recorded, so… whatever happens, we will see how this ends."

Shiba Compound

"Kaoru! Takeru!" Ami called out.

The 19th lord of the Shiba entered the room, "Gus is joining Mr. Potter, then?" Takeru asked. He smirked at Ami and Lita's look. "Harry's guards contacted us. His scar... the Nerve Gear absorbed something from it."

"What?" Lita Alexander asked from where she sat before the computer that let them see into SAO. "So that's- and there Gus goes, off to help someone face a dark wizard."

Ami smiled in spite of herself, and looked down to the baby in her arms. "Your father. We'll have words with him when he gets back, won't we Alice?" She looked at Takeru. "And Kaoru?"

"She's already headed over there, and will probably be at Nakano General Hospital in a few minutes with Lady Serena," he said. "And yes, I know she doesn't like being referred to in that manner by me."

Lita snorted while Ami merely smiled. Takeru addressing Serena as "Lady" or "Princess", all due to her being adopted by Kaguya, was his way of teasing her.

Hogwarts

"The elves informed me it was safe now," the Grey Lady said, a sad smile on her face as the elf beside her held up something he'd only known through legend. "That boy, Riddle, tainted my mother's legacy... but it is clean now."

Albus blinked, as one of his many competing hypothesis seemed to be proven, then frowned. "You said it was clean now?" He asked.

"Of all but my mother's enchantments. It is clean of the... presence he hid inside it."

Albus spun toward his fireplace, absently grabbing the entire container of Floo powder as he did so.

"Will this be helping Young Master Harry?" the elf holding the relic asked.

"I'm not sure, Milly," Albus said to the eldest of the surviving Potter elves, who had come to Hogwarts as James had directed in the event of his death. "You'll stay here so you can tell Dobby and the others, I hope?"

"Milly is thanking you, Mister Headmaster, sir," the elf managed. "This is... not being something we was expecting. Stranger than Mistress Lily's 'Telly Box.'"

"No one was expecting this," Albus murmured. He would have to alert someone. He had no doubt that Harry's protectors were already noticing something, and if they knew, the Shibas probably did as well. So who should he…?

He stopped and then sighed. Of course, he thought as he placed the Floo powder down. There was no one he needed to immediately contact. He took one look at the relic, Ravenclaw's Diadem, and then went back to his desk.

Sitting down, he looked at the Grey Lady. "My Lady, could you get Fillius?" he asked. "I do believe he would be delighted to know that such a precious relic has been "found" and safely recovered."

Malfoy Manor

Lucius stared down at his arm, or to be more precise, where a certain mark had once been. It had started with a flash of blinding pain, like molten glass being poured on the spot where the Dark Mark was, and then… numbness. A lack of feeling, the absence of an old and constant ache which he had resigned himself to having for the rest of his life.

He had screamed from the pain, he would not deny that, and from Narcissa's concerned look, it had been… rather loud. But when she pulled the sleeve of his robe up, he heard her shocked gasp and looked at it for himself. He had expected to see it charred, withered, or some other unpleasant sight… not clear and unblemished skin where the Dark Mark had once been.

And as the reality of what that signified to him made its way through his mind, he started to laugh.

He was free of that man. He was finally, truly, and completely free of him!

"Lucius?" His wife asked.

"It's over, Narcissa," he said and then looked at his unmarked arm. "I'm free of him at last."

He then sighed. It was not in disappointment, but there was a hint of ruefulness.

With his luck, the boy his son imagined to be his rival was responsible. If that was so, and the boy managed to escape Sword Art Online, he would have to remember to do something nice for him.

Azkaban

"And you say they both started wailing at about the same time?" The Warden asked, frowning at two of his most demented prisoners.

"Yes, sir," the guard reporting said, shaking his head as "Bloody" Bella slammed the wall between Barry Crouch Jr. and herself. "Crotch", for his part, was screaming invectives right back at her. "And then they started arguing over who had failed their Lord more."

The Warden considered it a moment, then shrugged. "Frankly, Jenkins, after what Lestrange did to the Longbottoms and Crotch tried to do to the Potter boy..."

Jenkins nodded. "Let 'em wail."

Hogwarts, Great Hall

Hermione watched as the woman entered the Great Hall, making the students look up from their breakfast. The woman had oriental features, dark brown hair, and wearing some kind of robe that she couldn't quite remember the name of. And from the clear purpose in her stride, and the small parcel in her hand, she had an idea as to why the woman had arrived. From Ron's muttered curse, he had come to the same conclusion.

Just what had Harry gotten himself into this time?

She followed the woman's steady walk to the Head Table with her eyes and waited to see what revelations would come about. The fact that the Headmaster had stood and made his way around and to the front mean that whatever it was, it was important.

"Lady Shiba," Albus said, bowing to her. "To what do I owe this honor?"

Kaoru Shiba returned the bow. "My apologies for interrupting your meal," she said. "But it was felt that it would be best that this news be delivered in person."

Albus' eyes went to the parcel in her hands. "Harry?" He asked.

Kaoru nodded. "He is doing well," she said. "Better than well, if I may say." She then had a small smile. "But, I think it would be best for you to see what happened for yourself. The news it will impart is… I believe you will find it to be good."

"... so this is what this feels like," Albus murmured, and that earned him a musical laugh. His reputation on the international scene for being congenially mysterious was well earned. And now, a woman little more than a quarter his age was putting him on the receiving end of it.

He gave her an amused look and nodded before turning his attention to the rest of the Great Hall.

"May I have your attention?" He asked. "It is my honor to welcome to Hogwarts, Lady Karou Shiba, Eighteenth Head of the Shiba Clan of Japan, and one of the chief advisors in magical matters to the Emperor of Japan." He then turned his attention to the Gryffindor table.

"Miss Granger," he said. "I am sure you have already ascertained the purpose for her visit. Can you and a few of your fellow students go to the Viewing Room and fetch the Viewer?"

Hermione nodded and stood. "Justin, Daphne, Anthony, will you three accompany me?" She asked, naming a member from each different house to Albus' delight. At their nods, she nodded to him and sketched a passable, if awkward, bow to Karou before they all left.

"You already have a suspicion then?" Kaoru asked.

Albus nodded. "Indeed I do," he said. "Should I advise the younger students to leave?"

"Only if you feel it would be necessary." She said. "And while we wait, perhaps I should tell you how those who watched things in Japan reacted. The reactions of the family of Miss Ayano were particularly amusing."

"Oh?"

Kaoru smiled. "I heard them discussing the practicality of preparing a wedding for her and Mr. Potter to happen the moment they get out," she said with some amusement. "And that is if they don't figure out a way to marry the two of them while they're still in SAO. I distinctly remember them telling Mr. Black, in a joking manner mind you, that it was basically a family tradition."

"And how did Sirius take it?" Albus asked.

Kaoru smiled. "He joined in with them on the plotting," she replied.

##

It had taken Hermione and her associates thirty minutes to gather everything and bring it to the Great Hall. By the time they arrived, she noticed that the first, second and most of the third years had already left, probably at the Headmaster's request.

The rest of the student body was still present, and clearly curious. She could also tell that the visiting students from Durmstrang and Beauxbatons were wondering what was going on as well. Headmistress Maxime was calmly talking with Hagrid, probably getting the relevant issue from him. Headmaster Karkaroff was looking somewhat… hopeful about something. So too, was Professor Snape.

"Ah, Miss Granger," the Headmaster said. "I do hope that you're not disconcerted by the presence of an audience."

Hermione shook her head. "It won't be a problem, sir."

She directed Justin and Anthony to begin setting up the Viewer, focusing on the task at hand. While the presence of so many was unexpected, she could deal with it. After all, it wasn't the first time Harry's misadventures ended up having a larger audience than normal.

Hopefully, this wouldn't end up like what had happened back in June.

Once the setup was complete, and Justin indicated that everything checked out. Turning to Lady Shiba, she watched as the woman had already anticipated her and already had the parcel opened. Reaching in, the woman pulled out a disk and handed it to her.

"Thank you, Lady Shiba," she said, bowing awkwardly. The woman returned the bow, smiled and nodded as she stepped back. Hermione walked over to the Viewer, she made another mental note to come up with a proper name for it, inserted the disk, and stepped back. Looking over the Great Hall, she took in a breath.

"We are here to watch the events that Lady Shiba has brought to us related to the activities of Harry Potter in Sword Art Online on this day, the First of January, two thousand and twenty-four." She said formally, adopting the role that had become habit with regard to these events. "I would please request that you all hold any questions until the end. Thank you." She then pulled out her wand and touched the rune to begin the playback.

##

Word spread around Hogwarts quickly, and to the rest of Magical Britain almost as quickly.

While the accounts would vary, they all agreed on the basics: Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived, had killed Voldemort almost as soon as he came back. How did he come back? Who cares?! Harry Potter set his sword on fire, planted him into the ground with it, and burned him to ash.

And that foreign woman, Lady Shibo- Shibi- whatever… she said that her own people had verified it. They used their own spells, charms, and anything else they had on hand to confirm it.

And confirm it they did.

Voldemort was dead, and he wasn't coming back.

And a little ditty percolated around Hogwarts. Fred and George Weasley, the most likely culprits refused to take credit for it, but they also didn't deny that they might, might have had a hand in it.

He did it, he bashed him,

Wee Potter's the one,

And Voldie's gone moldy,

So go and have some fun!

The Dark Lord, his life was parted,

So let the parties get started!

And party, Magical Britain did. The Muggle Relations Department was, if anything, kept even busier than the first time, when its members weren't themselves busy joining in.

Headmaster's Office

Albus could still hear the cheering and partying going on from his office, as the knowledge that Voldemort was truly vanquished spread. And as the cheers sounded, soon to spread to the rest of the magical community, he looked out the window and onto the grounds with a small smile. One that was perhaps a bit bittersweet, but a smile nonetheless.

Harry had done it. He had fulfilled the prophecy that had been hanging over his head since Tom had believed that it applied to him. And he did so in a way that no one could have anticipated.

After all, who would believe that "the power he knows not" would not be some power that was intrinsic to Harry, as he, himself, had believed, but instead, but instead a power gifted to him by another?

And the fact that it was completed in a way that no one who knew about it could have anticipated was probably for the best. Things would become downright dull otherwise.

Tom's safeguards against death, his horcruxes, they failed to save him. They failed because the man had failed to anticipate that whatever means he used to bring himself to Harry would have brought the entirety of him, destroying the magic that made the horcruxes what they were. They failed because immortality was not something that mortals should attain.

He remembered something Nicholas told him when he had requested that Albus destroy the stone.

"The Philosopher's Stone doesn't give immortality, but simply undoes the damage that life does to the body. It can extend life, and stave off Death, but it cannot prevent it. And, it's for the best that it's so.

Pernelle and I, we've seen what happens to those who try to attain immortality, and it never works. No matter what means they use, no matter how successful they think they are... Death... It can only be delayed. Not stopped. And… it is time for my wife and I to stop missing our appointments with It.

We have long been ready for it… so for us... it's just finally taking a step. That one, necessary first step. That first step onto the next Great Adventure. When it is your time, young Albus, I will make sure to tell you of what wonders there are to be seen."

And perhaps, that was all there was to it. Tom's desire for immortality was doomed to failure from the start.

So he smiled. A smile for the victory of a boy who had won a war that should never been his to fight in the first place. A smile, for the boy would have what he hopes will be a long and prosperous life ahead of him.

Because now, without Tom's shadow hanging over him like a malevolent cloak, Harry Potter could finally, and truly, live his life.

A/N: And this is done. Wow, a lot of points of view involved here, and I am not making the mistake of trying to cover six months or so of things like that again. Feel free to call me out on that when I inevitable make that mistake down the line, btw.

You'll notice that I introduced some characters who I don't have to explain where I got the inspiration for them from, let alone the version. Gus' wife was named Ami, and I ran with it from there. On the other hand, they most certainly aren't those characters. They aren't magical girls at all. If anything, they're civilians who have a side job as Demon Hunters. And they work alongside and under the direction of professionals in that regard.

Also, the Kaguya mentioned? She's the one from the Japanese folktale, The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter. While the tale got some things mixed up, storytellers you know, she's the real deal and a major power in the supernatural community.