take it. just take it. i'm done looking at this chapter. such a pain to get out i swear, fun, but a pain.
read, review, and of course enjoy! XD
Disclaimer: I do not own, nor claim to own, anything pertaining to Inuyasha nor Harry Potter.
—Upcoming Festivities—
Up alone in the fourth floor dorm of the Gryffindor tower, Kagome dragged her feet over to her four-poster, her arms leaden with the weight of the current source of her frustration and groaning loudly. "This is," she bemoaned to herself, "Absolutely ridiculous."
With a huff she fell back onto her bed, sprawling over the covers. On her stomach she settled the golden egg she had spirited from the Peruvian Vipertooth only a week earlier, just as shiny, gaudy, and the clue it somehow held imperceptible as ever.
She knew the clue laid in the awful noise the damn thing produced whenever it was opened, but was stumped on what it meant. What could possibly make that kind of noise? Did she need to use a spell or something to reveal the clue? Was the noise itself a clue of what was to come in the task?
Gods, she certainly hoped not.
The engraving that covered the egg's golden shell yielded no hints on what to do either, and she hadn't the slightest idea on where to even start to figure the clue out.
Groaning, Kagome shoved the egg off her belly, not wanting to think any more on the stupid thing. It tumbled over onto the ground, hitting the carpet-covered stone with a dull crack. She ignored it, instead draping her forearms across her eyes.
There wasn't even a point in trying to figure it out—it wasn't like she could take her mind off a certain bespectacled wizard with green eyes and a mess of dark hair long enough to actually focus.
A certain wizard who was to take her to a certain ball by the end of the week.
As friends.
Rolling over, Kagome buried her face into her pillow and moaned loudly; yet again, fate was cruel in matters of the heart.
She didn't even know what was worse: the fact she'd have to spend the ball in close quarters with him, their hands on one another with the reminder that it wasn't real, that they were there as just friends, hanging over her… Taunting her…
Or the fact that she had to dance with Harry and risk injury once more.
Her toes curled just remembering the pain.
With another groan, Kagome rolled onto her side, her arms falling from her face only to find a pair of golden eyes boring right back at her mere inches away—she screamed.
Flailing, Kagome careened off the bed, her scream cut short with a grunt upon hitting the ground.
Unperturbed by the spectacle before him, Fubuki stuck out his leg and opened his claw, releasing the letter he had clutched between his talons; it fluttered down only to drop squarely onto Kagome's face. With a low hoot that Kagome would swear to her death sounded like the owl version of a laugh Fubuki took to the air. Nipping up a couple of owl treats she'd left scattered among her bedside cabinet as he passed, he took his leave via a window that silently opened and shut of its own accord to let him through.
Mentally cursing the evil bird, Kagome lifted the letter from her face and tore it open, eye twitching as she slipped out and unfolded the paper inside.
Her eyes scanned the letter, widening further with each word she read, and it wasn't long before she was scrambling to her feet and tearing through the door.
.
.
Provided rooms in the guest wing all the way on the other side of the castle from where the Gryffindor Tower stood, it took Kagome nearly ten minutes to make her way across the castle and maneuver up through the moving staircases onto the fifth floor before reaching the portrait entrance the lead into her guardians' shared common room.
The pair had only occupied the rooms a couple of times so far, using them only on the days around certain events that required their attendance. Luckily, it was the week leading up to the Yule Ball and both Sesshomaru and Shippo had floo'd over just two nights ago.
She gasped out the password before she was even five feet from it, rushing through the entrance the moment it opened far enough for her to slip through and almost tripping over the raised ledge. She stumbled into the common room to stand before the two demons, the letter Fubuki had brought her still clutched in her hand, crumpled under her white-knuckled grip.
Sesshomaru and Shippo were already waiting for her, of course, probably sensing or smelling her approach long her she even made it to the same floor—the former had taken residence in a stiff looking ornate chair, back straight and eyes narrowed, his hands clasped over his lap, while the latter stood only feet away with a look of concern clearly visible on his face.
"Kagome?" Shippo quickly asked as he looked her over, taking a step closer.
"My brother—he's—" she swallowed thickly, tightening her grip on the letter even further, "He's a wizard too."
With a blink, Shippo straightened and shifted to face Sesshomaru, whose head had tilted if only the slightest. The pair shared a long look before Shippo turned back to Kagome and gave a shrug. "I'd… wondered if it was genetic," he commented, striding over to take a seat on the nearby sofa and leaning back into it. "Now we know."
Kagome staggered over and collapsed onto the nearest possible spot, which was the window seat. Her head was shaking of its own accord as she slumped in her spot, still reeling from the news her mother sent her.
You would never believe what just happened…
It appears magic runs in the family!
A noise caught her attention, a low creak that had her looking up to find Shippo leaning forward, studying her. "Is… this a bad thing?" he asked her, curious. "Because the way your heart is beating…" he trailed off, his eyebrows furrowing.
Kagome looked away, feeling her throat tighten. ""I…" She bit her lip. "I don't know yet," she said honestly.
For all of Souta's talk in the past, in the past where he met Inuyasha and idolized the half-demon, wishing fervently to be like him, that he could travel back in time with them, Kagome never dared to voice how utterly grateful she was that Inuyasha and she were the only ones able to pass through the well.
Like their mother and grandfather, on this side of the well he was safe. Safe from the demons and bandits that roamed the lands, safe from Naraku whom she knew would have jumped at the chance to use Souta against her, just as he did with Kohaku and Sango.
The thought of that had terrified her to her core; there was a tiny part of her that was grateful, that whispered in the depths of her mind and her heart 'thank the gods, thank you,' that it wasn't them in their place, and she honestly hated herself for it.
And now, with her entered into the tournament, with her attempted kidnapping just months ago, with dark wizards after the Shikon…
Kagome looked back to the letter in her hand, unfurling it and smoothing the wrinkles she had made.
Dearest Kagome,
You would never believe what just happened yesterday morning! Your brother was upstairs, getting ready for school as usual, when I heard something crash and his frantic call; I rushed upstairs to come upon him, half-dressed and with a head of green hair! Oh, the look of absolute shock on his face!
Suffice to say, I put in a call to the number your friend left us and it appears magic runs in the family! Naturally, Souta was ecstatic to hear the news—so much that he almost walked out of the shrine his hair still an unnatural shade of green!
"And him coming into his abilities so late too?" Kagome asked, tearing her eyes away from her mother's words.
Oh, she could imagine Souta upon hearing the news—the wide grin on his face, his grey-blue eyes wide and bright, bouncing on the heels of his feet—and of course she was happy for him; despite the threat looming over her head, it didn't take away from the fact that magic was absolutely wondrous.
Souta would have an amazing time learning magic, casting spells, and being a part of this incredible world.
There was just this… this feeling she couldn't shake that…
"Not as late as you," she heard Sesshomaru correct her, as Souta was only twelve. "But it is curious that it happened to him as well." She glanced up and watched as a thoughtful expression passed over his pale, unmarked face.
Shippo seemed to be following his train of thought, his head tilting as he gave a small hum. "A conflict of inheritance?" he proposed.
The daiyoukai tipped his head. "Possible," he murmured at length.
When Kagome only looked between the two, baffled, Shippo went on to explain. "Like your miko abilities, magic can also be inherited. The fact that both of you possess magic means it is most likely someone from your line had passed it down."
Sesshomaru stood, drifting towards the window Kagome sat next to and looking out into the castle grounds. It was snowing lightly now, adding a coat of snow over the few inches that built up over the night.
"It is most likely that this magic came from your father," he mused, his golden eyes flicking over towards her momentarily. "Though it is not completely indisputable, that magic has chosen to show itself in your family now, and in both of you, makes him the most probable cause. Whether it came from him directly, however, is something we'd need to look into; his line mixing with your mother's, which held magical potential of its own could have… revived any latent gifts."
At the mention of her father, Kagome shifted, crossing her legs and tucking her feet underneath herself.
She didn't remember much of the man personally. He had passed when she was little, about two, and only weeks after Souta had even been conceived.
What she could remember were eyes as blue and grey as her and Souta's, dark curls, and a grin she constantly saw hints of when she looked at her brother and at times, herself. That, as well as the melody to the lullaby her mother said he used to sing her to sleep with; the words escaped her, but she sometimes found herself humming the funny little tune without realizing it.
"Well," Shippo interjected, catching her attention once more. "However you two got it, mixed together with your holy abilities it's possible that they became at odds, negating one another until one beat the other out. It would explain why your magic and your brother's took so long to present itself—it took that long before one finally came out on top."
Kagome shook her head. "I can still use both, though," she reminded the kitsune, wiggling five fingers that gave a pink glow as she called out her abilities. Calling them to hand came to ease, but along with it came the burgeoning presence of the magic surrounding her, threatening to overwhelm her before she suppressed her senses enough to dull the effect. "Plus, I was older."
The glow faded from her fingertips and she gave a quick shake of her head, as if to clear her mind.
Snorting, Shippo rolled his eyes. "Yeah, well, to find a balance then in your case. Maybe if you weren't born with either the Shikon Jewel inside your body or that huge ass soul of yours, or if the jewel was never removed, you'd have come into your magic even sooner like your brother and only your magic." He shrugged. "Maybe getting sent back to the past—the modern past—after activating your miko abilities did something. We can't really say for sure." With a rueful shake of his head, he sighed. "It can't be a coincidence that they crop up after shit went down in the past, though."
An unnerving silence followed once Shippo finished, and Kagome found herself unable to disagree with him; the first go around, her magic didn't make so much as a peep. But now, with the Feudal Era come and gone, her magic had manifested—as if realizing her miko abilities were no longer needed as they once were.
Could that be it? Kagome wondered, bringing her knees up to her chest and resting her chin on top. Could it have taken a backseat because I needed my miko abilities more?
Finding out she was a miko was an ordeal enough—having to learn control over her magic on top of that, at the same time, would have been horrible.
Shaking her head from those thoughts, Kagome peered over to where Sesshomaru stood beside her. "What about school?"
The pair of demons shared a look. "As of right now? There's probably no sense enrolling him into a new school mid-year," Shippo told her.
"We will make arrangements to ensure he will get the training he needs to keep his magic under control in the meantime," Sesshomaru mused.
Kagome hummed, now resting her cheek on her knees. "And next year?"
Next to her, the window seat cushion dipped and a familiar arm wrapped around her shoulders; Kagome leaned into the embrace, welcoming the familiar warmth of it. "Well, that's for him to decide," Shippo murmured, "We do have a school, but nothing like this. Home-schooling is also an option, but then, so is Hogwarts."
Kagome didn't reply. Instead, she looked away and pulled her knees closer still, eyebrows furrowing as she stared through the snow-dusted window.
.
.
"Where have you been?" Hermione asked Kagome once she reached their table, her bag thrown over her shoulder haphazardly and her breaths coming in short puffs after hurrying into the library. On one side of the table sat the brunette witch with Ron on her left and Harry on the other side with Luna on his right, the last of which Kagome went to sit next to. "We were getting worried."
"I needed to talk to my guardians about something, and kinda lost track of time," Kagome quickly explained, giving them all an apologetic look. A glance at the clock by the entrance on the way in had told her it was twenty past three—she was supposed to meet them at two-thirty. "Then I had to grab my stuff back in the tower. Sorry for being so late."
Most of them let it go, Hermione giving a smile and Ron waving it off; Luna, though her stare lingered, said nothing. It was Harry who leaned forward to look at her, a mixture of concern and curiosity apparent on his face. "Everything alright?"
Kagome paused in setting her bag onto the table, her gaze falling to fixate on the clear space on the wooden surface before her. "I…" she drew out, slowly lowering the bag, before she quickly added, "Yeah, yeah," thereafter, shaking her head with a half-hearted, rueful laugh. "I just got a letter from back home today—turns out my little brother is a wizard too."
Hermione perked right up, eyebrows both rising. "Oh, that's great news!" she exclaimed; across from the table. "Is he coming to Hogwarts as well?"
"Not right now," Kagome replied, unable to help but laugh a bit in the face of Hermione's enthusiasm. "He'll be tutored to keep control over his magic until the next school year starts—then it's up to him where he wants to go, or if he wants to stick with homeschooling."
Luna blinked over at her, her pale blue eyes round but her stare sharp nonetheless. "Perhaps it's a good thing," she softy said, "For you and for him."
On the defense, Kagome automatically said, "I never said it wasn't—" before she cut herself off and sighed, taking her seat. Leaning heavily against the table, she linked her fingers together and twisted them gently. "Souta is probably jumping for joy about this, and I… I really do miss him, miss all of them," she whispered, staring hard down at the table. "It would be so nice to… to be able to share this with him, this world, this experience…"
"So what's the problem?" Ron asked, shoving the book he was originally flipping blindly through to the side and stretching his arms out into the space he cleared. "I mean, aside from the occasional threat of death and Snape, Hogwarts is great! And honestly, it's only ever us who almost die anyway," he added with a sheepish glance at Harry.
The redhead received a flat look as a result. "Wow," Harry deadpanned, "Thanks, mate, thanks."
Hermione huffed a laugh under her breath. "Honestly, Harry, you can't deny that trouble follows you. It's just your luck."
Luna hummed. "Fortunately you have a lot of rascalbelly fibberhigs to counter the bad luck," she chipped in with more than a touch too much brightness. "Otherwise you might have died by now."
At that, Ron snorted loudly and ended up clapping a hand over his mouth before he burst out laughing right there in the middle of the near-silent library. Hermione gave the Ravenclaw a scandalized stare "Luna!"
Just then Madam Pince had begun to pass by, as per her hourly rounds to make sure no students were up to no good. Even though Hermione spoke no louder than a low hiss, the librarian still shot the girl a dirty look.
The girl in question appeared mortified, slumping in her seat. The others did well to busy themselves in the books laid out in from of them, trying and failing horrifically at keeping a straight face.
With a skeptical harrumph and a warning look that had Hermione slumping further, Madam Pince turned her nose and went on her way.
Once the librarian had left and the coast seemed clear, Ron coughed, grinning. "Well, she isn't wrong there," he couldn't help but add, picking up where they'd left off and sniggering almost gleefully. Beside him, Hermione shot the redhead a withering glare that he more than happily ignored in favor of addressing the only other male in their group. "Bloody hell, you faced a basilisk with only a sword and you still came out alive—I mean, barely, but still alive. You were twelve." Ron glanced at the others, throwing his hands up in a silent gesture. "Something's gotta be looking out for him. Fibberwatchamacallits or Merlin's bloody spirit, take your pick."
To the side, Kagome began to laugh silently, biting her lip as her shoulders shook heavily under the effort not to laugh aloud lest she brought Madam Pince back swooping upon them. Luna wore a grin so wide it looked like it hurt.
Embarrassed, Harry shut his eyes and sunk into his seat. "Guys," he pleaded, sinking even lower, "Can we please get back to what we were talking about before?"
"Sorry mate," Ron offered, not sounding apologetic in the least, but he did turn back to Kagome. "But yeah, unless your brother starts hanging around us, he oughta be fine!"
Harry groaned under his breath. If he sank any lower, he'd be at serious risk of sliding off his chair completely.
"I… I know," Kagome eventually admitted, quickly adding, "Not about him being around you, of course," towards Harry, who gave her an exasperated but nonetheless grateful smile, "That he'd be alright here. Gods, I feel like an ass, but it's just…"
"Normal is safer," Luna said quietly, looking into the air with an odd expression. She picked idly at a worn corner of the page she had opened the tome in front of her too, and Kagome saw how the blonde's gaze flickered to the side to glance at the spot where the Shikon Jewel currently rested under her shirt, atop her breastbone. "And you'd rather he be safe than sorry. Especially now."
"Yeah," Kagome laughed, though it was a short sound meant mostly to herself.
She thought about the bauble that sat atop her breastbone, about the consequences that followed her from the past with it, about her attempted abduction only a few months ago, about the tournament she was mysteriously entered in.
She thought about the fact that with all this going on, it was a dangerous time for Souta, or any of her family to be near her when there was someone willing to go to great lengths to get something from her.
"Yeah, especially now…"
.
.
The days leading up to Christmas were spent with Kagome throwing herself into studying. Despite it being winter break there were still extra lessons to attend and assignments, minor they may be, to go with them; while a part of her was desperate to use the break to do nothing but relax, another part was grateful for having something to help distract her from 'the day'.
But it wasn't only that. Her mother's letter, that her brother had also possessed magic and the possible danger this world held for him still weighed heavily on her, and the more progress she made the stronger she'd become as a witch, and therefore the more prepared.
Hermione greatly approved of her decision, but Ron couldn't help but voice his rather… empathetic objection.
"It's the holidays!" the red-haired wizard protested, a fist hitting the table as he looked at the sight before him, looking as if affronted.
The act had the books laid out across the table jumping into the air and various scraps of parchment rustling, some almost falling off the edges if not for the quick reflexes of both Harry and Kagome; Hermione was not amused and Ron quickly muttered an apology at the death glare she shot him.
He wasn't about to stop there, though. "This is the time we're meant to relax!"
"That's easy for you to say, Ronald," Hermione replied, exasperated, "But you don't have to take extra lessons to catch up, and unlike you, some people prefer getting their assignments finished in a timely fashion instead of waiting until the last minute."
Ron elected to ignore her, shifting towards Kagome. "You've been taking these lessons since summer—how much longer until you're finished?"
Harry, who had remained mostly silent since he came down with Ron and joined their table in the common room—and who was the main reason Kagome was grateful for the distraction, as things had become increasingly awkward between them as 'the day' grew closer—gave an incredulous laugh and finally spoke up. "Ron, that's three years she needs to catch up on. It's gonna take a while."
"Ugh," Ron muttered, eyes flickering over her books in distaste. "That sucks—even with the, y'know?" He twisted his fingers in the air, miming winding a certain time artifact she still possessed.
Setting down her quill, Kagome leaned heavily against the table, bracing herself with her elbows against the wooden surface. "Using it lets me squeeze in a few more lessons a day, sure," she murmured, sighing. "But it's a little like squeezing two years in one? The one-on-one time helps things go faster, though. Since the first year material is only mostly the basic theories with a few spells and potions thrown in here and there, I managed to wrap that up during the summer."
Propping her chin on the heel of her hand, Kagome reached back and rubbed the nape of her neck with her other. "But since the year started, not to mention with the tournament, I'm stuck just trying to squeeze in the essentials when I can. So far, I'm about halfway through the second year material for DADA and Charms, and nearly finished for Portions and Herbology since they're my best subjects."
A thoughtful noise worked its way out from Hermione's throat, and the witch glanced up to peer at Kagome. "That's not bad," she remarked, looking impressed.
Ron snorted. "Yeah, and I bet Snape setting a ruthless pace had nothing to do with that."
With a hum Kagome straightened and picked her quill back up, twirling it between her fingers as she flipped a page in her book. "I guess that's part of it," she replied as her eyes scanned the page, sounding amused, "Maybe for DADA, but I was able to start the second year material for Potions in the summer since I already knew a bunch of the stuff."
The trio simultaneously shot her a weird look. "You already knew about potions?" Hermione asked, confused, "Before you even came here?"
Maybe the others didn't notice how Kagome went suddenly still, straightening slightly and her shoulders stiffening the tiniest bit, but Harry certainly did—nor did he miss how the quill she was twirling coming to a stop, her fingers tightening a bit too much on the writing utensil.
Intrigued, Harry straightened slowly, leaning towards her and watching more closely.
"Oh," she muttered quickly, smoothly shifting to appear more relaxed as she leaned in and rested her chin on her knuckles. The tight grip on her quill, though, had yet to relax. "Oh yeah, I live on a shrine, remember? Picked up some stuff and mixtures growing up as part of being a shrine priestess, old remedies and whatnot, and some of that carried over into what we learn here. It's actually also how I caught up for COMC real quick—I already recognized a few of the creatures from stories growing up." With that, the miko-witch cleared her throat and suddenly stretched out her arms.
"But you know what, Ron?" she chirped, dropping her quill into her inkpot.
"Huh?" At his name, Ron gave a jerk and a startled blink, to which Kagome flashed a smile at.
"You're right! This is the time to relax! I think I might take a walk around—maybe slip into the kitchens. A quick snack and some fresh air might do me some good from staying cooped in so long." Lithely jumping to her feet, she pushed in her chair and gleaned a look at the three of them. "Mind watching my stuff, if you're staying here? I won't be gone long."
"Sure," Harry was the first to offer, and Kagome glanced at him, startled. She was quick to recover though, and snatched up her scarf and gloves, murmuring her thanks and waving goodbye to them all.
The remaining three watched her go, all looking a bit dazed at her swift exit.
"Well, that wasn't suspicious," Ron muttered wryly once a few moments had passed after Kagome slipping through the portrait door.
Harry hummed, "Wonder what that was about," he said absently, still staring at the common room entrance. For a moment there, he'd thought Kagome's cheeks had turned a bit pink when he spoke up, but quickly dismissed it. If anything, she was probably just flustered. Clearly she said something she thought she shouldn't have, which meant she was still hiding something—something other than the important jewel she carried.
What else are you hiding? Harry wondered, both curious and worried.
When the boys turned to Hermione, who had yet to comment, they shared an odd look when she continued to refrain from speaking up.
"Uh," Ron shared another bemused look with Harry, "Hermione?"
Now it was Hermione's fingers that were tightening involuntarily, though hers were around the book she was holding. Primly clearing her throat, the bushy-haired witch looked up at them. "Yes?" she prompted.
She looked nervous, and distinctly uncomfortable.
"C'mon," Harry said impatiently, immediately picking up what was going on—apparently, Kagome wasn't the only one hiding something, "What's up? What's going on?"
Hermione shot her friend an offended look. "Nothing is up," she curtly replied, not taking kind to his tone.
Ron shifted forward, leaning against the table and levelling a knowing look at her. "Hermione," he pressed, his tone hushed, "You obviously know something, so why aren't you letting us know?"
Hermione's eyes flickered between the two boys, biting her lip, before she straightened and gave an annoyed sigh. "Maybe because what I know isn't exactly something I want to advertise?" she retorted, sounding a bit sharp. At the boys' confused looks, she rolled her eyes in exasperation. "We're not exactly alone here, and besides, you never know if there's a fly on the wall." Something in her face shifted, her expression faltering as she looked away. "I'll tell you later."
Ron snorted, pushing away from the table. "Sounds like something Luna would say."
The annoyance returned, along with a dark expression that clouding Hermione's face as her head whipped around towards him. "And Luna would be right," she snapped back, "And you should speak more nicely about the girl who agreed to be your date for the ball."
That got Ron to shut up quickly enough and looking properly contrite.
.
.
Whatever Hermione knew, however, was quickly forgotten in favor of the excitement and trepidation that came from the upcoming Yule Ball. The days that followed was filled with Hogwarts' staff pulling out all the stops to get the castle ready and decorated in commemoration of the event.
"I guess they would want to do what they can to impress the other schools," Hermione remarked when they had entered the Great Hall and Kagome stopped to stare in awe. Twelve giant Christmas trees lined the walls of the Great Hall, heavily bedecked with things like glowing holly berries, bells that chimed softly, thick garland that shifted colours to match those of the Hogwarts houses and even a couple to match the colours of the visiting schools, and golden owls that actually hooted.
And when 'the day' itself finally came, Kagome woke to a scream.
Jolting from her slumber, Kagome ended up rolling off her bed, out of her closed curtains, and onto her feet with her hands held up in a defensive position only to find those of the girls that were already up staring at her in open astonishment.
Awkward silence filled the dorm, and Kagome slowly lowered her hands.
"Lavie, why you gotta be so loud," complained Fay Dunbar, from the far right of the rounded room. She had propped herself halfway up on her elbow and was scrubbing the sleep from her eyes; on her right, Morgan Baum snored on having not even stirred.
Just then, Hermione poked her head from the curtains, blinking sleepily and her hair a wild, frizzy mess. "Was someone screaming just now?" she mumbled, smacking her lips as she wet them. "What time is it?"
"Too early," Fay groaned, and with that she fell back onto her bed, slipping back to sleep.
Lavender cleared her throat and meekly held up the small object in her hands. It was a small, square box, packaged in twinkling scarlet wrapping and topped with a bow. "It's Christmas?"
Hermione snorted, her lips twitching. Parvati let out a giggle. "Kagome," the latter said, still laughing, "You looked like something was about to get you!"
At that Hermione shot her a curious look and Kagome could only give a nervous, half-hearted laugh in reply. "I keep dreaming dragons are coming to get me," she joked, lying through her teeth, and by the looks of it Hermione knew it too. "So what's got everyone so excited?"
Parvati grinned, side-eying Lavender with a sly look. "Someone got a little something from someone special~!" she teased in a sing-song tone.
Lavender bit her lip and turned away, dismissing the claim. "He's just my date for tonight!" The heavy blush on her face, however, said that it—or rather he—was something more.
As Parvati laughed, Kagome and Hermione shared an amused look before turning to their own pile of gifts stacked neatly atop the lid of their trunks.
Excitement jolted through Kagome as she regarded the presents, but the frown she caught out of the corner of her eyes on Hermione's face halted her. Looking over, she saw the brunette witch eyeing her own gifts with unease.
Kagome moved silently to the other side of her bed, leaning against the bedpost. "Hey," she gently urged. It had Hermione's head snapping up, as if startled. "What's up?"
Hermione stared back for a moment, opening her mouth at one point before closing it when no words seemed to come. Kagome watched with concern as her friend bit her lip before turning away with a small shrug.
"Just… I never thought of it before, but who do you think puts all our presents out?" she murmured, her mouth a grim line as she moved to push her curtains completely open. Taking a seat at the edge of her bed, Hermione reached out to grab the present closest to her—a medium-sized box wrapped with deep purple wrapping—and set it on her lap, her fingers absently toying with the ribbon. "The elves."
Kagome frowned, crossing her arms as she looked at her stack of presents in a new light. "That… would make sense," she slowly said, admittedly ashamed that it didn't occur to her either. She'd figure they'd just… appeared, by a spell or something. She pursed her lips, feeling unsettled. "I wish there was something we could do to at least thank them—return the favor somehow, show some appreciation?"
A determined look crossed Hermione's face. "Getting them wages would be a good start," was her firm reply.
It made Kagome smile a bit. "It would," she agreed, "But not all of them would want that," she gently reminded her friend.
Hermione's attempt to free them by leaving hand-knitted pieces of clothing ended up with the elves threatening to stop tidying around the common room and their dorms, and her chat with the kitchen elves once she weaseled the entrance out of Fred—though weaseled was a bit of an overstatement since all the brunette needed to do was smile and ask; George still teased Fred about it incessantly—didn't turn out like she wanted either.
"And I was also thinking of something a little more… sooner?" she suggested, apologetic.
Hermione gave Kagome a small smile. "You're right," she sighed, and pulled loose the ribbon of her present. "What about a thank you note? With a small gift, a treat perhaps?"
Kagome hummed, liking the idea, and sat on her bed, deciding to start on her own presents. "We can ask Dobby," she said, picking up a small box. It was wrapped rather nicely in shiny, silver wrapping and a slim silky bow. It was so pretty Kagome couldn't help but be gentle as she pulled on the bow and worked on unwrapping it. "See what he says. I think they'd really appreciate the thank you though; probably don't get it very often, since we never get to see them—oh."
Hermione glanced up at Kagome's surprised exhale. "What's wrong—oh, that's pretty!" she abruptly exclaimed, seeing the necklace dangling from the miko's fingers. She leaned forward, a curious look on her face. "Who's it from?"
Kagome tore her eyes from the thin, twisted chain in her grasp and scanned her bed to see if she missed anything. "There wasn't a gift tag," she murmured before checking inside the box. A noise of triumph sounded from her throat at the sight of a small, folded scrap of parchment inside the bottom half of the box. "But there is a note."
Picking it up, Kagome slipped her thumb between the folds and opened it. Her eyes widened as she read the name signed inside. "It's… it's from Draco," she murmured, and looked back at her present. She held it up and the delicate silver chain twinkled in the light. She glanced back at the note, reading it before snorting. "He says it's unbreakable, since with my luck I'd probably end up snapping it."
"That's…" Hermione trailed off, clearing her throat a little as she looked for the word. "Considerate of him." Kagome almost laughed at the awkward quality of her tone. "Isn't it a bit… much, though?"
The miko-witch grimaced. "Yeah," she murmured, turning the note over and scanning it. She rolled her eyes and laughed under her breath, unable to help herself—typical. "It really is, and he apparently thought of that too."
I honestly didn't know what else to get you, but girls like jewelry, don't they? It's just a simple chain, but I made sure it would be unbreakable since with your luck you'd just end up breaking it within the week.
Happy Christmas, Kagome.
Draco
P.S. And no, this is not too much—it didn't even make a dent in my monthly allowance. Any attempt to give it back will be rightfully ignored.
Kagome considered the necklace now coiled in her palm. "Unbreakable, huh…" she muttered, and with a quick glance at the other girls to check if they were preoccupied, she slipped the Shikon no Tama out from under her shirt. Stringing the jewel onto her gift, she fastened it around her neck and tucked it back under her collar.
The next half hour was spent opening the rest of their gifts. Delighted with her present, Hermione had thanked Kagome profusely for the bookmark she received, charmed to show the line on which she had stopped reading on one side, and the list of books she had finished reading with it on the other.
In return, Kagome thanked her for the magical planner that was able to shift between the assignments both her regular and extra lessons, as well as change the color of its cover as a sort of silent alarm when a due date approached for an unfinished assignment.
Harry had gotten her a wand holster, made of black, supple leather and spelled to tie it to her magic so only she would be able to summon her wand from it. For the upcoming tasks, he had scrawled on a torn piece of parchment. Ron had gotten her a bag of sweets, filled mostly with small chocolate from Honeydukes and of course, of course, a lone chocolate frog that had her twitching at the sight of.
He added that on purpose, Kagome thought, half-amused and half-indignant. She didn't forget what happened on the train only a few months ago, and clearly neither did Ron. That ass.
Luna had given her a pair of dangling earrings, of metal twisted into vines and leaves and thin, colourful strings meant to ward away unwanted digglespurgers. Sesshomaru had given her a knife of all things to keep on her at all times, which she quickly tucked away before anyone saw and started freaking out. An unnecessary move it turned out to be, for apparently he had an illusion put on it to conceal it from all eyes but hers.
It was a beautiful small blade, Kagome had to give him that—the metal gleamed with a bluish tint, something in tiny, elegant script inscribed on the side, and its hilt a simple design and wrapped. She had to wonder who forged it and with what, for the moment she had slipped her fingers around the hilt, power pulsed from it.
Mrs. Weasley had sent her a thick, dark green scarf that looked so exquisitely warm that she wrapped it around her neck immediately. Along with the new dress and boots her mother sent her, a set of protective sutras courtesy of her grandfather, and some sweets from back home from Souta, they also sent along photos that had her tearing up a little.
One of them was of Souta holding up his brand new wand, a wide grin plastered across his face; another showed her mother and grandfather at the table, laughing; and the last was of all three of them, standing in their living room, smiling and waving.
On the back of the last photo, in her mother's familiar handwriting, was a short note: We miss you very much dear, and hope you have a lovely holiday with your friends!
A wave of emotion washed over Kagome then, had her swallowing thickly and blinking away the oncoming tears. If it wasn't for the tournament she would've been able to visit them—able to see Souta wand in hand with her own eyes, give her mother a hug, hear grandfather's raspy voice with her own ears and laugh with them all over the break—and she wished not for the first time or even the fifth that she was never entered into the stupid thing in the first place.
Turning, Kagome reached out and propped the photos up against her bedside cabinet among the others there and made a mental note to grab some frames on the next visit to Hogsmeade.
Shippo's gift was saved for last, and Kagome was glad for it. It was larger compared to most of the others, and inside she found a large, leather-bound book waiting for her. The leather was aged, and from what she could tell from the sheets that peeked out the edges, so were the pages.
Except, when she undid the dark, leather twine used to tie it shut and opened it to the first page, she found it was so, so much more than a mere book, and it had her slapping it shut. Her eyes stung terribly as she brought a trembling hand to her mouth, her heart beating a wild tempo in her chest and her lungs burning.
Whatever she was expecting, it wasn't a painted picture of Sango and Miroku, standing together before what she recognized as Kaede's hut and each holding a bundle of blankets in their arms. The familiar sight of the slayer's soft, warm smile and the monk's wide, happy grin greeting her had her heart wrenching with a ferocity that was as startling as the sight of the painting itself.
A photo album. It was a photo album; a collection of old paintings done on scrolls and preserved after all these years. Of her friends.
And if she had read the small signature in the corner correctly, Shippo had painted them himself.
For her.
Oh Shippo, Kagome thought, swiping at her eyes with a shaky hand as she took a deep, steadying breath. She gently returned the album to its box, regret turning over her stomach at the roughness of her treatment of it earlier.
She'd save the album for later, knowing if she looked through it then she'd have to explain why the sight of paintings obviously done some time ago had her turning into a blubbering mess of tears and snot.
I can never thank you enough for this, Shippo, never…
.
.
Once she had collected herself and gotten dressed for the day, Kagome went downstairs along with Hermione to meet with the boys so they could head to the Great Hall together for breakfast.
"Happy Christmas!" Harry greeted them with a warm, wide grin, Ron echoing him seconds later.
"Happy Christmas!" Kagome said along with Hermione, before turning to her red-headed friend as they made their way out of the portrait entrance. "Ron, your mother makes the warmest scarves," she gushed, tangling her fingers with the fringes of her gift. "And it's so soft too!"
Ron's cheeks pinked and he laughed a bit, rubbing the back of his neck. "I'll let her know you said that," he said, smiling with his appreciation. "Thanks for the poster by the way! I can't believe you even got it autographed!"
Kagome laughed, "One of my guardians, Himura-san? He, uh, knows one of the beaters and asked for a favor." And by know, Shippo apparently used to date him.
She knew far more than she probably should about her adopted son's… dating life, but apparently they had parted on good enough terms that they 'went out for drinks' every couple of months. Kagome wouldn't have thought much of it at first, but the glint in his eye when he said it led her to believe that those nights never ended with just drinks.
She sure as hell wasn't about to ask for details, though—not even a year ago they used to sleep in the same sleeping bag, Shippo being so small he'd fit in the crook of her elbow. That he was not only an adult but over five hundred years old still sent her reeling at times.
"Thanks for the chocolate—though I could've done without the chocolate frog though." She gave the redhead a mock glare and rolled her eyes when he only began to snigger.
"That was just mean, Ron," Hermione muttered, even though her own lips were twitching too—traitor that she was. Next to her, Harry was grinning.
"Hey, at least it wasn't the jelly beans," Ron protested in his defense, Kagome blanching at the reminder.
"Don't remind me," the miko-witch muttered darkly as they finally reached the Great Hall in all its winter-decorated wonder, her request coming strained, "Please. Don't."
Reaching the Gryffindor table, the four split up into pairs, and Kagome was left alone to walk with Harry. Not knowing what else to say, and the fact that in less than ten hours they'd be each other's date for the night weighing heavily on her mind, Kagome quietly thanked him for his gift.
"It's really nice," she added, smiling as she flicked her wrist. Her wand shot from under her black sweater sleeve and into her hand. "And the magical bind is a big plus."
Harry ducked his head, sliding his fingers through his messy dark hair as he glanced away from her, his lips quirked. "I'm, uh, glad you like it," he murmured, ridiculously pleased, and he peeked at her from the side of his glasses.
Kagome almost missed what he said though, because her eyes had caught her own present to him tied around his wrist when he reached up to mess with his hair: a simple, thinly braided leather bracelet, black with a single strand of white twined in the middle and three beads—two clear and one green—at each knotted end.
It was stupid, so, so, very stupid, but the sight of him wearing it made her heart beat just a little faster.
Gods, I'm hopeless.
"It's a, uh, talisman, you know. An omamori," she quietly explained, watching as Harry followed her gaze and glanced down at his writs. "To… protect you. See the white braided with the leather in the middle?"
Harry nodded absently as held up his wrist and studied the bracelet with renewed interest.
"It's actually a sacred sutra, a ward. You know how I grew up on a shrine? We use sutras as wards to protect against demons, but they can be used for other things, like luck or health. They're usually made with paper, but fabric works too." Kagome laughed a little, the sound nervous. "The beads are also blessed; clear quartz and jade for protection and healing, to put it simply. Figured with the tournament, it couldn't hurt."
Harry grinned at that. "Yeah, probably need all the help I can get," he chuckled, twisting the bracelet around his wrist. His grin softened into a smile, and he peered over at her. "This is really cool, Kagome," he told her empathetically, and Kagome felt her cheeks heat at the sincerity of his words. "Thank you."
"You're welcome," she murmured.
They came to a stop then, taking their seats across from Hermione and Ron. A few moments passed as they made their plates before Harry turned towards. "So, these sutras?" he asked, sounding curious. "You said they're wards… Like magic?"
Across from them, Hermione glanced up with interest.
Kagome paused in the middle of buttering her toast. "It's a… kind of magic, you could say, based on faith," she slowly said, considering her words, "Mikos and monks, shrine priestesses and priests that is, they once possessed holy abilities—you know, tied to our Shinto gods—to fight demons and such. Nowadays, while we practice the same traditions and rituals, the amount of power we hold… Well, it's like a drop instead of what used to be the ocean."
She gave her toast one last swipe with her knife before setting it down. "There aren't as many demons as there used to be hundreds of years ago, and the majority that remain are peaceful or solitary, so the need for mikos and monks waned." She smiled at him, a touch of mischief to the expression; the sight of it had Harry feeling a mixture of things, flustered and bemused, for some odd reason. "That isn't to say it won't work, though. Not if you have a little faith."
"Did you make it yourself?" Hermione suddenly asked, completely ignoring her breakfast in favor of Kagome's explanation. "The bracelet, and the sutra?"
Kagome blinked a little, thrown by the question as well as the intensity belying her friend's tone. "Yeah, actually," she admitted, scratching absently at her cheek. "Wrote and blessed it myself. My grandfather taught both my brother and I how to make ofudas and omamori while we grew up, among other things. We sell them at the shrine."
Hermione made a noncommittal hum as Luna arrived just then, taking a seat next to Harry. "Good morning," she greeted faintly, adding a bright, "Happy Christmas," that they all echoed in return as she reached for a cup that instantly filled with orange juice the moment she wrapped her fingers around it. "That's a lovely bracelet you have there, Harry."
"Thanks," he replied automatically, before pausing. Harry glanced at her, startled, "But…" he trailed off, now glancing at his wrist where the bracelet was currently hidden under his sleeve. His eyebrows furrowed as he turned back to the blonde Ravenclaw. "How did you know what it looks like?"
"I don't need to see it to see it, silly," Luna giggled, and Ron shot Harry an amused look.
"Right," the dark-haired boy murmured, and he glanced over at Kagome who was biting her lip, trying not to laugh. He wryly shook his head, figuring either it was a Luna thing or that Kagome had shown her the gift before giving it to him. "Never mind, then."
.
.
Breakfast passed with idle chatter, the four of them parting ways to head back to their respective towers for a time where the common room buzzed with their fellow housemates enjoying their presents until it was time for lunch. They returned to the Great Hall, enjoying a magnificent feast and large piles of Cribbage's Wizarding Crackers before heading out onto the grounds for an afternoon in the snow.
Kagome laughed in delight as she ducked an oncoming snowball and danced to left to hide behind a tree. "Gotta do better than that!" she shouted at George, sticking her tongue out. "Sure you don't want to join in, Hermione?"
The brunette laughed from her spot to the side, a safe distance from the snowball fight they had going on with the Weasleys: Fred and George were a force to be reckon with on their own, and it ended up being a three-way fight with Kagome, Luna, and Ginny teaming up against Harry and Ron, and the twins.
It turned out each of the third-years had strengths of their own—though her accuracy could do with a little work, Ginny had a mean arm that could throw hard, and Luna had a knack for sneak attacks.
"I prefer it over here where it's safe and warm!" Hermione called out in return, grinning.
"If you ever change your mind, you're welcome on our team!" Fred offered.
"Yeah right!" Ron protested, lugging a snowball at his older brother that ended up missing his head by an inch. "If she's going to join anyone's team, it'll be ours! She's our best friend!"
In his distraction, Ron never noticed the medium sized snowball soaring in the air until it hit him square in the face. He sputtered, swiping at his face to clear the snow, and only saw the tail end of a pale blonde braid before it disappeared behind a large stone outcrop.
Fred burst out laughing, only to get hit as well with a large snowball right in the chest that knocked him clear off his feet. Yards away, Ginny let out a triumphant yell and threw a fist in the air, only to yelp when George sent a snowball matching the size of hers in her direction and scramble out of the way.
Harry should have seen it coming, really, with his guard down and him doubled over, clutching his stomach as he laughed. Snow came crashing from above before he knew it and sent him staggering forward. It took him only a few moments to get upright and straighten his glasses, shaking the snow from his hair. Kagome's laughter rang in his ears and he looked to see her darting left and right to avoid the multiple small snowballs Ron was launching at her in revenge for his 'fallen best friend'.
"You should really pay more attention, Harry!" she giggled, "You've only yourself to—shit!" Whether it was a rock or a root or something else, Kagome's boot caught on something under the snow and sent her crashing into wet, cold ground. She scrambled to get up, gloved hands punching and sinking into the snow in her attempts to find something solid to push off from, and got three snowballs in her back for her lagging.
"I think you should take your own advice, Kagome!" Harry laughed, high-fiving Ron.
"Rude!" she huffed, ducking another snowball that came for her. Finally on her feet, she ran for cover—this time paying more attention to the ground. "And mean!"
Their snowball fight continued until it reached five o'clock, with the girls stepping out of the fight to begin getting ready for the ball.
It garnered a variety of reactions from the boys; incredulity from Ron at their need for three hours to get ready; eagerness from Fred and a parting comment of, "Can't wait to see you dressed up!" that had Hermione flushing and rolling her eyes, and Harry becoming noticeably quiet and nervous at the reminder, eye contact with Kagome once more becoming scarce.
Not that she really took notice; she could barely look at him either before they all trudged their way up the stone steps into the castle to head for their towers.
.
.
Kagome would say one thing about magic—it certainly made getting primped up not only easier but ten times faster as well. It would have taken hours to get her hair dry without a blow dryer on hand, but with a twitch of her wand and the incantation for the charm it was dried to perfection.
Loosely tying her hair back, Kagome slipped through the bathroom door into her dorm room. All girls were present—a rare thing when it wasn't bedtime or early in the morning—and getting ready themselves.
Fay and Morgan were chattering with one another, the latter doing up the former's hair as a nail brush magically hovered in the air to give Fay's toenails a flawless paint job in metallic green. Parvati sat at the edge of her bed, a mirror floating in front of her as she applied eye shadow with ease and a steady hand while Lavender sat beside her and watched in interest. Hermione was already in her dress robes, made of a floaty, periwinkle-blue material that she looked gorgeous in, and Kagome could only see the one side of her.
She was also having a bit of trouble with her hair if the frustrated face she was making was anything to go by. Her usual bushy hair was gone and in its place was sleek shiny hair that fell in soft waves—the parts that weren't tangled in her fingers and halfway in a knot, that is.
"Shower's free!" Kagome called out as she made her way to her bed, and Lavender leapt to her feet, grabbing her shower caddy and clothes before heading in.
Setting her own toiletry bag down on her bed, Kagome rolled up her sleeves and walked over to her friend. "Hey, let me?" she called out as she came to a stop behind the brunette, smiling at her through the mirror.
Hermione stood still there for a moment, blinking and her mouth parted just a touch, before quickly collecting herself and nodding hastily. "I'm rubbish at this," she muttered, cheeks a rosy red as she passed over her brush when Kagome motioned for it.
"Nonsense," Kagome laughed, taking a strand of hair into her hands and gently passing the brush through—it was even smoother and silkier than it looked and Kagome seriously needed to ask what she used later on. "You just need practice and then you'll get the hang of it. I've only ever seen you put your hair up in a braid or a bun, simple styles."
Once she was finished, Kagome set the brush down and looked at her friend. "Okay, so what are you going for?"
Hermione eyed herself in her mirror, pursing her lips. "Nothing too… much," she said slowly, and her cheeks slowly began to redden once more. "Here, I uh, actually have a picture." Reaching for her wand, she muttered a summoning spell that had a folded piece of glossy paper flying to her hand. Unfolding it, she held it up for Kagome to see.
The miko studied it for a moment before humming. It was a photo from a magazine, a non-magical one, the woman in it sporting an elegant knot with thin strands of hair falling at the sides in loose curls.
"Alright, I can do that," she said with a nod, and with another glance at the picture she began to pull up Hermione's hair.
"Thanks, Kagome," Hermione whispered, blinking fast.
Kagome paused and looked up in the mirror, their eyes locking. She offered a small smile and gave Hermione's shoulder a gentle squeeze. "Anytime, Hermione." And as Kagome began to style her hair, she felt her smile widen into a grin. "I cannot wait until Fred sees you. Better have an Enervate ready though—you might be too much for him."
Hermione's cheeks glowed as a stream of giggles burst out of her, her lips stretched out in a wide grin.
.
.
It was nearly half past six by the time Kagome finished with Hermione's hair and began to get ready herself. Parvati, who was finished getting ready herself and was only waiting until it was time to go downstairs, offered to fix up Kagome's hair much to the miko's gratitude.
Parvati was just finishing up the left French braid in the half up, half down style she herself had suggested, about to tie up Kagome's hair with the long, thick ribbon in her hand—a silky, deep dark red that matched the colour of her dress robes—when the door to their dorms opened.
Parvati paused at the sound and glanced up, her dark eyebrows furrowing. "What's she doing here?" she asked, not unkindly as she nodded towards the doorway.
"Oh, Luna!" Hermione exclaimed, coming to her feet as Kagome explained to their other dorm mate about inviting the Ravenclaw over to finish getting ready with them. "You're early—we were just about to go down to wait for you."
"Neville saw me waiting when he was coming in," Luna murmured as she stepped further inside, a garment bag folded over her arms and her pale, round blue eyes roving over the room. She took a moment to take in the wall's scarlet drapery and plush carpet, the beds' shimmering velvet curtains, and the rosy wood of the furniture, among the rest of the room.
Her perusal lingered mostly on the personal touches the girls left among the place, though—Hermione's tiny piles of books at the side of her bed; the crystal ball atop the open shelf of Lavender's bedside cabinet in front of a neatly lined row of glass bottles of different shapes, sizes, and colors; the beautiful quilt draped across Parvati's bed, the patchwork made up of a variety of bright, rich colours; the photos Kagome had stuck across her own cabinet, both old and new, some still and some that moved.
Luna lingered on the last one—more specifically, a picture of Kagome and herself sitting together up in their tree by the lake, their bare feet swinging as they turned towards one another with a grin and a smile on their respective faces—before she finally looked away to continue her examination.
"You have lovely dorms," the blonde murmured, her tone unreadable. "Very…" And she smiled then, just a touch, and nodded. "Warm. I like it."
"Yeah?" Kagome said, peering around the large, circular room just as Parvati finished tying the ribbon in a bow around her hair. "They're not the same in other houses?"
Luna shook her head silently.
Parvati gently shook out Kagome's hair, rearranging some strands before climbing to her feet. "Done!" she chirped with a proud grin.
Kagome matched it with one of her own that widened when she checked out her hair in the mirror. "It looks amazing, thank you so much Parvati!"
She winked before moving towards her mirror, intent on giving herself a final look over. "Anytime—it was fun!"
Turning back to Luna, Kagome continued. "Not the same, huh? You've gotta sneak me into your tower one day then, let me take a look."
The blonde's head tilted as she regarded her friend, and gave a thoughtful hum. "They're not much, really—all of Ravenclaw's tower is suited mostly for the utmost comfort while studying and to promote creativity," she said offhandedly. "It's nothing like the Hufflepuff dorms."
Overhearing her, Parvati paused in adjusting her earrings to turn away from her mirror and raise an eyebrow at the Ravenclaw. "How do you know what they look like?" she asked, wry.
But Luna only smiled mysteriously, drifting over towards Kagome's bed to drape the bundle she was carrying over the girl's trunk as the rest of the girls laughed.
.
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i really hope you all enjoyed this monster of a chapter, because the next one is already finished and just needs to be edited. this chapter ended up getting so long i had to split it - seriously, this chapter alone is 10k,(when it was only 7k unedited) and the next one is already 9k before editing. so yeah, i'd give it a week or so, barring any complications, but at least there won't be another... eh six month wait for the next chapter lmao.
most of the fun stuff is in the next chapter (im sorry!) but i hope you guys enjoyed the girl bonding as well as the absolute awkwardness between kagome and harry haha. till (hopefully) next week guys! let me know your thoughts!
a great big thanks to all of you who favorite'd and reviewed, i really appreciate it! ^^
and thank you to my friends on tumblr, who i love and adore. if you're reading this cassie, mother-of-all-monsters, and phantom, thanks for cheering me on and letting me vent! and thanks to kagomes-lover and mother-of-all-monsters for helping me out with the presents! ^^ thanks for helping me get through this hell lmao.
rain^^
