Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or Prince of Tennis!
...
"Talking in English!"
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"Parseltongue!"
...
...
Hari wasn't sure she felt equally excited now that the practice was over as she had been before it started. While she was happy she was finally been declared healthy and able to practice again she was now so tired and exhausted after a brutal practice that Ryuzaki had pushed them well beyond their limit.
She gasped for breath as she lay on the court like most of the others, all exhausted.
"This is your fault, Ochibi!" Kikumaru whined.
"Hmph," Ryoma scoffed from her left side and Hari felt her lips twitch slightly.
"Well, Ryo-chan did have a point," Hari said. "We will need to beat them at one point, so why not do it right away?"
"Because someone else might beat them before we'd have to and then we wouldn't need to play them," Kikumaru wailed.
"But then you'd face the team that beat Hyotei and that would mean that they also were strong, right?" Hari said. "We're going to be faced with strong opponents anyway, so we should just focus on ourselves."
"That's right," Ryoma agreed.
Ryuzaki listened to them talk and chuckled to herself. Hari and Ryoma sure had a different view on facing strong opponents, but she had a feeling it had a lot to do with Nanjiro and his training with them. She noticed the way the others shot incredulous looks at Hari and Ryoma and it didn't look like they managed to figure them out.
"Saa," Fuji smiled. "That's an interesting take on it."
Hari rolled her eyes as she pushed herself up from the ground and accepted the bottled water from Kachiro with a smile and a thank you making the younger boy smile shyly at her.
"It's just the way it is," Hari shrugged, "we can't change our opponents, so we should just focus on how to get stronger ourselves."
"Hari-san is correct," Tezuka said looking at them and getting some mild glares because he didn't look as tired as the others. "We need to focus on ourselves. We can only beat them if we believe we can."
"Of course we can," Ryoma said.
Hari smiled as she looked at her brother. He looked excited (in his way) at the idea of playing Hyotei. She was sure he was hoping that he would be the one to play against Keigo, and she was a little curious about how that match would go if they ended up playing each other.
She felt excited as well as the idea of playing against Keigo's team. It was a tough team to face but she felt the familiar thrill go through her at the challenge. While the others had been warier and a little more dejected at the thought of facing Hyotei so soon and Hari could understand it in a way. They had lost to them the year before and she was sure it hurt.
But she could also see the determination in their eyes and she was sure they would find the right motivation in order to fight their best.
...
Hari wiped her forehead as she felt her body work hard and her muscles ached slightly as she sat down at the edge of the small edge down to the river. She looked at Kaido and Inui who stood there working on Kaido's boomerang snake.
She felt really impressed with the dedication Kaido showed as he swung the towel back and forth while standing in the middle of the river. She knew it must be much harder than it looked like, she knew towels got really heavy when they got wet.
"Interesting," Ryoga said as he came up behind her and she looked back at him with a smile. "Your friend is good."
"Kaido is very good," Hari nodded. "He'll get it right."
Ryoga nodded, "so I heard you are going to face Hyotei first in the tournament."
"Yes," Hari glanced at her older brother. "We are, but it'll be fun."
"Ryoma looks forward to beating that 'Monkey-King' as he has named Atobe," Ryoga said.
Hari snorted, "and Keigo looks forward to beating Ryoma. I don't know why they are so…competitive."
Ryoga laughed, "that's easy."
"Eh?" Hari looked at him.
"They both are jealous of your relationship with the other," Ryoga said giving her an amused look. "I'm sure you can see that?"
Hari frowned, "but…"
"I know," Ryoga said with a smile.
Hari shook her head as she looked back at Kaido and Inui who was talking now and Kaido was frowning as he looked down at his own wrist. She hoped he would manage it soon, but it had only been a day so she was sure he would need a little more time.
"Have you practised with your friends now?" Ryoga asked also looking back at Kaido and Inui.
"I went on a run with Ka-chan," Hari said. "He's brutal."
Ryoga laughed, "be sure that you don't overdo it now that you are allowed to practice again, Hari-chan. It wouldn't be good if you get a relapse."
"I'm fine," Hari said. "I don't feel anything from the injury, so I'm sure I'm completely healed."
He glanced at her but he didn't say anything else.
Hari got up and made her way down to the river and closer to Kaido and Inui who both looked at her.
"Looking good, Ka-chan," Hari smiled. "Inui-sempai seems to know how to help you."
"The print effects the dizzy driving," Kaido hissed making Hari smile.
"Thank you for the run, but I have to get home," Hari said. "Ryoga-nii is here so I'll walk home with him."
"Okay," Kaido said.
Hari waved at them before she jogged back up to Ryoga who was waiting for her. She smiled when he put an arm around her shoulder as they started to walk back home.
"You're staying here, right?" Hari asked after a moment. "You're not going back to the States?"
"Nah, I'm staying," Ryoga smiled.
"Good," Hari said. "I hoped you would."
"You did?" Ryoga glanced down at her. "Well, I'm glad you did."
...
The next day she felt the classes went incredibly slow as she waited for the practice to start. She looked over at Momoshiro and Kaido and saw that they felt the same if the squirming in their seats was any indicator.
"Finally," Momoshiro said as they were dismissed and on their way out of the classroom. Hari waved to Sora and Hira who was used to her going off to practice after class. "I thought the class never was going to end!"
"Me too," Hari agreed. "You think coach will push us over the edge today as well?"
"The expert refines the desire," Kaido hissed. "Yeah."
Hari nodded, "that was what I thought."
"You're feeling alright, right?" Momoshiro suddenly looked worriedly at her. "The…injury, you're good, right?"
Hari smiled at him and patted his arm reassuringly.
"I'm fine," she said. "Promise. The doctor said I was good to go and didn't say anything about having to watch out when I practice."
Momoshiro nodded but still looked worried. Hari felt a little bad about having caused him to worry about her like this. Kaido glanced at her as well and she saw the worry in his dark eyes but he didn't say anything.
They reached the courts and after having changed quickly met the rest of the team for a meeting before practice. Ryuzaki and Tezuka were talking quietly together over by the large whiteboard.
Hari blinked when she felt arms being thrown around her neck and suddenly found herself hugged tightly.
"Hari-chan!" Kikumaru's voice sounded in her ear and she winced slightly.
"Kikumaru-sempai," Hari muttered and pushed at him. "I don't fancy going deaf, you know."
Kikumaru just laughed and adjusted his hold and somehow he ended up behind her and leaning over her shoulders and kind of hugging her from behind. Hari just sighed knowing she couldn't really do anything when he was in this mood.
"Have you talked to your boyfriend today?" Kikumaru asked a teasing grin on his face.
"No," Hari said as she moved toward the whiteboard with the others even if it was awkward with Kikumaru hanging off her as he did. "Not yet."
"Does he treat you alright?" Kikumaru asked. "If not you come and talk to me and I'll protect you, nya!"
Hari sighed and rolled her eyes at the other boy. "Sure, sure."
"Seriously, Eiji," Oishi sighed as he looked at Kikumaru and Hari. "Stop hanging off Hari-chan like that!"
"No, I don't want to," Kikumaru stuck his tongue out at Oishi as he held on tighter to Hari.
Hari sighed but glared at Ryoma and Momoshiro who was laughing at her.
"You're just adorable when you glare, Hari-chan," Momoshiro laughed and ruffled her hair making her glare deeper.
"Shut up," Hari pouted.
...
Hermione felt impatient.
She had never felt this impatient before in her life. Not even when she waited for her first day at Hogwarts and couldn't wait until she was there and would be able to start learning more magic. But it was nothing to how she felt right now.
They had found Hari in the magazine the day before but it had been too late to find her at the school when they got there the school day was over and they couldn't find anyone there. That was why they had to wait.
But now they had arrived while the school day was still going on and waited until it looked like they were finished, and now they could see students starting to leave the school.
"Do you see her?" Ron asked tiptoeing as he looked around his eyes scanning the students.
"No," Hermione said as she too looked at a group of girls chatting as they left the school. "I don't."
"She has…"
"…to be here…"
"…somewhere," Fred and George said as they stared.
Bill and Charlie were calmer as they watched and failed to see anyone looking like Hari Potter. They kept an eye on their siblings and Hermione as well because they knew it would be a huge disappointment if they failed to find Hari today as well.
"Maybe she's still inside?" Ron asked.
"Let's go and check," Fred said and started to move before waiting for a reply. The others followed without hesitating.
They walked up toward the building and Ron couldn't help but feel that it looked strange for a school. It was nothing like Hogwarts.
"Excuse me," Hermione's voice suddenly sounded and Ron turned to look at her. The others also stopped as they heard Hermione speak.
"Yes?" A boy with half-long brown hair asked. A girl with long brown hair that was pulled back in a ponytail was standing next to him looking at them curiously.
"Um, I was wondering if you would know where we can find Echizen Hari?" Hermione said feeling a little strange saying the new name they had discovered Hari using.
The boy and girl both arched a brow at the same time as they stared at Hermione with a strange look in their eyes.
"You're looking for Hari-chan?" the girl asked. "Why?"
Hermione felt a rush of hope because she talked like she knew Hari. Was it possible that they actually were lucky enough to actually talk to someone who knew her?
"We're friends of hers from England," Hermione said rushing the words a little and she was sure she messed up the grammar a little if the confused looks on their faces were anything to go by before it cleared and understanding filtered through. "We just don't know where to meet her; this is her school, right?"
The girl looked at the boy who looked a little more suspicious.
"Hari-chan didn't say anything about getting visitors," the boy said.
"No, she didn't," the girl said but she looked more curious than suspicious.
"We're surprising her," George smiled charmingly.
"Hm," the boy said.
"Hira, come on," the girl said.
"Fine," he said. "Hari-chan is at her tennis practice."
"And where is that?" Ron asked barely keeping his impatience back.
"Follow the path there," he pointed to the left and they saw a path leading around the school. "You should walk straight to the courts that way and you'll probably hear them before you see them."
The girl chuckled and nodded.
"Thank you," Hermione said and the boy and girl left.
...
"Who do you think they are to Hari?" Ron glanced after the two who had helped them.
"I don't know," Hermione shrugged. "But right now, I don't care. Come on. She's close."
Ron nodded and they started to walk down the path the boy had pointed to. Hermione couldn't believe that they were this close. She almost burst over with nerves and anticipation. She couldn't even think of the possibility of them being wrong, but they weren't. It had been Hari, their Hari, in that picture and it clearly said that her name was Echizen Hari and a student at Seigaku Middle School.
They rounded another curve in the path as they heard voices and laughter coming from up ahead and soon they saw what Hermione guessed were the courts. There was a wire fence stretching around several courts and she saw a group of people, students she guessed, inside one of the courts.
"She must be there," Ron whispered next to her and she knew he was just as excited as she was.
"Yeah," Hermione nodded.
Fred and George glanced at each other and then at Ron and Hermione, and for once they didn't say anything as they walked close to the courts. They both looked forward, hoped, to see Hari again as well. They had worried about the younger girl since she had been suspended despite not knowing just why she was being blamed for helping Sirius Black escape.
They reached the opening to the court and paused as they took in the group standing in front of a whiteboard and a teacher, or perhaps coach, was standing there in a pink tracksuit.
Hermione gasped spotting Hari first. Her gasp made Ron and his brothers look at her before following her eyes to see Hari being hugged/ leaned on by a boy with red hair, and it looked like she was resigned to be in that position while another boy with dark hair reached out to ruffle her hair making her pout.
Hermione wasn't sure what to think seeing Hari there. She was there, right in front of them, and she looked so comfortable and was even smiling now when the boy with the white cap said something. Hermione had been so worried, so scared, and seeing Hari… it overwhelmed her.
"She's here," Hermione whispered.
Ron was going through much of the same as Hermione, relief seeing Hari and seeing her safe, the worry he had felt melted away slightly, but he also felt a little jealous seeing how she was being hugged or leaned on by the redheaded boy, his hair a darker red than his or any of the Weasley's. Ron knew he shouldn't feel jealous, but it rose up inside of him faster than he could push it back.
"Oi! Who are you?!" A loud voice demanded, making Hermione and Ron jump while Fred and George turned to look at a younger looking boy with a unibrow staring at them, he was standing in front of two other boys who seemed to be the same age. "Are you spies?!"
"Um, they look foreign," one of the boys whispered to the 'leader'.
The noise caught the attention of the others and Hermione turned to look back at the group and her eyes found Hari again immediately. Hari was staring at them wide eyes and her mouth opened in shock.
What made Hermione pause was the fear she saw in Hari's eyes, but why would Hari feel scared seeing them?
...
Hari heard the exclamation from Horio and looked toward the gates expecting to see someone from one of the other schools standing there, but what she saw made her freeze in place. Her mouth popped open as her mind went blank, uncomprehending.
Hari didn't know how long she stood there unmoving and unable to think, it could be hours or it could be seconds (it were) before her mind turned back on and her mind started to spin. Because in front of her stood people she had given up on seeing again in a long time (if ever). Hermione and Ron were at the front but she saw Fred and George right behind them, and two boys with the same ginger hair as Ron and his brothers so she guessed they also were Weasley's but her mind wouldn't go any further on that.
What were they doing there?
Was she really seeing them or was she hallucinating? It would be probable, but Horio had talked to them so that meant that it couldn't be a hallucination. But how could they be there?
How had they found her?
"Hari?!" Hermione's voice called and she was moving.
Hari wasn't sure what she was doing but suddenly she found herself moving toward Hermione as well, unable to stop herself. She wasn't sure when Kikumaru had let go of her.
"Hari!"
Hari found herself squeezed in a tight hug and Hermione's uncomprehensive blabbing in her ear, but Hari didn't really care as she hugged her back and then another pair of strong arms circled them both and she knew Ron had joined their hug.
"…how could you hide so well? Do you have any idea how worried we've been? Do you even think about that? Do you have any idea what we have had to do in order to find you? How much Dumbledore has asked us for where you are? We haven't told him or anyone, alright?"
Hari suddenly heard Hermione's rant as she continued to hug her and it felt so familiar that she had to chuckle even if it sounded a little wet.
"Shh, Hermione," Ron said. "You're overwhelming her."
Hermione huffed but she pulled back a little as she smiled at Hari who smiled back.
"You…" Hari started but stopped.
"Don't hog her!" Fred interrupted them and suddenly Hari found herself being hugged once more and twirled around making her laugh despite herself.
"Oi! It's my turn!" George whined and pulled at his brother. "Give her up! Fred!"
"No! She's mine!" Fred said.
"It's my turn! She's mine!" George cried and pulled at Hari until Fred let her go and she found herself in George's arms. He hugged her tightly and unlike his brother, he didn't twirl her around but seemingly tried to squeeze her to death.
"Mmph," she mumbled against his chest.
Hari was not sure what to think as she tried to understand just what was going on.
"Um…"Hari heard Momoshiro say and he sounded confused. She could easily picture his face even without turning to look at him.
"Maybe you should calm down," one of the other redheads said.
...
George let her go and Hari stepped back and looked over her friends her eyes still wide in shock and unbelieving.
"Hari-chan?" Ryuzaki spoke up and Hari turned to look at the coach who looked curious but also a little impatient. They did have the practice to get to.
"Um, sorry," Hari said. "I really didn't know they were coming."
"Who are they?" Ryuzaki asked.
"My friends from England," Hari said and glanced over at them again.
"I'm sorry," one of the two Hari didn't know who was said. "I'm Bill Weasley; we see that we are interrupting something. My younger brothers and their friend were just so eager to see Hari again and we didn't stop to think that we were interrupting your practice."
So that was Bill, then the other one must be Charlie. Hari glanced at him curiously for a moment before looking back at Ryuzaki who nodded and smiled politely at Bill.
"That's understandable," Ryuzaki said and looked at Hari. "If you want to talk to your friends, I will allow you to skip practice."
Hari frowned and bit down at her lip as she glanced at her friends and saw their hopeful looks and then at her team who was looking curious. They did have the tournament coming up and she didn't want to put herself in a position to not be able to play or hinder the team.
"Um," she frowned. "I…Guys, could you wait until we've finished practice? We have a tournament coming up and I'd rather not miss the training."
Hermione and Ron exchanged looks before they looked back at Hari.
"Sure," Hermione said. "Would it be possible for us to watch you?"
Hari looked at Ryuzaki who nodded.
"Of course," she smiled.
...
As Hari went back to practice she felt the others watching her but her mind still couldn't really process that her friends from Hogwarts were there and had found her. Just how had they found her? If they found her this easily…then maybe she wasn't well enough hidden? If…if Voldemort really was out there looking for her did that mean that he would find her just as easily? And would they tell Dumbledore? They hadn't yet, or so they said… but what if…
Her mind spun with questions even as she lined up to do the warm up next to Ryoma who glanced at her with a concerned look. She gave him a smile to let him know she was okay but he still looked worried.
It wasn't like she didn't want to see them, she had missed them but… she wasn't sure what she felt as her eyes drifted over to where they were standing just outside the fence watching her. She could see them talking a little and the twins seemed to laugh at something. Why had they come all the way here? What did their parents think? Were they here?
She almost wished she had said yes to skip the practice but she needed the distraction as well because she wasn't sure she was ready to actually talk to them. It sounded cold and unreasonable, but it was the truth. She was…scared.
But since they were here that must mean that they wanted to see her? Right?
"You okay, Hari-chan?" Fuji asked as he came up beside her.
"I'm fine," she said automatically.
He looked at her for a moment before he nodded and seemed to accept that she wouldn't say anything else.
"Okay, I want Oishi and Kikumaru over here," Ryuzaki said, "along with Hari-chan and Fuji."
Hari walked over and looked at the older woman curiously.
"I want you to play doubles against each other," Ryuzaki said. "First I want the original pairings with Kikumaru and Oishi against Fuji and Hari, but then I want you to change and have Hari and Kikumaru against Oishi and Fuji. Got it?"
Hari nodded and so did the others.
She then moved to talk to the rest of the team and divide assignments for the practice.
...
Hermione was a little disappointed that Hari had decided to stay at practice and not skip it like her coach said she could, but if they had a tournament she guessed it was understandable.
"She should have skipped it," Ron muttered next to her.
"She wants to do well at the tournament," Hermione said not looking away from Hari.
"Still, we're here and she doesn't even want to talk to us?" Ron asked.
Hermione glanced at him and saw the frown on his face as he watched Hari with his arms folded over his chest.
"She's probably still surprised to see us," Hermione said. "If this gives her time to get used to the idea then it's good. We found her and we have time to talk to her after."
"We did interrupt her practice," Bill spoke up looking at her little brother. "She does have responsibilities so we just have to wait."
"Yeah, I know," Ron muttered.
Fred and George seemingly ignored them as they watched the tennis practice and Hari who stepped up with one of the boys to play against two other boys. They were curious about the sport, they had never seen it before and they wondered just what it was about.
"Huh," George said. "It's almost as if only beaters were playing…"
"Yeah, but they don't try to hit the ball at the other person," Fred said with a frown. "What's the fun in that?"
"Shouldn't they try to hit each other?" George wondered.
"No," Hermione chuckled before she explained tennis for them.
"Hmm," George frowned. "I still think beaters are better."
"Me too," Fred said, "this must be much more boring, but Hari seems to think it's fun."
Hermione watched Hari who seemed to have relaxed slightly now and was smiling slightly as she just returned a ball back over the net. She watched as Hari and the boy she was on a team with high-fived.
As they watched Hari practice Hermione noticed how much of a part of the team Hari seemed, and she seemed to get along with all of the boys there.
...
Hari noticed that her friends had moved toward the gates of the court when Ryuzaki ended the practice and Hari inhaled deeply calming down as she knew she couldn't postpone talking to them anymore. She started to walk over to them knowing that Ryoma was right behind her and probably most of her team as well since they had to go that way to get to the locker room.
"You're done?" Ron asked.
"Yeah," Hari smiled slightly. "Sorry to keep you waiting."
"No problem," Hermione smiled.
"It was…"
"…fun to watch…"
"…you play tennis," the twins said making Hari realise just how much she had missed their way of talking.
Hari chuckled before she paused, "wait… you're talking in Japanese…"
How could she not have noticed that before now? Had she gotten so used to hearing Japanese that she didn't even register it anymore? Or maybe she just was so shocked that it didn't filter through…
"We've learned," Hermione said and Hari blinked confused but there was something in her eyes that said that it was not the whole story but since it was a possibility of magic being involved Hari stopped herself from asking more.
"Hari," Ryoma said.
Hari turned and looked at Ryoma and saw him look behind her and probably look at her friends.
"Ryo-chan," Hari said. "Meet my friends, Hermione Granger, Ron, Fred, George Weasley, and who I guess are their brothers Bill and Charlie Weasley."
She saw Bill and Charlie's lips twitch as they nodded.
"And guys, meet my little brother, Echizen Ryoma," Hari said and looked nervously at her friends.
They didn't look very surprised but she saw a new interest in their eyes. So they knew she had been adopted? Or about Ryoma?
"Nice to meet you," Ryoma nodded to them.
"You too," Hermione said and the others nodded or repeated the greeting.
Hari knew that Momoshiro or Kikumaru's curiosity would soon win over whatever restraint they were currently showing. And right now she didn't really want to answer questions, especially since she had so many herself.
"Let me change and we'll go somewhere to catch up," Hari said.
"Sure," Hermione said and Ron nodded.
...
Hari changed and got ready as fast as she could before leaving the locker room that was hers, she saw Hermione and Ron talking together a few feet away with the twins and two older Weasley behind them.
"When are you coming home?" Ryoma asked startling her.
"Um, I don't know," Hari said glancing at him.
"Oyaji and Okaa-chan will wonder where you are," Ryoma said. "Do you want me to tell them?"
"I probably should," Hari said and rubbed the back of her neck.
"You don't look happy to see them right now," Ryoma frowned. "If you don't…"
"No, I'm happy," Hari interrupted him knowing where he was going with what he started to say, "I just… I am a little worried, but I'll figure it out. I've missed them."
Ryoma frowned a little as he nodded, "okay."
Hari ruffled his hair making him scowl at her before she walked over to her friends leaving him behind her. She saw the looks she got from her friends but they didn't comment.
"Come on," she said. "Let's get going."
She smiled when Hermione linked their arms together and it almost felt like the times they walked through the halls of Hogwarts like this.
"See you tomorrow, Hari-chan!" Kikumaru yelled as he walked out the gates of the school with Oishi. "Maybe we'll get to be on the same team again!"
"Sure," Hari waved. "See you."
She suddenly stilled as she realised that she had forgotten something.
"Oh," she said.
"What?" Hermione asked.
"I forgot," Hari said and looked around. How could she forget?
"Forgot what?" Ron asked.
"I had plans…" she said distractedly before she smiled spotting Kaido. "Ka-chan!"
Kaido paused from where he was walking in front of them and turned around to look at her, he was scowling but that was normal.
"Hari-chan?" Kaido looked at her curiously.
She and the others reached him and she saw him glance at them before looking back at her.
"I'm sorry," Hari said. "I forgot that we had plans to train together…"
"The answer reviews the middle," he hissed before he nodded. "I understand."
"I didn't mean to forget, Ka-chan," Hari felt really bad about it. "Are Inui-sempai coming?"
Kaido nodded, "he said he would. And I'm not mad at you, Hari-chan. I thought you would be busy with your guests. We'll train another time."
Hari smiled and nodded. While he looked a little scary Kaido had a soft heart. She knew that the best.
"Good," she said. "Okay, well, I'll see you tomorrow."
He nodded and with a nod to the others he turned and started to walk away again.
..
They ended up at the riverbank where she often found herself when she needed to think. It was where she had met Ryoga the first time after her and Ryoma's fight. That made her think of Ryoga and she wondered if he was home or if he was out looking for work or whatever it was he was doing when he was away from the house.
"I still can't believe you're here," Hari said turning to her friends. "Oh, and, um, hey?"
She looked at Bill and Charlie.
"Guess you know who I am since you're here," Hari said smiling a little sheepishly as she waved at them, "but, I'm Hari."
"Hari Potter," Charlie grinned. "I think we've heard the name a couple of times before."
Bill snorted.
"Not a Potter anymore," Hari shrugged. "It's Echizen now."
"Why change the name?" Ron asked.
Hari shrugged again as she looked away from them.
"Guess I wanted the change," she said vaguely.
Hermione frowned slightly but for the first time found it difficult to ask questions. She normally asked whatever was on her mind, she was curious and had a need to know everything. It was both a positive thing and a flaw. But now watching Hari who had been away from them for months she was hit with an uncertainty that was not familiar to her. Not when it came to Hari.
"Ask," Hari looked over at her.
"Eh?"
"Ask your questions," Hari said and smiled a little. "It's not normal for you to hold back."
Hermione smiled and wondered if their Hari still was in there as well.
"Why did you leave?" Hermione asked. "Why not come back? What happened, Hari? I… I know it was unfair that you got blamed and the only one to be suspended, but… Why leave like that? And who is Ryoma? You called him your brother?"
"Breath, Hermione," Hari said. "I can't answer if you don't let me talk, you know."
Hermione smiled a little sheepishly.
Hari looked at Ron and the twins and saw the curiosity in their eyes as well and knew that they had probably discussed this among themselves plenty of times and was wondering the same thing. She knew they deserved an explanation, especially if they were here because they really missed her.
"I don't know how to answer," Hari finally said. "I just…couldn't be there anymore. I had to get away. But I have questions as well… why did you look for me? I thought… I thought you didn't want anything to do with me. You didn't write. And how did you find me?"
Hari looked between them unable to keep the vulnerability out of her eyes even as she tried.
"I think that this might not be the place for the conversation you need to have," Bill spoke up looking a little concerned.
He and Charlie had stepped back mostly beside introductions. So had the twins, they had remained uncharacteristically quiet.
Hari knew he was right and deliberated for a moment.
"You could come home with me," she said. "And meet my family. We could talk more there."
Fred and George nodded, "do they know about magic?"
Hari nodded.
"Okay," Ron frowned a little but she wasn't sure what he was thinking.
...
Ron looked at the house that Hari led them to. It was very different from the Burrow, but he guessed it looked nice anyway. He noticed that it didn't look as picture perfect like Privet Drive had looked, he remembered thinking that it looked too clean and perfect even if he only had seen it at night when he and the twins had gone to rescue Hari from her relatives. But this house looked lived in, he could see a bike leaned up against the wall and a tennis racket was lying on the ground while some tennis balls also were strewn around.
Hari glanced at them and he noticed that she still looked like she struggled to really believe that they were there. He didn't like that, he didn't like how she looked like she fitted in at her new school… he tried to push the feeling away, but it was nagging at him. Refusing to let him go, and he knew that he had to.
"Tadaima!" Hari called as she stepped through the door and holding it open for them to follow her inside. He saw a staircase to the right leading up to the upper floor while a couple of doorways led into other rooms from the rather spacious hallway. Again it was unlike the Burrow where you entered directly into the kitchen.
"Okaeri, Hari-chan," he heard a woman's voice answer from one of the room. He wasn't sure where exactly but he saw the content smile on Hari's face and wondered if he had ever seen her smile like that before.
He was surprised that the twins had been quiet for so long and saw them looking around curiously as well and wondered what they were thinking. He knew they cared about Hari, but they were never this quiet…
Hermione looked nervous and excited and worried at the same time as she kept glancing at Hari. Ron knew how she felt. But he also knew that she wouldn't be able to wait much longer before she got answers and the little Hari had said hadn't exactly been reassuring. It worried him and he knew it worried Hermione as well.
Before he could ask anything or say something to Hari a boy who looked to be a few years older than they entered the hallway from one of the doors and Ron thought he looked like Ryoma who they had met at the school. The teen stopped when he spotted them and Ron caught the slightly suspicious look before a smirk took its place and he looked at Hari.
"Are you trying to give Oyaji a heart attack, Hari-chan?" he asked before his eyes travelled over Ron and his brothers before he paused at Hermione. "Well, hello."
Ron scowled when he saw the attention this boy gave Hermione who blinked at him but didn't really say anything but glanced at Hari who sighed.
"Of course I'm not," Hari said rolling her eyes. "They're my friends from England. They…turned up for a surprise visit."
Ron noticed the hesitation and was sure the other boy also did because he gave her a searching look before he turned back to them and smiled.
"Well, I'm Echizen Ryoga," he introduced himself. "I'm her older brother, so I guess it's nice to meet you."
Ron fisted his hands. Another one who introduced himself as her brother…
"Nice to meet you," Hermione spoke up quietly. "I'm Hermione Granger, and I'm Hari's friend."
"Best friend," Hari grinned but there were some nerves still visible in her green eyes as she looked at Hermione and then Ron and Ron didn't like it. "Or one of my best friends. Ron Weasley is the other."
Hari looked at Ron and he smiled unable to stop it when she claimed him as her best friend, and he felt something settle inside him. He may still have a place in her life…
Ron nodded shortly and muttered, "nice to meet you."
Ryoga gave him a curious look before nodding. Ron studied him, he wasn't sure what to think about the older boy and he barely paid attention as Hari introduced the others to Ryoga.
"But I'm sure you are trying to push Oyaji into a heart attack," Ryoga turned his attention back to Hari. "Showing up with boys, again. He's still recovering from the last one."
"Shut up, Ryoga-nii," Hari said and Ron was sure he wasn't the only one who heard the exasperation in her voice.
...
They moved into the living room and Hari felt nervous and excited at once, the fact that they were there was starting to really set in. The thought of introducing her family to her Hogwarts friends made her smile. When Ron had introduced her for his mum after their first year at Hogwarts Hari had wished she could do that. She had daydreamt about how it would be if her mum and dad had still been alive, and she could introduce her friends for them. And when she had spent the last part of the summer between her first and second year with the Weasley's at the Burrow she had once more been hit with the empty feeling knowing that she never would be able to bring them home with her.
And now… they were here at her home…and about to meet the two people who had become her parents. They had already met Ryoma and Ryoga.
"Oh, you have brought guests with you, Hari-chan," Rinko spoke up as she entered the living room from the kitchen.
"Guests?" Nanjiro's voice asked having picked up the word as he entered the house and was now in the doorway from the hall. He immediately scowled when he noticed the boys. "More boys? Who are you and what do you want?"
"Nanjiro," Rinko sighed and shot him a glare. "Be polite."
"But…but…there are more boys around my little girl!" Nanjiro whined but still glared. "It's bad enough with that…that boy and not to mention all those on her team! But more? No!"
Hermione wasn't sure what to think about the man who had just entered the room. He was wearing a monk outfit and she was sure she had seen him before… That's right! She had. The day before at the store. He was the man who had been in front of them in the line!
"Oi! It's you," Ron blurted out making the man and Hari look at him.
"Ron?" Hari frowned. "You've met him before?"
"Not exactly," Hermione said as Ron was scowling at the older man now. "He was in line in front of us at the store yesterday… he was buying a magazine…"
"And he was giving Hermione looks," Ron grumbled.
The twins and Bill and Charlie arched a brow as they looked at Nanjiro who looked confused as he looked at Hermione like he was trying to remember if he had seen her.
The twins and Bill and Charlie arched a brow as they looked at Nanjiro who looked confused as he looked at Hermione like he was trying to remember if he had seen her.
"Can't remember that," Nanjiro said.
"Seriously," Hari grumbled as she marched over to him and poked his chest hard.
"Oi! Watch it!" Nanjiro exclaimed rubbing his chest as he tried to stop her.
"Stop behaving like a child," Hari grumbled at him. "I can't bring anyone here without you making a fuss."
"But, Hari-chan," Nanjiro whined and hugged her, "they're boys…"
"I'm aware," Hari deadpanned as she freed herself from his arms and turned to glare at Ryoga who was laughing and looking thoroughly amused. "And stop laughing, baka!"
"Oh, I wondered what the noises was," Ryoma said from the doorway.
Hari rubbed her eyes tiredly. This really wasn't what she needed.
"Nanjiro," Rinko stepped in and gave her husband a look that made him shut up and stop glaring (almost). "Stop acting like a fool. Hari-chan is allowed to bring friends over and you'll behave."
"But…"
"No buts," Rinko said sternly before turning to the guests. "I'm so sorry about him."
"He's not trained yet," Ryoma spoke up making Ryoga laugh while Nanjiro glared at his son.
"Brat," Nanjiro muttered.
"Boys," Rinko warned making them quiet down. "Now, where was I? Oh, right; I'm sorry about them. You said you're Hari-chan's friends?"
...
"Yes, ma'am," Hermione nodded the first to find her voice again after the scene that had transpired in front of them. "We're her friends from Hogwarts."
"Her school in Scotland?" Rinko asked glancing at Hari who nodded.
"Yeah," Hari nodded and did the introduction (again). "I still don't know how they found me."
"We wanted to find you since you left," Hermione said looking at Hari. "We sent you letters but they returned unopened. We weren't sure if they did that because they didn't reach you or if it was because you returned them unopened. I mean, you did get blamed when we should have been as well… and we weren't sure if you blamed us and was angry."
Hari looked at Hermione and saw the way she wrung her hands together and her words came out fast and in slightly stilted Japanese but Hari understood what she meant.
"I never got the letters," Hari said quietly as she thought. They had tried to write to her? Relief hit her hard and she felt a weight lift from her shoulders, a weight she wasn't even aware she was carrying around with her. They had tried to contact her!
"We asked Professor Flitwick," Ron spoke up looking a Hari and stopping scowling at the man they now knew were Hari's adopted father, "about reasons why that would happen…"
"You told him?" Hari frowned a little worried.
"We made it look like Hermione was doing some research for an essay," Ron said quickly and shared a smile with Hari. Oh, yeah, that always worked when they needed to get some extra information. None of the professors doubted Hermione's need for information. "Well, he said it could happen if there were wards around the house. Wards that prevented owls from flying through them."
"Those are restricted," Bill frowned. "There are laws about where and how they are to be used."
Hari glanced at him as she nodded thoughtfully.
"I see," she said. "He does it again."
"Hari?" George asked confused. "Who does what again?"
Hari looked at Ryoma and saw him frowning and she knew he was thinking the same as her. She looked back at her friends.
"Dumbledore," Hari said her hands clenched at her side. "He made aunt Petunia hide Ryo-chan's letters from me; I never got a letter until one day after I was sent back to the Dursley's after being suspended. I got the mail and a letter was there. That's when I knew that Ryo-chan hadn't forgotten me as I thought…"
"Why would he do that?" Charlie asked frowning. While he knew the reasons Ron and Hermione didn't want to tell Dumbledore that they had found Hari, he still had trouble accepting that Dumbledore would do what they said and it looked like they didn't know it all. He was also starting to wonder if Ron and Hermione had even told them everything. They probably hadn't.
"He didn't want me to have friends outside of Hogwarts," Hari scoffed angrily. "Friends he couldn't keep an eye on, friends he couldn't use to push me into doing what he wanted. He couldn't have me being influenced by anything or anyone that he couldn't get to."
...
...
AN: What do you think? XD
Hermione and the Weasley found Hari! Hope you liked it!
I don't plan on bashing anyone, just so you know. There will be insecurities and things to work out between them again. Like where they belong in the new life Hari has built for herself, and Hari has to work out how her old friends fit in in her new life. :)
Thank you for reading and supporting the story! XD
Japanese words used:
Saa - filler
Oyaji - Old man/ dad
Okaa-chan - mum
Tadaima - I'm home
Okaeri - Welcome home
Baka - Idiot