Disclaimer: All portions of the HP universe/worlds/characters are the property of JKR, the WB, and respective publishing companies. All portions of the Yujincho universe/worlds/characters are the property of Yuki Midorikawa and Hakusensha (publisher). This story is nothing more than a simple FanFiction that I have written for my own enjoyment. I have made no money from this or any of the other stories I have posted on this or other sites.
Chapter 34: Third Task – Trial by Combat
Hogwarts Castle, Scotland
March 1995 ~ May 1995
At the end of those first two weeks, Ryuu finally opened the gold box to find another riddle inside along with what appeared to be a name though he wasn't certain. This riddle was at least a little more straight forward than the previous one but it still left Ryuu feeling worried, angry, and off balance when he thought he'd solve it.
Come face me in our domain beneath the canopies green.
Where the grasses grow freely beneath the sun's noon light,
In the shadows I stand ready to test your strength.
To win free your heart's desire you must beat me at my game.
Bane
The canopies green could only refer to the Forbidden Forest while the only place where grass grows freely in the forest would be in a clearing. His opponent would be waiting beneath the trees in the shadows and he would have to fight him in order to get what ever it is that he will have that Ryuu supposedly wanted. Ryuu already knew he'd be facing his opponent in hand to hand combat of a sort (the only weapon allowed his staff) which meant that his opponent had to at least have hands in which to hold the staff.
So he would be facing a wizard (or witch), a werewolf (untransformed since the battle would take place at noon), or a centaur; those were the only three beings he could think of that would make the forest their home that could possibly handle a staff (or use magic, be intelligent enough to fight with their wits, or fire an arrow based upon the other forms of combat). That archery was one of the battles/contests offered hinted strongly at the centaurs being the ones they would face which would be no easy task; for any of them.
That he would have to fight to free his heart's desire was what worried and angered him the most. He originally thought what he wanted most was for the world to forget he existed, to have been able to stay in Japan with his family, or to never have been entered in this stupid tournament but how could they take something intangible and lock it up? That led him to the conclusion that someone was going to take something from him but he didn't think he owned anything that was that important to him.
That led to the realization that in order to 'free' whatever it was they thought he wanted that something would actually have to be someone and that meant that they would be targeting his family and his familiars; which is why he was angry. If they dared to take one of his familiars or dared harm a single hair of his family there'd be hell to pay and he'd teach them a lesson they wouldn't soon forget.
Ryuu took his growing anger and worry out in his training sessions once Madam Pomfrey had pronounced the wounds on his leg fully healed; with admonishments not to open them back up again. Once he'd told his adopted uncle that he would most likely be facing a centaur, Hatake had created a training dummy in the image of a centaur and bumped the difficulty level up to ten in order to make the fight more realistic. Ryuu then sparred against the new dummy twice a day; once in the morning before classes and once in the afternoon after most of his classes were finished. In his free time, he researched everything that the library had on centaurs; specifically any weaknesses they had that could be exploited.
He practiced with both his hanbo and his bo, occasionally using both in the course of a single spar in the event he lost whichever one he started with at some point in the fight. He already knew he'd have to watch out for the centaur's hooves as like horses (which the resembled to a point) they were prone to kicking and a centaur was strong enough to break bones if he kicked him hard enough. In the beginning, when he first started sparring against the new training dummy, Ryuu would end up black and blue within the first five minutes. After each session, Hatake would sit him down and they'd discuss what he did wrong, what he did well, and what he could do better before he was made to do a series of exercises meant to increase his speed and strength.
It was brutal training but by the time the day of the third task arrived Ryuu had improved dramatically and he'd developed an even higher tolerance for pain. He'd also refined his strategy enough that he could fight the dummy for a good thirty to forty-five minutes before he grew tired enough to start making mistakes that ended up with him earning bruises left and right. He'd also been forced to relearn how to fight without calling on his magic since that would automatically disqualify him during the battle; that meant he couldn't even use it to enhance his senses like he often did when sparring with multiple dummies earlier in the year.
On the morning of the task, Ryuu woke up feeling much more confident than he had the day of the second task though he was still trying to figure out who they would take as hostage. The first thing he made certain of was that his three familiars were still by his side. Next he rushed in to check on his little brother; the three month old baby unable to defend himself. His parents were also both present so he relaxed marginally thinking maybe he'd misjudged what they'd be taking from him. He got a little concerned about his uncle but knew the wizard could protect himself if they'd tried taking him.
He'd gotten dressed after that, putting on his only remaining silk uniform (his other one having been ruined at the end of the second task), and leaving everything but his wands and staves behind. He may not be able to use his wands in the coming fight but that didn't mean he was going to be leaving them very far behind. He then headed to breakfast where he searched out his friends only to find them looking solemn and nervous. A quick search of the familiar faces made Ryuu's heart freeze when he immediately realized who was missing and he fairly oozed fury when he stalked up to Satoshi and demanded to know where he would find Luna.
"They came for her this morning, Ryuu-kun," Satoshi softly revealed, his hands gently soothing the depressed Himiko who'd been left behind. "They came for all four of them; one hostage for each champion."
Clarity hit Ryuu in that moment and he finally saw what the rest of the students and staff had been seeing all year long; he cared deeply for Luna. She had become his light, his center, and if they harmed a single hair on her head they were going to die. The coming battle had just become personal and the person who thought it a good idea to take Luna, little Luna who still couldn't protect herself that well, would feel his wraith if she was in any way harmed. The officials who had been watching the scene from the staff table shivered and cringed when they saw the look of pure fury the fourth champion directed their way before he stalked out of the Great Hall without eating; a riled dragon intent on violence.
They didn't find Ryuu until it was nearly time to start the third task. He'd immediately gone outside and taken up a vigil just outside of the forest; his burning emerald eyes focused intently on the dark shadows that clung to the air and ground beneath and between the trees. He'd barely managed to restrain himself from heading into the forest early on a rampage in order to get Luna back; task be damned. Instead he'd used the time to properly stretch and loosen up his muscles while he slipped into a half trance to practice his animagus transformation in an effort to center his emotions and burn up the magic he could feel singing out for violence in his blood.
When his fellow champions joined him they all appeared just as grim as Ryuu, though none of them were quite as furious. They made a few overtures to start a conversation with him but none of them understood sign language and Ryuu hadn't bothered bringing his whiteboard and marker. It was at that point that the two foreign champions finally realized that Ryuu couldn't speak as it was the first time they truly tried to speak with him (as opposed to insulting him) aside from right after the second task when his silent nods and head shakes had been taken as a response to the shock and pain. Sure, they'd heard rumors but hadn't quite known what to believe about the fourteen year old boy hero.
Bagman's perpetually cheerful demeanor nearly broke under the glare Ryuu leveled at the former Quidditch player when the wizard came to lead the champions into the forest to the clearing where they'd be facing their opponents. They were also informed that the order of their fights had been based upon their current point standing, with Viktor going first as he was currently in last place, followed by Cedric who only had a few points on the Durmstrang champion, then by Ryuu, and finally by Fleur who was currently in first place with six more points than Ryuu. When they arrived at the clearing, they could see the huge stands that had been set up some time after the second task and hear the murmurings of the crowd in anticipation for the coming challenges.
On one end of the clearing there were about a dozen targets set up while on the other there were several sturdy bows and two buckets filled with arrows. Viktor, after being announced by Bagman, stepped out into the clearing and headed for the bows and arrows where he was soon joined by a tall, red-haired and chestnut furred centaur named Ronan. Two more centaurs appeared on the side of the clearing furthest from where the remaining champions waited and Viktor sent them a surly glare when he caught sight of the young woman being held captive by the two centaurs. Viktor and Ronan traded a few insults and taunts that were more good-natured than hostile though it was clear that the famous seeker was more than a bit upset about the girl being taken.
Over the next twenty minutes, Viktor and the red centaur fired arrow after arrow at half of the targets across the clearing. It was apparent that Viktor was good but not quite as good as the centaur he was facing and in the end the Bulgarian failed to win the competition. The young witch was led off by the centaurs while Viktor was held back by Ronan when he tried to follow. Viktor's points were awarded but the wizard paid no mind to them as he stalked out of the clearing and began punching the nearest tree; obviously more than a little upset over his loss and worried about what would happen to the young witch (who Ryuu would later find out was the seeker's girlfriend). Several centaurs entered the clearing a moment later and removed both the targets and the spent arrows in order to prepare the field for the next contest.
Cedric looked more than a little pale after Viktor's loss as the Hufflepuff stepped out into the center of the clearing when Bagman called his name. He would be facing Firenze, a palomino centaur with pale blonde hair and blue eyes. Their contest would last more than an hour as the two of them traded riddles back and forth until Cedric was unable to answer the final riddle. It had been an intense contest despite the lack of physical exertion and the sixth year had clenched his fists in self anger as he watched his girlfriend, Cho Chang, being led back to wherever the captives were being held.
When Ryuu's name was finally called, he stalked into the clearing with deadly grace with Shinjin sitting on his shoulder (Shogun and Tenji had been left with his parents earlier that morning). The centaur that joined him a moment later was black in body and hair, his eyes hostile and full of promised pain as he sneered at Ryuu. Before their battle began, Ryuu removed his wand holsters and passed them to Shinjin before ordering the phoenix away with a soft whistle; a calculated move to prove that he would not attempt to cheat.
He flicked his eyes to the edge of the clearing where two centaurs appeared with Luna standing serenely between them with her cloud of tiny fairies dancing about her hair as she smiled at Ryuu. Ryuu stared intently at her for a full minute before turning around and snarling soundlessly at Bane, his opponent, his rage far from soothed by the apparently unharmed and quite happy presence of Luna.
"I will enjoy beating you into submission, human," Bane spat gleefully as he pulled his staff free from his back.
Ryuu pulled his bo free and spat on the ground as he settled lightly on the balls of his feet in preparation. His eyes dancing with anger and determination and he silently waited for the signal to start.
"Have you nothing to say, boy? No last words for your two legged mare? I will personally enjoy taking her as my slave after I've shown her exactly how weak and pathetic you are," Bane taunted as he reared up on his hind legs and kicked out at the air with his front legs.
Ryuu's response was a narrowing of his eyes, their green depths silently promising pain, as he lifted on hand and drew it slowly across his neck; he was promising death. That seemed to anger the centaur as he roared out a wordless battle cry and charged forward intending to bash Ryuu in the head. Ryuu waited until the last possible second before ducking out of the way and slamming the butt end of his bo into the centaur's human stomach. He then fell into a rolling dive that took him out of range of the hoof that had lashed out at him in retaliation. He made it back to his feet just in time to block the next blow with his staff and he barred his teeth at the centaur as he jumped backwards to once again avoid the striking hoof.
The next twenty-five minutes were filled with the loud ringing clacks of staff hitting staff as the two of them sought an opening. Ryuu had twice more managed to land a hit on the centaur, once on the front left knee and once across the rump. He hadn't completely escaped without taking his own hits either, as Bane had caught him across the back once, on the left side twice, and managed to stomp on his foot right after Ryuu's staff had connected with the black centaur's hind quarters.
He'd also switched from bo to hanbo after the longer staff had been cracked by a particularly heavy blow; the wood separating from the steel core along more than three quarters of the staff. The one thing in Ryuu's favor was Bane's temper; the longer Ryuu ignored his jibes and taunts the angrier the centaur became. That also worked against him to a point though, because it meant that the centaur was putting more effort into his strikes and Ryuu's arms were aching from each jarring block.
Ryuu lost his second staff shortly after that when his arms went numb from a particularly harsh blow. Bane then caught him in a crushing hug and lifted him up off the ground, the centaur's staff digging deeply into his spine as he grinned triumphantly, convinced he'd just won the fight. Ryuu was far from finished and had no intentions of giving up as he lashed out with his booted feet kicking the centaur at the point where his human torso rose up from the horses body (the most vulnerable point on a centaur) several times in a row. Bane gasped and loosened his grip marginally which allowed Ryuu to pull his hands up and punch bane in the face, breaking the centaur's nose.
Ryuu and the staff dropped backwards as the centaur dropped everything and reached up to grab his nose instinctively and Ryuu commandeered the heavy centaur staff as his feet touched on the ground. Bracing his arms, Ryuu swung the staff and caught the centaur flat across the connection point between horse and man before he struck out at Bane's knees; effectively dropping the much taller and heavier centaur down onto his front knees. Ryuu then scrambled up onto the centaur's back and snapped the staff over the front of the centaur's throat over top of both his arms as he curled his forearms over the top of the staff and back around to grasp the back of the centaur's head; trapping the centaur in a choke hold.
Bane clambered back up onto his feet and Ryuu knew he could lose his hold if the centaur started bucking and rearing so he pulled the staff tighter as he wrapped his legs around the centaur's human torso. Ten minutes… that is how long the centaur roared, cursed, reared, bucked, and thrashed around as he fought to break Ryuu's strangle hold. Finally the centaur crashed down to his knees a second time, his strength rapidly fleeing due to the slow strangulation and Ryuu rode him down until the last possible moment before jumping free as the centaur slumped sideways.
The fourteen year old then dropped Bane's staff and reclaimed both of his own (returning the ruined bo to his back) before turning towards the two stunned guards standing on either side of Luna. Eyes blazing and breathing labored, Ryuu limped towards the two centaurs, intent on fighting them as well should they attempt to keep him from Luna.
The centaur on the right, a young male, nervously pushed Luna forward as he backed away, his arms held up in a non-threatening gesture. Ryuu paused and tilted his head to one side before slowly nodding and slipping his shorter staff back into its sheath on his back as he reached out a hand to Luna. The moment her hand slipped into his, he pulled her close and ran his free hand down the side of her face as he searched her eyes intently; searching desperately for any sign that she'd been harmed in any way while she'd been gone for much of the morning.
He then slipped his hand around the back of her head and threaded his fingers through her hair as he slowly leaned down and pressed his lips to hers. Unlike the other tentative and fleeting kisses they shared, this kiss was anything but gentle and tender as he clumsily ravished her mouth with his; pouring everything he felt for her into that kiss (his inexperience apparent even if it was ignored). When her knees buckled he caught her with his arm and pulled her closer without breaking the kiss using her soft gasp to deepen the kiss further. The insistent tapping on his shoulder had Ryuu reluctantly breaking the kiss and he pressed his forehead against Luna's as he gazed down at her flushed face before he glared over his shoulder to find out who'd dared interrupted them.
"There's still one more battle left to go and they need you to clear the field, young foal," Firenze, the centaur that had faced Cedric, declared as he gestured to where Bane was being carried into the forest by four centaurs; the black stallion still unconscious.
Ryuu nodded and scooped Luna up into his arms as she wrapped her arms around his neck and tucked her face into the crook of his neck. He'd nearly reached the edge of the clearing when the palomino centaur called out to him once more.
"Beware… child of darkness… the wounded viper hunts you and seeks your blood for strength and power, should you turn from the moon's light you will be lost to the shadows. Mars steadily grows brighter and war looms near."
Ryuu tilted his head to one side before he nodded slowly and bowed to the centaur, careful not to spill Luna onto the clearing floor before he turned and walked away, his owl and his phoenix dropping down from the sky as he returned to where the other champions waited. He nodded his thanks to Cedric and Viktor when the two older teens congratulated him on a battle well fought before he sat down at the base of a large oak and settled Luna onto his lap. He cradled her close, pressing his face against her neck and drinking in her scent of ginger, nutmeg, and radishes as he finally allowed most of his fury fade. He almost didn't look up when Bagman announced the final competitor but he needed to know what Fleur was capable of least he end up facing her during the final task.
The young French witch was facing an older centaur whose coat and hair had long since gone gray and white with age. Ryuu hadn't caught the centaur's name but it was clear he was some sort of shaman as he held a gnarled staff that stood a foot taller than him and strung with feathers in one hand. Around the centaur's neck hung a pan flute that was obviously hand made as it was a little cruder than the one Ryuu had been given just prior to his first year at Hogwarts. The centaur bowed to Fleur and brought the flute to his mouth to weave an illusion around the young witch while Fleur just watched him impassively, her wand held firmly in one hand.
What happened next baffled Ryuu a bit, as the centaur's song slowly faltered and his illusion shattered while Fleur just stood there seemingly radiating sunlight. The centaur then began courting the young witch, promising all kinds of impossible feats of daring and hidden treasures if only she'd just promise him her hand. The audience began stirring as well, the wizards in particular growing antsy as they too began calling out promises to the witch. When the aged centaur bowed down on his knees before Fleur, she finally lifted her wand and bound him in ropes before her aura of beauty and desirability suddenly vanished and the centaur started in surprise to find he'd been caught.
"She used her allure to trap his mind," Luna murmured from Ryuu's lap. "Centaurs are particularly susceptible to a veela's allure because their magic is so nature oriented and love based magic is always in harmony with nature. Even Fleur's weak allure, as a quarter veela, is able to bend the centaur's mind and heart to her. I… you did not wish to seek her favor just now? No interest in kissing an older, more beautiful witch?" As she asked the last question she turned to look up at Ryuu with hopeful and worried eyes.
Why would I be interested in chasing after the sun when I hold the moon in my arms? There is no other witch who could compare to you, Luna, Ryuu signed solemnly as his eyes met and held hers. I felt as if my heart had been ripped from my chest when Satoshi-kun told me they had taken you this morning. I would have fought the entire herd of centaurs with my bare hands to get you back. If they had hurt you… if they had dared harmed you… I'd have made them pay for your pain tenfold.
"Yet… you do not wish for me to be your girlfriend," Luna sadly stated as she slowly pulled away from him.
Don't… just don't… Ryuu cut in as he pulled her back against him with one arm. Don't put words in my mouth; especially when there is no truth in them. I may not have realized just how much I've come to care for you until this morning but that doesn't mean the thought of asking you to be my girlfriend didn't cross my mind a time or two. Call me a coward but I was afraid of losing you as a friend if I asked you; that I'd chase you off if I let you know I thought of you that way when we're together.
"Oh, my silly Dragon… you can't chase me off that easily… I've just been waiting for you to admit that I was right all along and declare me yours before carrying me off to be ravished," Luna declared with a laugh that was half amusement and half exasperation.
Always your dragon… for as long as you wish I am yours to command, Ryuu swore as he once more swooped down to press his lips on hers; the kiss tender and full of promise.
"Is that your way of asking me to be your girlfriend?" Luna demanded breathily when they pulled apart.
Ryuu grinned devilishly as he told her, Don't you know? Dragons don't ask… they simply take what they want, before he ravished her lips once more as he pulled her even closer and buried his hands in her hair. When he pulled back a moment later he smiled softly at her flushed face and glazed eyes before he nuzzled her neck and kissed her ear. He then pulled back and gently added, But for you, I would humbly ask for the honor of being your boyfriend.
Luna squealed out several yeses in a row before she ravished Ryuu in turn, showering his face with kisses before she finally claimed his lips. The two of them were so wrapped up in each other that they didn't notice the audience leaving the stands or the group of officials bearing down on the champions as they stood off to one side. Ryuu didn't even notice the happy reunions between Viktor and Cedric and their respective girlfriends as he was far too caught up in the witch on his lap.
The glare Ryuu sent Bagman when the man dared to interrupt them sent the former Quidditch player stumbling back in haste even as he told Ryuu that he needed to join the other champions so they could hear the instructions for the final task. Ryuu huffed silently while Luna giggled over his antics as the two of them reluctantly climbed to their feet. When Bagman had the audacity to tell him that Luna wouldn't be able to listen in, Ryuu narrowed his eyes and lifted his chin stubbornly as he pulled Luna tightly against his side, his silent message crystal clear; he would go no where without his girlfriend at his side. Bagman's protest died on his lips when Shinjin spread her wings and hissed menacingly at the man; the phoenix still irritated from Ryuu's lingering anger over Luna being taken that morning.
Ryuu calmed the young phoenix before he slipped his wands free of her talons and replaced them inside his sleeves as he and Luna joined the others. Unknown to Ryuu, his possessiveness of his new girlfriend amused the three older teens and they each turned away to hide the smiles on their faces. His behavior didn't go unnoticed by his Headmasters either, though they had far more practice in schooling their faces to hide their pleased amusement.
"Yes… congratulations to our two champions who won their challenges," Bagman stated once he'd regained his composure. "Your fourth and final task will be taking place on the first Saturday in June, which is the third. Details on what you will be facing during the task will be given to you sometime around the middle of May. Sometime in the week leading up to the task we'll be holding a press conference and photo shoot for publicity and all of you will be required to provide a short biography for the piece."
The moment they were dismissed, Ryuu started leading Luna out of the forest; his hanbo once more in one hand and Luna's hand in his other. He didn't quite trust the tournament officials at the moment since they were ultimately responsible for Luna being in danger (though she'd never truly been at risk). Still, the words of the riddle had hinted that failure would cost their hostage their freedom and Bane's taunts had hit a little too close to home though he'd done his best to ignore them at the time. They were ambushed at the edge of the forest by their friends and Ryuu's family. Their friends were chittering and crowing excitably about Ryuu's fast and furious one on one battle with his centaur while the adults watched Ryuu with amusement and concern.
"Ryuu-kun, how bad are your injuries? I know you took a few serious hits to your back and side," Hatake asked once the teens had settled down a bit.
I think he broke my right foot when he stomped on it, Ryuu confessed after he silently took stock of the pain he was just now beginning to feel (his anger and adrenalin no longer numbing him). Maybe a cracked rib or two but for the most part I think he just bruised me. Stupid mule hit harder than the training dummy. There were a few choked snorts over Ryuu calling the centaur a mule (a serious insult to a centaur) as Ryuu pensively stared at the ground for a moment before glancing up to his father and asking, Tousan? The pale centaur called me the child of darkness… what did he mean? He said something about a viper, the light, and war too.
"What exactly did he say?" Takashi asked tensely as he frowned down at Ryuu.
"Beware… child of darkness… the wounded viper hunts you and seeks your blood for strength and power, should you turn from the moon's light you will be lost to the shadows. Mars steadily grows brighter and war looms near," Luna intoned in an almost creepy tone as she mimicked the centaur's earlier cadence flawlessly when Ryuu hesitated in answering.
Takashi paled and abruptly turned around and disappeared into the forest, Nyanko-sensei hot on his heels. Ryuu made to follow his father only for Satoshi and Luna to hold him back. He tried to shake them off only for Hatake to block his way.
"Ryuu-kun stop… your father knows what he's doing and he is not alone, Neko-chan will protect him from the rest of the forest. If I had to guess, your father wishes to speak with the centaur to find out what else he knows," Hatake bluntly stated. "In the mean time, you need to get your injuries looked after." Ryuu just glared up at his uncle, not budging in the least. "That was an order… not a suggestion, Natsume," Hatake growled when Ryuu remained defiant.
Wakatta, Hatake-sensei, Ryuu snapped back before he bowed stiffly and stalked away as best he could with the growing pain in his foot and his two friends holding onto him, the rest of their friends following after them. A moment later the silvery Neko-chan patronus reappeared from wherever it had vanished to during Ryuu's match.
"He's just worried about Takashi," Taki murmured as she shifted her youngest son to her other arm and glanced at the now depressed gray-haired wizard out of the corner of her eye. "He's heard of the dangers lurking inside of the Forbidden Forest for the last four years and Dumbledore-shishou constantly warns them to stay clear of the forest. It is only natural for him to worry about his father in the face of giant spiders, werewolves, flesh eating slugs, territorial centaurs, and who knows what else. And don't forget he's still angry about Luna-chan being taken as his hostage as well. He may not have confronted Dumbledore and Yamamoto just yet but you can bet he will have a thing or two to say to them for their involvement in her short stint in captivity; no matter how willingly she'd gone at the time."
"Oh, I am well aware of his reasons… I just wish he'd be a bit more accepting of his own limits, I could easily see how much pain he was in even if he wasn't allowing his mind to fully listen to what his body was telling him," Hatake countered. "The increase in his level of tolerance for pain over the past two months was not really a good thing when you consider just how much that boy pushes himself. His self control is better but that temper of his is going to keep getting him into trouble."
"And this year his fuse has been shorter than normal because of the stress of the tournament," Taki admitted sadly. "I know everything that has been happening has Takashi worried sick about Ryuu-kun as well. They are both so stressed out it worries me. They depend upon each other so much that if one of them were to break under the stress, the other would surely break shortly after as well. I owe you a debt of gratitude for everything you have done for my husband and our son; I honestly don't think either of them would have survived this long if not for you."
"I envy you and your husband," Hatake replied as he continued to watch after the disappearing teen. "Ryuu is everything a man could wish for in a son; he's intelligent, talented, hard working, loyal, mostly respectful, and usually obedient. He's also hard headed and strong enough to hold his own in a battle of wills. I never regretted my solitary existence until after I met Ryuu and really got to know him; he brings out the paternal instinct I never imagined existed inside of me and really hate taking the sidelines."
"And I envy you for your connection to my son," Takashi announced as he slipped out of he forest, a little dirty but otherwise unharmed. "Like my son, you were born with the ability to use magic and as he grows older that magic pulls him a little further away from us and we can't really follow no matter how hard we try. You are now the first one he runs to when something is troubling him, it is you he runs to for advice when he is stuck, and it is you who he seeks to make proud."
"You both are idiots," Taki declared imperiously. "He loves you both and you both play a very important part in his life and neither of you could ever take the place of the other in his eyes. Ryuu looks to make you both proud, he seeks advice from both of you for different needs, and seeks to follow in both of your footsteps; struggling to balance between both worlds because he refuses to choose between you." The irritated red head then stalked off with Kenji in arm while the two men watched after her with confused expressions.
"I wonder what we said to upset her," Hatake mused as he scratched the back of his head.
"I'd say something about hormone imbalance but then I'd probably be sleeping on the couch for the next year," Takashi murmured with a slight smile. "Do you think she's right? That Ryuu is struggling to fit into both worlds?"
"No… yes… maybe," Hatake unhelpfully answered before he slowly continued, his words carefully measured as he considered what he wanted to say before actually saying it out loud. "I think he's struggling to find his place but not because he's been balanced between the magical world and non-magical world. He is aware of his differences, in both worlds, and he struggles to accept that he isn't just an average wizard or a typical teenage boy." Hatake then turned to study Takashi before asking, "Did you get what you went looking for?"
"Yes and no…" Takashi replied as he glanced up at the sinking afternoon sun. "Yes, I found the centaur; he was waiting for me as if he expected me to seek him out. No, I didn't get the answers I went searching for because the centaur spoke in nothing but riddles."
"And…?"
Takashi sighed as he glanced towards the castle before he recited the words of the centaur in a dead voice that hinted at the younger man's inner turmoil and frustration.
That which led you to the dark child is no longer valid; prophecy is not static.
The wounded viper will strike from within the shadows; a trap within a trap.
That which was lost will be found in the depths of darkness and despair.
The twin burden of chaos and change sharpens the sight in the light of the moon.
The souls of those bound to the book bathed in shadows will be cleansed by the fires of rage.
When blood is spilt in the house of the dead; the wounded viper will rise again.
The flames of rage will give rise to the dragon hidden within the child of darkness.
The sons of chaos and change bound to the child of darkness hone the dragon's rage.
The world will be washed in the blood of innocents should the dragon falter and fail.
Destiny will not wait for the child of darkness to become a man; fate is not static.
"Lovely… another prophecy," Hatake deadpanned as he closed his mismatched eyes and tilted his head back so that his face was bathed by the fading afternoon light. "I need a drink… preferably something with more bite than pumpkin juice or hot chocolate."
"I have some sake in my quarters," Takashi murmured softly, his voice now tired and resigned. "I'll grab a couple of bottles and my grandmother's journal; you grab a bottle of Firewhiskey, a couple of cups, and a hangover potion or two and I will meet you in your quarters in an hour; two at the most. I have a son to reassure, a wife to appease, a baby to cuddle, and a cat to lose."
"Natsume no baka! You can't lose me that easily! And you know those are my bottles of sake!" Nyanko spat angrily in Japanese as he crawled out from the underbrush that grew around the edge of the forest.
Takashi ignored the youkai as he and Hatake headed towards the castle and went their separate ways. Takashi heading up to the infirmary to see if his son had been treated yet while Hatake went to the kitchen to seek the aide of an elf in obtaining the alcohol and potions they'd be needing later that night.
Ryuu was sitting in one of the hospital beds with his bare right foot propped up on several pillows and his shirt off with his friends seated on the beds to either side of the one Ryuu occupied when Takashi walked into the Hospital Wing ten minutes later. Takashi stopped as he took in the vivid bruises that covered Ryuu's foot and ankle, his entire left side, and his lower back; evidence that the centaur had in way gone easy on the fourteen year old during their battle (that wasn't even taking into consideration the fading bruises from the past two months of training that Ryuu had undergone in preparation for the task).
Madam Pomfrey was currently waving her wand over Ryuu's foot and ankle, healing the broken bones in his foot and reducing the swelling. The grimace on Ryuu's face let Takashi know that the processes was probably more painful than getting the foot stepped on in the first place; if only because he had no adrenalin rushing through his veins to dull the pain.
"You know… that looks a little more than just the bruise or two you led me to believe you had," Takashi quipped dryly as he fought back his despair at seeing his son once again turned into a walking bruise.
I didn't know it was this bad when you asked, tousan, Ryuu countered with a roll of his eyes. At least this time I won't be getting any new scars out of the deal. The bitterness Ryuu still felt over the attack of the merfolk in the second task clearly visible in Ryuu's body language as he added that last bit.
"Any serious internal injuries I should know about so I can warn Hatake-sensei to take it easy on you for the next week or so?" Takashi asked instead of acknowledging the resentment his son still felt towards the merfolk.
"Eight broken bones in his right foot, two cracked ribs on his left side, some bruising and inflammation in the lumbar region of his spinal cord, and the bruising is far deeper then it looks," Madam Pomfrey rattled off as she finished with Ryuu's foot and wrapped it securely in gauze with a quick two flicks of her wand. "He's to stay completely off the foot for a week and then I want him in physical therapy, which means no physical training or rough housing, for two additional weeks after that. I'm worried about the damage done to his back; magic can't heal the spinal cord and if he further damages his spine he'll end up paralyzed."
"I will see to it Hatake-sensei is aware of the restrictions, Pomfrey-sama," Takashi promised as he gazed at his son in concern. "I have a few things to take care of, I will see you later tonight or tomorrow, Ryuu-kun, please try to take it easy and stop by and let your mother know you're still in one piece as soon as you are released."
Ryuu nodded and watched his father turn around and leave; guilt filling the teen as he read the weariness in his father's posture as he walked away. Ryuu closed his eyes and sat up straighter as Madam Pomfrey healed and wrapped his cracked ribs, extending the bandages down to his lower back so that they offered extra support for his bruised back and spine. He sighed softly as the gentle pressure of the bandages helped ease the ache he'd been feeling and willingly lay back on the bed when Madam Pomfrey ordered him to; for once not protesting her insistence that he spend the night in the infirmary.
He was then given a sleeping draught and a general pain reliever so he could get some rest without the pain interfering. His friends were shooed out shortly after that, with Luna giving Ryuu a chaste kiss and a promise to come see him first thing in the morning. Ryuu drifted off to sleep with a smile on his face, his thoughts centered on his new girlfriend.
The next three weeks sluggishly passed as Ryuu fought to keep from becoming impatient with the restrictions that Madam Pomfrey had placed on him; he knew his body needed time to heal. That didn't make it any easier for Ryuu to sit around doing practically nothing during that time. Not that he was doing absolutely nothing, since he was learning new spells in order to pass the time. Spells that may or may not come in handy during the final task; such as the Stunning Spell, several types of Blasting Spells and Curses, Shielding Charms, several protective charms which are slightly weaker than wards but just as useful in a pinch, the Confundus Charm, the Cushioning Charm, a couple of Detection Spells, a few basic first aide spells, and the Disillusionment Charm. Still, a magical workout was no where near as satisfying as a physical workout; especially after pushing himself so hard physically for most of the year.
His relationship with Luna helped keep him centered most days; her presence lighting up the room for Ryuu in the same way it always had only this time he recognized the feelings she evoked in him. On the surface, the way the two of them interacted never changed; they still occasionally held hands, stole a few chaste kisses, and still shared the occasional meal perched side by side or with Luna sitting on Ryuu's lap. The passion filled kisses they exchanged on the day of the task had been fueled by the desperation, rage, and relief Ryuu had felt at the time and while they'd both enjoyed those kisses they were content to continue taking things slowly.
Those who didn't know the couple very well never even noticed the shift in their relationship (aside from a bit of speculation over the meaning of the kiss Ryuu had given Luna after his fight with the centaur). Their friends however were quick to spot the subtle shift in their dynamics; the soft smiles they exchanged with each other, the way one or both of them would lightly blush when their eyes met, and the way Ryuu's eyes would light up when Luna walked into the room (as if he lived for her presence alone). Luna was also one of the few that could calm Ryuu with a glance or a touch when his temper flared; his parents, his uncle, and Satoshi being the other only other ones that didn't have to work too hard to calm the teen when he was riled.
April was half over by the time Ryuu was cleared to resume light physical training and the return to his familiar (if slightly restricted) routine helped dispel most of Ryuu's lingering frustration. The first week he resumed his training he wasn't allowed to work without a spotter, usually Satoshi or Hatake, watching him to make certain he didn't push himself too far too fast and that he wasn't experiencing any lingering pain which would indicate that his injuries hadn't fully healed.
After that week Hatake slowly brought him back up to his previous level over a two week period in everything but sparring. Sparring (except the occasional one on one match to test his returning strength) would wait until after the fourth and final task unless he learned the final task would involve something that would require hand to hand combat like the third task. Ryuu didn't mind being held back as much by that point; just happy to be able to tire himself out enough to sleep through the night without being visited by any nightmares that had been inspired by the Tournament.
Ryuu's classes were going fairly well; the extra time he'd had to study while he was recovering had even allowed him to get ahead in his high school assignments. Potions, which he was actually taking at the Japanese academy, was his most difficult subject currently; not because he was actually struggling with the class but because he'd needed to make up everything Snape had not taught in the first three years. Ryuu had always done outside research and studying to supplement what he gleaned from the assigned texts but that didn't mean he always knew where to find the information he needed or that he even knew everything he needed to know in order to properly brew any given potion.
He'd been even more frustrated over Snape's classroom behavior after learning just how much the bitter wizard had left out of his earlier lessons. Thankfully, Ryuu rarely ever saw the man over the course of the day; usually just at meal times and the caustic man studiously ignored him or kept his vitriol to nothing more than a glare that wished Ryuu untold pain. The lesson Ryuu had taught the man earlier stuck though and the man's mouth never opened in Ryuu's presence nor did his hand so much as twitch towards his wand. Snape was not a big fan of pain (unless he was the one causing it) and Ryuu had not been shy in dishing out pain that day he'd beat the tar out of him.
Around the end of the first week in May, at the end of his sixth week after the third task, Professor McGonagall tested Ryuu on his progress and declared him ready to move onto the final exercise. This time, it was the actual transformation he'd be working towards and he was prohibited from practicing unless in the presence of a fully qualified adult. The seven adults currently at Hogwarts who qualified were Dumbledore, Yamamoto, Madam Pomfrey, McGonagall, Hatake, Kimura, and Flitwick; and of those seven the only ones Ryuu was willing to practice in front of were McGonagall, Flitwick, and Kimura. Ryuu was still upset with both his Headmasters for their part in Luna's 'capture' though he'd never confronted them as his mother predicted he would, he had no wish to spend any more time in the Infirmary when there was no need, and he didn't want Hatake to know what form he'd chosen until he'd mastered the transformation.
The final exercise combined the two earlier exercises that McGonagall had given him the day after his name had come out of the Goblet of Fire plus the first exercise that had him mentally visualizing the transformation from human to animal and vice versa. He needed to saturate his entire body with magic (without allowing it to extend beyond his skin), enter the partial trance, and trigger the change by visualizing the transformation. The biggest two risks at this point were not pouring enough magic into the transformation or not spreading the magic evenly through out his body.
The first one meant that he stood the chance of becoming stuck halfway through the transformation while the second one meant that he ran the risk of not transforming a part of his body; both of which could easily be fatal. Ryuu's numerous years of controlling his magic wandlessly and wordlessly through Kimura's training, learning how to use his magic to enhance his awareness of his surroundings during his spars, and the years of meditation meant that he'd been able to grasp the concept of flooding his body and containing the magic inside of his body without allowing it to pool unevenly fairly quickly.
After three practice sessions with Kimura-sensei, Ryuu successfully completed his transformation and stood before his beaming tutor in all his furred glory. Satoshi and Luna, who'd come to watch, applauded with Luna gushing about how cute Dragon the Red Panda looked. With Ryuu's control, it only took another four sessions to prove that his technique was flawless (Satoshi called him a perfectionist when Kimura announced that) and the only thing he needed to work on was learning to hold the transformation for hours at a time and getting used to the slight disorientation that occurred when transforming back into his human self.
After that final fourth session, Kimura and McGonagall (who'd been observing those last four sessions) gave Ryuu his certificate of completion along with the Japanese Animagus Registration form (they'd decided to forgo registering in both countries to allow Ryuu some privacy regarding his form so his enemies would have a harder time learning he was an animagus).
The day after Ryuu mastered the transformation, Bagman led the four champions out to the Quidditch pitch where a huge maze was being grown. The final task would involve them facing an assortment of creatures, spells, magical plants, the clock, and potentially each other as they solved the maze to reach the center where the Tournament Trophy would be waiting for one of them to claim. They would be sent into the maze in order of their points, Fleur going first as she was still in first place with Ryuu going second, Cedric third, and Viktor last. The task would start at sunset on the third of June and they would be given until midnight to claim the trophy. If no one reached the center of the maze by the time the time limit passed, the one closest would be named champion and would be given half of the one thousand galleon prize.
Later that night, with the help of Kimura-sensei providing a distraction, Ryuu transformed in the kitchen of his parents' apartment while his parents, other friends, and Hatake sat in the living room chatting. Ryuu then snuck into the room and jumped up onto the couch behind Hatake and stuck his cold nose in the wizard's ear before leaping down onto the table and cheekily saluting his adopted uncle. Hermione and Kimi, much like Luna, gushed over how adorable Ryuu looked as a red panda while both his father and his uncle beamed proudly at him.
He then spent the next hour playing chase with Tenji and Nyanko-sensei; the wolf spirit completely fascinated with his ability to take on an animal vessel. He also curled up on his mother's lap for an hour and stared at Kenji who in turn cooed and giggled at him. The next lap he ended up in was Luna's and he actually drifted off to sleep with her petting him and playing with his tail while Himiko playfully pawed at his ears.
For the rest of the month, it wasn't uncommon for his one on one training sessions with Hatake to involve him working to integrate his new form into his fighting technique. This involved Ryuu being able to transform in the middle of a dive and change his position before coming out of the transformation fighting. It meant that he would be able to move far more freely than his opponent and use his surroundings to his advantage either to hide or to springboard off of obstacles to provide height or weight to his attacks making him far harder to defeat in a one on one battle. It also meant that he would be able use his small form to turn multiple opponents against each other if he allowed them to come at him from separate directions before vanishing below their line of sight at the last second so they crashed into each other instead of him once he was allowed to spar against multiple opponents again.
His tournament training on the other hand was spent perfecting the new spells he had learned and researching every possible creature that could be brought into the maze. Those spells he hadn't actually mastered were ignored in favor of those he had so there would be no question of the spell failing at the worst possible moment while inside of the maze. He also spent time training with his familiars since this would be the only task in which they would not interfere or be severely outclassed; though he did worry about Tenji because he was the only one of the three that couldn't escape into the air. If he didn't include the kneazle though, the cat would likely pitch a fit because he had been left behind once too often this year.
All too soon the final task was looming overhead as May melted seamlessly into June.
On the morning of the task, right after breakfast, Ryuu was given the day off to spend time with his family. He was pleasantly surprised to find that Yamamoto-shishou had brought his grandparents, godfather, and Remus through the portal for the occasion. He'd actually been exchanging letters with his godfather over the course of the year and had slowly gotten to know the man better as he slowly healed from the years he spent in prison. He didn't quite think of him as fondly as he did Hatake but he was no longer so mistrusting of the man. The first thing Sirius did after Ryuu allowed him to greet him with a hug was to swear the same oath as the others had sworn; his godfather having purchased a replacement wand once his Mind Healer had deemed him mentally stable enough to handle the responsibility (something that further put Ryuu to ease around the ex-criminal).
Ryuu spent the rest of the morning giving his grandparents a guided tour of the castle with the rest of his family tagging along; Sirius and Remus adding tidbits and interesting facts along the way. Over lunch, which was eaten in Takashi and Taki's apartment, Ryuu treated his grandparents, godfather, and family friend to the sight of his new animagus form. Sirius actually beamed at him in pride; his godfather pleased that Ryuu had followed in his and James's footsteps.
Ryuu then spent a few minutes playing with Padfoot as his godfather transformed and teasingly chased him about the house. Ryuu got him back by sitting on the grim-like dog's back and riding him around like a horse while Padfoot spun around in circles trying to get him off. The two Marauders then tried to name Ryuu's form only for Ryuu to inform them that Luna already named him Dragon; this had the two wizards laughing because the name in no way matched his form. Sirius insisted on dubbing him Bandit after Ryuu stole a piece of taiyaki from his godfather's plate while in his animagus form in retaliation for being laughed at; so Ryuu became the Dragon Bandit.
When the time came for Ryuu to join the other champions, he was in higher spirits than he had been since he'd been entered into the tournament. The adults in his life though, the moment Ryuu was on his way out, dropped their carefree and relaxed appearance as the worry they had for the teen made itself known. Barty Crouch Jr. had been interrogated once more last night and they knew that the final task was actually a trap to capture Ryuu but the Death Eater had been Obliviated of the knowledge of how and when the trap would be triggered. Either Voldemort had not trusted that Crouch wouldn't be caught, the dark lord knew Crouch had been found out early on and planned to erase their deeds, or the man had figured it out himself and removed the information from his own mind. Crouch was taken into custody at that point and the real Moody released from his captivity.
Moody revealed a bit more of Crouch's plans as the Death Eater had bragged about them during the times when the man had taken hair from the ex-Auror for the Polyjuice potion. Moody had no clue as to what would trigger the trap though, Crouch never mentioning it in his presence. The grizzled old wizard would be patrolling the outside of the maze searching for infiltrators in the event that Crouch had snuck any of Voldemort's supporters into the school now that he was no longer required to masquerade as a prisoner. The only reason that the ex-Auror was up and moving after his long imprisonment was due to Crouch Jr. being uncovered near the start of the year; something that had allowed Madam Pomfrey to treat him for malnutrition and heal his wounds throughout the year in order to keep the man in good health.
In the stands, as they waited for the task to start, Ryuu's family and friends solemnly waited for the other shoe to drop. Out of Ryuu's friends, only Satoshi was fully aware of what was going on as the only adult in their close knit group but the other children knew something was up by how serious and worried the adults were behaving once Ryuu had left to join the champions. Ryuu had also warned Luna privately that there was a chance something could go wrong in this task and promised that no matter what happened he would do everything he could to come back to her when the task was over. He then kissed her passionately (for the first time since the day he'd faced the centaur and asked her to be his girlfriend), pouring his soul into the kiss to let her know just how much he cared.
Translations: Japanese to English
Baka – idiot
Otousan/tousan – father
Wakatta – Understood/ I understand
AN: That's the third task done and the hostage task accounted for. We also got to see Ryuu finally figure out what he'd been feeling for Luna all this time as well as witnessed another prophecy coming into play. Everyone also finally got to see Ryuu's animagus form and he got to play around a bit. I even had Sirius make an appearance; Padfoot was mad at me since I'd left him out for so long. Poor guy, he sort of got side-lined in this story; which is a real shame as he's one of my favorite characters. We'll see a little more of him later.
There is one review I wanted to address here in the story… one reviewer mentioned that I seem to enjoy beating Ryuu up. I actually don't and have toned down each of his fights and injuries from the initial rough drafts before posting the final versions of each chapter. The thing is, Ryuu is a trouble magnet and it shows. Escaping injury free in the situations he ends up in would be nearly impossible unless I made him some kind of uber god. He's grown stronger through the years though and so he's actually started walking away from some of his encounters rather than being carried away.
Anywho… that's my reasoning behind the injuries he's suffered and even JKR beat out intrepid hero up in pretty much every book. I just try to match the injuries to his battles.
Speaking of battles, quite a few people complained that I didn't show Ryuu's treatment at the hands of the merfolk and I'll apologize for that. I'd originally intended to write that part out but kept drawing a blank because I couldn't write the merfolks' dialogue or come up with a sacrificial ritual that didn't sound cheesy and overdone. So I cut that part out and shelved it until I can find inspiration to turn it into an omake.
Anyway, the next chapter will have the fourth and final task and should be up either Friday or Saturday. For my fellow Americans; have a Happy Thanksgiving! To all of my other readers; have a great week. I'll leave the extra pumpkin pies I made for everyone to enjoy. ~ Jenn