Here's chapter 37 of Magic vs. MA.

See Previous chapters for disclaimer.

here's the next chapter of course, and I hope you all are enjoying my stories. for all concerned, yes, I will be continuing my stories even if there are delays in when they get posted. I have some of the next 'State of ours' written out, a little blurb that could become a Neko's Mate story.

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The battle was over. The attackers had been defeated. The village was saved. Yet for Harry, his friends and the survivors, the day was lost. Though victorious in battle, they had suffered loses. 19 villagers lay dead, with dozens injured. Among the defenders, only had perished, though most had suffered mild injuries.

Justin Finch-Williams and Theresa Bandry had been killed, each taking at least 1 Avada Kedavra curse. Justin had shown a level of courage and loyalty that bosltered his Hufflepuff housemates in their time of need. Theresa's Ravenclaw housemates were equally proud of the sheer number and variety of spells she'd used in defense of the village. Those closest to the pair were being comforted by their Heads of House while other professors stoot at guard positions. The Aurors searched the village for any remaining Death Eaters.

The defeated death eaters, both dead and living were gathered, demasked and charged by the Aurors. There were 8 dead, another 3 whose wounds would kill them in the next few hours and 2 others who were apparated immediately to St. Mungo's. Another dozen or so unconcious Death Eaters had wounds ranging from bruises to concusions or broken bones. Several had even undergone some slight physical transformations, evidence of the Weasley twins products and their usefulness in battle as well as pranking. 3 of the trolls and 1 of the giants were also dead, with the others being restrained and unconcious.

Harry had gathered the leaders of HHT, including the redisguised Tonks as Luna. This personage had slipped into his embrace after ensuring that he was fine. And surprisingly for once, he was fine. Mostly thanks to the increase in agility and endurance due to the martial arts training. Harry's group was joined by the NWC. Ranma remained in dragon form, having landed nearby and giving a continous rumble of discontent as he watched the Aurors and other officials.

There had been a few tense minutes when the Aurors arriced to witness the landing of Ranma's massve form. But before a spell could be cast Colin, Hannah, Susan and Su Li disarmed the Aurors and had them face down with their arms locked in various pain hold technics. They didn't release the holds until Akane ordered them to, and were reluctant to hand back the wands until Harry ordered it. The display left no doubt in the minds of both the Aurors and Dumbledore who was in charge in the minds of the students.

The Aurors who'd been disarmed were harrassed playfully by the others until several more found themselves on their backs, disarmed and with wands pointed at them by other members of HarHarTu. Evem some who'd thought themselves capable in physical self-defense were easily taken down. Auror, Level 3, Frank Flowley, a former world ranked boxer was flattened and hogtied by an 11year old Slytherin, James Dunlevee. Dunlevee's previous claim to noteriety was being the shortest human at the school, standing a mere 4foot 5 inches in height. In perspective, Professor Flitwick stood 4foot 2 inches and was something of a giant among dwarves.

Again Akane called them to release the holds while Harry ordered them to surrender the Auror's wands. There was no more teasing, and now the Aurors kept their wands ready and eyed all the Hogwarts studends suspiciously. They started taking reports and statements into portable pensieves for later review. There was surprise on their part as they watched the various groups of students holding their own against their mixed group of attackers. Outright astonishment met the various memories of Ranma's destruction of the Dementor's as well as the ease Ryoga defeated the trolls and Taro restrained the giants.

Dumbledore, acting as Supreme Mugwump along with Kingsley Shacklebolt as Head Auror approached the group, receiving wary glances and nervous shifting. "Well Harry, seems to be a most eventful day. How are you, my boy?" the elderly wizard asked.

Harry was even more wary then his friends. "Physically, just a few bruised and scratches sir. Mentally, it hurts. I know that what I did and what I ordered had to be done. But it still hurts when I think about who was hurt and who died. Justin, before he diead, killed one of the Death Eaters with a cutting curse I showed him in the HarHarTu sessions. That's why the Death Eater's hit him with the AK, instead of torturing him with the crucio or other spells." Harry gave a harsh laugh turning his head to glance at the Death Eaters bodies. "Turns out it was Marcus Flint. He tried to duck the curse and instead of hitting his arm, it tore into his throat. Flint could join Nick as Nearly Headless Ghost."

At his side, Luna tried to comfort him through their contact, knowing that Harry was in pain from what he had done.

"That is nothing compare to me. I killed hte LeStrange brothers and maybe a few others. And I meant for it to happen. I could have used different spells, but I chose the Reducto and others and they hit where I was aiming. Except for one where my target moved aside and the spell hit a death eater behind him, crushing his chest like a lorry ran him over. Same with the cutting curse I used to sever a few arms and legs. Some of those death eaters won't live long. I'm a killer, sir. Just like that snake faced bastard."

Dumbledore reached out to graps Harry by the shoulder that wasn't home to a teen girl's head. "Harry, you did nothing wrong. You are nothing like Tom. He enjoyes hurting others. He kills because it amuses him and makes others fear him. The men you killed today and all those that died serving Tom and his allies were here to hurt and kill as many defenseless people as they could. They did not count on you and your friends and your ability to defend not only yourselves, but others as well. 19 villagers died today Harry, before you rallied your two groups to defend the village. The only casualties after that were Ms. Bandry and Mr. Finch-Williams.

There were minor injuries, some mild as well, but nothing lethal. All can be healed with treatment and time. No one will ever be able to tell how many lives you saved today Harry. While I will not suggest that you ignore the pain of today's events and the losses suffered, I do suggest you take comfort knowing that without you and your friends, many other good people would have been taken from us. More of your your friends would have died without your training, as well as the training by our guests.

By training them, teaching them to defend themselves, you enabled them to save others. I have witnessed the pensieve memoreis of those who bore withness for Ms. Bandry and Mr. Finch-Williams. Young Theresa bravely pushed aside a pair of young children and stepped into the path of the killing curse sent by 4 Death Eaters. Justin was just as brave, he miss aimed a curse as he attmpted ot shield Madam Malkin and Rosemerta in front of Fortesque's. He too was hit by multiple killing curses."

"Harry, for now, Professor Dumbledoe is right. Don't ignore the pain of the people who died today. Instead use their deaths to focus on why you are fighting. You always ask 'Why me?', Harry and today should show you the answer.

Because you are the only one who can. People are alive because today because of you and your actions. The students because you taught them-us- and the villagers because of your students being able to use what you taught them to save lives. You are the only one who was capable of doing so not because of the fame of 'Boy who Lived', but because you are the 'Boy who kicks Dark Wizard Ass'. Everytime the Dark Ponce tried to kill you, you survive.

You survive not out of fame, but because you never give up and always find a way to live. People are drawn to that. They need someone in their lives who gives them home and courage to fight. To not ever cower in fear before the mask wearing gits who are themselves cowards." Luna stated, her eyes locked with Harry's and only he seeing her eyes flashing to her natural Tonks coloring.

"Luna's more right then she knows, Harry." stated Sirius, followed by a pair of cloaked figures. "All of them, the whole lot, Snake Face included became what they are because of fear. For the rich Purebloos, it's fear of change and loosing status when compared to muggleborn and halfbloods. Many of the oldest families have bred themselves into suibs because they feared the change acknowledgin new blood would bring.

Take any of them, strip their magic and place them in the muggleowrld and they would di inside of a week. They aren't mentally capable of dealing with the fact that in many ways, the muggles have surpassed us. That muggles no longer need magic because they have devices that can match or out do most spell work. We are no longer THE power in the world, only a minor curiousity at best.

We would be on par with martial artists like your sensei's." He paused a moment to bow to Akane and Ranma. "Electronics like cell phones, computers and television that are far more appealing and easier to learn then magic. What they can't do for real, they are able to fake so convincingly that it might as well be real. There's a popular saying in the muggle world, Harry. It goes: "Is it real, or is it Memorex?" "

Harry blinked. He'd heard that term before. It had come blaring out of the television while he was cleaning and Dudley watched. He had peeked out fo the corner of his eye and what he saw had seemed like magic to him. There'd been a scene on the screen frozen in place. That question had been asked. Then something would happen. Sometimesthe people would start to move, showing they were 'real'. Other times the camera would pull back, revealing that it was a picture while the background showed the scene captured in the picture. After a few times, a camera nd a roll of film would be show, and they would mention it being the best way to keep memories real.

Harry couldn't take anymore today. He started to collapse. Strong arms caught him and the last thing he saw were the male Akane's eyes before he surrender to oblivion.

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Akane caught Harry before he hit the ground, instinctively changing to male before reaching him. Though he could have carried him as easily in his birth form, he knew that it would make Harry embarrased by the close contact. Not to mention what it would do to an already angry and touchy Ranma and his potential reaction to his wife holding another man.

He looked towards his mate's form, and was both pleased and disturbed to see that Ranma was no longer in dragon form. He was please Ranma had relaxed enough to put away the dragon, but disturbed that he had shifted instead into his nekoken form. Neko Ranma was smaller then Tatsu Ranma, but was just as potentially dangerous.

The giant black cat followed behind him closely, growling at any one who neared except for Luna and their 'family' of the NWC. He even allowed the captivated concealed metamorphmagi stroke his fur. They progressed through the village, Akane carrying Harry with neko Ranma on one side and Luna on the the other. They soon became the head of a march as one by one, in order of closeness to Harry and their own selfinflicted rankins within the HHT and the general student body, they followed their leaders, leaving behind a grateful village, amazed Aurors and puzzled Professors.

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so that's the second chap this week, and I hope to have more soon.