Ozuro Kuroo was not happy.

Sitting across the table and pressing down on a smile, Tetsuro Kuroo found that he could not care less.

He happily stabbed a fork into his sheppard's pie and found he couldn't resist poking a bit. "Well, I'm famished. Sure you're not hungry, Dad?"

Ozuro shook his head, fingers held lightly on his cup of tea. "I don't expect this to be a very long meeting."

"Oh?" Kuroo openly let a pleased smile bloom across his face, not caring about the way his father's mouth twitched down in response.

Kuroo had come to a realization-hard earned and once reached, he couldn't help think that it should have happened much sooner.

Kuroo did not care about his father's opinion.

Why should he? Kuroo had fought a basilisk, had dueled a professor, had seen a friend petrified, and was currently trying to stop a murder plot. Kuroo was one of the top students in his year and competing hard with Oikawa for the top spot. He had friends and Kenma. Merlin, he was on the Hogwarts Quidditch Championship team. None of those things depended on his father. So, why should he care about the wants of one slimy politician?

Sure, Ozuro was manipulative. Yes, the man was dangerous in the political sphere and would always, always, always turn things self-serving, no matter what it meant for the people he was using. But, here's the thing…

Kuroo didn't have to be used.

And he was perfectly happy staying as far away from his father's orbit as he was possibly able.

With that, Kuroo took another bite of his meal, feeling triumphant.

Ozuro hummed. "Are you sure your friends can't join us? I'm sure teenage boys would always enjoy a good meal."

Kuroo didn't bother looking up. "Yes."

"Yes, they can come?"

"Oh no, yes, I'm very much sure that they won't be here," Kuroo corrected.

Ozuro's lip twitched down again. "All of them?"

"Busy schedules, you know."

"I'm sure," Ozuro said in a way that implied the opposite. "Strange isn't it? You'd think your friends would care more about the things important to you, Tetsuro."

Kuroo actually did pause this time, not allowing his eye to narrow.

He gave his father a sunny smile. "Yeah, well, us teenage boys-no respect for the greater things in life like high politics."

Ozuro sighed, shoulders slumping in what could've been disappointment. "That is unfortunate, You sure none of your friends are interested in political futures?"

"Quite sure," Kuroo lied.

"I assume that will create some distance for you and them."

"I think we'll be able to manage," he said blandly, tone growing firmer. "After all, no one's future is set in stone, father. Not even mine."

Ozuro did not comment, brows pinching together before they smoothed out.

Kuroo waited, heart beating faster in anticipation like watching his team score the winning goal.

His father took another sip of tea before sitting his cup down.

The cup landed on the saucer with a soft clink so different than the chime of a warning bell.

Ozuro looked up to meet his son's eyes.

"I am not happy, Tetsuro."

Kuroo's smile almost faltered before he strengthened it . "Well-"

"The reason I'm not happy," his father continued calmly as if Kuroo hasn't spoken, "is that I feel you have forgotten our goal here. I will admit I've had small worries for awhile. I was concerned but assumed you'd soon grow out of your childish need to act defiant. And, if nothing else, I was reassured that you at least seemed strategic in your choice of friends."

He took another sip of tea before continuing. "I'd hoped that the responsibility of the Time Turner and your task of swaying the Tsukishima and Yamaguchi families for their support on our werewolf bill would help you find your focus." His father sighed. "Unfortunately, instead I've found you've disappointed me at every turn. You're courting of the Light families has barely amounted in a measly Christmas invitation. You don't even consider remaking old alliances like that Kenma boy." His father's expression darkened. "And worst of all it seems you are entirely unconcerned about your Time Turner assessment, an opportunity I worked tirelessly to gift you. A true masterful opening to your goal of making a name for yourself in the political world."

Kuroo frowned. "My goal isn't-"

"Yes, it is."

Kuroo's next words dried in his throat.

"Yes, it is," his father repeated, not allowing any room for disagreement. "Because I am your father and you are my son. Because you are a Kuroo and I have put far, far too much work into you from before you were even born fo you to dare even think to throw it away."

Kuroo didn't say anything and his father took another sip of tea.

"You have disappointed me, Tetsuro," Ozuro continued, shaking his head. "You couldn't even manage the simple task of convincing your friends to have tea."

His father waved his wand. "Accio."

A thin file flew into his hand.

"I'm afraid we'll have to be adjusting our plans." Ozuro slid the file over to Kuroo.

Kuroo took it, hands tight around it like it held his death warrant.

Ozuro raised an eyebrow. "Go on, open it."

Kuroo did.

He stared.

"These are acceptance letters," he said dully.

His father nodded. "Yes, I took the liberty of applying for you. Only the best, of course. Durmstrang, Beauxbatons, Ilvermorny. Why I think you'll even find Koldovstoretz and Mahoutokoro if you'd prefer something further from home."

"I prefer Hogwarts," Kuroo said, mouth opening and closing. "Dad, what are you even talking about? I'm a fifth year. I can't just….just leave Hogwarts!"

"It's rare, yes, but you know a little influence goes a long way," Ozuro said. "Yes, I'd have preferred you graduated from a British school for appearance sake; but, we can work around. Who knows? It should even give you a boost in foreign diplomacy."

"But, I don't want to leave Hogwarts," Kuroo shouted.

"No?" Ozuro said in a way that should be a warning if Kuroo was calmer. "And why's that?"

Kuroo gaped. "Because my friends are here!"

Ozuro smiled like a hunter springing a last trap. "The friends that you've assured me have no interest in politics. I think we can do better than that. Can't we, son?"

Kuroo stared, trying to think of anything, anything he could say.

His father sipped at his tea calmly.

"Don't do this," Kuroo said finally. "I'm begging you. Don't make me leave them."

Ozuro sat down his tea and stood.

He looked down at his son, cold and imperious. "Then give me a reason why you should stay."

With that, his father turned, tossing a wave in almost a belated gesture. "I'm very much looking forward to your performance in the Ministry assessment, son, I just know you'll make me proud. I'm thinking a meeting the morning of to confirm our goals, yes? I have a busy schedule; but, I'm sure I can find time. No need to thank me, Tetsuro, and don't worry, I'll give your mother your love."

Kuroo had nothing else to say as he watched his father leave the room, the only things to mark his visit a half eaten pie, an empty cup of tea, and a thin little folder.

Suddenly, Kuroo realized he felt a lot less invincible.

ooooooo

If the last meeting of the unfortunately named "Keep Hinata Alive To Graduation Society" could be described as a mixture of chaotic worry, this one felt restless like watching a kettle start to boil but not yet hearing the whistle.

It made Kenma shift restlessly even if the small action went almost unnoticed. He focused hard on keeping his hair from flickering through colors.

Kuroo was the last to arrive, slipping wordlessly into the abandoned classroom and coming to stand between Bokuto and Iwaizumi. He didn't even spare a glance towards Kenma.

Kenma frowned, trying to catch Kuroo's eyes.

Kuroo looked away.

"Alright," Oikawa announced, mouth quirked down with an air of frustration, "it's been over a month and, as far as we know, no one's even tried to kill Hinata."

Hinata blinked. "Yay?"

"Not 'yay'," Oikawa corrected. "Not yay at all. Nay even."

Iwaizumi rolled his eyes.

"And why 'nay' you ask," Oikawa continued regardless, "because this means we still have no idea who's trying to kill you."

Asahi peaked his head up from the corner of the room. "...um, is it possible….I mean maybe they really were accidents?"

The entire room stared at him.

"...or maybe not," he finished weakly.

Noya grinned beside him, bumping his shoulder into Asahi. "Hey, yeah, maybe they were accidents!"

"Yeah; but, bro, what are the odds," Tanaka asked.

"Well, it is Hogwarts." Tsukishima sniffed. "From my experience, this is place is basically a walking death trap."

Suga hummed. "This could be good."

"That our school is a death trap," Bokuto asked.

"That no one's tried to kill Hinata," Suga continued. "Sure, it doesn't help us figure out who did it; but, maybe it means that the guards are working. Whoever's behind it really doesn't want to get other people involved."

"Which leads back to someone with a personal vendetta." Ennoshita frowned. "But, why Hinata?"

Hinata shifted under the weight of the stares. "Sorry, I've been trying to think and I really don't know why anyone would want to kill me."

Daichi sighed. "Suga's right, though. We may not have a culprit; but, at least we can keep Hinata safe. That's the important part, right?"

"What about summer," Kageyama asked, a darker presence by Hinata's side.

Oikawa's mouth pinched slightly before he looked from Kageyama to the rest of the group. "We'll think of that if it gets closer. We still have a month before school ends, that's still time we can use to catch them."

Tsukishima narrowed his eyes. "A month, huh? Say that's about the time Hogwarts is getting a surprise visit from what looks like half of the Ministry higher ups. I'm sure you couldn't tell us why that is."

Kuroo stiffened and Kenma watched him with a frown.

Suga just smiled innocently. "I heard they're coming to hear a magical creatures case."

"Oh, is that all," Ennoshita asked.

"What else are you suggesting," Oikawa said, matching Suga's smile.

Yamaguchi groaned. "Come on, just tell us. We know it has to do with something you guys are up to. It's only a month."

"Great, then, you'll know when we can tell you," Iwaizumi said, lip quirking up and Oikawa laughed.

"Iwa-chan, I love it when even you get secretive."

"Shut up," Iwaizumi huffed, almost fondly. "I know how to keep secrets."

Oikawa snorted. "Sure, you do."

"Alright." Daichi stepped forward. "So, that's it. Just keep up guard duty as usual?"

"Do you think that's enough," Yachi asked.

Lev shrugged. "Worked so far."

"Besides," Bokuto added, "not much else we can really do until we get a better lead. Until then, I guess all we really got is to keep doing what we're doing. At least, we know it's working."

Yachi frowned, looking uncertainly to the ground like she didn't particularly like that answer but couldn't think of anything else to say.

Hinata grinned at her, trying to look reassuring. "I'll be fine, Yachi."

She gave a weak smile back. "You better."

The meeting ended almost exactly like it began, with more dissatisfaction than anything. As the crowd slowly flocked out of the room, Kenma tried to catch Kuroo's shoulder.

Kuroo pulled away before he could, not looking back as he headed quickly down the hall.

Kenma watched him leave and this time he didn't bother to stop the way his hair flickered in worry.

ooooooo

Hinata had….serious questions about how the rest of them chose guard duty.

"You don't even like Quidditch," Hinata complained.

"I love Quidditch," Tsukishima corrected in a completely bland voice while sighing like he meant the exact opposite.

"I don't believe you!"

"Tsuki does like Quidditch," Yamaguchi piped in from beside him. "We listened to every game even before we came to Hogwarts! His brother was on the team."

Kageyama narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "Your brother was on Hufflepuff's Quidditch team?"

Frankly, Hinata couldn't see anyone related to Tsukishima being anything except Slytherin.

Tsukishima gaze veered off into the stands as if he couldn't be bothered to maintain the conversation beyond the absolutely bare minimum. "Akiteru was a reserve member."

Yamaguchi beamed. "See! Tsukishima loves Quidditch!"

"Then, why don't you play," Kageyama accused.

Tsukishima glanced back just to give Kageyama a look highly questioning his intelligence. "Would you want to play with the Slytherin team?"

Hinata and Kageyama couldn't really argue with that.

Tsukishima sniffed. "Besides, I like Quidditch; but, when you get down to it, my time is far too valuable. It's just an after school team, you know? It's not as if I wanted to do it professionally."

Hinata puffed out his chest. "We're going to do that.."

"We're going to play Quidditch forever." Kageyama nodded seriously beside him.

Tsukishima looked down on them. "The odds of playing professionally for even one of you is less than one percent."

Hinata blinked. "So?"

Yamaguchi hid a laugh at the sight of utter annoyance on Tsukishima's face.

"This is why people want to kill you," Tsukishima said flatly.

"Hey!"

Hinata stuck out his tongue and Kageyama glared, dragging Hinata out further onto the field and away from the conversation.

Tsukishima and Yamaguchi watched as the two pushed into the air, almost immediately throwing the Quaffle in a series of complicated moves and almost impossible catches.

Yamaguchi looked over to see a still irritated frown turning down the corners of Tsukishima's lips.

"Oblivious optimists annoy me," Tsukishima muttered.

Yamaguchi sneaked a look up at him. "You sure you don't want to join? We could grab some of the practice brooms."

Tsukishima took a long drawn out sigh.

"Shut up, Yamaguchi."

"Sorry, Tsuki." Yamaguchi settled in next to his friend.

"HINATAAAAA!"

Tsukishima's eye twitched. "Oh, excellent, there's more of them!"

A second later, Tanaka and Noya bounded onto the field, the later waving his hands excitedly to try to get Hinata and Kageyama's attention.

Yamaguchi smiled. "What are you two doing here?"

"He means," Tsukishima corrected, "if you two were coming to the pitch anyway, why did we have to bother with guard duty?"

"Who wouldn't want to be at the Quidditch pitch," Tanaka asked, looking genuinely confused.

Tsukishima gritted his teeth.

"And, besides, we can't stay too long," Noya continued easily. "Gotta go check on the boggarts!"

Tsukishima glared. "Then why are you here now?!"

Tanaka and Noya exchanged a glance.

"It's a secret," Tanaka answered.

"What's a secret?" Hinata landed next to them, followed closely by Kageyama.

Kageyama frowned. "We have enough secrets."

"No like a secret secret," Noya waved a hand dismissively. "Like a secret so Ennoshita doesn't find out and kill us kind of secret."

"I'm not feeling particularly motivated," Tsukishima drawled.

Yamaguchi elbowed him. "What aren't we telling Ennoshita?"

"We're emphatically not telling Ennoshita about this wonderful and exciting opportunity." Noya threw one one arm wide while the other hand pointed at Kageyama and Hinata. "How would you two like to be part of something phenomenal. No, wait, something game changing! World changing! Altering the entire fabric of wizarding life."

Hinata thought for a second. "That sounds like a lot of work."

"It involves Quidditch," Tanaka added.

Hinata brightened immediately. "Okay, we're in!"

"Shouldn't you at least ask what it is first," Tsukishima said, a hand raised to cover his face so at least he didn't have to see the idiots.

Kageyama shrugged and Hinata answered for them. "It's Quidditch!"

Tsukishima sighed heavily and Yamaguchi patted his shoulder in comfort.

"The correct answer," Noya crowed. "Because what we're doing is teaching the new Quidditch players of tomorrow! Shaping first hand the entire future of Quidditch as we know it!"

"In other words, we want you two to help us train Nao." Tanaka smiled sheepishly. "We might've been using it as motivation to get him to clean our room all month."

Hinata's face drained of color. "...Oh."

The group glanced at him and Hinata shuffled on his feet. "Um, sure, I'll do it. It's just...Nao kind of scares me."

"He's eleven," Tsukishima deadpanned. "How can he possibly scare you? You're his hero."

"Exactly." Hinata nodded emphatically. "That's why it's scary! I'm terrible at being a hero!"

Kageyama rolled his eyes. "We're in. When?"

Tanaka and Noya high fived.

"About a month," Noya answered.

"We still gotta teach the kid the rest of the basics." Tanaka wiped away a stray tear. "They grow up so fast."

Noya nodded, clapping his hands together in front of him. "But, the most important thing is this: Don't tell Ennoshita! Um, and especially not the part about Nao cleaning our room!"

"Got it!" Hinata gave a thumbs up.

As one the entire group looked to Tsukishima.

The Slytherin boy sighed. "Fine, whatever."

Noya and Tanaka beamed, exchanging one last enthusiastic confirmation with Hinata before bounding off in the direction of the forest.

Yamaguchi waited until Hinata and Kageyama had taken back to the field, far enough out of earshot to leave Yamaguchi and Tsukishima unheard.

He glanced over at his friends. "You're going to tell Ennoshita as soon as you can, aren't you?"

"Definitely," Tsukishima answered immediately. "I honestly don't know why they even believed me."

Yamaguchi bit down on a laugh. "Tsuki's a terrible person."

Tsukishima just smiled.

ooooooo

In a forgotten corner of the library, Yachi held the slip of parchment in her hands as carefully as if she feared it would catch fire.

She felt her heart beating wildly in her chest and she didn't quite know if she wanted to smile for all the world to see her or hide in a dark corner of her room where she didn't have to face the outside.

Her mother had written her back.

Alright, Hitoka. I will be free and at Hogwarts before the Ministry review. We can talk then.

Madoka Yachi

Yachi swallowed. .Her mother had written her back.

Her mother was finally going to talk to her about her father.

She pressed the letter tightly to her chest and clenched her eyes shut, taking deep long breaths until she didn't feel tears pressing at the corners of her eyes.

"Hitoka?"

Yachi opened her eyes to find Kiyoko staring down at her, looking worried.

"Are you alright," the older girl asked, voice as soft as the smooth black hair running down her back.

And Yachi...Yachi finally decided what she wanted to do.

She smiled, bright and wide enough that a small laugh was surprised out with it.

"I'm fine," Yachi reassured, looking up at beautiful grey eyes. "I just feel really, really happy."

More than that.

Yachi felt strong.

ooooooo

"Something's wrong," Kenma stated, voice expressionless as he finally found Kuroo in one of the far off study rooms Ravenclaw kept tucked away past their common room.

Kuroo didn't glance up even as his shoulders tensed.

"Nothing's wrong," he said just as evenly.

"You're ignoring me."

"I'm not ignoring you."

He still didn't look up.

Kenma came to stand next to the desk, staring down at Kuroo in silence until finally, reluctantly Kuroo complied.

Kenma waited until he met his eyes. "Something's wrong and you're ignoring me."

Kuroo's generic smirk dropped and for a second, he looked far, far too lonely.

"I'll fix it, Kenma. You don't need to worry."

Kenma didn't bother acknowledging the second part. "You met with your father today."

The way Kuroo's face twisted down in a brief scowl told Kenma that he was on the right path.

"What happened," he asked, raising gold eyes to meet dark hazel and not letting them look away.

Kuroo sighed, pushing a folder forward on the desk in lieu of an answer.

Kenma took it, turning to leave through the pages before his breath caught painfully in his chest.

"I'll fix it," Kuroo repeated.

Kenma shook his head. "He can't do this."

Kuroo gave him a sardonic look. "Well, we both know that's not true." He ran a hand through his hair. "It's not decided yet. He's giving me a chance to prove to him why I should stay. Which, for now, apparently means doing every bloody thing I can for this stupid Ministry committee to make sure both of us look perfect."

He waved a hand at the desk and Kenma noticed parchment over parchment of copiously documented notes, all on the various minutia behind time-turners and filled to the margins with barely dry ink.

Kuroo hummed, frowning down at it. "I think I might expand it onto theoretical application, too. What do you think? That sounds impressive, right? The Ministry loves big sounding words they can pretend to understand. I probably should also get to work on that werewolf bill, too. Something like that has to make Dad happy."

Kenma laid a hand on his shoulder, feeling the uneven hitch of Kuroo's breathing.

"We'll fix this," Kenma promised.

Kuroo gave a half laugh, choked off at the end. "I don't know if that's really in our power, Kenma."

"We'll find a way anyway." Kenma smiled, more of a slight curve to a lip than anything but he knew Kuroo would catch it. "I'll handle the theory section. You always forget the citations."

Kuroo leaned his head just far enough that the tips of his hair brushed against the back of Kenma's hand. The next breath he took didn't stutter around the edges.

"Who cares about proper citations when you've got their ideas right," he joked and if it still felt a little flat, Kenma didn't say anything.

"Have you told the rest," he asked.

Kuroo shook his head. "Telling them makes it real. They have enough to worry about."

"So do you."

"Then, it's a good thing I'm not working alone," Kuroo said, glancing up at Kenma.

As he turned back to the parchments, Kuroo reached up and laid his own hand over Kenma's, almost absently. Like a reassurance of something always there.

ooooooo

A/N: Hey, guys, sorry about being a week late (as feared, being out of town really hurt my writing schedule). On a brighter note, the next chapter is...(drum roll)...the first of the finale chapters for this story! All wrapping up soon, guys, with what I hope is a few major surprises! Next Chapter: Anyone But Him Next Update: March 15/ March 16