A/N: Okay,so, first...guys, I have been waiting to post some of the scenes in this chapter for TWO YEARS. I am pumped to hear your reactions. Second and more serious. Trigger warning with a referenced death with a government/ police force present (not an intentional reference to anything in real life; but putting a warning here anyway). Also, warning for like angst in general. Next chapters swapping from angst to more action based.

ooooooo

The look Daichi gave him was nothing short of disbelieving.

Suga just smiled.

"There's no way," Daichi said, voice still slightly whistling from the recently mended nose. "There is no possible way I believe your group gets in more trouble than mine."

Suga shrugged.

"No, I'm the one with the broken nose. I definitely win this one," Daichi argued triumphantly. "Your friends are the easier ones!"

Suga bent up to kiss his cheek.

"Whatever you say, dear," Suga said in a voice that clearly and obviously implied the opposite.

Daichi rolled his eyes. "You're a horrible, mean boyfriend sometimes. You know that, right?"

Suga smirked. "Excuse you, I'm a perfectly wonderful boyfriend that left dinner early the second Ennoshita told me you were in the hospital wing."

Daichi pulled them to a stop in the deserted hall, turning to put his hands on Suga's waist.

"You know I was recently injured," Daichi teased. "You shouldn't be so cruel to the weak and wounded."

"Wounded, is it?" Suga looked up through his lashes, smiling in that lightly mischievous way that Daichi loved. "Do you think a kiss would make it better?"

"It couldn't hurt," Daichi said reasonably.

Suga laughed, leaning up and drawing closer to-

"Daichi?"

Both Daichi and Suga jumped, whacking their heads together.

"Noya!" Daichi groaned on reflex before his thoughts caught up with him and his head jerked over. "Noya?"

Standing at the end of the hall, Noya looked...quiet. Almost...no, actually subdued and there was something simply wrong at putting the words "Noya" and "subdued" anywhere close to each other.

Noya cleared his throat. "Um, so are you okay?"

Daichi was still staring so Suga stepped forward, a hand resting on Daichi's arm as he answered for him.

"He's fine," Suga said, voice soft and gentle. "Only a bit of a concussion, really. Nekomata was able to fix him up in a few hours.

"Oh." Noya's lips turned up not quite enough for an actual smile. "That's good. Sorry about…." He made a vague hand gesture that dropped halfheartedly.

"Noya," Suga said, "are you okay?"

Noya didn't answer. "I'm trying to find Asahi. I hoped….I mean I thought he might be with you."

"He left a few hours ago," Daichi finally managed to say.

"Oh," Noya said again.

"Can't you use the map," Suga asked.

Noya looked up, face shifting too quickly from surprise to reluctance to determination. Finally, he nodded. "Right, the map."

"Noya," Daichi said, working through his headache to try and find the words, "give him time, okay? It's late. He needs some time to get his head together. I think you both do."

"I need to talk to him," Noya argued.

"You do," Daichi agreed. "But not tonight, alright? Trust me. Give it until tomorrow morning."

Noya met his eyes and Daichi had to fight the urge to flinch away. There was something hurt there.

Something….something almost….almost….

"Did he mean it," Noya asked, words too flat. "What he said, did Asahi mean it?"

Daichi hesitated.

Which really was answer enough.

Noya's jaw set.

"Give him a chance to talk it out," Daichi asked. "Talk to him tomorrow once things calm down."

Noya paused, eyes fixed on the ground, before giving a jerky nod.

"Fine," Noya said and then he turned, heading back down the hall before either Daichi or Suga could think of anything else to say.

Suga moved forward, resting his head on Daichi's shoulders. "You think they'll be okay?"

"I don't know," Daichi said honestly. He closed his eyes, leaning against Suga in return. "Why does Asahi have to be so stubborn?"

"If it helps, I take it back," Suga said, pressing a small smile into Daichi's arm. "For tonight, your friends are definitely the most troublesome ones."

Daichi huffed out an almost laugh.

"Why did you want him to wait until tomorrow," Suga asked.

"Just a feeling." Daichi tried to keep himself from sighing. "Just a feeling that tonight's going to be hard enough already."

Outside, the sun was finally setting and the moon was just starting to rise.

"Ow!" Suga's head jerked off his shoulder.

Daichi looked over at his boyfriend. "What's wrong?"

"I'm not sure," Suga patted at his robe, finally pulling out a small coin. Suga frowned, looking back up at Daichi. "But, I think your feeling was right."

ooooooo

"Hey, look! It's going to be a full moon tonight," Hinata said, pointing excitedly to the sky.

"Who cares," Kageyama grumbled, crossing his arms and glaring out at the field. "Where are Noya and Tanaka?"

Hinata shrugged. "Maybe there's still picking up Nao."

"They were supposed to be here an hour ago. It's going to be too dark soon."

"Maybe they forgot."

"Who forgets Quidditch?!"

"...okay, yeah." Hinata frowned, picking up broken pieces of a broom from where they were left on the field. "Huh, what do you think happened to this?"

Kageyama rolled his eyes. "We could've been playing by now."

"We still can." Hinata dropped the broken broom, leaning forward to poke Kageyama's forehead. "Quit being all scowly. It's going to give you wrinkles!"

"It will not!" Kageyama scowled harder out of spite. "Quit being a dumbass!"

Hinata snickered, poking Kageyama's forehead again only for his hand to get slapped away. "It will, too! And then it'll be years from now and we're going to graduate and you're going to look like you're three hundred years old and you'll have a big, mean, old wrinkly face that makes people scream and, then, I'm going to laugh at you!"

"Shut up," Kageyama muttered.

"That's okay, though," Hinata bumped his shoulder. "Because we'll still be able to play Quidditch even if your face is all mean and scary. So, it'll still be perfect."

The wrinkles on Kageyama's forehead relaxed and he looked down at Hinata with an expression caught between exasperation and fondness.

"We'll always play Quidditch," Kageyama said, not sure if he was saying it as a hope or an order.

Hinata beamed. "Yep, forever!"

And then, Hinata's head tipped back, sighing as he looked up at the sky.

"I hope Yachi's okay," Hinata admitted quietly.

"It's just a meeting with her mom."

"Yeah, I know. But…still," Hinata gave Kageyama a complicated look.

"She'll be okay," Kageyama said. "And if not….then, we'll help her be okay. That's what friends do, yeah?"

Hinata smiled softly up at him, the last hints of the sunset making his eyes shine almost golden in a way that stuck strangely in Kageyama's throat.

"That almost sounded smart, Baka-yama," Hinata teased.

Kageyama scowled again, slapping Hinata in the back of the head. "Shut up!"

Behind them, they heard a laugh, warm and almost melodic as it echoed around the field. "Somehow, I don't think you two are supposed to be out here this late."

Hinata let out a yelp. "Professor! We were just-"

Professor Rezei laughed again, waving Hinata's excuse away. "It's fine. I won't tell if you don't." He raised an eyebrow, glancing at the sky. "Still don't you two think it's a bit dark to be playing Quidditch? Too easy to get hurt without anyone out here to watch you."

"We were supposed to be meeting people earlier," Hinata said, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. "But, um, it looks like they aren't coming."

"Oh?" Rezei made a considering noise. "That's….very rude of them."

Hinata shrugged. "It's not like they meant to. They probably just forgot."

Rezei smiled with kind eyes. "Yes, but sometimes I think it's the elements that aren't thought about, that aren't intended, that end up hurting us the most."

Hinata blinked, frowning at the words.

"Why are you out so late, Professor," Kageyama asked.

"Actually, I was trying to find Yachi and thought she might be with you," Rezei said. "Have you seen her?"

Hinata and Kageyama exchanged a look.

"Oh, um, she's busy right now. Her mom's here for the...the Ministry committee thing and," Hinata paused, trying to find what to say, "Yachi said she needed to talk to her."

"She's talking to Madoka," Rezei asked in surprise before he smiled, looking quite pleased. "Good, that's good. I'm happy for her. From what I heard, Madoka wasn't being too forthcoming."

"I guess she changed her mind," Kageyama said shortly.

"I suppose so." Rezei laughed again, looking between Kageyama and Hinata. "Though, unfortunately for me, this looks like I'll have to find someone else to help me collect some Fluxweed for a potion I'm working on." He smiled. "I don't suppose you boys would be interested in helping your poor professor, would you?"

The warm wind of the early evening blew by, suddenly feeling just a little bit cooler.

Kageyama and Hinata exchanged a look, not saying the same thing. The rest of their friends would kill them if they went off into the woods alone while someone was still trying to murder Hinata. Even with a professor with them.

"Sorry, Professor, I don't think we can tonight," Hinata apologized. "We should probably go see where Noya and Tanaka are."

Kageyama nodded beside him, hand tensing on Hinata's shoulder.

"No worries," Rezei promised. "Maybe we'll all have better luck next time."

"Next time." Hinata grinned.

Both Kageyama and Hinata turned to head off back to the castle when suddenly, a voice echoed behind them.

"...Only I don't think I'll ever have better luck than right this second."

Both boys paused, turning back to see their teacher.

"Imperious!"

Rezei held up his wand, still smiling and his next words felt far away, almost like listening to a dream.

"I think you boys should come with me."

ooooooo

A study between Madoka Yachi and her daughter Hitoka was a study in shadows and reflections.

Madoka Yachi was determination. She had light brown hair that when the light hit just right lit up like burnished copper. Her hair was swept back elegantly, robes immaculately calculated to stay polished and feminine, even her eyes were direct and to the point.

Hitoka Yachi was hesitance. Her eyes always flickered down on reflex, her clothes felt ill fitting and caught between sizes, her hair was simply blonde and-on her less skittish days-she might be persuaded to pin a hair clip to it.

Madoka Yachi had been Head Girl of Ravenclaw, the first in her class in half the subjects, one of the youngest on record to pass the Wizarding Bar Exam, and the holder of both the Uragiri and Yachi Wizamagot seats. No one was surprised when Madoka was named Attorney General to the Ministry.

Hitoka Yachi's grades were high but never the top. She did not stand out. If anything, she hid. If anyone looked, they would be surprised to find she was in Gryffindor. Then again, she was fairly sure no one had cared to look.

Madoka Yachi was a light, direct and in the center stage.

Hitoka Yachi was a shadow, hiding quietly in forgotten corners.

Which made it all the stranger what happened in a small little classroom when Hitoka stepped forward, out of the shadows, to meet her mother's eyes only to find the woman's light much dimmer than she remembered.

Madoka sighed. "How did you find out, Hitoka? Who told you?"

"Is that really the first thing you have to say to me," Yachi asked, incredulously. "You've kept secrets from me, about me, about my father, about my godmother for my entire life. And the first thing you worry about is how I found out?"

Madoka's lips pressed tightly. "It was supposed to be a secret. I didn't want to hurt you."

"I think it's too late for that," Yachi said, not trying very hard to keep the bitterness out of her tone. "After all, you're the one who's hurt me the most."

Madoka head twitched in what might have been a flinch before she met her daughters's eyes firmly.

"What do you want from me, Hitoka," Madoka asked and her voice sounded tired. "Do you want an apology? If so, you'll have to be more specific. I'm afraid I have far too much to answer for than a single apology could ever cover."

"I want….," Yachi's hands clenched as tight as she could make them and she felt her eyes burn even as she swore to herself she wouldn't allow herself to cry. "I want to know what happened?"

Madoka's eyes lifted. "I thought you knew what happened."

"I do," Yachi nearly snapped before pressing her lips shut, gathering her strength. When she next spoke, her tone was level. "But, I want to hear you say it. I want to hear your side. I want to know what went wrong and why you chose to hide it from me."

Madoka closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. "Where would you like me to start, Hitoka?"

"At the beginning."

"The beginning?" Madoka let out a quiet laugh that wasn't near humor. "And exactly how far back is that?"

Her eyes drew back to the desk, expression dropping to something like grief. "You want me to start at the beginning, Hitoka, fine. Once I was a young girl chasing after my sister's coattails. And my older sister's name was Kirika." Madoka looked down at her folded hands. "If you want to understand, Hitoka, you needed to know Kirika. Maybe you won't believe me after everything; but, from the earliest I can remember, Kirika was fun. She was cheerful and clever. The kind of girl that never met a trouble she couldn't smile and laugh her way out of even when, more often than not, she's the one who caused it. She was just so….so alive it was impossible not to love her." She gave a quiet smile. "As a sister, I always thought she was such a tough act to follow. Kirika the prankster while I was stuck as the boring, old rule keeper. Following behind her was like following the sun."

"She….," Yachi swallowed, remembering one of the very first things Rezei had ever told her about her aunt, "she wasn't powerful though, right? Not with magic."

Like me? She was great even is she was like me?

Madoka looked up, frowning in surprise even as she nodded.

"No, not so much with magic," Madoka said. "Kirika always focused on skill. She liked to surprise her opponents. Lead them to just where she wanted them to be and then….," she trailed off. "Maybe...maybe that should have been our first hint."

"What do you mean," Yachi asked.

"I'm getting ahead of myself," Madoka continued. "Your father had known both Kirika and I for our entire lives, pulled together by a thousand and one functions for the future heirs of the Wizamagot. Kirika and Naoki….," she shook her head, expression too complicated for Yachi to make sense of, "they were always so close. Thick as thieves, best friends, I don't know how many times I pulled them out of trouble only to find them right back in the middle of it."

"And Sometimes….sometimes I was even so, so jealous," Madoka admitted haltingly. "I was so jealous that it seemed like my husband and my sister understood each other even better than I could. And then-"

Madoka looked down, closing her eyes and taking a single shuddering breath.

"People change, Hitoka, even….even when you don't realize it." Madoka kept her eyes closed tightly. "The war started. It was….it was always there, throughout our childhoods even; but, it used to just be whispers. A few stories about secret meetings, students teasing each other in the halls. The Ghosts….they almost seemed more like a fairy tale, like a late night story rather than something that actually existed in the day. And then, the war happened and everything….everything got so much more difficult." Madoka opened her eyes, still staring at the floor. "We all had our parts to play. I've never liked fighting, Hitoka, I always thought there were better solutions. The Aurors office was overworked and I had just passed the bar. I signed up to be a Ministry clerk. I thought that maybe...maybe I could just hide out there, making sure that when the Ghosts got behind bars, they'd stay there and it would all be okay."

"Your father….," Madoka smiled. "Naoki never knew how to sit still a day in his life. Neither did Kirika. Of course, they'd throw themselves into Auror work. Of course, they'd try to go straight to the front lines. To the most dangerous missions, almost suicidal risks and always both of them right there in front of it. I remember being so mad at them. I accused them of being reckless and foolish. I swore they were going to get themselves killed while I was left behind with my books. Just like when we were kids." She breathed out. "And, then, everything changed."

"What happened," Yachi asked.

"You did," Madoka said, eyes going soft as she looked at her daughter. "I was pregnant and then, you were born and….I swear it was the best day of all of our lives."

Yachi felt her throat go tight and she couldn't speak.

She didn't…..she didn't believe….

"We all loved you," Madoka said clearly. "Obviously, we named Kirika as your godmother, it wasn't even a consideration. She looked at you as if you were the sun and the stars. So did your father."

Madoka's expression stuttered suddenly, happiness bleeding out to leave something hollow in its place.

"Love changes people, Hitoka." Madoka looked back at her hands. "It pushes them, shows the true colors, and sometimes….they turn out to be not the people you thought they were."

Yachi frowned, wondering where her mother was going.

Madoka paused, eyes going distant. "Kirika started acting strange. Or I suppose, more accurately, we started to see it. That was all at first. We barely even noticed. You'd just been born and the war was still going on. We didn't think anything about it."

"What are you talking about," Yachi asked, her heart beating faster without knowing why.

"It was just little things, really, that was how it started," she continued. "She started….it was always about worry for you. She told me we were being too careless. That we weren't thinking of your future. Weren't thinking of the risks we were taking. I tried to ignore it at first but….

"Her and Naoki started arguing. Terrible arguments, loud enough that I had to take you to the Ministry office sometimes just so you could get some sleep. And then….," Madoka looked down at her hands again, "there was the big argument. Kirika told Naoki that he was following the wrong side and Naoki, he said….he said that she sounded like a Ghost."

Madoka's hands had gone bone white. "She left. Kirika left."

"W-what," Yachi frowned, staring at her mother. "Mom, what are you saying? Of course, she didn't leave, she….she…."

She saved me, Yachi wanted to say. She saved me from the Ghosts. That's what Rezei said. She loved me so she saved me.

"And then, the Giant died in a duel," Madoka said and a tear started to roll down her face, her voice going stained, "and then the Battle of Spinner's End and the war ended and…..Hitoka, we were so….we were so happy that you didn't have to live with that. That somehow, some way, it was finally over and we survived and we could build a better future for you."

Tears were rolling freely down Madoka's face and Yachi….Yachi had never seen her mother cry before.

"I had to work late," Madoka said, voice hitching. "I had to work late so I left you alone with your father. We didn't….we didn't know….we didn't think….the war made everything so complicated and Kirika never did things in the obvious way. She always liked to surprise and we should have….I should've known."

"Mom," Yachi said, heart beating hard in her chest, "what are you saying?"

"When I got back home, she had already killed him."

Yachi stared, frozen solid with veins on fire.

"I'm sorry, Hitoka," Madoka said, not bothering to stop the tears. "I should have realized. I should have known. She was my sister and I didn't-"

"You're lying," Yachi yelled.

Madoka startled, looking up.

"You're lying! You're always lying! Quit lying!" Yachi shouted. "Ghosts killed my father! Aunt Kirika-she saved me! She died for me! Stop lying!"

Madoka stared. "Hitoka….who…..

"Aunt Kirika wouldn't-," Yachi shook her head, "she didn't-he said-"

"Hitoka!" Madoka caught her shoulders, holding her steady.

"You said-," Yachi yelled at her. "You said Ghosts killed my father! That's what everyone always-"

"Hitoka," Madoka said, voice breaking through the ringing in Yachi's ears, " you said you knew. Hitoka, Kirika was a Ghost. She was a double agent for the Giant. She always was. That's why she and Naoki always survived their missions."

"You're lying," Yachi insisted pitifully even as her mother pulls her into her chest. "You're lying! Why are you lying? She wouldn't-"

"She did," Madoka whispered into Yachi's hair. "I'm so sorry, Hitoka. You have no idea how sorry I am. We didn't know. I swear Naoki and I never even suspected."

"Why would she-," Yachi sucked in a breath, "why?"

"Kirika never worked in obvious ways," Madoka said. "For her, it made sense. The Giant was already winning, everyone thought it was just a matter of time. She knew we wouldn't change sides so she worked in less obvious ways. She'd stay by your father's side to keep him from being killed. She'd give information to the Giant. And, then, when the Giant won, she expected us to just give in and she'd already be in a position of power."

"But, then the Giant lost and her plan wouldn't work anymore," Madoka said quietly. "So, she adapted even if it meant….even if…."

"But, she was his friend and she...she betrayed him," Yachi cried. "She was….she was his friend! She wouldn't-"

"I know, I know, sweetheart," Madoka said, soothing the words into her hair. "I know. You wanted to know why I didn't have an announcement in the paper? Because I couldn't bare to see it. I was too ashamed. She was my sister and I didn't know."

Yachi didn't understand. She couldn't understand.

Why? How? It didn't….it didn't make sense.

"You told me they died," Yachi sobbed into her mother's chest. "You told me the Ghosts killed both of them!"

Madoka's hands gripped on her back. "They might as well have. Hitoka, dead or in Azkaban, I swore I would never let you see her again."

Yachi's breath hitched, looking up at her mother with tears still clinging to her lashes.

"Aunt Kirika…..," she paused, "she's still alive?"

A flash of something painful crossed her mother's face as she leaned in to wipe Yachi's tears anyway.

"No, Hitoka, not anymore," Madoka said quietly. "That's what the Aurors came to tell me this summer. She died in her cell."

Yachi stopped.

Her tears were fading away as thoughts started swirling around in her mind.

Madoka frowned. "Hitoka, who….who told you about your Aunt Kirika?"

Yachi didn't answer, words drying like sandpaper in her throat.

Here was a truth. Yachi lived her life as a shadow.

Here was another truth. Shadows are always in the places that people don't see.

That had always been her strength.

And, right now, quiet words and kind smiles were echoing through Yachi's mind and clicking together to form a jagged twisted picture.

Rezei.

Yachi stood, legs shaking under her. "I need to go!"

"Hitoka," Madoka said, looking baffled.

But, Yachi was already gone, heart beating in her ribs and a pressing awful feeling that she was already too late.

ooooooo

Noya knew he had never been one for deep thoughts.

He wasn't stupid, that wasn't what he meant. What he meant was the quiet moment, the thick and heavy ones, where memories and fears inched their way through in low rolling waves. Noya hated those moments. He'd rather be moving, doing anything rather than being stuck in his own head.

He was stuck now. A thousand and one tiny moments of Asahi's smiles, of his laughs, of the gentle way he held onto Noya were caught in his head, running through on repeat as he tried to find the signs. Tried to find the chinks in the moments that could've given him warning, a handhold so maybe Noya didn't fall as quick and as deep as he did.

He couldn't find anything.

Even in his memories, Asahi was still kind, nervous Asahi and, for the first time, Noya hated it. Felt every one of those gentle moments burn in his mind because he didn't understand how….why….

Noya….Noya wanted to talk to Asahi.

Around him, the forest shivered in a wave of black smoke before collapsing back in a single form.

Noya looked up to not at all startled to see Asahi's face, looking down at him quizzically as if asking why he was still here.

Noya sighed. "Because I'm waiting."

Despite everything, Noya knew how to take his time.

In the light of the fading sun and the rising moon, Noya's heart beat faster as the boggarts kept hold of Asahi's form-for once, as much of a fear as a comfort for Noya.

"You're getting better at choosing between forms, you know," Noya said gently, purposefully projecting a picture in his mind.

The form of Asahi faded into black mist, reforming until the serpentine form of an Ashwinder scooted forward to wrap itself around Noya's forearm.

Noya scratched the backs of all three heads.

The boggarts hissed in pleasure, tongues sticking out to lick at Noya's fingers, and for a second, Noya truly couldn't understand how anyone could find them monstrous.

"Want to know a secret," Noya whispered and they tilted their heads, reacting to the sound if not the words. "I don't believe in monsters."

Unbidden, his eyes glanced to where the moon had not yet risen and a secret burned in his throat.

"I never have," he finished.

But, Asahi did.

Asahi could look at werewolf, a human just cursed, and see a monster, could see something dangerous, and it hurt….it hurt because Noya never thought that Asahi's fear could be turned into that sharp of a weapon and the very idea felt like poison.

"I need to talk to him," Noya said blankly.

He had no idea what he was feeling most clearly, the kind of fear he was projecting; but, suddenly, the boggarts shifted again-scales melting away to form bristling fur.

A giant dog, black fur matted and ragged with possibly dried blood, growled at Noya, thick and deep in a way that showed sharp, yellowing teeth.

Noya blinked. Because if there was one thing he'd never been scared of it was dogs.

"What is it, guys?"

And, then, the boggarts took off in a run, heading straight into the thick of the forest, only pausing to turn back and make sure Noya was looking.

On another day, Noya might have smiled. "Alright, I'm coming."

He trailed the boggarts into the depth of the forest, the woods going quiet around them as the animals hid at the distinctive smell of a predator and the boy dumb enough to follow.

He followed until finally they came across broken, patched up walls, the grey paint peeling off the sides with thick claw marks dug into the wood. The wind whistled through the cracks in a way that sounded like screaming.

Noya felt his heart beat faster.

The Shrieking Shack.

Noya twisted his head, turning back to the boggarts. "Why'd you take me here?"

But the boggarts weren't looking at him, instead making a low whine in the back of their still canine throat before they burst apart into a herd of spiders, scattering back into the dark of the forest.

Noya let them go, watching in confusion, before he turned back to the house.

He crouched down, running his fingers to feel the groves of the claw marks-gently, almost cautiously, as if his touch could wipe them away although they looked as if they'd been here for decades.

There was a painful clench of grief coiled low in his stomach, always mixed with the tinges of anger even as it was old enough to feel familiar.

"N-Noya?"

Noya twisted up, heart beating hard in his chest because he knew that voice.

Asahi stared back at him with wide eyes.

"What are you doing here," Noya spluttered out before he could help himself.

Because Asahi was here. Here at the Shrieking Shack where….where….

Noya didn't want him here. Not now, not with the feel of old claw marks still echoing against Noya's fingertips.

"You shouldn't be here," Noya yelled and Asahi flinched.

Noya always hated it when Asahi flinched.

"I...," Asahi's eyes tilted back to the forest before flickering up to the sky. He shuddered out a breath, turning back to Noya. "I just wanted to take a walk."

Asahi always liked walking when there was something. Noya knew that. Because Noya knews Asahi. Because Noya knew-

"Here," Noya shouted incredulously.

Asahi wasn't even looking at him, eyes gone back to the sky.

"Noya, you need to go," Asahi whispered.

Noya blinked. "What?"

"Go," Asahi ordered, eyes snapping to Noya.

"NO," Noya yelled, hands clenched and eyes stinging. "What's wrong with you?! You can't-"

Asahi strode forward, large hand wrapping around Noya's arm and tugging him back to the woods. "Noya, please-"

Noya twisted around, years of Quidditch reflexes to dart out of Asahi's hold.

"No," Noya repeated, shoving his hands hard into Asahi's chest, enough to knock the larger boy off balance. For the second time in a day, Asahi tipped back, a small vial upending in his hands and shattering against the forest floor.

Asahi stared at the broken shards with something like horror.

"Noya," he said, breath hitching and panicked, "what did you do?"

"What did I do? What did you do? You-you grabbed me," Noya stopped suddenly, the words catching and rewinding in his head.

"You-you grabbed me," Noya repeated numbly, looking down at his arm, tanned yet with the faintest hints of red rising up where Noya had jerked away. "Asahi…."

Because Asahi wasn't supposed to grab people. Definitely not Noya. Because Asahi was kind and gentle, always kind and gentle. He didn't shout. He didn't yell. He was soft and careful and so different from what people thought when they looked at the large, towering boy. People that weren't Noya. Because Noya knew him and he knew that….

Noya looked up into wide eyes and….

Oh.

Asahi was scared.

Noya hated it when Asahi was scared.

And all at once the anger collapsed out of Noya like a cut string, leaving regret and a numb kind of grief holding it up. Noya didn't want to fight with Asahi. He didn't want to see him scared, he didn't want to see him angry. That's not how he wanted things to be. But for them not to be, someone had to act first.

"I need to talk to you," Noya said quietly.

"Noya….," Asahi pleaded, voice breaking on the word. "You need to leave. Please, please, Noya, please leave. You don't understand-"

"I do," Noya interrupted, reaching out a hand only for Asahi to jerk away. "Asahi, I do, please listen! I need to explain-"

"Noya," Asahi begged. "Leave!"

And then, Asahi fell back, all but tripping over his feet in a rush to get further away from Noya. Noya followed, pushing forward as Asahi scrambled back, trying to get away.

"Noya," Asahi said, ragged and desperate. He hit against the wall behind him and sunk down, hands digging into his arms and curling into himself as if he believed Noya would hurt him.

Noya's chest ached.

Noya's next words were as soft as he could make them.

"I know you don't want to listen to me," he said. "But, I need you to hear this. I need you to understand. Okay, Asahi? And then….then I won't bother you again. I promise."

Asahi didn't look up. If Noya listened closely he could hear his breath growing more ragged almost like he was trying not to cry.

Noya swallowed down his reaction, looking away instead so he could continue. He never wanted Asahi to cry.

Instead, he looked at the wall, focusing on the claw marks, buried deep like a secret.

Noya was sick of keeping secrets.

"My uncle was a werewolf," Noya said and he felt Asahi still across from him. "Aunt Yuka's husband. He was a werewolf and they….they killed him for it."

Noya didn't look at Asahi, couldn't look. "It was when I was five. He and Aunt Yuka were supposed to be babysitting me. It was a full moon; but, it was fine. Uncle Michio always made sure he had wolfsbane so he'd be in control and he stayed in the basement so….," Noya swallowed, "we were safe. He'd never….he wouldn't ever hurt us. Believe me, Asahi, he was my favorite uncle, the nicest guy ever. He just…."

"The house got attacked," he continued, keeping his words short. "We think it was about my aunt. Something to scare her. She'd just started advising the Ministry and….I mean it was right after the war, you know? Things weren't….they still weren't that nice when it came to creature rights. Maybe it was some of the Ghosts remnants."

"Noya, please" Asahi interrupted and Noya couldn't...he couldn't look at him right now.

So, he kept looking at the claw marks. "It wasn't even anything big, just a few people throwing curses at the house. We called….we called the Aurors and got Uncle Michio out of the basement in case we had to run." Noya didn't look away. "Some of them got into the house, Uncle Michio tried to get in front of us-to defend us-and then...then, the Aurors got there, too."

Noya finally looked away from the claw marks. "We still don't really know who hit him. I mean, obviously, the attackers were trying to and the Aurors...the Aurors just saw a werewolf in front of us and….," Noya wiped at his cheeks, feeling them stinging and red. "It was just so stupid, Asahi. And he died just because….just because people were scared! Just because they didn't understand! Because they didn't try!"

Noya took a breath, turning up to look at the sky.

Above them was a full moon, just starting to rise.

Noya really hated full moons.

Asahi let out a shuddering sound, somewhere between a gasp and a whine, and Noya closed his eyes.

"Anyway," he started, "I know you hate werewolves-"

"NOYA!" Asahi finally yelled, voice low and deep. Startling enough that Noya finally jerked his head towards him.

Asahi met his eyes and….this close, Noya could see how his pupils were pulsing in time with his heartbeat, soft brown burning into sickly yellow. The sleeves of the sweater he always fidgeted with-he always wore long sleeves? Why did he always wear them?-pushed up to show long straight scars that looked like….like….

Like claw marks.

Noya pulled back, hand slicing on a broken piece of glass vial.

He held up his hand, blood running down mixed with the distinctive scent of wolfsbane.

The full moon shone bright above them.

Oh.

"I don't hate werewolves," Asahi said, voice ragged and breathing heavy. "I am one."

ooooooo

A/N:Again, I am so excited to post this chapter and finally give you some answers. Fun facts (because I'm a monster who loves to put spoilers in): Yachi's aunt (Kirika Uragiri) and her father's murder was referenced awhile ago by Suga in Shouyou Hinata and the Mirror of Erised, Chapter 14.

Asahi is also the only character who consistently in this series fiddles with his sleeves as a nervous gesture-it's to hide the scars. Looking back at Asahi's conversations with Daichi in this story may also take on a new light.

Also, for those keeping score at home, this marks the first prediction ("I know you don't want to listen to me" from Asahi and Noya's conversation) in Akaashi's dream at the beginning of Chapter 11. ALL parts of Akaashi's dream will make appearances throughout the story in major scenes.

Okay, now, I'm done. I'm legitimately just soooooo happy to post this chapter.

Next Chapter: Things Fall Apart Post Date: April 5th, but probably earlier