The mud of the forest was cool against her knees as Yachi crouched. Her eyes were fixed on a broken down shack , sticking out like a splinter in the small valley of the forest.
She watched and she waited as a teacher, a man that had helped her, planned to kill her closest friends in possibly the vilest way she could think of.
The waiting was the worst part, it itched at her skin and gave her time to think which, for her, had always meant tracing down the hundreds of ways things could go wrong. It gave her time to doubt.
Echoing her thoughts, Kenma spoke first, keeping his voice low and quiet. "Are we sure this will work?"
"Of course, it will work," Lev hissed back, tone filled with the absolute confidence in his own ability that marked him for his House even if most thought him an unlikely choice.
Beside him, Noya took longer to speak. Around him was a mess of black that might look like a snake or maybe spiders or scorpions or possibly something even worse if it ever picked one of their fears to concentrate on. The idea sent shivers chasing along Yachi's neck that she tried not to let show on her face.
Noya patted the boggarts absently as they wove down his arm and around the map, still invisible for now and clenched tightly in his hand. "It'll work. Once Rezei leaves, he'll head back to the castle through the forest-it's the only way he knows to go."
Between the forest and the castle, hidden carefully, were Daichi, Ennoshita, Tanaka, Yamaguchi, and Tsukishima, ready to track Rezei as he made his way back to the castle to make sure he couldn't escape. At the edges of the forest waited Oikawa, Iwaizumi, Bokuto, and Suga, cornering Rezei in place until the Ministry could arrive.
Which only left…
"If Kuroo says he can get the Ministry to come, I believe him," Noya continued quietly. "There's a tunnel that connects the Shrieking Shack to the Whomping Willow; my uncle told me about it. Once the boggarts chase Asahi deeper in the forest and away from the castle, we use the tunnel to bring Hinata and Kageyama back through there to tell the Ministry. We'll catch Rezei red handed, no place to escape. Everything will work. We just need to wait for Rezei to leave."
"I know the plan," Kenma murmured back. "But, what happens if something goes-"
"Look!" Lev pointed urgently down at the shack below just in time for them to see the smaller figure of Noya stumble back from his hiding place before turning and running into the woods, heading for the castle.
The current version of Noya watched with a complicated expression as his past self tore through the trees, barely a few meters away from them, as they scrapped and ripped at his robes.
"We need to get closer," Yachi said, pulling him away.
The group crouched low through the forest as they crept closer to the shack, softly, carefully with the weight that a single wrong move could draw attention and attention was the last thing they needed.
Yachi felt her breath burn in her lungs with the tightness of how she held it and oh, it was so much worse closer.
It was so much worse with she could see the blankness in Hinata and Kageyama's face-unnatural, so very unnatural for them at anytime and it felt….so abruptly cruel to make anyone stand placidly in the face of their own deaths, much less people as alive as those two.
It was so much worse when she could see the tension in Asahi's shoulders, the pain which he held himself under to not move even as his body shifted and contorted under the force of something he couldn't control.
It was so much worse to see the casualness, the easiness, in Rezei's smile.
Yachi….
Abruptly, she realized she hated him.
She hated him worse than anything she'd ever known. She hated him with a strength she would never have thought possible, even hours ago learning the truth of her father's murder. She hated him with a force so big and powerful that she was shocked she could hold it in a single body.
In that moment, she promised herself that she would make him pay for this. Whatever happened, however this moment ended, Rezei would answer for the plans he made today. Yachi would make sure of it.
The only problem was…
Yachi stared as the moments stretched longer, as Asahi shifted with wheezing whines, and no one moved.
She looked at the others and could tell from the wide eyes looking back at her that they'd all realized the same thing.
Rezei wasn't leaving.
ooooooo
The time turner glinted gold in Kuroo's hands like the shine of new opportunities, metal that radiated endless courses laid out in front with this gleaming piece of magic as the compass.
That was a lie.
Ostensibly, the Ministry had given him the time turner to observe the effect on a teenage mind; so, it seemed fitting that the one lesson Kuroo could say without a doubt he learned was the truth about time.
The truth was that time really was limitless, a myriad of endless choices. But, that truth was misleading. It wasn't time that set the path, it was the person handling it.
Even with a time turner laying in his hands, Kuroo was always only going to have one choice.
It was who he was.
Some things are more important.
The meeting door was both the easiest and the hardest thing in the world to push open; but, Kuroo smirked widely as he did, a shield against the world.
In front of him was a layout of the most prominent figures the Ministry had to offer, all looking to various degrees disgruntled and irritated to be kept waiting for however long-Kuroo hadn't dared to check. All except…
Minister Masaru Daishou smiled benignly back at him, startling Kuroo enough that he almost stumbled. "Minister Daishou?"
"I hope you don't mind that I decided to tag along," Masaru asked easily as if anyone would really deny the Minister of Magic's presence at a meeting.
"I told you, Masaru, it's fine," decreed the sharp voice of Den Miyanoshita, the Deputy Minister, "what is less fine is being forced to wait for over thirty minutes on what should have been a fairly perfunctory meeting with a teenager."
"Now, Den," Ozuro Kuroo cajoled, the pleasant tilt of his voice trying to match the Minister's before him and failing miserably to end as insipid.
Miyanoshita glared back at him.
Ozuro Kuroo cleared his throat and continued onward. "I told you my son is far too responsible to keep us waiting without reason. I'm sure he has an excellent excuse, don't you, Tetsuro?"
The last part held too much of a threat that one of the Unspeakables shifted uncomfortably, jostling Aoi Towada-the Head of the Beings Division- beside him.
"Actually, I do," Kuroo announced, "kind of in the process of stopping a murder or, well, several murders, really, that ran be a bit late. It's a bit of a long story and I frankly don't have time to explain it right now; but, the important part is that I need you all to come with me. Now!"
There was a beat where the room stared at him.
Kuroo glared impatiently. "I really wasn't kidding about that now part!"
"Ha," Ozuro let out an awkward laugh, "son, this isn't the time to joke-"
"What are you talking about," Madoka Yachi demanded, raising to her feet.
Kuroo met her eyes. "In roughly ten minutes, Professor Masao Rezei is planning to use a werewolf student to kill two third years. I need you to come with me so we can catch him before he tries to escape."
"Why would-what-a werewolf," Aoi Towada spluttered, "how do you know that?!"
Kuroo felt his heart beating against his lungs, painful and too fast like a ticking bomb.
"Because it's already happened," Kuroo held up the time turner, golden sand still glowing slightly to indicate recent use. He tossed it to one of the Unspeakables. "Because we saw him do it before we came back."
Miyanoshita frowned. "We?"
Beside her, Kuroo's father had stilled, looking at the sudden panic of the room before focusing on Kuroo, his expression going dark. Kuroo ignored him, feeling his nerves skitter as he did. A choice.
He realized a stuttered breath, looking at the room. "We need to leave-"
"This has been used recently," the Unspeakable observed clinically as she examined the time turner closely before her eyes widened as the rest of the words caught up. "You told others about the time turner! You let multiple people use it?! Do you have any idea-"
"Yes, I do," Kuroo snapped back, finally feeling well and truly done with this conversation. "I know exactly what I did! But, more importantly is that we don't have time to-"
"You reckless child," the Unspeakable continued, hands flapping around the time turner like it could explode at any second, "time isn't something to experiment on whenever you chose, you could've-"
"PERICULUM!"
A rush of red fireworks exploded out of the end of Kuroo's wand, echoing with a bang and a shower of sparks that deafened the room into stunned silence, all eyes flying to him.
"We don't have time for this," Kuroo stated, his voice pressing down against the room like a command. "Two students are about to be killed. Now, I know the Ministry isn't used to being fast on anything but, you need to follow me before their attempted murderer gets away."
A second ticked by before Masaru Daishou cleared his throat.
"Well," the Minister stood beside Kuroo, "it looks like a change of venue is in order. Shall we?"
ooooooo
He wasn't leaving.
The air in Noya's lung clung painfully in his chest.
He wasn't leaving.
Noya's hands clenched frozen around the map and he was sick, so unbearably sick of not moving. Of watching and waiting and aching and….
Rezei wasn't leaving.
And Noya should've known.
"Why isn't he leaving," Lev whispered, the fragility of the quiet not hiding how his voice shook.
Noya should've known.
"Because he doesn't have to," Noya said to the cold. "He's going to do it himself."
Noya should've realized. Who had ever needed an excuse to kill a werewolf?
Who would've questioned a professor if he said he had to-especially one like Rezei, who could pull on sympathy like a mask and shake out tears at the tragedy of being just too late for the others?
How could he not realize? Rezei liked things neat and tidy, like accidents. Letting a werewolf run free in the forest, even for a night, even after he'd already been used as a murder weapon, wasn't neat and tidy. Who better than a defense professor to have an excuse for wandering the woods at night? Who better than a defense professor to kill a werewolf?
Rezei never planned to leave the forest with anyone alive.
He planned to watch and clean up the mess when it was all over.
Yachi's hand gripped painfully on Noya's shoulder and Noya knew she'd realized it, too.
Noya looked over and met her eyes.
A weighted moment passed between them like a declaration, vibrant and clear in the wake of the chaos.
Rezei wasn't leaving. And if something didn't make him, they were about to watch three friends die.
Yachi released a breath and slowly stood up.
Lev caught her hand before she could, trying to pull her back down. "What are you doing?! He'll see you!"
"I know," Yachi's eyes briefly flickered back to Lev. "Stay hidden. I'll distract him, try to lead him away. You guys get Hinata and Kageyama away."
Kenma frowned. "He'll kill you."
The look on Yachi's face would've been a smile if it wasn't so terribly sharp.
"No," she said with certainty. "He won't."
Yachi stepped out of the shadows.
"Professor?"
And Rezei froze.
The easy smile finally slid off as his face paled with the first hint of fear.
"Hitoka?" Rezei didn't lower his wand from Asahi even as he turned to face Yachi. "No….you shouldn't be here. It's not safe! Hitoka, you need to leave!"
"You're trying to kill my friends," Yachi said, her eyes flickering to the still forms of Hinata and Kageyama before. Tears rolling quietly down her cheeks even as her voice didn't waver. She met his eyes. "How could you think I'd leave?"
"Oh, Hitoka," Rezei shook his head in pity. "I didn't want you to find out like this. I knew you wouldn't understand. Not yet. You're still so young, I didn't want you to be hurt anymore. All I ever wanted was to protect you."
He sighed. "These aren't good friends for you. I know you won't believe me yet; but, a mudblood like this will only hurt you in the long run. You need to keep them separate. Believe me," he looked rueful, "nothing can hurt you worse than having a friend you shouldn't."
Asahi let out a whine behind them, the sound far more animal than human. The transformation was shifting the last of his bones, instinct taking over as the werewolf pulled against the ropes holding him down.
He sounded hurt and it sank into Noya's bones like poison.
They didn't have much time.
"You're doing this to protect me?" Yachi demanded, fist clenched at her sides.
"Yes!" Rezei was tense, eyes flickering between Yachi and the werewolf. "Hitoka, you need to leave! Please, I can explain it later! You just have to trust me now! Don't you trust me? Please, Hitoka, I swear I'm only looking out for you!"
Yachi took a deep breath.
"...okay," she stared at him, "okay, you can explain it to me. Let's leave and you can explain it to me."
"Hitoka," Rezei's hand clenched around the wand. It shook slightly from where it was pointed at Asahi. "I can't leave yet. I need to take care of the werewolf, too. It doesn't do to leave a wild creature running free. Later. We'll talk later."
"Now," Yachi demanded. She looked briefly to Asahi, growling and pulling in earnest at the ropes around him. "There won't be a mess. There's no one else in the woods. You can come back later. After we talk."
Rezei frowned. "What about your friends?"
"I….," Yachi looked down. "I trust you."
She kept looking down. "Please, please, can we just leave? I don't want to be here."
Rezei's wand fell, turning as he finally smiled back at Yachi. "Okay, Hitoka, you're right. We can-"
A stick broke under Lev's foot.
Rezei's wand shot back up, this time at the forest. "Who's there!"
No one moved.
"Fine." Rezei waved his wand. "Icendio Maxima!"
Fire shot out at the forest where they hid and, with the speed of a Seeker, Noya shot to the side, knocking Kenma and Lev out of the way just as it hit over their heads, close enough to singe the hair on the back of Noya's neck.
"NO!" Yachi lept forward, grabbing Rezei's arm and knocking it away.
"Hitoka!" Rezei stared at her, surprise melting to disappointment. "Ah, I see! You wanted to lead me away."
His arm moved, knocking her back as he pointed it back at the forest.
He tsked. "Oh, Hitoka, I really wish you didn't make me do this. Believe it or not, I really hate killing children."
There was the sound of tearing, pulling every eye away from the forest, to the sight of a fully transformed werewolf finally ripping through ropes, gleaming yellow eyes pointed right at Rezei.
Asahi tilted back his head and growled, feeling the clearing with the overwhelming rush of danger, predator, wolf.
Without hesitation, Rezei moved-wand pointing at Asahi. "Avada-"
A black mangy dog, ragged with dried blood, launched at Rezei, tearing at his arm even as it shifted into a black mass and reformed into a nest of black cobras.
Rezei swore, eyes wide even as he raised his arms to bat away the snakes. "Ridiculous!"
The boggarts were blasted back, a pained hiss as they lost their form in a giant black mass on the ground, landing right in front of the werewolf.
Asahi whined and the black mass shifted on instinct, reforming into blood and the pale skin of a corpse with orange hair, black hair, blonde hair…
The mangled form of Noya landed on the forest floor, eyes staring dead up into the sky.
Asahi howled.
It was a desperate, pained sound, too much emotion for a wolf's throat, making the noise unnatural enough that it set hair standing on end, made the forest stand quiet.
Asahi reared back, running on four legs into the forest even as the body behind him re-shifted into a formless black.
Rezei swore again as the boggarts leapt at him, twisting back into a mass of spiders.
He knocked them away for only a second, before pausing momentarily to survey the scene from the murder weapon running wild to the black mass already working on reforming to the forest to the four students, wands still held in shocked grips but not yet pointing at him.
Above all, the teacher knew how to be a pragmatist.
"I'm sorry, Hitoka," he said and she met his eyes and knew a second before. "Fumos!"
Pale blue smoke filled the clearing, thick enough to choke on.
"No!" Yachi shouted, raising her wand. "Vacuo!"
The smoke thinned, clearing slowly to reveal what she already knew she'd see.
Rezei was gone, disappeared into the thick of the forest, the opposite way Asahi had just run.
Kenma frowned. "He's probably heading for the apparition border. He's planning to escape."
"Boggarts are gone, too," Lev observed.
"He's going to get away! We have to follow him," Yachi shouted. "We have to stop him before -"
"We….we have bigger problems," Noya said in shock, reaching for the map and pulling out his wand with shaking hands.
"Yes," Kenma said, reaching for Kageyama and Hinata, who were still staring out at the forest with eerily blank expressions. "Imperius is a terrible spell, especially the longer you're kept under it. Even being under it just an hour or so is dangerous. It's not natural to have your control taken, too long can cause mental damage."
Yachi's heart beat dangerously in her chest as she reached out to grab Hinata and Kageyama's hands. "Are they going to be okay?
Kenma observed them closely before nodding, giving a small smile in relief. "Yes, I believe so. Their eyes are already starting to react to light. It'll probably take a bit longer for the spell to fully wear off."
Beside them, Lev let out a shuddering breath. "So, it still worked out, right?"
"No."
The group looked over to see Noya staring hard at the map, his face gone blank white.
"No," he choked out hoarsely. "Asahi….Asahi just ran into the forest towards the castle." He looked up. "He's heading straight for everyone else, he's heading straight towards the Ministry!"
"But, they'll kill him," Yachi shouted, leaning in beside Noya to look at the map.
And, then, she saw a name and froze.
"Or he'll kill them," Lev said grimly.
"We have to stop him," Noya said, hands shaking. "Or stop them! They can't-they can't-not after everything-"
"We'll take Shouyou and Kageyama through the Whomping Willow path," Kenma said, "We can warn the Ministry. We can try to stop them, convince them to listen…."
They wouldn't. Noya knew they wouldn't.
If the Ministry heard about Asahi….and they would hear about Asahi, if not it meant leaving the entire castle unaware, the Crows unprotected, and Asahi would never forgive them for that. But when the Ministry heard, they wouldn't see a student, all they would see is a raging werewolf without wolfsbane.
They'd kill him on sight.
Merlin, it was going to happen again.
"No," Noya's hands kept shaking as he stood. "No, I'm not going to let them! Go tell the Ministry, I'll track Asahi on the map-"
He reached for the map only for Yachi to grab his wrist in a death grip.
"Noya," she said, voice blank, "this map….it's sometimes wrong, right? The map can make mistakes. It can lie?"
Noya frowned at her, still feeling his heart jittery in his chest. "The map doesn't lie."
Yachi's hand gripped impossibly tighter before she released him.
And then, she stood and Noya didn't recognize the look on her face as she met his eyes.
"Find Asahi and stop them from killing him," Yachi ordered before turning to Lev and Kenma. "Get Kageyama and Hinata to safety, warn Kuroo, try to stop the Ministry."
"Um, Yachi," Lev started.
Yachi was still looking at Noya.
"I'm going after Rezei," she stated.
ooooooo
"Well, where are they," one of the Unspeakabales snapped out. "You dragged us all the way out here, committed grievous not to mention illegal misuse of a powerful magical artifact. So, where's your werewolf?"
"He's being handled," Kuroo bit out, gritting his teeth together. "Don't worry about the werewolf, the real threat is Rezei."
Deputy Minister Miyanoshita looked at him in distaste. "Masao Rezei is a highly respected curse breaker that's worked in conjunction with the Ministry for a decade."
"And he's also an attempted murderer," Kuroo said back flatly. "I'd suggest the Ministry raise their standards; but, then again, the Ministry's never been particularly good at weeding out Ghosts, have they?"
Miyanoshita looked like she was about to growl before Madoka Yachi stepped forward, holding her back. She gave Kuroo a cool look, neither looking particularly friendly or unfriendly. "I believe it would be in your best interest to explain a bit more on why we're here."
Kuroo nodded stiffly, pointing his wand at the Whomping Willow and the Unspeakable that stood in front of it.
"Move," he ordered briefly and the Unspeakable scrambled out of the path in a way that was just a little bit satisfying. "Petrificus Totalus!"
White light broke out, striking the tree hard in its' trunk and stilling the branches in mid-swing.
Minister Masaru Daishou let out a low whistle. "That is some impressive control, young man."
Kuroo released a breath before turning back to the group. "Here's what I know. Roughly an hour ago, Professor Masao Rezei Imperiused two third years, Shouyou Hinata and Tobio Kageyama." He noted that Madoka started frowning at the names. "We think Rezei has been planning multiple failed attempts to kill Hinata throughout the year. This time, he's using a student, Azumane Asahi. Rezei led Hinata and Kageyama to Asahi when he was in the middle of transforming and stopped Asahi from being able to get away-he's planning to let a werewolf tear them apart."
"And you know this because you used the time-turner," Miyanoshita asked skeptically.
Kuroo smirked, pointed and sharp. "Sort of. I know this because fourth year, Yu Nishinoya was there and heard Rezei confess before he ran and got help. Luckily, he found me." He glares hard at the Unspeakable. "Somehow, I thought saving three people's lives was worth the risk."
The Unspeakable harrumphed. "That wasn't your decision to make."
Kuroo rolled his eyes. "Didn't see anyone else around. Sorry I didn't run it through a committee." He continued. "Another student realized Rezei was behind it at the same time. I'm not sure how, you'd have to ask her. Together, Nishinoya, Hitoka Yachi, and I used the time-turner."
"Hitoka," Madoka broke in. "My daughter's out there?"
Kuroo nodded, refusing to wince under the look Madoka was giving him. "She should be back soon. The plan is to wait for Rezei to leave, scare the werewolf further in the woods and away from the castle, and bring Hinata and Kageyama back through here."
He broke off to utter silence, the members of the Ministry staring at him in a mix of shock, anger, wariness, or a mix between the three. Masaru's face was unreadable.
His father stepped up beside him, keeping his voice low so that only Kuroo could hear. "I hope you know what you're doing, son."
"It was the only choice I had," Kuroo said back steadily.
Ozuro hummed, a precarious weight held in the balance of the words. "Choices always have consequences, Tetsuro, I will be interested in seeing how your choices play out for us tonight."
The wind blew, whistling through the night, casting an eerie feel as the frozen willow branches did not move along with it.
Kuroo waited, letting his heartbeat count the seconds before…
There was a hand, pushing up from a seemingly hidden passage right under the willow's roots, before a head was pushed through, resolving in the gloom to bright orange.
Hinata moaned as his eyes hit the light before Lev all but shoved him through the passage, dragging Kageyama along behind him.
Kuroo rushed forward, grabbing Hinata's arm and pulling him up as the younger wobbled unsteadily on his feet.
"What happened," Hinata croaked out before frowning, confused at the dryness of his voice.
Luckily, one of the Unspeakables decided to be useful and moved forward, hands gripping on Hinata's chin and lifting it to examine.
"Definitely signs of Imperius," the Unspeakable announced before focusing on Hinata. "What's the last thing you remember?"
"Um, Quidditch," Hinata blinked, checking with Kageyama, who looked just as confused as he was. "And then….I think we were talking to Professor Rezei?" His brows furrowed. "What….what happened?"
"It appears, Hinata" Madoka Yachi moved forward, looking at her daughter's friends, "you were the unfortunate subject of an attempted murder."
"Oh." Hinata frowned again. "Yeah, that happens sometimes."
Madoka looked at Kuroo. "Where's my daughter?"
Kuroo turned back to the passage, looking further in the dark and feeling something tight in his chest unwind as he saw familiar cat-like eyes blinking up at him from the dark.
….There was no one behind Kenma.
He stopped, suddenly feeling cold. "Where's Noya and Yachi?"
"Something went wrong," Lev admitted.
In a second, Madoka Yachi went from tensely quiet to a terrifying rush of motion, pushing forward to Lev.
"Where's my daughter," she demanded. "Where's Hitoka?!"
Lev flinched back. "She went after Rezei! He escaped into the forest and she said she had to!"
"She what?!" Madoka yelled, Hinata shoving in beside her with Kageyama behind.
"What do you mean," Hinata asked. "What happened?"
But, Kuroo had another realization. "Where's Noya?"
It was Kenma who met his eyes. "The plan went wrong. Asahi ran the wrong way. To the castle."
"A rogue werewolf is heading to the castle," shouted Aoi Towada. "We need to move! We need to stop-"
Lev moved in front of him. "NO! Stop! It's not his fault! Noya's going to stop him and the rest are already there!"
In the passage, Kenma winced.
"THERE ARE STUDENTS IN THE FOREST WITH A WEREWOLF," Miyanoshita demanded as Towada finally shoved Lev off.
"STOP!" Kuroo grabbed her arm. "He didn't do anything! He's-"
The same Unspeakable from earlier glared snidely. "A werewolf that can't control himself is a danger to all of us!"
Kuroo gritted his fist so hard his nails dug in and he raised his wand. "I'm not-"
"Expelliarmus!" Kuroo's wand flew through the air just before the second spell hit him in the chest and a cold feeling spread throughout. "Petrificus Totalus!"
His father smiled benignly, Kuroo's wand held lightly in his hand.
"Forgive my son, he's young enough that he still acts on instinct." Ozuro nodded, looking serious. "Of course, we understand that the Ministry has to make the best decisions."
"Wait," Lev pushed forward, only to be shoved away again with a wand held at his throat.
"Step aside, son," Towada stated. "We're doing this for your own safety."
And then, they were gone-decision made, if it could even be called a decision if there was no consideration placed behind it.
It was always going to go one way.
That was the lie about time.
The choices didn't matter. Only the person.
And the Ministry would never change.
Kuroo watched with a frozen movement as the members of the Ministry moved towards the forest, Masaru shooting him a pitying look as he went ahead anyway.
"Finite," a soft voice whispered and Kuroo breathed just as Kenma bent down and handed him his wand.
"MERLIN'S SAGGING-THEY DIDN'T EVEN LISTEN!" Lev fumed, kicking wildly at the frozen tree before twisting back to the rest. "What are we going to do now?"
"I'm going after my daughter," stated Madoka Yachi, the only member of the Ministry that stayed behind. Her voice did not leave room to question. "She's chasing after a murderer alone. Of course, I'm going after her."
"I-we're coming with you," Hinata shoved forward unsteadily, pulling Kageyama along with him.
"Shouyou!" Kenma shouted. "No. You're still recovering from being Imperiused."
Hinata pursed his lips, swaying slightly on his feet. "But….it's what she'd do for us. It's what she did for us, I think."
"All you two will do is slow me down," Madoka said bluntly. "And Hitoka doesn't have time for that."
Hinata exchanged a look with Kageyama.
"Just…." Hinata swallowed. "Just bring her back safe, okay?"
Madoka nodded. "I will. I promise."
"Wait," Lev called. "What about the Ministry?"
Madoka paused, already heading to the passage. She sighed. "You can't stop the Ministry from doing what they want. All you can do is change what it is they believe they want."
"How does that help," Lev huffed but Madoka had already disappeared down into the Earth.
Kenma looked at Kuroo, a question hanging heavily in the silence.
A choice.
And maybe…..maybe the truth about time wasn't so much a lie.
Because, in a moment of perfect clarity, Kuroo saw two paths laid out in front of him.
One underneath a frozen tree, following a mother trying to save her daughter from chasing a murderer.
Another already heading towards the forest with a father Kuroo had never been able to convince about anything truly important.
This was important.
And Kuroo was so tired of feeling lost.
So, Kuroo made a choice.
"I think I have an idea," he said.
ooooooo
The forest was a place of shadows.
Even more so with the moon shining bright overhead, twisting twigs into talons while burying its darker secrets close to its chest where they would never see the light of day.
That was fine, though.
Tonight was a night for shadows.
And Yachi had never been the only shadow hidden away.
Rezei wasn't being subtle in his run through the forest. He was too focused on escape, tearing through branches and trouncing through thickets, sparks from his wand cutting through them before they could slow him down.
Kenma had been right. He was heading for the apparition barrier and after that, he'd be gone-slipping away where no one would know to look, a shadow slipping back into night.
"CARSUS!"
Bright light struck through the forest, striking Rezei's back and knocking him down.
Yachi stood above him, wand held tightly.
The moon illuminated Rezei's face as he laughed.
"Clever girl," he said, smiling up at her. "Going to kill me, Hitoka?"
"You killed my father," said Yachi, her voice shaking slightly, but her wand hand quite steady. "Revelio."
Sandy brown hair melted away into grey spun with gold as the body below her shifted like a dead husk falling away. Staring back was a gaunt face, too pale skin stretched tight over bone and aged beyond her years to look almost unrecognizable. Even Yachi wouldn't have recognized the face if not for one thing….
Kirika Uragiri kept her smile. "Ah, my Hitoka, is such a clever girl. How did you find out?"
A map and a name that should be dead.
Yachi didn't let her wand shake even if it felt like the world was shifting around her. "Why?"
"Why what," her godmother asked. "Why did I try to kill your friends? I believe I already told you that. They aren't good for you, Hitoka. I wanted to keep you safe. Why am I here at Hogwarts? Because I'm afraid that's a longer-"
"Why did you kill me father," Yachi interrupted.
"Ah." And for the first time, Kirika's face twisted into a mask of regret. "Believe me, I wish I'd had a better option. Naoki could be a fool; but, the fool was still my best friend. If he had just listened, if he had been just an once less stubborn then maybe…."
Kirika shook her head and sighed. "Oh, but, Hitoka. For you, I'd give up everything-even my best friend."
Yachi felt like she was going to be sick just as she felt so very cold.
"You were wrong," she said quietly and she could feel tears falling now. "You were wrong. None of that was for me! It was only for what you wanted for me! It was all about you! You….you killed him!"
Yachi took a shuddering breath. "And I'll never forgive you for that. I'll always hate you. Do you understand? I hate you!"
Kirika nodded, not looking surprised. "I'm sure you feel like that now. Hitoka, you still have so much to learn." And then, she smiled. "And I can't wait to teach you!"
Kirika moved for her wand and Yachi shouted, picturing thick ropes in her mind.
"INCARCEROUS!"
There was a flash of light and thin ropes weaved out before disintegrating, subsumed by the darkness.
Kirika was already on her feet.
"I told you, Hitoka. Words matter." Kirika's wand was pointed at Yachi's throat. "And, unfortunately, incarcerous is a verb."
ooooooo
Once there was a boy who lived like a storm.
By the time Noya found Asahi, it was already too late. Everything was already in chaos. Flashes of light chased across the forest, hitting into treese and chasing away animals. The Crows were right in the thick of it, Suga, Oikawa, Bokuto, and Iwaizumi weaving in between them as the two groups were yelled at by the Ministry officials. All the while, a werewolf howled in the middle of it-flinching back and whining at the bright flashes and loud noises that kept hitting all around him.
Asahi was scared. And a scared animal was always at its most dangerous.
A scared predator would always attack.
In the middle of the chaos, Noya tried to breathe and struggled to catch his breath.
Storms are dangerous things. Perhaps most of all for the people who thrive in the middle of them. Because eventually, storms would blow everything away that couldn't hold on.
It was impossible to stop a storm.
And Noya couldn't catch his breath.
"Get out of the way," shouted a man that Noya recognized as Aoi Towada, Head of the Beings Division. "That's a rogue werewolf-a Division XXXXX beast, known wizard killers."
"His name's Asahi," Daichi bit back, dodging back just as Yamaguchi hit a simple stunning spell right in front of Asahi, causing him to rear back in a whine away from where he was trying to run in the direction of the castle.
"Look at that," Miyanoshita snapped out. "He's already trying to escape back to the castle, to children! How long do you think you can hold him off with light spells and simple charms!"
"As long as we have to." Iwaizumi said, wand raised not quite at the Ministry but clearly ready to move in a single second.
Beside him, Oikawa smiled in a way that wasn't pleasant. "I suppose you'd rather us just step aside and let you kill him?"
"Not if we don't have to." Towada glared. "We only kill creatures as a last resort! We'd try to stun him first."
Tsukishima laughed bitingly. "Of course."
A single second that's all it would take. And everyone in the forest knew it.
A single second for the Ministry to act too quickly, to forget things like student and only see a werewolf. For a second of terror to swap a stunning spell to something more deadly.
Or….
A single second when Asahi felt too backed into a corner. When someone got too close and Asahi was scared, without wolfsbane, without control. And in chaos, it was so easy to confuse friend from foe.
Asahi would never forgive himself and Noya knew it.
Either option would kill Asahi.
Which meant Noya couldn't allow either to happen.
The forest was still a mess of shouting and flashes of light, of loud noises and chaos. The forest was a storm, long coming and now impossible to stop.
And, like always, Noya was the center of the storm.
But, storms made out of people are always so utterly human.
So, despite the chaos, Noya closed his eyes and finally was able to breathe.
He breathed in and thought about everything he knew, about creatures and beings, about animals and instincts, about a boggart transformed to his body, about theories he'd never tested but hoped for with his whole heart, about wolfsbane and prejudice, about how his uncle would smile at his aunt.
But, most of all, he thought about Asahi.
He thought about a kind boy with a gentle smile and large hands that healed Noya's bruises.
He thought about the ridiculousness of the thousands of reasons he'd fallen in love when really he only needed one.
Reason #1: Because he's Asahi.
In the center of the storm, Noya smiled.
His heart beat fast and he held something precious.
He called to Tanaka. "Keep the Ministry away. I've got an idea!"
"What? Noya!" Tanaka eyes widened as if he had just realized that Noya was there.
Noya ignored him, already focused on Asahi-hunched over and trying to make himself smaller as his claws scrambled in the dirt below.
Noya took a step towards him.
"Noya, what are you doing," Ennoshita shouted at him, wand held tightly as if waiting to move when Asahi struck out. "Noya! STOP!"
At the yell, Asahi whined again, head tilting up and howling up at the moon.
"Shh," Noya ordered the rest of the group. "Don't yell and don't make sudden moves, you'll scare him."
"...Noya," Daichi said, keeping his voice low but warning.
"Just trust me," Noya said and took another step closer. His eyes focused clearly on Asahi and he could feel in his bones the moment large yellow eyes focused intently on him.
"Just trust me," he whispered again, stepping closer.
There was only a few feet between them and the forest held still. Still, in the way a forest should never be unless something larger and more dangerous had already scared everything else off. Animals fleeing before the lightning had even hit.
Noya took another step closer, his foot misplaced and stepping on a twig in a snap! that echoed in the quiet.
Asahi growled at him, lips pulled back to reveal sharp, sharp teeth and somewhere Noya heard one of the Ministry officials yelp before they were quickly silenced.
Noya kept smiling at Asahi, keeping his voice low and careful. "Hey, it's okay. It's just me, you big scaredy cat. It's just me."
Asahi's lips pulled back, head tilting and the yellow eyes blinked in a way that almost looked…..confused.
A moment's hesitation.
Noya stepped closer.
He kept talking as he did so, soft soothing noises landing like the sound of falling rain.
"You know, Asahi, I have a theory," Noya continued, focusing on Asahi and not on the Ministry officials that lurked at the edges. "I've never told anybody about it before-not even Tanaka or Aunt Yuka. It's kind of a secret; but, I want to tell you now."
Noya moved closer, barely two steps away, and Asahi growled again-a low thing, a warning from a hurt creature to stay back.
Noya held up his hands and waited. "It starts with wolfsbane. Wolfsbane potion's a weird thing, right, Asahi? I mean it's kind of new so it's not like people have tested it much. But….the thing I keep thinking is….how does it work? If transformed werewolves are completely animals, nothing human about them, then how can wolfsbane still keep the human consciousness?"
Asahi stopped growling, letting out a small whine instead, and Noya put his hands down.
"So, that's the start of my theory," Noya said. "Here's the second part. Werewolves don't attack animaguses. Not any tests, of course, but at least a dozen examples. Doesn't matter what creature-rabbits, dogs, even rats-werewolves don't attack them even when wolves would." He paused, watching Asahi carefully and waiting for a sign. "Sometimes, they'll even play with them, treat them like pack."
Asahi's large eyes were still focused on him and Noya took a chance.
He stepped forward-less than an arm reach away from the werewolf's jaw-and finally he leaned down, crouching on the ground in front of Asahi.
He lowered his voice to a whisper because this part...this is just for Asahi.
"It was just a theory, though," he said quietly. "That's all. It makes sense. Werewolves have the same instincts as most creatures, yeah-hunt, eat, find safety. It makes sense they'd protect a pack, too. But, the real question…."
The yellow eyes of the wolf met the brown of a boy that smelled like lightning.
"...the real question is," Noya whispered, "if there was none of you still in there, then why did the boggarts show you my body?"
With that, Noya reached forward, extending a hand and gently, carefully because if there's one thing Noya knew it was that he'd wait forever for Asahi to be comfortable, but slowly….
Noya laid a hand on Asahi's head.
"I told you, Azumane," Noya said. "You could never be a monster."
It was impossible to stop a storm. Eventually, storms blew everything away, even the boy that lived inside them.
However, it was possible to hold things down. To sink down deep roots below them, bow around them and hold them tight, keep them steady, until not even the storm itself could blow them away.
Noya was a storm; but, above all, he was so achingly human.
And if Noya was the storm, then Asahi had always been the roots to hold him steady.
Under Noya's hand, Asahi let out a whine that wasn't of pain, hackles dropping back down as he tilted his hand to push deeper into Noya's palm.
Noya grinned, moving his hand along Asahi's head in a soothing gesture. "I got you."
Around him, he could hear the Ministry start to shift.
Noya met Asahi's eyes
Okay, he thought with an ease he forced himself to feel. Watch me, Asahi. Just focus on me. And I'll make everything okay.
And then, he stood up, placing himself in front of Asahi and turning to face the Ministry.
Aoi Towada was staring at him. "What did you just do?"
"I calmed him down," Noya said. "We're his pack. Even transformed, Asahi would never hurt us. Not unless someone was here, scarring him so he couldn't think."
"He shouldn't have that much control, not without wolfsbane." Towada frowned. "That's not how werewolves work."
"Well, apparently it is," Tsukishima drawled, condescension dripping from his tone. "Frankly, I'm astonished that the Head of the Beings Division is so tragically uninformed on werewolves' nature."
Towada glared, stepping forward towards Tsukishima at the same time Asahi let out a low warning growl.
Towada froze where he stood and Noya reached a hand back.
"Hey, it's okay," Noya patted Asahi's nose, ignoring the way one of the Unspeakables squeaked before being hit by Suga's Silencing Charm.
"Everything's alright," Noya told Asahi. "They're not going to hurt us."
The last part was directed to the Ministry officials, not a threat in tone but a threat in the way the Crows all had shifted to block off Asahi and Noya.
Asahi's growl slowly died down, laying his head on the forest floor while still revealing his teeth to the Ministry.
Tsukishima rolled his eyes. "Of all the times, now he decides to grow a backbone."
"We can't…," Miyanoshita was frowning now, "we can't just leave a werewolf rogue in the forest, not this close to the castle, not this close to the students."
"Asahi's not going to hurt anyone," Yamaguchi spoke up. "We'll stay here with him all night, we'll make sure he doesn't leave the forest."
The moment was suspended in the darkness of the moon, stretched out on a wire, not yet away from the ledge but balancing precariously and a second away from falling either way.
And everyone there was lost on where the moment would fall.
Ozuro Kuroo stepped forward, raising his hands in a peaceful gesture that his oily expression would never match. "Now, everyone, I think we should just calm down and focus on what's best for everyone-"
"You're absolutely right, Dad."
From the dark, a boy stepped forward and made the choice for them.
Kuroo met his father's eyes, ignoring how they widened dramatically as the Ministry stared.
Kuroo ignored the later, coming up to rest a hand on his father's shoulder.
And then, he smiled. "And I for one, am so glad my father gave me time to calm down and realize what he was truly trying to do. After all," Kuroo's smile widened, "the Kuroo family has always been major advocates for the fair treatment of werewolves."
He eyed his father carefully. "Why I can't believe that I even forgot how my father's championing the Werewolf Rights Act. Isn't that right, Dad?"
Ozuro swallowed, eyes meeting his son's before slowly he pasted a smile in return. "Of course."
Kuroo nodded before looking at the Ministry, his face a mask of regretful apology. "And, of course, I'd like to apologize to the Ministry, too. I'm not sure what came over me, honestly. Actually believing for even a second you'd attempt to kill a Hogwarts student. Well…."
He nodded to the Unspeakables. "I guess we finally know how much those time-turners can rattle a teenager's brain. Clearly, on my own, I would never think the Ministry would make such an unbelievably narrow minded decision."
Den Miyanoshita was watching him closely. "The Ministry would never put the Hogwarts' students at risk-"
"Of course not," Kuroo shook his head at the mere suggestion. "Which is why I'm so glad to hear my father bringing it back to the real problem we're facing."
Surprisingly, Masaru laughed. "Right you are, dear lad. I believe I know exactly where you-and your father, of course-are heading. Truly unacceptable, especially once the Daily Prophet hears about it."
Kuroo felt his shoulder's relax and, for a second, he could swear he saw the Minister pass him a wink.
"Minister," Miyanoshita said dryly. "As entertaining as the whole evening has been. If you could enlighten the rest of us on what we all seem to be missing?"
"Ah, but, I'm afraid this isn't my show," Masaru gestured to Kuroo. "If you will…."
Kuroo took the chance gladly.
There was a power that could only exist once everyone was lost, when a moment was thrown into the air with no one the wiser on where it would land. For it was moments like this that set the course, that gave the most powerful gift that time could grant.
Opportunity.
Kuroo might have been lost as well; but, time and living under his father had taught him how to use his strength.
"The real problem is what it always was," Kuroo said. "The problem that forced three students, myself included, into misusing a time-turner-an incredible risk, as we all know. The problem that nearly killed two third years and almost used a fifth year in one of the most atrocious ways imaginable. That deprived a werewolf of his needed wolfsbane and set him loose on Hogwarts."
Kuroo made a choice.
"The problem," Kuroo said evenly, "is Masao Rezei, just like the problem was Sora Takara two years ago. The problem is how Hogwarts could ever hire someone like them in the first place."
ooooooo
"Clever girl. My clever, clever Hitoka," Kirika said, almost a sing-song. There was something new behind her eyes, or rather something hidden, a wilder edge to the happiness, a lingering remnant from a decade in Azkaban. "Always remember, Hitoka, the key to a duel isn't in spells, it's in surprise! That's the real power."
The wand poked gently against Yachi's throat, at odds with the very real threat.
"When you give up surprise, you've lost half the battle." Kirika laughed. "And here I thought it would be better to retreat. But, then….you've surprised me, Hitoka."
Yachi tried to draw in a breath. "You're not….not going to escape?"
Kirika clicked her tongue. "Even better, we're going to escape-together, just like we were always supposed to be."
Yachi felt cold. "I'm not going with you! I never would!"
"Hitoka….," her godmother sighed in what sounded like pity, "I don't believe you have a choice here."
And then, Kirika's eyes widened and she leaned in, that hint of madness sparking back like a glint in the darkness. "Oh, Hitoka, and there's someone you just have to meet. The smartest man I've ever seen, a genius, still after all these years. He's been so busy but….," Kirika laughed again, the sound singing off the forest like bells. "I shouldn't say anything else. Not here. It should be a surprise!"
Before Hitoka could say anything, Kirika threw back her head and looked up at the moon.
"We should go," Kirika announced, wildness tucked back away. "The apparition border's not far from here. It shouldn't take long-"
"No," Yachi interrupted, the light shining down on her face. "I told you. I'm never going with you. You'd have to kill me first."
Kirika frowned. "I would never kill you, Hitoka. But, I do wish you'd given me a choice."
Yachi knew what was coming next. She knew it in the way her aunt's smile flattened and the wand held steady against Yachi's throat. Yachi knew what was coming next, but she wouldn't let it. She would fight with everything she had, everything she was.
Yachi was done hiding in the shadows.
Kirika met her eyes. "Imper-"
"BOMBARDA!"
A BOOM! shook the forest floor, knocking Kirika away in a blast of concussive force, whacking her against a tree with a solid thunk.
Madoka Yachi held up her wand and pointed it at her sister. "NOT MY DAUGHTER, YOU BITCH!"
Yachi's eyes widened. "Mom?"
Madoka moved forward, pushing Yachi protectively behind her.
She looked down at Kirika, her voice like ice. "You will never touch my family again."
Kirika stared before, suddenly, a violent laugh tore out of her throat.
"Ahh, Madoka, dear sister," Kirika grinned, blood running down her temple. "Where's my small little bookworm hiding behind her rule books?"
"You killed her when you killed Naoki," Madoka said bluntly. "How did you escape from Azkaban?"
Kirika's smile only grew. "Shh, it's a secret. You didn't really think you could keep me away forever. Did you, Madoka?"
"I will keep you away." Madoka's wand wavered with the force of her anger.. "You don't deserve to be anywhere close to Hitoka! Not after everything you've done! You will never be part of her life!"
"Oh, Madoka," Kirika relaxed as she leaned against the tree, "I already am."
The cutting jinx cut across the air without warning and only instinct allowed Madoka to throw up a shield in time.
Kirika was already up and moving, next spell flying through with another laugh.
"Madoka, Madoka," Kirika danced out of the way of another concussive jinx, blasting back a fire spell as easy as breathing. "I was the best duelist of the decade. Even after years away, do you really think you can beat me?"
Kirika moved in a way that was more creature than human, unnatural, twisting like shadows running away from the light. Madoka answered like the shock of a fire, strong unyielding blows that forced Kirika to dodge more often than she could fire back.
But, still, Yachi realized like a chill going down her spine-Kirika was winning.
Madoka didn't look back as she pushed Yachi back into the woods. "Hitoka, run! Get away from here! As fast you can!"
Kirika laughed loudly. "Yes, run, run away! Tell me, Madoka, how long do you think you'll last before I can go and catch her? How long without a mother or a father there to protect her?"
Madoka's next jinx hit at the branch above Kirika's head, snapping it and forcing the witch to throw up a hastily done shield.
Madoka used the distraction to look back and meet Yachi's eyes.
The perfect hair was thrown into disarray, immaculate robes battered with cuts and dirt.
Madoka's eyes still shone with fire.
"Hitoka," her mother ordered. "Run."
"MOM!"
The hex hit against Madoka's back in a sparking wave of black energy and Madoka cried out as she fell forward, hitting the ground.
Yachi didn't think as she moved forward, throwing her arms out in front of her mother even as Kirika readied her next spell.
"Hitoka," Kirika's wand paused. "Get out of the way!"
"No!" Yachi glared. "You killed my father, I'm not letting you hurt my mother!"
Kirika sighed. "Hitoka-"
"KIRIKA!"
The forest froze as another figure stepped out from the darkness.
Yachi glanced up. She stopped breathing.
"N-no," Kirika stumbled back, wand jerking to the new figure. "NO! You're dead! I killed you! I killed you!"
Naoki Yachi shone under the moonlight like a vengeful ghost given form.
Oh, Yachi realized with a jolt. Oh…
"Kirika," the ghost of Naoki, pointing a finger at Kirika. "...Kirika, my friend."
"NO! No, no! You're dead, Naoki! You're supposed to be dead!" Kirika's wand was shaking. "AVADA KEDAVRA!"
"NAOKI!" Madoka yelled from the forest floor only for Yachi to jerk her back hard.
The green light was swallowed by Naoki's dark form as if it was never there as he continued to move forward to Kirika.
"How…," Madoka breathed out.
"It's not him," Yachi whispered back. "I promise it's not him."
Kirika's breathing was heavy and her wand shook as she faced her greatest fear.
"Kirika," Naoki continued to step forward.
"BOMBARDA! INCENDIO! CRUCIO! SECTUMSEMPRA!" Kirika fired off spell after spell even as they were absorbed easily by the form in front of her. "NO! GET BACK! GET AWAY FROM ME!"
Naoki was barely a step away and Yachi saw her chance.
"Expelliarmus!"
The shaking wand flew out of a badly held grip, arching through the forest clearing to land in Yachi's hands.
Kirika met her eyes with an unadulterated panic.
"KIRIKA," Naoki growled out, reaching out to grab at Kirika's hands
Kirika screamed, scrambling back.
"GET AWAY! GET AWAY!"
Kirika stared with large crazed eyes at the ghost of her murdered friend and her wand still held tightly in Yachi's grip.
Kirika ran, disappearing into the darkness of the forest.
"No," Yachi shouted, moving forward before a hand caught her shoulder.
"Don't," Madoka said quietly. "She's gone. Even if we could catch her, Kirika pushed into the corner is when she's at her most dangerous."
"But, she's going to get away," Yachi cried back. "Even...even after everything!"
Madoka's face went dark. "I know….But, she's not worth risking you. Nothing is worth risking you."
Yachi stared at her mother before finally letting her shoulder's drop, falling to the forest floor in complete exhaustion.
Her mother caught her in a hug, tight arms wrapping around and holding her steady.
The form of Naoki moved closer.
"Kirika," it said, more a question than a threat. As if it didn't even know what the word meant, just a sound an animal would make.
Madoka tensed around her. "If that's….if that's not Naoki, then what…"
"Oh." Yachi let out a breath, trying to pull a million scattered thoughts together as she looked at the form of her father.
Naoki dissolved into a mass of black, reforming as a three headed snake that slithered up Yachi's arm to hiss at her ear.
"Boggarts….," Yachi said quietly. "It's just the boggarts."
She pretended she didn't see the way her mother's face fell.
Instead, she looked into the forest, into the shadows where her godmother had disappeared.
The moon shone brightly above, beginning its descent to dissolve into morning.
The night was finally ending.
ooooooo
A/N: Thank you, everyone, for all your support! I really do appreciate all of you
Next Chapter: Morning
Post Date: May 1