Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or Prince of Tennis!

...

...

Hari felt exhausted as she finished talking having told them about her backstory with Voldemort. She felt raw and empty having told them in quite a lot of detail about the night her parents died and their last words, how she heard that through the Dementors. Also remembering her meetings with Voldemort or Tom Riddle was tearing at her but she had told them everything.

Now she just stood there in the middle of the room not sure what to do or say or anything as the room was silent as the others processed all of the new information.

"Oh Hari," Rinko was the first one to break the silence and Hari suddenly found herself being hugged. She felt tense as Rinko held her tight unable to relax right away. "Shh…"

Hari finally managed to relax and melted into the woman who had adopted her and become her mother. She hid her face against Rinko's neck and inhaled the familiar scent and let it calm her down.

"I'm so sorry," Rinko said. "We never should have left you."

"It's not your fault," Hari mumbled. "You didn't know."

"We should have known," Nanjiro said having come over. "We never should have left you with them, if we had taken you with us you never would have had to go through all of that."

Hari felt a little stunned because she hadn't expected that reaction. She blinked confusedly as she pulled back from the hug and looked at them. Ryoma and Ryoga were still sitting on the sofa but was watching her with concerned looks.

"Um…" Hari didn't know what to say.

"But we will talk about taking risks and putting yourself in danger," Rinko scolded lightly. "You're lucky you didn't die."

Hari grimaced but she knew that it was true.

"I didn't have a choice," Hari defended herself a little. "He would have gotten back if I didn't and no one believed us… I didn't want him to come back. And then Ginny would have died if I didn't…"

"Oh, sweetie, I know," Rinko said. "I just don't like the fact that you put yourself in danger like that. You are important, too. You are very brave and a good friend, but you are not less important than any of your friends, okay?"

Hari nodded slowly but she wasn't sure she really understood. If she could save someone she loved or cared about then she knew she would risk it. She didn't want to lose anyone else.

"We can talk more about that later," Rinko said.

Hari nodded again knowing that she couldn't escape it even if she wasn't exactly looking forward to it. But then again…was this how it really felt having parents?

"I'm so glad you're not going back there again," Nanjiro grumbled. "We will keep you far away from him!"

"Of course, we are," Rinko said.

"He won't stop trying to find me," Hari said quietly. "I know he is looking."

She was guided back to the sofa and sat down between Ryoma and Ryoga curling up against Ryoma's side while her legs rested in Ryoga's lap.

"We won't let him hurt you," Ryoma said.

"You don't understand," Hari protested. "He's…he took Ginny because she was Ron's sister, and he went after Hermione because she's my best friend. He targets the ones close to me, so he will go after you. I can't… I can't be the reason you are hurt."

"Hari," Rinko said making her look at her. "It's not your fault. He is responsible for his actions, not you. We will be fine."

Hari knew that it would be that easy because Voldemort had magic and they didn't, and she felt that they were underestimating the threat. But at the same time, she felt a strange sense of comfort.

"You said you have placed wards around the house?" Nanjiro asked.

"A few," Hari nodded. "Hermione and Bill helped me find some when they were here. But I think maybe I should look for something stronger just in case."

"Okay," Nanjiro nodded. "We should talk with your caseworker from the ministry as well."

Hari blinked, "oh."

She hadn't really thought about that.

"He might be able to help," Rinko agreed.

Hari had honestly not even considered going to Hisakawa and tell him. She felt rather stupid for not thinking about it.

"And we will come with you and talk with the monk you met," Rinko said looking at Hari. "He seemed to know how to help you."

Hari nodded slowly, "I think so. He just wanted me to tell you before he told me more."

"Good," Nanjiro said.

...

"You okay?" Ryoma asked making Hari look up from Hedwig who was resting in her lap and enjoying Hari stroking her feathers. He was lingering in the doorway to her room watching with wide worried eyes.

"Not sure," Hari admitted looking back at Hedwig knowing that Ryoma was coming over to the bed and felt the bed dip as he sat down. "Tired. Exhausted."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Ryoma asked quietly after a few moments of silence.

Hari glanced up at him and winced a little at the hurt she saw there.

"I didn't want to admit it," Hari said. "I wanted to run away from that part of my life and just be me. I knew that if I found you then I would be able to be me again. You always saw me, Ryo-chan. You have no idea how much I longed for your friendship while at Hogwarts. Yes, I have Hermione and Ron, but even they get coloured by who I am to the magical world. Though Hermione is getting better at seeing past it now."

"The whole girl-who-lived thing, right?" Ryoma frowned.

"Yes," Hari nodded. "That was all everyone saw back there, and I'm tired of it. I can't… I can't be that person anymore. Here I'm not. I'm just Hari, your sister and a tennis player. I can be me without fearing for my life every second."

She paused for a moment.

"Or at least I could," she said. "Now it has managed to follow me here as well…I just want to be a teenager, is that so wrong?"

"No," Ryoma said. "It's not. I just wished I'd known so I could have helped you. I don't like the idea of you going through this alone."

"You have helped me, Ryo-chan," Hari said. "You've helped me more than you know."

He smiled a little and she moved so he could sit beside her and leaned against him as she continued to pet Hedwig who cooed softly even as Karupin entered the room and jumped up on the bed as well.

"There you are," Ryoga said coming into the room as well. "You can't hide from me."

"We weren't hiding," Hari said looking at him.

"Come on, I've brought my laptop and we will watch a movie," he said placing it down on the bed and sat down on the other side of Hari. He ignored the curious looks as he got the movie playing and leaned back and pulled Hari closer making Ryoma come closer as well as they curled up together on the bed.

Hari couldn't help but feel safe and warm as she sat between her brothers.

...

Nanjiro was pacing the floor in the office while Rinko was sitting in her office chair.

"We should have realised she needed help," Nanjiro said. "That she wasn't happy with her aunt and uncle. That something was wrong."

"We should have," Rinko agreed. "But we didn't."

"She could have died, Rinko!" Nanjiro glared and his hands balled into fists. "Before we got her back, and we wouldn't even have known!"

Rinko sighed but she felt heavy as well. The idea of Hari almost dying scared her just as much as it did Nanjiro, and it hadn't been just once but several times. Just what kind of school had she attended?

"I know," Rinko sighed. "I don't like it either."

"What if she hadn't come to us?" Nanjiro asked. "What if she was still there?"

"She's not still there," Rinko pointed out. "She got away and she found us. She's upstairs with our boys and has a new life that she's settled into really well."

Nanjiro deflated a little but he still glowered at the floor.

"What can we do?" Nanjiro asked looking at his wife. "I just want to keep her safe."

"We will talk with the monk," Rinko said. "And we will contact Hisakawa. He is Hari's social worker so he should know, and hopefully, he'll know who to contact from there."

Rinko walked over to Nanjiro and hugged him knowing that he needed the comfort and needing it herself as well. She could feel the tension, fear and anger in her husband as he hugged her back and knew that he shared her worry for Hari.

"We will handle it," Rinko promised. "We will find a way to protect her."

Nanjiro nodded.

...

Somewhere in Russia

...

Sirius watched Remus standing by the window in the little cabin. He knew they needed to move on soon because he didn't know when the owners could be back. He liked the cabin, though, it was remotely located and small and cosy.

"You're not still thinking about Dumbledore, are you?" Sirius broke the silence.

"He did a lot for me, Sirius," Remus said without looking at him.

"But he hasn't done a lot for Hari," Sirius pointed out. "I know you are grateful for having been allowed to attend Hogwarts, and I get it. I saw how much that meant to you, Remus. I won't take away that, but you need to separate the Dumbledore who did that and the one who left Hari to fend for herself and is more or less guiding her onto the path leading to Voldemort."

Remus flinched slightly.

"It's not that easy," Remus sighed.

"Then I won't let you talk to her," Sirius said making Remus turn around to look at him. "Look, she's finally happy and safe, okay? I admit that I am jealous that she has found a new family away from us, but her happiness is what's important. It is hard to hear her call another man dad when James is her dad, and it tears at my heart that James never got the chance to hear her call him dad."

Remus sighed and nodded, "James and Lily would be proud of her."

"They would," Sirius agreed.

Remus frowned a little as he sat down on a chair and put his head in his hands. He was so confused. He wasn't sure what to think about all of this, it was like two sides inside of him was warring against each other.

Tell Dumbledore. Don't tell Dumbledore.

"Do you think that Hari should be facing Voldemort now?" Sirius asked.

Remus looked up, "of course not!"

"Then don't you think that she deserves a place where she is safe?"

"Of course," Remus said. "I want her happy and safe, Sirius. I just… I struggle to let Dumbledore down. He knows I'm looking for her."

Sirius groaned and Remus knew his friend was frustrated with him. He was frustrated with himself. Why couldn't he just decide?

"You know," Sirius said quietly, "we didn't become your friends because of Dumbledore, Moony. Yes, you were accepted into Hogwarts thanks to him. But he wasn't the one who made us talk to you or like you. We liked you because you were a great kid and funny and had a sense of humour that fitted with ours. You belonged with us because of you not because of Dumbledore. Stop giving him credit for you having friends when it is your doing. You were the one who opened up and allowed us in, you were the one who decided to trust us and liked us."

Remus blinked as he stared at Sirius.

"Give yourself more credit, Remus," Sirius said. "You are a great friend and you did the work as a teacher and made the students like you. Hari talked about you, you know. She really enjoyed having you as a teacher, not because of Dumbledore, but because of you. You took the time to talk to her and get to know her. You listened to her problems without judgement and took the time to help her. Dumbledore had nothing to do with that. Take some credit for how you have turned out. While Dumbledore might have given you a chance, it is you who made sure to take it and actually did something about it."

...

Look at her, Moony! Isn't she perfect? I know we named Sirius her godfather, but you're as good as her godfather too, you know! Someone needs to keep Padfoot in check.

James' words echoed in his mind as Remus tilted his head back to stare at the bright starry sky. One thing about being in the wilderness like this it made the stars seem extra bright. He wondered if his friends were up there watching down on them like some culture believed.

He knew James and Lily would be disappointed in him. He had let them down.

But… Dumbledore had allowed him to come to Hogwarts, he had been open and let him in when everyone else would have shunned him because of his status as a werewolf. It was thanks to Dumbledore that he had met James and Sirius and Peter (though that had not been great).

How could he just forget or ignore that? He owed the headmaster a lot.

But at Hari's expense? No… Remus shook his head as the conflicted emotions warred inside of him. His wolf was agitated and seemed more restless than his human side, and his instincts screamed to find Hari and hold her tight and keep her safe. Away from Dumbledore.

But… Dumbledore was worried about Hari too. Remus remembered how tired he seemed, and how much older he looked when he told him about Hari disappearance.

So? It was his fault, a traitorous part of Remus' brain whispered. She would still be at Hogwarts if not for Dumbledore.

Remus frowned. The facts were that Dumbledore had allowed the minister to suspend Hari when she had done what Dumbledore told her to do. He was the one who had told Hari and Hermione to use the time-turner to go back and save Sirius (something he was grateful for). If Dumbledore had really wanted to protect Hari then he would have stopped it.

And there was the nagging feeling deep in his gut that told him that something wasn't right with Hari's aunt and uncle. The way Hari had talked about them, not that she talked about them a lot, was nagging at him. And she wouldn't leave without a reason. Remus knew Hari enough to know that, so something had to be wrong.

Dumbledore was the one who told you she was safe there and that they were her family, the same voice whispered. He kept the cub from us.

It hurt to admit it, but it was true. Remus had been so grief-ridden that he hadn't protested as much as he should have, but Dumbledore had been the one who had assured Remus that Hari was with family and safe. He had trusted Dumbledore then, but that seemed to have been a mistake.

So why should he trust Dumbledore now? Sirius seemed so sure that Dumbledore would have Hari face Voldemort again. He was so sure that Dumbledore was trying to manipulate Hari and have her placed in danger, and Remus wished… he wished he could say that it was wrong. He wished he could say that Dumbledore never would do that.

He couldn't.

Give yourself more credit, Remus.

Sirius' words also rang in his mind and he thought about it. He did give Dumbledore much of the credit for having met Sirius and James and having friends. Was Sirius right in saying that he needed to take more credit himself?

...

Sirius sighed as Remus walked out of the cabin. He wished he could make the other man see sense. He knew the conflicting emotions and instincts going through him now, but he needed to get his priorities straight.

Hari was more important than anything and it was time that Remus realised that and put her first. Dumbledore should get a life and realise that he should focus on the right things and not trying to manipulate a fourteen-year-old girl!

...

Tokyo

...

Hari woke up with Ryoma sleeping on her left and Ryoga on the floor beside the bed. She blinked and realised that she must have fallen asleep while watching the movie. She was a little surprised the boys had stayed but then again maybe she shouldn't be.

She groaned lightly as she rolled out of bed knowing she should get a shower before school and another tennis practice. She wasn't sure if she looked forward to it or not. It would offer a nice distraction before the meeting with the monk afterwards.

Hari was still drying her hair when she stepped back into her bedroom and found that both Ryoma and Ryoga had woken up and left the room. She could hear Ryoma in his own room, so he was probably getting dressed before school.

"Morning," Nanjiro said from behind her and she turned her head and looked at him. He was smiling slightly but she thought he looked tired. "How are you?"

"Fine," Hari said tossing the towel on the bed and winced as she looked at herself in the mirror taking in the messy hair.

"Did you sleep okay?" Nanjiro asked.

"Mm," Hari nodded, "no nightmares."

"Good," Nanjiro said.

Hari nodded but she couldn't help but feel like she was burdening them unnecessarily. They shouldn't have to worry about her nightmares… She tried to ignore Nanjiro hovering in the doorway watching her trying to battle her hair.

"Here you go," Rinko said placing a plate of food down in front of Hari as soon as she sat down. "You need to eat more."

"I'm fine," Hari said but she started to eat the food.

"What do you want for dinner today, Hari-chan?" Nanako asked.

Hari glanced at her, "anything you make is good, Nanako."

Nanako blushed a little, "but isn't there anything you want?"

"Hm…ramen?" Hari asked.

"I'll see what I can do," Nanako promised making Hari smile and nod.

She was aware that Rinko and Nanjiro were watching her, but she ignored them. Funnily enough, she felt calmer this morning, while nervous and still unsettled, she felt lighter. Maybe it was because she had finally told them the truth… besides, she didn't want them to get even more worried about her.

...

Hari glanced at Ryoma as he walked with them to their classroom talking with Momoshiro. Hari knew that to others it looked like he was just lost in conversation with Momoshiro, but she knew better. He was keeping close to her.

"Bye, Ryo-chan," Hari said stepping into the classroom. "See you later."

"Okay," Ryoma said. "See you soon."

Hari smiled and nodded before walking over to her desk.

"Hey, Hari-chan!" Sora grinned skipping up to her desk.

Hira followed after his sister like usual and smiled at Hari. Hari smiled back and sat there chatting with them until the teacher arrived.

He called the class to order. Hari did her best to pay attention, but she couldn't help but drift away a little. She wondered how the meeting with the monk would go. Would he tell her more about what he meant about the heavy burden she was carrying according to him? What had he sensed from her when he had her stand up and held a hand over her head?

"Echizen is here," Momoshiro said bringing Hari out of her thoughts and made her realise that it was lunchtime. She had again missed out on most of the lessons before lunch and she grimaced knowing she would pay for it later.

"Ryo-chan," Hari said looking at him.

"Come have lunch with me," Ryoma said.

Hari looked at him, "you know I am fine."

"I know that," Ryoma deadpanned.

Hari shook her head, but she got up and picked up her bag where the bento from Nanako was. She followed Ryoma up to the roof and found the rest of the team there too. Momoshiro and Kaido came with them.

...

"Team-lunch!" Kikumaru cheered.

"Calm down, Eiji," Oishi said fondly.

Ryoma pulled Hari with him to sit down beside him and Hari saw Fuji watching them with a curious look in his eyes. She smiled at him and waved making him roll his eyes.

Hari sat listening and watching the other talk feeling somehow on the outside but yet not. She felt guilty for not being honest with them, but she knew she couldn't tell them and she didn't really want to. It was bad enough that she was burdening her family with her past. She didn't need to do the same with her friends. But…she couldn't help but worry that she was placing them in danger too by being here. Yet, she couldn't help to enjoy sitting there too. It was so easy to be pulled along with them and forget for a blissful moment everything going on.

"You okay?" Fuji asked.

Hari shrugged, "suppose so."

He looked at her concerned, "something has been bothering you lately."

Hari swallowed and shrugged again, "sorry, Shu-chan. I just have some things to think about."

"You can talk to me if you want," Fuji offered making Hari smile a little.

"Thank you," Hari said. "But I can't. At least not yet."

He looked at her for a moment before he nodded, "okay. I'm here if you change your mind."

"Thanks," Hari smiled.

Hari felt her phone buzz and she pulled it out to see a new text from Seiichi.

Hey Hari-chan! How is your day going so far? I was dragged with Genichiro to have lunch with the others. Bunta is only eating cake and asks if you know any good British cakes? I miss you. Seiichi.

Just a simple text showing what he was doing. It made her feel so far away from him. With everything going on how was she supposed to keep this up? What was she supposed to tell him?

Hey, I'm fine and having lunch with my team? It sounded so wrong knowing that she wasn't fine and that she had this meeting after school that was nagging at her. She was tired of having to lie. She lied to her friends. She lied to her boyfriend. She lied, lied, lied… and she hated it.

She ignored the others as she got to her feet and walked over to the fence on the roof looking out over the schoolyard as she clutched her phone in her hand. She knew she should answer, she knew she should just give a simple reply back with the basic of information. But something in her stopped her from doing it.

He deserved someone better.

Someone who wouldn't lie to him.

"Hari?" Ryoma was beside her.

"I can't…" she whispered. "I can't lie to him…"

Ryoma looked at her, "Yukimura?"

"I don't know why I can't just answer," Hari whispered. "I just… I can't."

"Tell him then," Ryoma said.

"I can't tell him about magic," Hari said. "It's against the law."

"Sounds stupid," Ryoma said.

"Besides… he's better off without me," Hari said.

"Hey, that's not true," Ryoma protested sharply. "You are too good for him."

Hari shook her head, "no, I'm not."

She looked down at her phone again before showing it into her pocket again feeling guilty and sad but she just…couldn't.

Ryoma looked at her worriedly.

"It's bad enough that I can't tell my friends the truth," Hari said. "That I put them at risk just being here… I can't do that to Sei-chan to."

She walked away from Ryoma and back over to the others and forced herself to smile and wave away the concerned look from Fuji. Ryoma followed more slowly but she felt his worried eyes on her for the rest of the lunch.

...

"Seriously?" Hari asked when she saw Ryoma outside the classroom at the end of the day. "You do realise that I know the way to practice?"

"Sure," Ryoma shrugged.

She shook her head and ignored the curious looks from Momoshiro and Kaido as she walked past her brother.

Hari was almost surprised when she was allowed to go to her changing room by herself and without a shadow.

"Hey," a familiar voice said when she stepped out after having changed making her jump.

"Ryoga-nii!" Hari grumbled. "You scared me!"

"Sorry," Ryoga smirked. "Thought I would come and watch your practice today."

"Don't you have school?"

"Done for the day," Ryoga shrugged. "So, are you ready for practice?"

Hari eyed him before she sighed and nodded.

"Does Otou-chan know you're here?" She asked.

"He knows," Ryoga nodded. "So how was your day?"

"Fine," Hari sighed.

She walked over to the others ignoring Ryoga who leaned against the fence getting ready to observe their practice.

"Another shadow?" Fuji smirked at her and she glowered at him making him laugh.

"Hari-chan!" Nanjiro came bouncing over. "Let's play, eh?"

"We're here for practice," Hari deadpanned.

"Yeah, yeah," Nanjiro sighed. "How was your day?"

Hari bit back a groan as she gave the same response as she had just given Ryoga. Nanjiro ruffled her hair before stepping back.

...

"Eh?! Tezuka?!" Kikumaru exclaimed suddenly making the others look to where Kikumaru was staring and true enough Tezuka came walking toward them looking as stoic as ever.

"Tezuka-captain!"

Hari smiled a little as she watched him and saw how he kept calm and only smiled a little as the others cheered seeing him.

"When did you get back?!"

"Are you ready to play now?"

"Since when did you get here?"

"Can you play?"

The questions rang out until Nanjiro stopped them.

"Quiet," Nanjiro said. "The old hag arranged for Tezuka to come and help with your training until he is fully ready to play again."

"Old hag?" Kawamura blinked.

"Coach Ryuzaki," Hari sighed, "he actually calls her that in respect funnily enough."

"Okay…" Kawamura looked uncertain.

"I'm doing much better," Tezuka said when they all had fallen silent waiting for him to say something. "I was coming back to school soon anyway, and coach Ryuzaki asked me to help with the practices until she's back and I can play again myself."

...

Nanjiro glanced over at Ryoga who was watching Hari from his position at the fence. He had arrived just before the practice started and Nanjiro didn't tell him to leave. He could tell that Ryoga needed to see that Hari was fine. He felt the need himself as well.

The knowledge that someone wanted her dead and had tried to kill her several times was jarring. It made Nanjiro's blood boil in anger and fear and he felt helpless. It was his job to protect Hari and he couldn't even do that. He was a failure as a father.

"You're thinking too much," Ryoga said not looking at him. "You will scare the others if they see you look like that."

Nanjiro blanked his face the best he could.

"I know," Nanjiro said.

"She's a strong one," Ryoga said.

"Hm?"

"I don't understand how she can keep going like she does, knowing that someone wants her dead," Ryoga said quietly. "She looks just like a normal teenage girl, though perhaps a little distracted at the moment, and she manages to see her friends. I don't know if I would have managed that if it were me."

"She is strong," Nanjiro agreed proudly. "She's special."

"You always thought that," Ryoga smirked lightly. "You'd think she's always been with us. I can't imagine how it would be without her anymore, and I came here after she did."

"I'm glad you did," Nanjiro said making Ryoga smile a little. Nanjiro was grateful that his son had come home, and that he seemed to have forgiven him for not fighting harder for him when his aunt came to get him. He would always regret not getting to keep him.

"Me too," Ryoga said.

They watched Hari play with Fuji and Tezuka had paused beside her and seemed to be giving her some advice. Hari was nodding and smiled slightly.

...

Hari felt the full return of her nerves when the practice was over, and she knew that it was time to go back to the shrine. She took a moment trying to collect herself before leaving the changing room and wasn't surprised when she found Ryoma, Ryoga and Nanjiro waiting for her just outside.

"Ready?" Nanjiro asked.

Hari nodded without saying anything knowing that her voice would betray the nerves she felt and she didn't want them to worry even more for her.

Hari was a little surprised by just how far it was to the shrine, though she had taken a couple of wrong turns since she felt like she had gotten there faster the day before. Ryoma was the one who spotted Rinko first and nudged Hari to make her aware of it.

"Okaa-chan," Hari smiled a little when Rinko hugged her.

"How was your day?" Rinko asked.

"Good enough," Hari said with a shrug. "I was followed by shadows all day."

"Oh?" Rinko glanced at the boys and rolled her eyes. "I see."

Hari just smiled a little not really upset about it, she knew they did it because they cared.

"Ready?" Rinko asked and Hari nodded.

"As I'll ever be," she sighed. "Come on."

"Um…where is it?" Ryoga asked looking around.

Hari took a moment before she realised that they didn't see the shrine that was right in front of them. They kept glancing over it without seeing. Right. Magic.

"Oh, you can't see it," she said.

"Can't see it?" Ryoma repeated. "You mean that it's here?"

"Yes," Hari nodded and reached out to take his hand. She focused on allowing him to see and she watched as his eyes widened as he noticed the gateway into the shrine also called a torii.

"Whoa," Ryoma said.

"What?" Ryoga looked at his brother curiously.

"One moment," Hari said and guided Ryoma through the gateway. She quickly did the same with the others as well and watched as they took in the new surroundings. She realised that this would be the first time they saw any part of the magical world they had only heard about before.

"Wow." Rinko said. "It's beautiful here."

"Mm," Hari nodded.

"Awesome," Nanjiro said looking around. "And it's from here you get to the magical district?"

"Yes," Hari nodded, "I can bring you another day if you like."

He nodded.

...

"Welcome," the monk said when they reached the house Hari had been at the day before.

"Um, hey," Hari said a little unsurely. "I brought my family as you asked. This is my mum, Echizen Rinko and dad, Echizen Nanjiro. My brothers Ryoga and Ryoma."

The monk nodded to them and gestured for them to follow him inside.

"Thank you for helping Hari-chan," Rinko said when they all had sat down around the table on the floor.

The monk smiled a little as he nodded, "help will be found here for those who need it."

Hari shifted a little on in her seat between Rinko and Nanjiro.

"You've told them then?" the monk asked looking at Hari.

"Yes," Hari said quietly. "I did."

"I will admit that I don't understand everything," Rinko said reaching out to take Hari's hand in hers. "But we want to."

"How can you help?" Nanjiro asked.

"The dreams young Hari has been having are not normal ones," the monk said. "I sense dark and heavy magic around her, and it has grown since I first met her. I could also feel it in the air a few nights ago."

"Dreams?" Rinko glanced at Hari.

"Nightmares," Hari said. "Like the one I had a couple of nights ago."

"You said it was about seeing your family dead and hearing Voldemort telling you that you would lose them," the monk said.

"Yes," Hari said.

Rinko squeezed the hand she was holding to show that they were there and that they were fine. Hari inhaled deeply trying to calm the panic that was again threatening to overcome her.

"You're saying that it's not just a nightmare?" Nanjiro asked more serious than Hari had seen him before. It was strange seeing him without a trace of laughter of goofiness on his face.

"I'm afraid there's more to it than that," the monk said. "It is magic I have not been exposed to much if only a single time before many years ago."

"What is it?" Ryoga asked concerned.

Hari looked at the monk and noticed the grave look in his eyes and she felt a moment of dread as she waited for him to say something.

"I am certain that there is a part of something dark connected to her," the monk said before looking at Hari who had paled. "Something that makes the connection between you and Voldemort possible."

"Unless I'm much mistaken, he transformed some of his powers to you the night he gave you that scar. Not something he intended to do, I'm sure…" Dumbledore said.

"Voldemort put a bit of himself in me?" Hari asked.

"It certainly seems so."

The conversation with Dumbledore from her second year came back and she could almost feel herself pale and she was glad she was sitting down because she was sure her legs would have failed her.

"Hari-chan?" Nanjiro asked worriedly. "You got pale there. Are you okay?"

Hari opened and closed her mouth a couple of times.

"Dumbledore said… he said… that Voldemort put a part of himself in me…" Hari finally managed to get out. "That it was why I can talk to snakes… that it was why I have some of the abilities that Voldemort had."

The monk nodded.

"What does that mean?" Rinko asked confused and wary.

"It means that Voldemort has gone to extreme lengths in his search for immortality," the monk said gravely. "Immortality is possible but exceedingly difficult to obtain, especially in natural means. Life is not meant to be lived forever. We all have our time and place in the universe, the spirits around us are all a part of the universe and natural order takes its place. So, immortality is against the order of life."

"But it is possible?" Ryoga asked.

Ryoma glanced at Hari nervously and concerned.

"Mostly through dark magic," the monk said. "Very dark magic that is against everything life is about. There is a certain branch of magic that very few dares to touch. I have only come across it once before and that was through my master."

"What is it?"

"Horcruxes," the monk said.

"I've never heard that term before," Hari frowned. "What is it?"

"I would be worried if you had heard about it before," the monk said. "A Horcrux is an object in which a dark wizard or witch has hidden a fragment of his or her soul in an effort to become immortal."

Hari flinched a little as she paled and saw the horror on her family's faces as they took in what the monk was saying. She worried that this would be the push they needed to realise that she was too much of a burden.

"That's possible?" Rinko gasped.

"I'm afraid so," the monk said. "It is very difficult to create and I will not go into it here, there is no need to know that."

Hari frowned, "can it be any object?"

"Yes," the monk nodded.

"And you think that this Voldemort," Nanjiro stumbled slightly over his name in order to get it right, "has made one of those things?"

The monk was silent for a moment and his eyes rested on Hari who looked at him confused for a moment before her eyes widened. No… there was no way that he was leading up to what she thought… Dumbledore's words went through her mind again and this time with a new deeper meaning.

"No," she whispered. "No… it's impossible."

"Hari-chan?" Nanjiro looked at her confused but she flinched back from him and jumped to her feet.

"No! I'm…" Hari stared widely at the monk who looked sadly at her and she just knew. She felt sick…

...

Rinko watched as Hari rushed out of the room and heard a door close. She looked at the monk who remained stoically seated on the floor. She felt her head spin as she tried to understand what they were saying. It was all so foreign, and she had no idea what was going on.

"What's wrong with her?" Ryoma asked. "What happened?"

"Give her a minute;" the monk said.

"She's upset," Ryoma scowled already on his way to his feet.

"She needs to gather her thoughts," the monk said. "She is an extraordinarily strong young lady who has a very heavy burden to carry. There is magic in this place that will keep her from hurting herself. She is safe here."

Rinko frowned worriedly and exchanged a look with Nanjiro who looked equally anxious.

After a moment Rinko got up not able to postpone checking on Hari anymore. She walked further into the house where Hari had disappeared and found a door that was closed.

"Hari-chan?" Rinko called as she knocked on the door.

"Go away," Hari's strangled voice sounded. "Go away."

"No, I won't," Rinko said firmly. "Please open the door, sweetie. I won't go away."

"You should," Hari said. "I'm not…. I'm… I'm bad."

"Hari, you are not bad," Rinko said feeling really worried and pushed at the door slightly. Maybe she should get Nanjiro who could break down the door? "You're our girl and you are so good and kind and brave. Please open the door."

There was a moment of silence before she heard shuffling and the door opened. Rinko worked not to let out a gasp as she took in the pale face and slightly wide eyes and messy hair. The smell of vomit reached her, but she ignored it.

"Hari…" Rinko frowned. "What's wrong?"

Hari shrugged not looking at her.

Rinko walked her over to the sink and turned the water on and managed to help Hari wash her face and get her cleaned up again. She was a little worried that Hari just allowed her to do so without much reaction at all.

...

Nanjiro was bursting to get up and find Hari but he knew that Rinko was there with Hari now and he should stay where he was. But it was so hard! He wanted to hug her and hold her to protect her from whatever had scared her enough to bolt. He wasn't sure what it was, but it must be something the monk had said that Hari had understood. But he wasn't sure what.

He looked up when he heard footsteps and soon Hari was being led back into the room with Rinko. Nanjiro got up and hurried over to Hari pulling her into a hug. She felt stiff in his arms making him look at Rinko worried.

"Let's get this over with," Hari said monotonously.

"Okay," Nanjiro said unsurely looking at her anxiously.

He wanted to take her out of there and hide her away because he didn't like the distant look in her eyes. He could tell she was pulling away and seemed to detach herself from them. He didn't like it. A look at Rinko told him that she saw the same thing.

...

Hari felt sick. She was dirty, she was contaminated with… She never should have brought them here. They would hate her now. She felt shame go through her but also confusion and helplessness.

"So, I have a piece of his soul in me?" Hari managed to ask and winced as she heard the gasp from the others as they realised what the monk had been saying earlier.

"I am afraid so," the monk said.

"Hari…" Rinko sounded sad.

"That's why I see into his mind?" Hari asked keeping focused on the monk.

"Yes," the monk said. "That is what connects you."

Hari nodded and thought that in a way it made sense and she shouldn't be surprised. Well, she hadn't known… wait.

"He has made others," Hari said looking at the monk. "He can't have intended to make me one because he tries to kill me."

She caught Nanjiro's flinch from the corner of her eyes, but she didn't look over at him. She glanced quickly at Ryoma and Ryoga who both looked pale but kept quiet as they stared between her and the monk. She wondered when they would run screaming out of the room. She was a monster…

"I would imagine that he has others, yes," the monk agreed making her look back at him.

"I destroyed one, I think," Hari said.

"Oh?"

"A diary," Hari said. "He possessed Ginny through a diary my second year, Ginny's first year, and had her opening the Chamber of Secrets back at the school. He controlled a basilisk and had it attacking the students. My friends and I figured it out and when Ginny was taken into the chamber Ron and I went after her. I ended up alone when I found Ginny and he was there. His sixteen-year-old self, I mean. He said he came from the diary. That he was a memory preserved inside of it."

The monk looked thoughtful.

"He was using your friend's energy to get back?" the monk asked.

"Yes," Hari nodded. "I could see him become more and more solid as Ginny got weaker."

"How did you stop him?" The monk asked.

"I killed the basilisk with Gryffindor's sword and then used one of the basilisk's tooth to stab the diary when Fawkes swept the diary in my lap," Hari said. "Fawkes is Dumbledore's phoenix."

The monk nodded slowly, "Basilisk venom is one of the few substances that are capable of destroying a Horcrux."

"Just how many did he make?" Nanjiro frowned.

"I do not know," the monk said. "But seven is the strongest magical number and have a lot of meaning in magic, but also in mythology and religion all around the world. It is unifying in the sense that it is significant and have meaning."

"You think he has seven?" Hari asked sick.

"I do not know," the monk said. "We need to do more research on that."

"But… how can we get rid of the piece in Hari?" Rinko asked concerned. "Can we do that without it hurting her? And what are the effects on her? Does it hurt her?"

Hari inhaled sharply and felt her heart skip a beat because that sounded like she still cared…

"There are ways," the monk said. "But it will be difficult, and it will take a ritual that is very sacred. It will not be completely harmless for Hari-san, her magic is connected to it since it's been there for so long. It has worked itself into her, so it will be removing a part that she's unknowingly been both fighting and protecting all her life."

"Fighting?" Hari asked.

"I could sense your magic fighting it," the monk explained. "Your magic is strong and light, and it does its best to protect you from the darkness of the Horcrux. It is not natural."

"The ritual is the only way to get rid of it?" Nanjiro asked. "If it can hurt her then maybe…"

"The ritual is the only way to get rid of it without straight out killing her," the monk said bluntly. "And leaving it in her would not be advised either, it will be harmful over time and she risks losing herself to it and for Voldemort to fully realise that it is there and use it against her. She would be unable to trust her own mind because Voldemort would have full access. We do not know if he has already worked it out if he is using the dreams to communicate with her."

"And keeping him alive," Hari said bitterly voice full of self-disgust and horror. "I don't want that… I would rather di…"

"Hari," Nanjiro snapped making her fall silent and flinch back a little. "I do not want to hear what you are about to say! Got it? You will fight this and not give up. If the ritual is what we need to do then we'll do it because you are not going to lose to this, okay?!"

Hari blinked and suddenly found herself yanked into his lap and he was holding her tightly making her feel the tension in him. She felt her own tension as she remained stiff in his arms for a while until she gave in and circled her arms around his back and hugged him back sinking into the warmth his arms offered.

"Shh," he murmured. "We'll find a way, okay? We'll find a way to get you safe. It's going to be okay."

She felt tears escape her eyes unable to keep them in as she burrowed her face into his shoulder. It was too much. Everything was too much.

Hari wasn't sure how long she cried into Nanjiro's shoulder before she finally pulled back but remained curled up against her adopted dad needing his warmth.

"I think this is enough for today," Rinko said looking at Hari warmly and concerned. "Can we come back tomorrow?"

"Of course," the monk replied.

Hari felt hands on her shoulders and arm and looked to see Ryoma and Ryoga both looking at her with concern and warmth and Rinko was also there offering her comfort with her touch. She knew Nanako was at home waiting with food ready. Maybe…maybe she could get through this? She knew they had much more to go through and discuss with the monk and then Hisakawa, but maybe she could do it with her family by her side?

She had a lot to think about still, and she would need to think more about Dumbledore too because something was nagging at her about him, but her mind was too overwhelmed to really go there now. She felt exhausted.

...

...

AN: What do you think? XD

I'm not sure I'm completely happy with how this chapter turned out. It's a balance to keep here between magic and the non-magic side. I don't know if I managed to capture Hari's reaction well enough. She is a teenager, and this is scary for her. I want to show how she is handling it all. But it is a balance. Hopefully, you'll like it. XD

Thank you for reading! XD