It's time for chapter 2!
Sorry for the wait, oh sacred readers. I had to change states rather abruptly, and then had to get accustomed to classes. It was only four months!
*dodges assorted trauma-inducing blunt objects*
For those who asked how Shaadi killed those people, please read the manga. I believe the information you are looking for is in volume 1. Or maybe 2. I can't remember.
Yes. I'm very informative, aren't I?
My samurai kitties came, took one look at my dorm, and left. T_T
I've chosen to write out Japanese names in the European style. First names first. I find this just as annoying as you do.
Disclaimer: I just pawned some of my stuff in order to have enough money for laundry. You do the math.
And so . . .
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Harry finally managed to get the letter away from Pig after approximately three minutes and sixteen seconds of the owl zooming around his head. The bird hooted happily from his fist, its head sticking out between his fingers. Harry opened the letter one-handed.
Hey mate!
How's your summer going? Hope those muggles are treating you all right. If they aren't just let me know and I'll tell Dad. He'll put those lousy muggles straight!
Did you read about that nutcase that tried to off Bill? No one knows who he is, but he's been using a crocodile to kill people. Do you reckon he's a parseltongue? Maybe he's working for Him. Bill's going to stay here for the trial. Sorry you can't come over or anything. Dumbledore's orders.
Dad says Fudge is a major idiot who's putting out really idiotic decrees. That new law he had put out's going to make life real difficult for Hagrid.
Mom's still a bit put off that you gave Fred and George money for their shop. They're doing well, and loud noises are still coming from their room. Actually, they're coming more often. I'm getting a bloody headache! And they won't shut up!
Hermione's already finished her homework. How's it possible? It's only June!
See you at Hogwarts.
Ron
Harry skimmed through the letter a second time to be sure he got all the information possible out of the letter. Odd. Mrs. Weasley didn't seem all that upset before. Perhaps the twins dropping out of school had something to do with it.
Typical. Let Hermione out of his sight and she goes and finishes her summer homework. "We've only been out for a week," he muttered.
What new law? And why would Hagrid be affected? Then he remembered the new dark creature containment bill and scowled.
Do crocodiles speak parseltongue?
"Boy!"
Harry put the letter on the floor with the rest. Both Ron and Hermione had begun their summer with the intention to make sure Harry didn't feel left out of things. Apparently they didn't like being yelled at.
Pigwidgeon landed on Harry's head.
After shaking the miniscule owl off and placing it into Hedwig's cage, Harry went downstairs to answer his uncle's summons.
"Boy! You better have sent your letter." Uncle Vernon grumbled.
Harry nodded stiffly and sat at the table.
The Dursleys were going to the train station that day. Uncle Vernon may have been terrified by Moody's show the previous week, but he hadn't stopped commenting on how aggravating a boy Harry was in comparison to Dudley. He consoled himself with the idea that he would have the house to himself after lunch.
"Hmph. At least we won't have to drive as far today, Petunia." Vernon said halfheartedly over his breakfast, and then glared at the newspaper in his hands. "Damn Americans are at it again."
"That's nice, dear." Petunia seemed a bit busy staring out the window at the mailman. For some odd reason, he appeared to be handing a stack of letters over to Mrs. Next Door, as befit his job description.
Harry gave a small sigh and prayed that noon would come soon.
"What was that, boy?" Vernon glared at Harry and returned to his paper.
Harry prayed that noon would come very soon. The Dursleys were planning on leaving directly after eating in order to pick up Dudley from the station two towns over. Harry would have the house to himself. Any later than that and he was sure he would have a headache.
If Dudley could arrive at a much closer train station than King's Cross, then why couldn't Hogwarts do the same? Going all the way to London had to be a hassle for outlying families like the Finnegans, who resided somewhere in Northern Ireland. If the Knight Bus could do it, then why couldn't the train?
Of course, a train is a lot larger than a bus.
However, the arrival of noon would just cause Dudley to come home even sooner than he would otherwise. Harry sighed again. You can't win them all.
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/Yami! We're trying to pack! Not play with sharp objects!/
A hum and giggle.
Sigh. Ryou Bakura had a problem that evening, and it was giving him a headache. It just so happened that said problem could have been his clone. Well, if said clone wasn't wearing a deranged grin and inhabiting his body. /Yami,/ Ryou cautioned.
Yami Bakura stopped grinning. Ryou gave his darkness a mental nudge. His yami growled and gave up control of the body.
/Thank you./
A grumble in his head was all the response Ryou got.
Ryou put the two knives back in the drawer. Then he took them out and washed them. It was only when he was putting the knives away for the second time that he noticed something odd.
/Yami?/
//Hmm?//
/Why aren't we wearing pants?/
A mental door slammed shut.
. . . At least he would see his father soon.
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Harry finished lunch with the Dursleys and returned to his room. There was a tangible sense of relief about him as the sound of a car engine rumbled from the driveway. He sat on the bed, struggling to find the perfect spot. On the edge. A spring poked the inside of his knee. Lying down. He felt sleepy. He continued to flop around for a minute. It was only when he finally found a comfortable position that he realized something.
The Quibbler was four feet away.
Harry pondered his options. He could stay as he was and be bored, or he could move from his comfortable position in order to gain some entertainment. A difficult decision. After about twenty minutes, Harry finally reached a decision to reach for the magazine. When he returned to lie back down, he was disappointed to find that the comfortable spot had moved as well.
"Oh, bother." Harry chose to sit on the bed with his back against the wall rather than try again. He pulled at the shirt he was wearing so that it wouldn't slip off of one shoulder. Dudley really was too big for his own good, even if he was on the school boxing team.
He opened the magazine, determined to enjoy his Dursley-free hours. The first story was on shampoo. Apparently shampoos were altering the minds of random witches and wizards, turning them into longhaired fiends that moan and shout "yes!" at random places in random intervals.
That sounded an awful lot like that series of commercials from that muggle shampoo brand . . .
Harry blinked when he got to the next article. It was on the short side, but made him smile. The odd looking drawing to the left of the article helped arouse his amusement. It was a drawn image of an oversized ear atop a kimono-clad woman's body.
The Search for the Mimi-OnnaWe are proud to inform our readers of an upcoming article! Next week the owner of the Quibbler, Mr. Artemius Lovegood, and his daughter, Luna, is going on an excursion to Japan to locate the legendary mimi-onna.
"So Luna's going to Japan," Harry pondered out loud. Then he shrugged and went back to the magazine. Harry paused after he turned to the next page. The twins advertised their business in the Quibbler? Since when?
A tapping at the window caused him to look up. "Hedwig!" Harry got up yet again to let the snowy owl in. Tied to her leg was a package with his name on it. "Thanks, girl."
The owl tilted her head to the side in order to study the boy. After five seconds or so, Harry guessed he passed muster since she entered the room.
The owl fluttered onto her cage and stuck out her foot. Upon removing the parcel from said foot, Harry tore off the brown paper packaging discovering a small box and a letter. The letter was from Remus, saying that Harry's letter to the Order had arrived safely, and that the box contained owl treats for Hedwig.
Harry gave a couple of treats to the owl, who ate them and promptly fell asleep after giving two hoots to Pig, who was producing odd tweeting noises in its sleep.
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"Moshi moshi."
"Hello, Yuugi."
"Ryou!"
"I'm calling to inform you that I'm headed off to England in the morning."
"Oh, that's right! I hope you have a good trip." One could hear the happy smile the boy was wearing. "Enjoy yourself!"
"Umm . . . It's not just that. I want to make sure my yami doesn't have anything of yours before we leave."
"I'll go check."
"Please do." Sigh. /Shut up, Yami./
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Thank you! Thank you! *big grin*
By the way, the mimi-onna are an actual part of Japanese mythology. Go figure.
And special thanks to my reviewers: neosun7; komodo dragon; TeeDee; lily22; taunting-elf; Sarah; TsukiTenshiP; KawaiiWhiteWolf; Indigo Tantarian; Bakura's-Gurl; BonnieGinger4ever; Bloodfang; mika; crazy man; Tomgirl27
SAME BAKA; SAME MORON; SAME WIERDO; SAME FREAK----I take it you want me to continue?
I have to use school computers, since I don't have one of my own. Now if only they actually worked . . .
When it's midnight in London, it is 9:00 a.m. in Tokyo, a nine-hour difference.
On a side note, I haven't decided on whether or not this fic will contain slash of any kind. I have little confidence in my ability to write that sort of thing. Perhaps I need to date more.
"The base of optimism is sheer terror." Oscar Wilde