Ch

Ch. 2

(Give me time! Geez, why do I always get stuck on Ch. 2???)

Harry awoke to find Hedwig gone. He stretched and pulled on his glasses, noting the most delicious aroma coming from the kitchen. He sat down, noting with some unease that neither Rei nor Usagi were there. Her turned to Seiji who had just sat down with his morning cup of coffee.

"Where are Rei and Usagi?"

Seiji chuckled. "Rei's most likely out back, meditating. As for Usagi, she's either outside playing Quidditch or not yet up."

A loud wail from the front yard told them which guess about Usagi had been the correct one. Harry poked his head outside to see Usagi zipping along about twenty feet off the ground, dodging the Bludger. She dodged a particularly fast one and looked to Harry.

"Come up here and help me!!" She wailed helplessly. Harry frowned. He wasn't a beater, he was too small.

"Wait a sec!" he said, running back into the house. He came back out with a fairly sleepy Haruka and a worried Makoto. They mounted their brooms and managed to beat back the Bludger long enough for Usagi to land.

"What would possess you to let the Bludgers out??" Makoto demanded. Usagi flushed.

"I didn't mean to, I was actually trying to let loose the Quaffle. But I was sleepy and let out the wrong straps and..well, I've been up there for awhile." She finished, shaking her head. "I wouldn't have done well as a Beater," she said shakily. Harry frowned.

"Maybe you ought to re-think this Quidditch thing, Usagi," he said. Usagi shook her head.

"No!" she said. "I'm doing this! It's not as if I'd usually have to deal with the Bludgers, anyway."

Makoto sighed. "What happened to 'Tsukini Kawatte Oshiyoki yo!'?"

"Chibiusa can take my place," Usagi said, checking over the tail of her broom. "I think she's ready."

"No you don't!" Makoto said, getting angry. "You're just backing out of your destiny, and you know it!"

Usagi glared at her and walked inside. Makoto sighed. How were they going to talk her back into her right senses?

Professor Dumbledore looked over the letter with some dismay. He sighed and, throwing some Floo powder into the fire, leaned towards it.

"Minerva? Severus? I'd like to speak to you two please."

Professor McGonagall and then Professor Snape stepped out of his fire moments later.

"What is it, Headmaster?" Professor McGonagall asked with some dismay. Dumbledore handed her the note. She blinked in some disbelief, then handed the note off to Professor Snape, whose jaw actually dropped a bit before he regained his usual icy demeanour. Dumbledore shook his head sadly.

"Maybe I shouldn't have encouraged her. At any rate," he said, standing. "We have more pressing issues. Are you both up for a trip to Japan?"

"You mean we're not going to answer this by owl?" Professor McGonagall asked in a bit of a shock. Dumbledore smiled warily.

"Given the situation, I think it would be best if we went ourselves," he said. Professor Snape nodded.

"I agree."

Minerva blinked at him, again in surprise. Albus stood. "I believe we don't have much time to lose."

Rubbeus looked over his data, his brow furrowing. What in the name of all things Nemesis did he have here? When he'd rescued Rajura, he'd only known that he was in danger of being killed, not of the circumstances around it. He hadn't really given a thought as to why the senshi were carrying those bits of wood, or what type of energy the youma had wanted. Now he'd had to review all that, and it disturbed him. The Senshi had gone to a school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Which meant spells. And curses. And Kami-sama knew what else. He sighed, rubbing his temples. Why couldn't fate ever be on his side. Unmei wa Utsukushiku?* Sailorneptune had to have been mental when she recorded that song.

"Rubi-chan?"

Rubbeus looked up and smiled. Avery was coming into the room, and he smelled the bitter scent of very strong Japanese tea coming from the tray she carried. She set it down beside him and moved behind him, beginning to work out the knots in his shoulders.

She bent forward and kissed him softly. "Daijoubu ka?" she asked softly. Rubeus shook his head.

"Iie," he said. "We've got a problem. The Sailorsenshi have more magic now…not to mention our strongest warrior," he added through gritted teeth. Avery frowned.

"There goes all the work I just did," she murmured, setting to work on his shoulders again. Rubbeus smiled apologetically.

"Gomen ne. But Rajura was our strongest warrior, you have to admit, and not necessarily for his fighting ability."

Avery nodded. "That's true, but I'm sure we can make him see the error of his ways."

"I hope so," Rubbeus sighed. "Because if we don't, we may end up being disposed of by him, Nevermind Talpa and the Wiseman."

Avery sighed, then smiled.

"Didn't you say something about some others being there this time?"

"Yeah, three other students from the school."

"Well, why not use them?"

"Because we've done that before, Avery. Countless times, and I think it's beginning to lose it's effect."

"Well how so?"

Rubbeus sighed. "Sailormoon began making demands for food the last time she was here. Anubis struck up a conversation with Sailormercury! I mean, come on, Rajura was making jokes about it!! We need," he sighed again and slumped over the keyboard. "We need a new way, a need idea. We can't keep kidnapping people, it's simply not as effective as it once was."

Avery opened her mouth and Rubbeus looked over his shoulder.

"And no plans that involve Leonardo DiCaprio or any facsimile of him."

Avery gave a disappointed whimper.

Hermione turned as the flames in the fireplace turned bright green. Who was coming to see them? One of the Weasleys?

The person with sallow skin, and lank shoulder length hair, however, obviously wasn't one of the Weasleys. Hermione gave a surprise and frightened squeak and scuttled to the far corner of the couch. Professor Snape frowned.

"I'm not here to hurt you, Miss Granger. However, there some issues that we were asked that needed to be addressed…personally," he said as Professor McGonagall stepped out of the fireplace. She gave a curt nod to Hermione.

"Miss Granger," she glanced at the piece of parchment on the table and let herself smile slightly. She was working on the Transfiguration Homework. And judging from what she had written on the parchment, she was on the right track.

Hermione's facial expression changed from one of slight terror to relief when Professor Dumbledore stepped out of the fireplace. He was looking unusually grave.

"Good afternoon, Miss Granger. By any chance are the Sailor Senshi around?"

Hermione nodded.

"Yes, Professor. I believe they're out front-er-training."

"And where are Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley?" Professor Snape asked.

"Out front watching," she said. "I wanted to get a jump on my work."

Dumbledore couldn't repress a smile. As studious as ever. He'd have to make sure she made Head Girl, she'd be a marvellous influence on the younger students.

"thank you, Miss Granger," Dumbledore said, and walked past her, Snape and McGonagall following. The Professor frowned when she saw Usagi's orange cat curled up on a chair.

So she never did change it back, she thought to herself. Well, I suppose that's for the better. What would she do with an orange chair? She noticed another three cats-one black, one white and the third, a kitten, grey-sitting on the windowsill. And they were talking?? She raised a questioning brow to Dumbledore, who smiled.

"We aren't the only world with our own little quirks, Minerva," he said simply and stepped outside.

The clanging and shouting going on were tremendous, but nothing, Dumbledore noted, compared to the End of the year Feast. When the three of them stepped out into the sunlight, all activity immediately stopped. A choking noise came from the Professor's right, then a thud sound. Ron, upon seeing Snape, had choked on the Chocolate Frog he had been eating and fallen off of his chair. As Harry helped him up, he judged the expressions of his teachers. They were all quite grim. Dumbledore nodded towards Sailorvenus.

"My dear, I believe you wrote to us?" he asked a little amusedly. Venus smiled.

"So Hedwig did make it. So, you know our problem?"

Dumbledore nodded. "Let's talk inside."

Usagi didn't really care what all the commotion was about downstairs-at least, not until she heard her name. She stopped polishing her broom handle and crept to the top of the stairs to listen.

"-And while I know she'd love to stay there for another year, I don't think it would be good for her. I mean, she does have a destiny to meet." That was Minako, Usagi identified in her mind. The next voice, however, nearly made her fall down the steps.

"That may be, Miss Aino," the voice she was sure had to be Professor Dumbledore said. "However, the fact is Usagi can come back if she wants to. All of you could, you've been accepted as Hogwarts students. She wants to be a Quidditch player, and she has a very good chance of becoming one if she comes back."

"It's not so much a matter of what she wants," Makoto said softly. "It's our duty. We're Sailor Senshi, no matter what. But Usagi…well, she's never quite been able to understand that."

"So you're saying this has been an issue before?" Usagi grabbed hold of the railing. Not Professor McGonagall too!!

"Ever since she's first been appointed as Sailormoon," Luna said. "She'd gotten good about it lately, but after Hogwarts…I think she's seen the way out and is making a mad dash for it."

"Then there is really nothing to be done." The disappointed moans of the Senshi downstairs covered the squeak of surprise Usagi had given. Et tu, Severus? Snape continued on. "Yes, there are potions that can change a person's mind, but never for long, and it's not generally a good idea."

"Then there's nothing at all we can do?"

"Keep talking to her," Professor McGonagall suggested. "It certainly cannot hurt."

"It doesn't seem to be helping much, either," Makoto said sullenly.

Usagi nodded silently. And it won't, either, she thought. Nothing can change my mind. I'm glad Professor Snape, at least, knows that. She sighed, and returned to polishing her broom handle in her room, thinking about the Quidditch match she'd had against Slytherin…

"And here comes the crowd favourite, Gryffindor!" Lee Jordan boomed through the microphone. A great cheer went up from three-quarters of the stadium, while a very loud and heartfelt "boo" was going up from the Slytherins.

"And now come the opponents, the Slytherin team!"

Greeted with not so enthusiastic cheers from all but a quarter of the stadium, the Slytherins waved amicably.

"The two captains are going our onto the pitch to shake hands. This is going to be an exciting match, folks! Madam Hooch looks ready to start. And-they're off! Sailormars takes the Quaffle right away and, oh, ow! A terrific play by Gryffindor's Beater. Of course I'll bet she's had worse, folks. Why, I've just heard the story about how she defeated-"

"Lee!"

"Er, right, Professor. Anyway, after what's she's been through, like-"

"Lee, I'm really warning you…"

"Gryffindor has the Quaffle."

"That's better…"

"And Richard sends it to Katie, who sends it to Angela, back to Katie and…oh no, the Quaffle is taken by Sailormars again and she comes up against her fellow Senshi, Sailormoon, whom she's protected countless times, such as the time she-"

Sailormoon didn't hear the scuffling as Professor McGonagall tried to wrench the microphone from Lee Jordan: she was focused on the smug Senshi hovering in front of her.

"This is going down your throat, Odango-atama."

"Bring it on, Hi no Baka."

Sailormars grit her teeth and took a shot. Sailormoon easily blocked it, much to her frustration. She snickered as Sailormars flew off annoyed, and determined to get the Quaffle back.

"Usagi-chan?"

Usagi snapped out of her daydream to realise that Chibiusa was standing in the doorway. Usagi smiled.

"Yes, Chibiusa?"

"We're about to have lunch. You want to come?"

"No thanks," Usagi smiled kindly. She had a feeling the Professors were still downstairs. "I'm not hungry."

Chibiusa wasn't very good at keeping the astonishment off of her face, but she nodded and went back downstairs, where she told the astonished assembly "She's not hungry."

"Isn't that a first," Rei muttered. Professor Dumbledore frowned.

"Do you two always go on like this?"

"Ever since they first met," Ami confirmed. Rei shot her a look before smiling towards her former teachers.

"We fight sometimes, but we usually make it up."

"After we force you," Ryo muttered. Rei shot him a look too and he flushed and quickly set to eating.

"No wonder the food fight occurred," Professor McGonagall said. "Of course that doesn't excuse either of you from blame. I must say that our caretaker still isn't too pleased with the mess left in the Great Hall."

"We helped him clean it up," Rei whined. She opened her mouth to apologise again when a clattering down the stairs made them all take notice. They saw Usagi rush out of the house, holding her broom.

"I wonder what's gotten into her now," Ami murmured.

She couldn't take it anymore!! She couldn't sit there and listen to them talk about her as if she were wrong for wanting to be like everybody else! Why did she have to be the giving Sailormoon all of the time? Why couldn't she be selfish just once in her life?

She touched down close to the lake, not too far from the house, but not too close either. She laid back against a tree and, after a moment, began to sob.

"Why can't I just be who I want to be?" She sobbed aloud. "I never asked to be Sailormoon. I never wanted it. Why can't I just be a witch, just do what I like to? Do what I'm good at?"

She sat back and looked up at the darkening sky. She spotted her former home, and picked out the sea of Serenity, the site of the Silver Millennium.

"Please let there be a way out for me," she prayed. "Please let be normal, without hurting my friends. Let me be who I want to be."

Rubbeus grinned. This was almost too perfect. He had a feeling he'd found his way of getting to the Senshi, and none of them would ever be the wiser about it. By the time Usagi realised what was happening, he mused happily to himself, she'd already have dedicated herself to the Dark Kingdom. He disappeared, Usagi never knowing he was there, to formulate his plan.

*Unmei wa Utsukushiku: Fate is so Beautiful, a very beautiful song recorded by the Voice Actress for Sailorneptune. Get the midi or something!