WARNING!!!: This story will have nothing to do with Usagi and everything
to do with Makoto, Ami, and Rei. There will not be much Minako, either,
nor Mamoru, nor the Outer Senshi. If you do not like stories without those
characters, you probably won't be interested in this one.
Disclaimer: I own nothing. Period. (Except maybe the characters whose names you have never heard before. You'll see them in chapter five.)
Harry Potter and the Bracelet of Gryffindor
Chapter One - The Girl Who Lived
"Albus!"
The bearded Headmaster looked up from his parchment at the sound of McGonagall shouting his name. He watched her hurry in, looking like she'd been running for a while, and smiled at the Transfiguration professor from behind his desk. Never one to turn down an excuse to take a break from the more boring aspects of being the Headmaster of Hogwarts during the summer, he motioned for the woman before him to take a seat.
"Yes, Minerva?" he asked cheerfully, "Can I -- "
"We've ... found ... her!" said McGonagall, breathlessly leaning on his desk.
Dumbledore sat up straighter, more serious, trying not to look too hopeful. Surely after all this time it couldn't be ... "Jillian?" he asked, "You've found her?"
"Yes," McGonagall replied, nodding, "Severus just received his owl back from Japan. She's living in the Juuban district," she paused, stumbling over the unfamiliar word, "In Tokyo. I believe he said something about Min-nat-to-kuu ... I expect we'll have to send Hagrid to collect them, won't we?"
"Yes, indeed we will, and I daresay that your Japanese will have to be brushed up, Minerva," Dumbledore said, smiling brighter still, "How marvelous! To have a foreign language speaker at Hogwarts."
"Indeed it will. There will be two others, I've just consulted the book. Rei Hino and Ami Mizuno," Professor McGonagall nodded, "And Mr. Potter. Surely he'll want to see his sister."
Dumbledore stood from his chair, hands clasped behind his back. He walked to the window and stared out at the castle grounds. "She's been a hard one to find, Miss Jillian Potter. I expect she'll be thirteen; a third year taking regular first year classes. ... I wonder what her new name will be?"
McGonagall started, looking quite surprised, "I hadn't thought of that. I suppose that her foster parents would have renamed her, wouldn't they? But why would they go through such lengths to hide her? And she'll have grown up as a Muggle, knowing nothing of her witch heritage, won't she. Oh dear ... "
The Headmaster of Hogwarts turned from the window to smile at the deputy headmistress. He was already planning out everything so that Harry and his sister would have plenty of time to meet, McGonagall knew.
"If she's anything like Miss Granger, she'll do fine," Dumbledore said casually, smiling once again.
"Suppose she's not?" McGonagall grimaced.
The last thing they needed was two Potters, three Weasley's, and one Granger getting into trouble all next year. At least, she thought bitter- sweetly, This is the twins' last year. Try as she might, however, McGonagall could not help but feel a pang of disappointment. Fred and George Weasley had always made the school a bit more interesting than it otherwise might have been. The Headmaster was still smiling when he winked at the Transfiguration professor.
"Then we'd best hope she'll at the very least turn out like Lily, won't we?"
Severus Snape, Potions Master of Hogwarts, was not happy. Oh no. Quite the opposite, he was very unhappy and looked about ready to hurt someone or something. Then again, many students would argue, he always looked about ready to hurt someone or something. For Professor Snape did not like Harry Potter, and here he was about to have Jillian Potter to deal with. Snape almost found himself wondering why Voldemort had waited those three years to kill James and Lily, thus giving them the chance to have Jillian, but quelled that line of thought. Though he hated Harry, he was still not the kind who would wish death on anyone. The Potions Master sighed heavily and sank into his chair.
"Just when I thought things couldn't be any worse," he muttered, "Fate comes by to kick me in the ass."
* * *
"Chotto matte, Rei-chan," Kino Makoto called over her shoulder, "I just need to get the mail, then I'll show you up to my apartment."
She was a tall girl for her age of thirteen, by Japanese standards, and had bright green eyes. She wore glasses for reading purposes only, and had a small, thin, scar on her collar bone. Hino Rei, eleven years old with raven black hair and violet eyes, smiled and nodded, leaning against the wall by the elevators. She had only been inside Makoto's apartment a few times, but that had also been before the Last Battle. Even now she didn't remember everything that had happened and she knew that neither Makoto nor Ami did, either. The three of them seemed to be the only who remembered each other, for they had passed Usagi, Mamoru and Minako many times in the streets of Tokyo; without receiving so much as a nod from them as hello.
"Owari?" she asked, hearing Makoto close her mailbox.
Her auburn haired friend came out of the closet sized room, fingering a small package. "Ready, mate."
Rei grinned to herself. Makoto had always had that slight British accent.
"Right then, here we are," Makoto smiled, watching Rei look around as if for the first time.
Then again, for all they really knew, it might just be the first time. She left her friend in the short hallway before the living room to place her mail on the kitchen table. The small box, however, she brought into the living room with her.
"Ne, ne, Mako-chan?"
Makoto looked up from her fiddling with the little box. "Nani, Rei- chan?"
"Hako o dare ga uketoru?"
"Wakatta nai," Makoto answered, shaking her head. She turned the box over. "There's no return address. Just my name and address written in green ink."
"Who sends a package with green ink?" Rei asked, wrinkling her nose, "What's inside?"
Makoto shrugged and grinned suddenly. "Right then. Enough with the box, we need to get my stuff ready, ne?"
The girls were planning a sleep-over at Rei's shrine with their friend Ami. She was going with her mother on vacation the next day, to France, and then Makoto was going to stay at the shrine until school started again, in three months. Rei nodded and began to walk to Makoto's room, but paused.
"What should I do?"
"You can help me drag out my clothes and such. I expect I'll have to get my kimono for the festival, ne?" Makoto paused, grabbing a suitcase out of a closet, "And my pajamas, and toothbrush, and hair brush, and ... "
Her voice faded away as she headed down another short hall and into her bedroom. Rei followed, grinning and shaking her head. Makoto spoke her Japanese, though fluently, in funny speech patterns that reminded her of a British person's and often used strange expressions such as 'right then' and 'mate'. She had also been over heard speaking to foreigners in perfect English, and not American English, either.
"Mako-chan! Don't forget your kitchen!" she called.
Makoto stuck her head back out of the door, looking confused. "Why would I need my ... Ooooh ... " she paused, grinning sheepishly at her friend, "Gomen. I get carried away sometimes, don't I?"
Rei nodded, very seriously. Makoto groaned and batted her hand in her friends general direction.
"Oh you! You were supposed to disagree there, you know."
"Oops. Gomen," Rei grinned, not looking a bit remorseful.
Makoto sighed. She ducked back into her bedroom and this time, Rei followed. This room was slightly smaller than the huge living room. There was a nice sized bed, big enough to hold two people easily, and two night tables on either side. One door led off to a small, private bathroom (the other was connected to the hall) and another led into her main clothes closet.
She also had a long desk, a phone, a "cabinet for random stuff", and a large bookshelf that Rei had never imagined Makoto owning, for it was full of books, text and novels, fact and fiction. Makoto never did seem like a person who enjoyed reading, but then again she was full of surprises. Along the walls were pictures of people, some Rei had never seen and others she knew. One in particular caught her eye.
"Mako-chan?"
"Mm?"
Rei walked over to the framed image, studying it. There was a four or so year old Makoto with two people on a beach in the dead of winter, judging from the scarves and overcoats.
"Are these your parents?"
Makoto stopped what she was doing and looked over her shoulder. Then she went to join her friend by the picture.
"Aa. Watashi no haha-ue wa kirei, ne?"
"Hai ... "
Makoto seemed to be studying the image. Suddenly she turned away. "They're not my real parents, you know," she said conversationally, "I was adopted by them. My real parents died too."
Rei gasped. She'd known, of course, about the parents she saw in the photo, but Makoto had never spoken of being adopted. Rather than pressing the issue, however, Rei decided to let it rest.
"So, which kimono are you bringing?" she asked instead.
Makoto smiled at her, glad for the change of topic. "I haven't decided yet. I figure I'll just bring the three and choose when the festival comes."
Rei shook her head, sighing as if disappointed. "Mako-chaaaaan," she groaned, "Must you always look better than me?"
"Maa, maa. Demo, Rei-chan, if I recall correctly, you're the Princess around here."
"Touche."
Together, they finished Makoto's packing and made sure all her plants were watered and would be properly taken care of by her next door neighbor. After those arrangements were made, Makoto grabbed a back pack in which she placed all her so called traveling things. These consisted of a CD player and her 200 some-odd CDs, a few books, and a small photo album that had only a few pictures in it. Finally, everything was set and Makoto was ready to go.
"Right, then," the auburn haired girl grinned at Rei, "Off we go, mate."
* * *
Mizuno Ami was already at the shrine when Makoto and Rei arrived, lugging Makoto's suitcase between the two of them. She was sitting on the front steps to the actual building (rather than the ones just to get up the hill) with her nose in a large book. Rei's crows, Phobos and Demeos, were hopping around her placidly, enjoying her company. She was a small girl of eleven years with blue hair that was just above her shoulders and bright blue eyes that sparkled with intelligence.
"Ami-chan!" Makoto called, waving with her free hand.
Ami looked up and smiled happily, waving back and closing the book. Phobos and Demeos took off and landed on Rei's shoulders, rubbing their heads against hers affectionately.
"Konnichiwa, Makoto-san, Rei-san!" she called down, "Do you need any help?"
Makoto shook her head and set the large suit case down at the foot of the steps. "Iie. I'll manage it later. Right now, we have some catching up to do!"
The three girls didn't often get together. Ami's mother, being a doctor at a famous hospital, often took her daughter to work with her on the weekends. During the week Ami was told to come straight home after school and was not permitted to leave without at least two day's advance permission from her mother. Rei went to a different school than Makoto and Ami and worked at the shrine with her grandfather because they didn't have enough extra help. And Makoto, not having parents, was forced to keep up her studies and an after school job to make sure she had enough money. As far as anyone knew, she did have living relatives, a family in London and one in America, but both families refused to take her in.
"Right then!" Makoto said, happily, "Let's go inside and start this party, ne?"
Rei and Ami grinned at their older friend and nodded.
"Shichiji-han, watashi-tachi bangohan o tabete, ne?" Rei asked as they started inside.
"Hai!" chorused the other two.
Later that night, after dinner, Makoto, Rei and Ami were lying around in Rei's room. Ami was reading that large book again, Makoto was immersed in one of her CDs, and Rei was getting into her pajamas for bed. The miko opened the shouji door near Ami to allow some air in, then kneeled down to find the bag of crow feed for Phobos and Demeos. Ami turned to watch her and noticed some very strange birds flapping their wings. Once they came into the light, she gasped and pointed at them, alerting her friends.
"Makoto-san! Rei-san! Hora, fukurou-tachi!"
Makoto and Rei looked to where Ami was pointing curiously. Sure enough, three owls were approaching quickly, heading right for the shrine. They landed in front of the girls, dropped three envelopes on the ground. When none of the girls dared to approach them, they clicked their beaks expectantly, hooting softly. As if on impulse, Rei threw some of the crow feed at them, which they dived onto gratefully.
"Mizu wa miwari ni ura," she called softly.
The three owls seemed to understand her, for they hooted and flew off after eating what they wanted of the crow feed.
"Sugoi! Rei-chan ga fukurougo hanasu!" Makoto grinned at her friend.
She walked around Rei, who was still standing in the door way, picked up the envelopes, and proceeded to drop them, staring down in shock. Ami and Rei looked at each other, than looked at her in concern.
"Makoto-san?" Ami asked timidly, "Daijoubu desu ka?"
"Midori no inku," Makoto whispered, looking up, "They're written in green ink! Same handwriting as ... "
Rei and Ami watched her run back inside and rummage through her bag, looking for something. Finally she found whatever she was looking for and held it up triumphantly. Rei recognized it to be the box Makoto had received in the mail. Ami stood and went to pick up the scattered envelopes.
"The same people who sent me this!" Makoto announced, "Sent those!"
"Are you sure?" Rei asked, taking the letter from Ami.
Makoto took her own, nodding. She tore hers open hurriedly, pulled out three pieces of ... is that parchment?! Ami thought in surprise ... and read it out loud:
HOGWARTS SCHOOL
of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY
Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore
(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock,
Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)
Dear Ms. Kino,
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted
at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find
enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.
Term begins on Semptember 1. We await your owl by no
later than July 31
Yours Sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall
Minerva McGonagall
Deputy Headmistress
Makoto looked at her friends, then pulled out the list and read from that.
UNIFORM
First year students will require:
1. Three sets of plain work robes (black)
2. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear
3. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)
4. One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings)
Please note that all pupils' clothes should carry name tags.
COURSE BOOKS
All students should have a copy of each of the following:
The standard Book of Spells (Grade 1)
by Miranda Goshawk
A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot
Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling
A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch
One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi
by Phyllida Spore
Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
by Newt Scamander
The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection
by Quentin Trimble
OTHER EQUIPMENT
1 wand
1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)
1 set of glass or crystal phials
1 telescope
1 set brass scales
Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad.
PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRTS YEARS ARE
NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS
When she finished, she re-read the invitation in shock, thus prompting Rei and Ami to look at their letters as well. They heard her muttering to herself while she read, saying things like "catching up in classes, what's that mean?" and "please be advised that you will be visited by a representitive? Who on Earth could know where we are?". They'd received nearly the same message as Makoto had, with a few differences. Whereas Makoto was wanted to leave for the school early so she could "catch up in classes", they were invited for their first year. Also, their letters held much less parchment in them than Makoto's (it appeared that she had gotten a private letter included).
"So now you can open the box, ne?" Rei asked gently, watching Makoto re-read her invitation to Hogwarts for the third time.
Makoto looked up, startled, then looked down at the box and nodded. She reached for the package, and tore off the wrapping, to reveal the box underneath. Another small piece of parchment fell out of the box top when she opened it, with only a very short message.
Once you have put this on, never take it off.
"I don't like the sound of that much, " Makoto announced, "But I must admit the bracelet is rather beautiful."
She held up a silver bracelet with two lion's heads adorning it. The clasp was at the bottom and the sides opened outwards to allow the wearer to put it on. Ami and Rei looked at it appreciatively, then they peered questioningly up at their older friend.
"What are you going to do with it?" Ami asked.
Makoto shrugged eloquently, "No idea. Put it on, I suppose," she paused, "And then I just won't take it off."
Ami looked decidedly worried.
"Demo ... Makoto-san ... "
"Shimpai nai, Ami-chan," Makoto assured, "It's just a bracelet. I'm sure nothing will happen."
Still looking worried, the younger girl nodded. She and Rei watched anxiously as Makoto snapped the piece of jewelry onto her wrist. Nothing happened. There were no sparks, no blinding lights, nothing appeared out of the lion's mouths, there was no booming sound; absolutely nothing to indicate that the bracelet was of any importance. Makoto grinned at her younger friends.
"Hora? Betsuni," she said soothingly, "Nanimo nai okoru."
Looking much less apprehensive, Ami nodded, and turned her attention to her books and other supplies list.
"Quills, a wand, three sets of plain work robes, dragon hide gloves, a hat ... " she paused, scanning the books section, "Standard Book of Spells, Grade 1 ... A Beginner's Guide To Transfiguration ... The Dark Forces ... " she shuddered, "This sounds dangerous."
"Saa," Rei said flippantly, "Not everything is safe. Life would be boring if it were."
"I suppose," Ami agreed, "But that doesn't answer the matter of my mother allowing me to go ... she's a doctor you know ... she doesn't believe in magic. And how on Earth are we going to get to London? We can't very well go off on our own, can we?"
"Someone'll come for us, I think. For me anyway, since they want me there before the start of the term. I guess I have a lot to catch up on," Makoto sighed, finally setting down the letter and playing with her bracelet, "But why're they two years late?"
"Perhaps it's because you moved," Rei suggested, "Remember, you've only been here for seven years."
"That's right," Makoto agreed, "I grew up in Britain ... we were coming here on the plane when it crashed ... "
The girls declined to continue that subject as a topic of discussion, a thing for which Makoto was grateful. It had happened seven years ago, it was true, but it was also the second set of parents she had lost. Her real parents she didn't remember because she had been only one when they died. Even now she didn't know where she'd gotten her scar from, because her adoptive parents refused to speak of how her parents died, or anything remotely connected to them. They had made it clear to her that she was adopted, and were taking her in because her relatives refused to do so.
"Mako-chan!" Rei called, waving her hand in front of Makoto's face, "Okite, okite!"
Makoto snapped out of her musings with an apologetic smile to her friends.
"Gomen nasai," she sighed, shaking her head, "We should really catch up on our gossip, now. The letters can wait until tomorrow, ne?"
Ami and Rei smiled indulgently and nodded. The letters were set into a corner with a book on top of them so they would not blow away, and forgotten for the rest of the night as the three caught up on each others' lives.
Disclaimer: I own nothing. Period. (Except maybe the characters whose names you have never heard before. You'll see them in chapter five.)
Harry Potter and the Bracelet of Gryffindor
Chapter One - The Girl Who Lived
"Albus!"
The bearded Headmaster looked up from his parchment at the sound of McGonagall shouting his name. He watched her hurry in, looking like she'd been running for a while, and smiled at the Transfiguration professor from behind his desk. Never one to turn down an excuse to take a break from the more boring aspects of being the Headmaster of Hogwarts during the summer, he motioned for the woman before him to take a seat.
"Yes, Minerva?" he asked cheerfully, "Can I -- "
"We've ... found ... her!" said McGonagall, breathlessly leaning on his desk.
Dumbledore sat up straighter, more serious, trying not to look too hopeful. Surely after all this time it couldn't be ... "Jillian?" he asked, "You've found her?"
"Yes," McGonagall replied, nodding, "Severus just received his owl back from Japan. She's living in the Juuban district," she paused, stumbling over the unfamiliar word, "In Tokyo. I believe he said something about Min-nat-to-kuu ... I expect we'll have to send Hagrid to collect them, won't we?"
"Yes, indeed we will, and I daresay that your Japanese will have to be brushed up, Minerva," Dumbledore said, smiling brighter still, "How marvelous! To have a foreign language speaker at Hogwarts."
"Indeed it will. There will be two others, I've just consulted the book. Rei Hino and Ami Mizuno," Professor McGonagall nodded, "And Mr. Potter. Surely he'll want to see his sister."
Dumbledore stood from his chair, hands clasped behind his back. He walked to the window and stared out at the castle grounds. "She's been a hard one to find, Miss Jillian Potter. I expect she'll be thirteen; a third year taking regular first year classes. ... I wonder what her new name will be?"
McGonagall started, looking quite surprised, "I hadn't thought of that. I suppose that her foster parents would have renamed her, wouldn't they? But why would they go through such lengths to hide her? And she'll have grown up as a Muggle, knowing nothing of her witch heritage, won't she. Oh dear ... "
The Headmaster of Hogwarts turned from the window to smile at the deputy headmistress. He was already planning out everything so that Harry and his sister would have plenty of time to meet, McGonagall knew.
"If she's anything like Miss Granger, she'll do fine," Dumbledore said casually, smiling once again.
"Suppose she's not?" McGonagall grimaced.
The last thing they needed was two Potters, three Weasley's, and one Granger getting into trouble all next year. At least, she thought bitter- sweetly, This is the twins' last year. Try as she might, however, McGonagall could not help but feel a pang of disappointment. Fred and George Weasley had always made the school a bit more interesting than it otherwise might have been. The Headmaster was still smiling when he winked at the Transfiguration professor.
"Then we'd best hope she'll at the very least turn out like Lily, won't we?"
Severus Snape, Potions Master of Hogwarts, was not happy. Oh no. Quite the opposite, he was very unhappy and looked about ready to hurt someone or something. Then again, many students would argue, he always looked about ready to hurt someone or something. For Professor Snape did not like Harry Potter, and here he was about to have Jillian Potter to deal with. Snape almost found himself wondering why Voldemort had waited those three years to kill James and Lily, thus giving them the chance to have Jillian, but quelled that line of thought. Though he hated Harry, he was still not the kind who would wish death on anyone. The Potions Master sighed heavily and sank into his chair.
"Just when I thought things couldn't be any worse," he muttered, "Fate comes by to kick me in the ass."
* * *
"Chotto matte, Rei-chan," Kino Makoto called over her shoulder, "I just need to get the mail, then I'll show you up to my apartment."
She was a tall girl for her age of thirteen, by Japanese standards, and had bright green eyes. She wore glasses for reading purposes only, and had a small, thin, scar on her collar bone. Hino Rei, eleven years old with raven black hair and violet eyes, smiled and nodded, leaning against the wall by the elevators. She had only been inside Makoto's apartment a few times, but that had also been before the Last Battle. Even now she didn't remember everything that had happened and she knew that neither Makoto nor Ami did, either. The three of them seemed to be the only who remembered each other, for they had passed Usagi, Mamoru and Minako many times in the streets of Tokyo; without receiving so much as a nod from them as hello.
"Owari?" she asked, hearing Makoto close her mailbox.
Her auburn haired friend came out of the closet sized room, fingering a small package. "Ready, mate."
Rei grinned to herself. Makoto had always had that slight British accent.
"Right then, here we are," Makoto smiled, watching Rei look around as if for the first time.
Then again, for all they really knew, it might just be the first time. She left her friend in the short hallway before the living room to place her mail on the kitchen table. The small box, however, she brought into the living room with her.
"Ne, ne, Mako-chan?"
Makoto looked up from her fiddling with the little box. "Nani, Rei- chan?"
"Hako o dare ga uketoru?"
"Wakatta nai," Makoto answered, shaking her head. She turned the box over. "There's no return address. Just my name and address written in green ink."
"Who sends a package with green ink?" Rei asked, wrinkling her nose, "What's inside?"
Makoto shrugged and grinned suddenly. "Right then. Enough with the box, we need to get my stuff ready, ne?"
The girls were planning a sleep-over at Rei's shrine with their friend Ami. She was going with her mother on vacation the next day, to France, and then Makoto was going to stay at the shrine until school started again, in three months. Rei nodded and began to walk to Makoto's room, but paused.
"What should I do?"
"You can help me drag out my clothes and such. I expect I'll have to get my kimono for the festival, ne?" Makoto paused, grabbing a suitcase out of a closet, "And my pajamas, and toothbrush, and hair brush, and ... "
Her voice faded away as she headed down another short hall and into her bedroom. Rei followed, grinning and shaking her head. Makoto spoke her Japanese, though fluently, in funny speech patterns that reminded her of a British person's and often used strange expressions such as 'right then' and 'mate'. She had also been over heard speaking to foreigners in perfect English, and not American English, either.
"Mako-chan! Don't forget your kitchen!" she called.
Makoto stuck her head back out of the door, looking confused. "Why would I need my ... Ooooh ... " she paused, grinning sheepishly at her friend, "Gomen. I get carried away sometimes, don't I?"
Rei nodded, very seriously. Makoto groaned and batted her hand in her friends general direction.
"Oh you! You were supposed to disagree there, you know."
"Oops. Gomen," Rei grinned, not looking a bit remorseful.
Makoto sighed. She ducked back into her bedroom and this time, Rei followed. This room was slightly smaller than the huge living room. There was a nice sized bed, big enough to hold two people easily, and two night tables on either side. One door led off to a small, private bathroom (the other was connected to the hall) and another led into her main clothes closet.
She also had a long desk, a phone, a "cabinet for random stuff", and a large bookshelf that Rei had never imagined Makoto owning, for it was full of books, text and novels, fact and fiction. Makoto never did seem like a person who enjoyed reading, but then again she was full of surprises. Along the walls were pictures of people, some Rei had never seen and others she knew. One in particular caught her eye.
"Mako-chan?"
"Mm?"
Rei walked over to the framed image, studying it. There was a four or so year old Makoto with two people on a beach in the dead of winter, judging from the scarves and overcoats.
"Are these your parents?"
Makoto stopped what she was doing and looked over her shoulder. Then she went to join her friend by the picture.
"Aa. Watashi no haha-ue wa kirei, ne?"
"Hai ... "
Makoto seemed to be studying the image. Suddenly she turned away. "They're not my real parents, you know," she said conversationally, "I was adopted by them. My real parents died too."
Rei gasped. She'd known, of course, about the parents she saw in the photo, but Makoto had never spoken of being adopted. Rather than pressing the issue, however, Rei decided to let it rest.
"So, which kimono are you bringing?" she asked instead.
Makoto smiled at her, glad for the change of topic. "I haven't decided yet. I figure I'll just bring the three and choose when the festival comes."
Rei shook her head, sighing as if disappointed. "Mako-chaaaaan," she groaned, "Must you always look better than me?"
"Maa, maa. Demo, Rei-chan, if I recall correctly, you're the Princess around here."
"Touche."
Together, they finished Makoto's packing and made sure all her plants were watered and would be properly taken care of by her next door neighbor. After those arrangements were made, Makoto grabbed a back pack in which she placed all her so called traveling things. These consisted of a CD player and her 200 some-odd CDs, a few books, and a small photo album that had only a few pictures in it. Finally, everything was set and Makoto was ready to go.
"Right, then," the auburn haired girl grinned at Rei, "Off we go, mate."
* * *
Mizuno Ami was already at the shrine when Makoto and Rei arrived, lugging Makoto's suitcase between the two of them. She was sitting on the front steps to the actual building (rather than the ones just to get up the hill) with her nose in a large book. Rei's crows, Phobos and Demeos, were hopping around her placidly, enjoying her company. She was a small girl of eleven years with blue hair that was just above her shoulders and bright blue eyes that sparkled with intelligence.
"Ami-chan!" Makoto called, waving with her free hand.
Ami looked up and smiled happily, waving back and closing the book. Phobos and Demeos took off and landed on Rei's shoulders, rubbing their heads against hers affectionately.
"Konnichiwa, Makoto-san, Rei-san!" she called down, "Do you need any help?"
Makoto shook her head and set the large suit case down at the foot of the steps. "Iie. I'll manage it later. Right now, we have some catching up to do!"
The three girls didn't often get together. Ami's mother, being a doctor at a famous hospital, often took her daughter to work with her on the weekends. During the week Ami was told to come straight home after school and was not permitted to leave without at least two day's advance permission from her mother. Rei went to a different school than Makoto and Ami and worked at the shrine with her grandfather because they didn't have enough extra help. And Makoto, not having parents, was forced to keep up her studies and an after school job to make sure she had enough money. As far as anyone knew, she did have living relatives, a family in London and one in America, but both families refused to take her in.
"Right then!" Makoto said, happily, "Let's go inside and start this party, ne?"
Rei and Ami grinned at their older friend and nodded.
"Shichiji-han, watashi-tachi bangohan o tabete, ne?" Rei asked as they started inside.
"Hai!" chorused the other two.
Later that night, after dinner, Makoto, Rei and Ami were lying around in Rei's room. Ami was reading that large book again, Makoto was immersed in one of her CDs, and Rei was getting into her pajamas for bed. The miko opened the shouji door near Ami to allow some air in, then kneeled down to find the bag of crow feed for Phobos and Demeos. Ami turned to watch her and noticed some very strange birds flapping their wings. Once they came into the light, she gasped and pointed at them, alerting her friends.
"Makoto-san! Rei-san! Hora, fukurou-tachi!"
Makoto and Rei looked to where Ami was pointing curiously. Sure enough, three owls were approaching quickly, heading right for the shrine. They landed in front of the girls, dropped three envelopes on the ground. When none of the girls dared to approach them, they clicked their beaks expectantly, hooting softly. As if on impulse, Rei threw some of the crow feed at them, which they dived onto gratefully.
"Mizu wa miwari ni ura," she called softly.
The three owls seemed to understand her, for they hooted and flew off after eating what they wanted of the crow feed.
"Sugoi! Rei-chan ga fukurougo hanasu!" Makoto grinned at her friend.
She walked around Rei, who was still standing in the door way, picked up the envelopes, and proceeded to drop them, staring down in shock. Ami and Rei looked at each other, than looked at her in concern.
"Makoto-san?" Ami asked timidly, "Daijoubu desu ka?"
"Midori no inku," Makoto whispered, looking up, "They're written in green ink! Same handwriting as ... "
Rei and Ami watched her run back inside and rummage through her bag, looking for something. Finally she found whatever she was looking for and held it up triumphantly. Rei recognized it to be the box Makoto had received in the mail. Ami stood and went to pick up the scattered envelopes.
"The same people who sent me this!" Makoto announced, "Sent those!"
"Are you sure?" Rei asked, taking the letter from Ami.
Makoto took her own, nodding. She tore hers open hurriedly, pulled out three pieces of ... is that parchment?! Ami thought in surprise ... and read it out loud:
HOGWARTS SCHOOL
of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY
Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore
(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock,
Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)
Dear Ms. Kino,
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted
at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find
enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.
Term begins on Semptember 1. We await your owl by no
later than July 31
Yours Sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall
Minerva McGonagall
Deputy Headmistress
Makoto looked at her friends, then pulled out the list and read from that.
UNIFORM
First year students will require:
1. Three sets of plain work robes (black)
2. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear
3. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)
4. One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings)
Please note that all pupils' clothes should carry name tags.
COURSE BOOKS
All students should have a copy of each of the following:
The standard Book of Spells (Grade 1)
by Miranda Goshawk
A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot
Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling
A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch
One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi
by Phyllida Spore
Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
by Newt Scamander
The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection
by Quentin Trimble
OTHER EQUIPMENT
1 wand
1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)
1 set of glass or crystal phials
1 telescope
1 set brass scales
Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad.
PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRTS YEARS ARE
NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS
When she finished, she re-read the invitation in shock, thus prompting Rei and Ami to look at their letters as well. They heard her muttering to herself while she read, saying things like "catching up in classes, what's that mean?" and "please be advised that you will be visited by a representitive? Who on Earth could know where we are?". They'd received nearly the same message as Makoto had, with a few differences. Whereas Makoto was wanted to leave for the school early so she could "catch up in classes", they were invited for their first year. Also, their letters held much less parchment in them than Makoto's (it appeared that she had gotten a private letter included).
"So now you can open the box, ne?" Rei asked gently, watching Makoto re-read her invitation to Hogwarts for the third time.
Makoto looked up, startled, then looked down at the box and nodded. She reached for the package, and tore off the wrapping, to reveal the box underneath. Another small piece of parchment fell out of the box top when she opened it, with only a very short message.
Once you have put this on, never take it off.
"I don't like the sound of that much, " Makoto announced, "But I must admit the bracelet is rather beautiful."
She held up a silver bracelet with two lion's heads adorning it. The clasp was at the bottom and the sides opened outwards to allow the wearer to put it on. Ami and Rei looked at it appreciatively, then they peered questioningly up at their older friend.
"What are you going to do with it?" Ami asked.
Makoto shrugged eloquently, "No idea. Put it on, I suppose," she paused, "And then I just won't take it off."
Ami looked decidedly worried.
"Demo ... Makoto-san ... "
"Shimpai nai, Ami-chan," Makoto assured, "It's just a bracelet. I'm sure nothing will happen."
Still looking worried, the younger girl nodded. She and Rei watched anxiously as Makoto snapped the piece of jewelry onto her wrist. Nothing happened. There were no sparks, no blinding lights, nothing appeared out of the lion's mouths, there was no booming sound; absolutely nothing to indicate that the bracelet was of any importance. Makoto grinned at her younger friends.
"Hora? Betsuni," she said soothingly, "Nanimo nai okoru."
Looking much less apprehensive, Ami nodded, and turned her attention to her books and other supplies list.
"Quills, a wand, three sets of plain work robes, dragon hide gloves, a hat ... " she paused, scanning the books section, "Standard Book of Spells, Grade 1 ... A Beginner's Guide To Transfiguration ... The Dark Forces ... " she shuddered, "This sounds dangerous."
"Saa," Rei said flippantly, "Not everything is safe. Life would be boring if it were."
"I suppose," Ami agreed, "But that doesn't answer the matter of my mother allowing me to go ... she's a doctor you know ... she doesn't believe in magic. And how on Earth are we going to get to London? We can't very well go off on our own, can we?"
"Someone'll come for us, I think. For me anyway, since they want me there before the start of the term. I guess I have a lot to catch up on," Makoto sighed, finally setting down the letter and playing with her bracelet, "But why're they two years late?"
"Perhaps it's because you moved," Rei suggested, "Remember, you've only been here for seven years."
"That's right," Makoto agreed, "I grew up in Britain ... we were coming here on the plane when it crashed ... "
The girls declined to continue that subject as a topic of discussion, a thing for which Makoto was grateful. It had happened seven years ago, it was true, but it was also the second set of parents she had lost. Her real parents she didn't remember because she had been only one when they died. Even now she didn't know where she'd gotten her scar from, because her adoptive parents refused to speak of how her parents died, or anything remotely connected to them. They had made it clear to her that she was adopted, and were taking her in because her relatives refused to do so.
"Mako-chan!" Rei called, waving her hand in front of Makoto's face, "Okite, okite!"
Makoto snapped out of her musings with an apologetic smile to her friends.
"Gomen nasai," she sighed, shaking her head, "We should really catch up on our gossip, now. The letters can wait until tomorrow, ne?"
Ami and Rei smiled indulgently and nodded. The letters were set into a corner with a book on top of them so they would not blow away, and forgotten for the rest of the night as the three caught up on each others' lives.