I'm back~!! With the weekly update, as promised (although this may change later when the homework really starts loading on -___-`````). Am feeling very loved as of nowthank you to all my reviewers!!!

Standard Spoiler Warning!! Standard Spoiler Warning!! (see Ch. 1 for details).
Disclaimer: Don't own no nothin'. You got a problem with that? (I do.)

Now, for the Q&A:

Asher Tye: You caught me! I did consider (and start) a fanfic where Mokuba is in his first year at the Imperial School of Magical Artsuntil I realized I needed time to create this school in detail (all I have is the headmaster and one or two mundane courses). As for your other two questionsThe reason for the transfer will be answered next chapter - promise, promise - and well, Dumbledore *always* knows what's up in the wizarding world.

The Anonymous One, shiningcrystal, and Ice-Spirit Phoenix: Thank you, thank you.the Asian magic bit came from reading too much of that type manga~

Curtis Zidane Ziraa: Oh you're back!!! I know, I should~

Kaitourei: Yes, Tonks is from book 5 (if there's an OC, believe me, it's blindingly obvious)And by the way, I can't wait 'til you update on your fanfics! I love 'Tumult' and your 'Under the Wraps' thing got me hooked on Yami Malik

Peter Kim: Wow, it sounds like you've got a plot of your ownI don't think dear old Pegsy is going to figure in this fic (at least, not as much) but I digress. Yes, this takes place after Battle City and before the past-life arc. It's not dueling-centric eithera pity

Lady Addiction: Againthank you thank you.I guess it's because I have somewhat of a Ron-favoritism-complex going on *points to e-mail*

Muggle Studies

Ch. 4 - Diagon Alley...And What Happened There

A vision of cobblestone streets, row upon row of quaint shops with signs hanging above and wizarding folk hustling to and fro greeted Mokuba as he blinked away the dust that accompanied Floo travel. It was exactly as he imagined a typical British street would look, unlike the disappointingly paved roads and modern traffic jams of Muggle London.

Mrs. Weasley finished fussing over a dusty-looking Harry and strode over. "Since this is your first time dear, where do you want to go first?"

"I need to get to the Gringotts branch here first, actually. I don't have any wizarding money on me at all," he admitted sheepishly.

"Gringotts'll be that big white marble building straight up ahead, see?" Ginny pointed out. "I suppose you're going there to exchange your Muggle money, right?"

"NoI have an account, that is, uhm, back in Japan, and they should've transferred all the stuff to one here" Mokuba looked around at his new friends. "Tell you what, how about I go in there and get whatever I need there done and meet you somewhere, say, half an hour from now?"

"We can meet up with you right outside Gringotts here in half an hour," Hermione offered. "That is, if you really don't need us to come with youGringotts can be kind of intimidating at first"

Mokuba shook his head. "It'll just be a boring wait for you guys, and you all have your own school shopping to do anyway." When Mrs. Weasley opened her mouth to say that Of course she was coming with him, he hastily put in, "I'll manage. It's perfectly OK, I'm used to handling stuff like this on my own."

"If you insist then," Mrs. Weasley gave in reluctantly.

Ron put in a good word for Mokuba, who was looking decidedly uncomfortable. "Aah, leave him be Mum, it's not like those goblins in there are going to eat him up or leave him stranded in there."

"In half an hour then," Harry said as the Weasley group moved off.

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The agreed-upon time passed in a blur of goblins confused and disagreeing over vault account numbers (international or otherwise), but they eventually reassigned him vault number 826. Two high-speed underground rides later (Mokuba made a note to include roller coasters like these for future Kaibaland additions), and he found himself exiting Gringotts quite a bit heavier than he'd been going in - pockets and moneybags now loaded with gold.

Right on time, Harry, Ron and Hermione were waiting outside, each munching away at a large strawberry and peanut butter ice cream. As Mokuba approached, Harry thrust one into his hands, saying, "My treat. Call it a 'Welcome to Diagon Alley' thing."

"Oh, I can't - I mean," Mokuba fumbled one-handedly for his money to pay Harry back.

Ron slung an arm over Mokuba's shoulder. "Of course you can. It's strawberry and peanut butter ice cream topped with hot fudge sauce, whipped cream, nuts and look - there's the cherry. If Hermione here can wolf one down in mere seconds -"

"Ron!"

" - yeah, well, so can you."

The four then meandered their way around the colorful streets and odd stores. Mokuba wished they could go into each and every one of the stores, or stay long enough in each for him to examine everything of interest (they'd had to drag him away from the Dragons section of Flourish and Blotts - he'd been looking for stuff to send to his dragon-obsessed brother)but there were school supplies to get and he had to get his wand rechecked at Ollivander's (that odd little man that gave Mokuba the creeps). But finally, the group had all the books, parchment and potion supplies to last them a lifetime, if not a school year.

Huffing and puffing, Mrs. Weasley called a halt in front of another ice-cream parlor. "All right then, we seem to have gotten everythingMokuba, did you check that list Dumbledore gave you?"

He checked it again, crossing off all the items he already had. Replacement cauldron.wand checked "I've gotten everythingexcept my uniform."

"Madame Malkin's," Hermione said promptly, "Which reminds me, I need to go there too, for a new set of robes, and maybe some new dress robes"

"What's wrong with the set you wore at the Yule Ball, Hermione?" Harry inquired.

Ginny sighed sympathetically. "Oh, nothing, besides the fact that the Yule Ball was - two - years ago?"

"Oh"

Ron scowled. "This better not have anything to do with Vicky."

"Vicky?" Mokuba asked curiously. "That's the second time I've heard that name, who is it?"

Hermione just blushed and resumed, "Mokuba can come with me then, and we'll meet up with you all at"

" 'Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes'", Harry finished. "We did promise them a visit, after all."

"Well, then, now that that's settled," Mrs. Weasley shooed them all off, "I'll be taking all this back to the Burrow then."

Eying the sea of supplies, Mokuba found himself wondering How, even with magic, when Ron called out, "Good luck waiting for Hermione then, Mokubagirls take forever to choose clothes you know"

"We do nothing of that sort," said Hermione huffily. "Ignore that."

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Only when Mokuba had been waiting for Hermione for over an hour on the steps outside Madame Malkin's did the full truth of Ron's words hit him. His new uniform lay neatly packaged in a bag next to him, and he amused himself watching the brightly garbed passers-by go about their business. Just across the street, an old miserly wizard was going through the oddest antics to get a better deal, attracting quite an audience (although Mokuba wondered what type of bargaining involved purple-combed chickens that trumpeted like elephants). The shopkeeper had just threatened to stuff his purple chickens where they belonged on the miser when an arrogant, curly-haired boy about Mokuba's age strutted in front of him with his group of friends and surrounded the Japanese boy.

It's kind of difficult to ignore a group of people that appear out of nowhere, especially if it's clear they're trying to threaten you. Feeling slightly annoyed and claustrophobic, Mokuba said finally, "Excuse me, but do you have something you want to say to me? Because if you don't, I'd appreciate it if you backed off a bit."

Curly-top was either deaf or blatantly ignoring him. Mokuba gritted his teeth and tried again, less politely. "Hey, you're kind of in my face, so move off a bit, will you? You and your little gang."

Was it just him, or were they closing in on him? He got to his feet and faced the curly-haired blond, who was obviously the ringleader. "Look, you. Shove. Off. Before I make you."

The fair boy finally blinked and flinched disdainfully away, as if close contact with Mokuba would contaminate him.
"Oh well look, if it isn't a filthy Mudblood. The streets are dirty enough without this trash lying about, don't you think?" This was pronounced with a slight accent and his coterie laughed right on cue.

Mokuba usually prided himself on having a lot more patience and tolerance for others than his nii-sama, but after a long hard day of shopping, this really ticked him off. Besides, he didn't like the idea that he was one to be threatened.
"You'll find the street looks a lot cleaner close up," he chirped, "Shall I show you?"

"Get away from me, Mudblood. You should feel honored you breathe the same air as we pure-bloods do, filth."

Any smart response Mokuba might've had was interrupted by Hermione finally emerging out of the shop, hands full of purchases.

"Sorry, Mokuba, made a few more purchases than I'd expected - oh, are these new friends of yours?"

The blonde and his gang laughed at this. "And look at the nerve of this Mudblood, that she thinks we would stoop down to their level and associate willingly with them."

His tone caught Hermione short. She straightened up and said to Mokuba, "These pure-blood freaks are all over the place, but most of them don't have the skill their pedigrees claim. Come on, let's get going."

"Leaving already, Granger?" sneered a voice. Draco Malfoy, accompanied by the ever-present Crabbe and Goyle sauntered up to Curly-head and said, "Well done, Petyr. These Mudbloods are finally getting what they deserve."

Petyr drew himself up at this praise. To Hermione, Malfoy drawled, "What happened, Granger? Did Potty and the Weasel finally get sick of your ugly face and dump you? First time I'll credit them for good sense."

Hermione just tightened her grip on her bags and motioned for Mokuba to start walking. Malfoy caught sight of the younger boy and smiled.

"How sweet, Mudblood. Were you so desperate no one would go out with you that you're dating this baby boy?"

"You know, using that word all the time kind of makes it lose its impact," Mokuba retorted.

Petyr smirked, imitating Draco. "No, it just serves to put Mudbloods like you in their place."

He wasn't the only one who did good imitations. "Seems like you're already in yours, pathetic little dog. Tell me, do you bark on your own, or do you wait until your master whistles?" Mokuba grinned at the thought of him using Seto's favorite insult.

Apparently he wasn't the only one with a short fuse. Petyr snarled and launched himself at Mokuba, and his group had formed a ring around the two when Madam Malkin herself came out of the shop to see what all the commotion was about.

"What do you think you two boys are doing?! Fighting in broad daylight on the streets! And you," she turned to face Malfoy and his two cronies. "Just standing there and not doing anything to stop them! Get out of here, all of you, and shame on you!"

Draco and Petyr left with their little entourage, the younger boy looking back over his shoulder, as if memorizing Mokuba's features to get back at him at a later, more convenient date.

The Japanese boy picked himself up and dusted himself off. "Brat," he muttered. He looked up and suddenly caught a glimpse of a familiar, white-haired someone, but he just couldn't remember who exactly he wasone of Yugi's friends, perhaps? He shook his head, and when he looked again, that familiar stranger was gone. Maybe he was just seeing things.

"Hey, Hermione, Mokuba!" Ron and Harry ran up to them, panting. "You guys took so long at Madam Malkin's, we were beginning to worry that you'd run into Malfoy or something!"

Harry noticed the grimy Mokuba and asked, "Okay, something definitely happened."

Hermione sighed. "Boys." And she walked off to show Ginny her new clothes.

"As if that sums up all the problems in the world," said Ron to her retreating back. "So, Mokuba, what happened?"

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A/N: Again, Tonks IS from book five...and if Petyr comes across as a 2D, Draco-worshipping, petty character - good. That's the way I wanted him to be, at least for now....Draco will play somewhat of a bigger part later, but I thought Mokuba needed a nemesis and besides, Draco seems the type to create his own fan club. (No offense to Draco fans out there).

For those interested, I did a pic of Mokuba in Hogwarts uniform (kinda...didn't really do the research on it~) Just take out the spaces: htt p: / / ww w. boomspeed . co m / am ph ib ian / mo kub a _ h og wa rts _1 .j pg

Review...if you want ...you know I do....

~benign sadist~