Kagome was sitting in the Library, brow furrowed as she poured over
the list of all the students, marking the ones that had enrolled in
Wandless Magic.
It had been a long, stressful week, but surprisingly, Kagome
felt better than ever. She hadn't felt so alive since her days in the
Feudal Era. She had found a purpose and it felt great to be helping
someone again.
Madame Pince, the librarian, had left hours ago, but being a
teacher, Kagome had the privilege of staying as long she needed to.
Inuyasha had kindly volunteered to keep the others out of her hair in
order for her to get some work done.
"If you're not back after a few hours, I'm coming to get
you," Inuyasha had said warningly. "Stupid girl, you're likely to
overwork yourself.
Kagome understood that Inuyasha had his own unique way of
showing concern and appreciated it.
She jumped as the huge grandfather clock near the entrance
gonged twelve times, announcing it was midnight. Luckily, tomorrow was
Saturday, and she did not have any classes to teach.
Kagome blinked blearily as she crossed another name of the list
of students. She felt a slight prick on the back of her neck.
'Maybe I should go to sleep now,' she thought woozily. 'I can
always finish this tomorrow. . .'
She tried to raise her body from her chair, but her senses felt
slightly dulled. Her pen slipped from her hand and she slumped over,
falling into a deep sleep. . .
~*~
A huge building towered over the city, the tops of other
skyscrapers visible from out the room's windows.
"They failed in capturing the girl, didn't they?" asked a pale
man with long black hair and gleaming red eyes. He was dressed in a
black business suit with a blood red tie.
He was directing his question to an even paler man wearing a
similar suit only with sunglasses held up by a thin, snake-like nose
as well.
"My men," said the snake-like man, "are sometimes careless.
There are weak members in my fold that I intend on weeding out. Draco
insisted it wasn't his fault, but our newest-and youngest-recruit
showed great stupidity that will be punished. However, I cannot risk
losing any members at the moment. I have not yet returned to my full
power, and one well placed attack from that fool Dumbeldore will erase
all that I have gained in this short year."
"That is why we need the girl!" argued the other man, pounding
his fist on the mahogany desk, knocking over an ink jar. "She is the
key to ultimate power!"
"Control yourself," the snake-man said, sniffing disdainfully.
"You're lucky I took you in, Naraku. Without my protection, you would
already be dead."
Naraku took a deep breath, swallowing his anger, though hatred
still gleamed freely in his eyes.
"I'm keeping my end of the deal, Voldemort," Naraku spat
angrily. "After I activate the Shikon no Tama I want that potion."
Voldemort stood up from his chair behind the desk and examined
the buildings outside. The people walking on the streets looked like
nothing more than ants and the monorails no more than a child's train
set.
"Muggles. . ." he said softly. "They have taken over this world-
this world which used to be a place where demons used to reign supreme
and live in peace with wizard-kind. These muggles soil all of what was
once good. They take power as their own and squash what they consider
abnormal."
A tense silence echoed throughout the executive office before
Voldemort turned to face Naraku again.
"Consider the potion yours as soon as all these miserable
muggles are begging for mercy before my feet."
The vision faded to black. . .
~*~
"Teachers are evil," Ron moaned, dropping a bag overflowing with
textbooks onto a chair in the Gryffindor Common Room.
"I agree," Seamus Finnigan said. "You'd think they'd give us a
bloody break after the OWLS last year, but instead, they're giving us
more work than ever!"
Hermione, always the voice of reason, dutifully pulled out her
Potions notes and a few pieces of parchment before stating, "Well the
more work we get, the more they're helping us to learn."
"Hermione?"
"Yes Ron?"
"Shut up."
The brown-haired girl rolled her eyes before reburying herself
in work.
"At least the week is over," Harry said. "And we have until
Monday to finish all this stuff."
"Good point, mate," said Ron, throwing his books into a random
corner. "How 'bout a game of chess?"
Harry sighed. After a long day of work he wasn't in the mood to
be whipped by Ron in a game of chess. He looked longingly out the
window at the slightly dimming sky.
"No thanks, Ron. I think I'm going to go for a ride before it
gets to dark."
Hermione and Ron exchanged slightly worried looks as a depressed
Harry headed up the stairs to his dormitory.
The Sixth Year boys' dormitory was completely empty. Everyone
was in the Common Room celebrating a very welcome weekend. Despite the
fact he wanted to be down there with the others, Harry felt a great
restlessness building up within himself. He couldn't sit back and
enjoy himself. Not with Voldemort still out there, biding his time.
Not with Sirius dead. . .
Harry shook his head angrily, the image of Sirius's surprised
face right before he fell through the doorway floating through his
mind. Opening his trunk, he wrenched out his Firebolt.
For a second, everything faded into the background as he gently
ran his hands over the wood of the broomstick. The word 'Firebolt'
gleamed at him in gold from the broom's handle. Without bothering to
leave from the school's main exit, he simply opened the window and
shot outside.
He desperately needed to clear his head and flying always
helped.
~*~
"Ka'ome. . .'ome. . ."
Kagome's eyelashes fluttered softly as she struggled to pull
herself out of sleep.
"Kagome. . .?"
Said girl opened her eyes and instantly wished she hadn't. The
room she was in was completely washed and she could feel a migraine
forming from the intense light piercing her sight.
"Oh Kagome! You're awake! Madame Promfey, she's awake now."
Kagome's brain felt very fuzzy. The first thing that swam into
her vision was Harry Potter's worried face looking down at her.
"Harry?" she murmured.
"Oh good she's awake! Drink this Ms. Higurashi."
A foul smelling potion was quickly shoved down Kagome's throat,
and she coughed at the bitter taste.
"Where am I?" she croaked.
"Hospital Wing," Harry said shortly, wiping some sweat off her
forehead with a clean cloth. "I found you in one of the corridors near
the Library."
Kagome tried to remember. "Oh yea! I must have fallen asleep-"
"Someone made you fall asleep," Harry corrected, gesturing for
her to sit up. She did so and he brushed her hair aside to expose the
back of her neck, causing her to shiver for reasons unknown to her.
"My word. . ." Madame Promfey said.
A small dart was embedded in the back of her neck.
"I'm pretty sure it's a tranquilizer dart. I tried removing it,
but it wouldn't budge so I figured we'd have to do it magically
somehow," Harry explained.
"Cherry," Madame Promfey said to a nearby house elf, "go get
Professor Dumbledore quickly. A teacher has been attacked."
'But why?' Harry wondered, gazing at the dart still in the
trembling girl's neck. 'Who would use a muggle weapon to hurt Kagome?'
~*~
A few minutes later, Dumbledore swept into the Hopsital Wing
looking very grave. He was followed by an exhausted Snape who glared
at Harry nastily when he caught sight of the boy.
"Harry," Dumbledore started, "please explain what has happened."
"Including why you were out of bed so late," Snape added
sneeringly.
Harry sighed wearily before explaining his inability to sleep
and how he had discovered Kagome's unconscious body lying in the
hallway.
"But I don't think she had sleep walked," he stated
thoughtfully. "She was sprawled out in a heap. It was almost as if-"
"Someone had tried to abduct me," Kagome said quietly.
The others jumped. Kagome had remained silent throughout the
interrogation, and they had almost forgotten she was there.
"It happened a few nights ago, I forgot to tell you Professor
Dumbledore. Inuyasha smelt that someone had broken into my room while
he was picking up my friends."
Madame Promfey was flabbergasted. "Impossible! Someone breaking
into Hogwarts?!"
Dumbledore looked extremely weary. "They might already be inside
the school, Poppy. It's happened before."
An uneasy silence fell over the group upon hearing this
possibility.
"Ms. Higurashi, may I please see your neck?" Snape asked.
Kagome nodded before bowing her head and brushing her hair
aside. The Potions Master laid his hands gently on the girl's neck,
prodding the skin around the dart carefully before muttering an
incantation and wrenching the projectile out. Kagome winced at the
action.
"I'll take this to be examined," Snape said in a business tone,
though Kagome could clearly see worry in his eyes. He swept out of the
wing, robes billowing behind him.
"Harry, you better head off to bed," Dumbledore said, gesturing
to him the boy. "You can visit Kagome tomorrow. I'll also notify
Inuyasha of this right away, Kagome. No doubt he's tearing apart my
school in search of you as we speak." He seemed slightly amused at
this thought. "Goodnight."
"Goodnight, Headmaster," both of them echoed as Dumbledore and
Promfey exited the room.
"Wait," Kagome called as Harry turned to leave. "Um, I. . ." she
stuttered as his green eyes pierced her expectantly.
"Thank you," she blurted out. "You probably saved me life.
Whoever was trying to get me must have heard you coming and panicked
so um. . .thank you, Harry."
And for the first time, Kagome noticed just how *weighted* the
boy looked. While he was around her age in body, in soul he looked to
be older than Dumbledore. However, his eyes glowed with a cheerful
light upon hearing her heartfelt praise.
"Anytime, Kagome."
~*~
NOTES AND RAMBLING (feel free to skip)
A/N: Yes I know, after pulling such a long 'disappearing act'
this is a pathetically short chapter to be posting. I just wanted to
get something out though so you guys don't think I'm dead. Personally,
I hate when author's ditch their stories and that's why I figured two
months is waaaaaay too long a time to leave this without updating.
Unfortunately, I have some pretty pathetic excuses. Among them are
writer's block, loss of interest in Inuyasha, and my eye infection
(which is finally getting better THANK GOD). But the real thing
getting in the way is my social life ^.^;; Lol you all have The
Jabberwocky Samauri to thank for sending me a review that inspired me
to get off my lazy ass and update. Hopefully the next chapter will be
out soon (and it will be longer). Hope everyone had a nice
Thanksgiving! THANKS FOR BEING SO PATIENT! And please review!
It had been a long, stressful week, but surprisingly, Kagome
felt better than ever. She hadn't felt so alive since her days in the
Feudal Era. She had found a purpose and it felt great to be helping
someone again.
Madame Pince, the librarian, had left hours ago, but being a
teacher, Kagome had the privilege of staying as long she needed to.
Inuyasha had kindly volunteered to keep the others out of her hair in
order for her to get some work done.
"If you're not back after a few hours, I'm coming to get
you," Inuyasha had said warningly. "Stupid girl, you're likely to
overwork yourself.
Kagome understood that Inuyasha had his own unique way of
showing concern and appreciated it.
She jumped as the huge grandfather clock near the entrance
gonged twelve times, announcing it was midnight. Luckily, tomorrow was
Saturday, and she did not have any classes to teach.
Kagome blinked blearily as she crossed another name of the list
of students. She felt a slight prick on the back of her neck.
'Maybe I should go to sleep now,' she thought woozily. 'I can
always finish this tomorrow. . .'
She tried to raise her body from her chair, but her senses felt
slightly dulled. Her pen slipped from her hand and she slumped over,
falling into a deep sleep. . .
~*~
A huge building towered over the city, the tops of other
skyscrapers visible from out the room's windows.
"They failed in capturing the girl, didn't they?" asked a pale
man with long black hair and gleaming red eyes. He was dressed in a
black business suit with a blood red tie.
He was directing his question to an even paler man wearing a
similar suit only with sunglasses held up by a thin, snake-like nose
as well.
"My men," said the snake-like man, "are sometimes careless.
There are weak members in my fold that I intend on weeding out. Draco
insisted it wasn't his fault, but our newest-and youngest-recruit
showed great stupidity that will be punished. However, I cannot risk
losing any members at the moment. I have not yet returned to my full
power, and one well placed attack from that fool Dumbeldore will erase
all that I have gained in this short year."
"That is why we need the girl!" argued the other man, pounding
his fist on the mahogany desk, knocking over an ink jar. "She is the
key to ultimate power!"
"Control yourself," the snake-man said, sniffing disdainfully.
"You're lucky I took you in, Naraku. Without my protection, you would
already be dead."
Naraku took a deep breath, swallowing his anger, though hatred
still gleamed freely in his eyes.
"I'm keeping my end of the deal, Voldemort," Naraku spat
angrily. "After I activate the Shikon no Tama I want that potion."
Voldemort stood up from his chair behind the desk and examined
the buildings outside. The people walking on the streets looked like
nothing more than ants and the monorails no more than a child's train
set.
"Muggles. . ." he said softly. "They have taken over this world-
this world which used to be a place where demons used to reign supreme
and live in peace with wizard-kind. These muggles soil all of what was
once good. They take power as their own and squash what they consider
abnormal."
A tense silence echoed throughout the executive office before
Voldemort turned to face Naraku again.
"Consider the potion yours as soon as all these miserable
muggles are begging for mercy before my feet."
The vision faded to black. . .
~*~
"Teachers are evil," Ron moaned, dropping a bag overflowing with
textbooks onto a chair in the Gryffindor Common Room.
"I agree," Seamus Finnigan said. "You'd think they'd give us a
bloody break after the OWLS last year, but instead, they're giving us
more work than ever!"
Hermione, always the voice of reason, dutifully pulled out her
Potions notes and a few pieces of parchment before stating, "Well the
more work we get, the more they're helping us to learn."
"Hermione?"
"Yes Ron?"
"Shut up."
The brown-haired girl rolled her eyes before reburying herself
in work.
"At least the week is over," Harry said. "And we have until
Monday to finish all this stuff."
"Good point, mate," said Ron, throwing his books into a random
corner. "How 'bout a game of chess?"
Harry sighed. After a long day of work he wasn't in the mood to
be whipped by Ron in a game of chess. He looked longingly out the
window at the slightly dimming sky.
"No thanks, Ron. I think I'm going to go for a ride before it
gets to dark."
Hermione and Ron exchanged slightly worried looks as a depressed
Harry headed up the stairs to his dormitory.
The Sixth Year boys' dormitory was completely empty. Everyone
was in the Common Room celebrating a very welcome weekend. Despite the
fact he wanted to be down there with the others, Harry felt a great
restlessness building up within himself. He couldn't sit back and
enjoy himself. Not with Voldemort still out there, biding his time.
Not with Sirius dead. . .
Harry shook his head angrily, the image of Sirius's surprised
face right before he fell through the doorway floating through his
mind. Opening his trunk, he wrenched out his Firebolt.
For a second, everything faded into the background as he gently
ran his hands over the wood of the broomstick. The word 'Firebolt'
gleamed at him in gold from the broom's handle. Without bothering to
leave from the school's main exit, he simply opened the window and
shot outside.
He desperately needed to clear his head and flying always
helped.
~*~
"Ka'ome. . .'ome. . ."
Kagome's eyelashes fluttered softly as she struggled to pull
herself out of sleep.
"Kagome. . .?"
Said girl opened her eyes and instantly wished she hadn't. The
room she was in was completely washed and she could feel a migraine
forming from the intense light piercing her sight.
"Oh Kagome! You're awake! Madame Promfey, she's awake now."
Kagome's brain felt very fuzzy. The first thing that swam into
her vision was Harry Potter's worried face looking down at her.
"Harry?" she murmured.
"Oh good she's awake! Drink this Ms. Higurashi."
A foul smelling potion was quickly shoved down Kagome's throat,
and she coughed at the bitter taste.
"Where am I?" she croaked.
"Hospital Wing," Harry said shortly, wiping some sweat off her
forehead with a clean cloth. "I found you in one of the corridors near
the Library."
Kagome tried to remember. "Oh yea! I must have fallen asleep-"
"Someone made you fall asleep," Harry corrected, gesturing for
her to sit up. She did so and he brushed her hair aside to expose the
back of her neck, causing her to shiver for reasons unknown to her.
"My word. . ." Madame Promfey said.
A small dart was embedded in the back of her neck.
"I'm pretty sure it's a tranquilizer dart. I tried removing it,
but it wouldn't budge so I figured we'd have to do it magically
somehow," Harry explained.
"Cherry," Madame Promfey said to a nearby house elf, "go get
Professor Dumbledore quickly. A teacher has been attacked."
'But why?' Harry wondered, gazing at the dart still in the
trembling girl's neck. 'Who would use a muggle weapon to hurt Kagome?'
~*~
A few minutes later, Dumbledore swept into the Hopsital Wing
looking very grave. He was followed by an exhausted Snape who glared
at Harry nastily when he caught sight of the boy.
"Harry," Dumbledore started, "please explain what has happened."
"Including why you were out of bed so late," Snape added
sneeringly.
Harry sighed wearily before explaining his inability to sleep
and how he had discovered Kagome's unconscious body lying in the
hallway.
"But I don't think she had sleep walked," he stated
thoughtfully. "She was sprawled out in a heap. It was almost as if-"
"Someone had tried to abduct me," Kagome said quietly.
The others jumped. Kagome had remained silent throughout the
interrogation, and they had almost forgotten she was there.
"It happened a few nights ago, I forgot to tell you Professor
Dumbledore. Inuyasha smelt that someone had broken into my room while
he was picking up my friends."
Madame Promfey was flabbergasted. "Impossible! Someone breaking
into Hogwarts?!"
Dumbledore looked extremely weary. "They might already be inside
the school, Poppy. It's happened before."
An uneasy silence fell over the group upon hearing this
possibility.
"Ms. Higurashi, may I please see your neck?" Snape asked.
Kagome nodded before bowing her head and brushing her hair
aside. The Potions Master laid his hands gently on the girl's neck,
prodding the skin around the dart carefully before muttering an
incantation and wrenching the projectile out. Kagome winced at the
action.
"I'll take this to be examined," Snape said in a business tone,
though Kagome could clearly see worry in his eyes. He swept out of the
wing, robes billowing behind him.
"Harry, you better head off to bed," Dumbledore said, gesturing
to him the boy. "You can visit Kagome tomorrow. I'll also notify
Inuyasha of this right away, Kagome. No doubt he's tearing apart my
school in search of you as we speak." He seemed slightly amused at
this thought. "Goodnight."
"Goodnight, Headmaster," both of them echoed as Dumbledore and
Promfey exited the room.
"Wait," Kagome called as Harry turned to leave. "Um, I. . ." she
stuttered as his green eyes pierced her expectantly.
"Thank you," she blurted out. "You probably saved me life.
Whoever was trying to get me must have heard you coming and panicked
so um. . .thank you, Harry."
And for the first time, Kagome noticed just how *weighted* the
boy looked. While he was around her age in body, in soul he looked to
be older than Dumbledore. However, his eyes glowed with a cheerful
light upon hearing her heartfelt praise.
"Anytime, Kagome."
~*~
NOTES AND RAMBLING (feel free to skip)
A/N: Yes I know, after pulling such a long 'disappearing act'
this is a pathetically short chapter to be posting. I just wanted to
get something out though so you guys don't think I'm dead. Personally,
I hate when author's ditch their stories and that's why I figured two
months is waaaaaay too long a time to leave this without updating.
Unfortunately, I have some pretty pathetic excuses. Among them are
writer's block, loss of interest in Inuyasha, and my eye infection
(which is finally getting better THANK GOD). But the real thing
getting in the way is my social life ^.^;; Lol you all have The
Jabberwocky Samauri to thank for sending me a review that inspired me
to get off my lazy ass and update. Hopefully the next chapter will be
out soon (and it will be longer). Hope everyone had a nice
Thanksgiving! THANKS FOR BEING SO PATIENT! And please review!