"Eep! What ARE they?" Kagome asked and jumped backward in fright.
"Uh, goblins, maybe?" Kurama suggested, not sure himself
"Hn." Hiei snorted and walked up to one.
"Ask for help at the front desk." the thing sneered.
"What are you?" Hiei growled, and drew his sword. he then pointed the tip of it a centimeter from the thing's nose.
"Goblin!" the goblin squeaked.
"Hiei, put your sword away."Kurama said.
"Hn." Hiei answered, but put his sword back in its sheath.
The goblin scurried away as soon as the sword was away from his face.
"Come on. I see a free goblin over there." Kurama said, pointing to one at a desk.
Kurama and Hiei immediately walked toward it, Kagome following cautiously behind, looking around. She did not like these creatures.
"Key?" the goblin asked as soon as they approached
"Uh, what key?" Kurama asked, startled.
"The key to your vault." the goblin answered in a bored tone.
Kagome snapped her fingers right when Hiei put his hand on his sword hilt.
"You mean something like this?" she asked and pulled out a small, golden key.
"Yes, exactly what I mean. Do you gentlemen have one?" the goblin drawled.
"Hn." Hiei said and pulled two golden keys from his pocket. Kurama didn't want to think how he acquired his own key.
"Hornook!" the goblin called, surprising Kagome and Kurama, and they jumped in the air.
"Show these *humans* to the vaults." the goblin at the desk said to another goblin that had appeared next to Kurama. Hiei growled at the word 'human,' Kagome glanced at him, as did Kurama. But Kurama then continued glaring at the goblin at the desk.
Then all three of them walked after the goblin called Hornook through another doorway.
Kagome was surprised as she saw not more marble, but just dirt.
Kurama relaxed as he saw dirt. He was getting apprehensive with all the endless marble. If someone attacked, he would have to use most of his energy to break through the hard rock.
"Is this a roller coaster or something?" Kagome asked as she saw the cart on a track.
"A what?" Hornook asked her.
"Never mind." Kagome sighed, realizing someone from the magical world, especially a goblin, wouldn't know what a roller coaster was.
Hornook just shrugged. "Get in the cart." he said.
"Why?" Hiei asked.
"So we can get down to the vaults." the goblin replied slowly, as if Hiei was mentally slow.
Hiei growled at the goblin, but followed Kurama and Kagome into the cart anyway.
"How do you steer this?" Kurama asked.
"You don't" Hornook replied casually.
"WHAT?!" Kagome yelled.
"You can't steer a cart. I'd advise you to sit down, miss." Hornook said again.
"Do as he says, Kagome. I think that cart is moving." Kurama said, tugging on her arm.
'When did I stand?' Kagome thought, but sat down angrily between Kurama dn the side of the cart.
"Eeek!" Kagome screeched as the cart gave a lurch and started down what seemed to be a VERY big hill. Kagome thought that she was lucky she couldn't actually see how far down it really was.
Hiei sat calmly, or emotionless, however you look at it. He was remembering a fight he had with a demon a few years ago, and had rolled off a cliff. He had his sword at the time, so he stopped himself by sticking it in the rock face. He then climbed back up. The demon, however, wasn't that lucky. This wasn't any worse tan that experience, and he was only six at that time.
"Here we are!" Hornook called after hundreds of twists and turns, ups and downs. He seemed unfazed by the ride, Kagome noted.
"This is the miss's vault." Hornook said and took out Kagome's golden key.
"This is mine?" Kagome asked as Hornook opened her vault. She hadn't ever had more than twenty dollars in her pocket at a time. She now saw two piles of god, a pile of silver, and three piles of bronze coins.
"What coins are these?" Kurama asked, looking at a bronze coin.
"That's a Knut you have there, sir. The gold ones are Galleons, the silver are called Sickles. Twenty-nine Knuts to a Sickle, seventeen Sickles to a Galleon. Very simple, really." Hornook replied.
*Ever heard of the coins, fox?* Hiei asked in telepathy.
*Yes, actually. I had some coins transported here...* Kurama replied for Youko, who was telling Hiei the story of how he 'met' the wizard.
"Grab a few bags of coins, and we'll be on our way." Hornook said to Kagome.
"Can you cash dollars for Galleons?" Kagome asked.
"Yes, you'll have to make the trade at the desk above, though." Hornook replied as the cart started moving again.
'My vault is halfway empty already. I'll have to get a job.' Kagome thought.
"This here is the redheaded sir's." Hornook called out after the cart stopped.
Hornook put Kurama's key in place and opened the vault door.
"Wow." Kagome gasped.
The walls glittered with gold. Jewels and precious stones were heaped everywhere. No space was empty of either gold, silver, or bronze coins, and some were jewels that could shine in the darkest night.
*How much stealing did you do?* Hiei asked.
*I guess a lot.* Kurama replied, himself awe struck at the sight of the glittering gold and jewels. Suddenly, Kurama felt embarrassed as he remembered Kagome's vault. He quickly put a little in his bag and scrambled back in the cart.
~Aren't you glad I do that type of work~ Youko said to Kurama as everyone else climbed into the cart after him.
~I would rather you have done an honest job instead.~ Kurama replied.
~Boring, you mean.~ Youko yawned.
~Only to a thief~ Kurama shot back.
~Being a thief takes skill~ Youko defended.
~Who needs that kind of skill?~ Kurama asked him
~...~
~Exactly~ Kurama said victoriously
"Here we are! Last stop. Emotionless sir's vault." Hornook said.
While Kurama and Youko were arguing, the cart had already moved to Hiei's vault.
Kagome giggled at Hornook's comment on Hiei. She thought it funny, but Hiei scowled at the goblin.
Hiei walked inside his vault, with silence. No one outside spoke either, for Hiei's vault was pitch black. You couldn't see a thing. Nothing sparkled in the shadows. It almost looked like a never ending tunnel.
When Hiei came out again a few minutes later, Kurama noticed that his bags were full as well. It seemed Hiei had done his share of stealing as well.
~It's a common profession~ Youko said.
~So why follow the crowd?~ Kurama asked sarcastically.
~There aren't many as good as I am, if any~ Youko prided smugly. ~They're trying to follow in my footsteps. I have to be there to lead them~
Kurama gave up the argument.
'I think somewhere it says arguing with yourself is bad for your health.' Kurama thought.
~Only in your mind~ Youko replied before fading once again in Kurama's mind. "Finally!" Kagome said as they got out fo the cart at the top.
Kurama smiled at her statement. He, too, was not fond of traveling around in a cart in the dark.
They stepped back out onto the busy street again.
"You made the right choice, Suichi." Kagome said.
"Why is that?" Kurama asked confused. He hadn't made a choice, had he?
"We now have money to buy our school stuff!" Kagome said happily and started walking down the street.
"Mental note." Kagome said out loud. "Go to Gringotts first."
"Hn. A mental note is supposed to stay inside your head." Hiei scoffed.
"Well aren't we a ray of sunshine?" Kagome said sarcastically.
Kurama coughed, trying to cover his laughter. Hiei? A ray of sunshine? (I thought it was funny ^^)
"What's Gringotts, Kagome?" Kurama asked her as soon as he recovered.
"That marble building we just came out of. The name is engraved above the door." Kagome said.
Kurama turned around to look back at the building.
"Oh." he said as Hiei snorted.
"Shall we try here?" Kurama asked, as he felt Suichi exclaim at the sight.
"Figures." Hiei muttered as the three went into the bookshop.
"Hello! Welcome to Flourish and Blotts. How may I help you today?" asked a man behind the counter.
"We're going to Hogwarts!" Kagome chirped (odd...)
"May I see your school list, ma'am?" the man asked.
"School list?" Kurama asked.
"Should be inside the letter you got." the man replied.
"Oh! I found it." Kagome said, pulling out a piece of paper.
Kurama and Hiei soon did as well.
"Ok, miss! Will you please read me your list?" the man asked.
"Uh, ok.
Course Books: 'The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1)' by Miranda Goshawk"
The man put three books on the counter.
"'A History of Magic' by Bathilda Bagshot 'Magical Theory' by Albert Waffling 'A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration' by Emeric Switch 'One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi' by Phyllida Spave '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" Kagome finished
"Well, there you go. By the way, I'm Hojo." Hojo said as he put three huge piles of books on the counter.
"I'm Kagome, this is Suichi, and that's Hiei." Kagome said, still browsing the books on the shelves. She soon disappeared into the bookshelves.
"Hey, is she your girlfriend?" Hojo asked Kurama.
"What? Oh no. She isn't." Kurama said quickly denying it.
"Oh, ok then." Hojo said, immediately brightening.
Kurama then disappeared also, but quickly coming back with two more books on plants.
Somewhere during that time, Hiei had come back with a book too. Kurama tried to catch the title, then wished he hadn't.
Hiei was holding a book call, '101 Ways to Cursing Muggles' by Blacint Bloodcul.
Kagome soon came back, carrying a book called 'Hogwarts, A History' Kagome looked at Hiei's book, then asked, "What's a muggle?"
"A muggle? Someone with no magic. Ordinary, in a sense." Hojo answered her as the three payed for their books.
As he handed Kagome her books, he asked her a question.
"Hey, do you want to go out some time or something?"
Kagome froze.
Hiei and Kurama both narrowed their eyes at the boy. He hardly knew her and he was asking her out? And she was just 10?
"I don't know you." Kagome politely protested.
"Exactly! We should get to know each other better." Hojo said.
"I'll have to get back to you on that. Shall we go, guys?" Kagome said politely and turned to Kurama and Hiei, bags of books in her hands.
Kurama nodded and followed Kagome and Hiei out the door, casting one last glance at Hojo.
Hojo went to the back room to begin his one of many love letters to send to Hogwarts, addressed to a Kagome.
******
"Where to now?" Kagome asked happily to Hiei and Kurama.
"How about there?" Kurama asked and pointed to a shop with a sign over it that said, Apothecary.
"Uh, sure." Kagome said and walked into the dark shop.
"What smells?" Kagome asked and covered her nose.
Kurama and Hiei smelled it too, unfortunately even stronger with their powerful noses. The smell of rotten eggs flooded everyone's nose.
They all bought their phials, scales, and cauldrons at the shop, and came out as quickly as they could. They gasped for fresh air, even Hiei, yet it wasn't as obvious as Kurama or Kagome's show of it.
"Wands, next?" Kurama asked. "Sure. There's a wand shop over there." Kagome pointed. "Ollivanders." she said.
They walked inside the musty old shop, for Kurama had seen a sign that said- Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C.
Kurama thought the building might fall down on them, for it was very old, and definitely looked its age.
A small bell rang as they went inside, and on old man came out. He looked as old as the building itself.
"Hmm. Ah yes! Higurashi! I wondered when I would be seeing you." the old man said to Kagome.
"Umm. Do I know you?" Kagome asked, trying to remember if she'd ever seen this man before in her life.
"No, but I know you. I am Mr. Ollivander. Come, come, I know the perfect wand for you." Mr. Ollivander said and disappeared into the back room.
He soon came out again with a dusty box.
"Redwood, 12 1/3 inches. Dragon scales, teeth, as well as a heart string. Try, try!" Mr. Ollivander coaxed.
Kagome felt ridiculous as she waved the wand around.
"No, no, no. I wonder..." Mr. Ollivander said, snatching the wand out of her hand.
"Hmm. Oh! Wrong box. Here, here," Mr. Ollivander said, coming back with another box.
"Again, redwood, 11 inches, though. Dragon heart-string, scales, and teeth." Mr. Ollivander said, handing the wand to Kagome.
Kurama didn't think anything would happen, as it was only a shorter wand.
When Kagome waved it however, blue sparks shot out and danced around her as she giggled.
"Yes, yes. Now for you sir." Mr. Ollivander said to Hiei. Hiei snorted.
"Here, try this. Yew, 13 ½ inches, phoenix feather."
When Hiei took the wand, boxes fell off the shelf.
"No! No, no. That will not due." Mr. Ollivander said, giving him another wand.
And another, and another. Ten minutes later, Hiei still hadn't found a wand, and he seemed about to set the place on fire, when Mr. Ollivander interrupted his thoughts. "Mmm. I wonder... Here try this." Mr. Ollivander said, shoving a wand into his hand.
Black sparks with a little red mixed in shot out from the tip of the wand.
"Hm. Oak 13 ½ inches, chain of werewolf teeth. A tricky devious wand that was. Especially hard wand to create. Rare to get so many teeth from the same werewolf, you know." Mr. Ollivander informed/babbled.
Hiei snorted, but seemed slightly pleased at getting a rare, devious, and dangerous wand.
"Now you sir." Mr. Ollivander said to Kurama.
Kurama took the wand Mr. Ollivander was holding out to him.
"Yew, 12 inches. Phoenix feather."
"Redwood 13 inches, Dragon heart string."
"Oak, 11 inches, Phoenix feather."
After a few more wands, the wand in Kurama's hand finally produced a dove. "Ah, Yew, 12 1/4 inches, Griffon feathers."
"Oh wow!" Kagome gasped as the dove landed on her shoulder and cooed in her ear.
The dove than flew out a window and disappeared.
They than purchased their wands and left the store, leaving Mr. Ollivander to go make more wands in the backroom, or whatever he does until the next customer comes.
"Glad we got out of there. He was creeping me out." Kagome said.
"Looks like only Madam Milkien's Robes For All Occasions left, and I guess somewhere to get parchment and ink." Kurama said.
"Parchment and ink? It IS the 21st century people." Kagome muttered.
Kurama chuckled at Kagome's statement as they entered Madam Milkien's Robes For All Occasions.
"Hogwarts, dears?" a woman asked them.
The three of them nodded, and the woman led them to a back corner, where a boy with blond hair was already being fitted.
"Hello. Are you going to Hogwarts too?" Kagome asked the boy, trying to be polite and start a conversation.
"Yes, I am." the boy drawled.
"Oh." Kagome said. Silence.
"I'm Kagome Higurashi, this is Suichi, and that is Hiei." Kagome said, once again trying to make conversation.
"I'm Draco Malfoy." Draco said smugly, like his name was important or something. "I'm one of the few pure blood families left. Are you?"
"Pure blood?" Kagome asked, wondering what a 'pure blood' was.
"Obviously not." Draco said. "What a shame. I would have looked forward to seeing you, at least, in Slytherin."
"Ok! You three are done." the woman said and handed them their robes.
They then went to go buy parchment and other necessary items and when they walked back out onto the street, Kurama had an idea.
"Why don't we just split up and see if we forgot anything?" Kurama asked, wanting to go to a store he saw selling seeds of plants, yet not wanting to explain what he was going to do with them to Kagome.
"Sure! How about we meet back here, in say, 20 minutes?" Kagome suggested.
Kurama nodded, and Hiei disappeared. Kagome and Kurama walked off in separate directions.
Kagome already had her destination in mind. Magical Menagerie. It had said that she could have a cat, an owl, or a toad. She had immediately wanted an owl. She already had Bouyo had home, who couldn't stand other cats, and toads she didn't particularly like.
When she stepped inside, she noticed it was very noisy, coming from one corner.
"May I help you?" the manager asked.
"No thank you, I'm just browsing." Kagome said and walked down the aisles.
She finally came to the last aisle, the most noisy one, and saw a magnificent creature. It was a white fox with silver tipped ears, paws, and tail. She immediately knew she wouldn't find another animal like him, and called the manager. (Somehow, Kagome always gets a fox... Interesting...)
"Sir, I'd like that fox." Kagome said, pointing to the fox.
"I'd advise against it, miss. She's a load of trouble, that fox." the manager advised.
"I don't care. I'll take her." Kagome said stubbornly.
As Kagome picked up the cage, an owl started screeching near by. It was the owl that was causing all the noise before.
"What's wrong?" Kagome asked the manager.
"It's the fox. Those two are like best friends, and can't be separated." the manager sighed.
"How much is the owl?" Kagome asked him, feeling sympathy for the friends.
"Y-You want to buy both?" the manager asked, stunned. "They're a boat load of trouble, both of them. Put them together, and you have an even bigger problem."
"How much?" Kagome asked impatiently.
"Uh, for both, 15 Galleons." the manager stuttered.
Kagome sighed. She only had 12 Galleons left.
"I don't have enough money." she said to the manager as she walked back to the door without either the fox or owl. Her nature was to never separate friends.
"Wait, how much do you have?" the manager asked her.
"Only twelve."
"Sold. I'll be glad to get these troublemakers off my hands. This opportunity may only come by once." the manager said and Kagome brightened considerably.
"Thank you, thank you!" Kagome said.
"Oh no!" the manager said as the fox opened her cage and leaped out.
The fox went around the store, knocking over things as the manager chased it around the store, the fox always staying an inch out of arms' length.
"Come here, girl. Stop wrecking the store." Kagome called.
The fox surprised both Kagome and the manager by jumping onto Kagome's shoulder.
"I guess she likes me." Kagome giggled and the fox nuzzled her neck.
The manager looked on with envy, remembering himself trying to touch the fox, and getting bit every time.
"Here's your owl." the manager said, and handed her the owl's cage.
The owl was as black as a starless night, with only silver tipped wings, a golden beak and golden claws.
"Thank you again!" Kagome called as she paid and struggled carrying all her bags, going out the door.
The fox then surprised her by actually taking one of her bags in her mouth to carry it.
Then somehow, the owl used a clever trick with its talons to open its cage and take another bag.
"I guess you're both full of surprised." Kagome said while smiling. She then put two of her fairly small bags inside her owl's cage, so now she didn't have too carry much.
"I'm going to name you Shinto." Kagome said to the fox. "And you Keiro." she said to the owl.
"I have to yet to figure out if you're male or female." Kagome said to Keiro, already knowing that Shinto was female from the manager.
Keiro hooted with what could only be male indignance that she couldn't tell his gender immediately.
"I get the idea, Keiro. You are clearly male." Kagome said, walking down the street with Shinto walking down by her feet and Keiro flying by her head.
Kagome sat down on a bench near the place where she was supposed to meet Kurama and Hiei.
Both of her new pets/friends dropped their bags by her feet with the rest of her stuff.
Shinto then settled on her lap, and Keiro on her shoulder. All three than waited comfortably for Kurama and Hiei to show up. *****
Hiei turned the corner. He had finally reached his destination. Knockturn Alley. When heading for Gringotts, he had seen this place and had felt drawn there.
This was his kind of place. Dark and mysterious. Keep out of people's way and they'll keep out of yours. Unless you look rich. That's another story.
He soon found a sword shop. He still kept his own katana at his side. Swords do much better that those ningen guns. That is, if you know how to use one.
Hiei entered the shop, and found the most excellently kept swords, along with cleaning supplies.
But along with swords, he found other weapons from earlier times. Bows, arrows, and even spears were well kept lined along the walls.
When he looked in a corner, he saw daggers lined in a row, shining their innocense at haven never touched blood.
"Can I help you?" a girl around Hiei's age asked him as she entered from a back room.
"You work here?" Hiei scoffed.
"Yes. You got a problem with that?" the girl asked hotly.
Hiei just ignored her and continued browsing.
The girl obviously didn't like being ignored, for she came over to him and hit him over the head with her overly large boomerang that had appeared out of no where. Hiei fell backwards to the floor.
"Sango! How many times does dad have to tell you to not hit the customers?" a smaller boy said as he came to the front of the shop.
"He was getting on my nerves." the girl called Sango defended. The boy just shook his head.
"Are you ok, sir? I'm deeply sorry about my sister. She is very temperamental." the boy said to Hiei.
"Hn." was all Hiei said as he dusted himself off.
"Did you need anything before my sister, uh, interrupted you?" the boy asked.
Hiei snorted, but bought three daggers from the shop before leaving to meet up with Kurama and Kagome.
*****
Kurama browsed through the plants, trying desperately to think of a way to get rid of the woman trying to impress him with her knowledge of plants, though she didn't know half as much as he did.
Kurama had been having this problem ever since he stepped into the greenhouse. Women had flocked to him, and whenever he had gotten rid of one, another would appear.
'You would think they'd be ashamed.' Kurama thought.
He sighed in annoyance as he ignored her and kept searching through the plants for something special.
After a few minutes more of searching, he gave up and left the store, only buying a few packets of seeds, all the while ignoring the women still trying to flirt with him.
He walked down till he saw a shop with a window display with a broomstick.
"The new Nimbus Two Thousand!" he heard a boy exclaim in awe.
Kurama stepped and looked at the display, where it only had a sign were it said it was the fastest broomstick and it went on and on about how much better it was than other broomsticks.
He shook his head. No matter how fast a broomstick was, which didn't seem very fast, as the only ones he knew could only sweep floors at a very slow pace, one could never be fast than a demon.
He threaded through the throng, which took longer than expected, as he kept getting blocked by girls trying to start a conversation with him.
He found Kagome and HIei already at the meeting spot waiting for him.
Hiei glanced up at him, before he glanced down at Kagome's lap.
Kurama looked at Kagome's lap and saw what he wouldn't expect to see.
A fox was curled up in Kagome's lap.
*****
Kagome saw Kurama arrive and stare at Shinto in her lap.
'Oh no!' she thought, 'What if he doesn't like foxes?'
"Does Suichi hate foxes?" Kagome asked Hiei.
"Hn. No." Hiei answered her.
"Ok. Good." she said as she felt relief flooding her body.
"Ready to go?" Kurama asked as he walked up to them.
"I am." Kagome said cheerfully as she picked up her bags. Shinto and Keiro picked up their bags as well.
"Hn." was all the reply Kurama got from Hiei, which was too be expected.
The three than walked back to the Leaky Cauldron, to step back into the Muggle World they would soon be leaving for the school year.
*****
I expect absolutely NO complaints about how long the chapter is. NONE I tell you. I realize the chapters before were way short, so I made this one way long. As you can see, of course. Just don't expect all the chapters to be this long, because it took me forever to get this written in my notebook, then all typed up. Three weeks to be exact. Would have course been shorter, but time is essential. Especially since basketball started up again.... I do have 9 other stories, so be patient, my young Padawans. (Star Wars! ^^ Absolutely love it.) Then my brother keeps stealing the laptop... Grrrr...
The Hidden One
"Uh, goblins, maybe?" Kurama suggested, not sure himself
"Hn." Hiei snorted and walked up to one.
"Ask for help at the front desk." the thing sneered.
"What are you?" Hiei growled, and drew his sword. he then pointed the tip of it a centimeter from the thing's nose.
"Goblin!" the goblin squeaked.
"Hiei, put your sword away."Kurama said.
"Hn." Hiei answered, but put his sword back in its sheath.
The goblin scurried away as soon as the sword was away from his face.
"Come on. I see a free goblin over there." Kurama said, pointing to one at a desk.
Kurama and Hiei immediately walked toward it, Kagome following cautiously behind, looking around. She did not like these creatures.
"Key?" the goblin asked as soon as they approached
"Uh, what key?" Kurama asked, startled.
"The key to your vault." the goblin answered in a bored tone.
Kagome snapped her fingers right when Hiei put his hand on his sword hilt.
"You mean something like this?" she asked and pulled out a small, golden key.
"Yes, exactly what I mean. Do you gentlemen have one?" the goblin drawled.
"Hn." Hiei said and pulled two golden keys from his pocket. Kurama didn't want to think how he acquired his own key.
"Hornook!" the goblin called, surprising Kagome and Kurama, and they jumped in the air.
"Show these *humans* to the vaults." the goblin at the desk said to another goblin that had appeared next to Kurama. Hiei growled at the word 'human,' Kagome glanced at him, as did Kurama. But Kurama then continued glaring at the goblin at the desk.
Then all three of them walked after the goblin called Hornook through another doorway.
Kagome was surprised as she saw not more marble, but just dirt.
Kurama relaxed as he saw dirt. He was getting apprehensive with all the endless marble. If someone attacked, he would have to use most of his energy to break through the hard rock.
"Is this a roller coaster or something?" Kagome asked as she saw the cart on a track.
"A what?" Hornook asked her.
"Never mind." Kagome sighed, realizing someone from the magical world, especially a goblin, wouldn't know what a roller coaster was.
Hornook just shrugged. "Get in the cart." he said.
"Why?" Hiei asked.
"So we can get down to the vaults." the goblin replied slowly, as if Hiei was mentally slow.
Hiei growled at the goblin, but followed Kurama and Kagome into the cart anyway.
"How do you steer this?" Kurama asked.
"You don't" Hornook replied casually.
"WHAT?!" Kagome yelled.
"You can't steer a cart. I'd advise you to sit down, miss." Hornook said again.
"Do as he says, Kagome. I think that cart is moving." Kurama said, tugging on her arm.
'When did I stand?' Kagome thought, but sat down angrily between Kurama dn the side of the cart.
"Eeek!" Kagome screeched as the cart gave a lurch and started down what seemed to be a VERY big hill. Kagome thought that she was lucky she couldn't actually see how far down it really was.
Hiei sat calmly, or emotionless, however you look at it. He was remembering a fight he had with a demon a few years ago, and had rolled off a cliff. He had his sword at the time, so he stopped himself by sticking it in the rock face. He then climbed back up. The demon, however, wasn't that lucky. This wasn't any worse tan that experience, and he was only six at that time.
"Here we are!" Hornook called after hundreds of twists and turns, ups and downs. He seemed unfazed by the ride, Kagome noted.
"This is the miss's vault." Hornook said and took out Kagome's golden key.
"This is mine?" Kagome asked as Hornook opened her vault. She hadn't ever had more than twenty dollars in her pocket at a time. She now saw two piles of god, a pile of silver, and three piles of bronze coins.
"What coins are these?" Kurama asked, looking at a bronze coin.
"That's a Knut you have there, sir. The gold ones are Galleons, the silver are called Sickles. Twenty-nine Knuts to a Sickle, seventeen Sickles to a Galleon. Very simple, really." Hornook replied.
*Ever heard of the coins, fox?* Hiei asked in telepathy.
*Yes, actually. I had some coins transported here...* Kurama replied for Youko, who was telling Hiei the story of how he 'met' the wizard.
"Grab a few bags of coins, and we'll be on our way." Hornook said to Kagome.
"Can you cash dollars for Galleons?" Kagome asked.
"Yes, you'll have to make the trade at the desk above, though." Hornook replied as the cart started moving again.
'My vault is halfway empty already. I'll have to get a job.' Kagome thought.
"This here is the redheaded sir's." Hornook called out after the cart stopped.
Hornook put Kurama's key in place and opened the vault door.
"Wow." Kagome gasped.
The walls glittered with gold. Jewels and precious stones were heaped everywhere. No space was empty of either gold, silver, or bronze coins, and some were jewels that could shine in the darkest night.
*How much stealing did you do?* Hiei asked.
*I guess a lot.* Kurama replied, himself awe struck at the sight of the glittering gold and jewels. Suddenly, Kurama felt embarrassed as he remembered Kagome's vault. He quickly put a little in his bag and scrambled back in the cart.
~Aren't you glad I do that type of work~ Youko said to Kurama as everyone else climbed into the cart after him.
~I would rather you have done an honest job instead.~ Kurama replied.
~Boring, you mean.~ Youko yawned.
~Only to a thief~ Kurama shot back.
~Being a thief takes skill~ Youko defended.
~Who needs that kind of skill?~ Kurama asked him
~...~
~Exactly~ Kurama said victoriously
"Here we are! Last stop. Emotionless sir's vault." Hornook said.
While Kurama and Youko were arguing, the cart had already moved to Hiei's vault.
Kagome giggled at Hornook's comment on Hiei. She thought it funny, but Hiei scowled at the goblin.
Hiei walked inside his vault, with silence. No one outside spoke either, for Hiei's vault was pitch black. You couldn't see a thing. Nothing sparkled in the shadows. It almost looked like a never ending tunnel.
When Hiei came out again a few minutes later, Kurama noticed that his bags were full as well. It seemed Hiei had done his share of stealing as well.
~It's a common profession~ Youko said.
~So why follow the crowd?~ Kurama asked sarcastically.
~There aren't many as good as I am, if any~ Youko prided smugly. ~They're trying to follow in my footsteps. I have to be there to lead them~
Kurama gave up the argument.
'I think somewhere it says arguing with yourself is bad for your health.' Kurama thought.
~Only in your mind~ Youko replied before fading once again in Kurama's mind. "Finally!" Kagome said as they got out fo the cart at the top.
Kurama smiled at her statement. He, too, was not fond of traveling around in a cart in the dark.
They stepped back out onto the busy street again.
"You made the right choice, Suichi." Kagome said.
"Why is that?" Kurama asked confused. He hadn't made a choice, had he?
"We now have money to buy our school stuff!" Kagome said happily and started walking down the street.
"Mental note." Kagome said out loud. "Go to Gringotts first."
"Hn. A mental note is supposed to stay inside your head." Hiei scoffed.
"Well aren't we a ray of sunshine?" Kagome said sarcastically.
Kurama coughed, trying to cover his laughter. Hiei? A ray of sunshine? (I thought it was funny ^^)
"What's Gringotts, Kagome?" Kurama asked her as soon as he recovered.
"That marble building we just came out of. The name is engraved above the door." Kagome said.
Kurama turned around to look back at the building.
"Oh." he said as Hiei snorted.
"Shall we try here?" Kurama asked, as he felt Suichi exclaim at the sight.
"Figures." Hiei muttered as the three went into the bookshop.
"Hello! Welcome to Flourish and Blotts. How may I help you today?" asked a man behind the counter.
"We're going to Hogwarts!" Kagome chirped (odd...)
"May I see your school list, ma'am?" the man asked.
"School list?" Kurama asked.
"Should be inside the letter you got." the man replied.
"Oh! I found it." Kagome said, pulling out a piece of paper.
Kurama and Hiei soon did as well.
"Ok, miss! Will you please read me your list?" the man asked.
"Uh, ok.
Course Books: 'The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1)' by Miranda Goshawk"
The man put three books on the counter.
"'A History of Magic' by Bathilda Bagshot 'Magical Theory' by Albert Waffling 'A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration' by Emeric Switch 'One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi' by Phyllida Spave '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" Kagome finished
"Well, there you go. By the way, I'm Hojo." Hojo said as he put three huge piles of books on the counter.
"I'm Kagome, this is Suichi, and that's Hiei." Kagome said, still browsing the books on the shelves. She soon disappeared into the bookshelves.
"Hey, is she your girlfriend?" Hojo asked Kurama.
"What? Oh no. She isn't." Kurama said quickly denying it.
"Oh, ok then." Hojo said, immediately brightening.
Kurama then disappeared also, but quickly coming back with two more books on plants.
Somewhere during that time, Hiei had come back with a book too. Kurama tried to catch the title, then wished he hadn't.
Hiei was holding a book call, '101 Ways to Cursing Muggles' by Blacint Bloodcul.
Kagome soon came back, carrying a book called 'Hogwarts, A History' Kagome looked at Hiei's book, then asked, "What's a muggle?"
"A muggle? Someone with no magic. Ordinary, in a sense." Hojo answered her as the three payed for their books.
As he handed Kagome her books, he asked her a question.
"Hey, do you want to go out some time or something?"
Kagome froze.
Hiei and Kurama both narrowed their eyes at the boy. He hardly knew her and he was asking her out? And she was just 10?
"I don't know you." Kagome politely protested.
"Exactly! We should get to know each other better." Hojo said.
"I'll have to get back to you on that. Shall we go, guys?" Kagome said politely and turned to Kurama and Hiei, bags of books in her hands.
Kurama nodded and followed Kagome and Hiei out the door, casting one last glance at Hojo.
Hojo went to the back room to begin his one of many love letters to send to Hogwarts, addressed to a Kagome.
******
"Where to now?" Kagome asked happily to Hiei and Kurama.
"How about there?" Kurama asked and pointed to a shop with a sign over it that said, Apothecary.
"Uh, sure." Kagome said and walked into the dark shop.
"What smells?" Kagome asked and covered her nose.
Kurama and Hiei smelled it too, unfortunately even stronger with their powerful noses. The smell of rotten eggs flooded everyone's nose.
They all bought their phials, scales, and cauldrons at the shop, and came out as quickly as they could. They gasped for fresh air, even Hiei, yet it wasn't as obvious as Kurama or Kagome's show of it.
"Wands, next?" Kurama asked. "Sure. There's a wand shop over there." Kagome pointed. "Ollivanders." she said.
They walked inside the musty old shop, for Kurama had seen a sign that said- Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C.
Kurama thought the building might fall down on them, for it was very old, and definitely looked its age.
A small bell rang as they went inside, and on old man came out. He looked as old as the building itself.
"Hmm. Ah yes! Higurashi! I wondered when I would be seeing you." the old man said to Kagome.
"Umm. Do I know you?" Kagome asked, trying to remember if she'd ever seen this man before in her life.
"No, but I know you. I am Mr. Ollivander. Come, come, I know the perfect wand for you." Mr. Ollivander said and disappeared into the back room.
He soon came out again with a dusty box.
"Redwood, 12 1/3 inches. Dragon scales, teeth, as well as a heart string. Try, try!" Mr. Ollivander coaxed.
Kagome felt ridiculous as she waved the wand around.
"No, no, no. I wonder..." Mr. Ollivander said, snatching the wand out of her hand.
"Hmm. Oh! Wrong box. Here, here," Mr. Ollivander said, coming back with another box.
"Again, redwood, 11 inches, though. Dragon heart-string, scales, and teeth." Mr. Ollivander said, handing the wand to Kagome.
Kurama didn't think anything would happen, as it was only a shorter wand.
When Kagome waved it however, blue sparks shot out and danced around her as she giggled.
"Yes, yes. Now for you sir." Mr. Ollivander said to Hiei. Hiei snorted.
"Here, try this. Yew, 13 ½ inches, phoenix feather."
When Hiei took the wand, boxes fell off the shelf.
"No! No, no. That will not due." Mr. Ollivander said, giving him another wand.
And another, and another. Ten minutes later, Hiei still hadn't found a wand, and he seemed about to set the place on fire, when Mr. Ollivander interrupted his thoughts. "Mmm. I wonder... Here try this." Mr. Ollivander said, shoving a wand into his hand.
Black sparks with a little red mixed in shot out from the tip of the wand.
"Hm. Oak 13 ½ inches, chain of werewolf teeth. A tricky devious wand that was. Especially hard wand to create. Rare to get so many teeth from the same werewolf, you know." Mr. Ollivander informed/babbled.
Hiei snorted, but seemed slightly pleased at getting a rare, devious, and dangerous wand.
"Now you sir." Mr. Ollivander said to Kurama.
Kurama took the wand Mr. Ollivander was holding out to him.
"Yew, 12 inches. Phoenix feather."
"Redwood 13 inches, Dragon heart string."
"Oak, 11 inches, Phoenix feather."
After a few more wands, the wand in Kurama's hand finally produced a dove. "Ah, Yew, 12 1/4 inches, Griffon feathers."
"Oh wow!" Kagome gasped as the dove landed on her shoulder and cooed in her ear.
The dove than flew out a window and disappeared.
They than purchased their wands and left the store, leaving Mr. Ollivander to go make more wands in the backroom, or whatever he does until the next customer comes.
"Glad we got out of there. He was creeping me out." Kagome said.
"Looks like only Madam Milkien's Robes For All Occasions left, and I guess somewhere to get parchment and ink." Kurama said.
"Parchment and ink? It IS the 21st century people." Kagome muttered.
Kurama chuckled at Kagome's statement as they entered Madam Milkien's Robes For All Occasions.
"Hogwarts, dears?" a woman asked them.
The three of them nodded, and the woman led them to a back corner, where a boy with blond hair was already being fitted.
"Hello. Are you going to Hogwarts too?" Kagome asked the boy, trying to be polite and start a conversation.
"Yes, I am." the boy drawled.
"Oh." Kagome said. Silence.
"I'm Kagome Higurashi, this is Suichi, and that is Hiei." Kagome said, once again trying to make conversation.
"I'm Draco Malfoy." Draco said smugly, like his name was important or something. "I'm one of the few pure blood families left. Are you?"
"Pure blood?" Kagome asked, wondering what a 'pure blood' was.
"Obviously not." Draco said. "What a shame. I would have looked forward to seeing you, at least, in Slytherin."
"Ok! You three are done." the woman said and handed them their robes.
They then went to go buy parchment and other necessary items and when they walked back out onto the street, Kurama had an idea.
"Why don't we just split up and see if we forgot anything?" Kurama asked, wanting to go to a store he saw selling seeds of plants, yet not wanting to explain what he was going to do with them to Kagome.
"Sure! How about we meet back here, in say, 20 minutes?" Kagome suggested.
Kurama nodded, and Hiei disappeared. Kagome and Kurama walked off in separate directions.
Kagome already had her destination in mind. Magical Menagerie. It had said that she could have a cat, an owl, or a toad. She had immediately wanted an owl. She already had Bouyo had home, who couldn't stand other cats, and toads she didn't particularly like.
When she stepped inside, she noticed it was very noisy, coming from one corner.
"May I help you?" the manager asked.
"No thank you, I'm just browsing." Kagome said and walked down the aisles.
She finally came to the last aisle, the most noisy one, and saw a magnificent creature. It was a white fox with silver tipped ears, paws, and tail. She immediately knew she wouldn't find another animal like him, and called the manager. (Somehow, Kagome always gets a fox... Interesting...)
"Sir, I'd like that fox." Kagome said, pointing to the fox.
"I'd advise against it, miss. She's a load of trouble, that fox." the manager advised.
"I don't care. I'll take her." Kagome said stubbornly.
As Kagome picked up the cage, an owl started screeching near by. It was the owl that was causing all the noise before.
"What's wrong?" Kagome asked the manager.
"It's the fox. Those two are like best friends, and can't be separated." the manager sighed.
"How much is the owl?" Kagome asked him, feeling sympathy for the friends.
"Y-You want to buy both?" the manager asked, stunned. "They're a boat load of trouble, both of them. Put them together, and you have an even bigger problem."
"How much?" Kagome asked impatiently.
"Uh, for both, 15 Galleons." the manager stuttered.
Kagome sighed. She only had 12 Galleons left.
"I don't have enough money." she said to the manager as she walked back to the door without either the fox or owl. Her nature was to never separate friends.
"Wait, how much do you have?" the manager asked her.
"Only twelve."
"Sold. I'll be glad to get these troublemakers off my hands. This opportunity may only come by once." the manager said and Kagome brightened considerably.
"Thank you, thank you!" Kagome said.
"Oh no!" the manager said as the fox opened her cage and leaped out.
The fox went around the store, knocking over things as the manager chased it around the store, the fox always staying an inch out of arms' length.
"Come here, girl. Stop wrecking the store." Kagome called.
The fox surprised both Kagome and the manager by jumping onto Kagome's shoulder.
"I guess she likes me." Kagome giggled and the fox nuzzled her neck.
The manager looked on with envy, remembering himself trying to touch the fox, and getting bit every time.
"Here's your owl." the manager said, and handed her the owl's cage.
The owl was as black as a starless night, with only silver tipped wings, a golden beak and golden claws.
"Thank you again!" Kagome called as she paid and struggled carrying all her bags, going out the door.
The fox then surprised her by actually taking one of her bags in her mouth to carry it.
Then somehow, the owl used a clever trick with its talons to open its cage and take another bag.
"I guess you're both full of surprised." Kagome said while smiling. She then put two of her fairly small bags inside her owl's cage, so now she didn't have too carry much.
"I'm going to name you Shinto." Kagome said to the fox. "And you Keiro." she said to the owl.
"I have to yet to figure out if you're male or female." Kagome said to Keiro, already knowing that Shinto was female from the manager.
Keiro hooted with what could only be male indignance that she couldn't tell his gender immediately.
"I get the idea, Keiro. You are clearly male." Kagome said, walking down the street with Shinto walking down by her feet and Keiro flying by her head.
Kagome sat down on a bench near the place where she was supposed to meet Kurama and Hiei.
Both of her new pets/friends dropped their bags by her feet with the rest of her stuff.
Shinto then settled on her lap, and Keiro on her shoulder. All three than waited comfortably for Kurama and Hiei to show up. *****
Hiei turned the corner. He had finally reached his destination. Knockturn Alley. When heading for Gringotts, he had seen this place and had felt drawn there.
This was his kind of place. Dark and mysterious. Keep out of people's way and they'll keep out of yours. Unless you look rich. That's another story.
He soon found a sword shop. He still kept his own katana at his side. Swords do much better that those ningen guns. That is, if you know how to use one.
Hiei entered the shop, and found the most excellently kept swords, along with cleaning supplies.
But along with swords, he found other weapons from earlier times. Bows, arrows, and even spears were well kept lined along the walls.
When he looked in a corner, he saw daggers lined in a row, shining their innocense at haven never touched blood.
"Can I help you?" a girl around Hiei's age asked him as she entered from a back room.
"You work here?" Hiei scoffed.
"Yes. You got a problem with that?" the girl asked hotly.
Hiei just ignored her and continued browsing.
The girl obviously didn't like being ignored, for she came over to him and hit him over the head with her overly large boomerang that had appeared out of no where. Hiei fell backwards to the floor.
"Sango! How many times does dad have to tell you to not hit the customers?" a smaller boy said as he came to the front of the shop.
"He was getting on my nerves." the girl called Sango defended. The boy just shook his head.
"Are you ok, sir? I'm deeply sorry about my sister. She is very temperamental." the boy said to Hiei.
"Hn." was all Hiei said as he dusted himself off.
"Did you need anything before my sister, uh, interrupted you?" the boy asked.
Hiei snorted, but bought three daggers from the shop before leaving to meet up with Kurama and Kagome.
*****
Kurama browsed through the plants, trying desperately to think of a way to get rid of the woman trying to impress him with her knowledge of plants, though she didn't know half as much as he did.
Kurama had been having this problem ever since he stepped into the greenhouse. Women had flocked to him, and whenever he had gotten rid of one, another would appear.
'You would think they'd be ashamed.' Kurama thought.
He sighed in annoyance as he ignored her and kept searching through the plants for something special.
After a few minutes more of searching, he gave up and left the store, only buying a few packets of seeds, all the while ignoring the women still trying to flirt with him.
He walked down till he saw a shop with a window display with a broomstick.
"The new Nimbus Two Thousand!" he heard a boy exclaim in awe.
Kurama stepped and looked at the display, where it only had a sign were it said it was the fastest broomstick and it went on and on about how much better it was than other broomsticks.
He shook his head. No matter how fast a broomstick was, which didn't seem very fast, as the only ones he knew could only sweep floors at a very slow pace, one could never be fast than a demon.
He threaded through the throng, which took longer than expected, as he kept getting blocked by girls trying to start a conversation with him.
He found Kagome and HIei already at the meeting spot waiting for him.
Hiei glanced up at him, before he glanced down at Kagome's lap.
Kurama looked at Kagome's lap and saw what he wouldn't expect to see.
A fox was curled up in Kagome's lap.
*****
Kagome saw Kurama arrive and stare at Shinto in her lap.
'Oh no!' she thought, 'What if he doesn't like foxes?'
"Does Suichi hate foxes?" Kagome asked Hiei.
"Hn. No." Hiei answered her.
"Ok. Good." she said as she felt relief flooding her body.
"Ready to go?" Kurama asked as he walked up to them.
"I am." Kagome said cheerfully as she picked up her bags. Shinto and Keiro picked up their bags as well.
"Hn." was all the reply Kurama got from Hiei, which was too be expected.
The three than walked back to the Leaky Cauldron, to step back into the Muggle World they would soon be leaving for the school year.
*****
I expect absolutely NO complaints about how long the chapter is. NONE I tell you. I realize the chapters before were way short, so I made this one way long. As you can see, of course. Just don't expect all the chapters to be this long, because it took me forever to get this written in my notebook, then all typed up. Three weeks to be exact. Would have course been shorter, but time is essential. Especially since basketball started up again.... I do have 9 other stories, so be patient, my young Padawans. (Star Wars! ^^ Absolutely love it.) Then my brother keeps stealing the laptop... Grrrr...
The Hidden One