Chapter eight:

Equal Adversaries

They just wouldn't go away.  No matter how hard she tried, they would just come back.  Staring at the mirror helplessly, she felt tears fill her eyes.  She had tried using the crystal, had even tried using the bottles from the medical kit under her sink.  But nothing worked.

She dropped her head into her awaiting hands.  Her elbows were bent, digging into the counter, as her hands clutched her hair.  Kami sama!  She had never had problems like this.  Never!

"Usagi are you okay?"  Luna waited outside for her.  Probably worried, since her owner had spent half the morning in the bathroom.

After Draco had left, she hadn't been able to sleep.  Not with him on her mind.  So she had wandered into the bathroom to get dressed.  And she hadn't left the room since.  In fact she hadn't even gotten ready.

She was a mess.  Her pajamas were a sorry excuse of a piece of cloth to protect her from probing eyes.  Her hair was in knots, resembling something akin to a rat's nest.  But to top it off, the crusted blood, which had trailed down her cheek, made her look pale and sickly.  The three slashes were grotesque, with sticky black blood, and red patchy skin underneath.

Draco had been right.  She had been right.  She was going to have a scar.

Because every time she tried to heal them, the cuts would pierce her skin, and start to bleed anew.

With a sigh, she pocketed her brooch.  It was already too late.  She was tied to this world.  She could feel it.  Deep in her heart, she knew that with her being here again, the string strengthened.  The cuts, the nightmares, and the girls still missing.  And Shingo was another one.  There were too many attachments; she didn't know where to begin on severing the ties.

"I'll be out in a minute Luna."  Taking the bloody rag, she washed her face for the sixth time that morning.  Wiping the blood away, she reached for a towel and dried it.  The scabs were healing into a scar.  A scar that would mark her for the rest of her life.

"Usagi hime, Haruka and I are going down to eat."  Hotaru sounded concerned, but she didn't speak her worries.  "Okay Hotaru.  I'll be right down."

Seconds passed, before she heard the door to her room shut.  Outside the bathroom door was silence, a barren room, save for maybe one cat sleeping soundly on her bed.  Artimis.

Taking the medical kit, she searched for something to hide the hideous cuts.  Finding something that slightly reminded her of a Band-Aid, she taped it to her cheek.   She inspected herself in the mirror, and frowned.

It had been years since she last wore a Band-Aid.  Luna would get suspicious.

Looking at the bag on the floor near her feet, she bent down.  Pulling out soft blue fabric, she set it down on the toilet seat.  Next, she stripped from her pajamas, and tossed them into the trash.  She would have to ask Setsuna to get her a second pair from home.  Quickly she dressed, in the fresh robes, and tied a sash around her waist.  She was starting to like how the cloth fit loose around her.  It was mostly a throw over, like all of her other outfits with short feathery sleeves, and a v-neck.  The cloth was huge on her, without the sash to pull it tight to her waist.  The rest of it fell to her ankles in jagged uneven ends.

Her hair was a mess, but she took a brush to it, and in a matter of minutes tamed the knots.  With steady hands she pulled her hair into the usual, before she left the bathroom.

She would have to go to her classes soon.  Entering her room, she found that her assumptions had been correct.  It was empty, save for Artimis who snored underneath her covers.

Moving quietly, so that she didn't wake him, she moved to the door.  She pushed it open, and slipped out, without making a sound.  Out in the hall, she walked freely, working her way down to the Great Hall below.

~~~~

She would have preferred to go to her classroom and eat.  But her friends would get suspicious if she didn't arrive.  She didn't want them to think there was something wrong.  Because there wasn't.

Usagi pushed the grand doors open, and slipped into the Great Hall.  The doors shut silently behind her, and she slowly made her way to the front of the room.  She was very aware of the looks she received, and the whispering all around her.

Rounding the table, she walked to her chair, and took a seat next to Albus.  He had been talking with Professor McGonagall, when she had arrived. 

He turned to her, his eyes twinkling, but the smile on his face vanished.  "What happened?"  His blue eyes glanced at the bandage, before he looked her in the eye.  "I, err-" she fumbled for an excuse, and hoped a simple lie might bail her out just this once.  "I fell."

His silvery brows lifted at her answer.  "You fell?"  He sounded unconvinced, but she nodded sticking to her story.  He frowned, "You should have Poppy look at that."

Usagi shook her head, drawing back in her seat.  "Iie, it's okay.  I'm using it as a harsh reminder that I can't walk and chew gum at the same time."  Albus looked at her strangely, but didn't comment.  Thankful that he had turned away, she turned to her plate of food, and started to eat.  During her whole meal, she struggled to ignore the looks the student body was giving her.

~~~~

"Professor Snape?"  After breakfast, the blonde hesitantly approached the potion master.  It was the only man she really hadn't met, so she had to assume that he was the same man Harry hated.

Disliked, not hate, disliked.

She had, on several accounts, been warned of this man.  Why, she could only chalk up as to the nasty snarl he presented her with, as a greeting.  Ron had tried to tell her, that this man was not one to talk to.  Especially since she had the very job he had been wanting for years.

He was looking down the length of his hooked nose, to stare at her.  His black eyes, reminded her of the crows Rei had at the shrine.  Shiny black marbles, that threatening her with a terrible demise.  She did not like Rei's pet birds.  Not one bit.

Forcing a smile, she blocked out the sneer that twisted his thin lips.  "Um, gomen, I just-" she stuttered, her voice dieing in her throat. "And why is that Miss Tsukino? Professor Dumbledore is a very busy man, he shouldn't be bothered with petty things."

"What?"  She frowned slightly, her head starting to ache.  Had he said something?

Shaking her head to clear it, she continued, "I don't mean to bother you Professor Snape, but I was wondering if I could-" he was just staring at her, as if he was trying to place her face.  Embarrassed, she looked away from him, as her cheeks started to burn.  Why was he just staring at her?

"What I don't understand is, is it either your avoiding Mr. Potter and Mr. Malfoy, or avoiding everyone all together?"  Usagi turned back to the older man with a frown.  Avoiding people?  How would he know if she was trying to avoid anyone?  "I'm not avoiding anyone."  Her blue eyes narrowed at the taller man, her smile dropping into a scowl.

"Spoken like a true Slytherin."

"Excuse me?"  The blonde rubbed her forehead, as it started to pound.  "I wish you would stop interrupting me."

"I haven't said a thing Tsukino.  You're the one who is having a one sided conversation."  He had taken a step back, his eyes finally finished with assessing her.  Usagi looked at him, "But I…" She groaned out loud, and she reached up to massage her temples.  Why was her head hurting so much?

"Are you okay, Tsukino?"

"Do you know what they say, when I leave the room, do you hear them talking when I lay in my bed and close my eyes. Do you understand, what I go through day in and day out, night after night, listening to them?"

She shook her head, nausea sweeping over her.  "I- I think I need to sit down."  She staggered to the table closest to her, and fell into a familiar seat.  "Well, it's not like I have a choice. Professor Snape asked me to tutor you, so I'm going to tutor you. End of discussion."

Usagi looked at the empty seat across from her.  She had expected to see someone there, someone she should know.  Suddenly a body dressed in filthy black robes slid into the seat on the other side of the table.  Not whom she expected, but it was someone nonetheless.  Looking up at the greasy haired Professor, she blinked.  "Take some of this."

He reached into his pocket, and pulled out a vile containing some green liquid.  He slid it towards her, and she stared at it with a frown.  Slowly she shook her head, "Err, iie that's okay."  She pushed it away from her.

Snape nodded, and took the vile back, and put it away.  "What was it, you wanted to talk to me about?"  She blinked, and looked back at him.  Was he actually being nice to her?

The headache was subsiding, leaving her with only the rising bile left in her throat.  But at least she wasn't hearing voices in her head anymore.  "Just a few questions, if you don't mind."  He looked away, his eyes staring at nothing in particularly.  "We have some time."

Usagi tried to find what he was staring at so intently, but whatever it was, only he could see it.  "How much do you remember of the year, two years ago?"  She was looking at him directly, waiting ever so patiently for an answer.  She feared he would be the same.  That there wouldn't be any answers to her questions, just another dead end.

"Most of it, why?"  Slowly his eyes moved to her, as his lips formed a frown.  Relief washed over her, and quickly she asked, "Do you remember a girl, who went missing, that year?"

The older man scowled, his eyes slightly narrowed in annoyance.  "Several girls went missing that year Tsukino.  But I'm assuming you want to ask me questions about the one who has your name?"

She eagerly nodded, and unconsciously leaned forward.  She propped her face in her hands, and asked, "Could you- would you tell me everything you remember?"

The potion master looked mildly surprised by her curiosity, about something that had happened two years ago.  "Are you saying, you don't remember anything that happened?"  The blonde frowned, her eyebrows drawing together.  "I-"

Snape sighed heavily, and ran his hand across his face, as if he could wipe away the hint of emotions he had just displayed.  "A girl came here to find out about her parents.  Some of it is vague, but I remember a few things that did involve the girl."  He paused, his head slightly tilted in thought.  After a minute of silence, he continued, "She was a Slytherin, the worst one I have ever come across.  I never believed she belonged in that house.  As everyone liked to quote, she was too pure to be a Slytherin.

I remember a few encounters with her.  Most involved her losing points for some reason or another.  Always late to classes, and her homework half finished."

Usagi flushed, and ducked her head to hide her embarrassment.  The professor didn't seem to notice her discomfort, because he continued his rambling, talking as if he was really only speaking to himself.  Like he was recalling a distant memory.

"She was the oldest first year, but she had been placed in advanced classes-" He stopped abruptly, his thick brows brought together with a scowl.  "It's getting late Tsukino, you should go to your class, while I should go to mine."  So that was all he knew.

She sighed, her heart plummeting to her feet.  She had been hoping there would be more.

"I have a pensive in my office.  When you have time, stop by, and we'll see how much more I remember."  Hope blossomed in her chest, "Really?"  At his nod, Usagi squealed, and threw herself across the table at him.  Snape stiffened at the hug, "Tsukino, such an act is not permitted."

Usagi's face turned several shades of red, as she pulled away, "Gomen.  I-I just got carried away."  Scrambling from the bench seat, she bowed to the older Professor.  "Domo artigato Professor Snape."  She fidgeted at her end of the table.  Excitement seemed to course through her body, making her jittery.  Unable to comply with his last statement, she ran around the table, and hugged the older man again.  His stiffen response didn't go unnoticed, but slightly ignored.  Giving him one good squeeze, before letting him go, she pulled away.

Not giving him the chance to reprimand her, she raced to the front doors, only pausing for a brief second, "Talk to you later!"

And then she was out the door, heading to her first class.

~~~~

Cracking her knuckles, Usagi stalked to the front of the classroom.  It was a fresh new month.  November, finally the year was getting somewhere.  Soon it would be Christmas.  She couldn't wait.  The snow, the cold, and all the songs.  All of it, it was enough to make her glow for the remaining wait of two months till the wonderful holiday arrived.

Grinning madly at the faces that stared back at her, she stated, "Alright class, today we are going to have a pop quiz!"  She was in a bubbly mood.  More bubbly now, than she had ever been all year.  But the fact that in her whole class each and every student, in all of her classes, were doing wonderful, was enough to make anyone happy.  She was actually getting through to them.  And to top it off, she had formed a small club after dinner.  Much to Draco's dissatisfaction.  Ha!

She couldn't have been more pleased with herself.  That should teach him for sneaking into her room at nights.  She would need to find out how to change her password.  She had forgotten, thinking she wouldn't have to.

"Oh don't give me that look!"  She glared at the whole room, her eyes moving over each face.  Blue clashed with blue.  Flustered, Usagi whirled around, unable to hide the heat rising up her neck, and warming her cheeks.  Inconsiderate!

He was not helping in any shape or form.

Composing herself, she turned back around.  "How bout we make it an oral test.  I'll call on you and ask you a question.  Hai, hai I know we just took a test."  She frowned, when everyone groaned, their eyes might as well have looked like puppy eyes.  Usagi felt her left eye begin to twitch.

"Don't do that!"  Her bottom lip began to tremble.  The last time she had tried to give the class a quiz, they had pulled this on her.  In the end, they won.

Damn them all!

They were as good as she was, at getting what they wanted.  How rude!  Sucking in a deep breath, she fought for supremacy.  You had to show them whose boss, Hagrid said…

Yea… right. 

Letting out the air she had been holding in, she asked, "Ah Mr. Weasley, can you tell me a spell, one we have gone over that can disarm your opponent.  And if so, tell me what else can it to?"  Her blue eyes fell onto the red haired boy.  She smiled, hoping to ease the boy's anxiety.  He was such a good person, that on her first face-to-face meeting with him, she had liked him.  He was just radiating with innocent, and protectiveness towards his friends.  Something she respected deeply.

"Err…" the boy blushed, his face nearly matching his hair.  Why did every boy in this class get so flustered when she talked to them?  She had tried to talk to Potter the other day, about his experience.  She was kind of hoping for lessons…  that hadn't been the thing to do, she figured after the boy started spluttering incoherently.

From behind the red haired boy someone muttered, "Answer the question Weasel, or is it too difficult for you."  Even though she had been deep in her thoughts, the familiar voice drug her out instantly.  "Mr. Malfoy!"  She shot the white haired boy a seething look, which he only returned.  He absolutely hated it when she called him by his last name.

She didn't see why.  She called everyone else by their last name; why should he be special?

She could have taken points from him, but so far she was the only teacher who had yet to mark anyone off.  It hadn't helped that she had just found out a few days ago about the whole point thing.  Because of that, she had yet to make an enemy of any of her students, much to her relief.

And most of all, she planned to keep it that way.  She knew of more productive punishments.  Ones she couldn't wait to pull on her brother back home.  And some good congratulations, like lollypops, bubble gum, or even doughnuts.  The kids seemed to like her method, just as much.

The thought of her younger brother quickly brought her back to her first thoughts.  Christmas was coming, and soon, she could see her family.  Or so she hoped.  She hadn't heard anything from Setsuna.  Not since the day she was given a broom and sent out of her room.

Giving the boy another glare, she turned her frown into a smile when she looked at Ronald Weasley.  He was finally answering her question.

"The spell is Accio."  He hesitated, his eyes looking at her.  At her nod, he added, "You can use it to bring things to you, as long as you know where the object you want is located."  Usagi grinned, "Hai, that's correct!"  Reaching into her subspace pocket, she produced a blow pop, and gave it to him, as a reward.

Turning from him, she inspected the room.  Catching sight of Neville Longbottom, her smile broadened.  "Tell me, Mr. Longbottom, what spell casts objects away from you?"  If he didn't know, then Usagi would have called herself a failure.  The past few days had been strenuous.  But her small little group, consisting of seven kids, had appeared to be doing well.  But if Neville was unable to answer this question, when just last night, he had practically thrown her out the window…

The round-faced boy brightened, his cheeks stained slightly with a flush, "A banishing charm."

Her smile was radiant.  There had been no hesitation, no questioning in his answer.  "Correct!"  Her spirit was soaring.  Things couldn't have been better.  Pulling out two suckers, she gave both to him, with a wink.  She was so proud.   "All right, last question, because you're all a bunch of good kids."  She winked, knowing that most of them were older than her.  But it was fun to pretend otherwise, some of the times…

"Can anyone tell me, the functions of a rubber ducky?"  Stunned silence greeted her, much to her dismay.  This was her easiest question!

"No one?"  She looked at each face.  Most were confused, while the rest were bewildered.  No one knew if she was being serious or what.  Well this would not do, no, not at all.  "Okay then.  For your assignment tonight, write a page on anything you can find on a Rubber ducky."

She was grinning at the skepticism that greeted her.  "I'm not joking."  The door to her room opened, and she looked up.  "Hoto-chan!"

The dark haired girl eyed the class; "You've stunned them into silence, Usagi-mama."  The child skipped to the front of the room.  Since that day in the Great Halls, she hadn't changed out of her Senshi form, so Sailor Saturn stood before the class with a wide grin on her face.  "What did you do?"

The blonde shrugged.  "None of them knew what a rubber ducky was.  So I assigned them homework."  Glancing around, she crouched to the girl's size, and whispered, "I think they're in shock."

Hotaru giggled, just as the door opened again.  "Ah, Miss Usagi.  I see you have things quite under control."  The Headmaster stood in the doorway, his eyes moving over the speechless students.  "I don't think I have ever seen a classroom so quiet."  His eyes twinkled behind his glasses.  "Oh yes, Miss Usagi, can I speak with you?"

Nodding, Usagi hurried out of the room, only to pause.  Leaning back in, she said, "Hoto-chan take over while I'm gone.  Don't give them any slack."  With a wink she disappeared, leaving the dark haired senshi with the class.

Hotaru grinned as she bobbed her eyebrows, "Anyone want to see my glaive?"  There was a brief pass of silence, before every hand in the room shot up.

~~~~

"Miss Usagi, I presume you know about the Quidditch game this Saturday?"

Taking her eyes from the paintings they passed she asked, "You mean tomorrow?"  At his nod, she asked another question, "Quidditch, what's that?"  The name sounded familiar.  But she wasn't sure what it was. "Hey Usagi are you going to the Quidditch game that's coming up in a couple of weeks?"

"It's a sport we have that is played on broomsticks."  He paused in front of a painting, the usual twinkle in his eyes dimming.  "You should probably study as much as you can."

She didn't see why, it wasn't like she was ever going to play.  She couldn't even play volleyball without nearly getting killed.  Flying on a broom, and trying to play a game would be suicide.  "Why?"  The headmaster turned towards her, and she caught a hint of the twinkle in his eyes again.  What was he up to, now?

She had come to find out over the weeks, that the look he was giving her wasn't always a good one.  He had been looking like this when he had dropped the news of her position.  And when she had been attacked in the music room.  Nothing good ever came out of that look.

"Well because you're signed up to referee the game tomorrow."

There was a split second of dumbfounded silence, before…

"WHAT?!?!?!"

~~~~

How cruel and unusual this was.  One day, one day to learn all that she could to referee a game.  Damn Albus, and his scheming plans!

She was getting sick and tired of being a rag doll, to anyone who wanted to play.  Albus was getting a kick out of her torment, she was sure of it.  First Pluto, now Albus.  Was she ever going to get away from all these old wise asses?  How old are they anyway?  At least over 1,000 maybe even older.

Looking up from the book she had been studying, she sighed.  She could feel another headache forming.  She was not cut out to spend hours in front of a book reading.  But that was what she was doing.  Instead of tending to her teaching duties, she was in the library, reading every book about Quidditch.

Every once and a while she caught herself dozing, and dreaming of the perfect murder of a certain old wizard.  What a tantalizing thought…

"Need a break?"

She wasn't startled, which worried her.  He had practically snuck up on her, while she had been studying the book, but for some reason, she had known the second he approached her.  She had known who he was even before she had heard his voice.

Turning around in her seat, she gave Draco Malfoy a curious look.  "Like I have time for a break.  I have-" She looked down at her pink wristwatch, and counted the hours she had left, on her other hand.  "About sixteen hours to stuff as much of this-" she waved her hand to the stacks of book, "into my brain."  She tapped the side of her head to emphasize her point, before turning back to her work.

Turning the page, she studied the picture.  And when she didn't quite grasp what it was trying to show her, she read the information beneath it.  "Maybe I can help."

Usagi frowned, and stared at him incredulously.  "Like how?  I'm doing all I can, I don't think if you start reading that it's going to help much."  He chuckled, the corner of his mouth lifting into a half smile.  "Come on, follow me."  Without waiting, he took hold of her hand, and pulled her from the chair.

Stumbling, she was forced to follow.  "Draco, what are you doing?"  Heat graced her cheeks, when the librarian looked at her strangely.  "Err, Malfoy, let go!"  He was going to get her fired, if he kept this up.  Wasn't it illegal for a student to boss his professor around?

Down the hallways they went, and down the stairs they go.  "Where are you taking me?  I said I don't have time for a break.  I want to be able to go to bed sometime tonight!"

The white haired Prefect chuckled, and he looked at her from over his shoulder.  "Relax Usagi."

She did… just the opposite.

"Argh, Draco-kun let me go!  You can't do this!  I will scream if you don't let go!"  He must have not heard her, because the next thing she knew, he was pulling the front doors open, and they were standing outside the castle.

"Err, Draco?"

She was dragging her feet, as he lugged her across the green grass to some unknown destination.  He pulled her in between two tower-like structures and into a large clearing.  "Where?"  Her eyed moved across the field, to one end, then to the other.  "Is this- is this, the…" she racked her brain for the name she had just learned from a book she had been reading.

"Uh, a Quidditch pitch?"  At his nod, she asked, "why did you take me here?"  He let her go, and took a step further into the clearing.  Holding up his hand, he called out, "Accio brooms."

A single golden eyebrow lifted, "Err Draco, I don't have time, to tutor you.  I told the others, just as I did with you.  I have to work!"  A sound behind her, made her turn.

With a yelp she dove out of the way, narrowly missing from getting thwacked by two flying brooms.  Rolling over, she sat on the grass, and glared at the only other person within range of her anger.  She was not in the mood.  Couldn't people just take a hint?

Draco held out a broom towards her.  "You're not going to learn anything from reading those books.  So I'm going to teach you."

She stared at him, in wonder.  He was going to help her?  "Why?"  He shrugged casually, "Returning the favor."  Usagi climbed to her feet, and took the broom held out to her. "Uh huh."

She watched him closely, as he climbed onto his broom, and kicked up off the ground.  Her eyes followed him up into the air, stopping about thirty feet above her.  Sighing, she looked down at the broom she was holding.  Swinging her leg over the side of it, she mounted a broom for the second time in her life.  Kicking the ground, she felt herself rise.

Letting a minute pass, she opened her eyes, and looked down.  She was hardly a few feet off the ground, but it was plenty high for her.  She liked having her feet on the ground.  Riding a broom was a lot different than flying with wings.

She inhaled deeply, and let it out slowly.  She had sixteen hours to learn all she could before the game tomorrow morning.  Lifting her head, she stared up at the boy flying above her.  Pulling just a bit on her broom, she rose higher and higher.

Within seconds, she reached him, nauseous, and her heart ramming against her rib cage.  "Okay, we'll do a little one on one."

"Wha-what?"  She stared at him dubiously.  "I can't play!"  She was going to die, she was going to fall off her broom, and die.

The older boy shook his head, "Stop whining.  It's not that hard, just remember I'm here to help you."

~~~~

Saturday came all too early; Usagi couldn't help but think.  Yesterday, she had stayed out till well past midnight with Draco.  Over and over again, they practiced, and more and more she learned.    She didn't have what it took to be a participant, but she at least knew the rules.

So after waking, to the insistent yells, and scratching of her two lovable cats, she got up at seven in the morning.  Got ready for the day in the charitable clothes, Setsuna had packed for her, even though, as she had slipped into the pink throw over, she was missing her skirts, and sweaters.  Sure the robes were the in thing now a days, she would rather be flying around in the air with sweats, and a turtleneck.  Maybe even her bunny pajamas.  Anything warm, and that covered more…

By eight o'clock, Usagi was in the Great Halls, stuffing down as much food as she could grab. Having missed all the essential meals the day before, she was starving.  That included, Lunch, snack, snack, Dinner, and snack… 

An hour later, Usagi reluctantly found herself standing once again in the middle of the Quidditch pitch.  Slowly she turned around, and studied her surroundings.  It was much easier to see in the daylight, and the weather wasn't half bad.  Just slightly breezy, but not enough to send anyone off course.

Her fingers tightened around the handle of her broom, the one Setsuna had given her.  The crowd was just starting to show up.  How nauseating.  She was going to have to work with this big of a crowd?  She could handle twelve kids in a classroom.  But the whole school?!?!

Swaying, just ever so slightly, she had to use her broom to keep herself up on her feet.  Rei could do something like this.  She could perform for a crowd.  Her on the other hand, would prefer to watch, not play, but watch.

She watched as the crowd found their seats, each house in their own section.  Her eyes moved across the field to the changing rooms.  The Slytherin team was coming out, and she listened as only one quarter of the crowd cheered.  The boos, that echoed were loud enough to drown out any cheers for the team.  A little to her right, from another changing room, students in red robes started to come out.  The Gryffindors were walking towards her.

How wonderful.  Maybe I can feign sick, and get out of this damn mess.

The crowd roared for the team in red, their applause and shouts booming all around her, and making her head spin.  She could see trouble by just looking at the teams that were walking towards her.  This had to be a mistake.  Who in their right mind would put Harry and Draco on the opposite teams?  Let alone, as captains of those two teams?  It was bad enough they were trying to murder the other in her class.  But competing against each other, now, that was just absurd.

Turning from one group to the next she sighed.  Yep, this was a mistake waiting to happen.

The two teams stopped next to her, each glaring at the other.  Laughing nervously, she looked down at the box she was supposed to open.  A bludger had nearly killed her last night, when it had tried to hit her from behind.  Luckily, Draco had been paying attention.  She was not looking forward to dodging them again.

Kneeling down, she flipped the latches, but held the lid close.  "Okay, shake hands."  She watched closely as Harry held out his hand, and Draco reluctantly took it.  She frowned as they hastily pulled away, and wiped their hands down the length of their robes.  "Are you two afraid of cooties?"  She looked from one to the other and smirked.  "Now, I expect a nice clean game.  None of that stuff you pulled on me last night."  She shot Draco a look.

The white haired boy delicately rolled his shoulder as if to throw off her warning.  Still frowning, she ordered, "Then, mount your brooms."  She waited till they were all ready.  Taking her whistle in one hand, she blew it, to signal the start of the game.  With one quick movement, she jumped back from the box, and the balls were released.

Mounting her own broom, she kicked up off the ground, and the game began.

~~~~

Keeping her eyes on the game wasn't as hard as she had believed it would be.  But keeping an eye on all the players was turning out to be a real chore.  And to makes things worst, she had only nearly fallen off her broom, three times, since the game started.  But that was because of a foul Crabbe had pulled.  He had hit a bludger towards the crowd to stop the Gryffindors from scoring.  She had been so mad; she had nearly fallen off her broom three times, as she cursed at the boy.  The Slytherin team was turning out to be a brutal advisory for the Gryffindors.

Leaning a little to the right, she circled the field, her eyes flying about.  "And its Blaise with the Quaffle, Blaise, the newest Chaser on the Serpent team-" there was a hesitation on the announcers part, "Sorry McGonagall, sure I meant to say Slytherin."

Usagi spared a glanced to the stands, where the teachers all sat.  She was too far away to make out the broadcaster, who was announcing the game.  The voice was loud enough for her to hear on the very far end of the field.  Strange how it sounded all too familiar. 

"Blaise pitches to- oh and Weasley got the Quaffle.  Ginny, Weasley, intercepted the toss, that's my girl!"  The crowd roared, and Usagi turned her broom around to follow the red haired chaser.  She was the smallest one out on the field, but the quickest.

Crabbe and Goyle tried hitting the bludgers in her direction, but she weaved in and out of them beautifully.  Come on, Ginny.

"She's going, going, come on Ginny!"  The announcer was hitting the table in front of her, shouting with the crowed.  Usagi slid her broom to a stop, and waited anxiously.

"She shoots- she scores!  Ginny scores another for the Gryfindors!  All right Ginny girl!"  The announcer was all but jumping about the stands in delight.

Usagi grinned, as she pulled back.  The keeper threw the Quaffle back in, and resumed defending his goals.  "Harry Potter takes a startled dive!  Is it the snitch?!?!?"  The announcer leaned over the stadium wall, to see.  "Miss Vesus, please refrain yourself!"  Professor McGonagall was trying to pull the green haired girl back up into the stands, before she fell the fifty-foot drop.

Turning on her broom, Usagi directed her eyes to the red blur flying to the field below.  Her breath caught.  What was he doing?!?!

To her horror, she watched as Draco chased after the black haired boy.  They're going to be killed!  Suddenly Harry pulled hard on his broom, and shot off to the right.  His broom went upside down, but his body made no move to fall off.  Slowly he spun, the broom righting itself.  Draco shot after him, his broom almost not fast enough, to keep up.

"Nott has the Quaffle, he avoids a flying bludger, dodges another.  Come on Gryffindors knock him off his broom!"  The announcer stomped her foot, "Come on Ginny.  Go Dean, Go!  Dean Thomas and Ginny Weasley are closing in on the Slippery snake as he makes his way down the field!"

Usagi shook her head in amusement, but her eyes weren't on the three chasers.  Her eyes followed the two boys as they weaved their way around the field, chasing the tiny golden snitch.  It was a surprise that she could actually see the thing.  Maybe that had to do with last night, after chasing it for a good two hours.  Trying to find that thing in the dark was the most difficult thing she had ever done in her life.

"Block it Ron, block it!  You miss this damn ball, and I'll…" the announcer was cut off, "Vesus!"  Not the least bit dampened by the reprimanding voice of the Gryfindor's head of house, Vesus screamed, "He blocked it!  Weasley- Ronald Weasley blocked a shot from slippery Nott!  YES!"  She hardly heard the shouts and applause from the crowd.  She barely even heard the announcer squealing loud enough for the people in Japan to hear her. 

Usagi felt her heart lurch in her chest.  She knew what happened a second before it did.  Harry was close to the snitch; his hand was about to grab it, when Draco grabbed the tail of the boy's broom.

No!

On instinct, her hand flew to her side, and she pulled out her brooch, that she had talked herself into bringing with her.  The whole time, she watched as Harry's Firebolt, abruptly stopped, and the boy flew out over the end of his broom.

Usagi lifted her brooch, and shouted, "Moon Eternal Make-up!"  Even as she transformed, she was already leaping from her broom.  Her body dropped, and the crowd screamed.  Her wings took form on her back, and the wind gave her power.  Rising, she flew through the air, the ribbons around her naked form slowly transforming into her uniform.

She brushed passed Draco, nearly running into him as she soared through the air to catch the falling boy.  Her arms stretched out, just as her gloves formed.  Gritting her teeth, she focused her strength into her wings, giving them power from the silver crystal. 

Blue eyes darkened, as a crescent moon flashed across her forehead.  Just as the brooch flared, signaling the end of her transformation, her body rammed against Harry's.  On cue, her arms wrapped around him, and she used the crystal to give her the power to protect them both.

"Did you see that?  She caught him in the air.  Go Professor- No!  Malfoy caught the snitch, the games over; the Snakes win…" the crowd was eerily silent, as Usagi touched ground, her feet landing heavily on the grass.  She stumbled, the boy's weight too much for her.

Dropping to her knees, she gasped, her heart beating harshly in her chest.  Even though they were safely on the ground, she didn't let the boy go.  Her arms tightened around his waist, and she struggled to compose herself.  "Harry- are you okay?"

She lifted her head to look up at him.  He was flushed, and slightly dazed, but fully alive.  Slowly he nodded, "You- saved me."  Hugging him, she confessed, "Oh, thank kami-sama you're okay."  Finally, she let him go, and fell back to sit on her legs.

"What are you?"  He was staring at her wings in awe.  Flushing, she replied, "I'm Sailor Moon.  I protect my home from the bad guys."

"Is everyone okay?"  Usagi looked over to see Dumbledore, and the other teachers coming towards them.  "Hai."  The group looked at her oddly, noting her new clothes.  Reaching up, she touched her brooch, and the transformation faded, leaving her in her robes.

Climbing to her feet, she dusted herself off, as the players arrived at the scene.  "Harry, are you all right?"  Ginny reached him first, then Ron.

Usagi frowned as Draco sauntered up towards them.  "Bakayaro!"  Her blue eyes narrowed, and not caring who saw, or heard, she stalked towards him.  Meeting him halfway, she lifted her hand, and slapped him hard across the face.  "You could have killed him.  How dare you!  You-you…" tears rushed to her eyes, and she slapped the stun white haired boy for the second time.

"I never want to see your face again, ever.  I- I hate you!"  Whirling around she ran off, leaving a bewildered group of adults behind her.

~~~~

Usagi entered her room, and slammed the door shut.  "There, he won't ever be able to come in here again.  I never want to see that kono yaro ever again."  Still peeved, she wrenched the door open, and slammed again, hoping to take her anger out on anything available.

Anger was still beating down on her, by the time she had slammed the door a fifth time, that she sunk to the floor, and beat her fists against the carpet.  "He could have killed him.  How could he do such a thing, to endanger another life?  For what?  A stupid game!"

Sobs tore from her throat, and she punched the floor again, her anger pulsing.  Pitifully, her fingers latched onto the carpet, as she heaved.  Her heart contracted, tearing in two.  Why was she so upset?

A knock at her door startled her from her weeping.  Not bothering to look up, she shouted, "Go away Malfoy baka!"  Another knock had her jumping to her feet, and storming to the door.  Throwing it open, she shouted, "Go away!"  Her eyes were murderous as they looked at him.  But then he didn't look too happy either.

"You humiliated me in front of the whole school."  His eyes narrowed, and his lips formed a scowl.  Outraged by his words, she pushed him back from her doorway.  "I will do a lot more than that, if I ever see you again.  Tell Dumbledore I quit!  I refuse to teach kono yaros like you!"  She slammed the door, before he could even say another word.

Pivoting on her feet, she stomped to her dresser, and threw open the drawers.  Grabbing a handful of her clothes, she stormed to her bed.  Dropping the pile, she fell to her knees, and pulled out her trunk.  She flipped the locks, just as the door to her room opened.

Startled, since she had just changed the password, she looked over from where she was dumping her clothes into her open trunk.  "What do you think you're doing!?!"  Supposedly the password changing wasn't immediate. 

Malfoy was glowering at her, and was holding his wand tightly in his right hand.  "Don't you ever slam that door in my face, again.  Do you hear me?"  Usagi clenched her teeth; her eyes blazing with barely contained rage.  She had never been so angry in her life.  How dare he!  How dare he come in here, when she had thrown him out!

"I told you to get out!"  Standing, she tore off one of her shoes, and threw it at him.  "I said, get out!"  When he only dodged it, she grabbed her clothes, and started chucking the garments at him, not caring what she hit him with.  "Will you stop it?!"

"Iie, I won't stop!  You have no right, injuring someone else.  You could have killed Harry!"

"Oh, so now you call him by his first name, but not me?"  He was red in the face, his body shaking with anger.  Usagi couldn't believe her ears.  He was upset over names!

"Have you lost your mind?  That has nothing to do with this!  You purposely fouled him, by grabbing his broom.  Don't you care at all about anyone, other than yourself?"  she might as well have been screaming at a wall.

When he didn't give her an answer, she let out a strangled cry, and searched for something else to chuck at him.  If she had the strength she would have thrown the bed, the dresser, and the trunk.  Anything she could get her hands on.  Wrenching her other shoe off her foot, she readied to throw it, when another person entered her room.

"I see I have come at a bad time."  Dumbledore moved to leave, but paused, when Usagi dropped the shoe.  "Iie, you came just in time.  I quit!  Got that Albus, you can find yourself another teacher and pull their strings.  I'm sick and tired of this.  I want to go home, I want to see my friends, and I don't ever want to hear about Hogwarts again!"

"Is that all you care about, yourself."  Draco was giving her a heated look, which she only returned, and just as darkly.  "Don't you go there.  I'm sick and tired of meeting people like you.  I have a fiancée, I have a family.  None of that includes you or this school.  I could be protecting my home, instead of standing here, dealing with people like you."

"Is that so."  For some strange reason he was eerily calm, his eyes like blocks of ice.  "Then go.  We don't need crybabies like you, here.  We get enough of those from the mudbloods."  He whipped around and stalked away, pushing pass another figure that entered her room.

Usagi pushed back the sudden pain that spiked through her heart.  She was supposed to be happy now that he had finally left.  Turning, she struggled to hold back her tears.  She busied herself with repacking her belongings, just to block the stinging pain from his harsh words.  "Koneko chan what are you doing?"

"Don't bother me Haruka.  I'm going home, I've had enough."  Standing she moved to her dresser, and grabbed another handful of her robes, and carried them back to the trunk.  "Usagi, Setsuna isn't going to let you come back, without finishing the year here."

She paused, and looked at the taller woman.  "Then, I'll go somewhere else.  I refuse to stay here any longer."  The blonde woman looked a little loss for words.  "What did I miss?  Why are you crying?"

Usagi sighed, her eyes falling to her stuffed trunk.  "I don't know what's wrong."  The dam broke, and the flood of tears started to fall.  "Oh, koneko."  Arms wrapped around her, and Usagi leaned into the comfort of her friend.  "I hate him, I have to hate him Haruka."

"Shh… it's going to be okay.  Come on, let's go down to the kitchen and get a bite to eat.  You can tell me all about it on the way."

Numbly the smaller girl nodded, and followed her fellow senshi out of the room, leaving Dumbledore to his scheming thoughts.

~~~~

A lone figure walked the halls of the many corridor of the Hogwarts School.  It was relatively quiet for being middle of the day.  The only sound was the steady breathing of one person, and the rhythm of the heels against the marble floor.

The mission was getting harder, much to the figures chagrin.  It was supposed to be simple and smooth.  Or so the Boss had told them.  So much for that idea.

So here it was, going to plan B.  The cheesy way of getting what the Boss wanted.  Up ahead, the figure glimpsed its target.  A malicious grin formed, as the figure's steps quickened.  Turning the corner, the figure hesitated.  Its eyes darted around, until a door opened, and the target stepped out.  Maybe things won't be so hard after all.

A crackling sound deafened the silence, and the target paused to look down the hallway.   When the sound didn't repeat, the target continued on its way, not knowing that it was being followed.

"This is eagle two. Target is in sight."  The figure paused, pressing its back to the wall, as the target stopped again.  The target wasn't looking like himself, he almost looked tormented.  Which was why the mission had been botched.  If the guy would just apologies, or maybe thought about things before acting, the figure wouldn't have been in this predicament.

"This is Eagle three, I have target two heading west."  The figure froze, "Hold up, hold up, you're coming too fast."  Static met the figure's ears, and it cursed beneath its breath.

Looking around, it searched for some kind of plan.  The target was heading east, the two not intended to meet like this, were going to meet.  Not if I can help it.

The figure bolted into action, running down the hallway.  The target hearing the figure's fast approach turned to investigate but wasn't quick enough.  The figure shoved the boy into a door nearby.  "What the bloody hell?"  Getting the door open, the figure pushed the target into the room, and slammed the door shut. 

The door locked, with a silent click.

~~~~

Usagi looked up ahead, as she and Haruka turned the corner.  They were in an empty hallway, but she could have sworn she heard someone shout. 

"Haruka, did you hear that?"

"Hear what?"  The taller woman glanced around, taking a step forward.  Usagi frowned, was she hearing things?  Or had she really heard someone shout, and then a door slam?  Maybe she was still too stressed, and her mind was playing tricks on her?

Before she could answer the older woman, and confess that maybe it had just been in her head, she was shoved against a door.  A startled gasp escaped her, as the door beneath her opened, and she stumbled into a dark room.  Before she could even turn the only light, which came from the open door snuffed out, when the door slammed shut.

With a yell, she threw herself against the plank of wood, and beat against it.  "Haruka!"

"Haruka!  What's going on?"  She tired the knob but found it locked.  "I'm locked in here!!!  Haruka this isn't funny!"

She beat against the door with her firsts, hoping someone would hear her.  When nothing answered her, she stopped to catch her breath.  Her hands were sore from pounding so hard, and her heart was skipping in her chest.  She hated the dark.  She couldn't see a thing, not even the door, which was right in front of her.  "I hate the dark."  She shivered, and she crossed her arms over her chest.

Light flooded the room, nearly blinding her.  It wasn't an overhead light, but kind of like a candle glowing from behind her.  Usagi froze, as she heard the sound of breathing from behind her. 

She wasn't alone.

"Hello Usagi."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Well there you go, another chapter.  I would like to say, thanks to my pre-reader, this chap got out quicker, than it would have, without her help.  And for all of her ideas, that helped build this chapter.  So thank you Hikari, for all your help, and ideas.  You're the greatest.

Then to my reviewers, I love you all, thank you for the wonderful reviews, and I await to hear more from you.  I hope this story is to your satisfaction.

Now I will go, and write more, so you wont have to wait forever to find out what will happen next.

Till then…

LP