A/N: Hi yas! Thankies for all the reviews. And to Shaiala Rialle, THAT IS THE CUTEST IDEA!!! AAAAAHHHH!!! I was brainstorming with my muse and we came up with the best ideas! Now, if I can focus long enough to get them all written....
Journal Entry, About to go to bed: Nothing much happened while with Harry and the other two, but after the dinner bell we went our separate ways. I was starting to feel some strong vibes from Harry though, and we were on separate tables too. I guessed The Draught of Peace was wearing off quite quickly for him. Kioko, on the other hand, looked very relaxed and peaceful, and she reflected serenity as well.
I don't really know when my ability to sense what others are feeling came about, but it seems to have just gradually gotten stronger for I was starting to become sensitive to the strong emotions of anyone I looked at for too long. I think I can block it if I want to, being able to feel others' emotions is the next step to actually reading their thoughts. And that is not something I personally want in myself. Kioko, on the other hand, would jump at the chance to do so. I guess that's why I'm not telling her, that and the fact that I still don't know if I can trust her still. I want to, but she willingly admits to having few loyalties and will probably hold anything I tell her over my head if I got her irritated. An odd friendship I know, but I still seem to enjoy her company. I guess it's because she makes me feel as though I belong somewhere, she even told me that she liked me almost the moment she saw me. Though that was mostly because I seemed like someone who wouldn't irritate her from the start.
Anyway, I don't know what it is about me that Draco just doesn't like, but he tried tripping me while we were making our way back up to the common room. Though doing it front of Kioko was a mistake. She instantly pulled out her wand and sent him flying into the wall as well as Crabbe and Goyel. She then froze him in that position and we were able to get back without much trouble.
Though while we were sitting at the fireplace reading he just couldn't resist the urge to start mouthing off at Kioko. You'd think he'd already learned by now that, unlike me, you cannot mess with Kioko without getting one part of your body mangled or bruised. I don't think the swelling will go down for a while, and what's more is he won't see Madam Pomphry about his arm because he's not going to admit to being hit by a girl. However I doubt he'll be able to use it for a while, Kioko says it'll be fun watching him do everything left handed. Though I kind of feel sorry for him. We have a lot of classes tomorrow and they're going to require wands.
Well, in about 30 minutes Kioko remembered that I promised to teach her how to use a sub-space pocket. And she was very enthusiastic about it too. Well, I guess anyone who had a constant invasion of their privacy would. It must be hard to handle living with favoritism.
She was a natural, just like with the globe, it was as if I only had to give her the map to lead her through the puzzle and nothing more, whereas most needed to be taught how to read the map. She was very excited about it, the first thing she did when I decided to deem her master was stick everything she owned in it. She then had a lot of fun doing card tricks using it. "Now you see it, now you don't." She was having a lot of fun.
We pretty much went back to reading, though Kioko insisted upon going back to the library so she could check out a lot of books. I decided to help her carry them out the doorway, she had really loaded herself. Was she really going to read all of these? I asked myself. Later she said, "If DADA's decided it's going to be so incredibly boring I might as well read something useful during that time."
That's pretty much what we're doing now. There's only an hour before bed so I guess I'll read some more in this book before going to sleep.
Hotaru then flipped the pages over, wondering what she might find in the book this time.
*************
Word seemed to have spread all over the school about Snape's little, 'out of character' action. Not very many people could believe that Snape had actually given Gryffindor house points. Needless to say, Hotaru's name was becoming pretty wide spread, though still not as much as Harry Potter's, it was still a good deal.
And, of course, Hotaru had no idea why everyone was so surprised, or why they were giving her odd looks. Professor Snape didn't seem that bad, though, while she was thinking of it, he did seem to give the points reluctantly. Was favoritism really that pronounced in his psyche? But then, why did he give points to Gryffindor if he really didn't want to? It didn't seem to make sense.
Classes were more today, longer and with a greater number. First they had Herbology, which was rather fun if you liked plants. Hotaru imagined Makoto had gotten really high scores in this class. She'd have to write a letter to Makoto asking for advice. Then there was Arithmancy, which wasn't too bad, though Kioko hated it. "It's too much like math." She had said after the class. They had Care of Magical Creatures with Gryffindor, so Hotaru had a chance to say hi to Harry again. But Professor Grumpyplanks was shooing them into their studies. In other words she was making them pay attention to the creature they were studying.
"Ugh, I like drawing and all, but my sketches hardly look like what I'm suppose to be drawing." Kioko complained.
"It's not that bad. Look at Malfoy's." Hotaru said. Malfoy sneered up at them and pulled his paper onto his knees so it wasn't so easy for them to see his horrible left-handed drawing.
Kioko snickered and then looked at Hotaru's sketch, "At least you can tell what yours is. I don't guess you'll lend me a copy will you?" She asked. Hotaru had already sketched the creature and was now labeling it. "Sure." She said. Kioko suddenly got an idea and had an evil look on her face.
She walked over to where Harry was and whispered to him, "Notice how Malfoy can't use his right arm?" She asked, she then walked away with the utmost innocent look on her face, though it turned into a 'I'm so proud of myself' smirk as she got back to Hotaru. By the way Harry was trying to stop snickering and starring at Malfoy Hotaru could have guessed what had gone on. Now word would spread that Kioko had sucker punched Malfoy's arm and he wouldn't be able to keep the fact hidden anymore.
Next was Charms, a class both Kioko and Hotaru found to their liking.
The day was packed with homework, after Charms was a class Hotaru had wanted to take specifically, so Kioko wasn't there, in fact there weren't many there but, of all people, Ron's twin brothers Fred and Gorge. It was called Construction of Magical Objects, and it was something Hotaru found very interesting. The people in it weren't really separated by years, the teacher, Mrs. Clovertree, explained that it was a class for those who showed promise and ability, so those who were there then wouldn't be there by the end of the school year.
They started with something relatively easy, and it was rather fun too. It seemed like a puzzle, the object was a comb that would lengthen or shorten your hair. They were given the comb sceliton and access to the pantry, but all they were told to do on it was in a piece of paper that gave her clues as to what was needed. Such as, "To lengthen hair it would need something to do so, but because the person using it has to be able to choose whether to lengthen or shorten it will need something that can be activated by a person's touch and wish." That was pretty simple. Warestone was used primarily to grow hair, and if she mixed it with glor, which had the effect of shortening hair when it came in contact, and after that sprinkle a bit of Seer Dust it would be able to do either though it'd require the thought of the one holding it to activate either.
Hotaru took her comb and walked up to the mirror to test it out. She ran the comb through her hair intending for it to make her hair longer. She combed it several times and when she was done the back of her hair was down to her waist.
"Very nice Miss Tomo!!!" Mrs. Clovertree exclaimed when Hotaru shortened her hair again to complete the success. "Mr. Fred and Gorge Weasley! We are not making hats that render your entire head invisible!!! Stick to the projects at hand!!!" She snapped.
The two currently looked like headless horsemen, but then the took off their hats and their heads reappeared. Though they just got bashed by the teacher they were still grinning, very proud of themselves. The teacher glared at them and then gave Hotaru another sheet of paper as well as a small hair band. "Here, Miss Tomo, you can go on to something a bit more difficult." She said.
The project was for Hotaru to make the hair band into something that, when used on long hair, it would sort of momentarily shorten the hair so that it would be out of that person's way. It was quite a bit harder. It wasn't so much a matter of finding the ingredients to do it as it was mixing the ingredients in away that it'd be just so and then using the right spell on it so that activation of the object wouldn't occur until the wearer wished it to.
"Please keep in mind that not all items can be made the way a potion would, sometimes you must fix them with your wands, which is much harder believe me." Mrs. Clovertree said at the end of class. "Oh, Hotaru are you finished already?" She asked when Hotaru held up her band. "Well then go try it out in the mirror."
Hotaru used the comb to lengthen her hair and then she pulled it up in the ponytail. From the waist length that she had made it, her hair seemed to be only just long enough to be able to put up in a ponytail and not loose much. She took it out and then started shortening her hair again while everyone was scuffling out of the classroom. She put the band around her wrist for safe keeping and went to go get her books.
"Oh dear." She said, finding that the band had made her hand from the wrist up disappear. Though because it wasn't hair it seemed to merely be invisible.
"Brilliant!!!" Fred exclaimed at her side. "Can you still use your hand?!" He asked, excited.
"Um, yes." Hotaru said, a bit confused.
They both took out a piece of parchment and a pen. "How'd you do it, details now, don't leave anything out." They said.
"Er…" Hotaru stepped back, a little overwhelmed. She knew Ron, and she knew Ginny, so she had heard bout the twins, though she didn't know them personally and was a little reclusive at their forwardness.
"We could use necklaces instead of hats." One said grinning.
"Or just really big hair bands, come on." The other said. "Pleeeeeeeeeeeeease?" They both asked.
"Uh, um, oh-look-at-the-time-I-really-need-to-be-meeting-Kioko-for-dinner!" she said in one meek breath. She then scooped up her books and practically ran out the door.
"Think we scared her?" Fred asked.
"I dunno, didn't think we were that bad." Gorge replied.
Hoping they weren't going to demand any more, Hotaru ran lightly down the hallway. It wasn't really time for dinner yet, that would be in about 30 minutes to give the classes time to finish up after their ending time. But it was the best excuse she could come up with in the period of about 10 seconds.
Hotaru found out the hard way that running down a hallway in Hogwarts was not the best course of action. She suddenly found herself running through one of the ghosts, not use to the sensation she lost her balance and practically crashed into something, or someone. She lost all her books in the process, and would have fallen on the hard stone floor but the one she bumped into grabbed her and brought her back to her feet.
"Oh," Hotaru said when she regained composure, "I'm sorry Professor Snape." She said. What could she say? She didn't want to get Fred and Gorge in trouble, but he might not fall for the 'meeting Kioko for dinner' thing. "I shouldn't have been running." She said breathlessly. She wasn't use to physical activities and had exerted herself a bit more than she ought to.
"It's quite alright Miss Tomo. Though you should probably run a bit slower and make sure you don't go through any ghosts in your haste." He said handing Hotaru her books.
"Um, thank you." She said. Snape nodded and continued on down the corridor. Hotaru watched him go, wondering why everyone thought him so mean.
***********
"So, what did you do last class?" Kioko asked examining her food for some reason, though not really eating it quite yet.
"Composition of Magical Objects. It sounded fun so I decided to ask for the class. Though I've already finished my homework. Look." Hotaru said, she handed Kioko the comb and hair band. "The comb either shortens or lengthens your hair and the band momentarily shortens it so that it's out of the way." She said.
Kioko's eyes widened with interest as she took the objects. "Let me try." She said, she used the comb first. Her hair started to shorten in length, she continued making it short and then singled out some in front to make bangs. When she was done her hair looked the same style as Hotaru's only her profile was a bit less childish looking and more serious than gentle like Hotaru's. She pulled out a mirror and then looked. "Not bad, not bad." She said. She then started lengthening it back to how it was and then she tried out the hair band, making herself a low ponytail in back. She had little more than a stub when she did this. "I like it I like it. Think I could take that class?" She asked.
Hotaru nodded, "It's a lot like potions and arithmancy. Though some of it seemed like computer programming." She said.
"You've taken computer programming?" Kioko asked.
"Ami-san taught me a bit." Hotaru nodded.
"Ugh, Arithmancy, oh well, I guess I'll take it anyways. I might just open up a pawn shop instead of a potions shop." She said.
"That's what you want to do?" Hotaru asked.
"Oh yeah. I think it'll be fun." She said.
"Why aren't you eating?" Hotaru asked.
"Well, after finding out some of the things they put into their cooking I'm getting a bit wary of what I eat around here. I think this chicken has powdered Grandi in it." She said with a look of disgust on her face.
"Oh ew!!!" Hotaru exclaimed, pushing her own plate away, "Are they trying to kill us?" She asked.
"That's my theory. Anyway, if we work hard enough and work together we might be able to get all our week as well as day stuff done by 8 and that leaves about an hour of daylight for us to go flying, and two hours of night to do whatever." She said, reaching for a biscuit, though she examined and sniffed it before taking a bite.
"Well, I know I won't be able to eat any more. Want to go on to the library then?" Hotaru asked.
"Yeah, let's take a few biscuits though, they seem harmless enough." She said grabbing a few of them. She did the 'now you see it now you don't' trick with them and the two got up to go out the door.
Hotaru nibbled on a biscuit in thought. The next Arithmacy problem was pretty tough, she and Kioko were both stuck on it, and it just happened to be the last one. "ARGH!!! If we could just figure it out we could go on to Care of Magical Creatures!!!" Kioko exclaimed.
"Let's save it for later and then come back to it, maybe then we'll be able to get it right." Hotaru suggested.
"Excellent idea, Firefly!" She said, nearly throwing the Arithmancy homework into sub-space in her haste to get rid of it for the moment. "Let's see, we can pick any creature from this list, I'll do the Lileeth because I have a pet of that species." She said.
"You have the shape-shifting snake?" Hotaru questioned.
"Yeah, though because Mom doesn't like snakes I imagine she'll probably be sending my pets up to Hogwarts sometime soon." She said.
"Along with your jaguar and tiger?" Hotaru asked.
"Oh of course. At least it'll keep any nosy neighbors out of our room. What do you want to do?" She asked turning the list over to Hotaru.
"Um…I think I'll look up the Nine Tail Fox in my book, I think I read something about it. Ah, here it is." Hotaru said, she found the page as she always did and found pictures to accompany it.
"Hm, I didn't know those foxes could turn humanoid, she looks pretty." Kioko said. "I don't suppose I could use your quick pen while you're reading that?" She asked.
"Sure you can." Hotaru said, she flipped a chunk of pages over, grabbed the pen, and then handed it to Kioko.
"Thanks." She said, she set the pen onto her parchment and it started flying across her page. At that rate she'd probably get done in only 15 minutes or less.
When it was Hotaru's turn for the quick pen Kioko used her own special pen to look over and edit her essay. The thing about her pen was that you could use it in the way you'd type words on a computer text file. You could cross out words and then write them down again, though it moved the other words around so that it could fit and the erase marks weren't there. When Hotaru was done she switched with Kioko again and did her Divination homework with it.
"We're keeping dream diaries and figuring out what our dreams mean. For some reason I have this recurring dream of a silver ring. Maybe it means I'm gonna die in seven days." Kioko said snickering a bit.
"You've read Ringu?" Hotaru asked.
"No, I watched the movie. Then I watched the American version The Ring. Can't decide which one is better though." She said. "Have you?"
Hotaru nodded, "Michiru-mama was scared for several days after she read it, had I not read it before her she wouldn't have let me read it myself." She said.
"Well, back to this." She said looking at the diary.
"What's your dream like?" Hotaru asked.
"The same thing over and over again. I'm walking in a field of black crystal clusters okay? There's like, no light anywhere, but I can still see. There's not a soul around me yet I hear voices in my head telling me things that I remembered at the time I was dreaming, but when I wake up I can't figure out what they said. Anyways, as I'm walking I look up into the sky and see this silver ring of light there. The voices all say something in unison, but when I try making sense of it I just can't put words to what they said. The ring then comes at me, as if trying to engulf me, and I wake up. Every time." She explained, the quick pen scribbling it down as she told Hotaru. "It's getting a bit irritating really, I mean, once I show Trelawney she'll be like a child at Christmas and find hidden meanings in everything and tell me to try and remember what the voices say. Ugh, to think this dream might actually mean something." She shook her head to clear cobwebs. "I'm dreading the turn-in of this diary." She sighed handing Hotaru her pen back.
"Haruka-papa was strict that I shouldn't take Divination. She doesn't seem to like the teacher, said something about predicting her 'upcoming doom'." Hotaru said.
"What, Trelawney was predicting her own doom?" Kioko asked.
"No, Haruka-papa's." Hotaru said.
"Oh, well, you said her instead of him." Kioko said.
"Um, Kioko, Haruka's female."
"Oh. Oh!!! Oh…" Kioko said, looking a bit uncomfortable after the last 'oh'. "Okay change of subject. I think we actually finished all our stuff for the day." She said. "Quidditch tryouts are in about thirty minutes. Lets go fly around before then." She said getting up.
"Wait, we still have to finish that last Arithmancy problem." Hotaru said.
Kioko grudgingly sat back down and pulled out her paper while Hotaru did the same. 'Clues would be helpful.' She told her book mentally, and then she turned a few pages. "Ah, I found something that might help." She said.
"Few, man I hate Arithmacy." Kioko said as they scuffled down the hall that lead to the Quidditch field.
"I prefer thinking to running personally." Hotaru huffed behind her as they came to the door. The two made sure no one was watching and pulled out their brooms before going outside.
Had Hotaru been thinking she would have chosen a different broom from the three she had. One was a Nimbus 2002, the other was the one that the Cauldron had given her, and the last was a Firebolt from Galaxia. She was using the Firebolt. .
"Whoa, you got a Firebolt?!" Kioko exclaimed when she saw the broom.
"Um, yeah…" Hotaru said sheepishly.
"Better not show it to Drane Millichent, Slytherin quidditch captain. He'll make you try out for a spot on the team." She told her.
"I'll just cover up the logo when he turns up." Hotaru said as she mounted her broom. She lifted gracefully into the air and then let loose and shot into one direction of the field. She then turned and flew back to Kioko who was coming at her. Hotaru went down when they came close and Kioko pulled up.
Down she went, the speeded falling sensation making her heart pump, just how close could she cut it before she had to pull up? Hotaru gripped the broom tightly and finally pulled up, the bristles of her broom brushing the ground as she did a V turn and shot back into the sky. Hotaru hovered a bit in front of the goals and breathed deeply, a shy smile on her face as Kioko caught up to her.
"How'd you do that?! I didn't think anyone but professionals … and Harry, but he doesn't count since he was dropped into a fairy spring… could do that trick." Kioko exclaimed excited.
"It was fun. Haruka-papa always dragged me on roller coasters because Michiru-mama was afraid of them." She explained.
"Ah, but that still doesn't explain how you did it." Kioko said. Hotaru only shrugged. And she went off to pick up speed again. Haruka-papa must have been a really good quidditch player, and really fast. Probably faster than Hotaru could ever be, but she could still try.
"Tomo!!!" Exclaimed a voice behind the two.
"Uh oh, I think Millichent saw you." Kioko said.
"I don't wanna play on the team." Hotaru said before he could ask.
"Hey how'd you…never mind. Why not?" He asked. "With you're skills and that broom we might finally be able to beat Potter. How's the seeker spot?" "Gods know we need a better seeker than Malfoy." Kioko quoted while Millichent was saying the same thing. He gave her an odd look.
"I don't want to play on the team." Hotaru repeated.
"Oh come on. How's this, you try out and then think about it the next week." He said.
"Okay, that sounds fair." Hotaru said, though she didn't really know if she'd agree to it or not.
"Great! Are you trying out too Night?" He asked, turning to Kioko.
"Yes, how does beater sound to you?" Kioko asked.
"Perfect! Tryouts are in 10 minutes." He said flying off.
"He's excited about maybe getting some better players, either that or the Grandi in his food is taking effect. There has to be some reason he's acting a bit out of character." Kioko said observantly.
"Why do I feel like I just gave Malfoy another reason to snip at me?" Hotaru asked a bit broodingly, though her voice still had it's softness.
"Because you did!" Hotaru groaned silently.
********
Journal Entry, Team Tryouts: I don't think Kioko was the only one who noticed Millichent was acting a bit out of character. Some of the other team members were giving him strange looks. Anyways, it seemed everyone thought Kioko good for one of the beater spots, even Draco Malfoy thought her good for the spot, though he said it in such a way that I just know will earn him a black eye before the day is done. He just can't stand it when people other than teachers are superior to him, and Kioko is definitely the peak of superiority in the Slytherin house.
When the seeker tryouts were announced and Millichent said that it'd be a contest between Malfoy and me, Draco looked at me for a minute and then laughed in my face. "You think you can beat me?!" He exclaimed.
"Did I say that?" I asked, looking a bit confused. If I showed any signs of being irritated he'd just love it, I knew. Though the fact that I no longer got angry at him for anything helped me act as such. Kioko once said that if I did this for so long and then one day got angry it would be 1,000 times more frightening for everyone. She might laugh at their reactions but I'd probably be too irritated at myself for exploding.
We were up in the air, finally, and Malfoy was taunting me left and right. I nearly lost control of myself when he started insulting my parents, I was thinking about writing a list of all his insults then send them to Haruka-papa. Who would then come to school and beat the life out of him. But those kinds of thoughts would lead to action and getting Haruka mad at Malfoy was worse than getting the Twins in trouble with Snape.
The snitch was released and Millichent waited a bit before blowing the whistle.
I guess using Silence to find the snitch was cheating, but then, how is it cheating when there's no sabotage? For a moment I just hovered there with my eyes closed. The world went dark around me, I felt Draco's movement, jerky and smooth at the same time, he was probably laughing at me while riding his broom around. I felt everyone watching, some cheered, I heard their words but I didn't pay much attention.
And then, there. I found it. My eyes shot open and I dived straight down, the snitched hovered around and when it noticed me coming it darted away, but I knew exactly where it was going. I felt Draco's broom trying to catch up to me, but I ignored him.
The snitched stopped in an attempt to confuse me, but I reached my hand out and stanched it from the air. I then pulled up and hovered, staring at the golden snitch that now rested in my palm.
I don't know what compelled me to do that, I had never been able to use Silence like that before. It was thrilling, and scary at the same time. At least I was able to stop using it, I sensed Malfoy coming up next to me but didn't feel him do so.
"How did you do that?!" He demanded. "I COULDN'T EVEN SEE THE BLOODY THING AS YOU WERE CHASING IT!!!" He exclaimed.
"Relax Malfoy. You might have been able to find it before me if you just relaxed." I told him and then I flew gently back to where the team was.
"Firefly won you guys, pay up." Kioko was saying to a handful of the other team members, who grudgingly gave her as well as a couple of others a few galleons, but mostly Kioko. "I bet 4 gallions each that you'd get the snitch before 10 minutes was up, these idiots were foolish enough to take me." She said grinning to me.
"The chances of Tomo being that good were 1,000 to 1," Said one of them to Kioko, "It seemed like she was the one with the least chance of winning." He turned to me.
"We'll just see if you can beat Potter then, Tomo." Malfoy said reproachfully.
"I'm not going to join the team." I said.
Everyone seemed dumbfounded, especially Malfoy, who you'd think would be happy that I wasn't going to take his spot. "WHAT?!" demanded Millichent. "YOU FOUND AND CAUGHT THE SNITCH IN THE TIME IT WOULD TAKE TO FLY FROM ONE END OF THE COURT TO THE NEXT AND YOU'RE NOT GOING TO JOIN THE TEAM!?!?!?!?!?!?!" He yelled.
I shrank back a bit, "You don't have to yell." I said just loud enough for him to hear. What was so wrong about avoiding unnecessary conflict?
"Please reconsider. I'll give you a week, two weeks even!" Millichent exclaimed pulling on his hair.
Everyone stared at him, though this time I knew why, please was usually not in the Slytherin vocabulary, and he was practically begging too. Which, according to Kioko, was not like Millichent at all. He usually demanded instead of begged.
So that's two people who've been acting out of character concerning me, Snape and Millichent. I wonder how many more Slytherins I can soften.
Well, I felt a bit bad, he was demeaning himself just to get me on the team. If it was that important to him the least I could do is think it over. So I nodded, "Okay, I'll think about it and let you know next practice." I said, Kioko and I then went back into the castle to go 'do whatever'.
We're in the library, of course, I found a very interesting book about magical construction. It was supposedly going to help me with my Construction of Magical Objects class but I found it a bit low grade though, not really up to the standards I was hoping for. So I decided to write in my journal after reading it. We have a good deal of time before curfew, maybe Madam Pince knows a more advanced book than this. Though come to think of it, I haven't written to my friends lately. I guess I'll do that.
Hotaru closed her book and then took out a piece of parchment to start a letter.
"Whatcha doing now?" Kioko asked from her own book.
"Writing letters." Hotaru answered. She set her quick pen on the parchment and started writing.
"Ah, cool."
'Hi everyone. Sorry I haven't written sooner, it kept slipping my mind. School has been so fun, I got into Slytherin house though everyone here keep saying things like, "HOW'D YOU GET INTO SLYTHERIN?!?!?!?" I'm really not sure how myself, the house is stereotyped to having a lot of less-than-friendly characters.
By the way, I tried out for the Slytherin Quidditch team. I made seeker but I'm not sure if I should really join. The captain really seemed desperate, I'd probably feel bad about letting him down. What do you think?
I met someone named Night Kioko who's been 'uncharacteristically' friendly to me, she's a bit sarcastic and apathetic at times, but I like being with her for some reason, she makes me feel safe and secure.
'I feel like I belong here, every day seems to present new challenges, new classes to take, and new problems to solve. Speaking of classes, Makoto could you give me some advice for Herbology? I'm not really sure Glandria and I really went into detail with that class and I'm sure to fall behind if I don't work at it.
'There's a lot of tension between houses too, especially Slytherin and Gryffindor. Which is a real shame, some of the Gryffindors seem so nice. It's just so silly though, why judge someone from what house they're in? It doesn't really make sense, especially after the Sorting Hat sang this strange song. I think he means that if the houses don't come together we'll all crumble and fall from the inside.
'I miss you guy's a whole bunch, maybe we should all get together when we're able to go to Hogsmeade. Give my best to Chibi-Usa and tell everyone hi for me.
'—Hotaru'
Hotaru rolled up the parchment and put it up. "I'll be right back." She said getting up. But then she spotted something on one of the nearby tables. "Oh, someone must have lost their wand." She said reaching for it.
Hotaru gasped in surprise as the wand suddenly turned into a bouquet of violet roses with a note attached. "Roses are red, sometimes. Violets are blue, sort of. Flowers are pretty, most of them. And so are you, with long hair." Hotaru read softly to Kioko, her cheeks turned pink.
"Fred or George, likely both. Probably trying to get the 'hair band' recipe from you again. Either that or wondering how you'd react." Kioko said. "They're probably watching, just put the flowers down and go on with your business. The best way to deal with these two is to ignore them. Isn't that right Fred?" She asked speaking more or less to the bookshelf she was facing.
"Awwww, how do you always know?" Fred wined coming around the books and into view.
"You're predictable, and I saw you watching from behind the space without the books." She told him.
"Pay you if you'll give us the formula for the bands." George said, practically in Hotaru's face once again, though she had the large bouquet to shield her this time. She took the pen and paper and then set the flowers down and started writing hastily on the parchment. When she was finished she handed it back to him and he replaced it with a few gold coins. "Pleasure doing business with you Miss Tomo." He said pocketing the parchment.
"If you'll excuse me Mr. Weasley, I need to go to the Owlery and drop off my letter." Hotaru said, she politely bowed and then walked out of the library to pay Midnight a visit.
*********
Journal Entry, Weekend: Haven't written much lately, homework's been a lot harder and flying is just so fun. It's the weekend right now and I saw something out the window that scarred me to death. Well, I'd seen them carrying the coaches when I first came here, but this one seemed to just thrust itself from out of the trees for some reason. It was really early though, so nothing on heaven and earth was getting Kioko out of bed before 10 and I didn't have her around to ask if that was just my imagination or not.
I saw Harry in the corridor that lead to the owlrey only a little while later, he looked pretty happy as he was making his way towards the dinning area. "Hi Harry." I said catching up to him.
"Oh, hi Hotaru. What are you doing up so early?" He asked.
"Just getting a little exorcize. I was going to go down to the library for some reading." I told him.
"Reading? Aren't you going to eat breakfast?" he asked.
"No, not since I found out they cook their eggs in apricot sauce." Harry looked like he just lost his appetite. "But the biscuits are still okay, so far. I was going to grab a few of those." She said. "Oh, and don't eat the grilled chicken, they cook it in bacon grease so it doesn't even taste like chicken at all." She told him.
"That was chicken?" Harry asked, looking even more disgusted. "What are they doing?!" He exclaimed.
"Trying to kill us off is our guess. Here, Kioko devised an all-purpose-food-poisoning-antidote just in case you swallow something you shouldn't have." She said, handing him some of her spare potion.
"Thanks a lot, ugh." He said, feeling sick just thinking about it. "I don't guess you'd be willing to help us with our homework again. Hermione's gonna need some reinforcements." He sad.
"Sure, I'll be in the library for most of the day, Kioko will too after she gets up. Though if we're not there we'll be out flying." I told him.
"We'll probably meet you there after I get Ron and Hermione to go on a biscuit-breakfast diet." He said as they came to the great hall.
"Okay, see you." I said and we parted ways.
It was lucky that most Slytherin's would rather swallow a frog than get up early on a Saturday morning or I probably would have had a Malfoy to deal with. Surprisingly, though not so surprising had I been thinking, I got quite a few letters nearly land in my food. I released the owls from their burden and then opened up the first letter.
It was from Setsuna-mama.
'Dear Ru-chan,
'Setsuna- How would you like a visit from your favorite foster parents, hm? I think it would be just splendid if Haurka, Michiru, and I all came down to visit Sunday. Provided you have all your homework done that is. Haruka's been irritable lately and jumped when I suggested a friendly visit, poor Haruka.
'Haruka- SLYTHERIN?! YOU GOT INTO SLYTHERIN?!?!?!?! HOW IN THE NINE HELLS DID YOU MANIGE THAT?!?!?!?! Okay, okay I'm calming down. Anyway, I think you should take the spot on the team if you made it. Why hold back? It's fun! Is Galaxia giving you any problems?! What about any boys?! Come on, you can tell you're dear Haruka-papa.
'Michiru- Ignore Haruka, dear. I think it is so nice that you're making friends, it doesn't matter which house you're in, at least you found someone there. As for Quidditch, it's a rather dangerous sport, Ru-chan. But I'll admit it is quite fun. I never made the team myself, but Haruka use to be the Gryffindor seeker.'
The next letter came from Usagi-chan.
'Hi Hotaru!!!
'We're all very proud of you back here, it's great that you're doing so well. I remember when I was in 5th year, it was hard, even with the other 4 years behind me. Heheh, I kept playing Quidditch instead of studying like Ami told me to. You should go for that seeker spot on the team! If you're good enough maybe you could be a professonal!!! Haha, a wild dream I know, but it could still happen. Okay, Okaasan's giving me that look, it's time to do the dishes! Sorry Taru, I got to go. Sayonara!'
The third one was from Makoto-san.
'Yo (I learned a new English word, proud of me?)
'Hm, Herbology. Ah, I remember that class, yes I do have some advice. Touch nothing unless you know exactly what it is, and even then use gloves. That is unless it hates the feel of gloves and would much rather you use bare hands. Don't breath to much in that greenhouse, you don't know what is in there. Oh yeah, don't eat too much of the food either, you don't even want to know some of the things they use to cook with. Here's a list of all the things that were safe when I was there, hopefully they still are but I'll still caution you.'
That one came complete with an extra sheet of parchment with a rather short list of edible foods. The last one was from Minako.
'Hi Hota-chan!
'Greetings and salutations from the one and only Sailor V. Guess what! I heard from a very reliable source, meaning I dragged it out of Setsuna with much persuasion, that there will be another Yule Ball that year!!! (Nudge nudge wink wink) Though don't tell Haruka when she comes to visit, she'll be beating all the cute guys off with a stick and make you go with a nerd. Speaking of cute guys, there were a lot of them when I went, how about now? Anyone? A list perhaps? Come now, you can tell little ol' me! Slytherins were always cute, most of them anyways, though none of them ever asked me out. How odd. In fact I don't think anyone but Rei got asked out by a Slytherin. Maybe you're luck will be better.'
That was just like Minako-chan, always thinking about boys.
I checked Makoto's list for the breakfast items around me, the biscuits were top on the list, no surprise, and then there was bacon, though I don't much like the bacon here. It's too…greasy I guess. A little too much for me. Nope, nothing but the biscuits. So I grabbed several of those and got up, letters in hand, and made my way to the library. But just before I left another owl dropped onto my table, it was Midnight. She chirped in displeasure that I was about to leave her and looked a bit relieved when I removed the package from her leg.
'Thought you might want a little extra spending money for Hogsmeade, who knows, you might just find something there that you really like. –Setsuna' The note read. I picked up the package and weighted it in my hand, a little? Galaxia had already given me a small fortune in galleons, it was sort of a reward for whenever I got a spell right or got high marks on my tests while we were training near the Cauldron. Oh well, it's not like we don't have a stash in Gringots that would put the next wizard millionaire to shame.
I gave Midnight a little treat before going on to the library.
Ron, Hermione, and Harry were there before me, munching on a basket of biscuits. "Good news, one of my friends just sent me a list of edible food items and you can eat the bacon too. Though she also sent me a list of what to avoid at all times, unfortunately there's some sweets on this list too." I told them.
"Oh good." Hermione said taking the parchment. "I'll make copies of these." She said, Hotaru could tell she was thoroughly disgusted as well.
For a good chunk of the day I helped Harry and Ron with their homework, hard work I know, Hermione was helping me and we still didn't get them done with it before Kioko demanded to go flying.
"Can we come too?" Ron asked, begged might be a better term, he was pretty apt to do anything but homework at this time.
"I suppose." Hotaru answered.
"We'll finish Sunday." Hermione said closing up her books and stuff.
"We'll be out in the fields, come on Firefly!" Kioko said, she grabbed my by the arm and then before I knew it we were outside, Firebolt in my hand and a Nimbus 2002 in hers.
I kind of wanted to wait for Harry and the others to get ready, so that's what I'm doing now, waiting. Hard to imagine I could write all that stuff in the time it'd take three people to get ready, of course I am getting even faster with my quick pen, which is a good thing. Oh, here they are. Better close this book before they see it.
Hotaru shut her book and quickly stuck it into her robes, or rather sub-space. She smiled, "Hi." She greeted.
"You three take a long time to get your brooms." Kioko said, coming down on her broom.
"Sorry, Ron nearly lost his and Hermione had to dig hers from under a bunch of stuff." Harry apologized.
"Is it true you beat Malfoy in a seeker match!?" Ron exclaimed, nearly getting into Hotaru's face. Hotaru stepped back, a bit startled, and nodded. "Then why aren't you going to join the team?! Malfoy acted like you were just scared or something." He said.
"Of course he would, he doesn't want to loose his place on the team. And if Hotaru takes it that's what's going to happen." Kioko said, hands on hips.
"I'm not sure whether to tell you to take it just to spite Malfoy or beg you to not so we won't have a better seeker on Slytherin." Ron said.
"Say nothing and let her decide. Either way you win." Kioko said.
"Good idea." Harry said. "Though if she found the snitch and caught it within a minute like everyone's saying we might just prefer not."
"It was more like 2 minutes, but who counts? Point is she got it before Draco, which isn't that hard to accomplish." Kioko said. "Now lets fly!" She pushed as she floated farther into the air.
Hotaru mounted her broom and the others followed.
A/N: Not sure if I should have Hotaru take the spot on the team or not. I think I will, it'll add more drama to Hota-chan's life, (as if she needs it).