A/N: It is time for me to bring up some specific people who have reviewed and answer, or advise them, on their reviews. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate every single solitary review as well as reviewer that has been reading this fic, you're all great!
To Kara: I'm sorry, but I can't keep this in any longer. Good has two o's, god is an ultimate being with limitless power. Lol. As for who owns Saturn's Eye, YOU'LL FIND OUT!!! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA—cough cough—HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
Ahem, to Shai: I hope what I'm fixing up in later chapters will suffice for your Hotaru/Snape paring idea, it's not exactly what you might be looking for, but I had this really cool idea that involves those two.
To Guardian Dimension: Yes, I am resorting to threats now, lol. Actually the 'or else' in the previous chapter was because I had worked harder than normal on it and it was really irritating when I did that stupid thing and lost all that hard work the first time around. Heheh, so, enjoy my fic, OR ELSE!!! Lol…this goes for everyone.
Anyways, ONWARD!!!
Hotaru shivered from the cold, she scrunched herself up into a tight ball in attempt to warm up. Why was it so cold? Something crunched underneath her, it was cold, and wet. Snow? But it was black, how could that be? Black snow…why black snow? It made no sense.
Hotaru fought to stand up, maybe if she kept going she'd find Galaxia, Galaxia could explain all this. Or even Setsuna, she knew everything after all.
"Hotaru…" Hotaru gasped and spun around. No one. "Hotaru…" The voice said again. Hotaru turned back, nothing, she looked from side to side, no one.
"H-hello?" She asked.
"I know what you're trying to do." The voice whispered in her ear. Hotaru turned her head, and screamed. "You're trying to kill me, I know, you're going to be taking lessons in doing so aren't you? But I will not die." She hissed. "So long as you live, I live. So long as you love you fear. So long as you fear you are the nurturance of an egg that feeds me. It will not be long before the shell that is your skin breaks and I surface once again."
Hotaru sat straight up in bed and screamed, or she tried. Nothing came out of her mouth but a horse whisper, "No…" She broke down into a fit of helpless sobs, shaking and unable to cope with what she had just seen.
"Hotaru? Hotaru what's wrong!?" Setsuna gasped, running to her side.
Hotaru wrapped her arms around her Setsuna-mama and buried her head into her shoulder. "It's, it's Mistress 9! Sh-she knows, about me taking lessons with Snape. She-she said that, that she wouldn't die." The girl cried out.
"Oh Hotaru, don't believe her, she lies. She wants you to give up, but you can't. You can kill her, but only you can do it. Okay?" Setsuna comforted as she undid Hotaru's bandage. She sighed, "Oh dear, looks like it wants to scar." She said.
"What does?" Hotaru sniffed, calming down a bit because of the older Senshi's words.
"Oh, well, the first time you came all that bleeding came from your forehead like sweat, but there was also a cut in the shape of your Symbol. This time there was only the cut and it doesn't seem to be healing. You'll have to keep the bandage on until this medicine takes effect." Setsuna told her. She got another cloth and dabbed it with something she had in a flask. She then tied it back around Hotaru's forehead. "Don't take it off okay? If anyone asks just tell them you got a bad scrape and can't touch it or it'll scare."
Hotaru only nodded and slipped herself out of bed.
"It's a bit early, but you're probably not going to get back to sleep any time soon." Setsuna sighed and Hotaru shook her head. Nope, there was no way she was going back to sleep.
**********
Journal Entry, Umbridge VS Galaxia: I don't believe this, I CANNOT BELIEVE THIS!!! Someone must have ratted us out to Umbridge, either that or someone reported strange activity to her. Anyways, she issued a decree stating that no groups, teams, clubs, or anything of the sort could exist in Hogwarts without her knowledge and permission. She must have been suspicious of something to do that.
"Fine by me, it won't be the first time I break a school rule and not get caught." Kioko whispered to me on our way to Astronomy. She snickered, "Oh I cannot wait for this!!!"
I'll have to admit that I kind of agreed with her, though all I did was nod. After all, Umbridge deserves to be put in line.
We all sat down in our seats, Ron was grinning with anticipation and so was Harry, Hermione looked just a bit smug too. However Kioko was maintaining a poker face while I, well, I guess I was just being me. Quiet with a 'notice me not' sign on my forehead, as Kioko always puts it. Though because of the bandage I might have stuck out just a bit more. And Umbridge was also sitting down in the corner, a bit of a smug expression on her own face. That wasn't a good sign though.
"Good morning class." Glandria said, sweeping into the room. Her hair was back up in a bun that had several braids coming down from it, though she bound them together so you couldn't see the red of her hair unless her back was to you. She sat in her chair and took out her gold wand, "Has everyone finished their homework?" She asked.
"Yes Professor." Said a lot of them, others nodded, some merely shrank in their seats.
"Great. Today we'll be studying a very rare and powerful element, Saturn's Black Crystal." She said. Murmurs of interest swept through the room.
"Hem hem." Umbridge said to draw attention to herself.
"You have something to add Dolores?" Galaxia asked, I knew that look in her eye, and it wasn't a very good look, for Umbridge.
"Why yes. It seems you haven't gotten my letter quite yet, telling you that I would be inspecting your class." She said, taking a bit of offense to the use of her first name.
"No, that owl you sent did not completely mess up my potion by nearly crashing into my window and forcing me to get new curtains. I had no piece of parchment with your name on it in emerald green letters and a very big D. I merely forgot to throw you out of my class face first." Glandria said sarcastically.
Umbridge was now looking hot, "See here, Miss Sapphire, I do not believe that Saturn's Black Crystal is a very safe element to study. And furthermore could hardly be gained without using criminal means or by going to Saturn yourself. And you have no right to talk to me that way, in fact, I could put you on probation for just that." she said.
Galaxia leaned forward on her desk as if to get a better look at Umbridge, her ruby red eyes watching the woman like a predator. Umbridge was starting to have a hard time masking her fear. "You, Wouldn't, Dare." It wasn't a question, it wasn't something uttered in fear, it was more like an order. Like a King to his Knight.
"I-I would!!! I could get you kicked out if I wanted, y-you'll never work in Hogwarts again, or the Ministry!!!" Umbridge threatened, standing up from her seat.
Glandria leaned back into her own seat, "You wouldn't and couldn't if you tried. While I have quite the Ministry to start teaching, I still hold a good deal of influence that I could extract if I so wished. Fact of the matter is, Dolores, I still have the power to get you fired, indirect though it may be." She said airily.
I bet Glandria could tell everyone was staring at her, some were openly gawking, though no one dared ask the question in everyone's minds 'She worked for the Ministry?!' It was a bit abrupt and confusing, but it made sense. That's where she'd have known Umbridge, that's what she must have been doing all those months she was gone from the Zero Star.
Umbridge was shaking in rage, and fear. Glandria gave her a cool, indifferent stare, "Now, if there is nothing more you would like to add, we will start the class." She said.
Galaxia, I've discovered, is someone who could make you fear her for no reason. She knows just what strings to pull to get the human imagination running, she knows what to say, how to say it, and how to let you know that she has power. What kind of power, only the Senshi know, but it's still power. She had Umbridge so scared the woman shook and hardly took any notes. She finally got up and started asking some of the students questions.
Oddly enough, she turned to me and then asked, "Is it true you have a personal relationship with the teacher?" She asked. I only nodded meekly. "Ah, is she your aunt, cousin, mother, friend?" She asked.
"A foster mother." I told her truthfully.
"Oh?" She asked quietly. "Do tell."
"I already have. Any more than that is really none of your business, Professor." I said, as politely as I could.
"Ah, well, that's nice dear." She said moving on to the next student, though she seemed to have more of a smug look about her.
At the end of class I imagine Galaxia noticed what Umbridge was planning as well as I, but instead of being worried, she was confidant that nothing Umbridge could possibly do would hurt her.
Potions went well today, I suppose…Snape's eyes kept lingering at my bandaged forehead, however. I was starting to feel a bit self-conscious about it. And Umbridge was inspecting his class as well. She agitated Snape a bit with the fact that he wanted her class position and hadn't yet got it.
At the end of class Snape had me hang back and informed me that my Illusionary class would be replaced with our 'session'. Though when I relayed this message to Kioko, the one where I wouldn't be in Illusionary today, she got all suspicious. But all I could tell her was that it had to do with my condition and that Setsuna had forbidden me from saying any more.
Kinetics today was mildly interesting, though it normally isn't at all. Only those who can actually succeed in their first project, lifting a feather with the mind, could move on to different things. So the entire class was spent trying to get a feather in the air without using your wand. There was no talking, no reading, just staring, at a feather, and hope it'll fly.
I'm not sure what it was, maybe I was stressing a bit because of the previous day, and because of Umbridge. Maybe it was because I was a bit scared of what Snape would be like during that class. But something in my emotions was giving enough leeway to tap into the magic that you normally can only use with a wand, and the feather floated. It was floating!!! I didn't dare celebrate for fear my feather might drop. I made it move around to test myself, to make sure it wasn't someone else playing a joke on me. It moved where I wanted, it did what I wanted.
When I let my feather sit back down on the table everyone was staring at me, once again. "G-good job miss Tomo!!!" Stuttered the teacher, looking very surprised and taken back.
"I-I did it?" I whispered quietly, wondering if that was me, or had I tapped into silence again? No, that was magic, wizarding magic. And I had just used it without a wand!
"You sure did!!!" Kioko was, of course, the first one to break the silence. "I'm so jealous, how'd you do that?!" She exclaimed.
I shook my head, "I, I don't know." I said.
"Do it again." She said. A murmur of agreement passed around the class.
"Yes, do it again."
"Let's see it."
"Make it fly!"
Wondering if it was possible for me to do it once more, I fixed the feather with my gaze, and tried to match what I was feeling the time I had lifted it. And it raised into the air once more.
"Wow. In all my years, I've never seen anyone, no one has been able to express physical talent in the use of Kinetics at such an early age. Congratulations Tomo!!!" The teacher exclaimed, starting a round of clapping that left me a bit red in the cheeks.
My 'session' with Snape…I'd rather not think about it, and I'd rather not write it down. But for some reason I am, maybe to keep an accurate record of myself or something. I don't know. Needless to say, it did not go as planed.
"Have a seat Miss Tomo." He said when I entered the dimly lit room. I did as he ordered and sat down in the chair facing his. "This study has no real name, possibly because it doesn't deal with anything specifically. People use it for many different things, some use it to help them tape into others' minds, others use it to try and find a lost memory. We will use it to get rid of the demon inflicting you." He told me.
I nodded and looked down at my pale hands, wondering if I should tell him about my dream or not.
"It could help you in other things as well. I hear you are very good at art, but lack the ability to put yourself into your paintings. This could very well help you to do that." he said.
"Art doesn't matter much, I just want to get rid of her." I said quietly.
Snape sat back in his chair, "You're right, it doesn't matter much. Demon possession is possibly the worst disease a person could obtain, fatal or not. It requires a strong mind, and a very strong spirit to fend of something like that." He said, I think I heard a bit of pride in his voice. "When did you say, you got this demon?" He asked.
It couldn't hurt to tell him that much could it? "Well…when I was very little my father, my birth father, was working on something, he use to be a scientist. Well, he took me to work one day and…there was an accident. Ever since that day I've harbored this…presence. My foster parents took me in because my father became fatally ill from the accident. Not even St. Mungo's can help him." I explained, hoping that I hadn't revealed too much and yet put enough that it wouldn't be too suspicious. It was really hard to do that though, I had to watch what I say and contemplate it before I say it.
"I see…" Was all he said, probably trying to think of something else to say. "And so, you have been fighting it all this time?" He asked.
"Well…once she gained enough power to take full control, but my Foster Parents were able to defeat her, as well as some of our friends. Everyone who knew was sworn to secrecy though. Ever since then I've been able to…use her power, and only recently has she shown signs of reawakening." I told him truthfully, hoping he wouldn't make me elaborate too much. But this little bit might be useful.
"Hm, well, the question is. Are you willing to sacrifice this power to get rid of…'her'?" He asked. When I nodded he went on, "Very well. The mind can be a delicate thing, and it can be a strong thing. Often what we think will reflect on what we see, and sometimes what we see is not true. Sometimes the eyes will show us something, but our mind will not accept it, so it will become invisible to us. In a way, through this study, you'll be able to see the Truth Behind Lies as well. What you see and what you know may sometimes be two different things. This will be the lesson for next week but I'll be giving you a book to read about it for homework. This week we will begin meditation, clearing one's mind so as to let possible solutions enter." He told me. He then stood up, moved his chair out of the way, and sat on the ground, cross legged. I took this as a sign and did the same.
"Close your eyes." He told me and I did so. "Now, for a few minutes I want you to think of absolutely nothing." He said. I wasn't sure that I could do it, but I tried, and that's when the trouble started.
I cleared my mind, I relaxed all my thoughts, I tried to think of nothing, absolutely nothing. My eyes opened and I starred at Snape, a smirk crept onto my lips. Wait, what was happening to me?
"You, you really think you can get rid of me don't you?" A voice that was not my own hissed from my mouth. Snape jumped, shocked. I cackled unnaturally, "It is as I told her. So long as she lives, I live, so long as she loves, she fears, so long as she grows in fear, so do I grow in power."
Wait, that wasn't me, it wasn't me!!! I screamed inside my own head, I fought mentally with all my might. You will not have my mind, you will not have my body!!! I cried at her.
A scream escaped from my throat, but it was hers, she put my shaking finger to the bandage on my forehead, she then took some blood and started writing on the floor with the last of her power. I grabbed at my own arms, forcing them to move as I wanted them to, not as she did. I pushed her down, she screamed again, and then I was in control.
Shaking, I supported myself by bracing my hands on the ground. I could feel blood coming from my head, and my symbol. I sobbed, I couldn't help it, she had actually taken control. She had surfaced; she did it when I let my guard down. That shouldn't have happened, I should have known better than to completely relax everything.
Awkwardly, Snape moved over towards me and put the bandage back around my forehead. "Shhhh," He hushed, taking me into his arms and carrying me, once again, back to the Hospital Wing.
"Not again!!!" Setsuna shrieked when she saw me. "That-that's twice in a row!!! What did you do!?" She demanded, taking me from Snape.
"A simple meditation exorcize, apparently Miss Tomo cleared her mind a bit too much and allowed the spirit momentary control." He answered calmly as Setsuna placed me back upon my regular hospital bed. "The demon, however, used the blood from Tomo's forehead to write a message as Tomo was getting back control." He said.
"Well, what did it say?" Setsuna demanded.
"It said, 'I will not die'." He answered. "The demon clamed that she could not be killed as well, it seems that she is fueled most by what Tomo fears. Though demons normally feed off of hate, it seems this is a special case." He added.
"What do you propose we do?" Setsuna asked, she looked stressed, and very worried. Not something you normally see on Setsuna-mama.
"It seems the answer is not in Tomo's mind, but in her being. Her physical spirit if you would. It is possible that, over time, a demon could become a part of their host. When this happens the only way to get rid of the demon is a process that is very delicate. The opening of her soul for just enough time to extract the demon and close it back up again." He said.
Setsuna looked horrified, "Open her soul, OPEN HER SOUL!?" She shrieked. I hoped the Silencing wards the Professor had put up were still there. "She could die! She could go mad! Or worse!!!"
"The only alternative is to strengthen Tomo enough that she'd be able to suppress the demon. But she'd have to live with it for the rest of her life, and because this spirit is only getting stronger that might not even be an option." Snape told us.
"I don't believe this," Setsuna huffed, but she then sighed. "We were getting along fine until now…" She said to herself.
"Perhaps there is something triggering it." Snape said, "I have a feeling that maybe, with the right training, she may be able to conquer the demon enough that it will no longer be a threat. As I said before, it feeds on her fear." He told us.
Setsuna shook her head, "Do what you think is best within the period you have set aside for her. But please be careful." She told us.
I've spent the rest of my class with Snape in the Hospital Wing. The bleeding from my forehead has stopped thanks to Setsuna, and she's letting me go on after the hour is up. Though she didn't want me doing my homework because it might seem odd to Kioko, who is suspicious enough as it is. So I've spent this time writing in this book.
Setsuna has told me that Galaxia will try getting to the bottom of this now that it had started becoming serious. I hope she can do something, I'm not sure I can hold out anymore. I thought my depression was loneliness, and the feeling that I didn't belong anywhere. I was wrong, now that everything is settling down, it's coming back. The constant feeling that I need to cry about something, the wish to be anywhere than where I was, the despair and notion that nothing was right, the feeling of pain without reason behind it. I don't know if I can handle all of this, I know it's Mistress 9, but is she all of the reason I am feeling this way? I don't think I can continue life with her still sealed inside of me. The only hope I have is that she's lying and that there is a way to kill her.
But…what if Snape is right, what if something triggered her presence. What if…what if he's right that she's feeding off my fear? But that, that's gaining her a lot of power because I fear her. What's going to happen to me? Sigh, there's the bell. I'd better get going.
*********
"Hi Hotaru!" Harry greeted in the library. "I heard you were having a session with Snape." He said.
"The world doesn't have to know everything about me Kioko." Hotaru said sitting down beside her friend.
"Hey, he asked." Kioko defended.
"Whatever he asks, we didn't do it." George said abruptly.
"Meaning, of course, that they did." Kioko said flipping a page in her book.
"I just realized something, we're not allowed to be doing this." Ron said.
"What?" Hotaru questioned, a big confused.
"This is a regular get-together of more than two people." He said with a sneer.
"Oh dear, should we add more?" Kioko asked, Fred and George snickered.
Before anyone could say anymore there was a sudden screech near the door. "We didn't do it!!!" Fred and George exclaimed as they shot out the back way.
"SHUSH!!!" Exclaimed Madam Hooch.
"Before we get thrown out, I propose we start studying." Kioko said.
Ron and Harry sighed, "Agreed." They said grudgingly.
********
Homework wasn't too bad, Hotaru actually had less than usual because Snape had forgotten to give her the book she was suppose to read. Kinetics was to lift heavier objects, which she was finally able to do, much to the amazement of her friends. She started by lifting the knife she bought at Saturn's Eye, then by doing light books and on to heavy books. "Well it looks like you can do that without a wand. Try using Alohamora without one." Kioko suggested. But when Hotaru tried all she got was a tiny clicking sound, the door she attempted it on wasn't opening. Kioko unlocked it and they gave up that theory.
Earlier that day it seemed as though Draco was doing everything in his power to keep Hotaru from noticing him in classes, now he was sitting in a off-to-the-side chair and trying to read while Crabbe and Goyle were off doing whatever.
Hotaru took a deep breath, gathered up her courage, and walked over to him with Kioko watching her back. She hovered near his chair, but it didn't take long for him to be agitated by her presence. "Something you want, Tomo?" He asked, though his voice lacked it's usual hiss or sneer.
"Yes, actually." She told him softly. He looked up and gave her a questioning look, "An apology." She said, her face still had a gentle expression, but it was of a more stern nature.
"What?" He asked, raising his voice a bit. "Why should I—?"
"Look, you can insult my skin color, you can make fun of my hair and eyes, you can even sneer at the way I dress. But when you start insulting my parents you've gone too far. I'm not leaving until I get something along the lines of 'I'm sorry'." She told him firmly.
Draco closed his book and stood up. "You think you can just walk up to me and demand me to apologize? You're wrong, Tomo. I'm not doing anything of the sort, especially not for a skinny, purple-eyed, freak like you."
Hotaru bit her bottom lip and fixed him with a non-so-gentle glare that made him step back. She was not fond of the term 'freak', mainly because she had always been called that in the life she lived when Mistress 9 came first. Careful to keep her voice level, she said, "What have I done to you, that I continually deserve you're abuse? A little snip on the train isn't enough of an excuse. I am not the one who retorts to your insults, it's Kioko, so why am I the one who is your target? I come and ask for a simple 'I'm sorry' and what to I get? Another insult, another lash. If you can't stand my existence than why not ignore me and pretend that I don't exist? It can't be that hard."
Draco shifted uncomfortably, trying to keep his own face strait, trying not to let her know she was getting to him. But when you can practically read one's thoughts it's hard to do that. Truth be told he was sorry, he didn't want to get her so upset, she was right and he had no idea she was living with foster parents. He just wanted her to pay attention to him for once…
Hotaru stopped herself, mentally blocking out his thoughts from her mind. She fixed him with a stare, determined to make him tell her that he was sorry aloud, when he'd know that she heard him.
"Okay," He breathed, "I'm sorry." He whispered softly, hoping no one else heard him.
"That's all I wanted." Hotaru told him, she then turned and walked back to Kioko. The one time Draco had her paying attention to him he'd…Hotaru shook her head to clear out Malfoy's thoughts. She didn't want to know what people were thinking, it was too scary for her, and right now she couldn't handle it.
*******
Journal Entry, Thoughts: Hogwarts is starting to seem a lot more desolate, dark, and foreboding. What will happen next? The life that I once lived has shattered, and until I can get rid of the one who broke it I can't piece myself back together. But can I ever really get rid of her?
I'm starting to see things I shouldn't, to hear things I shouldn't. And it's starting to cave in on me. I can't escape the thoughts of others', the shadows that move about in the night, the voices I'm beginning to hear in my dreams. They all have their thoughts, they're all contradicting, always fighting. I don't know if I can go on like this.
Most around me suspect I'm getting stressed out because I'm taking too many classes, they're wrong. I can handle the academics, I always could, I'm even starting to average a medium O in them, even Herbology. It's the presence inside of me, threatening to take over, to hurt my friends, to kill everything I love. I'm getting so scared nowadays. I'll even find myself wandering corridors for no reason, and being unable to give Kioko an answer when she asks where I went off to. I'll jump at the slightest of sounds, I've even cried just because I thought Shiva, (or was it Jade?) had broken my first quick pen, even though I have another.
I think only Pandora noticed, which is an accomplishment considering she hasn't known me for that long. She'll snuggle up close and just make cooing noises. Strangely enough, it seems to work. I'll find myself able to concentrate on my work. I almost wish the teachers would assign me more homework, just to get my thoughts off her.
I heard that Malfoy asked for the Slythrin Quidditch team to be brought back together, and Umbridge complied immediately. So there's one more thing to get my mind off of things. And I found that it's relaxing to just fly, after catching the snitch I can just float around and enjoy myself like that. Though while Kioko is making the match a lot more interesting, ahem.
Anyways, I decided to thank Malfoy for it because no one else had. He merely snorted out a 'you're welcome' that didn't sound at all sincere; after all, he didn't have his spot anymore. Which was why I thanked him in the first place. It was nice of him to do that even though he couldn't play unless he found a different spot he was good at. Though when I told him that he gave me a disbelieving look, but I could tell his heart was jumping into his throat. That was before I forced his thoughts down and kept my mind from picking them up. Now that these powers are getting more and more sharp I'm having to switch methods to shut them off.
However, I get the feeling that I'm reading his thoughts because I sub-consciously want to know what he's thinking, what he keeps hiding from everyone, and why he's so upset deep down. It's not so with Kioko, she voices her thoughts aloud most of the time. Harry, Ron, and Hermione all have their private thoughts, but I try to keep myself from being interested in what they are. After all, I don't want to invade their privacy any more than they let me. But I'm still able to feel emotions in the room, and Harry has been troubling over a few things. This book suggested I give him a couple of those special pens I got from Saturn's Eye and show him how to use them. He nearly squeezed me to death with his hug, and his joy was so magnified it was lifting up my spirits a bit. But then later on he was troubled again, he probably wanted to contact someone but couldn't find out how to get the pen to him or her.
I haven't been able to take the bandage off yet, and it's been almost a week. Setsuna's been pretty worried about me lately. I've still been able to keep up a smile and my soft air. I don't look like I'm stressing, my hair might get a little ruffled here and there because I run my fingers through it a lot while studying. But Kioko's is worse. Anyway, she's been giving me medicine for it, but it seems I might have a scare in the shape of my Symbol for a long time. It's barely noticeable, but it's still there, and you can still tell what it is if you look closely. Setsuna's making me wear some black scarves or head bands over it and to act like I'm wearing them because I like them.
I suppose I should write down the first DA meeting, that's what we've decided to call our Defense Group. Well, here goes.
When Kioko and I had arrived at the area that I specified to everyone the door was already there, meaning someone was there already. When we entered there was Harry, Ron, and Hermione.
"Hi everyone." I said pleasantly.
"Whoa," Kioko breathed in amazement, she was then at the bookshelf within the next second looking at the books murmuring something like, "Read it, read it, read it, haven't, read it, read it, read it…" And taking the ones she hadn't read.
"Hotaru, I heard you've been a bit…stressed lately. Maybe you should let down on all your classes." Hermione said, walking up to me. She had a concerned look in her eyes that told me she hadn't heard it, but seen it herself. It was just as well, Hermione was always the perceptive type, though not as much as Kioko.
"It's okay, I'm not really worried about my school work." I told her softly as the room started filling with people.
"Do you want to talk about it? Later perhaps?" Hermione asked.
"Thanks, but I'm not allowed. Don't say anything to Kioko okay? Or anyone else." I told her. She nodded and I took a seat beside Kioko.
"Well," Harry said a bit nervous. "This is the place Hotaru found for practices, and you've, er, obviously found it okay."
"It's Fantastic!" Exclaimed the Oriental girl I remember seeing on the train. I think her name is Cho Chang. There was a murmur of agreement in the room.
"Yeah, nice job Tomo." Some said, I had a few pats on the shoulders. Red appeared on my cheeks because of the attention.
"It's bizarre, we once hid from filch in here, remember, George? But it was just a broom cupboard then…" Fred said awkwardly looking around.
"Hey, Harry, What's this stuff?" Asked Dean, referring to the Sneakoscopes and the Foe-Glass behind him.
"Dark Detectors, basically they all show when Dark wizards or enemies are around, but you don't want to rely on them too much, they can be fooled…" He paused a bit to look at the stuff, then he turned around to face his audience. "Well, I've been thinking about the sort of stuff we ought to do first and—er—what Hermione?" He asked.
"I think we ought to elect a leader," Hermione said.
"Harry's leader." Cho declared in a 'there's no question about it' voice. I felt Harry's insides jump. A bit shocked, I looked at him, then at Cho. Strangely enough I hadn't noticed her too much, and here Harry has a crush on her. I wonder why she hasn't been invited to join our little study group, after all, Kioko did say we should add more people.
"Yes, but I think we ought to vote on it properly, it makes it formal and it gives him authority. So—everyone who thinks Harry ought to be our leader?" Hermione asked and she raised her hand. Everyone in the room raised their hands.
"Though I have a suggestion." Kioko said.
"Yes Kioko?" Harry asked, wondering.
"Well, it's a well known fact that Hotaru and myself have been getting O grades in all our studies, at least to those who can't resist looking at the Hogwarts score boards put up in the lobby. And we were thinking maybe we ought to help you, okay I was thinking that we ought to help. But not to lead if you think that's what I mean, I mean to teach." She said smirking.
"Well…Hotaru's really good at helping with homework and such." Fred said.
"All in favor of Hotaru helping." George said grinning as he raised his hand.
"That's…Majority…" Hermione said awkwardly, her own hand raised. "I guess it's up to Harry, do you need, or want, help?" she asked.
"Kioko…" I complained, I never agreed to this!
"Well, it'd be nice." Harry said, "And Kioko's probably going to help teach whether we like it or not." Kioko straightened and had a 'I am very proud of myself' look about her. "I suppose we could appoint them to teaching."
"Harry are you nuts?! They're Slytherin, both of them!!!" Someone exlciamed.
"Hark nave!!! Thou hast irritated the Lady Hex with thine stereotyping! The Lady Hex likith it not when people judge her by her house!!! She shall now demand compensation, repent! Repent of your stereotyping!!!" Fred and George exclaimed at the same time. It seems as though they had practiced that for just such an occasion.
"Thank you Fred and George." Kioko said through clenched teeth, half irritated, half pleased. The twins looked very proud of themselves too.
"You have to say 'not all Slytherins are bad' or she'll never leave you alone." Ron stated.
Kioko smirked and fixed the one, I think it was Dean Tomas, who had outburst with her gaze. He mumbled something incoherent, "Good enough." Kioko said, waving it off with her hand.
"Okay, now that that's settled, I was thinking, er—what Hermione?" Harry asked.
"I also think we ought to have a name," She said brightly. "It would promote a feeling of team spirit and unity, don't you think?" She asked.
"It'll also make our secret organization a bit more official." Kioko put in.
"Can we be the Anti-Umbridge League?" Angelina asked.
"Or the Ministry of Magic Are Morons Group?" Suggested Fred.
"As much as those names are very inventive as well as exposing, I'm afraid we shouldn't alert the public to what we're up to." Kioko said.
"My thoughts exactly." Hermione put in.
"How about the Defense Association? The D.A. for short, so nobody knows what we're talking about?" Cho asked.
"Yeah, the D.A.'s good, only let's make it stand for Dumbledore's Army because that's the Ministry's worst fear, isn't it?" Ginny suggested.
"All in favor of the D.A.?" Hermione asked. "That's majority—motion passed!" she then wrote DUMBLEDORE'S ARMY up on the piece of paper with all the names.
Our first lesson was a Disarming charm, which was simple enough. There was a bit of goofing around on Fred and George's part. But I suppose that's to be expected. Kioko and myself learned it pretty quickly, Kioko had obviously had practice already and I was able to get it my first try. Both our wands flew at the same time every time. There were some instances when one of us would be a bit late, but that's only to be expected.
We went through several rounds together, then Harry asked if we'd go around and help him make suggestions.
I went off for Cho and her friend because Harry seemed to be avoiding them. Cho was doing okay, and her friend was a bit…not okay. "You hold your wand like this." I told her softly, showing her my hand position.
Marietta jerked her head towards me and was about to retort, when she stopped and just nodded silently. But then she said, "I know you, you're that Slytherin who became seeker."
"Er…" I blushed a bit, only making her giggle.
"You're also the one who's been making strait O's, as well as the one who was able to lift the feather in Kinetics." She said smirking. "People have been talking about you a lot."
"Marietta please!" Cho exclaimed. She then turned to me, "Are you also friends with Harry?" She asked. When I nodded she went on, "What kind of friends?"
"What do you mean?" I asked, a bit perplexed.
"You know…" She looked down at her feet.
"Oh, no nothing like that! I just help him with his homework and maybe play some Quidditch here and there." I told her, my hands up defensively.
"Oh, okay…" She said, looking a bit happier.
"Sigh, if you are finished talking about your crush to Tomo can we continue?" Marietta asked.
"Okay okay." Cho sighed, turning back to her friend.
We went over on time just a bit, but that was okay. No one was caught, and Kioko and I are known for staying in the library until the last possible moment. We were to meet the next Wednesday.
Sigh, Hermione's confrontation was enough for me to start upping my defenses. I was determined to smile more, to act as though nothing was wrong at all, and that I enjoyed lessons, which I did. I'm still working on it, but already Hermione's been smiling back to me, as if thinking my problems had been solved.
My last lesson with Snape had no results, mostly we talked about how it felt when she took over or when I used her powers or something. I admitted as much as felt I could without giving anything away. I told him about my nightmares, leaving out any parts that might expose me, such as when she referred to me as Princess Saturn, or started talking about the Senshi. He didn't give me any homework, which I silently regretted later. I had nothing to keep my mind of the depression Mistress 9 is inflicting upon me. I feel as though I'm going to chock without something to do. I've tried playing with Pandora, talking about nothing in particular with Kioko, I've even attempted confronting and being pleasant to Malfoy. He hasn't been as bad nowadays, but he's still sniping at me here and there, so I'm able to hold conversation without feeling as though I need to run and cry about him calling me a freak or anything like that.
But in the end it just doesn't seem to be working. I'm still finding myself wandering down strange corridors. Once Snape caught me in an area that was completely unfamiliar, I felt it save to confess to him that this happened often in order for him to believe my 'I got lost' excuse. He found it pretty bothersome and cautioned me on paying more attention to what I was doing.
Pandora's getting bigger by the day, my booklet told me that these Phoenixes will grow fast to maturity and then stop for a couple of years before aging on. She's able to fly around the room now, she can teleport too, and do all sorts of wonderful things. She's sitting on Kioko's shoulder too now, she's starting to squawk whenever Malfoy is in the room now, and she always seems to appear on my shoulder whenever I need her. Though because she does it discreetly word hasn't spread too much about me having a Phoenix.
Well, I guess that's all for now. I don't want to go to sleep, but my condition will become questionable if I display any lack of rest. I'm getting pretty tired, Kioko's already turned off her lamp, and is probably waiting for me to do the same. Shiva's waiting for me to get comfortable so she can get on the bed as well. So I suppose I ought to stop here.
A/N:
Fred: And now a-
George: Solute to-
Fred & George: TEA!!!
Kioko: Say what?
Fred: The authoress wanted us-
George: to give a solute to tea.
Kioko: Why?! SHE DRINKS TOO MUCH AS IT IS!!! Look at this!!! *Holds up garbadge bag full of Nestea cans and then gives Rhea and evil eye*
Rhea: Hey, you have some coke cans in there too!!!
Kioko: *Rolls her eyes* 2 OR 3!!!
Rhea: So what?! *Starts emptying another can of Nestea* I like tea.
Kioko: *Exasperated sigh*