A/N: Congratulate me for today, August 21, is ma birthday!!! AND I GOTS A NEW CHAIR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WOO HOO!!!! Oh, I also got this strategy/adventure game that I won't be able to get off of for a long while so the next chapter might be put on hold for a bit. My party's also on Saturday so no chappy then either. Please continue to review!
Journal Entry, Nightmare: I'm having more nightmares, but it wasn't just those with Mistress 9 in them, it was the same one that I had when she awakened. The one where I'm running through a forest, my wings are and odd black crystal, and I am in my princess dress. The voices continually whisper the same thing, "With each conversion from dark to light the balance becomes obscure. Be warned, for the dark is rising." I woke up in the Hospital Wing again, forbidden to practice Quidditch and I also had to miss the week's DA meeting. Kioko brought me up my time galleon so that I'd know when the next meeting would be as well as everyone else.
Anyways, my lessons with Snape are progressing a bit, if you can call it progress. Several times Mistress 9 surfaced to tell Snape it was futile, but I'm getting better at keeping her from it. Though sometimes he tells me to let him speak with her for a bit, I'm always able to gain back control before she says something too revealing. I want to tell him the truth, he's being so kind and patient with me, but I can't.
I get the feeling that Mistress 9 wants me to get good grades in everything, to learn more and more magic. I fear it's because she wants that edge, she wants access to all these spells.
Word has spread about the several times I've been in the informatory for something that had no explanation, people I don't even know are approaching me and asking me if I'm okay. I've been getting small presents and letters in the mornings from the owl post from some people I do and don't know. Most of the letters say things like 'I hope you feel okay' and such. I think I've gathered several 'secret admirer's, though one of them is just Fred and George being funny. The 'long hair' comments give them away. For some reason they're obsessed with the, 'You look prettier with long hair' thing.
Kioko handed out several lists of the edible foods at Hogwarts and she went into detail about how she told everyone they grilled the chicken in bacon grease. Everyone looked shocked, "That was chicken!?" they exclaimed.
Millichent's been getting worried about me too, though his reasons are a bit different. He's afraid I might get sick on out Quidditch match with Gryffindor and they'll have to forfeit. Though I reminded him that if I did get sick and couldn't play, he still had Malfoy.
"Well, yeah, but he's got nothing on you Miss Catches-Snitch-Every-Other-Minute." He said a bit reproachfully.
"At least you won't have to forfeit the game." Kioko put in, "Besides, we have another method of winning the game. Remember?" She stated, swinging her arms in such a way that it looked like she was hitting a bludger at someone.
"Right." He sighed. "Oh well, guess I'm use to having the world's best Beater as well as the world's best Seeker on the team."
"Keep that in mind, Millichent," Kioko said adjusting her gloves, "I'm not too happy about the reports of Slytherins hexing Gryffindors." She said.
"You aren't happy about it?" Millichent asked raising an eyebrow.
"Why of course, Drane, after all, Gryffindor is the only team that's beaten Slytherin in a good while, and without their players there just won't be enough of a challenge. Besides, I happen to like four of these said players, and hexing them will only induce the wrath of Lady Hex." She stated, she did a flick with her wrist and her wand was out as if it were a card, "and that is a very bad thing. Bad, bad, bad, bad." She said grinning.
"I'll take you're word for it." Millichent said backing away.
"Wise choice." She told him, putting her wand back up.
Kioko has obtained quite the reputation of being Lady Hex, no one wants on her bad side if they can help it. She also stopped the hexing by doing it herself, to any of her fellow house members who did so to the Gryffindor players.
As for everything else, about the same. An O in my report cards is no longer a good thing, it's expected. In my mind at least, I'm getting lots of letters from my fellow senshi asking how I'm doing and such. Thankfully they know not to put anything too important down because Umbridge is reading all the mail, even though I doubt Umbridge would care too much, or that she could understand Japanese characters and words.
We have a lot of practice time on the Quidditch field thanks to Professor Snape. Kioko is still making things interesting, she and Goyle are the beaters but she is somehow able to take care of both bludgers at the same time. Several games had to be stopped because she had taken out all the players but me and maybe one or two more. Setsuna-mama and Madam Pomphry were a bit busier because of that. "Honestly Miss Night, must you hit them so hard?" She asked once when Kioko was visiting me in the Hospital, again.
"But of course!" Kioko responded.
Well, as the Quidditch game neared it became unlikely that I'd play, mainly because the day before I woke up in the hospital wing again, after the same nightmare.
"B-b-but she has to play!!!" Millichent argued with Setsuna-mama.
"Well she's not, and that's final Millicent." She told him briskly. "She can watch from the teacher's box with Miss Sapphire, but she's not playing. I'm reluctant to even let her go outside in this cold. Besides, you still have Malfoy and Night."
Millicent sighed, put his box of Get-Well candy on the table, and then left with a mournful goodbye.
This happened quite a while ago, and I guess I have nothing more to write down. My teachers have decided to give me a day off because I'm making such good grades. The game's tomorrow, and I'm not really looking forward to the cold, but it'll be interesting to see what Kioko does in real-time circumstances. I suppose I'll start reading a bit more in this book, I haven't been doing that lately, maybe that's what I need to try in any of my free time.
Hotaru flipped a bunch of pages over and started reading something about the uses of Dragon's Blood. She didn't go more than 4 pages when the door opened and then closed. She looked up and saw Malfoy looking around her room.
"So they gave you your own room now?" He asked.
Hotaru nodded, "Though it means Setsuna-mama can't stay with me as much, she has other rooms to tend to as well." She said.
Malfoy set his box of Sugar Quills on her table among the collection of other Get-Well items she was getting. "You're becoming quite popular Tomo, probably because you're about as strange as they come." He said.
"Why do you say that?" Hotaru asked, reading her book and talking to him at the same time.
"Number 1 you arrived late, that gets people wondering. Number 2 you jump into almost every class you can possibly get into. Number 3 you're Slytherin and yet you've made friends with Potter, Weasley, and Granger. Number 4 you've made friends with Night, and she doesn't like anyone. Number 5 you've been getting nothing but good grades in every class you take and still have time for more than just your homework. Number 6 you're just too…sweet and innocent, to be a Slytherin. Number 7 you're starting to appear in the hospital for no reason other than some sort of freak disease. Number 8 you've turned out to be the best seeker Hogwarts has ever seen. I could go on." He explained.
"No that's okay." Hotaru said closing her book. She sighed and leaned back on her pillows.
"Don't like attention do you, Tomo?" he asked rather laughingly. "It's a wonder that reporters haven't been swamping in to interview you. You and Night both are abnormally good at magic. You're also the first one of your age to make a feather float without a wand." He said, taking a seat.
"Never thought I'd see the day you paid me a complement, Malfoy, much less several." Hotaru said.
Draco rolled his eyes, "As if, Tomo, as if. I am merely stating the roomers that have been going around about you." He said.
"Ah, I see. By the way, shouldn't you be practicing?" Hotaru asked. Malfoy shook his head.
"I've been practicing, and the next one is in 10 minutes. Millichent is more of a slave driver than Flint ever was." He said, did Malfoy just crack a joke? Hotaru could hardly believe it. "Only Night and you seem to be unaffected because Night's abilities outstrip his own by far and you catch the snitch every 2 minutes." He added. "What? What's so funny?" Draco demanded when Hotaru started giggling softly.
"Oh, it's nothing, just…" Just that he was talking to her as though she were a friend for the first time in Hogwarts history.
He rolled his eyes again, "You're strange, Tomo."
"I am, aren't I?" She giggled.
"You're not suppose to agree with me." He grumbled.
"I know."
"Night is beginning to rub off on you isn't she?" He leered. Hotaru merely shrugged. He grumbled something under his breath and then stood up. "If I'm late for practice Millichent will have my head. I blame you for raising his standards on the Seeker's roll." Was his goodbye. He left, closing the door behind him, and making Hotaru giggle some more.
At least he was being civil to her now, and he cared enough to come and see her in the Hospital, whether she was awake or not. Though he still wasn't about to admit any of that to her.
********
Bundled up in a sweater and several blankets that didn't seem to be doing much about the cold, Hotaru was huddled in the corner of the teacher's box beside Glandria, who didn't seem to be minding the cold one bit with merely her robes and form-fitting jacket. To make matters worse than they were, Pandora had insisted upon coming to and was perched upon Hotaru's shoulder happily singing tunes to different songs and attracting a lot of attention. Probably on purpose too.
"A-ahem, testing one two three, testing one two three." Lee said, his voice getting louder with every word until it was at a desired volume. "And here come the Slytherins. Sad thing happened really, they're new seeker's gotten sick again, they have to make due with Malfoy, who is nothing compared to the beautiful and talented Hotaru Tomo." Hotaru felt her face redden and she shrank in her seat, wishing Lee had not singled her out.
"Jordan." McGonagall warned.
"Though that's a good thing for the Gryffindors. Though because Lady Hex had finally joined the team and become a Beater we might be in a bit of trouble." His voice echoed.
"Jourdan!!!" She exclaimed louder.
"Just some fun facts professor, makes the game more interesting." Lee said.
"Captains shake hands," Ordered Madam Hooch. Hotaru watched as Angelina and Millichent shook hands. "Mount your brooms…" When her command had been complied she readied the whistle. When she blew all 14 players shot into the air and scattered.
"And it's Johnson, Johnson with the Quaffle, what a player that girl is, I've been saying it for years but she still won't go out with me—"
"JORDAN!!!" Professor McGonagall yelled.
"Just another fun fact Professor. Speaking of which, I was wondering if Tomo would like to go out with me provided she's not sic—OUCH!!! That really hurt Professor." He wined.
"Serves you right, now pay attention to the game!!!" She yelled.
"Okay, okay. It's Millichent with the quaffle, Millichent shoots and…scores! Too bad for Ron Weasley, looks like he's getting yelled at by Lady Hex, who is now turning to me and giving me a glare. Who all are willing to bet I don't make it to the next match? Anyway, it's Johnson with the quaffle again, she passes it to Bell, who passes it to Spinnet, who gets hit by a bludger and drops it. Warrington picks it up and a bludger is coming right at me, AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!" Lee ducked just in time. "No doubt it was Lady Hex, who is still fixing me with a glare." He said nervously.
"Serves you right." McGonagall repeated.
"Er, and Spinnet has the Quaffle again, making up for that lost ball eh? And a bludger is speeding towards her, oh come on you can dodge—obviously you can't. Nice bludger from Fred, or is that George, oh well, too bad Lady Hex dodged it. It was one of them anyway. Spinnet shoots for the goal, GRYFFINDOR SCORES!!!!" He yelled. "OUCH!!! That must have heart for Johnson, I hope she's okay. Maybe not. And the quaffle is in Warrington's hands, Warrington dodges Alica and goes for the goal. Come on Ron, block it!!! AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!!! NIGHT YOU'RE SUPPOSE TO BE SHOOTING THAT THING AT THE OTHER TEAM PLAYERS!!!!" He yelled, dodging another bludger.
"So?!" Kioko yelled just as a chorus of 'Weasley is our King' arose back up from the Slytherins.
"Er, and Slytherin scores!!! Too bad Ron. Wait, WHAT?! Night and Weasley just shot both bludgers at Malfoy, what's that all about Night?! And Millichent is now yelling at Night, who seems to be completely ignoring him, not surprising, and is now aiming her bludger at…ME! AAAAHHHH!!!!" Jorden ducked just in time. "I hope someone, other than Lady Hex, is counting how many times I scream like a girl." He said, a bit sarcastically.
"I'm sure several are." Galaxia murmured to Hotaru, who didn't answer. "Hotaru? Are you okay?" She asked.
"Mmmph, my forehead is hurting." She whispered, feeling absolutely miserable. Not even Kioko's antics were cheering her up, she felt as though she was going to break down and cry in the middle of the game. First of all it was cold, freezing, and she hated the cold thanks to her nightmares with Mistress 9 and all that black snow. Secondly, she was getting too much attention. She didn't like it when people stared at her, neither Pandora nor Lee were helping in this area. Thirdly there were too many people, there just were. Sure they were sorted, and sure she was sitting right next to Glandria, who wasn't about to let anything happen to her. But they weren't forced to be spread out and behind walls. Almost everyone at Hogwarts was here, watching the match, and it was very uncomfortable. But those were only reasons she could come up with, there was no real reason why she was so dejected, and her forehead was hurting, a lot.
"Do you want to go back to the Hospital?" Galaxia asked, concerned.
Hotaru nodded inside her bundles. She was tired, soar, and also hungry. Kioko would fill her in on the details besides.
*********
"I made Jordan scream a total of 6 times today, Slytherin scored 9 times while Gryffendor got in 5. We were about to win because I had knocked almost all the chasers as well as beaters out of the game, but Harry caught the snitch at the last second. Malfoy wasn't too happy, so he started being Malfoy and insulting them. Got him a bloody nose though. Though that landed Harry in detention and him, Fred, and George are no longer allowed to play Quidditch."
"What?!" Hotaru gasped in shock, she stared at Fred and George who nodded bitterly.
"Yeah." They sighed. "Courtesy of the Frog Witch."
"By the way, Jordan pointed out the fact that you were missing by saying something like, 'And if it so pleases her highness, I will again ask if Tomo would go out with—hey, where is she? Uh oh, seems as though Tomo wasn't able to handle the cold due to her sickness. AAAAAHHH!!!'." Kioko said, doing a very good impression of Jordan screaming because of another Bludger coming at him. Hotaru giggled a bit. "Though that one was actually due to Malfoy acting as though he saw the Snitch and swooping down on him. Jordan got non-to-gently brushed with the butt of Malfoy's broom. He currently has scratch marks, that is unless he hasn't seen Madam Pomphry or Setsuna yet." Kioko said smirking.
"Yeah, why'd Malfoy do that stunt? He normally ignores Lee." Ron said.
Hermione let out an exasperated sigh and looked like she was fighting the urge to roll her eyes. Kioko, however, didn't hold anything back, "You're all clueless aren't you?" She sighed.
"What?" Fred and George demanded at the same time. Kioko rolled her eyes to the ceiling as if asking something in the sky why she was surrounded by morons.
"Haven't you noticed it yet? Lee isn't the only male in Hogwarts who wants to date Hotaru." Hermione said, Hotaru felt her cheeks flush once again.
"Well duuuuuuuuuhhhh. We gathered that much!" George exclaimed, Hotaru's blush deepened.
"Wait, you're not saying," Fred started.
"That Malfoy…" George trailed off. They both looked at the very red Hotaru with disbelief in their eyes.
"Hey hold up! I thought the only one he was capable of fancying was Parkinson!!!" Ron exclaimed, standing up from his seat.
"I didn't think he could fancy anyone." Harry put in, glowering a bit to himself. He was still soar at Malfoy for landing him in detention as well as getting his broom taken away.
"Is it really that obvious?" Hotaru asked Hermione.
"No, and yes. A dead giveaway was when he abandoned picking on a Gryffindor first year because you walked into his line of vision. He pays you more attention than even Crabbe and Goyal, even though it's negative attention. He stares at you when he thinks no one's watching, and is doing less than good with his potions because of it." Everyone stared at her, "Okay so I'm abnormally perceptive."
"No kidding." Kioko said, looking a bit impressed. "Not even I noticed all that. I need to pay more attention."
"Still, he likes you?!" Ron exclaimed, gaping at Hotaru.
"Can we chose another subject?" Hotaru asked pleadingly.
"Sure, how would everyone like to meet my pet snake?" Kioko said, she lifted her hand and a medium sized snake slithered around her wrist and used her hand to support itself up.
Everyone scrambled away from it, "You, you keep a-a snake in your robe sleeve?!" Ron demanded breathlessly.
"Not normally, but she wanted to see the match and what better way to do so than first hand?" Kioko asked smirking.
*********
Journal Entry: She's laughing at me, laughing at me because I'm week, because I can hardly handle what she's putting me through.
I found myself wondering through the snow one day, I think it was yesterday maybe, or it could have been earlier today. I think what shook me awake was a gruff voice above me, "Well hello thar'." I looked up and there was the tallest, and biggest, man I had ever seen, and I had never seen him before. Which was startling because I know I passed that same house several times on my walks with Kioko. Before I could think of running he put his large coat over my shoulders and lead me into his house. "What cha' doin' out here without so much as a sweater?" He asked, his accent was rather heavy, but I couldn't remember where it was from.
"Um…" How could I tell someone I didn't know that an evil demon I saw in my nightmares was making me wander around Hogwarts aimlessly?
"Have a seat little Missy." He said kindly.
"Thank you." I murmured, sitting down by the fire to warm myself up. It was a wonder the cold hadn't jarred me awake. I was freezing!
"Goodness Missy, what were ya' doin out thar'?" He asked, concerned.
"Er…I got lost…" It wasn't a very good excuse, but it was all I could come up with.
"Ya needn't be snoop'n about, especially around this year. What's yer' name? I don't think I've seen you aroun'." He asked. He seemed kind enough, and in good humor for all the cuts and bruises he had.
"Hotaru Tomo." I told him softly, taking the tea that he was offering me. (A/N: ALL HAIL TEA!!!)
"Ah, so you're the Tomo that everyone seems ta' be talk'n about lately." He said with a large grin on his face. I just blushed and nodded meekly. "Well, I suppose I should fill ya' in a bit. I'm the real Care of Magical Creatures teacher, Professor Grubbly-Planks has been fill'n in for me. I jus' got back from an arrant Dumbledore sent me on." He said.
"What was the arrant?" I asked, looking at all his injuries with concern. "Maybe you should see Madam Pomphry or Setsuna-mama."
"Naw, I can take it. And it's nothing for you ta' be worri'n yourself abou'. Did you say Setsuna?" He asked. When I nodded he let out a hoot of laughter, "HO! I haven't seen that girl in a long while. I wonder how she's doing."
"We're doing alright." I told him, smiling a bit.
"You her daughter?" He asked.
I shook my head, "She's one of my foster parents. Along with Haruka-papa and Michiru-mama." I told him, taking another sip of his tea. I felt more comfortable now, he knew my Setsuna-mama and he was being awfully kind.
"Ah, I see. Well good for you! They're good girls, all of them." He said. "By the way, my name's Hagrid. Pleased ta' meet cha'. Warm yourself up and I'll take ya back to the castle."
"Thank you Hagrid-san." I said.
He lent me one of his heavy blankets for the way there.
I think later I found myself wandering the same forbidden corridor I had when Snape found me, I quickly went back the way I came and got back to Kioko before anyone saw me. My mindless walks are becoming more frequent. Kioko has noticed that I'll just get up and go somewhere, looking as though I'd be right back, but I won't for long periods of time. She won't believe the 'I got lost' excuse for much longer. Draco Malfoy complained that he once said 'Hello' to me in the hall once but I didn't even offer him a simple grunt in return, I just kept walking. I mostly wander down desolate corridors though.
All this I've noticed in the past two days. Whenever I have free time, after I've done my homework and such, she takes as much control as she can. I've told this to Snape, but he doesn't seem to have any answers to what I should do about it. Paying attention doesn't work because she strikes at my weakest moments. Keeping myself busy doesn't work because, unless I'm doing homework, I can always get up and 'do something else', like roam the corridors aimlessly.
Kioko's really been complaining about it, and I can't give her an answer, not yet anyways. Maybe I can trust her, she seems trustworthy towards me at least. Right, I'll tell her sometime soon. She should understand…I hope.
*********
Hagrid was a very disturbed and rather gory picture the next time Hotaru saw him, which was in her Care of Magical Creatures class with the Gryffindors. His bruises were worse than they had been, and to complete it all he had a dead calf over his arm. "We'll be workin' in here today!" He called happily, referring to the forest behind him. "Bit more sheltered! Anyway, they prefer the dark…"
"What prefers the dark?" Malfoy asked, a hint of panic in his voice.
"Whatever animal we're studying today." Hotaru answered calmly.
"Did you hear what it was?" He asked grabbing Hotaru's arm.
"Calm down, I'm sure it's perfectly tame. You can hide behind me if you like." She told him.
"Very funny, Tomo." He mumbled leering at her, though he didn't seem to notice he was still holding on to her arm.
"Scared Malfoy?" Kioko taunted.
"Ready?" Hagrid asked happily, "Right, well, I've bin savin' a trip inter the forest fer yer fifth year. Thought we'd go an' see these creatures in their natural habitat. Now, what we're studyin' today is pretty rare, I recon I'm probably the on'y person in Britain who's managed ter train 'em—"
"And you're sure they're drained, are you? Only it wouldn't be the first time you'd brought wild stuff to class, would it?" Malfoy asked. Both Slytherins and Gryffindors looked like they figured he had a good point. Hotaru had never seen him so panicked before, he didn't even have a good grip and he was still holding on to her arm, pretty tightly too.
"'Course they're trained," Hagrid said scowling, he moved the calf a little higher on his shoulder.
"What happened to your face then?" Malfoy demanded.
"Malfoy, it's not like you're going to die. Dumbledore wouldn't let Hagrid teach if it was that dangerous." Hotaru said reasonably.
"Right, thank ye' 'Taru. Now if yer' finished ask'n stupid questions, follow me!" Hagrid said, he turned and then lead them into the forest. Malfoy still hadn't let go of Hotaru's arm, and he didn't look as though he was going to do so any time soon. Hotaru could tell what Kioko was thinking, 'Why didn't I bring a camera?', and she needed no telekinesis either.
Soon they were walking into a part of the forest with no snow, and it was warmer that way, much to Hotaru's delight. Hagrid disposed of the calf on the ground once they had stopped. "Gather roun', gather roun'," He told everyone.
Hotaru moved foreward, or tried, Draco had a firm hold on her arm and wasn't going any further. "You've got to be crazy, Tomo." He hissed in her ear.
"Quit being such a baby." She told him, though kindly enough. She gently moved his hands of her arm and then stepped forward. Not one to be left behind, Draco came forth as well, even though he still had Crabbe and Goyle.
"Now, they'll be attracted by the smell o' the meat but I'm goin' ter give 'em a call anyway, 'cause they'll like ter know it's me…" Hagrid told them. He gave an odd, shrieking cry. Twice, then three times he called. Everyone looked around wildly, trying to see what he was calling.
Hotaru nudged Kioko and pointed to a pare of glowing white eyes that seemed to be coming closer. Kioko gasped to tell Hotaru she saw it too. Dragon-like face and neck with the skeletal build of a winged horse's body emerged from the brush. It was the same creature she'd seen pull the carriages, and the same one that had shot out from the forest early that year.
"What? What is it?" Draco hissed.
"It's those things that pull the carriages to Hogwarts." Kioko stated.
"What? Nothing pulls the carriages." Draco said.
"Oh, an' here comes another one!" Hagrid said, Hotaru looked and saw it approach the class. "Now…put yer hands up, who can see 'em?" Harry, Nevil, Hotaru, and Kioko all raised their hands. "Yeah…yeah, I knew you'd be able ter, harry," He said seriously, "An' you all as well Nevil, 'Taru, Kioko?"
"Excuse me, but what exactly are we suppose to be seeing?" Malfoy asked.
Parvati suddenly shrieked, Hotaru could understand why. A calf carcass being ripped and it's flesh disappearing must be very strange indeed. "What's doing it? What's eating it?" She demanded.
"Thestrals," Hagrid said proudly. "Hotwarts has got a whole heard of 'em here. Now, who knows—?"
"But they're really, really unlucky! They're suppose to bring all sorts of horrible misfortune on people who see them. Professor Trelawney told me once—"
"No, no, no, tha's jus' superstition, that is, they aren' unlucky, they're dead clever an' useful! 'Course, this lot don' get a lot o' work, it's mainly jus' pullin' the school carriages unless Dumbledore's takin' a long journey and' don' want ter Apparate—an' here's another couple, look—" He pointed, two more of the strange horses appeared.
"You can see them can't you Tomo? Where are they?" Malfoy asked.
"Right beside you." Kioko said. Malfoy freaked and ran behind Crabbe and Goyle while Kioko laughed her heart out. "You should have seen your face!!!" She exclaimed.
"Righ', now, who can tell me why some o' you can see them an' some can't?" he asked. "Go on then," He said to Hermione's raised hand.
"The only people who can see thestrals, are people who have seen death." She said.
"You think they'd show up on camera? Or if you could see them using a mirror." Kioko suggested.
"Well, the muggle invention you jus' mentioned tends to show things that ya' normally can' see." Hagrid said. "I suppos' if ye' could get em' on tha' thing they'd show up ta' people who can' normally see em'."
"Wait, I haven't seen anyone die, not that I remember anyways, and yet I can still see them!" Kioko proclaimed.
"Hem, hem." Umbridge sounded to let them know she had arrived. Though at first Hagrid thought the sound came from the thestral closest to him and he looked at it questioningly. "Hem, hem." She said again. Hagrid turned and saw that she was the one making the noise.
"Oh hello!" he said smiling.
"So who've you seen die Tomo?" Malfoy asked.
"None of your business." Hotaru told him defensively.
"Use your brain, Malfoy, it's that lump above your…butt." Kioko said, glancing at Hotaru and remembering not to cuss. "I'd still like to know how I can see them." She said looking one of them in the eye. Hotaru suddenly noticed that it was fairly close to them, or rather to her. She pat its head and it seemed to make some sort of cooing sound. Malfoy jumped and ran back behind Crabbe after noticing that it was near.
"Maybe you saw it when you were really young and don't remember." Hotaru suggested.
Kioko shrugged, "Maybe, but you'd think my parents would talk about it more. Oh well."
Umbridge started walking among the students and was making her way over to Hotaru, who still had the thestral beside her. "Now, Miss Tomo. You haven't been in this class with Hagrid teaching it before, what do you think of Hagrid from the little you know about him?" She asked.
"I think he's very sweet and kind. I think what he's trying to teach us is that you need to be cautious, because his creatures are like what the real world will be. He's teaching us how to handle it by knowing what to do." Hotaru stated.
"And, the thestrals? You can see them can't you? What do you think of them?" She asked.
"They're very tame." Hotaru told her, the thestral rubbed its head up against her in affection. "They hardly seem that dangerous at all, I mean, anything would bite you if you egged it on wouldn't it?
That was obviously not what Umbridge wanted to hear, she scribbled something down and continued. "And whom did you see die?" She asked, a bit of concern in her voice.
Hotaru's back straightened up defensively, "That is really none of your business Miss Umbridge." She said.
"Very well." She said going on to someone else.
Hotaru patted the head of the thestral and noted another had come up behind her. She pet him, or maybe her, as well.
"Hm, they really seem ta' like ya 'Taru." Hagrid commented when a third one started crowding Hotaru as well. "Strange though, I heard only certain people can get 'em act'n like that."
A/N: Hi says I. Bye says I.