NOTES AT BOTTOM OF PAGE WHICH MUST BE READ!!!
Her eyes opened and she saw a lot of blurry objects, she fidgeted uncomfortably and turned her head at the sound of movement. Her sight gradually came into focus and her purple eyes met the misty blue ones of Albus Dumbledore, "I think I deserve an explanation."
"You ask and I'll answer as best I can," she replied quietly she wasn't much up to speaking and she'd only just noticed that both her arms were heavily bandages as was her abdomen, chest and some around her head.
"Alright, but first, a drink," he handed her a glass of water and she looked at it, a smirk curled at the edges of her lips.
"Moody had the right idea," she watched his eyes show his confusion, "don't drink something someone else gives you, this is drugged with Veritaserum." She placed it on her bedside table where there was a card; she picked it up and turned it in her hands before turning back to Dumbledore. "Now let's try this again."
"Who are you?"
"Hikage Tsukiyamino," she answered.
"What are you?"
"A member of what you know as 'Darkness of Shadows' or just Shadows," she smiled as his eyes flashed.
"Why are you here?" she opened her mouth to speak but someone else beat her to it.
"Under my orders Dumbledore," spoke a woman softly; long wavy magenta hair cascaded down her back.
"My lady," Hikage bent forward from her sitting position, knowing full well that she would collapse if she attempted to get out of bed.
"And you are?" Dumbledore asked straightening up.
"I am the Leader of the Darkness of Shadows, Hikage is my servant and is here under my orders," she explained.
"Then you were the one that ordered her to kidnap Serenity?" he asked.
"Not kidnap Dumbledore, let me explain," she pulled up a chair and sat down, "But to answer your unvoiced question, I got here through the gate we have near Hogwarts," he nodded.
"But why did you not let Serenity grow up with the Lady of Earth?" Dumbledore asked confused.
The Queen sighed, "From the beginning, my name is Aurora Lumina, I am Queen of the Shadows and Hikage is my Captain of the Guard, you may rise Hikage," the black haired girl sat up again but not before her eyes met that of her Queen, oh dear.
"To us, Princess Serenity is the second child and Harry Potter is the first child, it is our way of referring to people with a destiny. I was asked to send my must trusted worrier," she sent a meaningful glance at Hikage and she shivered, she'd done something wrong all right, "to take Serenity from you and raise her."
"They were then to attend Hogwarts with her and make sure the necessary contact between her and Harry ensues. We knew of the events that were to happen to Harry Potter and that they must occur, leaving Serenity with the Lady of Earth would have resulted in her attending Hogwarts at the appropriate time and stopping these events. For instance, the Philosopher's Stone would have been found sooner, the Basilisk stopped, Pettigrew caught, the survival of Cedric Diggory and the unmasking of Umbridge."
"But that doesn't make sense," Hikage protested, they both turned to her, "Voldemort didn't know about Usagi being Princess Serenity, but that doesn't explain why his follows kidnapped her in the first place, why would they if they knew not of her use?"
"That's where I come in," a soft voice called and a soft glow illuminated the room as a woman in a silver clock and pearly white dress appeared. Silver hair tied like princess Serenity's fell gently down her back and lavender eyes looked around warmly at all present.
"I was wondering when you would come Selene," said Aurora.
"Queen Selene," Dumbledore bowed.
"Do not bow to me Dumbledore, I owe you too much," the Queen said, "And most of all, an explanation. Please sit," she gestured to several chairs littered around the room perfectly aware of Hikage's intense gaze fixed upon her.
They all stopped and turned as a groan was sounded from Usagi who lay, previously motionless, on the bed. Her had reached up and rubbed her forehead as she sat up giddily. "Usagi?" Hikage called but one look from Aurora clearly told her to shut up.
"Serenity dear?" Selene said moving forwards and then Usagi's eyes opened.
"Who are you? Why do you look like me?" she wailed scrambling backwards on her bed.
"Serenity, do you remember what happened yesterday?" asked Selene and Usagi nodded shakily.
"Why are you calling me Serenity, my name is Usagi!" Usagi insisted.
"This will be much easier," Selene reached over and placed a finger on where Usagi's crescent had been and it came into focus once more glinting dully. Usagi's eyes glazed over for a moment.
"I understand mother," she said relaxing and her hair changed to how it had been last night and her eyes took on their silvery tint.
"Now, in a dream I was sown the events of the life of Harry Potter," Selene started and they all listened intently, "I was also show how they would involve my daughter, but if I kept her with me I would have sent her to Hogwarts at eleven which is something that I shouldn't have done. But I was also shown in my dream a way to stop that, the Death Eaters that took her from me were merely palace guards," Dumbledore's eyes flashed.
"Then that would mean that this was a set up," Hikage exclaimed ogling at Selene.
"Your right Hikage, I called on the aid of my friend Aurora and she in turn sent you, everything has gone extremely well and I'm glad to say the plan was a success. I'm sorry for deceiving Dumbledore, but it was the only way."
"I understand Selene, this is defiantly an interesting development but the question is whether to keep you here or not," he looked pointedly at Hikage.
"Well I'm here now," she smirked, "no point leaving a job half done so I might as well finish the year."
"As you wish," he nodded.
"I will be leaving now," Selene nodded and vanished.
"Mom," Serenity said gloomily, she hadn't spoken much through the entire affair, "Dumbledore, can I see Harry?"
"Yes, but we must hurry Poppy will have my head if she catches us," Dumbledore smiled and chuckled as he helped Serenity out of the door.
"You just put the entire mission in jeopardy," Aurora hissed.
"I know," Hikage replied just as coldly.
Aurora walked slowly over to Hikage and put her hand over the front of Hikage's chest, "I should have your crystal for that," Hikage's head snapped up r eyes widened and clouded with fear.
"No," she whispered, her mouth had gone dry.
"However, if you hadn't have done what you did she would have died, you got lucky Hikage," Aurora hissed not moving her hand.
"I won't take anything from you even though you have had far too much contact what were you thinking?"
"I don't know," Hikage said, clenching her teeth.
"I'll let you off this time, have all the contact you want but if you risk anything again you will die," and with that Aurora swept out of the room, a drop of sweat trickled down Usagi's face, she let out a breath she didn't know she held.
"There won't be a next time," and with that she fell asleep despite the immense pain in her right wrist.
The next time she woke up Serenity was asleep and Harry was by her bedside, he turned when he heard her stir, "What happened at the Ball?" he asked.
"Nothing," she sneered turning away from him, she could've gotten so many people killed and it would have mattered.
"Thank you."
"What for?" she snapped.
"For saving her, I owe it to you," was his soft reply.
"You owe me nothing, just leave me alone," she turned over.
"You have a card, did you know?" didn't this boy get the drift?
She turned back over and grabbed it sitting up she winced as her right wrist throbbed painfully. Then Madame Pomfrey came bustling over, "Good, your awake, Harry out now!"
"But Madame Pomfrey," he protested.
"Out Mr Potter," he grumbled but shuffled out none the less.
"As for you," Poppy sighed.
"You know what I am, just ell me what you wanted to say and go if you hate me that much," Hikage just looked at her hands, what was wrong with her?
"Your healing fine except your right wrist, it refuses to get better, I'm not sure why," she hissed as Hikage began to unwrap said wrist, "Stop that, it needs to get better."
"It won't, at least," the bandage fell and her wrist throbbed again, a golden glow flashed as well, Hikage's brow furrowed and the mark appeared on her wrist, the gold began to flow out and form a levitated ball of energy in her hand. The burns on her arm cleared immediately.
"What's that?" Poppy stammered.
"I'm not designed to carry that power, this is Lunarian magic," she looked over at Serenity, "this belongs to her," with a flick of Hikage's wrist the ball flew to Serenity and sank into her chest. She took a shuddering intake of breath; Hikage smirked as the colour returned to Serenity's cheeks.
"Well, I'll admit you know something but you have to rest and I don't hate you dear," she explained pushing Hikage back down, she didn't resist.
"Whatever," she still held the unopened card in her hands. She pushed her thumb into a hole in the seal and flicked it opened, the material tore and the card slipped out. There was a moving grass snake on it that for some reason bore a Christmas hat, Hikage raised and eyebrow and opened it.
'To Hikage,
Get better soon,
From
Blaise
XXX'
She sighed, "Boys," but she propped it on her nightstand all the same, sighing as she reclined in her pillows.
"Finally opened it then?" she opened her eyes and looked at Blaise.
"What do you want?" she asked narrowing her eyes.
"Just to see how you are, feeling better?" she nodded, "good, we didn't quiet finish what we started at the Ball," he smirked.
"Shove off Zabini," she turned her head away from him, "Leave me alone."
"Fine, Malfoy told me to ask, 'Why did you save the girl?'"
"Tell him it's none of his business," Hikage spat back.
"Fine," Blaise exclaimed and stormed out of the Hospital Wing and leaving Hikage to her thoughts.
It was a couple of days later before Serenity and Hikage were let out of the hospital wing, "Thank you Hikage," Serenity whispered.
"Don't bother," and the shadow girl walked away, Serenity looked down.
"You know about Sirius don't you?" called a voice from behind and Hikage spun around.
"Just because you know what I am Lupin doesn't mean you can exploit me, you're a werewolf after all," she smirked and Lupin frowned.
"I didn't intend to exploit you, I just wanted to ask if you knew," he lowered his voice towards the end in a mournful manner.
Her eye twitched, "That's not my business," she turned back around and headed towards the Slytherin Dungeons.
"You've changed," she froze, "What's bothering you;" he walked up to her and put a hand on her shoulder."
"I let myself down," she muttered but his hearing picked it up.
"How?" he asked astonished, "You saved Serenity's life, no matter what you planned her transformation and subsequent power overload was not your fault," he insisted,
"You really think so?" she asked turning her head to look at his eyes.
"Hands down," she smirked and he grinned, he left her then and she walked to the Slytherin Dungeons in a better frame of mind.
"Well if it isn't the little heroine," Pansy drawled as she entered and Hikage looked up to see the faces o f what appeared to be the whole of Slytherin VI and VII year.
"Thank you for the title Parkinson, I'll add it to my list," she smirked.
"You had dealings with a Gryffindor, that's a punishable offence," Millicent sneered and stepped forward pointing her wand.
"Put it away," Hikage drawled in a bored tone, sighing she inspected her nails nonchalantly.
"You actually think I'm going to listen to you?" Millicent smirked, "now, if you back out slowly I might take it easier on you."
"As I said, I'm not afraid of you," Hikage grinned showing off a pair of fangs and Pansy narrowed her eyes.
"Impedimenta," she squealed and the jot of red light went straight for Hikage, her shadow vanished, her mark appeared and the curse went straight through and rebounded off the sealed door.
"What was that Pansy dear?" she sneered, Pansy looked horrified as Hikage moved towards her.
"You leave her alone," a VII year called and stepped in front of Pansy.
She chuckled, "If a spell can pass through me do you want to know what else can?" her eyes flashed and his eyes widened in horror. She was practically pressed against him now but all he could feel was a tingling, cold sensation and then it happened she passed right through him and he shuddered from the immense cold that swept through him making his blood run cold.
He took a deep shuddering breath, and he turned around to face her she sneered at him, "Let's make this simple shall we, I'm not afraid of any of you, you can't hurt me and this dispute is pointless."
"You are a low, disgraceful bitch of a slut," Pansy drawled.
"And there was me thinking you could rise above insults," Hikage sighed, "obviously I was wrong," she swept off up to the girl's dormitories and smirked as she felt the stares that loomed after her.
She grinned as she sat on her bed, she sighed, "Selene is a fool," and with that comforting though she fell asleep.
She woke up however, to the not so comforting sound of heavy snoring coming from Millicent and Pansy. She sighed and stretched getting up she pulled on her robes and headed downstairs a small bag flung over her shoulder. A group of IV years scuttled away at the sight of her and she shook her head, "What the hell?"
"They're frightened of you," she turned around to see Blaise sitting in a chair by the fire but he wasn't the one that had spoken, that had been Draco Malfoy who was propped against the back of the sofa.
"Are you?" she asked smirking.
"I would have the right to be after the stunts you've pulled," he scowled, "but no, I'm not."
"Zabini?" she turned to look at him, he didn't speak, just shook his head and kept looking at the fire. "You think I'm a 'disgrace to the house' don't you?" she asked smirking and Draco nodded sternly Zabini didn't respond.
She sighed, "Oh well, I'll see you boys later, maybe by then you'll have grown up at least a little," she moved for the door but Draco was up and had grabbed her wrist.
"What do you mean grow up? At least I'm loyal to my house," Zabini snarled glaring at her.
"Well I'm loyal to my people and for me, that's all that counts," she tugged at her wrist, "now let me go willingly Malfoy," she insisted.
"So what, so you can go and play with your Mudblood friends?" he sneered, her hand drew back, swung round and slapped him hard across the face.
His grip weakened and she pulled free, "I've heard better insults from worse people, get a life Malfoy," and she stormed out.
"I won," Blaise said calmly.
"No you didn't," Draco snarled.
"Yes I did, I went on a date with her before she hated the pair of us," he stated calmly, "Just stick to Pansy Malfoy."
---The Great Hall---
Serenity walked up to Hikage at the Slytherin table, "Thank-you for saving me," she said graciously and smiled.
"Don't thank me yet," Hikage replied smirking not looking at Serenity.
"Is it over?" the blonde asked timidly.
"Is what over?" Hikage asked tiredly turning to face Serenity with a bored expression.
"The plan," Serenity explained.
"What plan?" Hikage asked indignantly.
"This one involving my mother," Serenity pointed out a little sternly.
Hikage only smirked, "Oh yes, it's over," Serenity smiled and walked away and Hikage snorted quietly after her, "but her part was only a minor one."
---12 Grimmauld Place---
Tonks sighed dramatically and Kingsley turned towards her, "What's wrong with you?"
"Just wondering when we were going to get news or at least something to do," Tonks moaned and sighed again.
"It is quiet dull isn't it?" Mr Weasley commented over the head of the Daily Prophet, "What with Sirius gone and," he faltered, "Hello, what's this?"
"What's what?" called Charlie from where he was enjoyed a cup of coffee, Mrs Weasley was upstairs cleaning and Bill was feeding Buckbeak.
"This," Mr Weasley declared shaking the Daily Prophet, his eyes darting over the article he was reading.
Charlie grinned and raised an eyebrow, "That's the Daily Prophet dad," he explained.
Mr Weasley looked at him sourly, "I know that Charlie," Mr Weasley smiled and passed him the article, "read that."
It was just inside the front cover, an account of the 'murder' of Bellatrix Lestrange, known Death Eater. "Usagi," Charlie looked thoughtful, "I've heard that name before, but where?"
"Heard what?" asked Bill walking in and dumping a dirty bucket in the corner.
"Usagi," Charlie answered still reading the article.
"Let's look," Bill snatched the article away from Charlie.
"Hey, I was reading that!" he insisted tackling his older brother.
"Hoi, watch it!" Bill cried as the pair toppled to the floor, Charlie ended up straddling Bill, one arm across his chest the other reaching for the article, his face about two inches from Bill's. "Eager aren't we Charlie?" Charlie went red and elbowed his brother in the ribs as Tonks, Kingsley and Mr Weasley laughed.
"Usagi," Tonks said thoughtfully, "isn't that the girl Dumbledore owled us about being Princess Serenity of the Lunar Kingdom?"
Bill and Charlie stopped struggling and they both looked up, "Yeh, that's it, I'll be meeting her soon," Charlie declared grinning.
"Really; how?" Bill asked as Charlie helped him to his feet.
"Hagrid's found himself a new dragon, wants me to come and have a look at it before he uses it for a lesson," Charlie shook his head and sighed.
"Some things never change," said Mr Weasley wistfully.
"Pretty impressive though," Tonks said looking from the article to Kingsley who had already read it.
"What is?" he rumbled.
"Well, this girl's only about sixteen and she blew a hole right through Lestrange's stomach, now that don't happen everyday," Tonks explained looking at the article one more time before screwing up her eye sin a painful expression. She now had a short, stubby nose, a handful of freckles, bright blue eyes and blonde pigtails either side of her head.
Kingsley shook his head, "You and changing your appearance," he left the room.
"What's his problem?" Bill looked at Charlie.
"Don't know," they both shrugged.
1) How old are Charlie and Bill?
2) I AM NOT WRITING ANY MORE OF THIS FIC UNTIL NEXT HOLIDAYS
3) I bid you farewell and a good New Year!