Author's Name: Deirdre Blair
Author's Email:
Category: Action/Adventure
Sub Category: Drama
Keywords: Hotaru Minako Hogwarts Draco magic
Rating: PG-13
Spoilers: BSSM/R/S/SS, SS/PS, CoS, PoA, GoF, OotP
Summary: When the senshi go their separate ways, Hotaru opts to go with Minako to England, where a certain letter awaits her to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry. What mysterious things will happen now that the senshi of death has arrived? The fulfillment of a legend, that's what.
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, Naoko Takeuchi, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, Warner Bros., Kodansha, TokyoPop, CloverWay, DiC, and Pioneer. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Author's Note: I'd just like to say to begin with that some things in the Sailor Moon universe have been...altered somewhat. I've never seen/read the Stars season (much to my chagrin), but I have heard and read some things about it. I will try my best to stay in canon with everything Naoko Takeuchi wrote, but if something is amiss, please do not flame me. Either politely email me or tell me in a review and I will fix it at the soonest possible moment. Thank you.
I'd like to thank the following people: Rae-chan for being my closest friend and for not getting mad at me for all the times I complained that this wasn't long enough. Everyone who plans on reading and reviewing, I thank you too! For those of you planning on flaming me, I apologise that my story wasn't up to your standards. ¬.¬
Also, note that Kare Raiso is a Japanese dish--cooked rice with curry sauce. Tonkatsu are deep fried porklets. Served with shredded cabbage and/or Japanese-style curry rice (katsu kare), or cooked rice.
A New Life
At the time, the suggestion had seemed to have been made impulsively. How could they get on with their lives when there was always the possibility of another minion of evil wreaking terror upon them? It had always seemed to happen that way. Just when the Sailor Senshi had thought they could live the lives of normal teenagers, someone claiming to be the Ultimate Ruler of All Evil Everywhere would try to take over the world. But when Ami Mizuno had told everyone that she couldn't wait any longer to go to Germany to study medicine, Setsuna had encouraged her. Everyone had taken this as a good sign, and thus it had a domino effect.
Makoto would go to France to study the Culinary Arts; Michiru and Haruka would tour the world performing concerts and racing in motocross; Setsuna would go back to her full-time duties as Time Guardian; Usagi and Mamoru would get married and go off to Hawaii for their tropical paradise honeymoon; Rei would devote all of her time to studying so that she could become High Priestess all the while trying to find a suitable husband; and then Minako would move back to England for her modeling career.
That had left one Hotaru Tomoe back in Juuban, to remain as a student in Mugen Academy. Of course, Rei would be in Japan. She would also be extremely busy, however.
Hotaru sighed as she flipped the card from the deck in her hand. Nine of hearts. No place for it. Back in discard pile.
This game was going nowhere.
A shadow fell upon the spread of cards and a few strands of blonde fell in front of Hotaru's face. Two arms encircled around her shoulders. She turned her head slightly to see two very wide, very pouting, blue orbs staring right back up at her. "Taru-chan," Minako Aino said slowly.
Hotaru raised her eyebrows. "May I help you, Mina-chan?" she asked disinterestedly.
"Taru-chan, Minako wants Kare Raiso...," she whined in a very cute voice.
Hotaru sighed. "Then why don't you make it yourself?"
Minako's lower lip stuck out just a little more. "But last time I cooked, you told me that if I cooked one more time, you might have to cut off my hands to stop me from doing so." She paused. "Then you said you'd make me eat them myself, just because it'd probably be better than my cooking."
"I said that?"
"Mm-hmm."
"Well." Hotaru gathered her cards together and molded them into a nice, neat pile, and then gently set them on the table. "If I'm cooking, I'm not making Kare Raiso. I'm more in the mood for Tonkatsu."
Minako's face brightened. "Then can we use katsu kare instead of shredded cabbage?"
Hotaru sighed. "Sure."
Minako squealed and grabbed Hotaru around the shoulders so tightly, that Hotaru began to turn blue. "Mi...Mina...," she gasped.
Minako released her immediately, blushing. "Sorry, Taru-chan! I'm just really hungry."
Hotaru walked into the kitchen that was directly adjacent to the living room in their shared, two-bedroom flat. Her eyes narrowed. "Well, you've been practically starving yourself lately. I'm not surprised."
Minako waved her off dismissively. "I'm trying to keep my model-like figure," she said, running both hands over her curves. "I have to limit myself to small portions."
Hotaru looked at her for a moment, then rolled her eyes. "It'll be ready soon. Why don't you go watch TV or something?"
Minako practically skipped from the kitchen. Hotaru began to prepare the ingredients.
About one week before her flight to England, Minako had noticed Hotaru was a bit bummed. Even though Hotaru was only sixteen, she had readily offered another ticket to her, saying that it'd be much more fun to have a roommate.
After about two days, Hotaru decided that maybe she should go to England with Minako--just because it'd beat staying in Japan for the rest of her life (actually, when she graduated high school, she wanted to go to Scotland for a couple of months).
Luckily, she had gone during summer vacation. School wasn't to start until September, and it was only July. Minako told her that she'd be going to a private school, but Hotaru couldn't remember the name. Before they moved, however, Hotaru had undergone a sort of "jump start" for her brain.
Ami had developed a computer program that would teach you years of a certain language in just under a minute. Although the procedure was rather uncomfortable, it was worth it. She had learned every phrase, every word, and understood it with perfect clarity. She had learned to write it with a practised hand and had learned to write from left to right, instead of right to left.
Hotaru had only been in England for about a week at this point, but she was loving every minute of it. She had even trained herself to speak with a perfect English accent. If it weren't for her dark violet hair and eyes, and the fact that she was Japanese, she would've fit right in.
"Taaaaaruuuuuu-chaaaaaaan, is it ready yet?" Minako whined from the living room.
"Just a minute!" Hotaru cried back.
Living with Minako was an experience as well. The girl was high maintenance, but that didn't bother Hotaru. And she only got annoying if you didn't know the true Minako. They had become sisters in such a short time, that Hotaru now couldn't imagine ever having lived without her.
Minako had the bubbly personality, the cute but sometimes annoying habits, and the thousand-watt smile, but she also had a part of her that most people didn't get to see. She had sort of a tragic beauty about her that you'd have to look for in order to find. Always in her eyes, behind the bright grin and rosey cheeks, was a sadness that Hotaru couldn't understand.
And that was probably why people loved to photograph her so much--because she was unlike any other.
She and Minako were also more alike than she had previously thought. Sure, Hotaru was more laid-back, a little more straightforward, and at times, a whole lot more mature--but they thought alike at times, talked alike, and they both cherished the little things over the big ones.
In just a few short days, Hotaru had come to adore the senshi of love as the sister she never had. And it was strange because Minako was the last senshi Hotaru would suspect to have come this close to her.
"Mina-chan!!! It's ready!" Hotaru called from the kitchen. The smell of the tonkatsu wafted through the air and to her nose, and she smiled. She was very hungry at the moment.
Minako burst through the door with a bright smile. "Mm," she said, sniffing the air. "It smells heavenly!" She hurried to grab a plate and a pair of chopsticks. "Oh, by the way, a letter came for you today."
Hotaru, once in the living room, set the plate on her cross-legged lap. Minako did the same. They had both become accustomed to doing so for no apparent reason. Hotaru gave her a curious expression. "Really? I wasn't expecting a letter."
"It's sitting up there on the end-table."
Hotaru reached up to grab it. Sure enough, it was addressed to her. "This is rather odd, isn't it? I mean, usually the others would talk by phone or communicator."
"Maybe it's a secret admirer?" Minako asked with a wink.
Hotaru shook her head. "Impossible. I've only ever left this flat for groceries and other necessities. Nobody knows me."
"Well, open it anyway. Could be important," Minako said with slight detachment, as "the boy of her dreams" just walked upon the set of their favourite sitcom.
Hotaru shrugged and opened it leisurely. She took out the letter and read it silently to herself. Her eyes widened considerably. "Minako, listen to this. Dear Ms. Tomoe," she began. "We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment. Term begins on 1 September. We await your owl by no later than 31 July. Yours sincerely, Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress."
Minako just stared at her. "You've received your letter then?"
Dumbfounded, Hotaru's mouth was slightly open. "Um, excuse me? You know of this?" she asked.
Minako nodded. "When I was ten, my best friend Kendra received a letter from one Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. At first, neither of us believed it. But when she came home the next summer, she had shown me all of the things she had learned--minus the magic. Doing magic outside of Hogwarts is prohibited. It was quite extraordinary. I'm just a little surprised that you, at sixteen, have received the letter so late."
"You mean to tell me that this isn't a load of rubbish?"
"Yup."
"And that a school for witchcraft and wizardry actually exists?"
"Mm-hmm."
"I don't believe it. How can it exist?"
Minako furrowed her brow. "How can you not believe it? You are a senshi, after all, and capable of using magic."
Hotaru remained silent. "I'll have to think about this. I just don't get it."
"Sh, sh, it's back on."
-
"What are we doing here?"
Hotaru and Minako stood at the entrance of a cobble-stoned street that twisted and turned about, shops with rather odd titles lining it. People of all shapes and sizes walked along, minding their own business, as if magic were an everyday occurence. Hotaru gazed upon the old-fashioned buildings that seemed to only grow more appealing with age. The first store she laid eyes on was Ollivanders. A man in the display window settled his eyes upon her, staring intensely at her forehead.
Hotaru could hardly blink, could hardly move under that man's gaze. She stared directly into his eyes and had the sort of feeling that she was exposed before him. A shiver passed down her spine and back up again. Why was he staring at her like that? What was he thinking behind that veiled, piercing stare? She wanted her eyes to wander momentarily, just so she knew she still had control over her body.
Next thing she knew, she was standing in the entrance. Minako was huffing behind her. "Since when did you get so fast, Taru-chan? And why did you come here? We need to get your money first. And," Minako said, pouting a little. "I wanted to give you a tour."
Hotaru paid no attention to her. In fact, she looked as if she hadn't heard a word Minako had said.
"Welcome, Ms. Tomoe."
Hotaru was not startled in the least bit, as she had already been looking at Ollivanders. "Mr. Ollivanders." She bowed.
"Um, do you two know each other perhaps?" Minako asked, slightly confused. She had come here with Kendra when Kendra needed a wand. Ollivanders freaked her out then, and it and he freaked her out now. She had vowed then and there never to go into that shop again. Secretly, she was silently hoping that Hotaru would feel confident enough to go in without her.
"I've never seen this man before in my life," Hotaru replied simply before returning to Ollivanders. "As you might've already known, I'm here for my wand."
"But, Taru-chan, you need money first!" Minako cried.
Hotaru looked at her, lifting her eyebrows. "I already have my money, Mina-chan."
Minako blinked. "Ara?"
"I didn't need to go to that bank to get it." Hotaru briefly remembered the conversation they had had the previous night about wizarding money.
"One Galleon equals seventeen Sickles which equals four hundred ninety-three Knuts. It's simple," Minako had explained happily at dinner that evening.
"Oh? And what does one Galleon equal in yen?"
Minako had been silent for a long period of time, appearing to be calculating it in her mind. "Um...one Galleon equals approximately nine thousand two hundred twenty yen."
Hotaru had just stared at her dumbfoundedly, wondering who had made up the dumb-blonde stereotype and what they were thinking when they had.
Realisation dawned upon Minako. "Oh, right. Of course."
"Your wand, Ms. Tomoe," Ollivanders interrupted. "Let's start the selection process, shall we?"
Hotaru approached the wooden countertop with expensive-looking figurines on it, all glaring down upon her as if trying to intimidate her. She ignored them. Ollivanders returned with a black box with red velvet lining, and a black silk cushion. A wooden wand was laying delicately on the cushion. Hotaru narrowed her eyes. "That's not it."
Ollivanders' eyes widened only slightly. "I'm sorry? How do you know unless you try it?"
Hotaru fixed her stare in his eyes. "I just do."
"Very well," he sighed. He walked into the back and came back out, producing another wand. This time, it was made of a lighter wood.
"No, that's not it either. Perhaps I should go take a look?"
"No! No, I'll bring them to you, my dear," he said quickly as he yet again went into the back.
Minako let out a long, drawn out yawn that was just aching to surface. She checked her watch. They must've been there over an hour already, and gone through at least seventy different wands. Hotaru would touch none of them. "Taru-chan, we've been here forever."
With her eyes closed, she replied airily, "Wand selection is a very intricate process. To find the right wand, I must go through each one until I find the one that suits me."
"Have I ever told you, Ms. Tomoe, that the wand chooses the wizard, and not the other way around?" Ollivanders asked while putting the top on a box that held yet another a wand Hotaru had rejected.
"I'll know my wand when I see it."
"And how, may I ask?"
Hotaru smirked. "It'll call to me. I don't know how I know this, but I do. There's no arguing with it. Meanwhile, I don't want to touch any other wand for fear that I may leave residue of my magical signature and contaminate the wand."
Ollivanders murmured something incoherent, something Hotaru wouldn't mind him not repeating again. This time when he reappeared, however, he did so quite hesitatingly. He seemed to take very small, slow steps towards the counter where Hotaru stood behind. "I'm quite reluctant to even show you this wand, Ms. Tomoe."
Hotaru straightened.
"This wand," Ollivanders started as he showed it to her, holding it carefully in a wooden box that had been locked, "was created long before I was even born--one of the first wands ever created--back when wands were first introduced. Back then, magic wasn't used with wands, but with a witch or wizard's bare hands. Magic had been uncontrollable, so they invented the magic wand. The crafter of this wand is unknown to this day, but it has been passed down in my family for generations, baring an instruction: to give it to the only one who could hear the call of the wand, the only one who could hear and understand its magical language."
Hotaru didn't move. She examined the wand with her eyes, sweeping it over the dark ebony wood, over the tiny carvings of ancient symbols that she somehow understood, over the flawless craftsmanship, and finally over the smooth ebony handle. Without realising it, she informed in a silky voice, "13 inches, ebony," she furrowed her eyebrows, "and basilisk blood for the core." She remained quiet as the only other two people in the shop stared at her in silent awe. "How strange. A basilisk...what is a basilisk?" she asked Minako.
Minako opened her mouth to speak, but Ollivanders cut her off. "A basilisk is one of the most deadliest and powerful of snakes. This wand must belong to you, for you knew the core without even hearing of it before."
Hotaru took the offered wand from Ollivanders' hands. Instantly she was filled with a mixture of intoxicating power, intrigue, and a completeness that threatened to consume her entire being. "How much?" she asked immediately.
"Forty Galleons! I can't believe you paid forty Galleons!" Minako cried in sudden outburst as they walked down the street to Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. "For a wand, no less! Taru-chan, what were you thinking?"
Hotaru sighed. "It's not just any wand, Mina-chan. It's the first wand."
"I'm sure," Minako said dryly. "Anyway, better stop holding it around with you like some pet. People will get ideas."
Noting that Minako's advice was probably good, she put it back in it's box in the bag. At that moment, they entered the shop.
Both stared wide-eyed at the place. It was in a complete frenzy. Women dressed in mauve, sapphire, and periwinkle robes rushed left and right, carrying different robes of the same colour each time. They blinked curiously. "What's...going on?" Hotaru asked.
Just then, one of the woman stopped, dropping everything she was carrying. "Welcome to Madam Malkin's. I am Madam Malkin. If you'll just go over there," she pointed, "I'll be with you in just a moment." With that, the hurried woman picked everything back up and rushed over to the pedastel directly next to the one Hotaru was supposed to occupy.
Hotaru looked at Minako, who shrugged. "Believe me, last time I went here, it wasn't in danger of a total meltdown."
Hotaru took her place upon the pedastel. She looked over at the person who was next to her, the one who seemed to be causing said meltdown, and her mouth nearly dropped. A man dressed in all black with silver-blonde hair and even more silver eyes stood there in an arrogant pose. His face was pointed, with aristocratic features, but still had that dark, somewhat brooding teenager appearance. His skin was probably just as pale as Hotaru's, but even more flawless. And he seemed to have the whole shop at his beckoned call.
Obviously getting the feeling that he was being watched, the boy turned his head slightly and ignored the women who were offering him robes that all looked the same to Hotaru. "I haven't seen you around here before." With a sneer he added, "Muggle?"
Hotaru lifted one eyebrow. Somehow, she didn't think letting on that she had no idea what "Muggle" meant was a good idea. Completely changing the subject, she said with a practised British accent, "It's going to be my first year in Hogwarts, or any European school for that matter."
"What school did you go to in...Japan?"
Hotaru smirked. "At least you're educated. Most people mistake me for Chinese. Bravo," she replied with a sigh. "And I went to a very disclosed, very private school in Japan." It wasn't a lie. Mugen Academy wasn't open to the public, and you had to have both a certain intelligence level and score on the entrance exams. You couldn't get in with just "passing" marks--only "advanced" would assure your entrance.
"Oh? What was the name?"
Hotaru began to panic. While she hadn't lied, that one detail could make her seem somewhat like a--what was the word he had used?--Muggle. At that very instant, a string of words was whispered into her mind in a language she only understood, but could not really hear--like the memory of someone saying something. She felt compelled to speak. "Morgana's Academy for Young Witches," she replied smoothly. Where had that come from?
"Is that in Japan?" The boy seemed to think for a moment. "Yes, I believe it is. Well, what year are you going to be joining?"
"I was told sixth year. As for my house, I'm not sure which one I'll be in yet. All of that is to be decided at the Sorting Ceremony," Hotaru replied, recalling what Minako had explained just the night before.
"There are four houses at Hogwarts and seven years," Minako had explained. "Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Gryffindor, and Slytherin. Kendra was in Hufflepuff herself. She told me that Hufflepuffs were known for loyalty and patience. Ravenclaws were known for intelligence and creativity. Gryffindors were known for bravery. And Slytherins were known for being cunning and ambitious." Minako had thought for a moment. "I have no idea what you'll be in, but you're probably going to start as a sixth year--unless you start as a first year just because this is actually your first year." Minako had laughed. "That'll be funny to explain: I'm Hotaru Tomoe. I'm a first year and I'm sixteen years old!"
"I'm in Slytherin myself," the boy said readily. "What's your name?"
"Hotaru Tomoe, and yours?"
"I was certain that by just looking at me, you'd be able to guess." Unfortunately, Hotaru hadn't a clue. "Ah well," said the boy, sticking his chin out just a little with a proud expression. "My name is Draco Malfoy."
"Draco Malfoy," Hotaru repeated, getting used to the way the name sounded. It was an unusual name--a name that she wouldn't likely forget even if she had never heard it again. "Dragon of bad faith."
"Pardon?"
"That's what your name means: dragon of bad faith," Hotaru explained.
Draco closed his eyes and straightened just a little more. "Quite," he said shortly.
If Hotaru had wanted to say something, it was immediately forgotten when Madam Malkin bounded up to her to give her a selection of robes that were all black but with different material. She hadn't even been aware that Madam Malkin had been taking her measurements yet.
Draco left with a cordial "Good-bye" and not another word. Hotaru felt as if she had offended him somehow. But she didn't know anything. Did he actually believe in something that was wrong to believe in by most moral standards? That could be it. He did seem a bit pompous, a bit dark, and a bit close-minded on some subjects. She shrugged and selected the black Chinese silk for her robes. Might as well dress in style, she thought to herself.
Author's Note: Well, how'd you like chapter one? I know, pretty short. I'm sorry. I just thought that was a good stopping point for this chapter. In chapter two, Hotaru goes to Hogwarts! Will she be sorted into Slytherin, Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, or Hufflepuff? And just why was she admitted so late? I just want to say that this is definitely heading in the direction of Harry/Draco and Hotaru/Blaise. I'm sorry if you don't like slash. I love it and quite frankly, I just can't see Draco as being straight and Harry with anyone but Draco anymore. Don't worry though, Harry, Draco, Hotaru, and Blaise are all very much the main characters--like in Tragic Angel. Only, no Yue.
-grins- Maybe.
I'll update soon enough, don't worry. For those of you waiting for an update for TA, hold your horses. I'm half-done with the tenth chapter. It's coming along rather slowly though...
Thanks for reading and please review!
-Deirdre Blair