Yes, I have updated. This is an experiment. It is slower to get started than my other HP fic, but I promise that it will be worth it in the end. So stick with it, have patience, and REVIEW!
On my other fic, Ragnarok Dawn, I recently announced that I would not be updating anymore until I got a certain number of reviews, some of them for this story. So if you like Ragnarok and want to read the next bit, then review! Please, I'm begging you!
Okay, on a slightly more serious note here: this chapter does contain mild SLASH! If you find this morally objectionable, then please hit the 'Back' button. I do promise however, that there will not be anything graphic. Please remember that I post clear warnings on my fics and in my profiles. If you flame me, then I will hunt you down, because that would mean that you did not read the warnings, and were merely looking for a reason to complain.
ONWARD!!!!
.
Lessons, Sickness, and Blood
Several months had passed since that agonizing first day.
It became clear that while the new professors were tough and seemed to have impossibly high standards, they were also scrupulously fair. The only reason that they ever singled out a student was if they thought that the student was being lazy or disrespectful. At the beginning, this meant that Malfoy, among others, was picked on many times, but these occurrences grew rarer as the students in question learned that the new teachers meant everything they said, and that they were not to be trifled with.
In DADA, they had begun studying demons, ogres, Sidhe, elves, and many other creatures now popularly considered myths. Professor Seiji never said why he had them studying something that seemed useless, and none of the students quite got up the nerve to ask him.
They had finished with stretches in Martial Arts now, and Professor Ryo had them doing 'line drills.' He had enchanted long, perfectly straight lines on the floor, all the way across the room. The students were expected to advance along these, one step at a time, landing perfectly in the exact stance that he had taught them. They had now gotten far enough that they were doing a punch as they changed stances.
Both of the professors shared an uncanny instinct for when a student was not paying attention, or doing their work sloppily until the teacher was watching. These transgressions were punished accordingly. Seiji had the unfortunate student write a five thousand word essay on why they should not have been dishonest, due at the end of the period. Ryo would make the students do sit-ups, push-ups, or laps around the room, whatever crossed his mind. He did not give you a set goal; he merely had you continue until he judged that you were too tired to do anything besides what he told you. Or until he remembered you. And in both cases, you were still expected to pay attention to the lesson.
Their methods were harsh, but effective. It also didn't hurt that the lessons were interesting and unpredictable. Harry was rapidly settling down into the new routine. Because he was small and fast, he had a slight advantage in MA, but it wasn't very noticeable. It just meant that he got more work, because Ryo saw potential.
However, behind the everyday illusion of routine, things were happening that would one day shatter the equilibrium of the entire school.
ยงยงยง
Ryo knelt before the toilet in his room, vomiting up the contents of his stomach. At first glance, you would think that he had eaten something very red for lunch, but a closer look at the liquid revealed it to be blood.
Finally finished, the young man collapsed on the floor, panting for breath. He blinked for a moment before recognizing the cup of water held before him.
"Here." Seiji's voice was gruff with worry. Ryo took the cup wordlessly and began to rinse out his mouth. "Are you sure you're okay? It shouldn't be this bad."
"I've been feeling strange for about a month now." Ryo's voice was quiet.
"A month? Why the hell didn't you tell me? We could have stopped it before it got this far!"
"How was I supposed to know what it was? I'm almost a year early! No one in history has ever started this young. That's part of the reason I was chosen, remember? Because they thought that they wouldn't have to worry about the transformation for a while. No one expected it this early. I only realized today."
"But still, you could have told me, at least." Seiji pulled the smaller boy into his arms.
"For all I knew, I was getting a stomach bug. I knew that you'd have a hissy fit, and I didn't want you to worry over nothing."
"Yeah, well, now you know what's wrong. And go ahead. I know you need it."
"Thank you, Seiji."
"No problem. You're my mate; I have to take care of you."
Ryo smiled and nuzzled his face in Seiji's neck. Then fangs sprouted, and he bit the other boy. For several minutes they remained still, Ryo drinking his friend's blood. Then he slowly pulled away, and put a hand over the small wound. In a moment, he pulled it away. There was no trace of the two small puncture marks on the side of the blond boy's neck.
"Thank you."
"Hey, didn't I tell you not to worry about it? It's not as if you need much, and it's only for a little while. I can deal with it, especially when the alternative is you dying of starvation. It's okay."
Ryo laughed suddenly. When Seiji looked at him, eyebrows raised, the boy explained. "I was just wondering what the students would think if they saw us like this. Me, sitting perfectly content in your arms, on the bathroom floor, and you with a bite wound only a minute ago. It's kind of funny."
Seiji smiled, then kissed the top of Ryo's head. "Well, I guess we'll have to make sure they don't find out, won't we?"
And Ryo smiled.
-----
Well, things are starting to pick up here, aren't they? I promise this is worth it! Review, PLEASE!
On my other fic, Ragnarok Dawn, I recently announced that I would not be updating anymore until I got a certain number of reviews, some of them for this story. So if you like Ragnarok and want to read the next bit, then review! Please, I'm begging you!
Okay, on a slightly more serious note here: this chapter does contain mild SLASH! If you find this morally objectionable, then please hit the 'Back' button. I do promise however, that there will not be anything graphic. Please remember that I post clear warnings on my fics and in my profiles. If you flame me, then I will hunt you down, because that would mean that you did not read the warnings, and were merely looking for a reason to complain.
ONWARD!!!!
.
Lessons, Sickness, and Blood
Several months had passed since that agonizing first day.
It became clear that while the new professors were tough and seemed to have impossibly high standards, they were also scrupulously fair. The only reason that they ever singled out a student was if they thought that the student was being lazy or disrespectful. At the beginning, this meant that Malfoy, among others, was picked on many times, but these occurrences grew rarer as the students in question learned that the new teachers meant everything they said, and that they were not to be trifled with.
In DADA, they had begun studying demons, ogres, Sidhe, elves, and many other creatures now popularly considered myths. Professor Seiji never said why he had them studying something that seemed useless, and none of the students quite got up the nerve to ask him.
They had finished with stretches in Martial Arts now, and Professor Ryo had them doing 'line drills.' He had enchanted long, perfectly straight lines on the floor, all the way across the room. The students were expected to advance along these, one step at a time, landing perfectly in the exact stance that he had taught them. They had now gotten far enough that they were doing a punch as they changed stances.
Both of the professors shared an uncanny instinct for when a student was not paying attention, or doing their work sloppily until the teacher was watching. These transgressions were punished accordingly. Seiji had the unfortunate student write a five thousand word essay on why they should not have been dishonest, due at the end of the period. Ryo would make the students do sit-ups, push-ups, or laps around the room, whatever crossed his mind. He did not give you a set goal; he merely had you continue until he judged that you were too tired to do anything besides what he told you. Or until he remembered you. And in both cases, you were still expected to pay attention to the lesson.
Their methods were harsh, but effective. It also didn't hurt that the lessons were interesting and unpredictable. Harry was rapidly settling down into the new routine. Because he was small and fast, he had a slight advantage in MA, but it wasn't very noticeable. It just meant that he got more work, because Ryo saw potential.
However, behind the everyday illusion of routine, things were happening that would one day shatter the equilibrium of the entire school.
ยงยงยง
Ryo knelt before the toilet in his room, vomiting up the contents of his stomach. At first glance, you would think that he had eaten something very red for lunch, but a closer look at the liquid revealed it to be blood.
Finally finished, the young man collapsed on the floor, panting for breath. He blinked for a moment before recognizing the cup of water held before him.
"Here." Seiji's voice was gruff with worry. Ryo took the cup wordlessly and began to rinse out his mouth. "Are you sure you're okay? It shouldn't be this bad."
"I've been feeling strange for about a month now." Ryo's voice was quiet.
"A month? Why the hell didn't you tell me? We could have stopped it before it got this far!"
"How was I supposed to know what it was? I'm almost a year early! No one in history has ever started this young. That's part of the reason I was chosen, remember? Because they thought that they wouldn't have to worry about the transformation for a while. No one expected it this early. I only realized today."
"But still, you could have told me, at least." Seiji pulled the smaller boy into his arms.
"For all I knew, I was getting a stomach bug. I knew that you'd have a hissy fit, and I didn't want you to worry over nothing."
"Yeah, well, now you know what's wrong. And go ahead. I know you need it."
"Thank you, Seiji."
"No problem. You're my mate; I have to take care of you."
Ryo smiled and nuzzled his face in Seiji's neck. Then fangs sprouted, and he bit the other boy. For several minutes they remained still, Ryo drinking his friend's blood. Then he slowly pulled away, and put a hand over the small wound. In a moment, he pulled it away. There was no trace of the two small puncture marks on the side of the blond boy's neck.
"Thank you."
"Hey, didn't I tell you not to worry about it? It's not as if you need much, and it's only for a little while. I can deal with it, especially when the alternative is you dying of starvation. It's okay."
Ryo laughed suddenly. When Seiji looked at him, eyebrows raised, the boy explained. "I was just wondering what the students would think if they saw us like this. Me, sitting perfectly content in your arms, on the bathroom floor, and you with a bite wound only a minute ago. It's kind of funny."
Seiji smiled, then kissed the top of Ryo's head. "Well, I guess we'll have to make sure they don't find out, won't we?"
And Ryo smiled.
-----
Well, things are starting to pick up here, aren't they? I promise this is worth it! Review, PLEASE!