Disclaimer: I don't own YYH, Harry Potter, or Inuyasha!

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Artifacts of Darkness

"That wasn't supposed to have happened. Maybe I made a wrong choice after all and I'm being punished by being reminded of Youko's death. Youko, I miss you so much and I wished I had treasured the moments we spent together more. Everything is my fault. If I wasn't indecisive, none of this would have happened." Kagome silently cried as she slumped to the castle ground.

Tucking her knees neatly under her chin, she allowed the onslaught of tears to stream down her face. Seconds and minutes ticked by, but Kagome refused neither to move from her position nor stop crying. "Do you desire to save your weak human mother?" Hiei's icy voice broke through Kagome's grief-stricken thoughts.

Quickly biting back another sob, Kagome strained her ears to catch the conversation that was taking place not too far from where she sat. "What are you suggesting, Hiei?" Kurama absently asked; his eyes slightly unfocused. Hiei smirked in a devilish manner, causing a shiver to course down Kagome's spine. Wrapping her arms tightly around herself, Kagome continued to eavesdrop of the conversation.

"The three artifacts of darkness that Enma keeps in his treasury vault will easily cure your mother." Hiei snorted while crossing both his arms across his chest. "We'll need your skills to be able to successfully steal the artifacts."

"We? Are you hinting that they'll be more than just the two of us?" Kurama asked skeptically. "How long have you been planning this, Hiei? I doubt this was a last minute plan that you suddenly came up with just to help my mother. You were never one to care for humans, so I doubt you would start now." Kurama voiced. "But, Hiei cares for Kagome…to a certain degree."

"As precise as ever," Hiei admitted. "I've been planning this for many years and I'm doing this for reasons of my own. But I can assure you now that I do not care for the life or death of your mother. She means nothing to me. So, what is your answer?"

"I accept your offer, but who are we working with?" Kurama asked while Hiei suspiciously sniffed the air. Noticing Hiei's actions, Kurama quickly followed his friend's example and tested the air.

"Kagome," Hiei stated in a frigid tone. Silently crawling out from behind the curtain of shadows, Kagome regarded Kurama and Hiei through tear-blurred eyes. "Reduced to eavesdropping?" Hiei snorted angrily, slightly miffed that he hadn't sensed her presence earlier. Giving Kurama and Hiei a wry smile, Kagome shook her head from side to side.

"Not eavesdropping," Kagome replied shakily as she attempted to wipe away her tears. "I was there already when you two…started the conversation. If you two didn't talk this loud, then I wouldn't have heard." Kagome replied as she warily locked eyes with Kurama. "I'm not really sure what you two were talking about when you were talking about stealing, but I don't think you should do it. It's going to be dangerous."

"My mind is set," Kurama replied as he silently brushed passed Hiei and Kagome. "Return to your house. When I left with Hiei, Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha were searching for you." Kurama informed Kagome over his shoulder as he continued towards the exit. Hiei smirked slightly before dashing down the hall to join his friend.

"YOU CAN'T GO!" Kagome hollered after them, but her warning fell on deaf ears as the duo rounded a corner. Growling slightly at the lack of response Hiei and Kurama were giving her, Kagome stormed down the hall in an attempt to stop them from taking rash actions. "I'm not going to loose them…I've lost enough people dear to me this year."

"Are you okay, Kagome?" a voice asked, stopping Kagome dead in her tracks.

"S-Sango," Kagome stuttered as she turned her full attention to her best friend. "I was just about to leave…"

"Again," Sango finished as she crossed her arms across her chest. "Kagome, you can't keep skipping classes like this." Sango admonished in a motherly voice. "I want to know what is going on. Ever since this year started, you haven't been acting like yourself! You seem like a totally different person. And just now…I heard…I heard…" Sango trailed grimly.

"Look Sango, this is urgent, I have to go right now." Kagome apologized as she gave her best friend a pleading look. "I promise I'll make it up to you later on." Sango looked about to protest, but Kagome was already running towards the exit.

"KAGOME," Sango hollered, "BRING ME WITH YOU!"

"Leave it Sango," Miroku soothed as he wrapped his arm across Sango's shoulder. "I'm sure Kagome will be able to take care of herself." Sango sadly nodded her head as she looked longingly at the grand entrance doors.

"But I wish she would take me with her. I'd feel better that way." Sango admitted as she leaned against Miroku's firm chest for support. "Ever since what happened last year, I feel I haven't been the friend that I should have been. I just want another chance, but Kagome's has grown independent." Sango whispered sadly as Miroku hand slowly slid lower and lower…

Whack.

"Hentai," Sango hissed as she stormed back towards the Hufflepuff common room. "Why can't keep you keep your hands to yourself for a single minute!" Miroku grimace as he gently rubbed his searing hot face, where a red hand print was clearly visible. Onlookers raised an eyebrow when Miroku's face slowly broke into a wide grin.

"What a weirdo," Pansy commented as she turned up her nose. "Hufflepuffs are so stupid." Miroku grinned sheepishly before running to catch up with Sango, who had already disappeared from his view.

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"Have you seen Kurama, by any chance?" Harry warily asked Sesshoumaru, who in return, gave him a frigid look. Harry gulped while trying to gather his courage to repeat the question again. Ron took two large steps back when an irritated look flashed across Sesshoumaru's perfectly emotionless façade for a brief second.

"Keh, from what Sango just told me, Kagome left the school again." Inuyasha informed as he shoved a gangly looking Slytherin from his seat. "I'm guessing that Kurama probably followed the wench." Inuyasha concluded as he occupied the seat that was now open. Sesshoumaru gave his half-brother a disinterested glance before returning to his dinner.

"But we have quidditch practice!" Harry moaned as Ron patted his back in what he hoped to be a comforting gesture. "Wood's going to be pissed when he learns that we're going to be missing a member."

Hermione closed her charms book for a brief moment to give Harry some sympathetic words before returning to her studies. Ron snorted and rolled his eyes as Hermione diligently studied the textbook. "What a bookworm," Ron commented under his breath.

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"It is two days short of becoming a week; yet, I still can't find Kurama and Hiei. Are they hurt? Are they successful? For Mrs. Minamino's sake, I hope so. But no matter what, I can't quite quiet my inner turmoil. From what I have learned from Youko, I know that stealing is a dangerous action. Can anyone blame me for worrying?" Kagome silently asked herself as she gave Mrs. Minamino a reassuring smile.

"Miss Higurashi, visiting hours is over." a nurse informed Kagome, who reluctantly left Shiroi's side after promising to come back the next day. After steering Kagome out of the room, the nurse closed the door with a soft click. Sighing dejectedly, Kagome slowly ambled out of the hospital with jumbled thoughts and mixed emotions.

"No, no one can blame me. After all, I worried for the safety of Youko, the King of Thieves. How can I not worry about Kurama, who has never stolen in his life? Well, at least I think he hasn't stolen anything. He just doesn't strike me as the kind of person to do that. Argh, now that I think about it, I don't know Kurama as well as I once thought I did." Kagome rambled on within her mind.

Crash.

"Ow, damn it wench, watch where you are walking." a gruff voice growled as Kagome gently rubbed her sore bottom. "Where do you keep your eyes? Stupid girl…K-Kagome?" he suddenly stuttered in shock. Groaning lightly, Kagome lifted her eyes to meet the rude boy who had unceremoniously knocked her down and instead of giving her an apology, he was blaming her.

Angry blue eyes quickly turned to one of pure shock before changing to sadness. After running through all the emotions possible, her eyes finally settled on fear and anguish. "Z-zombie," Kagome shrieked loudly while slamming her eyes tightly shut. Passers-by spared her a glance that said 'probably came from the insane asylum'.

"Wait…" he trailed, grabbing onto her arm in a bruising manner. "It's me, goodness Kagome; I didn't know you were such a sissy girl." Kagome angrily wrenched her hand from his grasp before taking a few cautious steps back.

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"What's wrong, Kurama?" Hiei asked frigidly as he slowly fingered the demon blade in his hand. Kurama sighed as he ran his hand through his silky red locks. "Isn't saving your mother your greatest desire?" Hiei snorted. "You have become weak, Kurama. Human feelings for a human mother have reduced you to nothing that you once were."

"It is," Kurama answered as he softly brushed his finger against the surface of the mirror. "After all, she wouldn't be hospitalized if it wasn't because of me." Kurama murmured to himself before glancing at the darkening sky. "Anyway Hiei, are you planning on returning to Hogwarts? You still have four years left of schooling left."

"Hn," Hiei snorted disdainfully. "I'll consider it." Hiei silently answered in his mind as he gripped the hilt of the demon blade. Glancing at Kurama's trouble face, Hiei snorted slightly. "I'll take care of Kagome. The dog and the half-breed will care for her as well." Hiei added in a cold voice.

Kurama smiled slightly as he leaned against the tree Hiei wasn't currently residing in. "Hiei, tell me, is it possible to be jealous of yourself?" Kurama asked seriously as he gazed at his own reflection in the mirror. Slightly startled by the question Kurama had suddenly asked, Hiei lapsed into silence (not that he actually said much to begin with).

"No," Hiei answered when Kurama locked his green eyes with his red ones. Kurama sighed and closed his eyes upon hearing the answer from Hiei. "Human feelings are a weakness and Kurama just proves my point."

"But then, why am I jealous of myself?" Kurama asked, barely above a whisper.

"Because it's you," Hiei answered in an obvious tone, if not albeit coldly. Kurama raised an eyebrow, slightly surprised that Hiei had caught his words and answered. Kurama watched in silence as Hiei silently dashed away into the night. "With you, anything is possible." Kurama was barely able to catch Hiei's parting words, but he did.

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TBC