Author: Bunny-chan
Email: Bunny_chan85@hotmail.com
Mare Serenitatis
Chapter 3
11/12/03
I s'pose I should've made it clear what time frame we're dealing in. I sort of just figured it would be obvious and try not to make a big deal over it, but here goes.
This is set after the battle with Galaxia in Sailormoon SailorStars and the sixth book of Harry Potter.
I realize some of you may and may not like how I go about things with Harry Potter, considering the events of the recent book. But, try to remember it's fiction, please. If you're going to get upset over some small detail that I change/alter/leave the way it was, then you might need to reevaluate your own reality and ask yourself why you care so much as to flame a complete stranger.
Not to be a sore sport over that, but I've seen it happen to too many good authors who get flamed for stupid reasons.
I don't own these characters, other people do. This is the only time I'll say this so I don't become monotonous. But it will apply to every chapter hereafter.
Enjoy.
------*****************-------
The next day passed slowly for Usagi. She woke up early, finding it hard to sleep in her new surroundings. She had gone to bed late, thankfully not waking Ginny Weasley, whom she had met that night.
Her dreams were plagued by her nightmares of her destiny. It seemed no matter how far she got from home, Sailormoon would always be there. Princess Serenity would always be there. The Senshi would always be there. to die. That was what she saw.
During the battle, she watched as they all sacrificed their Star Seeds for her. It would forever be imprinted in her head, an image that would never go away. It was disturbing, and she found it a miracle that she could even get up in the morning.
"It's hard to fall asleep. and even harder to wake up." She whispered to no one in particular as she left the bedroom, intent on finding something to snack on to take her mind off things.
Mrs. Weasley was busy cooking breakfast for everyone when Usagi entered the Kitchen. Mrs. Weasley gave a cheerful, "Good Morning!"
Usagi smiled back and raided the fridge.
"Did you sleep well, dear?" She asked, wiping her hands on a wash cloth.
Usagi nodded. "Yeah, just fine, thank you." She answered, despite the real answer. She took a good look at the kitchen and only now noticed all of the odd trinkets on the shelves. "So, whose house is this? Why are you all here?"
Mrs. Weasley smiled sadly. "This house belongs to a family by the name of Black. The last owner. His name was Sirius Black. A very good man. He left the house to Harry." She looked at her hands. "Sirius was killed this past June. He was your and Harry's Godfather."
Usagi nodded, feeling a pang of guilt. She wasn't quite sure if it was sympathy for Harry, who seemed to have lost everything, or guilt for not being around to help. Maybe if she was here instead of in Japan, she could've saved this Sirius person.
Mrs. Weasley seemed to have known what was going on in Usagi's head, because she quickly answered. "Well, it's best not to think about it. There wasn't anything anyone could've done for him. Here, have some breakfast dear." She hastily handed her a plate and went back to the stove.
Usagi stared at the plate of food before poking it with her fork. She muttered under her breath, "I'll bet there was something that could've been done for him."
The rest of the morning was uneventful. Usagi explored the house a bit and was quite amazed at the various trinkets, portraits, and decorations of the Wizard house.
You can also imagine her surprise as she found that the old portraits actually talked and were alive as if they were really there standing next to you. She talked for a while with a man called Phineas Nigellus, a great great grandfather to Sirius.
He was quite surprised that the missing Potter girl was in his family's house, but wasn't surprised when she told him who she was.
"Oh yes, they all have been expecting you these past few years. But no one was sure why you never came to Hogwarts before this. I remember times where my Great great Grandson would idly wonder how you were doing. But now that he's gone. this house is lonely again. But thank Merlin that dreadful house elf has finally left!"
"House elf?"
He nodded in his portrait. "Oh yes, a dreadful little elf named Kreacher. He started a lot of trouble, and finally left to live with the Malfoys, our cousins."
He talked more about his family and other things in the Wizarding world that made Usagi even more confused than she was before. She bid goodbye to Phineas and said she would visit later.
She explored a few rooms and had time to reflect on what had happened to her in only the past week. Not even a whole week ago, she found out she was a witch and the family she had grown up with for the past 16 years wasn't her real family.
She was about to go into the room that she shared with Ginny when the front door opened and there were some excited voices.
"Oy! Hermione, glad you made it!"
"Hey, done enough studying already?" Usagi heard the voices of the twins and Ron asking her questions and giving her a hard time.
"Oh snog off, Ron! Just because I actually do my homework unlike you, doesn't mean anything!"
"Well that's fine! I've been having a blast NOT doing my homework anyways!"
Usagi heard Fred snicker. "Don't believe him. He finished it all a week ago because he didn't want to clean out anymore rooms."
Then their voices became hushed and Usagi couldn't hear anymore. She shrugged and went into her temporary bedroom. She sighed as she flopped on the bed. It wasn't as if she didn't want to be friends with these people, but she didn't feel like she was on the same level as they were.
It reminded her too much of her Senshi and best friends. They were a tightly knit group and had their inside jokes. She only now realized that towards the end, they had completely alienated themselves from other people. Usagi couldn't quite remember the last time she had actually hung out with Naru or Umino those last few months leading up to the fights with Galaxia and Chaos.
It made her sick to her stomach as she thought about how Naru must've felt as she drew herself in more and more with the Senshi than with her. She hoped that Naru didn't hate her for her neglect and as soon as she found a phone in this place, she'd call right away to apologize. She loved Naru very much and it made her ill to think that she had totally forgotten her best friend.
She was about to roll over and fall asleep when the door opened and Ginny and the new girl, Hermione, had walked in.
Ginny smiled slightly, "Sorry if we're bugging you, Usagi. But I thought you might like to meet Hermione." She gestured towards her, "Hermione Granger, meet Usagi Tsukino."
Usagi smiled faintly, relieved a little that Ginny had used her Japanese name when introducing her instead of Potter. "It's nice to meet you, Hermione." Usagi bowed as was her custom, but then shook hands with the bushy-haired girl.
Hermione grinned. "It's so good to finally meet you! I've only heard a little bit about you from Ron, Fred, and George and I'd like to get to know you better!" She turned to Ginny and giggled, "We could use another girl around here!"
Usagi's heart lightened a little bit. She seemed like a genuinely nice person and wouldn't mind getting to know her better. "That sounds fine."
She turned to her, almost matter-of-factly, "And if you have any questions about school, homework, customs, currency, and things like that, come ask me! I'll help you." Then she added in a low and slightly less excited voice, "And if have any questions about Harry, too. Ron and I are his best friends."
Usagi nodded. "Thanks so much. That means a lot." She paused to think, lightly tapping her index finger on her chin. "I do have a few questions. about all of those things actually!"
The girls stayed in the bedroom for several hours talking and gossiping. Usagi had most of her questions answered about the Wizarding world and a few about Harry.
"Harry plays Quidditch too!" Ginny shouted excitedly. "I was picked as the Seeker last year to replace Harry. Though this year I think I might try being a Chaser."
"Replace?"
Hermione nodded. "Last year we had this awful woman named Umbridge as our professor for our Defense Against The Dark Arts class. Harry and Fred got into a fight with Malfoy and another one of his goons at one of the games. Umbridge banned Harry from Quidditch along with Fred and George. Ginny replaced him on the team." She cleared her throat. "Harry was picked as the Seeker in his first year, which is quite a feat. He was the youngest Seeker on a Quidditch team in quite a few years."
"Decades, really." Ginny added.
Hermione giggled. "Actually, it was a century. I remember Harry telling Ron about it when he was picked."
Usagi crinkled her brow in confusion of all the terms. Then Hermione and Ginny proceeded to explain all of the basics of Quidditch at Hogwarts and the game when it was played by the teams from all over the world.
When Mrs. Weasley called them all down for dinner, it was already late into the night, and Usagi being more tired than hungry declined the invitation, saying she would get to bed earlier.
She slept for a few hours, and when she awoke, it was already the dead of night. She spied Hermione and Ginny already sleeping soundly in their beds next to hers. She laid there for a while, trying to fall back asleep, but she couldn't. Her stomach grumbled slightly and she decided to grab a snack from downstairs.
She left the comforts of her warm sheets and tip-toed out of the room, trying not to disturb the other girls. Just as she was about to walk down the stairs, she heard the front door swing open and hit the wall with a loud slam.
Frightened, Usagi crouched down and hid on the balcony, watching everything that was happening on the floor below her. A tall, burly man stepped through the doorway holding a bundle in his arms. He looked around frantically before shouting. "Dumbledore! Lupin! Tonks?! Someone help me! DUMBLEDORE!!"
The bundle in his arms moved slightly, and Usagi saw a pale hand and wrist fall and dangle out in front of the burly man. Usagi gasped as she realized it was a person wrapped in all of the dark, dank looking cloth.
Lupin, Dumbledore, and a witch Usagi didn't remember seeing before all rushed to the man from the living room downstairs.
"Oh my! What happened, Mad-Eye?" The witch gasped out when she reached him. She seemed out of breath and quite frantic. As she waited for a response, she combed her fingers through her bright pink hair.
"There was a Nundu. I'm almost positive. I could smell the disease in the air [1]." The man now identified as Mad-Eye said, clutching the bundle closer.
Lupin sputtered. "B-but that's impossible! The Nundu beasts only reside in Africa! There's no way one would be in England!"
"That is no necessarily true, Remus. Someone could have brought one here if they so wanted it badly enough. The question we must ask is who would do such a thing. And I'm afraid we all know of one person who would want to hurt Harry so badly."
Usagi listened to it all. She had no clue what a Nindy thingy was, but she knew who was in that bundle of cloth; Harry. She gulped the bile that was beginning to form in her throat and forced herself to continue listening.
"We have to help him now, before the disease becomes too great that we can't cure him." Lupin commented, gesturing that they bring Harry upstairs.
"Mad-Eye, what. I mean, how has the Nundu poisoned him?" The witch with pink hair asked, sounding afraid.
"When the Nundu breathes, it's so terrible that it could spread disease and sickness throughout an entire villiage, town, neighborhood. Hopefully it hasn't from where Harry was. but it's terrible enough. There hasn't been any instance where one Nundu has been subdued by any less than 100 Wizards working together." Mad-Eye answered gruffly, following Lupin and Dumbledore up the stairs.
Usagi gasped as she tried to find a place to hide so that the Wizards wouldn't see her, but it was too late.
"Usagi?" Dumbledore's tired voice asked. "Have you heard everything?"
Usagi nodded, slightly ashamed for eavesdropping. But she was still bold and curious enough to say. "I'm sorry, Dumbledore-san. I. want to see him. even if he-"
Dumbledore simply nodded. "Yes, I understand. Just follow and please don't get in the way."
They all piled into one of the extra bedrooms. Lupin had decided to use Floo Powder to go to Snape's and see if he had any potions or antidotes for the Nundu's disease. Mad-Eye put Harry on the bed and removed the cloth that he was covered in.
And there he was, The Boy Who Lived. His dark hair was wet with perspiration and matted messily against his pale face. His body shook with convulsions and his skin was clammy but cold to the touch. He looked almost like an old man, about to meet with Death.
Mad-Eye left the room and came back moments later with a wet cloth. He placed it on Harry's forehead. "There. It should help keep the fever down. But it won't do no good without some sort of antidote." He took a long look at Usagi. "And who are you now?"
Usagi bowed her head slightly from her position at Harry's side. "I'm Usagi Tsukino."
Dumbledore then supplied for her, "Alastor, she is also known better to you as Serenity Potter."
Mad-Eye's one eye widened a tiny bit. "You don't say. Well, it's nice to meet you, Usagi. A shame though that this is how we meet."
Usagi ignored his last comment and focused on her brother. 'Oniisan.' She thought to herself and him, while clutching his cold hand in hers. 'You. you just can't leave now. If you do, I won't even get to know you. Please don't leave.' She closed her eyes and prayed. She didn't pray for God. She prayed to her heart to help her.
Usagi began to feel the flow of her energy leave her body and enter that of her brother's. It wasn't a large light show; it was merely a hum of energy. She vaguely realized her crescent moon insignia was glowing slightly as she concentrated more on her purpose.
Mad-Eye grew suspicious. "Dumbledore, what is she doing?"
The Headmaster of Hogwarts simply shook his head. "I imagine she is trying to help him."
At that moment, Lupin returned quite excited, holding a bottle of elixir, and in tow was Professor Snape, looking as cross as usual. But his features seemed strained slightly with worry, which would seem odd to a few people.
Lupin stopped short when he entered the room and almost dropped the bottle he was holding. He brought his hand up and grabbed his chest and gasped out. "I. what's going on? It. feels like the full moon." His breathing became ragged as he leaned against the doorframe of the room.
Dumbledore was at his side immediately. "Not to worry, Remus. It's only Usagi. I shall explain it to you later. Have no fears, nothing shall happen to you now." He gently took the bottle from Lupin's hand and looked to Snape. "Thank you for this on such short notice, Severus. This came about quite suddenly."
Snape nodded. "Quite alright, Albus." He glanced at Usagi, who had opened her eyes and backed away from Harry a bit. All signs of her "help" gone. The only clue was her labored breathing. He narrowed his eyes. "And who might this be, Albus?"
Dumbledore nodded at Usagi. She took the hint and came over by the two men. "Severus Snape, this is Usagi Tsukino."
Usagi bowed to the man who Dumbledore was introducing her to. She took in his harsh features, dark greasy hair, cold dark eyes, a large hook nose, and pale skin. "I. well my name is also Serenity Potter."
Snape's eyes seemed to narrow even more when she said that. "Is that so?" He asked, though Usagi knew he wasn't really asking her. "Well, I hope you're more disciplined than your brother." He didn't even bother to look at her face when talk to her either.
She felt herself become angry at his comments, but tried to calm herself down as much as possible. Maybe he was just having a bad night. being dragged here in the middle of the night would make anyone a bit cranky. She nodded. That had to be it. Fine, she'd give Mr. Jerkface a second chance, but that would be IT!
"What did she do?" Mad-Eye asked Dumbledore as he felt Harry's forehead. He also noticed he stopped convulsing and more color had returned to his face.
Dumbledore smiled. "I think you should ask her yourself." He pushed Usagi, who felt quite confused as to what was going on due to her mental tirade, forward. "Moody would like to know what you did to Harry, Usagi."
She nodded. "I. used some of my powers to give him more strength to fight the disease. I also got rid of some of it. He still needs medicine, though." She finished quietly, feeling very self-conscious with everyone's eyes on her. In order to try and save herself some embarrassment, she quietly walked back over to Harry's side and sat down in a chair next to his bed, holding his hand.
Moody shrugged. "Well, it answers my question." He then set to work, and gave Harry the potion for the Nundu disease.
Usagi, feeling the events of the night finally getting to her, drifted off to sleep hearing the mutterings of the others in the room, and Harry's shallow, but paced breathing.
*********************
Striking green eyes opened slowly and groggily. He tried to move his arm to rub the sleep from his eyes, but it wouldn't budge. He looked down quite confused and saw the long blonde locks of a girl. What confused him even more was she was clutching his hand, while she was asleep no less!
"Ah, I see you're finally awake, Harry."
Harry looked up at the familiar voice. "Professor Dumbledore!" He exclaimed hoarsely. His throat was sore and he rubbed it with his free hand. He looked down to his other hand that was being held prisoner. "What's happened?"
Dumbledore smiled as he gently pried the girl's hand from Harry's. "She stayed with you all night long. I was surprised at first, but I should have realized why from the beginning." He spoke cryptically, as it seemed it was his nature to always do so.
"I don't understand, Professor."
"Do you remember what happened to you yesterday?" Dumbledore asked instead.
Harry nodded slowly. "There was. this big cheetah. or leopard. It was pacing up and down the street outside of my house. I thought it was odd and went outside to see if it was really a magical creature. When I got near it, I smelled this awful smell. It was like something was rotting, or even worse it smelled like burning or decaying flesh." Harry shivered involuntarily. "It looked at me and walked at me, breathing hard like it had just been running. I don't remember what happened after that. I think I passed out." He looked to Dumbledore, silently asking if that was what truly happened.
"That creature is called a Nundu. It is like a giant leopard. Its breath sends out a foul disease and sickness that can wipe out whole villages or neighborhoods. It was very fortunate that Moody was in the area that he spotted the Nundu shortly after your encounter with it."
Harry narrowed his eyes a bit. 'Were they keeping watch over me again.?' "Oh." He looked down at the blonde-haired girl again. He took in her appearance, pink pajamas, a short, but thin body, and extremely long golden blonde hair.
"As I said before, she stayed with you all night. I would like to give you an explanation about her, Harry. But it's something best told while she's awake as well." Dumbledore tried to gently shake her awake, but when that was proving to be useless, he kicked the leg of the chair on which she was sitting in.
The sudden jolt brought Usagi back to the land of the living and she jumped, now awake. "I'm up, I'm up." She said softly, rubbing her eyes.
She then looked up and noticed Harry was wide awake and staring at her in silent confusion. She was so happy to see him awake that she immediately hugged him. "Yokatta, Harry! I was so worried!" She didn't even notice she had reverted back into Japanese for that moment.
She pulled back out of the hug as she felt him tense up. "Oh, I'm sorry."
He looked a bit surprised, but shook his head. "It's fine."
Dumbledore cleared his throat, getting the two teenager's attention. "Harry, I would like for you to meet Usagi Tsukino. She's come all the way from Japan to attend Hogwarts this year." Usagi bowed her head.
"Oh, that's nice." He said, not really knowing how it explained things.
"But, there is one other thing, Harry." Dumbledore continued. "Usagi's real name is Serenity Potter."
Harry's eyes grew in surprise and shock. "SERENITY WHAT?!"
-----**************-----
[1] I got the idea of the Nundu from one of the supplemental Harry Potter texts. Not written by JK Rowling herself, but by someone else. The book lists several magical creatures, what they look like, how dangerous they are, and where they're found. The Nundu is rather dangerous, or so the book states, however, whether it would really stalk a person or not is beyond me. I'm just guessing here. Besides, it was either the giant leopard or the giant snail. Which would you have picked? 'Nuff said.
One more side note. I hadn't realized that when I typed the last chapter, how short it was. Believe me, it's a lot harder to get ideas and situations out and make everything believable. So, if you feel the need to complain about chapter size, please don't. Please don't waste your time or mine doing that. I won't write any more than I have to in order to satisfy someone.
Email: Bunny_chan85@hotmail.com
Mare Serenitatis
Chapter 3
11/12/03
I s'pose I should've made it clear what time frame we're dealing in. I sort of just figured it would be obvious and try not to make a big deal over it, but here goes.
This is set after the battle with Galaxia in Sailormoon SailorStars and the sixth book of Harry Potter.
I realize some of you may and may not like how I go about things with Harry Potter, considering the events of the recent book. But, try to remember it's fiction, please. If you're going to get upset over some small detail that I change/alter/leave the way it was, then you might need to reevaluate your own reality and ask yourself why you care so much as to flame a complete stranger.
Not to be a sore sport over that, but I've seen it happen to too many good authors who get flamed for stupid reasons.
I don't own these characters, other people do. This is the only time I'll say this so I don't become monotonous. But it will apply to every chapter hereafter.
Enjoy.
------*****************-------
The next day passed slowly for Usagi. She woke up early, finding it hard to sleep in her new surroundings. She had gone to bed late, thankfully not waking Ginny Weasley, whom she had met that night.
Her dreams were plagued by her nightmares of her destiny. It seemed no matter how far she got from home, Sailormoon would always be there. Princess Serenity would always be there. The Senshi would always be there. to die. That was what she saw.
During the battle, she watched as they all sacrificed their Star Seeds for her. It would forever be imprinted in her head, an image that would never go away. It was disturbing, and she found it a miracle that she could even get up in the morning.
"It's hard to fall asleep. and even harder to wake up." She whispered to no one in particular as she left the bedroom, intent on finding something to snack on to take her mind off things.
Mrs. Weasley was busy cooking breakfast for everyone when Usagi entered the Kitchen. Mrs. Weasley gave a cheerful, "Good Morning!"
Usagi smiled back and raided the fridge.
"Did you sleep well, dear?" She asked, wiping her hands on a wash cloth.
Usagi nodded. "Yeah, just fine, thank you." She answered, despite the real answer. She took a good look at the kitchen and only now noticed all of the odd trinkets on the shelves. "So, whose house is this? Why are you all here?"
Mrs. Weasley smiled sadly. "This house belongs to a family by the name of Black. The last owner. His name was Sirius Black. A very good man. He left the house to Harry." She looked at her hands. "Sirius was killed this past June. He was your and Harry's Godfather."
Usagi nodded, feeling a pang of guilt. She wasn't quite sure if it was sympathy for Harry, who seemed to have lost everything, or guilt for not being around to help. Maybe if she was here instead of in Japan, she could've saved this Sirius person.
Mrs. Weasley seemed to have known what was going on in Usagi's head, because she quickly answered. "Well, it's best not to think about it. There wasn't anything anyone could've done for him. Here, have some breakfast dear." She hastily handed her a plate and went back to the stove.
Usagi stared at the plate of food before poking it with her fork. She muttered under her breath, "I'll bet there was something that could've been done for him."
The rest of the morning was uneventful. Usagi explored the house a bit and was quite amazed at the various trinkets, portraits, and decorations of the Wizard house.
You can also imagine her surprise as she found that the old portraits actually talked and were alive as if they were really there standing next to you. She talked for a while with a man called Phineas Nigellus, a great great grandfather to Sirius.
He was quite surprised that the missing Potter girl was in his family's house, but wasn't surprised when she told him who she was.
"Oh yes, they all have been expecting you these past few years. But no one was sure why you never came to Hogwarts before this. I remember times where my Great great Grandson would idly wonder how you were doing. But now that he's gone. this house is lonely again. But thank Merlin that dreadful house elf has finally left!"
"House elf?"
He nodded in his portrait. "Oh yes, a dreadful little elf named Kreacher. He started a lot of trouble, and finally left to live with the Malfoys, our cousins."
He talked more about his family and other things in the Wizarding world that made Usagi even more confused than she was before. She bid goodbye to Phineas and said she would visit later.
She explored a few rooms and had time to reflect on what had happened to her in only the past week. Not even a whole week ago, she found out she was a witch and the family she had grown up with for the past 16 years wasn't her real family.
She was about to go into the room that she shared with Ginny when the front door opened and there were some excited voices.
"Oy! Hermione, glad you made it!"
"Hey, done enough studying already?" Usagi heard the voices of the twins and Ron asking her questions and giving her a hard time.
"Oh snog off, Ron! Just because I actually do my homework unlike you, doesn't mean anything!"
"Well that's fine! I've been having a blast NOT doing my homework anyways!"
Usagi heard Fred snicker. "Don't believe him. He finished it all a week ago because he didn't want to clean out anymore rooms."
Then their voices became hushed and Usagi couldn't hear anymore. She shrugged and went into her temporary bedroom. She sighed as she flopped on the bed. It wasn't as if she didn't want to be friends with these people, but she didn't feel like she was on the same level as they were.
It reminded her too much of her Senshi and best friends. They were a tightly knit group and had their inside jokes. She only now realized that towards the end, they had completely alienated themselves from other people. Usagi couldn't quite remember the last time she had actually hung out with Naru or Umino those last few months leading up to the fights with Galaxia and Chaos.
It made her sick to her stomach as she thought about how Naru must've felt as she drew herself in more and more with the Senshi than with her. She hoped that Naru didn't hate her for her neglect and as soon as she found a phone in this place, she'd call right away to apologize. She loved Naru very much and it made her ill to think that she had totally forgotten her best friend.
She was about to roll over and fall asleep when the door opened and Ginny and the new girl, Hermione, had walked in.
Ginny smiled slightly, "Sorry if we're bugging you, Usagi. But I thought you might like to meet Hermione." She gestured towards her, "Hermione Granger, meet Usagi Tsukino."
Usagi smiled faintly, relieved a little that Ginny had used her Japanese name when introducing her instead of Potter. "It's nice to meet you, Hermione." Usagi bowed as was her custom, but then shook hands with the bushy-haired girl.
Hermione grinned. "It's so good to finally meet you! I've only heard a little bit about you from Ron, Fred, and George and I'd like to get to know you better!" She turned to Ginny and giggled, "We could use another girl around here!"
Usagi's heart lightened a little bit. She seemed like a genuinely nice person and wouldn't mind getting to know her better. "That sounds fine."
She turned to her, almost matter-of-factly, "And if you have any questions about school, homework, customs, currency, and things like that, come ask me! I'll help you." Then she added in a low and slightly less excited voice, "And if have any questions about Harry, too. Ron and I are his best friends."
Usagi nodded. "Thanks so much. That means a lot." She paused to think, lightly tapping her index finger on her chin. "I do have a few questions. about all of those things actually!"
The girls stayed in the bedroom for several hours talking and gossiping. Usagi had most of her questions answered about the Wizarding world and a few about Harry.
"Harry plays Quidditch too!" Ginny shouted excitedly. "I was picked as the Seeker last year to replace Harry. Though this year I think I might try being a Chaser."
"Replace?"
Hermione nodded. "Last year we had this awful woman named Umbridge as our professor for our Defense Against The Dark Arts class. Harry and Fred got into a fight with Malfoy and another one of his goons at one of the games. Umbridge banned Harry from Quidditch along with Fred and George. Ginny replaced him on the team." She cleared her throat. "Harry was picked as the Seeker in his first year, which is quite a feat. He was the youngest Seeker on a Quidditch team in quite a few years."
"Decades, really." Ginny added.
Hermione giggled. "Actually, it was a century. I remember Harry telling Ron about it when he was picked."
Usagi crinkled her brow in confusion of all the terms. Then Hermione and Ginny proceeded to explain all of the basics of Quidditch at Hogwarts and the game when it was played by the teams from all over the world.
When Mrs. Weasley called them all down for dinner, it was already late into the night, and Usagi being more tired than hungry declined the invitation, saying she would get to bed earlier.
She slept for a few hours, and when she awoke, it was already the dead of night. She spied Hermione and Ginny already sleeping soundly in their beds next to hers. She laid there for a while, trying to fall back asleep, but she couldn't. Her stomach grumbled slightly and she decided to grab a snack from downstairs.
She left the comforts of her warm sheets and tip-toed out of the room, trying not to disturb the other girls. Just as she was about to walk down the stairs, she heard the front door swing open and hit the wall with a loud slam.
Frightened, Usagi crouched down and hid on the balcony, watching everything that was happening on the floor below her. A tall, burly man stepped through the doorway holding a bundle in his arms. He looked around frantically before shouting. "Dumbledore! Lupin! Tonks?! Someone help me! DUMBLEDORE!!"
The bundle in his arms moved slightly, and Usagi saw a pale hand and wrist fall and dangle out in front of the burly man. Usagi gasped as she realized it was a person wrapped in all of the dark, dank looking cloth.
Lupin, Dumbledore, and a witch Usagi didn't remember seeing before all rushed to the man from the living room downstairs.
"Oh my! What happened, Mad-Eye?" The witch gasped out when she reached him. She seemed out of breath and quite frantic. As she waited for a response, she combed her fingers through her bright pink hair.
"There was a Nundu. I'm almost positive. I could smell the disease in the air [1]." The man now identified as Mad-Eye said, clutching the bundle closer.
Lupin sputtered. "B-but that's impossible! The Nundu beasts only reside in Africa! There's no way one would be in England!"
"That is no necessarily true, Remus. Someone could have brought one here if they so wanted it badly enough. The question we must ask is who would do such a thing. And I'm afraid we all know of one person who would want to hurt Harry so badly."
Usagi listened to it all. She had no clue what a Nindy thingy was, but she knew who was in that bundle of cloth; Harry. She gulped the bile that was beginning to form in her throat and forced herself to continue listening.
"We have to help him now, before the disease becomes too great that we can't cure him." Lupin commented, gesturing that they bring Harry upstairs.
"Mad-Eye, what. I mean, how has the Nundu poisoned him?" The witch with pink hair asked, sounding afraid.
"When the Nundu breathes, it's so terrible that it could spread disease and sickness throughout an entire villiage, town, neighborhood. Hopefully it hasn't from where Harry was. but it's terrible enough. There hasn't been any instance where one Nundu has been subdued by any less than 100 Wizards working together." Mad-Eye answered gruffly, following Lupin and Dumbledore up the stairs.
Usagi gasped as she tried to find a place to hide so that the Wizards wouldn't see her, but it was too late.
"Usagi?" Dumbledore's tired voice asked. "Have you heard everything?"
Usagi nodded, slightly ashamed for eavesdropping. But she was still bold and curious enough to say. "I'm sorry, Dumbledore-san. I. want to see him. even if he-"
Dumbledore simply nodded. "Yes, I understand. Just follow and please don't get in the way."
They all piled into one of the extra bedrooms. Lupin had decided to use Floo Powder to go to Snape's and see if he had any potions or antidotes for the Nundu's disease. Mad-Eye put Harry on the bed and removed the cloth that he was covered in.
And there he was, The Boy Who Lived. His dark hair was wet with perspiration and matted messily against his pale face. His body shook with convulsions and his skin was clammy but cold to the touch. He looked almost like an old man, about to meet with Death.
Mad-Eye left the room and came back moments later with a wet cloth. He placed it on Harry's forehead. "There. It should help keep the fever down. But it won't do no good without some sort of antidote." He took a long look at Usagi. "And who are you now?"
Usagi bowed her head slightly from her position at Harry's side. "I'm Usagi Tsukino."
Dumbledore then supplied for her, "Alastor, she is also known better to you as Serenity Potter."
Mad-Eye's one eye widened a tiny bit. "You don't say. Well, it's nice to meet you, Usagi. A shame though that this is how we meet."
Usagi ignored his last comment and focused on her brother. 'Oniisan.' She thought to herself and him, while clutching his cold hand in hers. 'You. you just can't leave now. If you do, I won't even get to know you. Please don't leave.' She closed her eyes and prayed. She didn't pray for God. She prayed to her heart to help her.
Usagi began to feel the flow of her energy leave her body and enter that of her brother's. It wasn't a large light show; it was merely a hum of energy. She vaguely realized her crescent moon insignia was glowing slightly as she concentrated more on her purpose.
Mad-Eye grew suspicious. "Dumbledore, what is she doing?"
The Headmaster of Hogwarts simply shook his head. "I imagine she is trying to help him."
At that moment, Lupin returned quite excited, holding a bottle of elixir, and in tow was Professor Snape, looking as cross as usual. But his features seemed strained slightly with worry, which would seem odd to a few people.
Lupin stopped short when he entered the room and almost dropped the bottle he was holding. He brought his hand up and grabbed his chest and gasped out. "I. what's going on? It. feels like the full moon." His breathing became ragged as he leaned against the doorframe of the room.
Dumbledore was at his side immediately. "Not to worry, Remus. It's only Usagi. I shall explain it to you later. Have no fears, nothing shall happen to you now." He gently took the bottle from Lupin's hand and looked to Snape. "Thank you for this on such short notice, Severus. This came about quite suddenly."
Snape nodded. "Quite alright, Albus." He glanced at Usagi, who had opened her eyes and backed away from Harry a bit. All signs of her "help" gone. The only clue was her labored breathing. He narrowed his eyes. "And who might this be, Albus?"
Dumbledore nodded at Usagi. She took the hint and came over by the two men. "Severus Snape, this is Usagi Tsukino."
Usagi bowed to the man who Dumbledore was introducing her to. She took in his harsh features, dark greasy hair, cold dark eyes, a large hook nose, and pale skin. "I. well my name is also Serenity Potter."
Snape's eyes seemed to narrow even more when she said that. "Is that so?" He asked, though Usagi knew he wasn't really asking her. "Well, I hope you're more disciplined than your brother." He didn't even bother to look at her face when talk to her either.
She felt herself become angry at his comments, but tried to calm herself down as much as possible. Maybe he was just having a bad night. being dragged here in the middle of the night would make anyone a bit cranky. She nodded. That had to be it. Fine, she'd give Mr. Jerkface a second chance, but that would be IT!
"What did she do?" Mad-Eye asked Dumbledore as he felt Harry's forehead. He also noticed he stopped convulsing and more color had returned to his face.
Dumbledore smiled. "I think you should ask her yourself." He pushed Usagi, who felt quite confused as to what was going on due to her mental tirade, forward. "Moody would like to know what you did to Harry, Usagi."
She nodded. "I. used some of my powers to give him more strength to fight the disease. I also got rid of some of it. He still needs medicine, though." She finished quietly, feeling very self-conscious with everyone's eyes on her. In order to try and save herself some embarrassment, she quietly walked back over to Harry's side and sat down in a chair next to his bed, holding his hand.
Moody shrugged. "Well, it answers my question." He then set to work, and gave Harry the potion for the Nundu disease.
Usagi, feeling the events of the night finally getting to her, drifted off to sleep hearing the mutterings of the others in the room, and Harry's shallow, but paced breathing.
*********************
Striking green eyes opened slowly and groggily. He tried to move his arm to rub the sleep from his eyes, but it wouldn't budge. He looked down quite confused and saw the long blonde locks of a girl. What confused him even more was she was clutching his hand, while she was asleep no less!
"Ah, I see you're finally awake, Harry."
Harry looked up at the familiar voice. "Professor Dumbledore!" He exclaimed hoarsely. His throat was sore and he rubbed it with his free hand. He looked down to his other hand that was being held prisoner. "What's happened?"
Dumbledore smiled as he gently pried the girl's hand from Harry's. "She stayed with you all night long. I was surprised at first, but I should have realized why from the beginning." He spoke cryptically, as it seemed it was his nature to always do so.
"I don't understand, Professor."
"Do you remember what happened to you yesterday?" Dumbledore asked instead.
Harry nodded slowly. "There was. this big cheetah. or leopard. It was pacing up and down the street outside of my house. I thought it was odd and went outside to see if it was really a magical creature. When I got near it, I smelled this awful smell. It was like something was rotting, or even worse it smelled like burning or decaying flesh." Harry shivered involuntarily. "It looked at me and walked at me, breathing hard like it had just been running. I don't remember what happened after that. I think I passed out." He looked to Dumbledore, silently asking if that was what truly happened.
"That creature is called a Nundu. It is like a giant leopard. Its breath sends out a foul disease and sickness that can wipe out whole villages or neighborhoods. It was very fortunate that Moody was in the area that he spotted the Nundu shortly after your encounter with it."
Harry narrowed his eyes a bit. 'Were they keeping watch over me again.?' "Oh." He looked down at the blonde-haired girl again. He took in her appearance, pink pajamas, a short, but thin body, and extremely long golden blonde hair.
"As I said before, she stayed with you all night. I would like to give you an explanation about her, Harry. But it's something best told while she's awake as well." Dumbledore tried to gently shake her awake, but when that was proving to be useless, he kicked the leg of the chair on which she was sitting in.
The sudden jolt brought Usagi back to the land of the living and she jumped, now awake. "I'm up, I'm up." She said softly, rubbing her eyes.
She then looked up and noticed Harry was wide awake and staring at her in silent confusion. She was so happy to see him awake that she immediately hugged him. "Yokatta, Harry! I was so worried!" She didn't even notice she had reverted back into Japanese for that moment.
She pulled back out of the hug as she felt him tense up. "Oh, I'm sorry."
He looked a bit surprised, but shook his head. "It's fine."
Dumbledore cleared his throat, getting the two teenager's attention. "Harry, I would like for you to meet Usagi Tsukino. She's come all the way from Japan to attend Hogwarts this year." Usagi bowed her head.
"Oh, that's nice." He said, not really knowing how it explained things.
"But, there is one other thing, Harry." Dumbledore continued. "Usagi's real name is Serenity Potter."
Harry's eyes grew in surprise and shock. "SERENITY WHAT?!"
-----**************-----
[1] I got the idea of the Nundu from one of the supplemental Harry Potter texts. Not written by JK Rowling herself, but by someone else. The book lists several magical creatures, what they look like, how dangerous they are, and where they're found. The Nundu is rather dangerous, or so the book states, however, whether it would really stalk a person or not is beyond me. I'm just guessing here. Besides, it was either the giant leopard or the giant snail. Which would you have picked? 'Nuff said.
One more side note. I hadn't realized that when I typed the last chapter, how short it was. Believe me, it's a lot harder to get ideas and situations out and make everything believable. So, if you feel the need to complain about chapter size, please don't. Please don't waste your time or mine doing that. I won't write any more than I have to in order to satisfy someone.
