Chapter 7: The Challenge and the Challenger
"That was awesome!"

"But did you see what it was?"

"He didn't even use a wand!"

"It shot out of his finger!"

"What was it, do you know?"

"They didn't even look scared!"

"What was that thing!"


After lunch, Yusuke had already had enough of Hogwarts' hoopla about the creature. Random students were following him around, as if he were going to spontaneously start a fireworks show. And Yusuke wasn't the only one. Kurama's fan club doubled, at least, with quite a few boys asking about how to join too. Of course, Kurama kept his cool smile, even as his chaperone squad grew to the entire width of the halls.

Kuwabara, on the other hand, was loving it. His new friends Ernie and Hannah had become something of his secretaries, introducing Kuwabara to all of his visitors and interviewers. He gladly told anyone who would listen about life in Japan and his special talents . . . of course, he left out quite a few interesting details. . .

No one was brave enough to approach Hiei, who looked surlier than ever.

And that left Harry, Ron, and Hermione in the background.

"You know," Harry said, leaning back in his chair as he glanced at Yusuke explaining something to Dean and Seamus, "it's kinda nice, not having everyone's eyes on us for once."

"Maybe we'll get caught up on homework finally!" Ron put in, dropping Potions, Level Six on his desk and closing it with a smack!

"Don't think so, Ron," Hermione said. "We really need to do some more research, you know."

"I know, I know. But seriously, why don't we just ASK THEM ourselves!"

"Because Harry thinks that they aren't being truthful to us."

Harry whipped his head around and glared at Hermione. "No," he forced with clenched teeth, "Because Harry KNOWS that they are hiding something!"

"Yes, that's what I meant."

"Right! Whatever! (Sounds more like mild paranoia to me.)"

"Whadya say, Ron?"

"Nothin' man!"

"No, whad you say?"

Fortunately for Ron, he didn't have to answer, because at that moment, Snape slammed open the door to the dungeon and rushed to the front with that haughty look of his pasted forever on his face.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" he snapped, turning suddenly on the students. "Pass up your essays! You don't need individual memorandums, do you?"

Flabbergasted, yet used to this sort of treatment, the classes hurriedly turned in their assignment scrolls.

"And you three," he added, glaring down at the friends, "better have your bonus essays finished as well."

"We're getting bonus points for these?" Ron whispered hopefully.

"Added on to your existing grades, it won't be much help, I'm afraid." Though Snape couldn't have looked less afraid of anything.


Across the room, Hiei sat amongst the Slitherins, casually watching the British kids being bullied by their teacher. What was the professor's name again? He couldn't remember. Then again, what were those dorky kids' names? It really didn't matter. All the mission called for was to learn how to use this dumb stick; making friends and being polite wasn't mandatory. And neither is this class, he thought. I know all the potion making that will ever be of use to me. He sighed with irritation.


Snape looked up from tormenting Harry to see who dared to sigh with irritation in his class, while he was doing something so important! He spotted the boy among the green side of the room. Snape glared at how annoyed the pointy haired boy looked.

"Is there something you would like to say, Mr. . ." he demanded, the contempt almost oozing off of his words.

Hiei looked up at the greasy human. He was already testy, and firmly decided he wasn't going to put up with any kind of crap.

"My name is Hiei." The entire room seemed to suck in one giant bubble of air . . . except Yusuke, who merely smirked.

Snape was infuriated. "MISTER Hiei, you will address me as Professor when you speak," he demanded, giving the exchange student a pointed glare.

Much to the astonishment of the other students, Hiei glared right back. "I said my name is Hiei. Do not attempt to add me to your species with your dishonorable titles."

What?

then, HOW DARE HE!

"Mister Hiei," Snape said coolly, though his nostrils flared with anger, "You have been catching up so nicely in my class, which, I am glad to say, is rather difficult. It would be a shame to have to suspend such a student for a misdemeanor like back-talking."

"Don't waste your energy, human," Hiei said, gracefully rising from his chair and walking towards the door before Snape cold even reply. "This joke of a school isn't even worth my time."

"One moment," Snape called, striding towards the short demon. The class seemed to all shuffle away from the point of contact as the professor caught hold of Hiei's sleeve. (No one but Yusuke realized that Hiei had let him grab him.) "Are you saying," Snape continued, looking down at the haughty-eyed boy, whose pointed hair barely reached the man's chest, "that you think yourself above our standards."

Hiei smiled, shrugging the man off his arm. "Way above, human."

"Well, then, why don't we test your theory, Mr. Hiei? Say you against my best student?"

"It would be my pleasure to see his ashes on the floor." His hand twitched slightly towards his waist.

"Hiei! You moron!"

"Ten points from Gryffindor!" Snape spat, not even looking at Yusuke. The deadly glares exchanged between Hiei and Snape could have killed a small animal. "Now, take your time to brush up on the dueling rules. We meet two hours after classes in the Great Hall."


"Baka!" Yusuke snapped, grabbing the jaganshi by the shoulder and turning him sharply around. "You just had to find a reason to show off your stuff! This is just great! We could be totally found out you know?"

Class had just ended, surprisingly without anymore commotion. Hiei had left early and was found a few seconds ago lounging languidly on the head of the life-sized statue of Werg, The Biggest Goblin Ever. He had jumped down when Kurama, Kuwabara, and Yusuke had called to him while the other students glanced nervously at them as they hurried to their next class. Now, he faced the onslaught of seriously pissed off teammates.

"How is that any concern of mine?"

"You know that if you kill this kid, you're gonna be sent back to demon world, Hiei." Kuwabara put in.

"I'm not going to kill him . . ." he paused, smiling into the distance. ". . . just hurt him a lot."

"I must say that I disapprove, Hiei," Kurama said, with a mildly disappointed look. "I thought you were better than to battle those so much weaker than you." Hiei's shoulders did a little twitch.

"Who cares what you disapprove of, flower-boy." HE cared, of course, but wasn't about to let anyone know that Kurama, over the years, had become his closest companion.

"Well, you're gonna fight in two hours, whether or not it's a good idea. What are these stupid dueling rules anyway?" Kuwabara wondered, stuffing his hands in his pockets again.

"Er, we can help you with that, if you want."

"Yeah, just like old times, eh, Harry?"

The four Japanese boys looked around to see the only other kids left in the hall. Holding at least three large tomes each, the three British friends looked quite disheveled, but slightly peppy at the same time.

"Are you sure you can spare the time? You look rather busy," Kurama commented, walking up to Hermione. "Let me help you with those, Miss Granger."

Hermione's face had never burned so red. "Please, it's Hermione."

Ron shuffled the weight of his books with a 'humph' as the red haired boy took Hermione's load. Harry and Yusuke just rolled their eyes before continuing to ignore the courting couple.

"So, anyway, we can help, if you need. I know personally how anxious your first duel can be." Hiei's eyes squeezed into a harsh glare.

"I don't need nor want your help, wizard." he 'humph'ed, putting his hands in his pockets too.

"Its no problem, really," Hermione said, still blushing furiously.

"Yeah, it's the least we can do. Snape probably thought that you were trying to side with us for some reason." Harry suggested, hoisting his books higher in his arms.

"Whatever," Hiei said, and walked off.


Two hours later, Hiei was just about as prepared for the duel as Harry was for his first . . . which wasn't very prepared. He had gotten down two basic jinxes, the stunning spell, and a simple blocking spell.

The thing that worried his the most, however, was being confined to just using the wand. He actually found himself regretting his promise to turn his opponent into ashes.

But there was no honor in retreat.


The entire Great Hall was filled with students, crowded around a long platform. At the far end of the Hall, the teachers' table still stood where it had been during dinner and almost all of its occupants where present. Snape however, stood alone on one side of the platform.

Exactly four minutes late, the challenger appeared in the doorway, his robes replaced by his normal black outfit.

The room fell silent. "Remember the wand movements we practiced," Harry whispered to his left, breaking the wall of anxiety.

"Shut up, boy," Hiei snapped and bent his knees as if to jump.

"Hiei, don't . . ."

"You too, kitsune."

And his simply disappeared in a blur of black.

Many people gasped as the short boy appeared again on the opposite end of the dueling arena than Snape. Unmoved, the older man smiled evilly.

"You're late, Mr. Hiei. Now, for your opponent," he said, glancing down at the crowd of students. But before he could point out the silver haired boy he was looking for, he noticed movement at the staff table.

Dumbledore had risen out of his seat. "Just a moment Severus," the old man said, raising his hand to silence the students' murmurs. "I approved of this activity before it had occurred to me the danger of the situation." He smiled. "We must have a fair fight for the opponent and a good fight for our challenger. Do you agree, Hiei-san?"

Across the room, the young demon nodded at Dumbledore.

"Good. Then I'll release the Battle Finder."

Appearing in his hand, Dumbledore grasped a creamy green ball, about the size of a tennis ball. His fingers released and it hovered over his palm for a minute before zooming across the room. It zigzagged back and forth, stopping for a millisecond over random students, most flinched as it paused over their heads. After about a minute of tense suspense of the students, the ball stopped suddenly over the head of a young boy. It quivered slightly before changing to a deep red. Of course, the entire room gasped.


Harry looked up at the hovering ball above his head.

Damnit.

The blood red ball dropped into his hands. He glared at it. Then looked slowly up at Dumbledore, clear across the long Hall. Following his gaze, all heads turned towards the headmaster.

"Se la vie, Mister Potter. Please approach the dueling area."