Spirit Magic

WARNING: This story takes place in Harry's sixth year, which means there are spoilers to the fifth book!!!!!!!

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho or Harry Potter.

Part Six: The Death Tree.

"Kurama, wait up," Harry yelled running after the taller boy. It was one of the most amazing things Harry had ever seen, Kurama had actually made Snape speechless. Who would have thought that being polite to the greasy git would have such desirable effects.

Kurama smiled at the smaller boy as he slowed his pace enough for him to catch up. Harry was panting slightly, but the grin on his face was enough to lighten Kurama's mood a little.

"That was amazing, I can't believe you were able to be so cool about the whole situation," Harry mumbled.

"Well, it wasn't too hard to figure out what Professor Snape was trying to do," Kurama said brushing away the compliment. It was painfully obvious that the teacher was taking away points just to get the kids riled up.

"Yeah, but it was still pretty amazing. So what class do you have next?" Harry asked trying to change the subject. Kurama pulled out his schedule and handed it to Harry. "Wow, we have identical schedules. I guess you want to be an Auror too?" Harry said reading over the schedule again. "Ron wants to be one too, but right now he's being way to stubborn, and Hermione wants to get into some sort of ancient magic research career thing. You should hear her talking about some of the theories these wizards have. She says they believe that magic is just some form of energy or something like that," Harry said watching what looked like nervousness cross Kurama's face.

"There are wizards who research the ancient origins of magic?" Kurama asked. The demon couldn't help but feel worried with this new information. The theories that these wizards had was way too similar to the truth for Kurama's comfort.

"Yeah, but I personally think it sounds boring," Harry said leading Kurama outside of the castle. "But anyways, part of being an Auror means that we have to study real hard in Potions, Transfiguration, Charms, and Herbology. I can understand the other stuff, but how can knowing about a bunch of plants be helpful in a duel?" Harry muttered. Kurama chuckled knowing quit well just how deadly and useful plants can be, but he chose to remain silent. He needed to understand the full extend of wizard plants before he exposed anymore of his talents. In a way, Kurama was glad that Herbology was part of the schedule.

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Kurama looked at the plants in the green house with fascination. There were many plants that were very rare and powerful, but with the care they were receiving from the humans, the plants were far from their potential.

"Hey Kurama, why are the plants leaning toward us?" Harry asked feeling a little unnerved as one long branch made its way to where the two boys were sitting.

Kurama looked around startled only to smile a second later. Almost every plant in the green house was stretching their branched his way, trying to gather some of his spirit energy. Closing his eyes, Kurama allowed some of his energy to seep into the plants around him. Opening his eyes, he was glad to notice that the plants had returned to their original places. Harry looked around half frightened, but it was obvious by the look on his face that the boy guessed that Kurama was behind the plants' weird behavior.

"Good day class," Professor Sprout greeted as she made her way into the green house. Her plump face smiled at the students of her advanced Herbology class, and almost immediately Kurama felt a little more at ease. Professor Snape had put the fox demon on his guard the moment he had entered the class, but the old women, who was currently scribbling something on the black board, made Kurama feel easy. Plus the environment of being around plants helped make the demon fell secure.

"Today we will be learning how to care for adult Mandrakes. For those of you who can remember your second year lesson, you will know that a Mandrake's scream is fatal to anybody who hears it. Because of this, you will all be given sound proof earmuffs. Now if I need you to put the Mandrakes away, I will shoot green sparks with my wand, and if there is an emergency, I will shoot red sparks. Anyways… the scream of a Mandrake can be fatal for up to a five mile radius, so I have asked the new defense against the dark arts instructor to put up wards around this green house. No sound will be carried outside of here unless the door is opened. Because of the importance of keeping the sound from reaching the other students, I must stress that there will be no breaks. Once we start, there is no stopping until the job is done," Professor Sprout explained before she gestured the students to grab an earmuff and put it on. Once she was sure that all of the students were ready, the pots with the Mandrakes in them were distributed to the children.

Kurama laughed when he saw what the Mandrakes really were. The plant was also known as the Banshee plant in the Demon world, but these ones where just so small. In the Makai, the Banshee plant or Mandrakes have been known to grow as tall as trees, and they only released their lethal scream when their lives were threatened. These ones had a weak and uncontrolled scream. The Makai Mandrakes could kill anything within a twenty mile radius, but their screams were so controlled that it could be harmless if the Mandrake wished not to kill. Kurama remembered how he had used these powerful plants as a weapon in his demon years. They were so useful, and they were very loyal to him. All he had to do was feed the plants some spirit energy, and they were willing to do whatever he commanded.

Kurama was in the middle of finishing up the instructions Professor Sprout had given him when he sensed the energy of two people rushing to the green house. One was rather weak, but the other radiated with a power that could only belong to the headmaster. Kurama snapped his head toward the entrance where the door was beginning to open. If the door opened the headmaster and the other professor would be killed, and if the sound was allowed to carry, then their would be casualties in the castle as well. Thinking quickly, Kurama used his spirit energy to gain control of all of the Mandrakes in the room. Concentrating hard, Kurama was able to will the Mandrakes to be silent just in time.

The door to the green house swung open causing Professor Sprout to lose control of her present task. Her head spun around to the door and her face paled in horror as she saw the Headmaster and deputy Headmaster in the door frame. There was an agonizing second where the people in the room stared at the new comers, waiting for them to fall over dead. Professor Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall had a look of shock on their faces when they recognized the plants that were all currently staring at the new kid.

Professor Sprout looked around confused when it was obvious that the Headmaster and Professor McGonagall were going to be alright. It was then that she noticed the odd behavior of the Mandrakes. Each one of them had their mouths shut, and were looking in the same direction with obedient stares. Never in all her years of dealing with plants had Professor Sprout seen such behavior. It was unnatural, but at the moment she didn't have much time to dwell on it. The Headmaster was heading her way holding an envelope in his hands as though the paper might explode. Cautiously Professor Sprout let off a red spark, and the class immediately began putting away the Mandrakes. When they were finished, they removed their earmuffs, and listened intently to what Professor Dumbledore was saying.

"This was delivered to my office," Professor Dumbledore said handing the letter to Professor Sprout. Professor Sprout read over the letter, her face paling even more by the second.

"What does this mean Albus?" Professor Sprout asked handing the letter back. Professor Dumbledore accepted the letter before he looked at the questioning gaze of the students around him. Smiling his usual smile, Dumbledore silently gestured for Professor Sprout to follow him to a corner of the green house where he began to whisper to her. Discouraged, most of the kids began packing up their stuff.

Kurama stared in the opposite direction, as though he really didn't care about what was being said, but the truth was he was listening to whole conversation with his acute hearing.

"The reason why I have come to speak with you is because this was delivered with the letter," Dumbledore explained pulling out a small black and red colored seed.

"Professor Snape was unable to identify what sort of seed it is, we are kind of hoping that you would know," Professor McGonagall explained watching Professor Sprout as the women carefully studied the seed.

"Interesting, I don't think I've ever seen a seed quit like this before," Professor Sprout mumbled. "The only way to know for sure is to plant the thing, and see what plant will grow," Professor Sprout explained grabbing one of the plots nearby, and setting the seed within the rich soil. After she was done with the task, she put the pot on one of the shelves, and continued to discuss the threat with the Headmaster.

Kurama tried to keep his curiosity from controlling him, but in the end, he couldn't help but look over to the pot that the strange seed was planted in. For a moment Kurama debated on sending some spirit energy over to the seed so he could see what it bloomed into, but before he could even dismiss the idea, he noticed that a reddish plant was already making its way out of the soil. A startled cry escaped Kurama's lips as the plant began to grow at a rapid pace.

The plant was bloody red, but the thing that caught Kurama's attention was the little heads at the end of each branch.

"Each branch of this tree has a mouth, and each mouth of the branch has saliva that will melt your bones in under a minute, and the pain will make every second seem like it's an eternity to you,"

Kurama remembered how his demon form had threatened other demons with that plant. The Death Tree was one of the most deadly plants in the Makai, and when it finds a place to grow, it could reach full size in a day.

By now the rest of the students and Professors had discovered the plant, and all of them were staring at it in fascination. "I've never seen this plant before," Professor Sprout stated leaning in to get a better understanding of the tree.

"No, don't touch it!" Kurama demanded standing up in horror when he realized what the Professor almost did. If she came into contact with any part of the tree, the saliva would eat away at her flesh, and the heads would ripe at the rest of her body greedily until their was nothing left of the women. He had to get rid of the plant, and he had to do it soon. If the plant was allowed to grow any longer, he wont have the strength to control it without going into his demon form. And that was a chance he just couldn't take. There would be plenty of questions later on, but Kurama didn't have the time to figure out some extravagant plan that would keep him discrete. He had to stop this plant. But even as Kurama approached it, and used his spirit energy to gain control of the plant, he couldn't help but wonder how Voldemort had come across the Demon Tree.

TBC.