HEEELLLOOOOO THERE! (glomps Skelly) Finally sat my butt down and wrote my heart out (plus part of my brother's)! So if anyone's still alive out there-
(tumbleweed)
-um, here's CHAPTER 3!!!!!
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Disclaimer: As of now, Rowling doesn't seem interested in selling, so that's Harry Potter out. And as for Yu-Gi-Oh!, the Kazuki-sama kidnapping plot is evolving nicely, so I'll keep you posted on that.
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Magic Dice
Chapter 3: Cliche Alley Scene
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A General Guide to Being Properly Shocked, or, Do the Goldfish!
By Otogi Ryuuji.
Step 1: Let jaw drop to a hanging position.
Step 2: Allow eyes to grow to an abnormally large size.
Step 3: Pull jaw slowly upward to a closed position before letting it fall to a hanging position once again.
Step 4: Repeat Step 3 as necessary. Try not to blink!
Otogi dimly wondered where his sense of humor had gone lately.
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"Welcome to Diagon Alley," said Hagrid, beaming at the stunned boy. Otogi could only mumble a response as he took in the sights and sounds of Diagon Alley.
"Best be off to Gringotts. Wizard bank."
"Huh?" Otogi said coherently.
"Well, you can't do much without money, now can ya?"
"Oh, but I've got plenty of money." Otogi said, pulling out his wallet.
"That won't work 'round here. Yer gonna need wizard money if yer gonna live in the wizard world. It's a whole different system, see. I'll show ya when we get there."
"Oh." They made their way up the crowded main street, Otogi still trying to take in everything at once. His mind numbly registered the various shop signs – Eeylops Owl Emporium: Tawny, Screech, Barn, Brown, and Snowy; Quality Quidditch Supplies; Magical Menagerie; Cauldrons: All sizes, Copper, Brass, Pewter, Silver, Self-Stirring, Collapsible. The moment he turned to look at some fascinating display, something else would catch his eye.
"Here we are. Gringotts," Hagrid announced. Otogi gasped as they approached the snowy white building. They started up the steps when Otogi suddenly froze.
"What is that?!"
Standing by the large bronze doors was a short creature with very long hands and feet, dressed in a scarlet and gold uniform.
"Oh, that's a goblin. They run Gringotts."
Otogi stared. "Oh…" He continued to stare as the passed through the front doors. A pair of goblins bowed them through the second set of doors and they found themselves facing a huge marble hall. At least a hundred goblins sat behind the counter, all looking very busy, and more goblins were bustling about, leading people in and out of the many doors lining the hall.
They exchanged Otogi's money for wizard coins and Hagrid explained the money to Otogi as they made their way out of the building. "Seventeen silver Sickles to a Galleon – that's the gold ones, there – and twenty-nine bronze Knuts to a Sickle. Got that?"
Otogi smirked. "I think I can handle it," he said, fingering a Sickle.
"Right then. Robes first, I think." Hagrid said pointing out a shop nearby. Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions, the sign proclaimed. "Listen, how 'bout you get yer uniform and I'll go pick up yer potion supplies, okay? Just wait for me outside when yer done." Otogi nodded and they parted ways.
About ten minutes later, he emerged from the shop, carrying his new robes under his arm. Hagrid was waiting for him with his potion supplies. They headed off down the street, making various stops to pick up the rest of his supplies. As they were walking, a sign on one of the shops caught his eye.
Gryphon Games. Otogi was immediately interested. A game shop? He glanced at Hagrid, who was currently having a friendly discussion with the owner of the cauldron shop. He wouldn't notice if Otogi slipped off to check it out…after all, he'd only be gone a moment.
He hurried out of the store and made his way across the street. Once inside, he looked around eagerly. The walls were lined with all kinds of unfamiliar games and toys. Card games, board games, action figures, and various others filled the shelves. Otogi grinned. He could stay here forever! He moved among the displays, inspecting various items. As he read the instructions on a pack of cards, the sound of voices interrupted his train of thought.
"Oh, come on Harry! I know you can do better than this."
"Oh, you're so modest, Ron. Does the title, "Hogwarts Undefeated Chess Champion" mean absolutely nothing to you?" a female voice asked sarcastically.
"Oh, just 'cause he's never beaten me before…"
Chess? Glad to finally recognize something, Otogi made his way around the display and over to a table where a boy with glasses and messy black hair was losing – badly – to a taller redhead. A girl with bushy brown hair was watching them.
The redhead – Ron apparently – continued to trounce his companion thoroughly as Otogi and the girl observed. As Ron drove Harry's forces back, Otogi decided it was time for an intervention. Sidling over to Harry's side, he quickly surveyed the battlefield and chose an appropriate countermeasure.
"Bishop to G-7" Otogi hissed. Harry hesitated, then followed the suggested move, finding his opponent's queen directly in the line of fire. Otogi watched with slight satisfaction as the white piece was demolished by the aforementioned bishop. Ron stuttered as he realized his arrogant mistake. He quickly scanned for a way rid himself of the renegade bishop but found none. He had left his queen completely open.
Growling, Ron strengthened his attack in his next move, vowing not to make any more careless mistakes. However, with a few more instructions from Otogi, he quickly found himself backed into a corner. Harry moved his knight forward and suddenly froze, his eyes on the piece.
"Check…mate?"
Blink. Blinkblink.
As the two sat staring dumbly at the board, Otogi took this opportunity to acquaint himself with their lady friend.
"Bonjour, mademoiselle. I am Otogi Ryuuji," he said, taking her hand and placing a kiss upon it, à la France. "The pleasure is all mine." Hermione blushed severely.
"What kind of dumb na-"
Ron had just returned to the world of the living when Hermione's elbow met his side. She quickly composed herself. "I'm Hermione Granger. It's uh, nice to meet you." Harry cleared his throat and she started. "Oh! These are my friends, Ron Weasley and Harry Potter."
The reaction the trio had expected from this introduction – namely, the gasping and staring – was strangely absent. The stranger merely smiled and asked, "Do you three go to Hogwarts, by any chance?"
"Um, yes actually. We do." Slightly startled by the lack of recognition, Hermione quickly recovered and continued. "Are you new? You look a little old to by a first year…"
"I'm a fifth year, actually, but yes, I am new here." The three friends blinked in confusion for a moment.
"Oi!" Ron cried suddenly, "You're that transfer kid, aren't you?"
Otogi smiled slightly. "Oh, guess I've been found out."
"Wow! We heard about you! You're from Japan, right? What's it like there? Did you know you were a wizard? How are you skipping all those grades? You must be pretty powerful to do that! Are you?" Harry and Ron looked at Hermione in surprise (and slight disgust on Ron's part) as she interrogated the new student.
"Please, please, one question at a time," he answered smoothly, quite accustomed to this treatment from people, fans and media alike.
"How did you skip four years like that?" Ron demanded.
"Frankly, I'm not sure. I only recently received my invitation."
"You don't know? How can you not know?!"
Otogi shrugged. "Hagrid said that the headmaster would explain it when I got to school."
Ron grumbled something that sounded suspiciously like "senile old coot…"
Hermione chose to ignore him as she addressed another topic. "You're from Japan, but you speak English very well. Did you use a spell?"
"Actually, I'm fluent in English and Japanese, and I know a little French, Spanish, and German. I am a businessman." Otogi smirked.
"What kind of business?" Harry piped up.
"So glad you asked." Otogi responded, preening himself. "I run a chain of game stores in Japan, and I am the creator of a board game that is produced in conjunction with Industrial Illusions."
Slight recognition flashed on Hermione's face. "Industrial Illusions? Isn't that…"
"OTOGI!"
The four teens turned around to see Hagrid moving in their direction. "There ya are! Thought I'd lost ya for a minnit there. Oh, hello there."
"Hello, Hagrid." They chimed in unison.
"See you've bin gettin' acquain'ed with yer classmates, eh? Well, you can chat later, we need to finish up 'ere. Still need ta get yer wand and yer books." He turned to Harry and the others. "You all can tag along if you've got nothin' better to do."
"Oh, can we?" Hermione said, a bit too quickly for Ron's taste.
"I don't mind." Otogi said, winking at Hermione.
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A small bell rang as the group entered the musty wand shop at the end of the alley. Once his eyes had adjusted to the dim lighting, he stared in amazement at the thousands of long, thin boxes stacked on shelves that covered the walls and disappeared into the dusty recesses of the shop. A moment later, he jumped slightly as a thin old man appeared suddenly beside him.
"Welcome. I was told you'd arrive soon. You are Otogi Ryuuji, are you not?"
"Um, yes." Otogi stuttered, for the first time truly caught off guard by something of the wizarding world.
"Shall we get started then? What's your wand arm?"
"Huh?"
"Are you right-handed or left?" Hermione offered helpfully.
"Oh," Otogi responded, holding out his right arm. Ollivander produced a silver measuring tape and began taking Otogi's measurements. The other three students snickered at Otogi's reaction to the measuring tape as he realized it was doing its job quite of its own accord. Ollivander came back with several boxes and dismissed the tape with a wave of his hand. He opened the first box and shoved the wand into Otogi's hand. "Oak and dragon heartstring, 13 ½ inches, bit stiff." Otogi stood staring at him dumbly. "Well, go on! Give it a wave."
Otogi felt more than a bit foolish waving a bit of wood around with no real intent, but it was snatched from him as soon as it was raised. "No, no, try this. Beach and unicorn hair, eleven inches." This too was grabbed from his fingers before he had time to move. "Not at all. Birch and phoenix feather, twelve 1/8 inches…"
Otogi tried what felt like hundreds of wands, each one taken away as soon as it was handed to him. He had no idea what it was this strange old man was looking for, but he hoped that he would find it soon. Finally, Ollivander pulled a red box from one of the shelves. "Hmm…well, this one's a bit exotic, and I don't use this wood much, but…well, it does fit." He turned back to Otogi and held out the latest offering. "Here. Sakura and phoenix feather, 12 ¾ inches, sturdy. Give it a wave."
Otogi took the wand and immediately felt a warm tingling sensation that spread from his fingers. It felt like he had found some part of himself that he had been missing until then. Raising the wand, he flicked it downward sending out a small burst of scarlet sparks that lit up the air and floated to the dusty floor. The others clapped as Ollivander took the wand to the counter and began wrapping the box in brown paper, each fondly recalling their own wand experiences.
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After paying for Otogi's wand, the group left the shop and headed down the street towards Flourish & Blotts. Otogi needed to get his books for this year, as well as those from previous years that he needed to catch up.
He had a lot of reading to look forward to.
At first glance, it looked like an ordinary bookstore. Upon closer inspection, Otogi began to notice some of the odd titles. He stared in amazement at The Elements of Magic, by W.S. Jade, and The Theory of Realms, by H.C. Karma. Along one wall was a seemingly empty bookshelf, with a sign proclaiming: The Invisible Book of Invisibility (98 percent off).
The group moved through the shop, helping Otogi gather the needed texts. As Otogi turned a corner carrying a large stack of books, he came in contact with a solid mass. With a noise of alarm, he stumbled backwards and slipped on an unfortunately placed book. The Standard Book of Spells (vol. 1-5) and Beginners' Guide to Transfiguration clattered to the floor. Otogi, while attempting to regain his balance, reached out and grabbed the nearest object he could get a hold of.
This, of course, happened to be the cloak of the unlucky person he had run into.
"Ow." Otogi began gathering up his books, hastily apologizing. "Sorry! I didn't see you."
"No, no, it was my fault, I was too interested in my book to see where I was going." The man held up his book, and Otogi scanned the cover. Serpents of Legend. A cobra's head stared at Otogi from its reared position beneath the words.
Just then, the large bulk of the gamekeeper came around the corner. "Oi, Otogi. See you've met the new professor. He'll be takin' over for Defense against the Dark Arts."
Otogi took a moment to look over this professor. He was tall and appeared to be in his mid thirties, with dark brown hair that hadn't quite started thinning yet. His sapphire eyes had a look of superior wisdom to them. He smiled politely and held out his hand to Otogi. "Professor Dolon. You must be the new fifth year" he added, eyeing the boy's extensive collection of literature.
"Yes, I am. Name's Otogi Ryuuji. It's a pleasure to meet you."
"Oh, there you are. We got the rest of your books!" Hermione came around the bookshelf carrying a small stack of books, followed by Harry and Ron, each one struggling under the weight of half a dozen thick volumes.
"Hey, you three. Come over and meet your new Defense teacher." Hagrid announced jovially.
"Hello." The professor turned to face the students. "I'm Professor Dolon. Nice to meet you all."
The trio took a moment to inspect Dumbledore's latest recruit. Hermione noticed what he was holding and brought it up. "What are you reading?"
"Oh, this? Just a bit of light reading" He held up the text. "I've always been interested in the beasts of legend. In any case, I'm afraid I must be going now. I have a few errands to run. I look forward to seeing you in school." With this, he brushed past Otogi and departed.
"We've got ta go too." Hagrid said, gathering the books and relieving the boys of their burdens. "I'll go pay fer these and I'll meet ya by the door." He shuffled away towards the checkout.
"Are you staying at the Leaky Cauldron, Otogi?" Hermione asked.
"Yeah. Hagrid said I have a room there already. What about you three?"
"Yep!" Hermione smiled. "We're heading back there soon. Are you almost done with your shopping?"
Otogi thought for a moment. "After I get my books, I think that's everything. But I was thinking about getting a pet. I heard that you could use owls to deliver mail."
"That's right. Harry and Ron both have owls."
"If you can call that understuffed ball of feathers an owl" Ron grumbled.
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Otogi led the group out of the pet store ten minutes later carrying a cage containing a large screech owl. They headed back to the pub for the evening. By the end of dinner, Hermione and Ron were bickering, and Otogi couldn't help but overhear a bit of their conversation.
"I'm telling you, Hermione! The guy's bad news."
"Oh, honestly Ron, lots of people are interested in snakes and that doesn't make them all evil!"
"But he's the Defense teacher!"
"And what does that have to do with anything?"
After the group bid each other goodnight, Otogi could still hear them as they walked away down the hall.
"You're overreacting, Ron. Not all the Defense teachers were bad."
"3 out of 4 were either evil or useless. And Lupin tried to eat me!"
"Oh, Ron, you know that's-"
"3 out of 4, Hermione! 3 out of 4!"
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Wheeeee!!! Well there ya go. Hope it's good enough to keep you from killing me. Expect more updates, without the long wait. Hopefully. Eep!
Review please! Flames will be used to burn down school, paving the way for more updates. Ja!
(By the way, RBMIfan figured out dream-girl from last chapter. Congratulations! Look for more of her in later chapters)