Disclaimer: I only own Thia, most of the plot, and my Global History results. No YYH or HP, unfortunately.
Chapter Two: Explain? Please?
"But- what- who- Huh?"
"Sit down. You might need to," Thia advised. The stunned three complied.
"Okay, this is Asato Kido, Mitsunari Yanagisawa, and Yuu Kaitou, and they're psychics from Japan. Genkai did tell you what psychics are, didn't she? Or is she even more senile than I thought?" Yusuke asked.
"She did. But what does that stand for?" Harry asked.
"Huh?"
"The 'U'. What does that stand for?"
A tic pulsed in the Spirit Detective's forehead. The person in question interceded.
"Not the letter 'U'. My name is spelled Y-u-u."
"Oh."
"Yeah, well, getting on with it, our boss sent us here again, big surprise. Apparently, he forgot to mention that this was a TWO YEAR DEAL! RIGHT, KOENMA?!" Yusuke yelled at the ceiling.
The racket that the detective made did not cause the tiny Spirit World Prince to come down and sweep Yusuke back to Japan. Rather, it only aroused the usually sleeping Mrs. Black from her slumber, and caused her to begin her high-pitched rants.
"My house! The noble house of my grandfathers! BESMIRCHED! It is rid of one cursed inhabitant, only to be BESMIRCHED by MORE mudbloods! My bloodline is cut short and I must STILL suffer this INJUSTICE!? I-"
The tirade was cut short, and soon, none other than Remus J. Lupin entered the room to see what on earth had upset the portrait so much. He was dressed in patched black robes that were in as bad a condition as ever, and his eyes were circled in purple bags, but he seemed rather lively today, for one reason or the other. Harry thought it was rather odd how he didn't seem surprised that the others were here. It was almost as though they had been expected… and maybe they had…
"Ah. So you must be the transfer students that Professor Dumbledore talked about." He gave them a slight bow. "It is a pleasure to meet the Hogwarts security team in person."
He seems like a human, but there is something other as well… That was the thought running through the minds of the two demonic members of the team. This must be the werewolf.
"Though, I would rather like to know how you got in. Most of the time a member of the Order is needed to let one in, and Molly and I happen to be the only ones in at the moment. Care to explain?"
"After reading the slip of parchment provided to us by Koenma and after finally finding the house, we found that the doorbell was out of service. We resorted to… drastic measures," Kurama finished.
Blank looks.
"The door's still in tact, right?" Ron finally asked, half alarmed.
"Yes."
More blank looks.
"He picked the lock," Hiei finally supplied, rather exasperated.
"Oh. But wait, why do you need others on your team?" Hermione asked. "And why are you at Grimmauld Place in the first place?"
"It is possible that more backup will be needed to complete this half of the mission. We are here because Koenma and Dumbledore felt it necessary to keep our targets in close view."
Harry would have protested that if the portrait hadn't stirred up some rather painful memories.
It was a rather odd house, with dust collecting in certain neglected places. There were normal, 'muggle' objects scattered here and there in the rooms, but once you touched them… They were very magical, thank you very much! That, at least, the psychics learned after a somewhat ornery chair in their room had clamped iron cuffs over Yana's wrists and shaken him silly. They'd been able to calm it down, but it didn't release the teen until an hour later, leaving his wrists very sore and his mind officially blown.
They prodded every household object with a foot-long stick after that.
The house was stifling and damp and dark, and none of them could wait until they could go outside. It was very interesting, though, the conspiracy that they had once again been caught up in. After going to the Order of the Phoenix meeting that had been called for that very night, they would be fully informed (or so they hoped) on what in the heck was going on. The Dark Lord, Harry Potter, and the general situation that they were involved in had been explained to them by Suichi, the only one patient enough to go over it all, step by step.
How awesome would this be? Fighting off the 'bad guys' and all that stuff, like they were actual members of The Team, and not just some back-ups, that was going to be really fun.
"But mum, that's not fair!" Ginny argued with her mother outside of the Order's meeting room.
"You aren't out of school yet! How many times do I have to repeat myself?" Mrs. Weasley stormed as she tried to get Ron, Hermione, Harry, and Ginny out of the way.
"But neither are they! And Sherwood's a year younger than me, too!"
"Well- well-!"
"Oh, don't worry, Mrs. Weasley, I really wasn't planning on going to the meeting anyway," Thia lied, and went back up to her room before anyone could stop her.
Ginny, at least, was satisfied.
Harry, however, was not. Neither was Ron.
"I thought we agreed that I could be better informed! I mean-"
"Harry, dear," Molly sighed. "This meeting does not concern you."
"Oi, I'm 17! I'm lega-!" Ron tried to say above the argument, but was cut off by a particularly malevolent look from his mother. He, too, trudged upstairs sullenly.
"But then-"
"Molly's right, Harry. This is for The Team only, and a select few Order members." Professor Lupin put a reassuring hand on Harry's shoulder.
"Still!"
A few well-thought out protests later, Harry was sitting in the Order room facing none other than Severus Snape himself, Remus Lupin, and Arthur and Molly Weasley, along with The Team, minus a certain American teenager.
The four adults sighed.
"Out of the room, Potter," Snape snarled, his voice portraying weariness, though it still had the same malice that it usually did. He had to deal with those insufferable transfer students who would undoubtedly get on his bloody nerves before the end of the hour, and he was NOT going to tolerate Potter AT ALL until the school year began. Though, it wasn't as if he tolerated Potter anyway.
"But-"
"I told him he could stay, Severus," said Lupin, and set his gaze upon the obvious spokesperson of The Team. Apparently, he was ignoring the venomous glare being sent his way from Snape.
"Now. Here is the situation that we are in…"
"Shh!" Ginevra Weasley hissed at her brother as he cursed after stubbing his toe on a stair. Thia watched them with masked curiosity.
"What in the blue hell are you doing?"
The two jumped.
"Oh, it's just you. Come and have a listen. They forgot to put up the-"
"Shut up, Ron, I'm trying to hear!"
The red-head rolled his eyes and grumbled, but followed his sister's instructions. Hermione, who was standing between where Thia was and where the two Weasleys were, tried not to look too interested in Ginny's reactions to the news she was hearing.
"What's going on?" the bushy-haired teen finally hissed impatiently. Ginny made a vague gesture in Hermione's direction.
"You do know that they're going to tell us when they get out, don't you?" Thia pointed out. No one answered, as Ginny was apparently absorbed in the task of making the Ears work properly, and Ron and Hermione were trying to figure out whether the Order members had finally erected the soundproof barrier. Finally, the red-headed Ginny sighed, pulling the extensions out of her ears and putting them into her pockets.
"Ah, well. We can always get Harry to tell us what's happening," Ron said, and plopped onto the floor rather gracelessly.
"Dude, I just said that."
"Do you want to hear what the meeting was about?"
Thia barely gave her group a glance.
"Sure."
"Voldemort's power and support has been on the rise lately."
"That's it?" Surprise plainly showed on Thia's face as none of them tried to deny it.
"Pretty much. Snape, who's the inside spy on the All-Powerful Lord of Darkness and Destruction—oh, don't worry Hiei, you'll get that title some day—says that new recruits for the Life Biters-"
"Death Eaters," Kaitou corrected.
"Whatever. So the new recruits are showing up by the dozens. Most of them are kids who aren't even legal yet. Then the goblins, like the ones that they have at the bank, yeah, well some of them are helping to finance the V-man's exciting adventures of doom. Then there are giants like that Haggard guy-"
"Hagrid. He's only half-giant, according to Certain Sources."
"STOP INTERRU—Shit, he's only half?! What sources?"
"Sources named Hermione," Thia answered. "You know, Yusuke, you've got a really twisted way of telling stories."
"Shut up. So anyway, giants, some of them are trying to help the Death Munchers and blah, blah, blah. It's all boring. Damn, I could really go for some sashimi right around now."
Sweat-drops all around.
"This is our leader? Maybe we should impeach Urameshi," Kido quipped, shaking his head.
"That would imply that this is a democracy," Kurama pointed out.
"And this sure as hell isn't a democracy. It's some sort of sadistic dictatorship under Yusuke that Koenma created just to torture us." Yusuke glared at Thia.
"The toddler hates us," Kuwabara said sullenly.
"YOU'RE TALKING LIKE I CAN'T HEAR YOU! You think it's easy to be the leader of a bunch of stupid idiots?"
Silence.
"Hey... do you hear that?" Harry asked after catching the faint sound of something banging.
"Why don't we check it out? Maybe Kreacher's doing something useful for once—like committing suicide…"
"RON!"
The three of them crept up the stairs, following the noise to the psychics' room. Three ears pressed against the door to hear what the heck was going on. And to their infinite surprise, they heard rather feminine shrieks being made.
Harry almost didn't want to know what was going on. Um… That's not… what I think it is… is it?
The door opened abruptly, and the three of them fell onto the floor. Hiei glared at them from where he towered (at the moment, at least), before shrugging over to where Yusuke stood, apparently paralyzed, in the very corner of the room.
"Say sorry!"
Yusuke yelped as a particularly hard poke came sailing into his ribs via Thia's finger.
"That hurts! KIDO, OFF OF MY SHADOW!"
"Such fools," Hiei muttered, and strolled out of the room.
Author's Notes: I'm… alive… And I'm… passing Bio… It's a bloody miracle, that's what it is… ::faints from sleep deprivation:: ::Bobby pours a pail of water over r.i.p.:: Wake up, you lazy bum! Today's Saturday! GET TO WORK! You're supposed to be responsible, you idiot. ::r.i.p snaps awake:: Fine! There are so many reviews and this is only my second chapter! ::sobbing:: We love you! Sort of!
—I attribute the play on Kaitou's name to Long Live Asato Kido, 'cause even though it's not exactly the same, it was inspired by a line in her fic.
—Age: I realized I forgot to mention this. Since Yusuke was 14 at the YYH series beginning, and since I haven't seen the entire Dark Tournament (sadly enough), I'm assuming that he was 15 last year and is 16 when this fic takes place. This means that Kuwabara is also 16, Kurama is (well, appears to be) 17, Hiei is ? (didja think I was going to actually put a number there?), Kido is 18, Yana is 18, Kaitou is 17, and Thia is 15. I have nooooo clue as to what Kido and Yana's ages really are, just that they're in the range of 15-17 during Chapter Black. Beat me if I'm wrong. No, seriously. I NEED TO KNOW! (Oh, and HHR-17, Ginny-16, Twins-19)
—Um, yeah. Sashimi. My mom eats it. She buys it at a Korean food place, but she tells me that it's Japanese, so… blame my mistake (if it is) on her. Oh, and yes, it's different from sushi.
—Yes, Kreacher's still there. r.i.p. didn't have the heart to kill the little bugger off. What a softy… ::gags Bobby::
—Oh, yeah. The idea about poking: I attribute that to DarkWarLordofDoomness- I swear to you, that Hokey Pokey Stick of yours… it haunts my dreams… (coughhintcough)
—Maybe I'm not picking up this story as fast as I picked up YSUtS, but this one will be a little bit more thought out. I don't want a bazillion Deleted Scenes this time, even if it was fun. Well, maybe I want a gag reel... but that's a completely different thing! Sort of. ::sighs::
Responses:
KuramaIsFine—They're in the Order of the Phoenix's hideout. Sorry for the confusion! Thanks so much for reviewing!
Katzztar—I was a little confused about your review—are you in support of sending the girls to Hogwarts or are you saying something completely different that I'm too tired to try and figure out? Anyway, there is a particularly good fanfiction wherein Kido, Kaitou, and Yana (not to mention Sea Man and Sniper) go to Hogwarts. It's called In the Shadows of Psychics and Wizards, by Long Live Asato Kido. Just in case you wanted to check it out.
lobs-stacey-sters—Actually, no, I'm not from the South. I'm from New York. I just use the word 'y'all' because it's easier for me to write than 'everybody'. ::sigh:: I'm so lazzzzzy! Thanks for the review!
slave2anime—Thia: Wait—I thought I was blonde! ::r.i.p. shakes head:: No, Thia's always had black hair. Out of curiosity, what did you think her hair color was? Thanks for reviewing!
Shadow Fox777, Karuto-chan, DolphingrilKurama, Spatial Monkey, Cattebrie393, Kait, Shessha's Crazy, Princess Krystal01—Thank you all sooo much for reviewing!
Long Live Asato Kido—Noo! You can't be grounded! ::sobbing:: She has selective hearing. SHE CAN STILL WRITE HER FIC, R.I.P! ::r.i.p. perks up:: WHEE! O.o That laughter doesn't sound good…
Arano Honou—::blinks:: Hey, Bobby, why don't we dance a primordial jig of happiness…ever? Bobby: ::smacks forehead:: Urk. Anyway, thanks so much for reviewing!
TTrunks—Umm, I'm undecided on how powers in this fic will work and who'll get what power… Anyway, thanks!!
Sesshoumaru's Lady—POCKY!! It's like life support!!! WHEE! ::Bobby shudders:: r.i.p. is going to be on a sugar high… So, before I die from having my ear talked off and the resulting infection, I will thank you for your lovely gift and your equally lovely review.
Icy Tears—I'm reeeally sorry that I had to, but I cut InuYasha and co. out of this sequel. I'm sorry! Thanks for the info, though, as well as the review!
poltergeist report 101—Ouchie! But thanks for taking the time to review!
Rose—Whee! I call Sesshoumaru Fluffy, too, except that I get confused with Fluffy from Harry Potter, and then I can't remember which one has three heads and which one is silvery and which one has a "daughter" named Rin and which one drools a lot, because they're both dogs and they're both named Fluffy and they're both kinda vicious and- ::takes deep breath:: -all in all, it just makes my brain hurt. ::tic pulses in Bobby's forehead:: ::blinking:: Hey, that's a good rhyme! Thia: ::in hysterics:: TAKE THAT BACK! TAKE IT BACK, NOW! Urm… ::gags Thia:: Aaaanyway, good luck on midterms and… stuff! Thanks so much for your world-renowned review-as-you-read-review!!!
