Chapter 13

Inu Yasha looked at the large black mansion in front of him and wondered how the hell people hadn't notice this. It had been three days since Inu Yasha met the strange, cloaked man; finding Brechin had been easy, but finding the Black Estate had been easier. The structure was perched on a large hill overlooking the village below it. It was, at the present time, a majestic site in the foreground of the setting sun, but its massive size had gone unnoticed by the people below it. Inu Yasha looked around confused as the people of Brechin went about their business, not one looking at the Black Estate.

The find almost seemed too easy for something that was supposedly unheard of by anyone in Scotland. He needed some sort of confirmation.

"Excuse me, sir," Inu Yasha said, stopping one elderly villager on his way home for the evening, "Is that the Black estate?" He pointed to building in question.

The man looked to where Inu Yasha pointed before looking at Inu Yasha as if he were an idiot and walking away. Inu Yasha blinked at the weird reaction. Something was very strange here.

"Hey you!" he called to a couple of little girls playing a game of marbles on the side of the street. Their identical brown hair and blue eyes gave them away as sisters, "What do you see up there," he asked, pointing at the hill again.

"An old well," the older one answered, giving him the same odd look the old man did before.

"A well?"

"Yes."

"Up on that hill?"

"Yes."

"That one?"

"Yes sir, it's just a well."

"You don't see a big mansion right there?"

"No, just a well."

Inu Yasha straitened up and looked at the mansion once more. Perhaps it was an illusion of some sort? If so, then why could only he see it? A spell perhaps? Inu Yasha thought back to what the strange man said.

"The muggles might not know of it, but the Blacks rule the wizarding populace with an iron fist in these here parts…"

"...non-magic folk..."

"...If yeh really are worthy of finding it, then yeh can't miss it."

It must have been a spell! It meant magic—that's what the man was talking about. Maybe these people couldn't see it because they were muggles. Did that mean he wasn't a muggle? Apparently he was worthy so he must have had some type of magic in him.

"Thanks," Inu Yasha grumbled to the girls before heading towards what he hoped had the answers to all his questions.

0o0o0o0o

0o0o0o0o

Kagome smiled, and she had good reason to. She was seventeen, halfway through her junior year, and officially the most popular girl in school. Her competition, Leiko, recently moved a few towns over, leaving her with the title of most popular. Her life was good at the moment. She had given up on trying to get through the well months ago and had finally moved on with her life. She managed to pick up her grades to the point of being on high honors every term and had been going steady with Hojo for about eight months now. She had even begun looking at colleges.

But no matter how good things looked, there was always a part of her that was slightly depressed about the way she and Inu Yasha had parted. She mostly blamed herself and her rashness for the whole ordeal. Over time she matured and could finally see what Inu Yasha had been trying to tell her. She was just a kid and he was her first big crush, which of course she had interpreted as love, just like any teenage girl would have in her situation. She made a resolve that, if by some chance of fate, she ever did get to meet him she would apologize for her actions and words...and then see if that sit command still worked.

0o0o0o0o

0o0o0o0o

The Black estate didn't look nearly as majestic up close as it did at a distance. The widows were broken and clouded by dirt, the wood was rotting under the effects of weather and bugs, and the whole place reeked of decay and filth. Inu Yasha approached the door, taking notice of a giant snake head for a knocker, and slowly pulled it open. It opened about halfway before the hinges snapped from lack of use and the whole thing pulled off into Inu Yasha's hand with a loud, echoing clang. Inu Yasha cringed and looked around before remembering that no one could see it. Shrugging, he dropped the door and stepped into the house.

"No, no Inu Yasha! You need to add the salamander tails before the dragon wood shavings, not after. And make sure to stir it three times counterclockwise immediately after or you'll get a skin shrinking potion instead of a wart curing one," Julian Black instructed his only grandchild, watching proudly as the five year old boy did exactly as he said. The half demon had a few charms placed on him so the fumes would not aggravate his delicate senses.

"You catch on fast. You have your grandfather's wit, I can tell you that," Julian said, a smiled stretching his aging, handsome face.

The young Inu Yasha grinned at the praise, his tiny, fuzzy years twitching excitedly.

"Am I really going to have a big party next month?" he asked as he carefully added more lungwort, turning the potion into a successful pea-green.

"Of course! It's not everyday a young man turns six, now is it? Let's get this potion in a flask so we can add it to the medical ward. Well done, my boy, I couldn't have done it better myself. Healer McCoy will be most pleased."

Inu Yasha giggled, "So can I learn the special magic when I'm six?"

Julian looked down at Inu Yasha and smiled kindly, "I've told you before, not until you're at least as tall as me. Give it another decade and we'll see."

Inu Yasha pouted, "But what if I get as tall as you when I'm six?"

Julian laughed heartily and lifted Inu Yasha in the air, tossing him, "you just think of everything, don't you? You little smart ass."

Inu Yasha squealed, delighted.

"I'll tell you what; you keep doing well in your studies and maybe I'll bump up that particular lesson."

"Promise?" Inu Yasha asked, holding up a tiny pinkie.

"Promise." Julian answered, taking the offered pinkie with his own.

Inu Yasha gasped and grabbed his head.

"Inu Yasha, hold still!" Izayoi scolded as she grabbed the antsy child by the wrist and dragged him back to her.

"But mother—! The magic itches!" He wined, glowering at the dolled up human reflection in the mirror he was situated in front of.

"Oh poppycock," she replied sternly, brushing his long black hair into a low ponytail, "That is the most ridiculous thing I've heard from you yet. Magic does not itch. Now stop complaining; you need this glamour charm if you want to go to the party."

"Of course I'm going—it's my birthday party!" Inu Yasha argued, "And magic does too itch."

Izayoi hid a smile.

"Your grandfather does like to show you off," she said, "There's going to be a lot of people here so I want you to act like the little gentleman I know you are."

"Yeah, yeah," Inu Yasha muttered. "Mother, do we have to go home tomorrow? Why can't we just live here? Everyone is nice to me here..."

Izayoi sighed, and the usual depressed expression made it back to her face, "Oh honey, you know I would stay here for you in a heartbeat, but it's just too dangerous. Uncle Magnus has been getting very...mean lately. He could try to hurt you."

"Are brother's supposed to hate each other?" Inu Yasha asked after a short silence, looking thoughtful.

"No! Why would you ask that?" Izayoi replied, quite startled.

"It's just...Grandfather and Uncle Magnus hate each other, and Sesshomaru hates me. Should I hate him back?"

Izayoi could have died at the saddened, innocent expression on her son's cherubic face.

"No baby, you should never hate anybody, especially family. What you need to forgive people. I know it may be hard sometimes but while hate is a very strong and powerful emotion, forgiveness is even more powerful. No matter how mean Sesshomaru or anyone for that matter is to you it is only because they do not understand you. They are just not strong enough to accept certain truths about the world they live in. You need to be strong for them. Anybody can hate, but it takes true strength to forgive someone."

Inu Yasha nodded solemnly, taking in her words.

"That's my good boy. Now go down there and see grandpa"

He stumbled to his knees on the marble, dusty floor.

Inu Yasha was exhausted. He had been dancing with young girls his age, sneaking sips of spiked drinks, and enduring hundreds of people pinching his cheek and saying how handsome he was or how much he looked like his grandfather. He even overheard a few people trying to arrange marriages between him and their daughters with his grandfather. He stomped over to a chair and sat down.

"Tired already?" Inu Yasha looked up into his grandfather's warm violet eyes.

"Grandfather, you're not going to marry me off to those girls are you?" Inu Yasha asked worriedly. It was, at the moment, the most troubling thing on his young mind.

Julian laughed and sat down next to the boy.

"No, why, do you want me to? All of them in one package, eh?"

"Ew, gross! No way!"

Julian barked out another laugh and rubbed Inu Yasha on the back.

"I'm sure you'll be changing your mind soon enough."

Inu Yasha scrunched up his little nose and shook his head, "I don't think so. But I have a question about the special magic you promised to teach me-"

"-you just don't give up do you?" Julian chuckled.

Inu Yasha ignored him. "What is it called? You never told me."

Julian sighed.

"I really don't think that's such a good idea. It's a really special kind and if certain people knew you'd be learning it there would be trouble."

"Please!" Inu Yasha begged, "I won't tell anyone! I promise--I have no one to tell! And it is my birthday after all. Pleeeeaaase?."

Inu Yasha made the cutest puppy face he could muster, which was pretty good for lacking the doggy ears.

Julian caved.

"Oh alright, you little beggar. But you mustn't tell anyone," Inu Yasha nodded earnestly before his grandfather leaned in and whispered, "Blood-"

A loud bang and a sudden flash of green light drowned out whatever Julian was about to say.

Inu Yasha was panting, waiting for more, but it never came. Slowly he lifted himself to his feet.

"What the hell was that," he gasped. He knew those memories. They took place in this very house...

Inu Yasha looked up at the great marble hall and long staircases, and in his imagination the dust began to clear away. Inu Yasha took a few steps forward. He could see the intricate designs hand painted on the walls; his grandfather had always liked muggle work...

The white, marble hand railing down the stairs that he always slid down...the maid had slapped his hand once for that...

And there were the sculpted statues of gargoyles...Inu Yasha had blown the head off of one when he stole his grandfather's wand one time...

"Oh gods, I was here before..." Inu Yasha whispered aloud as he realized the implications of this. All those missing memories of his from his early years were all in this very mansion. He stayed here for short periods of times before. The more the looked around, the more memories flew back into his head.

"Who goes there?"

Inu Yasha snapped out of his trance to realize he was breathing rather fast. He looked around for the source of the voice. There was no one at the door, and the windows were all either boarded up or clouded by dust.

"Hello?" Inu Yasha asked, his voice echoing fantastically around the deserted hall.

"I said who goes there, damn it! It's not like my neck moves much anymore."

Inu Yasha's ears twitched. The voice was coming from somewhere on the second floor. Forgoing all vigilance Inu Yasha took one graceful jump to reach the second landing.

"Hello?" he asked again.

"I'm right in front of you my boy..." came a dull voice. Inu Yasha looked at the portrait staring down at him and jumped backwards. It was him.

Well... maybe if he was a human about twenty years older and had a goatee, but still...

"My word... can it... is it really you?"

The portrait had spoken.

"Ahh!" Inu Yasha cried out, stumbling backwards even farther.

"Inu Yasha, my boy! You've come back to us! All these years I've been waiting!" The man in the portrait cried joyfully.

"You-you're talking!" Inu Yasha managed to gasp out. The portrait lost all of its previous excitement and raised a fine, dark eyebrow.

"Never mind, my Inu Yasha was much smarter than that."

"You're talking and you're insulting me..." Inu Yasha said, going from shock to awe.

The man sighed.

"I told your mother not to take you to that god-awful land. Ingrates—the lot of them. And look where it's gotten you now. You would have flourished in your home land. You were the brightest pupil I ever had you know. Especially in potions...how I miss those days."

"Home land?" Inu Yasha asked, deciding that he must have done weirder things than have conversations with a talking portrait, "I was born in Japan."

"No you ignoramus. You were born here in Scotland. And you would have lived here too if it weren't for that blasted brother of mine causing trouble. Your mother told me of the hardships you had to endure even with her around. God knows how you survived without her..."

Inu Yasha suddenly recognized the voice. He knew that face; not as his own but as...

"Wait...Julian?"

"There was a time when you used to call me grandfather," The man replied nostalgically.

"Grandfather..." Inu Yasha said quietly, "So you sent me the letter then?"

Julian sighed and rubbed a hand over his eyes. "When I was alive, yes."

"What do you mean when? Oh yes, you're dead aren't you? Why the hell are you talking anyway?"

"You really have gone daft haven't you? Your a wizard you foolish boy. Of course you can only use magic on your human nights, but a wizard nonetheless. We Blacks are one of the most pure and noble lines of wizardry. You should be proud."

"A wizard? Magic?" Inu Yasha squeaked out. Why couldn't he have known this when he was helpless on the new moon in Japan? "Was my mother a wizard?"

"No she was a witch. A squib actually. Happens to the best of families, nothing to be ashamed of. She was a brilliant woman all her own."

"A squib...that's someone of magical inheritance that can't do magic, right?" Inu Yasha didn't even know where that came from, the definition just popped into his head like he had known it all along.

"Yes, very good, now that we have that cleared up--what the bloody hell took you so long to get here? Magnus has practically taken over all of wizarding England," Julian said looking cross.

"Well I'm sorry," Inu Yasha said sarcastically, "I was too busy trying to survive in Japan. And then there was that small incident where I was sealed to a tree for fifty years."

"Sealed to a... I don't want to know. Knowing our family it probably had something to do with a woman. I just figured that you would have tried to come here sooner, you loved it here so much."

"I'm sure I would have, if I could remember anything."

"Are you telling me you don't remember anything?"

"Not of Scotland. Before I got this letter all I knew was Japan. I couldn't even remember how mother died. Its weird, ever since I came here I've been remembering more and more of this place."

"Wonderful! We'll have you back to normal in no time! It's been so lonely on this wall all these years, watching my home perish," Julian trialed off sadly.

"So, you want to tell me what happened? What happened to this place and what is Magnus's problem. And why the hell is everyone dead?"

Julian sighed, "Very well, I'll tell you, though I hate to relive it. In the mean time, go down to the dungeons and bring up some potion supplies. I'd like to see what you remember."

0o0o0o0o0o

0o0o0o0o0o

Yay! We're getting somewhere now! Well that was nice and long now wasn't it? Longer than the other chapters anyway. And I added a little Kags to it as well.

My ass really hurts right now because I've been sitting on a wooden bleacher bench with my laptop for two hours half watching a Jersey cow show. Yes! One of the cows just freaked out and dragged a small child halfway across the show ring! Pure, unadulterated entertainment.