Ch. 19 Letters

To Hari,

The Owl is really cool. I thought it might be something like that from all those letters we received before you left. So Hibiki turned up did he? Sure bring him on, I'm always ready for a good spar and pops hasn't been able to give that since you were six. We've been traveling around Tibet. The monks are fairly decent at the arts so I know you'll get a whipping when you get back.

From Ranma

Harry could feel the ego oozing out of the letter and smirked. It wouldn't be his bro if it weren't there.

To Ryouga,

Hey there, I was so glad you made it by my school. You don't know how boring this is. I wish Genma would just come and steal me away, but knowing the lazy bum, he won't. I've instructed Kazema to lead you to Ranma for that honor match you're hunting him for. Please when one of you wins remember to write to me.

From Hari

Harry received two letters in reply, one just screamed ego while the other held a promise for revenge.

To Hari,

Pops somehow managed to get us kicked out of the temple we were staying at for a short while. They were yelling about some sort of seal, but then again, they're just superstitious monks anyway. After hiking for quite a while we found the perfect spot to stop and train for a bit and then Ryouga found me, we fought and I won, as if there was any doubt. He's bent on training harder and coming back for more. That's great, I'll just have to keep being better.

From Ranma

To Hari,

Thank you for helping me find that cousin of yours. Unfortunately he defeated me so I will have to train harder. I now swear off schooling and will only train from this day until the day I defeat that egotistical bastard. When I am ready could you please send Kazema to help me find him again?

From Ryouga

Harry laughed briefly before making his reply.

To Ryouga,

No troubles, I will have Kazema help you out. Did you know that these people fly on broomsticks. It's a very odd sensation and I'd love it if I wasn't so dependent on the broom. Maybe I can figure out how to do it without the broom. Well, I hope to hear that you'll be back in school soon, but then you realize you'd leave nothing for Ranma to do and he'd then have to come for retribution. It might be easier just to stick with them and keep trying to pound him into the dirt. It's your choice.

By the way, you wouldn't happen to know how to get rid of annoying people whom keep latching on to you? I saved a boy from a nasty fall and now he won't leave me alone.

From Hari

To Ranma,

Woah, take it easy there, I don't think your ego can handle any more boosting. You do know Ryouga will be back for more. And I can just mentally see you smirking and saying 'bring it on' This place is so odd, did you know that these people fly around on brooms? They can't seem to do it without the silly piece of wood. Maybe I can figure out how. And what's this about a seal? Those can be bad business, remember the demon cave seal that we broke? How we had nothing but bad okinomiyaki chefs on our journey for more than a month. Makes me miss Ukyou and his yatti.

From Hari.

To Hari,

Flying? You can't be serious. I'll have to see it to believe it.

I've been training on my own and feel that it's time for a rematch, please have Kazema lead me. I just know I'll beat Ranma this time. The forest here is so different than the ones in Japan. It feels not right. Maybe I can find my way back and we could have a rematch.

Getting rid of annoying people? No can't say I have any experience with that. I'd just try avoiding them.

From Ryouga.

To Hari,

It's not an ego when you really are the best. So bring him on. I can take him, it's good practice. What do you mean by flying? That's not possible. It's probably just really good air time.

You'll never guess what happened, this really big wolf found us while we were camping and instead of attacking thanked us for breaking its prison. It ran off into the trees before we could reply. A wolf, Japanese, I didn't think it could be done. Other than that it's just been the same, training as usual.

From Ranma.

To Ranma,

Well at least it didn't attack, saved you a bit of a bite didn't it.

For some reason, the end of October these people hold a large matsuri (party/festival). I'm not sure why and they just told me it was because of this Harouiin, but no one would explain what the kami (divine spirit) did. A bakemono (generic word for monster) got into the school and I had a great match with it. It did manage to get a few good hits, so I'm going to have to work harder. It's so difficult to keep my skills when there's no other fighters.

Give the old man a few good whacks for me. Ryouga's on his way for a rematch. Have fun.

From Hari

To Ryouga,

No problem, just follow Kazema. You wouldn't happen to know what Harouiin is? These westerners celebrate it and it's very strange. A bakemono got into the castle and I haven't had so much fun in since you visited. Remember after you fight, try to stop by, It's so boring here.

From Hari.

Harry smiled as he sent Kazema off with the most recent two letters. Over the past couple weeks all his free time was devoted to mimicking the feelings that being on the broom had given him and taunting Draco. He was sure he'd get the flying down sometime soon. Just as long as people didn't continually interrupt him. For some reason Hermione couldn't seem to grasp the concept that he just couldn't say certain syllables and often cried out in frustration. His spell work in class was getting better. Or at least in his opinion it was. He no longer blew things up as quickly. So that was a positive. Then there was Neville. Harry couldn't get rid of the boy. Maybe he should have just let the boy fall back during the first week of school. He mentally slapped himself at that thought. It's a martial artist's duty to protect the weak, but did they have to hound him for it?

Harry left the owlery and headed for the dungeons, he hadn't totally explored there yet and the dank decor was great for practicing his stealth. The opportunity to continue to avoid Neville was an added bonus. As he passed by the potion's classroom door, a smirk eased onto his face when he remembered the look on professor Snape's face when Neville melted yet another cauldron. He was merrily making his way when one of those things appeared. He could feel the terror crawling up his spine and he swore he wouldn't scream.

"I mustn't run away. I mustn't run away." He kept telling himself, but it saw him. It moved closer. With a frightened squeak he jumped strait up and clung to the ceiling. Maybe if he stayed here long enough it would go away.

Harry had no idea how long he clung there quivering in fear when he heard the voice of the potions master.

"That boy is a menace. He must be expelled for the good of the school."

"Now Severus, the boy is not that bad. Are you sure you're not being a little prejudiced because of his father."

"He's worse than his father ever was, he's got no respect for the school rules and regulations. Have you ever seen what he does in the mornings? And when that other boy was here, they nearly killed each other. Did you even see what he'd done to that troll? He cracked its skull and five other bones. What if he turns on his fellow students? They must be protected. What if he ever does accept one of the continual challenges that the Malfoy boy keeps issuing. I do not want to be put into the position of explaining to Lucius exactly why his son was beaten to a bloody pulp."

That caught Harry's attention. Were they talking about him?

"He's a good boy," The headmaster's voice was soothing, but the effect was ruined by a snort from Snape.

"He's a menace to this school and from what other professors are saying, he's a squib, he needs to be out on his ear."

"You don't know how much I agree with you." Harry quietly whispered to himself. Their voices were becoming softer but he did manage to hear Dumbledore's last statement.

"The boy must remain here, even if he ends up being a squib. We cannot expel him."

Harry dropped to the ground in shock. WHAT???? Cannot be expelled? He didn't think he could survive being cooped up in this castle for all that time. Suddenly the walls of the dungeon seemed to be shrinking in on him. He had to get out.

The student's of Hogwarts did not see Harry for the rest of the day.

AN:

Yeah, yeah, it's short, so sue me. No wait, don't sue me, I've got no money. I know I wanted to say something of serious import here, but for the life of me I can't remember what it is. Oh well, anyway, I warn that I'm kinda stuck after this and so won't be updating for a while, ,.,grumbles,.,. Stupid runaway muse.

Ok, to answer all five of ya, or mor three seeing as two have just said update soon.

Akua, Harry hasn't turned Cat yet because of the simple fact that he's managed to run away from the cats before fear overtakes him. I'm doing this on purpose because I'm saving it for third year, boy will that be eventful. He wouldn't be able to go cat in potions because Severus doesn't permit those infernal animals into his classroom.

EAV I just noticed I said before first year, I meant third year, Third year is when we get the Amazons :-) poor Harry's going to have an eventful year. Hermione went to join the others to eat, they moved the feasts into the common rooms.

C.Rose, Thanks :-) I was thinking about the club thing, but this way just seemed so much more entertaining.

Thanks Night-Owl123 and " Please enter your name" for just lettin me know you read