Reiji quietly closes the door to Mio's bedroom and sighs. Walking back downstairs and into the kitchen, he's confronted by the absolute scariest thing out there. A pissed off parent.
"While it's great to see you again, Reiji, what happened?" she glares.
"I'm guessing you know about me and Eren?" he asks, and the woman nods, "Well, we had reason to believe that Mio was in danger, so I came back. While I was meeting with her, they spotted us and we had to run. We made it to an abandoned lot and fought them off, but after I thought we'd won, I let my guard down. Mio saw him just before he could kill me and she shot him."
"Mio?" she gasped, "I never thought she could..."
"Well, she did. Take it from me. The first kill isn't easy."
"Don't try and lecture me." she snaps, "I was killing people with my husband while you were still in diapers."
"Really?" Reiji smirks, "I always thought I could tell a killer."
"I'll admit I've been out of the game since Mio was born, but I can be just as ruthless if I need to." she smirks back, "So what now?"
"Mio said that she knew what to do, but before she could tell me, we got caught up in that whole mess." He sighs, "We've just got to let her rest until we can move on."
"And if they come after you?"
"They won't get past the front door. And if they do, I leave protecting Mio to you." he says, handing her his spare pistol, which she takes.
"Got it. Just so you know..."
"Yeah." he turns, removing the safety, "They're out front."
Rapid gunshots rang out in the peaceful suburb, but when the police got there, all they found was pools of blood and spent shell casings, along with a bunch of shaken up witnesses.
Harry walked nervously with the rest of the Slytherins behind Hagrid, who lead them to the very edge of the forbidden forest.
"Open yer books ter page seventy four." he announces once they'd reached the edge of a large paddock,
"How do we do that?!" Ron shouted angrily, holding a book held right by a belt.
"If you bothered to read the back, it says quite clearly, 'To open, simply stroke the spine.'" Harry grins, "Then again, this might be the first time you've ever held a book, so I'd be more than happy to read it for you, just until you mom can bother teaching you."
"Now tha' was uncalled fer, Harry." Hagrid says, but he was still smiling, "Five points from Slytherin."
Nodding, Harry couldn't help but feel that five pints was well worth insulting Weasley, his mom, and probably all of Gryffindor house. After all, he'd already taught all his friends in Slytherin.
Opening his book to the desired page, he grinned as he saw it was a hippogriff. 'I'll bet Malfoy gets mauled.' he thinks as he quickly rereads the passage.
After a moment, a dozen hippogriffs walk into the paddock. The students gasp and stare as the majestic creatures walk calmly around the area.
"Now, hippogriffs are very proud creatures. Very easily offended. If you ever do offend one, well, you'd better hope you've got a good escape plan. Anyone want to tell me how to approach a hippogriff without offendin' it?"
"Bow." Harry answers quickly.
"Take your points back. Well done. That's exactly right. If you show you respect them, they'll respect you. Much the same as goblins. You'll be fine as long as you remember that. Harry, you want to show us how it's done?"
"Sure." he smiles, stepping through the now open gate to the paddock. One of the hippogriff walked towards him, staring him in the eyes, and it stopped twenty feet away.
While maintaining eye contact, Harry bowed slowly. The beast kept its eyes locked on him, and after a moment, bowed back.
"Well done Harry!" Hagrid clapped, along with all the Slytherins, Neville, and Hermione, "Why don't you go up and touch him?"
Nodding, he stepped forward while maintaining eye contact with the hippogriff. Slowly, he lifted his arm and started petting him.
More cheers erupted from the Slytherins plus Harry friendly Gryffindors, though it wasn't long to last.
"Stupid bird isn't dangerous at all." Ron smirks, striding forward, "Come here you bloody thing."
Quickly, Harry knocked him out of the way as the hippogriff came crashing down with a loud screech. Before Harry could move him again, the hippogriff stomped on his leg, shattering it effortlessly. His scream echo among the tree as Harry dragged him to the rest of the class, while Hagrid began wrestling with bird, eventually knocking it away long enough to distract it with a dead ferret.
As soon as Ron was back to the class, Susan was attempting to do what she could for him, though his bones were completely destroyed. All the while, Ron was complaining about how it was all Hagrid's fault.
"Get over yourself!" Harry pants, "Hagrid was perfectly clear, and you'd have known if you ever bothered to read the page! If you don't show the hippogriff respect, it will attack you, and you will lose because you are a pathetic fool and it's a monster. So maybe this will serve as the wakeup call you clearly didn't get last night! Pull your head out of your ass before you get yourself killed!"
"Then why did you save me!?" he shouts back, still cringing from the pain.
"Because if I wanted you dead, I'd have done it last night." Harry says venomously, "I almost wish I did. The next time, don't expect me to save you. I'll just stand back and enjoy watching you die."
Hagrid ran back through the gate, and picked Ron up with one hand, "Stupid boy. If it wasn' fer Harry, you'd have los' yer head. Class dismissed! Back to the school!"
Everyone followed after the massive man and back to the school. Draco started bitching about how it was Hagrid's fault, and vowing to have Hagrid fire and the hippogriff killed.
"Malfoy, for once in your life shut up." Susan snapped, "A two year old could tell whose fault that was."
"Then explain why he got hurt?" Malfoy smirked.
"Because he was an illiterate prick who doesn't bother listening to anything not related to Quidditch." Neville interjects, "Besides which, he was jealous that Harry could do it and thought it would be easy for him."
"You should be I my side!" Malfoy shouts, "I thought Gryffindors stick together!"
"We do, but it's my job to back him up, has been for generations." Neville smirks, "Right, Lord Potter?"
"Right you are, Lord Longbottom." Harry chuckles, "My sincere thanks for the help."
"The least I could do after I failed last year." he says darkly.
"You couldn't have done any more. The fact that you're still alive is proof if that you're strong. Next time, we'll fight together, and we'll get her back, Agreed?"
"Damn right we will. Name the time and I'll be there."
"Until then..." Harry grins, "Since I'm banned from the dueling club for a month, think you can put Malfoy in his place for me?"
"My pleasure." he grins evilly as the blonde stops smirking, "You aren't the only one that learned some questionable spells over the summer."
"Daphne, I expect a memory." Harry laughs, and glares at the terrified Malfoy, "Enjoy yourselves!"
It really was rather sad. None of the Slytherins supported Malfoy, and all the Gryffindors supported Neville. Things did not look so good for Malfoy.
"What happened during your inspection?" Giuseppe asks as Cal removes her disillusionment charm.
"The place is warded tight. It'll take a month to bring them down enough to break through for the attack without them noticing beforehand." she sighs, "It would be easier if Ein had any knowledge of wards, but it would take longer to teach her then just do it myself. Maybe in between jobs."
"I have decided that I will recruit Harry Potter." he says calmly, "The boy is incredibly powerful, even more so than I care to believe."
"That good? What did he do to conceive you?" she smirks, looking across the grounds to the group of students walking into the forest.
"He used Both Ein and Zwei's signature spells back to back with no sign of exhaustion."
That got her attention. Reiji never used his spell because of the drain, and she'd only seen Ein's once... Or had she never seen it? Something didn't make sense, but there wasn't any point in worrying about it.
"So, given any thought to how you're going to recruit him?" she asks, calmly accepting the glass of tea he'd given her.
"Simple. I'll start introducing him to the shadier side. Meanwhile, we'll plan a few attacks against him, which you will thwart and regain his trust while dropping vague hints about you saving him and Ein's request.
Eventually, I'll alter her memories a bit to back up the story, tell him I found her, and let her convince him to join us." he smiles, "If all three of you join together..."
"Wed be unstoppable." she finishes with a smile, "But are you sure it'll work? As I recall your old friend tried to control him, and now he's gone."
"If it doesn't work, both you and Ein will defeat him, and we'll handle it the same way as always." he shrugs.
"Good enough. It'll take me a couple months to get the necessary items to break the wards. Tell McGuire we'll complete the job the third week in December."
"Very well. Try to avoid coming down here. Potter's instincts are superb. He may think its Pettigrew and attack. Even you couldn't handle all the professor and him anymore." he says, taking the empty glass of the table.
"I suppose I shouldn't send Ein either?" she shrugs, "Alright. See ya later then."
With a tap, her portkey activates and she disappears.
Reiji sat in the kitchen sipping tea as he and Mio's mom cleaned their guns. The group earlier was no trouble at all. Only one got past him, but he died just inside the doorway. She wasn't just good, she was great. Even after over thirty years of inactivity, she still hit him between the eyes from the top if the steps without him even knowing she was there. He couldn't help but suppress a shudder as he imagined how good she was in her prime.
"Think they'll send more?" she asks, glancing at the door.
"I can't say." he answers, reassembling his gun, "We've killed everyone I know to be watching her, but they might have more. Have you for any other weapons in the house?"
"China cupboard. Hidden inside those priceless pots is a disassembled Uzi. I've got about a thousand rounds of ammo in the basement." she says, pointing out the cupboard, "You put it together while I get the ammo."
"Alright." he answers, already waving his wand and removing the weapon components from the cupboard. It only takes his skilled hands a minute to completely assemble the sub machine gun, and she returns a minute later with a large box.
"You keep it." she says as he starts to hand her the gun, "You'll be the first line of defense. The fewer men that get past you the better. Besides I like my house too much to start during that around in here."
"Fair enough." he shrugs, placing it back on the table.
"Mom? Reiji?" Mio asks quietly from the door, "Is everything alright?"
"Fine, Thanks to you." he smiles, "I'd probably be dead if it wasn't for you."
"I'm glad. It seems like all you've done is save me." she says with a slight giggle, and turns to her mom, "I need your help, mom."
"Anything dear."
"I want to meet my father." she says calmly, and her mom jumps in surprise. That was the last thing either of them expected.
"Are you sure?" Reiji asks, guessing her motivation, "Right now, you still have a chance at a normal life. But if you join the Godoh's..."
"You're wrong." she says, cutting him off, "I haven't had a normal life since you left. I don't know which was worse. Living with the fact that I was a Godoh, or living the lie that I wasn't. Now is the time for me to pick. And I pick the same as everyone else around me. The same as mom, and uncle daisuke, and Mr. Shiiga. I want to live in the world where everyone I love is!"
By the end, she was practically in tears, and Reiji helped her to her seats while her mom picked up a cellphone.
"Haiton, we need to talk." she says calmly, smiling at Mio, "Our little girls all grown up and she's made her choice. The choice we made for her before she was even born. When can we stop by? End of October? Alright."
"What's up?" Reiji asks
"He'll be out of the country until October thirty-first. We've got a meeting the minute he gets back." she answers, picking up her pistol, "But I think we'll need more ammo. This is going to be a long two month."
September passed quickly at Hogwarts. His detentions with Giuseppe proved quite beneficial, and by the time he was allowed back to the dialing club, he'd more than made up for the loss of the two curses.
Quidditch tryouts came and went. As expected, harry retained his position as seeker, and Susan came out in top for the keeper position. After a few backbreaking practices, none of them doubted the match against Gryffindor would be a cinch.
Right before the match, they were informed by a very angry Professor Snape that Professor McGonagall had change the match. Apparently, Ron Weasley hadn't recovered from his leg despite walking to all of his classes, running from Harry, not to mention attending the last two dueling club meetings after he learned that Harry wouldn't be there.
"The first match will be against Hufflepuff." He sneered, "Though I did convince her to select the match. First week of November. That gives you three weeks to practice."
"Right." Flint sighs, "Then we'd better get to work. Team! In the air!"
All of them groan, but mount their brooms nonetheless. Naturally, it starts pouring as soon as they resume training.
The only reprieve they got was the Hogsmeade weekend on the thirty first.
While the older years were talking about it excitedly, the third years all remembered the previous year. Several didn't get their permission slips signed because their parents thought it was too dangerous. Others got it signed, but just weren't going.
Daphne was conflicted. Part of her wanted to go, but the rest wanted nothing to do with it after what happened to tori. She spent the week leading up to it trying to make up her mind.
Finally, the morning of the weekend, she sighed and said, "You guys go without me."
"You sure?" Harry asks, "I don't have any problem stating with you." at a glare from Susan, he corrected himself, "I mean we don't have a problem staying."
"I'm sure." she smiles sadly, "Go ahead. Make sure you bring me some candy. Maybe I'll join you next time."
"If you're sure..." Harry sighs, "What will you do all day?"
"I had dippy bring me a few of Flamel's Books." she smirks with pride.
"And you'll have read them all by lunch." Susan mutters, and Daphne glares.
"Then I get some lunch, come back, get more books, and keep reading until you give me some candy." she grins, and both of them chuckle.
"Take care." Harry says as he and Susan walk towards the doors to the great hall.
"Harry!" Daphne calls from behind him loud enough that everyone in the hall heard, "If those guys show up again..."
"If they do, it'll be the last thing they ever do." Harry says with a grim smile as he left the school.
Peter Pettigrew watches the entrance to the castle as a small trickle of people exited to go into the village. To his glee, Potter was among them.
'All that's left is to sneak into his room and curse his bed.' he thinks as he continues his observation. Once Potter was safely on a carriage, he ducked out of the roots of the Whomping willow, dodging branches as he made his way up to the castle.
'Potter dies tonight!' he thinks with a smile.
Daphne sighs as she close the book at noon. Susan was right. She finished this set just at lunch time. Stretching, she couldn't help but think how much good she could do with just these notes alone. The medical applications are endless.
With a shrug, she calls for dippy to take the books back to the vault and bring the next set when she called for him. The common room was empty. Most of the younger years and the few older years that remained were outside enjoying the beautiful day.
Her stomach growls and she chuckles as she opens the door to the common room, never noticing the rat running silently into the room before she shut the door.
He was in! That stupid girl had just let him in! Evidently just because she's potters friend doesn't mean she's very smart. Well time to get to work.
In the dorms, everyone was thankfully, gone. Locking the door, he transformed back and took out the wand he'd stolen a few weeks prior. Recalling his master teaching him the dark arts, he began casting his most dangerous curses, and using the arthimancy skills that he'd learn in school to set them as time delayed spells. Tonight, while he's sleeping soundly, his entire bed will be engulfed with Fiendfyre and surrounded by unbreakable walls. He'll writhe in agony before he dies. As he deserves.
With a contently full belly, Daphne hums a tune as she walks through the corridors of the dungeon. 'Harry and Susan should be back in a couple of hours.' she thinks happily, 'I think I will join them next time.'
"Venom." she says and the door to the common room opens. As she steps in, something steps on her foot. Looking down, she saw it was a rat. Her first instinct was to kick it away, which she did, kicking if into the hall. Only as it was scurrying away did she realize her mistake.
As quickly as her legs could carry her, she ran after it. When I ran past Snape's office, she took two seconds to pound on the potion masters door. Following the rat into the grand hall, she tells, "Pettigrew!"
As she expected, the rat turned back to her and glares. Turning back into a man, he sneers, "you shouldn't have gotten involved, girl." with his wand raised, he prepares to curse her.
Long before he could even think about it, Daphne had the sig pulled from her back and unloaded four shots into the ratty little man, who screamed in pain. Turning back into a rat, he fled, leaving a trail of blood behind him. The minute he left, the great hall doors flew open, and every teacher barged out with wands drawn. Snape barged out of the dungeon the next moment.
"Miss Greengrass!" McGonagall says threateningly, "What are you doing?"
"Pettigrew." she pants, stowing her weapon, "He was here. Just now."
Snape eyes immediately glance at the blood on the floor. "I'll search the grounds. He can't have gotten far with those wounds."
"Miss Greengrass, explain everything." McGonagall says slightly calmer.
Harry and Susan were enjoying themselves in Hogsmeade. Not quite as much as last time, as he'd really enjoyed bias ate with Daphne, but it was still nice. The first thing they did was pick up a few things at Zonko's. Those teachers aren't going to prank themselves.
Next stop was honeydukes, where they made sure to get just about everything for Daphne. He wasn't quite sure if she'd like the blood pops or the cockroach clusters, but they got some anyway. As it was lunchtime, they stopped into the three broomsticks for a bite and some butterbeer.
He couldn't quite shake the feeling that something was wrong. These fears were confirmed when Snape strode into the bar hurriedly and whispered in his ear, "Pettigrew was up at the school. You need to come with me."
"Daphne?" he asks, jumping to his feet. Susan had no clue what had happened, but she was on her feet at the same time.
"Safe. Did quite well for herself. Shot him four times before any of us got there." he says proudly, but his face darkens, "He escaped onto the grounds. The teachers are searching the grounds, but finding a rat in the forbidden forest..."
"Yeah." Harry nods understandingly as the three walk quickly up the school.
"Fifteen times." Reiji sighs as he disposes of the bodies of infernos most recent attackers, "They've tried to kill us fifteen times in two months, but they haven't sent phantom."
"I for one, am glad." Mio's mom, Karin smiles while disposing of another, "We can handle as many of these as we have to, but she's another thing entirely."
"Well, on the bright side, if we beat her, well know that they don't have anything better." Mio smiles slightly as she cleans their guns. Luckily they'd used silencers so there was less chance if the police showing up before they're done.
"I'm expecting a call from Haiton today." Karin says after they'd finished the disposal, "Is everyone ready?"
The two of them nod back, and as if on cue, her cell rings. She quickly answers it.
"Hello? Downtown, at the main safe house? We'll be there in ten minutes." closing her phone, she says, "Let's get going."
