DISCLAIMER: It's a fanfic for crying out loud! ^_^

=============================================================================================

Kodomo Hikari:           Yay! Chapter 2 is up. I am suffering from a terrible case of writer's block so it may take a while for Chapter 3 to arrive (gomen, gomen).

            Speaking of reviews... (drum roll please!)...I got 10! *does the victory dance in front of non-otaku friends* Whee! Pay up people! (Whispers to reader: they made a bet with me and they lost...big time! ^_^) Thank you for those people who actually took the time out to R and R.

DarkMoonGoddess - Arigatou!

DarkMoonGoddess – Oro? Again? Okies! I'll clear it up soon. ^_^

Raptor 101 - Arigatou!

Kawaii Kitsune Cub - Yes, no bashing fest...*winks*...you mean ever? K, promise!

darkness flame youkai - Mmm...sweet snow...you like cookies and cream? They're my fave!

Dark Dragon34 - THANKSx10 (",)

New Moon1 - Gomen. Perhaps if you tell me what confused you I'll gladly explain. Or maybe I could ask Kurama to explain?

Kaeru Soyokaze! Or Kia? - Hi! My kitty just had two kittens. I named the shaky one Plue and the orange one (tadaan!)...Kero! You're fic about getting the clow cards was hilarious.

sammy - gomen, I thought I put enough hints in the chapter to not do that...oh well, HAI!

Maruken - uh, sorry...I'll fix it.

For those who were confused:

1. Prologue - happened in the distant past ... very distant past...

      - the silver fox mentioned may or may not be Kurama *meow!*

2. Chapter 1: Castle Outsiders - each charas were supposed to be introduced by a stanza in the song, Castle Outsiders, but the paragraph spacing got all messed up when I uploaded the chapter and I still cannot fix it. I was listening to the song and I thought it would make a fitting introduction.

- The timeline is the present day, Harry's entering 6th year, the CCS gang are now 16 years old (the others are obviously older too, except maybe the guardians) and for the YYH gang-this was a year after they all returned from Makai.

=============================================================================================

Some Japanese and non-Japanese terms you will encounter:

Gomen = sorry (short for gomenasai)

Arigatou = thanks

Hai = affirmative reply

Tasukitei kudasai = for the love of God, HELP ME PLEASE! ^-^

Warded = protected by a magic spell/ incantation, etc.

So that's it. I'll fix what needs fixing. Onwards! ^_^

=============================================================================================

                                                                                    Chapter 2: At Odd Moments

            Genkai's place was a secluded Zen temple built high up a hill. It was a few miles away from the city. Ancient trees surrounded the place making it nearly impossible to see the temple itself. The only entrance was a very high and very steep stone staircase etched on the hill itself. The whole place gave off the impression that it was sacred grounds indeed. For those who were sensitive enough, they could sense that the place was warded.

            "YEEeeAAARRRGH!!!"

            A flock of birds flew up, startled by the scream that shattered the stillness of the night.

            "Tasukitei! Tasukitei, KUDASAIII!"

            In direct contrast to the serene scenery outside, the scene inside the temple was a riot. Yusuke was laughing his head off. Shizuru was completely ignoring her younger brother's plea for help. Keiko was trying her best not to laugh but not quite succeeding while Yukina looked faintly worried. A little boy was hopping around indignantly, a pacifier in his lips while a blue haired girl was deciding whether she should use her oar for reasons other than ferrying the dead like say, uh...hitting Hiei with it on the head so he'd stopped strangling Kazuma. On second though, he might kill her...but then again wasn't she dead anyway...

             Genkai felt the beginnings of a migraine. She was definitely getting too old for this. While she was contemplating as to what technique to use on the boys to break them up, the door to the room slid open quietly.

            "Let him go, Hiei," a voice said calmly. "I don't want my brother to see Kuwabara turning blue."

            Hiei reluctantly let Kazuma go. Kazuma gasped for air before scrambling to his feet. His right hand started to glow when he caught Kurama's looked and the person behind Kurama. The glow vanished.

            "I'll get you for this you little shrimp!" he said instead.

            Hiei growled a response. There was a flash and Kazuma was yelping in pain.

            "Tee hee that was a good one Genkai!" Yusuke grinned.

            "Aww, come on! Why is everybody taking the grinch's side?" Kazuma whined.

            "Because you asked for it. After all these years one thinks you should know better than annoy a fire de…uh I mean, Hiei", Shizuru said before taking a long drag from her cigarette. She turned to Kurama and smiled. "You changed your hair."

            It was true. His hair, which had been a flaming red before, had turned to a shade of red similar to that of a dark red rose...or dried blood, now that he thought about it. The process had started when he came back from Makai. At first, he was glad because he thought he might not attract as much attention as before. However, the resulting look merely increased his hordes of adoring fans and now guys were chasing him too.

            "I didn't. It did that by itself," he said to Shizuru.

            There was a slight tug at his side. He remembered. "My brother. He'll be joining us," he declared. His tone implied that there would be no arguments.

            The toddler stopped hopping and looked up at him. "Last time I checked I was still in charge."

            Shuichi blinked. Huh? He's in charge? Wait a minute. How old were you supposed to be before you start talking? Uhm, were babies even supposed to speak whole sentences?

            In response, Kurama sat down on the mat and motioned for him sit beside him. The room was suddenly quiet.

            "We both received a letter from a ningen wizarding school."

            Yusuke nearly choked at Kurama's statement, "What?!"

            All heads turned to him.

            "Then I guess you got it too," Kurama observed.

            Genkai and the toddler both sighed. Botan, who had been quiet all this time, suddenly spoke up. "Wait, then doesn't that make it easier for us to get in?" she chirped.

            Hiei growled from his position in the shadows cast by the roaring fire in the fireplace. "Perhaps you'd better start explaining then."

            Shuichi was a little confused. All his brother told him was that they'd be meeting with his other wizard friends.

            Genkai glanced at Kurama. Her questioning look was immediately understood by everyone, except of course by Shuichi.

            /No. He does not know who we really are. All I told him is that we are wizards. / Kurama responded to Genkai's unspoken question.

            / Then why bring him here in the first place? / She responded back telepathically.

            / Because it seems he is going to where we are going. /

            "Hey, isn't that lying to the poor kid?" Kazuma said out loud.

            Everyone shot Kazuma a dark look. Botan's oar materialized out of nowhere and landed smacked into Kuwabara's head. Kazuma yelped.

            Now Shuichi was really confused. The room had been quiet until that goofy red head spoke up as if he was participating in a conversation. Not to mention, what's with the oar? What's going on?

            /As a matter of fact, Kuwabara. I have found out a long time ago that the best way to hide a secret is to tell a lie and that the best lie is one that is half a truth. / Kurama explained to Kazuma.

            "I still don't get it."

            Something funny was really going on here. Either that, or his brother's friend had one hit too many or maybe the chokehold administered by the older sister affected his brain. He seemed to be conducting conversations with himself.

            The toddler jumped, freaking Shuichi out. "All right," he waddled towards Shuichi. "Kid, you're about to see and hear something very strange so I suggest that you don't tell anyone outside this room."

            He gulped and nodded. The toddler started to change before his very eyes. The place got smoky. When the smoke cleared a handsome 18-year-old boy with dark brown hair and eyes was looking down at him. One thing was bothering him though...

            "Well kid?" the 18-year old said smugly.

            All he could say was, "The pacifier makes you look stupid."

TBC

=============================================================================================

K. Hikari:         I intended this chapter to explain the letters and them going to Hogwarts but as you can see, it turned into something else. I wanted it to continue but the chapter was getting too long already so I'm saving it for chapter 3 (that way also, I have something to write about in the next chapter). It was also getting sucky so I apologize if you find the pacing very slow. My brain is no longer working properly and I didn't want to rush it. I wanted the pieces of the story to fall into place gradually. Again, if I got the names wrong please tell me. R and R, please! ^_^ Hopefully, once I get over my writer's block things should pick up soon. Also, I really need to sleep since I...*yawns* haven't had any in the past *yawns again*...48 hours...cause of... (keels over and falls asleep)...

=============================================================================================