Chosha's notes

Hey! Welcome back minna! A lot of people to thank for reviewing this time. I can't believe its so popular! (sniff, sniff). So, thanks to Draconic Ban-Sidhe, Sofie, Shauntell, Kristy-chan, Crazy Hyper Lady and Wydinel Sheergale. I won't keep rambling – this chappy has had a lotta people asking for it, so here we go! Please Read and Review!

Disclaimer: (raises eyebrow and crosses arms) Come on guys, we Know the drill by now…

Last time on RKatPS:

Kenshin had his first lessons, but Snape has already hit his 'Keep an eye on list' in only the first meeting! But something strange is going on outside Hogwarts too – someone broke into Gringotts!

Chapter Ten

Of Swords and Broomsticks

Kenshin never realised time could fly so fast. Before he knew it, it was almost two weeks since he had arrived at Hogwarts School for witchcraft and wizardry. But he never saw anything like this before. As he and Kaoru made their way to the common room, they were startled to find a crowd of people hovering around what looked like some type of poster tacked to the wall. All of them seemed to be complaining about something.

Unable to see over the see of heads, Kenshin scouted for a familiar face in the crowd. He wasn't disappointed as he found Sanosuke, Harry and Ron among them. All three seemed to have identical storm clouds hovering over them.

'Uh, Sano? What's going on?'

Sanosuke glanced over at them before jutting his thumb towards the poster. 'We've got flying lessons Thursday – with that bastard Malfoy.'

'…Ah.' Now he got why everyone was complaining.

'It's just typical,' Harry mumbled darkly. 'Just what I always wanted – to make a fool of myself on a broomstick in front of Malfoy.'

'You don't know you'll make a fool of yourself,' Kaoru said encouragingly. 'And if it's anything like Kendo, everyone has to practice to get good. You'll be fine'

'Besides,' added Ron, 'even though Malfoy's always going on about how good he is at Quidditch, I bet it's all talk. He probably wouldn't know which end was which on a broom!'

That got a smile out of him anyway.

Malfoy definitely gave everyone a headache talking about flying. He complained loudly about the fact no first year could join the house teams and told everyone who would listen about his 'daring flying escapades', that always seemed to end in a narrow miss of a helicopter. He spoke of it so much; Sanosuke was on the verge of hitting him and cracked his knuckles every time he got within hearing range. But he wasn't the only one to talk of flying, Kenshin soon realised. Anyone who had a family member of wizarding blood seemed to be talking about it. Half of it left Kenshin swirly eyed. He felt like a total dunce – half the time he didn't no what they were talking about. However, even he had to smile at Hermione. Even though flying, like swordsmanship, could never be leaned from a book, Hermione had done her best to try anyway. She bored everyone stupid with un-helpful facts of flying.

Finally, the fateful day came and the Gryffindors hurried down to the grounds for their first flying lesson. The Slytherins were already down there, standing close to two rows of broomsticks. Standing with them was a grey-haired witch with piercing amber eyes – like a hawk.

'Everyone stand by a broomstick,' the witch, madam Hooch said 'Come on, hurry up.

Kenshin looked down uneasily. His broom was a very old one with twigs sticking out in different directions. He gently nudged it with his foot. It rolled over like good dog. Kenshin wasn't feeling very confident about flying anymore - not with this old thing as his transportation.

'Stick out your right hand over the broom,' called Madam Hooch at the front, 'and say 'Up!''

"Up!" everyone shouted. Harry and Kenshin seemed to be lucky. Their brooms jumped straight to their hands. Kenshin sighed - So far so good. He glanced around to see how everyone else was doing. Kaoru was about to have a hissyfit with her broom after the third try and it had stayed on the ground. As if feeling its impending doom at the hands of a raging tanooki, the broom shot to her hand too. Sanosuke wasn't doing much better, as when he said 'up,' his broom promptly hit him on the forehead. 'Ow!' Sanosuke glared at the broom this time while Harry attempted not to laugh. Well, at least it moved. Kenshin checked how everyone else was getting on. Ron got it about the second try. Neville's didn't move at all and Hermione's just rolled over.

Then Madam Hooch showed them how to properly grip and mount their boom. Sanosuke had snorted with laughter and Kaoru giggled, while Kenshin hid a wide grin when Madam Hooch told Malfoy that his grip was wrong and had been doing it wrong for years. He wasn't the only one. Harry and Ron were probably delighted as well.

'Now when I blow my whistle, you kick off from the ground, hard,' said Madam Hooch. 'Keep your broom steady, rise a few a feet, and then come straight back down by leaning forward slightly. On my whistle—three—'

Kenshin watched as Neville suddenly pushed off hard before the whistle was even blown. Kami, he was too nervous for this, Kenshin realised with sick horror. No matter how many times Madam Hooch screamed, 'Neville Longbottom come down here right now', Neville would be too terrified to think properly. If someone didn't help him soon…

The broom was obviously out of Neville's control. It was rising higher and higher, slamming him into walls like a bucking horse. Neville was screaming in terror. Kenshin didn't know what to do – trying to reach him might just get him hurt more than he might otherwise. It continued to spin him round and Kenshin felt the fear spike higher as his fingers slipped on the wood.

'He's going to fall,' Kenshin yelled. But nothing could be done as Neville pitched sideways-

WHAM! Neville fell in a heap by the castle wall, a sickening snap barely drowned out by the gasps of the students. In seconds Madam Hooch was at Neville's side, checking to make sure the poor boy was all right. 'A broken wrist,' she mumbled. She then turned to the class. 'None of you is to move while I take this boy to the hospital wing! You leave those brooms where they are or you'll be out of Hogwarts before you can say 'Quidditch.' Come on, dear.' She led Neville back to the castle as he whimpered in agony.

The students mostly hovered round each other, whispering urgently about what had happened. Kaoru turned to Kenshin. 'He'll be all right, wont he?' She asked, her face a little pale with worry.

Kenshin was about to answer when he saw something shinning in the sun. He turned to find Malfoy holding a clear ball up to the light, a smirk on his face. 'Malfoy…' He hissed. That was Neville's Remembrall he had received only that morning. Harry snapped round.

'Give it here, Malfoy,' He demanded in a growl. Everyone fell silent, staring at the two boys. Kenshin tensed. This could get ugly at any moment. Malfoy's smirk only widened as he snatched up a broom.

'I think I'll leave it somewhere for Longbottom to find.' And he was in the air. So he wasn't just bluffing – he really was good. Kenshin hoped Harry wouldn't rise to the bait…

No such luck.

Harry snarled and snatched up another broom.

'Harry, you're going to get in trouble!' Hermione shouted, but he just ignored her as he pushed off. If it weren't for the seriousness of the situation, Kenshin would have smiled. So, he shouldn't have worried about being a bad flyer – he was a natural. Ron whooped in admiration, while Sanosuke was yelling, 'kick his ass!'

Harry sped like a javelin at Malfoy, who managed to dodge by a hair. Most people gasped in horror, thinking Harry would strike the wall of the castle, but Harry spun round at the last minute and hovered in the air. He had to wonder about how Harry would fare with the Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu – he seemed to have a good sense of balance at high speeds. Kenshin could feel a flicker of fear in Malfoy's ki.

However, Kenshin couldn't get much farther on that thought as Malfoy threw the Remembrall. Kaoru gasped and Kenshin dodged out of the crowd and sped towards the falling ball. Harry was too...

And Harry got there first...

'HARRY POTTER!'

Everyone froze and spun round to find McGonagall running towards them. Harry rose to his feet trembling. Her glasses were flashing dangerously. 'Never— in all my years—," she started. Her face was red, her Ki flickering from fear, to amazement, to blazing anger. Even Kenshin cowered. "—How dare you—might have broken your neck—"

"It wasn't his fault," protested Kaoru insistently.

'Be quiet, Miss Kamiya-'

'But Malfoy-'

'That's enough, Mr Sagara.' She snapped at Sanosuke. She rounded on Harry, who flinched. 'Potter, follow me, now," she said in a strict tone. Harry followed her glumly back to the castle. Malfoy and his goons, Crabbe and Goyle, had looks of triumph on their faces.

As soon as the two had gone up into the castle, Sanosuke rounded on Malfoy, hauling him up by his collar. 'What the hell do you think you're doing, you bastard!' he yelled. Malfoy smirked, which just made Sanosuke angrier. He raised his fist.

'Sano!' Kenshin said in warning.

'Is there something wrong, Sagara?' Madam Hooch was back. Sanosuke looked livid. He glared at Malfoy and threw him back on the floor.

Eyes resting on Malfoy, promising a beating later, Sano growled, 'No, Professor…'

The lesson continued, but not very successfully. Many of the Gryffindors weren't paying attention, half-distracted from wondering what happened to Harry. Kenshin frowned at the handle of his broom. If he were expelled, it would be all Malfoy's fault. But then…no - it was probably his fault too. He should have tried to stop him…

Kenshin glanced back at the castle. Kenshin wasn't sure, but he thought he had felt some admiration from McGonagall. Perhaps he wasn't going to get expelled after all…

Hopefully…

Kenshin, Kaoru, Sanosuke and Ron sat in the great hall for dinner, but none of them really felt like eating. Harry still hadn't returned and they were beginning to fret.

'I can't believe McGonagall,' Kaoru fumed, stabbing her steak-and-kidney pie vengefully. 'She wouldn't even listen to us! And it wasn't even his fault!'

Sanosuke cracked his knuckles and glared towards the Slytherin table. 'If he got 'im expelled, I mean it, I'll knock him out myself!'

Kenshin just played with his fork, not even bothering to try to calm the fight, too preoccupied at berating himself. So even he jumped when Harry dashed into the hall. 'Guys! You would not guess what just happened!'

Kenshin gaped. Was he smiling?

Kenshin could barely believe it when he got up to the Gryffindor common room. He felt like laughing. Harry, Gryffindor's seeker - It was almost too good to be true. Malfoy's plan had backfired. He had thought that McGonagall had been impressed. Obviously, this Dumbledore person was a lot more flexible than he had first thought.

He had left several minutes after Fred and George had done introducing themselves as being team-members as well. In all the worrying for Harry, Kenshin had forgotten about practising his ki sensing. Seeing as Kenshin didn't have his katana anymore, he could only practice his other things – like speed, agility and ki sensing. He was just about to begin when there was a tapping on the window. Kenshin blinked when he found Mika perched on the windowsill; a long package tied to her leg. She pecked insistently.

Scrambling up from the floor, Kenshin threw open the window and the barn owl flew in, dropping the parcel in his arms.

'Oro?' Kenshin gaped at the parcel. He had never received a parcel before. He was about to open it when he noticed a letter also tacked onto the brown paper. Quickly, he pulled it off and opened it. He blinked. It was from Hiko?

Baka Deshi, (it read)

I can't have you going rusty on me. I hope you have been training, because I want you to run through kata with this. Don't open it in front of everyone.

Hiko Seijuro

Kenshin face faulted. He sent him a Katana! So this was the 'arrangements' he had meant in his last letter. He knew he hadn't trusted the parting smirk Hiko had given him. Still, he wasn't going to get out of it now – Hiko was expecting him to practice. And he really enjoyed being able to move without being covered in bruises and breaks, thank you very much.

Kenshin bolted up into the dormitories and, making sure no one else was in the room turned his attention to the parcel clutched in his hands. Tearing at the wrappings, a sleek, jet-black sheath appeared as the paper fell to the floor. The hilt was silver, with black leather crossing over in the traditional way all katana's were made. Carefully, with skilful fingers, Kenshin slid the blade from the saya, the metallic surface shining in the sun steaming through the windows.

'Oro!' Kenshin gasped. The blade was on the wrong way! The curved side where the blade was meant to be was blunt, the sharp side residing on the blunt side. A sakabato, somewhere in his mind whispered, as if it had always known – a sword meant not to kill, but to protect other people. Kenshin grinned. Trust Hiko to come up with something like that.

Kenshin marvelled at it. Though the hilt seamed well worn, the blade itself was in such a good condition, it appeared to be new. There wasn't a scratch on it. Whoever had made this must have been the most gifted sword-smith in the world!

He made a few practice strokes. It seemed to slide through the air, despite the change in aerodynamics. It seemed to fit to his hand, as if made for him. Kenshin beamed. Now he could practice his Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu, and he wouldn't have to worry about accidentally killing someone. He slid the sword back into the saya. He could hear noises from the common room now. Kenshin quickly slid it inside his trunk, underneath his spare robes. He would practice later. For now, he would just enjoy his little secret.

To be continued…

Chosha's notes

I wanted to make this a little different from the book. As we know, Malfoy challenges Harry to a midnight duel in the book at the point I got Kenshin out. You'll see why later. Keep note it is based on the book, not the film, so if you haven't read the book (pfh! As if anyone hasn't!) then you'll note the differences. Plus there will be a lot of spoilers for you too.

So, Kenshin has his Sakabato. You just know things are gonna get nasty soon! Any Questions? Criticisms? Please review and tell me what you think. I'll try to answer as best I can.

Next time on RuroKen and the Philosophers stone:

Kami, Harry and Ron are worse than Kenshin for getting in trouble. You just had to raise to the bait, didn't you? Next episode: The Hairy Discovery

Ja ne for now! See you next time!

Chosha Kurenai xXx