Chosha's Notes

I really need to try and put these up at the right time. I mean, Christmas has passed people! Just like Baka Chosha to put it up at odd times. Anyway, welcome back! Thankyou to everyone who reviewed this time, including: Sofie, Kristy-chan, Dark Ketchum, Meiji no Pan, Dragonic Ban Sidhe, Shauntell, R.K.R, Sekamu, Quiescent Vengeance, Crazy Hyper Lady and MysticSuperSaiyanGohan. Here's the next chapter!

Disclaimer:… (Shinya, muse from Fading Futures enters) Er… due to the fact CK just beat up the solicitors, I guess I'd better do it. She owns zip.

CK enters: SHINYA!

Shinya: Oops!

Last time on RKatPS

Kenshin tells Sanosuke and Kaoru his suspitions, but later, when practicing, is caught by Malfoy. Kenshin scares Malfoy to avoid getting caught because of him telling on him.

Chapter Fifteen

Christmas at Hogwarts

Christmas was almost upon them. Already Hogwarts found itself half buried by several feet of snow; some of the smaller first years even found themselves buried underneath in seconds. The Wesley twins kept starting snowball fights, occasionally aided by Sanosuke, and all three of them got in trouble for enchanting several snowballs to pelt themselves at Quirrell, following him and bouncing off his turban until he refused to come out of the staff room. ('Serves him right for tryin' to curse Harry then' - Sanosuke) Thankfully, much to Kenshin's surprise, the Weasley's didn't try to pounce on him with snowballs. When he had asked them why out of curiosity, they had said they couldn't target someone who could pass for a family member with hair like his.

Kenshin wasn't sure whether to be insulted or not.

Surprisingly, Kenshin hardly ever saw Harry, Ron or Hermione since the Quidditch match. They always seemed to be in the library. He was a little worried, as they never seemed to be researching for schoolwork, and when he, or anyone else for that matter, got too close, they always cut off their conversation. However, Kenshin did catch the words 'Nicolas Flamel' on more than one occasion. He was starting to wonder what they could be hiding from them

A few weeks later, however, Kenshin had other things to think about than wonder at the odd behaviour of his friends. McGonagall had come through the great hall at breakfast with a list of who was going to stay at Hogwarts, just as Hiko had predicted. (Kenshin was wondering if Hiko was psychic now. It was rather spooky in his opinion.) Harry had literally jumped for the list; much to Kenshin's surprise, until he remembered that Harry had told him on the train to Hogwarts that the Muggle family he lived with was awful. Ron and his brothers were also going to stay as their parents were going to visit Charlie in Romania. Hermione was returning home for Christmas, but Sanosuke and Kaoru also said they were going to stay at Hogwarts – Sanosuke's father was busy at the Ministry with something, while Kaoru had just wanted to experience a wizard Christmas.

Kenshin smiled a little as he also signed the list. It seemed this Christmas was going to be not so lonely this year.

To make them even happier, Malfoy was going back home for the holidays. It had seemed that Malfoy had been running out of insults to use on Harry, since his comments about wide mouthed tree frogs replacing Harry as Seeker only earned him hard glares, so had gone back to focusing on Harry's lack of real family. But if he caught sight of Kenshin looking his way, he would squeak and go pure white, almost choking on the suddenly halted words. For some reason he reminded Kenshin of a ferret when he did that. Of course, this didn't go unnoticed by Harry and the others, but when they questioned him as much as they could through their own laughter about it, Kenshin would just blink up at them and 'Oro' innocently, making them laugh all the more. They soon just left him alone about it, though, as he seemed to be as clueless as they were, though his eyes sparkled with mischievous mirth when they weren't looking.

He did feel a little sorry for the guy though. Kenshin wouldn't have actually done anything… too drastic anyway.

o0o

Kenshin had thought the wizarding world was strange before. How could he not notice, with ghosts wandering the halls, moving pictures where some of their subjects seemed to harbour a crush on him and a hyperactive poltergeist with a mental disorder ready to wreak havoc and chaos on the poor unsuspecting fools. But when Holidays began, Kenshin could safely conclude the wizarding world had completely said goodbye to sanity.

Kenshin had walked into the common room one day to find Harry and Ron playing some sort of game that looked a little like Shogi, both glaring down at it in concentration. Kaoru and Sanosuke were watching over their shoulders.

'Ano…What are you doing?'

'Shush!' Growled Ron in annoyance. 'I'm trying to concentrate'

'Its Wizard chess,' Kaoru supplied, before she was cut off by another irritated 'Shush!' Silently, she let Kenshin look.

Oh.

Kenshin hadn't played chess all that often. His shishou preferred Shogi, but he did know a little of the game. He idly wondered what was so different about wizard's chess, when Ron finally said, 'knight to E4'

Kenshin's eyes bulged when he saw the knight ride up to one of Harry's Rooks and smashed it to bits with its tiny sword, dragging the bits off the board.

'Oro!' Kenshin exclaimed. This version was pretty brutal… actually it looked like something that would convert Hiko to Chess for at lest a decade, just so he could smash any of Kenshin's. Kenshin decided to make a mental note never to show Hiko Wizard's chess, lest he find inspiration of other ways to generally batter, bruise and in any way maim Kenshin in any other way. I mean, what sane person would give Hiko any other excuse to increase his Ego to the size of the planet Jupiter?

However, it didn't stop Kenshin from having a go himself against Sanosuke, almost crushing the rooster's chess set past use. He had to admit all those strategy games Hiko had forced on him over the years were starting to pay off. Not that he would tell him that. He wasn't that mad yet. Nor was he mad enough to take on Ron after a 10:0 winning streak against Harry.

All in all, by the time Christmas Eve had come, Kenshin had had more fun than he had ever had at Christmas time for as long as he could remember, though he was a little guilty his Shishou wasn't here to have experienced it too.

Kenshin woke up the next day to find Sanosuke bodily dragging him out of bed yelling 'Its Christmas!' and hauling him down the stairs before Kenshin even had time to protest.

Ron, Harry and Kaoru were already down in the Common room (much to Kenshin's surprise – he was always up before them usually), looking ready to dive into the mound of presents when Sanosuke and Kenshin (still being dragged by said Rooster) made their appearance.

'Funnily enough, Sano, I am capable of walking, de gozaru,' Kenshin said dryly. Sanosuke gave im a sheepish look and put him down. Kenshin straightened his yukata, while the others giggled a little.

'Merry Christmas, Kenshin' Kaoru said happily, her eyes sparkling as she held up a present to the redhead. Kenshin blinked, surprised when he noticed the nametag was addressed to him.

'I have presents?' Kenshin muttered softly. Kaoru looked at him oddly and Kenshin shook himself out of the wave of blurred memories of Christmas among his real family and smiled widely at the raven-haired girl. 'Thanks Kaoru-dono!' Kenshin looked down at the other presents she indicated and he almost blurted a stream of Oros at the sight of a small mountain of presents with his name on it.

Kenshin grabbed the first one from the top. It was wrapped in what looked like an old training gi, a small tag said to Baka Deshi, from Hiko. This in itself was enough to have Kenshin go swirly eyed until he realised what it was. Hiko had sent him a sword servicing kit to keep his Sakabato in good condition, along with a note telling him he had to keep it as good as new or else. Kenshin tried to hide both of them before it caught the attention of the others.

Kenshin then picked up another parcel, which was rather lumpy. Kenshin looked at it in confusion.

'Oh bloody Hell, it looks as though Mom's adopted you this year,' Ron said, looking at the lumpy, identical packages that they were now all staring blankly at. 'I mentioned you all in my letters ho-- Oh no! She sent you a Weasley jumper!'

Kenshin tore open the paper to find a thick, hand made jumper In navy blue wool, along with a large box of home made fudge. Kaoru held a cheerful yellow sweater, Harry an emerald green. Sanosuke's was white, complete with the kanji for 'Bad' written on the back, which Sanosuke had complained he missed on school days when he couldn't have it sewn on the back of his robes. Sanosuke promptly donned it, proclaiming he missed his little trademark. Kenshin's sweater, when he held it up to himself, looked exactly the right size.

'I think your mom is Psychic,' Kenshin breathed, causing Ron to blush even more.

'Every year she makes us a jumper,' Ron said as he unwrapped his own, 'and mine's always maroon.'

Kenshin laughed a little at that. Ron hated the colour maroon.

He went on to open his other presents. Hermione had bought him a box of fizzing wizbees while Kaoru had bought him his own wizard chess set – he had borrowed Seamus' in his games before – which Sanosuke proclaimed to have 'pitched in on'. From the way Kaoru dived on him screaming 'FREELOADER!' Kenshin guessed Sanosuke had done nothing of the sort. Still, it made Kenshin grin.

Harry and Ron bought him an assortment of sweets, some of which Kenshin had never heard of before, even since being in the wizarding world.

'Ugh! Yahiko, when I get my hands on you…'

Kenshin blinked over at Kaoru, who was staring at a book in her hands, D-eyed with disgusted rage. Sanosuke was rolling on the floor, laughing hysterically. 'What's wrong, Kaoru-dono?' Kenshin asked bemusedly

'Yahiko! Look what that annoying little brat sent me!'

Kaoru passed the book to Kenshin before wiping out her bokken to smack Sanosuke over the head several times until he was a swirly-eyed lump on the carpet. Kenshin blinked, wondering what all the fuss was about – until he looked at the cover.

How to Make an Ugly Tanooki Pretty in Ten Easy Steps

…Ah.

Yes, Yahiko was going to have to go into hiding if he didn't want said Tanooki to hunt him down for his pelt. He tried not to laugh. Kenshin had good survival instincts after all.

Seconds later, the dormitory door burst open and the Weasley twins all but bounced into the room yelling, 'Merry Christmas!'

George (Kenshin could never usually tell which twin was which until today, as they were wearing bright blue jumpers, one with a large yellow F, the speaker with a large letter G, which made naming them simple out of the process of elimination) waved a hand at them. 'Hey, Look – They've all got Weasley jumpers too!'

Fred held up Harry's jumper. 'Theirs are better than ours, though. She obviously makes more effort if you're not family.'

George prodded Ron in the arm with a finger. 'Why aren't you wearing yours, Ron?' he demanded. 'Come on, get it on, they're lovely and warm.'

'But I hate Maroon,' Ron whined as he reluctantly pulled it on over his head.

George looked thoughtfully at their jumpers. 'You haven't got a letter on yours.' He observed. 'I suppose she thinks you won't forget your name. But we're not stupid – we know we're called Gred and Forge.'

Kenshin snorted in a failed attempt to hold in a laugh at their antics. Seconds later the dormitory door was opened once more to reveal an irked-looking Percy. He looked as if he was halfway through his own gift opening, and a knitted jumper draped over one arm, reminding Kenshin of a Spanish bullfighter. The twins swiped it at once.

'P for prefect! Get it on, Percy, come on, we're all wearing ours. Even Harry, Kaoru, Sano and Kenny got one!' Kenshin twitched a little at the new nickname.

'I - don't – want – ' Percy said thickly, as the twins forced it over his head, pinning his arms and knocking his glasses askew. They began to argue about Christmas being a time for family as the frog-marched him out of the room, followed by gales of laughter from Ron and Sanosuke. Kenshin grinned.

A little later, all dressed in their new jumpers, They made their way down to the great hall. Never in Kenshin's life could he remember such an extravagant decor, or such a sumptuous feast.

Festoons of holly and mistletoe hung around the walls, and there were at least twelve Christmas trees towered over the room, sparkling with silvery, glittering icicles that looked like stars, or golden bubbles charmed by the tiny professor Flitwick. The table was covered with a hundred fat, roasted turkeys; mountains of roasted and boiled potatoes; platters of chipolatas; tureens of buttered peas, silver boats of thick, rich gravy and cranberry sauce –and stacks of wizard crackers every few feet along the table.

Kenshin didn't know what to expect from the crackers after everything else he'd seen while in the wizarding world, though he fell into a loud stream of Oros when Harry pulled his cracker with Fred. The thing literally exploded, enveloping them in a thick cloud of blue smoke that had all in the vicinity in a coughing fit. When the smoke cleared, Kenshin's eyes bulged at the full-sized rear admiral's hat (not made from flimsy paper, but an actual hat!) along with several live mice. Kenshin saw Mrs Norris give them a calculating look. Kenshin guiltily gave them only 'til the start of dinner to live.

Up on the high table, Kenshin observed Hagrid getting redder and redder as he called for more wine, before kissing McGonagall on the cheek, which sent all the students mass face faulting when she actually begun to giggle!

For the rest of the afternoon, Kenshin, Kaoru, Sanosuke and the Weasleys had a great snowball fight, which ended in everyone ganging up on Sanosuke, who fled from the gang of Weasleys, only to have Kaoru and Kenshin, with impish expressions, throw several into his face before he crashed into a snowdrift.

After tea, Kenshin was too full and sleepy to do anything but watch Fred and George get chased all round the Gryffindor tower by Percy, who was screaming at them to give his prefect badge back until Kaoru fell asleep on his shoulder. Kenshin blushed a little, but was too polite to move her – she seemed so peaceful. However, disturb her he had to, when it was time to turn in for the night.

Kenshin collapsed into bed, a warm, sleepy feeling sweeping over him. His mind registered with some surprise a strange feeling in his chest, one that seemed almost alien to him. Suddenly, he smiled. No, he knew what this feeling was. It was Happiness. True happiness that Kenshin had not felt in a long time, not since his parents had been taken from him. The feeling nestled deep in his heart as Kenshin allowed himself to succumb to sleep.

He never noticed as Harry lifted back the covers of his bed to reveal another gift he had not seen, wrapped in a shinning silver cloth.

To Be Continued…

Chosha's notes

I can't think of anything to note, but if you guys can, tell me in a review and I'll help if I can!

Next time on RKatPS

Kenshin and the others get a shock when Harry tells them Snape is referee! Then they have another discovery that causes Kenshin to believe things might be coming to a climax real soon. Next episode: the Meaning of Flamel

Ja ne for now, Minna-san! See you next time!