Chosha's notes

Helllllloooooooo! Welcome back everyone! Sorry for the wait, but to thank you all, I've done a double update! (Round of applause) …anyway, thank you to all my reviewers – you know who you are, so give yourselves a pat on the back. I apologise for not naming everyone, but I have little time to do my updates between my lessons. So, without further ado, here it is!

Disclaimer: …If you want to live, I suggest you read all previous.

Last time on RKatPS

Christmas came and Kenshin is not only shocked by getting presents, but has a great time too, though he didn't notice as Harry opens one more present…

Chapter Sixteen

The Meaning of Flamel

It felt only seconds since he had put his head down on the pillow when Kenshin felt himself being shaken awake. Mumbling, Kenshin blinked, wondering why he had been shaken. He instinctively checked with his ki sense to see what the problem was, but couldn't feel anything of urgency. However, he did feel the ki of someone awake… or, at least, part of a ki. Kenshin's eyes snapped open at that and he found himself looking into the eyes of Harry. But not all of Harry – Just his head! Kenshin jumped, scooting back in his bed, grasping his wand in seconds and opened his mouth to yell, staring at the floating head of his friend in horror. But before Kenshin could even make a sound, Harry covered his mouth.

'Shhh,' whispered Harry. 'I want to show you something.'

It took a few minutes for what Harry said to sink in Kenshin's shocked mind. Kenshin schooled his face to become blank as he looked at the boy's head. But…how? And, How could he only feel part of his ki? Kenshin watched with suspicion 'Why I can only see your head?' He whispered cautiously.

'Shhh,' repeated Harry, with a nervous glance at the other snoring boys behind their curtains. 'Don't wake everyone up. I couldn't get Ron or Sanosuke up. He nearly hit me when I tried. But I really have to show you.'

Kenshin groaned mentally. Why him? Harry didn't even answer his other question about why he could only see his head. That was a little irritating, especially after Harry had almost caused him to shoot curses or unleash the Hiten Mitsurugi on the poor boy. 'So why can I only see your head?' He asked, the slight threat clear in his voice. He left it unsaid that he could only feel part of the boy's life-force too – something that unnerved him no end.

Harry bit his lip, then swung something from his shoulders. A fluid-looking, slivery cloth rippled onto his stunned hands. Kenshin's eyes widened as his hands seemed to vanish under the cloth. 'It's an invisibility cloak. It was my dad's. Someone sent it to me.'

Kenshin glanced at it doubtfully. 'Are you sure it's safe?'

Harry nodded. 'I've already tried it out. Nothing happened, except no one could see me.'

Or feel him either…Kenshin shivered a little. Harry looked at him pleadingly and the redhead sighed. If Hiko found out, Kenshin was sure he would get murdered on the spot. But Kenshin couldn't stand those puppy-dog eyes. 'Alright,' He sighed in defeat. Kenshin picked up his wand and pulled on his new jumper over his yukata, slipping on his trainers. 'Show me whatever you wanted to show me.'

Harry's face visibly brightened. With a smile, he threw the invisibility cloak over their shoulders and they vanished.

o0o

After a confused portrait opening seemingly by itself and a few corridors latter, Kenshin found himself next to Harry, huddled beneath the invisibility cloak inside an unused classroom. Though it was dark outside still, Kenshin could make out the dark shapes of chairs and desks by the thin strips of moonlight spilling through the crack in the drawn curtains. The air was cold and silent. Time seemed to have stopped. All he could hear was the soft breathing of himself and his companion. Then, a could must have sifted outside, as a silvery beam slowly spilled into the room, caressing a shining object it fell upon. Kenshin's eyes widened in awe.

There, in the centre of the room, stood a large, magnificent mirror, as high as the ceiling with a large, ornate golden frame standing on clawed feet. An inscription was carved around the top: Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafra oyt on wohsi. Kenshin blinked. He recognised this. It had been in one of the extra books he had bought in Diagon ally. The inscription was like a reflection in a mirror – it was backwards. If it was rearranged a little, what it would truly say would be I show not your face but your hearts desire. It had confused him no end at first, wondering what it meant by that when he first read about it, but he had a feeling it must be enchanted. Now, here it was, right in front of him.

Harry stood in front of the mirror and whispered excitedly, 'Look. It's my family!' Kenshin looked, but he could only see Harry's reflection. Suddenly, he realised what the riddle had meant. It was enchanted to show a person's hearts desire. Only what a person wanted most in the world could see it

'I think that I won't see them, Harry-kun…' He said, slightly regretfully. He would have liked to see Harry's family, but that was not his greatest desire. "It'll only show what a person always wanted – their greatest wish.'

Harry looked at him stubbornly. 'Hmm… maybe you have to stand where I am,' Harry suggested and pulled Kenshin closer, despite his protests. Seeing as there was no way he would be believed unless he looked, Kenshin looked into the mirror with a little trepidation. Even he wasn't sure what his greatest desire was. In all honesty, he wasn't sure it was wise to know. What he saw caused him to freeze, the blood draining from his face.

There was Kenshin, his eyes wide in a pained look at what stood close to him. There, surrounding him, were three figures Kenshin never thought he would see again, yet locked away within the recesses of his mid that held all those memories of before he became the Heir to the Mitsurugi-ryu. There, looking back at him was Kasumi, Akane and Sakura – the girls who had lost their lives to protect him. Yet there they were, not dead and lifeless, buried in the mountains of Kyoto, but smiling, laughing, waving at him happily. Kenshin wanted to look away, wanted those memories flashing through his mind to fade, but he couldn't do it. Kasumi and Akane were bickering pleasantly, Akane hitting Kasumi on the shoulder playfully and giggling. Sakura was laughing and leaned forward to wrap her arms around the mirror's Kenshin motherly. Kenshin could almost feel tears coming to his eyes, misery enveloping him. In his mind, he saw them as Kasumi and Akane were shot down, telling him to live. Sakura pleading, begging for his life. Saw as she was shot, her body dumped to the floor…

'So, what do you see, Kenshin?' asked Harry, unaware of the turmoil the other boy was in. Kenshin stumbled away, his eyes haunted, yet unable to throw up his cheerful mask. He looked everywhere but the mirror and Harry. Face hidden in the darkness, he whispered, 'Nothing. I didn't…see…' He stopped himself before his voice cracked.

Normally, the look of disappointment on Harry's face would have made him feel guilty for lying to the other boy. However, he was barely composed himself, struggling to put those memories back into the recesses of his mind and failing miserably. Sakura's face flashed in his mind, trying to hug him, or mother him, Kasumi asking him how the day had been, holding his hand, or Akane trying to make him less nervous by joking and laughing at him. Flash as he saw their dead faces, blood pooling around them.

Harry seemed to see that something was wrong. 'Kenshin…?' He asked, going towards him. Kenshin flinched away.

'Lets go back,' Kenshin's voice was hard, controlled, leaving no room for argument. Harry obeyed reluctantly and swept the cloak over them again. As they made their way back to the tower again, Kenshin kept his eyes squeezed shut, refusing to cry. He couldn't cry. He couldn't…

As soon as they got back into the Gryffindor common room, Kenshin threw the cloak of himself an bolted up into his bed, drawing the curtains around himself and cast a silencing charm he had learned. That done, Kenshin drew his knees up to himself, and put his head in his arms.

For so long, Kenshin had tried to forget. Tried to forget that day. When he became Hiko's apprentice, he buried the memories, delving into the sword-arts in an attempt to cover his sorrows until he could almost forget. Yet now, in one fell swoop, those walls he had built round himself and those memories had crumbled and they came back full force. Those three girls who had been like his sisters for the time he had known them, no matter what he tried, filled his mind once more. Kasumi's smiles; Akane's jokes, Sakura's embrace – dead. And it was his fault they had gone…

For the first time since they died, Kenshin allowed a single tear to slip down his cheek

o0o

Since Harry had dragged him out of bed that night and he had looked into the mirror, Kenshin absolutely avoided the room with the mirror at all costs. For the few days afterwards, Kenshin was touchy and he had nightmares that left him covered in sweat and tears, shaking as he saw them die, then scream at him that it was his entire fault. It took him several days before Kenshin had finally got himself in some sort of control and locked the memories away, though he was still haunted in his dreams for days afterwards, but he could put them behind him and enjoy himself again.

Christmas was over before Kenshin could even say Ryutsuisen and classes began once more when Hermione and the others returned from their homes. Of course, that also included Malfoy ('all things come to an end I guess,' grumbled Sanosuke.)

Strangely enough, Harry, Ron and Hermione had gone back to disappearing into the library again. Harry less so than the others, however, as Quidditch had begun once again, and Wood, the team captain for Gryffindor, had set them a tough training program… when the twins decided to follow it rather than dive-bombing each other on their brooms. Kenshin wondered what Hiko would have said if he had been that bad. Then again, Kenshin probably wouldn't have lived long enough to find out anyway. Harry was also looking a little worse for wear, but Kenshin didn't think it would get much worse for him.

It did.

'HE'S WHAT!'

Sanosuke stood up so fast he nearly knocked over the game of wizard chess that Kenshin and Ron were just playing. With a small cry, Ron and Kenshin made a dive to save their already broken chess pieces.

Harry repeated himself. 'Snape is refereeing for the upcoming Quidditch match.'

Ron and Hermione stared in shock. Kaoru and Kenshin choked. The Potion's Master was refereeing! Refereeing as in being involved with Quidditch... what was this world coming to? Kenshin, Kaoru and Sanosuke exchanged a look. For one, they knew Snape was going to be unfair. But then there was always that little incident with the cursing too. Great… no pressure then…

'Don't play,' exclaimed Hermione at once.

'Say you're ill,' offered Ron.

'Pretend to break you're leg,' Added Kaoru

'Really break your leg!' Sanosuke interjected, causing everyone to fall over.

'Eh, Sano? I think that defeats the object a little, de gozaru,' Kenshin put in once he had recovered.

'Anyway, Kenshin's right. I can't do that. There isn't a reserve Seeker. If I back out now, Gryffindor can't play at all.'

Sanosuke swore.

At that exact moment, there was a crash and Neville fell through the portrait hole, his legs locked together. Everyone stared. It must have taken him hours to bunny hop all the way up here. There was silence. Then, everyone fell over laughing.

Hermione sprang up to get rid of the curse, but there was a 'Finite Incantatem' before she got there, and Neville's legs springing apart. Hermione stared at the perpetrator who was faster than her, along with everyone else, completely stunned someone beat Hermione in magic. Kenshin blushed. 'I'm used to this spell, de gozaru,' He muttered, remembering the little incident at the Leaky Cauldron when he practised on himself.

Hermione looked positively mortified.

'What happened?' Kaoru asked, helping Neville to his feet again.

'Malfoy,' he answered shakily. 'I met him in the library. He said he'd been looking for someone to practice on.' Kenshin almost growled. He decided the next time he saw that walking dead ferret he was going to show him exactly what a snail feels like.

'Go to professor McGonagall!' Hermione urged the boy. 'Report him!'

Neville shook his head. 'I don't want any more trouble.' He murmured.

'You have to stand up for yourself, Neville,' Kenshin said softly. 'There are always people in this world that think that the weak should be downtrodden and oppressed. You shouldn't show them that is the right way to think by making it easier for them. You just have to believe in yourself.'

'Kenshin's right,' Kaoru said with a smile. 'You're worth twelve of Malfoy.'

Neville smiled a little, especially when Harry added his own views about just what Malfoy was and gave him a chocolate frog to cheer him up. Neville had left soon after, happier than before, but not before giving Harry the card.

Harry glanced at it for a moment, before stopping dead, wonder on his face. "Ron, Hermione!' he exclaimed 'I found him! I found Flamel!" The two of them, rushed towards him, ignoring Kaoru's confused, 'Who?' Kenshin straightened. Wasn't that the name he had heard so many times in those whispered convocations?

Suddenly Hermione's eyes lit up and she darted back up to her room.

'What's wrong with her?' asked Sanosuke, utterly confused. He walked over to where Harry and Ron were. He received no answer. It didn't matter because a few seconds after he asked that, Hermione came back down. She was carrying a big, thick leather-bound book.

'I never thought to look in here!' she whispered excitedly. She seemed to have forgotten Kenshin, Sanosuke and Kaoru were standing there, identical question marks floating over their heads. 'I got this out of the library weeks ago for a bit of light reading.'

Everyone fell over.

'Light?' choked Ron. Hermione told Ron to be quiet. She then returned searching through her book, mumbling to herself. At last she found what she was looking for.

'I knew it! I knew it!'

'Are we allowed to speak yet?' said Ron grumpily. Hermione ignored him as she pushed Sanosuke out the way.

Sanosuke scowled. 'Will someone tell us what's going on?' he asked angrily. His question was ignored as Hermione interrupted him.

'Nicolas Flamel,' she whispered dramatically, 'is the only maker of the Philosopher's Stone!'

Kenshin froze, feeling the blood drain from his face. Kami, please don't lead to what I think it does… Kenshin grabbed the book and skimmed through the page's contents, everyone else looking over his shoulder as Kenshin read allowed:

The ancient study of alchemy is concerned with making the Philosopher's Stone, a legendary substance with astonishing powers. The stone will transform any metal into pure gold. It also produces the Elixir of Life, which will make the drinker immortal.

There have been many reports of the Philosopher's Stone over the centuries, but the only Stone currently in existence belongs to Mr. Nicolas Flamel, the noted alchemist and opera lover. Mr. Flamel, who celebrated his six hundred and sixty-fifth birthday last year, enjoyed a quiet life in Devon with his wife, Perenelle (six hundred and fifty-eight.)

'See?' said Hermione. 'The dog must be guarding Flamel's Philosopher's Stone! I bet he asked Dumbledore to keep it safe for him, because they're friends and he knew someone was after it, that's why he wanted the Stone moved out of Gringotts!'

'A stone that makes gold and stops you from dying!' said Harry. 'No wonder Snape's after it! Anyone would want it.'

Before anything else could be said, Sanosuke exploded. 'What the hell is going on!'

Ron, Hermione, and Harry turned around. It seemed they completely forgot they had three extras in their conversation. Sheepish expressions appeared on their faces.

Kenshin bit his lip. So that was what they were after. The Philosopher's stone… Chikusho, this was not good. Now he had two things to worry about. He just hoped he could keep Harry alive long enough to figure out why the two professors were so intent on finding this mysterious stone.

o0o

The morning of the Quidditch match soon came and Harry was nearly as nervous as he was before his first Quidditch match – only this time, Harry didn't just have Bludgers to worry about. Kenshin and the others attempted to console him, telling him to let them worry about Snape. With the reassurance from his friends he shakily made his way to the field. Meanwhile Kaoru, Sanosuke, Ron and Hermione headed up to the stands. Not too far away, hidden close to the teacher's box, Kenshin sat quietly, watching to see if Quirrell was going to do anything. However, he had to breathe a sigh of relief when he saw Dumbledore sitting up there too. Perhaps Kenshin wouldn't have anything to worry about. Still, it was better safe than sorry. If worst came to worst and Snape attempted anything, Kenshin could always tell the Headmaster what they had discovered – if he didn't think he had lost his marbles.

The game began with little incident in the pitch itself. However, in the stands, that was another story all together.

'Longbottom, if brains were gold you'd be poorer than Weasley, and that's saying something.' Malfoy sneered.

Sanosuke practically snarled at the sound of the voice, Kaoru fuming, looking ready to pull her bokken from Kami knows where, picturing it slamming satisfyingly between the jerk's eyes. That ungrateful, half-wit, baka, blockheaded jerk was here, once more tormenting them. Kaoru had to wonder if Malfoy even had a life outside of his snide comments. Sanosuke looked more than ready to plant his fist on the younger wizard's stuck-up nose. Neville merely whimpered. Malfoy was scaring Neville out of his wits.

'MALFOY YOU JERK!' Kaoru practically bellowed. 'LEAVE HIM ALONE!' Neville looked very grateful. Malfoy turned up and looked, scanning over them before his expression settled to a smirk.

'Well, if it isn't the other hopeless cases,' He sneered. 'What you going to do, Racoon – bite me?'

Kaoru froze. He did not just call her a racoon…he did…Sanosuke was wise enough to move out of the way as Kaoru glared daggers at the boy, wreathed in flamed. Even Malfoy paused. In seconds, the bokken was out and she hurled herself at the boy, who almost screamed.

'Oi, don't leave me out of the good fights!' Sanosuke said, cracking his knuckles and, no longer really caring what anyone said, practically leapt at Crabbe and Goyle, soon followed by Ron and, surprisingly, Neville too. Hermione paid no attention to it as she watched Harry zoom around looking for the Snitch.

Hermione didn't even notice the scuffle and the yelps coming from the whirl of fists and cloud of smoke that came from the fight behind her. The game ended when Harry caught the Snitch and Kaoru had gave Malfoy a black eye, along with several new bloody lumps. Hermione screamed happily, jumping up and down, leaning forward to hug Parvati in the row in front. Kaoru, Ron and Sanosuke, over the beaten boys, gave a victory pose.

Up near the teacher's stands, Kenshin bolted back down the stairs, grinning from ear to ear that Harry was safe.

Snape spat bitterly on the ground.

o0o

The sword sliced through the air, the dying light dancing along the blade as it moved and flowed like water in the kata of the Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu. However, while the body of the small form worked almost passed the speed of sound, his mind was elsewhere.

The Philosopher's stone, known to make gold and turn the drinker immortal. Both a valuable and, in the wrong hands, dangerous tool. Kenshin had already sent Mika with the news to Hiko, telling him about their new discovery. Hopefully, Hiko might be able to shed a little light on the subject of the stone and what it could mean for the rest of them. Kenshin would be damned if he could figure out what it was alone just then. It didn't tell him what they wanted it for...or for whom.

Kenshin finished the dance and, in one swift movement, slid the sword home; his eyes closed it thought. That's when he felt it…coldness, malice. His eyes shot open and he spun round, blending into the shadows of the trees.

A hooded figure walking at a fast pace strode towards the forest, black robes billowing out behind him like a bat in the night, clearly not wanting to be seen. The ki was sharp, icy, strong…familiar. He knew at once who it was - Snape.

Kenshin watched as the man passed by his hiding place, not seeming to see the flames of red hair in the shadows, sneaking deeper in. Kenshin's eyes narrowed in suspicion. What was going on? Kenshin wasn't going to just let him sneak around like a cat. The man was definitely up to something. Kenshin leaped into the trees in one silent jump, a couple of leaves fell of the branch when he landed, but made no sound. Silently, Kenshin leapt from tree to tree, silently following the professor like a deadly shadow, his eyes glowing a little in the darkening forest.

Finally, Snape stopped as Kenshin soundlessly landed in the branches of a tree, half hidden by branches. Though no one could see him if they looked up, Kenshin could clearly see them, no matter how dark it got. Hiko taught him how to track too well for him not to see. Snape wasn't alone – there was also Quirrell, stuttering soundlessly in a panic, but Kenshin knew better. His ki flickered in anger and hate. Kenshin clearly heard what the man had to say.

'I d-don't know why you wanted t-t-to meet here of all p-places, Severus…' Quirrell stuttered finally.

'Oh, I thought we'd keep this private,' Snape said, his voice as silky as ice. 'Students aren't meant to know about the Philosopher's stone after all.'

Kenshin's eyes narrowed slightly at this.

'Have you found out how to get past that beast of Hagrid's yet?'

'B-b-but Severus, I –'

"You don't want me as your enemy, Quirrell," hissed Snape softly, the warning clear in his voice. Kenshin heard muffled footsteps as Snape walked closer to Quirrell.

'I-I don't know what you—'

'You know perfectly well what I mean.'

'B-but I d-d-don't –'

'Very well,' Snape cut in. 'We'll have another little chat soon, when you've had time to think things over and decide where your loyalties lie.' Kenshin's frown deepened ever more. What did Snape mean by that? It seemed perhaps that Quirrell was not only working with Snape to go after the stone, but someone else. Perhaps they weren't working together at all? Damn, this was more complicated than before.

Kenshin looked back down again as Snape strode away, leaving a terrified looking professor behind – except for a moment, his face seemed to slip. Suddenly, ki blasted in dark fury and calculating madness that it nearly caused Kenshin to fall. He tried not to gasp against the almost physical pain it created. Then, just as suddenly, it was gone, along with the professor.

Kenshin looked round wildly, but Quirrell was nowhere to be seen. However, he saw something else instead. Sanosuke was hidden behind a tree; his eyes wide yet holding suspicions mirroring Kenshin's own. Kenshin moved, letting Sanosuke see he was there. Sanosuke caught his eyes. Kenshin looked back grimly and nodded.

Sanosuke swore. "Kuso!"

Exactly

To be continued… on the second half of double update! Hurry hurry!