Chosha's notes

Welcome to the second half of the double update! And now, after that tiny second break, back to RKatPS!

Chapter Seventeen

Dark Shadows

It was some time before Kenshin and Sanosuke could tell Kaoru of their discoveries. Exams were only ten weeks round the corner, but despite Ron and Sanosuke's reassurances that it was ages away, everyone from the teachers to Hermione were forcing them to revise and throwing homework at them left right and centre. Sanosuke had left everything to the last moment (as usual) and begged Kenshin for help, until Kaoru banged him on the head to remind him it's his work and he had to do it on his own. Thankfully, in that time, Snape was still in a bad mood and annoyance flickered between dormant and dominant ki's of Quirrell – a sure sign that the three-headed dog was alive and well and that the stone was still protected and locked away in the castle.

Finally, a little after the Easter holidays; they managed to get a chance to tell Kaoru of their discoveries. Kaoru instantly agreed with them that the situation was getting worse.

"I mean, before we thought it was just the two of them, but from the way Snape was talking, it looks like there's a third party," Kaoru said as they sat in the library a little before lunch. They were speaking in Japanese – no point in informing anyone of what they knew. It could be the last thing they did, especially when they had no idea who this other person was, or even if it was just one extra person.

"Plus I think there is more than the one thing guarding it," Kenshin added. "The stone is too important and valuable for just the one thing to guard it. I checked by the third floor a few days ago. It feels choked in magic."

"Still doesn't make me feel any better 'bout it," Sanosuke grumbled. Kenshin agreed. He had recently received a message back from Hiko. Basically it told him that he had to keep his guard up. The philosopher's stone could be dangerous. He had also, much to Kenshin's surprise, mentioned he would try to look into getting more information to try to help out. He didn't know how Hiko was going to manage that though. But all this was rubbing his nerves raw. He sighed.

"We'd better get going. Its nearly dinner, People will start to get suspicious if we didn't turn up at all." Besides, all they were doing was digging up more questions.

Sanosuke was up and out the door in ten seconds flat.

Kaoru giggled a little and they followed him towards the great hall. However, when they caught up with him, it wasn't to find him stuffing his face with food, but staring at the hourglasses that showed the house points in coloured gems. Kenshin started as he looked at the red hourglass. They were down by a hundred and fifty…hang on, that couldn't be right! Kenshin rubbed his eyes and stared at it again. No, it was! But how?

"Sanosuke, what did you do this time!" Kaoru immediately rounded on him. Sanosuke backed away and ran behind Kenshin. Kenshin sweat-dropped.

"Whoa, whoa, Jo-chan! It wasn't me!"

Kaoru blinked in confusion, all anger melting from her face. "But then…why have we lost all those points?"

Kenshin blinked as he caught sight of a third year from Ravenclaw making her way to the great hall and quickly stopped her. 'Um, you wouldn't know why Gryffindor House has dropped so many points at all, would you?" Kenshin asked politely. The girl frowned.

'You didn't hear?' she asked, 'Harry Potter and some other first years lost all those points because they were out wandering in the night. Too bad, I was looking forward to see if they would win House Cup.' The girl then walked away. Kenshin, Kaoru and Sanosuke just stood there in shock. Harry! Kaoru suddenly began fuming and stormed off to find the boy. Kenshin and Sano blinked at each other, before identical looks of alarm flashed over their faces and they bolted after her.

"Kami Jou-chan! Don't you dare kill them!"

"Ororo! Kaoru-dono!"

o0o

After holding Kaoru back as she squirmed in Kenshin's grasp as she did a hell of a lot of yelling (and Sanosuke congratulating them on getting Malfoy into trouble as well before Kenshin lost his grip and Kaoru started chasing him with her bokken.) Kenshin sat rigged in a chair in the common room. Everything was static with tension. Harry was reading, trying to ignore the stares he was getting. Hermione couldn't take much of it and retreated to her room. Neville did so as well. Whispers were heard among the stares and Harry seemed to sink further into his chair. It wasn't long before Kenshin himself bolted. He couldn't stand the tension any longer. His whole body was prepared for a fight because of it, which wasn't good with Kenshin's reflexes. He already nearly knocked out Percy when he put a hand on his shoulder to ask him if he was all right. Anything could have happened if he was exposed to it any longer.

But unlucky for Kenshin, the tension went on. Until Kenshin was literally avoiding the common room unless it was an absolute necessity he had to go in there. Instead, he spent his time outside revising, or training, or in the library. His nerves were too frayed to try anything else. He already hit several of the Gryffindors who caught him at a bad time (one was still in the hospital wing) and Kaoru and Sanosuke were both careful to alert him before they got too close. Plus when he thought he would be okay again, set one foot in the common room and he was right back were he started. Sometimes he really, really, hated Hiko for teaching him how to read ki.

The next day, notes arrived for Harry, Hermione, Neville and Malfoy about their detentions. Kenshin almost choked when he found out they were going into the forbidden forest. I mean it's forbidden! That's why it's the Forbidden forest!

Nightfall came soon enough and they left for their detentions. However, Kenshin, Kaoru, Sanosuke and Ron stayed up in the common room to wait for them. Worried that they might get hurt. However, soon Ron, Kaoru and Sanosuke had fallen asleep. Kenshin, however, couldn't sleep at all. He sat on the chair nearest to the window, listening to Ron's loud snores and stared out of it towards the forest, wondering if Harry, Hermione and Neville were all right. Then he felt a little guilty for not thinking about Malfoy's safety too. After all, he was another human – albeit a spoilt one, but still another human life.

It was as he was pondering on these thoughts that he saw it. Red sparks shooting into the air from the recesses of the forest. Kenshin straightened, eyes wide. That was where the others were! They were in trouble! Damn it, what kinds of teachers send children into the forest in the middle of the night? Don't they know how dangerous it could get! Kenshin had had enough experience with the forests around Hiko's home and the dangers there to know it was close to insane to try something like this.

Kenshin grabbed His Sakabato and bolted out of the portrait hole. Damn house points, this was more important!

Kenshin darted through the school, melting into the shadows. He felt like a spy out of the movies, or one of the Hitokiri from the Bakumatsu! He kept thinking on what would happen if he got caught.

To Kenshin's surprise, he never saw a soul.

It didn't take long for Kenshin to get to the forest. Carefully, he crouched to the floor, running his fingers over the soft ground for footprints. Kenshin was a good tracker. He could track someone, even his own master through any conditions – even at night. Kenshin had to smile – his master taught him well. He felt the footprints and followed into the forest, his sword loosened in its sheath. Who knew what was out there in unfamiliar territory? Especially magical territory.

As he followed, he smelt a salty, metallic smell…blood. For a second he panicked, until he saw it. Silvery-blue, it was pooled in a staggered line. Whatever it was that bled this, it was wounded badly. And whatever was wounded was clearly not human.

The prints followed the blood deeper into the wild woods. And the smell of blood grew stronger, the pools larger, but the prints kept following. What on earth were they looking for? Kenshin wondered.

A blood-curdling scream echoed through the forest, making Kenshin's blood run cold. Seconds later, Fang, Hagrid's dog, bounded passed him, followed by Malfoy in a panic.

Kenshin grabbed the boy, who screamed hysterically. Kenshin shook him. 'Malfoy! Calm down! It's me, Kenshin!'

Malfoy blenched even more. If the situation weren't so serious, Kenshin would have sweat-dropped. That was not the effect he was going for! 'W-what the hell are you—'

'Not now!' Kenshin hissed. 'What's going on?'

'Back there – Monster – Potter'

Damn!

Kenshin bolted towards the way he had come, ignoring Malfoy's yells of 'What the hell are you doing? You'll die! You're mad!'

Kenshin skidded into a clearing. He felt his face blench. Before him, Harry was on the ground, his hand pressed hard against his scar while trying to back away. In front of him, a silvery, horse – no, a unicorn – was lying, dead on the floor, its long, slender legs splayed across the ground, silvery blood covering its hide. But what had Kenshin turn white was the creature advancing on Harry, A hooded humanoid creature, the unicorn's blood dripping from a gaping mouth.

Kenshin leapt into action. With god-like speed, Kenshin darted forward. The creature saw him and lashed out, Kenshin spinning out of the way.

"Ryukansen!"

The thing screamed. It hurt Kenshin's ears to hear the piercing sound. Kenshin flinched as the dark ki malicious, hateful, malevolent…what! That ki! Not so dormant any more! Kenshin fought against the wave of ki and the screeches, but when he looked up, the thing was gone. Kenshin grit his teeth.

'K-Kenshin…?'

Kenshin blinked and turned to the boy lying on the floor, staring up at him. His eyes wandered to the blade in Kenshin's hands and widened to the size of plates.

'You alright Harry?' Kenshin asked urgently, kneeling beside him to check him over for wounds. Harry was just staring dazedly and didn't answer the question. Seeing no wounds, Kenshin helped the boy to stand. Harry just stared

'How…' started Harry, 'how did you do that?'

Kenshin opened his mouth to answer him when he heard leaves rustling. Someone was coming. Kenshin drew Harry behind his back, ready to fight again if he had to, until he felt the ki. It was coming to help, benevolence though and through. But now Kenshin had other things to worry about – like what would happen if someone found him there now?

Kenshin turned to Harry. 'I can't say now, Harry. Someone's coming.'

'Huh?' Harry asked, turning to the other boy, 'What do you…' he trailed off. The red-haired boy had disappeared. Harry's eyes widened.

Then… a centaur burst through the undergrowth.

o0o

"Dammit! Hogging the fun fights all to yourself! You shouldn't be so selfish, Kenshin!"

Kenshin sweat-dropped at that. Anything, Kenshin had been expecting anything. Someone yelling at him he could have got hurt, panicked that Malfoy had caught sight of him, horrified by the thought of a humanoid beast attacking, but hogging fights to himself? Shouldn't have been so selfish?

"Perhaps to you, they're fun." He moaned.

They were sitting in the boy's dormitories, the sun just starting to rise. Harry and the others had returned, but were now asleep. Kenshin knew he would have to explain the Hiten Mitsurugi to him at some point, but thankfully, not now. Kaoru was looking mortified. "You should have told us you were going. You could have got yourself killed!" tears shone in her eyes. Kenshin averted his, not wanting to see them and give him more things to guilt over.

"Gomennasai… Kaoru-dono," Kenshin looked back up again. "But things are getting worse. When I fought the thing, I fe… saw who it was. It was Quirrell. I know it was. But it also wasn't him. I don't know."

"Maybe he has a twin?" Sanosuke offered.

"Iie, it's not like that. It was…like he was possessed or something—"

Suddenly a banging on the window cut off Kenshin. All three of them stiffened. Slowly, Kenshin peered through the hangings and when he saw what it was, breathed a sigh of relief. "Mika!"

Kenshin jumped off the bed and flung open the window for the bird. She sailed in, dropped off the letter and flew out again, after brushing his arm with a wing lightly. Kenshin guiltily guessed she was tied from all this hopping about. When this was over, he was going to give her as many treats as she could eat.

Kenshin unfolded the letter and stared.

Kenshin,

Quirrell is not alone. He is working for Voldemort. He wants the stone to return him to full power. If he does, you're world is doomed. Stop him!

Kaoru sank back onto the bed. "Did that say what I think it said?"

Sanosuke looked and swore. "No wonder the bastard tried to kill Harry. Harry's the only guy that beat him before!"

"Wait. It'll be okay!" Kaoru leaned forward again. "Listen, that Voldemort guy is supposed to be afraid of Dumbledore, isn't he? So, while Dumbledore's here, well be okay" At least, she tried to sound a little cheerful.

"Still, no pressure, huh…" Kenshin murmured, as he looked at the note in his hands. They didn't know Hiko like Kenshin did. Hiko was worried. And if it worried Hiko… Kenshin wasn't so sure of Kaoru's assurances.

They didn't have much time…

To be continued…

Chosha's notes

The plot thickens even more, huh? Well, I dunno, but if you spot anything you need clarifying, please review… actually, just review to tell me what you think, and vote too, if I should continue and do a sequel?

Well, anyways…

Next time on RKatPS

The cat is out of the bag and the danger has jumped up tenfold. Wait, Harry went after the stone! Next episode: the Third Floor

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

Chosha Kurenai xXx