Thanks to my wonderful beta, Lilster.

I may slow down updates since school is starting so if it takes a bit of time to update that's why. I REALLY don't plan on abandoning this. I enjoy writing this but school work might get in the way.

I'll try to at least put out a chapter per week but forgive me if class gets in the way and I don't.

…

Kaneki yawned as he sat up in his bed in the hospital wing. He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. He'd gotten back from Tokyo rather late and even though he was used to odd hours thanks to hunger his body felt particularly stubborn about waking up. Normally he would've slept in but that wasn't an option today. He was discharged from the hospital wing today and that meant he had classes to get to.

Hermione and Ron would be here soon and he internally patted himself on the back for coming up with a decent excuse for not eating again.

He'd told them that he'd eat something in the Hospital wing since he didn't want to deal with the stares that would undoubtedly be directed at him if he walked into the Great hall.

"What are you going to eat Kaneki?" Madam Pomfrey asked.

"Actually I have some jerky in my bag. Could you hand it to me?" Kaneki said.

"Sure, but are you positive that you don't want something else too?" She queried as she picked up his backpack and handed it to him

"Yeah, I don't like heavy meals. Something small and light is more my style, especially in the mornings," Kaneki reassured as he dug around in the surprisingly organized bag. The shrinking charm on the sack of jerky had worn off at this point but since it was in the expanded bag it wasn't a problem.

He pulled out two strips of jerky to eat but the moment it touched his tongue he felt the skin above his kagune burn.

He expertly pushed his longing for more flesh down and ignored the organ's painful plea. The meat tasted so much better than ghoul flesh.

Ghoul tasted like it should've been inedible but he always managed to choke it down. Unfortunately, it was also incredibly addictive.

His body was most certainly addicted if the withdrawal symptoms were anything to go by and if you developed a half kakuja then you were in too deep to try and quit. At this point, his only option was to eat more ghoul to try and stabilize his kakuja.

Kakujas (both half and full) also had to eat more than the average ghoul since they had two kagunes to maintain, so where most ghouls could go a month without eating he started to reach insanity-inducing hunger at two weeks.

All he could do for now was hope Tsukiyama would send ghoul meat before withdrawal started. Kakujas without ghoul meat were like ticking time bombs. Once you reached zero you mindlessly stuffed anything digestible in your mouth until you either found a ghoul or got killed by CCG.

Kaneki dragged himself out of bed and lugged his heavy body to the bathroom. He slipped out of his clothes and into the shower only to immediately realize that he fucked up.

In his sleep hazed mind, he just turned the water on without checking the temperature and had to pay for it by being doused with cold water. Jumping back out of the shower at hyper-speed he switched the water to the right temperature and stepped back in.

The warm water helped all of his muscles relax and the cold water hadn't been a complete waste since it had woken him up and gotten his brain working again.

After toweling himself off, brushing his teeth, and changing into his usual slacks, dress shirt, and oversized cardigan combo, he went back to his bed, grabbed a book from his bag, and waited.

…

Around 15 minutes later Ron and Hermione walked into the hospitalital wing.

"Hi Ha- sorry! I mean Kaneki," Hermione said, correcting herself.

"It's fine. Good Morning as well. Should we head to class? McGonagall told me to attend whatever classes you guys go to until they get everything sorted out," Kaneki said.

"Sure but, umm, shouldn't you change into your robes first?" Ron asked.

"Actually I don't have any robes that fit. Besides, I'm so used to muggle clothes that I don't think I could be comfortable in robes again," Kaneki said sheepishly.

"Oh! Ok," Ron said understandingly. It was a much more tactful reaction than what the old Ron might have done, Kaneki noticed.

"I presume that your ordering books by owl?" Hermione guessed as they headed to class.

"Yea- oh god!- Hedwig! Is she ok?!" Kaneki panicked remembering his owl.

"Yeah mate, don't worry! She showed up at our place in the middle of summer. It's actually what got the search for you going," Ron said.

"Oh thank god. But how though? The Dursleys had her locked in her cage and bars installed on my widow." Kaneki explained.

"Really?! I have no clue how she got out then." Ron said with a newfound respect for the bird.

"Do you know where she is now?" Kaneki asked.

"Yeah, she's been living in the Hogwarts owlery. I visit her some time to bring her snacks. She won't deliver letters for anymore, though hopefully, that might change now that you're back," Hermione told him.

"I'll go see her during lunch," Kaneki resolved as they entered the still mostly empty transfigurations classroom.

"Kaneki, could you come here a second? It's about getting you caught up with the curriculum," McGonagall said.

"Sure Professor, what is it?" He asked waking up to her.

"Most of the other professors and I have put together packets to help you get caught up. If you need help feel free to ask us but Hermione can also probably help you. You should be able to finish it within two weeks since this is what you'll be doing in class and as homework till you catch up. The first trial is at the end of this month and we need to get you caught up enough to get through it," McGonagall explained while handing him the aforementioned packets.

"Ok, thanks," Kaneki said, taking the packets and sitting down next to Hermione and Ron.

By now most of the class had arrived and taken their seats and only a few minutes later the class began. Overall the class had passed by rather smoothly with Kaneki getting through more of the packet than he expected to.

…

"What class are we going to next Hermione? Ron asked.

"We have CMC (care of magical creatures) and then Defense, both with the Slytherins, before lunch," she answered as they left the class.

They talked about random stuff like new books and quidditch theories as they walked out to Hagrid's hut.

CMC, being an elective class, was one of the classes he didn't have a packet for so he was kind of excited about what they would do.

(I'm sorry I can't write Hagrid's accent)

"Harry! Merlin, it's been so long!" Hagrid exclaimed as he gave him a hug.

"I know Hagrid!" Kaneki said with a smile. The strength of the hug was a bit much but not too bad considering that he regularly got worse from an over-excited Hinami.

Hagrid had been the one who'd saved him from a life of pain and suffering at the hands of his family and seeing him again made all the feelings from that day resurface.

"Umm Hagrid? Could you let me go now?" He asked awkwardly.

He loved the big oaf but this was getting uncomfortable.

"Oh oops! Sure," Hagrid said, setting him down.

…

Now that most of the class was standing outside of Hagrid's hut he'd decided to start class.

"So for this year, we'll be focusing on a specific animal. There's actually some specialists coming in but they won't be coming in until the end of this month so we won't really be talking too much about it till then. Till then we'll be working mostly with unicorns. Today will be focused on going through the curriculum though. Yes, Hermione?" Hagrid asked, stopping in response to her putting her hand up.

"I was wondering what creature we're focusing on," She said.

"Oh! I nearly forgot about that. We'll be studying Ghouls," Hagrid responded.

Kaneki froze, blood pounding in his ears.

Oh. Oh fuck no.

His stupid luck had hit rock bottom. The experts coming in a month were probably going to be CCG and if Arima came he would recognize Kaneki from their fight (Kaneki hadn't had a mask on). Even if he didn't come, someone would, and they wouldn't just know what to look for. They were going to teach the entire student body to spot a ghoul.

Everyone else erupted into chatter voicing their dismay at being forced to study ghouls, of all things, at varying volumes.

Unsurprisingly, Draco was the loudest. "What's so impressive about ghouls that we need to study them for a year? He demanded.

"QUIET!" Hagrid bellowed. There wasn't any anger in his voice as it rang through the grounds though.

Once Hagrid had everyone's attention again he started again. "I'm not talking about the type of ghouls we're used to. We'll be learning about Japanese ghouls," he continued.

"What's so different about them?!" Draco sassed back.

"Everything. They may be called Ghouls but they're nothing alike. I honestly don't know too much about them so I won't say anymore," Hagrid said.

Even after everything Hagrid had said though no one was really hyped for the year, after all, how impressive could a ghoul be?

The rest of the class went in one ear and out the other for Kaneki as he struggled to figure out what he was going to do against the CCG. He didn't really focus on anything other than his impending doom until they started DADA when their teacher clunked into the room on his peg leg

"When it comes to the dark art's I believe in a practical approach, but first, which of you can tell me how many unforgivable curses there are?" He said taking his spot at the front of the classroom.

"Three sir," Hermione tensely responded.

"And why are they called that?" He asked.

"Because they're unforgivable, The use of any one of them-" Hermione said.

"-Earn you a one-way ticket to Azkaban, correct. The minister says you're too young to see what these curses do. I say different! You need to know what you're up against. You need to be prepared. You need to find another place to put your chewing gum Finnigan!" He finished causing everyone to look at the boy in question with different degrees of disgust.

"Oh god! he can see out of the back of his head," Seamus muttered under his breath.

"And hear across classrooms!" He said turning to look out at the class.

"So which curse shall we see first?" He asked everyone ominously.

"Weasley! Stand!" The professor said loudly, causing the boy in question to flinch before reluctantly standing.

"Give us a curse," he told Ron.

"Well- my dad did tell me about one. The imperious curse?" He said so nervously that came out as a question.

"Oh yes, your father would know about that. It gave the ministry quite a bit of grief a few years ago. Perhaps this will show you why." He said before pulling out a spider from a jar and casting and engorgio on it.

"Imperio," he said.

Suddenly the spider started darting around the room doing various tricks. People were either screaming in fear or laughing and through all the commotion no one noticed Kaneki hunched over clutching his ears.

It was loud. He could stop the ring in his ears no matter how hard he squeezed them! Too much, too much! His brain couldn't focus on anything and he felt disoriented.

Slowly through the screaming and laughter, he heard the scuttle of little feet. They were soft at first but they grew louder and louder. Horror gripped him as he realized what was happening.

CeNtIpEaDs CrAwLiNg ThRoUgH hIs EaRs!

He had to get it out.

"Kaneki? Are you ok?" Ron asked carefully.

Suddenly the hazy black void he was trapped in snapped back into a classroom. He noticed that most of the class was looking over at him and he was thankful that he hadn't tried to "get the centipede out". Hyperventilating was a bad way to start the school year but self-mutilation was worse.

" 'm fine Ron," he said shakily as he reassured himself that he was safe.

Moody cleared his throat, thankfully causing everyone to turn their attention away from Kaneki.

"Another," he asked the class. This time Neville hesitantly raised his hand.

"Longbottom is it?" Moody called causing Neville to stand up nervously.

"T-the umm-mmm C-cr-cruciatus curse," he stuttered out.

"Correct! Correct! The torture curse," he said before pointing his wand at the spider again.

"Crucio," he said. Only seconds later the little thing started curling up in agony, even letting out screams of pain. Kaneki couldn't help but feel sorry for the spider, the ones in his cupboard were always rather friendly.

Rather quickly though it became obvious that Neville was uncomfortable.

"Stop it! Can't you see it's bothering him? Stop it!" Hermione implored causing moody to let go of the curse.

"S-sorry, perhaps you could give us the last unforgivable curse ?" He asked.

Hermione looked on the verge of tears as she shook her head in denial.

"Avada Kedavra," he said as a green flash of light burst out of his wand.

"The killing curse. Only one person is known to have survived it, and he's sitting in this room," Mad eye said as he looked at Kaneki.

"Class dismissed," Moody said as he walked back to his desk.

When Kaneki, Ron, and Hermione were just a little ways out of the door Draco appeared behind them.

"What was that Potter? Are you that scared of spiders?!" Draco mocked.

"Hey!" Ron said angrily as he turned to defend Kaneki only to be stopped by a hand on his shoulder. Looking over he was met with tired eyes and a reassuring smile.

"Ron, it's fine. I don't care if he insults me. What he says doesn't matter to me. You don't need to drag yourself down to his level for me." He said with a bunch of subtle jabs at Draco.

"W-well, I mean if you say so mate," Ron said, the fight draining from his body causing the smirk on Draco's face.

Draco was after all just a school bully and a child. His anger was reserved for the likes of Aogiri and the CCG.

Hermione was a little surprised by how graceful Kaneki handled the entire situation as the three of them turned their backs to Draco.

Draco grit his teeth, his rage at being dismissed finally bubbling over as he pulled out his wand.

"Bombarda!" He yelled.

Immediately everything slowed down. The walls turned into skyscrapers and office buildings while the ceiling became the night sky of Tokyo. Ron and Hermione were replaced by Tsukiyama and Nishiki and Draco by a pesky Dove. Kaneki heard the muffled sound of cars and people a little ways away but the thing that caused him to move was the sound of a gunshot.

Quinque bullets

Reflexively RC cells rushed to Kaneki's arm as he prepared to catch the projectile.

The moment it collided with his hand everyone who was paying attention went wide-eyed. The air was thick with rage as the spell hit Kaneki's hand and shattered, almost like a sparkler.

The temperature in the room dropped as Kaneki's turned his head to address the dove behind him.

"I don't care what happens to me but my friends are off-limits. Hurt them and I'll kill you," He threatened. The little dove was quaking in his boots and it was clear that he was just a fledgling. He had probably just graduated from the academy and likely didn't have any blood on his hands. He was never a threat and it would be a waste of time to kill him.

When he turned to leave though he was taken aback when he didn't see Tokyo and for the second time that day he realized that he was at Hogwarts.

He was hallucinating

Shit

…

Hey guys sorry again for the late update (I mean I still spoil you all with weekly chapters instead of monthly ones) but school is forcing me to slow down.

I'm also planning on doing a Tokyo Ghoul x Hannibal crossover too but this story comes first priority wise. I'll let y'all know when I publish that one but again the updates are probably going to be slower for that one.

Please leave a review on the way out! ;)