Hi, Hermione!
Did you talk to your dad yet about Obon? If he still says no Daddy and I would love to have you over for August! There's a stream we can relax by, and beautiful trees and I can't wait to show you how I painted my bedroom!
Artemis is lovely, starting to look more like a cat than a kitten! Daddy and I went fishing for pilkies, earlier and she (Artemis) splashed all about in the water. She even caught a little fish! My days are spent mostly reading when I'm not out with Artemis and Daddy. She keeps me company. It gets lonely, and I'm so happy for the letters you write me every week. Though Ginny said she'll write me this summer.
Did you hear that the World Quidditch Cup is happening in Ireland this year? I think outside of Cork, but I'm not sure. I so wish I could go, but Daddy says tickets are too expensive. But I don't really know if I like Quiddicth, I just want to see all the events.
How are you doing? Any library bandits to report on? Let me know!
I miss you, kitty!
Love,
Luna
Luna punctuated her letter with painted hearts and a smiling stylized picture of Artemis. Hermione smiled, happy to receive another letter from home. Nearly a week had passed and Hermione had no repercussions from the incident in class aside from all Saturday afternoons spent cleaning classrooms, and helping cook lunch once a week.
Luna had made good on her promise, sending letters every week, and this was a shorter one. A pang struck as Hermione thought of Luna completely alone with only her father for company. Hermione remembered too well when that was her life, and she thought she'd go mad most days. Hell, in those days Archimedes, her father's haughty owl, was her only friend.
Hermione penned her response with a smile on her face, thinking that if she couldn't spend August with Hiro then it might be nice to see Luna. Though, even if she could stay, she'd have to leave Hiro.
She bit her lip as the thought came to mind. Every year the thought of leaving him hurt more and more. Not just Hiro, but the others too. Hermione started to feel as though she were torn between two homes, here and the one in Scotland. She'd miss so many no matter where she was.
Just finish the letter, you don't need to burden anyone else with this. Hermione thought before she finished the letter with less enthusiasm than when she began.
She moved on to Harry's letter, and wondered for a moment when Luna took his place as her best friend…or her best British friend. Her life in Japan made that difficult to, as part of her felt that role was Saiyaka's.
I guess things have changed since Archimedes was my only friend.
She shook her head and opened the letter, reading it by dim candle light while Saiyaka slept peacefully in the futon on the other side of the room.
Dear Hermione,
I hope things are good in Japan. I reckon you're loving it, there's no magic you aren't champing at the bit to learn. And you have Hiro and other friends there right? How are they doing?
Things are very weird here. So, I'll start with the Dursely's. Dudley's gone and gotten so fat that his boarding school's demanded they put him on a diet, and I have to be on it too! Somehow while still only getting scraps. I had a fifth of a grapefruit this morning and I swear I could count the steamed vegetables on my plate.
Hermione would leave that she only put food she could count on her plate out of her reply. Though according to Hiro it wasn't healthy. She read on.
Luckily Ron's come through with sweets from his mum. But I'll get through, I can't wait till September. The weird thing I wanted to write about was my scar.
It's been burning again. Like in first year when Voldemort was near. I keep feeling it after nightmares. I had this one where I'm hoovering weightless over through an old manor house. It's totally run down, and I feel angry, betrayed like–I'm alone in the world but it's everyone else's fault. But I'm waiting for something, I'm not sure what, but I can't wait to kill.
I'm sure it has something to do with Voldemort, but I don't know. Any chance you have any ideas?
Thanks,
Harry
No, Hermione didn't have any ideas. She plucked Mahou no Byoki from the shared shelf and searched for the chapters on curses. Several curses were covered in depth, but she shouldn't have been surprised when what she was looking for wasn't among them.
No book detailing theory of advanced curses, especially unforgivable curses, would be freely available in student dorms and common rooms. If there was any information to be had at all, she would have to search the library.
Harry won't get my response for a week, I might as well try to sleep…
That wasn't happening. Hermione laid in her futon mulling over the possible solutions given what information she had. Was Voldemort growing in power? Could that be responsible for the dreams the same way it was with the scar? What happened to his spirit after Quirrell died? All Hermione knew was that it was still tethered to the earth. She didn't know why. Maybe it was rage? No, Voldemort wasn't an onryo, as terrifying as they were, he was something more powerful, more far reaching.
"Damn it," Hermione whispered. "Lumos."
She sat crossed legged pouring over every possible relevant book on the shelf. Charms, hexes, rituals and nothing stood out to her. As much as she hated Divination, she even poured through their text book to no avail.
With a sigh, she shut the last book and turned to the window. The nearly black sky had faded over the hours to an indigo, and grew even paler. How many hours passed? She shook her head and gave up on the idea of sleep.
"Mione-chan?" Saiyaka mumbled, reaching for her glasses.
"Oh!" Hermione bowed her head and shrank. "Sorry, Saiya-chan. I didn't mean to wake you."
Saiyaka unravelled one of her twin tail plaits to brush it and yawned. "I'd be up in less than an hour anyway. Did–did you stay up all night?"
"Erm," Hermione clasped her hands together. "I got–erm–a letter from home. It—" she bowed again. "Sorry."
"Neechan," Saiyaka sighed, getting to her feet. "You've listened to all the things I've said about my older sister. About my family, about my…" she trailed off, now averting her gaze. "You can talk to me."
Hermione bit her lip, what was she bringing her friend into if she told her. Maybe there'd be no danger. What interest would Voldemort have with a Japanese muggle born?
The same he would have with a British one, you idiot.
Saiyaka was too much like Hermione. She'd dig and keep digging until she found answers. As much as Hermione loved that about her, she couldn't risk it.
"Everything's fine," Hermione smiled, cocking her head to the side.
Saiyaka narrowed her eyes, examining Hermione closely. Clearly not buying it. "Okay," she sighed. "I'll leave it for now, but you don't have to lie to me, y'know."
"Right. Sorry!"
"Mudblood bitch makes me wish we still had houses," Inuyama Rie muttered to one of the other girls in their year, pointing at Saiyaka. "And her gaijin pet."
It was just one of many slights the two suffered whenever their lots crossed paths. Kendo club was no exception. Hermione had been spared the indignity of being paired with Inuyama thus far and finally got a chance to improve. She still lost most matches, which was humiliating, and she toyed with quitting, but Hermione needed to know she could defend herself without a wand.
"Inuyama-san! Snape-san!" Kaori hesitantly announced, her dark eyes finding Hermione's.
A blush rose to Hermione's cheeks as she stood up, leaving her spot between Hiro and Sayiaka.
Hiro clasped her hand in his, and gave that a crooked, confident smile exposing his canine, his hazel eyes sparkling. Which only made Hermione's face grow warmer as she smiled back at him. At Hogwarts they might have been able to steal a kiss for good luck, but that wasn't an option here. At least not during club meetings.
"Ganbatte!" he cheered.
"Thanks!" Hermione smiled back, bowing.
Hermione ran down to the floor and took her place opposite Inuyama. The two approached, bowed, crouched and rose. They crossed their bamboo blades, each position called out by Kaori before she finally called for the match to start.
Inuyama swung high with a shout, and Hermione parried it moving back with the force of it. But she still stood on her feet. Gasping, she smiled at Inuyama, whose eyes were wide with shock. Hermione was much smaller than Inuyama now, but still, she could stand her ground.
This time, Hermione was ready, she studied, she practised stances in the yard with Hiro, and even Kiki the house elf with a broomstick. Inuyama wouldn't be getting any cheap shots this time.
"Boku no koibito!" Hiro called.
"Kick her ass, Neechan!" Saiyaka yelled from the stands at the same time.
"Na–" Hermione began, turning to Hiro and Saiyaka.
That was Hermione's mistake, she turned while mid swing, throwing her off. She missed Inuyama by a hair and allowed her to redirect for Hermione's feet.
Hermione fell to the dojo floor, embarrassed and sore, but she was able to return to her feet.
"I don't know what Hiro-kun sees in you," Inuyama sighed, flipping her gorgeous black hair.
"Honestly," Hermione turned to a worried, but relieved, Hiro once again smiling. "I don't either. But I'm counting my blessings."
"You've been reading too many shoujo manga, Mione-tan," a voice chastised from behind her.
"S-Senpai!" Hermione squeaked, spinning to find a giggling Kaori, with Miyuki in tow.
Actually, this might be more embarrassing than last year…
"Hiro-kun, what does 'koibito' mean?" Hermione asked as they walked hand-in-hand out of the dojo..
Hiro smiled, looking up to the bright chartreuse maple leaves, his face illuminated by the dappled golden sunlight. Hermione admired his tousled black hair blowing carelessly in the breeze. She wondered if she would ever get over how beautiful he was.
He turned to her, his hazel eyes meeting hers with sincerity and excitement. "It mean–erm—" he searched for the English phrase. "'Sweetheart' or 'lover'."
Hermione's heart leaped with joy, and her face grew pink. Hiro proudly announced in front of the whole dojo that she was his sweetheart.
Hiro lowered his face to hers and Hermione rose to her toes to meet him halfway.
"Watashi no koibito," Hermione whispered as they parted.
Later the two found themselves in the library. Hermione poured through anything she could get her hands on about magical connections and curses, while Hiro prepared for July exams. Occasionally, he would glance up at her curious.
"Why connections through curses?" Hiro finally broke the silence.
Hermione looked up from her thick volumes unsure how to answer. She couldn't endanger him, but they'd promised no more secrets. She clasped her hands together digging her nails into her flesh, trying to figure out how to answer him.
"Erm–W-I-erm–" she sighed and stared into his eyes once more.
"It's alright," he reached out for her hands across the table.
"Hiro-kun, I–"
"Hiro-kun, Mione-chan, Boo!" Miyuki sang, wrapping her arms around Hermione.
"Senpaiiii!" Hermione choked, falling from her chair.
"Miyuki-chan," Saiyaka admonished, helping Hermione up.
Sam and Toshio exchanged exasperated glances, let go of each other's hands and sat on Hiro's side of the table.
"Are we sure she's the oldest of us?" Toshio pushed his glasses up.
"At least physically," Sam chuckled.
"That's not fair," Miyuki pouted, sitting next to Hermione. "What are you reading—Oooh! Curse connections! Are you planning on cursing anyone, Mione-chan?"
"Yare yare," Hiro rolled his eyes, but still smiled. "I bet you have a story."
"That I do!" Miyuki cleared her throat dramatically. "It's a tale of love, betrayal and vengeance from beyond the grave!"
Another ghost story, Hermione couldn't help but smile herself. I'll bet she loves Hyakumonogatari.
"Maybe a couple hundred years ago in Yue Xing Xing–" Miyuki started.
"S-Sorry," Hermione raised her hand. "Isn't that Chinese for Moon Star?"
"Mmm-hmm!" Miyuki nodded. "It's the name of the Hong Kong wizarding school. So anyway–"
"What kind of a name is Moon Star for a magic school?" Sam scoffed.
"What kind of a name is Ivermony or Hogwarts?" Miyuki retorted.
Point taken, Hermione conceded. Hogwarts was probably weirder than Yue Xing Xing, but another question arose. Hermione sheepishly raised her hand again.
"Yes," Miyuki sighed.
"I never heard of a Chinese magic school."
"Did you think Mahoukatoro was the only school in Asia, Neechan?" Saiyaka blinked.
Hermione looked down ashamed. Asia was huge, and all the full-time students in Mahoutokoro were Japanese. How stupid could she have been to think that this was it?
Saiyaka took it upon herself to teach Hermione the err of her ways, pushing her glasses up to her nose, before holding her index in the air. "There are two in Mainland China, Yue Xing Xing in Hong Kong, then there's one in Taiwan. There's also Geulimja Bich in Korea, one in India, one somewhere along Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos. Unlike us, a lot of these schools are super secretive, so we don't know too much. And there's likely many more that we just don't know about."
Sam nodded. "Yeah, Ivermony is the only North American one known around the world, but I actually transferred from—"
A sudden chill took over the table accompanied by an otherworldly cry. Long tendrils of translucent silver-white hair surrounded them. They simultaneously looked up, as puffs of air joined the ghostly strands of hair.
A beautiful Japanese woman in her early twenties floated above them, her skin and kimono as see-through and white as the unfurled hair. A single finger pressed to her lips, silencing the now huddled group.
Ikigawa no Kagome had been the librarian at Mahoutokoro since the Kamakura period, literally haunting the library. And the ghost woman took her job very seriously.
"Sorry, Ikigawa no Kagome-sama," they all whispered.
"I've no clue how Kaori managed perfect scores on these tests," Hiro sighed. "Not with all her activities."
Hermione looked up from Kyōkan Mahō no Hōsoku, still not finding anything new. While written by different authors years apart, it had mostly the same information as Laws of Sympathetic Magic back home.
Hiro struggled over his Divination text book, tapping the bamboo handle of his ink brush to his lips.
Miyuki hadn't a chance to finish her story before she had to run off to a student council meeting, which Saiyaka had also joined. Sam and Toshio similarly took off to get pictures of the meeting, leaving Hiro and Hermione sprawled beneath one of the Ever-blooming Sakura in the Spring Grove.
"What are you having trouble with?" Hermione leaned over his book, dreading his answer. Divination was a subject she struggled with. Oh, thank god, they're on the Arithmancy unit!
"You're a year below me, Mi-chan, I can't ask–"
"I'm technically two years above you now, I just wasn't advanced here," she reminded him. "And I think I see where you're getting mixed up—"
Hermione walked Hiro through the Pythagorean Method and how to interpret totals. Hiro nodded, taking frantic notes, and nodding. Until he knocked over his inkwell and brush.
"Chikuso!" he spat. "Terego!" he waved his wand, cleaning the inky mess across the grass.
"You missed a spot," Hermione took out a white handkerchief and wiped his cheek. "More evidence I should get started on that damn fountain pen!"
"Thanks. And it'd be great for interviews." Hiro laid down and patted the patch of grass next to him. "Speaking of interviews. Do you know what you want to do after graduation? You'll be too young to work, and you could–erm—you could–maybe–i-if you wanted to—"
Hermione laid down next to him, clasping his hand in hers. "I thought that was my thing. Stumbling over my words, I mean."
"Well," he breathed. "Why don't you transfer here after you graduate? They might keep you in the class for your age, and if they don't, you can always study the university level classes. And then you can be here, y'know. With me. Maybe you could find work here. We could move to Kyoto and maybe…"
Hermione's heart pounded in her throat. Was he asking her to move to Japan? He'd mentioned it as a possibility in his letters, and Hermione did dream of marrying him one day. But to hear him ask in person, it was almost too much to bear.
She leaned her head on his chest, his heart pounding as much as hers. She looked up at his face. "Yes. I'd love to move to Kyoto. Someday…"
"Someday," he whispered back.
"Will you wait for me?" she asked in a small voice.
"As long as it takes," he said, placing a falling sakura blossom behind her ear.
"I can't believe Miyuki," Hermione whispered. "She could have finished the story in one of our dorms, or the common room."
Saiyaka pinned her long hair up and adjusted her glasses. "She's probably trying to set an atmosphere or something. We'll just have to try not to get caught. I can't believe we're doing this either. Breaking into the onsen after hours."
Saiyaka and Hermione padded along the corridors barefoot, ducking behind walls wherever possible. The dark only illuminated by the light of their wands, they pressed on. Hermione admittedly was more nervous about group bathing than being caught.
They weren't alone. Just on the edge of Hermione's hearing was the faintest sound of footsteps behind them. The two stopped and turned back. The corridor behind them was completely empty.
They pressed on. But the footsteps grew louder. Each time they turned back there was no one behind them. Soon the sound was undeniably that of geta echoing off the wooden floors with preternatural volume.
Oh, for the love of– Hermione rolled her eyes, and Saiyaka did the same, both girls letting out an exasperated sigh.
"After you, Beta-Beta-san," they sang, gesturing the formless yokai through.
They entered the bathhouse without further event, but Hermione's eyes nearly bulged from her head. Before her in black yukata were Hiro, Sam and Toshio, along with Miyuki, a hesitant Kaori and Anya in floral yukata.
"H-Hiro-kun!" Hermione squeaked, her face perhaps contending with the hotspring for heat.
"M-Mi-chan," he looked away. "Don't get the wrong idea! We were just wanting to hearing Miyuk-chan's story and–"
"There's a wooden fence between our sections," Kaori rolled her eyes. "Miyuki-chan, why are we here after hours out of season? My grandfather would flay us."
"Because Mione-chan has never been to an onsen!" Miyuki smiled with a shrug. "If she and Hiro-kun insist on being cheesier than a shoujo manga, we might as well set them up in situations that pop up in them."
"Hey!" both Hiro and Hermione cried.
Miyuki giggled and skipped off to the girls' side of the bathing house.
Hermione covered herself after cleaning with a small white towel, and stepped out of the bathing cubicle and building to a beautiful site. Pristine blue-grey water released tendrils of spiralling steam into the navy, starry sky. A wooden fence separated the halves of the spring, with golden glow globes strung along the top to provide lighting.
The worked stone around the pool and beneath her feet were surprisingly cool. She dreaded the idea of entering a hot spring in July. But she ventured an weary toe into the water. If she wanted to turn real life into a manga, couldn't it have been a beach chapter?
"Neechan!" Saiyaka whispered. "Towel."
Hermione's face flushed again as she submerged herself up to her nose in one fluid motion. The heat wasn't as unpleasant as she feared, but the eyes were another thing. She swam over to the fence, forgetting about the giant wooden pin holding her hair back when she rested her head against the planks.
"H-Hiro-kun," Hermione whispered.
"I'm here," his voice whispered from the other side of the fence.
Hermione's heart slowed and she breathed a sigh of relief. She could hear the smile in his voice and couldn't help but do so herself. She hoped she had the same soothing effect on him…before she remembered that onsen was a very normal, very non-sexual part of Japanese culture. This wasn't exactly just another day for them, but it wasn't weird either.
Hermione glanced over to Anya, who didn't seem to act weird despite bathing with her girlfriend. Was this normal in Germany too?
"Alright," Miyuki swam next to the fence as well. "Gather round, everyone and I'll tell you a tale—"
"Wait," Hiro sighed. "Toshio's still trying to convince Sam to come in."
Thank you, Canada! Hermione thought, happy someone else was in her place.
After much cajoling and a loud splash, Sam had finally come to join the rest of them. With the girls lined up on one side of the fence, and the boys on the other end, they were finally ready for Miyuki's story.
"Centuries ago twin brothers attended Yue Xing Xing, Lui Xiaolong and Lui Ping. Xiaolong was the younger of the twins but outshined the elder. As the years went by Xiaolong gained accolades while Ping only found trouble.
"Xiaolong worked hard while Ping slacked. Yet to Ping, it didn't seem right that he, as the elder twin, didn't have the respect of his brother or family. Ping wasn't dumb, simply lazy. He skated by on talent, but by seventh year it wasn't enough to keep his spot in Yue Xing Xing. Or his family's respect. Xiaolong didn't even call him Oniisan anymore—"
"I don't think Chinese people call their older brothers 'Oniisan', Miyuki-chan," Saiyaka corrected.
"I'm telling the story here!" Miyuki pouted.
"Go on, Miyuk-chan," Hiro gently encouraged from the other side of the fence.
"Anyway," she continued, though Hermione noticed a slight blush. "Ping faced expulsion, his parents were to disown him and that's when the final blow hit him. Xiaolong proposed to the most beautiful girl in school, Fu Yinghua."
"But you see Fu Yinghua had been friends with the twins since early childhood, and it was Ping who had harboured affection for her all those years. Xiaolong on the other hand seemed to show no interest.
"When Ping confronted his brother, he revealed that he had been seeing Fu Yinghua in secret for the past three years. This infuriated Ping and he began plotting his revenge. Finally putting his intellect to work and decided to create a curse. You see, killing Xiaolong wouldn't be enough, Ping needed him to suffer—"
"Erm–" Hermione raised her hand. "Then why not just use the cruciatus curse?"
"Search me," Miyuki shrugged. "I thought you wanted to hear this story."
"Right! Sorry!"
Miyuki intoned dramatically once more. "Ping devised a spell where Xiaolong would be trapped inside his own despondent body for eternity."
"So, petrification?" Kaori interrupted this time.
"Oneechan!" Hiro sighed. "Let her finish."
Miyuki rolled her brown eyes and continued. "Before his expulsion date he challenged Xiaolong to a Wizard's duel. Xiaolong still loved his brother and didn't want to fight him, but back in those days he was honour bound to. Fu Yinghua begged him not to, fearing that Ping would kill Xiaolong. Of course, Xiaolong ignored his fiancee's pleas and agreed to his brother's terms.
Xialong met his brother on a dark, cold night, Fu Yinghua following behind him, begging him not to go through with it once more. Ping came out of the shadows and smiled, saying that Xiaolong would finally know what it was like to have everything taken from him. He rose his wand and shouted his new incantation and then the unexpected happened.
"Fu Yinghua leaped before Xialong and took the spell. There she sat encased in her body on the tatami floor—"
"Don't Chinese use—" Sam started from the other side of the fence.
"For the rest of time!" Miyuki continued. "Stone enveloped her body, and they say they say Yue Xing Xing students still visit her grave to this day, hearing her wail Xiaolong's name. The brother's were haunted by more than their deeds for the rest of their days. For each night, they would dream they saw through Fu Yinghua's eyes, as the world moved on without her. They could feel her rage and despair, trapped in her body by a jealous man who claimed to love her."
"What else?" Hermione prised. "Did Xiaolong feel Ping's rage and pain too? What about dreams? Did the brothers share a link?"
"That was kind of the end of the story, Mione-chan," Miyuki said. "But I have other ones! Did you ever hear about the one where—"
"I'd love to listen to your ghost stories, Miyuk-chan," Hermione said. "But I'm really very curious about the curse. Please, if you know anything else about it–"
Miyuki knit her dark eyebrows and scrutinised her. "Why are you so curious? Do you have two lovers that are going to fight for your hand? Hiro-kun, you might have some competition in Scotland?"
"Well she does have a famous friend…" Hiro teased.
"H-Hiro-kun!" Hermione squeaked.
"Do I have to protect my dear little brother from you, Hermione-tan?" Kaori leaned in close.
Hermione's heart threatened to pound from her chest, and a furious blush rose from her cheeks. She hoped she could blame the hotspring. Though her actual reasons were obscured, embarrassment, Hiro's teasing, or Kaori inches from her face calling her "Hermione-tan"
"S-s-senpaiiii!" Hermione shrank into the water. "I–erm–I was just–erm–interested in spellcraft."
"Hmm," Miyuki mused, chewing on her lip. "I can't say for certain. But I want to think there were rumours of the two brothers being able to glimpse into each other's lives through their dreams, as well as Fu Yinghua's. There might be written accounts in the library. I'm not—"
A shriek pierced the night, reverberating off the stone floors and wooden planks. Hermione wasn't sure, but she thought it came from the bathhouse.
The girls paled, several sets of dark eyes all scanning each other before drifting off to the bathhouse. Suddenly, the eerie silence hit Hermione like a stone.
"Hiro!" she called over the fence. "Are you guys okay?"
"Yeah," Hiro called back. "What about you?"
"We're okay," she said. "I think."
Hermione and the other girls realised they were literally naked and afraid, their wands and yukata back in the building where the scream came from. They stood frozen, unable to move before Kaori leapt out of the water, her journalistic instincts and years of kendo training setting in.
She could be in danger…do something!
"Kaori-Senpai!" Hermione grabbed her arm. "Wait. I–I–erm–think I can get there undetected."
"How?"
"Just trust me."
"Wait, Hermione," Hiro called. "That's a bad idea. It was from your end, maybe the boys and I should check it out and—"
"I don't think so, , trust me."
After a moment of silence there was a sigh. Hermione rose her hand to the wooden plank and knew Hiro was doing the same. "Okay, I trust you."
With that, Hermione slowly rose from the water and crept behind a stack of stones and twisting bonsai trees. She took in a deep breath and transformed into her small cat form.
It was getting easier. It hurt less and the world growing up around her was less disorienting, something she was thankful for when time was of the essence. She weaved between decorative stones and garden pieces until she reached the bathhouse, leaping through the open round window.
She found the shower cubicle she'd used and quickly grabbed her wand and put on her yukata before shifting back into her cat form.
Lines of cleaned and overturned wooden pails on stools with hanging chozuya in the darkness reminded Hermione how utterly alone she was. It was like one of Miyuki's ghost stories, only this time she was the hapless student wandering alone at night.
Though silence gave way to quiet sobbing. She quickly dashed in the direction, pinpointing the sound to the toilets on the far side of the building. She simply hoped she would get there in time.
What she found in the girls' toilets was a little girl with bobbed black hair and a red skirt standing over a young girl, bleeding profusely from her shoulder. The girl was perhaps Miyuki's age, slender with very long black hair and a fringe matted to her face, the small girl standing over her appeared horrified.
Out of sight, Hermione resumed human form and knelt by the girls' side, immediately stitching the wound with a spell her father taught her years before. "What happened, Hanako-san?"
Tears welled in Hanako-san's eyes and she shook her head. "I came up through the pipes to soak in the onsen. I just found her here."
So I guess the stories of you dragging girls who summon you to your doom are greatly exaggerated? "She's lost a lot of blood."
Hanako-san nodded and did something Hermione did not expect. A chill swept over the humid room and whisked the unconscious girl off into the direction of the spring. Hermione chased after her at top speed, reaching her as she placed the girl, still clothed and hair unbound, into the hotspring.
"Hanako-san?" Hermione gasped clutching a stitch in her chest.
"The onsen has healing properties," the small yokai explained.
Miyuki held the unconscious girl's head above water. "Sumi-chan, Sumi-chan?"
"What's going on?" Hiro called.
"A girl's been hurt," Kaori replied, before turning her attention to the unconscious girl. "Togo-kun?"
"You know her?" Saiyaka asked.
"Togo Sumi," Miyuki replied grimly. "She's in the archery club with me and my year."
Archery club…Hermione mused thinking about the girl's shoulder wound. She bled plenty, but the wound itself was small, as if something cleanly went through her. She clasped her hands together and thought about what it meant if she were shot by a fellow student.
Togo Sumi stirred in Mikyuki's arms, breathing heavily. Beautiful black eyes scanned the onsen and her pale face twisted in confusion.
"Miyuki-chan, Yamato-senpai," she blinked. "What happened?"
The girls reconnected with the boys and agreed to escort Togo Sumi (who seemed to remember nothing after entering the bathhouse) to the hospital. Hermione opted to stay behind to examine the scene in the girls' toilet.
"Alone," Hiro scoffed. "No, I'll go with you."
"Okay," Hermione nodded, unsure if she could keep him safe if the assailant was still hiding. "Just please be–"
"No," Kaori said. "You can't. It's a girls' toilet anyway!"
"Oneechan," Hiro took Hermione's hand. "It'll be fine. I'll be fine. Your friend needs you."
"I'll stay, too, senpai," Saiyaka suggested.
Kaori looked back at the shaken Togo Sumi and Miyuki trying to comfort her. "Okay."
Back in the toilet Saiyaka surveyed the cubicles for any possible evidence while Hiro examined the puddle of blood on the floor. Hermione was the smallest and opted to search in the crawl space above them.
Hiro helped her up and she explored the space. Crammed in the dark wooden tunnel, she considered taking cat from once more when she found a single stiff white feather laying on the woven tatami.
She took the feather to present it before Hiro and Saiyaka. Landing softly on the floor she knelt next to them and watched their face blanch as she announced:
"I'm joining the archery club."