Chapter 5

Oh, just in case anyone was wondering, she was using an Extendable Ear…Ginny, I mean.

Stuck-in-a-tree: Why does Lupin not trust Kurama? Well, as I wrote I was thinking about the many takes on Lupin's werewolf-ness I've seen in crossovers and in just plain Harry Potter fics. Then I thought about what I written in my outline and I quote: 'Voldemort will be gathering an army that will not only be made up of magical beasts of the human world, but demonic as well.' Then I added on the side of the paper about a month later: 'NOTE: Centaurs and Werewolves will be ancestors of demonic creatures that seeped into the human world after the barrier is created.' So, Lupin has demon blood and I suppose he wouldn't be very willing to face it. Kurama, to him, is the very personification of everything that's wrong with him. He's just not strong enough to face it yet and is taking out his frustrations on…well…the problem, I guess. I hope that explained it for you. Yeah, it's kind of stupid, but oh well; it's not the end of the world, or (hopefully) the story. Thank you for the review!

Oh yeah, I remembered what I forgot to add at the beginning of the last chapter. Any preferences as to who my dear Harry gets to be paired with…or should he be one of those lonely hero types?

Chapter 5

Arnie Weasely stood looking at his son and wife for as much time as he could spare. He couldn't deny that this may be the last time he saw them…his beautiful Shiori…his brilliant Shuuichi…who was he to put them in such danger anyway? Shiori stood up, pushing her kitchen table chair away from her as she started for him, her voice questioning when she spoke, "Arnie…what is it?"

He gazed at her, then at the son they had made together, recalling his brother's words.

"That baby is a monster, Arnie!"

He closed his eyes and shook his head. Arthur was wrong, no matter what was radiating off the boy. So he had unnatural power…did that make him a monster? Not in Arnie's mind. He looked back to his wife.

"Shiori…I just got word, I'm needed back in England…"

Shiori's face fell. Arnie had made many mysterious trips to his homeland after their marriage. They had been long, many lasting for weeks, even more than a month. And afterward her husband was always quiet and distant for some time, his eyes always searching the crowd for some unknown being…

"How long?" she asked softly, coming close enough to him to cup his cheek with one sad hand.

"Impossible to tell," he muttered, catching her hand with his own, "I'll come back as soon as I can…"

Shiori's eyes closed as a stray tear worked its slow way down her cheek. She nodded, biting her bottom lip, trying not to show her husband how much his 'trips' worried her. Arnie slipped passed his wife and approached his three-year-old son, who was still seated in his booster chair and pulling small amounts of pork into his mouth. He didn't turn when his father crouched beside him, contenting himself with simply chewing on an oversized piece of meat. Arnie watched this action for a moment before speaking.

"Shuuichi?"

"Hai," the boy grumbled through the last bits of tough meat. He swallowed largely, still not looking at the man beside him.

"Shuuichi, I have to go away for a while."

Green eyes turned to observe him, "To England?"

Arnie let out his breath, marveling on how observant the child was. He let a smile slip. Of course he was observant…he was a demon for crying out loud.

"Yes, Shuuichi, to England."

Shuuichi nodded, turning his flaming redhead back to his meal. He did not, however, continue to eat and Arnie could have sworn he was watching him with the reflection on the fork he still grasped in his tiny fist.

"Shuuichi, can you promise me something?"

The boy glanced at him before nodding, slowly and evenly, his eyes returning to the fork in his hand.

"Take care of your mum?"

Again, his son nodded, his eyes watching, calculating, in the fork. Arnie sighed, knowing it was all he was going to get. He leaned closer to his son, pecking him lightly on the cheek and giving his hair a slight ruffle. Shuuichi merely shot him another look, grasped his hand shortly, and returned to his meal with a vengeance. Arnie stood to regard his wife again, trying to burn the image of how she looked now, safe, innocent, away from the dangers he was about to face once again. He took a breath, keeping their eyes locked as he spoke.

"I love you."

……………………………

Kurama sat up, his eyes flashing around his nearly closet sized room, landing on the small clock on the corner bureau that informed him that his father had cut his sleep time off by a good three hours. He scowled, throwing off his blankets and placing his feet on the floor as he raised stiff hands to tired eyes. He rubbed them roughly for a moment before using one hand to drag his surprisingly sweat soaked hair off his forehead. He brought his hand back down before his eyes to regard it wonderingly. Had memories of his father really affected him that much?

His eyes flicked to the open window. The stars and crescent moon still shone brightly in the early morning sky, telling him once again how much sleep he had lost. A cool breeze ruffled his hair as he scowled. He needed some time out of this house, he decided, already moving to his feet. Four hours here had already left him cramped and irritable, even though he had spent most of it sleeping. He crossed the room in two strides and pulled himself up onto the window sill, his eyes sweeping over the yard. Seeing no one, he hopped down, landing in a graceful crouch when he hit the ground. He stood, observing the small backyard, with its few oak trees and shrubs.

A sound in the far right corner of the fenced in space drew his attention and he snapped around to regard the shadow shrouded spot coolly. A figure moved, coming out into the light, his round glasses reflecting the moon. Kurama knew who it was almost immediately, though they had not yet met since when he had arrived it had been late and most of the teenagers the headquarters housed were already asleep. He watched as Harry Potter noticed him and reacted with a mixture of surprise and suspicion. The teen approached, taking careful, even steps.

"Who's that?"

Kurama realized that he too was shrouded in a dark shadow from the house and stepped into the moon light, allowing the boy to see just enough of him to make a proper identification.

Harry's response to this was predictable. His gaze hardened slightly and his tone, worried before, turned colder.

"You're that demon."

Kurama nodded, his eyes locking onto Potter's. The boy glowered at him before breaking the eye contact to gaze at his left shoe with little interest.

"I suppose you're helping us, then?"

"I am." Kurama watched the teen when he moved towards the house to lean his back against it. "And you're Harry Potter."

"Mr. Weasely told you about me?"

"He did."

"How much?"

"Enough."

Harry's eyes flashed as his gaze snapped once again to Kurama's. The fox kept his expression neutral, waiting for the boy to form his own conclusion. He did in surprisingly little time.

"Right," he looked away again, this time to the telephone pole visible between the two houses behind their own. Kurama leaned against the house beside Harry before he spoke.

"What are you doing out here?"

"Thinking."

Kurama was never one to be satisfied with one worded responses, especially this one. When he spoke again, his voice was more forceful.

"About what?"

Harry turned to look at him with something akin to surprise on his young features.

"What?"

The fox fought the urge to yell.

"What were you thinking about?"

Harry continued to stare at him, his mouth slightly open and his green eyes wide. Kurama stared right back, wondering why the boy was so shocked that he was taking an interest on what was on his mind.

"Why do you care?" the boy who lived finally responded, his eyes breaking away from Kurama's once again.

Said fox lifted an eyebrow, "Is it really so surprising?"

Harry opened his mouth and then paused, as though searching for the correct wording. Kurama waited, but patiently this time. The teen before him finally responded in an offhanded tone.

"You're…a demon…and well…I figured you'd…"

Obviously, he had failed in his search for words. But Kurama nodded in understanding; it was, after all, the third time that day he had heard it.

"Be evil? Yes, you're friend Lupin had the same idea…Arthur too, at first."

"I'm guessing you're not evil though," Harry continued, watching Kurama carefully from behind his glasses.

"Not by you're standards, no."

There was a pause. Harry looked away yet again, finding interest in the nearest dying shrub. Kurama glanced at the sky.

"You never answered my question."

Harry twitched at the statement, looking back at the fox, who remained still, gazing tiredly at the stars. Silence shrouded them for a moment, as Harry again looked for a way around responding.

He failed.

"Its…complicated."

"I'm sure it is…but in case you haven't noticed, we have most of the night."

Harry blinked, realizing the truth in this statement. Kurama turned an eye on him almost lazily.

"I'm sure it won't take that long, anyway."

The teen looked at his oh so interesting feet again.

"I was thinking about…Dumbledore."

Kurama was quiet. Harry shifted slightly, pushing himself against the wall.

"He…died…two months ago."

"I know."

Harry glanced up at him, almost shyly, before looking downwards again.

"Did Mr. Weasely tell you?"

"Yes."

"Oh…" Harry looked up at the sky again, to the stars, "What do you think happens?"

Kurama blinked, his eyes flicking to the boy beside him, "I'm not sure I understand what you mean." Of course, he was sure, but the thought of such a young boy asking morbid questions such as this bothered him. Especially since it was this particular boy.

"After someone…dies," Harry elaborated, stealing another shy look at the demon beside him.

"I don't know," Kurama continued to stare at the boy, "I don't find much reason to think about such things…I'm not much older than yourself in human years."

Harry looked at him again, but this time his eyes held no hesitation.

"And in demon years?"

Kurama was quiet. Harry later thought it was because it was such a personal question. But he was wrong. In truth, Kurama wasn't sure he wanted to answer because he was so unsure of what Harry's reaction would be. He pushed away from the wall, putting his back to the teen beside him.

"I lost track some time ago," he muttered, almost feeling self disgust. Almost. Harry stared at the back of the redhead in surprise.

"But-…"

Kurama's voice turned cooler as he cut off any further questions with a simple statement.

"When you're a demon such things have little meaning," he turned to regard the boy, his previously harsh expression softening, "You should get some sleep, Potter, it's unhealthy to stay up to all hours of the night."

Harry flinched at being caught with his recent case of insomnia. Kurama left the yard the way he had entered, with a single, swift jump through his window. Harry slid to the ground, finally alone with his newest barrage of thoughts.

I don't get him.

Ewwie. I'm not so sure I liked the way they interacted. Please review.