It's been a while since an update, ne? Sorry, but I'm just gonna pretend Dumbledore never died. Wheeeeee
Umm, I'll edit later, don't feel like it now.
Wanna post! P
START:
"Is your friend alright?" The old man peered through his spectacles to look at the young blonde girl. "I'm sure I can help her."
Hotaru watched in silent astonishment as the old man pulled out a wooden stick, a wand Hotaru could guess from experience, from the sleeve of his robe. Without waiting for an answer, the man began to work – what the work was, Hotaru couldn't have said, but if the unfurrowing of her princess' brows were any indication, it was good work. The peaceful glow that emitted from the end of the wand put Hotaru further at ease. The old man, however, had a strange look on his face. The glow of his wand slowly dimmed and he raised his head to look at the Senshi of Saturn.
"This girl, she isn't human…?"
oooooOoooo
Usagi awoke to find herself in a strange place. As her eyes focused on the room, she dimly began to remember the events that had taken place before she had passed out. She sat up quickly. Where was Mamoru? Hotaru? The rest of her scouts?
The sight of the young girl with short dark-as-the-night hair sleeping soundly in the chair next to her comforted Usagi somewhat. Unconsciously, she placed her hand on her stomach. She could feel the power of her unborn child, and that further comforted her. But Mamoru?
Her thoughts paused as she listed to voices coming from outside her room. Carefully, she stepped out of bed, so as not to wake Hotaru and towards the door.
"What a horrid mess! Dumbledore, you cannot keep that child here, we've had enough royalty around here as far as I'm concerned."
"Cornelius, I'm afraid you do not understand what this child means to our situation-"
"Ahem." Usagi interjected kindly, feeling guilty for hiding her presence when they were obviously talking about her.
"I see I've underestimated your healing powers," Dumbledore said, however his facial expression contradicted this statement, because he looked not at all surprised.
Cornelius Fudge, however, looked very flustered and his cheeks had turned bright pink.
"I'm afraid this discussion will be left to another time, it's not like I don't have other business to take care of," the Minister of Magic said. Slowly, he turned to Usagi and the expression on his face became forced and Usagi was unsure what emotion it was supposed to convey. "Your majesty…"
There was a -pop!- and he was gone.
Usagi looked very confused herself as she turned to face the strange old man, who strangely made her feel more at ease in the awkward situation.
"I suppose I should explain," he smiled.
ooooOoooo
"Harry! Have you heard the news!"
Harry Potter had been closing his eyes and lounging on the couch of the Gryffindor common room, he had had terrible headaches last night and was still tired from lack of sleep. The green-eyed boy with ruffled hair and a unique lightening bolt scar in the middle of his forehead turned around to see his bushy haired friend, Hermione Granger running towards him with the Daily Prophet clutched in her hands. His best friend, Ron Weasley followed Hermione, eyes wide with excitement.
"It's bloody horrible," Ron began.
Hermione cut in and elbowed his side.
"Then don't look so happy, Ron. Have you heard about the attacks, Harry?"
She continued even before he could reply.
"The Death Eaters launched a global attack last night. Everywhere, Harry! Can you believe it? Thousands dead, millions injured! The Ministry has got everyone with the slightest of magical power healing, transporting people to St. Mungo's, and of course, putting memory charms on everyone.
"Thing is Harry, they hit all the big muggle cities. Luckily, the muggles who saw it don't even believe what happened and so memory charms aren't that difficult. Also, there were many wizards and witches who lived there that were on the scene and able to fight and contact the Ministry immediately. And-"
But Ron cut in.
"Oh, screw all the bloody details and get to the real point, Hermione." Ron said pushing her to the side and grabbing Harry's shoulder's. "The one who led it wasn't even You-Know-Who, though everyone suspects he was involved in it. It was Prince Endymion, Harry."
Harry remembered the name. He hadn't much cared for the news of the return of prince of the Wizarding World, although he had been surprised to find out that there was a monarchy, especially over the entire world of magic. Apparently, he was the true heir to the Sorcerer's Stone and therefore immortal. It seemed impossible, but Hermione assured him that it was true, and that "if he had ever bothered to do the History extra credit assignment he would have known that". But in the middle of the year, with finals coming up, Harry hadn't given what had seemed like a bunch of gossipy hogwash much thought. It sure interested him now though.
"Do you know what this means, Harry?" Hermione one more gave no time for reply as she continued. "Since his appearance, the whole Ministry has been put into question. The public, especially because of the poor performance of the Ministry lately, had been calling to restore the Prince to his former power. And you wouldn't believe what's happening now. Instead of condemning the bast- Endymion, many people are stepping forward to support him. They're saying that it's about time that the wizarding world reveal itself to muggle, instead of trying to hide. And they think that it's about time that muggles learned their place."
Hermione's eyes burned with anger and passion.
"They think that the hierarchy present during the time of the reign of the Prince should be restored. Namely, purebloods on top, mixed-bloods under them, muggle-borns, like me, next, and muggles and squibs at the bottom.
"Can you imagine!"
Ron apparently, hadn't heard that news, because his shocked face mirrored that of Harry's.
Just then, Neville Longbottom crawled through the portrait hole into the common room, looking very pale.
"He's having an announcement in the dining hall. Dumbledore I mean. He's having…"
But Harry, Hermione, and Ron were already pushing Neville through the portrait hole once more, intent on heading to the dining hall to hear Dumbledore's say on all of this.
They bumped into a girl with shoulder length black hair as they rushed through the hall. Although Harry would never claim to recognizing everyone in the massive school known as Hogwart's, he was surprised to realize that he'd never seen her before. She was very pretty, if young, probably Ginny's age, though her reserved aura made her seem much more mature.
"Sorry." Hermione replied, a bit peeved that the boys she was with were unable to apologize the girl and move on their way, even if she was pretty, under the circumstances.
The girl ignored the other girl and simply looked at Harry, who she sensed to be the leader of the group. She was in a hurry as well, awakening from her slumber only moments before to realize that the princess she had been sleeping next to was gone. If that weren't enough, she had found herself unable to transform in this place.
"Where is…Usagi?" Hotaru, though she had been told she'd been put under a spell to speak English, struggled with the foreign words. She realized that it would be odd to translate her princess' name to these strangers, and shaking her head, asked another question. "I mean…where are you going? Do you know where…Albus Dumbledore is?"
Hermione answered though the girl's eyes had been directed toward Harry. She was in a hurry and curtly replied, "Yes, follow us." She took the arms of both Harry and Ron and practically dragged them to the dining hall, knowing that Neville would follow as would the girl.
Although the dining hall was strangely quiet when the group walked into it, no one seemed to notice the entrance of the four student and Hotaru. Although there were some whispers among the teachers, the students were eerily silent, some looked too shocked to say a ward and other's simply not wanting to miss any slight action with the teachers. The group took a seat at the Gryffindor table when a cry pierced through the silence.
"Iieeeeee!"
"Princess!" Hotaru gasped and leapt up from her seat to travel towards the sound that came from the teacher entrance of the dining hall. Eyes follwed her path and she ran towards the door.
ooooOoooo
"I won't believe it! Stop it! You're crazy, all of you! Where are my senshi! Tell me now!" Usagi was hysterical. At first she had listened to Dumbledore's explanation of the wizarding world and Voldemort, but the news of her husband, which Dumbledore has wisely and tactfully saved for last, hurrying through his explanation before shock could register, had caused an uncharacteristic outburst from the beautiful girl. He had used magic for the last part too, showing her images of recent events.
"Ruka, Mina, Hotaru, Michiru, Rei, Ami, Mako, Setsuna!" Usagi called for her senshi through the power within her. But she had lost certain powers, she learned through trial, when she became pregnant, and this was another one of them.
"No…" Her voice was desperate, almost pleading.
"Princess!" Hotaru pulled the older girl into a hug and Usagi's finger clenched around her protector's shirt as if afraid it was the only thing keeping her in reality.
"You won't believe the things they're saying about Mamoru, Hotaru." Usagi cried into the younger girl's hair. Her words were sharp whispers.
"…Yes," Hotaru replied, "I can actually, I've been communicating with Setsuna while you were passed out for the past twelve hours, Usagi. I know it's hard to take in, but it's true. The other Senshi are busy right now, because they're helping out with things right now, but they can confirm, if you needed."
But Usagi needed no confirmation. Her trust in her Senshi had always been greater than anything else. She evn trusted them more than Mamoru. And things clicked. She began to note everything that had been strange with Mamoru lately and it did, oddly enough, add up. But still…
"No, Taru-chan, no. Because it can't be…" Her voice was a soft whisper.
"I'm sorry, Princess Serenity," Dumbledore said. He had been filled in about Usagi from Hotaru, though he had known a surprising amount already, Hotaru had noted.
"Unfortunately, I am needed elsewhere, so I must finish my affairs here. If you would follow me, Princess…"
Usagi felt numb as Hotaru helped her stand. She followed the old man through the door to a sea of waiting eyes. She covered her mouth and felt as if she was going to barf, but her stomach was empty. Tears rolled down her cheeks.
Hotaru sensed the anguish of the princess, and felt the same pain of betrayal and disbelief. But she had to be strong for Usagi. And though Usagi was still twice her size, and though Usagi was not unconscious any longer, Hotaru picked up her princess in her arms. She bore her princess' weight and the girl sobbed silently into her shoulder and took a seat behind Dumbledore, who began to speak to his crowd of Hogwarts student.
END
Still, have no idea where I'm going with this. Any ideas? Well, I do have some, but ideas are always good. (Don't feel bad if I don't follow them though, since I do have some plans). As always, review. 3
