As promised here is the next chapter! I promised I would get this out and so I have! I really hope you enjoy this chapter because things are about to get interesting in the next one. Please R & R!
Chapter 6: Hogsmead
It had been two seeks since the youma attack at Hogwarts. Word had spread like wild fire over the entire school about had happened and how two senshi had shown up to save the students. Serena sat at the teachers table eating breakfast when she spotted Hermione and Ginny walking up to their table for the morning. A few minutes later Harry, Ron, Seamus and Neville joined them as well. Serena watched them as the students talked while eating discussing their plans for the day. Having finished her meal for the day, Serena got up from her table, making her way over towards Hermione and other students.
"Good morning, everyone." Serena greeted cheerfully with a bright smile on her lips.
"Good morning." The students replied back to her.
"Hermione, Ginny after your done eating would you two please meet me in my office. I have some decoration ideas to share with you." She asked them politely.
"Of course." Hermione said happily. She was looking forward to working with both professors again.
"Wonderful, I won't keep you two long on this nice Saturday. Enjoy your breakfast." Then the blonde left the group to enjoy their time.
"Looks like you two are teacher's pets to me." Seamus replied.
"Actually we are helping plan the Christmas ball with Professor Tuskino and Professor Tomoe." Hermione shot back at him in a matter of fact tone.
"And so far we have figure out types of tables, cloth for the tables and placement of the tables." Ginny added.
"What about music?" Neville asked. "Are we getting a band?"
"We have not gotten to that far and besides even if we did we aren't allowed to tell you." Hermione said.
"Why not?" Luna asked.
"Because it is suppose to be a surprise for the students." Harry replied to them. He got looks from Neville and Seamus wondering how he knew this bit of information. "We already asked about the ball." He added on.
"Oh,"
"Yeah, and these two won't tell us a thing either." Ron grumbles glaring at the two girls.
"We made a promise and we plan to keep it." Ginny answered while Hermione just rolled her eyes while eating her eggs.
~Serena's Office~
"Well, what if we did these with lights along the wall?" Serena asked Hotaru.
"I don't know." She said looking at the decorations on the table before her as she visualized what the dining hall would look like in her head. Just then a sudden knock made both women look up to see Hermione and Ginny at their door.
"Hello ladies, thank you for stopping by. I promise we won't keep you from your day at Hogsmead." Serena said as she waved them in with their hands.
"You said you had some decorations ideas?" Hermionequestioned as she walked up to the two professors.
"Yes, we have them here on the table. Come take a look." Hotaru responded. The girls came over to the table to take a look at what they had. On the table they found snowflakes with sparkles, white big and small candles, silver lanterns, icicles lights, mistletoe, red ribbons, and snowmen.
"What were you thinking? There are quite a few options here." Ginny stated out loud as to the direction the teachers wanted to go.
"Well, we were thinking just using two of them. Unless you girls have any better ideas, we're all ears." The lunarian princess said.
"We can use some of these for a few things," Hermione started pointing to each decoration as she spoke, "Why not put the snowflakes in the air to float with the big candles, and the silver lanterns could go on the tables with the small candles inside lightening them."
"That is a great idea." Serena replied happily.
"We could hang the mistletoe in the door ways too, and these snowmen could go in the corners. They seem big enough to use for decorations." Ginny added on.
"Excellent idea." Hotaru said simply.
"Any other thoughts?" Serena asked looking at the girls for ideas.
"No, I think that is good. If you add to much more, I think it will look cluttered." Hermione said.
"I agree." Serena commnet as well while Hotaru and Ginny nodded their heads in agreement. Serena was much happier with the direction the ball was going. She wasn't sure she could have come up with all of that on her own.
"Well, that next thing we need to figure out is the music, which I am not sure what you kids are into these days." Serena said looking at both girls.
"So we will be giving that task to you to decide." Hotaru finished with a smile.
"Really?" Ginny asked surprised to hear they were going to be making that decision on their own.
"You mean complete control?" Hermione questioned to make sure she heard right.
"Yes, we are. We feel you two will use your best judgment for music selection. Once you have decided we will make the arrangements for the band to come play." Hotaru explained to the girls simply.
"But remember there are many students at Hogwarts with different interest in music and you will not be able to please every student, but do your best in making a good pick for your fellow classmates. After all, it will be there night to enjoy as well." Serena said in a serious tone.
"Right." Both girls said at the same time.
"Alright, now we have kept you two long enough, so go enjoy the rest of your weekend." Serena said with a smile on her face once more. Hermione and Ginny left the classroom to meet up with their friends to head out to Hogsmead for the day. The girls found their friends standing at the front gates waiting patiently for them to arrive.
"Hey, you two finally made it." Neville said as the two girls made their way up to them.
"Sorry for making you all wait." Ginny apologized to her friends.
"That is ok. We don't mind waiting for you." Harry said to her with a smile on his lips causing Ginny to smile.
"Now that we are here, let's go." Hermione replied happily. The group of friends made their way down to Hogsmead to enjoy a day together. The snow was falling steadily adding inches onto what was already on the ground. By the time they made it to Hogsmead each of them had snow on them and their cheeks were red from the cold.
"Boy is it coming down." Neville remarked as he shook his head to get rid of the snow as they entered the 3 Broomsticks.
"I will go order us some drinks. Why don't you find a table." Harry suggested as he wiped the snow of himself.
"I'll help you with the drinks." Ginny added with a smile.
"Ok." Hermione said as she went to find a table that was big enough for the group of friends to sit at. She found a table in a corner that was big enough to sit their entire group.
"Hermione what can you tell us about the ball you and Ginny are helping plan?" Luna asked as the group took of their coats before sitting down.
"Well, Professor Tuskino and Professor Tomoe have given Ginny and I full control on any band to pick for the ball." She informed them eagerly.
"No way!" Ron said excitedly.
"Really they did?" Seamus replied excitedly at the news.
"What did we miss?" Harry asked returning with mugs in his hands filled with warm pumpkin juice for his friends, with Ginny right behind him holding a few too.
"Hermione just informed us that she and Ginny will be picking the ban for the ball." Luna explained to them in a matter of fact tone.
"Really?" He replied back looking at each girl surprised to hear this. Ginny passed out the mugs before sitting down next to Hermione across from Harry.
"Yes, we are to pick a band that all the students will enjoy listening too." Ginny said simply.
"Who are you going to pick?" Neville asked.
"We are not sure yet." Hermione said.
"The Mystic Fighters are a great band you could pick." Seams stated to them.
"They are a big dark, Seamus." Hermione argue against back simply.
"So, what does that matter?"
"It matters because not all of the students at Hogwarts would enjoy that, and we must keep that in mind when picking a band." Hermione shot back in a stern tone.
"It is there night to have fun too." Ginny added in Hermione's defense.
"She is right; you can't just pick any band." Harry said in understanding.
"Man, I wouldn't want that job. How are you to get a band everyone will like? That seems like a lot of pressure." Ron stated before sipping his drink.
"It is." Ginny answered dreadfully.
"But we have to do it. Besides we won't be able to please everyone, but at least the majority of them. You are right about there being a lot of pressure to pick the right band." Hermione said sighing heavily.
"I think you will pick out the right band." Luna said with an encouraging smile.
"She is right, if anyone can do this it is you two!" Harry supported on the two.
"To Ginny and Hermione, we believe in you." Neville said as he hosted his drink into the air. Everyone else followed him.
"To Ginny and Hermione!" They all said together before clanking their mugs together then taking a drink. Just as Harry put his mug down he noticed Professor Tuskino and Professor Tomoe come inside with another woman with long green hair pulled back come into the building.
"Look there is Professor Tuskino and Professor Tomoe." Luna pointed out. As Harry watched the older blonde woman, something in the back of his mind was telling him there was something familiar about her, but the questions was what and why. As if sensing someone watching her, lunarian princess turned to lock eyes with the green eye boy at the table. She gave him a warm smile and waved to him.
"There is something familiar about her. I know it." Harry state knowingly.
"Harry you never met her until now. You are just confusing her with someone else you met." Hermione stated in a matter of fact tone.
"I know Hermione, but I can't just shake the feeling." He replied in a frustrated tone.
"Cut him some slack Hermione. What if he is right?" Ron asked her trying to give Harry the benefit of the doubt. Hermione gave him an irritated look before answering him.
"Ron, it is impossible for it to even happen." Before Ron could argue with the burnette before him another voice called out his name stopping the argument from going any further.
"Ron, Ron." Came the sweet voice.
"Lavender…I thought you were studying for an exam?" He asked her surprised to see her sudden appearance with his friends. The group of friends watched the exchange with interest. Hermione just rolled her eyes as the other girl approached Ron, ignoring the rest of their friends, completely focused on Ron.
"I finished early and thought I would come find you so we could go shopping." She replied sweetly to him. Ron frowned at the idea of shopping, but did not voice his thoughts to her.
"Sure, we can go." He said having a fake smile on his lips at the thought of shopping. She grabbed his arm happily, pulling him up out of his seat so they could go shopping. The two love birds were gone from the group as quickly as Lavender's sudden appearance.
"Boy does he got it bad." Seamus said snickering at the way their friend had been, but stopped when he saw the look on Hermione's face that said I'm ready to kill you look.
~Else where in the 3 Broomstick~
"It seems Hermione has feelings for Ron who is completely clueless about it." Trista stated while observing the group of students in the corner.
"Yes, that would be the case." Serena answered back as she handed Trista her mug and Hotaru's before turning to go into a door to a private room to discuss matters without other's hearing them.
"To be young and in love." Hotaru stated thoughtfully as she found a spot to sit in the room. The two women sat in their own thoughts for a moment thinking of their past, but was quickly ended by their leaders voice bringing them back to reality.
"So Trista any new information you can tell us?" The blonde questioned wisely.
"I am afraid not. Has Dumbledore learned anything?" As she blew on her cut to cool down her beverage.
"Just that he is recruiting other magical beings into his army." Hotaru replied before sipping her drink.
"Such as?"
"Giants." Serena said plainly.
"Anyway to stop this?" Trista asked looking at both women before her.
"Don't know. Hagrid tried to speak with them, but nothing has come out of it, that I am aware of." The blonde stated.
"Serena could you talk to the centaur and see if they would be willing to help?" Trista asked her seriously.
"I don't know. They don't like interfering in human affairs." She answered back honestly.
"True, but knowing you and your true identity they may be willing to join if the request came from you." She pushed on.
"Trista has a point. After all the worst they can say is no to you." Hotaru replied back.
"Your right."
~Harry and friends~
After spending some time in the 3 Broomsticks the group of young friends decided to look around at the shops to see if they could buy anything. The six of them had just come out of a candy shop with bags in their hand.
"Hermione that looked really good." Neville said.
"It did."
"Did you guys grab any jelly beans?" Seamus asked the group of friends.
"I did. I also got a chocolate frog too." Luna replied cheerfully.
"Hey Ron, Lavender." Neville acknowledge seeing the couple come out of a shop just ahead of the group.
"Hey guys! Find anything good?" Ron asked seeing they all had bags and stalling from having to go into the next shop.
"Yeah, we came from the candy shop." Seamus replied pointing back the way they came.
"Candy? Ron, Ron, let's go there next." Lavender said sweetly giving him big eyes and a smile. The other just smiled at hearing the nick name and the way she was acting. Ron saw the way his friends were looking at him realizing they notice the nick name.
"Yeah, we can go." Ron said sheepishly.
"Yay!" She said happily a she started dragging him away to the shop.
"Ron, Ron?" Ginny mumbled in confusion over the unusual name as she watched her brother leave.
"What an odd name." Neville said as the group started walking again. But before anyone else could make a comment a scream was heard from behind them. Everyone turn to see Ron and Lavender face with a youma.
"Ron!" Ginny yelled fear rushing through her for the safety of her brother. The group of friends all grabbed their wands out instantly in protection. Ron started backing up slowly with Lavender cowering next to him to put as much distance between them and the youma.
"Nice youma. You don't want to hurt us." He said to it fearfully. It only growled at him, but then it started coming towards him.
"Oh no." He said back.
"Saturn Glave Attack!" a purple orb hit the youma sending it flying back. Ron, Lavender and the rest of the group turn to see the same senshi show up from the last attack.
"Sailor Saturn." Hermione replied happily, relief shown on her face at seeing the senshi there, which Saturn could see was written all over the brunette's face.
"Professor I think it is time you all went home." Saturn said to someone she was looking to past the group. Everyone turned in the direction she was look at to see Serena coming out of the shop next to the candy shop with a surprise look to her face.
"Yes, of course." She said. "Are you all ok?" As ask them gently.
"Yes, it did not get the chance to attack us, luckily." Hermione answered.
"Good." She turned to see Saturn getting ready to face the youma behind her. 'Be careful Hotaru' she thought. Saturn charges towards it and the two start to exchange attacks at one another. A few minutes of watching and Serena sees an opening for the youma to take to get Saturn.
"Saturn look out!" She yelled just as the attack is about to hit her when suddenly, Sailor Pluto drops down from the building above and blocks the attack with her staff hitting Sailor Saturn.
"It is another Senshi." Seams said in an amazed tone.
"Sailor Pluto." Serena said absently then remembered suddenly why she was not helping her fellow senshi.
"Ok, while the youma is distracted let's go down this alley and get away from the fight before any of you kids get hurt." Serena said in a commanding voice pointing next to the alley just a few feet from them. The group said as they started going down an alley way with Serena being the leader of the group to get the students back to Hogwarts. The students followed her without question and within a few minutes they were all heading back to Hogwarts quit far away from the youma.
"Professor Tuskino." Hermione called out to her.
"Yes."
"Why are the youmas attacking the school?" She asked her. Serena looked at her students who were watching her with interest and curiosity to Hermione's question.
"I don't know, but whoever is controlling them has a reason to be attacking here and London." She lied smoothly to them. "Until then your question is one of mystery for us all to ponder on." Serena finished.
"Do you think the senshi know who it is?" Harry posed the question to her. She smiled at him at hearing his question.
"They may Harry or may not, that is a question you would have to ask them."
"Is it possible that Vol…voldermort to be the one controlling them?" Hermione wondered out loud which Serena was not expecting her eyes going wide, but luckily no one notice because she was facing ahead of the group.
"Why do you think it is him controlling them?" Luna questioned Hermione at the unexpected inquiry.
"All of the attacks are here and in London, and he is the only one that is powerful enough to be able to do such magic." She replied back confidently.
"Yes, that is true, but you are forgetting one important fact." Serena stated.
"What is that Professor?" Ginny asked curiously.
"Not all of the senshi are here."
"That is true, only Sailor Neptune, Sailor Saturn, Sailor Uranus, Sailor Venus, and Sailor Pluto have been spotted." Luna simply said.
"Leaving Sailor Mars, Sailor Mercury, Sailor Jupiter, and Sailor Moon missing." Hermione mentioned at well.
"They are not missing." Serena said plainly.
"What do you mean?" Ron asked with a Lavender Brown hanging all over him. Serena sighed heavily as she stopped to turn and face her students in the quest for answers about the senshi.
"Before I left there was also a youma attack in Japan too. Sailor Mercury, Sailor Mars, and Sailor Jupiter were the ones to deal with it." The lunarian princess explained to them.
"What?!" Neville and Ginny stated in a surprised tone.
"In Japan?" Harry said in a confused voice.
"What about Sailor Moon?" Luna asked.
"She has to be alive." Lavender said causing everyone to turn to her at hearing her speak for the first time since the attack.
"She's been missing since the spring. No one has seen her since the last battle then. Reports said she may have died from the wounds she sustained." Hermione said rephrasing the news report she remembered reading a while back.
"That is correct and it may not be Voldermort controlling the youmas. It is probably someone from Japan doing this." Serena replied seriously to them.
"So there is someone else out there besides Voldermort to worry about." Harry said shocked to hear this.
"Again this is all speculation, but it is a possible." Serena said trying to keep her students calm, yet give them some bit of information at the same time, without giving herself away.
"Bloody hell." Ron mumbled in an awed tone.
"But why attack here? It makes no sense." Ginny asked thoughtfully.
"Good question." Serena said.
'At this rate they will figure us out sooner than they should.' She thought to herself.
"But there is no need to worry your heads about this. This is the senshi job to deal with." Serena continued "Now, how about we go get some ice cream from the elves to cheer us up." Serena suggested cheerfully in hopes to get them to stop thinking about all of this.
"Yay!" They replied ecstatically at the idea of ice cream.
~Common Rooms~
The students had returned to Hogwarts and got some ice cream with Professor Tuskino. As they sat there eating in the kitchen the students spoke to their professor about different topics and just enjoying their time together. Not long later Hotaru showed up to see the group of students with Serena chatting. She said she had heard about the attack while she was still shopping and asked if anyone had gotten hurt. The students told the story of what happened while Serena just watched on with a smile on her lips taking enjoyment in the time with them. Hotaru joined the group for a while talking to them about the attack, as well as other subjects for a bit, relaxing after a long battle with the youma. Eventually, though both the professors had to leave because of grading they had to get done before the day was over for good. The students decided to make their way back to their dorm rooms. Ron and Lavender disappeared to a different part of the common room leaving the rest.
"Do you think Professor Tuskino is right about the attacks not being done by you know who?" Luna asked them.
"It is possible, but just as Harry said why attack Hogwarts?" Neville replied.
"I think she knows more than she is telling us." Hermione said in a serious tone.
"What do you mean?" Ginny questioned her curiously.
"Did you notice how she yelled to Sailor Saturn to watch out?" Hermione pointed out.
"Yes, but that does not mean anything. She is from Japan and she even admitted to seeing them before on our first day of class." Harry countered back in Serena's defense.
"True, but have you notice she and Professor Tomoe have been more tired lately." She tried to reason with them.
"So she stays up to late to plan for lessons and grade probably." Ginny stated back looking skeptically at her friend.
"What about the attacks?" She stated to make her case.
"What about both of them?" Seamus countered her.
"She has been there to protect us both times and Professor Tomoe has not been around once." She said in a matter of fact tone.
"She has a point I hate to say it." Ginny answer back.
"And she seems to know a lot about them too." Luna added merely as she looked up from her newspaper.
"You think she is one of them?" Harry posed to Hermione out right.
"If she is one of them, which one could she be?" Neville asked them.
"We need more information to figure this out. I am not saying she is a senshi. The possibility is there, but what I am saying is that knows more than she is letting on, what about, I am not sure as of yet." Hermione said in a matter of fact tone. "We need to do more research to figure out what is going on." Hermione finished.
"But how? You found everything you could at the library." Harry pointed out.
"I know."
~ Few Days Later~
Serena sat at her desk grading when she heard a knock at her door. She looked up to see Hermione and Ginny there.
"Hello girls, what brings you by?" She greeted them warmly as she waved them.
"We wanted to let you know figure out a band for the ball." Hermione said holding a piece of parchment paper in her hands.
"Wonderful. Let me go get Professor Tomoe." Serena answered back before she disappeared out of the room. After a few seconds of silence Hermione quickly went around the desk and started digging through the desk drawers.
"What are you doing?" Ginny hissed quietly at her friend.
"Looking for clues." Hermione said easily not bothering to look up.
"This isn't right." Ginny protested quietly.
"There is nothing more I can find at the library Ginny. So doing this is my only option in hopes of finding out anything." Hermione whispered back looking at her friend. Ginny nodded her head quietly before she continued her digging in the drawers. The room was quiet for the most part except for Hermione's movements in the room until Hermione came across an item.
"Oh my…" She said in a surprising tone.
"What?" Ginny asked coming around to see what Hermione was looking at. What she saw astonished her too.
"That is Lupin, with Professor Tuskino." Ginny exclaimed quietly as she started at the moving picture. She flipped it over, but nothing was on the back. Just then they heard footsteps coming down the hallway. The two girls quickly shut the drawers; Hermione put the picture in one of her books to hide, before returning to their original spot. Seconds later the two professors returned from a different room with smiles on their faces.
"Alright, ladies what band did you have in mind?" Hotaru asked politely curious as to their chosen band.
"I wrote down a few choices in order of number one to number three in case our first pick was not available to perform." Hermione said in a professional manner.
"What a good idea Hermione. Always thinking ahead." Hotaru said proudly as Serena took the paper out of Hermione's hand. Serena read over the choices nodding her head in approval of the bands that were picked.
"Alright, we will get in contact with these bands and let you know." Serena said looking back up from their list. The girls nodded their heads in understand before saying good bye to head back to their dorm rooms.
"So how does the list look?" Hotaru inquired her as Serena was looking at the list again.
"Good, take a look." She replied before handing it t her.
"It seems you two are going to have to be more cautious around Ms. Granger." Came an all too familiar female voice from behind them. Serena and Hotaru turned around to see Sailor Pluto standing before them with an amused look on her face.
"Why?" Hotaru asked.
"Ms. Granger was snooping through your desk and found a picture in there." Pluto informed them.
"Really." Hotaru said in a shocking tone.
"Can't blame her for it. She has used every avenue possible to find out more information about us and most likely suspects that we are senshi." Serena stated simply not even surprised by this new bit of information.
"But we have been careful." Hotaru argued back.
"Hermone is very talented. She will figure us out it is only a matter of time unless Darien shows up first." Pluto added.
"Aren't you worried about the picture she took?" Hotaru asked Serena.
"No, because the only option is for her to go to the library where the year books are at, but they are suddenly gone." Serena stated with a smirk on her lips and a mischvious glint in her blue eyes.
"Meaning?"
"They are in Dumbeldore's office. We had them removed before we came in anticipation she would get this far." Pluto stated calmly.
"Along with any other books that might give us away." Serena commented dryly.
"Now, we will just have to see how things play out." Pluto said in a wise tone.