One timeskip later…
"Are you sure of this Minerva?" Dumbledore said from behind his desk.
"I have looked, but it is clear that Ms Potter has not lived in Privet drive for a number of years, and I can find no trace of her. Either she is being hidden by some powerful magic, or…" Minerva Mcgonagall trailed off, letting the implication hang in the air.
"I see," Dumbledore went deep into thought for a moment, before speaking again. "I do not believe Ms Potter is dead. We shall try a messenger owl, very few things are hidden from them. But I believe something is afoot, follow it as long as you are able."
"I do hope you are right Albus, I do hope you are right…"
"It seems things are finally moving." Yukari said, taking a sip of her tea.
"About time too," Remilia huffed, "I was beginning to wonder if I would have to add another century to my age before anything developed."
"Come Remilia, don't be sour. I think this will prove most entertaining for both of us." said Yukari, "Let us see where Hailey's destiny will take us."
Professor Mcgonagall stood just across the street, and grimaced at the building before her.
The old victorian townhouse was dark and foreboding, even in the peak of summer. It stood out, its crimson bricks a completely alien presence in this otherwise normal corner of london. It extruded a dark malice.
It was also incredibly hard to focus on, like it didn't want to be seen. The muggles walking past were completely oblivious to its presence, and Mcgonagall had a feeling she might have looked it over too, had it not been for a messenger owl leading her there. But now that they were here, and they had noticed it, the house seemed to be doing everything in its power to make them regret doing so, like some great dragon that had been disturbed in its slumber.
The owl was visibly spooked, sitting on a nearby parking meter, refusing to get any closer to the house than it already had. Mcgonagall decided to release it of its duty by taking the letter from its claw. It gave Mcgonagall a grateful look before flying off.
Mcgonagall however had seen too much in her life to be frightened by a simple house, no matter how foreboding.
She crossed the street, and checked the plate by the gate, it had no number, but old and worn letters spelt out the name Scarlet. Working her way through the overgrown garden to the front door, which was miraculously clear despite the growth all about it, suggesting frequent passage.
She knocked on the door and waited. No response could be heard through the thick oak doors. Mcgonagall tried the handle. The door was unlocked, and swung effortlessly, albeit with a loud creak.
The inside was pitch black, no windows or lights could be seen. She took some hesitant steps in, there were no traps as far as she could see…
The door slammed behind her, she turned around and tried the handle. It was still open, she wasn't locked in. Mcgonagall forced herself to calm down, some simple magical theatrics, nothing more.
She turned back into the room and lifted her wand.
"Lumos."
The tip of her wand lit up, illuminating the room. This was clearly a grand house once. But had clearly been under disuse for many years, as dust seemed to cover everything.
Almost everything, as she spotted a trail through the dust in the center of the room, once more suggesting frequent passage. Tt lead from the door, to up some stairs in the foyer. Mcgonagall, thinking this her best bet to locating the missing Potter, she followed them.
The trail lead her to the third floor, and immediately, she could tell someone lived here. There was those muggle electric lights illuminating the long corridor, and an open window on the far end, allowing Mcgonagall to extinguish her wand. There was at least a moderate attempt to clean this floor, half hearted as it was, with little piles of dust in the corners, or poking out from under the corners of rugs.
There was also a black cat sitting some distance down the hallway, watching her.
Mcgonagall knew enough to be wary. Even if you disregard her own abilities, cats are the common companions of witches and wizards, and many magics had been made to augment this. Through those cats eyes, someone else could easily be watching. She approached slowly.
The cat was a curious little creature, wearing a little green mop cap, and had a ring piercing in its ear.
As she drew nearer, it flicked its tail, and that's when Mcgonagall realised it had two.
"Me-ow~"
The window at the far end of the corridor slammed shut, and the lights immediately went out, plunging the corridor into darkness. Mcgonagall was immediately on the defensive, Gripping her wand tightly, unable to light her wand in case she needed it, simply hoping her eyes will adjust to the dark as she watched for attack. Giggles echoed in the dark
"Well what have we here?~" came a voice, strangely echoing so Mcgonagall couldn't pinpoint exactly where it came from.
"I don't know Chen, seems like a guest~" another voice, this one strangely layered, as if multiple people speaking slightly out of sync, all in different pitches, creating an eerie effect.
"I wasn't expecting any guests, were you?~" The first voice spoke. Mcgonagall tried to pinpoint where it was.
"Well just because we weren't expecting her, doesn't mean we shouldn't give her a warm welcome~"
"Pardon my intrusion," Mcgonagall said, attempting to reason with the voices, to at the very least buy time until she could figure out what she was dealing with, "I am hoping to deliver a message to someone, I have reason to believe she lives in this house."
"Oh, someone in this house? Not many people can claim that~" The first voice spoke again.
"Indeed the masters of this house have not been here for many, many years. Who could the letter be for I wonder?~" The second voice added.
Mcgonagall decided to go for the direct route. "I am here to see Hailey Potter. I have a letter for her.
And just like that the dark suddenly lost its eerie quality, and the silence became awkward.
"Oh." came the second voice, losing its ethereal quality, and Mcgonagall knew it was coming from right behind her.
She turned around just as the light came on, and came face to face with the owner of the voice.
It was a little girl, of indeterminate age (anywhere from eight to eleven). She wore a strange lacey dress with a petticoat that was at least thrice as wide as her torso. It was green and white to accent her eyes, which were brilliant emerald. Her sleeves were detached and secured somewhere beneath her shoulder, and had stripy stockings that disappeared under her skirt. She wore impractically large glasses, and a puffy green cap attop her artfully messy hair, with a single side ponytail, tied with a small red ribbon.
And behind her fringe, there was just the barest hint of a scar.
"I got a letter?" she said, confirming Mcgonagall's suspicions, "I didn't think anyone knew I lived here, at least no-one who would send a letter like this."
"Yeah, usually we get bats." Came the first voice, behind her. She turned again. There was another colourfully dressed girl, this time red and green. But the cat ears with the piecing and the two tails left Mcgonagall with no doubt that this was the cat from before. "Where're you from lady?"
"I suppose I must introduce myself," Mcgonagall said, deciding to ignore the odd welcome and the strange cat girl at least for now, as Miss Hailey seemed to be in good health and unrestrained, despite her odd company. She turned back to Hailey, "I am Professor Mcgonagall from the Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry, I came to give you your acceptance letter." She handed her the green envelope.
"Hogwarts?" said Hailey, taking the letter.
"Acceptance letter?" said The cat girl, walking past Mcgonagall and positioning herself behind Hailey to read over her shoulder, "I don't remember you applying to any schools."
"Me neither." Hailey said.
Mcgonagall decided to explain. "The letter goes out to all children of a certain age with the capacity to perform magic. and your parents had intended for you to attend Hogwarts since you were born."
"My parents huh?" said Hailey, "Did they go to this school too?"
"Well yes." Mcgonagall said, "Lilly and James were two of my students back when they attended."
"Huh, neat." Hailey said, opening the envelope.
"Yeah, your parents were magicians, who knew?" Chen said. "What's it say?"
Mcgonagall wasn't quite sure how to feel about Hailey's apparent total lack of interest in her parents, but decided to let it slide and let her read.
"Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry," Hailey read aloud, Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore, Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards."
"The hells a Mugwump?" Chen said.
"I don't know but apparently he's the best at it." Hailey said, before continuing to read. "Dear Ms. Potter, We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment. Term begins on 1 September. We await your owl by no later than 31 July. Yours sincerely, Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress."
Hailey looked up, "You're the deputy headmistress?"
"Yes, that is me." Mcgonagall said.
"You must be pretty busy then." said the cat girl, "Do you hand deliver these to everyone, or were Hailey's parents super bigshots and she deserves special treatment?"
Hailey puffed out her chest at that, she liked the idea of being important.
"Well it is true Hailey is a special case, usually we deliver by owl. But in this case it was less the importance of her parents, although I did consider them close friends of mine, and more that you have proven extremely difficult to find."
"Oh, right," Hailey sagged slightly, but then giggled, "I guess I would be huh?"
"Might I ask why you are living here? By our records you are supposed to be living with your aunt and Uncle…"
Haileys expression darkened, and the Cat girl spoke in her stead. "Hailey… cut out the toxic influences in her life… She is not welcome there anymore, even if she wanted to go back."
Mcgonagall realised this conversation would go south very quickly if she continued this line of discussion. "Nevermind, I'm sure you had your reasons."
"Who needs a family like that anyway." Hailey huffed, seemingly calming down.
"Regardless, As the letter suggests, the term starts on the first of september, I would like a response as soon as possible. Although since I am here, I suppose I should just ask directly. Do you have a guardian I can speak too?"
Hailey and the cat girl looked at each other. "I mean yeah, I have one," Hailey said, "but she's not often here, I'm not sure you could meet her. Honestly, if she wanted to meet you-"
"Then she would already be here." Came a new voice once more from behind her.
Mcgonagall sighed. It seemed people in this house had a flair for the dramatic, she turned around.
Unlike Hailey and the cat girl, this was a grown woman. Wearing a large purple dress, and pink mob cap, wIth a parasol slung over her shoulder, with long immaculate blond hair. She had a mischievous glint in her violet eyes, not unlike dumbledore, although this seemed slightly more predatory. There was an aura of age about her, despite her youthful appearance, almost ancient.
"Yukari!" shouted Hailey, running past Mcgonagall and throwing herself at the woman, who caught her and returned the hug.
"Hello Hailey, have you been good?" Yukari said.
"Nope!" Hailey said, beaming from ear to ear.
Yukari ruffled her hair, "Well aren't you feeling Cheeky today."
"If I may say, Hailey has been performing admirably in her studies in the very least." said Someone walking past Mcgonagall, who was getting seriously tired of people appearing behind her.
The new woman stopped in front of her, and bowed respectfully. This woman was just as tall as Mcgonagall, but whose height was further augmented by the animal ears under her mob cap. She also had a complete mess of fluffy animal tails behind her, maybe fox tails. Mcgonagall concluded that she was something similar to the cat girl, who was now standing behind the fox woman.
"Apologies for any confusion our sudden arrival may have caused, I am Ran Yakumo, Shikigami to Yukari Yakumo, the woman who arrived with me." she straightens up, "We are Hailey's guardians, and I am her personal tutor." She gestures to the cat girl, "as she has not introduced herself yet, this is Chen Yakumo, my shikigami."
The cat girl bowed in mimicry of Ran. Mcgonagall didn't know what I shikigami was, but at her best guess it must be some sort of servant. Although a servant having a servant was rather unusual, and the shared surname was also odd.
"A pleasure to meet you." Mcgonagall said, returning the courtesy with a bow of her own, it payed to be respectful, especially in the house of another. "I am Professor Mcgonagall of Hogwarts, From your timely appearance, I assume you have been listening?"
"A fair assumption," Yukari said, joining the conversation alongside Ran, with Hailey standing beside her. "You wish for Hailey to attend this wizard school of yours, am I correct?"
Hailey made a face, not liking the idea of going to school again. But this was largely ignored by everyone else.
"Yes that is correct," Mcgonagall said, "Term starts on the first of september, if you like I can show you where school supplies may be purchased, as well as the platform you must board to get to Hogwarts-"
"Excuse me," Ran said, cutting off Mcgonagall, "you speak as if Hailey's attendance is a foregone conclusion."
Hailey looked up at Ran in hope.
"Now while I mean no disrespect to your institution. As Hailey's tutor, I feel I must make sure that your curriculum will be sufficiently academically challenging and rewarding for Young Haileys intellectual development." Ran said.
Hailey cocked her head, trying to work out if she should be happy about that.
"I'm afraid I don't quite know what you mean." said Mcgonagall, not sure where the fox woman was going with this.
Yukari held her fan to her face, trying to hide her urge to laugh.
"I understand that your school is most probably a specialist school," Ran began enthusiastically, "And I am sure your magical curriculum is extensive. But I wish to know what you offer for your basic curriculum, Literacy, philosophy, media studies, theology, the sciences, thaumaturgical metaphysics, home economics, but mostly Mathematics and History as they are her weakest subjects and they would suffer greatly if neglected. She has a terrible memory for numbers after all… And judging by the fact that Yukari-sama is trying and failing to withhold laughter, I'm not going to like the answers am I?" Ran said, her enthusiasm flatlining.
Mcgonagall looked the fox woman up and down, trying and failing to think of an answer to placate the woman, before deciding that there wasn't one, and going for the blunt truth. "Ms Yakumo, we consider a great deal of those things to be largely unnecessary to the majority of wizards, Hogwarts curriculum is almost entirely magic based."
There was a long pregnant silence (aside from Yukari's continued snickering), and the air temperature seemed to drop several degrees.
Ran took a deep breath. "Could you run that by me again?"
"Oh my~" said Remilia, watching through a viewing portal that Patchouli had set up, watching the shouting match that had quickly developed.
"No, I will not even hear of it!" Ran declared angrily, "I will not have Hailey waste away in this farce you call a school!"
The girl in question had sat down against the wall with Chen, and were currently sharing a bag of popcorn. It wasn't every day you see Ran screaming mad after all. Yukari is still trying to control her laughter.
"How dare you!" Mcgonagall declared in response, equally enraged. "Hogwarts is one of the finest magical institutions in europe! And Hailey has been enrolled by her parents since birth!"
"Parents who clearly don't know what's good for a child!"
"Don't you talk about Lily and James like that. They were wonderful people. Some of the finest students I ever did teach!"
"I will speak of the dead and gone however I like! Their names mean nothing to me, But Hailey's future does!" Rans pupils became slits, and she began extruding a malevolent aura "She is not going, and there is nothing you can say nor do to change my-"
A closed parasol flew out in front of Rans face. "That is enough Ran. I will take over from here." Yukari said, who had finally gotten her laughter under control.
To Mcgonagall's surprise, Ran immediately did. Her Aura receded, and she stepped back calmly, dutifully bowing. "I apologize, Yukari-sama."
"Quite Alright." Yukari said, Bringing the parasol back to her shoulder, and facing Mcgonagall. "I apologise for my shikigami's outburst. But she cares deeply about young Hailey, and has spent the last five years teaching her the things you deem 'unnecessary'."
Mcgonagall still wasn't happy with Ran, with both the things she said about Hogwarts and her disrespect of Lily and James. But she wasn't about to burn down any more bridges by refusing an apology. "I suppose I also let my anger get the better of me, I apologise for my loss of temper."
Yukari waved her hand. "Think nothing of it. If nothing else I had a good chuckle."
Mcgonagall frowned, wondering if this one might be more troublesome than the last.
Yukari smiled deviously, "Now, as I see it, You are quite insistent on young Hailey's attendance, and for the record, I am not entirely against it."
Hailey spat out her popcorn.
"Yukari-sama, you can not be serious-" Ran said, but Yukari cut her off with a wave of her hand.
"However I do agree with my sweet dutiful Ran. I do not wish for Haileys still budding intellect to waste away. So I suggest a compromise."
"A compromise?" Mcgonagall said.
"Indeed. My dear little Hailey can attend Hogwarts, but Ran must accompany her, to continue her tutelage." Yukari said.
"What!" Hailey exclaimed, shooting to her feet.
"If that is what you wish." Ran said, bowing deeply.
"But… but…" said Hailey, floundering for any excuse to keep her from going to school.
Yukari kneeled down to Haileys level and put a hand on your shoulder. "Hailey, you know what I have told you, about why you cannot live in Gensokyo?"
Hailey looked down. "That certain things must be done out here before I can become a propper member of the Yakumo household." she said sullenly.
"Well Hailey, do well at Hogwarts, and that may be the last thing I ask of you before you get your wish." Yukari said, smirking.
Hailey looked up, her eyes sparkling. "You mean it?"
"Of course, would I lie to you?" said Yukari sweetly, ruffling Haileys hair.
"I'll do my best!" Hailey said, her eyes burning with determination.
"I know you will," said Yukari, standing up, and turning back to Mcgonagall. "Well, how about it Professor? those are my terms, and I will accept no others."
"I will have to speak to the headmaster, but I'm sure we can make accommodations." Mcgonagall said, although in truth she is relieved that a resolution had been so easily reached.
"Very well, Let's go speak to him then," said Yukari, walking past Mcgonagall, Ran in toe. "I am quite interested in meeting this Dumbledore fellow."
"Excuse me?" Mcgonagall said.
"Don't worry, we won't hold you up, We'll be waiting in the Three Broomsticks, just drop by when Dumbledore is available." Yukari said, her and Ran rounding a corner, where there footsteps abruptly ceased.
"Annnd she's gone." Chen said, "Well that was fun, Nice ta meetcha Ms Mcgonagall. I guess you better get going. Yukari-sama is patient, but there's no telling what she will do if she gets bored."
Mcgonagall, looked down at the small smirking cat girl, and decided that caution is the better part of valour in this situation. "In that case, I better be on my way." She goes to leave, but then turns back to Hailey, "Before I go, I just want to say... I am happy to see you doing well. I never really liked the idea of leaving you with those… muggles, and I worried the worst when I heard of your disappearance. I am glad to see you safe." And with these words Mcgonagall departed.
This left Hailey and Chen standing in the corridor in an introspective silence.
"Well that happened." Chen finally said.
"Yup."
"And now your going to school again."
"Uh-huh."
Chen clapped her hands together. "Well this calls for a celebration. Congratulations on getting into whatever-its-called, This calls for snacks and entertainment."
Hailey gave her a blank stare. "You are just using this as an excuse to get out of cleaning."
"Eh, it's clean enough." Chen said, ignoring the dust piles in the corners, and kicking her discarded broom to the wall. "So is that a no to robbing 7-Eleven and harassing your cousin?"
"No, I could do with a pick me up," Hailey said sullenly.
"Thank you for both your time and understanding headmaster." said Yukari, bowing. "We shant take up any more of your busy day."
"Oh no, it's quite alright Lady Yukari. I'm glad we could come to a mutually beneficial agreement." said Dumbledore, "I'm glad Hailey is in such capable hands."
"Oh you flatterer you," said Yukari, "But I'm afraid we must be going, and thank you for young Haileys gringotts key. I'm sure Hailey will be ecstatic to find out she has become rich overnight."
"Not at all, it wasn't mine to begin with, I was only minding it. Will you be alright in leaving? Mcgonagall can accompany you if you wish."
"No need, we can see ourselves out." said Yukari, stepping out the door. "Goodbye Headmaster, I look forward to our further dealings."
The door shut.
After a moment, Mcgonagall spoke. "Albus."
"You wish to know what I think about them, don't you?" said Dumbledore, his eyes still on the door.
"Yes, even disregarding the obvious animal features of Ran, they both seem strange. I might go so far as to say, Inhuman." Mcgonagall said.
"An astute observation, as neither of them are." Dumbledore said. He got up and turned around to stare out the window. "Minerva, in this world, there are… existences. Entities, some as old as human consciousness. Gods, demons, creatures of fear, belief and legend. They embody the world as it once was, frightening, mysterious and unknowable. And they were once everywhere, some weak, some strong, and others whose strength could end the very world."
There was a pause, and Mcgonagall had to ask. "But what happened to them?"
"Reason happened." Dumbledore said, "It was the muggles mostly. Their march of discovery and progress left little room for the unknowable. Where might and magic failed, reason and logic wore them down, leaving them weak, frail, until they started simply fading away."
Mcgonagall, felt a pang of sympathy. "And there is nothing that could have been done?"
Dumbledore sighed. "No-one was willing to do it, we wizards, in our quest for secrecy, played no small part in their demise, as we hid the unknowable from the eyes of normal men. We knew what we were doing, but no-one could bring themselves to care for the creatures of myth and legend, who had lorded their strength over us mortals for many millennia. We willingly helped commit an unintentional genocide."
Mcgonagall bowed her head in memorial for the fallen creatures, before remembering where the conversation had began. "But, does that mean…"
"Not all of these creatures are gone," Dumbledore continued, "Many managed to survive, some by forming hidden enclaves, sharing what little power they have left to survive. Others by being too stubborn an existence to fade away, and live on, albeit a shadow of their former selves. And yet others… some are simply too powerful an existence to ever fade. And that is Yukari."
Mcgonagall stared. "I… see," she said weakly, "and what of Ran?"
"A simpler question," Dumbledore said. "In japanese folklore, there is one of these creatures called a Youko, a sort of fox spirit. A creature of great intellect and long life, who posses potent magical powers, and specialise in illusion. It is said you can tell how old and powerful a Youko is by counting its tails, an extra tail for every century its lived. Ran had nine tails, the most tails a Youko can posses. She is most probably exceptionally powerful, although not as much as her master I'd wager."
Mcgonagall stewed in her thoughts for a moment. "Albus, I know it's probably a little late, but should we really…"
"I do not think we need to worry, I do not think they are our enemies." said Dumbledore, "That said, nor are they our friends, but I feel the most unwise thing we could do in this situation is to refuse their requests, especially if we wish Hailey's attendance."
"I suppose so," Said Mcgonagall, "but I can't help but wonder what young Hailey did to gain such odd company."
"What indeed." said Dumbledore, still facing the window.
And shit is finally happening, Hailey is on her way to Hogwarts, and totally destroying cannon.
Bear in mind, while I will be going ever so slightly out of my way to make sure Hailey interacts with people from the cannon, do not expect things to progress in the same way as The books. Hailey is a different person to Harry and will make different decisions and form somewhat different relationships.
And since I can't PM you Sgn, to answer your question: no, Hailey is not Rumia, totally different people eater.