Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or Kuroko no Basket!

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3rd year – Teiko

"Overprotective idiots," Mac muttered to herself as she closed the door to her bedroom a little harder than necessary and walked to the bed and fell down on it. "Spying, overprotective idiots who think they can do whatever they want… argh…"

She had just arrived back home after Kiyoshi had walked her back and with a quick hug and a warm smile had thanked her for a good day and that he would call her the next day, before turning around and walked back the street they came from. He had taken the interruption of their date better than she'd dared to hope, but still… would he put up with her when her friends would interrupt and threaten him like that? Why would he?

The touch of a tongue against her cheek had her smiling and turned her head to look into concerned brown eyes. Nao pressed his nose against her cheek and purred comfortingly making her smile again and reached out to scratch his ear. He mewled and whined slightly.

"Sorry, Nao," Mac muttered, "didn't mean to upset you. I just… why do they do that?"

Mac sighed again wishing that Nao could answer her and actually tell her what she wanted, needed, to know.

"I mean, I know I'm their friend and that they care about me," Mac said and couldn't help the small smile on her face, because she knew it was the truth. They cared about her and that was something she still couldn't help smiling about. If it were someone she believed truly cared about her, it was them. "But that doesn't give them the right to interrupt my date like that! I mean…if it hadn't been Teppei…"

Sighing again she threw her head back against the pillow and left the sentence hanging in the air. She thought back and had to admit that Kiyoshi had handled it and hadn't seemed to be intimidated by them. She knew he could handle them, but she had wanted to have them somewhat used to the idea of her having a boyfriend before they met him.

"Argh," she groaned as her mind spun and she was back at the same place again. She was so confused and angry at her friends but at the same time, she knew that much of this was her own fault. She should have told them, but she had decided to be childish and punish them for spying on her at school. Thinking about it… she had been acting differently from what they were used to… so perhaps it wasn't so strange that they decided to spy on her. She wished though that they would have talked to her first though, given her a chance to tell them herself.

Sitting up determined to push her thoughts away she got off the bed and moved to the bathroom to take a shower, but before she got there she ran into Taiga who looked a little awkwardly at her. She arched a brow.

"Do you want to come outside and play some basketball with me?" Taiga asked hurriedly.

Mac thought for a moment before nodding agreeing to his request. Some basketball might be exactly what she needed right about now.

"Just let me change first," she said making him nod and smile at her. She smiled back and turned to go back to her room to change.

...

"I'll beat you this time," Taiga said when they faced each other on the court. "I won't be taken by surprise again."

Mac smirked at him, "you're still not on a level where you can beat me."

He narrowed his eyes and she raised a brow at the challenge she saw in his eyes before she smirked wider and felt the anticipation fill her. She liked the look in his eyes, he was by no means dejected by her words but instead, he let it fill him with a sense of determination and challenge.

"I'll do it!" he swore.

"We'll see," was all she said before she lunged forward and stole the ball from him making him blink in surprise. "but first…don't be distracted. Expect the unexpected at all times, Taiga."

He frowned but his eyes burned with a will to prove himself and she bounced the ball playfully around her and moved across the court while avoiding him at the same time. She held back from going toward the hoop wanting to see how he dealt with being on the defensive. She knew his power was more in the offence department, and that he needed to work on his defence.

She attacked and got past him with a quick twist and correct read on what he would do next so she found herself in front of the hoop alone and easily put the ball through the hoop. She heard the annoyed curse behind her and turned to see Taiga mutter to himself and look a little worn out.

"Again!" he barked.

"Alright," Mac said throwing the ball to him and got in her position.

Her sharp eyes took in how he moved and what positions he favoured, it was all going into the file she was working on in her mind and would write when they finished the practice. She matched his movements and saw the growing frustration in his red eyes, but he kept going and with narrow eyes tried to work his way past her.

She blinked when he suddenly found an opening and turned around quickly to catch up with him. She used her speed to catch up to him, but he was already jumping up to dunk the ball. She barely managed to jump in time and stop him from making the dunk and made the ball fall back to the ground.

Landing she breathed a little harder and looked at her cousin with a raised brow, that had been unexpected. He was looking frustrated that his chance had been stopped, not seeing that he had almost done it and with a little more speed and timing his jumping he would have scored. She smiled as she picked up the ball and a small flame of hope started to burn in her chest, a hope she would keep close to her chest for now but he might just be what they needed.

"Good work," Mac said making him look at her.

"You won," he said wiping the sweat from his forehead, "again."

"Yes, but you were good," Mac said tilting her head slightly as she watched him. "You didn't give up."

"Of course not!" He looked so indignant that she couldn't help the smile that broke out on her face in both amusement and wonder as she saw his reaction. "You'll never win if you give up! One day I will beat you!"

Mac stared at him for a moment her face had gone blank as she stared at him. If only everyone had that attitude toward basketball… everything would have been different if those they played against would think like that.

"Mac?" Taiga waved a hand in front of her eyes breaking her out of her thought and she blinked at him before shaking herself out of her musings.

"Oh, sorry," she said smiling slightly.

"You okay, Mac?" Taiga asked a little awkwardly but she saw real concern in his eyes as he looked at her. "You looked…sad."

Mac bent down to pick up Nao who had come over to her from where he had been resting near the bench and scratched his ear as she straightened up and looked over at Taiga again. He was still watching her but was frowning now.

"Just thought that it would be nice if more thought like you," Mac admitted quietly. "Come on, let's go home."

Taiga nodded and looked confused but much to Mac's relief didn't ask her anything else. She was tired and just wanted to change into her pyjamas and curl up in her bed. The playing had released the pent-up frustration she felt and now she was just tired and ready to sleep.

...

Sato's house

"Potter-san, can you tell me what is the difference between a werewolf and an animagi?" Professor Sato asked.

Mac thought for a moment before remembering having read about this a few days ago.

"Um, a werewolf is someone who's forced into the transition into a wolf every full moon, it's a painful transition," Mac said looking at her professor who was nodding his head as she spoke. "While an animagi is someone who has learned how to transition into an animal. Unlike a werewolf, their animal isn't decided and will vary from person to person. Some say it will reflect your personality in some way."

"Very good," Professor Sato said and got up to write something on the board behind him. She started to write it down immediately. "There is no cure for a werewolf bite…"

"But isn't there a potion that will help the wizard/witch to keep their minds during the change? I thought I read something about it…" Mac interrupted.

"Yes, there is," Professor Sato said looking slightly surprised as he looked at her. "That's not really in the curriculum until the sixth year though."

"I found it interesting and wanted to know if there was something that could be done for the werewolves," Mac explained at the question in his eyes, she blushed slightly at the attention. "I…I just wanted to see if there was a way to help…"

Professor Sato looked at her for a long moment making her feel a little uncomfortable before he smiled at her.

"There is a potion called the Wolfsbane Potion," Professor Sato explained as the name was magically written on the board. "It's not a cure, but it relieves the symptoms of lycanthropy."

"How do you make it?" Mac asked curiously.

"With very much difficulty," Professor Sato said. "The main ingredient is wolfsbane, also known as aconite or monkshood."

"That's a plant, right?" Mac frowned trying to remember.

"That's right," Professor Sato nodded. "The plant is also very poisonous and therefore makes the potion very difficult to make. If not made correctly it will be dangerous. The potion will be needed to be taken every day in the preceding week of the full moon."

"It's expensive?" Mac asked frowning slightly.

"Yes," Professor Sato nodded looking at her curiously when he saw the frown on her face.

"But…I read that werewolves are often discriminated against and have a harder time getting a job," Mac said. "How will they afford the potion?"

"Many don't," Professor Sato said and saw the flash of anger in her eyes and raised a brow.

"Then how can they be blamed for the full moon if they're denied the chance at the potion that can help them?" Mac asked or rather demanded.

"I am afraid I can't give you a good answer to your question, Potter-san," Professor Sato admitted. "It's not much talked about and most will rather pretend that the problem doesn't exist."

Mac leaned back in her seat and scowled at the desk at the unfairness of it all.

"There will be many things in this world you will find unfair and difficult," Professor Sato said when he saw the reaction in her. "It's good that you care, and perhaps you will one day find a way to help. You'll never know."

Mac nodded but didn't say anything more, she wasn't sure what to say so she just focused on the lesson as he continued to explain the animagi to her. She felt curious about the ability and wondered if she could possibly learn how to be on one day. She would have to look into it later.

...

Teiko

Mac walked into the gym and immediately saw her friends standing together, she paused just because it was not usual to see them all together before a practice these days. They were whispering together and looking intense, she could tell that they hadn't spotted her yet. She looked at them and wondered what they were talking about so intensely and almost walked over to them, but something held her back. While she wasn't as angry anymore she still felt upset and was more disappointed that they decided to go behind her back like that, and that stopped her from walking over to them.

She turned and walked to where she saw Momoi standing looking a little worried and curious all the same. She smiled when she saw Mac coming toward her.

"Hi Potter-san," Momoi said.

"Hi Momoi," Mac nodded at her, "you can call me Mac, you know, like everyone else."

Momoi smiled and nodded.

"How was your date?" Momoi asked a little unsurely like she was overstepping a line.

Mac glanced at her and then glanced over at her friends who were now looking at her, she huffed and turned back toward Momoi.

"It went well," Mac said with a smile. "Teppei was…wonderful."

Momoi smiled and looked a little dreamy making Mac smile at her as she glanced over at her friends again. She met Seijuro's eyes for a moment before looking away from him and rolled her shoulders a little trying to clear her mind. She listened to Momoi talk until Sanada entered the gym and started the practice.

Mac split her time during the practice with participating and show Momoi how to work on her observing skills and how to take the best notes. While practising she kept her conversation with her friends short and to the point, ignoring the way they looked at her. Or trying to ignore it, the looks they gave her was like they had lost their puppy and it was her fault, she could feel herself softening and cursing herself for doing so already.

...

"Kenzie!" Daiki stopped in front of her before she could escape from the gym when the practice was over. His eyes a little darker than normal and his hair ruffled as if he had pulled a hand through it a few times. Something he did when he was stressed.

"Mac-cchi!" Ryota looked at her with wide teary eyes and a small pout on his face.

"Mac-chin are you mad at us?" Atsushi asked childishly. Seijuro, Shintaro and Tetsuya were all standing there looking at her as well.

Mac barely noticed that they were now the only ones left in the gym as she looked at her friends who were all looking at her like she was keeping something from them. She huffed and crossed her arms over her chest trying to remind herself that she was angry at them. They had overstepped their boundaries and she wasn't going to forgive them this easily….or at least that was what she kept telling herself.

"Mac," Seijuro said his voice cool and eyes sharp but she saw the slight hesitation in him that he hid very well. "Are you going to ignore us for the rest of your life?"

"What?!" Ryota wailed. "You can't ignore us, Mac-cchi! Please! Talk to us, please!"

"Shut up, Kise!" Shintaro snapped glaring at the blond before pushing his glasses back up his nose as he looked at Mac. She saw the flash of worry in his eyes as he looked at her. "You're annoying, Kise."

"So mean," Ryota mumbled but he quietened down slightly.

"We're sorry, Mac-san," Tetsuya said quietly and Mac glanced at him. He looked really remorseful and she knew that the spying hadn't been his idea and that he was more than likely been dragged along without really wanting to.

"Kenzie…" Daiki stepped forward and Mac narrowed her eyes at him. "Please."

The small word was enough to break her and she sighed.

"Seriously," Mac muttered to herself. "Did you really have to spy on me?"

"Well…" Daiki frowned, "you were acting strange and all…giggly, we were worried."

The others nodded.

"Mac-chin has a boyfriend and we have to protect Mac-chin from getting hurt," Atsushi added like it was a common fact.

"Ever thought to just ask me?" Mac arched a brow at them deciding to ignore Atsushi's comment for now. "I would have told you if you asked me."

"Why didn't you tell us?" Seijuro asked with narrow eyes staring at her. "You were trying to hide it from us, and we're your friends!"

She could hear the betrayal he felt in his voice and she frowned, she wasn't sure she thought he had a reason to feel betrayed. She looked at him for a moment and realised that he had felt hurt that she hadn't told him.

"Well, I was going to," Mac said giving them all a look, "but then I spotted you spying on me and instead of asking you continued to spy and speculate. I was going to tell you the next day instead."

They all looked a little shameful and she knew them well enough to know that they were sorry for it.

"And why did you have to interrupt my date like that?" Mac asked feeling hurt again. The anger was gone but the hurt remained, "were you trying to ruin it?"

"We must make sure he's good enough for you," Seijuro said calmly. "No one will get the chance to break your heart and we will make sure of it."

Mac sighed and turned away from them. She knew and understood that they just wanted to protect her, but she didn't need it. She could take care of herself, though a part of her was grateful and warmed over the fact that they wanted to protect her. She looked over at them again and their wide eyes or concerned looks had her give in and she smiled slightly.

"Fine, I'll forgive you," Mac said ignoring the way Ryota cheered. "But please, don't do it again. Teppei is a good guy and even if he was to hurt me, you can't protect me from everything. I might be the one to hurt him, or we might make it. We don't know and for now I just… I want to give it, give him a chance. "

She looked at them and saw the torn expressions and noticed that Daiki looked sad but he nodded when she met his eyes and gave her a small smile. She looked over at Seijuro knowing that he was the one who had to agree for the others to follow suit.

"If he hurts you I will deal with him," Seijuro said and she took it for what it was, an agreement to behave. It was the best she could get, so she would take it.

"Thank you," Mac said and smiled more genuinely before laughing when Ryota shouted group hug and somehow managed to get everyone in a large hug. She really wouldn't know what she'd do without them.

"Let's go to the grocery store like old time!" Ryota suggested.

Mac nodded agreeing with the rest of them before grabbing her bag and letting Nao out of it before following the others to the grocery store. She laughed and felt warmth fill her as she was surrounded by her friends again.

...

"Mac-nee!" Sayuri smiled when she saw Mac enter the house behind Daiki.

"Hi Sayuri," Mac smiled and hugged the girl when she rushed to her. "How are you?"

"I'm fine," Sayuri smiled, "is it true?"

"Is what true?" Mac asked confused.

"Do you really have a boyfriend? Shiro said so," Sayuri said looking at Mac with wide eyes and an expectant look in her eyes.

"Yes, let's hear about this boyfriend of yours," Takehiro said having entered the house right behind her and Daiki and heard the last comment from his daughter. Mac blushed and rubbed her neck self-consciously.

"Now, stop tease Mac, dear," Ayano scolded from the doorway to the living room. "Come inside, Mac."

Mac followed and was very aware of the looks she was getting from the others. Shiro grinned and hugged her when he saw her before going back to the game he was playing on his iPad.

"So, you didn't answer!" Sayuri said when they had finished dinner and Mac had wondered when she would bring it up again. She glanced at Daiki who had a carefully blank look on his face but smiled slightly when he saw her looking. She was a little confused about the sudden change in him but pushed it away for later.

"Um, yes I do have a boyfriend," Mac admitted.

"What's his name?" Sayuri asked, "How did you meet? Does he go to your school?"

"Calm down," Ayano told her daughter amused, "she can't answer if you don't let her."

Mac smiled a little, "well, his name is Kiyoshi Teppei and I met him when we played against him last year. We met again a few weeks after the game and kept meeting to play basketball. He's in High School now."

"Oh, so romantic," Sayuri cooed making Mac blush a little but didn't comment. She thought she saw a slightly worried look in Takehiro's eyes but Ayano was squeezing his hand and it was gone. He smiled at her instead.

"He will behave or I will deal with him," Shiro said, "I warned him."

Mac shook her head slightly and gave Daiki a look, "yeah, you and everyone else."

"Oh? Daiki warned him too?" Takehiro asked with a teasing look in his eyes. "Good for you."

Mac sighed again and met Ayano's sympathetic eyes. "He seemed like a nice young man."

Mac nodded and smiled making Ayano smile a little. Mac missed the look she shot Daiki who had been quiet since the conversation started.

...

"You're spending the night?" Daiki asked when he saw Mac settling in on the sofa with a book. The twins were in bed and he could hear his parents in the kitchen talking softly with each other. He sat down on the edge of the sofa and looked at her.

"Yeah," Mac nodded, "your mum said I could and I already asked uncle Tarou. He said it was ok."

"Good," Daiki smiled a little and Mac looked at him.

"Are you ok, Daiki?" Mac asked.

"I'm fine, Kenzie," Daiki said.

"You sure? You seem sad…." Mac said worriedly.

Daiki looked away knowing it was pointless to deny it since Mac could read him like an open book most days. He was not really sure why he felt sad or worried, but he felt like he was losing his best friend. It was hard to feel like that and he acted out without really thinking, and ended up hurting her. He sighed a little.

"It's nothing…" Daiki said smiling slightly at her, "just… everything is changing."

Mac looked at him for a moment and he felt like she saw right through him and before he could say anything she was reaching out and took his hand in hers squeezing it comfortingly.

"I'm still your best friend and you're mine," Mac said meeting his eyes. "That will never change."

He looked at her for a moment before he nodded and smiled, but there was still something almost sad in his eyes. She frowned a little but didn't press him. She put her book on the table and curled her feet under her.

"Let's watch a movie," she said.

...

"Preliminaries for Nationals start next week," Mac said throwing a ball through the hoop effortlessly and watched as it bounced on the asphalt underneath it.

"I think asking if you're ready for it will be unnecessary, but I'll ask anyway," Kiyoshi said picking up the ball and looked at her. "So, are you?"

"I have every confidence that we'll win," Mac said knowing it was very likely, "I just… I worry. I have a bad feeling for this."

Kiyoshi looked at her and asked, "your team?"

"They've grown even more," Mac admitted, "and…and I fear they will hurt others with their play. I can't…I don't know how to make them play seriously and not make others feel like giving up at the same time…"

She had thought about that a lot, ever since Kiyoshi had told her about his friend on his team who had stopped playing basketball because of them. She still felt guilty and had reservation against playing and hurt others. What right had they to ruin their dreams?

"Hi," Kiyoshi said grabbing her shoulder. "You can only be responsible for your own actions, Mac. Not your teams or anyone else. You go out and play the best you can and show the respect that way, you have a right to play basketball just as much as anyone else. Remember that."

Mac nodded but still felt wary and guilty, but it was better.

"What about you? Are you and your team ready for the preliminaries?" Mac asked changing the subject slightly at least getting the focus off herself.

"Yes, we're getting there," Kiyoshi grinned. "Riko is putting us through a lot of hard training."

Mac smiled and listened to him tell her about the training she put them through and she felt her respect for the girl she never met grow. She would like to meet her one day and compare notes. That would be interesting.

"Care to join me for dinner?" Kiyoshi asked making Mac blink at the sudden formal tone in his voice.

"Um, sure," Mac said and he grinned.

"Great! Because grandma said to invite you home for dinner today!" Kiyoshi said.

Mac felt her eyes widen. "What? You mean…you want me to meet your grandparents?"

"Of course," Kiyoshi smiled. "They also want to meet you. You'll come, right?"

Mac inhaled deeply before she nodded feeling insecure and weary, but who could say no when Kiyoshi was looking at her like that? She smiled and he positively beamed back at her and grabbed her hand before starting to drag her with him. She couldn't help laughing as she followed him and heard Nao disgruntle bark behind her as he ran to catch up to them.

...

"Ah, you must be the young girl our Teppei is so captured with," a woman with grey hair and a warm kind smile said when Mac followed Kiyoshi into the house. Mac blushed but smiled at her feeling butterflies in her stomach as she felt the sharp brown eyes on her.

"Um, yeah," Mac stumbled slightly and glanced at Kiyoshi who was still grinning and back to the woman she was sure was Kiyoshi's grandmother. "I'm Potter Mackenzie. Nice to meet you, ma'am."

"I'm Kiyoshi Miyako," the older woman smiled and stepped forward surprising Mac by hugging her. "I'm so pleased to meet you, Mac. Can I call you Mac? Teppei talks so much about you, so I feel like I already know you."

"Sure," Mac blinked but smiled.

"Dear! Come meet the wonderful girl Teppei brought home!" Kiyoshi Miyako called and soon an older man with a cane came into the living room. He smiled when he spotted Mac and Kiyoshi next to his wife.

"Ah, Mac," he said, "I'm Kiyoshi Haru. Nice to finally meet you."

"You too," Mac smiled nervously and glanced at Kiyoshi who smiled pleased.

"About time you brought her home with you, son," Kiyoshi Haru said looking at his grandson. "We've been hearing a lot about you."

"Grandpa," Kiyoshi said sounding a little embarrassed.

Mac smiled feeling more relaxed as she sat down next to her boyfriend who took her hand in his. She glanced over at his grandparents and saw their pleased smiles when they noticed the connected hands.

"How long have you been in Japan, Mac?" Kiyoshi Haru asked after dinner and they were back in the living room. She was seated beside Kiyoshi who had taken her hand again making her smile up at him.

"Well, I think its about six years now," Mac said before blinking as she realised just how long she had been in Japan. "I moved here when I was 8 years old with my aunt and uncle and cousin."

She grimaced slightly at the mention of her former family and missed the looks the older Kiyoshi's shared.

"Teppei says you're a good basketball player," Kiyoshi Miyako said changing the subject.

"I'm…alright," Mac said shyly and glanced at Kiyoshi when he snorted.

"Come on, Mac," he said, "you're better than alright. You're very good."

Mac shrugged but didn't protest his words.

"Have you played long?" Kiyoshi Haru asked.

"I started to play with Daiki when I met him when I was 8," Mac shrugged. "At first it was only the two of us. We would go to street courts and play together or find someone to play against. It was fun. Then we started Teiko and he joined the basketball team. I only joined as a manager at first."

"Why?" Kiyoshi asked having not heard how she joined the team before.

"My uncle wouldn't have let me play," Mac shrugged, "but I would play Daiki after practices most days and on the weekends. Then the others found out and joined us. We had fun and the playing didn't mean anything… we just…enjoyed basketball…"

Mac paused and Kiyoshi understood the longing in her eyes as she talked about the past, he knew she missed that part of her friends.

"I joined the team last year after my aunt and uncle left and Daiki's parents were my temporary guardians," Mac continued. "Seijuro decided that I was needed on the team and…well, tricked me into playing in front of the coach. He hadn't seen me play before, so…"

"Tricked you?" Kiyoshi Miyako asked.

"When Seijuro decides that he wants something, he makes sure it happens," Mac rolled her eyes. "It's just the way he is. He didn't mean anything by it, other than that he knew I wouldn't do anything on my own and I needed the push."

Mac shared some stories of the better days on her team and they smiled amusedly as she told them how they would bicker and just have fun. Kiyoshi saw another side to the team he knew to be practically invincible and the happiness in Mac as she shared some of her fonder memories of them with him and his grandparents. In return, he shared stories from his childhood with the help of his grandparents.

By the time she had to leave Mac felt relaxed and accepted by the older couple and she could see how much Kiyoshi cared about them. He was so gentle and kind toward them and it had her smiling as she watched him talk to his grandfather for a moment before he was going to walk her home.

"Please, stop by anytime, Mac," Kiyoshi Miyako told her bringing Mac's attention back to her. "You're always welcome here."

"Thank you," Mac said feeling the warmth that came with acceptance fill her. "I will. It was very nice meeting you."

"You as well," the woman smiled.

...

"They liked you," Kiyoshi said when they walked toward the bus stop.

"I liked them as well," Mac smiled at him. "They're very kind and warm."

"I know," he nodded. "They're great."

She smiled a little hearing the warmth in his voice and obvious affection. She wished she had someone like that, she would never have talked about the Dursley's like that and while she had a better relationship with the Kagami's she wasn't quite there yet where she could let herself care like that for them.

"Teppei…" Mac said quietly when they were waiting for the bus.

"Yes?" he looked at her with a raised brow.

"I'm sorry for how my friends acted last time," Mac finally managed to say. She had been reluctant to bring it up, afraid that he would be angry or something.

"Why?" Kiyoshi looked surprised.

"They…"

"I don't think you have anything to apologize for, Mac," Kiyoshi said. "They're just looking out for you, and I can handle it. So, don't worry about it."

Mac smiled and felt the weight lift from her shoulders as she saw the sincerity in his eyes. She should have known he would be unbothered by the action of her friends. He wasn't the type to let something like that bother him.

...

...

AN: A new chapter! Thanks for reading :)

Also...Seirin will show up next chapter! :)