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

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1st year – Too Academy

Mac looked up at the large house, or maybe it was a mansion and wondered if she had made the right choice in making the trip down to Kyoto and felt a sudden burst of nerves hit her. She hadn't really told Seijuro that she was coming and there were no promises that she would be welcomed, but she had just left Tokyo without really thinking about it.

Gathering her courage she pushed the clearly old yet elegant bell and could hear the chiming going off inside. All she could do now was waiting for someone to open the door. She held Nao in her arms almost clinging to him and gathering courage from her fox, taking comfort that she wasn't completely alone.

The door opened and the old man she remembered meeting (barely) back in Tokyo stood in front of her. He didn't show that he recognised her or if he was surprised by seeing her as he turned his grey eyes at her.

"Hey," Mac started and swallowed trying to push her nerves back and look confident. "Um, I was wondering if Seijuro is home."

Why hadn't she called? She should have called… She really should have called, Mac freaked out in her mind but she kept calm on the outside.

She had the impression that the older man, whose name she thought was Takashi, was trying to read her or something with the way he looked at her, but she could be wrong because he was rather hard to read.

"Please come inside, miss," he finally said and opened the door wider and let her enter the mansion. She followed Takashi to a small room just to the left of the great hall and saw the large windows with the overview of the garden to her left. She turned toward Takashi who had stopped right by the door.

"I will get the young master for you, Potter-san," he said politely.

"Thank you," Mac smiled at him.

He bowed to her before turning around and left her alone. She turned to the windows and looked out at the garden, it was beautiful. Flowers and trees and a lot of green, Mac felt like drawing it.

She waited for five minutes before the door opened and she turned to see Seijuro standing there with a slightly surprised look on his face as he spotted her like he had thought his butler had been joking or something.

"Mac," Seijuro smiled. "What are you doing here?"

"I missed you," Mac said. "I just wanted to see you."

"I'm not complaining," Seijuro said and Mac moved over to him and hugged him. She felt warmth and safety when she felt him hugging her back and some of her stress left her, his strong arms around her and she let herself stay like that for a moment longer before pulling back.

"I hope I didn't interrupt something important," Mac worried. "I should have called…"

"No need," Seijuro waved it off. "You're always welcome here, Mac. Come on, let me show you around."

Mac nodded and walked beside him through the house and saw some servants there giving her a curious look but they hid it quickly to hide it from Seijuro.

They ended up in his rooms on the second floor and it was not that different from the one he had back in Tokyo. She could see another Shogi board by the window and this one too looked like he was playing a match against himself.

"How long can you stay?" Seijuro asked.

"It's only a day trip," Mac said glancing over at him.

"That's a long way for just a day," Seijuro frowned slightly.

"Not by magical means," Mac grinned and plopped down on the couch. "I used the Floo-network from Tokyo to Kyoto."

"Oh," Seijuro blinked. "Okay."

Mac wasn't sure why she hadn't thought about using that before, but when she finally did she knew she wanted to see her best friend and had gone for it. Since it was a Saturday she hadn't missed any school.

...

"I have a practice today," Seijuro said when they had finished lunch. They had just been sitting in his room talking and catching up, basically just having fun. Though, he had noticed her spacing out a little as she gazed out of the windows lost in thought. "Do you want to come with me or do you want to wait here?"

Mac glanced around before looking back at Seijuro. For anyone else, he looked impassive, but she saw the small hope in his heterochromatic eyes.

"I'll come with you," she said and he smiled honest smile making her smile back. She loved seeing that smile on his face.

"Good," he said.

She got up and followed her friend outside and to the car that was waiting for them. A driver was already in the driving seat ready to set off as soon as they were inside the car.

"How is your team?" Mac asked.

"Annoying," Seijuro scoffed, "loud, but good."

Mac chuckled amusedly. "I'll look forward to meeting them, then."

Seijuro nodded and told her some more about his team while she listened curiously.

Seijuro was very aware that something was bothering Mac, but he also knew better than to press her right away. He could be patient, at least sometimes. Though, he would get her to admit what was bothering her before she left for the day. He promised himself that much.

Mac followed Seijuro into the gym and saw that the others had already arrived, it seemed like it was only a practice for the regulars because she couldn't see anyone else in the gym. She recognised them easily enough. Mibuchi Reo with long black hair that reached his chin, but it was his kind eyes that Mac noticed the most, he was the shooting guard and Vice-Captain of the team. Next to him was Hayama Kotaro, a blond boy with a tooth sticking out in the right corner of his mouth, he looked energetic and agile even just standing still. Then there was the tall Centre that looked like a block of muscles with dark skin and even a short beard, Mac recognised him as Nebuya Eikichi. Behind him and Mac almost missed him was Mayuzumi Chihiro with medium-length grey hair and a blank gaze.

"Sei-chan is here!" Mibuchi called out having been the first to notice Seijuro. He paused, however, when he spotted Mac besides the Rakuzan Captain. "You're not alone."

"Eh?" Hayama exclaimed as he turned around and blinked when he saw Mac.

The others turned and looked at them as well and Mac could see the arched brows and curious looks, but she remained silent beside Seijuro. She felt nervous (again) and wished she would stop this habit when she met new people, even if she did feel like she knew them from Seijuro's stories.

"Hello," Mibuchi smiled charmingly at her. "I'm Mibuchi Reo."

"Potter Mackenzie," Mac smiled back as she pushed away the nerves she felt. "Nice to meet you."

"I know that name," Hayama tilted his head to the side as he stared at her. "Oh, I'm Hayama Kotaro."

"She's one of the Generation of Miracles," Nebuya told them before smiling at her, "Nebuya Eikichi."

"Mayuzumi Chihiro," Mayuzumi said disinterestedly.

"A fellow Miracle, huh?" Mibuchi smiled looking between her and Seijuro. "So you're here visiting our Sei-chan, eh?"

Mac looked at Seijuro and saw the longsuffering look in his eyes at the nickname and Mac had the impression he had given up trying to get him to stop using it, but she also knew that it really didn't want him to use it Seijuro would have made sure he didn't.

"Yeah," Mac nodded with a small smile. "Decided to come down and see how Seijuro is."

...

Mac joined them for their practice when Seijuro asked her too and she saw the curious looks from the others, it was clear that they were interested in seeing her play as well so she guessed it was okay.

She had a hard time trying to not analyse them as they played, she wasn't there to do research for their team but watching them play it was difficult not to notice their strength and weaknesses. Well, mostly strength because she had barely seen a team that well put together. It was clear that they were in sync with each other and she felt a spark of envy at the easy way Seijuro passed with Mibuchi.

"Stupid," she muttered quietly to herself and shook her head.

"Potter-san?" Nebuya frowned down at her worriedly.

"Nothing," Mac forced a smile, "and call me Mac, Nebuya-san."

"Alright," he smiled. "Come on, let's see how you are against me."

She smirked and he felt a moment of apprehension before he grinned at her intrigued. She was strong, he knew that, but she was also cunning.

She grabbed the ball and bounced it against the floor as she watched him, he was tall about 6,3 and Mac was…not. She knew that both in length and in physical strength that he was stronger than her but she also knew that she could use her speed and agility against him. She smirked as she ducked and zigzagged past him and managed to avoid his reach before shooting the ball up and through the hoop.

...

"Mac," Seijuro interrupted her and Nebuya after a while making her pause and look over at an impassive-looking Seijuro while the others looked impressed if Mac read their expressions correctly.

"Why did you interrupt, Seijuro?" Mac frowned at him.

She noticed that Hayama and Nebuya exchanged a concerned look while Mibuchi simply arched a brow as he watched them. She wasn't sure why they reacted like that, but she dismissed it as she looked at Seijuro.

"Play me," he said like he hadn't just interrupted her playing Nebuya.

"Demanding," Mac scowled at him but she took a step away from Nebuya who was already making his way to the sidelines. "Seriously, all of you are always so demanding… I don't even know why I put up with it."

Seijuro snorted and smirked at her.

"Yes, you do," he said.

Mac huffed but she tossed the ball to him and signalled him to get at it. He did.

...

"She talked back at Akashi," Hayama blinked stunned. "And he let her."

"Yeah," Nebuya nodded looking surprised as well. "I never thought I would see anyone do that…"

"It seems like she's one of the few if not the only one who is allowed," Mibuchi mused thoughtfully as he watched Mac and Seijuro play one-on-one.

Mayuzumi was watching the court quietly and a little moodily. He noticed how well Mac seemed to know Seijuro, she wasn't caught off guard by his moves and seemed to be able to read him pretty well.

"Come on, Seijuro," Mac suddenly called out, "you're holding back!"

Seijuro laughed and effectively stunned his team who rarely heard him laugh out loud like that before, but Mac just smirked at him and stole the ball from his hands by a quick move and a twirl giving her a free path to the hoop.

Seijuro missed the chance of stopping her giving her the basket. Yet, much to the surprise of his team he didn't look annoyed or angry but smirked like he was proud.

"You have gotten better, Mac," Seijuro said.

"Of course I have," Mac snorted. "What do you think I have been doing since I started High School? Slept?"

Seijuro grinned again and continued to play.

Hayama was laughing out loud while Nebuya and Mibuchi were chuckling a little more contained as they heard Mac. The only one who didn't show any sign of amusement or anything was Mayuzumi.

...

After the practice, Mac found herself at a local burger place with Seijuro, Mibuchi, Hayama and Nebuya. Mayuzumi had left before they could ask him to join them for lunch, Mac wondered if it was because she was there but she didn't ask and they didn't say anything about it.

Right now Mac was staring partly impressed and partly disgusted at the tower of food Nebuya had in front of him. He was already digging into it without caring or maybe not noticing the looks he got from the others in the burger place.

"I never thought I would ever see anyone eating more than Daiki or Taiga," Mac blinked stunned. "I guess I was wrong…"

"Daiki does eat a lot, but nothing like Eikichi," Seijuro agreed,

Mac shrugged and turned back to her own food. She glanced curiously around at the three other crownless kings of Middle School, she had heard Kiyoshi talk about them and they had played against them before but she had never really interacted with them.

"How long are you here for, Mac-san?" Hayama asked curiously.

"I leave later tonight," Mac shrugged.

"Oh," Hayama blinked.

"What school do you attend?" Mibuchi asked.

"Too Academy," Mac looked at him and saw the arched brow.

"I see," Mibuchi mused. "I wonder…"

When he didn't deliberate Mac only shook her head lightly and took a new bite of her burger. It was easy talking with them, Mac thought as the conversation fluttered over the table. She was happy that she could easily interact with Seijuro's team seeing that she wished to visit her friend more often and he was important to her. So being able to interact with his new team and friends (they were even if he would scoff at the term) was good.

"You got through to the final league, right?" Hayama asked curiously.

"Yes," Mac said at the same time as Seijuro said, "of course she did."

Mac rolled her eyes but didn't say anything else. She did know that Seijuro had absolute faith in her and the others, he wouldn't expect anything less than their victories. At least not when they weren't playing each other, then it was a different matter altogether.

"Do you know who you're playing first in the final league?" Nebuya asked between bites already halfway through his stack of burgers.

"Yeah," Mac nodded, "we're going to play Seirin."

She saw that Seijuro didn't look surprised by this so she guessed he had already known this.

"Ah, I think they did quite well last year," Mibuchi furred his brows in consideration. "At least until Kiyoshi was injured…"

"Yeah, they did very well until Teppei was hurt," Mac nodded, "unfortunately they didn't have what it took without Teppei as a Centre. They are stronger now, though, but still without Teppei… I don't know if they will be able to stop Daiki."

"Or you," Seijuro added when she didn't say it. Mac grimaced slightly but didn't deny it.

"Teppei?" Mibuchi arched a brow at her with a pensive look.

Hayama and Nebuya looked up at that not having caught Mac's use of Kiyoshi's first name. They now looked at Mac curiously who was scratching her neck lightly.

"Um, yeah?" Mac almost shifted in her seat uncomfortably.

"You're on first name basis with Kiyoshi?" Mibuchi started to smile now.

Seijuro was staring at Mac with narrow eyes and she knew he was trying to figure out something.

"He's my friend," Mac tried to keep her voice even and not reveal anything.

"You're talking to him again?!" Seijuro demanded.

So, much for not revealing anything... Great, Mac thought.

"Mac!" Seijuro warned when Mac didn't say anything fast enough for his liking. She was very aware of the slightly wider eyes from the others and the contemplative look from Mibuchi.

"Yes, so what if I am?" Mac asked slightly defensively. She couldn't help it, she still could see Daiki's reaction and she really didn't want to deal with an overprotective Seijuro as well. Not that Daiki acted… she pushed the thought away and fisted her hands against her thigh.

"He hurt you," Seijuro groused out. "What are you doing talking to him?!"

"He's my friend," Mac frowned at him. "You know that and I told you that I would talk with him again when I got over the break-up."

Mibuchi's eyebrow went up in a perfect bow as he realised just what kind of relationship Mac must have had with Kiyoshi.

"He still shouldn't be talking to you," Seijuro scowled.

"I hurt him more than he hurt me," Mac sounded pained.

"Impossible," Seijuro said immediately.

Hayama snorted quietly making Mibuchi warn him with a look, but luckily it didn't seem like either of the two heard him. Actually, it seemed like they had forgotten that they were there…

Mac shrugged, "anyway, it's in the past and he's my friend. And you still can't do anything to him, Seijuro. I mean it."

Seijuro huffed but he nodded curtly, but Mibuchi knew that Kiyoshi better hope they never played against each other because Seijuro would not show him any mercy at all if they did. He was slightly surprised that Seijuro let Mac tell him to stand back and that he actually listen, it showed him another side of his captain that he hadn't seen before.

...

Mac struggled to keep her face politely blank when she suddenly was faced with an older man with red hair and red eyes, very much like Seijuro. It didn't take Mac many seconds to work out that this was Seijuro's father Akashi Shichiro.

She really wished that Seijuro hadn't chosen that moment to go and fix something leaving her waiting in the hallway of their house by herself.

"You're the girl from my son's team," Akashi said coldly.

He was intimidating. Mac felt like squirming as she felt his deep red eyes stare at her like he could see straight through her.

"Yes, sir," Mac said as politely she could. "I'm Potter Mackenzie."

She bowed in greeting and wished her heartbeat wouldn't beat so loudly, she almost was sure he could hear it as well because it was all she could hear.

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

"I'm just visiting your son for the day," Mac said, "sir."

"My son doesn't have time to throw away on silly friends," Akashi said coldly.

Mac barely managed to hide a flinch at the harsh words, she couldn't stop her mind to flash to her uncle and the threatening intimidation he would use against her. Only Akashi Shichiro was much more intimidating and scary, but Mac refused to let her fear show as she stood there completely still. She wasn't sure how to respond to the fact that Seijuro's father basically just told her that he didn't approve of her as a friend of his son.

"So, for now on you will stay away from him and stop distracting him from his work," Akashi continued with cold eyes still locked on Mac. "He is too important to be wasting his time. His focus must be on the company and learning to take over. He is an Akashi and that means he will be in a different league than you."

Mac felt something inside of her shift and a sudden burst of anger and indignation filled her as she listened to the man speak. Just who did he think he was to talk about Seijuro like that? He talked like…like…like Seijuro was a possession or something like that! Like him being the heir to the company was the only worth he held for his father.

"You're right, sir," Mac spoke up even surprising herself at the fact that she interrupted the older man. She saw the flash of surprise in his red eyes before the cold mask was back.

"I'm glad you see it my way," he said. "Now, you understand that you need to say away from my son and that his destiny lies with the company and away from inconsequential basketball and high school friends."

"I meant you're right," Mac said as she fisted her hands but kept her face blank and hoped he didn't hear her heart beating frantically in her chest, "Seijuro is more important. He is more important than you or your opinion of me, he is more important than your company. Seijuro is more important than work."

Mac saw the flash of surprise that Akashi didn't manage to hide fast enough and the narrowed eyes he directed at her. She fought the need to hide away as her anger still gave her the courage to stand where she was.

"I will not let you scare me away from Seijuro," Mac stated firmly. "He's my best friend and I don't care if you don't approve of me as his friend. Seijuro is not a possession, sir."

Mac really wasn't sure if she had pushed too far with the last part there, but she couldn't stop the words from leaving her mouth. She knew that the reddening of his face was probably a bad sign and she couldn't help the small flinch that went through the body when he moved slightly.

Never in his life had anyone, especially not a girl barely 16 years old, talked to him like that. He could see the anger in her body, in her startling green eyes that was glaring at him. She looked ready to continue to lay into him if the anger in her eyes were any indication. He shifted a little on his feet but stopped when he noticed the flinch from the young girl and the sudden look of fear in her eyes as her eyes flickered to his arm and back again. He frowned not understanding the reaction at all.

"Mac!" Seijuro's voice suddenly sounded and Akashi could hear his son coming into the hallway again from the room further down but he didn't remove his eyes from Mac to look over at his son. She quickly took a step back and masked her face again, but she did look a little pale. "What's going on here?!"

Seijuro was suddenly in front of Mac and glared at his father with more protectiveness than Akashi had seen in his son in…well, ever.

"What did you say to her?" Seijuro demanded.

"Forget it, Seijuro," Mac spoke up and put a hand on his arm to calm him down. "I'm fine."

"You're pale," Seijuro snapped still glaring at his father. "I'm sure my father had something to do with it."

Akashi arched a brow at him, "you have no say in my action, Seijuro. You have work today, have you forgotten?"

"I've done it," Seijuro gritted out but the small hand on his arm seemed to calm him down slightly.

"Come on, Seijuro," Mac said pulling at his arm lightly. "Let's go. I have to leave soon."

Seijuro inhaled deeply with a last glare at his father lead Mac out of the house and for the first time did Akashi notice the fox running after Mac. Even the fox seemed to glare at him but he quickly shook off the idea.

...

Mac somehow managed to dismiss Seijuro's concern about his father and he reluctantly let it go. Mac knew he didn't want to, but she wasn't going to say what she had said or what his father had said. She didn't want to hurt him like that, but she was still angry at the fact that his father seemed to care so little… Seijuro deserved so much more!

"So, what else is bothering you?" Seijuro asked giving her a pensive look. "Something is upsetting you."

Mac smiled slightly, "I should have guessed you would see it."

"Yes, you should," Seijuro agreed. "Well?"

Mac sighed and took a couple of steps away from him and looked at the small pond that they were standing by. The park they were in was very pretty and they were by themselves so they had privacy.

"Daiki is acting strange," Mac finally said.

Seijuro arched a brow. That had not been what he had expected to hear.

"Why?" he asked.

"I don't know," Mac shrugged. "Or, maybe I do… He found out that I talked with Teppei and reacted badly… since he has been…odd."

Like showing up after she had watched Tetsuya and Taiga against Shintaro and then having pulled back and avoided her at school. She didn't get why he did that, and it hurt. She worried about why he would pull away from her like that. Was he really that upset with her? Just because she talked with Kiyoshi again?

Seijuro had a considering look on his face as he watched Mac. She looked really and truly upset, and in a different way than how she had looked after talking with his dad (he really needed to find out what he had told her by the way). She looked lost and hurt making him want to rush to Tokyo to punch some sense into Daiki. How could he let her feel like this?

"You like him," Seijuro observed.

Mac looked up at him and Seijuro could see the truth in her eyes. He had known that she would figure out how she felt for Daiki eventually, but a part of him was resigned and a small spark of jealousy was churning in his gut. Not because he liked her like that, but because it meant that she would have even more reason to put Daiki before him. The possessive side of Seijuro didn't like the idea of having to share Mac with anyone. Even Daiki. Maybe especially Daiki because he had the means to hurt Mac the most, and he wanted to protect her against all kinds of hurt.

"I do," Mac admitted quietly. "I don't know what to do…"

"You admit it," Seijuro commented.

"I realised it a little while ago," Mac nodded and sat down on the grass and started to pick at it pulling out straws and throwing it away. "It came as a shock… I can't lose him, Seijuro."

Seijuro looked at her with a blank look on his face for a moment before he sat down right next to her and put an arm around her shoulders. She leaned against him seeking comfort, it was rather telling to him about just how hurt she felt.

"He'll come around," Seijuro promised. If he didn't do it by himself then Seijuro would make him see sense and stop him from hurting Mac. If he didn't realise his own feelings then Seijuro didn't think Daiki deserved to be with Mac. Mac deserved better and Seijuro would make sure she got it. No matter what.

Mac didn't comment and he let her sit in silence for a while as he thought about it all.

...

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AN: The chapter is a little shorter than normal, but it felt right to stop it there. I tried to continue with it, but everything felt unnatural and forced if I placed it directly after the last scene. So, I decided I needed to stop the chapter here and take the next scene I have planned at the beginning of the next chapter. Only one more chapter before the match between Seirin and Too Academy! :)

Also, I didn't plan on the entire chapter to be set in Kyoto with Seijuro. But he kind of took over the chapter and refused to let me cut it short and demanded more time with Mac. So, here we are :) Hope you liked a little bonding time for Mac and Seijuro. I know I did :)

Thank you for reading! XD