Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or Kuroko no Basket!
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1st year – Too Academy
What to do?
What to do?
The question repeated itself in her mind over and over again as she watched her friends watching her with concerned looks on their faces. She felt put on the spot and it was like her mind just shut down and refused to allow her to think or make a decision.
What to do?
Argh. She hated this. The worry she saw in their eyes, the fact that she had this whole secret life from them and suddenly she felt guilty for this and for worrying them when it was because of a part of her they didn't know. She really shouldn't be dragging them into this. It was not their problem.
What to do?
A shift in Daiki made her look at him and he gave a small smile and his eyes were calm. He would support her no matter what she decided to do. She could tell just from his smile. He always did. It wasn't fair to burden him so much with her struggles.
Seijuro too. He always felt the need to step in and take control because she couldn't do it because she was too weak to deal with it herself. He always worried because of her. She didn't like it.
She made an effort to put her mind into motion again and think. Think about what her options were. She did have options. She could decide to keep it to herself and to tell them that she was fine, but that would be to dismiss their worries and reject their care.
It made her frown as she thought about it.
"Magic is real," Seijuro suddenly said and Mac's head snapped toward him and her eyes went wide in shock as he just revealed a large secret. He didn't even look at her as he was looking around at their friends.
Their very confused friends who were looking at Seijuro with looks that clearly wondered if he was being serious or if he was joking. If not for the fact that Seijuro so rarely made such an obvious joke…
"Eh?" Ryota was the first to speak. "You….What?"
"Magic?" Shintaro frowned. "You expect us to believe that?"
"Aka-chin is confusing," Atsushi said.
Tetsuya looked from Seijuro to Mac and tilted his head slightly as he looked at her.
"It is the truth," Seijuro said calmly. "Magic is real."
"Seijuro!" Mac snapped when she got over her shock and felt a rush of anger going through her as she stared at her friend and at the same time tried to avoid looking at the others. She didn't want to see their reaction. She didn't want to see them looking at her in fear… She tensed. "That's not something you can just blurt out like that!"
"Why?" he asked with an arched brow.
"Mac-cchi knows?" Ryota asked confused.
"What's going on?"
Mac ignored them as she stayed focused on Seijuro who was looking back at her with that infuriating calm look of his.
"There are laws," Mac said stressing the last words. "I could get in serious trouble!"
She looked at him hurt and confused. Why would he blurt it out like that? He should have waited for her to make up her mind. She didn't know what to do now. The decision was taken out of her hands and she felt lost.
Her hands fisted at her side as she glared at Seijuro. She couldn't believe…wait, she could, but how could he just blurt it out like that?! How could he decide to just say it like that like it wasn't a big deal and…
"You won't get into trouble," Seijuro said confidently.
"You don't know that, Seijuro!" Mac snapped at him angrily and she could tell by the way she noticed her friends shift from the corner of her eyes that they were surprised by her anger. Possibly by the fact that her anger was directed at Seijuro. "The consequence of letting the secret out is not good!"
"You didn't," Seijuro said and looked at her imploringly. "I did."
"And who told you?" Mac snapped at him.
"No one," Seijuro said simply and Mac blinked at him and her retort died on her lips as he continued to speak. "I saw something and it was revealing enough. You only confirmed it."
Well, that was technically not true. Sure, he had seen the pictures move but she was the one who explained that it was magic that did it.
"That's…"
"It's true enough," Seijuro said looking at her stepping closer. "Mac, you need us. You need your friends and by keeping this back they can't be there for you in the way they would want to."
Mac stared at him. The anger was dying down but she still felt annoyed as she looked at her friend. He was looking at her and it was clear that he was feeling a little conflicted but secure in his choice and action.
He really did believe that telling them (like he already had) was the best choice for her. That by telling them she would get the support she needed.
She sighed and closed her eyes as she felt the fight leave her and she suddenly felt tired. So overwhelmingly and thoroughly tired. Daiki put a hand on her shoulder and squeezed it reassuringly but he did shot Seijuro a glare even if he didn't say anything.
...
"Can someone tell us what's going on?!" Ryota demanded his patience finally having snapped.
"I must admit that I'm too rather curious," Shintaro said looking between Mac and Seijuro as he adjusted his glasses.
"Mac are you okay?" Tetsuya asked.
Mac looked over at them and bit down on her lower lip as she considered them. They were her friends and she really did trust them. She did want them to know, she hated having to hide part of herself from them.
She had said the truth about the consequences being bad if it ever was found out that she had allowed them to learn about magic. She wasn't sure if Seijuro's way was good enough, was it a good enough loophole?
The consequences, like her possibly losing her magic weren't as threatening or as scary as the thought of disappointing Professor Sato. He had done a lot for her and she didn't like the idea of making him disappointed.
But…this was her friends. They were the most important people in her life and she did want them to know. She would like to not have to hide a part of herself from them. But…but…what if they didn't like her after finding out? After finding out everything? Was she ready for them to know that she was a witch and that she had magic?
"It will be okay, Kenzie," Daiki said and looked at her.
She looked at her boyfriend and very first friend. He had been so accepting of her magic when he found out and had never looked at her differently because of it. She glanced over at Seijuro and knew that he hadn't done so either. He had been very accepting of it.
"Trust them," Daiki murmured down to her. "They're not like your aunt and uncle."
Mac inhaled shakenly and with a last look at Daiki she nodded.
...
"As I said," Seijuro spoke up again, "magic is real. Mac is a witch because she has magic. It doesn't change the fact that Mac is Mac nor does it mean that she's any different from what she's been since we've known her."
Mac stood there tense and quiet refusing to look up to see their reaction. She didn't want to see it if they reacted badly. She felt like a coward but it was just impossible.
The silence stretched and Mac wished that someone would say something and say something soon! She was on edge and hated not knowing what they were thinking. She could only imagine the shock they were going through.
"You're not joking," Ryota was again the first to say something and his voice was more serious than normal. "You really mean that Mac-cchi is a witch?"
"Yes," Seijuro said.
"Huh," Ryota said and fell silent.
Mac forced herself to look up and saw the considering looks that were directed at her but there was no disgust in their eyes and she relaxed slightly.
"Mac-chin is Mac-chin," Atsushi said and opened a bag of sweets. It seemed to break the tension in the air and it looked like the others relaxed slightly as well.
"That's right," Tetsuya nodded. "Mac is Mac."
"Obviously," Shintaro said pushing at his glasses again and looked at Mac.
That…was it? No big reaction? Mac blinked and looked at them.
Seijuro was watching with a satisfied look on his face and Mac could practically feel the smugness coming off him. She still felt annoyed and slightly hurt that he had just blurted it out like that, but she had never been good at keeping a grudge against her former Captain.
"Thank you," Mac said quietly.
"Mac-cchi!" Ryota cried and was by her side immediately and hugged her. "You shouldn't feel worried about telling us! You're our friend!"
Mac smiled slightly and hugged him back before she pulled away and gave Daiki a knowing look when he immediately pulled her closer to him again.
...
"You could get in trouble because we know now?" Tetsuya asked worriedly.
Mac sighed and grimaced.
"Don't worry about it," she said. "If you don't tell anyone there shouldn't be a reason for anyone to find out that you know… and I guess we could go with what Seijuro said. He was the one to tell you, not me."
"But…what trouble could you get in?" Tetsuya wasn't ready to let go of it.
"Probably be expelled and lose my magic," she finally said. "Though, I don't really know."
Tetsuya looked more worried now and glanced over at Seijuro.
"Mac shouldn't get in trouble because I was the one to tell you," he said.
"We won't tell anyone that we know!" Ryota said looking around.
"Of course not," Shintaro said in a rare moment where he agreed with Ryota.
"Mac-chin's secret is safe with me," Atsushi nodded.
"But why tell us now?" Shintaro asked when they all agreed that it was a secret. Mac was really touched by how determined they were and how loyal they all were to her.
"Because of something that happened after the Too vs. Kaijo match," Seijuro said and a serious look entered his eyes and the aura around him seemed to darken making the others take a step back warily.
"What?" Ryota asked. "What happened?"
"Did someone hurt, Mac-chin?" Atsushi asked with a frown.
"If you would be quiet then maybe we would find out!" Shintaro snapped at them.
The two fell silent but shot the stoic Shutoku player a glare while Tetsuya just kept watching Mac with those teal eyes of his.
"There are those who…would want Mac to leave Japan and go back to England," Seijuro said darkly.
"What? Why?"
"It's complicated," Mac said with a sigh. "Apparently I'm rather famous in the magical world, especially in Europe. It was a shock to me when I realised that most people in the magical world knew my name."
"Why?"
"When I was a baby my parents were killed," Mac said looked away from them. "A dark wizard killed them and he tried to kill me too. He failed and was defeated in the process. Apparently, they decided that I was the one to do it, to defeat him despite me just being 15-months-old."
They blinked and looked shocked at her.
"I didn't do anything," Mac said. "How could I? It must have been my mum or something because a baby can't do it. But anyway, I'm known as the Girl-Who-Lived. It's a great honour, or whatever, to have the Girl-Who-Lived attend their magic school, the same school my parents went to."
A scowl entered her face.
"But if you don't want to…" Ryota frowned.
"They wouldn't care," Mac shrugged. "They see it as my duty and it's expected. My name and inheritance from my parents are too great for them to lose. At least that's some of the reasons as far as I'm aware."
"Someone found you?" Shintaro asked making Mac look over at him and saw the considering look in his green eyes. She sometimes forgot that Shintaro was smart and better at finding the right conclusion than most.
"Yes," she nodded.
"Two men from England cornered her after the match against Kise," Daiki spoke up having been silent as he had offered her support but stayed out of the discussions. "They said they were friends of her parents."
"So they would want you to go back?" Tetsuya frowned.
Mac shrugged.
"I don't really know what they wanted," she admitted. "I…didn't really listen to them and…"
"We need to deal with this and we can't let Mac do this alone," Seijuro said and they all nodded at once. Mac felt a warmth spread through her as she realised once again how great her friends were.
They discussed the matter for a little time and it was decided that Seijuro was going to contact Remus and set up a meeting. They would all come with Mac to meet them and support her. They wouldn't let on that they knew about magic, because Mac didn't know how Remus or Sirius would react to them knowing the truth.
...
"Mac," Seijuro said coming up to her and stopping her from leaving. He gave her a look and she sighed as she stopped and looked back at him.
"What is it?" She asked still feeling a little annoyed but more than that she felt hurt. He could have warned her.
"I know you think I should have warned you," Seijuro said.
"Well, yeah, you should have," Mac said annoyed. "You know I hate being pushed like that!"
Seijuro looked at her for a moment and she could so easily see the worry in his eyes and the care and right then and there she was irritated that she could read him so well. She wanted to be angry at him a little longer.
"If I had told you," he finally spoke up and his voice was unusually quiet and solemn, "you wouldn't have let me tell them. You would have insisted that you were fine and could handle it on your own."
Mac frowned at him.
"Yes, because…" she started.
"But you weren't!" Seijuro interrupted. "You weren't fine, Mac! You were barely keeping yourself together and by insisting that you could do it on your own we would have lost you!"
Mac blinked at the raw emotion she heard in his voice. Seijuro never showed that kind of emotion and she wasn't sure what to say.
"I did what was best for you," Seijuro continued calming somewhat, "I do believe that having them knowing about your secret would be for the best. This way they can support you fully and you can rely on them more than before. You are far more important than any secrecy law they can come up with."
Mac sighed. She knew that he had some sort of reason like this. She was an odd mix of touched, annoyed and grateful for the protectiveness he showed toward her. He always did his best to protect her and she knew that he had her best at heart.
It didn't mean that she wasn't upset by it.
"I know," she said with a sigh. "Just…let me think for a moment. Okay? I'm annoyed right now, but…I'm sure I'll end up forgiving you again. I never can stay angry at you…"
She grumbled the last part and he smiled slightly and nodded.
"I'll call you with the details," Seijuro said and with a short nod to Daiki who was scowling in the background he turned and walked away.
...
"That boy," Mac mumbled as she watched him go.
"You let him off too easy," Daiki muttered.
Mac glanced at him and smiled.
"Well, he's not the only one I tend to let off too easily," she said and he blinked at her before he pouted and she laughed slightly before she sighed and turned serious again.
"You're thinking too much," Daiki said glancing at her as they walked down the street and he reached out to grab her hand with his.
"Mm," she didn't really pay attention anymore as her mind drifted to the meeting that soon would happen. She knew it would be soon because it must happen before Seijuro and Atsushi went back to their schools.
Daiki walked in silence beside her for a while and watched her worriedly. He wished he knew what to say to help her but he could see her drift in her mind and probably overthinking everything. Suddenly an idea popped into his mind and he grinned.
"Come with me," Daiki suddenly spoke up and pulled at her hand.
"Eh? Daiki?" Mac blinked at him and saw him smile at her.
"You'll see," he said and she decided to just follow and see what he had planned.
They jumped on a bus and took it a few stops before they reached the part of town that Daiki wanted to go to. Mac didn't say anything as she followed him.
...
Mac stared up at the arcade and then back at Daiki her confusion showed clearly in her eyes. She wasn't sure why he had brought her to this place. They had spent time here back when they were still in Teiko. A time the where the two of them often were just the two and before they had started to spend time with the rest of the team.
"Why are we here?" Mac asked.
"To play," Daiki said like it was obvious.
Mac blinked at him and then looked back up at the arcade. She didn't say anything as Daiki pulled at her hand (he was still holding it) and she followed him into the arcade. The loud noises and flashing lights surrounded her at once but a sense of familiarity settled over her.
"Let's try this one," Daiki said and steered her past a group of teens and toward a game.
She felt her lips twitch as she took in the basketball game. Of course, Daiki would steer toward that game. He always had back when they were kids as well.
"You think you will win?" Mac asked allowing herself to get distracted from everything else.
"Of course," Daiki smirked at her but she saw the relief in his eyes as he looked at her and suddenly her mouth felt dry and her heartbeat sped up. She let go of his hand and grabbed a basketball, it was much smaller than she was used to, hurriedly. It almost slipped out of her hands but she grabbed it again.
Daiki gave her a strange look but didn't say anything.
"Ladies first," Daiki said and was his voice deeper than normal? Mac blinked and shook her head.
"Sure," she said.
He was watching her. It wasn't anything new but…why couldn't she concentrate? She wanted to look over and see what kind of look he was having on his face, what he was thinking, but… if she did then he would think she was strange and crazy.
"Kenzie?" Daiki's voice sounded questioning, confused.
She blinked. She had drifted off in thoughts longer than she thought. She could feel the blush creeping up on her and she tried her best to force it down.
She shot the ball and luckily it went in. She sighed quietly in relief.
"Beat that," she forced a confident smirk on her face.
"You bet," he grinned back and again her traitorous heart beat harder and faster and the flush came rushing back. She looked away from him and stepped to the side hoping that he didn't notice.
It continued like this. They played on the different games; teens crowded them when they got into a competition on another basketball-related game. Mac laughed more and was unable to keep from watching Daiki as he played and why did she suddenly notice everything he did? The way his arms moved, or the way he smiled…
She forced herself to not stare at him as he bent over the controls as he tried to urge the car he was controlling to go faster with a look of utter concentration on his face. She wanted to kiss him.
She blinked.
They acted as they used to when they were kids, but…it was different now. Mac looked over at Daiki who was glaring down at the game. Oh, he had lost.
"Oh, look at him," A girl nearby where Mac was standing whispered loudly to someone.
"Who?" her friend asked in a whisper.
"The tall one with the navy blue hair," the first replied with a giggle. "Isn't he handsome?"
Mac stilled as she realised they were talking about Daiki.
"He is," the friend giggled. "I wonder if he's here with someone."
"I think so, but…" the first one said. "You think he'll accept my number? Should I ask him to join us?"
"You're so brave," the friend said. "I wouldn't know how to talk to someone like that. He's so…dreamy."
Mac's hands clenched together tightly and her body felt tense and she knew she was scowling. She had to stop because Daiki would see and then he would ask… She glared over the two girls and was unhappy to notice that they both were pretty.
"Daiki," she said louder than she had to and the girls stopped talking when they noticed Daiki pause his glaring at the game and turn toward her.
"What is it?" He asked stepping closer to her.
"Let's go and get something to eat," Mac said forcing herself to sound calm and smile. "I'm getting hungry."
Daiki blinked adorably in Mac's mind at her and nodded with an easy shrug.
"Alright," he said and grabbed her hand like it was nothing and Mac had to force herself to not throw a triumphant look over her shoulder toward the girls who had talked about her Daiki.
...
Daiki tried hard not to stare at Mac as they found a spot in the park to eat the food they had bought and brought out with them. Mac had decided that they should eat outside since the weather was nice.
They had found a place under a tree and Daiki sat leaned against the trunk of the tree and she was sitting opposite him and barely out of reach. Her eyes locked on the food like it was fascinating and he frowned as he glared at the food. Like it was the foods fault she wasn't looking up and looked at him.
It had been fun to play around at the arcade like the old days but he couldn't help but think that it was different too. Different from what it used to be because before he could just have fun and they would laugh and talk, but there was nothing more to it. Now he couldn't help but watch her closer and notice how she moved and would randomly blush. He was very curious as to why she would blush seemingly out of nowhere and he had to stop himself from reaching out to touch her red cheeks.
He ate his food as he tried to find something to say that didn't sound stupid. He wished she would look up and look at him. She had seemed annoyed at the end of their time at the arcade. Why had she seemed angry? Had she started to think about those two men again? He had tried to keep her distracted from thoughts about that because she needed to relax and think but something else or she would drive herself crazy with worries.
"Did I do something wrong?" Daiki couldn't stand not knowing any longer.
Her head snapped up and she stared at him with such wide green eyes and he found himself lost in them. His mind went momentarily blank.
"Eh? No…" she frowned and tilted her head.
She looked so cute and he swallowed.
"But you were angry," he said hoping she didn't notice that his voice was suddenly hoarser.
"Oh," she blushed and glanced away.
He blinked as he took in the blush.
"Kenzie?" he asked and a smile played on his lips. "Why are you blushing?"
"I'm not," she protested.
He smiled again.
"You are," he said. "Why?"
"I'm not," she said again and turned her head to look away but before she could do so he reached out and pulled her up to him and his lips claimed hers in a fervent kiss. As soon as he felt her soft warm lips against his own he felt at home. It was strange. How at home he felt when kissing her. It was like he was meant to kiss her.
She was straddling his lap as she returned his kiss with as much enthusiasm as him and played with the hair at the back of his neck and allowed him to pull her closer to his chest and hands trailing the back of her lower back.
She was so warm and perfect. Everything that wasn't her he forgot. It wasn't important. What was important was to continue to kiss her. To keep her in his arms.
He broke the kiss and kissed along her jaw and up her cheek following the delightful blush and she was breathing harder than normal. She then cupped his face and pressed her lips to his again and this time she deepened it by licking against his lips and he opened up and met her tongue with his own. He pushed back into her mouth.
Mac didn't know how to think anymore as he kissed her with such passion that it almost scared her. Everything was him, his scent, his warmth and strength that held her tight was all surrounding her and it was all she could process as his tongue plunged into her mouth like a searching man looking for water.
A wave of pleasure went through her as she shivered. She could feel his hands even through her shirt, but he still wasn't close enough.
Mac could not have said how long they were lost in their kiss. She could not have said if anyone had walked past them and a blush covered her cheeks as she realised that they could have been spotted. But… she couldn't really find it in her to care.
Their foreheads touched as they both tried to gather themselves after their kiss. Daiki tried to calm his reaction to the kiss and was fully aware of her sitting on his lap and how close she was, just thinking it was enough to make him on the edge of control. But he didn't push her away, he couldn't bear the thought of having her move right now.
"Why were you angry?" he whispered.
The words were almost murmured into her very mouth. She felt dazed.
"I wasn't…" she said.
"You were… Did I do something?"
"No," she shook her head slightly. "It was just those stupid girls who thought they could ask you out…"
She felt silly to admit it. He laughed and she felt his body shake as he did and she mock glared at him but he just leaned forward (not that he had to move far) and kissed her lightly again before moving back.
"You have nothing to worry about," he said. "How can I see anyone else when I'm so lucky to have you?"
She smiled and wondered when he had become so…cheesy but she loved it. She kissed him again and pushed him against the trunk of the tree.
His arms hugged her tighter to him as he returned the kiss.
"Oi! You kids shouldn't be doing that out in the open like this!" A loud voice called before a boisterous laugh followed.
Mac and Daiki broke apart abruptly and both blushed as the real world came back to them. Daiki glared at the older boy or young man, really, laughed again and walked away with a girl giggling at his arm.
...
In contrast to how she had ended the night before Mac felt the new arrival of tension fill her as she sat in a private room at a local restaurant. She didn't ask how Seijuro had arranged this knowing that he had connections and money. She normally would have protested the use of money on her but she couldn't find the extra energy to do so.
Her friends were all around her and she knew that they would support her. It helped to calm her down but still he nervousness and tension from what was about to happen still hit her. She swallowed.
She felt nauseous…
"It's going to be fine," Daiki said and pulled her closer but she still felt tense as she sat straight up in the chair and her eyes flickered to the door.
"How can you know?" She asked.
"Because we are here with you," Daiki said. "We won't leave you alone."
"Of course we won't!" Ryota added and gave Mac a wide grin. "We're here, Mac-cchi!"
"Mac-chin is ours," Atsushi nodded.
"The Oha-asa said that your luck is strong today," Shintaro said stoically but there was real care in his eyes as he glanced at her before looking away when he saw her looking at him.
Tetsuya and Seijuro both nodded at her and she inhaled deeply and tried to relax slightly.
"Are you ready, Mac?" Seijuro asked as he stood up. "If not I'll tell them to go."
"I need to deal with it," Mac said quietly. "You're right. And I would rather do it with you by my side than on my own."
Seijuro gave her a look and nodded before he left the room. The door closed behind him and Mac almost wished she could call him back and say that she changed her mind. Again. It happened every other minute, or that was what it felt like at least.
"It's going to be fine," Daiki repeated quietly and she nodded distractedly.
...
Sirius was glaring as he looked up at the restaurant and took in the classy sign and obvious elegance coming from the place. It looked classy and it was clearly a very expensive restaurant. And this was the place they had been told to come.
Summoned was more like it and Sirius didn't like it. Who was this kid to just call and tell them to come to this place at noon the next day?
He felt a stab of annoyance but then he thought about what the call would mean and a flash of hope and excitement went through him. Mac would be ready to see them! She must be there as well and they would see her!
"Calm down, Padfoot," Remus sighed next to him.
"How can you be so calm?!" Sirius demanded from Remus.
Remus gave him a look that was very close to pity. Truth was that he wasn't so sure that this meeting would go their way at all. He was more inclined to think that this was some sort of attempt to get them to leave.
He wondered how Sirius would take that if this turned out to be this Akashi Seijuro's way to get them out of Mac's life. He was clearly someone who was accustomed to being listened to. Remus had rarely or if all seen such a young teen with that much self-assurance and demanding presence, with that aura of control and arrogance.
Yes, James had been arrogant. But not like this. It was nowhere near this level of arrogance or expectancy to be listened to and obeyed.
Again he wondered how Mac was friends with someone like this.
Before he could think any more about the matter or Sirius could argue more about it the restaurant door opened and Seijuro stepped outside. He didn't need to look around to find them but looked straight at them as soon as he was outside.
"Come with me," he said sharply.
"Oi, where's your manners, kid?" Sirius demanded.
Seijuro turned to look at the older man over his shoulder and his cold eyes seemed to measure him before he looked away again without saying anything.
Sirius and Remus exchanged a look. Both of them was concerned and worried about this teen's cold nature and way he dismissed them. Mac really shouldn't be exposed to someone like this…
They followed inside despite their misgivings. They walked past the tables spread through the large room and walked down a long hallway until they reached a closed door. Seijuro stopped and turned to look at them.
"I will warn you," he said seriously. "Mac is important to me and to her friends. We do not take it lying down when someone comes to threaten Mac's happiness or safety. Do not make her cry. Do not do anything that she's not open to."
"So she's in there?" Sirius asked looking at the door with an eager expression.
Remus glanced at Sirius and then the door before looking back at those cold eyes. He repressed a shiver.
"We just want to talk to her," Remus said calmly. "Promise."
Seijuro gave him a sharp look before he turned to the door and opened it.
...
Remus stepped inside just behind Sirius before he stopped realising that there were more people inside the room than he had expected. Seijuro had stopped at the centre just beside Mac who was seated with Daiki next to her. The rest of the group Remus had never seen before and didn't know. A green haired one with glasses was staring at them stoically while a blond one was glaring through yellow eyes. A tall one was looking at them like he was thinking about crushing them or something a bag of sweets in his hand.
"Mackenzie," Sirius broke the silence and Remus looked closer at the girl who was the reason for why there were here. She looked a little pale and her eyes, so like Lily's, was watching them warily.
"Hello," Mac said quietly. "Thank you for coming."
Her voice was silent and graceful but didn't betray any emotion as she spoke.
"Of course," Remus said with a small smile. "We were very pleased when your friend contacted us."
Mac gave him a searching look like she was looking for a lie before she gave a short nod in acceptance of his words.
They sat down when she pointed to the chairs and the silence stretched between them all awkward and tense.
"I guess I should introduce you," Mac finally said before she pointed out her friends and told their names. She watched as Remus and Sirius gave them all a searching look but nodded politely as they were introduced. When she reached Tetsuya they both jumped.
"Wow," Sirius gaped. "I didn't even see you! Where did you come from?"
"I've been here the whole time," Tetsuya deadpanned.
Mac smiled slightly.
"Most people struggle with seeing Tetsu at the beginning," she said fondly.
Tetsuya smiled back at her.
"I didn't know you would have friends with you," Sirius commented.
Remus knew what he meant. This would put some hindrance in their conversation with Mac. How were they supposed to talk and get to know her without being able to talk about magic?
"We weren't about to let Mac-cchi do this alone," Ryota said with a lazy smirk but his eyes were sharp as he watched them.
"Of course," Remus said and silenced Sirius with a look. "We can understand that."
Mac just shrugged. She didn't really care if they understood or not, she needed her friends and that was why there where there.
...
"What do you want?" Mac asked.
"We told you last time," Remus said. "You are the daughter of our best friends and we want to get to know you."
"Like I would believe that," Mac snorted.
"Why wouldn't you?" Sirius frowned at her. "Look, we want to be in your life. Why would you dismiss it like that?"
"Why shouldn't' I?" Mac challenged him.
Her friends stayed back and allowed her to take charge but she knew they would interfere if she needed it.
Remus frowned pensively as he watched Mac and saw the suspicion in her eyes as she watched them closely. In contrast to last time she was more in control of herself now, he noticed. She was calm and watchful but she didn't seem scared as she sat before them.
He also noticed that she had a firm grip on Daiki's hand. He wondered just how close they were.
"Because you are family," Sirius said impatiently and Remus almost winced at the blunt words and when he saw how Mac's expression seemed to close down. "You're my goddaughter."
"Sirius," Remus said sharply and Sirius slumped down slightly as he stopped talking but his grey eyes were locked on Mac. "Look, I know this must be a shock for you."
Mac just stared at him but it was too late. The small spark of openness in her eyes had closed down and she was now unreadable as she stared at them.
"So what?" Mac finally said and looked between them.
...
So what? Sirius stared at Mac and wondered if he had heard her right. She had really just said: so what? He felt a stab of frustration as he looked at her and he could almost see the girl she had been when she was a baby and laughed up at him calling him 'Pafoo!' and smiling that adorable smile of hers.
But where was that girl now? In this cold girl that was seated opposite him? Her green eyes were so cold and emotionless that he felt it like he had been hit.
"So what?" he repeated quietly.
She tilted her head like she was just curious.
"Yeah, so what?" she asked again and Sirius felt angry.
He couldn't really say why he felt so angry but the anger was undeniable as he stared at the girl who was looking so much like his dead friends. It felt like a stab in the heart that she could look at him with those eyes. Like he didn't matter to her at all.
"You…" Sirius said but words seemed to fail him. He ignored Remus' warning glace as he continued to stare at Mac. She looked frustratingly the same disinterested and detached as he looked at him. "You're really cold, aren't you?"
Mac just shrugged.
"I tell you that I'm your godfather and you don't even care," Sirius said. "You have no idea how much I've worried for you, feared that you…that you were dead. I thought you were…"
His voice trailed off and his hands fisted on top of the table. He blinked away a tear as he pushed away the fear he had been feeling ever since he escaped from Azkaban and realised that his goddaughter was missing.
"What he means is that we have been worried about you," Remus said after giving Sirius a worried look. "Many of James and Lily's old friends back in Britain has been worried about you when you didn't show up at Hogwarts."
"Yeah," Mac nodded, "and again, so what?"
Remus frowned slightly as he wondered what she meant.
"You really are cold," Sirius muttered. "James was my best friend, he was basically my brother and you can sit there and question why we care about you?"
Mac gave a long-suffering sigh and closed her eyes for a moment.
...
"Don't call Mac-chin cold," Atsushi growled and glowered at them.
"Murasakibara," Mac said and gave him a look making him sit back and grumbled to himself before she looked back at the two men who were looking a cross between confused an upset.
She sighed and felt tired.
"I don't know what you're expecting," Mac said looking at them.
"Some sort of interest!" Sirius said. "We only ask for a chance to get to know you! For you to hear us out and…"
"And what?"
"Learn to know us and realise that we want you in our lives," Sirius said.
Mac frowned.
"You realise that all you talk about is what you want, right?" Tetsuya spoke up quietly.
Remus jumped slightly again having forgotten that the boy was there but he frowned slightly when he registered the words he said. Sirius was frowning as well and opened his mouth to talk.
"It's what James and Lily would want to," he said stubbornly. "We were family. Family is important and that's why we have been looking for Mac since we realised that she was missing. We saw her as a baby and watched how her parents loved her. We want to share their love for their daughter with her…"
Mac suddenly jumped up to her feet and glared at them her hands fisted at her side as she did so.
"DON'T LIE TO ME!" Mac yelled shocking both Sirius and Remus as she practically fumed at them. "Don't you DARE to sit there and lie to me!"
"We're not lying!" Sirius protested.
"THEN WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN ALL MY LIFE?!" Mac couldn't help but yell. The anger and hurt built up inside of her and spilt over. She barely noticed the worried looks from her friends or how Daiki got up and put a hand on her shoulder and glaring at the two men in front of them. Nor did she notice Seijuro also standing up beside her. She was just so angry!
They sat there and talked and talked about what they wanted and what they felt but they didn't even bother to see what she had been going through!
"You're really something," she spat at them. "Why should I believe what you say? When you never was there when I could have needed you. You show up now and expect me to jump in joy? To be happy?"
Sirius shrank back and Remus paled as he took in her anger. No words came to him as she continued to glare at them with so much anger and pain in her eyes that he really wanted to know what she had been through to make her have that look in her eyes.
"What? You're my godfather?" Mac glared at Sirius and snorted. "Then where have you been all my life? And you, if you're a friend of my parents; where have you been? Why are you even here now pretending to care? Guilty conscience? Well, tough luck. I don't need you now. I'm happy and safe. I have found people who I can call family."
Her eyes were narrowed and her words sharp and precise.
"I need some air," she said and spun around on her heel and left the room with Daiki close behind her.
...
"Let her go," Seijuro said stopping the two men from following her. He glared at them coldly and Remus had to admit that he was rather intimidating especially for someone so young.
"We need to…"
"Again with what you need," Tetsuya said quietly.
Remus sank back realising that the boy only saying what was the truth. It had really gone all wrong. It must seem like they only cared about what they wanted and wished for. He frowned as he stared down at his hands that were resting on his lap.
"I do believe that you should think about what Mac would feel and not only see yourself," Ryota said giving them a sharp look.
"What happened to her?" Remus asked quietly.
"That's up to Mac to tell you," Seijuro said coolly. "We're not going to tell you anything about her that she doesn't want you to know."
...
Mac stopped outside and felt the breeze against her skin and she inhaled deeply. She felt a little better at the fresh air and leaned into the firm body that wrapped around her from behind with strong arms holding her tight.
"You're doing great," Daiki murmured into her ear.
"I lost my temper and yelled at them;" she muttered.
"They deserved it," Daiki said.
"Perhaps," Mac admitted, "but…I won't get anywhere by yelling."
Daiki shrugged and only hugged her closer. She allowed his warmth to comfort her and images of their…kisses the day before entered her mind and made her shiver slightly. Her whole body seemed to be more attuned to him now and she wasn't sure what to do about it or how to proceed next so she did her best to push it back and ignore it.
At least for now because she did have other things to focus on. Like two grown men who seemed to think that everything revolved around them. She huffed.
"You're thinking too much," Daiki murmured.
"They talk about my parents with such confidence and warmth," Mac said quietly. "Like they would have wanted me to just allow them into my life, but… would my parents really have wanted me to just forget that I was left alone in that house? That they didn't even check up on me?"
She turned around to look at Daiki. Her eyes wide and pleading.
"Am I just supposed to forget that?" She asked again lost and confused. Her earlier anger was gone. At least for now.
Daiki felt out of his depth as he watched his girlfriend struggle with something like this and being unable to help. He wanted to go back in there and do some yelling on his own but he didn't. It wasn't what Mac needed. If only he knew how to express himself better.
Not knowing what to say he just reached out and pulled her into his arms and hugged her and he felt her hiding her face against his chest. He didn't mind at all having her in his arms again. He had to push away some of the dreams he'd had of her in his arms…. Like now! He shook his head slightly as if shaking the images from his mind.
Right now they had something else to deal with and he was going to help her through it.
...
...
AN: A long chapter for you this time! What do you think? XD
I must admit that I'm nervous about how this chapter is received. The rest of the GOM now knows about magic. It wasn't a very dramatic exposure. But I felt it was the right time for them to find out for Mac's development. She needed the push from Seijuro even if he was rather...demanding (not quite the word I'm looking for, but...) in the way he went about it. Seijuro is the type to act when he sees something is needed to be done and he would put Mac's wellbeing above all, no matter what he has to do to get it done.
Now, should Sirius and Remus find out that they know about magic? That is the question now... the rest of the meeting will happen in the next chapter! XD
Also, this story isn't meant to have any bashing of Remus or Sirius' characters. The critic that is coming toward them is only meant to be a reaction from Mac on why they left her alone and why there didn't come earlier. She doesn't know anything about their background at this time and therefore just sees two people who claim to be close friends of her parents and has not been in her life at all until now. Naturally, she feels upset and angry about that. Things will get better when she learns to listen to them as well as they start to think about what she would need and want and not just their own desires to get to know her. :)
Thank you for reading and supporting the story so far! I really appreciate every one of you! XD