Vivi raised her head when Hermione came to see her.

"Could I talk to you in private, Vivi, please?"

"Of course. I'll be right back, Ginny-kun," Vivi said with a smile.

"Alright, I'll try to find the trap in the history lesson while I wait for you," said Ginny.

Hermione led Vivi in a corner of the Library, before turning toward her. She quickly threw some spells to make sure that they wouldn't be spied on, then, she stared the young girl in the eyes.

"Is there a problem?" Asked the blue haired girl.

"I noticed a little something, and for now, I think I am the only one to have done so. I may be looking into it too far, it may only be a coincidence, but I would like to make sure."

Vivi sat at a table as she waits for Hermione to develop, perfectly puzzled.

"Right now, we are treating about the Tenryuubito. I noticed that the professor Nico didn't named all the lines. In my last paper, I showed that I did some research and I cited them all. While rereading it, I noted something that I didn't see at first. One of the funding bloodlines of the World Government was the Nefertari. It was a funny coincidence, no, knowing that you have the same last name?"

Vivi sighed and looked Hermione seriously.

"Will it stay between us?"

"Of course. I don't go around yelling the secrets of others around. I know things on Harry that Ron doesn't and shouldn't know, bigot as he is. You can tell me everything."

Vivi held her legs on the chair, agianst her, and leaned her chin on them.

"I… I am effectively issued from this line of Nefertari. My father is Nefertari Cobra, Alabasta's King, which make me the sole heiress of the throne, since my father is a widow and I am his sole child. From what my father has told me, the twenty founding families were rulers at first. And they were proposed to live an even better life at the Sacred Ground of Mari Joa. Nineteen of those families accepted. The one that preferred to stay in her kingdom, is the Nefertari. I think that it is the reason why, despite the fact that our family participated in the creation of the World Government, we are not fully considered as Tenryuubito. And I am happy for this. I love my country. I love his citizens. When I was little, I often played with the others children of Alubarna. My father is a good king, close to his people. He listens to them, share their pain and fight for them. He shared with me his love for his country. This love that made it so that I crossed path with Luffy. I was young. A little naive. My country was dying, and someone was working to dethrone my father. I wasn't even nine years old when I went with one of my father's adviser. I joined the organization Barock Works who was working against my father. Despite my age, I quickly became an executive, a… number, as it was called. On day, I was given for mission to kill an island whale to furnish food to one of our bases on the Grand Line. By chance, Luffy and his nakamas were entering the Grand Line this same day. One thing leading to another, he eventually learned that I was the Alabasta princess and that Crocodile wanted to destroy my country, to gain access to Pluton, if I remember what Ace-san said.

Hermione nodded.

"We had wonderful adventures. We met some Elbaf giants' warriors on a prehistorical island, we assisted to the blooming of cherry blossom on a winter island, all the while expulsing the bad king and saving Nami's, who was dying at the time, life. We met Robin-san, too, who was the right hand of Crocodile at the time. Then, we entered Alabasta. It's when I came back that I met Ace-san. He followed us several days, before going on his own, after receiving a howler from one of the commanders, reminding him that he was only here to say hello and that he wasn't on break. Us, we continued our quest. We had to keep a war from starting… and I was naive."

"In what?" Asked Hermione in a soft voice.

Vivi looked at her with eyes full of tears.

"I refused that anyone die in this conflict. It was Utopian, impossible. I knew it deep inside, but I didn't want it. Luffy pointed it out to me, rather hardly. I was risking my life to save this country, and he asked me to stop."

"Luffy? Stop? That's not like him," wondered Hermione.

"He told me to stop risking only my life. I had nakamas ready to risk theirs too," completed Vivi with a smile.

Hermione smiled.

It was all Luffy, that. Although, Harry had his stupid heroic moment that were like this too.

"Luffy fought Crocodile, and almost died. In the end, from what my father told me, he fought Crocodile with his fist covered in his own blood, only way to bypass the power of this man.

"An akuma no mi?"

"Exact. Suna suna no mi. A Sand man."

"The blood solidifies the sand… understood Hermione.

"Luffy came out of this fight with my father and Robin-san. Robin-san disappeared this day, and Luffy stayed two- or three-days unconscious because of his injuries. Everyone say that it was Smoker-Chujô that put an end to Alabasta's war, but that's because the Marine didn't want to confess that pirates had done their job. Luffy and everyone are the true heroes of Alabasta."

Vivi put her legs back down on the ground and said:

"Since then I followed Luffy's adventures in the papers, since I stayed in Alabasta. When I learned of the execution of Ace-san, I asked my father to intervene. I just had to say 'Luffy no nii-san' for him to contact the World Government and oppose the execution. But it was useless. They didn't want to ear anything. When I learned that they had survived, I decided to come here. When I lived with them, I learned where they went to school. Hard to miss the owl bringing Ace his book list for his third year at Hogwarts, while he was with us. Father never liked Fudge-san. He finds that he doesn't have the soul of a ruler, and that he let himself too easily bribed. He was worried for me, but I was determined to come here. Luffy needed help. I know that he was mentally hurt at Marine Ford. Almost losing Ace destabilized him more than he let on. It's the least I can do, after what he did for me."

Hermione smiled.

"You're a good princess, Vivi. Your people are lucky."

Vivi couldn't held a blush.

"The headmaster knows?"

"No, Pell-san did an investigation on him, before I came, and the results weren't good enough for him to be put in the confidence. However, the professor McGonagall knows and swore to keep the secret. I am not a noble that feel superior to others and want to show it. I am just human."

"Okay. It will stay our secret then, smiled Hermione. Your Highness, I will let you return to your work."

Hermione did a bow full of humor which made Vivi laugh. The spells that cut them from the world were undone and the two young ladies returned to Ginny's table.

"Need some help, Ginny?" Inquired Hermione.

"Well, I'm not sure… something seemed a little impractical, and it's about the muggle History."

Hermione pulled toward herself the mentioned passage and nodded, before explaining to her what it was really about. She even went in search of a book treating about the problem to show to the two girls.

"Thank you Senpai!" smiled Vivi.

"With pleasure!" assured Hermione.

And she walked off.

After all, they had an appointment with Sirius in some minutes.

Hermione threw a glance toward Vivi from above her shoulder.

"It's strange, eh?"

Hermione almost had a stroke.

Sabo was putting away some things at a table that she had just passed by.

"When I see someone like Vivi, who has power, but want to stay as close as possible to others, I'm thinking that I am right to have faith in the human race."

"You- sir…"

"Sir during class, Hermione, outside, it's not needed."

"You know who she is?"

Sabo laughed and put on his head his top hat.

"I was born in a noble family, Hermione. And I am in the Revolution. I know more about Vivi than she probably does about herself, I think. Of course I know who she is."

Sabo looked to where Vivi was working with Ginny. A princess working with a penniless girl… he signaled Hermione and they began to walk as they spoke:

"When I was little, my parents taught me to look down those born in lesser condition than mine and to lick the boots of those born better than me. One day, I crossed path with the son of, I don't remember if it was an important noble or the Goa's King, the fact is that he was higher than me on the scale and demanded of me to take him on my back to his home, just because he was tired."

"That's ridiculous." commented Hermione.

"More so since I think he was a little older than me. The fact is that I said no, so, he began to brag about his condition. I threw a punch in his face. He began to cry. My mother – Sabo said the word with hate- showed up at this instant. What do you think she did?"

"No idea."

"She hit me, gave handkerchief to the other idiot and apologized in totally over the top way. When I came back home, my parents utterly scolded me. I ran5 away after this, because I was so sick of everything that the little control, I had on my magic, escaped me. I exploded my father's desk with accidental magic. My parents didn't try to find me, and I wasn't bad off for it."

Sabo escorted Hermione back to the Gryffindor's Tower, while continuing their conversation:

"A little before the start of this school year, McGonagall informed me that I was at first destined to Hogwarts. Since I was a Muggleborn, one of the member of the staff had to come to introduce me to this world. She showed up at my home, the day of my eleventh birthday, to realize that I wasn't living here anymore for a long time. When she came back to the school, to signal to the headmaster that she couldn't find me, she received a letter from Salem that informed her of the transfer of my inscription and that I would do my schooling there."

"How was it, Salem?"

"Better than here. Much better. Here, we are all separated following distinctive traits, though they are present in everybody. We are just more or less sneaky and more or less hardworking. We decided to separate the young, train the concurrence between them. In my work, being sneaky is second nature. I work in the shadows. If I don't want to have a bounty, I need to continue like this. I also have a healthy dose of courage. With what I went through I needed it. I like to learn too, and I am someone loyal. I have what it takes to go everywhere. At Salem, the only separation, was the years. We are separated by levels. After that, the dormitories, it was by year and gender. If the students didn't live too far away, they could stay at their home and come only for the classes. Seeing the size of the US, Salem gathered a lot of students, but mostly those of the East Coast. For the North, they went to Canada. To the West, there was either Houston, or Mexico and his Tenochtitlan school."

"The Grey's school?"

"That's the one."

"But you must have been numerous in class, no?"

"We were split in group that changed all the time because they were randomly organized. From one trimester to the other, you could find yourself with totally different classmates."

"And the teachers, how were they?"

"Robin, she didn't change at all from Salem. We had Izou in Transfiguration…"

Sabo shivered.

"The newbies generally found out in second year that he was a vampire, in spite of the reference to his condition made by the others and his appearance. He didn't need that to be a sadistic and uncompromising teacher. He always had this little voice with this little smile that told you to be careful, you are going to be in trouble… and for punishment, we didn't have detention… we had the Wall of Shame."

"A Wall of Shame?"

"Try to hide anything to a vampire, more so if this vampire is an androgynous pirate commander whose name is Izou. The library had a section for the annals of the school, and in it, the old photos of the Wall of Shame. I saw photos of Shanks during his years there which I would have preferred not to see. It was never things too bad, but well, it was on subjects which would have been better of not exposed in form of photos."

"I imagine well, indeed!"

"And it was an effective way to keep us out of trouble. Then, we had Franky in Muggle Study."

"Suuuper, I take it?"

"Oh, he was motivated, funny and clear. But a little crazy. I think that Luffy's crew doesn't have any sane member."

"Robin and Nami."

"Nami and her love of money?"

"Robin?"

"You never had to suffer her questionable sense of humor, Hermione. Never. We had Beckman in Defense. You can tell that he knew what he was doing. Andromeda was the Astronomy's teacher. She has a screw loose, that woman, I'm sure. But in face of Trelawney, she seems almost normal. We had a lamia for the Care of Creatures classes. Melusine, she was called."

"A lamia?"

"Like a mermaid, except that she is half human, half snake. It's a warrior tribe that work under the same principles as the amazons. You don't want to make them angry, trust me. More so knowing that the laws in US authorize them to keep their ritual's magic spear. In Charm, we had Madam Clovis. Our McGonagall."

Hermione giggled.

-Potion… it was…"

"You don't remember his name?" wondered Hermione.

"He never gave us his true name. He gave us a nickname… the scientific name of the aspirin… there, Acetilsalicylic Acid. This guy was terrible. Nice, but terrible. This is why everybody believe the official version that said that it was him that made Salem explode, when it was just Usopp and Franky that did a fishy experience. And well, here we are, miss."

Indeed, they were in front of the Fat Lady who seemed depressive.

"A problem, My Lady? Asked Sabo to the Painting.

"The twins are doing the promotion of what they call Skiving Snackboxes. The noise is unspeakable."

"They're still using first years as test subject?" Growled Hermione.

"Oh no. They're too scared that you would call their mother. They test them on themselves.

Hermione let out a deep sigh and thanked Sabo for accompanying her.

"It was a pleasure. Tell Harry that his owl is being healed, and to not worry. And also that the floo have ears and eyes."

"I will tell him this message, thank you again Sabo."

Sabo was going to walk away when Karasu appeared.

"What is it?" asked Sabo as he crouch down to the level of the elf.

"Karasu was in the kitchen trying to drill some sense into the head of the little Winky, when Gamabridge asked the elves to gather all the professors in her office.

Sabo sighed deeply and stood up.

"I'm on my way."

And he did.

"You are lucky, Karasu. Few wizards would put themselves on the level of a house elf," said the Fat Lady.

"Karasu knows," smiled the elf with a mischievous face before disappearing.

"This family will never stop amazing me," commented the Fat Lady. "Well, young lady, you think that you can calm the twins?"

"I can only try, I don't have anything to lose. Mumbilius mimbletonia."

And the painting swung allowing Hermione to enter in the, more than a little noisy, common room.

.

.

Sabo reached Umbridge's office to see that all his colleagues were already there.

"Finally, you're here, noted Snape.

"Oh, be happy, if I had used the stairs like normal people, I would have needed even more time," Sabo told him.

"And how did you came, if not with the stairs, young man?" asked Dumbledore.

The he grin on Sabo's face was cheeky when he said two words that explained everything:

"Free Running."

"Don't go break anything," smiled Robin.

"I do it since I'm a kid."

"Reason why you were believed to be a pirate at Salem."

It was at this time that Umbridge opened her office… and she was fuming. Literally. And black in soot!

"What is going with you, dear?" inquired politely Dumbledore.

-I have enough of these pranks! First my clothes, now this bomb of black paint that exploded in my office! I want that it to stop now! I want it to cease right now, and for the culprits to be found!"

Everyone looked at McGonagall.

"What make you say that it was the Weasley twins?" Asked Minerva calmly.

No need to asked about who they were thinking.

"They are the master pranksters of the school," pointed Sprout with amusement.

"Except if they were able to trap this office for it to go off later, it can't be them," pointed Robin. "You asked the elves to warn us how long after the incident?"

"Almost immediately!" Hissed Umbridge.

"I accompanied Miss Granger to the Gryffindor Tower and the painting said that at this moment the twins were causing an uproar in the tower," pointed Sabo. "It was a few moments later that Karasu came to warn me that you wanted to see us. If they had been the culprits, I would have crossed path with them in their escape as I came here. I know all the shortcuts and secret paths of this school as well as them."

Umbridge squinted her bulging eyes.

"Can we enter?" asked Dumbledore.

Umbridge stepped away and let them enter in her office which had been painted in black from top to bottom. Even the horrible plates with the kittens were touched.

Sabo observed the place whistling. The ones that had done this hadn't done it in halves.

"Muggle paint. No Finite will take it out," stated Snape as he grazed the still wet wall with his finger.

Sabo turned toward Robin when she tapped his arm.

She showed him on the table, well in evidence, something white, simply splattered. Coming near it, and recognizing the object, Sabo knew who was the culprit.

"You still want the culprit, professor Umbridge?" asked Sabo as he picked up the small item.

"Of course! And I'll make sure that he is expelled! Growled the woman.

"You would be ready to go until where, geographically speaking, to find him?"

"An idea of the culprit, Sabo?" asked Flitwick.

Sabo turned toward his colleague with a cheeky smile.

"This is the visit card of someone I know very well, and who like to play pranks."

And he showed the card that he had found on the desk.

"Ace of spade," noted Robin.

"You faced a prank from the Ichibantai Taisho Hiken no Portgas D. Ace, actual right hand of the Shirohige kaizoku. You want to go to the Shin Sekai to tell my older brother off, or send him a howler that would end up in ashes before it could even do its work?"

Snape and Umbridge's face were priceless.

"In what honor does your brother allow himself to come back to Hogwarts, when he isn't a student here anymore?" demanded, irritated, Dumbledore. "The ICW doesn't protect him anymore since he finished his schooling."

"I think that it is his way to tell our dear colleague Fuck off, to use the colorful vocabulary of my sibling. Despite the fact that Luffy isn't in her class anymore, she continues to try to go after him, and after his friends in the person of Nami and Vivi. Ace already send you a letter to warn you of what would happen if you continued. This, is his way to tell you that it isn't because he isn't in Hogwarts, that he can't reach you. It's for you to see what is more important… the next time, instead of finding yourself with paint, you could have a true bomb. Boom. No more Umbridge. You are a smart woman."

Sabo crumpled the card in his hand and walked off with Robin.

"Karasu?"

Karasu appeared standing on the railing of a stair and jumped swiftly to sit on Sabo's shoulder.

"Congratulate Ace for his message, please. I may be muzzled and kept on a tight leash, like Robin, but it is good to know that we have a free electron like him in the game."

"Karasu will do and will forget to scold him for the prank."

And Karasu disappeared.

"She angered a pirate… it isn't the most advised thing to do," smiled Robin.

"You are an accomplice, aren't you?"

"Sa na..."

Her smile meant of course. Who, except for Robin, could do anything from the other side of the castle without being caught?

Sabo made his fist which had the rumpled card swirl and opened it, letting escape a small green and red bird who flew off chirping in the corridors. Umbridge was going to regret very strongly to have put a foot in Hogwarts.