Year 2
Adding onto this :)!
Getting books at Flourish and Blotts was like navigating a hurricane while finding one's way through a maze. Harry held his books close to his chest as he filed through the bodies. Malfoy and Mafloy Sr. presence had soured the mood for the trip but at least he had gotten everything he needed for school. With books in hand, he piled it onto the store counter where a clerk started filing them into books and tallying the price. Out of the corner of his eyes, he could see the Weasleys, who were in different states of shopping, fluttering about. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were standing next to the Grangers, talking with great vigor and bright smiles. Though, Mr. Weasley was the only one truly animated.
As Harry gathered his books and slid the appropriate amount of coins to the clerk, he made his way towards the group near the entrance of the shop. Mrs Weasley, apparently having eyes in the back of her head, turned towards Harry with a discerning eye. The look almost made him want to apologize for some wrong he had done, but didn't know he had done.
"Got all of your things, dear?"
"Yes, Mrs. Weasley." Harry answered promptly.
"Everything on the list?"
"Checked it twice" Harry affirmed.
"Good boy." Mrs. Weasley smiled brightly.
Harry felt a weight lifted off his shoulders, though his shoulders were promptly clapped by two sets of hands.
"Heya Harry" The Twins said in unison as they walked up on either side.
"Fred, George" Harry greeted both of them. "Where's Ron and Hermione?"
Fred thumbed behind them to the pair gathering their things from their counter.
George give a sly smile. "Ickle Ron got lost on the second floor. Hermione had to go drag him out."
"She did not." Ron grumbled as the two approached.
Mrs. Granger moved forward. She had the same bushy hair as her daughter, but her attire made her distinctly muggle relatively. Her heavy jacket and skirt stood out against the droves of robes. "Got all your things, Hermione?"
"Yes, mum. I got everything." She opened her bag to show her collection of books and items. "I even got the extra scrolls for Sealing."
"Sealing?" Hermione's father asked while straightening his own coat. "Is it the studies from Japan?"
Arthur Weasley popped up animatedly to answer the two, but another voice interjected calmly.
"The origin isn't from Japan. But, Japan is one of the central areas that predominantly studies it."
Eyes shifted to the new voice that had entered the conversation. Clothed in a light robe, Professor Nakamaru smiled at them from the entrance.
"Professor!" The students greeted enthusiastically.
The professor walked forward, joining them in their circle. With a polite smile at each of the students, he held his hand out to the parents. "Hello, I am Professor Toki Nakamaru. I'm their Seals professor at Hogwarts."
"A pleasure to meet you" Arthur shook the man's hand.
Nakamaru went down the line and introduced himself.
"I'm Wendall Granger and this is my wife, Monica." the patriarch of the Granger household introduced himself.
As they settled down, they noticed people shuffle by them. With one motion, Nakamaru motioned them to move towards the cafe near the side of the bookstore. While still crowded, at least they were out of the entrance of the store. The professor's eyes quickly scanned over their bags and a small smile danced across his lips.
"So, got all of your things for classes?" Nakamaru asked the students.
Hermione spoke up quickly. "Yes professor. I was actually trying to find a book written by you, since you mentioned it during office hours."
"A sealing book?" Ron asked.
"No," Nakamaru chuckled. "A fiction one. In my homeland, I moonlighted as a novelist."
The professor pressed his index finger on his left wrist. A small blue glow flowed over his hand and a small puff of smoke expelled. On his hand was now a small bound book with foreign writing. "This is one of the books I had written. I keep it for" Nakamaru shrugged sheepishly. "Fans."
"Oh, is there an English translation?" Monica Granger asked.
"Yes, it's called The Night Awakens." The professor answered.
The Grangers' eyes lit up with recognition. "Oh. We've actually heard of that." Wendell said.
There was a shuffle of excitement from Arthur. "Your book, in the muggle world?"
Nakamaru nodded. "Why, yes. It is just fiction, so I didn't see why not? Of course, we had to use muggle print to make the books. It was quite the experience."
"Ah, we must talk more." Arthur said.
"Yes." Nakamaru said. "But-"
"Toki." A familiar voice called out.
Golden hair flowed gently in the air, as Yugito stalked towards Toki and wrapped her arm around Toki's. Her eyes immediately flickered to Harry, Hermione and Ron. A small smirk appeared on her lips. She said something quickly to Toki whose face grimaced with annoyance.
"No Yugito. For the hundredth time. They are not a squad." the Professor rolled his eyes. "Anyway. My wife, Yugito," He introduced her quickly.
Yugito nodded her head before whispering into the professor's ear. Nakamaru nodded slowly before turning back to the ensemble with an apologetic smile. "Needs to go. We have a visitor that we need to entertain. I will see you all later at school?"
The students nodded quickly. With a quick goodbye to the parents, the Professor walked off with Yugito towards the entrance of Diagon Alley.
Wendell looked down to Hermione. "Do you like him as a professor, Hermione?"
"He's always helpful." Hermione said. "And all of his teachings have practical use."
"He seems like a proper teacher, though very young." Monica said.
Arthur smiled widely. "Really is it different in the muggle world?"
And the chatter between the parents continued on as they settled down at the cafe. Harry gathered his friends as the twins dispersed to find their own fun. "Why were you trying to find that book anyway?"
Hermione kept her voice low. "I went through the records of Seals masters in Japan to see if I could find his work. You know to ask him about it later."
Ron rolled his eyes. "Of course you would look for more work during the break."
"Hush you" Hermione chided. "Anyways. I couldn't find a single record of the professor before a couple years ago. It was like he didn't exist."
"Wasn't that what he said though?" Harry asked. "He said seal master certification were hidden."
"Not for Japan and the modern magic world. There are standards that they have set for the last decade?"
"What are you saying, that the professor is not a seal master." Ron asked his voice tight.
"No Ronald." Hermione said. "Professor Dumbledore would never hire him without vetting. What I'm saying is, that whatever test he took or things he learned aren't from Japan. He learned the from his homeland that's near Japan."
"What is his homeland?" Harry asked.
"That's the thing." Hermione said. "Out of all the records I looked at and the maps, it doesn't exist."
"Ah, before I forgot. Mr. Weasley 10 points to Gryffindor for learning sealing above the normal standard." Professor Nakamaru said from his desk.
Harry, Hermione and Ron had decided to stay after first class to talk to the Professor about his homeland. After most had shuffled off to get lunch, Harry walked up to the teacher's desk and waited patiently.
The professor leaned back in his chair and raised an eyebrow at them. "Already off on a life endangering adventure?"
"Professor?" Harry spluttered.
"You're all here after hours. Miss Granger, I understand." He gave a wink to the bushy-haired girl. "But all of you together means something." The professor paused. "Honestly, if you're trying to gather information, you need to be subtler about it. Talk to the people surrounding your target first, or at least use one person. This way you can get information from different sources more quickly."
Hermione brushed her hair back. "I wanted to ask you but I felt we might as well all be here instead of just having to explain everything to them all over again and I wanted to-"
Nakamaru raised his hand to stop Hermione's hasty excuse. "Well, how about you Mr. Weasley what did you all want to know?"
Ron flushed slightly. "Well, we wanted to know if you could tell us about your homeland."
"My-" Professor Nakamaru stopped. He stood up slowly. His face morphed like a shifting painting on one of the walls. "My homeland. I remember I told you I had been banned from returning correct." His expression settled on a stony piercing gaze.
"Yes, Professor." Hermione said with her voice picking up speed as she went on. "I understand if it's a private subject. But, I've read the books in the library and even looked at all geographic maps of the wizarding world. There's nothing about the land near Japan."
Nakamaru raised a hand once more to stop the girl's speech. "That's because Japan keeps a tight lid on this information. Not because it's illegal to know but because the implications and interactions that would come out of it is too." He paused once more before looking out the window. "The wizarding world and the muggle world are both too civilized for my homeland."
"Civilized?"
"Yes." The professor said. "I will not speak more of that. Frankly, I've said too much already." He shook his head and let out a long sigh. "Enough. I don't want you to look into this anymore. Understood you three?"
Each of them gave affirmative nods.
"Can you at least give us the name where you were from?" Ron spoke quickly but looked down as soon as he said it.
The professor rubbed his temple. "I don't think that's-"
"Ichikawa."
Everyone's eyes snapped to the office where Yugito was leaning on the railing, a bored look on her face.
Yugito ignored the annoyed scowl on Toki's face and, in a slow tone, continued. "We both grew up in Ichikawa."
"Yugito." Nakamaru's voice was sharp. "Children."
"Don't need protecting. They are kittens." Yugito shrugged. "They'll grow claws. You're too sensitive." Yugito started down the steps and stood next to the trio.
"And, I am hungry." She drawled out. With a quick glance at the trio. "You three, go eat. I need to order your teacher," she reached out and poked the professor. "Toki get food for me."
Toki groaned as the trio scurried out of the classroom.
As soon as they left and closed the door, Toki pressed his palm against the table. Ink spilled out and formed patterns onto the table like a spider web.
"Why did you tell them that?" Toki whispered, even though no one could hear them.
"Because, it's been years. You need to get over it," Hands clasped over his.
"It is not me who needs to forgive." Toki sighed. "Even still. I chose this life. I chose you." Toki locked eyes with his wife.
She rolled her eyes. "Sweet talker. But, there's something else. We have another visitor coming."
Toki held his breath. "Who?"
As soon as Hermione entered the room, her eyes were drawn to the board behind him and the man standing next to it. Her eyes were immediately drawn to the two chalkboards pushed side by side and the beautiful pattern sprawling across it. She didn't know where it started or ended. The patterns seemed to loop back into themselves and split off in random places. Her knee bumped the table, awakening her from her trance. Hermione didn't even know she had been walking forward.
The man who had been writing on the board turned. Hermione finally took a good look at the man. He had white and grey hair in a large mane. His red and green robes were in contrast to the usual black robes of teachers. He was an older gentleman as well; she could tell by the wrinkles on his face. But, she noticed how large he was compared to his height. He looked like a boxer she had seen on the television back at home.
"E-excuse me" Hermione started. "I didn't mean to interrupt."
The man cocked his head at her. A smile crept over his lips as he looked between the board and back to her. He tapped the board with his chalk. "Seal."
"Yes." Hermione nodded. "I've been reading about some. But, Professor Nakamaru hasn't taught us this."
The man scratched his chin and nodded slowly. He placed his hand on the desk. Like the professor, a blue glow emanated from the man's hand and a small scroll popped into existence underneath. Unlike the professor, there was barely any smoke.
With a single hand, the man waved Hermione forward. She took a careful step forward as the man unfurled the scroll.
The scroll was blank. The man took out a small brush and held it out to Hermione. She looked between the brush and the man. The brush hung patiently in the air.
Hermione took it gingerly.
"Make what you know." The man said slowly.
"I don't have any ink." Hermione said.
"Press. It will make ink."
Hermione pressed the brush gently against the scroll and ink seemed to seep from the very fibers. "Amazing." she whispered. "Is this some sort of spell."
"Seal." The man said. "Ink from seal."
Hermione nodded. "But how does that-"
The man held up a hand. "Draw what you know. What you know best."
Hermione paused. Was this some sort of test? Was he a guest of the Professor's.
Hermione turned back to the page. The questions swirled in her mind as she wanted to piece the information together. She started drawing the storage seal that they had reviewed in the beginning this year. Maybe the man would answer her questions if she proved herself.
Running the brush carefully over the scroll, she finished her design. She set the brush down on the side carefully and looked up carefully at the man.
The man's eyes scanned the scroll carefully.
Hermione's stomach dropped as the man shook his head.
"Is something wrong with it?" She looked over the scroll. "I thought I did it right. I reviewed everything. This is the exact one that the Professor-"
"Boring." A single word thudded through Hermione's ears.
"Boring?" her lips repeated.
"You copy. Do not think?"
Hermione felt indignation build up in her. "But it's the right way. This is how you're supposed to."
The man extended the scroll again and took the brush. With deft movements, he started writing on the scroll. The brush danced across the blank page. The lines seemed random at first, swirling and cutting. And yet, slowly, Hermione saw the picture being formed and brought together. A moment later, the brush was lifted and a seal intricate, beautiful, and smaller than hers was there.
The man placed the brush on the drying ink. Reaching into his robe, he pulled out a ebony wand with a silver tip. He pressed it against the seal. "Fuiin." He murmured.
The brush sealed into the scroll without a single puff of smoke.
"Efficiency." The man said. "A signature as well. My design. My work. My Seal. Innovate. Do not copy. Boring."
As the man spoke the words seemed to stir something inside of Hermione. It felt like an itch on her back as if some bug had burrowed its way into her. She wanted to snatch the brush from the seal and try again.
Hermione felt a burning desire to fire questions; to ask the man before him questions. The knowledge he could provide would be-
"Jiraiya" A voice broke the silence that held the room in a tight grip.
Hermione looked up to see the professor descending from his office. A small smile on his face as he approached the pair; his hands clasped behind his back. The man stood tall and looked refreshed. His clothes were noticeably more neater from his usual casual demeanor.
"Professor" Hermione greeted, straightening up. "I apologize if I interrupted-"
"Don't worry, Miss Granger." The professor waved her down. "I see you met my friend, JIraiya." Nakamaru looked between the seal on the scroll and Jiraiya.
The professor said something quickly to Jiraiya. The man shrugged and nudged the scroll towards Hermione.
"Miss Granger, do you understand the seal that Jiraiya wrote?"
Hermione looked down at the seal and back up. "No Professor. It's really beautiful. I haven't read anything like it. It's-"
Nakamaru raised his hand. "The reason why is because, like me, Jiraiya is a Seals master, an onmyoji. His signature or flair on seals give the seals a somewhat different shape." The professor paused before rolling up the scroll. He held it out to Hermione. "Study it if it interests you. Understand why he did the things he did, and maybe you can grow past just copying."
Hermione bristled at the comment. "Professor-"
"I did not say that as a slight, Miss Granger." The professor answered. "Many start out learning just copying. But Seals" He put his palm against his chest. "For me, for Jiraiya is an artform. A mastery to excel at. You have the talent for many things and the curiosity to hunt for answers. But don't forget to look inside yourself to find something new."
Hermione stumbled backwards slightly as if she had been hit by a spell. The words replayed over and over in her head quickly. "I'll try professor." Words slipped out of her mouth like sand through fingers.
The scroll on the desk was rolled up. Gently, the professor slid the scroll into Hermione's bag. Nakamaru smiled and nodded. "I am sure you will. Go to your seat, other students are coming in."
Hermione shuffled to her seat and took out her books. Her hands worked themselves as she stared at the board. Two brushes animated themselves and swirled over the chalkboard, erasing in an efficient tight formation. Hermione felt a bit of sadness as the amazing tapestry was being erased.
"You okay there Hermione?" Ron nudged her shoulder.
"Oh Ron." Hermione jolted. "Just fine. Just talked with the professor and met his friend, Jiraiya. they're both seals masters and-" She said rapidly.
A loud cough stopped her chatter as everyone's eyes were drawn to the front of the class.
"Good afternoon class," Nakamaru said. "I am pleased to announce that we have a guest lecturer today" He waved his hand to his companion on the other side of the board. "This is Jiraiya. He is a fellow Seals practitioner and is here today to demonstrate different styles of Sealing."
The elder man gave a bright smile as he took out chalk. His eyes swept over the class and narrowed in on Hermione. As if he reached over and pushed a thought into her mind. Learn beyond what I am showing. He was giving her a challenge. Hermione would be damned if she didn't meet it head on.
Harry stood despondently on the bridge, out looking the lake and forest. He had been hoping this year to be a normal year. He had just wanted to experience the feeling of what it was like to be a normal student without any dangers, fears, anything really. What it was like to be normal.
Instead, he found out he was a parselmouth. He had tried to tell the snake not to attack and no one believed him. Had the hat been right? Did he really belong in Slytherin? Harry groaned as he wavered on the railing. They had taken up the professor's advice and divied up the work in search of more information. Ron had gone off to his brothers to ask about the chamber of secrets. Hermione went to raid the library and search for more clues. She had been especialy focused on seals these last few weeks.
The professor's friend, Jiraiya, had left a few days ago but not before visitng Hermione and giving her a new scroll. He didn't know what was in it but Hermione seemed to devour the seals inside with vigor.
Even with everyone around him being so active, here he was again still standing on this bridge paralyzed with anxiety.
"A Knut for your thoughts." A familiar voice broke him from his thoughts.
Harry turned to the side and saw Professor Nakamaru walking to him slowly. He wasn't dressed in his usual professor's robes but rather a white long shirt with a pair of muggle jeans. His arms and hands were more exposed than usual. He could see the numerous scars of all shapes and sizes on his arms. He even saw faded ink on his skin as if they were from faded tattoos.
"Hello Professor." Harry greeted. "I was just-" He paused. What should he say? Trying to be alone? So he could attack someone else? That's what they would accuse him of.
"It's a lot of pressure isn't it." The professor leaned against the wall next to him.
Harry gripped the railing. A gaggle of students passed behind them with hushed whispers and hurried footsteps. The white haired seals master stood next to Harry and joined him in looking out at the lakes below.
"What do you mean exactly, professor?" Harry said. Even though his gut swirled with confirmation.
"Being different. Being singled out. Having the world judge you for things you don't think you deserve or don't know you had." The professor's eyes closed. "It's tough."
Harry nodded. It wasn't even the fact that he didn't know anything about the Wizarding world. He didn't even know a parselmouth was considered bad. What really bohered him wasn't the secrets and past. "It's the stares," Harry murmured. "It's the whispers. I hate them."
"I know," the professor nodded. "My little brother used to have those exact same stares and whispers pointed at him?"
"Your brother?"
Flickers of a sad smile brushed the man's face. "Yes. He knew abour them. Ignored them. Tried to at least. But they still bit at him. His friends ddin't really understand, at least until it was pointed out to them. They couldn't understand why anyone would do that and wouldn't try to get to know you." Nakamaru turned to Harry. "It's easier to judge people from a distance. Ot not make the effort and just make the assumption."
Harry nodded.
"But you know what?" The professor continued. "In the end, my little brother only cared about the people in his circle. HIs precious people that he couldn't live without. Those are the ones that mattered to him. Those are the ones that he kept close. Those are the eyes he looked at and the words he listened to."
Harry thought back to the reassuring glanced Ron would give him. Hermione blabbering on how it may not be as uncommon and just not well documented. At first it felt like background noise, but now it felt like pillars. They were by his side. Harry smiled.
The professor smiled back. "Good." He started to turn and walk away but Harry felt a niggling feeling in his stomach.
"Professor?" Harry called out.
The seals master turned back. "Yes, Harry?"
"I know. Well," Harry paused. "I know you probably know that we're looking into your homeland. But, I just want to let you know we're not trying to- What I mean to say, we're just curious."
The professor gave a small chuckle. "I know. Yugito is tired of me bottling up. But this is a very touchy subject, one I haven't processed yet. One that I may not for a long while."
"Oh." Harry didn't know what to say.
"It's funny," Ink stained hands ran over the wooden railing. "I came here to get further away from my homeland. Away from Mahoutokaru. Just to get a fresh start and ensure Yugito could live peacefully. The banishment had been the least of my reasons to come to Hogwarts. And yet, it still stings." The professor shook his head. "I'm sorry. I've been on edge ever since Jiraiya came to visit."
"Was something wrong at your home?" Harry asked.
Nakamaru paused for a moment. "No. Just political news that won't affect us for a couple of years. But, he wanted to let me know ahead of time. I just was finally able to write some letters to my family back home."
He couldn't even contact them through owl? Harry swallowed. He couldn't imagine how hard it must be for the professor.
"Harry," The professor interrupted his thoughts again. "Be strong and well." With that the professor nodded and quickly turned away, leaving at a brisk pace.
"And so, after I used the Basilisk fang to stab the book and destroy You-know-who's spirit." Harry finished explaining. As he finished he took a large slurp of his hot tea, with Ron and Hermoine each nursing their own drink. They were all in the hospital wing with Professor Nakamaru visiting with a tea set.
"That was quite the ingenious idea of using the fangs to destroy the book." The professor put down his tea and started refilling the cups for the trio in front of him. "Saving Miss Weasley first, brave division in the heat of the moment." The professor paused and leaned forward. "In other news, I think we will be firing that Lockhart man. I did some digging into his background with a friend and found he's pretty much a fraud. Professor Dumbledore was furious and had the ministry over in a jiffy."
Harry smiled at the story. He never liked the man anyways. Apparently, the man had run off instead of trying to find the basilisk. Ron and Harry had found their way down to the Chamber of Secrets after Hermoine had been petrified. They had to brave it quickly because Ron's sister, at least at the time they believed, had been kidnapped.
The professor finished filling their cups and focused on Hermione. "Are you alright? I never really got to ask you about your encounter. Luckily, Yugito found you in the library but we were unable to save you from being petrified."
Hermione nodded slowly. "Yes, I thought it had something to do with eyes but I wasn't sure until I read about it."
"How did Miss Nakamaru find her that quickly, Professor," Ron asked bluntly.
"Secret," Yugito entered from the hospital wing and joined the four at the table the professor had conjured. "Secret not for kittens."
Professor Nakamaru simply nodded in agreement.
Harry rubbed his neck at the door being so tightly shut against them. "Well, thanks for telling us the story professor. I'm glad this was all taken care off."
The professor tapped his finger against the coffee table that had been conjured as he stared at them. He looked sideways at Yugito who shook her head. Then without a word, he pressed his hand against the table and ink splayed across it. It formed into a seal and a blue light rippled around them. "I have made a little bubble where we can hear what's inside." The professor said.
Harry felt a chill run down his spine and yet a bubbling excitement in his stomach. The gryffindors waited excitedly for the Professor to continue.
"It is my theory," The professor continued. "That if something happens twice it most likely happen a third time. Now we have seen that Voldermort-"
Ron gasped. "Y-you used his name."
Nakamaru raised an eyebrow. "Yes Mr. Weasley I did. I have learned that if you instill fear into an image of a man you give them power of you. I for one, do not put reverence or fear into his name therefore I will use it as I see fit. I apologize if that makes it uncomfortable for you."
Ron flushed slightly. "Sorry, it's just-"
"Don't apologize. Adjustments take time." The professor cleared his throat. "As, I was saying, with Voldermort returning at least twice so far, I am under the assumption there are other methods in which this Dark Lord used to expand his influence post mortem."
"Like coming back from the dead?" Hermoine asked, disbelief dripping from her voice. "I've never read anything like that."
Nakamaru smiled. "I've seen it and fought against it. Trust me, spells, powers, and abilities like this are out there. It's only a matter of knowledge and power and how far you are willing to go to achieve the things you want. And for someone that evil, I hardly think motivation is even a question."
"So, what should we do?" Harry asked.
"Train of course." The professor said. "Prepare and train." The professor leaned back with a bright smile on his face. "I'd like to invite all 3 of you and if your families if they want to my estate on the countryside. Think of it like a group vacation. You can all make time for your summer work and even relax in the hot springs there. But more importantly, you can practice dueling. Without fear in a supervised area."
Yugito gave a small hum in the back. "Write your parents" She paused "and your guardians that we will either pick you up or you all come through portkey. Understood."
The trio nodded with vigor and the Professor tapped the seal on the table again. The ink seemed to evaporate and disappear. Then with a swish of his wand, the conjured table disappeared and the Professor and his wife left.
Ron smiled wide. "Well this is great. I can't wait for this summer. We can finally hang out and even see the professor's home."
Hermoine nodded. "I'm going to start writing my parents a letter right now. I hope they can take time off, I think they really like visiting the Wizarding world last time."
Harry nodded slowly thinking back on the professor's words. If Voldermort could come back twice, what would stop him from coming back a third time? And how did the professor experience people coming back already? Was there something in his homeland that could do that?
Also,
"What's a portkey" Harry asked out loud.
Hope you guys enjoyed it. I didn't feel Toki's prescence here would change "much" and it's more of a subtle build up to bigger and crazier things in the future. Please leave some suggestions on anything you'd like to see or things you'd like to explore. Always open for more ideas.