Yasha could hardly breathe, as he stared at his new suit in the mirror. 'I'm the heir, I am the one demonic children look up to as a role model.'
"Hey bro, looking good." Alison walked into his room.
"Speak for yourself, sister-dear." Yasha responds, looking at Alison's military style gown. "If I wasn't so closely related..." he let his sentence drop, when his sister produced a stiletto blade from her hair.
"Finish that line, and Keiko will be the Heiress." Alison snarled
"Sis lets, not be to hasty now."
"I guess, I might get blood on my gown. So your royal majesty, you have a lady to escort to the ball?" Alison states, putting her blade back into her hair.
"No, I didn't ask anyone."
"Good, because I have no escort." Alison states
"Then My Lady Alison may i have the honor of your hand for this nights affair."
"First off, that sounds really corny, and second, totally wrong coming from the mouth of my twin brother." Alison replies, but she step aside to allow Yasha, lead her to the ball room, but first the royal alcove.
Sesshomaru stood still in the royal alcove as Maria retied his tie. Harry was sitting in the window still, watching everyone entering the manor and heading to the ball room, for the coronation and the ball. Sesshomaru looked at Harry from the corner of his eyes. "Who are you waiting for to show up?"
"Five hundred years and you still can't fix a tie right, i swear you do this on purpose."
"No one, Dad, she already said she's not coming."
Sesshomaru chuckled at Maria's complaining. "You're hoping Kikyo will change her mind?"
"Yeah i kinda was hoping she would but then with all These demon's here we all would be in danger."
"I think you have it wrong, I would be in danger." Kikyo's voice came from circling soul collectors, as her body formed and landed softly on the ground.
Harry jumped from his spot and almost hugged her but then he remembered "Your here your really here, You said you weren't coming."
"I said I wasn't going to the ball, I didn't say anything about witnessing the coronation and giving my Order's blessing." Kikyo replies
"Still you came thanks but I'll let you do your business first."
Kikyo peered out the window, as Shippo stepped out of his own limo. "Well, I was right about them after all."
Harry joined her at the window "Oh my goodness is that Sakura, she looks so hot in that dress and Shippo looks like he wants to do more than just hold her." the boy laughs red tinting his cheeks.
"You mean you haven't figured it out yet?" Maria questions
"I kinda found out just before break but actually seeing it just makes it real."
"Its a good thing, Shippo isn't employed by Dumbledore or else he would be out of a job." Yasha states as he and Alison came up.
"Yeah it's a good thing but I kinda wish they could be open about their relationship it will keep half the boys off her back." Harry replies
"Just the way the world works, he is older then her as humans see it, and its against human law." Maria answers
"But they're both demons and raised that way, heck Sakura can look any age, she wants with her magic.
"She's half-human, and magic doesn't work like that fox or wizardry." Maria answers "if it did, Severus wouldn't look like a grease bat."
"Even if Sakura was able make herself any age, she doesn't have the knowledge." Sesshomaru adds
Harry snickers "Mom, if that happened the whole school would rejoice." he fixed his tie once more. "Well here I am surrounded by beautiful royal beings and I'm just a jealous boy ready to get this started."
Sesshomaru and Yasha gave a half-hearted glare at Harry.
"You're a noble too." Maria reminded
"Noble yes but compared to you, I'm as plain as toast just look at you, Dad and Yasha can cause a stamped almost anywhere just by walking into the room and mom with Ali will break any boys heart with a smile."
Alison looked away, "Like I would break any boy's heart."
"you may not intend it but you do my dear sister."
"You do not understand. I could care less what boys think about me, I am already courting someone." Alison states
Harry looks at her and smiles "Lucky person"
"Well we have guests waiting and the night is wearing thin shall we."
The Royal family entered the great hall, Sesshomaru and Maria took their places on their chairs, while Alison stood next to the dais, trying to form her formal speech for renouncing her claim.
Yasha was closest to his father while Harry was at the end looking very uncomfortable with all the eyes on them.
Alison broke rank, and went and bowed before her parents, "Lord Sesshomaru, Lady Maria. I hereby renounce my candidacy for the position of Heir to the Demonic Realm."
There was a small gasp the ran through most of the guests, and a murmur was heard as well.
"I renounce my claim in favor of my older brother Yasha, he is far more quantified to be Heir then I am." Alison continued "First, My heart does not belong to the Demonic Realm, but to music, and secondly no male would ever want me."
Now The hall fell silent to those words and Harry was confused by this.
The lord and lady both look over at their daughter then look at each other and nod and stand.
"We accept your abdication." Sesshomaru declares, "As such, this is no normal Winter Ball, My mate and I have selected an Heir, Yasha step forward."
Yasha stood and went to stand before his parents.
Sesshomaru took the heir's crown from the steward, still wondering why his mate had chosen a piece of gold circlet to be the Heir. Maria asked of her son, his oaths.
I, Yasha Taisho, Son of Lord Sesshomaru and Lady Maria, do swear that I will well and truly serve our Realm, and I will do right to all manner of people after the laws and usages of this realm, without fear or favor, affection or ill will."
Once Sesshomaru placed the crown on Yasha's head, a great cheer rose up from the demons gathered and a fanfare fill the hall as well.
Alison took her place behind her brother, as his guard. While the tribe leaders one by one came up to swear fealty to Yasha.
Once all the tribe leaders swore to him, and the others offered their congratulations the winter ball was officially started.
Sesshomaru and Maria were the first on the dance floor, to start the first round of dancing.
Harry made his way over to the drinks and was reaching for his favorite and keeping an eye on Ron as he spoke to a pair of wolf demons.
Koga watched as his daughter danced with Sesshomaru and Maria's daughter. Which was surprising cause he never knew that Topaz played for the same team.
"Hey Koga , They look like a cute couple, huh?"
Harry reached the table with all the drinks and grabs a coke.
"Can it, Ayame." Koga growled and walked off to the balcony to get some fresh air.
Harry went over to Ayame "What flea bit his rump?" he asked as he took a sip.
"The love bug and this time its not me chasing him, its his daughter." Ayame answers, as she surveyed the table.
Harry looks over at his sister and shrugs "So Potter, is this where your hiding, you can't even dance like a normal person?"
"Who are you calling normal?" Harry retorted, "Because I know for a fact that I am far more wealthier then you are any day of the week." family
"huh, Why just because you afford a home in this back woods, my family have a home in both London and Dublin and we have more servants then you."
Ayame looked over, "At least our kind aren't inbred."
"we are not just because i can track my family line for generations and you cant your just jealous" the blonde huffed as he tried to walk away with his nose in the air.
"I am over five hundred years old, little boy. I am the granddaughter of late Northern Wolf Tribe leader, I am the Alpha Female of the Whole Wolf Demon Tribe." Ayame states, then she listed off few more of her relatives.
Draco was about to snap back an answer when his father called him back not looking pleased. "UGH, What a jerk if i could i would have smacked him one."
Sesshomaru stood next to Malfoy Senior, looking grim. "For your information, I own a London Townhouse, a private island, half of Japan, and I am an investor in several businesses in the Wizarding World, I also currently hold seat in the Ministry until Harry comes of age."
Malfoy Sr. just huffed and didn't comment.
Maria came up behind Sesshomaru, "Boys, are you posturing?"
Sesshomaru just grins looking slightly feral.
" Draco Lucius Malfoy." Narcissa states, as she was right beside Maria Taisho. "You were told to be on your best behavior tonight. We are guests here."
"Yes mother, I'm sorry It won't happen again."
"And believe me, demons can be your worse enemies." Maria whispered deathly calm. "we're far worse then your so called dark lord."
The three human paled and nod in agreement. Harry was going over to the where Ron was And whispers to him while pointing over to Malfoy.
Shippo and Sakura danced over to Harry and Ron.
"I wouldn't start anything tonight." Shippo warned "I'm getting us, drinks?"
"Thank you, Shippo." Sakura replies, as she watched as Shippo leave them.
"We wouldn't do that, Me especially i want to walk into school not crawl." Harry explains "I was just pointing out something to Ron."
"Like what?" Sakura questions
"Oh just how foolish Draco with mom."
"Someday Draco will have to choose which side he plays on, because either way he will get burned." Sakura states
"I don't see why he's so stuck up with himself can't he see he's on a very dark path, even with my thick head can see that."
"No, he can't see it, because his parents walk the same path, he needs true friends, which is why I want you to lay off the jealousy thing when it comes into Kikyo's mind to reform our blonde poster boy." Sakura answers
"I'm not why cann't you see that."
"Because everyone can see that you're afraid of losing her." Sakura answers
Harry's hand went to his chain "I'm not afraid, I'll lose her, she's her own person. I can't tell her what to do or anything else."
Sakura and Ron didn't believe a word.
Little by little ones and twos began disappearing from the ball room, as they had enough entertainment or just grew tired of room. Many others had different plans to celebrate the crowning the new Heir.
Harry was in the west gardens sipping his soda and looking at the stars and thinking about what Sakura said.
Harry turned his head when he heard giggling, and seen his sister, with the wolf demon Topaz. They were strolling hand in hand.
"I still can't believe you gave up the throne, people are going think you're just a love-sick wench, who's brains turned to mush." Topaz states, as she looked at her intended.
"Let them think what they want, I'm still gonna do what i want and right now it's being with you."
"To quote my angry father, you're my Woman." Topaz replied "And wolves mate for life, so you're stuck with me."
"I can think of worst things to be stuck with." Harry heard this and tried to slip away quietly not wanting to hear more.
"Trying to slip away, little brother?" Alison asks "You're not interrupting us, we're sorry, if we made you sick to your stomach."
"Your not it's just it sounds like a private moment and I don't want bother your alone time and I got to many thoughts in my poor male head."
"Anything we can help with?" Topaz questions
"only if you can stop me from feeling jealous about Kikyo." Harry states, "And no I'm not in love with her."
"Can't, to be honest, I was burning with jealousy every time, I seen Ali just talking to another person." Topaz replies, "That was before I realized my own feelings for her was more then friendship, I always knew that I wasn't into males. But I thought Ali was straight."
"Of course, you're not, you're not old enough to even feel romantic love. But you are jealous of her being with other people." Alison replies
"Why it's not like she don't know that but why am i so possessive of her, she's my friend?"
"How many true friends do you have, Harry?" Alison questions as she and Topaz sat beside Harry on the bench.
Harry thought "Outside you and Yasha and keikei, three maybe four at best. To everyone else, I'm either prince Harry or the damn boy who lived." Harry looked around hoping Kikyo was not around.
"She's not here, I don't feel her aura." Alison guessed
"I know but she always seem to know when i curse and she said the next time I'm getting my own set of beads."
"As amusing as the thought of you slamming into the ground is, I think you're jealousy stems from the fact that Kikyo was the first friend, you've made without being related to her. Yasha, and I do not count, since we adopted you as sibling years ago. But siblings are the first friends you meet." Alison reasoned
Topaz nods, "I know, which is why I say I have a overly crowded family, I am a member of a pack. Your pack is small since its just Sesshomaru in his family."
"Well yeah she was it doesn't hurt that she saved my life as well but how do i stop that's what i want to know i don't want to push her away because I'm being stupid."
"Just listen to her, if she glares at you and you feel her aura burning, you overstepped the boundary line." Topaz replies "Or learn to dodge scared arrows."
Harry just laughs "Me dodge her arrows I don't think thats possible."
"At least we got you laughing." Alison states, but Topaz stood up, her green eyes glittering in the darkness. "I don't hear anything, so it must be midnight, the ball's over. So I'll call you, if I survive the rest of the night." she leaned forward and kissed Alison's cheek.
Harry quickly stood and ran to the manor looking panicked "I was supposed to be in bed already I'm in so much trouble."
Alison laughed "Not this night, little brother." she looked up at the stars, "Do you know why we throw a Winter Ball every year?"
He slows "besides the social reasons?"
"Yeah, besides the social reasons. Mother isn't going to be upset this night." Alison answers
"Why's that Ali?"
"Its our Realm's anniversary. This day centuries ago, Mother united demons as one solid unit in peace." Alison replies
"Oh wow I didn't even think of that, mom always said before that it was a bloody time for the demons and the few humans that were allied to them."
"It was." Maria states, as she and Sesshomaru entered the garden.
"Mom, dad sorry i..." Harry stuttered trying to calm himself and get his thoughts straight.
"I am not upset you're not asleep, though, I found it amusing to find your friend Ron slumped over in the corner snoring, with his head in the lap of one of the ladies in waiting." Maria replies, as she lowered herself the ground. Sesshomaru followed wrapping his arms around her.
Harry smiles "Wish i had a camera to take a picture of that Hermione would love it."
"You wouldn't be here, if Sesshomaru didn't love me." Maria states, she leaned back into her mate's chest.
Harry nods and sits back down on the bench just enjoying the feeling of his pack.
"If you die on me again to prove a point, I will still go to the underworld to retrieve and kill you myself." Sesshomaru threatened as he tightened his grip on Maria.
"You said that last time as well." Maria remarked "Trust me, I gotten better at proving a point then just up and dying."
"Momma, what are you talking about." Harry asked being taken out of his happy stupor.
"We were in the middle of our own civil war, the demons were fighting against each other for more territory, more food rights. We caused so much history in the human world, I never thought about it until I read the textbooks, I kept with me watching history change right before my eyes then it all went blank."
"Your mother enchanted demon and human alike, she cared so much for everyone, no one reasoned what life would be like without her in it." Sesshomaru adds
"I'm afraid to even think about that if any of you weren't here right now."
"Yeah, but it did prove to your dad that love is more powerful then anything. He then did something that made him even more stronger then his own father." Maria states
"Oh what was that?"
"I forgave him, for leaving my mother. For falling in love with a human." Sesshomaru answers
"But why if you fell in love with Momma and she was raised by humans." Harry fiddles with his chain thinking about his family's history and how he could be a proper child to them.
"But I was always a demon. I only thought I was human. But I was always a demon." Maria replies
"I was angry because I didn't know my father was still teaching me lessons from his grave." Sesshomaru answers "I was angry that Inuyasha has the Tetsusaiga, and I had Tenseiga."
"But that's momma's sword now."
"You are right, Inuyasha passed the sword onto Maria, when he died. But Maria has something that no other demon had for a very long time." Sesshomaru agreed
"An understanding of humans right?"
"Compassion for humans." Maria answers
"Yeah momma does have a big heart and feeling towards them, just looks at Petunia and that whale she calls a son."
"I feel a responsibility to her." Maria admitted "I adopted Lily as my sister, therefore her family is my family."
Harry yawns and stretches suddenly feeling tired. He leans into Alison's side and snuggles her.
Alison rolled her eyes, and gathered the sleeping eleven year old into her arms. "I will put him to bed this night."
"Don't wanna you're comfy Ali. " he nuzzled her shoulder.
Ron was already in his bed when Alison brought Harry inside.