The following day the Newspaper Club was out at the front of the school handing out the newspaper. Moka and Kurumu were swamped by eager boys whilst Harry found himself dealing with a fairly large crowd of blushing girls.
About ten minutes in and a deathly silence descended over the crowd. They began to part, revealing a group of older students in black uniforms.
One of them, the tallest stepped forward. Harry immediately saw a younger Lucius Malfoy. This boy was tall, thin, blonde and had an aristocratic face with a look of condescension.
"I am Kuyou. Leader of the Protection Committee." He even sounded like a Malfoy. Just in Japanese.
"P-Protection Committee?" Moka stuttered nervously. "But how are we jeopardising the school?"
Kuyou reached the table with the papers and picked one up with amused disdain. "'Newspaper club, heh? We have no problem with your club, per se, but… who gave you permission to handout newspapers on school grounds?" He demanded calmly. "I don't remember seeing a request submitted."
"We are handing these newspapers out as per the instructions of our faculty sponsor, Nekonome-sensei." Harry said in a carrying voice. "If you have an issue with her instructions then please make an appointment with her."
The rest of the Protection Committee were staring at Harry in shock.
So was the rest of the school.
Kuyou simply looked at Harry with a neutral expression. "I am the leader of the School Protection Committee. I will not be questioned by insolent little freshmen."
"I'm not questioning you Senpai. I am simply pointing out that I am but a lowly student, I answer to the instructions of those above me. In this case, I am following the instructions of one whose authority exceeds yours." Harry gave a low bow.
Harry was suddenly jerked into the air, Kuyou held him easily by the front of his blazer. His eyes blazed with literal fire and anger.
"You will shut your club down or we will shut you down. Do you understand, boy?"
"I understand." Harry croaked.
He was then thrown to the ground. He quickly stood. He sneered at the retreating Kuyou's back and went to speak when a hand clamped down on his mouth. His eyes looked up and he saw a stern Gin giving him a look that blatantly said: 'Shut up'.
Gin had ordered the girls to collect the remaining papers and the table and meet them back at the classroom.
Harry didn't say a word, he just followed Gin and then sat patiently, waiting for the girls to arrive. It wasn't as if he had anyone to say anything to as Gin had left to collect their teacher.
Eventually they all arrived and Gin got straight to the point.
"You cannot defy the Protection Committee." He told Harry. "I'm not the oldest club member because the others graduated. They were killed by the Committee."
"That's horrible!" Moka exclaimed.
"And they out rank you?" Harry calmly asked his teacher.
"Power is authority." She said sadly. "There aren't any teachers who could take on the Protection Committee. Only the Chairman could."
"We don't have a choice." Gin took up the conversation. "We will have to shut down the Newspaper Club."
"That's not fair!" Kurumu said with anger and hurt. "We put everything into this."
Harry closed his eyes and tried to ignore the arguing around him. He focused on Kuyou and how he measured up to Draco, Lucius, Snape and Voldemort.
It wasn't good.
"Harry-kun? Are you ok?" He opened his eyes to see Miss Nekonome looking at him worriedly.
"Yes. But, I don't think shutting down the club will help."
"If we shut it down we can keep out of their notice." Gin said firmly.
"You might be able to. Kurumu might as well. But Moka, Yukari and I are already too big to ignore.
"Nearly everyone knows Moka is a vampire and she is the top student in our year and one of the most beautiful and popular girls. She's already been targeted for that.
"Yukari has never hidden she is a witch and so they will target her for that.
"And me… The school thinks I've defeated several powerful students already, plus I have powerful students like Moka and Kurumu as friends. I'm a threat to their authority.
"Power is authority." He finished as he looked sadly at Miss Nekonome.
She gave a pitiful whine. "Harry-kun is right."
"What about me?" Kurumu was clearly upset at Harry saying Moka would be targeted for her beauty but not her.
Harry gave her a grin. "I think we all know you can charm your way out most problems."
"I couldn't charm slug-boy away." She said angrily.
"That- That was because you were being blackmailed." Moka said in a rare act of supporting the succubus.
"And it could easily happen again. I don't abandon my friends."
"So you leave the school. It is the only way for you stay safe."
"Harry can't leave." Yukari reminded Gin. "He is in as much danger in England as he is here."
"We either challenge them or we wait for them to challenge us." Harry said decisively. "It is much better to do it on our terms. We should challenge them."
"Ha! As if you pathetic losers could beat us."
The group turned in shock to see one of the female members of the Protection Committee standing in the doorway. She stood fairly tall, almost as tall as Gin. Her hair and eyes were a dark purple. She wore a tight black dress that had a military look to it.
Harry dropped to his knees and sent a powerful banisher at the desk immediately in front of him. It went sailing through the air and straight into the girl who crashed into the wall outside in the corridor.
Harry quickly followed only to find she was unconscious. He levitated her back in to see everyone staring at him.
"I wonder if they will all be this easy?" Harry shrugged.
Harry had the girl tied to Miss Nekonome's chair in seconds. He then revived her. The others were still watching silently.
The girl groggily shook her head before taking in her surroundings. Then she saw Harry and the others and growled. "We are going to take our time killing you."
"Whatever. Your name?" Harry said dismissively.
"Keito. Remember it. It will be the last you ever hear."
"What sort of monster are you?"
Keito laughed. "You think I'll just tell you?"
"Yukari, come and join me please." Harry called over his shoulder.
The young witch was startled out of her stupor before she joined Harry sitting on Miss Nekonome's desk.
"As you know, Yukari is a witch. From what I've seen, she is quite powerful too. Now, since I came to this school I've been researching all the various monsters I've learnt about. Witches are the most versatile."
"They bleed as easily as humans and taste just as good." Keito smirked.
"When it came to witches, I bought a few books." Harry ignored her. "Now, aside from the basics, I also learnt about their forbidden and dangerous spells.
"My favourite so far has been the memory wiping spell. She can remove a few seconds to your entire, short, pathetic life."
Keito had become very still.
"So, here you are. Completely at our mercy. I'm going to make a deal with you. If you answer each of my questions honestly and immediately we will ask Yukari to only wipe out the last hour.
"Every time you become 'difficult', a whole year will be added."
Keito looked carefully between the two younger students… then she smirked. "You should have discussed this with the girl first. She doesn't have it in her."
Harry didn't look at Yukari. He had had a feeling she wouldn't be quick enough to play along.
He pointed his finger at Keito. "You still haven't figured out what I am."
Keito squeaked as she looked down and saw she was hovering a foot off the ground in the chair. She suddenly fell to the ground, the chair landed on all fours with a teeth rattling bang. She looked at Harry fearfully.
"So, do you think I have it in me?"
Keito was, perhaps, the second most powerful person at Yōkai Academy. Not because of her monster form, but because she was a member of the School Protection Committee and essentially Kuyou's deputy.
No one dared to question the SPC. Not the students, not their parents and not even the teachers. Kuyou had made the committee so powerful that even the school's chairman was too scared to come to the school.
Well, that was the rumour.
When they had heard that the school's Newspaper Club had started to not just report the news but made it, they acted quickly to make sure they knew their place.
A little public humiliation and a reminder to the only legacy member should be enough. But just in case, Kuyou had sent Keito to keep an eye on them.
Sure enough, they had actually had the audacity to contemplate fighting the Committee.
Ha!
It took Keito all of two minutes to leave the Club a quivering mess of broken limbs as she sauntered away from their classroom, her hips swaying seductively.
Deshiko Deshi was focused intensely as she twirled her bo-staff around her body in the school gym. She came here every day to practice. She needed to ensure she was always in top form in case the School Protection Committee got in a fight. She might be very strong and fast, but her body was very frail, she was a zombie, if the other students discovered that then she might not survive.
The gym was empty. It always cleared when she arrived, wearing her SPC uniform. One of the smaller perks of serving.
Most students knew better than to stay. The last one who tried was still in the nurse's office and had been in a coma since the second day of term.
She saw a girl appear in front of her and she immediately took up a defensive stance.
"Akashiya." Deshiko smirked. "You've just volunteered to be my new test dummy."
The pink haired girl stood there, clearly nervous. "We don't want to fight you. We just want to talk."
"That's what all losers say. Talk is cheap."
Deshiko sprang into action as she felt something flying at her from behind. She spun around, bringing her staff to bear.
She went flying backwards to land soaking wet against the back wall. She was completely stunned as she had no idea to expect a water based attack.
She was confused by the action that did little more than annoy her. She saw the little witch standing there smugly and her blood boiled.
Then she blacked out.
Kuyou sat in his luxurious leather office chair at his desk, his eyes were closed as he relished the screams of agony from the boy in front of him.
It was a wonderful way to relax after having to actually be seen amongst the worthless monsters in the school.
"We should talk."
Kuyou's eyes snapped open and he saw the Potter boy sitting opposite him. Then he noticed the screams had stopped. His entertainment was missing from the room.
"You have some nerve, boy." Kuyou snarled as he rose from his chair. "But I'll soon correct your ill-mannered ways."
"I don't want to fight you."
"Ha! As if you could. There will be no fight. There will simply be the pain of your agonising and lengthy demise. You will live only long enough to see your little friends die suffering."
"I know what your monster form is. Do you know mine?"
Kuyou paused. "Liar."
"You call yourself a Yoko. A variation of the Kitsune. An S-Class monster, ranked up there with vampires and werewolves."
As he spoke, Gin and Inner Moka stepped from the shadows carrying katanas. Kurumu and Yukari were just behind them.
"Vampires and werewolves might be S-Class, but they are still no match for my power." Kuyou sneered.
"Alone, maybe. But together? Gin can move faster than you can see and Moka's strength is unmatched."
"And my fire will burn them long before they can reach me."
"You forgot about the witch." Harry calmly reminded him. "A being with access to a power that even S-Class monsters can't stand against.
"Because magic is adaptable. Have you ever heard of a witch actually being burnt at the stake?"
"She is a child. She doesn't have the training." He scoffed.
"She's had a whole day to learn the spells we found in the book I bought."
"But does she have the power and skill to use them?" Kuyou smirked.
"Would we really be here otherwise?"
Kuyou was beginning to find this amusing. "And what of the succubus? What 'special power' does she have?" He asked mockingly.
"We have a saying back home: 'Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned'. I haven't been in Japan long, but I've seen it's true here as well. You should never have threatened the Newspaper Club. She loves it."
That's when Kuyou noticed the black wings and long dark claws on the girl. And of course, the look that promised a painful death.
"And you? The leader of this rag-tag group of rebels, what do you bring to the table?"
"Fear."
"You expect me to fear you?" He laughed.
Harry stood up slowly. "No. I am the one who is afraid. Afraid of what you will try and do to us. Afraid to go back to England. Afraid to lose my friends.
"Consider me a dog. I am cornered."
Harry turned and walked away.
"You dare turn your back on me?!" Kuyou roared as he began to burst into flame. He threw a lance of fire at Harry's back but it was intercepted by a conjured metal bathtub.
Moka and Gin began to move forward, grim expressions on their faces.
Yukari raised her wand above her head and began chanting. A dull white light began to emanate from the star at the end.
Gin felt the magical moonlight and morphed to his wolf form before he vanished in a blur. Kuyou screamed in pain as a wound opened on his left side.
Moka took advantage of the lapse and plunged forward. Kuyou only saved himself by catching the blade through the palm of his hand.
He screamed again and released a shockwave of fire that sent Moka and Gin flying. His form flowed into a massive fox that dwarfed them all. It had nine tails of fire that spun dangerously.
The heat was so hot that it could be felt even through the protective spells Harry and Yukari had cast on them.
"Insolent fools! You should have come to me on your knees!" The massive fox roared.
"Moka, we have to move hard and fast!" Gin called over.
Moka didn't look away from the Yoko, but she still sneered. "Do not tell me how to fight, dog."
That said she darted forward leaving Gin looking like an angry puppy.
"Harry, is this going to work?" Yukari asked fearfully.
"I hope so. We'll just have to stick to the plan."
"But that fire is so hot. My anti-flame charm has already broken."
Harry frowned as he looked at Yukari and saw her sweating. A glance at Kurumu showed the succubus had already shucked her sleeveless sweater and her white blouse was soaked with sweat.
Harry quickly cast two more spells at the pair as he wondered why his spell was holding up.
There was a scream of pain as Gin went sailing through the air. Kurumu immediately flew after him as Yukari prepared to conjure more of her trademark tubs to protect them.
Moka came sliding backwards on her feet, her sword held defensively.
Harry quickly cast another flame repelling charm at her. Her blazer was already burnt away and her skirt was on fire.
"Potter, we are hurting him, but he is still-"
Moka was interrupted by a surge of fire from the fox. It momentarily blinded them.
When the light cleared they saw Kuyou had become a hybrid of man and fox. He had fox ears made of flame and inky black tattoos across his face and chest. He was completely naked, save for the fire that protected his dignity.
"He is completely healed!" Moka scowled.
"I'm impressed." Kuyou admitted. "No one has ever forced me to assume my ultimate form. But my kind are worshipped as gods! Let us end this."
"You are no god. Only the weak minded would fall for such lies." Moka declared angrily as she charged forward throwing her sword away and resorting to her expertise in martial arts.
"Can Moka really beat him?" Kurumu asked as she held Gin up next to her. She never noticed the goofy grin on the werewolf's face as his eyes were glued to her transparent white blouse.
"Vampires are the strongest monsters." Yukari said, fear still strong. "But Moka is still young compared to Kuyou. We don't even know how old he is."
It was true. Moka managed to cut Kuyou and strike him, but he was able to match her. He didn't have her skill, but he had slightly more power.
She went sailing back into Harry sending them sprawling.
"I can't fight his heat." Moka admitted reluctantly. "Your spells are not strong enough."
Harry struggled to get out from under the exhausted Moka. He was frustrated. He couldn't understand what was wrong with the charms he was casting on them.
He couldn't even feel the heat of Kuyou's flames. He just felt warm.
"Stay back, then. I'm going to have to see if I can get him with spells."
"No! The flames-"
"I can't feel the flames. I should be fine." Harry frowned.
Harry calmly walked forward, his hands flexing at his side, ready to unleash a library of spells he had memorised for this moment.
"Have you come to beg for a quick death?" Kuyou taunted. "You thought you could flaunt the law. Disrespect the Protection Committee. Disrespect me!"
Harry kept walking.
Kuyou saw Harry being licked by his flames and realised they weren't burning the boy's skin. His clothes were on fire but the boy was unconcerned.
"How can you survive the flames of a god?" Kuyou demanded.
Harry stood there, a flaming mess. He raised a hand to his face and wiped. "I really need to get some better glasses." He grumbled as he tossed the melted plastic and glass to the floor.
Harry was a mere five feet from the Yoko. He knew he would have to reveal his true form and cast spells as Kuyou, who might not actually be a god, certainly had the physique of one. Harry was still just a scrawny little runt… but he was getting a better build with the new Japanese diet and school gym classes.
Harry still needed to end this peacefully if possible. "You are standing in front of someone who isn't affected by your fire. You don't even know what my true form is. What abilities I have.
"Do you really want to continue? You can walk away now. Leave the school and don't return."
"You dare threaten me?!" Kuyou roared as he flexed his power.
The flames may not affect Harry but the force certainly did and had to plant his feet.
"Taste my hottest fire!" Kuyou roared as he drew his arm back and threw a lance of flames.
It flew true, piercing Harry's heart with the force and sending him backwards. His body erupted in flames, vanishing beneath the blinding light. Only a slight scream of distant agony emanated from the area along with a small gust of black vapour.
Kuyou was as stunned as the others.
Then he started to laugh. It was evil. It was horrible.
"Harry…" Yukari had tears streaming down her face.
They all did. Even the white-haired Moka who claimed to hate the wizard.
"I will grant you a boon." They suddenly remembered their dangerous position. "Tell me what kind of pitiful monster he was and I will end you quickly."
"Ready for round three?" Gin grimly asked Moka.
"Bring it." She sneered at the Yoko.
They were interrupted by the sound of coughing.
From the mound of flame on the floor.
"That was really, really, really pathetic."
They were all watching in confusion as the flames sort of coalesced into a humanoid form and struggled to stand.
"I've been hit by wizard's spells that did more pain than you. I've been bitten by a basilisk and that really hurt!"
It was clearly Harry. It sounded like him and it looked like him.
Sort of.
If Harry was made of fire.
Harry didn't seem to realise this.
"You want to know what kind of monster I am?" The fiery wizard raised his hand. "Two words you bastard: Avada Kedavra!"
A bolt of green fire shot from Harry's hand and struck Kuyou dead in the chest, the head of the School Protection Committee fell to the ground, dead.
The rest of the newspaper club just stood there in shock.
Harry, meanwhile, was looking worriedly at his hands. He appeared to be on fire.
He looked down at himself and panicked as he began jumping about and trying to put himself out.
Fortunately the flames disappeared.
Unfortunately his clothes did not reappear.
He yelped as he realised he was standing naked in front of three girls. His hands snapped into place pretty darned quick.
"Could you find me some clothes please?"
Gin grinned.
Yukari squeaked.
Kurumu licked her lips.
Moka sneered.
"Please?"
After transfiguring Kuyou's corpse into a stick and telling Gin to have fun and bury it, Harry had led the group back to their classroom where a nervous Miss Nekonome was waiting for them.
Unfortunately, the only clothing they could come up with for Harry was a spare coat of Kuyou's they'd found. It was blatantly obvious he was naked underneath because the thing was massive on him.
Kurumu had refused to let him go back to his dorm room first.
"Harry-kun! You are alright." She said in relief as she checked him over. "What happened to your clothes?"
"Kuyou burnt them off. My flame repelling spell protected my skin though." Harry said tiredly as he sat at his desk.
Neither teacher nor student saw the three girls exchange a curious look.
"What happened to Kuyou?"
"I had to reveal my 'monster form'." Harry did not look happy. "Not that it matters. I killed him with a dark spell."
"Oh. I forgot about that."
Harry looked at Yukari incredulously. "How? I used an Unforgiveable!"
"Because y-oof." She stumbled slightly as Moka nudged and glared at her. "Erm… just regular old ditzy Yukari." She giggled forcefully.
"Harry, maybe you should go and get some clothes." Miss Nekonome suggested.
"Thank you!" He said with a glare at a clearly unrepentant yet disappointed Kurumu.
As soon as the door closed behind the wizard she turned to her students. "What happened?"
"He turned into fire!" Yukari blurted out.
"Like a Phoenix or Yoko?"
"No." Moka sighed as she lazily kicked a chair back and lounged in it. She was playing with her rosary. She was debating whether to put it back on and let Outer Moka deal with this.
But it was just too interesting.
"His body became literal flame." She expounded. "No flesh or blood."
Gin suddenly arrived, covered in mud.
"Good boy." Moka smirked at him.
He growled but otherwise ignored her.
"Gin-kun, the girls say Harry became fire. Can you tell me anything else?"
"They didn't mention the little fact that the kid died?" He scoffed. "Took one of Kuyou's flame lances to the heart."
"He also said that he couldn't feel the heat of the flames before that." Yukari added.
"No, he said they weren't hot." Kurumu corrected.
"Sendo-chan, can you tell me if you know of any spells that can turn a witch or wizard into flame?" Miss Nekonome asked the witch.
"I can ask my parents?" Yukari offered.
"No."
They all turned to the stern looking Moka. "Word of this does not leave this room. Did you not notice that Harry didn't seem to realise what had happened?"
"I did." Miss Nekonome nodded.
"Not notice? Didn't you see him trying to put himself out after the fight?" Gin demanded.
"He probably thought he was on fire." Moka argued. "When he told Nekonome-sensei what happened, he simply said he cast a dark curse."
"Look Moka, it's one thing when we have to hide our monster identities from one another, but hiding it from ourselves is dangerous." Gin warned. "Potter needs to figure out what happened and what it means. What if he was something like that basilisk he fought? He could kill us all if he didn't realise with a look."
"He's no danger to us." Moka waved his concerns away dismissively. "I know what he is."
"Even I don't know what he is." Miss Nekonome frowned. "He is listed as simply a wizard. What do you believe him to be, Akashiya-san?"
"I will not say. Not yet."
"Akashiya-san, I am not another student. I am your teacher. Harry-kun is my responsibility." There was a bit of anger in the teacher now.
Moka was not moved. "And will you be responsible for him when we have to leave the school for break?" She demanded. "Will he be shipped back to England where he will face the English dogs and risk revealing his true form, even though he doesn't know it?"
Both females were nose-to-nose now.
"Yes Akashiya-san, I will be responsible. I know Harry-kun's situation better than you. I spoke with the Chairman and arranged for everything to be cleared so Harry will be coming to live with me when school is finished."
Moka moved back a bit. "Hmm, so you aren't just a weak-willed airhead as you portray."
"Akashiya Moka, I am still your teacher and you will show me respect."
"That's enough Moka." The pair were broken from their staring contest by Gin. "We both know Harry wouldn't approve of how you are behaving so either sit down or put your rosary back on."
Moka hesitated, but only briefly. She could take the werewolf, but Harry could easily take her unless she caught him by surprise… and that was even without knowing what she believed him to truly be.
"Here's the bottom line:" Gin stated. "Harry deserves to know what happened. Harry has earned the right to know what happened.
"And… I'll be damned if he finds out I was keeping it from him, because he is far more dangerous than you." He looked to Moka.
Despite her pride demanding she respond to that claim, Moka had a little more self-control and kept mum.
Unfortunately for Harry, rumour was one of the few things in life that travelled faster than light. Everyone seemed to be talking about the fight and that Kuyou had been taken out by a freshman.
Harry hadn't even made it back to his dorm and he was hearing his name being mentioned.
Harry closed the door to his room and then turned around.
Then he cursed. He saw himself in the mirror on the back of the door.
Wearing one of Kuyou's coats.
No wonder everyone knew.
He quickly grabbed some clothes and a new uniform and got dressed.
He made it out of the front door of the dorm and was confronted by several angry looking students. All dressed in black.
"You've got a lot to answer for Potter." Keito sneered. "You attacked the Head of the School Protection Committee."
Harry was tired, angry and fed up. "No you stupid moron. I killed him. And I used all of you to do it. You, Keito, you thought you could take on me and my friends alone. We captured you and threatened you.
"If you didn't give up all your knowledge of the Committee, we would have Sendo-san wipe your memory all the way back to birth.
"That's how we were able to take out the rest of you, Keito told us most of your secrets.
"Of course, you all lied about at least one thing… maybe I should get Yukari and we can settle the debt?" Harry growled.
"Kuyou was invincible." A male student with glasses scoffed. "He-"
"He wasn't invincible! He was arrogant!" Harry snapped. "He was a blood thirsty monster who thought he was better than everyone.
"Well, as Moka likes to say, we showed him his place."
"You are still going to answer for what you did, Potter." Keito threatened. "We are still the Committee."
"No. In this place, power is authority. My friends and I beat you. We have the power and now we have the authority. You are finished. The Committee is disbanded."
He looked at them with a sneer. "You are also out of uniform. You should fix that."
"You think you're the most powerful one in the school?"
Harry turned to see a massive behemoth of a student looking over him. He wore a white t-shirt, track-suit bottoms and had a towel around his neck. His hair was blonde and his eyes grey.
"Rikishi Chopper, wrestling team." The man grinned excitedly. "You beat Enforcer Kuyou. I've had him on my list for a while now, but you got there first.
"You wanna prove you're the strongest? You gotta beat me."
Harry stared at him, gobsmacked. Why wouldn't this day end?
"You do realise I killed Kuyou… right? As in he isn't going to be coming to classes anymore? Won't be eating, drinking, sleeping… etc?"
Chopper looked a little confused at that. "Yeah… I guess."
"I didn't beat Kuyou with brute strength."
Chopper just waved a dismissive (and massive) hand. "Power is power. I'll pit my powerful strength against whatever you've got, Potter."
Harry really didn't want to fight. "Rikishi-senpai, have you ever heard of a basilisk?"
"Erm…"
"Great big snake. Not only can its poison kill anything, but if you even look at it in the eye, you die.
"How would your strength match against that?"
"Erm…"
"Same goes with a Gorgon. Witches and wizards can also kill from afar.
"Take spider-girl over there." He indicated the indignant Keito. "She could snag you with a web and suspend you in the air by your feet. You would be trapped there. She could leave you there until you die of starvation."
Chopper looked confused and wary. He wasn't sure what he was supposed to do or should do. "What's your point?"
Harry gave him a rather pitying look. "I promise you I didn't use raw physical strength to kill Kuyou. Do you really want to take the risk that I could kill you with a look?
"Why not challenge Deshiko over there?" He jabbed a thumb over his shoulder at the short, red-headed zombie. "She's a Jiang Shi. They are really strong."
Deshiko looked a little terrified.
Harry could see that Chopper was teetering. "Let's say you took on Akashiya-san. She would beat you to a bloody pulp and leave you in pain.
"If she didn't kill you, what would you do?"
Chopper frowned. "Train. Practice. Get better. Try again."
"Right. But if you take me on and I kill you without touching you… there will be no 'try again'."
Chopper sort of deflated in disappointment. "You sure you ain't super strong?"
"Hold out your hand."
Harry took a huge swing and punched the hand as hard as he could.
"OW!"
"You idiot! Don't you know how to throw a punch?" Chopper demanded.
Harry was cradling his hand. It was turning red and swollen. "No." He said tersely. "That was the point of the demonstration. That and my lack of strength."
Now Chopper was pissed and frustrated. "Look, just don't go 'round saying you're super strong or something." He said before turning and stomping off in a huff.
Harry discreetly healed his hand before turning back to the former SPC. "Still want to take the risk?"
Harry stumbled back into the classroom, his feet dragging tiredly. Fortunately the former SPC minions had chosen not to challenge him.
He knew it was only a matter of time before another student couldn't restrain themselves.
The looks of concern and worry on his friends and teacher's faces did not bode well for what remained of his day.
"What happened?" He asked as he slumped in a chair next to Kurumu.
Inner Moka was still present so he wasn't going to sit next to her.
"Harry, can you describe what happened when you faced Kuyou? Just before you ended it?" Gin began.
Harry felt a cold shiver and his stomach clenched. They were about to discuss his act of killing and his use of an Unforgiveable.
He was about to find out if there were any actual laws in this 'Monster World'.
"Kuyou was beating you and Moka. The flame repelling charms weren't holding on you. Mine were and we had run out of options so I made one last attempt to reason with him.
"He threw some fire at me. The fire itself didn't burn but the force behind it really hurt. I blacked out for a minute. When I came too, I knew I didn't have a choice. I had to use magic so I cast the only spell I thought would work.
"I cast the Killing Curse. It is illegal in England. Like the Imperio."
"Anything else you can remember?" Gin pressed.
Harry shrugged. "I think my flame repelling charm ended when I was knocked out. My clothes were on fire. That's all I remember."
Harry frowned as his friends shared an indecipherable look.
Gin spoke again. "Harry, that fire lance that hit you. It went straight through you. I could see through you.
"I'm fairly certain you died."
"Impossible." Harry shook his head calmly. "I don't even have a scratch."
"That's because you became pure fire." Gin explained. "You had no physical flesh. You were just a body of flame."
Harry's head snapped to Kurumu and Yukari who looked worried and sad.
"It's true, Harry-kun. You were partially transparent because you were flame." Yukari admitted.
"Accidental magic?" Harry asked hopefully.
"How is it such pitiful excuse for-"
Moka's denigrating dialog was silenced by the wizard in the room.
"So what happened then?"
Gin slumped in defeat. "Moka says she knows."
Harry did not like that. "Seriously? I have to listen to Miss High-and-Mighty blabber on?"
"She wouldn't tell us and she was going to hide everything from you. We had to-"
Gin didn't get a chance to finish as Harry shot out of his chair and removed the silencing charm. He glared hatefully at Moka.
"What did I ever do to you?" He demanded. "Since the very instant we first met you have been condescending and spiteful to me."
Moka just snorted derisively. "You think too much of yourself. You are a weak wizard who doesn't belong in this world. It disgusts me that you think you can so casually and personally insert yourself into my life through Outer Moka."
"Nobody cares about you. You aren't our friend." Harry sneered. "As far as I am concerned you are just a curse that Moka has to suffer."
"Ha! Your words prove how foolish and naïve you are. I am the true Moka. The Moka you call a 'friend' didn't even exist until a few years ago."
"Right… so you were so terrible they had to lock you away. The other Moka is a gift. You are a curse."
"Stop it!"
The bickering pair turned to their angry teacher. Miss Nekonome's ears and tail were visibly twitching.
"Moka, I want you to answer Harry-kun's question. What did he do to you?" She demanded.
Moka glared at her teacher. "He did nothing." She spat. "That is the problem. He is worthless and he has done nothing to earn my respect.
"But Outer Moka likes him and insists on hanging around him.
"But that also means I have to be around him."
"What would Harry have to do to earn your respect?" She asked curiously.
"Him? There isn't anything he could do. Something that will become abundantly clear to Outer Moka when my father hears of him."
"Then why are you afraid of him?"
Harry, Kurumu and Yukari were frozen by their teacher's question. Gin didn't look surprised.
Moka… was shocked.
"I know I am bad at keeping my monster identity a secret." Miss Nekonome smirked. "My feline senses can smell the fear on you.
"And other stuff."
Moka gulped.
"Just tell us what Harry is." An irritable Kurumu demanded. She didn't know about the fear but as a succubus, she could sense the 'other stuff'.
Moka seemed to struggle with indecision for a moment. "He's an Elemental."
There was a long silence.
Everyone just stared at the white haired vampire.
"What's an Elemental?" Yukari eventually asked.
Moka frowned at the blank expressions. "How can you not know what an Elemental is?" She asked.
"Because we've never heard of it." Gin was beginning to wonder if this version of Moka got dumber the longer she was out. "We know Harry is a wizard and a Parselmouth, is an Elemental another form of wizarding ability?"
Moka's eyes suddenly widened in realisation. "Please excuse me. I must talk with Outer Moka."
And with that she vanished out the door.
"That… was the most polite she's ever been." Harry mused. "Someone should go and make sure she hasn't been possessed or mind-controlled."
Harry was relieved when Moka showed up for dinner that day with pink hair and a rosary on her neck. She refused to talk about what an Elemental was as she said she said she had to talk to her father.
Harry wasn't happy… but he was used to being kept in the dark. Even by his friends.
But Harry had also learnt how to circumvent these usual sources and find alternatives. He started to pen a letter for Hedwig to carry.
Miss Nekonome had asked him to come and see him after dinner so he found himself standing in her classroom looking nervously at an envelope.
With English writing.
"H- How did you get this?"
"I included a note with a post office address that handles mail for the school. I added instructions to address it straight to me."
"But what if they track this?" Harry asked frantically. "They know your name now! They know what country I'm in!"
"Harry!" Miss Nekonome grabbed him firmly by the shoulders. "You defeated a Yoko. Trust me, no wizard in history is as dangerous."
"But I'm a wizard! Wizards don't fight like monsters. They-"
"Harry-kun, you worry too much." She rubbed his shoulders comfortingly. "You are no ordinary wizard. You have powerful friends and you are very intelligent… just not at math." She added with a grimace.
Harry slumped as he sat on the nearest desk. "I was just hoping to have one year without getting into trouble and fighting for my life."
Miss Nekonome burst into laughter. "You got into a fight with a monstrel on your first day!"
Harry blushed in recognition of his rather silly worry.
"Still, what if Voldemort finds me? What if Dumbledore tries to take me back to England?"
"If this egotistical little wizard tries to come after you then he will have to defeat not only you, but also a true werewolf and a vampire.
"And that's if the fool can break free of the Succubus' thrall."
"And Dumbledore?"
"I spoke with the Chairman. According to the English, you are no longer a wizard. They have no authority over you. You are registered as a citizen of Japan and England in the non-magical and human worlds."
Harry wasn't sure that would be enough.
"Harry-kun, read the letter." His teacher insisted.
He hesitantly opened and unfolded the single sheet of parchment.
Dear Harry,
Whilst I am relieved to hear you are ok, you need to come home. We were frantic with worry when Arthur couldn't find you.
Lucius Malfoy made veiled claims that he had taken care of you.
Dumbledore is still fighting the Ministry to get your sentence overturned. Fudge is being stubborn and is smearing his name in the Prophet.
In the meantime it is important that you come home. Dumbledore says you need to return to the Dursleys or the blood protection will fail. You will be safe there and the Ministry and You Know Who will not be able to touch you.
Send us your location with an owl and we will send some Order members to pick you up.
Don't use muggle methods as it was very difficult for the Grangers to get your letter to us.
Sincerely,
Sirius
The letter was short, blunt and-
"Harry… take off my rosary."
Harry jumped as Moka's livid voice sounded over his shoulder. Her rosary was glowing and her eyes had a slight red glow.
He reluctantly tugged on the rosary and then grabbed Miss Nekonome and pulled her down behind the teacher's desk.
He was just in time as the energy released by Moka's transformation sent the students' desks and chairs crashing into the walls. He still had to throw up a shield.
The room was filled with an oppressive force as Inner Moka stood there. She was seething. She was breathing heavily causing her chest to rise and fall vividly.
She grabbed the parchment that Harry had dropped and spun on her heel and left. "I will deal with this." They heard her growl.
"It was that bad?" Miss Nekonome squeaked from the floor next to Harry.
Miss Nekonome struggled to reign in her own temper. Just based on the little Harry had been able to tell her from the single reading of the letter… she was tempted to call in some of her own friends to make a trip to England.
But she wanted to wait until she could read the letter herself.
Neither she nor Harry wanted to try and ask the livid Inner Moka for the letter.
This meant that Harry was exceptionally frustrated when Moka didn't appear for Home Room the next morning. She didn't even make it to lunch.
Harry was worried as he still had Moka's rosary.
After dinner she finally turned up and stormed into the Newspaper Club, still absolutely livid.
"Akashiya-san! Did you sleep at all last night?" Miss Nekonome demanded.
Moka looked completely dishevelled. She also looked like she hadn't changed her uniform since the previous day.
"I was busy crafting a response to that despicable fool who sent that letter." She sneered as she sat at her desk. "Hedwig was kind enough to help deliver it."
"What!? What if they keep her? What if Voldemort gets her?!" Harry demanded.
"I am no fool, Potter." Moka glared at him. "Hedwig is merely the first stage of the letter's journey. She will deliver it to someone I trust and they will take it from there."
Moka suddenly looked abashed. "Potter- Harry, I would… appreciate it if you would allow me some of your blood."
Harry's first instinct was to draw his wand… but he tamped it down as he saw the reluctant expression on the vampire's face. Then he realised that blood would be the best way to rejuvenate her… and he didn't have a wand.
He really wanted to say no.
"Sure." God damned chivalrous Gryffindor.
He stood up with Moka and tilted his neck. He had gotten used to feeling Outer Moka pressed against him as she held him tightly, biting into his neck.
Inner Moka was different. She took her time… he could feel and hear her breathing his scent in deeply.
Outer Moka would usually pounce on him and then feed. Afterwards she would hold him until she shyly released him.
Inner Moka… it felt like she was savouring the moment.
Harry was so distracted that he never realised she had started to feed. She didn't drink as strongly, but she certainly took her time.
She was certainly having an… effect on him.
Eventually she released his neck with a groan of ecstasy that made both Harry and Miss Nekonome blush. She pushed away, tossing her hair back and licking her lips.
"I can understand why Outer Moka enjoys that so much." She said huskily, her hand between her breasts.
That was when Harry realised that he was no longer holding the rosary and Moka was changing. He quickly stepped forward to catch the pink version of the vampire as she was usually weak after the change.
He was surprised by the perky smile she gave him. "That feels much better! Next time Inner Moka is out, make sure she drinks your blood before we change back."
And once again Harry felt about as important as one of Moka's tomato juice drinks.
"Akashiya-san, did your other self take satisfactory action?"
Harry was shocked by the cold anger emanating from his usually bubbly teacher. She was holding the letter from Sirius.
"Oh yes." Now Outer Moka looked livid. "She made sure that they will take note of our… concerns."
"Good." And then a switch was flipped and the bubbly pair returned. "Let's get things ready for the club then."