Chapter 3
Something is really wrong

Haruto didn't care that he had only been here a few minutes, he didn't like the dark castle one bit. At the moment he was waiting for the professor who had brought him here. Apparently he wasn't supposed to wear his normal clothes and was expected to wear the long coat all of them seemed so fond of. The strangest one he had seen was the coat the old man had been wearing. The one he had been introduced to the first time he had arrived. He was the headmaster of this school and his name had been something long. All Haruto could remember of the man was his purple coat and that he kept calling him boy. It had brought back old memories and before he could even answer any questions that the man seemed to have Haruto had fallen asleep again. It had been the second time in under two hours and it scared Haruto slightly.

The professor came back with one of his own black coats. "You will wear this. I shrunk it to fit you so you won't stand out much when you get sorted into your house. When we get your other things tomorrow I expect it back, so try to keep it clean."

"Hai sensei," Haruto whispered with a respectful bow. He still wasn't used to speaking in English even if he had been born in England. He remembered it and would use it, Haruto just didn't like it. It felt foreign and wrong.

"Madam Pomfrey wants to have a look at you again after the Sorting," professor Snape continued, clearly not interested if Haruto replied or not. "You will join your year mates in the room next to the Great Hall, who will join you later, since you didn't travel with them on the train."

Haruto shivered from the cold. He would have thought that the weather would be the same, but Britain was cold, much colder then Japan. "Hurry up now, we don't have all day. Your classmates will be here soon." The professor was become more and more impatient it seemed, so Haruto quickly slipped into the coat. The fabric felt strange and heavy, and it smelled like what Haruto imagined the strange concoctions, which were shimmering on the man's shelves, would be like. He tried not to wrinkle his nose at it but he couldn't help shaking under it. The cold was giving him goosebumps and his breathing became heavy as the Shadows lingering on it pressed against him.

They moved back up a level until they reached one of the doors next to the large Hall. The first students started to arrive but professor Snape quickly ushered him inside. "Wait here. Professor McGonagall will bring your year mates soon. Do you need anything before I go?" It was probably meant as an act of kindness but Haruto could tell that it was just a question out of formality.

"Iie sensei, arigato gozaimasu."

"And stop with the Japanese," the professor snapped at him. "You are in Britain now." He closed the door sharply behind him and Haruto sunk to his knees, his vision blurring with silent tears. "Gomennasai Onii-san, Jii-chan." He hadn't been this frightened for a long time. The last time was when he had woken up in the hospital the day he had met his brother and grandfather. "Gomennasai," Haruto whispered again.

"What are you sorry for young one?" a friendly voice asked. Haruto looked up, startled by the fact that whoever it had been seemed to understand him. A shiver went down his spine, one he wasn't able to suppress, as he laid his eyes on the ghost before him. He was different then the Shadows and seemed to be able to keep them at a distance. The cold which came with the ghost was almost unbearable though. Haruto brought his knees a little closer to his chest while he sniffled, blinking away the tears. The man was wearing old fashioned clothing like everyone seemed to do in this castle.

"I came here because I thought I was brave," Haruto confessed to the ghost, squirming slightly when the ghost of the man seated himself in mid-air in front of him. "I thought I could be brave like my Onii-san, but now that I'm here all I can think about is going back home. This castle is so big and cold, filled with Shadows." Haruto shivered again when the ghost stared at him with a sad expression. "They said I could go back home when I didn't want to stay here."

Haruto started to cry in earnest now. He was so tired and being this far away from home with all these strange Shadows and cold magic was not making him feel comfortable at all. "There, there now child. You must understand that there are many kinds of bravery. Coming here all on your own is very brave and admitting that you do not belong here takes a lot of courage as well." Haruto hiccupped while blinking away the tears in his eyes. "Child, do not worry about being here. I'm sure you will find your courage again. May I ask your name child, your face is so familiar to me?"

"My name is Mutou Haruto," he whispered looking up at the ghost who was smiling kindly at him. "But they keep calling me Harry Potter."

The ghost looked almost surprised when Haruto mentioned the second name, but he quickly smiled probably sensing Haruto's discomfort at the name. "Ah so you are the Chosen One. I remember your parents well. They always seemed to drive each other up the wall, but they left this castle a happy couple and with bright futures. Their memories still rest within these walls." Haruto shuddered again when a Shadow passed the door and the ghost looked at him thoughtfully. "It is strange that you can feel the Shadows though. It might be worth asking the Grey Lady of Ravenclaw Tower. This reminds me that I should be on my way. We need to be assembled before the other first years arrive. We have a special act you see," he added with a wink straightening himself. "You may call me anytime you have a problem here young Haruto."

Haruto flushed. "I still don't know your name though."

The ghost chuckled at the admission of the green eyed child. "You are right, how foolish of me. Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington at your service. You may call me Nick," he added with a wink at Haruto's gaping mouth, who closed it quickly when the ghost floated through the wall and out of sight.

Haruto didn't have to wait long for the door to open and the first year students to accompany him. They didn't notice him at all since Haruto was pressed against the farthest wall, far away from the Shadows a few children were carrying with them. They were close because the room was so small and they left Haruto feeling uneasy and even a little sick. The lady he had seen before but hadn't been introduced to spoke to them when a toad hopped towards his corner. Haruto bend over to pick it up.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," she started, but Haruto was more interested in the toad. It was cold in his hands but felt warm at the same time. He could almost feel it's heartbeat against his fingers. "Konbanwa," he whispered to the toad. It quaked softly while Haruto watched its Shadow grow slightly. Its teeth and eyes were sparkling in the dim light of the room. The difference between human Shadows and that of animals was startling. This one felt warm and comforting even if the toad still felt cold on Haruto's skin.

"Good evening young one," it replied clearly amused and Haruto looked up to see if anyone might have overheard. Not that anyone had ever heard the Shadows before. Not even his brother or grandpa had ever heard them. "You seem like an amusing and interesting child. I can tell that you are different then my appointed master. He seems destined to lose me every time which is quite amusing but tiring too."

"Who is he so I might return you to him?"

"Very admirable," the toad's Shadows said with a chuckle. "Do not worry. He will notice that I am gone in three, two, one…"

Haruto looked up to see a boy with a round face look around frantically, tugging at his own coat. His blue eyes suddenly met Haruto's and the green eyed boy could already see the tears forming in them. Gathering up his courage Haruto took a step forward into the light. "I believe this is yours," he said softly as the lady left them. He held out the toad to the boy whose Shadows had started to shrink to a normal size again with a final chuckle.

The boy's eyes grew slightly and his mouth formed a silent 'O' before he stepped forward. "Thank you for finding Trevor," he whispered so the others wouldn't notice. "I don't know why he keeps getting away from me. I'm Neville by the way, Neville Longbottom. I don't believe I've met you on the train."

The boy's natural shadow brushed against Haruto, filling the green eyed boy with warmth and comfort, but with a terrible sadness buried deep within. Neville felt like his brother and Haruto silently wondered if he would ever see those beautiful eyes again. "I think he just likes to roam free," Haruto confessed softly, feeling the boy's soft hands brush against him own when Neville took the toad. "I wasn't on the train, so you wouldn't have seen me there. I arrived at the castle about an hour ago. My name is…" but he was interrupted when a few people let out startled screams and cries. Haruto turned to see twenty or so ghosts float in together with Sir Nicholas, who winked at him when Haruto caught his eye.

A little monk who was quite round in size was arguing with Nick about someone named Peeves. Sir Nicholas was protesting that Peeves had been given too many chances already before he 'noticed' the first years. Haruto smiled at the performance and he could see a small tug of the lips from the ghost. A few first years responded to the ghost. They seemed the most comfortable with the situation, so Haruto guessed that ghost appearances were an almost regular occurrence in the Wizarding World. The strict lady suddenly returned, sending the ghosts on their way. Haruto bowed Sir Nicholas out, something only Neville noticed.

The round faced boy tugged at Haruto's sleeve and gestured towards the door with his head. "Come on or the Sorting will start without us." Haruto and Neville quickly followed the other first years out into the Great Hall where Haruto had to fight to stay in control. The candles floating above their heads were making the Shadows of the students larger, stretching almost across the entire length of the pathway between the tables. Haruto edged between them, trying to draw not too much attention to himself.

"What are you doing?" Neville whispered with a frown when Haruto nearly bumped into him. "This is no time to be playing games. Huh, what's wrong?" he added when he saw Haruto's panicking face.

Haruto shook his head quickly, resisting the urge to grab the boy's hand. He breathed in deeply and forced himself to remain as calm as possible while they walked towards the far end of the Hall. Haruto didn't notice the bright blue eyes of the Headmaster or the dark eyes of the Potions Master following his jumpy movements. He didn't really like them anyway. Their Shadows were cold, though the Potions Master was curious and the Headmaster painful and closed off. The strict lady's Shadow, who was guiding them to the far end of the Hall, was mixed. She was gentle but firm and there was something that Haruto hadn't quite figured out yet.

"Gather here," she said as they reached a platform with a strange looking hat lying on a stool. Haruto looked at it curiously, for it felt magical, and he silently wondered why it was there in the first place, when it started to sing. The magic being released from the hat made Haruto's ears hurt and he rubbed against them while trying to shake the feeling away. He couldn't focus on the words and the feeling that he was about to fall kept him from focusing on them. What was wrong with him? Why was he feeling like this? It was just like when professor Snape showed them his magic to convince his grandpa and brother about the Magical World.

When the hat stopped singing Neville tugged at his sleeve making Haruto blink in surprise. The pressure on his ears had lifted and the green eyed boy sighed with relief. "Are you okay?" the round faced boy asked nervously. Haruto turned to him with a small smile. "I'm fine now. What are we supposed to do?"

But the lady already stepped forward before Neville could answer, holding a long roll of strange looking paper. "When I call out your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," she said opening the roll and calling out the first name. Haruto frowned slightly as he tried to tune out the magic involved. Neville gripped his sleeve, sending him an apologetic and shaky smile when Haruto turned to him. "You don't have to be nervous," Haruto whispered kindly. "I know it's scary but the hat only wants to guide you to the right home."

Neville looked at him in confusion. "I don't understand."

Haruto shrugged his shoulders. "I don't understand either, but that is what they were saying." While he was referring to the Shadows around them who were waiting impatiently, Neville seemed to be thinking about something else. Fortunately it had calmed the round faced boy down because his grip on Haruto's sleeve lessened, though he still held it loosely.

The two boys waited patiently for their turn, but when Neville was called forward to try on the hat, magic from all sides rushed at Haruto. The shaking, which had left him for a while, came back in full force and the unnatural cold moved through his body like a snake. Haruto buried himself deeper into the coat the professor had given him, but the cold seemed to be tempted to stay. Haruto didn't even notice it when the lady passed the 'M's on the list without calling him out. He tried rubbing his arms and hopping from leg to leg, shaking his head as his vision began to cloud over. Stifling a yawn, Haruto robbed his eyes to stay awake.

The feeling that he was about the fall asleep came over him when he was rudely awakened by someone giving him an elbow. He looked up to see a tall red head looking at him expectantly. "It's your turn," the red head whispered, but Haruto was more focused on the mixed intentions the boy send out. The Shadow on the boy was small and consisted mostly of a strange type of jealousy, but it was there nonetheless. The red head nodded towards the hat. Haruto was suddenly gripped with fear. Was he supposed to wear the hat too? But it had strange magic which made him feel sick. "But I didn't hear my name called out," Haruto whispered back, fighting down his panic.

"Mr Potter, please come forward," the lady said, staring directly at him.

Haruto shook his head. "I told sensei already, my name is Mutou Haruto. I don't understand why you keep getting it wrong. It was even on the letter that came with the owl. I mean no disrespect of course sensei," he finally whispered while walking towards the hat. He tried to edge around the Shadow of the lady, but he felt like he was already in trouble so he kept quiet when he took the hat from the stool.

When Haruto placed the hat on his head, a pressure like he had never felt before pressed down on his head. In that instant Haruto felt the hat lift itself off of his head just in time. "I don't need to be placed on your head Mutou-san," the hat said hovering before him. "May I place myself on your lap?"

"Hai booshi-san," Haruto replied out loud when the hat placed itself in his lap. The hat chuckled and Haruto could swear he saw his eyes twinkle a little. "You do not have to reply to me out loud Mutou-san. I'm talking to you inside your head so no one will hear our conversation."

"Is that why you are talking to me in Japanese, booshi-san?"

The hat chuckled again and Haruto smiled at the sound. "Yes Mutou-san, that is how I can speak Japanese. You really don't like it here, do you?"

Haruto blushed and closed his eyes in shame, tears already threatening to fall. "I do not blame you child," the hat continued. "This really isn't the best place for you. You will not be harmed here, Mutou-san. The professors only want to help the students and especially the older students are very understanding. Leaving here will be much harder then you had originally thought though, since the teachers cannot take you back right away."

"But Onii-san promised," Haruto replied in a small voice.

"Yes but unless he possesses magic, he will not be able to see the castle." Haruto almost wanted to break down right there and then. A few tears escaped him which he quickly wiped away. "Don't feel sad Mutou-san. I noticed you already made a friend. How about I place you in the same house as him for the time being? Longbottom-san is a very good friend to have."

Haruto nodded enthusiastically, a broad grin on his face now as he stared at the hat with a great fondness. "Very well, Mutou-san. It was good to talk with you. Feel free to call on me anytime you like. For now you belong in GRYFFINDOR." The hat shouted out the last word, startling the green eyed boy into nearly dropping it. It lifted itself off Haruto's lap and floated back on the stool when the boy stood up.

"Arigato gozaimasu booshi-san," Haruto said out loud with a small bow before walking quickly towards Neville, who was clapping enthusiastically and beaming at him. When the noise died down a little, only three more students were left to be sorted. A girl joined the table next to them and the red head who had elbowed Haruto joined them, while the other boy joined the far end table. Before anyone could say anything, the Headmaster stood. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts!" Haruto stifled another yawn. Now that the tension and excitement had left his body Haruto felt tired again and he was sitting next to his new friend, who was like a furnace against the cold. Haruto wondered why everyone was clapping and cheering when the Headmaster said some random words, but he guessed that they might have some special meaning in the Wizarding World or they would have laughed.

A tingling sensation went through Haruto as more magic was being used making food appear on the table. The red head, who had joined them last, started eating right away, but Neville filled his plate casually before smiling kindly at his new friend. "Don't you want anything Harry?" he asked, clearly concerned for Haruto's lack of appetite.

Haruto shook his head. "Itadakimasu. I already ate thank you Longbottom-kun," he said softly with a kind smile. "And call me Haruto. I don't like the name Harry very much. "

"Mopf u nop blike u nab?" the red head said with his mouth full. It almost made Haruto want to throw up at the sight.

"I think what he's trying to say," a girl with bushy brown hair said, a disgusted look on her face. "How can you not like your name?"

Haruto shrugged his shoulders. "I was never called Harry Potter and I didn't even know that it was my name until about…" he stopped to think, suppressing a yawn. "Three hours ago? Besides Jii-chan named me Mutou Haruto together with my Onii-san. That is who I am, no one else." He rubbed his eyes, trying to stay awake.

"May I ask where you are from," the girl asked as the students continued to eat while listening along with the conversation. "I've never heard the language you spoke to the Sorting Hat before."

Unable to battle the sleep much longer, Haruto closed his eyes and shagged against Neville, who flinched in surprise. "I'm originally from England, but I live in Japan with Jii-chan and Onii-san. Eight hour time difference," he muttered. The last thing he heard were two similar voices saying: "Chance!" before Haruto fell asleep.

A/N: Well, it's shorter than the previous chapters but it was damn hard to write. The next one will be a Yuugi chapter and then I'll be changing between them until they are reunited. Read and review!

Updated 21-07-2013