Chapter 7:

Ichigo jumped from his seat as green flames flared in the fireplace. From it stepped forth a tall thin man with billowing charcoal robes and chin length black hair. Ichigo had dropped into a ready crouch, his hands had come up with fists curled. The greasy man raised an eyebrow at him.

"So it woke up." His dark eyes were trained upon Ichigo, but it was obvious that the boy was not being spoken too. Ichigo slowly stood up but did not take his narrowed eyes off the newcomer.

"You're running late." Moody observed, his scratchy voice irritable. Snape did not respond. The orange haired youth had bristled at this intruders comment and was about to open his mouth, tired of holding his tongue when Dumbledore spoke, the authority in his voice clear, though it remained pleasant.

"Thank you so much for agreeing to attend Ichigo. I'm sure everyone involved will learn something interesting by the end of what I'm sure will be an exciting school year. Now I know you're probably very tired, you've had to take in quite a bit. Why don't you head off to bed, I will prepare a list of school supplies and give you minimal access to the Hogwarts vaults and you can go to Diagon Alley with the others tomorrow."

The sudden dismissal caught Ichigo off guard and he looked between this new guy and the old man. He shoved his hands into his pockets and turned. "gnight" he mumbled as he left the room. The door snapped shut behind him and he felt a barrier go up. grumbling he set his steps up the stairs. He was very tired but he had no plans of going to sleep yet. He wouldn't be able to dig any dirt here but he could at least meditate, have a conversation with zangetsu about everything he had learned thus far.

As he reached the second landing multiple hands reached out. Suddenly he was pulled into a dimly lit room. He spun, grabbing one of the wrists and twisting.

"Owowowow!" Ichigo instantly released and stepped back. Six faces swam out of the darkness.

Instantly the girls were hushing and shushing Ron's outburst, while said Weasley was rubbing his arm.

"Mum thinks we're asleep dimwit!" Ginny hissed at her brother.

"I know! Tell him that!" Ron scowled.

Ichigo was too tired for this, he reached for the door handle.

"Wait wait wait!" The twins whispered in unison,, which Ichigo was learning was how they did most things. "We just want to-"

"-talk to ya buddy!" Their smirks as always had a hint of mischief.

"Gomen gomen! Wakaranai!" Sure they would learn the truth about his linguistic abilities in the morning but right now he really needed some time alone, without the watchful eyes glued to him. once again he moved for the exit.

"Not so fast!" Fred stepped forward holding out a strange pink string.

"You're busted mate, we know you can understand us."

"But nice try! We overheard it all!"

Ichigo sighed, waiting for them to continue. "Yeah and what do you need from me?" his accent was growing stronger in direct relation to how tired he was getting. The twins swung their arms over his shoulders and led him further into the room.

"Isn't it obvious?"

"Not particularly." Ichigo ducked out from their grasp. Harry who had stayed silent thus far, stepped forward.

"We need someone to tell us what's going on in the meetings. Even now, after you stepped out they must have cast a spell because we couldn't hear them after that.

Ichigo fell back onto one of the beds, studying their faces. So they had heard. Heard that he wasn't a human. Yet none of them seemed particularly perturbed by this news. And they weren't yet questioning him about it either, which he was thankful for. They just wanted an in to these 'meetings' and they thought Ichigo would be it. He didn't point out that he had just been kicked out. And there had to be a reason why they weren't privy on the super secret gatherings. Ichigo wondered, if it was as simple as their age. They were children after all. But so was he. Ichigo rubbed the bridge of his nose. A headache was beginning to form. This was too much thinking for him in just one day.

"What would I get out of it?" He asked through his hands.

"Simple. Information." Hermione's answer came swiftly and Ichigo was caught off guard by the assertion in her voice. He had pegged the bushy haired girl as the quiet type. The one time she had spoken had been to introduce herself. "From the sound of things you don't know much about the wizarding world." She gestured around herself. As 'you have no idea' flitted across Ichigo's tired thoughts. "So we would share with you all the considerable amount of knowledge that we have and answer any questions you have. And you would do the same for us." She crossed her arms, looking pleased with herself.

Ichigo looked between them all, his exhausted brain trying to pull out a list of possible pros and cons to this deal, but failed.

"Okay sure whatever." Ichigo exhaled a large sigh, feeling as if this would become his new motto for this new world. He was too tired to argue or think about much of anything anymore.

"Knew you'd see-"

"-Things our way." Each twin held out a hand and Ichigo wasn't sure which one to shake. He was saved making a decision by a small almost imperceptible sound from outside the door; soft footsteps upon the stairs.

"Shit."

"Mum."

With a crack the twins were no longer in the room. Ichigo's eyes widened and he wanted to ask one of the others what had just happened but Ron and Harry were vaulting into their beds, comforters billowing over them and Ginny was pulling Ichigo towards the doors. Ichigo looked over his shoulder in confusion, tired brain still trying to translate and make since of what was happening. Hermione had her finger to her lips. In the hallway they tiptoed over to a different door, pushing Ichigo onward.

"Don't get caught." Ginny winked as their door shut, the words a soft breath that he almost didn't hear.

His brain was still working through her words when Molly stepped into view on the stairs. Ichigo froze in place, completely forgetting in the moment that he could have applied shunpo and be in his room before her eyes landed on him.

"Ichigo! What are you still doing up?" Molly asked. Her voice, previously pleasant and bubbly, now had a stern edge to it. For a second Ichigo thought he heard snickering behind one of the doors.

"Oh-eto…" He pointed to the door that the girls had just shut, "is this the bathroom?

The suspicion did not leave her gaze, "no, it's down past your room."

"Aw, thank you." He snapped his heels around, once in the bathroom he ran the water, splashing the cold liquid onto his face hoping to revive some semblance of energy.

He waited listening as Molly systematically checked on the others, before vacating the bathroom.

Back in his room with the door shut tightly, he flopped onto the bed, exhaustion was tugging at his eyelids but he couldn't give into it yet. He sat up and closed his eyes, calling out to zangetsu.

BREAKBREAKBREAK

Perhaps in retrospect it would seem funny how swiftly things had returned to a semblance of normal in Seireitei. Only five days had passed since the final battle with Aizen, only it hadn't really been the final battle since the man himself had disappeared, along with two of their own.

The captain of the tenth division sat silently at his window, looking out over the calm landscape. Paper was piled upon his desk.

"You should really think about reining in your reitsu gaki."

The voice startled Toushiro and he spun, bowing low.

"Gomen Taichou."

Isshin laughed, though it was merriless. "That's your job now kiddo. I was just asked to come n' talk to you. Poor Kira says you locked yerself in here after his report at the captains meeting."

Toushiro turned from his former leader. "There is nothing to speak of."

"You're going to freeze your entire barracks over."

"Matsumoto made her choice!" His voice cracked. The roar that had been building in his chest for days finally burst forth. He had tried so hard to keep it down, but he couldn't contain it any longer. Cold wind blew out from him distributing a layer of frost over everything in the room. Isshin held his ground. "She decided to follow him! and the minute she did her fate was sealed! She-" Toushiro paused, closing his eyes against the betraying sting. His clenched fists shook as the temperature within the office dropped even more, shattering the cups of sake still left on the table, "she's as much of a traitor as Gin."

Suddenly he was engulfed in warmth.

"I know you don't mean that." Isshin's voice was soft but stern. "We both know Rangiku-chan well enough to know that whatever her reasoning, it was good enough. We should stand behind that Toushiro."

There were a couple beats of silence before he responded. "It's captain Hitsugaya to you." Toushiro muttered.

The room around them began to thaw.

"How long are you going to keep hugging me?"

"Is that any way to treat your old boss?" Isshin tightened his grip, preparing to supplex the smaller shinigami. But ending up only concussing himself.

"Too slow old man." Toushiro appeared above him a smug look upon his face.

"Do you see how I'm treated?" Isshin whined, holding his nose.

"No one else is here ba~ka!" He felt better, reverting to this juvenile behavior, even just for a bit.

Isshin did not say anything for a moment and Toushiro glanced down at him. "I-I'm sorry to hear about your son."

"Yeah well I didn't just come here to cheer your sorry ass up. you stormed from the meeting before Kira had even finished. Captain Kurotsuchi had spoken next." Toushiro held his breath. "He had said that the remaining reitsu within the dangai was still being analyzed and that there was no 'conclusive evidence' for something or other. I kinda stopped listening after that, he mine as well have been speaking latin for all I ever catch." Toushiro stared open mouthed at the former tenth division captain.

"What do you mean 'stopped listening?'" He asked, incredulous, "do you know what that could mean?"

Isshin stood up patting himself off with a small smile on his face. "Yes."

BREAKBREAKBREAK

Harry reached the kitchen to find Molly Weasley in her usual state of hustle and bustle whenever a family outing was in store.

The table was noisy as more people, Tonks, Lupin and the twins filed in.

Harry plopped himself down next to Ichigo, the only silent one in the room. He had circles under his eyes.

"You look terrible." Ron observed sitting down next to Harry. Hermione and Ginny sat across from them.

"Couldn't sleep." Ichigo's reply was short.

"Why?" Harry asked, wondering what another person's reason might be for sleep deprivation. Reasons other than watching Cedric die over and over. Reasons other than the constant fear.

Ichigo met Harry's gaze steadily. "Pent up energy." The other boy averted his light brown eyes as he said this.

Lupin and Sirius had sat down and Sirius began to dig into the food, talking at the same time with Ron about what broom he would be getting. Their conversation was filled with chunks of food and spittle and Harry shook his head. He heard a snort and looked up. Ichigo didn't have any food in front of him and his arms were crossed.

"What?"

"Brooms? You can't be serious."

Half of the table fell silent, turning to look at the orange haired youth all with identical expressions of incredulity upon their faces. The twins' mouths were already open their explanations ready, when Lupin spoke.

"None of you seem impressed with how quickly Ichigo learned English." Lupin was looking down at his cup of tea. The short silence that followed this statement was painfully awkward. Harry and Ron began shoveling food, Ron even faster than before. Hermione's blushing face could be seen over her book and Ichigo coughed, scratching his nose and looking away from everyone.

"Oh come on!" Fred laughed.

"Yeah we had just thought Dumbledore would be able to fix em up right!"

Their smiles were quick and easy. Though none of the adults at the table looked convinced and Harry focused hard on his plate, not wanting to meet Moody's constantly shifting eye, wondering if it had seen their own little fathering the night previous.

"What are you all just sitting around for?" Molly bustled by,"eat up eat up!"

"Mum we have all day!" Ron complained after gulping down his last bite before asking for seconds.

"No we don't. We have to take the muggle route. Ichigo get your breakfast."

"Not hungry."

"Suit yourself but after an afternoon of walking about Diagon Alley don't look at me. We won't be stopping at any food stalls."

"The muggle way?" Ginny asked.

"Oh yes." Arthur dashed into the kitchen straightening his robes before grabbing a piece of jammed toast and kissing his wife. "You'll be riding a transport bus. It really is too bad that I'll be missing it. It seems quite fascinating-"

"But you have to work, now go or you'll be late! As will we if we don't get moving!"

Harry grabbed Ron and Hermione, pulling them back as the assembled headed for the exit.

"Really? This many people just going school supply shopping?" He muttered.

"Well you know it's to escort you Harry." Hermione pointed out. Ron laughed nervously.

"Aw the life of a celebrity."

"Yeah but not just me." Harry thought out loud. The three of them looked up ahead where the twins had their arms slung over Ichigo's shoulders.

"What are you guys whispering about so conspiratorially over here?" Hermione squealed as Sirius inserted himself between the three of them.

"Oh the usual." Harry replied smiling at his godfather.

"Yeah you three are always up to something. Reminds me of a couple of trouble makers from years ago" Sirius winked and stretched his arms above his head. "Man I can't wait to get out of this house! Stretch my legs a bit-"

"Oh no Sirius." Molly interrupted as they paused at the front door. "You have to stay here, remember Dumbledore's orders."

Everyone watching clearly saw the scowl that passed over his face. Including Ichigo whose eyes had narrowed.

"Sorry old friend." Lupin put in weakly. But Sirius had already turned his back and was slouching away. "I'll be up with Buckbeak."

"If you pout we won't bring you anything back." Molly shouted after him unperturbed. Harry paused at the threshold and looked back. It seemed as if Dumbledore was pissing off a few people.

As they stepped out of the house Ichigo matched their pace.

"So what's that feeling I got when I stepped out of the house?"

Harry and Ron shared a look while Hermione looked at him wide eyed.

"Um what?" Ron put in.

"You mean to say you can feel the magic?" Hermione clarified, the aw evident in her voice.

"Well yeah, you can't-" the end of the sentence tapered out as Ichigo glanced over their shoulders at where Grimmauld place used to stand.

"What the hell?"

"Yeah isn't that cool, it's some sort of advanced protection spell, makes it completely disappear. "Hermione was rolling her eyes at Ron's vague explanation.

"-No it didn't disappear." Ichigo's eyes were trained on something.

"What?" Hermione asked turning and squinting her eyes. "No one should be able to see it though.

Ichigo shook his head. "I don't 'see' it quite, more like, there's just a distortion in the air. Like when the arancars…" He shook his head, not finishing that sentence through, he looked down at Hermione, "So what is it?" As they walked the couple blocks to the nearest bus stop the girl explained while Harry and Ron caught up to the twins to discuss broom possibilities.

"Okay." Harry and Ron chortled when they looked back at Ichigo whose confused expression bordered on comical. "So what's a muggle?"

"It means non magical person."

"Could you just be that concise with everything else? So what's-"

Ichigo's next question was interrupted by deep barking. A large black dog bounded past him and Hermione.

"Padfoot!" Ron laughed.

"Whose Padfoot?" Ichigo asked before almost being bowled over by the oversized canine. He laughed out loud as the entire right side of his face was licked.

"Holy cow he knows how to laugh." Ginny quipped.

Lupin turned, "Sirius." He hissed, "You can't be here." The black dog whined.

"Oh come on!"

"You can't say no to that face!" The twins intoned before-

"We can and we will." Molly had noticed, but just as she spoke these words the bus pulled up.

"Whose dog is that?" Ichigo whispered to Hermione as Molly sat fuming for the moment.

"I'll have to explain that bit later," Hermione whispered back, "the situation is a bit, delicate to say the least."

"looks like he has to come with us now!" Harry was smiling. His godfather's constant foul mood only served to amplify Harry's own. Hopefully the outing would raise everyone's spirits.

They filed onto the bus.

"Dogs aren't allowed on." The woman stated dully.

Moody elbowed his way to the front of the line. "He's my service dog." He growled out. The lady rolled her eyes while Molly dug in her bag.

"11 tickets please."

The woman leaned over in her seat, counting. "I can't wait for your last person to show up ma'am, so ten tickets it is."

"I'm sorry?" Molly looked about ready to argue. Ron was counting around him in a whisper.

"Oh sorry," Harry turned at the sound of Ichigo's voice, the orange haired boy's hands were in his pockets. "Normal humans can't see me."

"Thank you so much!" Molly's words rushed out and she ushered them all into their seats. Ichigo was placed between Mad-eye and Lupin, farthest away from Harry and company.

The ride was silent and awkward. The three of them couldn't even put their heads together and whisper with Moody's ever watchful eye on them. Ichigo sat with his arms crossed over his chest looking about as irritated as Harry felt.

In fact Sirius seemed to be the only one enjoying the ride with Lupin absent mindedly rubbing between his ears.

They could not reach the leaky cauldron fast enough. As they got off the bus Harry made sure he ended up standing next to Ichigo, a question ready on his tongue.

But Ichigo beat him too it.

"Why is a shitty little shack here of all places?" He asked squinting his eyes. "Man you wizards sure do like spatial distortions. Not that soul society could say anything." He added under his breath, but Harry had caught it.

"It's a spell so muggles can't see it." Hermione's reply startled Harry, he hadn't known that she'd been right behind them. They headed in with Molly chattering swiftly about the plan.

"How muggles can stand traveling without magic I will never know. We should be as quick as we can. First a quick stop at gringotts."

"What's that?" Ichigo asked.

"Wizarding bank." Moody pushed his way past the kids.

"It's guarded by goblins." Harry put in, remembering his first time at diagon alley.

Ichigo snorted once again.

"You won't be laughing when you see them." Tonks stated.

But a look had crossed over Ichigo's face. "I don't have any money."

"It's a scholarship Dumbledore has given you." Lupin waved at Tom the bartender as they weaved through the tables and chairs. The bald man did not return the friendly gesture.

"I don't take charity." Ichigo deadpanned.

"No worries there kiddo," Moody said and Molly pulled her wand out and began tapping the bricks. Ichigo looked over her shoulder curiously. " I'm sure Dumbledore'll get his worth outta ye."

The orange head snapped over to glare at the old grizzled man but whatever he was about to say died in his lungs as the archway formed. Ichigo whispered a word that Harry didn't understand.

"Senkaimon?"

Lupin was asked to wait outside with the students while Molly went in.

"It was probably the best thing since Padfoot decided to tag along." Hermione said.

"First stop is Flourish and Blotts!" Molly came through the doors. She dropped a coin purse into Harry's hand. "Hermione you help Ichigo with his list, he'll be entering your year at Hogwarts." Harry saw and opportunity but he wasn't able to approach the other boy in the bookstore, Hermione was too busy shoveling books into the boy's arms. It was in the bookstore, when Harry wasn't busy keeping Ichigo in his sight, that the boy who lived noticed something particularly odd. Other students from Hogwarts who had come to do their supply shopping seemed to be skirting around him. While most years he would have many friends and acquaintances running up to ask him how his summer had been no one was doing so now. He tried to put this disconcerting fact out of his mind, reminding himself that the daily prophet had been telling those lies about him after all, building off of Rita Skeeter's work. Afterwards they all headed to Madam Milkin's

"You children need to stop growing!" Molly intoned her motherly voice shaking. Fred and George rolled their eyes at Ichigo and Harry who sniggered. "We still need to stop by the apothecary, and don't forget someone needs to take Ichigo to Olivanders!"

As the group exited the shop Harry spotted his chance. He slowed his pace until he was next to the foreign boy who looked at him questioningly. Their eyes met and Harry headed off in the direction of the wand shop. Only checking once to see if Ichigo was following him.

"What are we doing?" He asked, catching up to Harry.

"Going to Olivander's of course."

"And what's that?"

Harry smiled, once again remembering his first time in the wand shop. "You'll see."

They walked in silence the rest of the way. But Harry's thoughts were too loud. Question after question popped into his mind, each vying for attention before being shoved over by the next inquiry.

Harry pushed open the door and watched with satisfaction as Ichigo's expression changed.

"You have got to be kidding me? I've gotta get one of those stick things?"

"Yup, you have to have a wand to go to Hogwarts."

Ichigo was shaking his head and muttering in that strange foreign language of his as they waited.

"What are you speaking?"

"Huh? Oh-um Japanese."

"Oh, is that where you're from?"

"Uh… kinda?'

Harry was about to ask what he meant by that when Olivander appeared behind Ichigo. The other boy didn't seem to notice him at first.

"Holy shi-" he cut himself off, giving the old man a once over. "And you are?"

Harry chuckled, "That's the shop owner and wand maker Ichigo."

"Olivander at your service," the old man said in his usual airy manner. He adjusted his glasses. "You associate with the most curious of people mister Potter." Harry shifted, the wand maker was as uncomfortable to be around as ever. Ichigo seemed to think the same thing and he took a step back. This didn't deter Olivander at all however. He leaned in, looking Ichigo up and down before circling him. what he did next surprised eve Harry. "Wait right here young man, I have just the thing for you."

"Hey wait! You're not going to measure him or anything?"

"Why there's no need to Mister Potter." And with that he had disappeared into the back of the shop.

"That's weird."

"Why?"

"Because usually he'll take a tape measure and, well, at least he did so for me."

Before they could continue their conversation Olivander had returned. In his hand he carried an old wooden box, the dust was thicker over the lid than anything in the rest of the store. He placed it gently upon the table. From it he pulled the strangest looking wand Harry had ever seen. It looked to be made of some fort of plain black wood, but that was not the strange part. It was long and had a rough white chord wrapped about it in such a way as to give it a vertical diamond pattern.

"Here you go young man. Go on take hold of it!" he handed it to Ichigo and the wand did… nothing. There was no surge of power nor shower of sparks. Nothing at all happened. "The wood is ebony."

Ichigo was studying it, a look of acute interest in his gaze, before he gave the old ma a suspicious look, "do you-"

Harry interrupted, "What's the core of the wand?"

Olivander's constantly present smile grew wider, "That's what is so special about this one. There is nothing at the core of it right now. He will place that special ingredient into it on his own." He turned to Ichigo, "when the time comes you will know what to do."

Ichigo didn't reply, an odd look had crossed over his face. It stayed and was still there when they had paid and left.

"What's up?" Harry asked thinking about everything he had just witnessed and wondering what it could mean. He couldn't wait to tell Hermione and Ron about this.

"I don't know." Ichigo help up the overly long wand, "is that guy always so cryptic and vague?"

Harry shrugged. "He was with me."

"Oh yeah always-"

"-it's just part of his-"

"-Mysterious aura you know."

The twins had appeared before them, wide smiles on their faces.

"Nice one mate-" One stated, slapping Harry on the shoulder.

"You sure did slip the leash." The other one winked at Ichigo.

"Got mum in a right tiff."

"And Lupin and Moody ain't too pleased either."

"Damn lucky it was us who found you"

"Fair warning and all that."

The twins waved and headed off on their own, since they had probably also 'slipped the leash.' Harry was spared the nervousness when his scar gave a particular nasty twinge.

"Ah!" He hadn't meant to let out a noise, and his hand had gone up to clamp against his forehead without his meaning it too. Ichigo stopped walking.

"Are you okay?"

Harry had thus far enjoyed the normal way the boy had treated him, not knowing anything about the wizarding world had it's perks, since that also meant that the orange haired boy would not know about Harry Potter or his history, and Harry had wanted to keep it that way.

"Oh yeah it's nothing just a- AAAAHRRGH!" The pain doubled and then tripled as a wave of dizziness swept over him. He paused, panting and leaning against a wall. The few people passing shot him furtive looks, no doubt thinking about how he was trying to 'attention seek' but Harry didn't have time to get angry over this, for a wave of pure ecstatic joy washed over him in a sickening wave. Ichigo caught him before he hit the pavement, and kept a loose hold on his arm.

"Harry are you all right?" He heard Ichigo's voice from far away..

And then everything snapped back to normal. Harry wondered what the HELL that just was, his scar was still pulsing with new jolts of pain each second, but the strange elation had left him feeling empty.

Before he could assure Ichigo that he truly was okay Molly Weasley was upon them. Even with the warning the twins had given them the tongue lashing they received was of epic proportions and Moody pulled Ichigo off separately, though Harry wasn't quite sure who had it worse. He simply hoped the other boy would keep his mouth shut about Harry's little episode, he wanted to try and work out what had happened himself before other people and their pity got in his way. The twins snickered as they moved back through the leaky cauldron.

All the sudden the group stopped. All other words died on lips unstated as all eyes caught sight of the same thing in the same moment.

A poster hung on the wall. A poster depicting ten black and white photographs. The people with in each frame were jeering and scowling and sneering. Each picture was captioned with a name and the crime for which the person had been sent to Azkaban. Harry felt cold all over and he shook with rage and something else that he couldn't quite name. his mind was reeling back to that dark night with all those black eyes shining out from behind masks.

"Harry?" Ichigo asked, stepping closer to him in case he fell again perhaps. Harry was snapped back to the present. Moody had gone over to Tom and came back with a copy of the daily prophet, everyone save for Ichigo gathered around to read the article.

"Of course they're blaming Sirius!" Tonks hissed and the black dog's growl rose over the scattered hushes. Looks of worry and anxiety had crossed over the order members faces.

"Are you going to do anything about this?" Harry asked brazenly turning towards the adults.

"That is not something we are going to discuss here Harry." Lupin stated quietly.

"It's not something you'll be discussing at all with us though." Fred scowled.

"You're right." Molly's voice had become clipped, "We should head back now. And this shouldn't put a damper on our party, the party for my son which I have been planning for the last two days." The tone in her voice was dangerous, with too much forced cheerfulness at the end.

However the group was subdued as they headed back to the Black house.

Ichigo, never being one who could stand long periods of silence began questioning Hermione again

"So what was that short creature back at the house, the one that had been mumbling to himself?"

"Oh that's Kreacher," Ron answered immediately, obviously grateful for a break to the tension filled quiet around them. "Right ol nutter inne?"

Instantly Hermione was on the defensive. "Ronald! He's a house elf Ichigo." The orange haired boy raised his eyebrows, but not at the absurdity of the thought of something called a 'house elf' but at Ron and Harry, who were both shaking their heads vigorously in warning. But it was too late, Harry groaned as Hermione launched into a lecture about the poor treatment of these beings and how she had created a group solely for their protection. Harry scratched his nose and looked up, trying to remember what S.P.E.W. even stood for again. focusing on something as benign as Hermione's good hearted group was a good distraction for the moment.

He caught Ginny's eye, she rolled hers heavenward the twins were stifling their laughter, less Hermione turned her lecture their way.

"And what's a boggart?"

Once again Hermione had the textbook answer prepared, "A boggart is a being that feeds off of a person's fear and takes the physical shape of that fear. The stronger the fear, the more realistic and encompassing the illusion that the boggart emits becomes. The spell to eradicate this illusion and the boggart itself is 'ridikulus' and the creature's weakness is laughter."

As with all of Hermione's answers Ichigo simply raised his eyebrow, keeping the rest of his face devoid of any other reaction. He continued firing common place questions at the walking encyclopedia of a girl and Harry was somewhat reminded of himself, all those years ago, when he had first discovered his heritage. He was pulled from those thoughts but anger as it rose once again within him. he cast around for something else, something to keep this ever present anger at bay and looked over to his once professors' Remus Lupin and mad-eye Moody. The two of them and the large dog had their heads together whispering and gesturing. The ire rose within him like a sickness.

"You okay Harry mate?" Harry was getting tired of hearing those words but he turned his head to find Ron looking at him. Harry sighed and rubbed his forehead, confusion now warring with the anger.

"I don't know Ron." He whispered back, voice tired.

Ron looked perplexed and worried and Harry wanted so much to confide in him in that very moment, however the bus was screeching to a halt, jarring all occupants within except for Ichigo who was the first to stand and depart. The walk back was quiet save for Ichigo's continued inquiries. Snuffles, who on the trip out had been bounding and playful now stalked next to Harry, low growl an almost constant.

They entered the house and Harry saw Ichigo hesitate, eyeing the physical distortion that happened in the air as #12 Grimmauld place pushed its way into existence, hesitant.

"You coming in?" Harry asked. But his question remained unanswered as Molly hustled them up the steps.

"Okay everyone take your supplies up to your rooms and get them packed, Ichigo Sirius found an old suitcase of his that you can borrow. Once that's finished we'll grab a quick lunch and start decoration for the party! Of course Hermione and Ron you can have some free time while the rest help me with preparations…"

As she spoke the order members headed into the kitchen. Harry went to catch up with them but Molly caught at him.

"Now now harry I know you're hungry but you'll just have to wait." She feigned ignorance and the tone in her voice was dangerous. Harry snatched his arm back, burying the guilt at her hurt expression with a fresh wave of rage. With a spin he began to stomp up the stairs, looking over his shoulder to see where Hermione and Ron were. He caught Ichigo's gaze. He seemed to be waiting, for some signal from Molly.

"Go Ichigo." She smiled and gave him a gently push up the stairs.

At the top of the stairs Harry pushed his two friends bodily into his room, snapping the door behind them.

"I don't know how much more of this I can take." Harry's voice was low as he paced the room, hands twitching in a mad gesture of agitation.

Ron and Hermione shared a look.

"Look mate, I know what you mean but what can we do? Dumbledore'll shut us down if we try to ask about the meetings-"

"IF WE EVER EVEN SEE HIIM!" Harry yelled, then fought to control his voice, he shook with the effort, "It's not like the old man has stopped by to chat recently."

Ron continued on, his voice weaker than before, "and even if he didn't Mum'd blow a gasket she won't even let Fred or George in the meetings and they're of age!"

Harry couldn't even put words to his frustrations. At the ministry of magic and Fudge, at the daily prophet with their stalwart refusal to see the truth. The consequences that would come from that. All the innocent people who could die because of their ignorance. Each soul, each what if, weighed heavy on him. his scar pulsed and he slumped onto his bed clutching his forehead.

"Harry you should tell us what else is bothering you." Hermione's voice was soft and close. She was kneeling next to him.

Harry couldn't meet her gaze. He doubted he could even put everything that was pushing him down into words. But he did have other things to talk to them about.

"Nevermind me." He stated irritably, "You guys wont believe what happened at the wand shop…"

Harry had just barely finished telling them about the cryptic message given to Ichigo from Olivander when Molly's voice drifted up the stairs ever so softly. So as not to wake anything. "okay all let's eat right quick and get to decorating for the party!" as Harry ate and afterwards worked he tried to organize his own thoughts, tried to analyze what was going on with in him to cause such turmoil, but the deeper he probed the more his scar ached. So much so that as he was putting up the congratulatory banner for the two new Gryffindor prefect s a wave of dizziness over whelmed him. He teetered precariously on the stool and was only saved the short fall by Ichigo who had walked by and caught at his wobbly legs.

"Thanks." Harry muttered. Ichigo's eyes held curiosity in them, but he kept his mouth shut for now. Harry was grateful for that, not knowing how many more looks of questioning pity and voiced worries over him he could take.

The party began with Harry in a not so festive mood. He watched idly as Tonks changed her appearance for entertainment and Hermione patiently answered each question Ichigo had. Chatter flowed around him with him only picking out bits and pieces, like Lupin and Shacklebolt discussing why he had not been chosen as prefect. It took all of Harry's will power to not turn around with some snide comment to make the two adults feel like right fools. But all Harry would have gained from that was a guilty conscience. The anger he had buried about Ron becoming a prefect instead of him resurfaced with a vengeance. He could barely even pretend to be happy. When Molly called for a toast he could not bring his glass up and feigned a coughing fit.

The only one who looked about as lively as he was the foreign boy, who stood slightly apart from the festivities, watching everything as Harry was. But the boy himself raised more questions that Harry did not have the answers for and this conundrum joined the cacophony of frustrations within Harry's mind. They circled like vultures, dropping down to tear at his patience in no particular order.

Like how everyone could seemingly ignore the Azkaban break-out, which not only loosed ten notorious death eaters but a small army of dementors as well.

Or how Ronald was so happy to be surrounded by smiling faces and supportive friends, which Harry could not even force himself to be and how wrong he knew it was.

And always the prickling of his scar, giving him flashes of emotions that he could not pinpoint, feelings that did not fit the situations.

He stood suddenly from the table, almost upending his chair. He began to move towards the exit, muttering half formed apologies and excuses to anyone he bumped into. He just had to be out of this room. Away from the push of people and laughter, his breath choked in his throat as he bumped into a solid, deformed figure.

"Sorry Moody," he went to move past the grizzled man but was stopped.

"Got sumthin ter show ye. I think it might interest you." Harry sidled over, and surprisingly enough, Ichigo as well, you can look too I guess." He said, though his electric blue eye slowed in its ever swirling madness to asses the orange haired youth for a moment before taking up it's revolving vigil once again. from an inner pocket of his robes he pulled a tattered old photograph. "Original Order of the Phoenix," growled Moody, " there's me and Dumbledore right beside me.." as Mad-eye began to list off names and the horrible fates tied to those names nausea descended in Harry's stomach like a stone. He could not take his eyes off the waving figures stuck within that moment, none of them knowing what awaited them. Harry did not even notice that Moody had stopped speaking until he repeated himself, "So whatdya think?" His smile was grotesque but genuine and while Harry's rage began to boil over (who would want a picture of people who had been tortured and murdered thrust under their nose with no warning?) Ichigo saved him.

"Uwaa! Sugoi Moody-san!" and before anything else could be said Ichigo had moved them to the door. Harry stalked up the dark hallway in heavy silence, somehow knowing that the other boy was behind him though Harry couldn't hear his foot falls.

"Harry," Ichigo began softly. But Harry refused to meet his gaze.

Ichigo caught at his arm before he could step off the stairs.

"You can't bottle things up Harry it will only get worse-"

"Yeah? What would you know?" Harry snapped. Ichigo opened his mouth but paused as the sound of stifled sobs reached their ears.

An identical look of alarm passed over both of their faces and in the next moment they were flying up the flight of steps. Harry reached the drawing room door first and yanked it open. There, huddled in a shadowed corner was Molly, her wand held loosely in a shaking hand, sobs wracking her body. Sprawled on the dusty old carpet before her with a patch of moonlight glinting off his glazed eyes was Ron, the life gone from his limp body.

Harry felt for a moment like he was falling. But no, this didn't make since, Harry struggled to find some sort of logic behind this madness.

"Mrs. Weasley?" Harry croaked out, his voice hoarse as if unused for years.

"R-r-r-ridikulus!" she sobbed out and with a CRACK dead Ron was replaced with dead Ginny. Her sobs became more violent as she stuttered the spell again. CRACK dead Harry with blood pooling beneath him. the boy who lived stared transfixed for a moment at his own bloodless face and blank eyes.

He was snapped out of it by Ichigo, who brushed his shoulder as he passed.

"Wait Ichigo!" But it was already too late. As the other boy stepped forward the room was transformed, there was no crack as the boggart changed. Mrs. Weasley's sobs stopped suddenly as she too looked on.

A human like creature had materialized in what had once been the drawing room. But now it seemed as if the three of them were outside on a sunny day. Harry could even feel the sun warming his cheeks. The buildings that surrounded them looked strange and foreign. Some of them had been reduced to rubble. The man had all the features of a normal human, except for his eyes which were black and shining with such strong killing intent as to send waves of shivers down Harry's spine, for the boy who lived knew that feeling all too well. Everything in Harry was telling him that there was something decisively not human about him. A smile adorned his face. But it was not a welcoming smile, in fact no emotion that Harry associated with a smile could be found on any portion of his features. The smile was cruel and arrogant. His light brown hair was long and slicked back and a strange stone like thing pulsed in the center of his chest. For a moment Harry thought that he might recognize this man, this creature, this other being. But that was impossible, where on earth would he remember him from. The air around them had grown heavy with something and Harry could not pull breath into his lungs. It felt as if his heart could not even pump blood through his veins.

But that was not the worst of it, it seemed like each moment Harry's senses revealed a new horror. The man moved, holding something up to show Ichigo but Harry's mind could not take in the head of the child, her hair was a darker blonde and cut short. Her eyes were closed as if she slumbered. It did not look like her head had been cut off, but rather ripped from the rest of her body for a portion of her spinal cord hung down from her neck covered with blood and tattered flesh.

The smell of burnt skin warred with the bitterness of a coppery taste upon his tongue.

Something lapped at his socked feet and he looked down.

Red surrounded him.

He heard Ichigo mutter one word, perhaps a name, with loathing, "Aizen."

The man in the middle of the room was speaking in a foreign language. Ichigo fell to his knees, his eyes wide and frightened, his face contorted into such a raw emotion that Harry could not have named it.

And then the man, still so strangely familiar to Harry, began to move, as he walked corpses piled beneath his feet like some grotesque pathway. He through the child's head to the side and place one foot atop the final body which lay, crumpled, right before Ichigo. This man was older, with a short unkept beard a crooked nose and a strong jaw. His black hair was matted to his head with a dark sticky substance.

A sob choked out of Ichigo's throat along with a word so filled with grief that Harry felt his heart clench. "Otousan."

The cruel smile never once left the man's face as he raised his hand and brought it down on Ichigo's lowered head as if it were an executioner's blade.