Ch19
Disclaimer: No, I own absolutely nothing.
AN: Sorry for the really long wait. Every time I tried to continue the story, I would get sidetracked or held up.
I had written a one-shot HP story called "Love by Letters". If you have no problems reading about a female Harry Potter and haven't read the story yet, please do so, it is on my profile. If you have read the story, please review if you haven't and tell me what you think of if.
I had also began a story that's has crossovers with the main storyline of Naruto called "Tengokugakure". Please read the warnings in the first chapter before reading the rest of the chapter. If you enjoyed that story, then please review it and tell me.
It had finally arrived, the day of excitement and fear for many of the students. Few were proud to show off their achievements to their parents and many were horrified of their low scores in their classes. Even the professors were nervous, not really knowing what to tell the parents while trying to figure out how to prevent the biased parents from attacking the muggles. The great hall was filled to the max with the students along with their parents or guardians, they were all practically standing elbow to elbow; everyone could feel the tension in the air along with the anxiety between the students, parents, and professors.
Hoping to ease the tension, Albus stood up and asked for everyone's attentions. "For newcomers, I welcome you to Hogwarts: School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and for our old students, welcome back. While we wait for our young hostess and professor, I believe that now is a good time for our students to help their parents understand the rules of the school and introduce yourselves to each other."
"You mean to tell me that this scheme of introducing mudbloods into our school, isn't yours?" one of the parents whose child is in Slytherin asked. Outrage was heard from those who disagreed with the vocabulary used.
"Correct, this idea was mine." Usagi walked into the great hall form the front of the room with her friends and Harry following behind. "I suggest those who are smirking to wipe it off of your face," she ordered, looking particularly at the Slytherin table to see them do that. She turned to Albus and said, "Thanks for waiting, Uncle Albus." The old headmaster nodded his head and sat down. She turned to Harry and Hotaru and told them to go to their table.
Studying the large audience, Usagi smiled. "It's a pleasure to meet you all. My name is Serenity Lillian Potter; I am the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. As you all may know, this is the very first time that something known as a parents-teachers conference has been held in Hogwarts. I had hoped that this conference will allow a better understanding to your children's education and behaviors in school away from you. While it is optional to see the other professors, it is mandatory for you to see me, Professor Haruka Ten'oh, our offense professor, and Professor Michiru Kaioh, our defense professor."
Clapping her hands together, Usagi continued, "How many students have remembered to bring that box I handed out in class the other day?" She was greatly pleased to see every hand was up. "Very good, now what I want for you to do is for the students to open the box. In each box, there are two bracelets, one for each guardian that came with you. If you need more, please inform any of us and we'll give you more. Does everyone understand?" Heads nodded in unison causing Usagi to grin. "Now, will the students please put the bracelets on your guardians?"
"What for?" one of the parents asked.
This time, Ami stepped up and elaborated, "In each bracelet, there's a tracking device to enable us to pinpoint you in case you got separated from your child," she explained, "On the other hand, it also acts as a prevention of any of you from using magic during your time here."
Parents from wizarding families expressed their anger. "This is for the protection of those who are muggles," Haruka shouted, getting their attention and shutting them up, "We know full well of the discrimination between the Slytherins and the Gryffindors and those born with no magic. I'm pretty sure that your children had at least told you that we do NOT tolerate any house and blood prejudice."'
Michiru narrowed her eyes at her girlfriend's clear hostile tone. She turned to the audience and warned them, "Students, may I remind you that you are responsible for your parent's actions just as much as they are for yours. If we hear any word of any hostility going on between anyone, both the parents and students will be highly dealt with."
"And don't think that flaunting your title will help you," Usagi told the, "I could care less if you're a member of a royal family or part of the ministry. Respect is not given, it's…"
"Earned," chorused all the students in unison.
Usagi nodded her head. "Good. Bracelet's on," she ordered. Parents watched in amazement as their children quickly did what the young professor had ordered them to do, especially the Slytherins. "Parents, you may begin to head on to the classrooms. Harry, Hotaru, you two may head to our quarters; I already talked to the professors about you two; by the way, Snuffles is waiting anxiously for you two."
"Wait, exactly what is your relationship with Harry Potter?" one of the parents asked.
"She told you that her name is Serenity Lillian Potter," Haruka said, 'So it's obvious that they're related; the two of them are siblings."
"That's impossible! Harry Potter is an only child and there are no records of the Potters having another child!"
"My birth certificate is in their vault," Usagi said," And there were people who were present during my birth, who can tell you that I am the older sibling of Harry Potter, such as Albus Dumbledore, Minerva McGonagall, or Remus Lupin." She nodded her head slightly to her guards, causing them to leave the room. "Now as the saying goes, time is short, so why don't we start the conference? Students, you are to escort your parents around and make sure that they arrive at Professor Haruka, Professor Michiru and my classrooms. Dismissed," she ordered.
/-/
The old graduates of Hogwarts were quite shocked to see the three new professors were quite young, much younger than Severus Snape when he became the potions master. They were especially shocked to see that in each conference, the females took one family from each house and placed them together to talk about their children.
While Haruka talked to the adults, she had the students battle against each other in a tag team style, Gryffindor and Slytherin vs Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw. When one of the parents asked, "Why do you place the teams like that?", the answer was simple; Haruka always replied, "It makes the Gryffindors and Slytherins forget about their 'bitter rivalry' and just focus more on working together. Sometimes we change the teams to make the strengths fair." When Michiru went to talk to the parents, instead of separating the students into two teams like her girlfriend, she placed all four of the students together and had them team up against several golems made of different substances.
When Usagi met with the parents, she had the children sit right next to their guardians. "This should be interesting," she thought to herself. One Slytherin pureblood with the other three families being muggle born; the Gryffindor and Ravenclaw were both past students of Hogwarts but the one in Hufflepuff was a first generation witch. The student's weren't even in the same year; the Gryffindor was a seventh year, the Slytherin in sixth, Raveclaw in fifth and Hufflepuff in first.
"I do like to thank you all for taking your time to come and discuss about your children's education," she said, looking through the large binder that contained all the academic information on the students since September. "There have been no problems, especially in the Gryffindor and Slytherin classes, not after our little understanding of our no tolerance to petty prejudice." She eyed the two rivaling houses and asked, "Isn't that right?", with her reply being fast nods of the head.
"I find that hard to believe, Professor Potter," the father of the Ravenclaw said, "The rivalry between the houses are quite infamous since the days of the founders. What could you have done that broke that contention?"
The Ravenclaw student giggled. "She gave Filch the night off and had the whole class clean the whole floor. None of them were allowed to leave until everything, form the hallways to the classrooms, were all cleaned," she explained, "They didn't finish until the day after and had to miss class and even then they were responsible for all the work they had missed."
The mother of the Hufflepuff asked, "Don't you think that's a little too harsh?"
"Not when their disagreement gets out of hand," Usagi told them, "And I remember specifically that I, along with the other two professors, had warned them about their behaviors towards each other." She turned over to the Slytherin parent and said, "Let's start with Mr. Malfoy over here." She looked through her binder and said, "Not bad of a student, completes all his assignments, achieved high scores on exams, his only problem is that while he is willing to go all out against the Gryffindors and his own house at times, when it comes to Hotaru, he falters a bit."
Lucius Malfoy arched his thin eyebrow at his son. "Hotaru?" he repeated, wondering who this person is.
"Hotaru would be…"
"Usa-mama?" The door to the classroom opened with the said person sticking her head into the room. Hotaru looked a bit apologetic as she said, "Gomen but Harry was wondering if it has finished."
"Hey Hotaru," the Gryffindor said, greeting the Slytherin. Hotaru waved her hand at him.
Usagi hummed a bit before getting up. "I believe so," she said, "Let me go check." She walked over to a large white stoned chest beside the chalkboard and looked inside. "Now, why does Harry want to know if it has finished already?" she asked Hotaru with her back to her.
"Minako-chan and everyone else wants to get his training started," Hotaru replied, rubbing the back of her neck. "Harry then mentioned how you guys were having a weapon made for him so Makoto-chan pretty much demanded him to get it so they could practice."
One of the parents noticed the green and silver coloring of Hotaru's uniform and said, "You're in Slytherin!"
Hotaru looked annoyed as she retorted, "What about it?" She crossed her arms over her chest and grumbled, "Just because I'm in Slytherin doesn't mean I'm like the rest of them."
The seventh year Gryffindor nodded his head and agreed. "She's right, you know. If anything, she's more like a Gryffindor, only a bit sneakier."
Hotaru ignored the two Slytherins, one staring at her in suspicion with the other in concealed adoration. Her blank face brightened up when Usagi came back with a long rectangular green box; she took the box with caution and stared at it adoringly. "I wonder how long it took Haruka-papa to make Harry's sword," she wondered slightly out loud.
Usagi just laughed as she said, "Just make that you guys don't work Harry too hard." She shook her head when she saw a mischievous glint in Hotaru's eyes as she quickly promised with a 'Hai, Usagi-mama,' and left the room.
"I'm sorry, but did that girl just called you 'mama'?" Lucius asked. He looked at the professor over and couldn't help but notice the very young appearance. "Aren't you a little too young to have a sixteen-year-old daughter?"
"I'm not her real mother," Usagi said, sitting back down, "I'm more of a surrogate parent to Hotaru."
"Still…isn't she only five years younger than you?" Lucius asked, continuing his questions on the object of his son's affections. While he agrees that the young girl is really exotic looking, what with her mysterious and somewhat dark features, he can't really understand what it is that draws Draco to her.
Usagi eyed the pale blonde suspiciously before replying, "Hotaru is a special case. When she was a child, she had a condition that allowed her to grow in a fast speed; within one year, she had aged in ten." She looked through the binders once again and asked "Now, shall I continue with the conferene?"
Lucius watched, not even listening as Usagi explained what her classis all about and what she expects from the students. He studied the girl with the acknowledgement that she does seem rather pretty, not too beautiful, but almost otherworldly; the way she acts so carefree in such a dangerous time could be evidence of how powerful she can be. With such an ethereal presence, any man would die to have one bounded to them for all eternity; after all, only a fool like that Enydmion would give such a prize up. Mentally he smirked at the memory of what happened when his master had no more use to the failure.
(Flashback-night of the failed attempt to kill the princess)
Along the dark corridors of the abandoned Riddle Manor, a deep tension surrounds the area with something sinister in the air. In a large dark room that has a lit fireplace being the only source of light, which still wasn't very helpful in the darkness. An audience clothed in black cloaks with the hoods covering their hairs and silver masks covering their faces were kneeling in respect to an equally cloaked figure sitting on an armchair beside the fireplace.
Just then a figure in black armor appeared in the middle of the room. Unlike the others, he didn't cower on the floor in fear of the one in charge. On his face was an angry expression as he outlandishly cursed his ex-fiancée, causing the others to scorn in disgust at his behavior. A deep dark chuckle came from the lounging figure. Endymion frowned at him and sneered, "So glad that this amuses you, Tom."
Voldemort lifted his head just slightly up, his hood's shadows still obscuring his face from view. "I take it that your plan ended as a failure," he said.
"A complete failure!" Endymion shouted. He accepted a glass of blood red wine from Voldemort and took a huge gulp. "That little tramp had the nerve to tell me that she knew…KNEW that I was planning a revolt against her and had the audacity to switch two of the warriors with their future counterparts." Angrily, he threw the cup that still had some wine in it into the fireplace, causing an explosion when the alcohol touched the flames. "Who does that little bitch think she is? She's lucky I didn't marry her or I would've beaten the shit out of her until she learned her lesson."
Voldemort just chuckled. "I told you, haven't I?" he asked. Turning his head slightly to the fire, Voldemort watched as the flames went back to normal before he continued, "I warned you centuries ago when the two of you were betrothed by your parents that the princess is a lot smarter than she lets on, haven't I, dear cousin?"
"Shut up, Tom," Endymion snarled. "You were just upset that I was the one who was to marry that girl and get the power!" He turned his head to his cousin, only to see that his vision was growing blurry; he staggered a bit as though he was drunk. "I was the one chosen over the perfect one," he said, feeling exhausted, "I was the one who was going to receive all the power I rightfully deserve."
Voldemort snorted. He stood up as Endymion fell to his knees. "I'm afraid that you're wrong about that, oh great Prince Endymion," he said sarcastically, with a mock bow.
Endymion narrowed his eyes and as his words began to slur, he asked, "What…didja..d-do?" He struggled to keep his vision straight but everything in his view appeared to move as though the whole world was rotating.
"I didn't warn you about the princess because I was jealous," Voldemort said, sitting back into his armchair. "Why waste time being jealous when I could do something about it? Did you know that the only reason why they chose you to marry Princess Serenity was mainly because you were the heir to the throne?" He scoffed at the look of hatred on Endymion's face; he had lived the past fifty years with those looks on his victims so why be affected by this one person who was weaker than all of them combined? "They figured that despite I was a much better candidate than you and that the moon princess deserves the one with the title."
"You bastard," Endymion snarled, reaching for his sword, only to reach back and scream in pain.
Voldemort lowered his wand, quite pleased with his work; Endymion's right hand was completely severed from the wrist and laid innocently in front of the master of the manor. "If you weren't the crowned prince and I wasn't simply a lord, I would've been the one to marry her. I was planning on you getting caught screwing around so I would be the chosen one." He motioned two followers t come forward.
Endymion felt two people hoisting him up, he could feel his blood draining from the open wound onto the carpeted floor. "Why?" he managed to ask.
"All you saw was a dumb stepping stone to power and a good lay," Voldemort said, "What I saw a an intelligent but naïve child, sheltered by her loved ones but knowledgeable of the troubles in the worlds, a beautiful soul who just had the bad luck of being betrothed to a libertine who has trouble keeping his pants on and doesn't stop thinking with his groin."
He watched as another deatheater began to throw a curse to his once 'destined for greatness' cousin. "Unfortunately, my plans were thrown off course when one of your many flings stormed to the moon and caused the deaths of my princess. We were sent to different worlds, but to my surprise, Serenity was born here as the daughter of the Potters." His eyes narrowed in hate as he threw another spell, this time cutting off Enydmion's legs from below the knees. "Then that time witch had the audacity of taking her away to the dimension where you were," he snarled, ignoring the painful screams.
His followers watched with sickening glee as Voldemort continued to punish the man who had the nerve to think he won't be punished for talking rudely to their master. Not even his prized deatheaters could talk out of tune with their master, so what makes this man think that he could? Besides they had seen beforehand by an illusion of the princess by their master and none of them could understand why this idiot of an insect would throw her away. They watched as part by part of the once proud prince's body began to be chipped away by their master in his fury and in one final swoop, cut his head clean off.
It was as if after Endymion's head rolled on the floor that his anger was quickly dispersed. He looked nonchalantly at the blood all over the floor and said, "Now look at what you made me do to my carpet?" He watched as one of the deatheaters grabbed the hair and lifted up Endymion's head up into the air. He pulled back the hood revealing an appearance of a young man around the age of late twenties to early thirties. His black hair was combed neatly back as his brown eyes glistened with pride of what he had done. "Don't you think that this will make a lovely present for my future bride?" he asked his followers, who all smirked behind their masks.
(End flashback)
Lucius couldn't help but watch as the calm expression on Usagi's face. He had heard from Severus what had happened the day the princess had received his master's gift; it was during breakfast when a black raven had dropped a pure white box topped off with a red bow with a single note saying, "For my future bride" in front of Usagi and her friends. Thinking it might be a trap, the boyish-female took the box and opened it, only to drop it in disgust. The students screamed when they saw the head of a raven-haired man drop to the floor and rolled a few inches until it came to a complete stop. Open wide blue eyes stared blankly at nothing with a trail of blood that had followed it when it fell out of the box. According to Severus, Usagi just stared at the head with worried eyes; she then stared at the tag with a look that showed that she had a faint idea of who had sent it. From what he had heard from his master and friend, Lucius can't wait to see how this princess' mind works; and judging what his master has in plan, he has this feeling that it will happen soon.