Magical Rackets

Summary: "Not all wizards use wands, some use their magic through other mediums. Swords, brushes, pencils….and in your case, tennis rackets." HPXover

Author's Notes

XxInuyashaLoverxX thanks for the idea! I actually had a similar idea in mind, but your comment made it a lot clearer. Thanks! Thanks to all those that have been reading since the beginning and those who started reading now!

Dementors

"Echizen, it's sure hard to see with all this fog," Momoshiro Takashi said to the freshman who held onto his shoulders for support. They were on Momo's bike taking the usual road to school, and if it weren't for the fact that Momo lived around the place for almost his whole life, they might have gotten lost in the thick misty area. A monosyllable 'hn' agreed with his statement, but it escaped the second years notice as he was in deep thought.

It was weird for Momo to see his family members mope around the kitchen table. Instead of his usual chirpy family, all of them had their shoulders sagging and feet dragging on the floor. An air of depression clenched the air making everyone feel a little, however Momo felt usually happy and energetic. When he went to pick up Echizen, his older cousin looked as if the world has fallen apart as she went to call of Ryoma. Even the nice old woman that waters her flowers in the morning looked like as if death came early.

Ryoma looked forward toward the mist, he could see the slightly outlines of buildings and poles. It was unusual that his happy-go-luck cousin was depressed about something. What puzzled him even more was that his father was also feeling down to the point that he didn't even bother to ask his son for a game of tennis after school. Looked at the back of Momo's head, Echizen remembered that goofy smile that his sempai gave him when the older picked him up. The taller boy seemed to have no depressions at all, hidden or obvious.

A figure resembling a black cloaked figure which was moving toward them made the younger boy exclaim for his sempai to stop. The bike screeched to a stop and the figure disappeared. He hardly heard Momo ask him if something was wrong as he searched for whatever he saw, numbly, Echizen nodded his head and they went toward the direction of the school again.

My imagination…?

---

Tezuka looked outside and cursed inwardly. For the next two weeks, they were supposed to have practice matches with different schools. It was already a pain that Hyotei Gakuren was first on the list since Fudomine had summer courses this week, now this? Walking to his closet and taking out a medium sized travel case that lie on the bottom, fumbling with the lock he opened the old case.

It was four years since he last open it and he had wished that he never needed to open it again, but it has been a while since he encountered these things. Taking out a polished wooden stick, he twirled in his hands for a while as if getting used to feel. Securely locking the case, he carefully placed it back into the closet. Placing the wand into his uniform pocket, Tezuka Kunimitsu felt himself return to the world that he abandoned for tennis.

…a 'simple Muggle sport' as he used to say even though he's playing it now as well…

---

Kaidoh Kaoru breathed in, then heaved a big sigh. He has spent the last ten minutes trying to explain why that the last ball had been his not that baka's. They had been playing doubles against Oshitari and Gakuto, when Momo went for a ball that should have been Kaidoh's. For a moment he felt pity for the Hyotei genius who tried, tried is the keyword, to stop them. It was their first practice with Hyotei and depression hung low on the courts. There was a couple of people who felt none of the depression that was going around.

Atobe Keigo for instance, he strut proud as a peacock onto the courts as if he owned them. It was almost a white and black contrast with him and the rest of the team. Atobe seemed to just be radiating with pride and self-love, even though the thought of self-love made Kaidoh sick to his stomach, he seemed much healthier than the rest of the team. Jiro was asleep like always, so it was hard to see if he was depressed at all, and Kabaj was looking like the stone block he always was. The depression could be seen the most by Gakuto's face and posture, the usual energetic red head was slumped again his doubles partner with a look as if nothing mattered anymore.

The least depressed team seemed to be Seigaku, since Echizen, Peach boy (seriously, who wanted others to call him 'momo'?), Tezuka-buchou, Fuji, and the Golden Pair were all looking as chirpy compared to the rest of the world, which was weird, since Tezuka and Echizen never looked chirpy. Kawamura was on the depressed side, but once he gripped his racket all that disappeared in an instance. Inui never looked like anything except maybe sadistic pleasure like the look Fuji sometimes has, so it was hard to know if the dubbed Data man was depressed at all.

"Kaidoh, Momoshiro, stop this immediately," Tezuka's voice rang out snapping Kaidoh out of his thoughts and back at the situation at hand. Arguing with the buchou wasn't something Kaidoh wanted to do, but instead of listening to the older boy like he'd usually do, he pointed his racket at the other boy seeing that the other was doing the same to him.

Most people would say that they didn't notice what happened because it happened to fast. Kaidoh saw everything clearly, the raised their rackets and the rackets clashed with each other. Usually when people get knocked out, they see black, but since Kaidoh was seeing white with explosions of red and green he knew that he wasn't unconscious at least. When the white faded and color came back again, both he and Momo were on the ground with only the handle of the racket in their hands.

Everyone was awed, while others relieved. Tezuka and Atobe looked as if they just narrowly escaped death, but Fuji had the most shocked look that Kaidoh think he ever saw on his sempai. Oshitari was clinging onto the fence of the tennis courts his hair blown back and glasses hanging on left his ear, he seemed relieve to escape the explosion since he was standing right next to them trying to stop them. The blow woke the sleeping member of Hyotei who fell asleep after his match with Fuji.

"Gas has color too?" Jiro asked rubbing his eyes without knowledge of what happened.

With the silence broken with such a statement, everyone started laughing. Some laughed because they found Jiro's statement funny, others laughed because they were relieved that the tense silence was broken, and some laughed just because the others laughter was contagious. Tezuka looked as though he was adjusting his glasses, when he was shaking with silent laughter. Momo's was a clear bell over the other while Fuji chuckled with Echizen who started to choke on the water he just drank. The Hyotei team started laughing too, Shishido had to lean against Choutarou since he was laughing that hard. Gakuto was already on the ground rolling with laughter, and Oshitari was laughing as his glasses fell of his ear.

Atobe found himself chuckling but stopped himself promptly, tapping Tezuka on the shoulder who also ceased his laughter suddenly. With their best captain voices they order everyone to get back into their games. Everyone grudgingly obeyed, but Kaidoh observed that everyone's spirits were higher and the depression on the court disappeared. Kaidoh couldn't help but question himself what happened that made their rackets explode, but as their game progressed, he focused solely on the game and forgot about it.

Unknown to the tennis teams, tall figures with black hoods and sweeping cloaks were headed toward Seigaku to where the happiness was.

---

Atobe Keigo wasn't stupid. Unlike Tezuka who had ultimately severed any ties with the magical world, Atobe had the Daily Prophet sent to him every week. Yes, he was the one that proclaimed to Tezuka that tennis was a 'simple Muggle sport' so many years ago. Once Tezuka left, Atobe faced family reasons and society's rejection which forced him to also leave the magical world behind. It was sort of awkward now when they meet on the tennis courts in the middle of the day to play tennis instead of empty corridors at the dead of night to duel. As he was saying, he wasn't stupid.

Lingering mist, coincidental depression of large amounts of people, and the panicking of the magical world? This was not some well timed practical joke. How could Tezuka forget the first lesson he learned in Defense of Dart Arts? Dementors which were supposed to guard Azkaban and which are not in the control of the Ministry of Magic anymore. What Atobe couldn't shake off was why are these creatures in Japan? The island country didn't have a magic school of it's own like China or even Korea had. In all of Asia, Japan has the least amount of witches or wizards, however all of those with magical powers either are extremely talented or harbor immense strength that isn't released until drastic measures are taken.

Undoubtedly that meant that most of them were Muggle born. There are few families that are pure blood and most of their names were lost through the decades. Atobe sniffed at the thought of being inferior to those so called 'pure bloods' that he never bothered to really care about those things. Continuing down his original trail of thought, to make everything less complicated: Voldemort (if there is a name, use it) had set his sights on Japan. For what reason, Atobe could take a vague guess.

It was said that the population of those with magical powers in Japan, strong and what not, have been growing in dramatic number. Most of the adolescence today either have been through magical experiences before or are about to before they become adults. If Voldemort ever took over Japan and take over its people, then his army would probably expand another 1,000,000 or more people. Which wouldn't be a good thing to the rest of the world.

Usually these magical qualities come out in sports, especially those with a ball to hit with a racket or paddle. Apparently magical powers intensify with a medium, however from personal investigation there have been exceptional basketball and soccer players that are able to release their magic from their bodies. That was very rare, for a caster not to use a medium.

Atobe gave a quiet sigh, the depression left the courts and the lighter atmosphere was welcomed like plants with the sun. With that, it meant that the happiness of the courts would draw the attention of some unwanted visitors. He could only hope that Tezuka brought his wand too.

Even with his fabulous skill, it takes much more than one person to fend off what could be a group of dementors. Even if it's just one, then even the memory charms would take a while since there are at least over 30 people around the area.

Atobe heaved a heavier sigh, it was time to receive his weekly Daily Prophet. Surely he can't let other see the owl flying in broad daylight. Walking toward the water faucets, he waited for the owl to send him the newspaper.

-----

Inui Sadaharu felt awfully suspicious about today. Everyone he met was down if not down right depressed. When he met up with the other regulars, he was beginning to doubt himself. None of them were brought down, it was just the opposite, it seemed as if they brightened up. Even with just a quirk of the lips Tezuka looked as if he was smiling fully. His juice didn't cause the desired effect either. This was probably a record breaking day, for most people were acting not according to their data.

When the little explosion happened, it reminded him of an incident that happened back when he was in the last year of elementary. Watching tennis ball after tennis ball throw themselves into the ball baskets was not the best way to end practice. He would have passed it off as hallucination if he didn't see Tezuka, who was still a new friend at that time, standing by the basket waving a stick around. The other boy noticed him but walked away as if nothing happened taking the ball basket with him. Inui was faced with two choices, chase him down and ask or turn away and pretend this never happened.

However, for the sake of future data, Inui let it slide. After all, nothing would be kept a secret for too long, especially how trouble always seems to go Tezuka's way. After what was supposed to be Atobe and Tezuka's first meeting back in their second year of middle school, he noticed how both of them were unusually comfortable in each other's presence as if they'd known each others for a long time. Even more, they talked about strange things. How many people used 'magic' or 'magical' for at least 25 times in a short conversation? 27 to be exact.

When he asked most of the other regulars, most known him since he transferred in the last year of elementary, before that no one knew where he came from. Some say he was from another district, some say he could have been there all along it was just that no one noticed him, and those who really exaggerate it exclaimed that Tezuka came from the heavens. If he were from another district, Inui would understand the connection between him and Atobe. However from what he knew, Atobe left halfway though elementary to study abroad. In England to be exact.

When some of his teammates actually talked about his leave, they said that he just disappeared for a year and a half then suddenly reappeared in their lives again. Atobe himself refused to elaborate on what he did in England, other than showing off his unaccented English Inui could learn nothing more from a direct approach. When the Kanto tournament came along, Inui abandoned his search for answers. However that was back in his second year, now that he was almost graduating and moving into a different district (his parent's felt it was the best to get away from a city for a year or two) he wanted answers to this complicated riddle.

Why were unusual things happening lately? How could some of his teammates execute moves that are nearly physically and mentally impossible? (His data tennis was possible, but you just needed to be able to measure and calculate fast with your brain.) What was the connection between the Hyotei's captain and their own? Who, when, what, how, why?

Bumping into a figure as he walked toward the club room, Inui muttered a small excuse me but the other figure stood unmoving. Looking up, what he saw was about to burn its image in his mind forever.

A dark hooded figure with clammy hands, its very presence made the whole world seem hopeless. Inui Sadaharu would later learn that it was a dementor…that is if he survives the encounter first.

A/N: Inui is hard to write since you don't know what he's thinking about! I'm on an Atobe fetish right now, but yes, he will have a role in the story later on. This is still part of the introduction of the characters and the main problem. Later I will elaborate, but just not now. Too early in the story to explain everything or my first four chapters would have been like 25 pages each.

Thanks for all those who are read from the very beginning, and to those who started now I hope you find the story satisfying. If you find any mistakes or have any complaints of the story then please do say. If you are just going to flame me, try to sound intelligent and educated even if you are not.

My finals are over and I can head back into the world of fanfiction! Yay! Since I have Friday off, maybe I'll finish the fifth chapter by then! See you next time!