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

I just finished like 22 chapter notes for Gone with the Wind. That book is interesting but scandalous. Not to mention I went to this nice opera tonight. I'm just a weird teenager who likes operas. It was quite interesting, something about a magic flute. I wasn't going to start on this chapter until March, but the magic flute made me remember of magical rackets and I was like 'I really should write some for it shouldn't I?"

So here's the end of my ramble and the beginning of the seventh chapter!

Mood

Oshitari Yuushi noticed something. Actually it was Jirou who pointed it out first, but Oshitari was betting that he was the only one who was putting some thought into it. Atobe had been appearing out of no where at certain times. They were always sudden, but almost planned. At the break between first and second period, Atobe was walking behind him when Oshitari turned around to see that Atobe was gone. Then in front of their second period classroom Atobe was behind him again. There were also times were he swore to have seen Atobe going around the corner with Shishido, but when Oshitari turned to see Atobe right behind him conversing with some teacher. It was like Atobe was at both sides of the campus at the same time.

How did Jirou notice this Oshitari didn't know and doubted he wanted to, however when curiosity got ahead of common sense, Yuushi couldn't help but ask. The Akutagawa just stared at him funny with the 'you-haven't-noticed-yet' look, actually the blonde said that after staring at him but that wasn't the point. Jirou just smiled sleepily at him and said something truly mind boggling:

"Now, that is something for me to know, and for you to find out."

With that the boy fell asleep again, but that made Yuushi want to wake the boy up and pester him with questions. It was a miracle for Jirou that it didn't happen. Oshitari was an observant person, on the courts and off. For the whole week, Atobe was off. He didn't know what was off, but something was just off. Then again, everything was a bit off.

Ever since that mass slaughter in that new shopping center, Atobe was off. From what Oshitari knew, investigators haven't found the cause of the deaths nor did they dare enter the building for quite a while. The lists of casualties had been long, it was almost like a war. Lost lists of wounded and dead informing the unfortunate families of whom ever they lost.

It would have surprised the Hyotei genius how close his comparison was.

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It hung like a dark cloud over the family, Oishi knew it would once the list came on last night. The atmosphere seemed surreal, almost nightmarish. His father was at work at the moment, so the house was quiet other than Eiji's attempts on cheering him up. It wasn't as if he felt sad, it was as if he could feel nothing. A sort of numbness. Usually his mother would come into his room asking if he or Eiji needed anything, but knowing that his mother would never come through at door and bother him again made him kind of…sad.

Oishi knew from practice today that he should be feeling sadder. Tezuka had a strained look on his face that never was there before, Kaidoh turned away whenever someone tried to talk to him, and Echizen didn't come to practice at all. Fuji wore a sympathetic smile, but that smile succeeded in angering Oishi in a way that he never was before. The smile Fuji had on may have been just trying to be cautious of his feelings, but what Oishi read of that smile differed.

My brother escaped, but your mother did not. Even when Fuji smoothed his usual cheery smile into a somewhat sad and what may have been understanding but all Oishi read was mocking, a mocking that Fuji Yuuta should have been killed too but Syusuke managed to get his brother to escape that fate. For once in his life, he completely loathed the tensai. How was it such a coincidence that Fuji wanted Yuuta to go back to his dorms because Syusuke 'felt ill winds.'

It's just not fair…

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Atobe tried to relax his nerves, but it didn't work. Voldemort was in Japan. No, if his insight was correct, Voldemort was in Tokyo. He told Tezuka to inform all of his Regulars involved that they'd be leaving the day after tomorrow. It was sudden, but it was too dangerous to stay for two weeks like they planned. Atobe never told Tezuka about Voldemort being in Japan, it would make the other teen hasty and use unwise judgment. Last time Atobe expected Tezuka to be more mature; Tezuka went off to play a long game with him succeeding in shattering his shoulder. If it was something as dangerous as Voldemort, Atobe knew he couldn't give Tezuka any information until the boy was at Hogwarts and out of reach.

Atobe sat on his bed his fingers tapping against each other, not idly but frantically, trying to think of a way for them to leave to Hogwarts without Voldemort knowing so. If his previous encounter with Voldemort was enough information, then Voldemort would know though spies. It was important to keep the departure discreet. He was smart, but not to the point where he could think of every possible scenario. Atobe's prowess had a limit believe it or not.

If it were possible, Voldemort may have a spy in them. Tezuka, he knew couldn't be one after all they both went against Voldemort in the only year they were there. Kawamura, the dual personality guy who played Kabaji, didn't seem to have that type of personality but no one could be sure. The slam dunker, the tensai, and the 'viper' weren't very likely suspects. (Suspects? A detective drama already?) That left the data man and their freshman. The data guy was surely creepy, and seemed to be a spy material with his note book and all. Echizen, Atobe had doubts on. The seventh grader's case was extraordinary, he was the first one to be approached by who was supposedly Dumbledore, but he is the only one who can't see the dementors. Then again, who knows what the first year could or couldn't see.

If there really was a spy among them, there was only one way to rat the person out. Catch them in action, but that meant one of them had to stay here in order to do that. Even without a spy it was risky to send about ten people on an international portkey across Asia without Voldemort noticing the sudden amount of magic needed to do that. Atobe swallowed painfully before leaning back against his pillows, there was something else he'd have to keep from Tezuka. He would have to stay in Japan. That itself wouldn't be a problem telling Tezuka, but the fact Kunimitsu doesn't know Voldemort was here…

Atobe Keigo had to smirk weakly, this was great. He'd have to stay in Japan for who knows how long, alone, with a madman who can kill with two words and not bat an eye. The joy…

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Tezuka knew better than to self destruct at his father's death. It was hard though. At practice, Fuji wore a smile that had hidden meanings in it. Most would have just seen it as a sympathetic smile but Tezuka knew better. For some reason it seemed as if Oishi noticed, Tezuka noted to himself. Fuji kept talking about how unfortunate it was and how lucky he was that his younger brother narrowly escaped. If Syusuke were truly happy to that, the tensai wouldn't have said anything but just smiled happily. If it were like that, Tezuka wouldn't have been irritated at his classmate, but it was like Fuji was trying to purposely mock them.

It just occurred to Tezuka that he didn't understand Fuji anymore. He just couldn't understand the boy, those smile seemed foreign to those he used to wear. Syusuke's expressions had layers of hidden meanings, no longer the simple expressions. This was not the time to think about this though. They were planning to leave the day after tomorrow. That gave them roughly 36 hours to prepare. Every minute was passing by like sand in an hourglass.

He didn't know about anyone else, but Tezuka was not so ready for this trip. Going back to those enchanted walls that mesmerized him, the adventures that made matured him, and the discrimination he faced when he was younger.

The TV in the living room down stairs was on making a small buzzing sound, his mother was calling his name to eat dinner, and the nightly newspaper sat on his bed. With a sigh Tezuka leaned back into the chair, so much for concentrating on his homework.

The small print of his textbook and the neat writing of his own writing were slowly fading from his sight. Taking off his glasses and slouching into a more comfortable position in the chair, he allowed his vision to fade into black. With that, Tezuka just allowed another day to pass.

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Fuji walked up to the tennis courts not saying a word. Other students stared unashamed; it was unusual for Fuji to… Well, since no one else spoke up, they just went about their own business ignoring it. Those in the tennis club didn't say anything as Fuji walked across their courts to the Regular courts. The Regulars however looked up and the first thing they asked was:

"Yuuta, where's your brother?"

It wasn't the older Fuji, it was the younger, Fuji Yuuta. The expression he wore spelled trouble.

A/N: I'm sorry this chapter was short, but ever since the sixth chapter everything has been getting out of hand. I broke down at lunch in front of my history teacher, she was nice about it though. I got to skip fifth period. - Well, my computer with all my fanfiction just crashed. Everything is gone and I don't want my story to be ruined because I can't get out of my own depression. So I'll write when I feel better.

I'm very sorry, I'm trying to get money for a new lab top. I have about $7 and I need like $1000 for an okay lab top. I'm really sorry. This really isn't a good reason but I'm stressed out with my studies and I can't get a part-time job since my studies take up so much time. I have a basketball game on Wednesday and I'm having more practice so my schedule is filled and I don't really have time for fanfiction.

You can see that I started this chapter a while back and now it's just like…well yeah. I try to finish another chapter but I am really sorry.