I am so sorry it took forever for me to update, I was stuck and really busy. This chapter isn't very good… actually it's crap, but it's the best I could do at the moment. If any of you can recall, I seem to have forgotten my story and it's taking a while to remember =.=

I FINALLY ADDED THE QUIDDITCH THING! *cries in relief * It took such a long time, but it's there now. Er… I think it should be in Chapter 7 :]

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or Bleach

Morning. The most beautiful time of the day in the castle, mostly because it was quiet and peaceful, before the constant bickering of annoying students. Having spent an entire night being baked next to a blazing fire Toshiro had almost flown out of the common room the moment the sunlight hit the window. While it was still quite warm during this time of year it was better than being cooked alive.

Hermione's voice cut through his thoughts. "I heard that you slept in the common room last night." She had insisted that he take a walk around the castle to familiarize himself with the place, not that he hadn't already gone through the whole place at least ten times. Nevertheless, he agreed. Anything to get away from the heat of the indoors.

"I seem to have dozed off in the warmth of the fire." Toshiro lied through clenched teeth. Hermione didn't seem to notice because she beamed.

"That's good! I thought you didn't like the heat or something, or maybe you were having a hard time adjusting, but that you could sleep next to the fire is an improvement! I thought you were sick or something."

Toshiro grunted. It wasn't like he had slept well or anything last night, having woken up after only two hours of sleep. And his dreams didn't help at all, he had had that dream again, the one with Hinamori-Aizen, except this time his childhood fried had transformed even more, her body morphing into a body similar to that of a snake, and then he had been stabbed yet again multiple times, each time having to stare at the blood-splattered, cold and cruel face of the sweet girl that he had grown up with…

"Toshiro."

He turned, pulled back out of his thoughts. Hermione was looking at him, a concerned look on her face.

"You okay?"

"Yeah… I'm fine…"

"You miss Japan?"

Hell, yeah. "Just a little bit."

"Well, you've seemed very… withdrawn lately…"

"Have I?"

"Well yeah, you're always spacing out and stuff... and you know… staying silent."

While Toshiro tried to remember exactly when he had become very talkative, another familiar voice called out from the other side of the courtyard.

"Ms. Granger! Mr. Hitsugaya! Good morning!"

It was Matsumoto, waving near one of the pillars holding the corridor ceiling up. From the looks of it, she had drunk sake or some other alcoholic beverage because her cheeks were a little red.

"Professor Matsumoto! Good morning!"

"Out for a walk?"

"Yup, I wanted to get Toshiro familiar with the castle so he wouldn't get lost."

"Not like I do get lost." Hitsugaya grunted indignantly. "Why are you out here, Professor?"

Matsumoto was positively beaming at the mention of her captain calling his subordinate something more respectful, which annoyed said captain, but she replied,

"Oh, I wanted to take a walk as well, you know, enjoy the autumn breeze before the winter comes. Although I'm pretty sure someone will be quite happy once the freezing, bitter and chilly winter comes along."

"Yes, I've noticed Toshiro seems to quite like the cold." Hermione mused. "How did you know that, professor?"

"Lucky guess." Matsumoto answered, grinning. "But you know, staying in the cold is bad for your health, Shiro-kun!"

A vein pulsed in his forehead as 'lil whitey' resisted the urge to shout at her. Instead he resorted to glare at her; while he was not aware of it, his glares were reputed to kill. Matsumoto immediately backed away.

"Oh right, are you from Japan as well, Professor?"

"Yup!" Matsumoto grinned, giving her a thumbs-up. "I'm from Tokyo, where shopping malls are abundant!" Toshiro sighed. Typical Matsumoto.

"Are you from Tokyo too, Toshiro?"

"Sapporo" he answered. Well, it wasn't a complete lie. He could vaguely remember running through the thick winter snow of Sapporo as a boy, a living boy, holding his mother's hand… It was so may years ago though, and the details were blurry.

"Well, that explains why you like the cold so much… Hokkaido is a snow country, right?"

"Ms. Granger knows her Japanese geography!" Matsumoto beamed. Seizing the opportunity to show off her knowledge, Hermione began to recount all the facts on Japan that she had undoubtedly read from some book or something, and the two ladies began chatting animatedly. Toshiro was left to his own thoughts, which wandered to Hinamori. How was she doing in the recovery room? She had looked so weak, so pale, like she wasn't going to make it. No, don't think that. She's going to be fine. But he had spent the past decades living with death, and he knew that it was merciless. They called themselves gods of the dead, but no mortal being could ever fully compare to the force that had taken so many on their way…

"Well, I must get back to the office now." Matsumoto said airily after a while. "Oh, and Toshiro, about that peach tree you sent me, don't worry, it's still alive and thriving." Then she left.

"You gave Professor Matsumoto a peach tree?"

"For the homework," he said, smiling despite himself.

"For the homework? But… I never heard of that…"

"It was an extension."

"Extension?" Hermione squealed. "Then, that means I have to give her peaches as well! Why didn't you tell me?" She grabbed his arm and dragged him along, ignoring his protests. Yes, it was just another ordinary day at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

"Hello Toshiro." It was Luna, appearing soundlessly to human ears and talking in her usual airy voice. However, what was soundless to a normal ear was elephant stomping to Hitsugaya's. "Is it potatoes today? I quite like them."

Hitsugaya nodded absentmindedly. He could swear the heavy English foods were making him fat, which was why he was laying off the steaming cuisine that had appeared on the golden plates. This had been a subject of concern to both Hermione and Ron, but he just said it was just a matter of getting used to the food. It wasn't a total lie, anyway.

"You should know, Harry Potter is quite suspicious of you."

"I know."

"Yes, Professor Matsumoto told you, didn't she?"

For some reason Toshiro was not the least surprised that she knew about this piece of information. "I'm sure that whatever he suspects me of doing, I am innocent of it."

"Yes, I'm sure you are. But there are definitely dark spots in your life that are being hidden from the rest of us."

"Everyone has their secrets. I think I am entitled to have mine."

"Yes, I think so too, but it seems that some people here disagree." Luna started humming a tune. "I heard that you got into the Quidditch team. Congratulations."

"My position as Chaser is not secure, it all depends on whether or not I want to play, and I am simply substituting for another player. Once she gets better I will have to step off."

"But I can tell you like flying. You're always looking at the sky."

Well, it was true. He sometimes marveled at Luna's being so observant.

"Good job everyone! We are definitely gonna win this one! Remember, our next training session is Friday morning, on the pitch at three." Wood grinned, ignoring the groans from his exhausted team. It was past seven and the setting sun meant everyone had to hurry before Filch came and put them all in detention. The team quickly got changed and hurried to the common room, with he exception of ever-strange Toshiro Hitsugaya, who went the opposite way.

"Toshiro! Where're you going?" Harry ran up to him, prodding him to get his attention. It wasn't like he cared or anything (or so he told himself) but if he got caught the rest of the team would probably get in trouble as well.

"You needn't worry about me, I'll be back in the common room in time."

"Look at the time, the sun's setting and we've probably got about half an hour to get back."

"Half an hour is plenty for me."

"What're doing anyway?"

"There's something I want to check out."

"Something…?"

"Yes" Harry waited for him to continue, but the small boy did not elaborate. Harry sighed. "Just don't get caught."

"Don't worry. I'm not doing anything illegal."

"Are you sure?"

Hitsugaya's mouth turned upwards in what was his closest imitation of a smile, and nodded. "I can take care of myself, Potter, don't worry. You don't want to be late for the curfew, do you?"

Harry sighed. "Just don't blame me if you do get caught."

"I have no intention of doing so."

"Fine then, see you in the common room."

Hitsugaya nodded, and without further ado disappeared into the darkness of the corridor. Harry shook his head, maybe he wasn't working for Voldemort after all. He was probably a suicide bomber, the bomb being Filch and his 'ingenious' ways of putting people in detention. Yeah. That sounded more likely.

The thing about constantly watching your back for any backstabbing knives for a hundred or so years is that after a while, you become paranoid and jumpy and aware of every detail around you: the spiders on the windowsill, the footsteps of the scuttling rats, the smell of the toilets reeking at the end of the hallway.

Not that that's a bad thing, and it certainly helped as Hitsugaya wandered down the hallway, tracking the presence he had felt back in the changing rooms. He could hear something moving in the walls… something big. And the reiatsu didn't feel right… as if it was… evil. But that was absurd. You couldn't tell if something was evil from its reiatsu, right?

Kill…

Not again. Whatever it was, its vocabulary was incredibly limited. So far he had only heard 'kill' and 'blood'. Geez, such a sadist. But then again, the last time he had heard the bodiless kill a cat had been attacked, and their main concern was that a human would soon be attacked, and being a shinigami he kinda had his work laid out for him right there. Or maybe another cat would get attacked. Oh my gosh, how horrible. I totally care if another annoying cat gets frozen for a bit. At least it'll shut up. Obviously he didn't like cats

He continued to follow the noise for a while, almost bumping into Filch near the toilets where Mrs. Norris has been petrified. Fortunately he managed to whiz past him before he could even turn his head. He was about to get impatient and smash the wall open to see what the heck it was when he heard something else: footsteps, echoing at the end of the now silent corridor. Toshiro quickly stepped behind a statue of a phoenix just in time before a familiar looking silhouette passed by. Where had he seen this person before?

"Ginny Weasley?"

The person turned. He had guessed right. The firelight made Ginny's telltale red hair flare even more, to the point where it was blinding. It was like her entire head was glowing, which was a bit disturbing considering the sun had set a while ago and the only light now was from the flickering candles. She almost jumped out of her skin when she saw Toshiro's ghostly figure step out from behind the statue.

"T-Toshiro! What are you doing out so late?"

"Shouldn't I be asking that?"

Ginny tentatively pushed her hair out of her face. "I was... taking a walk."

"It's past dark, won't you get in trouble?"

"You will too if anyone catches you!"

Hitsugaya sighed. He turned to the fading sound of the large thing he had been following, then decided stalking it around the school wouldn't do much good, and now that the girl had appeared…

"Let's go back to the common room before Filch comes and sees us. I almost bumped into him at the toilets."

She paled and nodded. They started walking back to the dormitories.

"So… what were you doing out so late?"

Ginny looked a bit confused. "What?"

"Why were you out so late? Aren't you afraid of getting in trouble?"

She seemed dazed by the question and paused for a while, as if she didn't really know the answer.

"I-I don't actually know… I… I guess I just felt like taking a walk…"

Strange, it didn't feel like she was lying, it was as if she genuinely didn't know why she was walking around alone in the dark castle. She looked awful, perhaps it was just the increasingly cold weather, but she looked peaky and sick. Her brown eyes were unfocused as if she was in some sort of trance. Maybe she was just tired. It was, after all, very late.

"You don't know?"

"I… I guess I just dozed off… it's quite late anyway."

He nodded, it was strange but reasonable, he had been tired countless times before. They continued to walk until he heard more footsteps.

"Shh! I hear some-"

Too late. Matsumoto materialized behind Toshiro, obviously pleased at herself for having caught her captain. Hitsugaya could imagine her face was plastered with her widest smile yet.

"P-Professor Matsumoto!" Ginny squeaked, her face going paler. Obviously all the shock from today was a bit too much. "I-I'm very sorry, I was going back to the common room but I got lost and-" She was cut off by Matsumoto's amused laugh.

"Mr. Hitsugaya."

Toshiro turned, trying to keep a straight face without a vein pulsing somewhere. "Yes?"

"Mr. Filch told me that you're a bit of a troublemaker, and now that you've been caught out after dark…." She wagged her finger. "Tsk tsk, you're coming with me."

"What about me, Professor?"

Matsumoto was stuck for a moment. "I'll just let you off with a warning, Miss Weasley, but Mr. Hitsugaya here has been a very bad boy." She was finding it hard to contain herself.

He rolled his eyes, suppressing an exasperated sigh, and turned to Ginny. "Well, I'll see you in the common room if you're still there."

She looked worried but managed an "Okay" before getting the hell out of there.

"A crude method, Matsumoto. Next time when you want to talk to me try not to injure my pride." Now that he was being watched, this would probably be the best opportunity to talk to her without anyone getting suspicious.

"Mehh… taichooo, you have no idea how boring it is sitting in that stuffy office without sake all day with tons of work to mark and everything~ and the subject is sooo hard to learn, I have to learn all the spells and…"

"Has the headmaster asked you to do anything else for him?" Toshiro asked, cutting her rant short. Matsumoto's mouth was still hanging open, but she closed it quickly and shook her head. "However, he has asked me to report in tonight. In an hour, actually."

He ran his hand through his hair. This spying business was really pissing him off.

"Well, apart from tonight," he glared at Matsumoto, "I haven't done anything worth noticing… so that's all you'll tell Dumbledore."

"What were you doing tonight though?"

He sighed. "That creature that attacks the students? It's traveling in the walls, and it's big. It's huge. And the it's presence is so large that it seems unnatural... Plus it's been talking again. Unfortunately I can't follow it around in case someone catches me, but I doubt anyone would attempt to put you in detention."

"Eh, taicho, you want me to follow this thing?"

"Didn't you say you had nothing to do? If this thing is left to its own devices the entire student body would be in serious danger."

"But but but taichooo… Only you and Potter-san have ever heard the thing, how am I supposed to track it?"

"Matsumoto that's that lamest excuse you've come up with so far. What do you mean you can't hear it, have you been putting cotton buds in your ear the whole time?"

"I'm serious, taicho, I've never heard the thing traveling, let alone speak."

She looked serious, but she was an experienced liar. But what if what she was saying was true? Yes, most of the students had half deaf, but Matsumoto could hear him walking to the office even when he had just entered the barracks (assuming she wasn't drunk)… if she couldn't hear it…. And Potter, how come he could hear it as well, while everyone else thought he was crazy?

It was questions over questions over questions. He wanted to eat a watermelon and take a nap. Being sleep-deprived like he was at the moment wasn't good for his health. Matsumoto noticed his fatigue, and said,

"Taicho, it's getting late, maybe you should go to sleep. After all, if you don't sleep you won't grow!"

He felt like smashing her face in but instead just scowled. "Good luck with Dumbledore."

"Oh please, after so many years with you taicho, that old man's gonna be a piece of cake."

"Just… be careful of him."

"Sure! Goodnight!"

"Hn."

Dumbledore was humming a rather screechy song that had been popular with the mermaids a few years ago and writing a letter to the Minister when he heard someone knock on his door. Putting down his quill, he got swiftly left his chair and opened the doors.

"Professor Matsumoto, I assume my message was delivered?"

"Yes sir, it was. Otherwise I wouldn't be standing here, would I? May I come in?"

"Certainly" Dumbledore stepped aside to reveal his large office. Matsumoto took a moment to marvel at its size and various shiny instruments before following Dumbledore to his desk. He pulled the chair out for her and she sat.

"I'd like to believe that you came to see me not out of necessity but because you wanted to see me." Dumbledore said lightly as he sat back down. He looked at her and smiled. Matsumoto smiled back.

"So, Professor, how is our peculiar Toshiro doing?"

"He's a good student, hasn't been getting up to anything unusual. He's got quite a few friends, and they get along…" Total lie. Oh well.

"He's joined the Quidditch team, I hear."

"Yes sir, and he seems to be quite a good Chaser."

Dumbledore nodded thoughtfully, and silence descended on them for a few moments. Then he asked "Anything else?"

Matsumoto shook her head, trying to keep her smile as wide as possible "That's it. Nothing strange or anything…"

Dumbledore smiled. "Thank you, Professor. Could you please continue watching Mr. Hitsugaya for me? These are dangerous times, even in this school."

Matsumoto bowed. "Yes, sir. I'll be going now."

She turned, grinning from ear to ear. Her taicho had better reward her with a big crate of sake when she got back. If he could find one.

The door closed behind her. Dumbledore had not moved from his seat, and the smile was still plastered on his face.

"The lady's lying" Phineas muttered, flicking dust off his nail. Dumbledore was silent for a moment, then chuckled.

"Oh, you never know, Phineas. You think everyone lies."

"True."

"Hi Harry."

He turned. There he was again, Toshiro sitting on the spinning chair, except this time the chair kept spinning and spinning until the small boy was a blur.

"What do you want?"

"Me? Oh, I don't want anything." He smiled. It was disconcerting.

"Why do you want to kill me?"

"Oh, was it that obvious? Very well, now that you know, I guess I'll have to tell you."

Harry wrapped his fingers around his wand as the chair slowed down until it had stopped completely. Toshiro was staring straight at him with his turquoise eyes.

"I'm killing you… for PIES!"

Harry shot out of bed, not really panting but more like cracking up. What the heck was with all those crazy dreams about Toshiro? Yes, he still suspected him and everything, but really, where did the pies come in?

As usual, everyone was fast asleep. Harry noticed that a sleeping Toshiro now occupied the usually empty bed at the end of the room. It had been a while since he had come in to sleep, on a bed at least, he usually either slept in the common room or next to an open window. He looked really tired, not even having bothered to change out of his robes. Harry wondered when he had come in, but at least he hadn't been caught by Filch.

Wait what? You're concerned for him?

That took him by surprise. It took him a while to come up with an answer.

No, I just don't want his recklessness to cost Gryffindor any points

Sure, you just keep telling yourself that.

I will, thank you very much.

Toshiro didn't seem to be sleeping well though. He was sweating again, moving around in his bed, and one time muttered something that he couldn't really hear very well, but he was pretty sure it was something like 'NOOOOO'. Yes, that's very hard to hear.

Deciding he didn't want to go back to sleep, he got out of bed and paced around the room. Just then, a black butterfly flew through the partially open window, somehow managing to carry a scroll on its back. Harry watched in awe as it flew over next to Toshiro's bed and dropped it on the desk next to it. Then it disintegrated.

Baffled, Harry walked over and unrolled the scroll. More Japanese. Great.

He glanced over at Toshiro, who was still sleeping. He remembered vaguely in the back of his head that there was a spell that translated foreign languages into English. What was it again? He racked his brains. Oh yes.

"Reddo*"

Nothing happened for a moment, then the characters shifted and after a while turned into English.

Okay, yes it was kinda invading his privacy, but maybe he had just managed to intercept a message from Voldemort. You never know. Did Harry ever need a reason to trash someone's stuff?

Hitsugaya-kun, it read, I hope you're doing well. Abarai-kun told me that you've gone to the real world to check something out with… Oh, how convenient, whoever this person was their name had been blotched out by water or something. That's nice, of all the places for it to fall. He continued reading. Is the investigation going smoothly? The ink was a bit blotchy in the next bit, so he skipped it and went onto the next line.

You know, Shiro-chan, I'm all better now. Unohana-taicho said so herself. So you don't have to worry about me anymore. Um… Another blotch. The writing on the next line looked shakier, and Harry wondered what the person had been doing while writing this. Crying, maybe?

Shiro-chan… there's something I really need to tell you… but… well I tried calling but Abarai-kun told me wherever you are the stuff there is messing up your phones and stuff… but I… At this point the writing was so shaky it was almost illegible, and Harry had to squint to figure out what it was. Well, next time you get the chance, call me okay? Captain Commander doesn't want me to leave just yet… but Shiro-chan… you're the only person… I can really talk to about… this.

There was no name, just a little smiley face and a drawing of a peach at the bottom. Harry looked at Hitsugaya, who had become very agitated.

Who was this person? It was probably a girl, guys didn't really write like this, but as far as he knew there was no important girl in Toshiro's life. 'Abarai-kun', who was that? He said he had gone somewhere for to investigate something, obviously that somewhere was at Hogwarts. Did that mean he was right? Was Toshiro really working for Voldemort, and was this sent by some female subordinate of his? I'm all better now, wait, was Voldemort back? Last year he had still been a parasite living on people's flesh, had he somehow found another Philosopher's Stone or something? And who was the blotched out person who was working with him? He reread the short letter.

Harry sighed. It was too complicated for him to figure out right now, but he couldn't just give it back. Anyhow, he'd forgotten the spell to reverse the translation. It wouldn't hurt to take it, would it? After all, Toshiro didn't even know someone had sent him the letter… probably…

Harry dashed to the other side of the room and rolled the small piece of paper into a moldy sock in his trunk and closed it with a thump. Then he dove under the covers and tried his best to fall asleep.

The first thing Harry could think of when his alarm clock went off was the letter, rolled up in the smelly old sock. He didn't even care if it was cold; he just went straight for his trunk to check if the letter was still there. Of course it was. Harry was just so paranoid that he began to imagine Hitsugaya with x-ray eyes or psychic powers. What? It didn't sound that absurd in the magical world.

"'Arry?" Ron mumbled, still groggy from sleep. "What'cha doing?"

"I'll show you later." Harry muttered, checking that Toshiro was gone. He was. Harry rolled up the sock and stuffed it in his robes, which he put on quickly in case someone tried to make a grab for it.

"Come on Ron, let's go down for breakfast. I've have just made an enormous breakthrough."

"Well I need to make the enormous breakthrough out of bed first." Ron murmured. "Wait a sec."

They went down for breakfast a few minutes later. Toshiro wasn't there, thank God. He wouldn't be there to hear it.

"Psst! Hermione!" Harry whispered. She looked up.

"What?"

Harry dug the sock out of his pocket. "Look at this!"

"Look at… your sock?"

Harry puffed in frustration and pulled the letter out of the sock. It stank like hell but he was too excited to care. "This!"

"What's that?" Ron asked as Hermione edged closer to read it.

"A letter to Toshiro," she muttered. "Where did you get that?"

"Er… well a butterfly flew in last night with the paper and dropped it on Toshiro's desk… and I… well…"

"You stole it?" Hermione exclaimed. He clamped his hand over her mouth. People were staring.

"It's nothing, go back to eating," he chuckled weakly, then hissed "Shh! What if he hears you?"

"Wait, a butterfly took it here?"

"Yeah, a black and pink one about this big." He held his thumb and middle finger apart to make a 'C'. Hermione looked puzzled.

"Since when do butterflies deliver letters? And how could such a small thing carry something like this?" She held it up an read it quietly.

"See, doesn't this prove that he's here for some other reason? I hope your investigation goes smoothly, he's not here to learn magic or anything Hermione, he's spying on us!"

"Wait, but what does it mean by the real world?" Ron asked, pointing at it. "Is that supposed to mean he's from the 'not real world' then?"

"Don't be absurd, Ron, there is no 'not real world.' Perhaps its an inside joke… And look at this." She pointed at the blotch that covered the name of the person working with Toshiro. "Who's this? The ink's gone all runny…"

"Is there any sort of spell that can deal with it?" Harry asked hopefully. This letter was perhaps the biggest thing that had happened since the incident with Mrs. Norris, and the most useful thing of it was hidden behind a drop of water. They were so close it was infuriating.

"I can try, there is one spell I know…" She waved her wand over the paper and muttered some words. The water began to disappear, and they leaned in to see, but all it revealed was a rather ugly looking smiley made from Japanese characters. The two boys looked at Hermione.

"Did you do something wrong?"

Hermione flushed. She never did things wrong, and no one was going to accuse her of doing so. "Is this the original version, Harry?"

"The original version?"

"Yeah, did you do anything to it?"

"Well, I translated it from Japanese to English, but that's all."

"You translated it?" Hermione stared at the paper. "Then we have no idea if this is really what was written on the paper. For all we could know this is a whole bunch of nonsense. No wonder it doesn't make much sense." She threw it on the table, obviously annoyed.

"Hey, what's that supposed to mean?" Harry prodded her. "You don't trust my spellwork?"

"Would you happen to have a copy of the original?" Ron asked hopefully.

"Uh… no…"

They sighed. "Bloody hell, to think we were so close to uncovering something worth it, and now it's gone." Ron poked his porridge with a spoon.

"But guys, seriously, don't you want to know more about this?"

"Harry, you should never have taken it without Toshiro's permission." Hermione scolded. "It's stealing, and now we have no way of giving it back. There might have been important stuff from his family there."

"Look, I swear, this is what it says! What if this really was from Voldemort-"

"Don't say his name!"

"And we just regarded it as nonsense?" Harry continued, ignoring Ron's panic.

Hermione grabbed the paper. "Look at this! Wherever you are the stuff there is messing up your phones… call me… This is obviously not You-Know-Who."

"Why?"

She rolled her eyes as if she were talking to a particularly stupid toddler. "Phones are a muggle invention. You-Know-Who hates muggles, remember? And this person doesn't seem to know that cell phones don't work here in Hogwarts."

"They don't?" Ron and Harry asked in unison.

She threw her hands in the air in exasperation. "Oh my gosh, how many times do I have to tell you? The magic here overloads all electrical devices and messes them up. You-Know-Who ought to know that."

Harry hated to admit it, but she was right. Voldemort claimed to know everything about Hogwarts, if he didn't even know something like that it'd be kind of sad.

"Well, what if it's translation problems?"

"Exactly my point! We have no idea if this is really the complete and accurate translation of the original letter this person sent or if it's just something you managed to make up."

"How could I make something like this up?"

"I'm not saying that you did it on purpose, Harry, but if the spell wasn't cast properly the whole thing would be ruined, and since we don't have the original we can't really check."

Harry refused to drop the matter (as usual) but Hermione wouldn't listen, and Ron, although he tried to believe it, the evidence was just not enough. He dropped it as well, and Hermione changed the subject.

"Guys, I've been thinking about what McGonagall said, about the Chamber of Secrets."

"You have?" Ron asked in mock surprise. Hermione punched him in the ribs.

"Anyway, the one who can open it is the'Heir of Slytherin', right? And fifty years ago, it was opened and a girl was killed right?"

"Yeah…"

"Well, who do we know that really hates muggles, and is in Slytherin?"

They didn't even have to think. "Malfoy." Ron said, his eyes wide. "You think he's the Heir of Slytherin?"

"He's more likely than Toshiro," she said, scowling at Harry, who scowled back. "His father was at Hogwarts fifty years ago, right?"

"You think he taught Malfoy how to open the Chamber?" Harry asked, half disbelieving and half enthusiastic.

"You guys are suspecting the Malfoy boy?"

The three jumped. Toshiro had (somehow) appeared soundlessly behind them, and was staring at them.

"Were you eavesdropping on us?" Harry demanded

"You guys were practically announcing your suspicions to the whole Hall. I just happened to walk by."

Harry scowled at him, but Hermione seemed quite happy to see him.

"So what do you think? I mean, Malfoy's the most suspicious one here, and he fits the description."

Toshiro thought for a moment. Yes, Malfoy was an annoying prat who hated muggles, but that was pretty much all he was. He had a lot of experience with criminals, and Malfoy just didn't strike him as one.

"You're going to need more evidence if you want to accuse Malfoy of something like that."

"Why?" Ron asked. Toshiro sighed.

"You think he is the Heir of Slytherin because he's in Slytherin and hates muggles," he gestured at the Slytherin table. "Doesn't that apply to everyone there?"

Ron blinked a couple times, then his eyes sparked. He understood. Finally.

"Oh yeah, he's got a point, we can't just walk up to him and ask 'Hey are you the Heir of Slytherin' can we?"

Hermione was silent, obviously deep in thought. "I know one way to make him talk."

The other three stared at her, Toshiro not as enthusiastically, but still. Hermione had a very solemn look on her face, the same look she's had when she first asked McGonagall about the Chamber of Secrets.

*Totally made up spell, I just typed translate into a Latin translator and got that.

Hmm... Hinamori's letter is tied to something else I've written so if it seemed random it's not supposed to be… although I'm wondering again if it's too side-story-ish…. mehh

Oh I forgot to write this in the last chapter but this story takes place in between the part where Ichigo goes to rescue Rukia and when the Arrancar start invading, but the timeframe has kind of been extended to a bit more than one year but Soul Society is already aware of the Arrancar's existence. So… kind of like the Bounto arc time… I think. Just so you know.