Warnings: AU, Gender-swap (features a Female Ichigo), violence, Ginny-bashing for sure….that's all for now.
Disclaimer: Tite Kubo owns Bleach and J.K. Rowling owns Harry Potter. Honestly, if I owned Harry Potter, Ginny would be burning in the deepest pits of hell, and if I owned Bleach, Ichigo's final hollow form would be seen a lot more often…
AN: To answer a few questions I had gotten from reveiwers, I state in the author's note in chapter four that I was going to change how she died. As for the matter of the Hogwarts ghosts, I have always seen magic in the Potter-verse as sentient. To put it simply, they cannot be touched because it is expected that they cannot be touched. With Ichigo, they assumed that she was alive, so magic allowed them to help her. There is more to the anomaly that are the Hogwarts ghosts that will hopefully be explained in time. Also there is a reason that Ichigo's friends and family have not been involved, which will come to play in upcoming chapters. And finally to address the problem of Kyoka Suigetsu…To me it's power is sort of like a brain parasite, so even if Fred and George could create glasses to allow people to stare directly at it's release without being affected (which is a great idea by the way), it would do no good for those already 'infected'.
AN: I apologize, but postings may take longer in the future as classes just started at my college and I have so much homework that I believe I have killed my own little section of forest (I am so proud!)
Chapter 5:
Ichigo was staring so intently at the crack in the dirty celing of the bedroom she was sharing with Ginny, and Hermione that one would think it contained the secrets of the universe. In reality, she was contemplating what the Headmaster had decided the best course of action was. She was to attend Hogwarts as a student. They were going to get everyone's supplies the next day at some alley, she was to spend the rest of the summer catching up. This task would have been significantly more difficult had the headmaster not applied for the underage status for Harry, Hermione, and herself to be revoked (with the anti-Potter/Dumbledore sentiment, she expected it was only allowed out of fear that she would level the building). Things were getting far too complicated, yet somehow she was content….maybe it was because of Harry. It was with these thoughts that she was finally lulled to sleep.
Diagon alley was a bustle of activity, and it seemed that she didn't have enough eyes to see everything. Harry found her reaction endearing as it was so similar to his when he was eleven, and ventured to point out various things.
The first stop was gringotts. Ichigo planned to open an account there where she place her substantial captian's salary (AN: She keeps it in the same place she kept Zangetsu). The reaction of the goblins was disconcerting at best. As soon as they entered the bank, they were surrounded by angry goblins with spears pointed at vital points.
"What are you doing here god of death?" the goblin she assumed to be the leader asked.
"I'm just here to open up an account as I shall be attending Hogwarts….but I must ask why you hate soul reapers so much?"
"It's simple", the goblin sneered, "we have it on good authority that all of your swords are created from goblin made steel and we have yet to be compensated…"
Ichigo stared at the creature incredulously, "If you actually believe that, you are a fucking idiot." This made the rest of the group cringe as they knew that goblins were notoriously proud creatures. "Every single sword is a manifestation of the weilder's soul. See, watch", she replied, again pulling her sword out of that rip in space, and showed them Zangetsu just as she had done with the Order the day prior. "Now that you know the truth, can I create an account."
The rest of there time at the bank was uncomfortable for everyone but Ichigo, as she was used to getting glared at. Harry heard her mutter "these goblin thingies ain't got nothing' on Byakuya's glare or Kenpachi's 'let's fight' smile." He then felt an irrational surge of jealousy. Who were these two men? He managed to pull himself out of his stupor long enough to realize they were in the creepy wandmakers shop.
While Harry, Ichigo, and the others were outside, Ollivander was preparing to do his signature entrance, perfected over years of selling wands. No matter how much beloved, his dusty old shop was well…boring. Scaring the crap out of potential costumers, was the highlight of his day. As soon as the orange-haired woman asked if there was anyone there, he popped out from the secret alcove he had built in just for that purpose. He had been suspecting a yelp, or if he was lucky a string of curses, however what he got was a glowing red ball thrust in his face. He could feel the heat and the sheer power rolling off it in waves.
Ichigo had just entered the wand shop when a creepy ass old man jumped out in front of her. With reflexes honed during the war, she charged up a cero and held it in front of his face in a threatening manner. When she saw the pure terror etched on his face, she reabsorbed the energy and helped him steady himself.
"Sorry about that creepy (he grimaced at his new nickname), but scaring the crap out of someone that has been fighting a war since they were fifteen probably isn't the best idea."
Mr. Ollivander was finally able to get his bearings and replied, "That is fine. It was my mistake…..so I take it you're here to purchase your first wand?"
"Yep, replied Ichigo excitedly, "However I am worried….control has never been my strong suit. I may be able to use kido, but all of my spells are way overpowered."
If the information worried the shopkeeper, he didn't show it, merely choosing to gather up five boxes that he thought could contain possibilities. He was in for a surprise when all five boxes exploded when they got within a foot of Ichigo. Everyone jumped back, while Ichigo just looked sheepish, mumbling something to the tune of "I freakin' warned you". before returning to stare at the ground.
"Curious", said Ollivander, leading Harry to decide that it was the old wandmaker's absolute favorite word. "It seems we may just have to do a custom wand for you… please follow me, you may bring one other person as too many will disrupt your ability to feel the pulls to different materials."
Harry tried not to feel both warm and smug at the same time when she grabbed his wrist.
"Now reach out with your senses and find the items that you feel pulled to". explained Ollivander in an eager tone. Ichigo, remembering her training with the hollow technique Pesquisas, quicky gathered up four items in her arms.
"Curious", said Ollivander again (Harry fumed silently), "You have selected the blood of a thestral and the feather of a dark phoenix as your cores, and a high quality piece of obsidian and a moonstone as further focuses…but there is no wood for me to make this out of."
Ichigo suddenly heard her Zanpakto speak to her, telling her what to use and why. Finally coming out of her trance to face a confused Harry, she related what he told her. "Apparently, all the cores are tied to who I fundamentaly am as someone who deals with the dead, while my focuses are tied to my zanpakto with the moonstone reflecting his name and powers, and the obsidian with the desire to protect. This leaves me off-balance…I need to protect as well as destroy. My hollow nature needs to be represented so Zangetsu told me to use the bone from my hollow mask in place of the wood."
"Oh?", said Ollivander, "If that is the case follow me to the front of the shop so I can put your wand together."
After reaching the counter, the wandmaker told her to pull out the material he was supposed to use, so she pulled her hand over her face, allowing red tinged black reaitsu to envelop her leaving behind a demonic looking mask. Those who had not yet seen this transformation felt a shiver of fear run down there spines. She quickly broke off half of the mask and handed it to the shell-shocked man. He stammered out a quick 'it should be done in about four hours.' before ushering them out the door with an exited expression on his face.