I apologize greatly for leaving this story off for a year. At least the actual conflict hadn't started it. The plot's going to start seeming a bit rushed, because I really can't spare much time… I'll try to update from time to time, but it'll probably be during the summer of 2005 before I get around to habitual uploads. Gomen nasai…

/begin/

Makoto was drowsing in Divination, which was now being taught by both Firenze and Trelawney. One semester was the study of Trelawney's expertise, and the other was Firenze's astrology. Trelawney was teaching this semester (Harry had the vague suspicion that the two switched every other class), and Harry and Ron couldn't help allowing their eyes to trail over to Raye. Harry was interested in Raye's reaction to Trelawney's attempt at teaching "the sight;" Ron was interested in her figure.

"It's wonderful that we have students from Japan," Professor Trelawney exclaimed, clasping her hands in agitation. "It just so happens that we will be studying the Art of Divination from other countries this year. Fire-reading is among the talents of the Japanese, is it not? Is that true?"

"Hmm? Ah, hai." Makoto snapped to attention as Professor Trelawney paused in front of her. "Eh, I mean yes. You should ask H-Aino Rei about it, though. She's the miko."

Harry breathed a sigh of relief. She nearly revealed Raye's last name… He shuddered slightly, despite the extremely hot and stuffy atmosphere.

"Miko?" Trelawney peered curiously at Makoto, obviously creeping her out.

"Ah… miko, uhn…"

"I'm a Shinto priestess," Raye offered.

Professor Trelawney clasped her hands together again. "Oh, how wonderful! We have Japanese Divination from a reliable source!"

"Like we had a reliable source for anything else?" Harry stifled his mirth as Ron whispered sarcastically to him.

Trelawney proceeded to have a question-answer session with Raye, while she broadcasted her limited knowledge of Shintoism in general, fire-reading in particular. As the class was finally dismissed, Ron commented, "And she's supposed to teach this stuff."

Harry shrugged. "Yeah, well I don't think she can teach us to read fire. Raye emphatically tried to explain only Shinto priestesses can do that. I don't think Trelawney was listening, though." They stopped abruptly as a large crowd cluttered the hallway before the Great Hall. A group of Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw first years were gibbering madly, and several of the professors were discussing something over with Dumbeldore. The first years were being ushered away by Professor McGonagall, and Ron and Harry hung about behind a pillar, hoping to catch snatches of the conversation.

"Madame Hooch…"

Dumbeldore frowned. "I have, from a reliable source, information that she is nowhere in Hogwarts."

"It's unlike her to… I mean, she's always about, and especially to skip a lesson in broom-training… it devastates some of the first years…"

"I know, and I'm going off to the Ministry of Magic to send out search parties."

Professor Snape frowned. "Is that wise? At this sort of a time? With the possibility of it being… a decoy? Send owls out."

"Too easily intercepted."

A tremulous voice, Professor Flitwick's: "Are you… quite sure she isn't anywhere in Hogwarts."

"Quite sure. Cornelius Fudge wished to speak with me about certain tactics, also… envoys to the giants, the removal of dementors and the like."

"And who will protect the castle?"

"The professors of course, and the soldiers."

"Soldiers? Oh, yes. But Albus, aren't you teaching Defense of the Dark Arts? What will we do with those classes?"

Dumbeldore fixed his keen gaze upon Snape. "I'm eager to see all of your decisions upon my return." He turned and strode briskly off, leaving the professors gazing, worried, behind him.

Ron turned to face Harry, wide-eyed. "We're doomed," he mouthed.

/scene transition/

Harry couldn't sleep this night either. Maybe he had insomnia. He shivered. Why did it seem that the fire in the grate didn't have the ability to melt ice? Maybe it was the frightening anticipation of a swift strike by Voldemort while Dumbeldore left it defenseless. He glanced over at Ron, who was peacefully snoring in his bed. Ron could sleep through hell itself. Did the thought of painful death deter him from anything?

He left the chamber, hoping to warm up near the fire in the Commons, and saw Makoto and Raye murmuring ominously. Makoto bounded up in fright as he paused audibly on the steps. Raye chided her in Japanese. "Er, am I interrupting something?" he asked.

Raye shook her head. "No." She looked at Makoto. "He already knows."

"Ah."

"What are you two doing up?" Harry asked curiously, taking a seat near the fire and rubbing his arms to warm them.

Makoto frowned, evidently trying to translate her thoughts. Raye waited patiently to allow her to respond. "Eh, we were worried, and have a bad feeling…something bad has happened, but we don't know what."

"We couldn't sleep because of it, and didn't want any of our roommates to overhear us in our room," Raye supplied. "What about you?"

"I couldn't sleep because it's so could in our room." He shivered. "As to what you might be, well, sensing, Madame Hooch disappeared, and Dumbeldore left for London. It may have something to do with the Death Eaters and Voldemort."

Makoto turned to Raye. "Nani? Rei…? She paused as Raye shook her head slightly. "Gomen nas – I mean, sorry. What is all that? The Death Eaters and this Voldemort? You never really told us, well you might have told Ami and Usagi, but I didn't understand it."

"Voldemort is the villain who believes in magic over muggles."

"Muggles?"

"People who can't use magic."

"Oh."

Raye frowned as what Harry had said penetrated her brain. "Doshite… A professor disappeared and Dumbeldore departed?"

Harry nodded. "And it may be the work of the Death Eaters?"

"Yes."

She shuddered and wrapped her arms around herself. "Then he holds great trust in the Senshi," she said, pointedly looking at Makoto. "We cannot destroy that trust."

"Hai." Makoto then addressed Harry. "Shouldn't you go to sleep?"

"You two should, also."

"Yes, but we can plead… um… jet lag." Harry laughed quietly.

"Well, good night then." He stood and paused at the foot steps. "It's almost like you want to get rid of me."

Makoto shrugged guiltily. "No offense, Harry," Raye grinned, "But we need to communicate with all of the scouts, and it would be best if you couldn't incriminate us."

"Alright." He shivered, trudging back up the stairs. Dang, it was cold.

/scene transition/

"Why would they start here, at Hogwarts?" Ron muttered as Harry tried to find his other sock, half dazed from the lack of sleep.

"What?"

"Why would the Death Eaters start by attacking Hogwarts instead of, say the Ministry of Magic?" Seamus and Dean had already left, impatient with Harry's sluggish attempts of preparations. "And hurry up, Harry. We won't get breakfast at this rate."

Harry sighed and slammed his trunk shut. Forget the sock. "Come on then." He grabbed his bag, hoping he had everything in it, and pulled open the door impatiently. "Who said the Death Eaters were attacking Hogwarts anyway?"

"Well, if they attacked Hogwarts."

"Well I think that they wouldn't only attack Hogwarts first."

Ron sighed, "Hello, Hermione. So much for hypothetical."

"Hypothetical, and improbable." Hermione tossed her head. "If Hogwarts WAS going to be first, I think they'd perform a two-pronged attack; one at Hogwarts, one at the Ministry of Magic. That way, Dumbeldore wouldn't know where he should be. If either one falls, it's going to be a loss for Dumbeldore."

"Cheery." Ron tore ravenously into his breakfast and Hermione turned away in disgust.

"Well, what brought that conversation up anyway?" she asked Harry.

As Harry explained the scene he and Ron had witnessed the night before, an outcry arose from the hall. He stood up immediately, grasping his wand. He glanced over, noting that the Japanese students were among those that leapt to their feet. Makoto, a head above everyone else, wore a grim expression and tensed into a fighting stance. Harry sincerely hoped that it wouldn't arouse suspicion.

Professor McGonagall walked in, pale and worried. "Severus," she snapped, her hands quivering, "I need to speak with you. Immediately." Snape had been, reluctantly, on breakfast duty and he strode out, almost happy that there was an emergency as he quit the Great Hall. Almost.

The students all began swelling towards the entrance, hoping to catch wind of the mysterious occurrences. Harry watched as Raye and Usagi slipped out the entrance, barely noticed. He decided to follow them. "Mr. Potter!" Professor Flitwick, nervously attempting to keep order, squeaked after him, but Harry managed to flit into the shadows leaving Professor Flitwick with a school of eager, nearly rioting pupils.

Harry quickened his pace, unsure of exactly where Raye, Usagi, Professor McGonagall, or Snape had gone. As he rounded a corner, he just barely managed to dodge into the shadows before the four noticed him. "Professor's, we feel you should let us know about the current situation," Raye said, acting as an interpreter for Usagi and the teachers.

"Well, yesterday Madame Hooch… went missing," Professor McGonagall managed, her voice quavering. "And, well the Headmaster has just left, entrusting the school into our incapable hands."

"And today, Professor Sprout and Madam Pomfrey went out to greenhouse two to discuss the medicinal uses of some herb. We have not heard, nor seen, them since," Snape said coldly.

Usagi looked up, serious for the first time since Harry met her. "Are you sure they are not around here somewhere?"

McGonagall held out a piece of parchment. "Albus Dumbeldore gave us this map." She tapped it with her wand, saying, "I solemnly swear I'm up to no good." Harry could hardly believe his ears. The Maurader's Map! That had disappeared ever since the incident… with Cedric… Dumbeldore kept it? He then remembered what that map did.

Snape walked right up to the column behind which he was hiding. "Potter."

He slunk around guiltily. "Sorry, professor." He eyed the map. "I forgot that showed where people are…"

McGonagall and Snape gave him a look, Snape's being more of a glare. Unexpectantly, Snape then asked, "How's your scar, Potter?"

"uh, what?"

"Your scar. Does it burn, or ache or anything?"

"No… well it twinges a bit at night, sir."

Snape and McGonagall gave each other a look. "It makes me uneasy that they've whisked away our nurse, Severus. We'll be susceptible to anything, unless someone knows their way around medicine."

Raye turned towards Usagi, but she held up her hands. "I will not make a good healer. I am only beginning, and it is a different method than… how do you say? Your medi-ci-nal magics."

"We can call for Hotaru Tomoe," Raye offered. "As Saturn, she has the capabilities to heal a small army with the contact-instant technique."

McGonagall sighed. "I'm afraid to bring more people in from Japan, because it will draw too much attention…"

"If they were going to attack they are going to attack."

Professor McGonagall shivered. "Tomorrow, Severus, it just may be us who disappears."

/scene transition/

Professors suddenly began disappearing like mad. Professor McGonagall had begun roaming the halls as a cat rather than a teacher, often pausing near Mrs. Norris, evidently hoping to confuse any kidnappers/assassins. The school was in a panic, most of the students beginning to show signs of paranoia resembling Professor McGonagall's. Hermione, however noted that the teachers were often disappearing near windows and outside of the castle. She mentioned this to Professor McGonagall, who immediately boarded the windows to her classroom with a flick of her wand.

The teachers were now down to Firenze, Hagrid, Snape, McGonagall, and Binns. Five teachers, and two of them were unable to use magic. Harry frowned. Snape was probably not going to be abducted, as he was a spy. For which side, Harry didn't know, but chances were he wouldn't be abducted. Hotaru Tomoe had quickly arrived from Japan. She was a Third year, petite and frail looking, but Raye had reassured him she was the Messiah of Death. Harry now rarely talked to Ron and Hermione about the going-ons of the school, feeling that this wasn't his secret to tell.

"Harry, what do you think is going on?" Ron asked one night when the commons had cleared a bit. Everyone had begun departing the commons early, the suspense of another hour awake while awaiting death becoming increasingly more excruciating.

"I don't know," Harry replied frankly. He didn't know exactly what was happening.

"I think I do." Harry, Ron, Seamus, Dean, Raye, Makoto, and everyone still grouped near the fire turned to look at Hermione. "I think they're just going to massacre us. It's the only reason for taking the Professors and the Madame Pomfrey out of the picture."

Dean scoffed, "Why the hell would they do that?"

"Because they're Death-Eaters," Raye said quietly. "I've read on what they've done, and a small faction came down to Okayama, where I lived before moving to Tokyo."

"Okayama?" Makoto looked strangely at her. "Why? Why not Tokyo?"

"It was Rei Hino's birthplace," Raye replied simply. "I heard she was there, helping a fugitive." Makoto didn't say anything else.

Ron coughed, "So, uh, what happened there?"

Raye didn't reply. "From what you know, Ron, what do you think happened there?" Harry snapped. Ron glared at him, and then shrugged.

Seamus shivered. "Why would Death-Eaters want to massacre us and not a defenseless orphanage or something?" Makoto glared at him.

"Do you want them to?" she asked pointedly.

"No, but it just seems more their style."

"Are you okay, Raye?" Hermione asked.

"Hmm, oh hai, I'm fine." She shivered.

Neville looked around. "Is it just me or does tonight seem extremely oppressive?"

/scene transition/

Professor McGonagall sighed, morphing from cat to teacher. She gratefully welcomed the night and sleep, but she was so afraid… For the fifth time that night, she had to check to make sure that the lock and spells were still strong on that old door. Running her hands over the hard wood, she tensed as a large shape walked up behind her.

"Professor, if you'd like, I could do that for ye."

"Oh, Hagrid. Don't sneak up on me." She shivered. "I just can't… oh where's Dumbeldore, and the owls we've sent him?"

"Don't rightly know, Professor. Shouldn't we send the students home, though?" Hagrid sighed as he moved closer to a torch for warmth. "I mean, it's gettin' dangerous like, and we aren't really having classes anymore."

McGonagall smote her hand on the wall. "That's just not the attitude I need, Hagrid. I just can't imagine closing the school for those heinous… hooligans."

"Sorry, Professor. I'm just thinkin' of the students."

"No, you're right. I'll run it by Severus. It's just, we lose this way."

As Professor McGonagall turned to leave, the door was blasted wide open and her scream was lost in the noise. Hagrid gaped, pulling his umbrella out of a handy pocket and brandishing it at the shadowy figure as debris fell to the floor. It stepped into the torchlight.

/scene transition/

Raye bolted up in the Gryffindor commons room. "Lucius," she hissed and flew out of her chair, towards the portrait hole, and began dashing down the stairs. Harry heard her calling into a tiny device. "Usagi, it's begun!" Makoto hurried after her.

"Raye!" Harry called vainly. He turned to Ron and Hermione. "Coming?"

Ron turned pale. He gulped, and turned to Hermione, who was sitting there with her mouth wide open.

As they hurried after the Japanese girls, Harry heard Raye yell out something to Makoto, who swerved off towards Ravenclaw dorms. Raye, Harry, and Ron soon reached the entrance hall. Harry saw the shattered door, and the rain was pouring in torrents onto the stone floor behind the tall, imposing figure of a Death-Eater with his mask on. Raye's wand was already in her hand, and she suddenly snapped it out to her side. Harry heard Hermione gasp as it turned into a sword, the blade glowing with a sheen that wasn't a light reflection. "Ohmigod… is she…?"

With an angry scream, Raye attacked the figure, who brought his cane up to block it. Sparks flew as god-knows-what material clashed against god-knows-what material. With incredible speed, she brought her sword around to slash across his face. The figure leapt back, barely avoiding having his face heavily scarred. He fired part of his cane, nicking her in the shoulder. His mask fell to the floor, neatly cloven in two. Lucius Malfoy glowered out at the hall. "Yurusenai! 1" she screamed, going in for the kill.

Lucius brandished his wand, which had been revealed when the lower part of his cane shot out. "A lovely term of endearment, I'm sure, Princess," he sneered.

"Sh'ine, uragirimono!2"

"I'm sorry, I will not abide by that request." He brought his wand up from the "on-guard" position and disappeared by sinking into the floor as Raye leapt over him and threw her sword. It was thrown with such a great force, or maybe it was the craftsmanship of it, that the sword became stuck in the stone where Lucius had been standing seconds before. Raye landed, grinding her teeth together.

"Chikuso, 3" she muttered as she strode to her marvelous weapon and pulled it out with a flick of her wrist.

Hermione gaped. "Harry, Harry! I think that's…" Raye's eyes, smoldering with hate, stopped her. Usagi, Hotaru, Makoto, and the other "exchange students" rushed towards Raye.

Hotaru, quiet and shy as usual, moved towards her friend's shoulder. "It's just a scratch, Hotaru, leave it." Raye sounded tired.

"Oh, wow," Hermioned whispered as Raye stalked off to the Gryffindor dorms, past a startled Firenze and a running Snape. Snape frowned as he saw Hagrid lying, dazed, to the side of the doorway.

"Where is Minerva?" he snapped.

"I don' know…" Hagrid slumped over, unconscious.

Harry frowned as Snape straightened up, peered out the door, then at Raye's retreating back.

/appendix/

1. I'll never forgive you

2. Die, traitor

3. Damn