Disclaimer: Still don't own Sailor Moon or Harry Potter. Sigh.

School's started up again, so I can't promise how often I'll be able to update, but I'm going to try to get a chapter posted at least once every couple of months. Hopefully I'll be able to update once per month, but frankly I won't hold my breath.

Hotaru carefully crept along the corridor in the direction of Ravenclaw Tower, stepping slowly so the sound of her own footfalls wouldn't mask those of anyone else nearby. The night's DA meeting had run late; Harry was going to end it after practicing Shield Charms, but everyone had been so eager to try Patronuses he'd agreed to let them stay for another few minutes. A few minutes turned into an hour and now it was past curfew; if any of them were caught, especially by Umbridge or her cronies, there was going to be hell to pay.

Still, it had been worth it. In the last few moments of the meeting she'd managed to produce a full Patronus, and to her surprise a silver swan had soared from her wand-tip. Harry had warned them that the Patronus Charm was difficult to produce, so Hotaru hadn't been expecting anything like this on her first go. Not that she was complaining, of course, and that cute Hufflepuff boy in her Herbology class had smiled at her after she'd managed to produce the swan….

Lost in her thoughts, Hotaru didn't notice her mother until Setsuna stepped out of a cranny from behind one of the armor suits, blocking the way up the great stairs to her common room. "Where," she asked quietly, voice calm but carrying a deadly undertone, "have you been?"

Hotaru's mouth opened, suddenly bone-dry, as her heart thudded in panic. Setsuna had to know; she always seemed to know things she shouldn't—at least, had no way of knowing but did anyways. Still, Hotaru wasn't about to tell her mother the truth; doubtless Setsuna would forbid her to go and then make absolutely sure she didn't. "I—I was in the library doing homework," she said quickly. "I lost track of time."

"It's eleven o'clock. How long were you studying?"

"I don't know—a couple of hours…."

"Was anyone with you?"

"N—no."

Setsuna's eyes narrowed slightly, and with a sudden jolt Hotaru knew she'd made a fatal mistake. "You're aware, Hotaru, that there is a rule against unauthorized gatherings of students?"

"Oh, don't tell me you're on the old toad's side," she said with a snort she'd learned from watching Haruka's dealings with Snape. "I like to think more highly of you than—ouch!" Hotaru yelped as Setsuna suddenly grabbed her arm with bruising strength.

"This isn't a joke," she said quietly, sounding almost afraid. "Umbridge may be a teacher, but she has the entire Ministry behind her. If you make things difficult, there's no end to what she could do to you. I don't want you getting hurt, Hotaru." Setsuna looked down and loosened her grip, gently rubbing her daughter's forearm as a silent apology.

"That's the whole point of what I'm doing, Mum," Hotaru said just as softly. "Harry is showing us how to defend ourselves. Because Voldemort is back and anyone with half a brain knows it. He's not going to leave us alone just because we're young. If we're against him, he'll kill us. I for one don't want to rely on you to protect me—not that I don't think you could," she added quickly as a corner of her mother's mouth twitched. "I want to protect myself—and if needed, you and Haruka and Michiru too. Which reminds me, Michiru's parents were Death Eaters, weren't they?"

"Yes, but I don't think you need worry about running into them. They were older when Voldemort was last in power; fourteen years doesn't do anyone any favors." Setsuna trailed off, studying Hotaru's face so intently the girl wondered if she was trying to use Occlumency to unearth some hidden secret buried deep in her daughter's mind. "You're so young," she said softly, almost to herself. "You shouldn't be fighting at this age."

"I can't not fight." The pain in her mother's eyes tugged Hotaru's heart, and she threw her arms around Setsuna, although as she held tight she wasn't entirely sure who she was trying to reassure more. "But nothing will happen, I promise. After all, it's just practice, right? And they can't come here, Dumbledore scares Voldemort and there's lots of protections around the school. Don't worry, we're fine."

Setsuna's arms wound around Hotaru and held her a little too close for the girl to believe her next words: "Of course you are. Nothing will happen."

Outside, thunder rumbled in the distance, low and menacing.