Hey, everybody! I told you it wouldn't take too long before you would have the next chapter and here it is!

I know it's a bit shorter than some of the others, but I didn't want to put the finals in until next chapter.

So, for now, sit back, relax, and enjoy!

Chapter 19

"Merry?"

"Yes, Harry?" Inuai said, turning to face her newly adopted son.

The young man stood, shuffling his feet nervously before looking at the hanyou. "Umm, I was wondering if, uh, maybe, er, if it's okay with you and Legolas... if Hermione could maybe come visit me in Mirkwood?" he asked softly. Inuai regarded the young man for a moment. He looked almost frightened as if he expected her to strike him for asking a simple question, his eyes shifting about the room. Looking for an easy escape."

Inuai smiled at Harry, trying not to laugh at his nervousness. "Harry, I'm sure there won't be any problem with Hermione coming to Mirkwood. Although, we should talk to Legolas just to make sure." Harry breathed a sigh of relief and smiled up at Inuai.

"Really?"

"Of course!" Inuai replied happily. "But can I ask you just one question?" Harry nodded. "Don't you want to invite Ron, too? I'm sure he'd like some time away from his family."

"Well, I suppose he would, but I don't think he's going to be talking to me much longer." Harry said softly, shuffling his feet which seemed awfully interesting.

"So, you haven't told him yet."

"You know?" Harry asked wide eyed.

"Harry... her scent is all over you." Inuai replied calmly. "We figured it was only a matter of time before you two got together."

"Oh." Harry glanced down, blushing at the thought that they knew.

"Don't worry too much." Inuai said reassuringly. "Ron will be upset for awhile, but he'll get over it. Deep down, he will always be your friend, no matter what."

"Thanks, Merry."

"Anytime, Harry. Now let's go talk to Legolas about your request."

"Alright, everybody!" Inuai called out. "I know you're all stressed about final exams, and you don't think you can handle any more. Unfortunately, you've got a final exam here." Groans went up from the class, the loudest coming from Ron. "The good news is that my exam is purely and entirely practical. Which means, everyone will blow off plenty of steam, and it's going to be a great stress reliever."

"Professor, what's the exam going to consist of?" Hermione piped up from the group.

"Good question. Everyone will be fighting in the style of your choosing. Whatever style you feel comfortable with is the one you should pick. If, however," Inuai said as she walked around the room, "you feel confident in you abilities in more than one fighting style, then, by all means, chose two or all three."

"Will we be fighting against dummies or each other?" a Ravenclaw asked.

"Neither." Inuai said simply.

"But if we're not fighting dummies or each other, who are we fighting?" asked a timid Hufflepuff.

"That's a bit of a surprise." Inuai grinned. As she looked around at the disgruntled looks being shot at her, she sighed. "Alright, alright. We're bringing in a few outsiders for the final. There will be demons, elves, and a couple of your professors."

"Which professors?"

"That is the surprise. You won't know which professors you will be fighting until the day of the final." Inuai said firmly, a note of finality in her voice. "Now, let's get to work!"

The Great Hall was abuzz with rumors and questions about the newly broken up trio. It had all started when Ron came storming in, completely red-faced and a murderous look on his face. Shortly after, Harry and Hermione calmly walked in and, after seeing the look on Ron's face, sat down over at the Ravenclaw table with Luna Lovegood.

What had gone on to split up the Golden Trio? Nobody knew the truth, but everyone had their own ideas. It was very apparent to the residents of Hogwarts that the rift that separated the three friends would not be fixed anytime soon. And no one was brave enough to approach Ron to see what happened.

"Oh, Harry! I'm so happy for you!" Luna shouted out in the silence, causing everyone to turn and look at the strange blond as she hugged the Boy Who Lived. "I always knew this would happen for you."

This only served to fuel the rumor mill further, and the stories began to get even more fanciful. The whispering was soon interrupted as laughter was heard from the staff table. The students looked up to see the Muggle Defense professor laughing uncontrollably with her hand over her mouth. Pretty soon, those around her were laughing as well. The laughter became contagious and spread quickly like wild fire until the whole hall was laughing at the unknown joke.

Twenty minutes later, the Great Hall was silent, everyone looking up at the staff table and waiting expectantly for the punchline to the big joke.

"Professor Greenleaf," Dumbledore called to the still giggling hanyou, "I do believe we're all waiting on pins and needles to hear what was so funny."

"I'm sorry." Inuai replied, wiping tears of mirth from her eyes. "It's just, some of the stories people are coming up with." Another giggle escaped from her before she could suppress it. "I think my favorites are that Harry has found a long lost sibling, brought his parents back from the dead, ooo, or my absolute favorite," she paused to hold back some giggles, "is that poor Harry has gotten both Hermione and Luna pregnant."

"Oh, my!" McGonagall exclaimed, looking toward the three students in question. "Mister Potter, Miss Granger and Lovegood, please tell us this isn't true."

"Professor," began a painfully red Hermione, "I can assure you that that is completely and utterly false. I would be willing to go so far as to take a Wizard's Oath to prove that to you."

"That will not be necessary, dear girl." Dumbledore said gently. "I just hope that this teaches all of you a very valuable lesson. That, though you may not mean to, gossip hurts people. So, I suggest from now on, you all watch what you repeat to others as there are extra sensitive ears about." He smiled about the Great Hall, his twinkle ever present in his eyes. "Now, I do believe it's time for you to all disperse, hopefully, to your studies. And remember, finals are in two weeks."

"Harry, has Merry told you who we're going to be fighting for the final?" Ron asked timidly. It had been a week since the big blowout. Ron had eventually come around, but there was still an uneasy tension between the three friends.

"Ron, for the hundredth time, I only know what you do!" Harry said exasperatedly. "I'm sorry, I've just got a lot on my mind." he explained when Ron pulled back in shock.

"It's okay, mate. So, when's your 'special' final?" he asked hoping Harry wouldn't blow up at him again.

"The day after the class final." Harry sighed. He had been training with Merry and her family for most of the year, and now he would have to fight all of them to make sure he would be ready for what lay ahead.

"If you want, you could practice with me." Ron commented softly.

"Really?"

"Well, yeah. I mean, if you're nervous or whatever." he mumbled.

"I'd like that, Ron." Harry said grinning before his face fell. "But I don't want to run the risk of hurting you."

"Hurt me? Harry, what have they been teaching you?!" Ron exclaimed, causing several students to look at him and shot him dirty looks.

"Shhh! Calm down." Harry said, smiling apologetically. He grabbed Ron's wrist and quickly pulled him out of the common room.

"Where are you taking me?"

"To the Room. We can talk privately there."

"Oh." Ron followed along quietly while Harry paced agitatedly making the door appear. "Okay, Harry. What's going on?" he asked as they stepped into the DA room.

"We found out that I'm a wind elemental. So, I've been doing a lot of training with Kagura." Harry explained.

"So, is that the 'power He knows not'?"

"We don't know. But it's something we've got to work with." Harry sighed.

"There's something else you're not telling me, isn't there?" Ron asked quietly, seeing the distress on his friend's face.

"It's one of the techniques Kagura taught me during a training session." Harry said softly. "I don't think I could ever use it." Ron sat quietly knowing that his friend needed to get this out and wouldn't need any unnecessary questions. "It's called the Dance of the Dead. I could only really ever use it during a big battle. But ever since I learned it, all I see when I close my eyes is Sirius and Cedric at the front of the group and all of my friends behind them. It's horrible!"

"Wow." Ron breathed out, his face somewhat pale at what his friend could do. "Well, I can't say that that'll never happen, no matter how much I may want to. But look at it another way. We'll fight beside you and, now it seems, fight for you as long as it takes to bring that bastard down." he said with a look of fierce determination on his face.

"Yeah, maybe." Harry replied absently.

"I mean it, Harry!" Ron said forcibly, shaking his friend until he was looking at him. "We'll be beside you til the very end and after, if need be." Harry looked up at his friend, his eyes vacant, unseeing, as though he was far away. Ton shook him again, calling out his name. Harry blinked quickly to clear away the cobwebs and images that just wouldn't go away.

"I'm sorry, Ron." Harry said softly, sounding very defeated. "I just can't get past the images of everyone as corpses."

"It's okay, mate." Ron said reassuringly, hugging the smaller man to him. "We don't expect you to accept that right away. But you'll see that it's true."

"Thanks," Harry said, leaning away from his friend, "I think I'll be okay."

"Good. Now, let's get you back to the common room before your ... girlfriend misses you." Ron commented, trying not to choke over his words.

"So, what's the plan?" Inuyasha asked irritated. They were currently discussing his favorite subject, Andrew/Matsudaira and Naraku.

"Well, according to Kagura's dream, Matsudaira is supposed to get us back to Japan." Sesshomaru said as he paced about the room, thinking aloud. "But we've seen nor heard anything from him."

"Exactly. Which is why I think we should make his life a little easier." Inuai said as she watched Siri play on the floor.

"How're we gonna do that? Waltz right on over to his house and let him kill us?" Inuyasha snorted.

"Kami, no, baka." Inuai chuckled. "I just think we should go to Japan and take care of Naraku before he gets too powerful."

"Easier said than done." Sesshomaru commented dryly, causing Inuai to shoot him a questioning glance. "He can hide his aura and youki from everyone and change his appearance at will. So, how do you suggest we go about finding him?"

"We let it conveniently slip out that we're going back home for the summer, maybe to take care of some business. I mean, Fluffy's the tai-youkai, he's bound to have certain obligations, right?"

"Well, I have left it up to my generals for the most part." Sesshomaru agreed.

"When Matsudaira hears that we're going back to Japan, he'll jump at the chance to get us to Naraku and out of his way." Inuai said simply. "And if he doesn't, then we still have Kagura's dreams to guide us."
"You have some ulterior motive for going to Japan." Kagome said, speaking up for the first time that evening. Inuai winced a bit at the accuracy of her words.

"It's just a little side trip."

"To where?" Inuyasha asked, catching on to what his mate was sensing and his sister's nervousness.

"Well, since you're not going to leave me alone about it." Inuai sighed in defeat. "I'm going to see Toutousai about making a sword for Harry ."

"A demon sword for that puny kid! Are you fucking crazy?" Inuyasha cried, startling Siri and making her cry.

Inuai picked up the infant girl and tried to calm her down, glaring her brother the whole time. "In case you haven't noticed, he's a lot stronger than anyone gives him credit for. In fact, I'm willing to bet he's almost as powerful as Dumbledore. But it's people like you that keep him from seeing how truly powerful he is!" she bit out before standing and heading for the stairs, her daughter in her arms. "Good night!"

"Inuyasha! How could you?" Kagome cried in outrage. She quickly got up and followed after Inuai.

"What did I do?" he asked, looking dumb-founded.

"I suggest you figure out a way to apologize, little brother," Sesshomaru smirked, "or you'll be in the dog house for awhile. Come, Kagura, let's retire for the evening." He got up and offered his arm to his mate before throwing over hi shoulder, "Good night, baka."

Blanker disclaimer for A Hanyou's Life:

I don't own anything you recognize. I only own Inuai, Siri, and Mistofflees.

Well, there you have it, folks. The lastest installment. I hope you enjoyed it!

The next chapter is going to focus on the final for Muggle Studies and Harry's 'special' final. And should be rather long, I hope.

For now, hit that little button down there and let me know what you think so far.

Thanks!!