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"No," she whispered, trying to deny what she knew was about to happen. "Run!" she told the three as she turned not looking to see if they listened to her but running to where she knew the demon would be.

"Find Kagome," he told the creature that had appeared out of the talisman, "and kill her." Turning, he quickly left the area, blaming the biting wind for his stinging eyes.

Chapter 11

Why here? Why now? She thought desperately as she ran towards to swirling dark aura she had felt appear out of nowhere.

Ron, Harry, and Hermione exchanged a quick glance before rushing after Kagome. They weren't about the leave when she'd looked at them like that. Something had terrified her, and they were going wherever she was. What else could they do?

I don't even have a bow! Kagome thought frantically as she ran. What am I - wait! My wand! Yes, it would have to do, she thought determinedly and she skidded to a halt just below the hill the Shrieking Shack stood on. It had come from somewhere around here and was moving. She looked around at the last few buildings, and the dark alleyways before following the path up the hill.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione ran as quickly as they could. Kagome was fast! They could barely keep up. Ron was panting heavily, and Hermione had bright pink splotches on her cheeks. Pausing at the bottom of the hill they looked around trying to see where she'd gone.

"There!" Hermione said breathlessly pointing to where Kagome had just disappeared. The three were off again, running desperately up the hill after their friend.

Kagome came upon the demon at the top of the hill. It was heading towards a small terrified second year. "Kagoooome," it boomed as it swiped its claws at the girl who let out a piercing shriek and ran.

"What the bloody hell is that" Ron said disgusted as they came over the top of the hill behind Kagome. It truly was disgusting. Large and the color of rot and rust, it towered over them. It looked as if it was a mix of a bear and a human except that its fur oozed and dripped as if he was melting. He didn't smell very good either, to say the least.

"Oy! Bouzo!" Kagome yelled, pulling an InuYasha as she got it's attention off the fleeing girl. "I'm over here."

It turned then, grinning slimy yellow teeth at her. "That was easy." It said in a voice that was nails on a chalkboard. "I didn't realize I was after the Shikon Priestess. This is a nice turn. After I kill you I can take the jewel for myself!" It yelled and lunged.

"Kagome!" Harry yelled. They were to far away, he couldn't get to her in time.

Dodging quickly, Kagome got out of the way and formed her bow. "Get out of here!" She hollered at her friends as the demon lunged towards her again. She shot an arrow grazing the creatures arm with it. Her purification powers sizzled, burning it's fur and angering it. It was too close now. She turned the energy into a sword. They'd only just started to learn to use swords in DADA, but she was a fast learner and had been picking it up quickly. She hoped it would be enough.

"Where's your precious protector?" the demon goaded. Confused, Kagome almost paused, but moved just in time to avoid another swipe of claws.

"What are you talking about?" she replied as it dodged another swing of her sword.

"InuYasha, I think his name was," that time she did pause, startled. It took advantage of her distraction and gouged her arm.

"Kagome!" Harry yelled again, running to help her.

"No!" she said sharply holding her arm out as a pink barrier sprang up around her and the demon, stopping Harry from running to her. "This is my fight. Get away while I can still hold the barrier."

"Wha-" but Kagome wasn't listening anymore. She'd blocked off the entire area with her pink bubble. "Damn it! What does she think she's doing taking that thing on all alone!" he yelled frustrated.

"Where did you come from?" She asked, holding her arm as it bled freely. She knew her friends could still hear, though they couldn't get in. "You must know where you are," she added not daring to say what she really meant. InuYasha has been dead for over 500 years now. How would you know him? Or even me for that matter.

The demon laughed as it lunged again and she barely dodged. "How should I know? I was trapped in an amulet by a priestess like you until moments ago. I see that you succeeded in gathering all the shards of the Shikon-No-Tama." It chuckled, the sound like rocks clacking together. "I appreciate the effort. Now all I have to do is finish you off and the entire thing is mine!"

Kagome moved quickly as it lunged, plunging her sword and all her purifying power into its heart. Screaming horribly, it grabbed her arms with its claws, gouging her skin again before it disintegrated into ashes.

Spent and bleeding, Kagome collapsed to the ground, her barrier collapsing with her.

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It had been two days now, and she had yet to wake up. Most of the town had heard the terrible creature's screech at the end of the fight. Kagome had been rushed up to the hospital wing of the school, and her three friends had tried to explain to Professor McGonagall what had happened. They weren't entirely sure themselves, but they explained as much as they could.

Harry had hardly left her bedside the Sunday after and couldn't concentrate in class all day Monday. He visited the hospital wing again as soon as he could get away. Hermione was in the library. He couldn't imagine what she was looking for there. He knew she was just as upset about Kagome as he was. Maybe she was just using the library as a comfort zone? Who knew, he didn't really care.

"Please wake up soon, Kagome," he whispered holding her cold hand in his. He stayed until Madam Pomfrey shooed him out to get to bed.

Harry tried to get to sleep that night, but he just couldn't get the images out of his head. He'd been terrified when that demon had grabbed her and he couldn't get through the barrier to help. He'd been amazed when she disintegrated it, but then she'd fallen. What was going on? What exactly had she done and why had she collapsed? Madam Pomfrey said she hadn't lost enough blood for that to be the reason. He'd known Kagome wasn't exactly your average witch, but what was that power? And what had the creature meant by calling her the Shikon Priestess? He had so many questions and the only one who could answer them was currently unconscious. Of course, he didn't care if he never got answers as long as she woke up.

Unable to sleep, Harry pulled out the invisibility cloak. As he passed through the common room he saw that Hermione was still at the table by the fire. It looked as if she'd fallen asleep using a book as her pillow. Moving quietly he left through the portrait hole, and headed back to Kagome's side in hospital wing. Before he had pulled off the cloak though, he spotted another figure standing by her. Whoever it was said nothing, eventually turning around to leave. Harry almost gasped aloud. It was Malfoy and Harry had no idea what the expression on his face meant. Was that anger? Guilt? Shame? Sadness?

As soon as the footsteps had faded away Harry tore off the cloak and rushed to her side. Had Malfoy done something to her? What had he been doing here in the middle of the night? Seeing that she was still breathing and seemed to be unharmed Harry sat and let his heartbeat return to normal. It didn't help. As soon as he'd calmed it a bit he heard voices coming down the hallway. Quickly grabbing his cloak he hid on the other side of the nightstand and threw it over himself again.

From his hiding place he heard two people enter the room, and was instantly glad he hadn't relied on just the cloak to hide him.

"But who do you think set it loose, Albus?" Professor McGonagall's voice said quietly. "Certainly it wasn't a coincidence that a demon from ancient japan happened upon her in Hogsmeade?"

"Far from it, Minerva," Dumbledore's calm voice replied. "I fear that Voldemort has made his first move."

Professor McGonagall gasped. "You-know-who? This close?"

"No Minerva, I fear he is working through another at the moment." Dumbledore replied.

"But how did they know to send such a creature after her? You don't think You-Know-Who's discovered what she is?" she asked, horrified by the thought.

"No, I believe the idea was not to simply kill her, but to kill her with the stuff of nightmares. Kagome grew up hearing legends of the demons, or youkai, of ancient japan. Had she been any normal student, she would have been terrified. No, Minerva, I'm afraid that if he knew, he would do much worse than this."

"Worse than trying to kill her?" Professor McGonagall asked.

"Yes, for death is not the worst that can happen to a person." Albus said sadly as they both looked at Kagome's silent form. "I suggest we return in the morning to see how she fares. I can see that no harm will come to her tonight."

"Were you worried it would? Certainly the school at least is safe?" Professor McGonagall asked as they began to leave.

"I fear that nowhere is truly safe for her anymore, Minerva," was the soft reply.

Harry waited until their footsteps faded away, before getting up and rushing back to the common room, hoping Hermione was still there. He was in such a hurry that he didn't notice he wasn't the only one who had been eavesdropping.

Kagome was awake.

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