This next chapter contains some new secrets and meetings between the worlds. BEWARE: very confusing a bit!!!!
To my FAVORITE PEOPLE the reviewers:
Setsuna-3000: She's not going to be Lupin's age I'm sorry to say! But there is a reason why he's happy, I just can't tell you till later. .
Eternal Cosmos: Calm down, take deep breaths and remember, it's Decaf! J/K. Alrighty, I'm posting the next chapter, so don't over exert yourself. Or just load up on lots of sugar. It's always good for you! : P
Koldy: I'm so glad your still reviewing. –Sniff- You don't know happy that makes me feel. Thanks!!!
Terraangel777: I hope you got my email.
Rynn: Wottness??? I guess I shouldn't ask, but continue I will!
CrazyVietGirl89: Yes, theoretically Usagi/Serena/Serenity are the same person and Sailor Moons/Cosmos are her alter egos. BUT technically Serenity is the Moon Princess from 1,000 years ago, along with Neo-Queen Serenity of the future Crystal Tokyo/Crystal Utopia, and is supposed to be perfect, graceful, mature, and basically all royalty. Usagi is the reincarnation of the princess. She's the body that houses the souls of both Serenity and Cosmos. Which brings me to Sailor Moon/Cosmos. SM is the alter ego of Usagi; Cosmos is the final form of SM. The protector of the universe that will not come around till the far future, at least not until all of the senshi have passed on. Most ppl think they are the same person, but it's really up to how the person interprets it. This is me. And it fits to the story so, I hope I haven't confused you or anything. I hope you continue reading this. Draco might get some action, or Harry, or someone else...depends on reviewers!!!
Comet Moon: Your guess is sooo close!!! Hotaru is a niece, but not Dumbledore's. The idea of Usagi and Hotaru combining powers is enticing. I could see if I could work with it. I had another idea about saving Sirius, but I will give yours serious thinking time. Luna's Mother?? WOW, did not know that! Ginny kinda disappeared in the last chapter, hehe, (we'll just say she's in a broom closet somewhere doing somethin or other). She's making an appearance in this one though!! Thank you for reading!!
Angelwings6117: Luna has that way of being...well, herself. Yes, definitely a filibuster in the right place could play a part in shutting someone up. Thanks for reading, I'll work on the grammar mistakes.
Sylverwind: Thanks for reviewing!!
Now on to the next EXTRA, EXTRA, SUPER-DUPER LOONG chapter!!!!!
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Chapter 4- Diagon Alley: the beginning of the mystery --=--=--=--=--=--=--=---=--=---=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=-- =
The next morning, Ron woke up nice and refreshed. And excited. They were going to Diagon Alley to pick up their supplies. That meant the start of their 6th year at Hogwarts. He couldn't wait. Ron's mood sobered a little as he looked over at his best friend. Harry was tossing and turning, but not as much as usual. Ron took that as a sign that things were getting better. With the Weasley trademark grin of mischief (a little something he picked up from the twins), Ron quietly snuck about the room, setting up a little wake-up call for his best mate.
Harry was going to love this.
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Harry walked down the corridor that much of the events last year took place. There was the revolving container of doors. This one led to the room of prophecies; that one led to the room where the veil is—no, where it used to be. THERE! That was what he was looking for.
Another door seemed to appear where there had not been one before. A thick, oak double-door with iron hinges that looked hard to move. Vines and roses were imprinted all over. Harry walked closer to the new door. With each step, multi-colored lights shone through the cracks. Gold, silver, red, gray, yellow, navy blue, purple, black, light blue, sea green, orange, sugar pink, and dark green in a series continually repeated. With his hand, he reached for the doorknob. As soon as he touched the cold metal, a voice rang out in the stillness.
"Don't open it! The time is not right!"
Harry spun around to look for the speaker when—
—BBBRRRRRRRIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNGGGGGGGGGG—
Harry shot up in bed, muttering curses and searching for his glasses and wand at the same time. A large douse of cold water temporarily halted his movements as a reign of magical water balloons crashed down on Harry's unsuspecting head, soaking him from head to toe. Finally finding his glasses, he jammed them onto his nose just to see Ron doubled over in uncontrollable laughter.
"What's so funny, Ron?"
"It's just that...you...sleeping...wake-up...call!" Ron gasped out in between peals of laughter. Straightening up, he wiped some tears from his eyes before turning toward Harry. "Sorry mate. I couldn't resist. By the way, say cheese!" Before Harry could blink, Ron whipped out a camera and snapped away. Recovering his senses, Harry threw an unbroken water balloon followed by both his pillows at the cackling Ronald Weasley. Ron retaliated and the little wake-up turned into a full-out pillow-and-water fight between the two.
"That was cruel, Ron!" Harry missed tackling Ron and ended up face first in a pile of feathers. Looking up, he spit some feathers out of his mouth as Ron clicked some more.
"But you looked so funny when you woke up. Besides, this is good blackmail material for a later time. The famous Harry Potter on a bad day! Think some of the yearlings at Hogwarts might want to buy one? I could get rich off of this."
"Give it here, Ron!"
"NO WAY!"
"Fine! I'll get it myself!"
"WHAT THE HECK is going on in HERE?"
The boys stopped in the middle of their antics. Ron was on his stomach with his arms stretched out in front of him, holding the camera away from Harry who had him pinned to the ground by sitting on him. He too was reaching for the camera just out of his reach with one hand; the other holding a pillow used to hit Ron on the head.
In the doorway stood an irate Mrs. Weasley, not looking too pleased at the state of the room. With a swish of her wand, the scattered pillows and blankets flew back to their proper places on the beds. Another flick of her wrist, everything previously soaked, dried instantly. With the room returned to normal, Mrs. Weasley diverted her attention to the duo that had by now untangled themselves.
"Explanation now, please."
"Well, Mum, umm...I was just, uhh..."
"You see, Mrs. Weasley...Ron, he..."
Both boys started their explanation at the same time then stopped for the other. Continuing the routine for a bit, they finally glanced sheepishly at Mrs. Weasley's impatient form. Harry and Ron made the unfortunate mistake of looking at one another as well. Together they broke down laughing once more, leaving Mrs. Weasley secretly smiling at them.
A couple minutes later, the boys calmed down enough to explain matters to Ron's mom. She looked disapprovingly at the sheepish Ron before breaking into a full smile.
"Well at least you boys are up, one way or another. Breakfast is ready, so hurry up and get dressed. The others should be arriving soon. Then you'll be off to Diagon Alley for the day." Mrs. Weasley said on the way out the door. "Oh and dears?" She stuck her head back in. "I suggest you wash up."
Feathers stuck in every direction off their soaked clothing and hair. Timed slowed as Harry and Ron stared at one another for a bit. Snapping out of it, they rushed for the bathroom, wrestling with the other to be the first. Harry finally won, shutting the door in Ron's face.
"Oi! Don't take too much time in there!" Ron yelled through the door. The sound of water was his only reply.
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After a couple of fights between Ron, Hermione, and Ginny, a flurry of food being consumed, and various people running about attempting to find lost articles and items that occurred during the otherwise relatively normal breakfast, the group was finally ready to travel to Diagon Alley. One by one, each took a handful of floo powder and disappeared into the green flames: Ginny, Ron, Hermione, and Harry were followed by Lupin, Tonks, and Professor McGonagall; Kingsley met them at the Leaky Cauldron.
Together they entered into Diagon Alley. Once there they split up with the promise to meet later; the younger ones to the bank to withdraw or exchange money then school supply shopping; the others to various errands, but still close enough to keep an eye on them as they disappeared through the doors of Gringotts, the wizard bank.
Inside the cool building, Ron and Harry left Hermione and Ginny at the counter to exchange Hermione's muggle money into wizarding coinage, while the boys rode the roller coaster cart ride to the vaults for their own allowance retrieval.
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The four-cloaked and hooded figures walked briskly through the crowds dwelling outside Gringotts. The smallest one in a purple cloak with lavender trimmings and an symbol of a gold crescent moon surrounded by silver shooting stars on the back, detached from the other three and headed deeper into the shopping alley.
The other three continued their trek into the bank, barely pausing long enough for the doors to open and the people to scamper out of their way. The three stopped in middle of the bank floor. The only noises heard were the goblins running about their daily activities as the customers stared openly at the newcomers.
"I wonder who they are." Hermione whispered to Ginny. "They look important, or at least of some high status, like Malfoy."
"Hope they aren't like him." Ginny replied in an equally soft voice. "Those cloaks are strange, even for the wizard world."
The hooded figure on the far left had a tan cloak with navy blue borders. The far right had an aquamarine cloak with sea-green trimmings. Each had the gold crescent moon surrounded by silver shooting stars shining lightly on their backs. The center one had a black cloak with white trimmings. The emblem on their back was a silver crescent moon joined by a thirteen pointed star surrounded by the silver stars.
" Hey Hermione, what are those symbols?" Ginny asked. "The ones on the front?"
On the front right section of the chest, each figure had different symbol. The tall tan-cloaked figure had the sign of Uranus (as Hermione recognized) with two crossed, curved swords under it, while the aquamarine-cloak had Neptune over a mirror and a three-pointed triton. The shortest had a rose entwined around another crescent moon over a staff and an equally long, thick, straight-edged sword.
One of the goblins that looked unimpressed by the people's appearance bowed in front of them before asking, "What may I do for you?"
The middle figure stepped forward. "I request the service of the one who has the ability to open the entrance to the crystal vaults." All activity came to a screeching halt as every goblin froze in place, staring in a small bit of fear at the cloaked people. The goblin in front of them looked slightly scared and stunned. He apparently did not expect this type of demand.
"Do-do you have any pr-proof of your identification to allow you access to such a, a restricted place?"
"I believe this should suffice." From within the confines of the cloak, a delicate, purple-colored nailed hand emerged, holding a shiny locket. Opening it, the figure flashed the inside to the stunned goblin like a badge of authority before withdrawing the item back into the cloak. The goblin, in turn, stumbled back, tripping over his own feet, shaken by whatever he saw.
"The Ginzuishou can only be wielded by its mistress and her most loyal followers. Now please process my request with your superiors." The apparently identified female seemed impatient with the lack of responsiveness from the goblin as she growled out, "TODAY, please."
The goblin scurried off to obey, almost running into Harry and Ron who were exiting the vault tunnel, in his haste to put distance between himself and the people. The boys joined the girls at the counter.
"What's going on?" Ron asked, watching as the girl made her way back to her companions. A little life crept back into the room when the goblins returned to work, but furtive glances and jerky movements broke the seemingly calm atmosphere.
"Those three asked for entrance into some 'crystal vault.' All of the goblins kinda freaked out when they mentioned it. Then the girl in the black cloak showed the goblin that almost ran into you a compact of some kind. That scared him even more." Hermione explained. "I wonder what the significance of those vaults are?"
"She also said something about a ginzo or something and how it can only be wielded by its mistress and loyal followers. At least, something along those lines." Ginny added.
"Well, I'm sure Hermione will figure it out by reading a book or asking a teacher about it." Harry supplied. "Till then, let's go visit Fred and George's new shop?"
"You guys go ahead. I want to see what they do." Hermione stated.
"I'll stay with Hermione," Ginny said. "We'll catch up with you guys later."
"Alright." The boys agreed. "See you at the joke shop." Together, Harry and Ron weaved their way through the crowd and disappeared out the doors. Hermione and Ginny brought their attention back to the figures as a wizened, hunched goblin approached them.
"Good day to you, tsuki no hime, senshi-sama. If I may have your henshin rods?" The two in tan and aquamarine each gave the goblin colored sticks with gold symbols on top. "Thank you. Now, hime-sama, please step back while we open the entrance way."
The girl in black grumbled, but did as commanded as the other two followed the old one to a waist-high, octagonal pillar that rose from the floor. Inserting one, then the other stick into unseen slots on two of the panels, the goblin once again commanded the figures. "Now place your right hand on your henshin rods and listen carefully to the combination I give you. Three clicks left, two right, one left, and push. There we go."
Under his orders, the two followed the goblins orders simultaneously, and as one pushed them in. A small grinding noise accompanied the end. Slowly from the once smooth bank floor, a cave like entrance yawned toward the ceiling. Gasps were issued from the idling customers. The entrance border was pure gold, inlaid with stones, jewels, and crystals of different shapes and colors. Iron wire was molded into designs on the sides. The stairs leading down were cut from a clear diamond-like substance, the light reflecting into dancing pictures upon the opposite walls.
"Oh my gosh! Did you know that was here?" Hermione asked Ginny.
"No, never seen that in my life." She replied. "It's so beautiful. A piece of work."
They watched the three figures descend into the inky blackness within the cave along with the goblin that was holding a torch of fire. Fifteen minutes later, they emerged again hands empty. It looked like they took nothing from the inside.
Once again the opening let out a small grinding noise as the floor returned to its normal smooth surface. Each of the three figures bowed to the goblin, who bowed back, before exiting the building. Hermione and Ginny followed soon after, heading toward the Weasley twins joke shop to find the others. They would definitely want to hear about this.
----------------- (Inside the vault) (A/N: you didn't think I would leave you clueless to what happened, did you?)----------------------------
The old goblin led them down the winding staircase, holding his torch high enough for them to see where they were going. The firelight was unneeded because as they approached, small globes enchanted to hold light would glow until they passed. Once out of sight of the bank dwellers, the figures dropped their hoods.
Usagi shook out her silver-tinted golden hair. "Whew, I'm glad I can do that. The hood was getting a bit stuffy."
Michiru, who had copied Usagi's own movements, agreed with her while Haruka just snorted. "Well, why don't you cut your hair a little bit? I mean it already goes down to your ankles and I swear it grows at least a foot a day."
"Nu-uh, Ruka-chan. You're exaggerating. And no, I won't cut it." Usagi stuck out her tongue at Haruka who just returned the favor. "At least not yet."
"I think waist-length would suit you just fine, Usa." Michiru inserted her own thoughts. "Then I could curl it for you if you let me play with it."
"Maybe, Michi. Let's just wait till we leave for Hogwarts. If I don't like it, I can always grow it out, right?"
"Isn't that what I suggested?"
"You're correct. But I think you'll find what I have in mind very much to your liking."
"Hello, is anyone listening to me?"
"I guess so, Michi. You always do have good sense of fashion."
"Cock-a-doodle-do. I'm still here you know!"
"That's why I'm called the graceful and sophisticated senshi, Usa."
"Why won't anyone pay attention to me?" Haruka finally yelled. Michiru and Usagi both laughed at her pouting face.
"Ne, you were saying something?" Michiru teased her lover.
"I didn't know she was back there still." Usagi added.
"Hmph. I can see how much you two love me, and after all I've done for you. Saving you two time after time, especially you, koneko, from those galactic transvestites."
"KOI!"
"RUKA!"
"I'm just stating the truth." Haruka countered, crossing her arms across her chest.
"Ladies, we have arrived." The goblin interrupted before Usagi or Michiru could say anything. "If you proceed through the wall, you may collect what you have come for. I shall wait here for your return."
Spreading from wall to wall, floor to ceiling in front of them, was a seemingly clear sheet of glass, but you couldn't see anything on the opposite side. No doors or entrance of any kind was visible. In the middle of the glass, milky white symbols were burned into it; a crescent moon surrounded by the eight planetary signs. Four other signs set into the corners of an imaginary box. A unique thing about them, each sign lit up with a faint light when the representative from that planet was near the vault and glowed brightly to indicate if they were inside the vault. Currently, the moon, Uranus, and Neptune were lit up; Saturn shone with a faint light.
Usagi led the way through the glass wall. Only those with the power could phase through the wall. No mere mortal could pass, as the Eternal's were the only ones with the planetary power flowing through their blood. The walls of the vault contained doorways into different caverns. On the door, the signature color showed who's vault was whose. The main floor was littered with stray knuts, galleons, and sickles.
Inside the vault, each girl split up to retrieve her assigned artifacts. Haruka to collect the Inners weapons; Michiru to collect wizard money for the school year, and Usagi to collect the planet crystals from each room. Returning to the main room, Usagi tossed the other two their own crystals.
"Are you going to keep the others with you?" Michiru asked.
"Yes, but I hope I never have to use them." Usagi looked sadly at the two lovers. "Don't use your crystals unless it's emergency, and even then, use them together. I don't need anymore of you dieing on me, understood?"
"Hai, hime." The chimed together.
"Good, now that's taken care of. DROP THE FORMALITIES! Geez, after a thousand years, you would think we would be past this." Giggles were her only answer. Haruka casually draped her arm over her princess's shoulders.
"Hai, hime-sama!" Ducking under the sucker punch, Haruka just grinned at the scowling girl. Oh, how she loved teasing the girl. "Come on, let's get going. Firefly should have concluded that business contract by now with those boys."
"That reminds me, Ruka. Why are you not threatening those boys?" Usagi asked.
"Cuz' their a bunch of harmless pranksters! If it was you, koneko, with them, that would be a different story, but they can't do anything except make Hota laugh." Was the reply. "Besides, I already made them almost pee in their pants with my threats."
They laughed as they started the journey through the glass wall and back up the stairs. Unnoticed among the preoccupied individuals, the thirteen symbols on the wall each glowed slightly before completely fading away.
Near the top of the staircase, they paused to cover their faces with their hoods and stash the bags of money in their sub-space. Once in place, the three girls quickly exited into the busy floor. Bowing to their patient guide, they set off for Diagon Alley to shop and pick up the fourth member from their group.
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"...What?!" Four voices exclaimed at once. Hermione took a deep breath and explained what she saw for the second time. Ginny chimed in every so often with bits of information and detail that Hermione missed. Harry, Ron, Fred, and George just stared in awe at what they had just described. 'WOW' was all they could say. They were currently sitting in the back room of the joke shop, the twins having closed for lunch with their old friends. A childish giggle broke their thoughts.
Hidden behind the tall boys, a small ten year old sitting at the old table with a drink in hand, caught the girls' attention. An open, purple cloak hung over her small shoulders, showing her tank top and shorts underneath. Amethyst eyes were framed by wisps of dark purple hair. She was petite and a sprinkle of freckles covered her slightly tan face. What caught Hermione and Ginny's attention were the streaks of silver through her hair, and specks of silver in her eyes. The girl giggled again.
"Hello. My name is Hotaru Tomoe. I hear you met my mothers and father."
"I'm Hermione Granger and this is Ginny Weasley, Ron's younger sister. It's nice to meet you. What do you mean 'mothers' and father?"
"My adopted family. I have three mothers and a father figure, and then there are my ten aunts, five uncles, and adopted sister. You met Michi-mama, Usa-mama, and Ruka-papa. They have a knack of being daunting and impressive no matter what, especially Usa-chan, though she hates it when people mention it."
"How old are you? Are you sure you should be running around without them? Are they-" Fred and George interrupted Hermione's interrogation.
"She's thirteen, she's allowed to run around, they'll be picking her up soon, and she has important business to attend to." The twins drawled in high, squeaky voices, attempting to imitate Hotaru's own. She just laughed at their antics.
"I think I've been hanging out here too much, or at least, with you two. And to answer your unasked question, I too have the symbol on my back and front." Pulling the cloak onto her shoulders, Hotaru showed the back and front (a Saturn sign with crossed glaives) to the two girls.
"What do the symbols mean?" Harry curiously asked.
"The back represents our liege, the person to whom our loyalties lie. The front is our personal one." Hotaru paused and cocked her head to the side as if listening to some invisible person. "Be right there, minna. I'm finishing up, and then I'll meet you there. Alrighty, bye."
"What was that?" Ron asked. "Why were you talking to thin air?"
"I wasn't talking to thin air. Mamma wanted to know if I was done, because I need to be fitted for my robes. I was talking to her thru our mind link." Hotaru looked at the confused faces and sighed. "A mind link is like talking thru a telephone or a fireplace. You can hear them loud and clear in your mind or ear and respond by either concentrating your thoughts to the connection or speaking out loud. It comes in handy when you need to be quiet. I don't know how else to explain it. Ami or Setsuna would be able to, but this is the best I can come up with."
The group nodded their head in understanding. It made a little sense. They looked up when Hotaru clapped her hands together. "I almost forgot. The reason I came here today."
"You mean it wasn't to hang out with such handsome men as ourselves?" George asked.
"Sorry, but no." From within her cloak, she withdrew a rolled up piece of parchment. Using some of the scattered items as paperweights, Hotaru spread out the paper over the table. "Back to serious business. The contract has been drawn up and legalized. We've all signed it, now it's your turn. It is feasible unless in cases of premature death, imprisonment, or banishment from this material world."
Fred and George scampered off to the far back rooms they called 'offices' to hopefully find at least a non-enchanted quill and ink. The others peered over the parchment, trying to discern the meaning of the words used in the content.
Hotaru finally explained after Ron stumbled over the words 'accord' and 'indenture' for the fifth time. "It's basically an agreement that we will sponsor Fred and George Weasley with their store: the Weasley Wizard Wheezes, providing funds and supplies as they expand into international markets. In return, we will receive the first of any new products and have free access to their goods."
They just nodded their heads as Fred and George came racing back. "So where do we sign." Hotaru pointed to the places and the twins scribbled their names in the blanks. When finished the paper split into two pieces. Hotaru gave one to the twins and stuck one in her cloak.
"Congratulations! Welcome to the team, Fred and George." She said while shaking their hands. The twins eagerly pumped her hand, grinning like mad, then proceeded to jump around the room hugging everyone else. "As much as I would love to stick around and celebrate, I've still got to finish shopping for school supplies." It seemed she said the magic words as Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny groaned.
"We still have to pick up our supplies." Harry complained. "And meet the others."
"And lug our packages around." Ron whined.
"Might as well get going." Hermione declared.
"Fred, George, we'll see you soon. Bye Hotaru. It was a pleasure to meet you. Maybe we'll see each other in the future." Ginny called out. The rest of the quartet yelled their own goodbyes to the raven-haired child who returned with a wave and a smile before vanishing into the crowded streets. Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny trudged off to finish their shopping in the waning afternoon, leaving grinning twins behind.
"Maybe we should have told them, or at least warn them about Hotaru and the others." Fred said while following his brother back into the main shop.
"Why? It would be funnier if they found out on their own. Haruka will be a big surprise." George replied while trying to frame the contract. "What do you think?"
"A little more tilt left. I wish we could at least see their faces. I never would have guessed it if Hotaru didn't tell us." Fred switched the sign in front so it read 'open' and unlocked the door.
"Yeah. This year will definitely be interesting." Together they turned to the front door as a customer walked in. "Hello, welcome to the new and improved..."
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OK, my fingers are cramping. It took me 4 bloody days of typing and retyping and thinking to get this chapter out, so don't expect another one for a while. NEXT UP: Hogwarts, sorting, and the introduction. I NEED HELP!! WHICH HOUSE WOULD YOU PUT USAGI, MICHIRU, HARUKA, HOTARU, AND SETSUNA INTO??????? IF you review and tell me, you might get your choice, otherwise, I get to pick, whoopee!Thanks, Sprinklescake67