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Balance Factor Chapter 26

Year Four

Ryuuko

A/N: Clingy Harry! Yes, he is very clingy in this chapter. Can you blame him? He just got back his Father who was murdered years before! This will mark the end of the Fourth Book!

A special for all my readers! A second update on Christmas!

Read and review, as always!

"A task… Father?" Kazuki asked. Ryuuko nodded slowly, withdrawing his hand from Kazuki's.

"The reason I can materialize right now is because, inside you, you are forming a new Light inshi," Ryuuko said. Kazuki gave a small start, his eyes wide.

"What?! But… Only Tuners have inshi… I'm not a Tuner," Kazuki said, sitting up sharply.

"When I created you, Shirogane and I both agreed that you were to be a vessel to create inshi in case anything happened," Ryuuko said quietly. "If the inshi was removed from our bodies… and not returned within a period of time, then you would create a new inshi. Fortunately, the Shadow inshi and the Light inshi are now in their respective places. But because of the removal of the Light inshi destroyed my body; you started to create a new inshi. This inshi is incomplete inside you."

Kazuki hesitated and then looked at Ryuuko. "So… what should I do?"

"I never accounted for this, but let it complete inside you," Ryuuko said. "I will be able to materialize fully."

"Will that not tip the balance?" Kazuki asked, looking worried. Ryuuko nodded.

"It will," Ryuuko confirmed. "But considering how far the balance is tipped now to favor Darkness, this will be a good thing." He smiled, placing his hand on Kazuki's hair. "After the balance is restored, I want you to give the inshi to Shisui."

"But… then… you will…" Kazuki stammered, his eyes wide. Ryuuko nodded.

"I have already died, Kazuki," Ryuuko confirmed. "Having a new inshi may give me a body and a portion of my powers back, but my memories and knowledge are already in Akira. There is no reason for me to show up, but for you. It is time for Akira to take over and for me to leave."

"Won't Shirogane be upset?" Kazuki asked. "He will be devastated… And I… don't want to lose you again."

"I'm sorry," Ryuuko said gently. He embraced Kazuki slowly, covering him with his warmth. The familiar warmth Harry had felt throughout the year.

"Did you do something to… Dudley, by the way?" Kazuki asked suddenly, looking up at Ryuuko. Ryuuko smiled.

"Just jarred his memory a little."

-0-

"Potter!"

Harry jerked awake. He had transformed back into his human vessel when he had fallen asleep. Ryuuko stayed with him during the night, holding his hand comfortingly.

Draco ran into the room, looking at Harry on the bed.

"Potter! There you are! And who is that?" Draco asked, pointing at Ryuuko. Ryuuko had also been jerked out of sleep, so blinked awake at the finger and spoke.

"Nice to meet you. My name is Ryuuko," he said, pleasant. "I'm sure Harry has told you about me."

"Your dead Father?" Draco asked, his eyebrows shooting up to his hairline. Harry gave a laugh and shakily sat up, looking at Ryuuko.

"Turns out he wasn't so dead after all," Harry said, happy. Ryuuko smiled, stretching like a cat, contentedly. Harry was suddenly reminded of his boggart and burst out laughing. Draco and Ryuuko both shot each other a look, confused.

"Hermione and Ron will be here soon," Draco said. "So… what happened?"

"I'll tell you when Ron and Hermione arrive," Harry said, looking up at Ryuuko affectionately. "Ryuuko? Will you tell me what happened at the cemetery?"

Ryuuko paused. "Well… I don't really know how to describe it. But the man I was fighting was furious you left." He crossed his arms, leaning back in his chair, thinking about it. "I am unfamiliar with the spells he shot at me. One of the grazed me and cut my clothes. When I came here, the magic in the air repaired it for me. How nice of it."

"Her name is Hogwarts," Harry said happily, placing a hand on the wall. "She helps me often too."

"Is that so?" Ryuuko asked, standing up and placing a hand on the wall. He closed his eyes and whispered, "I am Light. I wish to thank you for your assistance."

Harry paused as the Hospital Wing's doors opened again. Ron and Hermione rushed in, looking excited. But both of them froze when they saw Ryuuko standing, staring at the wall.

"Guys! This is Ryuuko. Father, this is Ron and that is Hermione," Harry said, pointing each of his friends out. Ryuuko dropped his hand and looked at the newcomers, his eyes warm.

"Good morning," Ryuuko said cheerfully. Ron hesitated but then stuck out a hand.

"King of Light, huh? What should we call you?" Ron asked. Ryuuko blinked, taking a minute to understand what Ron wanted. "Is Ryuuko okay?"

"Ryuuko is fine," he said, shaking Ron's hand. He turned to Hermione and bowed to her. "And good morning to you, young lady."

Hermione blushed very red and giggled. "Wow… Ryuuko."

"So them what you caught, Hermione," Draco said, leaning on the windowsill. "We found out how Skeeter was spying on everyone."

Hermione dug into her bag and pulled out a jar. "She's an unregistered animagus."

Harry looked at the beetle and grinned. "Blackmail then."

Ryuuko blinked. "Harry… It's not very nice to be blackmailing people." He looked half disapproving, but half exasperated.

"You say that because you didn't see the things she wrote about me," Harry said, looking at Ryuuko. Ryuuko's expression didn't change so Harry sighed.

"Here!" Hermione said, holding out a paper. "This is her latest article to slander Harry."

"She came out with another one?" Harry asked, watching Ryuuko pick up the paper out of Hermione's hands and start to read it. "What is it this time? Dark Lord? Dangerous villain?"

"It says here that you're a fragile, misguided soul that got corrupted from Voldemort's attack when you were a baby," Ryuuko said, raising an eyebrow at the paper. "And that's why you're into Dark Arts… And affiliate with Dark Wizards… And you're a nutcase." Ryuuko put the paper down, having read enough. "I can see why you do not like her very much."

"Exactly. A little blackmail like this is enough to get her to shut her pen up for a long time, don't you think? The punishment for not registering is prison, after all," Harry said, looking into the jar with a sadistic smile. "Or maybe I will blab on her just to destroy her reputation like she's destroyed so many others."

Ryuuko sat down, crossing one leg over the other. "Harry, your mean side is showing."

Harry jerked back and huffed. "What's wrong with wanting to make her suffer after all the lies she told about me?"

Ryuuko laughed.

-0-

Evidently, Ryuuko's presence fascinated everyone. Like moths to flame, people surrounded him, wanting to know more about the unusual presence. House elves scrambled around to serve him. Even Snape had made an effort to talk to Ryuuko. They had a very enlightening conversation about potions.

Harry didn't mind though. Ryuuko's presence calmed him. The fact that Ryuuko had dueled Voldemort without magic somehow made its way throughout the school. Some students clustered around Ryuuko, asking him to tell the story. Others stared at him, as if they could judge whether he was a nutcase like Harry. Hagrid had burst into tears and grabbed Ryuuko into a big, one armed hug which Ryuuko tolerated with some surprise. Dumbledore allowed Ryuuko to stay as long as he wanted; though Harry knew it wasn't going to be long.

Ryuuko, however, much preferred lying down in the courtyard and taking a nap. Like a cat, Ryuuko would sleep under the warm sun through most of the day, only getting up when Harry came to get him. If he wasn't sleeping, he would be reading a book by the fountain. Mrs. Norris would join him often, curling in his lap and purring deeply. Filch looked both pleased and displeased the first time he found Ryuuko sleeping in the courtyard with Mrs. Norris sleeping on top of him.

On one occasion though, Ryuuko had entered the dungeons, watching the students brew their potions. Snape had gravitated towards Ryuuko after spotting him and thrusting an empty cauldron at him with ingredients inside. Ryuuko blinked, taking them.

"If you're going to watch, you might as well try it," Snape said, scowling a little. "Potions, that is. You've brewed before, right?"

"I have," Ryuuko said, smiling. "Though these ingredients are strange to me." He moved to an empty bench and started.

Pretty soon, most of the class had ended up watching Ryuuko's experiment. Ryuuko walked over to the cabinet and pulled out several strange looking things and added it to his potion, as well as three drops of something that he kept in his robe. Even Snape watched him.

Ryuuko worked on the potion past the class time. Snape made no move to stop him.

"Ryuuko?"

Ryuuko glanced at the door and beckoned Harry inside. Harry stepped inside and walked over to him, looking down at the potion. It was bright green. Ryuuko turned off the fire and smiled at Snape.

"It is finished," Ryuuko said. Snape stalked over and looked into the cauldron, sniffing it.

"Ryuuko? Does that have an antidote or will it wear off?" Harry asked. Ryuuko smiled and started clearing things away.

"It wears off in twenty four hours," Ryuuko said. "This is a limiter for me. I will keep it in case you need my advice. Drinking this will severely limit my powers though, so I will not be able to assist you during battle that time."

"That's alright," Harry said. "I'm satisfied with just your presence." He smiled, thinking about how Kou would react to see a very shrunk Ryuuko in his pocket and smiled. "Should I let Kou know you're here?"

Ryuuko paused. "It's up to you," he said finally, pouring the solution into a large glass jar. He blinked as Snape thrusted a small vile in front of him. "Ah?"

"I would like some too. I want to see how you made this potion," Snape said. Ryuuko took the vile and filled it, passing it to the professor who nodded.

"Ryuuko… When will your time… be up?" Harry asked softly. Ryuuko smiled.

"Today," he replied. "So getting this ready now is ideal." He pocketed the jar and took the cauldron to clean. Snape, however, waved his wand. The cauldron disappeared.

"Don't trouble yourself," Snape said. "Go ahead. You must be busy." He seemed more interested in Ryuuko's potion, vanishing into his office, completely missing Ryuuko's shocked 'ah'. Harry looked up at Ryuuko and took his hand, pulling him towards the door. Ryuuko followed Harry all the way back outside to the grounds.

"Ryuuko…?" Harry asked softly. Ryuuko looked at Harry, a curious look passing his face. Harry turned to him and then embraced him.

The Light inside him was fading. Slowly, but surely. Ryuuko was weakening. Disappearing. Harry didn't want that. He had just gotten Ryuuko back and he was already fading. Ryuuko had lasted three days in the Human World. Even with the attribute working with him, Ryuuko was still so fragile.

Ryuuko's eyes softened. He brushed a hand over Harry's face, sighing deeply. He took no notice of the people gathering to stare at the strange scene. "Be strong, Kazuki… Be strong. I know you can."

Harry nodded slowly. Ryuuko smiled.

"My time is up," he said softly. "I will keep this solution on me until we meet again."

Harry could see the Light decomposing, floating away from him. Ryuuko's body glowed lightly and then vanished completely in a bright flash of light. And he was gone.

Shoulders dropping, Harry turned back to the front doors.

"Until we meet again, Ryuuko."