Chapter 9: Personal Agendas

"Spoken like a true ice captain. Ne, Hitsu-chan?"

The entirety of the students and several present professors turned to the doors of the Great Hall to the speaker, his grin outspread on his face as he waved a white fan at all of them as if he was a tourist greeting the locals. The man was tall and leanly-built, his slate grey orbs hidden under a striped dark green and white bucket hat. White-blonde locks framing his face as stubble colored his chin, his robes a dark green under a coat that had black diamonds, his feet sandaled with geta, clanking in the stone of the school.

"Way of Destruction: No. 31: Red Fire Cannon."

Harry gasped along with the rest of the students as they watched the white-haired transfer lifted a hand behind him, muttering the incantation without turning as ruby magic erupted from his hand, firing at the blonde man.

"Oh my." Urahara smiled as he countered the Kido with a wave of his cane, cutting aside the low-leveled Kido. "You're so mean, Hitsu-chan."

The ice captain scoffed, ignoring all the stares that they had gathered as Toshiro stood; meeting the former Twelfth Division captain at the doors of the Great Hall as they exited. "It's Hitsugaya-taicho. I told you that I would call you about the details. But seeing how you've unnecessarily brought yourself to Hogwarts, you might as be out with it. What are you doing here, Urahara?"

"An uncle can't come to see his icy nephew?"

"No." Toshiro deadpanned, as the blonde almost looked hurt for a moment before a glimmer of a smile grinned over his face, hidden behind the fan; neither of them ignorant to their eavesdroppers.

"I feel the discrimination between me and your Aunt Yoruichi already, Hitsu-chan." Urahara replied from behind his fan. "Isn't it suppose to be the other way around?"

"Hello, Mr. Urahara." Dumbledore greeted as he appeared with Snape and McGonagall behind him, a welcoming smile on his face. "What brings you to Hogwarts?"

"Headmaster." Urahara greeted back as he sent a wave to the other professors, all of them at the hallway. "I am just here to give Hitsugaya-kun here some of the materials he had requested along with a letter from his grandfather, having some new orders for our young successor; seeing how horrid your security is here." And remind you not to have a repeat of the previous time we were here, offense, by the way.

"I see." The headmaster smiled peacefully as he read the undertones of the words. "I presume, Mr. Hitsugaya has kept you updated on the events as of late?"

"Whatever do you mean?" Urahara smiled whimsically as the two shinigami exchanged looks, too fast for any of the magical humans to see.

"A guest?" A honeyed voice spoke before the Headmaster could answer as the five turned to see Umbridge, her face plastered with a sickened smile and her hands folded over her pink cardigan as she turned to the ice captain.

"Who is this, Mr. Hitsugaya?"

"My step-uncle, Urahara Kisuke of the House of Yamamoto; Professor Umbridge." Toshiro introduced, his teal orbs glancing at her before returning to Urahara. "He has come to visit and inform me of some issues at the home front."

"Ah, how thoughtful." Umbridge smiled, as she neared them. "Then Mr. Urahara, will you assist me in something?"

"Depends on what it is." Urahara smiled diplomatically.

"Oh, it is a matter concerning Mr. Hitsugaya actually." The eyesore smiled wider, a dark twinkle in her beady eyes. "You see, earlier in the Great Hall, Mr. Hitsugaya had executed the use of your Eastern magic and I was considering on asking if you had a way of restricting this."

There was a short silence as the shinigami shared a look, McGonagall speaking up.

"Dolores, why would you see the need to restrict Mr. Hitsugaya's usage of magic?"

"Why for the safety of the students of course, dear." Umbridge stated as if it were obvious, her face colored with mock concern. "If Mr. Hitsugaya has the right to move about and use his unknown magic recklessly, how can we ensure the safety of the other children? He is a liability, a child that should not be exposed to the usage of magic in such a risky way."

"I assure you, Professor Umbridge." Urahara smiled from behind his fan. "My nephew is more than qualified to control his use of our magic; otherwise, we wouldn't have allowed him out of our capital, much less, into your less than assuring restriction. The earlier example for instance, he fired a blast of Kido at me, well aware of my presence as it is tradition for us to set an exchange of blows as a type of greeting. But seeing how it is your restriction, I don't think placing a limitation on my nephew will deter him much."

"It wouldn't? Is there something else that we may use to restrict him?" Umbridge grinned, as the ice captain fought the urge to speak.

"Oh no." Urahara shook his head whimsically. "Because, you see, he is a captain."

"Captain of the Tenth Division, and one of the leaders of your society; yes, I've heard." Umbridge sniffed. "What of it?"

"With the position, my nephew is a chief executive officer, has a division of two-hundred men and women under him and has the power and authority to order anyone below his status; he is a representative of the true power within our society, therefore; he does what he wishes and deems best. A higher position than you can ever grow to be in your society, I'm afraid." Urahara countered with all politeness despite a mocking grin on his lips as he lowered his fan. "So going to me about having the authority to seal off his abilities? Do not bother. For even Father does not have that authority too easily."

"Surely there could be something done to withhold his Eastern magic?" They pretended not to hear the grit in her teeth.

"Well, aren't you already doing a fantastic job of that in your classroom for the Western aspect, Professor Umbridge?" Or the sharp breath.

"Uncle." Toshiro spoke up as he stood in front of Umbridge, his teal orbs icy as they glanced at the flabbergasted witch, the other three professors watching closely. "Professor Umbridge may be a bit overly zealous in her methodology, but she is not wrong in that something may have been unpredictable to occur. My apologies, Professor; but you must understand that to seal and withhold my magic is an offensive move toward our people and a direct insult to one of my standing. Perhaps, we can absolve this by other means?"

"Other means?" Umbridge smiled forcefully, as if she were holding back the urge to run a spell through Urahara, who grinned. The two shinigami were only a lot better in holding back that urge.

"Yes. I shall request my grandfather to issue something to satisfy your request, Professor Umbridge." Toshiro nodded as he rose an eyebrow. "Will that suffice for you?"

The Undersecretary of the Ministry was silent for moment before she knelt before the white-haired transfer. And with the surprise from all, she reached out and straightened his crinkled collar with a sickening grin as she spoke. "Perhaps I have misunderstood you, Captain Hitsugaya. A prodigy and intellectual youth who is adverse in Western and Eastern magic, I had initially thought you with Mr. Potter's supporters. But it seems I was mistaken."

"Your praise is too much, Professor." Toshiro smiled back, his small grin eliciting chills and icy pinpricks down everyone's spines as grey and teal orbs met with a swift flicker, a small grin hidden behind a fan.

"I am in support of only myself and my society. And that's all there is to it."

"What a performance, Hitsu-chan." Urahara smiled as Toshiro scoffed, ripping open the buttoned collar, nearly snarling at the scent of the eyesore's perfume on him before correcting the blonde in his name. "You almost fooled me too along with the Order."

"You knew that that was all a part of the plan, Urahara. Why else would you provoke Umbridge like that?" Toshiro shot back rhetorically as they were seated in the cavern that the captain had used to communicate with Soul Society, the uplink and the television back. "Putting that aside, did you manage to create something to separate the Horcrux from Potter?"

The scientist shinigami hid his slate grey orbs under his bucket hat before speaking, his voice low. "After studying the slivers of the soul, it was not that difficult to remove them from the objects, but from a living soul, that issues a problem."

Toshiro rose an eyebrow, fingering his wand. "How so?"

"It all has to do with the creation of the Horcrux." Urahara nodded as he held up a book. Magick Moste Evile. "The soul is split open in the moment of which the wizard or witch commits murder, their spiritually charged soul with the addition of the adrenaline and release of destroying another soul, would effectively split it. And then, the 'destroyed' soul remnants would shield the Horcrux into the object that they seal it within."

"But within living beings, it differs due to one thing." The transfer spoke with a narrow of teal eyes. "The living beings have reiatsu."

"So bright." Urahara praised, as his demeanor grew serious once more. "Yes. Within the diadem, locket, and the cup; the Horcrux is only protected by low-leveled reiatsus, most likely due to Voldemort had used anyone who was readily available; making destroying them and releasing the soul fragment from them relatively easy."

"But with Mr. Harry Potter, it is a bit more complex."

"The fact that his reiatsu feels like a hollow going through Hollowfication and a Plus that is in the midst of Konso, have something to do with it?"

"Hollowfication?"

Nodding, the ice captain recounted the events of the previous night of the prophecy and Potter's nightmare.

"This should clear the air then." The blonde scientist nodded as he gestured to the book once more. "A Horcrux is meant to be sealed within an object, not a living being for obvious reasons, that the chance of death becomes astronomically higher. But there is another reason, the Horcrux is a soul, a fragment of one, but a soul nonetheless, and when placed into a body with one…"

"…They could function the same way you hid the Hogyoku in Kuchiki Rukia." Toshiro finished as the scientist nodded.

"With the fragment in them, the vessel's soul can take on similarities of the fragment and if powerful enough, can even alter the vessel's thoughts to a sub-par version of mind control."

"And so, within the subconscious, unprotected by a zanpakuto; Potter is subject to the Horcrux's influence, explaining the boy's nightmares."

Master. I request that you summon and materialize us. Sephiroth spoke as the ice captain paused, eliciting a look from the scientist before the ice captain nodded. With a wave, the two ice dragons appeared on either side of the seated captain, knelt in respect as they greeted the scientist.

"Allow me to explain." Sephiroth bowed as he stood, his silvery white locks swaying in his ponytail. "Potter's nightmares are most likely the result of Legilimancy, the act of magical navigating through the layers of a person's mind and sometimes, if the Legilimens is powerful enough, control it. Through the Horcrux, Lord Voldemort may read Potter's mind but as far as to control; he has yet to get that far."

"A type of mind-reading?" Urahara noted as the wand guardian shook his head vehemently.

"No. Legilimancy is far greater. It can be used wandlessly and nonverbally. If powerful enough, the Legilimens would be able to detect if a person is lying, delve into their thoughts, emotions, and even memories. It is more of an invasion of the mind than anything else. Like entering one's Inner World without permission and trespassing."

"Unless they are strong enough with Occlumency." Toshiro entered, as Hyorinmaru nodded. "It is the opposite of Legilimancy, defending the mind against invaders. But as shinigami with a realized zanpakuto, I was assured that my Inner World is fine or so I thought."

"Oh?" Urahara echoed as he rose an eyebrow at that.

"The last Horcrux managed to slip past my defenses, which is why I had researched in greater detail of the magical action. Never again will allow that thing to enter my Inner World."

"Ara, ara. You make too many people concerned for you, Hitsu-chan." Urahara snickered as he glanced at the stiffened ice dragons, as much as it was a mere twitch of frowning lips. A small snort escaped the ice captain as the puff of breath descended, allowing the nickname to bypass his usual scolding just this once.

Harry entered the classroom, empty of any occupants as class and dinner was over, having finally needed to separate himself from the others, who had their own schedules. Hermione with her endeavor for house-elves, Ron with Prefect duties, and Hitsugaya with his uncle arriving at Hogwarts; everyone was so busy, while he in the other hand, had his hands tied by undoubtably, the most horrid professor in the history of this school.

Knocking the door that separated him from the pink-covered professor, Harry heard an invitation, swinging open the door before he was assaulted by pink. So much pink.

Never before had Harry seen so much of the color. The once sparse granite walls of Lupin's office was now painted a soft pink, metal frames holding up magically induced plates that displayed young kittens meowing innocently as his green eyes traveled a one over of the renovated office. There was two desks, one for the professor and the other adjacent to it, as if to serve as a secretary's seat; empty other than several sheets of blank parchment. Seated in her desk, Umbridge smiled widely, her cardigan over her shoulders as she settled a grandmotherly china tea cup. Lace and pink tablecloths alined everything even the feminine lamps, as Harry stood stiffly in the pink storm of Umbridge's design. He was completely and utterly terrified.

"Good evening, Mr. Potter." Umbridge smiled breaking him from his fixation of the room as he was gestured to the other desk. "Sit."

Bloody hell, even the armchairs she has are pink. He thought as he seated himself on one of them, Umbridge speaking in her faux friendly voice.

"You're going to be doing some lines for me today, Mr. Potter."

Sighing softly, the fifteen-year-old reached for his bag, intent to pull out his writing utensils, when he was paused.

"No. Not with your quill." Umbridge smiled wider. "You're going to be using a rather special one of mine."

Standing, the professor set down a peculiar feathered pen. The feather was a darkened pink — again — attached to a sharpened tip of silver fastened securely by a thin bed of foam.

"Now…" Umbridge began as she faced the window of her office, as Harry picked up the quill. "…I want you to write, 'I must not tell lies.'"

"How many times?" He managed to state.

The professor was silent for a moment.

"Well, let's say for as long as it takes for the message to sink in."

The Ministry was really out for him. Harry thought when he realized something was missing and kind of required for him to complete his task. "You haven't given me any ink."

"Oh, you won't need any."

What? How was he—? Harry thought quickly. Could Umbridge have access to new quills that were filled beforehand? Whatever. Let's just get this thing over with.

Brushing off the odd disregard for ink, the Boy Who Lived began to write. But with every stroke and movement that he wrote, his left hand grew irritated. Itching and a bit sore at first, the boy ignored it as he wrote, absently writing them. Then it grew and festered. Like a thin needle prodding his skin, it soon became a nick, then a thin wound that looked all too familiar. Was that an 'I'?

In silent horror, Harry watched as the words he wrote on the parchment appeared on the back of his hand, etched in his own handwriting as he realized why ink was not necessary. Because the quill used blood. His blood.

Looking at the quill, the boy found the Defence Against the Dark Arts professor turn to him, walking before him with a worried look on her face as she spoke, her sickly green orbs watery. "Yes?"

Harry held his tongue for a moment as he thought. Would it be wise of him to speak up? Or should he bite his tongue?

Deciding on the latter, he uttered out, his green orbs glaring and lips nearly pulled to a snarl. "Nothing."

"That's right." Umbridge praised with a whisper as she neared him, her toad-like face drawing nearer and nearer until their noses were a mere six inches away. "Because you know. Deep down, you deserve to be punished. Don't you, Mr. Potter?"

It took all of the fifteen-year-old wizard's willpower to not retort with a snappy outburst, but he bit his tongue as she gestured with a wide smile.

"Go on." Having no other choice but to, he continued to write.

He was mistaken. The Ministry was not out for him. They were out for his mouth and they were even willing to torture him for his silence.

Toshiro was seated in the library, toiling over his homework after the slew of classes; textbooks out as he scribbled a neat essay of how the five main uses of Fanged Geranium were significant and at the same time, setting aside a bookmark for references on the scriptures for a translation due the following week for Ancient Runes. By the following hour, the white-haired transfer had finished his homework, tying the many scrolled papers with a white ribbon when a shadow casted over his open Potions textbook.

"Weasley. What do I owe for this visit?" The ice captain spoke without turning as Ron rose an eyebrow behind the white-haired boy.

"How did you know it was me?"

I sensed your reiatsu. Toshiro replied mentally as he verbally spoke another, icy yet curious teal orbs looking at him. "No one else would be walking around so lackadaisically other than you and your twin older brothers at this kind of time. So, what is it?"

"I want to ask you for help on something, mate." The youngest male Weasley requested, as he shifted nervously. "If you have the time and would let me, 'course."

Toshiro rose an eyebrow in reply.

"So, you know 'bout the Quidditch tryouts happenin' on Friday afternoon?"

"You wish for assistance to be a efficient Keeper for the Team?" Toshiro concluded as he sent a questioning look to the red-head who nodded, bowing in an eighty-five degree angle, about ready to plead when the captain spoke with a sigh.

"Very well, Weasley." Toshiro sighed as he sent a look out the window. It was nearly twilight. "Meet me after dinner at the Pitch; request McGonagall that we can use it for three hours."

"Got it." Ron nodded before he paused. "Wait. T-Three hours?"

"Take it or leave it, Weasley." Toshiro shrugged as he nodded to his finished assignments. "I have no time for you during the day due to classes, the afternoon is taken up by my paperwork and studies; therefore, I only have the night available for me to train you."

Ron shuddered, hearing the captain stating his schedule so casually as he nodded. "I s-see. Th-Thanks for giving me some of your time to help me."

"I was getting bored over finishing Professor McGonagall's essay on Vanishing Spells, anyway."

"…Isn't that due in three weeks?"

The transfer rose an eyebrow with a cool look that said, 'Yes. And?'

Shaking his head as seeing how the transfer had agreed to training him, he really had no right or business to judge. Never thought that he would ever see someone more studious than Hermione, but meeting Hitsugaya, he was sorely proven wrong.

"N-Nothing." Ron grinned as he turned, waving as he was hushed by other students, wanting a peaceful environment for them to study. "I'll see you in a couple of hours."

In a couple of hours as promised, Ron awaited at the Quidditch Pitch as he had requested of McGonagall who did not allow him to be there to practice until he mentioned that Hitsugaya was going to be there as well to train him. Strapped with his gear and helmet on, the red-head stood with his broom in hand, awaiting for the transfer. Turning absently to run a hand through his face, the fifteen-year-old turned and saw white, jumping nearly a foot in air as he spotted the captain right next to him, who sent him a risen brow in inquiry for his jumpiness.

Like himself, the icy transfer was donned in the Quidditch gear, his thicker and bulkier due to his position as the captain was more of one that was similar to a Seeker, the least gear of all; needing speed more than anything else. Perched on his broom, which Ron recognized as a Nimbus 2001, much better than the used one that he held.

"Calm yourself, Weasley." Toshiro spoke lowly as he rode on his broom with almost complete ease. "You will do no good if you are constantly jittery with nerves, you need a calm mindset to be able to serve your team well."

"R-Right." Ron nodded as he mounted his broom, a bit wobbly.

"Now." Toshiro glared evenly, the red-head giving him his full attention. "As a Keeper, what are you responsible for?"

"Guarding the three goal posts to stop the other team from scoring points."

"Correct. But you are also responsible for another task." The ice captain nodded, as he led them to the goal posts, large and wide enough to fit the players through without much difficulty. "You are what stands in the way for the other team from victory. The Seeker may be who yields the greater amount of points, but when the odds are that the opposing team as accumulated the same amount; their position is meaningless. Therefore, the outcome of the team does not only account that the Snitch is caught by the correct team, but also; the number of times you allow the Quaffle to go through."

Nodding, Ron knew this already.

"So, to allow you to train for this; I have made a selection of three main skills for you to harness: blocking, speed, and agility."

Slipping out his wand, the ice captain continued. "We will work on one today and the other two on Wednesday and Thursday. While you can train yourself in the remaining morning in preparation if you wish."

"Then which one are we going to do today?" Ron questioned his head cocked to one side, as a small smirk quirked the captain's lips before he gave the boy a swift kick to his broom, effectively moving him away from the path of a Bludger, that almost seemed to cackle as it passed, Ron scrambling to balance himself on the broom as he guarded the middle post, the captain on the one to the right.

"OI!" Ron bellowed as he nearly turned as red as his hair. "What the bloody hell was that —?!"

"A Bludger." Toshiro deadpanned, with a twinkle of mischief in his teal orbs as he twisted away from another one. "I released four of them throughout the field and charmed them to aim and enter the goal posts. Guard them with a minimum of one hundred points for a half-hour, you will receive a break. Fail and you will continue for another round."

"This is bloody madness! Are you kidding me?!" Ron cried incredulously as he dodged another one, nearly grazing his helmet. "I could break something! Did you at least enchant them to not hit me?!"

Now it was the captain's turn to look at him incredulously yet somehow with icy indifference. "How will you learn without knowing the consequences of allowing your defense to break?"

That's it. Hitsugaya was definitely not human. No human was this cruel.

Toshiro sighed as he spoke up, kicking aside another Bludger to the left with almost inhuman ease. "Yes, Weasley. They will not directly hit you. But they will bruise and graze you if you allow them to bypass them into the goal posts. So, seeing as you are already short eight goals from being beaten, I suggest you start blocking."

He looks like a bee buzzing around trying to find the prettiest flower. Sephiroth commented as the captain hovered in the air, watching Weasley with narrow teal eyes as Hyorinmaru rose an eyebrow at the comment.

It's more like a gardener that has yet to choose which one of the flowers is the most annoying so that he can rid of it's existence, judging from the boy's expression.

"Left, Weasley!" Toshiro barked sharply, ignoring his ice dragons as Ron knocked away the Bludger with the back of his broom; smiling in victory for a second before the ice captain spoke up once more, his voice dark as if he were speaking to a subordinate. "Middle post! Do not get confident after several blocks! Stay alert and watch the Bludgers!"

"This is harder than it looks!" Ron bellowed back as he barely was able to hold off that one with a kick, before darting off to the left post.

Master. Sephiroth sighed as he sent a small glance of sympathy toward Ron. May be pining Bludgers against Weasley was a bit harsh, I mean; he's only a teenager, Master. A mortal one if I may add.

He's suppose to fail. Toshiro supplied bluntly. Even an experienced Keeper like Wood had trouble to achieve the circumstances I have set up; but to do well later in the future, I would rather he has the needed training and at least some experience in aerial situations and against agile projectiles. I doubt he will abandon Potter later on when they truly need to be there for him.

So, you are training and preparing them for that now? Hyorinmaru smirked.

In a way. Toshiro replied vaguely as he spoke up once more, his tone sharp and almost biting. "On your right, Weasley!"

Five minutes later, Ron felt more battered and bruised than the pumpkins in Hagrid's yard in the fall, and they had to deal with Buckbeak at one point; spotting movement in the corner of his eye within the darkness; the red-head lunged for to block the Bludger, despite being three hundred over his minimum. But a flash of white appeared faster than he did before the left post, punching aside the Bludger with with a swift swing of a gloved hand, as a white wand too made it's appearance.

And wth a wave of the yew wand, the Bludgers receded to a certain red-head's obvious relief.

Breathing in large gulps of the precious night air, Ron laid sprawled on the pitch, covered in cold sweat as his broom and helmet abandoned beside him, finally opening his sky blue eyes, catching sight of the captain who snapped his fingers, the chests containing the Bludgers closing with a hard click before he turned to the living boy.

"Well done, Weasley." Toshiro stately icily, no different than how he spoke when he was scolding. "You have blocked eight and have allowed nineteen of them to bypass you. You have done well."

"Done well?!" Ron sighed as he slumped himself over as he sat up. "I shouldn't have even thought of trying to be the Keeper. I can't even block right; how the hell am I going to get the position if I can't even do this right?!"

"If you are done wallowing in self-pity; listen to me, Weasley." Toshiro spoke darkly, his voice low as he narrowed his eyes at the boy who flinched at the glare. "Wood asked me for the same training two years ago and he didn't do as well as you did; barely able to block six of them even with my instructions for the entire time. So, stop having so much negativity toward yourself."

"W-Wood, did worse then m-me?"

"Yes." The transfer repeated as the chests were sent off before the captain held up a hand. "Now, hold still. I am going to heal your bruises."

"Wah?" Ron blinked, before his eyes caught a glowing green. Yellow-green kido danced in soft tendrils over the transfer's fingers before he directed them to the boy, as he watched the tendrils unhook themselves from the digits and latch onto himself, the warmth and soothing of the magic pooling into him; making his adrenaline and previously protesting muscles quiet. It was several minutes later that the feeling receded along with Hitsugaya's magic, making Ron feel a bit saddened but he had no time to think about that.

"Weasley. Do you know why I released Bludgers for you to train with rather than with a Quaffle?"

Ron thought sheepishly for a moment before answering. "Well, for a moment there, I thought that you had something against me."

"If that were the case, Weasley; you wouldn't be sitting here alive." Toshiro deadpanned as Ron laughed nervously.

"That's funny, 'Gaya." Ron grinned as the captain sent a smirk.

"It's Hitsugaya. What's funny is that you think that I'm joking." Ron couldn't tell and for some reason, that really terrified him.

"But jokes aside." Toshiro sighed as he pointed to the goal posts. "Since you will need to guard for all three of those posts with one ball, in theory; if you watch the ball, you will defend well. But as a player, there are unpredictable circumstances you will be playing against, and so is why I decided to train you in this way."

Nodding, the red-head blushed as deeply as his hair before he muttered something, too low for even the captain to hear clearly.

"…Thank you, Hitsugaya."

The ice captain snorted softly as he stood, holding out a hand to the boy; his icy tempests as cold as ever but this time Ron saw a gleam of teasing in them for a second as the transfer spoke, his voice hinted with playful banter.

"Don't thank me yet. We still have tomorrow and Thursday to beat into you."

"Do you remember the pages that Professor Flitwick was referencing to today, Hitsugaya?" Was the whispered question to the captain when he looked up from his paperwork, frowning at the strange report submitted by his subordinates in regards of Hollow activity in the vicinity. Adjusting his scarf, Toshiro scribbled the page numbers before holding out the note to the girl in silence as she returned it with a mouthed gratitude.

Returning to the report and noting to hear more of it later, Hitsugaya returned to his work, scanning over the papers when one caught his attention. Teal orbs became slitted into a dark narrow as the captain read the report, the pink handwriting of his lieutenant not irritating him for once; but rather it was the contents that him irked at the moment. Apparently, a small misunderstanding had occurred in his absence, that involved several of his Unseated grunts and the Eleventh Division's, and as a result of the squabble taking place at the Tenth Division's courtyard; the damages were there.

According to the report, the two divisions were to pay equally for the damages but were to punish their subordinates accordingly. Handing out punishments for their division members was his responsibility and one that he did not allow Matsumoto to substitute unless absolutely necessary. As per rules, no division had a hand in punishing members that were not of their division, even captains for that matter as the best they could do was request one from their colleague. And within his division, the dynamics of the workings did not allow his strawberry-blonde lieutenant to do that. Known for her kind and friendly disposition, Matsumoto was the lieutenant that was lazy and lax in her work but dependable as a friend and his executive officer. While she knew everyone's name and was in turn, everyone's best friend; he was the superior above them, taking care of his division in the shadows and sternly issuing orders with indifference and efficiency. But that did not mean that he did not know his subordinates. No, the ice captain knew each and everyone of their reiatsus along with their names and positions. But shrouded in white, he was an enigma and a captain at that.

He was not allowed to display anymore care for his subordinates than he already did.

I am going to have to call Soul Society for a bit. Hitsugaya grimaced as he read over the report once more. To issue their punishment and let Matsumoto oversee it. I cannot leave Hogwarts when I have just started the school year.

Sighing, the captain resisted the urge to ran a hand through his hair.

Why does everything have to go to hell the minute school begins? The first week hasn't even ended yet and already, my subordinates decide to pick a fight with Zaraki's.

Perhaps it's due to the lack of you being present at the division. Hyorinmaru inquired as he explained. You were absent for most of the year in your Third Year, and just two years later, you are now gone again for your Fifth Year. Not to mention the extended Captain's Meetings that concerned the Horcruxes during the two year gap.

They know better than to start a fight to gain my attention.

Yes, Master; we made sure of that. Hyorinmaru smiled toothily. But that's exactly why they may have done it. Others gather to see a reward being given out but swarm all the quicker when a fight is breaking out, no?

After all, we do lead a military unit. Sephiroth nodded with cheek. They bound to get antsy sooner or later.

Speaking of getting antsy, you need to let out this excess reiatsu, Master. Hyorinmaru noted, eyeing the Inner World. Your use of magic has sufficed for now, but after a while, it will build and become a burden to you; especially you are hardly out of your gigai now in Hogwarts.

Before the captain could reply, a small tap broke him from his thoughts as he looked up to meet concerned brown orbs, glancing at his white knuckles in concern as he released the fist he did not know he was holding with a sigh. Running the hand over his face as he glanced at a small note, he opened it, reading the contents.

Thank you, Hitsugaya. Was written first before another scrawl was added below it. Are you alright?

Scripting a reply, the ice captain returned the favor. I'm fine. Just bad news from home is all. Nothing to be overly concerned about.

I see. Granger wrote back. Then on another topic, did Flitwick mention that the reference pages had the answers we needed for the lesson today?

The ice captain rose an eyebrow before he wrote a reply. If you had wanted the answers to the homework assigned to us, they are in the pages after the reference pages in the third section.

The bushy-haired girl glared at the transfer with a huff before she flipped the textbook pages to the answers, scrawling a swift reply. And you did not inform me of this, why?

His response was swift and given with an implicit shrug. You asked for the reference pages that Flitwick recommended, not the pages that contained the answers. If you had asked about where to look for the answers, I would have informed you about the latter.

Defeated, the girl mumbled a small thank you as the ice captain merely smirked softly both of them returning to their work.