Chapter 12: Hidden Friends
Ignoring the cheers of the school as the Quidditch match between Gryffindor and Slytherin took place at the pitch, something that the captain had no intention of coming to, the sight of Luna's lion hat all the more to reinforce that, not wanting to listen to the snarling and roars of a lion throughout the torturous task of holding down the urge to silence all with a simple Kido spell. He had already tested that thin platform of his patience with Umbridge, who had banned the twins and Potter from playing Quidditch.
The twins and the Boy Who Lived considered to beg the transfer to play the Seeker, but with one withering glare that idea was thrown out the window. Quickly. Arriving at the cavern, the captain was out of his gigai, relishing in being out of the confining thing for the first time in a while.
Damn that Urahara and Kurotsuchi for their modifications on this. Toshiro cursed mentally, strapping Hyorinmaru onto his back as he glared at everything and nothing with a small scowl. My gigai is as uncomfortable as ever and not to mention the number of souma-fixers I had to use. I hate injecting those things.
They are a bit irritating. Hyorinmaru nodded as Sephiroth shrugged, the white serum not affecting him in the least. But they are better than nothing, Master.
Not if Urahara had the decency to make them more comfortable or Kurotsuchi for that matter. Toshiro growled, his mood thin. Yama-jii has ordered that the remaining Horcruxes are to found as soon as possible, but unless I am lucky and find another Horcrux like with Ravenclaw's diadem, I doubt I will find anymore of them.
"Hitsugaya-taicho."
With a flip of his Mod-Soul phone and pressing a button in habitual succession, the ice captain answered swiftly, voice commanding yet hinted with questioning. "What is it?"
"Akon, Third Seat of the Twelfth Division, reporting." The shinigami on the other side began as he continued with his message, relaying it quickly. "Hollow activity of several Arrancar had been detected east of your current location, sir."
"Numbers." Toshiro demanded, shunpoing immediately toward the Forbidden Forest, nodding into the bluetooth as the Third Seat replied, hanging up after the captain informed injury was not to be reported. Soon enough, thirteen Hollow reiatsus appeared, flaring their location to him as he clicked his tongue in annoyance.
There's just one annoyance after another. The captain growled darkly, throwing his released chain-blade at one of the Hollows, not even bothering to glance at it more than needed as he impatiently sent another Hollow off with a muttered Kido spell. Classes, horcruxes, Umbridge, homework, paperwork, reports to Yama-jii, my own role in this damned prophecy, my own division in disarray and now, hollows; either of which should be my main priority. And yet, I am here worried about other needless subjects to please too many people.
Hyorinmaru sighed as Sephiroth actually looked confused with his indifferent mask, the elder of the two dragons expecting this while the younger was slightly surprised at the fact that it took so long. Even their master could be crushed under the levels of stress that one can uptake.
Together, they watched as their master hacked and sliced the Hollows with ease, his movements a bit more reckless and less fluid. Blood that splattered on his face, robes, and scarf did not deter him in the least, hollow parts dancing around him as the captain froze and destroyed his enemy, his frown darkened as one managed to scratch his cheek, the blood trailing down his jaw.
I hate my job sometimes. Toshiro stated finally, his voice bland as he frowned at a thin wound on his unarmed limb as he stood high in the trees. Mulling for a moment, the captain narrowed his stare to the forest below him.
There's something down there. Similar to Hagrid's reiatsu but not exactly.
Shunpoing toward it, the captain blinked at the sight, finding several more reiatsus than he had expected. The initial subject of interest was dirty, small giant; towering at sixteen feet. With a mop of mousy brown hair at the crown, the short giant possessed wide brown-green eyes, curious and naive as a peat moss vest and shorts covered appropriate areas. Chained to a tree several times taller than himself, the small giant played with miscellaneous pieces of junk, that had one thing in common, they were or at least at one time, shiny. Surrounding the giant, the captain spotted several centaurs and one that he recognized. Shunpoing several feet from the centaur and veiled in the shadows of the forest, the captain spoke, his voice soft yet still cold.
"Bane."
Within a moment, an arrow was pointed mere centimeters from the captain's face, unblinking as he allowed the centaur to take him in, widening his gaze before lowering his weapon. "Hitsugaya Toshiro."
"What has displeased you and your colony so, Bane?" The captain nodded, standing beside the towering centaur, as their gaze fell on the small giant. "Surely, you have not allowed giant younglings refuge here."
"Nay, young one." Bane sniffed, displeased at the very thought of it. "Dumbledore and the Gamekeeper had requested that this giant temporary asylum. Our patience is thin with just wizards, and now this creature."
"I understand that much." Toshiro replied, his tone civil; surprising the centaur. "In my home, intruders and trespassers of any kind are not welcome, species or appearances be damned."
Grunting his approval, Bane rose an eyebrow, noting the captain's bloodied appearance. "And of your task within our lands?"
"My duty has just finished." Toshiro replied evasively. "I was departing when I had spotted the giant, peaking my interest."
"You wizards must learn that your interests will be the death of your kind."
"Similar to the reliability of your stars." Toshiro retorted the barb. "They may foretell and assist you in Divination, Bane. But do not forget. The stars couldn't predict me."
A thermometer perked it's narrow head high in the air, between a pair of frowning lips belonging to a displeased Hitsugaya, who in retrospect recalled multiple times that McGonagall had sent him a look that was maternally akin to what Unohana would do when he had done something she did not approve of. And in this case, was foregoing his cloak; the fire fanned by her discovery of his thin wounds, bandaged and salved after Firenze had seen the captain injured.
So, here he was in the Hospital Wing with Madame Pomfrey and McGonagall frowning at him as he laid on the gurney.
"Mr. Hitsugaya. It is in the middle of winter in England and you do not even have a jacket on." McGonagall scolded, as the captain bit the mercury tube testily, trying to not break it. "I would rather you not be ill and injured under our watch. Your relatives were less than pleased the previous encounter, considering the number of… guests we have this year."
Madame Pomfrey removed the thermometer as the ice captain resisted the urge to roll his eyes. It was Urahara's fault that his gigai took on the wounds he would receive in soul form, not that he was out of the damned thing that often in the first place. And he didn't wear his coat for obvious reasons. It wasn't his fault that everywhere he went was too stuffy for his tastes. In the midst of his mental triad, an appalled look colored Madame Pomfrey's face.
She must have read the thermometer. Toshiro noted dully as he felt a new one under his tongue, the healer speaking to the Transfiguration professor in private for a moment. The last time someone took my temperature, Matsumoto was freaking out when she found me with a fever at two degrees Celsius.
She nearly dropped you when she carried you to Fourth. Hyorinmaru snickered, recalling the memory. All while you were protesting that you were fine. It took Unohana to sedate you to get you to be silent.
Shinigami can get sick? Sephiroth questioned as Hyorinmaru nodded.
They, unlike regular souls; need subsistence, sleep, and are vulnerable to sickness but are armed with reiatsu and are privileged with living in Seireitei, the capital of Soul Society. But being a wielder of ice, our master's body temperature is too cold for most sicknesses to enter his body, but every once in a while, when he is not sleeping very much or overworked, they can bypass the cold and get him sick.
I have only been sick four times. Toshiro grumbled. Three of them being before Hyorinmaru. As long as my temperature is or below freezing point of water, I am fine.
"Mr. Hitsugaya, are you feeling alright?"
The ice captain nodded with a hand on his temple, slightly irritated as he poured himself a cup of tea from a trolley, McGonagall's expression pinching at the sight of the transfer's hand shaking lightly.
Exchanging a look with Madame Pomfrey, the professor offered a compromise, deciding that she would rather not point out the blatantly obvious lie of the transfer's well-being. "You will be held in the Hospital Wing for the next few days, Mr. Hitsugaya. You shall be excused from your classes, without exceptions."
Toshiro rose an unimpressed eyebrow, awaiting the professor to continue.
"However, you will be allowed to move about and as you wish, but return to the Hospital Wing by curfew, and when Madame Pomfrey declares you fit to move about. That is the best I can offer you, Mr. Hitsugaya."
Offer. Hyorinmaru noted as the captain lowered his tea. It seems like this professor is aware that you would move around regardless of your well-being, Master.
And you do need some rest, Master. Sephiroth added, his tone insistent.
For the uncountable time for the day, the ice captain sighed, resigned to his fate as he would rather not hear the order to rest from Unohana if this had come to her attention. Because anyone who had been treated by the captain knew better than to disobey her, even across worlds.
Three days later, a well-rested and restless ice captain was seated on Gryffindor Tower, the snowfall gentle and flakes graceful in their dance as his cohorts slept comfortably in their dormitory. Having been excused from the Hospital Wing an hour ago, the captain supplied a vague answer of a small accident that required his stay in the infirmary to those who asked, and being a part of the D.A. it included all of them.
Wanting a bit of silence to himself, Toshiro soaked in the sight of his element, the onslaught of winter at it's climax as the holidays were short of only a week. Feet bare as they dangled in the winter wind, the captain wore only a thin hakama, as white as his drooping locks, golden bronze embroidered at the hems as twin dragons gleamed on an emblem on his back, his sleeping robes courtesy of his lieutenant. He was about to scold her for stuffing his trunk full of things she wanted him to wear, when he had decided to at least take some of the things that she had packed for him, the robe being one of them seeing how it was not as bad the previous time he let her. Feeling a fond smirk color his features, the captain allowed it, his lithe fingers tracing the golden pattern at his sleeve. Despite the lack of finished paperwork, she was a loyal lieutenant and one of his closest friends, not that he would admit that immediately in the latter, but no matter how many times he would fill out the transfer of lieutenants for submission, she would do something for him that would put the form into the trash bin and disappear into a flurry of snowflakes.
With a breath that receded, Toshiro curled into himself as he laid back against the snow, crunching softly as teal eyes closed.
These past few nights have been too quiet. Toshiro voiced softly, his tone lined with caution. Voldemort, the Horcruxes, Umbridge, and Potter. All of them. Voldemort has yet to pull his counter move against Dumbledore or retaliation against his soul fragments, Umbridge has been too docile for comfort in her schemes, while Potter is looking over the army with ease.
The calm before the storm? Sephiroth suggested as Toshiro shook his head.
No. Not as serious as that, but something is off. The captain replied. I feel uneasy for some reason. If I were Voldemort, Potter's idle mental state would make it almost —!
Teal orbs snapped open in the midnight as the presence of a dark reiatsu broke the captain's thoughts in mid-procession as he entered the tower, his glare darkening as he processed several things at once, his shields immediately risen.
Voldemort has made his move. Potter is having an nightmare in the form of Legilimens. Most likely displaying something that concerns someone that he cares for in danger. It is stronger than the other nightmares. Aimed to most likely to draw Potter into something reckless, after finding that the boy knows nothing. Subdue the boy and then summon McGonagall. Sometimes, I really hate it when I'm right. Toshiro finished within a split second as he appeared in the dormitory, pushing aside Harry's curtains to reveal the sweating, almost feverish boy.
Harry was tangled in a wrestle of his blanket and sheets, making it hard to identify which limb was where but his sweat-slicked head. Drenched and hair sticking thickly on his forehead, a glasses-less Harry mumbled and groaned in his slumber as he shifted violently, shaking like he was left for the coldest winter despite the flurry of sheets covering him. Pillow soaked in sweat, the boy took a sharp breath when the captain fingered his wand, hidden in his sleeve.
"Potter." Hitsugaya ordered, his voice commanding and low. "Wake up."
The boy shifted violently, his reiatsu darker than ever as groans grew loud, awakening Weasley, blinking slowly as Hitsugaya gestured to his best friend.
"Potter. Wake up." Louder this time, the captain revealed his wand, pointing the sharpened tip over his face, prompting Ron to get out of bed faster than Hitsugaya had ever seen him, eyes wide. Not hearing the command, the Boy Who Lived shivered and winced in his deluded state. Resigned, the captain incanted slowly, his voice dark. "Aguamenti."
A jet of ice cold water shot from the transfer's wand as Harry immediately awakened, eyes wild and still dreaming as he lashed in his tangle of sheets and blanket. However, to Ron's surprise, one second, Harry was thrashing wildly as Hitsugaya narrowed his teal eyes and the next, he had Harry subdued, his wand glowing with white magic.
"H-Harry, mate?" Ron asked worriedly, as Hitsugaya held up a hand to silence the other boy in his company.
"Calm yourself, Potter. You are in Hogwarts. And you had a nightmare." Hitsugaya's calm voice echoed in the night as to Ron's relief, his best friend's breathing slowed and recognition colored his eyes. "You had classes today and had gone to bed after conversing with Weasley and Granger in the Common Room. Calm yourself before you hurt someone."
"H-Hitsugaya." Harry's groggy voice whispered as the transfer nodded, lifting the spell to allow the boy to sit up slowly, wrists and palms at his temple.
"What is the last thing you remember?" The captain voiced as Harry's green eyes widened once more, memories of his nightmare flashing in his mind as the orbs flickered over to the red-head behind the captain.
"Ron! Your dad! He's been bitten, it's serious, there was blood everywhere… His face, neck, hands, fingers, everywhere…" Harry said almost deliriously as Ron looked at his best friend as if he had grown a second head, while the captain blinked in surprise before they narrowed dangerously.
"Harry, mate." Ron whispered, as if it were a crime to break the silence. "You… You were just dreaming…"
"No!" Harry refused vehemently so loudly that Ron and Hitsugaya was surprised that the other dorm mates had not awaken. "No… It wasn't a dream… not an ordinary dream… I was there, I saw it… before and after… I…"
He did it. Toshiro finished. Voldemort made Harry appear to be the one who attacked the Weasley family's father.
Master. Hyorinmaru cut in. This is not the time for this.
Taking aside the thoughts for now, Hitsugaya looked to Ron, his glare startling the pale red-head. "Weasley, get McGonagall and ask her to gather all of your siblings in Hogwarts to the Headmaster's office after explaining what happened. I will meet all of you there with Potter. Now."
Snapping out of his stupor, Ron nodded as he took off, a worried glance to his best friend before departing, disappearing out of the dorm as the ice captain turned back to Harry who looked at him with hollow eyes, dull and empty behind a pair of glasses.
"…Hitsugaya… What is happening to me?"
Confusion, emptiness, and desperation colored the boy's voice as he begged for an answer, fists white as they gripped the damp sheets. The captain regarded the boy with a cool look with his usual ice as he gripped his sleeve sternly, lips pulled to an unimpressed scowl.
That yielded no answer as they Apparated with a soft crack.
"In the dream, were you standing next to the victim or looking down at the scene?"
Toshiro watched the interrogation impassively, succeeding in looking as aloof as possible as Harry stood in Dumbledore's office, lit only by fireplace as he sat on the steps leading to the Headmaster's desk. Harry stood shakily in the middle of the office, between Dumbledore who was before the captain and McGonagall who was at the fire, who glanced worriedly at the Weasley children who stood surrounding their youngest, seated on a golden throne, all donned in pajamas like everyone else.
Dumbledore adverted his eyes from his student, facing instead the captain, as Harry answered, his voice as shaky as he appeared. "Neither. It was like I… Please… Professor, will you please just tell me what's happening?"
The Headmaster instead looked to the portrait to Harry's left, his voice urgent as if the boy had not answered. "Everard. Arthur's on guard duty tonight. Make sure he's found by the right people."
Nodding the pajamaed wizard within the painting sat up from his gilded seat and disappeared from the portrait.
Anxious, Harry tried once more, only eliciting a sigh from the captain. "S-Sir."
But once more, it was as if he wasn't there.
"Phineas." Dumbledore spoke, imploring the turbaned man in the portrait in the right side of the room. "You must go to your portrait at Grimmauld Place. Tell them that Arthur Weasley is gravely injured, and his children will be arriving there soon by Portkey."
"They've got him, Albus." Everard spoke from the other side of the room, grabbing everyone but the captain's attention as teal orbs narrowed on the boy before him instead. "It was close but they think he'll make it. What's more, the Dark Lord failed to acquire it." His reiatsu is darkening.
But oblivious to the growing ire in Harry, Dumbledore was not for long, as he sighed in relief at the news from Everard. "Oh, thank goodness. Next, we need to…"
"Look at me!" Harry demanded with a furious shout, cutting off the Headmaster as he did, before Harry pleaded, eyes helpless as his voice was a thin whisper. "What's happening to me?"
Before Dumbledore could answer, Snape had arrived, face questioning but not oblivious to the atmosphere, as all turned to the Potions Master. "You wished to see me, Headmaster?"
"Oh, Severus." Dumbledore sighed, tired as his eyes glowed gravely. "I'm afraid we can't wait. Not even till morning. Otherwise, we'll all be vulnerable."
Understanding, the Potions Master glanced at Harry's appearance, the Headmaster turned to the captain as Harry was dragged off into the dungeons with Snape. "Mr. Hitsugaya, if you would."
Nodding, the captain disappeared.
Only to reappear in the dungeons, seated on an potion making table, Snape acknowledging his appearance with a nod as Harry blinked owlishly from across the room, seated on a wooden chair, facing Snape's back and an aloof Hitsugaya, who glanced at Snape's search for his wand before regarding Harry.
"It appears there's a connection between the Dark Lord's mind and your own." Snape's voice echoed eerily as Harry breathed heavily. "Whether he is, as yet, aware of this connection, is, for the moment… unclear. Pray he remains ignorant."
Flicking out the wand from a set of tools, Snape held the wood as Harry spoke, voice stronger. "You mean. If he knows about it, then… he'll be able to read my mind?"
"This skill is far more dangerous than that, Potter." Hitsugaya assured as he glared at the boy evenly.
"Read it." Snape confirmed as he continued. "Control it… unhinge it…"
Harry made it all too obvious his thoughts on the topic.
"In the past, it was often the Dark Lord's pleasure to invade the minds of his victims, creating visions designed to torture them into madness." The Potions Master turned, his posture stable as he silently neared Potter. "Only after extracting the last exquisite ounce of agony, only when he had them literally begging for death, would he finally, kill them."
How merciful of him. Toshiro noted sardonically.
"Used properly, the power of Occlumency will help shield you from access or influence." Snape introduced. "In these lessons, Hitsugaya and I will attempt to penetrate your mind, and you will attempt to resist."
"Prepare yourself!" Snape snapped as Harry tried to, grabbing the armrests to straighten himself. With a wave of Snape's wand and incantation, the sound of Harry's cry permeated the night, beginning the lesson.
"Concentrate, Potter." Snape scolded as Harry's expression pinched with agony, unable to heed the words from his professor. "Focus."
Falling forward with heaves for breath, Harry coughed harshly as he glared at Snape, unaffected as he lowered his wand with a deepened frown. "If that is the extent of your mental defenses, Potter, then anyone who is aware of Legilimancy would have bypass into your mind with ease! Empty yourself of emotion!"
"Professor." Toshiro cut in as he looked to their student. "Maybe another approach is more suitable."
Snape eyed the captain for a moment before he nodded, replacing his wand in his robes, allowing Hitsugaya forward as Harry regarded the transfer with a guarded look, hand gripped on the armrests and green eyes pulled to a weak glare.
"Relax, Potter." Toshiro ordered, his words surprising both wizards as the captain continued. "I will try to invade your mind, but firstly, in order for you to learn how to defend yourself, tell me how it felt for your mind to invaded."
"It… felt like someone had trespassed into my head… intruding into areas of my mind that none should enter…" Harry replied as his breaths slowed as Hitsugaya nodded, he and Snape ignoring the glares pointed at the latter's way.
"And when you were in the midst of your nightmare?"
"I… was powerless… Watching from the perspective of Mr. Weasley's attacker… the snake…"
"That is exactly why you cannot use Occlumency." Hitsugaya said darkly, his voice icy. "Empty yourself of emotion and reign over them or they shall over you. And at that moment, is the one in which you die. When the Legilimens tries to enter your mind, be as informative and emotionless as blank parchment. Do not allow anything to enter your mind. Focus the empty depths of which it can be and do not react to anything it tries to make you see. Whether it is the death of a loved one, or the horrors of your past, I do not care. As you should."
"Am I understood, Potter?"
Snape repressed a shiver on his spine as he turned from a impassive Hitsugaya to a visibly shaking Potter at the captain's words, clearly evident that Harry understood every word that the captain had said.
For his sake, the Potions Master hoped he had.
The Department of Mysteries. Toshiro thought to himself as he sat in an empty compartment for once, returning for the holidays from Hogwarts. Despite my entrance to the Order, it seems that it does not extend much other than the gist of their plans. But no matter, knowing everything of the Order's plans can be counterproductive in the long run.
And of the events of Mr. Weasley? Hyorinmaru reminded. Black and the rest of the children were saddened that you had declined to spend Christmas with them, seeing as the Weasley's father was returning.
I have no interest in staying at the House of Black. Toshiro replied, sending a glance to Hyorinmaru, who was Transfigured back to his sword form, white wand beside him. My return to Soul Society and punishing my subordinates comes first, then Hogwarts business. Besides, the Head Captain wishes for Kurotsuchi and I to fix the imperfections of the altered Dementor.
The one that ate Cornelius Fudge's soul? Sephiroth questioned.
His master nodded. It was a prototype which Kurotsuchi and I had tampered with, that would consume dead souls but instead of being for subsistence, I had asked if they could serve like a pseudo-shinigami, sending the souls one-by-one to Soul Society or Hell. But for now, we have only gotten the altered Dementors to serve as soul storages, not harming the soul in any way. The one used on Fudge was one of those, retaining the ability to suck away live souls.
Even the Demeanors' infamous ability of depriving them of happiness? Hyorinmaru said pointedly as the captain shrugged in response.
I may have agreed to keep that feature as is for certain prototypes. It's not like all of the souls I reap are Pluses. But I did draw the line of the pain when the soul is sucked out of a living vessel, when Kurotsuchi insisted that it was a 'vital' characteristic.
It was then a knock took the captain from his thoughts, looking to the compartment doors with a risen eyebrow, his guest unexpected. Receiving the look as one of invitation, the blonde youth obliged himself in, seating himself before bowing in an ninety-degree bow in proper decorum.
"Hitsugaya." Malfoy greeted as the captain nodded a small bow in response.
"Malfoy."
"I see Potter and his lackeys are not here. Good riddance." Malfoy commented scathingly as if he were waving an annoying pest aside. "They were always a noisy bunch."
"They are children, Malfoy." Toshiro shrugged lightly, flipping a page on a small navy book, eyes glued to the text. "If you expected maturity, you should have looked elsewhere."
"True." The Slytherin prefect nodded, as he held out an envelope, gold script glinting in the dim sunlight. "But in any case, I have come to extend an invitation to you, Hitsugaya of the House of Yamamoto. It is an invitation to a ball being held at the Ministry, on Christmas Eve."
Taking and scanning it's contents, the captain had only one question, teal orbs calculating yet peaked with interest.
"Will you be attendance, Malfoy?"
Startled at the rather friendly question, the blonde quickly smirked in recovery. "But of course, the Malfoys have always been attendance to these types of occasions. My father had wanted to ask if you would like to attend since he has prior arrangements, as a gesture of friendship, if you will."
"And if I accept?"
The blonde held out a small emerald, the jewel framed by ebony metal. "I'll give you this, a Portkey to the Malfoy residence, arranged to transport you a night before the ball. To which we will attend together after rendezvousing."
"Why?" The ice captain asked, teal eyes narrow. "Why are you asking me to accompany you to this ball?"
"I…" The blonde young man said before faltering, looking nervous for once as the ice captain rose an eyebrow at the emotion. Usually, the blonde was calm, arrogant, and most importantly, composed when conversing with the captain yet; now he appeared to be similar to Longbottom when Toshiro as much as looked at him. "…I had just thought that you could accompany me, seeing how this year, Mother nor Father…"
He's afraid. Toshiro thought as he voiced a question he knew the answer to.
"Why not invite Crabbe or Goyle, or perhaps Parkinson that you often converse with?"
If Malfoy was flustered before, he was even more so now as he grew a sudden interest to the compartment floor, sighing as he composed himself a bit for a moment.
"They… are not my friends." Malfoy said finally, his steel eyes resigned. "… I cannot speak with them as I do with you, half the time, they can barely understand when I insult in sarcasm. And Parkinson is an annoying twat for the rest of the time. I had asked you to come with me with the intent of becoming friends."
Silence followed the small confession as grey dared not to meet the teal in the midst. After what felt like a million years to Malfoy which was in actuality several seconds of careful calculations from the captain, the silence was shattered by a small laugh.
Looking up, Malfoy's eyes widened comically as he could not believe the sight of Toshiro Hitsugaya chuckling, before a pink blush ran over the blonde's cheeks dusting them lightly as he shot up on his feet, embarrassed.
"If you had wanted to refuse, you could have said so." Malfoy muttered as he turned for the door.
"In the contrary, Malfoy, I accept." Toshiro countered with a smirk, tugging at the sight of Malfoy's split-second blink of confusion, as he held up the letter. "It is just that I wouldn't have thought that I would ever see you befriend me in this way."
Throwing the captain the emerald that was caught swiftly, the blonde mirrored the smirk. "As a true Slytherin should. Use your resources well, with thine cunning wit and fulfill the ambition true to thy name."
"And thou shall never fail." Toshiro finished as he bid the blonde farewell.
There has been a change of plans. Hitsugaya smirked mentally as he turned to the wintery outskirts of England through the window. We will be visiting the Department of Mysteries sooner than expected.