When Harry and Takuya stepped off the Knight Bus, they were stopped by the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, "Hi Harry!"
"Oh hello Minister, it's nice to see you again. Can we help you with something?" Takuya asked.
Cornelius Fudge turned around and looked the boys up and down, "Wha-what happened to you?"
"Oh, nothing much. We just went through a growth spurt. A very… hairy growth spurt." Harry responded.
"Harry, you are so funny sometimes."
"Of course I am Takuya, it has to do with listening to you every day, duh!"
With that, Fudge froze. "Harry? You don't mean like…"
With that, one of the huge wolfmen crouched down onto his haunches, showing Fudge a lightning bolt scar on his head.
"Harry, how… this…"
"Calm down Minister, is there something you needed?" Harry asked, returning to his original position. Harry's outside appearance was hard to mask but the flames his skin was made of was a different story, the boy keeping his eyes off of Fudge as much as possible.
"W-well Harry m'boy, come inside, and who's your friend?"
"Takuya Kanbara sir, I was the witness at Harry's trial."
"Oh, oh yes, well I need to talk to Harry."
"Yes sir, you said that. I don't think you understand that Harry tells me everything."
"Weeeeeeeell."
Harry and Takuya chuckled, Harry making his goggles appear. "With all due respect, we have some shopping to do in Diagon Alley, why can't we talk here?" Harry questioned.
"Ok, fine, I've taken the liberty of taking a room out in the Leaky Cauldron."
"They are pretty roomy, that's where I stayed when I first came here." Takuya supplied.
"Well, ok."
"And, I'd like you to stay there and not go wandering off."
"No can do, I have friends in town."
"Oh?"
"Ai and Mako Issure along with Homer Yukimara."
"I've never met these people."
Harry glared at Fudge, causing the little man's knees to buckle. "I don't know why you are worried but I met them when I was a first year. Your knowledge of them shouldn't make a difference in my plans to see them.
After their confrontation with Fudge, the boys hit the Alley, getting new robes and supplies. Many noticed the boys and stayed clear until some of the others came in. The boys agreed never to use the room Fudge rented, instead using it to store Hedwig's cage. At night, the boys would snooze in a corner, ready to go back out.
At last, Ron and his family arrived in Diagon Alley. They had plans to stay there until the year started. However, when they arrived, people were yelling about beasts, making Molly nervous. Ron grinned and dragged his mom into the Alley, eager to see his friend.
"Hello Ron, congratulations on winning the pot." Malfoy's voice came from behind.
"Oh hi Malfoy, we went to Egypt to see my brother Bill."
"Shove off Malfoy, we don't like filth here." Fred said.
At this, Ron's eyes narrowed. "He's not filth, he saved Hermione's life."
"Well, Hakuya did that, I just followed his orders."
"Wait, you remember?"
"Mhm, I made another trip, I know you're curious about the Forest but it isn't safe for you. Either way, Hawk and I are closer together."
"What are they talking about?" Fred asked George.
"Dunno." George responded.
"Mom, Dad, I know he looks a little different but this is my friend, Draco Malfoy." Ron said.
"Er, didn't you use to be shorter and less hairy?" Arthur asked.
"Oh it's not hair."
"It isn't?"
"No Mr. Weasley, those are feathers."
With that, Ron and Draco walked away, Ron following Draco. Hesitantly, the rest of the Weasleys followed. "Hey, Ron where are we going?" Fred asked.
"Draco's leading us to Harry, he can always find Harry you know."
The group wandered over to another alley in the large complex that was Diagon Alley. Suddenly, they heard a voice yell, "Look out!" Ron stopped his parents and the group cleared a space.
"Um, shouldn't we?"
"Mum? Look up."
Molly looked up with a gasp, seeing what looked like a massive eagle heading towards them. As it got closer, Molly noticed it was a half human half eagle. At last, the girl landed, drawing her wings into a cloak. She quickly held out her hand, talons glinting. "Hello again Mrs. Weasley, Mr. Weasley. I'm Kari Kamiya, we met briefly last year." She said cheerily.
"Er… Hello." Molly said. The girl did look familiar, though the Kari she met had been seven feet instead of eight and didn't have a weird cloak made up of feathers.
"Oh, almost forgot, Raven's on his way. As usual, he's late. Thank god he's never late when you need him."
As soon as this came out, a boy flew down and folded his wings. When he landed, Molly and Arthur noticed the similarities between the three. Each was around 8 feet tall with talons and bird faces.
With these new editions, Ron smiled at his mother. "I want you to meet my mount, the blood tiger." With that, he held out his hand and a large tiger with a lion's mane appeared. With practiced ease, Ron leapt up and over, settling himself in a position impossible to humans. "Just keep an eye on the Valkyrie and we'll find Harry and Takuya easy." With that, the boy and tiger shot off, following the now airborne kids.
Harry and Takuya were passed out, tired from yet another day of exploring when they heard tiger pads followed by the noise of running feet and beating wings. Though they didn't open their eyes, both boys' ears twitched from the noise. The pair only moved when they heard the rest of the Weasleys stop. Harry heard Ron jump off the blood tiger and then growled, "Heya Ron, nice to see your landing looks great."
"What are you doing sleeping out here?"
"'Eh, better than the guilt bed Fudge wanted to have me sleep in." With that, Harry gathered his power and used it to flip himself up onto all four limbs, red/orange/yellow/black hair flying in the breeze. The rest of the Weasleys were shocked, even Ron a little taken aback at Harry's new hair. Harry then leapt up to his feet, all 8½ feet of him standing against the wall. Takuya then got up, going from sitting to standing positions very quickly.
"I sense the Valkyrie, are they here Ron?" Takuya asked.
"My lord?" Draco, Joe, and Kari landed, bowing to both Harry and Takuya.
"Right, would you like to ride with us Ron?" Harry asked.
Ron stared at his mother, his eyes glinting at the thought. "Mum, dad, I have to go. It's my place to ride with the Valkyrie, helping to stop evil."
Before the Weasleys could say a word, Ron jumped into the air, the blood tiger forming under him. Takuya's bones cracked and crunched, changing him into the Beast and causing Ginny and Molly to scream. Harry grew armor that covered his body, similar armor appearing on the three winged children. When they were done, four proud warriors and a beast stood next to Ron and the blood tiger tubes covered the four fighters, connecting them together.
"Wait!" Molly yelled, "We're coming too!" Hawk grabbed Molly, lifting her high. Eagle quickly flew under and Hawk let go, Molly falling onto the girl's back. Before he could complain, Arthur was falling through the air, landing on Raven's back.
With Ron on the ground, the Valkyrie soared above, following a scent that they recognized from two other times. After a few minutes, Molly and Arthur couldn't help but enjoy themselves, the air whipping through their hair. Even Arthur's old car was nothing compared to the feeling of flying outdoors. However, this feeling was not to last as the Valkyrie noticed signs that the earth itself was crying out. Finally, the Valkyrie spotted something and came in for a landing.
Ron spotted a black thing set against the setting sun; it had no features being just black. With his aural vision, Hakuya saw a man of blackness with no defining features. Having dual vision, the Valkyrie saw both. Without a word, Eagle and Raven deposited their charges and came up, the group forming around Hakuya.
"I have been waiting for you." The shadow's voice sounded like dead leaves.
"You will not harm us, prepare to die." Hakuya growled.
"I did not come to fight young rider, I give you a message."
"What is this message?"
"My name, I am Kaskana, the one who blights." With that, Kaskana fled, the Valkyrie returning to Diagon Alley.
Many weeks passed and Molly and Arthur never told their children about what they had witnessed. The two actively avoided Harry, only speaking to him on the day of the departure to Hogwarts. "The Ministry has sent cars Harry." Arthur said shakily.
"I won't need one."
"How are you getting to the station?"
"I'll run. We'll leave in a few minutes as we'd like to get there early and speak to the others."
With that, the Weasleys split from Harry and Takuya, the family taking the car and the boys running ahead. Everyone got to the station on time and most boarded the train, Suzie clutching her new wand in her hands.
The name of shadow #3 belongs to Sara Whoop. She came up with the name when I couldn't find one. Bruce from the last book was used with the permission of Riley Blackmon who gave me the name to use.