Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or InuYasha.
The story itself was surprisingly easy to tell, it was more like reading a fairy tale than recounting his rather interesting summer. Anisuke found himself completely absorbed in the story, not even noticing when Luna giggled or when Neville turned the color of a blood red rose at his birthday. He told them absolutely everything about what had happened and about his family without the slightest hesitation. They weren't going to judge him and he knew it.
Luna thought that the whole thing would make an excellent romance novel, though she would have to put in some Nargles for interest. There was nothing about Harry, or Anisuke as it seemed he preferred, that could shock her. He had been the first one to notice her for something other than her oddness. She had been working in the library, looking up a good place to search during the summer for Wackspurts, when he had sat across from her without a word and starting researching a charm. Neither had said a word to each other but there wasn't any awkwardness and it soon became a regular occurrence that they both enjoyed. They eventually used the time to vent about whatever was on their mind and talk about what they wanted to do with their lives after they left Hogwarts behind.
Neville knew that he wasn't the strongest or most intelligent wizard to walk into Hogwarts and that he would never measure up to his father in his grandmother's eyes but he had learned that he was just fine the way that he was. Harry, Anisuke, had always seen him, even when Ron and Hermione jealously hogged all of his free time. There was always a look in his eyes that told Neville that he wasn't ignored and that he was appreciated. It wasn't until their third year that Anisuke was able to break away from the other members of the 'Golden Trio', they were much too busy arguing over their pets to realize that he was gone. Anisuke had talked with him about things that he knew that he never talked about with anyone else and lent his shoulder whenever Neville needed to let out a good cry. Anisuke was there when he cried over his parents and when he had to suffer through the lessons about the Unforgivables.
By the time the story was finished both were more than a little grateful that they lived in the wizarding world their entire life and therefore were used to the odd happening more often than not. "Only you could end up in the feudal era, find your demon heritage, gain three mates and make it back in the span of one summer." Neville could hardly believe that he was friends with someone who could talk about time traveling and demons without batting an eyelash.
Anisuke fought down his blush and grinned unrepentantly. "Hey, I wouldn't know what to do if I managed to have a completely normal vacation. Anyway, now that you know my naughty little secret you can help me keep the know it all off my back and help me figure out what to do about the whole war."
{M}
Naraku breathed a sigh that could have been from relief or exhaustion. He had once thought that the constant battle between his soul and that of Onigumo was difficult but it simply did not compare to having to deal with a lot of magical children that had no idea what awaited them in the wide world. Most of them believed that the only things that they had to worry about were the dark creatures and wizards and that the Ministry would protect them from everything.
Admittedly dark creatures and wizards are some of the most dangerous things that they would have to deal with but they certainly would not be the only things and relying on anyone to protect you from everything is foolish at best and deadly at worst. Neutral beings could be just as dangerous if provoked and any wizard could kill you with any kind of magic, be it by using the Killing Curse or floating you off a cliff. Light creatures are less likely to become violent but it is certainly possible and they are much harder to defend against. Hopefully any children Anisuke gave birth to would be far more intelligent.
{M}
Anisuke stretched languidly as he made his way toward his room with a sigh. Even though he knew ahead of time that Neville and Luna would accept anything it still had him on edge and it was nice to release all that tension. If only his mates were free to help him relax even more.
The moment he entered his room he was instantly on alert as he detected something living that most certainly did not belong in his room. An eagle owl that looked almost offended was perched on his desk chair with a letter attached rather tightly to its right leg. The owl hooted imperiously and extended its leg with a look that clearly said that he was to get the offensive paper off, immediately. The owl didn't wait for a reply and shot out of the castle like its tail feathers were on fire. Anisuke couldn't help but chuckle as he cast a detection charm on the letter, he didn't recognize the seal, and cracked it open with a sigh. Hopefully it wasn't someone asking something stupid or congratulating him on something that he had nothing to do with or shouldn't be congratulated for.
Dear Harry:
I am sure that you remember my previous letter earlier this year and hope that this one finds you just as well.
To get directly to the point of this missive, I would like to meet with either you or one of your mates if you trust them to represent you completely. We would discuss the nature of our 'relationship' and the future. There is of course much that has changed and things that make our previous interactions void.
There is no need to reply to this missive but if you do desire to attend this meeting or send one of your mates just hold this parchment at midnight tonight and it will take the appropriate party to the spot chosen for the meeting.
You have my word as a wizard that no harm will come to your mates or yourself during this meeting no matter the outcome.
I look forward to our talk,
Voldemort
There was admittedly a part of Anisuke that didn't want anything to do with the man that murdered his parents but with the mind of a demon he could see that it was an act of war. Voldemort had seen him as a threat that needed to be taken care of and had acted accordingly. The true people to blame were the ones that put his parents in that situation to begin with.
Dumbledore had been the one that convinced them to join the fight after they graduated and put them right in the middle of war before they even hit twenty. Dumbledore talked a big game about being the only wizard that Voldemort feared but there weren't any records of him ever joining in one of the skirmishes until the dust had already settled and Voldemort had never shown any sign that he feared the old man. In fact the only thing Voldemort showed for Dumbledore was an unhealthy amount of hatred and scorn.
Anisuke sat the letter down beside his favorite chair and waited for his mates to get done with their last classes, there was no way that they would let him go so they were going to have to decide which one of them was going. Frankly this was going to be one moment that he was happy that they were overprotective, just because he understood Voldemort didn't mean that he wanted to talk with the man any more than absolutely necessary. Calling the man creepy just wasn't going quite far enough in his opinion.
{M}
Naraku glanced around the parlor of the manor that the portkey took him to with a disinterested glare. It was obvious that whoever owned this place came from a very long line of people that were focused on trying to intimidate others with the wealth they enjoyed. Everything looked expensive and untouchable, more like a museum than a home. Even Sesshomaru's castle looked like somewhere you could live, even if everything in it was worth a good sized fortune.
"Good evening, Mr. Miasma I presume?" The man that shuffled into the room was hardly worth noticing, he looked ready to bolt the moment that someone looked at him wrong. "The Dark Lord is waiting for you in the library."
{M}
"I will admit that I was not expecting Harry to acknowledge my missive in the least, though I was hoping." The Dark Lord was more of a snake than a man, though it was easy to tell that he had once been a fairly attractive human. "How is he doing these days?"
"He is fairing well considering the attempts of the old man to corner him without one of us around to foil him. I may say that I would feel the smallest amount of pity for him if he manages to succeed, but I'm sure that I would get over it fairly quickly." Naraku gracefully folded himself into the chair directly across from the man that killed his little fox's parents and quirked an eyebrow. "You have obviously requested this meeting for a reason and I do have to teach a bunch of incompetent children tomorrow so the quicker we can finish this whole thing up the more likely the children will survive."
"Then I suppose I shall get right to the point though I am sure that there are several children that the world could do without." Voldemort resettled himself and looked at the man across from him, the red eyes gave away the fact that the man was not entirely human as did the threatening aura that swirled around him freely. "I have no interest in continuing to pursue Harry as an enemy and I would like to form some sort of understanding between us to avoid any conflict in goals."
"Yes, it would be in everyone's best interest to keep the little one out of this spat of yours." Naraku could hardly limit the amount of sarcasm oozing from his voice. "Sesshomaru is fairly skilled at the art of war and would likely sooner see all wizards dead than to have our little one forced to participate. I myself would be more apt to torture the offenders in ways that there would be no hope for recovery." He watched in satisfaction as the snakelike man shifted in his seat. "None of us are particularly fond of muggles, even Harry, but there is too much of a risk involved in trying to get rid of them. There are far more of them and they have made great strides in ways to kill thousands at a time without magic. It would be foolish to bring us to their attention. There is also an issue of inbreeding that should be dealt with but that is a problem that shall be yours to deal with."
"Yes, during the first war the attacks against muggles were mostly used to inspire fear and awe among the masses. Most of them are too afraid to even say my name so such things will not be necessary. When I win this war I intend to separate us completely from the muggles as well as integrate the muggleborns into our society without their families. They will likely be taken from their muggle family when they are first born to avoid the abuse and the fears that would be instilled in them before schooling. I am aware that not all of their families are guilty of such, but it is a risk that is completely unnecessary. I do not wish to have any of you, especially Harry, fight for me but I also do not wish to meet any of you on the battlefield."
"That is something that we can both agree on. While we three would certainly not mind being in the middle of a war it is not something that any of us would enjoy seeing Harry do and there is little doubt that he would follow us into one." Naraku stood and gazed at the man that the 'Light' side was so very terrified of. "I am certain that Harry will have no problem agreeing to your terms but it is likely that he will want several concessions made, though he would not expect you to do them for free. The man that framed his godfather and the woman that tortured his friend's family will likely be among the things that he asks for and I am sure that he would offer services of equal or greater value for them both, perhaps a restoration of your more human body for starters. Not that the snake look does not suit you, but many are far too concerned with the way their would be conquers and leaders look." Naraku rolled his eyes and leaned back in the chair for just a moment before standing. "I would love to chat, but I am sure that my little one is driving the others crazy as he waits for me to get back in one piece."
{M}
"Calm down, little one. I'm sure that the wizard's Dark Lord couldn't hurt Naraku even if he wanted to. Naraku has a hell of a lot more evil in him than a human would ever be able to manage." Kouga could admit that watching his mate worry was a bit cute for a couple of minutes but if Anisuke kept pacing like that he was going to wear himself out, and the rug he was doing it on. "If you should worry about anyone, it would be this Voldemort. Naraku is incredibly easy to piss off after all."
"Like you have any room to talk, mutt." Naraku walked through the door with his nose in the air and was almost knocked over when he was assaulted by the black blur also known as Anisuke, not that he would have complained mind you. "Why so much worry? You should know that no human Dark Lord could overcome a demon one. That man may scare these witches and wizards but he knows very little about true evil and he was more than happy to be hospitable to someone he didn't want to fight with. He seems genuine in his desire to stop the spat between the two of you and is willing to make concessions to do so, perhaps we should wait for the other mutt and decide what we want to do now."
{M}
"We definitely need to get him to turn over that rat human, your godfather may have been cleared of all charges but the traitor still needs to go." Kouga leaned back in his seat and watched as Sesshomaru used his upbringing to its fullest potential. He was going over every detail from the first war and deciding what they would need to do if things went south while they all went over what they were going to ask for in a truce. "Maybe ask for that insane woman that your little chubby human friend hates."
"Neville doesn't hate anybody, I don't think he has it in him." Anisuke twirled a piece of hair through his hands and looked thoughtful for a moment. "We should ask for both of them but we also need to think about how things should end up if he wins, which considering the lack of fight in most wizards, its almost certain he will. I think that magical creatures shouldn't be treated the way that they are now. Remus is one of the most gentle people that I have ever known and gets treated like he could infect someone just by looking at them. There also needs to be some control over how House elves get treated. They need to be bonded with someone, or somewhere in Hogwarts case, but that doesn't mean that they should be bullied and treated like dirt. Dobby may be eccentric but he had a big heart and more magic than a lot of wizards I've met."
"He'll probably be more than happy to give you what you want, especially since the things you want will probably help him out in the long run, both with the general populace and his own followers. I doubt that either of the people you want turned over are terribly popular." Naraku pulled out a piece of parchment and a quill and handed them to Anisuke. "It would be best to get things like this out of the way as soon as possible, it wouldn't do to have you worrying days away and not focusing on the important things." A flutter of Naraku's eyelashes sent Anisuke into a fit of giggles that lasted throughout the process of writing the letter. He didn't notice the amused glance that his three mates shared over the top of his head.
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