Hey, everybody! I'm back~! So… you know how we all get distracted sometimes? It happens to me… a lot. No, that wasn't actually the reason for the hiatus (for once) but rather some more personal issues. What I'm trying to say is that updates may or may not come really slow, depending on motivations… Yeah, but I've been writing on and off with a few other fanfiction ideas and such. For instance, crossovers and Rise of the Guardians have plagued my mind.

Also, for readers of the OC's Needed Harry Potter fic, I'm sorry to say that was taken down, for the submission thing I believe. Understandable how they might not like it, but just saying, there are at least a million of those kind of stories, so deleting them is really pointless. I don't know whether or not I will repost it, seeing as I also have to actually find the chapters on my computer. If I do, I may ask for some of the forms again (that were in the reviews) and I won't be asking for anymore characters.

Lastly… MAN, it feels so nice to put my fingers to the keyboard! Screw you exams, I'm not studying! I've got fanfiction to read and stories to write! (And a merry Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzah/etc to you all.) :)

~Shou-chan

As the students excitedly rushed about before they left for Hogsmeade, the shinigami, Bri, and Shouta all piled into an empty classroom.

"Hitsugaya sent the report last night. Hopefully we'll receive an answer from the others." Shouta began, burying the lower half of his face into a large scarf, muffling his voice.

"Well, whatever Vellamo was, he had to have been sent by them. Voldemort is often referred to as the Dark Lord, and I'm sure Aizen has been called similar titles by hollows. And who else would order him to come after the 'Champions'?" Bri reasoned in return, and the others nodded in agreement.

"While we're on this topic, you've got really good aim, Shouta." Ichigo pointed out, still half-asleep.

"What are you talking about?" Shouta asked in reply, accidentally switching languages.

"While we were fighting Vellamo after he attempted to drown you, you shot him even though you couldn't have seen him." The substitute explained, and Shouta received several looks from the others. The brunette remained thoroughly confused.

"What the hell are you talking about? I was unconscious." The others raised an eyebrow, but the subject clearly wasn't going to be clarified. They continued like this in a similar manner, frequently arguing, discussing battle strategies, and occasionally throwing a few punches here and there.

Rukia and Ichigo were arguing, Hitsugaya was unsuccessfully trying to get his lieutenant to listen to him, and Bri continued to throttle Shouta for some idiotic comment when the door was yanked open. An enraged Manabu Hara stood in the doorway.

"Uh… hey?" The brunette muttered, scooting away from the other quickly at the distraction. Glowering, Manabu shut the door and left just as abruptly as he came.

"What was that?" The others just shrugged. Moments later, the one and only Harry Potter appeared in a similar way as the first intruder. He glared angrily at them.

"You have some explaining to do." He snapped, stomping into the room and slamming several newspapers onto the table. Several of them winced as they saw the headlines. "How come this Izukai person looks exactly like Shouta? And why is there no mention of your 'school' if that's what it even is?!"

"Harry-"

"No! I want to know the truth!" The boy-who-lived growled in reply, fists balled tightly.

"…My real name is Shouta Izukai. And our school is top secret, so not even Dumbledore knew about it until a few years ago." The brunette explained quietly, sound made softer by the scarf. Harry gaped for reasons unknown, looking back and forth between all of them repeatedly.

"I don't see what you find so surprising, Potter. And Izukai take that ridiculous scarf off already." Hitsugaya said, snapping the other boy out of his stupor. Shouta shook his head furiously at the order, and Harry attempted to explain his reaction without success.

"S-So… you're dead then?" The young wizard looked at the green-eyed teen, who seemed now more of a stranger than ever.

Very aware of the blatant glares and silent death threats he was being given by the shinigami, Shouta shrugged. "Yes and no?" Harry looked thoroughly confused, and opened his mouth to clarify, when Rukia burst up.

"The others should be coming back soon! We should be there to greet them! Besides, I don't want to miss dinner!" She exclaimed loudly, proceeding to push Harry out of the room quickly, followed shortly after by the others.

"I told you before. Take off that ridiculous scarf." One Toshiro Hitsugaya growled at the other, who continued to refuse as they all entered the classroom as soon as dinner was over. Bri proclaimed that it was officially theirs and locked the door with a charm. Matsumoto, in all her glory and knowledge of fashion, proceeded in ripping the offending item off the boy's person. A rash around the boy's neck was shown, and Shouta received several curious looks.

His face flushed as he grabbed the scar and threw it back around his neck. "I'm allergic to seaweed okay?" He grumbled, sitting in a chair with more force than necessary.

"And how many times have you been swimming exactly?"

Shouta's face went from a light pink to a very noticeable red. "A-Around once or twice as a kid, and that was only my brother trying to teach me in the river near our house…" He mumbled quietly. The others still heard it.

Muffled laughing filled the room, and the brunette groaned. "Can we finish up our much needed discussions now?" He asked loudly, eventually getting everyone back on topic.

"R-Right. So… we need to worry about the third task, right?" Bri asked, wiping tears from her eyes. Rukia nodded.

"From what I've heard, it's some sort of maze filled with various obstacles. It's a prime opportunity for them to attack, so you three need to be extra careful, and we'll have to find a way to watch Harry." This turned everything back into a heated discussion, much like before, until Rangiku's trembling voice broke through their arguments.

"Um… guys?" She said, pointing a shaking finger at the windows.

From amidst the black inky darkness outside, staring at them… was a pair of large yellow eyes.