CHAPER 5

Problems arising!

It was quiet. Ichigo hated it when it was quiet, that meant that nothing was happening and that came hand in hand with boredom. Well he was bored, everyone else seemed to be stiff and anxious. The trio and most of all Harry seemed to be on the edge about to fall down but still somehow hanging on. Ichigo waited a moment longer before he decided that he was probably the only one that bring a bit of noise back and stood up. He moved toward the one who he believed was the cause of this hateful quiet and touched his shoulder. He was rewarded with a loud shout of surprise coming from Harry. Everyone looked at him like he had just touched a grenade, but Ichigo didn't care what they thought, he had never cared, if he had then he would have dyed his hair black long ago. He wanted to go what was going on. He didn't care as long as the boredom would just disappear. He hated his hollow for strengthening it, but now that it was he needed to somehow live with it. Still he got no answer and so remained in the dark. He hated it when he was left out, because that meant that there existed surprises and he was very wary of surprises. He had learned the hard way that surprises aren't really always good. First it had been his father that had thrown him a truly embarrassing party and had invited all his friends. Than it was Aizen that suddenly showed his real face and betrayed everyone, wanting to use Karakura to create his very own king's key. Then, when his power had come back, the pain, losing, if not truly, Zangetsu and Shiro and later on being forever imprisoned in hell. The last hated surprise had been with Nel. Of course he loved her dearly; she was like a little sister to him, but sometimes her little (and they were everything else expect little) surprises caused such chaos that he had been forced to work extra hours without getting any sleep to repair the damage she had done. He gave a sigh and just stopped thinking about it. The only thing he could do was hope that it wouldn't in any way affect him.

It was when Harry started to put more formal clothes on that Ichigo had decided to find out himself. It was better knowing and being prepared, then suddenly being thrown into a situation that he didn't know how to handle. Without letting anyone notice he followed Mr. Weasley and Harry on their way to wherever they went. He had at first needed to make sure that Hades wouldn't follow him and stay put, since the baby dragon didn't feel so comfortable around others without him. He reassured Hades that he would come back soon enough and that he didn't have to worry before Hades finally agreed to stay without trying to follow him seconds later.

Now Mr. Weasley was seems to tell Harry details or something else, because through the whole conversation only Mr. Weasley talked while Harry only nodded his head. Sadly Ichigo couldn't understand what was being said. He probably would have, if he had changed into his now true form or if he had made himself invisible, but Ichigo still didn't want to resort to those methods so he wasn't able to hear it. They stood before an old phone box and this time Ichigo did need to turn invisible to be able to see what numbers Mr. Weasley pressed. Seconds later the phone box or more like the inside of the phone box started to move and soon Mr. Weasley and Harry disappeared. Ichigo stayed invisible and moved into the phone box, quickly pressing the same numbers and having the feeling he stood in a lift when it started to move. When he arrived the first thing he did was curse those damn wizards' transport systems, hating them even more ( if that was really possible). The second thing was trying to find Mr. Weasley and Harry in the mass of people all around them. He soon spotted them and started to follow him, while avoiding people that would have run into him, or more like through him. It didn't hurt put the feeling was disturbing to say at last and Ichigo tried to avoid it. They moved through many different corridors and floors before they finally reached their destination, or at least what Ichigo believed it to be. Ichigo had one's even wished that he had stayed home. This stress wasn't really worth it, but he had already been so far and didn't want to stop seconds before reaching his goal. Mr. Weasley stayed outside, saying that he wasn't allowed to go in and Harry needed to enter alone. Ichigo was quick to follow, before Harry decided to close it behind him, believing him to be alone. Ichigo looked around. The room looked like a normal old courtroom, smaller in size, but still based on the same design. Harry they requested Harry to sit on a chair in the middle of the room. He looked more stressed and anxious than ever and it was understandable. He was the focus of attention and sat in the middle were everyone had a good view of him.

Ichigo spotted someone with red hair sitting in one of the chairs to the left and already knew that this person was probably related to the Weasleys. At the front pedestal sat a man he knew to be Fudge. He had seen him in some of the moving pictures of the newspaper. If he remembered correctly, he was the minister. Ichigo tried to remember the full name, but he had always had trouble remembering names. To him it wasn't really important anyway. Ichigo already knew enough. Fudge was a lunatic that didn't know why he was sitting on this chair and having the position of the minister for anyway. He was a paranoid bastard that always thought that others were trying to steal the position of the minister from him.

Ichigo had long since known how to analyze a person and that ability had helped him greatly when it came to friend or foe and later on when he needed to know who was lying and who was telling the truth. That was important when he needed to judge souls, knowing who had finally understood and accepted their mistakes and who needed longer. Still, as the lord of hell, this ability had even strengthened and now he was even able to read minds, he just didn't use it so often since he himself had always liked his privacy. It was like the saying: 'Do unto others as you would have them do unto you!" Still when he needed it he would use it, because he saw it as a necessary.

That still didn't mean that he enjoyed it, … only sometimes when the sadistic site of his hollow seemed to want to show its ugly head. This was one of those moments. He wanted to know what the 'could be Weasley' thought about. What he found surprised him. He abandoned and would probably also soon betray his family only for a better reputation. Ichigo felt his vision go red for a second. He hated people that betrayed their families for such petty things. Ichigo almost couldn't hold himself back, but one thought from the red haired Weasley stopped him in his tracks. He still loved his family, but believed that this was the right way to archive becoming rich so he would be able to support their family better. Still Ichigo knew those kind of people. They, in the end, always made mistakes that hurt them and their family. They always lost sight from their one true goal, lost their path and one day died alone, miserable to not have noticed until the very end. Ichigo decided to interfere. Normally, it was a forbidden to interfere with a life of a human, but since he had a mission of protecting Hogwarts and Harry, and since the Weasley family was very important to Harry and with that a betrayal from within would hurt him as well, he could bend the rules a little bit.

Ichigo moved toward the red haired boy before him and started to whisper him into the ear.

"Thou are damned for a life of pain and misery. Thou will lose sight of your path and goal. Thou will hurt what you are holding dear, hurting and injuring yourself in the progress!" Ichigo used his hollows watery voice, but it was quieter, sadder, like the talker was truly said of losing someone he had held dear.

The boys head shot up, frantically looking around, but no one else seemed to notice the voice that he was hearing. He shook his head as if believing that he was just tired and stressed and through that the voice would disappear. Ichigo almost smiled. Even as a wizards, they still didn't believe that beings existed that could and sometimes would interfere with fate.

"Thou will make mistakes that will hurt you and the ones around you, in the end losing them all, having forgotten what was truly important in the end." With that he showed the Weasley just a little part of the future that would be. It was Molly, who sat in a chair, her tears falling down while she clutched a letter that stated that her son / he had cut all threats with them, his family. The twins were around Molly angry shouting what he was and what he had become. Ron just angrily staring at the letter and the also cussing him for making their mom cry. Arthur trying to dry her tears without succees. The whole family was in ruins, through one part of the family that had suddenly ripped itself out.

Ichigo repeated himself: "Thou will lose sight of your path and goal. Thou will hurt what you are holding dear, hurting and injuring yourself. Thou will make mistakes that will hurt you and the ones around you, in the end losing all, having forgotten what was truly important in the end!" With those words said, Ichigo left the Weasley boy alone and went to stand beside Harry. The boy now held his own destiny in his hands. He would need to decide for himself what was best and which path he wanted to take. Ichigo left out a sigh. If only he knew what would now happen to the boy, but he couldn't tell. The second he had interfered with fate, the future he normally could so clearly see would become cloudy, hiding what was happing. It was the same with his missions. He couldn't see what would happen as soon as he was in the game. He hated and loved it at the same time. If he always knew the end, his boredom would never vanish, but if he knew it, he had always believed that he could have protected more, been able to do his task better with less sacrifices. He hated to see the tears fall down the humans' cheeks when they noticed that they were never ever going to see their beloved again. Ichigo stopped his thoughts, what he believed to be at least the hundredths time.

Now back to the issue. He had, while he had been listening with one ear and taking care of the Weasley with the other, heard that Harry had used a spell even thought there was an age restriction. Harry, when he tried to defend himself, was stopped before he could really talk. Ichigo just shook his head. Even he an outsider that didn't know anything about the wizards' rules knew that it wasn't a fair hearing. Well that wasn't the only part that seemed to be strange. Why would the minister himself come to the official hearing that could only mean that he was seeing Harry as a treat and was trying to get rid of him. Why else would be the minister be present in a hearing for something as little as an underage wizard using magic?

Ichigo followed that thought. Why would the minister be scared of Harry? As much as he had heard from the others, the only thing that Harry had ever done was telling other people about Voldemort return. Maybe he was scared of Harry because he told other people about Voldemort return. Still that couldn't be it, Ichigo tried to think the way Fudge did. Normally Fudge, being his paranoid self would try to do everything in his powers to protect himself, even against Voldemort. That meant that Fudge was scared not of Harry, but of what Harry said, because he was scared of Voldemort and just didn't want to believe that he had returned. It would be much safer for him and his position, if he just said that Harry was lying and Ichigo knew that he wasn't since he had already heard the whole truth from Harry and he could tell if people were lying or not. Fudge seemed to act like a little child. It was like he believed that if he held his hands before his eyes, he couldn't see the others and in reverse that also had to mean that other weren't able to see him. Fudge believed that if he just didn't listen and believe that Voldemort was back, than it wasn't true. That also meant that he didn't have to do anything, since the problem didn't exist.

For the third time Ichigo shook his head. Just because one isn't looking at the problem, it just won't disappear. It will grow and then explode right in your face, punishing you for not taking care of it sooner. Ichigo didn't need to be able to see the future to be able to predict that. Still that meant that he had much work to do, since it looked like he wouldn't get any help from the minister any time soon.

Lost in his musing again, Ichigo had forgotten about the hearing. It seemed that it wasn't really going to end in Harry's favor. Even thought he told them the truth when he said that he had been attacked by dementors, they didn't listen, or more like Fudge didn't even give them a change, just claiming that he was lying. This was not a hearing, it reminded him of what he had heard about the witch-hunt that had happened in Europe. There the 'witches' were tutored till they finally 'confessed' that they were witches. Often the higher ups just wanted the possessions of these people and the easiest way to get rid of them was to claim that they were witches. They were always killed one way or the other. It was when Dumbledore had finally arrived; they really had tried to get rid of him by changing it to an earlier time, and the tide had started to turn, this time the luck on Harry's side. Ichigo already knew that the hearing would end in Harry's favor when Dumbledore mentioned a witness that he had even brought along. Ichigo, seeing that he wasn't really needed anymore and finally also knowing what was going on left the room, surprisingly with no one noticing, even thought he had used the door, and strolled of. The Weasleys and Hermione were already standing outside and waiting for Harry to come out, hopfully with good news to share. Ichigo quickly, when he stood behind them, became visible again, looking like he had never really disappeared. When Harry came out, his skin color finally returned to its former glory with a huge smile on his face. Ichigo knew that even if they didn't possess the abilities like him, everyone could tell in which favor the hearing had ended.

"Hey guys."

"Hey Harry, how did it go?"

"It was alright, but Mr. Fudge just wouldn't let me speak and when I did he tried to call me a liar." Ichigo couldn't help himself. He rolled his eyes.

"That's because he is paranoid and acting like a little child. It's like he is holding his hands before his eyes and believing that as long as he can't see, the others also can't see him. He hopes that if he doesn't believe in Voldemort's return that it will just disappear. He would do everything to let his problems and enemies just disappear even if that means endangering others. Just by looking into the newspaper you can see that. Even I as an outsider see it. He doesn't want to believe in Voldemort's return and if it was a lie, that meant you are lying, that also meant that you want to make him do mistakes and that tells him that you are trying to get his position or something like that. He believes that everyone is trying to get his position, so it really isn't that hard to know what exactly he is thinking."

They had all flinched when he had suddenly started to talk. Probably they hadn't really noticed him. They didn't even react to his speech, only to his sudden appearing behind them:

"Ichigo, where did you come from?"

"Where were you?"

"You didn't come with us, did you?"

"Where is Hades?"

Ichigo had already thought about what he might answer when they started to question him, so he had no problem answering now since he had already thought about an answer beforehand.

"After Harry and Mr. Weasley went away, I followed them. I was worried; you all seemed to be scared and anxious. I went to where the hearing should be, but I got lost on the way and looked around. Later I saw you all standing here and just went to stand beside you. Oh and I left Hades at home. I couldn't just bring him with me could I, I still don't have a certificate ´that allows me to keep one, do I?"

They all relaxed with his very plausible answer, finally also thinking of Ichigo's little speech. His logic was solid, and they couldn't really say anything against it. They still wouldn't have said anything against it even if they had found that it was totally wrong, since they all thought the same. They thought how Ichigo's description was truly perfect and also easy to understand. His character really didn't have much. He was paranoid of everyone and that was all. There really wasn't more to it. They had all, even though some didn't even notice it, started to snicker and soon that was followed by one loud group laugh, everyone needing it.

"So Harry, are you still in trouble or is everything fine now?"

"No, everything is in the green. They let me go, even though Fudge seemed to be really reluctant."

"I thing, I know why!" Ichigo sounded almost gleefully when he said that, even going as far as raising his arm like he was in school.

They gave Ichigo weird looks before finally Ron said: "But you just told us. It's because Fudge is paranoid right? He is scared that Harry wants to have his position or something like that, right? Is there any other reason?"

"You remember that I was lost? I went through many corridors and at the end of one, especial dark, there were two men. One had almost white hair while the other looked a bit odd. He wore a black… costume and wore a skeleton mask. They talked about how the blond one did his job. The blond man told the other that it had been really easy to bribe Fudge. He also mentioned that if Harry couldn't go to Hogwarts anymore, he would be much more vulnerable and much easier to get rid of. Since Dumbledore couldn't protect him 24/7 with him being a head masters and the others easier to take care of. Then the other said that the blond man did a good job and left after a quick nod."

They had all gone quiet again, their mouth opening and closing reminding him of what fishes always did, but at least they always had a good excuse for doing such movement. The people before him didn't, but he still admitted that they were very good at imitating that move. They were even synchronizing their movements. Then they all began to shout. Ichigo, even with his better hearing couldn't make out a single word they said, till Mr. Weasley all stopped them with a loud "Stop" before focusing on Ichigo:

"Please tell the truth, Ichigo. Was that really what you saw, you don't think that you misheard? And did both people you just described really look exactly like you said? Even the one with a weird mask?"

Ichigo nodded to all three of the questions and seconds later gasps were heard all around him. They were all hold their hands before their mouths before Mr. Weasley finally whispered:

"We will speak about this later when we are back. Ichigo you can't mention what you have described to anyone. What you just saw and heard could mean that you are already in danger, at least as soon as one of them finds out." Mr. Weasley pronounced the word 'them' so clearly that Ichigo just knew that he probably meant Voldemort's followers. Even thought he technically couldn't be hurt he still gave Mr. Weasley a nod to calm the poor man. He looked like he was about to have a heart attack and Ichigo really didn't want to be the cause of this.

They had soon arrived back at home. They all moved through the door with Ichigo right behind them. The only one that should have found it weird was Mrs. Weasley, a.k.a. Molly who never shown him the piece of paper in her hast to get inside, but she still didn't seem to notice and so he let it be. The longer they didn't discover that he was the powerful being that they had summoned the longer his fun would continue. That was really the fault of his hollow, because now he loved to how his hollow loved to say "fuck with other minds" and seeing this as some sort of sick game. Ichigo marveled over how fun this game of his really was or it had only become fun because he had been influenced trough his hollows characteristics.

He was soon brought into the living room where they all quickly sat down and almost seemed to interrogate him, saying that they needed all details. Ichigo quickly noticed a at least for him new arrival. Normal people would probably say that he was creepy and weird, but Ichigo had seen his share of weird and creepy people and his standards were pretty high when it came to this. They called him Moody. Still his appearance was probably something that even Ichigo found when not weird, at least interesting. For one, he seemed to have lost a leg, since now he used a peg leg, or whatever one calls the wood stump that was used as a replacement for a real leg. Ichigo thought that he gave a very good impression of a pirate, he even possessed only one real eye, the other was sadly not covered with an eye patch. It was a bit disappointing, but the other eye was really interesting so he forgave the pirate 'wannabe'. The interesting eye, if you really could call it an eye, looked like glass and swirled around in the metal fixation, like it was hungrily trying to see everything but couldn't without moving around so much. The other real eye was focused solely on him. He was probably trying to analyze the situation that he had witnessed and Ichigo at the same time. Moody was probably also a paranoid one, but Ichigo didn't care, a bit paranoia was never bad, it let you stay alive in times like these.

Ichigo had learned that the man in the black cloak and the skeleton mask was probably a death eater. It somehow reminded him of hollows, but Ichigo was pretty sure that hollows would be better fighters. It was like ant vs. elephant, unsurprisingly the elephant won, not even really noticing the ant that he had suddenly squished under its foot. The death eaters were followers of Voldemort, like he had already expected, and were all full-blooded nobles. Ichigo hated it when people categorized others after their heritage since he could also sympathize with them. He wasn't complete human, shinigami or hollow for that matter. He wasn't sure if he even fit into any categories at all or if he was a complete new and different species all together. He could even be counted as wizard because wizards where people with spiritual awareness who had learned how to use it. If a person was spiritual aware, his family members and children were probably also spiritual aware. It could be seen with his family. His dad had been a shinigami and even thought he had given up his powers, his children had still inherited the awareness of the spiritual world.

At the beginning there were probably only few people who could use reiatsu or magic like they called it. Those people started to slowly learn that others like them also existed. They started to form groups, those groups slowly grew till after thousands of years a community had formed that called themselves wizards and witches. Those communities learned more and more how to manipulate the reiatsu flow, till they had constructed a way to use it in different ways like spells. Still they had probably forgotten how the first wizards came to be. Sometimes people with high reiatsu since birth were born from non spiritual aware parents. Those probably had been the first wizards, so even the nobles, who had a long list of only wizards in their family tree, probably weren't as pure-blooded as they believed. It was the same with king and queens. They too had ancestors that had been commoners, but had become leaders, when the need for one to lead had been grand. Ichigo nodded, accepting his own thoughts as true. Happy with his conclusion Ichigo went up to his room to finely sleep, only to notice two steps before his door that he had forgotten something. Hades was probably still waiting for him, already scared out of his mind about Ichigo maybe not coming back. Ichigo quickly entered the room. Hades really still lay on his bed. Out of distressed he had started to let smoke coming out of his nostrils and now the whole room smelled like it had burned. Ichigo took Hades in his arms and rubbed him apologetically over his snot, trying to calm the crying dragon down. It took some while but he was finally able to calm the crying baby dragon down. Laying him next to him, Ichigo was finally able to close his eyes and at least for now cut himself of from the rest of the world, for now his worries and the stress forgotten, finally for once finally able to truly sleep. Still his what should have been restful sleep was disturbed through nightmares. Nightmares about thousands of crying baby dragons that all looked up to him and the worse of all in the middle, because in the middle stood a crying Nel that seemed to shout with a loud determinate voice toward the sky:

"I am coming Itsugo, if you want it or not and I won't leave even if you beg. I am coming!"

With that Ichigo awoke and almost shouted out in fright, stopping himself only in the last second. He quickly jumped out of bed with sweat running down his face. He knew that hadn't just been a nightmare. That had been Nel's silent resolution, a decleration of will. She was coming and he knew that what followed her was coming as well. Trouble!