Dear all: I have decided to revisit this story since I have been loving Yu Yu Haksuho again. However, I wrote this originally when I was in middle school; and, now that I have graduated with a Master's degree, I feel the need to go back and re-write it. The storyline should follow many of my original ideas but some details and the pacing will change significantly. I hope you enjoy it again.

As a note (and after doing more research), I have decided to keep my original idea that Shuichi Minamino and Youko Kurama are different souls in the same body. Part of my story angle doesn't quite work if they are one in the same. But, yes, I am aware that this is not quite cannon.

Chapter 1

"The Youko has returned, they cry."

The dark demon scoffed from his place in the corner.

"There's no need to be so scornful, Hiei. An old man can dream of better times."

Hiei unfolded his limbs and stood crossing over to the dieing hearth. "You spend more time in the past than you do in the present. You always have."

The old man in a wing-back chair rubbed his hands shakily together under his thick blanket. He sighed and settled back to his chair. "The past is a good place to be."

The smaller man reached over and threw another log on the fire. The sparks flew up in a rush for a moment before cooling into ash and floating up through the chimney. He leaned his arm and face against the mantle, ignoring the other person.

They remained in silence for a few moments while the fire crackled happily blocking out the wind whistling outside the castle walls. A wet rain rushed past the thin lead windows in gusts and somewhere close, an open window banded in the wind.

Hiei heard the other drop into a light sleep before he broke away from the hypnotizing flames. Without a backwards glance, he threw a dark cloak over his clothes and hastily exited the room shutting the door softly behind him.

Despite the terrible weather outside and the calm warmth of his rooms, the castle itself was alive with cheer and celebration. All Hallow's Eve was upon them and the castle was decorated to the hilt. Jack-o-lanterns floated down the hallway, spouting candies and sinister stories while cobwebs took up residence in every corner and draped themselves over ever railing.

And, the Headmaster believed that there was no better way to celebrate this particular year than with a school-wide party – costumes optional. Unfortunately, Hiei as a professor was expected to attend and monitor this gathering.

He was largely ignored by the student population until he arrived at the doors to the Great Hall. The Headmaster and Professor McGonagall were already welcoming students to the dance, commenting politely at teenage attempts at beauty and fashion. The Headmaster appeared to be succeeding as the students were ginning up at him with excitement and admiration.

"Oh, Susan don't you look just lovely tonight!" He intoned, a whisper of a rasp infecting his voice. "I'm sure you won't be in want of a partner this evening."

The student under scrutiny blushed and twittered something completely unintelligible. The Headmaster smiled at her as she stumbled into the hall.

"Ah, Hiei. I see you have also come dressed for a night a frivolity." The Headmaster held no tone of sarcasm in his voice. "Black is, of course, always slimming."

McGonagall huffed, exasperated, next to him. "Dear Albus," she quipped, "You'll give the young man a head case."

The Headmaster peered at the short man over the rim of his tiny glasses.

Hiei decided to interrupt before their well-meaning bickering looped him into the conversation. "Headmaster. Professor." He strode past them and into the hall. McGonagall was already chiding a fourth year Gryffindor boy with a runny nose and an un-tucked shirt.

The Hall was awash in color and noise. Banners filled with house mascots hung on every available inch of wall – their subjects showing off for the few interested students. A griffin spread its wings for an awestruck muggle-born girl while her friends tried to drag her to the punch. A band was already set up and playing where the head table would normally stand. And, subsequently, a mass of unwashed teenagers were already squirming around in front displaying an array of inadequacies.

Hiei took a spot by the ever-replenishing snack table and leaned against the wall. Two of his eyes watched the students around him while a third watched the strings of magic across the doors and windows.

"Professer Jaganshi!" He was settled no more than a few minutes when a high pitched voice drew his sight off the dancing. The girl dragged her friend over in her excitement.

Hiei spared her a glance. "Ms. Patil."

"Oh, Professer" She teased "I didn't think you'd come." She smiled at him again.

The young man looked away. "These events are not optional for everyone."

Padma opened her mouth to say more but her friend tugged on her sleeve. "Padma, lets go. I want to dance." They pulled away to another knot of sixth years.

He watched them go for a moment before turning his attention back to the rest of the room. The other professors were in varying positions against the wall, each with varying degrees of horror (Snape) and amusement (Hagrid).

Hiei reached a hand into his pocket and fingered the galleon there.

"Wotcher, Professor. Are you enjoying the show?" Asked a excitable voice from his left.

Hiei did not turn to acknowledge the newcomer but managed the appropriate answer. "Of course," He said.

"These types of events always reminded me of my time at school. Although, the music was slightly quieter and the necklines a bit higher."

"I doubt that these events were so long ago for you," he finally turned his head towards the other professor and she gave him a brilliant smile.

"No, not too long," she laughed.

He pushed his way from the wall, "Excuse me, Professor Tonks," and strode away.

The other side of the hall offered the same view of now gyrating teenagers. McGonagal had was moving in and out of them, using her wand to put air in between bodies. Her endless prattles in the staff room about the 'honor of Gryffindor being upheld by a gracious dance' seemed to be crumbling as the band banged out another mass of sound that the students cheered and swung their bodies aimlessly to.

Hiei glanced at the moon in the enchanted ceiling for the time. Another hour, and then he would step out through the door and over to the garden. The words from his letter that morning – finally – after months of no communication, were still floating past his eyes. I hope you've been enjoying Hogwart's garden. I spent many happy years reading by the butterfly bush in the northwest corner. It was always a favorite of the Pipevine Swallowtails. I hope you get a change to see it before All Hallows Eve.

He scoffed to himself at the mistakes. Koenma's intelligence had always been good at overlooking the details. Kurama had taken one look at the letter, snickered over the more mushy moments from Hiei's supposed 'mother,' and had immediately told him that Pipevine Swallowtails most certainly did not live in England.

However, the message was clear (at least to them) and asinine enough in the wrong hands. He had thrown it in the fire immediately.

Luckily, the rain that had been blowing around the ceiling of the Great Hall seemed to have dissipated. He doubted the spell he put on his cloak earlier in the night would have lasted long enough to keep him dry as his wand was little more than a branch blessed with the barest hint of Spirit Energy from Spirit World officials.

He turned his eyes to the entrance door where students were still coming and going at a steady rate; most of them upper years who were too self important to fraternize with their younger classmates. He pushed himself off the wall and exited the enormous hall. The Entrance Hall's relative quiet soothed his ears before he turned and stepped out the main doors to castle.

Almost instantly, the overwhelming drill of magic on his Jagan stilled and the air seemed pure with the lack of haphazard and incorrect student magic swimming through it. He gave the air a momentary sniff and smirked to himself. It smelled like wet animal.

There were pockets of students meandering around the courtyard. Some of them were talking in groups while other, more romantically involved, pairs were sitting close to each other on the scattered benches and low walls. The shrubberies themselves were devoid of any life.

No one had seemed to notice him step quietly outside. So, he simply took a few steps off to the right and into the dark shadows created by the high walls of the castle and the glowing moon above. A series of jutting window sills in the darkness were the only ladder he needed to make it the heavily sloped roof of the Entrance Hall. He stayed low on the roof, listening ad watching the shadows.

By the main structure of the building, a flicker of light caught his eye and the smell stung his nostrils with it musky intensity.

He was next to the other demon in a moment. "Detective."

Yusuke glared at him from his position in the shadows, but he crouched back down on the roof after jumping at Hiei's sudden appearance. "I've been here for hours you know." He pulled at the blue t-shirt that was clinging to his body. It's been freaking pouring all night and you wait until that last possible god damn moment."

Hiei settled across from him on the roof within the shadow of the building. His pupils widened to let in extra light. The sound of the music below wafted up from between the ceiling tiles and into the cold night air.

The two stared at each other for a moment in silence before Yusuke broke out into a wide grin that stretched across his sharp fangs. "How ya doin' man!" he crooned, reaching over to slap his friend on the back. "You've been here for months now. I take it everyone still has their heads."

The smaller demon scoffed. "I, unlike you, have some measure of self control."

Yusuke leaned forward on the balls of his feet, his eyes bright underneath his dark bangs. "Of course you do." His tone insinuated he was not a believer. "How's the Fox? Still hangin' in there?"

Hiei was not sure how to answer, so he settled with "He is."

Yusuke's grin lost some of its brilliance. He shrank back against the hard rock of the castle. "He's tough. I'm sure he'll be fine."

Hiei ignored the other's attempts to console himself. "The information," he said, flinging the galleon in his pocket at Yusuke. The demon caught it without hesitation and shoved it into a pocket. "Tell Koenma I need a new wand. The one he gave me is useless now."

The taller man said nothing, but Hiei knew his request would be passed on. They sat for a moment in silence before Yusuke finally spoke up. Hiei could almost hear the words hanging on the tip of his mind. "If Kurama..." he trailed off and started again. "If Kurama, ya know- I want..."

With a glance, Hiei cut him off. "Detective."

Yusuke looked away, his eyes hard.

A moment more and the Toushin regained his composure. "Anyways," he flicked his had through the air nonchalantly. "Koenma says he wants to speed things up a bit. He's worried about somethin', although he won't share- the little fucker. He says get these two going as soon as you can. He'll get them passes to Spirit World."

Yusuke suddenly shot to his feet. "Damn it! I hate playing messenger boy." He turned and threw a glance at the other demon still squatting in the shadows. "Later, man."

Hiei's eyes followed the other's departure across the moonlit roof top before descending back down into the garden by the butterfly bush and harassing some embarrassed seventh years about just how far their tongues were down each other's throats.