Spirits of the Living
a Sailormoon-Harry Potter-Slayers fanfic..
by Kellybug
SM-HP-TRY - SM-HP-TRY - SM-HP-TRY - SM-HP-TRY - SM-HP-TRY - SM-HP-TRY - SM-HP-TRY - SM-HP-TRY - SM-HP-TRY - SM-HP-TRY
SM-HP-TRY - SM-HP-TRY - SM-HP-TRY - SM-HP-TRY - SM-HP-TRY - SM-HP-TRY - SM-HP-TRY - SM-HP-TRY - SM-HP-TRY - SM-HP-TRY
Chaprter 22:
Most of the group of four women and one young man waiting for Judge Cornelius Fudge to walk into his office wore grins that would have scared any sane person to death, had those grins been directed at them.
"Is this even fair?" Tsukino Shingo asked his compatriots with a smirk.
"Probably not?" Tomoe Hotaru answered her boyfriend. "When has Judge Fudge ever played fair demo?"
"Not one day in his life!" Sailorpluto drawled. "Always judged for favorites! Judged for favors."
"Days as corrupt-judge will be over, soon!" Sailorneptune smiled a little too sweetly.
Shingo chuckled lightly. As much as he loved Hotaru, he had to admit, he was glad the Outersenshi did not spend that much time around his sister! Usagi would probably be inconsolable - crying, in a rage, or both! Even Ami would not be able to console her.
Tsukino Shingo would be his sister's needed go-between!
About an hour later, Judge Cornelius Fudge entered his office with Delores Umbridge on his arm. He stopped in his tracks in front of his reception-party.
"May I help you?" The pompous-judge asked.
"Maybe?" Sailoruranus answered the Judge. "I am called Ten'ou Haruka!" she then started pointing to the others. "And these are my associates! Kaioh Michiru! Meioh Setsuna! Tomoe Hotaru, and Tsukino Shin! We have business with one Judge Fudge Cornelius?"
"I am Cornelius Fudge!" The Judge smiled and extended his hand, "and, this is - my good friend - Delores Umbridge! How may I help you?"
"Ah! Judge Fudge?" Sailoruranus smiled. "You may help us, and the Wizarding World in general, by stepping away from The Bench, and marching to DMLE for questioning in regards to on Albus Dumbledor!"
"What.. what do you mean," Fudge coughed and sputtered, "'Stepping away from The Bench'?"
"What my compatriot means," Sailorpluto stated clearly, "is that you are under arrest for complicency in the conspiracies of Albus Dumbledore against magical-Britian. The DMLE is looking into Dumbledor's activities, particularly those involving the downfall of the Family-Black! And? Your name has come to light in the dealings with one Perseus Black. So? For the time-being, until the matter is resolved? You are being removed from your Seat! Now? Go!"
So stating her party's intentions, Setsuna stepped around the judge's desk and prepared to apprehend Fudge!
"UNHAND ME! You silly woman!" Fudge huffed. "Who do you think I am? You cannot touch me! I'm a highly-valued mweember of the Wizengamot!"
"We Sailorsenshi have heard that, before!" Hotaru softly said in a bored-tone. "From latest inmate of Azkaban Prison! If you are lucky? You may join her!"
"Jo.. Join her?" Cornelius stuttered. "If I.. I'mm.. lucky? And.. if.. I'm not 'lucky'?"
"If unlucky?" Michiru giggled, "Will season pot of Stew starring Black Perseus!"
"I BEG your pardon!" Umbridge suddenly screeched and turned to face Michiru. "You cannot just BOIL a Judge! I will not allow it! As Cornelius has said, he's a very important man!"
"You can beg all you want to, pink-lady!" Haruka looked down at Umbridge. "Will not help Fudge! Corrupt Judge, should get what all corrupt things get! Helped Black Perseus? Helped Dumbledore? Should get what Black and Dumbledore get!"
"I would not worry about Goblins demo, Umberidge-Sama!" Hotaru smiled. "Goblins do not care for taste of Succubus! Gives food bad-flavor, hai!"
"I have heard that only beings that will eat succubus is Do-ragon!" Tsukino Shingo smiled and nodded.
"Do-ragons are known to scavange, as well as hunt, hai!" Hotaru chirped happily, unnerving her foster-parents.
And, Delores Umbridge tried to contort her body into the smallest-space she could think of.
"I think Umberi-Sama is trying to find mousehole?" Michiru grinned.
"Rat is too big for mousehole!" Haruka harrumphed.
"Hai. Too true." Setsuna noted, withdrawing her wand. "Come HERE, rat! In place of Pluto - HEEL!"
"When did Outersenshi study magic, Setsuna-kasaan?" Tsukino Shingo grinned evilly.
And, Tomoe Hotaru giggled, sending chills up and down the spines of almost everyone who heard it, including the Outersenshi!
The only one not unhinged by Hotaru's giggle was Tsukino Shingo, for some reason.
"Are you sure you were part of white-moon, Tsukino-kun?" Haruka asked, quirking an eyebrow.
"Hai. Family of White Moon!" Shingo grinned. "Appointed, by kaasan ano tousan, to be aneue's last-line of defence!"
"Defence?" Neptune asked the young man.
"Against..?" Uranus inquiired.
"Senshi going ronin!" Shingo quipped.
And? This caused Meiou Setsuna to chuckle darkly.
"Ara.. you.. are Lunarian?" Neptune fumbled, a bit ungracefully, for her words.
"As Lunarian as aneue! Hai!" Shingo grinned rather like a Mizuko, "Kaasan says I take more after Tousan's side of the family! Perfect for dealing with Ronin-Senshi!" He then flashed that scary-grin to Judge Fudge and Umbridge. "Ano other unruly children! Hai! If you survive me, demo? There is, always, my koibito!"
Hotaru curtsied, smiled, and giggled, and the while holding her Silence Graive:
"Arigatounisai, Shin-koi!"
The other Outersenshi grinned rather hungrily at Fudge, andd replied to Shingo in the affirmative:
"Hai."
"Hai."
"Hai!"
At about the same time as the Outersenshi were introducing themselves to Fudge Conelius Fudge, Amelia Wils Seillune and Zalgadis Greywords and their friends were introducing themselves to The Daily Prophet's star-reporter, and gossip-columnist, Rita Skeeter:
"Miss Skeeter, of the 'Daily Phophet'?" Zelgadis introduced himself, "I am Zelgadis Greywords, Wizard from a far-away land, and messenger of the DMLE! And, this," he pulled of a parchment, "is a Warrent to appear before the Court! No later than the eighth-bell, today!"
"And, just WHY am I being called into court?" Rita asked in a snarky tone. "Doesn't the court REALIZE who I am?"
"Oh, they realize who you are, Muckraker!" Gourry Gabriev spoke in a bored-tone. "Also knows what you have done, thanks to records of Goblins! Just wish to know 'why'?"
"'Why?' is priviledged information!" Rita almost screeched. "As priviledged as Goblin's Records! How did the Court GET those records, anyway? Did they COMPEL the Goblins?"
"Compeling a Goblin?" Lina Inverse laughed sarcastically. "You have better-odds of compelling the winds! Iie. Goblins handed over records of Albus Dumbadoro over freely! Consider Dumbedoro 'Bad risk'. Come! Court awaits! Sixth-bell just chimed!"
"And, what if I don't wish to go?" Rita piffed.
"Oh, You will go!" Filia Ul Copt anwered in a rather-bored, sing-song tone.
"Whether or not you 'want' to," Xellos grinned, "is immaterial!"
"In fact?" Filia spoke through a developing grin. "If you did not wish to go? We would be 'forced' to bring you in!"
"So? Go ahead!" Lina chirped. "Refuse to come with us! Have not had good fight in months!"
"But? But? I'm a REPORTER!" Rita Skeeter whined pathetically. "I work for 'The Daily Prophet'! A very respectable newspaper!"
"'Respectable'?" Gourry asked, "Is that why I see it in every toilet in this area?"
The small group of trackers started to laugh.
And, Rita tried to escape as she saw her chance, only to be stopped as a sword-tip touched her trachea:
"Where do you think you are going," Lina growled low, "Doragon-chow?"
"Come!" Filia ordered Rita to move with all the gentleness and pity of a Drill-Sargeant. "Court is in back of you. TURN AROUND!"
"But? But?" Rita cried, tears rolling down her cheeks. "I'm just a reporter! Trying to get a story!"
"Story that kept innocent-man in Azkaban?" Lina asked. "Hai. Make wrong Black richer than his brother? Hai, get story that Judge and Headmaster wanted told. Never mind truth! Gold outweighs truth. Until DMLE look into story."
At the exact time these two scenes were being played out, the distinguished-looking, albeit rather-perturbed, Oriental Gentleman was being escorted into the Malfoy Manor in Wiltshire by Rodolpho and Bellatrix Lastrange.
"Kindly refrain from manhandling me, you deranged woman! First, I am KIDNAPPED from the streets of London, before I am to MEET with members of - your - Mahautsukai-government, then I am brought HERE! What I DEMAND to know is WHY you have brought me here?!"
"'Deranged' am I, Hino-Sama?" Bella chuckled darkly. "If I were as 'deranged' as you say I am, Hino Takeshi-Sama, you would already be dead and damned for the way you have discarded your only-child!"
Hearing his daughter spoken of, in all but name, Senator Hino forgot his building-tirade, and felt tears build in his eyes:
"Rei? Rei-musume? Is my Rei-chan alright?"
"Your daughter is alright, Takeshi-san!" Rei's grandfather said from where he was sitting, in back of Senator Hiro and to his right. "If you still consider Rei-chan musume!"
The statement of the aged-priest, even as soft as it was, held a defensive growl. The tiger may have been old, but? He still defended the cub of his cub! To the death!
"Hai." Senator Hino Takeshi turned to the aged Shinto Priest, and fell on trembling knees. "Rei is musume. And.. I have failed her! When..Sakura.. died.. shortly after Rei's birth.. I was scared. Frightened.. How could I.. raise a daughter.. all alone? All alone? So.. I left her.. with you, who are Sakura's otousan. You have rised her correctly! Better than I could have!"
Senator Hino then looked up to his father-in-law:
"Doko Rei? Doko Musume?"
"Rei is still at school? I think?" The old priest sipped his tea thoughtfully. "I was told she would be here, today? My magomusume deserves an explanation, and an apology, Hino Takeshi!"
"Hai, Hishirou Hiroshi!" The Senator slowly bowed his head and cried softly. "She does. I have shamed her!"
"You will have the chance, then," the old priest smiled and nodded, "to lift that shame. The proper way, the best way. Seppuku does not wash shame away! Come, Takeshi! For Rei, for Sakura, lift the curse. Be a father. Yumada Yuuichirou-kun is being the girls here! Rei has a girlfriend she cares very deeply for! They have been through much! I - hope? You can be Otousan to two!"
"I have heard of my daughter's relationship, since I have been in Scotland!" Hino Takeshi grinned. "Even their enemies speak in admiration of how they care for one another! Aino Minako-chan is lucky! She has a family to love her," Takeski's grin then turned into a scowl, " to make up for the hanyou who do not! Truly, for treating their daughter as a beast-of-burden, they deserve nothing.. but the Executioner's sword! I was able to .. speak .. with the Aino. It was very.. enlightening."
"I am sure it was." Kumada Yuuichirou spoke softly into Senator Hino. "Do not mention Aino-tachi too loudly, onegai? Mina-chan does not need to remember oni, just yet!"
"No need for whispers, Yuui-kan," Minako said as she softly padded into the room, barefoot and in a plain black wrap and a collar, followed protectively by Rei. "I have heard about my - parents - before. Sometimes? I have said the same things. The words have hurt me. They are true, dano. The shame of my parents is mine to bear. Konnichi-wa, Hino-Sensei! I can guess you have come to see my sister? May I present Hino Rei?"
Hino Rei came and stood, barefoot and in a plain black wrap and a collar, just like Minako, before Hino Takeshi. She spoke it a quiet, plaintive voice "Konnichi-wa, otousan! I - pray - my dress does not bring you shame?"
Minako started to withdraw into the shadows of Malfoy Manor.
"Iyaa! Do not leave, Aino Minako! As.. Rei's aneue, you should hear this, also."
Minako then felt a hand touch her shoulder and turned her head to face the elder-witches.
"Listen to him, Aino-san!" Bellatrix Lastrange spoke to Minako, as Narcissa Malfoy nodded solemnly.
"Nothing you can say or do brings me shame, my musume." Takeshi reponded to Rei. "It.. is I.. who have shamed you!" Takeshi then sank to his knees and bowed his head. And. he started to sob:
"Can.. you forgive me.. Rei-chan? I have been a fool. A Scared fool. I.. was.. am.. very much in love.. with your kaasan. Unprepared for her death demo. I.. I was scared.. when.. my Sakura left me with you. A scared, foolish man-child with a tiny daughter, who needed love and care I was too much of a coward to give! Forgive me? Onegai?"
Rei stepped slowly closer to her father:
"I can forgive, otousan! If you can forgive all my mean thoughts? All of the hells I have condemned you to?"
"I can forgive, musume!" Hino Takeshi smiled through his tears. "The hells I have crawled through were deserved."
"Crawl no more, Hino Takeshi!" A thin, ghostly voice said. "A man should not crawl."
Takeshi and Rei, and Minako, slowly turned and looked at the spirit addressing the Senator:
"Rei-chan!" Minako's voice started to falter. "Is that not..?"
"Sakura-chan?" Takeshi fearfully whispered.
"Okaasan?" Rei tried not to cry.
"I am here." The ghost smiled. "I cannot stay for long. I will still watch over you. And, Minako-musume!" She then turned to face her father and bowed. "Gomennissai, otousan! I did not wish to leave."
"I understand, Sakura-musume!" The Shinto-Priest responded. "Long-life is a gift given sparingly. I have missed you, and, shall continue to. I know you watch over us demo."
"What of .. me .. demo?" Minako asked in an uncharacteristically-timid voice.
And Rei put her arms protectively around her Senshi-sister, and drew her into her reassuringly.
"Minako-chan!" Takeshi said in gentle, yet firm, voice, "You have heard Rei-musume. you have heard Kumada-san, you have heard my venerated father-in-law, and, I am sure, you heard my Sakura-tenshi! Now? Hear from me! You have a family that has loved you, and will love you, far more than the mistakes that you were - unfortunate enough - to be born into! I have met the Aino-tachi, once. Let us never speak of them, again!"
"Hino-Tousan?" Minako smiled through her tears. Then, ran to Senator Hino. "Hino-Tousan!" Then, taking her last step, Minako tripped into Takeshi, tumbling and crying into his lap:
"TOUSAN!"
Rei cried out as she and her father grabed a trembling, crying Senshi:
"MINAKO-ANE! Hush, hush! things will be better, now. You will see."
"They will be better," Peter Pettigrew stated as he walked into the room, "as soon as the trial of Dumbledore and his cronies is over!"
"Why as soon as the trial is over?" Minako and Rei asked the animagus-spy.
"What he means, musume, is that the Ainos were in Britian!" Takeshi rumbled. "I have followed the serpents from Nippon! Lord Malfoy and Lord Riddle of Valdemorte are not the only ones to use spies. I have been following the Aino-Baka ever since I learned they received the equivalent of 20,000,000 Yen from the bank-vaults of Gringotts Bank in London, in exchange for your.. use.. by a certain Albus Dumbledor!"
Aino started to tremble in a rage, then shrieked like a Banshee:
"DAMN THEM! Damn them all to the deepest HELL that awaits their kind!"
Rei and Senator Hino quickly enclosed Minako to keep her from totally collapsing in on herself, when Kino Makoto appeared next to them, followed by Harry Potter and Hermoine Granger!
"Konnichi-wa, Hino-Sensei!" Makoto bowed. "We.. were told.. that we would meet you here, by Tomoe Hotaru ano Meioh Setsuna! They will be very happy that you are here for Rei-chan! We have to borrow Rei ano Minako for a while, dano. Must lead dragons to next.. meal. Hai."
"'Next meal'?" Takeshi raised an eyebrow. "Who is 'Guest-of-Honor'?"
"Guest-of-Dishonor is Succubus called 'Delores Umbridge'!" Makoto answered with a sharp nod. "Deserves stew-pot along with Judge Cornelius Fudge! Goblins do not like taste of Succubus demo!"
"You wouldn't care for the taste, either, Kino-chan," Thomas Riddle chuckled darkly, "If you only KNEW JUST how many - creatures - have SEASONED them!"
"Have read of Succubi, Lord Riddle!" Makoto grinned darkly as she turned to Riddle of Valdemorte. "AGREE with Goblins! Hai."
"Be THANKFUL you have only read about them, Kino-chan!" Hino Takeshi growled. "In my years in the Diet, I am quite sure that I've MET a few!"
"You have met Succubi, Tousan?" Rei looked at her father.
"I did not know the term, musume, before I came to Britian." Takeshi answered. "Knew them by reputation demo. Hai. Then, we met! Reputation was only half-right! Smelled of every prostitute in Tokyo! Same smell I noticed on Aino-san!"
"CURSED!" Minako cried-out like a banshee. "I am CURSED! Cursed SUCCUBUS! CURSED to not find love I need! Rei! Takeshi! Yuichirou! LEAVE ME! Before my curse curses you, also!"
"Lucius! We have need of Kreature!" Riddle of Valdemorte cried out. "Young Harry? Young Hermoine? Where is Dobby? Two house-elves are better than one! Especially, when they agree."
Soon, Kreature and Dobbie were sniffing a stripped and complient Aino Minako:
"Smell adolescent-succubus, Kreature does!" The house-elf said.
"Young, but old enough to be succubus!" The other house-elf said. "Does not smell like Succubus her age! Smells remarkably CLEAN! Only smell one male and - three - females!" Dobby blew out his nose and sniffed Minako's companions, firstly, Rei, and secondly, Yuichirou. "Dobby smells you. And, you! Smell also.. Snape-pup and reporter for Quibbler! No one else! Very rare for succubus her age! Usually, feed sooner than Vampire pups."
"I have - hungered - for years!" Minako looked down at her feet and admitted shamefully. "But? I could not feed.. on just anyone." She loooked up pleadingly at Rei and Yuichirou. "I wanted us to be friends, to be family, first! I have needed a family, I have - felt - since I was very young!" She caressed Rei, and, then, Yuichirou. "Does that make sense.. coming from a sexual-vampire?"
"Hai. Makes perfect sense," Rei kissed and caressed Minako, "coming from ANY vampire! Wanting - needing - longing for things as they were! As they SHOULD be! Needing family. Jiisan? Tousan? COME! Join us in seeing Umbridge-succubus, one last time! Will bring you back to manor! Mina-ane? What happens if we run in Ainos? Where would Aino-baka be?"
"Do not worry about the Ainos, my ladies!" Bellatrix chuckled dangerously, while Rodolpho cackled sharply.
"Those two rats are waiting in the deepest-dungeouns of Malfoy-Manor!" Narcissa smiled. "Awaiting their fates."
"They should make full-restitution to Minako-ane, hai! Emancipate aneue!" Rei spoke up in Minako's defence.
"If they refuse?" Minako growled dangerously. "They are doragon-chow!"
"Speaking of dragons. Makoto-imouto? Why is Snape Ami-chan not leading dragons?"
"Usagi says Ami has not been well," Makoto replied. "Says she has been suffering from nightmares!"
"Nightmares?" Rei and Minako asked worriedly.
"Why are nightmares attacking our Ami-chan?" Rei asked worriedly.
"What are nightmares about?" Minako asked.
"Ami will not say!" Makoto sighed. "Will not even tell Usagi!"
"Why will ane not tell kaasan about nightmares?" Minako worriedly wondered.
"Probably thinks nightmares with hurt Usagi?" Rei answered. "Without Ami? Who leads doragons?"
"I went with Ami-chan to visit doragons!" Makoto nodded. "Me and Harry-kun and Hermi-chan go to ask doragons for help! We go to meet Outersenshi ano Tsukino Shingo-kun, now! Come!"
Soon, after the dragons sniffed and bit Rei and Minako, the Sailorsenshi were off to meet up with Shingo and the Outersenshi.
"How is Shingo-otoo getting along with in-laws?" Rei asked from atop her dragon.
"Shingo-Sama has not killed in-laws, yet?" Makoto giggled. "Get along well!"
"How is Usagi handling it?" Minako asked.
"Again?" Makoto grinned. "In-laws are not dead. Itouto is not dead! Usagi is good with things."
"Who is dinner, again?" Minako asked from atop her dragon.
"Main-course is Umbridge Delores-Sama!" Makoto said.
"Why Umbridge-bimbo?" Rei asked.
"Bimbo is succubus! Hai." Makoto nodded. "Goblins do not like taste of succubus! Dragons do not seem to mind taste. Doragon-food tends to be charred. Fire cleans pollution. Goshinpainaku, Minako-ane! Dragons smell and know you as succubus, know you as clean demo! No need to add to dinner-menu!"
"Arigatounisai." Minako dropped her head and sighed. Then, she patted the head of the dragon she rode and kissed it, her tears flowing freely.
'Goshinpainaku, Minako-chan!' Rei telepathically-spoke to Mina, as she "wrapped" her "arms and legs" securely around the blonde's midsection. "You are aneue! You are family! We will never leave you! I will never leave you!'
Very soon, the flight of dragons, and their passangers, were circling around the Palace of the High-Judge.
And, Tomoe Hotaro and Tsukino Shingo shoved a totally-naked, pink-haired toad of a witch out through a side-door of the palece!
"Outside, Toadie!" Hotaru ordered, emphasising her order with the tip of her glaive.
"Someone is here to see you, hai!" Shingo grinned like a wolf. "Do not be bad-egg, greet them! They come long way, just to meet you!"
Listening from the earlier-vacated side-door, Haruka and Michiru stared and trembled at Shingo:
"Tsukino Shin sounds like..?" Haruka whispered.
"Mizuko." Michiru gasped.
And, a panicking Delores Umbridge tried to streak to freedom!
And, the dragons tried to dump their riders on the ground!
"What is happening?" Hermoine asked, wincing, after she hit the ground.
"My guess?" Harry said, as he shook his head, "The dragons are going to vector-off and accelerate!"
"Hai!" Makoto giggled. "Hermi-chan? Harry-kun? Take notes for Care of Magical Animals! Kukuku! See How Pack-Animals HUNT!"
As if on que, the dragons spun in a tight circle, the soared up in the sky! Then, the dove-down straight to Umbridge!
Lastly, they screamed at their pray, freezing her where she stood!
Then, they turned sharply and flew into the sky from wence they came.
This was followed by the disjointing of Umbridge' body, as - as one - her shoulders, thighs, and neck and head snapped from her trunk.
"That.. was convenient." Rei blinked.
"Hai. No time to throw-out curse!" Minako giggled.
"DRAWN-and-QUARTERED!" Rei and Minako cheered out.
And, from the side-door of the Ministry, Haruka and Michirru visibly-shivered.