Kindred Spirits

by Tailkinker

This is a work of fan fiction based on the Harry Potter series and the Sailor Moon franchise created respectively by J.K. Rowling and Naoko Takeuchi. The characters and settings belong to their respective owners and no copyright infringement is intended. This story is written purely for entertainment purposes and should not be considered as part of the official canon of either series.

A Night of Masks

"I'm just glad you got to see the game," said Ron. "Quidditch is one of the best things about the Wizarding World."

"Some would say magic is the best thing," said Harry, amused.

The four of them, along with Hotaru's father, were crowded around the rather small table in Tomoe-sensei's caravan. Harry found himself wedged into the corner with Hotaru pressed up against him; as they were the two smallest, they shared the bench with Hermione. Tomoe-sensei had provided tea and biscuits, along with a Japanese snack called Pocky, which were a kind of biscuit stick dipped in various frostings. Ron, his mouth half-full of strawberry Pocky, couldn't contain his excitement.

"Viktor Krum is easily the best thing to happen to professional Quidditch," he exclaimed. "At least, until Harry starts playing professionally."

"Seeker is the one who ends the game, ne?" Tomoe-sensei glanced over at Harry. "This is the position you play, ne, Harry-kun?"

"Yes, Tomoe-sensei. I think it's the most important position." He unconsciously slipped into Japanese, as he had a few times when speaking with Hotaru's father.

"English, Harry," chuckled Ron. Harry felt himself blush.

"Sorry," he mumbled.

"How did you get past the anti-Muggle charms, Professor?" asked Hermione.

Tomoe-sensei smiled slightly. "I closed my eyes and allowed Hotaru to pull me in. As long as I did not think about where I was going, it could not affect me as strongly. And once we were inside, it did not affect me at all."

"I wonder if that would work on my parents?" mused Hermione. "They have no problems getting into Diagon Alley, but that's all they've really seen."

"Maybe they could get to see Hogwarts that way," said Harry.

Ron shook his head. "The ones at Hogwarts are much stronger. They've been around for a thousand years, and every year, they get stronger. The ones here were put up quick and sloppy, and when they tear down the stadium, they'll go with it."

Hermione frowned at Ron. "How do you know that?"

"Dad talked about it," said Ron. He shrugged. "How do you think we got tickets? Dad was involved in putting this thing together. He's the Ministry expert on Muggles, after all."

Harry laughed. "And yet he doesn't know the purpose of a rubber duck?"

Ron's ears coloured. "He's not perfect," he mumbled.

There was a banging on the door. Tomoe-sensei frowned, and reached over to open it. From the bench at the table, he could reach the caravan door.

Arthur Weasley stuck his head in. Harry could see Ginny behind him, looking nervous.

"Good, you're all here. There's a problem; some people are attacking the Muggles."

"What?" Harry reached for his wand, but his hand grasped only air. "Where's my wand?"

"I can't have you trying to fight them, Harry," said Mr Weasley. "They're Death Eaters. You need to get Hotaru, Hermione and the Professor to safety."

"But I can't leave it behind—"

"We don't have time to look for it now," insisted Mr Weasley. "Come on, let's go!"

The five of them piled out of the caravan, and Harry realized that what he thought were yells of celebration had turned into screams of terror. The acrid smell of smoke hung over the campground. A dozen people, dressed in black robes and wearing white masks, stalked through the campsite. Some were throwing balls of fire into tents; others held their wands aloft, floating four people through the air above them. Harry gasped; he recognized one of them as Mr Roberts, the Muggle who owned the campsite. And from their size, two of the others were mere children.

"That's sick," said Ron, disgust dripping from his voice.

"They know that the Professor is here," said Mr Weasley. "They'll probably head this way. You need to get him into the woods."

"I can do better," said Harry determinedly. "Dobby!"

Dobby appeared with a faint pop. "How can Dobby help—" He squeaked as he saw the chaos developing around them.

"Down!"

Harry grabbed Tomoe-sensei in one hand and Dobby in the other, and dragged them down as a spell flashed toward them. It slammed into the caravan, setting it alight.

Harry spit dirt out of his mouth, and straightened his glasses. "Dobby. Can you get Professor Tomoe to safety?"

"Dobby can!" The House Elf nodded. "Professor be taking Dobby's hand?"

Tomoe-sensei glanced at Harry, then nodded, and reached across the ground to grasp the Elf's hand. Both disappeared with a pop.

"Thank you, Harry," whispered Hotaru, a look of gratitude on her face.

"Come on," said Mr Weasley. "You five head into the woods. Away from the Death Eaters. Bill, Charlie and I will be going to help the Ministry." He paused. "If you see the Twins, get them to come with you.

"Now, go!"

The crescent moon did them little good for illumination, but once they moved into the woods, things became even worse. After the third time that Ron tripped over a root, he pulled out his wand. "Lumos!"

The light revealed another person: Draco Malfoy.

"You might want to put that out, Weasley," he drawled. "It's certain to attract attention. And you've got two Muggle-born with you; attention is the last thing that you want."

"Suppose your dad is one of those out there in masks?" sneered Ron.

"Probably." Draco sighed. "Bloody stupid of him, if you ask me."

Ron looked at him oddly. "You feeling okay?"

"We're not our fathers," said Draco. "We have our own axes to grind; I'm not carrying his for him. Now douse that light!"

"Nox!" Ron flicked his wand, and the light went out.

"Granger, can you cast that fire spell of yours? It'll let us see a bit, without being so obvious at a distance."

"Good thinking," said Hermione. She started rummaging in her bag. Draco indicated Hotaru.

"Where's her dad?"

"Sent him off with Dobby," said Harry.

"That was probably wise," Draco said. "My father was particularly angry about that. A Muggle at the Quidditch World Cup." He snorted. "Blames Dumbledore, of course."

"And you don't?" asked Harry.

"'Course not. I blame you." Malfoy grinned.

"You'd be wrong, then," said Hotaru. "Papa figured it out on his own."

Draco looked quite surprised at that, but he didn't comment. Hermione raised a small jar, which now had a blue flame glimmering within it. It shed enough light to allow them to see where they were putting their feet, but barely more than that.

"All right," said Draco. "We can go that way, and get across the ridge. That should put some cover between us and the combat."

The six of them moved off through the woods, climbing the hill towards the ridge. Ginny was in the lead, her wand drawn, and Hermione immediately behind her with the light.

"Wand out, Potter," said Draco.

"I couldn't find it when the attack started," said Harry. "It must be in the caravan."

"That Muggle tent thing, with the wheels?" Draco snorted. "Better plan on a visit to Ollivander, then. Father burned it to ashes."

"Oh, no," whispered Hotaru. "That wasn't ours—we rented it!"

"I'll get some cash from Father," said Draco. "It's my family's fault, so my family will pay—"

A blue blob of spell-fire flew past them, and impacted the ground nearby. Whatever it was, it produced a blast of harsh wind, shoving them in all directions. Harry saw Draco tumbling down the hill, back the way they came.

Harry glanced back to his friends, then back down the hill. He bit his lip, then shrugged. "I'll go get him," he said. "You lot go on without me."

"I'm coming with you," said Hotaru firmly. "He might be injured."

"All of us should—"

Harry cut Hermione off. "No. Hotaru, I appreciate your concern, but you're their first target. Hermione, you'd be number two, and they don't much care for Weasleys either."

"You're Harry freakin' Potter," snapped Ron. "You're not exactly on their Christmas card list either!"

"Just go!" He turned and started down the hill, not waiting to see if they listened to him.

Without the bluebell flame, his vision was again compromised, but Draco's blonde hair stood out enough to catch his eye. Draco was groaning, gripping his wand arm. "Bloody hell. This arm again!"

"Hold on," said Harry. "Gonna get you over the ridge to Hotaru—"

"No need," said Hotaru as she emerged from the darkness. She knelt beside Draco and put her hands on his arm.

"I told you to go—"

"I know." Her voice was calm.

"Your father told me to look out for you." He looked around nervously, trying to see anything in the darkness.

"You can't do that if I'm not with you." She shivered, then stood. "Just a sprain, but I've set that right."

Draco flexed the arm. "Thank you. That's two I owe you." He grabbed his wand, which had fallen beside him.

"Come on." Harry hooked a hand under Draco's other elbow, and helped him to his feet.

"There's light over there," said Hotaru.

"Get down!" snapped Harry. "Both of you. We don't know whose light—"

The cloaked and masked figure stepped into plain view, and Harry winced. A Death Eater, and he'd clearly seen them. The man chuckled, and raised his wand.

A blob of spell energy slammed into the man, driving him back a step, and a woman stepped out of the shadows. Harry got the impression of dark skin, long black hair, and a green and white outfit, but he couldn't make out any details. It was as though something obscured the woman's features.

Rather than a wand, she wielded a large, silver staff. She pointed it at the man, and fired another spell at him. The Death Eater disapparated with a loud crack, and the spell flew through where he'd been standing.

The woman paused, glanced toward the three, and said, "Battle is almost over. Only one thing remains."

There was a burst of light in the sky, like fireworks. Harry glanced up, to see an ominous green shape, like a skull with a snake running through it.

When he looked back down, the woman was gone. The three of them stood in silence for a moment.

Then Draco said, "Who the hell was that?"