Now, before I get onto the next chapter of the revised version of Under the Light of the Shattered Moon, I'd like to give some shoutouts to some stories. It's Halloween, after all, and what's Halloween without some scary and/or gory stories? I'll be touting my own stories, mainly, but I'll include some more from others. I've already touted at the beginning of the previous chapter my new oneshot, the Hellsing/Spooky's Jump Scare Mansion crossover Unholy Alliance. But I'd like to tout some more. Okay, most of my followers will have read and favourited these already, but still...just in case.

Firstly, my own stories...

Haemophilia: Inspired by sakurademonalchemist's own attempt at crossing over Harry Potter with Hellsing (look for It's in the Blood in her Short Story Drabbles if you're interested), Haemophilia, while having a strongly comic edge (I made Alucard more like his Abridged counterpart), does have a lot of horror. While on hiatus for now, it's still easily one of my longest fanfics.

Lux in Tenebris Lucet: Renovatur: Imagine Harry as the childhood friend of Alma Wade from FEAR. Imagine an Alma who never got imprisoned in the Vault, but nonetheless is a scarily powerful little girl. And imagine her going to Hogwarts. Again, while on hiatus for now, it's still a good read.

On the Delights of Drinking Blood: While more crackfic than horror fic, On the Delights of Drinking Blood IS filled with horrific comedy moments. What else would you expect from a vampire Lunar Harmony story?

Disquiet: Imagine that Harry is an unrepentant killer, albeit one with standards. Imagine he has a lover who is every bit as twisted as he is. And imagine that they're two of the most infamous figures in the underworld of Roanapur. This, then, was the basis for my first WBWL fic, Disquiet, a crossover with Black Lagoon. And where Harry is the lover of Sawyer the Cleaner.

Henry Ashford and the Goblet of Fire: What if Harry was raised by Alexia Ashford, one of the most dangerous scientists ever to work for the Umbrella Corporation? This Resident Evil crossover shows what happens...

And now for the plugging of others' works...

The Purge by redbayly: DEFINITELY not for the faint of heart. Harry Potter learns he's the descendant of witch-hunter Matthew Hopkins. Having had enough of the apathy and inaction of people around him, he embarks on a crusade against Death Eaters and their kin, torturing them and killing them.

Ship of Theseus by Ferric: A Resident Evil fanfic, and an AU of the events of Resident Evil 0, with Rebecca Chambers subjected to an experiment by Dr Marcus, with disturbing consequences. And no, not that kind of experiment. Just the run of the mill crap Umbrella likes to pull...

Starry Eyes by helnae: A Worm fanfic crossed over with the Cthulhu Mythos, that manages to be both horrific...and yet sweet.

There's a few more I could name, but I won't bother.

Anyway, after the plugging, a quick preamble before I get on. A guest reviewer for the last chapter raised a few interesting points, but it's worth pointing out that they thought 'rocking up' to someone wasn't a turn of phrase. It means to go to them unannounced or uninvited, which, frankly, Yang would do. Also, Hermione's parents HAVE emigrated to Remnant, or at least are in the process of doing so. However, the Kryten joke scene had him confused about entering a pub after he, along with the Red Dwarf crew, had stepped into a photograph into the past (it's a long story). I copied the line almost verbatim from the episode, with a slight alteration.

Anyway, those who've read the original version of this chapter will see a lot of similarities here, save for the additions of Neo and Weiss. Again, it'll be some time before it is published.

UNDER THE LIGHT OF THE SHATTERED MOON (REVISED)

CHAPTER 2:

BEACON

As he passed the blonde puking into the bin at the airship dock, Harry said, "Next time, get a ginger pill or something, mate." He had discreetly cast a Scourgify on his shoes, grateful that his time on Earth during the Tri-Wizard Tournament had taught him that much.

The boy moaned weakly, but nodded. "And he's a wannabe Huntsman?" Ilia asked as they followed Ruby and Yang, whom they encountered on the ship.

"Hey, maybe he just gets motion sickness easily," Harry said with a shrug, before watching Ruby fangirl out at all the weapons on display. "I'm wondering why Ozpin brought her in early, though. It's got to be more than impressing him with her skills foiling Torchwick." Harry then looked at Neo, who was coming up to them. "Crap, I forgot to introduce you two, didn't I?"

Neo shrugged. As Yang scurried off with some friends, Harry and his friends were about to approach Ruby, only for Ilia to frown. "Heads up, here comes Winter's bratty kid sister."

The girl in question was pale-skinned, blue eyes, and with white hair. Her haughty demeanour was very much of a would-be princess. And in a way, that was precisely who she was: Weiss Schnee, the heiress to the Schnee Dust Company, and daughter of one of their enemies, as they had exposed the SDC's dirty dealings before. Ruby had fallen onto her luggage trolley, and Weiss had been launching into a tirade, waving a small vial of Dust at Ruby…who sneezed when the Dust, leaking from underneath an unsecure lid, entered her nose.

The quintet threw up their hands to shield themselves from the small Dust explosion, leaving a small crater in the ground nearby, and covering Weiss' face with soot. The vial rolled to a stop against Neo's foot, who plucked it up off the ground. As Weiss and Ruby argued, Harry decided to intervene. "Hey, you should be more careful about how you secure your Dust vials, Little Miss Heiress," Harry said, as Neo handed the vial back over to a bemused Weiss. "She couldn't have set off your Dust with a sneeze if the lid was still on."

Weiss glared at him. "And you are?"

"Harry. I'm…a colleague of your sister's. And she'd be disappointed at your lack of deportment…though she gets annoyed at mine all the time. Anyway, it was an accident. Though the SDC could stand to have less of those, what with its standards of safety…or lack thereof. And that's without going into how they treat their employees, especially Faunus ones."

"Why…you…" Weiss took her luggage and stormed off in a huff.

Ruby sighed, before turning to Harry and the others. "Well, at least I have a few friendly faces. It's nice to see you again, Penny! And Harry, Blake, Ilia, and…uh…"

"Oh, right, you didn't meet her last time," Harry said. "Ruby Rose, meet Neopolitan. My sister. Well, as good as. She's not exactly talkative."

"She doesn't look shy to me," Ruby said.

Neo shrugged, and then tapped her throat, mouthing, Can't speak.

"Oh! I'm sorry!" Ruby said, aghast.

"It's fine, she's used to it," Harry said. "She's enough of a smartarse without being able to speak. Ow! Hey!" This last was in response to Neo playfully and lightly swatting him over the head with her umbrella.

Ilia chuckled. "You should know not to annoy her, Harry."

"So, you guys want to hang out, then?" Ruby asked.

"You sure you want to hang out with Faunus?" Ilia asked.

Ruby shrugged. "I don't care, as long as you're not bad guys. I like your ears, Blake."

Blake, who had taken off her bow at Harry's suggestion for their transfer to Beacon, smiled. "Thank you."

"But what sort of Faunus are you, Ilia?"

"Chameleon," Ilia said, her skin shifting to different colours. In fact, her parents sent her to Atlas Academy because they knew she could pass for human as long as she didn't show her ability to change colour.

"Cool! Can you be all, like, stealthy and stuff?" Ruby asked.

"She mostly changes colour based on mood," Blake said quietly. "It's not exactly camouflage, Ruby."

Ilia nodded. "Though I can use it like camouflage to a degree. I'm glad you like it, Ruby. Not many people do. When my parents died in a collapse at a Dust mine, some people mocked them, not knowing I was a Faunus. In my grief, I turned blue…and they mocked me when they realised what happened. If it weren't for Harry being there to comfort me…"

"I see," Ruby said solemnly. "I'm sorry to hear that, Ilia."

Blake looked over at Harry. "Do you mind if I have a wander before the opening ceremony?"

"Sure."

"Can I look around too?" Penny asked.

"Okay, just don't wander too far," Harry warned.

As Blake and Penny walked off, Ruby frowned. "Where are they going?"

"Penny likes to explore new places. And Blake likes peace and quiet every now and then," Harry explained. "Sometimes, all she wants is a nice quiet corner to read a book in, or a peaceful walk. I know my girlfriend long enough to know when she gets this way, and I just let her be."

"Wait, wait, you two are girlfriend and boyfriend?" Ruby asked.

Ilia chuckled, though she didn't tell Ruby that she was also Harry's girlfriend. "Yep. Have been for a couple of years now. They make a cute couple. Blake's pretty lucky to have Harry. Her first boyfriend…was not the nicest person."

Harry scowled at the reminder of Adam Taurus, Neo putting a hand on his arm. Before they could get into any further discussion, the blonde boy with the motion sickness issues wandered up. "Hey, I'm Jaune."

"Ruby," Ruby replied, before remarking, with a distinct lack of tact, "Aren't you the guy who barfed on the ship?"

Harry found himself wandering with Ilia and Neo , following Jaune and Ruby as they discussed their weapons. Like Ruby and Yang, Jaune didn't seem to have any issues with Faunus, only White Fang. Harry did have to wonder how someone like him got into Beacon, though. Coasting on the Arc family's reputation, maybe, as the Arcs did have at least one famous ancestor, to his knowledge. Oh, he seemed earnest enough, beneath the nervousness and awkwardness.

That being said, Harry, Neo and Ilia had to escort the two back to the auditorium when the time came for the opening ceremony. Blake joined them soon after. "Enjoy your walk, Blake?" Harry asked.

The cat-eared girl nodded. "Is this a new friend?"

"Well, as I told these guys, my mother told me that strangers are just friends you haven't met yet," Jaune said. "I'm Jaune Arc."

"Blake Belladonna," she replied courteously.

Penny had already gone into the auditorium, and they joined her soon afterwards. Ruby was called over by Yang. Ruby made her excuses and scurried off, while Jaune, after a moment, wandered off despondently. Ilia frowned as she looked around, and noticed a red-haired girl with green eyes, wearing vaguely Grecian armour. "Huh. Looks like we have a celebrity. That's Pyrrha Nikos."

"The one who's on the cereal boxes? The one who won the Mistral Regional Tournament four times in a row?" Harry asked. "Huh. People are going to be queuing up to be her teammate, I'm sure."

"She looks pretty subdued for a celebrity," Blake observed.

Penny, meanwhile, was looking around the auditorium in excitement. They waited, briefly overhearing an argument between Ruby and Weiss, until finally, at a lectern at the other end of the auditorium, Ozpin appeared, clearing his throat to get their attention. "I'll keep this brief. You have journeyed here today in search of knowledge, to hone your craft and acquire new skills, and at the end of that, you intend to dedicate your life to protecting people. But I gaze amongst you all, and what I see is wasted energy that requires purpose and direction. You believe that knowledge will set you free of such problems, but your time here at Beacon will show you that knowledge will only take you so far. Taking the first step is up to you." Throughout it, his voice was calm, but also somewhat flat.

"Okay, I've heard better motivational speeches from Winter," Harry muttered, sotto voce.

"Yeah. I mean, I get what he's saying, and being a Hunter is no picnic, but you'd think he'd try and get you motivated, not depressed," Ilia said.

"I'm motivated," Blake said, completely deadpan. "Yay. Woo."

Neo chuckled quietly, the sound having the air of mirthful coughing.

The students were to sleep together in the hall en masse, like some big slumber part. Harry and Blake were sitting side by side, Blake reading The Man with Two Souls. Ilia and Neo were sitting together nearby, while Penny had gone over to chat to Ruby and Yang. "I really hope we're on the same team," Harry said quietly. "We've worked together for so long…though Oum knows how the team assignments are made."

"I hope we are too. What's your thoughts on the Arc boy?"

"In over his head. He might be competent, but becoming Hunters is not for the faint-hearted or weak. He's going to either sink or swim. That being said, I really hope we're not on the same team as that wanker over there."

Blake noticed his glare at a tall boy with reddish-brown hair. The boy noticed his scrutiny, and sneered, and mouthed Filthy animal at them. Blake sighed, and muttered, "I wish you hadn't talked me into not wearing the bow."

"Blake, I love you the way you are." He gently stroked one of her ears, and she closed her eyes, all but purring from his gentle ministrations. "At least the others we met don't give a damn. Ruby, Yang, Jaune…they're some of the nicest humans we've met."

"And there's Neo and you," Blake said. "And for all Ironwood being so cold…he's a good man at heart." Then, an impish smirk touched her lips. "You do know that we'll be sleeping in dorms, with our teammates? So we won't have much privacy for…you know."

"That's what the trunk is for, remember? They won't be able to complain about the noise we make if we go in there," Harry said with an equally impish smirk.

The two shared a soft chuckle at the thought, and sat there, sharing each other's company, while waiting for sleep to finally claim them…

The next morning, the five friends from Talon made their way to the cliffs overlooking the Emerald Forest, ready for initiation. Harry and the others had been accosted by some redhead by the name of Nora Valkyrie, and had listened to her harebrained plans. "All I'm saying is that I've known a sloth Animagus by the name of Grif, and he doesn't sound anything like that," he pointed out.

"But that's why it's the perfect plan!"

Neo raised an eyebrow, as if to say, Really? But before anything could be said further, Ozpin directed them to the catapult platforms. Harry and the other Talon members didn't need to undergo initiation, but it had been agreed that they would still do it, if only to better camouflage the fact that they were sent here mostly as insurance against those who wanted to see Beacon fall.

Ozpin said, "For years, you've been training as warriors. Today, that training will be put to the test here in the Emerald Forest."

Glynda nodded, and added, "Let me put the rumours of how we pick teams to rest. You will be given teammates today."

"Those teammates will be your comrades throughout your time here," Ozpin continued, "so it is in your best interest to be paired with someone you would work well with. That being said, after landing, the first person you make eye contact with will be your partner for the next four years."

"WHAT?!" Ruby yelped.

Harry looked askance at Ozpin. "Rusty was right. You're a bloody troll, Ozpin. In the unlikely event that I die giving some Nevermore indigestion, I thought you should know that."

A wave of laughter, some of it strained, swept the line of students. Even Ozpin chuckled, before his expression became solemn once more. "After you've partnered up, head to the northern end of the forest. You will meet opposition along the way, opposition that you must strike down, or else you will die." As Jaune, and a couple of others, got more nervous at that, Ozpin continued, "You will be monitored and graded throughout by the instructors here, but they will not interfere. There's an abandoned temple at the end of the path with relics. Each pair must choose one, and then return to the top of the cliff. We will regard that item, and your standing, and grade you appropriately. Any questions?" Jaune put his hand up, only for Ozpin to say, "Good! Now, take your positions."

"Again, you're a bloody troll, Ozpin," Harry muttered, only to be nudged by Blake.

"Um, sir, what about, well, landing?" Jaune asked as the catapult platforms began to be activated. "Are you dropping us off?"

"No. You'll be falling. And no parachutes. Students have to figure out their own landing strategy."

Blake, then Neo and Penny and Ilia, got launched into the air, and Harry, after sending a spell Jaune's way, once more gave Ozpin a flat look. "Has anyone told you you're a bloody TROLLLLLLL?!" Harry yelled, just as he was launched into the air.

As Jaune soon followed, Ozpin took a sip of his hot chocolate, and remarked to Glynda, "It has been noted…"

CHAPTER 2 ANNOTATIONS:

Seriously, Ozpin is a troll.

No numbered annotations this time.