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.

The Yule Ball

Unlike last year, there had been no Christmas Tea with the staff. A normal lunch had been served at the normal time. And shortly after that lunch, most of the girls of fourth year and above had vanished to ready themselves for the Yule Ball. This included Hermione, much to Harry's surprise. He hadn't thought that she'd have any interest in attending the Yule Ball.

"No idea who she's going with." Neville was adjusting his tie. "Except it isn't any of us. Seamus is going with Parvati, and Dean with Ginny." He cast his eyes over to Ron's bed. The ginger was the only one among their roommates who was absent. "And I know Ron isn't going at all."

"Between his disastrous attempt to ask Fleur, and the awful dress robes his mother saddled him with, I can't really blame him." Harry ran his comb through his hair again.

"It's a lost cause, dearie," said the mirror.

"Always is," said Harry morosely. He looked himself up and down in the mirror one more time. His bottle-green dress robes—resembling a three-piece suit, but with coattails that reached below the knee—looked quite good.

"Come on, Harry." Dean slapped his shoulder. "You look fine. Let's go meet our ladies."

The foursome made their way downstairs, where Dean and Seamus met up with Ginny and Parvati, respectively. Harry glanced around, but there was still no sign of Hermione. Several other Gryffindors gathered in the common room; it was just starting to get uncomfortably crowded when James Morgan, the seventh-year Prefect, called out, "All right, Lions. Let's go!"

The Gryffindors began to stream out of the common room, towards the main staircase. Harry fell in beside Parvati Patil.

"Hey, Parvati. Where's Hermione?"

"Oh, she left about fifteen minutes ago," said Parvati. "She wanted to meet her date." She pouted. "She wouldn't tell me who it was, either. After all the help I gave her with her hair..."

"Wish you could do something about mine," grumbled Harry.

"Really?" Parvati giggled. "I would have thought—oh, but you're Muggle-raised!"

"Yeah, I am," said Harry crossly.

"Oh, I don't mean anything bad about it," said Parvati quickly. "It's just that your grandfather developed Sleekeazy's Hair Potion. Just two drops got Hermione's hair under control, and she normally looks like she's taken one Stunner too many."

"I'll have to look into that," mused Harry. "Thanks, Parvati!"

Four Houses and three guest Schools convened in the Entrance Hall. Those whose dates were in other Houses or Schools hurried to find their partners.

"Harry!" Hotaru beamed as she approached him. She was dressed in a dark purple sleeveless gown. The neckline was more daring than he'd expected from her, and the gown swirled around her ankles. Long purple gloves covered her arms from fingertips to above the elbow.

"Wow," said Harry. "You look incredible."

"Thank you," she giggled. "I modeled it after...well, you know..."

"I do," he said quietly. The first time he'd seen this gown was in her sketchbook, on the Handmaiden of Death.

"It just felt right," she whispered. "Even if it was hers. And if I was her, once upon a time..."

"You're you," said Harry quietly. "No matter who you were in a past life."

"Thank you," she whispered. More loudly, she said, "You clean up quite well yourself. I might just keep you."

He felt his face warming from the compliment. "Thanks." He glanced around the atrium. "Do you know who—" He broke off, and his eyes widened. "Oh, that can't be good."

"What?" Hotaru turned to follow his gaze, and giggled. "This should be fun."

Minako Aino had arrived, with a red-headed twin on each arm. She looked insufferably pleased with herself. Fred and George looked less smug and more mischievous.

"Potter."

Harry turned, to see that Draco had approached him, with Rei Hino on his arm. His black dress robes made him look like a vicar, but matched well with Rei's white kimono and red obi.

"Green robes?" Draco smirked. "Embracing your inner Slytherin, I see."

"Well, one of us has to," said Harry. "After all, you typically act more like a Gryffindor. Always charging in where angels fear to tread."

"Low blow," said Draco, shaking his head. "True, but low."

"Miss Hino." Harry bowed to Draco's date. "You look well."

"Thank you," said Rei. "Draco surprise me when he ask." Her accent was stronger than Ami's, but her voice was quite pleasant. Harry suddenly realized that hers was the voice that had answered to Mars, when he'd overheard their secret meeting.

"Champions and their partners over here, please." Professor McGonagall was waving them over.

"Got to go." He waved to the two of them, and he and Hotaru started making their way through the crowd. Before long, they were in front of Professor McGonagall. Ami and Neville were already present, as were Fleur Delacour and her date, the Ravenclaw Quidditch Caption, Roger Davies. Cedric Diggory was the next to arrive, with Cho Chang on his arm. He grinned as Hotaru gave Cho a shy wave.

"Where is Mr Krum—" McGonagall broke off. "Ah. Here he is."

Krum slouched forward, a brunette girl on his arm. Harry glanced at her, back to McGonagall—then suddenly back at the girl.

It was Hermione. Her hair was tamed, as Parvati had suggested, and she wore a dusky rose gown, much more elegant than any of her normal attire. He fought to keep the surprise off his face, and nodded to her. "You look good."

"So do you two." Hermione grinned.

"Form a line, please," said McGonagall. "Ladies on the left, gentlemen on the right. No, Mr Diggory, allow our guests to go first."

"But you go before me, Cedric," said Harry quickly.

"All set? Then let us proceed."

Dinner was followed by the opening dance, and Harry quickly discovered that neither he nor Hotaru were good dancers. But they made it through the opening waltz with good humour and grace—just not physical grace.

After the opening dance, the remaining couples flooded the floor, and Harry and Hotaru made their way to the buffet. Harry grabbed a glass of punch for each of them.

"What are they doing?" said Hotaru quietly. Harry followed her gaze, and chuckled when he saw Fred, George and Minako involved in an odd sort of dance. It appeared to be a variant on a waltz, with Minako being passed back and forth between the twins.

"I'd have to assume that they practiced that," said Harry. He glanced across the dance floor. "Neville seems to be holding his own."

"He looks terrified," said Hotaru.

"Ami's two years older than him," pointed out Harry. "Bound to be a bit intimidating."

"But you're older than me." Hotaru tapped her chest. "And I'm not intimidated."

"Only half a year," said Harry. "Also, we've known each other for years. Neville and Ami just met."

"There is that," allowed Hotaru. She shuddered. "Meiou-sensei is staring at me...it's uncomfortable."

Harry frowned, and moved so that he stood between the Mahoutokoro Professor and Hotaru. "Do you want to dance again? Put some more bodies between us and her?"

"I..." She blushed. "I feel awful, not knowing how to dance."

"I don't really know how either."

"I noticed." She grinned at him. "But it was still fun." She glanced towards the doors. "Let's go outside...I noticed that they left the outer doors open. Perhaps there's a reason why?"

The front yard had been transformed with dozens of ice sculptures, ranging from massive dragons to finely wrought rose bushes. A combination of warming and cooling charms had been artfully layered, allowing the few students who wandered the yard to stay warm while preventing the sculptures from melting. Harry and Hotaru were admiring the Norwegian Ridgeback sculpture when they heard the voices.

"The mark is coming back, stronger than ever, Severus."

It was Professor Karkaroff. Harry glanced at Hotaru, and raised a finger to his lips. She nodded, and turned her attention to the speakers.

"I am aware of this, Igor. I have been aware of it for months now." Professor Snape's voice. "My own mark is the same."

"But you know what it means, do you not? The Dark Lord is regaining his strength. He will return. He always swore that he was stronger than death itself."

"Nobody is stronger than death, Igor. Not even the Dark Lord. If he is returning, it is because he has cheated death, not defeated it."

"You know he doesn't take kindly to traitors, Severus—"

"And you turned in Augustus Rookwood to save yourself, Igor. You should be far more concerned than I."

"No doubt he has plans for me, yes. What would you do?"

"Pray he's in a good mood," said Snape softly. "Then he might only kill you. Now pull your bloody sleeve down, before somebody sees that."

Harry and Hotaru stared at each other, eyes wide.

Professors Karkaroff and Snape were both Death Eaters.