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.
Darkest Hour
Umbridge's private quarters were just off her office, and it was here that the two were dragged. Harry's first thought was that he'd never seen a room so pink before. It was covered in cutesy decorations, and plates with pictures of kittens. But this only amplified the more horrible things in the room.
Harry was shocked to see that several sets of manacles had been bolted to the wall. He could see the Weasley Twins and Luna Lovegood, their wrists manacles above their heads, dangling from the walls. The badly decayed corpse of Argus Filch was also hung from the wall, and Harry nearly gagged at the stench. At first, he panicked, thinking that Luna and the Twins were dead as well, but he could see them breathing.
Hotaru was manacled to an iron chair. She had been hit by a silencing charm, for Harry could see her trying to speak, but could hear nothing from her.
The Twins tossed Harry down on the ground in front of Umbridge; Draco, they forced into a kneeling position near the back wall.
"Such a shame I cannot simply discard the Squib's corpse," said Umbridge. She sounded apologetic, as though the body was some minor inconvenience. "Sadly, he did not have sufficient magical power to survive having his heart crystal extracted. But if I destroy the body, Kaolinite will cease to be." She made a moue. "We cannot have that, can we?"
Miss Blackrock—Kaolinite—smirked.
"And for some reason, I was unable to turn Miss Tomoe, here." Umbridge stalked towards Harry, her wand in hand. "Tell me, Mr Potter. Why exactly is that?"
Harry had no idea what sort of magic Umbridge had been using, but he suspected he knew why it hadn't worked. The same reason that Hotaru had survived the Basilisk's stare: She was a Sailor Soldier. But there was no way in hell he was telling her that.
"What exactly did you try to do to her?" he asked.
"Oh, you'd like to know?" Umbridge simpered. "Though I suppose if you don't know, you cannot answer the question. I attempted to extract her heart crystal, as the Mistress taught me."
"I thought you were the Mistress," commented Harry.
"She is me and I am her, and she is within me." Umbridge touched her chest. "In here. Mistress Nine is part of me now."
Ami mentioned Mistress Nine before, thought Harry. That's who the Soldiers are looking for. But it's Umbridge?
"Why do you need her heart crystal?" asked Harry. He was certain he already knew, but he wanted to confirm it.
"To create my Daimons, of course," said Umbridge. "The more powerful the wizard, the more powerful the Daimon. Sadly, Kaolinite, here, was born from the squib, and it killed him." She shrugged. "It means that she is not as powerful, but she can more easily pass for human."
"But why do it?" asked Harry. "I mean, what benefit does it get you to have these monsters following you around?"
"Once I have sufficient power at my disposal," said Umbridge, "I can open the passage for my master, Pharaoh Ninety, who will conquer this planet." She smiled sickly. "He has promised me great power under his rule."
"So it's just a power grab," commented Harry. "And you're just a wannabe dictator."
"Crucio!" Umbridge's wand snapped forward, and Harry convulsed under the torture curse, screaming. She lifted the curse, and he gasped for air.
Nasty as she is, he reflected, her Cruciatus is nothing compared to Voldemort's.
"Where did you go today, boy?" snapped Umbridge. "Tell me, and I might let you live a bit longer."
"Fighting Voldemort," gasped Harry.
"Lies!" snarled Umbridge. "Voldemort is dead!"
"Horcruxes," he gasped.
Umbridge paused, lowering her wand. "What?"
"He made horcruxes," said Harry. "We found out where one was, and we destroyed it."
"Horcruxes," said Umbridge softly. "Yes...with horcruxes, he could indeed survive. How many did he make?"
"Not sure," said Harry weakly. "We thought we knew, but he made one more...there's still one out there."
"Where?"
"We don't know," said Harry. He struggled to his knees. He firmed up his Occlumency as best he could in his current state, and prayed that Umbridge, or Mistress Nine, wasn't very good at Legilimency. "We thought we had them all, but one of them had been moved."
"If he still has a horcrux," mused Umbridge, "he could be turned, and would be a powerful Daemon. Perhaps as powerful as I need to open the gate. If not, between us, we could take down Dumbledore..." She smirked. "Then as soon as I'm done with you, I will be off to find Voldemort."
"You'll be too late," said Harry. "He's at the Ministry right now." He spat blood on the floor—had he bitten his tongue while under the Cruciatus? "But as soon as he figures out I'm not coming, he'll scarper, back to Malfoy Manor."
"Where?" asked Umbridge, suddenly looking confused.
"It's under Fidelius," said Harry. "No matter how many times I tell you, you won't be able to remember."
"Then I shall have to catch him at the Ministry," said Umbridge. "I suppose I shall have to leave your transformation to Kaolinite. Have no fear, dearie; She is very good at it."
With a giggle, Umbridge stepped over to her fireplace, and took a pinch of floo powder. With a cry of "The Ministry for Magic", she stepped into the emerald flames and was gone.
Kaolinite cackled evilly, and grabbed Harry's collar. She pulled him upright, bending him backward slightly, and grinned.
"So, boy. Are you prepared to surrender your soul to me?" She raised a hand over Harry's chest.
Harry forced the panic down, and made himself concentrate on the most basic principles of magic.
Magic is about intent. If you want something to happen, it will happen. Wands make it easier to direct and control, but they aren't needed. And for a spell powered by pure emotion...
He thought about Hotaru.
He remembered all the times they'd supported each other, helped each other. He thought of her shy smile, her gentle hugs. He thought of her giving her memories so he could learn her language. He thought of her leaning her head on his shoulder as they rode in the Hogsmeade carriages, her sleeping with her head on his lap on the Hogwarts Express.
He cast his memory back to the previous year:
"So does this mean we're officially dating?" he asked with a grin.
"Yes," said Hotaru. "I think it does."
Behind his back, his hand moved through the half-twist and jab.
"Expecto Patronum!"
Kaolinite's expression shifted to shock for half a second, before Prongs smashed through her, tearing her into so much stardust.
The Crimson Twins leaped towards him, but Prongs was ready. He caught one on his antlers, tearing her apart, her heart crystal tumbling to the flagstones as she dissolved.
The other grabbed Harry by the throat.
"Stupid boy," she hissed. "All you've done is—"
Hotaru's dove Patronus blew through her chest, and she crumbled to dust, her heart crystal falling to the floor.
Hotaru was standing, somewhat unsteadily. Her wrists showed red marks from the manacles, and she rubbed her right hand with her left. "Didn't think of the Patronus," she admitted.
"How did you—"
"I dislocated my thumb," she said casually. "It hurt, but it let me get a hand free. Then I could undo the other manacle."
"You two are wicked!" said Draco. He stood up, cradling his wand arm.
"Let me get that." Hotaru took a step towards Draco, but he shook his head.
"No," he said. "It'll weaken you. I'm not in any danger of dying, but you two have to stop Umbridge. If she gets her hands on Voldemort—"
"Gimme a second," said Harry. He picked up the Twins' heart crystals, then stepped over to where the Weasleys and Luna were suspended. "We gotta get these back into them somehow."
"Try the Patronus again?" asked Hotaru.
Harry shrugged. "I suppose." He picked his wand up from Umbridge's desk, then stepped up to Luna. He placed the crystal against her chest, then touched it with his wand. "Expecto Patronum," he cast quietly.
A silver mist emerged from his wand, swirling around the crystal. The mist grew brighter, enveloping the crystal until it disappeared. Luna gasped as she regained consciousness.
"Oh, dear. This isn't comfortable at all." She winced. "And I do believe I've been here a while."
Harry chuckled. "Let's get you free, Luna."
Harry opened his trunk and withdrew his Invisibility Cloak, the Marauder's Map, and his two-way mirror. He breathed on the surface, then said, "Padfoot."
But there was no change. Wherever Sirius was, he was still out of communication.
"Dobby."
The Elf appeared with a pop. "Yes, Harry Potter, sir?"
"Can you get this stuff back to Clifton, please? Pick up Hedwig, as well. Then once you've done that, I need you to find Sirius. I'm worried about him."
"Dobby will do," agreed the Elf.
"Should we call in the Soldiers?" asked Hotaru.
"I don't know how," admitted Harry. "Unless you mean Dumbledore's Soldiers, but let's be honest. Against Voldemort or Mistress Nine, they're not going to win."
"And we are?" asked Hotaru.
"We don't have a lot of choice," pointed out Harry. "If those two team up, that's game over right there. We have to stop them, and we're the only ones who know." He considered, then turned to Draco. "Go to the Hospital Wing. Take the Twins and Luna with you. Get those arms looked at." After long weeks hanging from Umbridge's walls, the three were in considerable pain.
Draco nodded. "Better take your sword, too."
"Good call," agreed Harry. He turned to Dobby, but the Elf was way ahead of him, and handed him the Sword of Gryffindor. Harry glanced at the blade, then back to the Elf, a grin on his face.
"Could do with a Time Turner as well." He waited, but Dobby looked bashful.
"Sorry, Master Harry."
Hotaru giggled.
"A second wand," suggested Draco. "It saved your arse in the graveyard."
"Good call," agreed Harry. He turned to Dobby. "Is there a spare wand in the Lost and Found?"
"Dobby will look." The Elf popped away again, and returned seconds later, presenting a wand to Harry. "Oak and dragon heartstring," he said.
Harry took the wand, and felt a tingle, but not much more. "It's not a great match," he mused. "But it should work for me." He slid it up the sleeve of his robe, tucked into the cuff of his shirt sleeve. "Okay," he said. "We've delayed it long enough. Let's go finish this."
He stepped up to the fireplace, and grabbed a handful of floo powder.
"The Ministry for Magic!"
