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.
Shifting the Spotlight
"Have you got them?" asked Harry. He and Draco Malfoy had met up in the Trophy Room. He'd chosen it largely because it was normally empty, especially this close to dinner.
Draco nodded, and passed over the buttons. Harry looked at them, and grinned. Each said:
Support Cedric Diggory
The Real Hogwarts Champion!
"Great," said Harry.
"You might want to know that they change," said Draco. He tapped one of the buttons with his wand, and the ink rearranged to spell a different message.
Potter Stinks!
"Oh." Harry shook his head. "That's not so great. Who made these up?"
"I think it was Theo Nott," said Draco. "He's got a knack for transfiguration. But the good news is, I can adjust the triggering charm. I already did, with this one." He tapped a different button, and it changed.
Potter was Drafted!
"Glad you've been listening," said Harry with a grin. He quickly fastened that button to his lapel.
"We might not be friends, precisely," said Draco. "But we're allies. And I can't have my allies attacked. Speaking of which: Did Weasley give you his message?"
Harry frowned. "What message?"
Draco sighed, and scowled in frustration. "You're going to have to cut him loose, Potter."
"You might be right." Harry hoped he wasn't, but it wasn't something he wanted to go into just now. "But don't change the subject. What message?"
"He said that Hagrid wants to see you. Tonight, after curfew. Keep it secret, and use your cloak." Draco frowned. "What cloak?"
"I've got an invisibility cloak," admitted Harry. He was a bit wary about revealing that fact, but as Draco said, they were allies.
"That explains a lot," snickered Draco. "Anyway, let me know what Hagrid wants. I'd not put it past him to try to give you some help on the Challenge. And let's face it; you'll need all you can get."
"You're right," agreed Harry. "Hagrid's normally an open book, so if he wants a secret meeting, he's probably up to something."
Mr Potter,
I write to inform you that the trial date for Mr Sirius Black has been officially scheduled for Wednesday, 30 November, 1994. It is essential that you make yourself available on this date, as there is a possibility that you may be called upon to provide evidence during the proceedings. I have communicated your situation to your Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, who will undoubtedly assist you in making the necessary travel arrangements to attend the Wizengamot Chambers.
Sincerely,
Edward Tonks, QC
"Sirius' trial will be at the end of the month," said Harry. "At least I won't have to worry about missing the first Task."
"That's good news," said Hermione brightly. "Given the evidence that you and Hotaru can provide, he should be cleared of all charges."
"Looks like Hotaru got the same letter." Harry pointed across to the Ravenclaw table, where Hotaru's buzzard, Seiun, was on approach.
He glanced over at the Hufflepuff table. Cedric Diggory was there, surrounded by fangirls. This wasn't new; most of the girls at Hogwarts seemed to fancy him. It looked like he'd finished breakfast, so Harry stood up.
"Gotta go see Cedric," he said to Hermione. She nodded, and Harry walked across the Hall to the Hufflepuff table.
He was instantly blocked by half a dozen Badgers, all of whom were scowling at him. It saddened him that they included Ernie MacMillan and Hannah Abbott, with whom he was normally on good terms.
"I need to talk to Cedric for a moment," said Harry, scowling at them. He tapped his button. "Trust me, I'm on your side; I didn't even want to enter this damned thing."
"What's going on?" Cedric himself had walked up behind the human shields. "Harry? What can I do for you?"
"Need a quick word alone," said Harry. He glanced meaningfully at the other Hufflepuffs, and Cedric nodded.
"All right, you lot." Cedric's voice carried a note of command. "Clear off."
They didn't move. Justin Finch-Fletchley snorted dismissively. "I don't want a cheater like him left alone with you."
Cedric's voice took on a sharp edge. "He went out of his way to get mandrake root to un-petrify your sorry backside," he said. "And this is how you thank him?" He looked around at the rest of the Hufflepuffs. "Look, I trust him. And if I trust him, isn't that enough for you?"
Finch-Fletchley glared at Harry some more, then stepped back. "Fine. Don't say we didn't warn you."
One by one, the other Hufflepuffs, looking somewhat ashamed of themselves, began to drift off.
"Sorry about that," Cedric said to Harry. "Some of them can be stubborn."
"I can't fault their loyalty," admitted Harry.
Cedric gestured towards the entry hall, and he and Harry walked away from the Hufflepuffs. "So what is it you need, Harry?"
"Worked out what the first Task is, yet?"
Cedric frowned. "No. Probably shouldn't tell you that, but I believe you when you say you didn't enter it." He gestured towards Harry's button. "I notice the rest of your crew wearing those. I've tried to get my House to not wear them, but they refuse. You know they've got a hidden message, right?"
"I do, and I got it altered." Harry tapped his button with his wand, revealing the 'Potter was Drafted!' message. "All of my...crew, as you put it...are wearing modified buttons." He turned to face Cedric more directly. "The first Task is dragons."
Cedric paled. "We have to fight dragons?"
"No, that would be too easy. We have to get a golden egg away from a nesting mother dragon."
"You're joking!" Cedric shook his head. "I thought they were trying to make the challenges less lethal!" He glanced down at his shaking hands, and visibly stilled them.
"I wish I was," said Harry ruefully. "Plus, I know that Madam Maxine knows about them, so she'll have told Fleur. Karkaroff knows, too; he'll have told Krum."
"So Mizuno and I are the only ones who don't know," mused Cedric. "Or rather, I didn't know until you told me." He looked away, frowning. "Bloody dragons...I can think of a few things to try, but..." He glanced back at Harry. "You're planning on telling Mizuno, as well?"
"Yeah," said Harry. "It's only fair."
"You sure you were Sorted into the correct house?" Cedric grinned at him.
"Sorting Hat wanted to put me in Slytherin," said Harry, smirking at Cedric's shock. "I didn't see the Mahoutokoro students with you. They normally eat at your table, right?"
"Yeah," said Cedric. "They were there earlier, but their Deputy Headmistress gathered them up for a meeting of some sort." Cedric frowned. "Not sure where exactly they went, because they were speaking Japanese."
The Astronomy Tower was about as far away from the Great Hall as you could go. Out of Hogwarts' five towers, it was the tallest, though not the widest, and it was the only one open to the sky. Harry had climbed most of the tower's spiral staircase, and was nearly at the top when he heard the voices.
"—Can't be certain that that person won't awaken."
It was Meiou-sensei, the Divination Professor and Deputy Headmistress, and she was speaking Japanese. Harry paused, still half a turn down from the top of the staircase. He couldn't see them, but their voices carried quite well. He folded the Marauder's Map back up and stuffed it into his pocket.
"If they do awaken, it would be bad. They could probably kill all of us."
That sounded like the black-haired girl. Harry frowned; the girl's name escaped him.
"Technically, they did already kill you all. If I hadn't broken the rules, you'd all still be dead. And I'm still paying the penalty for that."
It took a second for Harry's brain to process that. When he realized what he'd heard, his eyes widened.
They have a spell that can bring back the dead!
He lifted a foot to continue up the stairs, but Meiou-sensei's voice continued.
"So if we do detect that person, we need to finish them off. And by that, I mean kill them. All the way dead, so they can't come back. Do any of you have a problem with that?"
"Hell, no." He was certain that that was Makoto, the girl who'd balked at the Goblet of Fire. "Not if what you say she's done is true."
"No," said another voice. Harry though it was probably the blonde girl. "They're too much of a threat."
"Mercury?"
Who?
"No." It was Ami's voice. "Much as I'd prefer a peaceful resolution, there just can't be one. Not with that person."
"Mars?"
"No."
"Then it's settled." Meiou-sensei paused. "All right, you'll have classes shortly. Any other questions before we leave?"
"Have you had any luck detecting Saturn since we arrived?" This was from the black-haired girl, whom Meiou-sensei had called Mars.
"No," said Meiou-sensei. "It was sheer luck that I detected Saturn earlier this year. I tracked her to a sporting event two months ago, but there was a terrorist attack, and I couldn't pinpoint the location."
It was as though something in his memory was unlocked, and Harry almost yelled out in surprise. The faded, hazy memory of the woman at the Quidditch World Cup snapped into sharp relief. It was Meiou-sensei—the dark skin, the green hair, even the slightly stilted English.
And she'd appeared almost on top of Harry, Draco and Hotaru. She'd proven a dangerous combatant, fighting a Death Eater into retreat.
And she, and her students, were looking to kill someone.
Harry crept as quietly, and as quickly, as he could back down the spiral staircase. His heart was hammering in his chest. He reached the bottom, and ran towards the Ravenclaw Tower entrance.
The Ravenclaw Tower had a knocker on it, but when he reached for it, it spoke.
"I speak without a mouth and hear without ears. I have no body, but I come alive with the wind. What am I?"
"Oh, now is not the time," grumbled Harry. "I just need to talk to Hotaru!" He paused, then pulled out the Marauder's Map again. It was still active; he hadn't shut it down after locating the Mahoutokoro students. "Quero Hotaru Tomoe."
The circle appeared and narrowed, showing that Hotaru was approaching the Ravenclaw door.
"Mischief managed!" He stuffed the Marauder's Map into his bookbag, just as Hotaru opened the Ravenclaw door.
"Harry-kun!" She smiled. "Good timing. Ready for Arithmancy?"
"Hotaru, I just overheard the Mahoutokoro students," said Harry quickly. "They said they're here to kill someone."
"What?" Hotaru's hand flew to her mouth.
"And I think..." Harry swallowed nervously. "I think they're after you."