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.

Darkness Unchained

"All right, that's it for today," called Harry. He glanced around the Come and Go Room as students lowered their wands. He grinned, and offered a hand to Terry Boot, who was lying on his back. "Need a hand up?"

"Thanks, Harry," said the Ravenclaw. "Good one, Neville."

"Thanks," replied Neville, who looked rather shocked at his accomplishment.

Harry pulled Terry to his feet, then clapped Neville on the back. "We've created a monster in Neville, here."

Neville grinned.

"Okay," said Harry, raising his voice above the growing conversations. The students fell silent and turned to look at him expectantly.

"You've all done really well last season, and I think that your OWLs are going to go well for you." There were a few subdued chuckles. "So next time we meet, we're going to start something really hard. But I think you've all got it in you to manage this. So homework." More chuckles; Harry had never assigned them homework before, despite his non-chalant announcement. "You have to think of a happy thought. The happiest you've ever been."

Hermione drew in a gasp. "Harry, is this—"

"Yeah. I'm going to teach all of you how to cast the Patronus Charm."

That announcement left the students in stunned silence.

"Can you even cast the Patronus Charm yourself?" asked Ernie MacMillan.

Harry drew his wand, his hand going through the familiar twist and jab. "Expecto patronum!"

Prongs burst forth from his wand, taking a few steps forward, then pausing, as though searching for a threat. The Come and Go room was silent.

"I learned this charm two years ago," said Harry. "So did Hotaru. She was twelve at the time." He slowly looked around the gathered faces, the youngest of which—Luna Lovegood—was fourteen. "There is no reason you can't do the same."

"But you two are—"

"Power means nothing," said Harry bluntly. "Talent means nothing. Skill means nothing. The reason why so many adult wizards cannot cast this spell is because they've forgotten their happiest moments. Time has dulled the memories.

"Thus the homework," he concluded. "We're young. Our memories are not so clouded. Find your happiest memory, and I promise you, you will be able to cast this charm." He flicked his wand, and Prongs disappeared.

"So good night, and watch your parchments."

He watched them file out, and Hotaru slowly walked up to him. She looked a bit downcast.

"Problem, luv?"

She smiled. "Well..." She glanced towards the last of the students as they vanished out the door. "You do know that it actually takes a fair bit of power to cast the Patronus Charm, right? I mean, we both got a bit winded when we did it."

"Not when we managed our corporeal Patronus," objected Harry. "I think that the stronger the memory, the less power it takes to summon it. Besides," he grumbled, "I don't want these kids vulnerable to Dementors. Even if all they can cast is the basic shield, that's better than nothing."

Hotaru bit her lip. "Yes. Those things are the worst kind of evil." She hesitated. "There's something else..."

"Oh?"

"Can you teach me more?" she said quickly.

Harry nodded. "I suppose. What do you want to learn?"

"More defensive magic," she said quickly. "Harry, you and I both know that there's going to be more fights for you. I don't..." She sniffed, and Harry was shocked to see that she was close to tears. "I don't want to be left behind. You're so much better than me in—"

"You're well ahead of most in our year," interrupted Harry. "Okay, maybe I know a bit more than you, but you're one of those that insisted that I'm a prodigy in this field." He sighed. "See, I'm teaching everybody here everything I know. I'm not holding back." He snorted. "Sometimes, I have to run down to the library to learn what I'll be teaching that night. I just..." He sighed again. "I can't see how I can teach you more than everything I know."

"I don't want to lose you," she whispered. "If I can be there, beside you, fighting with you—"

Harry pulled her into a hug. "You've proven you're good enough for that," he said quietly.

"I want to be better," she mumbled into his chest.

Harry rubbed her back. "Well, there is one thing I can suggest. But I suspect you'll not half care for it."

"Saturn?" whispered Hotaru. "The Harbinger?"

"Yeah," agreed Harry. "It...it's your birthright, as much as magic. It's part of what you are. And from what Artemis told us, she's a force of good, not one of evil."

"But I don't know how to access those powers," said Hotaru.

"There's someone here, at Hogwarts who does," pointed out Harry. "In fact, she's one of Dumbledore's Soldiers, in addition to one of Usagi's."

Hotaru took a step back, and Harry was surprised to see what looked like shame on her face.

"I don't..." Hotaru shook her head. "Oh, I'm being stupid!"

"Can you tell me?" he asked quietly.

"She..." Hotaru looked down. "I'm...jealous...of Ami."

"Why would you be jealous of her?" asked Harry.

"She's so pretty, and she's smart!" Hotaru clasped her hands in front of her. "She's like Hermione, except without the rough edges, and you've known Hermione longer than you've known me. She listens to you, with respect, and she always does exactly what you say."

"Hotaru-chan," he said carefully. "Are you afraid of losing me to Ami?"

"Yes!" she half-gasped, half-sobbed. "I know I'm being silly," she said. "You never even look at her most of the time. But I can't help how I feel, even if I feel badly for feeling it."

"Well, it's never going to happen," he said. "And let me tell you why.

"First off, she's not prettier than you." He raised a finger to her lips as she opened her mouth to protest. "I won't deny that she's an attractive girl, but she's not my type. She's a bit too...cute. She lacks your elegance.

"Second, she might be more clever in some ways, but not in others." He grinned. "You've been solving problems for me since the day we met. She's never solved one for me yet."

"She was with you at the graveyard," mumbled Hotaru. "She fought Malfoy for you."

"And she got her arse handed to her," pointed out Harry. "The closest she ever came to actually helping me out on something was when she agreed that I didn't enter my name in the Goblet of Fire."

"She helped me learn more about Saturn."

"Technically, all she did was hook us up with Artemis," said Harry. "You, on the other hand, have been by my side since the day I met you. You told Flitwick I needed help. You were my friend when everybody else turned against me in second year. You fought Dementors alongside me to save Sirius, and helped capture Peter Pettigrew. You underwent a terribly invasive procedure, at the hands of a greasy git, to satisfy a whim I had. You helped me train for the International Challenge. And you've been the only one keeping me sane this year.

"So no, Hotaru-chan. You are in no danger of losing me to Ami." He grinned. "You're stuck with me, I'm afraid."

She grinned through her tears, and threw her arms around him.

"Besides that, we're still trying to hook her up with Neville," he added, and felt Hotaru laugh in his arms.

Then pain slashed through his forehead, and he fell into blackness, hearing Hotaru calling his name.

Harry awoke in the Hospital Wing.

It's been a while, he mused. Wonder if Madam Pomfrey's installed that name plate yet?

He sat up, rubbing at his scar, then felt around for his glasses.

"Harry!" Hotaru grabbed his hand. "Oh, thank God you're all right!"

"I told you he was fine," said Madam Pomfrey, though not unkindly.

"Here you are, Harry." It was Dumbledore who placed Harry's glasses in his free hand.

"Thank you, Professor." He slipped his glasses on, then glanced around the Hospital Wing. "No toads about?"

"No," said Dumbledore, with a bit of a grin.

"Professor...Voldemort is very happy about something," he said. He noticed that Dumbledore was still avoiding eye contact with him. "I think that the sooner I start those special lessons, the better."

"I have already spoken to Professor Snape," said Dumbledore. "You are to find some way to earn detention during potions class tomorrow. He has stated that, so long as you do not hurt any other students, you may...ahem...'indulge yourself in a manner befitting your father or godfather,' as he put it."

"Oh." Harry grimaced. "He wants it to be spectacular, then."

"No doubt," said Dumbledore. "He may thereby assign you multiple nights of detention. As for Tom being happy...I have just received an owl from a contact of mine at the Department of Magical Law Enforcement." All traces of humour faded from his voice. "It seems that Azkaban was breached. Eight of the most vicious Death Eaters escaped custody. And three others were slain in their cells. Including Peter Pettigrew."

Harry snorted. "No loss there."

"On the contrary, Harry," said Dumbledore. "You forget that Voldemort was using a borrowed wand up until this point."

Harry suddenly recalled what Voldemort had said in the graveyard.

"A pity that you were not able to recover my wand, Narcissa. Unfortunately, there is no way of knowing where Wormtail hid it." Voldemort smirked. "Unless, of course, I get the chance to ask him personally. For now, I must use yours."

"He has his old wand back," said Harry bitterly.