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.

An Unexpected Visit

Harry hopped out of the carriage, and looked towards the train station. The Hogwarts Express gleamed in the sunlight, students milling around the Hogsmeade platform.

"Mum and Dad are picking me up at the platform," said Hermione. "We'll be going directly from King's Cross to Dover, and taking the hovercraft to Calais."

"What, with your school trunk in tow?" asked Hotaru. "That doesn't seem very convenient."

"We've got little choice," complained Hermione. "The conference starts tomorrow, and we've got to be in Paris by the end of the day."

"I could ask Dobby to pop it to your home," offered Harry.

"Or I could take it with me," said Ron.

"I wouldn't want to put Dobby out," said Hermione. "And thanks for the offer, Ron, but I'd have to collect it from you once we get back from France. And I don't think my parents will want to drive out to Devon."

Dobby appeared with a pop. "Dobby doesn't mind taking Miss Granger's trunk to her room."

"Oh. Well, thank you, Dobby."

The House-Elf grinned, put a hand on Hermione's trunk, and both disappeared.

"He's a lot happier since you freed him," observed Hermione. "I can't believe that the Wizarding World keeps slaves."

"We've been over this," said Ron. "We don't keep them; they want to be like that." He reconsidered. "Okay, some families do treat them like slaves, but most don't."

"If they don't get paid, they're slaves," said Hermione firmly.

"Just like people who work at soup kitchens," said Hotaru.

"That's different."

"Is it?"

Harry butted in before the argument could get heated. Again. "So what are your plans for summer, Ron?"

Ron shrugged. "Don't really have any. We'll probably play a bunch of Quidditch, go swimming, that sort of thing. Since I'm taking Care of Magical Creatures next year, I might write to Charlie, and see if he has any suggestions."

"Oh, yes, electives." Hotaru turned to Harry. "You never told me which ones you're taking."

"Care of Magical Creatures and Arithmancy," said Harry. "I was considering Divination, because it's supposedly an easy O, but I changed my mind."

"Any particular reason?"

Harry shrugged. "I had a chat with Professor Flitwick, and he suggested it."

"I'm taking those two, as well as Ancient Runes," said Hotaru.

"I want to take all five," said Hermione. "Professor McGonagall said that others have done so, and she'll look into it for me."

"Percy did that," commented Ron. "But he ended up dropping two of them after his third year. He said it was just too much."

"Well, if I do that," said Hermione, "at least I'll know which ones to drop."

Upon his return to Privet Drive, Uncle Vernon had presented him with the usual list of chores, but other than that, had barely spoken to him. This didn't bother Harry at all, and Aunt Petunia was almost being civil. So as he pushed the old mower around the front lawn, he actually found himself whistling.

A car turned onto Privet Drive. At eleven in the morning, this was sufficiently unusual to draw Harry's attention. He stopped pushing the mower—it was one of the old muscle-powered versions—and stood upright. He was surprised to see it stop just in front of his house, but his surprise turned to delight as he spotted its passenger.

"Hotaru!"

The girl stepped out of the car, smiling. "Hello, Harry."

It was the first time he'd actually seen her in conventional clothing, rather than Hogwarts robes. She wore a simple plaid skirt that fell just above her knees, the pattern of deep blues and greens blending together in a way that reminded Harry of the Hogwarts lake. A blousy long-sleeved shirt in a pale blue was tucked into the skirt, giving her a relaxed yet put-together look. Her customary black tights hugged her legs, and she had paired the outfit with black flats that were scuffed from use. In deference to the strong sun overhead, she wore a simple straw hat adorned with a wide ribbon that matched the colors of her skirt. The overall look was a bit old-fashioned, but on her, it looked right, as if she had stepped out of a different era.

"Professor Flitwick told me that someone would come collect me from here in about two weeks. Is that why you're here?"

She nodded, with a noise that sounded affirmative. "Are you ready to go?"

"Well..." He looked a bit abashed. "My school stuff is all packed up and ready to go. But I wasn't told when to expect anyone." He glanced down at his clothing; it was the oldest he owned, and while the jeans were still more or less intact, the shirt was fairly tattered. "So I dressed for yard work."

"Who's that, Potter? Your girlfriend?"

Harry glanced behind him, to see his cousin, Dudley. "I'm not that lucky, Dudley. Hotaru's a friend from school."

Dudley's face paled. "From your school?"

"Yeah," said Harry. He lowered his voice. "You know, you might want to be polite to her. She doesn't need a wand to do magic."

Dudley now looked bone white. He nodded to Hotaru. "Pleased to make your acquaintance." It sounded as though the words had been choked out of him. Then he turned and bolted back into the house.

Harry turned back to Hotaru, who was blushing for some reason. "If you want to give me a few minutes to get changed, maybe grab a shower, I can be ready to go soon."

"All right," said Hotaru. "Papa and I can come back in half an hour."

"Why was one of those freaks here, boy?"

Harry glanced at his uncle. "Hotaru and her father are taking me...well, I'm not sure where yet, but away from here." He unlatched the cupboard under the stairs, and pulled his trunk out. "I probably won't be back until next summer."

"Well, make sure you don't forget anything," said Vernon. "I don't want anything from your lot left here."

"On that note..." Harry popped open his trunk, and pulled out a form. "I need you to sign this."

"What is it?"

"It's a form," said Harry.

Vernon glowered at him. "If you're going to be cheeky—"

"It's a permission form to visit Hogsmeade," said Harry. "It's...for a field trip. If I can't go, I'd probably have to come back here for a few weeks, around Christmas time."

Vernon snatched the form from Harry's hand, and fumbled for a byro. Harry fished a self-inking quill out of his trunk. "Byro won't work on parchment, Uncle Vernon."

Vernon looked at the quill as though it were something pornographic, then snatched it from Harry, quickly signed his name and shoved both articles back into Harry's hands. He turned, muttering, and stomped off towards the living room.

The car had returned when Harry dragged his trunk out the front door. Hotaru and a tall white-haired gentleman got out as he approached.

The man appeared rather youthful, despite his white hair and spectacles. Harry was shocked to see that the right lens of his spectacles had an eye painted on it, completely obscuring his actual eye. He wore a black and white pinstripe shirt and black trousers, and overall gave the impression that the colour had been leached out of him.

"Let me help you with that, Potter-kun."

The man popped the hatch of the car, and grabbed one end of Harry's trunk. Between the two of them, they hoisted it into the boot. Harry noted with interest that a second trunk was already in the boot.

"Ah. Harry, this is my father, Professor Souichi Tomoe. Papa, kouchiru wa Harry Potter tomodachi desu."

Harry was about to offer his hand, but then remembered something that he'd heard about Japanese people, and bowed instead. Professor Tomoe returned the bow.

"Pleased to meet you." His accent was stronger than Hotaru's. "This is everything, Potter-kun?"

Harry wondered about the -kun, but assumed it was something Japanese. "It's everything, sir."

"Professor Flitwick was originally going to have you go to the Weasley's house for the summer," said Hotaru. "But they made plans to go out of country before the Professor could ask them. So he's arranged a room for you at the Leaky Cauldron."

"Ah." Harry felt a bit lost; this had all come at him out of the blue, and at very high speed.

"Potter-kun, I wonder if I might have a private word with you before we depart?"

Professor Tomoe might have been speaking to Harry, but his eyes were on his daughter. Hotaru giggled, and stepped back to the passenger-side door. "Don't scare him too badly, Papa." She opened the door, climbed into the car and shut the door.

"Hotaru-chan has requested to stay with you over the summer," said the Professor. "I have reluctantly given my permission, and will be renting a room for her. We will be visiting Japan for a few weeks towards the end of August, but that leaves a month that she'll be on her own in the room next to you. I hope I can trust you to remain a gentleman?"

"Yes, Sir," said Harry. He felt his face heating up.

"Also, I don't know if you've seen the news recently, but apparently, a mass murderer has escaped."

"Sirius Black," said Harry. "Yes, I've heard about that."

"It seems that he is a wizard," said Professor Tomoe. "Hotaru tells me that he worked for this Voldemort that you are said to have defeated."

"I didn't know that, Sir."

"Last year, when Hotaru-chan was...petrified..." The Professor shook his head. "I was not comfortable hearing about that incident, and nearly pulled her from the school. The principal reason that I did not was you, Potter-kun."

"Me, Sir?"

"Hotaru-chan has not been treated well by her peers, because of her...gift. Even at that school, members of her House bullied her. You might be the first real friend that she's ever had." Professor Tomoe adjusted his glasses, drawing Harry's attention once again to the creepy painted-on eye. "You will look after her, won't you, Potter-kun?"

"As best I can," agreed Harry.

"That's all I can ask, then." He waved to the car. "We'll stop in Staines for lunch, and we should have you two at Charing Cross by half past one."