It was pretty much smooth sailing after Kurumu declared Harry as her Destined One. Of course, Harry knew that it was just the calm before the storm.
Things never go this well for this long without some massive clusterfuck on the way.
The trio discovered the oncoming clusterfuck on the day after their first exams. The day was relatively average in the beginning. The results were posted on a board for the whole school to see. Moka, predictably, did extremely well. Harry and Kurumu, also predictably, didn't do so well.
Moka greeted Harry cheerfully. "I wonder what I got!" Moka said.
Harry pointed far down at the other end of the board. "Your grade is over there."
Moka noticed Harry's disappointed frown and patted him on the back. "It's alright, Harry-kun. I'll help you study for the next exams! I'm sure you'll do better!"
Harry smiled at her generosity. "Thank you! I hope I don't slow you down. I'd feel horrible if your grades dropped just so you could help me study."
"Oh, it's alright. How about we start this afternoon?"
Just as the two finished making arrangements, a metallic clang rang out from behind them.
Harry spotted a young girl with a strange looking wand laughing at a trio of boys who had just been crushed by golden wash pans. If Harry wasn't mistaken, he was about to have his first encounter with a Japanese witch.
The three boys got up, and the one who appeared to be their leader rushed at the young witch with his claws out. Moka rushed to defend her as soon as the boy had gotten up. She shielded the girl with her own body, much like Harry had shielded Kurumu not too long ago.
The boy stopped his attack when he saw who he was about to strike. Harry had his wand at the ready, fully prepared to throw hexes at the first sign of trouble. It wasn't needed. The boys retreated when they noticed the crowd.
The leader sneered at the girls. "Let's go. Seriously, being in the same class as that filthy race makes me want to puke." With that, he and his friends marched off with their figurative tails between their legs.
Reminds me of Malfoy and his stupid henchmen, Harry thought disdainfully.
Harry turned away from the trio who were no longer a threat and back to the two girls. "Are you alright?" he asked.
The girl seemed to glare at him. Harry wondered what he had done. "I'm just fine, thank you. Moka-chan… thank you for saving me!"
Moka smiled sweetly at the little girl. "Any time, Yukari-chan! Us girls have to stick together, right?"
Yukari walked with them back to the cafeteria for lunch. Harry noticed that whenever he came close to Moka, Yukari would purposefully place herself between them. She chattered on with Moka, who had yet to notice, and praised her beauty and intelligence.
When they sat down to eat, Yukari revealed why she had been following them. "Moka-chan, I've been watching you since you came to this school and I have to tell you that I- well, I… I love you Moka-chan! Please go out with me."
Moka's eyes grew to the size of dinner plates at the proclamation, and Harry couldn't help but burst out laughing. Moka's expression was hilarious. The laughter died down, however, when Yukari jumped over the table and began to hug Moka and squeeze her boobs.
Shy, timid Moka wasn't sure what to do about the situation. She was clearly uncomfortable, but she didn't want to hurt Yukari's feelings. Harry had no such compunctions.
"Wingardium leviosa," Harry intoned. The spell hit Yukari, and she was up in the air. Harry glared at the little girl disapprovingly. "Yukari-chan, you can't just grab someone like that. It's incredibly rude and invasive. That's a very private area that should never be touched without permission. As a young lady, you should know that" Harry scolded.
Harry honestly felt like a babysitter at this point. How many times had he had to scold Kurumu or Moka like this, and they were his age? Now, he had to be responsible for scolding this little girl. Harry missed the times when he could leave it to Hermione to be responsible and just goof off with Ron.
Yukari glared fiercely at Harry. "I know who you are, Potter Harry-san."
Harry froze, awaiting what she would say. He was afraid that if she knew too much, he'd have to bind her tongue. He really didn't want to put a curse like that on such a young girl.
"Grades are so-so. No physical prowess. No interests or hobbies. You aren't worthy of my Moka-chan."
Harry was relieved that she didn't seem to know anything about his fame in Europe. That would've been a problem. "Moka belongs to no one. You have no right to dictate who she spends her time with. As a matter of fact, I think it's time you left."
With that, Harry levitated Yukari out into the halls and dropped her on her bum. Harry was about to leave when Moka grabbed him by the shoulder.
"Harry-kun, what was that? She's just a little kid!"
"A little kid who was molesting you. She needed to be taught a lesson. It's not like I hexed her or anything."
Moka was still angry. She looked like she was about to say something, but she just stormed off with a huff. "Yukari-chan! Are you alright?"
Harry rolled his eyes bitterly. The brat wasn't even hurt. Moka should be thanking me. Merlin, I'll never understand girls.
Harry walked to his next period alone. He didn't see Moka or Yukari for the rest of the day. Kurumu seemed very happy with this new development.
The next day, Moka met Harry and Kurumu for breakfast. Yukari was trailing after her with her hands on her breasts.
"Potter Harry-san! I hereby challenge you for Moka-chan's heart!"
Before Harry could object, he was being pummeled by numerous golden wash pans.
"Yukari-chan! Stop hurting Harry-kun!" Moka cried.
Kurumu growled from beside Harry. Her tail lashed furiously, and her nails extended.
Yukari squeaked in alarm and dragged Moka away. This left Harry to nurse his wounds with Kurumu. Kurumu helped Harry up. He cast an episkey on his head to heal the numerous bumps beginning to form. Harry glowered at the door that Yukari and Moka had disappeared through.
"It's okay, Harry-kun. Who needs her anyway?" Kurumu said cheerfully. She was clearly hoping that Yukari would be a problem long enough for her to make Harry hers.
Harry wasn't listening. He was planning to meet up with Moka and Yukari after their next class together. This whole situation was irritating, and he wanted it resolved as soon as possible. Something grated at his instincts. Having another magical as an enemy would prove problematic.
Harry didn't leave after the end of his next class. Noticing that Harry wasn't leaving, Kurumu stayed as well. Moka, who couldn't stay upset at anyone, let alone Harry, stayed behind too. Yukari wouldn't leave Moka alone with Harry if her life depended on it.
"Moka, something has to give here. She won't listen to me, so I need you to talk to her."
"But… I don't really mind her. She's only a little kid…"
"That isn't any excuse for the way she's been behaving. For her sake, she has to learn that what she's doing is wrong, or someone who doesn't care that she's young will correct her much more harshly. Maybe even kill her. Remember those guys that attacked her the other day? They're hardly the only monsters in this school who dislike witches.
"You have to understand, Moka. I'm not just saying this for mine or her sake. She's the only other magical I know of at this school, and I'd feel responsible if she were to be hurt. Even if she does annoy me, I couldn't just allow that to happen."
"You-You're lying! You don't care what happens to me! You just want Moka-chan to yourself!" Yukari said. She waved her wand and a golden wash pan fell onto Harry.
Harry, who had expected the move, grabbed it out of the air and set it on the ground. "Really, Yukari-chan. If you keep attacking people like that, you'll have no friends. That's not something that a young witch can afford here."
"Who cares! I'm a genius. I don't need friends who are dumber than me, anyway. Besides, I was alone from the beginning, so there's no one for me to push away."
Harry's stern expression softened into one of understanding. He wanted to comfort the young girl, but then he was hit in the head by a gold tea kettle.
"Hahaha! Idiot! You've been fooled!" Yukari giggled.
Harry got up slowly, rubbing his head. "Merlin, those things hurt!" Harry glared at the door once again. That girl was going to be the death of him.
"Oh, dear. I have to go check on her."
"Check on her? I'm the one who's injured."
"It's different, Harry-kun. That girl is all alone! You of all people should understand why I have to help her. You are in a similar position to her, aren't you? A wizard in a school of monsters who hate your kind. You just said that she needs to make friends, didn't you? Well, I'm her friend, Harry, and I need to make sure she's alright!" With that, Moka ran out of the room to find Yukari.
Harry sighed. "She's right. Come on, Kurumu. I should apologize… to both of them."
When Harry and Kurumu finally arrived, it was to find three lizardmen about to chow down on Moka and Yukari. Without thinking, Harry jumped in front of a vicious slash meant for the young witch. The slashes burned as they were exposed to the cold air around them. Harry and Yukari tumbled away from the group of monsters, causing a bunch of dirt to get into the fresh wounds.
Harry hissed in pain as he pulled himself off of Yukari to face the lizardmen. "Episky," he cast on his back. The wounds sealed up a bit, but Harry knew that the weak healing spell wasn't going to completely heal the deep slashes. Yukari frowned at Harry.
"I didn't want your help," the young witch objected petulantly.
"I know, but I'm not so great at apologizing. I figure saving your arse should cut it."
Harry refocused on the lizardmen. One was targeting Moka, and the other two were charging him and Yukari. Harry noticed that Yukari's wand had been snapped.
He forced himself to stop thinking of his own wand being snapped at the trial. The thoughts of his trial brought back the rage he had felt when he had faced Saizou. A little voice in the wind called for blood and retribution. Harry answered.
Harry cast a bone breaking curse at the legs of the closest lizardman. An agonized scream left him as he fell on his face. The first lizard writhed around on the forest floor, further disturbing his broken legs.
The second, Harry hit with a conjunctivitis curse. He tripped over his friend whilst scratching desperately at his eyes. The sharp claws did more damage to his eyes than Harry's curse had.
"I can't see!" he cried in a panic. The two lizardmen wiggled pitifully on the ground.
Harry watched the scene before him dazedly. The spells he had cast sent tingles down his arm. Both were borderline dark spells. Harry hadn't meant to use those, but they had practically leaped to the forefront of his mind when he saw the lizardmen threatening his fellow magical.
Harry eventually took notice of the pained whimpering of the lizardmen cast Stupify on both of them. They abruptly fell limp. If it weren't for the rise and fall of their chests, Harry might've thought he'd just killed them. Harry turned back to Yukari who was looking at him in awe. It was an expression that the young witch usually reserved for Moka.
"That… that was… AMAZING! You have to teach me how to do that, Harry-kun!"
When did I become "-kun"? Harry wondered.
Harry and Yukari rejoined their other two friends by the third lizardman who was lying face down with huge scratch marks all over his face and chest. Kurumu had a smug look on her face as Harry Stupified him. The Succubus was very proud that Moka had had to rely on her for protection.
Moka was smiling brightly at the group. "Thanks for saving me, Kurumu. Harry-kun! I'm so happy to see you and Yukari-chan finally getting along!"
Harry returned her smile. "Yeah, apparently all it took was three spells and nearly being shish kabobbed on lizard claws."
Moka laughed spritely. The light-hearted giggles were contagious, spreading quickly to Yukari and Harry and finally Kurumu. The group stood amongst the unconscious bodies of their enemies and laughed freely. It was the lightest Harry had felt in months. Things were finally going well, and Harry would enjoy it as long as it lasted.
After the fight with the Lizardmen, Yukari learned her lesson. She apologized to all of her classmates for all of the mean tricks she had played on them, and in return, they started to treat her better. Another less favorable outcome of the fight was Yukari's new crush.
"I love you Harry-kun!"
Moka and Kurumu looked on in confusion as the young witch pounced on Harry as she had done to Moka a few days ago. Harry tried to tug the girl off of him, but she clung onto him like a bear.
"Hey! Harry-kun is mine! Get off of him right now!" Kurumu yelled.
Once again, Harry was caught in a tug of war.
"No! Harry-kun is mine!" Moka cried.
She pounced on him, knocking the whole group to the floor and accidentally cracking Harry's skull against the tiles. Harry was seeing stars on the floor while the girls argued over him.
"Now look what you've done!"
"Oh no! I'm so sorry, Harry-kun!"
Harry groaned unintelligibly on the floor while the girls continued to fight. Somehow, he was certain that this was not the last time this would happen.